Second chapter up. I didn't change too much here. I only made some corrections to grammar and added some more text.
[Unknown Location]
A frozen forest was home to a cabin resting deep within its heart. Smoke billowed out from a chimney, indicating there was life here. Yet, no movement or light came from within this structure. Ice and dew had glazed over the windows, obscuring any view from the outside.
It was only a picturesque home sequestered among the trees.
Jaune attempted to open the door but found it was barred to him. He could not hope to gain entry here.
'Hmmm, weird,' he hummed in thought. 'What is this?'
Looking around, he felt compelled to turn and peer behind him. There, he found a shade standing amidst the wall of trees. His cloaked body shrouded any discernable features at this distance.
Jaune backed away and was met with a door at his rear, boxed in and left with nowhere to retreat to. The boy could only stare as his limbs froze in place, unable to move by his own compulsion. Jaune tensed up in fear of what this stranger was going to do.
"Do you remember it?"
A voice spoke in Jaune's head. Its ghastly resonation filled his skull despite there never being a spoken word. The boy shuddered in fear, reflexing his body to dodge any attack.
Yet, there were no more words from the shade.
...
A loud ringing brought Jaune to consciousness. He looked to his left and found that his alarm clock was blaring in his ear. Grabbing the top of the device to silence it, he reached around back to switch it off. Silence followed afterwards for only a moment before another set of alarms went off.
Jaune rolled onto his back, blinking several times to clear his hazy vision. It was still dark out, maybe five in the morning, but he could see clearly. The smooth white ceiling above him held a blueish shade. He could even make out the marks from when it had been painted for the first time.
A series of footsteps came from another room. They were light, not heavy like Jaune's and his dad's. Each step came from about twenty feet away, causing the floorboards beneath them to groan. Her feet shuffled momentarily before a sliding door opened up.
All around the rest of his house, Jaune could hear more and more people get up and move around. Then he could make out which noise came from where and even recognised who was making them. Smaller footsteps from one of his little sisters. Louder steps with distant strides from his mother. Every sound was crisp and clear to his ears.
Jaune shook his head, wiping his face with his right hand. He needed to get ready for school since returning there would be brutal today. Throwing the covers from his body, he sat on his bed. Both feet pressed flat against the cold hardwood. A chill ran up his legs, eliciting the erection of goosebumps.
Reaching over to his nightstand, Jaune grabbed his phone. The device read five-thirty in the morning. Monday morning, to be more specific. A text below the time was for some notes Jaune asked about. Any other notifications were miscellaneous and thus ignored.
Do I remember it?
It sounded like something weird you would only find in a dream. Vivid and unusual dreams like that were common with a concussion. It felt real and terrifying, but Jaune didn't know what else to make of it.
A series of footsteps moved past Jaune's door.
Boots clicking? No, heels on boots. It must be Marron, then. She's the only one who wears those types of boots.
Ever since Jaune was assaulted and subsequently given a concussion, it felt like all of his senses were amplified to the nth degree. Everything was so clear. That was the only word he could give to describe it. Jaune could hear someone out on the street perfectly while inside with closed windows. His sense of smell was so precise he could tell apart ingredients in foods or what perfume his friends were wearing at the time from across the room. Jaune could see things with such clarity that he could make out minute details from a distance, whereas someone else had to examine the object closely.
This started happening a day or two after him being assaulted. Jaune had assumed the cause to be the head injury. There was no prior experience to back this up. However, every concussion is different in its manifestations.
His mother took him back to the hospital yesterday to get him checked out before going back to school. Jaune had told her of his symptoms and decided this was the best course of action. The doctors ran some more tests, determining that he was fine.
He wasn't going to argue with them. Jaune just wanted to get back to school with a cleaner bill of health than where he started. Any more time off, and he would be drowning in missing assignments, readings, and tests. None of which Jaune was looking forward to.
Pushing off the bed, Jaune walked over to his closet. Inside was what he considered a wardrobe. Hoodies, sweatpants, t-shirts, jeans, shorts, and a few pairs of his Beacon uniform. Nothing to complain about, really. Jaune was more or less practical in his choice of style. Not necessarily going for flair but for comfort.
