In Her Sights - Jaune x May Chapter 2 of 3

Next chapter. This is now a threeshot. Yeah, sorry, I figured Jaune and May's date deserves its own chapter to shine.

[line break]

Weiss believed in order. She believed in discipline, in protocol, in the proper way of doing things. That's how she was raised, how she was trained, and how she'd always approached life. As the heiress to the Schnee Dust Company, she understood better than most that presentation and conduct were everything. People were vicious and merciless, and she learned at a young age to put on a perfect mask of control. Of efficiency.

Which was precisely why she was currently contemplating the most efficient way to disappear into the floor of Professor Goodwitch's combat arena.

"For our next match," Professor Goodwitch announced, tapping her scroll with practiced precision, "Ruby Rose versus May Zedong."

The combat class arena fell into an awkward silence as Ruby enthusiastically bounded onto the stage, her red cape fluttering behind her. She took her position, unfolded Crescent Rose with a dramatic flourish, and then... stood there. Looking around. Waiting for an opponent who - as Weiss knew all too well - would never appear.

"This is a nightmare," Weiss hissed, sinking lower in her seat, "An absolute nightmare."

Beside her, Jaune shifted uncomfortably, his ever-present walkie-talkie clutched in his hand. Pyrrha, ever the diplomat, patted Weiss's shoulder sympathetically, "Perhaps May has a... plan?" Pyrrha said, though her tone suggested even she didn't believe it.

"A plan?" Weiss whispered furiously, "A plan? The plan is clearly to humiliate us all! Again!"

Down in the arena, Professor Goodwitch was looking increasingly irritated, her riding crop tapping against her palm, "Miss Zedong? Please take your position."

The seconds ticked by. Ruby shifted awkwardly from foot to foot, looking around with a mixture of confusion and anticipation. Some students started whispering. Someone in the back row snickered. Jaune's walkie-talkie crackled to life, "Beanie One in position. Ready for combat simulation. Over." Everyone's heads swiveled toward the sound. Weiss felt her face burning with mortification. This was her team. Her responsibility as leader. And it was a circus.

Professor Goodwitch strode over and held out her hand. Jaune, looking like he'd rather be anywhere else, reluctantly handed over the walkie-talkie, "Miss Zedong," Professor Goodwitch said, her voice cold as ice, "While I understand that Headmaster Ozpin has granted you certain... accommodations for your training methodology, I cannot in good conscience conduct a match where one participant has no opportunity to engage with their opponent."

The walkie-talkie crackled again, "With respect, Professor, I'm a sniper. If I'm in a position where my opponent can engage me in close quarters, I've already failed. This is tactically sound training. Over."

Weiss thought her teeth might crack from how hard she was clenching her jaw. She had made it her personal mission to be the perfect student, the perfect team leader, and somehow ended up with... whatever this was. A ghost she was halfway convinced was a mass hallucination and her partner who made excuses about how 'that's just how she is'. The only bright spot was Pyrrha, and she couldn't even enjoy the privelege of being partners with the Invincible Girl with this hanging over head.

Professor Goodwitch's expression suggested she was contemplating throwing the walkie-talkie across the room, "Miss Zedong, in a tournament setting-"

"I'm fine with it!" Ruby chirped from the arena, her voice echoing slightly. She twirled Crescent Rose and grinned, "I'll just have to find her!"

Weiss couldn't believe what she was hearing. Ruby was actually going along with this farce? "Don't encourage her!" she muttered, though of course Ruby couldn't hear.

"I mean, she's got to be somewhere in here, right?" Ruby continued, scanning the rafters, the corners, the stands, "I'll just use my speed and-"

POP!

A small projectile hit Ruby square in the forehead, causing her to stumble back a step. Her Aura meter on the display screen dropped by precisely 10%.

Ruby blinked, then rubbed her forehead, "Wow! That was... fast." Weiss didn't know whether to be relieved or infuriated that the reaper didn't even seem annoyed.

Goodwitch's face could have frozen fire Dust. She raised the walkie-talkie, "Miss Zedong! This is not an appropriate demonstration of combat skills. One more unsanctioned attack and you will be disqualified and sent to the Headmaster's office!"

Weiss buried her face in her hands. Not again. Not another incident. Not another meeting where she had to explain why one-fourth of her team was an invisible menace with apparently no respect for authority, decorum, or basic social norms.

"No it's fine!" Ruby started, "I can find-"

POP!

Another perfect shot to the forehead. Ruby's Aura dropped another 10%.

