Chapter 7: How are you.
What the hell is happening with my life?
This is the question Qrow asking himself right now. While drinking alcohol at Crow Bar. Try to let go of the negative feeling in him.
Sitting with his drink in hand looks down at it try to find an answer.
'Why am I always late to help someone? I swear myself to never let someone down again and yet I fail to live up to it.'
'FUCK' He drinks another shot down his throat. Strong alcohol barely helping the pain in his head right now. And his ache heart.
Another negative thought is another drink for Qrow to continue his grieving through his drink.
In his head now only replay the mission to find an answer to how it has gone wrong. Where is his mistake on the mission?
'I do everything right. She was supposed to meet me at the village then continue her journey with me from there not just riding her horse past it.'
Why he failed to save a girl named Amber. He did not know what he knows is his mission is to go and escort Amber to her next destination. As Ozpin call lives at a new place or hides from the Salem agent. He had been doing this every time she needed to hide at a new place.
'But this time what has gone wrong? She got ambush and heavily injured from it even now she still in that heath supply pot to keep her alive.'
"What wrong Qrow? You always drink this hard only on an occasion at from what I know it not the time of this year yet." Jeff the bartender of Crow Bar asked.
Qrow looks up from his drink to the bartender and stares at him with his dull red-eye for a few seconds.
"I just fail a mission and that is it." Another shot of alcohol down his throat.
"Fail at a size of twenty booze?" Jeff perking his eyebrows at him.
"That much and never-ending of more. And that is how my mission has failed."
"Hey at least nobody is dead right?" Jeff asked while chuckle.
Qrow just stares deadpan at him.
"Nobody is dead right?" Jeff asking more nervous now.
"Sigh" "Yeah, you're right. Nobody dead yet."
"Haha, that what I think!"
"But someone will soon," Qrow said with a cold tone. Griping hard on his glass and make it crack a little.
Jeff flinching a little. Pray for those at the end of Qrow's anger to get a painless end if they met Qrow.
Then there is a sound from behind him. He turning and look at the screen to watch the news.
"ATTENTION! Right now. We got a piece of new information from a town name Green sand one of a few towns that surrounded Vale. The said town is right now under attack from a horde of Grimm. The size of the Grimm horde is at the size of the medium horde from seven hundred to nine hundred and more. Count by the eye from the tower of the town only and continue to count more. When the horde have got closer to the town. The guard has spot them had to activate their automatic turrets to fight them off immediately. Fortunately, they had hired huntsman to protect the town too with a group of two teams."
"I hope that they will be fine. Right Qrow?"
When he turning back. Qrow already disappears. What is left is only a pile of lien for his booze.
"Duty call… What a busy life." Jeff sigh. And look at the screen again.
"Another thing. From what our informant said it seems like the Rogue Knight that appears to be the cause of busted Schnee mine dust from last month is here with his forces too. And now help rescue citizens and fight to protect the town from Grimm horde right now."
*BANG BOOM BOOM BANG* From all directions.
That is what only sound May hear right now. She shooting Grimm from the sky that tries to attack civilian for thirty minutes now and continue to do so.
From the start when Grimm attack alert trigger. Jaune and her hurry to ask the officer where are they need and go to help. Jaune pulls his scroll out and calls his comrade. Told them to help civilian to the bunker first and then go to fight Grimm.
While Jaune orders his men and fights Grimm on the ground level. She just shooting at Grimm from the roof of a seven-story building. And watch his back and surrounding. Tell him if any Grimm approaches his group from any side.
The fight had been smooth so far, no report of casualty yet. With Town turret and Jaune force can defend against Grimm. And the help from the two huntsman teams helps a lot. But later Jaune and I find out that they are not truly a hunter. But a hunter in training from Beacon come here due to their test. Yes, this is their first mission assignment. And I hope they will pass it right now.
"May, there anywhere for us to help?" Jaune asks through the scroll.
"Stay where you stand Jaune there is a pact of Beowolf heading to your group from the north," May said while aiming her scope at the Beowolf pact.
"Understood," Jaune said and cut out.
What May can only do is watch Jaune fight Grimm with his sword and spear dual combo through her sniper scope because she must save her ammo for support only.
