I took a bullet for all of you guys and read Fifty Shades of Grey last week.
Don't worry, it gets better.
Recently, I found a youtube channel by the name of Dominic Noble. He's done his own review of Fifty Shades and said it was horrible (paraphrasing but that's what it amounts to.) Now, I come along, thinking 'Oh, I have to see this for myself. It can't be any worse than what Dom is saying.'
Biggest fucking mistake I've made all year.
Shakespeare took angry shits and wrote better stories than this! Most fanfiction writers on this site have written better novels than the Fifty Shades author has. This story is clearly a horror novel disguised as an erotic romance! The amount of emotional and physical abuse that is romanticised in this novel is downright offensive and dangerous. It borders on sexual assault territory in some parts even.
I was so pissed off after I got done, I just took a break for a week. The only good thing that came out of this was I found my new favourite movie, Django Unchained. It has Christoph Waltz in it and he pretty much plays as the less Nazi version of Hans Landa.
"...Pyrrha's fine, she just got a couple bruises on her arms," Ruby explained through the phone. Her voice filled with fearful hesitation as she did so. "But, don't worry about us, okay! We're hanging out with Jaune right now, so you can come by to see Pyrrha too."
"Got it, Rubes, thanks," Yang replied, clicking the 'end call' button on her Scroll.
The blonde stood there for a few moments, contemplating what she had just been told. Her face remaining expressionless as she stared at the debris laying by her feet. Not even a breath escaped the girl's open lips.
Then suddenly, with a scream, Yang slammed her fist through the nearest wall. A vicious crack emanated from their meeting point as the soft plaster rendered into dust. Her breathing skyrocketed with the surge of hormones pouring into her system. Tears began streaming down her cheeks.
THAT MOTHERFUCKER!
...
Blake, Sent 3:40 PM: "Yang, do you want to talk about it?"
Seen: 4:02 PM
Blake, Sent 4:05 PM: "I know you saw my text, Yang. Come on, please."
Seen: 6:30 PM
Yang, Sent 7:13 PM: "I want to fucking kill him!"
[Blake: Vale, The Next Day]
"Look at all this shit," Yang cursed as she turned over a piece of debris. The large sheet of wood snapped in half, kicking up a cloud of dust. Some of which got into her eye, prompting Yang to throw it across the room like a spear.
You showed him...
Blake had been watching the blonde fume for what seemed like an eternity. Most of the day since the two met up, but that was beside the point. Yang was in one of those unsparing, break something and not give a crap about it moods. Which, might have been funny if the context behind it wasn't horrendous.
Hearing about Cardin trying, and miserably failing to attack Jaune was probably the low point of yesterday. A call from Ruby, telling her about it threw Yang into a fury. The blonde then storming out of what was left of Blake's apartment and disappeared for the rest of the afternoon. A worried Velvet, rage-filled Coco, and Blake were left behind in a scenario, which could not be described as anything but awkward.
It took Yang a few hours to text back, letting her friends know she cooled down enough to talk. Blake and Coco then having to coax Yang out of a potential homicide. Such a conversation going on for another few hours before Yang gave up on it and went to bed. Now Blake didn't think Yang would follow through with it, but there was always the chance she would. At least, in the back of Blake's mind. A peculiar set of events could drive anyone to commit an act they would eventually regret.
Blake, herself, was furious even a full day later. Pyrrha was one of her best friends, and a boy put his hands on her, leaving bruises while he physically restrained her. So, all of them deserved what they got. It didn't matter if Jaune broke bones or crippled them for life. Blake would have done the same if she had the means.
Right now, she was too angry to question how Jaune got the upper hand on all of them or how he broke Cardin's arm with his face. Blake just wanted to be glad those boys couldn't do anything worse to her friends.
The sound of glass breaking from another room drew Blake from her thoughts. She looked through one of the now open walls to see her mother sifting through what was left of a china cabinet. Nothing of which could be recovered. The only piece remaining was half of a cup that crumbled in her hands.
