Here we go.
Cover Art: GWBrex
Chapter 38
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Corrupt politician ousted in local byelection. New councilmember elected in his place vows to lead committee in investigation into General Ironwood's blatant favouritism of Arc family.
Atlas Times
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Man appeals after insurance company wins case for not paying out life insurance after client was "resurrected" by jaune Arc. Judge brands case "first of its kind"
Vale Daily Tribune
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Arrests made in "Arc Service" human trafficking ring but some victims still unaccounted for
The Mistral Review
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Vacuo claims greater relevance thanks to mayor's actions in Vale – polls show gap widening over closest competition.
Vacuo Today
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Ghira Belladonna SLAMMED as TWO-FACED for speaking on behalf of Atlas elite
Kuo Kuana Express
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Mercury's team were… different.
He might have felt awkward at being welcomed by a woman as pretty as Cinder Fall if not for all the attention he'd been forced to get used to. Mercury's partner, Emerald, greeted him as well, but she was a little less sure about the whole thing. That wasn't so bad. Mercury must have told them not to start acting strange around him, and he appreciated that. Their final teammate was absent, which was no new thing as far as Mercury was concerned.
The team were definitely odd. They were about the same age as Weiss' team, and yet they seemed older. Not necessarily in terms of maturity but in jadedness. There was a world-weariness to them, and their comments about Beacon were laden with sarcasm. Even when they were being polite, there was a dismissive quality to Cinder's voice that might have been pride for her country and school. It might have bothered Jaune in the past but he didn't feel at home in any kingdom anymore, so to hell with worrying about it.
What mattered to him was that they didn't make a deal of his Semblance, and they didn't react in the slightest to him or Mercury being – in a word – pessimistic. In fact, Cinder joined in, complaining about how "public" the Vytal Festival was, and how pointless fighting for the entertainment of idiotic masses was. Since he wasn't a huntsman and didn't have any skin in the tournament, he didn't have a strong opinion, but he could get behind the frustration of being forced to amuse crowds like a dancing monkey. That was how he usually felt. The bigger surprise was realising that Cinder actually meant all that and wasn't just saying it because Mercury had coached her. Not that he thought Mercury would – that was too much effort! There were benefits to his new friend being a lazy slob.
"Those without power will always stare and gawk at those with it," said Cinder. "It doesn't matter if that power is to bring back the dead, conjure fireballs, or dance about a ring looking pretty as children beat one another half-to-death. The lazy, unwashed masses will enjoy the spectacle either way."
"Unwashed masses?" quipped Mercury. "You're sounding like a queen there."
"Hmph." Cinder brushed some raven hair from her face and offered them a smouldering smile. "Maybe I am. But it's true, isn't it? They see their lives as so boring that we become entertainment. Never mind the fact that the goal of huntsmen and huntresses is to train until we can protect people against the Grimm. You'd think that would be a higher priority."
"It's politics," said Jaune. "The kingdoms need to show off."
"It is. I'm not surprised you'd be able to see that given how your whole life has become a political stunt. I don't think I could put up with it." She huffed. "I'd have snapped and killed someone. Or left them for dead. I suppose you can't kill the already deceased."
He already had snapped, but he supposed she meant that it would have taken her a lot less time. He wasn't sure if that was a compliment to his patience or a criticism of how much of a pushover he was. Maybe both.
"it's a little harder when your whole family depends on you performing. If it were just me then I'd have spoken out a lot sooner, but I have to think about them. They don't get a say in this but they're constant targets for people looking to get at me."
"I saw that in the newspapers," said Emerald, chipping in. "They killed him, didn't they?"
"It's good they did," said Cinder. "It may sound harsh but sometimes examples have to be made to send a message to everyone else. A mob is only as smart as its stupidest member, and when you're dealing with a mob that's as large as Atlas is, the range is going to vary wildly."
