Please message me to find a story with a story line that you would like.
Just like LauraLeal215 did.
One message is all it takes.
Some people questioned why Weiss was made the leader last chapter, and to that I really have nothing to say. In the last chapter it was she and Ren who made the decision to flank the Deathstalker. What's more, she pulled Ruby back, showed restraint and otherwise was the only one on their team to offer anything in the way of strategy. I know in the show Jaune was chosen (for whatever reason that was for), but here, I like to use a bit more common sense. Weiss was the one who showed the most leadership ability, and as such she was chosen. To those who said it's bad because she doesn't deserve it because early Weiss is a bitch... well, I don't let feelings like that get in the way of what I know will generate a better story.
I don't like early Weiss, either, but that doesn't mean I need to bash on her for it. What satisfaction might be gained ultimately leads to a worse story.
Beta: College Fool
Cover Art: Kegi Springfield
Chapter 6 – To Lead the Herd
The first day in Beacon, or the first day of lessons as it were, should have been a day of discovery and wonder, of marvel and the first step of him being the huntsman and hero his father was. Instead, Jaune Salem Arc gasped on the floor as life slowly left him.
"You idiot!" Weiss, so similar to his mother and yet so much crueller, scowled down at him. Her hands reached down to his neck and she did... something there. The tight material that had nearly killed him came loose and when she stood back up it was with it in hand. "Don't tell me you've never put on a tie before. This is ridiculous."
A tie - was that what the evil thing was called? Did humans actually bother to wear such things, and if so, why? What was the benefit to having something around your throat that could be tightened to asphyxiate you? "Do I have to wear it?"
Weiss scowled and through it at him. The light fabric briefly fluttered against his chest as he caught it. "It's part of your uniform and as team leader I won't accept you looking anything other than your best." She smiled then, almost pleasantly, as she turned to the tall redhead stood nearby. "Pyrrha, I'm sorry to be a bother but would it be possible for you to help the fool with his tie? I need to make sure that child hasn't done anything foolish to her own uniform."
"Ruby may be young but I'm confident in her maturity," Pyrrha said. Weiss harrumphed but didn't argue as she stalked into the bathroom. That left the taller girl to come up to him and take the material from his hands. She smiled and lifted up his collar, winding the clothing gently around his neck.
"Did I make her angry?" Jaune asked. "I didn't mean to."
"It's fine. Weiss is... I'm sure she will calm down in a few days. I hope she will, anyway. Perhaps for now she feels she needs to prove herself." She tightened the tie to his neck and stepped back. "There. Does that feel okay?"
It did feel better and he nodded. The two paused when they heard a commotion come from the bathroom, however. "You can't wear that," Weiss' voice came through easily, "It's not part of the uniform. Take it off!"
"No! I can't!"
"I said take it off! You're a part of this team and we need to set an image. You can't just run around defying the rules. If you want to study here, you need to stop being such a child!"
Jaune glanced at Pyrrha, who sighed and shook her head. "Shouldn't we do something?" he asked.
"Weiss?" Pyrrha called, "We'll need to head off soon if we want to make it to breakfast." The reminder had his stomach growling but he cut it off as the bathroom door opened and Weiss dragged Ruby outside by her hood. It was a hood that she'd added onto her uniform, and the younger girl clung to it grimly.
"Pyrrha," Weiss sighed, "This... this child wants to wear this on top of her uniform. I'm trying to tell her she can't but she won't listen."
"I have to wear it," Ruby's gasped, "I-It's... it's special to me; I can't not wear it."
"You have an image to maintain, our image – the team's image!" Weiss rolled her eyes and turned to them both. She only had eyes for Pyrrha, however, and it was clear his input was neither requested nor desired. "Tell your partner, Pyrrha. She can't just flout the rules like this."
"Pyrrha..." Ruby's eyes were wide.
Pyrrha sighed and crossed her arms. "I don't see why it's such a big deal," she said, and Jaune watched nervously as Ruby's eyes began to water and Weiss nodded. "If Ruby wants to wear it, just let her. If the teachers say anything she'll need to take it off, but otherwise, I don't see the harm."
Ruby and Weiss' expressions reversed with incredible speed, and the silver-eyed girl used the moment's distraction to tug her hood free and rush over to give her partner a hug.
"That, that is-" Weiss scowled. "Well, what do you think, Arc?"
"I wasn't aware my opinion mattered," Jaune said dumbly. "It didn't before."
"Wha-I-uh..." Weiss' cheeks flushed as she stammered for words. Was she sick? He wondered why she looked so panicked.
"But, if it does, I hope she can keep it. I mean, it doesn't hurt anyone and besides..." he trailed off for a moment to look towards her. He'd been about to say it was good for covering her eyes before his sister-trained instincts kicked in and he remembered that seven out of seven sisters would have kicked his ass for saying that. What was it they liked to hear again? "She looks cute in it."
There was a muffled gasp and up went the hood – covering Ruby's face and eyes. That made it easier for him to breathe since he was still getting used to those.
Weiss looked at him, more than a little flabbergasted. "W-Well, I uh... fine. I suppose I shall let this one go, but! The moment a teacher tells you to take it off, you have to, understood?"
Ruby mumbled something that might have contained the word yes, but probably didn't. It seemed to be enough for Weiss, who shook her head and glowered at all three of them. Ruby stuck her tongue out while he shuffled in place. It was Pyrrha who raised an eyebrow in return, and that proved enough to have Weiss stop and storm out of the room.
