"Just the finishing touches now." Ruby whispered to herself. A look of absolute concentration on her face as she assembled the parts together.
Barrel, handle, cylinder, hammer, trigger and springs coming together piece by piece until a proper revolver sat before her.
A 6-inch barrel made from solid dust infused stainless steel. Able to take even the worst of beatings and still come out strong. A solid frame made from the dust infused alloy she made for Crescent Rose, a frame that would never stumble nor falter. A cylinder capable of holding five bullets, glimmering in the light of the forge. A grip made from red wood from the trees in Forever Fall, making it comfortable to hold while also making sure it never will splinter or shatter.
It was a sleek weapon, and a weapon screaming practicality over anything else. A bit to 'plain' for her tastes. But she could see why Jaune was so insistent on it being just a revolver. Adding anything more to the revolver would take from it.
'It is a weapon, it isn't a piece of art, or an expression of self. It got a job to do, and it must do it well.' Jaune had said, when he stopped her nth try to give the gun some spice.
She was an artist at heart! Weapon smithing her medium of choice. And as one Ruby Rose looked down at the gun. She beamed a proud smile, seeing blueprints and ideas come to life from nothing but drawings were always a wonderful feeling. Jaune hadn't requiring a lot of his gun beside functionality and sturdiness over all else. As if she wouldn't give here everything and more to making a gun. Everything needed a gun, in her humble opinion.
Still a bit miffed after Jaune had shot down her gunblade idea by incorporating Crocea Mors and the nascent gun hard.
"Is the gun done yet?" One Jaune Arc asked curiously, towering over her and trying to sneak a peek.
"EP ep ep!" Sound escaped Ruby's mouth as she shoved her friends head up, violently. With a palm strike that would have made her sister proud. "No sneak peeking! She isn't even properly dressed! Have you no shame?! Peeking at a lady like that?!" Hiding the gun under her body to protect its dignity, as she glared up at Jaune.
Jaune's hands shoot up in mock surrender by reflex as he looked down at his best friend. "Ruby… I know how you live. Throwing stones in a greenhouse, much? After all, you are one bad rope to be three instead of four."
"How dare you!" Ruby shot back as she glared at him. Puffing out her chest while glaring at him. "I will have you know our room is one of a kind! And out bunkbeds are safe! And comfortable!"
"If you say so." Jaune placated as he peeked over his friend in curiosity. Smiling as he looked down at the piece of art that laid on the workbench. He almost felt bad for the gun in a way, after all, nothing that ever-visited Yharnam would stay the same.
Crocea Mors was unfortunately included on that list. A multitude of new scratches and nicks marring the blade after seeing relentless use in Yharnam. He had discovered that everything the weapon experienced in Yharnam followed through to the real world, and the same was true in reverse as well. Everything the weapon experienced in Remnant was followed trough to Yharnam.
And he was glad for it. After tribulation after tribulation in Yharnam. Crocea Mors felt natural to wield. Not due to levelling up or anything like that, but simply due to sheer exposure to the weapon. Having learnt how to best shift its weight in a do or die situation.
Not to mention the fortification. Thanks to it, he had never needed to worry about her edge. Crocea Mors was razor sharp, not even getting stuck on bone when he cut. She was more durable, not faltering in the slightest. And just wielding her felt like second nature. 'And that just a single Fortification. What about 2, 3, or maybe 10?' He mussed as he smiled. Feeling the weight of his constant companion and how it helped ground him.
For Yharnam left scars, and not all were physical. Drumming his fingers over the handle of Crocea Mors, felling naked without her by his side. He knew it was just his mind playing tricks. He was in Beacon, one, if not the safest place in Vale. Watching his best friend get back into the thick of things. Having fished out multiple oil's and finishes and begun coating the revolver.
But he couldn't stop his paranoia that Yharnam had honed. Especially when he saw shadows walk the hallways, and snippets of conversations when no one was around. It was like his mind was taunting him. Doing its best to grind him to dust and turn into just another of Yharnam's mad denizen.
Leaning back on another workbench, Jaune's mind wandered to the Dream. Something he found himself thinking about more than he would like. 'If I can bring Crocea Mors into 'the Dream' and can bring out both Quicksilver Bullets and a Blood Vial. What more can I bring in or out?'
