I know I've been posting on this fic a lot recently, but that's only because I'm kinda unmotivated to work on my other fics. Sorry for that, but at least you get some fics here. To sweeten the deal, I want you lovely buddies to throw me an idea in the reviews and I'll take the three I like best a make a 4,000+ word chapter just for them. Credit to the person who throws in the idea too!
XOXOXO
CoffeyJoe!
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The Case of Jaune Dexter Arc:
Highschool AU. Vale is a strange town, full of strange people and dark secrets for those foolish enough to go looking, and Beacon Academy is no exception. Take Jaune Arc, mediocre student and overall underdog with little going for him, who finds himself a simple, silver locket on a field trip. It is a beautiful locket, from it's ornate engravings to the way it whispers to him, Jaune finds it harder and harder to separate with simple piece of jewelry.
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Vale is a small town, but that doesn't truly justify it. Vale is a town like no other, it is a place of strange folk and of strange secrets where many unsolved cases end up. Disappearances in broad daylight, inhuman sounds from the woods, the enigmatic principal of the local high school, and that odd little group in the wooded outskirts of town, Vale is a strange place indeed. The people are as varied and odd as the town, with so many hosting strange characteristics, abilities, personalities, and motivations for what they do.
Vale is secluded, and entirely self-dependent. It has both an elementary school, a middle school, a high school, a university, a hospital, a police station, local government buildings, cinemas, gas stations, grocery stores, the works. Many of the denizens are born, raised, and killed entirely in the town, never venturing into the outside world, but the townsfolk don't seem to mind.
However, this curious case does not follow any of the odd happenings before now, instead it focuses on the plight of a young man by the name of Jaune Dexter Arc. The middle child of 8, he and seven sisters, and a student enrolled at Beacon Academy, the local high school. Jaune is a young man thrust into a cruel and savage environment, being a weak, socially-inept teenager he is preyed upon by everyone at school. Constantly he is forced to work for others, belittled, and generally despised by those more well off. He works at the local grocery store on the weekends where he is given some semblance of peace.
But something lurks deep within the forest, something that hungers for an owner. It calls to him, even now, and when Jaune answers that call he sets off a series of events that will irrevocably change the climate of the small town forever. But for now, he is still the simple, awkward, pitiful teenager...
"Hiya there Jaune-y boy!" sneered one Cardin Winchester, son to the town mayor. "Me and the boys were so busy with practice last night, we forgot to do our homework. Be a pal and do it for us, eh Jaune-y boy?"
"I'm busy tonight Cardin, I gotta take care of my sisters." Jaune murmured, taking things from his locker. Cardin's sneer turned into a scowl, which eventually evolved into a snarl.
"Listen here you little fuck, if you think-" the bully started, reaching a fist to clasp around the young man's arm only for it to be suddenly assaulted by a hand with the grip strength that could crush steel.
"What did I say about bothering my best buddy?" Nora Valkyrie asked sweetly, increasing the grip on the ginger's man's wrist. Cardin tried to howl out but it choked half way through as he was forced to his knees.
"F-Fine Valkyrie! I'll let him go, just get off!" Nora nodded with a cheerful smile and let go, sending the bully scurrying off into the distance.
"I appreciate it Nora, but you know I gotta fight my own battles right?" Jaune asked, sighing a little tiredly but smiling nonetheless.
"Oh fearless leader, you know Ren and I will always have your back! We made a promise to be best-best-besties forever and ever!" Nora crooned, throwing the blonde young man into a headlock hug.
"Gah-! Nora, I'm not the leader of anything you know!" Jaune choked out, smiling frantically as the ginger girl nearly hung off of him.
"You're the leader of Nora's bestest friend club! Plus, didn't your dad say he wanted to take you out to his boxing place for fighting lessons?" Nora asked cheerily, swinging around her childhood friend.
"Yeah, my old man doesn't like the fact I get beat up about twice a week. He likes it even less when it's from a girl." Jaune laughed a little sullenly. "I've been trying, but I hit like a wet pasta noodle."
Nora bit her lip for a moment before shaking her head and hugging Jaune even tighter. "Ooh! I know! I should put you on my workout plan!"
