Jaune felt like he was on a whirlwind of emotions.

He was excited that his transcripts, albeit fake, were accepted and that he was on his way to achieving his dream. He felt anxious, unsure how to explain his lack of aura to the teachers should they ask. But most of all, he felt sick to his stomach from the air shuttle ride.

Of course Jaune had to have forgotten to buy more air sickness pills. It was taking every ounce of will to keep his stomach together and his mind off the sway of the air shuttle. Why did it have to be by air? Why was there no bus? Roads worked fine. Sure there might be Grimm around, but wasn't the point of coming to the academy to learn how to fight them?

On the bright side, the shuttle was almost there. He could see the dock now. So long as he stayed still and nothing happened, he would be fine.

The whole ship jolted as it made contact with the dock, starting an extremely short countdown on Jaune's stomach. Luckily, there was a trashcan near the exit.

Urp! BLEERRGH!

"Oh god! Gross!"

"Wow, that's a lot of upchuck."

"How did this guy get into Beacon?"

Guess he should add a double order of embarrassment to the pile now. So much for first impressions.

It took a bit longer than Jaune would care to admit to get onto solid ground, but having a vacated stomach helped quell his remaining nausea. At least most of the other students had already gone ahead, so no more embarrassment to deal with either

Leaving his bag with the baggage handlers, Jaune strolled down the walkway towards Beacon, taking in the majesty of the school. It was bigger than he expected. Fancier too. Pictures on the internet didn't really do it justice. People said that a lot of great Huntsmen and Huntresses came out of Beacon, and the school certainly exuded an aura of heroic legacies. It was even built like a castle, and if Jaune could help it, it would be where he would be knighted. Just like the King Arthur stories Renown used to tell him.

Boom!

Jaune's eyes snapped forward to see a group of girls arguing. A girl in red, a girl in white, and a girl in black. No one looked hurt, but words were certainly being thrown around and the white one's temper was flaring. From the looks of it, she was accusing the other two of rummaging through her bags. School hadn't even started and here was a problem he was familiar with.

But before he could step in and save the day, both the girl in white and the girl in black walked off in opposite directions, leaving the red one to sulk on the ground. Well, one out of three wasn't bad. He jogged up to the red hooded girl and held out a hand to help her up.

"Hi. I'm Jaune."

The girl sat up and smiled with appreciation. "Ruby," she said as she took his hand. Upon standing up, her eyes flashed with recognition and she snickered. "Aren't you the guy that threw up on the ship?"

Jaune grimaced. "I don't do well with flying, alright? Would it be too much to ask for you to forget that?"

"I dunno, Vomit Boy. You kinda threw up a lot. Did you eat breakfast before getting on?"

"Oh yeah? Did you eat something explosive a minute ago, Crater Face?"

"Hey, that was not my fault!" Ruby jabbed a finger at him. "That princess- heiress- whatever she was, she was shaking her Dust in my face. I couldn't help sneezing! How was I supposed to know that Dust could be triggered by that?"

"Seriously?" Jaune stifled a chuckle. "How about we call it even between us and not talk about this again?"

Ruby gave an embarrassed smile. "Deal."

The two of them strolled down the walkway towards the school. Ruby seemed to know where she was going, so he followed her lead. In the meantime, Jaune figured it'd be best to strike up a conversation. She was going to be his future classmate after all.

'But what do I talk about with a cute girl?' His eyes stole glances at Ruby a few times until he picked up something. "So-"

"So-" Ruby started with him, but startled upon hearing the echo. "Oh! Sorry! You go first."

Jaune waved a hand."You're fine. I was kinda going to ask a dumb question. Ladies first."

"Nope! I was gonna ask something dumb too. You first."

They went back and forth for a bit until Jaune brought up using Rock Paper Scissors, the loser getting to ask their dumb question first. Best two out of three. Much to Jaune's surprise, he lost. Ruby was really quick on the draw.

"Crap. Okay, dumb question here, but how old are you?"

"Fifteen."

"Really? I thought you had to at least be seventeen to attend Beacon."

Ruby glanced aside. "Well, I might have gotten in a couple years early by stopping a Dust robbery. I guess it impressed the Headmaster enough to let me in."

"What'd you do? Use puppy dog eyes and ask politely?" Jaune asked jokingly.

