"Yeah, it was a bit of a mess."

Yang laughed as she said it, waving off the absolute carnage and chaos her team had caused that very morning – much of it from her. In Team RWBY's defence, this time it wasn't their fault, and most of the teachers could put the pieces of that together themselves. When Yang had been called up to explain, she'd told Glynda it was a weird dream that caused it. Glynda instantly knew she couldn't rightfully punish Yang for what was most likely Jaune's fault. She could punish him, however. He had detention as a result.

"I'll admit I overreacted," she continued. "But it was a crazy dream. I was dreaming I was back in Signal with Ruby, but Jaune was there as well. Just, chilling as another student, like we were best friends or something."

Every single member of Team JNPR glanced at Ruby, in what would have been a very suspicious gesture if the girl didn't have her eyes firmly fixed on her untouched breakfast. She'd obviously heard the story before now, and she just as obviously knew she and Yang had somehow shared a dream.

That or they'd coincidentally had identical dreams. It didn't matter either way from Ruby's point of view, since it still meant Yang had seen her being belittled by their father.

"What happened?" asked Nora. Ren kicked her under the table for the prying question but Yang was already in the mood to tell, not yet knowing the dream was one from Ruby. Yang likely thought it was just her nightmare being weird.

"We were basically hanging around in Beacon and doing combat class. I kicked butt but then Ruby went up, and Ruby kicked ass as well!" Yang held out her palm for Ruby to slap, but it never happened. "Don't leave me hanging, sis."

"O—Oh? Right. Haha. Yeah!"

Ruby slapped it with a fragile smile. Yang didn't react in any obvious manner but Jaune was sure she noticed. If anyone knew Ruby and her moods, it was her sister.

"Anyway, Ruby kicked butt but then the teacher was a total douche about it and kept criticising her. Stupid stuff, too, about overusing her Semblance. Like, who even complains about that? If you have a Semblance you can use, use it."

"It does sound like a silly complaint," Ren agreed. He was smart enough to figure out this was an issue for Ruby, and kind enough to try and help. "Some of the best huntsmen and huntresses throughout history are famous specifically for their Semblances. Many build their entire fighting styles around it."

"But it's bad if you only have that," Ruby said.

Yang tilted her head at her sister, eyes narrowing.

"Sure, but no one only has their Semblance," Weiss pointed out. "I use mine as much as you use yours but I can fight without it. Same as how you can fight without yours. But the strongest are those who can incorporate their Semblances more."

"Why?" argued Ruby. "Wouldn't they be stronger if they could fight well without it and then have it as an ace up the sleeve?"

"Overwhelming force is better than having some trick. It's better to win quickly and preserve aura and stamina than it is to have a special ability that only activates under unique conditions. No offence to anyone here."

"Eh—" Nora was the one to wave it off, knowing it was her Weiss meant. "Even I wish I could absorb more than just lightning. It's useless in most fights."

To her side, Ren rolled his eyes as if to indicate how much worse his was. It was useful in only extremely select circumstances. Ruby looked between them, rare uncertainty written across her face. It was easy to look bad when she kept comparing herself to the strongest of people, but now she was being faced with people in worse situations than her.

"Never mind," she mumbled.

"Hmm. Sure." Yang let it go, but Jaune could tell she was making a note of it in the back of her mind. "Anyway, I then dreamed we were at home having a lunch with dad, and Jaune was there too because, you know, random. Anyway, dad started going off at Ruby as well." The smaller girl cringed. "It was then I knew something was up. I think I almost had a lucid dream moment."

Jaune had to know. "Because your father said something he wouldn't normally?"

"Damn right. Called me his favourite daughter." Yang snorted. "Not exactly the words he'd use. Leaving aside dad would never play favourites, it sure as heck wouldn't be me if he did, not after all the trouble I caused in school." Yang snorted and thumbed toward her sister. "Not compared to little miss zero-detentions."

"I've had detentions..."

"In Beacon, sure, but you were a teacher's pet back in Signal." Yang said it with a laugh, ruffling her sister's hair. "Meanwhile, I was a menace. Had enough of them saying that straight to my face."

