Penny's knuckles rapped on the dorm room door and she stopped waiting for an answer. She heard light footsteps on the other side watched as the knob turned and it opened a crack. Silver eyes met hers.
"Oh, hey Penny," Ruby chirped, stepping back to open the door for her, "how's it going?" She asked as Penny stepped into the dormitory.
"Where is the rest of your team?" Penny asked her when she saw that indeed the rest of the room was vacant. A bit of relief passed through her helping to calm her nerves.
"Blake and Yang took a contract together and are still out," Ruby explained to her taking a seat on one of the bunks, "Weiss is currently training with her sister so I found myself with a bit of alone time."
That was good, Penny thought. "Uh Ruby… can we talk?" She asked her tentatively, turning her gaze towards the window showing the academy grounds, she idly wondered why her room didn't have a window and found herself wishing it did.
Ruby's brow furrowed with concern. "Yeah Penny of course we can talk," she assured her, "what do you want to talk about?" She asked cautiously.
Penny tried to meet Ruby's eyes but found herself too embarrassed to manage holding her gaze. She instead looked at the floor by Ruby's feed and crossed her arms sheepishly over her chest. "Boys," Penny quietly confessed.
Ruby was quiet for a long moment and Penny wondered if perhaps her friend had heard her. "Boys?" She finally answered, "you want to talk about boys?"
Penny nodded. She looked up to Ruby to find that her face was slightly pink from embarrassment. That helped ease a little more of Penny's tension.
"What about… boys?" Ruby asked her.
Penny steeled herself and looked up into her friend's silver eyes. She couldn't dance around this, and Ruby was her friend, her best friend, if she could talk to anyone about this it would be her. "How do you know if you like a boy?" She asked her.
Ruby's eyes widened at her, "Penny… Do you like someone? Like, like like?" She asked flabbergasted.
"I do not know," Penny answered her, "but I keep thinking about him and I want to see him more and every time he smiles at me I feel very happy."
Ruby nodded and released a sigh, "yeah that sounds like a crush to me," she agreed motioning to a chair for Penny to sit down in. She took her seat and folded her hands in her lap.
"How long has this been going on?" Ruby asked her.
"Not very long," Penny admitted, "I only started to suspect it last night when I was charging my power cells, I was reading one of Blake's books she leant me and I noticed a similarity to how the heroine was acting towards the hero and it made me think."
"I see," Ruby said, seeming to relax, "are you going to tell him how you feel?" She asked her.
The very idea sent a flood of embarrassment and apprehension though her. "I have not considered it," she explained to her. "I do not know if he feels the same way or what would happen if he did not share my feelings. Do crushes fade?"
Ruby sighed, "Some do, mine certainly have. But it can grow into something more if you let it, wouldn't you like to see if it does?"
The thought certainly had an undeniable appeal to it. Penny could only imagine being held and kissed like she was in one of Blake's books. Those experiences, along with others, had yet to come. "It sounds…. nice," Penny admitted, "but I do not want to risk changing how things are between us."
Ruby nodded, "who is this guy?" She asked her, "if you don't mind telling me."
Penny looked down at her hands in her lap embarrassed to confess his name. "You will not tell him right?" Penny asked her, voicing her fear, "you will not tell anyone?"
Ruby nodded assuringly, "your secret is safe with me Penny, what are friends for after all?"
Penny took a long moment of silence to gather her courage and speak his name. "Jaune," she muttered quietly, feeling bashful at even speaking his name.
"Jaune!" Ruby exclaimed.
The door opened just as Ruby said his name and Penny turned to see the rest of Team RWBY stepping in.
"Oh hey Penny!" Yang greeted her with a smile before looking over to her little sister, "what's this about Jaune?"
"Nothing! Goodnight Ruby!" Penny stammered as she stood straight up and made for the door only for Ruby to catch her by the arm.
"Wait Penny, stay with us. We can all talk about this, just us girls." Ruby offered her looking at the confused looks on her teammate's faces. "Right? They're probably more qualified to talk about this sort of thing than me?"
"What are you talking about?" Blake asked them with a confused look on her face.
Penny looked to the face of every girl. "This will all stay between us right?" She asked them, shaking with nervousness.
"Yeah sure," Yang agreed instantly.
"We can keep a secret," Weiss added in assuringly.
Blake simply gave a silent nod.
"Alright," Penny admitted sheepishly as she moved back into her chair and sat down. Everyone else took seats of their own. Penny felt weighed down by their gazes transfixed on her.
"So what is this about?" Blake asked, turning to Ruby.
"Uh you see, Penny and I were talking about… boys." Ruby explained to her teammates.
"Boys!" Weiss exclaimed in surprise. "You mean like… boys?"
"Ooh!" Yang said excitedly. She pulled her legs up on the bunk sitting criss cross and leaning forward, "one of my favorite things to discuss."
"A… boy," Penny clarified, not sure if she found Yang's exuberance to be encouraging or not.
"A boy?" Blake said her brow furrowing, "so you mean… Jaune?" She asked, putting the rest of the pieces together.
"You like vomit boy?!" Yang asked excitedly, wearing a huge grin on her face.
"Do not call him that!" Penny said, "he does not like it!"
Yang threw her hands up in mock surrender but the gleeful expression on her face shone brighter. "Woah I'm sorry! I didn't mean to insult your boyfriend!"
Penny opened her mouth to retort only to witness a pillow smash into Yang's face silencing her. To her surprise she saw that the feather stuffed missile had been thrown by Weiss who quickly donned the air of a calm and dignified lady once more.
The youngest Schnee sibling cleared her throat as if she'd done something rather inconsequential. "So you like Jaune?" Weiss asked her, remaining calm and dignified as she spoke. "As in… romantically?"
"I think I might," Penny explained to her, "I have never felt this way about anyone before, especially not a boy."
"You have been spending quite a bit of time together," Blake commented.
Ruby nodded in agreement, "and the two of you have gone through a lot together recently."
Yang shrugged facetiously, "seems like this was enviable to me," she said, "what are a couple of kids to do am I right?"
"Yang you're not helping!" Weiss argued, "Penny is dealing with some serious feelings right now!"
"I'm serious too!" Yang said looking at Penny, "I'm just happy is all, Vomit Boy's been needing to catch a break with the ladies."
"Do not call him vomit boy!" Penny insisted.
"Nora said he's actually become quite popular with some of those single moms he's been helping," Weiss interjected, "though I doubt he's even noticed."
"Exactly!" Yang said, "Jaune never notices, or he crushes hard on the wrong girl."
Weiss cleared her throat pointedly and stared dangerously at the blonde brawler. "Case and point!" Yang said, earning another thrown pillow from the girl.
"Jaune likes you?" Penny asked looking at the younger Schnee sister.
"Liked! Past tense! That was a long time ago," Weiss clarified. "It was back at Beacon, he asked me out like a dozen times and kept using cheesy pick up lines. One time he even sang a song asking me to the dance, it was so annoying!"
"I see," Penny said quietly, "I did not know about that, it sounds like it was difficult."
"It was… but," Weiss said as her features softened, "he apparently encouraged another boy I happened to fancy to spend the dance with me." Weiss took a breath. "Jaune is a bit… much for my tastes," she explained, "but since all of that I've come to see that he is quite kind and considerate."
"I never thought I'd hear such a ringing endorsement of Jaune from Weiss of all people," Ruby said, "it's kind of weird."
"Just because we didn't get off on the right foot doesn't mean I haven't come to recognize his more positive qualities," Weiss said looking back at Penny. "I suppose what I am saying is you could do a lot worse than Jaune."
"Yep definitely weird," Yang said, "Penny might have some competition."
Weiss's cheeks went pink and she reached for another pillow to toss at the blonde only to find that she had none left. "Looks like you're out of ammo Ice Queen."
Penny couldn't help but smile as she watched Weiss cross her arms in a huff. She glared icy daggers at Yang who turned her attention to Penny. "There's a smile!" The blonde proclaimed proudly, "I knew I could loosen her up! You looked like you were on your way to a funeral, not a girl with a crush. You should be excited!"
"It is just very overwhelming," Penny answered her, "and I still do not know if I have a crush on Jaune or not."
"I'll make this easy," Yang proclaimed. "Do you feel happy when a Jaune is happy?"
Penny nodded, "yes… but I feel like that whenever my friends are happy."
Yang nodded, "ok… but have you been thinking about Jaune a lot lately and ways to make him happy?"
Penny nodded again a little apprehensively this time, "I have been thinking about him a lot lately," she admitted.
"Have you thought about Jaune holding your hand? Hugging you, kissing you?" She asked her. "Do you like the thought of that?"
Penny was only able to respond with a silent nod. She had thought about it more than once. And even now thinking about doing those things she'd seen in those romance movies or more embarrassingly in the books Blake had been lending her the idea of Jaune kept invading those fantasies.
"Well there we have it! That's a check for all three. Congratulations Penny you have a bonafide crush on Jaune, we're very happy for you." Yang smugly crossed her arms over her chest beaming proudly.
Penny nodded, "Alright, I have a crush on Jaune. But it is just a crush, right? It shall fade as Ruby said right?"
"That kind of depends," Blake answered speaking up, "crushes can fade Penny but they can also grow into something more, something serious."
Penny looked to the cat faunus, "so what should I do?"
"Tell him how you feel," Blake told her. "Just be honest with him, I may not know Jaune very well but I'm sure he'll hear you out."
Weiss nodded at that, "I agree with Blake, even if Jaune doesn't reciprocate your feelings I have no doubts he'll be a gentleman to you."
