Note: Yo, what the fuck? Over five hundred follows in little over two months? I'm speechless.
####
"I can't believe they let a murderer like you remain here."
Choking on his dinosaur nugget, he hastily reached for his glass. Downing it in one go as he breathed out. Looking dumbly up at the wrathful visage of one Blake Belladonna. Even without what he dubbed 'Spirit Vision'; he knew she was beyond pissed. He didn't need to see the burning inferno of blackish red that smouldered in her chest to know that.
"Excuse me?" He asked softly, calmly placing down his fork as he looked at her.
"You heard what I said. No need to play stupid, Arc." Blake tutted as she glared down at him. Belly full of anger as her hackles rose at his apparent disregard.
"I did." Jaune nodded calmly. Going back to his meal without a care in the world. "I was more wondering where that came from."
"You murdered a child!" If the cafeteria was silent before, it was dead silent now. Everyone looking at him with surprise as he continued to calmly eat. Waiting with bated breath at what he was going to say.
"Yes. Yes, I did." He replied calmly as he continued to eat. Looking up at Blake with indifference. That unfortunately hadn't been the first time he had killed a child, and Yharnam would make sure it wasn't his last time either. His hands were steeped with blood, his dreams were torturous, and each night seemed like a competition to earn the moniker 'worst night of his life'.
Maybe a month ago he would have reacted differently. A month ago he had been a different person. Always smiling, a little bit cheeky, and with a bad crush on Weiss. He had also been a liar who would have wound up getting one of his teammates killed due to his incompetence sooner rather than later.
Now, he was more cynical, he done and seen things he wished he never had. But he still tried, he tried being kind, he tried being strong for his team, to be someone they could trust and look at with pride. When in reality he was a weak man who felt his knees buckle every night before going to bed. He felt like vomiting every time he looked himself in the mirror. Hardly able to recognise himself.
He was a weak man, but he tried his best too not be.
He had friends he could lean on. He had a mentor in Gehrman, no matter how far gone the man was. The Doll was a darling that helped keep his mind of things, being just as a fantastic listener when he needed someone to open his heart to. Studying the Arcane and reading up on blood rites were a downright joy.
"But Blake..." He sighed out, voice echoing out in the silent cafeteria. Even a pin drop could be heard from the other side in the quiet as everyone looked at them. "You are glossing over the details. Where he was, what he was, and in what state he was. We can talk about it later, no need to talk about tragic topics during dinner."
"He was a child Arc! You executed a child!" Blake seethed out; amber eyes boring into him.
"A dead child, Blake." Jaune said, voice taking on a sharper edge as his patience was beginning to wane. "He was cut in half. He was already as good as dead. Killing him was a decision that came from a place of mercy. I don't get any sick thrill from going around executing children. "
"That doesn't excuse you, Arc." Blake whispered trough gritted teeth.
"Come on~~." Nora wined out as she slumped over the table, looking up at Blake. "Get off from your high horse for a second. We were having a good time. Everyone was having a good time. Then you just had to go and open your big fucking mouth. Can't we just eat in peace?"
"How can you protect him? He killed a child?" Blake shot back, looking completely scandalised that someone would protect a child murderer.
"And you are sounding like a broken record." Nora shot back. "Take it up with him in Miss Goodwitch's class if you feel like it. If you wanna trade barbs you should at least get better arguments that parrot the same thing again and again. We get it. Jaune killed someone Ruby's age. But it was a mercy kill. Do you really see fearless leader as someone who goes out of his way to kill children?"
"Hhhmmpp." Blake harrumphed, turning around and stomping back to her team.
"Nora, No!" Jaune heard Ren shout as a pie went flying. Racing through the air on crash course with one Blake Belledone. Blake heard the shout and quickly used her semblance get to the side. The cream pie flying straight trough the clone and crashing straight into the hapless face of Yang.
The blond brawler sat dumfounded for a good moment as the pie slid down from her face and landed with a *Plop* on her half-finished meat and potatoes. "I'm so sorry Yang. Here, I can help you out. At least it's just hair." Jaune said as he smoothly scaled over the table as he made his way towards where team RWBY sat.
A step forward and meat and potatoes crashed into his face. Followed by gravy, chicken soup, fileted salmon, a stray plate of cookies, and lastly an entire tuna fish. Sliding on the gravy, Jaune crashed onto the floor. Seeing stars as he looked at the roof. Mumbling a soft "It's just hair."
