A/N: Hello everyone! Welcome to another installment of My Turn!
Last we left off, I (Colt) went and pulled shenanigans on CRDL. I also gave Jaune some advice about his situation. And have probably just given him some other advice involving girls. I'm sure that will go well….
Oh, and Winter's on the hunt. Fuck. ._.
Meh, I'm sure it'll be fine.
Now then, on with the chapter!
Disclaimer: I don't own RWBY.
"So serenading Weiss with a guitar solo won't win her over?"
"Nope. If anything, it'll just get a door slammed in your face…not literally in your face, but-."
"Yeah, I get it," Jaune sighed. "What about just giving her a flower?"
I hummed. "…A nice little idea, but given how you've done so far, it won't really help."
Jaune slumped. "So I don't have any chance with her?"
Ah, poor Jaune. And he really does like Weiss for who she is. He doesn't care about her family name or anything like that. I don't have anything against White Knight. Hell, it's a decent ship. And if not for Arkos or Lancaster, it would probably be considered the best Jaune ship in the fandom.
Unfortunately for Jaune, he didn't do all that well in the romance department, or even make a good first impression. And anything he does from this point forward will only annoy Weiss even more until she snaps at him. Granted, she doesn't do that in the show, but again…shit changes.
"You might have if things had started out differently," I admitted. "But with how it's been up till now, it's not likely you'll win her over. Sorry, Jaune."
He sighed. "Damn it…."
"Ah, cheer up. There's plenty of fish in the sea."
"Yeah, easy for you to say."
"What do you mean?"
He gave me a look. "Colt, you have a lot of the girls here at Beacon giving you winks and giggles."
"I'm not about to date a student, Jaune."
"A lot of people think you might, if that girl from Team CFVY has anything to say about it."
Oh right…Coco….
Yes, Coco hasn't stopped her "pursuit" of me, and I'm honestly surprised. You'd think she'd give up, already. Makes me wonder if she's actually serious enough to keep at it, or if she's just stubborn to stop. She does seem like someone who goes after what she wants and doesn't stop until she gets it. And in this case, she apparently wants me….
Or at least, she thinks she wants me. Honestly, I feel like it's like one of those crushes a high school girl gets on their handsome teacher. Something like that, you know? Granted, she started it when I was still a farmer, but...
It'll pass, I'm sure.
"Don't pay so much attention to all that, Jaune," I said. "The gossip mill can be a toxic place."
"How would you know?" he asked.
"Lot's of TV and films."
"Really? Nothing from real life?"
"Oh no, I was an anti-social fatass."
Jaune blinked in surprise. "You? Fat?"
"Well…I prefer to call it 'overweight', but yeah. In any case, I still learned a few things that could apply to real life. One is that gossip is a waste of time. So don't pay any attention to it."
"Even the part where you sleep with the woman you room with?"
"Yea- wait, what?"
The fuck's he talking about?
"Yeah. There was a rumor you roomed with one of the woman in Beacon Security. Weiss threatened mutilation to anyone who suggested her sister, and others saw that Amber girl rooming with said sister. So that left the ice cream girl."
"…That doesn't exactly-."
"Also, Ruby and Yang's uncle confirmed it was her."
Goddamn it, Qrow.
"After that, the rumor about you two sleeping together began."
…I can't…why even…?
"I'm not sleeping with her."
"Sure you aren't."
"No seriously, I'm not! There is a very good reason why we're sharing a room in the first place."
"And that is?"
"…Classified."
Jaune snorted. "That doesn't help your case."
"I can stop giving you advice, kid."
"W-Wait, I'm sorry, I'll stop!"
"Good."
Jesus fucking Christ, these kids. I didn't think I'd have to deal with this kind of bullshit. But nope. Here it is.
Oh well, at least the rest of the detail, barring Qrow, or Ozpin and Glynda apparently don't know about this rumor. Otherwise, they'd have said something….
"So back to our main topic," I said. "There's plenty of girls out there. And it's not like you're in a rush to get a girlfriend, are you?"
"…I mean, it would be nice to have a girlfriend…."
"You have plenty of time, kid." I pat his shoulder. "There's a lot of girls here at Beacon. Hell, you're mostly surrounded by them."
"Well yeah, but they're just friends?"
"That's true, yes. And I admit, some of them might just see you as just a friend."
Like Nora and Yang. Possibly Ruby, too. She doesn't seem to be the type to be looking for a relationship. And that's coming from someone who likes Lancaster.
Weiss and Blake would probably consider Jaune an acquaintance. Weiss, because she seems like she would, given her personality. And Blake…well, she hardly talks, so I doubt she'd see Jaune as an actual friend. Not now, anyway. Maybe in the future.
But Pyrrha, though….
"Let me give a piece of wisdom."
I raised a finger. "Sometimes, the right girl is closer than you think."
Jaune frowned in thought….
"But that's only sometimes?"
Ugh.
"Yes," I admitted. "Sometimes. Doesn't mean this isn't one of those times."
"Hmm…"
I shrugged. "But like I said, don't rush things. It's not the end of the world if you don't get a girlfriend so soon. Just remember everything I said, and you should be fine."
"…" Jaune sighed. "Okay."
"Awesome," I smiled.
…
…
"Oh yeah, and be sure to apologize to Weiss. You might not earn her heart, but you might just earn her friendship…or, well, acquaintance…ship…thing- you get my point."
