19

Chapter 19:

"Well...what do you think?" asked Weiss as she gently ushered Ruby out of the changing room.

Ruby shuffled uncomfortably, rubbing her now-bare arms. She was unused to wearing clothing that felt so...revealing, even if Weiss assured her it was perfectly modest by most modern standards.

"You look great, Ruby," said Jaune with quite a bit of enthusiasm. "That really looks good on you."

"I agree," said Pyrrha, beaming.

Ruby's new clothes were surprisingly simple. Jaune and Pyrrha had half-expected Weiss to force her into some kind of dress, perhaps similar in style to the one Weiss herself was wearing. However, Weiss had instead decked Ruby out in a slightly low-cut, black halter top that left her arms, shoulders, and a significant portion of her back, bare. It was low-cut enough that the straps around the neck merged with the top just a little bit below the beginning of the swell of Ruby's modest bust. The top was also cropped so that it showcased a portion of Ruby's tightly-toned stomach.

Below her top was a pleated, rose-red miniskirt that extended about halfway down her thighs, with a broad, brown belt wrapped around her waist. The belt wasn't necessary to hold up the skirt, but Weiss had added it as an accessory to hold Ruby's sword, including a loop at the back for just that purpose, something that Ruby found to be quite considerate of Weiss. Below the skirt, she wore her usual black stockings and sandals.

She blushed at the praise Jaune and Pyrrha gave her, feeling a bit unnerved at all the attention she was suddenly receiving for her looks.

Pyrrha's eyes narrowed slightly as she saw the slender, yet well-defined muscles along Ruby's arms, realizing that her back was probably just as toned as her stomach and legs. Now she understood why Jaune had said that Ruby was heavier than Weiss. It seemed that, beneath the relatively loose-fitting battle clothes she normally wore, Ruby's body consisted mostly of solid, muscle. With that kind of musculature, it was no wonder she weighed more than one might assume at first glance.

"Are you sure I can't wear my cloak with this?" asked Ruby nervously, glancing at Weiss.

"Of course not," said Weiss. "The entire point of this ensemble is to highlight the contrast of the lines of your form by juxtaposing exposed skin with what's covered to show your figure to your advantage. I didn't prepare this dress so that you could just cover it back over."

"Oh..." grumbled Ruby, looking down.

"Just trust me, you look much better without it in this outfit," said Weiss. "It certainly complements your regular battle outfit, but it's too much extra in this case. Less is more here."

"I'll...take your word for it," said Ruby nervously, rubbing her bare upper arms. "I feel kinda drafty."

"You'll get used to it," said Weiss. "The weather in Vale is very mild this time of year, so you don't have to worry about getting cold. Now, in Atlas, a look like this would be impossible most of the year, unless you consider hypothermia an accessory."

"Good thing we're not in Atlas then," said Pyrrha cheerfully.

"Yes," agreed Weiss. "Anything to add about her figure, Arc?" she asked, raising an eyebrow Jaune's way.

"Why did you have to phrase it like that?" moaned Jaune, rubbing his face. "And, no, I have nothing to add."

"Really, no comment at all?" asked Weiss.

Jaune looked up at her with a deadpan gaze. "Weiss, I have seven sisters. I've recently learned I'm hopeless at sweet talk, but I do have enough experience with girls to recognize a loaded question when I hear one."

"Well...at least you appear to have some self-preservation instinct," mused Weiss.

"Other than the fact that you know your business, and Ruby looks really pretty like that, I have nothing to add," said Jaune firmly.

Ruby's cheeks turned bright-red and she averted her eyes. She'd heard boys call her pretty before, but Jaune's sincerity was something that made her feel genuinely self-conscious.

"Well, I'll call this endeavor a success then," said Weiss with evident satisfaction.

Weiss proudly settled the bill with the cashier. Ruby was grateful for Weiss' choice of store, which was sufficiently high-end that it was the kind of store that didn't feel the need to place tags on its garments. Even more impressively, it was an establishment meant to cater to Huntsmen and Huntresses, hence why they had a selection of different accessories to allow different weapons to be carried, depending on the wearer's preferences. The belt Weiss had selected for Ruby was a rear-holster type that suited Ruby's needs to a tee.

"You know, that really does look good on you," commented Jaune as he and Ruby followed along behind Weiss and Pyrrha.

Ruby blushed. "Jaune...remember what I told you, when we met?" she asked.

"You mean about me not trying to act like a ladies man?" asked Jaune.

"I told you you were trying too hard," said Ruby, drawing a nod from her partner. "I also told you being 'nice' suits you better." Jaune nodded again and Ruby's face crimsoned a considerable degree. "This is what I was talking about."

