Morning came as the shattered moon faded into the blue sky. Nothing was better than this, Jaune thought, taking a deep breath. He stood before the entrance of the public airship preparing for liftoff.
'Now if I could only make one step,' Jaune pondered. Seeing that this was the final obstacle, he took that step and walked to the center. He stood there waiting for anything to happen… and nothing did. Adjusting his shoulder bag holding his belongings, Jaune looked out the window at the clouds breezing past.
Jaune stood a bit taller and took another deep breath. A new beginning and a grand one with a Jaune that wasn't going to back down, and one that will- "Hey there vomit boy." Jaune's world shattered as he realized Yang and Blake were on the airship as well.
Judging from their uniforms, they were waiting for him. "Good morning girls." Jaune bowed like a performer.
"I cannot remember the last occassion when I've seen you so enthusiastic." Black yawned and fanned her mouth. Jaune lowered his bag and placed it on his leg.
"I don't know why, but I just feel… better." Jaune looked over their shoulders and didn't see anyone else. The early bird time to travel so not many passengers were on board. "Where is the rest of your team?"
"Back at Beacon, they have morning classes, and we don't. Also, Miss Catnap here apparently has a difficult time waking up in the morning. Everyone had to go to class and honestly, I'm a bit surprised you didn't tell your team." Yang made a fist and decked Jaune in the arm.
"Ow, that hurts!" Jaune's arm burned as he tried to rub the pain away.
"That was for also keeping a secret from us." Yang was ready to punch him again, but she stopped midway as Jaune stood there unflinching.
"It wasn't something I wanted to tell the world. I have to make up the work in four weeks, and I plan to do my best no matter what the cost." Jaune stood tall and didn't give any false confidence.
"Come on Yang, and I had a secret that I wasn't too keen to share either." Blake placed her left hand on Yang's shoulder. Yang noticed Blake's bow was shifting around.
"I guess you're right, but his secret is different." Yang returned to Jaune.
"I'm sorry, and that is all I can say." Jaune relented then lowered his head.
Yang sighed. "I know I shouldn't be mad, you put your heart into Beacon, and it would be a shame for the future to lose a wonderful Huntsman." Yang wrapped her arm around Jaune's neck and lowered his body. "But you got a long way to go, like the rest of us."
After that, they caught Jaune up on what happened while he was away for the month. During his time away, Jaune was in a hotel that Weiss was kind enough to provide, but Jaune didn't let her spend any more money than he allowed her to. Jaune made sure to leave false contact information for his family, and he couldn't bring himself to admit what happened to them. If Jaune did, he expected all of his sisters telling him just to come home. He knew each of them missed their pack mule.
Jaune was excited to return but didn't know what to expect. He didn't inform his team because it would distract from their day and they don't need to deal with their sorry moron of a leader. Jaune asked about Ruby and how she was doing; according to Blake, the first week of his absence was the most difficult. Everyone couldn't talk at lunch; Ruby couldn't eat when they heard what happened. With time, her team supported her and was equally happy when she learned of his return.
"Well, that's great to hear," Jaune said as Beacon came into view. The airship landed, and as light pierced the opening, Blake quickly tapped Jaune's shoulder, making him turn around.
"I just needed to distract you." Blake turned Jaune around again and at the entrance were two poles with a banner. "Welcome back, Jaune!" Below the banner were Ruby, Weiss, and the rest of Team JNPR.
Yang was the first to leave the airship. "Did you really think they wouldn't welcome you back?"
Jaune took one step before Ruby was hugging him. "I'm SO happy you're back."
"Thank you." Ruby let him go as Jaune exited the airship. Weiss was the next one to approach him, she smiled and in a flash, slapped him.
"Yeah, I had that coming," Jaune admitted as he reeled back and smacked with something on his chest. It was a paper by the feel of it. Jaune looked at Weiss.
"It's a bill, you freeloader. The debt will drop when you become a huntsman."
"Duly noted." Jaune gave a thumbs up as Weiss stepped aside.
"You owe me a lot of pancakes." Nora looked Jaune in the eye, and she winked. She walked up and stomped his right foot.
Jaune kneeled down. "Ow!"
"Oh, I'm sorry. Was that too much?" Nora looked around. Pyrrha walked beside her.
"Not enough I'd say, but I think we all hurt him enough." Pyrrha walked to Jaune and punched him in the jut. "After me of course."
Jaune coughed, then stood tall again. "I'm ready for what you've got, Ren."
Ren walked up to Jaune and set his right hand on Jaune's face. Jaune braced for it, then finally Ren made a fist, and in the blink of an eye, Ren flicked Jaune's forehead. "Now I feel better."
