A/N: So I watched Dark Phoenix. That movie treated themes similar to this fic, so it was interesting for me. But I feel like 1h50 was not nearly enough. You can't do Dark Phoenix in one movie, that's just impossible. They did okay with what little time they had, though.
Anyway, here we go.
Turning Point I
"Jaune…?" Miss Goodwitch called from behind the door.
Jaune had locked himself in his room.
"Jaune, I assure you, I'm okay." Miss Goodwitch's voice continued.
"…"
"My arm will heal rapidly. But we can't stop the training just because of that."
"…"
"…Well. It's okay if you want to take the day off. We could explore other training methods too when you're ready."
"…"
"I'll… come back to check on you later, okay?"
"…"
"…See you later, Jaune."
"…"
Jaune shifted under the covers of his bed.
This was good, he now had more time to think and take a decision.
He had so much to think about. Everything was unsure. The only thing he was certain of, was that he did not want to hurt Miss Goodwitch again.
So he stayed in bed all day.
Even when Miss Goodwitch came back, he stayed in his bed.
Even when Weiss and Blake came to knock on his window, he stayed in bed.
Later.
Jaune still refused to get out of bed. It's been a while since he hasn't eaten.
Yang's arm, Miss Goodwitch's arm, Cardin whole body. It was playing in a loop. No matter what he does, someone always gets injured.
If his training involved hurting Miss Goodwitch, then Jaune didn't want to do it anymore.
So, the question was, what should he do now? Jaune had absolutely no idea what to do. No matter how hard he thought about it, in all the scenarios he imagined, someone ends up hurt.
Continue the training? Miss Goodwitch gets hurt.
Training alone? Way too dangerous. There was no place where he could train alone and expect Grimm to stay away without eating him if he went unconscious again. Not to mention he knew nearly nothing about Aura, it was best to have someone like Glynda around to both give him advice and contain the damages. No matter what, Jaune could not imagine himself going around alone destroying things, it sent shivers in his spine.
Stop training? Then what? If he could not train, then why even stay in Beacon?
Quit Beacon? His team would kill him. And if he left Beacon, where would he go?
Try to work a normal job? Again, someone would get hurt eventually.
What was it, that Jaune could do in a safe manner? There had to be something. Something…
Knock. Knock. Knock.
Jaune groaned under his covers.
It was probably one of his teammates knocking at the window.
"…"
Knock. Knock. Knock.
"…"
Knock. Knock. Knock.
"…"
Knock. Knock. Knock. Knock. Knock. Knock.
"…"
"…"
"…"
Hours passed. Someone kept knocking on his window every now and then. Jaune still did not answer.
"…"
Knock. Knock. Knock. Knock. Knock. Knock.
"…"
Knock. Knock. Knock.
Knock. Knock.
…
…
…
…
…
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!
"J-jeez…!"
Jaune sighed, and with a monumental effort, he stepped out of bed.
If this continued, the teachers in the building were going to hear, so Jaune opened the window.
Ruby was there, teary-eyed.
"Ruby…" Jaune sighed and widened his eyes.
It was raining, and she was all wet.
He hadn't noticed… The whole time, Ruby had kept knocking at his window, waiting for hours under the rain.
"Th-thank god!" She gasped, falling in his arms.
"Y-you're freezing…" Jaune worried, carrying her shivering body inside. He untied her hood and cape and put a hand on her forehead. Her skin was so cold. "You should have gone back to your dorm. Now you're going to get sick!" He raised his voice, "What were you thinking!"
"I-I thought you were no longer there…" She muttered weakly. "I thought they expelled you for good…"
"No… Even if I skipped Miss Goodwitch's training, they didn't expel me yet." He reassured her. "You're trembling…"
Jaune helped her walk to the bathroom and turned on the shower pit, letting the water some time to heat up.
"Here. I'll get out now, you have a nice, warm shower." Jaune said as he walked out of the bathroom.
"Th-thanks…" She nodded.
As the bathroom's door was broken, she could not close it and lock it, but she didn't seem to mind.
"…"
Soon Jaune started hearing the sound of dripping water from the shower.
What should I tell her? He wondered as he paced around the room. He had no idea.
For now, he decided to prepare some hot chocolate for her.
Though Jaune himself had not eaten in quite a long time, he still made chocolate for Ruby.
Jaune was used to not eating and staying shut in his room for long periods of time. This whole thing was nothing new. He had done it plenty of times. This was why he was still able to think relatively rationally and try to think up a solution to the current situation, despite the hopelessness he was feeling. He was calm, simply because he was used to this feeling of hopelessness.
He reached out and grabbed a cup, filled it with chocolate and milk, and put it in the microwave. He waited a minute before it was ready, and pulled it out.
"Aouch, aouch aouch!" He winced.
Too hot, too hot! Jaune quickly put the cup on the table.
He looked at the skin on his hand. It was intact: his Aura had protected him.
"…?"
However, weirdly, he did not break the cup. Even though the cup had hurt him.
"Huh…?" Jaune frowned in confusion as he looked closer at his hands.
A white halo appeared around them, answering his call. How strange, his Aura was there and had protected his hand, but did not retaliate against the cup?
At that moment, the sound of dripping water disappeared, and he heard Ruby step out.
"The towels are in the second drawer." He called.
"Mmh…"
As she dressed up, Jaune eyed the cup again.
Was that just luck, or…?
He picked up the cup again.
"Aouch…" He winced at the heat again, but maintained his hold.
He raised the cup in his hand to examine it as his skin was burning, the pain on his fingers slowly intensifying. His Aura appeared to protect them from the burn, but it did not shatter the cup.
"…What… Why is this?" He whispered to himself, frowning. "This feels different…"
At that moment, before he could think more on it, Ruby stepped out of the bathroom, looking exhausted.
"…What are you wearing?" Jaune asked as he put down the cup.
"My pajamas…" She answered, scratching her head awkwardly.
Jaune narrowed his eyes. "…Don't tell me…"
"I am staying the night." She stated, sending him a glare.
"But..."
"That is non-negotiable." She insisted firmly.
"…Okay then." Jaune sighed, figuring he couldn't argue with her stubborn nature. "Here, have a hot chocolate." He offered instead.
"O-oh! Thanks!" She smiled.
"Careful, it's hot," Jaune warned.
She sighed contentedly as she sat at the table and started sipping the chocolate, being careful not to burn herself, and blowing on it.
"…Since you really want to stay here for the night, I'll leave you the bed." Jaune declared as he watched her.
