Chapter 3
April fools, it's not a chapter - it's a 13,000 essay on my nasal hair...
Double April fools, it's not that, it's actually a chapter... err... okay...
Right... yeah, moving on.
Hey guys, a fair warning; this chapter will include a bit of time skipping. In that sense I am going to try and make it so that every line break is a time skip – so that it's easier to read. That will mean however, that within the timeskip moments themselves, there might be some cases where there is a PoV switch "without" a line. What I've done in those cases is to use -
/-/
-to represent a break in the PoV. Honestly it should only really come up in this chapter, and a tiny bit of next chapter – as the timeskips will end there.
Hope you all enjoy, thanks for the many constructive reviews – I especially love all the crazy time travel mechanical discussions. It's one of those Freudian things that no one can prove or disprove in any way, so anything is possible. But that's what makes it fun I guess.
Beta: College Fool
Chapter 3 – Gone in the blink of an eye
Jaune woke up to something nudging against his leg. For a moment he thought it Nora, banging against his legs while they were camping. She always had a tendency to hold onto someone while she slept. Most of the time she would go for Ren, but late at night she often made mistakes. It was up in the air who would be consigned to the role of teddy-bear.
It wasn't until a low whirring invaded his ears that he realised he wasn't in camp however. Not when the vacuum cleaner bumped against his legs.
"Morning," his mother greeted as she moved his legs aside, vacuuming up some loose bits of cake beneath him. "Someone's still sleepy it seems."
"Ugh…" Jaune yawned, "morning." He glanced at one of the nearby windows, trying to judge the time. Looked like it was around ten in the morning... by this point he'd usually have already been training for a few hours.
This wasn't that life though. It would be different.
"You teenagers and sleeping in," she continued to vacuum around him as she spoke, "you let the whole world pass you by while you sleep. Sometimes I envy you even being able to lay in so long."
"How can you both criticise and praise my youth at the same time?"
"Because I'm your mother, it's my prerogative. Since you're awake though, your father and I wanted to have a quick chat with you in the kitchen." She flicked the device off with her foot, waving him towards the kitchen. They wanted to talk with him? He wasn't aware there was anything he'd done wrong… then again he'd only been here for a few days. Who was to say his past self hadn't just gotten in trouble for something and now he was about to take the blame.
That would be a pain in the ass.
Nicholas was sat at the family table when they entered. And as Juniper pulled out a seat beside him, Jaune realised that was going to be some kind of important meeting. More so because none of his sisters were present.
"So…" Jaune sat down opposite them. Feeling for all the world like he was in some kind of interrogation room. All that was needed now was Ironwood, two guards and the blandest plate of sandwiches he'd ever tasted. It was no wonder Ironwood was always angry if he had to eat that trash.
"You're fifteen now, son," Nicholas' smile looked faint, faked. "We've always tried to make sure you've got a grounding in as many different things as possible, an education, activities and such. But you'll soon become a man in your own right."
"Are you giving me the talk?"
Juniper glared at her husband, "You told me you'd given him that! You swore!"
"I did!" the older man's expression took on a panicked edge. "I did tell him, I swear. He's just making a joke, right?"
Jaune couldn't remember… but by this point he knew much more than just the mechanics of sexual intercourse. "Of course I know," he laughed, watching as his old man relaxed. "A man and a woman get together-"
"You don't need to explain it," Juniper hissed.
"-and then they choose a baby from a catalogue, they have to pick really hard and it can sometimes make a lot of noise, which is why I'm not to enter your room when I hear banging."
"Nicholas Arc!?" she sounded furious – even as the man's face drained of colour.
"And then the mother keeps the catalogue warm beneath her top until the white Nevermor-"
"I didn't tell him any of that!" Nicholas tried to defend himself, reaching over to slap a hand over Jaune's mouth. "I didn't! Tell her I didn't son, come on?"
Jaune rolled his eyes with a sigh, "Penis goes into hole, I know what sex is."
"You're an asshole," his father sighed, finally calming down when his mother looked like she wasn't about to enact a war. "If we can get back to being serious for a second, what we wanted to discuss is how it's about time you started thinking what you want to do in life. There's a lot of jobs that require certain qualifications, so if you want to get into them you'll need to start studying."
Oh, this was some kind of career meeting? The last time… it was too long ago, but he could make an accurate enough guess at what his answer had been. He wanted to be a Hunter – a hero. And he knew full well how that had gone… Nicholas had told him he was too late, too unfit, too impatient or whatever excuse of the day it was.
"So do you have any ideas? Any at all?"
Jaune hummed, sparing an idle glance at the man. Nicholas' face was neutral, devoid of all expression. Yet you didn't live as long as Jaune had without picking up some tricks. He could see full well how that expression was just a little too rigid. The lips thin, as though he was fighting to keep his mouth closed.
Nicholas didn't like this conversation… or there was something he wasn't keen on.
But that wasn't Jaune's problem. What did he want to be? Well, nothing he did really mattered, so long as he kept living. But at the same time he couldn't sponge off his family forever. He would have to go to school too… slip into a normal life once more, and that meant he needed to work towards some kind of goal.
Nothing related to the military. That way laid Cinder Fall. On that note it shouldn't be anything in Vale either, or he'd just get caught up in the madness.
Something that allowed him to travel? That would enable him to stay one step ahead of the game while also giving him a legitimate excuse to get the hell out of Vale before the Festival. Unbidden his eyes drifted over to the acoustic guitar resting by the door.
He had promised to learn that, hadn't he?
"I'd like to be a musician," Jaune said slowly, testing the word out within his own mind, "a musician or a performer – someone who can travel and see the world…" a memory came to him, of a story once told to him by Ruby, "a wandering minstrel."
Juniper looked uncertain, "That's-"
"A wonderful dream!" Nicholas' hand slammed down on the table. "There's so much Remnant has to offer. Wanting to see it all is a great idea. Plus, music can help to make people feel better. You'd be doing so much for the people."
Okaaaay… certainly looked like his father was on board with the idea. Jaune wasn't sure he'd ever seen the man look so pleased… or downright relieved.
"Dearie," Juniper sighed, only to be shushed by the taller man.
"Our son should be free to pursue his dreams." Well if that wasn't one of the most hypocritical things Jaune had ever heard… "And it coincides with our birthday gift for him, we should encourage him in this."
"I guess…" she still didn't sound enthused, but she realised she wasn't going to win against the both of them. Jaune could imagine what her issue was, likely due to the rather vague nature of his new career path.
It wasn't exactly a job with a lot of security. But it would allow him to go wherever he wanted. Do whatever he wanted. There'd be no office hours, no contracts to tie him down. He could be wherever he needed to be. Do whatever he needed to do.
Learn whatever skills he thought might be useful for the future.
"You'll need lessons though," Nicholas continued, stroking his coarse chin with one hand. "I think I know a guy here in Ansel who used to teach. Old friend of mine who retired some time ago. If I arrange some lessons for you, will you stick to them?"
"I will," Jaune promised. Another one that he could keep, that he would keep... It was a novel feeling - a fulfilling one.
"Hell, how about I learn with you?" Nicholas' words came out faster, the man clearly lost in some excitement. "We don't get enough time together, it could be great for us to spend some time together as men, get away from so many women for a change." Juniper rolled her eyes, making little talking motions with her hands.
"Aren't you busy though?" Jaune choked… he was always busy. Always! Every time Jaune asked for training, every time he tried to get his father's help.
He'd always been too busy… and yet now he magically had time for this!?
"I can always make time for you."
