7

After several days of introspection, Jaune decided that Second did have at least one point. It couldn't hurt to get his teammate's thoughts on the things that were troubling him. Ren is a quiet, thoughtful sort of guy right? Surely he can give me some solid advice.

Second Thoughts was silent.

And so Jaune found himself approaching his one male friend during one of the rare instances that they were both separated from their partners. The two women of the team had been roped into "weapons talk" by Ruby, whatever that was supposed to mean. Nora was always in the area when there was potential for an explosion, and Pyrrha was both too nice to refuse and all too happy to further cement a friendship with someone who treated her like a normal person. Or at least, as normal as one could get when Ruby was involved. Ren had managed to escape when Ruby started geeking out over Milo and Akouo, while Jaune…. well, there wasn't much to really talk about when Crocea Mors was just a sword and collapsible shield.

"You know Ren, I think this might be the first time I've seen you apart from Nora that wasn't in the locker rooms."

"Despite popular belief, we don't spend all of our time together."

"It's just hard to see that with how much time you do spend together. Um-" Jaune hesitated for a moment. "So, sorry to cut into your alone time, I guess, but- could we- talk? Guy to guy, you know? I don't know if I'm doing this right…"

"It's certainly an odd way to say you want my advice, but if that's what you're after then feel free."

Jaune's shoulders sagged. "Great, thank you. I just… I've got a lot on my mind and you seemed like a good guy to talk to about it."

"Does Second Thoughts not have the answers you're looking for?"

"Second Thoughts is my problem!"

"I'm afraid that I don't follow."

"I just-" the blond sighed, "I don't know. One day I'm trying to adjust to the fact that I've been made team leader at a huntsmen academy where I'm clearly the least skilled in the group, and then the next I'm dealing with Second. It's… a lot, all at once. I don't know how to deal with suddenly having a voice in my head. I'm getting used to it I guess? And we've managed to reach a point where I only hear his thoughts when he wants me to, which is nice. But I still… when people talk about Second, at least as far as I've heard, it seems like there's two ways of viewing him. Either it's just my semblance, a manifestation of my soul, a tool that I can use to my advantage, trust and rely on wholeheartedly, because if you can't trust your own soul, who can you trust? Or in the other way of thinking, Second is a completely separate entity from me, one with his own motivations and goals." Jaune paused for a moment to gather his thoughts.

"That seems like a very binary way of viewing it, and I can't say that what I've heard lines up with either of those viewpoints to a T. Do you really think that people only see Second in one of those two ways?" Ren questioned.

"Yes. No. It's probably a lot more complicated than that, but it feels that way, you know? I guess in both camps there are people that view it as a good or bad thing, but the fundamentals seem the same to me. Maybe it's all in my head, and I'm ignoring something obvious, but…"

"I think you're missing quite a bit, but the more important factor is probably how you view Second Thoughts. Regardless of whether you interpret their intentions correctly or not, other people can think what they like, but if the problem lies in your relationship with him then their opinions don't really matter for this situation."

Jaune was quiet for a moment, trying to figure out how to properly express his thoughts. "Second… I don't know what I think of him. He's… I think rude is the nicest way I can put it. He likes to joke at my expense…or at least, I hope they're jokes. And we may have found a way to keep me from hearing all of his thoughts, but… I mean, he says that the barrier between us is becoming thicker. That as I hear less of his thoughts, he hears less of mine. But I don't have any way to prove that. I'm supposed to take it at face value. It's like any form of privacy I had before is gone. I know he can't actually do anything with that information, that the only ones who have to actually worry about secrets being spread are the rest of you, but I have to live with him in my head as a constant reminder. And I know that he drains my aura, and only I hear him, and he must be my semblance, because what else could he be? But hearing him, having conversations with him… it doesn't feel like he is. If it weren't for the fact that he knows all of the secret stuff and that he's, you know, in my head and all that, I would think that he was some other average person. A jerk, but still just a person."

Ren waited for a moment, wondering if Jaune's rambling and ranting would continue on before responding. "I'm afraid that I don't have much experience dealing with disembodied voices in my head, so my advice might be a bit lacking in this area, but I'll give it my best shot. I think… if Second Thoughts feels like a person to you, then maybe you should treat him like a person."

"What does that even mean?"

"I mean that you should treat him like you would anyone else. Or maybe… I suppose since you're stuck with him no matter how well you get along, you should try to treat him like a partner. Maybe not quite like Pyrrha, but you could take inspiration from other teams. It seemed like Ruby and Weiss got off to a rocky start as well, but they're… well, I won't say that all of their issues are resolved, but even in the short time that we have been at Beacon, their relationship has improved. Fight, argue, set boundaries, and make your intentions clear. Just because he can hear your thoughts doesn't mean he has the same understanding that you do. You certainly don't seem to understand him completely, and the connection works both ways. Perhaps he doesn't realize just how much everything is bothering you."

