So it seems like people are leaning more towards team MILF part 2 over team Chaos. Eh, I guess I should've seen that coming. This next chapter is a plot one so we can get a bit deeper into the various arcs.

Also, the love triangle poll is almost evenly split with Yes just having two more votes over No. Others still wanna just replace Yang with Blake cause they really like the spiteful game of chicken she and Jaune are playing. Their fake relationship is an open one as well so it's not like Ruby can't fit in :P

"Please, order anything you like."

Jaune did his best to keep his expression level as he sat across one of the most influential men on Vale. Even after everything he'd been through, he still found it in him to be contrite in front of the older man. Sure he couldn't level mountains if he stubbed his toe, but one didn't get to the position of a councilman without knowing the ins and outs of politics...or by having a lot of money and friends in high places.

"Thank you." Jaune nodded and looked around the restaurant. It wasn't a fancy place, but it was still a bit above his usual haunts. At least this time he didn't have to spend anything. Thankfully no one seemed to recognize his new companion, which he supposed made sense. The council was more a behind the scenes kind of thing. While they did occasionally made announcements and public appearances, most wouldn't be able to pick him out as anything more than a guy in a fancy suit.

They both ordered something something for themselves and the man smiled, still careful not to show any teeth, "I apologize for the sudden invitation. Did I interrupt something important?"

"Huh? Uh, no, nothing critical or anything." He'd handed off the magazine and cookies to one of the Bullhead pilots he knew, Jeff, and asked if he could pass it along to team RWBY's dorm. The guy was nice enough to agree, though it probably helped that he was a fan of the team, "So...is there a reason we're here? Not every day I get a councilman asking me out on a date," he joked weakly.

Mr. Blanche laughed in turn, "I'm afraid you're a bit too young for me, Mr. Arc, but I'm glad you can find some humor in this." The waiter came back with their food. The smell of spaghetti calmed him down somewhat, "Before we get started, could I be blunt?" Jaune nodded, "I dislike politics. While I'm adept with it, I find that a bit of honesty works better in everyone's favor."

"That how you act all the time?"

"Oh, Gods no." He grinned, showing off his sharp canines again. Yeah, definitely a wolf or maybe even lion Faunus, "When you come from someone with my background, you learn how to play the game. But as I said, just because I'm good at it doesn't mean I have to like it."

"Alright, so what do you want with me?"

"I'm always looking for new contacts, and a member of the team that successfully saved Vale during the Breach most definitely counts." Jaune raised a brow. That was blunt; he really wasn't kidding about laying it all out there.

"You know I don't have a Secondary Semblance, right?" he asked, the lie about the team's abilities coming naturally.

"And yet you were down there all the same." Jaune's eyes narrowed slightly, "Don't be so shocked. While those four - the Defenders of Vale - had the most exposure, there were a few scattered photos of you. No one really made the connection and just assumed you were another Huntsman in the city, but then you and Ms. Belladonna showed up in that rally a few days ago." The one where she exposed her true identity to everyone.

"Alright..." Jaune took a sip of his coffee - sweet nirvana - then set the mug back down, "That still doesn't tell me what you want, though. My family runs a winery. If you wanna get a decent price I could recomend you." Mom and dad would've loved making connections with a councilman.

"Tell me, Mr. Arc, how close are you to your team?"

"...Why are you asking?" Jaune was never the sharpest tool in the shed, something Rebecca often loved to tease him about, but he wasn't stupid. And if Mr. Blanche was honest about speaking the truth then his guess would be proven right.

"Because I would like to meet them."

"You can go visit the academy. I'm sure a council member wouldn't have that many issues. Wasn't that your plan before you met me?"

"Indeed, though it wouldn't be ideal." He took a sip of his own cup of coffee, "I'd hoped to meet them on more neutral grounds."

"Why? Isn't Ozpin part of the council?"

"Ozpin? How casually you refer to your own headmaster, young man." Mr. Blanche smiled mysteriously while Jaune fidgeted in his seat. From an outside perspective it must've looked really disrespectful, or at the very least odd. Then again, no one else knew that he didn't want the Defenders of Vale to actually be out there during the Breach, "But to answer your question. Yes, he is part of the council, but that doesn't mean we all see eye-to-eye on everything."

