ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ

To Survive and Prosper

CHAPTER 2

Once we were finally done with cleaning the (literal) mess (of a) hall, we all went to clean ourselves and put on our usual clothes. Thankfully, we had extra school uniforms for us to wear tomorrow while the current ones were in the laundry.

We decided to hang out at the library. Team RWBY was playing the game of Remnant, a board game that has players assume the role of a conqueror, representing each one of the four kingdoms as they compete for world domination while using the Grimm for whatever reason. If you think about it—the player characters in that game are a bunch of power-hungry warmongers who use the very creatures that cause most of the problems of the world to achieve as their subjects to take over Remnant. It's really that dark. At least in reality, no one in the four kingdoms was dumb enough to think that Grimm would be a practical military asset since the last time someone tried to use the Grimm on their side, it didn't end well.

Meanwhile, we were at another table not far from theirs, reading about what we could get our hands on. Pyrrha suggested we started studying in advance, especially since this semester was said to be harder than the last, and while Team JNPR did get the most impressive grade in combat training, Nora and I still needed to improve our theoretical studies, so she took away my comic-books and gave me a textbook titled 'The Fundamentals of Dust: Second Edition'. Making me groan in frustration that I had to deal with my worst subject this early. Nora had already fallen asleep after the first few minutes, and this is all while Team RWBY looked like they were having a blast.

"Pretty sneaky, sis, but you just activated my trap card!" Yang said after giving a sinister laugh, making her sister shriek. "Giant Nevermore!" She slammed a card on her table. "If I roll a seven or higher, fatal feathers will slice your fleet in two!"

"But, if you roll a six or lower—the Nevermore will turn on your own forces!" Ruby retorted.

"That's just a chance I'm willing to take," Yang smirked.

By the looks of it, Weiss just stared at her cards, not knowing what to know nor did she know what was exactly going on, while Blake was occupied with her book to even bother playing.

Yang rolled the dice, and by the sounds of it, it rolled in her favor. "NOOOO! My precious soldiers!" Ruby screamed in defeat.

Nora's groaned and got up. "Keep it down, you darn role-players!" She scoffed at them before returning to her nap, and this is coming from someone who proclaimed herself as a queen of a castle earlier and had a penchant for being a little too enthusiastic about whatever role she was given. Threatened by potential competition perhaps?

I sniggered as I went back to reading my textbook, or at least, pretending to read. There were some books that I have trouble understanding without Pyrrha's tutoring. I realized that to understand the contents of this book—you must have knowledge from Dust Basics, so if I were to learn anything from this, I must refer to my textbook last semester.

"I'll be back. Just going to fetch some books at the dorm." I stood up and left. While I was making my way out, I took a minute to eavesdrop on Team RWBY as they were playing their game. It was Weiss's turn and she had no idea how to play, so Yang went out of her way to help her out.

"…And since Vacuo warriors have an endurance against natural-based hazards, you can use Sandstorm to disable my ground forces and simultaneously infiltrate my kingdom!" Yang instructed, "Just know that I will not forget this declaration of war," she said before going back to her seat.

Weiss reviewed her cards. "And that means..."

"You're just three moves away from conquering Remnant!" Ruby said, still hurt by her recent defeat.

Weiss paused for a moment before standing up and giving an evil laugh then went over on an over-the-top speech. "Y-yes! Fear the almighty power of my forces! Cower as they pillage your homes and weep as they take your children from your very arms—!"

"Trap card..."

"Huh?"

Yang moved the pieces on the board. "Your armies have been destroyed."

"I hate these games of emotions we play!" Weiss sobbed as she returned to her seat.

"Stay strong, Weiss! We'll make it through this together!" Ruby hugged her partner.

"Shut up! Don't touch me."

Wow, Nora was right about this team being full of role-players, barring Blake, of course, assuming her books aren't giving her any ideas.

"Maybe you should start appeasing the dice gods then, Ice Queen," Yang advised.

I chuckled at the group before going back to leaving the library. Before I was able to go any further, however, I saw Sun and his friend coming, greeting me once they saw me trying to leave. "Yo, Jaune. So how did your Valish initiation ceremony go?"

"Quite favorable. I might even say better than the actual initiation last semester," I replied, feeling glad that I didn't have to fly away and kill a Nevermore this time and that the worst thing I had to face was the risk of my tanna getting ruined.

