Well, well, well. Look who it is. Coming back from the grave after an even longer absence. At least it's only been ... (looks at last upload) O_O. It's actually been over a year. That's a bit unbelievable and I sincerely apologize for that. I could go into everything going on in my life and I will go into a little bit of detail at the end but I won't bore you all now with it because no one gives a shit about any of that, least of all you. Though I have been working on some other fanfiction related titles so luckily this mini hiatus hasn't all been me dealing with other stuff, if you're so inclined, I released another story but this time in the Danmachi verse. Take a look if it suits your fancy.

That being said, let's just jump into it (Insert clip of Philly D here).

Chapter 6: The High Life

The Gala was everything he had thought it would be and more. Given how he had expected the party to be terrible, it was absolutely dreadful.

The dinner itself wasn't that bad, the food itself was good but he just wasn't used to it. It was fancier than anything Oobleck had ever made, not that Oobleck was anything of a professional cook. What he didn't understand was why the portions were so tiny. It was like the cook spent more time on making the plate look pretty than actually filling it with food. It was stupid.

Sadly, the dinner had been the best part. Before that, he had to sit through a number of speeches from people who seemed far too full of themselves. They spent most of the time speaking of their accomplishments and propping themselves up. He thought this entire thing was meant to be about giving money to Beacon, not gloating about how much better you were than everyone else.

The entire thing was a waste of time, much like he had expected. Oobleck could pretend all he wanted that he didn't think the same but Jaune knew the man was hating this just as much as he was. The smiles he would give people were too tight, the small laughs just a little too forced. Most people probably didn't notice but he could tell, the man hated being here.

"Can't we go yet? We aren't even doing anything now. Everyone is just talking."

A patronizing smile and a short chuckle was his answer. "Oh, but we are doing something. Everyone here is, whether you realize it or not. In fact, this is the most crucial part of the fundraiser. Everyone here is networking right now."

"Networking?" He tasted the foreign word on his tongue and glanced curiously around the room. Everyone here was just talking, some in small groups, others more privately off to the side. A few seemed to exchange small items, cards or something similar while they talked. It didn't look important.

"Indeed, you'll find out soon enough that sometimes just knowing individuals can give you a leg up. In business there's a common saying, that it's not what you know but who. It's not mutually exclusive to business either. You may find it useful to start meeting people yourself."

Jaune rolled his eyes at the less than subtle hint. He knew that Oobleck wanted him to meet people his age, their agreement from earlier that day not forgotten. True to the older man's words, there were plenty of kids milling about the event, most clinging to their parent's side while a few had broken off to chat in small groups.

It was easy to see who were the kids of huntsmen and who were civilian children. Even at their age they should have been training for at least a year if they meant to follow in their parent's footsteps. Those that had carried themselves differently, more confident, standing a bit taller than the other kids.

One in particular stood out, a boy with burnt-orange hair that stood at least a head above all of the boys that surrounded him. He wasn't sure if the guy was older than the rest of them or if he was just that tall.

The couple other boys that were by him seemed to be taken in by what he was saying, all of their attention held raptly by the larger boy. Maybe he should go over there? He did promise Oobleck that he would try…

He shook his head and looked away. There were too many of them and it would be weird to just walk up to them. Maybe he'd try someone else later.

Instead he tried to find something interesting elsewhere in the room. Sadly, it was the same story everywhere he looked. Just boring people talking about boring things. He found the entire event to be a complete waste of time. Why was this even necessary?

Oobleck said that this event was important to raise money for Beacon but that didn't make sense. Beacon was meant to train people to fight the Grimm. How could a school like that not already be funded?

"Why are we even here? Why is anyone here? This is dumb."

Oobleck gave him a sidelong glance but didn't instantly reprimand him. Instead he looked around the room and reached out for something on a table nearby. It was a simple cloth, white in color with a light blue snowflake embroidered on it.

"Tell me Jaune, what does this represent?"

"It's just a piece of cloth." Jaune said with a half-shrug.

"Quite right but not what I was asking. What does the symbol represent?"

If you would have asked him before tonight, he would've just called it a snowflake. Now however, he knew what it meant. The silly symbol was plastered on everything, the symbol of their gracious host for the night. "It's the Schnee Dust Company's logo."

A small smile came to Oobleck's face, the man placing the decoration back where he found it. "Indeed. And why is it on everything here? Wouldn't it make more sense for Beacon's logo to be used instead? Or perhaps Vale's?"

Jaune's brow knitted together at the thought. The event was for Beacon after all and they had a symbol they could easily use. "But aren't they paying for the event? Is that why they're using their symbol?"

Oobleck nodded and then gestured to the room and more specifically, the ornate decorations scattered about. They varied slightly but all had the same snowflake symbol attached to them. "Correct. Such an offer isn't something that is done on a whim. It costs resources, lien and time that could be spent elsewhere. Tell me Jaune, why would the SDC do all of this? What are they getting out of it?"

Jaune made to answer but realized that he didn't actually know. The Schnee Dust Company wanted to sell dust and make money. That much was obvious. But they weren't selling dust here. They weren't making any money here that he could tell. In fact, they were losing money by paying for all of this. Why would they do that?

His caretaker must've seen the look of confusion on his face for the man laughed at his expense. "Stumped you have I? While the reason may not be apparent, make no mistake that all of this is a calculated move by Jacques and the SDC. There is much to gain for the SDC and for those attending, even if it doesn't come immediately."

