The Cosmic Cycle
Chapter Twelve
Choice
An Hour Later...
Jonas Ray Everblue
Rank: A-
Age: 20 Race: Human
KoB*: N/A
Classification: Hybrid
'I guess this makes it official now, eh?' Jonas thought passively, still registering the little card he held in his hands, which had a picture of his ugly mug off on the left. He was currently lounging in one of the seats in the hunter establishment, having just received the piece of plastic from them moments ago from a both awestruck and confused Dalia; who had asked what all those abilities he used were. All he could answer with was a smile, saying he would tell her later, which made her pout.
He did however confirm that none of those abilities were a form of Semblance, which she believed made sense considering all the abilities he threw out into the arena were far too varied to be like any she knew existed. Again she tried to ask, and again he smiled in response before going on his way; making himself comfortable at one of the seats close by the entrance.
He only really had the time to properly think about that whole deal now, honestly. The moment he walked out from the arena he was beset by his new fans. Apparently, Jonas had underestimated just how many folks were watching that. If civvies could watch it as well from anywhere, and send it out to others?
His eyes slowly wandered off to the side, finding a small group of people both Hunters and not, most of which were the female variety, whispering heatedly between one another. One of them squealed at the sight of him looking at them, and a good chunk quickly devolved into giggling.
Yeah, he had basically just took the quiet life out back and shot it in the fucking head with a rocket launcher at this point. He quickly locked his vision towards his card again and quietly sighing to himself, instead trying not to think about what might happen next in regards to his daily life when he goes about wandering Vale.
It was kind of funny actually. For the first time in a while, he was properly giddy about something.
'I wonder if this is what having a drivers license feels like?' He mused, turning the card this way and that in his hand.
A shout brought his attention to Professor Goodwitch, who looked to be in a heated debate with yet another man in a suit, whose face currently bore a color of puce. Their argument was loud enough to hear from here, but the words could seldom be made out. Apparently it was something about him, and what happened in that battle being impossible.
So, obviously, they were trying to claim he cheated. Despite the fact that he showed them some of his abilities and items beforehand in that little demonstration earlier today to get their attention. Figures they'd attempt that. But it was a smart move on their part, even if only partially. It'd leave him unable to complete damn near all of the objectives he had set out for when he came here.
He was brought out of his musing at the sight of an exasperated Goodwitch approaching with Amber in tow, who frankly looked herself amused.
"I take it by your expression they weren't too happy?" He stated to Glynda more than he asked.
"A gross understatement, to say the least." She grumbled, giving a halfhearted glare at Jonas when he snorted in mirth. "They weren't exactly thrilled with you beating them at their little game. "
'Shocker.' He rolled his eyes.
"An attempt was made to argue against you receiving your credentials. Though, foolishly, this was solely on the basis that your abilities were far too unusual to be considered practical, and that you must have had outside help."
"That's...a bit of a gamble, isn't it?" Jonas raised an eyebrow questioningly. "Aren't there cameras all over this facility to avoid that kind of deal?"
"There are, yes. And I pointed out as much to them." She replied, shifting her glasses. "I was more than willing to show them, as my credentials would allow me access to the video feeds, but they quickly turned me down." She then mumbled. "He turned noticeably puce when I mentioned that before he left."
"Didn't you record the magic show you gave them earlier, Jonas?" Amber asked him, getting a nod and a hum from the other two in response. "Then yeah, I don't really see them winning anything here."
"Quite." Glynda agreed drolly. She looked towards Jonas. "So, what rank did you achieve?"
"A-minus, apparently." He handed them the card.
"Huh...thought you'd rank higher than that." Amber said quietly after a moment, eliciting another raised eyebrow from him.
"...Is it not on the higher end?"
"Well it is, but I thought after showing all those crazy spells and weapons, they would've gotten you closer to rank S."
"Being a Hunter is more than just having the skills for combating the Grimm, Miss Tawny." Professor Goodwitch explained. "They're important to the type of work we take, yes, but you also need to be able to work well with others. Both Hunters and Civilians alike. If you can't treat others with even the smallest amount of respect, then why would you ever be allowed to handle more delicate missions that require them as a prerequisite? It's why the system was introduced in the first place, in order to avoid foolish or bigoted individuals from causing an international incident. The most those individuals could hope for is a C-plus rank. B-minus at most."
"And considering I'm a new face around here, well..." He came to the obvious conclusion before giving a shrug in response. "It'll work, at any rate. Unless I need a higher rank to work at Beacon?"
"No, the ranking is more than enough." She affirmed. "Though your skill as a teacher remains to be seen."
"Even I'm not sure about that one." Jonas admitted. "You mind giving me a few pointers when your able, Professor Goodwitch? It'd be appreciated."
"Of course. Even I was new once." Glynda nodded. "However, I'm afraid it will have to wait in the meantime. I'll not be able to leave until I've copied all the required camera recordings. And I would rather get to them before the council thinks of having them erased to give themselves some form of false credence to their idea."
"No problem. I memorized the path we took getting here. I can get back on my own, if need be." Jonas looked to Amber. "You want to stick with her, or head back to Beacon with me?"
Amber grinned. "You kidding? I want to see what kind of shenanigans you get into on the way back!"
"...You're not gonna let that go, are you?" He sighed when her grin turned impish. "Look, how was I supposed to know they were shooting a film there?"
"The cameras, maybe?" Glynda watched as they walked off towards the entrance, Amber snorting at his mistake.
The two of them made an interesting pair, though she couldn't help but worry what kind of... situations they might get into along the way back. While it was true that they most likely would not go looking for trouble, trouble might have a way of finding them; considering the two's backgrounds.
That's not to say that they couldn't deal with them. Amber herself had become a little more paranoid since the attack made on her, so chances weren't high that she would be broadsided again. And considering the attention to detail Jonas had, it wasn't too likely that anything would get past him if it came down to it. Though even then, she still wasn't too sure about him then. If anything, at the very least, their talk when they first met showed he was prepared for it.
A small frown grew on her face for the briefest of moments before it vanished, and instead the deputy tried to focus on the task at hand. But even then...
It was hard to ignore the warning he gave them.
Two Weeks Earlier...
"So...you wish to teach my students magic?" Ozpin started after a few minutes of quiet inflection at his revelation, having looked to have calmed down.
"Nice job making it sound unusual." He snarked, before popping a very brief grin. "...Which I suppose it would be, considering. Yes, that is part of the intent for which I came here. The world could do with having magic return to it, and its people no doubt could, too. The magic I myself one learned came from it a very long time ago, so I see no reason why I couldn't return the favour."
