Changed the genre from Humor to Drama which isn't to say there isn't going to be Humor, but Drama felt like it fit a bit better.
Individual System
Dr. Gelato Polendina woke up after a thirty-six-hour nap.
Some people would balk at that They would say the word nap felt woefully inadequate. People didn't nap for thirty-six hours. They didn't even sleep for thirty-six hours. In fact, a thirty-six-hour nap sounded like the result of a profoundly unhealthy lifestyle.
Dr. Polendina called those people wimps.
Dr. Polendina could and did work for several days without stopping. When he did stop, the old man usually collapsed for well over a day. Trying to wake him up was pointless. The only thing one could do was wait for him to wake up at which point the cycle would repeat itself all over again.
It wasn't something convenient like a Semblance. The doctor was just a workaholic. Everyone who worked in the IXA project knew of Polendina's bad habits. It was impossible not to know about them with how much the scientist worked. Many people tried to caution him against living like that, but they soon learned it was a lost cause. Dr. Polendina was as stubborn as a mule. Although some would say that comparison was offensive to mules.
It would surprise many to know Dr. Polendina knew his habits were not entirely good for his health. When he was younger, he had even tried to curb them without much success. As he grew older, he realized it was a lost cause. He couldn't help himself. That was all there was to it.
He was too passionate.
When he worked, the ideas just kept flowing, and Dr. Polendina feared that if he stopped, they'd be lost to him forever. So he kept going, heedless of everything else. He forgot about time. He forgot about the people around him. He even forgot about eating, managing to sustain himself with only coffee. The only thing that existed for Polendina in those moments where his very being was arrested by his passions was the task in front of him. Nothing more. Nothing less. When he was like that, Polendina could no more stop himself than he could stop the sun from rising.
It was, his co-workers had to admit, an enviable quality.
It was also the furthest thing from healthy, Dr. Polendina thought to himself as he stood up and stretched. Several satisfying cracks followed. The doctor rubbed his eyes and spied a plate of bacon and eggs left on his desk. There on Ironwood's orders, no doubt. The man could be such a worrywart sometimes.
The old scientist grabbed the plate and started wolfing it down. It was cold, but he was used to that. The last time he had a hot meal was about a month ago, and the last time he slept on his apartment instead of his office was…
Well, he couldn't recall the last time he slept on his Atlas-issued apartment. Supposedly, it had a great view, but he had never taken the time to admire it. Going to his apartment every day would make him waste entirely too much time, and wasting time was the last thing Polendina wanted.
Besides, it wasn't as if anyone was waiting for him there.
No, it was better this way. In the pursuit of science, one could ill-afford to waste time. Every second was precious which was why Dr. Polendina hadn't left his lab in months. Even taking a bath was too-
Dr. Polendina stopped and took a moment to smell himself.
No, maybe a bath wasn't entirely a waste of time. He'd have to remember to take a quick shower today and change clothes. However, that would have to wait for later.
Right now, there were other things to take care of. Like every time he woke up after one of his naps, Dr. Polendina started going over his terminal. He needed to see just how much progress had been made in his absence and what new problems had popped up since then. Usually, there were never any big surprises, but he hadn't gotten as far as he had by not being careful.
"Penny," Dr. Polendina spoke his first words that day over an hour after waking up. "Penny, dear, could you come here a second please?"
He did not have to wait long for his daughter to reply. She always kept an eye on him.
Probably because she didn't have much else to do, a snide voice in his mind reminded him.
"You called for me, father?"
As always, the voice of his daughter brought forth many emotions in him. Guilt and joy. Love and pain. It was a sweet torture he could never escape from. He could only endure.
"I seem to have found some unusual activity in our logs," he said, leaning back into his seat. "Would you care to guess why that is?"
"I have no idea," Hiccup! "why that could be, father."
