Cowboys of Remnant: Lucky Break
AndrewJTalon
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- - -
Taking the weekend off was still a bit of a foreign concept to Jaune. On a farm or cattle drive, Saturday and Sunday didn't differ much from the weekdays. Sunday had a religious service but that was it. There was always something to do.
So sitting and just enjoying himself on the weekend was still a little strange. Fortunately though, his friends were there to help him out.
"YES! YES! YES!" Ruby cheered, as her fighting game character downed Jaune's, "VICTORY FOR RUBY!"
Jaune sighed and leaned back. He gave the hyperactive little reaper a smile.
"Good game," he said, "Though honestly, don't know you play me all the time, Ruby."
Ruby grinned.
"Because I wanna play with my bestie! Even if you lose 32 percent of the time!"
"I thought it was closer to 33 percent," Ren opined, reading a book on the nearby couch. Nora was juggling some red balls with incredible skill and accuracy next to him.
"I've been doing the math, it's definitely 32 percent," Ruby insisted.
"You know Jaune," Pyrrha cleared her throat on another couch, where she and Weiss were looking at magazines, "You could always play some card games with us? I know you keep a pack or two on you."
Jaune shook his head.
"No miss. Pa and Ma both told me, no card games with ladies," He said firmly, "Leads to too much trouble."
"It's not like we're playing strip poker," Yang said, as she relaxed to some music on the floor. She grinned devilishly.
"Unless you want to, Stud~."
Jaune coughed hard, as Weiss, Pyrrha and Ruby shot red-cheeked glares at the smirking brawler.
"N-Not my sort of game, Yang," Jaune stuttered, "Just, ya know... Old habits die hard, I guess. Sides... I'd probably cheat ya."
"Cheat us?" Weiss scowled. "You wouldn't do that! You're too honest to cheat!"
Jaune blushed hard.
"Aw... Shucks, thank you Miss Schnee," he said, "But um... Old habits, and-and all."
"So you'd want to see us naked that badly?" Yang grinned.
"YANG!" Ruby barked with a scowl.
Pyrrha blushed hard and looked considerate. As did Blake. Jaune tried very hard not to notice this.
A knock at the door was his salvation. He got up and motioned everyone else to stay sitting.
"I got this," he said, walking up to the common room door. He opened it up... And gaped.
"Miguel?!"
A tall, dark skinned Vacoan man, maybe a year or two older than Jaune, grinned with pure white teeth at him. He wore slick cowboy duds, suitable for hard rides but clearly high end materials and tailoring in tans and reds. He wore a fine white Stetson and a red scarf around his neck. His boots jangled with silver spurs and a revolver hung from his gunbelt. A fine red duster hung from his shoulders.
"JAUNE!" The older boy hugged Jaune, and Jaune hugged him back. The blond soon laughed and slapped Miguel on the back, as RWBY and the rest of Jaune's team rose to see the newcomer.
"Hahaha! You old dog!" Jaune laughed. "How have ya been?!"
"Great, great!" Miguel laughed, clapping Jaune on the shoulder. Jaune motioned him inside, and Miguel entered with a jaunty grin. "Never better! Oh, hey, remember the hundred lien you loaned me?"
"Aw shucks Miguel, friends don't carry debts-" Jaune tried, but Miguel reached into a pouch on his belt and pulled out a huge stack of bills. Everyone but Pyrrha and Weiss's eyes went wide at the stack as Miguel handed it over to Jaune.
"Consider it paid, with interest!" Miguel grinned. Jaune gaped and quickly counted the bills.
"M-Miguel, this is ten thousand lien!" Jaune gasped. Miguel nodded.
"Sure is!"
"Wha-Where did you get it?!" Jaune gasped.
"Uh, Jaune? Who is this?" Yang asked, raising an eyebrow. Miguel grinned again, his smile like a headlamp, as he took his hat off and bowed dramatically.
"Name's Miguel Flores! I'm this loser's friend!"
"Yeah he's Miguel and I'm this loser's friend," Jaune snorted. "Seriously though, where'd you get this cash?! You can't just spend it willy nilly-!"
"I found it, Jaune," Miguel grinned, grabbing Jaune's shoulders, "I found a Dust Mine! Pure, untouched Gravity and Lightnin'! The biggest find in Gallia!"
Weiss' brows knit before her eyes flew wide.
"Wait... The Lucky Laura Mine?! That was you?!" Weiss gasped. Miguel turned and studied Weiss for a moment, before gaping. He then grinned again.
"Well damn! If Miss Weiss Schnee knows of me, I must have done good!" Miguel laughed.