"Man, sounds like you guys had a lot of fun, something like that is never going to happen in Haven. Despite all the crazy crap you see in Mistrali television, everything in there is so reserved and old-fashioned that it gets kind of boring sometimes." Neptune remarked.

"Another reason why we're glad to be here. It's not as wild as Vacuo, but I can tell we're gonna have a blast here especially with you guys," Sun beamed.

It didn't take long for Ruby and the others to notice them. "Oh hey, Sun!" She greeted him as if she knew him as long as Blake did, but then again Ruby was the kind of girl that would quickly make friends with just about anyone who does not have a stick up their ass.

Sun returned the greeting. "Hey there, Ruby, Yang, Blake…" He went into a short pause when he turned to Weiss. "Ice Queen."

"Why does everyone keep calling me that?" she groaned.

Maybe because she kept acting like one, her snow motifs weren't helping her in the slightest in that regard. [1]

"It's really awesome that we get to be temporarily transferred here. Now we have plenty of time to get to know each other." He said before gesturing to his companion "Anyway, never got a chance to formally introduce you to my old friend."

"Board games in a library, huh? I can see how brave you girls are." Neptune said as he looked at Team RWBY's table.

"That's Beacon for you. Welcome aboard." Ren said before going back to reading his book...or his nap...or maybe both. He tends to do that a lot.

Meanwhile, his partner only had one thing on her mind. "Waffles or something."

Made me wonder why no one was telling us to be quiet, especially during Team RWBY's board game session. Libraries are normally very strict about this. "Don't let his good looks fool ya', he's a bit of a nerd." Sun playfully sneered at his partner's remark.

"Ga-ga-gah! 'Intellectual', okay? Thank you," Neptune corrected before properly introducing himself. "I'm Neptune, Neptune Vasilias."

"So Neptune, where are you from?" Weiss asked with brow-raising interest, this was probably the first time I saw Weiss meet someone without being a haughty shrew.

"Haven. And I don't believe I've caught your name, Snow Angel."

"Um, I'm Weiss," she said without a single semblance of her typical infuriation over that nickname.

Oh, so it's okay when he calls you that. Didn't know it took blue hair and boyband-esque douchiness to have the privilege of calling her a dumb nickname without earning her ire. [2]

"Pleasure to meet you," he complimented, almost being one step away from kissing her hand.

I rolled my eyes at the display of cheesy high-school romance in bloom as I shifted my attention toward Sun and Blake. "I never took you like the board game playing type," Sun commented as he stood next to her.

"Right, well, I think I'm done playing actually," she suddenly stood up. "I'll see you guys later."

And just like that, she immediately walked away without another word in typical Blake fashion. We all looked at her as she left us in bewilderment until Nora broke the silence with an ironic statement. "Women."

"What's with her? I thought she brightened up after that night," said a puzzled Sun.

"Honestly, I was asking the same thing," I replied, scanning the rest of the library to see she was already gone. There was something that was still bothering her that it almost made me worried that she might go astray and do something stupid again.

"So… these are your teammates, am I right?" Sun looked at the peculiar individuals at my table.

"Yep. That's Team JNPR. There's Pyrrha, Ren, and Nora." I gestured to each teammate from left to right.

"Wait, Pyrrha? As in Pyrrha Nikos?!" Sun cried excitedly. "The four-time champion of the Mistral Regionals?"

"That's right," she nodded modestly while her enthusiasm tried to keep up.

"Holy Brothers! It's an honor to meet you!" Sun rested his hands at the table, being unable to hold his enthusiasm. "Folks at Haven talk about you a lot."

"So I've heard." Pyrrha fixed her bangs and tried to smile for the sake of it.

"Man, you were so cool when you beat that Titan guy. They said that no one could beat him but damn, you proved everyone wrong on that."

She nodded. "Indeed, that was a thrilling match I could not forget myself."

Sun patted my back as he voiced his approbation. "Jaune, you're one lucky bastard to have her as a teammate."

"I get that a lot," I replied. Considering how combat during the last semester was surprisingly a breeze with a few notable exceptions where she wasn't present, I definitely agree with him on that.

