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To Thrive and be Victorious

CHAPTER 7

We took our scrolls back before leaving the club through the front door. Ren gave me back mine and I entered a code that launched my locker back to Beacon. Thank the machine spirit that the locker even came here, otherwise, we wouldn't have been able to do this ploy properly. And yes, I just praised a piece of technology's supposed spirit according to Ren and Nora's techno-religious dogma they were once part of. You can thank their contagious babbling and my dwindling sanity for that.

Cop cars were parked around the entrance of the club as their sirens remained active. Barricades were set up on the perimeter after ambulances and police transports arrived, taking in gangsters that were either dead, unconscious, or apprehended. A familiar dark-skinned man in a brown trench coat was waiting for us in the middle, it was the very same cop I expected to meet after any time I involved myself in a crime scene in the city. I kept my fingers crossed, hoping that this third strike wouldn't mean that I was out. Although he was lenient with me every time I had to talk with him, I was still aware that he meant business and that it was my job to expect the worst.

"Nice to meet you again, Mr. Arc," Detective Huntley greeted. "Still picking fights with the kingdom's biggest troublemakers even during the festival I see."

"And to you as well, Detective Huntley," I responded.

He turned to Sun and Neptune, who were slightly shivering at him. "Mind telling me what happened here?"

Sun gulped before he stepped in to explain, "We tried to confront the Triads concerning the drugs they were trafficking, and received help from Jaune Arc and brought his sisters to assist us. We're able to get the boss to spill the beans before threatening to have us drugged for knowing too much. And then this happened…"

Neptune followed. "We got our conversation recorded and also discovered other activities the gang has been hiding." Mainly thanks to that one idiot who wouldn't shut up. "It confirms everything concerning the Triads and I don't think they'll be able to carry on their activities after this."

"Well, that's one unorthodox way of solving it. This would have all been avoided if you simply just called for backup and informed us of the gang's lack of cooperation," The Detective pointed out, making the duo step back in shame before the detective continued, "But if there's any consolation, it would have costed more police resources to even get the same result as this. Property damage was inevitable and fellow officers could have risked their lives. We would still be doing a boatload of paperwork and endure the chief's temper either way. So I'm somewhat glad you didn't pick the obvious solution. I still do not fully condone your action, but I don't believe the alternative would have been better,"

The two exhaled out of relief. After all the work and planning we put in, it's gratifying to know that we'll at least won't get punished for this. If the drug problem in Vale was as serious as I was told, then the police really owed us this one.

He shifted his gaze toward mine. "And thank you for assisting these two, Mr. Arc. It appears that they have chosen the right person for assistance."

I guess this was the part where I played my modest hero routine again. "Just here to give a hand to those who need it, especially my friends," I responded in my most typical Jaune The Hero way possible without sounding arrogant. I could see Rouge trying to keep a straight face after hearing that as she was one of the only people there that knows what I actually thought about this.

The detective gave me a content look. "We appreciate the help. The police department could use more people like you."

"I'm open to the idea of joining the police force, sir," I said. If you think about it, being a police officer actually wouldn't be that comparatively bad. I know the job would be underwhelming for a Huntsman but that's the point. In case my heroic rep doesn't go away for some shit-flipping reason, I should consider becoming a cop, it's much easier wearing a uniform around Vale and catching people up to no good than going to the wilderness to face a major threat which I have experienced more than enough for someone who's still training in his first year.

"Then I look forward to you joining us," he said before turning to us all. "By the way, all of you still have to visit the precinct and discuss the chief in regards to this event. You still have a few things to clarify before we let you go. I'm sorry, but those are the rules."

Sun sighed, crossing his arms. "What else did we expect?"

"That includes you, Mr. Arc," He said before turning to Rose and Rouge. "And I assume you are his sisters?"

They both nodded. "Deputy Rose Arc. Pucelle County Sheriff Department," Rose flashed a badge on her vest.