At everyone's looks, Weiss quickly explained:
"The Lucky Laura Mine is probably the biggest find of Gravity and Lightning Dust in the history of Vale. It's also one of the few independent mines still around. Add to this, the discoverer and owner was only nineteen and, yes! It's actually very impressive, Mister Flores!"
Jaune grinned broadly at Weiss and slapped Miguel on the back.
"Damn! Great job, Miguel! I wondered why you hadn't called me or writ me at all in so long!"
"Yeah!" Miguel laughed. "Thank your sister! Her group helped maintain security and she helped me come up with a business plan! I'm actually here to do a lot of business stuff! Ask for a charter so we can establish a town around the mine, look for investors, the works! She's a damn smart cookie, Tangy!"
"Just be careful she doesn't steal the mine out from under you," Jaune joked. Miguel chuckled.
"I don't think she will. She said she prefers 'investments' and all that. And hell, I'm having some fun too. Bought my ma a proper house with a cook and assistant, since she's getting on. Bought Mister Duke a refit for his old air yacht-"
"Bet that took some doin' to make him accept it," Jaune chuckled. Miguel grinned.
"Just had to out stubborn him, which was damn hard! Got your folks some nice foreign foods since they put me up so often, and here..."
He grinned and held out a ring box. Jaune heard Pyrrha, Yang, Weiss and Ruby all take deep breaths, and saw Blake blush deeply. Ren raised an eyebrow and Nora grinned. Jaune coughed.
"Ah, I'm flattered Miguel but I never swung that way-"
"It's for Laura, ya jackass!" Miguel growled, punching Jaune in the shoulder. Blake looked rather disappointed, as relief swept most of the other occupants of the room.
"Eh? You tracked her down?" Jaune asked. Miguel nodded happily.
"Yup! She moved to Vale from Radian to get work! Finally tracked her down! I can fulfill that promise I made to marry her! I... I can finally make her happy!" He grinned at Jaune. "Could I trust you to be my best man?"
"Course I will!" Jaune laughed, hugging him, "You don't even have to ask!"
"Come on everyone!" Miguel cheered. "I'm gonna want an audience for this!"
"Ooh!" Ruby grinned. "Sounds great! And you guys can tell us all about your friendship and stuff on the way!"
"Would love to, miss!" Miguel laughed.
- - -
Miguel drove them all there in a large SUV out into the sunny early afternoon. It was a rental, and full of gifts and presents for a lot of people, but they made room somehow and piled in. On the drive, Jaune and Miguel regaled them with stories of their cattle drives, and Miguel talked about how he'd found Lucky Laura. That got even stoic Ren to smirk and chuckle at some of the ridiculous crap the young millionaire had gone through.
They drove into the Middle Town section of Vale, an area of expansion after the Great War. Many middle class homes and businesses dominated here, along with some older style skyscrapers.
They pulled up to a small townhome complex done in Old Valean Style, all white siding and black trim, and Miguel put the vehicle in park. Everyone piled out, but only Jaune and Miguel headed to the door. Everyone else lingered around the vehicle to watch from a distance to not overwhelm Laura.
The two cowboys walked up the plain sidewalk that cut through the well groomed lawn, and stopped at the front door. Miguel grinned at Jaune and Jaune grinned back. He took a deep breath as he held a bouquet of flowers in one hand, and the ringbox in the other.
They paused at the welcome mat. Miguel took a few deep breaths.
"You got this, you got this," Jaune said encouragingly. He took a few steps back, and gave Miguel a thumbs up. Miguel took a final deep breath, and knocked on the screen door.
A few moments passed, before the inner door opened. A beautiful young woman about Miguel's age stood there in a plain purple housedress and apron. Her dark black hair was up in curls, and her eyes glittered like sapphires. She frowned deeply.
"Who... Miguel?"
"That's me, sweetheart," Miguel grinned, tipping his hat. His eyes were full of love. "I made it, sweetie. I made it. All our dreams have come true! I found it! I found it, baby! The biggest Dust Mine in history! I'm a millionaire! I promised you the world, didn't I? All for you! All for-!"
Laura scowled. She pushed the screen door open and stomped out.
"You've got some nerve showing up here with your idiot friend!"
Miguel blinked, but still kept up his smile.
"Eh? I wrote you every day, Laura! I sent texts-"
"Oh yeah, about how you were gonna strike it rich 'this time', or how you were so close," Laura snorted, "Did you think I was gonna wait for your broke, good-for-nothing ass the rest of my life?!"
Miguel gaped.
"Wha-But I absolutely did-!"
"He really did!" Jaune insisted. "He found it! He made it-!"
"HA! Like I'm gonna believe a word you two idiots say!" Laura scoffed.
Laura held up her hand. Jaune winced. Miguel stared with wide eyes at the ring on her finger.
