16.

The Fool's Journey

Had there ever been a face so ugly? Had there ever been a face so peaceful? Who he saw in the mirror now was very different than the man he'd been seeing in the past few months. That guy had looked handsome, confident, popular, looked like the world and all its spoils were his property. An emperor with a golden crown and a golden throne, looking down on a world that belonged to him. A man that deserved it all. And yet, had absolutely nothing.

Steam wafted thin in that small bathroom, light white wisps dancing all around Neptune as he stared at his reflection for who knew how long. He barely remembered waking up this morning, or crawling out of bed, or getting his uniform together. Here he was though — in the midst of his daily routine — as though nothing had happened last night. As though all of it was a dream, or a nightmare depending on how you looked at it. Stood there, thinking, wondering, and yet not really thinking or wondering at all. So many questions and none. And at the head of it, all he really wanted was to go to school.

To get things back to normal.

He freshened up, got dressed and made his way downstairs, the house cold and empty and quiet like always. No painful slog to his step, no excited jaunt, just a stiff march like he was off to some special duty or something stupid like that.

That was when he saw his father in the living room, sat in his favorite chair, and staring at a picture with misty red eyes. Neptune hadn't meant to clear his throat, just got some spit caught in it, really — but it drew his father's attention right away, and with his eyes on him now, Neptune had no idea what to say. There was a faded red swelling on his cheek, his lip had a dry cut of blood. Real, then. Last night had been no fantasy.

His voice came out hoarse, it hurt to talk. No doubt due to all his yelling. "Sorry, Dad. About the car."

His father put the picture down and stood, and part of Neptune expected to be yelled at or called something awful, but instead his father tried to put up a smile. It didn't last, but he tried. "I'd have sent it to the scrap, anyway. Thing was old, wasn't it?"

It was still two years new, but he chose not to comment on that. "I'll get a part-time job. Pay it off."

"No!" Neptune jumped at that, but then his father calmed, a sad look in his eyes. "Don't even think about it. You have school to focus on. That's how you can pay me back."

Neptune nodded and they stood there in silence for a while. In that big house where it was no one but them. Place could have been a studio or a mansion and it'd hardly feel different. He was far away from his father still, and even last night hadn't changed that. He supposed throwing a tantrum and crying wasn't quite enough. "I guess I should head to school. See you later."

"Son, wait…" His father crossed the living room, but stopped a few steps away. Left plenty of room for Neptune to brush past him, but he chose not to. He almost said something, but the doorbell rang, the sound echoing off the walls. His father didn't move, and in fact, that weak smile came up again. "Could you answer that for me?"

He was acting strange, but he did so, pulled the lock and eased the door open.

A slightly bigger woman, but that wasn't how he'd last remembered her. Back then she'd been a little thinner. What he recognized right away was her face, and her smile, and there was a forming moisture in her eyes that couldn't be mistaken for love. Love for what she was looking at. And she spoke out so softy, so gently, that he was sure his knees would buckle. "Hi, baby."

"Mom…" They were in each other's arms right then and he recognized her smell, her warmth, and he felt like a kid again. He'd cried his throat hoarse last night, but it apparently hadn't gotten them all out. Her sobs were horror and music together — made him so badly want to stop them and yet not wanting to at all. It made him feel less alone when he began to cry. His mother. Here. How long had it been? How long? The sheer strength it took to hold himself back from embracing her again as they parted was impossible to describe, unimaginable to experience, but she cupped his cheeks with her soft hands, and looked at him like he was the most important thing in the world.

"Look at you. My baby boy, almost a man. ."

Gods, did he want to say something funny or clever, but all he could do was choke out. "I missed you. I missed you so much. I thought you didn't want to see me anymore."

"No, baby. I tried to come visit you. I did."

"Its true." They turned to his father, and he stayed where he was, like he somehow didn't belong where they were. "I rejected her requests. I turned her away every time she came to see you."

"Why?" Neptune wanted to be angry, but he couldn't anymore. He'd gotten all of that out already.

"I thought we'd make it without your mother. I wanted to prove that we didn't need her. Most of all, I wanted her to lose everything so she'd know how I felt. All of it was to hurt her." And he shook his head. "But all I did was hurt all of us."

"Its my fault too, honey." His mother said as she took his hands. "What I did to your father, what I did to you, was awful. I thought I was only hurting your father, but I hurt us all. I tore apart our family for selfish reasons." And tears tracked her cheeks. "And in the end, it landed me nowhere. The punishments I received for those actions are deserved on my end, and your father is well within his right to never forgive me."

