Chapter 36. Vacation Days 04

Can the past be changed? Can time reverse on itself, so a man can fix events that went wrong?

Honestly, I can't say it is impossible. Semblances put entirely new options on the table. Time travel may just be a matter of finding the right person and awakening their Aura. It's a bit simplistic as far as plans go, but it's the best one I've got to wipe away my horrible mistakes.

Too late, too late, I can see Melanie and Miltia approaching in the distance. The hour comes.

Why did I think it a good idea to let my teachers and Team RWBY meet?

Jaune waved both arms to catch the twins' attention, smiling to keep his true thoughts from surfacing on his face. Beside him, the rest of his team and Team RWBY craned their necks to try and spot the long-awaited guests.

They emerged from the crowd of festival-goers dressed to the nines in the newest winter fashion. Warm, yet stylish, the clothes covered every inch of their body while drawing the eyes by tightly hugging their figures. Many a man stared after them as they walked down the stone-paved path of the Night Market. Jaune's trepidation dialed up a few notches.

The average passerby might think the sisters wanted to look their best. To be fair, they did. The way their eyes narrowed to slits as they noticed Jaune's group, though? The quirk of their lips to reveal a hint of cruelty when they saw one face in particular? Melanie and Miltia were here to assert their dominance. Before them stood enemies. Or Yang, at least.

The day of the Winter Festival has arrived, and a storm was approaching.

-o-

"-so what I'm trying to say is, I am truly sorry for the pain I've caused to you."

Yang finished her apology with a sincere bow. Standing in front of her, Melanie and Miltia shared a glance to hold a silent conversation. As one, they gave her haughty sniffs of disdain.

""Whatever.""

Melanie waved a hand in a shooing motion, before she and Miltia turned their backs on Yang to begin chatting with everyone else. Off to the side, Jaune winced in sympathy.

The Malachites has decided upon their revenge, confronting Yang Xiao-Long not with the outright violence that Jaune expected, but something more cunning. Rather like a storm, they assailed her with a bitter chilliness. The twins were masters at cutting people down, both physically and emotionally, and the cold shoulder treatment got to Yang better than any direct attacks.

Jaune decided that he can live with that. It took him months to get over what she did, and they had the benefit of fighting in battle together. Nothing bonds like punching mutual foes in the face. Lacking such, forgiveness will take a fair bit longer.

"Want to go grab some noodles?" Yang tried again. The smart move would be to pull back and bide her chance another day, but patience has never been her strong suit. "My treat."

""Hmph!""

Ouch.

His teachers did have trouble telling when to tone it down, though. That job usually fell to Jaune, and the uncomfortable expressions of his Beacon friends meant it was time to play peacemaker.

"Hey, since there are so many of us, why don't we split off? It'd be easier to enjoy the festival in smaller groups."

He imagined it similar to his sisters' spats, really. The key step involved separating the participants, which allowed them time to calm down. Once their animosity has been soothed, the multitude of distractions that was the Winter Festival can engender a suitable atmosphere for reconciliation.

The perfect plan.

Five minutes later, Jaune was clutching his head as he wallowed in regret.

"This was a bad idea."

"It was your idea."

"Thanks for the reminder, Yang. I almost forgot since it was so long ago!"

"Tch. Don't get pissy at me, I'm the one that should be mad. Why did you let her take Ruby?" Jaune twisted around to glare at Yang. His voice cut sharp.

"And what's the problem there?"

"She might do horrible things to her because Ruby's my sister!"

"Miltia's not like that."

He found his shoulders gripped by Yang. Her face displayed naked fear.

"Jaune?" She drew nearer. "Pyrrha told me about Yakuza. Aaaall about Yakuza. The lengths they go to for revenge usually ends with '-and burn down his house, and salt the earth, and do it again when the next generation grew up'." Honestly, fair. Grudges were serious business.

"Where was this good sense when you attacked us?"

"I didn't know what the name meant back then! I thought it was some fancy word for 'street thug'!"

"*Gasp* you take that back!"

