54Chapter 3: A Repaid Favor
Beta: ShadowReaper133
Story Beta: Sir Snuffles the Stalwart
A/N: Thank you to Exvnir for letting me use his amazing art for my new title cover.
Jaune had been exhausted when he entered his dorm room, just wanting to take a shower and get to bed as quick as possible. His clear fatigue was probably the only thing that pacified Pyrrha's bombardment of questions until the next day. The resulting sleep had been deep and glorious but like all things, it came to an end as the new day emerged.
And his team deserved answers.
"So, you want to know why I missed training. Heh, funny story really…" spoke Jaune, sitting cross-legged on his bed. "So I was just kind of walking to the training rooms like ya do. Wanted to get warmed up a little for our training session last night, Pyr. Heh, I got a tad bit distracted though."
His partner didn't look impressed. "Jaune, that's not an explanation. I'm fully aware you got distracted."
The fact he was sitting and she was standing over him did nothing for his confidence. Turning to his left, he sought Ren for support. His pink eyed brother in arms nodded slightly in encouragement and amazingly his heartbeat slowed and the nervousness dulled considerably.
Wow. Is this the power of friendship?
Jaune turned back around to Pyrrha, now able to speak properly. "Well, Pyrrha, I ran into an Atlas girl that is partnered with Ruby's friend, so I decided to start a conversation. Be friendly and stuff. However, her partner had gone missing so I volunteered to help, seeing as she is new to Vale. Turns out she was with Ruby! However, then Ruby got a message from Blake saying that they were getting chased by a giant mech. I decided to help her with that along with the Atlas student. Long story short, we defeated the terrorist but they got away. Then I had to give a report to Ozpin."
The boy took a breath after he finished speaking. He had left a lot out of what actually happened, but the details were of little importance. Most of it would have just made Pyrrha worry anyway.
"Well… since you were just trying to be helpful I guess that's okay. I can also understand that you didn't have time to give me details last night."
"Umm, excuse me? Fighting a terrorist decked out in super mech gear? Really? I'm the only one who wants more details on that?" Nora exclaimed, looking from side to side at her teammates. Jaune scratched the back of his head. Should have known that explanation wouldn't pacify Nora.
"Honestly, that's just about as much as I know too. Roman Torchwick was the one piloting it and for some reason, he was chasing Blake and Sun through the streets. When Ruby went to help I came along, despite not being much help. The thing was like ten feet tall, had laser targeting machine guns, missile launchers, and super strong hydraulics. And you should have seen Team RWBY! They were doing gymnastics or something to avoid getting hit and combining semblances. It honestly gave me a few ideas for stuff we could try."
After he finished speaking, everyone in the room stayed silent. The expressions ranged from Pyrrha looking visibly conflicted, Nora looking disappointed at having missed something so amazing, and Ren being indifferent to everything just said.
"Yep, so that's basically what happened. Hehe… Sorry I missed training Pyrrha."
His partner finally smiled a little. "Well, I can't be angry over you just trying to help someone. Although you can make up for it by having an extra long training session after class today."
Jaune nearly nodded before grimacing in unease. "Uh... about that. I'll be busy tomorrow after class."
This got everyone's attention. The team leader didn't understand why he was getting nervous about telling them the good news. They were his friends, so of course, they'd be happy for him.
"Ha, well you know about that Atlas girl I helped? Well, I asked her out and she said yes. Great right?"
Silence prevailed in the room. Pyrrha's smile got bigger but there seemed to be something off about it that Jaune couldn't put his finger on. Nora coughed into her fist and looked to Pyrrha while Ren kept the same expression whilst sending power of friendship vibes to calm Jaune's nerves.
"Jaune," spoke Pyrrha finally. "Why would you ask a girl on a date you just met? Do you even know anything about her?"
"Well… She's a team leader, really well spoken, from Atlas, seems to care a lot for her partner, appears to be really strong, maybe more proper than Weiss…"
Pyrrha rubbed her forehead in what looked to be clear frustration. She must be worried about me again, like with Weiss. "Look Pyr, I know you're probably just worried I'm jumping into something too fast like I did with Weiss and I'll end up getting hurt, but I promise that's not the case this time. Also, a dates purpose is to allow two people who might not know each other that much to get to know each other better, right?"
"Jaune it's just… Nora, help me out," spoke Pyrrha to the orange haired girl. Why she was so desperate to put him off from this date was confusing, to say the least. Shouldn't his team be happy? The only person being bro about this was Ren. Which wasn't all that surprising he guessed.
"She right Jaune! This girl could be an... Atlas spy sent to gain intel on you! Or worse!"
Pyrrha facepalmed at the ridiculous answer. "Nora that's crazy. What valuable information could he possibly have anyway?"
"Well… maybe not that," muttered Nora. "But, she might be some kind of former White Fang member on the run from an assorted and complex life of betrayal!
"Nora I don't think-"
"And we all know how techno Atlas is. She could secretly be an Aura producing robot, here at Beacon as a test run!"
"Nor-"
Nora grasped at her face in fear as she continued. "Or worse yet… she might actually be 25 and has come to infiltrate the school under the direction of some eldritch demon!"
Most of those are too ridiculous to even be real.
Almost as if recognizing the imbalance of stupidity in the room, Ren spoke up next and as usual, he was the voice of reason. "Jaune, I don't think any of us are opposed to you dating entirely." At that, he paused before continuing. "However, what I believe is Pyrrha's main concern is that you've only just gotten over Weiss and now you're going on a date with an Atlas girl you just met. You can imagine the picture it paints."
"Right… I guess I can see how that would look. Look, this isn't about Weiss and it's not just me rebounding to someone else to… I don't know, 'fill a void.' It was a just a spur of the moment kind of thing. But there's no harm in it right?"
Jaune looked at Ren, who seemed to be his only support at the moment. "Right?"
The boy looked like he wanted to say more but instead simply let out a small sigh. "You aren't wrong. You have the right to date whoever you choose." Ren spoke with his characteristic deliberateness, though it seemed he was focusing on the rest on the team rather than Jaune himself. The leader turned back to his partner. She still looked conflicted, leaving Jaune feeling a bit sorry.
"Hey listen Pyr, if it really upsets you then-"
"No," Pyrrha interrupted, cutting him off before giving a big smile. "You have a good time Jaune. I was just worried about my partner is all. It's getting a bit late in the morning as well, so we'd better get a move on to breakfast. Right, everyone?"
