Not Even Aura can Heal All Wounds
By wildstraydog
Beta: Super Saiyan Cyndaquil
Chapter Nine: Ignition
Time for more Medic Jaune! By the way I'm looking for cover art for several of my stories, so if anyone knows anybody or something like that, please let me know. The second chapter of The Victim is out now, so please go see my new Blake and Jaune story alright? I know some of you are worried about Jaune's weapon being a katana, but I never said it was did I? This chapter will reveal what he finally settles upon in the story, including what is ahead for team RWBY.
Further in this story, a new character from the canon is going to be introduced that not everyone may be familiar with, but I'll acknowledge it when the time passes. Volume 4 is amazing already, and I'm sure tons of ideas will be flooded into my head by the shows end. Let's hope I can finish another story by summer right!? Please enjoy this and review if you can! My goal is to get 200 reviews before or at chapter ten if possible – of course it's not about the reviews.
The Katana in Jaune's hands clattered onto the arena floor under the weight of Blake's weapon. The ribbon from Gambol Shroud hovered over his exhausted face, the sweat from his brow sliding onto the mats. Jaune clambered back onto his feet and patted the dust from his shirt and pants, an expression of disappointment held by his face. Right when he thought they found the perfect weapon for him to use, Blake floored him in multiple attempts, the blunt sword never even coming close to touching a strand of hair on the Faunus. She assured him it was just lack of formal training, and that there was still plenty of other weapons to try before the end of the day.
But was that why he wasn't putting in a full effort? Professor Goodwitch's news... he wanted to say he always expected it, to be abandoned by his family. Yet he always held onto some hopeless shred of light that one day they would accept him, perhaps even be proud. The thought was so pathetic that his throat became dry, and he felt himself holding back a whimper – using all of his strength to endure and not collapse into a blubbering mess. Blake and the others were so overjoyed that everything was back to normal after Tawny's death. What he needed was a break, a chance to get some fresh air and think. Professor Goodwitch said that preparations for his stay at her apartment during the summer break were already underway.
He cleared his throat and placed the katana back onto the weapons rack, turning back to face the others with a smile that was forced. "I need a break for the rest of the day guys, I'm tired." Blake seemed confused, her narrowed eyes studying every subtle movement.
"That's fine Jaune," Pyrrha said, "We can move on tomorrow to a different type of weapon – maybe some of the others could also spar with you." Ruby hopped off the stage and walked up next to Pyrrha, Crescent Rose unfolded into its scythe form.
"How about me Jaune," Ruby begged, her eyes sparkling. There was no way anyone in the world could turn away such childlike innocence.
"S-sure, sounds like fun." He responded.
He ignored Blake's worried stare and headed for the exit, controlling his unbridled anger toward the man who abandoned him like a worn-out tool. Jaune kicked aside the bathroom door and saddled up next to the sinks, running the cool water so he could flush his eyes. The water was refreshing against his clammy skin and he settled down, the anxiety he built up during his spar receding. He didn't want anyone to see the miserable state he was in, especially Blake who he was quickly growing fond of. Jaune looked into the mirror, his blue orbs staring back at him – a constant reminder of his family lineage. His Mother said they were inherited in all the men.
Jaune Goodwitch... it sounded weird, lacking the same ring his original last name held. To everyone else, he would continue being called Arc, a lie told to avoid further embarrassment for him and Professor Goodwitch. He chuckled, the thought of passing as the stern teacher's son was not entirely possible going off the blonde hair. Yet how long would he continue to keep it a secret from everyone? Jaune found it hard to believe that Ruby and the others would judge him for his past – yet he continued to play along and avoid the discussion. He was a hypocrite, plain and simple.
Jaune exited the bathroom and checked the hall to see if anyone stayed behind. He released a belated sigh and continued down the corridor, deciding to catch an early dinner in the cafeteria. He rounded the corner and was startled to see Weiss leaning against the wall, her tiny figure bolstered by a rugged crutch from the infirmary. Weiss' elegant face was twisted by a grimace, her brow furrowed in his direction as she hobbled over with constrained grunts. She probably wanted to discuss his brief meeting with her older sister Winter – going off their meeting, she practiced a higher level of tolerance.
