Here we are with the next update. Hope you all enjoy.
You can't just leave us like this, not after everything we've all worked for.
Really? Everything we've worked for... look around, what do I have? What have I worked for? What do I have Lyons? What do I fucking have anymore!? Huh? What do I fucking have!?
Please, just—
No! Shut up! I've followed you and the Brotherhood and the Regulators and my Dad, for fucking what!? Huh? For what!? This? This!? Here in a fucking hospital, with nothing? Nothing!
Please, just calm down—
Fuck you! Like I'm gonna calm down! You can take your Godforsaken knighthood, I don't want it anymore. Take my badge too, give it to Sonora. I'm done, I'm done with it all. To Hell with each and every single fucking one of you! I'm done! I've followed you and your stupid fucking causes all the way here. I'm out!
Is that so? You're 'out'? Everything we've all worked for, everything you've worked for... you're just going to leave it all behind?
You're damn right I am.
And what then, once you've sworn off all your allegiances, all your vows, all your principles. What will you do, become some sort of lone wanderer trekking across the wastes?
You're damn fucking right. Actually, you hit it on the fucking head.
Please don't do this—
From now on, you can just call me the Lone Wanderer.
"Mr. Arc?"
The Lone Wanderer's head shot up off of the desk. He peered around sporadically, before seeing a large, round stomach. Looking up, he saw the mustachioed face of Professor Peter Port. Had he fallen asleep in class?
"It appears that you've fallen asleep in my class, young man."
Whoops.
"I hope you didn't knock off too early, otherwise you would've missed my incredible story about the young Peter and his fantastic exploits! As it is, I think you missed a most excellent match between a vile boarbatusk and the young miss Schnee." Professor Port nodded in the directions of Weiss, who was laboring over her back-pack, still lightly panting. She was one the few people left in the room, most having left the second class ended. Only the ones who'd fallen asleep and their associated teams were still around. Well, his team wasn't.
"I'm sorry professor, it won't happen again," the Wanderer said. It certainly wouldn't. The danger implicit with falling asleep around people was immeasurable, and he was already seething underneath his skin. How could he be so stupid? Idiot, idiot.
"Lad, I'll let you off just this first time, since it's our first day of class. Anyhow, go find your team and have some fun exploring the school." Port waved him away as he walked down the aisle of desks to another dozing student. Huh, guess that falling asleep in this class wasn't so uncommon.
He searched through his belongings to make sure that everything was in order. No one had been sitting near him, sat in the back corner of the classroom, but that didn't mean no one could've snuck by while he was asleep.
Eventually satisfied that all was well, he stood and stretched his back, sighing with satisfaction as the vertebrae popped. It always felt so nice to stretch out after a rest. He picked up his bag and made to go, before something caught his eye. It wasn't an unfamiliar sight, at this point, but that made it no less attractive.
Weiss Schnee... she really was hot, sheesh. Not for the first time, he thought that maybe he should've been a little nicer to her, if only for the associated opportunities. But no, he'd never let himself get into a relationship with someone, not even casually, especially since he'd be leaving soon enough. Especially since it was her. Pretty as she was (and she was very pretty), it'd be impossible to stand that attitude. Still, couldn't hurt to look, right? At the moment, she was bent double over her bag, trying to sort out the equipment inside. She wore that peculiar combat outfit of hers, with a battle skirt reminiscent of Ruby's. How these girls managed to fight in skirts and high heels, he would never know, but they still managed to do it, and they did it well. Besides, he wasn't complaining. The outfit looked great on her. The skirt, although it hid a bit, still managed to allude to her rear, which he was currently observing with masculine attention.
He heard someone cough, angrily.
He slowly looked up from Weiss's behind, running his eyes along her body until his met hers. Her eyes, looking at him. Looking at him leering at her. Those eyes, like two vicious shards of ice sharp enough to stab him, above an imperious sneer. She didn't seem very happy.
He gulped.
Slowly, ever so slowly, he turned his head away, before taking his bag and leaving the room. Welp, getting caught staring wasn't a fun experience, but he couldn't help but smirk while walking off. It was a little funny, wasn't it? Heh, for all he was worth, for all the legend of the Lone Wanderer entailed, he was still beholden to those same teenage instincts.
He waited outside the door. Weiss shortly stormed out, followed closely by Ruby, but before he could get a word in to the little red weapons expert, she rushed off after her partner. Great.
He sighed. Guess there'd be another opportunity later in the day to talk, especially since their rooms were right across from one another. Still, it wasn't the opportunity to talk that he wanted, so much as the opportunity that the talk would provide. He needed to work on his weapons, more than anything else.
That was the only reason he was putting up with the brat.
He turned towards the hall, determiend to the cafeteria, secure a meal to go, then escape to his room and wait until Ruby arrived. As usual, his plan fell apart instantly.
"Hello, Mr. Arc," said a man before him. The Lone Wanderer recognized him immediately. How could he not? Grey hair. Small glasses. Coffee mug. Green suit. Cane. Headmaster Ozpin of Beacon Academy. "How was your first day of school?"
How was his first day of school? Really? The Headmaster came out here and specifically singled him out, waiting past all the other students coming by, just to talk to him and ask him how his first day was? There was something here. There always was. God damn it, why did he always seem to end up getting on people's agendas?
"It was fine," he said, resisting the urge to let suspicion slip into his posture or voice.
"There's no need to be on edge, Mr. Arc."
He'd tensed his shoulders and narrowed his eyes ever so slightly. Of course he'd gotten figured out immediately, and now Ozpin was likely wondering why he'd be so stiff. Not for the first time, he longed to once more wear his filtration mask, which covered both face and voice.
"You're not in trouble," the Headmaster said, "I hope you don't think me so cruel as to impose punishment on the very first day.
"No... I just didn't expect this."
"That I can understand, but I only wish to speak with you. Come, how about we go for a little walk, somewhere more private." The Headmaster, confident in his own authority, turned and strolled away without another word, and the Wanderer was beholden to follow. It wouldn't do to piss of the leader of the entire school, now would it? Sure, he'd much rather do something, anything else other than talk to another person, but concessions were sometimes necessary. Qrow, Goodwitch and now Ozpin, all people he'd have to be at least cordial with.
