Hello everyone. There might be some people who remember that this story was posted under an account called "ElectricalZats" in 2018, though I took it down on FanFiction (I still kept it up in Archiveofourown but never updated the story beyond the first chapter). While I could post the chapter again on my old account, I decided to use this account going forward. The reason why I'm posting this chapter again is because I plan to actually revive this story and update it.
In terms of release schedule, my main goal will be one or two chapters per week. This first chapter is a bit shorter though future chapters will definitely be longer.
"Ship is now setting off to sail!" A deep voice called out. Jaune Arc registered the message but continued to stare at the glistening blue waters below. The early morning clouds had all drifted away by now, exposing the noon sun for most to enjoy. He glanced upwards to watch the buildings and docks pass by. Suddenly, the boat picked up on speed, and he heard a passenger nearby comment that the boat reached a certain channel. He didn't know much about common channels in the ocean though he assumed this one was the one that would get them to Mistral faster.
He turned his head to watch the town grow smaller and smaller from his view. It was a beautiful town, if he had to form an opinion on it. The quaint style and cobblestone streets reminded him a bit of home. Even thinking about home brought a pang to his chest. It had been almost a year since he last stepped foot in his village, and not a day went by that he didn't wish he could visit. Yet, his current mission was much more important than a trip back home. At least, before he left Jaune had sent a letter back home ensuring his safety and explaining what he had to do.
Following the fall of Beacon Academy, the Communications tower was still down which means news to the outside kingdoms came to a screeching halt. This included news to family members of Beacon Academy students who didn't live in Vale.
Jaune knew that Pyrrha's parents lived in the city of Argus. They would have no way to know what happened to their daughter, and each new day is one where they still retain hope that their daughter is safe. Jaune felt an immense amount of guilt already at having to share this news, but it had to be done. It could be months for the communications tower to be repaired, and it was one of things Jaune could still do for Pyrrha, even after her death. There were so many things he wished he could have done for her, but there was at least being able to deliver the truth to her parents.
When Jaune told Nora and Ren about his intentions to visit Mistral, they of course wanted to come along. Jaune was about to agree, until he thought about his friend Ruby. It had been a week since the fall of Beacon Academy, and the silver-eyed girl was still in a coma after something happened at the top of the tower. Whatever she did, it froze the Grimm dragon up there. After the fall, Weiss had gone to Atlas to go to her family, though Jaune recalled that she didn't seem too happy about that prospect. Blake had gone off somewhere.
Jaune asked his two former teammates to stay behind for Ruby because she needed some friends to wake up to after such a tragic event. If Ren and Nora had gone with him, Ruby would only have her sister Yang with her. Jaune grimaced when thinking about Yang, who had lost her arm, and had a missing partner. Everyone had lost so much, and now they were all struggling to put the pieces back together. Except that Pyrrha was a piece gone forever.
He sighed at his thoughts and cast his eyes once again towards the seemingly endless ocean. He felt a queasy feeling start to build up in his stomach, and silently cursed his motion sickness.
"You doing all right, lad?" A gruff voice snapped him out of his stupor. He turned his head to see a large elderly man that Jaune could identify by his clothing as the captain of the ship. The man had a smile fixed upon his face and met Jaune's eyes.
"I'm...fine," Jaune finally managed to answer. It was a weak lie and the captain was about to speak when the boat suddenly lurched up a bit. Jaune tried to keep the bile from rising up and held his hands at his stomach.
"Not used to the seas, are ya'?" The captain asked, already knowing the answer. Jaune meekly nodded, and the captain let out a boisterous laugh. "Give it a few days, lad, and you'll be fine. The seas to Mistral aren't rough, and you'll adapt to the waves," The man explained. Jaune gave a small smile in response, before the captain adopted a more serious expression on his face. "Now, what's eating at you? I think there's more than just nervousness towards the seas." Jaune bit his lip before articulating an answer.
"I have to visit somebody in Mistral. It's... I was in the fall of Beacon," Jaune began. The man simply hummed and waited for Jaune to continue. "I was a student, and I had a partner. The Grimm were attacking the school and we- she-" Jaune struggled to continue before the captain laid down one hand on his shoulder.
"You don't need to continue, I understand. I'll leave you be for now, lad," the captain said before walking away to leave Jaune still standing by the rail.
"Wait!" Jaune called out. The captain turned around. "How long until this boat reaches Mistral?" Jaune asked, and the captain stood there for a few seconds before responding.
"About two weeks, maybe," the captain responded before turning away once again. With no more words to say, he continued to gaze upon the ocean. The motion sickness died down, but it was replaced by feelings of mourning. His hands subconsciously tightened their grip around their railing. One thought entered his mind.
You are weak.
On the other side of the boat stood Blake Belladonna. Her white coat fluttered in the ocean breeze and she too cast her amber eyes upon the blue waters. No matter what she did, she couldn't forget the moment. Adam standing over her, his blade fixed in her stomach. Then, Yang enters the scene, with Adam putting his focus on her partner. Suddenly, Yang loses an arm, and they barely escape from her ex-partner.
