The Queen has Pawns.
That was the message that Ozpin received from Qrow Branwen, one of his trusted huntsmen and a part of his inner circle. Putting down his book, about semblances and summoning, the headmaster massaged his temples.
"She is this close already." Along with the responsibilities as headmaster, Ozpin has been focused on the individual that still lay unconscious underneath Beacon. With the Vytal Festival coming soon, he has been swamped with priorities that require his attention. Glynda was an angel in that regard, being able to help him here but still, she was only one woman.
Staring at the cover of the book he was just reading, Ozpin sighed. Perhaps he should return to it another time.
If their enemies were close-by, that meant there was even less time to decide on who should be the next Fall Maiden. Ozpin already had his choice and there was no doubt that his friend, Ironwood, would also put forward his choice.
Ozpin sighed again. "It would be during the festival itself. While risky, the rewards would be great. They must have the White Fang involved and Torchwick too."
If Ozpin could have anything right now, it would be a distraction. His mug was empty and the supply in his office was empty. The cafeteria it is then.
The elevator was lit. No doubt it was Glynda with whomever decided to look for trouble. It would seem that the distraction will have to be this.
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Cardin Winchester never considered himself a model student. He certainly wasn't the brightest in class, that he would freely admit. He also wasn't the strongest, much to his frustration. But when one is in the same batch as the Invincible Girl, Pyrrha Nikos, powerhouses like Yang Xiao-Long and Nora Valkyrie, the claim to that position is heavily contested. Then there is Weiss Schnee, a perfectionist in every regard when it came to both academe and combat prowess. Truly, Cardin could never consider himself a model student.
It was for that reason that it was shocking to him that when a food fight had begun in the cafeteria, the instigators came from the teams that those people were a part of. Team JNPR, led by Nora, were stacking tables and chairs with the ginger-haired girl proclaiming herself a queen. The rebellion was being led by Team RWBY. There were a few students who joined in, if only for a while. Cardin? He opted out. He once ran from an Ursa back then and he would rather go back to that than face either of the two teams.
Was it cowardly? Maybe. Cardin once heard that a fight is won before it is fought. Was he making excuses? Probably. Still, he had no weapon and one of them were certainly still capable without them. Did he think it was the smart thing to do? Absolutely.
"Let's get out of he—where's Sky?" Cardin asked.
The answer he got was a flying Sky Lark. He flew right past them and was luckily close to the exit. Team CRDL followed suit, albeit on the ground where it's relatively safer. It must be safer than flying through the air anyway.
Picking up a downed Sky Lark, Cardin turned one last time at the chaos that ensued in the cafeteria. It was a four against five as Jaune's Semblance, the one who calls herself Jeanne, joined in, waving a large tablecloth as though it were a flag.
Finally, outside the cafeteria, team CRDL had a moment to breathe. Most of them anyway, Sky was still out of it.
From the windows, they could see that the food fight in the cafeteria was turning into a food war. Or was it a siege? The stack of tables and chairs make it seem like sieging a poorly made tower.
Russel broke the silence first, "so we'll be ordering a to-go then? Could use a little bit of exercise." The rest of team CRDL agreed.
"My treat this time," said Cardin and gave them his scroll. He trusts them enough that they wouldn't spend it on anything else.
After having made their orders, Cardin was left behind with Sky. Carrying the unconscious boy back to their dorm, Cardin decided that it was best to clean his teammate as well. Wouldn't want any ants on the bed. He washed himself as well soon after. There were no classes for the rest of the day so that left him with lots of things to do near the Beacon Academy statue.
What he didn't expect was a tap on the shoulder. Turning around, Cardin was met with a blonde adult. He looked to be a professional huntsman. The man was certainly not a student as the signs of aging. Of course, being a huntsman meant that he looked good for his age. But when one is surrounded by huntsmen and huntresses, such a distinction was rather easy to make. That and he looked like he could be one of his own professors.
"Excuse me, young man," he said cordially. He then pointed towards tower where the headmaster's office is located. "That Ozpin's office?"
Cardin nodded. "He'll probably be on his way here, sir." The headmaster usually is for his midday drink. Although given the state of the cafeteria at the moment, Cardin wasn't so sure if it would be wise. Still, if anyone is going to get teams RWBY and JNPR in trouble it won't be him.
"That's great! Saves me the trouble of cornering that man. Thank you! One last thing: have you seen my son? Jaune Arc would be his name."
