Glitter and Gold Chapter 2

Chapter 2

I think I may have done a faux pas somewhere. As I grabbed my lunch, my skin crawled from the stares of all the students in the cafeteria. Ostensibly only half the school was here, seeing as this lunch period was dedicated for only 1st and 2nd years, but it felt like the entire school and Gods were judging me.

What for, I do not know, but I was going to join my lunch group and ignore the whispers.

The typical lunch table of the mess hall was meant for four, just enough for one team, but since Ruby of Team RWBY wanted to join me and my team for lunch; we had dragged another one to fuse into one larger table.

Nora and Ren sat on one side, side-by-side, fitting since they were partners, and I slid to sit beside Pyrrha, my partner, opposite to them. In this way, team JNPR claimed one-half of the fused table. Team RWBY was on the other table.

Technically, we were supposed to have changed into our school uniforms, but because of how long Pyrrha’s and mine’s fight got, we were allowed to wear our combat attire to lunch. As is, we had to deal with the stupidly long wait-times.

Grabbing onto my arm and shaking me in excitement, a red-tipped black haired munchking gushed,”You’re finally back! Now we can talk about your fight with Pyrrha! It was so cool! You were like ‘GRAB!’ but she was like ‘Nuh-uh!’ and then you guys punched each other and it was super close, both literally and metaphorically! You’ve been holding out on me, Jaune! You fought Pyrrha to a standstill!”

Shorter than most, Ruby Rose was the youngest of the table. Two years younger actually as she was a prodigy allowed in two years earlier on account of her combat prowess and weapon craftsmanship. Her sniper gun-scythe combo was terrifyingly effective against the Grimm. Dressed in black, she never took off her red-cloak. I planned to never ask the reason why; the weird part of me sensed that way led to something it referred to as sad backstory.

For some reason, I was Ruby’s self-declared first friend here at Beacon. I didn’t mind. I liked having friends.

Allowing myself to be pulled and forth by Ruby’s excitement, I smiled indulgently “Technically, it was called off by Miss Goodbitch.”

I heard a short cough. Turning, I saw Yang, Ruby’s blond elder sister punching her own chest, apparently having choked on something.

Everybody at the table watched her slowly die. I assume since nobody was really trying to help her. I tried to remember what I knew of her.

Yang Xiao-Long was apparently Ruby’s older sister. Again, I planned not to ask about that since that way led to sad backstory. What I did know was that she was as fiery as the sun. blond hair, blond attire, her personality was anything but the stereotypical blond, willing to punch out anything including and up to Gods above. Had a nice pair of bracers that could fire shotgun shells.

Regaining control of her esophagus, Yang guffawed,”Holy shit, I knew you had balls, but tone it the fuck down, Jaune. You’re making the rest of us look bad! Calling Miss Goodwitch, Goodbitch… I still cannot believe you mouthed off to her before that fight.”

“I just answered honestly,” I explained before scowling, “What annoys me more is just when Pyrrha and me were starting to have a good time; she blueballed us!”

As Yang started choking on laughter for some reason, Pyrrha nodded in agreement, fox ears twitching in adorable anger, “Yes, I would have liked to have the fight continue. While Goodbitch may be a bit too far, she certainly ‘blueballed’ us.”

“You guys have to stop this. You’re going to kill me with laughter,,” Yang chortled even as she clutched her chest, “I never thought I’d hear the Champ say something like blueball.”

Sipping on his thermos of tea, Ren simply muttered, “Well, maybe Miss Goodwitch hasn’t gotten some herself in a while, have you thought about that?”

Even I choked on my food at that sudden comment. Pounding Yang’s back as she almost died yet again from choking on food, I coughed, “Ren, are you an assassin or something? You almost killed me with that!”

Ren sipped his tea unrepentantly as he picked at the mystery meatloaf, sly smile betraying his pride.

Hugging Ren with one arm, Nora laughed, “What I want to know is who should I cheer for in the rematch!? “

“Pyrrha,” I immediately answered, “It was going to be her win at that point, but I’d still have liked to fight it out.”

Pyrrha placed a hand on my shoulder, patting reassuringly,“I’m sure you could’ve won.”

Moving my head under her hand, so that Pyrrha was patting my blond hair instead, I smirked, “Nah, you’re too good of a fighter. Maybe if you got impatient and tried to rush in, I’d have a chance, but not likely with your experience on the battleground. What you would’ve done would be to whittle me down from afar with your weapon’s rifle-form.”

Blushing, Pyrrha continued patting my head, even mussing with it a bit, “I only have so many bullets.”

Ah, I have an adorable fox waifu patting my head. Life truly is good.

