Seeing Red

Chapter 6

Jaune was in class when he got the message. It had been a few days at Beacon already, and he'd gradually started to adjust. He should have figured, then, that something would come up that would force him out of the comfort zone he'd managed to get himself in.

When the scroll buzzed against his leg, somehow he knew who it was before he even checked. His heart skipped a beat, and he looked around, making sure the coast was clear. It was – Professor Port was busy droning on, as usual, and the other students were either asleep or staring off into space. Either way, everyone was too preoccupied to care about what he did under the desk.

Jaune covertly drew his scroll out of his pocket just enough to read the message, a small grin crossing his face as he did so. He'd hoped she'd come around eventually, even though he knew she was prideful enough to keep resisting. Still, whatever had her bothered had to be pretty bad if she wanted to vent to him, of all people, about it. But then again, he knew better than to look a gift horse in the mouth.

One more check to make sure nobody was watching, and he typed out a quick message back.

J: In class right now. I'll call in a few.

"Jaune?"

He jumped a bit at the sound of his partner's voice, nearly dropping his scroll. Jaune turned towards her, his face flushing red as he slipped his scroll back into his pocket.

"Hey, Pyrrha," he said. "What's up?"

"Did something happen?"

"What makes you say that?"

"Well… you've got a very big grin on your face. I was just wondering what the good news was."

Jaune blinked, his grin fading. "Oh. Uh, a friend of mine I haven't talked with in a while finally texted me, and they want to talk after class."

"Oh. Well, that's great! I'm happy for you."

"Thanks, Pyrrha. Still, guess I should be paying attention in class now, huh?"

Pyrrha giggled. "Yes, I suppose. Then again, somehow I don't think we'll be learning much from this particular professor. He seems a bit full of himself."

That was an understatement. Still, Jaune figured it was important enough to at least try to pay attention. He turned back to the front of the classroom and did his best to focus, though the whole time, his attention was squarely on his impending call with Eve.

When the bell rang, Jaune couldn't get out of class fast enough. He split off from the rest of his team, looking for a spot he could talk in private with Eve. He found it in Beacon's gardens; barely anyone went there during the week, so it was the perfect spot for a private call. Jaune took a seat on a bench, then withdrew his scroll and dialed the number Eve had used to text him. It rang exactly once before she picked up.

"Took you long enough."

"I was in class," Jaune replied, a faint grin crossing his face. "So, what's up?"

"I needed to vent. You were the only one available who would listen."

"Your text mentioned as much. So, what's going on with you? I'm all ears."

There was silence on the other end of the line, as if she was contemplating whether to go through with this or not. But eventually, her desire to rant won out, and she took a breath before beginning to talk.

"...My friends no longer respect me," Eve growled. "I've been stripped of a role that I worked very hard to attain, and all the accolades that came with it."

Jaune's grin faded. "Why would they do that? Because you got hurt?"

"That's one reason, yes. But also because I both failed my mission, and I was very late coming back to them. In their eyes, failing the mission would have been acceptable if I had rushed back, but apparently, they think I took my time with it, as though I were using it for leisure rather than recovering from a set of grievous injuries that nearly killed me."

Jaune shook his head. "You shouldn't listen to them-"

"That's easy to say, but much harder to put into practice. I was someone they looked to for guidance before. Now, they won't even give me the time of day. And all because of a command from someone much higher-up than me."

"For what it's worth, I'm sorry," Jaune offered. "You did your duty to the best of your ability. It's not your fault you were overpowered and wounded. They should be happy you came back at all, rather than just dying in that river."

"You would think so, but they don't see it that way," Eve lamented. "They must think I dishonored them by coming back at all."

"That's ridiculous. Your life has value, Eve. Don't let them make you forget that."

"I… thank you, Jaune," Eve said, sounding just a tiny bit genuinely grateful for his words. "I suppose that's about where my head is at. How about you?"

Jaune blinked, surprised that she was suddenly curious about him. In the past, she'd dismissed him entirely. His confusion only lasted for a moment, however, before he realized what was going on – her guard was down after venting to him, and she was trying to be cordial and return the favor, likely so she wouldn't have to owe him one. Still, he appreciated the thought behind it, at least.

"Beacon is treating me well, I guess," Jaune said. "It's still pretty early in the year – hasn't even been a full week yet. But I'm getting along; no troubles just yet."

"And you have not mentioned to anyone the true nature of your history?"

It took him a moment to realize what she was saying, but when he did, his eyes widened and he shook his head. "No, nobody knows."

"Keep it that way," Eve urged. "The fact that you made it through initiation is proof enough that you deserve to be there with the rest of them."

Jaune blinked, surprised. "...You really mean that?"

"I don't mince words, Jaune; do not question me again," she warned. "There are people who were far more qualified on paper than you who failed initiation, Jaune. You may not have met them, but believe me, they exist. You proved that you deserve to be there more than they did simply by surviving and passing initiation. Don't let anyone ever tell you anything different."

"That's… thank you, Eve," Jaune said.

"Hm. What else?"

"Erm… they kinda… made me leader of my team?" Jaune offered.