"-her." Ruby finished weakly, the red mark on her forehead matching her cape. The classroom erupted in a mix of laughter and shocked gasps. Yang was already on her feet, eyes flashing red. Blake was unsuccessfully trying to hold her back.

"Miss Zedong!" Professor Goodwitch's voice cut through the chaos like a blade, "You are disqualified! Report to Headmaster Ozpin's office immediately!"

The walkie-talkie emitted what sounded suspiciously like a sigh, "Mission parameters acknowledged. Withdrawing from combat simulation. Over and out."

A hush fell over the classroom as everyone seemed to collectively wonder if May would actually follow the order. Or if she was even capable of being "sent" anywhere. Goodwitch handed the walkie-talkie back to Jaune with such force he nearly fell out of his seat, "Mr. Arc, please ensure your... partner receives this message." She turned to address the class, "For our next match, Yang Xiao Long versus Cardin Winchester."

As Yang practically vaulted into the arena, her hair already glowing with anticipation (or perhaps leftover anger from Ruby's treatment), Weiss turned to Jaune with murder in her eyes, "This," she said, her voice a quiet tremor of rage, "Is absolutely unacceptable."

Jaune winced, "Yeah, I know, but-"

"No! No 'buts'!" Weiss jabbed a finger at him, "I have worked too hard, sacrificed too much, to have my academic record tarnished by this... this mess! Do you know what my sister will say when he hears about this?! Do you have ANY idea how this reflects on me as your leader?!"

"Ice Queen's blood pressure reaching critical levels," said May's voice from the walkie-talkie, somehow still audible even over the sounds of Yang now thoroughly destroying Cardin in the arena, "Recommend deep breathing exercises. Over."

"I will END you!" Weiss hissed at the device, grabbing for it. Jaune held it out of reach, looking genuinely concerned she might smash it, "When I find you - and I WILL find you - I will freeze you solid and ship you back to whatever hole you crawled out of! Do you hear me?!" Professor Goodwitch looked at her red face then deliberately looked away without a reprimand.

Pyrrha placed a calming hand on Weiss's arm, "Perhaps we should discuss this back in our room? As a team?"

"What team?" Weiss threw up her hands, "We're not a team! We're a collection of misfits with a ghost!"

The walkie-talkie crackled, "Not a ghost. Just highly specialized in covert operations. Also, your left sleeve has a loose thread. Over."

Weiss looked down at her pristine white sleeve automatically, then cursed herself for falling for it again, "That's it! Team meeting. Now." She stood up so forcefully her chair screeched against the floor, "And May WILL be there, physically present, or I'm going straight to the school board!"

"Now, Weiss," Pyrrha started, "Perhaps we should-"

"No! I've had enough!" Weiss was past caring who heard her at this point. Professor Goodwitch kept dutifully pretending she didn't notice, "I'm tired of being embarrassed! I'm tired of wondering where one-fourth of my team is at any given moment! An I'm tired of being called 'Ice Queen'!"

The entire class was now staring at her, even Yang and the barely-conscious Cardin. Professor Goodwitch stared ahead and blankly announced Yang's victory even though no one was paying attention. The walkie-talkie crackled one more time, "Team meeting acknowledged. Will comply with visibility request. Just this once. Blonde Shield, Red Warrior, Ice Queen - meet at dorm in twenty minutes. Over and out."

Weiss froze. Wait. Did May just agree to show herself? After all this time? Jaune's shocked expression suggested this was a shock to him too. Even Pyrrha looked stunned. The heiress straightened her skirt, lifted her chin, and tried to regain her composure, "Well. Good. Twenty minutes. We'll... see you there."

As she marched out of the classroom with as much dignity as she could muster, Weiss couldn't shake the feeling that she had somehow walked right into May's crosshairs. Again.

Minutes later, Weiss paced the length of their dorm room, checking her scroll every thirty seconds. Eighteen minutes had passed since May's unexpected agreement to show herself. Her heart raced with anticipation. Finally, she would confront the source of her mounting frustration face-to-face. No more hiding behind radios and stupid code names!

"Do you really think she'll show up?" Pyrrha asked, sitting primly on the edge of her bed. She looked simultaneously hopeful and doubtful.

"She better," Weiss snapped, "I've had enough of this... this farce! We're supposed to be a prestigious Huntsman team, not some circus act!"

