Chapter 17

New Beginnings

Pyrrha's fingernails clawed at the bedsheets as she stifled a yawn, her bleary eyes trying to look through her loose crimson mane and assess the room. She'd had the most wondrous dream, and a warm smile bloomed to life on her face as she recalled sharing a warm, cozy bed with her partner, Jaune. Lifting her head, she turned to her right, where his bed would have been, but only found an open window with the barest sliver of the sun peeking over the horizon. She started, whipping her head in the opposite direction and finding her own bed, the covers rumpled from obvious use before she…

Before he pulled me into bed with him, she thought silently. Pyrrha sat bolt upright in shock, her heart pounding in her chest. Her dream was reality, and she couldn't believe it even with the evidence before her. She wanted to giggle like the little girl she'd ceased to be far earlier than most. She wanted to shout her joy to the heavens. She wanted to have it happen again, and again if she could manage it. She wanted...she wanted...

To know where he'd gotten off to.

Pyrrha frowned, not pleased with this turn of events. The door to the bathroom they were to share for the year with Ren and Nora was ajar, with no light inside, and no sound either. Jaune's scroll wasn't on the nightstand either, and judging from the position of the sun, the dining hall likely wouldn't be open for another hour at least, being a Sunday. She quickly rose from her, well Jaune's, bed, taking the few steps across the room to her own bed, plucking her scroll from the nightstand charging cradle and opening it. A quick series of swipes and taps later, she had her locator app running, getting an approximate bearing on her partner. There had been enough new construction on campus that she wasn't exactly sure, but she had a good idea what he was up to.

Pyrrha quickly shut the bathroom door and locked both doors into their room, shucking her pajamas and quickly throwing on the first real clothes she could find in her closet. Gym shorts and a t-shirt would have to do, with a pair of plain panties and sports bra underneath. She tugged on a pair of socks and her running shoes, an elastic hair tie wrangling her flowing mane before she pocketed her scroll and dashed out of the dorm room. She passed a couple students out for early morning jogs, smartly avoiding the midday heat, but paid them no heed aside from a friendly wave for those whom she recognized.

The Combat Arts building had suffered severe damage during the Battle of Beacon, being located adjacent to the Dust magazine, and she was looking forward to returning to the place she felt most comfortable in all of Beacon Academy. She didn't have to hide her feelings or worry about crafting her every word for public consumption. She could let her skill, not to mention Miló and Akoúo, do the talking for her. The only places that would be available this early in the morning were the smaller rooms for self-directed training and free sparring, as well as the locker rooms and gym, and so she headed to the western end of the building.

The still quiet of the empty hallways was broken by the distant sound of whistling wind, and she couldn't help but smile at Jaune's work ethic. She'd never been able to rouse him before seven a.m. before, and now he'd found a reason to follow her far more brutal schedule. This 'Sensei' fellow had done something she'd never managed to, and it irked her just a little. At last finding her quarry, she leaned her lithe frame against the door jamb, watching him work through several sword forms and katas.

Armor and shield moved fluidly as he went, Crocea Corax whistling as it split the air with each stroke. Her eyes narrowed slightly as she watched Jaune closely, her training and experience already prompting her to assess him as a potential threat on the battlefield. His technique was...rough...if she was being generous, but far from the complete disaster he'd been when she took him under her wing. The precision wasn't on her level, certainly, but there was little wasted movement now, raw power on display with Jaune's strength bolstered through either training or judicious use of Aura. Several swings and thrusts came in rapid succession, and Pyrrha's head cocked to the side in response.

I didn't teach him that, she thought silently, her eyes narrowing. Surely she wasn't jealous, was she? He'd promised to show her a few new things, right? Combination moves had their place, building muscle memory and allowing a fighter to keep up a punishing pace of attack, but could become a crutch if relied upon too heavily. In her own competitive career, Pyrrha had taken down more than a few opponents whose fighting vocabulary she'd been able to correctly predict. In her mind's eye, she could already see how to best attack into Jaune's new stance, and how to exploit the openings he was leaving her.

With a mischievous smirk, she brought her Aura up, darting forward to challenge Jaune, and herself as well, being unarmed. Unhampered by the weight of her armor and weapons, Pyrrha's movement was preternaturally graceful and quick. Thankfully for her, it also allowed her the speed needed to duck below the horizontal swing that came in at eye level the moment she stepped into range. Reflexes took over, and she quickly pinpointed joints and angles, her arm hooking in behind Jaune's left elbow before she leveraged her hip into his, flipping him over and sending him crashing into the floor, his shield and sword clattering away.

For a split second, she almost laughed at the image of a turtle flipped on its back, her foot planted on his chestplate. This quickly vanished as two gauntleted hands clamped down onto her ankle, Jaune's abs flexing to allow his legs to wrap around her thigh and drive her to the floor as well, the back of her head slamming into the mat. Her training again kicked into gear, the two of them grappling for advantage for several seconds before training and experience won out over strength and mass, and Jaune tapped out rather than suffer further strain on his elbow. Pyrrha chuckled as she released the armbar, disentangling herself from the pile and shuffling over to sit against the nearby wall.

"Impressive reflexes, Jaune. You really had me on my heels for a second there," Pyrrha stated, her smile proud.

"A second?" he asked, an eyebrow arched in suspicion as he slid next to her.

"All right, a couple," she conceded, a soft blush blooming in her cheeks even as she smiled at his confidence. "We still need to work on your weapon retention."

"Yeah. Thankfully that won't involve a cane this time around. My left pinky is still tingling from last week."

"What?"

"Oh, nothing," he dismissed. "What got you out of bed this early?"

