Capítulo 460: 16
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Jaune groaned, straining to force his chest up for the fifth time, while Nora sat in front of him, watching earnestly with a flat expression, "Come on, Jaune… You've only done five, they're not that hard." "I can do a hundred, easy."
"Maybe not for you, Nora." He grunted, arms trembling as he raised again and lowered back down, groaning, "Frickin' muscle monster… This is ridiculous."
"You asked us to train you, and we will." Ren tossed in sagely, meditating next to Jaune while the blonde exercised, "Nora's... exuberance is not always the most wonderful of things, but for now it is good. No one can make you physically stronger." "As long as you survive the ordeal, that is." Jaune felt the man's eyes on him for several seconds, "You will be missed."
"Perhaps if I were not on his back…," Pyrrha offered halfheartedly, legs crossed and trying not to shift too much, Jaune conscious of her for more reasons than the weight and his Semblance. "I feel that might help. I am not quite a small woman, after all." "At least we convinced her not to make me wear my armor…"
Jaune grunted, sighing when the training room's door opened, "Ugh, is he still at this? I'd have thought he'd be done by now."
"He won't be done until his arms stop working!" Nora crowed, bouncing up from her seat and laughing brightly, "That's how his training has to go!" "He has to be able to lift her. If she got hurt, he'd need to carry her out." "Trust me, it's very, very important that he be able to carry Pyrrha around easily."
"May I ask why?" Weiss asked primly, hand on her hip and head cocked to the side, "Or will I even get a valid answer?" "That would be the usual."
"It's because she says so, honestly. Nora is… rather passionate when it comes to strength training, we've learned." Pyrrha quipped, standing up and letting Jaune droop to the floor with a groan. Like everyone else, she was wearing her school uniform, the only exception in the empty training room being Jaune in his baggy clothes. "Strength training is… very needed, especially if he wants to learn my style of swordsmanship." "If he's too weak to hold a shieldwall, he'll only be a nuisance…" He raised a brow at her from the floor and she blinked after a second, "Oh." "Sorry."
"Hey Jaune!" Ruby cheered, bouncing through the door excitedly. "Are you all feeling better? I heard you had some injuries when you came back... "Jaune almost sighed at the anxiety that suddenly rolled off the girl as she stopped bouncing, looking at them with wide, silver eyes.
"We're fine, Ruby. Promise. Just… scrapes and bruises, mostly. Just enough to get us out of class." Getting drafted into saving the world was also a good excuse… "Sorry to worry you, though." He ruffled her hair playfully, and she batted at his hands and pouted, though he could sense the warmth it made her feel.
"If you keep doing that, you'll spoil her." Weiss grumbled, smiling in spite of herself. "Not that I don't do that enough already… Honestly, how did her father afford the sweet tooth on that girl?"
"A little spoiling goes a long way for a growing girl." Jaune said with a shrug, turning to walk across the almost bare excercise room to sit at a bench and grab his water bottle, "That's what my dad always said, when my sisters were kids."
"I'm not a kid!" Ruby pouted, stomping her foot in a way that was very much against the point she was trying to make, shaking her fists at her side as she did so, "I drink my milk, and eat my vegetables!" "It's still true if Weiss is making me do it…"
"Even though Weiss makes you?" Jaune asked, smiling when she turned red and Weiss chuckled quietly, hand covering her mouth. "Ruby… you do realize we eat at the same table, right? I'm a fairly observant guy when I want to be, you know."
"Can we get to the point where you tell me why you asked me to come see you?" Weiss asked curtly, crossing her arms over her chest, "I do have things I need to do, you know." "Like Ruby's homework... "
"Yeah, I was wondering if you had any ideas for Nora's grenade launcher." Jaune started, jerking his head the mildly surprised ginger, "It uses handloaded Dust explosives, so I thought you might have a few tricks she could use. Elemental rounds, maybe, or a larger payload, or something."
