Compromises
That's it... just a little more...
SLAM! zzzttssss...
Crapberries!
"Good morning, sleepy hea~! oh." Yang cuts herself off as she and the rest of her team slam my door wide open and walk into my basement-turned-apartment next to the boiler room under the school grounds, only to see me awake and at work.
I turn around and the hall lights pour into my dimly-lit room, a small affair with a bed on one corner and an architect's desk on the other adorned by a small lamp and an assortment of electronic parts. It was fairly dusty when Ozpin handed me the keys last Thursday, and it had taken all of Thursday night after crashing with teams RWBY and JNPR - 'Ruby' and 'Juniper', as they call it - and all day Friday to clean it. I even had to turn down Ruby's offer to go sightseeing at Vale's docks with her and her team.
Something about preparations for a festival or something.
I sigh as I look at yet another shorted mainboard on my desk, "I was so close..."
"Wha wazzat?" Ruby mumbles as she ogles my 8 by 10 foot cell of a room blankly.
"I said, I-"
"Whoa." I'm cut off by a somewhat surprised Weiss who is currently staring at me intently, causing me to raise a brow in confusion.
I quickly look down at myself to make sure I'm decent... sleeveless beater shirt, sweatpants, slippers - all added items I snatched from the donation bin during the weekend.
"Carter... your face!"
Her three teammates' gazes quickly snap to my visage as I slowly raise my hand to it... and feel the scruffiness.
"Whoa, John!" Ruby begins with some awe, "You've got a beard!"
"How rugged~ A toned man with a beard and glasses...?" Yang ends her question with a purr and involuntary delighted shudder of her body, but cuts herself short as she turns to Blake with a grin, "Oh, wait. Sorry Blake, the purring is your thing, right?"
She's quickly met with a piercing gaze, Blake's amber eyes almost looking like they can glow in the dark.
Yang raises her hands apologetically as she adds, "My bad, too soon!"
"Speaking of which, where'd you get the glasses, John?" Ruby asks, completely ignorant of her sister's innuendo. Something I can't help chuckling at... it's refreshing to see a girl her age successfully retaining her innocence.
"Well Rubes, Ozpin lent me an old pair of his on Thursday night when I told him I lost my glasses on the way here, so yeah," I reply casually while lifting and dropping the circular frames with my finger, "They even look like the ones I used to wear before coming here!"
"Have you even left this room all weekend!?" Weiss butts in hotly in her own brand of righteous indignation, "These quarters are appalling to say the least!"
I look around my humble abode and shrug, "Meh. It's the only thing that was available. Warm bed. Decent workspace. Bathroom outside around the corner. Can't complain."
I then look around at the girls in my room and catch a certain change in dynamic, especially surrounding Blake after Yang's remark, "Uhh... Did I miss something during the weekend?"
After a brief saturated silence, Yang lifts a shoulder playfully and hedges, "Well, turns out Blake's a Faunus."
"Yang!" The raven-haired girl shouts as if Yang had revealed some sort of embarrassing secret. A Faunus?
Blake quickly turns to look at me as if expecting that I should be reviling her or something, and her expression slowly turns as confused as mine as I don't answer.
"A... Fau-nus," she sounds out flatly, as if I didn't hear the first time. Nope, didn't make it any more familiar.
"Do you... do you know what a Faunus is?" Ruby asks in wonder.
"Um, no," I reply directly, "the only thing that comes to mind is fauna, which in my world refers mostly to animals from a particular place or time..."
"Well, that's pretty much-" Weiss begins but stops herself suddenly as three sharp glares meet her from all sides, "Er, maybe Blake should just show you..."
And as Ruby and Yang slowly nod to indicate assent to the suggestion at Blake, I watch the now-blushing young woman reach up to her bow, check our surroundings as if someone were spying on us, and take it off.
At first, I don't see much in the room, but as she slowly takes a step into the light cast from the hallway I notice two violet, triangle-shaped cat ears protruding from her head. I almost lose it when she starts to wiggle them a bit.
"Whoa! And I mean, whoa!" I begin in shock as I look at the completely natural appendages poking out through her hair, causing her to hang her head a bit in dejection.
She sighs and replies softly as if she'd been slapped, "I know, it must be-"
"-Absolutely adorable!" I finish with a wide grin, "Do you have any idea how much my anime-watching friends would kill to meet someone like you!?"