"Nope! I used this." Ruby reached behind her, and from a red, unassuming box, she unfolded it into a massive scythe as big as her. "Say hello to Crescent Rose, my precious war scythe slash high impact, high velocity, customizable sniper rifle. Built this baby back at Signal. Which brings me to my dumb question: I got this, what's your weapon?"

To say that Jaune had feelings of inadequacy would be an understatement. "I got a sword. And a scabbard that turns into a shield. Didn't really make mine so much as it was a family heirloom. Supposed to be from some Duke that lived during the Great War." That much was true at least. He still wasn't sure what to make of the vampire he encountered, and since said vampire hadn't shown up yet to reclaim the weapon, Jaune wondered if he imagined it. He tried to put on a confident smile, but his eyes kept jumping back to the massive weapon.

Ruby must've picked up on his distress, because her expression turned to shock. "Oh jeez, I did it again. Ah, I'm so dumb! Sorry, I get really excited about weapons and I love to show mine off a bit and I forget not everyone's weapon is as flashy as mine. Swords are still cool though! They're classics, even if they don't have mechashift functions."

"It's fine, Ruby. It was really my only option since most Huntsmen don't use heavy artillery."

Ruby looked bemused for a second, but it was brushed away with a smile. "Well, if you ever need any help with weapon repairs or upgrades, then let me know so I can hook you up."

"You don't have to- wait, repairs? Can you fix a broken sword?"

"I could do it blindfolded. Why?"

Jaune hesitated for a moment. He would need to choose his words carefully. "This sword isn't my actual sword. My sword just happened to break right before I had to leave home so I'm borrowing this one from my family until I can get mine fixed. Can you help fix it?"

"Sure. I can take a look at it before dinner."

Jaune smothered a sigh of relief. "Thanks. So glad I ran into you."

Ruby smiled. "No problem! Could you help me with a problem right now?"

"Of course. Anything."

"Are you sure the auditorium is this way?"

Jaune stopped walking and took in his surroundings for the first time. They had wandered around to some garden area with a pond nearby. Wherever they were, it was nowhere near their destination. "I don't know. I was following you."

"I was following you!"

By some miracle, Jaune and Ruby had made it to the auditorium just as one of the teachers started talking. Ruby's eyes had caught someone in the crowd and she slipped off with a quick promise to meet up again later. That suited Jaune just fine. He was more than happy to be in the back out of sight of the people that saw him throw up.

Yep. If he could just slide a bit backwards to the side of the door he could get a good view and-

"Ah!"

"Oh! I'm sorry!"

Jaune whipped around with an apology already rolling off his tongue to the person he bumped into. A second apology was chambered in quickly after noticing her head was higher than he expected it to be. Experience and etiquette taught him that staring at a girl's cleavage tended to result in pain. At least her red hair and green eyes were nice enough to focus on.

"It's fine, I should have watched where I was going," Jaune said. "Just trying to find a place back here."

"It's alright. I can let you have this spot if you'd like," the girl said politely.

"No, you were here first." Jaune's eyes quickly scanned the walls along the room, but there were no open spots nearby. "I don't suppose there's room for one more?"

The girl smiled and took a half step to the side. Jaune quickly thanked her and scooted in. Not a moment too soon as a man in a green suit walked on stage. He looked important. Was he in charge of the place? Jaune tried to recall the name. Ozzy? Ozbourne? Ozma? It started with 'Oz' he knew.

As the man began to speak, the girl beside him whispered, "I'm Pyrrha."

Jaune spared a glance at her. "Name's Jaune."

"Nikos. Pyrrha Nikos."

"Um, Arc? Jaune Arc." Was she into Atlesian spy movies? Jaune noticed the bemused expression on her face. "What? Is there something on my face?"

"No. It's just… not the reaction I usually get."

"Really?" Jaune's eyes scanned over her face, but he couldn't remember ever seeing her before. "What, are you a famous actress or something?"

The corners of her lips quirked up. "No. Try again."

"Painter?"

"Afraid not."

"Writer?"

"Sorry."

"Uhh…" Jaune's eyes trailed over her armor. "Huntress Fashion Model?"

Pyrrha's smirk had grown into a small, polite smile. "...Sure. I've done that."