"I don't think that surprises anyone here," Weiss said.

Everyone had a good laugh at that, barring Ruby, who pushed her chair back and mumbled something about feeling sick and needing to talk to the school nurse. Jaune doubted it was a lie, so pale and unsteady was she, but he knew the real reason was nerves over the shared dream. No one stopped her.

Once she was gone, Yang's voice dropped to a whisper. "You all noticed that, right?"

Team JNPR gave a round of weak excuses but they truly were flimsy. Yang's eyes narrowed on them as well, but she couldn't figure out what they were hiding, so she stayed quiet. Weiss had no such issues.

"Is this something to do with your late-night meetings with her, Arc? And her recent temper tantrums towards you?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

Her eyes narrowed. "That's a yes, then."

"How is Blake?" Pyrrha asked, coming to his rescue. "Is she going to be okay?"

Yang winced. "It's just some bruising and a small risk of a concussion. The doctor says she'll be fine but wants to keep an eye on her and make sure she rests. Our bunk beds are being removed and Goodwitch is on our ass about not making them again. Damn shame, too. I loved those things. They're totally worth the risk."

"Speak for yourself!" Weiss hissed. "You're on the top bunk! It's me who'll be crushed if Ruby's falls."

"And that's a sacrifice I'm prepared to make."

Though Yang laughed, Jaune could tell her thoughts were elsewhere. She continued smiling and joking through breakfast but always kept an eye on the door where Ruby had left, and her fingers drummed ominously on the cafeteria table.

/-/

"You took a passenger into the dream?"

"I think so." Jaune sat in front of Doctor Oobleck again. "At first, I thought the Yang in the dream was a figment of Ruby's imagination, but she remembered it on waking up. Not to mention she acted much too independently."

"And it could not have been her dream you took Miss Rose into?"

"No. No, it was Ruby's."

He couldn't prove that without explaining everything he saw, and Doctor Oobleck knew he wouldn't do that. The content of a person's dreams was private, and the man respected it. Jaune was grateful for it.

"Interesting. And how do you think this happened?"

"My team and I were doing an exercise before bed where we tried to use the advice you gave me about thinking who I'm focused on. I personally assumed I'd end up in Ruby's dream, which turned out to be true, but Ren put the idea in my head that I could end up in Yang's. I think I fell asleep repeating their names in my head."

"Interesting. That must have bridged a connection. It raises so many questions. Could you do this with anyone and everyone, or did it only work because Miss Xiao-Long was physically close to her sister? Or maybe they have to be emotionally close to the person as well. Could you reach out and pluck me into the dream of someone on the other side of Beacon? There almost has to be limits."

"I'm not sure I can reach out freely at all. It was Yang and Ruby because I was already focused on Ruby and Ren brought Yang up. I didn't choose them; they were already in the back of my mind when I was falling asleep."

"That's a good point. Still, it's some degree of control. Not much, but better than nothing. It's an improvement. How does that feel?"

Jaune smiled. "It feels good," he said, elated in a way he couldn't fully put to words. "It's not just getting better but the fact I can stop causing problems and changing people without realising it."

"Did either of them manifest any differences?"

"No. Not this time. I was more of a spectator in the dream. I didn't use my aura even once, and Yang was the one who did everything." And that was good to see, he supposed, because it meant he would be safe as long as he didn't do anything. "But it's hard to feel too happy about it when I sent Blake to the infirmary and have driven a wedge between Yang and Ruby. I promised to keep Ruby's problems a secret."

"One could argue you stuck to that, and that she showed her sister the truth in a dream."

That was too simple an excuse to take. Too big a leap. "A dream Yang wouldn't have had any way into if not for my direct interference, sir. I can't use that as an excuse when I dragged Yang into that dream and exposed Ruby."

"Fair enough, my boy. Fair enough. Don't beat yourself up too much, however. And certainly not over Miss Belladonna. From what Glynda tells me, those bunk beds were a disaster waiting to happen."

Blake wasn't too hurt, so he wasn't as concerned about that as he was Team RWBY finding out about his Semblance, especially if he went to sleep tonight thinking of all this. If his Semblance really did pick people by the subconscious of who he was thinking about, then he'd surely end up in Ruby or Yang's heads again.

