Awkward silences were the worst. Teams RWBY and Team JNPR were, however, content to never speak of the manner in which they had found Jaune. There were some mysteries that should never be solved. One example is how Jaune wound up in Team RWBY's dirty clothes hamper on a conference call with Zwei, Ruby and Yang's dog back in Patch, and three other random canines.
"So~" Ruby drew out the word to fill the silence. "I hear Professor Peach is sending us into the Forever Fall soon."
Ren nodded. "I have heard similar rumors."
"Any idea what Professor Peach will assign us to collect or do in the forest?" Blake asked while sketching something in her journal.
Nora jumped to her feet. "Sloths!"
Jaune, Pyrrha, and Ren exchanged a quick look. Fortunately, it went unnoticed by She of the Boop. Team RWBY noticed. A question bubbled forth from their throats. The girls were all very curious. JNPR had picked up a bit of Ren's incredible ability to have complete conversations with a single word, gesture, or roll of the eye. So far, Blake was the only member of RWBY who was fluent in Silentese. Weiss was quickly picking up the language. Taiyang's daughters were completely hopeless at Silentese. It was the concept of subtlety that was holding them back, really.
The question that had worked its way to the tip of Team RWBY's tongues died when a gentle, accented voice asking for someone to stop. Platoon RWBYJNPR' turned their heads towards the pleading. The temperature in the room suddenly dropped below freezing. Team CRDL were harassing a Rabbit Faunus.
"Despicable," Pyrrha hissed. Blake nodded tightly. Everyone pretended not to notice that their quiet friend had snapped her pencil in half.
Jaune took a deep breath and rose from his seat. He walked over to the stage in the cafeteria; attracting attention the entire way. The Son of Gris Fourneau had inherited his father's temper. Jaune's anger simply manifested in different ways.
He was vindictive.
Like his mother.
And vicious...
...also like his mother.
Jaune Arc-Fourneau, allowing himself to fully embrace both halves of his heritage, tapped on the microphone. The sound drew the attention of the assembled Huntsmen and Huntresses to the stage. "Ladies, Gentlemen...and whatever Team CRDL is...Combat Class is next."
"No shit," someone angrily called from the back of the room. Probably Russel Thrush.
"I have a challenge for everyone in the room," Jaune announced in his most Gris-like voice. "Whoever beats the racist out of a member of Team CRDL the fastest will receive a reservation for two at Gris Fourneau's new restaurant, Chateau du Fourneau."
In order to prove his point, Jaune pulled out his Scroll and entered an ID. A gruff voice answered with a "I hope you have a good reason to be calling Jay. You know how fucking nuts the week before O-Day is."
"How many have I helped out with over the years, Striebro?" Jaune countered with a smile.
Striebro snorted. "Thanks to that mother of yours, nowhere near enough. Are you sure can't ditch Beacon to help me out?"
"Sorry. Speaking of Beacon though, you're on speaker. I need you to confirm I can get some seats at opening night," Gris' son pointed out.
The cook's head-shake was audible. "Gris told me to hold a table for you and your little gang."
"Speaker phone," Jaune reminded sheepishly. Striebro snorted. The Fourneau child sighed before continuing. "Can I get a table for two? I'm making a bit of a contest..."
"What the hell kind of contest would be worth a table for two?"
"A contest to see who can beat the racist out of a team that's bullying a Faunus classmate of mine the fastest," Jaune admitted.
Striebro PazĂșr was silent. The Sous-chef started wrapping his knuckles on the counter he was standing at. The sound was visible over the phone...as was his growl. The Fennec Fox Faunus cleared his threat. "I'll make it a fireplace table."
"Thanks Uncle Striebro," Jaune said happily.
"I swear to Oum, you better show up if you aren't on a mission to the opening," Striebro snapped.
The Huntsman laughed. "I promise we'll be there. Let me guess, Dad's demanding it."
"Yeah," the Faunus cook said. "I have to go...some shit head thinks he can use the wrong fucking kind of oil in a dish."
Before the Scroll call ended, Striebro started a tirade about canola oil. Jaune went back to his Team and RWBY, but was stopped by Cardin.
"You think you're hot shit. If I'm fighting you, I'm breaking your fucking jaw," Cardin declared.
"I'm launching Nora Leg Break dot exe!" Nora crowed happily.