The Headmaster lead him out of the building and behind the school. A silence stretched between the two of them, but it wasn't awkward or uncomfortable, simply a silence that existed because there was no point in dispelling it. That was nice, at least he wasn't prompting any sort of frivolous small talk. It seemed that the Headmaster was an efficient man, if nothing else.
It wasn't long until they came upon a sight that momentarily took the Wanderer's breath away the second he saw it, literally. His jaw dropped and whatever breath he had was pulled out of his lungs, as if the view had reached down his throat and stole the air for itself. Even his stance, normally so guarded and reserved and tense, became totally slack.
The Beacon gardens.
Lilies and roses and blossoms and carnations and who-knows-how-many other kinds of flowers swayed leisurely in the supple breeze, idly socializing with one another. Their sweet smells radiated from their silky pedals, lightly gracing the Wanderer's senses as he stepped amongst them. Every color of the rainbow shone gently here, an organic spectrum that gently caressed his eyes with their soft, peaceful brilliance. The flowers were contained within boxes of well-trimmed hedges, such that the vibrant plants were safely nestled by the bushes, which were tall enough to reach the waist but short enough to keep the view of the flowers perfectly open. White gravel paths ran throughout, allowing him to stroll amidst it all.
In the center of the garden was a placid pool carved out of the ground and lined with pure white marble, several lotuses gleaming on the still surface. And in the very center of that pool was a small island, on which rested a single tree: a cherry blossom. It's small, delicate, pink petals were at full bloom, many having fallen into the pond, decorating it with pale flecks of pink that drifted lazily.
It was beautiful—it was all so, so beautiful. He'd never dared to hope for seeing something like this with his own eyes.
"Come Mr. Arc, have a seat," Ozpin said. He motioned to a small stone bench that rested beside the pool.
The Lone Wanderer joined him, and the two sat side-by-side, just in front of the cherry blossom. He had to remember to close his mouth, lest one of the leaves fall and drop right inside, though he didn't think he'd mind the taste.
"Wonderful, isn't it?"
"It's incredible."
"We pride ourselves in keeping the Beacon grounds as clean and beautiful as we can, all the better for a calm and productive environment." The Headmaster sipped at his drink. "I just want to get to know you, Mr. Arc. My curiosity has been piqued. Never before has Qrow given us a recommendation, after all."
"Yeah, Miss Goodwitch mentioned that."
The Lone Wanderer looked back to the Headmaster, who only took another sip of his drink. As the initial wonder of the sight bled away, he became aware once more of the Headmaster's proximity, and the usual tension coiled within him.
"Well, I don't really know what I did to impress him," the Lone Wanderer lied. Hopefully, this one would be convincing. Qrow was strange, and his morals were obviously compromised. After all, the man had broken the law by unlocking his aura, then advised him on how to lie about it. He'd also taken the Wanderer in solely for his own corrupted morality. Sure, Miss Goodwitch had been willing to skirt by the law a little to let him in, but there was a big difference between siding with a friend in a case that didn't really hurt anyone, and letting a brutal murderer into your school.
"Well, you certainly managed to make a good impression," Ozpin said. "If you don't want to talk much about the experience, I won't pressure you. I'm just... curious, as previously mentioned. I've known Qrow a long time, after all. I wanted to see you for myself." Ozpin took another sip. He let the mug fall from his lips and turned to look at the Wanderer fully, judging him through his glasses. The blowing wind scattered the steam rising from his drink. "I think I know what it was."
Shit.
"I knew Qrow when he was younger, around your age. Something about your mannerism, the look in your eyes, reminds me very much of Qrow from those years. I think he was reminded of the same."
Huh? Well, as long as he wasn't being accused of war crimes, then everything was alright.
"Qrow had a... difficult upbringing. This made him older beyond his years in a way that no child should have to mature. I see the same in you, Mr. Arc."
"Really?"
"Really."
Well, that was new. Qrow hadn't mentioned anything about his own past. Though now that he thought about, the drunk had taken a particular interest in the Wanderer's upbringing. Could it be that he was comparing both of their experiences? Maybe Qrow had taken him in for reasons beyond just his brutality. Maybe there was a bit of sentimentality to it, as well...
No. The Lone Wanderer was a brutal, vicious person, and sentimentality could never be applied to him. He didn't deserve as much as that.
"Whatever you say, Headmaster."
Ozpin only hummed and sipped from his mug.
For a short while, they sat on that bench, sparing no words, only looking at the cherry blossom tree and the quaint pool in which it sat. Again, it was a satisfying sort of silence. It combined with the calm serenity of their environment to create a pleasant peace that fell upon him, despite the presence of someone so close—Ozpin's amicability wasn't disagreeable. The Wanderer's nerves cooled. His thoughts slowed. It was a nice moment.
"How are you getting along with your team?"
The peace shattered.
Through gritted teeth, the Wanderer managed to say, in a fairly normal-sounding voice, "As well as I want it to go."
"That's nice."
"It is."
"Have I made you upset, Mr. Arc?"
"No."
"You're not the best at lying."
"I don't want to be the team leader." The words flew from his mouth before he could stop them.
Ozpin paused for a moment, idly tapping one finger against the handle of his cane. "Is that so?" He took another sip from his mug, before rising from the bench. "Mr. Arc, rest assured that your position was not chosen lightly. We saw how well you performed in the Emerald Forest, how you took command of the others and defeated the deathstalker."
Obviously, he hadn't been paying attention to how he'd blown off Pyrrha and the rest.
"That combined with Qrow's recommendation made you a solid contender for the position. I've made more mistakes than just about any other man, woman or child on Remnant, but I do not believe that I've made a mistake in choosing you."
He had. The Wanderer cursed at the man in his mind. Oh, he'd made a big, big mistake.
"You have everything you need to be a success."
The Wanderer's knuckles turned white as he gripped them into tight fists.
"This is a burden we carry, being leaders..."
So that's why you've got to be careful. That's why you always have to keep your head above water. Even if you're drowning, you've got to be a lifeguard for all the people who depend on you.
Sarah... I'm not sure I'm ready for that. I mean, what have I got that they don't? What's so special about me?
It's the way you look at them.
What?
The way you look at them. They know that you care about them, just by the way you look at them. That's why they're following you. John and Jane and Fawkes, they know that you value them. That's the most important thing to being a leader. Every member of the Lyons Pride knows that I put a bigger price on them than anything else. Even my own life. Can't you say the same?