"But you're my mom." He wanted things to be okay again, he wanted to be able see her again. Even if it wasn't every day like it used to be.

His father took one step forward, as if testing whether it was earned or not. "I called your mom here so we could talk out the terms of the custody. It's going to take some time, but you have the right to see your mother and I was wrong for keeping her from you." Another step, and he could see the moisture in his father's eyes. "I ruined everything. I ruined your swimming career by making it all about me, and I ruined your relationship because of my bitterness."

He'd forgotten that Weiss was here when he showed up. "Why was Weiss here?"

He chuckled. "I called her to apologize. I suppose she wanted to get things off her chest as well and decided to come here. I was ready to receive a full telling," He rubbed his cheek again. "Someone beat her to it."

"Who?"

"That boy down the street. The one who is always frowning."

Neptune froze. Jaune. "He came here? He… hit you?"

"Right in the jaw." His father chuckled at it now. "Dropped your stupid old man right on his ass. Don't be upset with him, I deserved it, and he was only concerned about you. He even told me to call the cops on him if I had to."

Jaune had done that? It made him angry and stunned at the same time. To be so upset at his father to storm right up to his house and deck him? Was he a lunatic? Wait, what was he saying? Of course Jaune was. Weiss and Sun would have never crossed that threshold and for good reason. No one would ever do what Jaune did. And yet, it instilled a warmth in his chest like he had never felt before.

"I'll talk to him. Make him apologize."

"Its fine. I—"

"No." Neptune said. "I get what Jaune was trying to do, but I don't want him hitting you. I'll make him apologize. You can thank him if you want."

This time his father did laugh, the cross between a sob did put a little rain on it, but it felt like progress. His phone buzzing was a bit of a mood killer, but certainly not the sender.

Sun - Hey, me and Weiss are headed over. Up for class?

He was, for the first time in a while. But to finally have both his parents there, and ready to talk about things? It was like waiting all week to go see a new movie and then missing it. In the end, he pulled away from his mother and faced them both. "I have to go. School and… you know."

"Well be here when you get back." His mom said, and that made him happier than he could've imagined.

Neptune turned to his dad, who looked at him in the same way he'd always wanted. He thought his dad was replaced with a monster, but he'd only been possessed for a while, now his father was back. It felt like there was so much to talk about. There was. But later. He took his father in an embrace and nuzzled his cheek on his shoulder. "I love you, Dad."

His father squeezed him back and he heard him blubber. "I love you. And I'm proud of you, Neptune. No matter what I said, or what I put you through, you are what I'm most proud of. Not your talent. You. And I'm sorry that I even have to say that."

And he pulled away, having nothing more to say and made his way out the door. Normal day. As though the events of last night were of no consequence to the world and all things moved on. The car was not the wreck he imagined it'd be, but all of the windows were destroyed, the front shield was a cracked mess, the tail pipe was hanging off, and there were plenty of scratches all across the sleek red paint. A rush of pain and joy at seeing it. That and the broken awards and statues lying scattered around the lawn. "I really will have to clean that."

Sun and Weiss were coming from up the way, and Neptune hurried to meet them halfway, half-running as if he had very little time to see them. A period of silence passed between them, nothing but the hissing wind and cars easing by. Neptune tried to crack a joke. "I… went a little crazy last night."

"A little?" Weiss hedged. "You were a complete and utter degenerate!"

"It was awesome." Sun nodded.

"Unbelievable. I'd expect Jaune to do something like that, but you? Do you even have the slightest inclination as to the cost of that car? The value of those awards? What were you thinking?"

"That it was freakin' awesome," said Sun. His smile grew as Weiss slapped his arm.

"I guess I wasn't thinking much." Neptune sighed. As good as it felt in the moment, this would not be a story that aged particularly well. And once Yang heard about it, his life was over. He smiled at that. At least now he had a life that could be over, instead of those miserable years of loneliness.

"You think what I did was bad? I just found out that Jaune punched my dad."

Sun and Weiss balked and said together, "Is he insane?"

Yes, he was. But it brought a smile to Neptune's face anyway.

"I don't see him." Sun peeked across the street. "Usually he's coming up around this time."

Weiss however had turned on one heel with her chin high and strutted off the other way. "He's probably at school, which is where we need to be. And I'll be darned if you two cause me to break my perfect attendance."