Jaune snatched his uniform from the closet and laid it out on the bed. The Beacon Academy dress uniform consisted of dark slacks, a matching blazer with red trim, a blue vest, a white shirt, and a black-tie. While not dull, it was not flashy either. Just an average suit one would wear at an academy like Beacon.
Taking one breath in, he turned around to go take a shower. There needed to be a place Jaune could start off his day.
...
Jaune slipped on his uniform with practised ease. Every part of the outfit came together as designed, hugging his form as it settled into place. No piece remained tight or uncomfortable, save his tie. The silky smooth cloth felt as though it were a second skin.
He faced a mirrored image of himself upon finishing. The outfit looked good and looked good on him. The latter Jaune insisted was a benefit to wearing the uniform. It was merely dressing up the human equivalent to a plank of wood. At least it didn't hang off him like a parachute.
A part of Jaune wanted to do a pose for himself, but he held back the childish instinct. Terrible pickup lines got him nowhere, as did posturing. The thought brought back embarrassing memories of the past that he did not want to relive.
"Don't think about it, Jaune," he said. There's enough we have to deal with today...
Swallowing, a familiar texture made itself known. Jaune tried to get some saliva to wet his mouth, but nothing came of it. His tongue felt like it had been dipped into sand and laid out in the sun. The back of his throat was worse, coated with a light mucus that threatened to choke the boy if he could not swallow.
He reached for a glass lying on the counter and filled it with water. Once full, Jaune chugged the contents of the vessel in mere moments. The rush of water formed several bulges as it travelled down his oesophagus, one for each gulp. A slight trickle formed on the corner of his mouth from the liquid attempting to escape.
Jaune set the glass down after getting his fill. The thirst sated, allowing him to swallow properly and clear his throat. Heavy breathing followed as his throat was no longer obstructed. A sigh followed as Jaune looked up to face himself.
These sudden bouts of thirst came from nowhere. When they arrived, Jaune was only fixated on relieving it. His body forced itself to abandon any other task in favour of it. Going far enough to cause him to wake up in the middle of the night just to drink something. It may have taken many trips to the tap only to quench his thirst.
During the day, it was manageable enough to where Jaune could take a swig of water and be done with it. However, when night came, his desire for liquids became stronger.
Ok, Jaune, let's just get to school. Try to ignore it.
He could get water during classes when necessary. The teachers would be understanding since Jaune was recently returning after being injured. None were hard asses anyway, which made his situation more bearable.
Jaune left the bathroom, shutting the lights off behind him. He grabbed the bag lying in his computer chair and his water bottle. The small coil in the vessel's base jingled against the hard plastic.
It was almost six-thirty in the morning. He and Ruby had a half-hour walk ahead of them before they managed to reach the school. The starting time was eight, but both chose to arrive early to work on homework. Something that Jaune was a little behind on.
Jaune wasn't really concerned about his grades at the moment. There was time for him to catch up. However, he needed to get started before it built up into a mountain. Then Jaune would be in for a world of hurt.
Coming down the stairs, Jaune stood off to the side as two of his younger sisters ran past him. The second bumped into his shoulder with a small, 'Sorry,' squeaking out from the girl. She continued up the stairs, following her sibling as Jaune idled in the middle of the stairs.
The smell of their shampoo blew into his nostrils. Jaune couldn't tell exactly what it may have been.
Some sort of fruit? Apricots? No, watermelons.
The scent dissipated as fast as it arrived. All Jaune could smell now was the clear air. There was a hint of cleaner behind it, actually. It was not just an empty space.
Suddenly another scent found its way into Jaune's nostrils. Someone was cooking something. There was cheese and another set of aromas. Bacon and eggs were most probable. One of his older sisters must have been making an omelette.
It smelled great too.
...
As Jaune continued making his way down the stairs, he could hear more people moving around. Five people, exactly. No, six. There was another who was very quiet.
Rounding the final corner, he found where everyone had been gathering. Several blondes were huddled around the bar, sitting on a stool facing the countertop. Another was working hard in the kitchen itself, whisking what looked to be eggs.