Oobleck reached an arm down to his shoulder and turned Jaune towards two people standing off to the side, their hands interlocked and broad smiles on their faces. "Those two for instance. Rich individuals that have donated over two hundred thousand lien each. But given by their smiles and handshakes, they've more than likely agreed upon a deal worth far more than what they donated here tonight."

The lanky huntsman began moving through the large open area and Jaune kept stride easily enough, not so much afraid of losing Oobleck in the mass of people but more so of just not knowing where else to go. "Not everything is so simple however. Some give to feel good about themselves, others to gain some benefits and others still just to show off. But a large component of why they all come here instead of just writing a large check is the chance to network. It's moments like these that can sometimes lead to some very lucrative deals. After all, it's easier to do business with someone you know and like as opposed to a complete stranger. That is the benefit of networking, at a base level anyway."

Jaune paused and took in the room again. Sure, everything was the same. People were still talking about boring things but suddenly things started making more sense. People were self-interested, it was something Oobleck had said more than once and it made sense. Why do something if you didn't get something out of it? It didn't make the party any less stupid in his mind but it at least made sense as to why people wasted their time on it.

"But you shouldn't worry about such things. You'll have time to worry about politics when you're older. For now, just think of networking as making friends. You never know when a new acquaintance today could become a comrade tomorrow. Plus, you're new training depends on you making at least one friend."

With a nudge, his caretaker gently prodded him in the direction where most of the children and teenagers gravitated towards. He gulped uncertainly, looking at the throngs of people. He turned his head back to Oobleck who only gave him a reassuring smile.

"Go ahead. They won't bite. Maybe you'll even find some actual friends."

The uncertainty he felt didn't go away as he took a few nervous steps forward. He caught a glimpse of orange hair, the taller boy from earlier still managing to stand out. Well, he had promised to try…

Here went nothing.

/-/

"She's a sweet girl, she really is. I'm just afraid that she isn't getting the proper attention she needs at her current school. Though she won't tell me one way or another, too afraid to speak up and cause any problems. She lacks confidence. Do you have any suggestions?"

Oobleck gave a non-committal grunt at the question and stroked his chin. How he wished he had some coffee. But alas, all they were serving was champagne and sparkling juice for the children. Neither were particularly his preference and he sipped gingerly at the hour old alcoholic beverage in his hand.

"I can understand your concern for your daughter, even more so given that the first year at a preparatory combat school is arguably the most important. Sadly, I know why you may think that she isn't getting the proper attention she deserves, given her circumstances. That school's reputation is less than stellar for such things, as I'm sure you know. Have you considered transferring to another school, Signal perhaps?"

The woman across from him shook her head in the negative. She was in her mid-thirties with shoulder length brown hair with a small button-like nose. "I've thought about it but it's impossible. Patch is too far for her to travel by herself right now, and her father needs to stay in Vale for work. This is the only prep school that she can attend. I'm truly at my wits end. She desperately wants to be a huntress but at this rate she's going to be left behind. I don't know what to do."

Completely understandable but unfortunate all the same. Her story was one he had heard more times than he would like to admit. It was common among faunus to encounter problems with the very institutions they turned to for a better future. Sadly, there was little he could do. "I'm terribly sorry to hear that. Unfortunately, Vale only has one combat school that your daughter could attend. If Signal is too far, there isn't much that we can do. Beacon's hands are tied in matters that don't relate to professional huntsmen or our current student body. Even if we lodged an official complaint it wouldn't have the desired effect. The treatment may get better for a time but it will revert to what it is now, perhaps even worse than before. I'm sorry."

The woman's shoulders dropped like he knew they would. Her disappointed was oozing from her body and he wished there was something he could do to help. But the reality was that there wasn't anything he could do. Nothing short of going to the school and making accusations against tenured staff without substantial evidence.

Even with evidence it was unlikely to go very far. Armed with only the words of a concerned mother? He would be laughed out of the building, his status as a Beacon professor notwithstanding. It wasn't like he didn't believe her. He had little doubt what she said was accurate. Guiding Light was notorious for their pre-Great War mentality on many things, faunus equality at the forefront of that.

While they were forced to accept faunus into their ranks by the Council, they weren't happy about it. So much so that the last he had heard, multiple lawsuits had been settled out of court for their treatment of those students over the last few years.

Water began forming at the edges of the poor woman's eyes, a trembling lip barely able to get her words out. "S…so your saying there's nothing I can do? She just has to put up with their treatment and hope for the best? How can I let my baby go through that? And with what they're teaching them. It's horrible. She'll only be treated worse!"

His heart broke for the woman in front of him, it truly did. He had known Satin for years, ever since they had met in his doctoral studies. To see her like this hurt. "I'm sorry Satin, there's not much I can do about Guiding Light's methods. But what was that about what they are teaching them?"

The woman's chocolate eyes widened slightly and tried to not meet his gaze, finding the floor suddenly far more interesting. "I… never mind. I shouldn't have brought it up. It was just one assignment that I helped her with. It just seemed… off was all. Nothing that I can really complain about."

His brow furrowed at her words. "I wouldn't say it's nothing. What exactly do you mean by off?"

He hoped that she wasn't implying what he thought she might be. Guiding Light was given quite a bit of leeway when it came to their curriculum and how they administered it. That being said, the Council of Vale still had certain requirements that had to be met for them to continue to receive funding and be an accredited institution. If Guiding Light was skirting those responsibilities in favor of their own requirements, then that was a completely different situation.

For the first time tonight the small faunus refused to meet his eyes, glancing off to the side while she brought one arm across her slender body to grip the other. "It was just that some things that were stated in the assignments and her textbook were… I don't know how to explain it without seeming to be petty or looking for trouble. Just leave it alone Bart."

