Arc 3 - Chapter 12 - I Love the Players & You Love the Game

Ruby was talking a lot today. Not that it was a problem, of course. Jaune had already known about that quirk of hers and was used to it by now. Or at least, he thought he was. Lately, though, he had been finding it difficult not to notice how distracting her voice was. Shrill and bubbly. As if she'd inhaled helium and her voice simply stayed that way. He found that it was a little grating. Just a little.

Still, he gave her his unyielding attention, nodding and responding when appropriate, convincing himself to be interested in whatever it was she was talking about now. She had a tendency to jump suddenly from one topic to another. She could be in the middle of a story and one completely irrelevant detail would have her going down a different set of tracks. I love graham crackers, but I only eat the elephant ones for some reason. Speaking of that, my aunt rode an elephant once when she visited Menagerie! I saw a video about Menagerie a long time ago but can't remember what it was about. Think we talked about it in history class, too. Uncle Qrow is super forgetful too, even before getting drunk, just like me. Not the drunk part, just the forgetful part. I've never been drunk before. That reminds of a time when Yang came home drunk and Dad was so mad…

Yes, it could be kind of annoying. Sometimes. But, she was his girlfriend and if she wanted to talk, then his role was to listen. He supposed that's what a good boyfriend would do. But the idea of her staying quiet for just five minutes was quickly gaining appeal, and every pause in her story gave him a false surge of hope, only to be disappointed every time, as Ruby ventured on with more nonsense. For the fifth time that morning, Jaune resisted a tortured sigh.

They were having breakfast in the cafeteria, which was mostly empty this early in the morning. It had its regulars, though. A member of the track team who always got a sausage biscuit after his run, a goth kid who sat at a corner table to read, and a couple of special needs boys getting meals with their chaperone. All just going about their daily routines, as indeed did everyone. That even applies to me. In the end, I'm not that different from everyone else. Apart from the whole Heart Hunting thing. Then again, who knows? How many other teenagers at this school alone are secretly saving hearts right here amongst one another? It'd be some irony if I ever find out that somehow everyone's been in on Heart Hunting and I'm the only one trying to keep it secret. Oh Jaune, you're so silly! Everybody is hunting hearts these days! It's like, so in!

Jaune glanced around at the students in that quiet cafeteria, all minding their own business, unaware he was even there. Or maybe not. Velvet had been a Hunter. No way there wasn't at least one other. Was that janitor who listened to his headphones as he mopped secretly an agent? How about that overweight lunch lady? Was Principal Ozpin conducting covert operations in a high tech boardroom hidden behind his office? The scary thing was that he could no longer consider them impossibilities. There has to be more Hunters at this school. Velvet didn't learn on her own. Who taught her? And did they teach more? Now that I think about it, Aunt Peach mentioned a long time ago that she'd had two apprentices. So there are two Heart Hunters training apprentices here at Beacon. At least! But why here? Because it's convenient? Or is something else going on? And before he knew it, dozens of questions he'd been trying to ignore in a rush. How did the Superior use supernatural powers outside of a Heart World? What happened in Qrow's heart while I was unconscious? Why even WAS I unconscious? Why has Aunt Peach suddenly increased the training for everyone but me? Why does all of this not feel right? I need to know. I need to—

"Jaune?"

Ruby's voice shook from his stupor, and he stared at her blankly. "Yeah?"

Ruby pointed at his yet untouched tray. "Food's getting cold. Bells gonna ring soon."

Jaune nodded, digging into his plate and hoping that would relieve him of those thoughts. It worked, but then his mind wandered into a more recent, related topic.

Jaune by no means considered himself an agent of the Organization, or Hunters' Church, as it is also called, apparently. But technically he was one of them. And by choice, no less. No one ever said I had to quit after everything I caused. Hell, Aunt Peach didn't even ban me from training. And as an admittedly conflicted agent of the church, he found that there was a special brand of anxiety that came with the knowledge that two peers of his that he could not classify as friend or foe, were aware of his secret.

He'd tried talking to them again. Just to check on them of course. Make sure they were alright, sleeping well, and definitely not telling their friends about what they'd experienced. Sure, no one would believe them, but Jaune suspected that the mere action might be enough to incite the wrath of the Superior. The last thing he wanted was for Blake or Prryha to be on the receiving end of his brand of discipline.

But Blake refused to talk to him, no matter how much he tried. He'd catch her watching him, perhaps with disbelief or even curiosity, and it made him nervous. Pyrrha was somehow worse in that he shared no classes with her, and they seemed to run in complete opposite circles to the point that he never saw her, even in the hallways. He was starting to believe that she'd transferred schools in the span of a week. Perhaps moved halfway across the world.

