An outpouring of warmth and light heralded the arrival of morning, spilling out across Vale. There were few to witness it, the early hour confining most of the populace to their dreams...but to those individuals who found themselves able, basking in the first rays of the day washed away most any negativity.
It was no different for Jaune Arc, as he sat cross legged on the roof of his dorm building. In his lap was an open book, and in his hand was a simple pen. Both were, for the moment, forgotten – the blonde's attention was fully devoted to the gentle energy caressing his skin. No matter what happens...there will always be the sunrise.
Still, as entrancing as daybreak may be, he should probably start work on today's continuation of his as-yet-untitled memoirs. Should he even bother naming it? I did name my weapons. That was a point; he had developed a habit of naming inanimate objects. How big a difference was there between a book and a sword anyway?
Probably not much less than the difference between a book and a 'mechashifting armoured gauntlet with integrated experimental weapons technology'. Okay, so there was a slight gap. He hadn't even got around to looking up some of the words Coco had used to describe Malleus, had he?
Well, no matter what they were, to him at least, they were all equally dangerous. This book perhaps even more so. As the scratch of metal on paper floated away on the breeze, a part of Jaune's mind considered the information he was imparting to the tome.
He watched the events roll past in his mind, felt his breathing quicken just by entertaining those thoughts. The dull ache in his chest was stronger than it had been in years...and so he continued. The out-lands had taught him a lot of things; how to survive, how to trek, how to fight, how to hold yourself together – and, more than anything else, how to dodge. But even before his wandering days, he had known one very simple thing.
Things always get worse before they get better.
It was by that logic that he assumed the pain was a good sign. The best medicines tasted horrid, the healthiest foods were flavourless (if you were lucky), a journey would always present more challenges than the destination. So a technique to take the edge off memories would make them more vivid before they dimmed. Perfectly sound reasoning, in his opinion.
Still, he didn't like the ache. He could deal with physical pain; even the marks left on him by the Grimm had been minimal compared to earning his first scars. But pain of the mind, pain of the soul? The only cure he had found for those was time.
Time that, he reminded himself, he now had in spades. Four years...I have four whole years here at Beacon. After that, I have my whole lifetime to be a Huntsman. What a wonderful thing it was to have a future...once upon a time, he would never have thought he'd miss having one. I guess the best lessons are painful too.
Lost in his own recollections and thoughts, the blonde was reminded of the need to wake his team by the buzzing of the scroll in his pocket almost an hour later. With a little help from Pyrrha, he had learned how to set alarms on it. Since his sense of time still a bit loose, the device had been an absolute Godsend.
Honestly, at this point I'll need the Professor to give me another book. I'm having trouble remembering all the favours I owe now... He was neck-deep in debt, by his reckoning. He owed a lot to each and every member of his inner circle – though some more than others.
He owed Yang, for letting him stay friends with Ruby after revealing his past. He owed the brunette herself, for giving him a chance in the first place. He owed Pyrrha for putting her faith in him and his ability as a partner. He could go on and on, without even bringing in all that Glynda, Ozpin and Qrow had done for him.
Well, Jaune thought to himself as he stood, if I ever get bored with hunting, I can just devote a few years to paying off my debts. For now though, he had another day of classes to look forward to. He couldn't help but smile at the prospect, even as he hopped over the edge of the roof and expertly landed on the ledge outside JNPR's window.
He had left the window open a crack, allowing him to push it wider and re-enter the dorm in complete silence. Shutting the portal behind him, the blonde took a minute to once again conceal his latest pastime.
At least the others are still asleep. It's good to know everyone's getting the rest they need.
Glynda Goodwitch stared at the Headmaster's Office with an expression that stood on the fence between horror and amazement.
She was standing in the elevator, despite almost a minute having passed since it had reached its destination. This was due less to the shock she was feeling, and more to the fact that she couldn't advance.
The entryway was blocked by paper.
It was stacked surprisingly neatly in brick-like formations, stretching the width and height of the elevator door. Finally deciding that whatever lay beyond probably deserved her attention, the Huntress raised her riding crop to the obstruction.
A nebulous purple light began to suffuse the space between the papers, and with a low rumble she attempted to move them sideways. That came to a halt quickly, as she realised the space on either side of the wall was also occupied. It's wall to wall...?
Another attempt to move it, this time upward, also failed. Don't tell me it's stacked to the ceiling?! Now finding herself somewhere between abject awe and panicked worry, the blonde attempted to simply move the paper forwards.
There was heavy resistance...but apparently also some clear space, as with an application of effort the massive stacks began to move forward across the glass floor. Following in their wake, Glynda found herself striding through a lengthening corridor of paper. It towered above her, pressed against the glass floors and ceiling.
The sheer density of the stuff was almost completely blocking out the sound of ticking gears, bringing the room closer to silence than it had been in years. That quiet was disrupted as, with a distinct thud, her attempts to move the pile in front of her further forward became fruitless. Apparently the paper was stacked more than half the length of the room.
Closing her eyes to better interpret what her Semblance was telling her, the Huntress was able to discern that there was empty space on either side of her paper glacier. Splitting the stacks down the middle, she was able to open another corridor straight to Ozpin's desk...where her worst fears were confirmed.
Slumped over the wrought metal and glass construction was the headmaster himself, unmoving. Picking up the pace as she closed the distance between them, Glynda's fingers immediately went to the man's neck. A long moment passed...but a pulse rose beneath her digits, and the blonde sighed heavily. Alive, at least.
As she moved behind the desk and gently pulled the sleeping headmaster back into a sitting position, one sheet of paper remained behind on the desk. He had apparently fallen asleep before he had finished filling it in, and Glynda scanned the half-filled page for a moment.
This is one of our current student files...why on Remnant was he doing this? We've been computerizing these things for the past decade, if not more. Then she remembered what Ozpin had said to her the night before.
"Glynda, I'm going to take measures to prevent digital infiltration of our information. I want you to implement defence measures for more physical threats. Also, if you would, prepare the Sub-Sub Library to receive new documentation...I have a feeling we're going to need more shelves."
Understanding dawned, and a few taps of the seemingly average glass surface of Ozpin's desk served to confirm her decisions. He translated almost all the academy's digital student records to hard-copy, then deleted the originals...
Turning fresh eyes on the mountains of paper behind her, Glynda couldn't help but laugh to herself. Well, he's certainly succeeded in preventing anyone getting their hands on the information electronically. The sound of her voice didn't even get a twitch out of the veteran Huntsman, who was simply breathing slowly in the sitting position she had arranged for him.
