They had a leak; and now, Cinder had to once more deal with another's incompetence.
Cinder scoffed as she blitzed through the Kingdom's rooftops. While she was quite miffed that this would endanger their plan, she was more annoyed that no one could seem to do anything right. That she had to do everything by herself, down to the last. Minute. Detail.
It was infuriating and served as a constant reminder as to why she served who she did.
For power, for the ability to not be dependent on anyone.
With a controlled breath, Cinder arrived at the hospital's rooftop and took a moment to collect herself. Leo's contacts had told him that the boy was being housed on the 10th floor, with a window view overlooking the south side of the Kingdom; more specifically, overlooking Haven.
It was cruel, and Cinder liked that.
The window would prove the best way for her to… deal with Arc. She would slip in, plunge her sword, and that would be the end of that. Sloppy, but the boy had been in those underground fights. They could spin it as a vengeful opponent, as criminals taking out other undesirables, and that way the public wouldn't care too much.
With that thought in mind, Cinder withdrew her sword and began descending the hospital's walls.
Her black clothing proved instrumental in keeping her undetected. There weren't many lights this high up, and even if one did spot her, she would merely be an indistinguishable black dot. And besides, the proverb often rang true; people rarely looked up.
Scaling her way down to the proper floor, Cinder smirked when she saw her target in clear view through the windows. As the old fool had reported, he was passed out, hooked up to several IVs, and his weapons had been stored away by the hospital staff.
And the window, while closed, hadn't been locked.
Cinder couldn't have asked for an easier assassination.
Holding back a chuckle, Cinder opened the window and slipped into the room. She drew her sword and prepared to close their little leak.
And yet, she was startled when she noticed something move. When something – no, someone – slipped into her view from behind Jaune's bed.
It was a little girl. Barely more than a toddler, with red eyes and blond hair, shivering as she stood between Jaune and her with her arms raised by her sides.
Protecting him.
And yet, what struck her wasn't the foolish bravery that the girl showed, nor how it was all fake. What she noticed was the state the girl was in. Wounded, malnourished, thin, frail…
It made her pause.
The pause gave the girl the bravery to speak up.
"W-who are you?! You're not one of the doctors!" The girl yelled, fear in her eyes. And when her eyes had roamed over Cinder, she gulped loudly but stood her ground even more. "W-what're you gonna do with that sword? What're you gonna do with Mister Jaune?!"
Cinder felt her breath hitch, and yet she didn't know why. It should've been easy; another body added to her count wouldn't have been a big deal. She'd just kill the girl and the runt too and be done with it.
And yet, a small, miniscule part of her didn't sit right. It told her how those scared eyes, those thin bones, those weak, trembling legs…
…how those things were somehow familiar.
That pause grew longer and longer without her consent. The more she stared, the more that part grew, and the more the girl's lips trembled, the more her eyes began to water… the more Cinder grew annoyed that she somehow couldn't move!
And eventually, something reached a breaking point.
"SOMEONE!" The girl finally yelled, "THERE'S SOMEONE IN HERE! SOMEONE JUST BROKE IN!"
With that single call, Cinder could hear, could feel the shouts of alarm from the hall outside. She heard footsteps rapidly approaching the room and knew that her chance was slipping quickly from her fingers.
At this rate, even if she did kill anyone that came, it would be harder to spin, and harder to keep under wraps. And while she was wearing her disguise, it would still raise questions that would be much harder to answer.
Not to mention her Queen's questions of her ability to stay discreet, when she had yet to even infiltrate Beacon.
And so, with no other choice, Cinder went back out the way she came from and aborted her mission. Along the way, as she ran back across the rooftops, as she made her way to return to Haven, Cinder once more cursed herself for ever hesitating for just a moment.
This was exactly why she had sold herself to Salem. For power, for control, so she would never be scared again. It was all so she would never hesitate again, so she could be able to live and have what she wanted!
But then, after all the people she killed, after the villages she razed, after condemning herself to depths she never even knew existed…
…Why?
…Why did those scared eyes remind her so much of her own?
And in all these years, from the Glass Unicorn to Rhodes to Salem to Amber to Haven to Beacon…
She was still a slave, from a foster mother to a Queen of Darkness to her very own lust.
SOMETIME LATER
pov
For the first time in days, Jaune dared to get out of his apartment and look around Mistral. But now, as he walked along the streets, he couldn't help but feel like he had eyes watching him.
He kept looking at every single person suspiciously, even ones that were obviously just civilians. But he couldn't shake it off. He felt like the whole world was out to get him, like every nook and cranny had the potential to snag and kill him, kill him like how he was supposed to already be dead by now.
This was the first time he had set foot in Mistral proper after he had been discharged from the hospital and sent straight to the little dingy apartment he lived in. Of course, Akane had come with him, and she was currently staying back. It was all because Jaune needed to keep her safe, and because he had one objective to do today:
Warn Haven of Leo's betrayal.
Though Akane had been worried, especially with the attempt on his life at the hospital, Jaune insisted that this had to be done. Because if they ran away, then what would happen to the people of Haven? And even if they did run, then where couldthey even run away to? There was no telling how deep this all went, and if they were just to die in the end after running so hard, then…
Jaune shook his head. No, this was a necessary first step, even if he just didn't know where to even start. Jaune knew that Leonardo was a headmaster, and he was merely an underground fighter and a disgraced expelled student. If it was his word against Leo's, then he would lose out. And what's more, if Leo had somehow managed to get both bandits and Grimm working together, then how far did his connections go…?
Jaune felt his head spin, even if nothing of note was happening. He just needed to find someone from Haven that was clean and warn them. No doubt that the Headmaster was looking for ways to shut him up by now-!
But then Jaune felt his back collar being grabbed. Before he could even yelp in surprise, he felt a hand yank his collar back, the other clamping his mouth shut; and helplessly, Jaune felt himself being dragged away from the main street and into a dark alley.
Jaune struggled, but it was no use. He hadn't fully regained what little strength he had, and even if he had, Jaune felt that he would've been outclassed anyway. So even as he struggled and tried to scream, he was truly at the mercy of someone else.
Slam!
And then, before he realized what was happening, Jaune felt his back being crushed against a wall. As his eyes refocused, as his heart hammered against his chest rapidly, as his breathing struggled to remain in control, Jaune just barely recognized the person holding him hostage.
Jaune's eyes narrowed when the woman holding him pressed her glowing hot machete against his throat and growled out her name. "Cinder Fall."
"Jaune Arc," Cinder said back, the name rolling off her tongue as easily as butter. But Jaune could see that her lips, set to a sneer, were also holding back a lava of anger. And that wasn't mentioning her eyes, narrowed to slits and glaring at him with unrivalled hatred.
She must be under Leo's employ then, Jaune realized. On second thought, of course she was! She was the one who gave him the mission!
The thought was only further confirmed when her sneer grew, and she looked at him like he was nothing more than stuck gum on her heels. "You show your face at last."
Jaune's lips set to a thin line. "If you're here to kill me then just do it. I won't beg if that's what you're looking for."
Cinder scoffed. "Oh, I will, you runt. But first, something has been bothering me, and I'll have you answer my questions before I finish you off."
Jaune raised an eyebrow. "And if I don't- AHHHHH!"
His challenge was cut off by his scream, Cinder having acted quicker than he expected and plunging her machete through his shoulders.
"No one will hear you scream, Arc. I've made sure of it." Cinder threatened. "So, if you want a quick death, then I suggest you listen to what I have to ask."
Jaune bit his tongue, and though his very being refused to collaborate, he found his own head giving a slow nod. He could buy some time, think of a plan...maybe get out of this…
And yet Cinder didn't see the gears turning in Jaune's head. She downright smiled at the sweet submission that Jaune had shown, and so in turn, she slowly pulled out her sword Midnight from Jaune's shoulder and pressed it once more against his neck.
"First thing's first." Cinder said with deceptive sweetness, "How much do you know?"
"O-Only that Leo has been killing Huntsmen. That he works with bandits… and somehow can make the Grimm work together with them too." Jaune breathed out.
