Important AN at the bottom. Written with the explicit permission of Blaiseingfire.
It was a beautiful day in Vale, the sun shone through the smog, the smell of flower gardens nearby mixed with Burn Dust and molten metal, and birds chirped enough to almost drown out the distant sound of engines.
However, Jaune paid no mind to such beauty of the city of Vale, his mind abuzz with the words of his… Friends.
Weak, useless, pathetic.
It wasn't like he never had any training. His father, despite all his faults, had given him a literal one month crash course after an explosive argument once he got his acceptance letters from Beacon. Jaune knew his father had also taken out some of his resentment in the training but… He couldn't mind it all that much. He got training. He knew it wouldn't be enough.
He sighed, he knew it would be never enough, but to this point? Even his partner, the first girl to show interest in him, even if he didn't exactly return her feelings, had all but abandoned him. He knew they were angry, and most likely didn't mean most of it, but it hurt. It hurt, because he knew them to be true.
"I need someone else's training…" His partner wasn't exactly doing wonders, either. They both may use a sword and shield, but she used a xiphos and he used a bastard sword. The techniques were different, the usage was different. It was like teaching an olympic fencer to use his sabre like a longsword.
It was the distant whistle of a steamer that broke his trance, the sound of her engines audible even from where he was. The smell of salt and fish filled his nostrils, the sound of waves crashing against the stone piers he found himself standing on… Home. He wondered what his family were doing with a forlorn smile, not for the first time. "I could use a drink right about now…"
A faint whistle, the sound of pistons, the smell of Burn Dust. His wishes were answered in the form of a small paddle boat approaching the pier, Le Marin Ivre. "Heh… I wondered where these guys went."
The dark wooden deck contrasted with the white and red superstructure, while the yellow and black chimney marked the middle of the vessel. Jaune grimaced with a smile as the boat let out three whistles, each louder than before.
The vessel came to a stop, and a boarding ramp was thrown, before a familiar face hurried out with a thick rope.
"Here, let me help." The old woman almost, almost fell from the pier, grabbing onto Jaune's arm for support as he chuckled.
"Jaune!" A slightly marred face looked at him with shock, dark brown hair streaked with grey falling about her face. He gestured to the rope with a smile. "Yes. Thank you."
She threw herself onto him as soon as they secured the rope to the mooring bollard, laughing all the way. "I missed you! How many years has it been?"
"Two at most, Katerina, two at most." He gave a tight squeeze, drawing a gasp from her.
"You got strong! Hah!" They parted, though not before she threw a hearty slap on his shoulder, "Come on in!"
The insides were… Different from most other vessels. The first deck of the superstructure housed the bar, everything secured down yet easily accessible. Yellow lamps dotted the ceiling in detailed iron lampshades, bathing the room in a soft, warm glow. Even the location of the large gramophone was the exact same since he last boarded the vessel, currently playing a light piece.
The bartender was already behind the bar, an old man in a Sea Captain's uniform, a reminder of his service in the Valean Navy. "Jaune!" He greeted with a rare laugh, "It's good to see you again! Haven't lost any pieces yet, have you?"
"All my digits are safe and secure, William. It's good to see you too." Jaune sat down on one of the stools with a nod.
"What can I get ya, son?"
"What's the strongest drink you have?" Jaune eyed the bottles behind the bar, few he recognized. "Huh, did you change your stock?"
"Tastes change son, especially when you travel as much as I do." The man scratched his cheek, a rough sound like sandpaper on his beard, "I do have a Vodka mix I know…"
A chime. The click-clack of heels on wood. "Evening, Miss." William called out.
"Good evening, Sir." Jaune's eyes widened at the familiar voice, "Mr. d'Arc, I was not expecting to see you in… Such an establishment."
"Likewise, Ms. Goodwitch." Jaune sent a nod. Wasn't this a surprise? "Are you a regular?"
"First time coming here. You do seem at home, however. At such a young age as well." She sent him a light glare, one that Jaune just shrugged off, much to her apparent ire.
"Jaune's a friend of the family, Miss. Why, I've known him since he was able to walk." Thank you, William, truly. "How do you know him, Ms. Goodwitch?"
"I'm his combat instructor at Beacon Academy, Mister…?"
"Maling. William Maling." He gestured to the nameplate on his uniform.
Glynda sounded a humm at that, "I'll have what he's having, Mr. Maling." She sat next to him, the shorter woman sending him a glance. "You look troubled, Mr. d'Arc."
"Heh…" Jaune chuckled, "I wouldn't want to bother you with my worries, Ms. Goodwitch." William set down their glasses with a loud clack, and Jaune raised an eyebrow, "Are you sure this is Vodka, William?" The liquid was blood-red, and thick, slowly sloshing around in the glass.
"Hah! You're not the first one to react that way. And yes, Vodka is the base." The sight of Goodwitch holding in a cough didn't fill him with confidence. "Fuck it. I came here for a drink."
It was hot, contrasting with its cold, smooth texture as it sailed down his throat. At least he fared better than Goodwitch. "This is… Good." He managed with a grimace.
"You wanted the strongest, remember?" William cracked a grin at him, causing Jaune to shake his head.
Stealing a glance from Goodwitch, he saw her watching her drink, before she looked up at him. "I'm serious about your troubles, Mr. d'Arc. In all my years as a Huntress and teacher, I've never seen someone bottling up their feelings leading to a good outcome."
Jaune sighed, seeing an inescapable discussion brewing on the horizon. Well, he wouldn't exactly gain anything from pushing Goodwitch's buttons. "Remember the mission we were sent to?"
"I remember reading the reports. You were sent to deal with an ancient Grimm in a village to the north, correct?" She took a sip from her drink, already used to the taste.