Again Jaune thought about just letting it all go. Logically, there was no reason for either of the girls to say anything. Likely he was overthinking, and they had simply decided the best way to move on was to keep Jaune, the one responsible for their predicament, out of their lives. Which was reasonable. Fair, even.

Still, that anxious "what if" still ticked in the back of his mind.

Ruby stole back his attention by waving her hand in his face, then pouting. "Muffin, are you listening to me?"

Jaune ground his teeth behind his lips to keep from cringing. For reasons even God could not know, Ruby was becoming very fond of pet names. Not at all something he expected from her. He had always seen her as too grounded to be so… lovey-dovey. Maybe it was a sign that she was truly happy to be with him, but still… Muffin?

"Sorry, uh," don't you dare say it. "Honey," God damn it. "Weiss's spring trip, right?"

Ruby's sunny beam came back and Jaune resisted a sigh of relief. "Yep! She wants to take us to Mistral to see the Four Maiden Festival! Just a few weeks away, too! It's gonna be so awesome."

Jaune had a far less excited view on the idea. While it was certainly generous of Weiss to want to take all her friends on a spring break trip, Jaune didn't think he would get much out of it. He wasn't one for festivals, or trips, or hanging out with groups of friends. Especially the latter.

Being his direct opposite in that regard, Ruby practically vibrated with excitement. "We can see the plays and go dancing, we can go to the beach or the city, there's gonna be so much to do. Aren't you excited?"

Jaune shrugged one shoulder. "I guess. I mean, I'm happy you are."

Ruby's eyebrow rose. "What does that mean? Like, you don't want to go?"

"I don't really care either way." Except I much prefer staying home, but I'm gonna safely assume you don't want to hear that.

"That's just because you've never gone on one of Weiss' trips before! Just wait, it's gonna blow you away. Last time we went to Atlas and everybody had so much fun. You will too. You'll see!"

Jaune bit his tongue. He was getting pretty sick of people saying things like that. Assuming he somehow didn't know how to have fun, or worse even, what fun is supposed to be. Treating him like a damn child. "Or maybe I'm just not a guy who enjoys going on trips." Again, Jaune shrugged, hoping to look like he wasn't upset. "I'm not like everybody else," And I don't want to be.

"I'm not saying you are," said Ruby, "but if you want to enjoy life, you can't be scared to try new things."

Jaune's eye twitched. "What does this have to do with being scared? Can't I just prefer staying home?"

"You can't stay home all the time. It's not good for you. I mean, I did the same thing and trust me, I was miserable." Ruby reached across the table and took his hand. Her thumb rubbed gently against his palm. "Don't worry so much. You'll be fine. Besides, everyone wants you to go."

Damn if the way she held his hand didn't calm him down somewhat. Had he overreacted? Maybe Ruby was right. She was often right. Jaune had just opened his mouth to voice an apology before a new, more conflicted thought happened across him. A thought that brought his blood to a simmer.

"So I should go because everyone else wants me to? I guess it doesn't matter what I want."

Ruby blinked. She had that look like an owner had when their dog barked at them. That insulted disbelief. "Jaune, you know that's not what I meant."

"No, I really don't." Jaune said, "Sounds like you only care about if I go, not if I actually want to."

"So you don't want to go?"

"Like I said, I don't care either way."

"Jaune, just…" Ruby rubbed her temple like it was he who was being a headache. "Can you not be so difficult about this?"

Now Jaune felt like the owner whose dog had bitten him. "How am I being difficult?"

Ruby's voice rose a little. "Because you're acting… you're acting like…"

Jaune's voice lowered dangerously. "Like what?"

A long moment passed where they stared at each other. Jaune's face felt hot, his heart racing, like he was gearing up for a fight. Her frown had twisted now, like she was trying to decide whether to cry or scream. Then, it slowly changed. The scowl melted away to reveal shock, her eyes grew wet. Jaune felt his own expression fall as well, the anger leaked out of him, replaced with crushing guilt.

"I…" Jaune stammered. "Sorry. I didn't mean—"

"No, no! I'm sorry." Ruby swallowed. "Um, the trip isn't for another month. Maybe we can talk about it later?"

Yeah, that was a good idea. Jaune was very glad for that idea. He was much less glad about the silence that permeated their line table now. They ate in silence, and occasionally they'd look at each other sadly, knowing damn well there was more to talk about, but not knowing how to breach the topic.

Ruby, thankfully found a different topic to bring up. "So, you're coming to the club today, right?"

Damn, Jaune has forgotten about that. "Um, I was, but I'm not sure about today anymore. Can we try another day?"

Ruby just looked sad now. Like a puppy whose owner refused to love her. "When's another day?"

"I dunno. Just another day. Soon, I promise."