The same could be said of the rest of Blake's apartment. While a sturdy construction in the same style as a traditional Japanese home, it did not hold up to a single attack from that giant. It had absolutely demolished the house, causing most of the roof to collapse onto the lower floor. Almost all eight thousand square feet of it currently lying in ruins.
Blake's bedroom was nearly spared, but half of her ceiling caved in. Everything was covered in a thick layer of dust or crushed beneath the other debris. Those same particles in the air forcing the girls to wear respirators as to not breath any of it in.
Yesterday, before Yang had run off, they were forced to clear out the debris blocking the way in just to reach Blake's bedroom. The hallway leading to it, and the door to her room, both catching the laser beam. Only by making a hole in the wall were they able to find their way in.
What could be salvaged was up for debate. Luckily, this was only Blake's second home. Nothing irreplaceable remained here.
Her bed was most certainly broken by the roof falling on it, so that was out of the question. They did manage to find her laptop intact, but the screen was cracked, and the other accessories were also broken. Whatever clothes were in the closet did survive, only needing a quick wash. However, the dressers and other furniture holding the rest of her wardrobe were currently under a foot of rubble.
This is a mess...
Blake tip-toed her way over to the window, looking out into the disaster that was Vale. Plumes of smoke were still rising all across the city as fire departments fought them endlessly. Sirens were ringing out at all hours as they worked to restore order. The highest towers of Vale's skyline were threatening to come down at any moment.
From Blake's memory, this was probably one of the worst disasters to hit a large US city this century. Since 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina, there had not been anything to her knowledge that compared so easily. Yet, all this damage was caused by two people getting into a fight. If they alone could do this, what if more of these 'supermen' decided to show themselves?
Given that, Ms Goodwitch probably had the right idea to cancel school for now. Even the after school clubs and sports were cancelled for the foreseeable future. But the threat of more violence among the student body was probably the last straw. Nobody needed that on top of everything else going on.
Weiss was right about something at least...
"Hey, Blake, everything all right over there," Yang asked from behind. Her voice was muffled by a mask, making it difficult to hear.
Though, the question prompted Blake to straighten herself out. She realised Yang might have been watching her for who knows how long. The girl quickly turned around to face Yang, putting on a less solemn expression. Enough to give the impression nothing was wrong.
Which was true. Sure, Blake was a little stressed out, but who wasn't?
Yang, on the other hand, wasn't looking too hot. She had bags under her eyes and seemed exhausted. Yang wasn't carrying herself in the usually super confident manner either. She was also too quiet, refusing to joke around like yesterday.
"I'm fine," Blake replied tersely, shrugging her shoulders. "I was just looking at Vale."
Yang stepped up to her side, glancing out the window. Whatever mask she had put on vanished a few moments later. Replacing it was something comparable to awe, but not in a good way. Awful, as in watching a car accident or plane crash.
How could anyone not feel the same gazing out onto Vale? The upper third of the Schnee Electric Company tower was resting upon another damaged skyscraper, and both looked ready to crumble under pressure. Two other towers had collapsed onto the streets below, decimating the buildings underneath.
"Okay, just making sure," Yang said, turning back to Blake, flashing her a smile under the mask. "I didn't know if you were... kind of losing it there. You just lost your house and all that plus a bunch of your stuff..."
Her tone was awkward and clearly forced. Yang tried to put on a strong front, but it didn't come off very well. Her support was welcomed, but she more of a mess that needed sorting out.
Ironic because she said the same about Jaune...
"It's all right," Blake reassured her, picking up a dust-covered shirt and folding it in half. "It's only my apartment... Not like I don't have a mansion anyway."
"Rich people problems, right," Yang jested, turning over another pile of debris. She then stood up straight clutching the skin just below her neck. "'Oh my, our penthouse has been destroyed! What shall we do?!'" Yang shifted over a foot and assumed another pose, clasping her hands together behind her back. "'Don't worry honey, we can take the car over to our summer home. If not, then we can always fall back to your mother's estate.'"
Blake laughed out loud at Yang's act. While her British accent could use some work, it was a decent performance. One she didn't expect, but a way of lightening the mood.
It was also another method Yang had for dealing with her own anger. Because punching things did not always work out as she intended. Neither did breaking legs since that was an excellent way to get suspended no matter how much the other person deserved it.
