Welcome to ch 26 of TPA. Sorry JJD for forcing you to go over it so late.
Yang glared at her desk.
"What the hell is this?!"
Jaune shrugged.
"Books."
"I see that. What I want to know is why there is so many of them."
"You want to go on that mission, right? Well then, you have to pass the test. And to do that you have to study."
The blonde brawler groaned, picked one book, read the title, and sighed.
"Great, more studying. As if we didn't have enough of it already."
"Hey, no one said it would be easy."
Yang glared at him one last time, and went to read the book she picked.
"Couldn't you just sum it up for us?"
Jaune turned to Blake and shrugged.
"I could. But I need to visit the Company office, and get you guys registered as helpers. And it would be best if you would be doing something productive when Weiss comes back."
"Where is she anyway?"
"Dunno. Probably taking care of some of the formalities regarding our study group." Jaune checked his croll.
"Ok, guys, I should be back in an hour or so. Then we can go over this material together."
"See ya. If it looks like you are about to get into some kinda mess, call us!"
Jaune glared at his fellow team leader, who was currently pretending she was reading one of the books he brought. Or maybe she was really reading? It was hard to say. With a sigh, Jaune turned around and left the Beacon library.
Seriously, they could have a little more faith in him? It's not like he got involved in messy stuff like Spring Valley that often… right?
Oh well, not that it mattered. Vale was quiet recently. Not counting oncoming uproar after a whole nearby village was wiped out, and a streak of robberies, and increased White Fang activity and…
Ok, it was hot mess ready to blow, but at very least Jaune was not part of any of that.
And he would do what he could to keep it that way.
The doors to team JNPR room slammed open, revealing a very angry Jaune. The blond leader stormed towards the bathroom without a word, completely ignoring his team.
"Fearless Leader looked upset…" Nora pointed out from over the book she was reading.
"Yeah… I wonder what happened." Pyrrha looked at the door to bathroom, concern mixed with curiosity.
"Maybe some troubles with the Company? He said he should be back after an hour or so, but he was gone for almost three."
Pyrrha shrugged. There was no point in guessing - they could just ask him.
A few minutes later, a much less angry Jaune walked out of the bathroom, and collapsed on his bed.
"So… what happened Fearless leader?"
Jaune groaned, covering his face with one hand.
"I had to face the worst monster that ever existed. Bureaucracy."
"Something about the job you want to take us on?"
Jaune sighed, and sat up, sending his partner a tired smile.
"No, it was about Spring Valley. They wanted me to 'just answer some questions'."
"Ouch."
"Yeah. On the brighter side, they didn't have too many problems with me taking you guys on the job. As long as they get confirmation from Beacon you are ready for this level of combat, and you pass the test to prove you knew at least a basic of fighting against Harrowed, you will be good."
Ren hummed, putting his book aside.
"You think we will pass it? I mean, we haven't even had a week, and there is a lot of material to cover here. And we still have to keep up with Beacon material."
"Don't worry about it. I'll just sum up the important parts for you." Jaune hummed, considering something. "In fact, we can go over it now. I got some more details about the job, so we can make it an early strategy meeting. Can someone call for RWBY?"
Pyrrha nodded, and opened her scroll.
"Ok ladies and Ren. Since I got some more details about this job we will be going on, I decided to hold this strategy meeting. Listen carefully, this might be an easy job, but it will make it all the more embarrassing if we fail."
He placed his scroo on the table, and tapped a few buttons.
"Here we see a map of the area we will be operating in. It's an old mining center near Red Mountain. There was some big accident there a few years back and the place was abandoned up until now. Someone bought the place out from old owners, and wants to restart mining operations. That's why this little clean-up operation was organized."
"The client put together their own team of Witchers to clean up the tunnels. Our job will be support. A total of seven teams will cover all known exits from the mine to ensure none of the Harrowed escape. All of us will cover one spot, seeing as you guys have no experience with this sort of thing."
"As for what Harrowed we will be dealing with - it's mostly Class One, exact number unknown. We probably won't encounter any Grimm there, but even if we do, I don't think we will see anything more than a few stray Beowolves, maybe some Ursa."
He looked over his friends, considering something for a moment.
"Ok, so since you know what you will be dealing with, tell me what you know about this type of Harrowed."
There were a few moments of silence, where everyone was just looking at each other. Unsurprisingly, it was Weiss who spoke first.