I... I think I can.
See? They know how much you value them, how much you care.
Yeah, but it's not exactly like I can give awesome, rallying speeches or anything, like a real leader.
Sheesh, cut that crap. That doesn't matter. Sure, you're no Shakespeare, but you don't need to use words.
Wait, what do I do?
You show that you value them, that's what leaders do after all. You don't talk, you take action. You rush out in battle to cover for them. You give them the last stimpak and tough it out yourself. You make sure they're fed before you. It's all these things you do that shows your character, shows you're someone to trust, shows you're a leader to them.
Huh...
Everything is based off of mutual respect and care. You show that you care, that you're worth being cared for. And through all the work you do, all the skill you display, you show that you're worth being respected, too. Those are the two most important things to leadership, real, close, personal leadership: love and respect.
Yeah... thanks Sarah. I don't know how I've gotten myself into all this, but I'm going to do my best.
I know you will; that's all you ever do.
So, I guess I'd better get going, huh? My team needs to set out right away.
That you do. Colonel Autumn's not going to kill himself, after all.
No, no he won't. Thanks again Sarah.
No problem—
"Mr. Arc?"
"Huh? What?"
Ozpin stood before him, stooped over slightly to be eye-level with the Wanderer, who was still sitting back on the bench.
"You seemed to doze off there for a moment. I was a little concerned."
"Huh? Oh... no, no, nothing to worry about... I just had a bad night's sleep, is all.'
"Is that so?"
"It is."
The Headmaster scrutinized the Lone Wanderer for a little while longer, before leaning back into his normal posture. "Well, I hope that you get adjusted to a proper sleep schedule shortly. It won't do to have you exhausted throughout your time here." He turned away and slowly strolled off, his feet and his cane crunching into the gravel as he walked. Almost as an afterthought, he said, "Farewell, Mr. Arc, have a good day."
The Wanderer stayed on the bench for some time.
It was only when Ozpin was well out of sight that he let his head fall into his hands.
"I don't think I'm cut out for this..."
"Come on, don't say that Ruby. Maybe Weiss was just having a bad day, maybe she was just really tired from having to deal with that boarbatusk, or maybe she's just stupid." Yang shrugged and smiled. "I guess we'll just have to wait and see, huh?"
"Wait and see what? How long it takes for this team to fall apart?" Ruby let out an exasperated breath and slumped against the wall. She'd aimlessly meandered around Beacon for a while after Weiss's rant, halfheartedly hoping that someone would swoop in and help her out with some nice advice on what to do, or maybe just someone to listen. As it was, Weiss's words about her incompetence had continued to boil beneath her skin.
The princess was nowhere to be found when she'd returned to their room. Only Blake and Yang. The former had looked up, then quickly returned to her book. The latter instantly realized that something was off, using that preternatural instinct that siblings possessed. The two sisters had been talking in the hall ever since.
"Ruby, you're a great leader!"
"Of course you'd say that, you're my sister..."
Yang rolled her eyes. "Ruby, it's only been one day. How can Weiss say that you suck if you haven't even had a chance to prove herself?"
"How can you say I'm great?"
"Well, I know you. Weiss doesn't. She just needs some time to see who you are."
Ruby couldn't look her sister in the eye. She looked at the floor instead, idly kicking one foot against the other. "Maybe..." She still wasn't convinced. Weiss was right, after all. She'd been acting like a child all throughout initiation and again in class.
Well... it's not like she hadn't been trying! She'd even gotten them all to wake up early to decorate and stuff. What else did she want her to do? Ugh, she couldn't do anything. No matter what her sister said, there was still a brutal doubt that clawed at her insides. She just couldn't trust anything Yang said, since she'd just want her to feel better.
She sighed bitterly.
"Oh, hello Ruby," someone said. It was a male voice, and not an unfamiliar one.
"Jaune!" She lit up. Her first real friend at Beacon, her only friend outside of her own team (really the only person she even knew outside of her team) and a fellow weapons enthusiast. He looked as stoic as ever, though the dark bags under his eyes clearly displayed a potent exhaustion.
"Are you free right now?" he asked.
"Free?"
"Yeah, so we can go to the armory."
"Oh, right now?" Wait, this could be perfect! Just the thing to get her mind off of all the stuff that had happened. Working with guns and swords and gun-swords always made her forget what else was going on, and working with a friend to boot? Great! Sure, she still had a queasy feeling in her stomach, but bullets were always good for settling things like that.
"Yeah Jaune, I think we can go right now—whoah!"
Yang grabbed her wrist and wrenched her back into their room, slamming the door shut behind them, firmly cutting off Jaune Arc.
"Yang, what are you doing!?" Ruby squirmed out of her sister's grasp, but the strong blonde purposefully stood in between her and the exit.
"Ruby, we need to have a talk."
"What? A talk? What are you—" Ruby stopped dead. No. Come on. There was no way. Well, she'd only freaked out like this once Jaune had come around... could it be?
Her face went extremely red.
"Y-yang! Dad already gave me the talk a few years ago! A-and Jaune and I aren't like that, we just met! There's no way that someth—"
Yang bopped her sister on the head, a firm but not malicious hit, the sort of strike that every younger sibling was used to. That didn't stop Ruby from yelping and rubbing the top of her skull, looking up angrily at her sister. "What was that for!?"
"You were rambling," Yang said, "And you're not right. I don't think you're going to get up to any of... that with him. If I did, then I'd kill him." Yang growled, her eyes flashing red and her hair glowing slightly with the shine of a fire's core.
Ruby eeped.
Yang took a step back and breathed deeply, letting her anger subside. "Okay, okay, got a little freaked out there. Listen, I don't think you're going on a date with the guy or anything... I just don't think you should be with him."
"Yang, I already said it's not like that!"
"No, I mean, at all. Don't be with him at all. Don't talk to him or anything."
Ruby's jaw dropped.
"Why?" She asked splaying out her hands as if her sister would take her reasons and physically give them to her. Perhaps that was the only way that Ruby would be able to wrap her mind around the logic.
"I... I had a little talk with him. He wasn't nice, not at all. I just walked up to say hi. I didn't get more than a sentence out before he told me to eff off, even reached for his gun."
"What!?" Ruby stepped back.