Glass creaked slightly under the pressure of his clenching hand. It took all of his restraint to not lose his temper right there and then. The woman in front of him was one of the smartest people he knew, an accomplished doctor and with a degree from one of, if not the leading medical school on Remnant. To see her so beaten down and defeated made his blood boil. She looked utterly resigned to her situation and he despised it.

It was only too clear what she was getting at. He would be willing to bet his salary that Guiding Light had been taking some very liberal interpretations with certain historical events. There were always pushes now and then to change how things were taught in school. Usually those on the reactionary side to the outcome of the Great War that wanted to paint the losing side in a more favorable light, to rid themselves of the issues of slavery and discrimination and try to make the war to be about something else altogether.

All those proposals had been savagely beaten down in no small part to his own efforts. As a leading expert in the field, it was his duty and to be frank, his pleasure, to explain the reality of the situation and how such disingenuous attempts at revising history would only hurt them in the long run and how they as a society could not afford to make such ridiculous changes.

If Guiding Light had made such changes regardless of the Council's direct outlines on education, there would be hell to pay, he would make sure of that.

But there was nothing he could about that right now. Allowing his anger to take over for the rest of the night however would be incredibly counterproductive. Even more so given it wasn't himself who was suffering from this. Satin still hadn't raised her head to meet his eyes, but he could make out the faintest hints of dampness on her cheeks.

"Satin, I…"

He what, exactly? He didn't have a solution for her. There wasn't anything he could do for her in the immediate future and short of moving there wasn't any tangible recourse she could take. Launching his own investigation that held any legitimacy would take time, time her daughter did not have.

But as she raised her head and those hopeful brown orbs dug into his soul, he knew he couldn't do nothing. Curse his bleeding heart. "Give me a few days, I'll see if I can come up with something."

"Thank you! Thank you so much Bart!"

He was engulfed by the woman on the verge of tears, an awkward affair due to their rather extreme difference in height, Satin being significantly shorter than himself.

"Ah well, yes, don't thank me just yet. It might take a few days for me to work things out."

His words were lost on the small faunus as she continued to shower him with thank you's. And now his grave was being dug thanks to his big mouth. He couldn't exactly tell her that there wasn't anything to be done now, not after getting her hopes up like this. He sighed to himself, resignation sinking in while he patted the distraught woman's back. Just what he didn't need, another thing to add to his growing list of responsibilities.

"Ahem."

The not so natural cough sounded from behind and made Oobleck break out into a small sweat. He knew that cough and knew the what usually followed it. He separated himself from his grateful friend to turn and find a neutral looking Glynda Goodwitch looking at him expectantly.

"I'm sorry, did I interrupt something?"

She didn't sound very sorry but he laughed nervously nonetheless. Satin beside him took Glynda's interruption far worse than him however, her face going scarlet and she took two more steps away from him for good measure.

"Oh, Bart I'm so sorry! I was just so happy that you'll be able to help my baby. I lost myself for a moment. Oh, how embarrassing."

He winced at the mention of his apparently assured assistance in the matter but covered it up rather quickly. No point on dwelling on his own stupidity right now, there would be plenty of time for that in the days to come. "Nothing at all Glynda. Merely catching up with an old friend. Is there something you need me for?"

Glynda's sharp green eyes seemed to scan the shorter mouse faunus up and down before she turned to him. "Actually yes, there is something that requires your immediate attention. I apologize for the suddenness of it."

Again, her words didn't belay any remorse, but he dare not call her on it. Satin too took the sharpness of her tone and gracefully bowed out. "Ah, I won't keep you then. Thank you again Bart, I'll look forward to hearing from you later."

He offered a weak goodbye and sighed once she was fully gone. He wasn't sure if he was more upset with himself over his promise or at Glynda's cold entrance. He settled for a mix of the two and turned to his colleague whom was giving him a raised eyebrow.

"Like I said, she's an old friend. Satin's daughter is experiencing some difficulty acquiring a fair education at Guiding Light. She didn't know where else to turn."

Glynda's expression softened at the mention of Vale's only combat prep school, more than aware of their less than savory practices to a certain portion of the population. "Ah, though she seemed rather happy with whatever it was that you said. I'm assuming you mentioned Patch and that you could speak with the administration there to admit her?"

Oh, how he wished it was that simple. "Sadly, it's not an option. Her husband and her work in Vale and the travel is impossible for the daughter, being only twelve."

"Then I fail to see what you could have said to elicit such a reaction. We don't have any pull over there, not even Ozpin could push against them successfully. He's tried in the past."

He certainly had and nothing had come from it. While Guiding Light's main draw was for its combat prep for Beacon hopefuls, the school itself fell under the Council's jurisdiction as a public school. Beacon had no control over policy or enforcement, it could only make suggestions that the school would consider. Of course, when it came to faunus, the school would often 'forget' to implement any changes. The old guard at the school were set in their ways after all.

"I am aware, I'm not quite sure what it is I'll do. I'll have to figure something out."

The incredulous look sent his way did little for his mood but when he offered up no further explanation, he heard a not so inaudible sigh escape the woman next to him.

"Bart, you're an idiot sometimes."

Frustration bubbled in him but again, more at himself than anything else. "Yes, yes. I am well aware of my own shortcomings. Now what was it that needed my immediate attention?"

If Glynda cared for his snappishness she didn't show it and led him through the gala, carefully avoiding anyone that may try to catch their ear. "It's Jaune."

