Prologue
"Friendships can start just about anywhere."
Hunters. The paragon of humanity tasked with defending Remnant from the Grimm—monstrous creatures that prowl on negative emotions. It was a title for some of the strongest people on the world, with some going as far as to call them heroes.
It felt a little dramatic to assume that, but there wasn't any deceit there. Hunters are some of the strongest, and they do indeed fight the Grimm to protect humans and faunus. The common people would revere them to an extent, and she herself had looked up to them when she was much younger, even when she'd still been in the White Fang.
Becoming one herself was not part of the plan, much less so immediately after she'd chosen to leave the White Fang. But if it let her become strong to protect the faunus and represent them in the world's eyes in some way, then that would be enough.
Unfortunately, as a girl who grew up on a lot of stories and the occasional fairy tales, her brain had made the critical mistake of deifying hunters, somehow managing to forget that they were just people in the end.
"Haha, got'chu! And you thought you could get me on the down low, eh, Ruby?"
"Kh..! Well, just you wait, I'll make my comeback!"
Thankfully, both Ruby and Jaune are there to remind her of that little fact; that, at the end of the day, they were all hunters-in-training. And teenagers, mind you, hence why they were in Team RWBY's room playing a fighting game against one another on their scrolls.
Blake snorted to herself, flipping the page of her book to the next one. 'And here I am lazing my day away. Some huntress I am.'
A life in the day of a hunter school, even one as grand as Beacon Academy, wasn't just training and studying. There were simpler days such as this, where they were free to be as nonchalant as they want to be. And even on busier days, everyone wouldn't magically turn into some stick-in-the-ass kind of guy. Everyone was chill.
Except these two, she thought with amusement, as Jaune finished his combo and broke through Ruby's defenses, depleting the health of her player character with one final uppercut.
"Whoo!" He cheered once the victory sign came up on screen, while Ruby bemoaned her defeat. "Four-to-two victories in my favour! Told ya' I'm good at this game," with a cocky smirk, he stared down his fellow team leader. "How about it? Want another round?"
"Grr..! Of course!" She cried out, tapping the buttons to get them back to the character selection area. "I'm gonna' beat you this time, just you watch!"
"Sure, sure. You said that the last three times, but you—" He came to a pause when a notification sounded from his scroll. "Oh, hang on. Let me check this for a bit… Oh hey, it's finally out? Nice!"
"Hmm? What is out?"
"This novel I've been looking for. I've been waiting for it to be published, and it looks like it's finally available in the bookstore downtown."
Ruby let out a shocked gasp. "You read books?! Gross!" Ouch.
"Whoa. That's a little harsh."
"Jaune, all this time I thought you and I were comic buddies!" She whined. "But here you are, betraying the trust I had in you and reading boring ol' books! Why?"
"Um, because I like them? Because they're good?" He sweat-dropped in response. "Just because they ain't comics doesn't mean you shouldn't give 'em a try. I think you'd actually find them to be pretty cool too if you give them a chance!"
"I dunno'… I mean, they're just lines and lines of words, with barely any pictures! As if I'd prefer those over comics."
"Okay, that's true. And they take a heck of a long time to read through, unlike comics which you could easily blaze through in a couple of minutes. But I don't know… books just scratch that itch that nothing else can," he grinned. "Different genres, different writing styles… They're neat, Rubes."
From the way he said that, it made her feel as if he read a lot, which was a little bit surprising. All the times that he'd hung out with Ruby, he'd only ever read X-Ray and Vav, never a novel. The more you know, she supposed.
"Urgh. Nerd."
"I still love comics, don't get me wrong. X-ray and Vav will be with me until I die, but I've just gotten used to reading lots of books," he shrugged back, putting his scroll on the floor. "Back where I was growing up, a majority of my sisters were bookworms. And since we usually share things… well, some of them, including story books, I usually just read theirs to pass the time. Most of them were romance, though there was the occasional sci-fi and crime."
"Urhg... I don't know how you manage to do that. They're so lame…"
Her ears hidden beneath her bow twitched, as did her eye. That Ruby easily dismissed them for being boring and a little too much was somewhat of an atrocity, but one she allowed if only because she knew—and that her leader had admitted before—that Ruby had an attention span that wasn't the best.
Oh, sure, she'd come a long way since the start of their Beacon semester, opting to put in the work with her studies (and she has to. Being two years behind made that all the more necessary) as she studied with Weiss' help, though even then that wasn't always. The only thing she would willingly be focused on was comics and weapons.
