Chapter 12: Steep dip
As for the person who asked why Jaune was referring to Weiss as Winter… Well, Willow wasn't specific about who the eldest daughter was and he forgot. All he knows is that she's a huntress, though Willow was more focused on her own personal failings than on anything concrete about her daughters. He did intimidate Weiss though, because he saw another Willow in the making. A snap judgment, based on how her mother acted. It's not always logical, but people judge others.
The bell of the small café jingled as Jaune opened the door, the owner of the place looking at him for a moment. "Humans ain't allowed here, buddy. We're a refuge for those like us… You ain't got any business here and we won't take yers."
Jaune wasn't surprised to hear that, even as the red-haired man stood up from his seat. "Don't worry. This one was invited." The man looked at the redheaded man, all suave in his fancy coat, looking for a moment and then nodding. "As you say, Brother Adam."
Adam Taurus gave a faint nod, as he motioned for Jaune to take a seat. Jaune smiled kindly at the man. Persistence was enough for him to wear down the man's patience, and he had not been idle. With the daily conversations with Sienna, he had managed to get a decent idea of what exactly the White Fang was. A fight for liberty for those oppressed by the unfair system put in place after the Great War.
"So…" The man's voice was husky, as he looked at him. Jaune wondered briefly whether the man had slept, bags under his eyes enough to show his weariness. "How is she doing?" The question was expected, as he knew well that the man in front of him held a vested interest in the Faunus teammate of his best friend.
"Still wearing the bow. She's not exposing herself. I sent a few pictures to Kali." The woman could be awfully persistent. He had been dragged into a group conversation a few days ago called 'Jaune's Dancing club', the numbers corresponding with the people that he knew. Ghira had only given a brief 'Hello' before he went silent… and Kali opened the floodgates of communication.
It was a good thing that they were so friendly, because the woman's prying questions could be a little bothersome. It reminded him of his older sisters, always asking 'what do you like to eat?' and 'how do you like your women?' with Sienna adding her own commentary, usually full of sarcastic wit, filling in the blanks with 'The flesh and blood of innocent Faunus' and 'Preferably human'.
His response that he quite enjoyed Mistralian food was a surprise to Sienna, with Kali making a mention about how she just knew some recipes that he might enjoy and that, if she were ever in the region again, she'd make him some kick-ass curry. Dropping a hint that Sienna might enjoy cooking for him had been done in a personal message to him, a picture of a winking Kali as enough encouragement that it probably should only be asked after a generous amount of time had passed and she was in a good mood.
'I don't really distinguish, I mean… There's nothing really wrong with Faunus or humans, right?' Had been his answer to the last question. It had been silent for half a day in THAT conversation before Sienna spoke up. It might've been the fact that it had been night-time when he'd answered, his Scroll pinging a few times an hour when someone updated the conversation with another comment, yet it was a soothing comfort that the response from Sienna was 'Good. That is an open mind.' To which he'd responded with – 'An open mind and a willing body!' just as his sister had said, once upon a time.
The picture of an unimpressed Sienna looking at the camera was sent, with a small text of 'Really?' below. It was a sign that she showed her affections differently, as the conversation between her and Kali seemed to be more on the level of sisters, undoubtedly due to their long connection. He'd heard from Adam that Sienna had been one of the original members of the White Fang.
"That woman would be someone who would be very… exaggerated at times." The man chose his words carefully, even as the owner came to him, the tail that swished behind him his Faunus trait.
"What can I get you?" The question came and he wondered for a brief moment, before he answered. "A cappuccino, please." He pulled out his wallet and put a five Lien chip out for the man, who nodded and took the chip. It was probably a little over the cost of a cappuccino, but he knew that he should at the least help out those who were struggling.
Sienna could go on for hours about how things were with the Faunus in the world and he had seen them at the flower show as well, their manner still with that bearing, yet their clothing showing their impoverished state. It was not something that he'd like to see, yet he knew that with people like Sienna and Adam at the front lines, there would be a radical change.
"She looks better." Adam commented, as he showed the picture of Team RWBY, with his friend Ruby Rose on the front of the formation, Yang half-hanging on her sister's shoulder in an exaggerated motion, trying to grab the Scroll out of Ruby's hands, Blake's disinterested look aloof and cold, whilst Weiss seemed to be trying to imagine that she was elsewhere with her mind. "A pity about the Schnee, though…" The man had a grudge against the Schnee family, or so he had told him.
The man's thoughts on the contact that he'd had with Willow Schnee herself had not been pried at yet… as Jaune knew that such news would obviously be received badly. Adam was… misguided, in some ways. He thought not about the long-term benefit but instead of that, only at the immediate ones that served his cause.
