Oh my, I've just written my opening remarks and, lo' and behold, my internet decided that my paragraph, and a half, short line of existence has expired and left me staring at my laptop, screaming bloody murder inside... On a happier note, however, so, Christmas break for me is now set, that means, I should be able to write the upcoming chapters a bit earlier then their official deadlines (No promises, whatsoever) and, a fair warning, this chapter will be mostly exposition.

Now, shall we begin?

_- A Place To Call Home -_

"You Look familiar."

Jaune Blinked.

"Yup. You really are."

He turned his head to his right, saw nothing, and was about to continue walking to his destination while considering the whole strange fiasco as a mere figment of his imagination (probably induced by his constant workload), when, suddenly, something past by the edge of his peripheral vision and his eyes widened. He almost dropped the wooden spears he was ordered to deliver. Hence, Jaune could say that he himself deserve a little justification in almost shouting at the young kid in front of him… or maybe because he just didn't want to go back to the barracks and explain to the rather frightening man on why he cannot accomplish the most basic of basic tasks.

"Do you mind?" He growled out, tone too compromised by his annoyed state, as Jaune ignored the attention seeking brat and decided to went around the young kid that blocked his straight path. Unfortunately, lady luck wasn't smiling to him this day for the brown-haired kid still continued to follow him, even when he finally gave the wooden weaponries to the second group of people that then split the pile of wooden sharp pieces to other sets of groups in strategic places (one, he saw, given to a small group near the edges of the lower cliff and, the other, to another group that descended below and unto surface area). Finally, after trekking for the third time, he let out a sigh of frustration and questioned the kid.

"What's it like becoming a huntsman?" The kid responded and, for the second time, Jaune paused.

"That's it?" Jaune cried out as he then received a nod. He didn't expect that. He was so surprise that he suddenly stopped, accidentally hit a random person, apologized back at the annoyed man, and stared at the young boy. Honestly, Jaune didn't know what to say…

"Heard from around, that you some Huntsman in training…" The boy said as Jaune saw the kid's eyes were cast down unto the ground, embarrassed. The whole thing made Jaune felt like a real douche that just kicked down a random poppy and vandalized a pet shop. Great. He ignored, almost got mad, at a young kid for just asking him an innocent query.

"Fine. But only if you help me with this." Jaune said, handing half the wooden instruments of destruction to the exuberated young kid. This is extortion, Jaune thought, but, when face with the fact that he would continue doing his work alone (and with a bandaged arm) he shrugged. He then sighed as he felt the ground behind him, churning about as the kid walked in an excited manner. So, perhaps to get it over with, he begun and answered as best as he could remember of his old home. He begun with his first experiences in Beacon, how he almost got lost in the hallways of the prestigious school, was saved by his first teammate, then, as time went on and on, Jaune continued playing delivery man to the survivors while, from start to finish, the kid was utterly fascinated with his "Adventures" at beacon. Really, it wasn't anything special to him, maybe to it was to a young boy who is dead curious to what their heroes are up to. After all, if he hadn't forged his way to beacon, then, he too, would have been very interested in the lives of their protectors.

Afterwards, in what seemed to be 2 to 3 hours of constant work, Jaune let out a relieved sigh when the intimidating bald man, with an even more intimidating modified axe, nodded to him and shouted to another poor soul to take his shift. Whispering prayers to the young teen not older than him as Jaune saw him martyred off to work time, he took a bottle of water given to him by a young Faunus girl with cat-like ears (probably one of the children ordered to do their duly) as he shuddered to imagine what his work hours would look like if he were in a healthier state, thanked said girl, and sat on a conveniently elevated rock.

All in all, however, as Jaune adjusted his bandaged tourniquet to better comfort him in his seated position, he took a moment and reflected at how things were the past few hours.