"Nora, that would kill anyone other than you. And maybe Yang." Lie Ren said, breaking the two up and becoming Nora's new hug-buddy.
"Ren, good to see you." Jaune said, patting his green friend's shoulder.
"Good to see you in one piece Jaune. I saw Cardin giving you a hard time, let me know if Nora and I need to straighten anyone out." Ren said stoically, but his eyes made his loyalty to his longtime friend clear.
The three teens had been raised together, practically in the same family. Nora and Ren shared a house with their respective families (strange town, remember?) while Jaune lived next door. The three grew up as best pals with Nora being the staunch protector, Ren being the mediator, and Jaune being the crafty mind to formulate all their childhood schemes.
"Oh yeah! Guys! Did you hear, Oobleck is giving us something big today! Ooh, I can't wait!" Nora jittered, bouncing up and down.
"I think I heard something about that, do you want to-" Jaune didn't finish as Nora hooked both her friends by the collar and shot off towards the professor's classroom.
30 minutes later...
"-As you may have heard students, I am handing out something very important today!" The doctor proclaimed, jetting around the class at mach speed. "We have been given the historic opportunity to investigate the nearly untouched ruins in the Emerald Forest! These ruins have recently been discovered away from the currently discovered ones, and have been deemed safe for investigation."
The class both silently booed and approved of the announcement, some wishing to avoid any extra work.
"These ruins are the remnants of an unknown civilization, and the fact this class has the perfect opportunity to study them up close is amazing." he sipped his coffee excitedly. "Of course, this field trip is not mandatory but it should be noted that it counts as 50 points extra credit for showing up and doing your work, and those who do not go will have study hall with Professor Goodwitch."
There was a shudder that went through the class, everyone knew Goodwitch for her iron-clad teaching methods and unwavering discipline that put even Mr. Ironwood to shame.
"Man this is gonna be so cool!" Nora whispered, wiggling in her seat. "Think of all the cool stuff in there. Oh my gosh, what if there's a secret wizard in there!?"
"Nora, I don't think wizards exist." Ren said slowly, flipping through a book about zen.
"Well then, what about that guy who burst into flames on Christmas eve?" Nora challenged.
"Nora, you know we can't talk about that." Ren said evenly, not even slowing down his reading pace.
"Honestly though, this does sound kinda cool. And seriously, 50 points extra credit just for showing up and writing some stuff down, count me in!" Jaune said, clapping a hand against his friend's shoulder.
"You raise a good point Jaune, I suppose I'll join in too."
"-And that dear students, is all you need to know for today's lesson. I would like to remind you all that the field trip is tomorrow, so get those permission slips signed and I will see you bright and early tomorrow morning!" Oobleck encouraged. "Now, off to lunch with you!"
The class shuffled out, students talking to eachother about the trip. The three friends zoomed off towards the cafeteria to beat the lunch rush, all the while talking about what they would find in the ruins. After sitting down at their usual table, the rest of the students scuttled in quickly and soon the lunch room became a bustling network of teen gossip and power plays.
The popular kids and the jocks made their jabs at the other factions, trying to cement their superiority. The two leading forces being Cardin due to his status as the mayor's son, and Cinder Fall who did... something...? Many kids just gossiped that her family was some kind of crime syndicate, made all the more credible due to the fact Cinder acted like a Mafia princess.
And then, speak of the devil, the raven-haired woman herself strut in, sending her two lackeys, Melanie and Militia, off to grab her some food. Behind the powerful and beautiful woman stalked the grey-haired Mercury Black and green-haired Emerald Sustrai. That walking maelstrom of gossip and power sat at their usual table, scanning the crowd for the usual suspects.
Then of course, with the customary bang of the doors, came in what people dubbed "RWBY". They consisted of the younger Ruby Rose, her cousin Yang, the prominent Jacques Schnee's daughter Weiss, and the enigmatic Blake. That group was known for their wild schemes and general mayhem they created over their time at the school, they were seen as the only threat to Cinder's dominance to no small disdain of the terrifying woman herself.
"Jaune, you're getting that I'm analyzing them like the super nerd I am look again." Nora observed, poking the blonde boy in the face. "You gotta stop worrying about this stuff you silly-head, you'll drive yourself to the grave with it."