Sun snickered as they both tailed after her. "Did you actually say darned?"

"What?" Weiss questioned. "What's wrong with what I said?"

"Nothing, nothing! Just saying playground curse words are a little dated. I mean come on, Weiss-cream, what the fudge were you thinking?"

"I think I'll be driving my foot up your rear end."

Sun's laughter seemed to envelope everything around them, the two going back and forth precisely as if there'd never been any distance between them. And strangely, Neptune found himself part of it too. It was uncanny, and yet normal, unlike it had been and yet exactly as it was supposed to be. All coming so easily to him that he wondered how he'd ever thought his life could never be the same again? Seemed so far away an idea, and even more ridiculous.

Neptune looked back regularly, hoping to catch Jaune coming up the road. But he never appeared. At school then, he'd just gotten up early. That was all.

He really hoped so, anyway.

Jaune was greeted with hot, blinding light, and he felt like his eyeballs would melt out of their sockets. Seemed they would survive though, and, not for the first time, Jaune squinted up at something he had grown entirely numb to. Breasts.

A lifetime with sisters haggling over him demystified that middle school fantasy of waking up to a nice pair hanging over your face. Only really happened in those mistralean cartoons — Gods, Mistral was a weird place. This creepy fascination with tentacles and women's underwear. Now he had no idea why he was even thinking about that stuff, and the stab of pain launching through his chest provided no answers.

"He's awake! Give him room, Cindy!"

"I can hardly take his temperature from across the room."

The fog began to clear as Jaune managed to find the strength in one arm to push himself up. White walls stretched far away, decorated with things he couldn't yet make out, white sheets covering him, and white everything else. Could be heaven. Which must mean I haven't been a total waste of life. But the unreality soon crumbled. Much to my disappointment. And everything that wasn't white stood out clearly. Aunt Peach was the first one he recognized. "Aunt Pe — "

She was immediately sobbing as she wrapped her arms around his neck and drew him as close as she could manage, and she was trying. She kissed his cheek as though it was the last time she'd ever get the chance and, admittedly, he relished the feeling of that.

"Oh thank god, Jaune." Peach said as she finally pulled away, wiped some hair out from in front of his eyes. "You had me worried half to death!"

"And had yourself three-quarters to death." That voice again. It was familiar. "It hardly needs to be said that your approach to the task, however darinh, is hardly professional. Though you certainly made the journey quite entertaining, Sir Knight."

"Mystery?"

And it really was her. Only now she was much changed compared to the leather-bound masquerade she took form as. She wore a modest white nurse dress, creased like folded paper about her form. She was scribbling on a clipboard, black hair tied up in a neat bun with not a strand of hair out of place. Eyes hard and focused. Professional-looking. No longer the sultry flirt prowling about Neptune's heart. She looked at him and while it wasn't quite as powerful as in the Heart World, that coy smirk was no less inviting of danger. Ironic, considering what she wore. "How are you feeling, Jaune?"

Jaune tried to shift his right arm, only to find that it was in a cast. That lance of pain welled up again, made him paw at his chest like he was trying to put out a fire. "Great." he croaked.

"It seems you slink back from the edge of death with the same witticism. However I might enjoy that, I think a more straightforward answer is necessary this time. Don't you think?"

He had to give her that. "I feel… bad?"

"You got stabbed with a trident."

As if to double down on that fact, his chest surged with pain, and he felt the thick and tight bandages curl in his fingers as he clawed at it. "Don't remind me."

"I imagine she doesn't have to." said Peach, now frowning at him. "Why did you go into Neptune's heart? I told you to wait for me."

"I'm sorry," Jaune croaked, but her scowl never left, nor the tears in her eyes. "I couldn't wait. I couldn't."

She sniffled, taking off her glasses so she could dab her eyes with a napkin. "You… are grounded. Until further notice. Understand?"

He gave a weak nod. Seemed fair enough.

"You've a talent for finding the mavericks, Miss Peach. I might suspect you choose them on purpose."

Peach glared up at her. "You're hardly the picture of discipline, certainly no one has forgotten your history. Had you any sense you'd have dragged him out of the Heart World yourself."

He swore he imagined it, but Cinder's smile slipped and her eye gave the very faintest twitch. It was like seeing a chink out of a perfect vase, a dent in the armor. Just a quickly, she got up that smirk again, though with noticeably more effort like she was trying to rise above the jab. "And missed my chance to see your ameteur crash? That's a story for the week, and in the rare instance I ever visit, I do very much love to remind you of your failures. About as much as you remind me of mine, now that I think about it."