The cook turned around to face Jaune. "Sup' little brother," Saphron spoke up, fervently working the whisk in her hands. Her cheerful yet booming voice carried across the room. It was enough to drown out the small TV in the kitchen. "Making some breakfast. You want some?"
Saphron Cotta-Arc was Jaune's oldest sister. She lived with her wife, Terra, and son, Adrian, not far from the Arc household in their own home. However, the oldest of the Arc children would frequently come over to hang out with her little siblings and help out her mother by dropping them off at school or making breakfast. Much like what she was doing right now. Jaune's mother also liked to be able to see her grandson every day too.
"Nah," Jaune answered. "I've got to head to school." He rubbed the back of his head. "There's a lot of homework I need to catch up on. Ruby's going to help me out, so I need to meet up with her too."
Blanche snorted loudly, slowly growing to a full cackle.
"That's just an excuse to meet up with your little girlfriend, isn't it," the blonde asked accusingly. At that, the rest of the women all stared at the boy. Five pairs of eyes all locked right onto him.
Oh boy... Now it begins.
"Jaune has a girlfriend," Saphron squealed in excitement. The rest of the girls started laughing openly. "Why did nobody tell me?!"
This is even worse than I thought. Saphron totally bought it.
"Uh-uh," Jaune stuttered, trying to find words so he could deny this. "W-We're not like that! Just friends! Really!" He hastily made his way to the door. There was one place he could escape them, and it was outside, far away from here.
"Are you sure," Blanche asked him again. This time her voice held a playful tone.
The other sisters were still giggling in amusement. Their nephew, Adrian, looked around, unsure of what was going on.
"Yes," he shouted back. Jaune was now at the door, holding the knob before opening it.
Why can't a guy and girl just be friends?! That's all we are! I don't have to date every girl I meet! I can be friends with anybody I want to!
...
He forcefully shut the door behind him. The barrier was enough to drown out his sisters and their laughter. Not that Jaune could still hear them and knew very well what they were saying. But he was going to ignore it. After finding Ruby, he would head to school and finish some of his homework.
"Took you long enough!"
Never mind, Ruby found him.
Ruby Rose had been Jaune's best friend for about three months now. The latter returned to Vale after moving away six years ago. On their first day of school, Ruby fell into his lap. Quite literally.
The two were looking for their classrooms and, in the panic, ran into each other. Ruby's smaller size, paired with her speed, was enough to put Jaune on his back after the two collided. She landed on him, much to their embarrassment, as their posture at that very moment appeared to be risque at best. It didn't help that there were dozens of other students surrounding them.
Soon after sorting out the embarrassing moment, they introduced themselves before looking for their classes. Each had the same teachers and hours as the other. Jaune then learned Ruby was actually a junior like him, having been moved up two years due to her test scores and past performance in school.
The rest sorted itself out as the two quickly became great friends. It helped that the two were, in fact, next-door neighbours.
Jaune turned around to face the girl. A new series of aromas and observations ran through his head. Every detail that one may not have noticed unless they tried their damndest to see them became apparent.
The girl in front of him was dressed in her uniform. It was pressed neatly, recently ironed by skilled hands. Looking at her face, Ruby was wearing a slight dusting of makeup. Not enough to be noticed unless you were close, but the touch up did add to her features nicely, making her seem a little more attractive. Only some chapstick that smelled of cherries. No, strawberries. A light blush, some eyeliner, and finally a smidgeon of foundation. There was a slight amount of chocolate on her cheek by her mouth where the lips met. Most likely, it was due to some hastily devoured pastry. However, another aroma followed, distracting Jaune from the rest. Ruby smelled of strawberries, not from the chapstick but from whatever soap she used earlier. Her short hair seemed to be slightly ruffled as well. Not in the immaculate condition her sister kept hers in, but good enough.
"I was waiting out here forever," she complained, looking rather adorable as she did so. "I was just about to call too!"
"No, you weren't," Jaune replied, calling her bluff. "You woke up late, took a quick shower, got dressed, and snuck a cookie before running here. I just happened to open the door when you showed up." He started walking to school with Ruby in tow.
