Hello ladies and gentlemen. I have returned with another chapter... Or at least half a chapter. Let me explain. This story was originally meant to have 5 chapters, rather than 5 chapters in more than 5 publishings. I didn't want you all waiting for so long, and I was a bit anxious. There are other stories in my head as well. I have the bulk of the story in my head, and the details come along as I make the rough draft. When it comes to rough drafts, you leak ideas that you wouldn't come up with when doing instructional work, like making the final draft, that you see here. In those ideas you dig through dirt, that is grammar, unnecessary dialogue, etc. But within that dirt, you find gold that you feel would be nice to establish. And that gold consists of *sigh* flashbacks that take up most of this half chapter. But that's to be expected from a mystery or suspense. To make up for it, I made them funny, and one of them having a fight scene that I pray that you'll enjoy. And also, as I paint a target on my head, I might have made something of an OC... Enjoy!
Chapter 2: Sisters In Arms (Part 1)
What makes a friend one's family? A friend can go a long way to do what you need, as well as be what you need. Let it be a favor or an essential task, or a listener or a protector. The same would go for the other person, for they also play the role of a friend. In some circumstances, they can reach a point in which each of their statuses change from going through sensitive stakes. At that point, they are no longer friends, but instead, family. When it comes to family, however, even further ways to favors may be travelled. Favors become priorities, and protectors become brothers or sisters. Even strangers are but friends one has not met yet, as a certain amateur Knight quotes from his beloved mother. Now, there lies a struggle with that same Knight, having a friend whom he does not recognize, yet proves himself a stranger. But who's to say that strangers can not be counted as potential brothers?
(Everything is red, and voices echo. "Get out!"... *A female scream*… The sight of swords clinging and slashing… *A male battle cry*... *Gunshot*... "What's goin-?!"... The faint sight of Pyrrha sitting down… "... -elieve in destiny?"... Pyrrha crying… "I'm sorry!"... *An evil chuckle*... Seeing the ground get closer at high speed, while a scream fades in, getting louder. "-aaaAAAGH!")
"Agh!"
The young Knight, Jaune Arc, wakes up in a cold sweat. He sits up, breathing heavily from his unclear nightmare.
Jaune collects himself, looking around the familiar room he is in. After looking at posters and action figures of Red VS Blue, X-Ray and Vav, and Pumpkin Pete displayed, he knew what room he was in. "This is… my room?"
If Jaune is not in a hospital, then his next guess would have been Heaven, thinking to be an "Arc Angel" before even passing the gates. Instead, he is caught by surprise to be in his bed, considering the new air hole he had received. Remembering such penetration, he lifts up a white tank top that, apparently, he must have been changed into, along with a pair of blue lounge pants. The tank top says, in bold orange letters, "Pumpkin Pete is Somethin' Sweet!" Not only did he notice that the pain in his chest is now minor, but the wound itself is gone. Not even a scar.
Jaune climbs out of bed, and grunts as his whole body feels moderately sore as well. Looking out the window, he sees autumn trees on a late morning. This means to him that he was sleeping a whole day, rather than being in a coma. That does not explain his deep wound being healed so efficiently, however. "Maybe my aura activated subconsciously… again?"
Putting his previous injuries aside, Jaune chooses to walk towards his door in hopes of finding answers. Before he reaches the door, he sees his room's chair with his previous clothes, armor, and Crocea Mors, neatly displayed. Next to them on his desk, he sees all that was left of Pyrrha's gear. His eyes slowly water up, but he shakes it off and continues to the door.
As Jaune turns the knob, the door flies open before he could even pull it. At the bottom of the door, Ren and Nora fall from leaning on it, while they were still asleep. From Jaune's perspective, Nora was using Ren as her personal dog bed.
"Wha-?! Ren?! Nora?!" The fall and Jaune's voice wakes up Ren, while Nora still sleeps.
"*Yawn* ...Good morning Jaune!" Ren grabs Jaune's hand, and brings him in for a hug while greeting him. "It's so great to see you awake and alive!" Jaune hugs him back. This is the happiest Jaune has ever seen his Tranquil Marksman.
After hugging, Jaune goes ahead to ask his questions. "Hey, Ren! What are you guys doing here? What- What are WE doing here at my house? ...Is Ruby okay?!"
Ren tries to answer, but him and Jaune hear fast footsteps coming from down the hall they were standing in. The steps stop, and they see a young lady, but older, standing down the hall. "Jauney?!"
"Catherine?!" Jaune recognizes the lady as Catherine Arc, his youngest older and seventh sister.
Catherine looks like a shorter, stocky, bubbly, female version of Jaune. She has light blue eyes and blonde pigtails with a longer loose ponytail. Her choice of attire is similar to her brother's, except more advanced with shinier armor and a scale mail skirt. She wears a leather jacket under her armor and high boots, instead of a hoodie and sneakers. Barely under her scale mail skirt, she has cute, girly, pink designs on her jeans.
Jaune smiles a wide grin, happy to see his sister, whom he still lives with. Catherine stands there with pure watery joy in her eyes and extends her arms out in his direction. Seeing her arms out, Jaune holds his wide smile, but widens his eyes in fear. He knows what is going to happen is no regular hug.
Jaune's whole body is being pulled by some invisible force towards Catherine's open arms. He screams while going at a high speed down the hall. She jumps up in the air and grabs him with her arms and legs. They twirl, and Jaune's backside slams on the wall, reminding him how sore he is from waking up.
