Chapter 2
Alright Jaune, just like your dream self, walk forward, back straight, smile…. Oh Gods, what do I do next? I didn't think this far ahead. Quick! What would dream Jaune do?
"Fish has all the answers." He remembers from his dream, and grabs some tuna & egg sandwiches and some coffee before going to his friends' usual table during meal times.
"Morning guys. Sorry for being late, did I miss anything?" He greets them while sitting beside his partner smiling at him.
"You didn't miss anything important. You look different today." His red-haired partner replies gently beside him, not really asking a question and more like stating an observation.
"Really? Is it a good kind of different? I've been thinking I want to do some things differently. If you've noticed it, then it must be working." He answers, thinking of his decision to try and copy his dream self.
"Hmmm. it's too early to tell yet, but I think it might be good for you."
"Speaking of different Vomit Boy, that's not what you usually have for breakfast, isn't it? Is that part of the different thing you have going for today?" Yang says from Pyrrha's other side while looking at his breakfast full of fish.
"Yeah, I figured if I'm going to start things differently, might as well start with breakfast. And since fish is brain food, it might help me think of other things to do differently you know? Fish might just have all the answers." Jaune replies with a smile while remembering his dream and biting on one of his sandwiches.
"Sounds smart, the fish is already working." Blake adds her support to the superior food while looking at Jaune with surprised interest.
"Ha! Careful VB, eat too much fish and you might become like Blakey here reading smut." Yang teases both her partner and Jaune.
""It's not smut!"" They both reply by instinct, Blake because this isn't the first time Yang teased her reading preferences, and Jaune because of his dream.
They all look at Jaune in surprise since he also defended the book, instead of Blake being usually the only defender.
"What!? I read more than just X-ray and Vav you know? Ninjas of Love has a riveting plot and engaging character arcs." He replies, confused and panicking since he didn't really mean to defend the book, it just came out of nowhere.
"Really now? Prove it. Tell me something about the book." Yang grins at him, thinking she has him trapped and ready to tease him again.
Panicking, Jaune does what he has been doing ever since he woke up. Pulling the shit out of his dreams and trying to copy it. It's not the first time he pulled some shit and lied. After all, he went and had his transcripts forged by criminals whom he paid.
Oh Gods, I hope this works, I hope Blake doesn't call me out on this. Who would ever think a book I remember from my dream would have the same plot and content as a book in real life?
With all his friends looking at him, Pyrrha with her surprised expression, Nora excited and expectant, Ren turning his head in interest, Weiss narrowing her eyes at him, Ruby with curiosity in her eyes, and finally Blake with an unreadable but at least interested expression, he looks a grinning Yang in the eyes and speaks.
—-
Blake Belladonna has a lot of problems.
As an ex-paramilitary political activist cat faunus (a kinder way of saying ex-member of a terrorist group called the White Fang) you can already see where most of her problems come from. An ex-boyfriend obsessed with hurting humankind, authorities wanting to arrest someone like her, her parents not knowing where and how she is, hiding her faunus features from teammates, enduring being exposed to a mean and cold-hearted Schnee for most of the day, and teasing from her partner Yang Xiao-Long.
So you see, Blake Belladonna has a lot of problems. However, none of those problems are on her mind right now. The one that currently has all her attention is the leader of their sister team, Jaune Arc.
Jaune Arc, tall, blonde, scraggly, socially-awkward, clumsy, and lacking in combat skills. You wouldn't think she would pay any special attention to him other than being a friend of a friend or an acquaintance at best, but today has been different.
It started with him entering the Cafeteria and getting tuna sandwiches, not enough to get her complete attention but enough to make her notice it. He got more attention from her when he defended and explained the benefits of superior food, fish. But now…. Now he has her complete attention and interest as he defends and shares the beauty of one of her favorite books.
"Most readers would emphasize the story following the main protagonist Takeru Hanzo, his journey as a shinobi, and his romance with Princess Kaguya, but I think the supporting characters are actually just as important, if not more." Jaune shares his thoughts. Not a popular belief, but still an interesting take on Ninjas of Love.
