Jaune Arc wandered along the beaches of Kuo Kuana, a far cry from the bustling chaos he was used to lately with the people of Kuo Kuana's singing. The sound of gentle waves crashing against the shore was a soothing melody, a perfect accompaniment to his own song. As he strolled, his voice rang out over the sandy expanse.
"Do you hear the people sing? Singing the song of angry men?" His voice echoed with a bittersweet resonance. Jaune wore a comfortable hoodie and jeans, blending into the peaceful beachscape as much as someone of his stature could.
His eyes caught sight of a crow perched on a nearby tree. A shiver ran down his spine; he had never been fond of those birds. Their dark, red, beady eyes always seemed to pierce right through him. He bent down, picked up a small stone, and hurled it towards the crow. The bird squawked indignantly and took flight, disappearing into the azure sky.
Feeling a sense of victory, Jaune decided to lay face-first on the warm, inviting sand. He closed his eyes and let the heat seep into his body, relaxing his muscles and calming his thoughts. It was then he felt a gentle tug on his hair.
"Mr. Jaune, are you okay?" a young faunus child asked, their small fingers weaving through his blond locks.
Jaune opened one eye and smiled at the concerned face peering down at him. "Is the black bird gone? I am scared of them."
"They are gone, Mister!" the child assured him with a bright smile.
With a sigh, Jaune rolled onto his back and took a swig from a small flask he carried. The burn of alcohol was a familiar sensation, a crutch he had leaned on too often lately.
A rusty voice suddenly urged him. "Amplify your body now, get rid of the alcohol in your system a little."
"Prolonged drinking can lead to liver damage. Your liver works hard to filter toxins, and when it's overwhelmed, it can start to fail. This isn't just a risk for someone who drinks occasionally, but it's a serious threat with continuous, heavy consumption. Your cognitive functions would also take a hit. Alcohol impairs your brain's ability to function properly, affecting memory, decision-making, and coordination. As a Huntsman, your life and the lives of those around you depend on your quick thinking and physical prowess. Imagine being in a fight with a Grimm and suddenly finding your reflexes slowed and your mind foggy. It could be disastrous," the Well-Informed started a tirade he had been hearing again and again as of late. "Moreover, alcohol is a depressant. It might feel like it's helping you cope with stress or sadness at the moment, but over time it can actually make these feelings worse. You could find yourself in a vicious cycle where drinking to forget your problems only amplifies them. Look at Qrow. He's a prime example. His Semblance of Misfortune already makes his life complicated, but his reliance on alcohol has only compounded his troubles. He's not as sharp or reliable as he could be and the after-effects of not drinking are clear."
"Yeah, it's clear alright," a scheming voice confirmed. "Qrow can't drink because it pisses Team RWBY already and they don't want to deal with two drunkards right now."
"To be fair, he's still suspicious, but not enough to follow us like before that we need to keep on drinking," a curious voice said. "It really does help us having a Semblance that can amplify our recovery rate and boost us the effects away."
Jaune then obeyed the rusty voice, feeling the familiar rush of energy course through him, burning off the effects of the drink.
"You can probably take on more drinks, brother!" The drunk's voice hinted.
Jaune glanced at the child and waved the flask dismissively. "Kids, don't do this, okay?"
"But you look happy doing it!" the faunus child exclaimed, their innocent eyes wide with curiosity.
"No, it's bad, and expensive, and you start hearing ghosts."
"That's scary, Mister," the child said, their face scrunching up in fear.
Jaune felt his head clear, the fog of weeks of partying lifting slightly. He owed Winter a debt of gratitude for allowing him the space to play the fool, but he knew he couldn't keep it up forever. Even he can't keep up this constant drinking.
"What's your name?" he asked the child, sitting up and dusting the sand off his hoodie.
"I'm Koral," the faunus child replied, still playing with a lock of his hair.
"Well, Koral, what are you doing out here all alone?"
"I'm not alone," she giggled. "You're here with me now!"