The hiccup was all the evidence Polendina needed. He had no idea why she was even capable of it. Technically speaking, Penny didn't even have a body to hiccup with, but hiccup she did. Every time she lied, she started hiccupping. She couldn't help herself. There was a doctoral thesis on the nature of the soul to be written there, but Polendina had neither the time nor the inclination for it.
"Why did you talk to Jaune Arc?" He asked, sighing.
Even among those who worked in the IXA project, the number of people who knew of Penny was very small. It was for the best. Polendina had told himself that numerous times. Penny's existence would be too… problematic for many. It was better for her to stay a secret for a little while longer.
Penny knew and accepted that. It was why she did not make contact with the people in the lab. Nothing stopped her from talking to them except the trust she held for him and Ironwood.
Yet she had talked to Jaune Arc.
"I wanted to meet him," Penny said, her voice meek and small. The father in Polendina demanded he immediately forgive her and buy her a puppy. He gripped the edge of his desk and took a deep breath to stop himself from doing just that.
"Why?" He asked in a gentle voice. "I am not mad or disappointed. I just want to understand why you did it."
"Because he is family."
Out of all the answers he could have excepted, that wasn't one of them.
"Family?"
"Yes, you told me IXA was my brother, father."
He had done that. Of course, he hadn't been literal about it. What he had meant back then was that since IXA served as a test-bed for much of the technology that Penny needed, it could be seen as an older sibling of sorts. Looking back on it, he should have known better than to phrase it that way. Penny was far from dumb, but the intricacies of language were not something she had fully mastered yet.
"Jaune Arc is a vital part of IXA. That makes him my sibling, does it not?"
It was the infallible logic of a child. Flawed in a way that required a long and awkward conversation to explain.
"Yes, Penny," Polendina said instead of trying to correct her. "In a way, I guess he is your brother."
"Sensational! Does that mean I can keep talking to him, father? I wish to engage in sibling banter and snack-stealing!"
It hurt him to hear the excitement in her voice. It hurt him so much he didn't have the heart to tell her Jaune Arc may not come back after what had happened during the test.
"Yes, Penny. You can talk to him. Just make sure no one else is around."
And if Jaune Arc decided not to come back, well, that wasn't a conversation Dr. Polendina was looking forward to. He'd take a hundred sleepless nights over that.
Being a scientist was hard.
Being a father was harder.
xXx
"Sir, I am afraid I do not understand."
James Ironwood did not sigh or look down. He kept his gaze trained on Winter Schnee. The young woman had just been given her new assignment and had reacted about as well as he expected. Not with insubordination or petty tantrums, of course. Winter Schnee was above such things. She was nothing if not professional.
Still, the slight tension in her lips had to be the closest thing to a pout Ironwood had seen from her.
"What exactly is it that you do not understand about the assignment?" He refrained from using her formal title. Calling her Specialist would just reinforce the difference in rank between them and would cause Winter to immediately submit to his authority. He didn't want that. He wanted her to understand why she needed to do this.
James Ironwood was not so kind he'd do this for all his subordinates, but Winter Schnee was not just any soldier under his command. She was someone with the potential to be his successor in just a few decades.
"I understand it is an honor to be brought into a project of this magnitude," Winter began, her tone respectful to a fault. "However, I am sure there are better tutors available."
Winter did not mention some of those tutors were within walking distance of his office. Atlas Academy was, after all, a school for Huntsmen. Ironwood had the best teachers his school's considerable budget could afford. Many of them he trusted with his life. If it was just a matter of finding a good teacher for Jaune Arc, Ironwood could have just ordered any of them to spare some time to teach him. Winter had realized that right away.
She just didn't throw it in his face because she was too respectful to do so.
"I must confess I do not have much experience tutoring others. As such, I cannot guarantee the best results for the project. It may be presumptuous of me to say this, but I believe my skills would be put to better use in the field."
