Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.
Finding the Clues - 04
Summer woke up as soon as the alarm in her scroll rang.
It was eight in the morning, the sunlight shone through the curtain for some time. She got up, did some stretching to tell her muscle get ready for the new day.
Footsteps were heard from outside.
As Summer watched behind the window frame, she saw the tall figure of her apprentice jogging around the yard, drenched with sweat in his tracksuit and chestplate armor. Jaune must have been doing the same activity since the early light of morning. What a hardworking young man.
And it wasn't just him.
"Bark!"
Zwei was following behind, her little battle corgi actually joined him in the exercise. Hm? That was strange. Zwei seemed slow and he was trying to catch up with Jaune's speed? Shouldn't it be the other way around?
Summer opened the window and let the fresh air in as she continued to watch them.
Jaune tapped his hand to a tree once the last lap ended and took a deep breath. That boy turned to Zwei with a grin. He sounded like someone who won first in a race.
"What's wrong? Are you tired already?" He patted on Zwei's head. "I guess even a battle corgi couldn't help it if he had to make thirty laps around here huh. Well, I'm not! This is nothing compared to Beacon campus."
Victory laugh inserted here.
"Bark!" The corgi lost this battle her apprentice made up, yet Zwei looked anything but sad. Still the long tongue sticking out in a playful manner.
"How about this?" Jaune seemed to think of a new challenge, for Zwei and for himself. He pointed at Crocea Mors leaning against the fence. It was only ten steps away. "Whoever makes it to my sword in the shortest time get to order the other to do one thing for them."
Oh! That sounded very fun and tempting! Just like those time when team STQK was challenged by the other teams. The glorious golden age of Beacon.
"Alright. Get set." Jaune set the timer on his scroll. "Go!"
Before her apprentice even pushed his feet against the ground, piles of earth punched him in the face. The air next to him burst like a mini bomb just detonated. Zwei launched forward like an arrow.
As Jaune wiped the grass, Zwei already got Crocea Mors in between his teeth. Sapphires twitched as the corgi dropped the sword next to him, handle damped with drool. And the source that made those sticky liquid was licking his cheek.
"Bark!"
(Try harder next time, pal!) That might have been what he meant.
Summer chuckled at the sight. She got it now. Zwei had been going easy on her apprentice. Jaune made a mistake to underestimate the Xiao Long-Rose family's pet.
Before she became an instructor at Beacon, Zwei had been her one and only companion as they traveled across Remnant after all.
White cloak spread and gently wrapped around her form. Summer fixed the corset on her attire and ready to head downstairs.
But that was not the end of her morning routine.
On the nightstand stood some picture frames, she picked one and fondly recalled one of the best memories she had ever shared with her little family all those years ago.
Ruby, who loved her hand-made cookies so much, couldn't stop reaching to the plate.
Her late husband Tai were doing best as he could to distract their two years old daughter with a story book.
And little Yang, who always called her Supermom, made a toothy smile at the camera.
Summer held onto another picture. It was the one with the broken frame Jaune found in the artic. She had yet to find a replacement.
Summer used to think all these wonderful memories were all that left. Now, there was another thing she could hold onto to remember them.
A day had gone by since she found the rose pot. Tai's gift to Ruby. It was kept in the backyard of the house, where it would be taken good care of. After three weeks break was over, Summer would bring it with her and place the pot inside her office at Beacon.
As for the next clue, her apprentice was right. They peeled off the tape and found the third one.
Chrysanthemum lives forever in the morning sun - 0728.
July 28th.
That was Yang's birthday.
There was also a gift to her stepdaughter. But the meaning of the clue was rather abstracted.
"Tai."
Years ago, he planned and prepared gifts for their daughters. It was meant for a special occasion. Maybe because of the Grimm War, it never happened. Those gifts remained undelivered until now, one of it was found.
But by now, with how things changed, it was no longer a gift. It was what left of a beautiful memory.
Summer noticed her vision became watery. Oh no! She quickly wiped the tears. How silly her, becoming sentimental again. Nostalgia was a good feeling, but sometimes it made her feel too emotional.
Swoosh!
A roughed sound cut through the air, Jaune was still doing his training outside. Swinging his sword in one stance repeatedly, the little exercise that she wanted him to do every day during this break.
"I should make breakfast." Summer muttered, as it to remind herself of the things she should focus on.
Jaune was going to need a hearty one to recover his strength after this little exercise.
"Hm?"
She halted her steps. Something just jolted her mind, a detail she didn't really pay attention to before.
Jaune was just doing his training as told. So why should he wear a chestplate on his tracksuit?
/
Author's Note: For some reason, I always had fun writing Jaune and Zwei together in one scene.