9Called Out
The answer to his question was having three girls argue over how the room was going to be set up, while he just wanted to go to bed after the day they just had. That was out of the question, because Weiss "couldn't sleep with discord everywhere." So he made his first decision as leader to fix the problem.
The solution was simple, he was going to take a shower. They had full reign to do whatever they wanted to the room while he showered. If they couldn't agree after he left the shower, then he would fit the room, and they had to accept it. Weiss was also not happy with that either, not that it mattered too much to him. Grabbing his bag, he bid them luck as he entered the shower.
Upon exiting the bathroom, rubbing a towel over his hair, he saw that they had put a painting on the wall, curtain over the window, and a makeup set in front of said window. What interested him the most was that three of the beds where in a T shape while there was a single one on the other side of the room. The girls were in the sitting around on what he assumed their claimed beds.
"Good job ladies. Glad that it all worked out in the end." Jaune said as he tossed his bag on his bed. He heard the door close again and saw that Weiss had went inside, most likely to do her own freshening up. He pulled out a box from his bag a slide in under the bed. Next were two pieces of metal that he fitted together into a stand which he laid Crocea Mors.
"Thank you Jaune. Though, may I ask you to wear a shirt please. It is making Ruby uncomfortable." Pyrrha asked, her face red as she avoided looking at him as she spoke. The Ruby in question had thrown herself face first into the pillow that she owned in an attempt to block out the view of Jaune shirtless and in a pair of red shorts.
"Sure, I guess. Oh, can you tell me what classes we have for the morning partner?" Jaune asked a he pulled a plain grey shirt from his bag, slipping it on as he put his bag on the floor, Jaune laid on his bed and sighed. There was a couple other things he needed to do in order to truly settle in, but all that could wait until tomorrow.
"That I can do. It seems that we have Grimm studies at nine in the morning as our only scheduled activity. Can I suggest we talk a walk around campus in order to familiarize ourselves? Another thing, we should have a team talk of what our current skills and abilities are. After, we shall be fighting together for the foreseeable future." Pyrrha said, looking up from the packet she received after their team was announced.
"Good idea Pyrrha, I was think along those same lines. If that's it, then I'm going to doze off now." Jaune said as he set an alarm for enough time to get prepared in the morning. Closing his eyes, he let the sweet embrace of sleep take hold of his spirit.
Or he would have, had the bathroom door slam open and Weiss come out saying that there need to be "ground rules" settled. Lacking the energy to sit up from bed, Jaune turned to look at Weiss. She was clad in a white nightgown, and he had to wonder if she owned anything that wasn't in the color white. Really, did she not know that white was transparent eighty nine percent of the time the light was right?
"If you are to inhabit this room with us, there will be rules that must followed, Arc. You two feel free to throw in anything else as I run through a few I thought of." Jaune quirked an eyebrow as a list was produced. Where did that come from? Did she have one that was with her at all times? Was this written as soon as she saw the room and he was in the shower?
"#1, We, the women of ARSN, will get first showers in the morning, after classes, any missions we receive, so on and so forth. #2, If any one of us, the women of ARSN, are in the shower then you, sole male of ARSN, must wait out in the hallway. #3, Under no circumstance will any of your male unmentionables be left out in plain view of us, the women of ARSN. Finally, #4, there shall be no acts of lewdness, sexuality, perverseness, or otherwise immoral behavior from you, the male of ARSN, within the room, ever. Any questions?"
"Not really. Just a couple things. When its that time of the month, gimme notice so I can sleep in the locker room please. Also, don't touch my stuff. Other than that, I agree to the everything you said." Jaune sighed, why did he think it was going to easy being in the same room as the Ice Queen.
Jaune awoke to the sound of his scroll going off. Rolling out of bed, he silently yawned and stretched as he looked around the room. Noticing the others still sleeping, he drowsily went over and kicked the bed of Ruby, who was drooling on her pillow enough to drench it.
"Huh? What? Jaune? What are you doing?" Ruby asked as she rubbed the remaining sleep out of her eyes
"We got half an hour left before classes start. Go take your shower, I'll wake the other two up." He said, as Ruby nodded and got out of her own bed. After kicking the beds of both other girls, making sure they had shown signs of conciseness, Jaune made his way outside. As he sat down, he noticed the door across from his open and Ren step out, sliding down the wall, still blurry eyed and half dead. Jaune supposed that Ren had gotten the same talk as the he had with his own team.
