It's time.
Finn was going home.
In the aftermath of the attack on the Argonaut, many things had happened. The military had flooded the ship and escorted it to Argus. From there, those who needed medical attention had been taken to the nearest hospital. Compared to the people who had fought against the Grimm, Finn had barely been wounded. Still, it was better to be safe than sorry.
Once the doctors declared Finn healthy, the authorities had shoved him into the nearest interrogation room. The interrogator had grilled him for hours, asking question after question, probing his story for holes.
Sad thing was, Finn couldn't even get mad about it. The Argonaut had two pilots. One of them had been a terrorist.
The other one had been the terrorist's friend.
Finn frowned.
Ashton. He still wasn't sure how to feel about that. Ashton had been at his wedding. Hell, he'd been at his bachelor party!
How long had Ashton been part of the White Fang? Since the day they met? Before? After?
Had he ever known the real Ashton?
Finn sighed. The whole thing was too complicated for a simple guy like him.
"You're free to go."
"Really? No more questions?"
"Your friend confessed to everything. The security videos backed his testimony. We may call on you if we need to verify some information."
At least, Ashton had owned up to his actions instead of throwing him under the bus out of spite. Should he be thankful for that? The police would have seen the security videos eventually, so it wasn't as if Ashton's testimony had been necessary to get him out of trouble.
"Jerk," Finn muttered as he walked through the streets that led to his home. It was late at night. There were no people in sight.
With the Argonaut in dire need of repair, the trip around the world had been canceled. Finn wasn't sure how the SDC was going to handle all those refunds, and to be frank, he didn't care. Right now, he just wanted to rest.
Finn's house came into view. The moment he got close, the door burst open. His wife rushed out despite the late hour, a sign she had been waiting for him next to the window. He had told her not to do that, but she always worried too much.
As she caught him in a hug, Finn immediately wrapped his arms around her, holding her tight against him, her cute bear ears tickling his chin.
"Are you alright?" She asked. Her hands were warm against his cold cheeks.
Finn smiled.
If it weren't for Ashton, he probably wouldn't have her. He'd have been too scared to date a faunus. Too worried about what others would think.
The bastard had that going for him.
"When I'm with you? Always," he said, leaning down to catch his wife's lips in a kiss.
Ashton should have set more guys up with cute faunus girls instead of trying to hijack ships. The absolute moron.
Individual System
It was official.
"It happened during the fifth month of the war. On orders of the King, General Arc's forces were to land on the western coast of Sanus and from there march to Vacuo. However, this move had been foreseen. One of Vacuo's greatest military minds, General Doon had been waiting for them. General Arc's ships were greeted by artillery strikes the moment they got close to the coast."
"What happened next?!"
"Well, General Arc's army wasn't keen on trying to bulldoze their way to the coast. Such a move would cost them too many lives. However, retreating to try to find another way into Sanus would cost the army valuable time and supplies. Realizing immediate action was needed, General Arc chose ten men to go with him behind enemy lines!"
Caroline Cordovin was awesome.
"No way!" Jaune said, his eyes wide with wonder.
"Yes way! The old major replied with a firm nod. "My father was one of them. Together, they braved the cold waters and sneaked into the enemy's camp at night. They started a fire which distracted the soldiers, allowing their ships to reach the coast during the chaos. By the time the sun rose, General Arc's army had defeated the opposition and secured the coast."
"Whoah!" Jaune tried to picture his great-great-grandfather braving the cold evening waters. "I never heard that story."
"It doesn't surprise me," Cordovin said. "According to my father, General Arc was not prone to boasting. It's unlikely he would have shared his many war stories with his children. However, those who served under him undoubtedly spread the tales of his bravery. Why, my father practically raised me on stories of General Arc. It warms my heart to see a young man taking after such a patriotic example."
A few days had passed since the attack on the Argonaut. Jaune had spent nearly all of them on bed rest. While the doctors from the Argus base said he didn't have any serious physical injuries, he did have what was known as Aura Erosion Syndrome.
Or, as Red and Blue had called it, Aura Burn.
From what Jaune understood, it meant he had used more Aura than his body was used to handling. It was a condition that occasionally showed up on huntsmen. Jaune would recover, but in the meantime, he wasn't to participate in any physical activity.
Instead of putting him in the base's infirmary, Jaune was placed in a room that was usually reserved for VIPs. Due to who he was, it was better if not many saw him.