Completely taken aback, her eyes shoot back up to meet mine with total surprise - and dare I say even a tinge of hope, "Really!? The humans in your world actually wish to associate with the Faunus?"
"Well, uh," I respond sheepishly, scratching the back of my head, "Faunus technically don't exist in my world... but people have been imagining what they'd be like for ages!"
"Wowww..." All four girls softly respond simultaneously with various degrees of awe and surprise.
"So yeah," I conclude to Blake with satisfaction on how the situation turned around in here, "I'd say that where I come from... you'd be considered a living miracle."
And that does it. Succumbing completely to the compliment, I see her look down and smile for the first time. And I mean smile. Shy, reserved like a precious secret that only few get to witness... and suddenly, I don't want her to stop. Heh, she's so much like the best friend I once had in what now feels like so long ago...
"Jeez, I didn't know you'd know your way around Blake's emotional defenses here," Yang observes with an amused smirk, "You got her blushing like a baby kitten!~"
"That's a terrible comparison Yang," Ruby retorts as she rolls her eyes, "kittens don't blush!"
"Meh, can't make the pun hap-PUN all the time!~"
"Aargh!" Ruby and Weiss exclaim in unison as if someone were scraping a chalkboard with a metal claw, and Blake just continues smiling as she absent-mindedly reaches up to feel her cat ears. But I can't help laughing at the decent pun.
"Hah! That was a good one- whoa, what!" I immediately stop chuckling as I feel a very warm presence lock me in an embrace, looking down to see the mess of golden blonde hair splayed across my chest as the brawler nudges her head into me.
"Nobody has ever laughed at my puns before! And now I've finally found someone who appreciates them for the comedic genius that they are! John Carter, I think I love you!~"
"UHH... waitwaitwaitwaitwait," I fire back nervously, prying her toned form off of me while I desperately try to change the subject, "Um, why are you four here again?"
"Ozpin told us to to come get you- Stop it, Yang!" Ruby begins and ends as she grabs a hold of her sister, still flailing around to try and wrap herself on me again until finally giving up with a sigh.
"Why would he do that?" I ask, wiping some residual soot off my beater shirt.
"Well," Blake cuts in, having recovered from my inadvertent flattery, "He surely told you about the conditions to living in this room, right?"
I nod my head slowly, "Yeahhh... something about being available if the school needed any services. And I know it's not to be a student or anything preposterous like that cuz I'm way too old for that junk again!"
"How old are you?"
"Twenty-two."
"Hmm," she responds softly, more to herself than anything. Well that wasn't what I expected.
"In any case, the condition is being outlined in the amphitheater," Weiss begins lightly before steeling her expression on me, "now."
"Now?" I echo, a bit miffed at the timing, "But I'm so close to completing the main circuitry for my barometric muon counter..."
"...Ozpin said we were authorized to use any force necessary," the snowy-haired girl retorts sternly, before adding with a hint of taunt in her voice and a small smirk, "He also said you'd understand."
Ah, crap. I heard this place was a school or something for Hunters during the weekend and I know how strong they can be... and despite my superior strength, with limited protection and experience, I don't wanna put it to the test.
"So if I say no?" I ask, but mostly just to peeve Weiss for annoying me so early in the morning. Which works. Until Yang's face brightens up.
"Well, big guy, I have a few ideas on how we can drag you outta here," she starts slowly as I notice a faint cackling sound of flames somewhere in the room, "But they might burn off all your clothes~"
"Yang!" Ruby and Blake exclaim, each blushing in equal shades.
I gotta say. She is one persistent blonde.
"Heh, no thanks. But I need to re-cut another fiberglass panel to replace the damage on the mainboard and I wanna get it done by this afternoon while the weather's nice and the sun's out. If I'm gonna do whatever it is the Headmaster's asking, I'll need some help later to cut the panel quickly. You girls know anybody good with knives?"
Three members of the team immediately point to the fourth. Blake.
She tenses up a bit as she flashes me a weak smile, "I-I uh, I mean, I could help if that's what you need..."
"Yep! That'll work then!" I exclaim happily as I turn to a small nightstand by my bed and pull out some things, "So, I'll just change my clothes... and..."
My voice trails off as I look up and see all four girls waiting expectantly.
"...uh, ladies? Some privacy?"
"Eep!" "Oh, right!" "Our apologies!" "Darn it."
SLAM!
Jeez.