Still, all of Ruby's words had Blake feeling personally attacked. So it's called being a nerd if someone enjoys reading a book. She personally wonders if Ruby thinks that of her. She wanted it put on record that she never once thought Ruby a nerd, but that might change after today.
"Well, I guess I can't change your mind—"
"You won't."
"—so I'll leave it at that. In any case, the book won't be selling out fast… hopefully. So I'll just leave that for another day. Today, I just want to rest."
"Still can't believe you like books, of all things."
"Well, everyone's got their preferences, yeah? And besides, you're talking real big for someone on a losing streak," okay, that was a good comeback. Even Ruby felt that too, gawking back.
"You did not!"
"Oh, I just did. I may be a nerd, as you say, but I'm a nerd who sure as hell knows how to kick your butt, Ruby Rose."
"Ouch. Way to go and hurt a girl's feelings," Blake finally voiced out for the first time with a quip, though not without a hint of tease in her voice. "And here I thought you were a gentleman," turning her head, she stared her leader in her silver eyes. "Ruby, you really gonna' take that from him?"
"Of course not!" She snarled, reinvigorated by the challenge. "Get ready, Vomit Boy! Today's the day I beat you!"
"Hah! Try it, Crater Face! You can try all you want, but you'll never get the one-up on me!" He yelled back, selecting his character just as she did hers.
Hah. Like peas in a pod, those two. It's no wonder they hit it off so well on their first day. Almost as if they'd known each other their entire lives, what with how close they were. Their energy was enough to leave her smiling.
So it was that Blake made herself at home on her bed, poring over her newest book once more while her leader and her best friend clashed once more in the fighting game, screaming at each other all the while. All in all, a relatively normal day in Beacon Academy.
A school for huntsmen, while sounding incredibly prestigious and important (which it was), was ultimately a school. And school came with… well, lessons. They were necessary, obviously, because they were meant to impart important knowledge in the minds of the students.
Beacon was known to have a number of electives in the later years, while the first two would have set subjects that they needed to pass, some of them including Grimm studies and history.
For someone who had been part of a prep school, these were all new to her. However, with the circumstances she'd been in, she grew up being an avid reader, which meant that she was able to catch up with the academical side of things. History, especially, was something she'd always read a lot of growing up, and Grimm fell on the practical side of things that you just learnt in the field.
Now, the lessons were fine on their own, don't get her wrong. But the teachers? Those were a whole slew of oddities that she was just unsure of what to think of, if only because each person leading a particular subject was peculiar in a way that made her feel as if her sanity was slowly draining.
Oh, that wasn't to say the people here were bad. Far from it. They upheld their duties very seriously, and none of them were racist against faunus, something that she greatly appreciated.
But that still doesn't excuse the fact that the lessons can be… well…
"Grimm!" A great voice boomed across the room, shocking some to sit upright in their places while a few initiated auto-sleep mode. "Prowlers of the night!"
Beside her, Ruby whispered to the rest of the team. "Didn't he use that same introduction in the very first class..?"
"Yes, Ruby. He did," Weiss sighed, and she looked as if she was suffering from five different migraines all at once.
"On the bright side, at least he's enthusiastic about it. Still has a way of making us doze off, though…"
Yang wasn't wrong on that front. Already, she could see countless students with their heads on the table, openly sleeping. That Professor Port hadn't chosen to reprimand them was enabling them to go on with this. Or perhaps he was so into his storytelling session that he hadn't noticed the students sleeping to begin with.
There were a few others that were obviously trying to fight the urge to nap, book and pen in hand, ready to jot down whatever token of wisdom he would give out. Oh, sure, there were some. You just had to listen really closely for them. Had to listen to his highly exaggerated tales to find them.
"—and there he was! By jove! The biggest Beowulf I had ever seen, towering over my body by seven stories high! Its ivory teeth glimmered in the night, crimson eyes regarding me with the most vicious ferocity I had ever seen! And what should ol' Peter do, you ask, with just half a sandwich and a farming glove? But there were villages to save, people to protect! So, I did god's work, charging into the fray as I finish my succulent bread and meat as I proceed to strike down every single Grimm!"
She was physically hurting just from hearing his story. How he managed to elicit such bodily responses out of her, she would never know. All that she wanted to know if it was
He flaunted his strength by flexing his muscle, though that gesture just made his belly shake. Someone to the side snorted, though she wasn't sure if she shared their sense of humour. She was deciding whether or not she should just knock herself out cold and spare her this torture.