To compare him to the lowly gangs like the Blue Zee, Yang has much to learn about Vale's underworld. Yes, the Xiong ascribed to a certain style and colors, but it was different. He'd admit that they carved out territories, warred in the backstreets, and committed crimes, but it was different. The tendencies to swagger, boast of one's prowess, and fight at the drop of a hat may bring to mind a thuggish inclination, but it was... it was...

Okay, so the differences may seem very slight to the layman. They were clear as day to those in the Xiong! Melanie and Miltia explained it to him ages ago, and they understood best what they were talking about.

"Just...don't call us thugs. That's how you get a fight." He ignored her sudden look of interest. "Look, Mistral can be a whole different beast with how many Families there are all trying to keep face, but around here we're not that...zealous. You're in their bad books, but your sister will be fine. I'm more concerned about Melanie, she's with Nora!"

A hand clamped on his neck, squeezing tight.

"And what's the problem there?"

"R-Ren, I forgot you were around."

"We drew lots. I was clearly picked for your group. Don't change the subject, explain why you don't want your friend around Nora."

Because she's a wild child, he did not say. Ren has very few buttons to press, until a person get to this one whereupon they would discover they've touched a landmine.

"It's not an issue with Nora, per se, and more about how they should have a chaperone. You remember the cake stuffed with Dust. Things go boom around Nora."

"It is far likelier that your friend would influence Nora. If she loses her place in Beacon because of some crime she was pushed into-"

"Melanie knows better than to risk that."

"Somehow, I find your claim hard to believe."

Jaune's hand had taken hold of Ren's shirt when Yang interrupted.

"We could nip over to check on all of them. Just a little detour for our peace of mind."

Jaune and Ren, calm and rational boys that they were, considered this suggestion. Was it truly necessary, or were they worrying without cause?


"We should have gone left. What if Ruby's learning bad habits from that Miltia girl? Grumble grumble grumble."
"You're not supposed to say 'grumble', it makes no sense like that."
"Make one more quip about Miltia being a poor influence and I would not hesitate to throw down, Xiao-Long."
"Really!?"
"…No. Battle maniac."

Did she just hear Jaune's voice?

Melanie waited for a bit, then shook her head. It must have been her imagination, or someone with a similar tone. They do say that somewhere in the world existed a person with an identical face and voice as you. She would know.

"Is everything fine, Miss Melanie?"

"It's nothing. Let's keep going."

"Yes, Miss."

"Okay, Lady Boss."

A hum of delight escaped Melanie's lips. She hid it by adding a few notes to make a tune as she flitted over to the next stall, which stocked a selection of clothing. The quality was a cut above what she normally saw in the Night Market, enough that she stopped to browse. She recognized a few pieces from the boutiques' summer collections, meaning they were hopelessly out of fashion for her own use, but for the two girls behind her it would be a damn sight better than the casual clothes they wore.

Admittedly, they rocked those outfits by dint of being gorgeous, but no subordinate of hers was going to look less than their best. Especially these ones.

By the transitive properties of gopherhood, her gopher's gophers were hers to command. And what good gophers they made, showing her a respect bordering on idolization. Jaune has taught them well. Nobody had ever referred to her as 'Lady Boss' before, but she could get used to hearing it on a regular basis. That they hung on to her every word elevated them to the top on her list of favorites, right after Jaune.

She held up a shirt in front of Pyrrha Nikos (Pyrrha freaking Nikos!) and judged how it looked on the young woman.

"This looks cute on you, don't you think? Green could be your color."

"If you say so, then I'll take it, Miss."

"..."

Ugh.

If there was one itsy-bitsy thing that annoyed her, it would be that. Pyrrha had the hallmarks of a quintessential yes-woman. Not bad if Melanie just wanted an ego-boost dispenser, a tad boring if she had to spend any lengths of time with her. Someone so doll-like that she appeared no different from furniture can't really rise to the rank of being called Family. There were standards to consider.

Melanie recalled Jaune's analysis of his choice in ties the first time they shopped for his suit, and softly giggled. He had a brain to think and lots to say, never shying from a challenge she gave even when he ended up looking the fool time and again. The sheer entertainment value he brought to the table cemented his place as her gopher.

This one has a long way to go if she wanted to measure up.