He never really had tested out the limits on what he could and couldn't bring over. Being far too caught up in trying not to die. Not to mention his crushing exercise regime, that was beginning to show fruit, his research assignment that was coming to a close, and just settling into Beacon's hectic if open schedule. But given that the Forever Fall trip was coming up soon, he could experiment while away. 'Who knows, maybe I can bring out my cane?' He mussed, quickly writing the idea into his notebook lest he forget.
Another point in his already never-ending to-do list. Landing squarely under 'finding the girl's mother', 'making Yharnam safer' and 'Answer the Cainhurst summon'. Three relatively small things in the grand scheme of things, but it was important to him. Sure he had other goals as well, like getting all of his stats to their max value, finding out what the deal was with Yharnam, finding 'chalices' so he could get some proper sleep or maybe spend his time to catch up in the dream, and just simply getting answers.
But they were large overarching goals, that he always was walking step by step towards just by exploring Yharnam.
The same couldn't be said by saving the mother. He couldn't imagine losing his mother. And he wasn't sure he could forgive himself if he had to deliver the terrible news to the little girl.
'How long would it take before he forgot his mother's voice?' His mind whispered, making blood freeze in his veins at the thought. He didn't have any large 'blanks' in his memory but he could feel memories he thought he would remember forever fade to the background. If his memories in Yharnam were black, red and tinged with a metallic tang. And his treasured moments in Beacon were all the colours in the rainbow. Then the memories that were used to pay the 'price' simply turned grey and transparent. Fading to the background before vanishing completely.
It would have been more terrifying if it didn't feel so natural. He didn't suddenly just forget, waking up to finding moments of his life being gone. Playfights lost their lustre, embarrassing moments lost their edge, medals losing their meaning. Step by step memories turned to grey before disappearing entirely.
'Yet how long before more important memories turned grey?' His mothers voice, his sister faces fading from his memory, his father's stern yet loving eyes. His blood turning to ice while nausea hit him like a sledgehammer.
"Hey! Remnant to Jaune?" Ruby asked. Waving an oil-stained hand rapidly before his eyes making him snap out of his spiralling thoughts. Not at all noticing the gentle worry that shone in her eyes as he gave her a smile. "Yes? Sorry Ruby, got a little bit lost in thought. Just some finishing touches on my assignment that jumped out of nowhere."
"If you say so." Ruby said in singsong tone as she hurried back to the workbench where the revolver sat. Sneaking a worried glance back at her friend. Feeling nauseous as she saw her father in Jaune. She hated those empty, lifeless eyes. Hating how it remember her of her dad, who smiled and looked around the house. Smile falling when he aimlessly looked around for a smile that wasn't there.
"I'm your friend right Jaune?" She asked carefully as she gave the revolver a quick once over. All giddiness about seeing it in action stolen by that hateful lifeless look. "Yes? I like to think of you as a good friend." Her blond doffus of a friend said confused. Stepping to her side and letting out a low whistle as he looked at the revolver.
"It's beautiful." Jaune whispered, fingers reaching towards the gun before stopping. Almost afraid that he would dirty the weapon. Something that earned him a loving tap to the ribs from Ruby's elbow. "Come on! It's yours."
With that he reached for the grip. Smiling as he felt the heft of the weapon. It was more than a little heavier than his pistol in the dream. A giddy smile spread on his face as he looked at Ruby with stars in his eyes. "Wanna test it out?" He said with a smile.
"Pfff! Right ahead of you buddy." Ruby teased as she exploded into rose petals and raced towards the weapon testing ground. A room adjacent to the forge where students could freely test any adjustments they had made to their weapons. A shooting field with multiple targets in all shapes and forms. Then there was an entire line of other things meant to test the edge, durability, construction and structure of a weapon.
After all, what good was a mecha-shift weapon if the mechanism failed after a single attack?
Ruby was already by the shooting range. Some bullets nicely lined up by the counter as she bounced around on her feet in excitement. Small jogging to her side he looked down at the bullets, frowning slightly at the different types. A frown deepening as he looked at the .45 cal dust bullets. Sure they were probably strong, but he already had ammo of his own and he would hate to impose on his friends generosity. Especially after Ruby had helped him make the revolver no question asked.
It made him feel a bit like a leech, and he hated it.
"Hey, Ruby. Want to be in on an Arc family secret?" He said with a mischievous wink as he fished out five Quicksilver bullets. As a mainly melee fighter, he wasn't big on using his pistol. Only using it rarely to pick of lone riflemen before they noticed him. Giving him a surplus of bullets, especially as he hadn't used them to stave of the dream with his flare gun.
