/==/ Chapter Four /==/

Jaune looked up and scowled. Taking the seat meant for Coco was none other than Sky Lark, one quarter of the asshat team known as CRDL.

"I do mind. I'm here with someone, so please leave." Jaune replied in as neutral a tone as she could muster. There was no sense in creating a scene, so she was going to remain polite and civil, even if she felt that Lark and his whole team needed a good old blanket dance to teach them a lesson.

"Oh, I know you came here with that other looker, but I figured I should try and sway your thoughts back to the proper way of things." Sky's smile was as unwelcome as his presence. "You know, getting back to playing for the right team."

"Not interested. Please leave." Jaune responded, working hard to keep the disgust out of her voice. As her parents always taught her. Always be civil, even if whoever you are dealing with isn't. It makes them the asshole, not you.

"Don't be that way, Babe." She so wanted to reach out and wipe Sky's leering smirk off his face, with a bat. "I can make your dreams a reality."

"What part of 'please leave' do you NOT understand?" Jaune asked through grit teeth.

"The part about why I would leave such a doll like you to be molested by a freak like her." Sky replied, with his ever present leer.

"Are you just that fucking stupid?" Jaune snapped, her voice growing in volume, to match her frayed temper. "I am NOT interested in ANYTHING a limp dicked bastard like you has to offer!"

"Listen," Sky started as he reached out and grabbed her by the wrist. "I'm going to overlook what you just said, and give you another…"

SMACK! The sound of flesh impacting flesh cut through the background din of the small shop. Several heads turned towards the noise, but no one moved.

"Fucking dyke bitch!" Sky snarled as he clenched his hand around her wrist, causing her to gasp at the sudden pain it caused. "I come here and grace your worthless ass with my presence, trying to save you from a wasted life, and this is HOW you repay me for my generosity?"

"Let go of me!" Jaune cried out, as she ineffectually tried to pull herself free from Sky's grip. "Let go! You're hurting me!"

"No, bitch, You're coming with me, and I'm going to show you your proper place." Sky hissed, as he began to stand, pulling her up with him. "And quit lying, I'm not doing anything to you that you don't deserve."

Jaune attempted to resist pulling backwards in an effort to free herself. All the while, panic was rising within her chest. Her mind was racing like her heart, as she began to wonder where Coco was, and question why no one was stepping in to help her.

"Let's get out of here, and to someplace more private." Sky spoke, his tone laced with anger and lechery, as he finally managed to yank the girl up from her chair.

"LET ME GO!" Jaune shrieked.

Sky released her, causing her to stumble and fall backwards, knocking over her chair as she landed on her ass. He in turn slowly started to back away. The white fire bleeding from her eyes, making him seriously question some of his most recent choices. The violent impact of a fist to the side of his head, throwing him sideways, confirmed that he had definitely made some serious mistakes. Barely regaining his footing, he attempted to turn about and see who struck him, only to take another brain addling blow to the side of his head.

"No means no, motherfucker!" growled Coco as she closed on the woozy first year huntsman-in-training. Coco was not the greatest at unarmed, but being teamed with Velvet, Yats and Fox did teach her a few things. A fist thrown with enough weight and force would do damage, even through aura. It might not leave a bruise, but causing someone's brain to bounce about inside their skull... did amazing things.

Sky took a couple more shots before collapsing. His eyes were dull and glassy. He never had a chance to mount a counter as Coco went all in. As angry as Coco was at Sky, she was even more so at herself. She hadn't realized Jaune needed help until she had heard the slap. She had left their order on the counter, in her haste to get to Jaune's side, but she hadn't paid attention to where Jaune had chosen to sit. Plus, there was the added detriment of having to shove, elbow and force her way past the gathered onlookers.

Turning her attention, from the now unconscious form of Sky Lark, Coco zeroed in on Jaune. What she saw made her even more concerned for Jaune's wellbeing.

Jaune was panicking. She could feel it welling up inside her, she could see the cascade of minute flames and miniature arcs of electricity dancing about her fingertips. This was bad, she was told not to let anyone see it. Never to reveal it. To always keep it hidden. To only let it out in the most dire of circumstances, and at that moment she felt as if she couldn't stop it.

