I'm glad to see so many people liked last chapter, and a thank you to CF again for the help there. I do want to address a little something, however, and it's nothing overly big. There seemed to be a lot of… mixed opinions on who was right, who was wrong, and how I shouldn't have had Jaune apologise. I just wanted to answer that here, fairly easily.
He didn't apologise… at least not for what he did. He apologised for getting angry and purposefully insulting them, that's all. Jaune knows he is right, but it needs to be remembered that he has future knowledge. Weiss doesn't, and so – in her mind – with what she knows, she is sure she is right too. And sadly, Jaune can't disprove that and knows it.
But sometimes, when you get older (and Jaune here would certainly feel this way), actually winning an argument loses its appeal. Fights hurt, especially between close friends – and sometimes they're just not worth it. Jaune knows he's right, but also knows Weiss has every reason to honestly believe she was in the right – that she was helping him out. Given that, what did he honestly have to gain from continuing a feud between them? It was meant as a sign of their maturity, but also his close feelings towards them all.
Anyway, maybe it's a good sign everyone got so involved, I don't know. I just wanted to give my thoughts there since so many people commented on the content of the fight more than the result of it, and in one or two cases it caused some arguments. Jaune's not going to change and he knows that, but he also knows Weiss won't change. Given that, and given what is to come, he simply didn't want them to be at odds.
Beta: College Fool
Cover Art: A Stuck at Home Tome
Chapter 25 - The Smallest of Mishaps
Weiss considered herself intelligent. She was well-read and educated to the highest degree, but one didn't have to be a genius to look at the situation the two of them were in and jump to the wrong conclusion. She pushed away from Jaune and looked towards her sister with a bright smile. The damage had already been done, she just knew it. Now if only their teammate's stupid uncle could stop laughing…
"Sister," Weiss bowed and tried her best smile, "Welcome to Beacon. I wasn't aware you were coming for a visit."
There - polite, calm and totally in control of the situation.
"Weiss… sister… you… he…?" Winter looked between her and Jaune, eyes wide and mouth hanging open. Okay, not a good sign. Winter had never looked so out of sorts before in her life. "Perhaps you would like to explain what it is I see before me, Weiss?"
Yes, explain – that sounded nice. But no, actually, she'd rather not. Except that her sister's face seemed to suggest it hadn't been a request and really, an explanation was probably better than Winter making her own mind up on the scene. "T-This is my partner," she said, "Jaune Arc. And no doubt you've already met my team, Blake Belladonna and Yang Xiao-Long. Jaune and I were… we were…"
"Having a discussion," he said.
She leapt on it. "Yes. That's exactly what we were doing. We were having a discussion."
"With your… your hands around one another?"
Her heart hammered in her chest and her eyes were wide as she looked towards Jaune for another excuse. His raised eyebrow seemed to ask why he had to be the one to come up with it, but she only shook her head and uselessly mouthed something that might have been `help me`.
"It was a heated discussion," he said.
"T-That's true," she nodded, "Why, for a moment we were at each others throats."
Winter's legs almost failed her. A hand slammed out to grasp the door frame for support and Weiss didn't think she imagined the wood there cracking. Behind her, the ragged looking man continued to snicker. Wait, had she said something funny?
"She means metaphorically," Jaune chipped in, "Not literally."
Not literally? What did he mean by- Her blood turned to ice as she realised what the literal thought of `being at someone's throat` might have meant. She whirled to deny it, to deny anything and everything, but Winter already had a hand held up before her.
"This is…" she paused and tried to calm herself. For the first time in a while, she failed at something. That didn't do much for Weiss' panic. "This is Jaune Arc... your partner, is it not?"
Weiss couldn't form an answer, so Jaune coughed and did it for her. "I have been called that, yes."
"The same Jaune Arc… from your letters?"
The letters…? Oh, dear heaven, the letters! She remembered those now, especially the early ones she'd sent when she had been frustrated and angry with the team assignments. What was it she'd said about Jaune again? Oh yes, a flurry of terrible and insulting things… all true, naturally, but things which now probably didn't look good since she'd had her hands on his chest and his own around her waist. Yang and Blake weren't just going to pay for this. She was going to hang them outside by their feet until they ripened.
"One and the same," she said, because at this point what else could she say? Her eyes skimmed to her left, and with a silent apology she decided to throw him under the bus instead. "And Jaune, this is my sister Winter Schnee. Why don't you say hello?"
Jaune stared at her, his expression as good as saying he was more than aware of what she was doing, but that he couldn't be bothered to argue. "Hello," he said lamely, and waved one hand.
Weiss' eye twitched. Well, at least he hadn't tried to flirt with her. There was something to be said for small mercies in life.
Also, the greeting – as pathetic as it was – proved enough to shock Winter into action. She reared up and allowed a calm expression to wash over her face. One leg drew back, and she bowed in a manner polite, but not deep enough to indicate any respect. That was already a bad sign, well before her introduction.
"My name is Winter Schnee, assistant and specialist to General Ironwood of the Atlesian Military, I've heard much about you and wish-"
"No thanks."
Two simple words, delivered with all the grace of a rampaging Ursa. Weiss stared at her partner as he held one hand up before himself with a polite smile. But it was nothing compared to the stare her big sister gave. "Excuse me?" she whispered.
"I said no thanks," Jaune repeated. "Look," he sighed, "I know how this goes. You're the assistant to an Atlesian General who wishes to flee the country but needs to move his wealth with him. All I have to do is give you my bank details and you'll transfer fifty million lien to my account or something, all without risk. Well, you'll forgive me if I'm not going to fall for it."
Winter Schnee stared. Ozpin stared. Miss Goodwitch sighed and covered her face with one hand. Blake looked horrified and Yang was stood with her mouth open. Mr Branwen stood frozen with what looked like a flask of alcohol ready to drink. He grinned, put it away, and brought out his scroll to start recording instead.
"Also," Jaune mumbled, hand on chin, "Don't you normally send a message to my scroll first? I didn't think this was done face to face."
"I-I.. this…" The tall, proud and very dangerous woman fought for words. Her teeth began to grind together and her eyes flashed with the promise of murder. "This isn't an Atlesian General scam," she hissed, "I am Winter Schnee – the sister of the girl you have your arms wrapped around!"
Okay, it wasn't like that! Weiss made to intercept but didn't get a chance.
"And you're still not getting my bank details," Jaune said firmly, arms crossed.
"I don't need your paltry finances! I am Winter Schnee, of the SDC!"