"...I bear no offense in saying this." Glynda said slowly. "But are you sure you're qualified to teach them?"
"It's not really a question of qualification, ma'am. I quite literally the only one who can do this. No one else on this world besides me and the maidens have magic; and theirs comes to them in a way that I've never seen before." His face bore a look of honest confusion for a few scant seconds. "Magic requires training, and a lot of it. But for them, it comes as easily as breathing. Something that's stranger than a lot of things I've seen in my life. And that's certainly saying something."
"And you can teach them to use it?" Qrow asked with a raised brow, already looking for his flask.
"Indeed." He nodded, though he had a sheepish smile grow quickly. "Though, I'm sorry to say, you might not see any immediate effects for a couple of years at minimum. Those who are magically inclined are usually inducted into the magical order when their around four or fives years old, and are trained to harness and control magic from that point on. Though, as you can guess, the current situation requires that I bend the rules a bit."
"Oh? Couldn't you instead run a small school of your own within Vale and teach them while leaving yourself with more control?" Ozpin raised a brow from behind his cup.
"I could, yeah. But there's a few problems with that." He raised a finger. "First and foremost, assuming I didn't come to you to show you the truth, I would be pretty hard-pressed in proving said truth to the local populace. So even if I did, chances are I wouldn't have that much of a student base. Secondly, assuming the first problem didn't occur, there would be an obvious issue of a lack of staff I could get to help me. I can't be everywhere at once, and it's important that I'm close by my students in case something magically untoward happens." Yet another finger followed. "The third is the possibility that after several years of training them, there would be an unscrupulous few would would try to sell their knowledge in the art to other less savoury individuals, which would cause its own set of problems that I think we would all agree needs to be avoided for right now."
Most of them gave a small grimace, while Ozpin was inclined to simply nod. "Fourth; while I don't doubt that most of those from the city would take my lessons seriously if I told them to, there would still be a select few who might ignore my warnings. That could lead to them losing control if they let their emotions run wild, causing their magic to literally explode in their instability; damaging buildings and injuring god knows how many others. And that's not even putting into consideration the other taboo that they should never break."
His eyes slowly shifted to everyone in the room as he continued. "Beacon solves most of these problems. With me having showed you that magic is applicable to everyone, you know I'm not lying, and can vouch for me to your government if it comes down to it. The second is solved solely by the fact that, while most of you haven't even used magic before; and another wields it in a way I never expected, you still have enough applicable knowledge to assist me in teaching it to others to some degree. Not to mention your experience in teaching in general as well, since I'm willing to admit my lack of experience in the field." Jonas added before continuing. "Most of your students already have a decent level of discipline, so I wouldn't need to worry as much; bar a few of the more unruly individuals. And lastly, since Beacon itself is far removed from Vale itself, and the students live in dorms here, if something occurs that can cause significant damage, it wont affect the local populace." He shrugged. "Frankly speaking, Beacon is the best option."
The other occupants looked to one another. Each of them with their own conflicted or interested expressions adorning their faces.
"...And what if we said no?" The general's eyes narrowed at their visitor.
If they did happen to reject his offer, would he threaten to reveal their group? Their secret history. Thei-
"Then I'll be on my way." Jonas shrugged.
...Wait, what?
A couple of them blinked at his short and abrupt answer, looking as him with no small amount of confusion.
"And...do what?" Qrow asked.
"Absolutely nothing." He answered as easily as day. A grin popped as he realized what they were inferring. "I'm not going to reveal your little escapades to the wide world, you know. What I learned, I'll keep to myself. It'll be a downer, but I'd have to move on my own and deal with the current problem myself; whatever that may be. And I won't ask about that either. As much as a wish to know, it's not my business. At least, if I don't stick around."
That was...surprisingly lenient of him. Assuming he followed his own words, that is. His background showed a code of honour that he seemed to live by. Though whether that was the actual truth, or a charade, remained to be seen.
"And how do we know you'll keep your word?" The general asked again.
"You don't." He replied bluntly. "That's life for you, I'm afraid. As much as I want to get to know you guys, I will be leaving if you reject my offer." Jonas eyed them. "And also, if you guys just so happen to try and incarcerate or kill me to shut me up, you will find some... stiff resistance."
Each of the other rooms occupants looked at one another, quietly contemplating everything said since the start of their conversations. At the very least, he seemed willing to explain everything if they were willing to ask, so they had to give that to him. Whether if it was truthful or nor would have to be left alone for the time being until they actually got to know him. And having him on site would make it easier to keep an eye on him no less.
But, even still, there were a few among them, namely their delegates from Atlas, who seemed hesitant. Not that Ozpin couldn't understand.
He looked towards their possible new ally. "Could you give us time to think over your offer?"
"Sure, go ahead. Just don't take too long, if you please." Jonas asked in return. "The sooner I can get started on either prepping for teaching or moving on, the better. If you need me, send a message to the Shady Inn. You should find me there."
"Of course." He nodded. "Before you go, however, I'd like to ask... You said there were two things you wanted to tell us previously. What was the second you wished to speak of?"
"A warning." Jonas replied with all seriousness.
They all stiffened at his tone, looking a mite bit worried.
"About what?" Qrow asked, voice without his trademark slur.
"There's more than just those three folks looking for Amber." Their eyes hardened in response. "I would know, two of them tried to kill me just a few days ago for botching their little attempt a couple months back."
"Were they of the same group?" Ozpin's eyes stared at his quizzically.
"I can only assume. The one who started out in the attack talked about me being unfortunate enough to attract the attention of his Queen. And I can't help but assume a chess moniker referencing them specifically as a Black Queen. There are too many facts I obtained suggesting as such."
His eyes narrowed at Qrow and Glynda's reactions, but left it be. Instead turning towards Ozpin.
"Are you certain?"
"You know the whole title thing I told you about?" They gave him a nod. "The girl who led the group previous to them, the ones who attacked Amber for her powers, held a title reminiscent of a black chess piece. More accurately a Black Bishop. And those two? They had something similar. Black Knight and Black Rook, to specify. It's hard not to put two and two together."
Jonas became lightly amused as their eyes hopped between one another; no doubt in a silent conversation. One of which he could partially guess the contents of.
'The secret defenders of Remnant, ladies and gentlemen.' Jonas mused quietly to himself. 'So mysterious how their eyes look to each other like that. What could they be thinking?'
His roaming sight eventually settled on Amber, whose knuckles had turned white from how tightly she was clenching them. Not a surprising reaction after what was done to her. There looked to be a little fear within there as well. Her arms and shoulders trembled lightly; likely having a flashback of the incident.
He could relate. Had quite a few of his own; though having dealt with them for years helped him learn how to better hide it than most.
