There were a lot of possible reasons why Jaune's stomach felt like it was collapsing in on itself.
It could have been about the fact that Jaune had run away from home, stolen his Grandpa's sword and shield, and left his Scroll behind so his parents couldn't contact him. He was sure if he had brought it with him, he probably would be hearing the ringtone throughout the whole journey, and he couldn't risk his dad somehow tracking it and dragging him back home.
It could have been because he wasn't even going to Beacon Academy anymore. His "contact" that had set up the forged transcripts for him had said there was a sudden change of plans, that now instead of studying at his dream school in nice cozy Vale, he was now going to Bulwark Academy all the way in the cold foreign Kingdom of Atlas.
It could have also been part of the fact that the shortest way to Atlas was an overnight flight by airship. It is well known how susceptible to air sickness Jaune was, another dot on the list that consisted of Jaune's flaws, right in between his natural clumsiness and the fact he looked way too good in a dress.
No matter the reason for Jaune's stomach sickness, he could at least confidently say that his ailment was the reason why he was sitting in his own corner of the airship, with his very own complimentary trashcan and air spray provided by the poor stewardess who was tired of cleaning up the bathrooms after his emergencies.
To say Jaune was in a bit of a sore spot was putting it lightly.
Using his newly acquired weapon of aerosolized flowers to fend off the foul odor of his stomach contents turned trash contents, Jaune couldn't help but stare out the airship ship window of the slowly passing snowy wastes of Solitas, soon to be his new home.
I should have asked for a refund. Jaune thought to himself. I had to sell my entire comic book collection just to afford those transcripts and then save up my allowance for traveling expenses. Now I'm going to a school I didn't even know the name of. It was already going to be complicated enough to fake my way through Beacon, now I have to fake my way into Bulwark and pass the Atlesian military?
And what did the broker even mean by 'change of plans'? The transcripts for Beacon were already official, so why do I suddenly have to go to Bulwark instead? Something isn't adding up…
Before Jaune could ponder his predicament anymore thoroughly, the airship's speakers crackled to life.
"Good evening passengers, this is your captain speaking letting you know that our landing will be in twenty minutes. Also if you'd look out the left side windows of the ship, you should be able to see the cities as we arrive, I promise it will be quite the view."
Jaune, realizing he was sitting on the left side of the ship, swerved his gaze towards the window. Just as he did, his stomach pains had all but miraculously vanished.
The view was… breathtaking.
As the airship crested the mountain top, it was as if Jaune was on a whole nother planet entirely.
It was a world where great castles with impossibly high spires and towers rested on floating islands in the air. Held aloft seemingly by nothing but gargantuan tendrils of steam that reached out from a gaping maw in the planet's crust, like the mouth of a dragon that threatened to swallow floating citadel whole.
To the side of this unfathomably wide opening in the ground sat another city, less grandiose in architecture to the one that sat just above, but where the later was basked in cold elegance, the former begged for a warm embrace. The buildings below were spaced closely together, as if to hug each other to better brace against the harsh Solitas cold. The entire city itself practically hugged the steaming crater like a man huddling near a campfire in a storm.
As the broken moon rose higher into the sky, the lights of the twin cities became alight under the already star speckled sky, further contrasting the two as one glowed an icy blue that matched sprawling icy wastes while the one below emanated a deep orange that reflected off the spiraling pillars of steam, reminding Jaune of roaring blaze
Jaune couldn't take his eyes off the scene before him even as the airship made it's final descent towards the lower city. He knew Bulwark was located in Atlas just above, but apparently you could save a lot of money by flying directly to Mantle instead.
Even as the airship landed on the runway, the young knight couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement. He was really doing it, he had just traveled all this way to become a Huntsman and by golly he officially came too far to turn back now.
With newfound determination in his heart, Jaune took his first step out into the fresh Solitas air, with only one thought crossing his mind…
HOLY COW IT IS COLD!
~O~O~O~O~O~
Turns out Jaune's treasured Pumpkin Pete Hoodie was not exactly built for arctic temperatures. The light material made it so the jacket could be worn comfortably on warmer days, and when you're in Vale, that pretty much means you could wear it most times of the year.
Luckily the hoodie helped better when actually traveling the Mantle streets, apparently the lower city had an advanced heating system that ran along every nook and cranny, warming the local temperatures to a pleasant chilly day in comparison to the harsh freezing cold outside the walls.
But even with the relief of Mantle's heating network, Jaune knew his wardrobe was due for an upgrade if he was going to be living in Atlas, which brought him to a clothing shop. Sure, he was already dipping into his limited currency, but he considered the expenses necessary, especially if there was a chance that he was going to have to work out in the wilderness, that's where most of the Grimm were, and that's where the temperatures were going to be even lower.