Whew, guess it really was just nervousness for my well being. Heh, she's more a sister than my sisters, hehe.
Jaune stood up from the hot seat, finally not under teammate interrogation. "Right! Let's move out team."
/-/
Breakfast wasn't all that eventful. Or rather it wasn't until Nora dropped the info Jaune was going on a date. The expressions of team RWBY should have hurt Jaune's feelings by how shocked they were.
"Y-You? Really!?" Ruby was beside herself in excitement. So much so that the girl zipped around the table separating them and tackled the blond from his seat in a flurry of rose petals. "I'm so proud of you!"
See, now this is the type of response I expected.
"Dang lover boy, you don't waste time. Who is the lucky gal... or guy. I know desperate times might call for desperate meas-"
"It's not a guy," Jaune muttered, still in the process of hugging Ruby. "It's the Atlas girl that helped you defeat the giant mech robot thing."
Ruby's already freakishly tight grip around his neck increased to vice levels. "You're going to be dating Ciel. Penny's partner!? That means I'll definitely have more time to hang out with her! Thank you, Jaune!"
Jaune couldn't respond, as the small arms around his neck had cut off circulation. Though no one seemed to notice his plight. Weiss was the next to respond to the news. "Well, I'm glad you were able to find someone who gave you a chance."
Everyone at the table paused for a moment at the words, slightly stunned. Jaune, the only person not stunned, took the moment to slip from his friends embrace. "Thanks, Weiss."
The heiress nodded before noticing that everyone else was staring at her. "What?"
"I think we're all still getting used to that," Blake spoke without looking up from her scroll.
"Getting used to what?"
Yang raised an eyebrow. "Treating Jaune like he's a member of the same species, maybe."
Weiss huffed, folding her arms. "I wasn't nearly that bad."
"Sure, sure. Anyway, back to the big news. So short sweet and rolls off the tongue, where you taking her?" Yang asked, leaning in closer. Ruby, who had slid into the seat next to Jaune's also leaned in closer, despite nearly being on top of him already.
"Yeah Jaune, you have a place in mind?"
Jaune chuckled and rubbed his neck. "Heh, not really. Actually, I was hoping to ask one of you guys for a suggestion since I don't know a whole lot about dating."
Out of the corner of his eye, Jaune could see that Pyrrha hadn't eaten much. It seemed like she was still upset from this morning. Ren and Nora had their appetites but still seemed more quiet than usual. He'd have thought Nora would be talking as much as Yang about ideas but she didn't. He'd have to figure out what was up later.
"Well, Jaune my boy, you've come to the right gal," Yang pointed a thumb at herself. "I don't like to brag but I'm something of an expert when it comes to the female heart."
"Oh... uh, I didn't actually know you were gay, Yang. I mean I'm not judging and I guess there were signals along the way..."
Ruby and Weiss started snickering as a blush slowly crept up Yang's face and the girl sputtered for a response. "T-That's not what I meant! And what do you mean signals?"
Weiss butted into the conversation before the boy could answer, which probably saved him anyway. "Jaune, this girl is from Atlas, correct? And quite the connected one at that judging by the 'help' she was able to call in."
"Yeah, I guess so. You have a suggestion, Weiss?"
She almost looked indignant at the question. "Of course, I have a suggestion and more importantly, the right suggestion. I know what the high society dating scene is like, so I'll tell you what to do to really make an impression…"
/-/
"I still can't believe it. Can you believe it? I know I can't believe it!"
Bender had been going on and on since last night and into the morning and Ciel honestly couldn't understand her teammate's over-enthusiasm at her going on a date with Jaune. It was simply in service of the mission if looked at from an objective standpoint. Not to mention a favor she owed.
"I do not understand, why is friend Ciel's decision so out of place?" Penny asked, looking to Jenny and Bender before looking at Ciel herself. Having Penny around had been the second shock of the day, General Ironwood having left his niece in Ciel's care for the school day and asked the military girl to report back how it went.
"Well Ms. Polentina, if you must know, Mr. Rojo is simply confused as is his default state," replied Ciel. Bender muttered an 'ouch' at her words but otherwise went ignored.
"He believes I am pursuing an outing with Mr. Arc with the intent of starting an emotion-based relationship. This would be out of character for me, thus his surprise and shock. Though, that this surprise still prevails even after explanation leads me to believe he is without hope."
Bender leaned back in his chair, shaking his head at her words with a smug smile. "Oh don't get me wrong, I can hear you perfectly. That's never a problem, trust. All I'm saying is that you know for a fact that the information you crave could be obtained in many other ways. Admit it, you want this, Ms. Soleil!" accused the boy, pointing dramatically at his leader and nearly falling backward.
Thankfully Jenny was there to reign in her partner. Something that had become a routine job for the girl. "Bender, you have to remember that Jaune was the one to ask Ciel. If she declined, that could have put a strain on the budding relationship and make it harder to obtain information… not to mention she's doing this as a favor. Also, lower your voice, we're in the library, silly."
"Mmf," muttered the boy under his breath but otherwise he stayed quite now. It seemed miracles did exist mused Ciel. Jenny patted her partner on the shoulder before looking to Penny.
"So Penny, how are you enjoying being in class? Is it everything you thought it would be?"
"It was… how you described," spoke the red-head, attempting to find the right words. Jenny chuckled.
"So a lot of sitting down doing nothing while hearing information we already know, right? Less than sensational?"
"Yes! That's exactly the feeling."
Bender shook his head. "Yeah, that could just about sum up Beacon. Never thought I'd see a school where even the fights are boring as hell."
"Language," reprimanded Ciel. The last thing she needed was Penny picking up foul language on her watch. Whether through fear of her or Ironwood, Bender sighed but ultimately complied.
"Anyway, you'll see today Penny. You can predict the winner to each matchup in this class after just one look. Hel- I mean heck, I can usually even guess how it plays out."
Jenny butted in, attempting her signature positive spin on things. "I suppose he's not wrong, especially when team RWBY or JNPR fight so far."
"Yeah… Oh, speak of the devil," he muttered before getting elbowed in the side by Jenny to shut him up. Ciel turned around to see team RWBY and two other males walking towards them. True to her words, Ciel had messaged Ruby that Penny was free at the moment, so it was no surprise that she and her team showed up, sans the Belladonna girl.
"Hello Ciel, hello Penny," Ruby announced, pulling up a chair beside her friend. "Hello… others."
