I got stuck in three hours of traffic getting home from work yesterday, which is why that chapter was updated so late. Road is still closed this morning, somehow not fixed and cleared of debris even though more than twelve hours have passed. Is it a one hundred car pileup? No, one car hit one another, but apparently the lorry they brought to collect the wrecks skidded on the way down onto the motorway and knocked some of its own tyres off, and now I imagine this ridiculous sequence of events causing more and more vehicles to be lost to the hungry road while the police officers are just holding their heads in dismay.


Cover Art: GWBrex

Chapter 10


.

Weiss Schnee assists Jaune Arc in healing children

Atlas Times

.

Vale snubbed as VACUO chosen as first destination for healer's visit

Vale Daily Tribune

.

Mistral Council confirm future visit from Jaune Arc: pundits put odds on timing to coincide with Vytal Festival held in three months

The Mistral Review

.

Proud Vacuo to be first to receive Arc family; mayor calls for huge welcome

Vacuo Today

.

Telling silence as Jaune Arc refuses to acknowledge formal request for Menagerie to be added to list of diplomatic visits

Kuo Kuana Express

.


Before he knew it, four months had passed in Atlas.

They went in a blur, his days busy and arranged in advance for him and there being little else to do but follow the routine. Wake up, have a shower and breakfast, then meet with the Arc-Ops for his morning trip to a chosen hospital. It was different ones now, with him being shipped between them so that crowds wouldn't gather. In all truth, those crowds had begun to dim anyway. The insanity and majesty of a boy who could bring back the dead was still a big deal and dominated a lot of the news, but the people who lived in Atlas were beginning to get used to it all.

It went the same way for him.

After his second month had come one of the most daunting moments of his career – a live televised interview. It had been both as bad and not as bad as he feared, with the questions provided to him weeks in advance and the answers to said questions worked out between him and Ironwood. The General hadn't told him what he could and couldn't say, only helped guide him and advised on what might have been taken out of context. When the time came, he'd looked white as a sheet and shaking slightly as he answered the well-dressed man's questions in front of a camera, but since he hadn't sprung on any nasty questions on Jaune and was quite obviously going easy on him – less hard-hitting journalism and more a puff piece, Tortuga had said – it never really got out of hand. The reaction from the public had mostly been positive. Not impressed by any means, but happy enough with his kind and complimentary words towards the people of Atlas, and finding his obvious nerves to be, if not cute, then at least understandable for someone his age.

Ironwood warned him after that more of that would come in time. They couldn't keep him away from the cameras full time, and talk show hosts and other, less-controlled, media stations had lodged requests for interviews with Atlas Academy. The only reason they were held off for now was because he was still fifteen and therefore classified as a minor. On his sixteenth, there wouldn't be any excuses to keep the hungry media away.

On happier news, things with Weiss were going well. Just thinking about her still brought a dopey smile to his face. Her first time accompanying him to the hospital had been nerve wracking. He'd worried that she would be bored with nothing to do, that he might mess it up (despite his Semblance never having failed before) or that he'd end up looking like an idiot in some way.

It hadn't happened obviously. His Semblance worked as it always had and the full queue of eighteen families were reunited with their loved ones to much crying and thanks. It didn't matter how mundane it had become to most people; when it was your child saved from death, the tears and the joy came back full force, and he tried not to let their gratitude get to his head.

The same couldn't be said for Weiss'. As the last family shook his hand and the young daughter brought back from the dead have him a firm, if embarrassed, hug and a sloppy kiss on the cheek, he turned to look at Weiss, hoping she hadn't been bored out her mind just standing there. Instead, he'd found himself faced with an expression filled with awe, happiness and naked pride. It stole his breath away.

Not nearly as much as the kiss did, however.

Firmly on the lips with her arms around his neck and her small body pressed to his. He'd been so unprepared for it that she had to do all the work, and he felt embarrassed about that looking back. At the time, though, the fact he didn't do anything ensured he felt everything, and never in his life had anything felt so perfect.