First aura, now minor celebrities, how many other things had Jaune missed out on? "Weird. Pretty sure I would have seen you in one of my sister's magazines." A look back at the stage and Jaune could see the man was still talking, but his eyes were looking his way. Crap, could he hear their whispering? Actually, he could see a few other people glaring at him as well so maybe he was a bit loud. He gestured as much to Pyrrha.

Thankfully the speech didn't last much longer and after the blonde teacher gave them a brief schedule, they were dismissed out the side doors to lunch. However, the doors were on the other side of the room and the crowd was slowly filtering through.

"Guess there's no sense in rushing in," Jaune commented.

"I ate before arriving as well," Pyrrha said.

"I had a pretty big breakfast so I can hold out." A rumble bellowed out from Jaune's stomach. Traitor. "Please ignore that."

Pyrrha gave him a knowing look, but didn't say anything. "Let's find another way to the cafeteria."

"Okay, but I kinda got lost getting here so I hope you know where we're going."

While everyone was focused on the side exit, the two of them backed out through the front. Between the two of them, they had figured to go around the building and find another entrance on the other side of the cafeteria. A solid plan, if they could find an unlocked door.

Jaune's stomach grumbled even louder as they stared at the fourth locked door they found. "I don't suppose you have one of those hairpins we can use to unlock the doors, do you?"

"I'm pretty sure that's just a movie cliche." Despite the repeated failures, Pyrrha still stuck with him. She seemed to be having fun, much to Jaune's surprise.

"Tell that to my sisters." Jaune's stomach grumbled again and a desperate idea came to mind. Quickly looking around first, he drew his sword.

"Jaune?"

"I didn't want to do this, but my stomach beckons." Jaune lined up the blade against the door jamb. "If I can get my sword in, I might be able to cut the bolt."

"Or you could return to the main hall that's now empty," a new voice politely, but sternly, suggested.

The sword rattled against the door as Jaune spun around, choking back a yelp. It was the Oz guy from before, and he was staring at them with an amused smile before sipping from his mug. "Uhh… I can explain?"

"Usually when a boy and girl sneak off," he said, slowly approaching, "I find them hiding in closets in more compromising positions, and certainly not happening this soon in the year."

"W-we were just trying to get around the crowd, Mr. Ozpin," Pyrrha said, her face flushed red.

"Yeah!" Jaune added, fighting his own blush. Pyrrha was certainly pretty, but come on, she was a supermodel! There's no way Jaune would get that lucky.

"Then might I suggest waiting in line? It'd be a shame to add property damage to your record after you both worked so hard to get into Beacon."

Jaune forced a grin. "Don't worry. I didn't cut the door." He banged a fist against the door to prove his point, but the second bang found far less resistance. Jaune's head turned to the tune of the door's single squeaky hinge as he looked at the sliced deadbolt with horror. He turned back to see Ozpin's impassive face. "Please don't kick me out."

"I'll forgive it this once if you two immediately head for lunch using the proper directions. I've been meaning to get these doors replaced."

"Thank you very much!" Jaune belted out as he grabbed Pyrrha's arm and led her away.

"Oh, and one more thing, Mr. Arc," Ozpin called after him.

"Yes, sir?"

"Keep in mind that tardiness is not a habit a huntsman should make. " Ozpin gave a knowing, pointed look that sent chills down Jaune's back.

Jaune couldn't help but fret over what he meant over lunch.

Yang couldn't help but feel a little hypocritical as she followed Ruby. She'd left Ruby behind so that she could make her own friends, and Ruby did make one. It was a friend that got Ruby all excited to meet them again and Yang was happy for her, until Ruby mentioned it was a boy.

Ruby had no interest in guys as far as Yang knew, but her eyes sparkled at the mention of him. At first, Yang figured he was going to show off his weapon to her, that would certainly catch Ruby's eye. But a shadow of doubt wormed its way in. Yang might have taught her a lot about guys, but Ruby didn't exactly have the street smarts or experience she did.

Being the responsible sibling sucked sometimes, but better her scare the guy off now than Dad finding out later.

Yang slipped into the locker room a bit after Ruby, taking care to shut the door slowly. She could hear Ruby's voice a few rows over and made her way to one end, pressing herself against the locker.

"Can I see it?" Ruby asked.

"Sure," the guy said, "Let me just whip it out." A zipper unzipped, some cloth rustled, and Yang's heart stopped for a second. There's no way he was- Ruby was still fifteen!

"Whoa, it's bigger than I expected." Yang's heart leapt into her throat now.