On this shopping trip he had acquired some thicker jeans, a pair of large snow boots, some thick leather gloves, a rather fashionable orange turtleneck sweater, and a brand new black winter coat with a hoodie. For a last second decision, Jaune had opted to get an orange wool knit beanie with a white pattern along the hem, matching the sweater perfectly!
After putting the ensemble together with his white armor overtop the jacket and sword buckled at his side…
Jaune thought he looked good. Damn good!
He even took a few minutes to do some poses in the changing room to catch all the good angles. He almost looked and felt like a real Huntsman!
The shop keeper must have thought so too, because as Jaune was purchasing the clothes, the lady recommended a nearby Dust Shop, a locally owned place called "Dust to Dust".
Jaune had a basic understanding of what Dust was from science classes at school and stories his dad had told. It was sort of like a magical rocks that could create special effects when messed with.
Some could create fire, some could generate electricity, some would even turn into water when shattered. But most importantly, it was something real Huntsmen used all the time.
Even if Jaune wasn't a real Huntsman yet (or even a real Huntsman in Training to be exact), it would help him blend in more if he showed up packing some heat, maybe even some cold and some shocking as well!
Which now brought him to be standing out in front of a storefront of a shop with "Dust to Dust" hanging above it.
Adjusting his new clothes in an effort to somehow make himself look more official, Jaune stepped into the shop, a bell chime signaling his entrance.
A quick scope of the place revealed several shelves and display cases unsurprisingly filled with an assortment of Dust types in differing kinds of containers, ranging from plastic vials, shotgun shells and magazines, to even just whole Dust crystals to be sold. Everything had a bright red tag on the glass depicting "Fire Sale" and "Everything must go!"
A funny thought that came to mind as Jaune looked over the establishment, it felt like it had more in common with a coffee shop than an ammo surplus store. It felt surprisingly warm and welcoming.
"Well hey there son! Looking for a refill?"
Speaking of warm and welcoming, Jaune turned to the jovial voice towards the store's counter, behind which stood a tall dark skinned man with graying hair and stylish fedora that he wore as easily as a smile.
"Don't be a stranger, how can I help you?"
Standing a little bit taller, Jaune confidently stepped towards the counter, "Thank You kind sir, I'd like to see your finest wares!"
Nailed it.
The man let out a hearty laugh "First time shopping for Dust son?"
Jaune's stature immediately deflated, "What gave it away?"
"Well usually when customers walk in, they're looking for something specifically , they don't usually ask to see what I happen to have."
"O-oh…" Gods Jaune was already screwing this up! How is he supposed to blend in a school for Huntsmen when he already sticks out like a sore thumb shopping for supplies!?
"Now, now, no need to get embarrassed. A lot of the new kids in the game usually don't have too much experience with Dust. Some just usually focus on the fighting and exercising portion before getting into stuff like Dust Alchemy. I'm assuming you're about to start attending Bulwark?"
"Yes sir! I am. I was hoping to get some Dust before school started so I could… uhm… fit in… better." Jaune admitted rather bashfully, receiving another jovial laugh from the cashier.
"I get what you mean, don't want to be the only one showing unprepared for everything huh? What's your name son?"
"Jaune Arc sir." Jaune instinctually held out his hand towards the man, said man taking it for a strong handshake.
"A pleasure to meet ya Jaune, people around here call me Charles Coal, and luckily for you, I can help you with just your kind of problem."
Jaune couldn't help but feel reassured, the man just oozed a calming, fatherly nature. He accepted the man's help with a nod. "I would greatly appreciate that, thank you!"
"Good, now let's start with the basics. What arsenal are you packing?"
"I uh, got this sword." Jaune unsheathed Crocea Mors from his waist, receiving an approving grunt from Charles. "And the sheath is also a shield as well." Pinpointing that fact by expanding out the sheath, revealing the Arc Crest on the shining metal surface.
"Not bad. Do either the sword or shield come with a Dust Feed?"
"A Dust what?"
"Heh, I'll take that as a no. Do you specialize in any kind of Dust usage?"
"Oh yeah, I use… Fire a lot. And some Ice?"
"Son. Have you ever used Dust before?"
"No sir…" This was just sad at this point, here Jaune was not three minutes earlier strutting into the place like he owned the place and he didn't have the first clue of what he actually wanted.