Jonas had to, after all. He was the famed 'Hero of Terraria.' Couldn't afford to show cracks in the armor to potential foes; no matter who they may be.
"If it helps-" He started again, pulling them from their thoughts. "-I'm willing to offer my services in the defense of Miss Tawny. All I ask is that you help me in reaching my goals."
Silence pervaded the room for a few moments, yet feeling like eternity to them. The only response he got during that time was them blinking dumbly in response.
He snapped his fingers to get them out of their heads. "Hey, c'mon, focus."
That seemed to do the trick, making them come out of their reverie one after the other.
"And they would be?" Ironwood stared, trying to get a read on him.
"Completely benign, and in benefit of most of the kingdom in the long run." He replied honestly, though still managing to sound cryptic anyway. "Let me be frank. I'd like to tell you right off the bat, but I can't say much until I can get a word with the council. Afraid that's the best you'll get for now."
The little group looked to one another, some of them giving others a shrug.
"Fair enough I suppose, given the current state of affairs." Ozpin relented. "However, it would be appreciated if you could alert us ahead of time for your plans so we can better prepare for them."
"Of course." Jonas nodded, making his way towards the elevator. "I'm fully intent on that."
"So, any other crazy proclamations you want to his us with before you go?" Amber said jokingly with a brittle grin, trying to lighten the mood.
He had just moved into the elevator and pressed a first floor button as they asked that, and his hand shot out to stop the door from closing. His face, which had returned to neutrality, rather suddenly turned sheepish.
"Uh... yeah, one last thing." He laughed, clearly embarrassed. "Sorry about your moon. My bad."
Their brains froze for a few seconds after he said those words. Just long enough for the elevator doors to shut.
Amber said what everyone else was thinking.
"...What?"
Back In The Present...
While those last words were enough to give them pause, and for a significant amount of time in fact, most eventually came to the same conclusion as Ozpin had. The only ones who remained resistant to the idea was Ironwood. Winter as well, though she was far more reasonable in her stance.
And they understood. Jonas was, and still partly is, a security risk for their inner circle. They got a better idea about him over the past couple of weeks, but there was still so much information they were lacking.
Not that he was withholding it from them. Quite the contrary, he was more than willing to explain where he came from, as well as all the things he encountered. He even had a book detailing all the creatures he had come across in his travels; with pictures to better show their physical details, as well as their habitats, interactions between other species, and their strengths and weaknesses.
It was just so hard to believe it all. None of them have ever encountered such beasts during their time as Hunters. Even the texts from ancient days held nothing in relation to them. She supposed it was possible that it was from an alien world, but they had yet to confirm or deny that.
And though he had shown his own abilities, and even proven he was foreign to this world, everything else was just so hard to digest, let alone fully comprehend.
Glynda sighed quietly to herself, adjusting her glasses and turning towards a hallway.
All of this was best left for another day. Right now, there were some recordings that Ozpin and the others needed to see.
"I'm just saying, when you come across something like a burning building, your first instinct isn't to look for cameras." He stressed. "Your too busy thinking 'Oh my god, the building's on fire!'. I mean, come on!"
"True, I guess." Amber gave a small smirk. "Though I thought the signage that blocked off most of the area would've given you a better clue."
"Yeah, because that's the first thing I'm going to look at." He snorted, looking a little offended.
They had made it fairly quickly to the port in the commercial district, having only took ten or so minutes to get there. Nothing surprising had happened on their way back.
Not that they expected it to. Jonas was simply receiving a great deal of teasing from Amber for an overreaction on his part for a previous event several days ago. The film crews were a little mad about that, but figured he was a Huntsman – Not that he was at the time, but he certainly had the look and mentality – and were willing to let him off so long as he controlled himself and made sure it was an actual emergency next time.
She had never seen him turn so red before. Still made her laugh, even this long after.
"Look, just..." He sighed. "Old habits die hard, you know? I see a burning building, and the first thing that comes to mind is that some unlucky sap is moments away from agonizingly kicking the bucket."
She looked over, recognizing the pain in his tone, and finding a face seemingly lost in a memory. One that he clearly didn't want to think about. Amber could only imagine what could leave a guy like him looking so haunted.
She forgot sometimes that he was a trained warrior. Born and molded by fire and steel. Living a life far different from most people on Remnant. The fight she saw in the arena should've been a reminder, but with the carefree way he normally acted like... Amber questioned how much of that was actually real and how much was fabricated to hide other parts of himself that he'd rather leave hidden.
Her gaze softened, and she gently reached over, putting a hand on his shoulder.
"You okay?" The maiden asked softly, a gentleness to her tone that gave Jonas a bit of a startle.
"Yeah, sorry." He shook his head, looking to be trying to pull his mind out of somewhere. "Just... remembering things I'd rather not be."
She gave him a silent look of understanding, tightening her grip a bit, only letting go when they felt a thump of the Bullhead hitting the landing pad. He gave her a nod of gratitude, which she smiled in response to, as they walked off the vehicle, making their way into Beacon proper.
"Well, you should be good from here." He stated matter-of-factly.
"You heading back to the library?" Amber asked, getting another nod back.
"Yeah. There's still a lot I don't know about Remnant, so the sooner I catch myself up on what I missed, the better. The Grimm even more so." Jonas looked to her. "Is tomorrow morning alright for our next lesson?"
"Sure!" She grinned. She really wanted to learn how he did that water thing in the arena!
"Eager, aren't we?" He smirked as he turned in a different direction, waving a hand over his shoulder. "I'll see you later, Miss Tawny."
"You can call me Amber, you know!" She shouted over the din of the engines, clearly annoyed.
Jonas snickered to himself as he kept walking. She really didn't like being called by her last name when she was with someone she actually knew. She allowed it in a more polite or formal setting when it was needed, but found it in bad taste to have it done constantly. Apparently, she didn't really consider herself a high-class girl.
Couldn't blame her there. Some of the names and titles he got irked him to no end, so he could relate. He just liked to rile her up a bit every now and again; usually to get back at her.
Seriously though. 'The Man Who Melts The Snow'? What, was 'Snowman-Melter' taken? Least that sounded better! Short and sweet, guys!
Bloody christmas events...
The walk itself was a relatively short one, having memorized his way to the library after the first few times. Some of the students he walked past looked at him with interest. The girls there eyeing him like a piece of candy, and the guys mostly considered him competition. It still made him laugh, that this kind of thing was still an active thing; even in an academy meant to train the next generation of Grimm slayers.
In the beginning, he checked a map every now and again just to make sure he had some alternate routes in case traffic heading there was too bad.
