AN UPDATE? YOU DID AN UPDATE?!
Well, of course I did! I told you guys I will post a chapter once a month, right? Sorry that this took long! There was some personal business that I had with an old friend of mine with these past few weeks. We settled with a fight, and now we are satisfied.
This chapter is slighty longer than the last, almost 10k words if you don't count the AN and Omake.
[Selfish self advertising warning] If you want to read a posted chapter immediately, just follow my Wattpadd under the same name.
Alright, let's do the usual, my dudes.
[RESPONSE REVIEW] And wow there is a lot!
The Lazy Dragon: Aww, thank you! I had fun writing that scene. 2 Sins will be revealed on Chapter 11!
camdawg: Neo, eh? I'll keep that in mind.
NinjaFang1331: Thanks!
Turquoise Leaf: A no? Noted.
LordDeath94: Vote noted!
Guerra Bored: Thanks! I'll always update!
merendinoemiliano: For Ruby... hmm I'll only tease for now.
Random Stranger: I won't answer nor confirm, but you'll be surprised.
KingWombat: Yeah, she's still bad with making friends. But hey, a number is one step! Thanks for reading!
343: I ain't gonna confirm Merlin's descendant yet, you all will be surprised. I'll keep this story goin'!
minecraft93: Same answer, But you will know next chapter~
lucasrosa94: Well, I try my best to make the chapters bigger and enjoyable. But I have a life to attend to! I post at least once a month, thank you for reading my work!
Valerious Lake: I will give you more, my guy!
X3runner: Oh I made some fun interactions between Jaune and Yang. I won't go as far as that, but there will be something there. I gotta deny you with the Velvet being King's descendant. I'll be confirming who Sloth and Envy are next chapter~
Dues Mortis: Noted.
Badgerprince034: Yes, Elizabeth and the Commandments will make their appearance. Nearly everyone in the Main and Antagonists will appear. Sorta.
Gilgamesh The King of Heroes: Yeah, I'm aware of that. Meliodas' and every Sin's powers are changed slightly once they are attached to their descendants. Further explanation will be revealed once all the Sins (Most of them anyway) are together.
Baron Bolt: It was a clear choice on who the [Dragon's Sin of Wrath] is. Next chapter we will have more descendants appearing in the scene! And noted for your vote.
Guest: More scenes of Yang and Jaune interaction will appear more in the future! Promise you that!
Guest 2: Of course I appreciate your guesses! I can't confirm nor deny, you all shall see.
NeutralPanda123: More Armstrong scenes will come. Just you wait!
guest: Can't deny nor confirm yet, you will see.
SaintMichael95: Oh, I can do that? Sure. As long as it is still seen in the RWBY community.
Wolverine: Sun will have another role in the story. Although I understand your reasons, Ban's Sin is already chosen. Sorry!
DragonKnight: Same answer as above. Sorry.
lord hawk: Ruby's with Zeldoris' power, hm? I'll think about it.
megakdre100: Here it is!
Guest 3: Yeah, the Arc's follow a weird tradition. But hey, what can yah do when your great ancestor talked to you?
Guest 4: That will definitely happen, mate. Wait until then!
Rider126: Here it is!
Nidhog42: THE MAN! THE MYTH! THE LEGEND!
Sanjo Vista: No worries, mate. I hate authors that do that. When I start a story, I'll goddamn finish it!
Ajintaker: Thank you! I'm glad you discovered it. If you want, check out my account on Wattpadd if you want a quick notification when the chapters will be published. Hope you keep reading!
[RESPONSES OVER]
Phew! That was long! Took me almost 30 minutes... Maybe I'll limit the responses if there's too much than this.
Anyway, here we go into canon!
Enjoy!
It had been two days since that Yang girl destroyed The Club. The damage that she caused was a very huge pain in the ass for everyone, luckily Junior had the insurance for half of the damage of the place. The other fifty percent was sent to whoever Yang's guardian is, if she even has one.
Jaune decided that a nice, late-night stroll in Vale would ease his headache for his break, and only wore his second bartender outfit. Yes, he's taking a break; and yes, he's only wearing this uniform because it's the only thing not in the dryer at the moment. Either that or go shirtless.
Back to the matter at hand, this is the first time he's ever taken a break since he started working as The Club's personal bartender.
It's not like he doesn't want to not work on the other fields that Junior has for him, even though they can be a little on the... illegal side. He does owe the guy for the job. The Malachite twins, on the other hand, said it was best for him to take the time off until the construction is complete.
Their reason?
Something about him being a good guy and that he shouldn't be with the wrong crowd, which is really kind of them.
Jaune sagged. He never thought of taking a break on this job because, well...being a bartender is pretty fun! Making the drinks, mixing up a few glasses, seeing party-goers smile and laugh at the dance floor, the twins and their shenanigans as they use him as an excuse that they already have a boyfriend when guys attempt to hit on them...
Maybe this is why Escanor wanted to open up a bar. Just hanging out with his friends after missions while they knock themselves cold from his drinks.
Jaune checked his scroll for the date.
Just a few more days until Beacon is open. After I pass whatever test they have and get in, I should bring Pyrrha to the bar. She could get along with Melanie and Miltia since they're the same age, plus I get more friends! Two Demons, one axe!
For now, with nothing much else to do, just a simple stroll will do the trick. Either that or staying in the twin's bedroom-which even to this day he still isn't comfortable to enough to sleep peacefully in.
They keep hugging him every time he tries to take a nap. Perhaps they mistook him for a body pillow? He should buy them some like he did with his sisters.
Jaune's thoughts traveled back to the Yang girl. He thought of her as a demanding costumer, since she walked to up the bar like she owned it. Heck, she might be even just a random girl who wanted to party.
But Lapa taught him better. The outfit of a Hunter defines who they are.
The first second he laid his eyes on her, she was clearly a Huntsman-In-Training, judging by not only her clothes, but the skills he's seen her used so far. Since she's here in Vale, then she will definitely be at Beacon.
He was honestly enlightened and pissed when he managed to find a descendant of The Seven Deadly Sins so quickly.
Enlightened because hooray! He found one out of six Sins! Not including himself, of course. That will make his search for the others easier.