"It's just that you've said that the last two times I asked." Her voice lowered. "And you bailed both times at the last minute."

Admittedly, she was right about that. Still, for some reason it irked Jaune. He already felt bad for the trip issue, now she wanted to bicker about something else? He had thought Ruby wasn't that type of girl to get upset over every little thing. He had enough problems in life right now. What the hell was up with her lately? "You were supposed to come with me to my first day at the community center. And you conveniently forgot about it last minute. But I didn't hold that over your head, did I?"

"I'm not holding over your head. That's not what this is about, Jaune."

"Then tell me what it is about?"

"I… I don't know…"

"What do you mean, you don't know?"

The tears were back in her eyes. "I don't want to talk about it anymore. Let's just do what you said. Try another day. Okay?"

"Fine."

"Alright."

"Good."

And they ate in silence for the longest two minutes of Jaune's life before the morning bell rang. Ruby didn't rush to get away, but Jaune had a feeling she wanted to. She took up her bag and made ready to leave, and the rush of guilt made Jaune reach for her. "Ruby, look I'm—"

"I'll call you later, okay?" She said, not even facing him. "Love you." And she walked off without even waiting for his response.

Jaune sat there and stared at his half finished tray. She was long gone before he finally uttered, "Love you too."

Jaune had supposed the anime club would look like a bunch of obnoxious, awkward, costume-dressed shut-ins that spouted bad mistralean every other word and ate cereal with chopsticks. Honestly, he was kind of disappointed that they weren't.

They looked about as plain and unimpressive as any other niche fan club. Just shy of a dozen kids of varying grade levels occupying an empty classroom, all mingling about, tending to various activities. To his surprise, Octavia was there, and only then did Jaune put together a detail about her he'd discovered long ago. She was a big fan of this category of anime that often was about high school and romance. At the time of discovering that, it had seemed unimportant. And to think, I'd had such a hard time finding her regular hangout spots. Had I followed this route sooner, I'd be a regular member of this club already.

But if Octavia was enjoying the club, it didn't show. At the moment she was distracted by her phone, while some other girl she sat with blathered on and on as if she were listening with the greatest intrigue. I can relate.

Roy was there as well, because of course he was. He was setting up an old laptop and projector, and Jaune figured they were going to continue watching some show they'd started together. He heard well enough about their activities from Ruby, and the thought of her brought a fresh wave of guilt. She was not in the club room and wouldn't be. Not long after their fight, she'd messaged him saying she was too tired for the club today and would just head home. Jaune couldn't say he completely understood the language of women, but he imagined a rough translation would go something like, "Thanks a lot, asshole. You ruined my day."

Then what am I doing here? Jaune asked himself for the third time since showing up, despite knowing the answer. He sighed when he thought of Ruby at home in her room, sulking. Thinking Roy might be better boyfriend material, after all. He'd hoped to surprise Ruby by showing up, but since that was a dead avenue now, his next best choice was to give the anime club an honest try. He hadn't given Roy a fair chance, and perhaps he was a better person than Jaune had assumed. Maybe Ruby was right. Maybe he was… scared. Even if he didn't feel like that was the case.

He sucked in the bravest breath he could and pushed the door open, drawing the attention of those gathered. There was a beat of silence, a few eyes popped with recognition, and Jaune could already guess what they might be thinking. Isn't that the crazy kid? The one who got stabbed by the Scorpion Killer for Dust? What's he doing here?

Roy's eyes lit up when he spotted him, broke into a big smile, just as if he'd been hoping that Jaune would show up. "Jaune, hey!" he chirped, "Ruby said she was feeling sick, so she couldn't make it today. I didn't think you'd come without her."

Nor did I. Jaune hesitated to step inside, but made himself commit. No point in showing up just to leave. "Sorry if I'm interrupting. I can come back when she's feeling better."

"No, you're good. Glad you're here actually! Come on, have a seat. We're about to start the movie soon!"

A boy in the back let out an indignant whine. "I thought we were gonna finish—"

"That's tomorrow," Roy waved him off, then nodded at Jaune. "Go on and get comfortable. I'm nearly done setting up."

Jaune found a seat at the front and opted to stay quiet. He was thankful for the movie honestly, since that meant he had a good hour and a half where he wouldn't need to talk to anyone. He could just get through the film, come up with an excuse to leave, then never come back. If this all went wrong, anyway.

Strangely, Octavia came to sit at the desk beside him, looking across at him with flat, unconvinced eyes. "Never would've taken you for a weeb." she said.

"I'm not," Jaune said, not at all sure what a weeb was. "My girlfriend got me to watch Pirate King and some other… I think she called them gateway shows, and now here I am, amongst the experts. Supposedly."