There was silence on the other end of the line. For a moment, Jaune was afraid he'd said something wrong, but eventually Eve came back.

"Then you must have done quite well in initiation to be given such a title," she deadpanned.

Jaune's heart skipped a beat. "Pardon me if this is a little direct, but you don't sound very enthused about it."

"Because being a leader is not easy, Jaune," Eve said bluntly. "Even if it's just a team of three other people, that's still three other people you need to put before yourself at all times. You'll be leading them into combat – that means they need to trust and respect you more than anything. Unit cohesion means everything when you're out in the field, and if the unit's leader is not trustworthy and respectable, then the battle is lost before it has begun."

Jaune let her words hang in the air for a moment, then nodded. "What do you suggest I do?"

"I can give basic recommendations, but a lot of your knowledge as a leader is going to be formed based on your teammates themselves, as well as things you figure out on your own," Eve emphasized. "I don't know what your team is like, and Huntsmen teams as a whole are different from most other military and paramilitary units, for that matter. The basic principles still apply, of course, but Huntsmen teams operate on a much smaller-scale, and they are much closer to each other than a soldier. The closest analog I can think of to a team of Huntsmen is probably the Atlesian Specialists, but even they are much more official. Still, reading up on them might help you a little."

"I'll make a note of that," Jaune said. "What else do you recommend?"

"Get to know your team," Eve emphasized. "Figure out who they are as people first. Then get them into a routine, or a schedule – when you will all go to the gym, when you will all spar, when you will all study together… getting them regimented will go a long way towards getting them used to following you. It's important to know your squad's limits, so you'll know exactly how far to push in a crisis."

"That's a good idea," Jaune agreed. "I'll get started on that. Thanks, Eve."

"Mm. I suppose this is it, then."

"Ah… it doesn't have to be," Jaune offered. "I mean… you can call me any time you want. If I don't pick up, I'm probably in the middle of something, but rest assured I'll call back as soon as I-"

That was as far as Jaune got before the line went dead. He stared at his scroll for a moment, then sighed before pocketing it.

"Should have expected that…" he said to himself. "Alright, now to-"

He had just started to turn and leave the gardens when he heard something – it sounded like someone letting out a few sniffles. Immediately, he paused and listened. Having had seven sisters, Jaune knew what it sounded like when a girl was upset, and there was no mistaking this sound for anything else. Jauen hesitated, knowing it probably wasn't best to snoop around, but his big brother instincts were going into overdrive, and there was little he could do to ignore them without feeling bad.

And so, reluctantly, Jaune made his way through the gardens, looking for the source of the crying. He found it before long – a familiar red-haired girl, sitting on a bench in front of some roses, her head down as she sniffled to herself.

"Ruby?" Jaune asked.

Ruby immediately jumped up, wiping her eyes and putting a big smile on her face. Even from his spot several meters away, Jaune could tell it wasn't genuine.

"Hey, Jaune!" Ruby said, trying her best to sound cheerful. "What's up?"

Again, Jaune hesitated. Ruby was friendly enough, but aside from their run-in during initiation, they didn't know each other that well. He didn't want to pry too much, but at the same time, he also didn't want to just leave her here by herself, not when there was something he might be able to help her with.

"Oh, not much," Jaune said, moving towards her. Ruby made some room on the bench for him, and he took a seat next to her, looking out at the bed of roses in front of them. "They're beautiful, aren't they?"

"Ah… yeah," Ruby said. "I've always liked roses, you know? I mean, since they're in my name and all… and my Semblance, for that matter."

"Makes sense," Jaune said. "So, what's going on? Everything okay?"

"Yup!" Ruby said, a little too quickly for his liking. "Everything's going great! I'm just really happy to be here at Beacon."

"Are you sure? Because it sounded like-"

"Nope!" Ruby interrupted, never losing her smile. "I'm doing fine. So is my team."

Jaune pursed his lips. Clearly, there was something going on with her, but if she wasn't willing to discuss it, then he wasn't about to pry.

"Okay," Jaune conceded. "Still, you know that if there's anything you want to talk about, I'll be here, right? You can talk to me about anything, Ruby. After all, us leaders need to stick together."

Ruby nodded a bit too vigorously. "Yup! Thanks, Jaune!"

Jaune's expression faltered once more, but he ultimately chose not to pry; his piece had been said, and if Ruby didn't want to accept his help, then he couldn't exactly twist her arm and force her to, much as he hated to just leave the issue as it was.

"Anyway, I've gotta run," Ruby suddenly announced. "Be seeing you, Jaune."

"Wait-"

Unfortunately, Ruby didn't stop for him, instead speeding away using her Semblance. Jaune watched her go, then let out a tired sigh before turning and marching back to his dorm.

It was time to start discussing some things with his team.

"Eve."

Eve stopped what she was doing at the sound of Bane's voice, gently setting the box of Dust vials on the ground. She turned around to face him, a scowl on her face.

"Yes, Commander?" she asked, the word coming out with far more venom than she'd intended.

Bane's eyes narrowed. "I know you're not happy with this arrangement, but we salute the rank, not the man."