"Well, I'm normally up pretty early anyway, and I'm still kind of on Argus time. You could have woken me if you wanted to spar. I wouldn't have minded."

"I thought about it."

"And?"

"I couldn't bring myself to do it. You looked so peaceful and happy. Did you sleep well at least?"

"Very," she answered with a warm smile. "Thank you, Jaune."

"Don't mention it. Seriously, don't. Saph and Terra already think we're dating, Yang's little games aside."

"So...you and Weiss?"

"Just friends. I would've thought you of all people would believe me."

"I'm sorry. It's just...you seemed so intent on making it reality last year."

"I moved on." He shrugged. "Besides, I'm just me. Not like I'm a catch or anything, least of all for her."

"Don't sell yourself short, Jaune. You're a wonderful, kind-hearted soul, and the best friend I've ever had."

"Well, I try to be anyway," he said softly.

"Jaune? I don't think I ever asked you…"

"Asked me what?"

"Why...her?" she choked out.

"Weiss?"

"Yes."

"I mean, honestly? It's not like I know that many girls to begin with. You're all stunningly beautiful, before you get that into your head," he interjected, the experience of complimenting the wrong sister having burned him several times in the past. "Nora's out, obviously. Yang would just laugh at me, and/or try to kill me for asking her sister out. Blake? Honestly, she's kind of a dead fish if you ask me, and not very talkative on top of that. And Pyrrha, frankly, you intimidate the hell out of me, you know? Even though I know what an absolute sweetheart you are, I know that any fight we had would end up with me in the hospital when, not if, I screwed up," he trailed off into a shudder. "Plus you had that whole thing with your sponsor going on," he added almost absently, missing the widening of Pyrrha's eyes.

"I...what?"

"You told that one guy that your makeup sponsor didn't want you to 'lose your allure' by getting involved with someone, right? When he asked you out after the Vytal Ball last year?"

"That may have been an...exaggeration," she confessed with a sheepish grin.

"Why?"

"I didn't want to go out with him, but I couldn't just say no without being impolite."

"That's...weird."

"Public image and all that," she remarked sadly. "Old habits."

"Oh."

"So you asked Weiss out because it was your only option?"

"Well, not exactly. We'd finished up training on the rooftop one Friday night, and I stayed behind for a bit to catch my breath while you headed downstairs. Anyways, it was quiet, and I guess Ruby, Blake and Yang had headed into Vale or something, and Weiss was left alone. I was looking up at the moon, catching my breath, when I heard her singing. Must've left a window open. It was... beautiful, and sad at the same time. I could tell she was hurting; couldn't tell you why." He shrugged. "But it all just kinda fell into place. Pretty, smart, talented, great friends and teammates, and yet she wasn't happy. I figured if I could at least make her smile, maybe even get a laugh out of her, I'd be good with that. I couldn't be the greatest Huntsman of my generation, I couldn't be the team leader you all deserved, I know," he held up a hand before Pyrrha could correct him, "I'm past that. But anyway, I figured at the very least I could be the goofy friend who made everyone feel better about themselves. And maybe, just maybe, I could make her happy too. Maybe more," he concluded with a wan smile. "Well, in hindsight, I was pretty stupid about it, but that's not exactly news, is it?"

"Jaune, please don't talk about yourself like that."

"Well, I mean, it's not wrong. And like I said." He paused, glancing to Pyrrha a moment with a smile that she mirrored. "Was."

"You learned from it," she clarified, getting a short nod from him in response. "Good."

"Pyrrha?"

"Yes?"

"There was something I wanted to ask you about yesterday, before everyone else showed up and you got introduced to the circus."

"What is it, Jaune?"

"Well, I spent a good chunk of the summer watching all the training videos you sent me, before my Scroll died anyway. Thanks for that, by the way."

"I'm glad you got something out of them."

"Yeah. For starters, I'm not you; never will be. I can't be you, but I can still learn from you. And other people too. You've been such a help to me, and I can't thank you enough for that."

"I'll always be there for you, Jaune," she reassured him with a warm smile.

"Yeah, that's what I'm talking about, actually," he said quickly, Pyrrha's expression softening in confusion. "The one video where there was a little extra at the end. That wasn't about techniques or stances at least."

"I...yes, I remember," she said, her heart hammering anxiously in her chest.

"You wanted to tell me something. Tried to tell me something. I must've watched those twenty seconds hundreds of times. I almost think I understand, but I have to ask you. Don't wanna misunderstand anything, you know?" he clarified, Pyrrha nodding in assent. "Pyrrha? Do you...have feelings for me?" he asked, his voice small and anxious. Pyrrha couldn't believe her ears, and her eyes were wide with wonder. She didn't even hear her own gasp for a moment, the corner of her mouth twitching nervously. "I...sorry," he said softly, looking away. "I shouldn't have assumed, I just…" he trailed off, Pyrrha's nervousness quickly rising to full-blown panic.

"No!" she shouted in alarm, her hand clamping down on his.

"Geez, I said I'm sorry, Pyrrha," he replied, sounding hurt.

"What? Oh, you...Yes!" she finally blurted. "The answer's yes."

"I...wow," he whispered. "Why?"

"I...I didn't want…" she stammered, before steadying herself and taking a deep breath. "I didn't want to hear you say no."

"That's...not what I meant. Why me?"

She blinked at the unexpected nature of the question before she settled herself to answer. "Jaune, do you remember the day we met?"

"Honestly, I try not to. Keeps the cringe factor down," he said with a grimace.

Pyrrha chuckled softly. "You didn't have a clue who I was, Jaune."

"Not helping me feel any better about that day, Pyr," Jaune muttered.