"That sounds… scary," Penny admitted, "Ruby already suggested telling him, but being rejected just sounds… painful." She shook her head unable to bear the thought. Even if Jaune was kind and understanding in his rejection the pain of it seemed unbearable.
"You're gonna have to face that sooner or later Penny," Yang said, "Or you're never going to get a hot date!"
"I've never seen you with a date Yang," Weiss said only to be quieted as Yang tossed one of the pillows at her.
"That's besides the point," the blonde explained looking back over to Penny. "My point is that if you want things to progress with Jaune you're going to have to find your courage and be honest."
Penny nodded to show she understood. Of course she'd have to tell Jaune, it wasn't like she expected him to suddenly confess to her. "I understand that, I just… I keep thinking that he might reject me because… because I am not a real girl."
"Penny," Ruby said seriously. "You are a real girl, your thoughts and feelings are just as real as the rest of ours. And Jaune is my friend too, I know he won't reject you because of something so… shallow."
"Yeah," Yang agreed with a nod, "and if he does then just say the word and we'll teach him a lesson."
"I do not want you to hurt him!" Penny protested.
"Come on! Just a black eye?" Yang asked her, "I mean he'll have earned more than just that."
"Do not hurt him," Penny insisted, making her feelings on the matter clear.
"Ok ok, I was just joking, well half joking." Yang said with a shrug. "My offer stands in case you ever change your mind and he acts like a jerk."
"Uh…" Weiss paused, looking a little flushed as the eyes in the room.
"What is it Weiss?" Ruby asked her partner.
Weiss's usually pale white face was as crimson as Ruby's cloak. "Well um… I do not want to be insensitive Penny, but since we have addressed that you're… different than most girls I cannot help but wonder if certain things might be… different in a relationship."
"What are you talking about Weiss?" Ruby asked, fixing her partner with an odd look. "What things would be different for Jaune and Penny if they started dating?"
Penny didn't think it was possible for Weiss's face to turn redder but under the stares of her teammates it did. "What I am saying is uh," Weiss cleared her throat, "could you and Jaune have a… physical relationship?"
If Penny had blood it would have all rushed through her face in embarrassment.
"That's uh… I did not think about that," Yang said, breaking the silence that preceded Weiss's inquiry.
Weiss looked like she was devastated from embarrassment, it was felt by everyone it seemed and Penny wished she had a clear answer. It had been something she herself had wondered the other night while recharging her power cells while reading a copy of Ninjas of Love Blake had leant her.
"I am built to resemble a real girl anatomically… but I do not know. I might have to discuss this with my father." She told them feeling their gazes upon her.
Yang released a heavy sigh, "I do not envy you, I still got nightmares from when Dad gave me the talk."
Ruby shuddered alongside her sister at the mention of this talk. And Penny felt her own embrace rise. How could she ask her father about this?
"That is something you might want to figure out," Blake told her, "Jaune might want a physical relationship so it'd be good to know if he could have one with you."
Penny nodded silently. "Until I speak with my father I have no idea if… that is even a possibility. Can we discuss something else?"
"Yes please," Weiss begged, her face was still crimson from embarrassment.
"You're the one that brought it up," Ruby told her, looking rather flushed herself.
"And I regret it!" Weiss snapped at her partner.
"Cool off Weisscream we're dropping it," Yang affirmed and looked back to Penny.
"Who else has liked Jaune?" Penny asked looking at Yang. "Earlier you said he never noticed when someone else liked him. I would not want to interfere with someone else that has feelings for him."
Everyone frowned and looked down at the floor sorrowfully. Penny wondered if she had crossed a line with her question.
"You don't need to worry about that Penny," Ruby told her quietly.
"Pyrrha, Jaune's former teammate, she used to have a crush on him," Blake explained to her. "I don't know if Jaune ever knew about her feelings towards him though."
"Jaune hasn't talked very much about it," Ruby said, "not to me at least… but I think he learned of her feelings, before she died."
Penny thought about how Jaune had mentioned Pyrrha when they had spoken about what happened. How he spoke of the pain to lose a friend and his determination to never let that happen again. About his drive to protect her against all odds. She couldn't begin to decipher the emotions that flooded in through her. Jaune had spoken about losing a friend and partner, but he had lost more than a friend. He'd lost someone very special indeed. Did Jaune wonder what it would be like if Pyrrha was still with him? Did he think about what a relationship with her would be like?
"I see," Penny said tentatively. "I did not know about that."
Weiss sighed, "We didn't know for awhile ourselves, it felt kind of strange to have him asking me out when I knew she harbored feelings for him."
"Do you think that he misses her?" Penny asked them all.
"We all miss Pyrrha Penny," Ruby told her. "She was our friend, I don't know if Jaune misses her as more than just a friend or not. I don't know if Jaune would have returned Pyrrha's feelings or not but it's sad that they never got that chance. And I think Jaune has been regretting how things happened for some time."
Penny looked up to the team of huntresses gathered around her. "When we were being hunted by that assassin Jaune tried restoring my aura, I told him not to and we had a bit of an argument. He was weakening himself to help me and at the moment I did not understand why he was doing it. But several days ago we talked a bit about what had happened, he said he knew what it felt like to lose a friend and refused to let it happen. I thought I understood then but now… I see that he lost what could have been."
Ruby nodded, "yeah… it sucks," she said, "but I know Pyrrha would have wanted Jaune to be happy, and I don't know if you can make him happy like that but… but maybe."
A stifled yawn cut the tension and they all looked over to Weiss as she covered her mouth. "Sorry," she apologized, "it's getting late and it's been a long day."
Yang opened her mouth and delivered a loud yawn of her own. "Damnit Weiss that's infectious." She said bitterly.
"We do need to get up early in the morning," Blake interjected.
Penny nodded and stood up, "you should all sleep then," Penny told them, "thank you… all of you."
Yang gave her a thumbs up, "anytime girl," she said, "now go get yourself a man!"
"If you ever need to talk to someone Penny we're here for you," Ruby assured her. "Just send us a text or something."
Penny stepped forward and pulled Ruby into a tight hug. "Thank you Ruby, I really needed to talk to someone about this."
"No problem," Ruby said as Penny released her.
"Goodnight Ruby," Penny said.
"Goodnight Penny," Ruby answered.
Penny stepped out into the hall. Her mind was flooded with a million thoughts and emotions as she considered their words. She thought about Weiss's experience being the target of Jaune's affection, about Ruby's assurances that Jaune would not reject her for being a machine. And the question of if she could have a physical relationship with Jaune, or anyone for that matter. She was not eager to approach her father with that question, she wondered if she could avoid telling him about Jaune specifically.
"Hey Penny, wait up!" She heard his voice and froze for a moment to compose herself. She turned to face him.
He was smiling and if Penny had a heart in her chest she was sure it'd be fluttering just like in Blake's novels. "Hello Jaune," she greeted. Behind him his dorm room was open and she could see Ren and Nora behind him observing. "How are you?"
"I'm good been working harder than ever with missions and contracts," he said with a grin, "I won't keep you long but you know that movie night we talked about?"
Penny nodded silently.
"I was thinking Ren and Nora should join us," he said pointing his thumb over his shoulder at his teammates. "I haven't exactly been hanging out with them a lot of late and you haven't really hung out with them either."
"Sure," Penny answered him, "they're more than welcome to join us." No she had no idea how to feel about Lie Ren or Nora Valkyrie joining in on the movie night. The idea of being alone with him was as intimidating as it was exciting. Others being there with her seemed safer at least.
"Great," Jaune said, "I'll text you the movies we're thinking of watching, we'll put it to a vote."
Penny nodded, "I look forward to it," she said.
"Great, see you then," Jaune said turning with a wave goodbye, "goodnight Penny."
Penny watched as he moved to enter his dorm with his teammates. "Goodnight Jaune."
After Ironwood dismissed everyone, citing a desire to reflect alone, Jaune, Ruby, Qrow, and Winter stood outside his office in silence. Ironwood has just told them that he had a contingency plan for if he died and where it left them. Jaune was certain that they were all reeling for different, personal reasons, but he was in shock that Ironwood had considered him to lead the Beacon alumni.
"I, yeah, I'm gonna go get some coffee." Jaune said breaking the tense silence. "Anyone want some coffee? No, you know what? I'm just say it. Do we all want to sit down and discuss this like the supposedly professional we are?!" Jaune didn't even know he was angry, but something had certainly snapped inside him and he now was almost shouting.
Everyone just stared at him in shock. Ruby looked to Qrow, who in turn looked to Winter, who then looked back to Jaune. "That sounds, reasonable." Winter said before face palming. "My office isn't too far. This way."
A few moments later the four stood in Winter's office, still too overwhelmed to initiate the difficult conversation they all knew they had to speak about. The only sound was a coffee maker Winter had turned on when they entered. Ironwood had basically told them that he had planned for his own demise. If that should happen, then they'd be elevated to the task of fighting Salem.
Winter, in charge of Atlas most skilled and effective Team. Jaune would lead his friends into the clawing and gnashing darkness with Ruby as his second. Qrow, to replace James as General of the Atlesian forces.
"Why would the general say those things?" Ruby said finally breaking the silence. "Is, is he planning on dying? Should we be worried?" She rubbed her eyes with a sleeve.
Winter frowned and shook her head slightly. "I don't think the general is, as you say, planning on dying. I believe his assessment and contingency plan is meant to reassure him." Winter said leaning against her desk. "To put into action what will happen to the Kingdom should he no longer be there to protect it. I think that he needs to know that everything will be in skilled hands, should the unthinkable happen."
"Qrow. You've know him the longest. Thoughts?" Jaune asked chiming in.
