Here we are, here we go, and another chapter released.
Cover Art: Kegi Springfield
Chapter 25
"You're actually getting a day off?"
"I wouldn't call it a day off," Jaune said, walking beside Blake and towards the cafeteria. The two had just come from an early morning training session, except that for once it was a session they'd been able to share with Pyrrha and Ren.
It felt like they didn't get a chance to spend time together as a team, and he knew that was mostly his fault. Pyrrha had been thrilled at the chance and given them all some pointers. It was kind of crazy to think that Blake had spent the last however many years fighting for her life against military and police, and yet Pyrrha could still best her without breaking a sweat, but that was Pyrrha for you. She was beyond even what a championship fighter should have been.
Either way, he'd come out the worst, mostly by being the weakest, and needed to spend more time in the showers to watch off all his grime and sweat. Ren had come off the better and left earlier, promising to save him a seat.
When Jaune finally left the showers, it was to find that Pyrrha had done the same, while Blake had waited – ostensibly to look after her partner, though he knew it was really out of the hope he'd let something slip and inform her of things he shouldn't.
"Apart from having to watch Ruby, I mean," Blake said. "I know you're technically working even at Beacon, but as long as Ruby doesn't do anything ridiculous it's as good as a day off for you. To be honest I'm not even sure what your lot expects Ruby to do."
"I don't know. A day off where I have schoolwork and homework doesn't feel like a holiday."
Blake smirked and elbowed his side. "Quit whining. You chose this life."
That he had, though to be fair there'd been no mention of this in those promotional shows and books about being a huntsman. Blake had a point, however. As much as he was supposed to look over Ruby, even Oobleck didn't seem to believe there was anything wrong with the fifteen-year-old. She was hard-working, determined, and very blunt in her desire to be a hero – and unless she was the best liar ever to grace the surface of Remnant, he believed her.
"I don't expect her to do anything. I trust her."
"Which means it's not her who has drawn the VSS' attention. It's someone around her. Yang, maybe? No, that doesn't sound right, and I doubt it's Weiss or Nora."
"Who says it's anything?"
Blake rolled her eyes. It was obvious she wasn't going to fall for that and he regretted giving her the tiny hint he had already. She really was too analytical for him to be dropping hints for.
"Does Oobleck suspect me yet?" Blake suddenly asked.
"Huh? Not that I know of. He hasn't even mentioned you."
"I'm not sure if that makes me feel better or not." Blake bit her lip.
"Shouldn't it be a good thing?"
"Maybe. I don't know." She sighed and ran a hand through her hair, shooting him an accusing glance that seemed to say she wasn't used to such candid conversation and that it was somehow his fault she was being put through it. "It just strikes me as odd. I'm your partner in Beacon and you're his spy. I'd have expected him to do background checks on your teammates."
"Maybe he did. I doubt yours has `White Fang` written on your job history in big letters."
"No, but it may have other things. My family name is… never mind. Let's just say there are things which might make people attach me to the White Fang if they looked deep enough. I never expected it to come up since I didn't think anyone would but looking into things is kind of a spy's job."
Jaune paused and looked to his partner. "You're worried?"
Blake looked away. "Can you blame me? I keep waiting for him to say or do something to me, or for me to fall asleep and never wake up."
"Do you wish you never found out?"
"A little," she admitted. "I know it's my fault. I'm the one who pushed you, but… yes, sometimes I wish I never had. It wouldn't make the threat any less but not knowing would have let me sleep a little easier."
He wasn't sure what to say. She had been the one to force the truth out of him so in a way she had no one but herself to blame. On the other hand, she hadn't exactly had much of a choice, especially when she found him investigating the train wreck she'd been a part of.
"For what it's worth I honestly believe you when you say you want to start afresh," he said. "I don't think you're a bad person. You just made some poor choices. You're hardly the first person to do that."
"I appreciate it. I want to make things right. I want to change things for the better…"
"I believe you."
Blake's shoulders relaxed a little and she nodded gratefully as they continued on. With breakfast in full flow the halls were mostly empty and the silence between them, while not uncomfortable, felt all-encompassing. He noticed Blake teasing her lower lip with her teeth. Something was bothering her still, but he wasn't sure what to say. Even had he been good with girls and feelings it would have still been an incredibly complicated situation.