Jaune chuckled. "Yeah. And…thanks, Colt. You've given me a lot to think about."
"No problem, Jaune."
…You know, now that I have him here….
"If you don't mind me asking, are all your sisters older or younger than you? Or is it a 50-50 thing?"
"The last one," he answered. "I have three older sisters and three younger ones."
Huh…good to know.
"Funny enough, my youngest sister is about Violet's age."
Note to self: find a way for those two to meet. Violet deserves some friends her age.
"Also funny enough, my oldest sister is about your age."
"Oh, really?"
"Yeah," he chuckled. "You two would probably get along well, given how you both deal with bullies."
"Whoa there, I wouldn't throw CRDL off a cliff. I don't wanna cause real harm to them."
"Then what do you call kicking Dove's butt, slapping CRDL with a fish, and throwing soda cans at them?"
"…A practical joke," I mimicked in Jaune's voice.
…
…
"That's a terrible impression."
"But not inaccurate."
He deadpanned at that. Maybe don't set yourself up for a reference, pal.
I snickered and pat his shoulder. "Go on back to your friends, Jaune. They probably think I'm interrogating you or something."
"Heh, yeah."
Jaune stood up and smiled. "Thanks again, Colt."
"No problem, kid."
Jaune nodded, then left for the cafeteria.
…
…
"Oh Jaune, wait! One more thing!"
He turned to me with a raised eyebrow.
"…The roof of the dorms is not a private enough area for revealing secrets. Understand?"
I could from the look on his face he didn't get why I would say something like that, but he nodded nonetheless.
"I'll keep that in mind," he said.
I tipped my hat to him. He waved back and then left.
…
…
I sighed.
Well, hope that might've fixed things concerning Cardin. I'll find out sometime soon if it helped or not.
As for the girl advice, well…I hopefully pointed him in the right direction. At least, to those closest to him. If I just flat out said Pyrrha, I'd have to explain why. And I'm not supposed to know about all that.
So, I basically just hinted at someone in his group of friends, while both excluding Weiss and putting it in his head to not rush into it. Rushing something like this leads to trouble, after all.
All that's left is to let nature take its course. No more meddling. Either he and Pyrrha end up together, or Jaune ends up with someone else somehow…or, well, Jaune is still single for a little while longer. That last outcome wouldn't really bother me. Cause again, no need to rush things.
I reached into my pocket and pulled out the box of cigarettes I have on me.
…
…
Eh, one more couldn't hurt.
GRRRRRRRRRRRRRR.
Never mind, my stomach calls. And thanks to two certain team leaders, I'll have to go on an epic quest for sustenance.
I put the box away and made to stand-.
FRIEZA! FRIEZA! FRIEZA!
I sat back down. Once again, never mind.
That's my new ring tone for my scroll. It was another little gift that was there with all that music I found in that data drive weeks ago, albeit in a separate file labeled "Ring Tones". There was a lot, but I chose this one for the nostalgia.
The Frieza saga from DBZ Abridged was so long ago….
I would go on memory lane about the greatness of TeamFourStar, or even make note about what else I found on that data drive, but I should probably answer whoever's calling.
Putting the cigarette box away, I took out my scroll and put the scroll to my ear.
"Hello?"
"Hey, kid."
Ah, the resident drunk of Beacon.
"Hey, Qrow. Something up?"
"Well, I figured I'd give you a heads-up on something. Ice Queen's going ghost hunting."
"Why would Weiss do something like that?"
Ruby probably dragged her into it. Poor Weiss, lol.
"I mean Winter. You know, our 'boss'."
…Oh right, Qrow calls her Ice Queen too.
"Okay, why would Winter do something like that?"
"Look up the trending video on the DustTube."
DustTube…YouTube…get it? It's wordplay! Just like Alvin would say!
Shrugging, I extended my scroll, shrunk the phone screen, and looked up the trending section on DustTube. One video in particular caught my eye.
GHOST AT BEACON! HAUNTS BULLY'S ASSES!
And the thumbnail for the video? An image of Cardin being smacked in the face by an apparently floating fish.
"…Okay, we're apparently being haunted. Didn't think Winter would bother to-."
"Kid, you and I both know that was you."
"…Oh fine, guilty as charged."
"And Winter knows, too. So she's hunting you down."
…Oh…"ghost" hunting…I get it now.
"So I suggest you hide for a while, kid. Good luck."
He hung up.
Of course he leaves me out to dry. Typical.
…
…
I should probably follow his advice and hide.
I hightailed it out of there.
(Jaune POV)
Well…that was a lot to take in.
Seriously though, I screwed up any chance I had with Weiss from the very beginning? That just…sucks.
I sighed.
Oh well…Colt did say that there were other girls. And to be fair, there were. There just wasn't that many that I knew.
Ruby and her team, Pyrrha, Nora, and…well, I'm not sure I'd count that Velvet girl or her team leader Coco. Only RWBY has seen Velvet around whenever they talk with Violet, and those were few and far in between. My team and I never got the chance to see her except for…well, today, I guess, when Cardin and his team were messing with her….
And now I just realized we sat there while it happened. Great, now I feel guilty. And really glad Colt intervened when he did. Close call.
