Capítulo 755: 98
Chapter 98:
"You wish to ask me about your sword?" asked Kyo, looking at Jaune.
Jaune nodded. "Well...it's something I've been noticing lately. I wanted to ask Ruby about it. But she's been busy with her training. You seem to have a lot of free time, so I figured you might be able to help."
"Well...my free time will be more limited," said Kyo. "However, I have some time to spare this afternoon."
"Yeah, Ruby told us you were helping Amber," said Jaune.
Jaune could have sworn that Kyo's cheeks turned pink at the mention of the Fall Maiden's name. "Th-that is true," said Kyo, coughing into his hand. "In fact, I will be meeting with her in a half-hour or so. Still, in the meantime, I'll hear you out."
At present, the pair of them were in Kyo's room. The previous night, Ruby had informed them about the arrangement that she and Kyo had made with Ozpin and Glynda, concerning Amber. Ruby's friends were all understandably shocked to learn that Ruby was playing matchmaker between her brother and the Fall Maiden...as well as learning that Kyo was apparently worse than Jaune had been, when it came to dealing with girls his own age.
Granted, that was neither here nor there at the moment. Right now he had much more pressing questions for Kyo.
"Thanks," said Jaune. "It's just...recently, I've noticed a few things about my sword and shield. And I've started to wonder if there's something...more to them."
"More...?" Kyo raised an inquisitive eyebrow.
"Yeah," said Jaune, looking at the sheathed Crocea Mors, resting across his lap. He related his experience in the fight against the Atlesian Paladin, and then against Morgan's pirates on board the freighter.
"So then...what do you think about your sword and shield?" asked Kyo.
Jaune frowned. He was supposed to be the one asking the questions. "Well...the way they light up, the sound they make...the way they feel. I'm starting to think that my weapons might have..."
"Yes..." prodded Kyo.
Jaune decided to say it out loud. "Aura. I think my weapons have their own Aura."
He'd expected Kyo to scoff. Crocea Mors was an old and storied weapon, passed down through generations of his family. But that didn't hold a candle to Kyo's sword, which, according to what Ruby had told them, was many thousands of years old, and forged by the greatest swordsmith to ever walk the earth. Ruby's own sword was just as impressive, but had been forged specifically for her by the current greatest smith in the world, a smith who specialized in creating such weapons.
Compared to that, the idea that Jaune's own weapons would be capable of something so remarkable seemed laughable.
However, to his surprise, Kyo smiled. "You're not wrong," he said simply.
Jaune blinked furiously. "I'm not...?"
"You are not," said Kyo. He held out his right hand. "May I?"
"O-okay," said Jaune, handing over Crocea Mors.
Kyo closed his fingers around the handle, drawing the sword from its sheath. For a moment, he held it, turning his wrist to test the sword's heft and balance. Then he held the blade in front of him, running parallel to the ground across his chest. He gently pressed the first two fingers of his left hand to the flat of the blade, and bowed his head over it.
After a few seconds of silence, a faint chime filled the air. It was like the sound of someone running their finger along the edge of a crystal goblet. It was beautiful, clear, and so...so soft. But Jaune was able to hear it all the same. There was a flicker of light along the length of the sword, a flicker that could have been explained by the light from above catching on the blade's polished face. However, the light seemed to originate from within the sword, its edges outlined in white for a second, before fading.
"That's..." Jaune began.
"Your sword's Aura," replied Kyo, sheathing the blade and handing the whole thing back. "I'm not all that familiar with shields, so I can't say I could do the same with yours. That's not my prerogative anyway."
"It's so faint," said Jaune.
"If I had to guess, that's because of your sword's make," said Kyo. "I can only speculate on the nature of the one who forged it. However, I'd say that he was indeed quite skilled, and very proud of his work."
"What makes you say that?" asked Jaune.
"It's often said that great artisans 'put themselves' into their creations," explained Kyo. "When one factors in Aura, that phrase becomes more literal than you might think. As a consequence, even someone who has never unlocked their Aura can still invest a tiny portion of it into their creations, if they are emotionally invested in them."
"Is that what happened with your and Ruby's swords?" asked Jaune.
"In our case, our weapons are the result if you take that principle to the extreme," said Kyo. "Muramasa and Murasame-sama are smiths who, in addition to having their Auras unlocked, trained to actively channel their Aura into the forging process. The blade is deliberately infused with Aura, and the great care put into it prompts the resulting weapon to develop a true life of its own."
"But Crocea Mors' creator didn't do that," guessed Jaune.
"No," said Kyo. "Whoever it was, they were clearly quite skilled, and very proud of their work. As such, their Aura took root in the sword. But the Aura that was originally implanted is but a tiny fragment."
"So...it doesn't do anything?" asked Jaune.
"I think you know the answer to that question," said Kyo wryly. "After all, that's what prompted you to bring this question to me in the first place."