"I am not a super nerd Nora, I am observant." Jaune adamantly denied.
"Suuuure. Oh hey! Look super nerd! A new challenger approaches!" said challenger was Pyrrha Nikos, star of just about everything Beacon could offer. Swimming, running, basketball, and she was pretty damn good with the new boxing circuit although Yang mostly held queen of that title.
Pyrrha sat with RWBY like always as conversation picked up. Suddenly, and worryingly, Cinder jerked a chin in Jaune's direction sending Mercury, her hired thug as most people thought of him, over to the three who tried to ignore his approach.
Mercury passed Ren and Nora to end up behind Jaune who tried to ignore him. Mercury waited a moment before clearing his throat to garner some attention, and when he did Nora preemptively shifted in her seat.
"What Mercury?" Jaune asked, opting to not look at him.
"Cinder needs you to do that assignment from Port's, you're pretty much the only one in that class that gets it." he said bluntly, folding his arms across his chest.
"Tell her I'm busy tonight, get some other sucker to do it." Jaune said bitterly, having grown tired to being everyone else's pack mule for work.
Mercury sighed and laid a single hand on his shoulder. "Cinder can make your life very hard Jaune, I don't think you deserve that. Please, just do the damn assignment."
"Hey Merc, got cotton in your ears? He said get lost." Nora growled, held back by Ren.
"Tch, fine. But don't come crying to me when your life goes to shit afterwards." Mercury growled back, returning to his mistress empty handed.
"Do you think that was wise?" Ren asked, concerned. "I appreciate you standing up for yourself, but I don't need you getting hurt."
"Eh, I'll be fine." Jaune said, returning to his food.
"Hey Jaune! Good stuff man!" Yang shouted from across the way which Jaune decided to ignore. "H-Hey, come on man notice me!"
Jaune heard Ruby chastise her cousin for her comments. Jaune could say he kinda liked Ruby, small, sweet, and nice to just about everyone, but they weren't what could be considered friends, they truly only knew of eachother by word of mouth. Like how Goodwitch was known for her cold demeanor, Jaune had a rep for being the underdog of the school. In freshman and sophomore year, he was a chew toy for the other kids.
Of course, he'd grown something of a backbone since then. But, high school never lets you truly live down the reputation you garner. Ruby was known for being sort've like a puppy, small and cute and so innocent you could never be made at her. Different, but kindred souls as they say.
Idly, Ren caught Pyrrha looking between both his good pal Jaune and Mercury strangely. A rumor had been going around that the "champion" had the hots for the poor guy, some even going so far as to say she had some weird dom-sub kink fetish. Ren felt a little bad at the thought of a nice girl like Pyrrha being subjected to a rumor like that, but it'd be a cold day in hell before he let his brother get his heart trampled into the ground. Sighing, Ren idly wished that the world could be a little more like him: stoic, calm, nonchalant, and accepting.
Wishful thinking.
The day passed pretty quickly after that, classes going by in a blur as most of it was buried beneath the field trip tomorrow. Finally, the bell tolled and the kids left for home and away from the damning institution. Jaune waved goodbye to Ren and Nora and declined their offer to catch a ride in Ren's truck, instead deciding to walk home and enjoy the fall scenery.
About halfway home that proved to be a bad idea when he was jump by a gang of Cinder's henchmen no doubt and beaten to the floor. They didn't steal anything, but they did kick the crap out of the poor blonde boy for daring to defy the almighty word of Cinder. He found that wording kind of funny until another fist sent his head into the ground.
"Jaune-y boy, you know I didn't want to do this." Mercury said, strutting out from a ditch and picking at his nails. "So, me being the great guy I am, decided to bring Cinder's little assignment so she doesn't feel the need to do this again."
He tossed the packet down onto the beaten boy before whistling for his gang of thugs to walk away. Jaune sighed, the pain subsiding slightly, before he picked himself back up and headed home. It was possibly the longest 15 minutes of his life before he shuffled through the door and into the family living room, his mom was on the couch with his sister doing homework on the kitchen table.
His mom looked up for a moment before sighing and going to check on her son.