"No. This is a giant bed that could fit a couple of teams!" Ruby stated, "We can both sleep in it, easily!"
"B-but, a guy and a girl sharing a bed, isn't it a bit…"
"It's fine since I'm the one asking for it," Ruby smiled. "And I've decided that you're a gentleman, dear partner."
Jaune scoffed. "Ho-how do you know that? All guys are secretly perverts, you know."
"You didn't peek in the shower," She pointed out, "So that's fine with me."
"…That means nothing." Jaune replied, unimpressed.
"Uuugh," She growled tiredly, "Come on, now, don't be stubborn…" She sighed and finished her cup. "I'm exhausted…" She stood up and quickly got into the bed. "Warm…" Ruby sighed under the cover.
"…Hey. This is my bed. How are you not embarrassed?" Jaune asked.
"If it's you, then I have nothing to fear." She replied, grinning widely. "You're harmless!"
"…"
Jaune just sighed and slid into the bed with her. He was very uncomfortable with this situation.
"..."
As the silence stretched, Jaune thought again of Cardin, Yang, and Miss Goodwitch.
And then his thoughts drifted to the future, and how uncertain all of it was.
"…"
He let out a sigh.
"…What's wrong, Jaune?" Ruby asked eventually.
"…"
"Why are you staying locked in your room?" She questioned.
"…It's… I don't really know." Jaune shrugged, unsure, "I'm trying to figure things out myself."
Locking himself in his room was something he had done plenty of times; at this point, it might as well have been a reflex.
"But why? You were fine a couple of days ago!"
"It's Miss Goodwitch, she tries so hard to help me." Jaune said, "But I've broken her arm and her crop."
"Yeah, I've heard about it," Ruby nodded.
"So you know." Jaune nodded, and continued, "I didn't mean to hurt her... and I don't want to hurt her anymore. I don't want to hurt anyone anymore. What if she gets hurt so much that she can't carry on as a Huntress anymore, like Cardin…?"
"…Jaune..."
"It's… It's stuck in my head. I can't carry on like this."
"…"
"…"
"Even so… I don't think you should stay locked in." Ruby mused.
"But how can I face her?" Jaune asked.
"You're facing me, right?"
"Because you kept pestering me."
Ruby giggled. "It worked, didn't it?"
"…I guess…"
"I'm such a good leader~" She laughed.
"Hmm..." Jaune hummed in agreement.
Would a leader really go so far for his teammates? No... I'm pretty sure only Ruby is like this.
"Ah... Achoo!" Ruby suddenly sneezed. "G-gah, sorry…" She sniffed.
"Looks like you caught a cold." Jaune commented.
"Y-yeah…" She nodded and pulled out a tissue. "A-ah, I shouldn't be in your bed…"
"Don't worry. I can't get sick."
"H-huh?"
"I can't get sick," Jaune repeated.
"B-but what about your motion sickness… and your anemia?"
"Those are not… Uh… Those are different. I can't get infected by bacteria, is what I mean." Jaune rectified. "I mean, I can, but they never last long."
"R-really…" Ruby sniffed, her nose stuffed. "You… You're so strong…"
Jaune chuckled dryly. "That's gotta be the first time I hear that."
"…"
They fell quiet again.
"…Jauuuune, is there anything I can do to help you?"
"Not really, no," Jaune said bluntly.
"There's gotta be a way I can help."
"…You're already helping, Ruby." Jaune smiled.
"I want to do more! W-we're BFF, right?"
"You never told me what that meant…"
"Best Friends Forever!"
"…Forever…" Jaune mused quietly.
There had been someone who had helped him like that, too.
"...!" Jaune widened his eyes as he suddenly remembered.
That dream! The White-Cloaked Huntress! Now was the moment to ask!
Jaune sat up against the wall, adjusting his pillow behind his back, and turned to Ruby.
"…Ruby, can I ask you something?" He asked hesitantly, "It may be a bit personal."
Ruby sat up too, "What is it?"
"In your family, is there a white-cloaked Huntress?"
Ruby's expression froze.
"Someone that kinda looks like you?" Jaune continued. "Your mother maybe?"
"How… How do you know about her?"
"So there is?" Jaune perked up, his heart skipping a beat. "She… I know her! Where is she? U-um, if it's okay, I'd like to see her…"
"…How do you know her?" She repeated.
Jaune looked away. "It was twelve years ago…"
Twelve years ago.
"Waaaah!"
Five-years-old Jaune was crying.
"Waaaaaaaaah!"
The village was being attacked by Grimm. Yet no one had bothered to grab Jaune: they had been too scared of him since he was being emotional, they had feared that he would break their limbs.
"Waaaaaah!" Jaune, as the ignorant child he was, continued to cry loudly.
But there was no one around. Except...
"Grrr…"
It was the first time Jaune was seeing Grimm. Attracted by the negativity, the monsters gathered around the child.
However, before they could attack, a blinding silver light vaporized them.
"Here, child. It's okay."
A white-cloaked Huntress had appeared, smiling down at him.
"Waaaah!" Jaune cried again...
"Shhh, shhh."
She managed to calm him down. Kneeling to his level, she put her arms around him in a hug to carry him and take him away from the devastation.
"M-miss Huntress!"
"It's me again! I've come back to see you."
"To see me?"
"Yes, to see you! What's your name, little goofball?"
"J-Jaune..."
"Jaune..." She repeated, "...no last name?"
"..." The child stayed quiet. He had no last name.
"Jaune," She tasted the word on her tongue, "Jaune, Jaune, Jauuuune~ I like it!"
"...Y-you...?" The child asked back.
"..." The Huntress stayed silent for a moment as she considered the question. "It's a secret."
"A secret?"
"Some bad people are searching for me, so it's better if you don't know my name. But you can keep calling me... Miss Huntress. Okay?"
"Miss Huntress..."
"Now, Jaune, wanna play a game?" She smiled at him.
"M-mmh…" The boy looked away and acted like he didn't care.
He could not trust this nameless woman…
"M-miss!"
"It's me again~" She smiled, "Look what I've got for you~"
"Cookies!"
"Yep!"
Jaune happily ate his cookies.
It had been several weeks since the Huntress had started visiting him.
"Miss, why do you always come to see me?" Jaune asked. "You must be very busy…"
"I'm a Huntress, Jaune." She smiled.
"I thought Huntsman just saved people from the monsters. I'm not in danger…"
She knelt down to his level. "That's true. But… Are you not in danger?" She asked him, patting his cheek, "I think you're in grave danger, Jaune."