Which, surprisingly, didn't happen too often. In the two weeks he had been here, he'd only had to take another way twice. And that usually involved the girls either ogling or trying to flirt with him, ironically enough. There weren't that many students here. Most didn't look disgruntled or disgusted with the facilities or the staff, so it was a little odd at first. Looking into it revealed that most students from the third year and above usually transferred to other academies.
Though not so much because of Beacon being a poor choice for an academy. Rather the opposite actually. Most said their stay there, along with the professors, was an incredible learning experience, despite their eccentricities.
The actual reason was more self explanatory. Easily understandable to most people.
Work.
With Mistral having a noticeable dark side a la an expansive underworld. With Vacuo with its only authority being Hunters, and the unforgiving deserts having dangerous Grimm that you couldn't find anywhere else. And with Atlas with its frozen environment and, well... Atlas being Atlas. The current state of the other three nations being as chaotic as they are were prime work opportunities and name-makers for Hunters.
Vale, out of all of them, was the safest. For fairly obvious reasons. A fertile environment with a city based in an area with natural barriers and shallow waters, and a far more minimal and easy to control underworld. It was far easier to protect than the other nations. This also led to a significant lack of work, however. There was still attacks by Grimm and bandits, and white fang that helped stir the pot a little of course. But beyond security and escorting, there wasn't all that many high-end jobs that you could find here. Enough to still make a decent living considering the active danger, but certainly not enough to get your name out there. It was surprising more hadn't left at this point, as bad as he felt to think it.
And while they still had a decent amount of dedicated defenders if the number he saw in the Hunters guild were mostly of the profession, it stood to reason that most of them were of moderate rank, with a few high-rankers like Goodwitch and Qrow still sticking around and taking up the few dangerous missions; most of which they were handpicked for. And even then, it was probable a few of the upper tiers, a few of them would be a little out of shape from the lack of good work; which, again, was understandable, but still a little disconcerting.
With luck, the magic he could teach to others would leave Vale with folks of higher calibre. Not soon enough to deal with whatever group was after Amber, admittedly, but it was a long term plan that would even the playing field a little bit once he progressed enough with their lessons. Even if it did take a decade or so to get the first batch of trainees up to the rank of Mage. It sucked, but he'd have to bite the bullet on that one.
At the very least, he wasn't alone in dealing with them this time.
Thank god.
Up until now, 'Alone' was pretty synonymous to his name, so having someone else to work with for a change was an odd, but pleasant pace-setter. Plus, if his little plan he put into play earlier today worked out, he'd deal with a good chunk of Vale's problems right off the bat. Counted for something.
Marble flooring turning to red carpet went unnoticed as Jonas entered the library. The place was fairly big; running an entire wing of beacon large enough that it'd take a couple of minutes to walk to the other end from the entrance, and with just as many books to match the size. It effectively matched some grand libraries he'd seen in the past.
He made a beeline straight for the G-wing, stopping just long enough to give the old librarian lady a wave, who just waved him on nonchalantly. Bound to happen since he's been effectively living here half the time nowadays.
Book by book he walked, walking with a steady gait until he stopped in front of a familiar section on the second floor. A finger slid along the spines of multiple books as he searched for a specific few that he had interest in reading; one of which he had just gotten started on before he quit for the evening. Eventually his finger stalled, and he pulled out a book with a burgundy cover.
'The Grimm And Their Tidings' was its name; the words spelt out with a metallic yellow filigree. In the lower center was the sideways logo of a Beowolf with bright red eyes, its teeth in a snarl. From what he read so far, it detailed their body types, sizes, and weapons; whether it be a fire breath or tooth and claw. He opened the cover, flipping over the first few pages slowly. Giving himself a small recap.
It had actually detailed a good deal on the most common of the lot. Beowolves. Ursa Minor and Major. Nevermores. Hell, even the Creeps got in on the action a bit with its speed and burrowing abilities.
The ones that were either avoided or rarely seen were still a bit vague, but if anything, at least he got a good look and size comparison to make a guess. It'd be something to add to his own notes eventually, once he fully mapped it all out, and the book was a good first start.
But he still had a few he needed to grab. Namely economics of the kingdoms, its military, technological advances. Combat he could look over if Professor Goodwitch ever allowed him the chance to watch her students spars.
He also needed to see medical achievements over the years, and the different branches of societal management. Not to mention all the laws and regulations. For four different kingdoms no less.
Jonas gave a small, tired sigh. There was still so much to cover and memorize in such a short period of time. Only a few short months to learn an entirety of a new age all over again before he started teaching.
At least it was something he was used to, at this point.
Not that he wanted it in the first place.
Jonas pinched the bridge of his nose, becoming exhausted by the wanderings of his own mind, and instead focused on finding a plush chair to sit in for the foreseeable future.
And, as if lady luck was mocking him, he almost immediately ran into someone as soon he moved, whoever it was letting out a small squeak as the tower of books they were carrying fell to the ground with a muffled thump.
"Terribly sorry about that." He swore mentally to himself as he swiftly shut his book, tucking it under his arm as he held the other out with an apologetic smile. "Are you alright?"
"I-I'm okay..." A small and quiet feminine voice stuttered in reply, two long and fuzzy ears twitchi-.
Wait. Long fuzzy ears?
He went stone-faced as he recognized the long, slender brown ears of a rabbit on her scalp, folded down somewhat around her head of similarly colored hair that ran well past her shoulders. She was currently dressed in her school uniform, and all in all, she fit it nicely. Not that he'd ever willingly admit to that in public about any woman.
A bunny girl.
He found a Bunny Girl.
His mind went blank for a few seconds at its conclusion; needing a minute to reboot before continuing. Her faunus traits, and her reactions to him so far left him with a sad conclusion of why she had yet to take his hand. Slowly, he got down on one knee, his smile turning gentle. As if he were trying to cajole an animal.
"Hey now, I won't hurt you. Scout's honor." Jonas promised, a kind lilt to his tone.
She stared at him for a few moments that felt like minutes in comparison, her eyes flashing between him and his hand; her face going from suspicious to consideration. Eventually, tentatively, she reached out, putting her hand in his. With great care he pulled her up, and let go of her hand straight afterwards; so as not to make her uncomfortable.
"...You were a boy scout?" Jonas belatedly noticed she had a british accent.
A British Bunny Girl.
Huh.
If he had a checklist for interesting sights, that would've knocked another few right off of it.
Still a REAL fucking long list. Though a good chunk of it had gotten crossed out over the years
He chuckled, shrugging. "I don't even know what kind of code of honor the guys have, honestly."