Ruby had a dumbfounded look on her face. This quickly became a heavy blush, realising Jaune knew she was lying. "W-What," she stumbled over her words. "How did you know?!"
It was simple, really. "One," Jaune began, numbering off with his fingers. "I'm always waiting for you. Two. Yang's not here, so you didn't bother to wake her up. And three. You have chocolate on your cheek that you didn't bother cleaning off."
Ruby's sister, Yang, was a heavy sleeper. She could sleep through the biggest earthquakes that Southern California had to offer. Thusly, it was Ruby's job to wake her up because she never would get up for her alarm clock. Today, however, the redhead had another obligation.
Ruby wiped her face, finding that chocolate was there, much to her astonishment. "I knew I should have gone with the strawberries..."
"Cookies have more sugar in them," Jaune disagreed, facing the more petite girl. "It will serve as fuel so we can get through this mountain of homework!" He was already looking forward to cramming as much homework into one hour as possible.
"Ugh, don't get me started!" Ruby let her shoulders droop as the dread of completing assignments loomed over the girl.
[Beacon Dining Hall: Several Hours Later]
The day was going well. As well as any ordinary school day could have gone for Jaune. He managed to make a dent in the pile of missing assignments. Ruby was a great help in all of that.
Cardin hadn't bothered to make trouble today either.
So he would take the good with the bad. In this instance, there was a net positive, so Jaune would say this was one of his better days.
Now, he was heading to the dining hall. The bell signalled a break in classes and allowed the students to get out for lunch. Jaune was feeling pretty hungry since he skipped breakfast, which was a mistake on his part. Something to snack on would be much appreciated.
Ruby had gone ahead to find the rest of her friends. Ren and Nora included. Jaune had to drop off one of his assignments that he completed during class, allowing Dr Oobleck to get off his back. So he was alone while everyone else had already made it to the lunchroom.
His stomach growled loudly. Jaune rubbed it before looking up at the door.
Ok, let's grab something to eat and find Ruby again. I'm starving!
Pushing open the door, Jaune was met with the entirety of Beacon Academy. Four or five rows of tables seated hundreds of students at a time. Every person chatting with someone across from them as they dug into their food. Their conversations creating a cacophony of jumbled noises in the massive hall.
As soon as he stood fully inside the room, a sudden onslaught of stimuli hit Jaune like a charging bull. The smells and sounds clouded his mind as there were so many he couldn't sort through them all. It didn't hurt his ears, but it felt weird in a way he couldn't describe.
He focused in a way as to drown out everything to a manageable level. The sounds around him dulled to become more or less normal. Something that he was used to before getting a concussion.
Jaune attempted to ignore any other distractions on his way to the kitchen. Maybe if he spent some time here, there might have been a chance to get used to it? If not, Jaune would suck it up and try to eat his food.
He grabbed a light tray of food. Only some chicken, rice, green beans, and a fruit cup for lunch. Something light in case Jaune became nauseous, which was regular for the past week. Puking his guts up was not something he was looking forward to.
Leaving the kitchen, Jaune found himself back out in the dining hall. He looked down at his tray for a moment before looking up at that crowd before him. Ruby was somewhere in this mess, and Jaune wanted to find her. However, there was a wonderful aroma that made itself known.
Blood...
What is that? Jaune perked up. His eyes dilated, becoming wide as they began overtaking the iris. Saliva pooling in the base of his mouth. Deep heavy breaths followed at a rapid pace.
It was sweet! It was the most beautiful fragrance that ever graced Jaune's nostrils! The heavens themselves must have opened up to bring forth this aroma. It smelled like his mother's home cooking. Jaune needed more. He needed to find it.
Where is it?!
Jaune scanned the room, looking for the source. With so many people, it could have come from anywhere. Wherever this heavenly delight came from, he would find it.
His eyes trained on a specific point. A bandage covering another student's left arm. What looked to be a deep cut underneath it. The cloth had a splotch of the life-juice staining it.
Blood...
BLOOD...
Jaune's breathing pitched as he caught himself. He looked around and realised he was still standing in the middle of the cafeteria. Why was he standing here?
What happened?