As the Huntress went to move from behind the desk, she felt something underfoot and cast her eyes in that direction. It was a pen – a simple biro, completely empty of ink. Bending down to pick it up, green eyes looked underneath the desk and promptly forgot about the spent calligraphic device at her fingertips.
The floor beneath Ozpin's desk was a veritable forest of used pens, dozens of them having simply been discarded when their ink ran dry. A long sigh escaped the veteran Huntress, even as all of the empty pens leapt from the ground and congregated into a cylindrical bundle that floated by her shoulder. This has to be the most novel use of a Semblance I've ever seen.
There was certainly no way that the headmaster had managed all this in one night without resorting to his own, rather unique power. This amount of paperwork was just...inhuman.
"You've been holding out on me, Ozpin." She gently chastised the sleeping Huntsman, who gave absolutely no sign that he had heard her. Shaking her head, Glynda eyed the mountain of transcribed paperwork with a professional eye.
Right. Just like in Vacuo, then. Gesturing behind her, the Huntress carefully removed one of the large windows which formed the walls of Ozpin's office through the relatively simple task of disconnecting the molecular bonds around the edges. Using her power to prevent the sudden loss of structural integrity in the room from scattering her boss's hard work to the winds due to a difference in pressure, she raised her riding crop and closed her eyes.
To an outside observer, a purple aura would seem to flare out of Ozpin's windows, as Glynda managed to stretch her power over all the paperwork at once. With a forward swing of her riding crop, the papers rushed by her in a massive – but organised – flurry, forming a stable platform that she then walked out onto.
Standing on the unsupported documents the blonde spared a moment to replace and re-fuse the window panel she had removed before beginning the descent to ground level. I'm glad I got around to making those extra shelves...still, at least there's no one around at this hour to see this.
As the storeys rolled by, Glynda set a mental notice to cancel all the headmaster's appointments for the day. He'd earned his rest – besides, it wasn't like he was very involved in Beacon's day-to-day operations anyway. That was her department after all; taking care of Ozpin while Ozpin took care of everyone else.
The ghost of a smile pulled at the corners of her mouth.
"Jauney! You know what day it is?" Nora's awakening this particular morning proved to be a change of pace from the past few days; instead of simply bouncing off her bed and heading to the shower, she had fixed her leader with sparking eyes and a massive grin.
"It is...Friday, I think?" the blonde mused in return, wondering where his friend was going with this.
"Exactly! It's Friday, which means that tomorrow is the weekend!" Jaune suddenly realised why the hammer-wielder was so excited.
"Oh! Then we are...going Grimm riding...tomorrow!"
"Exactly!" Nora's giddiness was clear to see, and it was apparently infectious. JNPR's leader found a massive grin spreading across his own face, and he rubbed his hands together.
He stopped a moment later, a thought passing across his mind. "But we have not...asked RWBY to join us yet." This observation didn't seem to impact the hammer-wielder's mood at all. If anything, she seemed to smile wider.
"But Ruby owes you a favour now doesn't she?" Jaune blinked, an expression of incredulity spreading across his visage. Was Nora just...cunning?
Apparently interpreting the look on her leader's face, Nora giggled happily. "Renny's really good at this stuff. Since we've been together, but not together-together, for so long I picked up a few things."
Idly, the blonde wondered if it had worked the other way around too. Has Ren picked up some of Nora's habits in their time together? It was hard to believe; the quiet, mild-mannered martial artist was almost a complete contrast to his partner.
Shaking his head to make way for more thoughts, Jaune considered her proposal. It was almost perfect, really. He had absolutely no idea else he could call on that favour for, and having a friend by indebted to him didn't sit right. This way, Ruby should get something out of the deal as well.
"That is...perfect, Nora. I will ask at...breakfast." Still smiling, the shorter girl wrapped her friend in a quick hug before skipping over to her partner. Pyrrha was showering still, taking longer than usual. She had been more difficult to wake up this morning as well...
After yesterday's duel, she had been keeping a surreptitious eye on her partner. He had noticed of course – knowing when you were being observed was another key survival skill, after all. But the fact that she had thought observing him was necessary made him wonder. Does she suspect that I am hiding an injury of some kind?
That must be it. Lailah hadn't been anywhere near the surface during that fight, so his attitude wouldn't have changed at all. He also had kind of concealed an injury from her. An inconsequential cut true, but he had still hidden it. So she was right to be suspicious?
Well, she'd probably come to the decision that he was fine if her left her be for a while. Nothing to worry about.
With that decision made, Jaune pulled out his scroll. He was still learning how to use the thing, but at least he had been making headway. He had discovered, for example, that it was capable of messaging other students. Of course, he lived either with or next door to his entire social circle...
Somewhat more useful was the fact that the tournament progress from Glynda's class was available for viewing. A quick look had shown him that of the sixty four students in their class, thirty two now made up the base of the pyramid. Considering how long the previous matches had taken, they'd probably finish this level of the pyramid during that afternoon's period.
Even more useful than that display, however, were the student profiles. By tapping on one of the portraits, Pyrrha had shown Jaune that a person's combat record could be viewed. She had explained it was being a way of tracking your accomplishments, both for students themselves and the teaching staff.
There were two categories; official and unofficial. Apparently Scrolls recorded combat data throughout any duel they were present in, and would sync up with Beacon's mainframe, any nearby duelling equipment and other Scrolls. If you were in a classroom with a teacher during a registered period when duelling, it was considered official. If your match didn't fit the criteria, it was unofficial.
Thus, Jaune's record showed one official bout and two unofficials. His duels with Enma, Coco and Yang. Three wins so far – an unbroken record. It was pretty cool, and Ren had been pleased to discover its existence. According to the martial artist, there was no more potent weapon in the world than information. His leader wasn't sure he agreed. But he also acknowledged the fact that such things were rather far from his own skill set, so what did he know?
You could view fellow students' official matches, but only your own unofficial ones. So Jaune had decided to take the time and look up his next opponent. Pressing his finger to the point over their portrait, a mostly empty screen with some basic text and an image appeared.
Apparently the girl's name was Kuro Fowl, and she had won her first match in the class with two thirds of her aura remaining. Her picture showed a pale young woman, her chestnut hair falling to her shoulders while hazel eyes regarded the camera smugly.
At least none of us are going up against each other yet. Jaune thought to himself, returning the device to his pocket. Members of JNPR and RWBY were yet to be pitted against one another...but if all of them made it to the third tier, that would change. The blonde wondered who he'd get as a sparring partner. Well, no matter who his opponent was, one thing was guaranteed.