"Oh, so now it's the SDC?" Jaune taunted, somehow able to ignore the way Weiss was grinding her heel into his foot. Not to mention the frantic glares she sent his way. "Next time you might want to try and get your story straight."
In the background, Qrow Branwen burst into hysterical laughter.
Winter visibly gathered herself. The restraint she showed was incredible, especially in the face of Jaune's… peculiar personality. That was honestly the best way she could think of describing it. "I see you are just as my sister described you," Winter said, "How appropriately underwhelming."
Weiss flinched at that, especially when he raised an eyebrow at her. What did he want? He'd been an absolute nightmare to get along with back at the beginning of the year. He was lucky she hadn't run him through and been done with it.
"Important enough to write home about at least," Jaune shrugged, "Funny how she never told us anything about you, though. Maybe it would have just been a little too underwhelming."
"Jaune!" Weiss hissed and dug her elbow under his ribs.
"I've heard things about the kid too," Qrow said, and Weiss just knew it would be something bad that came out of his mouth. "I've heard how he's slept with a third of all the girls in Beacon."
Oh that… that…! He was stirring the pot! Obvious enough from the way he grinned – so alike to Yang when she was causing trouble, but made all the worse by how her sister's shoulders turned to absolute granite. She looked down her nose at Jaune, and then it seemed like a great gout of breath blew from her nostrils.
"Say something," Weiss hissed to him.
Jaune glanced down at her, and somehow there wasn't a shred of fear in his eyes. He did nod, however. "He exaggerates," Jaune said with an easy smile. "I've not slept with a third of the girls in Beacon. I'm sure you know how rumours are."
Winter relaxed, along with Weiss. "True," the older woman said, "I'm glad to-"
"It's like a fifth at best, maybe between a fifth and a quarter. I don't keep count. Maybe I should."
Winter `un-relaxed` rather quickly.
Weiss interposed herself between the two of them before blood could be spilled. "I-Ignore him, Winter," she laughed, "Did you come to visit me here? You should have let me know."
Let her know so she could find some blackmail on Jaune, use it, and then force him to act like a perfect gentleman. She could hide Zwei too, since Winter would never approve – and oh god, the dorm was an absolute tip! Blake had left her novels out; Yang hadn't hung her clothes up – the panic, the horror, the calamity!
"I did not come to visit," Winter said, and Weiss let out a quiet breath. "At least, that was not my primary intent. It is good to see you sister, despite the… unpleasant company we find ourselves in."
"Wow, rude," Jaune whispered, "I mean, the headmaster is right there."
Winter, thankfully, ignored him.
"I came due to the development with the stolen Atlas Paladins, which I do believe you and your team were involved in." The look Winter gave her was equal parts pride and concern, with just a little disappointment mixed in. Weiss knew it well, the `I'm upset at the risks you take but proud of you nonetheless` expression. She bowed her head and hid a smile as she accepted the small rebuke. "While I'm here, however, I thought it might be an opportunity for the two of us to catch up."
"That sounds like a wonderful idea," Weiss smiled.
"Excellent. I'm sure your… teammates… can do without your presence for a single night. Why not come and stay in the guest quarters provided for me."
It wasn't a question or a suggestion and Weiss nodded quickly to show she understood that. Schnee decorum dictated they should not show emotion in public, which meant she was in for some… display when they got to the privacy of her sister's room. She spared a look for her partner, trying to convey some kind of plea for help – some kind of excuse that she could use to not go. Save me, she mouthed. Surely he would, right?
Jaune Arc waved, "Have fun."
That absolute son of a…
/-/
Jaune clapped his hands together and yawned as he left the Jazzberry dorm, or as Weiss would never let him call it, `The Jazz Club`. Spending the night there with one of their members absent had been a strange experience, though at least he'd known she was safe. And honestly, between her having to deal with Winter and him having to deal with her?
Yeah… he'd gone for the shock and awe approach there. Namely, shock the woman so much with crazy comments that her only option was to ignore him, which left her no one to focus on but Weiss. I'm a bad partner, he smiled. But better you than me.
Still, the dramatics of the previous night aside, there was the future to plan for. He hummed and brought a hand to his chin, eyes drifting shut as he thought about what had happened – and what was about to happen. The plan to stop Roman was a bust, though something had come of it… Winter was here, though whether that was a good or a bad thing was unknown. He didn't think she'd ever come to Beacon so early before. On the other hand, Cinder knew about his team – even if they didn't know he was involved in their plans to stop Roman. It would be enough to draw her attention, and to make them targets.
The problem was that there was little he could do to stop her. That was always the issue with his strange gift. It didn't matter how many times he went back and tried to stop her, she always won. At first he'd thought it because he was too weak, or that she was too strong – but in hindsight, it should have been obvious. She was already prepared.
Cinder already has the White Fang on her side… no idea when she managed that, but it's long before Beacon, so there's nothing I can do there. She also has Roman and his goons before Beacon too, and there's no telling how long the dust thefts have been going on for. In terms of activity, Beacon was the worst place for her to be because it didn't give her many options to act out or continue her objectives. That didn't mean it was a bad idea for her… it just meant she'd already done most of her plans.
And therein laid the problem. Cinder had everything in place before he arrived at Beacon, which meant that no matter how strong he got, he could only stop her… not derail her plans. And finding her before Beacon has yielded nothing in the times I've attempted it. I've no idea where she stays, but it definitely isn't Vale.
He'd only had a few tries searching Mistral, but despite his best efforts she hadn't been at Haven, either. Ugh, this is pointless to think about. Where or where she isn't a year ago isn't going to help me now. I need to draw attention away from my team, and preferably without getting myself killed in the meanwhile. If I can't stop her plans… maybe I can delay them?
Probably not, but it was worth the effort. As far as he could remember, her next goal would be the CCT Tower, and then…
And then it would be Pyrrha…
"Don't tell me you're asleep out here in the corridor?" the acerbic and familiar voice asked. Weiss stood, arms crossed opposite him with red cheeks and a frown that looked like it could take up arms and kill someone. "You look like a dog waiting for your master. I didn't bring you a bone, I'm afraid."
Jaune blinked and shook his head, dispelling the morbid memories. "Not sleeping," he yawned, "Just on my way to breakfast and lessons. How was the talk with your sister?"
Wrong question, apparently – though he'd known it would be. Weiss' face seemed to darken and she snarled something under her breath, likely about him and almost certainly not kind. "My sister thinks," she began, then shook her head and growled. "Never mind what she thinks. You!" Weiss poked a finger into his chest. She seemed displeased that it didn't impale him. "You made an absolute fool of yourself in front of my sister. Talking about… argh, what you said. She already has a poor opinion of you. I don't need it to get any worse!"