Weiss had apologised later – as if she needed to! – and demurred about how brash that was of her, but he'd been too elated to care. They had only kissed a few times since, but each lasted just a little bit longer and their hands were intwined the rest of the times. Weiss continued to accompany him to the hospitals whenever she could get permission to do so, which wasn't as often as either of them would have liked. Jacques Schnee was encouraging but firm, stating that Weiss still had her lesson and education to think of.

Instead, Jaune sometimes was able to visit the Schnee manor instead, always welcome according to Jacques. Sometimes it was to play and hang out with Whitley on one of his numerous expensive computer consoles. Whitley even took him clay pigeon shooting and horseback riding on the grounds, teaching him how to track the clay discs, not actual birds despite the name, as they were shot across the lawns by a servant.

Other times, he would come and watch Weiss train, it being his turn to be awed and proud as she flowed and danced with her rapier, fencing with her teacher, who had apparently once been a Vytal Champion in his youth. After, he would spar with her, and inevitably lose. His own training had flagged since unlocking his Semblance while hers had flourished. Oddly, Weiss seemed to take immense pleasure in his listening intently as she lectured and offered advice after. She was competitive and liked to win, he'd realised quickly, and she liked it even more when he asked her for advice and didn't complain.

One thing she didn't like was comics. Despite his and her best efforts, it was painfully clear how little interest she had in his favourite stories. That shouldn't have been a problem, but Weiss seemed to take her feelings as a challenge or a failing, even losing her temper whenever he suggested they stop and do something else. He wasn't sure if it was adorable or weird that she refused to accept the fact she didn't like them and ordered whole hosts of them, even going so far as to watch all the movies. He'd told her she didn't need to stick with it just because he liked them, but that only set her off even more.

Mom had laughed and said it sounded like Weiss was trying too hard when he told her, but she'd said it was little different from some of the silly things Nicholas had done when he was courting her, so Jaune shrugged and let it be. It wasn't like he and Weiss didn't have plenty of things they did love doing together, like visiting the hospitals and training. And making out, he thought with bright red cheeks. I really like that part.

The last four months had been pretty good all things considered.

But the big news came soon after.

"I'm to go to Vacuo?" Jaune asked. "Why Vacuo?"

"All the Kingdoms are clamouring to have you visit and put on a show." Ironwood explained in the barracks that the Arc-Ops had claimed as their own. It was just a room they'd turned into a common room of sorts, and which half of them were using to watch tv, play cards or practice their Semblances. Since he was in Atlas at the moment, he didn't need an escort, and only Tortuga was watching him. Or, well, she was either watching him or asleep. He never could tell with her.

"Why is me visiting such a big deal? Even if I stayed a week and worked every day, that wouldn't make a big difference to the dead and dying."

"It's more about the long-term implications. We were fortunate to have you come back with us, and the other kingdoms with it could have been them. Some of them are still hoping to have a chance to lure you to them in the future when you're older."

Jaune wondered if he'd even be allowed to. Would Atlas ever let go of him? He accepted their contract and was paid, so a part of him knew he was an employee and had the right to leave. They couldn't really stop him but they could try and guilt-trip him if he tried. It didn't matter much right now since the last thing on his mind was leaving Atlas.

"Part of the reason for these trips is to show the kingdoms that we're not trying to monopolise you," Ironwood continued to explain. "They might say we're selfishly guarding you or limiting your freedoms by keeping you confined to Atlas."

"How does me being made to visit them prove I'm not?"

"It really doesn't. You shouldn't expect politics to make sense. The second reason is so they can wow and appeal to you as I said before. You should expect the kingdoms to pull out all the stops to impress you. That's not a bad thing as you may as well have fun on these, but it's worth remembering that you'll only be seeing the best parts of their kingdom. There are… several methods they can use, nothing illegal, but some that you might want to be warned about ahead of time."

"Like?"

"The honeypot."

"Huh?"

"You should ask Ederne." Ironwood said with a stiffness to his posture. "She can explain it better than I. The third reason, beyond the first two, is just to give the other kingdoms a reason to celebrate and us to strengthen ties. Whenever there is a matter that forces the kingdoms into competition, like vying to recruit you did, it can cause a lot of lingering resentment in those who lost out. We don't want that. History shows we're strongest when we fight together against the Grimm, so if loaning you out helps take the sting out the injury, it's in our best interests to do that."

