Not Even Aura can Heal All Wounds
By wildstraydog
Chapter Five: The Horror
Beta: Super Saiyan Cyndaquil
Hey guys what's up? Been busy with the usual, but glad to get another chapter of this out. Also if you haven't heard, The Heat, my other story will now be rated M, so if you didn't see it updated on the page, that might be why. I liked the reactions of what happened at the last chapter, as I and Cyndaquil talked about the pros and cons of the situation, so it wasn't just for shock or spur of the moment.
There will be another author's note at the end of the chapter explaining something about the medical schools, I thought it would help clear the air about some details. Also let me know if you think I should do some bonus stories at the end of each chapter about Jaune's past.
The calm flow of the stream was accompanied by the chirping of birds in a nearby tree, as Jaune looked up to see more red leaves fall. He turned to gaze at Weiss who was preoccupied watching the fish in the stream, her usual frown replaced by a curious smile. The rare instance made her appear radiant under the rays of the sun, the light reflecting off her pure white hair and tiara. The rest of her team would be arriving soon, and they could finally request for pickup.
From what he could tell, most of Weiss' pain dwindled, the medication he gave her earlier taking effect. Her blue eyes looked drowsy, no doubt a side-effect – he would probably have to carry her to the bullhead. Despite the encounter with the horde of Ursai earlier in the day, Jaune would consider their mission a success. They had enough information to report to the professors about the presence of Grimm in the area, such as the ferocious Ursa King whose appearance was still burned into his memory. He would never be able to tackle one of those straight on.
How he was able to kill an Ursa at all was a mystery. He would like to think that some of his Father's early training assisted him, but it was more likely the adrenaline and fear of death that drove him. When the Grimm's blood splattered onto his uniform, the experience was surreal, like something out of a novel or fairytale coming to life. He only dreamed of taking down a Grimm, an action that seemed impossible but now... yet somehow he prevailed against the savage beast.
Tawny wouldn't believe him, or at least shrug it off as luck, which made him wonder how she was doing. She was a lot more skillful then he was in the field, coming from a more practical mindset rather than his optimistic view. She always scored better then him in class, her marks even impressing some of the professors – Tawny was an enigma, but again so were most girls for him. Which begged the question of why Weiss thought he was attracted to Blake in the first place.
The question caught him off guard when she first asked, so he couldn't help but react so clumsily. Throughout the years of his childhood, he never took much thought to dating or fathoming the idea that some girl would give him chance. So to insinuate that he and Blake were even discussing a relationship was beyond him – besides, he knew nothing about her, and there was a good chance she didn't go for goofballs like him. So far every girl he knew ignored him in that respect.
Jaune didn't attend medical school for romance or love, so the idea of wooing a girl while he tried to prove to his family his worth was far from the truth. Although he still wanted to learn more about Blake as a friend, especially when it's obvious that she was far more caring then she let on. Embarrassing as it was, he also desired to learn more about the Faunus, his interaction with their kind had been very limited. Just reading a textbook didn't satisfy his need to learn.
Based on his miniscule amount of time with Blake, she was very reclusive and untrusting of strangers. Yet she was also very opinionated, not afraid of telling someone what she thought, including if it angered her. Then there was the fact that she hid her appendages under a black bow; she was still afraid of others reactions to her Faunus heritage. Blake also loved to read, considering how late in the library she was... that and Yang said she was bookworm in passing, of course Blake didn't need to know that.
From his "endless bag of wonders", as Weiss put it, he pulled out an orange leather book that was kept shut with a black strap. With the book open, he flipped several pages until he reached a blank page. A hobby of his was to write one or two poems a day whenever he had free time, something he picked up from his mother and younger sisters. He didn't consider them grand as compared to works by actual literary poets, but he found comfort in jotting down his thoughts.
With such little time, he decided to write about the chaotic situation they went through in the forest. He remembered all the details of their panic, including the description of the Ursa King itself. The feeling of helplessness in his body was so strong, years of studying and training reduced to nothing once he bared witness to the horror of the Grimm – beady little red eyes piercing his soul with the intent to kill. Humanity was nothing to them but a food source, an obstacle in their way of conquering all of Remnant.
For any human to cross their path with such strength, it was a miracle. How could his ancestors have pushed back so many Grimm with less technology and firepower? Truly, they were warriors in their own caliber.