"Would you defend me if they tried to kill me?"
Jaune hesitated. "What do you mean?"
"If Oobleck and the others tried to kill me, or if they ordered you to do it." She didn't meet his eyes. "Would you go ahead with it?"
"They won't."
"You don't know that. They might. What would you do? Would you help me?"
"Yes, of course!"
"Why?" she asked. "You work for them and they're trying to protect Vale, or so they claim. Even if I regret it I was still a terrorist. In the eyes of the law I'm still guilty."
"Maybe, but you're my partner."
"And that would be enough to make you turn on Oobleck?"
The question made him pause. "I… I don't know…" He didn't like the answer, nor his indecision. "I trust them, I really do, but I trust you too – at least on this. I know you're telling the truth and I know you're innocent."
"But they may ask you to make a choice someday."
"Then I'll cross that bridge when I get to it. So far, they've not asked me to go against anyone who isn't evil in some way. Torchwick, Cinder and the White Fang. I honestly don't know what I'll do if they ask me to hurt someone else like you or Ruby." He wasn't sure he'd be able to do it, even if he knew they'd never let him get away with not doing it. "The VSS is why I'm where I am today, but that doesn't mean they get to make every decision in my life. I'm still my own person. If they asked me to hurt someone I didn't believe deserved it…? I think I'd say no, whatever consequences that entails."
Blake stared at him for the longest moment, perhaps trying to figure out whether he was lying to make her feel better. He held her gaze, until eventually, she looked away. "You really mean that," she marvelled. "You're… I don't know whether to say you're brave and dedicated or foolish and naïve."
"Can't I just be me?"
"Maybe." She shot him a look, and this time it was with one of her patented smirks. "I suppose I'll have to accept that for now. It won't be as easy to do that as say it, but I believe that you honestly feel that way, so I'll let it be. Thank you again."
"No problem. You're my partner, Blake." He patted her shoulder as they approached the cafeteria. "I know we don't always get along, but I like to think that's work coming between us. Not anything wrong with either of us personally."
"Ha. That's not a bad metaphor."
The two of them stopped talking about such dangerous topics as the doors to the cafeteria opened, revealing a scene of organised chaos as all the students of Beacon stuffed their faces for the day ahead. Rows upon rows of tables dotted the large, well-lit, room, and a section toward the back held a steel counter behind which fifteen people worked to provide meals.
It didn't take long to spot their team, not with Nora and Ruby waving excitedly at them – one a little more obvious than the other since Ruby's hand, even when raised, didn't really crest the press of bodies around them. He waved back and the two of them wandered over.
"How was your training, Jaune?" Ruby asked when he sat down opposite her and next to Blake. "Pyrrha told us you all did a morning training. How did it go?"
"I'd say I learned a few things," he replied, rubbing his neck. "Mostly how to fall, but also how to take a javelin to the stomach. I'll have it mastered in a few days."
The table laughed and Pyrrha covered her mouth with one hand. "You weren't that bad," she said. "I'm just used to picking out holes in people's defences. You gave me a run for my lien."
That was a lie and it wasn't just he who knew it, especially if Weiss' eye roll and Ren's snort was any indication. Pyrrha flushed and tried to defend the comment but she needn't have bothered. He didn't feel particularly ashamed to have been bested by the girl who was hands-down the strongest fighter in the entire year. She could have probably gone toe-to-toe with some of the higher years as well.
"We almost gave her a run three on one," Ren said, driving Pyrrha's blush even further as he pointed out her white lie.
"Almost," Blake drawled. "She might even have sweated a little before she annihilated us. Might."
"Sounds fun," Yang cackled. She nudged the embarrassed champion with her elbow. "We ought to do team fights or something, or the two of could spar. I'm getting a little tired of beating my team every time we train."
"Didn't I pin you to a wall with one of my glyphs the last time?" Weiss asked.
"Nope."
"I'm fairly sure I-"
"Nope," Yang repeated, face steady. "You probably imagined it."
"I don't think I did…"
"Yang's really competitive," Ruby whispered to him, leaning over with a hand over her mouth. "She normally wins but Weiss caught her off-guard."