There wasn't much he could say in argument to that. If it helped everyone feel happier, then maybe he should be more open to the idea as well. It'd mean he could make a genuine difference to people's lives just by putting a smile on his face and giving it his all. "Okay, that doesn't sound too bad. Who will I be going with? Is my family coming? Can Weiss come?"

"Miss Schnee has not received permission from her father." Jaune's face fell. "However," Ironwood said, "He has agreed to let her accompany you to Mistral later this year for that one. Mistral is hosting the Vytal Festival, so we're going to send a large contingent including our students for that year. It's a big international event so you almost have to be there. As for Vacuo, your parents think it best not to uproot your sisters yet again. Your father will be coming with us but your mother will stay with your siblings. The Arc-Ops and I will obviously be there."

That wasn't so bad. He kind of agreed about his sisters and didn't want them forever dragged around after him. It was just the thought of going alone without anyone that bothered him. "How come I'm only finding out about this now?" he asked. "And why was Vacuo chosen first? I'd have thought Vale would be."

Ironwood hummed and his voice rumbled as he did, as if he were trying less to think up an answer and more how to put it into words without upsetting him.

"The petitions from the other kingdoms came to the Council and they decided," he eventually said. "I know that may seem unfair given you had no input, but this is as much an Atlesian diplomatic affair as it is related to you. The Council decided they should handle the requests both because of that and so as not to bury you under the weight of it all."

"I don't mind. I mean, you're paying me and helping Ansel still."

"That's a mature outlook. I assure you once you're sixteen I will push for you to have the final say. As for why not Vale first, it comes down to their actions of late. Nothing you need worry about," he said quickly when Jaune's eyes widened. "It's just that some people in Vale are suggesting we kidnapped you or other such nonsense. That we came and stole a Valean citizen and forced them to live with us."

"Who is saying that!?"

"No one in any real position of power but fringe elements. The loud minority. Having you visit them last is both a punishment to those but also to give Vale's Council a chance to fix their problems and cool off their populace."

"Do they hate me?"

Ironwood sighed. "There will always be people who hate you, Jaune. That is part and parcel of being a known name. The answer will always be that the majority of people do not, but that a small minority of people will come up with reasons to dislike you. You shouldn't feel alone there. Miss Schnee has her detractors who blame her for her father's actions as you've well seen, and you know she isn't at fault. It's the same with you. Some Valean citizens feel you greedily joined us for the money, paying no attention to the fact you sacrificed most of it to help your home village."

"There won't be any of that in Vacuo?" he asked nervously.

"There will be a lot less. It's hard for people there to feel emotional about someone who never stepped foot in their kingdom. You're a fresh face, a new arrival, and they know that whatever opinion you take away will be based on how they treat you." Ironwood patted his shoulder. "Try to look forward to it. I promise the trip will be more entertaining than what you expect."

/-/

The preparations happened mostly without his input. His mom packed his case, the Arc-Ops covered everything else and he was left to say his numerous goodbyes, including to Weiss. She promised to text and saw him off with a kiss, but because of the Arc-Ops and everyone nearby, she backed off before he could deepen it. Then he was off onto the large aircraft with the Arc-Ops and Ironwood, and with Councilman Sleet who would be representing Atlas, and who looked worn down under the weight of however many meetings he'd had to attend before this point.

"Don't you worry," the man said with a jovial chuckle. "I only look like I'm dying – you won't have to bring me back. Now, don't mind me but I'm going to try and sleep through the journey."

His piece said, Councilman Sleet pulled a black mask over his eyes, reclined his seat back and fell asleep within the next few minutes. The private aircraft took off soon after, rose to an incredible height and then coasted there as they flew over the ocean. Never having been good with air travel, Jaune spent the first quarter in the toilet with Clover and Vine alternating between helping him throw up, then the second half being taught a poker by Elm, before being dragged into a fierce game between her, Clover, and Tortuga. If he'd thought they'd go easy on him, he was very wrong, as they fiercely stole all his chips and never gave him a chance to recover them. Tortuga was first out, going all-in and losing so she could fall asleep, then he was knocked out and finally Elm lost to Clover, who kept drawing the most ridiculous hands.