"Ooh! Like, lighting explosives, or fire explosives!" Nora squealed, bouncing with sudden excitement, "Magnhild would be so much cooler with that!" "And it would add a capability in combat. Extra versatility is always good."
"I…" He felt a swell of pride and satisfaction from Weiss, and she smiled slightly before catching it, "I suppose I could offer some advice and suggestions. Maybe help with a few modifications, until she learns to do it herself." "I could order Dust samples, maybe arrange for a small workshop… Oh, Father would be so proud if I could make workable Dust explosives by hand!"
"I'll go get Magnhild!" Nora cheered happily, running past them with a bright smile.
They were all quiet for a moment before Ruby spoke, "So, uh, how did your mission go?"
Jaune looked at Pyrrha for a moment and sighed, falling into the story Ozpin had given them. "Just a regular patrol outside the walls. Some Atlesians were with us, in case things got bad, but it was mostly fine. Some Boarbatusks and Beowolves surprised us, and we got scraped up, but it was pretty calm in all honesty."
"It was rather tame." Ren added helpfully, smiling almost normally. Jaune was almost certain that if he couldn't hear his thoughts and didn't know any better, he'd have believed the man. "The Headmaster said we acquitted ourselves well, and should rest for a few days before returning to class."
"Nora was… more than content with the lack of homework, luckily." Pyrrha added, laughing quietly. "We've been using the time to help Jaune train, and to… Well, bond, I suppose. It's important for a lokhoi to have tight bonds between its members."
"You mentioned that in the forest to." Ren started quietly, the woman turning to face him as he sat on the floor, legs crossing comfortably and mind radiating curiosity, "What is a 'lokhoi' exactly? I assume it's Mistralian."
"It's… an old Mistralian tradition for Hunters, and ancient soldiers, referring to their teams, legions, units and the like." She started, shrugging slightly and grinning sheepishly, "I… It hadn't registered that I was using it, in honesty. I was trained in the old Mistralian style of fighting first, before I got older and learned a hybrid Mistralian-Vacuon style of fighting." "It's a term of trust and endearment, and I use it for those reasons."
"Ah. That makes sense, I suppose. Nora and I were trained at a monastery for a few years. We… are regrettably not as strong as the monks there, and Nora didn't quite take their teachings to heart in a few ways, but it served us well." Ren said quietly, closing his eyes as he slipped into a sort of passive meditation, relaxing but still engaging in discussion with his friends. "You may know of it, Pyrrha. It's the Tai Xum Monastery, a few days south of Mistral. Fairly close to Menagerie." "Close enough to have caused some anxiety among the monks when it was founded for the Faunus, though they seem to mostly just want to trade."
"What about you, Weiss?" Pyrrha asked brightly, smiling happily at the Schnee while Jaune leaned against the wall. She turned to see him sitting and sat next to him, looking up slightly at the Schnee, and jaune couldn't help but smile at Pyrrha's almost exuberant joy that he could feel radiating from her. "Where did you train, since we're on the subject?"
"I was trained by several tutors that my father hired to train me, and my sister, Winter. I am trained in the Atlesian Dust-Fencing technique know as Dust Weaving. That's why Myrtenaster has those Dust chambers built into it, when normally that would be very expensive to maintain." She shrugged almost nonchalantly, "Normally it's too expensive to use it, since the more exotic Dusts can cost a fair amount." "Far cheaper when you own it, though." "And you, Jaune?"
"What?" He asked lamely, blinking at the Schnee in surprise, "What about me?"
"Where'd you train, Jaune?" Ruby offered helpfully, smiling next to Weiss brightly, "Someone has to have taught you how to use your sword, right? So where'd you learn?" "It would have to be somewhere awesome, if Headmaster Ozpin has noticed you."
"I, uh, well I was trained mostly at home and here, honestly." Jaune said with a small shrug. "Not really a lie, since that's mostly true…" "I've never been that great at fighting, but my tactics scores got me noticed in my village's little academy, and next thing I know, I'm here." "And there goes that…"
"Really?" Weiss almost drawled, raising an eyebrow at him disbelievingly. "You were trained at home and here? Nowhere else?" "Impossible."