Oobleck let out a beleaguered sigh at her words, somehow not terribly surprised by them. "Of course, I assume he's struggling to fit in?"

He could only hope that his adopted son could keep any damage limited to his peers. The last thing he needed tonight was for Jaune to offend one of the donors. He wasn't in the mood to suck up to them anymore than he already had.

Glynda for her part didn't seem upset per se, which led him to believe that Jaune had at least spared him that headache. Small mercies then.

"Surprisingly no, it seems Jaune has made a few friends. I'm just more worried about the variety he's chosen…"

He raised his eyebrow at the comment but when Glynda merely gestured in a direction instead of commenting further, he followed it and felt his lips tug downwards.

"I see. Thank you for letting me know."

He downed the rest of the champagne in his hand before handing it off to Glynda, who took it without complaint and gave him a pitying look. He ignored the look and put a brittle smile on his face before marching towards his son and his new assortment of 'friends'.

It wasn't any of the children that gave him pause and why would they? Children were nothing more than that and those surrounding Jaune all seemed to be his age, no older than thirteen at the oldest. No, it was the adult that accompanied the children that made him want to expel the contents of his stomach.

"That's exactly right. We apply very high admittance standards so that only the correct kind of student gets admitted. It's something Guiding Light has prided itself on for generations and will continue to do so for generations to come. But I have little doubt that you all would have any problems."

Teeth ground together as the words filtered through his ears. It appeared the man hadn't changed a bit, not that he was surprised. "Oh Henry! A surprise seeing you here! I didn't realize that you were coming this year."

The group turned to Oobleck as one, none recognizing him save for Jaune and the other adult among them. Henry's face flashed with annoyance before it was washed away, a brittle smile to rival Oobleck's own taking its place. "Bartholomew! A… pleasure, as always. I had heard that you stepped down from teaching at Beacon, I didn't think you would be here."

The disappointment was thick in his voice but Oobleck did his best to ignore it. "Not at all, I merely took a short leave of absence to get some familial affairs in order. I'll be returning in the fall full time."

He didn't miss the slight scowl that fixed itself onto the burnt-orange haired man's face. "I see. That's good, it would be a shame if Beacon would need to find a replacement for you. Though if there is ever a need, I'm sure one of our staff would be happy to step up."

And bring Guiding Light's special brand of education with them no doubt. That was something that would never be allowed to happen so long as he taught at Beacon. "Oh, I'm sure they would but worry not, I have no intention of leaving Beacon anytime soon."

The man met his glare but broke away with a laugh, trying to wave away the tension in the air. "Of course, of course. It's good to hear you've sorted things out. You've met my son before, haven't you? Say hello Cardin."

The slightly older man rested his hands on the tallest boy's shoulders. The fact that he could do so without bending over any was all the more impressive given Cardin was Jaune's age if memory served. "Hello Mr. Oobleck."

He thought about correcting the title but decided against it, he would pick his battles and that wasn't one he needed to fight, not now at least. The boy was a good head taller than the rest of those gathered around and had a slightly darker shade of burnt orange hair than his father. Aside from that, the boy was nearly identical to his father in every way and given his already staggering height at the age of twelve, Cardin was going to be a large young man when he finished growing. Another trait of the Winchester family it seemed.

Oobleck smiled and shook the boy's hand. Cardin's grip was strong for one his age and the older huntsman could tell the boy was trying his best to crush his hand. It was cute in a way, Oobleck may have been a lanky individual but Cardin was a decade too early to try something like that. "It's good to see you again Cardin. Keeping up with your studies I hope?"

"Yes sir."

"Of course, he is! He's the top student at his middle school and has already been admitted to Guiding Light! He'll be the same at Beacon come six years from now. He'll be just like his old man!"

Of that, Oobleck had little doubt, for better or worse. But despite whatever disagreements he had with Henry, Oobleck would not hold his son responsible. If Cardin made his way into Beacon on his own merits, he would treat him like any other student. "That is very good to hear, though I have a feeling you'll have stiff competition once you reach Beacon."

He turned back to Henry while reaching for Jaune, gently pulling him in front of him. "I see that you've already met Jaune. He's been staying with me the last few months and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future."

Oobleck was careful to avoid any words that would insinuate Jaune to be his son or any kind of relative. While their relationship was getting remarkably better every day, the Arc family was still something of a sore subject for the boy, and with good reason.

Henry's eyes narrowed, going from Jaune's somewhat bashful face to Oobleck's. He could all but see the gears turning in the man's head before he spoke. "You don't have any children, perhaps a relative of yours?"

"We're not related! I'm just staying at his house right now!"

Oobleck couldn't help but wince at the venom that Jaune spat those words. It wasn't that he hadn't expected them, but it didn't make the confirmation of his own fears any easier to swallow. It appeared they still weren't nearly as close as he had hoped.

He tried to chuckle off Jaune's outburst but even the small gaggle of children didn't seem convinced, all of them giving the two of them strange looks. "Jaune's quite right. I'm merely looking after him at the moment. Henry, you're familiar with the Aerilon incident no doubt? This is Jaune Arc, Arthur's son."

It took a second, but realization quickly dawned on the man's face, then a look of pity before it ended on a weak smile. "Ah, I thought you looked familiar my boy. I won't say I knew your father well, but we had met a few times. He was a good huntsman and an honorable man. It's good to see you're in capable hands. He may not look it, but Oobleck is a strong huntsman in his own right."

