Courtesy car was supposed to arrive yesterday. Did not. Fun, fun, fun.
They have assured me (again) it'll be here tomorrow
Cover Art: GWBrex
Chapter 30
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Take back money WASTED on Ansel and Arc and invest it into the economy, say workers' unions
Atlas Times
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Anonymous sources make claim Atlas in talks to "loan" Jaune Arc to Vale as Atlas general public turn on him
Vale Daily Tribune
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Riot at hospital in Alas as Jaune Arc is no-show to healing duties following explosive interview
The Mistral Review
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The price of entitlement: how Atlas took a cure for death for granted
Vacuo Today
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Sienna Khan praises Arc's refusal to help corrupt and ungrateful Atlas government
Kuo Kuana Express
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"You want me to go to Vale?"
Jaune sat there, stunned, as General Ironwood nodded and explained the idea – more of an offer – he'd had. Much of it had already been talked about behind his back, but he didn't so much mind that. There was no point his opinion being involved if the Council were just going to veto it; that would get his hopes up for nothing.
Vale, though. Beacon specifically. It was where Weiss and Pyrrha were so he certainly wasn't against the idea. It was better than Mistral or Vacuo for sure. He still hadn't had a chance, nor the inclination, to talk with Weiss, so maybe this would be a chance to apologise and make it up to her. Something of a surprise when he turned up there. At this point he just wanted to be anywhere that wasn't Atlas.
"Has the council agreed to this? I thought they'd want to keep me here."
"They do, and in an ideal world they would," said Ironwood. "But they're also politicians voted in by the people, and the people are angry right now."
"Tell me something I don't know…"
"Several populist politicians are trying to ride the wave of anger against you by campaigning on the promise of having you ejected from Atlas, and all the money paid to you reclaimed."
He hadn't meant it literally when he said to tell him something he hadn't known, but this was surely that. Jaune could hardly believe what he was hearing. "What…?"
"They can't legally do any of that, and they'd have no hope of pushing you out even if they made it into power. This is a democracy after all. That doesn't matter, though. Their main goals aren't to actually do anything to you; they're just using you – or the anger against you – as a way to get into power. Once they're in, they'll say some angry words, raise some motions that will never pass, shrug their shoulders and say they tried, then kick back and bask in their new power and position. You're nothing more than a vote winner to them, but every disillusioned and angry citizen in Atlas will likely vote for them in the upcoming elections. That's part of why the council doesn't want to overtly criticise the people for what they're doing, and why they're willing to entertain the idea of letting you holiday in Vale for a while. They're hoping absence will make people realise how good they had things with you around."
And if they didn't, well, those same people could argue they'd done what the people wanted and avoid being kicked out for some loud-mouthed idiot building their whole campaign on a thing that would never happen. Jaune didn't think he'd ever hated politics as much as he did right now, or ever thought democracy could be so bad. Fuck them. It worked in his favour anyway, so he couldn't argue about it.
"There will be conditions," said Ironwood. "I don't think you'll mind most of them. First of all, you won't be paid while you're there. Your family will still be looked after, however. I'm prepared to do that on my own."
No pay? That was fine. He had millions anyway that he'd never had a chance to spend because of having no free time, or being too exhausted and drained when he did have it. His bank balance wasn't going to suffer.
"The other part is the cancellation of the aid packages to Ansel. But to be frank, I don't think they need it anymore as it is. A lot of the problems left with you, including most the population who came for your Semblance. The village has been doing well. In fact, it's probably one of the richest villages on Remnant thanks to all the lien we gave it."
He hadn't checked. It wasn't so much the lack of time here as a lack of caring. The Ansel he left hadn't been the Ansel he loved, and the only reason he'd pushed for help in the first place was because it was his fault. He hadn't cared to check back in and see how it was doing, and he was surprised to find he didn't care to know now.
"Fine. Whatever. As long as I'm free of this… this…"
Saying "shithole" to someone like General Ironwood probably wasn't a good idea, so he let it trail off. It wasn't even really Atlas that was the problem so much as its populace. This would have probably been the same anywhere else, and that was a miserable thought for sure. Would it really be any different in Beacon? The newspapers would still go on and on, and people would talk, and now they'd say he was running away and ungrateful to the city that did so much for him. Then there was Vale, who would expect him to bend over backwards for them as well.
