Snowing over here. Driving to work Friday was harrowing, especially after already having skidded off he roads only two months ago. It's amazing how badly an incident like that can knock your confidence. It was an anxiety-ridden journey.
Cover Art: Mysterywhiteflame
Chapter 23
No news was good news, or so they said. The newspapers had little to mention about the White Fang rally or a shoot-up at a warehouse, and it seemed like Beacon weren't prepared to go and make them aware of the trouble their students got into. Atlas certainly wasn't, either. Instead, the news was about the festival and some other random nonsense unrelated to a giant robot in the city, and Jaune was relieved at that. There was similarly little news from Warden, who were likely going through all the information and formulating their next step. It was strangely relaxing to be able to leave all that to them and just follow orders, or, in this case, to just be able to go for breakfast without having to worry about terrorists and international interests.
It being a Saturday morning, the cafeteria was relatively quiet. He still spotted Team RWBY off to one side, looking all too flustered and lacking in sleep, and they saw him as well. For some reason they wanted him to eat with them. Jaune collected his food on a tray and walked over, feeling just a little guilty about all the trouble they were in because of his team.
Technically, it's all the trouble they're in because of their own actions.
It just didn't feel that way.
"Hey," said Jaune, taking an empty bench next to Yang. "You're all up bright and early."
"Someone forgot that they had set their alarm," said Weiss, glaring at Ruby. Yang leaned over and sniffed loudly at Jaune's shoulder, prompting him to lean back and wonder if he was letting off an unfortunate odour.
"You smell of beer!"
"My team and I went out clubbing last night." It wasn't even a lie at this point. Warden may have wanted them to just form a believable cover, but they'd stayed out until gone one, drinking on Atlas' tab. Or rather, they'd paid themselves would be able to claim back the difference in Atlas. Jaune had saved all the receipts for that purpose. "These aren't the clothes I went in and I did have a shower this morning, though."
"Yang can smell alcohol really easily," said Ruby. "Mostly because of our uncle."
"I wish we could have been out clubbing," said Yang, sighing dramatically. "But nooo, let's go be stupid. Let's go chase terrorists. Thanks, Blake. Thanks a lot!"
Blake scowled at her. "I didn't force any of you to go."
"Terrorists?" asked Jaune, hoping he didn't sound too fake-shocked. The girls were luckily in too bad a set of moods to notice. Lacking in sleep, too.
"The White Fang are active in Vale and we received some credible information on where they were holding an event," said Weiss.
He was surprised she was telling him this much at all. Had he earned trust by virtue of being a student of her sister? Or did they just see this as not a big deal, and nothing that needed to be kept secret? If it was the latter, then he had no idea what to think. These Valeans were weird – and Weiss Schnee wasn't even Valean.
"And you decided to go try and stop it all on your own?" He received several nods. "Instead of going to the authorities?"
"The police never do anything," said Blake.
The police hadn't even known, so it wasn't like they could have – and part of the reason for that lack of knowledge was that four teenage girls had decided not to tell anyone. In fairness, it wasn't the police holding themselves back either – it was Vale's government. Blake wasn't incorrect to say they'd have left the matter alone, but that didn't mean their way of dealing with it was correct.
"What if something happened to you and no one knew where you were?" he asked. "Did you at least tell someone where you were going so they could raise the alarm if you didn't come back in time?"
They hadn't. He saw that from their embarrassed expressions, but even that was shocking – the fact that they were embarrassed instead of worried, as if they felt stupid but not in any way afraid of what might have happened. They didn't believe they'd ever been in any danger. They felt invincible. Jaune remembered feeling that as well, before the Specialists Program sent them to the quarry and they'd been knocked off their high horses. Team RWBY had yet to experience that, and it showed. There was a worryingly dangerous naivete about them.
"We'd have been fine," said Yang, laughing past his concerns. "Besides, nothing came of it. Blake and her not-boyfriend got out, and the bad guys didn't even give chase. But do you know what did happen? I got pulled over! I got points on my license!"
"You had a passenger without a helmet," said Weiss. "That's no one's fault but your own."
"We were worried Blake and Sun were in danger. We had to move fast!" Yang thumped her hand on the table. "And now I'm banned from driving my bike!"