"By Oum, I'm so glad you're okay, Jauney!" Catherine holds Jaune for a while, as he stands and pats her back. In less than a minute, he picks her off of him, and she wipes her face. While hanging from his extended arms at the same height level, he catches his squeezed out breath. "I'm alright, Catty. Thanks." He smiles and set her down. Even though she is his older sister, she is the closest at his age among their other sisters. At times, Jaune had to play the older brother.
"*Sigh*. Now, can someone please tell me what's going on?" Jaune's attention was on both Ren and Catherine, seeing who could explain last night's devastation.
Ren walks in to Jaune and Catherine's space. "Right. So, a few minutes after getting on the ship, an Atlas soldier came in with yours and… Pyrrha's gear." He was hesitant, remembering their fallen Spartan Champion. "Then you told us what all you discovered, and fainted from blood loss and exhaustion."
Jaune recalls those memories, but not the ones from being unconscious. "Yeah. I remember now. But like, what happened while I was out?"
Ren continues to fill Jaune and Catherine in. "Yes. When you had passed out, Nora and I went ahead to take our seats on the ship."
("Jaune!" In sink, Ren and Nora call out his name. Nora continues to cry and hold Ren.
One of the Atlas soldiers onboard excuses them. "The ship is taking off. We need you both to grab a seat." Ren and Nora slowly walk away from the Knight, with the his and their Spartan's gear and weapons. The soldier has his hands on their backs for comfort, as well as guidance to their seats. They sit with sad glances at one another.
"Don't worry, kids. According to your leader's vitals, he'll pull through with all that aura he has stored in himself. I've never seen anyone with that much aura before though! Our scanners read low amounts at first, but that was only because his body didn't naturally activate it like most folks for some reason. It's strange... But, the medics are trying to get that taken care of, and then patch him up good when they're done… As for your Red-Hooded friend, we don't know what's going on with her, but no major wounds. She probably just needs some rest."
The soldier's words bring a little relief to Ren and Nora, even while forcing a smile. They know Jaune had little practice with aura, unlike Ruby and every other student at Beacon, but they did not know how much he really had stored within himself. "Thank you. We really appreciate what you all are doing." Ren places his hand on Nora's shoulder, who was still looking down.
"Also, I'm… sorry for your loss… I know what it's like. I lost a pal in arms years ago… I even lost a few today." The soldier's words make the atmosphere a little sadder than before. "But do me a favor, and don't let this feel like the end for you or your friends. Let this loss be your gain as Hunters and Huntresses, and give you an even greater reason to fight. Remnant could use kids like you all."
Nora musters the strength to sit up from the soldier's motivational lecture. "Thank you *sniff*. We will... We'll be okay." Ren rubs her shoulder out of admiration. The soldier nods his head and walks off, leaving them be.
Ren and Nora lean back in their seats, sad and exhausted, trying to get even a little bit of sleep. Across from them, they feel eyes watching them lie down, then sit back up. Team BRNZ, the team that Team JNPR(Nora) defeated in the tournament, have been watching them with sad expressions. Brawnz Ni, the leader, leans over to conversate.
"Hey… You're friends fought bravely. Both of them. I can tell from the way you guys fought in the tournament." More encouraging words come to Ren and Nora's hearts. "You're leader might've seemed a bit goofy back when we fought, but overall, determined. His battle wounds and the girl he saved proves it too."
Nora can not help herself, but to smile. "Thanks. You guys weren't bad yourselves. I especially enjoyed your Cattle Prod from before!" She is referring to Nolan Porfirio, and his electrifying weapons.
Nolan recalls his trip through a boulder, and laughs at her comical compliment. "Of course!"
May Zedong, the team's sniper, takes out a small piece of paper. "If you guys need anything, we'll be back home in Vacuo." She writes the necessary contact information for them to be reached by their scrolls, or by visiting. "Just give us a call."
Ren takes the paper and places it in his sleeves. "We appreciate your offer. Should we need any help, we'll be sure to reach you."
Roy Stallion sits up to pay his respect. "Any time, 'Flower Power'!" His respects start off by making all six students laugh with his reminder of their match. The ship starts livening up a little more. "It was an honor to fight against the legendary champion, Pyrrha Nikos. If only we had more time... But one thing's for sure, Team BRNZ is always itchin' to whoop some ass!" He brings his saw to Brawnz's claw, having a weaponized bro-fist moment. Roy brings his voice down in a dramatic tone "... Nobody has to be alone in this. Something's out there, and it's gonna be everybody's fight again, eventually." Ren and Nora nod in agreement.
It is a beautiful thing for people like soldiers and students, whom you have shared battlegrounds with, try their best to bring hope on even a grim night, like such. This lifts up part of Ren and Nora's worries, as they drift to sleep. Their sleep lasts for only a few minutes before the ship lands.)
" … And then we fell asleep until we reached the city hospital." Ren ends the prologue of the story before Jaune interjects.
"Wow. I'll have to thank everybody if I ever see them again. And… thank you Ren, for saving my life!" Jaune hugs Ren again. "And Nora too! I-I wouldn't have been able to make it out of there with Ruby and Weiss, if you-." In the middle of his gratefulness, his worries and concerns came back. "Wait, what happened with Ruby and Weiss?! Is Ruby oka-?!"
Catherine steps in front of Jaune to calm him down. "Look, Jauney, I know that you just woke up, and you have a lot of questions, but you're too stressed out right now. And I doubt you guys had anything to eat since last night." She waits for a response, and gets stomach growls from both Jaune and Ren to compensate. "Downstairs, in the dining room! Time for breakfast!"
