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Requested By : Polemoduke

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Weiss sat in her normal spot for lunch, Ruby on one side of her and, for once, Jaune on the other. And both were watching her, as worried as their leader across the table was, whenever she looked up from the Scroll she'd been typing on for the better part of the morning. For most of the lunch, they all sat in silence, even their sister team falling quiet for the tension oppressing the table. An oppression that seemed to bleed over to other tables nearby, too, their chatter quieter, more subdued, than usual.

Finally, though, Blake spoke up, voice quiet, "I know it will cause issues, but… He deserved it."

"He's my father-"

"That doesn't mean he can just hit you like that." Jaune cut in, voice quiet but no less sharp for it as he set his fork on his tray and turned to her. "You're an adult, Weiss. It'd be stupid to hit your kid for missing dinner all by itself, but an adult?"

"It was assault." Yang added, pointing a spoonful of potatoes at her. "He's lucky he got off with a good whack. He deserved worse."

"Deserved or not, it hardly matters." Weiss countered, shooting them each a look and sighing, unsure if she was mad, flabbergasted, or happy about the whole situation at hand. "He's one of the most powerful men on Remnant. You can't just… Act like that."

"The more we let powerful people do what they want," Blake cut in, "the more they will keep acting that way."

"But-"

"It's not right." Ruby spoke up, finally, after being silent for most of the day. And avoiding the subject whenever she did dare to say anything at all. Reaching over, she took Weiss' hand in both of her own and squeezed it gently, smiling warmly. "Just… It's not right, Weiss. And it's over anyways. So… Whatever is coming, we have to be ready. Okay?"

"Ready for what?" Weiss asked, flicking her trapped hand a look and then looking back up at her partner's smiling face.

"To punch a motherfucker in the face again." Nora cut in smoothly, picking up her glass of water and taking a sip while Weiss stared, blinking owlishly, at her. Setting the cup down she snorted and leaned back, laying her arm around Ren and adding. "What? Just because you're a bit of a snot-"

"Which makes so much damn sense now…"

"Also that, thanks, Yang." Nora nodded, "Anyway, just because you can be a bit snotty sometimes that doesn't mean that shit is okay. So just relax, okay? We'll figure out how to get through all this. And maybe after we do, you can be a bit less of a bi-"

"Nora…"

"Yes, Ren?"

"Be nice."

"But I aaaaaam…."

"Uh huh…" Ren turned as Pyrrha stood suddenly, staring at her Scroll with a little scowl, and asked, "Pyrrha, is something… Wrong?"

"Hm?" She looked up, blinked, then smiled and waved them all off as she turned. "Oh, nothing, just some… Personal matters to attend to. Don't-"

Suddenly, they were all cut off by the staticy chime of the intercom coming to life before the Headmistress' voice broke through, clipped and professional as ever, to say, "Will Jaune Arc and Weiss Schnee report to the Headmaster's office? Repeat, Jaune Arc, Weiss Schnee, to the Headmaster's office. Thank you."

"Whelp…"

"Come on, then." Weiss sighed, standing with Jaune at her side and frowning thinly. "Time for us both to… Face the music, I suppose."

"Darn." Jaune chuckled awkwardly, "And here I am without my dancing shoes."

In spite of everything, Weiss couldn't help but laugh, just the tiniest little bit, as she followed the blonde knight out of the cafeteria.

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Jaune punched the button for the Headmaster's office and turned, leaning against the outside of the elevator while Weiss stepped in. Hands clasped in front of her, head down, face flat - she was the very picture of calm. To anyone that didn't know her, or spend much time with her, the straight-backed, pleasantly smiling woman would have looked perfectly at ease. Natural. Not quite happy, of course, but not upset, or angry, or anything like that.

But Jaune had spent weeks with her by now, and he knew better than that.

"Hey, Weiss, I'm really-"

"Don't apologize, Arc." She cut him off, voice sharp, hard, and unyielding. But then she flicked him a smile and sighed and said, "You were… Correct. You all were. My father… Well, I'll just say that a man does not do what he believes is just and then apologise for it."

