//------------------------------// // Truth Will Out (Rewritten) // Story: SAPR // by Scipio Smith //------------------------------// Truth Will Out Jaune had never felt worse than he did now. Even as bad as he'd felt up on the rooftop in the moments leading up to this mess, he hadn't felt quite this bad. Everything was going wrong from the moment that he had blurted out the truth to Pyrrha. It was stupid, so stupid that if Pyrrha wasn't the nicest person that he'd ever met in his life, then she would have turned him in by now, and he would have been shipped home to face the indifference of his family… that is, if he wasn't being shipped off to prison instead. He'd just been so frustrated and upset, and when she offered to help him, he... he was an idiot. Such an idiot. She only wanted to help him, but all he'd been able to see was that he wasn't good enough to stand on his own, unable to stand beside Pyrrha and Ruby, unable to be the hero from out of his dreams. And it had all tumbled out: the lies, the deception. And then he'd sent her away, yelled at her… the moment the words had passed his lips, he'd regretted them. When he saw the look on her face, how wounded she was by his unjustified anger, then he'd regretted it even more. After Pyrrha left, he had lingered on the rooftop, brooding upon just how much he had screwed up. And then Cardin had climbed up onto the roof to join him, and it had become clear that he hadn't known what screwing up meant until that moment. Now, he had to see the hurt and betrayal in Pyrrha's eyes every time he looked at her, he had to see the mute incomprehension in Ruby's face every time he ditched her to hang out with Cardin, and he could feel the lead around his neck chafing every time Cardin pulled on it. All I wanted was to be a hero. Was that so wrong? Why am I being punished for having dreams? This wasn't how it was supposed to go. None of this was how it was supposed to go. Okay, he'd never been to a combat school or learned how to use a sword or shield properly, but so what? He had a lot of heart, and he wanted to succeed, and that was supposed to be all that it took, right? Ruby said that if he only kept trying and moving forward, then he'd get there eventually, but even before Cardin had found out his secret, even before that disastrous night on the rooftop, Jaune had felt as though his feet were trapped in cement, as though he were weighted down with lead preventing him from going anywhere. Ruby was nice about it, but she kept racing so far ahead of him that she disheartened him without even realising it. Pyrrha treated him like someone she had to protect, and Sunset... he could feel the contempt that his team leader had for him radiating off her like the rays of the sun. He could see it every time she looked at him. But she didn't know what it was like, none of them did, to fail so hard no matter how hard you tried until trying itself seemed pointless. Sunset didn't stay awake at night worrying about how much of a screw-up she was until she fell asleep in class from exhaustion. She didn't know what it was like to want something that, it was starting to seem, she could never have. And so, he lingered outside of his room like a phantom, unable to bring himself to cross the threshold and join the others. He could hear them through the door, talking. "Where's Jaune?" Ruby asked. "Probably hanging out with Cardin again," Sunset growled. "Now, pay attention, or you'll never get this right." "I just don't get it. Jaune, I mean. Cardin was picking on him until you stopped it, and now, they're hanging out together like best friends while he acts like he doesn't know us anymore. Did… did we do something wrong? Did I do something wrong?" No! No, Ruby, this isn't you, this isn't your fault! Jaune thought. Please don't blame yourself for this. "This isn't your doing, Ruby," Pyrrha said, in a voice as emphatic as Jaune's thoughts. "You can't blame yourself for this, and Jaune wouldn't want you to." "Assuming he'd care," Sunset muttered. "Ruby, I… I know that this is upsetting for you, and I wish that you could learn these truths about the world later… when you were the age I was or older. I know that you liked Jaune, and you trusted him, but… this is what men are like. They're liars and cheats, and they'll break your heart every time if you give them the chance." "You're generalising," Pyrrha objected. "And… rather cynically at that, I must say. Not all men are as cruel as… as Flash Sentry." "Are you speaking from your vast experience?" "Jaune cares about Ruby," Pyrrha insisted. "Then what is he playing at?" Sunset demanded. Jaune found himself holding his breath. It was Thursday night now, almost a week since Pyrrha had discovered his secret, and