13 Discreet Manpulation

"So… anybody wants to file a complaint against the creation of this team?"

I spoke towards the four girls with a wry smile on my face. Honestly, I have no problem with this team composition but I am sure some other team members would, so might as well call it out straight away. At this point, we might as well weed out the complaints early so there is no grudge between teammates.

"I fully concur with the idea."

The first to speak up was unsurprisingly Weiss. She was the direct type, and the one with the best sense of what is proper and what is not among the four female students here. Ruby was too innocent for her own good, Yang constantly wears an outfit with her midriff exposed, and Blake reads smuts (Not that I don't, but at least I do not carry 18+ books around when I travel. I know you have a copy of Ninjas of Love on your pile of books Blake).

"B-Bwah? But why!?"

As I said far too innocent for her own well-being. Must. Stop. The urge. To pat.

"Adult reasons. Now are you guys in or not?"

"No!"

Ruby was the one to screams out. She looked at me with teary eyes. Ugh, was this the infamous puppy-dog eyes privilege only allowed for young girls? What an extremely strong weapon! However, the other three would most likely be offended were I to allow this condition. They might even think of me as a deviant who is secretly enjoying this condition where I am left with four different girls, so I must disagree with Ruby here.

Wait, idea.

"Right, then why don't we all decide this with voting? Majority rules and all that. I vote for filing a complaint."

I said. This is it. The way to keep team RWBYK as it is while pretending to be against it. I and Weiss will obviously vote for complaining to Ozzy, but the other three can be manipulated to make sure the team stays the way it is. The means to do so were easily available to me.

"Obviously there is something wrong with this team composition!"

"This team is perfect!"

Weiss and Ruby have clashing opinions. The voting is now two to one leaning on Weiss' side but Ruby decided she is willing to play dirty to keep this team composition. She turned her head towards Yang and started using her puppy dog eyes again.

How cute. Surely Ruby will be heartbroken if her sister Yang Xiao-Long says no to her face. And there is a way to make sure she bows before the puppy dog eyes;

HG: Yang Xiao-Long will give in to Ruby Rose's pleading.

"Ugh, I vote for keeping the team."

And there we go. Now the vote is two for two. All our eyes went to Blake, who was the only one left to vote. The current voting is a draw so her vote will decide whether team RWBYK is official or not. She grew flustered at our stare. And more flustered. And more flustered.

Mainly because I asked HG for a simple favor.

HG: Blake Belladonna will think of erotic thoughts.

"Are you okay Blake?" I took the chance to get closer to her. At this point, I need to convince her to make sure the team stays as it is, but there was no time to plan ahead so I am currently doing an improvised act right now. Quick thinking, quick thinking.

Oh, wait. Idea.

I got closer to her, and put my forehead on her own. Wow, she was heating up real bad right now.

"Oh, you're heating up real bad. Do you have a cold? Maybe you need some rest after all our activities back in the desolate forest."

Her face grew even redder at my comment. I invading into her personal space must have been partly to blame for her deepening blush, but more than that was my comment which could be interpreted in a rather erotic manner.

She stumbles her mouth while searching for the right words to say.

HG: Blake will agree with the current team composition.

"N-no I am fine," Blake said with a blush. I wonder what she is fantasizing about right now. "Also about the team composition… I think we should trust headmaster Ozpin for putting us into one team."

Hoo boy, it actually worked. I must be a genius. That was 300IQ play right there.

"Yay!"

"Ugh."

Her words have gotten different reactions from Ruby and Weiss. Meanwhile, I stared at Blake, who was still blushing, now hiding her face behind a book. Only god knows what kind of fantasy this girl is having right now. How lecherous!

Let us ignore the fact that she is thinking such thoughts are partially caused by my HG in the first place.

"Three versus two, complaints are overwritten!"

Ruby raised a fist to the sky. We all looked towards one another with unsure looks. Both Weiss and Yang had looks of despair on their faces. I guess Yang did not expect Blake to allow me into this group of girls. Otherwise, she would not have yielded to Ruby's puppy dog eyes. If the rest of team RWBYK were not around I would have used this chance to laugh out loud and bask in my own brilliance.

Thus, team RWBYK was made through my discreet manipulation.

It was nighttime already and since we have classes tomorrow, it should be about time for us to sleep. In fact, that seems to be what Weiss, Blake, and Yang planned to do as each is getting comfy on their own beds.