Jaune can not help but accept Catherine's demand. He smiles and nods. "Okay. That soun-."
"*Snore* Pancakes! …*Gasp* Jaune!" Nora, the Hyper-Hearted Smasher, wakes up to the announcement of breakfast. However, that is forgotten by seeing her leader awake. From her previous position on the ground, she jumps 10 feet to Jaune across the hall.
"Oh, Oum! Not again!" Jaune gets tackled to the ground, reminding him of the sad truth that pain is part of his life, and will keep on coming. "Ow…"
"Oops! Sorry Jaune. Hehehe. I'm so glad you're okay! You know, with the bruises and chest wound. Not me jumping on you, I mean. That was my fault." Nora was still holding Jaune, who was lying on the ground with a wobbling head, and twitching body. "I'll just… get up now." Nora cheerfully jumps up to her feet and reaches for the ground. She grabs Jaune by the back of his tank top with one hand. He stands up, but with little balance.
"Now, I heard 'breakfast'! Was that you, Ren? Is it pancakes?! Tell me it's pancakes!" Nora looks at Ren with the same overflowing excitement she expresses regularly.
All Catherine does is watch and enjoy her brother and Nora's performance, with Ren in the middle. "Hahahaa! I love you kids already! I'll make you guys my brother and sister, yet! Now, I'll be the one making breakfast this morning, and we'll see if you like 'my' pancakes, Nora. You all can talk in the dining room, and I'll start cooking."
Catherine makes her way to the kitchen. She turns on some music that sounds out around the whole house. The house is a modern upper-high class family setup, combining Medieval Knight theme decorations and relics. The three remainders of Team JNPR go to the dining room, and take a seat at the long table. Jaune starts massaging his own neck to help cope with his soreness. "Okay, Ren. So where's Ruby right now? And… what was that stuff going on with Weiss and those soldiers?"
Ren takes out his scroll and tinkers with its unresponsive signals. "I'm not entirely sure where Ruby is. She's either at the hospital, or more than likely at home. She just needed some rest, the medics said. Nora and I tried contacting her, but Vale's signals from Beacon's tower are down."
Ren puts away his scroll, seeing his efforts are less than affective. "As for Weiss, Atlas soldiers took her away by orders of her father, Mr. Schnee. So she should be safe at home."
Jaune thinks on the update of yesterday's events, now with a lighter, relieved heart. "Those soldiers were kinda rough on her. Does Weiss' father know how they treated her?… I'll worry about that later. Okay. We should probably hike out to find a regular satellite some time today, see if that doesn't work. Thanks, Ren… So, what happened when we got to the hospital?"
"Right, as I was. So the medics carried you out of the ship. After you, it was Ruby, and then from a further corner, they carried Yang."
("Everybody, stand clear. As soon as the medics leave the back hatch, you all may exit in two single file lines. On the right, if you're staying with loved ones being hospitalized. Everyone else, on the left so we can inspect your health." The Atlas soldiers were giving instructions to ensure organization to all of the students. Everybody remained seated as the medics and soldiers onboard made their exit. Once the last stretcher was out, Ren and Nora immediately sprint to the stretcher that was carrying Jaune, while they carry the gears and weapons.
Inside the hospital, it is bright and extremely hectic. There are crowds of doctors and nurses moving fast, around a higher number of injured civilians. Fortunately, even with the stretchers adding on to the crowd, they were efficiently being guided for help by a nurse upon arrival.
From a distance Ren and Nora can see Ruby and Yang being set on operating beds in different rooms. Although they may have had a traumatizing experience, it is minor comparing to the stake Jaune is in. So, they both stay in the same room as him, as worried as they were for their other friends.
Jaune was no longer bleeding, and he was still breathing. He has bruises, and more bruises covered by the bandages on his shirtless body. Ren and Nora find more relief to see him slightly better, and in good hands. The nurses start exchanging vitals and other information from the medics and soldiers upon their previous treatment.
Suddenly, a doctor with long blonde hair strides in the room, looking down at Jaune with a horrified face. Ren and Nora stand their with confused expressions, thinking the same thing: Does she know Jaune? Their question is answered from the doctor's interesting response. "Nurse, have patience with me, but is this one of your impaled patients?! Jaune Arc, who looks so pale from being impaled?!" The nurse blankly stares at the doctor for a few seconds, and then looks at the clipboard in his hand. "... Uh yes, Dr. Punkelman. From Beacon Academy."
The doctor sounds appalled, yet hard to take serious, from hearing the school Jaune came from. "Beacon Academy?! You gotta be A-kidding me of that Academy! He was there, during the catastrophe of Beacon A-castrophe?!" She runs out of the room towards the outside. The nurse heavily sighs from the doctor, and her choice of words. Ren and Nora look at each other, wondering what is happening. The doctor goes outside, and a few moments later, a loud, suffering screech, coming from the outside, is heard by the whole hospital, causing everyone to stop.
Nora recognises the screech from a smashing performance she had conducted with her team once. "That sounded like a Deathstalker!"
The Non-Hunter educated nurse is unaware of the being she had stated. "'The fuck is a Deathstalker?"
There is another screech, but it is cut off by numerous, angry gunshots and a furious thud. That same thud makes the ground shake. And as if that earthquake-like thud was not felt, everybody continues working.
Returning back to Jaune, Dr. Punkelman runs with somebody who is talking through a military handheld radio. "-disposed of all the high-risk Grimm near the perimeter, and Charlie Team has relieved me of my post. Over."
"...Good to go. Over, out." The other person through the radio ends the call after a few beeps.