Since then, the base commander, Caroline Cordovin, had taken to visiting him. Her father had served with Jaune's great-great-grandfather during the Great War. She had many stories to tell, and Jaune was eager to hear them.
"It's nothing much," Jaune said. "Just trying to do my best."
"Nonsense," Cordovin said. "To be chosen by General Ironwood for such an honor. Truly, you are a lucky young man. You'll do Atlas and your family proud. I'm sure of it!"
Jaune had arrived at the base all banged up and wearing IXA, so Red and Blue hadn't been able to hide his identity from her. Thankfully, a call from General Ironwood was all it took for Cordovin to swear to take the secret to her grave.
"I hope so," Jaune said, laughing a bit nervously. Compared to Winter, who only rarely gave praise, Cordovin's bombast caught him flat-footed.
It wasn't as if Jaune hadn't been praised openly before. However, that praise usually came from his parents. When they praised him, it was because he was their son and they loved him, not because he had done anything to deserve it.
"I say you're well on your way, young lad." Cardovin enthusiastically patted his shoulder. "Why, to think you drove back those terrorists at your age. It's enough to make this old lady jealous! Ah, if only I were younger, I'd have charged in! Nothing quite like bringing the enemies of Atlas to justice to get the blood pumping!"
At the mention of the White Fang, Jaune's smile became strained. Too many things happened in that ship for him to feel satisfied, and he wasn't just thinking about the part where he almost died.
Someone knocked at the door.
"Who is it?" Cordovin asked.
"Specialist Winter Schnee," came the reply. The familiar voice had Jaune sitting up straighter. "I am here to visit Warrant Officer Arc."
Without even waiting for permission, Winter entered the room. It wasn't like she needed it. Specialists commanded a lot of respect in the army, and Caroline Cordovin, from what Red and Blue had told him, didn't. Jaune had no idea why that was. She was a nice old lady who had apparently been in the army for a long time. A bit too enthusiastic, but no more than that.
"Specialist Schnee!" Cordovin's face lit up with joy. "What a pleasure it is to finally meet you!"
"Likewise," Winter said, though her voice was significantly less enthused than that of the older woman. "I apologize for the abrupt entrance, but it is of vital importance that I debrief Warrant Officer Arc in private."
"Oh?" At Winter's meaningful look, Cordovin got the message. "Oh! Of course. Please, go ahead. Use the room for as long as you need. I have left my men alone for too long."
"Thank you for being so accommodating." Winter gave her a short nod. "I'll be sure to let General Ironwood know of it."
Winter's words were enough to add a spring to Cordovin's step and smile to her face. It occurred to Jaune that Winter was really good at handling people. That or Cordovin was the type of person who was easily handled.
"Let me look at you."
"Huh?"
The moment Corodvin left them alone, Winter was suddenly right next to him, her hands on his face as she carefully examined him. The gesture was so unexpected coming from Winter that Jaune went utterly still.
"Good, it doesn't seem like you are in any pain," Winter said as she tilted Jaune's head to the right. "I read the report on my way here, but one can never be too sure. Have you experienced any adverse symptoms? Headaches? Nausea? Dizziness?" Winter grimaced. "Vomiting?"
"What? No. Nothing like that." Jaune wanted to back away from Winter's intense stare, but her hold on him was firm. "Just a little sore. Nothing more."
Winter's stare intensified.
"I swear!"
"I see." Winter finally backed away. "It is rather common after experiencing Aura Burn, although common is not a word I'd use to describe your case."
Jaune blinked.
"Why not? I thought it was just something that happened to people who used their Aura too much?"
"Jaune, Aura Burn usually happens under extreme circumstances," Winter explained, a serious look on her face. "It happens to huntsmen who are left behind in Grimm-infested wilds and have to fight their way back to civilization for several days or even weeks. It happens when soldiers are forced to hold a siege against hordes of Grimm. You got Aura Burn from less than an hour of combat."
"Oh."
"Indeed." Winter sighed. "I would not worry about it too much. The doctors here have already ascertained your health. Furthermore, Dr. Polendina has already received the data from IXA. If there is anything wrong, he'll figure out how to fix it. You should only focus on recovering."
Jaune sighed in relief.
"Good." He'd been getting worried for a second there. "So, how did your mission go, ma'am?"
Jaune frowned as something occurred to him.
"Am I allowed to ask about that, or is it hush-hush stuff?"
