Arslan contemplated using her rope dart, she really did. But she decided that she was far too fucking angry to let her wrath be diluted by a weapon. She hadn't had a chance to vent in months. Months! Like she would dare let this chance be impeded. She always preferred using her aura augmented fist technique anway. She knew that it's name was "Fist of the Blazing Lion", but that sounded like something some poor weeb would say before flailing his arms around like a fool.
She let her aura flow like lava, slowly coating her limbs. The familiar blazing bright glow was comforting to the martial artist. It meant she was strong. She snapped into her stance, her eyes locking on to her unfortunate victim. The beowulf ran forward, unaware of just who it was picking a fight with. Arslan took a deep breath in, her muscles tensing.
Two, one, She counted off, measuring the distance. NOW! She lunged forward, her first fist swinging with the full force of her body behind it. It made contact, snapping the grimm to the side and sending it tumbling. Arslan spun, dropping an ax kick onto it's neck. The very important bone structure shattered under the blow. Arslan looked up as a shadow crossed over her. A beowulf reared up on its hind legs. Slamming down, it brought its claws upon the lioness. Arslan raised her hands in a cross block, letting her aura tank the heavy blow. She actually buckled under the force of the beowulf. WIth a grunt that bordered on a roar, Arslan pushed back, knocking the wolf's guard wide open. Arslan pounced, unloading a flurry of blows into the monster's underbelly. Five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten blasts of aura infused knuckles pulverised their way through the monster grimm.
It was dead by the third blow, it's large intestine bursting under the impact. The grimm's eyes bulged as it fell over, kneeling in its death.
Arslan pulsed her semblance again, keeping track of the battle. Four signatures of grimm, two approaching on her left. Jaune was engaged with one, his strange aura a solid anchor point for her semblance, given its uniqueness.
Arslan was about to turn to engage the two flankers when a flash of silver cut past her eyes. Arslan turned briefly to see Jaune land on his feet, clearly having just thrown the knives. Arslan raised her eyebrows in surprise, before turning around to kick another bastard in the face. It's snout crumpled under the blow. The martial artist decided that that amount of damage wasn't enough, so she proceeded to wrap her arm around the beowulf's neck, snapping upwards. Arslan let out a sigh, recentering herself.
A growl came from behind her, causing her to snap to the side, looking at the charging beowulf, frothing at the mouth. Arslan back pedaled, taking her basic, instinctive combat form. Hands up, feet wide, center lowered. She ran the pattern in her head in a moment, her body following the command. Damn it, I'm so used to having Bolin or Reese right next to me. She thought, metnally berating herself for not adjusting to the scenario at hand
The beowulf was almost upon her, just within striking range of its massive paws, or equally large maw of teeth.
There was a small popping sound? Yeah, like the kind in your ears. There was a popping sound as a shadow suddenly appeared over her. Bits of debris and organic plant material that seemed like moss fell from the shadow, like a small bomb of moss was detonated. Jaune had suddenly appeared, his sword descending down with a reversed grip as he fell. The beowulf looked up, rearing onto its hind legs to meet its foe. Jaunes blade cut through an arm that dared to impede his deadly descent. The beowulf screamed, reeling back from the ranger. Jaune landed with the softest little thud. His blade cocked back and grunted as his sword bisected into the grimm's stomach, the full swing of his body powering the strike. The grimm collapsed, gripping it's bleeding stomach.
Jaune turned to Arslan, breathing just a little heavily and his face full of concern. "Are you ok?" Jaune asked his friend.
Arslan let out a breath, nodding. "Yeah, I'm good." She said, closing her eyes. Her semblance pulsed once more, turning the whole world black and white. All of it became monochrome except for her strange companion, bathed in the dull, sunless yellow glow. Next to it, the grimm's gaping pitch black form suddered. Arslan leapt forward, her fist absolutely demolishing the monster's skull. Jaune turned, calm and collected, as though the sudden attack was expected. "Thank you, Arslan." Jaune nodded, his voice even and smooth as water.
HOLY SHIT, DID YOU SEE HER ABSOLUTELY TOTAL THAT BASTARD! A yelled, his head getting whiplash from the blurred melee fighter's lunge. Jaune agreed, turning to look at the carnage.
That. Jaune started, looking at the splattering that had plastered itself onto the nearby trees. That was impressive.
That is concerning. B corrected. We didn't even see her move. Just imagine if that was aimed at us.
A gave a snort at the idea. Pffft, like we would have to fight her. She's our ally. A sniggered. Jaune blinked, a myriad of color themed people flashing behind his eyelids. Red, white, yellow, green and bronze.
We thought that they were our allies too. Jaune countered solemnly. Look where we are now.
A shut up, his mouth souring with the presented argument.
Jaune turned to his companion. "Are you ok?" Jaune asked, his voice betraying nothing of his internal battling. Arslan nodded, letting out a huff with a shudder.
"Yeah." She breathed, taking a moment to regain control of her breath. "I'm good." She let out a sigh of contentment. The bright glowing aura around her fists dimmed and faded away into nothing. Jaune sheathed his sword, letting the blade disappear into the miraide of handels in his quiver/ duffle thing. Arslan's head tilted to the side as the handle became indistinguishable from the dozen or so completely unique and somehow equally indistinguishable set of handles. The quiver it seemed was a cylinder of some material wrapped in two layers. A thick burlap material, blotted and grey covered the entirety of the quivers frame. The top half had a fur wrapping, a deeper grey that almost seemed to match his cloak. Arslan blinked, calculating the length of the quiver. It was only about two feet long, maybe shorter. The sword that she had seen Jaune use was certainly longer than that, by probably a foot or so. Arslan opened her mouth, only to close it again. How does his sword fit in there? She wondered, confused. By all accounts, it defied every law of physics she knew of. Perhaps it's a semblance?
Jaune looked around, scanning for a second wave of grimm. He noticed Arslan's confused staring.
"Is something the matter, Ms. Arslan?" Jaune asked in his eternally calm manor. Arslan shook her head.
"No, nothing's wrong per say. I was just wondering how your sword fit in your, uh, I'm going to call it a quiver?" Arslan said, pointing to the handel and arrow-filled hoster strapped to Jaunes' back. Jaune turned his head to look at the object in question. Returning his gaze to Arslan, he shrugged.
"To be honest, I have no clue." Jaune admitted. "It's bigger than it looks, I suppose."
That's… that's not how space works. Arslan thought to herself, taking a moment to consider just exactly what Jaune must have been carrying. She saw several sword handles that betrayed rather long blades, at least two spear handles and what could have been a double handed ax? She wasn't entirely sure, but had spend enough time around weapons to recognize what the handles might belong to. With a quick count, Arslan could point out about seventeen unique handles, but it was like trying to follow a rock under a shifting set of bowls: easy to lose, as the handles shuffled and rearranged themselves with every movement of their wielder.
That just posed another question for the lioness. "How many weapons do you have in there, anyway?" She asked the ranger.
Jaune refocused his attention. "I-" He stopped, pausing to think on the question. "I've forgotten." He admitted after a moment, sheepishly scratching the back of his head. "I suppose I can count them once we get back to your room." Jaune said, turning in the opposite direction of the town. Arslan stared at him, her confusion only being fueled more and more.
"Where are you going?" She asked.
Jaune turned. "I was going to go find some food…" he started, trailing off. Arslan snorted, crossing her arms with a smile.
"Really?" She asked, a wide grin on her face. "You were going to find some food."
Jaune shrunk under the scrutiny. "I mean, yes?" He asked.
"In the woods?" She probed, her eyebrows raising. Admittedly, this was funny to her. She was trying very hard, and failing, to not smile. Sure she was confused, but at least it was kind of funny. It was like her fellow blonde had forgotten that there was a town less than a five minutes walk away from them.
Jaune at least looked a little abashed. "Right, I knew that." He said, stopping in place for a moment. "Do you still want to go on a walk?" The blonde asked.
That's something normal people do, right? Jaune asked.
B shrugged. I have no idea. I think so?
A looked around at the dark forest, only glinting dully from the recent rain. I dunno He questioned. Offering to take a girl you've just met into the dark forest? That sounds kind of sus to me. A said. B took a breath in.
I cannot express how much physical pain that you put me in, you know that right?
A laughed, and Jaune, seeing that they were not going to be any help, turned them out. Arslan considered it. A walk through the forest might be peaceful, and lord knows that a few moments to herself would be beneficial. Jaune seemed quiet enough, as though he didn't even exist half the time.
"Sure, why not?" The lioness answered with a shrug, walking up to Jaune. "Well?" She asked, looking the scarred blonde in the eyes.
"Lead the way."
Jaune gulped, his eyes locked in on those sage green-grey orbs. They were an odd color, at least for green eyes. A dullish green, similar to the shade one might find on a rock like Chorite, or epidote, flecked with bits of lion's gold. Jaune hadn't ever seen that particular shade of eye color, and he had seen a wide, wide variety. From Cat yellow to pink to lilac to silver even.
You should start moving. She's staring at you. B commented, not even looking up from his newspaper.
Jaune nodded, startled at the realization that he was, indeed, staring. That's probably a little uncomfortable. And strange. Jaune thought to himself as he mechanically turned to face deeper in the woods. He forced himself to take one step in front of the other, letting the stiff awkwardness ebb away with the movement. He heard Arslan walk next to him, her feet making wet squelching sounds as she stepped through the mud and wet ground.