Closing my eyes, I bit my sandwich and enjoyed this glorious existence of being petted. Swallowing my food, I then blissfully explained why Pyrrha would have won.

“At that point, you still had your weapon’s spear-form and your magnesis. Toss the spear, chunk my health, and then recall your spear. Rinse, wash, repeat. Assuming I stole the spear too, I would have been holding so much metal on me that you could simply toss me out the ring to win by ring-out. Even if you didn’t do that, you’re just too mobile for me to reliably hit you. It’d be a siege that you’d win overtime.”

For some reason, the petting stopped. Less importantly, the table went silent.

Opening my eyes, I cocked my head, “...What?”

Putting down her book, Blake murmured, “That was an… impressive analysis.”

“Thank you.”

That was Blake Belladona. Girl that wields a gun-sword-ribbon thing. I have no idea what that thign is, but I think it’s a kusarigana with a gun-form? Anyways, she’s a black haired cat-girl with a bow. Personally, I think the bow distracts from her natural cat-ear, but if that’s her aesthetic, it’s her aesthetic. Not like the girl’s hiding anything. Quiet, withdrawn, I’m tentatively guessing that she is the Lie Ren of Team RWBY. Likes books as much as Ren likes tea. Partner to Yang.

Okay, I am getting good at remembering people’s names and faces. I keep this up, and I’ll be a half-functioning member of society.

Primly cutting the meatloaf, Weiss redirected the conversation, “More importantly, are you implying that Pyrrha’s Semblance is magnesis?”

“Uh… yes?” I cocked my head in confusion. What the hell is a semblance? Better not to ask, it’s probably like Aura and is something that’s common knowledge. My modus operandi is to not show ignorance to things that should be common knowledge, “Wasn’t it obvious? Didn’t everybody know  that already?”

“No!” Weiss snapped before turning to my partner, “Pyrrha, surely he’s not correct.”

Weiss Schnee. Prim, proper, prissy. Weilds a magical rapier and has weird magic sigils that do all sorts of things from creating platforms, summoning the elements, to controlling time. I think she’s a heiress to something? I don’t know, but she’s really annoying. ALso seems to have a crush on my partner, Pyrrha. Go away, you already have Ruby! Pyrrha’s my foxy waifu!

To be clear, I’m referring to Pyrrha as a foxy waifu to appease the weird side of my memories that enjoys the weird ‘meme’. Don’t know what a ‘meme’ is, but I do know that Pyrrha is an S-Tier Foxy Waifu.

...I will never say those words aloud if I can help it.

Musing over Weiss’s statement, Pyrrha smiled mysteriously, “I’d like to hear Jaune’s reasoning first before I comment.”

Reaching into my chestplate, I pulled out my scroll and waved it about.

“I just watched videos of your fight? On the CCT Network? It’s really obvious something weird is going on with your shield. I thought everybody knew!”

Weiss scowled, “I have seen every single one of her battles; there is no way I missed such an observation! Don’t you know that Pyrrha’s semblance has been one of the most talked about mysteries ever?”

“Your mysteries are limp-dicked if that’s what you consider unknown!”--I ignored Yang’s attempts to die by laughing yet again--”It’s so obvious!”You don’t even need to watch the videos! At initiation, she threw her shield at the giant scorpion’s stinger! There is no way she could have calculated the trajectory off of that shitty stone pillar! Too many things to keep track of, and she could have lost an integral part of her fighting style. Pyrrha has magnesis!”

Weiss stood up and slammed the table, “No, she doesn’t, you buffoon.”

Standing up to match her, I slammed my hands on the table. “If I’m a buffoon, then you’re in denial, because she clearly has magnesis as an ability.”--I slammed my hands again on the table to glare at the blond writhing on the table--“Are you okay, Yang? What the hells is so funny!? You keep on laughing over nothing!”

Yang simply raised a finger weakly before another bout of laughter overtook her. Well, if she wants to die laughing at nothing, then the blondie could go do that.

Weiss coughed, drawing my attention back. Sniffing primly, Weiss suggested, “Fine, let’s just ask her then!”

I crossed my arms to defend my partner’s privacy, “If she wants to keep it a secret, that’s for Pyrrha to do!”

“You just revealed it!” Weiss accused. She then crossed her arms in a huff, “Not that you’re correct!”

“By accident! Because I thought people had basic logic and deduction, but apparently not as evidenced by you!”

Weiss reached for her absent weapon. Despite the absence, Weiss shook her fist angrily as if she was wielding it, “I will stab you!”

“With your toothpick of a sword!?” I retorted. Then I winced as I remembered that Weiss’s favored weapon was a rapier, “...Actually wait no, that’s a weapon meant only for stabbing.”