"I'm glad I caught you Jaune." She said in-between pants. Jaune walked over to assist, but Weiss swatted his hand away, huffing in annoyance.
"Are you sure you don't need help, you don't have to be stubborn you know?" he griped, not in the mood for Weiss' attitude.
Her eyes widened in surprise at his defiance, but she dropped the unpleasant frown. "Sorry... I didn't come to pick a fight with you. Jaune I came to apologize." What did she say? Jaune pinched his cheek, the sharp pain an indicator that he wasn't dreaming what Weiss just said.
"I...," Weiss paused, "I overheard your conversation with Professor Goodwitch earlier." Jaune clenched his fist and subverted his gaze. So she heard everything – not that it mattered, the Schnee family would have been informed in some announcement at one of their future parties.
"What of it? You no longer have to worry about crossing paths with me, I'm no longer an Arc." He bit his lip, the words itself painful to utter.
"I don't care about that anymore," Weiss blurted, leveling her eyes at the floor, her pristine white hair flowing over her face. Jaune was a little overwhelmed by her rapid switch, confused why only now she would apologize. But did she really need to? He never blamed Weiss for avoiding him, understanding that her Father control all aspects of her life.
"My Father once told me, that by picking up the sword I'm holding up the entire Arc legacy on my shoulders. When I couldn't keep a firm grip on Crocea Mors, he would slap my hands with a switch." Jaune chuckled while telling the story, a pathetic smile on his face.
"How often did he hit you?" Weiss softly asked.
Jaune rolled up one of his sleeves on his uniform, revealing a few noticeable scars that traced down his forearm. "Anytime I made a mistake. Mom would cry every night while gauzing the fresh cuts." He rolled the cuff down and laughed, avoiding the empathetic gaze from Weiss.
"Our Father," Weiss stammered, "He never had to hit me – the look he gave me whenever I failed... it was enough alone to break my heart." They were so similar, yet their own stubbornness kept them apart. Weiss held the same look he carried over the years when speaking of his family, her light blue eyes empty of any spirit.
"We're not very different," Jaune said, "Except now, I'm Jaune Goodwitch, son of Glynda Goodwitch. So little has happened in the weeks I've been here." He commented, shoulders drooping as he rubbed the back of his neck.
"Are you ever going to tell the others?" Jaune ruffled his blonde tresses and sighed, the thought crossing his mind several times.
"No – at least not now, we've dealt with too much this past week. I don't need to drop another bombshell on them. This is my business to sort, no one else's." he couldn't drag everyone into another mess.
"Then let me assist you in your training!" Weiss urged, almost stumbling onto the ground. Jaune caught her shoulders, amazed by how light she was.
"Don't push yourself." She humph.
"There's not much you can do right now," Jaune remarked, "The best you could do is offer some advice on what weapon could I use." She placed a finger on her chin and looked up at the ceiling in thought.
The katana initially seemed like a good fit, but now that he mulled over it, using the single-edged blade brought disadvantages to his position on the battlefield. He needed something quick and precise, a weapon that would allow him defense and opportunity to retreat when necessary. A spear was the first thing that popped into mind, but they were usually longer and difficult to wield for a beginner. A knowledge in proficiency in weapons combat would help splendidly, but only if Weiss knew what to work with. She never even saw him spar, only having a glimpse of his attempts back in the Forever Fall.
"And what is Blake having you work with at the moment?" Weiss inquired.
"Different types of swords, but right now a katana."
"Are you serious?" Weiss mocked the notion, the idea of him using a katana was nonsensical. He didn't think it was that funny personally.
"Sorry, it's just that someone of your caliber shouldn't be studying with a blade meant for skilled individuals. There's no point if you don't have the basic techniques down on wielding a sword." Weiss spun on her heels, using the crutch to not fall over, and headed down the hall.
"Um, where are you going?"
"To find the others, I think I might have a solution to your issue." Was it that simple all this time? They were practically strangers yesterday, and now Weiss was doing everything in her power to aid him.