Sooner or later, they'd cotton on. He said as much to Doctor Oobleck and the man frowned.

"I don't think you only go into the dreams of those you're thinking of. You've entered dreams of people you haven't known before. It's likely that it's the method of aiming. Go to sleep with no one in mind and your Semblance will reach out at random. Still, I can see your concern on Team RWBY. Do you think they would turn against you if – or when – they find out?"

"I'm not sure. A part of me thinks they'll accept it eventually but how long will that take? Am I making it worse by dragging it out? Is it too late to come out and tell them? I definitely feel like Ruby will hold a grudge after everything I've seen there. On the other hand, I assumed for a while that Weiss knew because Winter told her, but if she did then she'd have been less confused this morning."

"Coming clean on a matter like this is never going to be easy. I had my own secrets that I never shared with my team – and that caused terrible damage once it came out. Even then, it came by my last remaining member discovering it on his own."

"Torchwick?"

"Indeed. I never got the chance to tell my teammates the truth before they died. Yours is different, obviously. Your team knows and Team RWBY isn't liable to die anytime soon." The old man chuckled. "I suppose what I'm saying is that you can't take any of my advice on this matter to heart. You've already succeeded more than I ever did when it comes to keeping your team together."

"I'm sorry if I brought up bad memories."

"Regrets are a part of life. Best you work on not letting them drag you down." Doctor Oobleck changed the subject. "Let's talk about tonight, then. You're worried about a repeat visit to Yang and Ruby, and I think it's a fair concern. In the interests of helping you cultivate this sense of self-control, let's see how we might influence a new target."

Jaune nodded and moved his chair closer. "That sounds like a great idea."

"Do you have any targets in mind?"

"Not really. I never want to intrude. My team would probably be safe."

Ren, Nora and Pyrrha had all shared with him what they would have him do in their dreams, and while he'd mucked up and genetically altered Nora to be an Arc, he hadn't done too much bad. Other than give Ren a tan. Nora had given up on discovering who her true parents were (or had been before he changed her) so there was little risk there.

"Well, I could teach you control exercises, or we could engage in self-hypnosis techniques to try and force a connection to one of them, but there may be an easier option. You can always leave Beacon for the night."

Distance. That was one way to avoid Yang and Ruby, but not a great one. "I'm not meant to leave Beacon because of Cinder." And Salem now. "I don't think that's a good idea."

"Then why not do the next best thing? If you cannot leave Beacon, convince Miss Xiao-Long and Miss Rose to do so."

Convince them...

"Huh." Jaune sat back. "That... That could work..."

/-/

Jaune entered the infirmary with a book in one hand and a bag of cookies in the other. His two guests looked up from their beds, Blake with annoyance-turning-to-happiness as she saw his gift, and Ruby with happiness-turning-to-annoyance when she saw him.

"Go away," Ruby groaned, and covered her face with one arm. "I'm not feeling up to one of our talks right now."

"Don't go!" Blake begged. "Not until you've given me that book!"

Jaune laughed and handed it over to her. "Here. Weiss told me it was the one you were currently reading. We had to fish it out the wreck that is your bed. How are you doing?"

"I'm fine." Blake rolled her eyes dramatically, even as she took the book and smiled at him in thanks. "Even the doctor says I'm fine, but she keeps telling me I have to spend the night just in case."

"I mean, you were crushed by a falling bed."

"And Yang," she added. "Yang's butt was the straw that broke my back."

Jaune laughed and left her to her book, knowing that while she was happy to see him, she'd rather read than talk. That wasn't Blake being rude, just Blake being Blake. He waved her goodbye and walked over to Ruby.

"Hey – and don't worry, I'm not here to talk philosophy." He offered her the cookies, which she took cautiously. "I actually have detention tonight anyway, so I'd have had to bow out to attend that."

"You do?" Ruby looked a little more relaxed knowing he was busy. Harsh. "How did you get that?"

"I upset Miss Goodwitch." It was honest enough, and only fair he take the punishment. Yang hadn't been at fault. "Anyway, how are you doing? You were looking out of it this morning. Has the doctor diagnosed you with anything?"