Jaune chuckled and ruffled her hair. "Fair enough. Do you 'live' around here?"
Koral nodded vigorously. "Yes! Come, I'll show you my favorite place."
Jaune stood up and followed the energetic faunus child. She led him along the shoreline, their footprints trailing behind them in the sand. As they walked, Jaune noticed the simple beauty of Kuo Kuana as always. The way the sun sparkled on the water, the distant calls of seabirds, and the occasional splash as fish jumped out of the waves. The shallow seas were beautiful, a shame that there's a sea feilong swimming around.
They soon arrived at a secluded cove, hidden from the main beach by large rock formations. The cove was a paradise within a paradise, a small slice of heaven that seemed untouched by the outside world.
"This is it," Koral announced proudly, spreading her arms wide. "Isn't it beautiful?"
Jaune nodded, genuinely impressed. "It's amazing, Koral. Thanks for showing me."
Koral grinned and plopped down onto the sand, patting the spot next to her. "Sit with me, Mister Jaune."
He joined her, feeling a sense of peace he hadn't felt in a long time. They sat in comfortable silence, listening to the rhythmic lapping of the waves and the distant hum of life on the island.
"Why were you scared of the black bird?" Koral asked suddenly, breaking the silence.
Jaune sighed, looking out at the horizon. "Crows remind me of things I'd rather forget."
"Like what?" Koral pressed, her curiosity unquenchable.
"Like mistakes I've made, people I've lost..." Jaune trailed off, not wanting to burden the child with his troubles, just echoing the voice of the rusty voice in his head.
Koral seemed to sense his reluctance and changed the subject. "Do you like it here?"
"Yeah," Jaune said, smiling. "It's a good place to think."
Koral beamed, pleased with his answer. They sat together until the sun began to dip below the horizon, casting the sky in shades of pink and orange.
Jaune felt a tap on his shoulder and turned to see a small group of faunus children standing behind him, all looking at him expectantly.
"Mister Jaune, can you sing for us?" one of them asked, their eyes wide with anticipation.
Jaune chuckled and nodded. "Alright, but only if you promise to join in."
They agreed eagerly, and soon Jaune's voice filled the cove once more, accompanied by the sweet, innocent voices of the children:
"Do you hear the people sing? Singing the song of angry men?"
As they sang together, Jaune felt a warmth in his chest that had nothing to do with the alcohol or the sun.
When the sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows across the secluded cove, Jaune heard a familiar voice.
"Glad Koral found you, Jaune."
He looked up to see Nyra, a silver-haired wolf faunus, accompanied by Mr. Tan, a well-dressed faunus man with a commanding presence. Nyra's piercing eyes held a mix of relief and curiosity, while Mr. Tan's expression was one of faint recognition.
Jaune stood up, brushing sand from his jeans, and greeted them with a nod. "Nyra, Mr. Tan."
Mr. Tan extended his hand, which Jaune shook with respect. "Mr. Tan, I really have to ask you now, but what type of faunus are you?"
Mr. Tan chuckled, his grip firm and steady. "I'm a coyote faunus, Jaune. And I must say, I barely recognized you without your usual suit and that yellow tie of yours."
Jaune laughed, a bit self-consciously. "Yeah, I actually considered wearing armor, but I figured it might be a bit too conspicuous for a stroll on the beach."
Nyra smiled and gave Jaune a quick hug. "It's good to see you, Jaune Arc. Now, kids, leave us alone for a bit, alright?"
The faunus children, who had been eagerly listening to the conversation, scampered off with giggles and waves. Nyra motioned for Jaune to follow her and Mr. Tan. They walked a short distance to a rocky outcrop, where Nyra pressed a concealed switch. A passage opened up in the rock face, revealing a hidden tunnel.
"This passage must have been built a long time ago, perhaps before the faunus wars," the well-informed voice said. "The stonework is ancient, and the air inside is cool and slightly damp."
Jaune felt a shiver run down his spine as they descended into the dimly lit tunnel.
