Jaune's Accidents

Chapter 8: As They Deserve

Jaune has not been feeling well lately. After the incident in the forest and the rather non ceremonial destruction of a major part of it, the people in his school have not stopped talking about his rather pathetic display of having to be saved.

Even though his team tried to cheer him up, everything tasted bitter and rather than drag them down further, he decided that the only way to get rid of his frustrations was doing what he did best.

Run away.

Well, take a walk, which was technically running away from his problems. Eventually, he found himself standing in front of the club that Coco had dragged him into a while ago and blinked. Before he could turn around and continue his walk, the guy in front of the club stepped forward and lifted him up with his rather large and impressive hands. "Coco's friend! Jaune, right? Come on in!"

Jaune wasn't in the mood to go in. But he was even less in the mood to protest against a man that could easily lift him up like that. All but throwing him into the club, Jaune was attacked by bright lights and loud music. The only place as far away from the music as possible was the highest floor, so he began to ascend the stairs.

The upper floor was… full. It wasn't this full even when the entire dance floor was filled to the brim the last time he was here. Men and women in black clothes hung around, their faces shadowed from how they angled themselves away from the lights. Most of the tables were used, except for the one table at the end of the floor.

With a smile, Jaune approached that table, trying his best to appear friendly. A man with red hair and sunglasses that hid most of his face above his nose sat there. Jaune wasn't sure what kind of person would wear sunglasses in a club, probably someone way too cool to care.

"Excuse me, could I sit here?" he asked. The people all turned around at once, as if just noticing him. Maybe he was that unremarkable. The man looked up from the table, his sunglasses reflecting Jaune's face back at him, and the smile looked just right. The man hesitated for just a moment.

"Yes," he said, his voice slightly high-pitched. "I… didn't expect you to come so soon."

"Expect me?" Jaune asked. The lights flashed, and Jaune could see horns on the man's head, just now becoming really visible. "Do I know you?"

Jaune sat down and the man leaned back in his chair, his hands on the table, his palms pointing at the ceiling. "My name is Adam."

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Jaune said. "I'm sorry I'm intruding, I wasn't looking to enter today, but I felt forced."

The bouncer seemed like a nice enough guy, and Jaune really didn't want to hurt his feelings by declining his rather forceful invitation.

"Forced?" Adam asked. "A-ah, I suppose so. I believe we share a mutual acquaintance. Blake Belladonna."

"You know Blake?" Jaune asked. Blake has always been rather quiet compared to the others, though she also occasionally mentioned the things that the others kept spouting about the Nevermore. "She's… uh, a friend."

"A friend, I see," Adam said. "Of course, she said so… hmph. Say, Jaune Arc, what do you now about the White Fang?"

Jaune wasn't sure he had introduced himself, but Blake might have mentioned him. He didn't think he was really that memorable, though, especially not someone to be recognized under the bad lightning of a club.

"That's the organization that used to fight for Faunus rights, right?" Jaune asked. Adam nodded curtly. "I find it kind of laughable, really. They're already all treated as they deserve."

Adam went rigid, though Jaune didn't notice it as he smiled so widely that his eyes closed out of reflex. Where he grew up, Jaune knew all the Faunus, and all of them were treated equally. Even here in Vale, in Beacon, with the exception of Cardin being a sadistic bully, all the Faunus were treated as they deserved.

"So your opinion of the White Fang isn't very high, I take it?" Adam asked. Jaune completely missed Adam's tone taking on a dangerous edge.

"I don't really bother too much," Jaune said. "If a bunch of people stand up to fight for what they believe in, they can do that. They'll also have to live with the consequences of their actions."

It was a phrase that his father muttered often. If you stand up to do something, whatever comes from it is also your responsibility. Just like he had to deal with the consequences of his lying every day.

"And what consequences would that be?" Adam asked. His hands were no longer on the table, instead hidden under it. The tense atmosphere of the entire floor went far over Jaune's head.

"People get hurt," Jaune explained, thinking back to his punishments. "And eventually, when the people that are hurt become so many that others have to stand up for their own fight, nobody will end up happy."

"And if that happens?"

"Then someone would have to put a stop to it," Jaune said. "Just like my grandfather always said. One man can change a million lives."

