They went to the children's hospital, then Saint Lucy's Orphanage. Each place, Nick directed them to help cheer up the children and to help fix things up around as needed. Nora, Ren, Pyrrha and Jaune took to it happily. And even with Jaune's distraction, he gave it his all.
Kid: "Die evil Grimm!" He charges with a stick. Jaune growls and snarls, as the other children squeal and laugh. The kid misses Jaune... And Jaune clutches at his chest.
Jaune: "ARGH! You struck me! I'm dying... Everything's... Going dark...!"
He falls over dramatically. The kids all cheer.
Kids: "YAY!"
Kid 2: sniffles "Oh no! Don't be dead, Jaune! Don't be dead!"
Nora: "I'll apply some lightning!" She holds up her hand and it crackles with lightning
Pyrrha: "Or maybe a princess needs to kiss him better?"
Jaune quickly sits up.
Jaune: "I'm totally fine! I'm better, I'm better!"
Kid 1: makes a face "Kissing? Ugh!"
Jaune: "Heh... You might not mind it so much when you're older."
Nora: "THE KISSING GRIMM IS GONNA ATTACK! RAWR! MWAH! MWAH! MWAH!"
The kids scream in laughter and flee as Nora chases them. Ren chuckles and shakes his head as he follows her. Jaune sits up as Pyrrha walks over to him.
Jaune: "Heh..."
Pyrrha: smiles "You're very good with children."
Jaune: "Oh... Thanks. You've been doing well too, you know."
Pyrrha: blush "I... My favorite PR events were when I got to meet children. Read to them in the hospital. I... I liked how they smiled."
Jaune smiled warmly at her.
Jaune: "Yeah. It makes it all worth it..."
Pyrrha: "Are you all right, Jaune?"
Jaune: lets out a breath through his nostrils "... I've done all I can."
Pyrrha: "So... It's to do with Cinder's plan?"
Jaune: slowly nods "Yeah... I'm hoping they'll handle it."
Pyrrha: "RWBY?"
Jaune: "Yes."
Pyrrha: sighs and slowly nods "I see..."
Jaune: sighs "Ozpin told me to keep to this mission."
Pyrrha: "You think he has a plan?"
Jaune: "Probably."
Pyrrha: "What happens when Cinder finds out you've been playing her?"
Jaune: "..." sucks in a deep breath "You think she's onto us?"
Pyrrha: "I think she's smart enough to figure it out."
Jaune: "I have some ideas. I think we can take her... I also hope we won't have to fight her."
Pyrrha: "Because she kills me?"
Jaune: "She won't. I won't let her, Pyr. That will never happen, I promise."
Pyrrha: blush "Jaune..."
Nick: "HEY!"
Jaune and Pyrrha jump. Nick laughs his big, booming laugh.
Nick: "HAHAHA! Come along, Jaune! Pyrrha! We need to work more on cheering more kids up! LET'S GET TO IT!"
Jaune: "Yes Dad!"
Pyrrha: "Yes Mister Arc!"
Nick: "Pyrrha! You go and help unload that truck of donations! Jaune? A moment."
Pyrrha: "Right!" Pyrrha heads off
Jaune: "Yes Dad?"
Nick: "Yang is a very nice girl, son."
Jaune: blanch "Y-Yes, she is! I'm not cheating on her Dad-!"
Nick: "I know son, hahahaha!" He slaps Jaune on the back, nearly making him stumble "I know! But you gotta be careful! You see, the Arc Rizz is dangerous!"
Jaune: incredulous "Rizz?"
Nick: "It's short for 'charisma', son-"
Jaune: "I know what it means! I just-How do you know what it means?!"
Nick: "HAHAHA! I'm hip! I'm up on modern slang, son! I'm not cringe!"
Jaune: "What?"
Nick: "I'm just like you, fr! Fr!"
Jaune: "Please stop."
Nick: "No cap! Also, I love your drip!"
Jaune: "DAD!"
Nick: "HAHAHAHA! Lighten up, son! I'm just having fun!"
Jaune: groans
Jaune's Brain: Well, at least someone is having it right now...
They spent the night at the hospital on cots. Jaune didn't get much sleep, but he did his best.
The next day, they went out to Vale's Central Square in the New Town district for lunch. In the center of a large roundabout was a huge fountain and statue, commemorating the brave people who had lost their lives during the War of the Thrush: A huge conflict between the nations of Vale a few decades before the Great War.
It was also near the main gates of Vale itself... Where the train would breach.
Pyrrha: "Jaune? Jaune, are you all right?"
Jaune: "Hm? Oh..."
Nora: "I mean, you haven't even touched your food!" Nora grabs one of his crepes and scarfs it down "Mmmm~! Lunch pancakes!"
