Chapter 24 (Patreon)

And just like that, a week flew by. Nothing changed in my daily routine, and frankly, I was all for it, other than the stray reporter that somehow managed to find my current location in Patch. I swear, these vultures could come from anywhere. I thought Ozpin had a handle on those kinds of people?

Shaking my head from the memory of how a reporter managed to spot me in the market of Patch while shopping for something to eat, I sigh as I watch the clouds underneath me roll over, showing the giant school that was Beacon Academy.

“Well, would you look at that?” Yang grinned, while Ruby was practically glued on the glass surface of the blimp-like airship, silver eyes gleaming underneath the sunlight. “Ruby, please get your face off the glass. You’re gonna get cooties.”

“What!? Ew ew ew ew! Gross!” Ruby immediately pushed herself off of the glass and dusted her dress and face. Gotta hand it to the girl, she really knew how to wrangle her younger sibling. Said girl realized what her older sister was doing and pouted, sticking her tongue out childishly at the blond. “Yaaaang! You meanie!”

“Hey, someone’s gotta look after your childish butt.” Yang locked Ruby’s head in her arms while simultaneously rubbing her knuckles against her skull. “And your big sis is on the job!”

“Stop! Yang! That hurts!” Ruby struggled against the blond brawler’s grip, her skinny arms unable to budge her older sister’s arm. “Stop treating me like a child!”

Ruby managed to pry herself off of Yang, her sister still grinning from ear to ear as her younger sister tried to fix her hair that was unceremoniously ruffled. Giving her older sister the stink-eye, Ruby quickly hid behind my back while making faces at Yang.

To be honest, this was fucking hilarious, and Yang was also amused at Ruby’s actions. At least she wasn’t feeling as nervous as she was in the show. There are a few reasons as to why, one of which being me trying to cheer her up in the week we wasted away at the house while waiting for this day.

Yang followed my example too, as did their father in cheering up Ruby. One thing she could do without, her words not mine, were the advanced study material because she was skipping two years. On the one hand, Taiyang was right. Skipping two years was a big step-up in education. On the other hand, more schoolwork was more schoolwork, and any teen worth their salt would rage at the fact.

There was a reason why the student who kept on reminding the teacher about homework was the most hated in the class.

“Hey, come on Rubes. Stop hiding behind your crush over here and give your big old sis a huge hug!” Yang spread open her arms and Ruby further dug into my back.

“Dust no! You’re just going to ruin my hair again!” She stuck her tongue out again, marking this the umpteenth time she had done this today.

While the two sisters continued their staring battle, the other passengers in the airship looked our way, all of them sporting confused looks at the scene happening before them. Sighing, I grabbed Ruby by the cloak and pried her off my back.

“Come on Rubes, you’re making yourself look like a fool.” The girl pouted, but otherwise let go of my back. “And Yang, you should know better than to tease your sister in public. I mean, look at the peanut gallery.” I gestured towards the onlookers, some of them looking mighty offended by what I labeled them as. Sucks to be them, then.

“Dude, couldn’t you be… I dunno, less obnoxious to your possible future classmates?” Yang raised an eyebrow at my words, and all I gave her was a shrug.

“Hey, it’s still possible. It’s not like it's guaranteed.” And now the observing glares turned scathing. Of course they would. It’s their education on the line. Hope they had a plan if they ever failed, otherwise, they’d be the bane of all parents when they didn’t manage to go to school because they failed the entrance exam.

The dreaded NEET… Actually… that sounds better than being the first line of defense against an extinction level threat… but then again, if there are no protectors, they’d die all the same. Kind of a catch-22, if you catch my drift.

“Jack! Don’t be mean.” Ruby poked my cheek. Of all the people who could scold me on social interactions, this socially anxious bundle of nerves was the one who did.

“Fine, fine.” I crossed my arms. “I’m not wrong, though.”

“Okay, I’ve had enough listening to you talking smack...” A masculine voice cut through the area like a hammer through butter. Looking at the incoming teen, I had to withhold a grimace. He was large, and I kid you not, the show did him dirty in how he looked. “You wanna go, huh!?”

Cardin fucking Winchester strolled up to me, arms and chest puffed up like a peacock. His glare was scalding, his indigo eyes narrowed as his hands clenched with fury. And then his eyes widened for a brief moment, and his face turned loathing. “Of fucking course, it just had to be an animal running his lips.”

“... Excuse me?” Now I was getting triggered. What the fuck does he mean an animal? How’d he even figure out that I was a goddamn Faunus!? “You wanna say that to me again?”

“You. Dust-damned. Animal.” Cardin punctuated each word with a step forward, a growl leaving his lips. “What? Scared to fight back? Cat got your tongue?”

