Chapter 29: A Toe in the Deep End
When Jaune woke, a hot tear squeezed out of the corner of his eye and slid down the side of his face. A product of the tension nestled comfortably in back of his mind. The cruel memory of last night infected his thoughts in an instant, as though it had been in wait of his awakening, ready to jump him. That night was with him. A night he would remember for the rest of his life.
Jaune turned his head to take in the surreal reality that was his room. Same couch and scattered clothes, some textbooks and unwashed bowls, the television looping sounds of the ocean. Nothing abnormal. Nothing out of place. He almost thought everything from last night was just some horrible fever dream.
But Jaune was no fool. Not anymore. It had been real. It had happened. His orders were clear. How could they not be? They weren't exactly the kind of words you brushed off and forgot in a few days. When the men in black dropped him off at home, alone in the night, his aunt's fate unknown, Jaune had made himself accept one very important thing. He pondered it as he stood in shower, replaying his latest experience over and over, feeling cold even beneath the scalding water. He thought about it as he lay in bed, gasping and startling at every sound in the night, and praying on the mercy of sleep. Then sleep had come, and he closed his eyes, being certain of a new truth…
He had dipped his toe in deep waters, judged himself ready, and dived in, having no clue how to swim. There was no escaping these waters now. He had two choices, paddle or drown, and that choice more or less made itself.
It made Jaune wonder if living through last night had truly been the better turnout.
Jaune eased out of bed, holding himself steady with his left hand, while his right rested in a badly made sling, still pulsing with ache. The fabric of his pajama pants rubbed the scars on his knees, and he recalled how they'd stung in shower, and how they'd gotten there in the first place. Forced to his knees, a small audience, the end of the line in plain sight.
Jaune checked his phone. No new messages. He saw that Mystery's messages had still gone unanswered, and that she had not offered any new ones since. He felt the need to rectify that, to call her for the first time ever and apologize, to make things right. But now simply wasn't the time. Later, though. Absolutely later.
For now, he had orders. Resume normal life. Go to school. Pretend nothing had ever happened. So he got dressed for class, which sounded like a vacation next to his long and terrifying adventure through Qrow's heart. Closest thing to hell he'd ever seen. Funny how legions of twisted, demonic, eldritch abominations were many times less immediately terrifying than men in a black suits. Or it would have been funny had Jaune been able to laugh.
Once upstairs, he found no sign that his aunt was home. He didn't hear her on the phone, or humming some old song, no smell of burnt coffee. Jaune looked into her room but she wasn't there, and seeing that empty bed made him think it might be empty forever. What had the organization done to her? What were they still doing to her? Interrogation, torture? Had they given her the same choices they had him? Was she now a corpse floating in the sea, or boiled to mulch in acid? A hundred horrors spun around in his mind, but they were pulled from the same root. That his Aunt was dead or suffering right now, and all because of her stupid, stupid son. Nephew. Her stupid nephew.
Jaune's heart lurched as he got a message. He fumbled it open, hand shaking, and saw that it was from an unknown with no number attached.
"Jaune, are you awake? It's Auntie."
Jaune had to put the phone on the counter just to read it clearly. Was it truly? Could it be a ploy by the organization? He didn't really see the point in it, but the organization was nothing if not mysterious. This could be his aunt. But there was no guarantee. Thankfully, he didn't have to deduce the truth for very long.
"I'll be home this afternoon. Cinder will pick you, Ruby, and Neptune up after school. Go nowhere else. You'll be followed. Talk to no one else. They'll be listening. No messaging, either. They'll be monitoring our cellular activity. Act normal and we'll talk soon, alright? Don't respond to this message. Break your phone and throw it away."
Jaune never would have thought to look at an instant message and feel near paralyzed with fear, but he had learned only too recently that real fear often came from the most unexpected places. What else could he do, in this case? Act normal, she'd said, just like the Superior had. Seemed unfair somehow. Who could act normal after all of this? Jaune's hands shook as found the toolbox under the sink, pulled the hammer, pounded his phone until it was almost dust, then scraped it into the trash. It didn't make him feel safer. Far from it, actually. He kept thinking those men in black would return in the night, and now without a phone, Jaune would have no means to call the police or his aunt. Then again, who was to say such options for self-preservation would be effective? He had no idea how much influence or how much power the organization really had. And that had been his mistake.
He had underestimated them. He'd been a rat nipping at the heels of an elephant until it finally got annoyed enough to stomp him flat. Now, he felt their eyes and ears everywhere, and Jaune doubted they'd go away anytime soon. If they ever did.
With a shaky hand, made himself breakfast and ate in silence. He chewed his cereal as quietly as possible,
The organization could, and probably was, listening.
The school courtyard was filled with early risen cliques of the student body. All waiting for the doors to open. The air was alive with a hundred unintelligible conversions, random words and peals of laughter occasionally breaking through, hundreds of lives thriving in ignorant bliss. Such was their blessing. How Jaune envied them now.
Meeting up with Neptune before the school doors certainly didn't help any. There was no comfort to be found even among friends, as strange as that was to admit. Jaune spotted Neptune under a tree at the edge of the courtyard, hiding in the shadows, and no need to ask from whom. Jaune tried to portray a picture of strength as he approached him, but it wasn't an effective image with a broken arm.
Jaune had no idea how to start a conversation after a night like the last, so he simply said, "Hey," Because how else did you open up a situation this awkward?
"Hey?" Neptune said, then hushed his voice, looked around anxiously. "What do you mean hey?"
"Hey is usually used as a kind of greeting…" Jaune muttered, but Neptune's scared face made him drop the pretense soon enough. "What else am I supposed to say? Did you get any sleep?"
"Not a wink. You?"
"I managed."
"Of course you would…"
"What does that mean?"
Neptune sighed. "It means I'm not as brave as you. Someone points a gun at my head, I piss myself. Sorry for being normal. We can't all be Mister Fearless,"
Jaune pursed his lips and lowered his head. Fearless, huh? If only you knew.
There was a pause. The sound of other students going about their regular business was all that was heard for a while. Then Neptune said, "You get your aunt's message you?"
Jaune glanced around, though he wasn't sure where to look. One would think men in black would be pretty distinct in public, but they had a knack for not being in sight, and that was assuming they even wore black while spying. Didn't really make sense to. Could one of them be Coach Port, who was just now getting out of his car and winking at some senior girls? Could one be some random stranger, sitting in his car, talking on his phone? Might one agent have transformed into this very tree somehow, listening to their conversation? Jaune even found himself suspecting his peers, glancing over the various groups for any sign of intrigue. Who was to say that there weren't Whispers his age, littered amongst his classmates, documenting every rumor, every secret, every detail, then feeding it to the Superior? The more he thought about it, the more he distrusted everyone and everything around him.
Jaune stepped closer to Neptune and whispered, "Not here. The three of us should meet up at my house after class. Cinder will pick us up."
"Three? But what about—" and Neptune froze, his eyes focused behind Jaune.
Jaune turned to see who he was looking at, who was approaching them. Yang.
But instead of the expected grimace of anger and poorly veiled threat of being physically assaulted, she looked very much like someone lost adrift at sea and desperate for help from anyone. She came up to them with this emptiness in her eyes, like she'd seen things that could never be forgotten, and had shifted her understanding of the world forever. Indeed, because she had. Jaune felt that pile of guilt grow ever noticeably heavier as she stopped before them, to the point where he almost couldn't look her in the eyes. Only then did he see that she was just barely holding back tears, looking at him beggingly, as if she was hoping for him to alleviate her worries. It was the third time he'd seen Yang cry in the two months he'd known her. The first time in that gym, when he'd learned everything that sent him on this rabbit hole of a journey.