There was a slight chuckle from Qrow at the prompt. "Yeah. I've known James a long time. Since the Vytal Festival back in our time at Beacon and Atlas respectively." Qrow said with a smile. "I first met him after the singles rounds. Team STRQ had made it all the way, no surprise, and it was James and Raven set to finish the tournament. Tai suggested the night before that we watch James' previous fights to see if we could get a leg up on the competition. Summer suggested we watch for his semblance, which no one had seen during the whole tournament. She was convinced that he had to have been using it to get that far. Raven disagreed, said that she wasn't using hers so no one needed a semblance to just be that good. We ended up spending the entire evening reviewing the footage, just to see how good he was. Tai and Summer were impressed. Raven, not so much. When the time finally came, Raven was better, but not by much. We had always gauged how good someone was if they staked up to me or Rae. Ironwood was something else though."
Qrow reached for his breast pocket but stopped halfway there. Winter appeared next to him and handed him a coffee. "Thanks. Where was I? Right. By the end of it, he was out of ammo and Raven was out of blades. Frustrated, Raven just pummelled him into submission until he was in the red. Afterwards Summer, suggested, that we break bread with the second place team from Atlas. I may or may not have smuggled in a few choice bottles of contraband. Don't remember much from that evening, but I do remember James saying something along the lines of "Well, I'm glad to see that Beacon is producing amazing Huntresses and Huntsmen. If the worse should come to pass, then at least I can rest assured that Team STRQ will be up to the task." Mind you without the slurring and rambling"
"When James gets introspective, its rather nihilistic. He prepares for a world without him." Qrow said before sipping on his coffee. "What I think this is, is that things have been going so well of late that James finally doesn't have enough monumental distractions to keep him busy and not thinking about himself."
Jaune nodded. "So what you're saying is that we don't have to worry that he's going to do something rash and out of character?" He asked accepting a coffee from Winter. "Thanks."
"Miss Rose, the cream and sugars are in abundance." Winter said handing over another cup to Ruby. "Weiss may have mentioned it, once or twice."
Ruby smiled as she accepted the coffee. "Nice Weiss strikes again."
"No. I don't think we have to worry. At least not about James doing something reckless." Qrow said taking a seat on a window sill, looking out at Atlas. "But Tyrian is here in Atlas, or at least in Mantle. Yang, Blake, and I will see if Robin Hill can be, persuaded to intervene on the matter. But that's a problem for tomorrow. Right now I want to talk about something James said." Qrow finished his coffee and set it down on a tray next to the coffee maker before pouring himself a second cup.
"Are you two okay with what James said about you?" Qrow asking Jaune and Ruby. "The idea of reorganizing your two teams into one larger team is one things, but, well being told your shortcomings like that and who he thinks should be in charge and why can be kind of, jarring." Qrow put a hand on Ruby's shoulder then looking to Jaune sympathetically.
Ruby awkwardly rolled her shoulders in a vague shrug. "I'm okay, I guess." Ruby said. "He wasn't wrong. I kind of do need the help sometimes from the team. I just always thought it was part of being a good leader, to ask for their input and taking advice. If I just did everything on my own, then I wouldn't be appreciating them, right?"
"That's a good way of looking at it Ruby." Jaune said placing a hand on Ruby's over shoulder. "I can't say for certain who's the better leader. I don't want the job. So I say we don't cross that bridge unless we have to." He smiled at her. "Since we are talking about it, Winter, Qrow? Anything you want to share with the class about your, theoretical promotions?"
Winter set down her coffee, untouched. "My position at head of the Ace Ops is the least jarring of our, theoretical promotions, as you put it." Winter said checking her scroll before setting it down. "I have the position and clearances to do the job. Though I lack experience in leading such a team. Of all of the general's decisions, the one I'm having the hardest time coming to terms with is the one regarding you Qrow. No offence, but Headmaster of Atlas isn't such a trivial position that can just be given away regardless of their renown and skill."
Qrow scowled ever so slightly. "You're right. I'm not the man for the job." Qrow said nonchalantly. "Sure, I can teach at Signal, but that's leagues different from running Atlas Academy. Plus, I don't think the silver spoons would stand for someone of my, character sitting in that chair. Dashing rogue I may be, my last name is still Branwen."
Ruby and Jaune chuckled at the 'dashing rogue' comment. "But the conversation is moot. Unless James is planning on kicking the bucket, we stay the course." Qrow said heading towards the door. "We take down Tyrian and whom ever else is in Mantle. We finish Amity and unite the world against Salem."
"I'm gonna check in with Yang and her not-girlfriend, maybe make a plan for tomorrow. I'm sure you Atlas folk have a file on Robyn Hill." Qrow said nodding at Winter before turning his attention to Ruby. "Catch you later kid."
Ruby smiled and waved. "I better go find Weiss and Penny. Catch you later." Ruby said as she finger gunned at Jaune and Winter.
After a moment of silence Jaune began chuckling under his breath. "So, I guess you're officially part of the team." Jaune said with a smile. "We should tell Ren and Nora, they're gonna want to consider new team names. Not really sure how a W and an S will work, but I'm sure we'll figure it out."
Winter smiled ever so slightly. "I'm not sure that would be appropriate, given that my position as your fourth is temporary." Winter said slightly morose and forlorn.
"Well..." Jaune said, slightly cringing in embarrassment and leaning his head to one side. "What if it didn't have to be? What if, we wanted you to stay on the team? What if I wanted you to be on the team?"
"What if I wanted you to be on the team?"
Winter froze. "You, want me on your team?" She asked accidentally sounding vulnerable. She wasn't quite sure what to make of that innocuous statement. Did he mean that her skills were valued, were they complimentary to his and the team? Or did he mean that he wanted her on the team?
Jaune smiled and nervously rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah. I do." Jaune said mustering of the confidence. "Working with you has reminded me what its like to have a partner again. Someone I can trust and rely on. Someone I want to fight alongside. At Beacon, I was the least of us. What saved me was Pyrrha. She was strong enough for the both of us. I settled into my role as leader, not because I was the strongest, or the fastest, or even all that skillful, but because I had the strongest, fastest, and most skilled looking out for me. I had forgotten what that felt like."
Winter was just standing there in stunned silence.
"Things don't seem so bleak when I know you're there, looking out for me." Jaune said finally making eye contact with Winter. "I know you've been operating solo for a long time, but I think this could be good for everyone."
There was a prolonged silence. "I'll, let you think it over." Jaune said turning away. "You know how to get a hold of me." And with that Jaune left Winter alone with her thoughts.
Eventually she poured herself a cup of coffee and sat at her desk. She simply sat down for a while, coming to terms with what Clover referred to as the "New Normal". She was working on a team again. Though it was only a single mission thus far with Valkyrie and Lie, Jaune Arc was proving to be more then she had initially assessed. His, boyish charm wasn't the result of immaturity, but rather a genuine hopeful optimism. He simply wanted things to be more pleasant for all those around him so he operated in a world of black and white. What makes things better and what doesn't.
She sat in silence and pondered the present and the implied future. She scowled and cringed when she took a sip of her coffee and discovered it cold. One glyph later and it was hot again. She considered putting her thoughts into words and making a list of pros and cons of accepting Jaune's offer. She sighed and leaned back in her chair. She already knew what she wanted to do, but her duty, her responsibility meant she didn't always get what she wanted.
She was excised from her musings when her scroll began chiming. "Good evening Weiss." Winter said answering the call. She hoped that her sister's reason for calling had nothing to do with the general's appointments or contingency plans.
"Winter. We've just received an updated mission assignment and I'm free tomorrow if you like to have that tea. Ruby will be securing a transport with Penny, Qrow and Clover, so I'm sure we can fit in some time in at the training deck. I'm most eager to show you how my summoning has come along." Weiss said, practically bubbly.
Winter smiled at her little sister's eagerness. "Of course. I too have no assigned tasks for tomorrow. I will reserve the slot for us in the afternoon, then we can have that tea. There is much I wish to discuss with you."
"While I agree with your choice and assessment, I wish you would have consulted us before you made the offer." Ren said sitting lotus on his bunk. "I think Winter Schnee would make a fine addition to the team seeing as the general has removed Oscar from field work."
"Yeah, and it'll be nice to have another girl on the team again. I can dish out all the juicy gossip again!" Nora exclaimed practically bouncing. "Ren's not really interested, Oscar's too wittle, and you can't keep a secret to save your life."
Jaune attempted to rebuke Nora's slight, but failed before the words left his mouth, only throwing his hands up in mock defeat with a smile on his face.
"Speaking of, when did you get so chummy with the Senior Ice Queen?" Nora asked elbowing Jaune ever so slightly in the ribs.
"Wait! You did what?" Nora said bouncing around Jaune.
Jaune smiled as he slipped his armor over his head. "What? We checked in with Doctor Polendina and then I showed her Benny's Haven. We were hungry." Jaune said pulling on the straps of his chest piece. "We were just lucky that Benny hadn't closed yet. Turns out Winter's old team used to be regulars."
Nora was barely able to contain mirthful giggles. "So you did!" Nora said before bounding around the room. "Oh this is JUICY! Ren! Are you hearing this?"
Standing at the door already prepared, Ren nodded slowly. "I am indeed 'hearing this' Nora. Though I am failing at understanding or believing." Ren said with an on brand thoughtful tone. "I'm sure we're simply misunderstanding the situation or Jaune has accidentally left out a key detail." Ren then looked at Jaune. "So is there something more to this evening, or did you indeed take Winter Schnee out for dinner after a successful investigation?"
