『 Delivery 』
Chapter 1: Tenacity.
「 ... As I have said, today we stand together, united. But this bond cannot exist without effort; which is why today, while the rest of the world celebrates peace, huntsmen and huntresses will work to uphold it. 」
Ren was honestly not very fond of pancakes. Their fluffy consistency and the sickening sweetness of the syrup made him feel bloated after only a few bites. However, Ren has also never complained or even voiced his opinion. Nora does like them so much.
"I'm so sorry, guys!", gasped Nora.
I can't believe she's still eating while running.
「 As first year students, you will be tasked with shadowing a professional huntsman or huntress on a mission. Some of you may be taken out of the kingdom for several days. Others may work within the walls for the rest of the week. 」
This morning, Team JNPR awoke to Nora in an apron, in the process of shovelling four huge piles of pancakes onto their plates.
"SURPRISE! Today is the big day everyone! Our very first outside mission!"
Nora must have put our alarm clocks off again. Ren smiled as he sat down at the table. The pancakes were brightly colored, yellow for Jaune, red for Pyrrha, pink for Nora and green for him. Wait, how did she get this table into our dorm room without me noticing?
「 But no matter which path you choose, remember to be safe, remember your training, 」
Jaune stumbled and stopped dead in his tracks. "Wait up, guys. I can't run after eating all... that."
He looks so silly with his tongue all yellow. Ren ate so much food coloring this morning that he felt like he dyed a little inside. He sighed as he stared at the school building. They were already twenty minutes late. Most of the fun missions will be gone by now.
His thoughts were interrupted by Pyrrha. "Ren stop daydreaming! Come on, let's go everyone!"
「 ...and remember to do your very best. 」
As they approached the wooden gate, Professor Ozpin was already leaving. "I see you guys missed out on my wonderful speech."
"We're so terribly sorry." Pyrrha even bowed her head a little. After all, this was her first time being late to class.
Ozpin chuckled: "Don't you worry, dear. This ceremony is all but a formality. Just make sure to be punctual for your mission. After all, your huntsman may not be as forgiving as I am."
Jaune immediately made a beeline for the last floating display that was not greyed out. "Are you kidding me? Delivery? Everyone else gets to kill monsters and we have to run errands?"
Ren frowned slightly. Jaune seems a little bit too eager to stab Grimm ever since he won his first few sparring fights in Professor Goodwitchs class. Pyrrhas gleeful excitement certainly did not help easing the team leaders newfound ego. Let's hope this mission is as uneventful as Jaune makes it out to be.
A familiar face and a familiar mustache. "Ah, splendid!"
Ren smiled at the thought of accompanying Professor Peter Port. He seems like a dependable person, and if even half of his tales are true, Port can definitely hold his own in combat. If all of his stories are true, that means he can beat giant Ursas into submission with his bear hands. I am probably the only one that likes those stories. Even if they sound improbable, Ren can hear the sincerity and passion in the old Huntsman.
"Our dandy little group here will be delivering packages of extreme importance to highly confidential destinations. You four chaps will see to the safe delivery of those packages. Protect them with your lives, for the loss of even one of those will lead to dire consequences."
"At least he's trying to make it sound cool, huh." Jaune whispered.
"A true Huntsman will always fulfill his duty regardless of what it is, Mister Arc!", Port bellowed. "Without communication peace and unity would be lost, and the most important of letters are left to the most reliable of people to deliver: Huntsmen and Huntresses!"
The professor shouldered his legendary Blunderbaxe and stepped closer to Team JNPR. "Do you think Ozpin would entrust simple letters and items to me personally? You are ill-advised to underestimate the danger we might potentially face. We depart at sunrise tomorrow. STAY VIGILANT! Dismissed."
"What do you guys think that was about?" asked Pyrrha.
"Looks like we will be going to dangerous areas after all." Jaune replied.
Ren resumed his new favorite pastime: Observing his teammates. Ever since Pyrrha started training their leader, watching the drama unfold was better than any movie. The day after the dance party, Pyrrha looked so defeated when Jaune went back to treating her like nothing happened. Interesting.
Jaune was in a noticeably better mood since the the Professor implied dangers and thrills ahead of them. Pyrrha seemed... confident. I guess there is very little that can shake her resolve, apart from Jaune I guess. Nora however...
"Did you see those packages? There were big red stamps on them! Are they like mystery boxes? What do you think we're delivering? Maybe it's some kind of super weapon or even WAIT. What if it's a LETTERBOMB?"
"Nora."