"Class One, commonly referred to as 'Ghouls', are the most common out of three types of Harrowed, amounting to around eighty percent of all recorded encounters. According to existing knowledge, they do not possess any special abilities, like Class Two do, but they physical capabilities much higher than most Grimm. On top of that, they are very intelligent, capable of working well in groups, and using advanced tactics to corner, and kill their prey."
Jaune smiled and nodded.
"Good. There are a few things I would like to add. First of all, never, ever turn your back on a Ghoul that you are not one hundred percent sure is really dead. Bastards can play dead quite well. Second - just because they are the most common type of Harrowed, do not take them lightly. Young ones are not too dangerous, but older ones are though, fast and strong. They can run incredibly fast, have extremely thick hides that can withstand fire from most handheld weapons, and, like Weiss said, are very smart. They usually prefer to charge from distance using their mass and speed to tackle they target to the ground and maul them to death. Their jaws are not as strong as Beowolf or Ursa, but can still deal some serious damage. "
"One more thing - if you damage a Ghoul's body too much before killing it, there is a chance it will turn into Wraith. So, if you can help it, no decapitations, or blowing them up."
Jaune ignored the disappointed 'aww' from Nora, and looked over his friends.
"Any questions?"
"You said we should make sure they are dead before we turn around. But this books of yours said that this 'corruption' will start disappearing after they die. Can't we just wait and see?" Asked Yang.
Jaune nodded.
"It's true, but not every Ghoul will turn back the same way. In some cases it's slow and steady process, sometime it can take hours, or even days for it to start, and it progress rapidly. So, just to be sure, hit it with something. Even if it's just small rock, they will think you saw through their act and attack you. You can also stab through the heart - this will kill them for sure... anything else?"
"Maybe some more tips on fighting them? Something we should watch out for?" Ruby suggested.
Jaune considered her question for a moment.
"Well, I'm not sure what to say. The fact that Ghouls do not have any special abilities makes fighting them very… simplistic, I guess? It all comes down to if you are fast and strong enough to beat one. Well, as long as you don't get ambushed, but hopefully we won't have to worry about that there."
"I guess one thing I could say is to not underestimate their capabilities. What we will be dealing with will be full grown Ghouls. Those bastards can reach around two and a half meters of height, and weigh around two hundred kilograms on average. If one of them tackles you, it's basically over. And they can jump very, very far. From a standing position, it's around ten meters up, and twelve straight. With a run up, it goes up to around fifteen up and eighteen to even twenty straight. Not to mention they can run extremely fast - on average forty to fifty kilometers per hour."
"Your best beat is to dodge the initial charge, and either take it down in single strike, or cripple its hind leg. Without the ability to charge, they will be forced to just stand there and fight you, and they are not great at it."
Jaune hummed, and nodded.
"Ok, that is all I can think about at the moment. Any more questions?"
There were none, so both teams separated and retired for the night. After all, they were allowed to go only if their activities didn't affect their studies negatively.
And just like that, I survived another week at Beacon, without getting into trouble. Are you watching me, Leon?
Jaune though, a melancholy smile on his lips, as he left Oobleck's classroom. He briefly wondered what his old teacher was up to now. Would he be proud of him, if he knew how well Jaune was doing? Probably yes, considering all the shit the blond had to deal with - most of it involving Nora in some matter.
With a sigh, Jaune adjusted his backpack and wandered off, no particular destination in mind. He could go to his dorm room where the rest of his team probably was - lucky bastards that don't have to attend Oobleck's supplementary lessons - or to library, to maybe do some homework. But seeing as it was a warm day, and the school week was over, he really wasn't in the mood to sit over some books. Instead, he ventured out to Beacon's courtyard, sat at one of benches and pulled something out of his backpack.
It was a mask of snarling wolf, painted white and gold. He just found it among his things Monday morning, along with a note stating when the next Ring of Mask would take place, and that 'His Queen demands his presence." He briefly considered not going - it was a silly thing, and not really his style, but ultimately showed up. After all, his teammates went to great lengths to organize it all, and he didn't lose anything by playing along.
And besides, after his first fight, Cardin finally stopped his attempts at bullying him, only from time to time sending him glares.