Nick: "Nora!" scowl "No stealing from your brother's plate!"
Nora: contritely "Sorry Dad."
Nick: "That's better. Seriously though sport, what's up?"
Jaune: "Just... Ya know..." shrugs "A little concerned about stuff."
Jaune's Brain: Ruby should have called me by now... Why didn't she call me? I was supposed to get a transmission, garbled, this morning... Did I change the timeline too much? Did they stop the train?
Nick: "Ahhh... I get it." chuckles "Worried for your girlfriend, huh son?"
Jaune: "Yes."
Nick: nods "Ahh... I was worried about your mother a lot, too. She had a tendency to charge in to rescue people on impulse. And to stand her ground to defend her patients, even if she was all alone. And to go to places I dared not enter, for fear of death!"
Ren: "Such as?"
Nick: shudders "The fashion department."
Nora: "HORRORS!"
Nick: brightly "But this is a training mission! I'm sure everything will be fine!"
Jaune: "Y-Yeah... Fine..."
Which was when everyone's Scroll, and the large holographic billboard screens overhead, began to flicker. A static-y image of Professor Oobleck appeared.
Oobleck: "Citize-of Vale-Imminent dis~ster-activate the emer-cy-now-train-main gat---Under---you must-!"
The image flickered out, going back to advertising. Nick frowned deeply, put his money on the table, and stood up.
Nick: "Check social media, see if anyone else saw that. I'm going to talk to the police."
Nick headed over to some cops sitting in a nearby police car, pulling out his Hunter ID. They talked for a bit while Jaune, Nora, Ren and Pyrrha all scrolled through their Scrolls. Jaune checked the time: 11:50 AM.
Pyrrha: "Seems like it only affected the billboards in this area, near the main gate... Is that what he meant?"
Ren: "But where's the disaster? What kind of disaster?"
Jaune's Brain: In the show, the area around the main gates was deserted... But here...
There were hundreds, maybe thousands of people wandering around. Jaune took a deep breath.
Jaune: "Guys? We gotta get everyone out of here. Now."
Pyrrha: "Wha-?"
Jaune: "Get people out of here! That's an order!"
Jaune gets up, rushes to his father and the cops.
Jaune: "Start the emergency sirens, get everyone out of here!"
Cop 1: "What? Kid, we're still trying to-"
Jaune: "The attack is imminent! You gotta start the sirens and evacuate the area! NOW!"
Cop 2: "Listen kid, we're already dealing with-"
Jaune: looks to Nick "Dad? Please."
Nick looks very thoughtful... Then reaches out and hits the siren controls on the police car dash, which goes off loudly. Lots of people look in their direction.
Cop 2: "Hey! You can't just-!"
Nick grabs the mouthpiece on the radio and hits the speakers.
Nick: "EVERYONE! THERE IS A TERRORIST ATTACK IMMINENT IN THIS AREA! EVERYONE EVACUATE! GET OUT OF HERE! NOW!"
He punctuates this by holding up Blont Joyuese, and firing a round that cracks like thunder. People scream and begin to run. Pyrrha, Nora and Ren dash out, breaking up the crowds and managing them. The first cop glares at Jaune and Nick.
Cop 1: "The hell did you-?!"
Nick: Grabs the Cop by the collar and looks him in the eyes, while growling like an angry lion "Get everyone out of here now."
Cop 1: squeaks "Y-Yes sir!"
Jaune and Nick head out, helping to kepe people moving. Getting them out of cars, picking up anyone who gets left behind or trampled. The emergency sirens begin to blare as barriers appear across the intersections.
Jaune's Brain: In the show it happened earlier than they planned... It looked like it was the afternoon at least. Now? It's high noon... Why'd they change it? Why'd they-?
He's near the gates when he spots a little girl hiding under a car. He lays down and extends a hand.
Jaune: "Hey! Come on, we gotta get out of here!"
Girl: cries, shakes her head
Jaune: "We gotta get out of here, it's not safe!"
The girl continues to refuse. Jaune sighs, then yanks the car up and rolls it over. The little girl looks at him in astonishment, holding onto a stuffed bunny.
Jaune: "Come on!"
He grabs her in his arms and heads for the nearest intersection... When he feels it. The ground rumbles and shakes.
Jaune's Brain: Oh no-!
In the show, it was barely rendered. Here... It was like the entire world just upended itself. The ground erupted like a volcano going off. Cars and boulders flew through the air. Jaune ran, keeping the screaming little girl in front of him when SOMETHING big hit him and forced him down. He held the little girl tightly as hell rained down upon them. Last thing he saw was a clock on a billboard reading 11:59.
Jaune's Brain: Damn... Butterflies... It's early...
Then everything went black.