"Rouge Arc, at your service," Rouge introduced herself. "I'm definitely still a certified official Huntress with absolutely no record of any misdemeanors."

Here she goes again. Although she looked like was still sober, that better not be the alcohol speaking out.

Rose glared at her in annoyance and stepped in before she could make things worse for all of us, "Ah know Ah'm outside the local jurisdiction as a deputy from the Gallics, sir, but as a Huntress, it was mah duty to protect the kingdoms from any potential threats. And we did just that, didn't we?"

"Fair enough," Detective Huntley nodded, "We can appreciate the assistance you have given us."

We saw a couple of armored officers dragging Junior toward a police transport. Junior noticed us as he turned his head toward me, blood was noticeably leaking from his forehead as he wore one of those collars that nullify the wearer's aura if they have one. "Damn you, kid! You ruined my club. I hope you die a slow and painful death, you blond swamp-dwelling son of a bitch!" He snarled at me.

"Your club looked as bad before this, we just gave it a little decoration." I retorted dryly as he was getting shoved into the back of the truck before the door slammed in front of him. Since this was the second time this happened from what I've heard, he should have seen it coming.

Another officer approached the detective, carrying what seems to be one of the drugs the Triads were hiding wrapped in packaging. "Sir, we have confirmation that the Triads were indeed trafficking illegal drugs in their club. We've identified most of them as obscura and frenzon,[1]" he reported before presenting one of them.

"Obsucra? I thought the kingdoms made sure the production of those things would be impossible, and just where the bloody blazes did they get the frenzon from?" Detective Huntley rubbed his chin. "This is more serious than I thought."

"Not only that, sir, but we also found this letter hidden along one of the stashes we found." The officer handed the piece of paper to Detective Huntley. His calm expression was almost broken upon reading it.

"What does it say?" Neptune asked before the detective turned the piece of paper and showed it to us.

Although it was short, the cursive handwriting on the letter took me an additional amount of time to read for me to understand what it was trying to convey, and that's not even mentioning the cryptic nature of the message.

'Here's your next supply as requested. Our wild friends need some motivators and some cold professionals could use some relaxation.

You know what to do from here on out. I don't care how you handle this. Just get the job done and be discreet. If you get caught, you are on your own. We do not know each other.

Remember, we're paying you good money so you could put your wretched club back to its former glory. If you do a good enough job, we might even provide you with an even better one.

Vale is going to have one hell of a time.

-Autumn'

There was a mark of red lipstick next to the sender's name, making it crystal clear that the writer of this message was a woman apart from its rather elegant handwriting. The implication that the letter revealed that someone has been sending the Triads drugs and have only been using them as seemingly expendable pawns was enough to raise some concerns. It appeared that this case was still far from solved, much to my dismay.

"Looks like this is not over yet. The Triads got their stock from an unknown supplier," Detective Huntley said.

"What do they mean by this?" Ren asked, "The message appears to be cryptic, the first paragraph in particular. And who is this 'Autumn' person?"

"We'll find out soon enough. For now, we're going to have to dismiss you after you're all debriefed. You have done more than enough." Detective Huntley said, putting the note in his coat's pocket. "Once again, good job. It may not be the ideal solution as it was possible to avoid a bloodbath but what's done is done. I'm afraid this might put us in a war with their bosses in the East, but as far as we're concerned, The Silverlock Street Gang will no longer be a problem from now on."

"You're welcome, sir. If you still need some help with a case, you can always count on us!" Neptune said proudly.

"Fuck the police, I hate 'em." A rap song suddenly played out of nowhere. "Shit, I'm gonna skate 'em." [2]

Everyone was wondering where that song was coming from before tracing it near Neptune who looked frozen while it played. "Oh, my bad."

"Gotta fucking have sex with their wives after I've given them knives." The ringtone continued to play until Neptune pressed the 'Accept Call' button.