This was Jaune's father? Now that Cardin got a good look at him, he definitely could see the similarities. Blonde hair and blue eyes, only difference was that shield wasn't collapsible and instead hung on his arm. Rather than metal armor, he looked to be wearing gambeson.
"He should be in the cafeteria, sir." Cardin realized he was taking too long to answer.
"Good, good." Jaune's father was nodding, eyes gleaming and smiling widely. "Honestly, months into Beacon and not one call or mention about how he was doing. Then, one morning I see him and some girl that appeared out of nowhere on my scroll. Isabelle has been pestering me to find that boy. Thank you again, young man. I appreciate it."
"Your welcome, sir." Cardin was left standing there, bewildered by the sudden interaction. He then whispered to himself, "nope. Definitely not going to be the one to get him in trouble."
Cardin Winchester would never consider himself a model student. And if the people he considers to be more in-line with that ideal, was there really such a thing as an model student in Beacon Academy? Still, at least here, he thinks he did good enough. Sure it wasn't much by any stretch of the word but he was attending a school of monster hunters, being a model student is rather skewed around here.
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Oddly enough, teams RWBY and JNPR never got into trouble for that food fight earlier. They had gotten a reprimand from the deputy headmistress but it was really more along the lines of not playing with the food rather than any damage done to the cafeteria. Granted, they were all tasked to clean up afterwards but much of the infrastructure was put back into place, courtesy of the very woman who gave them the task in the first place.
It was around the time that they were cleaning that Blake was comfortable to share her secret with team JNPR.
"And that's why I want to keep it a secret for now," said she. "I hope you understand."
"Of course," Jaune answered. He knew a thing or two about keeping secrets. Although he was slapping himself internally. She couldn't get into too much trouble, I thought. Blake is the intellectual and would think things through, I thought.
Jeanne looked to have a few words but kept her cool. "So long as you're safe and don't do this again, Blake," said she, reminding Jaune of his older sisters. Jeanne was more forgiving for now but she definitely had more to say.
When the cleaning was done, the two teams made their exit. There were no classes for them to attend to so it was fine. The food fight was a rather fun experience. For team JNPR, it was a moment of exploration on team attacks with their fifth member. Jeanne certainly has a way of rallying everyone. Too bad Ruby really used her semblance to create a gale so strong that it caught them all off-guard, leaving them as colorful plasters on the wall.
Suddenly when they were returning to the dorm, an announcement was suddenly made saying with Ozpin's, "would Mr. Arc please report to my office? Would Mr. Arc please report to my office?"
"Ooh, Vomit Boy's in trouble," Yang teased.
"Hey now, all of us were in that food fight," Jaune replied. "And no, I wasn't that bad."
"It's probably something else." Ruby shrugged. "Maybe it's the thing with you and Jeanne again. He did have quite an interest in that."
"Yeah, it's probably that," he agreed. "Catch you guys later."
When Jaune arrived at the headmaster's office. He was met with two people. One of them was the headmaster himself. The other was a blonde that wasn't the deputy headmistress, Glynda Goodwitch. No. It was a blonde that he was all too familiar with.
Clad in gambeson, a shield strapped to his arm and a sword sheathed at his side, this was the man that Jaune had always known throughout his life. Blonde hair and blue eyes, in front of him was none other than his father, Jacques Arc.
His father looked at him like he had when Jaune was just a child, the kind of look a parent gives whenever their child was in trouble. Jacques always does this when he knows something is being hidden from the man but Jaune couldn't exactly pinpoint where exactly. Jaune never considered himself a model student but he was sure that he didn't break any rules here.
It was Ozpin who filled him in and he did so by playing a video; a very familiar video.
"So," Jacques prolonged that word. "Care to introduce me to this new girl of yours, son?"
Jaune wished his father was angry with him. He wished he had done something bad. Could he use the food fight? How about his transcripts? Was it too late to come clean to the authorities? The look his father gave was not one parents give when their child is in trouble.
It was the look parents give whenever their child is close friends with someone, depending on their preferences.
AN: Obviously, Jaune's parentage is named after the historical Jeanne's parentage: Jacques d'Arc and Isabelle Romée. Writing Jaune's father's name felt really off considering that Weiss's father is also named Jacques. Kept picturing Jacques Schnee whenever I write Jacques Arc.