"And whose fault would that be?" he asked.
"Yours," Weiss said, utterly missing the point. "If you weren't so insufferable in the first place, then I would not have been so critical in my letters home." Roundabout logic if he'd ever heard it, but not entirely incorrect. "I don't suppose I could ask you to be polite, considerate and a perfect gentleman around my sister, can I?"
"You can ask," he smiled.
Weiss looked at him for a moment. An explosive sigh left her and she shook her head. "Well, it could be worse… at least you're not trying to get into her pants. Not that she would let you." The last bit was delivered with a flash of pale blue eyes.
She was wrong actually. He had been there, though the means with which to replicate it was something he wasn't prepared to go through again. Winter had been desperate for comfort, as had he. After all, she'd just lost her little sister. The memory of it brought a sad smile to his face, but she was alive and in front of him. Somehow that fact didn't help, because she'd also been so cold and still before him. He shook it off and forced his best grin onto his face. "What can I say? Maybe my heart's already taken by a different Schnee sister."
"Oh goodie," Weiss said, voice thick with sarcasm. Despite that, her eyes widened and she glanced away. "Did you keep the receipt? I'd like to check the refund policy."
Her snark made him laugh and it was enough to dispel the doom and gloom he felt. She couldn't be so sharp when she was dead, which meant she was still alive and with him. They all were.
"Anyway," she said, tossing her white hair back, "Where are the others?"
"Still getting ready," he nodded to the door, "Blake was in the shower when I left and Yang plans to wait for her. I fed Zwei and decided to head off early. See you in class?"
"You'd best hope I do," Weiss growled and stepped past him.
/-/
Weiss did her best to ignore the blond as she unlocked the door to their dorm. It was hard enough with how he usually was, but after the conversations she and Winter had shared last night… the last thing she needed was to see him. It was only her utter horror and embarrassment that prevented her from meting out some much needed justice on the irritating man.
The door opened, and such thoughts quickly left her mind.
"This is my life," Weiss sighed as she looked at the madness, "Where did I go wrong?"
Blake was on her knees, balanced on one hand with the other held before her threateningly. She hissed like the cat she claimed she wasn't, and it almost looked like her hair was on end. She swiped once, twice, and then hissed again.
Zwei growled back, settled protectively in his small kennel.
Wait, since when did we have a kennel…?
They hadn't – and still didn't as she looked closer. It looked like a strange dog bed made out of Blake's questionable books. They'd been stacked beneath him and even placed end on end to form walls. There was no ceiling, but the corgi seemed more than pleased with what his new dog bed. And more than willing to defend it too, judging from how he growled and snapped towards Blake's hand when she tried to reach for one of the books.
Weiss sighed and turned to Yang, hands on hips.
"Jaune made it while Blake was in the shower," she explained. The blonde looked curiously impressed with the feat. Or maybe she just enjoyed watching her partner and pet play together. Blake reached for a book once more, but Zwei's teeth clamped down and made her yelp.
Ah, so this was his revenge. Creative enough, she had to admit – and there was a certain irony in punishing her by not only depriving the girl of her pornography, but also in involving the dreaded corgi. Well played.
"How was the night with your sister?" Yang asked.
Weiss' face fell into her hands.
"Ouch, that bad?"
"Worse," she groaned. "She asked about our team and my lessons first, but that took less than thirty minutes and she spent the rest of the night asking about him. She then decided to hold a completely unrelated talk on propriety, the importance of a Schnee maintaining her reputation and… birth control."
"Completely unrelated, of course," the blonde grinned.
"Of course… and then when we woke up, she kept asking me if I felt okay and whether I had a stomach ache."
Yang tilted her head to the side in thought. "I don't get it," she said after a few seconds.
Weiss sighed. "Neither did I at first. When she started to ask about my eating habits, whether I had put on weight and if I was sick in the morning, however, I soon realised."
Yang burst into laughter, falling back onto her bed as her legs kicked in the air. "Oh god," she giggled, "That's too good. Did she ask you to pee on a little white thing as well?"
"She did not," Weiss gritted out.
"Sorry, is this one of those Schnee things? A Schnee doesn't `pee`, they `relieve themselves`?"
"There were no further pregnancy tests… and after the difficult conversation that followed, I'm sure there won't be again. I don't know why you're acting so amused. What would you do if Ruby were still at Beacon and was caught with the local womaniser in a cupboard?"
"I'd just kill him," Yang said and wiped a tear from her eye. The hand froze, however, as her eyes widened. Ah, it seemed Yang had remembered just who Winter Schnee actually was. "Oh… um… do we have to keep an eye out for her?"
"Winter isn't quite that dramatic." Or at least she usually wasn't… this had been a new experience in every sense of the word, so the old rules might not still apply. Maybe it would be best to keep an eye on her partner regardless, just to make sure he didn't get himself into any trouble.
"So," Yang kicked her legs out before her and smiled, "The dance is tomorrow. You got everything sorted?"
"I have a dress if that's what you mean," Weiss said. She knew it wasn't what her teammate meant, and Yang knew that she knew... and so on.
"And a date?"
"Neptune has asked me."
Yang's face fell. Weiss pretended not to see it. "Not Jaune?" the blonde asked.
"No. Why would he ask me?"
Yang stared at her with a sad expression, the only sound in the room that of Blake's hisses and a corgi's answering growls.
"Don't look at me like that," Weiss said, "It's not like I expected or wanted him to. I'm not sure why you're even surprised."
"Are you going to go with Neptune, then?"
Weiss stood and dusted herself down. She reached for her book bag and picked it up, before she turned to Blake with a sigh. "If you're finished playing with Zwei, perhaps we could get to our lessons?"
"Stupid mutt," Blake hissed from the floor. "Weiss, help me get my books back."
"We don't have time for that. Class starts in thirty minutes and we need to be there on time. I won't have our lazy leader actually beat us there."
"Then help me get that purple one back… I haven't finished it."
Weiss glanced down at the novel in question, which seemed to form the centre of Zwei's new domain. That was almost certainly on purpose. "Sorry," she said – not at all sorry. "I wouldn't want to upset Ruby's dog."
"You…" Blake's yellow eyes narrowed. "This is childish and silly. Don't tell me this is some kind of revenge for us helping the two of you make up?"