Pissed because it was the [Sin of Wrath]. Meliodas' Sin. So far, she has her ancestor's temper and bipolar attitude. Don't forget the small fact that she is currently in search for Raven Branwen, which marks her as someone desperate for answers.
Even if he told her that Raven is somewhere in Mistral, it would be a waste of time for the both of them, but it seems she's pent up with her search. That should explain why she was itching for a fight-to release some tension.
Judging from her appearance, she's the type who gets answers and then beat everything up, or get no answers and still beat everything up. Even so, he still chose to not answer, and a good thing too.
Now he has her attention, which will make her seek him out in Beacon. He'll take this chance to talk things out peacefully like good future Huntsman.
Hopefully...
Well, as long as he finds the others-who are hopefully good people like him-then its fine if there's one bad seed in the group. She'll come to understand eventually.
From a distance, he saw a store with the large sign that reads 'From Dust Till Dawn'. Hm, so a Dust shop?
Why is it open so late at this time of hour?
Well, it was a creative name for one. Sounded like something from a movie he might have watched. Jaune patted the silver card in his pocket. Something around a couple hundred of Lien in there.
Well, I have the money and free time, so why not?
*Ting-a-ling*
Whoa. That was loud.
Entering the shop, Jaune was surprised to see a face he'd met not so long ago. "Old-Man Shopkeep?"
The man waved a small greeting. Jaune walked to the counter with his own appreciative grin. "I didn't know you work here!" Who knew that the guy owns two different shops? "Ah, before I forget," he reached for his card and present it to the man. "If you want, I can give you the Lien that I owe-"
The old man shook his head.
"No? Are you sure?" He gestured to the store. What is he...? Ah.
"You just want me to be a normal customer?" Jaune assumed. He received a nod. "Alright, but I still owe you that favor!"
Before he could pass the counter, Old-Man Shopkeep raised a hand, forcing Jaune to a halt. He pointed and squinted at the white sheath that was strapped on his left hip. "Oh, uh, this?" Jaune patted the heirloom. "Sorry, I know it's dangerous, but I have to have this near me at all times. You never know when something bad will happen."
Shopkeep let out a small hum as he somehow squinted even more at the weapon, considering his reason. As he finally gave an understandable nod, Jaune smiled appreciatively. "Thank you, Shopkeep."
What a nice guy, and what a good thing that he was trained to read the smallest of body gestures. Note to self- send thanks to Dili tomorrow morning.
Jaune gazed at the shelves and tubes that a were filled to the brim with varieties of Dust. Each one a different solid, liquid, and gas.
He wasn't really interested in the stuff, since Rhitta and Crocea Mors don't have any need for them, but he knew that they are a crucial resource for the kingdoms and that they are considered to be magic sprouted from deep within the planet. The other fact he could remember about them is that every color has a different element attached to it, which is kinda neat.
Mom, Uncle Alex, and even Auntie Olivier say that Dust is just a cheap tactic to make weak weapons stronger; and he can agree with that notion. Despite that, they're alright with his sisters using it for their ammunition. Outside of weapons, they understand its functions for other areas.
Like Atlas' contribution of the large dust crystal to make the Amity Colosseum float and function in the air... for some odd reason.
He chose to pick up a reddish, yellow crystal. Its multicolored glow was mesmerizing. The mix reminded him of a time during training with Humilite. She wanted to test an attack using two different types of Dust- opposite elements like water and fire- to see if it had any effect on him while he was in [Sunshine] mode.
That was what she told him anyway. He knew that she just seized at the chance of using him as a test dummy for weapon tests.
He didn't mind, but it was a tad bit annoying. Nearly lost his patience when Chasteté kept touching his body after each attack. "For research purposes," she said. "I wanted to measure how durable your muscles are," she said.
The result of the combo attack was... interesting.
The water Dust, as they predicted, dissipated near his presence before it even had a chance to hit him. The fire Dust, however, was caught in his hand with ease, much to his sister's surprise. When he opened it, the fire was gone. There was no trace of it left. Not even a slight ounce of pain.
It was as if he absorbed the energy in his body.
Humilite tested more attacks on him, this time using Dust that have a relation to the fire element- such elements include Explosion, Heat, Burn, etc. Every single time, the results end up the same. Instead of injuring him, he simply absorbed it without a scratch.
If he was in [Sunshine] mode right now, he might've thought that it was because even mere flames fear to harm their true ruler; and they only wished to be one with the sun.
Gentilesse said that he was just so badass that the fire wanted to be badass too. Classic Genti.
Humilite denied their beliefs, saying that those reasons by themselves sound ridiculous. He chuckled.
But not too far fetched.
"Um, are you going to buy that?" A feminine voiced asked him.
Jaune turned to see a short girl hooded girl. She leaned forward, pulling down the hood of her red cloak and revealing her short black-hair with red tips.
"If it's okay with you? That's a rare type two Dust, Lightning and Burn. I wanted to make some bullets from that."
"Sure?" He planned on using this one for some pass-time testing, but it would be rude to say no since she has better uses for it. Maybe a Primary type would be better. "I was just checking it out. Here you go."
"Thanks! You have a nice weapon."
"You're welco-?"
She snatched the Dust from his hand with speed that can rival Lapa's Semblance, and continued her merry way deeper in the store. He watched on as small pieces of rose petals gently falling on his hand.
Roses? I didn't sense any magic. A speed Semblance then?
The girl stopped at the magazine section. She pulled out a pair of headphones and picked up an article. From the title, it was something about new weapons and Dust.
Huh, so she's some sort of weapons expert?
She looked like the type, as he noted the combat-skirt, combat-boots, and a... combat-cape? As for why she such clothes this late, he won't ask.
"Never question a girl's fashion choices!" Lapatience wisely answered him.
She might be a Huntsman-In-Training like him, although seeing her height and appearance, she's too young. A trainee then. Still, he wanted to befriend with her since she seems nice. On the other hand, there's a really low chance that they'll hang out while he's in Beacon.
Speaking of friends, he hasn't talked to Pyrrha since they've shared their numbers. Strike that, he hadn't even attempted to call her once since he got the job!
Here he is, spending his time in a store out of boredom, when he should have tried hanging out with his first friend in his very first free time! Jaune felt a bead of sweat sliding down his brow. He must be a horrible friend to her!
