I've added some more stuff to this chapter and shuffled some things around. I pulled a scene from chapter 10 and stuck it at the bottom.
'Tis a pleasure to make your acquaintance, my old friend.
Though you may have forgotten me, I certainly remember you. I clearly recall the first time you uttered your name in my presence, another facet you have lost to time.
Such our tale is a long and winding path of despair and madness. The faint glister of yesteryear since dulled the last we met. It no longer matters now...
I am a humble jester, come to present you with an opera.
Consider me nought more than a swindler, a charlatan.
My name? Zarathustra, Karl, or even Ahasverus may suffice. I possess many.
Allow me to regale you with a lesson. To pose an idea to a friendly forum. Then I shall tease you with a tale of a girl you may encounter soon.
I beg of you to forgive my brevity.
It's all a result of bad luck. Nothing more, nothing less.
Humans are bound by their birth.
The average man cannot compete with an absolute brought about by that chance.
Those less reasonable tend to seek explanations for those they perceive as breaking the mould. Regardless if they are mighty heroes, madmen, or victims.
Did these men possess some resolve or grasp their accomplishments through tireless effort? Or because of traumatic events that befell them?
Those who ask these questions show nothing more than masturbatory self-projection on the part of the common man. Their expression that they, too, could have climbed to their level. They could have dragged down the supernatural and acted as though they behaved within the same logic.
It's preposterous. They are incapable of cherishing their fellow man without forcing a futile fantasy upon themselves. Such, they become miserable fools, attempting to convince others they could have turned out that way.
Forgive me for airing these tiresome grievances of mine. It is merely an unpleasant truth. I only hope your soul is not tainted enough to imitate their folly.
For few in this world possess a majesty that would leave an average man struck dumb. Those who would be imitated by the fools above.
Beings of the utmost purity. Without equal. Magnificent in all regards.
She is one of them. An incorruptible jewel that refuses to melt within a merciless ocean.
From the moment of her birth, she was complete. She did not and would never receive the barest smite of influence from the vulgar outside world.
To lay eyes on her is to behold true beauty for the first time. You would clench your hand over your heart, overcome by her nature. To cry out, 'How wonderful is man!' At the mere chance of her existence.
Despite my own nature, hers is not a state of being I could ever hope to aspire to.
You shall meet when your back has been forced to a wall. When you are confronted with a situation so serious, you must throw everything you have at it for the first time in your life.
That is when you shall dazzle me.
...
Jaune snapped awake suddenly, pushing himself off his stomach and onto his knees. He whipped around, examining himself and feeling his surroundings. His sore body ached with every movement, feeling heavy and lethargic. His breathing raced as he realised where he was.
He had awoken inside his room around the same general area he plopped down when he fell asleep. Jaune's bathroom remained open with the light on just like he remembered. The boy was shirtless with his hoodie and t-shirt lying near the washroom. Everything matched up with the series of events eight hours beforehand.
That couldn't have been a dream... I killed that guy!
It was far too real to be any dream or even a nightmare. Jaune remembered everything so vividly. He would be kidding himself if he thought otherwise. After what happened yesterday, Jaune was sure it couldn't have been anything else.
Wait, what time is it?!
The sudden thought prompted him to search for his Scroll in the area around his bed. Jaune hadn't woken up to his alarm, and neither did he set one when he fell asleep. His own body threw itself back to consciousness for no specified reason. That's what worried him, especially if one of his sisters walked in on Jaune frantically getting out of bed and hadn't even taken care of the mess he made last night.
A few confusing moments later, he found his Scroll lying about a foot away. He read the time and saw he had actually woken up a half-hour earlier than usual.
Good that his biological clock was still working. Everything else had gone tits-up on him in an hour. It seemed like it was working better as Jaune woke up at six in the morning.
However, the glaring issue at this moment was the realisation Jaune came to last night. The most logical thing he could say was the events last night were a dream. It was much better than the alternative where he was a vampire.
Could I really be a vampire? They're not supposed to be real. Just a fictional monster. Then what happened last night?
Now that he had some time, Jaune needed to conclude whether or not that was a dream. Asking the same question several times and testing the theory that came out of it was the best way to debunk any other possibilities. It would have to be the most improbable of all of them.
I need to retrace my steps from last night... Starting with the bathroom.