"FOOD FIGHT!" A scream of both terror and excitement rang out as Jaune felt himself dragged to safety by a familiar mop of blonde hair. Everything happened in a rush as tables upon tables were stacked precariously on another. Before a gleeful Nora happily screamed out from the top. "I'm Queen of the Castle! I'm Queen of the Castle!"
"Come on, let's all just take a step back and talk this out." Jaune said as he got back up on his feet. Trying to meditate the situation before it really got out of hand.
"Silence traitor!" Nora shouted out, grabbing a watermelon and sending it crashing into his face. Knocking him of balance as he slid on a fish and crashed into another table. Ren coming to his rescue and dragging him to safety behind the 'castle' of tables, as he blinked out the stars in his vision.
Getting up and dusting himself of, Jaune looked at Ren. "Ren, my brother in arms. I think it's time for a revolt. The time of pancakes is over, let us usher in the era of healthy eating." He said quietly, offering Ren his hand with a soft smile. A plan in mind, third time was the charm, after all.
"So it would seem." Ren replied with a smile of his own, giving him a firm handshake and a resolute nod. "Well then leader, lead on."
Grabbing some bananas laying around, he smoothly vaulted up behind Nora. Snatching a stale baguette on the way up. Nora turning to look behind her, smile falling when a banana shot hit her in her stomach. Splattering on her, hand coming up to check the 'wound'. "I'm sorry my friend. But the only good pancakes, are whole grain pancakes."
Giving his friend a strong shoulder bash, Nora was launched of the castle of tables. Letting out a dramatic wailing "Nooo~~~" as she crashed before the feet of Team RWBY. "My castle!~~"
"I'm sorry, my friend. But it has to be this way." Jaune said with a shake of his head, before looking over at Weiss. Offering Weiss a kind smile, he fell back into all the times he had to be 'the villain' in her sisters plays. "Come Weiss, take my hand, and take your rightful place as my apprentice. The way of healthy eating is a pathway to many abilities, and trough me, you will find what you seek the most. A way to join the tall. To make yourself the envy of all short people. To stand taller than your mother and sister both."
Silence settled over the cafeteria as RBY and Nora looked at Weiss, whose jaw hit the floor. "Come Weiss, join us and finally realise your full height." He smiled as her icy blue eyes darted from him, his smile, to his hand before over at Pyrrha who gave her an encouraging smile before finally ending at Ruby and her team.
"How do you know about my family?" Weiss asked confused, feeling more than a little mental whiplash as everything changed so quickly. Also remembering that Jaune had never heard of the SDL before. Had he been lying? Blinking and face palming as Ruby threw herself around her feet, completely breaking her train of thought. "No Weiss! Don't listen to that liar. He wants you to eat your veggies, to give up cake!"
"Me? A Liar? You wound me, Ruby." Jaune said with a shake of his head as he stepped down from the top of the castle. Landing elegantly on the ground, with not a wrinkle on his garb. "After all, I have never lied to you have, I? Especially when the true liar is in your midst already." That made the red reaper and the girls look at him in confusion. Continuing he smiled as he saw Yang begin to sweat under his teasing smile. "After all, I never told you that milk makes you grow up. A lie, milk don't build strong bones, kids don't need milk to be healthy, and lastly, milk won't make you grow taller."
"YaaaAAAannngg." Ruby shouted as she turned to her sister with a mega pout. The girl in question feeling sweat racing down her back. Turning to her sister with a sheepish smile. "I'm sorry, ok? You never ate your veggies or anything like that when you were little…er. So I had to improweiss."
Groans ringing out at the horrible pun. Jaune didn't mind, smiling to himself. More than a little proud that his impromptu de-escalation plan worked.
"Ok peps, let's clean up before Miss Goodwitch comes." Jaune said with a smile as he clapped his hands. Third time was the charm after all, and sometimes, all you would need was a bit of drama to draw people's attention. If their attention is on you, their focus is on you. The tension in the air having completely evaporated.