"Hm…" Cinder tapped her foot. It made sense, after all, they never let the bottom feeders know too much of their plan.
"Next question," Cinder said. "What are your plans next?"
"To stop you." Jaune said with determination. And to his surprise, Cinder only laughed in response, mirth shaking her shoulders, yet the sword to his throat was still as close as ever.
Cinder wiped a tear from her eye as she finished her laugh. "Stop us? My, you truly are naïve." She taunted, "I've read all about you. A faker from Beacon. An average underground fighter at best. You've got nothing going on for you, other than your family name that you disgraced so easily. The only reason you got away was because you were lucky, you hear? Lucky."
Jaune grunted when he heard the words so condescending to his pride. And yet, he also noted how she was insistent on the last part, on how she put more emphasis on that than anything else.
And he also saw how her mouth curled into a snarl when she last said it, as if the thought of failing to kill him was infuriating her more and more with every second.
So Jaune decided to bite something he didn't know if he could chew or not.
"I may be less than worthless," Jaune said, "But then again… what does that say about you?"
Cinder growled, her teeth showing as she pushed Midnight against Jaune's neck. "You dare…!"
"You said I'm naïve. I don't doubt that. But I'll let you know that someone will always rise." Jaune glared back. "It doesn't have to be me. One day, you'll face people that stop you. I'm sure of it."
"Ah ah, so sure of that, are you?" Cinder sneered, "Perhaps you're talking about your friends in Beacon?"
Jaune stilled.
"Oh yes, I know about them too." Cinder delighted in the terror that filled Jaune's veins. She pushed the metaphorical knife deeper, and all the while Midnight pushed ever closer to one of Jaune's arteries. "Ruby Rose, Weiss Schnee, Blake Belladonna, Yang Xiao-Long. Lie Ren, Nora Valkyrie… and your precious, oh-so-precious partner and ex-wife ! …Pyrrha Nikos, right how is the marriage going on hu i think its fun that someone like the great pyrrha nikos is with someone like you ?" as she said to him and It was Jaune's turn to growl now, his hands turning to fists as outrage filled his heart. And yet, he could do nothing as Cinder dangled him in the throes of death now "My last question, Jaune, before I send you to meet your maker…" Cinder oh, oh so enjoyed the look of rage behind his eyes. This was what she relished in, the feeling of power, of control, and as the thrill she got in seeing someone squirm beneath her might and now to seal her dominance entirely, and truly prove that his survival had been nothing but a fluke. To destroy his mentality completely.
Cinder asked one last question. "What pushes you forward, Arc?"
If Jaune was startled by the question, then he didn't show it. He simply looked at her with determined eyes and said what he believed without a single stutter. "To protect the ones I love."
"Foolish. There is nothing, nothing you can protect in this world. All that matters is yourself, the power you hold." Cinder scoffed. "Look where that stupid philosophy's gotten you now. Under my hand, dying in an alley without anyone to mourn you."
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For Cinder, Jaune's silence was confirmation enough. She smiled as she felt victory rush through her veins, and with it, she began to push Midnight completely to Jaune's neck. "Now, die, naïve boy-!"
"That…!" Jaune gasped, "that may be true…" Jaune breathed out, "But… at least… I'll die with someone caring for me."
Despite everything she knew, despite everything Cinder knew she was, she paused, and so Jaune continued. "I… will die… with the knowledge that someone loved me. That… someone cared for me… while you… you will have nothing!"
And those words…
Just a jumble of words, spoken by a man who defied his fear and looked at her with bravery even with death in his neck…
Those words sent Cinder over the edge.
Why… why wasn't he begging to live? She was the strongest here! She was the one killing him, she was the one torturing him, she was the one tearing everything away from him, sowhy didn't he submit to her power?!
"You… you want to take this away from me too?!" Cinder yelled. Her composure was slipping as Jaune continued to stare at her coldly, taking away any enjoyment she would have had in killing the boy.
He was lucky. He was lucky! HE WAS LUCKY!This… this was supposed to prove that she was the strongest after all, that she could still kill whoever she needed to! So then why wasn't he begging, like even Amber, the old Fall Maiden, had done?! How could he take this away from her, take away the fact that she was in control?! That she could make everyone, anyone she wanted, BEG FOR THEIR LIVES IN THE FACE OF HER POWER!
He was nothing… nothing!
And yet that sliver of doubt remained in her head, the one that prevented her from killing that little girl named Enko Akane. That little voice that told her that she wasn't strong enough, that doing this would leave a little girl truly orphaned, that doing this would prove nothing.
But it had to prove something! After everything she sacrificed, this all had to mean something in the end – and she wasn't even done yet!
Cinder roared, roared with rage, and her hand found itself gripping Jaune's head and slamming it to the wall. She heard him groan as the wall cracked behind him, and yet she didn't relent and slammed it again. And again. And again.
Cinder seethed, her fingers tightening around Jaune's skull. "You… for the ones you love?! They betrayed you. They BETRAYED YOU! They sent you out, they treated you like dirt even when you gave them everything. You saved one of their own's lives, and in response, they held on to that grudge and revealed it when it would hurt you the most. I've read your file, Arc, I've seen it! What good is saving a place that threw you out like trash?! Saving a life that ruined yours, that couldn't accept that they had been saved by someone they deemed beneath them?!"
Jaune gasped. He knew what Cinder was talking about, it was the circumstances of his expulsion. And what she said was true, in every sense of the word.
He had saved Cardin, back at the Forever Fall. And yet, the man hadn't been thankful for it, merely kept silent and turned his back on him. Jaune had thought that that was that, but it turned out that Cardin hadn't felt a single drop of gratitude at all. Instead… he had felt enraged.
He was unable to accept that his life had been saved by someone who had faked his way into Beacon. He was outraged that he owed his secrecy to a runt who wasn't deserving, to the dead last of the class, to someone at the bottom of the food chain.
In hindsight, Jaune should have expected that Cardin wouldn't have accepted him so easily, especially with how tight he held on to his pride and arrogance. It was simply who he was and being saved by someone weaker than him could only have caused two reactions – either he would be humbled, or he would be even more outraged.
Evidently, the Winchester had chosen the latter.
And so, Cardin had let that hate stew, rage, and indignation… and then, he had let loose the secret when it had hurt JNPR the most – when they were only a scant few months from the Vytal Festival, and made it known throughout the school, staff, and press, and everyone in between.
And by the time Jaune and his friends had figured it out, what could have they done? Everything Cardin had said was true. He really did fake his way into Beacon…
And suddenly, for all his doubters, everything made sense. And the calls for something to be done to this outrageous faker had grown louder and louder until it couldn't be ignored, and Ozpin had to send him away expelled, even with how much his team and friends had tried to make him stay.
But it was an important lesson for Jaune too. There were just some people like that, and while he did harbour anger and hate for what Winchester did… that hardly meant he deserved to die.
He would like to teach Cardin his lesson if a time came for it – but he would never wish upon death for something like that, that simply wasn't who he was.
No. Never.
So, in that sense, Jaune understood Cinder. But her next words…
Her next words, however, he didn't understand at all.
Cinder continued, her pupils shrinking as she spoke with nothing but unbridled hate. "You serve them loyally. You give them your life; you give them everything they ever wanted, everything they ask of you. But they treat you like dirt in return, when all you ever wanted was to be loved. They torture you. They belittle you. They look down on you. They stomp you. So why do you fight for them?! Kill them, let them die, you'd be all the better off for it!"
"I-!"
Cinder growled, not even recognizing Jaune by now. "Strength! Power! Control! You have none of those, NONE! You say you fight for the ones you love?! Look where you are now! Where are you, ARC?! TELL ME! WHERE?! WHERE WERE YOU?!"
Cinder finished her rant with dilated pupils and short breaths. Her grip was crushing Jaune's skull now, blood leaking from her fingertips from the sheer force she was emitting. And yet Jaune still didn't falter, and if anything, his hard eyes only stared at her more strongly, peeking through her hold and taunting her, taunting her-!