A few minutes later, I follow the team into a large amphitheater surrounded by stands and two giant banners hanging down on either end of a platform on its long side. It's impressive to say the least, the space only accentuated by its rounded archaic architecture clearly inspired by ideals not of my world.
And on the platform stand two figures. A platinum-blone woman typing a storm into her tablet. And a silver-haired man with a cane and cup of coffee.
Then, as soon as they catch sight of me, the Headmaster approaches a lone mic on the platform.
And joining us today to participate in this morning's activities is a special guest. Please give a warm welcome to Mister John Carter!
And approaching the platform with Ruby's team, I catch Glynda observing my outfit - my black button-up dress shirt from before but with the sleeves rolled up, my charcoal grey dress slacks, and black belt and dress shoes... with a thin white tie that I found since I like to dress it up sometimes - before she turns to her colleague.
"You're going to have him participate like that?"
"What am I participating in, exactly?" I ask with curiosity as I notice Glynda escorting the girls through the back exit of the platform and leaving me alone with Ozpin.
"Well, Mister Carter," he begins after turning away from the mic, "If you recall, we'd agreed to grant you asylum at our Academy rent-free on certain conditions. And though you've passed the age limit for enrollment, it doesn't mean we can't use your unique... abilities... as a contracted strike assistant in extermination assignments around the school."
"Wait..." I deadpan, trying to make sense of the words he just said, "You want me to do what?"
"My condition for granting you room and board in this institution with unlimited access to scientific resources is this: that you agree to train yourself and help our first-year teams in routine Grimm extermination assignments around the neighboring forests when asked."
I balk at the idea, surely this deranged man doesn't believe that I can make this notion of 'Grimm Hunting' an actual joint venture with this academy!
"H-How can you expect me to be on the same level as these trained fighters!?" I exclaim heatedly, trying to think of a way to talk myself out of this situation.
"I don't," he replies calmly, "But I've observed that your analytical abilities are rather striking, along with your ability to effectively gauge your situation. In short, you're quite the quick study. All we ask is that you do the same thing you did in Forever Fall."
I'm about to answer with a response that I'm sure I can use to get myself out of this, but the Headmaster simply turns with a smirk to face the mic.
Now, due to his being so new to... Beacon... we've had a word with Mister Carter to supply him with weapons for his first match!
Despite the murmurs I hear all around me from the students who're probably already wondering who I am, I decide to suck it up as I watch a large rack full of weapons being carted out by Glynda... telekinetically.
WHAT!?
I can only gape at her incredible Jedi powers before Ozpin taps me back to the present with his cane and motions at the rack.
"You may wield as many weapons as you wish for your first match..."
"Who am I fighting?"
"You'll see," Miss Goodwitch replies coolly as she types more notes into her tablet.
I take a step towards the rack when Ozpin gives me a final piece of advice with a hint of amused expectation in his voice, "Choose wisely."
I lazily salute him as I approach the rack full of deadly items of mayhem. Halberds, broadswords, tridents, crossbows...
"Hey John, pick the scythe!" Ruby unexpectedly calls down from above, drawing my attention to her lithe form leaning out from the edge of the stands directly above me.
"No, you dolt! This situation calls for a more elegant weapon!" Weiss cuts in, leaning over as well, "Choose the rapier, or that saber right there!"
"The katana would suffice," Blake protests casually as she leans on the side of the top and peeks over as well.
"Ooooor those gauntlets!~" Yang pops up and leans waaay over the edge, immediately causing me to look back down. Those gauntlets of hers hanging like that could stop a grown man's heart! And I'm not talking about the ones on her wrists!
But taking her advice, I look over at some of the long range weapons and nearly feel my heart stop as my search stops at a pair of ordinary-looking semi-automatic pistols.
"Ohmygosh!" I exclaim with glee, "These look exactly like the Beretta 92F Series I use to have as BB guns!"
As I hum in enjoyment while spinning both two-toned beauties in each hand, I frown a bit as I stop and softly bounce the weight of each on either hand.
"Hmm, both are about a half-ounce heavy on the back ends... I'll have to compensate with my aim, and they won't ride easy, sooo..." I then reach up for a pair of grey leather shoulder-straps with a behind-the-neck downward V holster configuration and slip it on, "There! Right as rain!"
"An interesting weapon choice," Ozpin begins behind me, catching my attention as I turn and see him sipping his coffee, "May I ask what influenced your decision?"