Jaune sighed, and leaned back, closing his eyes. Leon was still in Atlas, last time he checked. It was surprising, he usually didn't take a contract that locked him in one place for so long. Especially if it was in the northern parts of Atlas - Leon despised the cold almost as much as he did big cities.
At least he is alive. Wonder when he will come near Vale. A Small smile crept across his lips. He couldn't wait to sit at Tob's fireplace, with mug of his special tea, and swap stories with his old friend. Afterall, he finally had some adventures that Leon wasn't a part of.
Jaune wasn't sure how he felt about that. Leon appeared in his life suddenly, almost out of nowhere. But they had become really close, really fast. Jaune could still remember that time when older man called him brother, a sentiment that he returned fully. It was strange really. There were many things about Leon that he don't know, a man always acting nonchalantly, as if nothing bothered him. But it never bothered Jaune. There was something about him that despite how he acted, Jaune felt connected to him in many ways.
Or maybe it is because of how he acted? The blond mused. Jaune recalled one time, when they visited some old man in Vacuo that Leon referred to as one of his best friends. That was one of reasons why blond boy was so surprised when he learned that his teacher don't know name of this person.
"I don't need to know your name to call you friend. All I need to know if you are a decent person, someone I can get along with." Leon said. These words really stuck with Jaune. Afterall, all those things like names, race, gender, or social standing didn't matter in the long run. You could be poor and be decent person, you could be rich and be an asshole, or the other way around. All that really mattered was, what kind of person you were.
"Lien for your thoughts?"
Jaune looked up, his blue eyes melting into silver ones.
"Hey Ruby. Just thinking about… stuff."
The young huntress chuckled and sat next to him.
"Yeah, I do that a lot too." She noticed the mask in his hand and smiled. "I see you got one yourself?"
Jaune chuckled and nodded.
"Yeah. I'm still surprised how a little sparring session could turn into… that. I mean, I know it's Nora who we talking about, but still." He shook his head. "How did she even get Ozpin to approve of this madness."
Ruby hummed, then shot him a look.
"You really want to know?"
Jaune open his mouth, closed it, pondered something for a moment, then just shook his head.
"Probably not. I'm getting exposed to too much madness already."
Ruby giggled, and leaned back, swinging her legs. They just sat there in comfortable silence, each lost in their own thoughts.
"So, how are things with your team?"
Ruby smiled at him.
"Good! I think I'm starting to get this whole leadership thing. Weiss doesn't look upset all the time, just, you know like ninety-seven, maybe ninety-eight percent of the time."
Jaune gasped in mock shock.
"Really?!"
Ruby nodded seriously.
"Yeah. She even complimented me once, saying I did a good job!"
Jaune started at her, eyes wide.
"No way…" He shook his head and looked up at the sky. "I tell you, the end days are upon us. Soon the moon will fall from the sky, and the world will be destroyed by white flame, to be reborn anew." He exclaimed dramatically.
Ruby chuckled and shook her head.
"Don't be so dramatic. It's not that big of a deal."
"No, you just don't know Weiss as well as I do. She never compliments anyone. Never!"
"Well, yeah, we might have broken her a bit. I mean - she was exposed to Yang's puns for over a month now. Things like that change you, you know?"
"I guess."
They smiled at each other, and chuckled, yet again falling silent.
"Hey, Jaune?"
"Yeah?"
"About this mission… could you give me some tips? I mean you gave us those books, and there were the strategy meetings, but…"
"Nervous?"
"Yeah. I mean, this will be my first time working alongside professionals! I don't want to end up doing something stupid."
"Don't worry about it Rubes. It won't be that different than fighting Grimm. Besides…" he paused and shook his head. " Well, it will be better if you find out yourself."
"Hey! You can't say something like that and then leave me hanging." She pouted at him. "Spill. What did you mean."
"Now, don't be mad. It's just that… fighting Harrowed is different that fighting Grimm. I'm not talking about tactics, or their abilities. It's about… feeling. They presence."
"Presence?"
"Yeah. It's…" Jaune sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Look, it's really hard to explain. You will find out soon enough anyway. I'm sure you'll all do just fine, and I'll be there to help you out if something goes wrong. So don't worry, and do your thing."
"You mean being a badass Huntress?"
Jaune chuckled.
"Yeah, that one."
"But there is this test… I'm not good with tests." She complained.
"Relax. Half of it will be the combat one, and as for theory…" he shrugged. "You'll manage somehow."