"DO I!" Ruby asked giddily with stars in her eyes. "Yeah, well. You know how the Arc name is old right? While not the biggest, we have some old heroes to our name. And that comes with some special family recipes." The lie came easily, as did the guilt as he looked at his best friend rapidly ate the lie. Especially with how her eyes seemed to twinkle like stars.
"Like mom's super-secret cookie recipe?" Ruby whispered in awe. "Yeah sure, but it's bullets instead of cookies." Jaune replied as he finished loading the revolver. Smiling at the feeling of sheer power the revolver radiated. His pistol felt like a toy compared to this beast.
Stepping up to bench he picked his first target. A good twenty meters away. Lining up a for a shot. Finger on the trigger, Jaune took a deep breath, preparing himself for the kickback as he fired.
Thunder cracked in the firing range as the bullet tore a golf ball sized hole in the target.
"Ohh! Ho Oh hO !" Jaune giggled as he looked down at his revolver. A wild, almost manic energy coursing through him as he felt unstoppable. "I think I know why you love guns now Ruby." He said, giving his best friend who looked like a proud mother watching her baby take its first steps.
"Come on, come on come on!" Ruby egged him on, starstruck as she saw her 'baby' in action. Performing even better than in her wildest dream. "What are you waiting for? Fire the rest!"
Like a giggling mad man he lined up for another shot. Thunder cracked, once, twice, thrice and four times in the range. All shots tearing large chunks from the targets. Even going as far as leaving dents in the backboard.
With all bullets fired he gently laid the revolver on the bench and took some calming steps around. Adrenaline pumping in his veins, as he had to shake of some shivers. "Is this how you felt like when you fired Crescent Rose for the first time." He asked, still coming down from his adrenaline high.
"Yes!" Ruby energetically replied with a smile, because he got it. Not even Yang, her sister understood what love she had for Crescent Rose. The thrill of having her baby by her side going straight over her teams heads.
Sure, Yang had made Ember Cilia from scratch. But even if it had a pair of shotguns, it acted more as a mobility tool, and a way for Yang to gain a lot of extra oomph behind her punches. However her sister was a brawler at heart, far too interested in duking it out with her fists to use her shotguns as the ranged weapons they were.
But Jaune got it.
The sheer adrenaline rush from firing a high calibre gun that made your heart beat out of your chest. It wasn't as much a feeling that could be explained, only experienced. And that her best friend could share in this joy was enough to make Ruby grin from ear to ear like a loon.
"I think I can get used to this. I even think I can, no I know I can win a spar with this baby at my side." Jaune sighed, feeling giddy at the prospect of having a win under his belt. He might have gotten leagues better than he was since initiation, but loss after loss was grinding on his self-worth.
He won the fight against the Cleric Beast, proving that he could survive Yharnam. Now he had to win a fight in sparring, proving that he belonged here.
"Are you going to challenge someone?" She asked as they made their way back to the forge room. Laughter in the air as they began cleaning up after themselves. "Maybe, I think I might have more than a shot at winning against Weiss. And even if I don't shoot, just the threat that I can, will make most fights manageable. After all, can't whittle down my aura from range if I can do the same. But… I'm also just going to wait, you know?"
"I can't wait to see your opponent's expression when they lose." Ruby giggled slightly, smile quickly falling as she looked at him over her shoulder. "I'm your friend right, Jaune?" She asked carefully as she sat every tool she had used back to their place.
"Yes? And didn't you ask that earlier?" Her blond idiot of a friend asked.
"And friend's talk to each other when something is wrong, right?" She tried, turning around and seeing realisation light up his eyes. Picking up how his shoulder's tensed slightly as he absentmindedly began drumming his finger over the hilt of Crocea Mors.
"Ruby…" Jaune breathed out as he gave her a look, words falling him she pulled out the mightiest weapon in her arsenal. Even mightier than her baby, Crescent Rose.
Puppy dog eyes.
A move she had long perfected on Yang and Qrow, making her frankly get out of more trouble than she had any right to be in. After all, her sister wasn't the only one who tended to get in trouble. The only real difference between her and her sister was how she managed to get out of dodge, while Yang bravely stepped forward when she fucked up.