You liar… a bitter chuckle slipped past his lips as he shook his head. What a liar… so that was how it was? It wasn't that Nicholas couldn't train him at all…
"I'd like that, dad." Jaune said, watching the older man smile. Once upon a time he might have felt betrayed. Now he could only smile. People lied, they had their reasons. There was a reason for everything people did in life. Sometimes those reasons would make sense… sometimes they would only make sense to the one who had them.
He didn't know why his father was so set against it. But it didn't matter…
Given this opportunity to reconnect with them once more? Jaune wasn't going to push it. "And you're right. It'll be good to get a little distance from all the oestrogen."
"See!" Juniper rolled her eyes at Nicholas' pout. "I did tell him how it all worked, he knows about oestrogen."
I'm fifteen… not ten. Is this how Ruby always feels?
Jaune was an excellent lounger. It was a skill he'd developed over the last few months. A new hobby in fact. One he'd never realised had such intricacies to it. Laying there doing nothing, lost in one's own thoughts… it was a liberating experience.
More so because he'd been able to find the most incredible balance of warm and cool, where the heat from the beach interacted perfectly with the soft ocean breeze.
Equilibrium had been achieved.
"Jaune, come play in the water with us." And now life threatened to tear it away. Jaune didn't respond to his youngest sister. Knowing that to do so would just invite more wheedling. Instead he shuffled and turned over, exposing his back to the sun and making his intent clear.
There was no way he was going to give this relaxation time up. Not when it wasn't every day he got to spend time on a Vacuan beach. Well… maybe beach was a bit of a strong word. The entirety of Vacuo was pretty much a desert, so it was less a beach and more where the desert met the ocean.
Either way, it was glorious and he wasn't going to give it up.
"Jaune!" Amber pouted and stamped one foot. "Why are you always so lazy? Come swim with us."
"I'm ill," Jaune grumbled, "diseased."
"Mum says you're not," Amber argued. With that simple child's logic that against all logic, always seemed to win. "She said they took you in for the blood tests to see why you sleep so much, but that there's nothing wrong with you. That means you're just lazy."
Ugh… and hadn't that been an unpleasant surprise? A few days of sleeping in at every opportunity could be explained away as puberty, but it seemed his parents had taken notice of his disturbing habit of falling asleep at any opportunity – and worried about it. Blood and medical tests… they'd never been his favourite thing.
And of course they hadn't found anything. He was the picture of health.
How could he explain that it was probably just a habit? Something he'd learned to do whenever there was downtime available? That was what he assumed anyway… or maybe it was like when you slept in too long, and somehow woke up feeling even more tired?
Still… it was a little rude of that doctor to say he wasn't ill, he was just lazy.
Jaune Arc was not lazy, thank you very much! He could train more in a month than many could in half a year. He had fought against armies of Grimm, faced off against some of the most dangerous women on Remnant.
And even the occasional skilled man!
Jaune Arc was on holiday. There was a key difference in that it was hard-earned, and he deserved to be able to enjoy it. And now he was on holiday within a holiday. Which meant he had double the rights to enjoy it. Or something. Which was why he was going to sunbathe, sleep, rest and otherwise slack off.
Not swim with his sisters. He loved them, he really did… but there was such a thing as too much. Seven was too much… gods, how it was too much. The hormones weren't helping either. Not when he was an older and more experienced man trapped in the body of a boy exiting puberty… in a house with seven sisters.
Where was a guy even supposed to masturbate!? If his bed so much as squeaked, he had girls knocking on the walls asking what he was doing.
I never considered that horror of coming back so far… puberty sucks.
"If you don't move," Amber paused as she tried to think of some threat, "then I'll move you!"
"Good luck with that," Jaune grumbled as he pulled a towel over his eyes, signalling the end of the conversation. He probably weighed almost twice as much as she did.
It wasn't until he felt the presence of a few other girls around them that he realised what Amber had done. As he felt the towel go stiff beneath him, then his body raising off the ground as they carted him to the ocean. He could have gotten off and walked away... but that would have required energy.
Jaune could only sigh.
/-/
Nicholas and Juniper sat some distance away, keeping a close eye on their kin, but granting them a little independence. It had taken a lot of creative planning to get this time off. Not to mention the cost of shipping so many people over to Vacuo and paying for the hotel. The life of a Hunter paid well. Especially one as successful as he.
But when your family was so large… well, it soon added up.
"He's sleeping still." Nicholas sighed as he turned to look at his wife. She looked beautiful in that black and blue bikini. He'd seen more than a few men looking – though they hadn't looked twice after meeting his eyes. "He spends so much time sleeping."
"So is every other person here," he laughed as he pointed around them. A good portion of the people on the beach were also asleep. She gave him an unimpressed look, saying he knew exactly what she meant. "You heard the doctor June, there's nothing wrong with him – he's just growing up. Some people are naturally determined, others quiet… I guess ours is just sleepy."
"You would say that," her green eyes glared at him through her thick lashes. "He can't do any wrong in your eyes… ever since he stopped crowing about following in your footsteps."
Nicholas ran one hand through his shoulder-length hair. Okay, there was no real arguing with that. Not when she was pretty much spot-on. She knew his reasons though…
"He doesn't even bring any of his friends from school over anymore. I asked Sapphire – and she says she doesn't even see him talk to anyone in class!" Juniper's teeth bit down on the skin of her finger, chewing on her fist. "When I asked he just said they were immature… it's like he's outgrowing all his friends. I'm worried."
"He gets on famously with his sisters though," Nicholas waved one hand towards the ocean, where the seven girls were working together to drag him into the cold water. "Well, normally anyway."
"I know – and I love that, I do." One brother among so many sisters… he'd been worried about that too, but it seemed like Jaune loved them all equally. Lately he'd been paying a lot more attention to them too, much to their delight. They took advantage of him shamelessly too.
He didn't seem to mind it.
"I love that they all get on so well," she continued, "I'm just worried that he won't have any friends of his own. He still needs to learn to actually socialise."
"It'll be fine," he settled his hands on her shoulders, delighting in the way her body moulded against his own. She fit so snug against his chest that he just wanted to wrap his arms around her and never let go. "Jaune's growing up, it's bound to be a confusing time for him. All we can do is support him all the way." Nicholas watched as he drifted in the shallows of the ocean. His sisters were splashing water on him as he did so, laughing and giggling. "He looks like he could use it…"
/-/
Jaune dragged himself out of the ocean with a quiet sigh. Thankfully it had only taken fifteen minutes or so for his sisters to become distracted – granting him the opportunity to drift away. The beach was all enclosed, so his parents wouldn't worry too much, but it would give him a chance to catch some rays and sleep without interruption.
He'd make it up to them later. Likely in the form of rubbing after-sun into them once they all inevitably got burned. They'd spent way too long in the water without topping up on lotion.
You just can't tell some people… they'd learn tonight. And likely remember the lesson for months to come. For now, though, it wasn't his problem. In fact, the only thing that was on his mind was the soft sandbank before him, rising up a good two or so metres. Laying down against it, Jaune felt all those little worried fade away… drifting into beautiful serenit-
"Heh heh…" a muffled snicker came from nearby. Again, not his problem. This was hardly a private beach and so long as they didn't keep him from sleep they could do whatever they wanted. "Oh yeah… look at those bods, man!"
Jaune growled lightly, turning on his side as he held one hand across his face.
Something shifted above him, a cascade of sand and dirt raining down on his face. Jaune's eyes snapped open as he coughed the sand out of his throat. Okay, now they'd gone and done it… his sleep was ruined. Gone. Done.