"Really? I thought it was pretty average length." It would be nothing in a few seconds.

"Can I touch it?" Yang's patience snapped.

"Don't you dare touch my sister, you creep!" Yang snarled as she jumped from her hiding place, semblance ablaze. There would be nothing left of the guy for letting Ruby touch his…. sword?

Now that she had a better look, the only thing unzipped was a duffle bag, and Ruby's hand was stretched out towards the sword (or what was left of one) in the boy's hands. Whoops.

"Yang!" Ruby cried, snapping Yang out of her confusion. "What are you doing?"

Yang smothered her semblance and plastered a grin on her face. "Hey Ruby, fancy running into you here."

"Yaaaaang," Ruby growled out, her expression about as amused as a pit bull.

"What?" Yang tossed her hands up. "You said you were meeting a guy you just met. I was just looking out for you!"

"I'm fifteen, not five!"

"It's alright, Ruby," the guy said, now calmed down. "I don't think I'd be okay if any of my sisters were alone with a guy I don't know." He put a hand out. "Jaune Arc."

Alright, this guy had won some points in Yang's book. "Yang Xiao-Long," she said as she took his hand in a bone-crushing grip. Surprisingly, Jaune didn't flinch at the pressure. Not only that, Yang noticed he had a strong grip as well. She added a few more points, but he could stand to look a bit less dorky though.

"Ruby was helping me fix my sword. Sorry about the confusion."

Yang just shrugged. "No biggie. But shouldn't you have gotten that done before coming here?"

"Last minute accident." Jaune smiled in that 'what can you do' way. "I got a backup sword I'm borrowing."

"Well you certainly found the right girl for the job." Yang turned to her sister, who was inspecting the blade, and put on a mock serious face. "Give it to us straight, doctor. Will it ever be able to stab again?"

Instead of a retort, Ruby ignored Yang and scrunched her face further into confusion. She flipped the blade around, tapped it, and all sorts of things while muttering to herself. Ruby was in her element, and Yang knew it was hard to drag her out of it. After a few minutes of what seemed to be utter confusion for the little weapon nut, Ruby looked to Jaune with bewilderment.

"Please don't take this the wrong way, but where did you get this piece of junk?"

"Nice bedside manner, Rubes," Yang commented as she watched Jaune.

Jaune was gobsmacked by the blunt question. It took him a long moment to process a reply. "It was a family heirloom! My mom gave it to me. She said it had been through the Great War."

Ruby winced with each word. "It's not. This… thing is nothing more than a piece of sharpened stock metal. It doesn't look more than a decade old either."

"What?" Jaune wheezed like he had been sucker punched in the gut.

"If anything, it's pretty much just a sharpened training sword to prepare for an actual sword. The balance was way off, the thickness is too much, and don't get me started on the forging! How did you not notice?"

"I… It was the only sword I ever used." His knees started to wobble a bit from the shock. "I've been training with a fake?"

"There's one more thing I noticed," Ruby said, looking at the broken end, "and I'm not sure what to make of this. Jaune, how did you break this?"

"Would you believe me if I said I swung it really hard?" Jaune said with a wry grin.

"Oh I believe you, but these pieces tell me that was only part of what did it."

Jaune's expression turned into utter bafflement. "What?"

Ruby held out the blade and pointed at the base of it. "The tang near the crossguard was shaved away, enough that a good blow would break it off."

"Wait," Yang said, "So you're saying not only was he working with a crap sword, but someone sabotaged it before he showed up? That doesn't make any sense."

"Exactly!" Ruby exclaimed. "How could anyone live with themselves for such shoddy workmanship? If I ever find the person who made this, I'm going to give them a heck of a talking to!"

"Ruby, I don't think that's the problem here." Yang tried not to roll her eyes. Really, her sister could get caught up in the smallest details of weapons.

"This is a crime against weaponkind!"

BANG!

Ruby and Yang jumped at the sound and saw that it was Jaune, his armored glove pressed hard against the locker, his eyes downcast, and his chest heaving slow and steady breaths. When he spoke, his voice was a bit hoarse, but controlled, "I'm such an idiot."

"What's wrong?" Ruby asked.

"It's just…" Jaune grimaced a bit before continuing. "My mom didn't like the idea of me coming here. She was always a little overprotective of me, wanting me to stay home. Now I'm starting to see how far she was willing to go to stop me."