"Hello, friend Ruby." Penny and the girl embraced, while the others pulled up seats. Yang Xiao-Long took up a seat closest to Ciel, Weiss Schnee sat closest to Jenny, while the two unidentified boys sat next to Bender. One a blond monkey faunus and the other a blue haired boy of similar age. She'd have to put names to these unknown faces at some point. Preferably sooner rather than later.
Penny and Ruby began chatting immediately and while Ciel usually would have listened in, she was understandably distracted by Xiao-Long staring at her intently. "May I help you?"
"Hm? Oh, don't mind me, I'm just trying to get a better look at the girl who accepted Vomit Boy's date invitation."
"Vomit Boy?"
"Don't listen to her," Weiss interjected. "She hit her head as a child. Ciel, correct? I would like to thank you for your assistance last night. Your presence certainly made things go smoother."
"It was no problem at all Ms. Schnee. I would be remiss to let Atlas property be used for criminal purposes."
"I completely agree. Though I must ask, how were you aware of the emergency escape latch?"
Ciel's eyes narrowed slightly. Weiss Schnee was very perceptive it seemed, though she expected nothing less from the sister of Winter Schnee. Out of her peripherals, she saw Jenny and Bender speaking to the monkey Faunus and blue haired boy.
"Well, as the top student in both the first and second years, I've had the privilege of working closely with the Headmaster and Winter Schnee."
"Ooooh, that's how you were able to call in the big guns last night," spoke Yang, putting the puzzle together despite not having all the pieces. As expected, she also managed to derail Weiss' train of thought with the drop of a name.
"Wi-Winter Schnee? My sister?"
This bit of information caught Ruby's attention. "Whoa Weiss, you have a sister?!"
It would seem they communicate less than my team does.
"Yes, you dolt. How could you not have known that?"
"Well, you never mentioned it…"
"I'm positive I did. You simply weren't listening as usual."
A mini argument broke out between the partners over who was the forgetful one. Ciel had simply expected to answer questions about her superior but this worked even better. Though it seemed Yang was still interested in her.
"So, you mentioned you're the strongest in two grade levels~"
"I said top of the class. Those two things are quite different. However if you are asking then yes, I am at the top of specifically combat class as well."
"Win-loss record?" The blond girl asked, staring expectantly. It does no harm to answer honestly I suppose.
"I've never lost before."
Yang's eyes widened. "Wow, for real?"
"Not to a peer, no."
Ciel never understood the fascination with a 'perfect record' in combat class. Bender had also had a perfect win-loss record when they first met and was even a tournament winner in Atlas. Though it was that very thing that made him easy to defeat during their first spar. Now meeting a seasoned Huntsman with a perfect win record, that was impressive.
"So you're like the Atlas version of Pyrrha Nikos then. Oh, you both should fight!"
That was another thing that puzzled Ciel, mostly because it contradicted the first thought. While everyone coveted the perfect record, they were so ready to see someone lose it as well, usually by pining two undefeated fighters together. Although maybe that was an entirely different obsession focused on finding the "best." The best or nothing, as some had said. No-one remembered the name of the second place winner.
"If that's what she wishes, then fine. However, I don't plan to seek out that challenge."
Though it would certainly help my mission.
"Oooo, afraid to lose your perfect record?" Yang egged on, smiling mischievously. Ciel raised an eyebrow.
"Not in the least. I've never cared about such an arbitrary system of 'undefeated' anyway. Though I take it that sort of thing interests you?" Ciel asked, deciding now was as good a time as any to attempt to get more information. From the intel Bender had picked up, Yang was third in combat class.
"You could say that I suppose. Hey, how about me and you go at it during combat class," asked Yang with a wink.
"I'm positive the instructor wouldn't appreciate that." Honestly, to propose such a thing on the same day I am to go on a date with her fellow classmate, in a crowded classroom no less. Beacon is a haven for sin.
"Wha- that's not what I-"
"Yang, please stop trying to get Ciel to bat for your team," piped up Weiss, who was apparently done correcting her partner. This confirmed the suspicion that Yang was indeed of the gay variety. It wasn't exactly relevant information but any intel was good intel she supposed.
While Yang sputtered weak denials, Weiss began speaking with her again with barely withheld enthusiasm. "So, tell me more about Winter."
/-/
Jaune's arm felt like it might shatter when his shield crashed into his partners bronze one. While it was true she had said now that he beat Cardin she wouldn't go easy him, he didn't remember it being this rough. She was hitting him like this was a tournament.
It felt a bit exhilarating.
He attempted to gain ground but she matched his every step with one of her own. Jaune swung in a horizontal arc but received the full force of her javelin as a result in the center of his chest. Crocea Mors clattered to the ground and he was thrown back a few meters, even being ejected from the stage. He would have collided with bleachers or metal flooring had it not been for Nora catching his ragdolled body.
Being caught by short redheads seems to be becoming a trend.
"Th-Thanks Nora."
"Not a problem, fearless leader," Nora spoke with a smile, carrying Jaune bridal style to the bench to rest. Since it was during their break instead of after classes, Jaune had decided to make up his missed day of training by spending the free period in the training rooms with his team. The change of location was nice, though Pyrrha certainly was harsher today. As a testament to that, Jaune was barely able to draw air into his lungs without coughing from that last hit.
"Are you always this tough on him?" Ren asked Pyrrha, who was walking off the stage. All day she'd had a look he couldn't place. Whatever it was seemed to only disappear in the ring.
"No… though Jaune asked me to be a bit harder on him! Right Jaune?"
Ye-Ye-Yeah," he eventually wheezed out. "Let's take five. Or at least that's what I'll do."
"Well, I'm bored watching you two fight. How about it Pyrrha, you still got some in the tank for Nora?"
For the first time today Pyrrha smile actually reached her eyes. "Of course, Nora."
The two went up and began doing some sparing, leaving Jaune to catch his breath beside Ren, who had taken the seat beside him. Figuring this was as good a time as any, Jaune decided to ask his fellow male teammate about Pyrrha's odd behavior. "Hey, Ren. Do you think Pyrrha is upset that I'm going on a date?"
Ren's eyes widened in disbelief. "I… how did you come to that conclusion?"
"Yeah, I know it seems sort of silly but she's been acting weird since I first told her that I'd be going out with Ciel. I think I know why too."