"Who was it? Cardin?" she asked, licking her thumb and scrubbing off some dirt.
"Mercury." he responded simply. A few years ago this would be met with a storm of phone calls, but now it was just regarded as fact.
"Well, let me get some ice wait here. You know your father is coming to take you to train right?" she asked, stalking into the kitchen.
"I know." he called after her.
"Pfft, geez Jaune even I can fight better than you and I'm in the 7th grade." Mindy, his younger sister, jeered from her work.
"Hey Mindy, shut the hell up." Jaune responded back which caused her to gasp.
"Moooom! Jaune told me to shut the hell up!" she whined.
"Jaune, don't swear at your sister." his mother responded lazily, returning with an ice pack and pushing it onto his head. "Go do some work babe, I'll make you a smoothie or something."
"By the way mom, can you sign this permission slip. It's for Oobleck's field trip into the ruins tomorrow." Jaune asked, taking the ice pack.
"Oh sure, gosh I remember when I did that. Hard to believe that old doctor is still teaching, and the fact he looks younger than me." Jaune's mom said, the end turning into a slight question before she shook her head of it. "Whatever, go do some work your dad'll be home in about an hour."
An hour later, and Cinder's stupid homework done, Jaune's dad finally got home. He threw off his tie and changed into his workout gear before standing proudly in the kitchen.
"Jaune! Get your ass down here we're going boxing!" he bellowed, punching a fist into his chest with a hearty laugh. One would expect Nicholas Arc to be an average looking man, but they could not be further from the truth.
Nicholas Arc was a mountain of man, standing well over 2 meters and packed to the brim with mighty muscle. The man co-ran a boxing gym with Yang's father, Taiyang, when he wasn't working as an accountant. Jaune trudged downstairs in his workout gear, black eye standing out against some slightly healed bruises, and walked towards his dad.
"Alright dad, I'm here let's get going." Jaune said, a tad unenthusiastically.
"My god boy, what the hell happened to you? Was it that little shit Cardin again!?" His father growled, standing well over his son. "Why I'll have the ginger fuck's intestines for a belt!"
"No dad, it was Mercury this time."
"Grrr, fucking silver-haired prick." Nicholas swore, folding massive tree trunk arms over eachother. "Forget about that kiddo, your old man is gonna teach you how to beat ass!"
The towering giant swept up his son and flew from the house in a rush. Jaune held onto the car's emergency handle as the old mustang whirled around town, garnering honks and beeps, before the metal death trap finally screeched to a stop outside a rustic gym. Inside, the place was a fairly modern boxing gym with a large ring in the center, punching bags, weights, and a locker room.
In said ring, Yang was mercilessly beating on her old man who took it all with practiced ease.
"Come on Yang watch your footing!" Taiyang Xiao Long ordered, analyzing his daughter's footsteps. "I could've just bowled you over right there!"
"Then why don't you old man!?" Yang grunted, a fierce smirk on her face. Said smirk dissipated when her "old man" did indeed knock her flat on her ass with nothing more than a well-placed foot.
Taiyang laughed and helped her up, only then noticing the two newcomers. The grizzled blonde leaped over the ring's rope to land in front of Jaune's dad, who still towered over him, but if Taiyang noticed it he didn't comment.
"Nick, how the hell are you? Come to teach the boy how'ta fight?" Tai asked, smacking a hand onto the older man's arm.
"Yeah, poor kid got whipped earlier today." Taiyang finally noticed Jaune's bruises, the younger boy shifting uncomfortably under his gaze.
"Yeesh, who the hell did that to you kid?"
"Mercury Black."
Taiyang made a displeased face. "Little shit."
"Yeah, that's what I was thinking." Jaune laughed a little.
"Yo Jaune, you look like shit." Yang said appearing before them with a pleased look. "Got the crap kicked out of you again?"
"Yang! Be nice." Tai scolded to which Yang laughed.
"I'm just messing with him dad, anyways who did it?"
"Mercury Black." All three men answered in unison.
"Hmm, yeah no offense but you had no chance Jaune. Don't worry though, I'll remember to crack his jaw neck time I see him." Yang laughed, folding her hands behind her head.