"Then how?" asked Jaune.
Kyo smiled. "What I told you about forging is but one way an object can be infused with Aura. There is another factor, and that is the ones who have wielded it."
"How so?"
"You told me that your weapon has been passed down through generations, correct?" asked Kyo. When Jaune nodded, he continued. "Generations of Huntsmen, each wielding sword and shield, channeling Aura through it repeatedly. Given the basic nature of such a weapon, they likely channeled more Aura through it than the average Huntsman does through a Dust-using weapon in this day and age. That constant practice accomplishes much the same thing smiths like Muramasa and Murasame-sama achieve, albeit in a more gradual manner."
"So, by constantly channeling Aura through the sword, all the different people who wielded Crocea Mors are basically infusing Aura into it," said Jaune.
Kyo nodded. "Each of its previous wielders has left an imprint of their Aura within the blade, an imprint that has melded with the Aura originally imparted by the sword's creator. The result is that, over generations, that Aura has melded together, blending to give your sword and shield their own distinct Aura. They have indeed developed 'life' of the same nature as my weapon or Ruby-chan's."
"But it doesn't seem quite as..." Jaune blinked, thinking about the difference between what his sword had done in Kyo's hands, and how Kyo's sword had behaved in battle.
"Well, the process is gradual," said Kyo. "The Aura within your sword is still quite weak, especially in comparison to a weapon like mine or Ruby-chan's."
"But...it seemed stronger, those times I was using it," said Jaune.
Kyo's smile became a grin. "Ah, but you're overlooking the critical element in that statement, the one thing that is different from what I was doing."
"Um...It was during battle?" guessed Jaune. "I mean, if a sword uses its Aura during a fight, of course it would be more powerful, right?"
Kyo laughed. "Ah! No. Drawing upon a blade's Aura during battle would be easier to do, as that is a fulfillment of a sword's purpose. But that won't make a sword suddenly have more power than it did before. The reason, that one difference, is actually much simpler."
Jaune was silent for a long moment.
Kyo chuckled. "There is one...single...critical...difference in what happened when your weapon was in your hands...as opposed to when it was in mine."
Jaune's eyes widened, and he looked up at Kyo in amazement. "So you're saying it's because...I was wielding it?"
"Exactly!" said Kyo happily. "Your weapon's Aura was strongest when it was in your hands. Now...can you think of why?"
Jaune looked down at his weapon, staring at it pensively.
"I'll give you a hint," said Kyo. "It goes back to an earlier conversation we've had...one we've had in this very room. Ruby-chan was with you at the time."
Jaune blinked furiously, his head snapping back up to look at Kyo again. "Y-You mean...this 'power' I'm supposed to have? That's why my sword is so strong, when I'm wielding it."
"Correct," said Kyo. "Your ability allows you to magnify the potency of Aura. When you heal, you multiply your subject's natural healing ability. When you support, your Aura doesn't just supplement, but enhances the Aura of the one you're supporting. You can even utilize it to enhance your own body's healing to do what most healers cannot. And, even if the Aura within your sword and shield are nascent and weak on their own, by applying your own ability to them, you have been unconsciously enhancing them, magnifying their power dramatically."
"That's..." Jaune struggled to find the words to say. He looked down at Crocea Mors again. "Wow."
Kyo's expression softened. "That's definitely a skill worth cultivating," he said. "With weapons like yours, it's only natural to seek to tap into their Aura, as doing so increases their effectiveness, and will make you dramatically stronger. However, in your case, the benefits will be even more pronounced."
"Do you have any advice for me?" asked Jaune.
Kyo leaned back. "Well, at the moment, the first thing to do is to practice listening to the voice of your weapons. What you've accomplished thus far is remarkable, honestly. It tells me that you have a great affinity for this. You have utilized the Aura of your weapons in battle. However, that is not the same as learning to 'speak' with your blade. If you can manage that, not only will you be able to call forth their Aura in battle, but also merge it with yours, creating a power even greater than the sum of your parts. I assume you've seen Ruby-chan do that at least once, right?"
"Yeah," said Jaune, nodding vigorously. He still remembered the shock of seeing it for the first time, when Ruby had called on her sword's Aura during her match with Yang.
Of course, with your ability, I think the results of learning to speak with your weapons could be even more spectacular, thought Kyo to himself. Out loud, he said, "Aside from that, the important thing is to learn about your weapon. Think of it as getting to know a person. Your weapon has a great deal to tell you about itself. That will also lead you down the road of learning to apply its Aura more effectively."
"I'll try," said Jaune, nervously.
Kyo stood up. Walking over to Jaune's seat. "You can definitely do it," he said. "The fact that you have been able to draw upon your weapon's Aura in past battles is a sign that you have the necessary ability. All that you now need do is learn the mechanism, so that you might do it at will, rather than unwittingly."