"Will I be expected to work the hospitals in Vale?"
"You won't be. However, you may want to offer to do a little. It's your choice but offering to work a little charity on the side will hopefully keep people there from resenting you."
"What right do they have to resent me at all? I don't work for them."
"They have no right. That's the reality of it. That won't stop them acting like they do, however. Those with power have a responsibility to share it with the world – or such is the logic they'll use. People say power and responsibility are intertwined, all the while forsaking their own responsibility and sitting back to watch reality television. You don't need to be a superhero to help someone, nor do you need a Semblance like yours. Any one of them could volunteer to help out and make a real difference, but you and I both know that they won't. And they won't see it that way, either. They'll recline back on their sofas, shovel some more food in their mouths, scratch their ass, and say how you're a lazy and entitled piece of shit. That's just how it works." He chuckled and added, "It's no different to how they'll criticise government and military whenever something goes wrong, and act like they could have done better. All without once putting in a lick of effort."
Ironwood sounded so cynical and defeated. Like he did. It was odd to hear how similar they were, especially since Ironwood always seemed like such a collected guy. Maybe I just never realised how similar we are. Both in the public eye, both judged, both doing their best, and both slowly coming to hate the people they served. If this were a movie then they might have become some criminal duo with this as their origin story, but it wasn't. It was real life. So, they fumed, and they hated, and they continued working. Real life was like that. You took the stress, shouldered it, and kept on walking. Or you collapsed under it. One of the two.
"I'll volunteer on weekends," said Jaune. "Will I be going alone?"
"No. I managed to convince Ozpin to take on Elm Ederne as an assistant teacher. She'll actually be replaced within the Arc-Ops by Marrow Armin. He's a faunus who was instrumental in catching the White Fang activity in Mistral. Very skilled, very loyal. A little young and idealistic, but I think you'd like him."
"You don't need to sell the idea to me. I don't hate all faunus despite what some people say."
"I know. I just wanted you to know because even though they'll go back to normal specialist work, they'll still be the Arc-Ops. Once you come back – if you choose to – they'll be re-assigned to you once more. They'll also come for the Vytal Festival to act as an additional layer of protection."
"I'd have been sent to Vale for the festival, anyway. Wouldn't I?"
"Yes. You're being sent a few months early with this, and you'll have the option to stay after as well. Up to a year at least, but longer if Ozpin agrees. On that note, you will have to follow his rules while you're there. It shouldn't be anything too extreme. You're going to be working as an aide to the nurse there running the infirmary. You shouldn't worry about it being anything like work, however. There hasn't been an accidental death in Beacon in the last thirty-six years. I doubt that'll change anytime soon."
"It's just a ceremonial position, then?"
"You might need to do some actual work while you're there but for the most part, yes. Ozpin has agreed to provide you some personal training on the side through the teachers, but you won't officially be a student. This us all just for bookkeeping," said Ironwood, with a shrug. "We need some reason to say you're staying at Beacon, and Ozpin needs some reason to argue you should be there instead of at a hotel in Vale where the Valean Council could pressure you into repeated hospital visits, press events, interviews and the like."
Jaune nodded along with the words; it wasn't unreasonable, and Ozpin was doing them both a favour so it was fair to pay him back. Left unsaid, but also implied, was that Ozpin had done them some help in talking down Vale's Council. It was probably by saying how them pushing would drive him further away, which was true, and Vale's Council were likely hoping he'd fall in love with Vale after spending time at Beacon and want to stay. It was manipulative, but if it worked in his favour then there wasn't much reason to argue.
"And you'll look after my parents and sisters?"
"They'll live here in relative luxury. Jacques has even agreed to support them if the Council chooses not to. Your sisters are essentially his nieces-in-laws now, and he has more than enough money to spare in looking after them."
"I should thank him…"
"I can pass it on for you," offered Ironwood. "But for now, I think you'd be better off getting away from Atlas and all the stress. Dr Seng has offered to continue your sessions via video conference. He also thinks this is best for you."