"Eh?" Jaune blinked at her, suddenly worried. "M-me?"
"Yes. Your future is in danger." She explained, her eyes glinting with a silver spark, "It's true that Huntsmen save people, but you know what else they save, Jaune?"
"N-no..."
"Their soul!"
Jaune gaped at the grinning Huntsman. "Their soul…" He repeated.
"Yes... I can feel your soul crying for help. It is so chaotic... My poor child..." She mused, her voice full of sadness as she was placing her hand on his chest, over his heart. She smiled at him, "Do not worry, Jaune, I will teach you meditation. This will help calm down your power…"
…
She was right.
Meditation did, somewhat, calm down his power.
The Huntress kept visiting him again and again, despite the fact that the boy never once asked her to come back.
Why did she keep visiting Jaune? This nameless huntress. There had to be more important things than him.
But no, she kept dropping by.
And, little by little, the Huntress gained the child's trust.
After some time, one day...
"Miss Huntress, why do I always break everything? I want to be like other kids..."
"...Listen, Jaune. Your 'curse' is not a curse, it's a semblance! Some people say that Semblances define personality.
But, they are wrong! Do not listen to them! Semblance and personality are not connected.
Just because you break things doesn't make you any less human, Jaune.
Some people are fast, or strong, or smart,
Some are clumsy, or weak, or bad with words…
Some even spread bad luck.
You, you break things.
Do you see?"
"Hm, hm." Jaune nodded, listening with his full attention, drinking her words.
"Breaking things is just another one of these weird characteristics! Everyone has his own uniqueness, his own peculiar quirk."
"R-really?" The eyes of child-Jaune widened, full of hope.
"Of course! Everyone is unique! You must embrace that part of yourself, fill your heart with resolve, and continue to live positively!
It may be hard… It may be tough. You will suffer for sure.
But this suffering will make you a better person. A kinder person. This will fuel the burning kindness inside your heart!
Do you understand? This is the true secret behind one's charm.
Be human! That is all."
Jaune gaped at the woman who was smiling softly at him, her words resonating within him.
Those were the words that influenced his way of life.
"U-um… Could I maybe see you again sometime?" He mumbled timidly.
That day, for the first time, Jaune asked her to come back.
"Of course, Jaune." She ruffled his hair affectionately. "I'll never stop dropping by to see you, little goofball."
With these words, the Huntress finally opened his heart, and the little boy jumped on her and hugged her with all his strength, making her giggle in surprise.
He didn't want to let her go. Gripping her with his arms and legs like a claw, he just would not let go of her!
That day, it took hours for the Huntress to manage to get him off her and give him back to his foster family.
"And so she visited me every other week." Jaune finally finished his story, "I'm grateful to her, she inspired me, she's the reason why I was able to live a relatively normal life with... with decent morals."
"…"
"But, one day, she just… vanished." Jaune shook his head, sighing. He gritted his teeth. "She… Even though she told me she wanted to help me, she left!"
"…"
"And some days, I wonder why she left. I really want to know… After what I did to Cardin, I can't help but think she had foreseen this outcome, and decided that leaving me alone was for the best."
"…"
"I… I'm still grateful to her, but… I would like to see her, Ruby." Jaune demanded
"…She didn't give up on you, Jaune." Ruby said.
"Huh?"
"That person was my mother. Her name was Summer Rose." She declared, "The reason she stopped coming to see you was because she went on a mission far into the wild-lands."
"…Oh… What about after the mission?" Jaune questioned.
"...She never came back."
"…"
Jaune blinked and looked at Ruby. Her eyes were full of sorrow.
"O-oh." He realized with a low voice, his heart sinking. "She's… She's dead…"
"…" Ruby stayed silent.
As the silence stretched between them, Jaune's first thought was a selfish one.
So, she didn't leave me on her own volition.
She had never given up on him, huh… She would have continued to visit him.
Yeah… Yeah! She had believed in him until the end!
Jaune felt an immense relief realizing that. Years of questions and doubts had just been answered! The pain of not knowing what happened to her was finally ended, and his heart relaxed.
Yes! The trust he had put in her had not been misplaced. Someone had believed in him! The Huntress had been telling the truth after all! She had been an amazing person!
Yeah!
Yeah…
Such a person…
…is dead, huh.
"…"
"Her name was Summer Rose." Ruby spoke up, "She was best mom."
"…"
"Best huntress, too."
"…"
Why? I've just learned that she died…After all this time, I finally got an answer… So why does this sadness feel so good?
Jaune took a deep breath, trying to keep himself from spilling tears. The soul-crushing realization that his role-model had died was falling on him.
Yet at the same time, he was relieved. Unlike the time he had been crying on Miss Goodwitch's shoulder, this sadness was taking a burden off his shoulders.
Ruby nudged his shoulder. "She believed in you, from what you've told me, right, Jaune?"
"…Yeah." Jaune sniffed.
"So you can't give up now!"
"…"
"If you give up now, you'll bring shame on her name," Ruby stated seriously. "You must live up to her memory!"
"…you're right." Jaune nodded. "Of course, I can't give up!" A smile appeared on his face. "I won't give up, for her memory!
"And for my sake, too." Ruby pointed a finger at him.
"Huh?"
"Jaune…I will continue what my mom started!" A glinting spark ignited in her silver eyes, the same as her mother, "My mom may not be here anymore, but I am! So I will be the one to save your soul!"
"…" Jaune gaped at her, speechless.
"We ended up as partners, Jaune." Ruby continued quickly. She couldn't be stopped anymore, it seemed. "How's that for a coincidence? This must be fate!"
"F-fate?" Jaune repeated.
"That's right, do you not believe in Destiny?" She questioned, and without letting him the time to reply, she continued relentlessly. "And I'm your friend too, you understand?" She shook his arm. "I also believe in you, not just my mom! And I'll continue to support you, just like she did!"
Jaune straightened up, a little overwhelmed by what his partner was saying, "R-ruby…"
"A-a-a-ah! Nope, nope, nope! It's over, now. It's oveeeeeer!" She proclaimed as she stood up on the bed, a fire lit up within her soul. "Aaah!" She growled like a beast, so fired up that her red Aura started shining around her body, "Nothing could give me more determination! This is why we were placed on each others path, Jaune! We're gonna be the best Huntsmen, you'll see, and I will stick with you until the end!"
"U-until the end?" Jaune blushed, staring at her.
"Until the end!" She repeated, raising her voice over his. "Until. The. End! Even if you're expelled I'm gonna quit Beacon! It's not just about you anymore! So you better not disappoint me and my mom! You hear meeeeee! Jauuuuune!"