Arslan couldn't help but look at Jaune's feet, just to see if they left bookmarks. They did, which was odd considering that they made no sound to indicate he was even touching the ground.
Arslan let her gaze drift up to his face, taking in the sheer absurdity of his garb. Painted whites gave way to ashen plaster and worn dulled metal scrapped together from clearly different sets. Steel enforced pants, bronze vambraces and pauldrons, a cracked breastplate, all poorly hidden by a weathered cloak.
"So, How long have you been on your… exodus?" Arslan asked, tentatively. The lioness watched Jaune's expression carefully, seeking answers that he might not say out loud.
Jaune stared ahead, his gaze losing itself in the deep greens of the forest. He thought on that question. Surely it could not have been more than two months, perhaps a quarter less that. But Jaune felt… Old.
No, not old. Old was not the right word. Old implied age, experience, growth.
Have I grown? Jaune asked himself. How old have I become, in my endless dreams? Or have I even aged at all?
Neither A or B had an answer for that question. Jaune cast his eyes down, looking at his scratched and weathered armor.
I cannot deny that I am not the same, but have I aged? Have I changed? Surely I must have.
You have. B said, standing up from his stool. A basic thing, worked from wood. Change is undeniable, so why question it?
Jaune chewed on that, his attention turning to a great old tree next to him. It had cracked down the center, growing and splitting into two separate trunks. Surely it had changed. No tree grows like that without some extreme trauma. Perhaps lightning? Or something equally as sudden and destructive.
It was an ugly tree, to be sure. But yet it stood, scarred and perhaps even broken.
Because I fear what I may become. Jaune answered after a while. Turning away, he faced his cocoa colored companion.
"It has been a long time. At least a month, but it has felt like much more." he answered, as honestly as he could.
Arslan watched her companion's face with great interest as she posed her question. His face shifted to something akin to loss. Pain, and she could see the lines in his face that belonged to someone much older than him. Somewhere with her observation if shifted, softening and unfocusing, it spoke of confusion and questioning. His lips moved without sound, his mask of a face seemed almost untranslatable, and it was only with the movement of his mouth that Arslan would have even noticed the other little changes in his face
How old have I become-have I even aged at all? Arslan made out, stringing the words together. Arslan watched him as his eyes dulled and became downcast. The expression was so similar to his standard resting face that it might not have changed at all. Even Arslan, a veritable expert at reading people, struggled to make out the subtle shifts in his eyes, the tightening of his jaw. It was unnatural. No human
Had he forgotten? Arslan thought, mournfully bemoaning the thought. Had he forgotten how emotions felt on his face? That was concerning. Eventually he seemed to settle on an answer to her question.
"It has been a long time. At least a month, but it has felt like much more." He said, the croak in his voice betraying exactly how much more it must have felt like. Eons of strife were laced, hidden in the weaving of his words. Weight that could collapse buildings, much less spirits, veiled in a cool misted tone. Arslan's jaw clenched as her eyes momentarily widened. OK then. She thought, turning away to look ahead at their path. Changing topic, because that is something I'm not touching with a ten foot stick.
"Why do you ask, Ms. Arslan?" Jaune asked in return, turning his head slightly to look at the dark skinned blonde.
"Curiosity." Arslan admitted shamelessly. "Small talk. And a bit of a desire to know at least a little more than just the name of my new school mate." She said with a shrug. "Speaking of which, why Haven? Most transfers between Beacon often go to Atlas."
She's wrong, but ok. B said, looking through his newspaper with the sound of a flipping page. Most Beacon students go to Haven, and vice versa.
Jaune nodded, remembering the research he had done. It wasn't a vast majority, but some 40-50% of transfers were between the two schools. Now, admittedly, there were very few transfers, so one student could completely change that statistic.
"Most students go to Haven, not Atlas." jaune corrected, his voice monotone. Arslan turned to him, partially startled that she was corrected, and partially interested that he had decided to correct her.
Not many people dared or bothered to correct her, and more often than not, she did not need correcting. She was smart enough to be right most of the time.
"Is that so?" She asked, her voice hiding the anger and embarrassment at being called out like that pretty well. Jaune looked away, refocusing on the path ahead of them.
"It is." he said after a moment, as though he was weighing his words. "But if you must know, it was on the recommendation of a professor of mine."
Arslan nodded, returning her gaze to where Jaune was looking. Ahead. They walked, Arslan's boots padding through the wet, compared to Jaune's silent footsteps.
Arslan was about to ask about the strange phenomena when jaune suddenly stopped. Arslan raised an eyebrow, turning to see what had intrigued the stoic ranger so much. Jaune had turned to a tree, gently reaching out to the tree.
Arslan's head tilted as she walked up to peer over the blonde's shoulder. "What is it?" She dared to ask.
Jaune peeled something from the bark, tutting softly, like he was coaxing some wild animal out of its den. "Tuck, tuck, tuck, Easy." He said, his fingers dexterously removing the… whatever it was from the tree. "Easy does it now."
Jaune carefully removed the thing from the tree, cupped and hidden in his palms. He was smiling slightly, the faintest etching of a curve in his lips.
They looked cracked and dry to the lioness. Jaune opened his clasped hands to reveal a patch of blooming moss, beautiful teal blue color dots, almost like a mold blanketed the green stuff.
Arslan smiled, relaxing at the sight. "It's beautiful." She admitted. Her eyes met Jaunes, looking away from the moss. "What is it?"
"Blooming Trollskin." jaune answered. "My sister liked growing it on the oak tree." Jaune smiled, looking down at the Trollskin. His smile faltered as he remembered that Rose was an Arc still. "Well, not my sister. Not really, anymore."
Arslan took note of that. Anymore. That had some concerning implications. She opened her mouth, about to ask if he was a Thrys, Abandoned Child. Not quite the same as orphan, which was Tryllogh, which also translated to abandoned child. But Thrys was closer to bastard, or disowned. She managed to bite her tongue before the words spilled out of her mouth. It was probably not best that she brought up that topic yet. For a later date.
"So," Jaune said, changing the subject and tucking the Trollskin away in a pocket somewhere. "What happened in the Inn?" he asked.
Arslan sighed, giving his a stink eye. "Do you really want to know?" She asked, crossing her arms and squaring up her shoulders. Jaune considered his options.
Option one: Dare to ask, and possibly get his ass punched by the big strong scary monk lady.
Option B: Say no, drop the topic, and hopefully go back and eat some actual food.
ONE! A practically yelled from his couch. I want the strong scary monk lady to kick my ass
Jaune gave A an unimpressed look. A, it would be my ass she's kicking, not yours. He corrected. And B,
Yes? B looked up from his newspaper.
Not you. Just listing. Jaune waved him off. B nodded, looking back down at his paper. And B, we can still go and eat at the inn.
But Strong Monk Lady! A countered, gesturing from the couch at Arslan.
Jaune let out a breath, exasperated at his mental renters. "I'm going to regret it." Jaune said with a sigh. "But sure, I want to know."
Arslan gave a huff at that, her face breaking out into a grin that was somewhere between relief, exasperation, amusement and sarcasm. "Alright, but you got to sit through the entire rant. No running off half way through." she said, uncrossing her arms and walking to meet Jaune at his shoulder. The two walked side by side as Arslan moved her head to the left and right, cracking her neck with a pop. "Just remember, you brought this on yourself."
Jaune nodded in difference. "I know," he said. He had spent enough time with his sisters to know when to shut up and listen. This was one of those times.
Arslan took in a deep breath, and let it go through her nose. "Where do I start?" She asked, shaking her head. "Well, I suppose the start is a good place."
"My team, team ARBN, consists of me, Reese Chloris, Bolin Hori, and Nadir Shiko. They're… fine i guess." Arslan admitted.
Green Skater Girl, Blue, and Pink. jaune identified in his head, giving a hum to indicate for Arslan to continue.
Arslan made a face, as though she was chewing on a particularly harsh fact. "Reese lacks drive and ambition." She said after a moment. "She had an abundant amount of energy, but just goes with the flow, never really taking initiative to do anything. I have to tell her to do everything. Go do your homework, Reese. Come train with me, Reese. Reese, let's go outside into Mistral. I mean, she never complains about it. Never puts up a fight about it, but just wouldn't ever do it if she wasn't told. She's either at the skate park or on her scroll playing some stupid game!" Arslan ranted, her steps becoming heavier as she let her anger seep out.
Jaune nodded sagely. "And the rest of your team?" he probed. Arslan groaned, burying her face in her hands. "You have no idea." She grumbled, her hands pulling down on her mocha skin. "Nadir is equally as bad, just in a different way." She started. Her face played with several emotions, mostly anger and frustration, but also relief that she had a chance to release her woes upon someone. "I feel really bad about complaining about Nadir, because I'm pretty sure he's autistic or something, but god damn! The boy is the most insecure control freak I've ever met!" She practically yelled into the sky, her voice reverberating around the trees and sending a flock of bush pygmies flying into the sky. "His room is perfectly organized, down to the pencil shavings, and even moving the smallest things sends him into a spiraling panic, scrambling to fix it. He wakes up every day at seven fifteen, goes to the common room, flips the light switch six times, and then organizes the bookshelf. He spends hours, heck, days even locked up in his room after that doing god knows what." Arslan continued. "He's just so… strange. Half his actions make no sense, he's constantly on edge and shaky, particularly when he's out in public. I feel really bad bad mouthing him like this, I really do." Arslan assured Jaune, putting her hands to her chest. "But Nadir drives me up a wall some days. He doesn't mean to, and he is the nicest boy, but still." Arslan groaned. "He manages some days. He really does."