Another guy, an upperclassman named Yatsuhashi, spoke up with a grin. "If you liked Pirate King, then you've seen a good amount of how weird anime can get. What else did Ruby get you to watch?"

The three of them talked about what he had seen, exchanging their opinions and different experiences and such. Neither seemed particularly interested, but Jaune supposed they were simply trying to make him feel comfortable. Eventually some others would join in, upon hearing about an anime of their interest, and they'd find a spot amongst the growing group, as the room began to fill with the noise of laughter and warring opinions on eastern cartoons. Jaune noticed that Octavia eventually faded out, having returned to her chair with a sour look, pulling her phone every five minutes just to glare at it.

He would have gone to ask if she was alright, but Roy summoned everyone's attention by clapping his hands.

"Alright, guys. Movie's starting!" He said, smiling down at Jaune. "And it's a classic. Ruby tells me Jaune has not yet watched a Studio Ghidli movie." He shook his head in disappointment. "Shame on our sister. She's let the weeb council down. It falls on us to correct this awful oversight!"

Yatsuhashi nodded safely as he stroked his chin. "We should banish Ruby to the Shadow realm as punishment for this act. I'm sure that will please the Weeb God."

"Blood for the Weeb God!" a kid named Russel chortled.

Roy waved them down with a grin. "Let's handle all of that later. Our tribute tonight is the eighth movie in the Ghidli catalog, Spirited Away. Besides Clay, are there any objections to this decision?"

Except for the one named Clay, who slumped in his chair, everyone else seemed eager for the film. Saying things like, that's still the best one, or that's a classic, or you'll love this. Admittedly, it did get Jaune a little curious. Most anime they talked about at least had one person with an opposing opinion, but everyone in the room seemed to think highly of this movie.

Still, the idea of making an excuse to leave remained very tempting. Then, Ruby's words entered his head again. Being too scared to try new things. He wasn't. He just liked what he already had and already did. Maybe too much, but that was a different problem entirely.

Roy sar beside him as the movie began. Again, he had that big and appreciative smile, the kind he gave Ruby that made him think he was trying to get into her pants. Unless this has all been some complex scheme to get into my pants? That'd be quite the twist. Somehow, Jaune didn't get that feeling."Glad you made it, man. Rubes kept hyping you up. I was starting to think you wouldn't show."

"I almost didn't." Jaune confessed.

He nodded. "I get it. There's not exactly a crazy line outside trying to join our little losers club."

"I don't think you're… losers." Jaune said, surprised at how much he meant it. I'd be quite the hypocrite to say that. "I just wasn't sure if… I just wasn't sure, that's all."

"Well, you're giving us a chance. So that means a lot." He nodded to the screen. "This is the movie Ruby wanted to surprise you with. We had to keep putting off cause…" he glanced at Jaune. "Well, it doesn't matter. You're here now."

Jaune curled an eyebrow. "Why this one?"

He patted Jaune on the arm. "You'll see. Now come on, watch."

—

It opened on a bouquet of flowers. There was a card attached to it, scribbled in messy mistralean. The subtitles below translated it to, Good luck, Chihiro! We'll miss you! It was through the eyes of a girl who couldn't have been more than ten. She had a despondent look on her face, empty and emotionless, as if she'd gone through a whole episode of indignant outrage and by now had resigned to her unchangeable fate. Jaune couldn't say he didn't understand that feeling.

"Don't worry. You'll make friends at your new school, honey." said the girl's mother, sitting in the passenger seat.

"Definitely." chirped the father, driving with a big smile on his face, which looked utterly inconsiderate in the face of his daughter's crisis. "And with daddy's new job, we'll have better lives. I can get you all those new things you wanted. This'll be good for all of us. You'll see."

Chihiro muttered so low that her parents probably didn't hear her. "I liked my old school."

It was apparent now that the girl and her parents were moving from their old home. Out of town, maybe. Or even out of state. Either way, now the girl felt miserable and powerless, unable to do anything to change her circumstances. That was kind of what it meant to be a kid. To have to do as your parents commanded, whether it was for your own good or not. That applied no matter how old you were. Four, ten, seventeen.

The father, horrible with directions and too stubborn to use a map, quickly got them lost. They were driving through a forest path, and the road was littered with old spiritual architecture, long abandoned. Eventually, they reached a tunnel that was too small for the car to get through, and had to foot it the rest of the way, hoping to find someone who'd give them directions. Chihiro's protests against the idea went entirely unheard, as her parents ventured on like this was all some grand adventure.

Beyond the tunnel was what looked to be an abandoned amusement park of some kind. The rides were old and worn down, consumed by rust and vegetation. The theaters and game stands still had their curtains up, and they swayed in the breeze, those that weren't torn apart by the years anyway. The parents took to all of this with child-like fascination, pointing and gawking at every little thing. While their daughter, cautious and terrified, tried and failed to advise her parents against trespassing. Jaune had a guess that this was not the first time she put up with their antics. Bad enough that she was forced to move away from home. Now she had to accompany her crazy parents in exploring this creepy old park? It just wasn't fair, damn it.