A small, shaky smile grew in response. It was progress, if anything. His sight went from her to the surprisingly large number of books that littered the ground. Carrying that many on your own was just an accident waiting to happen.
She perked when she saw him create a small purple runic circle, giving a small gasp of surprise as the dozen or so books she dropped started glowing in the same color. Suddenly turning airborne and whizzing past her head and stacking themselves into a couple more manageable groups that hovered in the air next to the man.
"Uh... kind of have a lot of books here, don't you think?" He asked the obvious question a second later, eyes wandering between the few small towers.
"I-I like to read." She replied defensively.
"Fair enough, but so many at once?"
"I binge."
"...You binge read thirteen books at once?"
"A-a few at a time!"
"Makes me curious what 'a few' actually means for you." Jonas grinned as she puffed out her cheeks. He was glad to see her opening up, but didn't press any further than that. "I am sorry for bumping into you, miss. I was just on my way to find a seat and wasn't paying attention."
"N-no, it's quite alright." She stuttered, surprise clear in her expression and voice, almost as if she wasn't expecting an apology. It almost made him scowl. "If anything, I s-should be the one apologizing. I couldn't see, a-and I didn't stop to check if-."
"How about-" He cut her off, raising a hand placatingly with a smile. "-We say we both simply made a mistake and call it a day?"
"...Yeah, s-sure. I could live with that." She quietly giggled, the tension leaving her shoulders. "Um... could I have my books back?
"Oh. Yeah, sure." He replied quickly after realizing he was still holding onto them. "You sure you don't want to put a few back? Make it a little easier on yourself?"
"N-no! I'm fine!" The bunny girl replied quickly, opting this time to simply hold two separate piles of books in each hand like a waitress would, and bolting off to the stairs almost immediately afterwards.
He raised a questioning eyebrow at the surprising amount of grace she had in dancing around the floor, though that almost immediately faded when he heard another squeak and a series of thumps; telling him she probably fell again in her rush.
This era was definitely a strange one.
Jonas stared on for a few seconds in amused silence, giving a small shrug as he moved to sit in the same seat as yesterday; which was located beside a railing that gave a pretty decent view of the library grounds, along with a small side table next to it to hold refreshments or the like. Despite it being a library, the place was still bustling with activity. Students went to and fro, searching out books for homework or out of intrigue. Some were reading over the shoulders of their compatriots; likely, in his opinion anyway, doing so with the hopes that they wouldn't need to find their own and save themselves some time. He noted a few other fully-trained hunters wandering about the space looking up their own sources of information; likely for oncoming missions, but paid it no mind.
He fell into the seat with a sigh, glad to be off his feet again. Not that he was sore or anything, but after literal months of walking around fighting monsters without end, being able to sit and do nothing more than read in safety for a few days was a very nice feeling.
"Right, lets see here..." Jonas mumbled to himself, quickly turning a few pages he'd already looked at. "Already read up on Beowolves. And the Ursa are pretty easy to figure out... Oh, there's a Lord version of them too, huh? Neat."
It went on like that for a few minutes, eventually finding his way to those mole grimm he encountered some time back. Stone-breakers, as the page so kindly reminded him. They were nasty little things as he learned, apparently able to swim through dirt and gravel; with the bigger ones able to tear through stone, for hours without the need to come up for air. Considering his location at the time, the one he encountered was obviously an Adult. Or at least, a teen close to becoming one.
"Oh damn, those claws get big when they're elders!" He stared at the sketch, mentally jotting down the fact in his head. "Damn things get pretty powerful the older they get, don't they?"
It continued as much, with him quietly talking with interest to himself as he read; finding the grimm version of the Griffons a pretty interesting inversion from the norm while snorting in amusement at the Lancers. He gave a cringe when he crossed the page that talked about certain grimm called 'The Apathy'.
'Like a frigging horror movie, that is.' Jonas shuddered, quickly flipping the pages. 'Think I'll skip the rest of this.'
Besides that, the book was a good read, occupying his time by a fair amount. The contents did more than enough to fill him in on what kinds of creatures he might run into on missions, which was sorely needed. Like, sure, he got used to the more commonplace grimm, and was able to fight them better as such, but the rarer version that he had seldom, if not at all encountered left him with gaps in his information that he needed to take care of. The rest was through pure experience, but never through the knowledge of others. If there was anything that could help speed his progress along in fighting the enemy, then all the better.
For everyone.
It was just a shame that his attention was constantly wandering elsewhere. Mostly though, it was due to the-
"Is that..!?"
"Oh my god, it's really him!"
"Eee~!"
...Yeah. That.
He stifled a sigh, sweating a bit while peeking over the top of his book at the sight of three or four school girls trying and failing to hide around the corner of one of the many shelves while squealing like... well, school girls. They talked animatedly between one another, their eyes lingering on him longer and longer with each look. One of which noticed him looking, and almost immediately broke into high speed chatter that could be heard amidst her girly scream. He almost slammed his head on the book as the other joined in, making a small demented chorus of noise that only served to grate on his ears.
While he had the attention of the student faculty before, it had never escalated beyond the point of curiosity, and the scant few folks coming up to ask him questions. And considering what had just happened today, well, it didn't take a mathematician to figure out why they were acting like this.
'Oh yes, pay attention to the exotic foreign man who destroyed an arena! What a hunk!' He scoffed. 'Seriously, people and their tastes.'
Jonas tried his damnedest to return to his book. He had just gotten to a good bit about something called a Geist, too, and really wanted to get back to it to read more. But the constant chatter continued to pull him out of it. In fact, it sounded as if it were growing louder. To his horror, the thought proved to be correct, as the little group looked to have damn near tripled in the last five minutes.
The irony of the situation was at the forefront, and he silently cursed its existence. From being a considered a pariah and warlock way back when to being treated as a hunk. Or whatever lingo they used here. He didn't know. The others would've found this hilarious.
What sucked was that they were beginning to block off the alternate routes he could've taken to make like a leaf; bar jumping the railing. Though he imagined the librarian would have something to say about pulling a stunt like that. He couldn't afford to get locked out right now!
Such a plea apparently went noticed by the gods when he heard another much louder conversation happening from somewhere behind him. It sounded fairly distant, and he couldn't make out what was being said, but the screams were clear as day to him that something was up. The groupies themselves had quieted down a bit, wondering what the racket was.
He stretched his body over the top of his seat, just enough to look over the lip of the wooden railing. What he saw snapped him out of annoyance and into slight concern.
Down below, at a table close to the doors of the library, was that girl he met being harassed by a group of three boys. One of which was violently yanking on her ears while calling her various obscenities that he couldn't hear. They looked young enough to be part of the student population; a year or two Bunny Girl's senior.