Eve's scowl deepened, but she did as she was told, snapping to a quick salute. The instant Bane returned it, she dropped it, placing her hand on her hip.

"What is this about?" she demanded.

"Walk with me," Bane urged, motioning for her to follow him.

He began to move, and Eve trailed behind him as they moved through camp. As they walked, Eve got a glimpse of the men as they trained and worked. To anyone else, they may have looked like a well-oiled machine, but having been in a leadership position before, she could see where the cracks had formed. Already, she could see that the men had split into several different cliques depending on their own Faunus traits, something that would have never been allowed under her leadership.

"They're segregating themselves," she pointed out to Bane.

"I have made it a point to separate the men according to their traits," Bane said without looking back. "They will work better as a small unit if they are close with men similar to themselves."

"At the risk of affecting unit cohesion of the entire branch," Eve growled.

"Given that we most frequently send small units out, it is a worthy trade-off."

"This is going to cause more problems than it solves," Eve said. "For example, what if one of the men in those units is captured or killed? That unit would be down a man, with no way to replace him without taking from one of your other squads, which would cause animosity among the others-"

Bane stopped, then turned around to face her, glaring at her from behind his mask. "Are you doubting my command, Taurus?"

Eve's eyes narrowed. "Do not presume to order me around simply because-"

"Simply because what? Because Sienna put me in charge?" Bane demanded. "Do you think of yourself as superior to even the High Leader now?"

Eve wanted to respond, but hurriedly bit her tongue. Bane was purposely baiting her, she realized – he wanted her to rise to his challenge, so he could make a point of punishing her for insubordination in front of the men. And as much as she wanted to put him in his place, she knew that doing so would ultimately turn the others against her more than anything – after all, they still didn't trust her ever since her return trip, and getting into a fight with their new commanding officer would do little more than foster even more animosity towards her.

How easy it was to lose their loyalty.

Reluctantly, Eve nodded. "...Very well, Commander. You know what's best, after all. I won't bother trying to argue."

Bane let out a grunt as he crossed his arms. "Know your place, Eve."

With that, he walked off, leaving her alone to fume by herself.

Jaune was in the gym when the next call came out of the blue. He paused midway through his final rep on the bench press. Above him, Nora gave him a surprised look.

"Everything alright?" she asked.

"Fine," Jaune insisted. "Just need to take this real quick. Don't wait up; I'll finish my workout on my own, if need be."

"This a booty call or something?" Nora asked, a grin crossing her face. "Ooh, do you have a girlfriend, Jaune?"

Jaune shook his head. "Nothing like that, it's just a…" He paused. What was Eve to him, exactly? "...An old acquaintance of mine. Anyway, I'll be back, Nora."

With that, he walked off, wiping sweat from his brow as he did so. It was late at night – almost nine – and the gym was the last thing they had to do on their schedule. When he'd introduced the concept of the schedule to his team, they had actually been very accepting of it, which surprised him. Both Ren and Pyrrha were quite enthusiastic about it... well, Pyrrha was; Ren was too stoic to show much enthusiasm about anything, but he had voiced his approval, which was good enough for Jaune – while Nora had accepted it after just a bit of thought.

Jaune ducked around a nearby corner, pulling his scroll out of the pocket of his gym shorts.

"Hey," he said. "You were right, you know – the idea of a schedule was genius."

"I don't care," Eve said sharply. "We need to meet."

Jaune paused. "...We do?"

"Yes. Something happened around here and I need to relieve some stress. Figured you'd be good for that. We will be sparring."

"I see. And, uh, what do I get out of this, aside from a beaten body and a bruised ego?"

"You will be sparring with someone far more skilled than you, which is the best way to learn how to fight. Yes, you will lose, and you will ache afterwards, but it will be good for you."

"You sound like my mother trying to get me to eat my vegetables…" Jaune sighed. "Alright. Where are we doing this?"

"The Forever Fall, tomorrow night at seven. It's a Saturday, so you should be able to make it just fine. Follow the river; I'll meet you in the middle. Don't be late."

With that, the line went dead. Jaune stared at his scroll for a moment, one thought going through his mind.

"What the hell did I just get myself into…?"

I know, I know, but honestly, I'm just as surprised this one is coming out as the rest of you probably are. I leave for London on Sunday, so I'm on a pretty tight schedule in-general when it comes to writing. I still need to update Plastered Paradox one more time before I leave, because it's been awhile for that one too. If I don't respond to reviews on this chapter for awhile, it's because things got hectic and I ran out of time before having to post for PP. I will still do my best to respond to whatever reviews I get for this chapter for Seeing Red, but if I'm not able to get around to responding for some time, that's the reason why.

Anyway, kind of another filler chapter here, but it's an important one, since it's setting up for more fun stuff further down the road. It might be some time before I'm able to update this story or any of my other stories again, but I'm going to do my best to keep working on them while I'm in London. No idea how much time I'll have to myself, but any time I get, I'll try to dedicate towards working on these stories.

That's about all I've got for now. Keep an eye out for a Plastered Paradox update sometime before Sunday, since that's when I fly out. Aside from that, I've got nothing else. Hope you all enjoyed, and I'll see you all next time!