"Yaaaaang.. Yaaaaaaaaaaaang...!" Ruby called out to her sister as she struggled to open the pickle jar she grabbed from the fridge.
"Hnnnngh!!!" Ruby tried her best to twist the lid off, even putting it under hot water to try and loosen it up.
She tried in vain to open it for five minutes before running out to the living room where Yang was. Her older sister seemed to be preoccupied with her scroll and hadn't heard her. But that hadn't deterred Ruby at all, who put the jar in front of Yang's face and shook it.
"Yang!" "Ah! Uh-what's up, Rubes..?" Yang coughed and put her scroll away, giving Ruby her full attention now.
Ruby just shook the jar of pickles in her hand and gave her a raised brow. Yang chuckled and took it, easily popping the lid off with one hand while giving her younger sister a charismatic grin.
"Bleh! Thanks. You look really distacted and stuff. You excited about Beacon? Oh or.. another boyband? Please don't let it be the second one! That phase where you into that Mistralian boyband STILL haunts Dad and me!" Ruby recoiled while taking out a pickle and biting into it.
Yang snorted and shook her head in amusement.
"Nah. I mean-don't get me wrong, I'm pumped for Beacon. But I saw some Remnitt posts about Jane and started asking around-and why're you looking at me like that..?" Yang asked, seeing the strange expression on Ruby's face.
"You mean your imaginary faunus friend? I'll admit, your description was pretty creative but then you started talking about her... strangely.."
Yang blinked owlishly, "Strangely..?"
"Like you really went on about her hips and thighs.."
Yang's mouth gaped in shock.
"B-Because she used kicks in her fight! She was a machine, Rubes! A kicking machine!" Yang justified, feeling heat rise to her ears and cheeks.
Ruby hummed and nodded with a thoughtful expression. For a moment, Yang sighed, thinking the matter was dropped. Until Ruby's next words made her shoot up out of her seat.
"Then why'd you talk about her butt too? Did she hit 'em with it?"
"I meant her tail! Her tail, Rubes!"
Ruby shook her head.
"No you definitely said butt. You even described it jiggling. You said it was 'heart-shaped'. Whatever that means. Kinda reminds of how you used to talk about those boybands you liked actually-"
"Ahaaaaa!! Okay, let's move on! Are you excited for Beacon? I heard a new teacher got announced this year. A combat teacher with a lot of experience! Isn't that cool?" Yang asked, doing her damnest to redirect the conversation.
Ruby hummed and muttered something about 'dodging' before she replied, "Yeah I heard they were scouted by the Headmaster! He's nice. Gave me cookies when he offered me a spot in Beacon.. Wait! Do you think he hired the Void Hunter!?"
Yang had to catch Ruby as she zipped forward and grabbed onto Yang's jacket. Yang smirked, having gotten used to Ruby's enthusiasm when it came to discussing one of her role models. Hoshimi Miyabi, the Void Hunter was widely known throughout the Kingdoms as one of the most skilled Huntresses around. She was someone many, including her sister, was inspired by and for good reason.
"Heh! I doubt it. There'd be way more hype about that, don'tcha think?" Yang replied, seeing her sister steadily deflate like a popped balloon.
"Aww-WAITNO! There should be an email sent to parents and stuff online! They gotta have a picture of the new teacher!" Ruby used her semblance and escaped her sister's clutches before pulling out her scroll and typing away like a woman possessed.
Yang shook her head with a sigh. She had a feeling Ruby was just going to disappoint herself again. In all likelihood, the teacher was probably some washed up Huntsman. Though she had prepared to hear Ruby's dramatic whine, what came next was very weird for her little sister.
Silence.
"Well? Who is it, Rubes? Are you playing it up for drama?" Yang smirked, looking over at her sister's mildly surprised expression.
"No way. She's real? You weren't lying.. or delulu? Woaaah.." Ruby muttered quietly, prompting Yang to get up and peek at her screen.
There, on the page about the school's 'New Teacher' was Jane Doe. The sexy Faunus lady who helped take down an entire nightclub full of goons with her. Though the picture clearly showed her with a gentle smile that gave Yang's stomach butterflies.
"H-Holy shit.. no way. You think Uncle Qrow found her?" Yang asked whilst turning away, feeling her cheeks heat up.
