Not Even Aura can Heal All Wounds
By wildstraydog
Beta: Super Saiyan Cyndaquil
Chapter Eleven: Novice
This chapter was a little difficult to write for several reasons other than content. Jaune and Weiss are going to go through a lot on their current mission, and several developments for the overall story will begin to unfold. Some people have brought up some interesting points in the reviews, which I read all of, that's right, your reviews do not go unnoticed! At this point however, Jaune's choice in weapons is set, although it go through a number of modifications.
Now writing the next chapter of The Heat has been harrowing because of its direction. This was inevitable for Jaune, but he will of course prevail.
The drenching rain only worsened her visibility, being able to only catch a glimpse of the Grimm as it tore down one of the main spotlights. The sound of crushing metal was blended with the guttural roar of the Beringel. It launched the crumbled up piece of machinery and launched it across the village like a deflated volleyball. Weiss found her breath hitch as the headlight barely missed one of the houses behind the gates, skidding across the ground and creating a trail of mud. She wasted no time and formed a series of complicated glyphs that hovered in the air, centering them on the Breingel's exposed chest.
A barrage of icicles rammed into the Grimm, exploding on impact and creating a mist of ice that dispersed through the air, freezing the ground below it and causing a patch of rain to convert into snowflakes. The sight was actually beautiful, lighting up the darkness of the swamp as if the moon was shining clearly through the trees. Her attack created a mist that clouded her visage, only making out the silhouettes of Ruby and the others around her. She looked over to Yang and narrowed her icy blue eyes.
"Did it get him?" She called over the continuous gunshots that rang out from the villagers weapons.
"I can't see anything," Yang complained, "Blake can you see anything?" The mist cleared over time, the rainfall clearing away the buildup and revealing Blake. Her Faunus teammate's amber orbs didn't move, lifting up Gambol Shroud and separating it from the sheath.
"Hardly did any actual damage."
Weiss looked up to see the Beringel roar again in unbridled fury, lifting its large hands and curling them into fists. It brought down both hands with a massive force, splitting the ground into cracked arches that splintered up. She dodged the obstacles with her usual grace and watched as Ruby unloaded several rounds from Crescent Rose that grazed the creature's shoulders. The villagers continued their onslaught of gunfire, focusing a mounted machinegun that used fire-based Dust bullets. The Beringel's scales that were situated on its back absorbed most of the volley – she knew it was only pissing it off.
"Stop firing, you'll only enrage it!" Weiss attempted to shout. To her avail, the Beringel twisted around and brought up its right hand to smack it against the tower where several men were positioned.
To her horror, the tower crumbled into pieces and buried the men under the rubble, dust kicking up from the debris that was covered by the pouring rain. If they didn't stop the Grimm at the entrance it would flatten the entire area within minutes. She gripped the hilt of Myrtenaster and pointed it forward so that the tip was aimed at the Beringel's right side. Yang came from above and shot off a few rounds from Ember Celica, only for the beast to shake its head in annoyance. She would have to time her attack right after Blake and Ruby took another shot at its legs. It had to be perfect.
Petals from Ruby's semblance fluttered to the ground, giving Weiss an available opportunity. She counted down to three until it touched the ground and became soaked. Weiss released a glyph under her feet and rushed forward with the speed of a car, enclosing on the Beringel's exposed right arm and bombarding it with a flurry of thrusts. A wail of pain exited the Grimm's mouth and it backed up against the broken gate doors, clenching its arm in pain. She looked into its red eyes and noticed them widen, the irises void of any true emotion.
"Individual attacks aren't going to work!" She said to Ruby who stood next to her with a grimace. The raven-haired girl nodded and transformed Crescent Rose back into its sniper rifle form. She knew exactly what Ruby was planning.
"Are you guys ready?" Before she got into position, Weiss caught a quick glimpse of Jaune back at the inn, watching in awe with a pained expression. She knew how he felt about not being able to help – even stranger was the smile on Professor Peach's face who stood next to him. She had to wonder why the professors didn't help.
Within her skirt, she felt her scroll vibrate at an uncontrollable rate. Ruby tilted her head and gave a strange look – not that she blamed her. The call must have been reminder of her package, and she fished the device out and slipped it into her hands to see it was a simple text: Package arriving in two minutes Miss Schnee.
Jaune's weapon... it was arriving on schedule. But what use would it be, he never got a chance to train before they were rushed off. But the pod could serve to be a distraction for the Grimm. It would have to do, and with Professor Goodwitch and Peach watching, failure was not an option.
"Freezerburn!" Ruby ordered.