Jaune gaped in amazement as Ruby started screaming, pretty much going crazy and shaking his body to get her point across.
What the hell? Was learning that her mom had visited him so many times in the past that big of a deal for her?
No… It's not just that.
Ruby didn't want to help him just because he was her partner and best friend anymore. Now, it had become even more personal, so to say.
She also wants to continue her mother's legacy… Jaune realized. And Ruby probably thinks that… I am her mom's legacy. Could it be that…? Am I the only thing that Summer left behind?
"…"
As he watched Ruby continue her rant, jumping on the bed and gesticulating to try to get her point across, Jaune smiled.
In the end, despite learning about Summer's death, Jaune did not cry.
He was sad, but at the same time, he had finally gained back his old motivation, the one that Summer had helped him develop... until she disappeared. But Ruby had helped him get it back.
And as he watched her rambling, he noticed how heavy-hearted she was, too. On the verge of tears, actually. This obviously was a huge deal for her.
So, Jaune wanted to be there for her, the same way she had been there for him.
Yeah… From now on, I'll support her,Jaune decided. I'll help her.
"Okay, Jaune?!" She aggressively poked him with her fingers repeatedly, "And don't even try to get away from me!"
"…I wouldn't dream of it." Jaune said, raising his hands in the air as if he was held at gunpoint, "I'm not gonna leave, now, Ruby. You're stuck with me."
These words seemed to calm her down.
"Right! S-so… Y-yeah…" Ruby panted as she observed him, completely exhausted. Apparently satisfied in what she saw, she fell back on the bed, sinking in her pillow. "G-good… Phew..."
"…"
Jaune leaned back in his pillow, too.
After seeing how fired up Ruby had been, somehow, Jaune felt like she just needed to unload.
So he decided to question her.
"…How was she like…?"
Ruby sighed and started talking about her mom and role model Summer Rose.
Jaune asked many questions, and also talked about the 'Miss Huntress' he had known, and what they did when she came to visit him.
However, Ruby was the one who did most of the talking. In fact, Jaune had never seen Ruby talk so much. It was like by asking that one question, he had broken a dam within her, and now she was spewing out words after words after words.
Even though Ruby had been so young at the time, she seemed to remember it all. She kept talking and talking, always finding things to say. Sometimes repeating the same thing. Yet she kept going.
Though Jaune was surprised by this unexpected outburst, he listened to all of it.
…
They ended up talking about Summer for hours, and Ruby talked and talked and talked, so much that her throat started hurting.
Eventually, when Ruby ran out of things to say...
"Haaa... I-I'm so happy," She sniffed, "At home, we don't really talk about her… But I'm glad I'm able to talk about her with someone. Someone who understands the pain of not knowing whether she's dead or not… Or whether she abandoned us or not like Yang's biological mother…"
"Yeah…" Jaune smiled sadly, "It was tough, not knowing for sure, wasn't it?"
"Y-yeah…" She teared up once again as she stared at him. "It... It is tough..."
Jaune's heart squeezed at the sight of Ruby on the verge of tears, slowly breaking apart.
"E-even now…" She spoke up, "S-some nights, I still wonder… I-I'm still not entirely sure…if she's… if she's really…"
Jaune widened his eyes. "…Ruby…"
Acting on instinct, he drew her into a hug.
"E-even Yang and my dad don't know about this." She continued, "They thought I was too young to understand, but… s-since we don't talk about her at home, I never… I never…"
Oh my god… Jaune widened his eyes, She hasn't properly coped with her mother's death…?
How long had she, the happy, cute and cheerful Ruby, been bottling that up?
…As long as me, He realized. Except, she was younger than I was. How can she smile like she does all the time? Compared to me… She's much stronger.
Up until now, Jaune had seen Ruby as this amazing figure with unwavering spirit. He was a fool to think that way; Ruby was a normal person, too. She too could break down in tears just like he did. She was only fifteen after all.
But, to think she had been hiding this? Something this big?
"…Ruby." Jaune spoke up, breaking the hug and putting his hands on her shoulders.
"…?" She looked at him with her wide, shining silver eyes.
As he opened his mouth, Jaune's words suddenly got stuck in his throat.
Come on! Say it!
Someone. Someone has to say it for her.
But, what if Summer is actually… Come to think of it, Ruby never confirmed me that she was dead… She just mentioned that she never came back, right…? There is no dead body, no proof.
Jaune shook his head at the treacherous thoughts.
No… It's been too long… That's just wishful thinking. I need to think about Ruby first.
For us to move on, I need to say it. The reality is, Summer Rose…
Jaune gulped and took a deep breath.
"She's… She's dead, Ruby." Jaune managed to say, through a conscious effort.
Just stating it like this, as a fact, caused his heart to sink, and made him want to cry. It didn't help that the wide silver eyes in front of him were also filling themselves with tears.
"…"
Ruby leaned on his shoulder and started crying. Jaune put his arms around her and did his best to comfort her, trying to replicate whatever Miss Goodwitch had done to comfort him.
…
It was weird, how things turned out. Jaune had been the one depressed, and Ruby had come to help him get over it.
Yet, she was the one who ended up crying, and Jaune the one to help her. Their roles had been swapped.
…
…It didn't take too long before Ruby cried herself to sleep.
Somewhere...
Once again.
Jaune was falling.
Everything was white.
As he softly landed on solid ground, Jaune immediately noticed something was different.
"…"
He looked around.
Was he going to see Cardin? Yang?
Or Summer Rose?
Or that wisp creature that would disintegrate him in a heartbeat?
"…"
He walked.
He searched. In this white emptiness.
There was no one. Nothing.
Jaune was alone in this infinite world of whiteness.
"…Hello?" Jaune called, "Helloooooo?"
No one answered. It was terrifyingly silent, and there was not a single bit of wind, either.
This white dimension was completely empty.
"…Why… Why am I dreaming of this empty white space?" Jaune wondered, confused. "I don't understand…"
Why was he even aware of this dream, in the first place?
"…"
And why did it feel like something crucial was missing?
Knock, Knock.
Jaune opened his eyes, woken up by the sound of someone knocking softly on his window.
"…"
He sat up in his bed. Checking the hour, he noticed it was almost midnight.
Looking at his side, Ruby was still sleeping soundly.
Jaune grabbed the cover and pulled it back over her neck. Then he put a hand on her forehead. It wasn't too hot. It seemed like a normal temperature.
"…She should be okay." Jaune muttered to himself as he stood up.