The two of them stayed and we chatted over various topics for a while. Neptune filled Blake's spot at the board game and apparently dominated everyone at the game and was declared the ruler of Remnant, much to Yang's annoyance.

Eventually, we dispersed with the duo after leaving the library. As for me, my team, and Team RWBY-minus-B were heading towards our respective dorms when we suddenly heard Miss Goodwitch's voice calling my name, putting all seven of us to a halt. "Mister Arc."

"Yes, professor?" I asked, turning to her rather nervously, especially with her recent admonishment over our last antics still fresh in my mind.

"Headmaster Ozpin would like to have a word with you," she answered.

"Am I in trouble, ma'am?" I asked, being called to Ozpin's office never sat well with me, regardless of why I was being sent there.

Her face remained stern. "I cannot say I know for sure, he only instructed me to summon you. You will have to find that out yourself."

I gulped before complying. There was only one way to find out whether that was true or not. Either way, I knew I wasn't going to like it. "Okay then, lead the way."

"Good. The rest of you can move along now," she said to the others before accompanying me to the interview room. I made my way through the school's campus, thinking about what Ozpin wanted from me this time.

=o=

1. Or maybe because it's one of the easiest names to call me with.

2. I was actually annoyed when he called me that, but it was a time when I didn't want to spoil his interest in me.

I was taken to a dimly lit room, consisting only of a window and a single table with a chair at each side, giving off the impression of a dark interrogation room. Needless to say, it wasn't exactly a happy place.

"Sit here and wait for the headmaster," Miss Goodwitch instructed, gesturing toward the chair beside the window. "Stay until you are told otherwise."

I was then left alone. I sat down and waited for a few minutes for Ozpin to arrive, tapping my fingers at the table in anxious anticipation and fearing what he had to say. It felt like going to the dentist, it's not every day that you get to talk to the Great & Powerful Ozpin; usually, the other professors handle the guidance counseling.

The door eventually opened, revealing him as he walked toward me. "Ah, good to see you are finally here, Mister Arc." He went and took a seat. "I have been looking forward to this conversation for a while now."

"Why is that, Headmaster?" I asked, sounding as polite as I could.

"You will find out." He suspiciously grinned, not a reassuring sight for me. "I see you are making yourself quite comfortable around here."

I forced a smile and gave what would be an optimistic answer. "It's a place I'll be staying for a few more years, why shouldn't I?"

"That is good. A student's well-being is very important. Without it, they would lack the morale to fight the Grimm." He took a sip of his drink, so far this was going well. "You have been a lot impressive with your performance last semester. Of course, your theoretical abilities need improvement, however, its combat training is what all that matters since that is primarily the reason why this academy exists, and it remains applicable to a Huntsman's career. But then again, why should I expect less from an Arc?"

"Just doing my responsibility as a Huntsman-in-training," I responded modestly as I nodded. "Though, I admit that I am still working on improving myself on other subjects."

He slightly leaned forward and rested his arms on the table. "Now, remind me again. What made you choose to follow the path of a Huntsman?"

I was forced into it, that's what, I silently scoffed before providing an insincere answer. "So I can fulfill my family's legacy and help those who can't help themselves. Be a hero like in the stories, and make the world a better place to live in." I kept a straight face as I maintained eye contact and spoke in a reasonable tone. But despite that, he doesn't seem to be convinced.

"That is a plausible, if somewhat of a commonplace answer. Your father told me the exact same answer when I asked him that question when he was your age. Not that I blame any of you. After all, Huntsmen should be aware that they are fighting for the world."

If only we weren't self-destructive enough to make me believe that we were fighting a lost cause instead. The kingdoms and governments really need to increase their standards if they don't want power-hungry and irresponsible idiots ruining everything for everyone as the Grimm slowly consumes the world. "What can I say? We're known for our altruism. I think it's destiny for us to help people," I continued lying.

He hummed. "Do you believe in destiny, Mister Arc?"

I paused for a brief moment as I pondered that question. "I don't really know. It's just that sometimes I think that some things were meant to happen."

He made a single nod. "I can see what you are trying to convey. Fate works in mysterious ways, should such a thing happen to exist. But tell me, are you doing this because you genuinely believe in your family's ideals, or is it because that destiny told you to?" he asked, taking a sip of his drink.