A rustle from a nearby bush interrupted him, and he threw the book onto the ground. Weiss broke from her daze and pointed Myrtenaster at the source of the noise, but relaxed when a mane of blonde hair emerged – it was Blake and the others. Yang and Ruby dashed over to Weiss to check on her, while Blake stayed behind with her arms crossed. He let out a sigh of relief and picked up his book, postponing the poem until he got another chance to finish it.
"I'm so glad you're alright Weiss, I was so worried!" Ruby cried out as she embraced the heiress in a tight hug. He could hear the muffled sounds of protest as Yang chuckled.
"I see Jaune did a pretty good job of patching you up," Yang remarked as she hunched over to look at the bandages and flint. "Looks like it hurt."
"Obviously!" Weiss rolled her eyes at the comment and stood up with the help of Ruby.
"I did my best to alleviate the pain, but she'll need some real treatment back at the medical center in Beacon. Her recovering aura and the medicine I gave her is probably helping by now." While she still couldn't walk properly without the crutches, most of her stamina would have returned.
"No, you did an amazing job!" Ruby said with glee.
"Rubes is right, I'm pretty impressed," Yang added with a light punch to his shoulder.
"We're not too far from the landing zone, Will you be ok to walk Weiss?" Blake asked as she approached her teammate, not even glancing at him.
"Yes, I'll be fine." Weiss insisted, balancing herself with the crutches on the wet stones. They would have to cross the stream much to Weiss' chagrin.
Ruby and Yang aided Weiss across the stream, laughing off her complaints as water splashed onto her heels. Jaune thought it was nice to see her back to how she was before; crabby and insecure. Blake however, stayed behind, a curious expression present in her amber eyes. "How serious is Weiss injuries?" Oh, so that was why she looked worried.
"She endured a fracture around her leg – a dead Ursa fell on atop of her. I'm embarrassed to say it was my fault, she was trying to protect me." Jaune averted his gaze and began to scratch the back of his neck.
"Stop blaming yourself, I'm sure there's more to the story. What's that book you're clenching?" Jaune went blank until he realized he picked up his notebook from the ground earlier, the leather somewhat soaked from the water.
"Oh this," Jaune said nervously, "It's dumb, just some book I carry around to write poetry when I'm not busy." His laugh was followed by silence, the watchful stare of Blake's unsettling him. He must have said something to upset her.
Blake's lips curved into a small cute smile, and she grabbed the book from Jaune. "That's not silly at all, I would be interested in reading some... if that's ok?" He nodded, excited that someone would actually critique some of his work, always intending to ask Blake for advice.
"Are you guys done making out down there?" Yang called out with a chortle. Blake rolled her eyes and walked past Jaune, placing the book into one of her front pockets.
Before they arrived, Yang said they were able to successfully contact Beacon, and that a bullhead would be arriving at the landing zone in an hour. He was glad to hear that a medical team would also be dispatched for Weiss – Jaune did what he could, but it was out of his hands now. The marker for the landing zone wasn't too far out, about three hundred meters, and each of them were given a flare in case another team member lost one. Given the events, everything had gone fantastic.
The injury to Weiss didn't slow down their trek, passing through several clearings in the forest, home to more piles of leaves that would make any homeowner shiver in fear at the amount of work it would take to rake it all up. He resisted the childish urge to dive into the piles, the thought humoring him to some extent – He was sure Ruby would have joined in. Without the Grimm chasing them, the five of them were allowed the luxury of being in awe of the scenery.
In less than an hour, he would be able to relax in the warm sheets of his bed and forget about the blood thirsty mugs of the Ursa. Something would have to change however, he couldn't run blindly into the battlefield, they needed to strategize his position so Ruby didn't have to guard him. Would he need to consider some combat training? Or perhaps arm himself with some firearm if anything – these were all possibilities to consider with RWBY when they returned. Maybe he could ask Tawny for some advice.
He almost collided into Blake's back when he looked up to see them staring off into the forest. Jaune poked his head over Blake's shoulder and noticed the reason for their sudden pause; ahead of them, black egg-shaped pods were scattered across the forest floor, covered in leaves and dripping with slime. He was about to comment when Blake covered his mouth with her palm, shaking her head with caution. The eggs looked familiar, and he thought back to the text in the library.
"Let's move back for a bit," whispered Blake. Everyone nodded in agreement and tiptoed backwards, making the slightest movements.