Jaune smiled and waved off the insinuation. "What? No. It was nothing like that." Jaune said confidently. "I simply... I just, uh." Nora and Ren could see the gears turning and catching up with him. "Then we... It was... She..." He almost fell onto the locker room bench. "Oh crap, I took Winter Schnee out for dinner."
The next day Jaune had been wondering around the training facilities without a particular goal in mind. Ruby had been given an assignment with Penny, Qrow and Clover to safely transport another shipment to Amity. Blake and Yang were in Mantle attempting to make nice with Robyn and her Huntresses. Nora and Ren were, Jaune ignored his own imagination. Oscar was with Ironwood discussing Ozpin things, which meant it was either Ironwood telling old war stories, or asking Oscar his opinion on things and seeing how in line it was with what Ozpin had told Ironwood.
Jaune had seen Weiss and Winter stalking away from the training deck with rather serious looks painted across their faces and decided to give them space. When he entered he found Marrow lining up shots on holographic targets. Jaune spent the next few hours with Marrow in the training deck doing a variety of exercises. At first they were simply training independently in the same space, then Marrow point out that while the prescribed method, he didn't have to only use his Shield and Sword, or Shield and Gun.
"Mix it up a little. See what you feel with a weapon in each hand."
Then they began training together. Once Marrow relaxed and stopped putting on airs, they got along quite well. Then, as most things between young men do, it turned into a friendly competition. Ultimately it turned into a match. Jaune struggled at first with Marrow's weapon, Fetch. Blocking the rifle shots was easy enough, but he had a hard time keeping track of it once Marrow decided to throw it.
Jaune attempted to recreate his advantage he had during his fight with Harriet, but Marrow gave him no opportunity to do so. Every time Jaune attempted to retreat and gain some cover, Marrow adjusted the direction of his attacks forcing Jaune back out into the open.
There was a lull in the combat when Jaune had lost sight of Marrow and his boomerang. Jaune scanned his surroundings as fast as he could. Marrow was favouring the range he had over Jaune, forcing him to be on the defensive. Jaune would need to change things up to make his move. Quickly he sheathed his sword, pulled out, his new weapon, with a brand new coat of paint and a name.
Now emblazoned with Red and Gold, his newly named Arkos flipped over his hand. Jaune quickly checked his ammo and clicked off the safety. Clover had been adamant regarding that. 'If its not in your hand, ready to shoot, then the safety should never be off.' Jaune kept his shield up and Arkos at his side. He reminded himself that Marrow is a skilled mobile opponent. Uncharacteristically nimble and agile for his size and frame.
Jaune's attention snapped to his left as the telltale sound of Marrow's Fetch finally revealed itself to him. Jaune quickly managed to get his shield in front of it and deflected it overhead. That had been predicted though. Marrow was also overhead and collected Fetch midair, converting it to rifle and opening fire on Jaune as he practically soared overhead. "Nice try kid, but you gotta watch the angles."
Landing with flourish just behind Jaune, Marrow continued his assault now at melee range. Several high powered swings of Fetch had Jaune backpedalling. Jaune was forced to defend again and never had the opportunity to bring Arkos up. Things were not looking favourably for Jaune when Marrow's attack stopped. Jaune peaked over his shield and saw Marrow standing in front of him, just out of range for his bladed boomerang weapon. Marrow was unable to move, affixed to the floor via a glyph. Jaune saw that he as well was stuck in place by a glyph.
Jaune turned towards the training deck entrance and saw Weiss stalking towards him, Myrtenaster drawn and fury on her face. "With my Sister?!"
Just like ripping off a band-aid. The metaphor had little applied meaning to Penny personally. She'd never worn a band-aid, had never needed to since she did not need to worry about bleeding or infection when she got cut. She had never experienced the discomfort of the adhesive bandage pulling at body hairs as it was removed.
But the meaning behind the metaphor was clear to her. Do what must be done quickly and efficiently and you will spare yourself unnecessary pain and discomfort. And now Penny needed to apply that logic. And it seemed she needed to do this more than once it seemed.
She turned the doorknob on her father's and stepped inside where her first proverbial band-aid awaited her. Her father looked up from the screen of his terminal and smiled welcomingly at her. "Hey darling," he greeted warmly as his chair turned away from the computer so he could face her, "what brings you here today? Any trouble you need me to look at."
Penny shook her head no. All her systems were operating within parameters during her last rounds of patrols officially ending Ironwood's punishment. "No I uh… I wanted to speak to you father, I have… a question."
Pietro raised a curious eyebrow at her, "Oh? Is something on your mind darling?" He asked her, he removed his spectacles and cleaned them with a soft cloth. He always did that when they were about to have a serious conversation.
"I have a question about how I was built," said as she remained standing in front of him.
"Well I think I am the authority on that matter," he said proudly, "what has got you so shy baby girl?"
It was now or never, she couldn't lie to him, she couldn't back out of this. "I want to know… can I have a relationship? A romantic relationship? With a boy?" She let the question out and looked back up to her father.
Pietro's eyes were wide with shock and he cleared his throat awkwardly. "I see… I suppose this had to come one day, I just hoped I would see it coming."
Her father took a long deep breath and released it. "I trust you're just as uncomfortable as me, if not more so. So to put it simply, yes Penny you can have a relationship, a physical romantic relationship."
Penny felt her tension release. A relationship, a physical relationship. The realm of possibilities she'd never considered seemed to open before her. She had never thought hard on such things applying to but her father's simple explanation seemed to change her whole world. She could experience things that she never thought of, a whole world of possibilities she could explore. The thought of exploring these possibilities with Jaune gave her thrills she'd never felt before.
"I'm guessing there's a boy if you're asking me about that," Pietro said, pulling Penny away from her own thoughts. "I wouldn't be a very good father if I didn't at least make sure everything is alright. You're not being pressured into anything, right darling?" He asked, giving her a concerned stare.
"No," Penny answered him, "I have not been asked or pressured into anything father." One benefit of not being able to lie without a hiccup to expose her was that everyone who knew her knew when she was being honest. Her father had no reason to doubt or question her answer. His concerned face melted away into the gentle smile she knew him for. "But… there is a boy," Penny answered him, "though he does not know I like him."
"Well he's gonna be a lucky guy," Her father said, giving her an honest and encouraging grin.
"You think so?" She asked him hopefully.
"Of course honey… I have no doubt you'd make whoever you loved happy," he said as his chair crawled closer and he put a comforting hand on her shoulder. He took a breath, "I have some… detailed files about this subject I was saving for when you were ready, I should send them to you so you're prepared."
Penny nodded feeling another flood of embarrassment as he addressed the more technical details. "Father… you built me to be able to experience… physical love. Why?"
"Penny… you're my daughter," he answered her, "I wanted you to experience as much as you could when I built you, I wanted you to experience everything life has to offer, even this."
"Was it embarrassing to design and build me like this?" She asked him feeling a bit of her own embarrassment fade as he explained his reasoning to her.
"Horribly," he answered, "it wasn't an easy issue for me to approach, but I was thankfully able to be scientifically clinical and apply a healthy degree of detachment and design you with the properly functioning anatomy," he explained.
"I'm glad you did," Penny told him, she felt most of her embarrassment fade as he explained himself. "I know I cannot experience everything a human can, I know I cannot experience everything like a human, I know I cannot eat or dream or experience smells or have children as others do. But I want this, I never realized before how important this could be to me. I… I like someone, and knowing that I can experience this with them, it's wonderful."
Pietro gave her a warm smile, "that's why I did it," he told her, "embarrassing as it was." He did fix her with a serious look, "just uh… be careful darling, I know you're excited but I know what it's like to be young. Just… don't let him or anybody for that matter pressure you into something you're not ready for."
Penny averted her gaze at that. "You already said this, and I can handle myself father," she assured him, "please do not worry, he is not like that."
Her father waved his hand at her, "I'm sure he probably isn't Penny," he said comfortingly, "but a father should worry about his baby girl, especially in matters of the heart."
"I understand," Penny assured him.
"Do you mind telling me who's caught your eye?" He asked her. Penny averted her eyes from him. "You don't need to tell me anything if you don't want to," he assured her, "just know that if you ever wanna tell your old man anything I'll listen."
"It's Jaune," Penny blurted out.
"The Arc boy?" He asked, "he seems nice."
Penny nodded, "I just did not want you to worry father, and he is nice."
Pietro chucked, "I don't want you to think that I have any business telling you who you can or cannot date, but I'll admit I'll sleep a little better knowing you're not chasing some kind of bad boy."
Penny stepped forward and pulled her father into an embrace. "He is not like that, he is kind and considerate and I have come to care for him a lot. I just… I wanted to know what kind of relationship we could have."
Pietro returned the hug, "well you go get him baby girl."
Penny released him, "I hope I will father."
Even with out the glyph holding him rooted to the ground Jaune would still have been frozen in place, in fear. He'd fought countless scores of Grimm, fanatical zealots, and an evil Maiden on two occasions. But there was something about Weiss Schnee barrelling towards him, shoulders clenched, rapier drawn, and a scowl that would cower most men, that made him freeze. "You insufferable cretin! She tells you that she is in your debt after you nearly got yourself killed and you use it to force her on a date?!" Weiss shouted at him as she closed the gap between.
Everything in Jaune's brain was screaming at him to flee. To run away from Weiss before she could pierce him through, or summon something that would eviscerate him, or any number of things she could. So when the glyph released Jaune surprised even himself. He stood his ground and stared her down. "No."
Weiss stopped. The wrath and fury still carved into her, but now dampened by confusion. "No? What do you mean, No?" Weiss said as she put her shoulders back and held Myrtenaster upright, the tip just inches away from his chest plate.
