A Safe and Sound Environment (Private W/ Jack Olen)

[Aurum Dasheng]

Aurum blinked through the fading haze, Jack’s words cutting far deeper than the smoke. As long as you obey your grandfather. The phrase struck like a blade’s edge, though the smile on his lips never faltered. Jack had been more perceptive than Aurum expected—too perceptive.

When the last wisps curled away, Jack was already seated beside Genni, leaning as though the test had ended and he’d chosen his own victory condition. Genni’s laugh was soft, but the quick glance she cast toward her brother carried more weight than sound. She had caught the shift in him—the heaviness behind his grin.

Aurum stepped forward, lowering to a crouch so he wouldn’t tower over the pair. “Clever,” he said, voice even but edged with approval. “I had hoped you’d spark the smoke, but this—slipping past me, making your own win—that was an answer too.” His tail flicked once before settling.

He set a hand on Jack’s shoulder, firm but not heavy. “You’re right, Jack. It is dangerous being the solo act. If it were up to me, I’d have a team at my side—people to cover my blind spots, to hold the line when I falter. No one wins alone forever. But…” His golden gaze sharpened. “There’s danger in leaning too hard on others. Weakness isn’t something you hand off—it’s something you confront. You grind it down until it cuts both ways. That’s the only path forward.”

Straightening, Aurum opened one of the sealed containers Genni had prepared. Inside, strips of marinated pork glistened with glaze beside tender vegetables—snow peas, scallions, peppers—seared until crisp yet vibrant. The fragrance of garlic and ginger mingled with the rice and dumplings already laid out, the spread beginning to resemble a true banquet on the training grounds.

Genni’s claws shimmered faintly as the markings on her hands lengthened into short, sharp talons. With them, she sliced through ripe peaches, their golden flesh releasing a light sweetness that mixed with the savory air. She arranged the slices neatly before lifting the clay teapot. Steam curled upward as she poured the pale amber liquid into small, handleless cups.

The tea was distinct—grown on the misted slopes of Mount Huaguo, where the soil was rich with minerals and the air carried the tang of highland stonefruit. Its flavor was subtle yet deep: honeyed at the first sip, grounding with a faintly nutty finish. A drink prized not for luxury, but for how it centered the spirit.

Jack’s words about his team drew Aurum’s focus. He listened closely, tilting his head at each mention of how they worked together, how strengths and faults meshed in practice. There was no bravado in Jack’s voice, only honesty—and Aurum respected that.

He lifted one of the cups, letting its warmth steady his hand. “Your team. Grise, Nero, Rick, and you. I can already see its shape. Grise—unyielding, the bulwark. You strike, she holds. Nero, clever and quick—that’s your scalpel, the one who carves out openings. And Rick…” Aurum paused, brows furrowing as though reaching back through memory. “The Hamelin family. I recall something about music, but the detail escapes me. It’s been… a long time.”

It was a lie. He remembered well—their inherited semblance, the way music bent lesser Grimm to their will, the rats bred to obey without end. He had been trained to know these things, to track the dangerous gifts of Remnant’s noble lines. But here, he pretended ignorance.

Setting the cup down, Aurum leaned back onto his hands. “It’s a strong balance. Each of you covering the others’ ground. I can see why you’re proud.” His smile thinned, something harder beneath it. “If it were left to me, I’d want that too. A team that turns weakness into strength. But since it isn’t, I sharpen what remains. Not just speed—reaction. Reaction is what keeps you alive when your shield isn’t there, when your scalpel falters, when adaptability runs dry. That’s what I hone. That way, if fate ever does put others at my side…” He tapped his chest once, gaze firm. “I’ll be worthy of them.”

Genni set the peach slices between them, her claws fading as quickly as they had appeared. “And in the meantime,” she said gently, pouring the last of the Huaguo tea, “you’ll both keep your strength by eating.” Her tone was calm, her eyes betraying nothing of what she thought of her brother’s words.

[Jack Olen]

*There was a part of Jack's mind that was afraid he had gone too far. Worried how Aurum would react at his provocation, not to mention his sister.
But.... The seeds seemed to have nicely burrowed in the fertil soil of the brass monkey's desire for power and...
Powerful loneliness. He couldn't say he knew Aurum that well, but.... There was something that always bothered him.
All their interactions were about fighting. It might make sense when sparring, but now... Jack had given details about his teammates, past, what he likes, made small jokes....
Aurum only talked about training and strength.
He smiled back as Aurum patted his shoulder.*

"I can't keep on being too predictable now, can I ? And you know, I can't just eat whatever fire I come across and be fine. It hurts to overcharge your aura. I need to be smart about it."