"He won't let you talk to team RWBY?"

"That's a bit of an exagerattation. Let's say we've been...discouraged from visiting them. The Council has expressed some interest in personally thanking Vale's Defenders for their efforts."

"Uh-huh...personally thank?" Why did he get the feeling it was more than that?

"That's how they refer to it, at least, though I imagine Wardes is quite a bit less inclined now that he's found out about Ms. Belladonna's heritage. I believe you know his son? Lad by the name of Cardin?"

"Yeah, I know him..." He still didn't talk much after Forever Fall. It probably didn't help that he shared just about every class with team RWBY and Yang wasn't exactly quick to forgive those who hurt her friends. Even a semester later she was still giving them the side eyes and dirty looks.

"I can imagine by the look on your face that you don't have the best relationship. He takes after his father. He and I don't have the most...pleasant relationship."

"You mean cause he's racist?" Jaune asked bluntly. By now he'd gotten tired of double meanings and circling around things.

"Among other things. He's also stubborn, believes that money can solve any and all issues, and thinks he's owed unconditional respect because of his family name. But yes, also because he's racist." His smile became strained, "Ever since the Breach he's fanned the flames of groups like the ones you defended people against in that rally. With the White Fang being a prime target he thinks he can pass laws that inhibit the Faunus even more than they already are. Prison camps, checkpoints, refusing to let them bear arms. He'd have them all treated as second-class citizens like in Mistral."

"That's terrible, but that still doesn't tell me why you're here."

"Because I think you can help me stop that." He steepled his hands together, food still untouched. What a waste, "Winchester's rallied his support on the basis of an Us vs. Them mentality. The ones responsible for the Breach were the White Fang - Faunus - while the Defenders of Vale were all Human. Or at least, they were up until a few days ago." He smiled, "Until Ms. Belladonna showed the world who she really was and you fought to protect those who would trample on equality."

"I'm not a politician, Mr. Blanche."

"Nor am I asking you to be. I'm not that cruel." He laughed under his breath, "Tell me, are you aware of how popular your team is?"

"I've seen some things around the DustNet." Some of them really disturbing. The blog posts, the fanclubs, the fanart. That last one traumatized both Ruby and Weiss so much they'd put in a safety lock to make sure they couldn't stumble into any more, "But what does that have to do with anything? They're popular, so are a lot of other Huntresses." Some seniors like Coco Adel had a second life managing their online fame. Events like the Vytal Tournament only elevated it. Huntsmen weren't just protectors and mercenaries; they were celebrities.

"Yes, well, most other Huntresses haven't gotten the attention of the Council of Vale." Jaune's spine stiffened at the words. The words were casual enough, but he was suddenly reminded of Ozpin's warning all those weeks ago, "Huntsmen are powerful, they train from childhood to have that level of ability, but your team is on another league entirely. I daresay even the most experienced Huntsmen couldn't have protected Vale with such destructive power and skill."

"You're saying the Council wants to hire them." It wasn't that rare. Outside of Atlas, Huntsmen weren't beholden to their Kingdoms. While many chose to stay in their place of birth, others chose to leave for greener pastures. While the government couldn't force Huntsmen to work for them - again, Atlas notwithstanding - hiring them on a more-or-less permanent basis wasn't out of the question. Many Vytal tournament champions were often rewarded with lucrative contracts straight from each kingdom's council. It was one reason so many students craved the trophy. Winning meant you were more or less set for life.

"Indeed." He nodded, "It's rare that we get one powerful Huntress, but to have a team of them? That'd be like Mistral having four of Pyrrha Nikos. The council is already eager to snatch them up before the Vytal tournament where they'll no doubt gain even more notoriety. They're also thinking of the future. Despite being first year students, your team near-singelhandedly saved Vale. What else could they accomplish with the full four years of training?"

'They can destroy entire kingdoms,' Jaune thought.

"Soon enough, I expect others will be making their offers. While Winchester might abstain due to Ms. Belladonna's revealed heritage, others won't be quite so picky."