Chihiro wandered off on her own and came across an abandoned bathhouse. She seemed to get an ominous feeling from the place. A feeling proved right when a boy in traditional mistralean clothing appeared. He seemed shocked to see her, recognized her even, then his face hardened and he stepped right up to her, "You shouldn't be here. Get out of here now! You have to leave before it gets dark!"

But it was already getting dark. The sky was quickly losing color. Orange lights began to light up the bathhouse windows. The boy had to know what was going on, for he pushed Chihiro over the bridge, beckoning her to get home.

Jaune swallowed, strangely engaged now. Chihiro ran until she found her parents, who were still gorging on the weirdly fresh food that had been left sitting in the stands. Only now they were giant pigs in human clothing, bloated and squealing. Horrified, Chihiro could only run, as strange creatures began to appear all over the park. Ghosts in red drapes and paper masks. Black translucent blobs with white eyes. Chihiro panicked and screamed, though none of them seemed to pay her mind, as they all congregated toward the same destination. That bathhouse the mysterious boy had warned Chihiro from. She tried to make it back over the river, but it was heavily flooded now. She wouldn't be able to cross even if she could swim. She was trapped. In this strange place with strange things, without anyone she knew or could rely on.

That boy found her again, and seeing her situation, brought her back to the bathhouse. He instructed her to ask for a job from the witch Yubaba, owner of the bathhouse. The witch at first tried to scare Chihiro away, but the girl managed to muster some bravery and argue for it, despite being clearly terrified. The witch caved and used some kind of spell that would bind Chihiro's freedom to her service. She changed the spelling of Chihiro's name, until the only characters left unveiled her new name as Sen.

From trapped to enslaved, in a world she could not hope to understand or survive in. Under the heel of a powerful boss with no mercy. It was all sounding far too familiar. And yet Jaune could not look away. He was no longer thinking. Just watching.

After some awkward adjusting to her job in the bathhouse, the boy Haku found Chihiro again explained that she must not forget her original name like he had, otherwise she would never be able to leave the spirit world. He brought her to a pig pen where these massive pigs were being held, likely awaiting the slaughter. While they weren't in their clothes anymore, Chihiro recognized two of them to be her parents. Hakun explained that because they'd fed on that food which was meant for the spirits, they were cursed to become pigs, and were doomed to become meals themselves if the curse wasn't broken.

Chihiro needed to find the means to free her family and break out of Yubaba's contract in order to return to the human world. All on her own. In a world she did not know, with rules that didn't make sense, and without a single friend.

As anyone would in such circumstances, Chihiro ran away. And Jaune felt a knot firm in his throat.

Haku found her sitting in a field of tall grass, hugging her legs, face buried in her knees. He offered her a rice cake, saying she needed to keep her strength up. Wordless, Chihiro did so.

And as Chihiro ate, and the gentle piano music began to spell a somber melody, her tears began to fall. Her face was stony through it, seemingly impervious to the pain inside, but that did not last. With her mouth stuffed, she burst into overwhelmed sobs. Crying with one's mouth full might have almost been funny, but somehow it made the moment feel that much more genuine. There was no pretty overcoat to it. Just a little girl in dire circumstances, lost and alone, and feeling so very powerless. I want my mom and dad, those tears said. I want to go back home. Jaune thought about the last time he'd cried that hard. The day his Dad had finalized his move, that he would be leaving home to go to a city he did not know, with an aunt he barely knew, to a school he had never attended. A whole new world that he had to face alone. And he'd sobbed in every instance. While eating meals, playing games, while taking a bath. Hoping against all hope that his dad would change his mind. Haku, her only support through this ordeal, rubbed her shoulder and urged her to keep eating, and that she would be alright. It made Jaune think of Mystery, the only one who cared to listen, the only one who seemed certain that he would be okay.

The movie went on to show Chihiro's fast progression as a bathhouse worker. When a great spirit trapped in tons of trash and pollution came to the bathhouse, it took a massive effort on everyone to get him cleaned, and it was through Chihiro's cleverness that they were able to free the spirit beneath. Then, a wayward spirit that Chihiro let in some weeks ago, imitates the gold left behind by the river spirit and uses it to lure a toad worker and devour him. This masked blob, who was called No-Face, would then go on to present himself as a customer, conjuring piles of gold in demand of all the bathhouse's food.