Yet, Jaune stood steadfast, tired blue eyes not betraying a single thing as she stepped up her game. Tears welled up, her lib begin trembling and soft sniffling. Making it look like she was about to break into tears at a moment's notice.
"Ruby." Jaune said dryly, a cheeky little smile on his lips at he looked at her. "I grew up with seven sisters. And sorry to say, but your puppy dog eyes aren't even top 7."
"Gha!" Ruby gasped loudly, never in her fifteen years of life having felt so deeply offended as she did now. Soft laughter escaping Jaune as he smiled a proper smile in what felt like decades. Leaning back on the workbench with arms crossed, giving a bright smile.
"You aren't going to drop out… right?" She asked carefully when the laughter died out. Knowing that not everyone was suited for the rigour the huntsman lifestyle required. Most students dropped out in their prep school years, even if some dropped out when they joined a proper academy. Either feeling like they came up short in the combat department, or just having other external responsibilities forcing them onto other paths.
Beacon didn't have a lot of combat instruction. Expecting a certain combat proficiency of their students. Focusing mostly on ironing out flaws in a student's combat style trough sparring, instead of teaching them how to fight, how to properly wield a weapon, and generally lacking that rigidness and personal follow-up a prep-school had for its students. Causing some students to fall through the cracks as they felt a lack of progress or a lack of support from the teachers.
"Drop out? Where did that come from?" Jaune asked with a laugh as he shook his head. "No, I'm not going to drop out. It's just… it's just been a lot in a short amount of time. Getting accepted into Beacon, the initiation, my research assignment, even if that's mostly my fault. Sometimes it can feel like everything is just a dream, you know? Like I'm about to wake up in my dream any moment. And… sometimes I just don't feel good enough you know?"
"Wha! Come on Jaune, are you pulling my leg?" Ruby exclaimed, trying to wave away the sombre mood. Seeing Jaune's face seemingly being carved out of stone, she sighed and slumped down in a chair. "You know, even if I'm some call me a prodigy for getting into Beacon two year early. I think the real prodigy here is you."
That got Jaune's face to crack. Brows disappearing into his hairline as his jaw hit the floor. Shaking himself out of his stupor he looked at how valuable and small his friend looked. "Where did that come from Ruby?" He asked almost jokingly, trying his best to lighten her mood. "I have seen you and Crescent Rose in action. No one, I repeat, no one. Not even Cardin can say that you don't belong."
"Then why does it feel like my team falling apart?" Ruby pouted, giving him a glare that was more harmless than anything. Like a cute little puppy trying to act fierce. "Weiss is acting like a catty bitch! Ignoring my every attempt at trying to be her friend. Yang sees me like her little sister, still treating me like we are back on Patch! And Blake… Blake is all right, I guess? She listens when I try talking, but it's clear that she lives in her own little bubble."
That Ruby Rose, someone who could be described as 'naïve to a fault' said you lived in your own world? Then it really was cause for concern.
Either way, Jaune couldn't say he knew Blake. But he was of the belief that she would open up eventually. There was no way someone could completely shut out the people you trained, spared, lived, and slept in the same room with. No one could keep up their emotional walls all the time.
"Why couldn't my team be like yours?" He heard Ruby absentmindedly mutter. "Excuse me?" Jaune asked dumbly, surprise evident on his face as he turned to his still pouting friend.
"I said, why couldn't my team be more like yours?" Ruby parroted, collapsing back on her chair as she sent him another pout. "Your team listens to you. They trust you. Heck, they respect you. While it feels like my team is just humouring me. What did you do?"
"I don't know." Jaune sighed out, seeing how Ruby sank even further into her chair. Looking boneless as she slumped over it. "I asked them for help, came to them for help with my training regime. And… well… maybe I proved myself to them? I really can't say. Well, communication is a two-way street, right? And it sounds like you have been talking to multiple walls, while my team has been open for communication from the start. If that makes sense?"
"Ughhh… this sucks. No one said being team leader was so complicated!" Ruby moaned from her boneless pile of teenage angst and social insecurities. "You don't think we can… like swap places for a day? You think anyone would notice?"
"While I know I rock a skirt, I think there is a little bit of height difference between us." Chuckling at his best friends expression he got back to cleaning up the forge. It wasn't a lot remaining and was quickly finished. Having expertly ignored Ruby who were laughing herself to death at the image of Jaune in a skirt. Too caught up in her glee to notice the friendly jab he had sent her way.