Professor Goodwitch stormed into the room. Glynda stared down everyone. "There will be no violence outside of sparring classes. In sparring class, I will not permit excessive violence. Anyone," Glynda pointedly glared at Nora, Jaune, Cardin, and Yang. "that makes a deliberate attempted to land a crippling blow on an opponent will face the full weight of Beacon's discipline."
CRDL stormed off from the area near RWBYJNPR. Glynda cast a harsh look at Jaune before striding purposefully away. Jaune sat down. "So, yeah...uh...we all get a table."
"Your dad's restaurant..." Ruby was a bit nervous. "It's really fancy right?"
The question was answered with a simple nod. Ruby visibly deflated. "That means I have to wear those evil lady stilts doesn't it?"
"And what, pray-tell my dear partner, is so evil about heels?" Weiss crossed her arms.
"Um...we're-late-for-combat-class-better-go!" Ruby's voice actually lingered longer than she did. The leader of Team RWBY had fled from her fashion conscious partner in a flurry of nervous rose petals.
Nora rested her head on Ren's shoulder and cackled. "Renny! We're the normal ones right now!"
"First time for everything..." the stoic, yet smitten, quasi-ninja agreed.
Jaune was actually disappointed that he wasn't fighting a member of CRDL. He had honestly expected to fight Sky, Dove, or even the man himself. Goodwitch had made it clear in a private one-on-one conversation that Jaune would not have an opportunity to antagonize Team CRDL again. In the interest of keeping a tentative peace, Jaune was currently matching up against Chehrehn of Team ACDT.
Chehrehn was a fairly aggressive fighter that used two hand-axes that could combine to form a small crossbow. 'Che' as Dalm and Atian called their friend was incredibly accurate with the crossbow. He was also infuriatingly smart. The woodsman wasn't aiming at Jaune's center mass where his bolts could be easily blocked by the shield of Crocea Mors. Instead, he was aiming at Jaune's legs.
Fortunately, Jaune's partner was Pyrrha freaking Nikos and one of the greatest shield technicians in generations. Jaune also was close friends with Ruby freaking Rose who's terrifyingly enormous Scythe was also 'a high impact sniper rifle'. Two of Jaune's favorite females were cruel when they allied with each other to torture, train, Jaune in dealing with clever ranged opponents.
"Serpentine, Jaune! Serpentine!" The Devil-Cheerleader Ruby and the Devil-Cheerleader Pyrrha mental projections shouted. He almost tripped when he realized what his mind had the projections wearing. Not that he didn't approve! It was just that now wasn't the time to fully approve of his wonderful outburst of creativity.
He was currently being shot at, after all.
Jaune hissed as Che picked up his patterns. The bolt nicked him on the thigh. While it hurt like hell, the blow was superficial. Jaune wouldn't be slowed.
ACDT's team member realized that and succinctly voiced his assessment of the tactical situation. "Ah, shit..."
The appraisal of the battle was quickly, and happily, proven correct by Jaune. The leader of JNPR, and master/victim of the complicated romantic situation, threw his entire weight and momentum into a shield bash. The thud that heralded the impact was Jaune's seventh favorite sound of the week. There was a five-way tie for the pleased, almost sexual, sounds from the single women in Jaune's life made when he made that Chocolate Dessert Pizza on Tuesday. Sixth place belonged to the sheer rage CRDL had expressed when Jaune had turned pretty much all of Beacon's first year students against them.
"The match is over!" Professor Goodwitch announced.
Jaune shook hands with Che and returned to his friends. "I can't believe no one has fought CRDL," Jaune observed after assuring everyone that his Aura had already begun healing the knick on his thigh.
"Professor Goodwitch is probably trying to keep the situation under control. Jaune, your intentions were noble, and we can all agree CRDL are uncouth ruffians and buffoons, but you may have gone too far," Weiss explained.
Jaune blinked. The Schnee Heiress was correct and the Arc wanted to agree with her. Instead, Jaune's reply was, "You know Weiss, you might be the only person who can use the words uncouth barbarians together and make it sound completely natural."
"What are you saying, Arc?" Weiss asked while staring down Jaune with narrowed, ice-blue eyes.
The gulp was perfectly reasonable in the situation. All the girls were staring at him; clearly intent on hearing his explanation. Team RWBY, Pyrrha, and Nora had all become very close friends and were protective of each other.
"I'm saying," Jaune was becoming used to being the center of attention with his female friends, but their pack mentality was unnerving at times. "You are incredibly refined and that kind of vocab just fits."