He walked over the window and opened it. The air of the cold night entered the room, and he looked down at the ground.
"…Blake?" He recognized, surprised.
"Hi, Jaune." She greeted quietly, and with a swift jump, she climbed inside.
She straightened up. "I came here to check on Ruby. After it rained so much, and she was not coming back, Weiss and I started to worry since you hadn't opened your window last time we came."
"R-right… Sorry about that. Ruby... She's in my bed." Jaune answered.
"…" Blake stared at him, silently judging him.
"…Wh-what?" Jaune flushed.
"…Nothing." She gave him a little smile and went to check on Ruby.
"She's sleeping," Jaune said. "Though she may have caught a cold, I don't think it's too serious. I gave her a hot chocolate, too." He added. "Very hot."
"Uhuh." Blake hummed quietly as she raised an eyebrow at him, putting her hand on Ruby's forehead.
Jaune flushed and turned to the window. He leaned outside,enjoying the cold air of the night.
He closed his eyes as chills surged in his body.
Ah… I feel so good.
Jaune had never felt so relaxed in his entire life.
Serenity. The knowledge of what had happened to Summer Rose had brought him serenity.
He was grateful to her. And he was not going to let her down – nor Ruby. Not after the trust they had placed in him.
"…Somehow, I feel like I can do anything." Jaune whispered softly to himself.
Almost unnatural confidence was building up within him.
Jaune raised his hands and manifested his Aura. His arms started glowing a soft white.
Even his Aura felt calm and relaxed. Though there was something strange about his Aura. He could not put his finger on it, but his Aura… Was it just the fact that he had never felt so relaxed in his entire life?
Was this why his Aura felt so… different?
"…"
Jaune decided to assume it was because he had not felt so relaxed in such a long time that it felt like this.
"…"
He looked up into the night. Curiosity, hope, and apprehension filled his mind.
I need to see for myself…
"Blake," he called.
"What is it?" She looked up at him.
"I'm going for a walk." He said.
Jaune stepped over the edge of the window and jumped down.
"Oof!" He landed in a clumsy way. He really needed to work on his landing strategies.
Soon after, Blake followed after him.
"I'm coming with you." She decided, looking down at him. "I know all the paths to not get caught by the cameras."
"All right," Jaune nodded easily and stood up.
Followed by Blake, Jaune left his apartment.
Later.
Jaune and Blake stepped into the Emerald forest.
"I'm not supposed to leave my apartment…" Jaune said, a bit nervous. "But I just can't resist."
"Don't worry about it," Blake whispered, carefully observing their surroundings.
"…"
Jaune looked around for a bit, and picked up two twigs from the ground.
One in each hand.
Jaune closed his eyes, exhaled softly, and channeled his semblance, willing it to break only the right twig.
For a few seconds, nothing happened.
Crack!
The twig in his right hand eventually snapped.
It was a soft snap.
The one in his left hand… remained intact.
"…" Jaune looked at the ground below his feet.
The ground hadn't cracked, either, like it usually would when he channeled his semblance.
"Ah…Hahaha..."
Jaune sat down on the ground and started laughing. For the first time, his semblance had obeyed him without any problem.
"…"
Blake said nothing for a moment, before she patted his shoulder.
Jaune looked up at her.
"…Should we go back?" Blake asked quietly, her cat ears flat on her head as she watched him.
"…No." Jaune shook his head, making her ears twitch. "There's one more thing I need to do… But I'll really need your help this time."
"…Got it." Blake nodded easily, without asking questions. "You can count on me."
Later.
"All right, Jaune. Are you ready?" Blake asked.
"Yes." Jaune nodded as he put on his hood.
Jaune and Blake were going to infiltrate the infirmary.
This was to see Cardin.
Though Jaune's heart was now at peace, he still needed to see Cardin.
For a mission like that, Blake was the expert of infiltration. She was perfect for sneaking through the night.
"Let's go." She whispered.
Jaune and Blake started walking towards the infirmary's building, while Blake debriefed him.
"I know where the cameras are," Blake muttered. "But the building of the infirmary is more guarded. We're gonna have to be extremely careful."
"Got it."
"Watch your steps. Keep an escape plan in your mind. We do not want to get caught, especially since you… uh… since you just had a breakthrough."
"Okay," Jaune nodded, "But I can't see much in the dark."
"Don't worry, I'll guide you." She replied.
Jaune stared at Blake. "…You seem used to this, Blake."
"I've sneaked around plenty in the past, yes," She admitted.
"Well, thanks for the help." Jaune smiled gratefully at her. "Let's do this."
"…" She paused to look at him for a moment. "You've… changed."
"Wh-what?"
"It's just… I was surprised when you said you were going for a walk." She explained, staring at him, "Before, you would have never broken the rules by yourself."
Jaune laughed, and pointed a thumb at his chest, "These times are over now. I'm the master of breaking things, you know! Rules included."
Blake chuckled. "For you to say that so proudly… You've really changed. That's refreshing." She smiled at him. "Now, let's go."
"All right."
"Remember. Stay composed. Remain positively silent. Just follow me. And…" She smirked at him, "Don't break anything."
Jaune rolled his eyes and nodded silently.
The two of them continued heading into the direction of the infirmary's building.
Later.
With Blake's help and her night vision, they easily bypassed the cameras and infiltrated the building of the infirmary.
However, arriving at the door.
"It's locked… Of course." Blake slapped her head.
"Do you have lock-picks?" Jaune asked.
She stared at him. "What do you think I am, some kind of thief?"
"Aren't you a cat ninja?"
"N-no!" She protested, flushing. "I-isn't that racist?"
"Dunno," Jaune blinked, suddenly worried that he might have come across as racist. He hurriedly changed the topic. "I-I can open the door, though."
He applied his hand on the door's window.
"J-Jaune, wait…!" Blake gasped.
Crack!
The glass broke. And only the glass. Jaune reached his arm through and grabbed the door's lock on the other side, unlocking the door.
"It's open…" Jaune smiled in relief and turned back to Blake.
Blake had knelt on the ground and was covering her head with her arms, eyes clenched closed.
"…"
"…"
"Hm?" Blake opened an eye and looked around, surprised.
"…H-hey…" Jaune pouted. "Did you really expect me to blow up everything again?"
"No," She obviously lied, looking away.
"Liar!" Jaune accused and reach for her shoulder.
She swiftly dodged, of course, and then looked at him, fascinated. "You… You really got out of your edgy phase, huh."