He was leaving the kitchen one moment and was standing out here the next. Did he black out momentarily?
Suddenly the background noise and nasal stimuli crashed back to Jaune all at once. This caused his ears to ring painfully as if someone struck an anvil next to his head. Subsequent blistering pain manifested in his frontal lobe causing Jaune to clamp his eyes shut and grit his teeth.
The pain was too much. He couldn't stay here.
Jaune dumped his food into the trash and left the room. He didn't care about catching up with his friends. They would understand. He had to find somewhere quiet. Somewhere he could catch his breath for a moment.
...
Wandering the halls, Jaune passed by dozens of other students. A few teachers passed by without stopping him. Every one of them appeared to be no more than a black silhouette. Figures with no discernable features other than their shape.
Fuck, this headache... Jaune began massaging his temples, hoping to diminish it.
Pulsing at the front of his skull, Jaune had to clench his jaw shut to alleviate the pain. It spread momentarily to the middle brain before returning to the front. The twinge was lessened over time with repetitive massaging, but Jaune was still forced to endure the momentary aches.
Jaune looked up to find the library was right in front of him. The front doors to it, at least. However, he never realised his legs had carried him out here.
He reached for the handle and found the room was unlocked. Here Jaune could rest for a moment to let his headache go away before heading back to class. It was quiet, frankly deserted in most instances, and had comfortable beanbag chairs. What more could he ask for?
Pulling the door open, Jaune peered inside. He couldn't see anybody from where he was standing. The librarian must have been in her office or stepped out.
Good, nobody's here!
Jaune softly closed the door behind him to not draw attention to himself. He didn't want to explain why he was sneaking into the library. Although none of the teachers would chastise him for wanting to go someplace quiet, they would probably just send him to the nurse's office.
He found one of the beanbag chairs and plopped down into it. The large bag made room for Jaune's weight, expanding outwards from his form. Any air remaining within rushed out with a hiss.
"Ughh," Jaune groaned loudly, rubbing his face with both hands. He leaned back into the chair, letting his headrest on the cushion. It was very soothing. The calm of the room, that is. A nice pillowy mass to lay on made it even better.
"What's wrong with you?" A deadpan tone voice spoke up.
Looking up, Jaune noticed Blake sitting across from him. The bow-wearing girl silently reading a book, staring back at him from her spot. Her amber eyes narrowed as she focused on the boy. Her legs crossed over the other as she set the book back into her lap.
Blake Belladonna. Jaune couldn't honestly say how well he knew her. They had spoken a few times in the semester. Only when working together or if Jaune asked her for notes. However, Jaune still considered her to be a friend. They were closer to each other than Jaune was to Weiss.
But what he did know about Blake was that she a faunus. A cat-faunus, to be more accurate, having seen her ears once before. All of her friends knew that and kept it a secret for her. Even though she was the daughter of a famous politician and civil rights activist everyone knew was a cat-faunus.
It didn't make much sense to Jaune why she wished to keep it a secret, but he obliged by her request.
"If I answered that question, we would be here all day long," Jaune jokingly replied, leaning back onto the beanbag chair. His headache was almost gone by now.
"Fair enough," Blake monotonously said, tilting her book up to where she could read from it. She seemed to be more focused on her own activity than bothering with Jaune's issues.
Of which there were many.
"Headache," Jaune answered truthfully.
He knew Blake probably wasn't going to be too concerned over this. As long as someone was not dying right in front of her, it was difficult to get a reaction out of the girl.
Blake looked up from her book. "From getting a concussion?"
Jaune suspected Ruby had told everyone about it. Blake proved that theory.
"Yep," Jaune said, popping the 'P.' "I went to go get some lunch, and everything going on in there gave me a headache."
His senses being hypersensitive didn't help in that regard. Jaune's damned brain was playing tricks on him, making him think he had super hearing or something like that. Going into the cafeteria before he recovered was a mistake that would not be made again.
"Then go home," Blake advised, looking back at her book. "You're obviously not ready for school yet."
She has a point.
The nurse would have sent Jaune home or made him lie down for the whole day until his mother could get him.