"Arc, how do you know about my family?" Weiss asked, stepping closer as she gave him a sharp glare. "Oh that." He said and gave her a smile, scratching his neck in embarrassment. "Well… after the first time we talked, you made it sound like your family was super important… so I felt kind of bad for not recognising you. So… I searched up on the Schnee name, in good faith I mean. I wasn't stalking you. And, well, for a newtype family the Schnee is doing pretty ok."
"Excuse me?" Weiss exclaimed, looking completely offended as she gave him a death stare. "What do you mean newtype? And ok? I will have you know the SDC is the largest producer and exporter of dust on all of Remnant. How dare you call that just ok?"
Not having learned when to keep his mouth shut, Jaune continued. "Well, the Schnee family is kind of young? Not even older than Atlas. So while what your family has done is impressive, especially your father. Even if his methods are more than a little questionable. Well… in the grand scheme of things, the Schnee family is a young upstart at best."
"And prey tell. How old is the Arc family." Wiss seethed, looking ready to explode into a tirade as she glared at the blond idiot before her. Eyes glancing over at a frozen swordfish.
"I really don't know to be honest." Jaune shrugged nonchalantly. "We have records of fighting beside the last King of Vale, Crocea Mors even being the weapon my Great-Great Grandfather used in the great war. It might also be the first ever mechashift weapon to ever exist. But we also have records of ancestors fighting side by side by the very First King of Vale as he unified the country and established the only millennium dynasty ever to grace Remnant. We have records of fighting side by side by a religious group called 'The Circle', a type of sect that can be said to be the precursor of the modern huntsmen academies. They were popular in the 'warring eras', when there really wasn't a Vale, Mistral, or any other kingdom. Just towns and warlords. And well… we have even older records carved quite literally in stone, but none in the family can read them. Probably a language that was lost in time."
"Does that answer your question?" Jaune asked good naturally to Weiss. Dainty finger pointed shakingly at him as for the first time in his life, he made a woman speechless. Blue eyes looking around at his friends, wondering why they were all so silent. Even Ruby's jaw had hit the floor. Not having understood what it meant that Crocea Mors had been used in the great war. Also not connecting the dots that Crocea Mors may be the first ever proper mechashift weapon.
"Damn… vomit boy got legacy." Yang quipped from the side. "No wonder you ace every history assignment."
"It's cool reading about my ancestors, alright?" Jaune pouted, having spent a good, good while when he was younger almost religiously going over his family legacy. He was from a legacy of heroes. Of course he wanted to follow in their footsteps, no matter his father saying otherwise.
"But… I think we should start cleaning up. I for one would like to not have Miss Goodwitch walk in on this." Gesturing at the chaos around him. Food laying scattered around the ground, tables standing precariously on each other, a string of hot-dogs coating a chandelier. It was more than a little bit messy.
"Thank you for the sentiment, Mr Arc. However I'm afraid it's a little too late for that now." Every teenager in the cafeteria cringed when the familiar stern voice of the Glynda rang out. Stilettoes echoing as everyone turned to look at the barely concealed fury that shone on her visage.
"Don't even try." Glynda said, making Yang's mouth snap shut. "Miss Xiao-Long, Miss Valkyrie, I know who started the fight. You will both be required to clean half of the cafeteria. As for you others, you are free to go. I still have some other punishments to deal out after this is over."
"Come on…" Yang and Nora groaned in synch. Lilac and turquoise eyes going to the windows.
"Oh, and Mr Arc. That was well done." Glynda said with a little smile as she waved her riding crop. Buckets, cleaning rags and mobs coming flying in and hovering in the air. Taking a seat on a clan bench, she waved her crop again as her tea set and tea thermos came flying in. Green eyes coming over to Nora and Yang, with a silent gesture to begin.
"Welp, let's begin." Jaune sighed, laying his duster coat over a clean table before grabbing one of the levitating brooms and beginning to clean. Earning a sweet smile from Nora as both Ren and Pyrrha both sighed before following in their leaders footsteps.
"Guys! Come on." Yang whines as she looked around, finding her team nowhere to be seen. Pouting before she grabbed a whined and began cleaning.
####
A sour mood sat over Team RWBY's dorm. The usually happy and peppy Ruby laid on her bed, arms behind her head as a foot dangled freely in the air. What her father had told her playing on repeat on her mind. The food fight had done wonders for getting her mind of things, even if it was over before it really began. The second she returned to the dorm the simple question hounded her. 'Could she do the same?' she didn't envy Jaune for what he did.