"I suppose we should follow her," Pyrrha sighed. "I'm sorry Ruby, I feel like I should have done more."
"It's okay." Ruby whispered, the red of her hood reflecting off her cheeks, "You helped. Won't Weiss be mad at you, though?"
"You're my partner," Pyrrha said with a little smile.
That left Jaune to wonder, as they made their way out of the room, what his role in the affair was supposed to be. If Pyrrha stuck up for her partner, was he meant to do the same for Weiss? No answer seemed forthcoming, and as they jogged down the corridors they eventually caught up with the irate leader, who spared them a critical glance but otherwise didn't complain.
They entered the cafeteria as a full team, and Jaune marvelled at the wide array of people sat at various benches. There were so much more than he'd seen in the initiation, probably the other years coming to breakfast.
Weiss sighed and looked around. "We should find a table to oursel-"
"Hey, look!" Ruby cheered, "There's Yang and her team – come on guys!"
"W-Wait," Weiss tried to reach out to snag the girl's hood but she'd already shot off. Pyrrha chuckled and followed, leaving him to stand beside Weiss, whose arm was still outstretched. The girl straightened and grumbled to herself before she caught him watching. "What?" she snapped. "Is there something on my face?"
He tilted his head and looked at her face. Well, she looked angry but he didn't see anything out of place. "No," he eventually said, right as it looked like she might erupt. "I was just waiting for you to finish what you were going to say." She still didn't look impressed so he went for the usual escape route. "I like your knees."
"Excuse me?" The girl huffed, glared at him, and then shook her head. "Forget it. At least someone is listening to me at least," she growled as she walked off after Ruby and Pyrrha. He shrugged and followed, in time to sit down and hear Yang's comment to her little sister.
"So, how was your bed last night, Rubes? Was it soft – or maybe hard and warm?"
"YANG!" Ruby gasped, cheeks aflame as she looked at her sister and then back to him.
Was she waiting for him to respond? That seemed like a question Yang had asked her in all honesty, but if Ruby wanted him to answer then he supposed he could help her out. "It was comfortable," he said, since the bed was probably the same as his, "The pillows were really nice, though – small and soft."
Ruby started to choke on air, and it felt like all conversation died at the table. Yang, in stark contrast to how she'd acted the day before, smiled like a Beowolf. "Oh, and were you gentle with those pillows, or were you rough?"
"Huh? Well, I mean, I guess it depends from person to person. I was gentle but Ruby kept tossing and turning, then Pyrrha started to as well."
"She was there too?" Yang crooned, even as the girl in question placed one hand against her face. The others had started to snigger too, as though he'd said something particularly funny.
"Of course... I mean, we all were."
"You dolt," Weiss interrupted with a sigh, "You have no idea what you're even saying, do you? He didn't sleep with Ruby, gentle or otherwise. We would have heard."
"Unless you slept with him too," Yang pointed out.
"She did," Jaune nodded.
"I did not!" Weiss kicked him beneath the table. "Read between the lines a little, idiot. She means us sleeping in the same bed!"
"Oh," he said, realisation finally dawning. "No, we didn't sleep in the same bed."
Ruby let out a long sigh as she fanned her cheeks, all the while glaring at her wildly laughing sister. If she'd wanted to sleep in the same bed as him, he'd have let her, though. It had been a while since he'd slept with any of his sisters. His real sisters, that was. There'd been the time he had a nightmare and tried to sleep with big sis Cinder too. She'd been too tired to argue and had let him, but the resultant nightmares when his mom had caught them the next morning hadn't been worth it.
Still, Ruby seemed to get unusually flustered when he mentioned them sleeping together, so he figured he'd save it this time. "See Remy, I'm learning and adapting."
"Yay..."
"So," Yang asked, finally getting her amusement under control as she leaned her chin on her hands, "How are things on Team Water."
"Team Whirlpool," Weiss corrected, "and things are coming alone oka-"
"Eh," Ruby interrupted, "We're still getting used to things – how about you guys?"
"Oh, it's great. Ren woke us up on time for breakfast and Nora's got the most amazing stories. We unpacked all our stuff last night and managed to get it sorted. I thought there wouldn't be enough room for a minute but Ren sorted it out."
"Renny is super-organised," Nora cheered. "He's like a magician, or a ninja – and my epic partner likes ninjas! I saw it on that book she tried to hide."
They all looked towards the black-haired girl, who seemed to recoil from the attention. The book she had crept up her face, so that only the tips of her eyes were visible over it. "I-it's just a book," she said.
"It's a book about ninjas," Nora clarified. "I think I should read it when you're done. It would be like team bonding! We could even have Renny act it out."
"N-No, we shouldn't," Blake seemed to become unnaturally stiff. "It's just fiction. It wouldn't be a good idea. Forget all about it."
"He's a good actor~" Nora cooed.
"No!" Blake shouted, then froze when she realised what she'd done. "I mean no, that's fine. I... I haven't finished the story yet, that's all. I wouldn't want it to be spoiled if he acted out the ending."
"Anyway," Yang laughed, "Yeah, our teams doing great. I think we're onto a real winner here."
"Lucky you," Weiss grumbled.
