4th Aura | Video

[aurabble]

[When the video starts Jaune just looks tired. Tired and aggravated, and it's apparent in his voice.]

I can't believe I have to say this, but since there's nothing stopping people who have committed murder here from running for City Guardian, apparently I do. You shouldn't vote for actual murderers like Reiner Braun and Roman Torchwick unless you like the idea of trusting an entire city to someone who either admits they murdered someone and does a bad job of even showing any regret or someone who's questionably claiming they're redeemed after...a few weeks? Even if he does claim he's trying to make up for his mistakes, you don't just suddenly lose all of your bad habits like criminal acts in a short amount of time and try to take on that kind of position without an ulterior motive.

This whole thing is stupid. It's stupid. I'm done talking about it. Just...if you want to know more about the crimes they committed while they were here, I can answer your questions. I doubt I'll convince other murderers unless they want the position for themselves.

Comments

[maybeitsmaybelline]

[Roman's first instinct was to respond privately, but he may as well make it public. He's allergic to honesty, but once in a blue moon it really is the best policy. Ugh.

He looks a little tired himself, despite his efforts to hide it with makeup. Neo's departure hit him harder than he's like to admit. But emotions are gross, so he's burying them in work, campaigning, and whiskey. It's a winning formula! It just comes at the expense of sleep.

Tired or not, there's a twinkle of amusement in his eye.]

A few months, actually. Years, if we exclude Remnant and all the extenuating circumstances. Anyway!

[He stretches and settles into a casual lounge, regarding the camera with a lazy smile.]

As delightful as it would be to listen to a teenage boy's rants on justice, let's get one thing straight: I don't kill for the fun of it. Have I had fun killing? Absolutely! But if I'm a businessman, not a murderer. I find the option with the best net benefit, and I pick it. In the past, the best option might've involved a corpse or two. Thanks to my talks with Ms. Schnee, we've created an environment where it's better for me not to get involved in criminal affairs.

[That's half-true-- violence is right out, but he'd probably die of boredom if he had to go completely straight.]

So! Let's review. [He ticks off points on his fingers.] 1: Not a murderer. 2: Expert at helping myself. 3: Provided everyone sticks to the terms of the deal, helping Genessia is helping myself. QED, helping Genessia is my top priority.

[With that flawless proof, he spreads his palms and gives a blindingly bright smile.]

If you need proof of my qualifications, just look at my career! I'm a great leader with a record of bringing people together to get things done.

[fade_to_black]

Bringing people together? [If only she could reach through a screen to strangle the smug bastard.] Like when the train crashed into the city and Grimm were set loose of the citizens? How many of the people you 'brought together' were killed that day? How many White Fang members who followed you died in those tunnels?

[unhappy]

I hate siding with Torchwick on principle, but that's on Team RWBY's heads. None of those Faunus were supposed to die. You were the ones who got involved and made it impossible for them to get out like they were supposed to.

[fade_to_black]

Sure. I'll bet all we had to do to make sure people didn't die was not get involved. Because if we just left bad people alone, they'd stop doing bad things. How did we miss that? [If there's a sarcasm barrier, it's been broken.]

[unhappy]

I'm not denying Torchwick was up to something bad, but you're a bunch of barely trained kids who shouldn't have been there in the first place. So yes, more people died because of your involvement instead of anyone who should actually be enforcing the law.

Keep trying to justify being a vigilante who doesn't know what you're doing, Blake.

[fade_to_black]

I'm hardly 'barely trained'. And we were on an authorized mission, hunting Grimm. If we weren't supposed to stumble upon the hideout it should have been hidden better. [Not like they weren't totally there for the purpose of finding it, but she doesn't owe you the details.]

I'd say the operation was already pretty botched if a bunch of 'untrained kids' found it in one night.

[unhappy]

I'm not saying Roman's not a screw-up.

[ Yeah whatever Blake you wouldn't have found it if a hole hadn't accidentally fallen through and dumped Ruby in it. That was pure dumb luck. But Emerald definitely agrees, if they hadn't been at the school at the time, this wouldn't have been an issue. Roman's a loser who keeps screwing up. ]

But I'm not agreeing with you on the barely trained.

[ They wiped the floor with Team CFVY in the tournament, she knows that Mercury lost intentionally to Yang. But she's not going to say that. No sense in spilling those beans. ]

[fade_to_black]

[And yet that amber gaze just looks at you levelly, unshaken. Blake has been busting her ass to take bounties and to make sure she trains. She has people she wants to protect and she's not going to grow complacent just because she's not in Remnant.] I don't care if you agree or not.

Although if what you say is true, it doesn't say much for your boss, does it? [A little smirk starts at the corner of the faunus's mouth.] I wish I could have seen her face when Ruby took her down the first time. I'll bet she didn't see that coming. So, please keep underestimating us.

[unhappy]

As far as I can tell, the only way you all could take Cinder here was sneaky, underhanded murder and being too scared to show your faces.