"We're not that rich," Blake countered dryly. "Weiss is the one with the cake butler..."
"Do not remind me," Yang groaned loudly, throwing her head back. "How does someone just casually mention they have a butler for cake?! For cake?!"
"Her family's got a few billion dollars tucked away somewhere," Blake added on with the mother of all understatements. "Although, I think they're more of a pastry chef than an actual butler."
"Tomato, tomahto," Yang dismissed, waving her hand towards Blake. A second later, she stiffened up and took on a more sombre attitude. "But now that we're talking about her... How do you think she's handling this new and improved Jaune?"
Badly...
Blake wasn't sure how many of their friends noticed Weiss' rather sudden exit yesterday. The ravenette had spotted her running away through her peripheral vision. Whatever was going on a few seconds before was a mystery to her, however.
"Weiss was probably terrified when she realised it was him," Blake proposed, leaning against what remained of a dresser. "You and I know how badly she's been handling this entire thing... Maybe she's beating herself up about it and thinks she's the reason why Jaune got a new look?"
Something Blake did agree on was Yang's theory about Jaune changing himself because he didn't think he was good enough. Seeing Jaune, all of a sudden may have brought Weiss to the same conclusion. Especially with how abrupt the development was with their recent encounters on top of Cardin assaulting him in the bathroom. The shame of her actions plus Weiss' already present fear of running into him simply added up.
"Yeah, I get your point," Yang concurred, rubbing the back of her head. "I think she needs to find a way of clearing things up with him... But, we're not any better at that than she is."
Ah, crap...
"Like, how are you not pissed off still," Yang continued, raising her voice in anger. Both hands thrown into the air, showing it through her body language. "Those assholes hurt Pyrrha, and you're calm!"
Yang picked up another piece of debris and threw it across the room. The wooden stake embedded itself into the paper walls separating the bedroom from the public space. Any harder and it would have sailed straight through, giving her mother a fright.
However, Blake didn't initially reply to her friend's outburst. Letting Yang get this out of her system was probably the safest thing she could do right now. Anything involving incurring the blonde's wrath was about the worse idea a person could act upon. Especially when she was carrying around sharp objects.
Blake liked to think that was a part of their charm. Yang was the one who got more visibly upset about stuff and needed someone to listen to her. It just so happened to be that Blake was better equipped to let her friend do the ranting.
"I want to hang all of those guys by their balls," Yang growled, slamming her hands together like she was crushing a bug. "Just the sack! No shaft! Over a pool of piranhas, using barbed wire to hold them up!" She turned around and pointed directly at Blake. "And don't you dare think I'm bullshitting, Blake! Because, if I see those assholes look at Pyrrha or Velvet again, I'm going to make Jigsaw look like he's a fucking joke!"
She whipped back around and kicked at some more debris laying on the ground. A cloud of dust shot up from under her foot, revealing what underneath. It made Yang pause for just a moment, and Blake swore she could feel the blonde's Cheshire grin stretching across her lips.
"Oolala, Blake," Yang said in a low tone. Reaching down, she picked out a single book hiding among all of the wood splinters and dust. She turned the cover over to expose the title, 'Ninjas of Love.' "You naughty girl..."
Blake felt all of the blood leave her face at that moment, or her face turned red like a tomato. She didn't know or care. The realisation that Yang found the one book Blake hoped nobody else would notice, took precedent.
I thought I hid that in the closet! Goddammit, it must have gotten knocked out somehow!
"Yang, no," Blake shouted, dashing across the room to snatch it out of her hands. She leapt upon her final bound but was stopped by the sheer wall of muscle that was Yang Xiao Long. "Give that back!"
Pushing Blake back with one hand, Yang held the book up high enough so she couldn't grab it despite their close height. The difference in strength between the two girls made more apparent now than before. Blake's entire body was put into trying to topple the blonde over but could not move her an inch. Yang just stood there casually, grinning all the while as her friend fought tooth and nail.
"No-no-no-no, Blakey," Yang playfully denied, still holding her away with no effort whatsoever. "Not until you admit you're just as pissed off as I am!"