Weiss faltered down the corridor, uttering mumbled curses that were barely above a whisper. Jaune found himself grinning at the spectacle. From behind, she appeared so small and delicate, like that of an ornamental doll. Her beauty was distinct from Blake's, whereas his Faunus companion could be characterized by her subtle grace and lustrous black locks, Weiss was more angelic in her presence. Weiss' soft cheekbones and easygoing blue eyes were flattering to her overall appearance, which was contrasted by her sharp personality. He would never tell her all of this of course, not if he valued his life.
She was another girl far within in his reach, a beauty that could not be marveled at. They were once considered to be wed early in his life, but circumstance determined that he was not respectable of that fortune. He began to follow and chuckled, the idea of them being wed humorous, not when she couldn't stand his weak-hearted attempts. Maybe one day he would find a girl, someone like Tawny that appreciated his goals. Someone like his mother that loved him for who he was, and not what he was destined to be. Dreams were funny like that.
Glynda leaned against the elevator wall, and tapped her foot on the floor as a way to pass the minutes. Recently any free time she had was cut short by the amount of legal papers she was required to sign. Transferring Jaune's custody was much more difficult then she imagined – and then there was the matter of moving all of Jaune's belongings to her apartment. She never expected to become a mother like this, since technically speaking Jaune was her son now. Once upon a time, she and James were in a committed relationship, and she even thought there was a chance they would get married. But career came first to the general, the protection of Atlas more important.
Once summer began, Jaune would be staying with her. While that was a couple of months away, she wanted to be prepared – teaching and actually raising a seventeen-year-old boy were two completely different things. Worst part... she didn't even know how to properly cook a meal, having always relied on restaurants and guests to assist. She pushed up her glasses on the ridge of her nose and let out a tired sigh. She needed to focus on her meeting with the other professors and Ozpin. He arranged an emergency meeting out of the blue, which was not that surprising given the news Ares Arc delivered.
She needed a vacation.
The elevator doors parted to reveal most of the faculty present for the meeting, save for the eccentric Professor Peach. How Dr. Oobleck was married to that woman, she would never know, but they were perfect for each other. She trekked across Ozpin's personal quarters, her heels clicking against the glass floor that masked the grinding sounds of the gears in view. Ozpin was absorbed at his desk, lifting a coffee mug to his lips to partake in another one of his caffeine beverages. The scent of beans and chocolate always followed the man in all the years she knew him. He carried an uncertain gaze in his simple brown eyes.
"How are things coming along with Jaune?" he asked with a chortle.
"About as good as they can be I suppose." Ozpin set the file he was holding down and stood from the desk, a hardened expression on his face.
"I apologize for the wait everyone," Ozpin said, "But the news I'm about to deliver is grave. General Ironwood sent word that Grimm forces are starting to move in an organized fashion to various spots around Remnant." They remained silent as he took another sip from his mug.
"While most of this is manageable thanks to our military and Hunters, I've been informed that a herd is near Beacon grounds. Security will be increased around the campus and second and third year students will be doing nightly patrols." Contrary to belief, she respected Ozpin, and trusted her life with him, but why would he call them for something so trivial?
"Sounds like fun to me!" Professor Port gloated, pounding his chest with a tightened fist. He always liked to surmount even the toughest challenge.
"However a village not too far from here is requesting help, and I'll be picking a team to address the notice. In the meantime I would like all of you to keep an eye out and report any suspicious Grimm behavior." The professors nodded and headed for the elevator. The uneasy look on Ozpin's face told more then he elaborated on in their meeting.
"What are you not telling Ozpin?" Glynda questioned.
"The nature of the team I'm picking... you might disagree with my choice. Team RWBY with Jaune Arc will be sent to the village of Mariani for reconnaissance and patrol." Glynda dropped her steadied expression.
"You can't," she snapped, "They're only freshman, and there's no way of knowing what sort of Grimm are congregating near the village!" She had no doubts about RWBY's skill, being one of the strongest first year teams next to PNRN - but they weren't ready to handle an assignment of that level.
"This was never my intention – yet put your mind at ease, as I will be assigning two professors to escort RWBY during their mission." She released the edges of the desk and sighed, more assuaged that two professional Hunters would be accompanying the children.
"And who did you pick?"
Ozpin shifted in his chair and smiled in her direction. He couldn't mean? "Why you of course, along with Professor Peach." She had the urge to punch Ozpin in the face, but that would be unbecoming of someone in her position. Instead she shot an intense glare.