She didn't have an answer either.
Ruby liked to think herself as a good person, but faced with the simple question she was left speechless. Words failing her.
Blake leaned back on her pillow, eyes not having moved from the same page for over five minutes. Clearly her mind was somewhere else. At her desk, Weiss sat and stared at an empty letter. Her mind a mess as she looked over to her letter to Winter. Eyes eventually trailing back down to a letter that read 'Dearest Father.' Having been sitting on the empty letter for a good half-hour since they made it back.
"Yo. What the fuck?" Yang asked, almost kicking down the door as she came marching in. "Why did no one help me clean?" She whined as she stepped into the bathroom, wanting to finally clean her hair. Having had cream in her hair far, far too long.
'Goddamn Miss Goodwitch. Always the hardass.' She silently seethed, her each and every attempt of skiving of cleaning the cafeteria having been shoot down before it even began. Not to mention the worst part that she had to clean half. Half! Nora did the other half, but she had her team helping her. They finished up before she even knew what happened. Leaving her alone with Miss Hardass. Who stayed true to her namesake, calmly sitting and drinking her tea all the while making sure she didn't weasel out.
"Ugh, my hair is ruined." Yang seethed, pushing the burning anger aside as she calmly gathered her hair products and started to clean her hair almost religiously. Rinsing her hair for what felt like the nth time this evening, she sat down her hair dryer. Lilac eyes bleeding red as she glared bloody murder at her reflection. It wasn't bad per se. Her hair was in fact beautiful and glossy, shining like the sun.
But it wasn't her hair.
It didn't have its usual fluffiness, it didn't look like a lions mane, it didn't feel light and breezy as she liked it.
Taking a deep breath, she fell back to her anger management classes she did when younger. Knowing she was a ticking timebomb with her belly full of anger. For once being the 'adult' and doing her best to calm down. Grabbing her stress ball and starting to squeeze it in step with her breathing. Squeezing it until it was almost bursting as she took a deep breath, and calmly letting the ball go together with her breath.
Doing her routine until she felt a good deal calmer she took one last deep breath, before stepping out of the bathroom.
"Ok, what the fuck?" She started as she glared at her team. Ruby flinching slightly from her place on her bed. Weiss gave her a nonchalant look before going back to her letter, having managed to set her pen on the paper, but seemingly lacking the strength to move it.
"I repeat. What the fuck? Why didn't anyone one help me?" Yang exclaimed, lilac eyes almost bled red as she glared at her team and sister. Before finally landing on the one Blake Belladonna who rolled her eyes and went back to her book. "Don't roll your eyes at me, partner. What the fuck was that? I can understand not liking someone. But that doesn't explain why you went out of your way to cause a scene. With vomit boy no less! As far as I'm aware the only conversation you have ever had is nodding when looking at one another. How the fuck you go from nodding at one another in greeting once in a while too what the fuck he did for you to bite into him like that. There is clearly something going on behind my back. And I want answers."
"Xiao-Long is right." Weiss said calmly, almost chillingly as she gracefully sat her pen down. Turning around to look at them. Resting her finger on her chin as she looked between Ruby and Blake. "Can it have something to do with what happened yesterday? Both Ruby and Blake were late. I also spotted Ruby and Arc taking a bullhead to Vale earlier today."
"You aren't dating vomit boy, are you?" Yang asked worriedly, head snaping to her sister who gave her a deadpan look. "No, no." Ruby defended with a slight blush. "You are getting it all wrong. Me and Jaune went out for breakfast with dad. And I'm not dating Jaune, he is… well he is like the brother I never knew I needed."
"Friendzoned already? Sheesh sis." Yang said with a teasing smile, making her sister squirm in her bed and blush more. "No, No! You are reading too much into it. There is nothing between Jaune and I." Ruby exclaimed as she pouted, before looking thoughtful for a second and shrugging. "Not to mention I don't think Jaune is in the right mental state to date right now."
Yang looked ready to continue before frowning and shaking her head. "Ok, I'm getting side tracked. What happened."
"Blake has detention with Miss Goodwitch… and she is on temporary house arrest." Ruby said softly, earning a startled gasp from the heiress and her sister. But no one was as surprised as Blake. "What! When did I get house arrest? They can't do that to me!"