"Fine, yes, I'm mad about it," Blake said halfheartedly. She tried jumping up to snatch the book out of Yang's hands but was pushed back at the height of her vault.
"Nope, say it with your chest," Yang countered, using the hand holding the book to open it up. "Or I'm gonna find the smuttiest part of your smutty-smut-smut, and we'll read it to the class!"
Damn you, Yang! It's not smut!
"Okay," Blake shouted loudly. "I want to kick Cardin's ass too! I hate him about as much as everyone else at Beacon!"
Yang grinned widely, dropping the book into the ravenette's hands. She dove to catch the book before it was able to land among the debris.
"See, wasn't that hard," Yang chirped, skipping over to the other side of the room. "You can't bottle this stuff up! It's not good for you..."
"I'm not bottling it up," Blake countered dryly. She ran her hand across the top of her book, wiping off any remaining dust. "I just don't need to be as loud about it like you."
Blake didn't need to go on full tirades about what made her angry. Usually, finding a spot to cool down and let her emotions run their course was enough. Even when it was something in the middle of the school day that managed to strike a nerve. She could just hold off and let it go until she got back home...
She's right? Why did I let Yang be right for once...
"Hey, it helps to get it out," Yang explained. "Letting that shit boil up inside you won't do you any good. So, what are going to do to get over it?!" She stretched her arms outwards, challenging her friend for an answer. "Any ideas?" The blonde turned slightly as the next few words passed through her lips. Her right hand knocking into a vase on Blake's desk. "Because I think-"
The vase fell off the table and crashed into the floor. Yang fearfully jumped, raising her right leg to get it away from the stimulus. Her arms wrapped around her body, acting as a shield for her torso.
"Fuck, was that already broken?"
"I think it was..."
Blake reached over and knocked another glass off a shelf, allowing it to shatter. Yang immediately recognising what her friend had in mind, grinning darkly. Blake had her own smirk plastered on her face as she grabbed for another broken piece of furniture.
While Blake smashed the wooden chair leg through some more of the broken articles, Yang turned and sprinted straight at a wall. The already weakened paper and wood frame were made holier by a hundred and thirty pounds of blonde crashing into them—Yang shouting, "Oh, yeah," as she made it to the other side.
Just outside Blake's room was her mother, looking down at Yang with a puzzled expression. In her hands was a set of broken or cracked plates that she managed to salvage from the wreckage.
"Um, Yang, what are you doing," Kali asked amusedly.
"Just blowing off some steam, Kali," Yang cheerfully expressed, running a hand through her ponytail to get the dust out. "You know, most of this stuff is a lost cause, so why not make sure?!"
Kali's expression relaxed for a second before a smile crept along her lips. Without warning, she tossed the plates into the air, each landing behind her in a loud crash.
[Arc Household]
"Jaune got into a fight," Ruby explained to the gathering of Arc women. "And Pyrrha got hurt..."
Each of Jaune's sisters and his mother were crowded down in the living room, watching a movie. Once they heard Jaune's name and fight in the same sentence, everyone turned simultaneously to stare at the trio. Just over a half dozen sets of eyes boring holes into them with expressions verging on sheer anger or murderous intent. Seeing the bruises on Pyrrha's arms made the entire room drop several degrees drastically.
"Okay," Azur, Blanche's twin sister, said in a terrifyingly calm voice. The short-haired bluenette got up off the couch with a smile on her face, cracking the knuckles in one hand loudly. "So, who's the poor bastard that did this? I just want to have a little chat with 'em..."
Her eyes trained solely on Jaune, waiting for an answer. However, before Jaune could give one in reply, he noticed something odd. There was an aura beginning to surround her. A whispy blue hue dancing about her skin. One that radiated anger and hostility. Her emotions out on display for Jaune to gawk at.
His gaze turned to the rest of his family. Their bodies emanating this same miasma. Saphron was orange. Marron was brown. Blanche was white. Rose was pink. Violette, purple. Rouge had a deep shade of red. Noire merely this black mass dissimilar to the Killer's. Finally, their mother was an illustrious gold.