"I disagree," Ironwood replied. The small way in which Winter narrowed her eyes at his easy dismissal of her argument would have escaped the notice of anyone else. "It is true I could have chosen someone else for this task. If my only concern was finding the most efficient tutor for Jaune Arc, then there are certainly better candidates than you."
"Then why—"
"Because that is not my only concern," Ironwood smoothly cut Winter's objection. That she had tried to interrupt him spoke volumes of how dissatisfied she was about this. She badly wanted to start doing her duties as a Specialist.
That was part of the problem.
"Tell me something, Winter," Ironwood said, his hands steepled together. "When was the last time you spoke with your team?"
A slight tensing of her muscles was the only reaction Winter showed. Ironwood allowed himself to feel proud of her for that.
"I…" Winter opened her mouth only to immediately close it. She had finally realized where this conversation was going, but it was too late for her to change its course. "We have not spoken since my graduation."
"Since you graduated early, you mean?"
"Yes, that is what I meant."
Winter Schnee was twenty-years-old and had entered Atlas Academy when she was seventeen. She should be in her last year at Atlas Academy.
She wasn't.
Through outstanding academic performance, Winter had graduated early. She had even managed to complete the Specialist courses alongside her regular schoolwork, something that would usually have taken six months of extra schooling after graduation. However, therein lay the problem.
Winter had graduated early.
Just her.
Not her team.
To pursue her goals, Winter had left them behind. Though Ironwood had tried to caution her against it, everything Winter had done had been firmly within school regulations, and as such, he hadn't been able to stop her. Her former team would now have to face their final year with a missing member. Since the Vytal Tournament was to take place this year, their situation was particularly troublesome. They would have to make special arrangements to participate.
They had not been happy about that.
"If your goal were to be just a Huntress, that kind of behavior would have been acceptable. Though we stress the importance of teamwork, many Huntsmen are capable of making a living taking solo missions."
Qrow came to mind. His opinion on the man's manners, disposition, character, and psychological state aside, no one could deny he produced results. Peter Port was also another example of a Huntsman that had managed to rise on his own.
"However, you are not just a Huntress, Winter. You are one of my Specialists. When you are in the field, you will not be acting alone. You will be leading a team. My soldiers will look to you for direction, and you must be able to provide it. As you are right now, I don't think you can do that."
This time Winter could not hide her flinch.
When Ironwood had made Winter the leader of her team, he had thought she would grow into the role. Alas, that was not what happened. The girl's disposition made it hard for her to bond with others. Additionally, her last name caused her no end of troubles, even among other prospective Huntsmen.
"I want you to train Jaune Arc, not just for his sake, but your own," Ironwood said. "A soldier will follow orders because that is his duty. However, that does not mean his commander has earned his respect. I want you to be a leader who can earn her subordinates' respect. I hope that by having Jaune Arc under your command, you will be able to learn how to that."
"Very well, sir. I will do my best to meet your expectations," Winter said, very clearly not happy with his decision but not able to do anything about it. Ironwood hoped she would understand in time. "However, there is something I wish to ask about the pilot."
"Rider," Ironwood corrected her. "The correct terminology is Rider."
Though why that was, he had no idea. Another one of Polendina's eccentricities.
"Right. The Rider. As I understand it, there is no guarantee this Jaune Arc will return."
"That is true," Ironwood admitted. "However, I am certain that he will."
Those eyes had been too determined for the boy's own good. That determination would have to be adequately tempered before the boy could become a Huntsman.
"Would it not be better if he didn't?"
Ironwood had to blink at that. For once, Winter looked almost uncomfortable as she spoke.
"Why would you say that?"
"Because he is an Arc," Winter replied, "and Arcs do not have a good history with Atlas."
Ironwood almost smiled. Trust Winter to have noticed that. Then again, as someone burdened by her last name, it would have been impossible for her not to notice such things.
"I believe you are overthinking it," Ironwood said. "Regardless of what happened in the past, the Arcs have proven themselves as Huntsmen countless times. In the end, we all stand united against the Grimm."