*His smile faded but never truly disappeared.*

"Then what do you do to learn to work with others without relying too hard on them ? I'll tell you. You do the same as with everything else in our line of work. You train. Who knows, it might be a good opportunity to try it here and now ~"

*The banter was interrupted as Jack's sharp smell picked up on the scent of the pepper and pork, his mouth salivating as he turned towards the meal.
He made an interested 'hm' when he saw Genni using her own Semblance, his gaze shifting from her talons to Aurum, eyebrow raised as if to question if he could do that too.
But he didn't spoke, only took the tea offered to him, uncaring about the heat, and sipped it slowly, enjoying the warmth, letting out a deep sigh.*

".... Delicious."

*Once again, Jack thought to see a sort of.... Longing in Aurum's eyes. Regrets, even. Which were quickly confirmed by his words.*

"Pretty close... But we all have more tricks up our sleeves than just that, of course. And I'm sure you'll be able to see that by yourself pretty soon ~"

*He took a slice of peach, appreciating the sweetness. He almost asked a pretty personal question before noticing something and turning towards Genni.*

"My apologies, we've kind of left you out of the conversation. Will you also join Beacon ? I can imagine those claws cutting Grimms as easily as those peaches. "

[Aurum Dasheng]

“As you can probably tell, Jack, I’m not the greatest at conversations. Apologies for that.” Aurum broke the silence with a faint chuckle, though it didn’t quite reach his eyes. He slid a lacquered plate across the low table, laying out slices of smoked pork belly and braised greens in neat portions before nudging it toward Jack. Another plate followed, passed wordlessly to Genni, his movements practiced as if this had long been his duty.

“To answer your question… I don’t have a method for training others. Not in the way you’re likely thinking. All I can really do is keep up my adaptive style—learn, bend, and take what works. Sometimes sparring helps. It lets me study how others move, how they think, and from there I can fold their strengths into my own.”

His tone was plain, almost dismissive, but the sharpness in his golden eyes betrayed the precision of someone who had thought about this far more than he let on.

“He is right, though. Grandfather’s terms forbid you from joining a team, not from training with one. There’s no reason you cannot practice alongside others. For all his rules, he never said you must carry every fight alone.” Genni accepted the plate from her brother with the ease of someone long used to his habits, then immediately reached for the serving spoons herself, portioning food for Aurum as naturally as breathing. She knew his balance of meat to vegetables without a second thought.

Her eyes shifted toward Jack, the faint gleam of her markings catching the lantern light.

“And as for me—Mr. Jack, you flatter me, but Beacon isn’t my path. My claws and eyes are no weapon meant for Grimm or dueling. I consider them more adornments than tools of war.”

She lifted her hand, flexing her fingers. The inky claws shimmered for a breath before retreating back into the wispy patterns that traced across her skin, her silver bangles chiming faintly at the motion.

Aurum sipped at his tea, the warmth fogging faintly against the rim of the porcelain cup. The brew carried a subtle fragrance of wild herbs from Mount Huaguo—earthy, with a faint undercurrent of sweet plum blossom that lingered at the back of the throat.

“Don’t let her modesty fool you, Jack. Her control is exact. I’ve yet to see a hidden blade pass her gaze, or an unwelcome step cross her guard without consequence. She downplays it, but it’s true.” Aurum set the cup down with care, his thumb tracing the rim as though weighing his next words.

“But she is right—her future lies with responsibilities back home. Another family member’s mantle passes to her now, and our household has need of her talents soon.”

The words rolled smoothly off his tongue, but inside Aurum’s thoughts pressed heavier. Not another member—Argenti the Sixth. Gone in his sleep, leaving Genni to bear the title before the year ends. And me, waiting for Grandfather’s shadow to finally break. But those truths stay buried. The Dasheng do not speak of such things to outsiders.

He let the silence breathe for a heartbeat, then shifted the conversation with practiced ease, his smile sharpening.

“When you said ‘pretty soon,’ Jack—does that mean I’ll be meeting the rest of your team? Any advice on who they are? What I should steer clear of—subject-wise, that is?”

Genni lowered her gaze to the tea as if content to leave the next words to Jack, though the faint arch of her brow showed she was listening closely, gauging his response with quiet precision.

[Jack Olen]

"Ha ! You're not even in the top ten most awkward conversationist I know. You should've seen Grise when we first met.... Or me. You should've seen me. I was awful at talking."

*He shrugged.*

"You learn to talk with people. And to learn that, you just need to talk with people. And so, we're back to training again. Anyway, this is absolutely delicious !"

*Jack began to eat, barely taking enough time to enjoy the meat, just stuffing himself, before realizing what he was doing and slowing down.