[Present]
So, they're the same as Weiss...
Whatever Weiss was, Jaune's sisters were related somehow. They each produced an aura similar to the energy she gave off. Only with Weiss, Jaune could not visibly perceive it like his own family.
While none were as readily powerful as the Ice Queen, they were not like any normal humans, or faunus Jaune had encountered just yet. However, that did not mean they were anywhere close to other vampires like Pasty, or the entities who accosted Jaune on the night of his awakening. They were woefully pitiful in comparison to any of his previous foes. Weiss, the weakest of them, made the Arcs appear as ants.
Yet, Jaune's family stood above all others. They were only another manner of beast cut from familiar cloth.
Then what did that make Jaune? If he was a tapestry weaved from this bolt, the boy was already powerful in his own right. His nature was that of the supernatural. Although, now heavily augmented by his current vampiric prowess.
It certainly did not come as a startling revelation to him. Akin to remembering a factoid one had previously forgotten.
No, that isn't right.
Heh...
My sisters are the same species Weiss is. Not of the same house. The only way they differ is their line. They're all something locked behind barriers put in place, not of their own volition. The same goes for Weiss. She's holding back.
The Killer was not restraining herself in the slightest on the night of Jaune and her's duel. Through a third party or of her own choosing did not matter. She forced Jaune on a path to break away from the obstacle chaining him to the ground. A feat making her worthy of sitting on the throne she presently occupied.
There was no indication Jaune's family were any residing on the other thrones, however. They had the potential to become stronger and exert their will as Jaune did, but their current level would not allow for anything beyond forcing their base nature to surface. All of them were far too weak. In fact, nobody Jaune knew could match those he discovered in that hall.
Glancing over to Pyrrha and Ruby gave him nothing. Not even a hint of the same magic Weiss had pouring off her. The smell of their lotion or shampoo filled the air, but that was all.
Not them, either...
Jaune didn't know if he felt dread over this mystery or was too excited to reign his emotions in. He couldn't wait to see what came next but stilled himself for the gratification to be so much sweeter. Unravelling this would genuinely become a delight.
"God dangit," Ruby shouted from behind him.
He cast his gaze back upon the girl sitting in front of his tv. Ruby was playing an adventure game set in Medieval Europe. One with knights, bandits, tournaments, and castles. The only downside to this diversion was the absurd combat mechanics that sucked the fun out of it in Jaune's opinion.
It seemed Ruby had the same conclusion, setting down her controller before she channelled her inner Yang and snapped it in two. A single breath escaped her lips before she turned to face her two companions sitting on the opposite side of the room. Her expression telling Jaune she meant to say something but did not have the idea entirely formulated.
In contrast, Pyrrha was peacefully working away on some leftover homework. Her mind was so preoccupied with it, she did not pay any attention to those angry Ruby noises. Jaune doubted she was aware of him sitting right next to her at his desk.
"Do you guys think the park will be open," Ruby finally asked. "It didn't get destroyed by the giant, but people are really scared about going out."
She's right...
Between all the murders and the Killer running around, I don't think anybody would want to risk it.
The same logic applied to situations with wolf packs. If a group of them were patrolling the countryside, the locals would want to keep their family and homes secured, waiting for the hunters to track them down. Though, these wolves were superhumans and vampires who could annihilate an entire city block with a single attack.
"Well, fewer people to stand behind for the funnel cake," Jaune jested.
Pyrrha sent him a dull look, clearly internally groaning. Jaune smiled and shrugged his shoulders in reply. Disregarding him, the redhead rolled her eyes while shaking her head.
"Yeah, the park's a few miles away from the mouth of the bay, so I doubt there's going to be any major issues," Pyrrha expressed, cupping her chin. "That's if something doesn't happen... A big 'if.' Because Vale has not had an outstanding record for the past couple weeks." Towards the end, the confidence in her tone was lost.
King's Park was on the more affluent side of town in the tourism district. Tucked away near some of Vale's most renowned beaches, it was a hotspot that attracted thousands every day during the summer months. However, its location put it safely several miles upstream from where Jaune and the Killer had their battle.