His body tensed when the one pulling her ear suddenly slapped her out of nowhere, causing her to fall to the ground. She had tears in her eyes, though he could care less if it was because of the verbal or physical abuse. What they were doing was downright despicable.
And yet, despite being a Huntress in her own right, despite having every reason to hand them their asses, she still didn't do anything against them. She refused to defend herself, even in the face of physical abuse.
It wasn't hard to guess why. There were fewer laws in place; one of which was the law that allowed Faunus to defend themselves if someone attacked them. If they tried, they'd be left with severe reprisal in the process. Qrow, while he had been here, told him a couple of stories about it that left him wanting to find the ones responsible and just flat out kill them.
Couldn't do that now, sad to say.
Damned contracts.
The book snapped shut in his hand, and he gently placed it on the small table next to him moments before jumping down to the first floor with a somersault. True, he couldn't grievously harm them, but there were... other things he could do.
'Never thought I'd ever get the chance to say this, but it's time to humiliate the shit out of these kids!'
She didn't know what she did wrong to deserve this.
Whether it was one of the god brothers she had slighted with her mere existence once again or lady luck having decided to once again defecate all over her, she hadn't the slightest clue. All she knew was that one moment she was reading quietly at her lonesome, sitting directly in front of the librarian in the hopes of curbing any potential name-calling and verbal abuse and simply wanting to read out in public in peace. All to little effect, it seemed, as in the next moment a trio of students who were a year above her immediately turned her way. Perhaps to relieve some stress on one of their local punching bags. And the librarian, who she knew and was quite friendly with, had wandered over somewhere to deal with another problem right at that moment, no less.
It was something that she was sadly used to, since the early days of her life, Living in Mistral way back when, was an utter hell for her and her family. Having been part of the cause of why they had decided to move to Vale for quieter waters. Though the recent having gotten an understanding and compassionate team had blessedly mitigated such events, the more bigoted students always seemed to figure out when they were away on errands of their own.
Was it really to much to ask for a peaceful day? To just read alone without being bothered, shouted at, or thrown out of a suddenly faunus-unfriendly facility?
Another slap sent her reeling back to reality, followed shortly by the shaggy blonde wrenching her ear again.
"Pay attention when I'm talking to you, freak!" The boy, for he really was a boy, named Blanche shouted. One of the many local humans who oh so enjoyed bullying those weaker than them. The fact that she was a faunus just made it easier for him. "Or is your attention span more like a wild animals?"
His little cronies laughed, having surrounded her to make sure she didn't escape. They only did it because they knew she couldn't fight back. Besides the lack of laws allowing them such, his father was a fairly rich businessman who could try to have her expelled, though his degree of success was up in the air. While he might have had some pull, the headmaster's was likely greater.
All solely for the reason that she was a monster that needed to be locked away.
"Please leave me alone." Velvet whimpered, tears threatening to spill over.
"Oh, would you look at that!" The nasally one of the group, Lime she thinks his name way, laughed condescendingly. "The rabbit actually talked! Isn't that amazing?"
"Hey, say something else!" The other snickered. No clue who that was. Didn't rank highly in the combat or written tests of Beacon.
"W-why are you doing this?!" She cried. "I-I haven't done anything to you!"
"You being here is the problem!" Blanche snarled, eliciting a gasp of pain when he yanked hard on her ear. Likely as punishment for talking back to them. "Go back to your burrow and pump out some kids or something! Just don't waste everyone's time trying to be something you could never hope to be!"
That retort served to get on her nerves. Her eyes sharpened, and she grit her teeth. Just barely holding back the growl that was rapidly building in her throat.
They had no clue just how much work she had to put in to make it here. The couple hundred all-nighters of regular school work, added in with a similar amount of combat training. Not to mention weapon design; which she was still in the middle of doing! All of that, done over the course of three years just to even the odds with the others students that were properly trained at those primary combat academies.
And they would just up and slander her efforts!
At this point, she was finding it hard to care if she got in shit. They needed to pay for that!
"Shut up." She growled, unable to hold back anymore. Startling the cronies while Blanche's glare intensified. "You've got no clue what I did to get here! I have every right to be at this academy just as much as you do-!"
A grunt passed her lips when the boy slugged her in the gut, not appreciating the tone she was taking with them. Her aura served to mitigate the damage to a minimal level, but it couldn't stop the her from getting winded. The only reason she was still on her feet was from Blanche clenching her ear tightly; which was wailing in pain from both him and most of her own weight pulling at it.
"Not a fucking surprise. An animal who doesn't know her place." He sneered, bringing her to eye level. The other two boys were glaring darkly at her now. Seemingly bolstered by their leader's actions. "Here. Let me teach you where it is."
The three turned and made their way towards the door, pulling her along despite her loud protests. Onlookers stared silently at the sight. Though from fear or apathy, she couldn't say. She couldn't care.
Just another day in her life, she guessed...
...Until she was unceremoniously let go by her abuser, falling to the ground in a heap.
She didn't know much of what happened immediately afterwards. Both the gut punch and her ear having been pulled to the point it would have torn off had understandably left her stunned for a bit. The most she could make out in her slight state of delirium was the sound of Blanche giving a pained gasp, followed by a series of steps before something fell in a heap. After that came the sound of Lime and the other boy seemingly backing away, and she could faintly smell oranges and... grape soda?
When she cracked an eye open after the force of the attack abated, her eyes went wide when she found that man in the blue coat standing in front of her. Though the rescue was kind of dulled out somewhat with him cleaning out one of his ears with his pinkie finger while maintaining a look of boredom.
His eyes briefly flickered over to hers, making her flinch slightly, much to her own annoyance. He popped a small grin, giving her a wink.
"Well this is definitely odd. A hunter in training attacking a fellow comrade." He said drolly. "Is this the next generation of Hunters folks have to look forward to? Can't say I'm impressed. What, were they too happy for your liking?"
Blanche, having landed to the floor at some point, propped himself up by his arms, giving the man a death glare for the slight.
"Fuck off!" He snarled. "All I'm doing is pest control!"
"Dear oh dear. You kiss your mother with that mouth?" The man in blue chuckled, not even taking him seriously. "But, again, hardly pest control when the apparent 'pest' had done nothing to you at that point to deserve it. At least from what I've observed so far. So I'll ask you twice just so were sure. What exactly has she done in the past to warrant this level of violence?"
"You honestly have to ask why?!" The boy shouted, disbelieving. "She's a fucking FAUNUS, you idiot! A freak of nature that got off its leash and attacked it's owner!"