"Exactly that, no." Jaune said gaining confidence. "I didn't force your sister out on a date like that. I regularly stop in at Benni's Haven after a mission, sometimes I bring Ren, or Nora, or both. I never meant to insinuate or lead Winter to the conclusion that it was a date." Jaune stowed his weapons and took a step forward. With a simply backhand he pushed Myrtenaster aside. "And even if I had, then what Weiss? Were you going to tell me to stay away from your sister? That Winter Schnee needs you to protect her from guys you don't approve of? Were you going to rough me up? Threaten me to stay away from her?"
Weiss took half a step back, a subtle mix of confusion and fear manifested on her expression. As Jaune closed the distance between them she only then comprehended how much he actually towered over her.
Jaune had no idea where this anger was coming from, or his confidence. "We're not the same people we were at Beacon Weiss." Jaune said pushing into her personal space. "Just as much as you're not the high-strung, intolerable "Heiress", I'm not the naive, scraggly, wannabe with delusions of grandeur that couldn't tell his left from right or what was right in front of him."
"So unless you're gonna actually start something, knock it off." Jaune said before pushing past her and exiting the training deck.
Winter sat in her quarters in her comfy chair, one of the few luxury items she allowed herself. She sipped on some tea and looked at her scroll once again. She had picked it up and put it down several times but had yet to make the call she was attempting to. Each time she lost what she intended to say. All of her preconception on how to talk vanished.
Her day had already been more then anticipated, what with showing Weiss the Winter Maiden, explaining her role, and then the closures of "Non-Essential" SDC facilities in Mantle. But now in the sanctity of her quarters, she let her guard down.
With one final scowl and an empty mug Winter picked up her scroll and dialed. There was a tense few seconds as the line rang, finally being answered. "Hello?"
"Hello, Madelyn."
Jaune just stood in his room staring out the window. He had no idea why he said those things to Weiss. He knew that he felt and meant what he said, but he was regretting how, calloused he was about it. He knew how important Winter was to her and how strong their relationship was. They depended on each other. Jaune had seven sisters so he had an idea, but Weiss and Winter only had each other in a familial sense.
There was just something so infuriating the way Weiss strode in, righteous fury and insults. It all just struck a nerve he didn't even know was there. But he couldn't worry about it right now. With Jacques Schnee's latest announcement, he had Mantle to worry about. He was already getting reports of disturbances in districts with major SDC outlets or operations. He couldn't do anything about it directly tonight, but in the morning there would be a rather large mess to clean up. But for now he needed to know more.
How much of Mantle was SDC. How much control did Jacques have there. These were things that could help the people down there, and when they were alleviated then there would be more room for Amity to prosper. If people were going to be out of the job, then they'd be concerned about food and rent. If Jaune could convince the general to perhaps pause Amity for a day or two, to focus on restoring order to Mantle, to provide humanitarian relief.
So far when he came to an idea like this he'd reach out to Winter for help or advice, but he wanted to give her some space after their last discussion. "Perhaps Clover." Jaune said as he finalized an idea.
Qrow rolled his shoulders before stepping off the transport. He kind of preferred Mantle over Atlas. It was more honest about what it was. No airs, no politics, no scheming. Just wants and needs. He had discussed the plan with Yang and Blake on the way down and now they had to simply, for now, follow through. Find Robyn Hill, give her the approved intel regarding Tyrian and the murders in Mantle, and then invite her into the fold, in a lesser degree. No Salem, Relics, or Maidens.
It didn't take long before he was able to convince a few of the locals to point him in the direction of Robyn's campaign office, if it could be called that. It was little more then an apartment building that the Happy Huntresses had been using as a sort of base of operations. The place was plastered in graffiti, primarily colorful variations of "Show them your teeth".
There were plenty of people around that Qrow wagered were, supporters of Robyn, willing to do whatever it took. The kinds of people Qrow thought were dangerous. Those that thought their lot in life provided them with the justification to take from others. Reminded him too much of "home".
"So let me get this straight. You expect me to believe that an escaped serial killer from Anima, who hasn't been seen in almost ten years, is the one responsible for the murders down here in Mantle?" Robyn asked not looking at them, instead focusing her attention on a map of Mantle. Several pins of different colors adorning it. "That's a bit of a hard sell there Five O'clock shadow."
Sensing Qrow's aggravation, Blake stepped forward to intercept a less then friendly remark from Qrow. "Here's almost everything we have on him. Somethings are still considered classified by Atlas, but we've been allowed to share with you that, and the undocumented intelligence that Tyrian works with the people responsible for the Fall of Beacon and the Attack on Haven." Blake said as she handed over a file containing paper duplicates of the police reports in Mantle. "Aside from the attacks in Mantle, Tyrian was also seen by a group of Beacon alum in Anima, a small abandoned settlement called Higanbana. Five eye witnesses, Qrow here among them."
Robyn looked skeptical but accepted the files and began to browse through them. "And what exactly is Tyrian Callows doing here in Atlas? Why attack, murder those that one would assume hold similar anti-Ironwood sentiment?" Robyn asked flipping through pages.
"To discredit the general." Yang said firmly. "Look around you. The people of Mantle never really seemed to cared for him or Atlas, but since the murders, it seems like a rebellion is in your future. One that will claw away at both sides." She took a small moment to grasp a shacking hand. "We've already lost so much to the likes of Tyrian and his allies, and I'm not talking about the everyone 'we'. I mean my friends and family, and myself." Yang holds up her prosthetic arm and removes it with a soft hiss and click.
Robyn sighed and sat down at a make shift desk made from a simple kitchen table. "I'm not so arrogant to suggest that your struggles are less important then mine, but I have all of Mantle to worry about. Now you come down from up on high with Atlas intelligence suggesting that long lost serial killer is actually to blame?" Robyn said raising an eyebrow. "You'll have to forgive my skepticism. Then I've also got the recent revelation of Jacques Schnee's latest debacle."
An awkward silence followed. "You don't know? I've got my huntresses out there right now trying to calm people down." Robyn said angrily. She pointed a remote at a hanging monitor as the news broadcast repeated the announcement that Jacques Schnee was entering the election for the Council Seat, and until he won was shutting down many of the Mantle SDC operations. "Most of Mantle works for either the SDC or a subsidiary. These people are out of the job now. They were struggling as it was, now half of Mantle doesn't know when their next meal is going to be!"
The room was tense. Blake, Yang, and Qrow just looked to each other. "Ok. Well, we did what we came to do." Yang said coldly. "We informed Robyn Hill of Tyrian and the evidence that he was responsible for the murders. Jobs done." She looked to Robyn with a stern expression. "How can we help Mantle now?"
The many corridors of the Atlas dormitories were becoming a familiar sight to Penny. Usually she had little need to come here with her own personal room on the upper levels. But now that she had friends staying here she found herself in this particular corner of the academy more often than ever.
Tonight was movie night. And even less common she found herself moving towards the recreation halls where the students gathered for rest and recuperation. According to Jaune's texts they'd been outvoted by Ren and Nora on a movie. Tonight's movie was Seven Huntsman, a martial arts film about the titular seven huntsman defending a helpless village in feudal Minstral from an army of bandits. Apparently Ren was a fan and Nora had voted with him.
Penny didn't mind, her focus wasn't on the movie at the moment but instead the time she'd be spending with Jaune. And while a martial arts movie was not her first pick she was sure she could enjoy it. After all, reading through the Ninjas of Love series had at least endeared her to the setting of Feudal Minstral. Blake had started lending her the books after she was left waiting for the next volume in the Shattered Crown series.
She definitely was enjoying the story, lavish feudal courts, geishas, samurai, and nightingale floors. And the titular ninjas serving their feudal lords from the shadows as they navigated politics and romance alike serving just as much as matchmakers as spies and assassins as they helped their masters deliver secret love letters and arrange for secret romantic rendezvous while navigating their own love lives. She definitely saw why Blake found the series so appealing.
She opened the door to the recreation room Jaune had texted her to come too as they finished planning out the movie night. Behind the door a face turned to greet her. "Penny!" Nora greeted setting her scroll down, "glad you made it!"
Penny nodded as she looked around the otherwise empty room. "Where is everyone else?" She asked, taking a seat on the far end of the couch.
"Snack run," Nora explained, simply resting her back against the arm of the couch while her feet occupied the center cushion. "We got a pizza and everything on the way, but Jaune wanted me to be sure you weren't waiting alone."
"That is very considerate of him," Penny said looking at the blank tv screen.
Nora smiled, "well he's been looking forward to tonight, and insisted that somebody be her to greet you by six."
"He has been excited for tonight?" Penny asked her.
"Oh yeah," Nora told her, crossing her arms, "he's been wanting the four of us to hang out," she explained to her.
Penny smiled at that. She was not as well acquainted with Ren and Nora as she was with Jaune and team RWBY, but she took it as a good that Jaune had expressed a desire that she spend quality time with them. "I have been looking forward to tonight myself," Penny explained, "I grew accustomed to spending time with Jaune while we were confined to the academy, and I have had little time with him since."
Nora nodded, "you two also had that fight before your confinement ended," she observed, "it probably doesn't feel right not having hung out after that."
"You know about that?" Penny asked her surprised that anyone besides Jaune, Winter and herself knew about that.
"Jaune wasn't exactly in the best mood afterwards," Nora explained to her, "and he needed to explain why he was going out shopping in Mantle instead of on a huntsman contract or a mission."
"I am sorry," Penny told her.
Nora shrugged, "it's alright, I'm just glad you worked things out, I still owe you after all."
"For what?" Penny asked her, raising a curious eyebrow at the girl.