If anything were to go down, Jaune was sure most of the businesses would end up closing out of fear. The heart of Vale had quickly shut down since nobody was shopping, and utilities were down. With the shortage of emergency personnel, any fights between vampires or supermen were going to be much more disastrous.
"I really hope nothing happens," Ruby said meekly. "Yang and Blake already told me they were coming with... So, did Nora and Ren."
And nothing will happen...
Jaune could see her discomfort. The thought of walking into another bloodbath was on her mind. She could remember the position of every single body—the stench of blood on the air. Ruby so desperately wanted this night to go off properly, she was stressing herself out by overthinking it.
"Don't worry, Ruby," Jaune replied confidently. "They have a giant that shoots laser beams from its mouth, we have a Nora. So, we're evenly matched!"
"We might want to throw Yang in there for good measure," Pyrrha playfully added on.
Her continuation of the banter was met by Jaune's laughter. "That's cruel, Pyr," he chastised jokingly. "Nobody deserves that kind of punishment!"
"They started it," Pyrrha countered, leaning back into her chair. She waited for her friends to calm down for a moment before she continued. "Anyway, do either of you have any ideas for what we should do after we're done with the park? Or at least a backup plan if they do close?"
"Yang and I were thinking about board games," Ruby suggested curiously. "We have too many people to play most of the games, but we can split up and have two going at once."
"That sounds like fun," Jaune expressed excitedly. "But I have an even better idea. It's a surprise I'm working on right now, so I'll show you guys on Friday!"
Jaune glanced down at his notebook. Several pages were completely filled with notes on the activity he had planned for them. Even if they were unable to go out to the park, there was always this campaign to turn to. With all of their friends joining their table, it would more than likely lead to some interesting developments.
"Ah, come on," Ruby whined, getting off his bed. "Please tell us!"
[Pyrrha]
Pyrrha slipped out as Ruby began interrogating Jaune for details. She needed a second to stretch her legs and grab a drink. Sitting down for nearly four hours straight made her butt too sore to bear for any longer. That and Jaune's presence was almost overbearing.
Sitting next to him was like taking a test and having the teacher standing just behind you while looking over your shoulder. Hell, you could turn the lights off and still feel where he was sitting. Even the passage of his eyes over Pyrrha sent a chill down her spine. She didn't know if that was a good thing or not!
But Pyrrha was sure it was all in her head. Whatever teenage hormones she had coursing through her veins were making her feel this way. Anybody else would be the same in her position. Like Yang said, Jaune was really hot. The sun in the middle of July hot would not even come close. So, having Jaune around made her feel anxious.
Although, Jaune managed to catch Pyrrha off-guard after his fight with Cardin. His genuine concern over what was a minor injury paired with how he deeply he locked eyes with her was so embarrassing. Not in a cringeworthy way either. Like a first kiss.
Which, didn't help Pyrrha since Jaune was her first kiss.
All of this in tandem made her circumstances that much more unbearable. Pyrrha had a blush putting her own hair to shame right now, and she was trying her damndest to make it go away. The heat her body gave off was mitigated only by her t-shirt and yoga pants. Had she been wearing her school uniform, the girl may have wanted to step inside a freezer for a few hours and cool off.
Don't think about it, Pyrrha... You're just getting used to the new Jaune.
Thinking about Jaune now and the Jaune from a few days ago was a difficult task in of itself. So, putting the unfathomably handsome guy and her oldest friend together didn't go off without a hitch. They were unquestionably the same person, but the one-hundred and eighty-degree flip made it harder to rationalise. It hit her like a freight train when Ruby pointed it out.
Should be happy for him. He's turned over a new leaf and seems to be enjoying himself now. That's the important part.
Coming down the stairs and into the main living room, Pyrrha was met by one of Jaune's little sisters. Rouge showed the older girl a drawing she had made of a giraffe. One that actually done quite well for someone her age. While not hyperrealistic, it could be shown off in any elementary-school competition to win her top marks.
"It's beautiful, Rouge," Pyrrha complimented with a smile.