He was going to have fun.
Jaune had fiddled with his scroll long enough for his team to get themselves presentable, and soon enough the quartet made their way to the dining hall. Pyrrha's slow morning had allowed RWBY to claim their meals first, and so by the time JNPR settled down beside them they were almost half done.
Jaune dug into the massive stack of pancakes he had put together for himself, Nora doing the same across the table. Ren and Pyrrha's choice of breakfast tended to vary from day to day – but their partners took great pride in the consistency of their diet. Well, great pride and great taste.
"None of us got matched up for Goodwitch's class today." Yang sounded disappointed, her tone reinforced by the way her head rested in one upturned palm. "I mean, come on! Who else is going to get my heart pumping?"
Jaune couldn't help but agree. Awesome as Enma's combat style had been, overcoming it had been fairly simple. He'd gone down in one hit, too. There was very little excitement in it... Apparently his thoughts showed on his face, as Pyrrha fixed him with a slightly disapproving look.
"That's a bit unfair, isn't it? Just deciding that the eight of us are the only people in our year who can challenge each other?" The brawler further up the table caught the champion's words, turning her attention her way.
"Well champ, I call 'em like I see 'em – and right now? I see a pretty boring beat-down in my future, followed by some actual excitement come next wednesday." Yang's reference to forward planning tripped her fellow blonde's memory, and he leaned backwards in his seat to look at the back of Ruby's head.
"Ruby?" He succeeded in getting her attention, the little reaper mimicking his posture to make conversing easier.
"What is it Jaune?"
"You...remember that...favour you say you...owe me?" Jaune was being careful not to actually look his brunette friend in the eye, instead choosing to focus on a point more level with her eyebrows. Still, he could see the slight flush that reddened her complexion.
"Um, yeah, I do. You have an idea?" The blonde nodded, noticing as he did that Yang's bored posture had suddenly perked up.
"I was...hoping to...invite you and the others on an...expedition this...weekend." Confusion and interest spread across the reaper's face at the same time, as her sister gave up all pretense of subtle observation and just fixed her fellow blonde with a skeptical look.
"An expedition?" The elder sister's voice matched her expression, as Ruby's expression seemed to request an explanation.
"Yes, an...expedition. We, " here Jaune gestured to himself and JNPR, "are going to the...Emerald Forest over the...weekend. We were...wondering if you would like to...accompany us."
A low hum came from the brunette, but she was smiling. "It has been a long week...I think we could have some fun!" Silver eyes drifted over their team, who each considered it themselves.
Yang spoke first. "I'm in! I seriously need to take my mind off these lessons – I'm just itching to kill something." Blowing out a long breath at her team mate's justification, Weiss cut in.
"Well, so long as everything is done properly, it could prove to be an informative use of our time. Combat Class is all well and good, but we should get more experience with actual Grimm." Three pairs of eyes turned to RWBY's quietest member.
Three quickly became seven, as JNPR trained their gazes on Blake as well. She twitched slightly in the face of the optical onslaught, but kept her voice steady. "I don't have an issue with it."
"Yes! This is going to be awesome!" Nora's cheerful tones were unmistakeable, and she grabbed Ren for a hug to express her good mood. The martial artist simply sighed, riding out the storm as he was very nearly lifted from his seat.
"Then we are all...decided. Shall we meet at the...cliffs in the...morning?" Another quick exchange of glances between RWBY, and a nod from the leader to confirm.
"Sure, we'll meet you there." Grinning widely, Jaune turned his attention back to his breakfast. A day out with all his friends, a chance to learn something new, and even more chances to kill Grimm. It was going to be a great weekend.
"...thus, through the judicious application of tenacity and oil, I smote the beast from within! Its corpse drifted away around me, and I strode from its ruined frame and into the welcoming arms of the villagers. From that day on, I have carried a supply of body oil wherever I go – just in case of such an emergency."
Looking up from his note-taking, Jaune once again found that his favourite Professor's classes served two purposes. Not only did he educate them on the Grimm and how to deal with them, he was able to observe a wide range of expressions among his classmates.
RWBY, for example, were currently showcasing what he had come to believe was 'abject horror'. He wasn't quite sure why – the fact that Pyrrha wore almost the exact same expression only served to heighten his confusion. Ren wasn't much help, being asleep as usual...but Nora was trying (and very nearly failing) to contain an outpouring of mirth as she shook in place.
"That is very nearly the end of our time together...well class, make use of this weekend to enjoy your youth. Why, when I was a lad, the weekend was a time for gratuitous-" The bell went, cutting off the venerable Professor before he could really get going.
"Perhaps another time. Stay vigilant!" With his usual dismissal, the class set about rousing their teams and making a mad dash for the classroom door. While Ren was dragged from his slumber, Jaune turned concerned eyes on his partner.
"Pyrrha, what is the...problem?" The red-head turned her face slowly to the blonde, her neck rotating at fixed increments – like a puppet shifting from one groove to another.
"It's...nothing. Absolutely nothing. In fact, it's so inconsequential, I'm not going to think about it. I will, in fact, forget it. This entire lesson. Forgotten. Never happened." Pyrrha's voice was wavering between its usual tones and something an octave higher.
She was shaking in place, much like Nora had been...except looking at her, the action seemed more reminiscent of someone holding in a scream than a laugh. Her eyes were somewhat manic, and they latched onto their blue counterparts like a sailor to a lifeline. "It didn't happen, did it Jaune? I mean, that lesson with Professor Port – it was just a horrible nightmare, wasn't it?"
JNPR's leader had absolutely no idea how to deal with this. He was not equipped to deal with crazy people – so maybe he could just use his normal method of dealing with upset women? It's not like I can make things worse.
Pulling his partner's head into his shoulder, Jaune gave her a hug. "You are...completely right, Pyrrha." Physical contact, followed by complete and total subservience. Don't fail me now.
The warrior's shuddering finally came to a halt, and a moment later she shifted to cue his letting her go. The manic look was gone now, although a slightly reddened face had taken its place. "Eh hem. Yes. Of course. Let's...let's just go to lunch, shall we?"
Taking great care not to actually touch Jaune on her way past, Pyrrha strode from the room without even once glancing in the direction of Professor Port. Her partner followed, sparing a wave for his Professor on the way out. It was returned jovially, that strange pseudo-smile once again broadcast across the room.
It took a second of jogging to catch the red-haired warrior, and Jaune settled into a stride beside her. She didn't speak on the way to the dining hall, nor when she collected her meal. As she settled into position beside her leader at a table, she simply began to eat mechanically without a word.
