Honestly, Jaune was taken aback to see them here. They should be in Vale, enjoying their lives, not bothering him. Then again, if his math was right, they should be in their last months. The thought of getting a license before them felt like it was cheating, but he reasoned it couldn't be helped.
The bottle in his hand shattered, shards scattering. Jaune peered through the fragments, eyes meeting Weiss Schnee's stern glare.
"I will not repeat myself," Weiss demanded. "Surrender now, or we will apprehend you by force."
"We should hide the people of Mistral," a rusty voice rasped. "Now that the four bringers of doom are here, they'll either closed the Huntsman Academy or bring about Mistral's downfall."
"That's… rude," the knight's voice murmured.
THEY SHOT OUR TREASURE. THAT BLOODY SCHNEE SHOT IT. I DEMAND JUSTICE. JUSTICE!
"I'm just stating the facts," the rusty voice insisted. "I could keep suicidal paper people alive for years, but the moment they arrived, everyone died within two days of staying in my village."
"…We had a village?" the knight's voice asked, confused.
Jaune raised the broken bottle, eyes filled with sorrow. "It was innocent."
"He's clearly lost his mind," Weiss Schnee said, her voice edged with frustration.
"We hit him with everything," Yang said, holding up her hands defensively. "Are you sure Vomit Boy doesn't have a good reason for this?"
Blake's eyes narrowed at her teammates. "He attacked innocent Faunus! We need to lock him up!"
Jaune stared at the shattered bottle, as if mourning a dear friend.
"I… don't think Jaune's listening," Ruby said softly, lowering her scythe. "How about we talk this out, guys?"
Team RWBY exchanged uncertain looks. Blake hesitated, but eventually lowered her weapon, still eyeing Jaune warily, as if he were a dangerous human supremacist.
Yang stepped forward, her hands still raised in a non-threatening gesture. "Hey Jaune, we don't want to fight. Can we just talk?"
Jaune's eyes flickered to Yang, then back to the shattered bottle in his hand. He didn't respond, but the tension in his shoulders seemed to ease slightly.
Weiss sighed, her frustration clear. "Look, Arc. Whatever's going on, spit it out."
Jaune's gaze shifted to Weiss.
That made Weiss raise a brow. She was about to erupt when Blake stepped forward. "I don't know what's going on with you, Jaune. But attacking innocent Faunus isn't the way to solve whatever you're dealing with."
Clearly. This isn't a problem we can solve while muddleheaded. You are a mediator, act like one. We can't talk peace while carrying a weapon.
Jaune looked at Blake and then breathed. His Semblance amping up, clearing all traces of alcohol in his limbic system. "Innocent? Do you know what they did? How long has your team been here, anyway?"
"Eh… just hours ago?" Ruby said absentmindedly.
Jaune looked at Ruby. He took a shaky breath. "I see."
Yang took a step forward. "So what's a civie doing here? Why you're attacking faunus?"
Jaune looked at Yang. "You guys have graduated or something?"
"Answer the question, Jaune," Blake demanded.
"Did she not get over her white fang thing?" The rusty voice said, forcing Jaune to look at Yang's arms, still intact.
He glanced at each member of Team RWBY, then slowly, he released the shattered bottle, letting the pieces fall to the ground.
"Alright," he said, his voice dull. "Let's talk."
Jaune took his scroll out and showed his huntsman license. The change in demeanor bothered them as Jaune wore the fact he used when dealing with clients. "I must insist that you all evacuate this area immediately. It is imperative that no terrorists are allowed to escape."
Weiss Schnee did not like what she was seeing. Blake, on the other hand, didn't like what Jaune was saying.
"They are not terrorist yet!"
"Blake, I need you to understand something very important here," Jaune began, his voice steady but gentle.
Blake's eyes flashed with ire. "Jaune, these Faunus aren't terrorists. They're scared, and they've been through enough."
"Use Winter's name here," a voice said. "That should make Weiss somewhat compliant."