Honestly, and admittedly, it wasn't that bad. Maybe that cynical huntress was just being too cynical when she warned him not to let his guard down. Not that he would let his guard down (His Father was really the harsh taskmaster when he deems it to be). However, as he gazed at the people of Bastion, seeing them be so efficient to their works as the young run around, carrying packs of water bottles (Recent scavenged triumphs an old lady answered, when he asked) to dehydrated workers, and, remembered how the injured and elderly assisted in making homemade arrows and staked spears for the delivery team, like him earlier, to hand out to the readied, weaponized, armored, and well-disciplined man and women below the cliff, waiting for the enemy to arrive with utmost anticipation and certain determination, and in front of the huge open man-made gates.

Seeing civilization (even if it's just a fragment of it) function together, was awe-inspiring. A cure to his late nightmares and a sparking of hope. Hence, Jaune could honestly say that they could win. His previous encounter of a horde still makes his stomach churn and muscles tense, but, before, they only have one huntsman protecting them. This place however? It not only has a stack of them, but a sizable chunk of the Bastion's population armed to the teeth and seemingly well-trained populace.

"Hey." A voice from his left begun, Jaune didn't react as he felt a swoosh of air and a soft thump resonated besides him, but he gave a greeting to the skinny, but not malnourished, brown-haired kid from earlier anyways.

"So, what did you think of the Bastion? Like it? Love it? Or hate it?" The boy asked, as Jaune pondered.

It's solid.

"It is." He heard him say as Jaune noted the way the boy oozes a sense of pride. Curious, Jaune then queried him if his parents were down below, to fight.

"They are." The kid answered without hesitation.

At least the boy has people, and family, to look after him. Jaune still has to find his missing sisters. He has no idea if they were alive or dead, but, he pondered, and, with a hopeful heart aided by the atmosphere of the determined people here, as well as the beautiful mountain scenery earlier in the morning, once he was able to look around and find his sword, get it back, then ask his teammates to help him out. Afterwards, he would find said sisters and bring them back to this fortress. It seemed like a solid goal. Of course, he wasn't blind by the challenges and obstacles that will, inevitably, come to his way. But. He was confident. Determined like the people here-

"In spirit."

What?

He must have said that one aloud for the young kid that was normally so boisterous, energetic, and ever-curious suddenly turned quiet and grew silent.

"Mom was a teacher and Dad was a cop. Back when… back when it was normal…" He said, tone longing, as Jaune listened. "When the news hit and they came…" The boy continued, telling Jaune about how they, and everyone in Vale, reacted to the new nightmare. It was sudden, swift, and merciless as the kid described. "But, Dad… when all those things happened and the city was chaos. He told us to run. To run away while he stayed and gave up his life, fighting for his city, for our home…"

Run Jaune. Go get your sisters and get away from here! Run away like a sheep-

"I'm scared. I… I…" The boy said, turning Jaune's attention away from the echoes of his past as he softly stared at the young kid. "I- I don't want to be scared. I want to be like him. Like Dad. Fearless and brave." The kid continued, tone growing more and more stronger. "Dad doesn't hesitate to rush towards the very danger when said danger harms the people he loves. But… but…" His voice started to fade and flicker." I'm not him. I'm weak. I'm scared. I'm a coward- "

"Hey." Jaune interrupted. "You're not a coward." The boy looked at him as Jaune then continued. "I admit, I was kind of annoyed that you kept bugging me earlier for hours on end." He heard a chuckle. "But, seriously, your strong, brave, and not afraid." He said firmly, noted how the boy looked at him like he was the first to give him that compliment. "Want to know why?" He saw a curious nod and continued, "Because your father, was a hero, so will you. Heh. I reckon you'll save my ass in the near future." Jaune said, giving the boy a soft punch, with his other unbandaged arm, on the kid's shoulder.

"I… I guess I am." The boy said, voice still unsure, but, tone- hopeful, Jaune deduced.

"You are." Jaune responded.

Unlike me…

"Ebony."

"Hm?"

"My name." Ebony answered.

"Jaune. Jaune Arc." He replied.

"Well, Jaune, you still look familiar though…"

"Really? How?" Jaune asked.