"H-hey!" Jaune protested, trying to hit her again. "You're one to talk! You're always sassy!"
She dodged with a shadow clone and rolled her golden eyes at him, which basically proved his point.
"Come on, we shouldn't linger here too long." She told him and stepped into the infirmary.
Jaune followed after her and closed the door behind him. The two of them approached Cardin's bed.
"Who's there?" A groaning voice asked in the darkness.
Blake's yellow eyes turned to Jaune, waiting for him to say something.
"It's me," Jaune spoke up, stepping forward.
"Jaune…" Cardin breathed.
As Jaune came close to the bed, his heart clenched. Cardin's entire body was in plaster. His breathing was loud. Leaning over him, Jaune was able to distinguish two tired eyes watching his movements.
"You… look like shit." Cardin stated.
"Y-you look worse..." Jaune replied.
"I wonder why…"
Jaune didn't flinch at the snarky comment. Instead, he raised his hand and manifested his Aura to shed some light into the room to see better.
"Aa-aaah!" Cardin panicked. "Aaaaa-AaAah!"
"S-sorry…!" Jaune winced, immediately switching the light off.
"Haaa… Haaa…" Cardin breathed heavily, eyes wide. "Why… did you come here?" He asked.
"…" Jaune hesitated. "To, uh… To see you?"
"Y-you've seen me… You… You can leave now…!"
"…"
Jaune didn't move.
"Cardin…"
"…"
"I am… sorry." Jaune eventually apologized.
"…Hah," He chuckled. "Liar…"
Jaune bowed his head.
"Tell me, Jaune…" Cardin spoke up. "Did you… feel bad… after what you did?"
"… Yeah." Jaune answered easily.
"But you didn't feel bad for me, right?"
"...I did…"
"Liar. I know you don't care... what happened to me."
"…"
"You felt bad for yourself."
"…"
It was true that it was the fact that Jaune lost control of his powers that had really upset him.
However, he had still felt guilty for what happened to Cardin. He had felt bad for him... but not that much, honestly.
Because, the truth was, Jaune hated Cardin.
"Did you feel bad when you bullied me... or Velvet?" Jaune asked.
"Yeah," Cardin answered.
"..." Jaune narrowed his eyes.
"I did." Cardin insisted, "But, it was necessary. That rabbit had no confidence in herself... Someone had to step up to make her change. Make her realize what world we live in."
"..." Jaune gritted his teeth. What kind of reasoning was that?
"And you, too." Cardin continued, "You definitely needed that push, didn't you?"
"..."
"Still, aside from all of that," Cardin groaned, "These negative feelings you felt… did they make you change?"
"What?" Jaune asked, confused.
"Did you change?" Cardin repeated again. "Or… was it all… for nothing."
"…" Jaune frowned, remembering the twigs from earlier. "I changed… I think I changed… Yeah."
"I knew it…" Cardin chuckled, causing him to cough. "Negativity makes people stronger…" He sighed in satisfaction. His breath shortened as he was growing more tired. "Is it a good change?" He asked Jaune.
"…"
For some reason, Jaune remained silent. He was unsure.
Logically speaking, it was indeed a good change. He now had some semblance of control over his Aura. Yet… He was not sure if he could call it a 'good' change.
Something was missing, somewhere. He was not sure what. He was glad, but… At the same time, he was uncomfortable.
Maybe he was just not used to having such control over his Aura. His semblance breaking things on its own had become an integral part of his life, so now that it was taken away… This was a new feeling.
Perhaps, Jaune was simply scared of this major change in his life.
"I… I am no longer dangerous." Jaune declared, feeling weird for saying something so unusual. "I won't break everything I touch anymore. That's… That's a good change, right?"
"Oh…" Cardin sighed.
"…"
"Yeah... I think it's… a good thing... For us common people... at least..." He drawled, "I... didn't take the fall for nothing..."
With these words, Cardin closed his eyes and fell asleep right then and there.
"…" Jaune continued to stare at his face for a moment. His expression looked kinda serene, same as Jaune's current state of mind.
Looks like we're both at peace. Jaune mused, surprised.
"Hey," Blake pat his shoulder, making him turn to look at her yellow eyes. He had almost forgotten that she was there. "Jaune… It is a good change. I can tell."
"Yeah…" Jaune grinned hesitantly. "It is, isn't it."
"Of course. Come on, now," She muttered softly. "We should go."
They left the infirmary and returned to their respective rooms.
With Blake.
"Phew," Blake sighed as she closed the window of her team's dorm.
"So? What happened?" Weiss asked her when she came back.
Blake smirked. "Jaune took Ruby into his bed after she got all dripping wet."
"..."
"Oh, and she blew on his milk, too. It was very hot."
"..."
Weiss blushed bright red. She hid under her cover to continue reading her book - Ninjas of Love - while Blake snickered quietly.
Teasing Weiss was so much fun~
The next morning, with Ruby.
"Ruby…"
"Grmbl…"
"Rubyyy…"
"Hmm… What is it?"
"It's time to wake up."
Ruby opened her eyes. Jaune's grinning face was leaning right over hers.
"Gaaah!" Ruby gasped.
"Good morning, Ruby!" Jaune greeted as he straightened up. "You have school in one hour, so I woke you up. Your breakfast is ready."
"Wh-what?" She blinked sleepily. "Oh… Right…"
She sat up, got out of her bed and yawned for a moment before she walked to the table and sat down to eat.
"I want some hot chocolate!" She whined like a spoiled brat.
"Hot chocolate, got it." Jaune nodded and immediately went to make one.
"…" Ruby blinked sleepily and smiled as she watched him move around.
She had immediately noticed it, of course.
The way he was moving was confident, decisive. His overall stance had changed, he even looked taller. And, most importantly, he did not flinch every time he grabbed an item. He was not as careful as he had been before, he was not scared of breaking these items.
Though he was still very meticulous when handling stuff. Old habits die hard.
"Mhh, mmh, mmh…" Jaune even hummed a tune under his breath. The expression on his face was loose and open, with a light, serene smile. It felt like he was happy. Simply happy.
Ruby could understand how he was feeling. She was happy, too, that they had finally talked things out yesterday.
Jaune put a cup of chocolate next to her. "There you go."
"Thank you, Sebastian." She nodded with an overly pompous tone.
"…Sebastian?" He blinked.
"Indeed." She took a sip of her hot chocolate as if it was some kind of refined tea. "As my new steward, your name will now be Sebastian. Because all the good stewards are named Sebastian."
"Oh, er… I'm honored, Miss Schnee." He said, scratching his hair.