The other person with the doctor has weaponized gauntlets that are smoking black, signaling that she is responsible for the loud Deathstalker's end. "*Gasp* Jaune!"
Catherine Arc: Huntress Graduate from Beacon Academy, Head Security Guard of Vale General Hospital, as well as an occasional voluntary surgeon, friend of Dr. Punkelman, and sister of the patient before her.
"Okay, I need everybody out of the room. Immediately! Dr. Punkelman, stay here!" Catherine starts taking off her gauntlets, and washing her hands.
The same nurse from before escorts everybody out of the room, including Ren and Nora. "Okay everybody, let's step. Let Ms. Arc take it from here." Everybody leaves the room, and the nurse starts to close the door. Before the door closes, Ren notices the name of the new suspicious Knight cladded lady. He has a glimpse of Catherine placing her hands on Jaune's wound, with no gloves on. This brings concern to his thoughts. The door closes, and Ren and Nora stare at the closed door. Through the creaks and edges of the door, there is a bright white light coming out of the door. Ren and Nora stand there with both worry and surprise in their faces.)
"So it was you who healed me, Catherine? That makes sense, now that I think about it. I should've known." Jaune puts the pieces together of what took place during his unconscious episode. Meanwhile, Ren is left unsure of his recovery in that short period and with Jaune's minor practice on aura.
"Actually, that reminds me of something I've been meaning to ask you, Ms. Arc. It's been on my mind, but I've been too tired to ask." Ren turns his attention towards Catherine in the kitchen, right next to the dining room.
Catherine has her chest plate and jacket off. She is wearing her scale mail armor, forming a skirted tank-top. "Oh Ren, you can just call me 'Catherine'. Or 'Catheter', like my friend at work. Or even 'Catty', like Jauney does!"
"Catty! Er, I mean, Cat-Catherine!" Jaune shouts and blushes from calling her by her nickname. Nora laughs at Jaune's response.
"Oops! Hehe! Sorry… But they're part of the family now, Jauney. It's okay." Catherine(Catty) continues cooking, now adding in the ingredients.
Jaune squints his eyes out of confusion from Catherine's last comment. "That's the second time she said something like that today."
Ren laughs nervously. "Okay. So, Catherine, how were you able to heal Jaune's injuries in just a few minutes last night at the hospital?"
"Oh. Through my semblance: Cardiovascularity.
"Fascinating…"
The sound of Catherine's semblance intrigues Nora. "Ooh! So you can like run for miles without ever getting tired?"
"No, Nora." Ren corrects Nora, wondering how someone running can affect someone else's health, let alone, that being a semblance.
"Well, I mean, yeah I can. Miles for days, actually!" Catherine speaks in Nora's defense, but still needs to clarify. "But, I can do more than that."
Ren tries to explain. "See Nora, she has the ability to manipulate blood, as well as the heart… if I'm not mistaken"
"Nope, you're spot on!" Catherine approves Ren's observation. "That includes my own. That's why my friend calls me 'Catheter' at the hospital."
"That explains how you'd make a great lie detector!" Nora is referring to their previous discussion from last night.
"That also explains how you restored Jaune's chest. You manipulated his blood flow to bring in nutrients and form tissues faster." Ren tries to conclude the possibility of Catherine's performance.
"That's also how she pulled me down the hallway, after I've kindly asked her to not do that again!" Jaune angrily recalls his morning wake up, and shivers from his tingling spine.
"Hehehe! Yeah…" Catherine nervously laughs, and scratches the back of her head. "But it wasn't just his body fluids that saved him. It was his aura, really. I just had to bring out the aura that was in his bloodstream, and they did all the work."
"So that light in the operating room was from Jaune?" With that in mind, Ren also recalls the soldier on the ship's claim about Jaune's excessive aura. "Interesting…"
"Wait, my aura? What?" Jaune was slightly oblivious of his aura and how it was released. "So it 'was' my aura! I guess it just needed a little push."
Ren continues the story. "Now, as I was. In just a few minutes after getting out of the room, Catherine and the doctor came out with you in a gown, sitting in a wheelchair. Nora and I were amazed to see your wound and all your other bruises gone. We told Catherine who we were and what we knew that had happened. So she let us ride in one of Atlas' trucks to get you home."
(Outside of the vehicle, a white and light-blue armored truck, is devastation after devastation on the side of the freeway. Most of the Grimm are defeated, but the damages remain. Buildings are destroyed, screams and gunshots can be heard, and motionless cars on the road mean motionless bodies inside. At a distance away from the hospital in Vale's Downtown City from behind, smoke rises from the city, lighting up in reddish orange lights from fires and explosions.
It is hard for Ren, Nora, and Catherine to see such destruction. It is even harder to see their route become safer and more together for them the further they went, while others were still out trying to find their own protection. Catherine has calm, hip music on the radio, rather than terrible news that she was obviously aware of. Ren and Catherine are focusing more on their surroundings, while Nora concerns more about Jaune, laying on her lap in the back seat.
"Pyrrha…" Jaune talks in his sleep, alerting everyone in the car. Nora feels tears watering up in her eyes. "Just hang in there, Jaune. *sniff* You'll be okay."
"We're almost there. Once I drop you all off at the house, we'll put him in bed, and I'll leave you two there to watch over him… As much as I want to be home with him now, the hospital needs at least one Huntress there. So I'm counting on you two!" Catherine herself is beginning to cry a little.
Ren reassures that their life is their team leader's life. "You can count us. Jaune will in good hands."