"Thanks Yang." Jaune smiled slightly before being tugged off by his eager father. Yang wasn't really a friend, but she was similar to Ruby in a sense. Jaune had known her as Tai's daughter for so long, but they didn't really hang out or talk or even know that much about eachother outside the gym. For the most part, they just ignored eachother at school.
"Alrighty Jaune, let your old man teach you the basics. Now, first, we'll start with the dick kick..." the night wore on for a few hours with Jaune learning, once again, how to beat someone up. It wasn't quite as helpful as it could be considering Jaune still had the strength of a cocker spaniel, but he figured there was nothing wrong with learning how to fight at the very least.
However, he couldn't wait for tomorrow. This field trip promised to be a good one...
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Jaune yawned, bruises mellowing out after a goodnight's sleep. However, nothing could prepare a man for a cold fall morning outside the school grounds, said area which was bustling with a class of bored, apathetic, and tired teens.
"Man, when's Dr. Oobleck gonna get here?" Nora whined, stretching her arms out.
"Patience Nora, patience." Ren said, flipping through his book.
As much as he loved Ren, Jaune was inclined to agree with Nora on this one. If he didn't do something quickly he'd turn into an ice sculpture soon enough, but, as luck would have, at the moment Oobleck's green minivan skidded into the grass and out popped the doctor himself.
"Good morning students, I hope we are all excited for today's events!" there was a moan, not of agreement but just a moan, and the doctor nodded. "Wonderful, it's a 10 mile trek to the ruins from here so I hope you all brought your walking shoes!"
Another moan, with Weiss Schnee being the loudest, before they began to trek into the woods behind the doctor. At this point in the year, it was pointless questioning what the doctor did or said, he was just like that.
"Could be worse," Jaune yawned. "We could be saddled with Port."
Nora gagged at the implication of being stuck in the forest with Port for 10 miles, no doubt being subjected to a heinous retelling of some camping story. The company trudged onwards, many complaining of aching feet and general teenage grievances. The doctor had no problem happily explaining or brushing off their annoyances with the promise of what they'd find at the ruins.
Eventually, after torturous hours of walking, the group finally arrived at the ruin site. The whole thing made the trek seem worth it, this wasn't some run down group of random bricks and pillars, this was an actual building. It was built into the rock face of a cliff and stretched into the sky making it seem almost endless. There were murmurs of excitement and awe which caused the doctor to smile and explain their assignment.
Groups would be paired off into threes and fours to scout the first floor of the ruins only. They had been deemed safe enough to explore, but it was on the condition that none of the students touch or break anything. The students were supposed to categorize what they found and develop hypothesis on why the ruins were the way they were. With the group promising to keep, mostly out of trouble, the kids filtered in excitedly into the large anti-chamber of the entrance of the ruins.
The walls were alight with flashlights and temporary spotlights that showed off detailed carvings by those who were here long ago. It seemed to tell a kind of story with pictures of blasphemous monsters battling against heroes shrouded in halos of light. The monsters appeared to be everything from gigantic birds, to massive wolves, to enormous scorpions, and even what appeared to be a shark the size of a subway train.
The heroes were pictured as being staunch protectors of cities and towns and people. Many held mighty swords that were carved with strange runes and radiated some kind of strange aura.
But then, at the largest wall, there was a carving of what appeared to be artifacts of worship perhaps? They were detailed images of items being destroyed, buried, burned, or kept away. The items being anything from swords, to hammers, to a strange book, a wickedly spiked crown, and a small locket all of which appeared to have been erased with extreme prejudice.
"Hey guys, do these images make you feel, I don't know, funny?" Jaune asked his friend who nodded in agreement.
"Yes, it feels almost... wrong. I'm unsure of how exactly to describe it, but it seems as if the creatures themselves are alive perhaps? Like they're looking down on us." Ren shook his head. "I just can't seem to shake this feeling of being watched."
"Yeah, and is anyone else getting this weird feeling like you're soul is cringing away from this entire place?" Nora asked idly, skipping over a turned over stone slab.
"Man, this place is creepy. Maybe you're right Nora, we could find a wizard here." Jaune said, shining his flashlight around.