Ruby giggled. "What about you, you don't eat?"
"This is all the staff has given me," He shrugged.
"Let's share it then. Come on, Sebastian!"
He smiled and sat with her. "How's that cold doing?" He asked her, "Are you feeling good?"
"Fine, fine." Ruby brushed it off. "What about you?"
"…I've improved." He just smiled humbly, obviously keeping himself from acting overexcited.
"Huuuuh~~" Ruby drawled, leaning forward and narrowing her eyes at him. "Are you keeping something from me, dear Sebastian?"
Jaune shifted nervously for a moment under her gaze, before finally breaking into a full grin, unable to keep a straight face. "I-I've had a breakthrough last night, Ruby! My semblance, I can hold it back now! I should be okay!"
"That's wonderful!" Ruby laughed, a massive feeling of relief washing over her. "I knew it! Of course, it's just like she said, isn't it?"
"Yeah..." He nodded, and looked at her. "About that, are you okay now?"
"Never better!"
"If you need anyone to talk..."
"I know, Jaune," Ruby smiled gratefully. "I'll just go to you."
"...Right," He nodded awkwardly.
After that, they started chatting merrily as they ate what little food they had.
Eventually, they finished their tiny breakfast, showered, and dressed up. As Ruby was getting ready to leave, she turned back to him.
"Hey, thanks… for yesterday." Ruby thanked him, bowing her head.
"I should be the one thanking you," Jaune grinned. "Besides, it's just like you said. We're partners, so there's no need for thanks between us."
At that moment, he raised his hand, and he ruffled her hair.
"…" Ruby stared at Jaune. "Oooh, wanna play that game? Don't treat me like a kid!"
She jumped on him and started ruffling his hair back!
"But you are a kid!" Jaune laughed as he tried to get her off him.
"I am not!" Ruby protested as she tried to act offended, and continued her assault.
"Then stop calling me Sebastian!"
"Gaaah!"
An epic battle began between the two, as they tried to ruffle each other's hair.
Being stronger and faster, however, Ruby quickly overwhelmed him.
"Do you give up, Jaune? Do you give up?"
"Aah! I give up! I give up!" He surrounded.
Ruby let him go. They exchanged a glance and started laughing.
"Haaa…" Jaune sighed heartily, running his hand through his now chaotic hair. "...You should really go now, Ruby."
"Yeah…" She sighed, looking at him.
They just had a fight.
Between the two of them, they just had a silly fight. Without his semblance retaliating!
To be honest, Ruby didn't mind being pat on the head at all. It was actually a guilty pleasure of hers! However, she had wanted to start a fight with him, just for the sake of starting a fight. To prove that they could if they wanted!
Ruby sniffed. "Waaah!" She suddenly tackled him to the ground, "I'm so glad, Jaune!"
"Gah!" He gasped under her weight. "H-hey! I-I'm very happy too, but you're too heavy! A-and why are you hugging me all of a sudden?" He shifted awkwardly in her grasp.
"You shut up, just let it happen!" Ruby demanded as she tightened her grip around her partner.
She had been so worried that she would have to continue four years without a partner. She was relieved things were finally turning out to be all right.
This boy… Mom's will lives through him. Ruby thought to herself. I won't let him down, no matter what.
"C-come on, now… You're gonna be late." Jaune mumbled.
Ruby straightened up and looked at his embarrassed face. "You're gonna be okay, now, right?" She asked, just to be sure.
"…Yeah." Jaune nodded, "It's over now." He smiled softly, "All thanks to you."
Ruby blushed and jumped away from him. "O-oh, s-stop it..." She mumbled, waving her hand, "Sh-shut it, I-I haven't done much," she babbled, flustered.
She had never been good at dealing with compliments. "B-besides, you helped me too…" Ruby mumbled, remembering how much stress he had vented on him yesterday.
It sure had felt good, unloading everything about mom like that.
"All right, come on now." He pushed her away gently. "If we continue like this we're still gonna be here tonight. And we can't sleep together like that another time, it's really becoming a bad habit."
"R-right…" Ruby flushed and stepped on the edge of the window. She paused to look back at him. "U-um..."
"...You just don't want to leave, do you?" Jaune shook his head as he stared at her, grinning.
"I-I'm leaving!" Ruby replied quickly, "And next time, I'll bring some video games. See you later, Jaune!"
"Yeah." He smiled and waved his hand at her. "I look forward to it!"
And so, Ruby went back to her dorm.
Later.
"And so, Jaune should be okay now! Isn't that amazing?" Ruby was explaining to her other teammates.
"..."
"..."
"...What?" Ruby blinked and asked at Weiss who was staring at her with a blush on her face.
"N-nothing!" The heiress flushed and hurriedly looked away. "Th-that's good for him, of course! But the methods you used to achieve such results... That's- That's just too much, Ruby!" She accused, "What were you thinking? You are fifteen! And the least you could do is get your hair back in order!"
"Eh?" Ruby raised her eyebrows. "What? What methods? We just helped each other unload some deep stuff. It really wasn't much..." Ruby shrugged, and grinned widely, "And let me tell you, Weiss, it felt sooo good! We both really needed that, you know."
"..."
Weiss blushed bright red again, quickly fled to the bathroom, and locked the door.
"...?" Ruby tilted her head to the side, very confused. "What's with her?" She asked Blake.
"Dunno," Blake shrugged innocently and turned away, hiding her snicker.
With Glynda Goodwitch.
Glynda adjusted her arm's plaster as its position was getting uncomfortable.
She sighed as she checked the hour. The training was supposed to have begun an hour ago.
"Miss Goodwitch." A voice called.
Glynda turned in the voice's direction and widened her eyes.
"…You came." Glynda greeted Jaune with a relieved smile.
"I came." He nodded. He looked at her arm, "I'm really sorry for that..."
"I've had worse. Do not worry." Glynda brushed it off.
She raised an eyebrow as she took a moment to observe him.
Something has changed about him.
The look in his eyes. It seemed like he had gained some determination. His stance, too. He was oozing confidence.
And also… Well…
"What in the world happened to your hair?!" She gaped.
"Ah…!" Jaune blushed in embarrassment, raising his arms to try to get his air back in order, "I, uh, nothing…! I-I just tried to let it go wild…!"
"...Don't let it go wild." Glynda advised, making him blush even more. She shrugged, shaking her head. "Jaune. Are you ready for training?" She questioned. "Same as last time."
"Ah, yes! I am ready!" He answered without hesitation.