"…It's true, some may have turned their backs on me." Jaune said, "But… killing them will never, ever change a thing."
Cinder growled again, outrage flowing through her blood. "Yes, it does-!"
"I…" Jaune interrupted her, "I… am here. Even if they don't know it, even with how I am now… I still have the freedom to choose who I want to be. I'll protect them even if they don't know it. That… is what I choose!"
Cinder's body exploded with outrage, "Then DIE-!"
"Do you have a choice?" Jaune asked Cinder before she could finish, and this time it was her who stilled. Jaune may not know the true reason Cinder had broken down. But he was smart enough to deduce bits and pieces… to make his argument… and truly show her where they were different. He may have been discarded, just as she had seemingly been.
But he still had himself, had a reason to live, and had a little girl waiting for the only guardian she ever knew to come back.
He had a reason to truly live, no matter how bitter it seemed, a noble cause he knew was just.
And Jaune knew that Cinder had none.
"I am not a slave to power like you," Jaune said straightly. "I will choose my path, even if it's bitter. I won't let my weakness consume me. I will never, ever, be SOMEONE AS WEAK-WILLED AS YOU!"
And that finally, finally, sent Cinder over the edge. "JAUNE ARC-!" But she was too slow. Jaune hadn't healed with his Aura for a reason. He felt the blood leaking down his shoulder, down his head and neck, and had directed them to pool into an open palm. And when Cinder had yelled, Jaune took that as his chance… And threw a fistful of blood right at Cinder's face. "Ah!" The blood blinder Cinder's vision and seeped into her eyes, catching her off guard and making her let go of Jaune. She yelled as it covered her vision and burned her retinas, and as she struggled to wipe it off her eyes…
…in a split second, Jaune gathered what strength he had and ran away.
Cinder yelled in frustration, and in that moment, she felt her eyes begin to burn with a magical power. As her half-Fall Maiden powers came to her, Cinder howled and casted wind all around her.
"G-GRAAAAAAHHHHH!"
The alley shook as Cinder's vision cleared. And yet, when she let her powers die down, when she scanned her surroundings…
It was clear that Arc was gone.
"T-tch…!" That bastard… that bastard! He had gotten away again… he had played her. The weak fool! The disgrace!
Three times now; three times he had escaped death, and two times from her grasp. Why… why?!
She was strong. She was! She had power, she had control, she had half the Fall Maiden's abilities! So why was this lowlife getting away?!
First it was that girl, who had seemed so much like herself. That orphan… saved by Jaune. And then Jaune himself, twisting her words and escaping with such a lowly trick she shouldn't have been surprised.
She was strong! She was! SHE WAS! SHE WAS!
That girl's face popped up in her memories again. Enko Akane… an orphan saved by a Huntsman… so malnutritioned, so weak, and yet, saved…
Where was he… where was Jaune all those years ago…?!
Cinder's body began to shake, her hands clenching to fists as her legs trembled. No, she didn't need saving. She had strength in her fingertips. She had control, she could do whatever she wanted now!
"Jaune…" Cinder growled. And yet…
That power of forgiveness that he showed, and that disgusting noble heart, had no place in the real world. So then why did he get away?! Why did she not win?!
It didn't make sense. It didn't, it didn't, it didn't it didn't it didn't it didn't it didn't it didn't…! No. She was no slave. She had power, she had killed so many, that was proof! It all had to mean something in the end! It had to, it just had to! She was strong, she was, she was she was she was shewas she was ! And yet, he had gotten away again. No ! She was strong! She had strength! She was free, she wasn't weak, she was no slave, she had her own agency! But then he had gotten away.
Why?
Why?
WHY?!
Was… there was no way his method was right. Kindness led to weakness, she would only be stomped if she showed it. That little girl Akane just got lucky, she was nothing Cinder hadn't been, and they would end up the same. Eventually, Jaune would turn on her too, they would fall!
But then, he had escaped her grasp two times… had escaped a much stronger foe, and continued to stand with Akane even now. He didn't fold when a stronger force came, didn't leave… didn't betray her…
No. No no. No no no no!
No… she couldn't be wrong. She couldn't be. She couldn't be. SHE COULDN'T BE!
Cinder's breath hastened. Thoughts continued to run through her mind, of love and forgiveness and things so sweet it made her heart rot.
And with it, she felt her world shatter. Because her hate hadn't let her kill Jaune today, had let him escape two times now. Because her anger had failed her, because all the things she relied on had done nothing to help her.
She felt her world being torn down bit by bit all because one man was proving her wrong… And she didn't know how to feel about that.
And at that point, Cinder realized that she was as powerless as she had been with her once foster 'family', not even having the ability to know how she should feel and act and process…
And in all these years, from the Glass Unicorn to Rhodes to Salem to Amber to Haven to Beacon…
She was still a slave, from a foster mother to a Queen of Darkness to her very own lust.
And that nothing. Had. Ever. Changed.
Cinder Fall, the weak and powerless slave.
And so, Cinder howled and wailed.
Alone.
"AAAAAAARRRCCCCC!"
SOMETIME LATER
pov
Jaune looked at the all too familiar elevator door, for what was probably going to be the last time. Jaune pressed the button, calling the carriage. His stuff was packed all into one backpack-like thing, as the school didn't supply him with a school uniform, which made up over 75% of his clothes. He had like, two pairs of jeans, a couple tee shirts and a hoodie to his name.
That was about it. He was honestly surprised that his family, his ex family, the boy reminded himself, didn't try to take that as well.
The elevator binged, taking him out of his mind. "Thank you." the blonde said as he stepped onto the moveable box. It ascended upwards as Jaune shuffled nervously.
"Wait, why am I nervous? I'm literally leaving." jaune said to himself. "This deal is set in stone at this point, why am I worried? Must be the thought of a new school." He reasoned to
The elevator doors pinged open a couple seconds later.
"I can't believe this! I just can't believe it! How can you let someone so grossly incompotent continue to study like this!" a shrill voice practically screamed. Jaune rolled his eyes. He had learned long ago (Like half a week or so) that Wiess was not as pretty on the inside as was outside. Honestly, part of him pitied her. It must be a very sad life indeed to be so self reliant and spiteful.
Jaune took a breath in, holding his head up high. All you need is confidence, son Jaune remembered.
Pfft, great advice, dad.
The doors opened when he gave them a slight push. The multi-colored members of team RWBY turned to look at him. Wiess with a mix of vindictive smug triumph and a calculated, ice cold hatred. Yang looked at him with the good knowledge that she had removed a threat to her beloved sister, Ruby. who knew what Jaunes incompetence or clear criminal record could end up doing. It couldn't be anything good, and it would most certainly hurt ruby. Speaking of who, she looked incredibly guilty. She knew that she had done Jaune wrong, abandoning him to the wrath of the rest of her team, and the rest of her school. But what could she do?
She was just Ruby Rose. She could barely control her sister, much less an entire school of people! Jaune's head tilted slightly, his blue eyes seeming to stare into her soul.
Ruby looked down at the ground, seeing her silver eyes in the reflection of the foot. She wasn't sure if it was any better than looking into Jaune's vibrant blue for any longer.
Jaune turned his attention to the backmost member of team RWBY, seeming hidden behind the more colorful members. She was indifferent to the situation, but fearful about something.
Jaune wondered what she was fearful of for a couple moments.
Then he had the urge to slap himself in the face. He had read her file not 24 hours ago! She was a freaking ex-Fang terrorist! If Jaune had simply cheated and forged his way in, he didn't even want to imagine how Beacon would react to being a terrorist.
Jaune reattuned his attention to the headmaster. "You wanted me, headmaster?" Jaune asked as he took a stand in front of the man's desk. Ozpin smiled. "Please, take a seat, Jaune. We have a lot to go over for your transferall."
Wiess gaped at those words. "YOU'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO LET THIS FRAUD TRANSFER?!" She yelled, causing Jaune to instinctively cover his ears, her trade mark screech ringing loud. A Schneech?
Jaune also could have sworn he saw Ozpin's eye twitch, but he wasn't sure.
