Renegades: First Sight
Jaune: *Wandering the Beacon hallways, guitar in hand, having just been rejected by Weiss, again.* I spent like five hours on that song… *Notices Cardin and Russel peering out into the courtyard* … huh?
Cardin: I mean she’s… she’s something else.
Russel: Man, she’s not even on the SCALE!
Cardin: Maybe on the Scoville Scale.
Russel: Ha! Nice.
Jaune: Uh… hey guys!
Russel/Cardin: *Jump up and yelp* AH!
Cardin: Oh, its just you. Sup?
Russel: *Immediately get’s up in Jaune’s face* Yeah, man! You got a problem-?
Cardin: *Shoves Russel’s shoulder* Hey. I told you we’re not doing that anymore. Jaune’s cool now.
Russel: Oh, right. My bad. *Smacks Jaune’s hand in greeting and brings him for a quick pat on the back* How’s it going, Big-J? You doing good? You in a band now or something?
Jaune: *Looks at his guitar* Oh this? It’s nothing really. What are you guys up to?
Russel: Just checking out the Haven-Hottie.
Jaune: Who?
Cardin: Oh you have to have seen her. Look! *Drags Jaune over to their spot and point* Right there.
Jaune: *Squints until he notices Cinder sitting on a bench in the courtyard, his eyes practically bulging out upon really getting a look at her* Whoa…
Cardin/Russel: RIGHT?!
Cardin: Dude, she’s like the eighth wonder of Remnant or something!
Russel: Nah, she's beyond that—she’s the ninth, tenth, and eleventh wonder combined! I heard when she walks by, even the statues stop and stare!
Cardin: *Chuckles* I heard that she was held back a few times because the headmaster didn’t want their favorite student to graduate.
Russel: *Leans towards Jaune* And Cardin thinks he has a shot with her.
Cardin: *Blushes* I could! I’ve got the charm and the muscles to back it!
Russel: So why don’t you go and do it then?
Cardin: I would, but I’m still sore from my morning workout.
Russel: It’s 4:30 P.M.
Cardin: It was a really intense workout! Besides I don’t see you going!
Russel: Are you kidding?! A woman like that is only made for heartbreak. I can’t handle that stress, man! You couldn’t pay me to talk to her!
Cardin: *Suddenly has an idea and then slyly looks to Jaune* Hey, Jaune. You feel like making a quick buck?
Jaune: What do you mean?
Cardin: Here’s the deal, Blondie. I’ll give you 50$ if you go over there, right now, and ask that hottie out to the Vytal Festival Dance. 200$ if she says yes.
Jaune: (50 bucks? I can make myself look like an idiot for 50 bucks! I practically do it for free all the time! I could use that to buy Weiss some really nice flowers, then she’d have to go!) Deal! *Claps Cardin on the shoulder, hands Russel the guitar, and walts right out into the open* Watch and learn boys!
Russel: No way…
Cardin: Oh this is gonna be amazing.
Cinder: *Seemingly lost in deep thought*
Jaune: *Saunters right up to Cinder* Well hello~ beau-
Cinder: *Snaps a horrid glare at him*
Jaune: AHHH! *Jumps back startled*
Cinder: *Quickly switches to her signature “Just a regular happy school girl smile” that she’s become so adept at using* Oh hi. Didn’t see you there.
Jaune: *Gulps* I… um… hi.
Cinder: *Continues forced smile*
Jaune: *Awkwardly scratches his cheek* …so- uh.
Cinder: Was there something you wanted?
Jaune: *Deciding now is not the best time to ask her to the dance*…Yeah. I wanted to know… is… uh… everything ok?
Cinder: *Tilts her head* Of course I am. Do I seem upset to you? *Gives her best smile*
Jaune: Yeah, a little….
Cinder: *Her smile fades, replaced by a faint grimace of irritation.* Am I that transparent? *Lets out an exasperated huff* I'm fine, honestly. Just some personal matters, nothing you need to worry about.
Jaune: *Expression softens empathetically* Oh… Do you want to talk about it anyways?
Cinder: *Glances at him quizzically.*
Jaune: You know. Just to get it off your chest? If you want?
Cinder: And share my problems with a complete stranger?
Jaune: Well, my mom always said, "Strangers are friends you just haven't met yet."
Cinder: *Stares blankly* That is... a horribly naive saying. Not only is that statistically false but it's also VERY dangerous advice to give to a child.