Jaune blinked, his eyes going wide as he gaped at Ruby. "Oh God! I'm sorry, Ruby. I wasn't trying to flirt, honest-!"

"I know," said Ruby, cutting him off. "That's why it works so much better."

"Oh..." said Jaune, blinking furiously. His own cheeks began to heat up. "Uh...Sorry...?" He wasn't sure if he owed her an apology...or if she actually wanted one.

Ruby giggled shyly. "You're not doing anything wrong," she said. "I'm just not used to people complimenting my looks like that."

"Really?" That surprised Jaune. "But I've always thought you looked cute. I'm surprised no one else has said anything."

Ruby blushed even harder. "Stop that..." she grumbled, averting her eyes.

"Sorry," said Jaune, blushing himself.

"A-anyway...where do you think we should go next?" asked Ruby, casting her eyes around.

"Not sure," admitted Jaune. "Weiss seems to be all for a full-on girls'-day-out-shopping-extravaganza sort of thing." He tilted his head towards Weiss, who was gesturing excitedly at a nearby storefront, holding a slightly reluctant Pyrrha by the arm.

"Yeah...not my scene," said Ruby ruefully.

"And if we let her...I'm gonna get roped into carrying everything, I can tell," said Jaune, earning a surprised look from Ruby. "Seven sisters, remember?"

"Oh...yeah..." Ruby blinked and then giggled. "I guess you've been through this sort of thing before."

"Being the only boy around seven girls means that they tend to consider you their personal pack-mule, yeah," said Jaune with a chuckle. "Let's see if we can find a safer alternative."

Casting his eyes around, Jaune found himself grinning as he spotted a familiar sight. "Fortunately, I have just the thing."

"Huh?" Ruby looked on in confusion as Jaune led her over to where Weiss and Pyrrha were, where Jaune also took Pyrrha by the arm.

"Let's go this way," said Jaune, gently guiding Ruby and Pyrrha, thus forcing Weiss to come along by proxy.

"Wait! Where do you think you're dragging us, Arc?" demanded Weiss, following along behind the three of them. "And since when do you get to say where we go?"

"Right here," said Jaune, ignoring Weiss' second question, grinning up at the flashing lights and cacophony of sounds and tones issuing from within the storefront. "Welcome to the Arcade, ladies!"

"Ooh!" cooed Ruby, captivated by the sounds and light, along with the sight of machines and games she barely even remembered. Patch had had a small arcade that she and Yang had used to go to, before their falling out. But Ruby hadn't been anywhere like this in years.

"Oh! This looks grand!" said Pyrrha, her eyes wide.

"This looks utterly pedestrian," muttered Weiss petulantly, annoyed at being cheated out of her shopping excursion. However, she could see, from the excitement Ruby and Pyrrha had on display, that she wasn't going to get out of this. Slumping, she resigned herself to her fate.

The arcade proved to be the classic sort of place, with old-fashioned video games. There were also an assortment of other classic games and activities, from skee-ball to air-hockey. Many of them paid out tickets for earning points, which could be exchanged for prizes, like cheap plastic toys or large stuffed animals, at a counter near the entrance.

Ruby and Pyrrha were practically bursting with excitement, dashing from one game to another, trying their skills and luck. The coordination their training as Huntresses afforded them stood them in good stead with many of the games. Jaune also showed them how to play numerous video games, drawing upon his experience visiting the arcade in his hometown with his sisters. By the time their stomachs were starting to rumble, even Weiss was having fun, though she was loathe to admit it.

"I'm guessing you always wanted to go to a place like this," she noted, glancing at Pyrrha.

Pyrrha giggled lightly. "I have," she said. "But, of course, this isn't the sort of place Pyrrha Nikos is supposed to be at. It's beneath her." She sighed. "I always wondered why it was supposed be beneath me to have fun and enjoy myself."

"I don't know," admitted Weiss. "I've never been to one of these either. Father always said it was beneath me too."

"But it's not bad, having fun," noted Pyrrha. "You're enjoying yourself, Weiss."

"Yeah...I am," Weiss admitted reluctantly. "I suppose Arc does know a thing or two about this sort of thing."

Her admission made Pyrrha giggle, which, naturally, made Weiss blush furiously. "It's not that funny!" she protested.

"I know," said Pyrrha, still chortling as she headed to the next game with a protesting Weiss on her heels.

By the time they finished with the arcade, Jaune and the girls had racked up an impressive number of tickets. Cashing them in at the counter, Ruby found herself excitedly hugging an enormous stuffed Ursa that was far less intimidating than the real thing, particularly when she cuddled it to her chest. Pyrrha settled on a small, but well-made Beowolf plushie. Weiss, discreetly, settled on a small stuffed dog.