she didn't seem to have told a soul yet, but surely, the pressure to do so must be immense. He slouched against the wall, head bowed. "I… I can't say," Pyrrha murmured apologetically. "I told you what Jaune was doing on the roof," Ruby reminded her plaintively. "I know," Pyrrha replied softly. "But this… this is more important." Jaune was about to slink away, at least for now, until his scroll went off with a loud buzzing sound. He fumbled for the device, trying to answer it before the sound alerted his three teammates in the room, but he could already hear footsteps only slightly muffled by the carpet. Sunset flung the door open; she stood framed in the doorway, casting a shadow over Jaune from the light in the room as she gazed imperiously upon him. "There you are." Jaune froze, wilting under her gaze. His scroll continued to buzz in his hands. "Answer it," Sunset snapped peremptorily as Pyrrha and Ruby looked around her to stare at him. Jaune's thumb twitched on the 'take call' button. Cardin's voice floated out of the scroll. "Hey there, buddy, it's your new best-" Sunset snatched the scroll out of Jaune's hands. "Jaune can't come out to play right now; he has to tidy his room before bedtime." She disconnected the call before tossing the scroll back to Jaune, who just about managed to catch it. Sunset took a step back, gesturing for him to come into the room. "Now, I expect you to tell me the truth when I ask you this," she said. "Is Cardin giving you a hard time again? Because if Weiss isn't honouring our agreement, then I'll-" "No!" Jaune said, quickly and loudly. Too quickly and too loudly; he could tell by the way that Sunset's eyes narrowed that far from allaying her suspicions, he had only aroused them. He glanced over Sunset's shoulder at Pyrrha. Her lips were pursed together, and she looked as though she was contemplating telling Sunset something. Not the truth – he didn't think that she would betray his secret now mere moments after refusing to do so – but she might tell Sunset that he wasn't hanging with Cardin because they'd suddenly become best bros forever. But if she did that, and Sunset went storming off to Weiss, then his secret would come out for sure. He stared at her, trying to convey with his eyes his desperate need for her to keep quiet. She said nothing. Jaune continued, "I mean, aha, Cardin's not such a bad guy when you get to know him. And sometimes, it's nice to hang out with another guy, you know, do guy stuff." Sunset folded her arms. "'Guy stuff,' huh? Such as?" "Uh..." Jaune stammered. He really, really wished that he had thought about this ahead of time. "We, uh, talk about sports." Oh, great, just great, you absolute moron! Jaune thought, realising just a moment too late how stupid he sounded. "'Sports,'" Sunset repeated, spitting the word out as though it were contaminating her lips. Jaune froze. He could feel the sweat on his brow and underneath his armpits. She was going to call him out on it, she was going to ask for more details, she was- And then, Sunset smiled. "You know, I'm kind of a fan of motorcycle racing, if that's what you're into." "You are?" Ruby asked. "Yeah, I even put my own bike together from parts that I... acquired perfectly legally from a variety of neighbourhood junkyards around Canterlot," Sunset said. "Yang lets me help on the maintenance of her motorcycle," Ruby said. "What kind of engine does your bike have?" "900 cc twin cylinder." "Ooh, classic." "I know; it hums beautifully," Sunset said. "Anyway, I'm going to get some coffee. I'll be back in a while." She didn't so much as look at Jaune as she walked out the door. He could hear her walking away down the corridor. Jaune didn't breathe a sigh of relief because that would have been too obvious, but he did dare to think that he'd gotten away with it. He looked at Pyrrha. She looked away. "I'm... excuse me," she said as she walked into the bathroom. Ruby wouldn't meet his eyes. She didn't even look at him. She looked at everyone and everything but him as she pressed her fingers together nervously. Jaune walked to the foot of his bed and sank down onto the floor. Now, he did sigh, deeply and heavily, as he bowed his head until his chin was resting upon his chest. He heard, rather than saw, Ruby sit down beside him. "Jaune?" Jaune gave a wordless noise in answer. "Jaune," Ruby repeated. "What's really going on? These past few days, you've been really distant, spending all your time with Cardin… I just don't get it." Jaune closed his eyes. "It's not you, Ruby. I heard what you said, and… and it's not your fault. And it isn't what Sunset said, either. I… you're my friend, and you… you mean a lot to me, and… I'm sorry if I've hurt you." He felt Ruby snuggle up next to him, her