"Excuse me," Jaune sighed as he turned to look further up the sandbank. Two figures lay across the top, hidden on this side of the bank with their faces peeking over. Giggling between themselves, they didn't seem to hear his words at all. "Excuse me!?"
"Shhh!" One of them turned to shush him. It wasn't until Jaune noticed that he wasn't holding a finger before his mouth however, but a prehensile tail, that he realised exactly who was trying to enforce silence on him. Sun Wukong… which meant the blue haired teen beside him? Huh… he hadn't realised they'd been friends before Haven. Maybe that was why Sun had moved there in the first place.
Huh, what are the odds…? Well, probably not bad... this is a resort after all and Sun does live in Vacuo, or probably does right now, anyway. Plus, it was hardly unusual for people to visit the beach in the middle of July. It was more a coincidence that they'd bumped into one another so casually. Hell, with it being a school holiday there was probably a good proportion of every teenager in the area on this beach.
"Yeah, about that," Jaune sighed, "can you maybe practice your own advice a little bit? I'm trying to sleep here."
"Sleep? Bro, when there's so many hot girls around here? I think someone needs a little help from the coolest dudes around, eh Nep?" Sun held a fist out the blue-haired teen beside him. The other boy looked uncertain for a moment, adjusting a pair of spectacles - a surprise even to Jaune - before weakly bumping fists. "Eh, it's a work in progress," Sun laughed.
Those two always had been quite the pair… comedic, ridiculous… but oh so easy to rely on. They always had your back when you needed it the most. Even if you were never quite sure what brand of madness they'd bring to the equation.
Honestly, they had always reminded him of an all-male RWBY.
But right now neither of them were his bro. Right now they were keeping him awake when he was supposed to be asleep.
"Hey!" Jaune made sure to raise his voice. Despite the urgent motions they made. "Who are you two spying on? Stop that!" The reaction was instantaneous. From behind the sandbank there was a sudden commotion, feminine voices raised in outrage as Sun and Neptune scrambled to flee. Sun made sure to flash him an annoyed glare as he sprinted past – Neptune hot on his heels. If anything, they'd always been good at making a speedy exit when things got tough.
"Ah, damn kids," a woman growled as she crested the bank. There was another beside her of similar age, both of them no older than twenty. "They make perverts younger and younger these days. Oh, hey there." She seemed to notice him at last, cocking her head to the side as she waved.
"Was it you who shouted out?" her friend asked. "That was very brave of you~" The girl leaned forward to blow a kiss at him. Offering an absolutely fantastic view of her bikini-clad breasts. Jaune felt his shorts tightening.
Hello hormones, nice to hear from you again. Hmm… how long had it been since he'd actually…? A while. There hadn't been much opportunity on the last run and he'd been celibate the one before that too. The act had lost a lot of its appeal over time, especially compared to the allure of working his ass off to try and save his friends.
But if he was on holiday right now?
"Well…" Jaune tilted his head to the side and smiled, "I'm glad to be of help. The name's Jaune – Jaune Arc…"
And it just rolled off the tongue.
/-/
"I'm sure things will be fine," Nicholas Arc soothed as he massaged his wife's shoulders. Juniper nursed a cold can of some carbonated drink in one hand, eyes lidded from his ministrations. "We'll always be there to support him when he needs us. And he isn't acting depressed or anything in music lessons. He's actually a lot more dedicated than I expected."
Which stung him a little. Not that Jaune was putting in that level of effort. That was great! More that Nicholas could misjudge his own son so, to think that he would put in any less. Clearly Jaune wasn't lazy at all when it came to things he was interested in.
That determination would serve him well. In whatever path he chose.
"You're right, of course." Her head fell back against his neck as she let out a long sigh. Juniper's shoulders were always so tense and knotted. If he was the one who went out and risked his life to bring home the bread, then it was she who made sure he had a home to return to.
Between hordes of Beowolves and the tenuous balance amidst eight teenage children? Nicholas certainly knew which battle he would rather fight!
"I'm just a worry-wart," she sighed, "ignore me."
"Never. That concern is why I love you."
"Funny." She smiled up at him, eyes open once more. "And last night you told me it was because of that thing I do with my- hi sweetie!" Juniper's voice took on a frantic edge as Amber appeared before them. Thank the heavens she didn't appear to have heard anything.
That was also another nightmare of having so many children…
"Hi mummy, hi daddy." Amber sat down between them. Instantly pushing the two apart as she adopted the position all young children instinctively did.
The cock-block.
"Where's your brother?" Nicholas sighed, "I thought you were with him?"
"Big brother is making friends," Amber whined like a small puppy. She shrank in on herself as she said it. Looking about as desolate as an eleven-year-old child could. Nicholas shared a quick glance with Juniper however, a weight lifting from their shoulders.
As much as Amber might rebel against it, this was a good sign indeed. Maybe there wasn't much to worry about after all?
"Hey mummy… why are Jaune's new friends making him rub oil into their chests?"
"Because they're hussies, sweetie," Juniper cooed as she deposited Amber in his lap – standing up and cracking her knuckles ominously. "Now why don't you keep daddy company while I go and rescue my little baby."
Nicholas winced as she stomped off, other beach-goers suddenly finding reasons to be vacant from her path. "Hey," he shouted after her, "at least he's making friends – right?"
She did not look amused.
"I can't believe we won so much fucking money," Hazel skipped ahead of him with a high-pitched squeal. Clutched between her fingers were wads of lien, which she counted out with glee. She was so pleased she didn't even try to cheat him, handing over half without complaint.
"I told you," Jaune said as he pushed the cut into his pocket, "I know what I'm talking about."
"Well excuse me for not believing you. I didn't realise you knew so much about fighting competitions. How did you know this girl would wipe the competition anyway, I've never even heard of her?"
Jaune chuckled as he walking alongside his older sister, the two of them putting some distance between themselves and the gambling joint. He wasn't technically old enough to enter the place, but Hazel had just turned eighteen recently – and after some convincing – had gone along with his plan.
"I know the future." Hazel looked unimpressed, and after a quick laugh he gave her a more believable lie. "Okay, okay – I just read about her in a magazine or something, had a feeling she would be better than the competition."
"I should rip your ass out for risking my money on a feeling." Hazel tried to sound intimidating, but it was simply impossible on account of the toothy grin she couldn't keep down. "But I guess I'll settle for thanking this Pyrrha chick for winning. We are sogoing shopping."
Jaune nodded to the suggestion, stifling a smile at the thought of what expression Pyrrha might have if she could see him now. She hated gambling as much as his mother did, and that he'd done it on her would likely drive her up the wall.
It wasn't really gambling though, was it, when you knew the results?
If only everything could be that simple… a lottery win would be a nice addition except for the fact that it just didn't work that way. He wasn't sure why – but he had his theories. Going back and re-living his life every time did make sure a lot of things remained the same. It was always the same people at Beacon, always the same enemies they faced. Some things didn't change. But those things didn't change because they were decisions made by people, or events that occurred because there was no other alternative. And when that same situation came up, they would make the same choices.
Ruby Rose came to Beacon because never in a million years would she stand aside when someone was in danger, but also because Ozpin wanted her in Beacon. Cinder and her faction attacked Beacon because that was just where the Fall Maiden was… even at this point Cinder likely already had that in mind.
Pyrrha won her championship fights because she simply was the better fighter. It didn't matter how many times she faced those people, she would always win. Oh, there was probably a small chance of an upset… something going completely random. But it was so small that he'd never seen it happen.