"Don't know." The boy said, after a few seconds of silence, as Jaune shrugged and left it be as they move on to talk about each other's past. Through the whole time, Jaune relished what may have been, his first conversation with a real human being since he was separated.

_- A Place To Call Home -_

Night was approaching.

Jaune and the young kid were walking towards the gathering crowd in front of them. They just finished discussing the various events they missed since the apocalypse when they received the news. He saw hundreds of people standing, some were sitting, and interacted with one another. As Jaune and Ebony approached them, Jaune took comfort in the fact that, after months of surviving with only his own family, he was having an opportunity to be with a large group of people, humans and Faunus just like him, being a community again.

It was nice to be with the herd, he guessed. However, he still had an obvious concern, like, how the hell are they going to fight them in the night? - and, when he asked the only person, he knew enough to provide him free information, the answer honestly surprised him. "Isn't that more dangerous though?" He asked, every word laced with doubt, at the kid as they sat together in a large rock beneath a smoking campfire, among many, in front of them.

"Only if you don't know what to do." Ebony responded, "The night prowlers, led by that Branwen Huntress, were once consisted of a band of thieves and mercenaries. Months ago, before Mom got me here, there was apparently a horde that the surface scouts weren't able to intercept and breached inside the Bastion. Now, Raven and her tribe only just came across this small mountain community- and it was during the middle of midnight!" Jaune listened, with each excited word, he himself, grew more and more curious." Back then, the Bastion was only led by the founder, and, understandably, even someone like him has his limits. So, Raven and her band of mercenaries decided to ambush the horde from behind. Giving the local militias a breathing air. Afterwards, the dead were… deader, so to say."

Seems like this community managed to get through the apocalypse, wish Dad found it before…

"Did the Bastion accepted the mercenaries right away?" Jaune asked, mostly curious and partly to keep up the conversation as he noticed what seems to be a steep cliff pointing towards the gathered crowds. Not a second later, the kid begun telling him the reason, every tone laced with excitement.

"Not at first." Ebony begun," Because, when Raven's tribe helped this people, they only did to pillage the Bastion after… and to keep themselves entertained with… with the- "

"It's okay, I understand. You don't need to say it." Jaune interrupted.

"O-okay, so, when the founder confronted them, intent to kill them himself, a mutiny between the mercenary tribe happened, led by Raven against the… more honor-less members of her tribe, afterwards, when, eventually, she, and her loyal followers, won, the remaining mercenaries fled away on the rising sun. However, the founder wasn't satisfied, heard there was history between the two, and, to prove herself, Raven Branwen immediately hunted down the last- well at least the irredeemable members of her tribe in the wake of the night. She came back with all their heads and then was accepted by the founder and the people of Bastion." Ebony ended, taking a breath as he then continued," But, ever since then, hunters, militias, as well as the last members of her tribe, begun hunting in the middle of the night, bolstered by the fact that Raven herself prove it was possible..."

"So, that's why people still hunt in night hours?" Jaune asked.

"Well, that and to hunt down certain beasts that came with exclusive resources! like dark metal, luminous blooms, banshee tears, and blood of the angels- "

"Wait, what do you mean- …. Where do you get all this… information from?" Jaune interrupted, overwhelmed, as he attempted to slow down the exuberated kid. "Oh, my mother is- was, a teacher, so, she always hammers down the need to read whatever books she deems useful to learn from, every time before I sleep- Although, mostly because we have a retired huntsman, that's also a Grimm specialist, from beacon that now studies the… things outside the Bastion and relays it to the masses, at least the ones listening, at the central research hub- ah, the middle part of the mountain." Ebony added.

Jaune nodded, still unsure, as he absently surveyed the gathered crowds that were now talking to themselves loudly and, for the strange group in black armors, even boisterously. Like they were excited that an impending half a thousand undead were charging at their footsteps-

"Ah, those are the Iron hides."

"The what?" Jaune asked.

"Bunch of adrenaline junkies, with more metal than the rest, that always love to charge whatever danger that the apocalypse brings. Led by a giant. They're quite friendly actually. Oh, and I should tell you that, from what I've heard, ally or not, never be near one when on the heat of battle. They may be the strongest faction… but- just stay away when they're on a blood frenzy." Ebony answered.