"Hello," Neptune greeted the caller. "Oh, Scarlet. Don't worry we're done with our mission. We just need to go to the precinct to get debriefed and we'll be heading home," He told his teammate on the scroll, pausing afterward for a brief moment before it was his turn to talk again. "It's fine. See you."

"Interesting choice of a ringtone, Mr. Vasilias," Detective Huntley remarked.

"Yeah, it's a pretty nice song," Neptune said sheepishly before chuckling.

"Stay here. I'm going to take a look at the mess you caused. I'll return shortly and then I'll take you to the precinct," He said before walking away from us and going inside the club.

"That was so fucking fun," Rouge said as suddenly put her arms on Rose's shoulders and mine. "We showed 'em that crime doesn't pay, didn't we?"

That's not exactly true though. Just ask any politician. Many of them were able to reach retirement and get away with all their corruption.

"I hope you don't forget that lesson yourself," Rose looked at her with narrowed eyes.

Rouge giggled before turning back to me. "By the way, can you now tell me where you hid the scrapbook?"

"Still haven't found it? I'm doing a great job then," I sassed.

"Oh, you can't hide it forever, you twerp. I'd turn the house upside-down if I had to," she replied.

I looked at her with a smug impression. "I like to see you try. I was planning on living alone anyway. Good luck with Dad's wrath."

"It would be all worth it," I grinned.

Rose put on a smile and giggled. "We miss having you home, Jaune."

"Yeah. Me too," I said to them. Bantering with my sisters again months after in Beacon made me feel nostalgic, as well as a little homesick, but I was nonetheless satisfied with having them here with me.

We finally left Silverlock Street after the detective came back and took me and the boys for a ride in his car to the precinct without any further incident. Rose followed us with her bike along with Rouge. We were still a little tired from the party we just crashed so we took our time to unwind on the way there.

Looking back on all of this, this was so far the stupidest idea I ever thought of that somehow worked. Fortunately, I don't think the Triads would bother me after this. They pretty much got the message. My only problem was the supplier the triads were working with. Hopefully, they would take the hint and realize that I'm not worth it. I already crippled two organizations because they tried to kill me and I wasn't looking forward to doing it again. They should know that I wouldn't bother unless I'm forced to.

=o=

1. A name for a psychological control drug manufactured by an unknown Vacuan tribe that puts the user in a fanatical mental state. They were once treated as combat drugs by several militaries before becoming prohibited in all four kingdoms by the United Councils Committee. Like obscura, it hasn't stopped certain cults from possessing it and making them a part of their dogma.

2. The song was 'Fuck Tha Police' by the late infamous rapper, Yung Dab (real name: Maximilian Thoroughbred) featuring Alabaster Slim of the now-defunct Cop Killa Records.

We spent half an hour having our ears listen to the police chief while yelling at us at a volume where the soundwaves would be reaching above the precinct's roof (not that it made any difference to Rouge) over the stunt we pulled—and then praising us for our efforts, noting that the success in apprehending Triad operations made it worth it. The lack of civilian casualties and property damages outside the club had certainly helped. Besides, they plan to demolish the place after they are done investigating it anyway. Looks like Vale's underground is going to need to find another seizure-inducing dance club now that the Crimson Panda will be no more.

They dismissed us after Sun and Neptune turned in their badge and received their payment. Ren, my sisters, and I also received compensation for our assistance, which was nice even if it was only a third worth of the two's rewards, it was Sun and Neptune's mission after all.

They also told us if we're looking for work, we can always volunteer to assist the police. Yeah, they would have to wait for a while for that one. I will consider it however since I would rather stay close with the local police once I become a Huntsman.

They let us off pretty easy for all the trouble we caused, I know. Am I complaining? Of course not. Getting rid of us was the most sensible option and it might as well count as a reward for helping reduce the crime rates and we didn't need another week of community service to pay the debt of the damages while the tourney was ongoing.