Almost the exact same behaviour was observable from RWBY. Weiss was just staring at her meal, eyes dull and uncomprehending. Yang was picking at hers, an action that was almost perfectly mimicked by Ruby – the reaper was actually trying to cut air with her knife, not taking notice that her fillets were a good inch to the left.
Blake was the least affected. But her hands were shaking as she read her book, the intensity in her gaze probably evaporating the ink on the pages. Utterly unable to comprehend the reason behind their behaviour, Jaune turned to Ren for help.
"Ren, why is...everyone acting so...strangely?" The martial artist fixed his primary (only) male friend with a solemn look, gesturing that he should move around the table. Even more confused now, the blonde complied and took up position next to the black-haired teen.
Another gesture had him leaning down, so that Ren could basically whisper in his ear without fear of anyone overhearing. "It's the mental image from the Professor's story. Nora told me about it, and I'm not surprised that they're reacting this way. It was just too much for their minds to handle. Give them time; it'll make its way out of their systems eventually."
"But it does not make...sense. What...mental image is...causing this...problem?" Looking from side to side, as if worried that breathing words to someone a centimetre away wasn't secure enough, the martial artist gave his answer.
"Jaune, no female mind below the age of fifty is capable of processing a semi-nude and oily Professor Port." The blonde didn't get it – according to the Professor, covering oneself in oil was a necessary preparation before throwing oneself into a Grimm's mouth. Doing it in as few clothes as possible was simply common sense; after wearing something into a Grimm's stomach, who would ever don it again?
"So this is a...woman thing?" he asked, hoping to get confirmation of what he now suspected.
A nod from Ren settled the leader, and he let out a long breath. "Why did you not...just say so?" He knew how to deal with women's things. As soon as those words were uttered, all males in the vicinity were to immediately retreat to the requisite safe distance and begin gathering high-calorie foodstuffs, fuzzy animals or particularly soft fabrics. At least, that was what his father had taught him.
Unless, and this had been important, there were tears. If the girl in question was crying, the entire situation changed; depending on how close the male was to the female, they were faced with multiple options.
If they were a close friend or family, immediate physical proximity should be sought in order to provide some form of companionship. If they were a friend but not very close, the male should immediately acquire an individual of either gender who is a close friend or family, and inform them of the situation. If they were complete strangers, then the male should offer to fulfil either to carry out either of these actions. Should the female refuse entirely, they should (if possible) hang around for a while until the female is deemed to be of sufficient emotional stability to leave alone.
Come to think of it, Dad really knew a lot about these things. He'd had entire books on the subject, although those had been a closely guarded secret. When asked why, his father had simply told him that the knowledge within was his only hope of survival in the face of the overwhelming femininity of his homestead.
The truth had come out later, when his mother had come across them during a particularly vigorous spring cleaning. Apparently the books were 'chauvinistic, degrading and written by individuals who obviously had no idea what they were talking about.' In her words, anyway. Oddly though, none of his family had ever complained about the techniques being employed...
Still, he hadn't needed this knowledge for a long time. He couldn't help but smile as it all came back to him, the countless memories between then and now overwhelmed by the strength of his recollections. The ache is worth it, to have these memories.
Though he didn't notice, much of the table had turned their attention to the blonde leader. Or more accurately, to the smile that seemed to contain far less happiness than any such expression should.
As History was verbally catapulted through the air around JNPR, Jaune found that he was having trouble paying attention to Doctor Oobleck. He knew that he had to; after all, he knew next to nothing about the subject, and he was still reading too slowly to keep up properly in his own time. Unfortunately though, his focus was a bit fragile.
He shouldn't have thought about his family so much at lunch. The ache was taking its sweet time in fading away, resurrecting other memories as it went. Trying to listen to and remember so many facts while at the same time trying to ignore a maelstrom of experiences was, frankly, beyond him. He could barely deal with one of them at a time, after all.
With a sigh, he noted that the period was almost over in any case. Looking down revealed notes which were far too few and far between to be called useful, and he sighed even more. Pyrrha had been glancing sideways at him for most of the past two hours, though her own note-taking never seemed to suffer for it.
I'm probably...what was the expression? Wearing my heart on my sleeve? I'm probably doing that. It certainly wouldn't surprise him, considering how easily the people around him seemed to pick up on his moods.
Of course, that meant that his partner was probably worried about him. He'd have to try and placate her later, talk her down. None of his friends seemed particularly keen to just let the past stay where it ought to, making a big deal out of it whenever something surfaced.
He knew it was because they were friends that they worried, but he wished they wouldn't. If I told them I had found a way to deal with my memories, that might help...but they'll want to know what it is, and that would mean telling them about the book. Yeah, that wasn't happening if Jaune could help it.
The bell went, interrupting the blonde's musings. As he got to his feet, Pyrrha mirrored him almost perfectly. She kept close to him as he started walking too, remaining within arm's length as he made his way toward Glynda's class.
Definitely worried. "Jaune, what's wrong?" That question had been a while in coming, but it was broached slowly and gently.
"I am just...thinking about some...things." So long as he didn't lie, Jaune was fairly sure that he could just defuse this. After all, he was meant to be keeping some things a secret wasn't he? This was just a part of that. Definitely.
Unfortunately, it seemed like it had been entirely ineffective. "You know you're a truly terrible liar, Jaune?"
The blonde acknowledged his partner's observation with a nod, rubbing the back of his head absent-mindedly. "Yes, I...suppose I am. But it is alright, Pyrrha. I am...perfectly fine."
The red-head didn't seem completely convinced, but at least Jaune knew he wasn't lying this time. He would be fine once his thoughts had settled, at least until the next time he wrote in the book. But that was an issue for a future Jaune, not the one of today.
A sigh, and the warrior faced forward again. "If you're sure then."
Thankful that his friend was willing to let him be for now, Jaune remained quiet until they reached Glynda's class. Inside they assumed their usual seating arrangement, a few people trickling in behind them to complete the class.
The Huntress was all business this morning, and the amount of paperwork on her desk had most definitely increased. "With the first round of the placements done, we will be moving on today. The format remains the same, combat continues until aura depletion or either combatant can no longer continue. Can the first pair please make their way down to the stage."
Having opened the period, Professor Goodwitch's paperwork seemed to raise itself off the desk and hover in front of her. Once the students had exited the changing rooms to stand across from one another, she dedicated one eye to them and one to the work in front of her. A pen held itself over the pages, scribbling madly despite there not being anything to support it.
The familiar blue shields appeared, and the Professor called "Begin!"