"It was refreshing. You came up and talked to me like I was just another girl. I wasn't the Champion of Mistral, the Invincible Girl, none of that. I was just Pyrrha. That was the reason I came to Beacon, Jaune. To get away from all of those things."

"So me being a clueless idiot is what got you to notice me, huh? That's...not exactly a high bar to set for yourself, Pyrrha."

"That's not quite what I meant."

"I mean, it's kind of pathetic, really, when you think about it," Jaune rambled on.

"I'm not sure if I should feel insulted by that, or poke you for insulting yourself."

"Sorry."

"Aaaanyway," she said through a smirk, trying to keep them both on topic. "You treated me like an actual person. After so long in the competitive circuit, I'd almost forgotten what it was like. Your recruitment skills could use work, though," she added with a slight smirk.

"I'll keep that in mind if I ever have to fire you," he retorted, looking her in the eyes and giving Pyrrha a soft smile in return.

"You want an answer, don't you?"

"Shutting up."

"Yes, it was a 'low bar', but once we were partnered, I saw more and more of the real you. Your generosity, your determination, how much love you poured out on all of us. You're such a wonderful young man, Jaune. I don't think I could have stopped myself from feeling this way about you if I tried."

"But why didn't you tell me? And why did you keep trying to help me with Weiss? It seems so...counterintuitive."

"I thought it was what would make you happy. I cared enough about you to not stand in the way of what you wanted. No matter how much it hurt inside," she whispered.

"I...I'm sorry, Pyrrha. I didn't even realize." He looked at the floor and gave a heavy sigh. "I really screwed things up, didn't I?"

"No more than I did, I'm afraid," Pyrrha conceded. "I've spent a lifetime preparing for my career as a Huntress. No wasted time for anything but spear and shield, rifle and sword. Outside of training, I've never failed when it mattered. Failing with you? The thing that mattered most to me? I was terrified that you'd say no. I didn't want to force this on you. I pushed too hard trying to get you to accept help once, and it almost cost me our friendship. Nora was right."

"About?"

"Taking my own advice. I should have paid more attention to her."

"In fairness, that's always a good idea. Think of the poor area rugs," he said in a melancholy tone, conjuring memories of all the occasions they'd had to replace theirs due to various mishaps, syrup-related or otherwise.

Pyrrha couldn't help but chuckle through a smile at that, turning to him and placing her hand on top of his again. "See? You always find a way to make me laugh, Jaune. I missed having this in my life. I missed you."

"You really meant it, didn't you? About the dance?"

"Every word."

"I can't believe you were scared of me."

"I didn't want to lose you as a friend. I didn't want to hurt the team, either."

"And so you suffered in silence. Because I was too stupid to…"

"Jaune," she interjected gently. "It's okay. I forgive you."

"What if I don't forgive myself?"

"Then I make sure you do. I will always be your friend, never forget that. Even if that's all I am, I'll still be happy to be a part of your life."

"There you go again, Pyrrha. You're too nice, I swear. Stop putting others first all the time. I promise, it's okay to be a little greedy sometimes." He paused for a moment, hoping not to screw things up again when he spoke. "What do you want out of this?"

Pyrrha blinked, taken aback by the frank nature of the question. "I...don't know. More. More than what we already have. Last night, I slept better than I have in years, Jaune. Because of you."

"I just did that to help you, I wasn't… Oh, God, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to lead you on like that."

"Lead me on?" she asked, her smile faltering.

"I didn't want to give you the wrong impression. Or take advantage of you."

"You didn't do either of those things, Jaune. Please, let's just call it a happy little accident, all right?"

"I...okay. I just don't want to hurt you. I'm honestly terrible at this kind of thing, if you hadn't noticed."

"I wasn't going to mention it."

"This isn't something I'd even considered, Pyrrha. I just...I can't shake the feeling that you're settling. I need to feel like I'm bringing more to the table, you know?"

"I...see," Pyrrha whispered, trying her damnedest not to cry.

"Heyyyy, hey hey hey," Jaune said warmly, gently squeezing her hand. "I'm not saying no, okay? Just not right now. I need to make sure I'm good enough to handle training and a relationship, okay?"

"I...I suppose."

"I don't want to feel like I'm doing anything for you out of obligation, and I don't think you want that either. I don't want to drag you down with me, Pyrrha. You already take so much time out of your own training to help me. I like spending time with you. You're my best friend, and my partner. Best one I could have hoped for. Gimme some time to figure out whether I want us to be more. That sound good?"

Pyrrha closed her eyes and took a deep breath, steadying her nerves, tempering her anxiety with more than a little hope. He hadn't outright said no, had he? "That's fair, Jaune. Just promise me that you'll tell me as soon as you decide, no matter what. I don't want this hanging over our heads any more."

"No matter what, Pyr," he said, taking both of her hands in his, squeezing affectionately. "Lemme drop my gear and we can head back to the dorm. I promised you guys a Team JNPR day in Vale, and I'm not gonna go back on that. Meet you outside?"

"Sure!" she replied with a smile, watching him rise and head for the locker room. She definitely wasn't checking out his butt in those new, deliciously form-fitting trousers. Nope. Nuh-uh. "Shut up, Nora," she whispered softly through her smile.

"Hnngh," Yang grunted softly, forcing an eye open ever so slightly and immediately regretting it. She slammed her eye shut again, flinching away from the perfectly situated sunbeam peeking under the edge of the blinds and hitting her full in the face. Taking a deep breath, she elected to try again, hoping she was clear of the worst of it now.