"Does Yang always beat you and Nora?" he asked.
"Most of the time." Ruby didn't seem too upset to admit that, as well she shouldn't since she was two years younger. "I can usually keep her at a distance, but we have to use ring-out rules because of the lack of space, so she forces me out. Nora… she can keep up with Yang, but she always forgets about Yang's semblance. She goes in with her hammer, and Yang sends it back twice as hard."
He winced. Yeah, that sounded about right. From what he'd seen Nora was strong, but not exactly the most tactical of opponents. In that regard she and Ren made for a good team. Pyrrha would probably be able to beat her, though, but Yang might have been able to eke out a victory if she kept her semblance secret and broke it out in a spar. Sadly, Pyrrha already knew it from watching Yang spar in Miss Goodwitch's class.
Conversely, no one had been able to get a hold on Pyrrha's, which was a pretty big advantage for her, and probably also an annoying point for many who had lost to her even after using their semblances.
Speaking of, I've still got no idea what mine is. It would be pretty cool if it was something that helped me out with the VSS, but I'd take something combat-related if it was on offer. Then again, even if he did get a semblance there was a fair chance he wouldn't be allowed to show it in both roles. They tended to be recognisable. In fact, Oobleck probably preferred him not having one.
"There's still no sign of Cardin," Pyrrha said.
The comment, barely a whisper, silenced the table entirely. Everyone's heads dipped, and no one dared say a word. Yang swallowed and looked around the cafeteria.
"No sign of his team," she whispered.
"They haven't shown up since he went missing," Weiss said. "I think they're still looking for him."
"Still holding out hope," Ren added. "I heard the teachers combed the Emerald Forest yesterday. Even the headmaster was out searching."
"I feel sorry for them," Nora said.
Weiss sighed. "I think we all do. It can't be easy losing someone like that. I know being a huntsman is a dangerous job, but for someone to go missing from Beacon? That's…"
"You just don't expect it," Yang said.
Weiss nodded.
Jaune stared at the table. What little appetite he'd worked up vanished in an instant, replaced with a sickening hole that threatened to swallow everything. Beneath the table he felt Blake's knee nudge against his own, a tiny gesture of support. She didn't look at him, however, she was too subtle for that. Even so, his hands clenched into fists beneath the table. Vanguard…
"Nothing's been announced yet," Ruby said. "He could still be okay. We can't give up hope."
"Yeah," Yang agreed. "Maybe you're right, sis."
They weren't. Cardin wouldn't be coming back. But there was no way he could say that. Gods, how did Oobleck manage to put up with this? He must have lost more people in his time, yet he managed to maintain his façade perfectly.
The thoughts continued to swirl in his head as the others ate mechanically, conversation dulled as they each thought about the loss of one of their classmates, even if he wasn't a particularly popular one. Blake nibbled on an apple but that was all she could manage, and she hadn't been the one to stand and watch as Cardin sacrificed himself.
"Come on," Yang said when it was clear they'd all had all they could. "We should get to class. At least Port's stories will distract us."
"That's not a bad idea," Pyrrha agreed.
The rest thought so too, clearly, for no one argued when they stood and made their way off towards the classroom. Jaune hovered near the back with Blake and took a few deep breaths. He had to remind himself that Cardin would have had his head if he broke his mask now. He was Vanguard through and through, and the best way he could pay the man back was by completing his mission and bringing Cinder and her crew to justice.
The thought cheered him a little. He'd do his friend proud.
"Ruby!" a voice yelled happily.
"Eh? Wait, you're here!?" Ruby dashed off to the side randomly, no doubt recognising the person. The others turned too, though he couldn't make out much due to everyone being in front of him. He heard vague snippets, however. "I didn't think you'd be coming to Beacon so soon!"
"It wasn't planned, Ruby. I had an accident and father thought it best if I stay here for now. I'm not really good to head back home yet."
"How long are you staying for?"
"Until after the Vytal Festival. Isn't that amazing? We can spend so much time together!"
"That's great!"
"Yeah," Yang mumbled, not quite as enthused. "That'll be great. Sheesh…"
"Good luck," Ren returned, chuckling.
