Man I had this on my mind, and I couldn't shake it off. So what do devoted fans do, we Fanfic it!...Well, that was terrible! In any case, I've seen many great art on Deviant Art, and one in particular gave me inspiration. And here it is, my first JaunexNeo Fanfic. I'm not particularly fond of Dark fics, nevertheless, it did not stop me from writing! Please do enjoy, if at all possible to enjoy a Dark fic.
Amongst the ruins of a once fortified city, a bloodied huntress ran as fast as her legs could, glancing back to make sure she was gaining ground. The burned down rubble, rotting bodies already picked to the bone, sun that no longer shun detailed this landscape better than any text in books. Reaching the end of the street, she ran into an old park. The place where it all began, when the city was destined to fall, and friends who became enemies. One in particular, striking in a time when every ally was needed, turning coats for his own manifesto. His actions severed the idea of trust, hunting all of them down until only she remained.
When reaching the middle of the park, her worst fear struck, literally. A blonde man swooped down, striking the floor with such force she was sent flying back. Landing hard on the ground, she tried getting up, but the fatigue of their previous skirmish still lingered. His foot slammed down on her chest, causing even more blood to spill from her mouth. Eyes glanced up weakly, her once friend glared down on her with a devilish smile.
"Jaune, why're you doing this?" Her voice was hoarse, the blood in her mouth gurgled.
The figure's face was revealed from the light of the moon, his once sweet nature replaced with a murderous monster. "Don't be so surprised Blake, we all knew I didn't belong at Beacon. Everyone knew I didn't belong."
"What about Pyhrra?"
Jaune was taken aback by that name, his first partner, inspiration, and first victim. His smile faded for a second, before it returned. "What does it matter now?"
"I cared about you! Didn't that matter?!" Blake shouted, her voice echoing throughout the hollow streets. Just as Jaune was about to drive his blade into her chest, he remembered her kindness. Although it wasn't always so direct, she did care somewhat for him. His hands shook slightly, then violently as he dropped his sword. Using his hands to shield his face.
"Jaune?" Blake noticed his sudden reaction, believing she finally reached him, rose up from the floor. "Jaune?" When she moved the hands that covered his face, she was greeted with a blank expression, followed by his hand stabbing her stomach.
Her widened eyes stared at his cold blue orbs, his emotionless expression showed no remorse for his actions. Tears shed from her eyes as her breathing slowed. "J-Jaune...I thought..."
The blonde only smiled "Yes, we were friends. But none of it matters anymore."
He removed his hand, watching her fall while trying to grip his shirt. "Jaune, I'm your friend..." Her body hit the floor hard, blood flowing out from her fatal wound, amber eyes losing their light, and her last breath exhaling.
Meanwhile, Jaune only grinned while bowing slightly. "So then you shouldn't take this personal, I'm just doing my job. I am sorry, honestly." The dishonesty in his tone was easy to detect, had she still been breathing. Jaune took one last look at her, then began walking away. Just as he did, another figure's shadow had appeared. He drew his sword at the arrival, the sound of metal making contact with the cracked concrete echoed throughout the city. The figure's outline matched his latest victim, he tried turning away, but every moment he turned away, the figure stayed within his line of vision.
Something suddenly threw him down on his knees; its presence overwhelmed him to the point where breathing was hard.
"What've you done?" He glanced up, a blonde woman clothed in white glared down on him. "Are you determined to prove how much of a monster you've become? What kind of sick creature would kill his own friends!?"
Jaune's aura began acting awry, bringing up memories he once suppressed, and this woman made hiding them all the more hard. He stiffened himself, "They were never my...friends." His lie brought upon more specters of his victims; Nora and Yang. Both staring down on him with sympathy, than anger. Their presence caused Jaune to slam his head on the concrete, hoping the impact would strengthen his amnesia. Little did he know, it would only cause more pain than what he currently felt.
"Then why does your heart say otherwise? And are you going to try and tell me Blake was only saying things to stay alive!?"
"They were all lies! They never cared!"
"Then why are you in so much pain!?"
What felt like a blunt hit to the head had Jaune's eyes close for a second, then reopen to find more of what he tried to rid himself of; Weiss, Ren, Velvet, Sun, Neptune, Ruby, and Pyhrra. All of them surrounded him; neither showed a glimpse of anger. The feelings he once discarded began emerging all at once. So much he couldn't fight the rising tears anymore.
"Pull yourself together boy. If you're so strong, then brush aside these feelings just as you have before. Or are you such a coward you have to hide these memories just so you could kill them?"
"They're not my friends; I gave that up years ago to perfect my power? Blake and the others meant nothing to me!"
His stubborn lies finally triggered the figure to react on her own accord. Grabbing Jaune by his shirt, bringing him face to face with her, almost a mirrored image of his former self. "YOU STUBBORN FOOL! YOU THINK BY TELLING YOURSELF THIS, IT WON'T AFFECT YOU?!" She gripped his head, forcing him to face his friends. "LOOK AT THEM, CAN YOU NOT HEAR THEIR SOULS CRYING OUT! YOU ABANDONED THEM, YOUR REAL FAMILY, THREW THEM AWAY LIKE TRASH!"