Okay, okay. I can still fix this. I'm in a Dust store, so I should buy something that she'll like.
He held his chin, and with an intelligence of a teenager with little-to-none experience of social interaction, he tried remembering the things he knows so far about her.
He didn't pay much attention to her body under that coat- since that was common sense and rude to do so. In spite of that, he did notice that she has the lean body of an athletic Olympian.
Pyrrha must have the body type of a Huntsman, so something along the lines of bullets. Or some sort of Dust that might be useful for her?
But wait! What if she isn't the type to like fighting? She's naturally pretty, and pretty girls like stuff that makes them feel even prettier. Genti said so!
So some sort of shampoo? Pyrrha has the kind of hair that would make most women jealous, including Genti. But it would be kinda creepy and rude if a guy bought some shampoo for them. He would be saying that her hair sucks and that she's bad at taking care of it!
Jaune poured all of his mental energy into thinking of any other choice for a first time gift. Then, a memory has risen up from the back of his mind!
After boxing training, Jaune Escanor Arc, age 10, looked up to his Uncle for any sort of advice if he meets a girl he might like-like one day. The pecs of Uncle Alex, who was somehow already shirtless again, filled his vision. He could feel the man flexing each fiber of his being against him.
"Dear Nephew, to impress a girl, flexing your muscles is part of the romance!"
"But Uncle Alex-!"
"Rrrrrrrrrromance!"
"UNCLE ALEEEEEEEX!"
Jaune shivered at the end of that memory. He continued to think of any more, but nothing else popped up. Inhaling sharply, he pulled out his scroll, and looked at Pyrrha's number in his contacts.
Is it alright if I call her right now? He looked at the time. Never-mind. Tomorrow morning should be goo-
*Ring Ring*
A call popped up. Jaune read the ID, and to his surprise, it's Pyrrha. Huh, speak of the angel. It's been a while since she last called me.
Oh.
Oh wait.
Oh Monty, this is the first time she's calling him! Someone other than his sisters, mom, and Uncle Armstrong is calling him! Okay stay calm. Stay CALM. STAY FLIPPING CALM, MAN.
Jaune fidgeted the device with shaking hands, but gained his confidence as he slowly held it to his face.
Okay, stay cool. Just talk like normal friends do.
He accepted the call on speaker. "Hello?"
"Jaune! Sorry, I haven't had time to chat with you. I was busy, uh, modeling for a few promotional posters. I know its already late, but... is there anything you want to talk about?"
Huh. Pyrrha is a model? That sorta explains the manager she has. "It's fine, Pyr, I was busy, too! I, uh, since the last time we've met, I managed land a job that pays well. It's only at night, though."
"Oh, that's great! What's the job?"
"I make and serve drinks at a nightclub called The Club- yes, that's the actual name. Basically, I'm just their bartender."
"The Club? Isn't that the place that was wrecked recently?" Her voice grew worry. "The news said it was like a Grimm came in and destroyed the place. Lots of the security were injured! Are you alright?"
Always the caring and concerning friend. It's official, Jaune's mind is made up. He'll go buy a nice emerald necklace as a gift for her. It would be a perfect match for her eyes! That's what friends should do, right?
"Last time I checked, I'm still alive and well. It's just my work uniform that was a bit torn up from the fight." Ah, second note to self- buy some sowing materials to repair the holes.
"Fight? A-Are you sure you're not injured anywhere?"
"Don't worry, Pyr. I have my Aura." He patted his vest, not that she would hear it. "Even if I didn't, there's barely a scratch on me- well, except for my clothes, but that's besides the point."
Miltia got a hold of this one for him, which she somehow has in her possession for some reason, just in case.
"It's just a rough bar fight, that happens from time to time. I'm in tip-top shape! Right now, I'm just wondering around in a Dust shop for a bit, since, you know, the bar is crashed."
"As long as you're okay..." He heard her paused. "So~, Jaune, I don't have anything else planned in my schedule, so I'm free until Beacon." Pyrrha took a deep breath. "Do you want to hang out tomo-?"
*Ting-a-ling*
The small bell of the store door opening roughly, followed by multiple sets footsteps. The calming silence of the store replaced with ruffled clothing and grunts. "Hold that thought, Pyr."
Jaune leaned against the shelves, and poked an eye at the scene.
Approaching through the doors are some suited guys- henchmen was the term- being led by an... overly flamboyant, white suited, ginger-haired, bowler-hat fashionista? By the amount of eye-liner of his visible left eye and the cigar, this doesn't look like a normal item pick up.
"Do you have any idea how hard it is to find a Dust shop open this late?" He heard him asked Old-Man Shopkeep. The henchman to his left pointed a gun at the store owner's head, which he instinctively raised his hands.
"P-please! Just take my Lien and leave!" Shopkeep begged. Jaune slightly raised a brow.
He can actually talk? No, save those thoughts for later. Remember Auntie Olivier's rules. Focus, inspect, and interfere.
"Shh, calm down, we're not here for your money." The smoker gestured to the henchman to his left. "Grab the Dust."
The men separated and opened their suitcases of empty Dust fuels. They started extracting the Dust from the tubes and forced the shopkeeper to hand them more from the display. Jaune narrowed his eyes, and leaned a bit more forward.
Wait a minute. Those guys look a bit familiar...
"Jaune, what's happening?" Pyrrha asked through the scroll. He glanced at the device, and cursed.
Shit, it's still on speaker!
Unfortunately, he wasn't the only one who heard it, seeing one of the guys turning with a weapon pointed to his direction. "Sorry Pyr. There's a robbery. See you at Beacon. Gotta go."
"Jau-?!"*Beep*
Wasting no time, Jaune clenched the handle of his family's sword. The footsteps grew closer and closer. He narrowed his eyes in deep concentration. Good thing I got Crocea Mors with me-!
"Bar Boy?" The suited henchman questioned.
Eh?
Jaune forced himself freeze. The sword only unsheathed just an inch. The henchman stood a foot away from his position with chin on hand and eyebrows squinted. He stayed silent and watched as the henchman's face formed that of recognition.
"Hey, it's you! Guys, look who I found!"
Oh Oum dammit. Jaune mentally face-palmed. Now I remember. These are Junior's Red Axe Gang. More henchman approached them with excited smiles.