Winter chuckled softly. "It is not classified. It was merely a joint mission between Vale and Atlas."
"Sounds important."
To Jaune's surprise, Winter shook her head.
"Joint missions are often done to foster cooperation between the kingdoms. There is nothing special about them. However, this case was perhaps more sensitive than others. There was a young woman with an unstable weather-control Semblance."
"What happened to her?" Jaune asked, easily getting invested in the tale. An out-of-control Semblance sounded terrible.
"Nothing bad, I assure you. My Semblance was deemed appropriate to restrain her without causing her harm. Together with the representative chosen by Headmaster Ozpin, we were able to safely secure her. She's now at Beacon where she'll receive instruction in the use of her Semblance."
Jaune smiled, a smile that soon slipped when he caught Winter muttering something about birds.
Had he heard that right? Probably not. Maybe he was still tired from fighting the White Fang.
At the thought of the terrorist organization, a frown appeared on Jaune's face.
"I… When I was fighting the White Fang, one of them showed me his face. He had scars there… they said…it said..."
"SDC," Winter finished for him. "I know. I saw the footage collected by IXA."
Jaune stared at Winter. He didn't need to voice the question burning inside him. It was written all over his face.
How had something like that happened?
Winter held his gaze for a long time before finally seeming to come to a conclusion.
"It all started with a man called Pear Fouettard," Winter said, her voice uncharacteristically sad, her gaze looking out the window. "He was in charge of our northernmost mine, a place called Gugalanna, far beyond the kingdom's walls."
"Like Fort Grey?"
"Worse. There was nothing near that place. No military. No settlements of any kind. The SDC was the only authority. Fouettard was the only authority." Winter paused. Jaune noticed one of her hands had found its way around the hilt of her sword. "I do not know if Fouettard was always bad or if something caused him to become like that. Regardless, what he did there cannot be denied. Fouettard abused his power. He committed many despicable acts. Branding was one of them, a punishment for those who misbehaved."
Jaune swallowed.
"So that guy, Adam, was…?"
"A former resident of Gugalanna in all likelihood."
Jaune slouched a little. Somehow, someway, he had been hoping that Adam guy had been lying. He knew it was not to be, though.
"And this Guga-something, why did no one stop Fouettard?"
Why had they allowed something like that to happen?
"The miners were too scared to go against him, and there was nowhere to run other than the Grimm-infested wilds. As far as the rest of the world was concerned, Gugalanna was just another mine. Of course, the truth eventually got out. It was an utter scandal. Fouettard and his men were put on trial and sentenced to jail. The SDC denied having any knowledge of his actions and did their best to wash their hands of the whole thing. It cost them quite a bit of money."
"And did they? Have any knowledge of it, I mean?" Jaune asked, too late realizing he had just asked Winter if her dad approved of torturing faunus. Thankfully, Winter did not seem to take offense to the question.
"My father is at worst greedy and negligent. Cruelty for the sake of it has never been a vice of his." Winter said, sounding sure of herself. "Since Gugalanna, the SDC has tried to keep a closer eye on their mines. I cannot say their efforts have been as good as they should be. To this day, many faunus suffer due to my father's lack of oversight. Thankfully, there has been no case as bad as Gugalanna."
"And Fouettard? Is he still in jail?"
Or had he somehow gotten out? Just thinking about it made Jaune feel sick.
"Dead," Winter replied, much to Jaune's surprise. "The jail he was sent to had several faunus prisoners. He didn't last the night."
Was that good or bad? Jaune didn't know. Taking solace in someone's death wasn't something he could ever see himself doing.
"When did this all happen?" Jaune asked, suddenly feeling very tired.
Why hadn't he heard about this before?
"You would have been seven at best when it hit the news," Winter said. "I hardly think your parents would have let you watch something like that."
Jaune scowled. Another thing his parents hid from him.
"But still, shouldn't it be remembered more?"
"The memory of the people is a fleeting thing. Every day there is something new to catch their attention," Winter said, making a sweeping motion with her hand. "A new movie. A new scandal. A tournament. A heroic tale of a huntsman overcoming adversity. Bleak as it may sound, the public's memory tends to last only as much as the next headline."
Jaune looked at his lap. That really did sound bleak.
"Adam also mentioned other things. He said-"
"Whitechapel and L'Omino are scum." Winter's words came without a second's hesitation. Seeing his surprised look, she added," I told you I watched the recording. I heard your conversation."