With the kind of questions he was asking me, I was beginning to feel apprehensive. "I'm doing it because it's the right thing to do, destiny or not. Yes, it's becoming a bit of a family tradition—but I've wanted to be a hero since I was a boy, and it's my chance to prove myself worthy."

He slammed his mug at the desk after he was done drinking. "Are you sure about that?" He asked in an alarmingly inquisitive tone. "I want to say I believe you, as you are giving answers with the heart of a true Huntsman, but I am afraid that you are not being truthful with me."

I was shocked by his sudden disbelief, but not without making sure I suppress any display of fear. "Headmaster, I don't exactly get how I was being untruthful. I answered as sincerely as I could."

He shut his eyes and shook his head. "Mister Arc. You have an impressive amount of guile that is even beneficial for your performance in the academy, but it's neither going to help you nor me in this conversation."

"I don't think I follow, Headmaster," I tried to remain as calm as possible while it was becoming increasingly apparent that he knows of my ulterior motives. I could feel my heart beat faster as my palms began to sweat. I had always feared this would happen and I barely prepared myself for it because I kept my fingers crossed that it would never take place. It was almost worse than facing an Ursa Major alone.

"All I am saying is that you should start answering me more honestly, Mister Arc." He raised one of his brows. "Are you not aware of how 'Great & Powerful' I am?"

I was willing to doubt that he knew of my façade and was bluffing, but by the mention of that nickname that he emphasized, I lost my breath and wasn't able to think. Even if I did, he already knew, so there was no point in trying to beguile him into thinking otherwise. I've been doing my best to maintain an image of someone they expected from me for everyone's own good, but Ozpin somehow managed to look past it and knew that I wasn't being genuine with my feelings. I found myself frozen in anxiety, neither knowing what to say nor what to do.

"Worry not, Jaune, your father, and sisters used to give me the same nickname. I did not invade your private belongings, I can assure you that. I was only able to read you like a book. And while you successfully managed to fool others, nothing suspicious ever gets past me without my knowledge." He smiled, but it was less comforting than it is patronizing. "If there's a time where we finally discuss this, it is now."

I sighed as I took off my metaphorical mask. I was just glad that he didn't read through this journal, I could not imagine how I am going to handle the fact that someone managed to read it without my consent. "Fine, you got me. Just tell me what you want so we can get this over with."

"The truth," he replied. "I can see that something is bothering you ever since I first interviewed you for your attendance. Feel free to speak your mind, this will not affect your disciplinary record nor will I try to expose you. It is a secret I am willing to keep; I only want nothing more than your honest answers."

I was skeptical of that apparent assurance but I gave him the benefit of a doubt at the moment. If this is what he seeks, then I might as well get it off my chest. "So you want the truth then? Well, here it is, I don't actually want to be a hero, and I didn't want to be a Huntsman either." I bluntly admitted. "Everything that led me here was nothing short of unintentional."

"Unintentional? How unintentional? It is rather dubious to think that you managed to achieve such feats by accident," he asked, putting his mug down on the table.

"Remember that heist at Podunk, which made my debut? That was me trying to run away. I had to defend myself from the Ursa that followed me after it ended up killing the bandits. When everyone saw what happened, they thought I was saving them, and I had to go with that, because saying anything otherwise wouldn't help."

Ozpin looked particularly convinced but he still had questions regarding that incident. "Then why did you allow the villagers to perceive you as something you think you are not, and allowed them to give you a reputation that you seem to be ashamed of?"

"What was I supposed to do? Tell them I was actually leaving them for dead so I could live? Besides, you were already considering my entry before the incident," I pointed out.

"Ah, yes, I do remember first hearing about you when I discussed with your father for potential recruits." He recalled glancing away for a brief second. "You were very young and unskilled. Once you grew older, stronger, and smarter, I knew you were ready whether you were willing or not. Your talents are unlike any other apart from your father, and there are very few individuals who can be claimed to have defeated Caiaphas Arc in a duel. Would I like to remind you that you ranked the top in last semester's freshmen combat training, second only to Pyrrha?"