Ultimately, she ended up dropping her head onto her desk with a sigh. Professor Port was truly one of a kind.
…
"…and so, the the Old Royalty Faction suffered unspeakable losses during the Battle of Vaclalaba in the Vacuan Civil War. As you may know, Lord Jaffar al-Riaz had intended for the royal troops to secure western Vacuo which, at the time, was known to be home to five different oases. With such extreme climates, access to sources of water was incredibly vital, making this an incredibly vital checkpoint. However, miscommunication in the chain of command resulted in the royal troops being sent on a direct charge against a different battalion; one that was fully equipped with advanced Dust-powered weaponry and ballistae. The royal troops suffered great loss in the charge, bombarded with fire upon fire as their numbers were drastically cut down in such short notice. Eventually, they were forced to retreat, and there was absolutely no gains in this supposed 'battle'."
Strikingly green hair with a white shirt and yellow tie. This was a combination that burnt the cones in her eyes, but she persisted, attempting to keep up with his machinegun-speed words to try and grasp for the necessary lessons. Even then, she'd failed to catch a few of his words.
Somehow, she had a feeling that she wasn't the only one who struggled.
All around her, she could tell that everyone was attempting to speed-scribble their notes into their books, some looking so lost that they'd just given up and decided to ask their teammates later on. Beside her, Yang had joined the latter group, her cheek on her knuckle as she switched between looking at the rambling greenette and her scroll.
Blake rubbed her eyes with a tired hum. Honestly, Doctor Oobleck wasn't a bad person. He didn't advocate discrimination—that instantly put him high up in the ranking in her mind—was very passionate about his work, and was always present to lend the students an ear or offer advice. He was, in every way, a good person.
As a lecturer, though? She wondered if, perhaps, he should take up rapping as a profession instead. He certainly has the lip speed to pull it off.
She remembered the first lecture they had with him, and Blake had actually considered leaving Beacon altogether. Professor Port had been bad enough, but going from a self-aggrandizing story teller to a knowledgeable man who spoke like a machinegun had been just too exhausting. Yang in particular left the lecture hall looking like a woman who'd just been freed from prison.
"And this is the story that the 'The Charge of the Blue-Blooded' poem came from, right, Doctor?"
All heads turned towards the source of the voice, hers included, surprised muttering following right after. Yellow eyes regarded the speaker, who had stood up with his hand slightly in the air. She was a little surprised to see it was Jaune, of all people, his blue eyes shining with curiosity. The doctor had ceased talking, his full attention on the man.
"Why, that is indeed the case, Mister Arc. Where had you come upon that name?"
"One of my younger sisters was fond of poetry. Didn't matter if it was romantic or silly. She'd always loved poetry, especially historical ones," he admitted with a silly smile. "But yeah. It mentioned the Battle of Vaclalaba, and how the soldiers had gone into a fight they couldn't win. And yet, the poem made it seem as if it was more focused on their spirit of patriotism, rather than the outcome."
"A terrific observation, Mister Arc. Yes, you are indeed right. The lines within the poem was designed with the strict intent emphasise the valour of the troops for carrying out their orders without a shred of fear, even though the end result of such was their death."
"Does that have something to do with politics, perhaps? Or an attempt to make themselves seem greater despite their loss?"
"You could say that, yes. After all, what army would happily wave their defeat in the face of the world? No. In an effort to colour the world's view of their troops, a poet by the name of Joseff al-Asmar took to writing of their soldiers' failure and turning it into some kind of romanticized tale of their valour. Partly to memorialize their soldiers, and partly to turn it into some form of propaganda to raise their faction's integrity and morale."
Hmph. She could imagine that. No one person would ever willingly admit to a fault, much less so on a global scale. They'd find some excuse, or some method, to change that. And this was no different.
"But the soldiers… They could have chosen not to fight, right, Doctor?" Another voice perked up.
"Perhaps, but that is simply what a soldier is. One of the poem's line goes as such; Theirs not to make reply. Theirs not to reason why. Theirs but to do and die. A simple but perfect representation of a soldier's loyalty to their kingdom, that they would carry out whatever duty is presented before them without any doubts, even if it may end with their deaths."