"Then I suppose we'll have to tackle training to Work with others. Team tactics. Following orders. Stuff like that. And, as humbling as it may be... Recognizing when someone is stronger than you at something.
After all, as you may be aware, in our line of work, sometimes we can't really choose who we might work with.... And being completely unable to work in a team, well... You might become a deadweight."

*Jack tried to hide it, but he was pleasantly surprised by Genni backing him up. It seemed like she wanted her brother to.... Bend around the rules, at least a little bit. And, in Jack's experience, bending the rules was the first step toward daring to break them. His calculated tease was just to ensure Aurum would follow through. Genni was the carrot, while he was the stick.
He wasn't really paying attention to the younger sister's movements, but she clearly was immensely dexterous.*

"Well, if that's your choice..... I simply hope that the Grimms won't make that choice for you. They've been getting stronger and more numerous as of late."

*Of course, Jack was no fool. He was well aware that both siblings might be in the same position, but.... One responsibility-crushed young adult at a time, please.*

"Yeah, like I said, they've been getting eager to challenge you too, and they might also come to spectate if training turns to... Well, actually fighting.
As for what to not say, hmmmm....
I mean as long as you don't act rude or disrespectful, I don't think we'll have a problem.
Well, my sister talks and jumps conversation subjects even more than I do, Rick has a pretty weird pet that he's heels over head for, a true cat grandma, and Grise still has trouble speaking with people sometime."

*Jack's face lightly soured.*

"Speaking of Grise, she, well.... Sees the world in a rather.... Unorthodox way ?
She often uses that metaphor of wolves and rabbits.
If wolves disappear, rabbits will prosper until they'll devour the entire environment, and then starve. If wolves get too numerous, they'll eat all the rabbits and then starve too. It's a matter of balance, see ? Pretty easy to understand.
Well, she believes that......"

*Sigh.....*

"Grimms are our wolves. That they regulate us, humans and faunus, and that without them, we would grow too much and end up devouring the planet.
She sees Grimms as precious and necessary.
And yet, she fights them with more ferocity than anyone I knew.... Like, her entire Semblance is based around hurting them !
And she will actively attack and kill any that we find, even when it's not our mission and could be safely ignored.
Soooo.... Just don't be surprised."

[Aurum Dasheng]

Aurum leaned back slightly, the warmth of the food still settling comfortably in his stomach. “The conversations I usually had were more… official and boring compared to these.” His voice carried a restrained amusement, though inside he felt quietly relieved that Jack had enjoyed the meal. The hours of work he and Genni had put into preparing it finally felt justified.

He idly shifted some vegetables around his plate before taking another measured bite, his golden eyes narrowing with thought as Jack spoke about team training. The idea stirred something within him. To fight alongside others, not just to lead but to learn from them — to recognize strengths beyond his own — it was a challenge he had yet to face. A challenge he couldn’t ignore.

Genni, lounging with her usual casual poise, broke the silence before Aurum could lose himself too deeply in thought. She gave Jack a small smile, her words edged with her familiar silver humor. “At least you won’t have to worry about my brother being rude. Boring, maybe. Serious, definitely. But rude? Never.”

Her grin widened just slightly as her gaze slid toward Aurum. “And if training with others helps him lighten up, well… I’ll gladly support it.”

Aurum did not rise to her teasing. Still, the faintest trace of color touched his face, betraying a reaction he kept carefully restrained. He knew her game — gently nudging him toward change without forcing it upon him. And though he’d never admit it aloud, he was grateful for it.

When Jack spoke of Grise’s philosophy, Aurum’s expression shifted. His brow furrowed slightly as he set down his chopsticks, the words settling in his mind like an ill-fitting weight. To call the Grimm necessary was disquieting, yet there was conviction in it. After a long pause, he answered with quiet gravity.
“I cannot say I agree with her view… but I can respect the conviction behind it. To see the enemy as both vital and despised, yet fight them with such ferocity… that is not weakness. It is discipline. Perhaps even strength.”

Genni tilted her head, resting her chin lightly against her palm as her silver-gray eyes caught the light. She seemed intrigued more than disturbed. “It’s a grim way to see the world. But… balance matters. Wolves, rabbits, Grimm, people — everything pushes and pulls against the other. Still…” A faint smile curved her lips. “If she fights Grimm with that much ferocity, then I’d much rather have her as an ally than an enemy.”

Aurum inclined his head in subtle agreement with her words. Quietly, he finished the last of his vegetables, then lifted his cup of tea and drained it in a single smooth motion. Setting it aside with care, he rose from his seat. His shoulders rolled, his neck stretched, his movements carrying the disciplined grace of someone always ready for the next step.

“That was a fine meal. But I made a promise… to provide a show.”

His golden eyes glinted with anticipation as he looked between Jack and Genni, the calm mask of composure carrying, for just a moment, the spark of a challenge yet to come.