"Looks like everyone had fun," said Jaune, eyeing Weiss with an amused smirk.

"Sh-shut up!" protested Weiss, discreetly putting her prize away, unable to respond with too much hostility. Rather than get something for himself, Jaune had shared out his own tickets between the three of them to ensure they had enough for what they wanted.

They had worked up an appetite in the arcade. However, it was a little too late for lunch, yet a little too early for dinner as well. Weiss had made plans for them to eat in a nice restaurant in the evening. Wandering into a park, they spied an ice cream stand and, soon, everyone had a cone of frozen, creamy deliciousness in hand.

Pyrrha and Weiss walked as they ate, but Jaune and Ruby opted to settle on a bench and relax a little.

"Having fun so far?" asked Jaune, flashing Ruby a smile.

"Yeah, a lot," said Ruby with a happy giggle. "If this is going to be our schedule for the rest of the year, I could get used to this."

"Well, I'm sure we won't be able to get to Vale like this every Sunday," said Jaune.

"Yeah," agreed Ruby with a sigh. "I know we'll get some work-intensive projects later on in the semester. So we'll wind up losing part of our Sundays too."

"It won't be too bad," said Jaune, licking up some of the last of his ice cream and beginning to munch his way down into the cone.

Ruby nodded. "It helps that you're working really hard. I'm glad you're giving it your all. You definitely earned the day off today."

"Thanks," said Jaune.

Ruby finished off her own ice cream cone and yawned, stretching her arms up.

"Tired?" asked Jaune.

"A little," said Ruby, blinking sleepily. "Having Weiss put me through all those outfits earlier really wore me out. The arcade was fun, but..."

"But that wears you down too," said Jaune with a chuckle. Pulling out his scroll, he checked the time. "You know, we have a while until dinner. You can nap a little if you want."

"Here?" asked Ruby, looking around nervously.

"Yeah," said Jaune, scooting a little bit away from her. "Here, lay down."

Ruby did as she was bid, laying down, resting her head across Jaune's thighs. She felt his fingers begin to gently comb through her hair, the slight pulling sensation and the feeling of his touch across her scalp surprisingly soothing. Sasame and Kyo had done much the same for her on their travels together as well.

"That feels nice," said Ruby, relaxing and letting her eyes drift closed.

"Good," said Jaune. "Just relax. We'll wake you up in a little while."

Ruby nodded against his legs and allowed herself to drift off. Jaune remained where he was, gently brushing his fingers through her hair as she slept.

A little bit later, Weiss and Pyrrha returned from their wanderings. When they saw Jaune and Ruby, their eyes widened.

"What do you think you're-?" Weiss began to ask, before she was stopped by Jaune shushing her with an unusually stern look and lifting a finger to his lips.

"Let her rest awhile," he said. "She's worn out."

"But-" Weiss began to protest.

"No, it's not indecent," Jaune said, preempting her. "Honestly, I worry about where your mind goes sometimes."

Weiss growled, her cheeks flushing, even as Pyrrha giggled, looking down at the sleeping Ruby. "She looks happy, Weiss. Let's leave her be for a while."

Weiss huffed, then sighed and slumped down on another bench nearby. Pyrrha sat next to Jaune, looking down at Ruby, who cuddled both her sword and her stuffed Ursa as she slept. "Looking at her like this, you'd never think she was so formidable."

"True," agreed Jaune, brushing a few strands of hair away from her face.

"I'm a little bit jealous though," said Pyrrha, looking enviously down at how comfortable Ruby seemed.

"Well...I don't think there's enough room on the bench for both of you," said Jaune with a chuckle. "Otherwise, I'd offer to let you take a nap too."

"You're too nice for your own good sometimes," said Pyrrha with a giggle.

"I think I owe you plenty for all you've done for me," said Jaune.

After a little bit, Pyrrha returned to Weiss and led her off to do something else, while Jaune saw to Ruby. Considering that there was nothing to do, save continue to gently brush Ruby's hair with his fingers, Jaune thought he might get bored after a while. However, he found he was the furthest thing from, marveling at the pretty girl asleep, with her head on his lap, thinking about how formidable she could be when she was awake. Considering how skilled and dangerous she was, Jaune was amazed she trusted him to look after her while she slept.

The afternoon had waned when Weiss and Pyrrha returned, their arrival enough notice for Jaune to realize it was almost time for dinner. Resting a hand on Ruby's shoulder, he began to gently shake her. "Hey, Ruby," he said softly, "time to get up."