"They're still first years, not full Huntresses. Is that even legal?"

"It would definitely be frowned upon, but there's nothing in the Huntsmen Academy's guidelines that state they cannot be hired by interested third parties. Though, I believe that's more on the unlikelihood that someone would hire students versus a trained Huntsman. Prodigies like Ms. Nikos and your team don't come along often, Mr. Arc. There was hardly a need to take them into account."

"Then ask them." Jaune took another long gulp of coffee to calm his nerves, "Why am I even here? You can ask them and make your offer."

"Somehow, I doubt they'll listen to me."

"Why not? You're not a criminal."

"I'm a politician. In many ways, I'd be considered worse." They both laughed, though it was weak. Politics didn't really affect them back in Domremy. They had the mayor, sure, but he knew the guy since he was a kid and he was voted by popular demand. They were too small to get into the political scandals that were commonplace in the larger kingdoms.

"You're kind of a pessimist, Mr. Blanche."

"I prefer realist. Ms. Schnee is from Atlas and comes from the SDC; she will not be swayed by any offers nor would she feel any sort of loyalty to another kingdom's government. Ms. Rose and Ms. Xiao Long are from Patch, closer to Vale, so perhaps they could be swayed, but resentment for the council has run deep in recent years. Scandals, mismanagement and accusations of corruption have done little to instill trust in today's youth."

"What about Blake?"

"You mean the daughter of the White Fang's founders and someone who was likely a member of the White Fang herself?" Jaune's eyes narrowed, "I don't mean to throw accusations, Mr. Arc. I've no proof of anything she's done and I have no interest in finding it. Regardless, she would hardly be interested in talking to me, Faunus or not. My lack of success in preventing our kind's mistreatment would have her see me as just another part of the problem."

"If you think it's so doomed then why are we even talking?"

"I won't sugarcoat it, Mr. Arc- Jaune. I think you're my in." He leaned forward, "I understand that Beacon teams have a sense of loyalty towards one another. In many ways, they become a second family. If anyone would be able to convince them to hear me out, it's you."

"...And why would I do that?" Jaune's hands balled into tight fists, "They're my friends. There's nothing you can offer me that will make me smooth talk them for you."

"I'm not here to offer money and favors, Jaune, though that can be arranged if needed." Mr. Blanche leaned back and relaxed his posture, "Instead, I'll choose to appeal with something else: the greater good."

Jaune laughed. Even from someone from the countryside like him found that absurd. Policians always talked and talked and talked about how they'd make things better once they were elected. Mom, dad, and Rebecca rolled their eyes whenever it happened. People would say anything to get their seat on the table and then all too quickly forget how they got there.

"What, are you gonna tell me you plan to put Vale into the next century?"

"Nothing quite so grand." His smile was cynical and worn, all too different from the practiced ones earlier, "I'm a Faunus, and that means I had to fight twice as hard to get where I am. Tradionalists - bigots - like Winchester only make that harder. In all my years in my position I've tried to champion the rights of our people. While I hadn't gotten as far as I would've liked, I'd still made marginal improvements. Until the Breach."

"I'm sorry about that." Assuming he was telling the truth, that is.

I believe that your team can change things. Huntsmen are more than defenders; they're symbols. Ms. Belladonna exposing her heritage has won back some support against those who blame all Faunus for the actions of a few. If a Faunus risked her life to keep Vale from falling, is it truly fair to blame them all for the White Fang's monstrous actions? People who were on the fence were swayed."

"You wanna use them for propaganda..."

"Yes." Huh, at least he owned it, "Team RWBY isn't just powerful, Jaune. Right now they have the eyes of the people and their actions can sway hundreds if not thousands. The council knows this and they're all willing to use them for their own agendas. Votes, popularity, drawing attention away from their indiscretions. I'm not much different, but I'd like to believe my cause is a bit more worthy of fighting for."

"What would you even have them do? There's not exactly another Breach happening."

"They'll do what they do best: stopping the Grimm. With their abilities, they can do so much more than the average Huntsmen. Take out entire Grimm hordes, safeguard locations that are prime spots for expansion, maybe even retake places that have been lost to the Grimm. They're powerful, Jaune; why shouldn't they use their gifts to make the lives of others better?"