"You get banned for points in Vale?" asked Jaune.
"Dad found out," whispered Ruby. "And he told Yang she's grounded from driving for the rest of the year. He even had Ozpin confiscate Yang's bike, which he's going to take back to Patch to make sure she can't break the rules. Dad never wanted to let Yang get a motorbike, saying it was the least safe form of travel, but he caved on the provision she'd always be careful."
Yang looked upset. "Which I get, I know, and it's not like I don't know dad is worried and all, but this was an exception! How often are we gonna be fighting terrorists?"
"Twice in two weeks," drawled Jaune. Yang swallowed her complaints, Ruby gulped, Weiss coughed into her fist, and Blake looked away in embarrassment. "You know, there's a saying about that. Once is an accident and twice is a pattern. I'm surprised you're not all being confined to Beacon by the headmaster. You don't even regret it, do you?"
"Course we do," said Yang. "I've lost my bike and we all got a fresh heaping of detention." There were nods all around at that, including from Weiss, who Jaune was beginning to think wasn't nearly as sensible or as disciplined as her older sister.
They regret getting in trouble more than they regret breaking the rules in the first place. Sheesh. General Ironwood would have them cleaning the toilets for this. Had he ever been so reckless? Jaune didn't think so, but then he'd always been a cautious sort of person.
"I meant that you don't regret breaking the rules to chase after them in the first place."
"They're criminals," said Blake. "They have to be stopped."
"Technically, she's a criminal as well-"
"Hey!" cried Yang.
"-and I don't see you going out your way to arrest her. Or staking out to catch every thief, fraudster, or mugger in Vale." He caught their guilty looks toward Blake. It must have been her who roped them into it.
"You'd have us just ignore them?" asked Blake icily. "Just let them do what they want?"
"No. I'd ask you to alert the people who are in a much better position than you to do something about it. What would you even do if it came to a fight? Arrest a hundred people? What if they started shooting toward civilians? You can't be everywhere at once. If that fight on the docks – which you roped my team into, by the way – had been in a more pedestrian area then hundreds of people would have been killed."
It was unfair. Jaune knew it was unfair. They didn't even know why he was so annoyed by this, and they wouldn't because it was his mission to keep it hidden. Team RWBY had good intentions, but they'd interfered in an active operation. One they hadn't been aware of, true, but if they'd alerted the police then Warden would have heard on radio chatter and could have prepared them. And the police probably wouldn't have mucked it all up as bad as Blake had. They'd missed half of the rally thanks to her going in there with nothing more than a mask to conceal herself from someone she'd fought before. Team RWBY had made their lives harder and put a whole load of people at risk as a result. Intent or not, it was hard not to feel some irritation toward them – especially when their only regrets were that they'd gotten in trouble afterwards.
"If all you're going to do is criticise us for doing the right thing then you can piss off," snapped Yang.
She touched a hand to Blake's arm in solidarity. Loyalty among teammates; it was something Atlas prioritised, but it wasn't supposed to mean you absolved and protected your teammates from all criticism, least of all when they'd done wrong. But he could see in Ruby and Weiss that they agreed fully. Perhaps not as rudely, or as confidently, but each and every one of them was convinced they were in the right.
Jaune picked up his plate without saying a word and walked away.
/-/
Penny was visibly upset about his little tiff with Team RWBY, even after he explained to her that it was no reason for her to stop being friends with them. Penny didn't understand that concept, and kept arguing that she was his friend and partner and therefore could not be friends with someone who disliked or had ill-thoughts of him. It took Neon's intervention, and her own explanations added to his, to convince Penny it wasn't some odd conflict of interest or damning end to her interactions with the team, though before Penny could put that into practice they were summoned to an impromptu meeting with Winter Schnee.
They met her at the room loaned to her for the duration of her stay in Beacon. The teacher waved them inside, locked the door, and then bid them sit if they wished. There were only two stools, which Neon and Penny took, and neither he nor Flynt felt confident enough to take Winter's words as an invitation to sit on her bed. They stood, instead.