Yang balked at that. Being a huntsman wasn't exactly a walk in the park, if Uncle Qrow's stories were anything to go by, and certainly far from safe out in the frontier. But wasn't that his decision to make? Were there actually mothers like that? Yang wasn't sure, as her own experience with moms was fleeting at best. But if Summer was still around, Yang was sure she'd be proud of them for becoming huntresses. Awesome kickass huntresses, that is.

"So what?" Yang spoke up, getting his attention. "You're here and she isn't. All you have to do is pass the initiation tomorrow and your mom can't say a word about it."

"Yeah," Ruby chimed in. "And so what if you're not using this junk?" She tossed the scrap metal over her shoulder. "You've got an even cooler sword that I know for a fact is well made! Even if it's a bit different than your old training sword, and it's not yours." Her eyes lit up and she gasped. "Jaune! If you get in, I can help you make a new sword!"

Jaune blinked in surprise. "Really?"

"Yep!"

"Well, thanks, but I don't have enough money to pay-"

"Nope! I'm doing it because I want to. Every Huntsman needs a weapon and I want to make sure you have the perfect one."

"I.. don't know what to say."

"Just say 'thanks' and be ready to have cookies on hand," Yang said.

Jaune chuckled. "Okay, that much I can do. Thanks, Ruby."

Sheffield scanned the club room with thinly veiled disgust. The music (using the term very loosely) pounded against her ears with wild abandon, screeching and banging with electric vibrations. She could smell the alcohol and sweat, mixing like a horrid perfume, each scent vying for dominance. But perhaps the worst thing to assault her eyes was the dancing. So messy, so uncoordinated, and so crass.

And here she thought Junior had some taste.

"This is where your contact is?" Newcastle asked. "I thought you said he had class?" She had insisted on coming along when they arrived in the seedier parts of Vale. Not that it wasn't appreciated, but Sheffield was sure she could have handled it on her own. Better her than one of the others, at least.

"I thought so too. Perhaps when we're done with this, I may return to give him some remedial lessons." She could stand to blow off a bit of steam right now for all the trouble Jaune was putting her through, but a maid must have patience.

Sheffield found her quarry sitting at the bar, talking to two young girls in red and white. Sheffield's eyes narrowed at that. They had better not be what she thought they were or she would have more than words with Junior after their business was done.

She led Newcastle down the stairs and meandered around the club floor towards the bar. It was pitifully easy to approach undetected. Most of the club people were far too busy dancing or drinking to notice them, and the rental goons seemed more concerned about troublesome drunks than a maid passing by. By the time any of them paid her mind, she was already at Junior's back. The two girls he was speaking to had left shortly before her final approach, so she and Newcastle took the unoccupied seats.

"Is this what amounts to a crime lord in Vale? I'm disappointed, Junior."

Junior turned around with an angry retort on his lips and a drink in hand, but whatever he was about to say died when he laid his eyes on her. "S-Sheffield? What?"

Sheffield pressed her advance while he was still confused. "I believe you said you were going to become a classic crime lord, hosting drinking and gambling clubs like the ones in those spy movies." She slightly raised an eyebrow. "You also said you owe me a few favors and a drink. I've come to collect on one of those favors. Perhaps a drink too if you have a decent selection."

It took Junior a moment to regain his composure, but he set aside the glass behind the counter and said, "Let's talk in my office."

He led the two of them out of the main room towards a side door. Before the door closed, Sheffield noticed that the red and white girls had followed them in as if they belonged there, and then closed the distance so that they were following behind them. Sheffield could see clearer now that the red and white girls were not ladies of the night like she had thought, but bodyguards by their weapons. Bouncers at worst. They eyed her up like she was doing to them, appraising for weapons and skill. But there was something about them that screamed of old familiarity despite having never met them before. Was it the white one's boots? They weren't unlike her own.

The office Junior led them into was modern, which was to say just a bit above spartan. There was a desk in the back, near a false window of Vale's skyline (the building was not that high). There were a few file cabinets off to one corner, likely the legal work for the building, and a number of paintings lining the wall for decoration. The center of the room had a coffee table flanked by two black, leather couches on either side. Nearby was a minibar for entertaining guests. Unfortunately, none of the shelves Sheffield could see had a strong stout, nor a decent gin.