"Thanks," said Jaune, giving Ruby's brother a grateful smile. "Any advice on how I can do this?"
"There are a couple of different approaches," said Kyo. "Which one works best will be up to you..."
Dove collapsed, his shoulder slamming into the floor hard. "Ow..." he groaned.
"Are you okay?" asked Pyrrha, rushing over to him.
"Just a rough landing," answered Dove, sitting up, working his arm to test if he'd actually injured anything.
Pyrrha crouched down next to him, looking on worriedly. "I'm sorry," she said.
"What have I told you about apologizing?" admonished Dove, though there was a playfulness to his tone that said his words were more in fun than they were an actual scolding.
"I'm sorry!" squeaked Pyrrha reflexively, blushing a second later as she realized what she'd just done.
Dove chuckled under his breath, then grunted as his experimental efforts testing his arm elicited a twinge of pain from his shoulder. It didn't feel like anything was broken or dislocated, maybe sprained at worse. As it was, his Aura would probably heal it up in short order.
Pyrrha rested a gentle hand on Dove's shoulder, watching him carefully. "You're sure?" she asked.
"Yep," he answered. "I've done some pretty bad stuff to myself in the past, so I know what it feels like to really do myself a mischief. I've definitely done worse. This isn't anything I'll need to visit the infirmary over, I promise."
"If you're sure," said Pyrrha.
"Yep," said Dove. "That having been said, I think I'm done for the day. This is my sword arm after all."
Pyrrha nodded her agreement.
"Still, that was a doozy of a move at the end there. You try it on Ruby yet?" asked Dove.
Of all the people in Beacon, Dove was probably the only person who had even a general idea of the result of Ruby and Pyrrha's clandestine matches. He didn't know their exact records. But, from the way Pyrrha talked about them, Dove got the definite idea that she lost more often than she won. Strangely, the notion didn't seem to bother her. In fact, she seemed genuinely enthused, the first time she'd ever really had to struggle for something in a long while.
"Not yet," said Pyrrha. "I'm hoping that I'll get the chance soon. But Ruby's been focusing on her own training right now, so I haven't had the chance to spar with her recently."
"Bit of a shame," said Dove.
"She's been working on a new technique lately," Pyrrha explained. "From what I've seen, it could be quite potent."
"Sounds interesting," said Dove. "I wonder how you'd handle it."
"So do I," said Pyrrha, sitting back for a moment, taking the time to enjoy simply talking to her friend.
Pyrrha hadn't actually seen the full extent of what Ruby had done with the Raikoken, only catching the tail-end of her fight with Cinder, Mercury, and Emerald, right as the technique had petered out. They'd managed to intervene just in time to keep Mercury from finishing Ruby off. The most Pyrrha had seen had been the clouds boiling overhead, and that bolt of lightning striking downwards, apparently binding itself to Ruby's sword.
Given all the things Ruby was capable of, the idea of her being able to harness such pure elemental power was a daunting one. And Pyrrha suspected that she would never see the Raikoken used against her. It was one of those techniques, techniques that she knew Ruby had, but had never seen used in an actual match, like Ruby's Kazebara and Kazegiri. They were techniques that were too dangerous to be used in any situation but one where she was aiming to kill, creating blades of wind that could cleave through Aura like paper.
That didn't stop Pyrrha from wondering about how she'd fare against such techniques. There were times when she'd considered asking Ruby if she'd be willing to use them in a match, but figured that neither of them were quite skilled enough to really test such dangerous waters.
"So...any big plans for the Vytal Festival," said Dove, figuring it was as good a topic as any, seeing as they were just making idle chatter at the moment.
"Not yet," said Pyrrha. "It's still a little ways off, so we haven't made any definitive plans. Obviously, the tournament is going to be the biggest thing."
"Obviously," agreed Dove. "I mean, it's pretty much a given that your team and Rainbow are locks for the roster."
"Your team has a good chance," Pyrrha pointed out.
"Maybe," agreed Dove. "I'd feel better if we'd gotten our act together sooner. But the guys are doing a pretty good job of making up lost ground."
"I certainly hope you make it in," said Pyrrha. "I wouldn't mind the chance to face you in the ring."
Dove laughed at that. "Are you kidding. I'm at least hoping to make it to the doubles round. But either you or Ruby could wipe the floor with us on your own...probably Weiss too, come to think of it. It's crazy that the only one we'd have a chance against is Jaune...and even that's not a sure thing anymore. Watching him makes me think that he's been level-grinding, like in an RPG."
Pyrrha couldn't help but laugh at that. She had to agree with Dove's assessment overall. She didn't want to disparage Team CRDL's skills, now that they were finally behaving like proper students; rather than a trio of bullies, who had more faith in their overblown egos than their combat skills. However, the fact remained that she was confident of her ability to defeat all of them at once, if it came to that. And she knew that Ruby could do so as well, Weiss having a fairly good chance too.