"Jaune, I never thought that you'd final-"
"She thinks I'm going to neglect my training and duties as a leader. That's why she's being so hard on me today. With all the improvement I've made recently I'm worried about going back to my old habits as well."
Ren was silent.
"Damnit you're right Ren, I better go promise her that no matter what, I'll put this team first! Thanks for the pep talk, dude. Did I ever tell you you're like the brother I never had?"
"I don't believe so," sighed out the boy, running a hand through his hair. Jaune grinned and put his arm around his friend.
"Well, you are."
"And I you." Ren patted the hand resting on his shoulder. "How about you and I spar a bit Jaune? I'm worried about what might happen if Pyrrha and you go at it again.''
"Sure." Jaune hoisted himself up, feeling refreshed from his momentary rest. "Let's do it."
/-/
The only class which team SPHR had with team RWBY and JNPR was combat class, thus when it was time to head there, they went together. Weiss and Ruby alike insisted they sit together as well. Though Ciel would really rather not, she couldn't deny that her team had managed to make a good first impression.
"So, tell me again about Winter's teaching methods," Weiss hadn't stopped talking for a single moment about her sister.
"Ms. Schnee, perhaps we should continue this conversation at a later date. Class is about to start after all."
"Oh, yes, of course. You're right, we may discuss this later." As Weiss spoke, she withdrew her scroll and gave it to Ciel. "Put your number in so that we can talk more later."
Ciel could see Bender holding in a chuckle at her plight. It would seem by the end of this she would have quite the social life. Penny and Jenny hit it off with the rest of team RWBY sans Belladonna, while Bender had managed to chat with Sun Wukong and Neptune Vasilias, the two mysterious boys she had finally identified.
Ciel put in her number and handed the scroll back to Weiss Schnee before getting nudged in the shoulder by Yang. "Hey, here comes your lover boy."
Turning around, she saw that the members of Team JNPR had made it just in time and were coming to sit with their sister team. Upon seeing her, Jaune smiled and waved, walking a bit faster before plopping down on the seat beside her after Yang moved for him while also giving Ciel a wink.
"Um... hi," Jaune nervously waved, his face even seemed to get redder.
"Hello, Mr. Arc."
The rest of team JNPR took a seat as well, most notably Pyrrha Nikos taking a seat next to her partner. Pyrrha smiled at her, though something about it seemed just a bit off. "Hello, Ciel, it's nice to meet you again."
"The pleasure is all mine."
A few moments of silence past between them before Glynda's voice called to the class. "Good afternoon class. We have a lot of students to get through today, so we'll start immediately. Lie Ren. Yang Xiao-Long. Please come down."
Not a moment later Yang jumped from her seat in pure joy. "YES! Fuck yes! Payback time you son of a bitc-"
"Ms. Xiao-Long, please refrain from cursing like a sailor. In fact, please see me after class."
Yang lowered her head at the reprimand, but even then she glared at Ren as if it was his fault. Interesting, it would seem there is dissent in the two teams after all. To the boy's credit, however, it seemed the anger was one-sided, for he didn't give any pause to her outburst, instead, choosing to quietly walk down the stairs.
"What was that all about?" Bender asked, who was slouching just a bit too much for Ciel's preference.
Ruby looked like she was about to answer, but before she could, Blake Belladonna finally appeared for class, sitting down and clearly attempting to avoid being seen by the teacher. Honestly, Beacon students really had no discipline.
"Nice of you to join us, Blake," Weiss remarked. "Do tell what was so important you couldn't get to class on time?"
The Faunus rubbed her eyes. "Just, research is all. I lost track of time."
"We messaged you 7 times."
"I lost track of time."
At the edge in her, Weiss huffed slightly, while the leader of team RWBY who had been sitting with Jenny and Penny turned around. "Blake?"
The Belladonna girl took a second to breathe before responding again. "Sorry about that." She sat down near Weiss, possibly as a way to show remorse for her words. Ciel could never really tell with people her age.
Jaune leaned in and whispered, "I swear it isn't usually this weird."
Somehow Ciel doubted that.
/-/
Jaune was mentally slapping himself in the face at the moment. Why did team RWBY have to be composed of such weirdos all of a sudden? What if Ciel didn't want to hang with them anymore because of it? Though to her credit, she didn't seem very bothered at all.
Actually, now that I think about it, the fact they were already sitting her means her team must have hit it off with Ruby's. Yeah… that makes more sense.
So preoccupied with his nervous thoughts, Jaune didn't even remember to pay attention to Ren's fight, only looking up when it was called by Glynda.
"The match is over. Congratulations on your win, Lie Ren."
Oh cool, Ren actually beat Yang!
Ren was standing off to the side, collecting his composure at was probably a really hard fought fight. Shame he missed it. Interestingly, his hair seemed to have been down because he was putting it back up. Yang was on her knees, looking dazed but otherwise okay.
"Ms. Xiao-Long are you okay?" Ms. Goodwitch asked, who looked a bit concerned.
"I-I-I'm fine Ms. Goodwitch."
The teacher nodded. "Well, Ms. Xiao-Long, as you can see, your semblance, while impressive won't always save you from an opponent with enough resolve to face you head on."
Yang nodded. "As for you Lie Ren, excellent job in the face of an overwhelming enemy. You stayed calm and relied on the proper use of timing. I honestly have little to critique on."
"Thank you, Ms. Goodwitch."
"You are dismissed."
Ren came back up the bleachers and sat down next to Nora again, the same neutral expression he always wore still present, Yang trailing close behind.
"Hey, good job Ren! Beating Yang isn't easy." The last time Jaune had sparred with Yang, he'd seen his life flash before his eyes.
"Jaune's correct, that was quite the display you put on," Pyrrha agreed, patting her teammate on the back. Nora simply wore a content smile, as if this outcome was assured before it started. Yang also made her way back to her seat, looking oddly okay with her loss. Ruby attempted to comfort her sister, though it didn't seem necessary.
Huh, I don't know why I assumed she'd be a sore loser.
"Emerald Sustrai and… Ciel Soliel. You two will be fighting next."
Ciel perked up beside him before standing and straightening out her watch.
"Good luck," Jaune spoke. She turned to him and nodded before heading down towards the platform. She got a few words of encouragement from team RWBY as well.
"Don't kill her!" Bender yelled with a grin.
/-/
Ciel sighed a little at having been called down. Fighting was something she was good at, something she strived to be perfect in actually. However, this didn't mean she particularly enjoyed it either. Like most things, it simply was another task to complete. Upon stepping onto the stage, she checked her watch and decided to make this quick.