"Now that everyone's had their fill of hurting me, can we please get to the dorm, my first class starts in thirty minutes." Everyone laughed as team RWBY told JNPR that they'd see him again for lunch.
"So, how's it been?" Jaune asked as the group entered the school.
"Been okay, after you had to leave the dorms Pyrrha here took over as a team leader. None of us wanted to have you replaced, so we remained a team of three until today." Nora filled in. Ren remained quiet as the group walked through the halls. Many of the students watched from afar. Several shots disgusted looks, several angry, while others continue to remain completely neutral.
"I see the student body learned about me as well." Jaune looked at the ground.
"Don't worry, and they don't know what to think. Rumors mudded the truth, so you don't have to worry too much about it." Ren jumped in.
Jaune just nodded as the team reached the dorm. Jaune needed to change, and everyone decided to go on to their classes. Pyrrha stuck around until Ren and Nora weren't in sight.
"Are you worried about what happened?" Pyrrha tilted her head.
"No, I was expecting something much worse. I knew this would happen." Jaune laid out his clothing.
"Well, if you need anything, let me know." Pyrrha left the dorm. Jaune looked at the closest clock, twenty minutes left. There was a knock at the door while he changed.
"Hello?" Jaune opened his door, but it was pushed entirely open by the guest. Jaune remembered those burning eyes and crimson dress quite well.
"Good morning, Mr. Arc." Cinder entered the room walked to the center and stood there, absorbing her surroundings. Jaune closed the door immediately since no one seemed to be with her. Cinder seemed comfortable as she sat down on a chair in front of a desk. In her left arm was a small bag.
"What do you want?" Jaune didn't have any malice or fear in his tone, and he was mostly concerned about why Cinder was here.
"My, my, this is a lovely room, others are usually so untidy, but this is quite different." Cinder hid her motive well. Jaune looked in his bag and inside was the very mask he used for the robbery two weeks ago, the old mask replaced with an even stronger one.
I really don't like where this is going.
"We try to keep it clean as much as we can; Ren and I grew up around women. He has Nora, and I have my sisters." Jaune looked at the clock; he had fifteen minutes left.
"Lovely." Cinder leaned back in the chair, her arms drooped over the armrests. With women, Jaune was forced to learn, some just relish speaking in body language and expecting those around them to be mind readers. Cinder was no exception; her expression was that this room is now her palace.
"I know what you require, and I'm sorry. I don't want to part of your next heist or whatever." Jaune analyzed the situation. On his belt are his sword and shield. It takes two seconds to draw his equipment and three seconds for the shield to deploy. The door will take five seconds to open but jumping out the window will only take two seconds. The air was still enough that dropping a needle would be loud.
"I was expecting you to say that the offer will still stand and you just need to ask me whenever you're ready." Cinder left the bag on the desk, and she turned her back to Jaune for a moment as he just stood there, doing nothing.
"You really know how to keep yourself under control." Cinder looked over her shoulder.
Jaune just chuckled to himself. "Normally, I'm not, but I can be when the situation calls for it." He admitted as he circled the room and walked closer to the wall without a window.
"You can tell your sniper on the roof of the school to move their crosshair away from my head please." Jaune bluffed.
"Well done. The next job is all here." Cinder lightly gestured to the bag and looked out the window. With her right hand, she made a two-finger wave at the sun. Oh man, I'm so glad I didn't move. "You'll be doing a lot of good." The door closed behind her.
Taking the risk, Jaune walked to the bag and zipped it open. Inside was a semi-thick envelope of standard paper size. Jaune was tempted to look it over, but he noticed the clock, class started in seven minutes. With the envelope in hand, Jaune placed it inside with the rest of his textbooks. He hurried along the halls to Professor Port's class.
That wasn't supposed to happen. I'm back at Beacon and trouble comes knocking at my door. How will they take this? Will this be a complicated or straightforward job? By the time Jaune made to the class, it had started. The majority of the students were talking amongst themselves.
"Welcome back Mr. Arc." The instructor spoke quietly so the class wouldn't notice. "Please take a seat, and I don't like to put the rumored students on the spot." Port made an effort to lift his burly eyebrow with his right eye and winked.
"Thanks, professor." Jaune said as the lesson began. The room was lucky enough to have Port ramble on about something from the older times when the technology was different. So, now was the perfect time for him to open the envelope under the desk. He slowly took out the first paper and placed it among his notes.
On top of the first page was a lightly taped sticky note. "Reveal this, and we will know about it." Jaune rolled his eyes as he removed the envelop to read the letter. The job this time is another heist, but this time it's going to happen at… WHAT! Jaune stood up from his seat, eyes wide. Still trapped in the world of his mind he didn't realize how much of a scene he made for himself.