"Who is it?" Jaune asked. He hadn't known Ruby really had many friends in Beacon, let alone ones not on either of their teams. According to Yang she'd always been socially awkward and the only friends she'd had before would still be in Signal.
Yang, hearing his question, grinned at him. "Oi, Ruby," she called. "Jaune hasn't met your friend yet. If I recall, Blake and he were off sorting out their little argument and didn't get the full pleasure of an introduction."
"They didn't?" Ruby asked.
Yang chuckled and nudged him in the ribs. "Bet you'll wish you kept your mouth shut after this."
"Yang," Pyrrha chastised. "She isn't that bad."
Who, why, or what they were talking about went ignored as the team parted in front of him to better let Ruby come and introduce her friend to he and Blake. The faunus glanced at him questioningly but he shrugged his shoulders. He had no idea.
"This is Blake and Jaune," Ruby said, tugging someone behind her. "They're not on my team but they're cool. You didn't really meet them last time because they were sorting some things out between them. Guys, this is my friend from Atlas."
She pulled the figure in front of her.
"Say hi, Penny!"
"Salutations!" the pale and dying corpse chirped.
Jaune's legs buckled under him.
/-/
Blake's breath caught in her throat and she might have choked on it. Would have, and drawn suspicion on herself, if Jaune hadn't so masterfully taken control of the situation by fainting right next to her. Pyrrha gasped and moved forward but the girl in front of them – who Blake had personally seen be brutally murdered – caught him before he hit the floor. She snatched him by his shoulders, propped his limp body before her, and then turned to Ruby with an apologetic expression.
"I'm sorry, friend-Ruby. I appear to have broken your boyfriend."
"Bwa-?" Blake managed. She was glad no one was paying attention to her.
"Wha!? Penny, no! He's not my boyfriend!" Ruby yelped, really missing the important part of the whole situation. She seemed to realise it too and shook her head. "And what happened to Jaune!?"
"Did he just faint?" Yang asked. "Wow, I knew there'd be some reaction, but I didn't expect this."
"Yang! Fainting is serious," Weiss snapped. She strode forward and touched her fingers to Jaune's neck. "He's breathing and has a pulse, but his skin feels hot to the touch. Penny, did you see what happened?"
"I did not," the girl who had died replied. "He saw me, and his eyes widened and then he fell. Is there something abhorrent about my appearance?"
It was too much. Blake wondered what would happen if she fainted as well, but she wasn't the kind of person to do that and she hadn't been as close to ground zero as Jaune had. He'd literally seen this girl killed in front of his eyes, while fighting him, and then be left for dead. Now that she thought about it she'd seen a car pull up and collect her, but she hadn't expected something like this. Who did!?
Even so, she stepped forward to snatch her partner from the girl. "The training from this morning must have caught up with him," she lied.
Luckily, Pyrrha was quick to buy it. "He didn't have any food, either," she lamented. "I didn't think anything of it since we were talking about Cardin, but he didn't even have an apple or a drink of water."
"Dehydration," Weiss nodded, "or just fatigue. What an idiot. Still, he should be fine if he gets some rest and something forced down him."
"Should we wake him up?" Ruby asked.
"You can't just wake someone up from fainting, you dolt. He'll wake up on his own, but we should lay him down somewhere. The infirmary would be best."
"That's on the other side of Beacon."
"Well what else are we supposed to do!?"
"Ahem." Someone coughed behind them. "What seems to be the problem here?" The calm voice cut through the panic, though the sight of who it was didn't quite do the same for Blake's, especially since her eyes widened and she had to fight the urge to take a step back.
"Doctor Oobleck!" Ruby yelped. "You're a Doctor! Jaune fainted. Help."
"Mr Arc fainted?" The tall teacher stepped forward. He reached for Jaune. "If you'll excuse me, Miss Belladonna, may I see him for a moment?"
"Yes, of course." She tried not to flinch as she handed him over. The spy-turned-teacher made no sign he'd noticed anything wrong and took Jaune from her, lowering him down onto the ground. He then turned him over so that he was laid on his side.
"Though I have a PhD, I'm not a doctor in the medical sense," he said.
"So, you can't help?" Ruby asked.