"Are you both aware of the rules, or do I need to explain them once more?" Ms. Goodwitch asked. It was a reasonable question considering the rules of friendly sparring varied from school to school. She had all of them memorized of course.
"It won't be necessary for me," spoke Ciel, looking at the dark skin girl before her. The grin on her opponent's face suggested she wasn't taking this seriously. That suited Ciel just fine. This Emerald Sustrai seemed to have two twin pistols with bayonets attached at the barrel. No doubt mecha-shift. Just going off what she could see, Ciel would say Emerald was primarily a mid-range fighter.
Unlike her most of her peers, Ciel didn't like mecha-shift all that much. She only had a simple 13-centimeter knife attached to her leg. While it was microscopically sharp, it was still just a knife. High on her hip, and hidden by her skirt, was a pistol she rarely ever used. And for her primary weapon, she had her watch.
"I know the rules as well," replied Emerald. Ms. Goodwitch nodded and walked off the stage before giving the go-ahead to start the fight.
Ciel toiled with the idea of activating her semblance but dismissed it. There was no real reason yet and her passive cognition was usually enough. Ciel waited for the perfect time to attack, taking in as much information as possible. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5-
Emerald's left shoulder twitched at the same time her jaw unhinged slightly and her eyelids began to lower, probably to blink. Ciel shot forward with as much speed as possible closing the distance between them by the time Emerald's eyelids were rising after shutting, just before the girl could speak whatever she was about to say, and approximately one and a half seconds before the girl could finish reaching for her left holster.
Upon realizing what was happening, Ciel noticed the all of the girl's muscles tense, a sign she wasn't sure how to proceed. Unlike Ciel, she couldn't be positive what action would take the least amount of time, so instead, she hesitated. Not one to show mercy, the Atlas student hit the Mistral student as hard as possible in the sternum with her right fist.
After making contact, Ciel activated her aura, something that would have caused more damage on its own. However, this also activated the small spinning gravity Dust crystal in her watch, amplifying her hit as well. It was a fairly well-known fact that if a gravity Dust crystal was spinning its area of effect went up, creating a sort of mini gravity field. This resulted in an opponent being drawn towards her fist as it came down or adversely, pushed away from her fist to create greater pressure when her fist connected anyway. The best part being that if used correctly, usually no-one was the wiser, simply believing Ciel was far stronger than she actually was. Or in some cases incorrectly assuming what her semblance was.
Putting her amped weight behind it, Ciel followed through with the punch and sent her combatant to the metal floor so hard she bounced, successfully knocking the wind and possibly the sense out of her. Not giving her a chance to recover, Ciel was already digging a knee in her stomach before the girl could take a proper breath.
As a preemptive precaution, she grabbed Emerald's left wrist and twisted it painfully in an awkward position so she wouldn't reach for a possible weapon. In that same time, she had begun striking the girl in the dead center of her face with her amped right fist. After five solid hits, Ciel began reaching to disable Emerald's right arm so it wouldn't cause any trouble.
"Ms. Soleil that's enough!"
Ciel halted her advancement immediately at the sound of Ms. Goodwitch's voice. Oh, the match must be over. She stood up, careful not to press down on the Haven student, who Ciel now realized was groaning painfully. Looking at the board, Ciel saw that Emerald was in the lower red. It would seem the girl didn't have much in the way of aura storage.
With the fight over, Ciel now noticed that the room was eerily silent. The Haven girl's teammates had come to her side along with Ms. Goodwitch. Blankly, she watched as Emerald was carried off by her teammates. With them off the stage, the teacher regarded Ciel again, who was waiting patiently to be dismissed.
"Am I dismissed, madame?"
For a moment a look passed over the instructor's face that couldn't be categorized. Though it was gone a moment later. "You're dismissed."
/-/
Silence prevailed in the classroom in the moments after the "fight" ended. Silence which was broken by a low whistle let out by Yang. "Damn, and here I was worried she wouldn't be able to back up the big talk in the library. Although if that's Atlas' style I can see why old soft-hearted Weiss left."
"She was almost as fast as Ruby," spoke Blake, who until now had been slyly looking down at her scroll. The Faunus looked impressed, though also a bit wary, which Jaune could relate to. Weiss didn't look so surprised as the rest of the group.
"I'd expect nothing less from someone who works closely with my sister."
"Her expression never even changed," muttered Ruby. "Is that normal?"
"Partner Ciel doesn't enjoy combat from what I've gathered," replied Penny. "She doesn't find it challenging either."
"Well, that's comforting," Jaune laughed, trying to lighten the mood a bit. If he was being honest with himself, Jaune was more impressed than anything. A little nervous too, but that was nothing new. "What did you mean by big talk though, Yang?"
"Hm? Ciel told me she was undefeated, so I was excited to maybe get a fight in with her. Now I'm not so sure," She answered with a laugh. She was probably joking but Jaune wouldn't blame her if she wasn't.
"What's the point if she doesn't enjoy it?" Nora muttered, pouting a bit.
"Her efficiency is admirable. Very different from what is usually displayed here," commented Ren. Jaune turned to his partner to see what she had to say about it. She probably excited at having another undefeated girl around.
She looked... conflicted. However, before he could say anything Ciel appeared before them again, taking her seat beside him.
"Hey, nice job. She never stood a chance."
"Thank you. I find teachers appreciate a quick match to move class along," Ciel replied, adjusting her watch.
"Very impressive, you must train quite a bit," Pyrrha spoke quietly, almost to herself more than to anyone else.
Ciel turned to look at her. "Thank you."
/-/
In the courtyard of Beacon, Ciel stood, waiting for Jaune to arrive. As she waited, the Atlas girl garnered attention from a few of the male and curiously female variety. Leading her to believe it came from her actions in combat class rather than the getup Jenny had insisted she wear. Though that probably didn't help.
After getting back to the dorm room, Jenny had set about finding something she could wear. Something about it being proper etiquette to wear something different on a date, which was just enough to get Ciel to comply seeing as disagreeing would just waste time. Once she'd been shoved into a baby blue shirt dress with small white flowers, Ciel quickly escorted Penny to the General, who acted strangely upon seeing her for whatever reason. And acted even stranger when she informed him the reason for the change in attire.
