Now, I'm feeling mean.
All Around Me Are Familiar Faces…
Jaune Arc had a lot of regrets in life. Never kissing a girl properly, never learning to fight before going to the Academy, never getting Crocea Mors repaired.
But the one thing he'd never regret, was joining the USA. Sure, they were all insane, and their idea of training exercises made the worst he'd seen on Remnant look pleasant.
But if he had not signed on with the Khorne worshippers, he'd have never met her…
***
The first time he saw her was during boot-camp enrollment. He'd gotten accepted on a commendation, his having killed what he was later told was an Ork Nob with his wild flailing around with Crocea Mors' remains.
("Young Master Arc reminds me of the Liberator himself in his humility - he's but a teenager, not yet old enough to grow facial hair, and he tries to play off carving up an Ork Nob with the broken shards of a sword as something anyone could have done; the lad wears his inspiration on his sleeve.")
As he stood in line with the rest of the fresh recruits, listening to General Mahlone extoll the virtues of the Liberation that they would be expected to uphold and defend, he'd caught a flash of crimson hair out of the corner of his eye. He'd turned to look, but whoever it had been disappeared into the crowd before he caught their face.
***
The second time had been during lunch-period. Every week, the instructors would post up a list of recruits who had excelled in their training. Jaune had, for reasons completely beyond him, kept finding his own name and face on the list, which carried with it the reward of their teachers approval, as well as extra rations which Jaune would quickly use to bribe the bigger students to leave him alone.
("Young Master Arc is a born leader; he excells in pushing his fellow cadets to go above-and-beyond during exercises, and when he is rewarded for his performance, he shares those rewards with his fellows recruits in turn, creating a virtuous cycle of positive reinforcement: he rewards their loyalty and support, and they grow more loyal and supportive in turn.")
It was while watching Carl "Cardinal" Windsor wolf down the second portion of stew that he noticed the board, and the green-eyed redhead looking back at him. His mouth ran dry, but before he caught her name, she was replaced by Jaune's own face on the board.
***
The third time he saw her was only after graduation. He'd graduated as a squad sergeant, and was meeting the rest of his squad, when she'd walked through the door.
Her hair was a vibrant red, buzzed short on the sides, while the rest was pulled back into a long ponytail. Her eyes were a beautiful green, and her smile lit up room.
"I recognize you!" She said aloud as she shook his hand. "You're Jaune Arc, right?"
"I, yes, I'm, I recognize, sorry, I didn't catch your name?"
Somehow, his stuttering didn't seem to bother her at all, the admission that he recognized her taking all her attention. "Oh, sorry, I'm expected to introduce myself first, right?"
"I'm Private First Class Nikol Pyros, at your service!"