However…

"There are only four beds."

Everyone cringed at my words.

"…I'll goes to Ozzy and asks for a futon or something," I said.

"A what?" Ruby asked.

"Basically a thin mattress. These days apparently thicker ones that can turn into couches are getting popular as well, but I do not see why they are called futon as well when they are completely different."

"Oh. Can I come with you?"

I blinked. Some alone moments with team leader Ruby? I suppose it could be good.

"Sure."

Suddenly I felt ill-will coming towards me. Following my instinct (and most likely Guider) my gaze went towards Yang who was looking straight at me, making a gesture of her hand slithering a throat. How scary.

"Ruby is for head-patting purposes only. Got that."

"…What?" Ruby asked.

"Basically an act of affection towards one younger than oneself. These days they are apparently also popular in certain Mistralian cultures, but I do not see how it is by any means attractive or fun."

For those in the unknown, Mistral is basically the Remnant version of Japan, or maybe Asia in general. Considering Lie Ren(Chinese name) came from a place called Kuroyuri(Japanese name), we can safely assume that at least Japanese and Chinese are intermixed in Remnant. Most likely the rest of Asia is the same as well.

"I know what head-pats are! What I meant is why I am supposed to be used for head-pattings!"

I looked at her pouting face with a bland stare, before patting her head.

"Ehehe… Wait what are you doing! Unhand me you fiend!"

"Let's just go already."

Saying so I left the room with Ruby following me. The two of us headed for the headmaster office. The man was the one who put five people into a four-person room so it should only be natural that we have him take responsibilities.

It might seem a bit petty to complain to the headmaster himself for such a problem but if the five of us were to sleep there every day the earlier this matter get fixed the better it will be for us, or in this case for me since the four beds are already taken by the four girls of team RWBYK.

I have to wonder why Ozpin would put me into a team along with these four. If he wanted to put me into a team so badly then why not put me into team JNPR or other male-invested teams instead considering team RWBY is composed of four girls, which obviously means it will bring in needless troubles if you put a boy into the mix.

Might as well as to asks him while complaining about the lack of beds. We carried on towards the headmaster office; have to hurry considering this is late in the night already. If we don't finish quickly then we might not get enough rest considering class starts tomorrow.

Our steps echoed as we walked on. I thought about chickening out and not bothering to talk to Ozpin at all, but my precious comfort is on the line here so doing such a cowardly act is not an option. This will be a drag but it would be for my own good so there is nothing for me to complain about except maybe how inconsiderate Ozpin is.

In my mind, I simulated countless possibilities of the conversation between Ozpin and me. Will he be cryptic, or will he be clear-cut? Should I play aggressively and accuse him or should I play it casual? It excites me to have a conversation with the man again for whatever reason. Maybe it was because we had a rather interesting talk in our last conversation.

Though apparently all those fantasies were put to waste as the two of us did not even meet Ozpin before our problems were solved with the coincidental meeting with Glynda Goodwitch midway towards the tower.

Glynda is a teacher here at Beacon, and it would be no exaggeration to call her the right hand of headmaster Ozpin himself. The two along with the drunkard known as Qrow Branwen is a group the fandom of RWBY show has deigned to affectionately call the Ozluminati.

I took note of the fact there was a mattress flying on its own right behind her along with a set of Beacon clothing and stationaries. The flying mattress was not a mattress version of Aladdin's flying carpet sadly, but rather a normal mattress that was held in the air by a Semblance. Telekinesis, the Semblance of Glynda Goodwitch.

"It is past your curfew, Mister Kuzuno, Miss Rose."

She said with a strict expression. Sadly you learn to stop caring about such mild intimidation once you have faced true battle. Funny how much one cross with death can change your personality. I thought it would merely be an exception to your life, left ignored soon as you return to your previous lifestyle.

"Did Ozpin order you to send those stuff for us or was it consideration from you? If it was the second then I fully intend to punch Ozpin in the face later."

Those words came from my mouth before I realized it. It was, of course, mere exaggeration, as connecting my fist to the headmaster would put me into a precarious situation. There is no need for me to go that far when the only thing the man did was inconvenience me slightly, especially considering he is a benefactor of mine for putting me into this school.