The mood in the class was brought down as a result of his words, and Blake was grateful that she'd truly left behind the life of being a White Fang member. She knew all too many people who would have just given away their lives to carry out their duties simply because they feel like there was no other option.
She wondered if that could have been her, if she'd chosen to blindly devote herself to the cause. She'd left because Adam had gone too far, and the White Fang had slowly lost focus of its vision. There was no use staying with such a corrupted faction.
She had made her choice to leave it behind. And someday, she'll have to make up for all the mistakes she'd made.
"Thank you, Mister Arc, for bringing up Sir al-Asmar's work. And might I say, you and your sister are well-read. I am pleased to know that the both of you are keen on remembering the past. Such is important, moving forwards, so that we may never repeat them in the future."
Jaune nodded back, happy and satisfied. "Right. Thank you, Doctor."
Once he sat back down, the doctor went back to rambling, though she couldn't help but admit that it was a surprise for Jaune of all people to somehow add to the discussion. A good surprise, though. He'd admitted to being fond of reading books, though she certainly didn't expect him to read beyond the novels and the like.
Unfortunately, with that minor break from his ramble over, Doctor Oobleck was able to get back into his groove. Blake desperately wanted the bell to ring already, because class with Doctor Oobleck never fails to give her a headache or two.
…
Metal rang across the arena as sword and scythe collided. Both combatants leapt back to put distance between themselves, although the little red-hooded girl was quick to charge back into the fray to unleash a flurry of swings. The other boy panicked and began a series of smart manoeuvres that never failed to preserve the life of the one on the defensive, aptly termed 'ducking and running'.
Blake snorted, watching her leader, who was easily two heads shorter than Russel, give him a hell of a day. His daggers aren't meant for blocking, and against such a big weapon like Crescent Rose? Oof. He's got one heck of a fight before him.
Combat class isn't exactly the most complicated one. Two fighters are chosen, either by random or nomination, and they duke it out. A win is gained by either depleting the opponent's aura to a certain level or knocking them out of the stage. Afterwards, Miss Goodwitch would assess their performances and give critiques regarding areas to be improved. Simple and clean.
Or as clean as it could be as she watched Russel get thrashed a little too easily, making her wince. Make no mistake, she didn't like him and his group, what with their outward racism towards faunus, but it was still a bit embarrassing to see him faring poorly against such a smaller girl.
"Yeah, Ruby! Go kick his ass!"
"Yang, please refrain from shouting! You're bothering everyone."
Blake rolled her eyes, knowing for certain that there was no stopping Yang in her 'big sis mode'. It's endearing, obviously, but she could try and do away with the volume.
Or she won't, because she's as stubborn as a rock. It'd be a cold day in hell if she suddenly goes silent for a whole day.
As the two combatants traded blows, Miss Goodwitch keeps a close eye on the two of them, while giving furtive glances around the spectators' seats every now and then. Inwardly, she shuddered, knowing that the woman had some kind of eagle vision, able to spot any inattention from afar.
'Lesson to take home? Don't mess with Goodwitch. Ever.'
Eventually, the battle ended in Ruby's favour—not like it was ever in question. Her Auru was well above seventy, whereas Russel's had dropped straight into the yellow, marking his loss. The guy was panting, having been put through quite an exercise of dodging and weaving between the girl's attacks. Ruby, on the other hand, looked a little winded, though much better for wear.
"The both of you make full use of your speed in your fights, though it goes without question that Miss Rose has mastered hers in terms of her Semblance," the girl in question beamed a little. "Mister Thrush, you should have capitalized on the fact that you are much bulkier than she is. It would have been imperative for you to spot an opening in her defences, then strike a fatal blow that could have decided the outcome of the fight."
"Y-Yes, ma'am."
"And Miss Rose. Though your fight today was greatly in your favour, what with your ability to outrun your opponent and dodge each one of his attacks, I suggest that you think to use your ranged options more. Any mistake on your part could cost you, and sometimes playing safe would be a wiser move. Not only would it keep your opponent away from you, but it will give you time to consider your options and formulate your attack plan."
"O-Of course," she nodded quickly.
Those green eyes of hers watched them for a moment before she nodded. "Very well, the two of you may return to your seats. Next, we shall have Pyrrha Nikos and Yang Xiao Long, to the stage."
"Alright!" Her blonde partner yelled in excitement. "I've been waiting for this."
"Not like you haven't sparred with her plenty of times already," Weiss rolled her eyes, though there was a semblance of amusement in her gaze.