"Pyrrha. Pyrrha. Pyrrha." Melanie suppressed a smile when she saw the girl winced. She was quite proud of how she managed to produce a tone dripping with disappointment. "If I wanted my answer wouldn't I, like, ask myself? I expect my subordinates to display a bit of competency, you know, which is why I wanted to test your ability to think through a problem."

She nearly burst out laughing at the expression of pure horror on Pyrrha' face. The honor student could scarcely believe she was failing a test. Schooling her expression, Melanie held up the shirt.

"We'll try again. Imagine you're wearing this in public. People are seeing you in it. How do you feel, good or bad? Hot or not?"

"Um...um..." The poor girl sputtered as she tried to come up with a response. Her gaze chanced upon her reflection in a mirror.

Melanie shivered as she watch the girl (no, the four-time champion at the closest thing to a death battle) undergo a change. Her nervous pose shifted to a martial stillness, and her gaze became calculative, flicking from one thing to another as if forming a battle plan. With a resolute nod to Melanie, she snatched up the top and sprinted over to the wall where the mirror rested. In between modeling the shirt, she used the reflection to scan her surroundings, well-honed eyes noting the minute reactions of other people nearby. The tournament training was coming in handy in all sorts of ways.

Job well done, Melanie thought, even if she did gain a newfound fear of Pyrrha Nikos. Those armchair analysts on TV can say what they liked about the fighters who lost against the champion in Mistral's tournaments, but it took serious courage to stand before that cold, brutal stare and not piss themselves. Affecting a laugh to conceal her thundering heartbeat, Melanie turned to the other member of their trio.

"That should keep her busy for a while. Now, let's see what this store has for Nora." The shorter girl backed away, hands waving before her to ward Melanie off.

"No, no, I'm good. I have more than enough to wear."

"Don't be like that~. Check out this skirt, it totally fits you! Oh, oh, try on these gloves, too."

Melanie spent the next ten minutes searching the store for other matching items to create a full ensemble. On the way back to Nora, she snagged a few more pieces that her keen eye judged could work, then promptly dropped the pile into the other girl's arms.

Who reeled back as if it was hot coal.

"Sorry!" Nora instantly apologized the stall owner, frantic hands picking the clothes off the ground. "Sorry, I can put them back! They're not damaged, see?" She caught Melanie's stare. "Uh, haha, I don't think these really fit me, ya know?"

Doubt! Melanie's sense for fashion never lies!

Something strange was going on here, an important detail Melanie had missed. She watched behind a blank countenance as the girl rush to return the clothes, while her mind whirred. Playing back their interactions so far, her eyes sharpened to a glare as she spotted a trend emerging.

At the bubble tea place, Nora bought a small cup without any extras. At the souvenir stall, she looked but did not even touch a single item. At the shop selling snacks, she purchased a thin bar of chocolate, citing a lack of hunger. At the game booth, she cheered from the sideline. Then, this clothing store, where one can only call the prices 'low' when compared to the stores Melanie visited, and where Nora panicked like a spooked cat.

Well, well, well. Jaune said he shared the profits he made with his team, so Lien cannot be the problem. Perhaps, though, old habits die hard for those who had lived with so little until now. That won't do.

"Nora. Come here, please." The girl zoomed over, nervous energy pouring off her. Melanie pointed to the articles of clothing still in her hands. "Those are yours- Uhp bup bup, no arguing. My people must dress the part, you know, and that means looking good at all times. Think of these as your uniform. That that makes them, like, a business expense or whatever, so I'll be taking care of the bill."

"But it's expensive-" Melanie pressed a finger to the other girl's lips.

"Shoosh, minion! I will not have the world see us as common street thugs. People under my command will be well-dressed, well-fed, and happy. Like, it reflects on my capabilities."

With intent gaze, she dared the other girl to protest further. Frankly, she'd relish the chance to drive the lesson home.

Yakuza was not a Valean ideal, and the various factions in this city had scoffed at the Xiong's pretensions of class and honor, at their style and flash. Ten years saw the Red Axes rise above them all, and caused a multitude of copycats to appear.