How did he know that facet of the man's personality? It was simply by the way that the man invested himself in the cause, how he shopped. Whenever a shirt was damaged, the man would go and shop for a new one, instead of buying stuff when it was cheap and in bulk. It was something that his sisters had taught him, though their version of things might be different from others. Knowing where to buy cheap tampons wasn't something that Adam would need to know, though he did look like he needed one sometime for when he got too passionate.
"She's alright. We're cool right now." Jaune responded. Adam mumbled something about putting the girl on ice permanently, yet Jaune chose to ignore that comment. Adam made such jokes often and it wasn't fully clear whether the man was serious or not. Sienna certainly did not have any murderous impulses in her. She might be a bit of a harsh woman but once you got to know her… she could be such a lovely woman, passionately caring for her people and acting like a rough, tough woman who wore an armour of spikes.
Kali called it 'being a paper tiger', but why Sienna had just remained silent for a whole day and sent 'moody-looking' pictures at the chat was enough for him to realize that Sienna Khan was more than just a pretty face. "Say… Adam?"
The man looked up, his face humanized, from that look of angsty anger that he got sometimes. It was his 'Adam Combat Face', when he was looking really serious. "Did you ever think about just buying her some flowers and saying that you're sorry? I'm… I'm not TRYING to say that you should… But…" That moment he faltered, as the man's eyes looked at him, their emotions fierce and bright in them, as if he had ignited something inside him.
"At least… Make amends. I don't know what you've said to her to make her leave, but it's tearing you up inside." There was a softness to the man's eyes, as he looked down, his fist balling as it leaned on the table, a deep inhale and exhale enough to show how affected he was by those words. 'Good…'
"I just… I just CAN'T." The man said, as he looked down still, something wet hitting the table, as he shook once, a deep inhale and exhale, the exhale shuddering with the breath, as more liquid hit the tabletop. Jaune knew that it wouldn't be right to put his arm on the man's shoulder, that was not how you treated a fellow dude.
"Of course you can." Jaune said, as he leaned forward and laid a hand on the other man's shoulder, as more droplets hit the tabletop, the shuddering inhale and exhale of the man enough to show his emotions about the way that things were proceeding, the man's eyes closing, even as a deep sound came from within. "Everyone deserves a second chance, Adam."
The ping of his Scroll came and he ignored it, as he looked at the man, who looked up. Eyes that had seen much looked back at him, a faint smile on the man's face, as the tears dripped down his nose. "You know…" The man closed his eyes, another deep sigh coming from that mouth.
"I've killed humans." Jaune stiffened slightly, not fully believing that the man was a murderer, Adam looking at him with an expression on his face that was doubtful. "They would've killed Ghira if I hadn't… if I didn't…" The man's voice sounded far-away, as the reminiscing of those memories seemed to take much out of him. "They kept Blake innocent. Kali's been shot a few times, yet she never really holds it against the people who hurt her."
It was news to him, that such a lovely woman could be shot at. Kali Belladonna embodied everything that a mother should be, even if she teased Sienna mercilessly. "So much blood… and the people… They cheered on me. For doing what I had done, for what…" the man's hand tapped at the mask that laid on the side, the mask that he'd worn from time to time, in order to hide his face from the people.
"It's okay." Jaune said, trying to offer comfort to the man, whose back of the hand brushed against the eyes, coming away wet with the tears. "We all make mistakes… But you saved Kali's husband."
Adam seemed to grow quiet and then sighed deeply. "You're… You're quite something, Jaune." There was a genuine tone to his voice that seemed to be deep within, as he seemed out of breath for a moment, the case which held his sword at his side, even as he looked at him for a moment. "I'm…" The man's cheeks actually blushed, as a smile that could slay most women like a sword to the gut would, blossomed on his face.
"Let's be friends." There was definitely something in the man's voice that seemed almost shy, as if he had difficulty with admitting that.
"Aren't we already friends?" Jaune replied, the man's face showing surprise, as Jaune extended a hand. "Jaune Arc, pleasure to be your friend!" Adam's hand reached for it and his grip was strong, as he shook it.
"Adam Carmine Taurus, a pleasure." At that moment, Jaune could feel the man's genuine trust in him, even as his scroll beeped once more with another message, and he glanced down. "It's awfully busy… Kali must be awake." The man snorted, his hand pulled back as he pulled his Scroll out as well, checking his own messages.
"Sienna definitely is awake." The man said, as he looked at the screen, Jaune watching his own Scroll's message feed pop up.
