Комната Историй / The Room of the Stories: Глава 2

Act 1. Chapter 2
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Camrad_RIP 08.06.24 в 13:56

It had been several minutes since Ozpin had finished reading the first chapter, though in that time the students hadn't really made much of an effort to change anything. Most of them were still sitting in their seats, laughingly exchanging their opinions on the book. Yang Xiao Long was the one laughing the most. Although she was almost absent in the book, causing her to be a little disappointed, but still, she was genuinely interested in the book.

Camrad_RIP 09.06.24 в 06:52

Although many of her acquaintances would say that she and a book are completely opposite things, that even if she were locked in a room with books, she would only use them as food. Not spiritually, but gastronomically. That was partially true.

Camrad_RIP 09.06.24 в 06:54

Yang wasn't really into reading and stuff, but to say that she was never interested in books would be wrong. She did read. Even, for a while, she was into reading books. Many of those books were mechanics related, as Bumblebee requires special handling, after all. But even so, she could be interested in an interesting story, a thrilling adventure, or a fantastical thing.

Camrad_RIP 09.06.24 в 06:54

Though many of her acquaintances, friends, or even teammates are completely unaware of it. No, if it were up to her, she would tell them about her former passion for literature, but on one condition. If they asked about it. But, uh, here's the problem. No one can simply think that she is or was interested in books.

Camrad_RIP 09.06.24 в 06:55

After all, she was the hottest damn girl in all of Vail! Every club on the Patch knew her face as well as her name. She was a regular at the clubs and at the parties. So when one imagined that this hot blonde would be sitting with books instead of dancing to the music on the dance floor, it would be a little... weird.

Camrad_RIP 09.06.24 в 06:55

Yeah and Yang wasn't exactly eager to get back to the books. She could, but it was boring. When you can go to some private club where you're sure to find thugs or other gangsters and start a fight that will definitely end in your victory, reading a book becomes boring.

Camrad_RIP 09.06.24 в 06:56

But right now, Yang was genuinely laughing at the events in the book. And it didn't matter what it was that made it so easy for her to envision the picture of her breaking the table and looking with her red eyes at a white-haired Vomit-boy. She could visualize it. Yang could feel all the feelings that would overwhelm her in those moments. And, needless to say, she would gladly be in Book Yang's shoes just to experience those feelings.

Camrad_RIP 09.06.24 в 07:00

Yang grinned bloodthirstily.

Camrad_RIP 09.06.24 в 07:00

//“A whole week to fight with others and get nearly three thousand lien at the end? Catching guys like some kind of beasts and fighting until the end? Raiding all over the Academy, looking for hidden and frightened people as if you were some kind of predator... Oh, I'd be willing to do that!” - Yang thought, staring at the three guys in their large group with a bloodthirsty grin.

Camrad_RIP 09.06.24 в 07:01

They flinched and turned abruptly to her, but Yang was already smiling sweetly, though it probably only made them pale more. Well, at least Vomit-boy turned pale and turned away towards the quiet... I mean, mute girl. And with all that said, Yang is more than happy to read her chapter aloud. It was only a pity it would be a long wait... but still, she could be patient.

Camrad_RIP 09.06.24 в 07:04

"Hehehe,” Yang laughed softly, making Blake, Ruby, and Weiss shiver with a bad feeling.

Camrad_RIP 09.06.24 в 07:04

Meanwhile, Jaune, sitting in his seat, could only once again ignore, by sheer force of will, the barbed remarks of Mercury Black, the silver-haired boy. Except that the third year didn't want to leave the blond alone. On the contrary, he seemed to find him an interesting person to talk to, even though Jaune hadn't said anything of the sort. But apparently for Mercury, it was enough for him to sit and talk about the difficulties of being a guy on the women's team.

Camrad_RIP 09.06.24 в 07:07

No, the guy seemed fine, quite handsome and well-to-do, judging by his clothes. And even his fight with Pyrrha and the current speech, everything said that the guy was educated and strong. But there was one detail that could completely change that. And that was a sharp tongue. Jaune had heard so much mockery and feigned sympathy for his book version during this short conversation that the real Jaune was sickened.