"Then why were those people in that ship? If they're so bad then why…?"
Why weren't they in jail?
"Lack of evidence. Most of the black market trade happens in Mistral, a kingdom with a notoriously bad history of controlling its criminal element. They make sure to keep their activities in Atlas clean."
Winter sounded irritated. Not at him, but at the situation.
"Unfortunately, we have no authority to go into Mistral to investigate. We work for the Kingdom of Atlas, which means we can't interfere with the affairs of other kingdoms. They need to ask for our intervention, which Mistral won't for a variety of reasons, national pride and corruption not the least among them."
"That's stupid."
"Many things are. Unfortunately, it is the law. Make no mistake. One day, we will bring people like Whitechapel to justice. Even as the White Fang was attacking the Argonaut and I was on a mission, there were people out there working tirelessly to gather evidence. The process may be slow, but it works. Atlas has taken great strides since its inception. Even attitudes towards faunus are much better now than they were ten years ago. Unfortunately, that is not fast enough for some."
"Like the White Fang?"
"Like the White Fang."
Jaune frowned. His hands clutched the bed sheets.
"It still doesn't feel right. I don't know. I feel bad about how things ended."
"Let me guess. You feel guilty about having saved people like that. You feel you have contributed to their crimes."
Jaune looked down, unwilling to meet her eyes. "I wasn't really thinking it that clearly, but maybe?"
"Cypress Mule. Marlene Runge. Sarga Ferko."
"Huh?'
"Cypress Mule runs a very successful charity dedicated to helping those who have lost their homes as a result of Grimm attacks. Runge has dedicated most of her life towards revitalizing Vacuo, something many consider a doomed endeavor. Still, she wants to return Vacuo to what it was before the three kingdoms ransacked the place. Ferko has a program to help doctors pay for their studies. In exchange, they agree to serve in areas outside the kingdoms where their services are desperately needed. Those people were all present in the Argonaut."
That was… Whoa.
"Contrary to the stereotype, not all rich people are morally bankrupt. Most are just boring. A few are actually quite pleasant to talk to. Even the ones who are boring have companies that provide goods and services for the people of Remnant." Winter frowned. "However, that shouldn't matter."
"What?"
"Jaune, we don't get to choose who we save based on a merit system. We protect people because that is the job. You didn't save good people and bad people. You saved people. You saw them in danger and acted. Don't you ever dare regret that or I'll make you ran laps until you drop."
Jaune found himself blinking a lot for some reason. The room was suddenly warm.
"Understood?"
"Yes, ma'am!"
xXx
It was early in the morning when Saphron Arc opened the door of the Cotta-Arc household and got a big surprise. Standing on her doorstep, her little brother shyly waved at her.
"Jaune?"
"Hey, Saph."
Ten minutes later, five of which were spent in much hugging, Jaune was sitting at her table with a cup of hot cocoa in his hands. A content sigh escaped his lips.
"I missed this. Not even mom makes it like you do."
Saphron preened at the compliment. Jaune's attention was something all the Arc sisters fought over, so having him all to herself was nice.
"If you want more, you just have to visit more," she said. "Speaking of, how are you in Argus? It is not that I mind. I just wasn't expecting you."
"Eh, you know how I got that part-time job at Atlas Academy?" Jaune asked, sheepishly scratching the back of his head, a sign he was holding something back. Still, Saphron nodded. Jaune moving to Atlas because of that job had been all the family could talk about for months.
At first, they had expected him to come back home in a week. Then a week passed, and he hadn't. Then a month passed. Then two. Then more.
"Yeah, well, we were sent to visit the Argus base for… instruction? They used a fancy word for it. Anyway, figured I'd drop by and surprise you."
"Well, mission accomplished." Saphron leaned in to better look at him. "You look different."
"Really?" Jaune blinked in surprise. "I don't think I look any different."
"No, you are definitely different," Saphron said with undeniable certainty. Her finger poked his cheek. "You look… more grown-up. You could stand to gain a few more inches, though."
Jaune winced.
"You also look tired," Saphron pointed out with a frown.
"Well, I had to wake up pretty early today. Hey, where's Terra?"
"Terra is on her job, which you already knew. Don't try to change the subject," Saphron said, her lips pressed against each other. Her eyes never once left her brother.
Suddenly, it clicked.
"You were in the Argonaut, weren't you?"
Jaune stared.
"How did you even…?"