A lottery didn't work the same way… nor did visiting a casino or betting on dice. Those were random events where the result depended on mostly luck, but also a million other little things. For events like that, going through his life would recreate the same situation – that is – the fact that the lottery was being drawn on that given day.
But that was all it did. The numbers were still drawn at random.
Shame… I wouldn't say no to a few million lien.
There were a few other things he knew of. Things that he could rely on again and again… but the odds were never quite so favourable. After her dominating performance, Pyrrha was certain to become a crowd favourite, which meant the bookie's odds would soon go down.
"I'm going to get that new dress I saw in that magazine – then I'll buy some movies, then some sweets, what about you?"
"I saw some music books that looked interesting," Jaune shrugged. "Other than that there are some nice clothes I might get. I'm just wondering what excuse we can give to mum for our newfound wealth."
Hazel froze in place, her expression suddenly taking a pasty edge. Hadn't she realised that already? Sheesh…
"You think she'll notice if we come back with loads of stuff we shouldn't be able to afford?" Hazel didn't even wait for him to answer, "Oh shit, she's going to kill us…"
"Don't you mean you? I'm under age – I've clearly been corrupted."
Hazel laughed, "Like mum will ever believe that. You've got a worse rep than any of us." Jaune grumbled but didn't respond. That was hardly his fault… it hadn't been easy adapting to being a child once more. Less so when people treated him like an absolute idiot.
There'd been a couple of… he couldn't call them fights. Not when it was kids involved and they spent more time slapping their chests like chimpanzees suffering from asthma than they did throwing punches. Either way, a few kids had tried to bully him and injured themselves for the effort. Then there'd been the classes he fell asleep in – again not his fault, they were beyond boring. Not to mention useless.
It probably didn't help that he acted more mature than someone his age really ought to be. That just made it easier for his mother to treat him like an adult – and thus, punish him like one.
He wished he could have pulled off the Ruby angle… but his face wasn't able to contort into such heart-wrenching expressions.
"Well if we're both going to get into trouble anyway…" Jaune glanced into Hazel's eyes.
"Then we might as well have fun. Fuck yeah!" she finished with a wide grin, wrapping an arm around his shoulder. "We should get some entertainment then, since I'll be grounded for the next few weekends."
"Lucky you," Jaune sighed. Juniper didn't ever really ground him. She was smarter than that… why punish someone with something they didn't really mind? Jaune Arc didn't haveanywhere to go on his weekends. And being confined to his room, with his comfortable bed, books and music?
That was his idea of a good weekend.
No… she wasn't so naïve as to not notice that. Juniper gave him chores… so many chores. It might be cooking, gathering firewood, peeling vegetables, weeding the garden, delivering mail… anything that made sure he was actively moving around and unable to laze off.
"Man up. Mum always makes sure punishments suck. At least you don't have to sit still and knit like Amber does." Yeah, there was that… for the hyperactive tomboy there was no punishment which seemed to frustrate her more. And of course that same frustration would lead to his little sister making a mistake and being told to start over again.
That was just why she was a good mother, he supposed. She knew exactly what she had to do to make you regret breaking the rules. It was just unfortunate they were going to be running afoul of them again.
Ansel's shopping precinct was a far cry from Vale's. Where the major city had hundreds of different shops catering to a wide range of desires, Ansel was limited to a few larger brands – often wholesalers offering a wide range of eclectic goods. The prices were a little higher too, since they had to ship them across dangerous land. But right now, price wasn't a concern for the two of them.
"Does this look good on me? I'm worried the blue will clash with my eyes."
"Hmm…" Jaune cocked his head as he inspected the blouse his sister was wearing, which she'd tucked into her black jeans. "I'm just not feeling the combination between the colours and your hair – maybe try some lighter jeans or a skirt?"
"Good point, the weathers still hot as shit." Jaune didn't quite know how hot shit was, but it must have been fairly scorching, since Hazel threw the jeans away with abandon. He could only roll his eyes as she stalked past him in just her underwear, pulling out a new outfit.
That poor woman in the store had looked positively scandalised when they'd entered the changing rooms together. Luckily one of the other staff members had recognised them and let them pass. "Should I really be the one judging your fashion though? I'm not exactly savvy on what women like."
"But you are clued in on what men like," she shot back, grinning when he glanced away, one hand scratching his cheek. "Y'know Sapphire used to think you were in the closet. You spent more time around men than I did."
"Such faith…"
"And now look at you! Don't think I haven't heard the rumours bro. There's quite a few girls who've claimed they've had a little make out session with you behind the school sheds." Jaune coughed but didn't deny those words.
"Ugh… I thought I told Grace to be quiet about that," he sighed.
Hazel choked. "Grace!? You… my best friend!? You better fucking not have!"
"A joke, it was a joke!" he laughed it off as he tried desperately to ward off her anger. "Why don't you try this on, I bet it'll look really good on you."
"Don't think this is over," Hazel hissed as she snatched the shirt from him, turning around as she slipped it over her shoulders.
Sheesh…
/-/
"Ah, there's nothing like a good shopping trip," Hazel stretched her arms into the warm air as though working out some hard-earned muscle pain. Jaune rolled his eyes from beside her, buried under at least six heavy bags of clothing, shoes and miscellaneous tat.
Only a single bag was his…
"What's with the face, bro? Got something to say?"
"Nothing, dear sister… only that I was right to suggest that outfit for you. It really does make you stand out."
"Hmph," Hazel looked away, though he could see full well the pleased flush in her cheeks. "Even though I know you're playing me, I can't help but feel pleased. You're a sneaky little shit."
"Though, maybe you'd have more suitors if you held back on the language a little."
"Not my fault men are too much of a pussy to deal with me. I speak my mind."
"It's a direct channel from brain to mouth alright…"
"I'll pretend I didn't hear that, but only because it's too hot a day to kick your ass." Oh sure, Jaune thought with a smirk, definitely not because the last time you tried I managed to get you into a tickle hold until you gave up.
Hadn't than been a surprise for his dear older sister? The moment she realised her weak little brother wasn't quite so… well, okay he was still weak – but he was experienced enough to know how to use her strength against her. Another snippet of wisdom from Ren, who despite best efforts, would never be the biggest or strongest of men.
A commotion from nearby caught their attention, the sound of someone tripping and a number of boxes scattering across the floor. Hazel hummed in question as they turned to see who the unfortunate soul was.
"Huh," Hazel said, "props to the brat for not crying. Can't be any older than Amber."
She is older, Jaune thought to himself grimly. She didn't look it though… and there was little wonder she didn't cry from falling onto the hard floor – even when it must have hurt.
Ruby Rose wasn't one to flinch away from pain.
What is she doing here? When did Ruby ever come to Ansel? Had something changed, which made them come here? No, he was being silly… of course they could have come to Ansel, he just wouldn't have recognised them the first time. Or maybe he just didn't go shopping on this day – he'd hardly been interested in clothes when he was this age originally.
Hell, Cinder could have lived in Ansel for all he knew. It wasn't like he knew every face in the settlement.
"Ah, what a brat…" Hazel sighed, rubbing her hands together even as her lips thinned. He knew that expression from her. It was the one she wore when she was trying to look tough, when she was about to do something that counteracted that image. "Shit… come on bro, let's help her."
Hazel was always like that… putting on that strong and uncaring image. Then folding like a castle of cards the moment she saw someone in pain or danger. She'd step in and fix it. Gruff and cold, spitting insults at both parties…
But she couldn't stand by and do nothing.