Ironwood almost grimaced when he realized how Ozpin-like those words were.
"If you have doubts, then I ask you to make up your mind after getting to know the boy. In fact, I'll make it a mission. It is important for leaders to know their subordinates."
Winter nodded. "Very well, sir. I will judge with my own eyes."
As Winter left his office, James Ironwood found himself wondering just how Jaune Arc was doing at the moment.
xXx
Jaune Arc walked through the streets of the lower districts.
Since arriving at Atlas, it was the first time Jaune left the upper districts. Hell, it was the first time he went out for a walk. He had been so busy with all the IXA stuff, he hadn't had time for anything else. Now, however, he had nothing better to do and staying all day in his apartment wasn't an idea that appealed to him. If at all possible, he'd rather not be alone with his thoughts right now. The noise from the lower city was exactly what he needed.
The sun was starting to set, but Jaune wasn't worried about that. While the lower districts had a bad reputation, Jaune was finding out it was mostly undeserved.
People who only saw the lower districts through the CCTnet thought the place was a slum where only the poor and destitute lived, a haven for criminals rivaled only by Windpath. Such notions couldn't be further from the truth. Yes, the lower districts weren't as wealthy as the upper districts, but saying they were poor because of that was like calling a Goliath small because it wasn't as big as a Leviathan.
When Jaune had arrived at Atlas, he had expected the lower districts to be like the mining communities around Mantle. What he had found had been a modern city as good as any other except for the one that floated above it. Sure, there were beggars here and there, but what city didn't have those?
For the most part, the lower districts were full of tall buildings, fast cars, and thousands and thousands of busy people. It was noisy in a way the upper districts couldn't hope to compare. Streets vendors announced their wares. People talked loudly over their scrolls. Engines roared as cars passed by. Families talked, and laughed, and had a good time. It was a stark contrast to Mantle's quieter atmosphere, but Jaune didn't mind.
Right now, he welcomed that noise.
Jaune walked through the busy streets with no destination in mind, just happy to take in the sights and noises. The more he walked, the further away he got from the beautiful floating city, and the more the city changed. The buildings became smaller and more rundown, and Jaune started to see more faunus in the crowds.
It was only natural, Jaune supposed. Living near the upper districts was expensive. Those with lesser resources naturally gravitated towards the areas further away from it. If Jaune kept walking in a straight line, he'd probably reach the slums soon enough. Before, the prospect would have frightened him. After all, he was small and frail-looking, an easy target for would-be criminals. However, Jaune had spent the better part of two weeks fighting droids. He trusted his Aura to keep him safe.
A distant rumble made Jaune look up just in time for a drop of rain to hit his face. It took about ten seconds after that for it to start pouring. Jaune pulled his hood over his head, but the material offered little protection from the rain. So much for Pumpkin Pete's Limited Edition Hoodie.
Oh well, at least it wasn't hailing. That would suck.
Looking around, Jaune spotted a small restaurant and dashed in. The restaurant was dimly lit and larger than he expected. Most of the clients were faunus, but Jaune guessed that was to be expected in this part of the city. The smell of food was quick to make his stomach growl, a reminder that he hadn't eaten all day. Jaune spotted a small table near the corner of the room and made his way there before anyone else could claim it.
It felt weird.
Not because there was anything wrong with the seat or the table. It was just that Jaune was used to sitting at larger tables. Whenever they ate out, the Arc family always needed a large table for themselves. Sometimes they had to push three or more tables together to make themselves comfortable. That sort of thing happened when a family had eight children in it.
This time he was on his own. It was different, and different took time getting used to.
Jaune clicked his tongue and forced his attention on the menu, just in time as well, because a waiter came to take his order. A quick glance at the menu showed the restaurant offered a surprisingly large variety of food, and Jaune would be lying if he said he wasn't curious about some of the dishes. In the end, though, he went for something familiar.