Her eyes fluttered open, letting her fully take in the living room of the cabin where they'd started, and apparently finished, their slumber party. Weiss was curled up in her father's recliner, tilted fully back, her pale nightgown visible from the waist up, the rest of her hidden under a lap quilt that had been Taiyang's baby blanket several centuries ago. Ruby was uncovered, her pajama pants and tank top tighter than usual on her, especially in her undignified position. Her head was mashed into a throw pillow on the end of the love seat, and she was on her knees with her butt in the air, one arm clutching the pillow whilst the other dangled over the front of the cushions, an abandoned spoon jammed in a tub of cookie dough barely out of reach on the floor. Damn it, Ruby, I'm gonna have to do double duty keeping the creeps away from you now. Who said you could start filling out? Yang mused silently.

Sighing softly, Yang moved to absently scratch at her belly, feeling a bit of a sweaty itch, but came up short, her fingers curling through a nest of ebon hair instead. That got her attention fully, and she looked down to find Blake lying on top of her, a soft, contented hum coming from her throat as she snuggled more into her partner, Yang's fingers gently massaging the back of her neck. Blake was resting her head on top of Yang's ample pillows, which got a silent chuckle from the saucy girl. A soft puff of air escaped her nose, catching just enough of the guard hairs in Blake's cat ear to garner an irritated flick of her Faunus trait. Smirking mischievously, she pursed her lips, blowing softly to get another reflexive twitch of the admittedly adorable little triangle.

"Mmmmommmm, stoooop. Fie mor' minuh," Blake mumbled, barely coherent and clutching at her ersatz teddy bear more tightly.

"Usually I'd need to buy you dinner and work my magic before you call me mommy," Yang said smoothly, getting a gasp from her partner. Blake spun her head around, inadvertently rubbing her face against Yang's t-shirt-clad breasts for a moment before she fixed her with a flat stare, her cat ears pinned back against her head.

"I hate you," she said, her brow furrowed deeply in irritation.

"That's not what you were saying last night, kitty cat," she teased back.

Blake pushed off of her literal body pillow from the night before, rolling gracefully to her feet before adjusting her yukata and giving off a low grumble.

"Ooh, is that a purr, Blake?"

"It's too early for this," she muttered, pinching the bridge of her nose.

"Too early for what?" Ruby asked with a yawn, stretching her frame to ease the kinks her unorthodox sleeping posture had caused.

"Your sister's being a pest."

"It's never too early for that, Blake," Yang replied cheerfully, scooting her butt back and sitting against the arm of the couch.

"We know, Yang," Ruby deadpanned.

"Whuh?" Weiss asked before stretching, yawning and looking at the smiling Yang and her other two, less amused teammates. "Is Yang being a pest again?" she asked with a cocked eyebrow.

Ruby utterly failed to suppress a snicker at the way Yang's jaw dropped before she blurted out a simple "Hey!" in protest.

"It's almost like you can read minds, Weiss," Blake snarked, her golden eyes searching the room for her latest book.

"I'm good at reading the room."

"Well, now that little miss buzzkill is up too, what are we gonna do for the day?" Yang groused, dropping her bare feet to the floor and hunching forward a bit, rolling her shoulders to relax her frame.

"Breakfast first, obviously," Weiss observed matter-of-factly.

"I'm good!" Ruby piped up, jealously guarding her tub of cookie dough, spoon in hand.

"No, you're not. We start school again tomorrow. You need something more nutritious, Ruby," her partner reprimanded her firmly.

"Aww, come on, Weiss! Live a little!" Ruby whined.

"Ehh, she's right, Rubes. Pretty sure we've got enough cereal for everyone at least, even if Blake was trying to hog all the milk," she added, complete with waggling eyebrows.

"Ruby, I pity you growing up with this. Truly," Blake said coolly.

"Tell me about it," Ruby replied, crossing her arms in consternation.

"Hey, I was the best sister you ever had, and don't you forget it."

"You were the only sister I ever had."

"Who let you stay up late and watch scary movies with me?"

"You say that like it's a good thing," Weiss chimed in.

"Cookies for breakfast?"

"Not helping your case," Blake added.

Ruby sighed and smiled at that. "Good times," she said quietly.

"See?" Yang countered.

"Whatever," Weiss scoffed.

"Oh, like you're a better big sister than me."

"I'm a fine example of poise, grace and discipline for my younger brother to follow. Even if he seems to be following in the footsteps of someone else." she muttered darkly.

"Doesn't make you better."

"That's a matter of opinion," she retorted.

"All right, show of hands, who's actually hungry?" Blake asked, lifting her right to shoulder level, getting an enthusiastic Ruby followed slowly by their two teammates, both glowering softly at the other. "Ruby? Didn't you mention some place in town that made your favorite Atlesian waffles with strawberries and chocolate chips?"

"Oh my gosh, YES! Saleen's! Yang?"

"Sounds like a plan. We need to get tickets to Vale anyway."

"I can get Aaron to give us a ride into town; save us having to carry all our luggage along," Weiss said, searching her makeshift bed for her scroll.

"He's still here?" Ruby asked, still mystified by the notion of 'personal staff'.

"He's a local sales rep for the company, actually."

"Oh. Makes sense, I guess. Hey, Yang, how do you wanna travel to Vale? I don't think the air taxi has direct service to Beacon."

"Ehh, I'd still like to pick up a couple things in the city before we hit the dorms. And I already have the storage unit lined up for Bumblebee. Plus I think Blake wants to take the ferry anyway," she said with a knowing smirk.

"I...do?" Blake asked hesitantly, already afraid of the answer.

"Yeah, you sure do love motorboating," she completed the thought. Blake quickly became a blur of motion and forcefully planted a throw pillow directly into Yang's grinning face, launching her back onto the couch.

Ruby's delighted gasp could be heard halfway across the island.