"And...what, you sponsor them?"

"In a way. I'll give them my open support and in return they make it clear these tasks came from me. This will strengthen my own position in the Council and sway some of the other members in supporting some of my actions. More importantly, it will turn support away from the likes of Winchester. Even if he used his connections to successfuly pass his reductionist policies, the backlash would be the end of his career."

"That's it? It's all selfless and you don't get any personal benefit?"

"Of course I do, Jaune. The only thing you have to ask yourself, is if that's such a bad thing considering what I want." He showed off his canines again, "Perhaps this means nothing to. Maybe you only helped protect the protestors because of Ms. Belladonna's presence and you don't care about the Faunus, that's fine. I'm willing to give more material benefits in exchange for your cooperation. Lien, weapons, anything you'd want."

"I only want one thing." Jaune stood up straighter and looked him in the eye, "This sales pitch you're giving me? Give it to the rest of the team. I'm not going to be your mouthpiece. If you want their help then make your offer. I'll tell them about our meeting and get them on the table, but besides that you're on your own. It's up to them ifthe trust what you're selling."

"All of them? Even Ms. Belladonna?"

"Yes." He was right; Blake wouldn't have listened to Mr. Blanche's offer if he came by himself. Even with Jaune asking it was still a crapshoot, "That's it. If that's not good enough for you then I can't help."

"No, it's fine. I wouldn't be a very good councilman if I didn't know how to speak to a crowd." He went back to his practiced smile, "One last question, if you'll indulge me. Do you trust me, Jaune?"

No.

"No."

"Good man." He laughed under his breath, "I get the feeling this is the start of a new friendship for us both."

"You seem sure team RWBY's gonna agree."

"Like I said, I'm a realist." He stood and straightened his tie, ignoring the untouched food, "I'll see you soon, Jaune."

"Where's Jaune?" Ruby asked.

"Huh?" Weiss looked up from her scroll.

"Jaune. Where is he?" Ruby asked again, fidgeting in her bed. Not too long ago she'd received a delivery of cookies and the newest issue of Weapons magazine. The guy - one of the Bullhead pilots - told her it was from Jaune and he was still in Vale.

Ruby's chest felt warm and she happily munched on the sweet treats, assured that Jaune would return soon and she could pay him back for the nice - romantic? - gesture. Maybe they could go on a date? Her treat! Sure, he hadn't said if he liked her back or not, but doing something like this for her was a good sign, right? None of her friends back at Signal ever bought her cookies or magazines.

And yet he hadn't come back. Calling his scroll didn't work either; the goober forgot to charge it after he went out drunking with Drunkle Qrow.

"How should I know?" Her bestie scoffed, going back to whatever it was she was doing on her scroll. Something about her investment portfolio or something else boring and businessy.

"Ugh, he should be here by now!" Ruby frowned. How was she supposed to show off how grateful she was if he was wasting time around Vale? She was tempted to go out and look for him herself before Weiss reminded her just how big Vale was and how she'd probably get there just in time for him to come back. Whatever, it was-

Oh, wait, she got it! They could work together and make Crocea Mors into an actual mechashift weapon! Her face lit up with a wide grin at the thought of it. Maybe an assault rifle? No, a shotgun like Uncle Qrow's to get some more damage and spread! And...and they could work on it together! Just the two of them at the Forge, spending days reshaping the heirloom from the ground up.

No, wait, first they had to make the design! Jaune needed to be there for that; it wouldn't be special if she just did it herself. She could see it now, the two of them staying up all night trying to make everything perfect. The rest of the team would've been gone for one reason or another, so it was just them alone. Then when they finally finished the design he'd be so grateful and offer a reward. She'd be shy and tease him, say one kiss, and then they'd-

"Ruby, you're drooling."

"Am not!" She wiped her very much dry, thank you, mouth, and glared at her grinning bestie. Ever since she came back from her date with Sun she was weirdly happy. Which was nice, don't get her wrong, but still super weird.

"You're serious about trying for a relationship with Jaune, aren't you?"