That didn't mean much to me, I only got the impression that the other students weren't showing their best and cared more about showing off rather than improving their combat abilities, and my solo demonstration against Team CRDL probably played a major role because I do not remember anyone else having to do the same thing as I did to impress Miss Goodwitch. "It's a cruel world, especially if you live outside the kingdoms, I have to be prepared for anything. Even my sisters that did not attend any combat schools were trained. I just happened to take it more seriously than I should have. Honestly, I don't think I'm even that good. I just followed what my instincts told me to do."

"I am not surprised by that answer, Miss Belladonna gave the same explanation the night before the first semester ended. You must have quite the instincts then. Regardless of how talented you are in combat, whether you would admit it or not, it is quite clear that you have been trained well enough to receive such a grade in combat class. It begs to ask, is your façade necessary? Why did you bother going to the trouble of pretending to be someone you perceive to be something else when in public? You could have easily behaved here the same way you act at your home."

I continued to answer with my transparent opinions, even then it didn't feel any easier especially since it was my friends and teammates he was bringing up. I was still conflicted about what to do with them and I was afraid of the following questions he'd ask me about them. "It's good for the team spirit, without it, I'd probably be dead by now. If they're going to view me as something of a paragon, I might as well act like one. One of the effective ways of being a leader is to be likable enough, and it's working well so far."

"A decent answer. I am glad you are aware of the importance of teamwork even if you use them for selfish purposes. You said that you dreamed of becoming a hero when you were young, I am curious why you suddenly decided to lose interest in becoming a Huntsman once you started training with your father?"

This was another question I was afraid he might bring out, but I was still able to answer while avoiding the details I didn't want to discuss. "Let's just say that growing up, I found out the world was not worth saving at all and that being a hero isn't what it was cracked up to be. Besides, there are plenty of people who could do a better job than I would, why not leave it to them?"

He shook his head. "I find that assessment to be quite shallow. Those very same people could be thinking the same way as you, and if they convince themselves that they could not save the world, then who else would? Remnant needs Huntsmen, it does not matter if one seeks money, fame, or any other desires, because without them, there would no longer be a world to speak of."

"There will always be Huntsmen, professor, and I don't think I'll ever be worthy of being called that. All I wanted to do was stay safe and survive," I said, almost wanting to look away from his gaze for a moment.

He took a second to breathe. "Jaune, a lot of people outside of your family believe in you, you just need to learn to believe in yourself. If you are unable to do that and continue to think that you are neither worthy nor capable of becoming a Huntsman, then I am going to have to drop you out. After all, you wanted to go back home, did you not?"

That caught me off guard, this was one thing I hoped I would never hear from him. It was finally the moment of truth, one that I was not looking forward to. "Professor, as much as I wanted to leave and return to peace, I'm afraid that will end up staining the family name. So I'm determined to continue my studies at Beacon while I still could, even if I don't want to."

"Very well, then I will mark you as a prodigy who no longer has to attend combat school as your performance proves that it is no longer necessary. I will grant you your license early and you will be left at your own devices. That way, your family's honor will remain intact and you do not have to spend four more years in Beacon, you seem to be already capable enough, so why even stay?"

"You can do that?" I asked skeptically whilst feeling shocked at hearing this offer while I'm still on my first night this semester.

"You will be surprised to know how much power I possess. This is a rare offer, Mister Arc. Either you take it or continue torturing yourself with strenuous training at this academy, it is your choice," he answered, looking me dead in the eye, not even blinking once.

I have feared this for a while now, and this was all of a sudden that I didn't expect to face this so soon, and in my heart, I was still very conflicted. I earnestly wanted to accept his offer, I really do. It was my chance to finally get out of the academy without the need of sabotaging myself. But when I thought about it, he could only be testing my character, seeing how I would respond when he supposedly allowed me to leave early. I found it very doubtful that someone even as Great & Powerful as Ozpin could hand out licenses early like a bunch of disposable cards so this could just be an elaborate use of reverse psychology for all I know.

And I still have a team to lead. I had become compelled enough to continue studying with them for a little longer especially after I just won a food fight for them. So either way, I guess the best decision was to accept that I have to endure Beacon for a long while. Ozpin had already won a long time ago and I knew there was nothing I could do about it.

"I appreciate it, professor, but I'll have to decline. As much as I want to accept it, I still have a team to look after, they just won't be the same without me. I can't just leave them and let them down after this semester has just started." I told him. I was very unhappy with my answer but deep down I knew that this was the best option. For now, at least.