The tension bled away and left wariness. "Your grandfather… he fought in the Great War, correct?"

"Yes," Jaune nodded. "He's a man I always looked up to. Someone I want to surpass."

"A man who has killed so many that the earth still reeks of the blood that he has spilled during those years!" Adam said, his voice loud over the music. Jaune grimaced.

"It's… war, isn't it?" Jaune asked. "Always war. I don't think it's fair to blame someone for their actions during a fight where life or death were so closely related."

His parents taught that to him and his sisters early. Conflicts happen. When humans and faunus fight each other rather than the Grimm, it's called a War. And there's nothing glorious about War. The true heroes in a war are those that fight valiantly for their comrades, their country and their home. Those who put their lives on the line to protect everything they hold dear.

"Isn't the conflict with the White Fang also a war?" Jaune asked when Adam kept quiet. The red-haired man went rigid once again, and Jaune could see him pale ever so slightly under the light. "People fighting each other, people standing up to protect the values they hold dear. The leaders of both sides can't find a way to resolve this conflict without further bloodshed."

"What would you do then?" Adam asked, finding his voice again. "If the fighting continues and people keep dying? If both sides don't think they have a choice in continuing until one of them snaps and breaks under the pressure?"

"I'd step in," Jaune asked, nodding to himself. Maybe that was Adam's angle? Asking if Adam should join and try to find a resolution for both sides? "I'd work towards ending the conflict. And I'd keep going until nothing of the war remains."

Until nothing of the White Fang remains, Adam thought. Beads of sweat ran down his neck as Jaune spoke with the conviction that made him realize that the rumors were all true. Jaune Arc was a monster. Someone who was worse than his grandfather. Someone who would send the Faunus rights movement back into the ages of before the Great War.

He needed to kill him. But he didn't have the power. The way Jaune was shifting his weight, he wasn't concerned about an attack, all the people in this room were no match for the dragon's grandson.

What he needed was a power that surpassed everything. He knew the rumors. The fables. He heard that madwoman that kept him under her thumb speak about it. He needed a power to equal this monster.

When Adam stood up, the sword that was almost out of its sheath snapped back into it and all the dark clothed people left. Jaune was left alone, staring at the backs of the people walking down the stairs. "Did I say something wrong?"

It would be a few hours before Jaune stepped out of the club.

###

On his way back to Beacon, Jaune found Blake. Or rather, Blake found him as she ran him over. Her eyes were red and puffy, as if she had been crying.

"Hey Blake," Jaune greeted. "Are you… are you okay?"

"Wh-Ja-ja-jaune!" she blurted out, standing up quickly. "Sorry, I was… what are you doing here so late?"

"Just on my way back to the dorms," Jaune said. "Are you sure you're alright, you look like you've been crying."

"I'm okay, you're just," Blake said nervously. "What were you doing?"

"I was taking a walk, ended up in a club," Jaune said, standing up. When he turned towards Beacon again, Blake followed, keeping up next to him. "I met this guy who mentioned you."

"What?" Blake asked, blinking. "Someone who knew me?"

"Yes, nice fellow," Jaune said. "He said his name was Adam."

"Adam?" she shrieked. "Here?!"

Every fiber in her body wanted her to run away. Adam was here, despite her saying she had protection? He would get her if he wanted to, just sneak in under the cover of the night…

"Yes," Jaune said. "I said we were friends, then talked about the White Fang for a bit," Jaune said. "It's kind of weird, he left so quickly when I mentioned that I'd rather there was no fighting between faunus and humans."

"Friend?" Blake asked, pointing at herself. "Me? I mean, yes! Yes, I'm your friend! Doing friendly things together and hanging out!"

Jaune thought that Blake sounded a bit stilted, especially when she suddenly threw her arm around his neck and continued to walk towards Beacon.

"Are you sure you're alright?"

"I'm just peachy!"

From that day onwards, Blake did not wear her bow anymore. Weiss and her seemed to have a fight but made up rather quickly. All went well. Not one new rumor started today!

###

In the underground, the underbelly of the world, where creatures worse than the Grimm lived, a poster was put up.

A reward of your choosing for the head of Jaune Arc.

A man with a scorpion's tail was giggling like mad when he saw them the next day. The young man that made Cinder run back to mommy with her tail stuck in between her legs.