"Pssh, that's sparring. This'll be a real fight in front of everyone. Here's my time to shine to shine!"
With her off to change into her battle gear, Pyrrha the same, Blake sat back in her seat and let out a sigh. Miss Goodwitch is terrifying, but so long as you don't make her cross? Well, you're all good.
Blake Belladonna was many things; the daughter of the chieftains of Menagerie, an ex-member of the White Fang, and now a huntress-in-training. She would have said that her life hadn't gone the way she had thought it ever would, but in all honesty? She was rather happy with where she's ended up.
Using one's powers for the greater good was the kind of lesson you'd find in a superhero comic, but it was even truer to life now that she was meant to become a fully-fledged huntress. She would devote her time to training, all for the sake of becoming stronger to protect innocents. To give them their opportunity to live their lives the way they want to.
To have their own happy ever afters… That was worth fighting for.
But of course, being in a school, not every day is filled with hardship. Some days are light, others a little more strenuous, but every one of them more or less being relatively bearable, thanks to the company and the knowledge that her time spent here would serve her purpose to uphold her ideals of justice and equality.
And there are days where she absolutely has to flee from the mess that is Team RWBY, of which usually it's because of Yang. No further explanation needed.
'Really,' she thought to herself, grumbling. 'Is it too much to ask for just five minutes to read in silence?'
Not for Yang, that is. She'd never been the kind of girl who could sit still or keep her mouth zipped for ten minutes, let alone two. She'd either make a really dumb joke, start calling her silly nicknames, or try to get under Weiss' skin, which was an issue all in itself since she'd then get into a heated argument with Yang. Weiss, for all that she calls herself mature, could never withstand the blonde's taunts.
Seriously, where her energy came from, she didn't know, though she had a feeling it was hereditary. Would explain how Ruby's just the same. But even Ruby knew how to control herself. Yang?
Sighing for the nth time that day, she marched down the corridor. It was a weekend, and some of the student body had headed downtown to catch a break or a meal. Her team would likely be in their room for a bit. At least, until Ruby or Yang decided it was enough and they needed sunlight.
The library proves to be Blake's escape from just about everything. The silence, the atmosphere, all the books… well, she doesn't peruse the books in this library all the time since she has her own, so she typically brings her selection along before making her way to her favourite spot in the library.
"Miss Belladonna," she perked up as she approached the librarian's desk. Sitting behind it was none other than—
"Miss Goodwitch?" Golden eyes went wide as she regarded the bespectacled woman. "You're the librarian too?"
"No. I'm simply filling in for Alicia," she responded. There was nothing out of place; the green eyes, her braided blonde hair, the white blouse and the black skirt. She was every bit the disciplinarian and combat class instructor that she knows and remembers, and that which just about everyone (herself included) is deathly afraid of. "She's taking a paid leave for the week, so I'll be taking her place for some time."
"I-Is that so?" No wonder the library was a lot quieter than usual. Looking around, she noticed a drastically lower number of students, and those that were using the library were on their best behaviour. Not a single sight of games or the like.
"Indeed. Well, I know I wouldn't have to tell you this, but be sure to follow the rules of the library and refrain from making any form of disturbance for everyone else. Keep any prohibited material out of the library—and from school grounds in general. If there is any material that you intend to borrow, simply bring it to me and we can carry out the usual procedure."
"R-Right," leave it to Miss Goodwitch to be a true stickler to the rules. She was definitely going to be a lot more careful bringing her books to the library. "If I may…"
The blonde nodded, and she made her way to the right. The library was separated into two portions; the left section had little desks designed for self-study, while to the right, rows upon rows of books were lined upon shelves with larger tables for groups to make use of. There was a single table deeper inside, with two bookshelves surrounding the table to give some form of cover from the rest of the library.
It was her go-to spot to read her books without the chance of being bothered. And if she had to, she would often bring extra things like her pencil case, a bag or a bottle to put on the other three chairs, giving off the imagery that they were reserved for others. That always worked, and she was grateful for that. She didn't want to be bothered while she—
'Eh?' Her eyes widened, body going stiff as she stared at her reading spot. 'Someone else is already there?'
Her body was stiff as she quickly moved over to hide herself behind a shelf, peeking over the edge to get a glance at whomever it was. The student, still wearing his school uniform, had his back to her while he was doing whatever he was doing. His blond hair was ragged, his voice filling the space with a quiet hum that reminds her of a song she'd once heard. His bag was laid out beside the table leg, his writing supplies past his elbow.