Dove wasn't overestimating Jaune either. Jaune's growth was nothing short of meteoric, a sign of just how hard he was applying himself. The last assessments had seen him moving up the combat rankings considerably from where he'd placed in the first Semester.
"So, who are you guys thinking of sending to the singles rounds, if you make it that far?" asked Dove.
"Probably Ruby," said Pyrrha plainly.
"Wonder how your parents would take that," mused Dove.
"Oh, they'd be scandalized," said Pyrrha with a laugh. It was strange how the thought of upsetting her parents was something to laugh at now, considering how utterly small and banal the things that set them off were. "They wouldn't be the only ones, of course. The thought that the Invincible Girl would turn down the opportunity to fight the singles matches in the Vytal Festival Tournament is probably a scandal on the level of my draw with Ruby."
That got a chuckle from Dove. The sound made Pyrrha's heart flutter. It was so...wonderful...to just be able to sit and talk with him, to take the time and enjoy simple conversation. The thought led Pyrrha to consider their situation. They were sitting, facing one another, but also sitting next to each other. It made conversation easy, but it also made Pyrrha suddenly feel quite conscious of just how close Dove's face was.
On an impulse, she leaned in and pressed her lips to his. Dove froze in place, his voice catching in his throat. Pyrrha didn't try anything else, simply pressing her lips against Dove's gently. Finally, she pulled back, their lips parting with a soft smacking sound. Pulling back, she saw that Dove's eyes had widened well beyond their perpetual squint, revealing soft, brown irises, that gave him quite a handsome look overall.
"I...I'm sorry," said Pyrrha, averting her eyes slightly. "I just..."
She stopped when Dove's hand rose up to cup her chin, the pressure turning Pyrrha's face towards his. Dove's eyes had returned to normal again. But there was no time to think about that, as he simply used his hand on her chin to pull her back in for another kiss. This one was far more engaging than the last, Dove massaging his lips against hers, causing Pyrrha to hum with pleasure, a hum that increased in volume when Dove parted his lips to lick at hers with his tongue, Pyrrha soon responding in kind.
Dove's hand descended, tracing his fingers along Pyrrha's neck, his digits then gliding out over the curve of her shoulder, while his other hand slid across her back, gentle pressure pulling her in towards him. Pyrrha leaned into the embrace, not minding the feeling of her chest pressing up against the hard contours of Dove's armor, though she did find herself wishing she could get a feel for what it would be like if that armor was off. Her own arms rose up to return the embrace, pulling herself closer to him. All the while, their tongues tangled and mingled pushing back and forth between their mouths.
They didn't know how long the kiss lasted. But they finally pulled back, Pyrrha gasping softly.
"Damn," said Dove, "been wanting to do that for a while now."
"Me too," agreed Pyrrha.
"So...we a thing?" asked Dove.
"We're definitely a thing," said Pyrrha giddily.
They were silent for a moment. "Now what?" asked Dove.
"For starters, we could kiss some more," said Pyrrha.
"You're not gonna hear any argument from me," said Dove.
What resulted was one of the best afternoons of Pyrrha's life.
Weiss opened the door, knocking on the frame as she stepped inside the room. "Hello? Winter? Are you here?"
The room in question was the office that Weiss had heard had been granted for Winter's use, as one of the coordinators for the security of the upcoming Vytal Festival. Weiss wasn't sure she had the right room. Oh sure, it was an office. However, there was no nameplate on or beside the door. When she entered the room, the light was on, but she didn't see any sign of Winter behind the big desk that dominated the opposite end of the room, parked just in front of a set of windows that provided a view of Beacon's grounds.
"Ms. Schnee?"
Glancing in the direction of the voice, Weiss saw a second desk, this one set next to the right wall. It was smaller, but piled high with several papers and documents. A holographic screen hovered above the desk. Behind it was none other than Ciel, her hands resting on the image of a keyboard glowing out from the desk's interface.
"Soleil, what are you doing here?" asked Weiss, curious.
"I'm Ms. Schnee's assistant in developing security plans for the festival," said Ciel matter-of-factly. "She was kind enough to grant me the honor of working alongside her in the same space."
Weiss was genuinely impressed with Ciel's admiration for Winter. It was the kind of admiration that Weiss herself had, though Weiss didn't have the desire to emulate Winter completely. However, she was shocked to see the pile of work residing on Ciel's desk. In contrast, the space on Winter's desk was near pristine.
"Ms. Schnee just finished up an hour ago," said Ciel, apparently noticing Weiss' glances between their two workspaces. "She always tidies up her workspace before she leaves. When she was working, it looked a lot like this." Ciel gestured to the mess in front of her.
"What is all of this?" asked Weiss, staring aghast at the paperwork.