"Sure he does." Jaune shrugged, adding, when she raised an eyebrow in the obvious question, "I did what I thought was right, but I can say I'm sorry you're in trouble for it, Weiss. They aren't, you know, exclusive or anything."

"I… Suppose they are not."

Before either could say anything else, the elevator chimed quietly and the door slid open, admitting them into the Headmaster's office.

Inside, the office was open and airy, with little more than a few chairs across the ornate desk and Ozpin's own seat for furniture. To either side were balcony doors that let out on a walkway that Jaune could see ringed most of the tower, looking through the panelled glass walls that made up the office. Cogs and wheels turned in the floor below them and the ceiling above them, the mechanisms of the huge clock faces of Beacon Tower working around them as they stepped into its heart. And, at the far end of the room, the Headmaster sat, with his elbows on his desk and his chin resting on top of his interlaced fingers. Across from him sat Jacques, one leg resting on a knee and his arms crossed. He turned to glare at them and scowled when Jaune only met his gaze with a glare of his own, instead of being cowed by it.

"Miss Schnee." Ozpin sighed, "Mister Arc. Please, have a seat so we can discuss-"

"There's no reason to bother discussing any of it at all." Mister Schnee cut the man off, tsking when the Headmaster just turned a tired look on him. But the Headmaster didn't go on so, in the silence, the oligarch took the opportunity. "I was assaulted! And I demand this… Boy face the full legal ramifications of it."

"Father-"

"One sodding word out of you," the older Schnee snarled, turning and pointing at her, "and I'll have you on an airship back to Atlas! If that doesn't happen as things are."

"B-But-"

"I'm perfectly happy facing the law for what I did." Jaune shrugged, shooting Weiss a knowing smile as he stepped by her and took the middle seat, putting himself between the two Schnees very pointedly. Getting comfortable, he fished out his Scroll and opened the favorited tab and read, "Regarding Hunters, the law delineates that acts of defence of another against violence shall be expanded upon to-"

"You are not a Hunter!"

"The law he's referencing is the Hunter's Code of Ethics, subsection forty three." Ozpin cut in, smirking thinly, if still a bit sadly. "And while I'm pleased to see you've done your homework, Mister Arc, Miss Schnee was in no real danger. 'Humiliation' isn't something the Code of Ethics' legal openings facilitate the acting upon."

"But he-"

"She has an Aura, and he does not." Ozpin nodded, "Mister Schnee's legal team would no doubt take advantage of the loophole, honest or not."

"I am right here!"

"Please, explain which part of what I said was false, and I will happily correct myself." When Mister Schnee could only scowl, Ozpin smiled, just a bit, and nodded curtly. "Exactly. Please, can we not just… Set aside all this nonsense and get to the heart of the matter?"

"I'd be happy to." Mister Schnee smirked, turning to Jaune and raising his eyebrows. "Provided you've come to terms with the… Information I acquired."

"Yes, your entirely unsourced, unverified claim that you got from someone who you will not name who you doubtless paid for it in an attempt to disparage one of my precious, hand-picked students. As if you know better how to verify records and accreditation for students coming into my Academy." Ozpin deadpanned, reaching for his drink and taking a nice, long sip of it before sighing and reclining in his seat. "I see no reason to consider your allegations about Mister Arc's records any more than I already considered his records when I admitted him."

"M-My records?" Jaune stammered, throat suddenly full of more than a little cotton as his eyes widened. "W-What about, um, what about them?"

"Mister Schnee," Ozpin hummed, gesturing at the man with one of the fingers holding his mug, "is alleging that your records are, well…"

"Fraudulent." The man scoffed, crossing his arms and scowling deeply as Jaune's heart started racing. Terrified, Jaune flicked Ozpin a look, but the man only met his gaze with a flat one, both brows raised gently, as Mister Schnee went on. "And I resent the implication that I would lie, or let myself be fooled, by some… Random huckster on the street!"