For once, Oobleck was thankful for the backhanded compliment, anything to keep the topic off of Aerolin. They may disagree on several things, but Henry was not a monster. "Thank you, Henry. Jaune is eagerly absorbing everything I throw at him, Cardin will have to train even harder if he wants to keep up with Jaune."

For once, Henry's smile seemed genuine and gave Cardin a generous slap on his back, making the boy slightly stumble forward until his father's other hand gripped him. "Oh? Is that a challenge? What do you say to that Cardin?"

Regaining his balance, Cardin didn't even look at Oobleck as he eyed up Jaune with a bit more respect. "I say bring it on! Winchester's don't lose to anyone!"

Jaune bristled at Cardin's words, stepping out of Oobleck's grip as he got into the taller boy's face. "Yeah well, neither do Arcs! I'm going to be the strongest huntsman ever!"

Both boys glared at one another, their faces stern and challenging the other to back down. When neither did, Oobleck feared they would come to blows.

No such thing happened however as both boys broke into wide smiles, any tension between them instantly evaporating. The change was so quick that Oobleck's body deflated slightly and he let go a breath he didn't know he was holding.

Boisterous laughter erupted from his side and a large arm wrapped itself around his shoulders. Henry's indigo eyes danced with mirth as he pulled Oobleck into a very one-sided hug. "Well said! A little friendly competition can go a long way. That goes for all of you. Continue to push each other and you'll get even stronger! Jaune will have to come over to train sometime, Cardin could use a strong sparring partner."

Dread quickly filled his being when he heard those words. Looking at his adopted son only worsened the feeling, blue eyes lighting up at the thought of more training. The boy excitedly turned to Cardin and began bombarding him with questions about the kind of trying that he already does.

In a much lower voice, Henry whispered in his ear. "Enthusiastic kid. Do you plan on enrolling him in Guiding Light? I'm sure I could get him admitted despite his circumstances."

A surprisingly gracious offer given their less than stellar history. Guiding Light was very selective over their admissions and given that all of Jaune's grades and school work burned to the ground with the rest of Aerolin, he wouldn't have a chance at being admitted to the prep school.

But it would be a hot day in Atlas before he let Jaune attend that school. "That's very generous of you Henry but I don't think Jaune is ready for a normal school experience. Jaune… has a lot of issues to work through before he'll be ready for that. I hope you can understand."

Henry gave him an understanding grunt and let him go. It was clear he wanted to push but thankfully had the tack to leave it well enough alone. "I can only image what that child has been through. I'll trust you know what you're talking about when it comes to his mental state. You just be sure to teach that boy right, ya hear?"

Gingerly rubbing his shoulder, Oobleck turned away from Henry and watched as Jaune not only spoke with Cardin, but the rest of the boys present. He watched as that tightly packed shell Jaune had made was chipped away a little more. "I'm doing the best I can, that I can assure you."

/-/

Tonight went better than he ever expected. Sure, for the most part is was boring beyond belief, but he had actually found some other people like him! Cardin was awesome, plain and simple. With his dad's training, Cardin had told him how he was basically fast tracked for Beacon and that he was basically already admitted.

Cardin even said that he could come over and train with him sometime and that there wasn't anyone stronger than his dad. Jaune had doubts about that given that Oobleck was the strongest huntsman that he'd met but he was still excited to find out. Maybe he could learn some new things from Cardin's dad that Oobleck couldn't teach him?

Even better than that was that he had managed to keep his end of his deal with Oobleck! He had made a friend with Cardin and that meant that he was going to learn how to use his Aura like his father and the rest of the Arcs! Aura manipulation was what his dad called it.

A tired sigh came from his caretaker as the man placed an empty glass on a nearby table. "I think we've been here long enough. Most people have already left. What do you say Jaune, ready to go home?"

His new friends had already left over an hour ago and Jaune would easily admit that he was ready to go to bed. Boring or not, they had been here for over five hours and he was exhausted.

Instead of speaking up, a long yawn erupted from his mouth and Jaune merely nodded, quickly falling in line as Oobleck seemingly made a beeline for an exit. It only took them a couple seconds before a commanding voice brought them to a screeching halt.

"If it isn't the esteemed doctor, I was wondering if I would get the chance to speak with you tonight."

It was more Bartholomew that came to a halt than Jaune as the smaller boy ran straight into a now ramrod Oobleck. Jaune recoiled slightly and rubbed his head gingerly, giving his caretaker an annoyed look.

"There really aren't any gods left in this world…"

Oobleck muttered the words so quietly that Jaune could barely hear them but he didn't miss the pure frustration etched onto the older huntsman's face. Never had he seen Oobleck give another person such a look.

But it was gone as quickly as it came, replaced by a bright smile as he spun around. "Jacques! I thought you would be too busy being swarmed by other guests to have time for me. My, my, how fortunate for me."

"Oh, you know how these events are. I could barely get away! But when I realized you were here, I made sure to make some time. I do so enjoy our conversations."

Jaune gave Oobleck a strange look at the obviously forced laugh he gave the other man before shrugging and turning around himself. The man that had called out to them was an inch or two shorter than Oobleck and had slicked back white hair. His pale complexion contrasted with his piercing blue eyes and a bushy white mustache. His suit jacket he wore was white and free from any imperfections and he had a light blue tie tucked into the jacket.

"As do I, though we rarely ever find any common ground. I can't seem to recall the last time we agreed on anything."

Jaune had never met anyone that was rich but just looking at this man, Jaune could tell that he had more money that Jaune would ever have. He knew roughly how much his own suit cost when Oobleck had bought it for him and the man smirking at them had one that was obviously far more expensive. Ridiculously so.