"You stomped out of Ozpin's office before he could tell you." Ruby said as she looked at her red-faced roommate. Ignoring Yang's whistle. "If you had stayed a minute longer, I don't think you would have gotten it. And I'm pretty sure the headmaster of a combat academy can freely give out house arrests to misbehaving students."
"That is cool and all. But..." Yang started, doing her best to meditate the situation. Flinching when Weiss explode, completely red faced as she stared bloody death at Blake. "What do you mean she got house arrest! Do you have the slightest idea what that means!"
"Calm down, Weisscream. It's just detention. It could be worse. Don't be such a hardass." Yang tried, feeling her eyebrow twitch as she tried using humour to make MT. Schnee calm down. It didn't work.
"I will not! And I'm certainly not being a hardass. Detention is fine." Weiss spat as she glared daggers at Yang. "Detention don't harm our imagine. Detention won't stop us from practicing in the Vytal festival. House arrest on the other hand, can. It means that the teachers don't trust her. There is a difference between youthful enthusiasm and doing something stupid to get detention. Making the teachers unable to trust you is something else entirely. That's not stupid. It's advanced stupid."
"Yes, yes, we get it. I'm sure our neighbours get it as well." Yang sighed, feeling the familiar bubbling anger rising as she did her best to smile and take it. "Blake fucked up. It's understandable. Shit happens. It's not like she went and blew up the docks or anything."
"Funny you should mention that." Ruby coughed from upon her bed.
"That was you?!" Weiss shrieked as she gave Blake a look. "Do you have any idea how pissed dad was! He has been yelling at me since the moment I woke up and answered the scroll call! He wasn't just pissed, he was apocalyptic!"
"Of course the prissy rich girl only cares about her dad nagging at her." Blake snarked back, laying down her book as she looked at Weiss. "What, it's the only thing coming out from your mouth like a broken record. 'Dad yelled!', 'Dad is angry our sales are down this month.', 'Our profits this quarter are bad, oh no~, the world is going under.' Is money and influence all you care about? So typical Schnee."
"You listen here. I will not let a naïve idealist mouth of on things she has absolutely no idea about." Weiss stormed towards Blake, glaring bloody death at Yang when she refused to budge. Taking a deep breath she gave Blake an absolute chilling look, one which her father would be proud of. "It's not the money. It's about the dust. Who cares if a container or two was stolen in the chaos. The problem is that over half of the shipment went up in flames. Half! Do you have the slightest idea how lucky we are to be alive? Dust in that magnitude exploding could have flattened half of Vale. If not more! Should the wrong types of elements have mixed. That's not to mention how bad this will hit the city! That shipment was meant to last the month out, so the SDC could have prepared and sent another care package to end the dust shortage before it began! Now it's all up in flames! And the dust shortage will be even worse! So it's not about the money."
Taking deep breaths, Weiss panted red faced at Blake who looked uncaringly back. Shrugging and looked on impassively. A cruel glint shining in Weiss eyes as she smirked at Blake.
"So that is what you tore into Arc for. I heard through the grapevine that a team of huntsmen-in-training arrived and tock stock of the scene. Making the police have an easier time. I heard it was quite the bloodbath as well." Weiss said with forced calmness, leaning on her desk as she gave Blake a piercing look. "But it's not that, is it. It isn't because Arc took the glory that you think should have bene yours. No, it's because they were Faunus. The 'child' you mentioned was a Faunus. Had it been a human you wouldn't have cared, but it wasn't. Instead it was a young faunus that had joined the White Fang's raid."
"You listen here you ice-bitch." Blake seethed as she stomped towards Weiss. Using her semblance to quickly slip by Yang who moved to stop her. "How dare you. How dare you. You weren't there! You didn't see literal swats of fauns dying in doves. You didn't see Jaune heartlessly put a bullet through a poor kid's skull."
"Poor? Have you lost your mind?!" Weiss bit back, feeling her temper rising. "He was White Fang, on a White Fang raid, on private property. He was a terrorist performing terrorism! How is that poor?"
"Shut! UP!" Yang snapped, hair exploding into a violent inferno as she forced herself between Weiss and Blake. Both looking ready to tear the other apart with their hands. Burning red eyes angrily snaping between the girls. "Shut. The fuck. Up." Yang spat as she glared at them. "Did Ruby see it?"