"Yes, Ms. Schnee." Ozpin said. "I see no reason to halt Jaune's career so drastically. Do you?" Ozpin asked, daring Wiess to challenge him.
Wiess, like in all occasions, refused to let such a challenge go unanswered. "He is a danger to his fellow huntsmen and civilians! He will be the cause of catastrophic disaster if he is allowed to be a huntsman!" Wiess argued. Jaune let out a snort at that reasoning. Then a snicker. Then an actual , if not brief, full blown laugh.
How could he not? Now that he knew what he knew (The personal beacon files probably broke a whole bunch of banana's of privacy laws), it was hard not too.
Wiess wheeled on the blonde knight. "And what, exactly, is so funny, Arc?"
Jaune caught his breath, holding in the rest of his laughter.
"That you guys think that I am going to be more dangerous than you four as a huntsman."
"Oh? What's that supposed to mean?" This time it was Yang who spoke up, and she accompanied her words with the cracking of her knuckles.
"I'm just saying that all of you, with perhaps the exception of Ruby, have done far, far more illegal and worse things than I ever have." Jaune said, holding his hands up in mock surrender. Wiess made a pfft sound. "Oh, come on, what could any of us have done that would be worse than fraud?" She asked, probably rhetorically.
"Uhhh, i think murder is pretty high up there." Jaune said, rather casually for the accusation.
Blake choked on thin air. Was Jaune really going to throw her under the bus like this?
"Who are you calling a murder, Vomit boy?" Yang growled threateningly, ready to punch Jaunes lights out.
"You, mostly." jaune said, quickly taking the wind out of the blonde's sails.
Ruby looked stunned and aghast. "Jaune, what do you mean by Yang is responsible for murder?" she dared to ask the blonde.
Jaune looked Ruby in the eyes. "Two and a half months ago, Yang Xiao Long entered an information broker and club called the Club. After threatening the proprietor, Yang was told to leave. She didn't" Jaune said evenly. "She instead decided to start a fight there. In a club full of civilians, causing untold amounts of property damage and causing a casualty count of 14 people, two of those casualties died on scene."
Ruby looked to Yang with a scolding pout
"She didn't check if they had Aura. She didn't care if she ended up hurting civilians. Of those twelve people, four of them were civilians and less than five of them had Aura.' Jaune continued, digging the verbal grave deeper and deeper. "Of those twelve people, ten of them were put in intensive care, and three of them died of their wounds. Five of them are permanently crippled in some form. So, all in all you destroyed a legitimate business, killed five people, permanently injured five people, and sent twelve people to the Hospital." Jaune wrapped up. "So, who's a danger to people? Me? A man who hasn't hurt anyone, or someone who, had Beacon not swept it under the rug, would be a convicted killer?" jaune posed. Yang had the decency to look ashamed at least.
Wiess looked at him incredulously. "And where did you find this from, huh Arc?"
Jaune shrugged. "It's on her file. Not that hard to find." He said. "And it's not like your file paints you any better, Wiess."
Jaune didn't know that wiess could get any paler. "And what do you mean by that?"
"The fact that your father uses you as a tax shelter?" Jaune asked rhetorically. "I mean, it would take an idiot for someone to miss that. You get your allowance quarterly, conveniently when Jaques Schnee gets his shareholder benefits, CEO salary check, and a multitude of other ill gotten gains. He also removes money regularly from your account, something you complain about constantly. If that doesn't sound suspicious, it really should." Jaune admonished.
"But that's legal in atlas, so don't paint me as some criminal!" Wiess countered. Jaune surrendered at that point.
'You're right. That is legal in Atlas, as you can give monetary gifts that are not tax deductible there. But, is it legal in Vale?" Jaune posed. "The answer is no, in case you didn't know. And while you are in Vale, Valean laws apply to you."
Wiess gaped like a fish, a vindictively satisfying look on her face Jaune thought. "And Ruby, you're the best of the lot. The only strike on your record is your account of vigilantism with Torchwick, which I doubt any sane count will rule you guilty on. Was it stupid? Yes. Very." Jaune said, his face emphasizing the idea. "But, you did the right thing I think, unlike everyone else here." Jaune said, giving Ruby an understanding nod. "And Blake?"
Blake looked up, meeting his eyes. "I know what you did, and while I won't hold it against you for it, you have a lot, and I mean a lot, of shit to make up for." Jaune said, his tone taking the edge of the tone a priest would use during a sermon of cleansing.
Blake gulped, but nodded. "That's-that's why I'm here."
Jaune didn't respond with words, but gave her a mild nod. "Headmaster, Is it safe to assume that you have sent my application to Haven?"
Ozpin nodded. "I even got your acceptance letter here, in email form. It appears that I caught Leo at a convenient time." Ozpin chuckled, forwarding Jaune the email. Jaune read it quickly.
"Dear Mr. Arc, we are happy to tell you that we accept your transfer… yada yada… our esteed academy is always looking for the talent of tomorrow.. Blah blah blah…. We hope to see you by the start of Next Semester?" Jaune finished, looking up to Ozpin. "That's what? A month and a half from now? Little less?"
"About, yes." Ozpin said, not looking up from his desk. He was sorting some papers it seemed. Some student files lay open on his desk.
"Excellent. I'll leave tomorrow and show up early." Jaune stated flatly. Ozpin coughed, having gotten a sip of coffee stuck at the sudden bomb drop.
"That-that seems a little soon, don't you think? You have most certainly a month before you have to leave, and that would be ample time." Ozpin said, cleaning up his spill.
Jaune shrugged at that. "Probably, but I can't afford a bullhead across, so that means I'll have to hike to the docks, get on a boat, and land in Minstra, And then I have to make it to Haven. That's two weeks of travel there, assuming nothing goes south. And then I have to get settled and preferably find some form of income. I wonder how cheap the stocks are there?" the knight explained, running his fingers over his pathing on ozpin's globe.
Ozpin looked at jaune. "I see you've put quite a bit of thought into this." he said after a moment. It was a shame that Ozpin was going to lose his grasp on Jaune so soon. His mind and Aura would have been valuable tools against Salem.
Well, at least he was still kind of in Ozpin's sphere, being at Haven now. But it meant that Ozpin could not secure Jaune's position conveniently at his leisure. An annoyance, but Ozpin had pulled even worse situations out of such muck, like Qrow or others in previous incarnations.
Jaune sat down, still looking at the scripted HAVEN on the globe. "Yeah. I suppose I have. Is that all you need from me, headmaster?" Jaune said, standing up from his seat.
"Yes it is, Jaune. Do give me a call when you make it, though. It would put my mind at ease at least a little bit."
Jaune nodded as he turned to leave. Before he walked out the door, he turned to look at Ozpin one last time. "Thank you so much for giving me this opportunity, Headmaster. I don't… I don't know what I would do without it."
"Just don't get yourself killed, Jaune." Ozpin said kindly. "I see great things in your future, after all."
Jaune walked out the door, a blur of rose petals zooming into the parlor way between the elevator and Ozpin's office.
"What is Ruby?" Jaune sighed as she seemingly teleported in front of him, between the elevator doors and himself.
"So, this is it, huh?" She asked, her silver eyes boring into his own blue ones.
Jaune's eyebrow raised. "Uh, yeah? We kind of went through a whole week or so of cutting ties, burning bridges, being completely ignorant to me getting bullied. I mean, is that really a question?" Jaune asked, the last sentence coming out as a barking laugh. Ruby shook her head.
"Jaune, please don't do this. You are going to die without training." Ruby pleaded. Jaune raised an eyebrow.
"Well, I'm not dead yet, I've fought Grimm, and I'm getting training right now." Jaune countered. "Got to start somewhere."
"Yes, but you are going to get yourself killed." Ruby said again. Jaune was unimpressed with the reasoning.
"Please, I don't want to lose anyone else. Please don't go on with this. You could be anything, A banker, a writer, a musician, just please, don't do this." Ruby pleaded, her eyes watering.
Jaune's brow furrowed in concern. "Who did you lose?"