"Glad to see someone appreciates a diverse and educated vocabulary!" Weiss huffed and cast a pointed glance to her partner.
"Hey! My vocabulary is amazing!" Ruby countered.
"When it comes to weapons and engineering!" Weiss countered the counter.
"And what's wrong with that?!" The Reaper growled at the heiress.
Images of catfights swirled in Jaune's head and he quickly turned to the board as Goodwitch announced the final matches to get his imagination under control. The Arc noticed that Cardin was matched against Sky. That match would be short. He also figured that the last match would also be intra-CRDL. Glynda Goodwitch had made her point.
"So, odds are I get called in to meet with Professor Ozpin?" Jaune asked JNPR and RWBY. Blake and Ren cast a look that combined concern and gratitude Jaune's direction. Concern over the possible consequences of the "Fuck CRDL" gaffe. Gratitude at distracting Ruby and Weiss from yelling very long, technical, and obscure terms with their definitions at each other.
"I'd say the odds are not in your favor, Jaune," Ren admitted sourly.
Jaune sighed. "I was a bit overboard. CRDL shouldn't get a pass, but you know, I shouldn't try to sic a mob on them."
"I am glad you have seen reason," Weiss announced. "It shows maturity befitting a team leader."
"Hey!" Ruby whined. "I'm plenty mature. You...you...you are just messing with me for a laugh aren't you?"
"Careful," Weiss teased. "She's learning."
Jaune sighed dramatically. "You've doomed us all, Schnee. Whatever will we do now?"
"You," the Heiress smirked. "Will keep cooking."
"Agreed," Pyrrha added.
Jaune turned to Ren. "I'm still being objectified, aren't I?"
Ren shrugged his shoulders. Yang, however, threw her arm around Jaune. "Don't you forget it. The real reason you are still here is because of the strong chance that Pyrrha will help Team RWBY force you to cook us food wearing nothing but an apron."
"This is my life now, I guess. Might as well accept it," Jaune announced in resignation.
"Acceptance is an important step to take," Blake chimed in.
The further torment and objectification of Jaune Arc was interrupted by the arrival of a Professor Goodwitch donning a sterner than usual look upon her face. "Mr. Arc, Professor Ozpin requests your presence."
"Called it," Jaune groused.
Professor Ozpin let Jaune sit in silence for a nearly three minutes. Every moment was calculated to drive home the fact that Ozpin was well and fully in charge. Jaune's rather impressive, for a teen, emotional patience was wearing thin. Ozpin chose that moment to open the proceedings.
"Mr. Arc," the Headmaster said in his signature tone. "I have high hopes for you as both a student at my school and as a future Huntsman. Given my expectations, belief in your potential, and knowledge of the character your father instilled in you...today's actions were unexpected and unacceptable."
Jaune remained silent, but nodded once to acknowledge that he was listening. He also knew Professor Ozpin likely had far more to say.
"You are aware that the Creatures of Grimm are drawn to strong negative emotions. Tell me Jaune, what emotions do you believe your...bounty...against Team CRDL would generate in CRDL themselves?"
"Anger, resentment, maybe...fear...and isolation," Jaune rattled off after a few moments of legitimate thought. "Definitely those."
"All of CRDL are passionate individuals in their own ways. Their emotions burn strongly. Now, I have it on good authority that Teams JNPR and RWBY are aware of the excursion into the Forever Fall coming up for Professor Peach's class. I want you to recite everything you know about the Forest."
The Arc looked down as he thought. "Forever Fall is along the frontier, away from Beacon's Mesa. It is an Old Growth Forest nestled in the Alqonin Pass. The forest is untamed, but relatively few Grimm find their way into the Forest. I haven't heard any explanation for why the Pass isn't infested."
"But there are confirmed Grimm Infestations," Ozpin prodded.
"Yes, Professor," Jaune agreed. "I...I pretty much turned CRDL into Grimm bait."
"Not just that," Ozpin continued. "How will your classmates react to the offer you made and the conditions of the Forest?"
The Arc's shoulders slumped. "Ah shit. I declared open season on CRDL in an environment that could get them freaking killed."
"Exactly." There was thunder in Ozpin's voice that caused Jaune to start violently. The team leader nearly jumped out of the chair. "Beacon is a school for Huntsmen and Huntresses. There is no place for petty personal grudges or social squabbles between cliques."
"Yes sir," was the only sensible answer Jaune could offer in this situation.