Thus the class continued, match after match. Even when Jaune himself was called up, his fellow blonde just furiously worked her way through the forms in front of her while refereeing the match. His opponent hadn't been much fun either.
Far from the genial and excited Enma, Kuro Fowl had been scowling and rather rude. She barely said a word to him, simply launching into an offensive with her bladed staff. Her technique was good, and she had tried to block his angles of attack much as Coco had done...but she was definitely no Coco.
He had been able to trap her weapon away from her body using Luna Machaera, his greater strength serving to stop her bringing it back for a guard. One well-placed kick later, Kuro had found herself weaponless and fetched up against a shield seeing stars.
The blonde sighed as he supported his head with one hand. He was fairly sure that the girl's glaring had given him a headache. What had he done wrong? "Hey, cheer up Charming. You're guaranteed at least a couple of good matches after the weekend."
Jaune knew his fellow blonde spoke the truth. The only member of JNPR or RWBY who had yet to fight was Ren, who was...smiling? Looking to the board, the martial artist's leader sought the magenta-eyed man's opponent. A moment later, he understood why Ren was happy.
"Cardin Winchester, Lie Ren, make your way down. If you would be so kind as to hasten your arrival?" The two young men vanished into the changing rooms, the auburn haired giant's eyes locked on the back of Ren's neck.
Jaune found himself worrying about what Cardin might try...but when the two combatants exited a minute later in full combat gear, that small smile was still on Ren's face. If anything, the giant seemed the worse for wear, his scowl even more pronounced than before.
"I wonder what happened in there..." Pyrrha's own pondering statement matched Jaune's train of thought, and the partners cast their eyes sideways toward Nora.
The hammer-wielder giggled happily, eyes dancing as they never left Ren. "Renny's always been good with bullies. A lot of them tried to pick on us before Beacon, but most of them never did it twice."
The blonde leader found himself relaxing when he heard that. So Ren knew what he was doing. In that case, he could just take a leaf out of RWBY's book...now, what did Nora always say? "Break his legs, Ren!"
Pyrrha blew out a long breath as her partner leaned forward enthusiastically, cupping his hands to make his voice heard. He was mirrored almost exactly by the ginger haired girl on her other side, and the two seemed determined to outdo one another in terms of volume.
There's no doubt about it. I'm going to need lessons from Ren. Silently swearing that she would approach her team mate about how to deal with having a partner like Nora, the red-head put a hand on each of her team mates' shoulders and pulled them back a bit. "Perhaps we should let Ren focus on his bout?"
Jaune immediately settled, seeing the wisdom in his partner's words as he recalled the incident in Professor Port's class. Nora just leaned forward again once Pyrrha let go, but she at least stopped calling to her partner.
"Begin!"
As Glynda called out, Cardin immediately bull-rushed the martial artist in front of him. Mace raised above his head for a powerful stroke, it would undoubtedly be one hell of a hit. If it landed, of course.
As it was, Ren slid to the side as the giant brought his weapon down, then immediately counter-attacked. His right leg snapped up incredibly quickly, then accelerated back toward the ground in an on-the-spot axe kick. His heel impacted just behind Cardin's wrists, the force overbalancing the giant as he tried to keep his grip on his weapon.
As the auburn haired youth stumbled forward, Ren placed his left hand on the back of the other boy's neck. Straightening the limb lifted the martial artist's body off the floor, all his weight transferred to his hand. Rotating his shoulder, Ren positioned himself over Cardin's back.
Pulling his legs in tight, Ren placed the soles of his feet on the back of Cardin's neck in place of his hand. A moment later he kicked off, and Jaune could swear that ripples of magenta light spread out from the point of contact. Certainly it wasn't just Ren's weight in play, as the overbalanced giant was laid out completely with a massive crash.
The martial artist landed softly on his feet, having performed a perfect backflip, and waited to see if his opponent would rise. It took a moment, but the auburn haired youth pushed himself up with a grunt and turned raging eyes on Ren. With a wordless yell, he charged once again. This time he kept the mace close to his own body, ready for a quick strike or a block.
Their wielder still silent, Stormflower appeared in Ren's hands as if by magic. A hail of gunfire immediately lit up the space between the two combatants, largely directed at Cardin's legs. His aura dropped fast and hard, but the mace-wielder's momentum carried him through the onslaught and into close combat range.
As the heavy weapon was brought into a sideways stroke, still powerful even without a wind-up, Ren started moving again. Instead of backstepping, the martial artist stepped forward so he was almost touching Cardin's breastplate. Stormflower's left blade was jammed into its opponent's elbow, causing the arm directing the mace to immediately pull inwards.
Ducking smoothly below the now almost uncontrollable arms, the martial artist slid around Cardin like water until he was standing behind him. Still trying to get his weapon's momentum back under control, the giant wasn't able to react in time. Ren set his right foot in front of his opponents' legs, and his left fist was placed just behind Cardin's neck, the outside of his hand facing the base of his spine.
No sooner had he assumed the stance than the martial artist executed his attack. A sweeping kick destroyed the giant's balance, and then the fist drove itself hard into the back of his head. With no foundation to stand on, and with the impossible force of Ren's blows, Ren's attack did to Cardin much the same thing as Yang's maneuver had done to Jaune.
Aided by the weight of his armour, the auburn giant ate dust for the second time in the past minute or so. This time, Ren didn't wait for him to get up. Both parts of Stormflower were levelled at the back of Cardin's head, and magenta eyes looked inquiringly to Professor Goodwitch.
The blonde paused for a moment, then nodded. "This match is over. Victory goes to Lie Ren."
As JNPR walked back into their dorm that night, an observer could be forgiven for mistaking who was partnered with who. Ren and Pyrrha were hanging back, speaking peaceably while the red-head occasionally raised an eyebrow or frowned a little.
On the other hand, Jaune and Nora were chattering happily about the various matches they'd seen, the weapons that had been used, and the next day's trip. "Do you think the...cooks will let us have some food...before we go out?"
As the door closed behind their partners, the blonde and the ginger both considered for a moment, one's head tilted sideways and the other cupping her chin. "Hm. They might if we ask...or, there's a way for us to definitely get lunch!"
"What is it?" Two pairs of blue eyes met, and then one of them turned to meet magenta. Ren was standing frozen in front of the doorway, his extensive experience telling him that the potential disaster the next few minutes held was a nightmare in the making.
"Oh Renny~" Trying to step away, Ren found himself with his back up against the solid wood of the door.
His lungs were emptied in an explosive burst as Nora happily crashed into him for a hug, looking up as she held him off the ground. "Renny, could you do me a little favour?"