Three messages from Kali and one from Sienna… and a video file from Willow. 'Better watch that later on.' There was enough to be said about that crazy woman, but she did not seem shy in showing her interest in him. The prying questions of 'What sort of thing do you like your woman to wear before sex?' and 'If, hypothetically speaking, you came across me, restrained to a bed, what would you do?' were just too obscene, yet he had also the odd feeling of satisfaction well up inside him, as he realized that the woman was interested in him… and he didn't feel that it would be too harmful to answer the questions.
'I'm such a hypocrite… I should keep her at arms length, but…' She had a gorgeous set of legs and was well shaped for a woman in her matured years. If Sienna had not been there… He would find it hard to resist the urge. With some of the photographs that had been sent to him…
Let it be said that the flesh was weak. Very weak. He didn't have that great a relationship with Weiss, but telling her that her mom was sending him all sorts of racy pictures… well, he could see that going well. Mount Weiss, short as she was, would explode.
His partner was fabulous, though. Pyrrha just knew everything that there was a need to know. Even in Remnant History, she had been his aide in his search for answers… and Vacuan Ascendancy-related questions. How she knew that General Maruun had been stationed at Fort Umbra was still beyond him, yet she seemed to always have something prepared to challenge him.
A message popped up, the face of Cardin on the blurb, as the message read – 'Bring some nice treats for us, Jauney Boy… Oh, and spot for us, would you? You're my best friend, after all.' – it could not be said that he knew well how to deal with the blackmail, even with the other teen continuing to press that fact in his face all the time. 'It's not like… Not like he'd do something to actually harm me, right?'
"What's the matter?" He heard Adam say, even as a pained grimace settled on his face, a reminder of the things that had been done.
"Just… a schoolmate." Adam looked shrewdly at him. Jaune gritted his teeth. "It's something that I have to do myself."
A raised eyebrow was enough. "Jaune… I'm your friend, if what you're saying is true. Tell me what's the matter." The forceful tone of Adam's voice was enough to make him give in, the deep explosive sigh that came from his mouth enough to make the other man know that it was fairly serious.
"There's this guy, he found out about the faked transcripts…" There was a frown on Adam's face, as the man's hand went for his weapon. Jaune had seen the tic before, when they were in a public place. Adam and his sword were hardly ever separated, and secretly Jaune wondered whether he slept with it as well… but he hadn't dared to ask. The image of Adam with his sword next to him, wrapped in a protective blanket was not something that he would imagine easily.
"And now he's blackmailing you." Adam finished the sentence, even as the hand dropped back on the table. Adam looked him right in the eyes. "Hit him hard, when he doesn't expect it. Drug his food, take him to some isolated place and… Wait, I'll give you a link." The man's hands went to the scroll, and after a moment, a file was sent.
'How to abduct and torture a human in ten easy steps' was the title of the file, and Jaune opened it up to see a small picture of the base of a human skull, with instructions how to hit and with what sort of force, explained in simple terms. 'This is ghastly.'
He looked at Adam, who looked inordinately smug. "Use that, and make sure that he respects you. No lasting damage though… I reckon that you look into the latter sections as I don't think you've got the stomach for doing the knifework." 'Knifework?'
He made sure to look at it, even as he mustered a smile. "Thank you." He said, though he doubted that he'd need to use it. Adam nodded, as if it were evident.
"You need to hit em hard and just keep on pushing them until they respect you. The strong get respect, the weak… They're trampled underfoot." The man's voice spoke with reason, as Jaune grabbed his cup of cappuccino, taking a sip from the brew and finding it to be a little bitter. Some sugar added later, stirred with the spoon that had been provided, and he tried it again. 'Better.'
"I'll… I'll see what I can do."He said, even as Adam nodded. There was a certain restlessness to his manner of moving, as he got up. "Hey, little brother… I've got to go. Sienna's summoned me to do some work for her." The pat to his shoulder was enough for Jaune to know that the man had somewhat accepted him, as his eyes flashed with that intense look, as he walked out. "Thanks for the tea, Brother Pedro." Adam said, as the bell jingled once to signal his departure.
'And that's how things end with him.' Jaune wondered, even as another message popped up on the screen, Cardin adding a few more sentences. 'Dove wants popcorn, Sky wouldn't mind a fresh burger… oh, Russel needs some new weapons grease, if you'd be so kind as to pick it up… The Beacon stuff just is too rough on his weapon, so you'll need to get the fancy stuff.'
Jaune's face firmed, as he looked at the message. 'Fuck you… I should just do as Adam asked…'
He tapped Sienna's icon on the message log, and then tapped in a message – 'Going to deal with some annoying things in the Adam fashion… I'll let you know if I've survived.' – before he finished off his cappuccino, getting up from his seat and walking up to the owner of the quaint little café. "The cappuccino was really nice, I'll see whether I can come back again." The man nodded tersely, still a little on edge, undoubtedly by the fact that he was a mere human.