"So how about getting back? It's beginning to get late." Jaune said, breaking his friend out from her laughter as she looked at the clock. It was 10 pm, and she had what felt like a thousand messages from her sister asking her where she was.
"Yeah, maybe we should do that?" She chuckled weakly, knowing that she might have forgotten to tell her sister where she was going. Far too caught up in making Jaune's revolver. But, if her sister didn't know where she had been, when she had escaped to the forged after each class together with Jaune who came when he could. Was it really her fault?
"But! Before we leave." Exploding into thousands of rose petals she arrived before Jaune and grabbed the revolver and an inscription tool. "A name! She needs a name!"
"Sure, what do you think?" Jaune asked, only to get a furious headshake in return. As a seriousness he had never seen before came over her. "No. No. This is your weapon. I might have made most of it, but it is your weapon. And as such, it is your responsibility to name it."
Nodding, he gave the revolver another look. Mind coming up entirely blank, before a whisper of a name wormed itself into his head. "Mortem Ignis, old Valean for Death by Fire."
Smiling brightly, Ruby quickly inscribed the name into the grip of the pistol. Giving it a beautiful flourish as she set the engraving pen down. "Done! Now you mister, is the new owner of your own personal firearm."
"Thank you." A heartfelt thank you, and they were out of the forge. Gentle moonlight shining down on them as they made their way back to their dorms. Smiles on their faces.
#####
Breakfast the next day was a quiet affair. Nora had bags under her eyes, having woken up in the middle of the night and leapt to his side to check if he was still alive. Not that he had noticed whatsoever, only knowing since Ren had informed him about it earlier.
Guilt ate at him as he sent a quick look her way. She had gained back some of her peppiness, and Ren said she had gotten less nightmares.
But the fact that he had traumatised his team, wasn't something he could get over simply 'because she was getting better.' She shouldn't have needed to experience that if it hadn't been for him letting his guard down. The looming dread that hung over him not helping, still not having found the young girls mother as he was lost in the aqueducts. Each second wasted made him dread the moment he found her corpse instead.
Or had been lost, having stumbled upon a cranky old hunter named Eileen who had given him her most disappointed look. Even if the look itself was nothing compared to Gehrman's. The old man having mastered the art of staring disappointedly. Eileen had however been kind enough to give him some advice, directions and four 'Bold Hunters Marks'. Leather bound etchings that were suspiciously like the lower part of his 'birth mark' rune.
He hadn't tested them yet, even if he wanted to return to the dream and fortify Crocea Mors and have the Doll infuse his echoes. As he had gotten an ok amount of echoes, even if he had been dying a handful of times. The aqueduct was a slippery place, and a second of inattentiveness had led to his death.
But what he did test, was Mortem Ignis.
And oh boy, that thing fucks. It was a beast of a gun with a stopping power that made most beasts stop dead in their tracks. Sure, it wouldn't have stopped the Cleric Beast, only blowing of the smaller arm if he hit. But it would have been enough to violently tilt the fight in his favour.
The only thing that really held back the hand cannon was his aim. Sure he hit his shots. Making heads quite literally 'pop'. But that was only when he stood still and lined up a shot. He wasn't like Ren who could switch between striking and shooting like it was nothing.
It was either use Mortem Ignis or Crocea Mors. One or the other, and not at the same time if he didn't want to add another death to his tally.
"Can you not?" Weiss asked in her scratching haughty tone, as she gave him a flat glare. Breaking him out of thought. "Can not what?" He asked confused as he continued eating.
His and Ruby's friendship led to the two teams sitting together at breakfast, lunch and dinner. Not always, but often enough that both teams at least had a good grasp on another.
"Can you stop shaking your leg? The entire table is rattling." Weiss said, gesturing at the rattling table. Together with the few glares they were getting from teams that sat further up. "Heheh, ups?" Laughing awkwardly he did his best to stop it.
But sometimes, it was just a bit hard to sit still. He didn't suffer from ADHD or anything like that nor was he overly energetic like Nora or Ruby. It was just that having his back turned to a thousand other students made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. He knew the chance of someone being retarded enough to attack him in the cafeteria was second to none.
He simply couldn't help it. Yharnam had wired his brain to expect violence at any second.
Just having his back turned to so many made his paranoia spike and anxiety come bubbling forth.