He plugged his Scroll back into its charger and pushed himself from the bed. The change in posture and pressure on his joints elicited a series of pops and cracks, sounding awfully like a bag of chips being squeezed. He tiredly shuffled across the room to the washroom where he had last been before passing out.
Entering the restroom, Jaune looked down at the sink. Inside the basin, there was a spattering of blood and streaks where it had flowed towards the drain. Where Jaune had his hands the previous night was where the highest concentration of them was. The bloody knife still remaining with its blade unfolded and covered in blood was a testament to the events.
Okay, I did cut myself last night. That's true... He looked down at his finger where he had sliced himself open. No scar, so that weird regeneration thing was also real. What about my eyes?
He looked up into the mirror to see his eyes turn coal-black once again. Both irises glowed bright orange as they studied the man on the other side of the mirror. They almost seemed hungry, like a lion's gaze.
GODDAMMIT!
Jaune slammed his hands down on the vanity hard. A few shaky breaths came out through his nose as he realised that everything that happened last night was real. Yet, Jaune could only feel angry about it.
How his life was turned upside down in an hour.
His heart burned as the crescendo of his internal organs reached their peak. The feeling was similar to someone else running him through with a red-hot iron. That was how the remorse came, knowing what he had done last night was real.
The taste of that man's blood sat on his tastebuds still. Ever alluring the boy to get another serving of the crimson fluid. Jaune wanted to gag at feeling this urge once again.
I'm a vampire, but I didn't want to do any of that last night! I don't want to kill people!
It was that woman who did this! She made me into this monster!
It wasn't his fault. There was no way it could be his fault. Something inside him forced Jaune to kill that man. Now that Jaune knew what he was, it made the picture clear for once. Why he lost control in the first place.
*Thud*
What was that?
Jaune turned around to face the origin of the sound. It came from out in the hallway. A single knock seemed quite unusual. However, it was enough to pull his focus away from the sink and towards the entrance of his room.
"Yo, Jaune," a voice sounding like Blanche's called through the door. "You might want to wake up before your girlfriend comes calling!"
A sudden twinge of irritation rushed through his veins at hearing the label. Jaune knew she was talking about Ruby, and he had even told his sisters they weren't dating.
"I'm awake," he called out grumpily. "I'll be out in a few minutes!"
He turned back to the restroom and shut the door behind him. Jaune didn't need any more interruptions. However, this one quelled whatever negative emotions fuming over the past few minutes.
Jaune took a deep breath in and wiped his face with both hands. The boy paced back and forth, trying to develop a plan for today. At the very least, he knew he needed to tread carefully after last night.
I'm not really feeling like going to school right now...
Maybe I can just play hooky today? Tell Mom I'm not feeling well, and I should stay home. But I need to make it convincing.
What if she doesn't buy it? She might start asking questions. Or take me to the doctor again. What if they run tests? Somebody might find out that I'm a vampire.
If vampires really exist, then someone has to be able to tell the difference between them and a human or faunus. There has to be something in the blood or another physiological difference.
I can't let her or anybody know that I'm a vampire. Or that anything's wrong.
The government might arrest me and keep me as a prisoner. I'll just be a lab rat so they can run experiments on me. Or they'll just kill me.
He paused in the mirror's centre, staring intently at his reflection. Those eyes stared right back at him with an unwavering glare. Jaune took one breath, calming himself down. His eyes faded back to their normal colours, with the black sclera vanishing before him.
Then I can't stay at home... I'll just act normal and try to get through school today. I don't have to work tonight either, so that's good.
We can figure this out later...
Jaune turned around and headed to the shower. He had to meet up with his friend in a few minutes. Better to not be late and risk the ensuing interrogation.
...
Jaune exited the shower a few minutes later after getting washed up. He made sure to clean the sink as well, so no evidence was left behind. He couldn't chance someone coming in after him and seeing the blood. The hoodie didn't seem to have any blood on it either. Jaune would take care of that when he had the chance.
As he shut the light off and left the washroom, Jaune froze in fear.
The sun had entirely crossed the horizon and was partially visible from the window. That giant ball of nuclear fusion stared right back at him through his blinds. Yet, the room remained in shadow for that reason. Those bands of plastic stopped it from coming through.
If I'm a vampire, will I get burned by the sun?