Peach had a look like she was ready to stab her. "And here I did my best to teach you to be better than me. Life moves ever in a circle. As the master, so the apprentice."

"So it seems." Cinder turned back to him. "Still, you didn't crash, and you didn't fail. In fact, you did better than most apprentices do. Even I didn't beat an Alter until two years into my training."

Jaune wasn't even sure how he beat Alter-Neptune, but he'd come through somehow. "Maybe I'm the greatest Hunter that ever lived."

"You've enough power to pretend at it, that's for certain." Cinder looked him up and down. "Master Peach has always had a good eye for those with the gift."

"Master?" Oh right, Peach had mentioned that whole master and apprentice thing.

"Oh indeed. I was her first apprentice. How long has it been now, Miss Peach?"

"Five years."

"And only half that time since we'd last seen each other. I'll shoulder the blame for that — I don't call often enough." Cinder pointed her pen at him from over her clipboard. "What is his semblance?"

Peach pursed her lips. "I don't think you need to know that."

"No, but I do." A tall man came through the door, dressed in doctor's wear, and looking very much like someone in charge. His wild hair seemed to stab at everything in reach, like a porcupine, puke-green and so immediately distinct that Jaune had to wonder if his relatives looked the same. His round glasses had a mighty shine to them, so much so that Jaune couldn't see his eyes, and it made him shift backward in case he was something other than a man.

Peach glanced up at him with mild surprise. "Oobleck. You're here?"

"And will be for some time." He said quickly. Very quickly. Jaune had to play back what he said just to be certain he'd heard him right. "Miss Fall reported to me on the situation after bringing Mister Arc to safety. This new apprentice of yours has gotten ahead of himself." He tilted his head at her. "And you, it seems."

Cinder smirk grew.

"He's eager and hard-headed." Peach said, passing Jaune a glance that made him sink his head. "But he has the gift, he has the talent, and he has power. A well of it. I am well within my boundaries to operate as I please."

"Provided your operations do not conflict with the laws, my dear. As long as you and your apprentices pose no risk to others. There were no fatalities this time, thank the brothers. But the ice you tread has cracks, Victarine." He flicked his glasses down, and those sharp eyes proved sharp enough that it sent an electric jolt up his casted arm. "Even a feather's weight of a blunder could send you plummeting. And tonight brought you very close."

Peach frowned up at him, and Jaune knew right away that he'd gotten her into trouble. Two people were getting on her case rather than his, and he wouldn't stand for it. "It was my fault, not hers."

"Masters must answer for the mistakes of their pupils. That is the law of our organization. In any case, his semblance?"

Peach frowned but relented. "From what I've observed, it seems his body produces a malleable energy that he can expel and mold into different forms."

"Such as?"

"A three-hundred-sixty degree barrier that is strong enough to withstand six Beowolves. He can shatter the barrier, which will reflect the impact back at his targets two-fold."

Cinder blinked at him. "He was nearly killed by an Apex when I first met him. I saw that it swallowed him — I'd been quite certain he was dead — and then I saw the creature explode from the inside out."

"An Apex's jaws are nothing to underestimate." Oobleck jaw moved back and forth as he considered Jaune. "What else can he do?"

"He can expel the energy for brief flashes, like a flash bomb," said Peach. "Those are the only applications he's devised so far. Is that enough?"

Oobleck nodded and Cinder charted it down. "For now. Your cover story has been prepared. You were attacked by the serial killer Scorpion that's been on the news of late. He ambushed you at the school when he led your nephew there with the promise of recreational drugs."

"I'm not a freaking druggie." Jaune huffed.

"There's enough morphine in your IV to suggest otherwise." Oobleck eyed him and his aunt. "It was necessary to inform the school. As much as Cinder tried, Mister Arc's blood was found in the swimming pool and the authorities were called before we could order a clean up."

"Tell me you got Qrow?" said Peach.

"I did. He will ensure the investigation proceeds by the design of the Council, with the decisions all four seats have made. Rest assured, your lives will resume as normal." Oobleck came over to the side of Jaune's bed and leaned over him. "Mister Arc, I shall tell you this but once, in this field of work, subtlety is not an option, it is a necessity. A law. Risking the exposure of the Heart World is a crime that will not be tolerated."

Jaune frowned. "According to what law?"