Jaune sat on his bed, fidgeting nervously with the walkie-talkie. The device had been suspiciously silent since they'd left the combat classroom, "Um, Weiss? I think she - "

"No!" Weiss pointed an accusatory finger at him, "No excuses, no warnings, no 'that's just how May is' nonsense. I demand a proper teammate!" The door to their dorm room remained firmly closed. Nineteen minutes, "If she's not here in the next sixty seconds," Weiss said, voice vibrating with tension, "I'm going straight to Ozpin and demanding a team reassignment."

Jaune winced, "About that-"

The walkie-talkie crackled to life, "Beanie One approaching rendezvous point. Prepare for visual contact. Over."

Weiss spun toward the door, straightening her posture and composing her face into what she hoped was an intimidating yet professional expression. This was it. She would finally see the face of the person who'd been driving her to the brink of insanity.

Twenty minutes. On the dot. The door didn't open.

"Where is she?" Weiss demanded, checking her scroll again, "It's been twenty minutes!" Jaune sighed deeply, stood up, and walked to the empty bed that was supposedly May's. He placed the walkie-talkie on the pillow, "What are you doing?" she asked, narrowing her eyes.

"Just... wait," Jaune muttered, retreating to his own bed with a resigned expression. Ten seconds later, the window slid open a fraction. A slender arm in a pink and brown sleeve reached through the gap, threw something on the empty bed, then disappeared as quickly as it had appeared.

Weiss stared in disbelief at what had been left behind.

A pink and black beanie, the walkie-talkie now propped neatly against it.

"What," Weiss managed through clenched teeth, "Is that?!"

The walkie-talkie crackled, "Visual confirmation achieved. This is Beanie One, reporting for team meeting as requested. Over."

Pyrrha's hand flew to her mouth, either hiding a gasp or a laugh - Weiss couldn't tell and didn't care. She marched over to the bed, snatched up the beanie, and shook it in the air, "THIS IS NOT COMPLIANCE! THIS IS A HAT!" If the rooms weren't soundproof, she was sure her voice would've echoed throughout the entire academy.

"Correction: This is tactical headgear. Essential component of Beanie One. Over."

Weiss could feel her eye twitching. Her grip on the beanie was so tight her knuckles turned even whiter than usual, "Where. Are. You?"

"Present and accounted for. Mission parameters fulfilled. Visual element provided. Over."

Jaune groaned, flopping back on his bed, "Yeah, that's what I figured."

"A HAT IS NOT A PERSON!" Weiss screeched, her composure finally shattering completely. She threw the beanie across the room where it landed perfectly on Jaune's face, "This is beyond unacceptable! This is... this is..."

"Efficient use of resources," May's voice said 'helpfully' through the walkie-talkie, "Full physical presence unnecessary for effective communication. Over."

Pyrrha, ever the peacemaker, stood and retrieved the beanie, "Perhaps May has... reasons for maintaining her distance? We could try to understand-"

"No!" Weiss cut her off, "No more understanding! No more accommodations! This ends now!" She marched to the window and flung it wide open, leaning out to scan the grounds below, the rooftop above, the trees nearby, "I don't care what it takes. I don't care how long it takes. I am going to find you, May Zedong, if it's the last thing I do!"

The walkie-talkie emitted a sound that might have been a chuckle, "Good luck with that, Ice Queen. Over."

May took the beanie back that night when they went to sleep. Weiss regretted not planting a bomb on it when she had the chance.

[line break]

Three days. Three full days of what could only be described as the most sophisticated manhunt Beacon Academy had ever seen, and Weiss had exactly nothing to show for it.

She'd tried everything. Motion sensors hidden in the dorm room (mysteriously disabled within hours). Dust-infused tripwires in all the hallways leading to their room (somehow bypassed without a trace). She'd even attempted to bribe other students to keep watch (they'd all reported seeing absolutely nothing unusual, despite the occasional snack or personal item going mysteriously missing from their stations).

Nothing. Absolutely nothing.

"This is insanity," Weiss muttered, crossing another failed attempt off her increasingly desperate list. She'd been running on minimal sleep, using every spare minute between classes to set traps and monitor surveillance. She slumped at her desk, staring at the empty bed that was supposedly May's. The beanie sat there mockingly, positioned at a jaunty angle atop the perfectly made sheets. The walkie-talkie beside it had been suspiciously quiet whenever Weiss was alone in the room. Jaune had already gotten an extra one from a dead drop. This one was the 'team walkie talkie'

Even her complaints to the administration had hit a wall. She'd marched straight to Headmaster Ozpin's office the morning after the "team meeting" incident, prepared to demand action.

"Ah, Miss Schnee," Ozpin had greeted her, somehow looking both surprised and as if he'd been expecting her all along, "How is Team WMJP settling in?"