"Seriously..." I hear Weiss scoff from above.
"Pfft! Easy. 'Taken', 'Inception', every 'Mission Impossible', all three 'The Matrix' installments, friggin 'Rush Hour', and last but not least," I finish with a satisfied grin, "Agent Zero from 'X-Men Origins: Wolverine'!"
The Headmaster merely stares at me as I slowly realize that nobody here would have a clue on what I'm talking about. Aaand the nerd in me has just entered a critical state of depression.
"Uhh..." I continue with some uncertainty, "I used to practice with weapons like these back home in weekend skirmishes against my friends. I was kinda okay with it."
"Let's get on with the show already!" I hear a voice call out from above that I notice is coming from a girl in sunglasses that if I didn't know any better was completely decked out in Coco Chanel fashion accessories.
I smirk to myself as I walk off the platform to the center of the arena, too engrossed in my own mental preparation to gawk over Glynda's second display of awesome power and Ozpin's enigmatic announcement.
And without further ado, we'll be having Mister Carter's match done in the same way as an entrance exam match: against a dozen Beowolves!
The cheering from all around the arena catches my attention for a bit. Hmm, they must be excited that there will be so many opponents? But I can't help but cock my head to the side as I notice Ruby and Yang on the stands above theatrically emulating monsters of sorts as a warning.
"What?" I mouth with a smile, chuckling at their antics, to which Blake joins in with evident concern, making claw-shapes with her hands and sneering - rather adorably, might I add.
"Kittens?" I say to myself in confusion before I suddenly hear many metal cages brought to several smaller doors around the arena.
RAWWWR!
"Hmm, definitely not kittens," I mutter aloud with some alarm, unable to see anything but glowing red eyes from inside those boxes clearly fixed on me, "Uh, Professor, what exactly are thes-"
Ready? Ozpin's voice rings out on the arena loudspeakers. Ugh. No use resisting now, this is for my ticket back to Earth! I take a deep breath as I settle my nerves.
I nod.
Begin!
And all the cages opening at once, I notice several werewolf-like creatures with the same color scheme as those Hell-bears charging me from all directions. And reaching up to my shoulder-holsters behind my neck, my mind goes back to 'shoot' mode as I've trained it for so many years before.
BLAMBLAM BLAMBLAM!
I fire each gun twice in the single downward-arc motion I make after taking them out of the holster, taking out four Beowolves around me in mid-pounce with four perfect head shots before somersaulting forward to dodge the pounce of a fifth attacker from my side.
BLAMBLAM BLAMBLAM!
The Beowulf I dodged meets its swift end as I nail the back of its head from behind in my crouching position while simultaneously dispatching another one coming right at me with a bullet to the face. This being done before coming up in a deft spinning motion and firing another round from each gun to put down two more beasts coming in from opposite directions.
BLAMBLAM BLAMBLAM!
Looking up, I see two more Beowolves merely feet away from me in a coordinated midair attack as I pull both pistols in front of me and send two more bullets ripping through each of their bodies, their forms now bathing me instead in a mist of black smoke as I barely duck in time to evade a pair of growling pounces from ahead and behind at the same time. I could feel the claws of the second one grazing the back of my head as it soared over me!
But in my haste, I kept both pistols facing forward and inadvertently send a second bullet into the same Grimm's head. How I hate wasting ammo.
But hearing the final Beowolf skidding to a stop on the floor behind me, giving me a perfect pinpoint on its location despite it being in my blind spot, I merely look up at the Headmaster with a grin as I reach my right arm back without looking and fire.
BLAM!
I dont don't even bother to look back and check if it's dead as I stand and place my pistols in their holsters. My back-shot was my signature move back home, known to even nail some guys in the little crook of space between their vests and helmet which would make for a heck of a neck-bruise!
"Okay," I concede as I shrug amid the abundance of silence in the arena around me, "I lied. I was pretty okay with it back home."
But now Miss Goodwitch comes out and walks up to the mic, gaze glued to the tablet in front of her as she reads the results.
Sixteen seconds. Nearly tying and second only to the first-year record of thirteen seconds set this year by Pyrrha Nikos.
The stunned silence continues as she steps back and Ozpin approaches the mic.
Congratulations, Mister-
"Encore! Encore! Encore! Encore! ..." A chorus of cheers suddenly erupt all around the arena, startling me as it interrupts Ozpin's speech though it doesn't seem to phase him at all.
