𝐈𝐧 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐃𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦𝐬 (English)

Chapter 34

It was strange to see Beacon carry on as normal. While Jaune was sure things had changed and that security was being taken seriously, being expected to attend lessons and training like nothing had happened was still an odd experience. The only difference was the notable absence of Cinder's team, and the absence of Trivia on his lap at lunch teaching him sign language.

Jaune found he missed that.

Her absence felt like a hole in his stomach.

The others wouldn't have understood him if he tried to explain it. Trivia was by all accounts as criminally liable as the rest of her team, and the obvious answer was that she'd hung close to him to keep an eye on him for Cinder and report if he found out anything he shouldn't.

And yet he didn't believe that.

He'd confessed the truth to her and he'd seen more of her than anyone else. More, she'd willingly showed him it, drawing him into her dreams and enjoying the time they spent together. Even if it was one of her dreams that nearly cut his throat open, he couldn't see that as an assassination attempt because of how frightened she'd been at the time.

"You're not still moping over that criminal, are you?" asked Pyrrha.

"No—"

"Jaune!" Pyrrha didn't believe him, and rightly so. "They tried to kill you. Actively. This isn't Cardin and some wasps. This is cold-blooded murder."

"I know. I know. I just feel like Trivia wouldn't do that to me."

"You can't know a person until you've walked in their shoes," said Ren. "Who can say what she's really like under the image she portrays?"

"Are you on Pyrrha's side or Jaune's with that?" asked Nora.

"Both, but mostly Pyrrha's." His partner nodded her head, satisfied with his decision. Jaune sighed. "While I realise there's more emotionally going on here than is on the surface, there's no denying she and her team had ill intentions. It would be foolish to trust her without some assurances."

"Thank you!" said Pyrrha. "See, Jaune?"

He saw, but it wasn't anything he didn't already know. He wasn't stupid. Trivia had obviously been in the "know" with regards to Cinder, which was probably why he got attacked in her nightmare. It was probably Cinder who did it – dreamed up by Trivia as reference to the fact Cinder must have talked about killing him if he found the truth. She'd known there was a risk to his life, but she's also had a nightmare about it, which meant she didn't want him dead.

It was that which made him sure she wasn't a bad person, even if she'd made bad decisions.

But it wasn't his call to make.

And he couldn't blame his teammates wanting to keep him safe.

Nor Ozpin and Ironwood stationing security around the school that would presumably take a very lethal approach to her if she ever came back. Not just her, either. There was the threat of the White Fang now as well. At least they were taking it all seriously.

"Are we sparring tonight?" asked Pyrrha.

"I can't. I have another meeting with Ozpin in his office."

"I thought you told him everything you saw?"

"I did, but he has me recounting it to other people. Ruby and Yang's uncle is here again, and he's apparently a big-shot huntsman who's going to have a go at hunting them down in the city. He wants to ask his own questions."

They accepted that. It wasn't entirely true, but only in the sense that he didn't need to tell Qrow those things. The huntsman very much was scouring the city for Cinder and her crew, and he was ready to carry out the vengeance for Amber that Jaune couldn't in the waking world.