"What are those things?" Jaune asked, still unable to place them – he knew they were some type of Grimm, and possibly acidic guessing by the smell.
"Arachnids..." Weiss answered.
And now Jaune remembered what he read about the spider-like Grimm. Arachnids were poisonous Grimm that laid eggs throughout dense forest areas, ands weaved their webs high above to encroach their prey. The acid they spewed from their mouths could paralyze even the strongest Huntsman or Huntress, eventually burning through a human's skin within hours. They were blind, and were attracted to noise and vibrations through the environment – and the only way to reach the destination was by sneaking across a nest of them.
There was also no way of knowing where the mother could be hiding. Arachnids usually reached a height of fifteen feet or more, easily towering an average person. Weiss being injured complicated things even further; the crutches he gave her would make too much noise if they attempted to cross, and no matter how skilled they were, being surrounded by a horde of Arachnids would spell their death. Jaune only saw one possible solution... he would have to carry her.
"Their very poisonous and sensitive to sound, I don't see Weiss traversing through." Blake commented, more than likely already deducing Jaune's plan.
He let out tired sigh and gulped. "I'll carry her, it's the safest way, but somebody will have to carry my bag." Ruby snatched his bag with a gleeful smirk before anyone could volunteer.
"Just watch where you touch," Weiss hissed.
Jaune crouched down and stuck his arms out for Weiss' legs, taking her warning to heart. With hesitance, the heiress approached him and took hold of his shoulders, a slight blush tinting her pale cheeks. He raised her up and grunted, adjusting to her sudden weight – though he was wise enough to know that a man should never comment about a woman's weight. The petite girl didn't bog him down too much, and her creamy legs were soft to the touch. He was quick to brush away any ill thoughts of course, not if he wanted to live.
"No one can make a sound," Blake reiterated with emphasis, "I don't think I have to tell you what will happen if they wake up." Blake unsheathed Gambol Shroud and walked ahead, inspecting the nest.
"Jaune, if you drop me, I'll kill you."
"I would... never think of it" Jaune almost struggled to say.
The five of them approached the nest in caution, overlooking the eggs that pulsated with life. An eerie silence covered the forest clearing, as if all animal life avoided the area like the plague. Blake decided to go first, sliding by the eggs as she controlled her breath, practically concealing her presence from the Grimm. Ruby went next, holding her mouth closed with pursed lips as she tiptoed through the leaves. The sight would have made him laugh, but Weiss dug her nails into his shoulders, acting as a painful reminder.
Yang cracked her knuckles with a grin and stepped into the clearing, sticking her arms out. She walked through the leaves and maneuvered through the eggs, sweat pouring down her exposed tan neck. Halfway through, she almost stumbled over a rock that poked through the dirt. She caught herself and hopped over the last egg onto Blake's side, wiping her brow with a sigh, earning a glare from her partner – now only Jaune and Weiss remained, a bit of trepidation overcoming the medic.
Each step would have to be precise, avoiding any obstacles such as the rock that Yang almost tripped on. Jaune placed his feet into the leaves with trepidation, winching at the slightest sound in fear. Seeing the eggs close up only fueled his anxiety, the slime trailing down the sides of the pod like water. Weiss eased her hold on his shoulders in an attempt to relax him, though he could feel her delicate hands tremble. For a second he peeked above them, spotting an intricate layering of webs tangled in the branches.
Weiss propped his head forward with a quiet huff and smacked him across the back. He continued across the densely covered ground floor and avoided the rock, sliding in-between two eggs as he and Weiss reached the other side. He let Weiss down and stretched his arms, but as he relaxed, Weiss shouted in pain, the injury in her leg flaring up. Jaune tilted his head to the side and spot the eggs tremor.
An irritable screech echoed in the forest above them, a large silhouette resting onto the clearing. Long pointed legs descended from the trees as the mother of the Arachnids became visible; its black sac reflected off the pillars of light that broke through the foliage. Each leg was covered in rough bone-like scales, while its face wore a mask with eight slit eyes that were permanently closed. Seeing the creature in real life didn't do much to dissuade his fear of the Grimm.
