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Not everyone is capable of protecting others, Jaune.
[ Weiss gives an apologetic glance to the server. She was going to have to leave him one hell of a tip for this. Weiss wouldn't blame him for not checking up on them again. ]
I'm not sheltered anymore. But I won't become a monster to protect the people I want to save from them.
[His drink is delicious goddamn. He takes a sip. Then a longer sip. Then he's just sipping constantly until he glances at Weiss and puts it down.]
Once upon a time, there was a very selfish bunny who lived in the forest with his parents and his sisters. The bunny and his family lived a sheltered but simple life. They never had to worry about predators, and they always had enough food for their big family. Because the mom and dad bunnies only had one son, and because his sisters were so excitable, everyone thought the boy bunny was special.
[He starts toying with the stirrer left in his drink.]
So they doted on their son, protecting him, but like I said before, the bunny was very selfish. He had heard too many stories of heroes and good beating evil from his parents, and he wanted to be a hero too. That only made his family laugh at him, which made the bunny take even more dangerous and childish risks. But his family still laughed at him.
The bunny became more sullen. But one thing he always enjoyed were the camping trips his family went on. In fact, that was his favorite pastime. [There's some warmth in his voice, and then it's gone.] One day while the family was hiking to one of their favorite camping spots, bunny-sized tents and bags full of food and pancake mix distributed among each family member, they came to the usual fork in the path when the selfish bunny asked if they could camp down the other trail. They never had before, and he didn't understand why. The mom and dad bunny tried to convince their son that it was selfish, but the son argued and begged, and pretty soon his sisters joined him and their parents were overpowered. They agreed to it, because even if they knew the other spot was safer, their son had been in a bad mood and they wanted him to be happy. They got to the camping spot, which was next to a nice pond and near some trees. There were no dangerous predators or grimm, and after setting up a night full of laughter, they fell asleep.
That's when the nightmare started. The selfish bunny woke up to screaming. Sprinting out of his tent, he would see something that would change his life forever. Three of his sisters had been slaughtered, his mom and dad doing their best to fight off the bandit wolves who had found them. The bunny was terrified. How had this happened? Why weren't there any huntsmen around to save his family? He was filled with hatred-- hatred toward himself, for selfishly begging to camp somewhere different and unknown, hatred towards the ones who murdered the defenseless and weak, and hatred towards the false heroes who talked big but weren't around when they were needed. The bunny acted the only way he knew: he grabbed his now dead father's sword and shield, too heavy for him, ignoring his mom's screams until she blocked a hit for him and her corpse landed on him. Then he got up to fight and buy his sisters time. [His voice catches a little, despite years of practice.] It didn't work. He thought he was going to die. And he probably would have. Help wouldn't come.
Then it did. Not thanks to any huntress or huntsman, but thanks to someone far stronger. Someone who knew how the world truly worked, and someone whose kindness wasn't the selfish kind the bunny thought was the right way. But he worked for some scary people...not that the bunny cared that much, this person, this warrior was a true hero. And he would follow in his footsteps, even if that meant that he'd become a monster in the eyes of the selfish and still sheltered people who claimed they were protecting this worthless world.
[ Weiss listens carefully, quiet. It's not exactly hard to figure out that Jaune is the selfish bunny. This wasn't a story about a lupine, it was a story about this version of Jaune. It was an origin story. It was filled with pain, and anger, and she could see why he didn't believe in the system. ]
I'm sorry that that happened to the rabbit. I'm sorry that there was no one there to help. I'm especially sorry the rabbit decided that his way to repent for his selfish decision was to put others in dangerous situations in anger instead of trying to do something to change things so that more bunnies have a chance not to share that pain. No one thinks that we're going to be able to save anyone, Jaune. It's not "sheltered" to try to fight instead of making things worse, so even if I am sorry for what happened to you and I can't imagine what you went through, it doesn't excuse forcing others to go through it too. You're not a monster, but you are still that selfish child putting your feelings over others' because you can't have your way.
