The Wolf, The Lion, and The Dragon - (Vol.9)

Ch.6 Confessions Within Cumulonimbus Clouds

Razor's Pov

There are sounds of fighting and screaming off-screen.

Jaune: (off-screen) "Penny! J-Just Hold on!"

Eyes opened in Jaune's point of view of him falling while being surrounded by floating red balls. Jaune panics as he sways his arms. He shuts his eyes. He opens them again, only to see a burning-up Crescent Rose falling a few meters away. He pulls his arms in and propels himself towards Crescent Rose.

Somehow, Jaune landed in the Ever After, and can be seen pulling himself forward on the ground, with his Crocea Mors behind him. He eventually runs out of stamina and collapses on the sand before pulling himself up and letting out a cough.

Jaune: "Where... am I?"

The camera pans out to what looks like a jungle. Moments later, Jaune can be heard slashing away at what can only be assumed are leaves and branches. He then takes a little break and leans on Crocea Mors beside a rock. He looks up to see a little pocket watch on a tree, ticking away. Jaune walks towards the ticking watch and inspects it, pulling it off where it was held in place. The pocket watch suddenly stops and turns counterclockwise as the sun suddenly disappears.

Jaune: "Hey... No, uh... Wait... Wait, wait! Stop it! Please stop!"

As time in The Ever After continues to reverse backwards, Jaune struggles to stop the fruit-like stopwatch as he shakes it before throwing it to the ground. He destroys it with the sheath of Crocea Mors. Time in the Jungle Arce suddenly stops. Jaune pants and looks around before looking down at the pocket watch, now broken with a pair of crooked hands and glass cracks.

Jaune is then seen sitting on a rock overlooking the ocean, suddenly, the sun goes down with a flash and he sadly brings his hands to his face.

Jaune: (to everyone) "I thought I'd never see you again..."

Time seems to have continued as Jaune's armour rusts and his physical appearance looks older.

Jaune: "But I knew if I waited long enough, then you would fall..."

Jaune stands up and brings his hand up to the sky as he sees what can only be described as two falling stars.

Jaune: "Just like I did."

Jaune just finished telling us his story of how he ended up in Ever After and messed up with a time plant, sending him back years before neither of us would fall into the void back in Atlas.

Jaune: "It... It's really you, right? When I saw you in the market..."

Jaune hesitantly pauses and looks down. Team RWBY, LADR, Owen and Razor look at each other before looking at Jaune.

Ruby: "Jaune. It's us."

Team RWBY, LADR, Owen and Razor warmly hugs Jaune. Little, who appears on top of Jaune's head, also hugs him. Jaune smiles with tears of joy.

Josh: "Now, Jaune... how did you find us?"

Blake: "How are you the Rusted Knight?"

Yang: "And how did you get so-"

Weiss/Raiden: "Mature/Old"

Raiden gave a sour glare as Weiss looks shocked at Jaune and grabs Raiden's sleeve.

Weiss: "You should grow out a beard, Rai."

She whispers while Raiden smiles at her.

Raiden: "I'll think about it."

Ruby: "What happened in Atlas... after the rest of us fell?"

Jaune: (sighs) "I, uh... Guess we've all got a lot of catching to do..."