The clothes made the Yakuza. That was what the common gangs never understood. The outfits, the mannerisms, the shows of generosity; they derided it as a needless waste when they could be taking territories and making Lien off the populace. Melanie would disagree. Dress a lowly criminal in the finest suit, and it will instill within them the thirst to reach for greater heights. Having attained an inkling of their best life, they would fight tooth and nail to make it reality. To see these teammates of Jaune, so meek and humble when they could be so much more, it rankled like nothing else.

She'd change that, starting here. But how to play this?

Hm. Hmmm. Could that work? One way to find out.

"Even if you think you have enough to wear, you should always have a couple of surprises in your closet. It can come in handy in case you want to completely floor a certain someone, you know?" Melanie winked, and saw she had hit the mark. For the finisher, she continued in a gentler tone, one used sparingly and has never failed to keep Miltia in line when needed. "Put together three more outfits that you like, and bring them here. Can you do that for me?"

Affectionate authority can serve as effectively as stark discipline, more so sometimes when employed on firecrackers like this one.

Red-faced, Nora nodded. She beat a hasty retreat, passing Pyrrha who returned with the same shirt she had modeled in tow. Melanie fixed her with an inquisitive stare, one hand indicating the top.

"Well?"

"I-it's a bit short, isn't it?"

Surreptitiously, Melanie palmed her scroll and checked the time. Fifteen minutes to come to that conclusion. Wooow, this girl was gonna take a lot of effort.

Shaking her head, she teased, "Ah, but this is meant for the summer. You'd be on a beach, relaxing. Maybe showing off, too~…but if you prefer a different style, that's fine. We can just try on the next one."

"Wait, we're not done!?"

"We're not done!" Melanie happily crowed. "How about this one? It's longer."

"It's transparent!"

"It's perfect. C'mon, try it on." And maybe, afterward, she'd let her know it's meant to be worn over something else.

Oh, it's so great to have victims -students!- students again.

"Did she just pay for all of Nora's clothes?"
"Yup."
"I take it all back. She is a saint."
"I told you they're angels. Sometimes, I think you worry over Nora to an excessive degree. It's not healthy."
"You have no room to talk, always going on about those two."
"Hah!?"
"Yes, I said it. Need I mention the cat ears story?"
"Uuuugh, let's go find Ruby already, you simps."
"Hey! Not cool."
"I resent that statement."


"See, Yang? Nothing's wrong."
"I gotta admit, this is my bad."
"Am I the only one who saw that?"
"Saw what?"
"Nevermind. It must be my imagination."

Weiss Schnee, Heiress of the SDC, Huntress-in-Training enrolled in Beacon Academy, and (reluctant-)Advisor of Economics Affairs to Juniper Berries, was currently shaking like a leaf. Looming over her, a gun-toting ne'er-do-well who has just committed a crime.

"Hahaha! You can praise me if you like!"

Why ever did she agree to this?

"Is this really okay?"

A very good question, Ruby. One that Weiss would like to know herself.

Protocol suggested that she called the police to report both the case of fraud, perpetrated by the game booth's owner, and extortion, committed by the red-clad criminal Miltia Malachite (if that really was her name). Doing that would subject the stuffed polar bear in her arms to confiscation, however, and expose Weiss to an accusation of bribery. Accusation, because she had been practically forced to accept the innocent, adorable bear-

*Hugs*

-at gunpoint. A cork rifle held at that angle and distance can shoot her eye out. It was a threat, she had no choice but to let their actions slide. That was her story, and she was sticking to it.

*Hugs*

"Of course it's okay! What you need to remember about the Night Market, especially during a festival, is that it's a war between vendor and customer. All is fair, and anything goes."

Weiss very much doubted that. Even in war, there has to be rules and common decency. Why, Blake would understand this issue more than most, considering she defected from an organization that obeyed no moral limits. Surely she could be counted on to oppose this…this...

"Where's Blake?"

She, Ruby, and Miltia looked around for the B of RWBY but found neither hide nor hair of the girl. The possibility of kidnapping (kittennapping?) crossed her mind, but seeing no signs of struggle, Weiss came to one conclusion.

H-how dare she abscond into the crowd and leave Weiss in the clutches of criminals! Had she known? Were they in cahoots?

Was this, in fact, a Weissnapping?