Ozpin nodded as he accepted both the tone and wording of Jaune's reply. "We shall proceed in a very specific manner. First, you will publicly withdraw this ill-advised and dangerous 'bounty'. If you wish to continue to stand for equality for the Faunus and against racism, there are far more productive ways to go about it. Second..."
Jaune couldn't help by gulp at the ultimatums being delivered. The Professor simply continued. "You will, in no uncertain terms, apologize to Team CRDL for putting them in danger and exposing them to an unacceptably hostile environment. Finally, you will prepare a statement reaffirming Beacon's unity of purpose to train defenders of life from the Grimm and rejecting all forms of disunity at this institution."
"Of course, Professor."
"I need the restitution for your infractions completed quickly. This was a highly disappointing episode, but you are still a Team Leader with great potential and I request that you remain in good standing." Ozpin took a sip of his coffee. Jaune couldn't help but notice the odd emphasis on the word request. The entire sentence maintained the air of authority that made it clear Ozpin was still driving his point home. However, the inflection and pacing of the word request was unsubtly subtle. The Headmaster had something planned.
"Yes sir, Professor."
Ozpin smiled. "Dismissed, Mr. Arc."
Jaune walked towards the dorms pondering how to approach Headmaster Ozpin's ultimatums. A smile lit up Jaune's face as he realized he had a perfect loophole to exploit. Ozpin had ordered Jaune to prepare a public statement, but he never said explicitly that Jaune had to prepare it completely on his own. It just so happened that Jaune was friends with two young women who had grown up in the public eye and were undoubtedly as talented in 'spin' as they were at everything else.
In other words, for the first and most likely one of the few occasions, Jaune was going to exploit Pyrrha and Weiss for their fame. They were going to pick apart and proofread his statement until it met their high standards. If the Headmaster wanted a statement, by Oum, Jaune was going to give him the best statement possible.
The walk back to the dorms was uneventful and thankfully CRDL free.
A beep alerted Jaune to a message. He opened up his Scroll and smiled at the message from Ren, "RWBY's dorm. Girls decided."
Jaune knew that any attempt to argue with RWBY, Nora, or Pyrrha would end in abject failure. The ladies got what the ladies wanted. It was that simple.
He also knew that knocking was crucial, even if Ren was in there. Jaune had grown up with sisters; lots of sisters in fact. There were unwritten, practically esoteric, and absolutely mandatory rules one had to follow. Knock, no answer, wait. Knock again...listen for Ruby to call out, "I'm coming!" Wait.
"Hey, Jaune!" Ruby said happily.
Jaune smiled back. "Hey, Rubes."
The young team leader lead her compatriot into the dorm. Surprisingly, yet honestly not that surprising, there was an open seat. The reason for the open seat was fairly obvious and expected; Nora had claimed Ren's lap as her seat.
"Jaune," Pyrrha interjected. "How was the meeting with Professor Ozpin?"
"It was...emphatic." Jaune flopped into a chair. "I'm going to have to exploit Pyrrha's and Weiss' fame though."
"What do you mean by that, Arc?" Weiss teased.
Jaune smiled at the heiress and his partner. "Professor Ozpin demanded that I write a statement of unity to be read to Beacon and a personal letter of apology. Pyrrha and Weiss, you two have handled the public more than any of us combined," Jaune explained. He turned quickly to Yang. "No, Yang. Beating the hell out of Junior's Club doesn't count. Writing a letter of 'I'm sorry for calling out your bullshit in public. You all still suck out loud,' isn't what Ozpin wants."
"But it's true!" Yang protested.
"Regardless of whether or not it is true," Weiss lectured. "We can't just say it. Luckily, my uncle's favorite saying comes to mind?"
"What's that Weiss?" Nora asked from her perch in Ren's lap.
"Diplomacy is the art of telling someone to go to Hell so beautifully that they happily pack for the trip!" Weiss declared with a proud cross of the arms.
"Weiss! You cussed!" Ruby gasped. "I didn't think you could do that!"
"I know right! I didn't think it was possible either, sis!" Yang joined the moment.
Pyrrha stepped in. "Was there anything else, Jaune?"
"I have to rescind the 'bounty'," Jaune revealed. "The Forever Fall is full of Grimm. I made CRDL Grimm bait."
"Oh," Weiss and Pyrrha said at the same time. "Crap."
RWBY and JNPR stared slack jawed at the two celebrities. "Both of you?!" Ruby cried.