"Hey, chin up. It's okay. It's obvious from your weapon that you've never had a reason to use Dust in the first place. There's no shame in wanting to expand your arsenal. How about I do this for you…" Charles said as he leaned on the counter with both hands. "... I'll hook you up with a sort of 'Starter Pack', a care package of vials filled with an assortment of different Dust types that you'll most typically use in the field. Go through them, experiment around, and see what works best for you. I've got a sale going on so I can get you quite a bit to work with for a fair price. Sound like a deal?"
Jaune nearly boggled at how great of a deal that sounded! It'd be perfect in fact! He could show up to Bulwark with a whole stash of Dust that he can actually learn to use. His neck nearly snapped at how quickly he nodded, causing Charles to chuckle.
"Then it's a deal. Hey, while I get the pack together, how about you go over to those paper magazine racks over there and check some of them out? Should be a few about weapon engineering, could help you figure out what you could do next after getting a handle on Dust."
"I think I might just do that. Thankyou Mr. Coal, you have no idea how much you're helping me."
Charles simply waved off the praise, "It's my job son, ain't no reason to give me a medal for it. When you're a Huntsman one day, you'll be doing a lot more than me to help, consider this an advancement on your good deeds. Now go ahead and rummage through my stuff while I get the Dust ready for you."
With another polite thank you, Jaune made his way towards the magazine racks as he waited for his order.
He picked one at random, turning out to be a nature survival sort of magazine, giving a bunch of tips and tricks collecting food in the wilderness. He more just scanned the pages and pictures instead actually reading it, his mind was too focused on how excited he was again.
With this Dust, his new winter gear, and his forged transcripts, Jaune pretty much had everything he needed to make a start at Bulwark. He was going to take his classes seriously, get physically fit, fight monsters, get a cute girlfriend, and go on all exciting types of adventures!
Jaune was going to be somebody!
He was so focused on what possible adventures could await him that he failed to notice the front door bell chimed, followed by a few sets of heavy foot prints rushed in.
BANG!
"Get the fuck down this a robbery!"
Jaune had to hold back a surprised, definitely manly scream as he ducked down behind the magazine stands.
Peeking out from behind the Weapons and Engineering section, Jaune spotted several men with guns and metal pipes. They wore white pants and button up shirts with gray vests, each of them wearing variously colored flat caps and white masks of varying cartoonish expressions.
"Back up from the counter Gramps! If I see one finger reach underneath that table, you're going to lose it." Said a a tall beefy robber who held what looked like a fire axe towards Charles
Charles immediately heeded the man's warning. "Please, I don't have much, just take what you want and go!"
"Now Charles, is that anyway you greet a customer?"
A tall man walked in, puffing on a cigar and swinging a cane. He wore a red-lined white suit with long black pants and black shoes. His accessories included a small gray scarf, black gloves with buckled sleeves, and a black bowler hat with a small feather tucked into its red band, unlike the others though, he seemed to have opted to not wear a mask like the others.
"I know the shop is falling on hard times, but is that any excuse for poor service?"
As he talked and walked towards the front counter, he was followed by a young man who dressed in similarly white and gray clothes as the other goons who parted way of their supposed boss, but what made him stand out was the red ornate coat that hung off his shoulders like a cape and a black bandana and mask that covered most of his facial features and hair.
"Roman Torchwick." Charles seethed. "Sorry if I'm remiss to share my hospitality with people who don't intend on paying. What's the matter? Bigger fish getting too scary that you now have to pick on small fries like me just to get by?"
"Harsh words Charles. But I promise it's nothing personal!" Roman said as he crossed his heart. "Sometimes a successful criminal like me just wants to take a break from bigger franchise jobs and take from the little guy once in a while. Give attention to local smaller businesses so they don't feel left out."
"Wise Guy." Roman snapped his finger towards the big henchmen with the axe and a mask with a frowning face on it. "Make sure our friend here doesn't try to cause any trouble while we shop."
"Hehe got it boss. I'll keep him nice and friendly."
"Funny Man," Roman turned towards another henchman, who could have been an exact clone of Wise Guy if it wasn't for the darker skin, the smiling mask, and his weapon of choice being a sledgehammer. "Get the others and start gathering the Dust."
"Yes sir, Yes sir!" Funny Man saluted as he giggled and started smashing glass displays.
"Red Roger, secure the back of the shop, make sure it's only the old man here."
"On it." The young man in the black mask nodded and started making his way towards the back of the shop.
"Chop chop men!" Roman said as he peeled off one of the red stickers on a broken display case. "And remember, 'Everything Must Go!'"
"Hehe you said it boss!"
"Oh crap, oh crap!" Jaune quietly said as he backed up further down the magazine isle.
This is bad! A real robbery! What should I do? What would a Huntsman do? He'd try to quietly take them down one at a time, even the odds into his favor, then hit them with an all out surprise attack… CRAP WAIT! I'M NOT A REAL HUNTSMAN!