"Wait," Jaune held one arm across her path.
"What? Why? She needs help." She did… it was Beacon all over again. She wouldn't change much in two years, filling out just a little wider in some areas, a tiny bit taller in others. But that expression of confused loneliness was present on her face even now. Not one person stopped for her, either… pedestrians and other shoppers parting to walk around her… like she was nothing more than an obstacle to be avoided.
It sickened him…
But could he do any different? Even now that temptation to help her… that primal need within him to look after her – to make sure she was okay. She wasn't going to be okay. She was going to die.
And he was going to do nothing to stop it, because he needed to survive as long as possible. Even stepping in now, walking forward and helping her up… she would talk to him, ask his name. It would be so easy… so temptingly easy to fall into that trap.
But once she was a friend he would never be able to let her go. He wouldn't be able to sit back and let her go to Beacon, let alone fight Cinder and die on her own. If he wanted to be a bystander later… then it would be better to start now.
"Jaune - what the actual fuck!?" Hazel slapped his hand aside as she made to help the girl. It wasn't necessary however, as a moment before she could move another blonde entered the area. Ruby wouldn't be alone in Ansel… not a chance. And true to that fact Yang came bounding up, sweeping the smaller girl into her arms.
Even from a distance he could see Ruby fight against the maternal position, her small face flaring up in mortification as she slapped at Yang's back. Their father arrived a second later, stooping down to pick up some of the bags as they laughed between themselves.
"See? They don't need help."
Her palm made a sharp crack as it struck his cheek.
A few people turned to look at them. No doubt making all kinds of misconceptions at their position… he stood with his face to the floor, a girl across from him – shoulders rising and falling slowly. Jaune couldn't quite find it in himself to be amused by that fact.
"Don't you dare," Hazel's eyes glistened with frustrated tears, "don't you fucking dare pretend that was alright. I thought you of all people would understand. I thought you'd help someone if they were in trouble."
Jaune's lips turned down as he glanced away, "Yeah well… guess you don't know me as much as you think you do." His shaking hands found refuge in his pockets, keeping the bags locked against his side.
Ruby, Yang, Hazel, Beacon…
He didn't feel like shopping anymore…
"You'd have stepped forward befo- where you going?" his sister snapped as he turned away. A tired sigh escaped his lips, shoulders sagging as the bags on his wrist seemed to become heavier.
"Home... I'm off to bed, I'm tired." He didn't hear whatever else she said. His thoughts focused inwards as he trudged out of the precinct and into the crowds outside. Where he was just one more face among the masses.
Not this time, Ruby…
He wouldn't be there for her. Not when she fell. Not when she needed advice… not when she was dying alone in the snow.
I'm so sorry…
His hands strummed across the metal wires, sending haunting notes floating on the breeze as he imaged the music. Each note connected together, bricks in a great project that he would create. It was more than just what was heard however… there was a certain pleasure in the vibrations as well. How rigid the strings were against his fingers. The quiet sliding sound his left hand made on the neck.
His mind was clear also… breathing coming out just a little bit heavy. A result of the jogging he'd done not ten minutes earlier. The training was a far cry from what he'd done for most of his lives… but even now it he wasn't able to resist the call entirely. He didn't train to fight however… mostly running, some lifting – enough to keep his physique and ensure he was fit.
It was just a habit nowadays, but there was no more incredible a feeling than playing after such exercise. That moment where fatigue mixed with satisfaction struck a complex balance with the music he created. That the evening sun was beating down on him, gently caressing his face, was a bonus.
"What a wonderful day," Jaune sighed as he leaned back - only for his back to bump against something. From where he lay, guitar across his stomach, Jaune looked up at the furious face of his mother. "Or rather, it was…"
"Explain this," Juniper snapped, pushing a piece of paper against his face. Jaune's eyes crossed as he tried to focus on the words currently being shoved up his nostrils, before he reached up to push her hand back a little.
"The Arc family is banned from the Ansel vegetable store," Jaune read dutifully, his eyebrows rising as it went on. "What the hell…?"
"My thoughts exactly, dear son," Juniper's voice sounded like gravestones being dragged across gravel. "Would you care to explain to me why this letter states it is your actions which have resulted in us being banned?"
His actions…? He wracked his mind, truly he did… "I can't," he said honestly after some time. "I definitely didn't do anything to insult Mrs Green. She seems to really like me."
"It's signed Mr Green," his mother growled.
"Oh, right… that would explain it."
"It also states that he caught you sleeping with his wife!"
"That's not exactly true," Jaune defended with a frown. Juniper didn't quite seem to agree with him however, one golden brow arching as her emerald eyes seemed to darken.
"Jaune, sweetie," oh, he always knew it was serious when she called him that… "did you sleep with Mrs Green?"
"Well…" he coughed out a nervous laugh, "sleep was pretty much a necessity after what we did…" the muscle next to her eyebrow twitched. "I mean… no?"
"Did Mr Green catch you sleeping with his wife?"
Jaune started to sweat. "He didn't catch me sleeping with her, per se…" his words trailed off as the sound of his mother's teeth grinding together could be heard. "In my defence dad always said all a man needs is confidence."
"You rat bastard!" his father's voice shouted from inside the house.
"I'll talk with you later dearie," Juniper called out in a saccharine voice. "Jaune… would you like to explain exactly why you were sleeping with a woman twice your age? Mrs Green is thirty-six if I recall."
Still within his age range, he didn't say. It was hardly his fault – he was much older than the sixteen years he was currently, and he'd been back in this life for almost fourteen months now. No matter how hard he tried he just wasn't a child. He had different hobbies, he did different things for entertainment.
Every watering hole was closed to him due to his age, and they all knew him by face, so wouldn't sell anything to him. The latter was more out of fear of what Juniper Arc would do to them when she found out, but still…
Jaune wasn't a womaniser. Nor was he a player or lady-killer.
He just had a good memory, and had learned to read the signs. After going through this life so many times you started to notice and remember the people who were up for a good time. Particularly the ones who liked it casual – no strings attached.
Also, she might be thirty-six, but holy – she was an absolute fox. She had that super-stern look like Glynda Goodwitch, but Mrs Green (or Robyn, as he would not say in front of his mother) was hotter than the sun when you got her in the mood!
It was probably the closest he'd ever get to actually banging Glynda Goodwitch, other than in his wildest fantasies. No amount of repeats had given him that opportunity.
"I want to punch you over and over until you lose that perverted expression," his mother's words interrupted his thoughts. She looked like she was already en route to that action, her knuckles popping.
"I don't think that's how it works…"
"I'm willing to give it a go anyway." She let out a sigh however, lowering her hands as she flopped down to sit beside him. "Seriously, Jaune – I know I've not had a son before, but this doesn't feel normal. I know a lot of other mothers, and I don't often hear how their sons are running around bedding mature women left and right."
"Hmm… I can see how that would be awkward," Jaune began to strum once more, knowing that she liked to hear him play those romantic tunes. He loved them too – and loved that his family found pleasure in it. It was such an uplifting feeling to actually create pleasant emotions in people through his hard-earned skill.
"Awkward?" Juniper laughed as she shook her head. "Awkward is your close friends asking why your son is sleeping with their daughters… you don't do that, at least. Oh no… I get my close friends – who are similar to my age – asking me if my son is up for another round; and where he learned how to do so many things with his tongue."
Jaune hit a bum note, the guitar letting out a sharp squeal.
"Ah… oops?"