She punched him in the arm pouting. He punched her back, smirking.
"Anyway, we should be going. Better be ten minutes too early than two too late." Said Jaune, after a few minutes of playful punching. Ruby nodded, and pulled out her scroll, calling her team. Jaune did the same, and soon all eight of them were on a bullhead to Vale.
"Your performance was acceptable. Your application for this job will be accepted." That was all the man in a black suit told them before leaving. Jaune smirked at his friends' stunned expressions.
"So… that's it?" Asked Yang, cleary not certain what to make of it.
"Yep." Jaune confirmed with a nod.
Wait for it...
"That was… cold. Are they always liked that?" Asked Blake.
Jaune just nodded, hand clutching his scroll, and eyes focused on a single person.
Any moment now…
"He said acceptable… but what does it even mean? I mean, did we do good? We couldn't do bad, right? But was it like, 'barely passed', or 'full marks'?"
"What does he mean 'acceptable'! Does he know who I am? A Schnee don't do 'acceptable'!" Weiss exploded.
Jaune grinned, pulling out his scroll, and hitting the record button.
She is so cute when she is mad…
He thought, recording the ranting heiress. From the corner of his eye, he noticed Yang doing the same. The blond brawler winked at him with a smirk.
"Relax Weiss." He called when it looked like the white haired girl was about to have a stroke. "This isn't school, they don't give you any marks here. You either pass or don't - that is the only thing that matters."
The heiress glared at him, but calmed down a bit.
"Anyway, now that the formalities are out of way, we should get going. We will be setting off soon."
They nodded, and grabbed their bags. Jaune led them through the familiar corridors of Vale's Company main office, until they reached a bullhead landing pad. It was crowded, filled with rugged and armed people. Yang had to keep a good grip on Ruby's cloak to prevent the young Huntress from running off. She still ogled every new weapon she saw, earning a few chuckles from surrounding Hunters.
Soon after, the bullheads arrived. Both JNPR and RWBY boarded a single machine, and after everyone strapped themselves in, Jaune banged the back wall of the cockpit three times. Engines roared, and they flew off.
"Ok people, listen up. We will reach our destination in about three hours. We stay the night at camp, and move out in the morning. Operation starts at seven a.m., by then we have to be ready at our position, so we will be getting up early. If everything goes right, we will be done by sunset, if not we will continue the day after tomorrow. Now relax, and enjoy the ride."
So here we go. First joint mission of teams JNPR and RWBY. He thought, looking over his friends, a small smile on his lips. Then the thought hit him, and with it, his smile died.
Please, don't turn into a disaster. Pretty please. He thought, closing his eyes.
"Ugh, it's too early." Yang groaned.
"Its six a.m. It's not early." Blake pointed out.
"Maybe for you. But I need my beauty sleep, you know?" The blond complained, stiffing a yawn.
"Maybe if you would get to sleep when we told you to, instead of insisting we start telling ghost stories or other nonsense such like that, all of us could catch some more sleep." Weiss huffed, arms crossed.
Yang glanced at the heiress, and shrugged.
"You are just mad that you missed out on the eye candy."
The white haired girl gasped, and blushed slightly.
"That's just not true!"
"Yeah, yeah, no need to deny it Ice Queen. You were ogling your knight all morning."
"I wasn't!"
"Suuuuuuure. I'll pretend I believe that."
And she wasn't kidding about the eye candy. There were a lot of young and strong Hunters there. None of them were doing anything to show off, like the boys the night before initiation did. There were some who caught her eye, and she noticed a few of them look back. Not stare, just shooting her curious glances, nodding in approval, and then looking away. It was nice change from being ogled by hormonal teenagers.
Her eyes drifted to Jaune. The blond teen was standing at a nearby table, looking over some map, her sister next to him. She was a little shocked when she saw him emerge from his tent topless. Not because he was especially well built - even though he definitely had nothing to be ashamed of. No, it was because of the scars. There were a few small ones, but the one that caught her - and not only her - attention were four broad gashes on his chest. They were pale, not that different in color than rest of the skin, which made it clear they were old ones.
Yang briefly wondered how he got them. Hunters usually didn't have scars. Aura protected them from most damage, and usually healed what went through. And if a Hunter lost all his Aura? Well usually they walked out of it with a missing limb, or two, or didn't walked out at all.