Anyway, as for Coco…well, we've never really seen her, obviously. Neither my team or Ruby's. But we've heard things, and it's no secret that Coco has some kind of interest in Colt. Which, now that I think about it, might not work out the way people are gossiping.
Still, I hear she's a persistent person, so…I don't know.
Point is, I doubt I have any chance with either Velvet or Coco. I hardly know either of them. Besides, a guy like me? Scoring an older girl? Only in my dreams, sadly.
Which only left the girls around me. Colt did say the 'right girl' is sometimes closer than you'd think.
…Well, Ruby is nice. She's socially awkward like me, probably more so since she preferred weapons over people. At least, she used to prefer it that way. Now, she kinda just hangs around with her team, myself, and mine. Even though she still spends a lot of time in the Forge. Not that there's anything wrong with that. She's just a weapons geek.
Now granted, she's two years younger than me, and some people might find a problem with that once I turn eighteen. I'd never do anything like that to Ruby, though. That's not who I am. Even so…she seems more like a friend to me. Hell, maybe even like a little sister. Plus, she doesn't strike me as someone looking for a relationship right now. Or even thinks about boys like normal girls tend to do. If anything, she only thinks of how cool weapons are.
Guess she's out.
Weiss…like I already said, I pretty much screwed myself there since the beginning. Plus, from what Colt told me, Weiss seemed like the type of person who gets a lot of "gentlemen callers" trying to woe her for her family name.
That's just not right. Sure, Weiss might be…difficult, at times, but she's a wonderful girl if you really get to know her. She's smart, beautiful, graceful, determined, confident, highly skilled, and a really good singer, judging from all those videos I found on DustTube about her concerts. She was perfect, really, despite her personality. I'd have liked to think I could get through that icy exterior and reach her heart, but I guess that was a pipe dream.
So yeah, Weiss is out, sadly.
Blake…I'll admit that she's a mysterious beauty. Piercing amber eyes that seemed cat-like, flowing raven hair, a cute bow that…now that I think about it, she could probably do without. Given my seven sisters, I unfortunately learned a thing or two about fashion. And that bow, despite being cute, didn't seem to fit with her clothes. Clothes that may have been…tight in the posterior area….
Okay, I may have looked. I-I'm a guy! Don't judge me!
Anyway, despite all that…just like Coco and Velvet, I hardly knew anything about her. Same for my team, or even Blake's. It's not because we hardly see her like the second year girls, though. She's just…quiet. She hardly has anything to say. Yang's usually the one to get her to say anything at all, and that's with either her terrible puns or her teasing of some of Blake's reading material.
Who knew Blake read smut?
She argues that it's creative literature, but…no, it's smut. Yang proved it by sneaking a book away and showing it to us, sans Ruby so that her innocence was protected. What we read left us red in the face for a solid couple of minutes. Creative literature, my butt.
Overall, I don't really know much about her. Just like with Coco and Velvet. So, I guess Blake's out, too.
Yang…okay, to get the obvious out of the way, Yang clearly doesn't have a problem showing off her…assets. I'll admit I looked a few times (again, I'm a guy, don't judge me!), and thank whatever deity there is she never noticed. A guy who tried to ask her out with his eyes clearly somewhere else got decked in the face and sent through the wall. I grew up real quick and stopped my staring.
God, I sound like a creep. Ugh….
A-Anyway, Yang is literally the opposite of Blake. She's very open and boisterous, especially when it came to her terrible puns. She claims we just don't have a sense of humor, but…no, she just sucks with her puns. Waving blonde hair, lilac eyes that turned red when angry, and a killer figure that made guys drool and girls jealous. She really was a blonde bombshell.
I could try to ask her out, but I get the feeling that would end the same way it did with Weiss, albeit in a nicer way. Besides, I'm pretty sure she sees me only as a friend. And…I guess I'd say the same.
So, I guess not her.
And now for the girls on my team.
…Well, Nora was obviously out.
Don't get me wrong, she's pretty in her own right. And her bouncy personality was really out there, much more than Yang's surprisingly, even though it was a bit much at times. Still, she was someone you'd want as a friend. Maybe even a girlfriend.
But…yeah, I don't care what Nora says. There's clearly something there between her and Ren. Her constant corrections of them not being "together-together" kinda hint at it. Maybe it's one-sided. Maybe they don't even realize it. Or maybe they just don't want to risk their friendship. Not really sure which.
Besides…I don't think I have the same patience as Ren to be able to deal with Nora all the time. Not that I wouldn't be willing to try, mind you. Even so, I kinda see her as a friend.
Either way, Nora's out.
And now Pyr-.
THUNK!
"Ow!"
Damn it. Wasn't paying attention to where I was going and walked into the cafeteria door. Good job, Jaune. Ugh.
I pushed the door open and stepped inside.
Now, where was I?
Oh right, Pyrrha.
…
…
Honestly, Pyrrha is one of the nicest people I've ever met. She's smart, beautiful now that I think about it, and really strong and skilled. Better than Yang, even. Being a four time champion will do that, apparently.
She's been a great partner since Initiation, really reliable. One time when my team and I went out to the city on a sort of "team bonding mission", I was…airsick…again….
It's a common problem! Really!
Anyway, Pyrrha was there to help me get through that nauseous ride. She rubbed her fingers on my back in little circles, like how one would massage the knot out of a person's back. It actually helped, at least calming my stomach enough to not puke during the ride.