Unreadable. Despite being her friend throughout most of his life, Ren can't seem to get a grasp on the energetic girl. Playing card games with Nora was suffering and delight at the same time. Nora was the only person where Ren could never be sure about anything. He couldn't even tell if her personality was overly complex or if he was overthinking and overanalyzing her. However, all of that makes her immense fun to be around.
Nora was nearly bursting with excitement. "hurryuphurryuphurryup-"
"Quiet!" It was astounding how much presence Pyrrha could show while whispering and sneaking. "It was your idea to sneak a peek at the letters, but we have to go about this carefully."
Professor Port's famous locker in the teacher's room was always unlocked. He believed in trust between Professors and soon-to-be Huntsmen and Huntresses and claimed to have no secrets to hide. After Cardin sneaked into the office at night to retroactively improve his test, the word of Port's honesty with his documents and his impeccable memory of his quizzes spread like wildfire through Beacon. How very... quaint.
Ren pulled out the box containing the packages, careful not to touch any other item in the locker. Leaving any traces here would be unwise. I can't believe we agreed to do this. What a stubborn girl.
He placed the container on the table and removed the lid, presenting Team JNPR with five packages with varying size. The smallest one was a simple letter in a light pink colored envelope. It was covered with scarlet roses and hearts. Clearly someone has put a lot of work into this.
Jaune raised an eyebrow and chuckled. "Are you guys seeing what I'm seeing?"
"letmeseeit-"
"This looks rather private to me", said Pyrrha, blushing brightly.
"outofthewa-"
Jaune grinned. "Well then, let's take a look at the other pa-"
"OOOHH It's pink! That's my favorite color! Do you guys think this is a love letter? Did Ozpin give a love letter to Professor Port? Maybe it's for Glynda - are they together? I mean, together together?" Nora giggled as she forced Jaune and Pyrrha aside and took a closer look at it.
"Roman Torchwick? I didn't know he swings that way." she exclaimed, slightly disappointed.
"WHAT?" The rest of the team stared at Nora in disbelief.
"Aww you guys were the last people I'd have expected to discriminate against ga- HEY!" Nora glared angrily in response to Jaune's failed attempt at swiping the letter. She slowly stepped away towards the open door.
"Nora, we have to take a look at that letter! That could be, like, a secret message of sorts!"
"NOO, you can't just read other people's letters! Ozpin is going to be so mad when he finds out! This is personal!"
Ren leaned back in a chair and cursed himself for not bringing any popcorn. Pyrrha regained her composure rather quickly after the initial shock.
Laughing openly, she said: "Nora, I don't really think Ozpin wrote that letter."
"But there's nothing on here except Roman Torchwick. No sender, no addresses."
"That's why we have to open that letter! Come on, Nora!" The team's leader became more frustrated every second this conversation dragged on. The argument was heating up - stealth and subtlety were gone.
"Would you want other people to read your love letters to Weiss?"
"No of cour- that's beside the point! That's not a love letter you're holding!"
"THERE ARE PINK HEARTIES ON IT!"
"That must be one of his tricks, a red herri-"
"What was that about love letters to Weiss, Jaune?"
"What? No! That was a long time ago, okay? This is not the time for this!"
"I'm going to deliver this letter, if you like it or not!"
"Why do you have to be so stubborn"
"What you call stubborn, lad, I call tenacious. A true huntress in training always fulfills her duties!"
Silence came in many forms. The silence that suddenly hung in the air was almost suffocatingly thick.
"Ah, to be young again."
When did he even - forget that, we're in trouble. Ren decided to keep quiet further, in fear of making the situation even worse.
"Splendid to see you so motivated. I feared that a Delivery mission would bore you, but the kind of enthusiasm that drives you to the letters is simply astounding! If you prefer, we can make haste and depart this night already!"
Jaune smiled nervously. "Yes, uh, I mean, of course we want to go as soon as possible! We are so fired up we couldn't sleep!"
"Excellent! Gather your bags and we will see to it that we find this Torchwick chap!"
Jaune's smile and optimism faded instantaneously. "He's a wanted criminal, and we are just going to bring the letter to him?"
"Son, sometimes the best approach is the honest and honorful one. If we open that letter now, what would separate us from a lawbreaker like him? No, any questions about that letter you have, you will be asking the man himself! Meet me here in thirty minutes with your bags packed! STAY VIGILANT!"
Professor Port turned on his heels and left the dumbfounded team in the office. Ren tried to calm himself, but couldn't shake this feeling of unease that washed over him. His teammates didn't fare any better. Jaune and Pyrrha were somewhere between shock, anger, confusion and relief.
Only Nora was strangely motivated.
This is going to be one hell of a ride.