It probably didn't take a psychiatrist to guess being stuck in a city where everyone hated your guts was a bad thing.
"I'm ready to leave whenever."
/-/
He didn't leave immediately no matter how fast everyone wanted it to be. Instead, he spent time with his sisters and parents talking and hugging and planning for when they'd all come to Vale. His sisters took turns wishing him well, and it was clear they loved him – but also clear they were relieved they wouldn't be forced to move yet again as well. They'd made friends and just started to get their lives and educations back on track, and though they admitted some people were being "total shit lords" (Jade's words) about the situation, the teachers were keeping anyone from hassling them over his scandal.
When it came time to go he'd had the chance to bid farewell to each member of the Arc-Ops, his family, Dr Seng, and even Jacques Schnee as well. The wealthy businessman came to see him off, promised to keep an eye on his family for him, and bid him not distract Weiss "too much" from her education.
Then it was his chance to meet with a teacher sent from Beacon to pick him up.
"Good day! Good day! Doctor Oobleck at your service." The man, dressed in a white shirt, yellow tie and with green hair shook his hand with almost manic glee. Then, he shook Elm's. "And you must be Miss Ederne. A pleasure! I'm told you'll be teaching an elective class for third and fourth years on real-life battlefield tactics. Simply marvellous. I've always said our students need more practical courses but alas the budget has never been there."
Doctor Oobleck was a strange man. That was all Jaune could think as they took to the air and the man continued talking, often talking enough for all three of them. Elm was struggling to even keep up and he wasn't much better. Oobleck talked about Beacon, about archaeology, about history, about his colleagues, and, inevitably, about Jaune's Semblance.
Not in the way he expected, though.
"I'd love to have your insight on what it's like having to deal with so much attention over your Semblance at some point. If you have the time of course. Your interview with Lisa Lavender confirmed almost all my theories about the geo-political ramifications of such a powerful Semblance."
It was yet another person interested in him for his Semblance but – importantly – not wanting him to use it for their benefit. That was enough to spark Jaune's curiosity. "Ramifications…?"
"Yes! I wrote a book, you know, discussing my thoughts and feelings about what would happen if someone with a Semblance so universally powerful that kingdoms would compete to have it. It's at least fifteen years old now. In there, I used the example of a precognitive Semblance. One that let the user read the future to a limited timeframe. I suggested that because every kingdom would desire such an advantage, they might use untold pressure – or even go to war – to acquire it. I also discussed what might happen after the user died, and how a kingdom reliant on future knowledge for prosperity might collapse under the weight of its expectations." He waved his hands energetically. "At the time much of my theory was dismissed as fearmongering, but your situation is uniquely similar to the one I described. If you ever have time then I'd love to discuss it more and get your view, as an insider, on what it feels like."
"Oh. Um. Sure." It didn't sound all that bad, especially if the man was offering him a hance to vent for free. It also sounded like he was at least intellectually on his side. "I'll come around some time. You're interested in Semblances, then?"
"History, really, and ancient civilisations, but Semblances play a big part in that. They certainly did in the past. Did you know that in some ancient civilisations Semblances could dictate your place in life? Some even believed in divine semblances and the idea that rulers were chosen by the gods and the person with the strongest Semblance should be the next king or queen. Fascinating stuff, if a little dark at times. People tried to breed Semblances like pedigree dogs. It's to be expected, though. Aura and Semblances are a part of our lives, our very souls, and it's easy to see how some would take a religious angle on such things."
"Yeah. Kinda relieved I didn't have to deal with that to be honest."
"Ahem." coughed Elm.
Jaune stared, and then balked. "You're joking…"
"Atlas actively stamped down on it but there were some claiming you were a messiah, prophet, or religious figure from their various beliefs. There were even one or two groups trying to form a religion around you."
A groan of utter despair trembled from his lips and his head fell into his hands.