There was no way the blonde hadn't heard Weiss, but she didn't comment on it. Instead, the conversation turned towards classes and he listened intently. It sounded like they had Grimm Studies first, which he was quite interested in. Mom always said they didn't know anything about the Grimm, so this will be a good chance to see what they do. I wonder if they talk about packs, habits and lifestyles... I might actually do well in that class.
"There is one thing," Yang said, "I... Well, I wanted to tell you all later. Can you guys meet us in our dorm sometime this afternoon?"
"Is it really necessary?" Weiss asked with a roll of her eyes. "We might have homework tonight and I intend for us all to work on it together. We have to set an example, after all." Ruby looked distressed at the thought of that, but Pyrrha nudged an arm into her side and she calmed down. Ooh, I've never done homework before, Jaune thought. I wonder if it's fun.
"It won't take long, I promise. It's... well, I think it's important. Just do it as a favour. If you don't want to hear what I have to say at the time, you can back out."
Weiss sighed but agreed, probably because she felt Ruby would complain if she didn't. Before long the bell for the first lesson was called, and Jaune followed after his team as they left to begin their education.
Grimm Studies, here I come!
/-/
Things were not going the way Weiss would have wished. At first she'd been thrilled with her team, at least one member of it, and then to be made the leader? Winter would be so proud! The problem came soon after and started that very morning with Ruby and her stubborn refusal to fix her uniform. The girl flouted the rules like a child then had the temerity to claim she wasn't being childish when she refused to follow the dress code. Was it far that everyone else had to follow it but her? Ultimately, Ruby Rose didn't care.
That had been the first blow, made all the worse when Pyrrha agreed with her partner over the team leader.
That had been frustrating, but nothing too bad. It was early on and Winter had always said it took time to establish discipline. She'd let the silly hood thing go and if Ruby wanted to risk the ire of the teachers, well then – she'd be there to point out she only had herself to blame.
The second blow came at breakfast when Ruby cut through her own suggestions and basically dragged their team over to another without so much as asking a single one of them if they were okay with that. Sure, Weiss could sympathise with wanting to spend time with your older sister, but if it had been her and Winter, she would still have asked the rest of the team if they were okay with that. It was only polite.
Ruby wasn't polite, nor was she conscientious or mature in any way, shape or form.
It brought a strange appreciation for her own partner who, despite being undeniably odd, at least seemed to listen to her instructions for the most part. She had the suspicion he lived in some backwater settlement on the frontier, which might explain his lack of general knowledge, common sense and why he'd nearly strangled himself with a tie, but still, those things could be fixed in time. At least he listened to her and didn't cause problems like Ruby.
And at least he didn't automatically take her side like Pyrrha kept doing. She's only trying to be a good partner to the girl, she kept telling herself. It was nothing personal. Except that it was, and it felt like Pyrrha was more focused on being a good partner than she was a good teammate. I don't think my asking Ruby to follow the rules of Beacon was cruel. Everyone has to. Why did she act out so badly?
Her thoughts were cut off as they entered the classroom and she bumped into her partner's back. "Don't just stop suddenly," she growled and rubbed her nose, only to raise an eyebrow as the taller teen stood stock still. "What's wrong? Don't tell me you forgot something."
"W-What's that!" he gasped, arm held out.
Weiss followed it and sighed when she saw a realistic depiction of a Beowolf head, kept as a trophy on the wall. It was fake, of course, since everyone knew Grimm faded away when killed. It was realistic, though. "It's just a fake trophy," she sighed, "It's not a real Beowolf sticking its head through the wall if that's what you mean."
"Not that. Why is it there at all? Who would do such a thing!?"
She regarded him with a roll of her eyes, though deep inside she couldn't help but agree. It was a little tacky, not to mention superfluous. A hunter was a hunter, no matter what else they did. A real hunter shouldn't feel the need to take trophies and this was what rich people like the Board of Directors usually did. They liked to feel special and brave and so would purchase gaudy things like that. "I suppose it's there as a visual aid," she said, "I don't know. Now hurry up, we don't want to be late when the lesson starts."
/-/
Jaune was shaking like a leaf by the time Weiss sat him down and took a seat on his right. A small part of him noticed how she placed him between her and the other two members of their team, but for the most part he was too busy trying to calm himself. His eyes flicked to the left – a Boarbatusk's head stamped onto the wall. His eyes widened and he instead turned to the right, only to cringe as he saw a fancy painting of an Ursa being cut down by a people with spears. He tried another wall – weapons and diagrams showing weak points. Elsewhere, a fake-Beowolf hide rug.
The entire room seemed to spin around him as he became dizzy, more and more scenes and vistas of Grimm being slain, of packs being hunted down and butchered for nothing more than entertainment – of pain and blood and death!
"Jaune!" Weiss snapped. "What on Remnant is wrong with you?"
"N-Nothing," he laughed. Sweat dribbled profusely down his brow, "I'm just... wow, is it me or is it really death- I mean hot in here?"
"It's you," she deadpanned. "You look like you're about to collapse. Is it the Grimm? You didn't show any reaction to them in the forest."
"I-It's not," he swallowed and took a deep breath when she raised an eyebrow, "Okay, maybe it is... I... are you okay with this... this insanity? Look at the way this person celebrates what he does. That's not right."
"Jaune," Remy warned, "She's a huntress. She isn't going to agree with that! You need to be less suspici-"
"You're right," Weiss agreed, instantly shutting Remy up. "The décor leaves something to desire, I admit, and it does seem a little distracting for a teaching environment."