As he exited the café, he looked up at the skies. 'The worst that they can do is beat me up… But if I'm the one beating them up, I can at least state that I've got the skills to take down a few novice Huntsmen. That has to count for something, right?'
Sienna looked at the readout on the screen of her personal computer, before she looked in the direction of the man sitting opposite of her, the smug grin on his face something that she'd seen before. "Double the offer and I'll consider it." She heard the man say as she looked at the screen, the public office of the White Fang exactly where she would consider doing this type of business.
Contracts for renting space had to be booked in advance, even as she knew well that inviting the people to such an event might be something of a danger for the human landlords… Yet there was still the public to consider, even as the smug smile on the man's face was enough.
"I was referred to you by an acquaintance. Are you sure that you wish to do this?" She had her finger hovering over the call button on the intercom, the 'acquaintance' that she had spoken of waiting in the room beside her, ready to be called in at first notice. What a set of shades, a wig and some additional makeup could do to a woman… It was magical.
"My offer, Miss Khan, is solid. For such an organization… Why, it would cast a certain light on my business ventures if I just let… your sort of people rent." It was plain discrimination, yet she did not call him out on it. The man, Milton Beau-de-Sange, was a man who held control over most of the spaces that could host the number of people who would be attending a rally.
"Whoever your acquaintance is, they surely must not have heard of the recent manner of news about the White Fang that has come to my ears… it's such a shame, really… Terrorist acts, Miss Khan, can never be condoned." The button on the intercom was pressed and she knew that there would be an encounter.
The door behind the man opened and Willow strode in, fixing her hair slightly, the wig had been a mousy brown colour, the bodyguards filling into the room behind her, dressed incognito with some additional changes. "Terrorist acts that have not been proven… Yet." Willow's voice came from behind the man, who grunted something.
"You can bluster all that you want, but you animals are-" The man froze, as Willow stepped into his field of view, the dress that she wore having a pattern sown into it that looked quite enchanting, the cut of the dress modest and covering most of the important parts, as she looked at the man with an expression of haughty elegance.
"I would be an expert in knowing how these… animals… do treat people." Willow's dig at the White Fang's negative publicity was something that Sienna would allow, even as Willow sat herself down on the desk, much like a secretary would in those cheesy porno's that Sienna most totally didn't watch at all during the long nights when she couldn't sleep and the only type of entertainment was to be found on the adult channels.
"But Mister Beau-de-Sang… My 'friend' Sienna here has made a generous offer… it might just be in your best interest to accept it… lest I grow displeased." The displeasure of a Schnee could render one destitute in a flash, with the temper that they held and their financial worth in the world. One Schnee was worth a kingdom's economy, or so the saying went.
"Miss Schnee, it is… It is an honour to finally meet with you." The man straightened in his seat, extending his hand as if to shake Willow's, the haughty look on her face enough, as she stared at the offending hand and then looked at him with a look of 'Are you really going to try and touch me, lowly mortal?', her fingers tapping on the desk. "Thirty percent off her first asking price and you will remain polite…"
Willow's lips curled into what Sienna had dubbed the 'Shark-Faunus in a pond of bleeding humans' smile, showing her teeth and making the canines look rather pronounced, like some sort of pale vampire that fed on the blood of the innocent.
Of course, the thought that Schnee were vampires that suckled on the flesh of Faunus totally was something that she was trying to move away from. They were garbage humans, mostly… but they held their uses for intimidation purposes. 'Too bad that they're not Faunus… They'd be worth it on the negotiating table.'
The effect of Willow Schnee herself making the offer, with a look that could not be denied to be effective, was enough to make the man break out in a cold sweat, his attention riveted to the sight of the woman, who seemed to have the power to break him with a snap of the fingers in the economical sense, the bodyguards at his sides looking like imposing meat walls, ready to take care of any of the issues that could crop up.
"Miss Schnee, I…" The man started, yet Willow's head moved slightly, an eyebrow moving up with that smooth dedication, as she looked at the man as if he were some sort of garbage collector.
"The offer has been stated, Mister Beau-de-Sang. A Schnee does not negotiate." There was no negotiation in that voice of hers, as she glanced at Sienna, reaching out and brushing a finger under the chin of the Faunus woman, like one would do to a cat.
"Stop that." Sienna hissed, Willow giving a teasing smile, directed right at her, before the face frosted over.
"The little pussycat here wishes to rent space… And I am more than happy to lend myself to a charitable cause." The woman's voice was enough to show the strength, the man not even having dared to look away. The action of the Schnee was impudent and no doubt chiding to any Faunus subjected to it, yet she could not deny that the man had looked at the Schnee with a modicum of respect. 'The roles that one plays are not easy.'