Jaune nodded again. "And Blue- I mean Bolin?" Jaune dared to ask.
Arslan groaned loudly. "He is, by far, the worst of them." She growled, seething with rekindled anger. "Bolin has been with me since the beginning, since the day i first went to the Monestary." Arslan rememniced, her face softening upon thinking about those better simpler days
Jaune blinked, his brow furrowing. He gave Arslan a once over. "That really shouldn't surprise me." He muttered. Arslan turned to look at him.
"What?" She asked, making sure that she hadn't missed anything the ranger had said. Jaune shook his head. "Nothing. Continue?" he asked of the lioness. She nodded, continuing her rant.
"He managed to end up in every one of my classes, and later on my team. I suppose that should have made me happy, knowing that a friend was with me. Or at least someone i know was on my team." Arslan surmised with a sigh. "But he is the most infuriating, hypocritical person I have ever met." She said, the sentence turning into a growl as any kindness from strolling down memory lane dissipated into the air. "He constantly, constantly questions my decisions, thinks that his ideas are better than mine, constantly tries to prove his dominance over me, ever since our monastery days. Gives these passive aggressive remarks to everyone that I'm sure that he thinks are helpful. He gives out "advice" constantly-" Arslan said, putting hand quotes around the word advice. "In this stupid phrasing that sounds like it was either pulled straight out of a fortune cookie, or some old kung fu movie by the old dude."
Jaune raised his eyebrows, his head tilting in interest. This team sounds kind of dysfunctional. He thought.
To be fair, this is Arslan complaining, so she naturally wouldn't tell us about the good parts of her teammates, which I am sure there are. B reasoned.
Jaune tilted his head, considering the logic. Yeah, that checks out. Mom never had anything good to say about Dad after they had a spat.
"And even worse he doesn't even take his own advice!" Arslan yelled out in frustration. "If you're going to model your entire speech pattern after the old wise men trope, you could at least take your own advice!" Arslan let out a breath, shaking her head.
"Deepest apologies, Jaune." Arslan said, her face forming into a calm mask. "I'm normally not this unprofessional, particularly around acquaintances, but this week has been…" Arslan searched for the word. "Taxing." She decided with a breath. It seemed that the lioness had finally run out of anger fueled steam, her shoulders relaxing from their tense state.
Jaune chewed on his words for a moment, carefully forming them in his mouth. "Understandable" he started, looking ahead at the dimming forest. "They sound like a handful, to say the least." he admitted. At Least his team meshed together pretty well. Or at least he thought they did. But apparently not well enough to keep him around. Jaune looked up, seeing the sky was turning red. "Would you like my advice, or are you satisfied with merely letting it all out?" he asked, looking back down at the lioness. Arslan blinked.
Do I really want some strangers' advice? Arslan questioned herself. Am I that desperate, willing to throw away my pride? I've already made a bit of an immature fool out of myself in front of him. She thought, mentally giving a groaning deflate at that. Best that I don't lower his respect for me any further.
"No thank you, Jaune." Arslan smiled. "Your advice is not necessary right now."
Jaune gave a nod, deferring to her acquiesce. "As you wish." The ranger said. "Now, it is growing dark, and I was promised a bed?" He said, giving a small joking smile.
"I did." Arslan smiled. "And you look like you need it."
Jaune gave a well mannered snort. But mentally cheered in his brain.
YES! He cried out with a fist pump. We actually carried an entire conversation with out fucking it up! And with a girl no less!
A whooped at the success. Huston, we have lift off! WE HAVE LIFT OFF!
B smiled, giving a light clap, a minor congratulations compared to A's celebratory mood. Congratulations Jaune. He said. Now, can we please go to the Inn and, if possible, get some food and sleep?
Jaune nodded, pointing at B. That, he said approvingly, is a fantastic idea.
-----------------------------------------
Welp, another chapter done, and Finals are finished!
A little fighting, a lot of talking, and we see Arslan's viewpoint (at least her complaints) of her fellow members of team ARBN. Also, speaking of ARBN, my dumb ass thought that they were team AMBR, which they are not. I don't know why i thought that. I've also been spelling Reese's name wrong this entire time. This is what happens when you don't have a Beta, kids
on a completely different note: I have been work shopping Nadir's character in particular, but Reese as well. I have decided, which has been kind of hinted at here, to make Nadir Neuro divergent (namely OCD + something else). A thought has just struck me: I don't know how to write Neuro divergent people, so please forgive me. But back to the important bits
Nadir and Reese need semblances. Nadir's shouldn't be combat oriented, but I'm just not sure what it should be. Suggestions are apricated,
Again, please comment as to what you think happens next, scenes or events that you think should be written in, and or constructive critism. It fuels the my ability to continue this story.
Chapter 19Chapter Text
Jaune and Arslan strolled through the woods in silence, the reddening sky casting a dark shadow within the forest. Arslan trailed just a small distance behind the ranger, trusting his apparent navigational skill to get her back to her team. Arslan felt every hair on the back of her head stand up right, as though there was some unseen danger that stalked them. Arslan closed her eyes and let out a pulse of aura once more, just to see what might be within range of being dangerous.
There was nothing. No gaping darkness stretched over a grimm flesh canvas, no near blinding bright greys, just the black and white forest. Except for jaunes strange dull yellow, denying all known rules of her semblance by daring to have color in her monotone world.
She wondered what it was about Jaune that made him such an outlier. He didn't seem particularly powerful, or his aura seemed particularly potent. She had cracked his jaw in one punch, after all.
They passed the tree that Arslan had used as an ill-fated punching bag. It had collapsed under the damage the lioness had inflicted. Jaune gave it a curious stare.
"A building huh?" He murmured under his breath. He could believe that, should it have been a small one.
Well, judging by your jaw, that seems kind of obvious, doesn't it? B said with only a slight amount of snark. Nora could probably level buildings too.
Jaune mentally snorted at the prospect. Only if pancakes were on the line. He responded with a smile. He missed Nora's particular brand of high energy chaos
Arslan groaned with exasperation, overhearing Jaunes whispered thought. "I said it was a just small one." She whimpered, wishing that the sins of her past would just leave her alone. It was like she would never outlive that particular disastrous incident. Jaune smiled at the complaint, reminding him of some of his sisters when he teased them about their own embarrassing moments.
Jaune's lips twitched upwards, the ghost of a smirk on his face. "Is that so?" He said as they neared the forest line, his voice betraying none of his mirth.
Arslan met his mockery with silence, only rolling her eyes out of his vision. You can only mock someone if now one knows. Arslan remembered the advice her father, probably in a jest, gave her when she was little. She gave a small wistful sigh at the thought. I can't wait until winter break and Hakartuka. Arslan smiled, her head tilting to the ground as she let her mind wander for a short stroll. I'll bet that Mom will make Glava again. And Kaan will complain about it.
I wonder if Ardun will come home for Hakartuka this year. Arslan thought wistfully as she watched the wet grass dance and drift in the wind. It shifted heavily, the weight of the dew hindering the breezes efforts.
"What are you thinking about?" Jaune asked as they approached the town. Firelights came to life as the sun set, plunging the town in a cozy looking darkness. Arslan turned to look at the blonde, who seemed to almost fade in and out with the shadows.
"Oh, nothing." Arslan responded. "Just looking forward to getting some sleep. Although," Arslan continued, giving Jaune a coy look, "You could probably do with it more than I do."
Jaune gave a small chuckle at that. "I think so"
"I think so."
There was a knocking on the door at the room where team ARBN resided. Reese looked up from her prone position. Bolin stood, pacing over to the door. "Arslan." Bolin greeted with a smile, seeing his leader standing in the doorway. It fell when he saw the tall blonde behind her. "I see you're back." the monk said in an even voice, it's edge hard enough to crack stone. "How was your training?"
Arslan gave him a smile that did not quite reach her eyes. "It was constructive." She replied before turning to the other two members of her team. "Well, it is late, and I am hungry. I am sure the rest of you are as well?" She offered the team.
Reese nodded, stretching out. "Yeah, I could go for some chow." She grunted with a series of popping sounds coming from her spine. Nadir cringed at the sound, covering his ears.
"Please, please don't do that." he pleaded.
Jaune watched the team in a meandering fashion preparing for dinner. Reese seemed excited about the prospect, dashing down the stairs. Nadir was on the opposite of the spectrum, shuffling with his head to the ground at the back of the pack. He seemed to be counting his steps, or the floorboards. Jaune really couldn't tell.
There is something wrong with the pink one. B pointed out with a nod. A raised an eyebrow, directing his attention to Bolin, who had composed himself with an almost stiff grace.
Really? A asked, questioning B's prioritization of their new found hunters. Blue seems like he's going to be much more of a problem than Nadir.
B gave a conceding head tilt. I said there was something wrong with him, not that he was going to be a problem. B sighed. But yes, Blue is going to be a much larger problem than Nadir.
We could remove him. A suggested with a nonchalant kind of malice, mimicking sharpening a blade of some kind. Or perhaps slitting a throat. Either of those possibilities could have been the case. Either way, it did not paint a peaceful narrative for A in any regard.