"The one I'm informing you of now. The one that won't lead to your immediate termination."

"Termination? Like kill?" Jaune looked at his aunt, who had closed her eyes as she dropped her head. "Is he saying we'll be killed?"

"Please, Oobleck. He's a boy." Peach said, a hint of begging in her tone.

"And children with power are second only to madmen in the trustworthiness of its use. They are ill-equipped to use their powers wisely, as you well know by now. His wounds are no longer in a life threatening state, I daresay I got to him just in time to hasten his recovery. He can leave in a few days. Cinder will watch over him."

The woman of mention grinned a little. "I hope you'll be a good little patient."

"Are you actually a nurse?" Jaune asked.

"Do I not look the part?"

In a porn magazine, he might have said. But she'd saved his life so he chose not to comment.

"I have other business to attend to, and I don't think any further clarifications are needed here. Come, Miss Fall." Oobleck headed for the door and Cinder followed after him. No sound of heels, just the scuffing of white shoes.

Peach had her hand on his. "Are you sure you're alright?"

"Fine," But he really wasn't. "I'm sorry I got you in trouble."

"Pff, them? They're all bluster."

"So they weren't serious about killing us?"

"He was." Peach admitted. "But don't worry, it takes an incredibly serious offense to warrant that. And there's only been two incidents that have ever demanded such actions."

"Who are they?"

"No one you want or need to know beyond what's immediately necessary. Trust me Jaune, where we stand is where you want to be. The shallow end of the pool. And even here, the stones are tied to our feet. You don't want to go any deeper."

And he believed her right away. JAune swallowed at the thought of what could possibly be beyond what he already knew. How deep did the knowledge about the Heart World and Hunters and Grimm go? What laws were so sacred that they had to kill people to protect their identity? He wanted to know. Actually, no, he never wanted to know. For as long as he lived. "Cinder said I didn't fail. Is Neptune okay?"

"He is, I've seen him the past few days. It looks like he's doing fine, which means his Alter found the strength to pull itself free of the Despair."

Jaune breathed a sigh of relief.

She considered him for a moment, like looking at him was breaking her heart. "Jaune, I don't want you doing this if you can't obey my orders. I didn't put all that training into you so you could run off and get yourself killed."

"I didn't mean —"

She made him shut up with a squeeze of his hand, hard angry eyes boring fear and guilt into him. "You will never pull a stunt like this again. Do you hear me? My orders are to be obeyed absolutely, not only for your safety, but the safety of others and the success of what we do. These aren't restrictions, these are precautions. The last thing you need is the failure of someone's Heart World to weigh on your conscience. The Gods know you have enough problems already," She touched his face. "And the last thing I need is to lose my nephew. Is that what you want to do? You want to leave me all alone?"

No, he hadn't. Except he had, hadn't he? He hadn't fought his coming death, and in fact embraced it. Yearned for it. Now that he realized what it would do to his aunt, he hated himself for it. Jaune stared down at his sheets. "I'm not okay, am I?"

"What?"

"Me. I'm not right up here." Jaune tapped his temple. "Something's wrong with me, isn't there?"

"Sweetheart, there is nothing wrong with you. There's just some things you need to work out. Things you need help working out."

He nodded, but still hadn't looked up at her. "My mom... Is she still at the hospital?"

Her eyes wanted, but she put up a smile and stroked his face. Her thumb wiping a stray tear away. He had no idea where it even came from. "For now, honey. Only for now."

"If me and her get better, can I see her again?"

"Worry about that later. Get some rest, alright? I'll go bring you some dinner."

Jaune thought to press her more about it, but didn't have the energy for it. Peach slipped out of the room and none too reluctantly, he eased back into the bed and turned onto his side.

His work was done. Neptune would be okay and that's all that mattered. Things could go back to normal. He could fade back to being what he was. Safe.

And most importantly, alone.

A week of whispers usually saw the topic of conversation grow stale. Who banged who or whatever, but these weren't rumors this time. And what could be of more interesting conversation than the news that Jaune had nearly been murdered by the Scorpion Killer? On the very same night he'd punched his father? Even now Neptune was still asking himself, what the fuck had Jaune gotten himself into?

The past few days had been nerve-wracking, and not just for him. The whole school was talking about it, all throughout the day, from the cafeteria to the courtyard, from the classes to the teacher's lounges. The story was everywhere. And each time he heard it, it was twisted and wrapped and stretched into bizarre alternate stories. Where Jaune and the killer had some intense fight that he'd barely survived, that Jaune was working undercover for the police to capture the killer, that Jaune actually is the killer. The whole school was mad with gossip.