The second time was last night.
The agents were on him fast.
One moment, Jaune had resurfaced, his supernatural strength leaving him, his aunt's unconscious body heavier on his back. A short lived struggle, for he felt her suddenly be pulled away from him, barely getting out a shout of protest before two tall men in black suits seized his arms, yanked them behind his back. Jaune struggled, but it was in vain, as he felt something fasten his wrists together. He pulled and grunted and strained, but it was about as effective as trying to pull a push only door.
The two men took him by the upper arms, their grips strong and painful as bear traps and began to lead him through the garden. Ruby's backyard, he now noticed. He cast about in search of Aunt Peach, then saw her being laid down on a gurney by some men who definitely did not look like nurses or doctors. Oobleck was whispering to one of them.
Jaune roared and kicked to no avail. "Let her go! Let her go, you assholes!" But as if the agents couldn't hear him, they dragged him toward the house, Jaune only able to watch as he was taken further and further from Peach until the door shut behind them.
"What's going on!?" Jaune yelled.
They burst through the back door, down the short hall, through the kitchen, into the living room. And Jaune gasped.
He first saw Yang and Taiyang, both sitting on the broken couch, and who'd turned to look at him, equally scared, equally shocked. To see Jaune or to see him being escorted by force into their home by two mean looking suits? Maybe the former, because by the number of agents in the house, they no doubt had time to get used to them.
They didn't do much but stand, likely where they'd been ordered, hands clasped in front of them, emotionless faces staring at nothing in particular. Two for every possible exit, even the stairs. Jaune entertained the idea that they were here for everyone's protection. That somehow a Grimm had escaped a Heart World or something and targeted the Rose-Xiao Long family. It certainly sounded better than the prospect of everyone being hostages, which was far more likely.
"Jaune!" Ruby's voice drew his attention like a birdsong leads along a mate. She was sitting in a lone chair, notably away from her family, one agent standing at her side, and looking very much like he did not intend for her to go anywhere. Ruby glanced at him in fear and chose the wise option not to get up. But she was safe, thank god. Unhurt. But what about the others?
He saw them just as he was dragged into the center of the living room, hard hands pressed on his shoulders and made him drop to his knees with surprising strength. Beside him, Neptune and Cinder were in the same position.
Neptune's eyes were red-rimmed, as if he'd just gotten through a fit of crying. Which might have seemed a touch dramatic, but then Jaune saw the fresh burn on the side of his cheek, as if someone had dragged a stick of hot iron the size of a thumb across it. Jaune balanced at the floor to find a hole in the floorboards. It certainly hadn't gotten past him, the smell of gun residue in the air, and the fact that every agent in the room was armed. Had Neptune tried to fight, then almost made an example of? Why?
Neptune looked both relieved and terrified, but mostly the latter. "Jaune, you're—"
"Quiet!" snapped one of the agents, so viciously that Neptune scurried back into place and lowered his head.
Cinder managed to wear an expression close to boredom, as if this situation was completely normal for her. Banal, even. She, unsurprisingly, did not obey the orders of the men with the guns and spoke as if they were the children here, interfering in serious adult business. "Honestly, is all of this pretension truly necessary? You're embarrassing yourselves. This was a sanctioned dive, ordered by the Superior himself. You have no right to arrest us in this manner."
The agent before them looked her way, eyebrows creasing. "You are ordered to be silent, agent."
"The girl experienced a drop. It happens. None of this is worth all this fuss. Surely you grown men have better things to do than meddling in such tiny matters?"
"I will warn you only once more. Hold your tongue."
Cinder raised her chin up ever more arrogantly, as if the agent was the one on his knees and subject to her authority. "It would seem you fools are unaware of my station! I can assure you I am of senior rank to you and all your overcompensating companions. Only look up my file. Before you make a fool of yourself any further, I suggest you release me and acquaintances forthwith. I'm feeling generous tonight so I will grant you mercy of a warning—"
The agent's arm whipped so fast it was black blur. There was a harsh crack. A shriek- from her or Jaune himself? Cinder's face was flung back so hard that he feared her head would come popping off like the screw-cap of a bottle. Only then, did Jaune notice the agent held his pistol in the hand he'd used, meaning he had struck her with the end of it. Cinder flopped onto the floor, hair splashing, but didn't stay there long. Another agent yanked her back up and made her face her assaulter, a cut in her temple starting to ooze blood.
The two glared theue hatred into one another, testing their competing silence. Cinder looked very close to snapping, but she kept her silence, probably plotting out the best way to murder the agent.
And that was enough to give Jaune a helping of terrifying perspective. If Cinder was not lying in her claim of being a highly ranked agent, and these apparent lower ranks had no reservations about holding her against her will, then he could only imagine what they'd do to Neptune or Ruby and her family.
The front door opened, but there was no savior on the end of it. Oobleck strode into the room, cleaning his glasses with a cloth, his hawkish eyes scanning over the room like a computer program working out a new string code. The sound of a car pulling off flowed in for a moment before the door was closed. A car that was no doubt taking his aunt away. But away to where? A hospital? A grave? Jaune was ready to demand answers, but he was not about to take a gun to the face. Not until he had to.
The room adopted a long silence. The family members exchanged glances of confusion and worry, hoping for thus all to be some huge misunderstanding. Jaune's team trades glances of fear and anticipation, knowing damn well there was no misunderstanding to speak of. The agents' faces were hard as stones, giving nothing away. A dozen killer automatons, waiting on Oobleck's orders.
Oobleck glanced at Jaune, singling him out amongst them all, as though he were the villain behind all this unfortunate business. Having forced the good guys to take drastic action. Jane had to wonder if that was true in some way. The man's lip curled with disappointment, and that only reinforced the idea.
Oobleck slipped his glasses on, took two purposeful strides toward the family. He tilted his head toward Tai. "Taiyang, my old friend. I would say it's been a long time, but we saw each other rather recently, did we not? My condolences again for Qrow's unfortunate accident."
Jaune adopted about as much shock as Tai, but for entirely different reasons. He saw the disbelief in Tai's slack face, could hear the wheels turning in his head, trying to make sense of it. And failing. "Bart, what… What the hell is all of this? What's going on here?"
Oobleck offered a weak smile. "Consider this something of a safety measure. Certain events of late have put your family at serious risk. I, and indeed these gentlemen about, are simply here to protect you. To protect us all."
"I don't feel fucking safe," said Yang, trying to sound angry. She likely was, but fear had a habit of outweighing rage.
"My apologies for that. We take our jobs very seriously. Is there anything we can do right now to ease your concerns? I'm afraid we have a long night ahead of us."
Tai seemed to calm slightly, but he still watched the various agents, big fists balled. "Let Ruby come sit with us. Whatever is going on, she's not involved."
Oobleck did not answer him for a long moment. "Rest assured, Taiyang. Your daughter will be returned to you safe and whole. After she has been questioned."
Taiyang's eyebrows came down hard. "Questions? What could Ruby possibly know about," he stammered for the right word, "any of this!? What even is all of this about, Bart? First, Yang comes telling me Ruby just up and vanishes. I call the police, and not thirty minutes later, your men come barging into my house. Take us captive in our own home. And refuse to tell us why! I'm the one with questions, Bart!" He shook his head. "More questions than I can think of!"