[ She hasn't put her hand on Myrtenaster yet, but she's very much ready to go for it if he doesn't take that well. ]
[He keeps himself guarded, not reacting until her apologies (always empty, always too late and meaningless) take a 180 that calls him out. Mismatched eyes seem to burn with anger and frustration, red-rimmed like he wants to cry but he can't. The thin line of his mouth tugs into an empty, bitter smile, all of the resentment and hatred directed not at the person sitting parallel to him, his enemy, but himself.]
I just revealed my soul to you, and you're going to call me a brat. I mean you're not wrong but that's kinda uncalled for.
[He takes a long sip of his drink.]
But I've survived, haven't I? So being good really doesn't matter. [He taps his fingers on the table nervously.] Will you buy me another coffee?
You just told someone who's a complete stranger to you your tragic backstory. You thought you'd shake my beliefs and I'd admit I was wrong. I've lost people too. The people you work for killed my friend. The people you work with have been hunting my family since I was a child. I'm sorry for your family, but I don't feel sorry for you. If anything all you've done is prove that more people need to make the decision to protect instead of destroy. Otherwise all we'll have is loss.
[ She sighs and folds her hands on the table, looking at him dead on. ]
If you can look me in the eyes and tell me that as a survivor, you can live with what you've done without guilt, I'll buy both of your coffees.
[Jaune's quiet, gritting his teeth and seething in his own anger. Every word digs into him like a nail, until he finally snaps and stands up, his voice cracking.]
You want to talk about guilt?! [There's a static, crackling sound in the air, and he holds onto the edge of the table so that his hands don't shake. Staring at her dead in the eyes, it's obvious that yes, he feels guilt. He probably feels more guilt than Weiss could ever fathom, and he hates himself, and he doesn't know why he survived but he did and Hazel gave him a reason to but the rest of the world is just cruel and he wishes it would go away.
Finally, he forces the anger back where it can fester, posture stiff and voice flat as he sits back down.]
You said you knew the other me. If you know the other Jaune as much as you think you do, then let me ask you: What the fuck do you think?
[He visibly flinches, a choked sound that sounds more like a sob than a growl through grit teeth.]
So what if they aren't? [It's whispered to himself. There's a buzzing sound in the air before he loses control of the Dust and shatters several lightbulbs, glass flying and causing several people to scream and get hurt, before he jumps over the table to run off.]
[ Even if a couple of people get hurt, there's a glyph over a huge chunk of them who might've been hurt severely. Weiss knew that would hurt, but she knew she would be there to protect them. Even if Jaune wasn't.
She won't chase after him, mostly because she's busy making sure everyone is okay. Because she is proud of herself. ]
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[ Weiss gives an apologetic glance to the server. She was going to have to leave him one hell of a tip for this. Weiss wouldn't blame him for not checking up on them again. ]
I'm not sheltered anymore. But I won't become a monster to protect the people I want to save from them.
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Do you like stories?
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[ Enjoying your Weiss-recommended drink?? Yeah she bets you are. She's going to sip on her drink too, slowly. ]
I'll listen if you have one you want to share.
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Once upon a time, there was a very selfish bunny who lived in the forest with his parents and his sisters. The bunny and his family lived a sheltered but simple life. They never had to worry about predators, and they always had enough food for their big family. Because the mom and dad bunnies only had one son, and because his sisters were so excitable, everyone thought the boy bunny was special.
[He starts toying with the stirrer left in his drink.]
So they doted on their son, protecting him, but like I said before, the bunny was very selfish. He had heard too many stories of heroes and good beating evil from his parents, and he wanted to be a hero too. That only made his family laugh at him, which made the bunny take even more dangerous and childish risks. But his family still laughed at him.