I am not killing Bolin just because you guys don't like him. Jaune said to his renters as he closed the door that led to team ARBN's room. At least he assumed the name was team ARBN. He was working off the assumption that all the school's followed Beacon's naming system.
B turned his newspaper. A flawed assumption, as the headmasters are apparently law unto themselves. They can probably do whatever the fuck they want.
Jaune's head tilted to the side. He remembered that chess game he had with the headmaster Ozpin. "it is often that Huntsmen have criminal pasts of often violence. We often overlook it for the sake of having more viable and skilled Huntsman. It is unfortunate that you didn't end up killing someone instead, Mr. Arc, that would have at least been excusable." jaune recalled with… Jaune really didn't know the term. Indifference? No, it was more detached than that, in a sense.
It was a paler emotion. Indifference was a deep grey color, like the rainy sky or a quarry of stone. What jaune felt was paler than that. Like a birch tree, or a mimid's feather shade of grey.
It was a paler emotion than indifference, but uncaring all the same.
Arslan turned at the top of the stairs to look at the ranger. His eyes were so dull when he was quiet. It was like looking at a dead man. A ghost. A stranger to this earth, someone that belonged once, but no longer.
Perhaps he was a Shabyh, or departed walker. A spirit condemned to walk the earth as a warning for his fellow man. A sign from the beyond, a force of god.
Arslan wondered for a moment, and just a moment, what he had come down to warn her of. She proceeded to discard the idea almost immediately. That's foolish. She reminded herself. Ghosts don't, and have never existed.
"Jaune." She finally said, drawing the dull grey blue eyes to her own. "Are you going to join us for dinner?" She asked. "Or would you rather return and hunt in the woods?" The last sentence was in a teasing manner, hidden only barely by her professionalism.
Jaune hunched his shoulders slightly, shrinking his already lanky frame under all that armor. "To be honest, Ms. Arslan." jaune gave a small, timid smile. "I would prefer to go hunting."
Oh gods above this boy is sheepish. Arslan thought to herself, comparing him to her timid pink haired teammate. He's almost as bad as Nadir.
Jaune took his hood off, letting his shoulder length hair fall out from it's loose prison. A patch fell in front of his eyes. He frowned, glaring at the stray strands of hair.
Phewph. Jaune blew the strands up with a huff, only to have them fall back into their intrusive place. Jaune gave another huff, only to repeat the same results.
Jaune sighed, not attempting a third time. "But I suppose I could-er, should join you. You and your team that is. It might be rude of me not too." he smiled widely. The motion felt strange to him. Familiar, but unknown. Like a friend you lost long ago, only to see some decades later. Grown. Changed. Changed so much that you might not have known them at all. "I'm assuming that they are joining us?" That sounded normal, right? Jaune asked mentally. A made the universal sound of unknowing, while B put his paper down.
I have no idea. Look at Arslan's reaction and then decide.
Jaune gave Arslan's face a quick scan. It was… unimpressed was most certainly a word that could be used. But it was not weirded out, or that exasperated in that regard. She must have dealt with odd people for a long time, or on a regular basis.
Jaune nodded mentally. Ah, so not normal then. He concluded. Shame.
Come to think of it, when have we ever met a Huntsman that was, by any definition of the word, normal? B asked.
Jaune took a moment to think on that. I mean, Pyrrha was pretty well put together, and Arslan seems nice enough. He gave those examples to counter B's veiled point. And Ren is sane as well.
B thought on that, before giving a conceding nod. I suppose those are fair. So that is three hunters out of the dozen or so that we've met?
Jaune bit his tongue at that. That was only a fourth of the huntsmen so far at max, probably less in reality.
So, what i'm hearing is that there is a 75% chance we're all going to go absolutely bonkers? A asked. No one answered him.
Really? Really? No one is going to tell me that we're probably going to loose our fucking minds?
B coughed. Uh, buddy? He started, not sure how to break the news to his counterpart.
What? A asked, as innocent as the mind gremlin could be.
B put his fingers together, deciding between the tough questions. He eventually came to a decision, one that would alter the world forever. We're literally bodyless voices inside Jaune's brainmeats. B said matter of factly. We always have been.
A gave a blank, shook look. What?
Yeah… B trailed off. We technically don't exist.
A looked indignant for a moment. I think, therefore I am! He finally yelled out, enraged at the topic at hand.
Jaune looked at the two. Even without a face, you persist. Even without shape nor form, you persist. You are not me, despite your existence being tangential to my own. You may not be seen or heard outside this… brain space, but you exist to me. He told them, pulling the words from deep in his heart. It was a place he had not touched in a long time.
A gave the blonde a soft smile. Jaune. He cooed, touched by the words. That was really beautiful. Thank you. It means a lot to me. He sniffled, wiping away tears
Arslan's face shifted to confusion and concern. "Jaune? Are you ok?" She asked the blonde.
Jaune's head snapped up. "Yeah, I am ok. Why do you ask?"
"You're crying." Arslan said, flat and short, but with some concern for her fellow… man. He must have been a man. For he walked like a man, he talked like a man, he looked like a man.
Must be a man, right?
His face was as solid as stone, no muscle betraying the fact that he was crying, tears leaking from his eyes. It was like watching a painting cry.
And yet, he must be a man. For what else could he be?
Again, he could be a Shabyh. Arslan's brain posed before rejecting the idea. That's dumb. Again, ghost's don't exist. And if they did, they wouldn't look as alive as Jaune.
Jaune reached up to touch at his eyes. His fingers came back wet with the salty tears. "Huh." he said. Those tears aren't my own.
Arslan blinked at that statement. What the fuck?
"I'm sorry, what?" Arslan dared to ask. Maybe all that lack of sleep was really getting to the blonde more than she thought.
Jaune blinked. "Did I say that out loud?" he asked, astounded that the words had escaped his lips. He thought that he had said that mentally, not out loud.
Arslan gave him a wide eyed nod. "Yeah… you did." Arslan said. "Are you sure you are ok?" the question was of concern, like when your grandfather was having a mental breakdown. Jaune gave her a quick nervous nod, the kind someone gave when they were very uncomfortable at a party. Like Jaune at parties.
"Yeah, I'm ok." He said as he gripped the railing. "I'm ok." he repeated, as though the words were making that a reality.
"Oookay." Arslan conceded. "But you are going to sleep immediately after dinner, got it?" The lioness commanded, using her "commanding" voice.
Jaune nodded, his face gaunt with tiredness. "Yes ma'am." He responded automatically upon hearing the tone.
Arslan put an arm under his shoulder, steading the man in case he collapsed under his own weight. Arslan gave her companion a good look in the face. He looked, in a word, dead. His skin had paled to an unhealthy shade similar to dust, grey and earthy colored. A paper thin scar danced up his jaw, almost reaching his cheek bone. Arslan wondered where he got it. The area around his eyes were caked in the crusty sandy gunk that collected in the eye over time. The bags that accompanied the yellow crust were unhealthily large. Deep sagging patches of skin led her gaze to his eyes. They were blue, but a shade impossible to find in the human genome. Dull and faded, like slate or a long faded tapestry. Arslan wondered what caused such a unique eye color, and if it was natural. It might have been caused by his semblance, whatever it was. Arslan suspected it was his strange ability to be silent. There was no way that was natural, or that his footsteps were simply that soft.
Surely it must have been a semblance. Even the creaking from the wooden stairs the two descended only came from one set of feet. Her own.
"Thank you Ms. Arslan." Jaune said as they approached the bottom of the stairs.
Arslan gave him a side eye for a moment, before returning her gaze to where her foot would be next. "Altan." She said with a step.
Jaune's head moved in a small shake. "I'm sorry?" He asked, begging for clarification.
"If you wish to call me Ms." Arslan said in here trademark coolness of voice, chilled and calm like a stream. Not cold, but refreshingly even. "My last name is Altan. You may call me Arslan, however." Arslan continued, not looking at Jaune. "If you wish."
Jaune gave an understanding nod. "Arslan Altan…" he rolled the flavor on his tongue. It was even warmer, and smoother than his initial impression. More like a darker chocolate, or perhaps a warm orange potato curry. He liked the taste even more.
"Thank you, Ms. Altan"
Arslan saw her team sitting at a table, an empty chair reserved for her. Arslan gave a small smile at the notion.
"Will we need another chair?" Reese asked with a mirthful manner. "I wasn't aware that he was part of the family already, mom." the green girl teased. Arslan gave her an unamused glare.
"It wasn't funny the first time, and it isn't funny now." Arslan sighed. Jaune pulled up a chair next to Arslan's seat at the table.
"Have you all ordered?" Arslan asked, pulling up a menu. It was standard out town fair. Soups, a cut meat dish, a salad, a fowl dish of some kind. Standard things you could find in a far away town like this one. Simple food for a simple place like this one.
Jaune shuffled in his seat, waiting for a menu to be free. Reese looked up from hers. "John-" She said, catching his muddled eye. "I've decided what I'm going to eat." She said, tossing the menu to Jaune like a frisbee, letting it spin and glide through the couple feet of air between them. Jaune reeled back as the projectile was sent flying at his face, snapping it out of the air. The blondes legs snapped out, catching the reclining man with the table. Precariously Jaune teetered backwards and forwards, regaining his balance on the back two legs of the chairs. He leaned forward, wide eyed as the front legs of the chair hit the ground with a thud.