"I didn't think it was possible!" Nora shouted and gripped Ren tightly in semi-faked terror.
"Me either," Jaune added.
"Only Weiss and Pyrrha could turn saying the word crap into an event," Blake teased.
Weiss huffed and looked to the other world-famous young woman in the room. "Pyrrha and I have standards. Blake, you also present a great deal of class!"
"Can we go back to how Weiss cussed?" Ruby joked.
Jaune Arc wanted to savor this moment. He was alone in a bedroom with Pyrrha Nikos and Weiss Schnee. Granted, it wasn't that kind of alone. Still, the young man was enjoying seeing the looks of concentration as Weiss and Pyrrha poured over Jaune's statement.
"Is that verb too forceful?" Pyrrha asked as she leaned forward. Weiss also leaned in close.
'I will remember this moment...' Jaune swore to himself.
"No," Weiss countered. "It is deceptive. Remember, we want our apology to be sincere, but still demonstrate we refuse to condone their actions."
"What do you think, Jaune?" Pyrrha asked.
Jaune, once again demonstrating his hard earned knowledge, simply nodded. He then added, "You both have done an excellent job and I will follow your lead on this."
"Shouldn't a leader know when to take command?" Weiss finished with a playful smirk.
"Great leaders also know when to delegate to their subordinates when said subordinates are as talented in an area as they are pretty," Jaune said automatically.
Weiss turned to Pyrrha and sighed. "Are you absolutely sure RWBY can't kidnap your partner and chain him to the kitchen island?"
"I am quite fond of Jaune. Absolutely is a rather large understatement," Pyrrha answered.
"It was worth the effort of asking..." Weiss flipped her long pony tail over her shoulder.
The girls quickly returned to working on the statement. Jaune occasionally chimed in with a suggestion or a thought. The young man couldn't help but smile as the two gorgeous women treated his ideas seriously and with care.
"I believe this statement will meet all of Professor Ozpin's requirements," Weiss stated definitively.
"I agree completely," Pyrrha added. "The statement also denounces racism. That is an important step."
"You ladies are amazing in everything," Jaune praised. "I'll talk to Professor Ozpin about the replacement for the 'bounty'. That Second Year who was being bullied, do you know her name?"
Pyrrha and Weiss shook their heads. "Oh well," Jaune added. "I'll find out."
Professor Ozpin was pleased by Jaune's statements and the letter. Jaune happily ignored the fact that Ozpin knew the letter to CRDL was lifted nearly wholesale from the statement that Pyrrha and Weiss had jointly written. The second visit to Ozpin's office was progressing along a far more cordial path.
"Mr. Arc," Ozpin began. "I am very eager to see the performance of Teams JNPR and RWBY in Forever Fall. The unity displayed by your teams is everything Huntresses and Huntsmen should embody and strive for."
"Thank you, sir," Jaune said. "Is there anything else you require?"
The Professor smiled knowingly as he leaned back in his chair. Ozpin looked over his glasses as he took stock of Jaune. "Perhaps, but I do believe that can wait until after the excursion to Forever Fall is complete."
"Yes sir," Jaune responded. "Is there anything else?"
Ozpin chuckled. "Remember expectations from now on. Pettiness has no place at Beacon. Second, please keep Nora from drinking all the sap."
"The sap, sir?"
"You'll see what I am talking about soon enough," Ozpin promised.
Jaune nodded, but didn't think much of Ozpin's typical cryptic warnings...
Hours later, Jaune really, really wished he had thought more about Ozpin's cryptic warnings. "Nora! We have to turn in the Red Sap to Professor Peach!"
"Ah, Jaune! It's soooooo good! I want to put it on pancakes! Please, can I get some more!" Nora begged.
"This is my time at Beacon," Blake said flatly. "This is what going mad must be like..."
"Oh, you're already there," Jaune teased.
"You sound so certain, Jaune," Blake countered.
"Well, Blake. You're already mad. I'm mad. Ren's a bit mad. Yang and Weiss are full on mad..."
"Hey!" The two girls in question snapped.
Jaune flashed an exaggerated Chesire grin. "We're all mad here. If you weren't mad already, there's no way you'd be here."
Blake laughed as she filled up a bottle of sap. "Did you just quote Ijzer Carrol?"
"If the shoe fits," Jaune said with a shrug. "I mean have you met Ruby and Pyrrha when they are training someone?"
"Jaune! I only shot you twice!" Ruby shouted. "And Pyrrha only did it once!"