"I… It will be done, Miss Schnee." The man said, looking at Willow for her approval, the eyebrow rising once more, as her gaze went to Sienna, lips moving slightly, giving enough of a clue about what would be done.
"Miss Khan will be more than happy to hear of your smooth acceptance." The man's voice was trivial, to Sienna's ears, as those frosty blue eyes met her own with a challenge. Her hand reached out and laid itself on the Schnee's body, the brief jolt that went through the woman's spine unseen by the human's eyes, yet there was a definite manner of shifting done by the woman.
"Ah… Eh… Glad to be your partner in this endeavour, Miss Khan." The man said, even as Sienna felt the glee of vindication surge through her. 'This is great…'
"You may go, Mister Beau-de-Sang… I will look forward to the grand event… Though I would not recommend making a personal acquaintance. Some of our members might hold… grudges." That there were plenty of things to do aside from lynching the humans that came to their rallies, was of course, a given.
"Ah, yes. Of course, Miss Khan." Willow smirked at her as the man beat a hasty retreat, his body moving as swiftly as it could, his gut moving in an awkward manner as he bumped against the chair. 'You need more cardio in your life, Mister Beau-de-Sang…'
"Happy, Pussycat?" The woman said, once the door finally clicked shut. The woman sat herself down in the chair that had been vacated after a moment, crossing her legs. "Or… perhaps this was the wrong angle?" The woman's smirk was infuriatingly smug, as she leaned forwards and pressed her palms to the desk, her face close to Sienna's own.
"We could manage… but your help is appreciated, Snowy." The snort that Willow gave was the least elegant sound that she'd made thus far, as she brushed a hand over her own shoulder.
"For a little pussycat who's got her claws in a nice piece of humanity… I'd say the same." The woman knew well that there were barriers, even as she snapped her fingers. "I brought drinks. Let's get drunk."
The fine bottles of alcohol that had been set on her work desk were enough for her to be distracted, even as she looked at her schedule, seeing an appointment on the latter end of the afternoon. 'I should probably call Adam and have him go to the place… He's pretty hands-on… There was something about the docks in the small notes below the archived folder, right? Did we have something at the docks area going on? I'm sure that he'll know more about it.'
The minutiae of the White Fang's management was not something that she would easily be able to peruse, as it was not her speciality. Of course, there were plenty of things that WERE, but those had to be calculated into the manner of things that one could do with the limited resources and manpower that were obtained.
"Could you cancel my appointments for the rest of the afternoon for personal appearances?" There was just one slated, after all, so it could be moved. If she was getting smashed on liquor, it would be a darn good bottle. Her eyes met with the Schnee's as the glasses were put on the table, the Schnee symbol on the side enough to remind her about her own side. "I'll call Adam myself and see whether he can do the public speaking. He's got a way with words that's just like a sword stabbing right through the wheat." She'd already pressed Adam's name, the call connecting.
"Adam?" She heard the Schnee already prepare the liquor, as she called the number that belonged to him. "Can you take care of the performance of the afternoon? I've been…" The glass of alcohol that hovered before her nose was enough to make her feel the thirst, as she smelled the exquisite scent of the strong liquor. "Delayed by some personal business."
The assurance that he would do a good job was enough, yet there was something that seemed to bug the man. There were a few things that could be said about Adam, yet there clearly was something in his manner of speech that showed his distraction. "Am I… wrong?"
"Wrong in what?" She asked, as she sipped the strong liquor. She nudged the speakerphone on, the sound of the man's voice. There was some genuine tone of concern in that voice, as the doubt in his voice clued her in about how his feelings were.
"I've… killed. Was I wrong in saving Ghira's life?" The silence that fell in the room was pressing, Willow remaining silent, knowing that this was personal stuff.
"Of course not. If that man had shot Ghira… He probably wouldn't be here with us. There are good humans, though…" Jaune came to mind, even as a humourless laugh came from the man, a sound that was all too often heard from him when things about humanity were spoken. 'The grudge he bears is deep.'
"I called him my friend today." The admission was something that puzzled her. 'Called who a friend today?'
"Who… exactly, are you calling a friend?" Her mind went through several of Adam's acquaintances, the knowledge of those acquaintances being spread mostly across the world keeping her mind occupied with other things, even as she let her gaze rest on the phone.
"Jaune Arc. I've… It just slipped out, I don't know why but… He just…" The man gave a mirthless laugh again, a little hint of desperation. "He just… gets it, you know. Like… he's thinking the best of people and you just want to throw him under the nearest bus and then he just goes and…"
She could imagine him throwing his hands up, like he usually did when emotions got too heavy. He'd cut something then, and be rid of all that frustration… but it was still something uniquely Adam. "Fuck, I'd accept him as a Brother of the Fang just for his…" The man trailed off. "He showed me a picture of Her again."