"Yeah, and I've been watching him a bit since then, too. He never talks, never. To anyone." She stuck out her finger and pointed right at Ruby. "Except for you. He's got some other angle. Of all the people in Beacon, why'd he decide to choose you to spend time with?"
Ruby was frozen. Had he really talked to Yang like that? Did he really treat people that way? He'd always been polite to her... if it hadn't been for Jaune picking her up off the ground, then she probably would've just shyly wandered through the crowds, oogling at weapons and eventually making her way back to Yang, not having spoken a word to anyone.
But still, why had he chosen her?
Wait, that was it!
"Well, we only really started talking once I brought up weapons. That must be why: he's just like me." Now that she said it out loud, it made even more sense. Someone uncomfortable with talking, who only opened up when they were mentioning weapons? He was the same as her, exactly the same. Well... except he was a boy... and he was blonde... and he had a scar... and there was a lot of stuff about him that was different, but still. "I think you're overreacting a bit. You probably just talked to him at a bad time. Besides, I know he's nice, did I tell you what he did when we first met? Remember how I told you that I exploded?"
Yang nodded cautiously.
"Well, he ran up to check and make sure I was okay, when other people just walked by. See? That has to mean something, right?"
Yang's eyes narrowed. "Maybe... but you're still young and you're still naïve."
Weiss's hateful stare cut into Ruby's mind, and she winced.
"You've always looked for the best in people, sis, and that's great, it really is, but sometimes it can land you in trouble..."
"Like when?" she demanded.
"Like..." Yang trailed off, not saying whatever she'd wanted to say. "Listen, I just don't want to see you getting hurt, and this guy is giving off all sorts of red flags. Can't you trust me?"
"And can't you trust me?" Ruby put her hands on her hips, thrusting her chin up into the air indignantly. Her pout was completed by a sharp gleam in her eye. It was just like Yang to treat her like a little kid who couldn't take care of herself! "Besides, you're the one who kept going on and on and on about how important it was for me to make new friends. That's all I'm doing!"
"Sheesh, Ruby, can't you see that there's something up with this guy? I bet even Blake has noticed something, right?" The two sister both looked over at the quiet girl, curled up on her bed with a book. Her amber eyes peered back.
"He seems a little paranoid, but I don't know anything else. I don't make a habit of spying on random people." Blake shrugged and readjusted herself on the bed, lying back and once more hiding herself behind the novel. Undoubtedly, she wanted no part in whatever sisterly drama was unfolding before her.
"See? He's just a bit shy, Yang."
"There's a difference between 'shy' and 'paranoid' Ruby."
Ruby stamped one foot on the ground. "You can't keep treating me like a baby! I'm the leader here, you know! I'm supposed to be the one in charge!"
"Yeah, well I'm still you're big sister. I've been helping take care of you since you were a little kid, y'know. When have I ever steered you wrong?"
"All the time!"
Yang sighed. "Okay, okay, maybe I'm not the best 100% of the time, but I'm pretty sure I'm right here."
Ruby crossed her arms and let out an exasperated breath. "Ugh, come on Yang. You're the one who told me to break out of my shell. We haven't even hung out at all yet. Can't I see for myself if he's so bad?"
"Ruby—"
"Oh come on Yang!" Her voice took on a sharper tone. "Don't treat me like a little kid! Don't say that I need to grow up! I don't, I drink milk!" She beat one hand against her chest at the triumphan statement. "Come on, like you said, I need to make new friends. He's the only one I have aside from the team."
"And what's the wrong with the team?"
"You know that's not what I meant! Ugh!" Ruby turned away from her sister. "It's not like I can rely on the gang from Signal."
Ruby couldn't see it, but Yang's eyes widened. Her mouth dropped open.
"After all, I just sent them the letter today, so it'll take a little bit for them to get back to me."
Yang's shoulders slumped. "Yeah... yeah it will..."
Ruby turned back around to face her sister. With a put-upon sigh, she said, "So can I just go with him? I'm a huntress in training, you know. I can take care of myself. I'm the team leader, too." Ruby shook her head. "I shouldn't even have to ask for your permission, I'm not a little kid..."
You're acting like a child!
Weiss's words slashed back into her head, and Ruby flinched. She looked at her sister. First Weiss, and now Yang? Did people really respect her so little? Her lips curled into a frown. The combative edge to her posture sagged. It was true then, wasn't it? If she wasn't a child, then Weiss would be fine with her being leader and Yang would be fine with her spending time with Jaune.
Ozpin had really screwed up when he put her in charge.
Her head sunk low, until the only thing she saw was the floor and her own two feet. Beacon was supposed to be great. Now here she was, not respected by her partner or even her own sister, put in a position she wasn't ready for and didn't deserve. Her eyes started to sting. No! No! How pathetic is that, crying like... like a little kid...
"Just trust me on this, Rubes..."
That was it.
"And why can't you just trust me, huh!" Ruby tore here gaze from the floor and leveled it right at Yang; her voice had taken a louder edge that startled her sister. "We're not back home anymore! You can't just boss me around!" She stomped up to her sister. "Now get out of my way!"
She skirted around Yang and reached for the door, and this time, her sister didn't pull her back. Good. Maybe she'd finally agreed with her.
"I won't say I told you so..."
Or not.
"Just leave me alone," Ruby quietly seethed.
She walked out into the hall and slammed the door shut behind her, then took a few steps across and knocked on team JNPR's door.
The Beacon armory was one of the best that the Lone Wanderer had ever seen. At this point, that honestly wasn't saying much. Remnant had the best of everything, literally everything. The best sky, the best food, the best water, etc. They had the best weapons, too. Only the most advanced and well-maintained wasteland weapons, the sort of things carried around only by the Enclave or the Brotherhood, could match this.
It was a large room that looked like a repurposed warehouse more than anything else. There were no windows, for the complex was underground. Instead, industrial lights screwed to the ceiling kept everything washed in a sterile white glow. Rows of racks filled with tools, spare parts and armaments ran throughout the room, surroundings several work tables. There were only a few staff patrolling to make sure that the students weren't stealing anything or messing around. Weaponry was serious business, after all.