Yang’s laughter doubled yet again. I think she may legit die today. Good riddance then.

Ruby cried, shaking her sister, “Yang! You have to breath! Your face is turning blue!”

“Enough!” Weiss snapped and turned to the subject of our argument, “Pyrrha. Are you willing to answer?”

I cut in and reassured my partner, “You don’t have to answer if you don’t want to.”

Pyrrha giggled, covering her mouth adorably. Somebody out there is looking out for me if this adorable vixen was going to be my partner for the next four years of Beacon, “Well… It’s not that big of a deal. I kept it a secret to keep an edge over my competitors, but we are going to be working together, so… yes. My Semblance is magnesis. I named it Polarity though.”

Patting her shoulder twice and then immediately withdrawing it to prevent awkwardness, I whirled to face Weiss and smugged, “Hah, in your face, Snow Angel!”

“Stop laughing, Yang! You just stopped!”

“Don’t call me that,” Weiss fumed “And nothing but a lucky guess.”

Sitting down with a thump, I cut a slice of meat and waved it about on my fork, “Like I said, videos are out there. Deductive reasoning. I guessed, but I guessed right and I had the logic to back it up!”

I then triumphantly shoved the meat into my mouth. This was a mistake as the mystery spread around my tongue, cloying everything remotely delicious and smothering disgust everywhere.

Swallowing it, I channeled Aura around my tongue to burn away the taste. Shoving the meat off to the side, I grabbed the bread roll and nibbled on that, mumbling, “By the way, Pyrrha, you use it on more things than the discus shield, right? I felt you tugging my chestplate.”

“You felt that?” Pyrrha asked, strangely surprised in what seemed to be a delighted fashion,”

“Of course I did. The thing’s around my chest.”

“Most people don’t.”

“Well, that’s just biz--”

Ruby cut off my comment, bouncing in place, “Why do you wear armor!? Don’t you already have Aura? Ooh! Is it special armor? Does it transform?”

...Aw, she’s just like Amber if Amber was about nine years older, wore a red cape, and really, really liked weapons. Actually, Amber already liked weapons so she--

...Who’s Amber?

My seven year old sister, youngest of my family. She wants to make weapons when she grows up for her big brother Jaune.

Blinking twice, I wondered what the hell just happened. That felt like it came from the other set of memories. Then I remembered that I was in the middle of the public. Thankfully, nobody seemed to have noticed my lapse of attention, thinking I was just nibbling on my bread roll longer than necessary.

“Nah,” I smoothly replied, knocking on my chestplate twice, “just a regular old metal chestplate. I wear it because it looks cool.”

Ruby slumped, “...Really?”

...She really is like a little sister. Okay, I’m going to take care of her. It’s the job of big bros to take care of little sis’s.

...Okay, that is freaky. I can literally feel the difference of thoughts. Shove it to the side, Jaunie-boy; you already have so many things to worry about. Like cheering up Ruby.

“I also fill the empty space with snacks. Kind of like a boob pocket, but way roomier. I keep snacks!”--Reaching inside my chestplate, I pulled out a roll of Oreos and waggled it--”See? I’ve got cookies and crackers in here, but I’m thinking of adding in some spices, so whenever we go out on the field, we’ll always have flavor. I’m pretty sure there used to be wars over salt.”

Nora clapped her hands in glee, “I don’t get the salt thing, but I know this. You are the best Leader… EVER!”

Ruby huffed, “Hey!”

Nora lifted her hands in a shrug, “You’re not my leader. Also, I don’t see you carrying around emergency snacks.”

Ruby raised a finger to protest before slowly lowering it, “...Good point.”

Pyrrha giggled, tail swishing about. Immediately, I crossed my arms to control them from petting the floof.

Breathing in and out deeply, Yang finally recovered enough to wheeze, “I never knew you were this hilarious, Vomit Boy. Balls of steel and a sense of humor, hell yeah. We’ve got to hang out more.”

“Don’t you mean Yang out more?” I joked.

...Why does Ruby look as if I killed her dog while Yang looks like I solved world hunger?

Before I could think about it more, Blake growled, causing everybody on the table to look at her then where she was glaring. Following her gaze, I couldn’t help but agree with her ire.

“Asshole,” Blake muttered as we watched four idiots bully a bunny-girl faunus. An entire team too, CRDL. Can’t remember if it was pronounced; Cradle or Cardinal. Did it matter though? They were assholes.

“That is disgusting,” Weiss snarled, “Just because they’re faunus?” For some reason, Blake looked strangely at Weiss.

Yang scowled, “We should beat them up.”

