Pardon our grammar.

Chapter 14:

Lunch was something everyone looks forward to, for different reasons.

For Blake, the fish sandwiches and filets are something to die for. She never had this sort of high-quality meal back at Menagerie or during her time in the White Fang. Her partner, Weiss, found lunchtime to be the proper time to take her mind off of their workload and simply enjoy a decent meal.

As for Ruby, lunchtime has become her favorite time to show off her weapon diagrams and blueprints to Jaune.

"After seeing what you can do with Dust, I talked with Professor Goodwitch about her weapon and how she conducts her semblance through it." Ruby skimmed through her binder and spilled out numerous sketches. "So, I came up with a conductor's baton hybrid flute. Actually, maybe the tin whistle would be better suited for that. Yes, I researched this part, Yang, and I am proud of it."

"It does look interesting and useful." Jaune picked up one of the sketches and nodded. He may not have taken conducting lessons before, but he can still look like he's conducting and effectively control Dust without it.

He has great control over Dust, but it would be great if he can move Dust around smoothly like a conductor, controlling its flow. To others, it looks like he already achieved a great deal in Dust manipulation. However, he still has a lot to work on, and it would be great if he could find something to channel Dust with for better control.

"Don't tell me you guys are going to make multiple weapons for each of music boy's instruments." If it weren't already bad enough, Yang will have to keep Ruby in line before she goes completely off the roof in weapon making.

Like how she went overboard with Crescent Rose.

"Nah. I think one would –"

"Yes, we are." This is possibly a onetime opportunity to conduct weapon building experiment, and Ruby was not going to let it slip away from her. "Jaune doesn't have a proper weapon right now. He needs one, Yang. All of them."

"I won't argue with that." Yang glanced at everyone around the table. "No one does. I'm just a bit worried that you'll overwork yourself."

"He needs weapons." Ruby flatly replied, ignoring Jaune's assurance that she doesn't have to go that far. "His guitar, lute, ocarina, tin whistle, flute, and lyre. Not sure about his sound synthesizer scroll."

"I compose and remix music with my synthesizer more than using it in a fight," Jaune confirmed, though he can use it just like that to some degree. "And you don't have to go through all that trouble. Just one is fine."

Ruby firmly crossed her arms. "One is not enough. You're missing out a large part of yourself without weaponized versions of your musical instruments."

"Wouldn't too much weight him down?" Weiss countered, deciding to support her team leader a bit on the matter. "Not to mention high upkeeps if his weapons become too complex or demanding."

"Maybe." She'll have to concede to Weiss on those points. "I still think it wouldn't hurt to try at least two of them."

"I'm happy that everyone, especially Ruby, is concern about my safety and wellbeing, but I've been able to get around with my musical instruments for years now. And I do know hand-to-hand combat, a bit." Jaune finished consuming his Grimm shaped chicken nuggets and wiped his mouth with a napkin. "Ruby, this weapon matter doesn't have to be too urgent. Don't push yourself too hard, focus on your schoolwork and life first."

Yang shot finger guns at him. "Exactly."

"It is urgent." Ruby pouted.

"More urgent than homework?"

"… We need more free time."

"Speaking of free time." Pyrrha joined in on the conversation. "We have self-directed sparring at 5 pm. Do we have anything we want to go over?"

Jaune tapped the table. "I did want to try sparring with one of you guys today."

"How about a spar with me?"

"Sure." Jaune and Pyrrha fist-bumped each other, confirming their sparring arrangement for the evening. "Don't go easy on me."

"I wouldn't dare."

Nora slammed her palm onto her the table. "Guys! I have a story to tell you! So, there we were… In the middle of the night…"

"It was day." Ren monotonously corrected her.

"We were surrounded by Ursai."

"They were Beowolves."

Everyone somewhat listened in on Nora's story. Yang appeared to be more intrigued by it the most based on her facial expression. But along Nora's storytelling, Jaune felt a mischievous tune coming from his left side. Four tunes, one of them playing the lead.

Cardin and his teammates were making their way towards a lone rabbit faunus girl, most likely intending to bug her.

Jaune narrowed his eyes and took out his tin whistle from his inner vest pocket. "Sorry about this. You guys might want to cover your ears."

His friends did what they are told upon seeing his no longer carefree expression. Blake in particular, sneakily patted her head to put down her hidden faunus ears before covering her human ears. Hang on, does that mean she could hear double the amount?

He mentally shrugged and blew a sharp tune that could be heard throughout the entire cafeteria. Everyone flinched as the sharp sound startled them and turned their attention to the source of the sound.

Among them was one that was more annoyed than Cardin himself, who was shooting daggers at him.

"What was that for?" Nora whispered to Ren, still having his ears closed off.

Jaune sheepishly shook his tin whistle and addressed the people around him. "Sorry about that! Tin whistle needs maintenance." He shook his musical instrument, pretending to see if there's anything loose before getting up from his seat. "Need to check on this. Sorry again! Be right back, you guys."

He winked at his friends and exited the cafeteria.

"Uh…"

His friends were slightly confused by the abrupt events until they saw Cardin trailing after Jaune. The large teenager had switched target from the rabbit faunus to the Jaune, in favor of getting back at the quirky blondie that humiliated him during sparring today.

"Let's help Jauney boy with his problems."

Some of Jaune's teammates and friends were about to get up from their seats, ready to go after Team CRDL.

"I'm going after them," Pyrrha said.

"Same."

Yang stopped them. "Wait, I think Jaune had something planned for those guys. He gave us that knowing wink for a reason."

"But…"

"Well. I suppose we could try putting our trust in his judgment and decision."

"What do you think he's going to do?"

/-/

Cardin and his cronies spotted Jaune down the hallway, near a turn down another corridor.

"Hey Jauney, boy! Wait up!" Cardin shouted, jogging towards the blond boy.

But Jaune didn't seem to hear him and instead, started playing Forest Maze – Super Mario RPG as he turned into the corridor.

"After him!"

Team CRDL sprinted and turned at the corridor, discovering that Jaune had already turned down another corner.

"He's fast."

"But stupid. The dumbo is leading us straight to him."

"This song is really starting to get on my nerve."

"I'll break his stupid flute thing when we're there."

The music started to get louder once Team CRDL managed to pick up the pace. However, they were never able to catch a glimpse of the quirky blond boy and had to rely on their hearing to pursue him. The music was at its loudest, and therefore, the closest when they encountered a doorway on the side of the hallway.

"In there!" Cardin pointed at a doorway. He cracked his knuckles, looking very sure of himself and was about to push open the door until he heard someone cough behind him. He sneered and turned around, finding three girls and several other bystanders staring at them. "Can I help you?"

One of the girls pointed at the sign.

Girl's Bathroom.

Team CRDL felt their face flushing.

"Oh."

They stumbled back and nervously chuckled, rubbing the back of their heads in embarrassment. Fortunately, their saving grace was that the Boy's Bathroom is a few meters away and could act as a reasonable excuse as to why they were about to enter the Girl's Bathroom.

"Our bad." Cardin apologizes, quickly shoving his entire team to the Boy's Bathroom.

/-/

Jaune chuckled to himself while twirling his tin whistle, heading back to the cafeteria. Warping Team CRDL perception was a testimony to his abilities to influence things. He doesn't often use it because of ethics, but when he does get to use it. It's often for a good reason or cause.

And most of the time, it's very amusing to do.

Hopefully, they'll rethink their actions.

Pardon our grammar.