Jaune raised a hand. "I know they're not terrorists yet, Blake. But the reality is, they've been involved in planning an act of terrorism and plan to once against to target the Atlas personnel, including Winter Schnee. That makes them accomplices to the crime, whether they fully understand the implications or not."
Weiss looked somewhat horrified as Jaune showed her the pictures he'd taken before he got into a fight with the faunus involved.
Blake's fists clenched at her sides. "But they didn't actually commit the act. They were coerced, misled—"
"I understand your concern, and I sympathize with their situation," Jaune interjected, his tone firm yet empathetic.
"They should have known about the train," a scheming voice suggested. "Use that to your advantage here."
"But involvement in plotting an act of terrorism is a serious offense. It doesn't just affect those directly involved, it endangers countless innocent lives. I'm sure you four have heard what happened to the armored train. I was there too. People died and they should be stopped before they could act out."
Blake's shoulders slumped slightly as she let out a deep sigh. It seemed to have struck a chord in her. "So, what happens to them now?"
"Our priority is to ensure the safety of the public," Jaune explained. "These individuals need to be taken into custody for questioning. Specialist Schnee will be arriving shortly to assist with this process. It is imperative that we determine their exact roles and gather any information that can help us prevent future attacks and identify those responsible. Regrettably, due to your untimely intervention, the suspects I was tracking, who are responsible for the murder of Atlas soldiers, have managed to escape."
"My sister's here?" Weiss gasped.
Blake's gaze swept over the Faunus huddled in the corner, her heart sinking at the sight of their battered forms. Some held their arms close, wincing as if every movement caused them pain. Others bore visible bruises and cuts, their faces etched with fear and exhaustion. But amidst the suffering, she noticed those who appeared relatively unscathed, their limbs intact but contorted in unnatural angles.
The rest of Team RWBY recoiled instinctively, their expressions reflecting a mixture of shock and horror. Yang's fists clenched at her sides, her usually confident demeanor faltering at the scene. Weiss could not tear her eyes away from the scene before her. And Ruby, normally the beacon of optimism, looked on with a mixture of anger and sadness, her silver eyes unsure what to do.
Blake took a tentative step forward, her voice quivering with emotion. "We have to help them," she insisted, her eyes pleading for action.
But Jaune's hand shot out, halting her in her tracks with a voice, leaving no room for negotiation. "Not yet," he interjected firmly, his gaze unwavering. "Once the rest of the Atlas soldiers arrive, I'll use my Semblance to heal them."
Blake's brow furrowed in confusion. "Heal them?" she echoed, her voice tinged with disbelief.
With a calm resolve, Jaune withdrew his Scroll, his fingers deftly navigating its interface.
"My Semblance," he explained simply, the words hanging in the air as the call connected. "Miss Winter," he addressed the screen, his tone respectful yet urgent. "I regret to inform you that some of the main perpetrators involved in the hanging of the soldiers managed to escape because of the untimely intervention of a Beacon team."
Winter Schnee's image flickered on the screen, her expression a mixture of shock and determination as she saw Team RWBY. "Weiss?" she exclaimed, her voice laced with concern before she shook her head in frustration. "We are close. Don't let them escape."
Jaune nodded solemnly, his jaw set with determination. "I understand, Ma'am," he replied before ending the call. With a purposeful motion, he placed his Scroll back into his pocket, his eyes on the Faunus.
It didn't take long for Winter Schnee to arrive at the scene accompanied by a team of Atlas Soldiers. With calculated precision, she swiftly cleared the area, securing the perimeter with military efficiency before executing commands with practiced ease. As she approached Jaune, her piercing gaze swept over him, briefly acknowledging Weiss before focusing her attention squarely on him.
"Jaune Arc," she began, her tone clipped and cold, "you went after the perpetrators alone."