Camrad_RIP 09.06.24 в 07:08

And Mercury didn't even hide the slightly raised corners of his lips when he remembered Jean's maneuver with the window. And, no. It wasn't so much offensive as it was embarrassing. The feeling was especially magnified several times over when Mercury talked about it as if Jaune had accomplished some sort of feat. And when Pyrrha joined the conversation, it got several times worse.

Camrad_RIP 09.06.24 в 07:09

No, Pyrrha didn't say mean things or anything like that! Honestly, Jaune couldn't even imagine a champion saying or doing such a thing. She was... Pyrrha! And if someone asked him who he would trust with his life, he wouldn't hesitate to say his partner's name. Pyrrha was kind, strong - incredibly strong! - but she had one flaw. She overestimated too much of Jaune's potential as a leader and Hunter.

Camrad_RIP 09.06.24 в 07:10

She thought he was worthy of his title of leader, that if he tried hard enough, he could become a legendary Hunter. And to be honest, that did flatter Jaune. But it was in small proportions, not when it was said as if you had already become a Legendary - with a capital letter! - a Hunter and a Strategist.

Camrad_RIP 09.06.24 в 07:11

And this conversation with Mercury Black seemed to show Pyrrha's shortcomings. She exaggerated her leader's strength and intelligence too much. And at moments when Mercury was ostentatiously admiring the deeds of the book Jaune, Pyrrha seemed to blossom and began to talk nonstop about how good Jaune was and what qualities she liked in him. Except that there was one downside... or not one. It didn't matter.

Camrad_RIP 09.06.24 в 07:11

The important thing was that more than half of the qualities Pyrrha had mentioned were qualities that Jaune didn't notice in himself. Or rather, he didn't notice them in the book Jaune. For example, sympathy for his comrades! Jaune in the book literally sent a crowd of guys to their doom, while he tried to escape quietly through a window! Where's the sympathy for his comrades? Where's that?!

Camrad_RIP 09.06.24 в 07:12

Jaune didn't see it. And Pyrrha, mysteriously, noticed it. And Mercury, that damned third-year, was adding oil to the fire, making Pyrrha talk about him more and more, praising him and extolling him as if he were - as had been said - a Legendary Hunter.

Camrad_RIP 09.06.24 в 07:13

Eventually, Jaune was reduced to a ball of nerves and embarrassment as the two teenagers talked about him and his “exploits”. And it would have been okay if Mercury had been honest - I mean, it wouldn't have been okay, it would have embarrassed Jaune even more, because a third-year student was... a third-year student! Except, as has been said, Mercury wasn't being completely honest.

Camrad_RIP 09.06.24 в 07:14

To be more precise, Mercury didn't even try to hide his attitude towards those moments, which he recounted with a fake admiring voice. And okay if he was saying mean things or making fun of Jon himself, okay! But Mercury didn't do that. He was just... praising. So much so that Jean felt irritated instead of embarrassed, even though the third-year had only come in seven minutes ago, and Pyrrha had only joined the conversation five minutes ago.

Camrad_RIP 09.06.24 в 07:14

You understand?

Camrad_RIP 08.06.24 в 13:57

In just seven minutes, Mercury had become so irritable and unbearable that Jaune was ready to howl at the feelings that overwhelmed him. Now imagine if you studied with a man like that, for three bloody years! Three!

Camrad_RIP 09.06.24 в 07:15

Jaune couldn't imagine such a thing. But Emerald could. Hell, now it was clear to the blond why Emerald had started hanging out with other teams instead of hanging out with her own. He'd leave too if he had a teammate like that.

Camrad_RIP 09.06.24 в 07:16

The blond slowly shifted his gaze to Pyrrha, who continued to chat with Mercury with a smile. Irritation flared up again when the third-year smirked and began to recount a moment from the book in a raised voice. That moment when Jaune, with Ren's help, was let out of the window. But Pyrrha, not even paying attention to Jaune and his unwillingness to hear it, repeated the text word for word.

