Team ZARC

A Funeral and Next Steps

A/N: Sorry for the long ass wait guys but here it is!

        When Zack and Reno had finished their interrogation, Zack rejoins with the group while Reno goes to Ozpin to discuss getting Cinder some sort of protection since she has agreed to help them. Zack had found Team RWBY, Sun, Cloud, Aerith and the PRN of Team PRMN in his dorm. He was not surprised to see no Mercury there. Before Ruby could ask him where Reno was, the wolf Faunus let her know that Reno was speaking to Ozpin and would come back. Zack then walks over to Aerith and plops next to her before burying his face in the crook of her neck. While waiting for Reno to return, Team RWBY and Sun had took it upon themselves to bring everyone comfort since they were the least affected by all of this. Ruby and Yang had gotten permission to use the kitchen to make cookies, to which of course they used Summer's recipe after getting it out of Qrow. Weiss and Blake went to the other two rooms, Blake having been given Ren's Scroll to access their dorm, and gathered all the squishy and comfort things. Sun took charge of finding something wholesome to put on that didn't require a lot focus to enjoy.

When Reno rejoined the group, he was pleasantly welcomed to a sight of all his friends swaddled up in blankets, eating cookies and just relaxing the best they could. Ruby is immediately at his side and tugging him towards his bed so that she could swaddle Reno up in his blankets. With a faint chuckle, Reno allows Ruby to do as she pleases and he is soon in a cocoon of blankets, Ruby snuggling him and feeding him some cookies that she and Yang had prepared. Reno was completely relaxed for once, and just remains as is with everyone for the rest of the day, mentally preparing for the funeral and moving forward.

The next day, Teams RWBY, ZARC, PRMN, and SSSN all head down to the funeral, all wearing black. Mercury stood away from everyone else, not really feeling like he belonged there. After all, it was partially his fault any of this happened. So instead of sitting with his new found team, Mercury chose to stand in the back of the funeral. A few female blondes who looked a lot like Jaune had walked past him, two with a significant other, and towards where the three main teams were. Pyrrha, who was now team leader and was Jaune's partner, looks at the three females who reached them. With teary, emerald eyes, Pyrrha quietly tells them what happened to their baby brother.

"I'm so sorry I wasn't able to save him..." Pyrrha says quietly at the end, tears threatening to spill down her cheeks. One of the sisters, Saphron, steps forward and hugs Pyrrha tightly.

"It's not your fault Pyrrha... Please do not blame yourself for his death. As much as it hurts our hearts to hear this, we're grateful that he died protecting a friend and that his death wasn't in vain," Saphron says. "I know it won't be easy to not blame yourself but do try not to burden yourself with such a heavy platter."

"Thank you for being so understanding..." Pyrrha says before stepping back. "And here you are, comforting me, when we should be comforting you three..."

"We all take turns comforting each other kiddo," pipes up the more tomboyish blonde who came alone. "I'm Xanthe Arc, and the one who just hugged Pyrrha is Saphron. And the miss here with glasses is Daisy."

"If circumstances were better, it would be nice to meet you," Ren says.

"That's understandable. But thank you three for being with Jaune while he chased his dream of being a Huntsman," Daisy says.

"Oh, before the actual funeral begins, we weren't sure what to do with these so we figured we'd offer them to you since Jaune said they were family heirlooms," Pyrrha says, presenting the shield and Crocea Mors to the three sisters. The three look at each other and Xanthe steps forward and gently pushes them back.

"We have no need for them. Do something with them to commemorate our brother," Xanthe says, a tear sliding down her cheek.

"Are you sure..?" Nora asks, looking a pensive about taking the shield and Crocea Mors. Daisy nods.