He turns to look at me with a small smile before quickly slamming the end of his cane down on the platform with a resounding sonic blast, instantly quieting everyone in the vicinity. If his superpower has anything to do with that, he'll be one of the most awesome people I've ever met.
Now now, students. Only if Mister Carter chooses to-
"Sure, why not?" I reply casually mentally counting the rounds I likely have left. 13 down, 17 to go if each handgun carries a 15 bullet clip.
Very well. Mister Port, do you have any Grimm left in captivity?
I turn behind me and see a somewhat sweaty older man with an incredible mustache wiping his brow at the arena entrance, clad in a double-breasted burgundy suit with gold piping and buttons.
"Well! I do say I indeed possess two remaining specimens loaded for a second bout, but be warned that these remaining creatures are rather large and-"
Excellent! What say you, Mister Carter?
I turn back to try and read this Port character's expression and give up - his mustache covers most of his face and his eyes are practically nonexistent under those eyebrows - returning my attention to Ozpin and giving a shrug.
"Meh."
Well then. Begin!
The portly Professor gone from behind me, I see the arena exit close off and two larger hatch doors open on either side as I reach for my weapons.
I mean, it can't be that bad... the power from these pistols make me feel like the rounds can pierce through the hull of a tank! So, I should be-
RAWWWR! ROAAAR!
OH, NOT AGAIN!
BLAMBLAM! BLAMBLAM!
I'm suddenly assaulted by two large versions of the hell-bears, so fierce in their entry that one's heavily chained hulk of a body tears the chains right off the cage, its upward shift of its shoulder taking down a large chunk of the arena wall with it.
Two Grimm which I've never technically defeated before. And to make matters worse, their hides just deflected my first barrage of bullets, leaving merely scuff-marks on their thick body armor. Crap!
The giant boulder of arena wall comes down with a resounding crash on the grounds, a block of stone bigger than I am that I make sure to avoid as I prepare to avoid the first Grimm's attack.
"Here goes nuthin..."
The first beast with chains still dragging along takes a wild paw-swipe at me and misses as I leap clear over the beast to the other side of the arena, much to the audience's shock - judging by the surprised gasps and Ozpin's raised brow. Landing with a quick somersault, I look up and jump again as the second beast pounces on me, intent on crushing me under its impressive weight.
The height of my jump puts me eye-to-eye with the audience who now begin to cheer as they watch me perform my second hundred-foot-jump, but I know cheering will turn to sickening gasps of horror at my gruesome death if I can't figure out how to beat these things soon.
And boy am I missing those large bladed weapons right about now. Heck, even a massive bludgeoning device might suffice! Wait a minute.
I look from the massive Boulder near the hatch door to the chains on the rapidly approaching Grimm and have an idea. A John Carter inspired idea!
"Oh but this is gonna hurt..." I begin reluctantly as I crouch down and launch myself at full speed by the giant bear, barely missing its outstretched paw whose claws painfully graze my side as I reach out and yank a sizable portion of one of the chains connected to its spikes.
Still soaring with considerable speed, I readjust myself right on time to hit the opposite arena wall feet first, causing a small crater with spreading craks to appear as I use the returning momentum to fuel another speedy leap back near the Boulder and away from both Grimm. For the moment.
Entertained by my little stunts, the audience continues to cheer while I frantically search for a viable connection point on the boulder and find one: a twisted, open metal hinge which seems sturdy enough to serve as a hook for the end of my chain.
"Perfect!" I cry out as the Grimm zero in on my position and I run out a couple dozen feet from the Boulder to get in position.
I tug the chain hard, hoping this plan works, "Nnnnyyyahhhhh!"
And with a slow rumble, the large stone is hefted by the force of my pull and begins to swing around me in massive arcs like a giant single-headed Meteor Hammer for momentum.
Grunting under my own impossible strength, I get those idiot hell-bears to pause just long enough to get to lethal speeds - a guy swinging around a two-ton boulder must be something they don't see everyday.
"Say... hello... to my lil frend!" I hedge as I give the chain a forward tug to commence the strike, the full force of the boulder's resulting impact completely obliterating both the first Grimm's upper body and the stone itself, much to the hysterics of the fanfare surrounding me.
The chain itself now in pieces under the strain, I drop it as I evade the final Grimm in its vengeful rage, fresh out of ideas. And if it was blood-thirsty before... well... I don't doubt it wants my head skewered on one of its back spikes by now!