"I'm your older sister. That's how!" As the initial shock faded, anger set in. "I can't believe this! My little brother in one of the biggest terrorist attacks ever! I knew that job was a bad idea! You shouldn't have been anywhere near something like that! It's too dangerous for you!"
"Why? Because I'm too weak to do anything by myself? Poor Jaune always needs to be protected by his sisters?"
Saphron was taken aback by Jaune's brusque tone.
"You know I didn't mean it like that. Do I really need to explain why I am worried about my little brother being caught up in a terrorist attack?"
"Is it because I was a premature birth?"
Saphron's eyes widened. For a moment, she forgot to breathe.
"Who told you?"
"Mandatory health check-up. The doctor had access to my medical files. He thought I already knew." Jaune set his cup down and chuckled. It wasn't a happy chuckle. "Is that it? Is that the reason why you all never wanted me to be a huntsman?"
Saphron's silence told the whole story.
"I can't believe you!" Jaune rose from his seat. "Were you ever planning on telling me or were you all just going to lead me on my whole life?"
"It wasn't like that!" Saphron stood up as well.
"Then how was it?!" Jaune fired, angrily pacing around the room. "Because the way I remember it, I was always the one who was treated differently. I was the one who was never allowed to go outside the house as a kid. I was the one mom and dad didn't train. I was the one who was always forgiven for coming up short. I didn't get it back then, but I do now. Poor frail Jaune can't do anything, so why expect anything from him!"
"It wasn't like that!" Saphron repeated, nearly yelling this time, her breathing heavy. She never imagined the day would go this way. "Look…let me explain. Please, let me explain. Please."
Jaune stayed silent. Saphron took that as her cue.
"Bri and I are the only ones who were old enough to understand what was going on back then. Mom was pregnant with you, and we were happy that we were going to have a little brother."
She grimaced.
"Then, it happened. A Grimm attack. Dad was away, so Mom fought them off, but she was wounded in the process. She had to be taken to the hospital right away. The doctors had to induce the birth or risk losing you. It was the scariest moment of our lives." Saphron rubbed her arms as she spoke, and Jaune couldn't help but feel guilty for making her relieve something like that. "You survived, but well…"
"Not in good shape," Jaune finished for her.
"Your body was not developed enough. You had to be placed in an incubator. One month, Jaune. You were there for an entire month... We didn't know if you would make it. Everyone was so scared. Even dad."
"But I did."
"You did." Saphron nodded, looking down. "But not unscathed. I'm not sure if you have noticed, but you were never quite like the other kids."
Always smaller than the others. Never quite as athletic. Never quite as strong.
At the time, Jaune thought he had drawn the short end of the stick. In a way, he had.
"Mom and dad were always more careful with you for that. The same goes for Bri and I, and the others, well, they might not remember it, but they grew up watching us treating you like that. We babied you a lot, but you have to understand why we did it."
"Why never tell me then?" Jaune threw his hands up. "When I said I wanted to be a huntsman, why not tell me then?"
"I guess... no one wanted to bring up bad memories," Saphron said, looking away, one arm pressed against her side and the other holding it by the elbow. "Mom and dad probably thought it was a passing fancy at first. Then as time passed, things just snowballed. It was wrong of us. I'll admit it. I guess, in a way, you always were that little baby in the incubator for us."
Jaune stayed silent. Since the moment Doctor Onyx had told him, he hadn't been sure what to think. He contemplated calling his parents to demand answers but hadn't been able to bring himself to do it.
Now that he was temporarily stationed at Argus, he found his footsteps leading him to Saphron's house. He hadn't planned on talking to her about it. It had just come out. Now, he had his answers and even an apology. However, he didn't feel any satisfaction.
He just felt tired.
"I… am not happy," he said at last, sitting down. "I can understand why you did it, but I'm not happy."
Saphron stayed silent.
"The doctor said I'm in good health. Healthy enough to be a huntsman if I put in some work."
"I'm glad," Saphron said. She started to move closer as if to lay a hand on his shoulder but stopped, hesitant. "That you can still pursue your dream, I mean. I guess we were so busy trying to keep you safe that we started making you feel miserable."
"I wouldn't go that far," Jaune said. Miserable was overstating it. "I mean, yeah, you kept something important from me, but you were also always there for me. Remember the thing with Ivy?"
"Oh, I remember." Hints of a smile appeared on Saphron's face. "I showed that little bitch not to mess with my bro." The smiled faded. In its place, there was an odd mix of sadness and joy. "But I guess you don't need your big sister to protect you anymore."