As they walked through the ancient passage, Jaune couldn't help but hear echoes of freedom fighters' voices, discussing strategies and their hopes for winning the war. The ghosts of the past seemed to linger here, whispering of battles fought and lives lost.
"The humans underestimate us," one voice said, full of determination. "But our resolve is stronger than they realize."
A second voice chimed in, gruff and weary. "We've lost too many already. We need a new strategy, something they won't expect. General Lagune, that bastard, will surely be ignorant!"
A third voice, softer but full of conviction, added, "We fight for our children, for a future where they won't have to live in fear. That is our strength."
Jaune could almost see them through the rustle of the leaves — a group of faunus huddled together, planning their next move in the dim light of the tunnel.
"We need to hit them where it hurts," the first voice continued. "Disrupt their supply lines, weaken their morale."
"But we can't afford to be reckless," the second voice cautioned. "Every life we lose is a blow to our cause."
"We'll win this war," the third voice insisted.
The echoes of their voices seemed to bounce off the walls, mingling with the shadows. Jaune felt a shiver run down his spine as he absorbed their words, feeling the weight of their struggles and the depth of their hopes.
Then the rustle of the leaves stopped.
Nyra called out, pulling him back to the present. "Jaune, over here!"
"Jaune," Nyra called, snapping him out of his reverie.
At the end of the tunnel, a large underground chamber opened up, illuminated by soft, warm lights. The space was filled with faunus men and women, gathered around tables laden with supplies and provisions. It looked like preparations for a celebration, with food, drinks, and other 'party supplies' neatly arranged. Though actually they were just the humanitarian supplies Winter's airship loaded for Menagerie that Jaune took 'inappropriately' for them to use since they were being stubborn and afraid of Mistral and Atlas strings on them despite it being a humanitarian aid. It was pissing Jaune off, but then again knowing that the SDC and MTC had plans to search and establish Kuo Kuana Dust mines, he really can't blame them. Even Winter said that it was likely for the supplies to get brought up as moral high ground so he didn't want to force it on them 'officially' without the high leaders agreeing. Then again, not that it matters when he already handed them house to house before Ruby's team started doing it themselves, giving him enough distraction to finally catch up with the people here.
Jaune took in the scene. "I hope that none have been caught."
Nyra placed a hand on his shoulder. "Relax, Jaune. We're all friends here. Besides, we made sure that none of them would talk. See? Like you said, they didn't even show their faces to us. They sent your friends to deal with us. What a joke, Belladonna and Khan really are still at each other's throats over whose cause is right."
"Can you blame them? Both think that the war isn't over unless someone takes the place."
"I know, but it's just irritating, you know?"
Jaune nodded, taking a deep breath. The voices in his head quieted down, allowing him to focus on the present. He joined the group, mingling with the faunus, sharing stories and information. As usual he learned about their lives, their struggles, and their dreams for the future.
As the evening progressed, Mr. Tan raised a toast. "To Jaune, for being a friend and ally to the faunus. May you keep fighting the good fight."
The group echoed the sentiment, lifting their glasses high.
As the 'party' continued, Jaune found himself at the center of the gathering. The warmth and camaraderie of the faunus community filled him with a sense of responsibility and determination. He took a deep breath and decided it was time to address the group. Climbing onto a makeshift platform, he raised his hand to get their attention. The chatter died down as everyone turned to listen.
"Everyone," Jaune began, his voice clear and steady despite the lingering effects of the alcohol. "I know we started off roughly, but as you know I had come here to Menagerie with a simple goal: to lend a hand. No tricks, no ulterior motives. Just a desire to help."
"Nothing more, nothing less, Jaune smiled and continued, "I'm too drunk for trick you guys anyway. And I already told you friends that I bought a nice house for myself in Mantle. My friend, Penny, says it's a great house. She even brought some of her fish as a housewarming gift and I had to shamefully ask her to watch the house for me while she's patrolling the city. It's been a tiresome months for me, friends. But leaving you all like this irks me so I'm still here. Your friendly human drunkard poking into the affairs of your island nation."