"For bringing Jaune back alive of course!" Nora told her. "I can't even begin to tell you how worried I was when the two of you went missing."
"It was not like that," Penny explained, "we took care of each other."
Nora shrugged, "well I'm glad he had you," she told her.
Penny nodded and turned to the door hearing the familiar voice of Jaune and Ren outside. The door opened and the two boys appeared with their arms full of snacks. From a couple two liters of soda and bags of chips with a pizza Penny winced as she observed all the unhealthy junk food. "Hey Penny!" Jaune greeted flashing her one his customary smiles that never failed to brighten her mood.
"Hey Jaune!" She greeted, "hello Ren."
The quiet boy gave her a simple nod. "Hello Penny, I am glad you will be joining us tonight."
Penny gave him a nod as she looked back to the supply of snack food they brought. "Are the three of you really going to consume all of that?" She asked.
"Nora will, trust me," Jaune answered, laying the pizza down along with a couple of paper plates. "She has quite the appetite."
Nora grinned proudly at that. "We've been running ourselves ragged making up for our fearless leader being gone," she defended, "I need to refuel."
"You have already been consuming the appropriate amount of daily calories," Ren said sitting down next to his partner.
"Well I need a little extra, and not cafeteria food," she defended, "besides Ren you know I won't lose my girlish figure." She nudged his ribs playfully with her elbow and Ren remained perfectly stoic.
Jaune opened a bag of sour cream and onion potato chips as he took a seat on a comfy chair next to the couch. "Come on guys," he said grabbing a slice of pizza and reclining on the chair, "get your food and let's start the show, Nora you can flirt with Ren later."
Nora giggled bashfully for being called out, "you got it fearless leader."
In moments the rest of them had loaded their paper plates up with pizza and chips. Penny sat closest to Jaune while Ren and Nora occupied the other two seats of the couch.
They turned on the movie and watched in relative silence. They watched together with the sounds of everyone eating and occasional moments of idle chatter and Nora occasionally flirting with Ren as Jaune had put it.
Occasional Penny stole glances at Jaune as he watched. She took some comfort in the fact that they had company. She didn't feel pressured to confess her feelings to him tonight. She felt torn between wanting to blurt everything out to him and keep it a secret. Her talk with her father hadn't been quite as difficult as she had feared but telling Jaune she had a crush on him felt like a completely different challenge.
When she wasn't watching the movie or stealing glances at a Jaune she observed Nora flirting with Ren. She offered to feed him, made flattering commentary comparing him to the stealthy ninja in the movie and remarking that Ren was far more handsome than the actor. She even leaned against the stoic Ren and rested her head upon his shoulder as they watched samurai and ninjas fight against an army of bandits and rally the villagers together.
She felt a touch of envy as she observed how easily she managed to flirt with her partner. Could she flirt with Jaune? She wasn't sure what kind of relationship the loud and boisterous Nora had with the calm and stoic Ren but he did not seem to mind the attention.
Penny observed that indeed the pizza and snack food had disappeared between the three of them before her very eyes. Nora was voracious and had eaten half the pizza slices and most of the chips herself. As they reached the halfway mark of the movie Jaune hit the pause button.
"Who wants popcorn?" He asked standing up from the comfy chair and stretching himself out.
"I do!" Nora answered, raising her hand up.
"I'll assist you," Ren said standing up as well, "I know how Nora likes it."
"Extra salt and butter!" Nora said happily, "thank you Ren."
"More snack food?" Penny asked, already surprised at the amount they had consumed in little over an hour.
Jaune shrugged, "it's a long movie, and popcorn isn't very popular," he explained.
The boys left to make their bowl of popcorn and Nora stretched out on the couch making herself comfortable as she opened her scroll up. Penny considered the flirtatious bomber for a moment and pondered the seating arrangement for the last half of the movie. Could she sit next to Jaune? Be close to him and flirt with him like Nora did? She wondered if she could tactfully convince Nora to take the comfy chair Jaune had been sitting in so he'd have to sit on the couch with her.
"Would you not feel more comfortable stretched out on the chair?" Penny asked looking at her feet just inches away. "I am certain it has a food rest for such an occasion."
"Nah I'm fine," Nora said pulling her legs back away from Penny, "I just needed a bit of a leg stretch, thanks though."
Penny frowned as she tried thinking of a different approach. Nora looked over her phone to notice the look of displeasure on her face. "Are you alright Penny?" Nora asked, slipping her phone away.
"I am fine," Penny answered only for her lie to immediately be exposed by a hiccup.
"What's wrong?" Nora pressed, clearly seeing her exposed deception. She glanced over at the empty chair she'd asked her to move to. "Do you want me to move to the chair?" She asked.
"Uh… yes," Penny answered her knowing that another lie would be futile.
Nora nodded but raised an eyebrow at her. "Alright, but do you mind telling me…" Nora trailed off and her eyes widened suddenly at Penny, "do you wanna sit next to Jaune?" She asked excitedly.
"No!" Penny lied reflexively. She was immediately betrayed by another hiccup as it exposed the truth.
"You do!" Nora exclaimed. "You like Jaune don't you?! I knew it!"
Penny could only deflate. Denying it would be pointless and silence seemed her only ally at the moment.
Nora's arm wrapped her and squeezed her tightly to her. "This is amazing!" She squeed in delight. "How long has this been going on? Does anyone else know? When are you going to tell Jaune?"
"Please keep it down!" Penny begged, pulling out of her embrace. "And what do you mean you knew it?"
Nora grinned proudly, "it's not the first time I've had to deal with someone crushing on my fearless leader," she stated.
"Please do not tell anyone," Penny begged her, "Please do not tell Jaune!"
Nora nodded, "I won't," she promised, "I'm just excited… Jaune has been needing to meet someone, someone that isn't a lonely mom, Jaune told me about what happened. That was when I first began to suspect!"
Penny felt a churning of emotions in her. She was still a little ashamed about acting out of jealousy towards those mothers, but Nora having her own distaste towards them felt somewhat justifying. "Thank you," Penny said, "I just… I will tell him how I feel, when it is right."
Nora's bright and cheerful face seemed to dim before her eyes. She reached out and placed a hand on Penny's shoulder. "Penny… I know this can be scary, but I've seen what happens when people wait to be honest with their feelings. Don't make that mistake Penny, because if it's ever too late you'll see that any time could have been the right time, and it'll feel so silly and pointless to have waited."
Nora released her and stood up from the couch to take Jaune's chair while Penny considered her words. In moments the door opened and the two boys returned with a big bowl of popcorn. "Nora!" Jaune groaned, "why'd you take my chair? I thought you were happy sitting next to Ren."
Nora sent a sly grin in Penny's direction. "I wanted to stretch out," she explained, "and this chair reclines."
Jaune sighed in acceptance and moved to the couch taking a seat directly next to Penny. If Penny had a heart beating in her chest she was sure it'd be fluttering with excitement. They gathered around the television and resumed the movie and all its martial arts glory. Occasional Penny noticed Nora giving her and Jaune expectant glances. They ate through the popcorn and Penny wondered what she should do next.
She couldn't offer to feed him her food since she had none and needed none, resting her head on his shoulder seemed too bold. She watched the movie continue on instead as she watched the band of huntsman engage in the final battle against all odds. How did Nora make flirting seem so easy? Everything that she could think of wouldn't work or felt too bold or obvious. Her mind whiled as she tried conjuring something to do, some way to project her interest to him, but none came.
She was pulled out of her thoughts as she felt his shoulder lean against hers. She looked over to him, eyes closed as he rested peacefully. He had fallen asleep against her.
"It was a long day," Ren said, sitting to her other side. "We can finish the movie later."
"It is fine," Penny told him, "let him rest."
Ren didn't offer any argument and returned his attention to the movie. Penny watched the screen too but her focus was not on the movie, she felt Jaune's head settle on his shoulder, she felt his warmth against her synthetic skin, she listened to him breathe. Perhaps it wasn't much, but at the moment she felt like it was enough for her, until the right time came at least.
Vasily looked out the window at the dark little village. The only light was the pale glow of the moon outside reflected off the snowy streets and the soft orange glow of tobacco leaves burning as he puffed on his cigar.
The power was out but his faunus eyes had little need of dust powered light. The village was the perfect hunting ground. Like the one he had tracked the android and the Arc boy down to it was abandoned, though only recently. The small mining town had only recently evacuated from grimm activity and unlike the three one it wasn't going to be so easily abandoned by the SDC.
Bonnie had told him that the recent contract to help clear the village from the grimm had been accepted so he found himself here waiting for his prey. He watched the silent grimm skulk about the empty town aimless and wandering and with little idea he was here watching them through the window of some child's bedroom. He idly wondered about it's former occupant, was he still alive in Mantle with his family awaiting to return home once the huntsman had cleared out the grimm? Or had he perished when the grimm first came?
It was inconsequential to him ultimately, the grimm had given him the opportunity to lure in some easy prey. Whoever had formerly slep here was beneath his notice. He smirked as he watched an oblivious ursai lumber through the snowy street, Grimm were attracted to negative emotions and nothing pleased him more than a hunt.
The distant and familiar boom of a gunshot killed the quiet. A shotgun Vasily guessed, it wasn't the sharp piercing crack of a rifle, it was louder but duller, a noise that he was familiar with.
He smirked as he dropped his cigar onto the floor and stamped it out with his boot. This was what he had been longing for, a return to his life's pleasure. He pulled a flask from his jacket and gave himself a swig of brandy to mark the occasion. Be pulled his balaclava to protect his face from the hash winds and a new set of goggles.