'That's… Jaune,' she thought, a little surprised to find him here, of all places. 'Is he studying?'
That's the most likely case. It was no surprise to everyone that, besides being the weakest student in their year (although even that was beginning to change, thanks to his dedication to his training), he was also rather behind the curriculum. It couldn't be helped since he had never went to a huntsman training like the rest of them, but at the very least he was willing to work hard on improving himself. That was commendable.
Although, it would be nice if he could have taken his studying elsewhere.
She shook her head. No, that would be unfair to him. It wasn't like she'd bought that particular spot, and if she tried to shoo him away from here, she'd come off as some kind of bully. She was better than that.
'I'll just share the table with him. Unlike Yang and Nora, I can trust him to be quiet when it counts, and I can too.'
No hesitation. She steeled herself to approach the boy, making sure her steps were loud enough to alert him of her incoming presence. When he didn't seem to notice her, she tried to peek over her head to get a look at what he was doing. All she could see was a page with a lot of words scribbled on it. Must be a journal or notebook.
After some deliberation, she opted to just go for the straightforward option. "Ahem," she cleared her throat.
The reaction she got was both expected but not; Jaune practically yelped in surprise, body going stiffer than a board as his head snapped left and right, only to finally bodily turn himself around to look her in the eyes. Those blue orbs were shocked, staring at her as if she was the ghost.
"Hello, Jaune."
"B-Blake?" He gasped. Then, he started laughing, only to shut himself quickly to avoid drawing Goodwitch's attention. "S-Sorry. I wondered who it was. Didn't expect to see you here."
"Me neither. Well, alone. If you were here, I'd have expected you to be here with your team, or Ruby at least."
"Ruby was with me, though she quickly ran away when she saw Miss Goodwitch at the desk," he chuckled, making her grin a little. "Don't tell her I told you that."
"My lips are zipped," to emphasize, she mimed the action over her mouth. "So anyways, I was hoping if you don't mind if I sit here too. Just reading some books of mine. I won't bother you."
"Huh? Oh, sure," he nodded, gesturing to an open seat. "By all means."
Blake nodded her gratitude before heading over to sit opposite of Jaune, giving both of them ample room and privacy. She set down her bag on the floor beside her, then pulled out her book before she began reading it. The quaint environment and the sound of Jaune's writing on his book provided just the right ambience for her to dive into her read.
She wasn't sure how long she'd been sitting there, reading her book. At best, it had only been thirty minutes, though she could have imagined it being much longer. When one really gets into it, it's so easy to block out the rest of the world and stay absorbed in their little world for moments on end.
Blake hummed, flipping the page to the next. The heroine is in a situation where she has to choose between two men in her life; one, her childhood friend who had been by her side since the very start, the other a popular guy who'd just entered their school and began making waves. It was no less cliché than anything else she'd read, though she wasn't complaining.
Personally, she was rooting for the childhood friend. Sure, that seemed like the easy choice, but that was simply because the new guy had proven to be too much of a jerk for the heroine, reminding her a little too much of her own love life back in the day. She would have liked it if she could just forget all about that.
'Hmm… But it will be difficult. He has a large financial backing and connections to suspicious individuals, so it wouldn't be difficult for him to simply blackmail the other guy into keeping quiet, or something.'
Even then, she'd still root for the childhood friend. He was sort of the underdog in this story, choosing to work his way through the motions in a slow and steady manner. Hopefully, the heroine would open her eyes to his efforts and choose him in the end. The other road would be nothing but heartbreak.
Something snapped. Her eyes snapped over to the boy in front of her, noticing that he'd accidentally broken his pencil. Those blue orbs turned mildly annoyed. He quickly pulled out a sharpener and began the tedious process of sharpening his writing tool.
"You know," she spoke up for the first time in minutes. "You could always just use a mechanical."
"I really should, though I hadn't had the opportunity to go buy some. Way more eco-friendly."
That's his first thought? Not a bad one, though. "True. You'd just need to use one and refill it every time it runs out. Not like a pencil, which will eventually run out and you'd need to throw it out."
"Mmhm."
"But wooden pencils are considered okay too. I mean, they're made with wood, which is a natural material, compared to mechanicals and pens which are made with plastic. And you know what plastic is."
"The killer of the planet," wisely nodded Jaune.