The top of the pods burst open as slime shot through the air, as tiny babies crawled out, eager to feast on the nearest prey. Yang immediately let loose a barrage of shotgun fire, blowing up the nests one by one as the sac's pieces scattered across the trees. Blake and Ruby started firing on the arachnid, but it only angered the Grimm as it shot out acid from its mouth. They dodged the pool as it sunk through the leaves and dirt, melting anything in its path.
"Retreat for now, we can't handle it in the forest!" Blake shouted, running past them. Jaune picked up Weiss and began to follow as Ruby and Yang tried their best to agitate the creature. Ruby flung back his medical bag in the chaos, as they all began to run from the mother and its remaining babies.
Even with their speed, the Grimm were catching up fast, their legs providing an advantage, while the mother thrashed trees and boulders that stood in their path. Some of the baby Grimm spit out more acid past their heads, the toxic clouds building up around them. Jaune covered his mouth and continued to run, not daring to look back – but with the landing zone approaching they wouldn't have anywhere else to run. He didn't want to risk another hour in the Forever Fall region, not with Weiss' condition.
Along the path, a trail appeared that forked in the road. The path on the right was populated with cobblestones and rotted wood from abandoned carriages. The landing zone was to the right, but with so many Grimm following, the bullhead wouldn't be able to land until the area was clear. Jaune took a gamble and continued heading right with Blake, while Ruby and Yang decided to go left and reunite later. Their diversion tactic worked, splitting the Grimm up as the mother Arachnid went after the aggressors.
They were allowed some breathing space, but a trail of baby Arachnids still followed as webbing continued to shoot past them. Blake turned around and fired Gambol Shroud at the group, shrieks of agony crying out as more of the Grimm exploded onto the dirt floor, leaving pools of acid. In the distance, he could see an upturned boulder that marked their destination. It led into a small clearing that was surrounded by fences; nature had overtaken it years ago, vines tangling up the boards.
"There's only a few of them left, we'll have to make a stand here!" Blake shouted as she whipped the ribbon on Gambol Shroud to knock back a few of the Arachnids.
"Jaune hold me up, I have a plan!" He hefted Weiss up by her waist, surprised that she didn't come back with a quip about touching her.
Jaune watched as Weiss narrowed her light blue eyes and concentrated on the group of Arachnids converging on the path. Some of her aura had returned over the hours, which probably helped mitigate the pain, but she would have use more. Weiss pointed the tip of Myrtenaster and took a calm breath – a glyph materialized in front of the rapier and spun like a clock, until she unleashed the attack on the Grimm. A wave of ice brushed against the ground like a torrent of water, freezing the Arachnids in place in one successive strike. They were safe.
He let down Weiss and laughed, the adrenaline in his body losing its effect. Jaune was so use to close-calls now that he felt like nothing could frighten him – except maybe the wrath of team RWBY. Blake walked over to help them both up and sheathed Gambol Shroud, a placated expression on her features. Amber eyes blinked once or twice as she hauled both of them up with a delayed groan.
"Thanks, I owe you-" Right as he was about to finish his sentence, a dying Arachnid from behind lunged onto Blake's shoulder and bit down into her neck.
"Augh," Blake cried out as she killed the Arachnid, quickly collapsing to her knees.
Blood trickled down the bite marks, and Blake's entire figure started to tremble as her breathing became labored, the poison coursing through her bloodstream. Jaune rushed over to his bag and pulled out a small plastic wrap of needles and a bottle of penicillin. He had done this thousands of times but with Blake's life on the line he could feel his hands shaking from the pressure while Weiss screamed in the background. He sterilized Blake's arm and steadied the needle, looking for a spot of fatty tissue on the back of the hand.
The penicillin would slow down the poison while he prepared an antidote. It only required a few simple ingredients - thankfully some of those were in his bag. He placed his palm on her forehead and checked her body temperature... it was still cold, but her heartbeat stabilized. What he needed was ice, and perhaps a log or rock that he could use to elevate Blake. The textbook back in the library said that Arachnids dispensed latrotoxin, which if untreated caused immediate death.
"Weiss," He calmly mumbled, "I need some ice." She nodded and created a small block of ice with a glyph, throwing it over to Jaune.
With the ice in hand, Jaune lifted Blake up and placed the block near her neck to reduce the swelling. Now he needed to work on the antidote.
"Please tell me she's not going to die." Weiss pleaded.
"I need to make an antidote fast, but I'm not sure if I have the final ingredient on hand," Jaune replied as he scoured his bag for the materials.