"Grimm shouldn't be trophies," he whimpered.
"Exactly," Weiss nodded, for once looking pleased with him, "Our job is a responsibility and not something to be taken lightly. We do not do this because we find enjoyment in doing it or to boast of our success, but because we want to help people."
She understood – she really understood! New-found hope surged within him as he turned to the short girl, who suddenly didn't look half-as-intimidating. "A-And going out into the wild lands to just hunt down innocent Grimm is wrong, right Weiss?"
The girl blinked and tilted her head to the side. "I suppose it would be," she conceded, "After all, if you waste your time in such a manner it might mean being unable to react to a crisis somewhere else." She looked at him curiously for a moment. "Is that why you are so averse to this?"
Because the man who had set this rom up was clearly a psychopath? "YES!"
"I see... Perhaps no one was available when you needed hel-" she paused, and her eyes grew wide. "Forgive me, my words were insensitive. Jaune Arc, I understand your frustrations and want you to know that I agree with you on them."
Something unfamiliar bubbled inside his stomach. Jaune's eyes softened as he stared at the girl he'd written off so easily before. "Weiss..." he breathed.
"We appear to both be in agreement on what the duties of a huntsman are," she said, "But since this is a lesson and he is our teacher, I'll have to ask that you do your best to listen to him. Will you be okay with that?"
"I will," he nodded. It wasn't a total lie. In the face of such a monster, his partner's casual show of support meant more than he'd expected it to. He would be okay, so long as she stood by his side.
He could do this.
"Monsters, demons, prowlers of the night. Yes, the creatures of Grimm have many names, but I...? I call them prey."
He couldn't do this.
The moment the man entered, all Jaune's attention zeroed in on him and he struggled to maintain his calm façade. The man was large, unfit-looking and boasted a huge moustache. His outfit seemed too small for him and he seemed to wobble as he made his way about the room... but Jaune knew better.
"Be wary around him, Jaune," Remy hissed. The parasite sounded more serious than Jaune had ever heard him be before. "If he finds out who you are..."
"I know," Jaune replied. "This... without a doubt, this is the most dangerous huntsman in Beacon."
He wouldn't be fooled by the man's foppish attitude, nor the way he sought to distract them from the truth with his tales of his old uncle that smelled of cabbage. Uncle Watts had warned him about such people... those who sought to distract you from the truth.
"-and then I found myself lost in the Grimmlands with naught but my trousers, a bucket of water and my left shoe, and I said - 'by jove, Peter, a good job for the Grimm you don't have your right!'." The man threw his arms wide. "I then took my shoe and proceeded to carve a path through the Grimmlands, the power of my soul – and my sole – enough to drive even the most hardy Beowolves to their doom."
By Salem, Jaune thought, fingers clenched onto the desk and hair dripping with sweat. Had this man gotten close to the tower? What if he'd caught one of his sisters out feeding the Nevermores or walking Kevin? Every day I would just fool around outside, never knowing this man might have been so close. What if he caught me with his shoe!?
What if the man caught him with his real weapon?
"Keep it together, Jaune," Remy urged, "He's... I know he's terrifying, but you can do this. I believe in you."
Jaune nodded to himself and took a deep breath
"Don't worry, Remy. He won't catch me off-guard."
"A-hah!" Peter Port laughed, staring directly at Jaune, "A volunteer."
Shit, he caught me off-guard!
He nearly jumped out of his skin when the teacher's eyes locked onto his, but to his immense relief it was Weiss beside him that the man turned to. "Me!" she called. "I shall volunteer!"
He felt an immediate pang of fear when she rose. He didn't know what she'd just volunteered for, but if it was from Peter Port – it had to be horrible. "Will you be okay?" he asked.
Weiss seemed surprised by the sincerity. "I'll be fine," she snapped, only for her to sigh and try a smile. It didn't look very convincing. "Thank you for asking, however." She strode from the room to change into her combat gear, as the professor suggested.
"I hope Weiss will be okay. What am I going to do if he tries to rip her apart for his own amusement?"
"Celebrate?"
"REMY!"
Weiss came back into the room in her combat uniform and with rapier in hand. She took a position before the man and readied herself, even as the evil teacher strode over to a large steel cage and lifted his weapon.
Jaune's hands clenched on the edge of his table, prepared to intervene if that axe went anywhere near his partner. She was a bit rude to them, sure, but she didn't deserve to have her head stuck on the wall like some sick trophy. That just wasn't right.
The man brought the axe down on the cage beside him, which probably didn't deserve it either, but was still a lot better than Weiss' neck. The chain there broke, the door springing open as the man jumped back. To Jaune's shock and horror, a young Boarbatusk trotted out.
"Here's the time for you to prove yourself, my dear," the cruel man bellowed. "A mighty Grimm stands before you. Will you be a true huntress and slay it?"
Kill it, why? It hadn't done anything wrong and clearly didn't want to be in a classroom filled with hunters. The poor thing looked left and right, eyes vacant but still confused despite the lack of any true sentience. It had probably been kept in that cage on its own, starved and mistreated by this madman.
The Boarbatusk was furious, understandably so, but it chose to takes its fury out on the one thing it could see before it, his partner. His teeth clenched as it charged, and a sigh of relief escaped him as Weiss dodged to the side.