Her words were met with the flustered expression of the young girl. Pyrrha's appraisal for Rouge's work clearly meant a lot. Just showing it off to her was a giant leap for the Arc. Whether it be due to Pyrrha's celebrity status or her pseudo-adoption by the rest of her family was not as well defined.
"T-Thanks, Pyrrha," Rouge stuttered. Her blush darkened, turning blood red by this point.
"Keep working on it, okay," Pyrrha encouraged, still holding her bright and cheery demeanour. "I want to see what you draw next!"
Rouge shook her head and then ran off back to where the rest of her drawing materials were. Pyrrha snickered as the last image of the girl disappeared behind the nearest corner. She couldn't help but find Jaune's little sisters to be so cute.
Okay... Back to the kitchen.
She turned and headed across the living room, taking a quick look at the many picture frames hung on the walls. Most were family photos or pictures of individual kids. Some of them were paintings purchased by their mother or works done by the Arcs. Claire was quite the artist on top of her career as a doctor, so it made sense. Though, Rouge was the only one that shared her talent and love for the craft.
Arriving at the kitchen, Azur, Blanche, and Marron were crowded around the central island. Whatever they were talking about lacked the context for Pyrrha to understand, so she ignored them. The redhead, instead, quickly found her way into the fridge and began rummaging through it for something to drink.
She settled on a can of vegetable juice, popping it open and taking a sip. The taste of tomato, kale, celery, and beets washed over her lips and refreshed her dry throat. While somewhat bitter, Pyrrha didn't mind that. She was able to handle Ren's health drinks with no problems despite Nora's objections.
Closing the fridge and turning around, Pyrrha was confronted with the blank stares of Jaune's sisters. They had leaned against the farthest countertop away from her and adopted whatever pose was comfortable for them. Blanche had both of her hands planted on top of the granite. Azur had her arms crossed, and finally, Marron was resting her chin on top of her hand.
That's not creepy at all...
"Pyrrha," Marron began in a stiff tone. "Do you know what the hell is going on with Jaune?!"
Oh boy, they don't know either...
Luckily for them, Pyrrha was completely in the dark on this as well.
"Yeah, yesterday morning, asshole walks back in the house soaking wet when we tried calling him eight-hundred times, and he never answered," Azur, the most ill-tempered of the Arcs, explained angrily. "I kicked his ass because he scared the shit out of us... Then he went to bed! Two hours later, we see this adonis walking downstairs right past us, and he left without saying a word!"
So, his appearance changed that quickly?
Now Pyrrha wasn't under the delusion Jaune could comb his hair a different way and become said adonis. In fact, her friends were of the same school of thought on this. However, while they did want to know the exact reason why Jaune's appearance altered so drastically, nobody wanted to press for answers. To either keep from upsetting him or just didn't dare to do so. He was less approachable than Yang, after all.
"Ummm, I'm sorry," Pyrrha replied nervously, rubbing the back of her head. "I really don't know... It was a huge surprise for all of us at school too."
Blanche turned to her sisters and let out a prolonged sigh. The other members of the trio seemed to agree on this mood. Azur ran a hand through her hair, and Marron kneaded her brow.
"See," Blanche criticised, rubbing in the fact she was right. "I told you they don't know! Why the fuck would Jaune tell them and not us?!" She let out an angered grunt before pushing her way past Marron.
Azur gave Pyrrha a look of feign amusement. "As you can see, everything is just peachy over here," she expressed sarcastically.
[Weiss]
Weiss awoke to the feeling of cold marble on her skin. She sat up to investigate her surroundings but found her location to be unfamiliar. This place was wholly foreign to any manor she had ever been inside of. Its golden architecture and construction beyond the level of any known master.
'Where am I?'
She rose to her feet, planting them on the frigid stone. Weiss only wearing her nightgown, which did little to protect her from the cold. She had to wrap her arms around her body just to keep warm. Every breath was interrupted by the chattering of her teeth.
Examining the walls, Weiss shuddered at the sight of the millions of skeletons which lined them. Though her mind picked up on the mixture of gothic and roman influences which coalesced into this manor. It resembled more of a cathedral than an estate such as her own with all of the rib vaults and pointed arches. A mix between Gloucester and Chartres Cathedral with St Peter's Basilica almost.