Jaune and Ruby finished their little 'leader's meeting' and motioned them to come over.
"We will be stationed here." Jaune pointed at a green '7' on the map. "It's an exit from an old ventilation shaft. Too dangerous for a bullhead to fly there because of strong winds, so we will have to move on foot. Grab only the necessary things and camping equipment. We might have to stay overnight if operation drags out."
"We will be hiking for almost five kilometers through rocky terrain." Ruby took over "We decided on this path. We probably won't encounter any Grimm, but for safety, Blake, I want you to move a bit in front of us, act as scout." The black haired girl nodded. "Jaune and Pyrrha will be the head of our formation. Ren and Weiss will be in the center. Me and Nora will be the rear guard. Questions?"
"Yeah. When did my little sister grow up so much?" Yang teased, wiping a fake tear from her eye.
Ruby glared at her. Actually glared. Yang would probably be impressed, if she wasn't so shocked.
"Yang, this is no time for jokes."
"She's right." Jaune looked them over, his face completely serious."We are in a combat zone, so I will be expecting everyone here to take it seriously."
They all nodded, and on Jaunes signal went out to prepare for the hour long track.
"He really changed, didn't he?"
Yang looked up to her partner, who was watching Jaune with a complicated expression.
"The moment we landed, he changed. It's like someone flipped a switch." Blake met her eyes. "I'm not imagining it, am I?"
"Well, it would make two of us then." Yang agreed.
Her partner was right. Gone was Jaune 'Dork-knight' Arc, her favorite teasing target, not counting Ruby. He changed into Jaune 'Badass Witcher' Arc. He acted differently than at Beacon. He stood a bit straighter, walked and spoke with more confidence. His eyes were sharp, focused. He really reminded her of her dad and uncle. He wasn't quite there yet, he lacked a certain... edge they had, Bbt he was close, definitely closer than any other first year at Beacon.
She watched with a smile as Ruby ran up to him with the map, explaining something. He was nodding along, chin cupped in one hand. From time to time he asked something, or pointed some spot on the map. At first she was worried her little sister would be put off by her friend's sudden change, but it looked like she didn't need to worry. Ruby not only wasn't put off, she even become more focused herself. Gone was her social awkwardness and dorkiness.
Part of her, a big part, was proud and happy.
The other part though couldn't help but notice how close she was standing to Jaune, how often their hands brushed. And how much Ruby stared at Jaune's naked chest this morning.
It looked like she would have to keep a close eye on her little sister.
"So, this is the place?"
Blake nodded.
"Yes. I checked it out, the exit form shaft is hidden behind those bushes." She said, pointing at a green spot, about ten meters up the grey, rocky wall form the place they stood.
Jaune hummed, stroking his chin.
"Any chance we can climb there and fight them in that tunnel?"
"No. It starts going down right behind the edge, and it's an almost vertical drop. Plus its narrow, I had to bend a little to fit in."
The blond Hunter nodded.
" So, I guess we just wait down here, and let them come to us."
"Should I take the high ground? If I climb one of these trees, I would have a clean shot at the entrance." Asked Ruby.
Jaune considered it for a moment, then shook his head.
"Too risky. You would be clearly visible, and Ghoul could lunge far enough to reach those trees." He looked over his surrounding and shrugged.
"I guess we just hide, and wait. If any come out, we take it out."
They spread out, each looking for a hiding spot that would let them rest at least somewhat comfortably. Jaune pulled out his scroll, reported that they were ready, and joined Ruby behind the trunk of some tree.
"So, now we wait?" The young Huntress asked.
"Now we wait. Two more groups have yet to report in, but it should start soon."
As if on cue, the muffled sound of gunfire reached them. They tensed, and they relaxed, realizing it was far away. Minutes passed, mostly in silence. After a hour or so, Ruby shot a glance at her fellow team leader. He was focused on the spot where entrance to shaft was supposed to be, as he was the whole time. Ruby doubted he looked away from it for even a moment.
She bit her lip, uncertain of what to do. She really wanted to ask him a few things, but should she? Wasn't talking during a mission some sort of taboo? But Jaune didn't seem bothered when she wanted to talk with him back in the camp, so maybe it was ok as long as she asked Hunter related stuff?
"Hey, Jaune…"
His hand shot up, pressing on small communication device in his ear.