One day, Chihiro finds a dragon being attacked by paper spirits and helps it, only to find that the dragon was Haku transformed. She feeds him a piece of the emetic dumpling that the river spirit had given her, causing him to throw up a strange seal. That's when the witch Yubaba appeared, only to reveal herself as being her twin sister Zeniba, who had pursued Haku for stealing one of her seals, which he'd planned to use to free Chihiro. Chihiro resolves to return the seal to Zeniba, but when No-Face begins eating more workers, Chihiro goes to confront him first. The resulting chase scene was the first real action scene in the whole movie, and it was strangely compelling. In the end, Chihiro managed to keep away from No-Face until he regurgitated everything he ate. In his weakness, he revealed himself to be lonely and having no one. Feeling for him, Chihiro invites him on her journey to return Zeniba's seal. Admittedly, the plot was getting kind of wild point for point. But Jaune couldn't say it broke his immersion. It fed into the uncanny, nonsensical whimsy of the tale somehow.

The day of Chihiro's parents' slaughter was coming up, so Haku, in order to give her time, makes a deal with Yubaba to have her tested when she returns. But if she fails the test, she would be Yubaba's slave forever.

Then, there was this scene. One that Jaune found so unexpected, yet so relaxing. Chihiro and No-Face boarded a train station that ran over the sea, and upon finding sears, the entire scene became just them riding toward their destination. No dialogue. Just the gentle, tranquil soundtrack and the sounds of the train. Despite the passengers all being otherworldly spirits, it felt like it was no different than Jaune's commutes on the bus. Chihiro was no longer afraid of these creatures. They were normal to her now. Maybe she hadn't realized it, but she'd quickly come to know this world, maybe even grow fond of it in a way.

Eventually, they arrived and Chihiro returned Zeniba's seal. Zeniba warned Chihiro that her sister would likely test her, but Chihiro feels ready. Shortly thereafter, Haku arrived in his dragon form to take her back to the bathhouse, and No-Face chose to stay and be of help to Zeniba, finally finding a place to serve a purpose.

On the flight back, Chihiro recounted an old memory. Of a day when she was very young and nearly drowned in a river. No one had been around to save her and she hadn't been able to swim. Yet she remembered someone saving her. She thinks it was Haku. That he was the spirit of that river. And that his true name was Kohaku River. Perhaps it was the first time Jaune had seen Haku seem fully happy. The pure joy at finally knowing who he was, remembering his past in full, was shown in his bright eyes. Maybe now, Chihiro and Haku could return to where they belonged.

Only, what did that mean?

Yubaba was waiting for them when they returned, and she gathered all the remaining pigs on the bridge. If Chihiro can identify which pigs are her parents, then she will be allowed to go free. Chihiro, looking at them, realized Yubaba's trick. That none of the pigs are her parents. The spell is broken and the staff of the bathhouse celebrate Chihiro's victory and freedom. Haku and Chihiro ran together across the bridge, and he stated that her parents would be waking up on the other side of the river now and would be waiting for her.

Chihiro was hesitant, but Haku assures her that she needs only to cross the river to get back to the human world. But she could not look back until she's gotten across, or else everything would come undone. Haku promises that he will quit being Yubaba's apprentice, and with his name back, he can return to where he belongs.

"Will we see each other again?" Chihiro asked.

"I'm sure we will." said Haku with a reassuring smile. "Now go. And remember, don't look back."

Chihiro hesitated halfway across. No doubt having grown accustomed to his new world now. Thinking about all the friends she'd made. The friends she'd have to leave behind. Hadn't she gone through that already? Would it be so bad to stay?

But she set her eyes forward. She put one foot in front of the other and carried on, with the hope that she might see those friends again one day. And the strength to make new friends even in a world that would be foreign to her. Chihiro reunited with her parents, both utterly oblivious to her long and dangerous adventure, and they left through the tunnel, and out of the abandoned park.

"Are you still worried about your new school?" asked her father as they began to drive off. "I know it can be a little scary, honey."

The scene focused on the forest as the sound of the car drove them back toward the road and back on the path toward their new life in a new world. And this time, with newfound confidence, Chihiro says, "I think I can handle it.

—

Jaune continued to stare at the screen after the projection faded.

"Hoo man," said Roy, "I swear it gets better every time. Well, Jaune? What'd you think?"

Jaune didn't even have the presence of mind anymore to deny anything. He wanted to say it was fantastic. That it was the most beautiful thing he'd seen in years. The knot in his throat seemed to grow with every second. It was this horrible mix of joy and sadness at the same time. He found himself hoping that Chihiro would thrive at her new school, make tons of friends, but he also hoped she and Haku would see each other again. They had been each other's light in a time of their lives which was so dark. And a connection like that was too precious to lose. He truly hoped they would meet again one day. Jaune managed to gough up, "Yeah… it was good. Really good."