She flicked out with her rapier and scored a line down its flank. The Boarbatusk squealed in pain. He winced at it, even if it wasn't Weiss' fault. She's acting in self-defence, he told himself. She's only doing this because that madman chose to put her up against it and made it think she was responsible for it being trapped.
The fight, if one could call it that, was one-sided from the start. Free from distraction and armed to the teeth, Weiss was able to put it down three passes later, after she flipped it onto its back using some dust to coat the floor in ice. Myrtenaster thrust down into its stomach, and the poor thing squealed once as it was transfixed to the floor. It began to fade soon after.
"Ha ha," Peter Port guffawed. "I see we are in the presence of a true huntress! Bravo, my dear, bravo!"
"Good job, Weiss," Ruby congratulated as the heiress came back to her seat, still in combat attire. Weiss nodded once but didn't really seem to acknowledge Ruby in the slightest. It made the younger girl sigh.
"That was well fought," Pyrrha agreed.
Curiously, Weiss didn't seem to regard her either, a fact which clearly surprised the redhead. Instead, Weiss turned to Jaune, arms crossed expectantly. "Well?" she said. "How was that?"
"It didn't stand a chance against you," he said morosely.
The answer seemed to please Weiss, who nodded and settled down beside him. On the other side, he heard Ruby ask Pyrrha what they'd done wrong. Neither seemed to know... which left Jaune in the rather unusual situation of being the only one who did.
Maybe it was experience from being around his mom and Cinder. Maybe it was the power games Uncle Watts had told him about, or perhaps it was just easier to see because he wasn't involved personally and could watch from the side lines. It didn't matter to him if Weiss was the leader of the team... he was used to doing what white-haired women told him to. That was life in the Salem household, except that he also did what a black-haired woman told him to do as well. Not because he had to, but because one didn't just ignore one's big sis like that.
There was a political power-play going on within the team... and for once he didn't think Uncle Watt's advice would be enough to stop it.
After all, he couldn't just assassinate the three of them.
"You could..."
"Not helpful, Remy."
/-/
Jaune would be the first to say he wasn't a particularly narcissistic or arrogant person. In all fact, his sisters tended to overpower him in just about everything, which left him with his own set of ego problems and general lack of confidence. Simply put, he didn't much like talking to himself.
He liked even less being sat in a small room with seven other people all discussing him.
"That's definitely the guy," Yang said. She pointed her finger at the news article as though no one quite knew who she was referring to. It was the first thing she'd done when they all gathered in the Team Ribbon dorm as they'd promised to. "I saw him surrounded by Ursa and it was like he was telling them what to do – like he controlled them."
Okay, that wasn't totally inaccurate, but he didn't see any problem there. People talked with one another all the time. Was there really anything so odd with him having a friendly conversation with some locals?
"We saw him too," Pyrrha sighed, and that fact seemed to startle Team Ribbon, or RYBN, as they were called.
"We didn't just see him," Ruby said, "We got into a fight with him."
"You did!?" Yang gasped.
"You did?" Jaune echoed. "When!?"
"It was in the tunnels," Pyrrha said. "Ruby and I entered... Well, it was when we were on our way out. A Deathstalker was sealed inside and we accidentally alerted it. On the way out Ruby ran ahead and crashed into him." The attention turned back to Ruby at that point, and Jaune felt his head swivel with the others.
"He was too fast for me to react. I banged into him but before I could do anything he had one of his tentacles wrapped around my feet."
Yang stiffened, though Jaune wasn't sure why. Ruby had been perfectly safe, and honestly, she'd have hurt herself if she tried to fight him in the dark in a rocky cave. He'd saved her a lot of trouble.
"He lifted her into the air by her legs," Pyrrha went on, "and when I came around the corner it was to see the other tentacle, it..." she flushed and looked away.
"Are you okay Pyrrha?" he asked. "You look red."
"What... did... it... do...?" Yang seethed.
"It didn't do anything," Ruby giggled. "It pushed up against my legs. It felt weird but it didn't do anything. I'm fine."
"It touched her..." Pyrrha coughed and pointed down towards the skirt of her uniform. Yeah, that sounded about right, he had touched her skirt. He didn't want to be accused of peeking, after all.
Yang didn't seem quite so pleased for some reason. In fact, she fell back as though she'd been shot, only to then surge forwards with pretty red eyes. Huh, he hadn't seen those before. They made her look like one of his sisters. "That – that bastard did what to my sister!?"
"Tentacles," the black-haired girl, Blake, whispered, "That sounds like something straight out of a Mistralian tentacle hentai."
Tentacle what now? Jaune turned to Ruby, who caught his questioning gaze and shrugged in return. She seemed as in the dark as he, which at least let him know he wasn't going to ask anything too suspicious. "Question," he said, arm held in the air. "What's tentacle hentai?"
Everyone went silent. As one, they all turned to Blake.
"What?" she asked.
"You said tentacle hentai," Jaune pointed out, "What is it?"
"Yeah Blake," Ruby cheered. "I've not heard of that either. What is it?"
The girl's cheeks went red. She pulled a book up before her face but that didn't seem to answer anything since it was called Ninjas of Love or something. "I-I don't know what you're talking about," she said. "I've never heard of such a thing."