"Budgets, cost projections, patrol routes, estimations for Dust consumption," said Ciel, listing off the various aspects. "Considering the previous Dust robberies, making sure that no more Dust is stolen while in transit is critical, so plans need to be made for additional security of all transport vessels during the festival."
"Yes," agreed Weiss. "We wouldn't want the coliseum to run out of Dust."
Amity Coliseum, the site of the Vytal Festival Tournament, was no ordinary building. A massive, flying structure, it was created by the combined efforts of all four Kingdoms, designed to be a central symbol of the festival. It traveled between Kingdoms every two years, its powerful Dust-lifters enabling it to remain airborne nearly indefinitely, so long as the support-crystal was refreshed regularly. Of course, if those systems failed while the coliseum was hovering above a major metropolitan center, the consequences would be disastrous.
"Agreed," said Ciel. "Of course, protecting the coliseum itself is also an important element of our plans. As you can see, there is quite a bit of minutia involved, particularly since this is meant to be a cooperative effort between Atlas and Vale. We are presently trying to work out who is responsible for what, and where. Our militaries are similar, but we do have slightly different organizational structures. Of course, if we do this the wrong way, we could be seen as interfering, so we must be careful not to step on anybody's toes." Ciel sighed, bringing her hands up to massage her temples. "Honestly, it would be a lot easier if Atlas simply took over security completely."
Admittedly, that would streamline things, as Atlas would be able to deploy their forces without having to work with a different command and organizational structure at the same time. Weiss understood that well enough. Even if the two Kingdoms were willingly cooperating, the level of cooperation would be affected by the individuals participating in said cooperation. Even if this was meant to be a gesture of solidarity between Kingdoms, there were likely individual egos on both sides that would not approve of the arrangement.
The click of heels in the hallway drew Weiss' attention to the door. Winter appeared, not clad in her specialist uniform, but in a simple, if plain, white dress. In fact it was very similar to Weiss' combat outfit, which she was wearing now, featuring a strapless top, over which she wore a white jacket, similar to Weiss' own, but with blue lining on the inside.
"You're early, Weiss," noted Winter, giving her sister a small smile, before her gaze went to Ciel. "Ciel...why are you still here?"
Weiss blinked a bit surprised to hear Winter refer to Ciel by her given name.
"W-well...I saw that there was still some work I could do on the budget..." Ciel began.
"There is plenty of time for that later, Ciel," said Winter firmly. "You should be back with your team by now. Ms. Polendina tells me that you are missed at the dorm."
"B-but there's so much to do..." Ciel protested weakly.
Winter frowned. "Ms. Soleil..."
"Yes!" snapped Ciel, sitting rigidly upright in her seat, expression tense and nervous.
"This is an order," declared Winter firmly. "You are dismissed for the day. Furthermore, you are required to take tomorrow off. I will be informing Mr. Elric that he is to take you into Vale and provide you with the most enjoyable experience that he possibly can. Am I understood?"
"Y-yes, Ms. Schnee," said Ciel, her cheeks flushing as she bowed her head. She moved to begin tidying up her workspace.
"Ms. Soleil," said Winter firmly.
"Y-yes..."
"Did I make myself unclear? I said you are dismissed...now."
Ciel froze, her eyes darting to the stacks of paperwork on her desk.
"Leave it," said Winter firmly.
"Y-yes Ma'am," said Ciel, bowing her head slightly.
She pushed her chair away from the desk and stood up. Weiss and Winter both saw the girl wince as she stood upright, though she made a visible effort to keep from stretching in front of her idol. Ciel headed for the door, but was stopped when Winter rested a hand on her shoulder.
"Ciel," said Winter, her tone much gentler. "I made you my assistant. But you must not forget that you are also a student."
"I-I understand, Ma'am," said Ciel nervously. "I assure you that I am maintaining a sterling grade average, and am not neglecting my training-"
"That's not what I'm talking about, you boob!" snapped Winter, gently smacking Ciel atop the head in a manner that Weiss found all too familiar.
"Um..." Ciel looked up at Winter in confusion.
Winter rested both hands on Ciel's shoulders now. "What I mean is that there is more to being a student than training and grades. You need to spend time with your teammates and friends. You can't simply be working all the time. You shouldn't work yourself so hard. If necessary, I will remove you from your position. I value your wellbeing more than I require an assistant."
Ciel looked as though the thought of being dismissed from her position would be the most terrifying and humiliating thing she could imagine. With that threat hovering over her head, she nodded vigorously. "Yes Ma'am! I promise to take your words to heart."
"Good," said Winter firmly. "Now go get some rest, and enjoy tomorrow. That's an order."
"Yes, Ma'am," said Ciel.
Winter stepped back and moved aside to allow Ciel to head for the door. However, "Soleil..."
"Yes, Ms. Schnee?" said Ciel, pausing and turning around to look at Weiss.