"My mother." Ruby sniffled.
"Oh ruby, I'm so sorry." Jaune consoled.
"NO! YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND!" Ruby shouted. "She always came back. She seemed so invincible. And one day, she didn't" Ruby was crying at this point. "I didn't stop looking for her. And one day, I-"
Jaune cut her off with a hand on her shoulder. "Ruby, this sounds like a horrible, tragic backstory and really sounds like something you should really, really tell to someone else. Like a therapist. While it might explain and even justify your actions." Jaune said, bending down just a bit to meet her at eye level. "I really don't care that much anymore. Told me a week ago, maybe. But now? After all the bullying, harassment, and betrayal? That tells me far more about you than your tragic past. I'm sorry that you lost your mother, I really am. I just don't see how it applies to me."
Ruby stared at him, wide eyed as he stood up. She was shocked. Shocked! No body, and she means no body, had ever just flat out didn't care about her dramatic past! Nor did he fall victim to the trappings of her teary silver eyes! Ruby stood there, stock still, as the elevator doors binged shut.
Jaune stood in front of the bullhead that would take him to Vale. man, it was weird thinking that this was the last time he would take this path. Jaune shouldered his duffle bag preparing to step onto the airship.
"I didn't expect you to be leaving so soon, Jaune." a voice came from behind him. Jaune turned to see both Dr. Bartholomew Oobleck and his old teammate, Nora Valkyrie.
"Hey Doc, Nora. come to see me off?" Jaune smiled as he strode towards them. Nora nodded brightly. "Yup! It's the last time I'll see you, fearless leader." Nora said, the sentence dropped in perkiness as the words hit her. It sounded like he was marching to his death.
Jaune gave a chuckle, putting a hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry Nora, It won't be the last time you'll see me, I promise." Nora smiled, and then sniffed. "Ah, damn, I promised myself I wasn't going to cry." She sniffled. Jaune gave her a soft smile, pulling the ginger into a hug.
"There, there, it's ok Nora. it's ok to cry sometimes." the blonde cooed. Nora sniffled once again, burying her face into Jaunes shoulder. Jaune could feel his hoodie getting soaked in tears. She held onto him for some several minutes before it was let go. "I'm going to miss you, Jaune Jaune."
Jaume smiled. 'I'm going to miss you too, Nora. I really am."
Nora took a step back, looking at jaune, teary eyed and almost proud in a way. "Oh! Before I forget, I got you something for when you get to Haven!" Nora exclaimed, rustling in her pockets. She pulled out a small notebook. "This is my favorite pancake recipe! I'm sure it's better than whatever icky healthy food Haven tries to force down your throat." Nora smiled. Jaune smiled and gave her a nod, tucking the notebook in his pocket. The good doctor stepped forward. "I also have a gift to give you, Jaune." Oobleck said as he pulled out a thick book. "A tactics and strategy book. It should work your brain a little on your trip."
Jaune took the book graciously. "Thank you so much, Doctor. I am sure that it will come in handy, even if it is to fight off boredom." jaune smiled as he took the book and put it into his backpack. Jaune gave the doctor a handshake before turning to Nora again. 'Well, I'm going to head off now… I'll keep in touch." Jaune said, and was swarmed by Nora once more.
Nora sniffed, her waterworks acting up once more. The bullhead's horn beeped as the two stood there, silent in the bittersweet moment.
Jaune let go first, giving Nora a pat on the back. "Hey… I need to be going now." He said softly, but making no attempt to break contact. Nora held onto him until the bullhead honked again, impatient at the two former teammates' hesitancy to separate. Nora gave him one last bone shattering squeeze and let him go.
Jaune ruffled her hair, burning this memory into his brain, and turned to board the bullhead. Nora and doctor Oobleck waved him off as the bullhead took to the skies. "Bye Fearless leader! I'll miss you tons!`` Nora waved as the bullhead ascended into the sky. It started to move towards Vale, slowly disappearing out of sight.
Jaune was straight up not having a good time. It was a bullhead trip, which was always particularly bad for him.
God damn fucking motion sickness. Jaune thought, before he hurled into the bucket.
"You better not be making no mess I have to clean up back there, kid!" the pilot yelled from the cockpit.
Jaune gurgled a response before filling the bucket one more. "I'm trying not to." he grumbled.
"Well, good news, kid. I drop your vomity ass off in ten minutes, so hold tight. And keep your innards inside!" The Pilot yelled over the great blades that kept the aircraft up.
Jaune quickly exited, dragging a trash can bag behind and dumping it into the nearest proper reciprocal. The crowds of Vale gave him a wide berth as he slugged his way to the nearest bathroom.
Jaune splashed the water from the sink on his face, washing off the last bits of puke. Jaune looked up at himself in the mirror. He had bags under his eyes that would qualify as carry on luggage. His face had become gaunt from stress and bad nights.
Man, I look like a right pile of fucking shit. Jaune thought, then something struck him. When had he started cursing like that? Jaune couldn't remember. He knew that he wasn't at that fieldtrip where Cardin threw that sap at Pyrrha. Although Ursa has most certainly drawn a long "Shiiiiiiiiit" from him.
Maybe it was then? Maybe it was after, did anyone know?
Did anyone care?
Jaune sighed, checking the clock at the bullhead dock. It read seven fifteen or so. He had a whole forty five minutes to cross to the docks and board the Nyra, the ship he had chartered for cheap. He had agreed to be an acting sea man and huntsman for the small shipping charter for the trip to get a discount. Jaune took a quick inventory check. Nothing gone, missing, or otherwise out of place. Good.
Vale was a decent place. Jaune had, after spending thirty minutes catching rails, walking, and possibly breaking some traffic and pedestrian laws, decided. He preferred more open and green spaced areas. Jaune ducked under two large faunus hauling planks across the pier.
"Oi, Watch where you goin, mate!" one of the mammal eared men barked. Jaune apologized as he made his way down to the end of the pier.
A smallish fishing boat sat by a post labeled 19C. On it three men worked on hauling several crates onto the barge.
Jaune cleared his throat, gaining the attention of the three men. Two, upon closer viewing, were clearly father and son. Two tiger faunus. The third was a middle aged Vaulco human with dark hair and bright pale brown eyes.
Jaune cleared his throat, gaining the attention of the father. "Is this the Nyra's Ark?" Jaune asked him. The old tiger Faunus looked up, spitting something, probably tobacco, over the side of the boat. "Aye, this is Nyra's Ark. I be 'summen you be one Jaune? No last name given?" The Faunus grunted. Jaune nodded. "Yessir. Are you Captain Yendryl?"
"Aye, I am a good Captain, but you can just call me Jor. Why don't ya grab one of those there barrels and come aboard?" Jor recommended. Jaune agreed, picking up two of the large oaken containers. The two younger shipmen's eyes widened as Jaune hefted the heavy things around like flower sacks. The pile quickly disappeared, all of it loaded onto the ship. Jaune felt the boat rock under his feet as the Vaulcan, who he learned was named Samuel, cast off.
It was unlike the small but constant vibration of a bullhead. It was more like the caring rock of a dusky old grandmother, sitting in a rocking chair on the front porch.
Jaune spent the next couple of hours learning the ship and what his duties would be. It was mostly delegated down to moving things and whatever the crew didn't have enough hands for. Jaune quickly was delegated to cooking duty once the three men learned of his particular areas of expertise. Sure, Ryu had a laugh at him for it, but claimed his respect for surviving seven sisters anyway.
"You have my respect, Jaune." Ryu recovered from laughing, having to put his bowl of stew down. "I've met men who would not survive one sibling, much less seven of them!" Ryu snorted as they ate under the stars. Jaune discovered after dinner that there was a fourth member of the crew. An old sea cat who's only name was Catra. With heterochromatic eyes, blue and green, the grey brown sea cat preferred to be far away from most humans, either at the top of the roof which covered the navigation room and the second smaller set of staircases that led down into the sleeping quarters of the fishing boat, or down in the storage room with all the lashed down barreled jaune and the other fishermen had brought onboard. Catra, while she would not approach anyone, didn't scamper away when the blonde came towards her. While Catra did not appreciate being touched, the other members of the crew regarded it as a god blessed miracle that Jaune could come within a meter of the grouchy sea cat.