"PILLLOOOOOWWW FIIIGHT!" she shrieked before getting plowed in the face harder than her sister had been, knocking her backwards over the loveseat to land in a heap on the floor.

"No," Weiss pronounced flatly, an icy blue stare daring Yang and Blake to gainsay her edict, the fluffy instrument of Ruby's defeat still clutched in her delicate fingers.

"Owwww," Ruby squeaked from the floor.

"I still don't understand how my letters never got out, Pyrrha," Jaune said placatingly as their dorm room door closed behind them.

"It's all right, Jaune. You're here now, and I'm happy that you are."

"Okay. I'm just happy to be getting back to a light school schedule."

"Light?" Pyrrha asked, her brow arched.

"Yeah. I crawled out of bed at five fifteen. Sensei considered that 'sleeping in'."

"I'm actually impressed you're keeping to that schedule. Maybe you can join me in my morning workouts?" she asked sweetly.

"So long as you don't beat me if I miss one every now and then," he replied off-handedly, closing their bedroom door once they were both inside.

"I've got ways of keeping you in line that don't involve physical violence, Jaune," she chided him gently.

"Fair enough. I'm gonna hop in the shower, if you wanna change while I'm in there," he said, casually stripping off the sweat-soaked t-shirt he'd worn back from training, leaving him in his gym shorts and running shoes. Pyrrha's gasp behind him alerted him that he'd done something wrong, but her shout of alarm was what froze him in place.

"Jaune!"

"What!?" he asked from a slight crouch, his body already in a combat stance and his Aura flaring to life as his gaze quickly darted around their room for signs of danger.

"Oh my...your back," she said, her voice reduced to a horrified whisper. Pyrrha reached out, her fingers tracing hesitantly over the myriad scars criss crossing his skin, her breath trembling in her chest. "What happened to you?" she asked with trepidation in her voice.

Before Jaune could answer her, their bedroom door burst open, a panting Nora tumbling to the floor before popping to her feet, yanking a pair of shorts up to cover her pink panties, a short-cropped t-shirt half-covering a matching bra. "What's going...on…" she began to ask before she fully comprehended Jaune's state of undress. "Ohhhhhh, ho ho ho," She began, her shocked face turning to an ecstatically salacious leer. "Oh, Reeeennn!" she sang back over her shoulder. "This. Is. HAPPENING!" she shouted with glee.

"What?" Pyrrha asked in confusion before she understood her teammate's misconception. "No, it's not…"

"What?" Ren asked as he nearly stumbled into the room, his pajama pants mostly on and his tunic hanging loosely from his shoulders. "Oh," he said calmly, the brief raise of his eyebrows betraying his surprise. "Nora, I think Jaune and Pyrrha might enjoy their privacy, for the same reason we were just enjoying ours," he said evenly, adjusting his clothing to straighten his appearance.

"No, it's not that, Ren," Pyrrha countered. "Look at this!" she hissed, spinning Jaune around to show their teammates the topographical map of pain on Jaune's skin.

"Oh my gosh! What happened to you?" Nora asked, her hand over her mouth.

"What? Those?" he asked, taken aback that his friends were making such a big deal over nothing. "Training scars. That's all."

"Jaune, this is bad," Pyrrha replied, her voice still a horrified whisper. "A teacher should never do this to a student. I never would," she added, whether her philosophy or her love for her friend mattered more, she couldn't say.

"Pain is just weakness leaving the body. Besides, it was worth it."

"I don't see how."

"Well, umm, lemme see. Ah! Nora!" he said firmly, turning to face his friend.

"Yes, oh Fearless Leader?"

"I want you to punch me."

"Beg pardon?"

"Right here," he said, framing the center of his now highly visible abs with his hands. "Hard as you can. Nora?" he prodded her, breaking her out of her blinking stare.

"What? Oh, right. Are you sure? I did put on some muscle this summer," she added, flexing her arms to prove her point.

"Yup," he said simply, almost dismissively.

"I really don't think this is a good idea, Jaune," Pyrrha unsuccessfully attempted to dissuade her reckless teammates.

"I don't want to break you, Jaune," Nora clarified.

"You won't."

"Uhhhhh-huh," she replied skeptically. "Welp, it's your funeral. I'll do it on one condition."

"Which is?"

"You survive, you tell my boyfriend here the secret to your core workout."

"Huh?" Pyrrha asked before she took another look at her partner, her eyes going wide at the muscle definition he'd gained in four short months, her immediate concern having prevented her from noticing before. Despite the fact that she knew him to be a boy made of flesh and blood, very warm and snuggle-worthy flesh at that, her immediate impression was that of a chiseled marble statue.

"Because holy crap, your abs put Ren's shredded wheat to shame!"

"Deal," he replied with a shrug.

"Don't say I didn't warn you…" she said, planting her feet and winding up.

"I was about to tell you the same thing, Nora," Jaune replied, drawing a stunned flinch from Ren of all people.

"Shyeah," she scoffed. Without another word, she balled her hand into a fist, letting loose with as much power as her deceptively strong frame could muster. The sound of the impact was not unlike that of a side of beef being dropped from several hundred feet onto concrete; sharp, vaguely wet, and unmistakably brutal. The brief flash of brilliant white light was akin to a lightning bolt accompanying the thunder, while the sheer physics of the blow launched him backwards, where he hit the wall before collapsing to the floor in a heap.

"Jaune!" Pyrrha cried fearfully.

"Sorry?" Nora said softly.

"What for?" Jaune asked, getting everyone else's undivided attention. He eased himself into a sitting position, looking up into three stunned expressions. "I told you to put some mustard on it. You weren't holding back on me, were you?"