"There's a reason he's banned from every casino in Mantle," Elm whispered.

"Yes," Clover replied with a stinking expression, "It's because a certain subordinate of mine got drunk and loudly talked about my Semblance in one. We were both kicked out. Now that said subordinate remembers it, drunk out of her mind as she was."

"Eh." Elm grinned. "Who was that?"

"You!"

"I don't remember it so it can't be true."

After the game, Jaune walked about the airship a bit to stretch his legs before coming back to sit between his dad and Elm. Nicholas had fallen asleep as well, more out of boredom than anything, but Jaune was too anxious to do the same. Elm was quick to notice and nudge him with her elbow.

"You still nervous?"

"A little. I've never been to Vacuo."

"I have."

"Really?" He probably shouldn't have been surprised when Atlas had bases everywhere, even in allied kingdoms. "What's it like?"

"Hot days and cold nights. Lots of gambling and partying. Amazing food." She touched her fingers to her lips and kissed them. "Mwah. Be careful on the spice, though. If the menu says medium, assume it means high. If it says high, assume you'll be glued to the toilet the next morning. There was this place we visited that had a warning sign on it, spiciest curry in all of Vacuo, and we – that's my old squad – all agreed to have some. Blew our minds." She slapped her hand down on her leg at the memory. "Oh man, my sergeant was crying her eyes out. So was I, but still, she was always such a hard arse and there she was sobbing like a baby – it was great."

Jaune sniggered at the thought. He liked spicy food and had tasted some Vacuan spice in the stores, it really was the authentic stuff, and it was kind of cool to think he'd get to try it. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all. "What are the people like there?"

"Super friendly. I mean, mega friendly." Elm grinned. "Sure, there are some assholes here and there but Vacuo's whole culture is this one where everyone is basically family. It's a harsh place outside the walls and in the desert so everyone has to work together. There's a lot of hugging," she added. "Expect that. We shake hands in Atlas but the Vacuans like to get up and hug you. I'm a big fan." Elm nudged his arm again. "Just remember you have a girlfriend, okay?"

"I'm not going to cheat on Weiss!"

The teasing was Ironwood's fault. He'd taken the man's advice and asked Elm what a honeypot was, then been thoroughly embarrassed when she stopped laughing long enough to answer. He didn't actually think anyone would go so far as to try and seduce him to win him over. He said so now.

"It's not going to be that obvious. It'll be subtle, a little flirting, a pretty girl catching your eye and being receptive to your advances. They probably won't try with you taken, but if you'd been single then I guarantee some young daughters of the local leaders would have been introduced to you."

"W-What do I do if they are!?"

"Don't blush and stammer for one. Just be friendly. If they push, let them down gently and say you have a girlfriend. Girls don't enjoy being turned down any more than guys do so they'll leave it be." Elm hooked a large arm around his shoulder and hugged him tight against her side. "You'll do fine. Trust me, it won't be half as bad as you're thinking. And if things get tough, I'll be there. Come to me and I'll make an excuse to get you some fresh air."

/-/

The landing in Vacuo was a blur.

It was madness.

They landed to fireworks and streamers, crowds and a band playing the Vacuan national anthem as video crews angled around the edge of the landing platform, kept away by thin metal barriers, as the ramp came down and Jaune walked out alongside General Ironwood and his father. He heard his dad blow out his breath at the size of it all and had an ironic moment to realise he was more used to all the attention than his own father was, before they were approached by the delegation from Vacuo.

Elm's little talk left him unsurprised when the elderly man who was the elected head of Vacuo came in with his arms open. He was dressed in robes of bright colours that led Jaune to think they were ceremonial. His headdress was down to show his smiling face, worn and tanned a similar colour to the sands themselves. They embraced, and Jaune awkwardly returned it as the crowds erupted in applause.