It was a universal trope throughout vampire lore that they were harmed or killed by the sun. In some media, the sun didn't outright kill them but just left them weakened. However, this was the real world, not some video game, movie, or awful vampire novels.
If Jaune was a vampire, he should expect that he may be harmed by the sun. This would inevitably throw a wrench into his entire plan as he would be stuck inside for the foreseeable future. It could also expose Jaune if he just started turning into a giant fireball or whatever vampires did.
I have to know...
He walked right up to the blinds and grabbed the lift strings. Jaune took a deep breath and pulled them hard. The shades came up as he brought his hand down, exposing the interior of his house to the blinding sun.
The sudden increase in brightness forced Jaune to close his eyes. He turned away from the window, still standing in the sunlight. A series of colourful spots darted in his vision, growing and contracting as Jaune's retinas acclimated to the change.
That hurts... He reached up to wipe his eyes.
After a moment, Jaune could actually see what was outside his window. Yet, he didn't explode, turn into ash, or feel anything. However, it was significantly warmer now that he had been standing in the sunlight for several minutes.
Maybe the glass is blocking the light?
Glass can filter out certain types of U.V. rays. It's possible the window was keeping them out and, thus, keeping Jaune alive.
Jaune reached up and grabbed the locking mechanism on the window. With a flick of the wrist, he unlatched the piece of metal. Then, he reached the rail and grasped it with both hands.
Okay, Jaune, you can do it...
He pulled up on the window, taking it to the top. A sudden explosion of sounds came through. Birds chirping, the engines of cars, and a distant ambulance siren.
But Jaune...
He was perfectly fine. Just standing there like a deer in headlights. There was not even a blemish on him from the sun's rays.
So, that means I'm like a daywalker. I'm not sparkling either...
Jaune didn't know if he should have been relieved or not. He could blend in more easily and not reveal himself to anybody. Two, Jaune didn't combust and ended it right there. He wasn't sure which he liked better.
He sighed heavily, relaxing his body as another bout of stress melted off him. It let Jaune focus, but only for a moment.
As he gathered his thoughts, a faint humming met his ears. It was a girl's. She yawned, cutting her song off.
"Hey, Zwei," the voice spoke up.
A dog barked back at her.
Jaune stepped out of the window and back into the darkness. The last thing he needed right now was for Ruby to open her window and get an eyeful of Jaune. Or even worse, her sister. Neither would do well to bolster Jaune's reputation.
Okay, we need to get dressed and head out. Ruby should be close to getting it done.
[Kitchen]
Jaune waltzed down to the kitchen, trying his best to act normal. The random bouts of thirst stopped for a moment. Jaune knew why but wasn't going divine the secrets to anybody else.
It was probably due to him drinking blood last night. Jaune had those episodes on that Monday, and the thirst became stronger leading up to it. That satisfied whatever vampiric cravings he had, and now Jaune felt normal.
At least as normal as you can get since his body took control of itself and killed a man. However, while that death was not on Jaune. It still remained on his conscience.
"Hey, Jaune," Saphron chirped, turning to face him.
His older sister held a frying pan with a group of sausage patties in the centre. About four or five in total, with another dozen or so on a nearby plate.
Grease popped and bubbled, splattering tiny droplets on the stovetop from the pan. The unmistakable smell of frying pork wafted up and to Jaune's nose. Smoke rose to the ceiling, drifting out of the nearby open window.
"Hey," he replied, sitting down at the bar.
Two of his other sisters were already sitting down. Blanche and Rouge. The older eighteen-year-old was teasing the latter twelve-year-old child. Which caused Rouge's face to flush red out of embarrassment over something. Jaune didn't really care about what she said.
As Jaune sat down, however, Blanche's attention was drawn over to him. The platinum-haired blonde snickered and leaned around their younger sister.
"Jeez, rough night," she teased, obviously making an innuendo. Her shit-eating grin was enough to figure that out.
Fuck off, Blanche!
"What about it," Jaune asked in response, stifling his annoyance.
"You look like crap," Blanche declared proudly. "Somebody sure put you through the wringer."
Oh yeah, a lot happened last night, my dear sister. I realised I'm a blood-sucking parasite who killed someone in a blood-lusting psychosis. I'm a vampire, by the way. How are you?
"I felt sick last night," Jaune answered calmly, shrugging his shoulders. "So, I decided to go to bed. I'm fine now."