Weiss jammed Myrtenaster into the dirt and formed a glyph around her body. Ice spread across the mud, covering most of the front entrance and trailing near the edge of the gates. Yang followed the queue and slammed her fists into ice, dispersing it into a large mist that covered that village. Blake and Ruby used the opportunity to attack the Grimm from both sides – the formation was titled "Lady Bug". Ruby's scythe connected with the Beringel's feet, leaving jagged cuts across the lower half of its body, while her quieter teammate dragged Gambol Shroud in an upward motion that disoriented the beast.
The attacks still weren't enough.
"Ruby, over here!" She called out, catching the girl's attention. Her silver eyes widened in recognition, switching back Crescent Rose's form.
"Ice Flower right?" Ruby asked with a smirk.
While Yang distracted the Grimm, Ruby knelt on one knee and positioned her sniper rifle around the Beringel's neck. Weiss noticed how she blinked a few times before resting her chin on top of the weapon. She produced another glyph that surrounded Crescent Rose, the symbols rotating as Ruby began to fire the bullets now encased in hardened ice. The modified Dust casings exploded in the face of the creature, producing flower-like sculptures that would have looked beautiful by themselves.
Another roar was released by the Beringel, the shards of ice that were attached to its face crumbling into pieces. The rain was beginning to lighten, and Weiss could make out a bright object approaching. When the pod touched down, she would use that moment to thrust Myrtenaster into the Grimm's throat. Ruby looked up into the sky in confusion, making out a trail of smoke from the boosters on the back of the storage unit. She hoped this was would be the last glyph to cast, as her aura was beginning to enter the orange zone.
Her speed was enhanced by another glyph, sprinting toward the Beringel as it threw Yang aside like a rag doll. The blonde soar through the air until she fell through a tile roof of the building next to the inn. She almost froze, wanting desperately to check on her teammate, but she wouldn't be given another chance to kill the Beringel. The Grimm in a bout of fury ripped off a chunk of land and threw it at Blake – she was able to dodge it but some of the rocks pelted her in the back. A trickle of blood dripped across the Faunus' forehead, but she urged her to continue before the glyph's effects wore off.
The whirring of the pod reached a fever pitch over the village, stabbing into the ground with the strength of a blade. The Grimm stopped its attempted tackle on Ruby and Blake, and twisted its head to look at the object.
"Now Weiss!" Blake shouted.
With a regrettable sigh, Weiss slid under the Beringel using the mud that accumulated from the rain. She mentally broke out in tears as her outfit was stained in a mixture of water and dirt, her face which she spent hours to maintain its healthy complexion was covered in grime within seconds. Despite the setback, she leapt up the Grimm's back and thrust her rapier into the back of its neck, the blade sinking through fur and skin and penetrating all the way through to the other side. The Beringel let out a choking sound and went limp, its massive body sliding to the ground with a thud.
"What luck I have..." She whispered.
A giggle erupted from Ruby across the way as she looked over Weiss. She could feel the mud dripping from all over her body, the dirt sliding down her arms and legs. Thank goodness she packed another outfit in case of an emergency – but all she cared about right now was Yang's condition. She looked over where Yang fell earlier and saw one of the villagers lift the girl up, the brawler wiping herself off with a chuckle. Only a few cuts and bruises from what she could see, but they could have Jaune look her over later.
"Yang are you okay?" Jaune asked. He sprint over and checked her cheek, noticing a slight blueish hue. Behind him was Professor Goodwitch and Peach, a bright smile on the latter's face. How could she be so energetic all the time? Then again, so was Ruby in every case.
"I'll be fine, just a bruise," Yang said until she hunched over. "Ow, okay maybe my thigh hurts just a bit." Jaune threw down his bag and pulled out a cold bag to apply to the area. She bristled at the cold but released a sigh.
"Good job students," Professor Goodwitch added to the conversation. "You showed excellent teamwork and proficient tactics when fighting the Beringel – I was confident that you would be able to silence the Grimm without our interference." It was nice to be praised by the professor... but what was such a strong Grimm like that wandering in the forest alone for? While not unusual, Beringels usually didn't stray far from their environments.
"What is that Weiss?" Ruby asked, poking at the pod. A stream of smoke rose from the ground where it landed. She almost forgot about Jaune's weapon.
The sound of gears caught everyone's attention, and the pod opened up. A large black case embroidered with gold trimmings sprung from the pod and landed next to Weiss's feet. She undid the locks and opened it to see herself surprised by the artistry that was behind the creation of the object. Call her envious, but the design was breathtaking.
"Is that?!" Ruby held her breath in excitement.