Coco reached for Jaune, making note of the strange glow to her eyes, only to be ignored as Jaune scrambled to her own feet and started to back away. Coco could see she was hyperventilating. So with her hands in full view, she approached Jaune, who retreated from her, until her back was pressed up against the glass of the storefront window.

Jaune tried to fight her panic, while trying to suppress the surging energies inside her, and she knew she was failing. Images and memories of what happened to her in Ansel erupted in her mind. Her internal level of fear skyrocketed. She knew if she lost it here, it would be so much worse than it had been then. The people here wouldn't be able to escape. She would end up killing them all. Looking directly into Coco's concerned face, Jaune took a couple of shaking steps forward towards her.

Coco gave Jaune as reassuring a smile as she could manage. Coco was confused, angry and worried. Though, she pushed that all aside to focus on Jaune. Slowly, she reached out as Jaune took a couple of weaving steps towards her. Jaune gives her a weak smile before throwing herself bodily backwards with every ounce of strength she could muster.

"Jaune!" Coco yelled as she watched wide-eyed as the girl she had some growing affection for threw herself backwards. Coco winced, at the sound of Jaune's head cracking against the tempered glass of the window. Jaune's head bounced off the glass, leaving a spiderweb of cracks at the point of impact, and she crumpled in a heap.

"Jaune! Can you hear me? Jaune!" Coco yelled as she dropped to her knees and scrambled over to what she hoped was just a stunned young woman. Once she was at Jaune's side, Coco froze. She didn't know what she could do, or if she should do anything. So she did the only thing that came to her mind. "Call an ambulance!"

/=/

The rapid staccato of heels impacting with tiles had made Coco look up from her seat in the ER waiting room of Vale General. The sight of Professor Goodwitch looking flustered, and worried was a shock, but Coco nearly swallowed her tongue when the Professor spoke to the on duty receptionist.

"I was informed that my niece Jaune Arc was here receiving treatment. I want to see her, and the physician she is under the care of."

"Of course Ms Goodwitch, please sign the registrar, and I will let the Doctor who is treating her know you are here."

Coco would never admit it to anyone, even under pain of being forced to wear a polyester leisure suit, that she saw Professor Goodwitch's hands shaking as she signed the presented clipboard. Nor would she ever mention hearing the authoritarian combat professor say "Please let my baby be okay."

Coco stayed quiet, and tried to remain unnoticed as a Doctor she assumed was treating Jaune, approached Professor Goodwitch. Interestingly enough he was wearing a grey suit jacket instead of white coat that all other doctors wore and walked with a cane.

"Ms. Goodwitch, I'm Doctor House, the resident on duty. "

"Doctor House, how is Jaune?"

"She took a significant impact to the back of her head, and she is showing indications of having a concussion. So to be safe and through I wish to run a CT scan; which I need you to authorise as her listed guardian."

"Of course. When can I bring her home?"

"Maybe later tonight, after she has a chat with our resident Psychologist, and the VPD."

"The VPD? A Psychologist? Why?"

"From the information provided by the young lady who was with her, the injury is self-inflicted,and as per procedure, and hospital policy all self-injury cases are assessed." Doctor House paused as he confirmed something on the table in his hands. "As for the VPD, again from the information provided by Ms Adel, Ms Arc may have been subject to an attempted assault and in such cases it is policy and again procedure to notify the authorities. So the VPD will be arriving at some point to take statements from her, Ms Adel and another student who is also under our care."

"A second student? Who would that be?"

"I'm sorry I can not disclose that information without the patient's or their guardian's consent, but as a consolation I will inform you that they are in stable condition."

"Thank you Doctor." Glynda offered before asking, "When can I see her, or better yet have her released into my care?"

"Soon, we have prepared her for the CT and the Psychologist, Doctor Nemoy Spock has been paged and should be here shortly." Doctor House consulted his tablet again, "It shouldn't be more than a couple hours, but that also depends on the punctuality of the VPD."

"I see. Thank you."

"Don't worry Ms Goodwitch, we are giving your niece the best care available." Doctor House gave her a soft smile, making his age lined face seem a little grandfatherly. "The waiting area is just over there. You are welcome to stay, or we can notify you when everything is complete so you can return to pick her up."