"Now, Miss Rose. I didn't say that. Although I wouldn't be able to offer a prognosis to any subtle ails or ills, all the teachers at Beacon are required to have a strong grasp of first aid and emergency medical treatment." He chuckled and tilted Jaune's head up to clear the airway. "It's something of a requirement given how often you students seem to enjoy injuring one another. All too many people believe aura a catch-all defence. It's easy for students to take spars and duels a little far, especially when emotions and tempers run high."
Everyone nodded, and Blake would have accepted his excuse as well if she didn't know better. She wondered if his medical knowledge was less to help students and more to keep prisoners alive long enough to get information out of them.
"Hm, there doesn't seem to be anything wrong with him. Did anything unusual happen before he fainted?"
"We were training all morning," Pyrrha said, "and Jaune didn't have any breakfast afterwards."
Oobleck nodded. "Ah, that clears up this little mystery, then. I'll place Mr Arc in my office and allow him a chance to recover. I don't have any lessons for my first period, so feel free to come back and check on him once your lesson is over. I will keep an eye on him until then."
"Will he be okay?" Ruby asked.
"He will be absolutely fine, Miss Rose. Just a little case of over-exertion mixed with not enough sustenance. This happens all the time. People push themselves too hard." He knelt and picked Jaune up easily. "Head to your lessons, now. I'm sure Professor Port is waiting for you."
There was nothing she could do but keep her head down as everyone else agreed. It wasn't like Oobleck would harm one of his own men, and if she believed Jaune – which she had to – then he wouldn't rat her out.
In all honesty he'd likely be too rattled by Ruby's friend to even mention her…
"I'm glad to see your boyfriend is safe, Ruby," Penny said. "I was afraid that I had hurt him."
"Jaune will be fine, Penny. A-And I told you, he's not my boyfriend."
The girl was fine, at least as far as Blake could tell. Her eyes were bright, her skin a healthy tone, and she looked warm enough to the touch. One thing caught Blake's eye, however. Penny had a thick scarf wrapped around her neck, one that was the same colour as her Atlas uniform, but obviously not a part of it.
"Did something happen to your neck?" Blake asked. Everyone turned to stare at her. "I mean because of this," she said, indicating for her own throat. "It just seems like a strange thing for someone to wear on a hot day."
"I have a doctor's note for it," Penny said, unperturbed. "I had an accident a few days ago and hurt myself. This is to cover the bruises."
"Oh no," Ruby gasped. "Are you okay?"
"It was not a bad injury. Don't worry, Ruby. I'm combat ready!"
Not a bad injury…? Blake had personally seen a sword shoved through her throat, directly through the back and pierce out the front – a strike that would have severed numerous arteries, and maybe even break her spinal column if it were strong enough. That was no light injury and definitely not something you walked away from, let alone hid under a scarf when you attended school not two weeks after you got it.
And what was a girl randomly doing at the docks when criminal and terrorists were stealing dust? More so when the authorities hadn't been alerted and there had been no suspicious signs to draw anyone's attention.
No. There was something going on here. She knew it.
And yet again I'm dragged into another conspiracy, she thought. It really would have been easier if she'd just not noticed Jaune sneaking off in Forever Fall. Sure, she'd still be in danger, but ignorance really was bliss. I should have fainted before Jaune did. Asshole took the easy way out.
At least he didn't have to deal with the walking dead.
/-/
"I think I saw a ghost…"
"Do calm down, Jaune," Oobleck said. "Here, have a drink."
A glass was pushed into his hands and he took it, recognising the colour and smell and taking a healthy sip. The alcohol burned its way down his throat, waking him up instantly. It gave his mind the clarity he needed, even if he dreaded to imagine what his mother would say if she heard him thinking that at what was probably not even ten in the morning.
Sadly, clarity came with its own problems. The face of the girl who'd died because of him flashed once more before his eyes, except this time with Neo's rapier protruding from her throat. Oobleck caught the glass before it could shatter on the floor and watched as Jaune gripped his head with both hands.
"I saw… no, I… I'm sure of it."
"You are sure of what, Jaune? Be specific."