"Warden is still going over the information you gathered on the rally, but they asked me to take care of your immediate debriefing. By all accounts, you handled yourselves well. Sometimes missions escalate and we can't offer full orders, at which point initiative, teamwork and experience are what will have to dictate your actions. I am pleased to say the four of you performed exceptionally given those circumstances. Atlas has no complaints and only praise for you."
Jaune felt his chest swell. He saluted proudly. "Thank you, ma'am!"
"That said, actions do have consequences, and while you all did the best you could be expected to, that doesn't mean some things won't have changed. Torchwick is aware of your faces now. Given that he picked one familiar enemy out a crowd, even if they were hardly disguised, I expect he'll seek – and find through back channels – you information. You should not need fear for your families but do be careful in Vale in the future. He may simply learn your faces, names, and abilities as a way to counter you if you show up again, but he could take proactive action against you. Our intelligence on Roman Torchwick has been found wanting, as no one would have thought him willing to work with armed terrorists, or deal in stolen technology on that level of what you've seen. There is petty theft and then there is arms trading – he has escalated from a year or two prison time to forty years to life, and that is, in itself unusual. We're still looking into what could have prompted this."
"Are we staying on the mission?" asked Flynt. "Or is this leading up to us being reassigned for our own safety?"
"There will be no reassignment. We don't have the teams available, and you were chosen for this. This is a warning instead. Your identities are compromised, but that is not such a problem here. Torchwick and the White Fang can hardly go to Vale's Council with this, and our intention isn't to use any of you in an undercover manner. Should you ever come face to face with him again, it'll likely be as enemies anyway, so disguises are unnecessary."
"The ones we're trying to trick are Vale," said Neon.
"That's right. And you've done that. My involvement was easily glossed off as concern for my sister and her team. Besides, nothing involving the White Fang was seen or left behind, so all they can claim is that I responded to a gunfight. No political involvement."
"And Beacon?"
"Headmaster Ozpin is an odd man," said Winter. "He does not seem as upset about Team RWBY's actions as he by all accounts should be. Luckily, Professor Goodwitch has ire enough for two people. There's no suspicion aimed at any of you."
There shouldn't have been, but Jaune wouldn't have put it past the teachers to ask where Team JKCP were given that they'd gotten sucked into Team RWBY's shenanigans the last time. They might just want to make sure one of their teams wasn't endangering a foreign team. Odd priorities given the terrorists armed with dangerous weaponry in their midst, but it wasn't Beacon's call on that. They were just doing as they were told.
"Either way, don't expect any work tonight. Torchwick and the White Fang will be on high alert, and I wouldn't put it past them to lay low for a few days. You should take the time to rest and enjoy yourselves. There's more to this trip than the mission. Just avoid Vale today. We don't need them targeting you."
The team made to leave but Jaune hovered. The rest looked to him asking if he needed their help or support, but Jaune smiled and waved them on. Winter raised an eyebrow but waited patently for the rest to leave and Jaune to speak.
"I'm concerned about your sister."
Winter's eyes closed. "Ah."
"I spoke to her and her team this morning and they weren't regretful in the slightest about getting involved with the White Fang. In fact, they were defensive and criticised me for even suggesting they go to the proper authorities. I'm sure they'll jump straight back into things the moment Torchwick shows his head. Not only are they getting in our way but they're putting themselves and others in danger."
"I agree, cadet, and yet there is precious little I can do. My sister chose to come to Beacon to escape the authority of my family and the expectations put upon her. That puts me in a position where I can't very well go and make demands of my own."
"Not even as a sister worried for her?"
"Not even as that. I cannot tell her that all will be fine with the White Fang because Atlas is not supposed to be involved with them. I cannot tell her to stay out of trouble lest she be hurt because that will only goad her to get into trouble to prove me wrong. Weiss is stubborn."
"That whole team is stubborn!" complained Jaune. Winter smiled wryly.
"That stubbornness is seen as a virtue by the people of Vale. This kingdom adores its independence and individuality, hence the varied and non-standard weaponry, the lack of military discipline, and the very uniquely powerful huntsmen and huntresses Vale produces. It's no lie to say that the greatest huntsmen come from Beacon. If you look back through history, I will wager half of the most famous huntsmen studied here. The other half would be a mix between Mistral, Atlas, and Vacuo. Beacon's unique style of teaching allows those with potential to excel."