Ruby Rose had quickly proved her worth. As annoying as she was, the Lone Wanderer had done a good job in choosing his weapons expert. Apparently, most at Beacon had a strong grasp on technical knowledge and engineering, at least as much as was necessary to work with their weapon of choice. Some people had simple things like swords, and they'd have been useless to him. Luckily, he'd found the girl who'd built her own sniper-scythe and considered weapon engineering a fun hobby.
They sat a table together, crouched over the Mysterious Magnum. Ruby had taken a moment to go over the weapon, before declaring that there was little that could be done to change such a simple design for the better, especially since it was already in such good shape.
"But it's not outfitted right for dust, is it?" he asked.
"Ooohhh, yeah, yeah, definitely not."
Dust changed the game. It changed everything, actually. He'd learned about it plenty by listening to the radio; it was this world's main source of power. It was also integral to advanced weaponry. After a bit of thought, the Mysterious Magnum seemed like the best start, since it was more able to use dust than Crocea Mors. His ripper blade was a state-of-the-art weapon with a skeleton and teeth of duraframe, powered by a miniature fission battery and designed to saw through everything short of power armor. It'd be just fine for now, especially with his aura reinforcing it. The Mysterious Magnum, however, presented a more pressing opportunity for advancement.
"So you want to use specialized dust ammo with it?" Ruby asked.
"That's the plan," he replied.
She hummed. Her tongue stuck out of the side of her mouth as she thought, a cute gesture. She was cute, that was for sure. That was why he was so tense. She'd proved herself to be incredibly dangerous, far more formidable than anything in the wasteland. She could probably take down a behemoth all by herself. Accordingly, the Wanderer hadn't let his guard down for a second while he was around her. Hands ready to block, feet ready to evade. He was particularly cautious of this one. He hated her, really. He hated her because she'd somehow gotten him to relax.
It had been nice, honestly, relaxing for a little bit.
But that's why it was bad. Who knew what she up to? Who knew what anyone else was up to? Enterprising conspirators could take a moment of weakness to their advantage, and then he'd be done for. This girl... she could be the death of him. If it weren't for her expertise, he'd have pushed her away more ferociously than anyone else, for the way she made him relax. He couldn't tolerate any form of intimacy.
Purely for strategic reasons, of course.
He looked at her again. She was deep in thought, pouring over the Magnum. What had it been, exactly, that had made him relax around her like that before? That wasn't something he'd done around anyone, and now that he'd realized he'd been doing it, he was consciously preventing it.
He'd actually put a bit of thought into it. It had finally hit him after he'd left the garden from his talk with Ozpin: her purity. She possessed a sheer innocence that was innate and radiant, spewing out through just about everything she did, even the simple act of existing at all. A constant niceness hovered about her, just like the garden. That garden had emitted through every facet of its being a sense of innocence and kindness and calm which had cooled his nerves and brought a pleasant lethargy upon him, enough to calm him despite the proximity of another person. She was much like the garden. The way she looked about ditzilly with her silver eyes, the way she smiled easily, the way she walked breezily, all of it combined to create a simple yet powerful presentation.
He'd noticed it the first time they met, when she excitedly preened over Crocea Mors after he drew it, ready to attack her for drawing her own weapon. She hadn't even noticed his intent. At the time, he chalked It up to stupidity, but he knew better now, after seeing her expertise and her nature. She was simply too innocent to consider the possibility that a new friend, that a fellow student, would be ready and willing to hurt her.
She was almost like a child. Almost. There were several factors that bellied such an assumption, even thought it was easy to make the initial comparison. Certainly, however, she was a child at heart, if not in actuality.
Strangely enough, he hadn't actually found it hard to stay strict around her this time. The moment he'd opened the door after she knocked, there seemed to be something off about her. She still smiled, but there was something wrong with it. He didn't know what exactly, but he could feel it, like someone looking into the ocean, unable to see deep under the water but still able to know that there was something lurking below. He'd actually almost asked if she was alright earlier, but the urge was quickly suppressed.
No more conversation than necessary. No more thinking than necessary, either! Get back on task.
"So, what do you think," he asked.
"Huh?" Ruby's head snapped up, shocked out of the trance she'd slipped into, as people when distracted by a passion. "Well," she answered, "I think the frame's strong enough to handle any dust ammo, but we'd have to line the barrel and stuff with the right coating to make sure it didn't break down. Dust ammo can be pretty rough on guns, just because a tiny bit will always start acting up once you pull the trigger. That shouldn't be too hard, but it might take a while." She tapped her finger against her chin. "I hope you haven't been shooting this very much, since it wouldn't last long with even the basic dust rounds. I don't even know why this was made like this, since dust would just wear it out."
Yeah, dust would, but gunpowder wouldn't.
"Yup, we should get you the right coating before anything else, so you can at least fire. But, first I want to see what your bullets look like." She scooted over and picked up on of the few bullets he had left, which he'd let lay on the table while they worked. "Hmm, .44 right?"
"You can tell just from looking at them?"
Not bad.
"No, I could tell just from looking at the gun."
Not bad at all.
"Really?"
"Yup," she said with a smile, "I knew right when I first saw it. I know all about this stuff."
"That you do."
Ruby took the bullet in her hand and scrutinized it, bringing it close in front of her and squinting her eyes. She looked at it from one angle then another, getting a thorough examination. Then she rolled it between her fingers, feeling all the little details. She even brought it up to her nose and sniffed it. Alright, that was a little strange—wait, did she just lick it?
"This is weird." Her declaration came with a quizzical look directed first at the bullet, then at him. "It doesn't have any dust in it, and it's shaped different."
Shit.
"No, no they have dust. It's just a different design, is all."
Ruby looked back at the bullet and brought them up in front of her once more. "Yeah, they've got to have dust. How else would it fire, right?"
"Right."
"It's still a weird design, though."
"It is."
"I think we should just stick the normal one."
"We should."
She tilted her head and looked at him. "You don't really say a lot, do you?"
"No."
She turned away. Was it just him, or did her posture seem a little more guarded?
"Well, we should just apply the coating for now."
She handed his Magnum and the bullets back to him then stood up. She plodded over to another workstation, and he followed. She quickly got to work pulling out a set of tools he'd never seen before, but thankfully, they weren't totally unlike the one's he was used to. He was a swift learner, so after just a little while of Ruby showing him the ropes, he ought to be able to get a hang of things.