A few chuckles rippled through the crowd, easing the tension.
Jaune took a moment to let it settle before he went on. "I've seen firsthand how much Ghira Belladonna and Sienna Khan care about the faunus cause. It is admirable how much they sacrifice themselves. But somewhere along the way, they've started to care more about the 'cause' than the people they're fighting for. They weren't listening to my voice because I'm not a faunus. How could I understand, right? I'm just a mediator sent by Mistral and Atlas after all. And to be honest, I had a mind to just let it go. No one will blame me. You, my friends, are wonderfully stubborn. Hell, my friend Blake, is too. Her heart's good, but sometimes she's too direct. It does work sometimes, but most of the time it's really troublesome."
Jaune paused, looking around at the attentive faces. "Knowing this I really thought of letting it go. But then Mrs. Tala's child told me, 'If you can convince them to shake hands and be friends again, I will give you my candy!' I had to slap my face. When I heard that, I couldn't stay still. A child has that hope and yet I was going to give up just because I was disappointed about them? No, I had to continue. So, if they don't want to hear my voice, then I thought to myself I'll borrow yours instead."
The crowd murmured in agreement, their expressions growing more serious. Jaune pressed on, "If they won't listen to me because I'm a human, then maybe they'll trust the voices of their own people more. Now that they're starting to hear your voices, perhaps we can start a real conversation. We still have a lot of problems, ladies and gentlemen. Issues that require effort and could bring more trouble to this island nation."
Jaune's expression grew somber as he brought up the next topic. "We need to talk about the Grimm and those who supplied weapons to the White Fang. I've followed some clues, but the trail has gone cold. Maybe they're in Mistral, Vale, or even Atlas now. I don't know. After Adam Taurus's death, I thought I'd be passing aid and then be done with it. And even if I wasn't. Why would I want to talk with White Fang and those who founded it? In Mistral they had caused death. Too much suffering. My mind told me that if the White Fang remains as bloodthirsty as they are even in their homeland. I would just let the sword do the talking."
The Faunus listened intently. "But as you know, my Semblance amplifies and heals people... and the thought of killing disgusts me. But I won't hold back if I must."
Jaune swallowed. He could hear it again. Penny pleading with the Afteran on that damn bridge to do the right thing while Weiss desperately buys him time to do so.
"You can kill the purest and sweetest girl in the world, Jaune" a mocking voice suddenly said. "Killing the evil ones is less painful."
He shook the images away, a mixture of frustration and resolve in his eyes. "But thank the Mother of the Brothers that here I am, drinking and eating with the people they told me who would be too stubborn to listen to a human. Strange no? That the majority can listen to a nosy bastard like me, but those at the top cannot?"
Jaune looked out at the crowd, his voice filled with conviction. "My friends, I'm not asking for more fighting. To have intent to hurt is to bring negativity and to hurt brings Grimm. That's why I had asked you all to sing songs of hope instead of fear. And look at them," he gestured towards the distant horizon smiling, "doing their jobs now. Afraid of the Grimm. Afraid that your song will become your weapon."
The faunus suddenly laughed and cheered, raising their glasses in solidarity. The sound of their voices echoed through the cove.
Jaune raised his hand again to silence the crowd, his eyes intense with purpose. "That's why I begged you for this. Please, endure this song. Sing until your throats are dry. Even when they turn their weapons on you, then sing louder. And if you're hurt, don't hesitate to come to me. I will heal your wounds. I will expel every scrap of my aura if that's what it takes to get you back singing. So sing the song of angry men. Because, my friends, this isn't a war, nor a continuation of the civil war you just suffered. This is simply a reminder of what they have forgotten. Forgotten what the 'cause' they believed in was for."
Jaune looked out at the sea of faces, each one filled with hope and determination. "Who are they doing this for?"
The faunus gathering around him responded in unison, their voices strong and unwavering. "FOR US, THE PEOPLE."