Ciel was pleasantly surprised when Jaune showed up perfectly on time. He was wearing his usual attire, a fact that annoyed Ciel to no end because it meant she hadn't needed to change outfits. Though she never said it was proper etiquette for the male to change attire…
"Wow, you look… amazing," spoke Jaune, his face flushed and eyes wide in disbelief. "Thank you for agreeing to this."
"It's quite alright, you did me a great service yesterday."
"R-Right."
"So, I take it you have the date planned?"
On the dates she'd been on it Atlas, the boys, usually heirs, always planned each date out to the letter. Each stop meant to display a skill they possessed or accentuate how much wealth they had. Usually, the latter, seeing that despite being a part of high society, her family had little wealth compared the others. Thus they thought such a thing would impress her and possibly even allow them to get "lucky," which none did.
"Well… I don't actually know you that well. So I was thinking that we could do something you'd like. I have a list on my scroll of every place in Vale open around this time, so I'll try to choose where we go based on your answer," spoke Jaune, still looking rather nervous.
That's… different.
"I see. Very well.
"So, what do you enjoy?"
/-/
Jaune believed that he discovered his semblance. It was surely a semblance that boosted luck to obscene proportions, for he was far too blessed for what he deserved. This was something he was reminded of every time he turned and saw the most adorable girl in sight, possibly for miles, sitting in front of him. Her outfit was so cute and contrasted so heavily with her cold demeanor Jaune was sure any second now he would wake up from a dream.
I didn't know she was going to dress up! I should have worn something better! Fuck! Arrg!
"So, you just order and they make it in front of you?"
The blond leader snapped out of his thoughts at the question. "Hm? Oh, uh, yeah, that's basically it. You said you enjoyed cooking, so I thought you might enjoy this."
This particular restaurant was actually rather a popular one with the students at Beacon. The tables were each positioned near large stove tops where chefs prepared the food, always with dramatic flair. It was the closest thing had been able to come up with in regards to cooking.
"It certainly is quite different than what I'm used to in Atlas. Food preparation is below those of high society, thus the best restaurants are those where you can pick up not even a noise from the kitchen. I believe I prefer this far better."
Yeeeaaah boi! One point for Jaune!
"Great! So, uh, how did you get into cooking?" Jaune asked, genuinely interested. What with her somewhat robotic nature for lack of a better term, made any hobbies she had quite curious.
"Well, as a girl I stayed with my grandfather because both my parents worked rather long hours. I saw it as appropriate that I should help him around the house. He also believed that everyone should know how to cook at least a little, so I learned and found I enjoyed it."
Through that one question, Jaune had actually learned a surprising amount. Filing away all the information she'd given, Jaune continued the conversation. Before he could, however, she surprisingly engaged him. "May I ask a question now, Mr. Arc?"
"Yeah, of course."
"Why did you choose to ask me on a date as your favor?"
Jaune's mouth went dry. He had almost forgotten that Ciel didn't seem the kind to do casual conversation. It was a fair question though and one he couldn't help but wonder if it came from the same place as when Weiss asked him a similar question.
The reason, the real reason probably would sound a bit… bad, but Jaune was done building relationships off lies.
"Well, I guess you could say that I was hoping for something new. I just got over a girl I'd fallen for last semester, though it was completely one-sided. As of the new semester, I had been trying to just improve myself for the better. That was my state of mind when I first ran into you anyway. You came off as very cold but had a level of sincerity in everything you did. One of my friends once told me my blind affection for Wei- er, I mean my crush had blinded me to the possibility of other relationships. So I guess my reason for choosing this as a favor would be I thought I'd love to get to know you, is all."
After he finished speaking, he looked back up to Ciel, meeting her gaze. A gaze that left him feeling transparent. This also seemed to be becoming a trend as of late. It lasted for an indiscriminate amount of time before she spoke once again.
"I see. Well, let's order. It's rude to wait for too long."
"R-Right."
/-/
To Jaune's delight, he and Ciel had actually been able to keep a fairly steady level of conversation throughout. It only got derailed slightly when she stopped to watch the chefs cook their food and when they had started eating. It was in this short time that he realized Ciel, in fact, didn't only have one expression, it was simply that the changes were rather minute. The face she'd made after chewing the first bite forced him to hide a chuckle.
At the moment they were just finishing up, so he decided to ask a possibly more complicated question. "So Ciel, what made you decide to be a Huntress?"
It was something he, after spending time with her, truly wanted to know since he didn't expect the generic 'I wanted to help people' thing. Ciel put down her utensil and regarded him, all done with superhuman methodicalness.
"I suppose the short answer would be it was practical considering my goals. I intended to join the military, however, I was directed to the academy as a better option for experience and the fact I was personally recommended to the General. Needless to say, I felt obligated to do so. The results have been satisfactory."
Huh, that means she probably will join the military after year four. In fact, wasn't she able to call in the Atlas military or something last night?
"I see… so is the training more difficult?"
"In all likelihood, it's easier. Fewer things to deal with. Stronger teammates. Better treatment. I plan to enlist again after the end of my Huntsman training, however, as a Specialist."
"Huh, seems you've really thought it out," answered Jaune, noticing that while she'd answered the question, she hadn't actually answered it. Still, her being a little guarded made some sense. "I've heard Atlas Academy is similar to the military barracks though in teaching method."
"I do not have a standard classroom rotation, so I wouldn't know for certain. I can say it isn't as disciplined as you envision. To clash with the status quo, many of the students have taken to acting out and dressing in bombastic fashion. As to be expected from teenagers I suppose… so then, why have you decided to lead a life of violence?"
"At the risk of sounding kind of lame, I guess it was because I wanted to follow in my ancestor's footsteps. They were all Huntsmen and before that. Heroes. Guess it was something I wanted to be a part of as well."
Jaune felt a bit awkward after speaking. He almost wished he had just said the bargain bin 'I want to help people' route. Though sad to say, that wasn't exactly true at all. His pride had gotten him to Beacon far more than any innate benevolent lust for righteousness. "I guess that sounds kind of selfish huh?"
"No."
The blond looked back up. "Really?"
"Yes. I don't believe humans or Faunus for that matter are born with a goal of doing right or wrong, however, those terms may be defined. And purpose isn't something that all are given a clear reason to have. If following in the footsteps of others who accomplished well is your purpose simply because they are who you admire, I see nothing compromising or shameful about that."
"Oh… well, that's a bit more comforting." Jaune had almost said 'thank you' but there was nothing to thank her for. She merely spoke her thoughts, not attempted to make him feel better. Which in its own way was comforting as well.