Jaune wasn't convinced, and neither was Ruby judging from the look on her face. "But you said it," the younger girl mumbled, "How could you not know what it is if you're the one to say it?"
"W-Well, I've heard the term before, that's all. It's from Mistral, right? That means Pyrrha would know."
The attention quickly shifted to the resident Mistralian in the group. "You... uh..." Pyrrha looked like she wanted to answer but had some kind of fever. Her cheeks went red and she looked away with a cough. He'd have to see about getting her some medicine later – it looked like she had a cold. "I... well... that is..."
"It's not something you should ever be interested in," Weiss interrupted, thoroughly unimpressed.
"Yeah," Yang nodded, "That sounds about right. Listen to your leader, Rubes – you should not know about that stuff."
Shouldn't they? It was all well and good to say that, but if he'd done some of this stuff with Ruby, he wanted to know what it was and what it meant. "How are we meant to understand what you're saying if we don't know, though?" he asked.
"W-Well just don't, then," Weiss stammered. "It's not like you have to understand."
"But we want to," Ruby whined.
"You don't!"
Ruby looked like she might argue but gave up when it was clear Yang was in full denial mode. She looked towards him, and understanding the hidden message, he nodded back. It wouldn't do to not understand everything there was about this, especially if he'd accidentally initiated it with Ruby.
"Blake is definitely hiding something," he whispered to Remy. "I need to know the full culture of this land, from its knee compliments to how they prefer tentacles to be used. I can't keep making silly mistakes. I'll corner her in private and ask more about this tentacle hentai thing."
"Good idea." Remy piped up. The parasite sounded a little intrigued himself. "I didn't even realise tentacles featured in their culture. It'll be interesting to see what it's about."
"Enough of this," Weiss Schnee growled. "What we know here is hardly news. This... this person – if he's even real – is loose not only in Vale, but close to Beacon itself. If that's true, we should all be careful, and should probably tell the teachers too."
Jaune's eyes widened at the idea of that and he bit down on his lip as he quickly jumped into the conversation. "Should we, though?" he asked, searching for some reason to not let the teachers know, "I mean, isn't it their job to teach us and not ours to teach them... about what is in their forest?"
"Arc..." Weiss sighed. "That makes absolutely zero sense."
"Doesn't it, though?"
Weiss sighed. "No. It doesn't."
"I'm just saying," he began, then paused as he tried to think about what he was 'just saying'. If they told the teachers, then they'd start to look for him – and that would be bad in a hundred little ways. Then again, what were the chances of them just agreeing to forget about his transformed state?
"Yes?" Weiss drawled, "Go on..."
"I'm just saying... that maybe we should do this ourselves."
"Excuse me?"
"What?"
A bead of sweat ran down his brow as he heard both Weiss and Remy agree, but it was the best he could come up with. "Think about it," he said, "This guy hasn't done anything yet, or at least not anything that needs to concern the teachers. Why don't we go after him ourselves? We're hunters too, after all. Wouldn't it be amazing if we were the ones to catch this person?"
"Jaune, what on Remnant are you doing?"
"The best thing I can do," he argued, eyes locked on the others as they considered the point. "If they decide to go after me on their own, then what are the chances of them actually succeeding? Remember what Uncle Watts always says – if you want to fool someone, you need to know what they're thinking. If I'm involved in the group trying to find me, then there's no way I'll be caught by surprise."
"That's... actually not half-bad. You intend to sabotage them, then?"
"Pretty much. Trust me, Remy, this plan is going to work. Just call me the mastermind." Okay, maybe that was a little much. As far as plans went, it probably wouldn't win any awards from his uncle or big sis, but it was the best he could think of at the moment. Either way, it would be safer having his friends search for him, then say, the entire population of Vale – or professional hunters. That was what they did after all... they hunted things down.
"It sounds dangerous," Ren pointed out, "Incredibly so. Ruby and Pyrrha fought him before but were apparently unable to achieve anything."
"Not quite true," Jaune argued, "Didn't Pyrrha say she cut him? She managed that on her own and in a dark tunnel too. I'm sure we could take him our fairly easily."
"Easy for you to say," Yang groused, "You consider a grown Nevermore child's play."
"Nah, I prefer Beowolves for that," he rattled off, then paused, eyes wide, "I mean, uh..."
"Yeah, yeah, you're a badass, we get it," Yang waved one hand. "I'm just worried that Rubes might be in trouble if she stands up to this guy. She's fought him twice now, and he hasn't hurt her. What if third time's the charm?"
"He won't hurt her," Jaune said, "I'll make sure of it."
There was a soft 'eep' from the side, but when he looked it was only Ruby, eyes focused down at her knees and with cheeks red once more. Really, she needed to go see a doctor, this was getting ridiculous.
"Heh," Yang grinned and rubbed her nose with her thumb. "Must be nice to have a knight in shining armour nearby, eh sis?"
"Yaaang..." Ruby pleaded. "Ugh, I think we should go for it. We're all strong enough and can-"
"Ruby..." Weiss' voice was stern and cut into the girl's speech before it could really get going. "While I... appreciate your enthusiasm, I think it would be worth recalling who exactly the leader of our team is. I realise you've gotten away with a lot today, but a decision like this can't be made by just one person!"
"I-"
"I don't care for excuses, Ruby. You cannot make decisions for the whole team."
