Ruby stepped back in fear as she was sweating at this feeling she was felt before she blinked and notice there was no red eyes as Jaune looked at her with worried with his normal blue eyes as he slowly walked to her, "Ruby? What are you going up this early?" He reached out in worried since they all need as much rest as possible before before his hands began to get to close to her, she flinched back as his own hands came to a stop.

"...Okay..." He pulled back his hands and sighed heavily, "Just... Go back to sleep red, you need your rest." He acted calm as she stayed silent as he made his way back to the log, sitting down but this time would be staring off in the forest, going back to his guarding position as Ruby would stare once more at him as she turns away and headed back to everyone.

"It... was just a illusion, I just need more rest is all..." She reasoned with herself for feeling such fear from her friend as a single gazed with what she saw was enough to inflict fear in her. She did however refuse to fear one of her closest and first ever friend in Beacon so she heads back to sleep as Jaune continue to guard until the sun had risen.

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.

All four members of the team had continue to walk down a sunny road. Ruby is in front, looking at a map as Jaune stayed beside with Nora and Ren.

"So the next town is... uh-huh... uh-huh... We're lost." Ruby bluntly spoke.

"You got the map upside down." He walked to her side, this time her not flinched when he got close as he flipped the map around in her hands.

"Have you not learnt to read a map?"

"I-I do know! Just only on the scroll..." Ruby admitted as Jaune looked at her with a sigh and tried to smile, "Well the town up next is Shion, a town that my family use to visit during family trips."

___Just gonna switch writing styles for the time being___

Ruby: Oh yeah. Don't you have, like, four sisters?

Jaune: About seven sisters.

Ruby giggles as Nora nodded.

Nora: You know, that actually explains a lot.

Jaune: Huh?

Ren: Is that smoke?

Ren words caught everyone attention as they turned back to what was ahead of them, still a trail but there was smoke nearby, deeper in the forest as everyone prepared as they all ran ahead, Jaune being the faster one when Ruby isn't using her semblance would be the first to the town as the once peaceful down that he had once known was destroyed.

It seemed to be slightly old based on how the destruction looked but there was still smoke, indicating that it was not new. Sadly meaning that they did not get in this town in time to keep it safe.

Jaune: Dammit, spread out for survivors!

He commanded the team as they all spread out but as the time passes, nobody was found beside a single dying man in the town Centre as he held a old wound on his chest, bleeding out. 

Ruby: A Huntsman!

Ren couch down beside the man, inspecting his wound and any other injuries on the man body as Jaune and Nora watch on at the man as well the town destructions.

Huntsman: Bandits... A whole tribe... With all of the... Panic.. 

He coughs out blood as his eyes slowly lose color as he slowly shut his eyes...

Ren: Grimm.

Ren angrily walk pass the Huntsman as Jaune stared at the Huntsman before he walked to his left, where there was the most bodies.

Sukuna: It is funny, isn't it. These Huntsman are suppose to be these world protectors and yet.

Jaune: Dont say another word!

Sukuna: They all die like the maggots they are.

Jaune was close to punching the destroyed house to his side but stopped as he breathed out heavily, keep some control over himself. He has adapted to keep his self control high but for whatever so reason, he lose his temper with Sukuna. He is way to cocky, mocking the dead and poking a traumatized human with pure amusement and curiosity along with disgust at them.

He heard Sukuna faintly laughing as he look down to see... Children and Women, Infront of him, torn up and rip to pieces. Dried up blood was everywhere, even on the bottom of his shoes. Jaune could felt his heart racing and beating faster and faster as he felt like he was going death, as cries of the women and the children fill his ears.

Until... he snapped back into reality, looked up with widen eyes as he breathed in for a breath of air, without realizing he had stopped breathing for awhile as he turned back to everyone as Nora and Ruby look on with sadness at the now dead Huntsman, slowly turning away.

With one more glance to the dead Infront of him, he left along with everyone else as they headed away from the village, seeing anymore dead would only leave more nightmares and more sleepless nights for the team.