"Oh, but that's the fun. It's hard to find someone willing to disagree with me on something unrelated to business. They're always too scared to speak their mind on politics. You on the other hand are never afraid to argue with me, even when you're oh so wrong."

The last part was said with a laugh but Jaune could feel Oobleck tense next to him before relaxing. "So you say, but I feel I must thank you for hosting this evening Jacques, truly a marvelous event."

Jaune's eyes widened, this was the host of the party? That would mean he's the man that owned the Schnee Dust Company and was arguably the richest person in Remnant. Looking closer at the man who was waving off his provider's praise, he did have a snowflake embroidered on his suit jacket.

"Oh please, this? Tonight, was nothing. A paltry thing. It could have been far better but sadly these kinds of events require a bit more of an… open ended party list. I could throw together something far grander back in Atlas at the Schnee Manor. We would raise quite a bit more too. Perhaps you could convince me to hold another fundraiser?"

The challenging smirk spoke volumes of how much this man wanted Oobleck to try. For his part, Bartholomew grimaced at the offer but didn't back down, no doubt weighing the benefits of another fundraiser. Beacon needed extra funds because Vale for some stupid reason didn't completely fund Beacon. How much they needed he didn't know but given Oobleck's hesitation, it must still be quite a bit.

Glancing about, Oobleck's eyes landed on him and a smirk came to his face. Before Jaune could react, Oobleck had grabbed a hold of his shoulders and moved Jaune to stand directly in front of their host for the evening. "As fun as your offer sounds, I think Jaune here would be bored to death if we fell into one of our little debates. Perhaps another time?"

For the first time Jacques turned his eyes towards him, a mix of surprise and something else flashed in those cold orbs before the incredibly rich man gave a short laugh and waved off the concern. "I wasn't aware that you had a son Dr. Oobleck. But no matter, he won't have to sit through our musings, Weiss would be happy to keep him company, wouldn't you dear?"

Anger flared to life inside him at the word 'son'. He was not and never would be Oobleck's son. He wanted to lash out at the stupid rich guy in front of him and would have if not for the painful grip Oobleck was now holding onto him with. He winced but refused to cry out as the bones in his shoulder ground together. He looked up at the man and was met with a stern eye and a subtle shake of his head with a whispered 'not here'.

He bit his cheek enough to draw a bit of blood, the taste of iron giving him enough of a distraction to remain quiet. When it was clear he wasn't about to yell at the idiot host, Oobleck relented on his hold.

"Of course, father, I would love to. It's a pleasure to meet you Jaune."

From out behind Jacques came the diminutive figure of a girl roughly his age. She gave him a short curtsy and Jaune's breath hitched as she raised her head and their eyes met. All the anger he had been feeling washed away as he looked into those gems.

Eyes purer than a clear summer's day gazed back at him. Her pale complexion matched her snow like locks that framed her face perfectly. Her face, unmarked and flawless, was decorated by her soft pink lips that pulled upwards as she smiled politely at him.

Her outfit was a simple white dress with a see-through sash wrapped around her waist. The simplicity seemed to make her beauty stand out all the more however as there was nothing plain about the girl in front of him. To top everything off, she even wore an icicle shaped tiara on her head, keeping her long pony tail perfectly centered. She was like a picture-perfect image of a princess from one of his mother's stories.

A slight nudge and a cough from the man behind him made Jaune gulp slightly and he felt his face light up. How long had he been staring? Not sure what else to do, Jaune tried for a short bow of his own and stumbled out a greeting. "H-hi, it's good to meet you, uh, Weiss."

The name hung in the forefront of his mind and just seemed to fit the girl perfectly. She smiled at him again and gave him a slight nod and he swore he felt his chest flutter a little.

Next to her, Jacques rested a hand on her shoulder and gave her a very subtle push, forcing her to take a step or two towards Jaune. A smile was firmly planted on the business man's face as he gave Jaune a look he didn't quite understand. "Let's let the children get to know each other. They wouldn't want to listen to us stuffy old men talk about the world anyway, why don't we leave them alone?"

For the first time tonight Oobleck shot Jaune a genuinely annoyed look as Jacques guided Oobleck back into the main foyer of the party.

"Now I had just read an opinion piece you had written in the Mantle Gazette a couple months ago. Something about advocating for a preposterous policy. What did you call it? Universal Basic Income, correct? Tell me what you…"

Jacques voice drifted off into an unintelligible hum as the two men left his hearing range. He turned away from where they left and towards Weiss, who was looking at him expectantly. For what exactly, he had no idea, but he couldn't help but blush as her pale blue eyes regarded him.

He tried to keep her gaze but looked away, not able to even form words. Why was it so much harder to talk with her than it was with Cardin or any of the other guys he had met that night? Just because she was the prettiest girl he had ever seen didn't mean he couldn't talk to her.

Swallowing the lump in his throat, he met her eyes again and stammered out what could be generously called a sentence. "I-have… is this your first time coming to Beacon?"

Weiss tilted her head to the side ever so slightly but kept her smile firmly on her face. "Hmm? No. I've been to Beacon a few other times, all for fundraisers held by my father. It is a lovely school. Everything is so much more vibrant here than the schools in Atlas. In truth, I prefer Beacon to Atlas Academy."

Jaune couldn't help but smile at her words, agreeing with her wholeheartedly. "I've never been to Atlas Academy, but my father went to Beacon and that's where I plan to go. I've been training for it since I was ten."

"Oh, so you plan to be a huntsman like your father?"