"...Wow. Okay. Thought there'd be more to it than blind racism, but whatever." Jonas rolled his eyes. "Can't expect every egg here to be unspoiled, I guess."
The insult was said so casually and with such ease that it was almost impossible not to laugh or crack a smile. The most she could manage was shaky lips. Though the feeling kind of died away when she noted the bulging veins on Blanche's forehead.
"You think you're funny?!" He growled.
The man grinned "Buddy, I'm hilarious. Folks watching this shindig seem to agree with me."
His words returned her attention to her surroundings, and to her surprise she found that most of the onlookers had begun to quietly whisper to one another with smiles on their faces, or were quietly chuckling to themselves. And it all looked to be directed towards the three boys who had wronged her.
Bystander Syndrome at its finest. Wanting to help her themselves, but hesitating for whatever reason, and hoping someone else of the growing group would do something instead. How ironic.
The noise died down just a bit as Blanche glared madly at everyone witnessing the event before turning back towards her protector. If looks could kill, he would have likely died some time ago.
"Do you know-"
"My friend, I couldn't give a damn who you are, or what family you come from. And the fact that you would attempt that little spiel is, quite frankly, disgusting." They responded flatly, quickly cutting him off. "I could care less about who your parents are, they aren't involved in this beyond possibly making you into who you are and influencing your choices."
"They didn't do shit to me!"
"So your just a jackhole by your own choice? Can't say that makes it much better."
Blanche's face turned a very strong shade of red, and with the way his body was arched forward, it wouldn't be remiss to assume he would have launched himself at the guy were it not for his already tenuous self-control.
"So your siding with them huh?" His voice took on a dangerous edge. "After all they've done?!"
"If I got a nickel every time I heard that little line in the last decade..." The man in blue chuckled before petering out into a sigh. "Don't get me wrong, what the White Fang have done in recent years is abhorrent. And I, in no way, support their actions."
"Then wh-"
"But... that's not to say that I don't understand why they've been doing what they have." His eyes wandered about the room, including everyone who was currently watching the exchange in the conversation. "Consider this, ladies and gentlemen. You have a people who were once hunted down and killed by your own kind centuries before, for the simple reason that they were different. Then it eventually evolved into using them as slave labor; paying them for very little while forcing them to work in dangerous environments. And though the word isn't used anymore, I think you all agree that it still continues to this day!"
A small handful of them gave a small nod; some of their faces shameful or stricken. "Then, ironically enough, right after the Great War, after spilling just as much blood as the rest in the defense of their kingdoms values and beliefs, they lost all the rights they gained not too long after. Not because of some wrongdoing, but because humankind just couldn't stand having them on equal footing! Not to mention, following that, some morons from high places had the bright idea to try and forcibly relocate them to a mostly desert island that they 'rewarded' them with, to simply get rid of them! And then they had the audacity to get pissed at them when they rebelled against it, and kick-started a second war! One that could have been easily avoided had they bothered to show some level of decency! It was one that the Faunus won after three years. This demonstrated their strengths, in showing humanity in their own right by both acting in defense of their people, and allowing the war to conclude there without any more unnecessary deaths. And nothing. Changed. They continued to persecute. To demean. Even with the creation of the White Fang, which back then was a peaceful protest group up meant to help unite the two races until the leadership changed hands close to five years ago."
"What are you saying?!" Blanche screamed at him yet again.
"Still don't get it, huh?" The man sighed, slowly starting to walk towards him. "Let me spell it out for you then. They tried everything they could think of to end the discrimination on a more peaceful note. They tried their damnedest to not resort to violence until almost five years ago. Something, I think, that should denote some merit towards them. And even still, in spite of all their efforts, they were met with derision. So you tell me, kid. What else could they have done? Can you think of anything else before they turned onto the path they tread now?"
"Does it matter?! All of them are wild animals! If it weren't for them, then... Then..." Blanche petered out, choking on his words for a second. "Then my mother wouldn't have died..."
Velvet gave a small wince, her heart dropping into her stomach at the declaration. She had always wondered if it was something like that that made him hate faunus so much, but actually hearing it...
Though she had every right to despise him for everything, she still had enough understanding and empathy to give him her sympathies.
Her protector himself froze for the briefest of moments, taking a nanosecond to process it before giving a quiet sigh.
"And I'm sorry to hear that. It's... hard, losing a loved one." His eyes softened for the smallest of seconds. With the way he said that last bit, she couldn't help but wonder if he had experienced something similar. "But that doesn't excuse your actions of harming an innocent, let alone an ally. You've no right calling all of them terrorists and wild animals. It's not only stupid, but deplorable."
"AND WHAT WOULD YOU KNOW?!" Blanche lunged at him, aiming a fist at his face.
The man sighed, his head facing skyward for a moment. He took a quick step to the right, nimbly dodging the attack with ease, and making him fall to the floor by sticking his leg out and tripping him. All over the course of a couple of seconds.
"More than you. It's disappointing to say that."
Blanche gave a growl of frustration, scrambling to his feet. Lime and the other guy took it as a queue, quickly surrounding him so he couldn't run.
Not that he intended to, if the lopsided grin on his face said anything.
The other two were a little more coordinated due to being less heated than their leader, eyes wandering between one another and their new target. They gave each other before moving in to attack. It would've gone well if they weren't so obvious about it though; the man grinning like an idiot before dodging out of their swing.
Blanche took a few opportunities himself, but ended up getting caught up in a few of his colleagues attacks once or twice; with a kick in the lower gut and another in the jaw. And what few proper attacks he did attempt was met mostly with evasion, with a single standout that involved the man in blue smacking on on the back hard enough to make him stumble into the nameless crony.
It went on like that for a bit with a mix of punches and kicks; since library rules dictated no weapons were allowed on sight. But their attacks didn't seem likely to connect any time soon, and the guy seemed to enjoy every moment of the farce he inadvertently started. But really, besides the back smack, he never really made an attack of his own, instead opting to simply dance around the competition. Keeping it within the little ring onlookers had made around them so no one got pulled into it.
The entire thing was a farce, to be frank. Not a single attack landed on him. Every strike was avoided, deflected, or redirected to another target; allowing them to harm one another while saving energy himself. Even some of those watching began to break into fits of laughter, finding the whole thing to be more of a sitcom than an actual fight.
It came to a rather abrupt end about a quarter of a minute later, with him wrapping Blanche's head within the crook of his elbow and tossing him towards Lime, making them fall to the ground in a heap of limbs. The last quickly followed suit when he overextended himself, the man taking quick advantage by tripping him when he lost his footing; falling on top of his comrades, causing more than a few shouts of discomfort. Before any of them could so much as move, the man quickly sat upon the top of a pile with a neutral expression while crossing a leg over the other, looking as if he were just casually taking a seat. Lime, who was at the bottom of the bunch, let out a small gasp of pain, looking like he was suffocating under the added weight.