"What's the last ingredient?"
"A sample of Savolia, I don't suppose you know where to find some?" Jaune asked with a panicked expression – everything was prepared, but Savolia was hard to come by and usually only sold in apothecaries in doses.
"I do know," Weiss blurted, "There are trace amounts of Savolia in the syrup we collected in the Forever Fall! We learned about it in class." Of course, it made sense; Arachnids feasted on the syrup just as the Ursa then when humans weren't around to satisfy their hunger.
The syrup filled their sacs and mixed with the poison, which probably led doctors to use Savolia as a countermeasure. He rushed over to one of the trees and borrowed Myrtenaster from Weiss, thrusting the rapier into the bark as hard as possible. He pushed with more force against the hilt, driving the rapier further into the trunk until some of the sticky substance leaked from the tree and onto the ground. The antidote would only need a miniscule amount to work... if it did.
Jaune poured the ingredients in a small bowl and pulled out a harden spoon, mashing the medicine together until it was a fine liquid.
The antidote was ready, and he walked over to Blake and lifted her head, praying that it worked. Gently, he held the bowl to her lips and poured it into her mouth until the bowl was empty – now he would just have to wait. In the corner, Weiss remained quiet, not that he could blame her after everything that happened today. The Grimm were such an overwhelming force of evil, and it made him wonder what humanity did to deserve such ruthlessness... but that was more of a philosophical question. He grabbed Blake's wrist and checked her pulse, so far it appeared to be working, lowering her head back on the ground.
She would live.
Darkness was all Blake could see at the moment, her body powerless to move as she witnessed a plethora of memories flashing before her eyes. She couldn't place her location, but it looked like a warehouse full of White Fang soldiers, moving crates and barrels of supplies for their next raid. To the right she spotted a younger version of herself and Adam, sparring to the amazement of onlookers. She looked to be about eleven – back then it was hard to keep up with Adam's grace, always leagues ahead of her in pure skill.
Things were much simpler back then, protest and raids on dust factories to raise money for homeless Faunus. Now what had they become, terrorists? The memory faded, and was replaced with a stormy night in a damp swamp, only the flashes of lightning illuminating the environment. She could see the blood soaked steel of Adam's sword as he tossed aside a human soldier, showing no remorse for the action, only conviction. But he wasn't the only one... She was covered in blood as well, her hands trembling as Adam tried to console her. Was any of it really worth it, killing in the name of freedom?
A pinching sensation assaulted her brain as her eyes fluttered open, the familiar sound of the bullhead's rudders filling the silence. As the world came into detail, she could make out the blonde tresses of her partner and Ruby's tear-filled silver eyes hovering over her. She could barely remember what happened, her body still lethargic.
"Oh my god, she's awake!" Yang excitedly cried out.
A mighty embrace overtook her as Yang pulled her in. "What... happened, wait Jaune and Weiss!" She remembered now, about the Arachnid biting her - she was poisoned, and should have been dead.
"They're right here," Yang giggled at her reaction, "You should be kissing Jauney boy's ass right now – he saved your life." She blinked a couple of times, absorbing the information. So Jaune saved her?
"How did you escape?" Blake mumbled as she tried to sit up.
"We took care of them no problem!" Ruby quipped. She was careless to let that Grimm bite her like that, and that dream... it seemed so real, maybe an effect from the poison?
"I'll be honest, I was freaking out myself," Jaune cut in, scratching his cheek. "You should thank Weiss for thinking so quickly." She peeked at Weiss who blushed from the acknowledgement.
She found herself in an awkward position, as she was never the one to be saved... not for a long time. The brevity of the mission took a lot out of her, the thought of sleeping in her bed comforting. She would have to thank both Weiss and Jaune, and despite usually being embarrassed to do so, she found it now appropriate.
"Guys, I-"
Her apology was cut short as a muffled static noise erupted from Jaune's pockets. The blonde took out a transceiver and adjusted the knob on top near the antenna, until the sound became clearer.
I repeat, we have two 0978s, evacuation is underway currently. We need preparations for the faculty and medical team. The message kept repeating, but only Jaune's pale face was of interest in the call.
"Jaune, what's wrong?" Yang questioned.
"A 0978... That's code for a casualty, two people have died." The weight of his words traveled about the room, leading to pained expressions from her teammates while Jaune wallowed in his seat. She should have been surprised like the others, but the inevitability of death for the medics was too high.