She began to work and he watched, having already admitted his ignorance towards commonly utilized equipment. He'd simply said that he wasn't used to having proper tools, that he'd long lived in the field. For once, he wasn't lying at all.
Ruby got to work, but things quickly teetered on the edge of discomfort. There was a silence between the two of them. It wasn't the same sort that had existed between him and Ozpin, however. There was a definite sense of unease that was strung between them and only became more taught with time. It largely emanated from Ruby, and he wasn't exactly sure why he felt that way until he really thought about it.
There was something furtive about her manner, something uncomfortable and reserved. There was definitely some kind of tension that radiated from her, like heat from a smoldering coal. The way she averted her eyes, the way she hunched over, the way she hushed up and didn't say much, whereas she'd normally be chatting away. Sure, she was working, but there were tell-tale signs of distraction, like the way she kept looking around, turning away or fidgeting with the tools. Was there still something bothering her?
Was it him?
No, it couldn't be him.
"Jaune, why do you want to hang out with me?"
Or maybe it was. Damn.
"Well, you mentioned weapons, and I want to work on my weapons." He shrugged. That was the truth, she could take it as she would.
"Well, why me in particular? Everyone here knows about guns and stuff."
"You were the first person I talked to who mentioned it. Why anyone else?" Why was she asking about this? This wasn't important. Bites of frustration began to scrape at his insides. Could they just get back to work? As it was, Ruby had completely given up on focusing on the Magnum, idly tapping the tools together as she thought. She chewed on her lip nervously.
"It's just that... I'm just a little kid, right?"
"Totally wrong."
"Huh?" Her face, even her whole body, twisted into an expression of confusion.
He shrugged again. That was the truth, she could take it as she would. He wasn't saying anything that wasn't obvious, at least to him. Her quizzical appearance, however, beckoned further explanation. He sighed once more and gave one. Hopefully this could get her back on task.
"You're an expert with weapons, little kids can't do that. You cut off the head of a gigantic flying monster back during initiation. Yes, I saw that," he added before she could ask. "It was impressive, and it wasn't something a little kid could do. I've seen little kids, I've worked with them, and you're not one. Ditzy? Kid-like? Definitely.
"But you're not a child. A child couldn't get into one of the best school on the planet. You're dangerous, and kids aren't dangerous at all. Heck, didn't you get in here early? There are plenty of people older than you who didn't get in at all."
There were other things as well: for example, just looking at her body made it clear that she'd been through puberty. She possessed certain... physical aspects, that a child wouldn't have. He didn't voice that opinion. He may not have been the most eloquent of people, but he wasn't stupid, either.
Still, her danger and capability was what most set her out from kids in his eyes. That was just how he viewed and ranked people, according to the danger they presented. That was the reason why he was always glancing at her and always kept his hands in front of him, just in case he needed to counter an attack. The likelihood of her doing that seemed miniscule, but he made no exceptions for his caution.
Never.
Ruby was sitting up straight now. A tentative smile graced her face as she looked up at him. "Really, you honestly mean that? Even though I like comics and video games and stuff?"
"I like those too, doesn't mean I'm a kid."
She giggled. "No, you definitely aren't..." She trailed off, before returning with something wholly unexpected. "Thanks Jaune, I really needed to hear that."
He raised his brow, but that was the only indication of his confusion that he gave. "Why would I need to say that, it's obvious. To me, you're about as mature as everyone else here." That wasn't saying much. Everyone here was green; none of them had seen the things that he'd seen. If any of the other students tried to tell him that they were adults, he'd laugh in their face. Still, there was an interim between childhood and adulthood, and Ruby lay there with the rest.
"You're not a child," he repeated.
Ruby didn't answer; her smile just widened.
He felt an odd sensation in his face, around his lips. It beckoned him to mimic her own expression. Alright, this had gone on long enough. Really, they should just get back to work—
"Hey, can I ask you about something else?"
God Damn it. Why couldn't she shut up? Shut up and get back to work already so he could wipe that weird feeling off his face. Ugh, he couldn't exactly strong-arm her into doing this for him, could he? No, not at all. He'd have to be diplomatic about this, court her friendship in order to access her abilities, so he'd have to force down the frustration. That annoyed him.
He really, really didn't want to tolerate her anymore.
"Sure," he said. "Shoot."
Ruby opened her mouth to say something, before closing it. She opened her mouth again, then closed it again. She did that a few more times, doing an excellent impression of a fish out of water as she struggled to say something. A noticeable timidity latched onto her movements now. Her previous confidence dissipated as this new topic came up. Whatever it was obviously bothered her.
Eventually, she stopped doing her fish impression and cutely poked her fingers together as she thought. For the love of God, could she just get on with it? Get on with it then shut up? He needed her to shut up already.
Eventually, with a deep breath, she forced it out. "I think that Ozpin made a mistake in making me the team leader."
What?
"I mean, my team's a mess already. Blake is quiet, but that's fine. It's Weiss and Yang." She let out an exasperated sigh. "See, Yang's my sister—"
"What? She is?"
"Yeah, we're half-sisters technically, but whatever. She's my older sister, so she doesn't respect me at all. She just thinks that she can still boss me around like she used to." Ruby threw her hands up into the air, as her frustration was let loose. "And then there's Weiss! She's all high-and-mighty rich girl who thinks she'd be a better leader than me and she's the one who first called me a little kid and Yang obviously thinks the same if she keeps bossing me around and everything's a mess and maybe Weiss is right and I should have stayed back at Signal and I'm too young and, and, and Ijustdidn'tthinkthatthiswashowBeaconwouldgo!"
She slumped over the table, forehead resting against the workbench. Certainly, the way that that screwdriver poked her face must've been uncomfortable, but she didn't notice. She took in great breaths of air, trying to account for everything she'd just lost in her little tirade, which was honestly pretty unexpected.
The Lone Wanderer had no idea what to say. Then again, maybe it was best to just say nothing. Perhaps just giving her an outlet would be enough?
She peeked up at him. "What do you think I should do?"
Or not.
"I mean, you're a leader too."
He scowled at that.
"Oh, uh, sorry." She shied away. "If you don't want to deal with my stuff, that's fine. I shouldn't have brought it up..."
He felt something turn in his gut. Certainly, it must have been his instinctual reaction to possibly losing his opportunity to have someone help with his weapons, or another manifestation of his frustration. Certainly.