"It's not," Weiss had said, standing ramrod straight before his desk, "Sir, I need to formally request a team reassignment. The current situation is untenable."

Ozpin had merely sipped his drink, regarding her over the rim of his mug with those unnervingly calm eyes, "I assume this is about Miss Zedong's... unique training methodology?"

"Unique?" Weiss practically choked on the word, "It's not 'unique,' it's disruptive! It's unprofessional! It's-"

"Special training circumstances," Ozpin had interrupted, setting down his mug, "Miss Zedong was admitted to Beacon with a very particular skill set that we value greatly. Her methods, while unconventional, have proven highly effective in the field."

"But she doesn't even attend classes!"

"Doesn't she?" Ozpin had raised an eyebrow, bringing up his scroll to display perfect attendance records for May Zedong across all courses, "Her academic performance has been exemplary."

"That's impossible! She's never there!"

"Perception and presence are not always the same thing, Miss Schnee." Ozpin had smiled that infuriating smile of his, "If Miss Zedong doesn't wish to be found, then that is her right as a developing Huntress with a specialized combat style."

Weiss had left his office seething, the words "specialized combat style" burning in her mind like an insult.

Now, three days later, she'd nearly reached her breaking point. She couldn't concentrate in class and her combat performance was suffering. She'd even snapped at Klein during their weekly scroll call, which had left her feeling guilty on top of everything else.

She was brushing her hair before bed - one hundred strokes, no more, no less, a ritual that usually calmed her - when the realization hit her so suddenly she dropped her brush, "Polarity," she whispered. Pyrrha's Semblance. The ability to control magnetism - to manipulate metal objects with her mind. Pyrrha never made a big show of it (she only told them for the sake of team synergy), concerned that people would think her tournament victories weren't earned through skill. But Weiss knew the Semblance worked because Pyrrha could sense metal, could feel its presence even without seeing it.

A sniper rifle had metal parts. A lot of them.

Weiss's reflection smiled back at her, sharp and predatory. It wasn't over yet.

The next day after combat training, Weiss watched like a hawk as Jaune left the locker room. She'd timed this perfectly. He'd mentioned at breakfast that he had to meet with Professor Port about an assignment. That meant he'd be alone, which meant...

"May will follow him," Weiss whispered to herself, satisfaction coiling through her chest. The invisible guardian never let Jaune out of her sight when he was alone; she and Pyrrha were just collateral. Which meant that for the next hour, Pyrrha would be safely away from May's surveillance.

Weiss waited exactly five minutes after Jaune left, then approached Pyrrha as she was organizing her locker, "Pyrrha," Weiss said, keeping her voice low even though they were alone, "I need your help with something... confidential."

Pyrrha turned, her ever-present polite smile in place, "Of course, Weiss. What can I do for you?"

Weiss glanced around once more before leaning in, "It's about May."

The smile on Pyrrha's face faltered slightly, "Oh? What about her?"

"I need your help to find her."

"Find her? But Weiss, if she doesn't want to be seen-"

"That's exactly it," Weiss said, stepping closer to her partner, "This situation isn't working. We're supposed to be a team, but how can we function properly with a member who refuses to even show her face? The tournament is coming up, we need to coordinate attacks, develop strategies - "

"I understand your frustration," Pyrrha said, closing her locker gently, "But shouldn't we respect her privacy? She must have her reasons."

Weiss took a deep breath. She'd anticipated this response. Pyrrha was always so accomodating, "I've thought about that, but this isn't sustainable. What happens when we're in a real combat situation? What if one of us gets hurt because we couldn't properly coordinate? What if she gets hurt and we can't find her to help?"

Pyrrha's brow furrowed, "I hadn't considered that."

"Besides," Weiss continued, pressing her advantage, "Don't you think it's a little odd that Jaune hasn't seen his childhood friend in two years? Even though they're partners? Even though she's supposedly protecting him?" That struck a nerve. Weiss could see it in the way Pyrrha's eyes darkened slightly. Like her, Pyrrha had to deal with sycophants and false friends who only cared for her because of her position. Strained friendships resonated with her.

"What exactly did you have in mind?" Pyrrha asked cautiously.

Weiss leaned in closer, "Your Semblance. You can sense metal, can't you? Even when you can't see it?"

Understanding dawned on Pyrrha's face, "You want me to locate May's weapon."

"It's a large sniper rifle," Weiss confirmed, "Plenty of metal components. If we can pinpoint its location when it's not actively being used against someone's forehead..."