"A Schnee is above such petty things," Weiss lied. "Oh, and speaking of revenge. Have you had your shower already, Yang?"
"Yeah."
"Did you use the shampoo in the brown bottle?"
"Huh? Yeah, why?"
"Oh," Weiss smiled, "No reason."
Yang's face went white. Her hands gripped her hair and she drew some before her to inspect it. There was nothing unusual there, but it didn't stop the smile on Weiss' face growing wider and wider. "What did you do?" Yang gasped. "What have you done?"
"Done?" Weiss repeated, "I? Why, Yang. I thought I told you. A Schnee is above such a petty thing as revenge."
"She didn't say revenge," Blake whispered, eyes narrowed suspiciously.
"Didn't she?" Weiss tittered, "Oh my, I must have imagined it. Come on you two, it's time for class."
Blake sighed and stood, aiming one final longing look towards her books. Zwei turned three times on them and closed his eyes. They did snap open, however, when she tried to reach in once more. She gave up with a frustrated growl. Yang, on the other hand, was still fretfully scanning her hair and asking what Weiss had done to it.
She'd done nothing, naturally, since she'd been trapped with her sister all night.
But Yang didn't need to know that.
/-/
The early lessons had gone about as well as they usually did, albeit for the somewhat unusual spectacle of Blake being forced to sit without a book and letting Jaune know of her suffering via the medium of glares. Well, that and Yang's constant panic attacks as she checked her hair – but other than that, the normality of it all helped her to relax.
Her partner had fallen asleep during Grimm theory, but since just about everyone else had too, she didn't feel the need to remark on it. It was predictable… and in a world where her sister had suddenly appeared and accused her of… of… her cheeks darkened. Well, in such a crazy world, predictable was good; predictable was comfortable.
But there was nothing predictable or comfortable about her sister's presence in Miss Goodwitch's class. In fact, it was enough to have her heart leap into her mouth and threaten to choke her.
"Oh hey, look," Jaune said, "It's your sister. Should we go say hi?"
Weiss' arm locked around his before he could make a move, and she made sure to dig her heels in just in case. "We're in class," she hissed, "She's probably here to spectate or inspect us, so don't go near her. In fact, don't ever go near her." The more distance between those two, the better.
There was a snigger from the direction of Nora and Ren, and Weiss felt confident in saying which one of those two found her agony source for amusement. "Oh calm down Weiss-cream," Yang said. "Wouldn't it technically be cheating for her to watch us, though? The Festival's coming up and she's gonna be hoping for an Atlas win, right?"
"Winter would never do that. And besides, she's only watching us first years. I doubt anyone expects a first year team to make it through the competition, certainly not enough to send spies out to rival academies."
"So she's here to watch you, then. Nervous?"
Yes. Absolutely… her legs felt like jelly and her hands were clammy. She swallowed and flicked her hair behind her. "Not at all," she said, hoping the lie would not only convince them, but herself as well. Jaune's shoulder bumped against her own and despite the foolishness of suggesting she needed it, she took some comfort in his proximity.
Maybe, just maybe, it would be best if she didn't volunteer to fight. Not because she was worried, of course, but because it would seem dreadfully over eager.
Miss Goodwitch strode up onto the area, not even batting an eye at the white-haired woman stood against the back wall. "As you are all aware, the Vytal Festival is approaching and there are now more students here than ever before. The headmaster has already said as much, but I expect you all to use the opportunity to mingle, practice and engage with your peers from the other Kingdoms."
There was something amusing about the way she said that, perhaps the emotionless look on her face. Weiss didn't think Miss Goodwitch would have ever `mingled` in her life. Conversed, perhaps, discussed and detailed – but to mingle suggested a level of easy comfort the stern woman seemed to lack.
"For today's class," the teacher went on, "We shall open with a quick spar between two combatants. Hm… do I have any volunteers?"
Weiss backed away, though she tried to make it look like she hadn't. Any other time she'd have been thrilled to offer herself up for practice, but not with her sister watching and certainly not first. Maybe if some others went up she would, if only because she could look better than them, but Winter always expected so much… too much.
Miss Goodwitch looked out over the crowd, only for her gaze to pause as she caught a hand in the air. The woman blinked, narrowed her eyes and then looked again.
The hand remained in the air.
She removed her glasses, breathed onto the lenses and brought for a small cloth from her pocket to clean them. Only when they sparkled in the light did she place them back onto her nose and adjust them. She looked towards the hand again.
"Oh come on," Jaune said out loud, "That's just rude."
Honestly, Weiss thought the teacher handled her shock well, since at seeing her partner with his hand in the air, she felt like fainting. "What are you doing?" she hissed, wanting nothing more than to leap up and tear his right arm from his shoulder.
"Mr Arc," the teacher called, "I feel the need to ask… are you by any chance stretching your shoulder?"
"No."
"You do not wish to see the nurse?"
"She scares me."
"This is… not some request to leave class?"
"I'm volunteering to fight," Jaune sighed, "Isn't that what you asked for?"
"It is… I'm simply trying to wrap my mind around this strange concept."
Jaune rolled his eyes and grumbled something under his breath, but disentangled his arm from hers and pushed his way through and up onto the stage. "I must be dreaming." Blake said, "Pinch me."
Yang slugged her in the arm.
"I have to say, this is quite the surprise," Pyrrha whispered as Blake rubbed her bruised skin and fixed a fierce glare on her partner. "I'd say it's unlike him to be so proactive but…"
"It would be redundant," Weiss said, "I know."
"What's changed?" Ren asked. "He isn't one to volunteer for something that requires effort. What's so different this time?"
Weiss had no idea. Sure, they'd had their argument the day before – and she still felt she was right on that – but they'd made up and agreed to disagree. There didn't seem to be any reason or rhyme for it.
Ruby gasped. The younger girl's hands came up to cover her mouth, but the smile beneath it was as clear as day. "What if…" she paused, excited, "The only thing that's different is Weiss' sister, right? You said how she didn't like him, right? How she said those nasty things about him?"
Weiss nodded. She'd left out most of the horrific details, but Team Rubine were sure to hear about the being locked away incident, so she'd made sure they got the accurate story.
"Maybe he's trying to prove himself to her!"
"Eh?" Weiss recoiled with a wide-eyed expression. "Prove himself for what…?"
"Prove himself worthy of her sister," Blake nodded. The Faunus' eyes were narrowed and she had a small smile on her face. "He is your partner, Weiss. Perhaps he felt offended at the thought of not being considered good enough for you. Maybe this is his way of showing that he is."