More gunfire in the distance. His prey was fully engaged with the grimm as he had planned. He opened the window and leapt out across the street onto the adjacent roof. He focused his goggles out over the distance spotting his approaching target.
A lone figure approached the village on a snowmobile. The grimm charged the huntsman only to be felled by blasts from his shotgun. A bold approach Vasily mused, he wondered if the huntsman was deliberately drawing the grimm out of the village to avoid potential collateral damage or he was simply brash charging them head on.
He grabbed his scroll and linked in with the program Bonnie had designed for him. It detected the huntsman's own scroll and established a connection letting him observe his target's aura levels.
He watched closely as the huntsman blasted down beowolves and ursai and sabyrs before dismounting. He reloaded his weapon as more grimm charged him staying cool and calm as he slid the shells in. Before the grimm closed the distance he raised his weapon and fired. Each pull of the trigger a grimm died as the buckshot shattered open their bodies and skulls sending them to the ground to turn into black smoke.
As the huntsman's gun ran empty it shifted morning into a long handled axe. It descended and cleaved the skull of an ursai. Vasily watched idly as his prey worked though the various grimm trying to over run him. Some were lucky enough to get a strike or two in and damage his aura. He was a simple brute and by the look of his aura gauge he was using it to enhance the power of his blows more often than not.
A powerful fighter, someone only a brash fool would attack head on. But he wasn't a real warrior, he wasn't like Arc. He was careless, using his aura offensively instead of conserving it to protect him. His fight was a least a spectacle, as much spectacle as watching a gorilla fight a pack of feral dogs. Entertaining sure but nothing of true interest to him. The Huntsman had more than enough strength and aura and raw brutality for the grimm, and like a pack of feral dogs these grimm used no coordination or tactics to get the better of him. They were feral beasts driven by raw instinct, and they were slaughtered like beasts.
He watched the aura gauge slowly shrink on his scroll. The action was winding down as fewer and fewer grimm accosted the huntsman. Their numbers culled the huntsman stalked the area eliminating the stragglers and disposing of the wounded grimm. He probably was congratulating himself thinking the bulk of his work finished, he was probably already counting his lien.
Vasily unslung his rifle from his back and leveled it at his prey. His aura was currently reading at sixty one percent, lower than Vasily had expected to engage him at. He pulled the bolt open on his rifle and grabbed a round from his bandolier and held it as he watched his target through the scope. His goggles connected to his personal scroll displaying his aura in the corner of his vision.
His aura poured into the specially designed dust round imbuing it with his semblance. The dust capsule absorbed his semblance accepting the fragment of his aura to become more powerful. His semblance, the ability to imbue weapons and dust with his aura, strengthening their power.
He slid the imbued round in the rifles magazine and closed the bolt, chambering it. He took aim at the oblivious huntsman, fingered the trigger, released his breath, and fired.
The rifle cracked and the huntsman's aura flared up to block the projectile. The power of his semblance activated as the bullet struck. The dust capsule shattering and releasing his power. The dust he imbued with his semblance reacted violently damaging his aura, weakening it instantly.
He glanced at the aura indicator his goggles displayed, fourteen percent. A pittance to remove. If he had used his express rifle the brute would already be a stain on the snow. But he didn't want the huntsman's life, he had far better uses for him alive.
The huntsman froze for a moment stunned by the sudden shot and dramatic drop in his aura. Vasily laughed at the buffoon and cycled the bolt of his rifle as the huntsman made to evade his second shot.
Vasily fired, cycled the action and fired again as the huntsman moved to close the distance with him. The rounds missed and kicked up snow as they struck the ground.
He sprinted across the snow to his roof and raised his shotgun firing several blasts from his shotgun. Vasily leapt back and dropped from the roof out of sight. He let his rifle drop and hang on its sling as he drew his revolver from his holster. He sprinted around the corner of the building to pursue his prey.
An axe swung at him and Vasily ducked the blow. Low on aura the huntsman was doubtlessly trying to end this as quickly as possible. A feeble if admirable attempt. Vasily fired from the hip, his trigger finger squeezing the double action trigger as he fired twice into the huntsman's gut. His aura flared up and shielded him but shattered into particles of light.
The huntsman tried to flee. He turned to retreat from him and make a desperate dash for safety. He was a coward as well as a brute, and a disappointment. He grabbed the hilt of his whip and uncoiled it, his thumb hit the control for the dust sending sparking arcs of electricity across its length.
The whip lashed across his back. It tore through his armor and clothing to shock him and send him down to the snow with a yell of agony.
The huntsman rolled to face him, his axe shifted back into a shotgun. The weapon fired at him but Vasily simply dodged the spray of buckshot with a tilt of his head. He swung his whip again at the weapon and ensnared it to pull out of his weak grasp.
The large huntsman cowered on the ground before him. Weapon less and without any aura he shook with fear, the bold and brash huntsman he had watched slaughter grimm was gone now, his power stripped away to leave him a sniveling coward.
"Who are you?" He asked him, raising his hands in surrender, "what do you want with me?!"
Listening to the fear in his voice sent a surge of anger through him. He wasn't going to fight him anymore? Just lay down for him? A pathetic excuse for a huntsman, a muscle bound thug who was only confident when the deck was stacked in his favor, he never sought challenges or hard fought glory. It sickens Vasily, even though he hadn't expected a challenge tonight he had hoped for some resistance, an actual fight at the very least. Not this sickening display of weakness. He had had schoolyard scuffles more interesting than this.
He smashed his boot into his face. His nose broke with a wet crunch and he cried out in pain. The sound was another stab of fury and Vasily kicked him as he huddled on the snow. Did this huntsman have no dignity? Arc had fought him to the very end despite all odds. He was tenacious as he fought on and snatched a victory from the jaws of defeat. He had bested him, he was a real warrior, this huntsman was a disgrace.
"You?!" Vasiliy snarled at him and kicked him in the ribs feeling something crack. "I don't need you," Vasily told him, "but if it's not too much trouble I will take your aura."
His prey whimpered feebly as he bled out in the snow. "My aura?" He wheezed, his broken nose made his pathetic voice sound almost comical.
Vasily popped the cylinder of his revolver out and ejected the spend and unspent shells into his palm as he reloaded special rounds. "Don't fret," he told the huntsman, "I'll put it to far better use than a third rate huntsman like you could."
He closed the cylinder and raised the revolver firing. A dull pop sounded from the weapon as it fired the simple tranquilizer into the defeated man silencing his whimpering.
Vasily sighed, as he looked at the unconscious huntsman he sighed. The idea of using this blubbering brute's aura for his purposes felt distasteful. Like loading one of his precious guns with some cheap dirty ammunition. But Bonnie had insisted it mattered not who's aura they used. As distasteful as he found it he had already gone through enough trouble to get this brute, he wasn't in the position to find someone to his liking. He pulled out his scroll and types in the orders for his auto drive truck to find his position.
This huntsman would simply have to do. Tonight was but an errand, as much as he detested dirtying his hands such such things they were at times regretfully necessary. He touched his abdomen where Arc had thrust the android's blade through him. His real hunt would come.
Jaune ducked and rolled away as several loud concentrated blasts of noise passed over him. He tried rising to counter Flynt's Killer Quartet only for a strike to knock the back of his head.
"Watch your back!" Neon chimed smugly as she raced away on her roller skates out of his reach. The skater girl's victory was short lived however as a pink explosion knocked her off her feet and back towards him. She crashed into him as he raised his shield and activated the hard light dust. She slammed into it and her aura gauge took a steep drop. Jaune stumbled from the who knew how heavy faunus girl smashing into his shield and slammed him hard to the floor.
"Nora!" Jaune cried out in annoyance at his teammate as a look at his own aura levels showed that that he too was now in the red and unfit to continue with the sparring session.
"Sorry Jaune!" His teammate apologized to him as she fired grenades at the trumpeter and his clones.
"You alright?" He asked looking over at Neon as she rubbed her head and tried to get up off the floor of the training room. Jaune collapsed his shield sheathed his blade before offering a hand up.
"Yeah," she said, accepting his hand up and standing with his help. She rolled away to the edge of the room where a couple of benches and Jaune joined her eyeing his water bottle. He grabbed up and un capped it to gulp down several refreshing mouthfuls of the cold refreshing water.
"Somebody worked up a sweat," Neon commented, tossing him a sweat towel as she wiped the perspiration off her brow.
"Thanks," Jaune said. He followed her example and wiped a disturbing amount of sweat away from his face and brow.
Neon took a seat directly next to him and tipped back her own water bottle taking a couple of gulps herself. "Nice blow with the shield," she complimented, "that was some pretty quick thinking."
"It didn't exactly work," Jaune said, glancing over to her, "I still hit the ground and ended up out of the fight, I should have ducked."
Neon grinned at him, "but if it had worked you would have looked soo cool," she praised him, "just maybe try planting your feet a little better and seeing if you got the aura to spare."
Jaune nodded in appreciation, "thanks I'll keep that in mind," he said taking another gulp of the soothing water. He drizzled a bit of the cool liquid on his head to cool himself down as he watched his teammates continue the training match without him. Luckily his team seemed to at least be holding their own, Nora was fierce and destructive enough to keep holding her own and Ren was swift and agile enough to keep everyone on their toes.
"It's nice that you're back to being fit enough to train. Your team has really come together," the cat girl said, tucking some of her orange red hair away from her sweaty brown. "You three have definitely been giving us a workout."
Jaune chuckled, "I appreciate the compliment, I'm glad I've at least been able to keep up with the rest of them."
"Don't sell yourself short," Neon scolded, "they weren't half as good when you were recovering."
Jaune nodded, "thanks."
