"Doesn't it disappoint you...?" Jaune asked Velvet. "How we're surrounded by people with the potential to be Huntsmen. And yet, when a poor girl such as yourself gets physically harassed out of the blue like that, they just stand there, blinking owlishly. If you ask me, I don't see beacons of light. I see civilians standing by, kids with egos as they saunter around what cool weapons or semblances they have."
Jaune leaned in closer and muttered into her ear.
"It's unfair, is it not? People commit all sorts of crimes... and they get away with it." His eyes narrowed as she bitterly smiled, more and more tears leaking. "Let me tell you a story... There was this boy and girl in a village..."
Coco came by to pick up Velvet with two guys Jaune didn't recognize. They nodded their thanks before surrounding their friend as they walked back to their dorms. It looked as though Coco wanted to say a few things, but she was fixated on her friend. Velvet gave one last smile before departing, a token of her appreciation. He smiled back, but felt his arms tense as he did so. He could've just made up any story that came to mind, but there was something liberating with being honest with others. It was too bad he didn't have any confidants.
On second thought, there was Pyrrha. She took him by surprise when the two of them got to know each other. He was expecting her to be rash, in over her head, arrogant... She was nothing of the sort. He was right about her semblance, but he knew what it was because she blatantly used it to help him from crash landing. Any typical girl wouldn't reveal something like that to help someone they barely knew.
He smiled a bit. Pyrrha really was a nice girl, but he knew that when the time came, he'd have to forget about her too.
He began to contemplate out the window and ponder everything as of late. He spotted Velvet and her friends walking away. The seeds for Velvet have been planted, so that was an investment waiting to sprout. Weiss appeared to have calmed down a bit after last night, if her demeanor from the spar earlier was anything to go by. Goodwitch was out of commission for a bit, and he knew Ozpin would want a proper word with him once he had the chance. Because of what happened, he was sure people would be thinking about him. Good. He'd want attention on him for later.
Ruby Rose... She was next. Roman wanted information on her for his boss. Roman was easy to read, yet he respected him. An experienced veteran of sorts in his trade, despite being a thief. He knew his place and took scores that were reasonable. Neo on the other hand, she was quite an interesting case. She wasn't entirely there, if that made sense. Abnormal upbringing, no doubt. And yet, she was pretty content with her lifestyle. She was almost as chaotic as he was. Those two were fine in his book.
Ruby though, the sister of Yang Xiao-Long. He'd have a conversation with her later, as a fellow leader of a team or something along those lines. Roman wasn't specific on what he wanted, but perhaps he could be a good judge for that. Yang should be back by now, so advancing his plan for her wouldn't be too shabby. He was bound to run into her again sometime today. Maybe Pyrrha too, and he wouldn't be against that.
Blake was another mask-bearer. Well, it was obvious about her heritage, but she chose to avoid any problems regarding it. She was reserved, and he didn't think she felt shame for her faunus traits. Yet she hid them. Her ears, he guessed, with that ribbon that twitched every now and then. How peculiar... There was much more to her, and he was dying to learn, then exploit whatever soft spots he could find.
Jaune stepped out of his room to check on Team Ruin. There were the other two, that boy and girl he could get a read on, but his plate was already full. They'd have to be judged another day, but it'd be nice to get an idea of what their personalities may be. He knocked on their door, but there was no answer. After knocking again and waiting, he gave up and made his way out of the building.
"Ah, my boy!" a voice called.
Professor Port waddled over to him, as jovial as ever. Jaune didn't know if the professor had heard what had transpired earlier with Goodwitch, but he decided to worry about it later. The old man slapped his hand against his back and let out a hearty laugh.
"I've been looking for you. After our expedition with Miss Nikos last night, I had the inspiration to plan a field trip for our class. You may recall how we ran into that herd of Beowolves that did not attack us at first."
He did remember that. The professor proceeded to let out a war cry before chopping up the grimm into bits. It was a massacre... a beautiful one though.
"I must say, that behavior isn't typical. They must have sensed just how much a threat we all were to them. So, I thought it'd be a jolly idea to have a trip for the class to observe them in intricate detail. I take it you know how the grimm enjoy sweet scents?"
"I do. You took advantage of that by lathering yourself with honey that one time a wave of grimm were pursuing you and a bunch of people from the ruins of a village. As you lured them away, another huntsman helped the villagers escape."
One of the greatest traits of a true hero was the will to accept self-sacrifice...
"Ah, you know that tale as well, I see. Well, a forest nearby here called Forever Fall has an abundance of trees that produce a special sap another professor could use samples of. She believes that the scent can make grimm more docile and even believes they can be utilized as fragrance bombs. Ones that produce the scent to help lure away grimm. So, we can take advantage of the environment and study the behaviors of the grimm there."
"I like the idea, professor, but why tell me this? I'm bound to learn about this eventually."
"Yes, that's why I was hoping you and Miss Nikos could do me a small favor for some extra credit. I'd like some samples of that sap now for a demonstration in class. I can teach you, but I'd like you and Miss Nikos to also get a recording of how to properly acquire it. It's a much more delicate process than it sounds."
Ah, so that was it.
"Also, it would give you plenty of time alone with Miss Nikos." The professor winked and laughed as Jaune's cheeks flushed. "Ah, what a joy it is to be young. It reminds me of how I fell for this one girl out in the countryside during my youth..."
The professor went on about a rather wholesome story he'd never heard of about the man. Professor Port was another oddity. Jaune abhorred the stories of heroes and fairy tales. The happy endings and idealized messages portrayed were childish and proven to be false. The professor though, while a bit egotistical, was far better than most huntsmen he'd seen. His stories had traces of realistic portrayals of human behavior during encounters with grimm. The professor's stories were bold, gritty, and authentic. Something he'd rarely seen.
His favorite had to be his last stand at Reverie. Last stands weren't honorable nor were they glamorous in the slightest. The professor's feats and accomplishments impressed him because of how he remained true to himself and fought until the bitter end. Reverie Village...
"Actually, if you wouldn't mind, I'd rather work with someone else on this little assignment you're offering."
The professor's eyebrow rose. "Oh? And whom are you referring?"
"The leader of Pyrrha's team. Ruby Rose."
Short chapter today. Apologies, but I figured having a little something now would be nice. Next chapter will be much longer to compensate.
Next chapter: March 22nd