"Is that Bar Boy I see?"
"Ayyy! It ain't a good night out robbery without our favorite rookie!"
Henchman 1 swung an arm over his shoulder. "We didn't know you wanted to be part of the heist. No wait! Don't tell me. You got here earlier so you can make this heist easier for us?"
Jaune gently forced the arm off, and slowly took a few steps away. Rigidly, he turned to face them. This is bad, this is so sooooo bad. "Uh... yes?" From the corner of his eye, he could see Old-Man slightly gaping at him, which turned to a scowl.
I'm sorry, Shopkeep! I'm not with them!
"Ha! Always the helping one, ain't ya?"
An annoyed grunt, followed by frustrated steps came at them. They saw the fashionista glaring with a newly lit cigar. "What the hell are you idiots doing wasting time with a little friendly tea-party?"
"Yo Roman, this is our favorite bartender! Looks like he wanted to be part of the action, too." The thief pointed his cane at Henchman 3's chin, blowing a puff of smoke at his face.
"I don't care about this bartender kid. If he's an extra, then good! We have another helping hand." Roman pointed the tip of his cane angrily at Jaune. "But alas, if you have forgotten, this is a robbery! Unless you want to personally greet the VPD with open arms, be my guest. For the rest, do what you're hired for!"
Begrudgingly-and thank Oum- the henchman separated and left him alone. The fashionista showed no signs of interest of him, but instead focused his attention at Old-Man Shopkeep and checking a small piece of red Dust. Jaune let out a tiny breath of relief.
Damn, how am I supposed to stop these guys? Maybe if I can knock them all out fast enough, I should be safe-
"I said, put your hands up in the air, now! " He sharply inhaled as a thought came at him.
He's not the only costumer here.
Jaune snapped his head at the magazine section, spotting Henchman 2 threatening a red hood. Little Red-hood girl! She's gonna be taken as hostage, or worse! Be injured and taken as hostage!
Jaune made a silent and quick dash at the two. The girl pulled down her hood, revealing that she was still wearing her headphones booming with music. No wonder why she didn't even hear the guy. He got closer, and so far they didn't notice him.
"Are you... robbing me?" He heard her asked. Tightly, Jaune held a grip on the handle of the sword, planning on knocking Henchman 2 with the hilt.
"Yes!" Henchman 2 shouted.
"...Oh."
This should be close enough. Don't worry, I'll save you!
"Hyah!"
Jaune sidestep to dodge the flying Henchman 2, forcing him to lodged himself against the shelves. Seeing him, the girl's widened eyes met his; and he was about to until another henchman approached the two. The henchman saw Jaune on the floor, looked at the girl, then quickly raised his gun.
"Fre-!" Only for the girl to leap and kick him through the glass window.
That was fast! Jaune stood up, and dusted his uniform. He glanced back at the comics, then to the window. Those moves... is she actually a Huntress in disguise?
The thief and the others looked through the pane and Jaune followed close behind. They watched as the girl rose from the ground as sounds of a machine radiated off of-
IS THAT A GIANT RED SCYTHE?!
"Okay..." The smoker sounded a bit surprised as he is. The man eyed the henchman waiting behind him. "What are you waiting for? Get her!"
They ran out with weapons high, and the last thing he heard were gunshots. Jaune took this chance to check on Old-man Shopkeep, who hid behind the counter. "Are you alright, Shopkeep?"
The man's gray brows glared at him.
"I-I'm not a part of this. I didn't know they would rob you!"
He raised a questioning and doubtful brow.
"W-Well, I do work for Junior, but only as the bartender." Old-Man crossed his arms. "If I knew, I c-could've warned you? I-I'll just go stop the bad guys now..." Shopkeep nodded in approval.
By the time Jaune got out of the store, the first thing he saw were the unconscious bodies sprawled all over the street. Honestly, he was impressed. Wow, she's good.
All that's left standing were her and that thief. That henchman called him Roman. Roman... Roman Candlestick. That's his name! I think...
"Well, Red, I think we can all say that it's been an eventful evening."
Jaune took a step closer with sword drawn for an attack, only for Roman to turn and pointed his cane at him.
"You there! I don't care that you have a different colored sword than the others, just stop standing there and get her!"
"What? You're a bad guy?!" Red shouted.
Roman's cane shot out a blast of dust at the girl and the sudden brightness caused Jaune to cover his eyes. He heard the bullet crashing against the concrete and debris flailing through the air.
That doesn't sound good.
Jaune peeked to see if the girl is alright. "Are you oka-? NO WAIT!"
And was met with a boot to the face. Jaune stumbled backwards and fell to the ground. The girl flipped on top of him, scythe raised. He copied with Crocea Mors. "Stop, stop! I-I'm friendly, so I won't hurt you-!"
"Nice try, bad guy!" His plea fell on deaf ears. Her weapon fell, the tip aiming between his eyes. He pressed the switch; and the scabbard transformed into its shield form, blocking the hit and shocked the girl enough for him to switch their positions.
He pinned the shield against her, forcing the girl to retaliate with her scythe. "Listen! I'm not with those guys!"
She squirmed under his form. "Then why are you wearing a suit like them!"
"Wha-? Not all bad guys wear suits! Also, this is a vest. Totally different styles." Jaune shook his head. "We're getting off track. All you need to know is that I'm on your side, and that Roman guy is getting away!"
He got off of her and pointed the sword at the fashionista climbing up a nearby latter. The girl finally understood what he's saying, and stood up from the ground. Jaune looked back to store with Old-Man Shopkeep stumbling against the door.
"Are you alright if I get him?"
"Uh huh." Shopkeep raised two fingers.
Jaune rolled his eyes. "Okay okay, I guess I owe you twice now."
Jaune and Red ran to the end of the latter, seeing Roman already reached the top. "Damn, he's getting away! How are we gonna catch up-?"
*BLAM*
He winced in surprise as the girl used a freaking SHOTGUN blast from her scythe to boost herself straight to the top.
That thing is also a gun?!
Alrighty then. His sisters weren't exaggerating when they said that every weapon is a gun in a Hunter's world. Jaune let out a tired sigh as he saw how high the ladder is. "You got this. You got this. Just skip every two handles."