"But it is also a weakness," she continued. "For while Beacon produces the best, it also produces some of the worst. It's not a conscious or intentional thing, but a teaching style based around enabling the individuality of students favours the already exceptional. The 1% of those talented beyond belief, and hard-working by nature, become world-renowned huntsmen because Beacon gives them the room to grow. The rest? They are also given room, but room is of no use to those who need more assistance. Most become mediocre. That is where we differ. Atlas will invest everything into anyone who passes our tests, and we will mould you whether you are brilliant or simply average. We will work you to the bone and teach you all discipline. This is ideal for those who need to be brought up, but it can sometimes stymie those a little more creative."
"I prefer Atlas' way," said Jaune.
"You would, seeing as how you are in the decidedly average category." The way she said it didn't sting. Maybe it was the look in her eyes or the faint smile. "You came to us with no real talent, no real ability, but you were eager to be taught. You were a sponge prepared to absorb everything we would give you – and we spared you nothing. I'm not sure how well you would have done in Beacon. Perhaps if a well-meaning student took you under their wing, you would have gotten by, but without that safety net? Cast in here with only yourself to rely on, and with teachers stretched thin and favouring more talented peers?"
"I'd have failed." He believed it. He wasn't special, he wasn't exceptional, and he hadn't had any training or experience when he started Atlas. But he'd been determined to give it his all, and the academy had taken one look at that and decided to throw everything they had at him. "I'm grateful for everything Atlas has done. Even those twisted assessments."
Winter nodded. "I'm glad to hear it."
"Is your sister one of the exceptional ones, then?" asked Jaune. "Is that why you're fine with her doing what she is?"
"Make no mistake; I am not fine with her actions. As for being exceptional…" Winter hesitated. "My sister has had an exceptionally privileged upbringing, much like I did, and that includes the kind of one-on-one tutelage that you cannot get anywhere else. By your standards she might be considered exceptional, but she lacks control of her Semblance and doesn't show much interest in learning to perfect it. I was stronger at her age."
"I'm to ignore her, then?"
"Team RWBY is not your mission. If they interfere, you are free to do what you feel you must – within reason. If Weiss should get into trouble more publicly, I will be sure to chastise her, but if they're as stubborn as you say then there's not much that will do. Vale loves its big heroes, and its stories of those breaking the rules for the greater good."
Bloody Vale.
/-/
Penny was conflicted.
On the one hand Jaune, and even Neon, had assured her that it was fine to be friends with people who did not like one another, and it was fine to be friends with both sides of an argument. That made sense, and her quick searches online confirmed it, but what neither had addressed was what she would do with the feeling of burning resentment welling up inside her. It was an odd feeling, and one she didn't think she had ever felt before.
"-enough from dad without some arrogant guy telling me how to live my life," said Yang. "And we did the right thing. Stopping criminals is part of the job."
"Of a student?" asked Penny.
"Well, no, but of a huntress." Ruby's half-sister glowered her way. "You know what I mean."
Penny did, in fact, know. There were many a time she didn't and felt stupid for it, but this was a rare occurrence where she'd known exactly what the other girl meant and had chosen to play dumb. Why? Penny pondered that, and found that her only justification was because it proved Yang wrong, and that this fact for some reason pleased Penny. It was contrary, as was her behaviour, and yet she did not regret it.
"If it is the job of huntsmen and huntresses to deal with criminal elements then were are Vale's huntsmen?" she asked, somewhat innocently. "They cannot all be absent from the city. Your father is a huntsman, isn't he?"
"Dad lives on Patch and teaches there. He can't come running to Vale."
"Then he has a valid excuse. What of the others?"
"I'm sure the teachers were busy," said Weiss.
"Are you telling me that the only huntsmen in Vale are Ruby and Yang's father, and the teachers of Beacon?" That obviously wasn't true and Penny didn't wait for an answer. "What of all the others living here? They do not go after the White Fang. You say it is a huntresses' job to deal with criminals, then why are all the huntresses and huntsmen not dealing with them?"
"That's the problem," said Blake. "And that's the reason we're stuck dealing with them. Because no one else will."