"Was I with my team when you found me?" He looked up, and Oobleck nodded. "Was there a girl there, orange hair but not Nora, dressed in a grey and white uniform?"
"There was a young woman in an Atlas school uniform, yes. I'm told she is an early addition for the Vytal Festival. She came to Vale for a weekend but suffered an injury. Because they did not wish to transport her home, Ozpin offered to host her here until the festival." The older man moved over to place the glass down on his desk. "That is what the headmaster told me, anyway. I had my doubts, even before your… rather visceral reaction. Tell me what startled you."
"She should be dead!"
Oobleck paused. "What do you mean?"
"She was the one who interfered at the docks," he explained, going through the whole story again. Oobleck had received a report on it before of course, but he focused on Penny's appearance at the end, obviously leaving Blake out of it. "I saw her be killed," he finished. "I saw her lying dead on the floor."
"Could you have been mistaken? She did claim to have been injured."
"She took a rapier straight through the back of the throat. It shot out the front!" He shivered at the memory. "I watched Neo wrench it out of her, and then dump her on the floor. She wasn't moving. No one could survive that."
"Some could have," Oobleck countered. "But you're not wrong to be suspicious. The treatment required would take some time, not to speak of rehabilitation. There's also the question of why she would have been there in the first place, though I imagine that with the recent revelations, that has been answered."
"What do you mean?"
"Atlas, Rat," he said. "I mean Atlas. The Agent that interfered in your mission yesterday has revealed herself to me and will be working with us in the future. It's possible this `Penny` girl is of a similar vein, or at least has an allegiance to Atlas."
"Is she the Agent?"
"No. Or at least she is not the Agent you saw. I have no knowledge as to whether she is ASF or not but given the fact she attacked you without a disguise, I would think not." Oobleck sighed. "Attacking in so obvious a manner is something more befitting a huntress, possibly even a student. Those your age do tend to stick their noses where they really shouldn't, much to the frustration of many."
"There's something going on with her," Jaune said.
"I agree, and I believe this ties back into Ozpin and his unusual relationship with General Ironwood once more. Sadly, I don't think our ally from the ASF will be too keen to investigate such a lead."
"Why not?"
"General Ironwood is a valuable individual to Atlas. Not even I would not dare imagine he would actually do something to harm his country. That is the kind of man he is. That's not to say he might not be manipulated or fooled by Ozpin, or that they might not be working on something else entirely."
"What like?"
"I don't know, but my initial investigations into Ozpin have been… odd, to say the least. His history pre-Beacon is sketchy, not to mention irrelevant to being a huntsman, let alone a teacher for one. By all records he was a simple teenager who showed no inclination for this kind of life. Then, suddenly, he showed a marked and dramatic improvement, quickly rising in renown until he took over Beacon at an oddly young age."
Jaune blinked at the deluge of information, all of it suspicious, even to him. "That's… weird…"
"Indeed. I am not exaggerating, either. Ozpin went from being an average individual with no skill as a huntsman to being exceptionally skilled and powerful for his age, much of this without any discernible training or education. If I'd been Director back then I'd have certainly found such suspicious, and maybe even believed someone had killed and replaced the original Ozpin. It's that strange."
It was, but he wasn't sure what they could do with the information. Ozpin was entrenched in his position now and hadn't really done anything to draw their ire. He was shady, sure. That clandestine meeting with Ironwood said as much, not to mention that strange package that had been delivered, but he hadn't raised any flags since then.
Or had they just been too distracted by Cinder to notice them?
"Leave the headmaster to me for now," Oobleck said. "Leave your strange new friend to me as well. I feel the two are connected."
"What should I do, then? Focus on Ruby?"
"No. I have a different task in mind for you. You've had a chance to meet the Agent from Atlas, no?"
"If by meet you mean nearly get killed by, then sure."
"I'm sure that if she'd wanted you dead you would be," Oobleck chuckled. "When I questioned her, she said she didn't receive the transmission about conflicting missions. It was an unfortunate accident."
Jaune's voice was flat. "Atlas, the kingdom most well-known for their advanced technology, suffered a glitch that didn't send a transmission through to her?" He scowled. "I find that hard to believe."