With a strength of a lion, he pumped himself up and swiftly ascended to the rooftops, where he witnessed Roman with his back turned to them. Jaune caught up to Red, and they armed themselves to see what he does next.
"Persistent..." Roman commented.
All of a sudden, a large Bullhead seemingly flew up from nowhere. The wind from its engines slightly pushed Red and Jaune away, and shone its lights to blind them. Roman hopped aboard the vehicle and turned to face them.
"End of the line, Red and Butler." The thief pulled out a single red Dust, and tossed it in front of Red. Quickly, Roman aimed his cane at the crystal. Jaune's eyes grew wide.
Is he going to-?! Roman shot out another explosive blast, and Jaune desperately leaped at the tiny crystal and grabbed it, shield raised from his left arm. This is gonna hurt!
*BOOOOM*
His vision was obscured by the black smoke, yet he didn't feel any push from the explosion. Peeking out from the shield, Jaune witnessed a blonde woman-no, a Huntress- wearing glasses standing before him. Her black and purple cape billowing behind her, and floating before her was a large, magical force-field that protected him and Red from the blast.
"Whoa..." He watched as the Huntress pressed her glasses up, and with a flick of her wand she shot out a multitude of purple energy at the Bullhead. From the looks of it, they're trying to make a quick getaway.
When that didn't stop the vehicle, she released a single purple blast above it, creating a small cloud of thunderous ice that stabbed through the metal steel. From the shadows of the entrance, Jaune saw a lone figure. A woman wearing a red dress with glowing golden eyes stepping outward.
For some reason, seeing her made him feel some bad vibes that tingled his whole back.
Fire danced around the figure's hands, and she unleashed a fiery blast that the Huntress easily deflected, causing some pieces of the magma to surround her. Raising a hand, the figure tried to blow away the Huntress with a rising pillar of fire. Jaune dodged away just as the Huntress did.
Sharp pieces of debris flew around them, but the Huntress somehow took control each and every one to create a gigantic purple arrow that was flying towards the cockpit. The figure tried to destroy the projectile with her own attacks, but it only made the arrow split to even more arrows.
Jaune was amazed at how the Huntress was still able to control each arrow and struck the Bullhead with ease.
In a blink of an eye, all of the debris was literally blown away from some sort of wave created by the figure.
Well, no use letting her do all the work. Time to see how a Bullhead can handle this!
The sword of Crocea Mors glowed white, and Jaune swung as hard as he can, releasing a vertical gust of pure Aura aimed at the engines. Alas, his attack was interrupted by another gust made of fire. He turned to see Red also trying to help the Huntress by shooting bullets at the woman, who managed to block each one with her hand.
So unfair! She must have really a killer Semblance if it allowed her to do that!
With another wave of her hand, fiery circles formed beneath them. Jaune already leaped away, knowing that it was another attack. The Huntress did the same, whilst pulling Red along since she didn't see it coming.
They dodged just in time, but by the time they looked up, Roman and the woman were already flying away.
Phew, looks like we made it off scot free-
"You're a Huntress!" Red shouted. Jaune carefully looked to see the Huntress facing Red with a gaze that he is oh-so familiar with. "Can I have your autograph?"
He silently pocketed the red Dust in his vest pocket, and turned towards the ladder. "I'm just gonna go and leave..." He whispered to himself.
He didn't even had a chance to place a single step when he felt a strange force that stopped his movements.
"You're not going anywhere, young man." The Huntress stated.
Le shit.
"I hope you realize that your actions tonight will not be taken lightly, you two." Jaune sat on a metal chair next to Red-whose name he learned is Ruby Rose- with heads hung low. They were being scolded by THE Glynda Goodwitch. You know, a professor and representative of Beacon Academy!
"You put yourself and others in danger."
"They started it!" Ruby tried to reason. Jaune kept his mouth shut. He knew well enough from Auntie Oliver that he should never say anything when it comes to a scolding from a high ranking individual.
"If it were up to me..." Goodwitch ignored her comment, which is fortunate. "You'd be sent home with a pat on the back." They both smiled at her slight praise. "And a slap on the wrist."
She slapped her riding crop against the table. "Eeek!" Ruby, and ONLY Ruby, not including him, let out a shriek and shivered against her seat.
"But... there is someone who would like to meet the both of you." They perked up with curiosity. Goodwitch stepped away, allowing another figure to approach them with coffee and a plate of cookies on hand.
"Ruby Rose..." He leaned closer to inspect her face. "You... have silver eyes."
"Um..."
He then turned to him. "Jaune Arc, only son of Rouge 'Crimson Lion' Arc." He offered a hand. "It is a pleasure to finally meet you."
"P-Professor Ozpin!" Jaune returned the gesture in respect. "It is an honor to meet you, too, s-sir."
Why is the headmaster of Beacon here?
"So!" Goodwitch pulled out a video showcasing them, mostly Ruby, fighting the henchman. "Where did you learn to do this?" Ozpin asked Ruby. Looks like he'll be interrogating her first.
"S-Signal Academy." Isn't that a Huntsman preschool? So she is a trainee. Her skills are really impressive for one!
"They taught you to use one of the most dangerous weapons ever designed?"
Whoa, she made that? That's so cool! A scythe-gun is a pretty strange weapon combination, but who's he to judge? Charité uses pink, iron boxing gloves that explode on impact.
"Well, one teacher in particular."
"I see..." Ozpin lay the plate of cookies in front of her, much to her appreciation. She actually surprised Jaune with how fast she is eating those cookies. Fast to the point that the cookies seemingly disappear in thin air when they are near her mouth. "It's just that I've only seen one other scythe-wielder of that skill before. A dusty, old crow."
There's another?!
"Mhmm! Thash muh Unkul!" Ruby muttered with a mouthful of cookies. Seeing the questioning eye from the headmaster, she quickly swallowed and smiled shyly. "Sorry, that's my Uncle Qrow! He's a teacher at Signal! I was complete garbage before he took me under his wing. And now I'm all like- Hoowah! Witchaaa!"
Jaune couldn't help but let out a little chuckle at her adorable karate chops, which did not go unnoticed seeing as she slightly blushed after remembering that he was there still sitting next to her.
"So I've noticed." Ozpin placed his coffee on the table. "And what is an adorable girl such as yourself doing at a school designed for warriors?"