That should have been enough to throw her off his trail. Just playing off her teasing and not giving Blanche a reaction would have been enough. Jaune had played this game before.
Blanche huffed and turned back to her food. "Boring..."
"Toast it is then," Saphron asked Jaune, sliding him a plate with a slice of buttered toast.
She must have figured that Jaune would have wanted something light for breakfast. An abnormally unhealthy and greasy breakfast would have been an awful choice if his stomach wasn't up to it. At least someone cared for his well-being.
"Yeah, thanks," Jaune said, grabbing a nearby knife and a jam jar.
While he was putting some toppings on the slices of bread, Jaune looked over at the small T.V. resting on the countertop. It was turned to the news, playing the broadcast on a moderate volume, which was loud enough to hear if he focused on it.
"Welcome, this is VNN," the newscaster, Lisa Lavender, began. "This morning, the body of Charles Wallace was found in an alleyway in downtown Vale. Police described the initial scene as if it 'Were an attack by a deranged animal.'" She paused for a moment. "The Vale City Police Department has begun investigating the murder this morning. Mr Wallace was a prime suspect in serial killings in Vale and along the California coastline. No further comments have been made as to whether or not this was an instance of revenge or an attack by an unrelated killer."
A picture of the man popped up in a small window on the top left side of the screen. A simple line-up, dark skin, and a set of familiar baggy clothing. It had to be him.
Holy shit... They're talking about me. What if I left something behind? That would lead the cops straight to me!
Jaune stood up and grabbed his bag. The piece of unjammed toast was quickly devoured right before the boy made his way to the front door. Nothing else mattered except putting some distance between himself and the house.
"You heading out," Saphron asked.
The boy spun around and put on his best doofus look.
"I realised Ruby, and I have to work on some stuff," he explained, lying his ass off. "So, I've got to go find her really quick."
"Okay, see you later then..."
[Outside]
Jaune left the house, shutting the front door behind him. He looked around for Ruby if she suddenly decided to magically appear in front of him. Luckily, she may have been running late today, which Jaune was glad for.
Last night he had only been carrying his Scroll on him and a wallet. Checking his back pocket revealed the wallet to still be there and not up in his room. He grabbed the leather billfold and opened it up to examine the items.
I.D., debit card, driver's licence...
Everything seemed to be in place. Anything that had 'his' identity on it, at least. He wasn't wearing his work uniform either, so that should still be intact.
Okay, any evidence I left behind can't lead the cops to me. I don't think they have my DNA or anything they can use. I just have to play it cool.
Jaune sniffed as a scent wafted into his nostrils.
It was a familiar smell. One of strawberries. Another smell also hung in the background. Blood? The sweet aroma was the same one he found on that Wallace guy from last night.
He turned around to find Ruby standing a few feet away from him. His best friend was running to catch up with him before he could head off to school. It was a picture that reminded him of every day of the last three months.
"Hey," Jaune called out, waving with his right hand.
"Hey," Ruby said back to him breathily, waving with her left hand.
As that hand went up, Jaune could see a large bandage on her index finger. There was even a small patch of blood seeping through the gauze and latex strip. It had to be where the smell was coming from.
Jaune felt his eyes shift to their other form at the sight of the blood. It didn't feel like anything, but he knew they had changed in that instant. A natural reaction to a predator seeing his prey.
Fuck-Fuck-Fuck-Fuck-Fuck! NOT NOW!
He quickly turned in the direction they were supposed to be walking in. Jaune had to keep Ruby from seeing his eyes, or his cover would be blown. That was supposed to be the entire point of today, and he was already fucking failing at it.
"So what happened to your hand," Jaune asked, keeping himself in check.
Come on! Go away, vampire eyes! I don't need you right now!
"Oh, this," Ruby said, holding her hand up so she could look at it. "I was cutting up some strawberries yesterday, and the knife slipped."
And you just happened to do this when I realised I was a vampire... Actually, scratch that. I know now, and if it had happened a few days earlier, I might have hurt her.
The thought was scary. If he had lost control at any time before he ran into a suspected serial killer, then Jaune would have made a big mistake. Luckily, Mr Serial Killer had the smell of blood on him that set Jaune off at both the right and wrong time.
Jaune hissed, "Ouch, that had to hurt!"