"If that's what he says that's the truth." Pyrrha cut in defensively, staring at the girl with a fake smile. "Or do you have an accusation to make, because I could swear I heard one in there somewhere." "Careful, Jaune. Whatever secrets you have, I doubt she'll use them responsibly. Or to your benefit."
"Yeah Weiss, don't start a fight." Ruby half-whined, the white-haired girl sighing and shrugging lightly. "Please… Everyone is having a good time…"
"Fine. I don't really care, I suppose." Weiss grumbled, turning to look at the door impatiently, "Where is that insufferable girl? It's been long enough for her to retrieve her blasted hammer by now, surely."
"Knowing Nora, she's doing something worth worrying about, I'm sure." Pyrrha said lightly, relaxing as the tension left the air as quick as it had come, "I don't know exactly why she's taking so long, but I doubt it's problematic in any real way."
"Unless she stopped by the cafeteria…" Ren added quietly, turning his head slightly to look at Jaune.
"Time to intervene?"
"Time to intervene." Ren answered him, the duo hopping up and heading for the door, Pyrrha following behind and explaining to the other two.
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"I understand that you want me to come back, Ozpin, but I can't just-"
"You can and will, Qrow. This is important to an extreme that you and the good general will both understand completely when you are here." Ozpin interrupted, his voice echoing slightly off the cave walls, "I assure you, Qrow, they will be leaving themselves soon enough. This is important."
"Why?" He asked tiredly, shaking his flask and sighing when it was empty, "I thought this was important. That's why I'm here right now."
"I've a new member to introduce to our group. Miss Goodwitch is… displeased by this, and James is coming to meet him as well." Ozpin said, sighing lightly, the sound causing static to ripple across the connection. "As you know, little else can be said until you are here, for reasons you are very, very well aware."
Qrow was quiet for a long time before he sighed, rubbing his forehead to try and treat the encroaching headache, "Look, the team will be back in a few hours, and then I'll-"
"No less than thirty Alpha Lupinus ambushed JNPR and I in the forest, Qrow. They did so under the direction, and in the presence, of a Faunus named Tyrian." Ozpin interrupted simply, the scythe wielder leaning forward attentively at the words, "We need to move quickly, and hold a vote, so that I may move our new friend into a better position to help us. Delaying could have… the kind of consequences that will mean you need to deliver my cane to me. I need you on your way, so that I can get to work convincing Glynda of the need for him."
"I'll leave a note." Qrow said, standing up with his Scroll in his hand, grabbing his scythe and beginning to gather what he needed, "I'll be to the emergency pickup in a day, going by the way the crow flies."
"I understand. Come as quickly as you can. I'll… try to bring Glynda on board with the new member." Ozpin ended the call, and Qrow sighed.
"Fucking Dust, why did I agree to do this job…" Qrow sighed, grabbing a piece of paper and scrawling his notes onto it.
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"What do you mean, you're daking a day's leave?" Winter asked quietly, surprised instead of offended, "We're… You ordered the fleet mobilised into combat formation, if the men find out that you're on a leave while they are fighting and dying in the forest, their morale will waver."
"Then it will waver." He said grimly, turning to look at her as he holstered his sidearm, "But they will do their duties. They are Atlesian, not some pissants from Vacuo, with stomachs full of their mother's milk. They will do their duty."
"Some of those men are actually from Atlas, you know." Winter argued, gesturing at the window of his quarters. A spartan room, mostly empty aside from a bed and a dresser, connected to his command bridge, "They enlisted with us to repay our kindness, to do some good in the world."
"And they have, in spades, but they aren't Vacuon anymore. They're of Atlas." He nodded, smiling thinly, "Everyone serves Atlas as they will. As do I."