As Jaune continued to quietly back up, he failed to notice an extra magazine rack right behind him, accidentally bumping into it with his hip, right where his Crocea Mors was…
Click.
With a simple bump, the sheath expanded out into its shield form, the force launching the magazine rack down the aisle and the shield right off of Jaune's belt in the other direction. The boy quickly dove for the shield as it loudly clattered to the ground, picking it up and shushing it like that would feasibly quiet down the noise.
Jaune quickly stood up with Crocea Mors in hand, wondering if maybe they didn't hear that. He turned to look as every pair of eyes in the room were looking directly at him, all seemingly stunned in place mid robbery.
"Uhmm, freeze?" Jaune hesitantly demanded.
Unfortunately for Jaune, not a single one of the robbers decided to drop their weapons, in fact he heard what sounded like a gun cocking right next to him, causing him to pale.
"How about you freeze, bruv?" said the henchman designated Red Roger in a thick accent, who held a flintlock pistol point blank to the side of Jaunes head in one hand, and sharp cutlass in the other. From here, Jaune could see Red's bright green eyes through his mask's eye holes, and that he painted his nails black based on the index itching towards the gun's trigger. "No sudden movements."
All Jaune could do was let out a struggled eep as all the criminals around started laughing, Roman Torchwick applauding as he walked closer to the two.
"Very well done Red. Looks like you caught us a Huntsman." He took a drag and puffed cigr smoke right into Jaune's face, causing him to cough. "Trying to play hero kid? How's that working out so far?"
Jaune felt like he should have had a witty comeback for Roman, if he wasn't aware of how bad of a situation he was in he might have just done that. But instead his brain defaulted and opted for the truth.
"Could be going better."
This caused a round of laughter from robbers as more decided to stop their crime just to join in on the fun of messing with him.
"Aw look he's shaking!" Funny Man chuckled "What's a matter pal? Nervous to be meeting such a big star like the Boss?"
"Oh, is that what it is Blondie? Are you a fan of my work?" Roman snarked as he rummaged through his coat pocket, pulled out a marker, and started writing on Jaune's breast plate. "Well here's one to my biggest fan, Twerp. Hugs and kisses, Roman."
Jaune looked down to see Roman's message in fancy handwriting, causing Jaune to blush deep in embarrassment as the criminals started pointing and laughing at him.
"Ha! Make sure to tell your friends, kid! You better treasure that with your life!" said the one called Wise Guy as he patted Roman on the shoulder.
"Heh, and as he should." Roman agreed, then quickly afterwards having a thoughtful look cross his mind as he turned to his crony.
"Wise Guy."
"Yeah Boss?"
"If you're here, who's watching the shopkeep?"
When Wise Guy didn't immediately answer, all eyes immediately turned towards the counter as Charles' hand continuously pressed the silent alarm.
"Uh-oh."
Seeing an opportunity while everyone watched Charles, Jaune expanded his shield and charged through the criminals.
"CHARLES, RUN!"
In his valiant effort Jaune managed to get a few meters before he felt someone trip him. Having focused all his momentum in charging, the boy flew across the shop and landed shield first on some soft duffle bags, duffle bags full of the recently stolen Dust.
BOOM!
~O~O~O~O~O~
You'd think with all the casual smoking Roman did, he wouldn't be coughing nearly as hard from all the smoke that filled the room.
Unfortunately his unhealthy habit also did nothing in the way to get him used to loud explosions that nearly deafen your ears, nearly as in the case he could still hear the alarms blaring around him, partially from the store's security system and from the cars parked outside blaring their lights.
Luckily for Roman these specific car lights did not belong to any police cars, but that didn't mean the streets wouldn't be full of them soon, not after the ruckus.
"Uncle? Uncle!" said the muffled familiar voice of his sidekick Red Roger.
"I told you not to call me that on the job!" Roman loudly yelled through his tinnitus, pushing his kid nephew to the side as he stomped over to his overpaid cronies. "And which one of you idiots had the bright idea to trip him?!"
His two tallest and beefiest henchmen looked at eachother, Wise Guy being the first to point fingers.
"It was all Funny Man."
"Oh you little snitch! Why I atta-."
"And why didn't you just grab him?!" Roman asked as he quickly stomped up to the large masked man "Instead of, oh I don't, tripping him into our haul of highly combustible rocks!"
"S-sorry Boss! I had to think fast, the kid got the slip on us."
"Hehe, slip." Wise Guy laughed before getting whacked upside the head with a cane. "OW!"
"Hehe, OW! OW! OK!"