"Jaune, please do not encourage her." Ren sighed as Nora began to bounce around looking for said wizard.
As the flashlight roamed across the ground a sudden glint made Ren pause for a moment.
"Jaune, shine your flashlight over there again." Ren asked, and when his friend did he caught sight of it. A single, dirty lock sticking haphazardly out of some upturned dirt. Ren motioned for Jaune to go near it and the two dug it up without comment. True to the light, it was a simple box with a single, old lock keeping its contents from the outside world.
"Imma break it open." Jaune whispered, ignoring Ren's comments of what he thought of that idea. Jaune retrieved a small swiss army knife and began to work at the worn and slightly rusted metal before it suddenly gave with a small chink.
Then, he heard it. Like, drums of a sort, or perhaps, maybe, it was more akin to the heartbeat of some great animal, it pounded in his head and in his very soul reaching a volatile tempo. The pace increased as he laid a single hand upon the box and slowly, almost tentatively, began to open it. The heartbeat had grown into a near constant tremor as he finally opened it to reveal-
A locket. A single, simple, silver locket engraved with strange runes but little else. Opening the locket revealed nothing inside, and the odd heartbeat had stopped almost immediately after he opened the box.
"We should give it to Oobleck." Ren said, nodding towards the lock. And they should, it was a piece of history, but, now holding it in his hands, Jaune felt a strange attachment towards it.
"Or, I could keep it and nobody needs to know."
"That's stealing Jaune, even if its from old, dead people. I believe that makes you some kind of grave robber." Ren said, deadpan expression on his face.
"I'll give you 15% of my salary for the next three months if you don't talk."
"Jaune, I'm not going to just-"
"And I'll double that for Nora clean up duty." Ren considered that for a moment before looking around to make sure the coast was clear before returning the box back into the ground and getting up to leave.
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"Man, you're really interested in that locket, huh Jaune?" Nora asked, looking over her friend's shoulder. Jaune had taken to just idly rubbing his hand over the locket, the chain around his neck.
It was just so... mesmerizing. It captured his attention, and at times he felt like he just couldn't think anymore, this locket was just so cool. Nora shook him back to reality with a start.
"Wha- huh? Oh, right yeah." Jaune nodded absently, returning to the locket and tracing a finger over its engravings. Nora sent a look towards Ren who just shrugged in turn and kept reading.
"Listen guys, I'm going to head home for the night you got our homework assignment?" Jaune asked, pointing to Ren.
"Yeah, I'll turn in all of our work tomorrow." Jaune nodded and left his friend's house heading home to his.
The short trip back home was spent still fawning over the small metallic object he discovered. He gently rubbed a thumb over the markings, feeling them beneath his finger, for the most part there wasn't anything special. Even the strange runes seemed more like a design choice than anything of actual importance, but perhaps it wasn't the locket's design but rather the locket itself.
Storing these thoughts for later Jaune entered his house, seeing a wrapped plate of food for him.
"Jaune, that you?" He heard his mom call from upstairs.
"Yeah, I just got back from Ren and Nora's." he called back setting his book bag down and jogging up the stairs.
"Ok, just remember you have to make dinner for you sisters tomorrow. Your dad and I are going out of town for a few days for our big trip." She told him. Their big trip was really just an excuse to get hammered and not worry about their kids for a few days, it was practically tradition by now. It was also practically tradition for every kid to host a party while their parents were away.
"And remember son: If you find a nice girl at a party, always remember to keep your sword in its sheath, lest we have a few grand kids about." his dad reminded him before promptly receiving a sharp elbow into his ribs.
"Ignore him sweetheart, are you working this weekend?"
"Nah, Cherry says it'll be too slow what with everyone out of town."
"Ok, so you should be just fine. I left money for as much pizza as you want in the kitchen cupboards." his mom finished as Jaune entered his room. It was only by this time that he noticed that his hands were firmly wrapped around the locket, to the point where the fleshy digits ached as he uncurled them.
Shaking his head of it, Jaune got undressed for a quick shower. The hot water did wonders to relieve his tension and he sighed as he recounted the tiring day, but at least this wasn't a complete loss. I mean, he got some ancient locket right? Can't say that everyday.