"I...no," she said, blinking once before she realized exactly what had happened, a goofy grin quickly blooming on her face. "Not bad, Fearless Leader." Almost as quickly as it had arisen, her smile evaporated, and her eyes flicked toward her still-clenched fist, before she grabbed her right wrist with her other hand. "Son. of. a. BITCH, that hurt!" she cried out, her hand uncurling and twitching fitfully.

"Sorry. Here, lemme see," he beckoned, holding both of his hands out to her. Taking her painfully throbbing hand in his, Jaune allowed his Aura to extend over hers, turning her deep pink pale and bright as his Semblance went to work for several long moments. He released her hand and Nora brought it close for scrutiny, flexing the digits to restore feeling before she violently cracked her knuckles and smiled again. "Better?" Jaune asked, getting a nod and a mischievous smile from Nora.

"I feel like I could run a marathon!" she said, before casting a sly grin towards Ren, whose placid smile flickered out when he saw the look she was giving him. "Again," she added cryptically, and his face grew pale.

"I...don't think we have time for that, Nora. Jaune promised us a team breakfast, after all."

"Mmmm, I think I'm more thirsty than hungry, you handsome stud, you," she said in husky tones, curling her fingers in the edges of Ren's tunic, pulling him close.

"Jaune? Help?" Ren said in quite possibly the smallest voice Jaune had ever heard him use.

"I think the vending machines down the hall are stocked," Jaune said with a shrug. "You should be able to grab her something to drink and be back before I'm done in the shower and ready to go. Say, thirty minutes?"

"Sounds like a plan! Ren! Attend your queen!" Nora pronounced, releasing him before turning on her heel and marching out of the room.

"A hand, guys?" he asked, getting helped up by both Pyrrha and Ren taking a hand each. "You've got this," he said to Ren, whose eyes went wide for a moment before a subtle, mischievous grin materialized on his lips. Without a word, he gave Jaune a small, polite bow before walking out of the room after Nora.

"Jaune?" Pyrrha asked when they were alone. "I think you might not understand what just happened."

"What? That they're banging?"

"That's not quite how I'd put it," she said with an awkward grimace.

"Margie and Vi have had boyfriends before. I'm not an idiot. Besides, joke's on Nora. I boosted him more than I did her."

Jaune could practically feel the heat from Pyrrha's blush from two feet away as the implications fully dawned on her. "That's an...unconventional use of your Semblance, Jaune."

"They'll thank me later. Plus maybe it'll take the edge off Nora for once," he added, getting a soft, contented hum in agreement. "It's good to see your smile again, Pyr," he added, causing her cheeks to redden further. Jaune glanced down to save her further embarrassment, noticing that he was still holding her right hand in his. Or maybe she was holding his, it didn't quite matter; the blemish on the inside of her wrist was what caught his attention. "What's this?" he asked, raising her hand up.

"Just something I got over the summer," she replied, avoiding his gaze. "I...I didn't want to ever forget you, Jaune. What you mean to me," she said softly. Jaune's breath hitched for a moment, seeing the small tattoo there, no bigger than a Lien coin, the twin arcs-en-ciel and her own spear and hoplon superimposed and blended seamlessly into one united emblem for the both of them. Jaune bit his lips before he said something impulsive and likely stupid, instead tracing over her skin gently with a fingertip.

"Pyrrha?" he asked quietly.

"Yes, Jaune?"

"I've got a beautiful idea," he said, a warm grin splitting his face.

"Top you off, hon?" Florence Peony asked, the glass carafe of coffee held at the ready in her liver-spotted hand. The well-past-middle-aged waitress wore an old-fashioned style of uniform, complete with a pink gingham skirt and blouse, and a half-apron in crisp white linen with a pocket for her order pad. Her hair was teased and blown out, the brittle texture of the pale blond strands as well as the darker, exposed roots betraying the bleach job for what it was.

"Yes, please," the lone customer in the booth replied, pushing his half-full mug slightly towards her. She deftly poured the steaming black elixir, managing to stop a quarter inch from the top of the mug in spite of the seemingly reckless manner in which she did so. "Thank you, Flo."

"Any time, Jake. I'll be in the back for a minute. Gimme a holler if ya need anything." She turned on her heel, comfortable tennis shoes squeaking on the vinyl tile as she departed, checking in with the other two customers seated at tables to offer the same notice. The three gentlemen at the counter, longshoremen by their manner of dress, were handled by her partner and not her responsibility for the moment. The man took a sip of his black coffee, unadulterated by cream, milk, sugar or any other less-than-manly contaminant, setting it down and resuming his daily ritual; reading the news from his Scroll. Narrow glasses were perched on a thin nose, crow's feet at the corner of his brown eyes showing his age even before one could note the streaks of grey in his jet black hair. The face was narrow, which fit his generally lean frame and tall stature. A simple red polo shirt over tan slacks gave one the impression of a quiet, middle-aged father, or grandfather, figure, enjoying a simple breakfast of eggs and toast. The only truly distinguishing feature he possessed was the sleeve of scar tissue covering his left forearm.

"As I live and breathe, Jacob Frost. Such a pleasure to meet you at last," he heard; smooth, rich tones befitting a salesman.

"Do I know you?" he asked testily, glancing at the trio of longshoremen for a moment. One of them nodded in return, turning his stool slightly to keep an eye on the booth without being obvious about it.

"Not yet," Arthur Watts conceded, sliding into the bench across from Frost. "And not nearly as well as I know you."

"I have a fan? I'm touched," he retorted, his tone conveying he was anything but.

"Let's just say we have common interests. Junketsu wa hagane yori mo tsuyoi," he spoke quietly in reverent tones.