"Nor can you for ours, Schnee," Blake said. The words, no matter how casually they were delivered, cut into Weiss' rant and had the girl's teeth grinding together. "You're not my team leader. I don't have to follow your orders."
"We should put it to a vote," Ren stepped in before an argument could start.
Weiss and Blake stared at one another, and Ruby looked awkwardly on. Pyrrha shuffled in place too, clearly uncertain. The power plays are getting worse, Jaune winced. Something's going to break if this continues. He didn't know who to support, however, as the situation had never been one he'd needed to think about before. Salem was his mom, she was also the Queen of the Grimm and ruled over everyone. Cinder and his uncles had never dared disobey and to see Pyrrha and Ruby doing it so easily...? He wasn't sure what to think.
"Fine, then." Weiss hissed and sat down. She flicked a hand dismissively. "Do whatever you like."
The silence in the group felt heavy, but Ren bravely pushed on. "This is dangerous but there's no saying we have to engage him if we find anything, or that we'll ever see him again in the first place. Either way, if the worst happens, it would be wise for us all to know what our response will be – fight or flight."
"And that's why you're our team leader," Yang laughed. "I'd just rush in and punch him."
"I know. I experienced it."
"You say something, partner?"
"Not at all... Now, hands up for those who wish to engage this... person, should we ever find them."
Jaune held his hand up, eyes locked onto his team with an expression just short of pleading. Weiss crossed her arms and huffed, but Ruby held her own up – good girl. Pyrrha did the same too, after a moment's though, and somehow that seemed to frustrate Weiss even more. She shook her head and grumbled something under her breath. He doubted it was anything nice.
"That's three for them," Ren whispered, then looked back to his own team. Yang and Nora had their arms in the air, the latter looking almost eager to start fighting. "Of course," he sighed, "Well, that seems to be a consensus. We should still be careful, though... we don't know anything about this person or how strong they are."
True, but they'd never have to find out, either. The relief Jaune felt was almost palpable. He sighed and leaned back, smile wide as he chalked up a success that his big sis might even have been proud of. "So, we're agreed to do this search ourselves," he said, "without the aid of the teachers?" That was the important part, of course.
"Yep!" Nora cheered.
"For now," Ren sighed.
"Um..." Pyrrha coughed nervously into her hand. "About that... I didn't realise we were going to do this and it seemed like something important. I already talked with the headmaster about it last night and reported everything. Sorry?"
Oh... Jaune's face fell. Well... crud.
"Meh, never mind. We can still go after him ourselves too," Ruby suggested. "We'll attack from both sides and catch him in the middle."
"Great going, mastermind." Remy drawled.
Double crud...
/-/
Cinder's hands twitched as she knelt on the stone floor, one knee pushed to the ground and head bowed. She waited, as she always had, for permission to speak. A growl from nearby caught her attention and amber eyes flicked over to see a large, imposing Beowolf on the edge of the chamber. It was his Beowolf, and despite the loss of its master, it seemed anything but restless.
"Tell me again, my dear, what it is that my son has gone and gotten himself wrapped up in."
It would not be the first time she'd recounted the story. In fact, it was probably the third, but her mistress was calmer now and one didn't leave her waiting. "My contact in Vale reported seeing your son," she said. "The reports remain muddy at this time, but it appears that he has infiltrated the city of Vale and... and may have enrolled himself at Beacon."
She carefully made sure to refrain from mentioning that he'd come into contact with two huntresses, or that his life had been threatened. She would never lie to her master, but at the same time, some things were... best left unsaid.
There was an intake of breath, one that almost sounded like a hiss and which had Cinder's eyes clenching shut as she steadfastly stared at the floor. "I see," Salem's voice was saccharine and calm, yet dreadfully brittle. "I see... and... this contact of yours. You are confident in his words?"
Confident... of Roman? Cinder resisted the urge to snort. "He has his uses but is not the most important of individuals," she said. "On the other hand, he did describe the person in question as white of hair and skin, red of eye, with veins about the eyes and being capable of spawning Grimm with his blood."
For the longest moment all that could be heard was the pitter-patter of distant feet, and a huff from Mannie as he sat down beside Salem's great throne. "That... is a somewhat unique description," Salem eventually sighed. "So, my son has chosen to travel to Vale, without my permission, no less – and to enter himself into a school for... for huntsmen?"
Cinder cringed. "It would seem so, ma'am."
"I have only one question for you then, my dear..."
Oh Gods. Her eyes clenched shut as she prepared herself and looked up at the woman she called her master.
"Where did I go wrong?" Salem gasped. She lowered a book she'd been holding in one hand, the title of which read 'parenthood for the parentally incompetent' and flicked a pair of glasses off her nose. "Was it too much discipline? Did my little Grimmling spend too much time in the naughty corner?"
"M-My mistress, Jaune spent almost no time in the naughty corner..."
"Well, how could I?" Salem gasped. "Every time he did something wrong, I would call him up and demand an explanation - fully prepared to make him rue the day... but then his eyes would water and he would confess and look so guilty. I couldn't hurt my little baby like that!"
Cinder didn't bother to mention how some of Jaune's sisters were far less scrupulous about their use of tears to get out of trouble. Salem wouldn't believe it and if they found out, they would make her life hell in revenge. She didn't know which was worse; that his sisters would do it to take advantage of people or that Jaune did it because he genuinely felt bad the moment he did something wrong. He was supposed to be the Prince of the Grimm!