"You know...if you're going to work for my sister, whom you're also calling 'Ms. Schnee,' then it's going to be awfully confusing to understand who you are referring to, if both of us are ever in the same room, don't you think?" asked Weiss, keeping her tone level and neutral, as though she were negotiating a business deal.
"That...is true...I suppose," said Ciel, looking at Winter.
"She's not wrong," agreed Winter, her smile reappearing.
"That having been said," continued Weiss, "I suppose the best approach would be to ensure that you have separate addresses for us, so that we know who you are talking to. Don't you agree?"
"That seems reasonable," said Ciel.
"Obviously, given her rank, it would be best if you continued to refer to my sister as 'Ms. Schnee,' until she chooses to tell you otherwise. Therefore, you will need to call me something else."
"And how should I refer to you, Ms. Schnee?" asked Ciel.
"Call me Weiss," said Weiss simply.
"B-but that's inappropriate," protested Ciel.
"How?" asked Weiss. "We are from different academies, yes. But we are both students, in the same year even. There is no difference in rank between us that would require any form of deference from you. Therefore, calling me by my given name is quite the natural thing."
"I...I suppose you are correct," said Ciel hesitantly, looking down.
"So then, are we in agreement?" asked Weiss.
"I guess we are, Ms Schn-Weiss," said Ciel, amending her mistake.
"Excellent," said Weiss, beaming triumphantly. "That being the case, I hope that I will see you more outside of class...and outside this room...Ciel."
"I shall see what I can do, Ms. Schnee-Weiss," said Ciel, struggling to correct herself again.
"Have a pleasant afternoon, Ciel," said Weiss.
"You as well...Weiss," replied Ciel, before turning and taking her leave.
Winter watched Ciel walk out of the room, waiting for a few more seconds, until the girl was far enough down the hallway to be out of earshot, before turning back to Weiss. "That was well-played, Weiss. I'm impressed."
"Why thank you, Winter," said Weiss, giggling. "Given the relationship between her team and ours, I figured it best that we consider one another friends." She glanced at the crowded surface of Ciel's desk. "Has she really been working so hard?"
"She has," said Winter with a sigh. "She's made my job so much easier, mainly because she is a very organized person, with a tremendous work ethic. That having been said, as you can see, she has a tendency to go a little too far above and beyond."
"I had noticed," agreed Weiss, frowning pensively.
"I am well aware that she holds me in high esteem," said Winter. "Considering the good work she has done, including her...extra duties...at the General's behest, I thought this would be a reward for her."
"I believes she thinks of it as such," said Weiss.
"She does," agreed Winter, "which does flatter me, honestly. I am more than impressed at her willingness to take her work seriously, particularly considering what a complex, multifaceted job this has turned out to be. She's proven to be, not just helpful, but invaluable. But I fear that her desire to emulate and impress me has been leading her to neglect other aspects of her life."
"I can most certainly see that," agreed Weiss.
"Even when I finish for the day, she stays behind, saying that she'll leave when she finishes up her current task," said Winter. "But later, I find she's started another 'current task,' and another… She comes straight over after completing her homework for the day, and almost always winds up working until right before she should return to her dorm to turn in for the night, despite me calling an end to work a full two hours before that." She blew through pursed lips. "It would seem that I am going to have to reduce her hours, and make sure that she leaves before I do."
"I am sure her teammates would appreciate that," said Weiss, "especially Rain."
Winter chuckled softly. "Mr. Elric is indeed a good match for her. I truly hope they are able to work out. Of course, he will need to learn to be more assertive with his wants, when it comes to her. And Ciel shall need to learn to be a bit more willing to bend. She cannot be the one to set the rules of their relationship all the time."
"She could stand to be more flexible," agreed Weiss. Her mind went back to her conversation with Sasame, and what Ruby's sister had said about Weiss being too rigid. She had speculated that Weiss was like that out of a desire to emulate Winter. That was indeed how Weiss saw her sister, firm, unbending, always acting with complete surety. But now, Weiss could see that Winter was indeed flexible at her core. She wasn't some military machine, abiding solely by the directives of her position. Weiss realized that Winter was far more layered and nuanced than the ridiculously shallow, idealized version Weiss had constructed inside her head.
"But enough of that, Weiss," said Winter. "We should get going, if we don't wish to be late. You do still need to pick up Ms. Forrest after all."
"R-right," said Weiss, shuffling nervously. "A-are you sure about this. I mean..."
Winter smiled, the expression far warmer than normal for her. She rested a hand on Weiss' shoulder, giving it an encouraging squeeze. "I made all the arrangements, Weiss. Outside the restaurant, there will be little need to worry, as we can easily present your continued interaction as your supporting a victim of the White Fang's self-defeating aggression. Within the restaurant, we shall have complete privacy. I've taken care of security and vetted the staff to ensure that the two of you will not have to hide your interactions."
"Thank you, Winter," said Weiss, genuine gratitude filling her voice.