Jaune felt a surge of pity for the man, and that fed into the steady pile of guilt forming in his throat. One moment, life is normal and sensible. The next you're caught in a web of secret government business, supernatural phenomena, and underworld conspiracy. There was no way to ease him into it all. Perhaps that was the very reason people weren't meant to know. The simple uprooting of their understanding of the world would be enough to break even the strongest of wills.
"And it is in your best interest that such questions remain mysterious to you. Both for your safety and peace of mind. All you need to know is that your daughter has accidentally found herself involved with…" Oobleck gestured to Jaune, Neptune, and Cinder. "These individuals. All of whom are involved in activities you are safer not knowing of. What your daughter knows puts her in serious danger. We are simply here to ensure your lives continue unimpeded by these unfortunate consequences. We are here to help, old friend. Do you understand?"
Tai looked at Jaune, and he could only lower his head in shame, knowing Oobleck spoke the truth.
"I suppose," grunted Tai.
"Then we can get straight to settling these matters, and to putting this unfortunate business behind us." Oobleck nodded to one of the agents. "Escort Miss Rose to the car."
A horrible surge of horror ran up Jaune's back, forced him to jump to his feet. "Leave her alone! It's my fault. She has nothing to do with this!" A boot checked him in the back of the knee, dropping him once again. "Please!"
Oobleck ignored him and looked toward Tai. "She will not be harmed. She is innocent of any crime. Our Superior only wishes to know what she knows. That we may understand the extent of protection we need to provide."
Tai looked utterly lost, wanting desperately to take back his baby girl, but knowing he was entirely powerless. The confusion never left his face, only grew into greater fear. "Bart, I thought you were a doctor."
"I am, yes." Oobleck said, "As far as you are concerned."
Ruby was hoisted to her feet by one of the guards, her eyes misty as she was led off, not at all restrained like Jaune was, but no less trapped. Taken to the Superior? Nothing about that could be good. He had to do something! He had to protect her.
"You don't understand! Please, it's not her fault!" Jaune argued to Oobleck directly.
"Quiet, boy." commanded the agent behind him his guard.
"Fuck you!" Ruby's escort yanked her by the arm hard, making her yelp in pain. Jaune did not have to think too hard about biting out his neck. He lunged at the bastard. No plan in mind. Just the desperate need to keep Ruby safe driving him. To feel like he could wrestle some control of this insanity.
That could not have been more of a mistake.
The agent's grip was iron, so he got nowhere. But worse, the man had pressed his other hand hard on Jaune's shoulder, and Jaune felt something shift, loosen. He heard and felt the wet pop.
And he was screaming.
First into the air, then muffled as he was planted on his face, his nose on the floor, screaming into it, tears pricking at his eyes as fire consumed Jaune's shoulder. Bloody snot bubbled out of his nose and his hatred with it. His broken arm in perpetual pain, still fastened behind his back.
Jaune glared through his tears at Oobleck, who stared down with that same disappointment, and a strange, yet unmistakable pity. "I warned you, did I not, Mister Arc?"
"You're moving?" asked Sun, bewildered.
Everyone at the lunch table leaned toward the sisters, gasping, incredulous, fascinated by the story of their family's sudden need to move. The story which had been fabricated and forced upon them by the organization. They might not have said why this was necessary, but Jaune already had his suspiscions.
They were confiscating Ruby's dive point.
It would only make sense. The sudden appearance of a new Heart World, one an associated civilian had accidentally dropped into? Sounded very similar to a manhole with the lid missing. A hazard to the people's safety. And, such heroes as they were, it was their moral obligation to close off that deathtrap, or at least keep folk from getting near it. It made sense to Jaune, at least. And it seemed they would get what they wanted. Jaune had a feeling the organization always got what it wanted.
"Get into another fight, did you?" asked Weiss, having slid away from the group to address him.
Jaune curled the fingers of his busted arm, feeling tiny painful pangs creep through the flesh. "You should see the other guy," he said, dismissively.
"Oh, I'm sure whatever violence you jumped into was an absolute spectacle. You know, you're eventually going to run into something or someone you cannot beat. "
Weiss had no idea how right she was. What was that saying? There was always a bigger fish. "So I've recently learned. What do you care about what I do anyway?"
"Merely offering some advice."
"Giving unasked advice isn't charitable, it's pretentious."
Weiss frowned, and Jaune frowned back. It somehow felt like looking in a mirror, and it for some reason annoyed him to meet someone so readily able to meet his glare.
"That sling is awful." She pointed out.
"I had to make it myself. Don't be mean. You're gonna hurt my feelings."
"You should go to the hospital."
"I hate hospitals."
"What don't you hate?"
"Dogs."
"That makes sense, considering how much of a mutt you are yourself. Must you always be so difficult?"
"I'm nothing if not consistent."
Weiss's eyes softened a little. "Have you ever thought that could be your problem?"
Jaune blinked, then looked down at the table. He had thought about that being the case recently. As recently as last night, anyway. There'd always been some excuse to cling to when things went wrong. The other guy started it, I had no choice, I couldn't control myself. When had he last blamed something on his own… well… arrogance? Seemed he only ever made bad choices.
It had been easy to, when the consequences seemed so comparatively light.
Jaune met Ruby at her locker, and he could stifle the knot of guilt stuck in his throat, stuck on what to say, if there even was anything to say. When those big bright eyes looked up at him, he didn't see blame or anger, but not seeing a thing did not mean it wasnt there. Here he comes, she was probably thinking, the bastard that got me trapped in that hellscape, who'd nearly got my family killed, who'd made me lose the only home I've ever known. There he is. The one who ruined my life.
Jaune kept a considerate distance, though he wondered whether it was for Ruby's sake or his own. He lowered his head, and that only made him feel like a pup who'd pissed on the carpet and knew it's owner would be angry. Weiss had been too right on that dog comparison. "Aunt Peach wants to see us. Today. After school."
Ruby let out a relieved breath. "Then, she's okay?"
"I don't really know for sure."
Ruby nodded slowly, taking it all in. Another pause followed.
"I had to break my phone. In case it was bugged. I think… you and Yang and your dad should too. Just in case."
Ruby nodded again. Things were awkward between them and he had no idea why. Or maybe he did. He knew what he wanted to ask, but was afraid to. There were a lot of things to be afraid of lately.
"Ruby," Jaune ventured as considerately as he could, "Did they hurt you?"
Ruby swallowed, but didn't meet his eye. "No." she said.
She could be covering. They could have made her lie. Jaune imagined them not being happy with whatever answers Ruby had given. Using whatever measure necessary to get what they wanted. "Are you sure?"
"Why wouldn't I be sure, Jaune?" Ruby snapped, and that sudden spark of anger in her voice was like a stab in the gut. Then her face softened. "I-im sorry. I didn't—"
"It's fine," Jaune said, though it was hard to deny ho2 much it hurt. "What did they say when they took you? I mean, what happened?"
"What did I tell them, you mean?"
Jaune had been trying to avoid phrasing it like that. Hadn't wanted to make Ruby feel like he was trying to cover his own ass at her expense. "Er, yeah. That too, I guess."
"They put me in this long car in the driveway. There was a man sitting next to me. And he had…" Ruby's voice dropped to a whisper. "He had a gun."
Jaune knew that all too well. He had been in the same position afterward. He feared what she would say next. "And?" He pressed gently.
"There was some guy in the front passenger seat. I couldn't see his face. He started talking to me. Asking my name, how I was, saying he was sorry for everything that happened. He didn't sound mean, but…"
Jaune frowned. The Superior, no doubt. That description was disturbingly similar to the man he'd talked to. "Did they take you anywhere?"