"See what?" Blake shrugged nonchalantly as she glared at her partner. Making Yang take a deep breath before she caved her partners skull in. "Blake, listen, and listen carefully. My sister, out of the goodness of her heart, went out of her way to be out after curfew because she cares about you. And I swear to whatever god that you believe in. If. If you exposed my sister to a bloodbath, because you have a hate boner against the White Fang or whatever-"
"I don't hate the Fang. They are misguided!" Blake spat out affronted. Cutting of what Yang was going to say.
"Misguided! They are terrorists! They have attacked Atlesian military bases! They execute their prisoners! When I turned ten, they sent me a 'gift' of one of my friends being brutalized before being executed. She was ten! How dare you call them misguided." Weiss spat; cheeks red from fury as she looked ready to throw herself at the girl. "If the White Fang is misguided, them by your logic my father is a saint!"
"I don't care!" Yang spat out. Instantly silencing both girls as they turned and glare at her. "I don't care about the Fang! I don't care about the dust! The city could go to hell tomorrow and I wouldn't care!" Burning red eyes stared into yellow as Blake flinched and looked to the side. "I care about Ruby. I care more about Ruby's wellbeing than my own. And if she entered an active combat zone by following you, I will hold you responsible."
"Where is Ruby, actually?" Weiss asked, looking around the room. Not finding hide nor hair of her partner in the dorm. Making the blonde brawler look around in confusion.
*Knock knock. *
"Who is that?" Weiss asked, forcing herself to swallow her anger. Being 'mature' enough to not let it out on others. Looking over at her team and finding them not moving, instead they were staring at her like it was obvious she was going to open the door. Sighing and marching over to the door. Opening it, Weiss blinked, eyebrow twitching as she came face to face with Jaune's chest.
"What?" She grits out. Familiar pang of frustration making her fiery anger almost explode. Only kept in check by pure determination, and having been taught long ago that you don't let your anger explode on others. Lest she would be no better than her father.
"Hi, I just wanted to ask you to tone it down a bit." Jaune said with a strained smile as he looked over her and took in their room. "The walls can be quite thin. And while I understand team's have their arguments. Screaming your throats hoarse on a Saturday evening feels a bit uncalled for, don't it. We heard you from the other side of the hallway, I feel sorry for your neighbours."
Cringing Weiss sighed, pushing past the anger she felt. "We… we will try to tone it down."
"Thank you." Jaune said with a smile. "But do you know where Ruby is?" Weiss continued. Earning a sigh from the tall blond as he gave her a strained smile. "Yes, I'm actually here because of her. Can I come in?"
"I don't think that would be a good idea." Weiss said as calmly as she could. "Things are quite… tense. At the moment."
Closing the door, Jaune gave her his strained smile as he shook his head and put his foot in. "I wasn't asking." He said before bulldozing his way into the room. Effortlessly pushing her to the side.
"Yo, vomit boy. What are you doing?" Yang called out when Jaune went over to her sisters bed and grabbed the matters. Bending it in two with pillows and blankets tucked safely inside. Sighing he looked over his shoulder and gave her a look. "Yang. Your sister came bursting into our dorm with tears in her eyes, saying she didn't feel safe with her roommates fighting. I don't know about you, but I'm not letting Ruby sleep here tonight if she doesn't feel safe. If she can face grimm with no problem but feel unsafe around her teammates, then you really need to get your shit together."
"Wha-"
"I don't want to hear it Yang." Jaune said cutting her of before she could really begin. "I'm not even disappointed, I'm disgusted at your behaviour. And that includes everyone. Weiss, I'm glad that you are worried enough for Ruby that you can ask for her. It warm's my heart that you care about her. But Ruby have tried day in and day out to reach out to you, giving you more chances you rightly deserve. Blake, that Ruby, your team leader, doesn't feel safe around you should be telling enough. And Yang… you are her sister; you should be there for her when she is in trouble. And what did you do? Did you even notice?"
Shaking his head, Jaune took a deep breath as he looked over them. Only Weiss looked ashamed. Yang's eyes were burning red as she was hyperventilating on the spot. Looking ready to throw herself at him. And Blake, Blake had the audacity to look like nothing was her fault. That she was right in doing what she did. Not understand how her actions caused the fractures in her team to blow up.