body pressed against his. He felt her arms around him; her grip was stronger than you'd think from her size. Her voice was small and soft. "Then what is it?" Jaune looked down at her. Ruby's face, so close to his own, was guileless; her silver eyes were bright with trust. Ironically, that made lying to her a lot harder than it was to lie to someone like Sunset who didn't trust him one bit anyway. It changed nothing and cost him nothing to lie – or try to lie – to his team leader, but with Ruby... she trusted him, and that trust was like the glass animals that his sister River collected: delicate and fragile. Something he couldn't bring himself to break. "Cardin's got me, Ruby. He's got a leash on me, and I can't get away from him." "But Sunset-" "This is bigger than that," Jaune said. "I… I really messed up. I did something stupid, and Cardin knows, and if... if I don't do as he says, then it's over for me." Jaune closed his eyes and screwed up his face with agonised thought. "Maybe it would be better if it was over." "Jaune, this is what you want, isn't it?" Ruby asked. "To be here, to be a huntsmen." "Yes!" Jaune cried. "Yes, this is what I've always wanted; it's all I've ever wanted." "How do you expect to fight the grimm if you can't even fight for your dreams?" Ruby asked. Her words pricked him like a dagger. "It's not that simple," he replied. "Ruby… why aren't you embarrassed to be on the same team as me?" "Why should I be embarrassed?" "Because you're so cool, and I'm... I'm me," Jaune replied softly. "Sunset's embarrassed." "No, she’s not. She’s just cranky… sometimes, she can be really, really cranky," Ruby said. "Jaune, in all the storybooks that Yang used to read to me, about great huntsmen and huntresses who saved everyone, most of them didn't go to any of the four academies; most of them lived before the four academies even existed. And they didn't become heroes because they were well-trained, but because they had good hearts. You've got a good heart, Jaune, and that's more and better than Cardin can ever have." Jaune shook his head and wished he could believe that. Sunset had not gone for coffee. She'd known that Jaune was lying. It was obvious that he was lying. Cardin wasn't a good guy deep down; he was an irredeemable jackass, and Jaune had never shown any interest in sports. And if he needed male company, then what about Ren or even Dove? No, he was clearly lying, but it was equally clear that he really didn't want to tell Sunset what was up. She could have attempted to force the issue right there and then, but if she did that, then there was a good chance that Ruby and Pyrrha – especially Pyrrha, considering she knew the truth and was deliberately hiding it – would defend him as they so often did. But Sunset hoped that, if she wasn't around, they might press him to open up, and so she'd 'gone for coffee' while actually lingering just outside the dorm room. So she was able to hear every word that Jaune said to Ruby. And she did not like what she had heard. They had an agreement, she and Weiss. SAPR would stay out of the way of WWSR, and WWSR would do the same for SAPR. It was that simple, and they had agreed to it. They had talked about Cardin specifically. They had an agreement, and Weiss was breaking it, or at least turning a blind eye while Cardin broke it, which amounted to the same thing. Who did she think she was? Did she take Sunset for the kind of wallflower who could be taken lightly, as though she were of little account? She might be a faunus, and Weiss might be a Schnee, but this wasn't Atlas, and Sunset didn't have to take this kind of thing lying down any more. The only thing that was stopping her from marching right down to WWSR's dorm room right this instant and giving Weiss a piece of her mind was what Jaune had said about his situation, his mistake, being bigger than the bargain struck between Sunset and Weiss. Sunset doubted that, and in any case, their agreement had not been conditional in any way, and in Sunset's opinion, 'leave us alone' meant 'leave us alone' in all circumstances, but she confessed that he made her curious to find out just what was going on. Ruby didn't ask, unfortunately, preferring to try and pep Jaune up instead, which meant that Sunset would have to get the truth out of him herself. Jaune stood in the courtyard, looking up at the statue of the huntsman and huntress that dominated the space. "This is what you want, isn’t it?" A day after Ruby had asked him that question and Jaune still wasn’t sure if he had given her the right answer. Was this what he wanted? What even was ‘this’ anyway? What was it that he wanted or did not want? What was it that he was doing here? Well, it seemed right now that what he was doing