"Yeah, but I don't want to fall behind," Jaune explained, sitting up straight. "I wasn't allowed to do any homework over the past week, and if I stay home, it'll get worse."
"It's your choice," Blake said, shaking her head side to side. She leaned back and lifted her book high enough to obscure her face.
It was his choice. Blake bluntly made that very clear. At least he finally managed to get more than a paragraph out of the girl. It only took him getting jumped in a dark alleyway to do so.
"Thanks, Blake," Jaune chirped, clapping his hands together. "Good talk!"
"Always glad to help..." She licked her finger before turning a page.
[Cafe: Several Hours Later]
Rag in hand, Jaune wiped down the counter. The small number of crumbs before him and rings from the bottom of mugs disappeared with every swipe. In place, a trail of soapy water followed the motions of the boy's hands.
Jaune had no more issues throughout the day. The cafeteria was a one-off event, it seemed. He felt especially parched, but some water or coffee did the trick. His day had gone quite well after the lunch period, ending on a firm net positive.
Work had been quiet today. The coffee shop wasn't busy, which was usual for a Monday night. It was nowhere nearly as terrible as the lunch hall at Beacon. But that was what the cafe was going for: a quiet place where you could enjoy your coffee.
"Jaune, are you sure you want to walk home," Velvet asked, picking up a chair and placing it on a table. "The last time you did, someone sucker-punched you and gave you a concussion." Her voice was filled with concern for the boy and her friend. It showed in her demeanour as well as her speech.
"I'll be fine, Velvet," he placated his boss' worries, smiling as he did so. "Just because something happened doesn't mean I'm not going to stop walking everywhere I go."
Another reason is that Velvet's house was in the opposite direction of Jaune's. The roads here in Vale are just as bad or worse than anything you would find in LA. The road conditions often favoured walking or public transportation. Jaune's house was also close, and he really didn't want to bother Velvet over it since it would take forever for the two to get there by car.
However, Jaune still insisted on walking home regardless of the above reasons. He chose a different route that took him through a more trafficked city area. There would be a lesser chance for someone to sneak up on him like last time.
Velvet let out a frustrated exhale. "Fine, but please be careful," she warned, going to shut off the lights. "You're mom scared me when she called in the middle of the night!"
He understood what that must have been like for her. A terrified parent trying to find her son. Being on the receiving end of that call, Velvet would have been worried. It actually did because Velvet called him and berated the boy for scaring her like that.
Jaune clasped his hands together as if praying and pointed them at Velvet. "I promise to not scare you again," he said earnestly. "If I do, you reserve the right to slug me."
Before anything else could be said, Velvet delivered a solid punch to Jaune's right bicep. The pain that followed from the point of contact radiated outwards across his entire arm. He quickly rubbed the sore spot to smooth out the pain.
"Ow," Jaune hissed, rubbing the red mark. It was quickly turning into a bruise now.
I forgot that Velvet does martial arts. No wonder she hits so hard!
"Good," she chirped. "Now we are even for last week!" Velvet turned around and made way for the door.
Yes, we are...
[Outside]
"See you tomorrow, Velvet," Jaune shouted, walking backwards, away from the coffee shop.
"See you later, Jaune," Velvet replied, getting inside her car. The small hatchback came to life with a purr before pulling out.
The car shortly made its exit, leaving Jaune all alone. Before him was a deserted street, reminding him of last week. The streetlamps burned brightly as they always had. Yet there was a thick layer of clouds blocking out the light from the moon tonight.
Jaune turned to face his destination. He calmly walked to it with both hands in his coat pockets. His hood flipped up, blocking the wind from chilling his ears and face.
It was a peaceful night, a little foreboding, actually. The lack of any natural light saw to that. Mixed with cloud cover and poor lighting from the streetlamps allowed a dark atmosphere to take hold.
It was like he was in a scene from a police show or movie. The two detectives walking down a street, coming across a grisly murder scene. One would bend over the body and read the signs before confidently explaining what happened.
Although police work, in reality, is nothing like that. Generally, there would be more police cars with people coming and going. The detectives would never come up to a freshly made crime scene that was not plastered with small markers and already combed over for obvious clues. Never dark and grisly like Jaune's imagination would have one believe.