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.

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Ruby: Come on, guys! If we pick up the pace, we can hit the next town before sunset!

Jaune: Yeah.

Ruby: Let see! This one's supposed to be pretty big! Hee-gan...bayn-a.

Ren: Higanbana. It's a well protected village with a popular inn.

Nora: Which means, no camping in the rain!

Ruby: See? Everything's going to be fine!

Jaune: We cant stop now.

Ren: No, we can not.

Nora: I guess our luck is finally turning around! So now off to Higanbana!

Ruby: To Higanban... ban-a!

The girls turn to Ren and Jaune who looked confused before they mimic their words.

Ren: Higanbana!

Jaune: Higanbana!

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.

.

They all made their way to Higanbana where it was still there and safe, it seemed quite big but hard to tell due to it being so late in the night, Jaune as well the others had entered the Inn, requesting a night stay as Jaune paid for it with the money he had brought along with him due to the Grimm reward that the group was gifted a long time ago.

Jaune: Thank you.

Everyone went upstairs and down the hallway where the girls got their own room as Jaune stayed with Ren, within the room that they were staying at, finally had good beds meaning no more sleeping on the ground with a sleeping back for tonight which seem like a god gift at this point.

Ren and Jaune had their showers to clean themselves up as not all villages had functioning showers so tonight was a true miracle to them all, The girls got nicely freshen up with a nice shower and bath, cleaning the dirt off of their skin and deeply cleaning their hair.

Meanwhile in the shower for Jaune, he didn't seem pleased nor upset at anything, but rather it was like he was very deep in a daydream as water drip down down from his blond hair, down his body and to the sink on the ground.

Jaune:....

A good while pass with silence before Ren knocked on the bathroom door.

Ren: Hey Jaune? You good in there?

Ren words brought back Jaune to reality as he turned off the shower and wiped all of the accessed water from his body, putting back on his pants before he made his way out of the bathroom.

Jaune: Sorry to worry you Ren, Just enjoying the shower is all.

He smiled as he said this, surprising Ren as it was like the normal Jaune who looked always happy was brought back for a moment as Jaune sat on his bed with the towel around his neck.

Ren: I understand, It has been a long time since we all had a good clean.

He smiled as well before he sat down on his bed.

Jaune: Say... Ren? What is your thoughts on everyone?

Ren: My thoughts on everyone?

Jaune: Yeah, like right now. Travelling with Me, Nora and Ruby?

He stayed silent for a moment to think about Jaune answer as he turn to his leader.

Ren: Nora and I had traveled like this before becoming students in Beacon but despite how everything turned out, I am still glad that we all can stick together. 

Jaune: What about Ruby and Me?

Ren: Let see... Ruby is definitely talented for her age, she suffered like us all during the fall of Vale but despite all of that, she still continue onwards for what is right so I deeply respect her for that. As for you...

Jaune leaned forwards, waiting for Ren answer.

Ren: You are just you.

He smiled at Jaune who stretched his back and lean back his head, rubbing at his own hair annoyed.

Jaune: That is all? Maaaan, I thought I was being pretty dam cool and all.

Ren surprisingly laughed as Jaune turned to him confused.

Ren: Well that is what great about you, you are stronger then us all and you care deeply for everyone. You would not be Jaune if you didn't act like yourself. Nora respect and care for you alot, much more since it is only us left. Ruby, while I cant speak on her behalf, I can make a guess that she too care for you as much as we all do for you. You lead with a literal iron fist, steady and a quick thinking plan for any situation.

He smiled at Ren words and nodded, listening.

Ren: But you can be dense and blunt sometimes.

Jaune: Didn't think you of all people would call me dense.

Ren: What you mean?

Jaune: Aha... Night Ren and... Thanks.

Jaune merely smiled as he lean back on his bed as Ren stares at him with confusion, still wondering what Jaune meant by that but it was very late so they turned off their lights and went to sleep for the night, not realizing that someone close to them were in the building across from the street from the Inn, drinking with a long black hair woman.