"Yeah. Things took a hell of a turn when I tried to block the southern valley all by myself. I thought I wouldn't be able to help much with my… Not so great combat skills, so I went for the easier option after detailing a plan with Ruby. She led the team against the ancient Grimm with my plan, and I blocked its only way of escape." Jaune took a large gulp, ignoring the horrid taste in favour of glaring at an enemy that wasn't there.
"Oh… And what happened?" Goodwitch responded, her voice softer than usual.
"The damn thing called for more Grimm, that's what. I was overwhelmed in seconds. If I was any of my other friends, I might've been able to hold, maybe even drive them back, but no… I had to get overrun. I didn't die, obviously, tried to kill as much as possible while regrouping with my friends. But it wasn't enough. Mere seconds after the ancient Grimm died the new horde crashed into my unprepared friends. Ruby and Nora were badly injured… I…" Jaune choked on his drink, unable to hold back a few tears. He tried to hide the waver in his voice with alcohol.
"Mr. d'Arc… No, Jaune," Goodwitch put her hand on his shoulder, "You did your best, and your plan worked, correct? I remember from the reports that they were released from the infirmary barely after their admission with only light wounds."
"Miss Goodwitch-"
"Call me Glynda, please." Something in her expression eased Jaune. Maybe it was the care, maybe it was the camaraderie, but he found himself smiling through the tears.
"Well, yes, but that is only because we poured every gram of our Aura remaining into them. Otherwise they might've not… Made it back." That wasn't just it, of course, and Glynda waited for him to continue as if she knew. "When we got back and the doctors told us they would be okay… Well, everything they were holding back just came forward. Heh, even my partner called me a cowardly fool."
"Shit, son…" William offered his two cents, "They probably didn't mean most of it. Anger can make you say stupid shit, I'd know."
"Mr. Maling is correct, Jaune, they were just letting their anger take control. I'm sure you'll be able to reconcile once you're back." Glynda showed a rare smile. It was small, fleeting, yet it was enough to make his heart skip a beat. Were her eyes always that beautiful? Damn alcohol…
"That… Wasn't what hurt the most. It was the fact that they were right. I am weak." The glass in his hand almost shattered, and would've, if it wasn't for William who carefully took the empty glass from his hand. "But… I've been thinking."
"And?" Glynda's voice was sterner, anxious. "What conclusion have you come to?" She gestured for refills.
"I'll prove them fucking wrong. I'll train twice, nay, thrice harder than before." He seethed, "I'll surpass even them." Glynda's hand worked to his, opening a fist he didn't know he was making, and it took all his willpower not to blush. "Damn alcohol."
"That, Jaune," She rubbed the back of his hand, to calm him, most likely. "Will carry you far. You have a drive to improve yourself that is rarely seen. I couldn't ask for a better student." Her smile returned, and Jaune couldn't keep his blush down this time.
"I…" Well, that put a knot in his throat, "Thank you. That means a lot to me, especially coming from you." Jaune took a gulp from his second glass, washing away the feeling with alcohol.
He watched the alcohol slosh around in the glass before turning to her, "So why are you here?"
"Hmm?" Was her reply, sipping her drink.
"I whined about my problems. Why are you here?" She sent him a sideways glance, and sighed.
"Being the deputy headmistress of an institution such as Beacon Academy is… Stressful. Especially when the actual headmaster refuses to do his paperwork and sources it all to his deputy." Her brow twitched with the last part of her sentence, although he didn't need to see her facial expression to understand what she thought of it all.
"I… Could help, Glynda. I have some experience." She raised a fine eyebrow, "But in return…"
"But in return…?" She intoned.
"I would like you to train me. At least give me pointers." Jaune held her gaze firmly, neither giving ground.
"You know what, Jaune? Deal." She raised her glass for a toast.
It was a celebration after that, one that William didn't have the heart to stop. He knew of Jaune's dream, the boy had made it clear since he was little, but his father never accepted it.
Well, until too late William guessed, Jaune had to have been trained at least a little if he managed to enter Beacon. And he was with one of his teachers, what could go wrong if they were a bit drunk?
He chuckled as Katerina placed a kiss on his cheek, some patrons raising their glasses at the sight. William shook his head with a smile. "The little tyke really grew up, huh?" His wife asked.
"Yeah." His smile turned forlorn, "Just like ours."
"Just like ours." Katerina shared her husband's smile, fingers clutching a picture tightly.
Hello! Damn feels. A relatively new fic. I actually tried my hand at drunken fics before, but published none since I didn't like what I wrote. Now, I know this seems a bit too similar to the one it is based on, but the true difference will come in time. Less humour, more romance though not too much drama, and I'll focus on both of their acceptance of the romance and Jaune's personal growth, both personality and combat training wise. I hope to make this at least a weekly, not sure, but that is the reason why this is so short, I want to get into the thick of it quick and I'd like to not adhere to the 5k every chapter rule. Chapters will contain as much as I can write for them. Could I make this chapter longer? Sure. Add the actual fight, maybe dwell more on the docks, maybe even just add the waking up to lengthen it. Would I like to? Not sure. Also, I find it funny that Blaiseing included a disclaimer about how he got permission from Austin Ga Kill, and now I'm doing the same with Blaiseing. Should I have asked permission from Austin as well? Not sure. I'll also write this whenever, as I'm mainly focusing on the Crusader Arc (name pending™) fic. The first chapter of that is coming a long, a bit slowly, but that is mostly because I'm still drafting the overall plot and world building.
Did you guys know Glynda is canonically shorter than Jaune? According to the latest canon height charts, if what I know isn't wrong, Glynda is around 175cm, or 5'8, with heels. Winter should be just an inch taller with heels, same height as Yang who doesn't wear any heels. They're actually quite a bit shorter than him, especially without heels.