"Are you really sure? You do not need to worry about your team, as the position will be filled by someone else. Is this not what you want, to be free of the dangers of combat school?" He said, almost sounding as if he is taunting me into following the temptations that I've been having ever since I stepped foot on the airship that first took me to this academy.

"I do want it, but I have already decided to stay for now. I already accepted that I'm going to be a Huntsman, whether I want to or not, so I might as well keep going," I said, sealing the next few years of my life trying to be something I have always seen myself to be unworthy of. I'm going to regret this, am I? I thought.

Ozpin stared at me for a moment before humming and putting a smirk on his face. "For someone who claims to be a coward, you seem to hold a lot of courage when facing these types of dilemmas—even going as far as to accept four years of rigorous training in a combat school. That is what I like about you, Jaune," he remarked before grabbing the mug from the table and taking a sip. "I am impressed that you were able to continue spending your time here in Beacon when you could have easily requested to be dropped out, or if you are daring, get yourself expelled. Then again you are an aura user, you are capable of doing things no other being could do."

Yeah, this was my life now for a while, and I'm already getting used to it. The one thing left to do was not get killed in the process.

"Regardless, I am glad you made this decision," he continued. "As for your public persona, I would advise you to maintain it. Ignorance is sometimes bliss, and we do not want to spoil the illusion of you being a charismatic hero, now do we?"

I felt tense at Ozpin's consideration of upholding my masquerade. "What are you getting to?"

"What I was saying was I find it rather beneficial for you and your allies—so long as you continue to serve them as much as you like to serve yourself."

Good to know that there was at least something we saw eye-to-eye on. "I intend to. Just keep this between us."

"Mister Arc. You may not like me and I frankly couldn't care less, but you can trust me on this matter," he vowed before he continued to drink his entire mug until it was empty.

There was still something bothering me and I decided that it was the moment to bring it up. "I just have one question."

"Ask away."

"Why are we discussing this just now? You said you spoke to Blake right after what happened at the docks and the day before last semester ended, why didn't you ask me after then?" I stared into his eyes at that moment.

"Good question. Originally I intended to have this discussion during that particular night, but I wanted to observe you on your first day of this semester before I address your issues and give you a choice. I can see that you have made genuine bonds with your team and Team RWBY, which makes your decision to stay much more understandable," he explained.

That somewhat backs up my suspicion of this being a test of my character. "Yeah, about that… Sorry for the mess hall earlier," I glanced aside as if I was looking in the direction where the cafeteria would be located.

"No need for that. You are still young and you must cherish every minute of it. The damages you caused are easily repaired or replaced."

So, he really was watching me. Was he also watching me during the missions I had during the break? Probably, because one day wouldn't be enough to satisfy his curiosity.

"You should not fear your enemies, Jaune. If anything, they should fear you. You are a lot more capable than you think you are." He stood up and walked around the room.

Capable of becoming a magnet of trouble, I scoffed. "That'll only make them want to kill me more."

"That's true, but knowing you, you are never going to allow that to happen, am I correct?" He took another sip. I sighed and nodded. But even if I did survive large Grimm and terrorists, I still prefer to avoid these threats as much as possible. Just because you know how to deal with these things, it doesn't mean you want to deal with them. I only learned to adapt so I could get out of them as soon as I could.

"That is all. It was nice speaking to you, Jaune. This conversation has been quite enlightening," he finally concluded.

I stood out and puffed. I went to the exit and began to pull the door open before hearing him once again. "One more thing; your father is very proud of you. While he is indeed worried about your life—he believes in you. Try not to take that away from him."

I gave a dim nod, barely looking back to see him, and walked away.

Leaving the faculty building, I stared at the evening sky—thinking if staying here was the right decision. I just couldn't help but think that it was, it would be too much of a selfish move to just leave after I just had fun with my friends and Ozpin could be just screwing with me. I still don't know what to think knowing that he was aware of my insecurities and actual motives from the beginning. Maybe as long as he keeps his promise of keeping it a secret, it shouldn't be much of a problem, but I still cannot help but doubt myself.

Strolling around the Beacon courtyard, musing about what to do now that Ozpin knows, I decided to relax and just do the same thing I've always been doing. Ozpin evidently wanted me to stay, so there was no reason for him to expose me as a fraud, he even admits that he prefers this to stay that way.