Jaune nodded, a proud smile spreading across his face. "Exactly. For you, the people of Menagerie. We still have many challenges ahead, but together, you can face them. You have shown me it when you move them with your songs. You can remind them what it means to stand united, to fight not for war, but for peace, for understanding, for each other."
The faunus cheered again, their spirits lifted by Jaune's words. They raised their glasses, their eyes shining with renewed determination and hope.
Nyra stepped forward, raising her glass high. "To us!"
"To us!" the crowd echoed, their voices ringing out in unison.
Jaune felt a swell of emotion as he raised his own glass as well.
Jaune Arc sat near the rough-hewn wall of the cove, watching as the faunus drank, worked and mingled. The warmth of the gathering was palpable, but his mind was elsewhere. Nyra approached him, her expression serious.
"Jaune," she began, "I need to discuss something important with you."
He straightened, giving her his full attention. "Sure, what's on your mind?"
Nyra glanced around to ensure no one was within earshot before she continued. "It's about the negotiations with the SDC."
Jaune's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "The SDC? I didn't think you'd choose them."
Nyra sighed, crossing her arms. "Believe me, it wasn't an easy decision. But the Mistral Trading Company is even worse. If we let them take control of Menagerie's resources, it would be a disaster. At least with the SDC, Li Shen will be in charge of the dust mines here."
"Li Shen?" Jaune's surprise deepened, he remembered the guy in Mistral. "Isn't he the automaton guy who wants to remove the faunus workforce for the bots?"
Nyra nodded, her expression grim. "That was his predecessor's stance. The SDC leadership in Mistral unfortunately needs a guy like him. Li Shen understands the region of Anime and its people. So he's not stupid enough to pick a fight with workers in their homeland, especially not where the White Fang was born."
Jaune considered this, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "Do you think Ghira and Sienna Khan will agree to this?"
"Despite their current... less than ideal behavior, I'd rather keep them in their positions," Nyra admitted. "Ghira still has the loyalty of the Menagerie Guard, and the remnants of the White Fang follow Sienna. Replacing them could lead to chaos. Mind you they are also the most reasonable of the bunch who has an inkling how to run a country."
Jaune nodded, understanding her reasoning. "Yeah the Menagerie Guard is fiercely loyal to Ghira Belladonna, and the remaining White Fang members still look to Sienna Khan for guidance. It makes sense to keep them where they are."
Nyra relaxed slightly, relieved that Jaune saw the logic in her plan. "Exactly. And Li Shen knows better than to cause unnecessary trouble. He'll work with us, not against us."
Jaune could see the wisdom in her words. He had met Li Shen briefly before, and though the man was ambitious, he wasn't reckless. He would be pragmatic enough to avoid conflict with the faunus in Menagerie.
"Alright," Jaune said, nodding in satisfaction. "It sounds like a solid plan. Keeping Ghira and Sienna in place maintains stability, and working with Li Shen ensures we have some control over the dust mining operations."
Nyra smiled, a rare sight that lit up her usually serious demeanor. "Well if I had a better idea I would go for it."
Jaune smiled back. "Oh, I know you would have."
Nyra's expression turned contemplative. "It's not going to be easy. The SDC has a reputation, and we'll need to stay vigilant to make sure they honor their agreements."
"You'll hold them accountable," Jaune agreed. "And if they step out of line here in Menagerie, then I wish them good luck."
Nyra nodded. "Absolutely."
The two of them stood in silence for a moment, watching the celebration continue. The faunus around them were a testament to resilience and hope, and both Jaune and Nyra were determined to protect that.
"You know," Jaune said, breaking the silence, "it's kind of ironic. We're talking about deals and negotiations in the middle of a party."
Nyra chuckled. "Yeah, but that's how it goes. We take our moments of peace where we can find them, and we keep fighting for a better future."
Jaune nodded, appreciating the wisdom in her words. "Speaking of which, do you think Li Shen will really make a difference?"