Breath deep. Hold. Release.
"No, you can talk. I'm just not sure what I should say."
Ruby sprung up in her seat and twisted around to look at him. A vibrancy had returned to her face, shining through a soft smile and softer eyes. The feeling in his gut settled. Certainly, it was his fear at not being able to upgrade his weapons that was now assuaged. Certainly.
"Can you, just, I dunno, give me some advice or something?" Ruby asked.
Leadership advice? That couldn't be too hard. Actually, he already had some in mind. "Well a friend of mine gave me some advice after I became a leader for my own team." He sighed, almost wistfully. After a second, he shook his head, clearing his mind of nostalgia and continuing. "She told me that leadership is all about care and respect."
"Care and respect?" Ruby echoed.
"Yeah. And you need to show it through your actions. Show that you care and respect them. Show that you're worth being cared for and respected yourself." Now shut up already! God, why don't people here shut up!
"But how do I do that?"
God damn it! Fucking shut up! Please! Please... dear God... just please be quiet...
She clasped her hands together, practically pleading. "Weiss doesn't care or respect me. Yang cares for me, but I don't think she'll respect me as team leader. I have no idea what Blake is thinking!"
The desperation in her voice pushed down the frustration under his skin, enabling him to continue past the seething unease that roiled in his muscles and his blood and his bones.
"Just... do what you need to do. Put in the work. Lead from the front. Like back at initiation, when you killed the nevermore. Keep doing that, keep proving yourself. In every way you can." He leaned back and stared up, looking for answers in the ceiling, the way that lost people sometimes do, looking for some solution to the boiling feeling within him. It'd be so much easier if she'd shut up! At least the ceiling was silent, at least it wouldn't look at him with pleading eyes. As he looked at it, he actually found it easier to continue.
"Fighting, for starters. That's the best way to build a close relationship, depend on each other for your lives. Extreme, but it works." He sighed and looked deeper into the ceiling. His exasperation dissipated as he focused less and less on what was around him and more and more on the ceiling, on the memories he was invoking.
"But there's a lot of other stuff, too. Do research on where you'll be going and what you'll be doing. Plan things out. Keep track of your supplies. Look over their health. Make sure they're getting enough to eat. But don't be pushy, don't think they're made of glass or that they're stupid, because that's just demeaning. "
The brutal sensations in his body faded away as he gazed deeper into the ceiling, drawing on that bizzarre wisdom that only ceilings could possess. A strange calm settled as his own words wrapped around him. He began to descend into places long left behind. His words took on a hollow quality.
"The biggest thing is working. Just work hard and make sure they know it. Sacrifice your time and even your health for them. Even if you're not the best, people can always appreciate you if you're giving it you're all." The ceiling was flat and silent, yet it drew him deeper in, immersing him in old memories.
He remembered parceling out water for the others. He'd stay up late at night on the first watch, always the first for him, no matter how tiring the day had been before. Whenever John or Jane let one of their spats get a out of hand, he'd put them back in line. He'd stand up for Fawkes whenever someone sneered at the supermutant. He always kept track of their funds and their supplies. He'd be the one to go to markets and barter for what they needed. He'd always represent them at meetings. When things in a fight were bad, he'd rush up to the front, he'd cover for the others, he'd be the first to give stimpaks and the last to take them.
He sighed. "You've got to keep your head above water; 'cause even if you're drowning, you've got to be a lifeguard for all the people who depend on you." He sighed again. "That's what I was told after I started leading my team... a bit less than a year ago."
"Huh? But we were just assigned teams yesterday."
Ruby's voice snapped him out of the trance he'd unwittingly entered. His gaze cut from the ceiling to her in an instant, and his posture tensed once more. Damn it! He'd gotten lost. The unpleasant miasma of feeling returned, washing over him like a wave that was painfully cold.
"I used to have an old team before I came here. It doesn't matter. We should end this now."
"What?"
The Lone Wanderer rigidly bolted up, grabbing his equipment as did so. "We're done now." His breathing came and went quickly, as if he'd just been chased. A heavy feeling coalesced in his chest. His hands were slightly shaking.
"What do you mean? Why?" Ruby's face was tinged with a shade of panic. "Are you alright?"
Breath deep. Hold. Release.
He needed her to work with him. He still needed this, these armory sessions. He needed to be calm. He didn't want her to feel bad. Needed. He needed her to not feel bad. Not want. Just needed. He also needed to get away from her, quickly. He couldn't keep talking.
"I'm just a little sick. And you have to go because..." Come on, find a good excuse. "You have to get to your team, right? You need to start being a leader right away." Come on, buy it, buy it, buy it...
Her face lit up, panic gone. "You're right! You're super right, I need to get going right now! It's still the first day, I've got to be a good leader from the very start, right?"
"Right."
"Do you really think I can do it?" she asked.
"What do you mean?"
"That I can be leader? You really think I can be a leader?"
He took a step back and looked at her. She was young, certainly. That didn't matter though. She was obviously capable of many things, from fighting to engineering. She also expressed an almost casual compassion for others. She'd latch onto and look after people, and she'd have all the skill and determination needed to care for them.
Unlike him.
"Of course you can." It was obvious, wasn't it? Now could she shut the fuck up already!? Could she just fucking leave!? Please!
He was practically begging, not that she could see.
Ruby squealed and smiled, then scrambled to the table to hastily put the tools away. "Thanks Jaune, really!" She stuffed the last of the hardware back to their places. Once that was done, she turned on the dime to smile brightly at him. "Thank you. I really, really needed that. Sorry you're sick and sorry we didn't get to work too much, but we'll get back to this later, right?"
"Right."
Her smiled widened. "Well, see yah! Hope you start feeling better!" She launched off, rocketing through the armory and out the door, rose petals left twirling through the air behind her.
Hope you start feeling better...
He reached out and grabbed the nearest petal before it could float down to the floor. He glanced at the entrance, where she'd just departed. Her strong smile still glowed in his vision. He looked back down at the rose petal. It was delicate, beautiful.
He scowled and crushed it in his hand.
Yang Xiao Long stretched out in her bed. She'd been laying there, intermittently looking at her scroll and dozing for the last few hours, ever since Ruby had left. Concerned boiled within her gut the entire time, keeping her from sleep. She'd wanted to charge down to that armory and show Ruby a piece of her mind, show Jaune too.