[ She wasn't even aware of the entrapment that went on, but from what Emerald could gather, they used crushing Beacon to make sure they didn't even have to face Cinder. She doesn't know anything else about it besides what was in the news, but she knows enough to know it was really the opposite of what brave huntresses and huntsmen should've been doing. ]

You're deluded if you want to try to claim any victories from that day, Blake. I'd guess whatever Ruby did was a fluke or she would've done it again here.

[fade_to_black]

I wasn't here when that plan was made, so I can't take credit. But don't worry, your team still holds the crown for 'sneaky, underhanded murder'. I don't think we'll ever be able to top the death toll at Beacon that night, all because we let you in...[She just stops at that point because she hates remembering that day and if she gets as angry as she has in the past she won't be able to stop shaking and damned if she gives Emerald Sustrai the satisfaction.]

There wouldn't be a point. You can't kill anyone here. [But they can make sure that she pays for Beacon and Blake's not complaining about the how.]

[aurabble]

Torchwick still needs to take responsibility. If he was in charge of the White Fang, their lives are just as much on his hands as anyone else's. Besides, weren't they planning to let a lot of innocent people die?

[If Emerald wants to get into specifics he'll play along.]

[unhappy]

That happened anyway. Torchwick got swallowed whole, so I mean if you want to talk about paying for crimes...

[aurabble]

...Torchwick got swallowed?

[He's partially shocked, and partially just being a dick.]

[unhappy]

It's pretty funny, he woke up here all covered in guts.

[ Okay, not for Torchwick. But Emerald doesn't like him anyway so she actually honestly looks amused. ]

Your teams don't communicate very well if you didn't know. I thought Ruby was there.

[aurabble]

Must have been slow and painful. Do you know what swallowed him? I'd hate to be shopping in his store and accidentally bring it up!

We...we didn't talk about it that much.

[maybeitsmaybelline]

How very noble of you.

You do realize I can see this, right?

[He's doing that teeth-grinding thing again, and wow he's going to kill Emerald next time he sees her.]

[aurabble]

I try my best.

That's kind of the point. Did you feel any fear when you were swallowed, or was it just kind of...instant-death?

[unhappy]

Who knows? [ She shrugs. ] Some kind of Grimm. I was with Mercury, I didn't see it happen.

Private Video

[maybeitsmaybelline]

Was that really necessary?

[Yup, he's still sore about the whole thing. Dying will do that to you.]

Private Video

[unhappy]

No.

[ But she did it anyway. ] Just tell people you've braved the great beyond, you're prepared for anything now. It'll come out one way or the other.

[aurabble]

[It's nice to see Roman looking tired, even if the makeup helps. He's hoped he hasn't been doing very well.

But he wants to punch his smile. So badly. Maybe use his shield. His eye might be twitching a little.]

You committed an act of murder. Pretty sure that makes you a murderer, sketchy business aside.

What if, in some messed up reality where you'd actually win, someone came up with a deal better than Weiss's that involved anything illegal? You put yourself first, there's no reason for you to not betray Genessia in the future if it works in your best interest.

[maybeitsmaybelline]

[Ah, yes, the righteous sadism of the hero. He loves a good vicious streak, but damned if it didn't drive him crazy coming from these brats.

Oh well. At least Roman is driving Jaune equally crazy. He beams in mock pride.]

A good point! Oh-- wait, no--


That will never happen.

[Have a scowl. Have a few melodramatic gestures, too. The more annoyed Roman gets, the more he talks with his hands.]

Emerald so kindly told you what happened to me on Remnant, but if you can't keep up with the implications Hero, let me help you out. I live here now. Stuck! No way out. Genessia is where I'm going to be for approximately forever. So, have you heard the expression 'you don't shit where you eat?'

If I screw up Genessia, my home is screwed up. That's not in my best interest. Capiche?

[aurabble]

[To someone who didn't know what aura is, capiche just sounds like a weird dessert. So Jaune looks relatively confused at first, before he tries to force himself to consider his next words like he's not sinking to Romans level.

He totally is. But he's trying.]

I still don't believe you, but I can see why that would be a bad idea. Not that hasn't stopped you in the past.

I can't believe I'm actually suggesting this, but if somehow you do win, you should make one of us your deputy. I know you don't trust us, and we don't trust you, but it would get everyone to back off and let us know for sure you aren't planning to hurt Genessia to help yourself. If you're as practical as you're claiming to be, you can see why it would help.

[maybeitsmaybelline]

[That's not a terrible idea, if he wanted to be on good terms with them. But right now he has an agreement with Weiss, and that's all he needs. The rest of them can go to hell for all he cares.]

I can see why it would help you. But that's not how the world works, Hero. You're not going to vote for me whether or not I make that promise, so if I win without your vote...

[He shrugs and spreads his palms.]

Why should I care what you think? You don't even live in my dear Attleton.

[aurabble]

[He'll pretend that didn't hurt his ego. Luckily, he's used to it, and it was a stupid suggestion anyway.]

I'm just glad we don't have to worry about you winning.

Past crimes aside, you don't exactly scream trustworthy. Attleton's not yours. It never will be. I guess that might be hard for you to come to terms with, but I'm lucky because that's not my problem.