Ruby shook her head. "We just sat in the car."
That was an immeasurable relief, one Ruby could never know how much. "What did he ask you? What did he want to know?"
The bell rang, spooking Jaune back to reality. The fact that they were in school had completely gotten away from him. He looked at Ruby, stuck between needing answers and having to move on with the day.
"We're late," muttered Ruby, making ready to move on.
Jaune gently took her wrist. "Wait, Ruby. What happened? Ruby!"
Ruby pulled out of his grip with surprising strength, as if she was disgusted even to be touched by him. "I'll tell you later, okay? I gotta go!" and she hurried off to class with her head down, no backward glances.
Jaune stood there, bunched his fists, wanted to hit something. Wanted to hit himself. He could never have known things would come to this. Would get this bad. He had only wanted to help Ruby. To help the whole family. But he'd underestimated the organization. Ignored the scale of their influence, the threat they posed, even despite being fairly warned.
What had come of his actions? Ruby dropping into her heart world and suffering constant life and death danger, to being held basically at gunpoint and forced to answer the Superior's questions, to now losing her own home. All so the organization could keep their secret world under wraps.
In his quest to make Ruby's life better, he had only managed to make it worse.
And there was nothing he could do to make it right.
When Ruby was brought back, seemingly unharmed, she rushed into her father's arms. Jaune had no idea whether to be relieved or afraid. On one hand she was back in safe hands, on the other, his mind swirled with the awful things that could have been done to her. Done to her because of his actions.
"Miss Fall, you're free to leave." said Oobleck, unaffected by this display of human emotion.
She glared up at him abd huffed. "Some sense, at last. Did you really need to detain me so roughly?"
"You know the protocol. I suggest not taking it personally."
Cinder touched the bloody wound. "Not take it personally. Well, I'll certainly try. I will take the boys home."
"Take Mister Vasilias. Mister Arc must remain."
The calm on Cinder's face melted as smoothly as hot butter, and what replaced it was something Jaune didn't think he'd ever seen on her. Nervousness. "He knows nothing. No more the girl."
"You may go, Cinder."
She met Jaunes eye, just looking at a loss. Jaune gave her a barely perceptible nod, hoping at least to get her and Neptune safely away from here. They were escorted out, despite Neptune demanding to stay with him, and the last Jaune saw of him was a mortified look, as if this was the last time they'd ever see one another. A feeling not entirely exclusive to him, unfortunately. Then, Jaune found himself dragged to his feet, his arm burning from the rough treatment, and he was glaring defiantly at Oobleck.
"I'm curious," Oobleck said grimly. "For what reason, besides your self-destructive intent to go your own way, did you choose not to heed my warnings? You couldn't have thought I was lying to you. Nor that the organization would not take these transgressions seriously. Why, Mister Arc?"
Why, indeed. Jaune was asking himself those very questions, now that it was too late. He tried to think of something smart to say, but was in too much pain. Why not go out swinging? "I don't listen to assholes."
"You do not listen to anyone other than yourself. That much is plain. You must truly believe yourself invincible. You must believe that we will simply let you be with yet another slap on the wrist. You are childish and arrogant. Do you not understand the weight of your foolishness? Do you even care for the lives you have put in jeopardy? When will you learn, Mister Arc?" Oobleck shook his head. "It is truly unfortunate that it seems you will not have the chance to learn from your mistake. An absolute waste. Take him to the car. I will finish things here."
Finish things? What did that mean? Jaune was pushed to the door, and he saw Ruby and her family looking toward him. Watching helplessly.
Jaune threw a confident nod toward Ruby. He'd be okay. They'd see each other again soon. Definitely.
He was led out the door and into the front yard. Faint beams of light were starting to peer through the black sky, turning it only a shade lighter. Hard to believe so little time passed after so long in Ruby's heart world. Felt like a lifetime somehow. He didn't get time to take in the black car before the door was opened and he was shoved inside, having to pull his hand so that the door wasn't closed on it. An agent got in on the other side, slipped on his seatbelt, then drew his gun and placed it readily on his lap, finger resting on the trigger. It seemed to taunt him. Go on and try to take it. Jaune had a feeling people who'd been in this car had tried. And considering this practice was still being done, he imagined there'd been little to no successes.
A calm, authoritative, yet strangely serene voice spoke out to him. "Ah, Mister Arc. A pleasure to meet you."
The voice came from the front passenger seat, too far away from Jaune to lean forward and get a look at. All he saw were the backs of the seats. There was a mug in the cup holder, it wafted white steam, giving off the aroma of coffee made fresh. A single pale hand reached out unhurried and took the mug up, vanished behind the veil of the seat. A faint slurping filled the tense silence.
They were trying to scare him, of course. Making him wait for their pleasure. To be made to see who was in power. Jaune would be damned before he played their stupid game. "Who the hell are you?"
The man let out a chuckle. "I am the Superior of the Division of Psychoreality and Metaphysics. But, more than likely, you know our humble community as the Organization. We've had many names over the years. Many faces. Yet, our purpose has been the only thing which has remained consistent."
"Which is?"
"To study the nature of Heart Worlds and their relation with our reality, to discover the secrets hidden within those strange worlds, to use those secrets to increase our knowledge, and that knowledge to the benefit of all. To save lives, Mister Arc." He took another sip from his mug. "In order to do that, of course, it's important to keep our business… discreet. I'm sure you can imagine how chaotic things would become if such information was let out into the world. The fallout would be disastrous. Many lives would be lost."
Or the fact that they had a monopoly over what amounted to superpowers, alternate dimensions, and monsters granted them a lot of power in the circles they ran in. Maybe they wanted to keep that power. And to keep it, they had to prevent anyone else from knowing about it. But Jaune didn't bother saying that. The Superior was probably expecting something like that. "More lives than the ones you bastards have already taken?"
"Far more."
Jaune froze. He hadn't expected such frank admittance. Types like these he expected to skirt around the truth, or to play up some moral obligation, some philosophical nonsense about people dying every day or whatever. The Superior straight up admitted to being a murderer, and without an ounce of hesitation. Or regret.
"It is unfortunate, however, that you seem pretty unwilling to assist us in our goal. Or at the very least, to keep from causing us more problems. Why, it was only some months ago that your unauthorized dive nearly resulted in your death on the grounds of your school. A death which would have been very difficult to explain. People still talk about it. How did that boy get into the building? How did he end up with stab wounds eerily similar to that of a trident? If the boy was addicted to drugs, why was there no evidence of it? If the Scorpion Killer is the culprit, why does the attempt on this boy's life not match with the Killer's previous victims?"
Jaune swallowed. "Sounds like you guys need to come up with better cover stories."
"I shall take note of that. Even so, one would think, after such a close scrape with death, that even a teenager would learn to control his impulses. To listen to his elders. That he might live a long life." The Superior set his cup down and waved a disapproving finger, like one might at a dog. "But not you, Mister Arc. It seems you are intent on doing as you please with the gifts you've been given. Without consideration for those around you. That is not heroic, Jaune. It is selfish. Rebellious. Psychotic, some would say."
Jaune frowned. "Everyone has a few screws loose."
The man barked out a sudden fit of laughter. It didn't sound creepy or evil. Strangely pleasant, actually. But that only made the pit in his stomach grow deeper. "Everyone has a few screws loose. Entirely true. I like your wit, Mister Arc. I must admit I'd been hoping you would learn your lesson right away, but Oobleck's reports steadily disappointed me since your last incident."