"Tell me about it," complained Jaune. "They're like animals. No, worse! Animals at least make sense. It's like they're talking straight out of an internet forum. I can't even hear it without feeling my braincells die one by one."
"Mistral would be no different," said Cinder, waving her hand dismissively. He appreciated that she didn't try and convince him to go to her kingdom, because he suspected much the same as what she'd just said. "Oh, they'd certainly try. Even an animal can learn from the mistakes of another. In the end however, it would be more of the same. Vacuo as well."
"I know. People are people no matter where you go."
"I've told him he should just fake his death and disappear," said Mercury. Jaune groaned and made to quiet him, but Cinder only chuckled.
"What's this? An actually plausible idea from Mercury? Emerald, I must be hallucinating. Is this your work?"
Emerald smirked. "Not even I could imagine up a scene like this."
"Fuck you both. I have plenty of good ideas."
There was an easy camaraderie to their team that he kind of liked. It wasn't that Weiss' team or Pyrrha's didn't have the same, but they were a lot more open about things. Weiss and Yang would argue loudly, and Ruby would get stuck in. Pyrrha's team were polite and nice and he couldn't see them talking like this. Mercury's team – or Cinder's he supposed – was like a bunch of older people hanging out at a bar. Nothing was filtered, everything was on the table, and he really couldn't imagine them sharing any of this with the media.
"Disappearing would be easy," said Cinder. "Remnant is a big place and much of it is hidden away from prying eyes. It's getting out there without drawing attention that would be the hard part. You'd need a destination, and a plan on how to get there."
"I'm not considering it all that seriously."
"Then call it a thought exercise. Or a much-needed distraction." The woman flashed him a coy smile. "And besides, it doesn't hurt to have a plan in mind even if you never intend to use it. Who can say what your future holds? Your case is the first of its kind on Remnant. For all we know kingdoms could end up going to war for you, and then you'll want to get out fast."
War? No way. Probably. Right? He knew she was just picking the worst case scenario – it was hyperbole – and yet he couldn't help but think on all the headlines he was seeing of late. Atlas was getting angrier and angrier, and those populists calling for his head just because it was vote-winning were actually gaining seats in the council. They might follow through just to keep their supporter base happy, and then what?
What if Atlas called for him to be extradited to face trial? What if Vale said no? What would happen? Atlas was a military kingdom and the only ones with any real manpower in an army, and they also had his family. General Ironwood was doing his best but he was one man trying to hold off a horde of idiots frothing at the mouth for "justice" and "payback" for his so-called crimes.
"Think about it," said Cinder. "Even if it's just to keep you amused when things are bleak. I do the same. I have to think of my team's survival in any and all circumstances. I've plans for how to get us out when we're attacked by Grimm, and even plans on how to get out of Vale. I'm sure that won't have to come into effect, but you never know. It's better to be prepared than not."
Jaune looked at her. "A plan to escape Vale?"
"It's a thought experiment. A good bit of training, too. I pose myself the hypothetical scenario of Vale coming under attack by… I don't know. Grimm? White Fang? Atlas?" Cinder chuckled. "And then I ask myself how I would get my team out safe and sound. The easiest plan would be to gather supplies and strike out on foot. Road, rail, sea and air transport are easy to monitor and always the first place someone would go, but a team like ours can survive in the wild if we have to, and that makes tracking us much harder."
A thought experiment, huh? Maybe that wasn't such a bad idea. It wouldn't hurt to have a plan in the back of his mind for if things really did go to shit. Experience had already shown that the best efforts of good people like Ironwood, Elm, and Ozpin, couldn't always win out. Sometimes massed stupidity was just stronger.
/-/
"I think we're seeing some progress of recovery," said one of the numerous doctors looking over him. They were crowded around him as Gillian Asturias finished bringing his aura back down to 100%. Some doctors had aura scanners on her as well, and it was those that were drawing interest. "Mayor Gillian's aura is currently reading at 146% and draining as she expends it. This is a 3% decrease on what it was the last time this was done."