"I married a proper man! A banker who makes money! A man who didn't keep dreaming and leaving me all alone!" Laura sneered. "Who accomplished more than you ever did! You lazy-!"
She shoved him.
"-Lying-!"
She shoved him again. He dropped the bouquet, and winced when she stomped on it.
"-Fraud!"
"B-But you... You said you'd wait for me," Miguel said weakly. "I-I did everything I could for you! I sent all the money I could-!"
"Well it wasn't enough, Miguel!" Laura sniffed. "I'm worth more than some homeless bastard son of a whore trying to make it rich on impossible dreams! Get out! Get out right now! I never want to see your face again!"
She turned, stormed into the house, and slammed the door shut behind her. The silence that ensued was deafening.
Miguel worked his jaw up and down, not a sound coming out. He stared dumbly at the door. Jaune slowly approached him, hesitantly putting a hand on Miguel's shoulder.
"Hey... Hey... Miguel? Miguel, buddy...?"
Miguel didn't respond. He just bowed his head and pulled his hat down over his eyes. Jaune grimaced.
"Hey... Hey, come on... Let's go..."
He guided his friend back down the sidewalk. Team RWBY and the rest of JNPR had a mixture of expressions. Yang's eyes burned red, and she pounded her fists together like she wanted to use them. Weiss looked quietly outraged, but tried not to look directly out of Miguel. Ruby looked heartbroken and awkward. Nora growled in the direction of the house, as Ren held her back with a stony face. Pyrrha was trying to look neutral, but her eyes blazed. Blake scowled up the walk, clenching and unclenching her fists like her fingers were claws.
"H-Hey... Yang?" Jaune managed. "Is there a place that serves booze around here?"
Yang took a deep breath, and her eyes shifted back to lilac. She slowly nodded.
"... Follow me, cowboys."
- - -
Yang had her license, and so she drove the rental to Junior's club. It was early, but it was open as a bar. Jaune guided Miguel to the bar, while the others took a table a discreet distance away. Jaune ordered their favorite: Reaver Whiskey, which Mister Duke had introduced them to. Junior had given them a side eye, but he was not one to turn down a millionaire buying drinks, and soon Miguel was throwing the stuff back like it was water as Jaune sat alongside him.
"It's my fault..." Miguel slurred after the tenth shot, "Shoulda... Shoulda worked harder... I did it all for her... Didn't I tell you...? It just... It wasn't good enough..."
"No, no!" Jaune insisted. "Come on! You went out whenever you could prospecting! You learned enough geology you coulda gotten a degree! You worked hard, Miguel!"
"It just wasn't good enough," Miguel sighed, "I'm a frigging fraud... Jest stumbled into my good fortune... She always said I was good-for-nothing, in between her bein' nice... Maybe she was right..."
Weiss got up from the table, even as Yang tried to pull her back.
"H-Hey, they need to work this out themselves-!"
Weiss yanked her arm free, and stormed up next to Miguel.
"No! That's wrong!" Weiss insisted angrily. Miguel and Jaune started, as they both looked up at her.
"M-Miss Schnee," Jaune said. Weiss shook her head, and stared right into Miguel's eyes.
"None of that! You are a loyal and hardworking man who discovered a valuable dust mine before the age of 30! If this tramp can't appreciate that, then she never deserved you! And if she abused you for trying your hardest, then she wasn't worth it! You deserve better, Mister Flores!"
Miguel stared at her in astonishment. Jaune nodded angrily, and clapped Miguel on the back.
"Yeah! Why, you were the best shot on the cattle drives! The best rider! The best with a rope and the toughest fighter! If she can't see you for that, let her drop dead!"
Miguel smiled sadly and sighed.
"Well... If Miss Weiss Schnee and my best friend says that... Who am I to argue?" He shook his head. "Still... Gonna be hard to find a gal who ain't just in it for the money."
"Don't worry, I'm sure you'll find her," Jaune smiled, patting Miguel on the shoulder more gently. Miguel nodded.
"Yeah... Well... Right now, I ain't thinking about that. I wanna drink with friends," he said. He picked up the whiskey and his glass and walked over to the table where Ren, Pyrrha, Yang, Ruby, Nora and Blake were waiting. "Mind if I join you fine folks? If Jaune's yer friend, you'll accept trash like me, right?"
"You're not trash!" Ruby insisted stubbornly. She laughed and hugged him. Miguel chuckled and patted her on the back.
"Well, nice to know, Miss Rose."
"Call me Ruby! Geez, are all you cowboys so polite?"
Miguel laughed.
"Only the best!"
Weiss looked back at Jaune. She flushed a bit. Jaune coughed, and smiled at her.