So really…like Weiss, Pyrrha's an amazing person.
…
…
Huh...maybe I should've-?
"FEARLESS LEADER!"
Well crap, here comes Nor- AGH, BONE CRUSHING HUG!
"What happened?! Were you interrogated?! Did he use immoral interrogation tactics like those bad cops on TV shows?! If so, I'll break his legs!"
"Nora."
"Yes, Ren?"
"He can't breathe."
"R-Remember me…f-for who I was…blaaarrrgh."
Nora quickly let go. "Whoopsie! Sorry."
Oh sweet, delicious air!
I panted heavily. "T-Thanks, Ren."
"No problem. This happens a lot."
"T-To other people, or you?"
"Yes."
"Which is i-?"
"Yes."
…Okay then.
Pyrrha walked up to me with a worried look. "Are you okay though, Jaune?"
"Eh, it's just Nora."
"That's not what I meant."
…Oh, right.
"It's fine," I waved them off. "Colt just wanted to talk. Gave me some advice, is all."
"Ooooh, what kind of advice?" Nora asked. "Something juicy?"
I shook my head. "Not really. He just…gave me a lot to think about. It's nothing to worry about, really."
Pyrrha hummed. "If you say so."
"Oh, fearless leader!" Nora grabbed my arm. "We got a new seatmate!"
Wait, wha- whoa!
Nora dragged me over. "Say hello to Velvet! She's gonna let me pet her cute bunny ears, later!"
Oh, Velvet's here now. Cool. Also, poor her. She made a mistake to promise Nora that.
"Hey Velvet. I'm Jaune."
She waved meekly back. "H-Hi Jaune."
…Huh, now that I think about it, guess the others and I might get to know her after all. If she decides to keep sitting with us. And to be fair, she was kinda cute.
"Oh, and Weiss invited her over!" Nora exclaimed.
Wait, really?
"That's a surprise," I said aloud.
"Why is everyone surprised by that?!"
"Because it's you."
"I will hose you, Xiao Long!"
"Really? Let me get a white t-shirt first."
"Damn it, Yang!"
"SWEAR!"
"Not now, Ruby!"
Blake just smirked at the general chaos of her team and kept reading her book….
Oh hey, it's not the smut one. Neat.
I sat down across RWBY with my team, Pyrrha next to me with an amused smile, which I returned….
Eh, maybe I shouldn't be in a rush to get a girlfriend. Not right now, at least.
Or…maybe I've been asking the wrong person. Not that there's anything wrong with Weiss, her personality notwithstanding. Still….
Eh, I can think about this after I fix my problem with Cardin and figure out how to tell my friends about…well, my little secret. If I even find the courage to do so.
Besides, I'm suddenly not in that big of a hurry to get a girlfriend. Not right this instant, anyway. Guess Colt's right.
Best not to rush things.
"Hey Weiss, isn't that your sister?"
I blinked when Ruby said that and, like my friends, turned to find Weiss' older sister heading towards us.
Huh…wonder what she wants?
(Winter POV)
Ah. The cafeteria. Where the scene of the crime is. I'm sure Qrow would say I'm over-exaggerating about this being a crime, but Colt's vigilante actions will not be shrugged off nor go unpunished.
The security detail stationed at Beacon has a sense of professionalism to maintain. Vigilante actions from within will not be tolerated. Regardless of why such actions were deemed necessary. Which they weren't, in my opinion.
Now then, where is my sister and her team?
…Ah, there they are. With another team I often see them with. Team JNPR.
"Winter?" I heard my sister ask as I approached.
"Hello, Weiss. How are you?"
"I'm doing well, actually. You?"
"It depends…have any of you seen Colt?"
That drew many raised eyebrows from the two teams.
"W-Why are you looking for Colt?"
Ah, Velvet Scarlatina. So she is sitting with Weiss and her friends, then.
"I simply need to have words with him about using his position on the detail for vigilante actions."
The blonde girl, Yang Xiao Long, I believe, raised an eyebrow. "Vigilante actions? Isn't that exaggerating a bit?"
And like that, she's proven she truly is Qrow's niece. Wonderful.
"You clearly wouldn't understand that the detail must maintain an image of professionalism, honor, and dignity."
"My uncle drinks on school grounds. In public, I might add. That image of yours isn't as grand as you're making it."
"He has been made aware that he needs to cease with his drinking on Beacon property."
"And how'd he respond?"
"…He downed his whole flask in front of me."
Weiss' partner, Ruby Rose, giggled. "Yeah, that's our uncle."
Yes, well, your uncle will get my blade through his gut If he keeps on with his irresponsible behavior. And no, I'm not joking. Drunken bastard has it coming.
"In any case," I said. "Colt's actions do not represent the detail as a whole, and they need reprimanding. Now, if one of you could tell me where he is, I can be on my way."
The one with the bow, Blake Belladonna, looked up from her book. "What makes you think any of us would know where he is?"
"Because out of all the students in this school, he only knows you nine. As well as Velvet's team."
"…She has a point," Ruby admitted.
"Given that," I continued. "It is most likely he has interacted with one or all of you for at least a short time before leaving. Am I incorrect in thinking so?"
Silence reigned.