His tone sounded pretty bullshitted to him, but it was the best he could do. Jaune was not in the mood for these bits of conversation between himself and Ruby. However, he needed to keep up with the act.
At least I know blood will set my vampirism off... I can work with that.
"Yeah, it stung," Ruby agreed, pressing her thumb against the bandage. "Kind of like a paper cut, but deeper."
Oh, I know that feeling... My shoulder hurt like a motherfucker after I got stabbed. Luckily, he couldn't feel it anymore.
"You probably cried," Jaune teased.
"I did not," Ruby shouted, pouting and turning away from him.
Jaune let out a light snort. His eyes shifted back to their normal colours moments later, allowing Jaune to feel some relief. At least his cover remained solid.
Just as things quieted down, Jaune heard something moving behind them. It was too subtle for a human to pick it up - maybe a faunus if they had an extra set of ears, but he could easily hear it.
I hear you...
One step forward lightly on their toes, followed up by another, resting on the ball of their feet. Too light to be a man's unless they were some sort of ninja. Whoever it was, happened to be small enough that they could move around so quietly without being heard.
It had to be a woman. Maybe around one-twenty to one-hundred and thirty pounds. Not very heavy, but not a featherweight like Ruby. It couldn't be Nora as she was not very stealthy unless she was doing something ridiculous. Blake wouldn't be creeping about like this, either.
As their stalker approached further, Jaune got a whiff of her scent. Lavender. The light floral scent was more robust than Ruby's more fruity one. More concentrated was a better term. There was a lot of it on the woman.
She soon moved closer to the pair, gaining ten feet between them and her. Jaune could hear her breathing coming through what had to be a shit-eating grin. Her steps were almost silent now and in pace with Jaune's louder ones.
She was almost a foot behind them now. Jaune could hear her raise her right hand up into the air.
The stalker leapt towards Jaune's back, bringing her right hand down on his head. In turn, Jaune reached behind him and snatched the girl's hand up before she could touch him. He clamped down around her wrist hard, preventing her from running off as her plan had been foiled.
"Huh, nice reflexes," she complimented him casually. "Get a lot of use out of that hand?"
Jaune blushed hard at the comment. It was even worse knowing who it was.
"Hey, Yang," he said in a monotone voice. Jaune still had a firm grip on her right hand. "So, what were you doing?"
"Eh, just gonna mess with you guys," she replied, maintaining her tone, skipping around to Ruby's side. "Especially since my little sister never came to wake me up!" Yang grabbed Ruby's head without warning and drove her knuckles into her hair. The more petite girl's hair quickly came undone and messier than usual.
"Ow-ow-ow-ow-ow-ow-ow," Ruby repeated herself as she struggled to get out of her grasp.
This was normal for the three on an almost daily basis.
Yang Xiao Long was the older half-sister of Ruby Rose. The more popular, extroverted, and less socially awkward sister. If one took a glance without delving very deep into her, the party girl.
While Yang was one of Jaune's friends, she was Pyrrha's best friend. Blake's too. The former two of the three were both on the track team, did power-lifting in the winter, and were cheerleaders in the fall. Suffice it to say, she was probably the most well-connected person among the Beacon students. Pyrrha as well, but not as shy.
Witty, smart, strong as hell, and charismatic to a fault. Yang could basically run circles around Jaune and every other guy at Beacon. She usually did, and he was at the receiving end of most of her teasing.
It was even worse when he was with Ruby. The blonde teased both of them endlessly, much like Blanche would. Innuendos were aplenty.
Yang was also very defensive around Ruby. It was something Jaune admired about her since she was very caring for her younger sister. Jaune also had little siblings he could barely stand up for, so both blondes shared one thing besides blonde hair.
Aside from all that, Yang and Jaune were outstanding friends. Her younger sister was the cause of that, which also brought Ren and Nora more friends after he met them.
Yang eventually let go of Ruby, allowing her to fix the ruffled mess of black and red hair. The victim of the travesty mumbled and grumbled as she reached up and pushed down the locks and set them back into place as neatly as she could.
If the two were in opposite positions, Yang would be passionately fuming over the destruction of her gorgeous mane. However, in the end, turnabout is fair play, of course.
"You know, I really wish you hadn't crashed your bike even more now," Ruby growled harshly at the blonde. "Then I wouldn't have to deal with you until I got to school!"