"Of course I am!" Ruby huffed. Just cause he was her first crush didn't mean she wasn't going all-in. Her first dream was to be a Huntress and look where she was now, "He even promised to save me a dance to the ball." Nora was helping plan it, which Ruby had some doubts on. There was probably gonna be a pancake tower and unlimited syrup if she had her way.

"Then might I give you some advice?"

Ruby's eyes lit up, "Oooh, are we gonna have girl talk?" she asked excitedly.

"If you wish to refer it as such, then by all means." Weiss rolled her eyes, "Have you thought about the longevity of your planned relationship with Jaune?"

"What, like marriage?" Ruby shook her head. She was only fifteen and Jaune was only seventeen. Besides, they had their whole lives ahead of them. Once they graduated Beacon and helped save the world there were still Grimm around. She still wanted to travel Remnant, killing Grimm and righting wrongs along the way.

"Not exactly." She sighed and closed her scroll, "Do you remember when Jaune told us that he was afraid of us?"

And just like that, Ruby's good mood tanked. The younger girl crossed her arms and frowned at Weiss, "Why'd you have to bring that up again?" she asked softly.

"You're attempting to enter a relationship with him. The dynamics at play are important," Weiss replied, "Has he brought up this matter to you?"

"No..." Which she took as a good sign. Sure, the Maiden magic was really strong, but neither Ruby or the rest of the team would ever hurt him! Besides, if he was so scared of them would he really joke around and feel so at ease? Especially with Blake. The two couldn't go a day without sniping at each other.

"Hm..."

"So what?" Ruby asked defensively.

"The power disparity should be noted. While our abilities are public knowledge, Jaune is one of the few who's aware of its true nature." Maiden magic, she didn't say. The power to destroy kingdoms, "We also didn't make a good first impression for those first couple of weeks. We were careless with our abilities and let our emotions control us. It's no wonder he feared us."

"But it's totally different now!"

"Yes, but the underlying imbalance remains." Weiss sighed, "Ruby, do you ever wonder why most Huntsmen only ever enter into relationship with others of the same profession?"

"It's pretty easy to hang out and make friends when you have the same job."

"Yes, but that's not the only reason. Huntsmen such as ourselves live in a different world to civilians. We risk our lives fighting a battle that has no end and we do so with abilities that are, by definition, superhuman. While this earns us respect and prestige, it also leads to fear. Who'd want to be with someone who could so easily overpower them? Who could hurt them without meaning to when tempers flare and emotions run high?"

Ruby chewed her lower lip and waited for Weiss to continue.

"This isn't unique to Huntsmen, of course. Money, connections, pedigree...a wide enough disparity in anything and the gap becomes an issue. I've dealt with more than my fair share of such things." She scoffed, bitter, "I just...want you to understand what's at play here. While your feelings for him are genuine, your status as a Maiden and this Silver Eyed warrior will cast a blanket over the both of you. For better or worse."

"You're wrong." Ruby's eyes hardened, "Jaune is...yeah, he was scared of us at first, but it's different now. He's part of this team and I don't care what anyone says. Me being a Maiden or a Silver Eyed warrior...it doesn't change anything for me."

"But it does for him. He pushes himself to the limit because he feels like he has to catch up with us, even if we all know it's impossible. Not even the most experienced Huntsman could match what a fully realized Maiden can do if the headmaster's stories are true." Again, Ruby stayed silent, "...I'm sorry, I know this must be a foul subject, but it's something that needs to be tackled."

"...Do you think it can work? The two of us, I mean."

"I hope so, Ruby. You are right that Jaune treats us all as close friends despite the gifts we have. In any case, I'm rooting for you both."

Ruby looked down at the empty pack of cookies in her lap and sighed. Great, now she felt weird. No, she couldn't let it bother her. When Jaune came back she'd make sure to pay him back for the gifts. Just take it one step at a time, she reassured herself. Things would work out.

Politics...that was the last thing he ever thought he'd get involved in. Huntsmen as a whole were apolitical by nature. Some of them, like Cardin and Weiss, came from powerful families, but the majority only cared about politics in the sense of how it could affect their jobs. A Huntsman might not care if a Kingdom's government was toppled in a coup, but they would if it meant the contracts drying up.