"Thanks Miss Schnee," he said.
"I only spoke the truth," Weiss said firmly. Jaune nodded, looked around, and then motioned to the chair. Weiss sat down. Jaune leaned in and she blushed a bit at his proximity.
"Would it be all right if I asked you a favor, Miss Schnee?"
"Perhaps. What is it?" She asked, putting one leg over the other.
"Listen. Miguel is a damn good guy and a good friend, but he doesn't have much experience in business. I don't want him to get his claim stolen from him. I know Tangy and her friends will keep his mine going right now, but on the frontier and with all that money involved? Things aren't certain. Do you have any friends who could help him manage his money? Make sure he makes the most of it? I mean... I'd hate for someone to take it all away from him."
Weiss hummed thoughtfully, before she nodded.
"I can think of a few financial advisors and a PMC or two specializing in these kinds of matters. I can put in a good word for him, and help him find a lawyer to ensure my father can't get his hands on the operation."
Jaune sighed in relief then beamed at her. Her heart fluttered at the earnest warmth in his smile.
"Thank you Miss Schnee. I... I really appreciate this. I mean... I know we're going in different directions and won't always be able to talk. Hell, when we first met... He beat the shit out of me." He shot a fond smile over at Miguel, who was dancing with Nora and laughing it up.
"But he saved my life more than a few times and... And he's like a brother. So thank you."
Weiss mustered her courage as her pale cheeks turned red.
"I-I would like one thing in return though! A very small thing!"
Jaune nodded.
"Name it."
Weiss opened her mouth, then closed it. She thought it over... Then smiled shyly.
"From now on? Could you call me Weiss? No 'Miss'."
Jaune flushed, and scratched his cheek nervously.
"Er... Are you sure, Miss Schnee? I mean... You're a... A real lady, and all that... And I'm-"
"A gentleman," Weiss insisted, "A TRUE gentleman. One who I am more than comfortable with addressing me by name."
Jaune slowly chewed over this, before he nodded.
"Well uh... Sure, Miss... I mean Weiss. If that's what you want."
"It is," Weiss sighed with a smile.
A commotion up front drew their attention. A familiar dark-haired girl in purple stormed in. Her hair was frazzled, her eyes were frantic, but there was no doubt who it was that charged up to Miguel.
"MIGUEL!"
Laura grasped at his vest and looked up into his eyes, face filled with desperation.
"Miguel, I-I was a fool! A complete fool! I'm sorry, that marriage-It meant nothing! I-I love you and you're the only one for me!" She fell to her knees before him, holding onto his jacket as she pleaded. "Please Miguel! Please, take me back!"
Miguel's eyes turned cold as he truly beheld the woman he'd worked so hard for over the years. Similar expressions of contempt emerged on the faces of RWBY and JNPR. Jaune's hand clenched, as though he was about to go for his gun.
"No Laura," Miguel stated coldly, "You made your choice. Now you live with it. You go have a happy life, I won't begrudge you one. But you ain't fooling nobody with your act."
"But Miguel-!"
"But nothing! Get back to your husband!" Miguel growled.
Jaune stood up with Weiss, and they walked over to Laura. She was sobbing hard, shaking her head.
"C-Come on! I-I made a mistake! You can forgive one little mistake, right? Right?"
"I think you should leave. Now," Yang stated, her rage bubbling just underneath her even tone.
"B-But I love him, honest! You have to believe me!" Laura looked over at Jaune desperately. "Jaune, you know me-!"
"I know you betrayed the best friend a man could have for a banker," Jaune seethed, "and now you're regretting it because you just learned he finally made something of himself. Git!"
Laura looked back up at Miguel, tears running down her cheeks.
"But I do love him! I really-!"
Nora calmly grabbed Laura by her waist, and carried her to the doors. She screamed and wailed. The bouncers politely opened the doors, and Nora threw her out. The bouncers shut the doors, and Nora turned back, brushing off her hands.
"All done! Want me to break her kneecaps, Boss?" She grinned at Jaune.
Jaune chuckled.
"Nah... She'll need to crawl back to her husband somehow."
Yang laughed. Jaune turned to Miguel, and grinned. Miguel grinned back.
"You're a mighty fine friend, Jaune," he said, patting him on the shoulder.
"Yeah well... You are too," Jaune replied, "I'm lucky to have made so many." He smiled over at Weiss first, who blushed brightly. He gave the same smile to the rest of his friends. A smile they returned.
"So," Miguel sighed, looking over at Weiss, "Miss Schnee, how does a cowpoke go about becoming a proper rich gentleman?"
"And while he's asking the impossible," Jaune grinned, "Do you know where we could find a flying horse?"
"You little runt!" Miguel laughed, punching him in the shoulder.