"Yep, the Arcs have been warriors since before the Great War. I'm going to be a great huntsman just like my father."

Confusion washed over Weiss' pretty face. Her eyes scanned him and looked back towards where her father and Oobleck were. "Arc? But I thought you are here with Dr. Oobleck."

Jaune nodded, not at all seeing what was so confusing about what he said. "I am. I also live with him and he trains me. Is that a problem?"

Her smile strained into something more neutral, her face taking a complicated look before with a slight shake of her head she brought back the bright smile from earlier. "No, of course not. I apologize for prying."

He gave a none caring shrug at the apology, not quite getting why she'd bother but left well enough alone. Silence consumed them after that, Jaune losing the only topic he could think of.

He tried to keep his eyes on Weiss but without any words between them he couldn't manage it without embarrassment welling up inside him, forcing the poor boy to look anywhere else. It wasn't as if he could go on and on about his training like he could with Cardin or the other boys, those were things that they all enjoyed. Weiss looked like a literal princess, she wouldn't care about his training sessions.

Thankfully, Weiss was able to fill the void. "You know, before my family ran the Schnee Dust Company we were a family of huntsmen and huntresses. I plan to continue that tradition and become a huntress. I may even attend Beacon when I'm old enough."

A snigger escaped his lips before he knew it, not meaning to but the thought just being funny to him. She didn't look like she was joking but she had to be. Her, a huntress? The pampered little princess being a hardened warrior capable of fighting the creatures of darkness? Good one!

The stifled laughs did nothing for the younger heiress who's face shifted from shocked to flaming red, either in embarrassment or anger he couldn't know. "And what's so funny? I didn't laugh when you said you wanted to be a huntsman!"

He tried, he really did but another round of giggles escaped him before he could push them all the way down. From the look on her face, Weiss' blushing cheeks were definitely from anger. "Wait, are you serious? You think you can be a huntress? You know that takes hard work, right? You can't buy it."

A wrong choice of words if the snarl that came across the girl's previous pristine face was anything to go by. "How dare you! How dare you insinuate that I am not capable. I am a Schnee and we excel at everything we put our minds to! Why would you even say such a thing!?"

Weiss huffed in front of him, angry pants as she glared daggers at him, and a small part of his brain started to wake up. Images of his normally beautiful and harmless sisters turning into monsters when he truly upset them flashed in his mind. Jaune tried to shrink back but Weiss was having none of it. Every step back he took was met by one of her's following him.

Before he realized it, he had run straight into a wall and Weiss quickly cut off any escape. Corning him much like the Grimm had before he came to Vale. But why did she seem far scarier than any Beowolf he had fought?

"I…, uh-"

"Well! Explain yourself! I will not let such an insult slide!"

"It's just, you-you look more like a princess than a warrior. Do you even know how to fight?"

The tiny girl's nostrils flared at his words. Her entire body beginning to shake with what he could only assume was rage. Below her, a white symbol began forming from out of nowhere. Almost as if it was alive, it continued to grow and grew brighter with every passing second.

His eyes widened and quickly threw up his aura on instinct. He turned to look up at the girl and tensed his body, seeing her having done the same and in a position to lunge at him.

"WEISS! WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING!?"

The glowing symbol on the floor instantly vanished along with the look of rage on the pale girl's face. In fact, her entire body deflated but continued to tremble, but this wasn't caused by anger.

Wide pale blue eyes turned to face the sound of the voice and Jaune couldn't help but follow suit. Trailing through the few remaining guests, who were all looking their way, Jacques Schnee and Oobleck were making their way over to them. The look on the previously smiling host was one of pure fury.

The two adults were in front of them a moment later, Oobleck's face was unreadable but the Schnee patriarch was absolutely livid, all of it aimed at his daughter. Said girl, who only a minute ago was bearing down on him like an unstoppable monster, was now cowering away from her father. Her body was shrinking in on itself as she stared at the floor.

"Weiss" the older man hissed, making the girl flinch. "What on Remnant are you thinking? First, I hear you raise your voice and now I see you using those wretched glyphs. Explain yourself."

Shaking, Weiss met her father's eyes, the beginning of tears forming in the corners of her eyes. "I…" she trailed off, her eyes glancing over at him, then to Oobleck and finally coming back to her father. "I lost my temper. I'm sorry father."

Jacques' eyes hardened on the girl and his entire body tensed before he took a deep breath. His body relaxed but the eyes did no such thing, they were cold and cruel. "Unacceptable. A Schnee does not lose their composure, even more so in public. I thought I had taught you better than that. It must be that infernal huntsman training. If this is how you act with it, then it will be discontinued immediately."

Fear rocked through Weiss, so much so it was visible across not only her face but her entire body, making it painfully obvious to anyone that so much as glanced at her. She made to open her mouth, but words failed her, the girl looking more like a dying fish than anything else.

An uncomfortable feeling settled in the pit of his stomach as he looked at Weiss. This was his fault wasn't it? He provoked her, he made fun of her dream. If that got taken away from her because of him, how was that fair at all? Wouldn't he hate it if the same was done to him?

"Sir, it's not her fault. I made her angry. Don't blame her."

The words left his mouth before he could really register them. What he did register however was the scalding gaze of the richest man on Remnant. Clearly not expecting Jaune to speak up, the man bore down on him with all his anger and if Jaune was being honest, it was terrifying. But he didn't turn away, it wouldn't have been right if he did.

"Please don't punish Weiss for that, it was my fault."

He sounded a lot more confident than he felt, taking his dad's advice to heart and at least trying to not look or sound afraid. In reality, he wanted nothing more than to run to Oobleck and place the much stronger huntsman in front of him.