Good enough for her…? The way they said it they clearly meant skilled enough to be her partner and leader, but after the misconception her sister had, an altogether more embarrassing thought entered her mind. Her cheeks flushed and she shook her head to dispel such madness.
"Ohhh," Yang cooed, "That's kinda romantic. Two lovers, one born of a noble family and the other her faithful shield. A love denied by duty, wealth and a cruel, older sister. That sounds like the plot of one of your books, Blake."
"When did you rea- I mean, I've no idea what you're talking about."
"Squeee-" Ruby held her hands up before her lips.
"You're wrong," Weiss cried, cheeks red, "You're all just reading into this far too much. T-There's no way he would do something so foolish. Really, it would all just be too much trouble for him anyway." Jaune wasn't the kind to even care about what other people thought of him, even if it was someone as important as her sister. There was no way he'd be dragged into such childish displays of strength.
"Well we'll soon know, won't we," Nora grinned. "It'll depend on who he picks."
"Nora's right," Ren said. "We all know he would never volunteer on his own. Something has certainly forced his hand, and the only difference today is Miss Schnee's presence." Weiss' cheeks felt like they were aflame but deep inside there was just no way to refute their words. They were all true… Winter was the only variable here. "If Jaune wished to prove himself to her he'd choose a skilled fighter to face off against. I'm sure we all know there's no chance he would do that normally, so that should be the evidence you need."
"Makes sense," Yang said. "If he picks someone weak, he's not going to look good if he beats them. Then again, if he's not up there to impress anyone, picking someone weak would be exactly what he'd do."
"E-Exactly," Weiss said. She took a deep breath and released it, the better to calm herself down. "You're all being ridiculous. You know how he is. He's probably going to pick someone injured, exhausted and weak – then he'll beat them in a ridiculously embarrassing way, just to avoid being picked agai-"
"I want to face Pyrrha," Jaune called.
Weiss' teeth clicked shut.
"You were saying?" Yang grinned, eyebrows waggling.
/-/
Jaune cracked his neck as he heard the whispers and watched Pyrrha slowly make her way up onto the stage. As she did, he let his eyes slip over to an altogether different array of students.
Mercury lowered his hand, expression frustrated. Beside him, Cinder Fall frowned.
Point for me, you bitch, Jaune thought with a grim smile. He'd almost forgotten, so distracted had he been, but when Miss Goodwitch had asked for a volunteer, the similarities had slammed back into his mind. He'd remembered what day it was, or rather – it wasn't the date itself, but the scene had been enough to jog his memory and it had all clicked into place. This was the point at which Mercury tested Pyrrha.
It was the point at which they found out her Semblance.
It had taken him time to realise that… Cinder was nothing if not subtle, and back when this all started, he'd still been headstrong and foolish. No action she took was without reason, and every reason was layered beneath yet more.
I might not be able to stop you, but I can fight fire with fire. Miss Goodwitch made sure all the students got a chance in the ring, which meant if someone fought, they wouldn't be called on again for at least a week or so. Cinder no doubt knew that, which was why she looked so frustrated.
Pyrrha gave him a curious look as she pulled herself up and into the arena. For once, she didn't seem critical, but instead wore a tiny smile.
"Is it true you're trying to prove yourself to Weiss' sister?" she asked.
Prove himself…? Ah, did she mean was he trying to get between Winter's legs? No, but then again it wasn't like he had an actual reason he could give her. Maybe in this case his reputation as a playboy could help. "Yep," he nodded. "You caught me."
She actually flushed for some reason. "Well… don't think I'll go easy on you, even if it is for such a thing."
Why would she go easy on him because of something like that? Women… sometimes it felt like he couldn't understand them even after spending hundreds of years around the exact same ones. He stepped back as Miss Goodwitch appeared between them.
The customary laughter sounded as she ran through his… personal rules.
He could also see Winter Schnee raise one, finely-kept, eyebrow.
"Begin," the taller woman called and backed away. Pyrrha twirled backwards, her weapons coming unsheathed with a hiss of metal as she fell into a guard stance.
Jaune drew Crocea Mors, fumbled it, and winced as it clattered to the floor. He might have also heard a loud slap of flesh on flesh, which he sort of thought might have been Weiss' palm and her own face.
Pyrrha lowered herself even further, shield coming up to protect against an attack.
Huh… okay.
"I shan't underestimate you," she said, "I know you are stronger than you let on. I've seen more than enough evidence and won't be defeated by petty trickery."
He hummed as he kicked his weapon back up into his right hand. It had been worth a shot, but Pyrrha was Pyrrha at the end of the day. Did Glynda have to look so smug about it, though? What a drag…
She crossed the distance between them with a sudden thrust, her spear grazing his side as her shield rushed towards his face. He knocked that aside and rammed his shoulder into her sternum, twisting on one foot to slash towards her chest. Miló blocked it at the last second, and the two engaged in a brief contest of strength.
A bead of sweat ran down his brow as he tried to overpower her, but Pyrrha put physical conditioning to shame. She was faster, stronger and had more stamina than just about any other person in Beacon. Damn it. Normally I have time to plan in advance against people but this was a split-second decision. I've took her away from Mercury, but now I've got to deal with her. Wonderful… The weapons he strained against gave way suddenly, and he fell forward with a startled cry.
Pyrrha smirked as she withdrew Miló, the action enough to throw him off balance. She stepped to the side so that his blade didn't cut her, and delivered her shield into his face with a loud slap of metal on skin. The crowd `oohed` and winced as he flew through the air.
His shoulder bunched and nearly gave way as he hit the ground, but he managed to roll and push himself back onto his feet in time to catch the tip of her spear. Both his hands pushed up and tilted Crocea Mors in such a way as to send it off to the side, and he used the opening to slam his hilt – and his fists – into her nose.
She fell back, shield-hand clutched to her nose and face concealed from view. Her green eyes watched him over the rim, however, and there was a fierce competition in them. When the shield lowered, he could see her pleased smile.
Ah great… and now I've gone and sparked her competitive spirit. So much for an easy match. That was his partner, right there; his old one that was. Kind, polite and considerate to a fault, if she had one weakness it was that she longed for a challenge that could stand against her. He hadn't expected she'd find it in him, not when he was trying to lay low, but he'd clearly done something to set her off.
Her temp increased. She'd been holding back before, probing and testing, but this time she crashed into him with the power of a truck, her blade driving into his so hard it forced him back two paces. Their swords parted with a great ring of steel and she swung back in with a backhand slash he caught above the hilt.