"She thinks it's stress."

Jaune winced. "Sorry if I've made it worse."

"No, it's fine." Ruby's voice dropped to a whisper, and he sat next to her. On the bed over, Blake seemed to catch on and plugged in some earphones while she read. Comfortable with the privacy, Ruby continued. "I know you're just trying to help, so it's not your fault. I'm the one getting worked up about it. Did you... Did you tell Yang?"

"No. I promise she didn't find out about anything from me." That much, technically, was true. Yang's only clues came from Ruby's dream. "And I don't think she really knows just yet, she's just noticing something is up with you. There's time to convince her it's something else if you act quick."

Ruby glanced his way. "You're suggesting I lie?"

"I mean, you're going to lie anyway. Aren't you? If Yang asks what's wrong, you're going to lie and say it's nothing."

"I... I guess so..."

"Everyone lies," he said. "It's nothing to get worked up over. Remember when Cardin had me doing his bidding? I constantly lied to my team and told them I was fine and we were just hanging out as friends."

"Yeah, but no one actually believed that!"

"And no one believes you're totally okay," he replied, making Ruby flinch and then pout. It wasn't a lie but it was a fairly harsh truth. "Sorry," he added, "But you know I'm right. After you stormed off earlier, no one is going to think something isn't bothering you."

"Ugh. This is totally your fault, you know. I was basically over my issues til you brought them up! I hardly even noticed them anymore!"

"Only because you accepted them as fact. That's not getting over them."

"Ahahah!" Ruby pointed. "You promised we wouldn't talk about this!"

"Technically, I didn't, but fine." Jaune smirked and brought out two slips of paper. "Then how about we talk about this, hmm?"

Ruby peered at them. "Tickets to an all-night spa and hotel stay. Uh. Are you asking me out? Because you're kinda dating my sister—" Ruby grunted as he bopped her over the head. "Ow. Abuse! I'm sick!"

"You're dumb is what you are. My family sent this for me." A white lie. "I think they were looking to help me out with Yang, but they're for tonight and I have my detention. Pyrrha is busy and Ren and Nora wouldn't want to go together and make things awkward between them."

"Awkward?" Her face paled. "Oh. Um. So, Nora confessed?"

"Something like that. Things are awkward."

"Yikes. Yeah, um, maybe best they don't go. So... why me...?"

"As an apology, as a way for you to de-stress, because they'll run out and become worthless if someone doesn't go. Also, this might be a chance for you and Yang to relax and talk without people listening in."

Ruby's eyes narrowed. "I'm not telling Yang about any of this!"

"You don't have to. Tell her what you like." He held his calm under her suspicious gaze. It wasn't like he'd warned Yang at all, but she'd probably do a little digging on her own. "I can't tell you what to do, Ruby. Tell her whatever you think is best. I'm just asking you two to go in my place because I can't. Plus, you do need to relax."

"Hmmmmmm..."

"There might not even be that many moments for you and Yang to talk. I hear a lot of people fall asleep during massages, and Yang will probably be too busy feeling it to chat. You as well. There's a free meal included."

Ruby's eyes narrowed. "You're plotting something."

He was, but not as she imagined it. His whole plot was just to get them out of Beacon for the night so he wouldn't intrude on their dreams and make things worse. Arranging for the single-use ticket hadn't been hard, and Oobleck had let him print it out after he'd bought it from the spa online. He'd just told the spa he needed it set for one day only because he wanted to force two friends to make up.

"No one else I can give it to," he repeated. "Blake is hurt, Pyrrha is busy, Ren and Nora don't need the drama. I guess Weiss would take it, and you can go with her if you like..." Having Ruby out would probably be enough to stop any problems, as Yang's dreams weren't the issue. "It doesn't have to be you and Yang. Take anyone. Ask Cardin if you like."

"Ew, no."

"You could take Nora."

"Too energetic."

"Ren?"

"Too calm!"

"Velvet?"

"Too much of a stranger!" Ruby cried weakly. "I'd not know how to ask. Fine, I'll go with Yang. At least I can deal with this away from you and Blake meddling in every little thing I say or do." Ruby shot her teammate a glare, but Blake couldn't hear a thing.