He ordered from the children's menu.
Dinosaur-shaped chicken nuggets.
He ignored the look the waiter shot him. What did he know? Chicken nuggets with fries were a perfectly acceptable meal for all ages. They were tasty, and you could eat them fast which meant your siblings would have a harder time stealing them from you.
It was just common sense.
The rain had brought in a lot of customers to the restaurant, so Jaune expected his order to take a while. To his surprise, Jaune saw the waiter coming towards him with a plate of chicken nuggets… and served them to the man sitting next to him. It didn't look like he had made a mistake either, because the man didn't complain about it.
"Hey, you ordered the dino nuggets!" Jaune said, happy to see someone shared his tastes. His older sisters always teased him for it.
Then again, his sisters also didn't get his hoodie was awesome, so really, what did they know?
The man turned slightly after Jaune spoke. Like Jaune, he was wearing a hoodie, and like Jaune, he had his hood up. Combined with the low lighting of the room, it was hard to make out his face. Jaune could just barely see hints of red hair under his hood.
Curiously, he wore a blindfold over his eyes. Jaune couldn't begin to guess how he saw with that on.
Maybe he was blind? Or maybe, Jaune thought frowning, he was a faunus hiding his trait. That could be it. As far as Jaune could tell, the restaurant had a large faunus clientele.
"I did," the man said, surprising Jaune with how young he sounded. It struck him that maybe the guy wasn't that much older than him. He was just very tall. "Is there a problem with that?"
"Ah? No, no problems here," Jaune said, quickly shaking his head. "I like them too. They're the best. I was just surprised to see someone older ordering them."
Adults usually didn't order from the kid's menu. It was just the way of things. Then again, this guy seemed to be a teenager, so maybe that was the reason.
"I don't make it a habit to listen to the wrong opinions of others," the faunus said. "Chicken is a good source of protein, helps you build muscle, keeps your bones healthy, and reduces stress. It's much better than fish."
Jaune had no idea why the redhead added the last part, but he didn't disagree.
"Besides, nuggets are easy to eat."
"I know, right? That's what I always say," Jaune said, nodding emphatically. "Since you can just shove them in your mouth, you don't have to waste time cutting them! They're super easy to finish fast."
"Exactly. It is foolish to waste unnecessary time eating. You never know when something will come up, so it's important to always be ready," the man said, nodding with far more seriousness than the subject deserved.
"So," Jaune said, drawing out the word. "Ketchup or honey mustard?"
What followed was a surprisingly spirited conversation about the virtues of chicken nuggets. The few people in the restaurant that knew who the man Jaune was talking to was felt the need to take a picture just to make sure this was really happening. They didn't because they knew they'd regret it later.
"There is a place in Vale you should try out. They have alligator nuggets."
Jaune's eyes shined. "Alligator? Seriously? What does that taste like?"
"A bit like chicken," the faunus replied, making a so-so motion with his hand. "But firmer. Try it if you ever get the chance."
Jaune intended to. Alligator nuggets were probably the closest he was ever going to get to eating real dinosaur nuggets.
He was glad he had found someone to talk with about this sort of meaningless stuff. It was something that he had been missing, and it was just the thing he needed to distract himself from...
Crap. He played himself.
Jaune's eyes slowly shifted to the faunus next to him.
"Hey," Jaune said, acting more on impulse than on anything resembling thought. "Have you ever seen those movies where two strangers meet, and one of them tells the other his whole life story even though it really doesn't make sense because people don't just blurt out their secrets like that and—"
"You wish to ask me something."
Jaune nodded, a bit embarrassed. "Yeah. Kind of. I have… an issue. I think it's an issue, at least."
The faunus regarded him for a moment. He had already finished his food and paid his bill. He had no reason to stay anymore and was under no obligation to listen to his troubles. If anything, Jaune was the weird one for asking advice from a stranger.