"But what am I meant to do if he's just that much of an asshole?"

"Jaune, I have no idea. I'm trying my best here, but like I said before, I have no experience in this."

"Ah. Right… sorry."

"It's fine. I'm used to trying to figure out strange situations with Nora around, even if most of hers are less grounded in reality."

"I appreciate it, Ren. There was… one other thing though."

"Hopefully I can give you a more solid answer for this one then."

"You see- the other day- Second told me- ugh." Jaune stumbled over his words. "I was given some advice by my father. Since coming to Beacon I've tried to put it to use, but… Second seems to think that it's not really working."

"I can't really comment on whether or not it's working if I don't know what the advice is or how you're testing it."

"...should I… give up on Weiss?"

There was a pause in the conversation.

"How exactly do your attempts to… what does that have to do with your previous question?"

Jaune threw his head back dramatically, running his hand down his face. "He was totally right wasn't he?"

"Second Thoughts or your father?"

"Dad told me that 'all you need is confidence' and he's a huntsman with a wife and too many kids to keep track of, so I thought that he must know what he's talking about. So I've been… well, you've seen… but Weiss still hasn't… I thought it was like a hard-to-get type of thing! As long as I was confident it would work out, but it hasn't yet, and Second told me that I should give up on Weiss. That if I continue things will only get worse between us, and there could be a rift between our teams, and I don't want to lose Ruby as a friend and I know the rest of you don't really talk as much between teams even if we eat our meals together but-"

"Breath, Jaune."

Jaune stopped, and after a moment Ren continued. "So. You are… interested… in Weiss. Second told you to give up. And now you want my opinion on whether or not Second is right. Do I have that all correct?"

Jaune nodded, and Ren looked like he had just bitten into a lemon. "Jaune, I am going to politely ask that you do not involve me in that."

"I think your reaction tells me enough. Why don't we just… pretend the conversation ended before I brought it up?"

"I think that sounds delightful. Besides, I believe our 'guy time' has come to an end."

"What do you mea-"

His unfinished question was answered by the ginger of team JNPR tackling her partner from behind, sending them both sprawling to the ground. "Renny! I missed you! Did you miss me?"

Textbooks in hand, Jaune was on his way to class, walking alone in the halls. It had been a day since his conversation with Ren, and Second had still yet to say a word. At first, the peace and quiet was nice, but at this point it was starting to worry Jaune. "Uh, Second? Look, I realize that the whole… you definitely heard what I said to Ren and-"

It's fine. I get it Jaune. I'm… a bit of a prick. I've been frustrated with being stuck in your head and it's just sort of… what comes naturally to me. Ren was right. I didn't realize how much it was bothering you. I'm used to… well, look, I guess what I'm trying to say is that I'll try to tone it down, but don't go expecting any sort of massive change right away.

"That's…that's great? Wow, I was kind of expecting a big argument or something, not for you to just…"

I can admit my faults. Plus, arguing with a kid just seems kind of childish…

"A kid? I'm not a five year old Second, I can handle it."

You're still a youngin' on your way to class. That's a kid in my eyes.

"So just because I'm-"

"Talking to yourself again? The first time I heard it, I thought it was funny. But now? This is just sad. They should really send you on the first bullhead back to whatever backwater you came from." Their conversation was interrupted by a lone member of another team walking in the opposite direction.

Which one was this again? I don't remember what name goes to which face… eh. Either way, this guy's chump, tell him to get bent.

"Haha…" Jaune awkwardly chuckled. "Cardin, right? I uh, it's just my semblance is all, I'm not talking to myself."

That's not you telling him to get bent.

"It's pretty awful that the staff seem to be playing into your delusions. It's almost like they want to send someone who's lost it to fight the grimm and never come back… oh well. Not like your team would be missing much anyway."

"That's…" Jaune didn't know how to respond to that.

Kick his teeth in! Are you seriously about to let this jackass talk to you like that?

When the two huntsmen in training were a foot apart, Cardin knocked the books from his hand, laughing as he went on his way. Jaune only sighed as he knelt down to pick them up.

Did- did you just get bullied? And you let the bastard do it? What was the point of me setting up your training to start early if you're still just gonna sit here and take it!

"Bullying? Haha, that wasn't bullying, he was just… um…"

One of you is going to regret this interaction, Jaune, and it better be him.

Jaune could only hope that Second was right.