Sienna winced, visibly. She could see Willow's raised eyebrow, the bottle held up, the glass in her hands empty. 'I'll need a fucking drink if he goes on about Blake again…' She was not going to listen to Adam rant for hours on end about Blake's supposed 'betrayal' again. It'd been bad the first time, when she'd been sixteen, having decided that she'd spend some time apart because of 'stress', and he'd just gone nuts. That had been nearly ten hours of 'Blake, Blake, Blake' to the point where she just wanted to crawl in bed, have some god-damn orgasms to just wear her out so that she could sleep and not be regaled with his tale of the fucking glory of Blake Belladonna.
"She's with a Schnee on her team… Can you believe that? Blake Belladonna and Weiss fucking Schnee on the same team! It's a wonder that she's not been fed drunk and pushed into the meat grinder or something! Everyone knows that the Schnee eat Faunus sausages for breakfast! My little Blake, all hurt and alone, no doubt hiding from her teammates about the true her..." Willow's face turned stormy, as she looked at the phone, yet she did not speak up.
"That blonde bimbo that's her partner no doubt uses her to perform wicked sex acts with her all night! That's supposed to be me, Sienna! I'm supposed to perform wicked sex acts! You know how she likes to be tied down and then taught the supremacy of Faunuskind! No human can compare to our stamina!" 'This is veering into the TMI department with the speed of a charging bull… no pun intended.' The man's voice seemed to be losing it, and she'd imagine that he'd make for quite the sight, if he wasn't talking and driving. 'Probably not, there's no wind sounds.'
"Adam…" She said, her voice infused with a bit of strength, even as the man seemed intent on continuing, the glass drained in a flash. 'Alcohol, my one true love… How you make shit like this bearable, I don't know.'
"She should be mine… Jaune said that I'd best apologize, that it's never too late." There was a faint tone of hope in his voice, the twenty-three-year-old looking no doubt like the lost little bull in the china shop as he did. "Do you think she'd like flowers? Red roses, just to show how much I care for her?"
"Adam… She needs her space. You know that Ghira and Blake are pretty similar. Don't oppress her and let her come to you. I know your relationship is going through some rough patches, but I've been there as well. Now… Get going. Someone has to represent the White Fang, whilst I'm tackling the mortal enemy of all Faunus here." The man knew about her previous relationship, before the stuff with the High Leader gig really took off. That she was chatting with Willow Schnee and well on her way to get buzzed was just the side-effect of being a good businesswoman.
"I'll be at the appointment in thirty minutes." He said, finally putting the conversation on the regular track. "Sorry for… distracting you. I might just… Need a little bit of venting."
The connection cut off then, and Sienna looked at Willow Schnee, who looked amused by something. "I'm pretty sure that my sausages of this morning were made with 100% Vacuan Beef… Oh, and for the record… The only sausage I'm interested in is attached the boy that you've groomed, Sienna."
The admission of Willow's desires was as expected, as she refilled her glass with the bottle, noticing that it was already half-way gone. "Not if I can help it. You Schnees can talk a lot of shit about owning people, but my boy Jaune's the best human that I've found yet… No snowy Dust-puss is going to be taking him away from me."
Dangerous conversations, these were, but the privacy of her office was guaranteed. She personally swept the room for listening devices once every day, so there were none who could listen in easily.
"How about we have a little wager, huh?" The Schnee grinned, as she locked gazes. "Finish a whole bottle… Loser's got to send him a racy picture." She grabbed the next bottle, as the Schnee did the same. How the woman had gotten a cooler into the room was beyond her, but she started to chug like her life (and modesty) depended on it.
This thing was as good as won, after all. She was Sienna Khan, after all!
Jaune's face did not change, even as he slammed the door shut once more, the dull thwack as it hit the head of Cardin Winchester that'd been put between it enough to make him feel a sense of savage vindication, even as he watched the blood leak from the face that he'd made look like a new work of art. "And if you EVER do something like that again to an innocent Faunus, I will personally make sure that you will have a permanent tattoo on your forehead, put there by yours truly with the tip of my sword."
Carving 'RACIST' into someone's forehead wasn't a thing that he would regularly do, yet the guide on how to abduct some sorry-ass bastard who'd offended you was pretty clear on how to scar someone's body in the easiest and swiftest fashion… even if he didn't have a blowtorch ready.