…
…
"YOU'LL NEVER TAKE US ALIVE!" The hyper one, Nora Valkyrie, shouted overdramatically.
She leaped off her seat and attempted to make a run for it-.
BAM.
"Ack!"
-only to run face first into a glyph I made.
Her partner, Lie Ren, sighed. "Nora, that line doesn't even work in this situation."
I disengaged the glyph as the Valkyrie sat back down with a slump.
"E-Excuse me, Weiss' sister?" Ruby spoke hesitantly. "Don't you think you're being a little unfair to Colt?"
"Firstly, Ruby Rose, you may refer to me as Winter."
"O-Oh…w-well, you can just call me Ruby. Instead of, well, my whole name."
"I suppose that's only fair. Now then, secondly, how is it that I am being unfair to Colt?"
"W-Well," she stuttered, poking her index fingers together. "Colt was only stopping Team CRDL's bullying of Velvet."
I glanced at the girl in question, who shrunk in on herself, rabbit ears drooping.
"That may be the case," I admitted. "And rest assured, Team CRDL will be reprimanded and punished accordingly."
I gave a nod to Velvet, who looked relieved yet…there was some conflict there. Perhaps she fears retaliation from CRDL for this? If so, she won't have to worry. I'll make sure to personally drill it into those hooligan's thick skulls to cease their cruel actions….
That, or I'll just sic Vert on them. Though some would probably argue that it would be a punishment too cruel for even the vilest of people…my father being an exception, in my opinion.
"What the hell?!"
"BOXING GLOVE ARROW!"
POW!
"ACK!
…Heh. I would certainly like to witness such a spectacle….
Blast, I went off topic there. I feel like I got that from someone, but I can't figure out who.
"However," I continued. "Colt did not need to resort to such childish antics. His mere presence would have defused the situation. Instead, he chose to pull pranks on the team, practically assaulting them."
Nora raised a finger. "All he did was kick Dove's butt once. Is that really assault?"
"He also slapped all four students with a large fish and threw soda cans, which weren't even opened, at them. Put all that together with the official and legal definition of the term, and you've got a rather nasty headline. 'Beacon Employee Assaults Student'. Sounds terrible, doesn't it?"
…
…
"Not to seem impolite," Pyrrha finally said. "But I believe you're making this into a bigger deal than it really is."
"No, I am reacting accordingly to the situation at hand."
"There's not really a 'situation'," Nora argued. "You're just making it into one. Besides, it's not like anyone will rat Colt out."
"I will not be lectured by someone who tried to make a run for it when questioned, and I cannot take that chance. Now, if one of you can save time and reveal Colt's whereabouts, it would be most appreciated."
I gave each of them a hard stare. Blake, Yang, Weiss, Nora, Ren, and Pyrrha seemed unaffected by it, so they likely don't know where Colt is. Ruby seemed nervous, though she said nothing.
Yet the Arc boy…he was even more nervous than Ruby. And was trying rather valiantly to not look me in the eye.
"Jaune Arc, was it?"
He flinched. "U-Um, y-yeah? S-Short, s-sweet, r-rolls off the tong-."
"Save your one-liners, Mr. Arc. Do you have something you wish to share with me?"
"U-Um…n-no?"
"You phrased that as a question."
He clammed up after that, but I kept my stare on him. He knows something, and he seemed the most likely to crack under pressure. So if I kept up my intensity, he'll most certainly talk.
He broke into a nervous sweat.
I narrowed my eyes.
He shook a little.
My gaze intensified.
…
…
"H-HE WAS AT THE BEACON STATUE WHEN I LAST SAW HIM!"
There it is.
"Is he still there?"
"I-I don't know, I swear!"
…I gave a small and grateful smile. "Thank you, Mr. Arc. You've been most helpful."
I nodded to the two teams. "Enjoy the rest of your day."
I left them to their lunch….
"W-Weiss? You're sister is scary."
"I heard that, Mr. Arc," I made sure to say aloud.
A meep was heard. Amusing.
I exited the cafeteria, a frown now marring my face.
So he was in the Beacon Courtyard. I suppose I can check their real quick, but it's highly doubtful he's still there….
I could just as easily call Colt, now that I think about it. But something tells me he won't exactly be cooperative. A gut feeling, really.
Hmm….
I'll give him a call once I confirm he's not in the Beacon Courtyard. Besides, it's only a matter of time before I find him.
He can't have gotten far.
(My POV)
Run, Colt, Run! Channel your inner Yachirobe!
"Running, running, running, running, running!"
Heh, nailed it.
Wait, why am I running? I haven't seen Winter at all, yet.
I came to a screeching halt…in front of the camera room.
…
…
Wow, I was not pay attention to where I was going. And now that I think about it, I vaguely recall some people shouting at me to watch where I was going….
Oh well. May as well hide in here.
I quickly opened the door and stepped inside, closing it afterwards and looking out the window.
Once again, no Winter.
"Hey Colt."
I blinked and turned….
Right, forgot she was assigned here.
"Hey Amber."
She tilted her head with a smirk. "You look like you're hiding from something…or maybe someone."
…Ugh.
"The whole detail knows, don't they?"
"Yeah. Qrow likes to talk."
Damn it, Qrow.
"We actually have a betting pool on how long it takes for Winter to catch you."
What is it with people and betting pools?!
"I have half an hour."
