The Week of truth!

The next week was full of fun times.

After their date day Jaune and his two partners went hard on training. He wanted to see if his stats would grow further thanks to beacons training equipment. His training partners were great help too.

Pyrrha helped him train his skills as she was very good with her spear/sword and shield combo. His buster sword was powerful but also large and hard to wield quickly. He was getting used to the size and weight but it would take a bit longer until he was a master.

Nora trained his stamina. She was very good at getting him through the paces of fighting stamina heavy opponents who can hit hard. If it wasn't for his new Mithral shield that Ruby forged during their date he would be hurting on his arm from all the heavy hammer blows he endured. And Nora could go for an hour at a time with sparing the lightning rod was absorbing the thunder in the air and it was keeping him growing.

He learned from Ruby and Blake how to deal with fast and agile opponents. Ruby's speed kept his senses on high alert. And thanks to his skill he could track her. He also shocked her one time for when he got close to her and managed to catch up to her. She was mid step to zip out of there but he was soon right in her face. She blushes a bit at the closeness and was ready to run, when his grin made her pause as it wasn't his battle grin, it was a teasing grin. He quickly picked her on the lips and said to her, "Thanks for the shield you got me yesterday. You are a great girlfriend!" With a bright smile and the kiss on the lips. Ruby swooned. And went to her knees, beet red and a dopey happy smile on her face.

Yang was seething at the blatant flirt to her sister. Everyone else was trying to figure out how to gauge that result for either a win or a tie.

Blake was tricky. His enhanced sense helped him track her. But she was able to confound his senses thanks to her shadow step ability. He found her everytime just before she could land a clean blow, his counter attacks failed to reach her most of the time. The only counter he was able to land was a surprise knee to her stomach when she was blocked by his shield and he moved it away while it had caught her sword just right to keep it caught for a precious few seconds. She admitted she should have expected a kick from him at some point.

Weiss gave him tips on aura usage in their duel in case he couldn't get in close and personal. Such as aura blasts from his shield and hands, and aura slashes that went out up to 50ft giving him a ranged option. He just wasn't good with anything dealing with guns.

Ruby checked.

Weiss was also starting to notice his handsomeness from being close to him and teaching him these techniques and being surprised by his intelligence and his drive to improve. His study habits were amazing as well and his learning speed was astonishing.

If she knew his mentality stat helped with that should we definitely call him a cheater.

For Yang though? She was pushing his limits skill wise. And he pushed her to improve.

Now don't get her wrong she still wants to date the man. But the fact that he was more skilled than her in hand to hand combat was a blow to her pride. He actually out skilled her in boxing and kick boxing. Especially when he brought out wrestling and Muay Thai moves to counter her skill set.

So they made a date where he taught her the basics of expert level boxing and kick boxing. Yang thought advanced level would be a good place to stop her skill growth and focus on power and speed. Jaune blew that out of the water when he showed her expert level skills his mother Juniper imparted onto him.

Yang was floored. Literally. She ended up staring at the ceiling with a sore chin or throbbing temple from a kick or hit that slipped through her guard. She was dazed and processing this until she got right back up and relied on her power up ability to even the score.

Thanks to Jaunes abilities he could keep up with her growing power.

After her third loss to empty aura... Yang finally relented and listened to Jaunes advice about growing her combat skills level again.

And for crying out loud to focus on some defensive habits!

After dealing with that and having Ren help him in teaching her some other moves and meditation practices to help grow her aura pool further.

They finally all made a day before the school year began to hang out as a group.

Ren himself was enjoying some tea to a show they put on.

Blake had her book but would constantly peek at Jaune while he was cuddled up to Pyrrha, Nora, and even Ruby was by them enjoying some thigh pillows using Jaunes legs for it. And Yang couldn't help but use the other leg as a pillow.

Weiss was off to the side a bit while huffing at how comfy the group looked. And how it was somewhat inappropriate. but they all teased her about joining in. Which led to a blush and a very lacking denial from the ice princess, (Jaunes nickname for her). She blushes harder as everyone looked at her for letting that nickname stick while she gave them glares and shit for naming her snowflake or Weiss cream.

They all settled in and enjoyed the show.

Finally the evening came and they all got up while making a promise, Jaune started, "All my life I have been training to get into this school. And now I am here. With two girlfriends, a fiance, a petitioner, and a full team full of friends. I couldn't be happier right now. But I am hoping we all continue to grow as a group and show our abilities to the teachers in a way that will let them see our potential and allow us to protect the light of the soul in every person in Remnant! This I swear on My honor and oath as a Barbarian of the Arc clan!"

Ren came up next and said, "I promise to avoid losing my family again. I have found it with you all and I care for you all like siblings. I hope you all will aid me in my promise to protect everyone who needs defenders of the soul in this life. To protect and uphold the huntsman life style and life long mission."