"Well... I want to be a Huntress."
"You want to slay monsters?"
"Yeah!"
Huh. So she's just like me? Maybe after this I'll try befriending her.
"I only have two more years of training left in Signal! And then I'm going to apply to Beacon! You see, my sister's starting there this year, and she's trying to become a Huntress, and I'm trying to become a Huntress 'cause I wanna help people."
Aww, that is actually a really sweet dream-
"My parent's always taught us to help others, so I thought,'Hey, I might as well make a career out of it!' I mean the police are alright, but Huntsman and Huntresses-"
Holy Monty she is quite the talker.
"-are just so much more romantic-"
Wait, romantic?
"-and exciting and really, gosh, you know!"
There was a long silence. Goodwitch only stared with slight concern, and Ozpin done the same. The headmaster turned his gaze to him.
"As for you," Goodwitch switched the video to him huddling together with the henchman. He can see himself smiling nervously as one of them slouched an arm over his shoulder. "It seems that you are quite friendly with these men. Any reason why?"
Uh oh. Does he think that I'm a criminal? No no no no! I'm not going to fail this early on my mission!
Jaune cleared his throat. "I-I wouldn't really say that I'm close to them. Honestly, I don't even know their names."
"And yet you wear the same uniform as them?"
Jaune didn't hesitate to roll his eyes. "I don't want to sound rude, sir, but I'm wearing a vest. They wear suits." He motioned to his outfit. "Although we are employees, I don't know anything else they do."
Ozpin's head raised slightly. "Employees? "
Oh crap!
"I-I work only as a bartender at a n-nightclub! I serve the drinks to party-goers. Often, when I have free time, I chat with my fellow workers."
"Hm." Ozpin tilted his head slightly. "Were you aware of who you are working under, and what they do within the city?"
"No." He lied. "Y-You see, when I arrive here my stuff was already sent to Beacon, and along with them was my Lien card. I didn't have any money, so I looked for a job. With a helpful guide, I ended up finding myself working as a bartender."
"So you were not aware of the recent robberies, heists, and the such?"
"I have no idea. I thought I was just working for a simple night-job."
The headmaster let out a hum, and sipped his coffee. "I see. I was afraid that I'll have to tell your family that you were living the life of a criminal. Especially to your mother." Ozpin clapped his hands. "Well then, you are free to go."
Wait, that's it? No intimidation tactics or torture tools to squeeze anymore information out of him?
"T-That's all?" He made sure to ask.
"Of course. We've talked of the situation, and you've proven yourself innocent. Thus you're free to go. I'll see you at Beacon Academy."
Goodwitch expressed an annoyed gaze, but stepped aside to show him the door. Jaune carefully got off of his heat, making sure that this wasn't some sort of trick or another way to make him nervous. When they've done nothing, he walked towards the exit with Ruby following suit, only for Goodwitch to sit her back down.
"Hey! I thought we were free to go?"
"Ozpin only says for him to go. He still has a few things to ask of you..."
"Aww..."
I hope she isn't being punished severely for this because of her age. Jaune left through the door, but not without leaving one last wave to her. "N-Nice to meet you, Ruby. Good luck at Signal!"
"You too, Glasses!"
Glasses? I guess that's a nice nickname.
The doors of the room shut tight, and he retrieved his weapon lying at the front desk. When he believed he was far enough from the building, Jaune let out a long sigh of relief.
Phew, I thought I was going to be expelled.
As he got out of the VPD building, Jaune reached into his vest and pulled out the Primary fire Dust crystal. He twirled the item around, inspecting the shine and color that reflected the moon's glow.
To think, for all of this craziness, just to get Dust.
Well, he's gonna have the most craziest story to tell when he meets Pyrrha. Jaune checked his watch, and his eyes shot out to the size of plates. "Oh shoot! It's late! Mel and Mil are gonna kill me!"
He made a mad dash towards The Club, ignoring the caws of a random raven that flew by.
The day has finally arrived. The birds are singing, flowers are blooming... A new generation of Hunters have come to achieve their dreams and pass initiation to one of the most prestigious Hunter Academies of Remnant! One of those lucky souls is none other than-
"Why do we have to travel in an Airshi-HMPH!" Jaune Escanor Arc, trying his best to stomach his breakfast. Behind him, as usual, was Pyrrha Nikos tendering him in this poor state. He was sprawled against one of the red-leather seats in a private luxury room that she gladly invited him in.
"Beacon is a pretty far off place in Vale, so these are the usual means of travel. We're almost there, so don't give up!" She encouraged him.
"Th-Thanks, Pyr. HMPH!" Jaune desperately pointed a shaking finger to the holographic screen from the corner of the room. "Please turn it on. I-I need some distraction for my mind."
Pyrrha obliged. The screen projected a newswoman, Lisa Lavender, reporting recent events.
"... The robbery was led by nefarious criminal, Roman Torchwick, who continues to evade authorities. If you have any information on his whereabouts..."
"You have no idea how worried I was when you suddenly hung up on me that night."
"I d-didn't mean to, Pyr. I was in a rush to stop them..."
"Well the words,'There's a robbery. Gotta go,' would make anyone scared to death." She leaned against his shoulder. "I was about to run to you until I realized I don't know where you are, but thank Oum when you called me back."
Jaune leaned back, his stomach calming down for just a moment. "I don't plan to die that easy, Pyr."
She breathed out a giggle."I'm just glad that you're alright."
The screen changed to a mini holograph of Glynda Goodwitch. She was announcing a message around the ship to the next line of Hunters. She stated that the world is experiencing a time of peace, and that it is their duty to uphold it.
That won't last long though. He thought to himself. It's peaceful now because even after all these years the population of Grimm is still at its lowest. But he knew better. The numbers may be low, but their strength increases. It will be difficult for the Huntsman and Huntresses when they face an uprising Demon threat.
Which has yet to show itself. Obviously, that fact concerned him. Deeply so. When will the Demons strike? Next year? Next month? Tomorrow?
Is he finally ready?
"Whoa, this view is so mesmerizing..." Pyrrha said, astonished. Jaune, who's mind is still stunned from nausea, didn't think straight and glanced through the windows with her.
We are... so high up...
"HMPH!"