After he was finished he dried off, towel jingling the locket occasionally. Deciding to just reheat the dinner for breakfast tomorrow, Jaune climbed into bed feeling inexplicably exhausted from the day. He was out before his head even hit the pillow, or even before he got underneath the covers...
He was in a dark place, a cold place.
There was no light, to the point where he wasn't quite sure how dark things were. It didn't feel like he was enveloped in a lightless place, this darkness went beyond that to the point where it almost seemed to consume him. And yet, adrift in this void, he didn't feel alone, in fact, he felt as if he was surrounded by something. There was a twinge in his heart, almost a signal saying "over here" to him.
He turned, or tried to at least, but found nothing more than sheer black. Another twinge, only this time the world around him seemed to ripple, as if someone had thrown a rock into a calm pond. The ripples crossed eachother, creating a shimmering mirror of darkness that sent his head spinning, but in the optical illusion before him he could see a form. A being.
It could've been a few miles away or no more than an inch in front of him. It's shape was familiar, and it felt wrong as if it should not exist by the laws of nature. The entity raised what might have been a hand and spoke.
"I am the lord's king, ruler of an infinite hunger."
"W-What? I don't understand." Jaune spoke, but the sounds evaporated in the dark.
"We are the sleepless one, crying out amongst an endless space. Yearning to be free from our own choices."
"An existence, left alone and without equal or completion. An accursed fate for the wisest and most noble of heroes, only worsened by what we are now."
"We are one, a many faced beast of cosmic proportions. We need you, you need us."
"Let us in, we need you and you need us. We speak of power, and kingdoms long past, you have heard our call for far longer than now. Of eons and ancients, you are our savior."
"Let us in..."
Jaune felt as though he were falling through an endless abyss. The speed of his descent growing fast and faster, until he felt as though the sheer force would rip him to pieces. His head pounded like before in the ruins, his heart hammered to the point where he thought it would burst, the feelings and sensations reached a crescendo and-
He awoke. Morning had come, the birds were chirping, and a single honey-colored ray of sunlight beamed through the window. It wasn't like in the movies where the character has a long thought about his dream, because, well, Jaune didn't remember quite anything. Shaking his head, and making the locket jangle, Jaune got up and trudged downstairs.
On the table was a note that read Too excited, left early. Make breakfast for other brats.- XOXO Mom and Dad. Jaune sighed and got out the pancake mix for his younger sisters, the older ones being off to college. The locket dangled around his neck as he prepared the food, his youngest sister, Rowena, trudging down the stairs and wiping some sleep from her eyes.
"Mmm, pancakes?" she mumbled, taking a seat at the table.
"Yeah, just sit down and watch some cartoons they'll be ready soon. I'm assuming you want chocolate chips?" he asked, used to this routine.
"Mmhm." she nodded turning on the TV which played some cartoon. By the time Jaune had made several plates of stacked pancakes the others, Akasha, Mindy, and Sienna, had taken their seats and were eating.
"Hey Jaune, what happened to your face?" Mindy asked, nodding towards her older sibling.
"You know I got beat up by Mercury, Mindy." he answered, not feeling the least embarrassed by it.
"No, I know that, but, like, where did it go?"
"What do you mean?" he sighed, not willing to play her games.
"You had a big black eye, but now it's gone."
"Min, you know that it's-" he stopped, and reached up towards his face. The dull throb of the bruise, neigh, the entirety of the dull pain in his body was completely gone. Getting up he left his siblings to go look in the mirror, checking out what had happened. Sure enough, the bruises, still-healing scrapes, and even the red marks had completely vanished.
The locket jingled as he pulled up his shirt to look at his chest. The warzone of acne, red spots, and zits had been erased into a perfectly clean, perfectly smooth land of skin. Frowning at that revelation, he shook his head and pulled his shirt back down, tucking the locket beneath the fabric. He returned to the table and was silent for the rest of the meal, Mindy frowning at him.
After that, he pretty much had the rest of the day to do nothing and decided to call his friends over. Akasha and Rowena were going to their friends house for a sleepover and Mindy was going to a movie with her friends, meanwhile Sienna decided to just sit in her room like usual.