Roy smiled like he was relieved. He spoke low so the others wouldn't hear. "I'm sorry to bring it up. But Ruby told me you just moved here some months ago. I can't speak for you, but I know how hard moving was on me. So I thought this would be a good movie to put you on. Sorry if I'm being invasive."

Jaune lowered his head, and he felt the shame building. Shame at immediately thinking the worst of Roy. Only to find out that he had put this much thought into introducing him to anime. The guy didn't even know him. Why was he being so nice to him? He didn't deserve it. He certainly hadn't earned it.

Jaune scraped out of his chair. "I gotta, um, get home. This was… something, I guess."

Roy gave him a wave. "Hopefully it's enough to get you coming back. I'm glad you came, Jaune."

And, for all he didn't want to admit it, Jaune was glad he had come too. The others shouted their goodbyes as he made his way out, and he made sure to wave back up until the door shut behind him. He threw his hands in his pockets and slogged down the hallway, as the film's most impactful moments played over and over in his head.

Perhaps he'd have to buy a DVD copy.

He was home now, laying in bed, while Demon nipped at his toes. He'd needed someone to talk to, and thankfully Adam was only a phone call away.

"It sounds like it went well, then. So what's wrong?" the man asked.

Jaune lay there, half in deep thought, half fumbling for an answer. "They're nice people. I guess I just made assumptions, but… I still felt like an outsider. Like I don't belong there. If that makes sense."

"It can be hard to find people to connect with. That goes for anyone, but especially loners. I'm glad you took my advice, but don't feel like you have to do something just because those you care about think it'll be good for you. Your life belongs to you, Jaune. You have to choose to grow."

Choose to grow. It was a strange realization to come to. The reason he was so hesitant was indeed because he was scared, but also because he wouldn't be connecting with that club on his own terms. Be it an accident or otherwise, he had chosen people like Ruby and Neptune individually. There had been purpose and motivation in spending time with them, even if it wasn't initially for friendship reasons. Jaune was sure Ruby meant well, but the anime club was her group of friends. Her people. Not his.

Jaune sighed. "So what do I do?"

"Well, have a talk with Ruby. Tell her how you feel. If she cares about you, she'll compromise and you'll both come to an agreement. You say she doesn't consider what you want, maybe it's time to tell her that."

Jaune was already loathing to have that conversation, but Adam was right. He wasn't looking forward to it though. "Okay… but that doesn't really solve my problem. I mean, if I'm supposed to try being more social, wouldn't it be easier to meet people… I dunno… like me?"

Adam had a chuckle and Jaune had to admit to feeling a little embarrassed. "I think you already know the answer to your problem. But that's not your real question, is it?"

"No, I guess not."

"Alright, obviously like attracts like. So you need to find people similar to you, who have similar interests as you. People who might better understand and relate to you. Those people are out there. You just can't be afraid to look for them. Hell, you probably know a few already."

"I can't think of anyone."

"Give it time. And don't be in a rush. You're still a kid. Enjoy it. Time only speeds up as you get older, and you don't want to have regrets, right?"

"No." Jaune said, "But things were easier when I was alone."

"Everything seems better in hindsight, Jaune. But I can hazard a guess you weren't very happy entirely alone. None of us can make it in this world all on our own. You have to be honest with yourself. Why do you think it's such a weakness to want to connect with people? What's wrong with wanting to be loved?"

And Jaune had a long thought, realizing he had no answer. He didn't know why he thought that way. He had no clue. He'd always seen this choice to avoid closeness with others as wise and mature. Something that made him different from all the basic boring people in the world. Connections? Empathy? Vulnerability? All foolish notions that only the weak-willed needed to rely on to get through the harsh realities of the world. Jaune Arc did not need nor want love of any kind…

Except, he had been a massive hypocrite all this time. There were obvious exceptions to this decision. His sisters, his dad, mom, even Mystery. If he did not need nor want love, why had he not rid those people from his life? His logic had been flawed all along. Maybe he didn't want many, but he did want someone to connect with people. He wanted someone to empathize with. He wanted someone to be vulnerable with. To feel loved and wanted.

And if that was so, why did the very idea of love make him want to run and hide?

"I have a headache," Jaune muttered, rubbing his forehead.

"At least that means you're thinking," chuckled Adam, "It's getting late now, so I have to go."

Jaune tried not to sound disappointed. "Right. Yeah."

"Think about what I said, you hear? And try not to get so worked up. You'll be alright. Good night."

"Okay, uh, good night." Jaune nodded. It was remarkably easy to believe whatever Adam said.