I headed back to the dorms. Just when I thought I started to watch where I was going, I ended up colliding with a uniformed Haven student in the middle of the campus. "Oh, sorry, I didn't mean to bump into you." I apologized.

She turned around, revealing her green eyes. She was very short-short enough to make Ruby and Weiss look tall, and her black hair wore twin tails with white bows on each tail. She just stood there, eerily smiling at me without a single word—and I could only stare back, confused with her expression and lack of communication.

"Oh, Nico, there you are! We told you not to wander around alone." One of the two other Haven students approached her. The one who spoke was a dark-skinned girl whose hair is a light-green bob cut and had crimson red eyes, and the other was a boy with grey hair. "Look at who you just found." The former said as she looked at me.

I continued to stare speechlessly and just when I thought about apologizing for jolting into their teammate like a careless idiot, another one of them arrived. This one had long black hair and amber-colored eyes, having some sort of mature beauty despite presumably being around my age, and she spoke with a rather soothing voice. "Ah, yes, it looks like Nico has stumbled upon the partner of The Invincible Girl herself." She commented before speaking to me. "Jaune Arc, is it not?"

Just how many Haven students are going to recognize me from Pyrrha alone? I thought to myself. As if my reputation wasn't bad enough, I can definitely see how Pyrrha feels every time someone recognizes her. "That's me!" I said with a grin as I swung my arm with feigned enthusiasm. "Sorry for bumping into your friend here. I get lost in my own thoughts when walking sometimes."

"It's okay, I'm sure Nico here thinks so too. She's a sweet, if a very quiet girl, especially around strangers," she replied. For some reason, I could vaguely notice her emphasize on 'sweet', I wasn't exactly sure why but maybe it wasn't important and I was just overthinking again. "Where are my manners? My name is Cinder, and these are my teammates—Mercury, Emerald, and of course, Nico." She gestured at her, who silently waved at me.

"And we're Team Cinnamon!" the gray-haired boy named Mercury said with a grin. "Spelt C-M-E—Oww!" His gut was elbowed by Emerald before he was able to finish. [1]

"We heard some interesting things about you. Is it true that you were a local hero who killed a Vacuan bandit lord and Ursa who were both terrorizing a town?" Cinder asked.

"Well, I don't mean to brag, but I'll be lying if I said that wasn't me." I humbly answered like I did a thousand times before every time this, or just about anything involving me is brought up. "I was just doing it for the good people of that town. They didn't deserve to be attacked like that."

"Handsome, polite, strong, courageous, and modest. My, my, that's a very rare combination nowadays, it's no wonder why people talk a lot about you." Cinder remarked with interest. I could only blush as an admittedly gorgeous woman compliments me. When she was about to seductively put a hand on my cheek, my senses quivered and I grabbed her wrist out of pure reflex, causing her to frown and alert her companions.

I realized that I just made things awkward with my inappropriate reaction. "Sorry. My instincts are acting out." I let go of her arm, calming down her teammates behind her.

Cinder shook her arm. "Strong grip. I like it..." she said, smiling again at me. "We should be off. We were heading to our dorms when Nico wandered off. I'm glad that she did and now we were finally able to meet you face-to-face."

I continued to get flush as she stared at me with her alluring looks. "Well, it's nice to meet you too."

"Looking forward to seeing you in action, handsome." She bid me farewell, parting along with three of her teammates.

"Yeah, of course, and welcome to Beacon!" I said.

After watching them leave, I sighed and went back to my own dorm. That woman seemed to be interested in me, and while I am not sure where is going with that, I hope that my overreaction didn't turn her off.

Exchange students, a food fight, and a talk with the Great & Powerful Ozpin; meeting fangirls from Vacuo, Sun's friend with a 'cool dude' attitude that somehow manages to appeal to Weiss of all people, and this strange team. This semester just keeps getting interesting by the minute, and I'm not sure if that's a good or a bad thing.

=o=

1. The team name was created from an unfortunate result from the team name generator, and they were stuck with it. Needless to say none of them like it—preferring their unofficial name, Team CMSN (Crimson), although Mercury Black likes to tease his teammates about the name.