Jaune sat there, watching the TV as Ren and Nora were getting some stuff for a get together when he heard it.
Jaune
The name, simple and clear, was spoken from somewhere. Jaune turned around and look to see who had called him, expecting one of his sisters, but found himself empty and alone in the room. Shrugging it off Jaune sat back and absently fingered the locket around his neck, enjoying his show when he heard a single knock on the door. Getting up he went to answer it and was surprised to find his best pal Mercury Black there.
"Hiya Jaune, sorry to drop by like this but Cinder needs a favor." Mercury said, strutting into Jaune's house. "Nice place. Anyways she needs you to do some research on that project in Peach's, the one about the chemical bonds? She needs you to type up a quick research paper."
"Get lost Mercury, I'm not her slave." Mercury sighed and shook his head.
"Jaune, like I said I'm trying to help you here. You know you're the smartest dude in that class, so she needs your help. I mean come on, you're helping out some hot girl on her chem project no shame in that." he said smoothly, pacing around Jaune. "And of course, you remembered what happened last time we had this conversation. I don't like doing that to you man, but you're not making it easy.
Jaune took a deep breath and stifled his anger, at least for the moment.
"Tell Cinder I am done doing her work, she can get one of her flunkies to do it."
"Alright Jaune, I didn't want to do this but you left me no choice." Mercury sighed with a shrug. "I'd watch your back, it can be very dangerous out there!"
He punctuated the last word with a sucker punch that sent Jaune crashing to the floor. Or, at least, would have had the blow not seemingly bounced off Jaune stomach. Mercury registered that quickly with a silent "what the fuck" before he whirled into a roundhouse that must've sent the blonde boy to the ground.
But it didn't, his foot just bounced off.
"What the fuck?" Jaune was inclined to agree with Mercury's comment, a surprised daze falling over him. "Alright, fuck you then!"
Mercury then went into a frontal kick designed to just knock the guy back, but his boot stopped when it connected with the taller boy's chest. That was enough to break the spell over Jaune who rushed the grey haired boy and tackled him to the ground. Despite the muscle and weight disadvantages Jaune almost effortlessly kept the thug to the ground as he pounded him wildly.
All the years and beatdowns came flowing out in one cathartic punch after the other. Mercury thrashed like a trapped animal but it was no use, the punches became harder and faster and soon Mercury began to lose consciousness. This was it, Jaune was finally getting back at the people who hurt him, if he wanted to he could beat this asshole into the floor.
"-aune! Jaune!" Sienna screeched, smacking Jaune's head and snapping him out of it. "Oh my god, he's had enough!"
Looking down, Jaune jumped back with a start. The side of Mercury's head was split, a jagged cut spilling blood onto the floor, and his face was mashed with bruises appearing across the battered skin. The grey-haired boy groaned in agony as he rolled onto his back. The locket, having fallen free of Jaune's shirt in the fray, jangled above the downed boy like a silver guillotine, a single smear of blood coating it.
"J-Just go get some towels or something!" Jaune ordered, sending Sienna running off.
After a moment she returned and Jaune pressed it down onto the most egregious wound on Mercury's head. After awhile the blood slowed down and Jaune slowly lifted the dizzy boy onto his feet.
"Alright, return home to your girlfriend and don't ever come back to my house." Jaune warned, shoving the woozy boy out onto the street where he stumbled for a moment before limping off.
It was only then that Jaune noticed his heartbeat, fast and wild and full of energy. He had to admit, he had never felt so alive as he did when he was beating his former tormentor into a bloody pulp. Adrenaline was a hell of thing, he must've completely whipped the guy and he didn't even feel dazed from it. Jaune's locket seemed to beat with its own energy, matching his heartbeat and almost amplifying it.
Power
A short, spoken word on the wind. Ignored by Jaune as he smiled in relief, happy to be rid of that bitch and her gang. It was only compounded by the fact that Nora and Ren pulled in down the street and parked on his driveway, both of them getting out and showing off their haul of food and snacks. As Jaune invited them inside and they got their stuff together, Jaune tucked the locket back underneath his shirt, never noticing how the skin around the locket paled.
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