Yang laughed, "Hey, it's not my fault that asshole hit me!"
A few weeks ago, Yang was riding her bike back to her house when another driver pulled out in front of her. As a result of the other driver's negligence, Yang was thrown from her bike and landed pretty hard on the concrete. However, she was barely injured during the crash and managed to walk away, knocking out the other driver in a bout of rage before she was taken to a hospital. Besides some bruising on a good portion of her legs and knuckles, the only injury she received was a sprained ankle requiring her to use crutches for about a week.
Unfortunately, her Bumblebee was totalled. The bike had been fused with the front left side of the vehicle and was lost. However, insurance was still doing its thing, and she would not be getting a new bike anytime soon.
Hence, she was walking with Jaune and Ruby for the foreseeable future.
"Good point," Ruby sighed, running her hand through her hair again.
Yang reached up with her right hand, grabbed it with her left and stretched her lats out. "Besides, what are you guys doing today," she changed the subject.
"Homework," Jaune answered. "I'm still pretty far behind on things."
As if becoming a vampire didn't set me back any farther than I needed to be!
"Eh, sounds boring," Yang dismissed the idea. "I'm probably going to find Blake or P-Money, and hang out with them. Leave you two lovebirds alone!"
WE ARE NOT A COUPLE!
[Beacon]
The trio finally arrived at the academy about an hour before school started. Other students walked up to the front gates while some were dropped off by their parents. The wealthier students had a chauffeur or some shit like that.
Okay, Jaune, there are a lot of people around; keep yourself under control. We can't have an episode here.
He looked up at the massive compound before him. A very intimidating sight, indeed. It almost resembled a gothic-esque castle. Some fortress out of a fairy tale. Possibly, even more terrifying, knowing that other vampires could be traipsing about.
Some of the wealthiest and most influential people in all of Vale or the U.S. went to school here. The brightest too. Someone had to know about vampires. At least they could tell him something useful.
But who else would know?
It wasn't like Jaune could simply walk up to anybody and ask that question. They would laugh in his face or really think he was joking. Some might even think he was insane.
There was also the possibility of vampire hunters. However, Jaune didn't know if there were any around. Or if anybody was actually looking for vampires.
Still, he would not risk exposing himself. Even his friends couldn't know about this. Jaune had no clue how they would react. This was a secret that had to go to the grave.
Heading towards the front gate, the density of students increased to the point they were standing shoulder to shoulder with many of them. Ruby was practically stuck to him.
At an academy like Beacon, many students were very particular about their studies. Some were the type to obsessively cram for the next for hours on end. Some were average like Jaune and didn't need to show up hours before. Others were athletes or had clubs that required them to be in attendance early. Hence, so many students were here at seven in the morning.
"There's Blakey," Yang said in a dark tone. She then turned to Jaune and Ruby. "Catch you guys later!" Her voice turned bright and cheerful, as did her expression.
The blonde then wandered off in the direction of her prey. A black-haired cat faunus stepped out of a nice-looking vehicle with her back to the crowd. She wouldn't know until it was too late.
"So, ready to do this homework," Jaune said in a peppy voice.
"Yep," she chirped back. "I think I'm actually getting better at this stuff too!"
They were.
Two heads that had academics on the mind were better than one. Each was helping the other with their misunderstandings regarding the subjects they were studying. This way, both were more efficient with their school work. Especially when they had been doing this for the last month or so.
The pair made their way to the library to get some work done. In the lobby, the ridiculous amount of students thinned out enough, so they could move around freely. A few groups were hanging out or the odd loner doing their own thing.
Teachers also wandered the halls, either moving to their classrooms or taking care of errands. Security guards were doing the same thing, keeping an eye on the students to ensure there would be no hooliganism.
A typical day here at Beacon Academy. Despite the issue of a student masquerading as a vampire.
"Oh, hey, it's Weiss," Ruby exclaimed cheerfully, skipping forward into the crowd.
Weiss...
Jaune's heart sank at the mention of her name. He stopped walking, paralysed by the prospect of having to see her. Yet, Ruby had run-up to the girl.
The world grew quiet and faded away from him. Jaune was a pillar atop a grey ocean of nothingness. It was as if time had stopped itself, orchestrating another ordeal for Jaune to go through. The ashen colour glazed everything around him, isolating him from the other students.