"Yeah?" He listened for a moment, then nodded.
"Roger."
He stood up, drawing Eclipse.
"Get up everyone, we have hostiles inbound to our location."
They all shot to their feet, reading their weapons.
"How many?" sked Pyrrha, standing next to Jaune.
"Five. Folks from the clean up team say they developed some kind of armor on their backs. Not too tough, but something to watch out for. Listen, Ghouls can see in the dark, but they need a bit of adjustment time when going somewhere well lit. Plus, they are not very good at climbing down, so they'll probably just tumble down. They will be disoriented, and that's when we will get them. Weiss, try to immobilize at least one. Just remember that they have very strong legs. Ruby?"
"Yes?"
"You think you will be able to hit them when they are falling?"
She stared at him.
"Sorry, of course you can. Let the first four out, we don't want them to realize we are there until the last moment. Shoot the last one when he stumbles out, try to aim for the belly. And if you manage to shoot their legs, it would make the fifth much easier."
She nodded, and readied Crescent Rose.
"The rest of us will just charge them. Ruby's the only one here with gun powerful enough to damage them. And no, you can't use your grenades Nora." The ginger girl pouted, but didn't argue.
"Everyone ready?" They shouted out their confirmation. They could not hear the sound of claws scraping on the stone.
"Here they come. We go in when Ruby shoots."
The first Ghoul fell out of the hidden shaft, and crashed down heavily. It curled up, letting out a strange, whistling noise.
Ruby shifted uncomfortably, it sounded awfully close to crying.
The next one come out more carefully. It peeked outside, and backed out, as if hurt by the sunlight. It soon jumped out though. It fell with far more grace than the first one, but still landed heavily and curled up.
Ruby risked a quick look around. Most of them looked as uncomfortable as her, hearing the strange noises those Ghouls let out. Ren, Jaune and Blake seemed to be only ones unbothered by it.
The third one fell off, followed quickly by forth. The fifth one peeked outside. It looked to hesitate, then tried to climb down the slope. It didn't cover even a tenth of distance to ground before falling.
Crescent Rose sang.
Two of the four monsters on the ground perked up, one standing at its full height. It let out a loud, screeching noise. Moments later his legs started to cover in ice. It struggled to break free, but ice kept coming, eventually freeing it from the waist down.
"Ruby." Jaune calmly called out.
She nodded, took aim, and fired again.
The second Ghoul, who got to its feet, stumbled, and fell down. The remaining two got on all fours, and started running.
Fast…
Ruby thought, talking aim at the next one. She noticed how its legs tensed, and recalled Jaune's lesson. Not even second after she used her Semblance to dash up, something big crashed into the spot she was just a moment before.
Jaune and Pyrrha were already upon it, hacking and slashing. She could see Nora preparing to join in, Ren close behind. She landed on a branch and scanned the battlefield. Blake and Weiss took on the last healthy Ghoul, and were doing fine. Thanks to their Semblances, they were able to keep it disoriented, and scored hit after hit.
The fifth one was lying on the ground, not moving. The one she shot was getting to its feet, and stalking towards the two fighting girls. They didn't see him, too focused on their fight.
The Ghoul, too focused on his prey, didn't notice the yellow meteor that crashed into him. Yang's punch sent it flying back, and crashing into the mountain's side. She followed soon after, pummeling it with a flurry of punches.
After making sure the frozen one was still immobilized, she took aim at the one lying on the ground. A high caliber bullet went into its chest, from the side, no doubt turning any internal organs into mush. Ruby winced a little when she noticed the splatter of blood.
Grimm didn't bleed, not like that at least. It looked much more…
She shook her head, dispelling the thought. They were monsters, nothing more.
A quick look over the battlefield confirmed that the fight was almost over. Jaune's team easily dispatched their Ghoul, while Blake finished hers, after Weiss locked its limbs with ice.
The only one left was the frozen one, and the heiress was walking towards him confidently. Ruby could hear the hum of her glyph forming, and then her partner turned into a white blur, piercing the heart of Harrowed, and ending the fight.
After confirming all the Ghouls were dead, they gathered in the circle. Jaune looked over them and sighed.
"So? What's your impression after your first encounter with Harrowed?"
"It was… strange. Somehow different than fighting Grimm." said Blake.
"Yeah. It's not about how they moved, or looked. It just felt… I don't know." Yang shook her head.