"Oops indeed," Juniper sighed. "Why can't you be like most boys your age? Shouldn't you be blushing and introducing your first girlfriend to me, who you've just convinced to hold hands with you?"
Hmm… how was he supposed to explain this to her? Sixteen year olds always were bundles of hormones, but he doubted many of them had made the decision to stick to casual sex because they didn't want any long-term attachments they might lose. Or that they couldn't abstain because they'd gotten used to getting some…
"I'm a musician," Jaune strummed once more, "a romantic. Like the wandering minstrel I will become, I can't be tied to just one location. My love is free – like my music." He emphasised his words with a few more chords. The final time his fingers drifted across the strings – only for them to not budge, and no music to come forth.
Juniper's hand was gripping the neck, crushing his fingers against the strings. "Oh? Sweet Jaune is going to play with women's hearts? Sleep around with random women… wander the kingdoms from bed to bed… no grandbabies for dear old Juniper?"
Uh-oh, she was talking in the third person again – that was never a good sign. A low giggle came from her as the hand around his squeezed tighter. The blond boy winced as he felt his bones pop lightly.
"Uh… mum," he cringed, "you're scaring me." And the worst part was that it was true… even after all the horrors he had been through.
"Do you have any last words son?" She released his hand and rose to her feet, looking down upon him from a great height. He recognised that expression… it was the one that promised he'd be feeling his oncoming punishment for weeks. He'd be lucky if he wasn't scrubbing the toilet for the rest of his life. "I'm always happy to give you one final chance to convince me otherwise. You should consider your words well…"
"I always used protection?"
Her eye twitched.
"You chose poorly…"
"Thanks Jaune," Sapphire said as he held out the plate to her, some barbecued chicken and assembled vegetables on it. The older girl leaned forward to kiss his cheek, the others laughing at the reference to his `kiss the cook` apron.
"What did you do to get in trouble this time?" Hazel asked as she was next in line. Their relationship had thawed only a few weeks after their little incident. Hazel's temper always blazed hot – but that only meant it simmered down all the quicker. "Or are you going to pretend you volunteered to man the barbecue all day?"
"Fell asleep in class," Jaune groaned, accepting her plate and loading some sausages onto it. Hazel frowned as he put the smallest amount of vegetables he could get away with on it. She was such a guy sometimes, wanting nothing but meat – but he knew their mother would have his head if he gave in.
"Don't you always fall asleep in class? What was different this time?"
"It was a guest speaker… I guess they felt offended since they weren't used to it." In his defence it totally wasn't his fault! It had been a talk on how to act responsibly around Grimm if they ever saw any – and it had been delivered by none other than Professor Port himself.
The moment the man had started speaking Jaune's head had hit the desk with a loud thud. But it wasn't his fault, it was habit. The man just had that effect – every student in Beacon knew it! He was like a cosh to the back of the skull… a cosh with a moustache.
"Rough, welp – keep working bro." Hazel smirked as she slipped away. A few of the other girls booed the lack of a kiss, getting a few choice swears from her (and she a loud reprimand from their mother).
"Me next," Amber cheered as she reached the front of the queue. She held her hands up towards him, and with a small smile he leaned down to present his cheek to her. Amber giggled as she kissed him, blushing as he did the same to hers.
He couldn't bring himself to complain about the latest punishment though. Not when his mother and sisters were so happy about the chance to eat outside. The weather had been particularly good lately and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. Nicholas was due home in ten minutes – with some bags of ice he'd been sent to fetch from a nearby store. The entire family was arranged out in the garden outside their home, sat on the grass where their property met the nearby woods. In this weather it would have actually been pretty nice to have the barbecue at the lake. But that would involve lugging all the equipment in this heat…
Or rather, it would have involved his father and he lugging all the equipment… neither of them quite had the energy for that.
"Thank you sweetheart," Juniper was last in the queue, and leaned forward to plant a loving kiss on his forehead. Jaune bore it with the expression of a man too embarrassed to admit that he enjoyed it.
It just reaffirmed his decision to spend time with them all. All of this – every memory – wouldn't have existed if he'd run away once more. In other lives it probably never existed, because he'd robbed them of the chance.
With everyone served and Nicholas likely still on the way back, Jaune picked out some chicken of his own and sat down on the cool grass to eat. It was only about three months until Beacon was to start… such a short amount of time. Had it really been nearly two years now?
It seemed so short a time… but that wasn't a problem. He still had a few years left, years that he would spend here with the family that loved him. The family that he'd spent so long neglecting.
He just wished he could relax a little more easily. Something had been playing havoc with his senses for the past ten minutes or so; an unsettling feeling deep in his gut. It was familiar almost… like a distant memory he knew he really ought to recognise.
Juniper was the first to see it, her ragged gasp catching his attention.
Impossible… his hand slipped to his waist, grasping for Crocea Mors, only to find it absent. It couldn't be – it just couldn't, not so close to their home.
A Beowolf… snuffling in the nearby trees, its dark shape visible to them all.
"Get into the house," Jaune spoke softly, climbing to his feet with slow grace. "Get down into the cellar and lock the door." It was a panic solution most houses had. A defended cellar with a small supply of food in case something went wrong.
"Come on girls, up – up," their mother rushed about them, pushing the frightened girls towards the house while keeping her voice as low as possible. It almost seemed impossible that it hadn't noticed them, but Jaune knew such luck wouldn't last.
There was no noise which alerted it. No crack of someone stepping on a twig – or surprised scream from Amber. One moment it was interested in the bushes around it and the next it was glaring directly into Jaune's soul.
He bolted, ducking to the side as he fled after his sisters. He didn't need to look behind him to know the monster was on his heels. The sounds it made, its clawed feet beating against the grass, told him more than enough.
"Close the door!" Jaune yelled as he slipped inside, immediately turning and throwing his weight against the slab of metal. All his family pushed with him, their shoulders and arms straining as the door grated shut. Sapphire slammed the latch down with a loud clang, sealing it from outside entry.
It was all they could do…
"Don't you worry girls," Juniper laughed as she collected the frightened children before her – administering hugs and kisses wherever she could. "Your dad's going to be back soon and we all know one little Grimm is no match for him."
The girls nodded, trying their hardest to ne brave. He couldn't fail to notice the way they flinched however, whenever the Grimm slammed its frame into the door. The vibrations of it caused dust to rain down on their heads.
This wasn't possible, it just wasn't! He couldn't remember his original life but he knew this never happened, because initiation had been the first Grimm he had ever seen! This also couldn't have happened after he left because he knew from past repeats that he had first run away only a week before Beacon.
He would have been at home three months before Beacon… and there'd been no Beowolf attack on them.
How could there be? Ansel was a busy settlement, one with plenty of Hunters but also a small militia of lookouts and sentries. Something like this would have been noticed miles away, and quickly dealt with.
This is a disaster… what changed to cause this, how did it even happen? An altogether more sobering thought struck him a moment later however, what happens if I die before Beacon?
What would happen to the repeats… if he didn't attain any time after initiation? Something as ridiculously supernatural as this couldn't really have real-world physics applied to it; but if it worked mathematically then if he gained time before based on how much he earned after… then getting a minus figure would cause him to come back after initiation.
Would that mean he would slip into a life that was already a little into Beacon… or that he would die forever?
What if it recreated the world he had just died in… so that he came back and there simply was no Jaune for him to be? Everyone… everyone else would die for good. He wouldn't be able to save any of them.
I can't die here…
Arms wrapped around his stomach as he was pulled back against one of his sisters. He could feel her shivering through his back but Coral nonetheless hummed a song into his ear, placing her fingers over his eyes. She was trying to protect him from what he might see, trying to make him feel less frightened by distracting him.