More than simply taking Weiss and Ashley out to dinner, Winter was, in fact, working to create an opportunity for the pair of them to enjoy an actual date, without having to worry about the press, or anyone who might pass word along to Jacques about the true nature of the two girls' relationship.
"But are you sure about leaving us?" asked Weiss. "I mean...I don't want you to go through all this effort to just wind up dining alone."
Winter chuckled again. "Do not worry, Weiss. I assure you that I have made arrangements. I will not be dining alone."
"So...what do you think?" asked Jaune.
Ruby beamed across the table at him. The expression was only made all the more adorable by the spots of red and yellow decorating her lips. "It's delicious," she declared.
"These guys weren't kidding when they said they have the best burgers in Vale," agreed Jaune, reaching across with his napkin to dab at Ruby's lips, eliciting a giggle from her.
With the arrival of Sunday, Jaune and Ruby had decided to go on another date. Much like their last date, Ruby had gone with her halter top and miniskirt combo, the first set of casual clothes Weiss had ever picked out with her, Jaune having admitted that his favorite amongst the sets of casual clothes she had accumulated in the months since coming to Beacon.
For his part, Jaune had gone with a nicer set of clothes than the ratty hoody and jeans he usually wore, opting for a sky-blue collared shirt, and a pair of khaki pants. It was fairly simple, but the shirt hugged the contours of his chest and torso fairly tightly, while the short sleeves bared a substantial portion of his arms, displaying the musculature he'd gained over the past few months of training, a sight that Ruby didn't mind in the slightest.
For this particular date, they'd decided to go with something more casual and off-the-cuff, playing things by ear basically. For the most part, that simply consisted of wandering through Vale, checking out whatever caught their eye. The one concrete thing they'd planned out in advance was lunch, Jaune having found a restaurant that claimed to serve the "best burger in all of Vale." He and Ruby decided it would be a good opportunity to see if the place lived up to its boast. The fact that they'd needed to make a reservation ahead of time, just to have a chance at having a table on a Sunday afternoon, seemed to indicate that the place's claim to fame might not be mere hyperbole.
Ruby reached over picked up the milkshake she'd gotten with her burger, taking a sip from it. "They might have the best burgers, but I've tasted better milkshakes," she said, putting hers back.
"Really? I thought it was pretty good," said Jaune, glancing at his.
Ruby looked at her cup. "Maybe I'm just too sensitive," she said. She couldn't say that the shake tasted "bad" per-say, just...off...
"Huh?" mused Jaune. "Maybe they just made a mistake. Should we ask them to remake yours?"
"Nah, it's fine," said Ruby, setting her shake aside. "I don't want to make any extra work for them. This place is busy enough as it is."
"Well...if you're sure," said Jaune.
"I'm good," said Ruby, smiling cheerfully at him.
"Well then, guess we should move on soon," said Jaune.
"Yeah," agreed Ruby. "What would you like to do after this?"
"I...don't have anything in mind," Jaune admitted. "This was the big thing I thought about."
"Boys," scoffed Ruby playfully, "always thinking with their stomaches."
"I'm not gonna even try to contradict that," said Jaune with a chuckle.
"Well...we could do some shopping," said Ruby, eying him.
"Shopping...for what?" asked Jaune.
Ruby smirked slightly. "I'm just thinking that we might want to update your combat outfit," she said.
"What's wrong with my outfit?" asked Jaune.
"Well...don't get me wrong," said Ruby, "you really rock the 'armored hobo' look."
"Oh...I think I get it," deadpanned Jaune. "But I really like that hoody."
"It has a cute bunny rabbit on it," Ruby pointed out, remembering the laugh she'd had the first time she'd seen Jaune remove his breastplate.
"It's Pumpkin Pete," countered Jaune. "He's a famous mascot."
"You could just have him put on your armor," Ruby pointed out. "That way, everyone can see it."
"N-no, I'm fine," said Jaune, blushing slightly. "Besides, then I'd have to pay copyright, or something like that."
Ruby smirked at him, then giggled. "But, seriously, you do look like some kid who just threw on some armor over his casual clothes. With the money you have now, you could definitely benefit from getting something more customized."
Jaune thought about it. Like Ruby, he didn't go through his stipend as quickly as Weiss or Pyrrha did (or how quickly he assumed Weiss did in her case, given that her stipend was supplemented by a substantial allowance from her family), not using Dust or rounds in his fighting style. So a good chunk of his money wound up unspent. Sure, he dropped a fair bit on his comics, and the occasional impulse purchase. But the work that went into being a student of Beacon, particularly with the extra work he had to put in, kept him from spending too much time shopping, so he was spending far less than he ever had back home. On top of that, he had the bounty, granted for the successful completion of their mission to stop the pirates attacking the SDC's freighters. The end result was that there was a surprising amount of money residing in his account currently.