A smirk floated on his face, and I got the urge to punch the ever living shit out of him. Also, Yang and Ruby were getting incensed, the older of the two even more so with her pupils changing from lilac to red. Hell, she wasn’t the only one getting mad. Some of the more obvious Faunus Huntsman-hopefuls were growling, a tiny number of them shrinking away from the ascending hostility.

And to be honest, even if I’d only lived as a Faunus for less than a year, I hate racist bigots. And now, I’m the one getting targeted. Fuck this.

“Welp, Yang, Ruby.” I called out to the two sisters. “You might want to step away for a minute.”

“Oh? Is the animal gonna fight? Well, come on, I don’t have all day.” Cardin cracked his knuckles with his smirk still not fading.

“Fucking racist bigot.” I stepped up to the plate, my head just barely scraping up to his chin. “You think you can just waltz right up to my face, spewing bigoted remarks like a dust damned charlatan cuz what? I have extra animal parts?”

A fist to my face was the response. Thankfully, it was blocked by my aura, the red wisps of light flickering for a moment. I didn’t think it was necessary, but it was appreciated. Plus, it sold the fact that my aura was a chonky little boy, because one, Cardin actually hit to knock down, as in a no holds barred punch.

“Well, I didn’t expect you were stupid enough to land the first hi-” Another punch, slammed against my aura, my spiritual shield still holding strong. “Okay, now I’m pissed.”

I cocked my fist back and let it loose, my knuckle landing against his own aura. It didn’t leave any lasting impact, but I saw the ginger wince at the blow. A grin took over my face and I launched a kick towards his leg, his aura once again softening the blow.

His eyes turned sharp and threw a haymaker my way. Raising my hand to block the incoming strike, I gave him a proper headbutt. Our aura flared as our foreheads met, but I was prepared. He wasn’t.

The taller teen flinched back, but I didn’t relent. Sending another fist flying towards his face, it was stopped when Ruby, the lovable dork that she was, grabbed my wrist and with all of her heart pulled to ensure my fist didn’t land.

“Jack! Stop!” Ruby looked at me teary-eyed. “Stop fighting! We aren’t even at Beacon yet!”

She then sent a scalding glare at Cardin, the tall man wincing at the younger girl’s ferocity. “And you! What’s your problem calling Jack an animal!?”

I blinked, my enraged haze subsiding as I looked at the diminutive girl trying her best to cease hostilities. Damn, assertive Ruby is something I never expected to see. Then again, Yang, Taiyang, and I did our best to try and coax her out of her loner tendencies, but I doubt this was the result of that. I guess she’s just too mad to see that she’s currently the center of attention. She’ll be embarrassed later, of course, but as of now, damn is she radiating the aura of a protector.

“Aren’t we supposed to be Huntsmen and Huntresses in training? Why are we fighting against each other!?” Ruby’s voice echoed throughout the passenger area of the airship, garnering the attention of everyone within. Actually, now that I was looking through the throngs of applicants, I could spot the very familiar characters poking their head through the crowd.

I spotted Pyrrha Nikos, and damn isn’t she a beaut. I saw both Lie Ren and Nora Valkyrie watching us with curious eyes, and Jaune was… Trying his best not to throw up right at the very corner while holding a paper bag. Hell, there was even both Blake Belladonna and Weish Schnee, both on ironically opposite sides of the entire ship.

“He started it!” And Cardin, the ever hateable douchebag pointed fingers, the ass. Not my fault he can’t handle a little bit of trashtalk like a fucking sissy.

“Let me remind you that you were the first who threw hands.” I narrowed my eyes at the douchebag. “Twice even.”

“‘Cause you’re a fucking animal!” Douchebag tried to tower over me, but his height didn’t scare me one bit. “Like you even deserve to be in Beacon.”

“Well, now that’s just sad.” And now, I was pitying the douchebag. So wound up is he in his hate, he couldn’t dictate left from right. There was a theory that Cardin had history with the White Fang, which made him anti-Faunus, but seriously, treating an entire race because a terrorist org made up of said race was plain wrong.

You don’t judge the majority because of a minority. It’s like saying humans are the worst thing in the world because some of them are fucking nutjobs. Just blatantly wrong and very fucking racist.

“What, something you want to say to my face, animal?” And douchebag will be douchebag. I swear, is he this much of a stereotype? How much does he want to label himself as the most racist kid in school, while also being a broken record?

“Yes, who hurt you?” And I meant this in the most sarcastic, most annoying tone I could make. Just because I know that this guy in front of me has different experiences and probably a fuckton of trauma, doesn’t mean I’ll just roll over because he has issues and he wants to vent. Hell the fuck no, I ain’t no doormat. Roman Torchwick and Neopolitan can attest to that, wherever they are right now. 