"Still," Salem sighed, "Perhaps you are right." She stood and flung the book aside. "Clearly, I've been too lax. When I march upon Vale and tear it to the ground, I shall then bend my wayward son over my knee and show him how strict I can truly be, all atop the ruins of that disgusting nest of human scum."
Panic shot through Cinder like fire. This was exactly what she'd feared and she quickly looked up. "No, my Queen, please – you needn't do that, I can-"
"No, you're right. I could not do that. Very well, Cinder, when he is reclaimed, you will be the one to bend him over and spank him. Thank you for volunteering."
Cinder's face blanched and went red at the same time and she quickly waved her hands before her. "N-No, that's not what I meant. I was going to say we shouldn't invade Vale like that. We have plans in place, my Queen, they would be ruined if we marched on the city at the head of an army of Grimm."
Salem lowered herself back down into her throne. Her face morphed into a serious one, and Cinder bowed her head once more. "No. The fall of Beacon will commence immediately. If my son wishes to place himself in harm's way, then it would seem that there is only one thing that can be done. I cannot allow for my poor little baby to remain in that pit of vipers."
It was a disaster, just like she'd feared. Cinder wracked her mind for an answer, anything she could say to change her mistress' mind. "It would endanger your son," she gasped at last. "Jaune might be at risk."
Salem went still. "Explain," she ordered.
"If Jaune is in Vale then he would be expected to aid in its defence," she said. "Even if you ordered the Grimm not to harm him, there would be just as much chance a building might fall on him, or that a stray bullet might catch him. Surely that would place Jaune in incredible danger."
"And is he not in such already?" Salem asked. "He is surrounded by hunters, and I don't mean my Nicky-poo."
Cinder's face twisted in horror at the affectionate nickname. "E-Even so, Jaune's safety is assured so long as his disguise holds. None would expect to find him surrounded by his natural enemies. It's the perfect disguise."
"Hmm... you are correct," Salem sighed, and there was a note of weary relief there, "Perhaps I worry overmuch on this. While he has his father's tenacity and drive, he is still my son and shares my intellect. It is good that you remain a voice of patience, my dear."
"Exactly," Cinder sighed in pure relief. "There's no need to raze Vale to the ground to recover him. I'm sure in time, this little rebellion of his wi-"
"Wait!" Salem flung out a hand and cut Cinder's words off entirely. "Of course, it all makes sense. Man-slayer!"
The great Beowolf beside the throne, Man-Slayer – or 'Mannie' as Jaune so innocently called him, bounded to life and leapt upon its prey. The great head surged from left to right as the jaws bit down, and with a happy growl he dragged the victim back to his master.
Salem took the small, purple book from his great jaws and flicked some slobber away. "Teenage rebellion," she read aloud, as she flicked through the pages. "Ah, here we go. Teenage rebellion is the act of seeking an identity and rebelling against the norms, expectations and disciplines of the parents and all familial or authoritative figures!" Salem stood up from her position, eyes ablaze. "Tell me, Cinder... can I crush this rebellion like all the others?"
"I... would say no," Cinder said with a wince. "Teenage rebellion is something many teenagers go through, or so I've heard. I don't think attacking your son with an army of Grimm would fix it."
Salem sighed and lowered herself back down. It was only when she was sat down entirely that Cinder let out a breath of relief. Her master's temper could be frightening, and despite the familial reason for it, there was still a very real chance someone could be killed if they displeased her.
"Come then, my dear," Salem sighed, "You would not dare approach without a plan. Share with me your thoughts on the matter."
Cinder nodded and looked up. "I believe this could best be handled with subtly," she explained, "If Jaune can be reclaimed with Vale none the wiser, then it would not only be safer for him, but would also allow our plans to continue unhindered." She had worked too hard for the maiden's powers to see them be tossed aside now. Still, it looked like Salem had started to calm down – which was a win in her books and wouldn't leave their plans in tatters. They still were a little damaged, but all she'd need to do was keep an eye on her idiot little brother in Vale and make sure he didn't mess things up. That could wait until the Festival, however. For now, all she needed to do was make sure Salem didn't find o-
"My Queen," that insufferable idiot, Watts, shouted as he burst through the ornate door, "One of my men in Vale brought this to my attention and I... thought you ought to see it." He presented the article to the woman, and at her nod, Cinder rose to look at it with her. Her blood turned to ice a second later.
'Rogue criminal loose in Vale – all hunters alerted' the headline read. The image was of a rather simplistic representation of a young man with red eyes, white hair, and tentacles.
Cinder winced as Salem's eyes turned to regard her, one brow raised dangerously. "Prepare the Grimm," she ordered Watts. "I shall see more spawned. Vale will fall and I shall reclaim my son."
Jaune, I'm going to kill you when I get hold of you.
Oh dear, problems both at home and at Beacon – well done, Jaune. Honestly, this chapter could have gone on and on but I had to stop it somewhere. More school time shenanigans will occur in future chapters, of course.
And what of Cinder's noble goals to save Vale from Grimm invasion? Will she be able to convince Salem away from reclaiming her baby boy by force?
Also yes, I know hentai is a Japanese word and so shouldn't exist in the Remnant world, but by that value – neither should 'ninja'. The crossovers are rife in the show and I doubt the producers even notice.
Next Chapter: 22nd February
P a treon . com (slash) Coeur