Pyrrha bit her lip, clearly conflicted, "I don't know, Weiss. Using my Semblance to essentially spy on a teammate feels... wrong."

"More wrong than having a teammate who spies on us constantly?" Weiss countered, "Who shoots other students? Who embarrasses our team in front of the entire school? Who refuses to participate in basic team functions?" Silence stretched between them, Pyrrha's internal conflict plain on her face, "Look," Weiss said, softening her tone slightly, "I'm not suggesting we expose her to the whole school or anything drastic. I just want to have one honest conversation, face-to-face. Team leader to team member. Don't we deserve that much?"

Pyrrha sighed, her shoulders slumping slightly, "I suppose when you put it that way... it does make sense to at least try to resolve this tension."

"So you'll help?" Weiss couldn't keep the eagerness from her voice.

After a long moment, Pyrrha nodded, "Yes, I'll help. But Weiss-" her green eyes fixed on Weiss with unexpected intensity, "-promise me this isn't about humiliating May or forcing her into something she's truly uncomfortable with. The things you said back in combat class..."

"Of course not," Weiss said, perhaps a little too quickly, "This is about team cohesion. Nothing more. I was just frustrated back then, you understand." It wasn't a lie. She planned to have some choice words with the sniper, but she wasn't planning to drag her kicking and screaming in front of a crowd to humilate her. Weiss was a lot of things, but more than anything, she was a Schnee. And Schnees didn't get involved in petty revenge.

...Most times.

As Pyrrha detailed how her Semblance worked and what she'd need to effectively track the rifle, Weiss couldn't help the sharp smile that spread across her face.

Soon, she thought. Soon.

[line break]

Weiss's plan came together with the precision of a well-oiled Atlesian clock.

"Jaune," she'd said at breakfast, her voice syrupy sweet in a way that made him immediately suspicious, "I need you to pick up our team's combat class evaluations from Professor Goodwitch and then deliver them to Professor Peach for the joint assessment project."

"Why can't you do it?" Jaune had asked around a mouthful of pancakes. Rude.

"Because," Weiss had said with exaggerated patience, "I'm your team leader and I'm delegating this important task to you. It needs to be done before noon, and I have a strategy session with Professor Port." She'd made up the strategy session, of course, but Jaune didn't need to know that. She'd watched with satisfaction as he trudged off across campus, muttering something about "team errands" under his breath.

Ten minutes. That's how long she waited, sitting primly on her bed, pretending to study while Pyrrha organized her notebooks at her desk.

"It's time," Weiss said, snapping her textbook shut, "Can you sense her?"

Pyrrha closed her eyes, her face scrunching slightly in concentration. Her Semblance was subtle - no glowing limbs or dramatic gestures - just a quiet hum of power as she extended her senses outward.

"There's..." Pyrrha began, her voice soft with effort, "Something large... metallic... with intricate components... consistent with a high-caliber rifle." Hm. Impressive. She knew the exact make and components.

"Where?" Weiss was already on her feet.

Pyrrha walked to the window and pointed toward Beacon's central spire, "The clocktower. Near the top."

Weiss's lip curled into a satisfied smile, "Perfect."

She didn't waste another second. With a flurry of white glyphs, Weiss launched herself from their dormitory window, using a technique she'd been perfecting for weeks. Time Dilation - a specialized glyph that altered her temporal perception, allowing her to move at speeds that would make even Ruby Rose envious. It cost some electricity Dust to use, but it was a price she was more than willing to pay.

The world blurred around her as she zipped across the campus grounds, a white streak that most students would mistake for a trick of the light. Her glyphs appeared in rapid succession - under her feet, along vertical surfaces, creating a pathway that defied gravity itself. Up the side of the clocktower she ran, her feet barely touching each glyph before she was propelled to the next. The familiar strain of using so much Aura at once burned through her limbs, but Weiss pushed through it. She hadn't spent years training as a Schnee to be stopped by a little exertion.

With a final leap, she twisted in mid-air and landed with a decisive thud on the uppermost platform of the clocktower, right where the enormous clock mechanism met the open air.

A shriek greeted her arrival - high-pitched and startled, followed by a clatter of what sounded like surveillance equipment.

And there she was.

After weeks of mystery, frustration, and increasingly elaborate traps, Weiss was finally face-to-face with May Zedong.