So Oobleck had been reporting on them. Made sense, of course. "So what?"
"So, I'm afraid I have to make a difficult choice. It is not one I haven't made before, especially with new recruits, but it is painful nonetheless. You and your aunt have my sincerest apologies."
Jaune tried to feign bravery. Even if he was trembling inside, he would not dare let them see it. This was all a scare tactic and nothing more. "If you're gonna kill me, then do it. Don't play this stupid chessmaster crap with me. Just do it. Get it over with."
"It seems I've been boring our guest. Well, Oobleck did say you are a poor listener. Very well," The Superior's finger spun around in the air and Jaune felt the engine of the car hum to life. "Mister Arc has stated his desires, and who am I to deny him such a selfless dream? Still, it is a shame.
The car began to pull out of the driveway, the weight shifting, dragging out onto the road. The whole time Jaune glared at the back of Superior's seat, lips pursed, completely out of things to say. He'd stated his desire. And the Superior would not deny him. It took no detective to work out his meaning. But he couldn't be serious, right?
He couldn't be…
It was silent on the drive home. That even included Cinder, who was in the rare form of a staunch frown rather than a confident smirk.
Jaune glanced across at her, particularly eying the bandage on her temple and purple bruise beneath her right eye. He remembered the gun cracking her against the head without mercy. Cinder would catch him looking, but not bother acknowledging it. Just focused on the road, as if they both knew very well that there was nothing to say. Well, not entirely nothing, but that was best saved for the meeting.
Neptune and Ruby were in the back, discussing the details of the move, the legal contract her father had signed, promising absolute silence in return for protection, and a sum of money that almost made the whole ordeal seem generous. Jaune wanted to be part of that conversation, which was a first for him. It used to be that he was happy to never be involved with anything, especially other people and their miserable lives. Things were so different now. And in so short a time. Why?
But he knew why. Before, he hadn't had someone like Neptune, who'd stuck with him and trusted him, and had his back through hell and beyond.
And he hadn't had someone like Ruby, a girl who seemed too perfect to be real. Who made him smile just to think about. Who made him feel that corny fuzzy feeling in his chest, made him want to hold her hand and take her out somewhere and kiss her full on the lips until he suffocated from lack of air. And how had he awarded them? How had he returned all the care and concern they'd ever shown him? He'd nearly gotten them all killed, multiple times. He'd put them on the watch list of men with less to mercy for anyone. Him. The guy who was supposed to be helping people.
"If you keep staring at me like that," said Cinder with a faint grin. "I may blush."
Jaune sat back in his seat. "Sorry."
"It's alright. I'm used to such attention from men."
"I'm sure you're proud of your tally."
To his surprise, Cinder did not have an immediate quip like usual. He glanced sidelong and found that her eyes had narrowed, her fingers grew tighter on the wheel. That's when he realized what he'd said. "Sorry. I didn't… that's not what I meant."
Cinder huffed and raised her chin. "Is that your assumption of me?"
"No," Jaune muttered. At least, it had not been an intentional conclusion to come to. A beautiful woman like her, shamelessly flirty, supernaturally confident. He wouldn't be surprised if she could bag anyone she wanted, man or woman, then move on to the next without a care in the world. Then Jaune thought abouts the kinds of words people attached to people of that lifestyle, and he felt guilty all over again.
"Don't worry. You're not hurting my feelings." Cinder said, lips twisting into a deadly frown that implied otherwise. "Still, I rather thought you were more mature than first impressions. My mistake. I've overlooked the fact that you're a child."
It was demeaning enough being called a child. No teenager ever really appreciates that title. But it hurt even more coming from Cinder. Playful and infuriating as she could be, at least she hadn't looked at him like he was just some kid, or worse a nutcase. More than anyone, she'd probably treated him an equal, even though there was no reason for her to.
Jaune sighed and decided to keep his mouth shut the rest of the way home. They arrived before long, and there was no nervous wait or whispered questions. Everyone simply filed inside like they were times on a conveyor belt. Jaune considered looking around, see if someone was watching, but then that might give off an unintended signal and bring their watchers down harder on them. Best to pretend all was going as normal.
Inside, Peach was already waiting for them. She was in a long nightgown, hair loose about her face, a new pair of glasses in her face, mouth set in a deep scowl. That didn't change as they entered, and her gray-blue eyes scanned over every one of them with some combination of relief and suspicion. Jaune, being the last to enter, closed the door quietly behind him.
No one sat. They simply stood in various spots about the room, as if this was all just some simple business meeting, and hoping to be done with it soon.
Peach took amongst to nod at them all. "Good to see you're all alright."
"I don't think any of us are alright," said Neptune.
"How can we be?" added Ruby.
"I rather think I enjoyed our little vacation of forced captivity," said Cinder, touching the mark beneath her eye, but not laughing or smiling at all.
Neptune frowned at her. "I don't know why you kept egging them on. They would have killed us."
"You, perhaps. Honestly, you were merely grazed by a bullet and that got you pissing yourself. Pathetic."
Neptune rounded on her, a curse halfway out of his mouth before Peach cut him off.
"Enough." she ordered, "This is not the time to be fighting amongst ourselves. Now, I need to know what happened. Tell me everything. Down to every last detail."
Jaune listened as the others recounted what happened after they'd been sent off while Jaune was incapacitated. He'd thought to ask more on that, but figured it would have to wait for a better time. Cinder, Ruby, and Neptune had been found by Oobleck and transported back to the dive point with the aid of his semblance, just like Jaune had been. Upon surfacing, they were ambushed by agents of the organization and taken into custody. They were then ordered to wait for Oobleck to return, keeping anyone from leaving.
By the end, Peach was messaging her temples. "I see. It was Yang that saw you disappear."
Ruby nodded. "She didn't know what to do, so she and Dad called the police. They thought they wouldn't take her seriously." She lowered her head. "I mean, who would?"
Peach began twisting her watch. "The organization has influence in many places, especially amongst government and law enforcement. Even your uncle was aware of them to a degree. You were brought to speak to the Superior, right?"
Ruby nodded.
"What did he ask you?"
"A lot of things," Ruby said, "Things like how I knew you and Jaune and Cinder. How I ended up in my own heart. But…"
Everyone was looking at her now, especially Peach and Cinder, almost drawn closer with anticipation. "And what, sweetie?" urged Peach.
"He was curious about something called Silver Eyes."
Peach let out a grunt, as if the very mention of these Silver Eyes brought her immense discomfort. Again, Jaune found himself out of the loop, but decided it best to get answers later.
"What did you tell him?" asked Cinder hastily. "Well?"
Ruby glanced over at Cinder, slightly hesitant. "I told him I don't know. That I was too scared to remember. I mean, I wasn't lying. I… guess he's talking about that thing we saw the Princess do?"
"Well, accident or not, that was the best thing you could have done. Had you revealed your connection to that power, you would be gone now. I have no idea what the Superior could want from you, but it can't be good. You must keep that power a secret, Ruby. Do you understand?"
"Yes, ma'am." Ruby nodded, shakily.
Cinder, however, was not satisfied with that answer. "And that is all they asked of you?"
Ruby didn't look at Cinder as she said, "That's all."
Cinder's eyes narrowed. "She lies."
Ruby rounded on her. "I'm not!"
But Cinder had already turned to Peach. "You know very well how the Superior works. To ask such an incriminating question, based entirely on a myth, but then to let her go? He is no fool. There is more to this. More than this little miss wishes to tell us."
"I told you everything!" Ruby yelled, "That's all he asked me!"