Leaping over another one of its attacks, I land and tumble awkwardly on the ground as I feel the gash on my side beginning to take its toll.
"Aghhh, this blows!"
I frantically look up and around and finally notice Yang in the bleachers above, her irises somehow turning red and pretend-punching the advancing Grimm with gusto.
Ohmygosh that's it! If I have the leg strength for a super-jump, I must have the arm-strength for a super-punch! But how... And where?
Dodging another paw-strike with a low spin, I happen to notice the mark my first two bullets left on its chest plate of bony armor. It's not just a scuff, it's a tiny crack! So springing into action and wincing against the pain on my side, I make a several hundred-foot-leap to put as much space between me and the Grimm as I can and draw my weapons.
"C'mon, come and get me..." I state softly as the Grimm turns and faces me, promptly beginning its charge.
BLAMBLAMBLAMBLAM! BLAMBLAMBLAMBLAM! BLAMBLAMBLAMBLAM!
I get a dozen bullets to riddle the same few square inches of chest plate, cracking it considerably before having to dodge its infuriated flurry of attacks with a defensive combo of dips and spins.
Staying in close range as it lumbers forward to avoid the full force of a possible paw-strike, I duck under its gaping jaws until its impatient fury provides me the opening I'm looking for: a terrifying roar as it stands on its hind legs in a show of intimidation.
"Heh, rage quit on THIS-!"
And with the equivalent of what I can only call a Super Smash Bros Falcon Punch KO, my fist connects with the shattered chest plate and the Grimm is sent flying into the opposite arena wall with a thunderous boom, its murky life essence leaking from the hole in its chest and signaling the end of my woes.
Hold on.
RR-RACHHH!
It slowly rears up its head, reaching a broken claw out at me in its stubborn attempt to end my life. Nothing else moves, as I'm sure its connection to most of its body has surely been severed, and I start feeling pity for it as it attempts a final roar, gurgled by the bubbling mass of its own innards rising in its throat.
So I reach out one of my pistols and decide to put it out of its misery with my final bullet. From about fifty yards away, I steady my aim, take a deep breath, and pull the trigger.
BLAM!
The beast immediately begins to evaporate with the headshot through its eye as the audience roars in unified cheer.
If this is how I'll earn my way back to Earth, so be it.
Match victory goes to John Carter! Congratulations!
I barely hear the last of his words when I'm suddenly embraced by a tiny frame. I follow the trail of blood-red rose petals down to the little girl in front of me and chuckle as I hug her back, just happy to be alive.
"That... That was awesome!" Ruby exclaims a few minutes after having helped me out of the arena due to my side injury and we meet with teams RWBY and JNPR at the infirmary, "First you were like boing and then you were like wham and then you were like pow!"
"Oookay, Sugar Rush," Yang calms her sister playfully with a softer tone, "Let's give the big guy here some room to breathe!"
"Nah, it's fine," I state cheerfully as a nurse attends to my wound, "It helps, actually! Ruby's starting to feel like the talkative little sister I never had!"
"Really!?" Ruby begins, silver eyes twinkling in delight, "That's so cool! I've never had a brother before!"
"Well maybe you can have a brother-in-law!~" Yang replies suggestively before giving me a wink, to which I deadpan.
"Yang. That's a no-no."
She pouts as she crosses her arms over her fairly distracting endowments.
The girl I met last Thursday who I can only recall is Jaune's partner in this Academy approaches me and begins to circle me objectively, as if scanning my body for any inconsistencies.
"Skeletal structure is normal. No added armor or enhancements aside from your side-arms. Aural output at zero." She pauses in front of me as she cocks her head to the side and continues, "Yet you killed an Ursa Major with one blow. Is your semblance augmented strength?"
"Well technically, he punched it and then shot it in the-"
"Nora," the Asian-looking kid next to her hedges with a small smirk.
"Oops! Sorry, Ren!~" she finishes with a giggle.
But I can only stare at the redhead's incredible features in front of me for a moment as my mind suddenly goes blank. Was I really so focused on my plans for a Muon counter when we all got together that I never noticed how gorgeous this girl was!? Wow.
"...Um, Carter?"
I shake myself out of it as I recall that she did seem to be rather partial to her partner judging by how she tried to tend to his every need last Thursday. Lucky guy, whether he knows it or not. And once again, she's probably barely 18. Bad, Savvy. Bad.