She was... not what Weiss had expected. Somehow, in her mind, she'd constructed an image of a stone-cold military type, perhaps with scars and a permanent scowl. Instead, she found herself staring at a young woman with tan skin, rose-colored hair, and wide gray eyes - or rather, one wide gray eye, as the left side of her face was obscured by a beanie identical to the one currently sitting on the empty bed in their dorm room. Instead of the usual outfits of Huntsmen made to stand out, she wore a tracksuit patterned with white and magenta colors.

May was frozen in place, her hands still gripping a state-of-the-art sniper rifle that was half-assembled, various scopes and attachments spread out on a small tarp beside her. Several monitors displayed different camera feeds - including, Weiss noted with growing indignation, one showing the interior of their dorm room. The fact that their bathroom had been left out was the only reason she wasn't tempted to throw the sniper off the tower.

"May," Weiss smiled, the gesture all teeth and no warmth, "So nice to finally meet face-to-face."

For several long seconds, May didn't respond. She just stared at Weiss like a cornered animal, her visible eye darting from Weiss to the rifle to the edge of the platform, clearly calculating escape routes, "H-how did you-" May finally stuttered, her voice lacking all of the military confidence it held over the walkie-talkie. She sounded younger, more uncertain.

"Find you?" Weiss finished, crossing her arms, "Did you really think you could hide forever? I'm a Schnee. We always get what we want."

May's hands twitched toward her rifle, but Weiss was faster. A glyph appeared beneath the weapon and slid it several feet away, "No more of that," Weiss said firmly, "We're going to have a conversation. A real one."

May shrank back, pulling her beanie lower over her face, "I need to relocate," she mumbled, reaching for a small bag beside her, "Position compromised."

"Absolutely not." Weiss stomped her foot, another glyph appearing to block May's reach, "You're not disappearing again. You've been playing your little invisible guardian game for weeks, and it ends now."

May's visible eye widened, a flush creeping up her neck, "It's not a game," she protested weakly, "It's tactical... it's..."

"It's ridiculous," Weiss said, "And it's embarrassing our team."

May flinched at that, her gaze dropping to the platform beneath them, "I'm not... good with people," she said so quietly Weiss almost missed it, "Not like this." Weiss blinked, momentarily thrown by the vulnerability in May's voice. This was not the confident, almost cocky sniper who regularly harassed her through the walkie-talkie. This May seemed almost... shy.

"What do you mean, 'like this'?" Weiss demanded, though some of the edge had left her voice.

May gestured vaguely at herself, still not meeting Weiss's eyes, "Face-to-face. It's... complicated."

"Well, uncomplicate it," Weiss said, though she found herself taking a small step back to give May some space, "You can't be a functioning member of this team if you're hiding in clocktowers and shooting people with BB pellets."

May's hand moved to her beanie again, adjusting it nervously, "I function fine," she insisted, "From a distance. That's how I operate. That's how I've always operated. Ask Jaune."

"Oh, I have," Weiss said dryly, "He says you've been like this for two years, which, by the way, is not a normal friendship dynamic." Not that she had much experience on that front, but even she knew that this absolutely wasn't the standard.

"Nothing about being a Huntress is normal," May countered, some of her confidence seemingly returning as she focused on the topic, "We all have our methods. Mine just happens to involve... distance."

Weiss sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose, "Look, I didn't track you down to psychoanalyze you. I tracked you down because we're supposed to be a team, and teams need to be able to coordinate. To train together. To develop strategies face-to-face."

May was silent for a long moment, her eye fixed on a point somewhere past Weiss's shoulder, "I'm better at this than you think," she finally said, "The distance thing. It works. I've kept Jaune alive for two years."

"From what? Schoolyard bullies?" Weiss scoffed.

"From Grimm," May corrected, her voice hardening slightly, "From people who'd hurt him for his transcripts. From a lot of things."

Weiss' brows furrowed, "Wait, what about his transcripts?" May's eye widened again, and she clamped her mouth shut, looking horrified, "Never mind that," Weiss said, filing the information away for later, "The point is, this can't continue. I won't have my team be a laughingstock because one member refuses to show her face."

May fidgeted with the hem of her sleeve, looking increasingly uncomfortable the longer Weiss stared at her, "I..." she started, then stopped, "It's not that simple."

"Then explain it to me," Weiss crossed her arms, "Because from where I'm standing, you've been making my life needlessly difficult for weeks, and I want to know why."

"I'm not good with people," May repeated, more firmly this time, "But I'm good at what I do. Really good. The distance thing... it's not just a preference. It's... it's how I function best." Weiss studied the strange girl before her. There was clearly more to this story than May was letting on, but the genuine distress in her posture was hard to ignore. May looked like she wanted nothing more than to disappear off the edge of the clocktower and never be seen again.