"Passing it to me will do just fine next time." Jaune said with an edge as he opened the menu. He gave it a long look.
Man, it's been so long since I've seen a menu, I almost don't know what to do with it. Jaune thought to himself, careful to keep his mouth closed this time. A waitress came by, asking if they were ready to order. She was average looking. The olive-bronze colored skin that was common for someone of western minstrel descent. Brown hair and green eyes peered from a round head. Arslan nodded, placing her order of a chopped mean and vegetable dish. The waitress turned to Jaune. "And for you sir?"
Jaune blanked for a moment. What do I even want? It's been so long…
Ask if they have anything for the soul. B asked. Can't go wrong with that.
"Do you have anything for the soul?" Jaune found himself asking the waitress. She gave him a confused look.
"Honey, I don't believe we got anything for anything but your stomach."
Jaune blinked. Damn. "I'll have your soup then." he said, putting the menu down. The waitress nodded as she took the menu from his gloved hand. Her gaze lingered, like she was looking at a picasso or some equally disturbing piece of art.
"I would like your medley dish." Bolin said without even waiting for the wait staff to turn her attention from the blonde. She jolted at the sudden demand of her attention.
"I'm sorry sir." The waitress said, recentering her notepad. "Repeat that for me?"
Bolin closed his eyes and took a small moment in. "I would like your medley dish, same as Arslan's order." he said in a slower pace.
Man. A said from his couch. What an asshole.
You're right. B said from his stool. We should kill him.
Jaune's eyes widened with exasperation. Guys- he started, only to be cut off.
I vote we just stab him. Take them into the woods and run him through when the opportunity arises. A said as he munched on a chip. B shook his head.
It's like you've learned nothing from Tsun Tzu. Everything must be planned, at least at first. B said with a sigh. Or else we will fail. I say we engage in an argument with him and then kill him in his sleep. We dump the body and say that he went out for a walk. B suggested.
A scoffed. That is a shitty plan. Mine is so much better.
B gave a gasp. A shitty plan?! Your plan is literally to stab him in the middle of the woods! He criticized with a heated gusto.
Jaune shook his head at them. We are not killing Bolin. Now shut up, i'm pretty sure Reese is saying something.
"-we get back." Reese finished her sentence and took a swig of her water. Huh, when had that gotten there? And apparently something was happening. Jaune tuned into the conversation, leaving the scheming A and B to their well, scheming.
Arslan nodded. "Ok, but be careful. Wear pads this time." the lioness said serenely.
Reese gave a scoff. "Why? I have aura. I don't need pads."
Arslan gave her a deadpan look. "You called me, crying over a badly busted leg, last time you went to the skate park-" Jaune gave a slow single nod. Ah, they were talking about skate boarding. Or biking. Jaune assumed skateboarding judging by the weaponized hoverboard the hoodie wearing green one had in the room.
How do you bust up a leg if you have aura? Jaune thought to himself with a frown. It really shouldn't be possible, particularly at a place as docile as a skate park. How do you break your aura at a skate park?
Jaune kept quiet, however, and watched them argue over semantics. "I was not crying!" Reese cried indignantly. "I was merely expelling pain!"
"By crying." Arslan teased, a small smile on her face. Nadir made a gesture to the green girl. "She's got you there." He said. "You were, indeed, expelling pain via tears."
Reese humped, turning her head away from her team and crossing her arms. "Soooo…" She trailed, turning her attention to Jaune. "Arslan said that you fought some grimm in the forest."
Jaune nodded. "I did." the blonde said with his strange soft voice. It carried across the table, as though he was sitting right in front of them. Bolin blinked at the sound. That was not how sound naturally worked.
Reese leaned forward, resting her chin on her hands. "And how was the fight? Thoroughly impressed by our glorious leader Mom?" Reese smiled with the question. Jaune gave another nod.
"I was. I don't think I've seen someone as physically strong as Ms. Altan." Jaune admitted. "It was an impressive sight."
Reese's smile grew even wider. "Was it now?" Jaune smiled at the cheery question, giving another affirming nod.
"She toppled a tree." he smirked, the ghost of the emotion dancing on his face. Reese and Nadir blinked, their eyes meeting. Reese burst out laughing at the information, her fist beating into the table as she curled over.
It was surprisingly soft for something so loud and forceful. Sounded like a proud trumpet, and by no means a kind laugh. It snorted and chuckled and giggled, but it was still soft.
Nadir only sniggered silently, the only evidence that he was even laughing at all was the fact that his shoulders were bouncing relentlessly.
Bolin only scowled at their mirth. "You should not make fun of Ars like that." he scolded them, but was ignored.
A raised an eyebrow in mockery. Man, this guy could bring the grimmpocolyspe around on his own. He groaned at the blue themed monk.
"She- she collapsed a tree!" Reese wheezed, almost falling over out of her chair. "We need to get insurance for you Ars!" she joked with great mirth.
Arslan pouted at the humor at her expense for a moment, but couldn't help but let a smile creep on her face. Jaune smiled at the scene. The joy suited them.
Happiness suited the face of mankind.
Jaune wondered why it was so hard for him to smile, then.
Their food came after a time, filled with moments of laughter and jokes. Most of them were told by Reese, even if it was to cover the silence that might have been there. Nadir had slowly managed to turn his napkin into a cube by the time the wood carved plates had arrived. Jaune swirled the simple spoon around in the bowl, watching bits of shredded chicken and what appeared to be spinach? In the yellow broth.
Jaune raised the spoon to his mouth, taking a taste of the soup.
Oh.
Jaune felt the spoon in his hand fall to the table with a soft clatter.
ARBN watched as Jaune suddenly froze, turning stock still and letting his utensil fall to the table, colliding off the side of the bowl. They watched him lean back in his chair, wide eyed and staring off into space. Reese raised an eyebrow, reaching over to poke Jaune back from the astral plane. Jaune flinched upon seeing the intruding hand, only inches away from his breast plate.
"Apologies." Jaune said, leaning forward and picking up his spoon once more. "It was been a long time since i…" Jaune remembered the last time he had hot food. On the road with a wagon, roasting boar done on a hasty fire. It was not fine, or even prepared, truely. But it was warm.
"Since I've had the privilege of eating warm food." jaune finally decided on, letting the words carry an unintended weight to them. Arslan gave him a concerned look, about to ask a question about Jaune's past. Jaune shook his head, holding his hand up to halt it.
"Don't worry about it." he said, picking up his spoon again. "It has been a long trip, that is all." the spoon entered the soup. "You all continue eating, lest your food gets cold."
Jaune let them finish their food, as he finished his. Reese ate with gusto and fervor that would put Nora to shame, She was the first to finish, followed by Arslan who ate a moderate pace. Nadir cut his slab of... pork? it looked like pork. He cut the pork into perfect cubes with a careful measureing. Bolin picked at his food, only taking a bite occasionally. After they had finished, and the waitress came over to tell them their cost, Arslan pulled out a wallet from the folds of her robes, counting out lien cards.
Ah, we should probably help with that, shouldn't we? B said, ever the gentleman. Jaune nodded, reaching into his belt pouch. It jingled slightly, almost silent to all but the trained ear, with coin. Jaune pulled out a set of coins, glinting silver in the burning lamp light. A forign stamp on their face indicated their otherworldliness.
"That should do." jaune said quietly, only Arslan hearing the whispered affirmation. She turned to face the ranger.
"Jaune, you really don't have too-" she said before she saw what he was paying with. Jaune put down three silver coins onto the table. "What." She dropped the word like a brick, staring at the glinting silver on the wood table.
Reese, seeing that Arslan had noticed something strange, looked down at the table corner. The small stack of lien cards was normal. The three silver coins, almost a half inch tall stacked up and a little over an inch wide, were not. Reese looked from the coins to the ranger and back to the coins. And then back to the ranger.
"What fucking century did you fall out of?" Reese asked, astounded. She shook her head, raising her hands in defeat. "You know what? It is too damn late to deal with any more questions from your ageless ass." She sighed, rubbing her eyes with a yawn. "I vote we go to bed and waterboard John tomorrow."
Arslan considered probing Jaune further, she really did. But they all needed sleep, him most of all.
"Let's go to bed." Arslan decided. "We can ask our new friend questions tomorrow."
Everyone nodded at that. "Agreed." Bolin said as he made his way to the stairs.
"Let's get some sleep."
so, boring chapter today that took way, way, way too long to write. Sorry about that. but we get characters talking, so technically development? I really want to get across that Arslan, while is kind of a hard ass, has a sense of humor and is rather emotive. Most fanfictions i read with her tend to have her be the stereotypical stoic monk. She tries to be, but ultimately enjoys life too much. I also wanted to get some traits for Reese and Nadir in, even if they are minor.
Anyway, I have an important question regarding Magic in this story. I have two options i can go for, one being a soft magic route, and one being a hard magic route. Jaune has already used magic in the waking world, and so far is an example of soft magic
The soft magic route is where the magic is negligible or not really noticeable. Being silent, evading someone's semblance, or enhancing one's ability to track would be examples. minor feats that could be mistaken for a semblance or even skill alone.
The hard magic is a little more extreme. This would be jaune throwing fireballs at people or teleporting around. More wizardly like spells being thrown out, and things that would be comparable to maiden powers or Ozpin's magic instead of being comparable to a semblance.