- - -
Taking the weekend off was still a bit of a foreign concept to Jaune. On a farm or cattle drive, Saturday and Sunday didn't differ much from the weekdays. Sunday had a religious service but that was it. There was always something to do.
So sitting and just enjoying himself on the weekend was still a little strange. Fortunately though, his friends were there to help him out.
"YES! YES! YES!" Ruby cheered, as her fighting game character downed Jaune's, "VICTORY FOR RUBY!"
Jaune sighed and leaned back. He gave the hyperactive little reaper a smile.
"Good game," he said, "Though honestly, don't know you play me all the time, Ruby."
Ruby grinned.
"Because I wanna play with my bestie! Even if you lose 32 percent of the time!"
"I thought it was closer to 33 percent," Ren opined, reading a book on the nearby couch. Nora was juggling some red balls with incredible skill and accuracy next to him.
"I've been doing the math, it's definitely 32 percent," Ruby insisted.
"You know Jaune," Pyrrha cleared her throat on another couch, where she and Weiss were looking at magazines, "You could always play some card games with us? I know you keep a pack or two on you."
Jaune shook his head.
"No miss. Pa and Ma both told me, no card games with ladies," He said firmly, "Leads to too much trouble."
"It's not like we're playing strip poker," Yang said, as she relaxed to some music on the floor. She grinned devilishly.
"Unless you want to, Stud~."
Jaune coughed hard, as Weiss, Pyrrha and Ruby shot red-cheeked glares at the smirking brawler.
"N-Not my sort of game, Yang," Jaune stuttered, "Just, ya know... Old habits die hard, I guess. Sides... I'd probably cheat ya."
"Cheat us?" Weiss scowled. "You wouldn't do that! You're too honest to cheat!"
Jaune blushed hard.
"Aw... Shucks, thank you Miss Schnee," he said, "But um... Old habits, and-and all."
"So you'd want to see us naked that badly?" Yang grinned.
"YANG!" Ruby barked with a scowl.
Pyrrha blushed hard and looked considerate. As did Blake. Jaune tried very hard not to notice this.
A knock at the door was his salvation. He got up and motioned everyone else to stay sitting.
"I got this," he said, walking up to the common room door. He opened it up... And gaped.
"Miguel?!"
A tall, dark skinned Vacoan man, maybe a year or two older than Jaune, grinned with pure white teeth at him. He wore slick cowboy duds, suitable for hard rides but clearly high end materials and tailoring in tans and reds. He wore a fine white Stetson and a red scarf around his neck. His boots jangled with silver spurs and a revolver hung from his gunbelt. A fine red duster hung from his shoulders.
"JAUNE!" The older boy hugged Jaune, and Jaune hugged him back. The blond soon laughed and slapped Miguel on the back, as RWBY and the rest of Jaune's team rose to see the newcomer.
"Hahaha! You old dog!" Jaune laughed. "How have ya been?!"
"Great, great!" Miguel laughed, clapping Jaune on the shoulder. Jaune motioned him inside, and Miguel entered with a jaunty grin. "Never better! Oh, hey, remember the hundred lien you loaned me?"
"Aw shucks Miguel, friends don't carry debts-" Jaune tried, but Miguel reached into a pouch on his belt and pulled out a huge stack of bills. Everyone but Pyrrha and Weiss's eyes went wide at the stack as Miguel handed it over to Jaune.
"Consider it paid, with interest!" Miguel grinned. Jaune gaped and quickly counted the bills.
"M-Miguel, this is ten thousand lien!" Jaune gasped. Miguel nodded.
"Sure is!"
"Wha-Where did you get it?!" Jaune gasped.
"Uh, Jaune? Who is this?" Yang asked, raising an eyebrow. Miguel grinned again, his smile like a headlamp, as he took his hat off and bowed dramatically.
"Name's Miguel Flores! I'm this loser's friend!"
"Yeah he's Miguel and I'm this loser's friend," Jaune snorted. "Seriously though, where'd you get this cash?! You can't just spend it willy nilly-!"
"I found it, Jaune," Miguel grinned, grabbing Jaune's shoulders, "I found a Dust Mine! Pure, untouched Gravity and Lightnin'! The biggest find in Gallia!"
Weiss' brows knit before her eyes flew wide.
"Wait... The Lucky Laura Mine?! That was you?!" Weiss gasped. Miguel turned and studied Weiss for a moment, before gaping. He then grinned again.
"Well damn! If Miss Weiss Schnee knows of me, I must have done good!" Miguel laughed.