"O-Oh? Uh, sorry, but I have no idea what you're talking about... So it's probably a no," and ignoring her sudden look of surprise, I narrow my eyes at her as a familiar set of revelations take place, "Heeey, did you know you look exactly like a ginger version of Lynn Collins!?"
Her face takes a humorous mix of confusion and amusement as I turn to her partner, "And you look like a younger version of Alex Pettyfer!" He raises a brow as I turn to the bubbly girl, "And you look like... a buxom Amy Adams!" She grins giddily as I turn to the kid in the pink highlight and slap my knees with a chuckle.
"Aw! Aw dude, you're perfect! Sung Kang, down to a tee!"
"Who?" He asks with placid curiosity and a small smile.
"Han! From 'The Fast and The Furious'! ...oh wait, you guys have never... seen those movies," I realize before adding under my breath, "My life sucks right now."
"Well John, I'm sure you've had quite a morning and that the match has taken quite a bit from you," Lynn Collins begins before Jaune answers.
"Well, not really, Pyrrha... I was just watching..."
Turning to her partner with some surprise, she chuckles a bit as she catches the blunder, "John, not Jaune, silly..."
"Ohhh..." He replies slowly, "We should find a way to fix that. You got a nickname from wherever ya came from, John?"
I purse my lips to the side as I internally debate my answer, once again deciding for full disclosure as I see no harm, "Yeah. Savvy. It just... caught on, I guess. All my friends used to call me that back home."
"Ooooh! Savvy it is!~" Nora cries out happily before Ren speaks up again.
"Well, your match was nice to watch, and I'm sure we'll get a chance to talk about it more later. But we should get going to next class."
And everyone nodding assent, Jaune then comes to lightly tug at a somewhat dissatisfied Pyrrha's arm. Obviously, I never really answered her question. I'll have to be weary of that one... she's curious. And like any high school, I'd rather that word of me being an alien not spread around campus like wildfire.
"So I guess I forgot about your classes, guys," I begin as Jaune's team leaves, leaving me with Ruby's team, "Seems I'll have to wait for your help another time, Blake."
"Actually," she answers quickly as soon as I finish, "I have today off."
As I raise a brow in curiosity, Ruby steps in to explain, "Um, you see, John, Blake was kinda... MIA this weekend, and Ozpin agreed to give her today to recover if she helped provide info on a few things that happened yesterday when she came back."
I sigh as I shake my head, "That man's an extortionist."
As the three students in the room give me brief looks of confusion, Blake merely crosses her arms and nods slightly with a smug smirk in agreement. I speak up as soon as I formulate a game plan for today.
"Well Blake, if you don't mind, I'm gonna head back to my place and take a shower before heading to the donation bin to get more clothes before we all go to lunch. Which I assume is after everyone's next class. After that, we can head over and get to work... good deal?"
"Sounds fine," she agrees plainly, "I'll visit the library in the meantime and join you at lunch."
And as I bid the team adieu, Yang turns and gives her partner a nudge, "Just don't do anything I would do, since I'm the one waiting to do it!~"
Blake turns to me and shrugs with a light blush before shutting the infirmary door. Jeez, that Yang is a serious tease... which sometimes means that the tease in question has actually never done any of those things before. Which would make her harmless.
I close my eyes and sit back as I let the nurse finish stitching my side. I think despite the compromises, my unofficial hiring as a contract exterminator, and this painful gash... today will be a good day.
A/N: Chapter three, finally out! I didn't want Carter to be too good with fire-arms... but truth is, I'm pretty okay with them in real life - both in video games and on the range. Not that I've killed a dozen wolves and two bears in one day, though. Maybe :3
Anyway, I hope you like the chapter, and yes, whenever I think of JNPR those actors come to mind. Watching Dejah in John Carter and realizing how Lynn Collins could play and awesome Pyrrha Nikos was the spark that started the fic! I was like, "Well no one on Remnant would be able to point out how she looked like Lynn... Unless it was ME!" And then I was like, "But how do I end up in Remnant? Oh yeah, I just watched The Flash, let's go with that!" And that's how my first SI fic was born. Like an angry, hungry baby.
So stay tuned if you like it so far with a fave and follow and let me know what you think with a review! It always helps, and since I'm in the tricky world of SI fics, every suggestion counts!
Take care, and Happy Reading!