After leaving the police station, Rose and Rouge bid us farewell at the Bullhead station. stating that we'll still see each other tomorrow as they would watch me during the doubles rounds along with the intermission with Noire and Blanche. The only thing I was praying for was that Rouge and Nora (and by extension, Yang) won't spend too much time with each other when they meet. Beacon will not last a week if those two ever hung out.

Before they left, Rouge approached me for something. "Hey, twerp. Here's a little gift from your big sister," she said as she handed me a vial of ice dust. "You could use some of this. It's not much, but it can save your life."

"A vial of ice dust?" I wondered. I wasn't expecting much, especially from her, but I couldn't just decline it because I was getting free stuff from my sister. I could use some dust for a rainy day anyway. "Uh, sure, thanks."

"No problem. If you liked it, you can buy more of it at your local dust shop. Each of them costs like five-hundred lien or something." She nodded before heading to sit on the back of Rose's motorcycle. "See you later, alligator!"

The two drove away, leaving a trail of smoke coming from the bike's engine. We took a cab to the Bullhead stations that would take us back to the academy.

When we arrived back at Beacon around eight in the evening. It was fairly early so the campus was still crowded but there were only a handful of people on the Bullhead's docking station nonetheless. There was still an hour left before the campus' fairground closed but after a long day, all we could think about was grabbing a bite and rest. Maybe even practice for a bit while there's still time and energy for us to spare.

"I'm going to head straight back to the dorms. The girls should be preparing dinner by now. I'll meet you there, " Ren told me. I nodded before he proceeded to the dorms.

Sun and Neptune also had something to say before they departed. "Hey, Jaune. We can't thank you enough back there. I know we owe you a lot but this is the only way we can repay you for now."

Sun then gave me what appeared to be a limited-edition calendar for the current year which was also a Mistrali exclusive. A rather trivial gift for all the trouble I went for them but I didn't really expect anything more. "You might like it a little too much." He winked, much to my confusion.

"There's more where that came from," Neptune added. "Thanks again. We couldn't have done it without you and your hot sisters."

He just had to say that, didn't he? "Don't mention it. I'm always here if you need me" Now I'm just encouraging him. I'm tempted to slap myself for that.

"Anyhow, we'll be off. See ya' tomorrow," Sun said. The two then went straight to the exchange student's dorm building.

I opened the calendar to see what was in it aside from the obvious. In hindsight, it was a good idea to check it out once I was alone because it turned out that it was a premium bikini calendar with pictures of girls from Mistral. Not only that, but one of them was also Pyrrha, posing on a beach wearing a red swimsuit with a smile on her face on the February calendar.

My nose almost bled upon realization. I guess that her contract with the family-friendly Pumpkin Pete didn't stop her from going into risqué photoshoots for her older fans to enjoy. I intended to keep this hidden, I wouldn't want my friends to get the wrong idea when they see this. I gotta thank those two sometime; to their credit, they have a good taste in calendars.

I proceeded to make my way through the campus. It didn't take long for me to find Weiss sitting on a bench, contemplating her scroll. Judging by the expression she bore, she appeared to be conflicted with something.

I decided to approach her to see how she was doing. "Hey there, Ice Queen." Not particularly an ideal way to call her when trying to stay on good terms but she didn't look like she was offended, a bit of a far cry from what I've known of her over these months. Did the cake and tea mellow her out? I asked myself.

"Oh," she put down her scroll as she looked at me. "Is there something you need?"

I shook my head. "Not really. I just wanted to see if you're alright. You look down there for a second."

"I'm fine. Thank you," she said with a smile that was too warm to be worn for someone as infamously cold as her even if she did become a lot warmer recently. "How was your day?"

"I just met my sisters, helped Sun and Neptune serve the community, and had a party at a club. It was nice," I answered, without going through much of the details. A lot just happened and I wasn't in a mood in explaining everything to her when all I wanted was to settle down.

"I see…" she said with a hint of skepticism but she thankfully didn't provide any further inquiries concerning it. "So care to talk for a minute?"