At everyone's looks, Weiss quickly explained:
"The Lucky Laura Mine is probably the biggest find of Gravity and Lightning Dust in the history of Vale. It's also one of the few independent mines still around. Add to this, the discoverer and owner was only nineteen and, yes! It's actually very impressive, Mister Flores!"
Jaune grinned broadly at Weiss and slapped Miguel on the back.
"Damn! Great job, Miguel! I wondered why you hadn't called me or writ me at all in so long!"
"Yeah!" Miguel laughed. "Thank your sister! Her group helped maintain security and she helped me come up with a business plan! I'm actually here to do a lot of business stuff! Ask for a charter so we can establish a town around the mine, look for investors, the works! She's a damn smart cookie, Tangy!"
"Just be careful she doesn't steal the mine out from under you," Jaune joked. Miguel chuckled.
"I don't think she will. She said she prefers 'investments' and all that. And hell, I'm having some fun too. Bought my ma a proper house with a cook and assistant, since she's getting on. Bought Mister Duke a refit for his old air yacht-"
"Bet that took some doin' to make him accept it," Jaune chuckled. Miguel grinned.
"Just had to out stubborn him, which was damn hard! Got your folks some nice foreign foods since they put me up so often, and here..."
He grinned and held out a ring box. Jaune heard Pyrrha, Yang, Weiss and Ruby all take deep breaths, and saw Blake blush deeply. Ren raised an eyebrow and Nora grinned. Jaune coughed.
"Ah, I'm flattered Miguel but I never swung that way-"
"It's for Laura, ya jackass!" Miguel growled, punching Jaune in the shoulder. Blake looked rather disappointed, as relief swept most of the other occupants of the room.
"Eh? You tracked her down?" Jaune asked. Miguel nodded happily.
"Yup! She moved to Vale from Radian to get work! Finally tracked her down! I can fulfill that promise I made to marry her! I... I can finally make her happy!" He grinned at Jaune. "Could I trust you to be my best man?"
"Course I will!" Jaune laughed, hugging him, "You don't even have to ask!"
"Come on everyone!" Miguel cheered. "I'm gonna want an audience for this!"
"Ooh!" Ruby grinned. "Sounds great! And you guys can tell us all about your friendship and stuff on the way!"
"Would love to, miss!" Miguel laughed.
- - -
Miguel drove them all there in a large SUV out into the sunny early afternoon. It was a rental, and full of gifts and presents for a lot of people, but they made room somehow and piled in. On the drive, Jaune and Miguel regaled them with stories of their cattle drives, and Miguel talked about how he'd found Lucky Laura. That got even stoic Ren to smirk and chuckle at some of the ridiculous crap the young millionaire had gone through.
They drove into the Middle Town section of Vale, an area of expansion after the Great War. Many middle class homes and businesses dominated here, along with some older style skyscrapers.
They pulled up to a small townhome complex done in Old Valean Style, all white siding and black trim, and Miguel put the vehicle in park. Everyone piled out, but only Jaune and Miguel headed to the door. Everyone else lingered around the vehicle to watch from a distance to not overwhelm Laura.
The two cowboys walked up the plain sidewalk that cut through the well groomed lawn, and stopped at the front door. Miguel grinned at Jaune and Jaune grinned back. He took a deep breath as he held a bouquet of flowers in one hand, and the ringbox in the other.
They paused at the welcome mat. Miguel took a few deep breaths.
"You got this, you got this," Jaune said encouragingly. He took a few steps back, and gave Miguel a thumbs up. Miguel took a final deep breath, and knocked on the screen door.
A few moments passed, before the inner door opened. A beautiful young woman about Miguel's age stood there in a plain purple housedress and apron. Her dark black hair was up in curls, and her eyes glittered like sapphires. She frowned deeply.
"Who... Miguel?"
"That's me, sweetheart," Miguel grinned, tipping his hat. His eyes were full of love. "I made it, sweetie. I made it. All our dreams have come true! I found it! I found it, baby! The biggest Dust Mine in history! I'm a millionaire! I promised you the world, didn't I? All for you! All for-!"
Laura scowled. She pushed the screen door open and stomped out.
"You've got some nerve showing up here with your idiot friend!"
Miguel blinked, but still kept up his smile.
"Eh? I wrote you every day, Laura! I sent texts-"
"Oh yeah, about how you were gonna strike it rich 'this time', or how you were so close," Laura snorted, "Did you think I was gonna wait for your broke, good-for-nothing ass the rest of my life?!"
Miguel gaped.
"Wha-But I absolutely did-!"
"He really did!" Jaune insisted. "He found it! He made it-!"
"HA! Like I'm gonna believe a word you two idiots say!" Laura scoffed.
Laura held up her hand. Jaune winced. Miguel stared with wide eyes at the ring on her finger.