"My, Jaune. How cynical of you." He didn't seem upset by it. "You're probably correct, though. They made the choice to continue the mission and risk costing us your position as mole. In their eyes it was worth the chance to recover the Paladin. Ultimately it doesn't matter as Cinder appears to have taken it as proof of your integrity."
"There are other problems, however." Oobleck continued. He pushed a newspaper across the desk.
Jaune took it and skimmed the cover and didn't need to look any further than that – or read a single word. The image, grainy as it was, showed a chase between a lorry, several police cars, and two Bullheads. Below it, in small boxes, were two images – one of Emerald and one of himself, or their faces. His was a panicked and startled look behind the wheel.
"Seriously?" he sighed. "Why couldn't they have used the image of me on top of the Paladin? I look like a complete idiot here."
"Good to see your priorities are in order. It was bound to happen eventually, but your identity is firmly out now, or John White's anyway. This will make things easier and harder. Your ability to move around uncontested will be effectively null."
"But Roman and Cinder will trust me a lot more since I'm practically doomed," he finished. "As far as they're concerned my only choice is to stick with them now."
"Precisely. It's not what we would have wished for, but it's what has happened. We will have to make the most of it for now."
Jaune rolled up the newspaper and threw it back on Oobleck's desk. "If that stupid Agent from Atlas hadn't interfered then this wouldn't have happened," he growled. "Please tell me you're punishing her in some way."
"Ahem, Rat-"
"Send her on a crappy mission, or just send her far away where she can't cause any more trouble for us. If she comes to Vale she should know she has to play by our rules, not interfere and ruin everything. Who does she think she is?"
"Rat," Oobleck repeated, this time with a more urgent tone.
"Seriously, if I never see that idiot again, it'll be too soon," he finished, crossing his arms over his chest.
He paused as he noticed Oobleck sat with his head in one hand, sighing through his fingers. The man's eyes were fixed a little above and behind Jaune. There was a certain despair to his expression, not to mention his tone.
Jaune sighed.
"She's behind me, isn't she?"
"I am," a rather angry voice replied.
"She's been there since I started," Jaune said. "Hasn't she?"
"She has," Oobleck confirmed.
"She heard everything, didn't she?"
"I did," the voice snapped.
Wonderful…
Oobleck stood in an effort to regain control of the conversation and limit any damage, most of which Jaune felt had probably already been done. "I'd like to take the moment to introduce you to your new partner, Rat. The Agent from Atlas, who we have codenamed Crane, will be working alongside you for the foreseeable future. Because this is already an unusual situation, and because she has seen your face, I made the decision to introduce you both without disguises, otherwise I'm sure Crane would have discovered yours in time, if only through observation."
"I still do not agree to this," the girl behind him said.
"And again, your concerns are noted," Oobleck said.
"Noted and discarded, I see."
"Indeed. I'm glad we've come to an agreement on the matter." It didn't sound like agreement, especially not if the hitch in the girl's breath was any indication. Oobleck smiled and took hold of Jaune's seat, spinning him around. "Jaune, meet your new partner for the conceivable future. I'm sure the two of you will get along splendidly."
The girl took one look at him and snorted. "He doesn't look like much."
"That's a part of his charm, Crane."
`Crane` didn't look all that impressed with Oobleck's remark, nor him if he was to be honest. She glared down at him with her arms crossed and one leg linked behind the other. She wasn't a tall girl, much of that having apparently been the suit she wore when fighting, but she certainly matched the stern and militaristic image he'd imagined. She had bright blue eyes and short black hair that fell neatly on both sides of her face, one part pushing behind an ear and the other hanging loose. Her skin was a rich chocolate and he would have called her pretty, if not for the utter disdain on her face.
She didn't like him. That much was clear.
If he was being honest, he didn't much like her either.
"You interfered in my mission," the girl said.
Jaune's eyes narrowed. "You interfered in mine."
"See?" Oobleck said, clapping his hands together, "You already have so much in common. I'm sure you'll be fast friends in a matter of hours, and the closest of allies soon after."
"Director, I don't need a partner," Jaune complained. "I'm mostly doing undercover work. She'd be no use anyway."
"Considering how you fought when last we met, I'd say you need more than one partner," the girl mumbled.