"Impossible, my duties-"
"Will be taken care of," Ozpin answered. "Assistant Violet will take over until you have returned. I trust in you Glynda." She relented, accepting the task with an astute nod. But with Professor Peach of all people?
"How will Professor Peach facilitate any assistance on this mission? She's never left her office in all the years she's been here." Her meetings with Peach were usually brief, the woman mesmerized by one of her experiments.
"Listen to Oz and be more trusting Glynda," Peach sang, walking out of the elevator with a confident stride. This was highly unusual even for her.
"I see you're up and about." she commented brusquely.
"Well you know what they say, 'don't be a stick in the mud', am I right?" Peach let out a fluttery giggle.
Things could be much worse if she thought about. While she disagreed with Ozpin about sending team RWBY, most of the second and third years would be tied up with patrolling the Emerald forest. Now that Jaune would be following them, it was her duty to ensure his safety. He was her responsibility, and she wouldn't have him leaving the village in a body bag like the recently departed students. She looked out the window of Ozpin's quarters to look at the cliffs down below, the sight of the initiation at the beginning of school. The test was nothing compared to what they were about to face.
Blake felt helpless after watching Jaune rush out of the arena. Was it something she done during their training, or was he still mourning the death of his friend? The others didn't seem to notice, heading for the cafeteria with reinforced smiles on their faces. She knew Jaune's sudden change in attitude came after his conversation with Professor Goodwitch in the hall. The grip on Jaune's blade loosened, and she could spot a handful of openings in his guard. But what could have upset him so much? Professor Goodwitch would not have purposefully put Jaune in that state, unless it was something she said.
She placed her fork onto the table and pushed the half eaten dish from her eyes. Blake's appetite was lacking amid her confusion. The presence of Sun and Neptune enlivened the table discussion as Nora went over one of her many ridiculous adventures to the unsuspecting boys. Sun's presence was... a little welcoming, but also bothersome – especially when she knew the boy was crushing on her. The hints were loud and clear and she tried her best to avoid the issue. Yang was the only constant reminder of Sun's gradual advances. She at first welcomed the attention, but since Jaune's arrival her focus altered.
Nora slammed the table with a resounding roar – yes a roar, which startled her. She looked over to see Jaune entering the cafeteria with a surprise visitor in the form of Weiss Schnee. The heiress was having difficulty making her way to the table, but Jaune assisted her. Weiss listed off a number of complaints and tiny insults his way, but he maintained a genuine smirk on his handsome features. Blake was glad that Weiss recovered so quickly, and by tomorrow or the next day she would be back to her normal crabby self.
"I knew it was cold in here," Yang teased.
"Please, I won't even dignify that awful effort at humor." Weiss replied with a huff. She placed her crutches at the end of the table and sat down, folding the creases out of her combat skirt.
"I missed you so much Weiss!" Ruby cried out, embracing the girl in a bear hug. Her muffled complaints rang out to unfettered ears. That still didn't answer why Jaune was with her.
"Sorry I ran out earlier guys." He said.
"What did Professor Goodwitch need?" Pyrrha asked. Everyone leaned in from the table in curiosity, as Sun's tail batted the surface.
"Oh, nothing special," he stuttered, "She was just asking me about my meeting with Professor Peach. Glad she wasn't upset about it." Jaune chuckled, moving aside a blonde lock from the backside of his ear.
She didn't believe him for a second. Why would Professor Goodwitch only talk to Jaune? They both went looking for Peach, and she was the one receiving punishment. Blake was more bothered by the fact that he would lie to all of them, including her... had they not bonded this past week? Jaune did not know much about her past, and neither did she. She pulled out her scroll under the table and started texting Jaune, keeping her gaze ahead so that no one got suspicious.
"So how have you been Weiss," Neptune inquired, saddling over to her side of the table with a charming grin. Based on her smile, the blue-haired boy's appeal was working. "How does your foot feel?" he peeked under the table to examine her bandaged leg hovering above the ground.
"Thank you for asking, it should be healed within the next couple of days. Honestly I'm just glad to escape that awful smelling infirmary." Ruby handed her a plate full of vegetables she enjoyed.