The rest of the trip back to Beacon Academy was silent and uneventful, the tragic news too much for the energetic girls. She found herself too weak to move properly, let alone comment on the situation. What could she say anyway? She wanted to be wrong and think that everyone would survive the routine exercise between schools, but that was being optimistic. It wouldn't be right to reaffirm her position on the matter after hearing about the student's death. Silence was what they needed right now, especially with what to expect at school.
The trip only took around ten minutes, and as the bullhead landed, Blake could make out most of the students returning with their respective teams. Most of them wore delighted expressions, no doubt their missions successful, and unlike her team she saw no other wounded to speak of. Carelessness was the main factor on their part, relying too much on aura – in retrospect they also needed to devise a strategy that could utilize Jaune's abilities on the field.
Strong hands lifted her out of the bullhead as a Beacon medical team propped her onto a yellow stretcher, while administering some IV. She glanced over at Jaune who watched the bullheads land, looking for the ones that carried the bodies of his past acquaintances. Her eyes grew tired as the paramedics strolled her away, missing the chance to apologize - she didn't want to dream.
His gut twisted in pain and anxiety as he waited with others to see who died. The small team selected for Beacon knew each other well even if they didn't socialize in the same circles, Jaune knew all their names by heart. But the true reason he was scared, was because he could have been one of those who died by the Grimm, only barely surviving out in the wilds with RWBY. Everyone appeared so happy, as if the two deaths meant nothing in the long grand scheme of defeating the Grimm. Were lives so meaningless now in this everlasting war?
"Clear a path!" A medical personnel screamed. He directed his attention and noticed the stretchers carrying two bags. Not far behind them was JNPR... and Pyrrha Nikos was in tears, flailing her arms from Ren and Nebula.
"J-Jaune," Pyrrha mumbled through tears. "I-I'm so sorry, It's all my fault, please forgive me!" she wailed until Nebula pulled her off.
Without thinking, he sprinted over to the left stretcher and unzipped the bag. The staff protested in anger before grabbing his shoulders, but it was too late... staring back at him was the lifeless face of Tawny. Her eyes were closed and hair disheveled, but a smile still remained on her bloody lips; he only caught a glimpse of the wound she sustained. Not that it registered in his mind at all as he collapsed on his knees, eyes shimmering in denial.
Tawny was dead, the closest thing he had to a friend for several years was now gone, taken in only a few hours. She promised to stay alive and prove everyone wrong with him right? So why... how did she die? Nothing was comprehensible at the moment, tears flowing onto the cobblestones of the academy as several paramedics tried to lift him up. He was a like a ragdoll, unable to move because of the pain in his heart, a sensation akin to thousands of needles piercing it at once.
The voices in his head that reinforced his doubts surfaced, blaming him for following through with his moronic aspiration. Did proving everyone wrong mean so much that he was forced to abandon a life of normalcy - how much death would he have to confront until his goal was achieved? The thought of anymore friends dying only further crushed his heart, and as he thought back to Weiss and Blake's brush with death, he stood up and ran, seeking the comfort of his bed to hide from the rest of the world.
"Jaune wait!" Weiss called out, but he was gone.
"Let him be for now," a calm voice said from behind. "Mr. Arc is going through a tragic loss right now... one that everyone must recover from." She recognized the familiar forlorn look of Headmaster Ozpin, but his eyes appeared dazed.
"Children, we should leave for now," Glynda interjected, avoiding the murmurs of nearby students. Weiss wanted to protest and stay, but the look on Jaune's face continued to haunt her – feeling correct never brought her such displeasure.
A great feeling of remorse consumed her, and for the first time in a while, Weiss, felt a tear escape from her light blue eyes.
Just some notes for you guys out there. To make it clear, not every student at the Vale Medical Preparatory school was selected to go to Beacon, only those who chose to be field medics. The school also teaches doctors, nurses, etc. The mortality rate is only high for those who choose to serve on the battlefield, so it's not like every person who trains in medical school is being sent out just to die.
I did some research on poisoning, especially from spiders and the various treatments, so I hope it came through ok, even if the ingredient for the Vaccine is spotty at best. Hopefully this doesn't come off as hammed in. And of course Jaune is devastated now, questioning everything he believes in, not to mention Pyrrha as well.