"And you can provide proof, can you? How do we know we can trust you?"
Neptune cut in then, at this point likely looking for a reason to make an enemy of Cinder. "She's a damn sight more trustworthy than you."
Cinder, instead of giving a calm and snide comment, snapped at him. "Is that so? I distinctly recall having saved your worthless lives on multiple occasions. The words of a weakling have no place in this conversation."
Now it was Ruby who came to Neptune's defense, pointing an accusatory finger at Cinder, tears in her eyes. "Leave him alone! All of this is your fault!"
"Me?" Cinder's voice rose an outraged octave. "How dare you, you little—"
The three of them fell into screaming at one another, while Peach massaged her temples again, trying and failing to calm them down. Jaune watched helpless, his guilt mounting with every second passed. He saw the hurt he'd caused in all of them, or at least helped perpetuate. In his time unconscious, he no doubt caused them a mountain of trouble on top of everything else. Now, no one could see that their enemy was not amongst one another. He'd caused this. Things never would never have been this way if he hadn't messed everything up.
What else could he do now but try to make it right?
"Stop it!" Jaune roared, voice so powerful that he scared himself. The room fell silent immediately, and now all eyes were on him, shocked, even annoyed. There really was no better way to come at this other than to say, "All of this is my fault."
Cinder, surprisingly, stepped toward him. "Don't be ridiculous. You could never have -"
"My fault!" Jaune yelled again, scaring the woman back to bewildered silence. "I guess Ruby already had the gift, huh Aunt Peach? The potential to enter Heart Worlds?"
Peach blinked. "Yes, that's true."
"That's why we shouldnt dive into a heart world without being careful. You could make someone accidentally fall into their heart world. Get them lost or killed," Jaune's fist balled. "If I hadn't made the dive without permission, we could have been more prepared in case Ruby fell. We could have watched the dive point. Right?" He looked at Neptune with increasing shame. "And it was my idea to go into Ruby's heart world right away. Wasn't it?"
"But I agreed to go," he said, weakly.
Jaune turned to Peach. "Cinder told me about Qrow's key, and maybe she was wrong for that, but I still chose to go. She never made me. You told me I couldn't, and I didn't think twice about disobeying. It's my fault."
Peach didn't argue, even if she did look like she wanted to.
Jaune turned to Ruby, and it hurt to look her in the eye and admit his shortcomings. To portray himself as flawed and foolish before her. "I caused you to fall into your world, and I wasn't there to help because I disobeyed orders. I wanted to help your uncle. I wanted to help you. But the only reason you went through all of what happened is because of me. You almost died multiple times because of me. Your family was attacked by the organization because of me." He lowered his head. "And now you're going to lose your home, and that's because of me."
"That's… but…" Ruby had no response. She knew it to be true. They all knew it.
Jaune lowered his head both out of fear of meeting their eyes, and shame for causing so much pain for them. "'I'm sorry everyone. Neptune only came to protect me and he almost got killed for it. I ruined Ruby's life. I almost got Aunt Peach killed trying to save me from whatever happened. The only thing I did through all of this was drag everyone down," He managed to look Cinder in the eyes as he spoke. "Please, don't blame Cinder. It's not her fault."
Cinder stared at him with shock. It was as if she had never been apologized to even once in her entire life. Maybe, didn't even know what the words meant. She swallowed and it looked like there might be tears in her eyes, but she blinked and turned back to Peach. "His logic is difficult to argue with."
Peach sighed. "I agree. Now look everyone, we all have to trust each other. Every one of us is being watched and if one goes down, the rest will be at risk. Understand? No more squabbling."
Cinder, Neptune , and Ruby looked amongst one another, not quite ready to let go of their suspicions or accusations, but realizing today wasn't the time for it. They were all in this together, whether they wanted to be or not.
"For now, just go on with life. The organization won't do anything as long as we give them no reason to. The details on us will eventually stop once they've had enough of our normal lives. It'll be hard, but just do as I say, and we'll all be safe."
Nods went around the room. The idea of safety was something they could all agree on after all that had happened.
"Cinder, thank you for all your help, truly. Will you take Neptune and Ruby home?"
Cinder, instead of a snide comment, simply shrugged and gestured for Neptune and Ruby to follow her. Jaune met eyes with her as she passed and he saw her face soften considerably, almost like she was thanking him. He thought she might say something, but instead she moved on and out the door.
"You alright, man?" Neptune asked.
Jaune was the furthest thing from alright. "Fine, just tired. See you tomorrow, okay?"
Then at last it was Ruby, looking up at him with those beautiful eyes of hers. How Jaune wished he hadn't screwed up so hard, so that he could just feel embarrassed to be caught staring, rather than guilty every time he looked at her.
"It's okay, if you can't forgive me." Jaune said, "I ruined your life and I can't change that… but I'll make it right. I swear."
Ruby met his eye evenly. Her voice came as some mixture between harsh and genuine. "How are you going to make it right, Jaune?"
He paused. "I… I don't know"
"Did you ever think that… maybe you can't?"
If only Ruby knew how much that hurt. If only she knew how it tore his heart inside. He deserved it though. Deserved nothing less. "Yeah, maybe I can't. But I'll try. I've got to try."
Ruby looked at him, and for a moment it looked like she tried to smile, but couldn't commit to it completely. Then, she moved past him and left, the door clicking shut behind her. Moments later, he heard Cinder's car pull out of the driveway and head off up the road. That left him alone with his aunt.
"Get some rest," said Peach dismissively, as if that speech of his had reignited her well deserved frustration with him. She'd already started to walk away. The back of her head moving further and further away. Terrifyingly familiar. "I need to get some myself, honestly. As I said, stick to your normal routine and everything will be fine."
Everything was not fine and they both knew it. They both knew how he had royally fucked himself and everyone around him. Jaune did not deserve to be assured or comforted.
But that did not change the fact that he needed it.
"Aunt Peach?" Jaune whimpered, his voice coming out weak and high and pathetic, like a kicked puppy. He saw her turn to him, but the tears were pouring now.
His feet moved without his command. His arms outstretched without his orders. It was pure instinct. He took his aunt into the most desperate hug he'd ever given, and he couldn't even say for her sake. No, he was the one in need now. Maybe that had always been the case. He wished he was small so she could just hold him close forever. Felt like a kid clinging to her like this. Clinging to her like she was mom. The truth was, as painful as it was to admit, she was the closest thing he had to a mom in years.
And he'd almost lost her.
Peach cradled the back of his head with one hand, letting him rest his face on her shoulder as he wept. "Do you see now why you must listen to me, Jaune? Do you see what they are capable of?"
Jaune nodded with all the energy he could put into it.
"What did he do to you, honey?"
It was paralyzing even to remember, but Jaune summoned what little courage he could, and told her everything.
Jaunes heart was hammer in his chest.
He tried to look as impassive as possible, but that was getting harder the further away they got from the neighborhood. The sleeping suburbs flowed by, giving way to the bustling early commute of the city. From the city to the open highway, over the sea-spanning bridge, into the empty countryside, where the light of early morning had not yet reached somehow. In a way, the metaphor was apt. Going from light to dark.
The life Jaune had once lived, which had seemed miserable and unfair, compared to the life he lived now, which had led him here. It wasn't hard to decide which was worse.
Jaune glared at the Superior, who hadn't made a sound since they'd taken off. He wondered if the man had simply vanished or been shut off like a computer program after the task was done. But he saw that hand on the rim of his cup, one finger tapping the side, soundless. A motion that was, against all logic, incredibly unnerving.