The exchange between the two, lovebirds, was somewhat nauseating. Neptune was a nice enough guy, but not the type of boy she would fawn over. She turned to look at Sun who was juggling an apple on his nose to the cheer of Ruby and Nora – she had to admit it was silly, and his personality was quite different then what she dealt with in the past. Adam was more reserved, but he was gentle. That was until Sienna Khan took over the White Fang, morphing him into a cold-blooded killer that would follow any order.
But what did she think about Jaune? Since their meeting in the library, Blake was quickly coming to welcome his company. He was intellectual, not just in medicine and first aid, but a sound minded individual that was open to learn new things – that was something she found attractive in a man. Jaune's social skills were somewhat lacking, but he was kind and considerate, always worrying about everyone but himself. There were no signs that Jaune was interested in a romantic relationship with her, though he was quick to seek her out. She couldn't bring herself to broach the topic, the embarrassment that would follow from Yang alone may her avoid it.
Blake: Can we speak in private after this? She texted.
Jaune: Yeah no problem, I'll stay behind.
"Spacing out Blake?" Yang asked, poking her in the cheek with her finger. She blinked back in response with a flush on her pale cheeks.
"Sorry, I was distracted by something." Yang's grin widened.
"Don't supposed it has anything to do with a certain blonde?" she continued to taut while holding back a giggle. Too bad she was right this time.
"Actually yes," Blake replied, "But I'm more curious about what happened between Jaune and Weiss..." Yang looked over with Blake at the heiress. She retained a smile while Neptune talked over her shoulder.
"Am I sensing jealousy?"
"Nothing so silly," Blake curtly responded. "Yesterday she hardly could stand to be in the same room as him – why the sudden change of heart?" Yang rested her chin in the palm of her left hand and shrugged her shoulders.
"Maybe she finally realized how stupid she was being? I never understood Weiss' beef with Jaune anyway – Medics can be useful on the battlefield, I mean he helped her survive out there in the Forever Fall." Blake nodded, but she was wasn't certain that was the reason Weiss originally loathed his attention.
"I suppose..."
"You ok Blake?" Sun popped up next to her, the right side of his mouth full of pieces from the apple. Those from Vacuo were never known for their manners.
"I'm fine, just amusing myself."
"By the way Blake," Jaune said from across the table. "What's a good time for all of us to meet up back in the arena?" She almost forgot about his training. They still had a plethora of weapons to get to.
"How about later tonight?"
Jaune nodded in approval. "Sounds good."
"Blake, is it true you had Jaune try using a katana?" Weiss asked. She looked over in curiosity to see a stoic expression, the heiress carefully dissecting a piece of broccoli on her plate with the silverware.
"Yes, he also went through standard broadswords and a heavier claymore. Jaune was doing ok with the katana, but now I have my doubts." Why was she suddenly so interested in Jaune's training? Something definitely happened between the two of them recently. Despite this, Weiss probably could be helpful in finding Jaune the appropriate weapon.
"What about a spear?" Ruby chimed in.
"Ruby's got a good idea there, and Pyrrha could help!" Nebula added, tossing a stray fry into Nora's mouth. A good suggestion, but she already considered a spear.
"I'm not so sure about that," Pyrrha said. "Training with a spear requires a lot of finesse – what about a javelin? There much shorter." That could work, but would Jaune be up to use a weapon like that?
"There is one other weapon that Jaune could utilize." Weiss remarked with a smirk.
"And that would be?" she dared ask.
"A scythe!" Ruby interjected
Nora slammed her hands on the table. "You're all wrong, it's obviously a giant hammer that shoots grenades!" Blake was pretty sure no one could handle such an unwieldy weapon besides Nora... well maybe Pyrrha.
"Let them speak Nora," Ren admonished.
"I was thinking more along the lines of, a rapier." Weiss nonchalantly answered. A rapier was the furthest thing she expected the white-haired girl to say. The blade wasn't too long and it allowed for precise thrusts in battle – and if Jaune used a shield he could watch their rear. Still... it was highly unusual to propose.
"You mean like Myrtenaster?" Jaune asked.
"It doesn't transform right?" Neptune also questioned, looking down at the weapon attached to her hip. He was right though, Weiss relied on the Dust rounds inside the chamber of the rapier.