Only two people were untouched by this silence. Ruby and her.
His heart throbbed painfully, hearing his best friend talking to the girl who had broken his heart. It beat more rapidly with every second he listened to her voice. The voice that played him as a fool from the first time it ever graced his ears.
A pit suddenly formed in his stomach, steadily climbing upwards and into his throat. It rendered him unable to say anything to get Ruby back. A mere warning would have sufficed, telling the girl of their task. But, Jaune's lips would not move, frozen together in a thin line.
He failed to do anything. Jaune couldn't say why exactly. His body had shut down, leaving him at the mercy of entropy.
But Ruby had gone to talk to Weiss. Or she may have sought Jaune's friend out. It was possible she could have been seeking him out.
It was brave to at least acknowledge the Heiress' presence. Jaune would actually have a pair and not be some wimpy doofus like he always was. Maybe he could listen to what she said?
He turned his body to face her. Everything in that motion felt so stiff. As if every one of his joints had rusted to being fused together. All creaking loudly like the rusted tin man he had become.
This day couldn't have gone any worse for the boy.
Upon turning towards where Ruby had been, Jaune finally caught a glimpse of her.
The girl who had once been an angel to him now stood bloodied. Her pristine white hair, beautiful pale skin, and what Jaune supposed were the most supple and soft hands that had ever graced Earth were covered in a thick layer of blood. Several weeks old from when she had driven a dagger into Jaune's heart. All because she said those words.
Words that humiliated Jaune in front of over one hundred people. When Jaune asked Weiss to go out, he accidentally told his feelings for the girl simultaneously. The reaction he got was much like the very woman he had come bear feelings for.
Cold.
The following words were merely another series of repeated thrusts with that dagger. Over and over again. Belittling him for trying his best to convince the girl he liked her. Yet, she didn't care or think he could have feelings for her.
Now, Weiss didn't seem to even acknowledge Jaune's existence. As if she had completely forgotten about him. The entirety of her focus was on the ravenette standing right in front of her. The Ice Queen's head nodded up and down, showing her understanding of whatever Jaune's best friend was saying to her.
As Jaune stared at the conversation before him, he realised that his former crush had turned her gaze onto him too late. Their eyes met for the briefest moments, chilling Jaune to his bones.
It was like staring at a rattlesnake. The serpent rattled its little rattle, telling the boy to piss off in the most obvious ways. Yet, Jaune tempted fate, continuing to stand near a dangerous creature like a child that didn't know better.
He hoped she would have cured his dissatisfaction. Brought a spark to the mundane life he'd endured to this point. Someone substantial to drag him off the beaten path.
Death, destruction, murder.
Slaughter them all.
Drink their blood. Take their strength.
NO!
Jaune turned his gaze away, abandoning the staring contest that ensued. Like the night before, the sudden urge to commit yet another atrocity nearly took hold. In front of all these people nonetheless.
He couldn't do it. Not to anybody. Especially not to someone he knows.
Jaune had every right to hate Weiss for smearing his name in front of everyone the way she did. Crushing his heart like an insect or treating him like something she stepped in.
But he couldn't. It wasn't her fault for reacting that way.
Jaune had repeatedly asked for dates, given her flowers, and was stupid enough to try writing a love poem to her. All those silly pick-up lines and cheesy attempts to get her to go out with him brought Jaune here.
She got sick and tired of him, and Jaune barely recognised he had been less than entertaining to the girl. Weiss had been patient with him, trying to let him down easily, but he kept pushing her.
As much as he tried to hate her, Jaune honestly couldn't. Not enough to kill her for some blood.
But, if his body would lash out for blood, Jaune couldn't stay here. He had to go somewhere there were few people.
My house...
He could lock himself in his room for right now. Try to understand how to control himself. There had to be a way. Even if he could ignore what his body wanted and overcome the addiction.
He looked back up to where Weiss and Ruby were standing. His eyes met Weiss', and she turned her gaze away, not allowing herself to even face him. He heard a short huff as Weiss turned. She said something to Ruby and walked off.
"Jaune, are you alright," Ruby turned to him and asked.
He clearly looked troubled if she was asking him something like that. The girl had been there as a shoulder for the last few weeks, much like Velvet. Likewise, Nora and Ren had offered their support.