"Hmm?" Ruby stirred, then blinked. Sitting up, she yawned and stretched. When she looked around, she realized how much of the day had gone by while she was asleep. "Oh my God!" she exclaimed. "I didn't mean to sleep so long. I'm sorry, Jaune."

"It's okay," said Jaune. "You looked so comfortable, I didn't want to wake you. I only did 'cause it's time for dinner."

"But you've been stuck here the whole time," protested Ruby.

Jaune grinned. "You know what, I don't mind at all."

Ruby blushed, even as Pyrrha giggled and Weiss huffed impatiently.

"Well, I had hoped that we would get a little more in for our one day off this week, but I suppose I can't protest," said Weiss. "Anyway, we need to get to the restaurant. The reservation I made is in fifteen more minutes."

Following Weiss' lead, they made their way down the streets and to the restaurant. Jaune, Pyrrha, and Ruby were surprised by how casual the place was.

"I gotta say, I half expected you to bring us to some kind of upscale joint," noted Jaune.

"Please, I would have been the laughingstock of Vale," scoffed Weiss, "considering the way you're dressed. I went through the trouble of getting stylish, but casual clothes for Ruby. I wasn't about to buy her a formal outfit too."

"Good, seeing as I don't think I would have felt comfortable with someplace too formal," noted Pyrrha.

"This restaurant is supposed to be well known for the quality of its food," said Weiss simply. "It also received high marks for its service."

"Well, at least your priorities are straight, when it comes to finding a place to eat," teased Ruby.

"Hey!" protested Weiss, blushing.

Despite that, Weiss led them into the restaurant.

"That was sooooo good!" exclaimed Ruby, rubbing her stomach.

"That was a grand meal," agreed Pyrrha. "Thank you for treating us, Weiss."

"You're welcome," said Weiss, feeling vindicated by everyone's reaction to her choice in food. Part of her was just glad that everyone had enjoyed themselves. I wonder if this is what it means to really have friends.

The sun was setting and now they were making their way back to the docks to catch an airship to Beacon. The one downside to making Sunday their day off was that they couldn't afford to stay up too late, with Monday and their next day of classes just around the corner. Still, the day had been plenty enjoyable for them, and a well-received break in their training and studies.

"And, somehow, I knew I was gonna be stuck with this job," grumbled Jaune with a small amount of amusement in his tone as he hefted the bags that carried the tangible results of their day out: the stuffed animals that he and the girls had won in the arcade, the bag containing Ruby's regular clothes, after she'd changed into the outfit Weiss had picked out for her, and a few other souvenirs (mostly picked up by Weiss).

"That's not complaining I hear?" asked Weiss, smirking over her shoulder at him.

"No, Ma'am," Jaune replied with a smirk of his own. "Just commenting on the state of affairs. I've dealt with worse."

"Seven sisters," Ruby stage-whispered to Pyrrha, earning a giggle.

"Looks like you had a lot of fun," noted Jaune as he moved to walk next to Pyrrha. All things considered, she looked as though she was on Cloud 9.

"Well...I've always wanted to be able to do this sort of thing," said Pyrrha. "Back in Mistral, it wasn't as though I had friends that I could just 'hang out' and have fun with." She sighed and looked down. "And, of course, it was hard for me to go out anywhere in public without being mobbed by the paparazzi."

"I understand that feeling," said Weiss with a sigh. She had come from similar circumstances, of course. Those who might have wanted to go out with her, generally wanted to do so for the sake of her money, and what she might be able to get for them, or the places she could get them into with the judicious application of the Schnee name. Likewise, as the heiress to the Schnee Dust Company, her movements in the public sphere were of intense interest to the press, who would have mobbed her at every turn over even the most mundane excursions, were it not for the small army of security personnel her father maintained to ensure their privacy.

Of course, that privilege came with its downsides. In Atlas, Weiss would have never been able to just walk into an arcade, the way she had today, even considering how most of the rest of her family would have scoffed at such a banal venue. First, her family's bodyguards would have gone in and forced everyone else out, probably via the application of a generous bribe to the owner. Then they would have swept the place from top to bottom for threats and illicit devices. Finally, Weiss would have been free to enjoy the arcade's amenities...in almost complete solitude.

Though it was hard for her to admit it out loud, today had been one of the best days Weiss had ever experienced, right up there with the day she'd received Myrtenaster.

Reaching the docks, they quickly boarded the next airship to Beacon, finding that they weren't the only returning students on board. Strangely, Ruby felt several eyes on her, not just Pyrrha or Weiss, but specifically on her. The emotions directed her way were an unusual blend, a few looks appreciative, seeming to like her new appearance. However, there were other emotions mixed in that she couldn't quite identify. All she really knew was that these particular emotions and intentions made her skin crawl.