"Why are you following us?"
"""AAAHH!"""
"…This is very suspicious. I'm telling them."
"Wait, no!" *Grabs*
"She knows too much, we have to silence her."
"Ignore Ren, there is a perfectly good explanation for this."
"Uh huh. Alright, you have thirty seconds."
"Whew. Thanks."
"Then I break your grabby hands."
*Scared Jaune noises*

"Maybe she got distracted?" Ruby suggested. "I think we passed by a bookseller a while ago."

That, Weiss granted, made altogether too much sense. Oum knows the girl cannot resist her addiction to the written word. This might not a plot against her person, after all. In her mind, she reduced the tally of crimes she has played witness to by one, which still left far too many for her conscience.

She previously believed that she had escaped from the corruption that existed Atlas high society, and had seen the depths of the world's depravity in Arc. However, spending time in the company of this 'Miltia' has truly put the world into perspective. Miltia, and many people they've met today, held the same casual disregard for the law as Weiss' father, even as they acted without the subterfuge Arc adhered to in Beacon. And while the monetary worth of their misdeeds cannot compare, it astounded her to see the sheer amount of crimes that can be committed in the breath of an hour by the common man (or woman, in this case). On a pure occurrence basis, they almost rivaled that as can be found at a SDC charity ball. The oft-told adage of her home may hold some truth, she reflected.

As above (Atlas), so below (The Rest of the World).

A commotion ahead interrupted her musings. Raised voices reached her (lovely) ears as the people walking in front of their group slowed, then stopped, forming a blockade of bodies. In vain, Weiss stood on tip-toe in an attempt to see over their extraordinarily tall shoulders.

She was not short.

Miltia, due entirely to her platform heels Weiss was sure, spotted the cause first. She lost her good humor, face turning harsh. A jab of her elbow into a rib later, she was blazing a path through the crowd. Weiss and Ruby shared a worried look, then scrambled after her.

As she approached, the situation became apparent and Weiss sniffed in disdain. Of course, it would be a drunkard. What possessed people that drove them to the drink, she wished she understood.

Red-nosed, swaying, but big, the customer pounded a fist on the table; the flimsy surface cracked under the force. He reached out with the other hand to grasp the vendor's shirt in a tight fist. Pulling the woman close, he snarled at her.

"That doesn't matter! It's as dirty as the ground anyway. I. Want. A. Refund. NOW!"

"B-but, mister, you ate more than half the plate! Please be reasonable!"

"And it tastes like shit. Overpriced, too salty, hard to eat- who uses chopsticks? If I wanted to drop my food I would just do that!" He pointed a finger at an overturned plate of stir-fried noodles laying in the dirt. "You know what? I think that was on purpose. It's a trick to take Lien from paying customers-"

"I've heard enough. Get him."

Miltia stalked forward, cracking her knuckles (like a barbarian, Weiss thought). She paused when Weiss, accelerated by a glyph, and Ruby, powered by her Semblance, blurred past.

Weiss opened with a chop to the drunkard's hand, forcing him to let go of the vendor. Ruby followed up by crashing into the back of his knees to take him off-balanced. A grab, a shoulder throw, and Weiss planted him into the ground face-first. With leisurely steps, Miltia arrived by his side. She snapped out a sharp, downward punch to end the altercation. The man was out like a light.

For a few seconds, the crowd remained silent, stunned at the abrupt reversal. They warmed up quick to the intervening trio, though, breaking out into applause, cheers, and a fair amount of comments about their beauty. Weiss took it as her due. Because it was.

Ruby soaked up the adulation like a sponge, grinning and squirming in delight. Miltia, on the other hand, simply accepted the applause with a small wave, more preoccupied with tapping out a message on her scroll. An impressive level of poise for one so crass.

"Okay, girls. I've got the mooks en route to pick him up. They'll be teaching him a lesson on drinking in moderation."

Weiss' gaze returned to the drunkard, and she lost much of her exuberance. Her (pretty) nose crinkled in disgust.

"Why do they insist on drinking at all? It just makes animals out of them." An arm swung over her shoulders. Miltia pulled her into a side-hug.

