New prompt baby! A nice short conversational one. Enjoy!
Prompt by alexanderstormbringer: Reese introduces her old friend, Arslan, to the rest of her team. Jaune, of course, is terribly awkward and makes a fool of himself, much to Arslan's and the rest of the team's great amusement.
Team Juniors were sat in Atlas's library, partaking in one of their usual pass times of deep philosophical debate.
"So why can't I just stomp on the snail?"
"Ughh, May, we've been over this. The snail is immortal and if it touches you die!"
"A snail honestly doesn't sound that threatening Reese."
Reese sighed as her words were lost on the resident markswoman as she turned to Jaune pleaded "J-man, can you please help me explain why she'd have to spend the rest of her immortal life looking out for the killer snail."
Jaune looked at Reese as he thought for a moment then responded, "I'd just hire a guy to drop the snail in a box of wet cement."
"Oh in that case I'd definitely take the one trillion lien." May stated.
"Totally. Hello, new yacht!" Neon agreed.
"You guys just don't get it!" Reese argued. "One day that little killer snail will bust out with it's tiny muscles and come after you. Then one day when you least expect it, it'll sneak up behind you and-!"
It was then suddenly a figure in a red cloak dropped from the ceiling. The stranger rose up right behind Reese, extending out an index and middle finger together, whipping her arm down on Reese's neck before anyone could shout a warning. The two fingers landed on what must have been a sensitive spot, causing Reese to scrunch up her neck like a retreating turtle and let out a startled squeal.
"ACK! What the hellllaaaaaAAAAAARSLAN?!" As Reese turned towards her ambusher, her anger had shifted to surprise then absolute elation, apparently recognizing the stranger as they pulled down their hood, revealing platinum blonde hair and exotically tanned skin.
The welcomed intruder, Arslan, if Jaune heard Reese's squeal correctly, simply giggled, "I see your defenses are as open as ev- OOMPH." Arslan's sentence was cut short as Reese wrapped her up in a spine shattering hug, which was then returned happily.
Eventually the two broke the warm embrace and Reese started bouncing with excitement.
"Dude what hell?! You're here! You're here! What are you doing in Atlas?"
"Master and I are here on assignment."
"Dad's here!?" Reese gasped.
"Correct." Arslan nodded, "In fact he's talking with General Ironwood up in his office right now. He was hoping to request the aid of a certain team of students to help out with this mission. I was sent down to go retrieve them."
Arslan's hint didn't go unnoticed. "We've been requested for a mission?" May excitedly inquired.
"Wait a minute," Neon interjected. "Reese's dad is your master? Is he some sort of ninja or something?"
Jaune was pretty sure if Reese's dad was a ninja, the girl would never have stopped talking about it. 'You talking to me you little shit? I'll have you know that my dad is a ninja master, graduated at the top of his dojo…!' The thought gave him a chuckle.
"Pffft, if you count lugging around a Dust Thrower and chucking explosives as stealthy, then yeah." Reese cackled, "Nah, he's a Huntsman like Jaune's dad. Wait! I need to introduce you!"
Reese grabbed the girl next to her. "Guys, this is my dad's protégé and my best friend from back home! Arslan Altan!" She waved her arms towards her best friend as if revealing a brand new car.
Arslan was dressed in bright yellow monk robes that reminded Jaune of those old Mistrali Kung-fu movies, complete with dark baggy pants and a bright red sash around her waist. The only things she wore that would have made you guess she was even bothered with getting cold was a pair of big snow boots and a large dark red cloak she wore on her shoulders. Jaune couldn't help but admire the way her platinum blonde hair and olive green eyes contrasted against her dark skin, giving her a fiercely sharp look.
The monk bowed respectively. "It is an honor to finally meet you all. Reese has told me quite a few stories of team Juniors. Let me see… you must be May Zedong, correct?"
May took a moment to look surprised and then nodded in confirmation. "That's right, based on your robes, you belong to the Usama Monastery?"
Now it was Arslan's turn to be surprised, "Exactly! I'm surprised to hear we're known outside of Mistral."
"One of my dads grew up in Mistral, he studied the lawsuits on Usama Monastery v. SDC. I was happy to hear that the ruins had managed to be saved."
"We all were." Arslan agreed but then sighed, "Although the village down the river wasn't quite as lucky, the whole place is under water at this point."
"Hey sorry to interject here." Neon interrupted " But I remember something about you shadowing a Huntsman? Are you from Haven Academy?"
"No, actually." Arslan stated, "Let's just say that Haven and I were not able to see eye to eye on certain things. I'm getting my Huntress license through apprenticeship under Master Chloris. I assume you must be Neon Katt?"