And now he was personally scouted by a council member so he could convince the rest of his team to play propaganda hero.

He sighed and kicked a rock, aimlessly wandering around Vale. He should go back, he knew that, but he wanted to put off the conversation just a bit longer. It wasn't a big deal, right? He'd tell them Mr. Blanche talked to him and then let them make their own decisions. All he had to do was get them to the table. Even if Blake and Weiss didn't like the idea of talking to another kingdom's councilman, they'd do it for him.

And that was exactly why a part of him didn't want to. It felt like he was taking advantage of their relationsip, getting them to do something they wouldn't normally do because they trusted him. Was Blanche even telling the truth or was he just hoping that a Huntsman-in-training wanted to do good for people and would've been swayed by the thought of equality?

Even if he wasn't a Faunus himself, he still hated the thought of them being blamed because of what the White Fang did. If Blanche could really do something about that then wasn't it worth at least bringing up the idea to the rest of the team?

His musings were cut off when he heard a faint cry coming from the wide alley to his right. He turned to the direction of the noise and frowned when he saw a girl who couldn't have looked more than ten years sat on the ground. Both hands covered her cheeks and she cried, "Huh..." He looked around and saw the street was empty. No one else to help her.

Jaune stepped closer and made sure both Crocea Mors and his handgun were sheathed. An armed guy talking to a kid in an alley wasn't exactly a good look, "Hey there." He smiled and knelt down in front of the girl, "Are you lost? You need help finding your parents?" He couldn't just leave her alone. Being an older brother, he always had a weak spot for crying kids. He remembered helping Lily out whenever she felt sad or got bullied. The latter got him some bruises from other older siblings, but it was worth it.

The girl looked up. There were no tears in her eyes and the sounds of crying continued even as her mouth curled up in a grin. Her right hand grabbed a scroll from her back pocket and she tapped the screen. The sounds of crying immediately stopped.

A sense of foreboding washed over him and he stumbled back just in time for her her eyes to change color, going from black to brown and pink. He fumbled for his gun and she shattered like glass, leaving no trace that she was ever there.

"What the fu-"

"Get the human!" Shouts from all around him. Figures in white masks - White Fang, he thought numbly - all charged towards him, weapons drawn. Remembering all his training, Jaune aimed his pistol at the closest one and shot him in the torso three times. The bullets passed clean through - either low Aura or none at all - and the man crumpled, blood pooling as he fell.

He'd killed someone. The expected guilt and realization never came, his mind too preoccupied with the ongoing attack, as he shot another charging attacker. This one's Aura lasted longer but the last bullet managed to punch clean through her neck.

He just finished reloading when they finally got close. Jaune rolled past the swinging blade, stood, and shot the attacker in the face as soon as he turned around, "Damn it!" He unsheathed Crocea Mors and blocked another two that beelined towards him, "Get...off!" He bashed the one to to the left with his shield and slashed at the other to the right. The one to the left stumbled back while the latter attacked again, ignoring the blade entirely.

Jaune ducked the ferocious strike and tripped him to the ground. Before he could get up, he stabbed him through the back with his sword.

The woman behind him screamed with rage and grief and tried to stab him. Jaune blocked the blow, pulled out his sword, and stabbed her in return. Her untrained Aura faltered and she stumbled back, the blade still embedded in her stomach, before he pulled it out once more.

Three more coming from behind him. Jaune tossed a grenade at his back and ran for the alley's exit, an explosion ringing at his back. He needed to get out of here and-

Someone jumped down from the rooftops and kicked him with enough force to knock him to the ground. Jaune scrambled to stand and panted, trying to keep himself level. A woman stood in front of him; the one who'd lured him into the alley. Her pink and brown hair made her stand out among the masked attackers. She smiled up at him without a hint of fear and tapped the furled parasol against her right shoulder.

He aimed his pistol and shot. She giggled without a sound and danced towards him, dodging each and every bullet without a care. When she got close he unsheathed his sword only for her to shatter again when the blade made contact.