"Fine," Weiss said after a long moment, "Let's say I accept that you have your... reasons. That still doesn't solve our team coordination problem."

May glanced longingly at her rifle, then at her surveillance equipment, "I was managing fine," she muttered.

"You were shooting people in the cafeteria," Weiss corrected.

"Tactically."

"It was embarrassing!"

May shrank further into herself, tugging her beanie even lower, "Didn't mean to embarrass the team," she said quietly, "Just proving a point."

Weiss was struck by the contrast between this May and the one who confidently issued tactical assessments over the walkie-talkie. It was like looking at two different people. Then again, she thought, people acted differently when they thought they had the safety of anonymity. She'd experienced it more than once. People saying hurtful things from behind a screen only to shrink when they saw her face-to-face, they bravery suddenly forgotten in the face of consequences.

"Here's what's going to happen," Weiss said, adopting her best team-leader voice, "We're going to talk. Right here, right now. No more hiding behind walkie-talkies or beanbags or whatever else you've been using to avoid actual human interaction."

May's visible eye widened in panic. Her breathing quickened as she scrambled backward, hands fumbling frantically at her belt, "I can't- I don't-"

"Oh yes, you can," Weiss pressed, taking a step forward, "This has gone on long enough."

With trembling hands, May unclipped a spare walkie-talkie from her belt and dropped it on the ground. Then, she picked up another one that she held close to her chest, "T-take this," she stuttered, her voice barely audible. She nudged the walkie talkie with her foot, "We can talk this way. Just like normal. Please."

Weiss stared at the offered device in disbelief, "You can't be serious. I'm standing right in front of you!"

"Please," May repeated, looking everywhere but at Weiss's face. Her hand shook as she held her walkie-talkie, "It's... It's better this way."

"This is ridiculous!" Weiss snapped, her patience finally evaporating completely. She reached out and snatched the walkie-talkie from May's hand, "We are going to have a normal conversation like normal people, not through some childish-"

Big mistake.

The instant the walkie-talkie left her grip, May's entire demeanor transformed. Her eye went impossibly wide, her pupils contracted to pinpoints, and her mouth opened in what started as a gasp but rapidly escalated.

The shriek that erupted from May's throat didn't sound human. It was like a thousand nails on a chalkboard, like dying electronics shorting out, like static and feedback and digital distortion all compressed into a single, ear-splitting sound. It reminded her of when the screen in their home theater broke, yet somehow a hundred times worse.

"EEEEEEEEEEEEEYAAAAAAAA-A-A-A-A-AAAAAHHH!"

The scream seemed to glitch and stutter, rising and falling in pitch like a corrupted audio file, echoing off the clocktower walls and reverberating through Weiss's skull. Weiss dropped the walkie-talkie in shock, clamping her hands over her ears as the unholy noise continued unabated, "STOP IT!" Weiss shouted, but her voice was completely drowned out by May's continuing banshee wail.

Windows in the clocktower rattled. A nearby bird took flight in panic. Somewhere in the distance, an alarm started going off, though whether it was related or coincidental, Weiss couldn't tell.

Desperate to make the sound stop, Weiss lunged forward, grabbed the fallen walkie-talkie, and shoved it forcefully back into May's hands. As soon as the walkie-talkie was back in May's possession, the unholy shrieking stopped. May clutched the device to her chest, hugging it like a security blanket, her visible eye closed as she took several deep breaths. Her hands were still trembling.

Weiss winced, pressing a finger against her ear as if that might stop the persistent ringing, "What. Was. That?" she growled, her voice sounding muffled to her own ears.

May didn't answer. She just cradled the walkie-talkie closer, looking for all the world like a child with a beloved stuffed animal.

Weiss watched in disbelief as the sniper - who'd been terrorizing her for weeks, who'd shot Yang between the eyes five times in a row without missing, who'd somehow convinced Beacon's administration to let her operate as a ghost - curled in on herself, shaking.

"Fine," Weiss sighed after an awkward minute had passed, "Keep your stupid walkie-talkie."

May's eye cracked open, watching Weiss warily.

"But we're still going to talk," Weiss insisted, though with considerably less force than before. Her ears were still ringing, "What... What do you need me to do?"

May pointed to the opposite side of the clocktower platform, a good fifteen feet away.

"You can't be serious," Weiss said flatly.