"Does that mean Jaune's aura is stabilising?" asked Elm.
"Normalising might be the better term. It's still being generated much too quickly and unsafely, but the amount by which it's doing so is slowing down. I expect the rest and breaks he's had from being forced to use his Semblance every day is to thank for that."
Jaune was sure it was, and he was sure he felt a little disappointed at hearing that things were returning to normal. He'd enjoyed the excuse of having time off, and he could see the Valean councilmember nearby rubbing his hands gleefully. The headlines "Vale fixes Arc" would make for a big win for them, and even more so if Jaune had to work at the hospitals to "thank them" for their hard work and investment in his health.
Never mind the fact they forced that upon him and Ozpin.
"How long until he makes a full recovery?" asked the councilman.
"We can't possibly know or say," said another doctor. "His aura is normalising and that's a good sign now, but it doesn't mean a complete recovery is at the end of it. It could easily pendulum the other way and start not producing enough to top out. That would be far more dangerous."
"It should stabilise in time," said a third, "but how much time? Impossible to say. We don't have any cases like this to draw on because Semblances tend to be unique to huntsmen and huntresses, and they know not to overwork themselves. No huntsman worth his salt is going to go out and fight Grimm if their aura is even remotely acting up. Jaune Arc should not have done the so either."
"It's not like I had a choice," said Jaune. "I was told when to use it. We also didn't notice it going out of whack."
"I expect you didn't. Your aura must never have been given the chance to stabilise before it was being drained again, so you never noticed. It's just a hypothesis for now but several of us believe that's the reason this is happening. Your body was forced to adapt to a downright dangerous drain on your aura and began mass-production of more to cope. You see it with antibodies and with the body breaking down fat reserves in a crisis, so there's no reason to believe aura can't do the same. Then when you stopped using it to take this break, your aura finally caught up with you and began over-producing, leading to this."
"The answer is simple then," said Gillian. "He must continue to sparingly use his Semblance."
"Agreed!" said Elm, shooting the woman a grateful nod.
"That's out of the question!" cried the councilman. "The people won't settle for him withholding his Semblance on flimsy excuses or unproven medical theory. They want results – we need results. There has to be something I can give to show this is true."
"We're medical professionals," said a woman. "Scientists. Experts. Isn't our word enough?"
"It would be normally but sentiment in Atlas is so bad that anyone who speaks out in his favour is being called into disrepute. There have already been people calling this whole research procedure a fake event designed to discredit Atlas. They're saying Arc paid for it to have an excuse to not have to work anymore, and that we've agreed because we want to keep his Semblance working for us and our families."
There were angry mutterings and words around the room at that. Jaune ducked his head to hide his smile. Welcome to my world. It was amusing to see other people dragged into his shit, and realise that the truth didn't matter half as much as what a bunch of idiots chose to believe. The irony of course was that if they'd discovered that he was faking it then those same people calling them fakes and phonies would suddenly change their tune and hail them the greatest scientists the world had ever seen.
"He simply cannot go back to healing full-time or his condition will worsen," said Gillian. "Vacuo will speak out in his defence if no one else will."
"Can't you drain off his excess so he can heal?"
"Excuse me?" The woman, a huntress as well as a politician, turned to face down her counterpart from Atlas, who shrank back. "Do remember who you're talking to. I am the elected leader of the Kingdom of Vacuo. I cannot be tied to a young man's side like that, nor will I allow myself to be used to exploit him. I'd advise you to choose your words more carefully in future."
"Our job is just to figure this out and monitor him," said a doctor. They were quick to join in on throwing the politician under the bus. "That's what we'll continue to do. It's the council's job to take care of communicating the results to the public."
The man's jaw flapped.
"And my job is just to get Jaune here and back safely," said Elm. "Speaking of, let's be off."
Jaune was quick to hop up and leave the stuttering man behind.
/-/
Ozpin looked even more overworked than usual when he met Jaune in his office.