After he passed on to hug Ironwood and Nicholas, jaune was faced with more delegates of Vacuo's council, embracing them one after the other, men and women both, until all had touched. Only then did the leader speak loudly. He had to for any chance to be heard over the singing and chanting crowd.

"Vacuo welcomes you all. May our water be your water, may your weary bones find rest in our most humble home."

"Thank you." Jaune replied just as loudly. "I-"

A fresh set of fireworks streamed up and exploded, cutting off his words. The leader opposite him laughed silently, then ushered them on, turning and leading them away from the docked aircraft and under a selection of brightly coloured fabrics stretched out on wooden pickets to offer shade. It felt a lot cooler than before.

Almost instantly, several very attractive women – and Jaune tried hard not to assume – approached with drinks stacked high with ice, offering them out to both the council and to the delegation from Atlas. It was symbolic in a sense, as ice and snow were some of Atlas' chief exports to Vacuo, and rightly prized in the heat. It sounded ridiculous to even think snow could be an export, but it only went to show how little he knew of the world. Jaune hefted the drink, smelling the sharp fruit and just a little alcohol, and drank. It was strong but not bad at all. It was more a fruit cocktail than beer.

Rather shockingly, and not least of all incredibly jarringly, it was out in the open, under the shade of the pickets and before what had to be a good quarter of Vacuo's entire population, that a vehicle drew up and opened to have stretchers drawn out with white drapes laid out over what he knew instantly were bodies. Jaune was suddenly very grateful for the drink because his mouth had gone drier than the desert. They were going to do this now-? That was insane.

He'd always done his work in private before, or at least away from prying eyes. Obviously, his guards and the doctors watched as he did, and sometimes the media, but that was only at the start. Most people in Atlas, like Ansel, had a very reserved and private view on death in that it wasn't talked about, wasn't spoken of, and that it happened behind closed doors and in private. The same was true for his resurrections. The same was obviously not true in Vacuo, not with the last of the fallen being brought out the vehicle, ten if he counted in total. They were wheeled toward them and the crowd quietened, taking on a respectful lull during which Jaune heard his pulse pounding in his ears. He looked to Ironwood, silently asking why he hadn't been warned about this, but General Ironwood didn't look any happier, and Councilman Sleet had a disturbed twist to his otherwise polite, politicking smile. Neither of them had known.

It was one way to announce his coming, he supposed. All these people were here and would otherwise have to make do with just seeing him, but this way they could really have proof of what he could do. He wasn't sure if anyone actually believed it was all a hoax anymore, maybe people in far-flung villages who didn't catch the news all that often did, but this would be undoubtable proof to the people of Vacuo that he was here.

He tried to keep that in mind as the first was wheeled forward. Jaune stood and approached under the gaze of tens of thousands of silent onlookers. The doctor who had brought it pulled the sheet back despite Jaune's attempts to stop him. It wasn't necessary to see the body, and yet now he didn't have a choice.

The girl, maybe a little older than him, was still and pale with a horrific bruising around her neck. He didn't want to instantly believe she'd been strangled to death because he knew from Atlas that the doctors would often correct a broken neck before bringing the patient through to be brought to life. It was apparently a lot easier to fix that on a dead and unfeeling body than a living patient. Her red hair lay about her on the stretcher, streaked with a dash of silver, and she had dusky skin, or he imagined she had when she'd been alive before now.

Swallowing his fear, Jaune stepped up. Don't fail me now, Semblance. Please don't fail me now in front of all these people. Of course it didn't. His Semblance was a tool, unfeeling and familiar, and thanks to his private training with Vine he felt more confident than ever in using it.

The white light that was commonly associated with it flared out of him. Some had likened it to angelic wings but that was pure romanticism. The light flooded out in almost every direction, generated like a veil over his skin, and it probably only looked it because people in front of him commonly saw the light going out his back and shoulders because the light from his front was on them. From behind, it was more obvious that he just became a human lightbulb. That hadn't stopped several news outlets intentionally taking pictures from the front and making the comparison to sell more issues. Some people liked the idea of religious overtones, running with it and attributing to him words he'd never said. Prayer, liturgy or chanting that was completely made up.