This decision really won't affect the story, but rather how the fights will go, and will only apply to the waking world. The dream is Hard Magic. Jaune will still prioritize sword play over throwing spells at people, and there will be scenes where Jaune does do incredible feats of magic and arcane power, regardless of which magic style is chosen.
As always, please leave a comment: constructive criticism, character ideas, scene ideas, questions, theory crafting and ideas are always welcome and fun to read. They are what fuel this fanfictions progress and development. if the idea is cool enough, i might even have to write it into the story.
Chapter 20Chapter Text
Jaune watched as the team of four walk up the creaky stairs, drowsy and weary for a night's sleep. Jaune waited a moment, unsure as to whether or not to follow them. He had been offered a bed, but had he been offered their room as well?
"Jaune?" Arslan called out, looking at the standing blonde. "Are you coming with us?"
Jaune looked up, meeting her sage green eyes. "Yeah, i'm coming." he started moving on the creaky wood floor as silently as the grave. Jaune ascended up the stairs, stopping in front of Arslan at the top. "Am I sharing a room with you and your team?" he asked her.
Arslan nodded. "Yes you are. Unless you would like your own room?" She asked her fellow blonde. "I'm not sure that they take silver coins as an official currency." Jaune considered it, he really did. He did have some lien in his wallet.
"You think 85 lien will cover me till thursday?" jaune asked in a joking manner. 85 lien could buy him, at most, a liter of fire dust, considering the big dust crunch that he assumed was still going on. No way in hell was it going to manage two? Two days of fare.
Arslan shook her head. "I regret to inform you that 85 lien cannot pay for two days of rent fare." Arslan said in a mock somber tone. Jaune nodded. "Than you don't mind me resting with your team?"
Arslan shook her head. "Not at all. But you might have to fight Bolin for a bed." She said, walking to their room. Jaune smiled and shook his head.
"He doesn't have to sacrifice a good night's sleep for me. You all have already done enough." he said, shouldering his sack. "Although, i will require your bathroom for some time." Jaune admitted. Arslan nodded.
"I know." she said. "I didn't mention it, but you could really do with a cleansing. You kind of stink rather badly."
Jaune made a face and raised his arm a little. He took a whiff of the unwashed pit, and reeled back. Wow, ok. He really did need a shower. He supposed it made sense, considering he hadn't had the opportunity to bathe in at least a month.
"I'll tell the others that you'll be showering first then." Arslan said before opening the door. "Bathrooms the second door on the left. Don't use all the hot water, there isn't much of it."
Jaune nodded as he headed in. It was a small room, only a meter and a half by a meter. A large barrel, cut in half, made the tub.
Jaune took off his cloak, letting the grey crumple onto the chair. Jaune looked down at his breastplate. It was chipped and battered, a particular dent in the left plate over his heart that had come from some unmemorable battle. Jaune sighed as he fiddled with the clasps by the place under his armpits, lining his ribs. The belts came undone and the armor flapped loose, no longer being held against Jaunes chest. It hung there, limp on his shoulders as jaune let out a sigh. He had forgotten what it was like to not be constrained by the large piece of metal. He lifted the breastplate up off his shoulders, gently setting it to the ground with a soft clink. Jaune twisted, his back letting loose a series of rapid succession pops.
"Oh yes." Jaune sighed as the stress he didn't know he had, or had been ignoring for so long he had forgotten it, was released. Jaune looked down at his faded hoodie. The worn bunny face looked back at him, a faded reminder of who he was. Is. who he is, right?
"Huh." he said with a small snorting huff. "I had forgotten that I was wearing that." he smiled at the memories that drifted back to him. He remembered being a fool, trying to collect enough boxes to get it. He ate himself sick making the deadline.
The hoodie was gently crumpled on the chair, on top of the grey mottled cloak. Jaunes undershirt, a plain white thing stained with wear and the burdens of his travels, followed. His boots were set by the feet of the chair, and his pants were heaped on top of his shirt. Jaune caught a view of his body.
He had grown skinny these past months. Or was it only a month? Jaune didn't know. Actually, scratch that. He had grown into a grotesque thin prick laced with muscles. His ribs could be clearly counted under his skin, and he had the start of some kind of pack on his stomach, worn into his flesh by constant battling and survival. His skin was probably too pale and there was probably not enough red in his complexion, and it was starting to flake off in some places. Frankly it gave an almost ash appearance.
But what was worse was the scars. An endless constellation map of stars etched into his skin from his countless deaths in the Dream. Puncture wounds from being shot and impaled, shattering impacts from heavy handed slams, chunks of regenerated flesh that was ripped off by slathering drunken ghouls. Jaune traced a small series of lines, faded with the fact that they were not given to him here, on his shoulder. The mad doctor had given him those with that terrible bone saw. He turned to see his back, which was in equal despair. He could see a particularly large area of his back on his lower left where it looked like the face of the moon: craterious and broken.
Jaune sighed, his eyes drooping at the frankly horrific sight. It was a depressing enough sight. He didn't need to know that it belonged to him.
He turned his attention to the tub, where a single hand powered pump stuck out of the wall. Jaune squared his shoulders as he grasped the pump handle. He began working the metal piston, forcing the water up through the pipes. It sputtered and spitted the water out. It smelled like iron.
Jaune supposed he shouldn't be surprised, considering this was an out town that did not have many of the modern luxuries. If Jaune remembered correctly, the kingdoms funneled most of their resources to their capitals, roughly somewhere around 80 percent. That was because that was were almost the entirety of each kingdom's population resided. That was also the only city that got to vote for councils.
Ah, yes. B remembered. We took a high school political sciences class. We know this stuff.
Jaune shook his head. Correction. I took a high school political sciences class. You guys didn't even exist then.
A snorted at that. How do you know that we just haven't always existed? We might have been around since your birth, and just never said anything. Didn't think of that, did you?
Jaune gave a a skeptical look. A. I know you haven't been around since my birth. Do you want to know why? Jaune asked.
A nodded. Sure. Why have i not existed since your birth, oh omniscient one? A asked, with no small amount of jestful snark in his voice. Jaune sunk into the chilled water, letting out a shudder as he submerged into the tub.
I know you haven't existed because you only started talking… recently. Jaune started, taking on a faux british accent. And you are incapable, my good sir, of shutting the fuck up. Jaune explained. If you had existed before hand, I would have heard you.
A was flabbergasted at the logic. It was sound, and it was right, but still. The sheer audacity! No matter how accurate it was!
B laughed at that, actually falling off his stool and hitting the ground. His laughter died into a pained groan. Jaune actually flinched, sending the cold water sloshing around in the half barrel.
You ok buddy? Jaune asked the grounded figment.
No… B responded back, dragging himself up by the stool. I am not ok.
That concerned Jaune. If B was a figment of jaunes imagination, how could he get hurt?
A leaned over to look behind him at the fallen figment. Oh get up. He snipped at B. You can't even get hurt. You don't have a physical body remember?
B groaned, a very different groan. It was a groan of someone who had their practical joke spoiled. Oh come on! B called out, getting back on his stool. Why can't I have my fun.
A crunched on a potato chip. But ruining your fun is fun! A called out with mirth.
Jaune grumbled at B's joke.
"I didn't find it funny." Jaune said, descending even deeper into the bath. He reached up to grab the soap. It was a coarse bar of sand, or perhaps ash? Beeswax and jaune gave a whiff of the hand made soap.
"Huh. Sage." jaune commented. "And is that- that's flax? Barley?" Jaune asked to no one.
B nodded. I think that's barley.
Jaune gave a hum of approval, and put it to use.
He would appreciate not smelling like fermented man meat.
Reese practically collapsed onto her bed once they got into the room. She heard Jaune ask about the bathroom, and the door close.
"So." She said, turning to get on her stomach and look at her leader. "Which ancient cursed tomb did you dig him up from?" She asked the cocoa colored lioness. Arslan gave her an unimpressed look.
Bolin turned from the window to look at the skater. "You were with us when we found him?" He asked, confused by the question that she knew the answer too.
Reese returned that with a flat look. "Very funny." She spat out, before turning to Arslan again. "I mean he's not, well, normal."
Arslan sat down, raising an eyebrow. She knew what she meant, but it was still worth listening too. She might have picked up on something that Arslan had missed, despite her enhanced sensory abilities. "Elaborate." She suggested. It was really more of a command, as there was no inclination in her voice that phrased it as a suggestion.
"Well, to start, he has moss growing on him." Reese explained. "Like, actual live moss. It's on his shoulder. and I think in his hair?" She asked, her head tilting. Yeah, she thought there was stuff growing in his hair. Arslan nodded. There was indeed moss on him, although Arslan was skeptical of it's ability to sustain itself on the blonde ranger.
"He's undeniably odd. The dude barely speaks, he's constantly looking around. Hell, I think i've heard him say, like, ten words. Tops." The green nymph continued. "And there's something about that just…" Here she faltered, failing to find the words she wanted to use. "When you stand next to him, it feels-"
"Grey?" Nadir offered from his corner of the room. Everyone turned to look at him, surprised that he had joined their conversation, or even bothered to say anything from his corner at all. Reese blinked, squinting at her pink haired teammate.
"I think i get what you're saying, but elaborate please?" She asked, confused at the allusion.