"What do I pay you guys for?!" Roman yelled as he gave Funny Man an extra smack with his cane for that pun. "Come on! We're leaving before the cops get here."
"What about the Dust, Boss?" Funny Man tentatively asked before getting an angry glare from Roman. "R-Right. Sorry."
The dapper gangster stepped through the front entrance, its front door now hanging loosely on its hinges. He took a quick look around all the broken glass shattered on the sidewalk and street looking for a particular Blonde nuisance that he's pretty sure launched through the front windows after the Dust ignited. Roman thought maybe he could loot the twerp's chunky remains for that shiny sword, but no armor-clad salsa in sight.
Scanning the surrounding street did however reveal a scrawny teenager just limping into an alleyway across the street, a trail of blood following behind him.
Oh no, you're not getting away that easy.
"Unc- Uh I mean Boss!" Red yelled from the open sliding doors of the white getaway van. "Hop in! We got trouble coming our way!"
Even Roman could determine the sounds of police sirens growing closer. But the man was not nearly finished here.
"Head on without me, I'll meet you guys back at the hideout." Atlas's greatest thief ordered, as he turned, adjusted his hat, and started quickly strolling down the dark alleyway. "That little hero owes me a goddamn robbery."
~O~O~O~O~O~
Everything hurts.
Jaune's mind raced as he limped down the Mantle alleys, no idea where he was going but forward. He wasn't exactly sure what his condition was, probably a few cracked leg bones, maybe several broken ribs, definitely a concussion, and quite a few cuts and bruises…
Oh gods everything hurts.
He wanted to go home, he realized now how much of an idiot he was.
What kind of Huntsman couldn't stop a robbery! How was he going to fight monsters if he couldn't handle some armed robbers on his own!
He was going to limp back to the nearest ship port and buy a one way ticket back to Vale and crawl all the way back to Bourbon. Take the grounding and ass kicking his mom would give him, and stay in that village where it was safe and cozy for the rest of his life!
"Ohhhh Sir Knight! Where areeee youuuuu!?"
But first he had to get away from HIM!
Jaune tried frantically to pick up the pace, but there was only so much his legs could do after that explosion.
His breathing became ragged by the time the alley opened up to a sort of steaming canal. The river was flanked by two raised sidewalks with railings that overlooked the flowing water, melted snow that fell within the heated air of Mantle and drained out here.
The injured knight looked down both ways of the river trying to quickly determine the past to outrun…
"Didn't your mother ever tell you not to run with sharp objects?" Roman said with smug satisfaction as he strolled out the dark from behind him. "You could get hurt, you know. Better hand that expensive looking sword over before you injure yourself further."
"N-no, my mom didn't tell me that, she'd always tell me strangers are friends you haven't met yet, but I feel like you'd be an exception." That's it, buy yourself time Jaune. Keep him talking.
"I'm hurt. If you'd give me an honest chance, I can show you exactly how swell a guy I can be! How about we start over?"
The thief pressed the tip of his cane down to the ground and gave a deep bow.
"Roman Torchwick, leader of the Candlelight Crooks, The Gentleman Robber, the Trickster of Two Cities, and the Greatest Criminal Atlas has ever known!"
"Uh… Cool. My name is Jaune Arc. I'm uh about to attend Bulwark Academy, and a fun fact about me is I uh… I have seven sisters!"
An awkward silence passed between them, accompanied by the rushing water of the canal and some far off police sirens.
"Damn, seven sisters?" Roman finally spoke in astonishment. "I could barely stand the one I have! You poor soul."
"Ah it wasn't all that bad, they annoyed each other as much as they annoyed me, and what can I say I still love them in the end."
"Heh, siblings am I right? Love to hate them, and love them all the same."
"Ha, totally."
The two not strangers anymore shared a quick chuckle, both taking a moment to take a trip down memory lane of their antics with their sisters.
"Hm, now that we got introductions out of the way." Roman said as he lifted his can back up towards Jaune. "Hand over the sword and shield, Jaune."
Any good atmosphere they shared instantly vanished for Jaune, tonal whiplash nearly breaking his neck. "W-What?! You can't want it now!"
"Of course I can, and I still do. I've got an image to maintain, and I can't allow myself to walk away from botched robbery empty handed. I swear Blondie, I thought you would be more understanding of this."
Jaune clutched Crocea Mors harder, "You can't have it."
"Well, then I'm just going to have to take it."
Roman adjusted his grip on his cane to hold it more like a club and started stalking towards Jaune, the boy now seeing no way of running or talking his way out of it unsheathed his sword and expanded his shield, trying his damndest to get into a fighting stance. Between his lack of training and his many wounds, the boy's stance was shaky at best.