"Indeed," after a while of staring, she couldn't help herself but ask the question on her mind. "…Say, what are you writing?"
That got a reaction out of him, as his previously calm gaze turned into a panicked one. "Eh? Me?" He looked down to his book, then back at her. "Err. Notes?"
"Notes," she repeated, trying to look at his book—only for him to cover them with both his hands. "Why are you hiding them?"
"No I'm not."
"Yes you are."
"No I'm not."
She resisted the urge to drawl out Ruby's name, if only because the person in front of her wasn't Ruby. Still, they apparently have quite the similar tendencies whenever they want to avoid something.
"Jaune, it's okay if those aren't notes, you know. I'm not going to judge. I mean, you literally played Cards of Remnant in the library a week ago."
"Shh!" His eyes were wide with panic. "Don't say it out loud..! Miss Goodwitch might hear you!"
"Jaune," she sighed. "She's literally on the other side of the area. There's no way she wouldn't hear you."
"That's… true. But you never know. Miss Goodwitch has a keen sense of things, and she's able to pick out students who aren't focusing during class or are doing things that they're not supposed to. Remember, two days ago? When she could tell that Dove had been playing with his scroll even though he'd been looking at the arena alongside everyone else, and was practically hidden behind Cardin?"
That was… a shockingly good point. One that made her gulp as she turned her head to look towards the disciplinarian's way. Fortune smiled on them in that moment, for it seemed that death wasn't coming for them just yet. They sighed in relief.
"So, what are you writing?"
"It's… a novel study," he finally admitted.
"Is that it? Really?" She rolled her eyes, admittedly a little disappointed. "You were making it seem like some kind of horrible secret. That's practically fine, you know."
"Yeah, but like… I'm just embarrassed to talk about it," he shrugged weakly. "It's, you know. That sort of thing you'd prefer doing on your own."
"Okay, I can understand that," especially when it came to her subject of books. They were certainly not for the general audience, hence why she obviously preferred to read them in safe spots—and why the book she was reading moments ago covered the typical vanilla stuff, and nothing of her usual preference. "What story are you writing a study on?"
"That's… Do you have to know?"
"I don't have to know, but I do want to."
"Well… I mean, it's nothing impressive, really. Just a little hobby of my own, and stuff…"
Well, he was being unusually cagey about this. He'd been particularly open about his fondness for books that day he hung out with Ruby in their room. This must be somewhat related, albeit a different thing entirely if he wasn't enthusiastic about sharing it. Not exactly something she can't relate with; her fondness of books and preference of… ahem, mature books was certainly a good contrast to his own situation.
"Listen, it's not… embarrassing, per se… It's just a little childish."
Childish? From Jaune? "That only applies for Ruby, Jaune. She makes doodles of heroes fighting Grimm in her book during Port's classes. God knows how many times Weiss has complained about that. I would know childish above anything else."
That got him to laugh a little, finding truth in her words. "Yeah, you're right… Well, okay. I guess I can explain what I'm doing," he offered. Blake nodded, leaning back. "Basically, I run a website where I talk about… err, games, movies and stories focused on a particular genre with everyone. I literally write an analysis, critiques and my opinions on them."
"Sort of like a blog? Or a review?"
"Sort of like that, yeah."
"Huh. Never knew you were into that sort of stuff."
That got him to go flush a little. "I mean, I grew up loving books. And I've always loved this particular genre since I was a kid, so like… yeah," he coughed. "And as for the blogging thing. I've written plenty of essays—especially to help my sisters out, so I'm kind of used to that. I've even reviewed several beauty products for them."
"That's pretty interesting. You sure do a whole lot more than I expected."
"Meh. It's whatever. Just normal stuff."
"So these things you cover. What genre are they?" She asked, making him quirk a brow. "You haven't told me what kind of stuff you cover. What is it? Wait, let me guess. Superheroes?"
"Hah. You'd think, but no, it's the last thing you'd expect."
"Romance? Action? Adventure?" Those were the popular genres, and she'd expected him to nod. Each answer prompted him to shake his head, however. She tried to recall his and Ruby's conversation back in their room. "Sci-fi? Crime? Mystery?"
"Nope, nope, and nope."
"…Is it porno—"
"What? No!" His entire face went red, then white when he stared behind her, awaiting Miss Goodwitch's arrival. That made her freeze up as well, though thankfully, there were no signs of blonde hair and green hair. They sighed in relief. "It's not… that. It's horror."