"Yeah, sure," I accepted. I wasn't in a hurry so I saw no reason not to.

"Alright then. Let's take this somewhere else. Follow me."

She took me to the gardens. The gardens looked no less beautiful at night. Though it was dark, the lampposts illuminated, providing light to the garden while it was under the dark blue night sky. In the middle of the garden, stood a pavilion. We seated at one of the tables inside it.

The pavilion was open to the air with a fountain placed at the center. There was no one else in the gardens save for the two of us, giving the place a peaceful ambiance. I remember this place since we had cake and tea together, it's been only a week since then.

"So what do you want to talk about?" I asked.

"Alright. Please answer this honestly," she said before asking, "How would you describe me?"

Even though it was an easy question, it still took me a few seconds to think before answering. It would have been easier if I were to be frank, but I had to tone it down a little to maintain the amicable atmosphere. "Smart. Pretty. Elegant." I began, with her getting pleased so far. "Kind of a snob." Her smile was inverted after hearing that part. "But a nice enough friend once you get to know her." And with that statement, she felt a little more satisfied.

I continued, "She's the heiress of one of the biggest companies in the world, who also makes a good Huntress. And from what I've seen, a great teammate as well despite her attitude at times. Why did you ask?"

She sighed, glancing at her side before returning to my gaze as she responded to my question. "I just wanted to check what's going on between us. We didn't exactly have the best first impressions, have we?"

My thoughts went back to our first day in this academy, recalling the time when she yelled at me for being too cozy with Pyrrha while not knowing who she was. Not to mention, my attempt at saving her life back when she was falling during the initiation the following day. I feel my arms hurt just by thinking of that. "Yeah, you don't have to remind me."

"I know I wasn't the nicest person then. I was cruel, arrogant, and full of myself. I wanted to apologize for that. To you; to Ruby; to Blake; and to everyone else I looked down on," she woefully stared down at the table below her. "You know, I came to Beacon because I had a legacy of honor to uphold, just like you, but that's not the whole story."

She met my eyes once again. "Ever since my grandfather passed away, the SDC was on the verge of declining. My father was able to save the company after taking over as CEO and as the head of the clan. But it cost the good name of our family through his questionable practices; he brought others down just so he could get to the top. And because of him, my family and the company were no longer held in high regard."

She looked at me regrettably and I could only stare back at her with genuine pity. "When I look at families such as yours, I feel envious of how they are so respected. I knew I had to do something. I didn't want my family to go down in history as villains. I wanted to restore their honor and show the world that the Schnees are so much better than how most of the world sees us. I thought that maybe as a Huntress, I could actually help people and bring back the once-esteemed image of my last name." She took a deep breath before finishing. "So I'm sorry again for the way I acted before, it certainly didn't help my image nor my family's."

I gave her a reassuring smile. Sure, she still has that haughty attitude that would have her infamous ice-themed nicknames be stuck with her for a while, but she didn't feel like the same conceited shrew I had the misfortune of meeting on the first day and she genuinely has become more affable over these months. If she keeps this up she would be able to succeed in her pursuit of wiping the stain off her family's name. "You don't have to worry about that anymore. You've come so far, Weiss. I'm sure you'll be able to get your family's honor back. I believe in you."

Her expression brightened. "Thank you, Jaune. I appreciate your support and understanding. I'm glad to know that I am truly bettering myself."

"Speaking of your family, how's your sister doing?" I asked.

"She just left. It turns out, she was only here to watch over some assets being transported to Vale. Aside from that, we conversed about our family and the state of the company. I also had some lessons learned from her."

I raised a brow in interest. "What kind of lessons?"

"Something about my semblance. I don't want to talk about it yet. I hope you can respect that." She answered, leaving me in the dark with whatever that was for now.