"You okay, Ruby?" asked Jaune, noticing her discomfort.

"It's...it's nothing," said Ruby, after a moment's uncertainty.

"I think Ruby's new look is turning a few heads," Pyrrha noted, discreetly glancing around.

"As well it should," said Weiss with a haughty tone.

"Yes, except not all the looks she's getting are the nice kind," said Pyrrha, wrapping a protective arm around Ruby's shoulders.

"Yeah...some of them feel strange...and wrong," said Ruby.

Pyrrha sighed. "I've gotten those looks too," she said. "Don't let it get to you."

Ruby nodded nervously and her friends guided her to a group seats where they were mostly out of the way and not too many people could shift to watch them. Ruby found herself huddling up against Jaune, feeling at least slightly comforted by his presence. For his part, Jaune let her lean against him without protest.

They arrived without incident and made their way back to their dorm room. Once there, they began to go through the process of getting ready for bed. Then Jaune noticed his weapon.

"Whoops!" he said, picking up his sheathed sword. "I forgot to take this back to the lockers when we got back this morning."

"You can just leave it here tonight," said Ruby, already hanging her own weapon on its appointed place.

"Nah, it's best if I take it back," said Jaune. "I'll just make a quick run to the locker room."

Ruby frowned, a nervous feeling rising in her gut as Jaune headed out the door.

"Is everything okay?" Pyrrha asked, noticing Ruby's unease.

"I hope so," said Ruby.

Jaune reached the locker room without incident. Tapping his code into the holographic panel, he stood back as the door sprang open, then deposited his sheathed sword. As he did, a group of shadows fell over him.

Turning around, Jaune felt his stomach churn as he was greeted by the sight of the entirety of Team CRDL gathering around him. Cardin loomed over him, grinning menacingly, supported by Russel and Sky on each flank, while Dove stood slightly back with a taciturn expression.

"Uh...H-hey, guys," said Jaune, shrinking back a bit, only to bump into his still-open locker.

"Hey there, Jauney-boy. Have fun in town?" asked Cardin.

"Um...Yeah," said Jaune.

"I'll bet you did," said Russel. "Some guys have all the luck, you know."

"What are you talking about?" asked Jaune.

"Spending the day with three cute chicks, obviously," said Sky. "I mean, seriously, you could spread the wealth man."

"I don't understand what you're talking about," said Jaune, frowning. Despite his words, he actually did have an inkling at what the other boys were getting at.

"We're thinking that you're getting a little too full of yourself, Jauney-boy," said Cardin, resting a firm hand on Jaune's shoulder. Jaune tried to shrug it off, but found Cardin's hand impossible to budge. "A wuss like you doesn't deserve to be in the company of such lovely ladies." His grin widened. "Especially that Ruby Rose. I saw her new look, when you all got back. Who knew that that cloak was hiding such a hottie."

"Don't talk about her like that," growled Jaune.

"Aww, what's the matter, Jauney-boy?" teased Cardin. "Got the hots for the little Rose? I wouldn't mind plucking a few of her petals myself, if you know what I mean."

"You keep your hands off her," growled Jaune.

Cardin's hand lifted from Jaune's shoulder, only to sweep across in front of his face, then come flying back along the same course in a backhanded slap that smacked Jaune against the door of his locker. "Don't tell me what to do, wuss," snarled Cardin, now surging forward and grabbing handfuls of Jaune's shirt, lifting him up and bringing their faces to within inches of each other. "You think you're hot stuff 'cause you lucked out in your first sparring match, and managed to win on a stupid technicality?"

"No, I didn't luck out," Jaune growled back, managing to hold onto a few small shreds of his confidence.

"Oh, so what got you the win then, huh?" asked Cardin, baring his teeth in angry scowl. "Do share with the class, Jauney-boy."

"Like my teammate said, I won because I have a lot of Aura," said Jaune, before finding it in himself to grin, "and because you're an idiot who was stupid enough to blow himself up with his own attack."

Cardin released Jaune's shirt with one hand, drawing it back and punching Jaune across the face. "Think you're funny, huh?" he growled, shaking Jaune like a rag-doll. Jaune, already stunned by the punch, found his head snapping back and forth, throwing his coordination further into disarray. He threw Jaune back, bouncing him off the back of his own locker and sending him falling to his knees in front of them. "It looks to me like we should teach the wimp a lesson."

"Sounds good to me," said Russel, grinning and cracking his knuckles.