"Sigh."
"Trouble in paradise?" A voice from a girl stands beside her.
"Nothing. Just… *sigh*." May say to a girl name Coco Adel the one who right now uses her own handbag minigun to make any Grimm disappear in a second that it appeared. And she is also the leader of team CFVY one of two teams from Beacon huntsman in training.
"You want to go down there and fight beside your man. Right?" Coco tease.
"First he is not my man. Second YES! I want to go down there and fight Grimm even if I cannot shoot and must use only the ax part of my weapon. I still prefer to fight than waiting up here only support him from a high place." May whine.
"We have to watch their back and guard the sky for them May. Like Jaune said he needs us to see and report him and shoot anything that he can't reach. And don't worry girl you will have your time to shine. I am sure of it." Coco tries to cheer her up.
May could only sigh and continue her watch. Jaune and his forces are protecting the north side of the town that Grimm coming from and flank by a hunter in the training team at each side.
"I am little surprise that the famous Rouge Knight is not even a hunter in training." May look at her.
"I mean he busted a bunch of SDC mines by exposing their dirty secret and help people from SDC. He helps those people he saved. Help them find a new job. A new life to start without suffering from SDC. Well even if he must be on the SDC blacklist. And he has not even entered any academy yet. I mean myself at his age are still just shopping around the town design some new cloth but he literally fighting SDC and win too! All those mines with heavy defend." Coco said.
"Yeah." May could only agree with her. Jaune really goes beyond normal kids his and her age does. Well, kid their age with aura normally at best busted some thug group in the city or town. Not go into the wild to rescue people from hell mine that SDC create.
"He lucky to have a girl as cute as you at his side. If he does not have you then. I will take you as mine for sure." Coco tease.
"EEP! how many times must say this to you. I said that Jaune and I. We are not a thing!"
"But when I ask what you know about him you said as you know him so well with a dreamy face." Coco tease again.
'Curse Jaune and his stupidly handsome face!' "I only know him like an hour before the attack. We just have time to talk a little."
"Then if you are really free. Do you interest to go and shopping with me after this?" Coco asked.
"Sorry to blow your bubble, Coco. But I already promise with Jaune to go and drink coffee with him after this." May apologizing.
"A cup of coffee at his place hmm. I bet that you two will drink together all night. eh?" Coco tease again.
"We will drink at some café! Thank you very much." May hurry said back.
"We are clear now any new target for us?" Jaune calls again.
"My team needs a little of your men to help them escort some civilian to a safe place," Coco said to my scroll.
"Okay, I will order some of my men to help them. Anything else?"
"I want your girl!" Coco shout.
"Who?" Jaune confuse.
"Nothing! Coco just says a random thing because she bore for some time now and right now her only entertainment is to torment me!"
The banter between Coco and May continues to go on while fighting with the horde of Grimm. Everything went smooth by so far thank you again for the Jaune group with a fifty persons aura unlocked user really help a lot. Even if their skill is not at the huntsman level. And the battle continuing until near the ending something happen.
"Hey guys, you see like I see right? Coco asking everyone through the scroll.
"Yeah, we can see it clearly from down here too," Jaune said.
A Titan-type Grimm that only appear in the rare case of Grimm attack. Now appear flying outside of the town toward them. It a Grand elder of Grimm type nevermore. The thrice only sheer size of its own kin with an extra bone plate on its back and head. The said super giant Grimm is now flying with sheer speed exceed any giant nevermore before it. The Grimm just flaps its wing one time and lunch its feathers to the wall. And BOOM! All Turret on the wall almost got wiped out by just one flap.
Without a second thought.
Coco opens fire with everything she got. She amplifying her dust bullet and shoot at Titan Nevermore. Make it explode and hit harder.
A rain of bullets shooting straight to the base of its right-wing.
The bullet from Coco immediately got its attention because it works. She made it bleed a little where she focused to shoot.
"JUMP!" Coco shouts and jumps off the building immediately follow by May.
*BOOM* The titan Grimm just flying through destroying the building to the ground.
"ACK!"
Coco easily landing gracefully on the ground while May got catch by Jaune that run to help them.