Deciding to let him wake up on his on time, Jaune pulled out his scroll and checked if he had gotten any messages. There was a couple from his Uncle Max, asking how initiation was and to come visit when he had to time. Others were from his civilian friends, the from Max's teammates that didn't want to be huntsmen, telling that they were going out to a café on the weekend and if he wanted to join them. What troubled was that there was an unknown number.
He opened it, and was immediately on guard over the message. It read: Jaune, how are you after all these years? I know Max has been very diligent in raising you, but I was curious how you felt, knowing that I was never there for you. Did it eat you up inside? Did you lose sleep, wondering why I left? Perhaps you would like to know why I did what I did? If so, your welcome to ask. Tomorrow night meet me in the Emerald forest, where you retrieved your "relic" from yesterday, and I will tell what you need to know. ~LA
Jaune could feel the cold sweat run down his forehead, see that his hands were shaking, and knew that if he could see himself in a mirror, his was would be pale as Weiss's hair. He let out a shuddering breath, realizing that he had been holding it as he read. This, this was not possible. Max had said that they had vanished, only leaving him with a letter that said they were sorry they couldn't stay.
The door opening had him quickly closing the app, and shoving the scroll in his pocket. It was Pyrrha, telling him that the shower was open for him to get ready. He nodded, and made his way back, answering her with a quick, "I'm fine" after she asked if he was feeling alright. Hopping in and out of the shower, he rapidly pulled on the uniform and together they made their way to the first class of the day, Grimm Studies.
"Monsters, deamons, prowlers of the night. The Grimm go by many names, yet I simply refer to them as prey." Jaune was having trouble listening to the Professor, who had introduced himself as Port, rambled on about his adventures. He would honestly say that on more than one occasion he had been reduced to nodding off during the "lecture." Looking to his right, Pyrrha seemed to be fighting to pay the man attention, while Ruby, on his left, was more than content with doodling on her paper.
"So, how among you believe that they have what it takes to be a true Hunter?"
"I do sir." Weiss exclaimed, an intense look on her face. Jaune quirked an eye, he had been doing that lately he noticed, and shrugged it off as her being a teachers pet. There had been plenty when he was attending civilian schools in Vale. Max had made him go, saying that if something were to happen that he could no longer fight, then he wouldn't be completely at a loss, and he couldn't argue at the time. Another was that the best way to learn the hunt, was to be on the hunt. Good times that was, sure as hell made sure he was prepared for initiation.
He stopped reminiscing to see Weiss standing against a Tuskboar. His eyes focused as he noticed the annoyed look on her face, growing ever more as Ruby continued to cheer her on. He was about to say something to Ruby, when a shout from Weiss telling Ruby to shut up before taking down the Grimm. As class ended he saw Weiss hastily make her exist, Ruby following. He sighed, again something he was doing more frequently since he made it to Beacon, and walked out after them.
He arrived at the corner in time to hear Weiss as she came to a finish of her tirade.
"You don't deserve to be here, just like that fool Arc doesn't belong as team leader. It should have been me!" Jaune felt a pulse of anger. Turing to look at them, he saw the look of surprise on both their faces, not that it mattered to him as he spoke.
"Is that so? What makes you so sure that you would be a better leader than me, princess?" Weiss felt her face heat up in anger. How dare he speak to her like that. She would not stand for it any longer. The constant disrespect of her person, by this dolt of all people, was unacceptable.
"I have the training. I have the smarts. I have been groomed for that position. You don't have any of that, yet they saw it fit to give it to a simpleton like yourself. You don't deserve that title. They made a mistake." Jaune cut her off before she could go on, voice cold as his eyes, which had turned to chips of ice.
"And you do? Acting like a spoiled child that didn't get the toy they wanted? I may not have everything you have, but there is something you lack, which I do have. Personality. You turn into this little bitch the moment something doesn't go your way. Who would want to follow someone like that? The same thing happened in the forest. Face facts, if anyone doesn't deserve the title of leader, its you." His peace said, Jaune stormed off, Weiss going the other way leaving Ruby looking lost in the middle, till Pyrrha came and lead her back to their room.
Jaune had gone to the training room, which at this point in the evening was empty as a graveyard. He was halfway through destroying another bot as Ozpin entered the room. He took a seat and watched as Jaune continued to destroy the machines in a particularly savage manner. Finishing with the last one, Jaune stood in the middle of the ring, breathing heavily.