"Hey, hey, don't say that! A few cocktails and a shot can really liven up the party, you know~." Miltia drawled. She looked down at the unconscious body by her feet. "You can't always blame it on the alcohol. Like, even among alcoholics you find good people. This guy's problem? For real? Tougher than other people, gets what he wants by picking on the innocent, he's enjoyed a lifetime of being a big man. So much so, that he never learned to be the bigger man." Miltia punctuated her statement with a kick to the man's ribs.

Weiss mulled over those words, and had to cede that it wasn't just the whiskey that made Jacques Schnee so spiteful and Willow Schnee so uncaring. Those emotions existed before they were drunk and, in her father's case, persisted after he sobered.

She clenched her (delicate) jaw. Weiss had found scant reasons to sympathize with them as it was. This merely removed another excuse for their behavior.

All of a sudden, she'd rather be anywhere else but here.

"We can go, then?"

"Not quite yet. I'm going to show you two another rule of this neighborhood." Miltia grinned and let go of Weiss. She lowered herself to a knee…and began rummaging through the man's pockets. Practiced hands came back with a wallet. Weiss and Ruby gasped in disbelief.

"Y-you're stealing-"

"I don't know what you're talking about." Wink. "This is due compensation for the damage he caused-" Wink. She passed half the Lien cards to the stall owner. "-and a standard Red Axe fee for starting trouble in our territory." Wink. The remaining half went into Miltia's purse. She tossed the wallet back at the unconscious man. "Who's up for some lunch? I've come into a bit of money recently. I'll spot you."

Weiss waited for it. She kept her (beautiful) eyes locked on to the other girl's face.

Wink.

There it was.

Having committed the crime of vigilantism and theft, she intended to cement Weiss' status as an accessory to said charges. Truly, Miltia Malachite was incorrigible.

-o-

"Fish ramen, huh?"
"What? I like it."
"Just feeling a little curious, is all. Does it taste good?"
"Very."
"Hmmm. One fish ramen, extra-large, please."
"One fish ramen, extra-large, please."
"One fish ramen, extra-large, please."

This bowl of soup contained no sins, just a warming deliciousness on a winter's day, so it was fine for her- nay, it was her obligation to eat. If she did not, the food would go to waste. At least, like this, the Lien can still do some good.

Beside her, Ruby was busy regaling Miltia of their time in Beacon to the point of neglecting her meal. More and more, Weiss became convinced that the two girls have not met despite both being involved with Arc. Their back and forth revealed a complete lack of knowledge about each other's lives.

Weiss saw it as good news. Her partner bore little love for the larger organization. Only that beast stood in Weiss' path.

As she listened with one (again, very lovely in her opinion) ear, the conversation turned to that same infuriating criminal. Miltia leaned in towards Ruby, chin resting on a cupped palm.

"So like, is there anybody he's really close to in Beacon?"

"Ummm…he knows a lot of people, like Sky, Coco, May, and all the rest. But if you're talking close-close then we're it, I think."

"Who are-?" Miltia bit off the question. "Nevermind, he spends most of his free time with his team and yours, yes? Not with those other people?" They nodded and she settled back in her chair, smiling. She picked up another dumpling with her chopsticks. "Well, that's fine then, I'm glad he was able to find so many friends."

"Oh please, he's more than just a friend!"

*clatter*

"O-oopsie, clumsy me."

Was it Weiss' imagination, or did Miltia's delivery sound flat? Instead of picking up the fallen chopsticks or taking the new pair proffered by the cook, the girl slowly tilted her head. On her face, a confused expression.

"Can you, like, explain what you mean?" The question came out in a rush.

A strange ringing began in the back of Weiss' mind, rising in a soft crescendo. She ignored it, distracted by a more immediate concern as Ruby put out an arm to yank her close.

"Me, Weiss, and him are best friends. There's nobody closer to him than us!"

A warm feeling suffused Weiss' being, and she dipped her head in embarrassment. Putting the erroneous inclusion of Arc aside, Weiss' heart soared to hear someone reaffirmed how important she was to them. It...It was everything she had hoped for, a friend who would show her the affection and loyalty she craved. She resolved once again that she would not let Arc take her friend - her best friend- from her.