"Maybe. But that doesn't mean I don't need my big sister at all," Jaune said, shuffling awkwardly. "Actually, promise you can keep a secret?"
"Of course," Saphron said, eager to get Jaune's trust back.
"I'm IXA."
The look on Saphron's face was something Jaune would treasure for the rest of his life.
xXx
"You failed."
Sienna's voice came through his scroll. The image of her throne room was displayed with perfect clarity.
There were many excuses Adam could give. The military arrived much earlier than expected. IXA proved to be a stronger foe than anticipated. The loss of the control room and the actions of the Schnee heiress proved to be fatal blows to their plans.
However, Adam didn't believe in excuses.
"I take full responsibility for the failure. I underestimated the ship's defenses."
Sienna looked at him carefully.
"Was Atlas' new weapon that much of a problem?"
Adam nodded. "It has strong combat capabilities. Had the fight continued, I am certain I would have won. Regardless, it is far stronger than most of our men."
Sienna's frown showed she was not happy with his answer.
"You bring me grave news. I want you to prepare a report on everything you have learned about IXA. I wanted our men to be ready for the next time they encounter it. In the meantime, you are to wait for further instructions."
With that, the transmission ended, leaving Adam alone with his thoughts.
Why did he not tell Sienna about IXA's true identity?
Why did he not say there was a person hiding underneath that armor?
Adam could say that he'd rather give such sensitive information to Sienna in person. There was no telling whether their transmissions could be eavesdropped. However, such a thing would be a lie. Adam had absolutely no intention to let anyone know about what lied under IXA.
He could say it was for practical reasons. Robots were easy to predict. Robots were something the White Fang was used to. They were good for fighting mindless Grimm but came up short against thinking foes.
However, if the others learned that Atlas could potentially mass-produce people on par with huntsmen, the blow to the morale could be fatal. It was best to keep the rest of the White Fang believing they were merely fighting an advanced droid. Yes, Adam could say that was his reason for keeping the truth about IXA a secret.
However, that would also be a lie.
Adam brought a hand to his chest. The wounds he had sustained during his bout with IXA had already healed, yet he could still feel them burning under his skin. He wasn't sure how to articulate what he felt, but he did know that until he satisfied his own curiosity, Sienna didn't need to know.
Sometimes, Adam Taurus liked to be selfish.
xXx
Argus at night was beautiful.
Weiss Schnee looked at the many lights below from the safety of her balcony. As expected, there was a crowd of reporters in front of the hotel, but she paid them no mind.
After the whole debacle in the Argonaut, Weiss had convinced her father she should stay in Argus. She had a concert in Mistral soon, so it was for the best. Weiss had a feeling the only reason why her father had agreed to her request was due to her performance during the attack. Thanks to her quick actions, quite a few people had been saved, something her father was already capitalizing on. Already she had a few interviews scheduled.
Weiss sighed and looked at her hand.
In it, there was a small flash drive.
It had been hard to pull off, but Weiss had successfully downloaded the video files containing Jaune's transformation and the first part of his fight with that redheaded faunus to a flash drive then permanently deleted them from the system.
In other words, the only evidence that could reveal Jaune's true identity was on the palm of her hand.
Slowly, ice crept over the flash drive, freezing it solid. Weiss let it fall from her hand, leaving it to shatter into pieces when it hit the floor.
There!
Let it never be said Weiss Schnee doesn't pay her debts.
AN:
And that's it for Count the Medals. This has been the longest arc yet.
The conversation between Jaune and Winter was the hardest part to write. There were just so many talking points I needed to go over. I ended up deciding to save some for later. Actually, I ended up deciding to save a lot of things for later. You have no idea.
Cordovin appears but under different circumstances from canon. I got a kick out of using her in a non-antagonistic role.
The first scene with Finn was originally planned to be the last scene of this chapter. I switched that early on. I know some people don't care much for OCs and probably skipped his and Ashton's parts, but I liked giving their mini-arc an ending. Also, no. Finn's wife is not a spy. She's just a regular faunus.
Jaune having health issues as a kid that motivated his parents to overprotect him was something I first touched on over at The Jaune-Shots. I decided to revisit the idea here. You know that scene with Dr. Onyx in chapter 12? That's when this Jaune finds out.
Anyway, that's all for now.
Next time: Large Size!