The bunny became more sullen. But one thing he always enjoyed were the camping trips his family went on. In fact, that was his favorite pastime. [There's some warmth in his voice, and then it's gone.] One day while the family was hiking to one of their favorite camping spots, bunny-sized tents and bags full of food and pancake mix distributed among each family member, they came to the usual fork in the path when the selfish bunny asked if they could camp down the other trail. They never had before, and he didn't understand why. The mom and dad bunny tried to convince their son that it was selfish, but the son argued and begged, and pretty soon his sisters joined him and their parents were overpowered. They agreed to it, because even if they knew the other spot was safer, their son had been in a bad mood and they wanted him to be happy. They got to the camping spot, which was next to a nice pond and near some trees. There were no dangerous predators or grimm, and after setting up a night full of laughter, they fell asleep.
That's when the nightmare started. The selfish bunny woke up to screaming. Sprinting out of his tent, he would see something that would change his life forever. Three of his sisters had been slaughtered, his mom and dad doing their best to fight off the bandit wolves who had found them. The bunny was terrified. How had this happened? Why weren't there any huntsmen around to save his family? He was filled with hatred-- hatred toward himself, for selfishly begging to camp somewhere different and unknown, hatred towards the ones who murdered the defenseless and weak, and hatred towards the false heroes who talked big but weren't around when they were needed. The bunny acted the only way he knew: he grabbed his now dead father's sword and shield, too heavy for him, ignoring his mom's screams until she blocked a hit for him and her corpse landed on him. Then he got up to fight and buy his sisters time. [His voice catches a little, despite years of practice.] It didn't work. He thought he was going to die. And he probably would have. Help wouldn't come.
Then it did. Not thanks to any huntress or huntsman, but thanks to someone far stronger. Someone who knew how the world truly worked, and someone whose kindness wasn't the selfish kind the bunny thought was the right way. But he worked for some scary people...not that the bunny cared that much, this person, this warrior was a true hero. And he would follow in his footsteps, even if that meant that he'd become a monster in the eyes of the selfish and still sheltered people who claimed they were protecting this worthless world.
The end?
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I'm sorry that that happened to the rabbit. I'm sorry that there was no one there to help. I'm especially sorry the rabbit decided that his way to repent for his selfish decision was to put others in dangerous situations in anger instead of trying to do something to change things so that more bunnies have a chance not to share that pain. No one thinks that we're going to be able to save anyone, Jaune. It's not "sheltered" to try to fight instead of making things worse, so even if I am sorry for what happened to you and I can't imagine what you went through, it doesn't excuse forcing others to go through it too. You're not a monster, but you are still that selfish child putting your feelings over others' because you can't have your way.
[ She hasn't put her hand on Myrtenaster yet, but she's very much ready to go for it if he doesn't take that well. ]
action
I just revealed my soul to you, and you're going to call me a brat. I mean you're not wrong but that's kinda uncalled for.
[He takes a long sip of his drink.]
But I've survived, haven't I? So being good really doesn't matter. [He taps his fingers on the table nervously.] Will you buy me another coffee?
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[ She sighs and folds her hands on the table, looking at him dead on. ]
If you can look me in the eyes and tell me that as a survivor, you can live with what you've done without guilt, I'll buy both of your coffees.
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You want to talk about guilt?! [There's a static, crackling sound in the air, and he holds onto the edge of the table so that his hands don't shake. Staring at her dead in the eyes, it's obvious that yes, he feels guilt. He probably feels more guilt than Weiss could ever fathom, and he hates himself, and he doesn't know why he survived but he did and Hazel gave him a reason to but the rest of the world is just cruel and he wishes it would go away.
Finally, he forces the anger back where it can fester, posture stiff and voice flat as he sits back down.]
You said you knew the other me. If you know the other Jaune as much as you think you do, then let me ask you: What the fuck do you think?
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I think his great-great-grandfather would be proud of him.
[ From her tone, she clearly doesn't think that is true. But she's getting up to leave, definitely not going to buy him another coffee. ]
I don't think anyone is of you.
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So what if they aren't? [It's whispered to himself. There's a buzzing sound in the air before he loses control of the Dust and shatters several lightbulbs, glass flying and causing several people to scream and get hurt, before he jumps over the table to run off.]
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She won't chase after him, mostly because she's busy making sure everyone is okay. Because she is proud of herself. ]