"Guilty as charged." Neon confirmed. " And that sounds super cool! So you're like a free spirit huh? Roaming the frontier, kicking ass and taking names?"
"In a sense." Arslan chuckled. " I still have to adhere to Huntsman law and all that. It's a lot more dangerous than actually studying at a school, but there's a saying among Huntsman, 'Every day outside an Academy is worth a week of classes.'"
"Awesome!" Neon exclaimed. "I can tell we're gonna be fast besties. Also you have got to tell me what you use for your hair! Bet guys go wild for the lioness mane you got, huh?"
"Thank you," Arslan flattered "But I'm hardly as popular as you suggest, my presence tends to intimidate rather than charm."
"Oh please. I bet guys say thank you after punching them in the face. You totally got the Amazonian Beauty thing going on girl! Right Jaune?"
"Huh? What?" Jaune dumbly asked, wondering why the conversation was steered towards him. He noticed the glint in Neon's eye as she metaphorically threw the ball in his court.
"So you must be Jaune Arc." Arslan thankfully said, either knowingly or unknowingly, sparring Jaune from giving his opinion on how attractive she was. "From the stories Reese had told me I'd thought you would be taller."
"Totally…" Jaune then coughed into his hand "I-I mean yes, I am! It's a pleasure to meet you. Any friend of Reese is a friend of mine."
Nailed it.
He held out a hand, Arslan taking it into a surprisingly strong handshake that nearly took him off balance.
"Likewise. And I'd like to go ahead and give my deepest apologies for all the mischief she has no doubt caused."
"Hey! I'm not that bad!" Reese protested.
"Do I need to remind you of the time you invented 'Urban Kayaking'?. The city still hasn't removed those wire fences around that water fountain."
"It was revolutionary and those cops wouldn't know fun if it kicked them in the shins!"
The little daredevil's passion gave Jaune a light laugh. "You don't need to apologize, Arslan, I can assure you she hasn't been that… much trouble…" he trailed off as his mind suddenly montaged every stunt Reese had pulled since the start of the school year, before he politely bowed and sighed "Thankyou for understanding."
As Reese whined, Arslan let out a soft chuckle. "Although it's good to know there's another that shares my pain, I can't help but feel guilty that my responsibilities may have been placed on you now."
"Well I'm sure we'll find a way for you to make it up to me then." Jaune joked, rubbing the back of his neck.
…
It took seconds for Jaune to realize how suggestive that statement was, and then another second to internally scream.
'Maybe no one noticed?' Jaune thought to himself hopefully, 'Maybe I'm just over thinking how straightforward that must have sounded!' He then took a second to gauge reactions.
Reese looked mortified, May was giving him a thumbs up. Neon's jaw dropped open, the corners of her mouth curled upward as if it was both her birthday and Shawcrossmas morning.
Arslan's eyebrows were raised in surprise, before narrowing and crossing her arms in front of her into a more challenging stance.
"And how exactly can I make it up to you?"
Abort! Abort! Pull up! Eject!
"N-n-not that I'm insinuating that you need to do anything!" Jaune blurted out, "I-I o-only meant that you shouldn't feel obligated to do something for me! A-and I wouldn't take advantage of something like that. And I would never try anything with you, w-well not never, not like because you're unattractive-"
As Jaune was busy shoving his foot deeper and deeper down his throat, Arslan let out a hearty laugh.
"Haha… It's okay. Reese has told me plenty about you, including your quirks, so I understand you didn't mean anything by it."
The poor boy simply whimpered a thankyou as he tried to fight his blush, Reese taking the chance to jump in, fighting back her own second hand embarrassment.
"A-Anyways! Mission? Dad? Something else entirely?"
"Ah yes, I believe we've kept Master and the General waiting long enough. We should get going-!"
The little skater punk started dragging the lioness towards Ironwood's office ahead of the rest of team JNRZ, leaving May to console Jaune with a few pats on the back as Neon gave him some praise on his bold move, and then some constructive criticisms on his lacking follow through.
~O~O~O~O~
"I am so sorry." Reese apologized outside the rest of the group's hearing as they walked through the Academy's halls." I swear he's a lot awesomer when you get to know him."
"No worries," reassured Arslan "He'll have plenty of time to be 'awesome' on our mission. But I do have to admit…" She leaned in and whispered this next part. " He really is as cute as you say."
"What?!" Reese loudly whispered as her ears turned red, "I-I never said that!"
"Really? Hm, I guess I must have misheard you somewhere between your stories of fun adventures with Jaune and how cool he is when he takes charge." The monk let out a laugh as her friend smacked her arm.
"S-shut up! You really suck you know that?"
"I missed you too." Arslan chuckled as she wrapped an arm around her childhood friend's shoulder.