"Don't worry, my boy," said Oobleck. He patted Jaune's back. "You won't find any of that in Beacon. Very sensible students there, and more understanding if your plight than most civilians would be. Our students know the strain of draining their aura to empty, and they know full well how exhausting it would be to do that twice a day. Let alone every day for weeks on end. You won't find anyone judging you, nor putting you on a religious pedestal for having a Semblance. Most of our students have one too, after all."
That was true, and a relief. He'd hadn't thought to look if it was just the non-huntsmen population hating on him, and it wasn't like the newspapers differentiated. Maybe the problem wasn't so much being surrounded by people, but being surrounded by those who didn't understand how painful it was to expend ninety per cent of your soul, then be asked to do it all again later that day.
He was looking forward to a chance to let his soul rest.
/-/
This marked the third – was it third? Or fourth? – time he'd met Headmaster Ozpin and his Deputy Glynda Goodwitch. Jaune shook their hands as they greeted him at the entrance of Beacon and then escorted him to the central elevator. They were only off the aircraft for a few minutes but people had already seen him, and of course they recognised him, so he wouldn't be surprised if the news didn't get out this very afternoon.
Ozpin ran him through many of the same things Ironwood had already, about what he'd be doing in Beacon, how he wouldn't be a student, but how Glynda would be privately tutoring him on the side, along with Elm. "Normally you'd be paid for working in the infirmary but your pay is going to cover your stay here. James assured me this wouldn't be a problem."
"I don't need money," said Jaune. "So that's fine."
"I thought not but didn't want to assume. You will be given your own room, and Miss Ederne will have the one beside yours. I know you are engaged to a student here, and she and you are free to do as you wish in private, but I will ask you not to do anything untoward in her team's dorm. I'm sure you wouldn't."
"I definitely wouldn't."
"Good. Other than that, then, I believe everything is sorted."
"Actually, General Ironwood suggested I volunteer some days at the hospital for free. I was hoping you could arrange that."
Ozpin leaned back and raised a single eyebrow. "I was under the impression you were wanting to escape all that."
"I am. The world won't just accept me stopping, though. Will they? At least if I do a little here in Vale for free, they can't complain."
"They will anyway," warned Glynda. "They will demand more."
"Let them. They can't demand anything if I'm not being paid for the work. I'm willing to do Saturday and Sunday mornings for free. Only those. If there are any emergencies or big tragedies then I'll be on hand to help out, and of course anything related to Beacon is a given." His eyes hardened. "But I won't be some battery drained day in and day out because people refuse to take responsibility for their children."
"Very well," said Ozpin, regarding him closely. "I shall make arrangements. I'm sure the council will be thrilled. Can I trust Miss Ederne to your protection? I apologise, but I don't have the people to spare. Unlike Ironwood, I run only a school. Not one with an army attached."
"Security will be my concern," said Elm. "That goes for Beacon, too. Best your students know that, sir. If any try to sneak into his room to get a look at the famous guy then I won't accept responsibility for sending them to the infirmary."
"I'm sure our students know better but I shall make an announcement tomorrow regardless. I hope you will be there for that, Mr Arc. Easier I introduce you and the circumstances with you there. You should take the rest of today and tonight off to rest."
"Thank you." Jaune nodded. Famous or not, Ozpin was doing him a huge favour and he respected that. "And I'll be there. I know this is a holiday for my mental health – and to escape those psychopaths in Atlas – but you can call on me if you need me, sir. I'm happy to help as long as I'm not being taken for granted."
Ozpin nodded slowly. "Thank you. Glynda, will you see them to their rooms? I have to report to the council, and then prepare to field press questions. Please arrange for their meals to be sent to them as well. I don't think it wise for them to eat in public today. Not before the announcement at any rate. I trust that won't be an issue?"
Jaune shook his head. The last thing he wanted was to be caught in public and be swarmed by people asking why he was in Beacon and what it meant. Eating with Elm in their rooms sounded like a great change of pace.
Glynda led them out the office and into the elevator, then down several corridors which she explained would be detailed on a map sent to their scrolls. While they walked, she talked, while students watched with open eyes and shock as the most famous man on Remnant walked on by them in his white Atlesian uniform.