But she'd stopped herself.
Ruby was right, and Yang had been right too. They both knew that she needed to make some new friends. They just disagreed on how she should go about that.
Alright, maybe she was being a little too over-protective, maybe he had had a bad day before. Who knew? He definitely was pretty sketchy, though. At least to her. So she'd question Ruby on everything that had gone down, just to make sure that the guy wasn't a creep or something. He'd never looked at Ruby lecherously; Hell, he'd been too busy looking at Weiss like that. So maybe that wasn't quite his intent, but what was?
Ugh, and here she went thinking about the guy again. Whenever he thought about him, she thought about Ruby too, of course. And when she thought about Ruby, her mind drifted back to their recent fight, to the various stages of hurt and anger that her little sister had worn.
It made her frown.
Maybe she was just messing with her sister's social life by being a little crazy. Just a little. To her defense, a little insanity was justified when it came to Jaune Arc! That guy was all sorts of shady.
She sighed and covered her eyes. She'd left Ruby back at the beginning of school to do precisely this: make friends. Now she'd just have to leave her alone again, hoping that Ruby was as mature as she claimed. And if she got hurt? Well, she'd learn a lesson.
Her eyes flashed red.
And Jaune would too.
She growled and sat up in her sheets. It was already dark outside. If it got any later, she'd march down to the armory herself just to make sure nothing had gone wrong—
The door slammed open. "I'm back!" Ruby yelled as she hurtled in. She quickly needed to stop herself, lest she trip and send everything in her arms flying. And boy was she carrying a lot. "I've done a bunch of stuff," she said as she marched over to her desk, setting down the massive pile of books and folders she'd brought. She immediately started to rifle through them and sort out the paper anarchy.
"I did all the research on our classes. I printed out the schedules and study guides, plus tips made out by older Beacon students. I've got a bunch of stuff for myself to study (since, you know, I was brought in early). I looked into every club in the school, so if you're interested in anything, come talk to me. I've got all the schedules for all the teachers' office hours too"
She waved the various papers around in the air as she came across them, sporadically flapping them about. "Everything on all the extra help that Beacon gives, like counseling and nutrition and exercise and stuff. I've even got a chart that shows the best deals for students out in Vale! Oh, and there's—"
"What exactly is all of this?"
Ruby was silent. Yang and Blake were too. This might not go down so well.
It was Weiss who had asked, stopping her energetic partner from continuing to talk her head off. She'd just returned, door still ajar and creaking to a close behind her.
Ruby stopped rifling through her files and faced the girl. She gripped her hands together nervously, but the timidity didn't stop her from speaking. "This," she said, gesturing to the papers, "Is me being a leader."
The door clicked shut behind Weiss, and a pregnant pause persisted afterwards.
The heiress's heels clicked against the floor as she walked to Ruby's desk and examined the compiled papers. She looked over it all for a few long seconds, before a slight smile broke on her face and she turned back to Ruby. "It'd take a while for you to get through this all on your own. Would you like some help?"
Ruby's eyes shone. "Yes! Yes, come here!" Ruby zipped across the room and pulled up another chair for Weiss, and the two girls sat down side by side.
"Hmm, this'll still take a little while, even with the both of us. Ruby, how do you take your coffee?"
Yang observed the situation, eyes wide. Ruby had stepped up. In a big way, too. That was a lot of work she'd just done, and it entailed even more effort in the future. Yang had been ready to pounce on her sister the moment she came in and interrogate her, but now she forced herself to sit back and let the two girls chat and pour over Ruby's collected notes. She smiled as she closed her eyes for a moment. Maybe her little sister had grown up after all.
"Hey Yang?" Her eyes popped back open. Ruby stood above, nervously fidgeting. "I'm... I'm sorry about earlier. I shouldn't have yelled like that." Her eyes were shiny, filled with the innocent desire to be forgiven.
"It's alright, sis. I think I said some wrong things too." She shot Ruby a legitimate smile that bellied her little sister's concern. "Now get back to work and let me have my beauty sleep!" Her tone was joking, but the command was still serious nonetheless. Ruby smiled and nodded, plodding away to rejoin her partner.
A thought hit Yang as she rested her head back on the pillow. It probably wasn't a coincidence that her sister had left in low spirits and returned like this after spending time with Jaune. She looked over and saw Ruby chatting happily with Weiss, yet still focused on going through her accumulated documents. She'd have to ask Ruby later how the armory went, though she suspected she'd say it went well.
Maybe that guy wasn't so bad after all.
When the Lone Wanderer entered his room, it was late. He walked over to his desk and dropped a set of pamphlets and papers to be studied later. They all carried information of Beacon's exercise and nutrition programs for the students, as well as job opportunities. He'd look through them more later.
The lights were off, and the people he was forced to share a room with where all in their beds, though still awake, either on their scrolls or with small lights illuminating their books.
No one spoke to him; he spoke to no one.
He climbed into his own bed, slipping the Mysterious Magnum under the pillow as he adjusted the blankets. He pressed his back up against the wall and kept the covers loosely draped over him, so that he'd be able to react quickly.
He watched over those people for a while, well after they'd turned off their lights and settled into sleep. Only then was he able to drift off. As he did, he idly hoped that tonight wouldn't be as bad as the last.
He hoped in vain.
Well would you look at that? Instead of ripping teams apart, the Wanderer has progressed to helping them get back together, even if just inadvertently.
Anyhow, now we get so see one of my promised butterfly effects. Qrow's recommendation of Jaune creates an interest for him that Ozpin didn't possess in canon, thus he decides to speak to him instead of Ruby. In canon, Weiss talked with Port and Ruby talked with Ozpin, and their mutual talks managed to inspire them toward reconciliation. Weiss still got her talk with Port here, but Ruby got passed by. As such, it fell upon Jaune to unwittingly give her the motivation she needed, even if he wanted to do literally anything else. And why was he so freaked out during their exchange? Well, think on it a little. I believe that plenty has been revealed about him thus far to allude to why he's gotten so uncomfortable this chapter.
Alright, expect the next chapter around this time next weekend. I know I say this every time, but any and reviews and/or questions are appreciated and encouraged! Seriously, shoot me a PM if you're curious about something, I love talking about this with you types.