Neptune had tried to visit Jaune at his home, but Miss Peach told them outright that Jaune didn't want visitors. Then they'd tried going to the hospital to see him, only for a dark-haired nurse to turn them away. Sure, it was good to know he was alive and recovering, but not being able to see him left him up at night with worry all week.

But Jaune had apparently been discharged the day before, and was good enough to come to school. The teachers made a point of telling everyone not to harass him about the situation, but they had to know it wouldn't work. All of homeroom was busy with questions and curiosities, Neptune himself was no better, and he had no clue what to say or do when Jaune showed up.

"Let's just give him some room," Sun seemed to know the answer though.

Minutes later, Jaune Arc ambled into class, looking a lot like he'd just been in a car crash.

He had a bandage around his head, and though it was faint, Neptune was sure he saw bandages in the crook of his short-sleeved shirt, and one arm was in a heavy sling. There was no harrowing look in his eyes like Neptune expected, no disfigured face thankfully. Weirdly enough, he walked in with that same disinterested, sour expression he'd always had.

Professor Goodwitch looked at him as he walked in and they exchanged their sharp cold glances for a moment. "You're late, Mister Arc."

"Sorry. Won't happen again."

She nodded. "See to it. Take your seat."

Jaune found a seat on the other end of the room without acknowledging anyone and class went on. At both times Neptune wanted to say something and didn't. Had no clue what to say to Jaune or what to start with? Why'd you punch my dad? How did you end up almost murdered? Are you alright? But he had strangely taken a seat at the other end of the room, pointedly not paying attention and certainly not looking his way. People whispered, pointed at him, but he seemed content to ignore it all. He almost looked like how he'd been during his first few days.

Neptune, unable to bear it, pulled up his phone and was about ready to message him. Then he wilted. He had no idea what Jaune was going through. Sure the week had been long for him, but that wasn't nearly enough to get over almost being killed. And he was about to just pressure answers out of him? No, he couldn't do that. Tried to will the questions, and the desire to know, to the back of his head. To his credit, it worked.

But he still felt them there.

"Go say something!" hissed Weiss.

"You do it!" Yang hissed back. "You can sing, go serenade him or something!"

Neptune was beginning to think that suggestion a good idea — proof of his desperation. Maybe they should all go over there and break into song. Like it'd help.

All throughout the day there hadn't been many chances to get him alone. Sun caught him once in the hallway but Jaune was the smarter of the two and so got away without answering a single question directly, leaving Sun properly disappointed. Yang had a class with him the period after, but as confident a girl as she was, she unfortunately had no experience with injuries beyond bloody knuckles and black eyes. Asking about murder wounds was the threshold she quickly learned she couldn't cross. Blondes — damn unreliable.

Now lunch settled in, and Jaune sat alone at that same table he always did. Neptune and Sun might have joined him, but since reconnecting with Weiss, the rest of the crew had followed. His old friends, and now he sat where he felt he belonged. Though there's hardly been time to relish in it. Especially since all they were doing, and all they had been doing, was trying to work out how to approach Jaune. Just to make sure he was doing okay. He looked like he was, for someone who'd been attacked by a serial killer, but then Neptune didn't really have a frame of reference for how victims of murder were supposed to act.

"We have to say something to him." Sun said.

"Why? Maybe he wants to be left alone?" said Blake. A rare instance of her contributing anything to a conversation she had no stake in. "If it were me, I think the last thing I'd want is for other people to remind me of what happened. He's thinking about it enough, most likely."

Neptune thought about that, staring at Jaune as he picked at his food, hardly even trying to eat. It wasn't long before a girl approached, sliding into the seat beside him like she had always been there. Jaune's reaction, as consistent as ever, was to frown at her, then ignore her as she spoke to him. A guy approached next, sort of hovered over the table, and Neptune swore he heard him say, "Saw the blood in the pool, man. Crazy shit." And just as if there was some invisible green light hanging over Jaune's head, the people began to flock.

Had people no sensitivity at all? Was no one going to realize they were making him uncomfortable? Jaune's face twisted with fast-wilting fury, trying hard to focus on his food, only now people were touching him, emboldened by his silence somehow. Wasn't anyone going to do something? Wouldn't anyone help him? Jaune pressed his hands to his ears, now desperate to fight off the invasive crowd, and Neptune no longer hoped someone would help.