Or... well... could she...?

Blake had four ears, and those earphones were poking out her faunus ones. There was a good chance she could hear around them, or that her human ears would do a perfectly good job listening in. But that was if she wanted to. In Blake's head, the less involved she was in this family drama the better.

"I also couldn't go because of Cinder..."

"Yeah, I get it." Ruby leaned back into her cushions. "Even if I'm annoyed with you, I almost had a heart attack when you got kidnapped."

"Yet more stress caused by me, eh? Go get massaged and sleep in a fancy hotel. I'm stuck in Beacon until Cinder is caught, and your uncle is being useless at catching her."

"Hey, there's a lot of Vale and only one of my uncle. He's trying." Ruby paused. "Probably."

"Probably...?"

"It depends on if he's drunk."

"I'm filled with confidence."

Ruby giggled. "You should be. Uncle Qrow can be reliable when he needs to be. It's just when he doesn't that he's basically useless. He's never forgotten a birthday of ours, and he's saved our lives, but if we ever needed him to take us to the shops for a new school uniform, there was no chance."

"Sounds about right. You'll go, then?"

"Yeah, I'll ask Yang and we'll go tonight. Thanks." Ruby smiled hesitantly. "And sorry for being snappish with you when you're just here being nice."

"Don't worry about it. Your version of snappish is the least aggressive out of everyone I know. Have fun tonight."

"I will! Thanks again!"

/-/

"That was a clever move on getting Yang and Ruby out of Beacon," Pyrrha complimented him later that night. "But it might get expensive if you have to keep doing that."

"It was Oobleck's idea and it's only to give me a night to get them out my subconscious."

"So you can practice control?"

"Yeah."

"So, who are you aiming for...?"

"You, Nora or Ren would be the best candidates." Pyrrha appeared happy to hear that. "But you're also the least likely for me to end up with."

Her smile fell. "Really? Why?"

"Because, ironically enough, I'm too relaxed around you all. You're such a comfortable and regular part of my everyday life that you don't factor in my subconscious so much. Or if you do, you don't stand out."

"Should I be happy about that or sad?"

"Happy, I think. It means we're so close that I don't have to agonise over you all."

"Hmm. I'll take it." Pyrrha smiled once more. "Whereas you were stressing out over Ruby already, so you ended up in her head – and you dragged Yang along for the ride because Ren brought her up." He nodded. "So, who are you agonising over right now?"

"Ruby and Yang again, after what happened today, but they're out the picture so Oobleck thinks it'll be random. That is, unless I can find someone else to have bouncing around my head before I go to sleep."

"No options?"

"Not really. I'm worried about Cinder, obviously, but she shouldn't be close. Things with Weiss and Blake are fine so they're not really in my head. Same for you, Nora and Ren. And I haven't interacted much with others recently." Not by design, but just because there'd been a lot going on. "I think it'll be a random dream wander tonight. Could be anyone in Beacon."

"You should try for me anyway," Pyrrha said, and he got the feeling she wasn't going to let it go. "Even if it doesn't work, it won't hurt to go to sleep repeating my name in your head. It might work, and then you'll have better control."

Jaune didn't think it would work at all but he agreed all the same. It wouldn't cost anything. Ruby and Yang left Beacon in the evening, after classes, with Yang too excited about that to worry much about what she still believed was a dream only she had. Ruby knew better but had no reason to suspect he was the cause of the odd phenomenon. Not yet anyway. It'd only take a few more instances of him popping up and being memorable in dreams for her to catch a whiff of the truth.

Good job I did arrange for them to be away from Beacon tonight. My thoughts are all over Ruby and her discovering me. If she were here, I'd probably end up in a nightmare of hers doing just that!

But the spa and hotel he'd picked for them was far, far away. Practically on the other side of Vale. There'd be no chance of his Semblance reaching that far, and maybe Yang would be able to do what he couldn't and get through to Ruby. Jaune retired to bed hours later repeating Pyrrha's name in his head.

But the dream he ended up in was not hers.

Salem had come to Vale.