A step forward and between her legs pushed her off balance, but she recovered with unnatural grace and back-flipped away before he could hit her.
She landed back on two feet, and to his surprise, put her shield away.
"We'll fight on even terms," she said, eyes shining like emeralds. The crowd muttered and whispered between themselves, but Pyrrha didn't seem to hear them.
On even terms…? His eyes glanced down to his side and the sheathe that hung there. She didn't know, and in truth he still hadn't used it. It was his ace in the hole, but also something he'd not used in a long time. What was the point of defending when you cared not for your own life? His fingers twitched as he considered it, but ultimately he moved them back to Crocea Mors. A friendly spar with an old friend wasn't the time to reveal that… not with who the audience contained.
Still, as Pyrrha dashed forward, he knew fighting fair wouldn't get him anywhere.
He side-stepped the first slash, ducked the second and lashed out with his own, only for it to ring against steel as she expertly showed her confidence with but a single blade. Miló twisted and forced Crocea Mors down, steel whispering against steel as she ran it up the length towards his hands. He turned it to the side too, to catch the point on his cross guard and disengage with a kick at her midriff.
It didn't connect, of course, and she danced back into his guard with consummate ease, flicking out with attack after attack that had him on the defensive. She had openings, she damn well knew that. She also knew she was fast and skilled enough to make sure he couldn't take advantage of them.
His eyes glinted as he backed away from her onslaught, chambered Crocea Mors in his right hand and lashed in towards her face. She stepped to the side as he passed and made to counter-attack, only to gasp as he came around once more, this time with the blade held in his left. He roared out as he took that brief moment to thrust it up and into her face.
Her parry was clumsy, rushed, the first time he'd ever seen it such. She fell back and tried to regroup but he followed after her. One leg planted down between hers and he cut for her neck with his left hand.
She managed to push it aside, barely, but was left unprepared when he followed through and turned into her. His left leg slammed down onto the ground as he rammed his right elbow into her mouth. Crocea Mors flickered in the air from where he'd tossed it, the hilt caught in his right once more as he brought it down atop her skull.
It crashed into the burnished surface of Akoúo̱. Pyrrha gasped for breath, down on one knee and with the shield held above her. Her lips were swollen but her eyes burned with excitement.
"You're ambi-dextrous," she whispered.
"You used your shield," he replied.
Pyrrha looked down at it in confusion. When she looked back up, however, it was to smile at him. "So I did," she said.
She didn't put it away.
He switched his sword from one hand to the other, tossing it between each as he forced her to track it. In the end, she struck first – unwilling to give him the advantage. He caught her sword on one hand and allowed it to pass over his shoulder, taking her shield on his chest and ignoring the pain. His free hand reached out to slap her face, more a distraction than anything else. It caused her to blink to protect her eyes, and that was enough for him to quickly run his hand over the hilt of her weapon.
Pyrrha cried out in shock when her sword shifted into a rifle. Unprepared for it, the grip changed and she fumbled to keep hold. Even then, she slammed her shield into his sword arm and pinned it to his chest.
He fought against it and tried to switch, but she crouched down and thrust him back, her superior strength enough to force distance between them. It was barely three seconds, and he darted back in the moment he landed, but it was enough for her to roll, pick up her weapon, shift it back and attack him – all in one fluid motion.
This is going to last forever, he thought as he parried her first strike to the left, and then had to back away as she followed up with an acrobatic kick towards his face. She might be able to keep this pace up for hours, but I can't. I need to end this in one go.
The only chance he had was to use what knowledge he had. He parried her next attack but then threw a slower one in return.
She brought up her shield to deflect it, as he'd known she would. Her sword traced through the air towards his neck. She expected him to duck down, and he did, and so she chambered the strike and brought the pommel back towards his face. It was routine for her… a reaction drilled into her and the best possible choice of counter to the moves he had made. That was what muscle memory was, the body's trained response to a set of stimuli.
But he knew more than enough about her training… since she'd as good as taught him everything she knew in repeat after repeat.
Her eyes widened when he caught the pommel not with his jaw but with one open palm. He tugged back, knelt and took a step too, all to draw her further off-balance. She followed, if only because she couldn't afford to lose Miló, and ended with her body dragged across his.
His eyes met hers as he brought Crocea Mors across his body and beneath hers. Extended, and with her sword arm held over him, she had never been more open to his attack. She knew it as good as he – and the thought seemed to shock her. He slammed his sword up towards her midriff, far too low for her to move her shield to in time. His shoulder would have blocked it anyway.
Pyrrha cried out in shock, but it was his lips that uttered a curse as she panicked and brought one foot up. Her aura fell, the soles of her feet unable to fully stop his attack, and he knew she'd have to replace her boots after this. Even so, she gritted through it and pushed her foot down, locking his blade onto the floor. Her knee came back up soon after and caught him in the chin.
The leather hilt was torn from his hand as he slammed back onto the mat, eyes toward the ceiling. He reached up to rub his aching chin, sighing as he watched Pyrrha rush over to hold her spear tip against his throat. "I give," he called. "If I'm even allowed to anymore…"
Pyrrha blinked, but it was the quiet applause from Miss Goodwitch that broke the tableau.
"I'll allow it this time," the teacher clapped, and her smile was just on the wrong side of vicious. "Your aura is low enough to count and you actually fought… colour me impressed."
"Yay," Jaune drawled sarcastically. He blinked as a hand appeared before him. He took it nonetheless, trusting his old friend and not at all feeling surprised when she pulled his body weight up with ease.
"Good fight," she whispered, and from the tone of her voice she meant it.
The crowd burst into wild cheers and applause. Huh, he thought as he looked out over them all. They must really have wanted to see me get my ass kicked. To his surprise, even Winter seemed to be impressed, though a Schnee such as her obviously did not deign to clap. No doubt she had other people who could do that for her. The royal clapper… no wait, wasn't that the toilet? Maybe Pyrrha knocked me around a little too much…
"A good fight, Mr Arc," the teacher said. "I can offer little suggestion for improvement other than to work on your physical stamina and conditioning. I believe you could be quite the formidable foe in time."
He nodded to her politely, and watched as she turned to Pyrrha.
"And you Miss Nikos, perhaps you know what advice I have for you?"
"Never let my guard down," the redhead said, her cheeks turning to match her hair. "Especially after I started the fight by saying I wouldn't, then did precisely that by putting my shield away."
"Indeed… some foes can be tricky, clever or devious…" the stern woman said, "and then there is Jaune Arc."