here was acting as Cardin’s personal servant. He had just finished stripping Cardin’s bed – from the fact that Cardin had had him wait until Weiss was somewhere else, Jaune guessed that she was no more aware of the terms of his servitude than Sunset was – and taking the old bedclothes down to the laundry in the basement. He was supposed, at some point before tonight, to put fresh linens on the bed for Cardin, and again, he would have to do this without Weiss or Flash seeing him. He had come to Beacon to become a huntsman, a hero, but it seemed that he would be spending the next four years as a servant instead. But if he’d wanted to change beds and do laundry, then he could have stayed at home. At least at home, he wouldn’t have to sneak around while he was doing it. He could still go home. He could leave it all behind: Cardin’s hold on him, Sunset’s derision, the pity of Pyrrha and Ruby that made him feel so pathetic and useless. He could leave it all behind and go back home. Dad might yell at him, Sky and Kendal would definitely yell at him, and they might ground him for a little bit, but after that… after that, it would be forgotten; an autumn’s madness never to be mentioned again, a part of his life to be politely elided over as if it had never happened. Except it would have happened. And for the rest of his life, he would remember the time he had run away from home to chase his dreams… and given up when things became a little difficult. "How are you going to fight grimm if you won't even fight for your dreams?" Ruby's question echoed in his mind alongside the words of Sunset. Ruby said that he should fight, but he sucked at fighting. He couldn’t beat Cardin in a fair fight, and Cardin wouldn’t give him a fair fight; he didn’t need to. He had Jaune by the short and curlies. He wouldn’t fight at all; he would just reveal Jaune’s secret to the whole school, and Jaune would be going home anyway. Maybe it was better to just leave without all the fuss and trouble. Maybe it was better to just slink off home; he couldn’t believe that Cardin would be so petty as to pursue him once he was away from Beacon. Maybe it was better to just… to give up on everything that he’d ever wanted to be and condemn himself to a lifetime of misery and regret. He didn’t want that. But he didn’t really want to spend four years under Cardin’s thumb either, and yet, it seemed that they were the only two choices available to him. Maybe a real hero could have found another way, a path through the thorns to the green fields beyond, but Jaune Arc was already starting to doubt that he was a real hero. He was just a boy, and he didn’t know what to do. His eyes turned upwards to the statue, to the strong and noble huntsman with his sword raised aloft. Jaune bet that guy had never been bullied at school, whoever he was. "Admiring the decoration, Mister Arc?" Jaune looked to his right to find Professor Ozpin standing there, leaning slightly upon his cane while sipping cocoa out of a mug with his other hand. "Professor!" Jaune said, in a voice that was almost a startled yelp. "You can move very quietly." "Of course," Professor Ozpin said, his own voice running with amusement. "I, too, graduated Stealth and Security once upon a time." "Uh, right," Jaune murmured. He wasn't sure what else to say or do. Professor Ozpin looked at him over the top of his small spectacles. "Something on your mind, Mister Arc?" Jaune was certain that the headmaster already knew the answer to that. Talking to him, it was like he could see right through Jaune. "I… Professor, can I ask you a question?" "I am at your service, Mister Arc." "What happens to a team if one member leaves? If someone drops out?" Jaune asked. Professor Ozpin sipped his cocoa. "An interesting question, Mister Arc, the answer to which depends greatly upon timing. This early in the first semester of the first year, if you were to depart, I daresay that another student, one of our failed applicants who did not take up an offer elsewhere, could be approached and offered a place here. They would have some catching up to do, of course, and possibly a special initiation in order to prove themselves, but nothing insurmountable to someone willing to work hard." "How… how did you-?" "Why else would you have asked, Mister Arc?" Professor Ozpin inquired. "I… I suppose I wouldn’t have," Jaune said. He looked away from the headmaster. "Can I ask you another question?" "I have no pressing matters, Mister Arc." "Were… were they ever real?" Jaune asked, referring to the statue in the courtyard. Professor Ozpin chuckled. "You mean are they based on life? No, Mister Arc; if we were to commemorate in stone every alumni whose courage warranted such a thing, we would soon run out of space in