"No it doesn't, I learned very quickly that it was almost impossible to do any modifications like Ruby's weapon. But if we made Jaune a shield that transformed into a gun, he could use it in battle." She was right again – Blake thought a Javelin would be easier to use though.
"I'll start drawing blueprints up for a shield then." Ruby excitedly said, her silver eyes shimmering in passion. Yang mentioned before in passing that Ruby was a self-professed weapons nerd.
The rest of dinner went by pretty normally, while Ruby discussed with Jaune what type of shield would fit his physique. Some joke about "measurements" got flung out by Yang which caused the teens to blush. Blake decided to talk with Jaune before everyone headed back to the arena; he would be exhausted by the time they finished to have a proper discussion. Of course she was still unsure about what they were going to talk about. She couldn't just bombard him with unwanted questions without knowing more about her.
Jaune trusted her, so she would do the same.
"Alright let's head out!" Yang announced. Everyone followed suit down the halls where the arena was located, but she grabbed Jaune by the shoulder.
"Can we talk real quick?" Jaune looked confused.
"Oh yeah, I forgot, sure no problem."
She peeked around the corner to make sure no one was listening. The faint buzzing around the cafeteria trickled through the metal doors, so she led Jaune a little further down the hall away from the noise. "Are you doing okay Jaune? When you left, you seemed a little agitated." Blake decided to be blunt, otherwise an awkward silence would have followed.
"I was just tired is all – there's nothing to worry about." She still didn't buy it, watching his blue eyes shift uncomfortably.
"And what happened between you and Weiss? She was acting very strange at dinner. I apologize if I'm asking so many questions out of the blue." Jaune shook his head and smiled, placing his firm hand on her shoulder.
"It's okay," he assured. "You're right though, it was weird. Weiss came up to me after I left the arena – she apologized, and decided to help me with my training. I don't know why she suddenly became so nice." His answers weren't good enough, but pushing him wouldn't solve anything.
"Jaune, I understand if you don't want to tell me everything right away. All you have to know is that I'm willing to listen whenever you're ready." His eyes widened at her statement, but he nodded. She could tell by Jaune's expression that he was crossed, fully aware of the lies.
"Later on... there is also some, details you should know about my past." She continued. Jaune was the only one in their circle of friends who was not aware of her past with the White Fang, and she planned to remedy that.
"I appreciate that Blake." He said in a hushed tone.
"Meet us in the arena when you're ready." She broke from Jaune's grip and blushed, missing the warmth from his touch.
Jaune watched Blake's retreating form with a somber expression, releasing a sigh at his own cowardice. She knew he was lying from the start. He told Weiss that Blake and the others didn't need to know, but the more he told the lies the worse he felt.
"Hey Jaune wait up!" Sun yelled.
"I thought you were with the rest of the group," he chuckled as Sun slid across the floor.
"Glad I caught up with ya, there was something I wanted to ask you." His brightened tone faded mid-sentence. The wagging of his furry tail also ceased – Jaune barely knew the Faunus, only that he met Blake and the others near the end of last semester. They fought Roman Torchwick at the docks in downtown Vale and caused a ruckus.
"No problem, what's on your mind?"
"This is embarrassing – it's about Blake."
Jaune hid any surprise. "What about her?" Sun placed both of his hands in his pockets, kicking at the floor as he struggled to answer.
"Are you... interest in Blake?" Jaune caught his breath, his mouth agape at the unexpected question.
"What, n-no," he stammered. "Believe me, we're just friends is all!" Jaune let out an unsure chuckle. Sun breathed a sigh of relief and laughed, his exuberant personality returning.
"Sorry, it's just you two have been spending a lot of time together recently so I got a little worried." Sun wasn't wrong in his statement, but he never really considered their interactions romantic in the slightest.
"It's okay, I understand," Jaune again replied. "Besides... she doesn't deserve a guy like me." He whispered, eyes averting to the floor.
"What did you say man?"
"Nothing, let's go join the others." Sun patted him on the back and started a conversation about how he snuck onto a boat to reach Vale. Sun always did come off as the rambunctious type in his antics. What troubled Jaune however was the melancholic answer he delivered to the Faunus – the notion of any relationship with the girls he met at Beacon was laughable, least of all with a girl like Blake.