Junior gestured for the maids to take a seat as he went to pour some drinks. They did and the twins sat opposite them, eyeing the maids with guarded curiosity. Sheffield watched as he pulled out a fresh bottle of something and poured out into three cups, and then grabbed two sodas.

Sheffield's eye caught the label of the bottle. "I thought you were going to save that bottle?"

Junior shrugged. "Yeah, well, I can't exactly fulfill that promise now so no sense in keeping it closed. Kept it in case you'd show up again to kick my ass for it." He tossed the sodas to the girls, who caught and cracked them open, and then brought over the drinks, handing them to the maids before sitting opposite them between the twins.

"More's the pity," Sheffield said before taking a sip. The burning taste of berries felt warm in her core. "I'm afraid I have to ask first, but who are these two vixens you picked up?" She pointed at the twins.

"Vixens," the red one purred. "Ooh, I like the sound of that. Vixens." She rolled the word around her tongue like a piece of candy, exploring the flavor it held.

"I'm pretty sure that's just a fancy word for skank, sis," the white one said.

"Well then it fits you to a tee, doesn't it?" The red one giggled as her sister smacked her leg.

Junior grimaced and then knocked back his drink. "These two brats are half the reason I haven't made good on that promise. Sheffield, meet my daughters, Miltia and Melanie Malachite."

Sheffield was glad she wasn't drinking when he said that, but the same could not be said for Newcastle, who sputtered just as she took a sip. While Newcastle tried to clear her throat, Sheffield's eyes went on the prowl. Ring finger. No wedding band. Not even a tan to hint one so no divorce either. They didn't even carry his last name either. And knowing Junior...

"I believe I had made it clear that you shouldn't mix business and pleasure too much," Sheffield lectured. "Dare I ask how many other lessons you've forgotten?"

Junior winced. "I'd rather you not."

Deep breaths. Really, this one was on her for not keeping in contact so often, but Carolina just had to keep going and have more kids with her husband, increasing Sheffield's duties at home. Sheffield supposed the silver lining was that one of those kids at least got her out of the house to check up on her contact.

"Uh-oh, Dad's in trouble~!" Miltia said teasingly, poking Junior in the side.

"Please, Mil," Melanie said, "Dad's already whipped. What more can some maid do? Wash his mouth with soap?"

"Can it, you two," Junior said. "That 'maid' was once the vigilante of Vale known as the Cleaning Lady. Remember the stories I told you?"

The twins both looked at Sheffield and scrutinized her.

"I thought she'd be taller," Melanie said.

"I thought she'd be hotter," Miltia said.

"I can see where Dad got my boot designs from."

"I can see where Dad got his interest in frilly maid clothes from."

Junior's cheeks tinted a bit as he turned on Miltia. "I will ground you, missy."

"Now, now," Newcastle said, "there's no need for that. We're just a few maids passing by and we pride ourselves in our elegance. But if it's a lesson in etiquette they require, I'd be more than willing to teach them." She smiled at the girls, her expression laced with flint.

"Sorry, but we're not going to any hoity toity parties anytime soon," Melanie said, unfazed and nonchalant.

"Not unless they had some cute, rich guys there," Miltia added.

"On second thought, give my sister some lessons in not being a gold digger."

"Far as I'm aware the both of you could use some manners, so shush or I may take up her offer," Junior threatened, glaring at them both until they looked away, snickering. He then looked to Sheffield. "How about we get back to business? You said you wanted to cash in a favor. What do you need?"

"I'm looking for a foolish, troublesome boy," Sheffield said. She ignored Miltia's amused snort. "He's part of the family I serve. He's run from home and stolen from the family to fulfill a childish delusion of becoming a Huntsman despite lack of proper training and aura. Time is of the essence and I need your men and their discretion to search the city. Can you do that?"

"I can, but wouldn't this be better to hand off to the police?"

Sheffield shook her head. "He's important. Other parties may be looking for him as well. I need your discretion to ensure that."

Junior nodded. "My boys know better than to blab. Can you give me a description?"

"Tall, blonde hair, blue eyes, looks like a fool, and he should be carrying an ornate longsword on him." Sheffield's eyes narrowed. "It's critical that he brings that back, not that I believe him foolish enough to part with it."

"Boy and fancy sword. Gotcha. What's his name?"