I deadpanned. "No faith in me, whatsoever, huh?"
She giggled a little.
Again, ugh….
"Well," I said. "I'm gonna hide in here, if you don't mind."
"Sure, go ahead."
"…And don't rat me out to Winter just to win a bet!"
She put away her scroll with a huff. "You're no fun."
Rolling my eyes, I peeked out the window again.
"Why are you even looking out there? You can just look at the video screens."
I blinked.
…
…
I coughed awkwardly. "R-Right."
Ignoring her giggling at my expense, I looked at the many video screens.
Let's see….
Ah, there's Winter. In the Beacon Courtyard…near the Beacon statue…which is where I was just at….
Fuck, she's on my trail.
No, wait…I didn't leave a trail. I was there, sure, but there's no evidence as to which direction I went to afterward.
I'm good for now.
Winter took something out from her coat. She fiddled with it before putting it to her ear.
FRIEZA! FRIEZA! FRIEZA!
I took out my scroll to find Winter calling….
Oh, that was her scroll she took out.
"Someone's in trouble~."
I glared at Amber before answering my scroll.
"Hey, Winter."
"Ah, Colt. I've been looking for you. I need to speak to you. In person, preferably."
"…What about?"
"I simply feel the need to go over what exactly your job duty entails, is all."
"Oh really? And here I thought it might be about what happened in the cafeteria."
"…Colt, it's best you come quietly."
"You say that like I'm a criminal on the run."
"You technically are."
"I didn't do nothing."
"Your vigilante actions say otherwise."
"Vigilante wha- that is completely ridiculous!"
"Oh really? You abused your job title by pulling such childish antics on a team of students, one of whom you quite literally assaulted."
"It was just one kick! On the behind, no less!"
"You also slapped all four of them with a large fish and threw unopened soda cans at them."
"…I think you're blowing this out of proportion."
"I am approaching this matter with the appropriate amount of seriousness, Colt. Now kindly turn yourself in so that I may deliver swift punishment."
"Can't you word that differently so it doesn't sound so bad?"
"No."
Damn it.
…
…
"Is there any way we can just forget all this and move on with our lives?"
"Colt, you do not want me hunting you down. I have a history of finding high value targets. And I've gained the skills necessary to do so. Finding a farmer turned security guard will be a simple matter."
"I still think you're making this a bigger deal than it really is."
"I'm sure you do. Now, will you surrender? Or shall I begin the hunt?"
Again, she could really word that differently….
"Bzzt. Uh oh-, bzzt. Losing sig- bzzt. Need- bzzt, go- bzzt, bzzt, bzzzzzz-."
"Colt," she deadpanned. "That's not how losing signal works."
…
…
"Kaythanksbye!"
I hung up.
…Yeah, I'm paying for that later.
"You realize she's gonna kill you, right?"
"Yeah, I know."
"…So how do you think she plans on finding you?"
Amber's scroll rang suddenly.
She blinked, then took it out to see who was calling.
"…Never mind, I think I know how."
She answered it, putting it on speaker.
"Hey Winter."
"Hello Amber. I require your assistance for a manhunt."
Again, she makes it sound so bad.
"I want you to search the cameras to see if Colt appears on any of them."
…Gained skills, my ass! She's fucking cheating!
Amber tilted her head. "Any reason why?"
"He's resisting arrest."
Motherfu-!
"This is about the Beacon Ghost Incident, isn't it?" Amber asked in an amused tone.
And now it's an official event in Beacon history. Great.
"Indeed. If you see him, you are to report his location to me immediately. Is that understood?"
Amber glanced in my direction. I waved my arms about in an attempt to convey that she not tell her I was there.
She seemed to think about it, tapping her chin mockingly.
"Amber?"
I pretty much silently begged now, on my knees and my hands clapped together.
"…Well, now that you mention it, one of the cameras shows him hanging around in the library. In a secluded corner, if I'm looking right."
She gave me a wink afterwards.
Oh thank god.
"Thank you, Amber. I'll head there immediately. Be sure to inform me if he moves."
"Will do. Good hunting, Winter."
Seriously?!
She hung up her scroll, giggling at the look I gave her.
"Sorry. Couldn't help it."
I groaned. "Well…thanks, anyway."
"No problem…but now you owe me one. And I'd like to collect."
Ugh, figures.
"Fine," I sighed. "What do you want?"
…
…
She suddenly grabbed me by the collar and pulled me up close, making us face to face.
"Get. Me. Out. Of. Here."
I blinked.
Wait, what?
"I beg your pardon?" I asked aloud.
"I've literally been stuck in this academy for over a month, now. As in, I haven't been allowed to leave the school grounds at all! And no, that time in the Emerald Forest during Initiation doesn't count."
Oh….
"I mean," I started. "There's a reason why you're being kept here-."
"Does that seem fair to you?"
Huh?
Amber frowned. "Look…I haven't forgotten how I was attacked…twice, I might add. And I know they're just trying to keep me safe."
"But," she continued. "I can't just be kept cooped up here at Beacon. I've been so used to traveling on my own ever since I became the Fall Maiden, with the occasional meetup with Qrow, Glynda, or Ozpin. Staying here for a month may not seem like much. But for me, it's eating me alive. Any longer, and I might just consider this place my prison."
…Wow…I mean, when she puts it like that….