Two went back to eating, finally finishing up their meals. As they finished, Jaune saw Ciel pull out her scroll for a few moments before placing it on the table and turning her attention towards him. "Are you ready to leave?"
"If you are. It's getting a bit late anyway." Jaune began reaching for his wallet, counting up the amount of money in his head. Okay, I have just eno-
"Also, I prefer separate checks if it's not too much to ask," spoke Ciel casually.
She's perfect.
/-/
"So, what are you going to do when we get back? It's still pretty early."
Early was relative. It was currently five past eight, meaning the date had lasted four hours, five minutes, and twenty-nine seconds. Unlike others, time never really 'got away' from Ciel. But for possibly the first time in years, she felt she understood the saying. With the date now coming to a close she couldn't honestly say it had been disagreeable. Right now they were walking towards the dorm area after catching the last Bullhead back, on which Jaune went oddly silent.
"I expect twenty minutes of socializing with my team on this afternoon's events, twenty minutes of study, five minutes of meditation, and ten minutes of sleep preparations before sleeping."
"Wow, sounds like you planned it out to the second," Jaune mused, though his amusement tapered off upon the realization that he wasn't off the mark. "Heh, heh… oh."
"A proper schedule is the key to a healthy mind and body, Mr. Arc. I'm positive it would do you a world of good."
"Yeah, you're probably not wrong. I've been trying to get better about that sort of thing anyway. Maybe you could help me later?"
Now many assumed because Ciel didn't completely grasp certain emotional responses or the reasoning behind some social expectations that she was easy to get one over on. She wasn't. Clearly agreeing help would imply they would be spending more time together. Which it just so happens that was what was needed at the moment.
"That means we'd be spending more time together, I assume."
"Oh… well yeah. I guess so. Was that too forward?" Jaune's face flushed as he muttered the last part out, making Ciel wondered if he hadn't been aware of his slyness of word until she pointed it out. Perhaps the honest and earnest nature he put on wasn't facade as had always been a possibility in the back of her mind.
"No. At the very least simply presumptuous."
He went silent, scratching the back of his head. After about a minute of walking, he spoke again. "Hey, can I ask you a question?"
"Go ahead."
"Did you have a good time?"
"I… believe I did."
Jaune chuckled and didn't even attempt to hide the grin slowly taking over his face. "That's great. Really great actually. Well, in that case, I guess I can ask you the next question. Do you want to keep going on dates?"
Ciel, as it turned out, didn't enjoy lying in the least. She was taught to not do so as a girl and barring that, it just didn't feel right. Of course, she lied countless times in service of missions or through basic necessity. Atlas was nothing if not an institution that encouraged being two-faced to the point of forgetting what actual truth was. That didn't mean she enjoyed it though. So it was an odd feeling of satisfaction to not have to lie to Jaune. Not entirely at least.
"I believe I wouldn't mind. I will admit Mr. Arc, that this is was far more enjoyable than I imagined it would be."
That wasn't saying much, considering she expected to experience zero enjoyment beforehand. The boy beside her was radiating joy and seemed to be having a private ceremony of congratulation for himself. She left him to it, walking slowly beside him. When they finally reached the doors of the school, Ciel spoke up.
"Well Mr. Arc, it would seem that the date has come to an end. I do hope it was as satisfactory as you imagined."
Jaune turned to face her, still glowing. "It was… you know, I wasn't sure how well this would go. I was honestly a bit nervous you'd be a bit dismissive since this date was a favor. Thank you, for at least giving me a chance and for being so nice."
He took in a deep breath and became noticeably timid. "So… are we dating now?"
"I have no argument against doing so, thus I'll allow you to decide. Are we dating?"
Jaune's expression grew into a large smile once again. "Yeah, I guess we are."
A/N: And done. This chapter took awhile so I hope you liked it. Also, the two are dating now! Yay! I'm sure nothing could possibly go wrong…
And now the bonus scenes.
Bonus Scene: Trolling Yang
Yang liked to think she was a forgiving and even humane person… well maybe not that far but she was still a decently nice person! However, there was something about Ren annihilating her at pool that had awakened something primal. For the past couple of days, she'd been watching him, planning to get sweet revenge. Prove herself once again. It was only natural when it came to matters of pride.
Thus was the reason Yang couldn't stop smiling when she was called down to fight Ren. Fighting was HER sport. The end all be all. Granted, she would give Ren his due. He was no means a bad fighter, though the boy lacked her endurance and ferocity. This match, unfair as it was, would be an excellent way to regain her confidence.
"Get ready for some retribution flower boy cause you're looking at a perfect fighting machine," blustered Yang, slamming her fist together. Ren didn't look impressed. He rarely did. Without saying a word, he reached up and untied his hair, letting the ebony locks cascade down his shoulders. As this happened, a familiar look crossed his expression.
"Is that so?" He questioned, taking a more compact stance than usual. Yang's cockiness only increased.
Oh I'm going to enjoy this
Ms. Goodwitch, after explaining the rules, started the match and Yang immediately began a rapid-fire barrage of a shotgun blast in his direction. He dodged a few and redirected others, ultimately taking little to no damage, all the while attempting to close the gap between them.
Yang for one welcomed the close quarters with open arms. Upon her opponent getting within striking range, he began attacking with several hard and precise strikes at her vital points. They were quick, though not quick enough, each one being batted away or tanked.
She gave as good as she got, throwing punches of all kind with a few kicks as well though with little success. His tight fighting style left few openings. It was an intense minute of trading, taking, and tanking blows. However, Ren finally slipped up. He threw an overhead punch that sailed right over Yang as she duked low and prepared to punish his slip up.
Heh, I knew he couldn't keep up-
Just as Yang's fist sailed towards his gut, something gold and shimmering fell right before her eyes. A lock of beautiful hair. Her hair. The bastard hadn't overshot at all. The rather large lock broke her focus just long enough for Ren to strafe to the side, avoiding a punch while kneeing the girl in the face.
Yang tumbled backward but stopped as her feet touched the ground again. Combined with the insult of attacking her hair, Yang's quest for friendly revenge was about to be turned into a bloodsport as rage enveloped her. Using her crouched position as an advantage, she burst into a sprint towards the target of her hatred.
Just as she closed the distance, she and Ren matched gazes again… and the bastard smirked.