"I married a proper man! A banker who makes money! A man who didn't keep dreaming and leaving me all alone!" Laura sneered. "Who accomplished more than you ever did! You lazy-!"
She shoved him.
"-Lying-!"
She shoved him again. He dropped the bouquet, and winced when she stomped on it.
"-Fraud!"
"B-But you... You said you'd wait for me," Miguel said weakly. "I-I did everything I could for you! I sent all the money I could-!"
"Well it wasn't enough, Miguel!" Laura sniffed. "I'm worth more than some homeless bastard son of a whore trying to make it rich on impossible dreams! Get out! Get out right now! I never want to see your face again!"
She turned, stormed into the house, and slammed the door shut behind her. The silence that ensued was deafening.
Miguel worked his jaw up and down, not a sound coming out. He stared dumbly at the door. Jaune slowly approached him, hesitantly putting a hand on Miguel's shoulder.
"Hey... Hey... Miguel? Miguel, buddy...?"
Miguel didn't respond. He just bowed his head and pulled his hat down over his eyes. Jaune grimaced.
"Hey... Hey, come on... Let's go..."
He guided his friend back down the sidewalk. Team RWBY and the rest of JNPR had a mixture of expressions. Yang's eyes burned red, and she pounded her fists together like she wanted to use them. Weiss looked quietly outraged, but tried not to look directly out of Miguel. Ruby looked heartbroken and awkward. Nora growled in the direction of the house, as Ren held her back with a stony face. Pyrrha was trying to look neutral, but her eyes blazed. Blake scowled up the walk, clenching and unclenching her fists like her fingers were claws.
"H-Hey... Yang?" Jaune managed. "Is there a place that serves booze around here?"
Yang took a deep breath, and her eyes shifted back to lilac. She slowly nodded.
"... Follow me, cowboys."
- - -
Yang had her license, and so she drove the rental to Junior's club. It was early, but it was open as a bar. Jaune guided Miguel to the bar, while the others took a table a discreet distance away. Jaune ordered their favorite: Reaver Whiskey, which Mister Duke had introduced them to. Junior had given them a side eye, but he was not one to turn down a millionaire buying drinks, and soon Miguel was throwing the stuff back like it was water as Jaune sat alongside him.
"It's my fault..." Miguel slurred after the tenth shot, "Shoulda... Shoulda worked harder... I did it all for her... Didn't I tell you...? It just... It wasn't good enough..."
"No, no!" Jaune insisted. "Come on! You went out whenever you could prospecting! You learned enough geology you coulda gotten a degree! You worked hard, Miguel!"
"It just wasn't good enough," Miguel sighed, "I'm a frigging fraud... Jest stumbled into my good fortune... She always said I was good-for-nothing, in between her bein' nice... Maybe she was right..."
Weiss got up from the table, even as Yang tried to pull her back.
"H-Hey, they need to work this out themselves-!"
Weiss yanked her arm free, and stormed up next to Miguel.
"No! That's wrong!" Weiss insisted angrily. Miguel and Jaune started, as they both looked up at her.
"M-Miss Schnee," Jaune said. Weiss shook her head, and stared right into Miguel's eyes.
"None of that! You are a loyal and hardworking man who discovered a valuable dust mine before the age of 30! If this tramp can't appreciate that, then she never deserved you! And if she abused you for trying your hardest, then she wasn't worth it! You deserve better, Mister Flores!"
Miguel stared at her in astonishment. Jaune nodded angrily, and clapped Miguel on the back.
"Yeah! Why, you were the best shot on the cattle drives! The best rider! The best with a rope and the toughest fighter! If she can't see you for that, let her drop dead!"
Miguel smiled sadly and sighed.
"Well... If Miss Weiss Schnee and my best friend says that... Who am I to argue?" He shook his head. "Still... Gonna be hard to find a gal who ain't just in it for the money."
"Don't worry, I'm sure you'll find her," Jaune smiled, patting Miguel on the shoulder more gently. Miguel nodded.
"Yeah... Well... Right now, I ain't thinking about that. I wanna drink with friends," he said. He picked up the whiskey and his glass and walked over to the table where Ren, Pyrrha, Yang, Ruby, Nora and Blake were waiting. "Mind if I join you fine folks? If Jaune's yer friend, you'll accept trash like me, right?"
"You're not trash!" Ruby insisted stubbornly. She laughed and hugged him. Miguel chuckled and patted her on the back.
"Well, nice to know, Miss Rose."
"Call me Ruby! Geez, are all you cowboys so polite?"
Miguel laughed.
"Only the best!"
Weiss looked back at Jaune. She flushed a bit. Jaune coughed, and smiled at her.
"Thanks Miss Schnee," he said.