the school. Hence, what you see before you is an ideal to strive for." Jaune nodded. It was like Pyrrha had said: an ideal to strive for. An ideal that seemed so far away. "I'm afraid that I don't have the strength for this, Professor." "You are a rather unique student, I must admit," Professor Ozpin admitted. "Most of our students come here already reasonably proficient in the art of bludgeoning monsters to death with a variety of powerful weapons. But have you wondered why this Academy exists in the first place, Mister Arc, as skilled as some of your classmates are?" "I… it doesn't seem as though Pyrrha and Ruby are getting much out of sparring class," Jaune admitted. "I suppose… is it the history classes and stuff?" Professor Ozpin smiled. "The academics are important and ought to be treated as such," he informed Jaune. "But more important still is the ethos of a huntsman which we strive to imbue in all our students. It takes more than strength to make a huntsman or a hero." "It does?" "Let me ask you a question, Mister Arc: when the hero draws a magic sword out of a stone, what makes him a hero? Is it his magic sword, or is it the pure heart that enabled him to draw it from the stone?" Jaune was silent for a moment. "Ruby and Pyrrha, they both told me something like that… I thought they were patronising me." Professor Ozpin sipped some more cocoa. "I suspect that was your own fears talking, Mister Arc, not the tongues of your teammates." His eyes closed as he fell silent for a moment. "'A huntsman is sworn to valour,'" he declared. "'His heart knows only virtue. His blade defends the helpless. His might upholds the weak. His word speaks only truth. His wrath undoes the wicked.'" "Professor?" "The oath of a huntsman of Beacon Academy, Mister Arc," Professor Ozpin explained. "Every academy administers its own oath to its graduates, and this is ours. I fancy it would be my favourite, even if it were not, as it were, mine. Valour, Mister Arc, and a heart full of virtue." "Also might," Jaune pointed out. "True," Professor Ozpin allowed. "But no one part of the oath is more important than any other, and any one aspect can be learned in the course of four years here." Jaune bowed his head. "But I'm a liar, Professor, and I've said and done things that have hurt my teammates." "How many of your contemporaries do you believe already model all the virtues of a huntsman or huntress?" Professor Ozpin inquired. Jaune frowned. "Ruby?" he suggested. "Pyrrha, maybe?" "Miss Rose comes very close," Professor Ozpin granted him. "Miss Nikos… speaks the truth a little less often perhaps than she ought. But I am not inclined to judge my students too harshly for being human. The oath, like the statue, is an ideal to strive for, not a measuring stick." Jaune felt almost more confused now than he had before the headmaster arrived. "What… what should I do, Professor?" "The choice is yours, Mister Arc," Professor Ozpin replied. "It cannot be taken away by me or anybody else. Just know that there will always be a place at Beacon for those who are brave and kind. Always provided that they wish to take it." Queen to H5. Sunset moved the white queen into the appropriate position on her chessboard. A Wayward Queen Attack; I wouldn't have expected you to be so bold, Princess. What have I said that would lead you to think I was timid? Sunset didn't reply. Instead, she studied the board for a moment before moving one of her black knights out. Knight to C6. Would you rather I credit you for boldness or ask if you've played this game before? Wayward Queen is an amateur opening. We are amateurs. Speak for yourself, Princess. Bishop to C4. Pawn to G6. Sunset moved the pieces into position on the chessboard that sat beside her on the desk. I suppose that I should thank you for agreeing to play with me. I'm starved of intellectual equality in this place. I'm sure you must be being harsh on your companions. Queen to F3. What makes you say that? Because you're harsh to everyone, or at least, you appear so to everyone except this Ruby Rose. It's your move. I am as harsh on others as others deserve, neither more nor less. I know my worth, none better, and I know the worth of others to the ounce. Why should I give them false measure? Considering the lack of recognition I have received, I should rather be praised for my honesty in not unfairly denigrating those about me as I have so often been denigrated. There was no reply from Twilight for a few moments. It's still your move. Knight to F6. So, if you weren't playing with me, what would you be doing right now? What does a Princess of Friendship do all day? I spend time with my friends, I help them out with anything that they might need my assistance on; I read, I research