Looking down at his partner, oldest friend, captor and charge, the martial artist very nearly crumbled. There were only two things she could be asking for. One of them, he was happy to do. The other one would necessitate tying Nora (and probably Jaune) to their respective beds until the danger had passed.
"Maybe." he managed to wheeze, his feet still off the ground.
"Could you make us lunch for tomorrow?" If oxygen hadn't been in such short supply, Ren would have sighed in relief.
Door number one then. "Yes, Nora, I can make lunch. RWBY will have to make their own arrangements though." The hug tightened for a moment, Ren's aura-reinforced ribs groaning in protest, before finally placing her friend back on his feet.
"Thanks Renny~!" The hammer-wielder happily skipped away, her objective accomplished, so that she could change out of her uniform. After taking a minute to repay the oxygen debt Nora had put him in, the martial artist waited on his bed for a chance to do the same.
It took a good ten minutes for JNPR to be prepped for a quiet evening in. Once they were ready however, the four team mates sat on their respective beds to talk. "Alright. If I'm making tomorrow's lunch, I'll need to go down to the kitchens to make it."
With Ren having offered his own circumstances, the others considered them. "Do you mind if I come with you? There are a couple of things I'd like to talk about with you." Pyrrha's request wasn't much of a surprise to the martial artist. She was desperately trying to learn how best to interact with her partner, while at the same time trying to learn how to keep him under control.
"I don't have an issue with it. That is, of course, assuming that our partners will be alright if we leave them be for the evening?" The red-head blanched at the sudden realisation that an evening of learning from Ren would necessitate an evening of leaving her leader and Nora unsupervised. For several hours.
"Of course we'll be fine! We've got a whole day to plan, after all!" The hammer-wielder's massive smile was mirrored by her leader, and both their partners suppressed a shudder.
It was their responsibility to keep the lids on the two storms in their dorm room...but they had something to focus on, so if they were quick it should be fine...shouldn't it? A shared glance between Ren and Pyrrha was the only outward sign of their considerations. Well, if they're planning tomorrow...it can't possibly be an issue, can it? After all, what can possibly go wrong here?
Looking back, Pyrrha would decide that she should have known better.
It had taken PR a while to find the kitchen in the dorms. It had been a fair way off the beaten path, probably because the odds of most students being able to prepare something better than the kitchen staff could produce were basically zero.
Ren was not most students. He had retrieved a few choice packages from his bag before leaving in search of a workplace, the tools of his trade. Pyrrha was curious about what could be contained in the thin wooden boxes, but her thoughts were centred more on her partner than the night's mission.
She went to speak, but was surprised when the martial artist raised a finger to indicate a need for silence. As he pushed through the door marked 'Kitchen', the red-head followed and beheld their situation.
There was roughly twice as much floor space as their dorm room had, with various areas defined by counters and equipment. The three sides of the room which didn't have doors in them hosted one long, unbroken counter in a horseshoe shape. There were also two counters that took up space in the centre of the room, a couple of metres apart.
Ovens, freezers, sinks and cupboards were also placed at regular intervals around the room. The counters in the centre, by comparison, bore multiple cutting boards and a sink each. It was most definitely overkill as far as making lunch for four went, but Ren didn't seem to mind.
The place was well-maintained, with no real signs of disrepair or neglect. It wasn't particularly cared for either – whoever did Beacon's cleaning just did what was necessary and moved on. The martial artist approved; a kitchen was a place of order, but at the same time some allowance had to be made for the chaos that the tasks accomplished within naturally held.
Particularly whenever Nora was involved.
Mentally repressing the various instances of Nora's cooking he'd been forced to devour over the years, Ren laid his tools down carefully on one of the counter islands while he started to pull cupboards open so he could take inventory.
Still standing back near the door, Pyrrha moved further into the room as the martial artist began his search for edibles. In short order he discovered several different kinds of cheese and meat, condiments, fruits, vegetables and bread.
Picking selectively from what was available, the youth's magenta eyes went unfocussed for a moment as he mentally picked apart his materials and reassembled them. It took half a minute, but fairly soon his mind's eye held a plan for the next day's meal.
Still silent, Jaune's partner watched as Ren moved over to his selection of wooden boxes and began to open them by depressing certain parts of their surfaces. When he did so, the warrior could hear small clicking sounds, and then watched as the covers seemed to break apart into segments and slide away to reveal the contents.
The first thing to emerge was a set of knives. With wooden handles that had long since been worn smooth, their age and consistent use was easy to see. The blades were interesting though; their cutting side was a steel so polished it almost looked white in the room's artificial lighting, flashes appearing along the edge as the knife turned in Ren's hand. The spines, however, were black. Pyrrha wondered if that was deliberate, or simply something inherent to the manner in which the knives had been forged. Whichever it was, she'd never seen a blade quite like it.
The second thing to emerge was a variety of carefully compartmentalised and labelled substances, taking forms ranging from leaves to powders. Pyrrha didn't recognise the symbols that had been drawn just below each compartment, but they obviously meant something to Ren as he carefully selected several of what the warrior assumed were spices, sprinkling pinches of them onto squares of paper which had also been retrieved from that box.
The third and final box was somewhat larger than the others. As it opened, the red-head caught a glimpse of something...pink? Then her vision was obscured as the colour seemed to fill her world, and she realised a moment later that whatever had been inside had been removed with a flourish. That had placed what she now recognised as fabric right in front of her, falling down slowly as the air resisted its displacement.
When she had blinked her focus back to the correct distance, Pyrrha beheld her fellow handler. Over his combat uniform was a pink apron, bordered in white with the words 'Please Do Nothing to the Cook' emblazoned on it.
The warrior just stood and stared at her team mate for a long moment. Eventually she managed to drag her eyes from the clothing to meet magenta orbs. No words needed to be exchanged; the situation explained itself with a single world. Nora.
"Now, Pyrrha." Turning away from the championship warrior so that he could begin combining the various materials which he'd transferred to the kitchen island not hosting his boxes, Ren started up the conversation which served as the secondary reason for this evening excursion.
"You want me to help you get closer to Jaune, right?" The martial artist kept the corner of his eye trained on the girl as he spoke, nothing her reactions. Slight flush, swallowing her initial response.
"Well, that isn't quite how I'd put it. But yes, I just...I don't know how to act around him. What I'm supposed to do, how I can help. I don't have the first clue about how to support my own partner, and it's...frustrating." The warrior laid one of her hands on the currently unoccupied kitchen island, her fingers pressed against its surface as if she were trying to tear a chunk out of it.