Glynda's eyes narrowed. "What… if you injure me?"
The question had to be asked.
"…" Jaune bowed his head humbly. "If I do, then I apologize in advance." He smiled. "But… I don't think I will."
"Oh? Why is that?"
He grinned. "Because I can feel it. I've changed. I've finally gotten some closure."
Closure? Who was he referring to?
"I just feel a lot better." Jaune continued. "I haven't felt so relaxed in a while. I've re-ascertained something that I had heavy doubts about. Now I finally feel serene."
"You do seem a lot more relaxed." Glynda smiled at him.
"Among other things," He nodded.
…Regardless, this was an unexpected development. For the first time, Glynda felt like Jaune was finally, truly determined and motivated to improve. A change of mindset could easily make the difference. This was really good.
But it seemed like it was more than just a simple change of mindset. This Jaune… felt like an entirely new person.
"Looks like you've finally found some resolve," Glynda acknowledged, to which Jaune laughed a little. He was this relaxed? "But do you actually have a plan?" She asked.
"Just an idea I want to try out," Jaune said.
"Oh?"
He merely smiled, staying quiet.
"Hmm… We shall see." Glynda allowed, "Now, let us start, Jaune. Show me the extent of your will!"
"Yes!"
With that, they set up the same training as last time, with Glynda summoning her glyphs to contain the explosion. This time, however, she distanced herself even further.
Once he was ready, Jaune channeled his semblance without hesitation.
His body started glowing white, cracking the ground he stood on.
"..."
It stayed like this for a while, his body shining with constant light and slowly breaking the ground around him.
"Jaune?" Glynda called, confused at the lack of destruction, "Keep channeling your semblance!"
"I... I'm trying." He replied.
His body started shining a little more intensely, causing more cracks to spread around him.
But Glynda's glyphs never cracked. They remained intact.
"...Stop." Glynda eventually ordered after five minutes of Jaune channeling his semblance.
The white light around him flickered for a moment, before slowly fading.
And disappeared.
"..."
"..."
There was a moment of silence as the two of them digested what had just happened, stunned.
"...You... Was that really all you could do?" Glynda eventually asked. That felt several times less powerful than last time!
"Yeah..." Jaune frowned, looking at his hands. "It never went out of control." He mused, "No matter how much I pushed. And when I stopped channeling my Aura, somehow my semblance immediately stopped breaking things instead of carrying on against my will... So..."
He looked up at Glynda and grinned, "Basically, it seems like I've traded power for control. Maybe it's because I no longer feel so many negative feelings?" He mused to himself.
It seems he's turned more talkative, as well. Glynda mused to herself, observing him.
"…There are some Huntsmen who believe that negativity makes the soul stronger, yes." She nodded, "However, it's not proved, and should not affect your control in any way." She mused. "How peculiar... As expected of your semblance, I suppose."
Jaune hummed pensively as he stared at the palm of his hand again.
"Regardless." Glynda smiled at him, "For now, results are all that matter. That's excellent work, Jaune!"
"Yes," he nodded, "Let's do it again, please!" He demanded.
"Very well!"
…
Glynda didn't know how Jaune had done it, but by the end of the day, she had not been injured even once, and Jaune had managed to shut down his semblance every single time.
The first sign of progress: being able to reliably stop his semblance from breaking things.
What had happened to him, being locked in his room for an entire day? What made him change?
"How did you do it?" She asked.
"Hm?"
"Before, you said you had something you wanted to try out for this training." Glynda reminded him, "What was it?"
"Ah, that," Jaune smiled. "I lied. Sorry. I actually had no plan."
"…" Miss Goodwitch gaped at him. Him, lying? "D-does that mean…"
"Yep. I held back my semblance without any trick." Jaune grinned proudly.
"But… How?"
"How?" Jaune repeated, chuckling. "Through all this training, my semblance never once got out of control. Even I don't really understand why. It's usually so wild. It can't be just my emotions... Something's different." He raised his hand to look at it, making his Aura glow around it.
He has amazing Aura control already… Glynda noted as she watched him effortlessly make his hand shine a white light.
Though she shouldn't be surprised. He had always meditated ever since childhood, and had spent his life holding back his Aura. Now that he no longer had to hold it back, he could focus all of his control somewhere else.
"My Aura feels different." He continued, observing his Aura. "It feels responsive. Controllable. Tamed." He took out his scroll. "And look at this."
Jaune Arc: 91.62%
Miss Goodwitch widened her eyes. "The scroll can actually scan your Aura? It's not flickering anymore?"
And he still has this much Aura left, after all this training?
"Nope," Jaune smiled, looking at the number on the scroll. "I do not know why, but… something, with my Aura, changed, ever so slightly. Something… Something…" He struggled to find the right word. "Something… broke?" He frowned.
Glynda raised an eyebrow. "Just… because you got some closure?"
"Maybe." Jaune shrugged. "Or maybe it is something else? Who knows." he grinned, "I couldn't care less! Because..."
He straightened up and suddenly brandished a fist towards the sky.
"I DID IIITTTT!" He screamed in victory.
Crack!
He shattered the ground, cracks spreading like a web around him. "Oops," He laughed, "I got a little carried away. Hahaha… Hahaha!"
And then he continued to laugh for a while.
Who is this? Glynda wondered, Is this really the gloomy Jaune Arc?
She didn't know what happened, or how it happened, but she was glad. Proud, even.
"Miss Goodwitch…" He turned to her. "Thank you so much!"
"Hmm...?" Glynda blinked.
…Why was he thanking her?
In the end, she couldn't help him figure out his problem. He solved it all on his own, alone, without her help. This made her feel somewhat useless.
...Maybe she had never been qualified to deal with this semblance.
"…Good work, Jaune." Glynda just said while giving him a smile.
"Let's continue the training, please, Miss Goodwitch!" He requested eagerly.
"…Yes, of course."
Leaving that aside… With this, the worst part was behind him.
All that was left was practice.
Now, a new world was opening itself in front of him, a world where he would not be scared of tearing books apart, breaking beds, or dismantling weapons, a world where he could play video games with his friends without destroying the controller, a world where he could be punched in the face without breaking someone's limb…
A world where he could be a normal person.
His dream, fulfilled.
A/N: Uuuuugh. This is too sweet, way too sweet! Stop it, Ruby, you're giving me diabetes!
About Ruby: some of you may need to listen to the song 'Red Like Roses part II', which hints at Ruby's emotions about her mother. This chapter is just my own take of her character based on that song, and I think it makes her more interesting.
Next chapter: next week.