"Well Jaune, what do you have to say on the expanse of government with the council system."
Jaune quickly eyed the board. "It was created with the intent to be for the citizens of their prospective nations. Each of them has three chosen individuals for the councils." Jaune quickly BS-ed the question.
"Um, you're not fully correct, but you're onto something. Please find a seat." Professor Port turned to the rest of the class and asked for a more in-depth answer.
Jaune sank into the seat. I can't let this happen, that will end my life and the rest of the team. What am I supposed to do? Jaune leaned forward with his hands over his face. For the rest of the class, Jaune chose to write down everything on the board to his notebook until the bell rang. It was time for lunch.
Jaune exited the classroom, and to his surprise, Ren was waiting for him. "Hey, boss."
"Oh, hey Ren." Jaune looked around and didn't see Nora anywhere. Ren read the gesture and started to walk.
"Nora isn't here. I just wanted to talk to you." Ren gave a slight 'follow me' wave.
"Um thanks, I'm heading to the cafeteria, you heading there as well?" Jaune kept his textbook with the envelope inside close to his person.
Ren nodded to Jaune, and the two walked through the hall's side by side. "I know you've been feeling guilty and that isn't good for your mental health. I wanted to let you know that I don't blame you for your entrance to Beacon." Ren kept looking on ahead. Jaune couldn't think of anything to say, and Ren continued.
"We all want to be here, everyone works for their goals and this school is part of that mentality." Ren and Jaune stood outside ready to walk into the cafeteria. "You're back, and that tells me you want to be here. So, Jaune are you ready to fight for your future?" Ren looked Jaune in the eyes.
With those words, Jaune stood taller. "Yes, I want to be here, and I'll fight for it."
"Great." Ren opened the doors to see both teams gathered at the usual table. Blake waved as the rest of the teams noticed the entrance of the guys. Jaune and Ren sat down, and both noticed the lack of Ruby.
There was a slam on the table; Ruby arrived with a massive stack of papers labeled 'The Best Day Ever' schedule. "Sisters, friends, Weiss."
"Hey." Weiss snapped.
"Four score and seven years ago, I had a dream." Ruby started to shake her hands as if she stood on a podium.
"This'll be good." Yang joked as what happened next would become the grandest of food fights in the history of food fights.
Ruby stood up from her move, that practically ruined the whole cafeteria, as the headmistress showed up to repair everything with her semblance.
"Children please… do not play with your food." The headmistress ground her teeth with flames in her eyes and waved her riding crop.
Jaune was the first to fall from the wall and landed on his chest. Wiping the food from his eyes, Jaune noticed in the distance Ozpin and Glynda Goodwitch. Miss Goodwitch seemed to be angry at the groups, but something Ozpin said had Glynda calm down a bit.
"Aw man, that was fun." Yang laughed. The rest of the food on JNPR has pulled away from their clothing thanks to Miss Goodwitch. JNPR and RWBY walked out of the cafeteria with two more following them, but they went back to the transfer dorm.
The rest of the day went well, and everyone returned to their dorms. Jaune walked to the rooftop to get a good view of the moon. Pyrrha didn't see him sneak off as she and Nora left to have fun with team RWBY. Ren enjoyed the room free of noise and decided to crack open one of Jaune's comic books. Jaune watched the vibrant moonshine light into the night sky as the stars danced.
Jaune sat down on his folded jacket. Footsteps sounded on the concrete, and a figure sat beside him. "Enjoying the view?"
"Yes, I am. How about you Cinder?" Jaune did not turn his view away from the sky.
"There's beauty in everything. You see the sky differently than I do." Cinder hand her legs angled together as she laid them in an "L" shape.
"I've thought about what you're asking me." Jaune broke from the sky and turned to Cinder. "I can't help you."
"Pity. Well, I will just have to inform the local law enforcement of your recent endeavors." Cinder pulled out her scroll and on it is a picture of Jaune with a bag entering a car. Along with the photo played audio of Jaune talking to Cinder on the drive to the New Vale Hotel. The audio played the scroll also showed pictures of JNPR leaving the sewers.
Jaune looked down at the ground. "You made your point. I'll help but under one condition."
Cinder raised an eyebrow. She wasn't expecting Jaune to ask for anything. "My team cannot become involved with your activities. Do that, and I'll help you." Jaune returned to his feet and stretched his hand for Cinder.
"Fine, but don't get carried away with demands." Cinder accepted Jaune's hand as she stood on the ground. Cinder's eyes stayed the same when she first showed herself. Confident and unwavering.
Jaune pursed his lips back. "So when do we start?"