Weiss rested her head against a nearby tree. "Ruby, you still shot Jaune...twice!"
"I only shot him a little!" The Silver-eyed Reaper protested in self-defense.
Any further hilarity, be it Nora's Red Sap obsession, Ruby's flustered attempts to explain away the two times she had shot Jaune, or Pyrrha's horror that she too had shot her crush were swept away by the cries of some of the other classmates.
"What's happening?" Ruby asked. Her earlier childishness from protesting about shooting Jaune was gone.
"Ursas!" A classmate no one in JNPR or RWBY recognized shouted as they ran by. "Too many!"
Weiss quickly took stock of the teams running by. "Where is CRDL?"
"No one knows!" Another student called out as they fell back.
"Where are the Ursa?" Ruby asked.
The panicked mass revealed the general direction of the advancing Grimm. Heedless of the dire warnings, RWBY and JNPR ran towards the monsters. They also were hoping that CRDL was nowhere near the danger.
Jaune was fairly certain with the insanity that was Beacon, CRDL would be in the thick of it. The leader of JNPR had fully accepted that the strange and unpredictable was likely the natural state of being for Jaune now.
Roars heralded the Ursas coming into view.
"Weiss! Use your Glyphs to get Yang into position! Blake, I'll cover you until you get into position to suppress the Ursa at 11 o'clock!" Ruby immediately became the leader Ozpin believed she could be.
Jaune would have no doubt been impressed, but he was currently fulfilling his duty. "Ren, supress the Ursa to your left. Nora...leg break dot exe on anything that isn't human, Faunus, or a domesticated animal! Pyrrha...you're with me on the shield wall."
CRDL was actually making a solid showing for themselves. As the two other teams arrived, Sky and Dove successfully killed a very small, but aggressive Ursa. Cardin was acquitting himself as well as possible against the large Ursa assailing him. However, he was being overwhelmed. Pyrrha and Jaune's arrival was very fortuitous. Pyrrha and Jaune were moving in near perfect synchronicity. They stabbed the Grimm right behind its mask at practically the same time. Jaune and Pyrrha's momentum also pushed the dying Ursa away from Cardin.
"Why the hell are you here?" Cardin barked.
"Helping you kill Grimm, the hell does it look like?" Jaune barked back. Cardin growled, but didn't say another word as he rallied his wounded team. The combined might of CRDL, RWBY, and JNPR dispatched the last trio of Ursa without further incident.
Cardin helped Sky to his feet and glared at the two relieving teams. "Thank you. I really mean it, but don't expect this or that fancy letter to really smooth things over."
"Can't blame you," Ruby admitted with a shrug. Her gesture caught Russel's attention, as well as fire up Yang's protective instincts.
Jaune could taste the adrenaline bleed off starting. "I think we should all head back. A warm meal, a warm bath, and a warm bed sound like the trinity of awesome right now."
"For once, Arc," Cardin chuckled as he rolled his neck. "you don't sound like an idiot."
The two teams couldn't separate fast enough. Professor Goodwitch was rushing towards the students. She spent several minutes debriefing each student. As Nora was being interrogated about the nature of "Nora Leg Break dot Exe", Blake bumped her partner.
"What?" Yang asked testily, sounding for all the world like a very angry Ursa or Mother Bear.
"You can't murder Russel in his sleep for looking at your sister," Blake teased.
"Not even a little bit?" Yang pleaded. It was the same voice she used to get whatever she wanted out of her daddy back home.
"Not even a little bit," Blake replied.
Yang sighed. 'Looks like that tone of voice only works on men...'
Ruby was surprised when she was called to Ozpin's office along with Jaune. The Reaper hadn't received any noise complaints regarding spending quality time with her baby testing out new and exciting SDC cartridges in three whole days. She wasn't going to complain at the moment as Ruby was enjoying a monopoly of Jaune-time.
"Can you really teach me to make cookies soon?" Ruby asked hopefully.
Jaune laughed. "Ruby, I can teach you to make chocolate cookies, with four types of chocolate chips."
The young man kept walking and didn't notice his companion had become rooted in place with a look hunger...and not just for cookies. Jaune suddenly sensed his friend had stopped in place and turned around. Ruby, realizing the direction her thoughts had been taken, was a moment from using her Semblance to flee somewhere quiet to collect her thoughts.
"Everything okay?" Jaune asked. "If you are stressed or tired still from Forever Fall, I can take notes at the meeting with Professor Ozpin."