Whichever way Weiss turned, she could not see an end to this hall she resided in. It went as far as the eye could see and then some. Miles upon miles of endless chambers with doors leading to other rooms or walls decorated with all manner of carvings.
'What the hell is this?'
She turned to face the endless series of windows opposite the walls. The clear panes of glass did not give away any hint of her location. All Weiss could see was a gloomy night paired with clouds obscuring her view.
"Dies iræ, dies illa, Solvet sæclum in favilla, Teste David cum Sibylla."
'Huh?'
Weiss headed towards the music filling the halls. She could only hear the muffled words sung alongside Mozart's famous requiem. As she neared the origin of the chant, Weiss was blocked by a massive set of double doors. She pushed on them with all of her strength, and they would not yield. Weiss then chose to knock on the door to see if the inhabitants would hear her.
*THUD*THUD*THUD*
With that, the doors slowly crept open. They squealed loudly as each parted to allow the girl inside. As soon as there was enough room to fit, Weiss slipped in between.
"Oh, my god," Weiss exclaimed in a whisper upon catching the first glimpse of this room.
Before her was the nave of this cathedral. It could have been thousands of feet long. Hundreds of rows of pews sat in between her and the altar where the music was coming from. Millions of people could reside in this room alone. Everything here was made from the same golden marble that constituted every square inch of this castle.
The centrepiece, just behind the altar, was an organ of impossible size. It contained thousands of pipes hundreds of feet long. The entire thing was several hundred feet wide. All of it decorated with skeletons; the most massive planting its arms on either side of the room. The size of that single carving was greater than that of the giant who appeared in Vale's bay.
However, despite the grand size of this organ, it still played with such exquisite quality. Every note was perfect; not a single a flaw in pitch or how it resonated in the walls. The lowest notes were felt deep in Weiss' chest, and the highest made her hair stand on end. It was undoubtedly a masterwork beyond compare.
Weiss squinted her eyes and was able to see the person playing the organ. He was performing with every fibre in his body. All of his emotions were out on display as he delicately weaved the notes into the most splendid rendition of Dies Irae ever known. The choir was out of sight, but they followed along masterfully with him.
"Hello," Weiss called out.
Suddenly, he stopped, placing both of his hands gently on the keys, allowing the notes to slowly fade. Without taking his hands off, he turned slightly to gaze upon the person who interrupted his performance. At that moment, Weiss realised who he was.
She could see Jaune staring right back at her. His lips were curled into a predatory smile, sending chills down her spine. When their eyes locked, Weiss felt sheer terror well up inside her.
"Hey, Snow Angel..."
I'm gonna say this chapter was more about the characters having fun. I didn't have any huge goals or objectives going on. Just showing the relationships and some minor world building along with Jaune's discoveries. Given that, I felt like having multiple character perspectives doing whatever and not associated around Jaune like last chapter.
Although, Jaune's family also has aura like Weiss. If you think about it, why did Raven attack Jaune in the first chapter? Aside from the fact he's the main protagonist. (Not exactly the good guy of the story. Just our lead character.)
But, the castle/cathedral Weiss ended up in is inspired by those three locations named in Weiss' perspective. I liked the idea of gothic architecture mixed in with St Peter's Basilica.
Encyclopedia of MAJMLYAI.
Vampires:
Jaune
Aliases: Leonhardt, Element Unknown, Element Unknown, Element Unknown, Element Unknown, Element Unknown, Element Unknown
Familiars: Crocea Mors, Element Unknown, Element Unknown, Element Unknown, Element Unknown, Element Unknown, Element Unknown, Element Unknown, Element Unknown
People Consumed: 31
Major Arcana: The Emperor
Pasty
Aliases: Element Unknown
Methuselah
(He ded.)
Friends/Allies:
Ruby
Aliases: Element Unknown
Yang
Aliases: Element Unknown
Pyrrha
Aliases: Element Unknown
Weiss
Aliases: Element Unknown, Element Unknown, Element Unknown, Element Unknown, Element Unknown
Blake
Aliases: Element Unknown