Goddamn it, I'm an idiot. Why didn't I see this sooner? It's not like I wanted her to basically be trapped here forever. And now that I think about it, I haven't seen her leave or make mention that she's ever left Beacon for any reason.
"So that's why I want to leave," she sighed. "It doesn't even have to be for long. Just a couple of hours, at least. I don't care what we do, as long as it's takes place somewhere other than here."
I took a moment to consider everything she said.
…
…
"Fine."
Amber blinked. "Fine?"
"Fine," I repeated. "I'll take you out to the city or something."
"…J-Just the two of us?"
I shrugged. "If you want, sure."
"Yes! I-I mean…yes, I'd like that."
I smiled. "Alright. Just tell me when."
Amber pursed her lips….
"Now."
"Now?"
"Now," she repeated. "It's as good a time as any."
"I'm being hunted by Winter. How is now a good time?"
"Well, you're trying to hide from her, right? Since she's looking for you here, why not hide in the city?"
…Can't really fault that logic.
"That's assuming she doesn't realize we've left Beacon," I stated.
Amber frowned. "Yeah."
Yeah is right. We would need someone to distract Winter.
…
…
Amber's face lit up. "We could have Qrow pick a fight with her! That'll keep her busy!"
I deadpanned. "We're trying to distract her. Not destroy the school."
She huffed. "Okay, Mr. I-know-everything. What do you suggest?"
I pursed my lips in thought….
"Neo. Neo can distract her."
Now Amber deadpanned. "What was that you were saying about not trying to destroy the school?"
"One: I never said I wasn't a hypocrite at times. Two: Neo can disguise herself."
…Amber grinned. "That's genius!"
She stopped. "Wait, can she really disguise herself to look like you?"
"That, or she can make a glass image of me or something. Either way, it's the best idea. Qrow would just instigate a fight in a minute. Neo…she won't do that right away. I hope, anyway."
I still don't know who antagonizes Winter more: Qrow or Neo?
In this case, I'm hoping it's not Neo.
"Alright, I'll just stop my room real quick and call Neo on the way. Meet me at the docking area?"
Amber beamed. "It's a date."
…
…
We both suddenly turned red.
"I-I mean," she amended. "N-Not an actual date."
"R-Right!" I quickly agreed. "J-Just two good friends h-hanging out."
"T-Totally."
…It was at this point that we realized that we were still extremely close to each other the entire time we've been talking.
Amber quickly let me go, and I backed up a bit.
"S-So, um…I-I'll just h-head to my room, then."
"R-Right. S-See you in a bit."
I nodded and quickly turned-.
BAM.
"Ack!"
-only to smack my face into the door.
I gave a sheepish smile. "U-Um, s-see you in a bit."
I quickly opened the door, stepped out, and closed it, rubbing my nose.
Fuck, that hurt.
(Amber POV)
I giggled a little despite the awkwardness just now. Poor Colt.
…
…
Oh god, I'm technically going on a date with Colt.
I quickly stood up. "M-Maybe I should f-freshen up or something?"
J-Just so I don't look off. N-Not for any other reason. C-Certainly not to look good for Colt. It's perfectly natural for a woman to look pretty when she goes out. It's just a coincidence that I happen to be going out with a handsome man….
Damn it, why did I phrase it like that?
"I-I'll just…get to my room, now."
A/N: ….Well…I certainly didn't see that coming.
That was some grade A advice there. I'm sure it'll all turn out great for Jaune.
Winter continues her hunt. You all decide. Is she blowing this out of proportion, or is she responding appropriately?
And now Colt and Amber will go to the city…just them…kinda like a da-.
Colt and Amber: IT'S NOT A DATE!
Keep telling yourselves that. In any case, I'm sure it'll go well. There's a lot to do in the city. Maybe they'll get lucky and find a carnival or something. Or it could just be a simple movie/dinner deal. Or perhaps they'll go to the Club? I'm sure it's been fixed by now, right? There's a lot they could do, really, besides the usual cliché stuff.
I'll think of something.
Now then…I believe I had another omake planned involving another popular work by a famous fanfic author?
Omake: A Meeting of Two Stories II
Violet slowly walked the halls of Beacon, wearing her hall monitor attire, taser and baton out.
She was on the hunt for a meanie who dared mouth out such blasphemous rhetoric. Well, she'd certainly show her! All she had to do was find the older girl and capture her. And if her information was correct, she would be hidden somewhere in the library.
Tiptoeing towards the door, Violet slowly pushed open the entrance to the library and stepped inside.
No sign of the heretic, yet. Perhaps she was in one of the aisles?
Slowly moving towards the rows of books, Violet peeked down each aisle. She either found no one there, or just some random student.
It wasn't until she peeked down the fifth aisle did she find her quarry.
"Target found. Preparing to inca…incap…um…incapacitate? Yeah, that's the word."
Violet moved her back against a row of books and slowly slid towards the older girl, who was too distracted by a book she was reading.
She readied her taser and baton.
…
…
Violet leaped towards the older girl, taser stretched out.
She fell through the older girl, as though it had been an illusion.
"What the-?"
She couldn't finish her question, for chains had suddenly wrapped around her, binding her arms and legs together.
She fell. "Oof!"
The older girl suddenly materialized behind Violet, a smirk on her dark skinned face and crimson eyes filled with mirth.