"By taking leave?" Winter asked, shaking her head, "Sir, I fail to realize-"
"Yes, you do!" He snapped, turning to her in an uncharacteristic loss of his composure before he took a breath, turning and leaning on his bed's frame, hands gripping the metal hard enough to bend under his cybernetic side, "I am going to Vale, to make arrangements for that very reason. I always serve Atlas. In everything I do."
"Sir, I didn't mean to-"
"No, but you did." He said casually, sighing and turning from where he'd stared at the wall to stare at her instead, eyes hard. "I lost my arm, my leg and part of my skull for Atlas, Winter. I always serve its interests, above all."
"I… I understand, sir. I'll… I'll arrange things and make sure your plans are followed, as best as the commanders can manage." She said, snapping to attention and looking at the wall, avoiding his gaze.
"No." James muttered, stepping into her line of sight and locking eyes with her, "You will act as the commanding general, under my direct authority and with my permission."
"But sir… I'm…"
"A Schnee, I am aware. You will lead, and they will follow." He threw his coat on, stepping past her and opening the door, "Petty politics isn't at work here. But we have to show that to them."
"I understand. Yes, sir." She turned, heel against her calf as she spun on the spot and clicking against the ground when it came down, saluting the general.
"Good. I'll be back in three days." He walked out the door, shoes echoing on the metal floor as he went, and Winter sighed and relaxed, shaking lightly.
"Oh Dust, oh Dust, oh Dust, Winter…. What have you gotten into now." She straightened, ran her hands along her body to check her uniform, before turning to follow him out the door crisply.
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"Faked transcripts were one thing, Ozpin. But this… this is another." Glynda said tersely, glaring at him lightly from over his desk, arms across and sitting in a chair. "I won't be party to this… foolishness."
"Glynda, I already told you what he could do." Ozpin said simply, fingers steepled under his nose, "Just having him around us could mean complete protection from spies, agents and more. And even beyond that, we'd be able to recruit safely. For the first time since our organization began."
"According to the abilities of a liar and a thief, and who knows what else that that boy has done. Ozpin…" She shook her head, turning to stare out the window again. "I cannot condone it, Ozpin."
"I'm asking for your vote, not for you to condone his past acts." Ozpin said simply, shrugging when she looked at him with a raised eyebrow and tilted head. "If she gets him, then that would be worse. As a Huntsman, he would likely fall to her eventually, one way or another. Without him here, close by, to protect him, Beacon itself could fall. Or worse."
"Worse?" She echoed quietly, shaking her head slightly in disbelief.
"Worse. She gets him under her thumb, walks him past a general… Or a Councilor…" He trailed off, raising a hand and closing his fist, "She could get the proverbial, or literal, keys to the Kingdom."
"That can't be allowed." She said, nodding in agreement with his point. "I… Still disagree with your suggestion, though. We could easily expel him, blacklist him, and use our contacts to keep him in Vale. Safe, away from the Grimm."
"But not from anyone working on her behalf. I fought one already, as you well know." Ozpin said quickly, sighing and leaning back, "So either we recruit him, or we kill him to protect ourselves."
"Ozpin!"
"Do not shout at me as though you scold a child, Glynda!" He shouted back, slamming his palms onto his desk and standing, leaning on it, "Vale, Atlas, Vacuo, Menagerie and Mistral. These I am sworn to protect. I need your vote to get what I want and recruit him. Not to kill him. I do not want that, but I will do it and anything else to protect the world."
"You… You would threaten a child's life…"
"For the world? Yes." He said simply, looking at her as she sighed, closing her eyes and breathing deeply.
"Oh gods, I believe you would…" She shuddered, standing up and turning to leave the room, "You will have my vote, Ozpin." She turned to look at him, eyes hard, "I will never condone what he did… Never condone what you would do… But I understand it, on both your parts to differing extents."
"Thank you, Glynda, I…" He sat down, letting out a shaky breath and leaning his head back, "Just… Thank you."
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