"I could stand to blow off some steam myself," added Sky, tilting his head one way, then the other, eliciting popping sounds from his neck.

"This is stupid," grumbled Dove, who remained where he was, his arms folded stubbornly.

"So...how badly should we kick his ass?" asked Russel, looking to Cardin, the three boys ignoring Dove for the time being.

"Actually..." Cardin's malicious smirk returned and Jaune felt his trepidation multiply. "...a beating is so cliche, don't you guys think?"

"Uh...yeah...sure," said Sky uncertainly. "So...then what?"

Jaune staggered to his feet, only for Cardin to wrap a meaty hand around his neck and use the grip to shove him into the back of the locker. "I'm thinking that Jauney-boy here needs some supplementary lessons. Aaaand...to do that, I think we should send him on a little field trip."

"Field trip?" Russel blinked, then his eyes widened. "Oooooh!"

"Yeah," said Sky, his grin widening. "I like the sound of that."

What do they mean? wondered Jaune. Then it clicked as he remembered the lecture Glynda had given them all the day they were permanently assigned lockers...namely that the lockers were equipped with rocket boosters that could allow them to be summoned for emergencies. "Cardin! Don't-!" he began to croak.

He didn't get to finish as Cardin shoved him fully back into the locker, Jaune's own sword digging painfully against his back. With a swift movement, Cardin slammed the door shut.

"CARDIN!" Jaune shouted, pounding on the door. "Don't do it! Please!"

All he heard was laughter from outside and the sound of the holographic keys of the locker's control panel being tapped in succession.

"Have a nice trip, Jauney!" Cardin said as a whining noise filled the air, making the locker's interior vibrate. "Send us a postcard when you get there!"

"CARDIN!" Jaune shouted again as the vibrations intensified. Then the locker lurched, the sudden movement knocking him off balance and banging him painfully against the cramped walls, his stomach sinking down into the bottom of his abdomen as his body was suddenly pressed down from above by an invisible force. The locker shuddered and Jaune caught the faint sound of breaking glass as it crashed through the skylight, shooting up and away to God Knows Where.

Dove frowned, his eyes tracing the trail of exhaust left by the rocket as it rose up, arcing in the air. "Where's he going?"

"Don't know, don't really care," said Cardin dismissively, turning away from where Jaune's locker had once stood. "I just popped in some random digits. If he's lucky, he won't come down someplace where there's too many Grimm."

Dove frowned darkly. "You realize that, if you get him killed, we could be expelled for this."

"Relax," said Cardin with a laugh, slapping Dove across the shoulders, making the shorter boy's body lurch with the impact, "you need to enter an override or call it to you with your scroll to get it to go off school grounds. He won't wind up anywhere too dangerous."

He'd better not, thought Dove, falling behind the rest of his teammates as they joked and laughed their way down the hall, heading back to their room after an evening well spent. He'd thought that these antics were immature at first. But now they were getting dangerous.

"Jaune's taking a while," said Ruby nervously. "It shouldn't take this long to just drop off his weapon at his locker."

"Oh stop being such a worrywart," said Weiss tartly, already reclined on her bed, a textbook resting across her knees as she read ahead in preparation for their next class. "He probably got distracted by something or is just taking his time. As long as he gets back before curfew, it'll be fine."

"What if he doesn't?" said Ruby, shifting uneasily.

"Then he gets slapped with detention by Professor Goodwitch," answered Weiss dismissively. "Given how much time and effort he needs to put in to get better, he really can't afford to be, and I will be most upset with him if he does."

"Jaune wouldn't do that," said Pyrrha with firm conviction.

"Not willingly," said Ruby, looking down.

"What do you mean?" asked Weiss, finally looking up from her book.

"I could just tell that Cardin and his team have had it out for Jaune ever since that sparring match," said Ruby. "I wasn't sure why I felt so worried when Jaune went to put his weapon away. But now I remember that Cardinal have been watching us."

"Why?" asked Weiss.

"Because they're bullies," growled Ruby. "And bullies don't like to play fair."

"So, if they're targeting Jaune, then they're waiting for a moment when he's by himself," said Pyrrha, realizing what Ruby was getting at.

"Yeah...so if they wanted to go after Jaune, then now would be the time," said Ruby, getting up.

"Don't you think you're reading too much into this?" asked Weiss.

"I hope I am," said Ruby, getting up and heading to the closet. "But I'd rather be safe than sorry."

"Where are you going?" asked Pyrrha.

Ruby pulled out her combat outfit, which she'd hung up after returning to the room. "I'm gonna go trace the way Jaune would take to the locker room. If I'm lucky, I'll run into him on his way back. If not..." She shrugged. "I'll just try to look for him from there." She stepped into the bathroom to change into her outfit.