Pulling up in front of the House of the Arcs, all three of Jaune's loving combatants undo their seatbelts. Nora pulls Jaune out halfway, before Ren steps up beside her. "I got him, Nora. You grab hold of the weapons and gear." Nora passes Jaune to Ren, and he carries him in a bridle style. She moves with a purpose, and gets ahold of Jaune's hoodie, chestplate, Crocea Mors, Milo and Akouo, and Pyrrha's Circlet.
Following Catherine, Ren and Nora jog towards the house, seeing that she is in a rush. The house is a three-story, castle themed house in front of a wide field of grass and trees. It should not come to a surprise to them, knowing that Jaune has a family with seven sisters, but they were not ready for the evidence. Catherine unlocks the door with her keys, and leads Jaune's teammates to his room. They make their way through the house with no lights on. The living room is decorated with family portraits, medieval relics, and various awards, all placed on shelves and hung on walls. A flat screen television set is above the fireplace, but this barely gets Ren and Nora's attention.
Ren and Nora go upstairs, through the hallway, and enter Jaune's room. Catherine has the door open for them to enter. Ren sets Jaune in his bed, and Nora places his belongings on a chair in the room and Pyrrha's on a desk. The young Knight finally rests in his bed after his hard fight for his fiends, and his health. "Thank you both, so much!" Catherine goes over to Jaune and lifts his hair up to give him a kiss on the forehead. "Okay, now I need you two to step out so I can change him." Ren and Nora do as she requests, and close the door behind them.
A few minutes after Catherine puts Jaune in comfortable attire and under his blankets, she steps out to meet his teammates. She tightly group hugs them. "*Sigh* I can't thank you two enough for helping my baby brother come home safely, and everything else you might've done!"
Ren hugs back for comforting. "It was our pleasure. Jaune did the best he could. Now he just needs to rest and reach full recovery." Nora pats back with a warm smile.
Catherine's radio starts to sound off. "HOG (Hunter/Huntress Of the Guard). HOG. This is Charlie Team. What's your status? Over."
Catherine grabs her radio to respond. "Charlie. Charlie. This is HOG. I am in route to GOLF HOTEL (General Hospital). How copy? Over."
"...Solid copy. There have been no Grimm activities for 3, 0, MICs (30 minutes). The SOG (Sergeant Of the Guard) orders that HOG returns back to GOLF HOTEL with an ETA (Estimated Time of Arrival) for Company debrief. How copy? Over."
"... Solid copy. ETA will be 1, 5, MICS. How copy? Over."
"Solid copy. Over."
"Over, out… Well, I have to head back there as soon as possible. When I get back, I'll get a ride for you both so you can head back to your homes.
Ren and Nora are hesitant to respond. Nora tries to speak first. "Um… We-."
Ren, however, interrupts Nora before she could finish. "Yes, of course… Thank you."
Catherine looks at them suspiciously, but continues on. "Okay… Well, the guest bedroom is down here. There's clean blankets, pillows, and sheets that you both can use until... I get back." Catherine opens the door to the room they'll sleep in. She feels uneasy, wondering where Ren and Nora really plan on going when she returns.
"Thank you very much, Ms. Arc. This room and the bed will due very nicely until your return." Ren goes in the room after Nora, walking in sad. Catherine steps out and closes the door, but she does not walk away from the door. Instead, she eavesdrops on Ren and Nora's conversation.
"Ren, where are we gonna go when she gets back?"
"I… I don't know, Nora." As Nora stated back, during the Vytal Festival, they have no parents, nor a home left to go to. "We can stay at a hotel."
"We can't afford a hotel, can we Ren? There might be Grimm out there that might have already destroyed it."
"Well… um… I'll figure something out. Don't worry. We wouldn't want to be a burden to Jaune and his family. They'll have enough to worry about, dealing with what he's been through."
Hearing the whole conversation, Catherine swings open the door, alerting Ren and Nora. "So, where exactly do you two plan on going on such a dreadful night? Home, hopefully!" She teases them with sarcasm, knowing they will more than likely be sleeping in the streets.
"Uh… Well, we we-were… uh, gonna get a hott-!" Nora tries to make an excuse, but is interrupted, once again.
"And don't try to lie, neither. I can read your hearts... literally!" Catherine places a finger on the skin of Nora's heart shaped, cutout, attire on her chest. Her heart is racing fast from the nervous pressure, then briefly slows down to normal. Nora is surprised, having the feeling of instantly calming down for the first time. Even with Catherine's abilities, it does not require a lie detector of any kind to catch stuttering.
"...I must learn that technique, and master it for the sake of having an off button for Nora's!" Ren cut in to back up Nora. "It's okay. We can find our way to stay at a place. We don't want to be a burden to you and your family with how things are now."
Catherine could not help, but feel amusement from Rens' modesty. "Hahahahaa! Now what kind of gentlemen are you to consider strangers' well being when you don't even think about sweet young ladies, like her?" Ren looks at her puppy-dog eyes of Nora staring back, and he blushes.
"It's obvious that you two don't have parents to go home to. Your faces say it all! Hahaha!... You guys are like a brother and sister to Jaune. He said so in the letters he sends me. He spoke of you two… and your friend Pyrrha. So, that means you're family to me too!"
Ren and Nora feel a heavy weight on their hearts lift off after Catherine's home welcoming. They also feel their hearts lifting even higher from Catherine's last statement about Jaune and the mention of Pyrrha. "Welcome to the Home of the Arcs!"
"Thank you!" Nora hugs Catherine with teary gratefulness. She hugs back, feeling appreciation.