"Thanks, you Jaune." May really appreciate that he catching her.
"No problem."
"Yeah, and you let me kiss the ground to look up and met with you flirt with each other. Bravo." Coco got up from the ground and applaud Jaune and May.
May blush and turn her face away from Jaune. While Jaune does the same.
"We should find somewhere to hide first," Jaune advise.
After the run and find cover in a building.
Jaune opens his scroll to call everyone.
"I need everyone to hide and don't take attention of the titan Grimm to yourself and If anyone has a guide book how to kill Titan type Grimm. I am listening now."
Jaune waits for ten-second and got only silence. Jaune then looks to Coco for hope.
"Don't look at me like that kid. I'm just a first-year hunter in training. This is beyond our paygrade by very fucking too much. They don't teach us first-year how to fight it kid. They teach us how to run from it." Coco point at the Titan Grimm in the sky.
"Ok how to run from it?" Jaune ask.
"Pray that you are not its prey." Coco answer back.
"But didn't you just got target by it?"
"I know that why I must fight it right now." Coco turning and ready her gun.
"You, kids should run away from here now because it will be busy with me for a while."
"What that crazy! You can't kill it!"
"I don't need to kill it! That is why I told you to run Jaune. Take May with you and get out of here. Take my team to go with them another team of my year already retreat when they see it coming."
"What! Really?" Jaune uses his scroll to check with his forces.
"Coco!" A voice from their side. There is a group of three people running toward them.
In the front is a bunny ear girl name Velvet from what Coco told her. The giant is named Yatsuhashi. The red hair and tan guy name Fox.
"Are you okay Coco?"
Velvet runs up to them and checks Coco to make sure if she is okay.
"I'm fine Bun Bun. You don't need to worry about me that much. Right now, you guys should take these kids and retreat to Beacon to call reinforcement. I will distract it so it will not follow you guys for some time." After Coco finishes her word. She turning and was ready to run out.
"Wait!"
Coco turning to see Jaune hand grabbing her arm.
"What is it, kid."
"I have a plan," Jaune said.
"Then do tell me kid how are we a group of kids will defeat that overgrow fucking giant bird up there!" Coco said and point at The Grimm that flying around try to find Coco right now.
"I have a question. How is your bullet can do damage to That Titan Grimm? Even turret bullet does not even leave it with a scratch. And I am very sure that they use dust round bigger than you do." Jaune said.
"Well, It the work of my semblance I call it Hype. It basically made able to use Aura to increase the effects and power of Dust. Exponentially amplifying their raw power. Coco sassy said this.
Jaune's eye lit up.
"Then can you amplify this," Jaune said and pull something out from his side pocket in his hand is a bomb.
That makes everyone jump back a little.
"Kid! You shouldn't have this kind of thing with you! And you should warn us first!" Coco shout. Said everyone in the circle.
"Well, I always pack something all right? Can you amplify it? After that, I will deal with this overgrow bird by myself." Jaune says with confidence in his word.
Coco then amplifying all the dust bombs that Jaune handing to her.
"I hope you know what you are doing Jaune. Coco said handing back his dust bomb.
"My plan is very basic. I go up on it. Bomb that bird until it fell and then we will gang it up until it died. Sound easy enough?" Everyone just staring deadpan at him.
"And how you will go up kid? You can't fly kid" Coco told him.
"I know, but she can." Jaune points out of the building.
Vento descends from the sky down to the front of the building.
Vento land. And then her body begins to grow bigger. Growing until she has a size of a table.
"Huh neat, Bird buddy with size-changing semblance. Sure, she can carry you Jaune but you think she will be fast enough? I think your weight will hinder her flying speed." May question Jaune.
"Don't worry May, I need to adjust it just a little bit." He smiling and walk to Vento puts his hand on her feather.
His body began to glow white light. And then Vento glows a green light too. Vento's body continues to grow larger.
"What is he doing." May ask.
"He's beginning to believe," Yatsuhashi answers with a dramatic tone.
Now Vento's body has a length of eight-meter and a wingspan of eighteen meters. Not too big not too small. Agile but not weak. Ready to fight everything and fly away from everything.
Jaune climbs up Vento to ride on her back. His both leg hang between Vento's neck and wing from the left and right sides.