Due to the knight's intense nerves, he broke first and went on the offensive with a wild swing of his sword. The attack was effortlessly parried by Roman with his cane, who at this point looked surprised by how easy that was.
The parry caused Jaune to stumble, who took a few seconds to recompose himself as Roman just watched curiously, yet cautiously.
Jaune charged in again with a yell, going for a thrust this time. Torchwick rescinded by swinging his cane upwards, redirecting the sword, swinging down to lower the shield, then jabbing Jaune right in the nose with the end of his weapon.
The blonde boy cried out, trying to cover his now bleeding nose with his shield hand.
Roman looked at Jaune with wide eyed astonishment, a cruel smile slowly carving into his face.
"You can't be serious."
The Gentleman thief changed his battle stance into more mocking fencer's stance, twirling his can like a rapier. "Well come on then! Engarde Blondie!"
Jaune's legs were shaking, he was starting to feel everything hurting again, and he was getting angrier and angrier. With as primal a yell he could muster, the huntsman in training charged with reckless abandon, unable to make a proper swing of his sword before Roman immediately smacked the weapon out of his hand. The thief followed up the disarm with a wide swing of his arm, delivering an ear ringing open hand slap across Jaune's face, knocking the boy to the cold ground.
The thief took a moment to stand in awe and let out a belly laugh, greatly amused by the boy below him.
"Oh you have got to be joking with me!" Roman let out between laughs. "You're no Huntsman at all! You're probably not even good enough for training!"
Roman sauntered over to Jaune's prone body, placing one foot against the back of the boy's head, pressing it deeper in the mushy snow as the thief wrenched off his shield from his arm.
"Now I know that this doesn't even belong to you." Roman said, brushing off some of the dirt that got on his new shield before figuring out how to collapse it back to his sheath. "All this trouble over a sword that you don't even deserve, pathetic."
As Roman walked over to pick up the remaining sword, clipping the shield to his waist, Jaune just laid there, face down in the snow, fading in and out of consciousness.
The words stung, stung worse than the cuts over his body exposed the cold air. He was right, that sword didn't belong to him, he was no better thief than Roman was, at least he could get away with it.
Jaune agonizingly turned his head towards Roman as he leaned down and picked his sword- no, his grandfather's sword. That sword belonged to a true hero, a man who fought for what he believed in and sacrificed everything to keep those he loved safe.
I doesn't belong to me…
Jaune watched as the smug bastard pulled out his cigar case, leaning against the railing of the canal. The sight made Jaune clench the snow around him, squeezing so tight his knuckles turned white.
But it sure as hell doesn't belong to him either!
As he was lighting a cigar, Roman felt an impact of cold snow hit the back of his coat. He turned to see Jaune barely standing, blood smearing his face as he held another snowball in his hand.
"Give it… back." Jaune growled out.
"A snowball? Really? Why don't you just be a graceful loser and just lie back down in the snow while I finish my victory smoke. Save yourself from any more trouble."
"GIVE IT BACK!" Jaune yelled as he hurled another snowball, this time sailing just above Roman's head, plowing right into his bowler hat…
"My hat!" Roman exclaimed as he attempted to grasp at his precious headpiece, nearly barreling over the canal's railing as his fingers grazed the wool felt, just a hairs out of reach. The hat was carried away by the Solitas winds into the rushing waters below.
"Alright kid." The hatless thief seethed. "You want your sword back? Well you can have it after the doctors pull it from your asshole when I shove it down your throat!"
Clutching his cane, Roman turned towards Jaune to exact his vengeance, just to realize that the stubborn blonde had rushed in and kicked the thief right in the side where Crocea Mors was…
Click.
As soon as the foot made an impact, the sheath had expanded, the force of the weapon's activated mechanisms caused the shield to fly off Roman's waist as he himself was launched over the river's railing with a surprised yell.
SPLASH
Crocea Mors clatered back to the cobbled stone ground next to Jaune, the boy quick to quickly grab a hold of his family heirloom, he then stumbled over to the rail and to see the notorious criminal splashing around in the water. Seeing Roman sputter and in the dirty city water caused Jaune to chuckle, which then bubbled into full blown laughter.
"Atlas's Greatest Criminal, my ass!" Jaune yelled down to the river below. If Roman had any witty remark, it was inaudible through the water he sputtered out of his mouth as he splashed around in the river.
"What's wrong idiot?! Nothing to say now that you aren't so tough?"
"H-Hel-"
"What was that?!"
"Pffft H-Help! I-I can't swim!"
Jaune watched the helpless thief try his best to stay above water as he digested the information.