Ruby came up next while admiring everyone in their new Mithral weapons. She cleared her throat and said, "I promise to be a light in the darkness to protect those who need it. To be there for everyone who needs that little boost in hope in their lives. I promise to be that hero that everyone needs."

Nora comes up next, "I've been so focused on surviving to the next day with Ren. But now? I have a family. I have a life. I have skills to protect others! I promise to be there to defend and protect anyone who needs me! And I'm looking forward to doing this mission with everyone who I can friend and family! This I swear on my honor as a Valkyrie!"

Pyrrha comes up next while looking at her old poster of propaganda. She tears it up and looks at everyone with a determined glint in her eye, "I used to be a poster girl. Someone to inspire hope. But now? I'm a fiance to an amazing man. I have two sister wives on the way. And I have the blessings of my parents to pursue this life and my family life. I plane to live to a ripe old age alongside all of you! And I hope you will aid me in protecting not only our way of life. But the lives of everyone we can as we hunt the darkness! I swear on my honor of being an Amazon!"

Blake comes up next, and she breathes in deeply before revealing her cat ears. Everyone looks at her with mixed emotions.

Weiss in shock and rage.

Yang and Ruby in shock and joy at the cute cat ears. She glares at them as their hands twitch towards the ears as if to pet them.

Nora was happily squealing at the reveal and was excited to see Blake in all of who she is.

Ren was indifferent having already sensed it from their training sessions.

Pyrrha was in slight shock as the signs were there but she didn't have any concrete evidence.

Jaune was happy to see her be her true self. His senses picked up on her cat scent during training. But he kept it to himself.

Before Weiss could rage and ask why she hid herself. Blake began, "I have always felt like I should hide myself. That my race was something to be ashamed of. Even when my family began the white fang."

Weiss goes red with rage before Jaune hold sup his hand to stem the tirade. She glares at him before he looks to Blake and Weiss flicks her gaze at the shaking form of her teammate. She softens a bit as she sees tears brimming in the eyes of her most quiet and stoick friend. Then she sighs and relents with a nod. Holding her judgements and words for now.

Jaune nods to Blake to continue.

She nods back gratefully and goes, "We began it to fight against the racism and segregation and hate. The last few wars didn't help in that regard. But we thought we could protest peacefully. Bring attention to it. And it was working! We made progress! We got the bills across the kingdoms to pass off anti discrimination laws! But we were slowing down in momentum as some humans joined us. Only for their families and friends to turn on them and make them resent us. Soon we began to lose momentum. Until the current fang took over."

Everyone winces at this part where the fang was seen as a terrorist organization now.

She sighs harshly and goes, "We began to raid. Steal. Even... K-kill." She tears up and wipes away the tears.

Yang pats her on the back while Ruby gives her a hug to help comfort her. She smiles gently at the support while Jaune grips her shoulders gently to help ground her and allow her to focus on the history.

She continues, "I decided then and there that if that was what it took... I would join in. On the raids. Not the deaths. But once I saw how bad it was getting. I left. Came here to turn my life around. And hopefully stand up to them with my own strength. And I felt like I could open up to you all after knowing you for the last week! You all care for me. I care for all of you! And I know that we can do amazing things together! But I knew it would only be if we could trust each other."

She looks up sheepishly to see smiles of support all around. Until her eyes landed on a stoic Weiss. She tenses up with fear in her eyes as Weiss approaches carefully. Then she raises her arms making Blake flinch before she hugs her.

Blake looks at her confused. Before Weiss whispers loudly, "You're not the only one who is ashamed of their past. My dad is the leader of faunus bigotry and hate. Not to mention exploitation. I want to join you in this fight! If we can bridge the gap between faunus with the original leaders daughter and the daughter of the biggest company abusing faunus labor? We can do anything together to end this madness! What do you say? Want to end the blood bath? Together? As friends?"

Blake smiles at her and hugs Weiss back while saying, "Yes."

The friends all give them a minute and some happy smiles before Nora breaks the clam air with, "Awww. I ship it."

Weiss and Blake break apart with blushes while everyone else gives Nora dead pans. She giggles and simply holds up a V with her hand to show she has no regrets.

The friends all make the oath to aid each other in the missions. To protect. To grow the future. To mend the rift between two people. To help everyone they can.

And to end the threat of the darkness once and for all.

With their oaths made Jaunes back glows while Pyrrha and Nora's backs also glow.

Everyone steps back in shock as Yang's red eyes flash crimson and Ruby's eyes shine with light for a minute.

Weiss feels her scar flair up and grow. Blake feels something happen as her base of her spine burns before feeling something grow there while her fangs elongate and her claws become sharper.

Ren feels his body burning up before he feels full of power and energy.

They all collapse in exhaustion while Jaune tries to call any number he can.

His finger misses Ozpin and presses his grandparents number by accident.

Leading him to hear a sudden, "We're on our way sonny boy!"

Before the collective energy and exhaustion is too much and he blacks out.