"I only spoke the truth," Weiss said firmly. Jaune nodded, looked around, and then motioned to the chair. Weiss sat down. Jaune leaned in and she blushed a bit at his proximity.
"Would it be all right if I asked you a favor, Miss Schnee?"
"Perhaps. What is it?" She asked, putting one leg over the other.
"Listen. Miguel is a damn good guy and a good friend, but he doesn't have much experience in business. I don't want him to get his claim stolen from him. I know Tangy and her friends will keep his mine going right now, but on the frontier and with all that money involved? Things aren't certain. Do you have any friends who could help him manage his money? Make sure he makes the most of it? I mean... I'd hate for someone to take it all away from him."
Weiss hummed thoughtfully, before she nodded.
"I can think of a few financial advisors and a PMC or two specializing in these kinds of matters. I can put in a good word for him, and help him find a lawyer to ensure my father can't get his hands on the operation."
Jaune sighed in relief then beamed at her. Her heart fluttered at the earnest warmth in his smile.
"Thank you Miss Schnee. I... I really appreciate this. I mean... I know we're going in different directions and won't always be able to talk. Hell, when we first met... He beat the shit out of me." He shot a fond smile over at Miguel, who was dancing with Nora and laughing it up.
"But he saved my life more than a few times and... And he's like a brother. So thank you."
Weiss mustered her courage as her pale cheeks turned red.
"I-I would like one thing in return though! A very small thing!"
Jaune nodded.
"Name it."
Weiss opened her mouth, then closed it. She thought it over... Then smiled shyly.
"From now on? Could you call me Weiss? No 'Miss'."
Jaune flushed, and scratched his cheek nervously.
"Er... Are you sure, Miss Schnee? I mean... You're a... A real lady, and all that... And I'm-"
"A gentleman," Weiss insisted, "A TRUE gentleman. One who I am more than comfortable with addressing me by name."
Jaune slowly chewed over this, before he nodded.
"Well uh... Sure, Miss... I mean Weiss. If that's what you want."
"It is," Weiss sighed with a smile.
A commotion up front drew their attention. A familiar dark-haired girl in purple stormed in. Her hair was frazzled, her eyes were frantic, but there was no doubt who it was that charged up to Miguel.
"MIGUEL!"
Laura grasped at his vest and looked up into his eyes, face filled with desperation.
"Miguel, I-I was a fool! A complete fool! I'm sorry, that marriage-It meant nothing! I-I love you and you're the only one for me!" She fell to her knees before him, holding onto his jacket as she pleaded. "Please Miguel! Please, take me back!"
Miguel's eyes turned cold as he truly beheld the woman he'd worked so hard for over the years. Similar expressions of contempt emerged on the faces of RWBY and JNPR. Jaune's hand clenched, as though he was about to go for his gun.
"No Laura," Miguel stated coldly, "You made your choice. Now you live with it. You go have a happy life, I won't begrudge you one. But you ain't fooling nobody with your act."
"But Miguel-!"
"But nothing! Get back to your husband!" Miguel growled.
Jaune stood up with Weiss, and they walked over to Laura. She was sobbing hard, shaking her head.
"C-Come on! I-I made a mistake! You can forgive one little mistake, right? Right?"
"I think you should leave. Now," Yang stated, her rage bubbling just underneath her even tone.
"B-But I love him, honest! You have to believe me!" Laura looked over at Jaune desperately. "Jaune, you know me-!"
"I know you betrayed the best friend a man could have for a banker," Jaune seethed, "and now you're regretting it because you just learned he finally made something of himself. Git!"
Laura looked back up at Miguel, tears running down her cheeks.
"But I do love him! I really-!"
Nora calmly grabbed Laura by her waist, and carried her to the doors. She screamed and wailed. The bouncers politely opened the doors, and Nora threw her out. The bouncers shut the doors, and Nora turned back, brushing off her hands.
"All done! Want me to break her kneecaps, Boss?" She grinned at Jaune.
Jaune chuckled.
"Nah... She'll need to crawl back to her husband somehow."
Yang laughed. Jaune turned to Miguel, and grinned. Miguel grinned back.
"You're a mighty fine friend, Jaune," he said, patting him on the shoulder.
"Yeah well... You are too," Jaune replied, "I'm lucky to have made so many." He smiled over at Weiss first, who blushed brightly. He gave the same smile to the rest of his friends. A smile they returned.
"So," Miguel sighed, looking over at Weiss, "Miss Schnee, how does a cowpoke go about becoming a proper rich gentleman?"
"And while he's asking the impossible," Jaune grinned, "Do you know where we could find a flying horse?"
"You little runt!" Miguel laughed, punching him in the shoulder.
- - -