Atlas did their best to stamp down on that when they could, disliking the idea of a cult springing up almost as much as he did. It was why he kept his lips firmly shut here, breathing through his nose, so that no one could possibly suggest they'd heard any words from him as the light seeped into the girl and brought a more natural colour to her sandy skin. Slowly, her eyes opened, a rich golden colour, and the girl groaned and pushed herself up into a sitting position, hand flying to her neck to rub at it. She looked around, as surprised as many brought back were, but then she smiled and relaxed. He was a little surprised how relaxed she was since most people would have freaked out.

"You really brought me back," she said. "That felt so weird."

"You're welcome."

"Huh." Her eyes widened. "Oh shit, I didn't – thank you," she stressed. "Obviously, thank you for saving my life. I didn't mean it like that."

Jaune told her it was fine but she was wheeled away before she could reply, and the answer would have been drowned out by the sudden applause and cheering anyway. He'd proven himself to the citizens of Vacuo, proven his Semblance and proven Atlas' honesty in bringing him here, and now they were elated.

Even so, there were more to heal. Ten in all as he'd thought. It was enough that he only felt halfway drained, and that must have been on purpose because if they went all the way then he'd be too exhausted for anything else. As the last person thanked him and was wheeled away, he was led along with Vacuo's leaders down a narrow funnel between the crowds. Hands reached out, some open, others holding flowers, drinks or even jewellery. He made the mistake of touching one person's hand, just to slap his against it, and suddenly being hauled toward the mass of people.

Hands were all over him instantly. On his face, his head, his shoulders, his chest and his back. It felt like he was being drawn into the crowd and smothered, but Ironwood was there suddenly to haul him back. Security from Vacuo similarly pushed the crowd away, and Jaune gasped for air as he backed into Ironwood, now shying fully away from the crowd.

They meant well, he knew, but they didn't realise how terrifying they could be. He'd felt like he was being dragged into a mass of bodies to be devoured alive, and for a moment hadn't been able to breathe. It just wasn't normal to have hands run over your face like that, prying and invasive, stroking and caressing him. He shivered and Nicholas held a hand to his shoulder, keeping hold as they carried on the rest of the way toward the main building they were being led to. Once inside, the noise quietened, dulled by the thick reddish walls made of sandstone and coated with murals and paintings.

"We would appreciate warning of anything like that in the future." Councilman Sleet said in a polite but firm voice. "We know you're excited to have Mr Arc here, but we'll remind you he is fifteen. Springing things like this on him is neither fair nor kind."

"We apologise of course," one of the Vacuo contingent said, "but it was this or face hordes outside the hospital."

"It's fine." It wasn't but Jaune put on a smile for Atlas' sake. He was here to show good cheer and look happy, and he owed it to Atlas to try. Sleet must have realised what he was doing because he went along.

"If Jaune says it is fine then it's fine. Still, I hope you don't have any other surprises like this."

"Nothing of the sort." The leader bowed again and smiled warmly. "My name is Sinak, elected representative of Vacuo. I introduce myself again as we all know nothing could be heard out there. The people are in fine cheer that you would choose to visit us first, and I'm afraid their pride and joy got the better of them. Please, let me apologise on their behalf. They do not realise what they do."

They never did, but it would have felt unfair to criticise them for it. They were sticking to their areas, they hadn't rushed him or tried to force him to bring their loved ones back, so they were far better than the people who had swarmed Ansel. Really, they were just folks arriving and following the rules, cheering to show their appreciation for him coming and bringing some of their citizens back to life. How could he complain about that? He couldn't. It didn't matter if he'd felt intimidated or startled by it all. The intent mattered. It had to, or otherwise he'd be looking at everyone like they were out to get him.

It looked like they were waiting on him so Jaune said, "There's no need to apologise. No one was at fault."