"Get away from him, you assholes!" He said as he shoved one guy out of the way. Persistent idiots. He cut through the mass of them and pulled those in Jaune's space away, gave him his best threatening look. Which admittedly wasn't much. But thankfully, he wasn't alone, as Sun came up right behind him and cut the more immediately dangerous image. It took a moment, but eventually the crowd faded away, mumbling cursing, flipping the finger, but fading nonetheless.

Neptune looked at Jaune, who looked to be trying to control his trembling left hand and calm himself. "Thanks. For that."

"We've got your back, man." Sun said, "Are they always bugging you?"

"Every class. I doubt it'll stop at just today, either." Jaune shrugged as he cut at his meat loaf. Made no progress without anything to hold on to. "Whatever though."

"You're kind of famous right now." Neptune said. Then an idea came. He waved at his table, then waved them to come over. "And every famous person needs an entourage."

There was a moment of hesitation, but Weiss was the first to take up her tray, chin raised pompously high, then found a seat in front of Jaune precisely as if she'd sat there all his life. Then Yang, Ren and Nora, Ruby, even Blake.

"I thought you were saving me…" Jaune muttered as Neptune dropped down next to him. "Hey!"

Weiss pushed aside her tray and then snatched Jaune's, much to his protest. He was about to drag it back but she raised a finger to stop him, then began dividing his meatloaf.

"I can do it myself." Jaune said.

"That so?" piped Yang. "With that arm, it doesn't look so much like you beat off at night."

"You're gross, Yang." said Blake, who had somehow also come to join them, right beside Yang.

"Gotta be hell though doesn't it? Your rocket polisher in bad condition?" Nora cackled.

"How re you feeling, dude?" Sun asked.

Jaune frowned. "Alive."

Sun rolled his eyes, for the first time not laughing or smiling. "We mean you. Everyone was scared for you, man."

Jaune shot an eyebrow at him and then looked around at everyone. "Am I dead? I've never been this popular alive."

"You know what I mean. Still man, are you alright? We wanted to come see you, but your aunt said you wouldn't see anyone."

Jaune turned back to his tray, which was still gone so he ended up staring at the table. "I didn't want you to." he whispered.

"Why?" Neptune didn't want to sound demanding, but it certainly wasn't fair that Jaune kept him out of the know when he'd so persistently gotten involved in his life. "Oh I get it. You think you're just gonna get away with hitting my dad?"

Jaune blinked at him. "What?"

"Yeah, thats what we're really here for. That killer? Ha!" Neptune waved his hand. "You probably did something to piss him off anyway." Felt awful to say that, but by now he'd realized that Jaune had to be worked at with a chisel, not a hammer. "For someone who constantly wants to be left alone, you sure never stayed out of my business."

"Sorry, I…"

Neptune dragged Jaune into an embrace, which was about the most bold thing he'd done in a while, besides destroying his own car. He felt Jaune bristle in his arms, wondered if he might try to snatch away, but then he saw Sun hug him from the other side.

"Oh my god, group hug!?" Nora crowed.

"I get him first!" Yang rushed around the table to hook her arms around Jaune's neck, her cheek pressed against his with the biggest smile. "Thanks for helping our boy."

"You have mine too." Weiss said with a smile. She took Jaune's hand in both hers and squeezed it. And Neptune could see that Jaune wanted so badly to get away, to pull and run. Maybe it was what he was used to, there was no way to know.

"We're going to walk you home. Every day from now on." Neptune said. Jaune wouldn't look at him, for he'd shut his eyes and was trying to quell his quivering lip. "Whether you want us to or not, we're protecting you."

Jaune let out a shuddering breath as Weiss gave him back his tray, and he stared at the neat cuts with weak, wet eyes. Neptune felt him finally relax. "I beat Dragon Force. It's pretty good."

"No way!" Sun gasped with pure indignation. "How can we be friends!?"

"See, I told you!" Yang said. Their energy infected the rest of the table and soon enough everyone was it. Neptune might have cried at how beautiful it was.

But he was too busy laughing.

"Aww, isn't that cute?" Nadir said.

Pyrrha might have said the same, watching it all happen from their lunch table. She recognized the blonde boy, the one who'd pulled the fire alarm not long ago. He'd always seemed to be a sulky loner type who hated everyone. The kind who went out of his way to be alone. We're all wrong sometimes though.