Nadir straightened up in his corner, putting his phone down infront of him.
"I'm saying that he feels grey." Nadir said. "Not warm, not cold. He feels dry and grey. Like bones. Or something older" He started, before shrugging.
Reese nodded. "A little more poetic than i would have put it, but yeah, that. He just feels off, you know?" She continued.
Arslan nodded. She thought that there was something off, but has placed the feeling as her own impression. Apparently it was a common impression.
Bolin nodded, sitting down on his bed. "I agree. There is something wrong with that man." He said with certainty. "It would be wise to distance ourselves from him." The blue monk suggested.
Arslan closed her eyes and prayed for strength. "Just because he is a strange person does not make him a bad one. Besides, he has done us no wrong yet." She said, the softness in her voice betraying her rejection of the idea. It was an ironic tone of voice, the one a mother might use when their eldest had said something controversial. Arslan was trying, was really trying, to have patience with her teammate.
"Yet being the operative term here." Bolin pointed out, as if that meant anything. "I'm telling you that I don't like him, and that he poses a threat to us." Arslan sighed, standing up from her seat. "Bolin." She growled, causing Bolin to snap his attention to her. "We have had one argument already. I would really like to not have a second one." She said with more bite than she intended. But was it too much to ask for a small break? It had been literally less than a day, and here he was again.
Bolin opened his mouth, most probably to continue speaking out against the blond. He thought better of it and changed his words.
"As you wish, Ars." He said, giving a small bow of concedence to her. Arslan thanked the gods for Bolin's unusual submissiveness.
Reese looked between the two, her eyes dancing back and forth between them. She gulped, only a little scared of coming between the two powerful forces. "So, changing topic." She said, moving them away from the tense subject of Jaune the ranger. "What is the plan tomorrow? I know we ship back home the next morning, but are we going out hunting? Do we get some R and R?" She asked,
Arslan had considered that before they left. She had suspected that it was a geist or something that they would have to remove. Troubling, yes, but not impossible for them to take care of. So the plan was originally to have some time to rest. But they had found a dirty, grimy, smelly wild ranger man who was soft spoken and oddly polite. So much less exhausting, but much more confusing. So the rest time she had planned for was not necessary at all.
"Well, considering that we have the ability to do so, i figure we can go hunting tomorrow."
Reese nodded. "Ok, sure." She said before rolling onto her back and looking up at the ceiling.
Bolin turned away to look out the window again, his back to his leader. Arslan rolled her eyes and pulled out her scroll. She opened up her scroll. It was a couple years old, but it was functional. And that is what really mattered. She fiddled around on it before a sudden thought hit her. She actually didn't know if Jaune was indeed a huntsman. This could actually be really bad. What if he was a bandit? Or a con man? Actually, she doubted con men could actually fight like that, but still. It couldn't hurt to check.
Arslan opened up the mail app.
Dear Headmaster Lionheart
We appeared to have picked up a wayward student
Arslan shook her head. No, that wasn't right. That made it sound like they found a missing student.
On our mission we encountered a student of Haven.
No, that wasn't right either. Jaune hadn't actually shown them any confirmation that he was a student. Ohh, that was a mistake, wasn't it? She really should have checked that.
On our mission we encountered a huntsman who claims to be a student of Haven. This man, Jaune , claims to be a transfer student from Beacon academy. Jaune is blonde, blue eyed, stands at roughly six foot one. We encountered him in the town of Balone on our mission. Do I have permission to take this Jaune back with team AMBR at pick up on Thurdsay at 10:00 am?
Arslan Altan.
The message was sent and the little loading circle began to spin. I hate out towns. Arslan thought They have such poor CCT connection.
It took over a minute and a half for the message to send. Arslan put her scroll down, not expecting a response until the morning. Her scroll buzzed not shortyly after, much to her surprise.
It wasn't monday, her mother shouldn't be contacting her just yet. Did something happen?
She picked her scroll up to look at who had messaged her.
Oh. She thought, surprised. It's the Headmaster. I did not expect him to be so fast in responding.
She opened the message.
"Dear Ms. Altan:
Thank you for contacting me about this. Jaune Arc is indeed a new student to Haven, and matches your physical description. I am surprised and confused as to what he is doing up in Balone, but please bring him back with you.
Thank you
Headmaster Lionheart.
Arslan nodded at that, letting out a small sigh. Thank god Jaune was who he said he was. That could have been a disaster if it wasn't. His last name is Arc? She thought. I could have sworn I've heard that name somewhere before...
There was a slight sloshing sound from the bathroom. Arslan's head tilted as she wondered what he was doing that could actually make sounds. It went on for some time before stopping. and after a few moments, the door creaked open. The four members of team ARBN turned to it, to see a rather wet, but freshly washed Jaune. His undershirt was also wet and wrinkled, but appeared to be relatively clean.
"Uhh…heh, I uh, what do you want me to do with the tub full of water?" he asked, scratching the back of his head.
"The water?" Nadir asked from his corner. "You can just dump it out the back window. It waters the garden, apparently."
Bolin tilted her head at the pink haired boy, a frown on his face. "How do you know that?" he questioned. Nadir shrunk back into his corner.
"I-I asked the inn keep?" Nadir asked with a quiver, as though such was obvious. He then turned back to his scroll, ignoring the world around him.
Jaune nodded, returning and closing the door. There was a slight grunt and the sound of water sloshing around. And then the window opened and the water dumped. Arslan blinked as she listened to the falling bath water, which seemed like a quantitatively large amount.
Reese turned to look out their window. "He does know that there was a bucket for that, right?" She asked Arslan. Arslan frowned as she walked over. Her head peered out of the window to see the half barrel bathtub being poured out. She had caught the tail end of the process as it retreated with a grunt back into its housing. There was a soft thunk as it was gently placed back. Arslan and Reese turned to the door expectively, waiting for the blonde to return from the bathroom.
The door opened as jaune scuffed his hands together. He let his shoulders relax as he came into the room. Reese stared at the alien man.
"You do know there was a bucket for that, right?" She found the words falling out of mouth before she could stop them. Jaune stared at her, his face unshifting from the blank slate he seemed to wear all the time. Not even his eyes, which if one looked close enough could betray his emotions, seemed to change from their unwavering stone gaze. Frankly, it was unnerving as hell. Nadir was right, it was kind of like grey. A harsh, uncaring, stone grey.
They had a bucket? Jaune asked A and B. They just shrugged.
I thought it was for shitting in. A confessed.
B gave him a critical and confused look. What the fuck man? He asked, picturing the wooden bucket. The clay pot is for that, not the bucket- do you know how hard cleaning that thing out would be?
A held his hands up in a surrender. Alright, alright, Wood buckets are not for shitting. Got it.
Jaune nodded after a moment. "I did." He said, is voice carrying like thunder over the plains, or light from the stars to Remnant. Unwavering, unfettered, unimpeded by the air. It was like he was in front of her. And behind her. And to her left and right, whispering in her ear and shouting from a thousand miles away and talking from across the room all at once.
She blinked, shaking her head. "Ok, just making sure."
Jaune nodded before stalking over to Nadir, as quiet as the grave.
"May i sit here?" Jaune asked the pink haired boy. He staired up, wide eyes and shy at the impider of his space. He gulped, but nodded.
"Yy-yeah, go ahead." he managed to get out. Jaune sat down. Leaning up against the wall that led to the bathroom door. He let out a sigh and rolled his shoulders.
Nadir could feel when his eyes settled on him. Or at least what he was doing. Nadir nervously scrolled through the article on game theory and the development of chess over it's several hundred year period. But he couldn't focus, the gaze weighing agonizingly heavy on him, like a cloud of smoke.
"You play chess?" Jaune asked after far too long, breaking the suffocating silence. Nadir shook his head into a hod.
"I dabble." he choked out. "Do you?" Oh that was a stupid question. Why would he have asked if he didn't? Perhaps he doesn't and is just bad at making small talk? Nadir really hoped that was the case.
Jaune gave a nod, his head bowing in a slow, single dip.
"I do." He said, his voice carrying a deep sollom weight to it. Nadir gulped, frantically thinking as to what to do.
"Would you like to play a game?" He found himself blurting in an uncharacteristic manner. The words came out rushed, flowing like a breaking damn in an unghastly and ill measured maner. Jaune gave a slight smile that only Nadir noticed, by proxy of his physical closeness to the ranger. Nadir took that as a good sign as he fumbled with his scroll, pulling up the holographic chess game.
"B-black or white?" he asked. Jaune considered it.
"White, if you don't mind." Jaune decided. The board materialized in front of them as the scroll was placed between them.
Jaune moved first, moving the king's pawn forward two spaces. It was strange, as it actually didn't have any mass. It was just a projection. The camera sensed your fingers, and tracked the piece you were moving to it's location relative to the scroll. It was actually a fascinating piece of code that was developed in Atlas (of course, where else would it have been developed in) for military UI use for to command and control their robots. Not that Nadir, who was carefully considering his next move. A black pawn advanced, moving to Jaune's C5.
Jaune moved his king side knight behind his pawn, to F3. Nadir hoved a hand over his queen, tempted by the powerful piece. He instead moved his queens pawn forward to D2 in support of his extended pawn. Jaune nodded, and moved the queens pawn to D3. Nadir's face shifted as he pondered the queen again, but instead took the pawn. Jaune nodded, retaliating with his knight. Nadir's own kingside knight moved forward towards the center of the board. Jaune let his other knight advance to the center. C3 in particular. Nadir scratched his head with a hum sound. This was a strong position for controlling the left side of the board.