His hands moving on their own, Ren took his time to consider how he should respond. "I know how you feel, Pyrrha. You just can't get his story out of your head, can you? Little things keep bringing your mind right back to it, no matter how much you try to just accept it like he has. Like lunch today."
Not meeting the martial artist's eyes, Jaune's partner nodded mutely. When no response was forthcoming from her team mate, she spoke. "You know, I'm not very good with people. Probably because I've never really had a lot of friends."
"That makes sense. After all, how many of the people who would consider trying to befriend the great Pyrrha Nikos would actually make good friends?" It was a rhetorical question. Ren knew damn well just what greed could do to people, the kind of monsters that could lurk behind charming smiles. He was no stranger to being outside the social norm, either – he was used to being on the outside, a dark planet just out of view. By that analogy, Pyrrha was a sun; she might appear to be part of the system, but in truth she was the furthest from them all.
"The great Pyrrha Nikos." Sorrow and scorn both dripped from the words as Jaune's partner tightened her grip on the table. "Hah. What a joke. I'm a warrior, no more and no less. Maybe it's conceited, or selfish, or perhaps I'm arrogant – but I can't help but wish that I could have lived a life that was truer to that."
The admission didn't come as a massive shock to the cook, but it certainly confirmed his suspicions. Well, he knew what he was dealing with now. "I can forgive you for that, Pyrrha. Any of us could...well, except perhaps Weiss." The red-head couldn't help but grimace slightly at the mention of the Schnee heiress.
"But regardless. I can't just give you step by step instructions on how to get closer to your partner. There's no guide book and no one way of doing things. Mostly, it's all up to you. But I can at least give you a place to start." As his knives flashed in the kitchen light, perfectly straight slashes appearing in the ingredients before him, Ren continued to speak.
"Jaune is a powerful individual – in both character and body, he stands head and shoulders above many of our year. That strength is the result of his being forged in the crucible his life has been for the past seven years." Pyrrha knew most of this already, but she remained silent to let her impromptu councillor say his piece.
"However, unlike most people of his ilk, he hasn't become brittle. Instead of his experiences becoming flaws in his armour, they have become pillars. If the horrors of his past are monsters, then they have most assuredly been slain." The red-head very nearly interrupted at that moment; she wanted to ask how he could possibly know, how he could be so sure that Jaune was truly fine. Before she had a chance however, he was carrying on.
"That's what you need to understand, Pyrrha. Right now, you aren't trying to be his friend. You aren't even really trying to be his partner. You're trying to be his mother." The warrior blanched at the surety in her team mate's voice. He truly believed what he was saying, and that conviction prompted her to summon up the past week's memories in an attempt to prove him wrong.
However, she couldn't. Of all the people in their group, only she had kept any sort of pressure on Jaune to share things with her. No one had even mentioned the expression he'd worn earlier that day – but she had tried to get him to speak about it.
"It's not a bad thing. In most circumstances, it would even be a good thing. But with Jaune? Perhaps he wants a mother figure in his life, but you don't fit that mould, Pyrrha. You're cut from a different cloth."
The red-head's grip on the kitchen island relaxed, and her posture slumped. "I see...so that's why. I've been doing what we all agreed not to do, haven't I?" Ren's magenta eyes still hadn't left their task, as the ambidextrous warrior continued assembling his projects.
"To a minimal degree, yes. If you can see that, then do I really need to tell you what has to change?" Pyrrha remained slumped over for a moment longer, but her grip tightened again. Then she straightened, taking a deep breath as her eyes closed.
When they opened, the chlorophyll green irides seemed clearer than they had in hours. "No, I guess not. He doesn't need me to mother him – so I'll get out of his way...and stand beside him instead." Unseen by the championship warrior, a smile played across Ren's mouth.
"So long as you get it. I have to admit, I've become rather fond of our team leader. The last time someone became a part of my life this quickly was..." He didn't even need to finish the sentence before Pyrrha chuckled behind him.
"Nora, right?"
"Right." Ren's hands finally came to a stop, and he regarded his work with a professional eye. Stepping over to stand beside him, the red-haired warrior observed his craft with what could only be described as reverence.
"Ren...thank you."
Quirking a brow at her, Ren's default dry tones came to the fore. "For the talk or for the sandwiches?"
"Just...thank you."
Smiling to himself once again, the martial artist inclined his head. "Not a problem, Pyrrha. Now, I suggest we package these for tomorrow and return to the dorm. Some part of me is being very emphatic that leaving our partners alone was a bad idea."
At that moment, Jaune and Nora were both leaning over a massive sheet of paper they had spread out on the floor between them. Pens of various colours and types had been scattered all around, alongside craft materials such as glue and string. If such a situation had come from anyone but Nora Valkyrie, it might have been apt to say a bomb had gone off. As it was, the room better resembled the tail-end of a volcanic eruption in a craft store.
Her leader's contribution was a pair of scissors currently buried nose-first in the wooden floor.
"You know Jauney, that's a really cool way of putting down scissors." Nora took a quick break from the masterpiece that the two had built between them so she could comment on her leader's choice of storage solutions.
"It has...blades, so I...assumed I could...plant it like a sword." The blonde had felt that this was perfectly reasonable logic, but now he was considering his first attempts at using cutlery. Glynda had made a weird face after he stabbed the table, so maybe sticking metal objects through wood wasn't normal?
Well, Nora didn't see anything strange about it, and she was pretty normal. Doubts squashed, Jaune returned to the paper in front of him.
"Do you think we...missed anything?" he asked his fellow artist, who was examining their work with an expert eye.
"It's almost complete...it just needs one last, finishing touch." The two warriors considered for a long moment, eyes closed and brows furrowed. Then, as one, they opened their eyes and locked gazes.
"Pancake hunt." Both spoke at exactly the same time, and moments later the idea had been incorporated into the design. The planners stood, taking a few steps back and standing shoulder-to-mid-torso as they beheld their magnum opus.
"Nora, it is...beautiful."
"I know, Jaune. I know." The blonde couldn't help but be proud of what they had accomplished together. Not so long ago, they had been faced with a massive sheet of paper and some liberated crafting supplies. Now, those miscellaneous components had bowed to the command of their masters, and had created art.
"This is going to be the best weekend ever."
"Yes it is, Nora. Yes it is."
He was right, Pyrrha realised as she stood in the JNPR doorway, Ren was completely right. In the relatively short time since she and her team mate had been away, Jaune and Nora had managed to utterly decimate whatever semblance of order the room might have possessed. It seemed that not a square inch of the floor had been spared the occupation of an invading calligraphic implement, and they had even spread to the beds in some cases.