May just stared at her, unmoving, then pointed at the other walkie talkie she'd dropped earlier. With a dramatic sigh that she hoped conveyed the full depths of her exasperation, Weiss picked it up, stalked over to the indicated spot and sat down cross-legged, facing May, "Happy?"

May raised the walkie-talkie to her mouth, pressed the button, and spoke, "This is... better. Over."

"This is completely ridiculous," she said into the device, "I can literally see you. Over."

"I know," May's voice came through, stronger now, more like the confident 'Beanie One' she was used to hearing, "But it's easier this way. Over."

"Easier?" Weiss snapped, "What's easier about having to use communication devices when we're fifteen feet apart? What's your deal, May? Jaune said you were completely normal until you were both fifteen, and then you decided to become a ghost. Over." She added the last word with dripping sarcasm that could peel paint.

May was silent for so long that Weiss wondered if she'd broken some unspoken rule of walkie-talkie etiquette. Finally, the device crackled, "I've always been shy," May's voice came through, quiet but steady, "But after I turned fifteen..." She trailed off, shaking her head, "No. I just find it easier this way. I can focus on the mission. No distractions. Over."

"What mission?" Weiss demanded, "We're students at a Huntsman academy, not special operatives." Not yet, at least, "And you haven't answered my question. What happened after you turned fifteen? Over."

May fidgeted with her beanie, adjusting it even though it hadn't moved. Her gaze was fixed on the platform floor between them, "It's... personal. Over."

"We're going to be stuck on this clocktower until you give me something to work with." Weiss glared at her, "Over."

Another long pause. May looked physically pained, as if each word was being extracted under torture. Finally, she spoke.

"I realized I liked Jaune," she admitted, the words coming in a rush, "Like... really liked him. And then being around him became too hard. Too awkward. I kept saying stupid things, or laughing at inappropriate moments, or just... freezing up. So I decided it would be better to watch over him from a distance. Keep him safe. That's what I'm good at anyway. Over."

Weiss stared at her. Then, very deliberately, she set the walkie-talkie down, covered her face with both hands, and counted silently to ten. When she picked up the walkie-talkie again, her voice was dangerously calm, "Are you kidding me? All of this - the disappearing, the sniping, the walkie-talkies, the years of making Jaune talk to empty air - all of this because of a teenage crush? Over."

May's cheeks flushed a deep red that almost matched her hair, "It's not just a crush," she protested weakly, "It's... complicated. Over."

Weiss bit down on the scream of frustration that threatened to escape. All this time, all the embarrassment, all the team dysfunction - because May Zedong couldn't handle having feelings for Jaune Arc. Jaune Arc, of all people! The boy who wore footie pajamas to the first night at Beacon! The boy who had bar none THE worst combat record in the entire school. Yang once beat him literally with both hands tied behind her back!

"Here's what's going to happen," Weiss said, her tone making it clear this was not up for debate, "I'm going to help you fix your relationship with Jaune."

May's eye widened in alarm, "W-what? No, that's not- I mean, this arrangement is working fine! Over."

"Is it?" Weiss challenged, "You honestly expect this to last? For four years? For your entire career as a Huntress? Over."

"Well... yeah," May said, sounding genuinely confused that Weiss didn't see the logic, "It's worked for two years already. Over."

Weiss ignored this, "I'm going to fix you and Jaune," she continued, "And then you're going to stop embarrassing our team. You're going to attend classes in person. You're going to participate in team training. And you're going to stop shooting people in public spaces. Are we clear? Over."

May looked like she wanted to argue. Her hand tightened around the walkie-talkie, and for a moment, Weiss worried she might be about to experience another ear-splitting shriek. But then May's shoulders slumped in defeat. She nodded once, the movement so small Weiss almost missed it.

"Good," Weiss said, standing up and brushing off her combat skirt, "And from now on, I expect you to keep in contact. Actually in contact. I'm not going to fix this mess if I can't even see you. You will give me locations of where we'll meet whenever we need to talk. Out."

As she created a glyph to begin her descent from the clocktower, Weiss pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed deeply. This was NOT what she'd signed up for when she enrolled at Beacon. She was supposed to be training to become a Huntress, to restore honor to the Schnee name, to prove herself as a warrior. Instead, she was playing relationship counselor to a socially crippled sniper with an overactive trigger finger and her oblivious partner.

"If Winter could see me now," Weiss muttered as she stepped onto her glyph, "She'd never let me hear the end of it."

[line break]

Poor Weiss. Just wants a normal team. Ends up having to play cupid for May and Jaune. Can't even enjoy having Pyrrha as a partner.