"With how much you gushed about her? Good chance he did! Her blades sounded cool, from how you described them. Maybe they're made from-" Yang tuned out her little sister's weapon-nut ranting and took a deep breath.
She just admired and was thankful to her. She'd probably be in the dark about her family way longer if she hadn't met Jane. Thus, she started making little plans to take her out to coffee or maybe dinner. All while still assuring herself she felt absolutely platonic.
-Jane Doe, Pubsec station-
*Sneeze~*
Jane covered her mouth and let out a little sneeze.
"Odd.. I've never actually heard you sneeze before. It's unexpectedly cute." Zhu Yuan stated, seated across from Jane in her office.
"Ah~ Maybe someone's talking bad about me?" Jane joked, watching as her colleague's brow shot up in doubt.
"Well.. anyways. Are you certain this is what you want? Being out in the light like this. And then there's the Mountain Lion gang to consider.." Zhu Yuan couldn't help but worry.
Jane took a sip of the sugary, creamy coffee sitting in front of her and nodded.
"I had a long talk with Professor Ozpin and realized allying with him will lead to several hundred arrests. The Mountain Lion gang? Qrow Branwen had been scouting them out too and the info we have matches. They're aiming to join the Branwen tribe in some kind of massive bandit nation. Ozpin showed me more. Frankly speaking, this sort of goes way above our jurisdiction, Captain."
Zhu Yuan bit her lip and rested her head on her folded hands.
"I know, but still-" "But still, we'll seek justice regardless. I'll be working with Ozpin and Qrow to bring this 'bandit nation' down before it can even properly form. Though, we'll need some prep-work done. We're aiming to set me up as a 'corrupt' Huntress teaching at Beacon. I'll even be selling information and materials Ozpin tells me about to the bandits and criminals in Vale. Then, after I've built up enough interest, Qrow will contact his mole within the Branwen tribe and we'll work together from there."
Zhu Yuan stared at Jane for a few seconds as she finished her coffee. This was looking to be far riskier than the Mountain Lion infiltration mission. The Branwen tribe had a few truly powerful people within it. If Jane should get caught or exposed while in their territory?
Zhu Yuan shook her head. She didn't even want to think of that possibility.
"I'm worried we may be in over our head here. But taking down a bandit nation would do so much good.." Zhu Yuan muttered while thinking to herself.
Jane tilted her head.
"'Our'? You don't need to be with me, Captain. I'd hate to drag you into this against your will-" Zhu Yuan stood up abruptly.
"It's not against my will. I'm your handler and Captain, Jane. Please, lean on me for support when you can."
Seeing the steadfast, serious expression on her face, Jane's lips curled up in a little smile.
"I'll do that then. Thank you, Captain~"
"Ah.. well, think nothing of it! Now, let's go over the details one more time. I know you're an expert at this but it doesn't hurt to have someone's perspective on your cover."
Jane and Zhu Yuan then spent the next few hours going over the details of her cover. Afterward, Jane returned to her apartment and kicked off her long boots after coming inside.
"This is all spiraling faster than I'd thought.. Reincarnator-type stories usually give their main character a brief period to adjust to the world first, right?" Jane sighed as she laid her back against her sofa and set her Porcelume blades on the table in front of her while her tail flicked out and pressed the power button on her remote, turning the TV on.
"Actually, that might be my fault.. so soon after I arrive and what do I do? Get in a nightclub brawl with one of the main characters. Aaaah but I just had to know if they were the same~" Jane groaned as she stretched out her legs and back, turning her attention to the TV.
It was switched to the news, as always. She was probably as much of a workaholic as Zhu Yuan. But her support system likely only really consisted of her ever-diligent Captain.
Previously, Jane would never have really noticed that about herself. She was always extremely observant of others but when it came to herself? She rarely thought about it. It took having the memories of someone who was genuinely attracted to her character and looks to give herself a good look.
"Maybe I should take it easy for a little.." Jane murmured while absentmindedly watching the news and switching the channel.
"Find out who I am now.. after having both sets of memories settle. I'm definitely a bit different than how 'Jane Doe' is portrayed."
Then she chuckled, "I definitely wasn't as attracted to myself as I am now."
That part was true. Jane had only ever used her looks and personality to fluster and disturb those she was teasing, interrogating or when infiltrating. So it was a bit strange seeing the all-too familiar woman looking back at herself in her TV's reflection and feeling excited.
"Yeah.. let's enjoy some me time..."