He needed to stop putting himself down, there were always other girls in Remnant.
What drove her to confront Jaune? Common sense told her that she would be throwing everything away she worked for all these years. Yet her heart... it was overwhelmed by emotions of guilt, a realization that if she ignored his plight, she would be just as cruel as her Father or the Arc family. She didn't want that fate on anyone, to be abandoned on the streets as if they never existed. Her crutches took over and soon she was confronting Jaune in the halls and apologizing. It was the right thing to do, but the consequences down the line could be detrimental – Winter would proud of her at least.
She wanted to do what was right.
Weiss was looking forward to the new day. Last night's training was cut short midway so Jaune didn't tear any muscles. To her chagrin, they focused on using a javelin before settling on her suggestion to try a rapier. It wasn't like she just suggested it because she used one – a rapier perfectly fit the combat style that Jaune could practice as a medic. At least progress was being made in some form. Nebula got a kick out of throttling Jaune in the arena, pointing out the tiniest mistake in his posture or defense – she was ruthless, but coming from Vacuo taught her how to bare the harshest conditions.
Neptune's presence was comforting in light of what she been through, and the attention reminded her that someone cared. Unfortunately any time they were able to spend together was minimal. Neptune said he was enthusiastic to help Jaune train if he needed it, but that wasn't the most interesting piece of information he relayed. Before she went to bed, he explained Sun's unusual behavior in the arena when he and Jaune returned – the boy was jealous of the time Jaune and Blake were spending together, and decided to confront him. Yet the two of them were amicable when they arrived at the arena.
If she had to guess, Jaune probably conceded that nothing was going on between the two.
"Breakfast smells so delicious today," Yang commented in front of their dorm as they waited for Blake and Ruby to exit. Perhaps it would be a good idea to ask Neptune out on a date for this weekend?
"Afraid breakfast will have to be delayed." Weiss turned to see Professor Goodwitch approach. She glanced down at her scroll and looked back at her students with a look of dissatisfaction. It could only mean trouble.
"What about no breakfast!?" Ruby complained.
"How can we help you Professor?" Weiss politely replied.
The professor adjusted her glasses. "Team RWBY is to report to my office to hear details about their next upcoming mission. Jaune Arc and Professor Peach will also be joining – we leave at 1200 hours." Weiss was dumbfounded, and going by the expressions of her teammates, she wasn't alone.
"We just got back from a mission!" Yang remarked.
"Again, I apologize, but this is urgent." Professor Goodwitch answered.
But what could be so immediate that a first year team was requested to go on a mission during classes? Her stomach was upset, the implications more than worrying. Jaune barely had any time to train, yet he would be forced back onto the frontlines with them. She was going to have to call Winter and call in some favors – he deserved that much.
"Doctor!" a gravelly voice called out in the damp chamber. The room was illuminated by low-hanging neon lights that reflected off the stone walls.
"I'm here, I'm here, settled down you brute." Hazel released a tired sigh, not expecting the mission to be so difficult in the long run. But Doctor Merlot was important for their plans. The brief urges to choke the man out only receded when he actually worked.
"Give me the results." Merlot handed over a file with a pleased smile, his mechanical fingers brushing through his gray beard.
"You will be satisfied – but success is only rewarded by more guarantees." Hazel ignored his comment, an obvious hint to request more funds. The tests were successful however, which meant he would be given a substantial amount of resources within the next month.
"Continue your work, I'm heading back. Cinder will be your contact from now on." He placed the file under his arm and headed for the wooden door. Their plans would accelerate if Merlot's research was fruitful – he didn't care for science or experimental Grimm. He was on a hunt.
Isn't this is a Weiss and Jaune story? Then what's going on with Blake and stuff? The road to love is treacherous and hard fought, including for both Jaune and Weiss. I hope my reasons for RWBY having to go on this mission were somewhat adequate, but I hope you're more excited for what's in store in the next chapter and beyond.
A rapier for Jaune you say? Yes this was always the plan, the idea of him fencing always appealed to me, and with a shield it allows him for quick hits before retreating back so he can take care of the others. For those who don't know who Dr. Merlot is, I recommend you look him up on the RWBY wikia, because he is a canonical character.