"I'll stay. Thank you again." Doctor House just nodded, before moving away to treat and assess his other patients. Coco froze, her eyes wide as Professor Goodwitch focused her complete attention upon her. She wanted to flinch every time she heard the Professor's heels strike the tiled floor, and in seconds that felt like minutes she found herself looking up from her seat at a very displeased looking Glynda Goodwitch. "Explain, in detail, everything."

By the time Coco had related everything and gone through a cross examination by Professor Goodwitch, the VPD officers assigned to the cases had arrived and interviewed both Jaune and Sky, before escorting Coco away to get her statements. During that period she was alone with her thoughts, Glynda saw another doctor enter the treatment bay Jaune was in. She assumed it was Doctor Spock. She sighed knowing it was going to be still a couple of hours before she could take Jaune back to Beacon.

By the time Coco had returned, Glynda had a short and to the point conversation with Doctor Spock, who underlined his concerns and the need for Ms Arc to see a professional, offering his own services if Beacon did not have a qualified individual on staff to follow up with Ms Arc. After that meeting was done Professor Goodwitch had a chance to speak with the officer in charge of the investigations.

"These are serious allegations, and from our interviews we feel there is enough to present a case for the DA to pursue further action." A Detective Roger Murdoch informed her. "And considering the lack of action and cooperation VPD has received with two other cases concerning altercations centred around Beacon students we are not inclined to turn these incidents over to Beacon."

"I understand, would it help if I personally agree to follow up after your department finishes their investigations?" Glynda asked.

"That would be reasonable and would keep both these cases from cluttering the docket, but we would like to process both of them, properly and without interference."

"That would give both of them records."

"These are serious accusations. We have two assaults, one causing bodily harm, and an attempted kidnapping that has sexual overtones. While one of the cases is a clear case of defence of another we still have to process and investigate it fully."

"I see." Glynda sighed trying to come up with an acceptable compromise to the situation. "How about if you process and hold them in custody, until Beacon makes the official request for transfer to Beacon's custody?"

"That would be acceptable, but I have to clear it with the DA."

"I understand."

"Okay, I assume we have an agreement, and I'll personally inform you of the DA's decision." Deceptive Murdoch informed Professor Goodwitch as he presented her with his card, before noting down Glynda's official contact information. "We'll move forward with the processing, unless there is any further discussion to be had."

"There is not."

Detective Murdoch nodded and then pointed to a pair of officers standing a little distance away. Professor Goodwitch sighed and shook her head as she watched as Coco found her arms pulled behind her back and cuffed. Glynda felt it was a little overkill to do that to the poor girl, but she still said nothing as she watched the promising second year student being escorted away. She however did not see her other student being escorted out as moments after Coco's exit, she was allowed in to see Jaune and have one final conversation with Doctor House before Jaune's release.

/=/

The trip back to Beacon and their shared accommodations was made in complete silence. It was only after the pair was safely inside the apartment that Jaune and Glynda had a very chaotic and loud conversation that focused on Jaune's trip to Vale and Coco's arrest, all of which ended with a teary eyed Jaune locking herself in her room. Knowing the directions she had been given by the Doctor, Glynda couldn't allow that to stand, so using her semblance she popped the simple lock and entered to find Jaune curled up on top of her blankets, clutching her pillow.

"Jaune, I know you're upset, but it has to be this way."

"You're just trying to separate us." Jaune snapped without facing her Aunt. "I really like her, I want to get to know her, and you're forcing us apart."

"I am doing no such thing. I've always accepted your orientation, and I will not interfere if you do develop a relationship with Ms Adel, however she committed a potential crime, even if she was defending you, and she needs to go through due process to be charged or acquitted."

"That's rich, and a little two-faced." Jaune commented as she turned her head and fixed her Aunt with a scowl. "Considering."

"Considering what, Jaune?"

"Yang and Ruby." Jaune replied flatly.

"And why…"

"Everyone knows what Yang did before coming here. She's even bragged about it. Talked about how badass she was in giving a bunch of gangsters a beat down and Ruby is proud that her incident gave her early acceptance. Yet the girl I show interest in gets hauled off… and she…"

"Yang's situation is a mistake on Beacon's part, one that I'm seriously considering correcting. Ruby's is similar in scope to the situation that Coco is in. But both of those incidents and how Beacon handled them have contributed to what is happening to Ms Adel. Things will work out Jaune, I promise."