He would often sit on the top of the roof with her at night, looking up at the stars and pointing out various constellations to the cat, and the stories he remembered from them. Some of them he made up.
" -and that's the story behind the kite looking see those four squares or so, with the tail on them? That one's corner flower. Long ago, there was a warrior who roamed the great Vaulcan desert-" jaune started, but was stopped by Catra making a grunting, almost talking sound, stretching out and padding over to jaune. Jaune was rendered in a shocked silence as Catra curled up against the blonde knight, falling asleep with a deep rumble. Jaune shut up, content to let the cat sleep. Jaune checked the harness attached to him, tying him to the roof's cage-like skeleton. Just in case.
"Those storms look like an issue." Jaune said, looking into the horizon at the darkened sky. Jor looked at it as well, frowning. "Aye, that doesn't bode well for us. Samuel!" he barked, calling to the current helmsman. "Turn us starboard, 25 degrees and lose the sails!"
Samuel complied to his captain's orders, turning the wheel. Ryu and Jaune hopped to the ropes, letting the sails fall to their fullest extent. The ship picked up speed, moving along the waves faster, hoping to outpace the coming storm.
The storm marched onwards, visibly whipping waves into a furious maelstrom in the edges of the human vision.
"Is it getting closer? It looks like it's getting closer." jaune said, concerned.
Samuel looked behind him at the storm. "That does seem to be moving alarmingly fast, doesn't it?"
"Too fast." Jor said, concerned. It didn't move like a normal storm like that. Any experienced seaman could tell. Ryu's eyes widened as he saw a great fin cut out from the stormy waves.
"Jorgumunder!" he yelled out to the crew.
Chapter 4: 4Chapter Text
Jaune felt that that was a bad thing. Like, a really bad thing. He turned to Jor.
"I'm sorry, a what now?" the Huntsman in training asked the sea crew.
Ryu looked at the huntsman. "I thought you were a huntsman, Jaune!"
"In training!" Jaune countered. "I had to transfer before we covered the water grimm!" he cried out as the crew scrambled to batter down the ship. Rope strapped down the deck as Ryu immediately started to close the ports and trapdoors that led to the hull storage. Samuel was doing his best to steer the ship out of the storm, but the grimm-caused phenomena was far too fast for the small fishing barge. Soon the Nyra's Ark was overtaken by the waves and heavy rain. Jaune spat out the salt water as a wave broke the deck, smashing into him with a concussive force that reminded him of Nora's hammer. As he blinked the salt water out of his vision, he saw a great fin slide up through the water before disappearing back into the waves.
"WHAT IN THE NAME OF GOD WAS THAT!?" Jaune yelled. If any one asked, it was to have his friends hear him and not out of terror. Samuel staggered and forced his way to Jaune.
"That, my friend." He said, gripping the blonde to not be swept overboard. "Is a Jorgumunder."
Jaune decided, as he saw the beast rise from the sea, that he did not like the Jorgumunder. A massive sea serpent with black scales and a bone white skull. Mask? Skull? Jaune forgot if they were there actual skulls, or a second layer of bone on top of a bit of flesh. Jaune looked a little lower, breaking eye contact with the beast's great glowing red eyes. It had overly large sharp teeth that reminded jaune more of a set of shark teeth than snake fangs. Three rows, at least, of sharp pointy teeth, each long and sharp like sword blades. Jaune glanced down its body, noticing that it had several gill-like valves on its sides. They opened, letting off jets of steam into the stormy air. Jaune realized something. The Jorgumunder created storms by releasing hot steam, or air into the atmosphere, creating a temperature difference and adding to the humidity of the air around it. The temperature and humidity difference would create clouds and increase the winds. It literally created the perfect storm.
That the Nyra's Ark was currently caught in the middle of. Jaune's attention was drawn back to the beast's head as it let out a roar. Jaune drew his sword and shield that Ozpin had handed to him. He smacked the blade on the edge of his shield, causing the monster to snap its attention to the blonde.
You know, this was probably not the most thought out idea. Jaune thought as the snake reeled back, poised like a cobra. "Oh fuck." Jaune said as it slammed its mouth down at him. Jaune hefted his round shield in front of him, hoping that it would protect him against the giant sea serpent. He just barely remembered that lesson on focusing his aura to his limbs intime to reinforce his shield arm. The thing made contact with the blonde. Jaune was floored to the ground as he met the battering ram, er snake, head on. The snake ran over him as it passed the blonde, grinding him into the deck. Jaune bounced and managed to roll out from under the massive snake. The snake wrapped itself around the ship, making a second round at the blonde knight. Jaune dived to the side, dodging its lunging attack as it made it's second loop around the ship. Jaune took the opportunity to stab the monster in the side. The blade sunk into the monster like he was pushing it through a tree. Jaune wrenched the blade out, drawing a bone chilling cry from the Jorgumunder. The snake twisted around to glare at the blonde annoyance with the pointy stick. It snarled, showing off it's multitude of sharp pointy teeth. Jaune tapped his sword on his shield, not breaking eye contact with the thing. The collision made a harsh ringing sound that's only purpose was to draw more attention to the blonde.
The snake lunged again at the annoyingly resilient human. Most broke when the beast struck them once, and few survived a melee with it. But this annoying tiny pitiful human didn't. The Jorgumunder could smell, could taste, could sense the fear radiating off the blonde. It was thick, so very thick. Almost like a pudding, evaporated into the air. Thicker than most that dared to stubbornly engage it in combat. This time the sea serpent made direct contact, and changed its tactics. Instead of just hoping to ram the pesky yellow human off into the sea, it would take it there personally.
Jaune was folded like a lawn chair when the serpent slammed into him. He vomited up this night's stew as his stomach was forcefully punched down to size.
Then he felt the monster's powerful jaws clamp down on his leg. Jaune's head snapped back as he screamed in pain. His leg felt slippery and wet as the coppery smell of blood flooded his nose. He forced his aura into his leg, focusing past the pain of the massive wound. Jaune gripped his sword and lashed at the monster's face. Jaune was lifted off the ground as the monster dived into the sea, Jaune in tow. The monster splashed into the ground with the force of a cannon shot.
When Ryu heard the call of "Jorgumunder." He immediately started to close up all of the ports in the ship, tossing a disgruntled Catra into his cabin. He then bunkered down in the navigation room, with its glass walls, dual bench and wheel and navigational controls. He ushered his father and crewmate into the nav room.
"SAMUEL, MOVE IT!" He yelled to his non related crewmate, who had gone over to Jaune to tell him something. He then sloshed his way over, fighting the waves that threatened to tip the ship upside down, and made it into the room. Ryu whipped out his scroll and hit the record button. Jor frowned.
"Really? You pull that thing out now of all times?" he asked incredulously.
Ryu turned to look at his old man. "For insurance purposes. You know, proof of grimm attack." he shot back.
"Trust me, the ship will be evidence enough." Jor snorted as he watched the massive serpent wrap around the ship, starting to squeeze and bend the ship in its coils.
Then he saw jaune get rolled by the beast as first contact was made. A bright flash of white light surrounded the blonde boy as he was run over by the Jorgumunder. He spat out some water, scrambling to replant his feet on the ship. The Snake ran for him once more, layering a second coil around the ship. Jor winced as he heard the ship creak and cry from the pressure. Jaune ducked under another passing of the beast, this time landing a blow against it. The beat let out a roar before zeroing in on the blonde knight. It was like something out of a children's book. A lone knight, shining with a kind of holy light against a mighty beast that the forces of evil have pit against him. Ryu held his scroll tight, not daring to say a word lest the monster shift his attention. The monster charged again, this time taking Jaune with him off the edge of the ship.
"Jaune!" Samuel yelled, rushing over to the other side of the navigation room. Ryu focused his scroll on to where the monster and jaune went under, hoping to see some kind of sign of life with the camera's zoom feature.