"Sorry! Just focus, Jaune! Clench your abs- I mean, s-stomach! We're almost there!"
"Oh sweet motherland, how I miss you!" Jaune bowed on all fours and kissed the concrete floor. Pyrrha watched from the sides, avoiding the crowd of their soon-to-be classmates. When he was done showing his gratitude to the earth, he fixed his outfit.
It was the very first uniform that he wore before The Club got wrecked. He managed to fix it just in time. After all, he wanted to look his best when it comes to first impressions!
As a token of appreciation and sort of a good luck gifts, Junior offered him sleek, black pants; Mel gave him a pair of shiny, black shoes that were comfortable to wear; and Mil's final touch was the sleek, red-tie with matching white gloves. All of these The symbol of the golden sun etched into the back was a nice touch of design, and a really funny coincidence.
Jaune took the chance to see the spectacular view of the entire front of Beacon. And oh-boy what a sight it is. His house was huge, but this is gigantic! The towering towers and castle-like structure made it appear mystical and modern at the same time. It was amazing and magical.
"Hey, Pyr. You can go ahead without me. I'm gonna go and explore for a bit."
For some reason, she looked hesitant to go. "I-Is that fine? I don't want to leave you... wondering alone, of course."
Ah, I understand. She just doesn't want to be rude. "Yeah, I'm alright with it. I'll catch up in a few minutes. You can save us some seats until they start the speech."
"Just don't get lost!" With that, the redhead followed the rest of the crowd.
Adjusting his glasses, Jaune faced Beacon, the sun shining brightly with him. Alright, time for some exploring-!
"Oof!" Something tiny, black, and red slammed against him. Being raised by seven sisters who sneak hug him every moment his guard is down, he managed to stand straight, and caught the person between his arms out of reflex. "Hey, careful! You almost hurt... your... self?"
"Eep!" Staring wide-eyed, shimmering silver-eyes met surprised ocean-blue.
"... Ruby?"
"H-Hey." The young girl wiggled from her position.
"I didn't expect to meet you again so soon! How's everything?"
"I'm, uh, I'm doing pretty good. Just twirling around here and there, just bumping with strangers. You know, the usual." Her eyes checked his arms that were still wrapped around her. "Can you, um, let me go, please?"
"Oh! Sorry." The girl practically jumped away from him with a blushed face, as if he's a danger hazard. She dusted off some imaginary dirt and fixed her skirt. "Wait, why are you here? Aren't you still training at Signal?"
"Remember the robbery that we sorta stopped?" He nodded. "Professor Ozpin was so impressed by my skills that I managed to skip two years ahead of my peers. Aaaaaand now I'm here!" Ruby twirled like a ballerina.
Wow. She'll be an amazing Huntress for sure if she's two years ahead. "That's awesome! Hey, since we're gonna be attending together, want to be friends?"
"The more the merrier!" Uncle Alex would say.
Ruby took a moment to think, and smiled. "Sure! Whatcha want to talk about?"
"Well, the first time we met wasn't really that... friendly, I want to start all over." Jaune spun around and bowed to her dramatically, which she let out a small snort. "Allow me to introduce myself to you, madam. The name's Jaune Arc! Short, sweet, rolls off the tongue. Ladies love it!"
"Do they?" Ruby asked sarcastically.
"Hm," He smirked with joking confidence. "Do you?"
"Touché," She took a step in front of him with hands to her hips. "I'm Ruby Rose! Smart, weapon's geek, and the girl with normal knees!" She struck a pose, emphasizing her self-proclaimed normal knees.
"Normal knees?" He laughed out.
"I-It's better than nothing?"
Jaune shrugged his shoulders. "I'd stick with weapon's geek, Red-hood."
"Hey!" Ruby stomped a foot, her adorable faced puffed up. "I love my hoodie, but how would you like it if I called you Glasses, Glasses?"
"I'd accept it, because it's a nickname that an adorable little Red-hood friend gave me."
Ruby smirked, and crossed her arms. "You're darn right you accept it!"
They wondered around in awkward silence, listening to the chirps and rustling leaves. Ruby faked out a cough. "So~ Have you met Crescent Rose?" She whipped out the- still surprisingly huge- red scythe so fast that he jumped aback. The tip stabbed to the ground.
"Whoa! *Ahem*, yes I have." Jaune fixed his tie. "The gun-scythe that you tried to slice me with a few nights ago? How could I forget. Also, where did you hide that?"
"She's not just a gun!" Ruby ignored his last question. "She's a customizable, high impact velocity sniper rifle."
"Well, that sure sounds... complicated." He showcased her the millennia old classic, Crocea Mors. "Unlike yours, my weapons are simple and easy to use."
"Oooooh! What do they do?"
"Well, you've already seen my shield," Jaune unsheathed the sword from its scabbard. "But you have yet to see the fully capabilities of this one."
"Oooh, I always like the classics!" Ruby awed at the reflective flatter side of the weapon and reached out a finger to touch it, until he pulled it away from her.
"Ah ah!" Jaune waved a hand. "I know it's pretty and shiny, but I advise you to avoid touching it. Especially the handle."
Ruby tilted her head. "Why can't I get to hold it?"
"Well, one, Crocea Mors is a hand-me-down weapon, so I prefer to keep this close with me at all times. Second, and please keep this detail a secret," He sheathed the sword. "It's technically considered a cursed weapon among my family. Whoever wields it will drastically lose Aura, but in return it boosts the sharpness. Plus I can shoot out Aura slices through the air as you've seen before."
"Then how come you're fine?"
"Oh, that? I was told that I was born with very massive reserves." His family weren't even able to calculate how huge the Aura is inside him, not even with advanced Atlas technology that Auntie and Uncle provided. And that was him outside of [Sunshine] mode. "There's also another weapon, but it was made for my Semblance."
"Is it a gun? I want to see it!"
Jaune shook his head, much to Ruby's disappointment. "Not even close, Rubes. She's another hand-me-down, although I'm her second user. You'll get to meet her soon."
"I hope so! Then we can set up some play-dates for Crescent Rose and yours!"
Okay, she really is the weapon's geek if she loves her weapon this much...
"You there! My father didn't hire any slackers, so come here and help me!" A haughty, feminine voiced called out to them; or more specifically, to him.