He stumbled forward as a kick hit the base of his spine. Jaune turned around gasped when she stood behind him now, her head tilted. That shattered...it must've been her Semblance. He gripped Crocea Mors harder and tried to remember every scrap of training he'd had.

It didn't help. To call it a fight was being generous. She'd dodged, ducked, and weaved every single attack he made and hit him hard for every single one. She was toying with him, he realized a little ways in. When he tried to cut his losses and run she was on him again, pushing him deeper into the alley and back to the corpses of the White Fang. She wouldn't let him escape.

Eventually, his Aura sputtered out and, with a sadistic grin, she jumped and kicked her heeled foot to the side of his head. Jaune fell to the ground and coughed. Everything went black for a second and his head rang. His sadistic attacker looked down at him and sighed silently in disappointment.

His consciousness was fading. Jaune reached for his fallen sword and cried weakly when another foot crushed his hand to the ground, "Huh...you put up more of a fight than I expected, human." The voice was male and the words were tinged with hate. Jaune looked up through his blurring vision and saw another masked man with a head of blood red hair, "It doesn't matter. It won't change anything for you."

"W..Who...?"

"You'll be my first message to Blake. Then she'll know the mistake she made."

The man kicked his face and everything went black.

Man, Blake just continues to be Worst Girl. Even when she's not in the chapter she indirectly entices Blanche to make contact with Jaune and she's also Adam's motivation to kidnap Jaune just to spite her. This woman cannot do anything right, can she? Oh well, at least Jaune went down swinging and you can't really call BS to him losing to Neo.

Next chapter has Jaune in the clutches of the White Fang and having to escape. Team RWBY, and especially Blake, are probably gonna keep a closer eye on him once everything is said and done.

Anyway

Question:

1. I asked before about whether people would read the story if Jaune wasn't the main character, so now I'm wondering. Would you guys have read the story if it wasn't Jaune but someone else assigned to Maiden RWBY? Mercury would definitely avoid the complaints about the MC being so much weaker than everyone else and he's harder to self- insert into due to his violent, sociopathic personality. Adam would be interesting as well if he wasn't full-on crazy just yet.

I'm also tempted to write an AU where only three out of the four RWBY members have Maiden powers, leaving the last one to have to play babysitter. Weiss would be good for this since pre-character development she's so assured in her skills and abilities…only to be assigned to a team that outclasses and outguns her at every turn. You could make entire chapters about her sudden feelings of inferiority and resentment of what she perceives as her team getting an unfair advantage that she could never hope to match.

2. A really petty question, but would you guys mind if I made Jaune smoke? It might help set some scenes better, and it would fit considering all the stress he's under, but it might feel weird for some readers to have him smoking a cigarette even though he's already gotten plastered drunk twice.

Review Answers:

Argent Energy - Jaune's relationship with Blake is based on spite and trying to one-up each other. Not sure if that's a good basis for romance.

sos read - I already told you before he has focus arcs like Crown and the next chapter is about him escaping the White Fang. He can't match up to the team - even Weiss acknowledges this - but that doesn't mean he can't have other roles. I deliberately made the story in mind that Jaune isn't the one saving the world. That's the rest of team RWBY and he has to deal with that.

If that's not enough for you then I'm sorry, I can't really change that. There are other stories with Jaune in a role you like better, but if you wanna keep reading this one - and I hope you do - then we'll have to agree to disagree.

Raj8 - Poor Ruby in this chapter too with Weiss deflating her mood, but their power dynamics and disparity does need to be acknowledged.

MakeItMakeSense - She Worst Girls her way to being Jaune's actual love interest :P

PhoenixX09 - Yeah, but he was already planning to attack Blake. He didn't go there friendly-like to make peace, he had a renegade White Fang faction.

DamonSkyHartXV - Just cause he's not a frontline combatant doesn't mean he can't do other things. Not every problem can be solved with firepower.

Jack Redhawke - To be fair, a lot of it is played for laughs and Jaune did eventually go behind her back and told team RWBY about her.

Chuch B. Winanaki - Yeah, surprise surprise, training isn't fun. And yeah, Blake and Weiss are gonna end up with kids out of sheer refusal to back down from their escalating war. The shotgun wedding will be the stuff of legends.