There didn't seem to be any.
Jaune felt the coldness of the water before he registered the fact that he could no longer breathe. Then he registered that he was underwater. That posed a whole new slew of issues
What I wouldn't give to be a fish right now. Jaune thought as he rushed through the water, being pulled by the Jorgumunder. He felt the serpent turn as it ran on the underside of the boat. Jaune took the opportunity to acquaint the monster's face with his sword, repeatedly. The sword bit and bounced against the serpents bone plating, failing to find purchase in the grimms flesh. Jaune flailed, gritting his teeth and trying not to breathe. He swung a wide arc through the water, catching something soft and fleshy. The serpent wretched up into the air, throwing Jaune into the air. "Jaune!" Ryu yelled out as he watched the knight fall from the sky. He landed with a splash into the sea. Jaune clawed at the cold metal of the Nyra's Ark, scrambling to find purchase. He managed to cling to a strand of rope, pulling himself up to the ship's deck. He gasped as he hunched from exhaustion and blood loss. He looked up at the serpent, his shaggy hair plastered to his face and across his eyes. Jaune looked up at the serpent, thrashing and wailing as it tried to dislodge the blade in its eye. Jaune tried to step forward, but a piercing pain racked his body. Jaune slumped down to one knee with a wide eyed gasp, looking down at his leg.
Ah, that giant serpent shark fang in his thigh would be it, wouldn't it? Jaune gripped it by its root, and pulled.
"FUCK! GOD MOTHER FUCKING DAMN THAT HURT!" He yelled out as he gripped the sharp tooth.
The noise drew the serpent's attention, as it zeroed in on the person that would dare injure it so gravely. Jaune glared at its red eyes.
"THAT'S RIGHT, MOTHERFUCKER! YOU'RE A PAIN IN THE ASS!" Jaune yelled, firmly planting his feet on the rocking ship. His shield raised to his side, and the monster's tooth held like some dagger. The serpent snarled, pulling back like a corba.
"That's it ugly, come and get some." Jaune taunted, every nerve on his body set on high alert. He saw the snake start its lunge forward, hoping to finally kill the annoying human. It lunged at him, it's jaws gashing. Jaune threw the tooth like a knife into the monster's throat. It's eyes went wide as it felt the sharp blade slam into the back of its throat. Its charge faltered as the beast's eyes went wide. It fell forward, overcome by the sudden wound in its throat, arcing down directly to jaune. Jaune hefted his shield, spinning to the side. His shield slams into the snake's snout, whacking it to the side. Jaune's now free hand grasped his sword's handle, ripping out of the monster's eye socket. The monster wretched further away, slamming its face into the mast of Nyra's Ark. Jaune took the opportunity to glance around. His eyes landed on the Mizzen Rope, a rope that held the sails and the log that held them up. Jaune lashed at the rope next to him, then leaped across the ship. He managed to snip the other one, dropping the full weight of at least a tonne of Canvas and wood to fall on the stunned sea serpent. The effect was, well, shattering. The falling log had snapped the serpent's skull open, killing the serpent instantly. Jaune was still on edge as he started to watch the serpent dissolve. The sea calmed as the bluster behind the storm dissolved into ashes. Jaune collapsed to his butt, really feeling the massive amount of damage that had been dealt to his leg. Ryu and Samuel rushed out of their protective hidey hole to help their blonde friend.
"Holy gods man! That was incredible!" Ryu exclaimed as he moved to get him off the floor. Samuel knelt down to look at jaune's leg.
"JOR! GET THE AID KIT!" he yelled to his capitan, who scampered down deck to fetch some bandages.
Ryu looked down at the wound and winced. "Ouch my dude. How ya feeling? You need anything."
Jaune squinted at him. "I'm either about to throw up or I can fight a god. I'll get back to you when I've decided." Jaune said before the ship rocked to the side. "Urk! I've decided" And with that single decision, Jaune threw up.
Jaune could remember the following events in a fuzzy manor:
One: He was moved to a bed downstairs.
Two: His leg was medicated and bandaged.
Three: he was given several pills
Four: he passed the fuck out.
When Jaune came too, Jor was fretting over his leg, propped up on wrapped up blankets and a spare pillow.
"You gave us quite the scare there with that Jorgumunder, Jaune." Jor said as he finished wrapping Jaune's wound. "Not everyday a shit survives such a beast, least of all the Nyra."
Jaune nodded, understanding how such a small ship would have, should have collapsed and sunk under the power of such a beast.
"The boys are hammering out the damage that beast did." Jor said before leaning back. "How you feeling? Not in danger of bleeding out on us or anything?" Jor asked in his seaman's accent.
Jaune shook his head. "Fine. My leg's sore and i could do with a nap, but I'll be fine." Jaune waved him off, before looking around. Seeing that his stuff wasn't there, Jaune moved to get up. His eyes flew open as his mouth opened to a silent scream, which devolved into a hiss.
"Ooohhhh, fuck, bad idea, bad idea." Jaune said as he curled around his leg.
"Oi!" Jor yelled. "I don't want you moving for anything, got it? You want something, you tell me or one of the boys." Jaune nodded.
"Could you please bring me my bag?" Jaune asked him. Jor nodded before teetering off into the ship. Jaune sighed, looking up at the ceiling.
Jor returned soon enough with a large duffle bag. Jor put it down next to the huntsman. "Here you go, son."
Jaune thanked the captain and dived into his duffel bag. Reaching around until he found the thick book that Dr. Oobleck had given him, he straightened up. The book lay heavy on his right leg, as his left was badly injured. Jaune opened the cover. "The art of war and other tactical publications from around the world." he read. He flipped the title page over.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction
The Art of War, Tsun Tzu
On War, Carl Von Clausewitz
A Collection of Tactics, Marl Van Stroff
1967: The Faunus War, Anne Tchikoski
The Prince, Niccolo Machiavelli
The Principalities of Combating Grimm, (VOL I. & III, parts.)
The 35 strategies of warfare, Dr. Roberto Emanuel
Days of Blood, Jack Arc
The Art of Chess, Antony Karpov
Jaune looked at the last one. It shouldn't have surprised him that an Arc wrote a well received book on tactics. It really shouldn't have. His family had been involved in war and world politics since before the great war that founded Atlas, despite his father and grandfather taking steps away from the world stage.
Jaune turned the page to the introduction.
"Our world is shaped by conflict. Be it by Grimm, Man, or whatever forces we decide to face the ire of our wrath. To some it is an art form. To others, a cruel necessity. To all, war is conflict. A violent division between the forces that be.
War, over the years, has been refined and ground and sieved through the filters of time, ingenuity and sacrifice. From the days of the cave man and their crude clubs and stones, to the smelted blade and steel shield, to the modern rifle and side arm. Throughout the ages, we have refined the act of war. War has with its evolution started to reveal what we knew about it all along.
War is abhorrent.
No matter what anyone tells you, no matter what you hear, no matter what newspaper you read, no matter what shiny silver metal is stored in the museum's glass, War is abhorrent. There is no Honor, no Glory, no absolution you will find in war that is worth the cost that is paid.
Keep that in him as you read the following. Some will wax poetic about war, others will tell it as the harsh truth it is. And as war and her weapons evolve, one day, war will be refined to its simplest form.
The single push of a button.
Know that as you continue to read this book. Know that you will not find the honor, glory or fulfillment in the contents of this book, or its implementation.
May your days be peaceful,
The name of the writer had been smeared. Jaune blinked.
Damn. Ok then. That was a rather heavy introduction. Jaune had to stop and look a the wall for a moment, resting the open book on his leg.
No honor in war, huh? What the hell was he here for? If there was no honor nor glory to be found, then would he be remembered?
Would he ever be the hero that he always dreamed of being?
A mewling broke him from his spell of existential crisis. "Oh, Catra, hello." jaune greeted the sea cat. She merely rumbled, hopping up onto his bed. Jaune gave a gasp as she walked over his wound. "Easy! Easy Catra! I'm a wounded man you know." jaune winced, gingerly moving the grizzly sea cat. The cat gave a humph sound, but curled up at Jaune's shins.