Frost's eyes narrowed slightly behind his glasses, betraying nothing. "I'm afraid I don't speak...Mistrali, is it?" he said after a brief pause.

"Of course you don't. Plausible deniability is your stock in trade, Doctor Frost. One doesn't run for a Valerian Council seat with skeletons in the closet. Pity it didn't work out for you," he needled the man, trying to find a chink in the mental armor. Watts already found him far more challenging, and thus entertaining, than Cinder Fall had ever been in that regard.

"The people spoke, and Augustus Wolfe, the first Faunus Councillor in Valerian history, sits on the council," he said darkly, just the slightest hint of mocking sarcasm creeping into his voice.

"Such a shame. A man of your vision denied the ability to see it made reality."

"You're talking in circles, stranger. Make your point."

"I don't have much of one to be honest. I simply wanted to meet you before I lost the opportunity. I'm something of an admirer, if I'm being blunt. Strength of will is nothing without conviction, Daikunshu."

"There you go again with the foreign talk. Please, I'm just a humble doctor, trying to enjoy his breakfast."

"Oh, we both know you're anything but humble, Jacob Frost. You don't rise to Grand Monarch of the Sanguine Brotherhood by being a simpleton, after all."

"Choose your next words very carefully," Frost replied, his voice cold enough to draw the notice of his friend at the counter, who turned to face the two men directly.

"As I stated, we have common interests, and thus, common enemies. I know you wouldn't believe me if I said I wasn't a policeman, but I'll put it out there regardless. This Kingdom is rotting from within, and laying the blame upon the wrong people, such as yourself."

"I'm an innocent man, Mister…"

"Watts. Arthur Watts. And by every legal definition, you are correct. Innocent until proven guilty and all that. I fear that may not last much longer, however. The State's Attorney's office is set to empanel a Grand Jury next week, with you as the chief target. Would have been last week, but the roster of potential jurors was accidentally erased by, well, let's just say a computer glitch and leave it at that," he added with a knowing smile.

"They've got nothing on me," Frost scoffed. "Because there's nothing to have."

"Oh, I would rethink that sentiment if I were you. I've read the police report. There are four witnesses placing you at the scene of Emmett Hill's...unfortunate tumble down those stairs. I haven't decrypted the interview recordings yet, I'm afraid, and the report is heavily redacted, but all four point to you as the instigator. That's all the Valerian government needs to put a patriot like yourself behind bars for...well, a very long time, at least."

"Go on," Jacob replied icily.

"The Vale Police Department and the Carabinieri are both rife with people sympathetic to the mongrels. Why, some of them are even working in conjunction with the White Fang," he added with an air of scandalous wonder.

"You have proof of this?"

"Oh, they'll pass it off as having informants, but the evidence is there. Why do you think that even with seven 'confidential sources' the Breach of Vale was nearly successful? Hundreds injured, thirty-seven dead, and only thwarted by student Huntresses operating outside of their mandate of a training mission, and, more importantly, outside of the control of the police. You can't have an organization like the White Fang pull off an operation of that magnitude without the vast majority of their members aware of it. Whether the police have sympathizers in the ranks, or are blindly accepting whatever their contacts are supplying them, it's a problem nonetheless. They don't understand the animals. Not like you and I do, Jacob." Watts briefly cut his gaze down to Frost's scarred limb. "The rebellion took its toll on you far more than most, I know."

"Damned savages couldn't even find the right man," Frost muttered under his breath.

"They've never taken to proper education like a human would. Wallowing in their ignorance like it's some semblance of civilized culture," Watts added almost dismissively.

"You've read Watashi no Tairitsu," Frost replied, citing the core book of the Brotherhood.

"Some of Asahi's older, more nuanced works, actually. Tairitsu is better suited as a primer for the masses who can't see what's self-evident to gentlemen such as ourselves. The Kingdoms' control over the media keeps the populace docile, yes, but tragically uninformed of the true issues that face them. And of the people brave enough to work at fixing them," he added, his silver tongue working overtime on his latest target.

"And you're here to do what, precisely? You talk a good game, Watts. What's your angle here?"

"If Vale continues to decline, all of Remnant follows suit. In spite of its flaws, Vale still holds great influence outside its borders. The Huntsmen of Beacon Academy are Vale's greatest export, and business has been booming for decades. Besides, they've got their own little corner of the world where they won't have to suffer under oppression." Arthur rolled his eyes at the last word.

"It would be a better world, wouldn't it?"

"Indeed. The problem is the amount of sympathy the common man holds for the Faunus. They haven't been told the truth for so long that they are like sheep, begging for the shepherd. How many people truly know what the figures are for interspecies offspring? The average of the three most conclusive studies is eighty-two point seven percent, in favor of the Faunus parent," Watts clarified, pausing as he saw Frost blanch at the number. "Not even you knew that? Makes sense they would suppress knowledge that didn't fit the party line."

"You know that Wolfe is set to put forth a bill to repeal the miscegenation laws? Not like the damned police have enforced them since the rebellion," he growled.

"Quite the worrisome state of affairs, I agree. And that's where I come in. I have information, and access to certain things, but I don't have the manpower to exploit that knowledge to best effect."

"And that is?"

"The wholesale expulsion of the Faunus from Vale. The reclamation of humanity's primacy in the world. I believe you would be interested in that, would you not?"

"And how would one accomplish this, I wonder? Your plan involves someone else taking the risks while you sit in the shadows, does it not?"

"I am in the most tenuous position of all, I promise you. But if you desire reassurance, I shall give it to you." He produced a thumb drive from his pocket, sliding it to the middle of the table. "There's the report, complete with the digital watermarks verifying it's authenticity. I've also taken the liberty of including some other information which might be of use to you. The organizational structure that the Valerian authorities believe the Brotherhood operates under, complete with names, suspected front businesses as well. This establishment is notably absent. Excellent work."