They sat together and watched their teammates as they sparred with one another while emptying their water bottles and cooling off. The fight was winding down as their adrenaline high faded. Ren and Nora's aura hit the red first, outnumbered this wasn't their fight to win. As the other members of team FNKI traded compliments Jaune rose from the bench to join them.
He was ready to hit the showers and get a bite to eat, a few exchanged pleasantries and he'd be able to freshen up and find dinner.
"You guys really held your own out there," Flynt complimented, "even outnumbered you kept the four of us on our toes."
Nora nodded, cracking a sinister grin, "Just wait, next time I'm going to get your quartet all by myself!" She bragged, pressing her fist threateningly into her palm.
"I'll eat my hat if you do," Flynt said, remaining his smooth cool self.
"Speaking of eating," Jaune said interjecting before Nora took her competitive boasts too far, "I'm starving," he announced to them hoping that his teammates were as hungry as him. Nora he knew always had an appetite and triggering it was usually as simple as mentioning food."
"Ooh! We should all get dinner together!" Neon said excitedly, "we still got a rain check from the last time we all trained together, I know this great burger joint."
"That's a great idea!" Nora exclaimed excitedly.
Ren nodded, "it would be nice to finally take you up on the offer."
"You're going to have to count Ivori and I out," Kobalt said, "we got a contract to do."
Neon waved to her teammates as they left, "alright let's hit the showers," she said skating a circle around them, "then dinner."
She rolled away towards the showers and Nora followed after with a spring in her step.
The guys all turned and walked together towards the locker rooms.
"How have things been going with Jaune? Have you made a move yet?" Yang asked Penny as they walked together through the academy from the landing pad.
Penny shook her head, "no… I am still working up the courage to be honest with him," she explained, "I want to find the right time to tell him, and I have not figured out how I should tell him."
The blonde had a heavy snow jacket thrown over her shoulder. After the incident with Jaune being trapped out in the tundra with inadequate clothing the polo icy had changed that everyone had to have proper attic clothing. Though during the entire supply run Yang hadn't bothered to dress herself. "Well… I mean I guess the best time would be when you could get him alone, as for how to tell him you could always push him against the wall and lock lips with him, that should get the message through."
Penny shook her head in embarrassment as she thought about trying that. It sounded tempting and romantic but if she ambushed him with a kiss and was rejected she felt like she could die. "I could never do that!" She exclaimed, "what would he say?"
"Not much I would imagine," Yang said, "I'm more thinking he answers by kissing you back."
Penny frowned, "I can barely get the courage to be honest with him, I do not think I could manage to do something so daring."
Yang smirked, "well you know what they say, those who dare win."
They rounded a corner and Penny froze as she found herself directly in front of her crush. Jaune stopped and looked at her wide eyed and offered her a smile, that wonderful smile.
"Oh hey guys!" Yang greeted everyone with a wave, Ren and Nora were with him as was to be expected but Flynt and Neon were with them too heading in the opposite direction as them towards the landing pads for the bullheads. "Headed somewhere?"
"Dinner," Jaune answered patting his stomach, "we all worked up an appetite training together and Neon says she knows a great little burger joint in Mantle."
"Oh can I join?" Yang asked them, "We just finished a supply run and I could use a juicy burger and some hot fries."
Jaune shrugged, "the more the merrier," he said looking from the blonde bomber to Penny, "you wanna come with?" He asked her.
"I do not eat," Penny answered him, stating the obvious to which Jaune shrugged.
"So?" He asked her. "Like I said the more the merrier, we'd like your company."
"Come on girl, you deserve a little break," Yang encouraged her with a playful punch to her shoulder.
It really was not fair how Jaune could just so casually smile at her so welcomingly and expectantly. She did not know if she could refuse that smile of his. "Alright," Penny nodded, "let us go."
"One minute," Yang said, pulling out her scroll, "I got to see if the rest of my team wants dinner."
Jaune sighed, "make it fast," he begged, "I'm starving enough as is."
In no time Yang had managed to summon the rest of her team and they all made their way to the bullheads ferrying everyone from Atlas to Mantle. They walked the streets together in a rather colorful group. Neon was icky rolling along on her roller skates. Penny watched it all feeling rather pleased to be coming along in this excursion. Everyone exchanged idle chatter about their recent missions or the training session or what kind of burger they wanted to order.
"Hey Penny!" The bubbly voice of Neon pulled her from her thoughts as she rolled alongside her from the rear of the group. Out front Jaune was chatting with Flynt while Nora was busy flirting with Ren.
"Hello Neon Katt," Penny greeted her fellow Atlas Huntsman as she strolled at the rear of the group happy to observe everyone's interactions. "How are you this evening?"
"Wonderful!" Neon answered her with a surprising amount of enthusiasm. She spun around on her roller skates like a dancer to emphasize her positive mood. "Can I ask you a question?"
"Certainly," Penny told her.
"You're friends with Jaune right?" She asked her.
Penny nodded, "yes we have become very well acquainted of late."
"Does he have a girlfriend?" She asked her.
Penny stopped, her mind suddenly freezing as her question seemed to echo within her mind. Neon looked at her expectantly with her big dark green eyes. "I… I do not think so," Penny answered her.
"Really?" Neon said excitedly, she glanced ahead as he walked in the front of their little group. "He isn't dating Ruby or blondie or anyone?"
"Do you… do you like Jaune?" Penny asked her curiously.
Neon's shoulders rose and fell with a shrug. "I don't know," she said with an oddly cheery tone, "I mean he's kind of hot and he seems really nice, I was thinking I might ask him out."
"I see," Penny said evenly. She kept walking as a storm of feelings lay concealed within her.
Neon nodded at Penny, flashing her a grin. "Thanks for the intel," she said, giving her a wink before she skated forward. "Come on Jaune!" She said taking hold of his arm pulling him ahead of the rest. "It's just up ahead."
"Uh… ok," Jaune said as she pulled Penny's crush forward down the sidewalk.
Penny watched as she tried to process her churning emotions. Was she going to ask him out? On a whim? The idea made her clench her fist in jealousy.
"Uh hey," Weiss said, slowing her step to match her pace. "Are you alright? I uh… kind of overhead the two of you."
Penny turned to the white haired girl. "I am… I am experiencing many feelings right now... I do not like the idea of her asking Jaune out." She explained to the former heiress.
"You should have told her you have feelings for Jaune," Weiss said, unlike when Neon spoke to her Weiss kept her voice down. That there was anyone within earshot that didn't know, aside from Ren and Flynt everyone close enough to hear them.
"I should have?" Penny asked her wondering just what good could come from telling the bubbly and talkative huntress about her crush.
"Maybe," Weiss said, "I mean… she might have at least agreed to back off for your sake if she knew."
Penny had not thought about that. "So what do I do now?" Penny asked her desperate for an answer to her dilemma.
Weiss shrugged, "I don't know," she said, "I guess you should try to tell her before she tries asking Jaune out."
Penny nodded and looked ahead to see the cat faunus leading her knight to the burger restaurant. She wondered just how she was going to halt this and how much time they had.
They went into the diner and took their seats at a booth. Unfortunately Penny found herself sitting far away from Jaune while Neon had managed to finesse her way into sitting next to him. Jaune's attention was rather divided between everyone, especially Neon nasty she seemed to demand his attention. Penny spent most of the meal quiet as they ate occasionally sharing a few stings of conversation with Ruby and a couple of talks with Blake about Ninjas of Love.
Everyone ordered greasy cheeseburgers and fried potatoes that they washed with sugary sodas and milkshakes. Jaune had indeed eaten his particularly large burger with gusto defeating his hunger. He along with the rest of them made content sounds as they devoured their food clearly pleased with its quality.
"I can't remember the last time I had a burger that good," Jaune sighed as he wiped his lips free of the last of the grease with his napkin.
"Told ya!" Neon chimed loudly, "best in all of Mantle."
"It was quite flavorful," Ren said quietly agreeing with the sentiment.
"You gonna be alright vomit boy?" Yang asked him, "you look like you're about to explode."
"No I'm good," Jaune said patting his belly happily, "that hit the spot."
The waiter came and they split the check and shuffled out of the booth lethargic from all the food they'd eaten. "I'm gonna go to the bathroom real quick," Jaune told them, "wait up for a second."
Jaune walked off as they gathered outside the diner. "I'm going to use the restroom too," Neon announced looking back inside.
It seemed now was her only chance to speak to the girl alone and be honest. Without a word to the rest of the group she stepped back inside and moved for the women's restroom. Bathrooms were places Penny had almost no reason to go to, she couldn't think of any reason to excuse herself and anything other than the truth would be exposed by a hiccup.
But as she approach the two doors for the separate bathrooms she found Neon there with Jaune.
"Are you doing anything next Saturday night?" The huntress asked him clutching her hands behind her back.
"Nothing I'm aware of," Jaune answered her with a shrug. "Why do you ask?"
"I was wondering if you'd like to go dancing, there's an awesome nightclub not too far away from here!" Neon explained, Penny felt all hope drain from her.
"Sounds fun," Jaune said, "I'll talk to Ren and Nora, they're pretty good dancers."
Neon giggled, "no silly… I mean just the two of us."
Jaune paused at that, his blue eyes widened. "You mean like… a date?"
Neon grinned widely, "now you got it!l she chimed cheerfully. "How about it Jaune? You and me painting the town red, what do you say?"
Jaune nervously scratched the back of his head. His face was crimson as Neon waited expectantly for his answer. "Yeah let's do it," Jaune said, finally cracking a nervous grin, "Saturday we'll dance the night away."
Neon cheered with excitement and triumph and Penny ran away wishing she could cry.