When she was the one who was frightened… that wasn't right.
He could hear their mother doing the same. Singing a soft lullaby as she no doubt held Amber in her lap… he could recall it from the first day he'd woken up here, when she'd sang it as he fell asleep at the kitchen table. It didn't quite have the same effect now… not with the door shaking and rattling before them.
There was a loud crack as something gave way… echoed by a frightened whimper from one of them.
It was going to gain entry. They were going to be trapped in a small room with a Beowolf.
"I need you all to listen carefully to me," Juniper said as she stood up, pushing Amber back into Hazel's arms. "You're not going to like it, but I need you to listen." She took a deep breath, hesitating for a second before the loud growls outside brought her back. "It's… it's going to get in."
Amber began to cry softly.
"There's only one Beowolf though, so there's not too much to worry about. When it comes in I want you all to be lined up against the wall by the door. That way it will see me first – and I can fight it while you get out."
"You'll die," Jaune's words were automatic. Delivered without emotion or fear… he'd died too much to fear it, even with the sudden threat of what it might mean for him. Juniper didn't have aura… she didn't even have training. There wasn't a small chance she would win.
There was no chance.
"Hey now," she laughed, trying to hide the tears in her eyes. "I may have married into the Arcs, but that doesn't mean I'm not a warrior too. I gave birth to eight children. Compared to that, this is a joke." She took another deep breath, wincing as it hitched in her throat. "When you get out I want you to try and close the door behind you… it won't be able to open it from the inside. Then you need to find your father. Head back into Ansel, he'll find you there."
"We can help-" Jade tried to say, only to go silent as Juniper shook her head.
"Don't be silly, you don't know the first thing about fighting. I'll be fine – you think Nicholas didn't teach me some tricks?"
Jaune noticed she didn't expressly say that he had… for he knew the man hadn't. Fighting a Grimm required more than a few tricks. It required years of training, high-quality weapons – and in some cases – a full team of Hunters.
Juniper Arc would die here. But she was right… they would probably get away. Grimm were mindless beasts, which meant that in some ways they could be predictable. If it saw prey before it, then it wouldn't look around to see if there were more. It would rip and tear until the foe before it was dead.
The thought of it was crushing. He loved her – they all did! But she wasn't wrong in saying that they couldn't fight it, his sisters had nothing. He had nothing! He didn't have a weapon, nor did he have aura. Even his martial arts skills would be of no use. The fur and bone of a Beowolf was far stronger than that of a human's skin. Yang and Ren required aura to strike Grimm – because it stopped their fists shattering upon impact.
If Jaune ran… if he survived with his sisters as he ought to? Then he would still live. He would still be able to live his life after Beacon… and then, when he died, he would come back. Juniper would be alive once more and he would have much longer to train! He could stay here and do so, get stronger before Beacon while also protecting his family from this Grimm.
Next time he would make sure it didn't have a chance to hurt her.
But that would mean he had to leave her now. And judging from the tracks running down her cheeks, she knew that.
"Line up now," she whispered, pushing them against the wall and delivering a kiss to each of them. "Don't worry about me, I'll be fine. Just focus on finding your father and sticking together. Sapphire, you're the oldest so keep hold of everyone, okay?"
"Yes mum…" Sapphire's voice cracked.
"I love you all so much, when this is over we'll all have a great time at the lake next week, okay?" He knew what she was doing. Trying to make them remain calm while she centered all the negativity on herself. To the Grimm she would be like a signal flare... allowing them to slip by.
"We love you too," they all echoed.
Goodbye, mother.
For this life only… he would come back and save her the next time. If he tried and failed now, however… then she wouldn't get another chance. Nor would Ruby, Pyrrha or all the rest of his friends.
Vale wouldn't get another chance.
This was bigger than him. Bigger than her, bigger than the entire Arc family…
It only took another three loud slams for the metal door to be peeled aside. Any hope of closing it was lost as it slammed off its hinges, fetid air pouring in as the beast lowered its massive frame to fit inside the cramped room.
It didn't even notice them as it pushed through the door. Eyes focused on the woman waving her arms before it. Jaune kept a tight hold of Amber, one hand covering her mouth, the other her eyes. He was the most experienced on here, though they didn't know it.
When they got out, it would be up to him to make sure they didn't crack. That they didn't make a mistake that might cost them their lives too.
"Go now," Juniper shouted as they slipped past the beast. Amber couldn't see the monster but trusted him to guide her. She quaked in his grasp, but he made sure she was safely tucked away where it couldn't reach her, "remember to find your father!"
Jaune was the last to leave the room. Pushing Amber through the doorway as he turned for one final look at the woman who had raised them all. He could barely see her. Just her face through the gap between the Grimm's arm and body. She met his eyes though, softly smiling at him.
She even waved…
"Take Amber," Jaune said as he pushed the girl into Sapphire's arms. "I'll close the door, you go and get help."
"Jaune-"
"I'll catch up," he snapped, looking back as he reached in for the ruined door. "Trust me, I promise."
"R-Right, come on girls…" the seven of them quickly fled, trusting him to do what was necessary. The moment took barely a second. Even so it was enough for Jaune to feel a stab of guilt.
Another promise broken, I guess you can't teach an old dog new tricks.
His mother didn't see him as he slipped into the room. He arrived just in time to see her body slam against the opposite wall, her hands clutching at her bleeding leg in an effort to stem the flow of blood. Her children safe and gone she had finally allowed the terror she felt to show. He could see her shaking – tears running down her cheeks like waterfalls.
The roar that left Jaune's throat shocked them all. The Grimm tried to turn, its huge form struggling for positioning in the tiny bunker. It couldn't properly manoeuvre and its shoulder slammed into the ceiling, but it managed to swing an arm at him nonetheless. It was fast… incredibly fast – but Jaune had known where it would swing beforehand. So used to them was he, that he could to a degree predict how they would move.
He could see the muscles as they coiled. Identify their mannerisms – the small flexes they made before each strike. It was something only the most experienced of Hunters could boast of… but he'd had the cruelest teacher of all.
"Jaune, no!" His mother screamed pointlessly, trying to drag herself towards the fight to stop him. It was far too late for that.
Jaune felt his left hand break as he smashed a fist into its snout. The concussive force of it enough to knock its face to the side. The pain was pathetic, nothing compared to what he'd faced before, but the reminder that he lacked aura was a grim one. There could be no mistakes… there wouldn't be any second chances. Not in this life, anyway.
Ducking beneath its next strike, Jaune rolled between the monster's legs – taking the brief moment to crack his hand back into place. His fingers seared as he flexed them, but he could at least move them once more. Fighting with his fists was clearly out and he didn't have a weapon to hand. Crocea Mors might be upstairs still, but that wasn't of any use right now. Blue eyes flicked left and right, categorising everything in an instant as old instincts kicked in.
The battlefield was to his advantage. It limited the movements of the enemy, while providing him with the space he needed. The stone walls themselves could serve as weapons, he might be able to cause it to hurt itself attacking him. There were a few pipes running down one wall, likely going from the boiler to provide heat and hot water to the house.
There wasn't so much as a wooden broom otherwise.
"Jaune, run!"
"I'm trying to concentrate," Jaune snapped, never once taking his eyes off the beast. It had turned to face him now and was snarling in rage. Such pointless hate…
Thick legs coiled, muscles flexing as it lowered itself onto all fours. Jaune did the same, tensing across from it as he prepared his own jump. An intelligent opponent would have adapted. Hesitated or considered what his actions might be. The Beowolf simply leapt towards him, slicing its claws horizontally in a move that would surely have torn him two had it connected. Juniper screamed.