Maybe he was being too forgiving, Ironwood's frown seemed to suggest so even as the Vacuans thanked him and led them on to a welcome meal, a veritable feast with entertainment, dancers and cultural music to enjoy. It wasn't easy to just come out and accuse them of doing anything wrong however, not when he didn't know half of the politics behind it all. Besides, hadn't Atlas reacted much the same when he arrived? Sure, they'd broadcast the resurrections instead of doing them live, but it was the same thing. The only reason he hadn't been swamped with people on arriving there was because they landed on Atlas instead of Mantle.

He was invited to sit down on cushions strewn out across the floor in front of a low wooden table that, in turn, stood before a large, roaring fire. Sinak sat on his left while Nicholas was granted the spot to Jaune's right. The others took their own as denoted by the seating order, with Ironwood and Sleet having their own spots at the head table with him. Opposite them, on the other end of the fire, a raised wooden stage had been erected, and a myriad of brightly coloured dancers, both male and female, came swirling out onto the stage.

"Our finest performance artists," Sinak said proudly. "They have graciously agreed to entertain us during dinner, and to perform an enactment of our greatest historic event – the fall of Malik the Sunderer, and the Sundering of the Royal family, from which our current democratically-elected republic was formed."

The lights dimmed and a small band of musicians to the side of the stage began to play, as a man bedecked in armour with a spiked helm stomped menacingly out onto the stage and began to sing and dance in a rough, conquering voice. As he did, other dancers rushed out waving red and yellow cloth in the air, twisting and flickering it to simulate fire burning a wooden backdrop of a village.

It was all heavily stylistic, with dancing used to represent innocent victims being killed by Malik's forces, and brave warriors rising up in song, dancing against Malik's generals until the defeated would fall not by the blade, but by being fatally outdanced. It was odd, irreverent, but also funny and entertaining, and for someone like he, who had seen death all too much, the chance to see it represented in peaceful song and dance was more than welcome. The Atlas contingent seemed to agree, soon joining in clapping and laughing at the rough comedy, overly dramatic dance-related deaths and the clever ruses played by the rebellious people of Vacuo to trick their tyrannical despot.

By the time the food came out and the show entered its final arc, all thoughts of the diplomatic faux pas from before had been forgotten.

/-/

"It's good to have you back with us, Carmine. How are you? Are you well enough for this?"

It was Gillian Asturias who said it, interrupting Jax before he could jump right into business. Carmine appreciated that because no one else had thought to ask how she felt to no longer be a corpse.

"I'm okay." Her voice was scratchy and she saw Gillian's concern. "It's fine." Carmine rubbed her throat. "Just a little tight." A glare was sent Bertilak's way. "You couldn't have been a little gentler."

"You asked me to strangle you."

Words she never thought to hear outside the bedroom, and not even something within. When Jax posed his plan, she'd been naturally against it. No one wanted to get themselves killed on purpose, and no matter how much Jax assured her he could use his Semblance to have her added to the list, there had been just a little doubt. What if he couldn't? What if someone noticed his mind-controlled thrall and raised the alarm? What if Arc's flight was delayed and she was dead for more than four hours? There were a lot of ways to stay dead, not to mention the act of dying itself.

It was only thanks to Gillian's assurances that she let it happen. The strangling had been her own choice. Getting stabbed sounded like it'd hurt too much, letting a Grimm have her was too haunting to think of and drowning sounded terrifying. The same for a broken neck or being beat to death, or really, what death wasn't horrifying? She'd considered poison until reading what that could do to your insides. Asphyxiation had been her final choice because some people said it could be erotic. Carmine obviously hadn't been looking to get off on her own demise, but if it was a well-known fetish then it couldn't be that bad, right?

Wrong. Her final moments, kicking and trying to fight Bertilak off her, still remained in her mind. She didn't blame the bastard when he'd been told to do it and stopping would have just meant having to work up the nerve to start again, but that didn't mean she had to feel good about having been murdered.

"I don't remember anything about being dead," she said. "Last thing I remember is Bertilak choking me to death, then waking up like it was from a long sleep, then realising I was in a hospital gown in front of several hundred thousand people. Not my finest moment. Also, my neck hurt like a bitch."

"You're back among us though." Gillian bade her sit and then gently rubbed on her neck and shoulders, massaging the aches and pains away by pushing some of her own aura into Carmine. It felt good.