"This is… beyond the kindest thing… that anyone has ever done for us. We are very grateful of your catering to us, Ms. Arc." Ren shows his gratefulness with a bow, holding back his tears.
"Of course. Goodnight, new brother and sister!" Catherine makes her way to the door, leaving Ren and Nora.
Ren looks back, and notices a small problem with the room, even with the clean bed setup. "Um, excuse me, Ms. Arc. There's only one bed in here." Ignoring Ren, Catherine closes the door and walks on. Ren could almost swear he hears a chuckle on the other side of the door. "Well Nora, how would you want to do-?" He sees Nora already asleep, under the covers, with an arm stretched out on where Ren should be sleeping. "*Sigh* No sense in debating about it, now. Let's just be grateful we have a room with a full sized bed, and we're not at an alley in a box."
The Ninja Marksman dissembles Storm Flower and his shoes, and gets under the covers, lying beside his Hyper Warrior after moving her arm aside. She scoots in to embrace him, still (allegedly) asleep. "...Just close your eyes, and get some rest... As long as she's calm and comfortable, that's all that matters." Ren falls asleep as he takes in the silence he long waited for.)
"When I woke up, Nora was already standing outside of your door. I did the same, and by the time you had woken up, we fell back to sleep."
Jaune was sitting with an intrigued and thankful expression. "Wow! I-I don't know know what to say! Thank you, guys! Thank you for everything!"
Catherine starts to put the food on four plates. "Of course, Jauney! You're my brother. And these guys are awesome! They went through so much to get you home safe and sound. And they don't even have a home to go to. When mom and daddy get home, we should get them to sign them up for adoption, and make it official! What do you think?"
"Okay, now that's the third time you've been saying stuff like that, Catherine." Jaune starts to sound serious, talking to Catherine. "You said that when Ren and Nora spent the night here, too. I mean, that seems a little too fast, don't you think?"
Jaune does not mind having Ren and Nora as adoptive siblings, as they are already family in arms, but Catherine's approaches felt too bold and rushed. She starts to rethink her thoughts. "Well, yeah, I guess. But, what's another sister and second brother when we already have six sisters? And they all don't even live here anymore. Plus, it got lonely since you went to Beacon, Jauney…" She pulls on her hair, acting sorry. "I just thought we could give you guys a home, and not be out there alone, struggling."
Catherine carries all four plates, and sets them in front of Team JNPR and on her side of the table. Automatically, Ren prays on his food, while Nora indulges her food, and Jaune feels slightly sorry for his sister as she approaches him. "Don't get me wrong, we've been through a lot, even before everything from last night took place. Beacon was like a second home for me, because of my team…" He grows a small grin, as well as Ren, and Nora slows down, eating. "It's just, we've had a lot on our hands to deal with before we could ever consider settling down."
"I like the idea! To have Jaune as a brother, and have a family again." Nora talks with her mouth full, lightening up the gloominess.
"Before we can consider your invitation, Ms. Ar- Catherine, we have some things we need to take care of… Also, we'll need to talk with the parents, Mr. and Mrs. Arc." Ren clarifies the variable solution to calm everybody down.
"Mom and daddy are out securing all of Vale. That'll be a while. But until they get back, we can think on it." Catherine establishes that Ren and Nora have plenty of time to ponder their decision. "So, what did you guys do when the Grimm attacked during the Vytal Festival?"
Jaune starts thinking about the events of when Beacon Academy had fallen. His mind drifts off, looking around the house. When he looks in the living room, something clicks in his head. He had not looked around the living room since he left home for Beacon. It was not until he started getting post-traumatic flashbacks from yesterday that the living room holds a forgotten memory in the back of his head. This tells him that there is a good chance that in his memories, something happened at his house.
Everybody is eating and talking, except for Jaune. Nora is telling what all her and Ren went through before finding Jaune. Occasionally, Ren cuts in to correct her. "And then, we saw Weiss set Jaune down with her Glitch semblance."
"They're called 'Glyphs'."
"He was holding Ruby while wielding her Croissant Rolls! He looked so cool!"
"It's 'Crescent Rose'."
"Then we finally reached Jaune. He was coughing a lot of blood, a LOT of blood, and I grabbed him by the arms, Ren got him by the legs…"
"Other way around… Meh, I guess that didn't matter."
Jaune continues looking in the living room from his seat. He can not put the pieces together on what happened in his home. Then, mounted on the wall, in between multiple swords on sword stands, he sees a white sword stand with red edges, but no sword. He stands up from his seat to walk into the living room.
Ren finishes the story after Nora concludes her plotholed interpretation. "Afterwards, Jaune passes out, and you know the rest. Speaking of which, Jaune, can you tell Catherine what happened before Nora and I found you and Weiss?" Ren notices that he is not in his seat. "Jaune?" Jaune is staring at the sword stand. In the middle of it, there is a red wood carved symbol. The symbol is a fiery red rose in a circle. Recognizing the symbol, he recalls something his foe from last night told him. ("- ask one of your sisters…" "- they'll remember very well.") Everybody's attention is on Jaune. He turns towards Catherine. "Catherine…" Even with her attention, her mouth is stuffed. Rather than wondering if she knew, Jaune cuts straight to the chase, asking her what she does know. "Who is Adam Taurus?"
Catherine drops her silverware and swallows her full mouth empty. Ren and Nora stop eating, seeing her face with sadness and shock. "... How do you know that name?!"