"No!" Ruby squeaked. "Just thinking."
"Dangerous," Jaune joked.
Ruby scuffed her feet jokingly. "And here I thought one Weiss was bad enough!"
Team JNPR's leader laughed as the pair continued their journey towards the enigmatic Headmater's office. "Do you know what Professor Ozpin wants with us?"
"No clue," Jaune admitted. "We'll find out."
Professor Ozpin smiled as he welcomed the two team leaders into his office. "Please, take a seat."
"Thanks, Professor." Ruby waved happily.
Team RWBY's leader sat first with Jaune close behind. "Is this about your 'request'?"
"Indeed Mr. Arc," Ozpin confirmed Gris' son's theory. "I am in need of two talented teams to carry out a mission...a very important mission that is uniquely suited to your teams."
"A Secret Mission?" Ruby gasped.
"Top, Ms. Rose," Ozpin sweetened the briefing.
Jaune smiled at the combination of utter seriousness and childish enthusiasm. He brought the briefing back to focus. "What is the mission?"
"Are you two familiar with Tukson's Book Store?"
Ruby nodded. "They claim to have every book under the sun. I've bought a few books there. Mr. Tukson is a nice guy."
"He's also a defector from the White Fang Terrorist Organization. The mission for JNPR and RWBY is to escort Tukson from his bookstore to The Silver Cirri so that he can be taken to safety," Ozpin explained.
"Professor, there has to more to this than simply getting someone to an airship," Ruby hazarded a guess.
After a sip of coffee, Ozpin confirmed Ruby's suspicions. "Of course, Ms. Rose. That 'more' will be left to individuals with experience in the sort of delicate matters required. I assure you that RWBY and JNPR are playing a vital role in this operation."
"Are we expecting to encounter the White Fang?" Jaune asked.
The Headmaster leaned forward. "At this time, no. The longer we dilly dally, the more likely the White Fang is to locate Tukson. He has information that could bring the terrorist wing of the organization to justice. Ms. Rose, Mr. Arc...you could help purify the soul of an organization and bring the world to better understand the Faunus one day."
"Team RWBY won't let you down, sir," Ruby Rose declared. Jaune found he could only nod in agreement.
Ozpin provided enough briefing material to fill the teams in nearly completely. Jaune and Ruby headed to back to the dorms to brief their teams. The two team leaders decided to play paper rock scissors to see who would brief the teams. Jaune 'won' and had to handle all the questions, explanations, and responsibilities. Ruby got to claim superior leadership skills through delegation.
After JNPR and RWBY had gathered, Jaune took his position at the head of the table. "Ladies and Ren, Ruby and I have just met with Professor Ozpin. We have a mission. Our teams. This is top secret and not without risk."
"Hey, it'll be the eight of us! Whatever Remnant throws at us, we'll wreck it's shit!" Yang declared full of bravado, legitimate confidence, pride and affection for the small army sitting around a dinner table.
"Hear hear!" Nora chimed in.
Ruby beamed. This was the exact moment she had dreamed of when Professor Ozpin had offered her a place at Beacon.
"What is the mission?" Pyrrha asked.
Jaune and Ruby nodded at each other. Ruby stood up. "I'm sure you all know about the White Fang."
The reactions were very telling. Yang, Nora, Ren, and Pyrrha all remained professional. Weiss's eyes grew dark and she clinched her fists tightly. Blake...Blake recoiled as if hit.
"They are a collection of terrorists and criminals," Weiss hissed.
"The White Fang wasn't always like that!" Blake cried out. The passion and desperation for someone to understand that fact was clear and evident in her voice.
"Blake..." Weiss started to speak. There was a hint of 'lecturing' in the heiress's tone, but there was far more understanding and friendship.
"Is right," Jaune interjected. "The White Fang has not always been a terrorist organization. Ozpin explained that the White Fang was originally a peaceful organization. Our mission is to escort a defector from the White Fang to The Silver Cirri. Maybe this could help clear out the White Fang and restore it. The Faunus need an advocate. They've been mistreated and discriminated for...well...ever. Maybe this can be our part in bringing terrorists to justice, cause who knows what this guy knows, and giving the Faunus back their peaceful group..."
Blake was looking at the table. Truthfully, she was looking through the table to something very far away. "Are you just harping Ozpin's words...or do you believe that?"