magic; I'm also the Ponyville Librarian. I don't know whether the library should be honoured or you should be insulted. Quiet, you. And I solve friendship problems. Sunset laughed. She couldn't have stopped herself if she'd wanted to. She had rarely been gladder that that room was empty as she giggled like a filly. Friendship problems! I can hear you laughing on the other side of the book. That's because it's hilarious. What are you, a therapist? I wouldn't call myself that, not least because I lack the qualifications. I just make sure that everyone is getting along and that any potential disagreements are nipped in the bud before they fester into real trouble. Huh, we could almost She stopped. Her eyes narrowed. Sunset: Is that why you're talking to me? Am I a friendship problem to you? Unfortunately, you seem to have done a fair amount of festering already. What a saucy tongue this princess has. Move. Knight to E2. I thought you might respond to a more assertive approach. Well, it's certainly more fun than corresponding with a milksop. Do you know, this must be how Princess Celestia feels? Come again? She is the player, and we are all her pieces. She moves us at her will, sends us out to fight for her, sacrifices us. Unless you escape as I did. We both know perfectly well why you left Equestria, and it wasn't for any reason so noble as to free yourself from a tyrant. Even ignoring the fact that Princess Celestia is not a tyrant, the truly noble course if she were would have been to have stayed and fought. Sunset: Were it so easy. Think about it, and you'll see that my analogy fits perfectly. Knight to H5. Why do you persist in this? Pawn to G4. Sunset moved the pieces. Perhaps I simply want what's best for you. Somehow, I doubt it. Is there nothing else that we can talk about while we play? In other words, change the subject, or I disappear. Sunset did not reply immediately. Then an idea struck her. As it happens, I have a friendship problem for you to solve. As they played – the honours were quite even, although Sunset felt as though she gradually started to win as the game unfolded – Sunset described the situation as it stood: Cardin's antagonism, the deal with Weiss, and Jaune's newfound camaraderie with his tormentor, to the point where he seemed to spend more time with Cardin than anywhere else. And he has some kind of secret that has given Cardin a hold over him. So, Princess of Friendship, any thoughts? In these cases, it's always a good idea to remember that bullies are people too and that they often have some kind of reason for their behaviour. Cardin's reason is that he's a jerk. Have you considered that he might be getting bullied himself? I am not befriending Cardin Winchester. I want your advice on what to do about Jaune. He's never been any help, and now, he's becoming an active hindrance. What am I supposed to do? What do you do when your minions aren't up to scratch? I don't have minions. I have friends. I can feel the cold rolling off the page. Good. As for Jaune Arc, have you considered that he might open up to you if you were a little nicer to him? He doesn't deserve kindness. Who does? Anyone at all? Friendship isn't about what we deserve any more than it's about what we need. Yes, my friends have helped me out of a lot of difficult spots in the past, and I've done the same for them, but even if every monster or menace to Equestria disappeared tomorrow, then I would still be their friend because I love them. I love them as I love myself, maybe more. They're my family. I have no family, and I need none. They turned their backs on me or shut the door in my face, then so be it. I have no need of them. I don't think you can really believe that. What made you even say such a thing? What made you this way? Sunset was about to berate Twilight's impertinence in daring even to ask her such a thing when the door opened and Jaune walked in. Hold on, someone's coming. She closed the book as Jaune looked around the dorm room. "Pyrrha's in the gym; Ruby is with her sister," Sunset said. "Oh. Right. Yeah," Jaune said, in the tone of a man who has wandered into a nest of beowolves without a weapon. "Well... I, uh-" "Stay where you are and shut the door," Sunset said. Now that she had Jaune alone, she was going to get the truth out of him. Jaune whimpered a little as she closed the door. He looked at the chessboard on Sunset's desk. "Were you playing against yourself?" "No," Sunset said. "I was playing... I'm playing a correspondence game with a friend. I was just looking at their latest move." She sniffed. "I'm surprised that you even know what a chessboard looks like." Jaune didn't rise to that. Instead, he said, "So, it's your turn then." "Yes," Sunset said, with a