"Phleashe!" Another THUNK was heard, as he shut the door… well, tried to, the head hitting the ground. "You're going to stay away from my friends and team, you hear… If I ever hear a single peep about you bullying someone ever again…" The door slammed once more, the definite sound of a broken nose heard, even as the pleading sobs were coming. "Shorry Jhonne, I'm sho shorry!"
He grabbed the tall teen by the cuff and then dragged him over to one of the urinals, laying that head in there and flushing a few times. 'If he EVER looks at Pyrrha like she's going to be some sort of piece of meat, he's going to be dead as a doornail.'
His team was great. His team was fabulous. His team was composed of some of the most wonderful people that Beacon had, with him excluded from that, of course. The drowning sounds of Cardin were quickly starting to be annoying, even as he lifted the guy's head up, letting it drop on the floor, not giving a fuck whether Cardin laid there in a puddle of piss. "Remember, Cardin… Fuck up again and I WILL find you."
Ambushing Cardin with a message that said 'Come see me at the statue' and getting him into the bathroom was easy enough. Saying that he'd put the stuff on the third toilet from the right was also an easy task and the hit from behind had taken the tall teen off his guard, thanks to the collapsible sheath of Crocea Mors. It was heavy as hell, so it packed one hell of a punch… and once Cardin was down, a few good punches that went in his face had him quickly down for the count.
The blood on his knuckles was enough for now, even as he looked at the mess that Cardin made, a grin that wouldn't look out of place on Sienna's face appearing on his own. "Don't fuck with my team, Cardin… and I won't have to fuck you up." It's something that Sienna would have said. The ringing of his Scroll was loud, even as he picked it up, the number and caller ID registering as Sienna.
Cardin moaned slightly, and Jaune walked away, leaving the leader of Team CRDL there in the bathroom, the earbuds pulled out and into his ears, with the video feed immediately starting. "Hello?" He said, even as Sienna's face filled the screen.
"Jauney!" The cheerful Faunus squealed… yes, squealed, as she giggled, a flush on her cheeks, her arm reaching for something, as a bottle appeared in her hands, drunk from like it was a water bottle during the Tour du Vale. Her eyes looked at him and widened. "You'sh bleeding. That'sch bad. Verrrry bad." The drunken slur was enough to show the fact that Sienna Khan, leader of… some fancy organization, was drunk.
"It's not my blood." He said, as if to dismiss it and sound 'cool', though whatever measure one used to measure such a thing, it was hard to guess at. He turned the screen towards the form of Cardin and snapped a picture, the Scroll automatically sending it. "That jerk decided to blackmail me. Well, I took a page out of Adam's book."
The giggle from Sienna came like a charming surprise, as he turned away. "Sho good boy human… Yoush dessserve prize." A hiccup came from off-screen, as someone entered to picture, pressing against Sienna's face, the hair in disarray, eyes unfocused.
"Jaune! You're going to get your cock sucked by miss kitty here!" The rude and crass nature of her words were enough to make him roll his eyes. This was 'tame' as far as the Schnee's usual communication went. Sienna's eyes went cross-eyed as she looked to her side.
"Hey!" The indignation in Sienna's voice was enough, even as Jaune recognized Sienna's main office from the background décor. "Yoush won… Shhoooo…" The Scroll was set down and he could see the business suit that was shown by the top part, Sienna's usual business attire, something a lot different from the 'Formal White Fang' Mistralian outfit that she just wore casually when in the official buildings and during White Fang rallies.
"Shshur—praysze?" The last part sounded like she'd lost her way for a moment, even as the jacket was pulled open and the blouse with it, a few buttons pulled loose and… a deft black brassiere was exposed, the breasts contained within like the ripe apples that grew in the orchards during the harvest season, the hands grabbing them and pushing them up. The valley that it created was… pleasant to see. "You wiiinnnn, yay!"
He stood there, struck by the sudden sight of the skin, his body responding immediately, as he was lucky that he had put in the earbuds for the Scroll in, because this DEFINITELY was something that would get him weird looks. Leaning against the wall beside the bathroom, he took his time to look at the Scroll feed of Sienna groping herself, knowing that the woman's restrained persona in public was… wholly different when drunk. She had not really gotten drunk around him, yet… here she was.
"Hey Jaune…" Willow Schnee's seductive voice, a lot more capable of reasoning than Sienna's seemed to be, entered the picture, as a set of pale breasts stood out next to Sienna's, a grin on her face that would totally look out of place on Weiss' face if she ever wore one like it. "Surprise!"
He had to shift a little, as his pants felt enormously tight. He pressed the record button almost by reflex, even as Willow's hands massaged them. "Come, little kitten… Show the big bad human what sort of pussycat you are."