"Believe it when I see it." Jaune snorted, as she turned once again, presenting her back to her Aunt, before asking in a soft voice, "Can I be alone for a bit?"

"Of course sweetie." Glynda replied, "Call me if you start to feel any of those symptoms the Doctor mentioned."

"I will." Was Jaune's muffled response.

Glynda exited Jaune's room and pulled out her scroll. She had some calls to make, in particular to Doctor Peach and Headmaster Ozpin. She bit her lip, and took a calming breath. The conversations she had with the Doctor's had her worried, and she had yet to discuss the events with Jaune; but she had a distinct suspicion that her niece's desperate actions were a direct response to her maiden powers possibly manifesting against her will. Which if true, meant she needed to up the intensity of their training.

/=/

With nothing much else to do aside from sulk over what happened with Coco, their ruined coffee date, and her lost chance to get to know her better, Jaune decided to answer the messages on her scroll. Firstly were the ones from her team. She replied to each of them in turn and made sure to personalise her responses to their specific messages, adding she would be happy to see them again in a few days.

Then came the ones from her family, specifically her sisters Saphron and Violet. Though each had sent a message on a different day, they were both rather close in wording. Of course they wanted to know how she was doing, but both seemed also intent to know if she had made friends and if the rumours of the school being filled with hotties were true. Jaune knew they both had different detonations to that term, with Saphron's vision being the same as Jaune's. So with a weak smile on her face she replied to both of them. Giving them a quick and censored recap of her day. Seconds after hitting send, she received a chat request from Saphron.

(Jaune joined the chat)

Saph: So, IS she cute?

Jaune: Very 8)

Saph: Pics or she doesn't exist. 8P

Jaune: Can't. 8(

Saph: Why?

Jaune: Coffee date got interrupted by an asshat, and she… got in trouble for helping me get away from him.

Saph: Jaune, are you okay?

Jaune: No. I couldn't make him stop… he tried to… drag me away, and no one tried to stop him, no one would help me… except for her…

Saph: Oh sweetie, I'm so sorry… wish I could hug you right now.

Jaune: Wish you could too. 8(

Saph: What is Auntie doing about this?

Jaune: Nothing.

Saph: Nothing? Are you sure?

Jaune: She let them haul Coco off in cuffs. She was protecting me and now she's sitting in a cell… because I was too weak…

Saph: Jaune don't talk like that. You're not weak.

Jaune: I couldn't make him stop and she's in trouble because of me… I am weak.

Saph: Did you fight? Did you resist? Did you yell and scream?

Jaune: Yes, but he still dragged me from my chair… Coco knocked him out.

Saph: Then you're not weak. You resisted, you fought back… if you were weak you wouldn't have stood up for yourself like that.

Jaune: Still feels shitty… what if she blames me for this?

Saph: I know sweetie. I know. But you're safe now, and I would say if she was willing to step up like that to help you, she'll not be blaming you for what she chose to do. I promise.

Jaune: Are you positive?

Saph: I am as positive about that as I am about how cute Terra's ass is. 8)

Jaune: Well she DOES have a cute butt. 8P

Saph: Don't be perving on my wife missy! 8[

Jaune: LOL!

Saph: Just for that I'm TELLING mom you have a girlfriend! XP

Jaune: NOOOOOOO!

Saph: }8P

Jaune: Please don't! DX

Saph: Mwhahahahahaha

Jaune: Please? Pretty please?

Saph: Jaune, what's wrong, you know I'm only teasing, right?

Jaune: I hate you! 8[

(Jaune left the chat.)

Jaune's hands were actually shaking as she tossed her scroll onto her nightstand before rolling herself up in her blankets. She ignored the repeated message notification chimes, as she allowed herself to slide into a pit of self doubt and depreciation. Everything was so wrong, and messed up, and she felt like it was all her fault. It was all because of her, and without any other options she just started to cry. Hugging her pillow as if her life depended on it as tears rolled down her cheeks.