Exhaling loudly, Jaune let the stress of the day out. It was a bunch of little things that annoyed him. While none lasted more than a few moments, they were enough to earn his ire.
That's enough, Jaune!
No more thinking about it! Cardin didn't decide to show his face. You didn't embarrass yourself in front of any girls! Let's just go home and go to bed!
I need to wake up early tomorrow so I can get some more homework done anyway...
Jaune turned a corner, finding he was near the city's main square. It resembled Times Square or Shibuya Crossing in a way. Many of Vale's citizens would come here to hang out or pass through here to get to the tram stations beneath the city. The whole block was surrounded by massive skyscrapers on all sides or any building with a dozen or more floors.
As he approached the square, people began popping up left and right. Each was doing their own thing, like looking at their phone or talking to someone next to them. Their expressions became more and more visible as the area grew brighter. Some were happy; others were indifferent or downright grouchy for some reason. The variety was honestly stunning.
He had been out here a few times in the past. Jaune was never the one to go out into the city as he preferred the suburbs, but he would come along whenever Yang and Ruby deemed it necessary. Usually, the boy would just observe the sights while his neighbours did whatever they wished.
Jaune looked up at the buildings around him. The massive jumbotrons hanging off them cast an array of colours with every projection. It hurt to look at them since he was still sensitive to bright light. Yet, he kept his eyes trained upwards, basking in the setting.
As his focus narrowed, Jaune bumped into the crowd before him. A group of pedestrians waited at the crosswalk for the lights to change. More and more gathered behind Jaune, trapping him in the mob. The group acted as one organism waiting for the signal, refusing to part for one individual.
Great...
Jaune felt like he was back at Beacon with all these people here. It was loud too. Enough that it began to overwhelm his still sensitive ears. It hadn't hurt yet, but Jaune tried his best to focus his mind elsewhere and drown out the noise.
The smells were even worse. Jaune couldn't identify any single one. They were a jumbled mess of stimuli, all vying for attention. A chaotic symphony that fought for his attention.
The crowd began moving forward, pushing Jaune with them. He looked to his left and right.
A woman walking with her child.
Two girls casually chatting, with a third playfully shaking both.
People...
Blood...
A man holding his girlfriend's hand.
Man...
Girl...
Blood...
Drink...
BLOOD...
Saliva pooled in Jaune's mouth, flowing over the crest and down his lips at the prospect of finding the source of that beautiful smell.
Where is it?!
Jaune's eyes scanned the area, looking for any trace of his desire.
Drink their blood...
BLOOOOOD...
"Sir, are you ok," a woman next to him asked. Her voice snapped Jaune back to reality.
"Huh," Jaune muttered, looking at the woman. He didn't know where he was.
What happened?
"Come on, get away from that creep," a man next to the woman demanded, tugging her arm.
Are they afraid of me?
Jaune took two steps back. A large oval had formed around him, like when water ran past a rock. Those who were incoming stared on with frightened expressions, looking into Jaune's eyes. Everyone else tried their hardest to simply avoid the boy.
He broke out of the crowd in a full sprint, trying to get away from there. Jaune didn't know what had happened, and he didn't want to stick around. He pushed past people with little regard other than for himself. Those he bumped into shouted their frustrations as they faded into the background.
We got to get home!
Jaune's heart was pumping out of his chest. He was more frightened than those people. He didn't know what was happening to him.
Jaune turned a corner, knocking over a trash bin. He fell to the floor, unceremoniously, along with the rubbish. Several cans tumbled over, causing a clatter as they rolled onto the ground.
"Shhh," he hissed loudly. Jaune's right knee made full contact with the metal can. It sent a throbbing pain throughout his entire leg.
He pushed himself off the ground, coddling that limb for the moment. Jaune waited for the pain to stop before putting any weight on it. There was no break; at least he couldn't feel one. It just hurt.
"Goddammit," he cursed, brushing himself off.
Jaune's day was going well for once, and this shit happened.
I should have taken Blake's advice and stayed home today!