Jaune met her gaze without flinching, his demeanor composed and professional. "Yes, ma'am," he replied evenly. "I was simply out for a drink when I accidentally caught wind of the perpetrators. I had no intention of engaging them in combat until circumstances forced my hand. And I like to believe that as Huntsman, it was my duty to assist in this case."
He omitted the part about being intoxicated, a fact that didn't escape Weiss's notice as she shot him a pointed glare. Jaune maintained his composure, keeping his focus on Winter as he presented more of his explanation with practiced precision.
Winter regarded him with a scrutinizing gaze, her expression inscrutable for a moment before she finally nodded, accepting his explanation, much to Weiss's horror, and to Yang's amazement. Without missing a beat, she turned her attention to Team RWBY, her demeanor shifting slightly as she addressed them.
"Team RWBY," she said, her voice firm but not unkind, "I trust you understand the seriousness of this situation. We will need your full cooperation as we proceed with our investigation in this matter between Kingdoms. Please contact your Professors. I believe you are in your last months before you're granted your licenses. I hope you do not make this complicated as it is. Sergeant, please escort them out of this place. We shall have a talk… later."
It was the nicest thing Winter Schnee could say to them while not embarrassing them in front of everyone.
One of the Atlas Soldiers led them out of the scene. Jaune then stepped forward and asked. "May I heal the Faunus, Ma'am? It would be good for PR if they saw us catch them without a single injury."
"Go ahead."
With Winter's tacit approval, Jaune approached the group of Faunus. As he knelt down beside them, his aura flickered to life, a soft golden glow enveloping his hands.
With careful precision, Jaune placed his hands on the injured Faunus, channeling his Semblance into them. The golden light pulsed gently, weaving its way through their bodies, mending broken bones, and soothing their pain. Slowly, the twisted limbs straightened, the bruises faded, and the fear in their eyes eased, unsure about what to think about Jaune.
Once he was satisfied that he had done all he could for the injured Faunus, Jaune rose to his feet, his aura dimming as he stepped back. "They're ready to be taken away," he announced to the soldiers, his voice calm and authoritative.
The Atlas soldiers approached, their demeanor professional as they guided the Faunus to their feet. With a last nod of assurance, Jaune watched as the soldiers led them away as he then followed out into the night.
Taking in the night air, Jaune held his head. It was getting worse — the voices in his mind. The utter madness. Some of it was helpful, some of it was not, leaving him to wonder if he'd have to live with this forever.
"It's not fair," he muttered. "Why do I have this? All because I drank out my mind just one time?"
"Take time. It will happen naturally," the curious voice said. "Merging memories at once… strains the mind."
"Not even liquid dust can help in this," the drunk voice said sagely. "For we are broken slices of your mind. Pushed in together in this collective madness."
"You've lost your mind," the rusty voice said. "My conviction. The weight of it all. The failures of me. And who I couldn't be… is all in your head now."
"The rest is just the Great Tree telling us," the well-informed voice said. "Every touch, smell, taste, and see is a story that the Great Tree gives."
"Don't worry," the knight's voice said. "As long as stay true to yourself. Don't listen to the voices and one day you will only have yourself."
"Say something real," a voice sung. "Do you only speak in riddles, chatterbox?"
"No riddles here," a rusty voice said somberly. "The game was long over."
"The game?" Jaune asked.
"Indeed, the game has been lost a thousand years ago. It has stretched beyond its rightful span. We lost it the moment the Brothers forsook this world to fashion another. We lost it when the Wizard can't kill the Witch and all what's left from their game is the finite Dust. Soon, the Everafter's acres will seep into our own. Can you not hear the whisper of its approach?" the rustled sounds of leaves forced Jaune to hear deeply.
Tree branches claw into the void that one should not fall on.
Relentlessly expanding, rending reality asunder.
All shall return to dust.
For this world ends with misery Everafter.
Its pages have been torn, and there's no final chapter.
We're all forever falling now, Jaune.
Into that sweet, sweet void.
Jaune felt like he needed another drink when the voices faded away.