Jaune smiled, but it was a sad smile.
"It didn't felt natural, did it? You guys felt conflicted about killing them."
They looked at each other, surprised.
"Yes… I think you are right." Ren nodded slowly. "But why? They are monsters, like Grimm. What's the difference?"
Jaune signed, drawing Eclipse once more.
"They are monsters." He agreed, walking towards the nearest Ghoul." But they are not like Grimm." His black blade pierced its black chest. They gasped in shock, but any question stopped when blond boy started reciting some kind of chant… or was it a prayer?
"I am Guide for the damned,
I am the Ferryman of lost souls.
With this blade I release yours, dear Friend.
I will cut down the chains of sorrow that bind you,
I will vanquish the fear that crushes you.
I will bring you peace."
They watched in amazement as the blackness faded from corpse. It shifted, morphed, and when the last word left Jaune's mouth, it was no longer a monster lying before them, but a human. Heavily deformed, but definitely human.
"Grimm, are true monsters. Every person knows this. This goes deeper than simple knowledge. They are the antithesis of life. If you face Grimm, you know without any doubt that one of you will die, because you and it cannot possibly exist together. That's why killing them is easy. They are... wrong, something that shouldn't exists."
Jaune looked at them, recalling the words Leon said to him, what felt like a lifetime ago.
"Harrowed however, they are people. Tormented people. They might look deformed,and monstrous, but there is something about them that remains human. You can feel it. And then you start to wonder. 'Am I doing right thing? Is killing them necessary? Maybe there is another way to help them?'"
He sighed, remaining silent for a few moments.
"There is no other way. They are dead, and the best, only thing we can do for them, is to help them move on. Release them from the torment of this cursed existence."
He looked every one of them in the eye.
"This is what it means to be a Witcher. If you want to follow this path, you have to ask yourself, if you can…" he stopped when his scroll signalled an incoming call.
With a frown, he picked it up. It deepened when he noticed who was calling.
"Boss?"
"Team Seven, what is your status?"
"We just finished cleaning up the Ghouls that ran towards us. No casualties. On our side that is."
"Good, then get back to the main camp. We got a problem."
With this, the call ended.
Fuck my life. Thought Jaune, urging his friend to move out.
Poor Jaune, he just can't get a break. What kind of mess did he get himself - and his friends - into this time? Find out next week.
And here is omake:
"Sooo… how old are you anyway?" Asked Jaune one evening. They were camping out in a small cave. Well, calling it that was too generous, it was more of small dent in the mountain wall. But it did provide cover from the wind and rain.
Leon looked up at him from his plate.
"What brought that question up?"
Jaune chuckled nervously.
"I guess I'm just curious?"
Leon considered him for a moment, then shrugged.
"No idea."
Jaune blinked.
"Pardon me?"
"I have no idea how old I am." With a sigh Leon put his plate down.
"My oldest memory is living in a small, wooden cabin in the woods somewhere in northern Vale. The only other person I knew for most of my life was some old guy. I called him Gramps, though I don't know if we were related, or not. It didn't matter in the end."
"He didn't speak much, but he taught me many things. Letters and numbers. How to hunt, how to hide from bigger predators. How to fight Grimm. We didn't have TV, or anything like that. No real way to measure time either. Not that we needed it. One day he handed me a backpack, and said it's time for me to move out. I think I was younger than when we first met back then. He pointed one direction, said there is village there, and that I needed to start living with other people."
Leon paused for a moment, lost in thought.
"I came back week later. Buried his body, and burned the hut down. Gramps wanted me to move out, to people, because he knew I had little chance to survive on my own there. But it wasn't easy out there either. Got robbed a few times, forced to join a few gangs. But I think the worst was starving. And the cold. One of gangs that caught me dealt in human trafficking, and they shipped me to Atlas. Was rough there, but I meet some good people. Old man, remained me of Gramps. I think he was even someone important, even though his home was small and always messy. He took care of me, gave me chance in life. A purpose. He's still alive and kicking, old fart, always coming up with new crazy things."
Jaune could only stare. Then shook his head, and started asking about today's sparring. Leon neither wanted, nor needed his pity. If a man never had any real family? Well, Jaune had seven sisters. One brother certainly sounded nice.
And here it is, a bit of backstory for Leon. See you folks next week.