"I cannot stop you from speaking, but I do not promise anything."
Even though his mom always said strangers were just friends you haven't met yet, Jaune always found it weird when people just casually told strangers their secrets in the movies his sisters brought home for movie night.
Right now, Jaune kind of got it.
He didn't need the opinion of someone who knew him or his situation. He needed someone who was completely unbiased.
"Well, it's like this. I got the opportunity to do something recently, and it's a good thing. It can also lead to something I've wanted my whole life…"
"But?" the teen prompted.
"But it could be dangerous," Jaune said, trying to find his reflection on his fork. Next to him, the young man went very still.
"How dangerous?"
"Very," Jaune admitted. He didn't remember everything that had happened after putting on the suit, but he did remember the bright light, the sound.
The pain.
"And now that you have realized the danger, you are not sure if you want to keep following the same path."
Jaune laughed weakly. "Actually, no."
That wasn't it. That wasn't it all. If it were that simple, it'd be easy. If it were that easy, Jaune would know how to face Ironwood next week. However, because he felt like this…
How to explain it?
"My problem is not that I'm scared. It's just… I know it's dangerous, but I still really want to do this thing," Jaune said sheepishly. "I'm not saying I'm not scared or anything like that. It's just that... I can't not do this thing, you know?"
Because backing out now felt wrong in a way he couldn't quite describe. Even if it meant risking his life, Jaune still wanted to become a Huntsman.
Was he weird for thinking like that? Was it wrong that his reaction to almost dying was to think, "But I still really want to do it"?
To Jaune's surprise, the man nodded. "I understand. If you expected to hear me disagree, you will find yourself disappointed. If you still want to go through with it, that only means you have found your passion."
"My passion?"
"In life, there are things a person must do no matter the risks. Some people will try to warn you about becoming obsessed, but they don't know what they are talking about. They have never been passionate about anything. They don't know what it is like to burn for something. To walk away from the source of your passion is akin to death. Someone who does such a thing is no longer alive even if he breathes the same air as everyone else. If you have already found what it is you wish to do with your life, then go for it no matter the cost. Everything else is death."
The teen's words made their way into Jaune's heart and stayed there. A smile appeared on his face. So it was fine then? If a complete stranger could understand where he was coming from, then his thought process wasn't that weird. He wasn't weird for thinking and feeling the way he was.
It was okay for him to be this way.
"Thanks. You're pretty cool, you know?"
The man smiled. "So I've been told."
xXx
Ironwood's secret elevator was not the only way into the underground lab. It'd be pretty inconvenient if it were.
A few blocks away from Atlas Academy, there was an average—by the standards of the upper districts, at least—office building. Once the week Ironwood had given him was up, Jaune made his way there. He greeted the security guard who already knew him by sight and walked into the elevator. He flashed his badge at a hidden scanner, and the elevator started going down and down and down.
Jaune never once looked back.
AN:
When Jaune sees Pyrrha and Ren fighting the Deathstalker, his first thought is, "I sure wish I could make this jump so I could help those two people I just met fight a giant scorpion."
That's one of the first things he does in the show, and I don't think he gets enough credit for it. Sure, no one really batted an eye at having to fight the giant Grimm, but everyone else there was trained. Jaune wasn't. Jaune was just a regular guy facing monsters for the first time (as far as we know). I kind of want to highlight that aspect of him. That this is something Jaune really, really wants, and a little mortal danger is not going to deter him. For better or worse.
Also, yes, that is Adam at the end. Adam two years younger and not dumped by Blake, and thus two years more stable. At least, that's the official excuse.
The actual reason is that while Psycho Ex Adam wasn't necessarily a bad direction for the character, I don't need Psycho Ex Adam for this fic. I need Terrorist Leader Adam. The guy who had such a fanatic following in the White Fang that he got Sienna's guards to stand by while he killed her.
And he likes nuggets because it amuses me.
Next Time: No Fear, No Pain!