"He's the real deal then." Jax said. "We knew he was but… well, it's good to have confirmation. A Semblance that can bring back the dead. If only it didn't have the four-hour limit, we could bring back mother and father, or even Malik himself."

"He would still be a useful asset for The Crown," Rosa said. "But making a move on him will put the crosshairs right on top of us. Is that worth it?"

"With him on side, we'd have limitless power." Jax said. "We could steal the bodies of freshly slain huntsmen, resurrect them and then take control of them with my Semblance. Think of that. To say nothing of the political power. Atlas can rage all they want, but if we make it clear Arc is ours, they won't risk attacking us. Imagine the fallout if they ended up killing their golden goose. The world would never let them forget it."

"Nor will they forget us taking his free will away." Gillian warned. "This is a plan fraught with risk, dear brother. There are other ways for us to push our goals forward without betting everything we've worked for on this alone."

"You think someone as valuable as this will come by Vacuo again? Don't make me laugh. Besides, we need not go too extreme. I could take control of him and have him act as a sleeper agent. He can go back to Atlas, marry his Schnee and then bring them both back when we call on them. Atlas can't argue then."

"I prefer that one." Carmine chipped in. "They have way too many people guarding him. A fight now will get us killed."

"Agreed." Bertilak rumbled.

It wasn't that they weren't good enough, but the best of the best had been picked to guard Arc for this, and it wouldn't matter if they won only to alienate every single person in Vacuo. Jaune Arc choosing to come live here ten or fifteen years later felt reasonable. It would have the people thrilled to pieces, and then when he supported Crown in returning the monarchy, people would think it was by his own volition. The more she thought on it, the more she liked the idea, and apparently Gillian felt the same way.

"A much better plan. Slower, but we can afford to be patient, and having the Schnee heiress added as a package deal will make it all the better." Gillian disliked the SDC and would probably have them ruined, but that wouldn't make a difference to Carmine. Weiss Schnee wouldn't have a choice when Jax got to her. "I assume your plan to reach the boy and take him is to be a subtle one. Let us hear it."

"It's not set in stone yet." Jax said. "We already have people on the inside. I figured a better plan could be made if we all put our heads together."

"Surprisingly wise of you."

Jax rolled his eyes. "This is the opportunity of a lifetime, Gillian. I'm not going to squander it by being prideful. If we can score ourselves Jaune Arc, the world will fall over itself to give in to whatever demands we make. The Crown won't just be a fringe group or a dream. It'll be a reality."

"Then let us put our heads together and make it so." Gillian said.

Carmine watched and listened as they set out their schemes, leaning back and rubbing her throat again. It was a shame to think about taking the boy's free will away after he'd brought her back like that, but it was no better or worse than the trafficking she'd been involved in thus far. He wouldn't be all that poorly treated, either. Once Gillian and Jax took the throne, he could live a charmed life as their pet healer, bringing back people important to the monarchy and maybe selling his services to stock the coffers while he was at it.

Better a life in service to the crown than as a pawn to Atlas' machinations.


If it wasn't clear, though it is implied, Menagerie did send a request to Atlas for Jaune to come visit them as he is the others, but the Council of Atlas have chosen to ignore it. That has unfortunately been attributed to Jaune himself. It's one of those details that isn't said but which the absence of it being said is meant to imply it, but I know that things like that are all too often unnoticed, hence why I'm saying it here.

Vacuo isn't going to be a full arc by the way, nor all that long. It'll be two more chapters at most. Mistral being the Vytal Festival makes sense because apparently the show was the 40th, Vacuo was revealed as hosting the 38th somewhere (from the wiki) and I don't think there was suggestion which hosted the one in between, which was the one before canon. Since it could be either Atlas or Mistral, I went with Mistral to give us a chance to interact with Pyrrha again.


Next Chapter: 19th July

Like my work? Please consider supporting me, even if it's only a little a month or even for a whole year, so I can keep writing so many stories as often as I do. Even a little means a lot and helps me dedicate more time and resources to my work.

P a treon . com (slash) Coeur