Sniffing the air, an aroma drew Jaune from his concerns. It was that same smell from earlier today. That mouthwatering fragrance he had been looking for all day long.
Blood...
"Blood-Blood-Blood-Blood-Blood-Blood-BLOOD," he repeated the same word over and over again. Each time with more intensity, becoming a mad cry.
The thirst came back even stronger. Jaune needed something to sate it.
A man strolled down the alley from within its depths. He wore a set of baggy clothes that hung off him. His smell was even stranger. He smelled of blood. Fresh warm crimson blood.
Man...
Jaune took a step towards him. Beneath his feet, drool fell to the ground as it began flowing freely. His footsteps were slow as if he was a predator stalking its prey, hesitating as it did not wish to charge into an attack.
The man looked at Jaune with a confused look on his face. "The fuck is wrong with you," he asked hostilely. The man stood in a standoffish position, holding one hand out to keep the space between them.
"I need your blood," Jaune demanded. His voice took a threatening tone, almost growling the words. He took another step closer to the man. "Give it to me!"
Jaune's eyes trained on the man's neck. He could see the outline of his veins and arteries. Pipes that carried fresh blood to and fro.
"Get the fuck away from me," the man said scaredly. He took a step back, afraid of the boy in front of him. As Jaune took another step, he lashed out, shoving the boy backwards.
Jaune was not phased by this push and kept coming. The man pulled out a switchblade, unfolding the knife in a single move. He lunged forward, plunging the blade deep into Jaune's right pectoral.
There was no pain. Only the crimson leaking out from beneath the hoodie where the blade met its mark. The smell of Jaune's blood wafted to his nostrils, causing his eyes to dilate further.
Suddenly, Jaune grabbed the man's left arm, still holding onto the knife. He snapped the limb with a mere flick of the wrist, eliciting a scream from the man. The forearm bent at a forty-five-degree angle from his elbow in a sickening crunch as bones snapped and muscles tore.
Yanking the man to him, Jaune spun him around. He grasped at his mouth, clamping a single hand over it before turning his head to the side. The man's neck exposed to the world.
Jaune bit down on the soft tissue, puncturing the carotid artery and jugular vein at once. Blood gushed beneath their meeting point, spraying the brick walls opposite them. More and more pooled on the ground beneath them, splashing on the bloodied concrete.
The man struggled and struggled but couldn't do anything to help himself. His body slowly became limp and stopped moving. Jaune dropped the man to the ground after a short while, detaching his jaws from the man's neck.
Jaune stood there, breathing heavily as he satisfied his thirst. Bloodstained his mouth and face, dripping off with every exhale.
YES...
His breathing hitched once again. Suddenly pain coursed throughout his body. A searing pain cut right through him, coming from his chest.
Jaune looked down to see a knife sticking out of his chest. Blood dripped from beneath his hoodie and onto the ground. Flowing to be more accurate as a constant stream came from within him.
"Oh shit," Jaune cursed at the sight of the blade. He reached for the knife and pulled it out slowly. More and more blood spilt out onto the concrete, joining the remaining gore on the floor. The pain from the separation followed, paralysing Jaune.
He held the knife in his hand. How did that get there? Who stabbed him? His eyes left the knife and trained on the corpse at his feet. The lifeless body lay there with pale skin and dead eyes.
Oh, FUCK!
Jaune dropped the knife and stepped backwards. He wanted to scream, shout for help, but he couldn't do anything. The fear kept him frozen as he gazed at the body.
Suddenly, he remembered what had happened. At the cafeteria. At the crossing. Now, here. Jaune killed that man.
What did I do?!
Jaune took another step back before breaking out into a full sprint.
...
As the boy fled the alley, a figure above moved into the open. Uttering no words, she stood tall with a smile stretched across her lips. Her coat flapping against her body in the wind. She remained there until Jaune was well out of sight.
"Hehehe," she giggled. "It's finally happening!" Her words trailed off in a sing-song tone.
In a single bound, she leaped from one side of the alley to the other, bounding between rooftops with ease. As she landed on the other side, the woman began cheerfully skipping, humming to herself. Her jackboots clicked against the rooftop with each step.
"Hänschen klein
Ging allein..."