"And I resent your implication that I would allow some equally random young man to come to Beacon." Ozpin countered, flicking the man a look and cocking his head to the side. "And that you would come here and assault one of my students."

"I did no such-"

"Jacques, please." Ozpin sighed, "My hallways have cameras."

"And I have equal proof that this young man is-"

"Let me be clear." Ozpin snapped, finally, slapping a hand down on the table and taking a deep breath to steady himself. More steadily, flicking a look between the three of them, Ozpin said, "Regardless of whatever proof you have, or do not have, of whatever deceit Mister Arc did or did not take part in, he is a student here. Even if you proved your assertions, I would merely change his admittance to that of a frontier trained Huntsman and move on."

"You can't be-"

"Seriously?!" Jaune blinked, shock rushing through him at the words because Ozpin had to know. He was going way too far out of his way to make damn sure everyone knew Jaune belonged right where he was. "Even if- Just like that?"

"You've come leagues in just a handful of weeks and, in spite of sense, stepped in to protect someone who by all accounts annoyed the absolute devil out of you." Ozpin smiled, paying Weiss a nod and chuckling when she turned a bit red and shrunk down in her seat. Flicking Jacques and Jaune a look each, he finished with a simple shrug, "You're a Hunter, Jaune. Or will be one day not too far away. Whatever the truth of your past is, it's your own. And as the only one with any power here…"

Ozpin smirked even more widely, "I say it doesn't matter in any. Way. Whatsoever."

"You… Can't be serious."

"No? How odd." Ozpin chuckled, leaning back in his seat comfortably, "Because, I can assure you, no one enters my enrollment without my knowledge, or the knowledge of those I trust implicitly. So no, Jacques. You can not sweep your assault of one of my students under the rug with whatever dirt you think you have."

"I…" The older man scoffed, shaking his head as if shocked by the sheer idea that he wouldn't get what he wanted. But, when it was clear Ozpin wouldn't bend on the point, that scoff stretched into a smirk and the man sighed. "Fine then. Forget the law. I came here to negotiate the next few years of Dust imports, no?"

"You did…"

"Father, please, that's not-"

"Hush, girl." Jacques snapped and Jaune felt his veins burn at the way he waved her off, and Weiss' little flinch and the way she ducked her head. Ignoring her, he folded his arms once more and grunted, simply, "If I don't get satisfaction here then, well… I suppose I can simply take it out of your Dust imports. Now can't I?"

"What kind of man are you?" Jaune finally snapped, anger bubbling over at the idea the man would actually hold hundreds of people hostage because he - rightfully - got clocked. "That Dust is more than just a paycheck, you absolute-"

"I don't have to listen to you, boy." Jacques snorted, "And what kind of man am I? Not the kind to strike another just for disciplining their child, I assure you."

"You absolute-"

"Mister Arc." Ozpin cut in when Jaune stood, turning to point an accusing finger at him. When he met the Headmaster's gaze, he realized what he must have been worried about - the obvious, really - and grimaced as he fell back into his seat. Before Jacques could do much more than sneer, though, Ozpin turned to him and said, "As much as his tone needs work, as does his self-control… I agree with the heart of his issue. Are you actually so petty that you're going to threaten one of the four great academies' Dust supplies?"

"If you won't enforce the law properly," Jacques shrugged, "then I will have to exercise my rights elsewhere."

"Very well. I honestly expected similar…" Jaune's brows narrowed, but before he or the other two could ask what he meant, the man pressed a button on his Scroll and spoke into it. "Miss Goodwitch, if you would please bring Miss Nikos and her papers in, please?"

"Pyrrha?" He and Weiss both muttered, flicking confused looks as, behind them, the elevator chimed gently, headed down to pick up someone.

A few moments later, Jaune turned to watch the Headmistress step out with his partner in tow, holding a folder against her chest and wearing a nicer looking, brown jacket and skirt. It made her look less like a student and more like a lawyer, somehow, as she made her way around the desk with the Headmistress and handed the folder over to the smiling Headmaster while Goodwitch took a spot on his other side. Stepping back on Ozpin's left, she smiled and bowed her head in a quiet greeting.