"I'll go with you," said Pyrrha, getting up.

"Don't!" Ruby shouted from the bathroom. "If it takes until past curfew to find Jaune, it'll be just the two of us getting detention. I don't want to drag you in with me."

Weiss huffed and got to her feet. "You dolt," she admonished, glaring at the door.

"What?" asked Ruby, opening the door and stepping out in her combat attire, complete with her cloak and hood.

"We're a team," said Weiss firmly. "So, if that blonde lummox is missing, then we'll find him as one...and take the consequences together."

"Weiss..." said Ruby, her eyes going wide with surprise.

"Step aside," said Weiss curtly, pushing Ruby out of the way as she entered the bathroom with her own battle-dress and shutting the door behind her. Pyrrha was already getting her own armor and attire out of the closet.

"Thank you," breathed Ruby, watching as her teammates got ready to help her find her partner.

"If anything, it's Jaune who should be thanking us for going out of our way to help him," growled Weiss, quickly stepping out of the bathroom, demonstrating how amazingly quickly she could get suited up for battle. "He'd better actually be in trouble, or I'm going to tan his hide."

Pyrrha rushed into the bathroom in Weiss' wake. As she changed into her own combat attire, Pyrrha reflected on something strange that had occurred to her, something she'd almost failed to notice amidst all the worry and uncertainty of Jaune's situation. I didn't see Ruby's cloak when she took her combat outfit out of the closet...so where did it come from?

Jaune yelped and shouted in pain as he was thrown about the locker, the vibrations tossing him haphazardly from one wall to the other. It hadn't been built to be used by people. There was no padding on the the walls, so Jaune was well and thoroughly battered as the rocket's path through the sky peaked, then began to turn downwards.

Oh God! thought Jaune, bile rising in his throat as the descent began. Of course, since the locker was essentially built like a large rocket, he was now falling head-first, which was not doing his equilibrium any good, forcing him to fight to keep the remnants of his dinner inside him. Realizing what was coming, Jaune desperately wedged his arms against the walls over his head, pressing outwards and upwards (technically downwards, in this orientation) with all his might.

Sadly, his strength wasn't quite enough and, when the locker landed, the impact was enough to send Jaune's head careening off the metal wall with enough force to make his vision swim and his ears ring. His neck seized up painfully and, for a second, Jaune was worried that it had been broken.

Then, with a hiss, the locker's door swung open, spilling Jaune out onto the ground, his sword and sheath tumbling out as well. Jaune landed, sprawling on mercifully soft grass. At least his landing point hadn't been anywhere overly hard.

A groan forced its way out from between Jaune's lips. He coughed, then began to force himself up. As he did, his abused stomach had apparently had enough and Jaune could feel the inevitable pressure building from within, rising up his throat. Getting up onto his hands and knees, Jaune lurched, stumbling slightly forward, reflexively looking for a discreet place to throw up, even though there was probably no one around him at the moment anyway.

So, it was that he was almost immediately met with the sight of a looming abyss directly in front of him, appearing so suddenly that Jaune had nearly pitched over, headfirst, into it, before he'd even realized it was there.

"What the-?" Jaune began before his cheeks bulged. The next thing he knew, the contents of his stomach were sent spilling into the darkness below. Jaune continued until practically nothing remained in his stomach, his body still shuddering with intermittent dry heaves as he struggled tor regain some semblance of control over himself again.

Finally, he recovered to the point where he could begin to get his bearings. Looking around, he realized that he was resting on a grassy cliff. Looking down below, he could see the faint shadows of a forest canopy. Did I end up right on the cliff over the Emerald Forest? he wondered for a moment. Damn! That was close! Just another foot or so and the locker would have spat him out into empty space and a long fall...followed by a very abrupt stop.

Turning to look over his shoulder, Jaune looked past the figure of his locker, which jutted out of the ground, like his own premature gravestone, to see the skyline of the Academy. Oookay...not too bad then. I'll just get up, grab my weapons and head back. Professor Goodwitch is gonna give me hell for this for sure.

Grunting, Jaune got his legs under him. Reaching out, he grabbed his weapon off the ground. Then he began to stand...only to lurch and lose his balance a little, as the ground beneath him jolted, accompanied by the sound of crumbling earth. "Oh no!" Jaune muttered, looking around frantically. It was then that he saw the cracks.

They were hard to spot in the darkness of night, being so far from the campus lights. But now he could see cracks extending from where his locker had hit the ground, reaching out towards the edge fo the cliff. Oh...this is so not fair.