"Jaune!" Ruby exclaimed, looking like she had just remembered something she had forgotten. And being Ruby, that could have more than been the case. "You owe me five cookies."
"Why do I owe you those cookies?" Jaune asked, looking around to see if I he could get some help. Ren, Blake, and Yang shrugged, Weiss didn't care in the slightest, Nora looked like she also wanted some cookies, and Pyrrha laughed a gentle laugh from behind her hand.
"You called my puppy dog eyes bad! You have committed a terrible slight towards the name Rose! A slight that can only be repaid through offering five cookies as tribute." Ruby relied, looking proud of herself.
"They aren't bad." Jaune started carefully, doing hist best not to pick words weren't too hurtful. "Mediocre at best I would say?"
That was apparently not the right thing to say, given how offended Ruby looked. Then came the tears, sniffling and trembling lip. Yang was stuck between glaring at him and looking sympathetic, like she knew what was about to happen. Stone faced; he did his best to channel his inner Gehrman. Hoping he could even imitate a single percentile of his disappointed look.
Given how quickly Ruby crumbled in on herself, he would take that as a success. But he wasn't above getting a little bit of revenge in. After all, she didn't think she could escape the petty wrath of a brother who had his cookies stolen by seven sisters trough the years. "Ruby…"
Ruby looked like she had been shot, someone had stolen her cookies, and had seen Crescent Rose fall apart. All at the same time. Ignoring Yang's whispered, "What the fuck?"
"Ruby… that wasn't proper. We are friends, if you had just asked, I would have happily shared with you. You are better than that. Now, please apologise and I will gladly share some of my cookies with you." Channelling his inner Gehrman and using his gentle big brother voice at the same time.
It was super effective.
"'m sorry." Ruby choked out. Giving her a gentle smile he happily shared some of his cookies with her. Noticing the silence around him, Jaune was greeted to a pair of gobsmacked lilac eyes as the rest of his friends looked at him like he had grown another head.
"What?" He shrugged nonchalantly as he bit into his dino chicken nuggets. Looking around at his friends. Pyrrha was red faced for some reason, Yang looked like she had witnessed a miracle, and Weiss looked at him like he had grown another head.
"What was that?"
"Are you Ms. Goodwitch's secret love child?"
Weiss and Nora asked at the same time, making him almost choke on his choccy milk.
Both were nothing compared to a frantic Yang. Who leapt over the table, got down on a knee and took his hand in hers. "Please teach me! Oh wise one! Teach me your secrets, I will forever be in your debt." Lilac eyes twinkling like stars as she saw a chance to get back at her sister.
"Come on, it's not even that impressive. Anyone can learn it." He said weakly as he did his best to wiggle his hands out of her vice like grip. One look into her eyes let him know that he wouldn't let him go until he said yes. "Can you please let go of my hand."
"Nope." Popping the p, Jaune learned that Yang Xioa-Long had no shame if it came to getting an edge over her sister. Quickly deciding for the tired and true method, he pulled his hand towards himself, hers following. Running his tongue over the back of her hands in a hope she would let go.
She didn't.
However, red bled over lilac. Flashing back and forth between the two colours as Yang furiously tried getting her temper in check. "Please? It's not even a trick or anything like that. You just have to get exposed to puppy dog eyes a lot and learn how to see through it."
Yang still didn't let go. Deciding it wasn't wort it he looked over at Ruby and got an idea. With an even smile on his lips, he looked down on Yang. "Hey Yang, did you know that there is another way to 'withstand' good puppy dog eyes? Have better."
"You wouldn't dare vomit boy." Yang seethed out between gritted teeth. Squeezing his hand, forcing him to grith his teeth and activate his aura.
Taking a deep breath, he fell into the right headspace. Giving his head a swing as he gave Yang a look. Using just the right amount of vulnerability, gentleness, and softness that made him the 'Puppy dog eye king' in the Arc household. Even stepping into high gear with a soft "Pretty please?"
When Yang's jaw hit the floor and her grip loosened, he stole his hand back. Tearing it out of her palms and being so mature as to cheekily stick out his tongue. "Ha!"
Looking back at the table, he saw the dumbfounded looks of his friend. Pyrrha for some reason looked as red her hair, Ruby looked at him with glitter in his eyes. "What? You think I survived in a household with seven sisters without learning how to defend myself?" He asked dumbly, earning a wise nod from Ren.