Jaune sat up and pulled Demon into his arms. His pup began licking his face and he couldn't resist a tiny smile, in spite of his conflicted thoughts. If he wanted to mature and grow, he would have to do things differently. Not just obeying to his aunt and making smarter decisions, but actively trying to improve himself in all the places he came up short. Perhaps, Jaune Arc could become a normal, stable, functional human being. Whatever that looked like. He had to try, at least.

But where to start? If he needed to make friends, then he needed to find people he liked. Of course, that brought a set of tougher questions. What kind of people did he want to be around? Or rather, what kind of people would like to be around him? What kind of person was Jaune Arc?

For one, he was a kid with issues. Lots of issues. Maybe too many issues. But he was working on them, and liked to think he was improving mentally every day, if in the most infantesimal amounts. He was admittedly rather hard-headed and tended only to listen to himself, but once again he was improving in that regard. His actions tended to cause problems for others, even if he didn't mean for them to. But he was getting better about that. Alright, maybe that's enough negatives. Any positives? I can be nice… sometimes. Well, what have I learned? Summing it up, I'm a troublemaker. Surprise, surprise. Looks like I'll be making friends with the delinquents.

Jaune was about ready to just give up, but then tried to give it another attempt. Like Adam had said, he likely already knew someone he could bond with. He gave it a long thought. Who did he know that was notorious for having a metric crapton of issues, was hard-headed, foolish, and arrogant, and tended to cause problems for others?

There was a knock at his glass door. And this late, Jaune was certain that it was no one he knew. Cautious, he took up his baseball bat and hid it behind him, taking a breath, then letting it go as he pulled the curtain back.

At first, the black hair made him think of Cinder. Even the yellow eyes were pretty similar. But then he saw that this visitor did not wear Cinder's trademark smirk, and so found himself even more surprised at who it was.

He threw the bat aside and slid open the door. "Blake. What are you doing here?"

She stared at him without blinking. She held her arms around herself like she was trying to keep her guts in. "I needed to see you."

"Me?" Then Jaune thought about the events of late and ushered her inside. He looked around outside, the backyard shrouded in darkness. No way to tell if someone was watching. Could have been following her. He closed the door behind him and turned to Blake. "What's wrong? Did some—"

And before he could finish, Blake threw herself against him.

There was no time to adjust his balance. Her momentum was enough to send them tipping over, and Jaune barely got a gasp out before they crashed onto the floor… and kept going.

Shattering glass. The wind rushed around them and a great black void enveloped everything they could see. Space burst into existence, billions of bright stars, a moon shattered into thousand pieces. The gravitational pull of a dead planet drew them into its all too familiar hellscape. Jaune let out a scream, but he couldn't hear it. Was it because in space no one could hear you scream? Made sense to him.

But no, it was because Blake had snatched his mouth into the most intense kiss he'd ever experienced.

They plummeted into the dark atmosphere. Through the black clouds, where the only time they could see was when purple lightning flashed around them. Beyond the clouds, they fell faster. Blake's lips were a bear trap. Jaune's mind spun so erratically that he couldn't hold on to a single coherent thought.

They were finally knocked away from one another when they hit the ground. Jaune groaned in mild pain, finally free to breathe through his mouth. He looked around and while it was surely a different part of the dark city, there was no mistaking where they were. It took all of Jaune's restraint not to punch the ground until his hand broke. How the hell had this happened again? It couldn't have happened by accident twice so close together. Was he doomed to be a hazard to everyone around him?

He saw Blake rising up, looking around her in that same shock she had the last time. Jaune would have rushed to her side, but for the change in her expression. Instead of utterly bewildered and terrified, there was a glitter in her yellow eyes, a slight curl to her mouth, as if surprised and yet satisfied with the result of some special project. "I did it," she breathed, "It worked!"

What worked? Jaune was so lost for words that he could only gawk at her.

Blake looked at her hands, they trembled with fear. Or maybe excitement. "You really can pull people into the Public Domain. Anyone! That's insane…"

"What?" Jaune croaked. "You… pulled us in here? You know how to do that? How?"

Blake turned to him with a winning smile. One like a girl who'd gotten the best birthday gift ever. Only there was a crazy edge to that smile. One he did not like. "I'll tell you, if you do me two favors."

This had all happened so quickly, with no time to process anything, but Jaune was already fed up. "Favors? Blake, what are you—"

She stood up, and since Jaune was on his knees, he was forced to look up at her. He remembered the last time he'd been on his knees like this. At the mercy of a man with no mercy at all. "First, teach me," Blake said, "Teach me how to become a Heart Hunter."

Jaune's jaw fell open. She knew about Heart Hunters? How? Who had told her? Why had they told her? "I can't—"

"Second," And Blake's smile faded. Her glare was pure steel. Unbreakable. Unbendable. "Help me save Adam's heart."

I've only got one question for you all… who is the real villain of this arc? Think about it.

ISA