Jaune shook his head, tears raining down uncontrollably, unable to handle the emotions that were breaking down the barrier he set keep his heart from breaking down on him. Closing his eyes to these specters didn't do any good, flashbacks played constantly.
"And even now, the girl you travel with, you think you can love her after all you've done?! Fool, if you're able to kill your own friends with ease, then very soon, you'll lose Neo just as those you killed before!"
She released his clothing, allowing Jaune to fall. By then, his stubbornness finally crumbled. 10 years of bottled up feelings burst all at once. His cries were louder than the howls of the Grimm that now take up residence in what used to be Vale. He held Blake's body close to his, allowing what he couldn't for so long. He felt the pain, every moment of what he did, relived in a single night.
From afar, Neo broke her semblance. It hurt her to do this to him, but he needed this. She watched every kill he made, watched him walk away hiding the burst of tears that wanted to escape.
Jaune joined Cinder's group before the incident in Vale, catching Neo's eye almost instantly was his ability to communicate with her without the need for actual speech.
It was revealed that Cinder's goal was to start a revolution within the kingdom of Vale, and create a coalition of varies groups labeled 'outcasts' or 'radicals' by the government. Their plans were rough the first few years, but thanks to Jaune, many of Vale's valuable hunters fell. In the coalition, he was recognized as a hero, idolized by those who were wronged by the kingdoms. Though in the books of the government, he was one of the greatest turncoats in history. Killing his entire team, and those closest to him with no remorse. Then proceeded to make every attempt of retaking the kingdom all the more impossible.
Even when the coalition succeeded in their plans, many loyal Vale hunters remained, leaving Jaune with the duty to hunt them all down. Neo accompanied him by her own choice, being the only person who didn't see him as some heartless killing monster so many labeled him as, but a boy who strove to become stronger, choosing wrong sides, and making mistakes he couldn't amend for.
The following day, Neo walked out to the park were Jaune was burying his fallen friend. He noticed her, and smiled slightly. "Unusual of me, right? That was a pretty show you put on for me last night."
"?"
"C'mon Neo, you think I wouldn't recognize your semblance after spending 10 years with you?"
"...?"
"Mad? Let me think..."
He walked up to her; his expressionless face had her frightened. That is, until he embraced her, tightly.
"I don't deserve you...but...I..."
"...?"
"I can't lose you either."
Neo's eyes began running rivers of their own, wrapping her arms around him. After a few minutes Jaune pulled away, wiping away her tears. "Which is why, we need to go our separate ways."
"!?"
He removed her hold on him, pointing towards the docks. "The coalition scouts will be waiting, tell them I was successful, but I didn't survive. It won't be long until the other 3 kingdoms rain down on Cinder's coalition, and we both know what happens to traitors like me. So like I've done before, and as I will do for the rest of my miserable life, I'm going to run. But I don't want you to suffer for my sins. So just...leave."
Jaune left a flower on Blake's grave, sheathing his sword before leaving without saying another word to Neo. One thing that illusion taught him; if Neo stuck with him when a bounty hunter came about, she would undoubtedly get hurt or worse. Just as he took another step, a single word stopped him.
"No"
He turned to the once silent girl who finally spoke. It was quick, and soft, but sweet and mellow. She didn't expect her intervention to result to this, nor would she allow what was transpiring to continue.
It didn't take much for Jaune to snap back to reality, remembering how stubborn she was when it came to what she wanted. And if she wasn't going to leave his side, by Monty there wasn't a force on Remnant to stop her.
"I hope you realize if we go together, we can't stay in one place for too long. And if we do, it's got to be someplace no one can find or recognize us, because there won't be a bounty hunter alive who'll be able to resist taking my down. Plus, I'm the only company you'll ever have if that happens."
Neo nodded, smiling and fully accepting his proposal. Much to Jaune's disappointment, he didn't get to hear her voice again. "Is there ever a moment I'll get to hear your voice again, a 'yes' maybe?"
Her response was her right index finger pointing to her left hand's fourth finger. And a small blush in her cheeks. Once Jaune's mind got the message, he blushed deeply.
Upon their leave, Jaune took only one look back at what remained of Beacon Academy. Then left with Neo by his side, or more correctly, clinging to his arm. Never to be seen by another living being again.
Just as Jaune predicted, Cinder's coalition was brought to its knees after the other kingdoms finally decided to act. The woman in question escaped, leaving Roman to pay for her crimes, and the kingdom of Vale in shatters. There were attempts, but no one could clear the City of Vale of its Grimm infestation. Marking the city as another of the worst tragedies in human history. The name Jaune Arc was remembered as one of the most powerful warriors to ever exist in Remnant, and the worst of turncoats. The hunt for him was intense, sought out mainly by the families of his victims. Yet, no one ever finding a single solid lead.
Many remembered him as an inspiration; others placed him alongside the list of mistakes that were born to Remnant. Though in the many years that followed after his 'disappearance', only one saw him by what he truly was: her husband.
HAHA! I hate sad endings…which is to say I wouldn't write or read them for the feels. Regardless of what I feel, this author leaves you with a somewhat nice ending. Well, for any who're confused; Neo's seems to be illusions, so in the favorable option to get her partner to open up and be direct with his feelings, a little tough love was needed. Because I think we can all agree; when we look back on who we used to be, many of us would curse what drove us to it. And now I bid you my faithful readers, farewell.