Jaune swallowed and shifted again...before feeling the ground beneath him shift in turn. His own movements were now destabilizing the very cliff beneath his feet, each shift of his weight breaking it more and more free. He was struck with indecision. Did he make the jump for it and hope that he could reach stable ground before the cliff gave way? Or did he hold still and wait for help.

What would Ruby do? That was a stupid question, now that he thought about it. Of course Ruby would move. Even if she couldn't get off before the ground gave way, she could easily kick off the ground, even as it was falling, to launch herself clear. In fact, he'd seen that she could, to a limited extent, kick off the air itself to change direction.

Wait a second...doesn't she say she uses her Aura to do that? wondered Jaune, his eyes going wide. That was right, Ruby said she projected her Aura out through her feet to accelerate herself. What if I do the same?

Of course, that brought up the question of how. Ruby had explained Projection to him, but he was still working on Temper, and hadn't even started on Suppression yet. But there were hints there, if he cared to think about them. Ruby Projected her Aura out through her feet. So that must mean there was a way to shift her Aura to her feet and out.

Closing his eyes, Jaune focused on his Temper, surprised that it had held throughout the buffeting he'd received within the locker. Already, he could feel the physical aches of his battering fading. Even the pain in his head was clearing. He could feel his Aura surrounding him, almost like a shell. However, that shell was not solid. It felt almost like a fluid...like a liquid. And liquid flows. What if I could make it flow down my legs and into my feet?

Jaune tried doing just that. He was surprised by how easy it felt. Days spent practicing the one trick Ruby had taught him, keeping his Aura circulating around his body itself, rather than just streaming away, had essentially given him the sense for directing it. Now that he willed it to, the Aura began to stream into his feet. As it built up, Jaune was surprised to sense that the Temper around his body remained as strong as ever. More Aura was coming from within to fill what he was drawing away.

Ruby did say I have a lot of Aura, he thought wryly, to say nothing of the constant reminders of it. He channeled more into his feet, feeling it build up, almost like a balloon about to pop.

Remembering what happened to a balloon that popped, Jaune couldn't keep himself from smiling and chuckling, even as the weakened ground slipped beneath him again, though he hadn't moved. It seemed that waiting wasn't an option. The cliff was about to fall, regardless of what he did. He had to get out of here now.

So let's pop those balloons, thought Jaune determinedly. The thing was, he knew he could control which way the balloons popped so that the release of Aura would propel him away. Now he just had to do it at the same time he kicked off and hoped that it worked the way he thought it would.

"Here goes..." grunted Jaune.

He tensed his legs, then pushed downwards with all his might. At the same instant, he allowed the Aura he'd been building in his feet to explode out directly below them. The sharp, sudden motion was too much for the ground, which began to slide away with a rumble, breaking even further as the force of Jaune's Aura blasted into it. However, it was enough for Jaune, as it worked beyond his wildest hopes and expectations.

Abruptly, Jaune was affected by the sensation of flight as he was launched off the ground again, this time without the aid of a catapult or rocket locker. The wind slapped at his face as Jaune found himself flying in a shallow arc that carried him away from the collapsing cliff and onto solid ground, his momentum too much for him to land easily. As a result, he hit and bounced, then rolled to a stop, grunting and grimacing the whole way. Now stationary, Jaune groaned, grateful he'd thrown up earlier, otherwise he'd be doing it now. Sitting up, he looked over just in time to see even more of the cliff give way, his locker tumbling over the edge along with it.

"Damn," he muttered, before looking down at the weapon clenched in his hand. At least I remembered to hold onto this. He sighed in relief.

With a pained groan, Jaune stood up and dusted himself off. "Well...at least I'm alive," he said. "Lucky me...I'm gonna be in so much trouble when I get back."

"And why, pray tell, is that, Mr. Arc?"

"Well, I don't think Professor Goodwitch is gonna miss my locker being launched through the skylight," said Jaune. "And she's gonna be madder than a stung Ursa when she learns it's at the bottom of a cliff..." His voice trailed off as his brain caught up with the course of events, and he realized just whose questions he was answering.

Looking over, Jaune saw the stern blonde woman staring at him over the rims of her spectacles, her riding crop gripped tightly in both hands, flexing with the creak of leather.

"Indeed I did not miss one of our lockers being launched, Mr. Arc," said Glynda, her eyes narrowing. "And now, considering the destruction of school property that just occurred, you are going to tell me exactly what you are doing here...and why."

"Okay..." said Jaune, realizing that Glynda was the kind of person who would drag the truth out of him, whether he wanted to tell it or not. I am in so much trouble.