"Okay then. Whatever makes you comfortable," I uttered before moving on to another inquiry. "So, about you and Neptune…"

"He told you, didn't he?" She presumed, sounding more inquisitive than surprised. I admit that really wasn't a good question to ask after declaring my consideration for her comfort.

"Well, I asked him about it so it wasn't his fault."

She let out a brief sigh before she answered my question. "Yes. We did break up. At least he was honest about what he felt. I just wished he told me sooner."

"I'm sure he didn't mean any harm. Sure he can be unbearable at times, but at the end of the day, he's just a screw-up like the rest of us,"

"Figured as much. Maybe I acted a little too harsh on him. I'm just glad we got our closure. We were better off in a platonic relationship anyway," she stated after a deep breath. "Anyway, you seem to be following your family's legacy better than I do. I'm just curious about how you are able to do it."

Here come these types of questions; I was worried when she would start asking for them. Luckily, I had some half-truths prepared just in case. "I really don't know, but I can tell you that it's not as easy as it looks. Trying to save a family's legacy is one thing but trying to be worthy of something as great as my ancestors is a hard act to follow. I'd have the Gods to thank that I'm doing well so far," I answered without making a technical lie so far.

"I see," she said before bringing up another question, and it was something I did not anticipate. "Now answer me this; do you really see yourself as a hero? Or are you doing this because it is your obligation as a member of your family?"

That question shocked me. The way she suddenly brought it up made my heart race as I tried to uphold my composure while hastily finding an answer, which proved to be difficult to an extent when under pressure. I thought of what the public's perception of myself would answer. And let's just say I tried. "W-well… A lot of people like to see me that way, and that's fine. But I just like to see myself as some guy doing my best to become a Huntsman, like doing what our duty tells us what to do while also doing the right thing. It's why people see us as heroes."

She nodded, but even then, she remained skeptical, shown by her sharp, narrowed eyes despite doing my very best to make the claim as convincing as I could, "That's respectable. But something doesn't add up. I know that there's something you're not telling me. Come on now, Jaune. I already told you why I'm here, so please be honest with me."

Her suspicions made my internal panicking even worse and I didn't know what else to do aside from continuing in acting innocently stupid. Maybe I shouldn't have approached her when I saw her alone at a bench. "W-what are you talking about? How am I not being honest?"

My attempt was done in vain as she managed to see through it. "Jaune, I can tell that you're playing dumb. You can't trick me like that anymore. I already know how you actually act like when you're being yourself; you don't need to play that lovable idiot routine. It's not like you have anything to hide now. Do you?"

Her words felt like she hammered the last nail in the coffin. There was no point in playing charades with her anymore. If you have been reading my memoirs for a while now, then chances are, you already know that my amiable exterior was just a front to maintain a good relationship with my schoolmates, but I was becoming more comfortable with their company that I couldn't tell if I'm still lying when I give them a friendly face anymore. She already knew that I wasn't exactly the wide-eyed goody-two-shoes everybody knew and loved. On the bright side, she's still unaware of the fact that I was too self-absorbed to do anything sincerely heroic and most of the time, I've only done them to escape something.

The best way to get out of this was to keep giving her half-truths while being more convincing. I didn't necessarily have to tell her my more surreptitious secrets to be satisfied. "It's just that—I'm actually kind of scared."

Her eyebrows rose in surprise. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"I wanted to be a hero," I explained. Emphasis on 'wanted', by the way. "I'm trying my best to be one so I could be like my ancestors before me. When people think of heroes. They think of someone humble and brave. And I have been trying to enforce that image ever since then because I might not live up to my family's name."

"But why?" she asked, looking convinced so far. Good, I thought. Keep this up, and I'll be able to sway her away from this topic. She already knows too much.

"It's because either you fulfill your legacy or you're nothing but a disappointment, and I was afraid that I might not live up to it. So I'm trying to live the image of an ideal hero as possible, and I started by acting as idealistic as I could. I guess you could say I'm trying too hard then."

"In other words, you're just a screw-up like the rest of us," she remarked, echoing my words about a minute ago.