"Fuck you Jaune!" Yang seethed, marching up to his face. Finger slamming into his chest. "What gives you the right to come here and start shit. Get out. You are not welcome here."
"I will." Jaune said calmly, pissing Yang off even more. Because how dared he? Storming in here and laying into her like he knew best?
"I only needed the mattress; we have extra toiletries in our dorm." Jaune said as he carried the mattress under his arm.
"And what gives me the right? Yang. I have seven sisters. I'm third oldest, without counting Lily, my twin. Dad was constantly busy, rarely home, and when he was, he and mom were 'busy' with each other instead of us. Mom did her best to take care of the house, she tried her best, she really did. But eight kids are still eight kids. Where do you think my siblings went when they wanted anything? To me. I cooked, cleaned, took care of the house, chaperoned my sisters, helped with dance rehearsals, marched my sisters to and from school, everything without complaining. I had less than five hours a week to myself. And I don't regret it for a second." Jaune explained calmly, a soft smile on his face the entire time. "So Yang, what gives me the right? Nothing. But you are clearly failing. And Ruby needs help, so if you won't step up. I will."
With his piece said Jaune opened the door and calmly stepped out. Politely closing the door after himself. Leving the only sound in the otherwise quiet dorm room being Yang's angry breathing.
*Knock Kncok.*
Marching over to the door with a belly full of anger, Yang tore the door open with a thunderous "What!" Anger spluttering out as she looked into the cold eyes of Miss Goodwitch.
"Your neighbours have sent in multiple noise complaints, not to mention I could hear you shouting from the entrance." Glynda said, a sharp edge in her tone as she stepped into the room. Waving her riding crop to make the door close with a loud *Smash.*
"It's not my place to say, but here." Glynda said, fingers tapping on her scroll as she sent three quick mails. "I have given you all access to the guest rooms, if you are not able to be close to one other without coming to blows, its best you be separated to think on what you have done. You are huntresses-in-training. Not children. Act like it. Disagreements are fine, they are expected even. But there is a difference between disagreement and almost coming to blows."
Weiss huffed but nodded, and so did Yang. Blake looking on impassively.
"That leads me to the other reason I came." Glynda said calmly as she turned to give Blake a look. "Miss Belladonna, you had detention with me from dinner until evening in classroom 5-a."
"I wasn't notified of it." Blake said calmly.
"Miss Belladona, if you think you can lie straight to my face you are sorely mistaken. You were sent a mail, including the details of your detentions, its duration and how often you will have them. If you are unable to read a simple mail, how can you be trusted in the field?" Glynda said with more heat than she meant. Sighing and taking a deep breath and giving the 'hidden' cat faunus a look. "Today's detention will be moved till tomorrow. It will be your last chance."
'Should you want the redemption you seek.' Went unsaid. Gulping, Blake nodded reluctantly as she looked into the cold, unmoving eyes of Glynda.
"Good, then I will see you tomorrow. Goodnight, ladies." As quick as she came, Glynda was gone. Taking with her the anger that burned under their skin. Leaving only hollow pangs of emptiness. Tired eyes dryly looking around the room.
It looked no different, but it was like for the first time in weeks they could see. How cold and dead the dorm really felt. A shiver racing down Weiss spine as a sickening thought creeped into her. 'Even the mansion home in Atlas felt more like 'home''.
"Excuse me." Weiss sharply called out as she grabbed her sleeping gown and toiletries. "I will be taking Glynda up on her offer. I need to calm my head."
Without looking back she marched over to the guest rooms and took the room she had been given. Throwing her clothes at the bed she marched into the bathroom. Staring at her reflection.
Her eyes were cold and cruel, a smug sadistic smile on her face as she swirled a glass of expensive champagne in her hand. Dressed in a beautifully expensive dress that would cost most of the average person's life savings. A familiar hand on her shoulder as Jacques Schnee smiled at her. Eyes devoid of their usual coldness as they instead were filled with pride.
Buckling, Weiss hurried over to the toilet. Making it just in time as her lunch and dinner came spewing forth. Puking until she felt empty, only to buckle again as bile shot out of her mouth as she collapsed on the edge of the toilet. An empty, hollow "What have I done?" Escaping her lips as she looked up at the ceiling.