"I do," Nyra said firmly. "He's smart, and he knows the stakes. The faunus here won't tolerate mistreatment, and he knows that. He's a businessman, Jaune, he knows what it would mean if the Faunus 'trusts' him. Which means Faunus' business will go to him first as a friend of ours."
"Is that why he agrees? He wants to be the middleman for Faunus' business when it comes to the mining of Dust if it does happen?"
"He has other businesses too other than Dust, but yeah." Nyra shrugged. "By the way, do your friends suspect you?"
Jaune sighed, leaning against the rough-hewn wall. "Only Winter Schnee knows the full extent of what I'm doing. Qrow Branwen has his suspicions."
Nyra's eyebrows raised slightly. "Qrow Branwen? Ain't he Raven Branwen's brother? I heard he's a sharp one. Why hasn't he acted on his suspicions?"
Jaune ran a hand through his white streaked hair, contemplating his answer. "Qrow's busy looking after the girls, giving them lessons, and dealing with his own problems. I think he knows what I'm doing, at least to some extent, but he hasn't confronted me directly and is observing. Maybe he's waiting for me to slip up, or maybe he's just too preoccupied."
"No, he's probably too busy finding out who pushed the civil war in the first place," the rusty voice said. "He's Ozpin's hunter first before anything else."
"I'm betting it was Hazel Rainart he was after," the scheming voice said. "But either Hazel's gone already or Qrow's still hunting him and can't spare you a time… and probably didn't want you amping up his misfortunes again."
"But it doesn't make sense how there are so many Atlas-tech imitations from the SIC here. Iona told us that they'd never make a deal with the white fang ever again," the knight's voice contemplated.
"Nyra's staring," a curious voice said.
Jaune blinked and almost dropped his drink.
Nyra chuckled softly. "Or maybe you really pissed him off with your attempts to mirror him and imitate his style. I saw it. Pretty funny."
Jaune laughed, the tension easing slightly. "Yeah, that might have something to do with it too. Qrow's not the easiest person to impress, and he definitely doesn't appreciate anyone trying to copy him for the purpose of pushing his buttons."
Nyra's laughter faded, replaced by a thoughtful look. "Your friends, they're brilliant in their own ways, but..."
"But they're kinda straightforward," Jaune finished for her. "They're so used to fighting and going straight to the leaders for answers. When it comes to civilians, they do care, but you know how it is. Huntsmen and Huntresses... They have this natural tendency to overlook civilian missions. They're seen as boring, not as glamorous or exciting as fighting Grimm."
Nyra nodded, understanding. "It's a flaw in the system, Jaune. The focus on combat overshadows the importance of protecting and supporting the people. And it will not change because the people see those who have their aura fighting Grimm as celebrities, idols, and out of touch figureheads."
Jaune's gaze drifted to the entrance of the cove, where the sound of rustling leaves seemed to whisper secrets to him. For a moment, he saw a vision of the Afteran, acting like crossing guard, guiding children safely across the streets of Mantle. In contrast, he saw Team RWBY, Ren, and Nora, all of them preoccupied with battling Grimm and the more overt threats.
The vision faded, leaving Jaune with a heavy heart. "They have good hearts, Nyra. They really do. But despite having eyes, they can't see Mt. Glenn."
Nyra's eyes softened. "You mean they can't see the underlying problems, the root causes of the suffering. They're focused on the symptoms, not the disease."
Jaune nodded. "Exactly. They fight the Grimm, the obvious threats, but they miss the bigger picture. The socio-economic issues, the corruption, the injustices that create fertile ground for the Grimm to thrive. Mt. Glenn is a perfect example of that. It was a beacon of hope that turned into a nightmare because of human negligence and greed."
"And they will break if they know she can't be killed, Jaune," the heart said. "The weight of the world will become impossible to bear."
Nyra nodded. "True, they are kinda not trained for this kind of stuff. I'm surprised you aren't as idealistic as them.