Whether it was because she was drunk or whether it was because of her natural resistance to such terms, Sienna's hands stopped and she grabbed Willow's shoulders, planting a kiss right on her lips, the Schnee woman's face shrouded for a moment by the short hair of the White Fang's leader, even as the kiss lasted… and he probably had some sort of fortuitous encounter with whatever spirits granted him luck, as the kiss lasted nearly ten seconds. "Thatzhh how you get fuck'd, Schnowey… Fuck'd, by that human's fuckin' ca-a… ah fuck, his xiao-long." The Mistralian term was easily tossed around by the Faunus woman, whilst Willow merely stared in silent amazement, her mouth open and her breasts still exposed.
"Enjoy, Jonney… Schnee an' me are gonna get sloshed…" The video call cut off at that moment and he just gaped for a short while, as he looked at the fading image, his mouth not closing after a moment. 'Gods above…'
He definitely was going to polish his weapon tonight. Oh god, was he going to take a loooong shower because this… oof. He still possessed hormones and they were telling him that those two women were fiiiiine.
As he arrived at the door to the room that he shared with his team, he paused for an instant, before he opened the door up. Pyrrha stood there, in the process of getting her gear on, the undershirt that she wore not hiding her womanly curves at all, and the image of the two women getting frisky with each other sent a burst of pleasure through him again. 'Pyrrha's really nice, so I don't think that I'll ever stand a chance… And between me and Sienna… I don't know.'
"Jaune! What happened to your face? Is it Cardin again?" Her voice sounded scandalized, as Nora's head appeared out of the bathroom that had been attached to the dorm, her eyes blazing with that boundless Nora Energy. "I'll break his legs! Break ALL of his legs!"
"No, no, this blood isn't mine." The worry in Pyrrha's eyes was enough for him to admit it immediately. "Cardin and I had a little chat." He paused, as he looked at his partner and smiled. "He's not going to bully anyone ever again."
The worry in her eyes went even more, as Ren emerged from the bathroom behind Nora, a can of hair spray in his hand. "Did you… kill him?"
His face showed the horror that he felt at the thought of killing someone. That just wasn't paying someone back, that was KILLING someone. "No! I just paid him back for his generous friendship, that's all!"
There was a pause, as his teammates looked at each other, Pyrrha being the first to speak up. "Jaune… I don't think…"
"You don't believe me, do you? Check the men's room in the second hallway from their room." Pyrrha and Nora looked at Ren, who shrugged.
"Now, I need to go and wash this off." He said, holding up his blood-covered knuckles. Cardin's face was good for taking punches, at the very least… it was a very sturdy head.
Now, Ren only had to return and inform his team about what he'd done to stand up for them and everything would be alright. Even if it did get him detention, they should have to understand that things were best settled with one's fists at times than between intrigues.
What sort of combat school did you have, if the students could not resolve things through violence, right?
Opening his scroll and putting the timer on, he pressed the message that he'd just received from Sienna, showing a picture of the two women currently engaged in a drinking competition… and topless. 'Whatever these two women think… I don't think they should drink. Well, drink together.'
Alcohol just turned the kindest of women into rabid beasts… His sister could attest to that, with her own troubles…
He'd have to have a word with Adam about keeping Sienna away from alcohol… and a good one with Kali as well. Pressing the Faunus woman's name on the list, he shot her a quick message – 'Does Sienna have a drinking problem?'
The answer was shot back swiftly. 'She's done something stupid again, hasn't she… That poor dear… She'll wake up in the morning with a headache and a sore throat and probably without any sort of memory of the things that happened… Just let her be and pretend that you didn't see or hear anything.'
He was going to trust Kali's word on that… Yet… Damn. Those were some really fine breasts.
Portraying Sienna and Willow's alcoholism is mostly from personal experiences. Having one friend who's able to function and the other who… wasn't. Sienna and Willow are in varying states of drunkenness throughout the whole exchange with Jaune. Sienna is about 80% out for the count, with only the faintest thread of ability to keep standing, whilst Willow is about… 50% inebriated. It's got to do with alcohol tolerance levels. Sienna's hit by the liquor a lot harder than Willow, who has more tolerance due to being a drinker for pretty much the whole year, instead of Sienna, who only incidentally indulges like… once a week. Her schedule wouldn't allow for much, but her cooler is stocked week-round.
Would Sienna have flashed her tits if Willow hadn't prodded her to? No. Would she have been so crude as to speak about his little dragon? Nope. In Vino Veritas… Or also known as 'in wine lies truth'. Quite a devious woman, that Willow. Still… Willow's perspective will come up again in a later chapter! See how the Schnee thinks about the Faunus leader… oh, and the latter will probably nurse a hangover with a 'why did I do that?!' expression on her face in the next scene that she'll appear.
Until next time (in two weeks), ladies and gentlemen!