Camrad_RIP 09.06.24 в 07:17

How was that possible? Jaune didn't know. They hadn't even seen the text, but Pyrrha had memorized the passage in some unknown way. No, the blond had memorized that moment too, because it was really embarrassing, but why would Pyrrha memorize such a thing? He didn't know the answer to that.

Camrad_RIP 09.06.24 в 07:17

Jaune sighed heavily again, trying to ignore the praise of the two teenagers who seemed to have forgotten he even existed. It was surprising, since the boy continued to sit between Pyrrha and Mercury. But they kept talking about the bookish Jaune, completely ignoring the real Jaune. And okay Pyrrha, he could understand with her heart problems, but Mercury! The one when he first sat down next to him was definitely aimed at him, but after Pyrrha intervened, Mercury shifted his attention to her. No, they continued to talk about Jaune's incredible 'exploits', but they were no longer paying attention to Jaune.

Camrad_RIP 09.06.24 в 07:18

//“I wonder if they'll notice it if I leave?” - A thought flashed through Jon's mind as he was already listening to the two students talking with some indifference. He blinked. A tentative smile appeared on his lips as Jaune cast glances first at Pyrrha and then at Mercury. He licked his parched lips, due to a strange and abnormal feeling of anxiety and fear that was unfounded. Jaune would merely step aside, after all, giving the two teenagers more room to socialize.

Camrad_RIP 09.06.24 в 07:19

Jaune let out a slow sigh and then walked away from the table. Pyrrha and Mercury didn't even pay him any attention as the blond stood up and stepped aside. Apparently, they were really immersed in the abyss of discussing the merits and exploits of the bookish Jaune. Well... It's better for real Jaune. Smiling slightly, the leader of his team looked around the room, hoping to blend in.

Camrad_RIP 09.06.24 в 07:20

But, as if in mockery of him, everyone was busy with a limited number of people. Emerald, for example, was now talking to her leader, Cinder Fall. And the way the dark-haired girl smiled as she spoke reminded Jaune of his older sister, who smiled just like Emerald, but only at her boyfriends.

Camrad_RIP 09.06.24 в 07:21

And a hunch told him that he shouldn't interfere with them. So Jaune, secretly sighing, shifted his gaze back to the other boys. Ren and Nora. The blond smiled, knowing that they wouldn't bring up embarrassing moments from the book, at least Ren wouldn't do that, because of that, he could spend some time with them until they started reading the book again. Yes, it would be better than listening to eulogizing odes in honor of his existence.

Camrad_RIP 09.06.24 в 07:21

It was only after taking only a few steps towards the two teenagers Jaune noticed his friend's gaze.

Camrad_RIP 08.06.24 в 13:57

Ren looked up at him, his gaze pure terror and pleading for help. It was only now Jaune realized what he was trying to do. He, who some time ago had been trying to escape from Nora's questions and her delusional hypotheses about a secret admirer, Pyrrha sneezed again, was now walking toward her, without any escort in the form of Pyrrha, who could have saved him at any moment and distracted the restless orange valkyrie.

Camrad_RIP 09.06.24 в 07:22

Swallowing the lump in his throat, Jaune turned away, sincerely apologizing to his friend, and afterwards, looked at the last group of guys he could talk to and kill some free time with. Team RWBY, the girls who - as the bookish Jaune had said - were almost sisters to both the guy and the rest of his team.

Camrad_RIP 09.06.24 в 07:24

And if it had been up to him, he would have gladly joined them, but Jaune sensed something wrong at the last moment, and his gaze instinctively stopped on Yang. She was smiling too sweetly, looking right at him. And it was so strange that he didn't want to go to the group of girls.