Nadir moved his rooks pawn forward a single space. Jaune smiled as he moved his black squared bishop to threaten Nadir's developed knight. Nadir's face twitched into a grimace for a moment as he moved his other knight to protect the valuable piece. Jaune nodded, and considered the aggressive move of Queen to G4. He instead moved his kings bishops pawn forward to control even more of the board. Nadir pushed his queen over to the B file, creating a straight line of attack to Jaunes left side. Jaune nodded, moving his queen forward by a single space. Nadir gave Jaune a confused glance, trying to discern the meaning of the move. He found nothing in that mask of a face that returned his stare with an intensity that Nadir did not like. Nadir gulped and made the first major aggression of the game. Queen to B2. Moving the black queen firmly in Jaunes ranks. Jaune raised an eyebrow in a subtle surprise. He was expecting something a little more center focused. Perhaps Knight to G4? Or the mustering of a pawn forward. But alas, Plans are worthless, but planning is everything. So what was the plan now?
Jaune thought for a moment on that question. The advance of the knights could not, no, would not be impeded, but that was not enough for a final killing blow. A more powerful piece, the rook was his favorite for this, was needed to gain checkmate. There was an open opportunity here, however. Nadir's black queen wasn't actually threatening anything of importance. The knight that was next to it was protected by his own queen, and that knight covered a critical point. B1, right infront of the queen. Jaune moved his rook over to that spot, shutting down and threatening the powerful black piece. Nadir instantly moved his queen back to A3, still a thorn in the ranger's side, but not as dangerous as it's previous position.
Jaune moved his long forgotten bishop to take nadir's king side Knight. A sacrificial move, but it removed one of the few strongly positioned pieces Nadir had on the field. Nadir frowned and retaliated with his defensively placed Knight.
"You play rather conservatively." Jaune noted softly, his hand tilting his single moved rook. "Are you scared of loosing your pieces?" he asked, not looking up from the board. Nadir blinked as Juane moved his pawn forward, a direct threat to his only remaining Knight. Nadir instantly moved his pawn in retaliation, taking the offending pawn. Jaune took that pawn again with his backup pawn, set there long ago. Nadir retreated his knight back to the safety of the king's presence. Jaune advanced his backmost Knight, sending the horse forward to tighten the noose. Nadir moved his Queen next to the two stacked Knights, posing a danger to them. Jaune moved the bottom knight back, retreating to threaten the black queen and letting his own queen defend his exposed knight. Nadir tisked and moved his queen back once more in a retreat. Jaune smiled, moving his knight again to attack the queen. Nadir let out a sigh, thinking long and hard about his position. The ranger had a strong offensive position that was quickly becoming difficult to out maneuver. He moved his black queen again to threaten the two knights, moving between them. Jaune smiled and moved his knight forward, taking a pawn and threatening the queen again. Nadir impulsively moved his queen to safety, only seeing imediety after that he had several other options. Were they any better? Probably not, but still. Jaune's rook took advantage of this mistake, and he moved his rook forward to threaten the queen, cornering it. Nadir groaned, wondering what he could do. Perhaps it was still playable? He moved his queen to the edge of the board, A4 to be more precise. Jaune raised an eyebrow a miniscule amount, surprised that Nadir had decided to continue the game, but was pleased at the decision. A surprise, but a welcome one for sure. Jaune actually saw how he could end the game right now. Knight to C7, trapping the king within his own pieces. But that was not Jaune's move. He wanted to play with his prey- err, opponent a little more. Juane moved his bishop to D3, a strong central position that did not make a lot of sense considering the stage of the game. Nadir blinked, having seen the trap jaune had set and did not execute. His pawn advanced to F6, opening an escape hatch for his king. Jaune smiled, moving his queen over to it's right on a white square. Nadir gulped, moving his queen down a space, hoping to take the gap between Jaunes two pawns to attack the king. Jaune sent his queen flying to the far right corner, creating a direct line of attack on the black king.
"Check." Came the words, soft and hard, as biting as the harsh winds and as calming as a gentle breeze. It was strange, how his voice seemed to teleport through space to surround him instead of actually flowing from him. Nadir shuddered under the word, nodding with a nervous energy. He knew, just by looking at the board, what was going to happen. But the pink gunner played on anyway. The game was over, they two players were just going through the motions right now
His pawn advanced fruitlessly to block the queen's attack. Jaune gave another slow nod, taking the fresh pawn with his white bishop, refurbishing the attack with renewed strength. Strength that nadir could not counter or evade.
"Checkmate." Jaune said, letting Nadir's head fall with a groan. Nadir was smiling although, behind the suffering loss. "You play well, Nadir." Jaune admitted as the app flicked with the holographic "PLAYER ONE WINS: CHECKMATE". Nadir nodded at the praise with a jolt.
"Thank you." he managed to get out. "You p-play great as well."
Arslan coughed, letting her presence be known to the two. "An excellent game from the both of you, I'm sure. But it is late, and we have a day of hunting tomorrow. I need you to be at your best." She said as she strode to bed. "Now lights out, and get some shut eye."
Jaune nodded, standing and moving to under the window. Nadir rolled out a teal blue sleeping bag that had seen better days.
"You're not taking a bed?" jaune asked as he leaned up against the wall. There was a wooshing sound as something flew through the air. Jaune was blindsided by a sleeping bag.
"Here." Arslan said as she stretched out for bed. "Feel free to use that. I can't have you sleeping on the floor with nothing, can i?"
Jaune smiled, giving the leader a nod. "Thank you." he said before turning his attention to Nadir.
Nadir blinked, shaking his head back into reality. "Huh- oh, yeah. Beds are too soft for me." jaune nodded, eyeing the two beds. Bolin had taken one, while Reese and Arslan split the other. He wondered if there was something there, or if it was just circumstance of sleeping arrangements. Judging by their interactions so far, he assumed circumstance. Not that he particularly minded the other option. His own sister was a lesbian, and he had spoke at their marriage.
Arslan blew the dust lamp out, plunging the room into darkness. Jaune laid on top of the sleeping bag Arslan had graciously provided him, watching out the window as the moon rose and the world fell asleep.
But he couldn't. The world was to harsh. It smelled of wax and treated wood and metal and man made things.
There was no thick scent of sap from the trees, or the decay in the ground, or the crisp cold moss that wafted in the air. Jaune gazed up at the fractured moon, and wondered if he could sleep tonight. Team ARBN certainly could, judging by Arlsan's surprisingly loud snores. She sounded almost like a wild animal like that.
He found himself perched on the window sill, a block of wood being worked away with a blade of his. A quick slash took off a large corner, letting the chuck fall to the ground with a small clattering sound.
"HUUUURR-Sngrgk?" Arslan went, rising up from the sheets and blinkets. Jaune turned, looking at the groggy lioness. Arslan rubbed her eyes, looking around the room. She jolted when she saw the man in her window sill, before realizing that it was Jaune there, whittling away at something in the moon light.
He looked even more ghostly with only the light of the pail moon to illuminate the world. His hair was almost silvery ash instead of the watery color of straw, and his piercing blue eyes seemed to glow in the shadows.
"Did i wake you?" He asked from the window sill. Arslan struggled to find words for a moment. "Deepest apologies, then." He gave sincerely, sorry that he disturbed her sleep.
Arslan squinted with tiredness at the ranger. "You should be sleeping." She decided.
Jaune nodded, giving another differential slow dip of his head. "And as should you. Go to sleep ms. Altan."
Arslan gave him a groggy glare, lifting some stray hair from her face. "Get some sleep, jaune. You need it more than any of us." She said before deciding that she was too tired and too sleepy to deal with this. Laying back down, she pulled the covers back over her and went back to sleep.
Jaune looked upon her sleeping form with envy, and he wondered if she dreamed as well. He hoped not. No one deserved to hold such a burden as him.
Except you. A said, voicing the context that Jaune had hoped to ignore.
Except me. Jaune said solemnly, putting the in progress carving down and looking at the moon.
But to sleep, but to dream… Jaune whispered, perhaps to the moon, perhaps to himself, or perhaps not at all. And with that, he closed his eyes.
But to dream.
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So, a long chapter this time. I hope to get more progress in on this story considering that I am technically on break right now. I am actually really pleased with this chapter and how it turned out. I hope you liked this one as much as I did.
I got to introduce my favorite little Easter egg for this story concretely in this chapter. And for everyone who's Jonesing for some good old fashioned violence, don't worry. Jaune returns to the dream next chapter.
in other words: Everyone: HARD MAGIC HARD MAGIC HARD MAGIC! so the people have spoken. fireballs it is then.
I am also surprised that this comment did not come up: Jaune: has hot food for the first time in what must be months to him. Get's fucking ratatouilled into the astral dimension.
the chess game Jaune and nadir played can be found here: perl/chessgame?gid=1589615. I have extended it by a couple moves to reach checkmate, as that is what Nadir and Jaune would have done instead of cutting it early.
As always, please leave a comment, constructive critism, character ideas, scene ideas, story head cannons, questions and theory crafting. they make me happy to read and are often really good ideas. They are the life blood of progress, and progress is good. I hope to see you soon!
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TO BE CONTINUED