"No, Ruby, I'm not," he confessed, trying to keep his emotions in check. "You should go hang out with Weiss right now. I think I've got the hang of the homework, so I'll work on it by myself."
Ruby's expression became sour. It looked as if she felt guilty about talking to Weiss. The shirt girl turned her gaze downwards, pulling her arms behind her back and started scuffing her shoe on the floor.
"I-I'm sorry, Jaune," she whispered in an emotional tone. "I forgot you two still weren't talking..."
"It's not your fault, Ruby," Jaune placated her concerns, running a hand through his hair. "Weiss is your friend too, and you shouldn't have to worry about stuff like that. Just go hang out with her, please."
Jaune didn't even give her a chance to reply, leaving to go find some far off corner of the building so he could call his mother.
...
Jaune softly shut the door behind him, trying his best to not draw attention to himself. It was a private space, at least. He couldn't smell or hear anybody over the scent of bleach and water running through the pipes.
FUCK!
Jaune punched the first thing he could see. A poor towel dispenser was the second victim of his fury. The small wall piece crumbled under the force of the blow and was sent across the room in multiple chunks.
The door behind him opened unexpectedly as another person came into the restroom. Jaune turned around to see Sky Lark minding his own business. However, Jaune didn't want any interruptions.
"What are you doing; get the fuck out of here," Jaune yelled at the other boy.
He seemed to freeze momentarily before realising Jaune was serious. Sky took a step backwards away from him.
"Oh shit, sorry," he mumbled, running out of the restroom, wasting no time.
Jaune shook his head, calming himself after the outburst. He took in one deep breath. He let it out. Silence took over once again.
Okay, let's call mom and see if she will let us go home. I've got time before school starts, and I'll just say I'm sick.
He pulled out his Scroll, pressing his thumb on the home button to unlock it. Jaune sifted through his contacts, eventually finding the one he had been searching for. A simple label saying 'Mom.'
Jaune pressed down on the button. A dial tone started playing. It was a random song Jaune didn't know the name of. Shortly after, somebody picked it up.
"Hey, Mom..."
[Ruby: Several Hours Later]
"So, what, he just ran off," Yang asked as she walked along with Ruby.
"Yeah, just left school without saying a word," Ruby replied. "I tried texting him, but he wouldn't reply. I think he shut his phone off."
"Eh, we'll find him later," Yang expressed, keeping a cheerful tone. "Let's just get these snacks back home, and then we can try to hang out with Jaune."
Hopefully, he wants to hang out...
Nobody would have blamed him if he wanted to be alone right now. Ruby certainly would have. Yang too. It wasn't a good time for their circle of friends.
How can I fix this?
"Any ideas, Yang," Ruby posed with a sigh. "You're better at this than I am."
"Honestly, I got no clue, Rubes," Yang stated plainly. "Short of sticking them in a room and letting them hash it out, I don't think there's a quick fix here. Anything you have in mind would probably be better."
Before Ruby could get her reply out, Yang's right foot stepped into a large puddle on the ground. The liquid contained within splashed outwards, coating most of the blonde's white sneakers in the dark liquid. As soon as she noticed, Yang let out a frustrated groan at the ruined shoe. The girl kicked her leg a few times to attempt to remove the liquid.
"Really," Yang barked angrily, holding her bags higher as she stepped out of the puddle. "Who the hell dumps their dirty ass water all over the street?"
Oh my god...
"Yang," Ruby began, starting to grow a horrified expression. "That's not water..."
The two looked toward the origin of the puddle simultaneously. The sight they laid their eyes on prompted the girl's blood to grow cold. Each was staring at what looked like a massacre.
Ruby saw what were most likely over a dozen corpses strewn about the alley. Their bodies were cut to pieces. Not drawn and quartered, but cut into cylindrical sections with every limb and body part sliced into individual hunks of flesh. The wounds themselves were perfectly straight. Not done by a saw or a sword. Ruby didn't know what could have done this.
She let out a scream seconds after realising what she was looking at. Ruby dropped her things regardless of where they landed, backing into a nearby vehicle. Her breathing immediately increased tenfold with a surge of adrenaline into her system. The girl's right hand came over her chest, gripping the hoodie harshly to calm herself down.
Oh, my god! Oh my god! Oh my god!
She couldn't take her eyes off the bodies. There was so much blood.
"Sometimes human places, create inhuman monsters."
-Steven King