"Your aura recovering is good news. The body tends to repair itself given enough time, so Doctor Oobleck will be relieved there's nothing more drastic going on here." Ozpin turned over a page on his desk, skimming the results. "I'll continue to push for less stringent hospital visits. Perhaps we should even change your weekend ones so that it's one session Wednesday and one on Saturday or Sunday. Give more time between them."
Jaune nodded. It didn't sound like a bad idea.
"There haven't been any media disasters to speak of thankfully. Not on Beacon's end anyway." He set the papers down and stared at Jaune. "I trust you've spoken to Miss Schnee, and that she won't be causing one like she did the last time."
"Weiss understands I have to be consulted on these matters now."
He hoped that was enough. He felt it should be, even if she hadn't properly apologised and didn't even know why she should. It was still a challenge, which was why he'd chosen to be a little "economical" with the truth today and tell her that his aura was still in a rough shape despite some small signs of evening out. He didn't want to let her know it was stabilising and have her go and push for three hospital trips, or one every other day.
"That's good to hear. On other news, General Ironwood will be coming to Vale soon. I trust that won't be an issue?"
"No, sir. It'll be good to see him again."
Ozpin smiled. "I'm glad. I heard you were on good terms and James is an honourable man. He is under a lot of pressure at the moment in Atlas. He's put himself as the bulwark protecting you and your family in the public eye, and he's facing a lot of criticism for that. Jacques Schnee has as well, but he's a private business owner and quite used to it all. James is paid by taxes, and so has to answer to the public in some regard."
Was it fair to feel bad about that? It didn't feel like it was his fault for other people being unreasonable, and yet there was no denying Ironwood wouldn't be in that spot if not for him. And he'd done his best to help, too. "Is there anything I can do for him?"
"I'm sure he appreciates the thought but there really isn't. Your involvement might even make it worse. I'm only warning you because when he does arrive he might be limited in how he can interact with you in public. I don't want you thinking he's brushing you aside."
"I get it. He has to focus on the festival to prove to everyone he's fit for his job. I'm a distraction."
"That's how his detractors will frame it, yes. Obviously James is fully capable of multi-tasking and delegating, and he's bound to come see you in private. I simply felt with the last debacle, that we should bring this up in advance. Save ourselves any incidents."
"I appreciate it, sir. And I'll mention this to Weiss so she doesn't get the wrong idea."
"That might be wise."
/-/
"If your aura is improving then surely we should put thought to finding a balance between how much work you can do and how much you should."
"Weiss…"
"I'm not saying you should go right back!" said his fiancée. "I'm fully agreeing that an unsustainable arrangement would be bad for you. But there's such a thing as being too safe as well. As a huntress I will not be picking to fight Grimm when and how I please, but as I am needed and as I can. It is the same for you-"
"It's the same for me because that's what was forced on me."
"Why are you being so argumentative about this?"
"I'm not. I'm being honest. I just never had a chance to be honest before because there was always a collar round my neck and someone telling me what I should do, how, and when. I was weak before, Weiss. Soft. I let people walk all over me." He realised that now, and while it was all well and good to say he should have earlier, he'd been too tired to think properly. "This is the first real break I've had since I unlocked my Semblance and it's given me a chance to see the world, realise what was happening to me, and form my own opinions."
"You're exaggerating. You're making it sound like you were abused."
"Maybe I was. My trust was abused, and my lack of experience as well. I accepted anything Atlas offered me as long as it protected my family, and that let them place unreasonable demands on me. I spent two years healing twice a day, every day, until my literal soul started to warp because of it."
He wasn't going to compare himself to victims of physical abuse, even if the impact on his aura and body was physical, but there had definitely been some sense of being "used" for the benefit of others. Atlas had paid him, but he hadn't needed nor wanted the money. It was the protection they offered that he had to take, and the protection for Ansel.