"I'll admit these are Ozpin's words. I didn't know a single bit about the White Fang other than the news reports, but I trust Ozpin. I trust in the fact that we can do better by the Faunus than we have been doing."
"I agree, Jaune," Pyrrha added. "We can do so much more. Maybe this mission could be the start of something."
The others nodded in agreement, even Weiss, and Blake allowed herself to hope. "So," she began. "What exactly is our mission?"
Tukson was not always Tukson. For a long time, he had been Rojo Boligrafo. He had been a loyal agent of the White Fang. He had believed in the cause of Faunus Equality to the point where he was willing to kill for it.
And he had.
Shaking, he reached for the bottle again. Tukson poured a hearty draught of brown liquor and anticipated the burn as he drank it. The burn and the intoxication that was filling his mind helped him focus on happier memories. One of those memories was his promotion to Quatermaster of the entire Organization. Rojo had been so proud. His brothers and sisters had slapped him on the back. "Rojo will keep us fed! Rojo can rub two sticks together and make bread fall out!" Those jokes filled him with pride to this very moment.
He had even gotten the young leader, Adam Taurus, to smile at him. Tukson could only recall one other person who made Adam smile. Coughing as the liquor burned on the way down, Tukson remembered the day that woman had left.
"Things really went to shit after that," Tukson sighed. The White Fang, under Adam's direction, had become ever more violent. Protests and politics had been abandoned. There was no defensive struggles anymore. There were bombings, kidnappings, 'surgical strikes against soft targets of the human military-industrial complex'.
"Surgical strikes, my claws." That was simply code for shooting up a SDC Workers Apartment Complex or blowing up a subway taking men and women, even Faunus, to work.
That wasn't even the worst things Rojo had discovered before making his choice. His choice had led him here. Tukson had actually enjoyed his quiet life as an entrepreneur. This little shop had done well and earned him a comfortable living and the respect of the locals.
Of course, it was too good to last. Tukson had maintained a few discreet contacts from his Old Life. If there was one thing Tukson knew about Adam Taurus, it was that the Red Bull was relentless. There should have been no surprise that Taurus had divined the truth of 'Tukson'.
It was simply a matter of time before a ghost from the former Rojo Boliografo walked through that door.
The chime at his door caused the fugitive Faunus to snort in shock. The universe was some kind of asshole for pulling a stunt like this. He had been expecting a Beacon Team to extract him. His contacts with the Headmaster hadn't mentioned two celebrities in the form of Gris Fourneau's son and 'The Invincible Girl' herself or the youngest daughter of the oppressors in the SDC. Beacon's other representatives were unremarkable in Tukson's eyes. Ozpin was seemingly attempting the 'Refuge in Audacity' strategy.
All doubt in Ozpin's stratagem was washed completely away. As Tukson washed down another pour of liquor, a true ghost entered his shops.
"Well, I didn't think you'd be involved in this," Tukson said with a rueful chuckle. There was no humor in the laugh or directed at a former comrade.
"R-Rojo?" The girl asked.
Tukson shrugged his shoulders and sighed. "Yeah. It looks like we are both running from what he tried to turn us into..."
"Rojo...don't...they..."
The former quartermaster shook his head. "Blake, sister, the truth is just one more thing to run from...What's one more thing? We've already betrayed our nature as Faunus, the White Fang...and him. What's one more lie? One more sin?"
Blake shook with fear, not at Rojo's words per se. She had asked herself roughly the same questions over and over again. The fear was how her friends would react after having Blake's past and true nature outed by a drunk. Blake's Faunus senses could tell how much alcohol was on Rojo's breath and how recently he had been drinking.
"Blake..." Yang's voice was gentle and sisterly.
'It would have been so much easier if you had screamed at me!' The ex-White Fang member wailed internally.
"Is..." Weiss started to speak. Her even tone was as painful as Yang's tone.
Blake couldn't take anymore. The outed young woman couldn't bear to listen to the others question her. Blake couldn't stand the thought of Ruby or Jaune digging into her past. Especially not now or here. So, Blake fell back into old habits. Her Aura flared as she activated her Semblance.
She ran.
Like she always did and always would.
Author's Notes: First...Yeah, cliffhanger. Second, cue antagonists, mistaken for antagonist introductions, and actual fighting in a show based around fighting. Crazy, I know. Someone stop me before I go completely off the rails and do something insane like update one of my Naruto fanfics!
Second, I'm giving in to popular demand. Y'all will see it if you haven't already.
Reviews are appreciated!