"Hey, who knows? I'd probably be the kind of guy who'd propose to steal an airship to go to Atlas, you know?" Jaune smiled. "But I agree that it's difficult to step out of that role you've been trained in and see things from a different perspective. I only understand because I dipped my toes on both sides."
"But you can understand," the voices in Jaune's head said in unison. "You are a natural. The kind of guy who'd make mothers cook casserole for you. The guy'd the people would follow through a portal leading to a bridge hovering above the void because they saw their kids trusting you earnestly."
Jaune tried to keep the memories away, but lately, it comes in and goes without warning, which thankfully, the others see him as just being a drunkard.
Nyra's expression turned serious as she glanced back at the ongoing celebration. "With Ghira and Sienna being forced to accept help from Mistral and Atlas, we'll have little time for our secret parties."
Jaune grinned. "That's good isn't it?. We can now hand out the 'party supplies' openly now."
Nyra's smile matched his. "Exactly. Soon, we'll give Sienna and Ghira our loudest song they'll ever hear. By that time, hopefully, they'll finally do their jobs, and you can proceed with the talks. We'll make sure those White Fang fuckers involved in the bombing in Mistral have a very bad day too."
"Did you get Corsac Albain already?" Jaune asked.
"Of course, we did, we can't have the Albain Brother, Trifa, and Yuma running around with their fellow extremists while we do this stuff," Nyra replied, a hint of satisfaction in her voice. "Thanks for clearing him out, okay."
"The golden button had led me to them," Jaune shrugged modestly. "But no problem. Glad we got them tagged and bagged."
"Thank Miss Winter Schnee for me, too. Her 'security work' with the Menagerie Guard help has been wonderful," Nyra said, her tone genuine.
"Oh, she'd appreciate that," Jaune assured her.
"Yeah, she's not that bad. A bit of a 'yes woman' for the General, but she's a sensible person isn't she?" Nyra noted. "For a Schnee at least."
"That she is," Jaune agreed.
A moment of quiet passed between them, both reflecting on the strange alliances and the shifting dynamics. Then Jaune's face grew wistful. "It's a shame, really. I like drinking and chatting while on the job."
Nyra laughed, her eyes twinkling. "Well, you should start getting drunk now so we can drag you to the same place again. It's getting late."
Jaune chuckled and took a drink. It took a while for his Huntsman physique to feel the effects, but Nyra ensured he was sufficiently intoxicated. She instructed the same guys to drop Jaune off at his usual spot in the port after the party.
As always, Jaune stumbled out of the barrels near the port, leaning heavily as he made his way back to the others. Ruby, Blake, Weiss, Pyrrha, and Qrow were there, their reactions predictable yet comforting in their familiarity as they got back from fighting Grimm early in the morning.
Ruby and Pyrrha rushed to help him, their concern evident. "Jaune, you really need to stop doing this," Ruby said, her voice a mix of worry and exasperation.
Weiss and Blake stood a bit apart, their arms crossed. "He's hopeless," Weiss muttered, while Blake shook her head in agreement and a snort..
Qrow, ever the doubter, poked at Jaune with questions, trying to unravel the mystery he suspected lay beneath the surface. But Jaune, as usual, ignored him, focusing on trying to apply his Semblance at the right time.
The next day, Jaune awoke to the sound of the loudest song of hope he'd ever heard from the people of Menagerie. Listening to the harmonious chorus of hope echoing through the island, Jaune's gaze drifted downward. From his vantage point, he could see the streets of Kuo Kuana, bustling with activity. The people of Menagerie had gathered in force, their collective voice rising like a tidal wave, no longer just a whisper in the waves.
The streets were packed with faunus of all kinds, their presence a powerful statement. Banners and signs were held high, each one bearing clear and unambiguous demands, emblazoned boldly, leaving no room for misinterpretation.
It was a sea of determination and resolve.
And at the center of this 'sea' was a song that couldn't be ignored.
A song that once again asked the higher leaders on their throne one thing: "Can you hear your people sing?"