"Did you really think you could sneak up on me?"
"Grr, I'll get you, you heretic!"
"Are you still mad about what I said earlier?"
"Your mouth spews nothing but lies!"
"All I said was that your dad couldn't compare to my d- Jaune. T-To Jaune."
"Blasphemy! I will avenge my daddy's honor, Emerald Sustrai!"
Violet struggled in vain against the chain of Emerald's weapon.
"You're not getting out of that unless I let you out."
"Just wait! I'm very nimble!"
She struggled some more.
Meanwhile, watching all this from the end of the aisle, were the fathers of the two girls.
Colt stared. "…It's really weird seeing a young Emerald acting like this."
Jaune Ashari scoffed. "You think that's bad? Try raising her for a good few years. It's been weird, let me tell ya."
"Still…choosing to raise her so that she doesn't end up with Cinder. That's smart…wish I had thought of that when I first got on Remnant."
Jaune smiled. "Yeah…but now I consider her like my actual daughter."
Colt couldn't help but smile. "Yeah…same for me with Violet."
"MY DADDY COULD TOTALLY KICK YOUR DADDY'S BUTT!"
"Pfft, yeah right! Jaune's actually killed people, kid. Your dad would be dead in less than a minute."
The two girls continued to argue with themselves.
…
…
"I could totally kick your ass," Colt said. "Just saying."
Jaune scoffed. "Please. I have so many tricks up my sleeve. I'd take you down in a flash."
"I was trained by Vert Bowman."
"I don't know who that is."
"Be glad you don't. He'd most definitely kick your ass. And he's 75."
"Whatever. I could take you."
"Wanna bet?"
Colt and Jaune slowly reached for their weapons.
What followed was The Great Battle of the Fathers. Many books were lost that day, and the librarian did much screaming. No one knows who won the fight because a large aisle of books fell on both combatants. Only one thing mattered in the end, though.
…
…
Violet managed to tase Emerald while she was distracted by the epic fight.
"Hah! Got you!"
"No fair!"
A/N: And there you go….
In all honesty, who would win? Colt or Relic! Jaune? Feel free to comment.
Anyway, that's all for this installment. I've got some sleep to get to. Decided to stay up rather late to get this done, but it was worth it.
If you liked what you read and want to be kept up to date, be sure to follow and fav the story. Leave a review while you're at it. I'd love to hear from you all.
Review responses will be at the bottom. They will be removed in the next next chapter.
See you in the next update.
LATERS!
Perfect 10 Review Response
Starlight's Poet: Thanks. I appreciate it. And yeah, college is confusing at times. You'll find out in the future, should you ever deal with it.
Ragnarok16: Why not go with "poor, lucky bastard"?
Artyom-Dreizehn: Thanks! I appreciate it. The references will grow strong. And yeah, I'll try to update more frequently.
Fire W0lf: Thanks, man. That really helps lift my spirits. Glad you enjoyed the chapter. And thank you for being so patient.
Quimsical One: Don't worry. This story will never die. And I saw what you did there. My turn, indeed.
KnightOfZaku: DUCKTALES! WHOHOO! Sorry, couldn't resist. But yeah, an update at last! Yeah, Velvet will have quite the time once Violet and Coco get on her case. And yes, the meeting of Colt and the Schnee family will happen sometime soon. Might even be sooner than you think. :v
OBSERVER01: Glad to be back. Eeyup, Neo is quite the tease. And yeah, things should hopefully pan out well for Jaune. Winter is Ghostbuster material, lol. And yeah, poor Colt. Or lucky bastard, depending on one's viewpoint. For the record, he only met the daughter of Salem, not Salem herself. Just clarifying. But yeah, Salem would definitely corrupt Violet's innocent mind. :v
Gizmo Gear: There probably won't be, unfortunately. You'll just have to use your imagination. And thanks, I do feel better. Yeah, Winter seems to be making this into a bigger deal than necessary, especially in this chapter. And Colt…he's not that much of a doormat. And he kinda needs that patience so he doesn't go insane. Not that he won't finally say enough is enough, of course. It'll just…take a bit to get him to bother. And sure, I'll keep that in mind.
Dharshan: Wow, you must have really enjoyed it to have read it all in over a day. Yeah, I try my best to make this a good self-insert. And yeah, it is amusing. A harem fic when I'm so against it. Then again, I recently posted a harem fic for Monster Musume, so I guess I'm lightening up a bit.
Captain Price: Ah, this review might just be my favorite. You're one of the few that provides such insight. Yeah, Colt's life has certainly become interesting. Comparing Colt to Star Lord? Now that's amusing. Jaune will certainly turn out different thanks to some intervention from Colt. And yeah, it would be a nice little character development if I (Colt) stopped disliking Yang and managed to be friends with her. Ah yes, putting in my own sense of humor. I admit, I may be relying to heavily on the references and trolling and such, but it's a rather hard habit to shake. Besides, not like I'm overusing them. They're sprinkled here and there. But yeah, I see your point. And…yeah, I tend to repeat words. I admit that my vocabulary isn't that varied. I know a lot of words, sure, but sometimes I rely on repeats in order to move on. I'll try to fix that in time. And the paragraphs…yup, I definitely see what you're saying there. I'll see about fixing that as well for future chapters. Thanks for your review!