"I hope he's alright," she said. "Must have been terrifying what happened to him. At least he has people there for him."

Pyrrha for one wished she had people like that, but life didn't always turn out the way she wanted to. If at all. Times like that she was glad to have Hero. Even though he hadn't texted her in a few days.

"Making new friends?" she texted him.

Some people were lucky to have people that loved them for who they were. She was not that fortunate. That's how she felt anyway. But you had to roll with what you had and try to make the best of it. You could find happiness in strange places. She certainly wouldn't have thought to find her best friend online, but there it was.

"What are you doing after school?" Reese asked. "I'm going boarding at the pier. I could finally teach you, Pyr."

Pyrrha shook her head. "I'll be busy at home." Doing nothing, as always.

"Again?" Reese looked disappointed. "I mean, I get it but…"

"It really is important. I'm sorry. Next time, I promise."

"That's what you always say." she drawled.

And I never mean it. "I mean it this time. Seriously."

The group around her certainly wasn't unpleasant. Reese was a ball of sunshine, Nadir was considerate and kind to everyone, Bolin was harsh but patient, and Arslan had a temper but a good heart. Good people. Good friends, perhaps. They'd be appreciated by anyone who gave them their time, except for Pyrrha Nikos. There were times where she was okay with them, even liked them, then others where she wanted to be far away and alone. Being around people for an extended period of time was a heavy toll on her patience and energy. That's why she liked Hero.

"I'll be back." Pyrrha got up and headed to the restroom, locked herself in a stall just to breathe. Hands shaky, nerves wound like the knots in a shoelace. Breathe. Breath, she told herself. There were times where she wondered if she was even real. If the things she felt were real or her just putting on a mask to keep the world from seeing what was beneath her. If there was anything below that mask. Even she didn't know.

She got a message, which could only be from Hero. He was the only one in her contacts besides her family.

"Jealous?"

She laughed at it, but it came with a bit of a stab of jealousy. If he was making other friends, then he'd have less time for her. Less time than they made for each other already. "Not even. Just checking up on you, my love."

"You know you're the only one for me."

Again she laughed, knowing he was joking, but only somewhat. There was a part of her that took a happy comfort in it, be it the truth or a joke. A needy indulgence. She had no need for anyone else. For people outside. All these annoying, unintelligent, boring people she dealt with on a daily basis. They weren't like her Hero. He was smart, funny, and always made her feel good. He always brightened her day. He was perfect.

She had no need for anyone else.

"I'd better be." she jokingly, but not quite so jokingly, responded.

"You wanted to see me, Miss Peach?" Neptune questioned as he took a seat.

She had never called him to her office before, which was strange since he'd never thought to come to her office either. She was the school counselor, after all. But it was hard to say if anyone really came to her, or if she just sat in her office all day. "Good afternoon, Mister Vasilias." She gave him a pink smile. "I'm sorry about taking you from your classes, but I wanted to apologize for my nephew's behavior toward your father."

She knew about that? "Er, its fine. I already talked to him about it,"

"I hear you're good friends with him."

"I'm trying to be." Neptune rubbed his nose. "He doesn't make it easy."

"That sounds like him. But when he meets someone that he cares for, he goes well out of his way for them."

As he was beginning to learn. Jaune was a hardass in the most frustrating sort of way, but he was made of softer stuff underneath, and part of Neptune wanted to help him with that. He had no idea what his problem was or what he'd gone through, but he wanted to see that guy smile more, laugh more. Like he could now. "Well he did for me. So its not a problem. My dad isn't going to press charges or anything, but I'll still make him apologize for it."

"Good." He noticed Peach's smile had not dimmed in the slightest. Saw that she was twisting a silver watch on her wrist. "Neptune, do you know why I became a psychologist?"

Neptune shook his head. "I don't know the first thing about it. Or you, really."

"Don't worry. That's fine. Can I show you something?"

He nodded hesitantly. "I guess."

And suddenly he was weightless, the floor was glass, a thousand shards of a thousand colors spinning violently around him as he plummeted into a great black abyss. Neptune couldn't hear his own scream, couldn't hear anything. The most he could see was the shards swirling together at the bottom like water down a drainage pipe.

And he fast upon it.

Been a month, life is what it is. But this concludes the Neptune Arc, and what I guess would be considered Book 1. I didn't really proofread this one too much so sorry about that, otherwise I hope you enjoyed this chapter and see you in the next one.