"You're being utterly unreasonable," said Weiss, tossing her head. It didn't hurt as much as it used to that she didn't believe him, and he wasn't sure that was a good sign. "You were paid to do a job – and quite handsomely at that. And what else were you going to do? You're a hero, Jaune."
"I don't want to be a hero. I want to be myself."
Weiss clicked her tongue. It was a patronising sound. "I suppose we'll have to agree to disagree on this one. Either way, I won't raise this publicly. If the media do find out then it won't be by me – and I'll naturally stand beside you as you say all this. I just want you to be aware of the box you're opening. People have an expectation of you now. They won't accept you backing out on our duties just because you want to."
It wasn't just because he wanted to and it wasn't a duty, but Jaune didn't bother saying that. Weiss wouldn't have listened anyway.
"If I don't set a new line now, they'll keep taking advantage of me."
"The line has already been drawn. The line is seven days a week, twice a day. You can try and reinvent that, Jaune, but they'll always compare it to that and find whatever you do lacking. That's why I'm saying we find a balance that the doctors agree is safe. That way we can have the excuse of saying it's for your health."
"An excuse," said Jaune, groaning. "You want an excuse, Weiss. What about what I want?"
Weiss rolled her eyes. "Obviously, your feelings matter as well. I didn't think that needed saying."
"It does. Especially when it feels lately like you don't care about them at all."
"Ugh. Are we really doing this?" She pinched the bridge of her nose. "I have feelings as well, you realise. I also have to deal with the attention and pressure of how much you heal. What should I feel when someone asks me why my husband only works two days a week despite that he could work more? Am I to smile and say that's fine even when I think you could help more people?"
How was he supposed to answer that? He wanted to say this wasn't about her, but that was selfish. If they were to marry then it would be about both of them, and he'd agreed to a partnership. That didn't change the fact it was his semblance, his aura, his life, his free time, and his cracking under the constant pressure. But it was Weiss' unspoken words that bothered him.
"Are you saying you'd love me less if I didn't do this…?"
Weiss glanced away. Her voice was quiet. "I'm not saying that. I would just feel a little embarrassed and not know how to answer. What could I say? That you're tired of working and don't want to anymore? That someone's child should remain dead because my husband doesn't feel like it today? How could I justify that to someone when I'll be out risking my life against the Grimm?"
"How much do you want me to work?"
Weiss looked up, surprised and hopeful, and though Jaune looked away angrily she did answer. "As much as you reasonably can. Not as bad as before, of course, but we could slowly expand. See what you're comfortable with. Try a third day and see how that feels. Only after you're given the green light of course. Your health comes first."
His physical health anyway. Jaune let out a heavy breath. He couldn't help but think Pyrrha wouldn't have made these demands, but then she'd had the strength to turn to her sponsors and fans and say "no more" when she joined Beacon. Even thinking that felt like he was cheating on Weiss. The worst part was the lingering thought that maybe it wouldn't have been a bad thing if Pyrrha had approached him before Weiss' engagement idea.
"I'll try it slowly expanding," he said. "But the moment I decide it's enough, it's enough. I'm not going to let them drag me through the sand again. Never again. I decide the limit. I decide who I will and won't help."
Weiss smiled and leaned up on tiptoes to kiss his lips. It felt… bland. Cold.
"Thank you, Jaune. That means a lot to me."
It shouldn't. How much or how little he gave to other people shouldn't be the defining factor in his fiancée's feelings toward him. Arguing was pointless, though. He didn't have the heart for it. Instead, he excused himself and reached for his scroll.
"Pyrrha. Can we talk? I need…"
He heaved a sigh. This was a bad idea but he had to take a stand somewhere. Had to trust someone.
"I need relationship advice. Me and Weiss. It's… It's not working."
It hasn't been working for a while but if you've ever been in a relationship like this then you'll know just how long it takes for you to realise and accept that. It's always so much easier to see from the outside and say "I told you so" but being in it, there's complicated feelings, messy desires, and the longing to see if you can't fix it.
Next Chapter: 30th March
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