The focus of this cheerful propagation of utter chaos was a massive sheet of paper in the room's centre, which her eyes fell on as they refused to look at the room's other two occupants. It appeared to be an illustration of Beacon and the surrounding Emerald Forest. Or at least, there was a building with a spire. Surrounded by a lot of green.
On top of this green had been added a quite mind-boggling number of what the warrior assumed must be Grimm, judging by the black-and-white colour scheme. They were basically stick figures with pointy bits in odd places, like an Ursa's spikes or a Beowolf's claws. There were also several ribbons of blue (they were literally ribbons glued to the paper) curving through the viridian, marking rivers.
Somehow, in the midst of this cartographer's nightmare, the two had managed to write in times and event names next to unique illustrations. These ranged from...something with four limbs and a head (Pyrrha was utterly incapable of identifying what kind of creature it was meant to be) to a surprisingly well-rendered pancake.
Why am I not surprised that she can draw those well...? Having finished her visual perusal of the work, the warrior wordlessly stepped aside to admit JNPR's cook. He had re-packed his various boxes, and had been balancing the carefully wrapped and packaged sandwiches on top of them for the walk back.
Now, however, he carefully put his cargo down on his bed before turning his gaze on his partner. Nora and Jaune were standing on the opposite side of the paper, wearing the exact same grin. "I take it this is our plan for tomorrow?"
Both of the 'artists' nodded, their smiles widening. "We've got the whole thing figured out!"
"Nora's...organisational skills are truly...incredible. I did not even...realise how much work...planning was before we began." Jaune did indeed appearing to be suffering from a distinct case of 'Wonder', and Pyrrha couldn't help but think that leaving a rather impressionable young man in close proximity to Nora Valkyrie, without supervision, may have been something of an oversight on her part.
Letting out a long sigh, Ren glanced at his red-haired team mate. She had been about to try and nip this development in the bud...but seeing that look, she remembered the resolution she had come to not long before. She sighed in very similar fashion to her friend, and knelt down beside the picture.
"Well, let's have a look then shall we?" JNR knelt to match her, and Pyrrha glanced at the faces of her team mates. Not a mother, and not related by blood... Green eyes lifted to meet cobalt blue, and a shining smile prompted her own face to express her joy. But to Jaune we're all family, so I guess I'm a sister now.
Ozpin's office was fairly crowded that evening. Alongside the headmaster, Qrow and Glynda, there were almost a dozen Huntsmen and Huntresses present. Each one's specialties ran toward the shadier end of the spectrum, with probably enough criminal acts between them to serve several lifetimes behind bars.
But each and every one of them knew that. Knew that and cared little, because they had done it for the people they served, the law cast aside in the pursuit of their goal. These were Vale's shadowy guardians, and they had gathered together at their old headmaster's request.
The man himself was standing with his back to them, collecting his thoughts as he was wont to do. "You've all received the mission briefing from Qrow, and I've given you all the information I can give. But, there is one last thing you should be made aware of before you depart."
As he turned, Ozpin's amber eyes met each of his former students', and not one of them flinched away. "This game has escalated far too quickly. What was originally a threat to a single student has evolved into a situation which threatens several charges under my protection. That in turn was spread from a much larger issue that has taken root in the city under our very noses."
There was an almost inaudible creaking as the headmaster's hand tightened on his cane. "We are being played for fools, and yet we stand to lose far less than those who depend on us if we fail. Obviously our opponent believes we are a force which can be reckoned with."
Even in the strange shadows of the room, cast by rotating gears from the glowing tower above, each and every smile was visible and heart-freezing. "Prove them wrong." His final command issued, Ozpin turned back to looking over Vale as the room emptied. Some left using the elevator, while others had...less conventional methods of vacating the premises.
When all had left but two, Glynda spoke. "Is there nothing more that we can do?"
Shaking his head, the headmaster glanced at the reflections in the glass. Qrow and Glynda stood before his desk, and he knew what they were really asking. "We have done all we can to turn this battle in our favour. For now, we must be reactive. For Jaune's sake, we must keep him safe from this."
We must shield him from the world...so we can one day place it on his shoulders.
There were no more smiles in the office that night.
Author's Note
"Lo and behold, he rises! Like the great phoenix from the ashes of its fall, he doth come forth in a great flame and a raucous call!"
I'm back! I deeply apologise for the delay, but the past month has been rather eventful. The last week in particular, life very much gave me both barrels. I ended up writing in spurts of maybe four hundred words, so getting up to the 10,000 mark proved far more difficult than I initially believed. I can only hope the quality didn't suffer overmuch...
Ah well. Now, I don't doubt that most people have probably already seen this, but the poll has been closed for the past week. A massive thank you to the 246 people who took the time to make their voices heard; another thanks to everyone who left their opinions via review, but unfortunately I can't count those. One way or another though, the results are in, and from last place to first place are thus:
White Knight (Weiss x Jaune): 6 Votes
Knightshade (Blake x Jaune): 19 Votes
Strut and Stumble (Coco x Jaune): 20 Votes
Firewall (Yang x Jaune): 32 Votes
Arkos (Pyrrha x Jaune): 75 Votes
Finally, in first place, the overall winner of the poll:
LANCASTER (RUBY X JAUNE), WITH 94 VOTES!
Once again, a massive thanks to all who voted. The pairing has now been decided, set in stone. However, if you have a pairing you want to see which doesn't involve Jaune, then you can drop that in a review or PM and I'll consider it.
It's been a funky, bumpy ride for the past month. The work of a semi-unconscious writer with too many ideas, terrible formatting and a penchant for using periods too often somehow grew into this. 100,000 words in at chapter 10. That's a long way for thirty days...although most of the story being written between eight o'clock at night and three o'clock in the morning has remained mostly unchanged.
But that's just talking about me; that's not even considering how many of you beautiful people have been swinging by. Let's check the stats real quick:
In May, we had 38,716 views and 13,193 visitors. 549 people are following the story, and 438 people have favourited it. I've received 215 reviews, many of which have been insightful or incredibly gratifying. Over 200 reviews, and not one flame. HALLELUJAH!
The story was even added to a community. I've got a real sense of accomplishment at what's begun here, and pride at all of the people willing to stay on this crazy train and see where it goes. Thank you all, and I hope you stick around!
I hope you enjoyed reading this even partially as much as I enjoyed writing it. If you have any comments or criticism, please leave a review and I'll be sure to get back to you. Enjoy your day!