RWBY: timeline J9807

First step: Way Back

I stared at the empty spot where the Grimm had been moments ago. Now, there was no trace of it. Ren and Pyrrha stood nearby, talking about the fight. Nora, however, rushed over to me, brimming with energy. She excitedly talked about how well-coordinated we were, how nasty the scorpion Grimm had been, and so on. I listened with a guilty expression because I hadn't really helped. Even so, Nora didn't seem to hold it against me. She was just happy we all made it out alive.

Then she said something surprising:
"You know what, Jaune? You're actually good at coming up with plans. Don't you think you'd make a great captain?"

The idea was so ridiculous that my smile turned into an embarrassed grimace. Me? A captain? I was probably the worst choice for that role. If anyone asked for my opinion, I'd recommend Pyrrha without hesitation. I got lost in thought, wondering if Nora was just joking and if I was taking it too seriously. I was about to congratulate her on her hammer strike when Pyrrha's voice snapped me out of it.

"I think it's a great idea. You'd make a great captain, Jaune."

Startled, I realized Pyrrha and Ren were standing behind me. I hadn't even noticed them approach while I was focused on Nora. What shocked me even more was that Pyrrha supported Nora's suggestion. I looked at Ren, hoping for a reasonable response, but he simply nodded in agreement.

I couldn't believe it. Embarrassed, I stammered, "Come on, don't be silly. I didn't do anything—I just stood back and watched."

Pyrrha stepped closer, her smile warm and confident. The wind played with her hair, making her look even more stunning.
"But you were the one who came up with the plan to immobilize the Grimm. You led us to victory—like a true leader," she said, still smiling.

I didn't think my actions deserved praise. Flustered, I decided to change the subject.
"Okay, we can talk about this later. Let's focus on getting out of the forest first, shall we?"

Everyone agreed, and we headed back. I was worried about running into more trouble, but the journey was peaceful. The other participants must have cleared the area, at least for now.

Eventually, we found the way out and saw a group of people waiting nearby. We decided to join them. Almost immediately, Nora disappeared into the crowd. Ren sighed.
"I'd better follow her, or who knows where she'll end up," he said before walking off.

Pyrrha mentioned she had something to check on and might be gone for a while. That left me alone, but it wasn't so bad. I figured we were waiting for transport to take us back—it made sense since walking the whole way back wasn't an option.

With nothing else to do, I started looking around. That's when I spotted a familiar face. I walked over and tapped her shoulder.
"Hey, Ruby. How's it going?"

Ruby turned around, her surprised expression quickly replaced by a smile.
"Oh, Jaune! You made it in one piece. That's great!"

Her words made me smile, though they also stung a little.
"Are you saying you doubted me?" I asked teasingly.

Ruby blushed.
"No! Not at all!" she stammered, clearly flustered.

Ruby Rose was a sweet person. I chuckled and kept the conversation going.
"Are you here alone? How'd that happen?"

Ruby shook her head and glanced around, but I could tell she didn't see what she was looking for.
"No, my sister Yang, Weiss, and Blake are with me. Blake's the one with the big black bow—maybe you've seen her? But we got separated for a bit."

I tried to remember if I'd seen anyone with a bow but came up empty.
"Can't say I have. But I'm surprised the 'Snow Queen' is keeping you company."

Ruby grinned smugly.
"Not just keeping me company—we're on the same team!"

I was surprised but not overly so, given how strange the day had been. I scratched my head.
"Life's funny like that, huh? Anyway, we're waiting for transport here, right?"

Ruby nodded and pointed to a small hill.
"Yep. Professor Glynda was just here. She said the transport ship should arrive any minute now."

I nodded in thanks, but before I could say more, the sound of engines caught my attention. A transporter appeared overhead and landed near the group. It seemed like a good time to say goodbye and find my companions.