"Heh, Mel's a good man. Lost a brother during the rebellion."

"There is also every piece of information I could gather regarding the so-called informants. Addresses, Scroll links, the works," he said, trailing off as Frost touched the drive to his scroll and began to flick through the file menu. "The report's in the root directory," he said smoothly, correctly discerning Jacob's primary focus.

Frost tapped one last time, taking a sip of his coffee as he began to read. Watt's moustache shifted the barest fraction of an inch when he saw the color drain from Frost's already pale complexion. "How?" he demanded of no one in particular.

"I don't know yet, but I've got two dedicated servers brute forcing the encryption as we speak. As soon as I find anything out, you'll be the first to know."

"I certainly do appreciate that, Mister Watts. It's just so serendipitous that you've graced me with your presence at this precise moment in time, wouldn't you say?" Frost asked, his eyes lifting slightly to gaze over the top rim of his glasses. "All that would be required of me is just one overt act to confirm any of the allegations listed, as well as loop me in on a conspiracy charge on top of it all. Please tell me Vale P.D. doesn't think I'm that stupid." Frost spat venomously, and Watts could swear he felt the room chill around him.

"As I stated before, I'm not a policeman. There are far better pursuits for a mind such as mine," Watts replied, keeping a level voice in spite of the tension in the room.

"Kudos for keeping your bearing at that, Watts. Most cops would have shit enough bricks to build a house. Most." Frost's eyes narrowed, his breathing slow as he gazed into Watts' eyes for several moments of silence. "Well, it seems we're at an impasse. Why don't you have breakfast with me? I'm sure Mel can whip up something to put some meat on your bones."

"Oh, I'm quite alright, thank you," Watts replied smoothly.

"Oh, but I insist," Frost countered, an almost predatory sneer on his face as he snapped his fingers once. Two of the longshoremen from the counter quickly and quietly took seats on either side of Watts, sandwiching the slender scientist between a pair of men that easily weighed a collective five hundred fifty pounds. "Might I recommend the corned beef hash? It's quite hearty," he added, his voice returning to its normally warm timbre.

"Far be it from me to refuse such a gracious offer," Watts stated flatly, adjusting his body posture slightly to gain a modicum of comfort.

"Tiny," Frost said, his voice dropping into a truly cold, commanding register. The third of the longshoremen, a truly massive slab of a man in a flannel shirt and jeans, approached the booth, dark eyes like a shark looking Arthur over once before focusing on his superior. "Give this to Carmine, have him check it for authenticity and any irregularities. Oh, and have Mel whip up an order of hash for our friend Arthur Watts here. Coffee?" he asked, getting a raised eyebrow in response. "Coffee, black," Frost continued, missing the barest furrowing of Watts' brow. He handed the thumb drive over to Tiny, who walked across the dining room to hand it to the disheveled young man in the grey hoodie seated in the corner of the restaurant, talking to him briefly before he disappeared into the kitchen. Carmine began by inserting the thumb drive into his laptop, his fingers soon a blur of motion as he carried out his task.

"And so, we wait," Frost stated, resuming his breakfast without deigning to acknowledge the borderline hostage across the table from him.

"This was a terrible idea," Jaune grumbled. "Ow!" he barked softly as the buzzing resumed, the tightly packed cluster of needles mangling his skin and forcing the bronze ink into his flesh.

"Please hold still, dude," the well-inked and heavily-pierced Cammie Kirsch said for the fifth time in as many minutes.

"Sorry," he said through gritted teeth. "You'd think my mom being Doctor Vampire would prepare me for needles."

Pyrrha giggled at the joke, patting his shoulder in support as the tattoo artist resumed her work. "We all suffer for our art, Jaune."

"Yeah, me and my big ideas."

"I think it's pretty sweet, kid. This ain't the first time I've inked matching tats for a boyfriend/girlfriend team," she said, leaning in to peer at her canvas closely.

"We...we're not…" Pyrrha stammered.

"Pyrrha's just my partner, Cammie," Jaune assured her, placing his free hand over Pyrrha's and squeezing gently. "The best partner I could have asked for."

"Huh. Coulda fooled me," Cammie muttered, getting back to work. Pyrrha's hand holding his own served to placate him for the last few minutes needed, his breathing even as pain and endorphins fought to control the expression on his face. "Aaand, done," Cammie pronounced with a satisfied smile. Jaune raised his wrist, bringing his brand new tattoo up for inspection.

"My mom's gonna kill me," he muttered, still dumbfounded that he'd actually done it. His and Pyrrha's

"Normally, I'd give you aftercare instructions, but being a Huntsman? Let your aura work at it naturally, don't force it, and you'll be fine in a couple hours. If you need me to touch it up, come back tomorrow."

"Sure," Jaune said absently. "So whaddya think, Pyr?" he asked, standing and showing off his new ink to his partner.

"I'm flattered, Jaune, really," she said with a genuine smile. "I told you you didn't have to do this."

"I know, I know. Just...seemed like the right thing to do, ya know?"

"I suppose."

"Now how about brunch? Nora's probably gnawing on the lobby furniture by now."

"That sounds lovely!" Pyrrha replied with a beaming smile. Despite the potential for chaos looming over the rest of her day, she had truly missed this.

AN: Two updates in one month? Who'da thunk it?

Frost has a RL, rather than literary, allusion going on, ten internet points for the first person to guess it.

Also, much thanks to my trio of beta readers this chapter, I was super worried about the first scene not feeling right. Please, look up Shoober, Silvolde and Cyanide Sins, as all three of them are worth a read.