"Oh. OH CRAP! H-Hold on! I'll uh…" Jaune looked frantically around for any other souls who could possibly help, until he noticed Roman come up for one last gulp of desperate air before disappearing below the water.
Jaune let out a quiet curse as he dropped weapon and shed his backpack before hoping the railing and into the river below.
~O~O~O~O~O~
The two men gasped for air as Jaune pulled both Roman and himself out of the river, onto a stone ledge that rested just above the water line, next a set of stairs that went up back to the streets above.
Roman coughed up some water and sat on the cobblestone stairs as Jaune laid on the ground, his body aching too much to stand at this point.
The rescued thief watched his unlikely savior for a few seconds as he caught his breath, before stating the obvious.
"You… saved me."
The blonde simply just tiredly nodded, staring up at the stone bridge that hung over their little platform, saying nothing and prompting Roman to speak again.
"Why?"
"Huh?" Jaune asked as he slowly sat up, scooting his back to the wall to better look at Roman. "Why wouldn't I?"
"Don't patronize me kid, I was robbing you of your family heirloom and kicked your ass."
"Yeah, but you were drowning." Jaune said simply. "Just because you're a huge jerk, doesn't mean I'm just going to watch you die."
Roman studied Jaune's face for a second, looking for any hint of deceit. When he found none he simply smirked.
"Dumbass."
"WHAT?!"
"I said you're a dumbass, kid." Roman confirmed. "If you're naive enough to save someone who just mugged you, then this Kingdom is going to chew you up and spit you out." The thief said as he gestured towards Jaune as he sat soaking wet and beaten black and blue…
"Hey wait a minute. Why isn't your Aura healing your wounds? I didn't see your aura break, and your bruises should have cleared up by now."
"My… Aura?"
Roman's eyes bulged as he looked at Jaune like he had grown a second head.
"NO!" the flabbergasted crook exclaimed. "No way. You can't be this dumb. Do you not know what Aura is?!"
"I-I know what Aura is!" Jaune defended as he tried to hide his embarrassment. "My dad is a Huntsman for crying out loud, so of course I know what it is. But it's just a forcefield right? It protects you from damage and gives you a superpower?"
Roman face palmed and sighed loudly. "Look Blondie, it's more complicated than that, but it's technically correct." He rubbed his chin as he organized his thoughts. "Let's see, how do I explain it. Think of Aura as a sort of energy battery that's in your soul or whatever. This energy can be used to do a few things, generate a forcefield as you said, heal wounds, boost your muscles, and even interact with Dust Crystals. And depending on your Semblance, your super power, it may have to be powered by your Aura."
"And so yeah, a very useful battery, but just like a battery, if you use all it's energy, you can't use it anymore unless you recharge it. It can also- so- Yes Jaune?"
Jaune had his hand raised like a student in class. "How does it recharge? Does it feed off your soul?"
"How the hell should I know? You tell me, aren't you going to Bulwark for this stuff?"
"Y-Yeah, I'm going there because I don't know all this stuff."
"And you're going there without your Aura activated?" Roman said incredulously. "Well hot shot, how are you going to become a Huntsman without your 'force field'. It's a miracle you survived that explosion, how do you think you're going to survive a Beowolf claw?"
"I was hoping to find someone there to activate it." Jaune said non committedly, the idea now sounding half assed and reckless now that he was saying it outloud. "I'll just have to make it work, I guess."
Roman studied the young man closely before letting out another sigh and stood up from his seat on the stairs. "Stand up."
"Huh? Why?"
"I'm going to unlock your Aura."
Jaune stood as quickly as his aching body could. "R-Really? You'd do that for me?!"
"Don't get all soft and mushy on me Blondie." Roman said as he helped Jaune stand straight. "I'm not one for being indebted to people, especially to idiots. Consider this my repayment for saving my life by saving yours. You won't last a day in Bulwark without Aura."
"T-Thankyou! So what do I need to do? Do I need to make a certain pose or-"
"Just shut up before I change my mind."
Jaune's mouth snapped shut, not wanting to let this golden opportunity go to waste. He silently watched as Roman placed a hand on his shoulder and one over his breastplate, just where his heart was.
Then he started glowing orange…
"For it is in our cunning that we shape the world to our will. Through this, we defy all odds and obtain our deserved fame and glory. An eye for an eye and honor among thieves, I release your soul, and by my code repay thee."
It was as if the words flowed into Jaune, sinking into his soul and causing something to burst forth. A white light surrounded him as what felt like pure energy began to flow through his being.
For the briefest of moments Roman looked tired, but as he watched the light cast over Jaune, he let out a whistle seemingly impressed.
"Not bad, Blondie. You got yourself quite the Aura reserve."