“Why you littl-”

“All right, that’s enough big guy.” An arm stopped Cardin from trying to escalate, red eyes looking like the person who had them came from hell. If that wasn’t even enough, I could see the flickers of ember dusting off her golden hair as she reined in a growl. “Go sit in the corner and think about how you make some of the other people here feel.”

And with very little effort, pushed the hulking mass of muscles away like they were made of paper. Now that Cardin was gone, Yang’s eyes were focused entirely on me. “Now, Jack. Care to talk for a second?”

The scowl on her face told me that she wouldn’t take no for an answer, so I obliged. Cardin tried to call her out, but a quick glare had him running with his tail between his legs.

“And what are you all looking at?” Yang then proceeded to call out everyone in the area, all of them going back to doing whatever they were doing save for quite a few I could count with both hands. Seeing that the majority of the peanut gallery was turning away now, Yang looked back at me, and boy was she pissed. “Come here for a second.”

She grabbed my arm and forcefully dragged my heavy ass towards a deserted spot on the entire airship. Good thing this place has public toilets, otherwise, there wouldn’t be any place to hide or cuss someone out in private.

She also dragged Ruby, but gently, like a mother to her daughter. Once we were clear of earshot, she looked directly at me, her red eyes still not going back to lilac, and breathed out a sigh.

“Jack, what the fuck was that?” I know I fucked up when Yang was easily swearing in front of her sister, and Ruby wasn’t even inclined to penalize her for that. “Why in the Brother’s name are you out here making yourself look like a dickhead?”

“Hey, I was just stating facts.” I waved my arms in front of her. She didn’t look amused.

“Stating facts my ass.” Yang grabbed my shoulders and dragged me closer, our noses practically touching. “How would you feel if some random dude said that you weren’t worth shit? Huh?”

“Yang…”

“Tell me…” Yang growled and I immediately stiffened. I knew Yang could body me here and now. Hell, even in our spars with me using everything in my power to beat her – except for the really busted ones like Implant GRX – she still solos me like I wasn’t even a goddamn footnote. “What would you feel?”

“... I’d feel bad.” I winced, and the blond brawler let go of my shoulders.

“So you know.” Now Yang looked less pissed, but was otherwise disappointed. “Why’d you go and say that then?”

“... My mouth moves on its own?” At my response, Yang looked ready to pummel me into next week, while Ruby was silently encouraging her to do so. “No seriously, my mouth just sometimes moves on its own. I don’t know why, and I swore I got it under control while I was living at your house.”

“Jack…” Yang stared into me for a brief few seconds, before she sighed with her eyes closed. She let go of my shoulders and retreated a few steps back, and the next time she opened her eyes, they were back to their original lilac colors. “Okay, for the most part, what you said was just mildly aggravating, but please don’t do that again.”

“Yeah, you sounded a bit mean.” Ruby crossed her arms. 

“I… Shit… Yeah, you’re right… I was being a douche.” I grimaced. I guess I was a bit of a hypocrite, calling Cardin a douchebag when I was the first one who started it. I still stand for the fact that Cardin was a bigger douchebag. You won’t see me call someone an animal because they have animal traits. Hell, I wouldn’t even put someone in a locker and have them rocketed out of the school and into Grimm infested territory.

Seriously Jaune, how the fuck did you put up with him during the show?

“I can’t promise it won’t happen again, but I’ll at least try.” After I had said my piece, Yang slumped her shoulders.

“Good. I catch you being an ass again, I’ll make you wish you didn’t.” The smirk on her face returned and that was quite relieving. Then we heard something jingling as we were about to leave. Looking at the younger sister, I saw her holding up something I thought would’ve stayed in the house, but then again, this was Ruby we’re talking about. “Rubes, why’d you bring the swear jar?”

“Because we need it?” Ruby tilted her head with a sly smile. “Also, still trying to remove your habit.”

“... Ugh, fine.” Yang groaned and grabbed some Lien from her person. Ruby then looked at me, and I relented. I just can’t say no to this adorable little bugger. Once that was all done, the three of us stepped back into the passenger area, and to no one’s surprise, all of them looked back at us again.

It caused Ruby to start shaking and Yang was quick to put a stop to that with a glare. Yep, never mess with Yang. She just has that kind of presence. Also, seeing her body Cardin with her build must’ve spooked some of them. Cardin wasn’t a slouch, after all, and that muscular body of his wasn’t just for show.

Welp… We haven’t even reached Beacon and I can already tell the initiation is going suck massive balls.

[]

[]

[]

A/N: Finally got this out. Sorry for the delay.