"He was here, wasn't he? He came to this house a long time ago, didn't he?!" With the way how Catherine reacts to Jaune's questions, he only receives evidences, but no direct answers. His sister is too overwhelmed.
"...I knew we should've told you, but daddy didn't want to listen to me. I knew we weren't gonna see the last of him… Not since that day."
"Wait, Catherine…" Jaune's question of who Adam is remains unanswered, even with Catherine confirming that she knows who he is.
"Jaune!" Catherine uses his actual name. "How is it possible that you could remem-?! ...Did Adam do that to you? Your injuries from last night?"
"Y-Yeah… him and I fought. I was up on the tower at Beacon, looking to help Pyrrha… But I was… I was too late. She was nowhere to be found. And I saw Ruby. She was unconscious. I didn't know what was going! … And then, he showed up… I feel like I've seen him before. I KNOW I've seen him before! Like I 'knew' him, but I don't 'know' him. Only his name..."
Catherine stands up from her chair. All eyes are on her. "I'm sorry, Jaune. You wouldn't have as much aura as you do now if it weren't for me. None of this would've happened, and you would've been just fine. But, if I had as much as you now…" She lifts up her scale mail skirt halfway to reveal a scar across the right side of her waist. "... I wouldn't have had this scar, and I could've saved my baby brother!" She starts to cry and covers her face with her hands.
Jaune moves in front of Catherine, and holds her. Ren and Nora stand up to rub her back for comfort. "No no no, Catty! It's okay. T-Their was nothing you could've done! I was at Beacon, and you were out saving people when all this happened. They needed you more, and you were there for them."
Ren tries to add comforting words as well. "There was a tragedy at hand last night, and you acted on it honorably. You did everything you could."
It was Nora's turn to try to energetically help. "Yeah, and plus, you and Jaune are okay! He's alive, and he's home with you. And if he hadn't done what he did, then-."
"No… I wasn't talking about what Adam did to you last night." Catherine slowly sets her hands down. "I guess you don't remember everything… Sorry. You're right, I couldn't have done anything last night. I didn't know… But I could've stopped him back then."
Team JNPR is puzzled. Especially Jaune. "Catherine, what are you talking about?"
To Team JNPR's perception, they thought that Catherine was referring to how she could have helped Jaune at Beacon. But instead, Catherine is referring to… "What Adam did to you last year."
(Under the basement of the House of the Arcs, there lies a wide simulation room, gridded in big white squares. The ceiling and the floor match the three walls that form three-fourths of the space. The fourth wall is a durable one-way mirror with a door, leading to another room for examining, as well as step to the upstairs. The fourth wall is also a young man writing this alternate story about his current favorite anime.
…\(^v^)/...
Catherine Arc, 18 years old, has her hair in pigtails that reach down to her shoulders. She is in full gear, including her gold detailed, silver gauntlets that cover her forearms and hands. They are identical to each other, unlike the attached shoulder plates that shield half of her upper arms. The right shoulder plate is thicker, bearing the Arc Family symbol, while the left one is a thinner plate with sharp, parallelogram-shaped, scale mail connected. "You ready, Jauney?"
"Yeah, hang on." Jaune Arc, 16 years old, has his hair cut in a militant style fade, as well as a few scars on his face. His armor and weapon, Crocea Mors, is an heirloom from his great great grandfather. His armor includes a chestplate, shoulderplates, full gauntlets, leg armor, and black combat boots with apparent white steel toes.)
"We were about to get ready to spar right before it got dark." Everybody continues to eat, but start to slow down after hearing the description of Jaune one year ago. "He was about to turn-."
"Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait!" Nora interrupts out of her disbelief. "You mean this Jaune?! We're talking about THIS Jaune?!"
"Nora…!" Ren catches Nora going out of line, practically insulting Jaune.
"No, wait! She's right! Is this really me you're talking about? This sounds like something I'd become, or dream of becoming in the future! Why would I wanna fight-? I wouldn't stand a chance again you! Especially back then! I don't remember any of this!"
"Exactly. I'm getting to that, but you deserve to know who you were in the past, and how you changed." Catherine starts to sound more mellow. "I've been wanting to tell you for so long. And now is the time that you finally know the truth!" She restores herself to be more enthusiastic. "So, Jaune, he was about to turn on some music."
(Jaune takes out his scroll, and turns on a song that sounds out in the whole room. His scroll plays a song from his, and most of Remnant's favorite band, "JC Wills". Jaune throws on his hood, which happens to be cladded with white armor to act as a helmet.
Jaune slowly walks a few feet in front of Catherine with confidence in his face and movements. He unsheathes his sword, and engages his shield. "Okay, now I'm ready."
Catherine pulls up the metal plated collars of her jacket, adjusting it, and buttons it to cover her nose, mouth, and neck. She crosses her arms, bringing her hands up to her shoulderplates, and unstraps them from her arms. The thick plate, from her right shoulder to her left hand, mechanically spreads into a round edge, rectangular shield. The thin plate, from her left shoulder to her right hand, acts as a handle, as well as a containment of some of her blood. As the blood streams out of the handle and in between the edges of the scale mail, the scale mail unfolds to form a short sword, outlined in red blood.
Jaune and Catherine get into fighting stances. Once the song hits its Chorus, the siblings charge at each other, and clash swords together. At this point, they are only fencing, with their shields held at their sides. They are just warming up with movements coming out as dance movements. With smiles on their faces, they occasionally laugh.