Blake had hoped that Beacon Academy would be an escape from her previous life in the White Fang. She wanted it so bad. She saw her partner Yang Xiao Long, and her sister Ruby Rose, with their relatively normal lives without much worry for the future besides becoming huntresses. Blake had almost felt jealousy, which might have been the reason she had snapped at Ruby the first night before initiation. Ruby had been naive, thinking the world was black and white with a good side and a bad side, and nothing between. Blake was a bit envious that Ruby could live such a life where she hadn't been exposed to the harsh truths of the real world.
If she had to be honest, Blake wished Ruby could live out that view where her days were simply spent battling the forces of Grimm and protecting her family. Now, the fall of Beacon Academy would definitely have an effect on the bright silver-eyed girl. It was more than Blake could say for herself. All it did was reinforce things she already knew about herself.
You're a coward.
After the fall, Blake couldn't possibly hope to face her partner. How could she, when it was because of her that Yang lost her arm? So, what was becoming an increasingly normal thing was that Blake ran away from all she knew. She ran away from her friends, her new home at Beacon Academy, and the life she wanted so desperately to have. All she had now was herself and the blasted feelings that came along with it.
Blake could feel the bow on top of her head mocking her. How she ran away and still was hiding her true self, because she wasn't brave at all. In a way, Blake admired that rabbit faunus, Velvet. She was mocked for her heritage yet insisted on showing it off because it was her and she was proud of who she was. Blake on the other hand was far from proud of who she was.
Her ears picked up the noise of children playing. She glanced at the source, and her eyes softened. She heard footsteps approaching her direction, and a quick look confirmed it to be the captain of the ship.
"Travelling alone?" His question made Blake react immediately. One of her hands flew to the handle of her weapon, and she crouched down and gazed at the captain. After a few moments, she realized what she just did and relaxed her grip on the handle. He cast her an easy smile and held up his hands in surrender. "Now, now. No threat here, just here to chat." Blake's hand fell away from the handle but she couldn't help but be suspicious.
"And why is that?" She asked in a hostile tone. She couldn't help but to revert to old habits of closing up and not trusting anyone.
"Well," the captain sighed, "not many people travel by boat on their own. It can be quite a lonely voyage, but I found those that do tend to have the more... interesting stories," he explained. At the mention of being alone, Blake sighed and looked towards the horizon with a saddened look.
"Maybe it's better for some people to be alone," she remarked. Several children ran by, screaming, and Blake instantly reacted by quickly turning around to identify the source of the threat. Blake realized it was nothing and stood there frozen before hearing the captain laugh.
"Maybe," he started, "with your paranoia, I think a few friendly faces wouldn't hurt," he suggested. Blake turned away and clenched her fist.
"Who says I'm paranoid?" Her question made the captain burst out in merry laughter again.
"No one, dear, no one," he replied before turning around. "I'll leave you be," he concluded before walking off to the front of the boat. Blake watched him leave before he glanced back one last time and said, "But, uhh, fair warning. These trips can be awfully boring!" With that, the captain was gone and Blake was once again left alone in her thoughts.
Suddenly, a foreign thought entered her mind. If she was travelling alone, and no one here would recognize her, then maybe...
Her hand touched the bow on top of her head. The boat was supposed to stop at a port town in Mistral before travelling south and then east to Menagerie. For so long, her bow was a way of her hiding, but maybe she could stop hiding who she was. She thought of Velvet, who truthfully Blake wished she could have the same courage as the rabbit faunus.
Like ripping off a band-aid, Blake swiftly removed the bow from her head before throwing it out into the sea. "Guess I won't be needing this," she idly commented to no one in particular. Somehow, removing the small piece of cloth felt like removing a large weight from herself. Maybe she could improve, and stop being a coward. Maybe, she could someday face Yang and her friends again without fear. Now, it just started with the black ribbon calmly floating in the water.
Blake decided to walk to another part of the boat. The captain was right that this trip would be boring, but Blake would have to bear with it for a while. Her thoughts were interrupted when she caught a flash of blonde in her eyes.
Sun? Her mind immediately came to the name of the monkey faunus that had obviously been infatuated with her. Blake truthfully didn't have a problem with Sun (besides his over eagerness) but right now, she didn't really want to see anyone she knew. Gaining a closer look, it wasn't Sun. The person had shaggy blonde hair, blue eyes, with a set of armor (instead of the exposed shirt Sun always wore) with a hoodie and jeans underneath it. It almost looked like...Jaune?
What on Remnant was Jaune doing here? He was honestly the last person she expected to see on this boat. At the same time, she concluded that it probably had nothing to do with her. She doubted Yang would ask Jaune to try to find Blake which in itself would be impossible. Perhaps he had family in Mistral? Suddenly, Jaune turned his head in her direction and their eyes met. The blue eyes widened in realization.
"Bl-Blake?" Jaune asked with much confusion. Blake herself simply stared back with wide amber eyes.
"Yes, it's me. Is it really you, Jaune?" He simply nodded. Blake didn't know why or how, but this boat trip just got a bit more complicated.