Jaune paid little mind to Roman's words as he looked at his arms and saw his cuts close shut and bruises fade away. He could also feel the energy flow through his bones as they healed fractures and repaired his broken ribs. When the glowing faded Jaune took in a deep breath and felt…
"Amazing." The knight uttered, now feeling reinvigorated and completely healed. "This is amazing! Why doesn't everyone do this?"
Roman simply shrugged, "A number of dumb reasons, there's some people who believe that having Aura attracts Grimm."
"I-Is that true?" Jaune paled.
"Probably not. Anyways now that I've repaid my debt, I'll just go-"
"ACHOO!"
The tense silence that followed after Jaune sneezed directly into Roman's face was so palpable you could cut it with a knife. The thief looking rather perturbed as the knight covered his mouth with a mix of utter embarrassment and horror.
"I. Am. So sorry." Jaune began. "I didn't mean to a-a ACHOO!"
Another sneeze came, but luckily this time Jaune sneezed into elbow instead of on Roman again, who by now was noticing that the two of them were shivering cold.
"Well this won't do." Roman said, as he reached into his sopping wet coat pockets.
"W-w-w-w-What are you doing?" Jaune shivered out as his body started shaking.
"O-o-our clothes are wet, and were standing in about 30 degree temperature. I can't officially repay you for saving my life if I let you freeze to death. O-o-open your palm."
Jaune tried his best to keep his arm steady as Roman fished out a vial of red Dust and poured some of it into the young man's hand, instantly warming his hand.
"Now that you have your Aura unlocked, here's a good way to use it." Roman said, pouring the rest of the vial into his own hand. "Watch."
Jaune did just that, observing how Roman closed his eyes and focused, his Aura around his hand flaring first orange then red, causing the air around it to steam. Soon the red light spread all throughout his form, covering his entire body until it finally dissipated, leaving Roman Torchwick's dapper clothes completely dry.
"Whoaaaa." Jaune said in amazement. "Was that your Semblance?"
"Nope. That was Fire Dust." Roman answered smugly. "And now it's your turn to try. I want you to remember the energy you felt when it first flowed through you. Think hard about what it exactly felt like. Then I want you to focus that feeling on your hand that's holding the Fire Dust. Then when you feel the energy growing, imagine that feeling slowly spreading from your hand, all across your body. Like water droplets in a shower, or slowly submerging into a swimming pool."
Jaune nodded, took a deep breath, then focused. He imagined the warmth that first spread over him, and imagined it all in his palm, the warmth growing brighter hotter. It began to feel intense, like putting his hand near an open flame. Before it got too much though, he imagined the heat spreading evenly along his entire body, basking him in what felt like a summer's day.
As he felt the heat of the Fire Dust runout, he let his Aura fade along with it. After a moment of feeling himself up, he discovered himself to be completely dry and toasty!
"Nice job Blondie!" Roman clapped in approval. "You're a pretty fast learner! I was kind hoping to laugh as you blow yourself up again, but you got it in shot."
Jaune couldn't help but chuckle, "Too bad. But really, thank you Roman. You know, I think you'd make an awesome teacher!"
"Oh really?" Roman smiled. "Then let me teach you one last lesson about Aura before I take my leave."
He placed a hand on Jaune's shoulder. "So you know that Aura can be applied as a force field, but I bet you didn't know you had to consciously activate it in order for it to protect you."
"Really?" Jaune asked. "So it doesn't automatically protect me?"
"Nope, for example your Aura isn't up right now."
Next thing Jaune knew, Roman had swung his leg and kicked him right in the groin, causing him to bowl over on himself and lay on the ground. As Jaune coughed in pain, he squinted up at his teacher.
"W-why would you do that?!" He groaned.
"Don't think I forgot how you botched my robbery kiddo. That was payback for all the trouble you've caused me." The thief crouched down and riffled through Jaune's pockets and pulled out his wallet. "And this is to cover the expenses for a new hat, jerk."
Jaune continued to clutch his privates as Roman walked towards the nearby stairs, whipped out a cigar and lit it, letting out a satisfied sigh as he breathed out smoke.
"Consider this your final lesson for the day Arc. This Kingdom feeds off the naive and trusting schmucks like you. If you wanna make it big, you gotta play dirty. And if playing dirty doesn't work, get nasty." With another puff, the infamous criminal turned and smiled at Jaune.
"I expect big things from you kiddo. Don't you dare disappoint me." With those words, Roman began his assent of the stone stairs towards the streets Mantle, yelling back towards Jaune some final parting words as the boy's Aura slowly repaired his nuts.
"Oh and by the way! Welcome to Atlas!"