Not having the strength to move in the slightest as the argument played on repeat in her mind. A shiver racking her body as her words echoed in her mind. 'It's because they were Faunus.' She knew how sensitive Blake was about the topic, and she had gone out of her way to make her words hurt. 'Dad would be proud.' She smiled self-depreciatively.
####
"Now, if you are going to be sleeping over. Quick rules." Nora said excitedly as she handed Ruby the list of 'house rules'. Tears having dried up, even if her eyes were still red and puffy.
"Thank you." Ruby said weakly as she read of the paper, glancing over at Pyrrha and Ren who were busy playing a video game. Giving her soft, comforting smiles when they caught her looking before going back to their game. Jaune off by his desk reading an old worn book with a name she had to squint to read out.
'The Hunter's Arcane Orthodoxy: Trophies, how to make them, and how to use them.' An extremely long-winded name, and she felt tired just reading the title. But Jaune was happily humming along as he read. Pen flying over the pages in his notebook as he scribbled down something once in a while.
It wasn't much, but it felt warm and safe. Not like the biting coldness she felt when in her own dorm room.
"Why is, don't wake Jaune a rule?" Ruby muttered tiredly. Feeling drained and empty. Glad that Jaune had taken one look at her when she fled, not wanting to stay surrounded by anger any longer, and just taken her inn before going over to get her things.
A pin drop could be heard in the silence that followed.
"Ehh, Jaune is a heavy sleeper, and even grumpier morning person. I think you could fire a round in the room and he would sleep trough it." Nora said with a shrug. "If something happens during the night, and you get a nightmare or something. It will be easier to just wake Ren or Pyrrha. They might complain but they will help you get what you need."
"Fair enough." Ruby shrugged, to emotionally drained to argue with the overly energic bomber.
"Really, you should worry more about Jaune's snoring." Nora grinned.
"I don't' snore." Jaune defended. Looking affronted at his team. Expression sinking as he looked at Ren and Pyrrha.
"You do." Ren nodded.
"You… kinda snore." Pyrrha gently laughed.
"I don't snore… do I?" Jaune asked softly.
"Don't worry Fearless leader, you got the cutest honk mimimimi snore. It's more adorable than annoying, so don't worry." Nora said, fishing out her scroll and opening a video. It was a video of Jaune sleeping, and he was indeed snoring honk mimimimi.
"Snnrgk!" Ruby snorted as she doubled over in laughter.
Outside Team JNPR's door stood Yang, hand raised up to knock, but not finding to courage to do so. Hand falling lamely to the side as she heard her sisters carefree laughter echo out.
'How long had it been since Ruby laughed like that?' She thought, cringing when she couldn't remember anywhere but before Beacon. Lamely she stepped back into the empty dorm room. Blake having followed Weiss's example and skedaddled out. Taking her sleeping clothes and one of her books that totally wasn't smut with her.
Closing the door behind her, Yang crawled lamely into bed. Staring listlessly at the ceiling. The all to familiar hollowness inside being her only comfort as stray tears trailed down.
Anger was warm, anger was easy. Anger had been a constant friend since she was little. The hollowness was just as familiar if not more so. How many friendships had she fucked up because her temper got the best of her? She had long since lost count.
"When did it all go so wrong?" Yang weakly muttered as the familiar bout of self-loathing sprouted in her chest. A constant companion since forever, always worming it's way into her heart from the embers and hollowness her anger left behind.
####
Note: For those who were looking forward to the Blake v Jaune confrontation. Don't worry. This was the first blow.
Note: I got a comment about how Elden ring uses 'mediums', and while true. Thematically it wouldn't really fit into bloodborne to just give him a sigil and say, go sling spells now. But don't worry, we are just getting introduced to the Orthodox magic system. There is still an Unorthodox section that I'm working on. It will eventually be introduced. This isn't a gamer fic where new abilities are introduced in rapid succession only to be forgotten about.
Note: For the Arc family I decided to just make them as old as dirt, instead of super influential or anything else that I have seen in other fics. Just an old as dirt clan with records dating back, far.
Ps: I was really thinking about doing a little short about Blake. But I couldn't really find the words and it came out meh. So the chapter ends where it ends instead of adding a half hearted paragraphs that takes away from the chapter instead.