We are, thought Penny. Atlas isn't ignoring this.
"Are you sure? What if the authorities are doing? It is not as though they would tell you."
"If they were doing anything then the White Fang would already be dealt with. The fact the terrorists are still around is proof no one is doing anything."
Such a circular argument. Blake did not put any thought to the idea of an investigation, but then she seemed the most militant of Team RWBY. It was she who went out and started the first fight, and she had done so without her team and nearly gotten killed for it. Penny would have thought that an experience like that would have taught her a lesson on caution, but it did not seem to have. The more she learned about humans, the more she was left confused. Her teammates were so sensible by comparison.
"We all know where this is going," said Weiss. "You're having a go at us just like your arrogant teammate."
Penny's entire body swung toward Weiss. "Jaune is not arrogant!"
"He sure acted like he knew better than us."
"Jaune was criticising your actions!" said Penny, surprised at the heat in her own voice. "And he isn't the only one to have done that, is he? Perhaps it is you who are arrogant if you refuse to believe anyone could possibly be correct about how reckless you are all being."
"H-Hey. Let's calm down." Ruby stepped in nervously, and Penny allowed herself to be drawn back more out of sorrow for having made her friend so sad than because of anything else.
"Reckless?" hissed Weiss. "We had the situation completely under control. We infiltrated the White Fang, discovered something that no one else knew, and we proved that Roman Torchwick is working with them. We even got away without being harmed."
"Because of-" Penny cut herself off at the last second. Because of us as not a safe sentence to complete. If Neon hadn't stepped in with the flashbang then Blake and Sun would have been pursued, and then the mech would have been out on the streets capable of causing incredible amounts of civilian casualties.
I nearly jeopardised the mission to get the last word in. I need to be careful…
"We were fine," said Blake, trying to sound more reasonable. "Sun and I could have held them off if we came under attack."
"Like you both did at the docks?"
Her eyebrows drew down. "That's unfair."
"Is it?" asked Penny. "You were both on the verge of death at the docks to Roman Torchwick and a smaller number of White Fang than you claim to have seen at this event. What makes you think you have improved so much in so short a time that this would have ended differently?"
"We were working as a team this time. Yang was on her way."
"What if they had been able to beat all of you?"
"That wouldn't have happened," said Weiss. "Team RWBY is more than enough for a rapscallion like Torchwick. I understand that your team leader is the cautious sort." The way she said it suggested the word she wanted to use was cowardly. "But we are far more capable."
"Jaune is a capable team leader who has seen us through thick and thin. If he is cautious then it is only because he considers the consequences of failure where you do not." Penny glared hotly at Weiss. "Had you been caught, you would have died. You, Weiss Schnee, might even have been tortured first because of your name."
Yang shot her a cocky smile. "If we'd been caught – which we wouldn't have been."
"I am more than aware of the consequences for failure, thank you," said Weiss. "But I am also well aware of my capabilities, and I will not fall to such pathetic people." Her pale blue eyes narrowed. "You should save your concern for those who need it. You can tell your team leader that as well. His advice is neither needed nor appreciated."
Penny glared right back. "The way I see it, it's both needed and warranted."
"Are you calling us weak?"
"I am calling you reckless and arrogant. You are nothing like your sister. Miss Winter understands the importance of never underestimating an opponent. You're the arrogant one here."
"I won't be insulted like this!"
"Weiss, please-" tried Ruby.
"No, Ruby. I won't sit here and listen to someone who doesn't even understand our team insult us. Penny doesn't have any idea how strong we are. In fact, I'm sure we could defeat her team easily. Their leader is naught but a coward after all."
"Guys-"
"I accept this challenge!" Penny declared. "We will show you just how wrong you are – and you will apologise to Jaune for insulting him!"
"Then it's decided," said Weiss, speaking for her whole team. "We'll have a four-on-four fight in Miss Goodwitch's class. That way there won't be any accusations of unfair play." She stuck out her hand. "Agreed? Or do you want to talk to your leader and have him tell you you're being too reckless?"
Penny had to hold her motors back from crushing the girl's hand.
Penny learning to be human but with a few negative emotions for once.
After all, there's more to "being human" than overflowing positivity.
Next Chapter: 18th March
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