"Uh…" Jaune blinked, waving limply, "Hi?"

"Hello, Jaune." She chuckled, turning and smiling thinly. "Weiss."

"Miss Nikos…"

"Ah, and you." She sighed, turning to him and frowning deeply. More deeply than Jaune had ever seen her. Even when she was angry at Weiss, or something else, she'd look more… Uncomfortable than anything else. But now? "As ever, encountering you… Well, an encounter, Mister Schnee."

Gods, but she looked mad…

"Miss Nikos here reached out to me shortly after the incident in question with the same worries I had. Namely, that you would exert… Pressure, shall we say, in regards to seeking personal restitution on the matter to hand." Ozpin explained simply, opening the folder and reading from it, "Coal Dust. Mistral Regional Mining Company. Dust to Dawn. Menagerie Limited Imports, who have agreed to do exports, if we send students to secure several mining sites, and-"

"What is this?"

"A list, Mister Schnee." Pyrrha demured, smiling and adding, "Of Dust companies throughout Vale, Mistral, Menagerie, Vacuo and even Mantle who are willing to, and have, signed export contracts to make up a sizable proportion of Beacon's Dust needs."

"I…" He blinked, "How dare you-"

"Fairly easily." Ozpin smiled, taking a deep breath and adding, quietly, "In all honesty, I have considered seeking such things for some time now. I was just… Short on time to do so. But you forced me to set aside time to meet you."

"And Miss Nikos made many of the contact arrangements herself." Goodwitch added simply, "Or, her agent did, at least."

"And you allow students to negotiate in Beacon's name?" Jacques demanded, rising suddenly and scowling deeply as his face turned red and then on to purple. "What, just because she's good at handling a gun she has a right to negotiate with your authority?"

"She did no such thing." Ozpin answered simply, "What she did was, under her own volition, reach out to… Under-appreciated Dust retailers and ask them to make offers she would then bring to my attention. With some negotiating-"

"I agreed to a sponsorship from each of them, on the condition I only use their product." Pyrrha stepped in to add, smirking when Jacques' face darkened even more. Smiling even wider, she added, "And agreeing to let Mistral Marketing name a boat after me. And a few event agreements, and a drink sponsorship, got my agent to handle it all for me."

"Along with securing funds for Miss Schnee." Ozpin added, smiling warmly when Weiss sat up ram-rod straight and blinked in surprise. "In case you elect to punish her in reprisal by trying to cut her off, we have enough funds courtesy of Miss Nikos to cover her continued tenure."

"T-That is…"

"Amazing." Jaune murmured, shaking his head. "How did you manage that in less than a day?"

"My agent was… Very cooperative once I offered to sign new sponsorships." Pyrrha chuckled, "Enough to hire help and get it sorted for me. Still, I've been filling out paperwork all morning, more or less."

"I've been assisting." Goodwitch added, actually smiling a bit. Which itself was something new for him.

"This is preposterous!" Jacques snapped, standing and waving them all off as he turned, storming towards the elevator and punching the call button as he added, in a very final way, "You will be hearing from my legal team, Ozpin! Rest assured of that!"

The firmness and finality in that, somehow, made the half a minute or so of waiting for the elevator to come up while he stood, staring at the button angrily, all the funnier.

But, finally, he was gone. And with him went a huge weight that Jaune had felt ever since he'd stepped into the office.

Sighing, Jaune relaxed in his seat and said, "Thanks, Pyr. You're a life saver."

"I try." She smiled, turning and asking, "If that will be all, Headmaster…?"

"From them, yes." He nodded, turning to her with something a bit more… Dark in his smile. Nodding toward her he said, "You and I still have some matters to go over with. Paperwork, mostly, about your end of our agreement."

"A-Ah, right…" Pyrrha nodded, "Understood."