"O-okay…" Jaune noted, "Oh, um, Factions?" He then, out of curiosity, eventually asked.

"Well, the Bastion is a home to many, some came from distant lands, but most came from the big city. However, the main factions that you need to know about are the Night prowlers, Iron hides, and the Sentinels, led by, Raven, Hazel, and the founder himself, respectively… but, I've heard that there was a fourth one, before my time, however, based on the rumors I've heard, that faction was disbanded because their leader, and most of their members, went on a big hunt and disappeared. Never came back. But, then again, it was just rumors, they may have caught something too big then even they could really handle and were wiped out altogether, but, a more ridiculous rumor said that they were leading a coup to overtake the Bastion for themselves- but were ambushed by the other factions and, one by one, were executed afterwards on a planned purge. Honestly, I'm not sure which is real and which isn't. If you really, really, want to know why… then, I suggest you talk to the Founder, don't worry, he may have a big title like that, but, based on experience, he's the most open and approachable faction leader out of them all." Ebony told him.

"If he's so open, then why haven't you asked him about it already?" Jaune said.

"Well… he can be pretty secretive at times, especially events during the founding." Ebony answered.

"The founding?" Jaune questioned.

"Ah, it's the first siege of Bastion, back when its people haven't found it yet and were just one big group that came from the city- wait! It's him! The Founder! Look!" The kid pointed as Jaune followed and saw a young teen, garbed in the same clothes he remembered when the young huntsman saved him, walking proudly, and with enough confidence that made Jaune envious as his savior stood on the elevated cliff, facing an awaiting crowd. To the huntsman's right, he saw the giant, now fully armored, standing menacingly like a Goliath waiting to pounce an unfortunate prey. To the teen's left, he saw Raven Branwen crossing her arms like she was utterly at ease and ooze the same menacing aura that he vividly remembered from their last encounter.

'There's a horde coming, and they're not afraid, at all…' Jaune thought, awed and amazed, he never thought he would see a day were huntsman and huntresses were admired at their full glory - especially at the end times.

"Humans, Faunus, Hunters and people of Bastion." Oscar, if he remembered his name correctly, begun, voice booming as the crowd grew silent," We stand united. Facing the ever-present nightmares outside. I know very well that some of you are unsure of what may come. But, I, and your leaders, guardians, protectors, assure you that we will not fall." He continued." We have come a long way since the beginning of the end. We have lost many of our brothers, sisters… fathers and mothers," Jaune then noted as Oscar looked at the kid beside him, gave a heartfelt nod, and then continued. "Hence, when that Horde begin to swarm our gates, I want you, all of you, to remember, that we do not just fight so that we could survive. We do not push ourselves to our very limits to just pull off another day. NO! We fight so we could live. We fight so we could live a day when we don't need to fight. That is why the Bastion, from this day, and the coming of days, will not fall!" He ended, raising his fist, as Jaune saw the people cheered and roared in accordance.

"Great, isn't he?" Jaune turned his head and nodded back at the boy.

"I wish I could be like him." Ebony said, tone full with admiration, as Jaune paused.

"Me too, me too." Jaune whispered quietly as he watched Oscar turn his back, nodded to the large man- Hazel, he remembered, as the man walked towards the cliff and spoke with a booming voice; "You heard the Founder, get to your stations and face the inevitable, proud people of the all-mighty Bastion!" Hazel ordered. Jaune then saw everyone, including himself, moved with exuberance, anticipation, and a strange sense of comfort, knowing that he will not be facing the nightmares that haunted him, alone.

"I'll find you, all of you, just hang on." Jaune promised to his sisters, his teammates, and to his friends as he returned to his post.

Next chapter will be uploaded next week (Might be uploaded a tad bit earlier)

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So, what did you think of this chapter?

Please leave a review, if you want to

Criticisms are welcomed

Hope you have a wonderful day.

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