"I...guess I could look into it," said Jaune. Admittedly, he was a little jealous of his friends and teammates, all of whom had unique and specialized outfits. As Ruby had said, he had, more or less, thrown some armor over his regular outfit and called it good. His parents and sisters' efforts to stymie his chances of becoming a Huntsman had kept him from investing much time or money into assembling an outfit suitable for someone in that line of work.
"We can check out a few places, after we get out," said Ruby. "Coco gave me some recommendations."
"Have you been...looking into this?" asked Jaune suspiciously.
"Maaaaaybeee..." drawled Ruby playfully.
Jaune sighed one last time, before deciding to just bear with it. Lifting his head, he called for the check.
A few minutes later, they were heading along the street, making their way towards the first store on Ruby's list. As they walked, they talked a little, but Jaune began to notice something.
Ruby's words were becoming a bit slurred. Sometimes, she trailed off, as though she was having difficulty finishing her thoughts. On top of that, she was beginning to sweat quite a bit. It was sunny out, but the weather was mild, and not all that hot. Jaune himself was barely sweating at all. As they continued to walk, he noticed that she was also beginning to breathe harder, as though she'd just gone through a period of heavy exercise.
"Ruby...you okay?" asked Jaune.
"I...I don't know," said Ruby, blinking a little. "I'm feeling a little queasy."
Jaune frowned, wondering what might have caused Ruby to feel like this. Then his mind went back to their lunch. "Was it the shake?" he asked.
"Th-that seems weird," said Ruby uneasily. "I only...I only had a little bit. Sure...it tasted strange...but..."
"I'm not an expert," admitted Jaune, "but the whole nausea and suddenly feeling hot bit does sound like it might be food poisoning."
"Maybe," said Ruby. "I don't really feel like I'll throw up...just...just a bit woozy."
"Should we find a place to sit down?" asked Jaune.
"That...sounds like...a good idea..." said Ruby, speaking slowly, feeling as though she were trying to find her thoughts in a fog.
Jaune looked down at his hand. "You know, maybe I could..." he said, already using Flow to channel his Aura into his hand, which glowed white.
"Th-that might help for a little," said Ruby.
"Then..." said Jaune, lifting his hand and preparing to press it against her forehead.
Abruptly, there was a sharp pricking sensation from the back of his neck. "Ow!" grunted Jaune, stumbling forward. Reaching back behind him, his hand closed around something cylindrical. Pulling it out of his neck, he brought it around to where he could see it, finding himself holding a dart. "That's...not good."
Sure enough, his vision blurred, and Jaune felt his limbs turn to lead. His body swayed, and he began to pitch forward.
"Jaune!" shouted Ruby, her eyes going wide, the shock of seeing her boyfriend shot and drugged sending her into crisis-mode, the adrenaline rushing through her system cutting through the haze that had been dulling her own mind. Now Ruby realized what had happened; the reason she felt off, the strange taste in her milkshake. I've been drugged! The result had deadened her senses to the point that she hadn't even realized the threat, until Jaune had been struck with a dart, and begun to fall forward.
However, her realization occurred too late. A blur to her left caught her eye, and Ruby looked over just in time to see black car, a rather nondescript-looking sedan, screech to a stop next to the curb. The car's momentum carried it a couple meters past where she and Jaune had been. But that made little difference.
Ruby's left hand went to the handle of her sword. But, before she could close it around the handle, her wrist was grabbed from behind. Normally, that would have hardly stopped her, Ruby having been trained in numerous unarmed techniques, in addition to her sword skills. But her addled state kept her from responding properly, her arm feeling too weak for her to pull free of her attacker's grip.
Then a hand closed over her mouth. Reflexively, Ruby screamed, but the hand muffled the sound that came out. She lurched forward, trying to break away, but the hand gripping her wrist let go, transferring to wrap around her stomach, pinning her arms to her sides. While this was happening, the back door of the car in front of her opened, and a black-suited man, his eyes obscured by sunglasses, jumped out. Ruby didn't need a lifetime of training to sense ill-intent to know that this man was not some good samaritan, leaping to her rescue. As he rushed at her, Ruby lashed out with one leg, weakly trying to kick him. The move was as lethargic as everything else she tried now.
The man caught her leg by her calf, holding it up, then reaching down to pick up her other leg now, Ruby's two attackers now holding her suspended between them. Even as dull as her mind felt, Ruby didn't need to think too hard about what came next. She knew, even before the men began to carry her towards that open car door, what they were trying to do.
Desperate, Ruby began to thrash, twisting her body and kicking her legs as hard she could, while doing her hardest to scream through the hand clamped over her face. Her struggles made the men grunt and growl with exertion as they tried to keep her restrained, even as they continued to carry her towards the car door. However, Ruby's efforts weren't enough to break free, and a rush of fear ran through her. Someone! Help! Please!
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