Camrad_RIP 09.06.24 в 07:27

Taking a few steps back, the boy looked around the room again. And everything was the same, Pyrrha and Mercury were still in their little world about the book Jaune and his greatness, Ren and Nora were still talking about something, Emerald and her leader were discussing something, and the RWBY team was smiling and laughing again, apparently remembering moments from the book. And only Jaune and the strange girl were alone....

Camrad_RIP 09.06.24 в 07:28

Wait a minute...Who is this?

Camrad_RIP 08.06.24 в 13:58

Jaune stared dumbfounded at the only girl in the room, who continued to sit alone and eat... ice cream? Jaune shook his head to dispel the hallucination, but even after that, the girl continued to sit and eat ice cream. And at this moment, the blond man abruptly realized his mistake. After all, there was another member of the CNEM team. And that girl was her.

Camrad_RIP 09.06.24 в 07:29

Swallowing the lump in his throat, he took a few tentative steps towards her, with his brain working at maximum level, trying to force him to take the final step towards the unknown girl. So what if they were strangers? His mom always said that strangers were just friends who hadn't been befriended yet. It's not like he's gonna do anything. Just talk to her a little, and maybe even become friends like he did with Emerald.

Camrad_RIP 09.06.24 в 07:29

Decided.

Camrad_RIP 09.06.24 в 07:29

"Ahem, hi, my name is Jaune Arc, nice to meet you,” Jaune said, trying to smile. It's probably too late to say that he regretted what he did, isn't it? No, the girl hadn't said or done anything like that, it was just that Jon realized that he was only going to her because he wanted to tell her how he felt about the book. Let it be someone he didn't know, let it be. Just to get his feelings out.

Camrad_RIP 09.06.24 в 07:33

If you think about it, everyone in this room is venting their feelings in one way or another in their own ways. Pyrrha and Mercury are praising the book Jaune and his heroic deeds. Ren and Nora are chatting about something... honestly, Jaune still doesn't know why Ren was looking at him so pitifully. They've known Nora for... how long, right? Hmm. Wow, Jaune abruptly realized he hadn't asked that. Maybe he should ask it later. Damn, he was distracted again.

Camrad_RIP 09.06.24 в 07:36

Well, it's pretty clear, everyone showed their feelings about the book in one way or another. And only Jaune couldn't do that. No, he wanted to tell about his worries and fears about the next chapters, but everyone was busy in their own way. He would have liked to tell Pyrrha, but she was too busy talking to Mercury. In the end, he was alone... until he noticed Neo.

Camrad_RIP 09.06.24 в 07:37

Jaune coughed again when he realized that there was an awkward silence between him and the stranger, broken only by the sound of the spoon. Once again, the boy felt foolish. After clearing his throat, he decided to take the next action.

Camrad_RIP 09.06.24 в 07:39

Pulling back the chair, Jaune sat to the left of the girl and stared thoughtfully straight at the wall, hoping he hadn't done anything wrong. There was that awkward silence again. God, this was awkward. It was the first time Jaune had ever felt like this. He'd gotten to know mostly people like Ruby or Nora, after all. Even Blake hadn't been as bad as this.

Camrad_RIP 09.06.24 в 07:43

Sighing quietly, he still looked at the stranger, who, to the guy's surprise, was incredibly small. He hadn't noticed it when he was standing, but now, sitting next to her, he realized that the girl was a head shorter, if not more. After a moment, Jaune shifted his gaze to the large bowl of ice cream, which seemed incredibly large for a girl like her.

Camrad_RIP 09.06.24 в 07:58

"Ahem,” Jaune felt a sharp stare on his face. Slowly he raised his head and, as if in slow motion, met bright green eyes, which in turn were squinted and staring straight at him. "Uh, hello?"

Camrad_RIP 09.06.24 в 07:58

The green-eyed girl turned away sharply, making Jaune flinch, and then, moving the ice cream closer to her, she began to eat it even faster, as if it weren't cold at all. Her posture was such that she was shielding her ice cream from view with her left shoulder.

Camrad_RIP 09.06.24 в 07:59

Jaune blinked.

Camrad_RIP 09.06.24 в 07:59