"…That man is not the most considerate of people sadly." She said with a sigh. Guess Ozpin is the type that cares about the big pictures yet constantly ignores the smaller things in life. It is not my place to judge but that is no proper way of living in my opinion. I guess I will have to keep that opinion to myself though.

"Well, guess we can go back to our room Rubes. Do you need us to carry the mattress Miss?"

I offered her some help. She nodded in response, still with the impassive face she wore all the time. Not that I can blame her considering she is constantly surrounded by idiotic and hormonal teenagers. Have I mentioned how hot she is yet because she is certainly more beautiful than idols in my original earth.

"That would be thankful, yes. I am still busy with a few matters after this."

I grabbed the mattress from the air, before feeling its weight increasing as the Semblance of Miss Glynda wore off. Thankfully my strength has increased a lot since I started training back at BNHA, so carrying a mattress alone through the school grounds was no problem. Hmm, maybe running around the school with weights on could be good training. Cardio is apparently very important for physical training. Not that I would know anything about bodybuilding.

No, since when was I a training maniac?

…Well, I really do not want to die again, and I still want to go on an adventure so it is only a good thing to be a training maniac.

"Do you want me to help with that?" Ruby asked.

"…Sure. There is still a long way to go."

The two of us carried the mattress back towards our room. The way back was rather awkward with silence so I decided to make small talks.

"Ruby, you ever had a best friend in the past?"

"Mm? Not really. I was an unpopular kid back at Signal academy."

Signal academy, providing huntsmen and huntresses training for six years before you go to an actual Huntsmen Academy like a college prep school. Junior high school and high school combined into one sounds like a very foreign concept to me, but it is what it is I suppose.

"Really? Well, it's not like I am any different. Or rather I am the type to ask [specify what you mean by best friends]." I spoke with a smile. "At least you have your sister. You girls close to one another?"

"Yup! Yang is the bestest sister ever, she's been around to support me through thick and thin."

"Siblings… Do they feel different from normal friends? I have a feeling there was one in my life, but I can't quite remember."

"Retro-amnesia thingy?"

"Yep."

That much was true. I remember not being an only son but that was about it as far as my memory about siblings goes. No names, no faces, no personalities or even emotions. Accursed system and its memory wipes.

"Well, they certainly feel different for me. Then again I don't have that many 'normal' friends to compare her with in the first place." She mulled. "But if I had to specify, a sibling is someone you can take comfort on without worries, while friends are… friends. Dunno about best friends though."

"Comfort is it…" I smiled. "Then Ruby, would you mind being best friends with me?"

"Ahh… Aren't those the kind of things that happens naturally?"

"Then we just put labels onto one another. Fake it till you make it you see."

"Oh! Can we make nicknames for one another then?"

"…If that's what you want, then sure. I'll just stick to calling you Rubes."

'Oh, Oh! What about Kuzu for you then!"

"Pffhahahahaha!"

In the end, it was decided to just call me Kuzuno as per usual. Nothing changed in the way we call one another but I think we got closer through our conversation. I am thou and thou art I. Social Link rank up!

If only.

We returned to our room while carrying the mattress along with the school utensils. It seems the other three have yet to go asleep. Maybe they were waiting for our return. If so I must admit it was very sweet of them to do so. The three have since changed into their pajamas and ready to sleep for the night. At least Yang and Weiss did while Blake has a book in her hands.

Wait, is that…

"I spy with my little eyes, someone is reading Ninjas of Love~~~"

I smiled towards Blake Belladonna, who looked towards me with alarm. Before anyone could react I managed to get closer to Blake, right into her comfort zone and put my mouth beside her ears. I then whispered.

"Naughty kitty cat."

I could feel her surprise at my words. Before she was able to say anything else however I decided to retreat away from her. Those words of mine were meant to let her know I have full knowledge of her secret of being a Faunus with cat traits. However, there was still one more improvisation needed to calm her down.

"Chillax, I'm not one to judge others."

For those in the unknown, the words I uttered might be directed towards her tastes in books. However, Blake should have properly received my message that I do not particularly mind about her being a Faunus.

All that said and done I went back and set my mattress on the floor before lying on it without a care in the world. There was no need to change into pajamas considering I have none. Well, I do have one provided by UA which was still in my Dimensional Shooter, but there was no means to explain having spatial storage to my teammates.

HG: I will enter deep sleep very quickly.