"Dear god, what are you wearing?!" He wheezed.
"Super-dense armor." They admitted, giving a small smile of apology.
He gave a strangled groan of resignation in response. Though to his luck, it wouldn't last. As the librarian had returned from wherever she had been, looking fully ready to start screaming her head off at the perpetrators of the fight, with Headmaster Ozpin following behind her at a leisurely pace. Drinking his coffee without a care in the world.
Almost everyone, herself included, went stock still at his appearance. Acting as if they were children caught with their hands in the cookie jar.
"Uh... h-hey there." It was at this that the face of her protector turned into something resembling fear. Sweating a bit and gaining a sheepish smile as he gave them a stuttered greeting. Likely, he thought he might be in trouble.
"Mister Everblue." Ozpin nodded in response, holding a hand out towards Velvet, who scurried to grab it and stand. His eyes wandered behind his glasses to the three underneath him. "May I ask why you're sitting on three of my students?"
"Yeah, they kind of started being physically and verbally abusive to the little lady next to you, so I uh... put a stop to it, to say the least."
"Oh? Those are very serious allegations, Mister Everblue." His voice was mirthful as he got a shaky nod from the man. He looked towards Velvet, causing her to stand ramrod straight. "Tell me, can you confirm the validity of his story, Miss Scarlatina?"
"Yes sir." She nodded in response, talking quietly.
"And were they overtly injured in any way?"
"No sir. He kind of just played with them." Velvet clarified. "Tripping and knocking them into each others attacks more than anything
"Is that right..." He looked around to the ring of people that had slightly dispersed. Until he looked at them anyway. After which they froze like statues. "And the rest of you?"
All of them gave quick words or nods of affirmation before most of them quickly wandered off, daring not to be pulled into it lest they face their own unforeseen retribution.
"I see." He turned towards the three boys, glasses flashing dangerously. "Mister Everblue, if you would?"
The man hurriedly moved to his feet, moving out of the line of fire as the three boys slowly separated from one another. All the while looking pale as ghosts. None more so than Blanche, who looked to be visibly shaking.
"Headmaster, I..." He stopped when he raised a hand for silence.
"...Mister Silverwind." Ozpin said after a few moments, sounding serious, but at the same time sympathetic. "I believe I made myself clear the last time this happened, did I not?"
"Of course, headmaster..." Blanche replied, the air taken from his sails.
The professor gave a small, tired sigh. Not surprising, really. He likely had dealt with this before on many occasions.
"You three, walk with me." He ordered, receiving three submissive nods in return. But before he left, he looked towards her protector. "And Mister Everblue?"
"Yeah? What's up?" He asked with an odd amount of familiarity.
"While I appreciate you trying to avoid injuring my students, I would ask that you try not to start a scene in the future if your able."
"As long as they aren't being a major arse to anyone, sure." They shrugged in response.
Velvet's jaw hung from her mouth at the yes and no answer he effectively gave the one man whom ran the entire school; effectively telling him to stuff his rules. The man must've had a serious death wish to stand against with such a relaxed gait.
And much to her surprise, he simply gave a small chuckle before turning and walking away. "That's all I ask."
Seconds passed in silence as they left, everyone staring at the sight. Slowly, what was left of the spectators went on their way, leaving them to their lonesome.
Save for the librarian, who gave Mister Everblue the stink eye, to which he raised his hands placatingly as he started sweating again. It seemed to work, as she left the two of them alone shortly after, returning to her station.
He gave a small sigh of relief, body arching forward as he quickly brushed the sweat from his brow with his gloves. She could relate. That whole situation was a little tense for her liking. Not to mention, she never got in trouble with the librarian before now. Though she might still be good, since she was looking more at him than her. Hopefully she'd not stare in her direction any time soon.
He turned towards her, expression worried as he gave her a once over.
"You alright? Nothing hurting?"
"I'm fine, don't worry." She mumbled. Idly, she began to rub her ear, the base still throbbing a bit from it being pulled so much.
His eyes softened into something resembling... pity? No that wasn't it. There was empathy, sure, but there seemed to be...
Understanding?
It served to confuse her, but she didn't have much time to think on it. The man walked towards her, placing his hands on her shoulders.
"...You know what they did to you was wrong, yeah?" He asked, voice filled with concern.
"Of course I do! What do you take me for?!" Velvet shook her way out of his grip and took a couple steps back. She knew that he didn't mean to offend her, but...
Her eyes looked away, and her arms grabbed hold of one another. "I-I'm just... I'm used to it. And it's not like I can do much to stop it when it happens, anyway..."
His face tensed, brows furrowing as he took on a look on frustration. Not at her, but at the predicament she was left in. Eventually he let loose another, more resigned sigh, before stepping towards her.
"What are you..?" She went silent when his hands formed a dark blue circle, reaching toward her red cheek and ear.
Velvet let out a trembling gasp at the tingling sensation that ran from where he touched, feeling a cold flash run from them before the feeling left entirely. It was as if the pain was never there.
"Look, I'm sorry if I insulted you. I just..." He swallowed, a hand settling on her stomach next. "I know what it's like to be resigned to a fate you never asked for. It sucks. Just... Don't let the feeling consume you. There's more to life than the dark bits."
Curiosity flashed in her eyes at the admittance, but before she could ask he stepped away from her when the feeling left her stomach.
"...What do you mean..?" She replied after half a minutes silence, waiting for an answer.
Instead, he diverted. "I've numbed your body around where you hit. It'll go away on its own. But if your body still hurts after this, I'd recommend that you head to the nurses office for a checkup. Wouldn't do for your injuries to get worse."
With that, he walked off before she could say anything more, leaving her standing there not like a fool, but a girl with a great many questions. And a few worries of her own.
A few seconds passed, and she realized something that left her smacking herself in embarrassment.
'I never asked for his name...'
*1: Kingdom of Birth
Well, It's certainly been a while since I posted.
Let me give a recap to past events:
-Found another job. It's been understandably eating up my time, and I've been working to get myself a raise to better take care of my family, so I haven't had to much time to write this. Though that is not the sole reason.
-I've been writing my own personal work on Tapas! It's not much as of yet, since I've mainly been ironing out the details, but it's coming along.
In any rate, I hope you've enjoyed reading so far! I basically crammed the last couple thousand words over the long weekend to get this out, so I hope its still good despite my half-asleep state (As I'm about to hit the hay for tonight to wake up for work tomorrow.).
Stay sober, folks!