touch of irritation at his stalling antics. "If you move Bishop to D5, you can get death in four." Sunset froze. She could not have been more still if she had been turned to stone. She looked at the board. She looked back at Jaune. She looked at the board again and moved her bishop. She got off her chair and onto her knees, examining the state of play and running through all the possible countermoves in her head. He... he was right. She looked at him. In fact, she rather stared at him. "How... how did you know that?" Jaune shrugged. "My father taught me how to play." "That doesn't mean you should be good at it!" Sunset snapped. She took a deep breath and forced herself to be calm. "Sit down on the floor there." Jaune shifted uncomfortably. "Why?" "Because we're going to play," Sunset said, rearranging all the pieces. "And you're going to show me how good you really are." She picked up the once more fully-laden board and put it down on the floor, while she sat cross-legged on the black side. Jaune looked at the closed door. "I... I really need to go." "You have somewhere to be?" "Cardin-" "No." Sunset's voice cut like a blade. Jaune took a step back. "No?" "No," Sunset repeated. "Cardin can wait." "He really can't." Sunset gestured to the other side of the board. "Sit." "You don't understand!" "I understand that he has something on you," Sunset said. Jaune let out a horrified gasp. "How did you...? You never went for coffee, did you?" Sunset shook her head. "Ruby didn't ask you what your big secret was. I'm asking now." She cocked her head slightly to one side. "Pyrrha knows, doesn't she?" Jaune let out a mournful nod as he sat down. "I told her. Cardin overheard." "Unfortunate," Sunset said softly. She looked at him, silent, waiting for him to continue. Jaune said nothing, at least at first. But Sunset continued to watch and wait, and her emerald eyes bored into him… and at last, Jaune poured out his soul to her. It was... an interesting story, certainly. Like Cardin, Sunset wouldn't have credited Jaune with that much nerve and daring. She felt, in fact – and would feel even more strongly based on how he performed in the game – as though she were seeing new sides to him hitherto concealed behind his impression of general incompetence. If he could be so bold in battle as he had in all that he had done to get this far, then he might actually amount to something. "So you see, Cardin's got me over a barrel," Jaune insisted. "I really need to get-" His scroll began to buzz. "That's him now!" he squawked, his face paling. "Don't answer," Sunset commanded. "Like I said, Cardin can wait." "But he'll tell-" "Not right away he won't," Sunset replied. "He's too weak for that. The moment he turns you in is the moment he loses his power over you, and he relishes having that power more than anything else. And so, he will warn you and tell you not to ignore him again, not realising that he shows more weakness every time he tolerates your insolence." Jaune swallowed. "How can you be so sure?" Because it's what I'd do in his position, the bitter thought rose from the back of Sunset's mind to make her shiver. It was not a thought she wanted, but equally, it was not a thought she could escape. Not when the advantage of this knowledge was pricking at her like a kitten clawing at her leg, desperate for attention. Nevertheless, she suppressed such thoughts and impulses for now. She even smiled at Jaune, though it seemed to make him more uncomfortable than he had been before. "Trust me, I'm not telling you this so that you can get expelled. I'm not going to deliberately get rid of you.” She gestured at the board before them. "Now, you're white, so it's your move." They played. He was good. He was very good. He obviously hadn't been trained by a master, as Sunset or Twilight had. While Twilight's play was methodical and controlled, Jaune's style was a bit all over the place – erratic, almost seeming random at times – but that only made it harder for Sunset to follow him and predict what he would do next. She had been able to recognise Twilight's plays, and in recognising, counter them while she waited for Twilight Sparkle to make a mistake in the mid-game. But Jaune didn't use any classical strategies, probably because he didn't know any. It was all coming out of his head, unfiltered, and Sunset found herself struggling to keep up with him. She won, in the end – if she hadn't, Sunset would have had to throw herself off the roof for the sake of her dignity – but Jaune had given her a close run, and between them, they had slaughtered most of the pieces on the board, on both sides. He had run her close. Closer than someone as lazy, stupid, and ignorant as him had any right to do. Sunset felt – as she flattered