"Are we there yet?"
This had been going for at least a day and a half. Ever since Ruby on the begrudging behalf of Team RJNR had allowed Alector Nirvana, or as he now preferred to be called, Alec, and his pet kitten Milena to join them on their journey to Haven.
Alec was nothing short of a pain and he seemed to relish in annoying the team as much as possible considering they had tied his hands up as a precaution. His pet cat Milena was sitting on his shoulders as per usual, shooting her usual angry scowl at the members of the team.
Nora had tried to pet Milena and befriend her, only for the cat to hiss in response every time she tried to talk to her.
Jaune had remained quiet throughout and had said not a word to Ruby, something the girl quickly noticed and the silent treatment was getting to her. She knew it probably wasn't a wise decision to allow a guy that Jaune probably wanted to leave tied up to a tree for the Grimm, with them on their journey. But in her defense she felt that Nirvana was sincere about what he claimed, the way he had spoken had not set off any feelings that he was being dishonest.
Also in her mind he had no reason to lie. He was all by himself, cut off from everything he knew and obviously a wanted criminal. Like he had said he was a fish out of water and up creek, meaning he had nowhere to go.
The result of him joining them however was his persistent attempt to get on their nerves.
"Seriously you guys the least you can do is inform me of where we're going?" Alec asked as he walked forward, right in the middle between the team as so they could keep an eye on him. His hands tightly tied behind his back.
Jaune was walking in front with Ren, both of them not paying attention to the man's request. All the while Ruby and Nora formed the rear and kept their eyes tightly on their new travelling companion, making an effort to keep their eyes firm on his feline companion as to make sure she didn't try to destroy his bonds again.
Nirvana turned to the two girls as Milena shifted around on his shoulders.
"You know we would go a lot faster if my hands weren't tied up" Alec protested with a smile towards the two girls.
"And if we left you here tied up to the road we would go faster too" Jaune said without turning back.
This made Alec grin in response "very good comeback Mr. Arc I see you have developed more confidence in the time I was gone, did a special lady inspire it in you?"
Ruby braced herself for Jaune to turn back and again hit Nirvana as he had did before. While Jaune did turn back towards the man his fists where at his side as he stepped right in front of the man he had come to despise.
"Yes someone inspired me to be stronger, someone believed in me, believed I could be better. It seems you never had that" he said.
Ruby saw Nirvana's face turn into a scowl, though he did not respond as Jaune resumed walking with Ren by his side and the rest followed suit.
Uncharacteristically Nirvana kept his mouth shut for most of the journey, though he did whisper to Milena.
As night was approaching, camp was set up in the forest and they grabbed out the canned food for dinner. A fire was quickly made and the five of them sat around, Ruby undid Nirvana's bonds as they could now all keep a close eye on him. He rubbed his wrists in irritation.
"Thank goodness those are finally off" he said rubbing his wrists.
"Get used to it you'll be wearing them again soon" Jaune said annoyed as he put a spoonful of food from the can in his mouth.
"May I have some perhaps?" Alec asked extended his hand.
Without looking Jaune grabbed another can and threw it at Nirvana, hitting the man on the forehead, making him groan in anger.
"You know continuously antagonizing me won't exactly improve things" the man said condescending.
Jaune only huffed in response, throwing a spoon in Nirvana's direction without sparing the man a single glance. Ruby looked on worried at Jaune as she saw his face twist into an almost angry scowl.
Clearly being near Alector Nirvana was not sitting well with him.
"Jaune…" Ruby started only for Jaune to raise his hand to her and shake his head, making it clear he had no interest in talking to her, she looked down to the ground in response.
Nirvana smirked as he looked at Ruby before digging his spoon into the can of food, whistling for Milena and allowing her to eat the small bit of food from the spoon he held in front of her face.
"Awww" Nora said as she looked at the adorable sight of Alec feeding his feline companion.
"There eat up darling you need to keep your strength up" Alec said as he scratched Milena behind her ear, the cat affectionately purring in response.
"I still can't believe you put so many people through misery only for that fur ball?" Jaune suddenly said.
At this Milena's ears perked up and her eyes stared at Jaune with an angry expression, almost as if she was about to attack. "Behave Milena, these people are our friends" he said petting Milena on her head.
"We are not your friends" Ruby spouted in response.
Alec gave Ruby a condescending look followed by a grinning smile "yet against better judgment you saw fit to keep me close to the vest. Like Mr. Arc said you could have easily left me on the side of the road to my fate. Yet here we are? And why is that?"
"Because you're trying to convince us that something terrible evil organization from another world is coming for us" Nora said throwing her hands in the air to emphasize her sarcasm.
"Ah yes I did indeed. I agree that the way it comes across the story I tell you sounds fabricated but I can assure you all I tell you is true" Alec said taking a bite from the food in the can.