"Jaune Arc." A flinch so quick Sheffield wasn't sure if she saw it happened just out of the corner of her eyes. Both of them. The twins? But when she glanced at them, they were disinterested (one examining her nails, the other her scroll), yet Sheffield could tell they were listening intently. "I don't suppose you've seen him, have you?"

"Can't say I have, but," Junior frowned and looked at his girls, "didn't you two run off with some kid like that the other day?"

Now the girls were pointedly disinterested, looking anywhere but them. "Maybe?" Melanie said. "There's a lot of blonde guys in vale. Can't say I remember him."

"Yeah, they tend to blur together by morning," Miltia added rather quickly.

Sheffield made to stand and teach these harlots a lesson, but Newcastle's umbrella kept her seated.

"There's no need for lies, girls," Newcastle said calmly, acting akin to the 'good cop'. "Would you kindly tell us, did you or did you not meet Jaune?"

The twins looked at each other and had an unspoken conversation for a long moment. Melanie broke off first to answer. "Yeah, he showed up the other day. Came in asking for Junior's help."

Miltia shrugged. "He seemed cute and single so we thought we'd play with him for a bit before throwing him to Papa Bear."

Newcastle turned back toward Sheffield. "Did he know about your contact?"

"Doubtful. Coincidence more likely."

Junior frowned at his girls. "This is the first I'm hearing of it."

"You were still hungover," Melanie said, "and we took care of him."

Miltia giggled. "So easy to tease."

"What did he come here for? Where did he go?" Sheffield's tone was frigid and brooked no argument. The girl's dancing around was beginning to remind her of another pair of irritating sisters.

Case in point, Miltia smirked and shook her head. "Sorry. Can't tell you that. Customer confidentiality."

"Dad says it's important to keep secrets, unless you pay the right price." Melanie folded her arms with a cocky grin.

Junior facepalmed.

"And what price is that?" Newcastle asked, playing along.

Another twin staring conversation occurred, this one taking longer than before.

"A trade of information," Melanie offered. "Twenty questions from us for your two. We ask first."

"I want to know ten things about Jaune," Miltia said. "Something to tease him with if he comes back."

"I want to know ten things about you two," Melanie said. "If Dad says you're the real deal, I want to pick up a few tricks, like how you walked through the club without any notice."

"Oh dear, what a troublesome pair of fox sisters," Newcastle said. "Wouldn't you agree, Sheffield?"

"Aye." So that's who they reminded her of. Resemblances aside, it was a simple deal, almost dirt cheap on the surface, but that depended on what questions asked. Knowledge was a valuable thing. Sheffield had instilled that concept into Junior a long time ago. But then again, if they were to be embarrassing questions about Jaune, Sheffield supposed she could indulge them for the trouble he was putting her through. The other was, admittedly, of lesser consequence. A maid had many tricks to their trade and it wouldn't hurt to pass on the common ones. They could stand to learn some etiquette.

"Funny you mention that," Melanie said. "Jaune said the same thing."

Miltia nodded. "Mmhmm, but I think I like the sound of 'vixens' better."

Lots and lots of etiquette.

"Very well." Sheffield finished her glass and poured another. "What would you like to know?"

"Does Jaune have any embarrassing outfits?" Miltia asked.

Jaune stared at Ruby.

Ruby stared back.

"It's comfortable," Jaune stated firmly.

Ruby tried to hold back a grin. "It sure looks comfy."

"It was a gift."

"Sure." Ruby choked back a chuckle. "I believe you."

Jaune sighed. "Just… get it out of your system."

Ruby broke down into a fit of laughter on her sleeping bag. "It's a cute bunny rabbit!"

Jaune slumped over onto his bedroll. It was just some animal pajamas he got from Bataan after his old onesie went missing a few years ago. But where Bataan's were cat-themed, his had bunny ears on the hood. Rabbits were the running joke of the family.

Why did his mom have to be so obsessed with bunny suits?

We can all agree that the canon onesie he wore was atrocious. Sheffield burned that thing the first moment she could. Like disposing a body.

I could see Sheffield getting into spy movies, especially British ones. I'm sure Sheffield would never admit it, but she probably would crush a bit on James Bond.

(RIP Sean Connery, this one is for you)

Also, a friend told me one of the officers on the HMS Sheffield would sing Monty Python songs. I think those movies are a guilty pleasure of hers.