“We should,” I nodded, standing up and equipping mystery meat. Yang seemed oddly surprised at my comment before grinning widely to join us.

Nora followed me, cracking her knuckles, “Let’s break their legs!”

As Yang followed us on our mission, Ren called out,  “Nothing permanent, Nora.” Nora simply smiled angelically, but eh, we all knew it was a token effort.

Wringing her hands,  uncomfortably, “Well, we should get the teachers first, right? Follow the proper procedure and all that?”

“Huh?” I cracked my neck as I ground my heel into what I think was idiot C of Team CRDL, “Oh right, I guess we could do that.”

Yang cackles “Bit late for that though.” as she dropped her guy. I think he was… L? The L of CRDL.

Smiling to reassure the scared bunny-girl, I called back, “Also this is much more fun! We should beat up bigots! It’s morally right!”

“Can’t breathe” Idiot C choked out.

“Don’t be an asshole then,” I told him before lifting my foot. Kicking the side of his head, I knocked him out before asking the bunny-girl, “How are you?”

Ears lying flat against her head, the bunny-girl muttered, “Uh… Good?”

“That’s good!” Keeping my hands pinned under my armpits to control them from petting the bunny-ears, I then asked, “Would you say we’re in the morally right for doing this?”

Looking at the downed team CRDL, the bunny-girl came to a decision, “Uh, yes! Also I hear my team calling for me!” She then ran off.

Fair enough. Probably didn’t want to stick around assholes any longer than necessary.

Nora cheered in as she pulled member D of team CRDL’s legs backwards as she sat on his back in a parody of a nelson, “I love being in the right when I break things!”

“What’d you break, Nora?” Ren asked.

“I broke no legs, but I broke a spirit!”

“That’s good then.

“Hey, where’s the last guy?” I wondered aloud.

“I got him!” Ruby chimed in from behind. Looking at her, I found that she was holding member R in a chokehold, “I helped!” Member R was flailing, but he was in a bad position to escape.

“Move your arms a bit, You don’t want their throat in the crook of your elbow; you want to crush the windpipe with your forearm,” Yang guided. As Ruby followed the instructions, Yang shot a thumbs up, “Now squeeze real hard. Do it right and--” Member R went limp in Ruby’s chokehold, “Yeah! They go out just like that! Good job Ruby!”

Ruby cheered and gave Yang a high five. Sisterly bonding! Huzzah! Reminds me of that time with COral and-- PAIN

Okay, apparently remembering things will sometimes be randomly painful. What the hell, brain? Can you be consistent? Is there a set of rules to this? Can I only remember so much in a day? Or can I just not try and actively remember things? Fuck you, shitty amnesia.

‘How’d you do all of this already!?” Pyrrha gasped, eyes widening. Oh heaven’s praise, her fox ears are lying flat against her head even as she panicked. WIll her adorableness never end?

...I feel like I was complaining about something…

Being more immune to floof since she had her own, Nora answered Pyrrha’s question. “Because we’re awesome.

Grabbing her own fluffy tail to hug, Pyrrha pleaded, “But the rules!”

“Rules shmules. If the rules suck, fuck the rules,” I waved off her worries as I stole the breadrolls from Team CRDL’s abandoned trays. We beat them, so we got to loot them! Albeit, only their lunches.

“Would you care to repeat that, Mr. Arc?” the spirit of a stern librarian asked.

“I’ll do you one better, Miss Goodwitch; I’ll reword it elegantly,” I twirled around dramatically to face our combat teacher in all her sexy schoolteacher attire. Taking a bite out of my bread roll, I intoned, “If the laws protect the intolerant, then I shall have zero tolerance for those laws and the intolerant.”

We were already in trouble, might as well do it with spectacle. Evidently, the onlookers agree, given the onslaught of applause, shouts, and whistles.

“...Poetic,” Miss Goodwitch admitted before slapping her whip into her palm with a slap, “but detention for all of you nevertheless.”

Looking at my compatriots in this so-called crime, we all nodded in respect to one another. Well, except for Ruby who looked about ready to cry, but she’s young to the ways of lawbreaking (Ignore the fact that I have amnesia) so she doesn’t count.

With a dramatic flair, I bowed, “Fair enough.”

As our audience’s rancor redoubled at Team JNYR’s indomitable spirit at corrupt authority, Miss Goodwitch simply sighed.

Ain’t got no time for bigots here!

---

AN: Against my better judgement, I've made another chapter. I had fun with this one! I think I"ll use this fic to practice jugglign multiple characters. AGT has really good conversations, but it's only one on ones.

I'm going to try and build up a backlog before publishing to the world.