Many times now, Jaune had thought to demand to know where they were taking him. But the words were trapped behind a knot in his throat. All an attempt to scare him. The Superior wanted to scare him into obedience, maybe try to make him his servant or spy. He wasn't fooled. Just had to call their bluff. So long as it was actually a bluff.
Eventually, the car pulled to a stop, and in the middle of nowhere. The Superior exited the car, the headlights catching his suit, colored a deep dark green, like a faded emerald. But he was very tall, so his head was hidden over the window pane.
Jaune jumped as his door was yanked open, and, in the same manner, he was pulled from his seat and out into the empty countryside. With what little light came from the horizon, Jaune was able to determine that there was absolutely nothing out here. Not even plants, it seemed. Just dry patches of dirt and grass stretching on in broken patterns, miles in every direction. Nothing at all.
Except for a singled out old barn, stationed far off the road. It's black silhouette persisting against any illumination, however weak.
Jaune growled up at the agent. "What the hell is this place?"
The Superior was already striding toward the barn, walking with a cane despite having no apparent limp. He wore a green top hat, but Jaune was sure he saw traces of gray hair. "This is a place for people like you, Mister Arc."
"What does that mean?"
"I'd rather not spoil the surprise. You will see soon enough. Follow me."
It was phrased like a suggestion, but Jaune was quite certain by the way the agent pushed him forward that hebhad no choice at all. Jaune was escorted with them to the barn. Its withered build and height became more and more apparent with each step closer. Once there, the Superior let out a high whistle. A moment later, the big doors creaked and cracked as they eased open, bright orange light spilling out. As if they'd just opened the massive maw of a dragon, the flames raging.
And you were eaten by a monster, you didn't come back out.
"Wait—" Jaune was shoved through the door first, and that gave him a look at everything. No fire, thankfully. But now Jaune was thinking that might have been preferable.
In the middle of the barn was a row of six people. All brought to their knees, arms tied behind them. Mostly men, but two women too. One was just a girl, and she couldn't have been older than him. Captives, no doubt. Jaune would have wondered why they seemingly hadn't tried to escape, but then he saw the agent standing on the second floor, holding a rifle that practically shouted Try it.
The Superior's came up from behind him. Sounded like he was still by the door, yet his voice carried over so strongly that it was as if the man was whispering in his ear. Jaune's skin crawled. "I hope you feel at home, Mister Arc. You are amongst your kin, after all."
Jaune swallowed. "My kin?"
"Rebels. You see, you're not the only individual who finds it difficult to adhere to the laws of our esteemed organization. In fact, many of these individuals came together and formed a coalition of their own. A force to oppose us, in both an ideological and martial capacity." The Superior sighed, actually sounding disappointed. Like a parent who thought his toddler had finally learned to use the potty, only to find they'd pissed on the floor. "It really is a shame. There's no grievance a good discussion can't resolve, but their solution instead commits to separating my head from my body. If there is nothing human beings have outgrown in thousands of years of evolution, it is our remarkable inclination toward savagery. Why don't you join them, Mister Arc?"
Jaune didn't mean to yell, but it came out automatically, instinctual, fueled by terror. "I'm not one of them?"
"True. But you are a rebel. If a foolish one. If we are to mete out proper recompense for your actions, you must face the same consequences as those here. That is how we make things right again, Mister Arc. Please, join your compatriots."
Jaune was pushed toward the group, made to make the walk himself. Desperate options swirled in his head. Run? He'd get gunned down before he made two steps. Scream for help? No one would hear him. And even they could, what could they possibly do? Jaune found himself breathing unsteady as he kneeled at the end of the row, beside the girl his age. This had to be a bluff.
"You're Jaune Arc, aren't you?"
Jaune looked at the girl beside him. Long brown hair, hard brown eyes. She had a small guilty smile on, as if all of this was her fault. "My name's Velvet."
"How do you know me?" Jaune whispered.
"We go to the same school. I saw you and Cardin beat the shit out of one another. Thanks for that by the way. I'd been hoping someone would punch that idiot. You're a Hunter, are you? Who's your master?"
It pained him horribly to think of how he'd last seen his aunt. Barely alive, taken away from him, powerless to rescue her. "Peach. Victarine Peach."
Velvet chuckled. "You really are a rebel, then."
"I'm not!" Jaune said vehemently, glaring at the ground. "I'm not part of this. Any of this!"
"Sorry to say that you kind of are. That's what it means to be a Hunter."
The Superior stood near the door, the light illuminating his dark suit and ornate cane, but fading out before it reached his face. Leaving it shrouded in the shadows pouring from the doors. The presence of him. There is no escape, it seemed to say. Even if their hands were free and the guards were dismissed and they were each given weapons, not a single person would get past him. That is what Jaune genuinely believed, even though he knew logically it wasn't true.
Was this what it meant to be powerful?
"It really is disappointing that things could not be different." The Superior began. "I like to think we all fought for the same thing. A better future."
"A future without the organization!" cried one of the men at the end of the row. Two more voiced their agreement.
"Down with the lot of you!"
"Corrupt bastards!"
If he was offended by any of that, the Superior didnt show it. "Sadly, a future without us is well and truly doomed. We are the ones who protect the world from the most terrible of truths. Knowledge I would not wish on my most hated rival, if you can believe it."
"The rebellion will put an end to you, fucker!" roared the woman. "An end to it all! For all the good folk silenced by your orders! For all the children killed in your name. You've survived all this time creeping in the shadows, but you will be made to face the light soon enough! Count on it!"
The Superior didn't respond immediately, and the barn was only filled with the sounds of the woman's heaving, whimpering breaths, sounding right on the very edge of tears.
The Superior. "Ah, you will light the darkness. Do you know, knowledge is very much like that concept."
The light slowly began to dim. Jaune looked around, shocked at how it was being done. Then an even more disturbing question came to him. He had not seen a light source anywhere. No torches or lightbulbs, not even a fire. How the hell had there been any light inside this barn in the first place? The darkness creeped in around them, and it brought the cold with it, a creeping sensation that something was watching him, and he was none the wiser.
Now, where the Superior had once been visible, a small flame flickered to life. Only it wasn't attached to a candle. It wasn't coming from anything.
Instead, it hovered over a pale white hand. The Superior's hand.
"Imagine, if you will, a campfire. Imagine yourself sat around it in the night. You rely on it to help you see, to keep you warm, to cook your meals. It provides for you, it increases the scope of your capability to survive. To thrive, even. Knowledge is just like a campfire."
The flame grew slightly bigger, setting aglow the man's jacket, the cuffs of his sleeves. How the hell was he doing it? They were in the real world now. He couldn't possibly be creating fire in the surface world. Could he? And if so, what else was he capable of?
"Now, imagine the darkness filling this barn as the threats to your existence, the abnormalities you cannot explain, the questions without answers, the questions yet to be asked, the questions not yet even thought of. The darkness is the things you do not know, that you are unaware of, that you may fear."
The flame grew brighter and a smooth chin appeared, an empty smile just above it.
"Certainly, I am there. I am the snake slithering about, so you call me. Yet, even my knowledge is limited. We grow the fire, we make it bigger and brighter, but the greater the light, the more darkness there must be to reveal. This is nothing new, of course. The universe and all its contents were not intended for human beings to understand completely. Indeed, there are some things that it's best we remain unaware of. Forever. Is that what you wish to illuminate? Shall you light the darkness, even if the things hiding there may be more terrifying than you could believe? I wonder, how mad are you willing to go in order to uncover the truth? Knowledge, after all, is but preclusion to insanity."