"Take for example Namikaze Kiroi, he wasn't trained as a warrior by his family because he was the only son and therefore the only heir of their noble clan. He didn't let it stop him from pursuing his dreams of protecting his people. He snuck out of his family lands together with his grandfather's blade and joined a dojo managed by the Hidden Champion Shori Akane. There was nothing special about Kiroi, just a young man wanting to do his best to protect his friends and family. But he gets trained by a champion, and even creates a genuine friendship with her. It's sad that he didn't notice her falling in love with him, but it added drama and engaged you in their character arc. I could add more but I don't think we have enough time before class" He expounds, not noticing the looks he gets from their friends because of that last comment. It's obvious to anyone (except for Jaune) that Pyrrha has feelings for him.
"Alright VB, this isn't over. Let's head to class first and I'll sniff out your perviness later." said Yang, not taking Jaune off the hook yet.
Walking towards Professor Port's class after breakfast, Blake walks along Jaune's side.
"I didn't know you read Ninjas of Love, since when have you been reading?" She asks, looking at him with a raised eyebrow.
"Seven sisters, at least one of them would force me to read and comment on what they liked."
S-seven?!, his parents must be part rabbit faunus!
"Oh? Then you wouldn't mind sharing your thoughts on the series to me. I've been wanting to talk to someone about the series for a while." Blake replies, trying not to show surprise on his number of sisters and excitement with finally having a potential reading buddy. She didn't expect it to be Jaune Arc though.
"Sure! I'd like to brush up on the series again. It's been some time since I last read the books, and I wanna be prepared for when the next book comes out." He replies with a smile just before they reach the classroom.
Oh? Eats fish for breakfast and reads Ninjas of Love? Hmmm, maybe him doing some things differently does work well in Jaune.
Suffice to say, Blake Belladonna will keep an eye on Jaune Arc.
—-
I can't believe that worked!
Laughing nervously in his own mind, Jaune just wanted to sit down on his chair and get the anxiousness out after getting questioned by a grinning Yang Xiao Long.
If Blake didn't see anything wrong with what I said, then what else could I get right from my dreams? Could I get strong by following my dream self?... Nah, crazy, plus my sisters did force me to read the books they liked. So really, I probably just got my answers from my buried traumatic memories…. But if it's real though, maybe I can try and remember the lessons that my dream self went through to ace my classes.
So Jaune Arc, smiling nervously, prepares himself just in case he makes a fool of himself by relying on lessons he half-remembers from a dream. He watches Professor Port enter the classroom while dragging a cage probably full of grimm, unaware that five pairs of eyes are on him.
—-
Ruby Rose, looking at him with surprise, because he managed to have a conversation with their resident quiet girl.
Weiss Schnee, eyes narrowed in suspicion, because the boy hasn't even greeted her ever since he saw her today and thinking, that this is just a trap and he'll be back to his doltishness in asking her out again.
Blake Belladonna, with a straight face but an unmistakable twinkle in her showing curiosity to a possible fellow lover of fish and avid book reader.
Yang Xiao Long, with an intense gaze, already planning how to tease and corner this wannabe Lover Boy, because no one escapes from Yang Xiao Long's interrogation skills.
And finally, Pyrrha Nikos, already showing a proud smile on her face, if one night of light training can already give him this much confidence and drive to do some things differently and for the better, imagine how much more will he improve under her training. Yet, underneath that proud smile lies a worried gaze, how many hussies could fall for her partner, team leader, and crush.
And so begins Jaune Arc's first day as a changed man. Or well, at least trying to be a changed man.
Thanks for reading this chapter. As always, leave a comment, love it or hate it, tell me why this fic made you feel it.
Here's my ko-fi for anyone who wants to send me coffee.
/lightbringer0
People might saying I'm bashing Weiss with this fic, but really, I'm not. In this chapter, I'm describing her based on how she was to others during early V1. She was arrogant and mean from an outside perspective, and that's how I'm introducing her here, from the views of others. But don't worry, Weiss Schnee will have her own growth as a person, which I hope I might pull off adequately.