Hey! Since when did he warrant his own classification?
He shook his head and let Pyrrha help him off the stage, stooping halfway to pick up and sheathe his sword once more. When the two of them made their way off the stage and back to their teams, however, it was to a most curious sight. Ruby stared at her partner with puffed up cheeks and a stern frown, and it felt like Blake and Yang gave the redhead the same. Pyrrha blinked and stepped back.
"Pyrrha," Ruby whined.
"Oh, uh," the championship fighter scratched her cheek with a small smile. "I may have gotten a little lost in the moment."
"Pyrrha," Ruby repeated, face still agonized, except that now she wore a disappointed frown too.
"Well I couldn't just let him win… even if his intent was noble. That wouldn't have been right. I'll admit I might have gotten a little competitive, but…" Ruby's silver eyes narrowed, though the effect was anything but intimidating. It looked more like an angry puppy. Pyrrha giggled nervously, "Forgive me?"
Ruby sulked and crossed her arms, but she might have whispered something about Pyrrha needing to ply her with cookies or something. He watched it all with vague confusion, at least until Weiss appeared before him. Her cheeks were pink too, and she refused to meet his eyes.
"You dolt," she whispered, "What on Remnant were you trying to accomplish there? I mean, fighting Pyrrha like that…" she glanced away, "W-Who are you trying to impress with something like that?"
The question was an odd one, but luckily Pyrrha had already given him an answer earlier. It wouldn't hurt to throw that out, so long as it kept any suspicion away from his blocking Mercury. "Winter," he said casually.
Weiss' eyes went wide, and she almost looked panicked as she flustered and looked away from him. Yang held one hand out, thumb pointed towards the ceiling and smiled at him. Huh… since when had she encouraged his attempts to get with older women?
"W-Well," Weiss said. She paused and took a deep breath. "I suppose your fight was admirable. My sister certainly won't have any reason to question your ability now. I doubt she expected you to last as long as you did against Pyrrha Nikos herself."
"A hard fought battle," Pyrrha smiled.
"You sure went easy on her though," Yang grinned. "Why no special tricks?"
"Because it was a spur of the moment kind of thing," he admitted. Again, he noticed how Weiss wasn't meeting his eyes but decided not to ask. "With all the other fights I had time in advance to plan and sort something out."
Yang turned to Pyrrha. "Want to try another round with our leader in a week?"
"I'll pass. I'd rather not find laxatives in my tea before class."
Hey, now there was an idea… why hadn't he thought of poisoning any of his sparring opponents yet? Glynda might not even catch on the first few times, hmm…
"Don't actually think about it!" Weiss slapped a hand into his arm. "If you fought more like you did here, you wouldn't even need to use such underhanded tricks. I, for one, am p- I am…" she paused, "I am proud of you."
A strange, warm feeling suffused him.
"Wow," Yang laughed, "That sounded like it had to be dragged out by torture. What's the matter, princess, shouldn't you give your champion your favour?"
Weiss rounded on the blonde before he could ask what she meant, and Ren – his last bastion of sanity – only had a shrug for him in answer. Instead, he looked back to the stage, where a new competitor had volunteered to stand.
Blue eyes narrowed. What was she doing?
Cinder Fall stood beside Glynda, a calm and neutral smile on her face. She listened to the teacher explain the rules, and nodded along with them.
This never happened before, I'm sure of it, he thought. Cinder usually remained quiet and out of the way, as unobtrusive as possible. Sure, she'd probably sparred once or twice with people, but it was only ever when the whole class was – and he doubted she'd pushed the boat out much.
But she didn't do anything for no reason.
And as her eyes scanned over the crowd, Jaune stiffened as they brushed by his. He noticed her smile, so polite and emotionless, quirk up at the corner. He knew in an instant, and the realisation made him sick to his stomach.
"Weiss Schnee," the raven-haired woman said. "I would like to test myself against a skilled opponent."
"Huh?" Weiss looked up towards the stage in surprise, but seeing the teacher gesture for her, made to move forward.
His hand latched onto her wrist.
"What?" she asked.
He had nothing. Did he stop her and cause a scene in front of everyone there? Did he make it clear to Cinder that he knew what she was, and thus invite a far more deadly response? His arm shook and he knew Weiss felt it, for her eyes narrowed in barely hidden concern. "Nothing," he said, and forced his fingers to release her. "Just… be careful."
Weiss blinked and tossed her head back. There was a small hint of pink on her skin, but she wore a confident smile. "Hmph," she snorted, "Ironic for you of all people to offer that advice to me. I'll bring this spar to a quick end, worry not. You're not the only one who has something to prove."
His hands clenched into fists and he bit down on his lip as she walked away. His friends called support, cheered her name or told her to kick ass. His eyes remained locked onto her back. He felt so helpless... so weak.
She wouldn't win… not unless Cinder wanted her to.
His hand fell to Crocea Mors, but the action was more for the comforting reassurance of leather than anything else. This wasn't his battle, nor was it a problem that could be solved at sword point.
"The usual rules apply," Miss Goodwitch explained, "And you will cease when your aura reaches the red, am I understood?"
"Yes ma'am," Weiss nodded and readied her weapon.
"Understood," Cinder simply raised one hand before her and moved a foot back.
When the teacher called the start, it was Weiss who struck the first blow. She cut across the arena in a streak of white, and Cinder was pushed back from the sheer force of it. She parried with the back of each hand, occasionally throwing a kick in herself – but those were easily blocked by his partner.
Her comfortable lead in the fight did nothing to stop the pit that opened up in his stomach.
"Go Weiss!" Yang called. She turned to him with a grin. "Hey, she's fighting for your honour, champ – you not going to cheer?"
He tried to smile for her and clapped his hands together listlessly. Yang's eyes narrowed but she shrugged and turned back to the fight. Be careful, he whispered, don't fall for her tricks. Don't let your guard down.
Weiss couldn't hear him, of course. Perhaps she was lost in the thrill of combat, or maybe she just wanted to prove to her sister how strong she had become. Either way, as the fight dragged on, it became increasingly clear what Cinder's goal was.
His partner had begun to slow down.
"She's wearing her out," Blake sighed. "Weiss is fast but if she can't find an opening, all she does is burn off her energy."
"Cinder's strong…"
"You know her?"
"No."
Blake didn't look convinced, but knew better than to push. If she noticed how tense his face was, she didn't mention it. No one did. Maybe it was both tense and slack at the same time, a mix of fury and worry so complex that it showed nothing whatsoever.