The flame fizzled out in a faint hiss. The normal lights gradually returned. The Superior carried on like nothing had changed in the first place. "Still, even if the rebellion succeeds in their goal to eliminate me, I do not think you will be there to witness it. More's the pity."
"Fuck yourself!" cried one of the captives.
"Traditionally, you are given choices. A final gift before you leave this life behind. I can offer you nothing else, so choose wisely."
Leave this life? Thinking it was one thing, but to hear it straight from the Superior's mouth jumpstarted a horror Jaune didn't know he could feel. They couldn't be serious.
The agent that had escorted him came up with a pistol, aiming at the head of the captive on the far end. The Superior spoke on. "Knowledge is the root of insanity, Mister Slate. I wish it on no one. Still, we must all be given the mercy of choosing our fate. Will you pass in the comfort of your ignorance, blind to the reality hidden behind the veil? Or shall you pull back the curtain and see what must never be seen? Learn what mortals must never know? Shall you pass having learned the truth? Yours is the choice. Ignorance? Or insanity?"
The man he spoke to was quiet for a while, as if trying to choose his retort correctly. Made sense, given it was his last chance."I will die for my cause. My comrades. Hazel comes for your head, and I will give you no choice of mine."
"How sad, but very well."
Jaune watched as the agent pulled the gun back, then leaned toward the man, like he was attempting to whisper. A bear of silence followed.
Then, the brave rebel exploded with laughter.
Violent, haggard, crazy laughter that caught Jaune completely unready. The man fell to the ground, convulsing like electricity was coursing through his veins, screaming mad laughter as the agents and Superior watched on impassively. None of this was new to them.
The man began struggling, his body was fighting between the need to laugh and breathe, and the struggle did not last long. His laughs weakened, weakened until all he got out was a petering little wheeze. His body fell still. Not dead. His chest was still moving.
But his eyes. Glassy and empty. As if his mind had melted in jelly, oozed out of his ears. But a shell now. The man that had been was gone. Gone forever.
Jaune did not try to stop his tears as they finally broke through.
The Superior and agent moved right onto the next captive. "And what of you, Mister Celadon? Ignorance or—"
"Kill yourself, bastard!" The man roared, though a hint of weeping was in his voice.
The agent whispered in his ear, and he tipped his head back and roared with laughter, the sound like nails dragged against a blackboard.
All down the way, the captives refused the choice. And one by one, the Superior's words turned them into guffawing lunatics. The rebel woman fell over, her face toward Jaune, eyes wide as plates, lips twisted into a toothy smile. Frozen. Didn't even blink. Maybe never again.
"Oh god…" Jaune whispered.
He could only watch in terrible, unreal, agonizing dread as the Superior steadily cane closer to him. Now onto the fifth of the six rebels. Was that gonna happen to him? Choose ignorance then. But he would still be killed either way. By that guy, most likely. Only thing he could do now was choose how to die. Not like he cared though. He wasn't afraid to die. Then, why was he so afraid now?
The agent presses the gun to Velvet's forehead right after whispering to the last man, who now lay on the ground, wracking with mad laughter.
The Superior only got out half his question before she cut him off. "Ignorance. I don't care about truth. Go on, have done with it."
"You are very wise," said the Superior. "Why fall in with the rebels, then? What do you stand to gain?"
"Me? I just wanted to do the right thing. None of us really gain anything through this, and we all know it. Our goal was never to win." She smirked challenging lyrics at the agent. "All we want is for you to lose."
The Superior chuckled. "Well, I appreciate your honesty."
It happened fast, in hindsight. But in the moment, Jaune saw Velvet's meet his eyes. It made him think not of her, but her family, her friends. She looked older than him. Was she a senior? She would have graduated this year. Did she have a lover? Or a dog? What were her dreams? She did not tell him any of these things.
All she did was whisper, "Remember me."
The agent pulled the trigger, and there was an ear-rattling pop. Jaune felt something splatter on his face. Warm. Incredibly familiar. Velvet's lifeless corpse slumped to the ground on its face, blood pooling. So much blood.
"Please…" Jaune whimpered.
He felt the gun press to his forehead.
He was already breathing terribly hard, so much that his throat was dry. He trembled so uncontrollably that he couldn't control any part of his body. Every inch of him was submerged in ice-cold fear.
He looked up at the agent as he came before him, and felt the Superior's words in his ear.
"Mister Arc…" he said. "I know your aunt. She was a pupil of mine, a long time ago. A woman of incredible talent and fierce drive. I'm sure she's trained you well. Though perhaps not well enough, considering where you are now. How did you get yourself here?"
Jaune's lips trembled. "I didn't listen to her."
"I see. It's nothing new, apprentices believing they know better than their masters. You failed to curb your arrogance, young man. And look what you've caused? Look at the people you've harmed? Look at where you are now. If only you had listened."
He was right, damn him. Jaune had realized it too late. He should have trusted his aunt when she'd told him they were in the shallows. This was but a Toe length dip into the world's most vast ocean, and he was already under the threat of death.
"Please," Jaune said. "M-my family…"
"Will think you disappeared. That you ran away. Hoping never to see them again."
Jaune let out a sob. "Please..."
"Why should I not? Your actions have endangered an entire family, they have exposed our existence to unknowns. This is a most serious crime. Don't you think you deserve to be punished?"
He did. But not like this. Anything but this. "Please..."
"I'm afraid you were fairly warned once. And you still chose to disobey. That cannot be tolerated. So, I give you a choice. Ignorance? Or insanity?"
"Please!" Jaune begged as the gun clicked in his face. The nozzle was still hot from when it had last been fired. From when it had killed Velvet. "Please…'
"Yours is the choice, Mister Arc."
Jaune begged and wept and cried like his life depended on it. Indeed because it actually did. He had never approached being so close to certain death before, and it was easy to pretend not to be afraid when you weren't.
Now he knew the truth. He was just a stupid kid. A stupid kid trying to force himself into this adult world where he'd underestimated just how dangerous they were. He'd jumped headfirst into the deep end without knowing how to swim. Now he was going to pay the price. He'd wasted his life.
"Choose, Mister Arc."
All he could think about was what he'd be leaving behind. Jaun thought about his family, his sisters and dad. He hadn't called in a long time. Why hadn't he? He thought about his friends. Neptune and Sun, whose kindness he did not deserve. He hadn't told them how much he really cared. Yang and even Weiss, both pains in their own ways, but genuinely good people. So much to say and do. He hadn't told Ruby his feelings. He hadn't said how he badly wanted to hold her, and kiss her, and be a man for her.
He had not once told his aunt Peach that he didn't miss his mother so much anymore with her around. He wanted to say that he loved her so much. He wanted to tell everyone.
So Jaune begged for his life with all his strength. Fuck the Superior's offers. This was his choice. To live. If only he could be given a chance. If only he could be given one more chance.
Jaune swore he heard the trigger being pulled. He closed his eyes and screamed the only thing he could. "Mom!"
There was a loud bang.
Everything was dark.
"Remember tonight, Mister Arc." A voice came, calm and collected, and cruelly entertained. "Remember what could have happened. Remember what will happen, if you should upset the organization a third time. Ignorance is bliss, Mister Arc. Believe me. Stay in the shallows. What you have seen tonight is what it looks like in the deep end."
He could move his hands. Someone lifted him up, ordered him to get up and walk.
Jaune Arc did as he was told.
Man, I really did not want to kill Velvet.
One chapter left.
ISA