Who's tha-? Oh my Oum.
From a distance, a gorgeous angel with hair of snow strutted to their direction. Her beautifully frilled skirt swung with each step she took, and as a last touch from Monty himself, the sun's light danced over her glittering form. Following her was a luggage full of suitcases behind her.
"Or do you want to be fired from such a simple job?"
Jaune came back to his senses and furrowed his brow. "Uhhh, sorry?"
"You better be! You expect me to drag all of this alone? This Dust is mined and purified from the Schnee Quarry, so it must be treated with extra care. Start being useful and do your job!"
He shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly. If he's helping a beauty like her, then he'll do it gladly. "Sure. I'll-"
"Hey! You can't just order my friend around like that!" Ruby intervened. "Who are you to treat him that way, Princess?"
"It's Heiress," The snow-angel corrected. She placed a hand over her chest with chin held high. "I am Weiss Schnee, heiress to the Schnee Dust Company. As you obviously have heard, one of the largest producers of energy propellant in the world. Ringing any bells?"
"Not really."
"Me neither," Jaune agreed. "I rarely use Dust."
"What? How do you-? How have you not heard of me? Especially you!" Weiss pointed at him. "You said you were one of my helpers with my luggage. You're even wearing the butler's uniform! How do you not know who you're working for?"
"I didn't say that I was. I'm just here for initiation. I can still help if you want-?"
"Ugh, forget it. You wasted my precious time for nothing." The Heiress walked away in a huff, never even glancing back.
"Sheesh. I guess she's having a rough day." Ruby commented.
"Well I hope I didn't have a bad first impression with her. It is the day before initiation, so maybe that's why she's so stressed."
"If you say so, Jaune..."
...
...
...
"Do you know where we're going?"
"No. I thought you did. I was following you the whole time."
"So... we're lost."
"Uh..." *Ding Ding* Jaune checked his scroll. It was a message from Pyrrha! She sent a whole map of the school, with a message that reads-
"Thought you might need this. Hurry, it's almost time for the speech!"
Thank you, Pyr. You're a lifesaver.
"Good news, Rubes! Turns out we're not lost after all. Follow me!"
I know I skipped Blake's introduction here, but that will be explained later. Next chapter will clearly be initiation, which is where the REAL [Sunshine] action is! Since Thanksgiving break is near, I might post it soon. No promises, though!
Writing a satisfying chapter can be quite the pain in the arse, but it's worth it if you guys love it. And of course, I will be confirming TWO beloved Sins in the next one, and you might already know who they are.
Omake: By Silent-Reaper
"Teasing Twins, Sprayer Wins"
It's been almost 2 weeks since Jaune became a bartender, and so far it wasn't as difficult as he thought. The Lien wasn't bad, and he was able to get along with the other workers that guard the place, and they gladly did the same with him. Apparently, being Junior's favorite didn't really matter to them, mostly on the fact that they really love his drinks There are a few skirmishes of angry costumers here and there, but Junior's Red Axe Gang kept them at bay.
Those guys are awesome, even if they do dabble in some... shady business.
Melanie and Miltia, especially, really like to lounge around with him. They told him that they were also personal bodyguards of Junior, despite their age. But Junior mostly stays inside a secured room to file some papers and make some deals with other clients, so they don't do much guarding around here.
Since he is still considered a newbie here, they saw him as the perfect opportunity to pass time. Sometimes, when he took a break and sat on one of the stools, Melanie would surprise him by placing a hand gently over his stomach while Miltia leans on his sides, but he knew that they were just trying to have fun, so he let them do what they want. Often, they would try to use him as a 'fake boyfriend' to throw off some flirty guys off their backs.
There wasn't a single moment of the day that they weren't around him. They were really kind enough to let him sleep in their rooms,
They were really creative when they try to stuff that involves him.
Tonight, as The Club closed it's doors, Jaune was cleaning the bar with a white towel. Small clinks of high heels approached to him. "Hey Bar Boy," Melanie rests here elbows on the table. "Whatcha, like, doin'?"
"Just the usual, Mel." He fiercely spraying water and rubbed one spot. "Just... cleaning the bar. Why can't this one rub off-?"
"Like, I think you missed a spot~" A voice noted behind him. Red gloves appeared under his arms and laid on his stomach. "Or rather, it's my spot that needs cleaning~"
"Mil, be careful!" Jaune shrieked in surprise."You almost made me spill some water on myself. I don't want to wash this one again- Mel, why are you pointing the sprayer at me?"
"Oh, I'm just, like, testing this if it works."
"But I just used it a few seconds ago- ah!" Somehow, the cap of the sprayer became loose popped out. Rather than a small spray, it instead shot out a large splash at his face. "Aw, come on! This is the third time today!"
"Oh no, Bar Boy! Here, let me, like, help you take it off~" With surprising speed, Miltia unbuttoned his vest, and Melanie, who was suddenly on the same side, touched the soaking wet (And VERY see-through) dress shirt.
From the look of her eyes, Melanie was really satisfied for her teasing. "We can't have you, like, sick on the job. Who would tend the bar while we tend you?"
"Y-You guys know I can undress myself- hey! Who's hand is that? Please stop joking around! I said stop! Noooooo!"
-/-/-
"Fabulous, Nikos, absolutely fabulous! Keep striking that pose!" Pyrrha sat awkwardly on a red chair as the camerawoman seemed to teleport around while blinding her with the flash. She was paid (cough cough, forced) to hug a huge stuffed bunny of Pumpkin Pete's Mascot and smile in every shot. "Come on, Nikos! Hug that stuffed toy like you mean it!"
"Sorry, I'm just sitting here for an hour and its just..."
"Ah, I have taken too long, haven't I? Alright, this is the last shot. Hug it like you mean it!"
"Alright..." Out of nowhere, Pyrrha was filled with sudden rage. Thoughts of black hair, a bar, and the colors of red and white flashed in her mind. Without realizing it, she was choking the stuffing out of the stuffed toy with unmerciful strength. One of its beady black-button eyes popped out from its socket.
"Yes! Perfect! Keep doing that!"
"...Yes" Pyrrha said through gritted teeth. "I will..."
I hope you guys keep reading until then! Thank you for your patience!
SILENT-REAPER RAN OUT!