"Very well done, Mr. Arc, take a seat. You have seem to have something on your mind, however. Is there anything I can do to help?" Ozpin said as Jaune sat down next to him, hunched over with his elbows on his knees, looking at the destroyed bots slowly repairing themselves.
"It's my team, specifically Weiss." Jaune sighed, grabbing a bottle of water he had brought and drinking deeply. Ozpin hummed.
"Yes, I am aware of your little squabble in the hall earlier today. Harsh words to say to a young girl, Mr. Arc." He said, taking a sip from the ever present coffee cup. Jaune flinched, remembering what exactly he had said to Weiss.
"Was she right, Headmaster? Am I really the best person to be leading this team? Did you make a mistake?" Jaune asked looking back to scene of his destruction. The bots were almost finished fixing themselves. This was the fourth time today they had to repair after the hell the blonde had pushed them through.
"Mr. Arc. I have made many mistakes, more than any other man or woman on this planet. Yet I can say that your appointment as leader of ARSN had not shown to be one so far." Jaune returned his gaze to the silver haired man next to him.
"You are strong, certainly stronger than some of the other first years. You many not be book smart, that is true, but there is a craftiness in you, which is something that cannot be taught. Most importantly however, was what you said today. It is you identity that was the key factor in making you leader. You made quick friends with Ms. Rose, and after only meeting for a brief moment, formed a rather strong bond with Mr. Lie Ren. Please keep in mind that it is only the first week of school. I look forward to seeing how you lead. I will take my leave, take care Mr. Arc.
Jaune sat there in silence for a bit after the older man had left, thinking over what he had been told. He took hold of Crocea Mors once more, deciding that one more round was in order before he went back to the dorm. As he was facing the door, he took a deep breath before reaching for the handle, but was surprised to see Weiss open it instead. Blinking in shock, he was about to say something, back Weiss held up her hand, before steeping out into the hallway with him. They stayed silent for a couple minutes before he spoke.
"I'm sorry for what I said." They blinked at once again. He gestured for her to go first. Steeling herself, Weiss began to talk.
"You were right. The things they said earlier today were out of line. I was so upset that you were chosen over me that I took it out on both you and the rest of the team. I have no idea who you are, so it was unfair for me to say you didn't deserve the position. I really was acting like a, bitch, as you put it. So, I'm sorry." Jaune exhaled.
"Weiss, I had no right to go off on you like that. Even if you were, it wasn't my place to speak like that. I just heard you snapping at Ruby and insulting me, and I couldn't handle that. I'm sorry too."
The two stayed quiet for a little bit, before Jaune held his hand out towards Weiss, who looked at him confused.
"Hi, names Jaune Arc. Nice to meet you." Weiss giggled and returned his hand shake.
"I am Weiss Schnee, it's nice to make your acquaintance, Jaune."
"So, do you like music?" Weiss's eyes sparkled as they went on to speak about music, telling each other about their favorites, and introducing each other to varies songs they had never heard before. Ruby and Pyrrha entered the room surprised that the two were talking to each other, let alone in the fevered manner they were, as if they had been friends for years.
Later that night, as they each were getting ready for bed, Jaune laid on his bed. He was texting back his Uncle Max, telling about the day he had. Wishing each other a good night, and setting the alarm for the next day, Jaune was about to put away the scroll when he got another text.
"Aww, you made up with your girlfriend. How nice. I'm sure that the two of you are going to be the best of friends now. Oh, I bet your wondering how I knew all of the. Well, just be sure to make it to that location I told you at eight tomorrow night, and I be sure to let you know. Good night Jaune. Sleep tight. Don't let the Nevermore bite. ~LA" He had forgotten about that. Shaking his head, Jaune would decide what to do about it later. For now it was off to bed.
After all, tomorrow was a new day, and he had fixed one of the problems he was having with the team. After all the good of today, what was the worst that could happen?
I wanna thank the person that suggest I make it ARSN instead of ARNS. Like the idiot I am, I spent forever trying to find a word that was spelt with those four letters instead of making a word that sounded like it. Anyway, thanks again to the people that gave me support for this story, it means a lot to me. Don't forget that suggestions are also appreciated, and help to make the story more enjoyable for me to write and you to read. Anyway, I'll se you guys in the next chapter.