The song gets to the middle of the second verse. The Arc siblings become more ambitious. At this point, their shields reach over to their front with the sword clashes getting harder. Jaune has the upper hand, while all Catherine can do is guard with her shield. She goes in for an attack by pushing Jaune's last attack aside with her shield. She gives a full 180° horizontal slash, exposing her front, before Jaune ducks down. He lunges his sword forward, with the help of his legs, to jab at her armed torso. She goes back a few feet, while still firmly on the ground.
As the second verse gets close to the end, Catherine chooses to change her fighting style. Her shield mechanically transforms into a gauntlet style boxing glove. With that same hand, she grabs the sword in the other hand and attaches it to the top of her right gauntlet. The gold outlines on her silver gauntlets receive blood trickling down, replacing its gold color with red. Once her weapon style changes, she assumes a boxing fighting stance.
The song reaches the second chorus, and Catherine runs to Jaune for a shielded-fist punch. Jaune runs and takes her on with his shield up front, and his sword pointing and ready. Right at the moment they get close, Catherine punches his shield, and sends Jaune flying in the air.
Jaune curls up to twirl backwards, like a speedy hedgehog, while flying through the midair. He lands his feet on the wall, bending his left leg, and extending his right leg. The bottom of his shield is firm on the wall, and his sword is stretched to his side. All in slow motion, the wall under him forms a large spider-web crack, and he faces the ground in front of him.
With Jaune's mind in slow-motion, while standing on the wall, he looks up to assess Catherine's position to determine his next plan of attack. He gets out of slow world by shooting himself off the wall, leaving a massive wave from his previous position.
Jaune lands, kneeling before Catherine. The young knights continue their fight, as the song reaches the next verse of the music. Catherine fights regularly with seriousness, whereas Jaune still fights with rhythmic motivation, but partially serious. Catherine's fighting style is a combination of boxing and somewhat of knife handling (with the exception of a shortened sword attached to the knuckles and forearm). In between blocking and dodging, she delivers most of the hits. Jaune's fighting style is a knight's fighting style of swordsmanship with freestyle dances in his movements. He delivers hits to Catherine as well, but not as much as she puts out.
The song reaches its last chorus. Jaune and Catherine's weapons come to a blade lock. Catherine tries to punch Jaune from above, but he blocks and holds it with his shield above their heads. They stare at each other with gritting teeth. Catherine is serious, while Jaune has a smirk. She pushes him and extends his arms, thus throwing Jaune off balance, and open. With his position, Catherine double fist punches his torso. Jaune goes towards an uncracked wall, until his backside forces his full body into it.
Jaune gets out of the human shaped pressing in the wall, a runs back to his sisterly opponent. Once he appears in front of Catherine, he jumps over her in the air, and performs an upside-down body twirl, with his sword slashing in every spin. She blocks them all with her palm.
Catherine watches as Jaune's body starts to turn right-side up, preparing to land. Before getting the chance, she twirls her body, and slashes his legs in the air. His back faces the floor, close to hitting the ground. With her momentum, she jumps up, and punches his core, helping him to the ground quicker.
Jaune hits the ground, and looks up at the ceiling. His scroll goes off in an alarm, notifying that his aura is depleted. He tries to get up, but he meets with Catherine's barrel at her lower wrist on her gauntlet. Similar to a certain Blonde Brawler, she clogs it in an arm movement, and grows a smirk on her face. "Checkmate!"
With Catherine standing over Jaune's legs, it seems that he is in a position of defeat in their daily spar. However, it is because of her position that the match is not over yet, regardless of Jaune's little aura left. He performs a windmill breakdance move to trip and then kick Catherine high in the air. With her in the air, Jaune ends his freestyle moves, and jumps up to her level. He slashes his sword upward on her back from under her before reaching above her. At that position, he slams his shield downwards on her front side, and her scroll goes off to notify her loss of aura. Catherine crashes to the ground, while Jaune lands from a high aerial position. The song comes to an end.
Jaune walks passed Catherine, lying on the ground, above her head. "Stalemate!" He stops from a few steps, and exhaustingly huffs before collapsing backwards to the ground. Jaune lies beside his sister with his head aligned with hers. They look at each other from their 180° positions, and laugh until they bust in tears.)
"We lied there till we could catch our breath. Hehe. It was so much fun! ...I just… wish that things could go back to those days. When you knew who you were." Catherine grows a sad face, and looks down.
JNPR and Catherine had finished their breakfast in between story telling. Ren voluntarily washes the dishes in the kitchen. Nora sits on the counter in the kitchen near the dining, while pondering on the story.
Jaune sits with an amazed, yet confused face. "Catherine, none of this makes sense. I don't remember any of this! How could I have done all these thing when I hardly even know how to use my aura, or even trained back then? And last time we fought, we were kids, and I still didn't stand a chance against you."
"Yes, I know. I'm sorry." Catherine stands up from her seat. "But that was the last time you could fight like that at all. And you did train, also… And when he came back, when I couldn't protect you… who you are now, it was at the cost of your memories with a disability… Yet ironically, that disability helped you to live."
Jaune stands up from his seat as well. "...Wait a minute. What do you mean,'he came back'?!"
I hope you all enjoyed this chapter half. I can probably estimate that it'll take me at least 2 months per chapter or publishing to be completed. However, if you guys could give me longer written, opinionating, critiquing reviews, that could give me a boost to get the job done a little faster. I'd even take a few days off work if needed. I can manage. Give me truthful positive and negative thoughts. I'm a grown man. I need the punishment. Did you like Catherine Arc? Wanna read more of her in other chapters? Tell what I could or shouldn't do, and I'll "consider" it. I won't change my whole story though. See you next time. Peace.