"The doctor, Kitsune – or Tsune, as she prefers – will meet you after the announcement tomorrow. She would have come today but she can't leave the infirmary unstaffed in case of emergency. That isn't likely to happen, however. The most dangerous lessons are my own and I am very strict on when and how a fight comes to an end. Injuries are common, but serious injuries are not, and I expect you'll be more carrying supplies and helping her bandage people than using your Semblance."
"That's fine with me. I'm not afraid of a little work."
"I didn't suggest you were…"
Jaune flushed and looked away, listening as she went on talking about Beacon. Maybe he'd taken it too personally, but it always felt like the newspapers were calling him lazy and suggesting he wouldn't get by in normal work. It was all lies, he knew, but that didn't mean the words had no impact on him. He wanted to prove them wrong, and constantly worried that other people might think he was like that.
The rooms set aside for them were small but cosey. Each had a single double bed, a window, desk, a closet and an en-suite bathroom. Glynda explained that they were for visiting dignitaries, teachers, and the like. Not transfer students but the staff and faculty members who might come along with them, along with the rare politician who had to stay over after a visit. Elm was far more interested than he, checking every corner, the closets, and then peering out the windows to get an idea of any vantage points or potential entry routes. She seemed satisfied as she rattled the looks and found them firmly in place, though she was less thrilled on the scroll-based opening system. Scrolls could be stolen, and having your room entry determined solely by that was an accident waiting to happen.
"You're welcome to purchase a password lock and have it installed," said Glynda, too tired to argue. "As long as you don't cause too much damage or disturbance to the students. I'll sign off on anything you need. We draw lines at bars on the window, however. This is a school. Not a prison."
The two of them dickered while Jaune sat down and tested the bed. It was more than soft enough, and the view was nice. More than anything, the feeling of being at full aura and not aching all over was what sold him. His body felt alight with energy, and his fingers tingled. It was an oddly powerful sensation and one that he felt he would have experienced before if not for the constant work. How long had it been since he healed anyone now? Two days? Three? Such a small amount of time, only a little more than a weekend, but it was practically unheard of for him.
I could get used to this. Having time to myself, not having to worry, not having to hurt.
Smiling, he threw himself back, the sound of it drawing Elm and Glynda's attention and bringing an end to their bickering. He wasn't sure if it was the implication he wanted to sleep or just the bright smile on his face. Whatever it was, they quickly decided to end things there, with Glynda suggesting they could message her any questions and concerns and she'd get on those as long as it was outside lesson time.
"Are you feeling alright?" asked Elm once the other woman had gone.
"I feel amazing. My body, my aura, it's like it's swelling up."
Rather than smile, Elm frowned. "That sounds unusual. How so?"
"I don't know how to explain it. It's like I'm full of energy. Brimming." He flinched at the cold touch of her scroll on his arm, but let her take a reading. "What's wrong?"
"You're at… what? This says you're at 110%. That can't be right."
"I feel like I'm at 110%."
"Not like that, Jaune. This says you have more aura then you can hold. Which shouldn't even be possible. Not without some kind of transfusion, and even then you should lose the extra 10% quickly like a glass being overfilled. It should pour out of you until you're back at 100%." Elm hummed and looked from the reading to him and back again. "I want to check you again tomorrow. Maybe it's a bug or maybe you're just not used to having full aura and your body is over-compensating. I'm not a specialist on aura or Semblances. I'll need to report this. Clover can find an expert and get their opinion."
"I won't go back to Atlas."
Elm smiled weakly. "I didn't mean it like that. It's just getting an opinion. Like I said, it might be nothing. Worst comes to worst you can work off the extra sparring with me. I just have to play things safe." She winked at him. "I'm the one who gets in trouble if anything happens to you."
"Right. Sorry." Jaune glanced away. "I didn't mean to snap. It's just Atlas…"
"They suck. I know. Normal people can't understand what we do. They see Semblances and their minds leap to magic, or comic book superheroes. They don't understand what it takes, or what it feels like to use your very soul as a resource." Elm's fingers brushed over his forehead briefly before she stood up. "I'm going to settle into my room and order that code lock. Scrolls are fun and all, but I'll feel safer once your door is password protected. Shout me if you need anything. We'll eat together later."