If we have to take a picture of him now. He just looks like coming out of the fantasy story where a knight riding a giant bird and flying it into a fight.
Vento spreading wings her Aura shine a bit brighter and then flying up took herself and Jaune into the sky in a second. Leaving only a trail of white clouds.
After a few seconds.
"After we get back to school. I will find a buddy." Coco state
Everyone agreeing with her.
"Maybe I can ride a bunny?" Coco thinking out.
"No!" Velvet shout and bonk her head with a fist.
"Now we only hope that Jaune's plan will succeed," May said.
'Thank Oum I have Aura.' Jaune thought.
The flying speed of breaking neck with four-hundred km/h. Vento and Jaune continue to fly toward the sky. Trying to go high enough to attack Titan Nevermore from above.
After half a minute later flying above the Titan Grimm.
"This is a leap of faith," Jaune says while rubbing Vento's neck.
"CHIRP!"
"I must do it, Vento. It now or never." Hand touch Vento. He closing his eye and start to focus.
'Remember you must focus.' Jaune told himself.
Breath in. Breath out. Swap doing both until he could focus.
'Now use your aura.'
Jaune's aura expands and cloaks Vento and him altogether.
'Like the training.'
Right now, what Jaune doing is a technique call cloak. The technique made user hide their presence. Make anything detect them harder like they do not exist.
"Okay, let do this!" I am ready.
Vento dives down toward the beast. Vento now flying very close to the Titan nevermore just above it a little. Jaune jump down to the Grimm. Land on it. The Grimm did not notice him yet. Because it only focusing to find Coco now. And it never thinking that Apex hunter being like itself will become the hunted.
Jaune carefully walking toward the right-wing where Coco had shoot it to open wound and bleeding a little.
Jaune pulls out a set of dust bomb warp around the combat knife.
In both of his hands is a combat knife that wraps with a dust bomb around it. Each knife has ten dust bombs stick with it.
'This is all the dust bomb I have. I hope this will work.'
'Time to tickle the wasp nest.'
With resolve. Jaune stabs both knives into the Grimm wound.
* screech**Agony titan bird noise*
"Well, see you down there you the giant bird." Jaune jumps up to Vento and hurries flying away from Titan Nevermore.
The beast has definably noticed Jaune's presence now. It turning around trying to chase after Jaune and Vento. But suddenly.
*BOOM*
It's right-wing exploding.
Unfortunately for Jaune. The dust bomb didn't enough to blow Titan Nevermore's whole right wing off. But it still made a large wound on Titan Nevermore's right-wing. So right now, Jaune has a very angry Grimm chasing after him in the sky.
"What kind of karma I do in my past life to deserve this!" Jaune shout.
Now Jaune just rides Vento trying to lure the titan nevermore to be away from the town as far as possible. But it is not easy like he thinks. The Titan Nevermore with it size of it wing alone make it one of the fastest predator of the sky.
Then Jaune sees something from distance ahead of him. A single Bullhead flying toward them.
Jaune trying to signal the Bullhead to turn around out of the Grimm way.
But the Bullhead continues to fly toward them.
One side of the Bullhead door opens make Jaune eyes go wide a little.
Who standing there is no other person than his master. The drunk master of his who teaching him to a huntsman.
Bullhead accelerates its speed and then turns at the right angle. By doing that has sent Qrow Branwen one of the legendary huntsmans that are still alive till today toward Grimm.
Jaune can only watch his master lunch pass him with a smirk on his face.
Straight to right-wing with a single vertical slash. Make the right-wing come off the body like a broken toy.
Jaune blinks only a second and sees before his eyes are his master cut the Titan wing and make it crash to the ground make a large crater in the face of the earth.
"Hey Jaune how are you doing." A playful sound comes from behind him.
Jaune flinches a little. Hurry to turn around to meet with Qrow standing behind him on Vento's back.
With a smile on his face.
AN: Yeah, Jaune now after fighting with Grimm and people for the past month alone makes him improve himself to be better and stronger. He can command other people to do his plan or anything else now.
The battle is very close to an end now.
Next chapter Jaune will finally have experience with a girl or many girls?.