Jaune reread the introduction once more. "Hey Catra, do you think I'm a hero?"
"Mrow?"
"I mean, do heroes have Honor or Glory? Should that be what they fight for? I mean, I want to save people, at least I think I do. But are my motives strong enough?" Jaune asked the cat. The cat made a vibrating grumble, like it had something in its stomach. Jaune took that as a no.
"Then what do you think makes a hero, Catra."
"Meow." The cat said firmly
Jaune gave a huffing laugh. "Yeah, I guess you're right. I suppose it doesn't matter, does it?" Jaune said before returning to his book.
The boat rocked gently as the sun rose and fell. The crew was kind enough to check on him every once and a while, thanking him for saving their sailor ass.
It took two days for Jaune Arc to fully recover and be walking again. "I don't believe it." Samuel said as he watched the blonde hauling rope and pulling up the collapsed mizzen cross. "He practically lost his leg day before yesterday. I could see his fucking bone, man. I could see it through the blood and ripped flesh. And the dude is just walking around like it was nothing." Samuel complained to Ryu, who was on a rope swing, hammering out the damage the Jorgumunder did to the hull.
"Aura's one hell of a drug, man." The faunus shrugged, returning to hammering another replacement board into the hull. Samuel shook his head, watching jaune grasp the two ropes and give them an experimental tug. Satisfied that his knots would hold, Jaune started straining against them, walking backwards like a tug of war player. The tonne or so log started to slowly rise to its former position. Jor clinged to the mizzenmast, ready to re-secure the fallen log.
The old seaman started to reattach the log, taking only a few minutes to properly secure the thing. "Alright Jaune! It's on! You can let go of the ropes now!" Jor yelled down. Jaune let go of the ropes, watching them fall slack with bated breath.
Jor's securing held, much to the crew's relief.
Jaune and the Boys, as Jor called them, had set up a game of Marrakech, a traditional faunus game that originated from Vaulco.
"I'm kind of surprised you know the game." Ryu said, rolling the die and tisking, moving the Merchant to Samuel's carpet. Samuel laughed as Ryu gave him a button. "And the fact you have one that's so…" Ryu searched for the word. "Hey, Pops!"
"Yes?"
"Is there a word for Alyehnbahll?" jaune blinked at the strange word.
"Alyenball?" Jaune tried, raising an eyebrow.
Jor shook his head, walking over to the trio. "No. Alyehnbahll. The closest thing that comes to mind would be 'rustic', or 'authentic." Jor said before sitting down.
"So, who's winning?"
Samuel looked around. "I think jaune is, but it's hard to tell."
Jaune nodded before turning to Ryu. "what was that language you spoke? The Alyenbal thing?"
Ryu looked confused for a moment. "What, Feral? It's kind of the cultural language to the faunus. I'm surprised that you've never heard of it."
Jaune shrugged, taking a wood circle from Samuel. "I never knew that the faunus had a separate language. Doesn't really surprise me though, since Orleans speaks french."
It was Samuel's turn to raise an eyebrow. "French? What does that sound like?"
"ça ressemble beaucoup à ça, Samuel." Jaune said, looking up. Ryu looked surprised.
"Woah, that sounded cool man. It was like… it was like verbal silver, you know?" Jaune laughed at that.
"Yeah, i guess it is. Your Feral though sounds really cool. How difficult do you think it would be to learn?"
Ryu and his father shared a look. Jor shrugged before turning back to his soup. "Can't be that hard. I could probably teach you the basics before our journey ends." Ryu said finally. Jaune brightened up.
"That would be great. I could teach you french in return. You know, a language for a language?"
"Deal."
Jaune hung from the rigging, tying a loose knot back up.
"Jrabelosh yel Valar?" jaune guessed from the top, yelling the sentence to Ryu.
"Close. Remember, Jra is a more gutteral sound. Add a growl to it." Ryu returned, giving the rope a testing tug. He nodded, confident at his knots firm hold.
"Jrabelosh yel Valar." jaune said once more, this time more firmly.
"That was perfect! One more time!" Ryu yelled as he started to descend.
Jaune smiled, his self confidence rising just a bit at his success. "Jrabelosh yel Valar!"
"Wonderful, Jaune. Great pronunciation." Jor said as Jaune hit the deck.
"Thank you Jor. it means much to me." Jaune said with a smile. Feral conjugation and order of words was… simple to say. The word to didn't exactly exist, as the same with The and As, and possibly the word you as well, depending on dialect. So the direct translation ended up being closer to Thank you Jor, it means much me.
Eh, language was weird. Jaune had decided that long ago. Jor was shocked for a moment, but his surprise turned quickly to joy and pride.
"Very good, jaune. You are doing well." Jor smiled. 'That boy is smart. Very smart.' Jor thought as he watched the blonde tie off the mizzen ropes.
Jor was going to miss Jaune when he left. He had been a real boon to the ship, scaring off any small grimm that came close, pulling the work of easily five men or so. Jor shook his head, striding to the map room. Six days until they reached the port city of Moralle, should the wind and weather hold. Sure, they had the dust engine, but it was as much a bomb as it was an engine in Jors opinion. He didn't like the sounds it made when it was running at anything more than several knots.
Jor looked once more at the blonde, as he leaned over the rail to chat with Ryu from his swing.
"Yeah, He's a good kid." Jor said under his breath. He returned to moving planks as the sun started to set.
Jaune sat on deck, Catra curled up next to him as he looked at the book in front of him. The sun beat down from its throne high in the sky upon the blonde's neck, the white rag resting there absorbing any sweat he produced The blonde knight absentmindedly stroked Catra, who decided that the effort to bat the blondes hand away or to move out of his reach was too much.
"I can't believe that you're actually managing to read that thing." Ryu said with a groan. He had picked it up earlier and read four lines of it before having to put it down. "It's just so booorning!"
Jaune looked up at him. "If you say so." he said with a serene smile. He had gotten use to Ryu's energetic, sporadic, and what Jaune chose to call "positive Chad energy." The dude was a total Dudebro in the best possible ways. He wasn't a jerk or inconsiderate, he was just loud and often did before he thought. Jaune remembered when he was injured, Ryu came in to keep him compony during his stint in "Med Bay" and proceeded to just talk loudly at Jaune. It reminded him of Nora to an extent, but with less ingrained chaos to the speech.
"And then i said to her- hey, are you even listening, jaune?"
Jaune looked up at him. "Something about a woman?" Jaune made a guess.
"Yeah, so I said to her-"
"Ryu." jaune flatpanned. "You've never met a woman."
Ryu spluttered, his words robbed from him as the person he thought was his friend betrayed him so.
Samuel choked on his breath. The shipman let out a slow wheeze of a laugh. "Ohhh my god, Jaune, that was perfect. Just, pfft, Wheeze. " Samuel giggled as he picked himself up from the ground.
Jaune smiled with a wide, wide grin before turning back to his book.
Jor looked down at his son. "I'm more impressed that Catra hasn't clawed your hand off yet." Jor said, sitting down with the boys. Jaune just shrugged.
"Maybe cats just like me." jaune shrugged, turning the page. The constant sea breeze started to waver, causing Jaune to look up at the flag at the crow's nest, the power behind it dropping rapidly.
"The wind is dying." Jaune stated. Jor looked up to the flag as well.
"Well, damn. The wind do be dying. Ryu! Help me start the engine up! I don't want it to explode." Jor grunted, rising back to his feet. Ryu sighed, following his father.
"The engines not going to explode, dad. It just needs a tune up." Ryu groaned as they disappeared down to the under bellows of the ship.
Samuel and Jaune sat there in silence for a little while as the sounds of mechanical struggle came from below.
"Soooo…." Samuel started. "You're going to be leaving us soon."
Jaune was forced once more to look up away from his book. "Soon, yeah. We're only two days out, if the engine keeps strong." Jaune said, looking back down at his book.
Samuel looked out to the ocean wistfully. "Yeah, two days…"
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TO BE CONTINUED