Jaune: *Scratches the back of his head* Yeah… I kinda used to wander off with a lot of random adults as a kid.
Cinder: *Hold’s back a sudden laugh.* Snrk!
Jaune: *Smiles* But I like to think I came out alright.
Cinder: *Faintest hint of a smile* You at least seem harmless enough. *Looks Jaune up and down.* Have I seen you around before?
Jaune: *Suddenly more nervous* Y-Yeah, maybe! *Straightens his uniform out* I’m Jaune Arc. My friends call me… Jaune. *Cringes inside.*
Cinder: *Raises an eyebrow, the hint of a smirk forming.* Jaune, is it? Well, Jaune, I'm Cinder. Cinder Fall. Pleasure’s all yours I presume.
Jaune: *Nods and smiles* Yeah, it’s nice to meet you! See? Not strangers anymore, are we?
Cinder: *Gives a small chuckle.* I suppose not. *Glances around briefly* So, you really care to know?
Jaune: If I can be of any help, yeah.
Cinder: *Sighs* It’s about a… “colleague” of mine…
Jaune: *Sit’s down on the bench with her* Like, a teammate?
Cinder: That's it, precisely. A "teammate" who's proving rather insubordinate. Now, because of that, I find myself at a loss. She refuses to undertake a task that would suit her perfectly!
Jaune: Ohhhh I see. You’re having leadership troubles. Has your teammate told you why she won’t help?
Cinder: It’d be a miracle to get a single word out of her. *Grumbles quietly to herself* That mute insect. *Continues to talk normally* She won’t do a single thing I say unless it’s conveyed through her… “father.”
Jaune: Huh. I get you. I’m a leader too, and trust me, I’ve had my fair share of trouble reigning in a certain teammate of mine. She even has a “brother” that she tends to listen better to than me sometimes.
Cinder: *Listens intently* How do you command her obedience?
Jaune: *Looks at her confused* Her what?
Cinder: How do you get her to listen to you?
Jaune: Oh, well. Whenever talking doesn’t work, I go to Ren, her “brother”, well, not really brother, but- you know it’s this whole thing that I don’t really need to get into, but the point is I go to Ren and inform him that I’ll no longer be providing them part of the team budget for pancakes until she settles down.
Cinder: *Looks at Jaune incredulously* Pancakes???
Jaune: *Nods* Mhmm, it’s her most favorite thing in the world. Literally seen her eat if for every breakfast I’ve had with her.
Cinder: *Digests the information* Withhold the budget so she can’t have her favorite luxuries… I can work with that. *Sighs* But the task is rather time sensitive, what if she doesn’t yield in time to get it done?
Jaune: Then it sounds like you may need to do it yourself.
Cinder: *Raises an eyebrow, almost insulted* Me?
Jaune: Well, if it’s crucial and she's not budging, sometimes it’s best to step in and handle it personally. I know it’s probably not ideal, but that comes with being a leader, they depend on you when no one else can do it.
Cinder: Hmph. They do depend on me, don’t they?
Jaune: *Nods encouragingly* Yeah! That’s why they put you in charge.
Cinder: *Gets pumped* I am in charge! They’d be completely lost without me!
Jaune: *Getting pumped too* Exactly! Sometimes we have to roll up our sleeves and lead by example. Show them how things really get done!
Cinder: *Jumps up out of her seat* You’re right! It’s time I take matters in my own hands, and show that little mute who is really the boss around here!
Jaune: *Gets up too* That's the spirit!
Cinder: *Nods determined* Thank you. I now know exactly what I must do.
Jaune: *Smiles warmly* Happy to help. Oh and hey, good luck, Cinder.
Cinder: *Smiles confidently* Luck is for the ill-prepared, Jaune. *Turns and saunters off* And I never need luck.
Jaune: *Watches her walk off, feeling proud* So. Cool. *Whistles and walks off*
Cardin/Russel: *Stop him immediately*
Russel: DUUUUUDE!
Cardin: What did she say?!
Jaune: Huh?
Russel: *Smacks Cardin’s arm* What do you think she said?! They both walked away all smiling and shit! Jaune, you are a GOD.
Jaune: What do you guys think happened?
Cardin: That’s what we want to know! What did she say when you asked her to the dance?!
Jaune: *A long moment of silence before he starts sputtering in disbelief and panic now realizing that he completely forgot to ask her out*
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