The feeling vanished in a flash as she sensed a change in the air. For a moment, Weiss thought she must have been mistaken because Ruby continued to beam with happiness, but the shudder that overtook the heiress strangled that hope. The blaring clarion redoubled in volume; it raised her hackles.

Was Ruby that oblivious, or was it not directed at her? Because Weiss felt as if she had been doused in the icy waters of Atlas. Heart clenched by fear, she raised her head to peek out of the corner of her eyes. She wished she had not, for she happened to meet Miltia's gaze.

Fury dwelled in those jade orbs, their bloodlust stealing the breath from Weiss' lungs. What had they done wrong? Where was this coming from?

Words soft as silk, deadly as a garrote, slipped out in a breathy whisper.

"I suppose he can give people that impression. He has this way of accepting all of a person." Miltia giggled. "He's pretty cool, huh?"

Weiss almost blurted out her true thoughts, that Arc was nothing but a deceitful cad, a scoundrel without morals. She clamped down on the impulse. Miltia appeared ready to murder. Towards such people, one should not stoke the fire.

A wiser course would be to appease. Yes, that was the ticket.

Plastering on a soft expression that she hoped would be interpreted as conciliatory, Weiss placed a hand on the other girl's arm.

"I fully agree with you." She finished by patting the girl's arm before pulling her hand back.

There! Polite and innocuous, with a dash of empathy, she showed every sign of being Miltia's ally. She was safe.

But then, if that was true, why was Miltia drawing away? Why was she pacing back and forth? And the ringing that Weiss now knew to be warning bells has yet to end.

*Whisper* "…fuckfuckfuck …smack them? …No, Jaune won't …gotta let Mel know ...fuck!" *Whisper*

"Pardon? I did not catch that."

Miltia halted in her tracks, and nodded to herself. Sloooowly, she spun around to face Ruby and Weiss. She clapped her hands together, sweetly smiling.

"Hey, Ruby, Weiss. Have you ever considered a makeover? Maybe change to yellow and brown outfits instead of red and white? We can make a whole day of it. My treat, I insist. Teehee."

Miltia said 'teehee'.

Weiss heard 'or else', and gulped.

"When you're right, you're right. That was delicious."
"I told you so."
"It wasn't bad, but I sorta want dessert after all that salt."
"There's a stand selling taiyaki ahead. It's a snack from back home I enjoy."
"Well, I think that's settled. Taiyaki for Ren!"
"Whoot!"
"Thank you."
"…I can't help but feel like we're forgetting something."


After meeting up with everyone and witnessing the harmonious scene before him, Jaune concluded that he had worried for nothing. Likewise, Yang and Ren conceded the twins were lovely on the whole, even if Yang still had a long way to go before they forgive her.

From providing Nora a full wardrobe to showering Ruby in snacks and game prizes (plus, by Miltia's account, a solid if ultimately unsuccessful attempt at a girls day out), his teachers played the perfect hosts.

He watched on with warm eyes as Miltia pulled Melanie aside, the sisters soon whispering animatedly to each other. Recounting their day, he presumed. He waved at them when they glanced his way.

Nearby, Weiss looked all tuckered out, which was always a sure sign of a good time. Ruby was with her, and likewise seemed tired albeit that did not stop her from laughing and chatting with Yang and Pyrrha.

"Boss Jaune, catch!"

He turned in the direction of Nora's voice, and just managed to grab the thrown carton before it hit him. Peering inside, he hummed appreciatively upon seeing it chockful of churros. There was even a small tin of hot chocolate dip. He signaled his thanks, but Nora, Ren, and surprisingly Blake had already moved on to pass the snacks they've bought to the others. Shrugging, he dunked a churro into chocolate sauce and took a big bite.

Man, this has been a great day.

Damn cold, though. Good thing he'd be out of here by tomorrow.

Goodbye snow, hello sunshine. Jaune Arc will be celebrating Dustmas on sea and sand this year.


Author's Notes: Considered writing ten people interacting at once. Needed a drink for that headache.

So, they were split up. The leader and the followers. The corrupting influence and the innocents (plus Blake until she left). Then, the idiots (plus Blake who tagged along).

Jaune is very unaware of his flaws. So's Ren. So's Yang. They each think they're the normal one in the group.