Blake took a moment to pause, then stare at him with unveiled surprise. "Horror? Really? You?"
"Y-Yeah. I love—and I do mean I love—horror since I was a kid," Jaune rubbed the back of his head with a chuckle, averting his eyes. "Not a lot of my sisters enjoy them, but I don't know. It's always been interesting to me."
"And so, you have a blog website where you share those kinds of things with everyone?"
"Yep," he met her eyes, chuckling after a while. "I can tell what you're thinking. You're thinking something along the lines of how I don't seem like the kind of guy who'd like that sort of thing, huh?"
"I am, yeah," she nodded, crossing her arms. "I mean, this entire time I've known you, there's never been any mention of horror. You and Ruby are always gushing over superhero comics and talking about that sort of craziness, so like, this is just unexpected."
"Yeah, I get you. I mean, I don't really try to talk much about it because, well, it makes me feel like a nerd."
"Please, it's fine," she rolled her amber eyes, though not without a smile. "It's all fine to enjoy whatever you like. I'm not going to make fun of you."
"Thanks, Blake. That means a lot to me."
"Mmhm. So, are you willing to share what story you're studying right now?" Her question had him on the backfoot once more, staring at her with wide eyes. She clicked her tongue. "Jeez, Jaune. Don't make a big deal out of it. I'm just curious. I'd like to know a little more about what you read."
After all, even back home, she'd never known anyone who actually enjoyed horror. Ilia herself was a fan of romance, while Adam enjoyed thought-provoking literature and poetry. Beacon was the same, so actually meeting someone who liked a genre so different from the norm was actually kind of exciting.
"Ah, err… I'm, uh, not done yet. There's one review I'm working on, and I've still got at least a bit more to finish," there was no missing the way he was subtly trying to close the book. She noticed, raising a brow at him, which he responded with a weak grimace. "Err. How about tomorrow?"
It wasn't there and now, but it was better than none at all. "Tomorrow it is, then," she nodded. "No bailing out, got it? You made a promise. And what was it about an Arc making promises?"
"An Arc never goes back on his word…" He recited those words with dismay, making her grin.
Honestly, one would have assumed that she was being a little pushy, but she was curious. She loved reading, and so did Jaune, and she was curious on the kinds of things he read. Curiosity may have killed the cat, but not her. She was going to know, no matter what.
Little did she realize that this little meeting was the start of an unusual friendship, and her school days ahead would be looking a lot more different than she could have ever expected.
Author's Notes:
Alriiight. Finally got back to this story after God-knows-how-long—and in a completely new story, no less, albeit with the same concepts as you are likely familiar with.
Okay, so listen. While I was going through my first drafts, I felt like revising the pacing, character design and the choice of stories a little better. And then, I also realized that limiting my options to only written works would be a little unfair.
Horror through written stories can be incredibly terrifying when they work, though not always. How often do you read one and get a chill down your spine? Perhaps sometimes, but are they enough to terrify you out of your seat?
Movies, on the other hand, use a lot of jumpscare techniques. Cheap, but some of the good ones also make use of suspense and mystery to truly leave the watchers with paranoia. Online videos like the ones you'll find on YouTube can be absolute gold, so leaving them out would be a huge loss.
And video games? Come on now. That's like a free library to choose from. Forgoing that would be a huge shame.
Focusing on just written stories would be necessary if I intended to make Jaune the supposed writer of some of these stories, but the inclusion of Us in that last chapter would have been a little out-of-place. As such, I'm gonna' change things by including all media covering horror. This would include stories, videogames, movies and more.
Another change that I'm thinking of is Jaune not being a writer of horror stories, as portrayed in the older versions. Instead, I'm thinking he's more like a critic, as you often find on YouTube. This story will reference many mediums made by the original creators, so that's that.
Final reminder: this is just a casual slice-of-life story using horror as a connecting point, albeit with more emphasis on comedy and typical shenanigans in high school. Aaand… That's about it!
The Charge of the Light Brigade by Alfred Lord Tennyson was referenced in this story in that portion with Doctor Oobleck. You know what it is. Learnt it in English class back in high school. Any tales covered in this story will be included in the author's notes at the end of the chapter, just like before.
Oh yeah, and a last last notice. After this prologue, I'll immediately add three other chapters, and leave it there for now. Hopefully, this story will be added to my regular updating batch alongside Of Crowns and Swords, He's a Boy, Really and In a Big Freaking World.