Getting up from the floor, Yang sent him a glare. Promising that she would get her revenge. And if she wasn't going to go ham on him in sparring, he didn't really mind. He was used to it by this point. Not to mention if you coloured her eyes blue instead of lilac, it would be like looking at his sister Saphron.
"So… anyone looking forwards to the forever fall trip?" He asked, forcefully changing subject to something else. His question was answered with some nods, some mutterings and like that conversation began again.
"Forever fall falls flat compared to the Vytal festival. I can't wait." Yang said with a cheeky grin, scowl gone in a second as pained groans rang around her.
"While Xiao-Long could have used less crass choice of words. I must say I find myself looking forward to the event. It will be spectacular." Weiss diplomatically said her piece as she went back to drinking her morning coffee and tapping on her scroll. Having already long since finished up her breakfast. Not that Weiss ever ate much.
"Ow!" A scream rang out in the cafeteria, making all conversation go silent.
Further down in the cafeteria, Cardin and his team was gathered around a brown-haired bunny faunus. With Cardin roughly pulling at her bunny ears as he laughed. Gleefully grinning as he looked over to his team.
"See! I told you they were real." Cardin exclaimed with a smile, letting go and turning back to his team with laughter on his face. His team laughing and grinning at him like he had just came up with the world's best joke. A laughter that quickly quieted down as a huge shadow loomed over them.
Turning around with a frown, Cardin looked up, up and up. Before finally seeing eye to eye to the titan that politely smiled down at him.
"Can I help you?" Cardin asked carefully. Loosing much of his bravado as the titan glared down at him.
"Yes. Yes, you can." The giant politely replied before burying his fist into Cardin's face hard with a meaty thwack. Cardin was out like a light, long before his head crashed down into the bench.
"Now, friends. I would like it if you were to keep your hands away from my partner and friends, ears. Is that understood?" The giant politely asked the rest of team Cardinal. Who furiously nodded, not wanting to follow in their leaders footsteps.
"Good, I'm glad we have come to a shared understanding." With his piece said the giant went back to where he came from where the bunny girl from earlier looked at him. "You didn't have to do that Yatsuhashi."
"You are my friend Violet, and I will always stand up for you as long as you aren't ready to do so yourself. This is not me pitying you, but me caring and understanding that doing so can be hard. You can lean on me for as long as you want, as I know I can lean on you as well. We are partners, after all." The gentle giant smiled down at his partner.
"Thank you, Yatsuhashi." Velvet whispered back as they made their way back to their team.
"Good riddance." Blake spat, yellow eyes peaking up from her book. A book that totally wasn't smut, but Jaune had seven sisters. He knew. Not like he wasn't going to bring it up, but really? Reading mediocre smut at breakfast table? What happened to proper manners?
"I can't believe someone like him is allowed in. How can Beacon even let inn someone so clearly unqualified?" Weiss said hauntingly. Looking scandalous. "Even Arc is more qualified than him."
"Really?" That got Jaune to sit up a bit straighter. Eyes glittering with stars as he looked at her.
"Why, yes. If you had been the same now as you were at initiation, I wouldn't have been of the same mind. But you are clearly putting in the work, especially compared to the nimrod that is Cardin. If you aren't in the library working on your essay, which is coming along nicely I must say. Then you are either in the gym training or doing something else productive with your time." As Weiss spoke, Jaune felt it hard not to beam with pride.
It felt good having is effort recognised. Especially when it came from a pretty girl like Weiss.
"She is right Jaune." Pyrrha said sweetly, while sending Weiss a look. "You have come a long way, and I know you will soon start turning your losing streak into one of victory instead."
"Aww shush you." Jaune smiled bashfully, as he happily got back to eating. Struggling to not smile like a loon.
Not at all noticing the scratching glare Cardin sent him. Nose bleeding as he stomped his way out of the cafeteria. Worried teammates quickly catching up.
"So Jaune thinks he is some hot shit now, huh. Dove, get your hands on some rapier wasps. I don't care how, but I want them with us to Forever Fall. It's time to get back at that weakling." Cardin ordered. Heart full of wounded ego and misplaced petty anger.
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Note: Writing people is hard, but I'm doing my best. I'm doing my best to try and make the world feel 'fluid' and people well people. And while Jaune and JNPR and RWBY are the 'focus' the world still moves around them.
Note: Huh, Consequences, who'd have thought.
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