So too did the pipes behind him as he dodged. Expelling great gouts of steam and water towards the ceiling. The skin of his hand seared as he directed the steam into the Beowolf's face, earning a howl as the creature fell back, blinded. One boot slammed against the bottom half of the other pipe, knocking it from the wall as cold water sloshed onto the floor.
It wasn't Crocea Mors… but three feet of solid iron was still just that. It was comfort enough that he had anything in his hands.
He couldn't hesitate, however. Not when it still had so much more strength than he. The Grimm howled as the pipe struck the side of its face, distorting flesh and bone as the creature's body slumped to the side. Red eyes, half-sealed by steam, focused on him with primal anger. He knocked them aside with another blow, swinging the pipe more like bat than a sword. Again he focused on the head, aiming for the snout since it had the least armour. A few sharp teeth pinged from its jaw as it fell back. One even stuck into Jaune's shoulder. It earned nothing more than a grunt.
A claw slashed out, he stepped back – stepping closer when it had passed to deliver an overhead strike between its eyes. The Grimm fell to one knee, struggling to remain standing. He struck again.
Again and again, over and over like some kind of lumberjack methodically working on a thick trunk. His arms burned, his fingers chafed – the vibrations of each blow had his bones rattling within his body. "Die!" he screamed, lifting once more to swing like a golf club – shattering much of its jaw. It wouldn't have his mother – it wouldn't!
He'd lived so long without family, so long without either of his parents – and now this… this single Beowolf – thought it could take that away?
How dare it!?
He'd killed hundreds of its kind – thousands even! With his team… alone… wherever they were, they had slain them. This one would be like all the others! Blue eyes met red as he swung the pipe back up over one shoulder, his rage matched that of the beast's perfectly.
Blue eyes widened. "Oh…" he glanced down. Angry red trails burned across his stomach. Four furrows digging through his flesh as the Beowolf's claw fell limply to the floor. It almost seemed to be smiling at him as it finally gave in, snout twisted in a bestial grin - slick with blood. The pipe descended to end it; breaking through bone and muscle in a gory explosion that sent blood flying across the room.
The iron pipe clattered to the ground.
He followed it.
"Jaune…" Juniper dragged herself forward, leaving a trail of blood behind her. "Jaune, please…"
There was another roar from upstairs, one which caused them to flinch. The others, they- the roar cut off, overpowered by another – infinitely more powerful one. "Juniper, Jaune!?" his father's voice was filled with agony. "Answer me!"
"We're here!" Juniper half-shouted, half-sobbed, finally reaching Jaune's side as he sunk onto his rear against the wall. He could feel something slip around inside of him – a great gush of blood spilling from the wounds across his abdomen.
Damn thing had nearly disembowelled him… it would have been kinder if it had. Now he was going to bleed to death.
He hated bleeding to death… it was so prolonged.
"Stay with me baby, stay with me," hands touched his face as he was lowered to the floor. No doubt she was trying to limit the blood loss by making sure there was no part of his body above the wound. He tried to tell her it was useless, but the words wouldn't form.
Great, now he was going into shock too. How irritating.
"Juni- Jaune, no!" and there was his father, skidding into the room and throwing Crocea Mors to the side. The ancestral blade skittered across the stone floor, blood flicking as it spun.
"Others," Jaune managed to grit out, "sisters…"
"Alive – they're alive," Nicholas rushed, hands rushing over Jaune's body as he assessed the damage. "You idiot, damn it, damn it. Don't you dare fucking die." The man was crying… so was his mother. They were both in tears as they tried to stem the bleeding.
He tried to say sorry. Tried to tell them not to worry – that it probably wouldn't matter. But the blood loss was starting to get to him, drowning sight and sound away as darkness crept at the edges of his vision.
"He's dying…" she sobbed.
"He won't," Nicholas said, "I won't allow it."
Through the dull haze Jaune felt something heavy press down on his chest, words barely reaching his ears as he slipped away. I wonder what will happen… when I die here? I just wish… I just wish I could have had a little more time with them.
"For it is in our passing that we achieve immortality," Pyrrha? "-by our example we become a martyr for the glory of others." No… it was… different. "Selfless in sacrifice, bound by duty, I release your soul," a pause, "and by my hand… place this burden upon thee."
And like an old motor stirring to life… Jaune's aura flickered.
Long chapter is long. You know what, I hate timeskips, I really do. I just could not see a way out of them here. I'm sure a few people might say they could have read two years' worth of chapters – and they probably could. Some people like that kind of thing… I kinda do as well – so long as I don't have to write it xD
But the plan I have does not include 20 chapters of him growing up. I tried to give a sense of time here – these are all a few months apart, and it ends three months or so before Beacon. I've tried to show in what ways he is developing here, but hey-ho – I think there will be some who worry Jaune is becoming OoC.
All I can say is… make your own call. You can trust that I have a plan and give it a go, or if you don't like it – ah well, that's life I guess. This fic will not be a harem – I will state again. Jaune has had sex with women, it's not the same as being married to them. People have sex, but that's all it is. Nor is he some kind of lady-killer, as I tried to explain in the chapter - he just from all his repeats who will and won't. Consider it the results of his experimental stage early on.
Anyway, hope you enjoyed it – and remember; everything here, happened for a reason. There are always hints to be had if you dig deep and ask why. ;-)
Also I hope you don't think Jaune felt under powered at the end there. He doesn't have aura or training - yet he was still able to kill a Beowolf with nothing more than his bare hands. I mean he broke his fist on it, reset it, splashed steam in its face then tore a pipe off a wall to beat it to a pulp. 0.o - that's pretty badass.
Beta Notes:
Spoiler Alert- Jaune dies next chapter!
Psh, yeah right. Least believable April Fool's ever.
It's hard to put say too much about this chapter because most of my thoughts really have to do with the next chapter, or much later, so here's some writer tips of betaing.
One of the fun parts of being beta- making little suggestions to hit The Feels here or set up chekov's guns there- is mixed by the tension of not spoiling those setups that will pay off in the distant future. Being a beta is a bit of a wrestle- you have to challenge someone's ideas, but no when not to press- but for anyone trying to do that, here's the tip. If you're a beta making suggestions, always have a reason for what you suggest. And if you're a writer, always have a reason to refuse (even if that reason is, sometimes, 'I don't feel like that' or 'that's not the story I want to tell'). That's the sort of mutual openness and respect that do anything from small tweaks like Balloona Mors versus Crocea Balloon (Balloon Death versus Yellow Ballon- which would you want for a weapon) to avoiding plot pitfalls (which of course Coeur would never, ever do... right?) Having a beta to bounce idea off is what turned this story from a vague idea to a credible outline with Themes and Plotlines and Stuff. Always good to have a rough idea of what you want to write before you try writing it.
But what's also charming about being a betas, even if one of is a filthy casual hobbiest and the other is Coeur Al'Aran, is the occasional little nod that sneaks in. There's an entire joke segment here Coeur put in as a nod to something he beta'd for me- a one shot that's just gone up today, actually. If you want to know what it is, check out 'A Talk Worth Having' by yours truly- a nice bit of cheer to offset this chapter's end.
Cheers,
College Fool
Check out College Fool's new one-shot by the way, it's very funny ;) - available on my favourites list!
Next Chapter: 15th April
. com (slash) Coeur