"Pretty much. I just hope you understand," I said. It was one of the least of my problems, so it wasn't a big deal but thank goodness it was no longer a problem. For a second there, I thought she might be able to find out my actual motivations. If there was anyone who might start unwanted rumors, it was her. [1]

"Look, Jaune, whatever your motivation is, you have done a lot to earn everyone's respect here. I'm sure your family would be proud of you. I wish my father would say the same for me."

Except I didn't earn anything. Everyone just foolishly heralded me because they thought I was being heroic, not knowing what my ulterior motives were. In any case, I wish her the best with her family. Being spoiled by doting parents myself, I can't imagine being raised by a self-centered ingrate. "I hope you get what you deserve, Weiss. You've done a lot since I first met you."

"I appreciate that." She went back smiling at me. "Just remember that sooner or later, you have to tell everyone what you feel. You can't hide it forever. But you're not a bad person, Jaune; you don't have to act all that idealistic because you're already as good as you truly are, so why even hide it? They'll understand."

You don't know half of it, I mumbled. I'll just stick with my plan of letting them adjust to my more sardonic nature. That way, they wouldn't be surprised to learn how cynical I was despite my idealized image and I don't have to expose myself as a cowardly, selfish fraud.

"Is there still something bothering you?" She queried.

She was still noticing my apprehensions, and I knew I had to act quickly. I looked back up and met her gaze again. "Oh sorry. You know how it is. Sharing one of your secrets to someone and all that."

"Oh, okay," she remarked. Well, that's a relief. "I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable. It's just that you didn't have the most consistent personality as far as I could tell. It felt like I met a different person when you dropped the lovable idiot act."

Yeah, I was worried that someone would notice. "I was only in a bad mood then," I argued.

"You sounded pretty normal. Don't worry, I'm going to keep this conversation between us. I trust that you'll do the same for me?"

"Hey, you're respecting my secrets; I'd have to be very despicable not to do the same," I grinned.

"Good to hear." She said before pushing her chair back and standing up. "I think this is enough. Thank you for taking the time to talk to me and hearing me out. It was nice."

"You're welcome, Weiss. If you need something to talk about, just let me know," I said, standing up from my seat as well.

We walked out of the pavilion and were about to go our separate paths before calling me again. "Oh and Jaune." I turned back to hear what she has to say, "Best of luck for tomorrow,"

"You too," I smiled at her.

She smiled back at me before turning back and going to her own path. I was happy that I'm able to have a friendly conversation with Weiss again. It shows how far we went since our initial meeting.

But I couldn't help but feel reprehensible for not being completely transparent with her. She opened up to me on a personal level and I repaid her by continuing to exploit her limited awareness of the truth about me, just so I could guarantee the safety of my well-being. That's not something a good friend would do, would they? Maybe we shouldn't have been friends to begin with; that way, I wouldn't have to lie to her like that after she gave me her trust. This is why I didn't want to get too close to the people I call my 'friends', but sometimes I have no other option but to do what I had to do, for the sake of myself, my family, and everyone I have deceived.

I shook my head and went back to concentrating on returning to the dorms while saving my worries for the match on the following day. Whatever I just did cannot be undone for now, no matter how wrong it was.

As I arrived at my dorm, Ren was already fast asleep on his bed. I promptly took my dinner before taking a shower and then going to bed. I guessed I was either going to sleep immediately because I was very tired and a lot happened today or I'm going to end up thinking about the events that unfolded until they eventually leave me alone and let me drift into slumber. Regardless, I was going to bed earlier than usual, and even if I wouldn't be able to sleep after lying in bed for a few hours, I wasn't letting my insomnia ruin my performance for the following day. So even if I sleep in and wake up late, I would still have some time before the second round starts

=o=

1. Just another example of Jaune's usual paranoia. He underestimated my ability to keep secrets, especially for those who deserved to have their secrets respected.