"Come Jacques, there's no need to get angry. They're only children after all. It was a small display and children tend to squabble from time to time. Jaune can be quite the handful as well. I'm not surprised he got under your daughter's skin, he tends to speak without thinking a little too often."

Jacques turned his head to the hand that Oobleck had placed on the business man's shoulder, eyes narrowing before he let out a deep sigh. He removed the offending limb but much of the anger that was on his face faded, a more neutral expression taking root. "Very well. I suppose children do tend to misbehave from time to time. But misbehaving children must be punished."

He turned to Weiss, eyes still hard. "We will discuss this further when we get home. For now, apologize to Bartholomew's son and we will call it a night."

She turned to him as instructed and gave him a shattered version of the smile she had given him just a little while ago. "I apologize for losing my temper tonight. It should have never happened. I hope that you can forgive me."

"D-don't worry about it. I shouldn't have said you couldn't be a huntress either. It was my fault. Friends?"

She looked at his outstretched hand curiously, almost as if the concept itself was foreign to her. The girl made no move to grasp his hand and the nervous lump in his throat returned.

It lingered there for a few scant seconds before Weiss' own hand reached out and grabbed it. Despite her hand being significantly smaller than his own, her grip was firm. "Friends."

Something about the way she said it put him on edge, but he quickly waved it off. He watched her turn and leave with her father, an angry scowl still lingering on the imposing man's face as the Schnees departed from the gala.

"Well, I dare say that should wrap up our evening as well. I've had my fill of the festivities, what do you say Jaune?"

His yawn answered for him, exhaustion crashing into him now that the crisis in front of him was averted. Despite not doing anything all night, he couldn't wait to go back to their house and sleep.

"I'll admit, you surprised me tonight Jaune. I had thought that you would struggle getting along with your peers, but you have seemed to make a number of friends tonight. It appears I've underestimated you."

Jaune couldn't hide the smile that came to his face at the blunt praise thrown his way. He puffed out his chest a little bit and felt a little kick in his step as he looked at his caretaker. "Making friends is easy. And you better keep your end of the deal! I can't wait to learn how to use my aura like my dad!"

Oobleck couldn't help but laugh at the sheer excitement in Jaune's voice. "I suppose you did well tonight. I'll talk to Glynda about assisting you with that. Aura Manipulation isn't my forte but she's more than capable."

The cold evening air hit them as they finally made it out of Beacon and onto the bullhead docking station. With the party coming to a close, there were only a few bullheads remaining. Luckily for them, one labeled for downtown Vale was still present, a small trickle of passengers entering.

They picked up their pace slightly to make sure they weren't left behind, the idea of having to wait for the bullhead to make a full round trip to come get them wasn't appealing. The night was getting late and Jaune had been at Beacon too long already.

They reached the bullhead easily enough, the line of people moving at a snail's pace due to a woman who was struggling to ascend the stairs under her own control yet still refusing to let the man next to her help her. Jaune heard Oobleck sigh next to him and felt much the same way. He was tired and this drunk lady was stopping them from getting home.

Annoyed with looking at her, Jaune let his eyes wander across the rest of the docking station. A glimpse of white hair caught his attention out of the corner of his eye. He turned and found Weiss waking a distance away, trailing behind her father slightly with her head bowed. They made their way to a reserved bullhead with the Schnee snowflake emblem plastered to the side of the hull.

Only when Weiss' father made to speak to the pilot did she raise her head and turn away. Her eyes met his and widened slightly and Jaune felt a little knot form in his stomach. While she wasn't right next to him, she was close enough that he could make out her face easily enough. One of her cheeks were rather red and her eyes were moist, almost as if holding back unshed tears.

He swallowed the lump in his throat, realization that she probably got yelled at by her dad because of their argument settled in. He hated getting yelled at by his own dad and he had seen his sisters run off and cry whenever they were grounded and scolded. The fact that it was because of him that got her in trouble made him feel even worse. What kind of friend did that?

Tentatively, he waved to her and gave her the best smile he could manage. It wasn't much of anything but he couldn't exactly go over there and try to make her feel better, it was the best he could do.

After a moment those pale blue eyes seemed to regain some of the fight he had seen earlier that night. Using her arm, Weiss rubbed her eyes, wiping away any moisture and leaving a downright menacing look on her face. Those eyes bore into him with something that could only be interpreted as pure loathing.

She held her glare for a few more moments before her father made to board their private bullhead. As he pulled away, she finally broke eye contact with a huff and snapped her head in the opposite direction.

He watched her go but the cold sweat that had overtaken him remained. Shakily, he boarded his own bullhead and sat next to Oobleck, a quiet, nervous laugh escaping him. Maybe he hadn't made as many friends as he thought…

Well there's the chapter. Sorry that the chapter right after my impromptu hiatus was a building chapter without much action. I'll just have to try to make up for it by updating faster than last time. Speaking of…

I honestly wasn't expecting this to be as long as I thought it would be. Life has a funny way of making your plans change however. Got a better job, had some surgery done and still working towards my technical certifications. Which I actually finished one of those certifications all of last week. So now I have a Cisco Networking Certification. So that's fun. Oh, and because I didn't hate myself enough, I picked up a second job because, well, I need money, why the fuck else would I work 2 jobs? I wish I could earn some from writing since I do honestly enjoy it. Sadly, we all can't be Coeur.

For those that haven't abandoned me (which yall have every right to do) thanks and hopefully I'll be seeing you all soon.