"What was that?"
"Should I repeat myself to you? I was under the impression that Agents of the VSS were attentive. Perhaps you are the outlier."
"And I was under the impression it's an Agent's job to succeed at their missions," he sniped back, earning an immediate scowl from the girl. "Maybe you're not the outlier at all," he went on. "After all, if the ASF can't even patch a transmission through, then maybe you're all as useless as they say."
"Children, children!" Oobleck stepped between them before anything more could be said. "I will politely ask that you refrain from flirting in my office. I prefer to keep it hormone-free where possible." He was impervious to the glares of both of them. "Now that you've had a chance to get the foreplay out of the way, I'll introduce you both. Jaune Arc, student of Beacon and Agent of the Vale Secret Service, and Ciel Soleil, student of Atlas and Agent of the Atlas Special Forces."
Ciel looked down her nose at him. "A pleasure, I'm sure."
"It's all yours," Jaune returned. He glowered at Oobleck. "I already have a partner."
"Magician is still out of action, Jaune, and Vanguard has fallen. We need to work together in these hard times, and I'd rather the two of you didn't have a repeat encounter of your last mission. As such, you will be partners from this point moving forward." His tone had become serious, and the words contained an obvious message that both of them had best be prepared to `deal with it`, or he would force them. "As such, Ciel Soleil has been sent here as an addition to Penny Polendina, who Ciel assures us she has no information on."
"She is an unknown," Ciel confirmed.
"Despite Ciel being Penny's partner at Atlas," Oobleck continued – quite sarcastically.
The girl, to her credit, didn't let the accusation phase her. "I was not instructed to investigate my teammates and so have not. My missions were of a different nature, and my sending to Vale was unrelated to Penny. Or rather she served as my excuse for coming to Vale, but nothing further."
"I'll choose to believe that for now," Oobleck said. "Regardless, it's important the two of you get on well, particularly if we're to complete our joint objectives of both stopping Cinder Fall and reclaiming the stolen Paladin for Atlas." He put particular emphasis on the latter half, making it clear to Jaune he was to pretend that had been their focus all along. It seemed Ciel wasn't the only one telling a few fat lies. "As such, I trust the two of you can put your early animosity aside and work together."
Jaune's shoulders sagged. If it was for the betterment of Vale…
"I will do so," Ciel said. "You have nothing to worry about, Director."
"Yeah, we'll be okay," he agreed. "It'll take some getting used to, but I think we'll manage." He hoped so, anyway.
"Perfect," Oobleck said. "Well, I suppose now is as good a time as any to say that Miss Soleil will be bunking with you."
"WHAT!?"
"What!?" Ciel echoed, one hand on her chest. It was the first overt show of emotion he'd seen from her, and she looked indignant. "Sir, you cannot. This is… it is irregular, for one!"
Jaune echoed her. "It's ridiculous, you mean!"
"Well, due to a lack of space and little warning Penny has been housed with Ruby Rose from Team RYWN, and that I suggested Ciel be housed with your team." He slipped behind the desk, using it as a barrier. "After all, what better way to let the two of you become fast friends?"
Jaune and Ciel stared at the meddling old man, and then stared at one another. Ciel crossed her arms over her breasts and made her displeasure clear, but – as always – in a polite and efficient manner. She didn't so much say she didn't trust or like him as imply it. Imply it very heavily, in fact.
An ASF Agent sharing a dorm with a VSS Agent? With a VSS Agent and an ex-White Fang member? It should have been the punchline to a joke – a secret agent, special forces member and a terrorist sharing a room. It wasn't, however, and he could well imagine what Blake's reaction would be when she found out.
This was going to suck.
Yep, Ciel. I decided to reveal her a little earlier than most people expected, mainly because the options for Atlas agents were ridiculously limited anyway, so people were stuck guessing between her and Winter, and most people just went with Winter. It didn't make for much of a mystery and would have been particularly pointless when Winter appears later as per canon.
But yes, Penny isn't dead. At least not fully dead. Maybe she's undead like Blake thinks. Never stop reading those porn stories about Ozpin, Blake. Man with two souls, anyone?
Next Chapter: 28th January
P a treon . com (slash) Coeur