Letting out a mighty roar Yang raised her fist, planning to knock him into the audience. Though just as she fired her cocked fist, everything disappeared. The fire. The rage. The hate. It all melted away as if it was never there in the first place. The fire was replaced with a still pond, rage replaced with serenity never before experienced, and hate replaced with cool indifference. It was such a system shock Yang stumbled forward, having lost strength in her legs.
And Ren punished.
An aura coated fist connected with her chin so hard everything went completely white. A knee found it's home just below her sternum, causing Yang to expel air the remaining air in her lungs. Then finally two open palms collided with her ears with such pressure Yang wasn't sure she'd ever hear again. It was that last attack that brought the mighty fighter to a kneel.
Though just as quickly as Yang fell she was back up throwing a blind punch in Ren's general direction. The serenity and calm were gone, replaced with literal blind rage. Her semblance was working at its full capacity, feeding off the girls pain and frustration as substance.
However, half blind, half deaf, and robbed of a sense of balance, Yang's strength meant little. Each time she missed - which was every time she swung - the back of Ren's hand found its way to the side of her face. The hits only fueling the senseless beast she'd temporary become.
Then in a moment of brief clarity, her hand shot forward and grasp Ren's wrist with a vice-like grip. Despite her senses being in complete noncompliance, she could still hit a target she was holding. Raising a fist glowing white with heat, she prepared to put Ren in an early grave.
And then it all came to a halt again. Calm and serenity clashed painfully with rage and unending frustration. Yang's mind felt as if it might snap in two pieces. The mental pain was so great she faltered to follow through with her punch.
And so she lost her opportunity.
An elbow collided with her nose, and her grip on the boy weakened. Two aura tipped fingers jabbed painfully into her throat and she let go completely. Blow after blow was landed, each time she nearly regained some coherence her semblance was thrown out of whack again.
Finally, both knees hit the ground, all her stamina and energy having been exhausted. Yang couldn't activate her semblance even if she wanted to, which she didn't. This was a complete loss, the first of for a long time. Though oddly enough, that seemed okay.
Why am I okay with losing? What's wrong with me?
"Ms. Xiao Long, are you quite alright?" Asked Professor Goodwitch, looking upon her with some concern.
Yang looked to where Ren was standing. His pink pupils held disinterest once again. He beat me again…
"Yes, I'm fine Ms. Goodwitch."
/-/
Testing if his semblance countered her own had been a calculated risk and wow was he good at math.
It would seem it didn't work completely by the end though. Food for later thought.
Ren looked back over to his rival, finally deactivating his semblance. She seemed content with the loss, a good attitude to have. Though that was in no small part to him.
The small ghost of a smile rekindled briefly before he tied his hair up once again, and let impassivity take him.
Bonus Scene 2: Out Cold
Cinder hadn't been all that specific to Emerald and Mercury about how to fight in combat class should they be called down. Generally just beat anyone who wouldn't arouse suspicion and absolutely no semblance use. Period. Her teammates were strong for their age as well, so not much to worry about.
So when Emerald got called down to fight some random Atlas girl, Cinder only tuned in to see if Emerald would play with her food before winning. They weren't given much chance to fight, so Cinder hoped her pet savored it.
However, as it turned out, the 'food' had been the true predator. The cold, expressionless face of the Atlas girl was more killer than student. This girl, Ciel, had been quick, ruthless, and efficient. It was fascinating and in a word, beautiful. Not to mention rare for someone so young. Regardless of which attributes people attributed to Atlas going folks such as being cold or aloof, she'd seen enough to know they weren't all like that.
At the moment, Cinder and Mercury were sitting in the infirmary next to Emerald's beside, waiting for her to wake up. It wasn't every day someone got injured enough to make a visit here, thus the three were left alone save for the odd nurse milling about.
"So, what do you want to do about her?" Asked Mercury, not looking up from his scroll.
"What are you referring to?"
"I mean after this do you want us to handle that Atlas girl."
Cinder almost chuckled. The apple really doesn't fall far from the assassin tree. "No, I don't believe that will be necessary. I am curious about this girl, however. What do you think, Mercury? Was it simple carelessness that lost Emerald the match?"
"Pft, it didn't help. I guess working for you went to her head."
Cinder would have reprimanded him but the boy was right. Everyone on her team had fought to survive, held no qualms over killing, and generally more experienced. Granted Emerald was physically the weakest but she was surely stronger and quicker than the vast majority her age, semblance or not. Arrogance played a role for certain.
"Emerald underestimated her opponent, a mistake I'm sure she'll do well to never repeat. Let's say she didn't. Do you think she would have lasted longer?"
"Sure. Still would have lost though. That girl was really fast, hit really hard, and was really precise about it. Not to mention looked indifferent to the whole thing. Scary shit."
Nearly Fracturing a skull and causing concussion through aura is quite scary.
"Did you notice who she was sitting with as well?"
Mercury finally looked up from his scroll. "Torchwick's little re-... wait a second. Do you think this girl is the same, troublesome Atlas girl Roman mentioned yesterday? The 'fucking brat that called in the whole damn army.'"
Finally, the boy was catching on to her line of thought. "Yes, I believe they are indeed the same person. I'll confirm it with him just to be sure… Mercury, do you think a normal student would know where the fail-safes on a prototype suit of armor would be?"
"Hm, I guess not," he shrugged.
Cinder smirked, new plans already running through her mind. "I don't think so either."
/-/
Emerald woke up in a way that could only be called violent, jerking awake, raising her hands in a defensive position, and breathing heavily through her mouth. Despite there being no pain, she clutched at her chest, almost surprised to find there wasn't a hole. Ciel's cold visage was burned in her memory.
"Good evening, Emerald."
Emerald froze briefly before letting out a sigh of relief at the familiar voice. She turned to see Cinder and Mercury sitting beside her… hospital bed? Damn, how long was I out?
"C-Cinder? How long have I been out?"
"Only around two hours."
Emerald looked down, already feeling shame well up in her chest. She'd let her guard down. Cinder must think even less-
"You did well, Emerald."
The girl looked back up, surprised more than anything. "I don't understand."
Cinder stood and walked closer to the bed, placing the back of her hand to Emerald's cheek and caressing her gently. "Because of your carelessness, we've discovered something quite interesting. And you've been put in a perfect position to assist in gaining more information."
"W-What do I need to do?"
Cinder smiled sweetly. "Oh, nothing too difficult."
A/N: Ren's the actual main character of this story.