"Sounds good. Hey, Elm?"
"Hmm?"
"You're not upset at having to come to Vale, are you?"
The huge woman laughed and flashed him her pearly white teeth. "You must be joking. Free holiday, high pay, warmer climate? What's there to complain about? I'd be trudging through snow dealing with Grimm, or stuck in an office filing paperwork, if not for this." She winked and added, "And I have a choice in the matter. I volunteered for this. Don't you worry about me, buster."
His laughter came out filled with relief. He had been worried, no matter how hard he tried not to be, but it was good to get that out and receive confirmation. The door clicked shut behind her, and Jaune laid back, breathing in the fresh air from the open window. His eyes were just about to drift shut when the loud buzzing from his scroll caught his attention. He picked it up and answered without thought, half expecting it to be his parents checking if he'd settled in alright. "Hello?"
"Jaune!"
Weiss. Shit.
"W-Weiss. Hey. I'm sorry I-"
"Forget that!" hissed his fiancée. "My teammate just heard the stupidest rumour that you're in Beacon. In Vale! Tell me it's wrong. Tell me she's mistaking someone else for you."
Jaune sucked in a breath. So much for Weiss being happy to have him here. He'd been hoping the happy surprise would do away with questions of why he'd made the decision without her, or what he'd done in the interview in the first place."
"Weiss. I'm here. But I can explain! General Ironwood and even your father-"
"I don't give a damn about what my father said!" hissed Weiss. "Where are you? What room? Damn it, this is terrible. You need to go back to Atlas!"
"I'm not going back, Weiss. Have you not seen what they're saying?"
"They're idiots, Jaune. Morons. Of course they're saying bad things. That's why you need to be the BIGGER PERSON and ignore them. We can fight the claims they're making in court. Saying you're not at the hospitals, that you let those people die, it's all lies. There are laws against that." There was a moment of silence. Long. Ominous. Weiss' breathing quickened. "You DID go to the hospitals, didn't you? You didn't actually let them get to you and stop. Tell me you didn't."
"…" His mouth opened and closed but he couldn't form the words. Couldn't find them. His head was a mess right now, and Weiss' call had sent him into complete disarray. "I…" He licked his lips. "General Ironwood sided with me. T-Things have changed. The Council want to have me out of Atlas because of the elections."
"Then you'll need to sign up with Vale's hospitals."
"Ozpin is already handling that," said Jaune. "Weekends."
"What? No, I mean you'll need to sign up like you did in Atlas. Every day. What else are you going to be doing? We can fix this, Jaune. It's fine. This… This is a problem – a mistake – but we can fix it before it gets much worse. If you get to the hospitals and-"
The call ended with a click and a beep.
Jaune was horrified to see that it was his thumb on the "end call" button.
He'd hung up on her. He'd hung up on Weiss.
Panicking, he flicked his scroll off, turned it off entirely. He'd claim battery. It had been a long ride. It would be a good excuse for why he couldn't call her back, and maybe he'd argue that he couldn't try and find her because Ozpin had wanted him kept out the public eye tonight. Dimly, he knew lying to her at all was a bad sign. They'd promised to work together in all things.
He couldn't go back to the hospitals, though. Not like that.
Not again.
On a random side note a friend made me watch Bocchi the Rock with them yesterday, or a few episodes anyway, and I surprisingly liked it. Didn't expect I would since coming of age isn't something I normally like (certainly not high school), but it was genuinely pretty funny and the characters were fun. I haven't enjoyed an anime in a while, mostly because a lot lately has been ridiculous overpowered Isekai nonsense, but this was good. I know some have suggested I try Chainsaw Man, and I probably will at some point, but just been busy lately. I had to be forced to watch Bocchi.
It was good, though. Definitely worth a few laughs.
I was guitarist in a band for a bit myself as well, but it was a band with friends and it never amounted to more than playing in a garage. They made me learn songs from Muse and Killers (back in mahhhh day!) but never put the same effort into learning bass or to sing. Our drummer got tired of their nonsense first and quit, and me after.
Next Chapter: 26th January
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