"If your employers are so horrible why did you even try to return to them in the first place after you found Milena?" Ren asked out of nowhere.
Alec looked up in surprise, as if that question caught him off guard.
"Interesting observation Mr. Ren, it is clear you should obviously be team leader," he said taking the opportunity to say that and make a passing sneer at Jaune who gave him an angry scowl "that being said you make a valid point. I grew up with nothing, when I was seventeen, I had just found Milena and was taken in by the Conduit, they gave me what I had longed for, a family, a home, a purpose. But having come here, having been imprisoned for more than a year gives you time to reflect, to look at your situation with a new reflection. In this world I have found what I never had with the Conduit."
"And what is that?" Ruby asked curiously.
Alec gave a glance at Milena, placing the can of food in front of her for her to eat.
"Freedom Miss Rose, freedom and perhaps…even love" he said somewhat solemnly.
At this response Jaune got up and angrily pointed at Nirvana "what do you know about love! From the moment you've been here you caused nothing but suffering. Cardin? Pyrrha? Weiss? Three students you put through torture all for that fur ball next to you. And you claim that you found love here! What a joke?"
The young warrior strode off in anger and as Ruby wanted to get up and follow him she was stopped by Ren.
"Give him time, he just needs to vent" he said.
Ruby nodded solemnly and said back down, her hands tightly put together as she saw the man she was crushing on disappear behind the tree line.
Ren walked up to Nirvana and got on one knee to meet him at eye level.
"Despite Jaune's outburst I do agree with him. You have proven yourself to be capable to go to go extremes, and while you keep trying to justify your actions it does not change the fact you committed horrible actions in your attempt to get your closest friend back. So understand that we question most of what comes out of your mouth."
Alec glanced and took in the words that Ren was saying too him, clearly happy that Ren was remaining somewhat reasonable throughout this all.
"I understand. But that is why I'm here. The Conduit is coming sooner or later and like it or not, when they do I will be your best option against them" Alec Nirvana said.
Ren moved back to his regular spot and Nora went to sit next to him, leaning against his shoulder as her eyes began to grow weary. Ruby made a nod to her that it was okay to take a rest, as she would keep watch over Nirvana.
Milena stopped eating the food and walked up towards her owner purring softly. Alec bent his head down and listened as his feline companion purred into his ear.
"Is that so? How interesting" he said grinning, Ruby eyed him suspiciously. "What did she tell you?" she asked.
Nirvana's grin was unmatched, as if he had just received the best information in the world. The perfect blackmail.
"Milena told me something very interesting Miss Rose. About your well…naughty escapades from two nights ago" he whispered to her.
Ruby's face grew red as her memory was jogged and she recalled pleasuring herself behind a bush as Jaune was training. Thinking about him and all the things she wanted him to do to her. She looked around and saw Ren focused on a sleeping Nora before she turned back to Nirvana.
"So you did spy on me!" she whispered back angrily.
"No I did not, Milena just happened to catch you in the act, the risk of doing such things in the forest means you might get caught" he said softly as Milena went and sat in his lap, giving Ruby an almost sinister and mocking grin.
"I do wonder what Mr. Arc would think about this amount of information, what do you think Milena?" he said mockingly as he petted his cat and smirked at Ruby.
"You… You wouldn't" Ruby stuttered nervously.
"Well you heard Mr. Ren didn't you, I have done far worse haven't I. Telling a man that a girl was fondling herself right behind his back is about as far removed from horrible as you claim I have committed" he told her.
"You're disgusting!" Ruby whispered angrily, her face now bright red.
"I've been called worse Miss Rose. But do not fret, your secret is safe with me, in return I want you to keep that man of yours in check and make sure he doesn't go all berserker on me again" Nirvana said.
Ruby rubbed her eyes in disbelief at this man's audacity. She was beyond furious but couldn't actively show it. She considered the options in her head but in the end none of them seemed to work. If Nirvana did tell this to Jaune he wouldn't make himself look better but then again he didn't have much to lose either? The entire team already actively distrusted him.
But Ruby's embarrassment was at a peak.
"Fine" Ruby huffed.
Nirvana smiled at her "very good Miss Rose, your secret is safe with us" he told her as he petted Milena who was silently sitting in his lap and was staring daggers at Ruby, a stare that Ruby returned in kind.
She then decided to make a mental note to keep her eyes on Milena a lot more often.
A/N: Hello everyone my apologies for the long update I'm trying to figure out in which direction to take the story because truthfully I kind of make things up as I go. Your continued enthusiasm for the story definitely inspires me to keep it going.
And I know that I'm really putting front and center how Jaune and Nirvana are just antagonizing each other which I kind of do for comic relief more than anything as I try to turn my OC Nirvana into a less serious more funny and relatable character, creating interesting dynamics between certain characters is half the fun of making such a story. Anyway enough of my rambling, I hope you enjoy the story so far and I will update as soon as possible.