Weiss' next attack looked like it struck true, but a tiny shift in Cinder's body instead showed the blade of Myrtenaster trapped beneath her side and elbow. The taller woman twisted and locked her arm to her side, tearing the weapon from Weiss' grasp. A boot kicked up into her chin and slammed her neck back, before Cinder twirled and kicked down with her heel.
It was blocked on the back of Weiss' arm, but the frail limbs could do little to blunt the attack. Myrtenaster was tossed aside by Cinder, who thrust a fist into the heiress' stomach.
Weiss bent over it, hacking for breath.
Cinder made a show of checking the aura meters above them, and with Weiss still in the yellow, delivered a quick kick to her face to stand her up, then a roundhouse to knock her flying back.
"The match is over," Glynda called. Cinder nodded and stepped back.
Relief washed over him. He let out a breath he hadn't been aware he was holding. Of course she wouldn't do anything here… how foolish had he been. If she continued the fight even into the red, she'd just draw attention to herself. He clapped his hands in applause. They felt clammy and wet with sweat.
Weiss tried to push herself up. One hand beneath her, the other splayed out to the side, she looked up with an expression of wounded pride mixed with regret. Her eyes didn't look to him, however, but to the sister she'd failed to win before.
His eyes narrowed. If Winter dared make mention of it, he'd draw her attention onto himself to spare Weiss. It would be easy enough… just a few mentions of his reputation and a veiled hint towards his partner and the older woman would forget all about this.
"Ah!" Cinder retracted her hand as if burned, and Myrtenaster fell to the floor in a sparkle of dust. It could have been an accident. She'd tried to be polite and return the weapon to her defeated foe, and as everyone knew - dust weapons could malfunction and the substance itself was volatile. A training accident that might put Weiss out of action for a few weeks would be a tragic accident, but just that.
Except that it wasn't an accident... for he saw the brief flash of golden light in her eyes.
The blade struck the floor and the dust ignited. Tip pointed towards Weiss, Cinder's shout of warning was cut off as a great roar of fire shot from the end of the weapon. Miss Goodwitch shouted a warning and reached for her crop. Winter scrambled for her weapon. Weiss' eyes grew wide.
He moved.
There was no interim moment. No progression from point A to point B. One second Weiss stared down an oncoming fireball, too drained to move and too low on aura to defend herself. The next, it exploded before her.
Heat rolled over him and around his arms, smoke curling from his clothing as he braced one leg and tried to push through it. Anyone else might have screamed but this was a fire he'd felt oh so many times before... it was her fire. He knew it better than the comforting touch of his own mother. The flames licked and lapped at his skin, but he grit his teeth and clenched his eyes shut against the smouldering heat. Don't fail me now, you bastard, he screamed inside his head. Not now, not his aura, after it had let him down so many times.
I don't want to go back just yet. Let me have this, I beg of you!
Something ignited within him, and with a roar he threw his arms wide and broke through the fireball. Ash and embers rained down on either side of him, fluttering through the air like glowing, orange petals falling to the ground. A harsh pant escaped him as he caught himself before he fell. He looked down at his arms.
There was a receding white glow that shimmered across his skin. He lifted one hand before his face and slowly curled his fingers into a fist and then opened them again. His aura faded, but it had done enough. The burns were minor... burns that would have had any other in intensive care for weeks.
"Jaune..." Weiss whispered from behind him.
He spared a brief glance for her, just to make sure she was safe. He walked towards Cinder, who watched him with a thin veneer of shock and appalled agony for her mistake. Beneath that mask, however, he saw ruthless cunning, but also surprise... and frustration. Good.
"You shouldn't touch things you don't understand," he said, holding one hand out expectantly. "Someone might get hurt."
Glynda came to a slow stop beside them, green eyes narrowed but her body showing she was prepared to step in if anything occurred. He hoped it would. He hoped Cinder would make some mistake... some move to doom herself.
She didn't, of course. Instead, she bowed her head and gingerly held Myrtenaster out for him. "I'm so sorry," she whispered, "I didn't think that would happen. I could have... it could have..."
He snatched the rapier back and turned away, even as he heard Miss Goodwitch deliver a stern lesson about the dangers of touching unknown weaponry. He couldn't bring himself to listen to it. Not when he knew it naught but a lie. Myrtenaster hadn't malfunctioned... Cinder had simply used her own powers and disguised it as that.
"I lost," Weiss whispered, eyes downcast.
He gripped her weapon by the hilt and held it down for her. She blinked up at it for a moment but settled her hand on the hilt beside his own, allowing him to hoist her up. "You haven't lost so long as you're alive," Jaune said once she was standing. "I'm just glad you're okay. You are okay, right?" She looked it, and as his eyes scanned over her, he couldn't see any injuries. Cinder had been careful to not do anything untoward until the end; until Weiss' aura was low enough to make it look like an accident.
Weiss pushed away from him and coughed into one hand. "Stop staring at me," she whispered. She wore a small frown but it seemed to be directed more at the floor than him. "I'm fine. Thank you... for protecting me."
"You're my partner."
It was all he could think to say. It said everything, and as she looked into his eyes, she nodded and smiled.
"Miss Schnee! Please take Mr Arc to the infirmary to have his burns treated."
Oh, for the love of...
"And if he tries to run or avoid it, you have my permission to hamstring him."
Weiss' hand turned to solid steel on his arm, and her expression went from embarrassed but thankful to stern and uncompromising in an instant. He glanced down to his team, but it was only to see Yang and Blake already opening the doors for them. There was something wrong with that... with a time traveler over a thousand years old being dragged away by a trio of seventeen-year-old-girls.
If there was, however, he couldn't bring himself to complain about it.
And if Cinder tried anything like that against his team again?
Well, he'd just have to be there to stop her.
All actions have consequences, and Jaune's here has come through – along with the actions of his team with Roman. Given Cinder's speech to Jaune before, some might have seen some kind of reprisal coming.
Onto happy news, however... Well, happy for you – terrifying for me.
Due to my P a treon reaching the next goal, the update schedule of my stories will be increasing. That means each story will update every single week, which means that yes – an NTF chapter once a week.
The new Schedule will see NTF being updated each and every SATURDAY, starting from the 6th of Feb. So, you will see the next chapter in 8 days from now. This will continue so long as the level remains above the milestone, but if in doubt you can always just refer to the "next chapter" date at the bottom of each chapter.
Next Chapter: Saturday 11th February
P a treon . com (slash) Coeur