herself that Pyrrha had felt in the ring – a degree of respect for a formidable opponent. That respect was tempered by a degree of sheer flabbergasted astonishment. Her amazement was soon joined by a degree of anger that was far from insignificant. So far, in fact, was her wrath from being insignificant that when Sunset spoke, her voice was like ice. "Let me ask you something, Jaune," she said, her voice clipped with menace. "If you have such wit in you, if you can think like this, if you can strategize like this, then let me ask you... why haven't you showed this side of you before?" Jaune cringed in the face of her fury. "Someone as... as dumb as you appear to be wouldn't last a handful of moves against me, and he wouldn't deserve to," Sunset declared. "But you... you are clearly not an idiot. So what's the big idea? You lie to get in here, and then... what? You don't do any of your schoolwork, you train out of beginners' guides when Pyrrha is right over there, I mean… what are you thinking?" "If I can't get stronger at the actual fighting part of being a huntsman, then what's the point in all the other stuff?" Jaune demanded. "And as for Pyrrha… She shouldn't need to help me catch up, and I shouldn't need her to." Sunset rolled her eyes. "You're smarter than you look in some respects, but clearly not others." And yet, Sunset found that she was not without sympathy for him. He wanted to be the hero, and in pursuit of that dream, he had crossed lines and broken rules. She'd be lying to herself if she hadn't done the same, and for much the same reasons. He might speak of dream instead of destiny, but it was all much the same, especially if you took Pyrrha's view of destiny as something that you made rather than something bestowed on you from birth. She and Jaune were much alike, more so than she had supposed before or been willing to admit; now that she could see that he wasn't a complete incompetent but, rather, had some raw materials worth working with, she found that she was more willing to concede the commonality between them. A little. He was worth preserving. He would never be Pyrrha or Ruby, and he would certainly never be Sunset, but between his mind and his abnormally large aura, he would be of use if he could be brought up to scratch. The difficulty, it seemed, was his pride. Fortunately, he had handed Sunset the weapon she needed to batter that down. "You want to be the hero," she said. "Guess what: we all want to be the hero. It's why we're here, at day’s end. Remember when we carved our initials on the wall: I said that we'd all be great huntsmen some day, and I meant it then. I mean it now too. You can become a hero, Jaune Arc. And I'm going to help you get there." "Cardin-" "Isn't going to be blackmailing you anymore," Sunset said soothingly. "Auntie Sunset is going to make sure that bad man leaves you alone." She smiled like a shark. "I'm going to be blackmailing you instead." "Sunset!" "Don't be like that; it won't be anything too onerous," Sunset said. "First, you're going to go to apologise to Ruby; I know that you know full well how much you’ve upset her.” Jaune nodded glumly. “Yeah. Yeah, I know.” “I won’t put up with that,” Sunset said sharply. “Tell her you’re sorry.” Jaune swallowed. “Sure. Of course.” “Second, you can apologise to Pyrrha too; apologise and tell her that you want her help in training your fighting skills. Third, I – out of the goodness of my heart – am going to get you up to speed in your academics alongside Ruby. Fourth, you're going to do your homework each night, and the moment I catch you slacking off, this team will be looking for a new name. Now, how does that sound to you?” "Are you going to ask me to do your laundry too?” “I’m going to ask you to keep a civil tongue in your head and not give me lip when I’m trying to help you,” Sunset said sharply. “Do I look like Cardin Winchester? No, I’m not going to ask you to do my laundry.” I ought to, but Ruby and Pyrrha wouldn’t stand for it. “Now, do you want this or not?” “Yes,” Jaune replied, without hesitation. “This… it’s all I’ve ever wanted.” "Good," Sunset said. "Because Ruby and Pyrrha would mope if you got thrown out, and I don't need it. Trust me, you'll be a great huntsman in no time." "And Cardin?" "Cardin… Cardin Winchester is going to get what’s coming to him,” Sunset declared. “And you are going to help me make sure he gets it.” “I am?” Jaune asked uncertainly. “But you just said I was done with Cardin.” “You’re almost done with Cardin,” Sunset corrected herself. “After he and Weiss learn one of the most valuable lessons they’ll ever get in their four years here.” “Which is?” Sunset’s grin was positively vicious. “Nobody messes with Sunset Shimmer and gets away with it.”