With that said, he and Weiss were waved out, ushered by the Headmistress to the elevator as it returned for them. Inside, the silence was awkward on the way down. Just their breathing, while each avoided looking at the other, and the gentle elevator music.

Finally, though, Weiss asked, "Was my father telling the truth, Arc?"

"I-I'm sorry?"

"About your records." She explained, paying him a hard look, brows furrowed and lips tugged down. "The information he found - was it true?"

"I…" For a moment, he considered what to do. Lying would be the easiest answer, of course. Just deny it and leave, and what could she do? But his conscience made lying to someone he knew a lot harder than lying to strangers, like he'd rationalised before. So he sighed, dipped his head, and said, "Y-Yeah. It's true. I got my transcripts from the same guy who probably told him about it."

"That…" Weiss paused, almost seeming frozen, until she finally turned away and sighed. "That should teach you about who to trust, Arc."

"Yeah, I guess…" He flicked her a look as the elevator opened and they stepped out, turning to head for the dorms. Quietly, he asked, "You're not… Pissed?"

"Oh, of course I am." She scoffed, shaking her head. "But the mental image of you knocking my father across the hall is helping that, somewhat. Mostly, I'm just… How are you planning to proceed?"

"Like I have been?"

"So flailing your way through and faking it in the vain hope of making it?"

"Hey!" He snapped, "The Headmaster said I was doing fine."

"He was making a point to my father, to win the argument." Weiss tutted, shaking her head and sighing, "I suppose I will just have to make up for lost time, then. Now that I know it was ever lost in the first place."

"Make up for…" He blinked, confused, and asked, "What do you mean?"

"That you and I will be meeting in the training rooms, whichever are available, every night at six to catch you up on academic matters." Weiss explained simply, striding ahead of him and adding, over a shoulder, "And martial ones, too."

For a second, Jaune stared after her, perplexed by her sudden offer - if it was one - to tutor him.

But, eventually, he shrugged and sighed, "Don't look a gift horse in the mouth…"

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Before anyone asks-

No, things are not entirely resolved. Yes, there's some implied dislike between Jacques and Pyrrha. No, I'm not telling you why (yet). XD

You'll see~

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Moniesdamerch :

Pyrrha can really shine when she wants to. It just takes… Motivation.

Mengsk :

My dude, I'd punch my bully's father in the jaw if I saw that shit. These are all people driven by a desire at their core to protect - why would they sit back and watch a team-mate get assaulted? It'd be pure instinct. Also, as established, Jaune PARTICULARLY has issues with bullying in this.

What you suggest Weiss do is, at this stage, out of character for her- She's still terrified of her father. Why would she buck up like that? Jaune, meanwhile, is so ignorant of wider things that he didn't know who Pyrrha Nikos was. Someone asserted to be a world renowned fighter. I don't need or super want to spend several chapters on a message sent clearly - if you are willing to hit your kid, in public, what will you do to them IN PRIVATE?

Geralt Rex :

Nora's fists are rated E for Everyone.

Nice Weiss was here, actually. If you squint.

Also, yes, he dug something up- Shame Ozpin gives zero fucks.

ArcAngel :

Yeah, bouncing around between them to establish through lines and develop EIGHT characters is… Fun, lol. I do NOT envy CRWBY. XD

Lea Rosenwulf :

Jaune also, once you take away his leadership duties, is motivated pretty simply by an urge to protect people. So of COURSE he'd come in swinging if someone just outright assaults his team-mate in front of him for something as dumb as missing a dinner.

Talon Ibn La Ahad :

The 'Jaunedice' arc, so to speak, started with that swing. And has NOT ended, by any means, lol.

LJ-Yusei :

*awkwardly looks away*

Dino Guy :

Everyone is making progress, yeah. Pyrrha is coming out of her shell and being more assertive - especially when her team is threatened - Weiss is being nicer, and Jaune is stepping up as a protector. And Ruby is… There, too! She's on my list to work on, no stress, lol.