Within the case, was a rapier crafted specifically for Jaune. The pommel of the weapon had layers of yellow that spiral across the grip, while the knuckle guard was plated in white with sharp diamonds. The crossbar was also adorned in a bright yellow and arched in a crescent shape like the moon. The blade's sheen of metal glistened even in the night under the few spotlights that remained. Next to the rapier was the shield she requested, medium in size and plated on the round ends - in the middle, was the Schnee Dust Company logo of a snowflake against a light blue background.
Her sister did fine work.
"That's... my weapon? Weiss, how did you get it here?" Jaune asked, his mouth somewhat agape as he looked in awe at the rapier. At least he appreciated fine craftsmanship.
"You should feel lucky," Weiss said. "This weapon was handcrafted by my sister's personal blacksmith. Before we left Beacon I had the company have the weapon on standby to the closest depot so it could reach these coordinates." She explained it all in a haughty expression.
"This is amazing, look at the details, what kind of metal did they use I wonder?" Ruby sputtered as she hugged the weapon close to her chest.
"Ruby..." Yang drawled. The rambunctious girl stopped in her tracks and blushed, handing the rapier over to Jaune so he could test it. Even with all the money in the world, a weapon was only useful if its handler was apt.
"How does it feel?" Blake asked.
Jaune tilted the blade and looked over the weapon, a smirk pulling on his lips. "It's... light, somehow it feels natural to hold." He lifted it above his shoulders and thrust it, a whoosh cutting through the air.
"Like I said, it's been created with you in mind – the shield is made of double layered titanium metal and infused with Dust to withstand some of the strongest Grimm. They say this material was used in the creation of an Arc shield." She caught the subtle flinch upon hearing his family name, but he smiled at both the rapier and shield. She was glad he was happy.
"Well children, I think that's enough excitement for tonight, would you not agree?" Professor Goodwitch announced from behind them, stifling a yawn with her palm. She was tired as well, the signs of exhaustion present in her expression.
"Are you kidding, I say bring them on!" Peach boasted, receiving a sigh from the professor.
"I can't believe you kids did that," Natsuhiko said in disbelief. The drunken mayor was now sober, tumbling not from intoxication but amazement. Instead of complaining about the damage like in their past experiences, the man wore a large grin and shook in joy.
"As you can see Mr. Natsuhiko, our students have been adequately trained for missions in the wildlands. I hope this earns the village's trust?" Weiss swore she could hear a smug satisfaction in her tone.
"I apologize for any rude behavior I displayed before," Natsuhiko said with a chuckle while scratching his right cheek. "If there's anything you all need, please let me know, I'll get right on it." So much for all that bravado he showed in the inn – he was like a whooped dog now.
"Weiss." Jaune said from behind, his tone gentle.
She turned on her heel and looked into Jaune's shimmering blue orbs. "What is it?" The way he stared at her, it was making her nervous.
"I don't know how to repay you, I really appreciate this." His smile somehow made her uncomfortable, it was embarrassing. She turned around and nodded, walking back over to Ruby and the others. Why did he have to be so nice?
"Don't think flattery is going to get you out of training!" Jaune's eyes widened a bit at her response, but a smirk eventually made its way on his face.
"Of course not."
"We need some help over here!" Weiss found her attention broken by the shout of one of the villagers. Several men in long raincoats approached where the tower fell earlier, hauling chunks of rubble into a pile. She remembered there were men in that tower when it was attacked.
"We should go help them." Jaune commented, placing his weapon back into the case. She wanted to protest but the others soon followed. She never even got a chance to tell Jaune what the weapon's name was... but it was valiant of him to think of others at such a time.
Weiss looked over the damage near the gate, it would take several days to repair. She was glad the damage was kept to a minimum – how was she going to find the time to help train Jaune during their mission? With a sigh, Weiss picked up the case and followed the professors, just hoping that the swamp lands weren't teeming with stronger higher class Grimm.
A numbing feeling in his fingers brought Jaune to take a break from removing any further debris. Most of the wreckage from the tower had been cleared out, and sad enough one body was discovered among the metal plates. He kept his emotions in check when some of the villagers lifted the body out, the corpse mangled and dripping a miniscule amount of blood from its dangling arms. This was the carnage the Grimm left in their wake, the same destruction that led to Tawny's death. The sound of metal dropping to the ground alerted him, and one of the men hurriedly pulled at the rubble in one spot.
"Over here, Donovan's still breathing!"
He rushed over past some of the villagers gawking in surprise and lifted a rock with the other man. Beneath a railing was a middle-aged man with short red hair covered in bruises and soot. A trail of blood was on his lips, and he coughed some dust out of his lungs. "Help them get him out Jaune, I should be able to treat him." Professor Peach urged him from the side, hauling a blue bag over her shoulder.
Within in a couple of minutes and the help of everyone else, they were able to retrieve the man from the broken tower. To say he was lucky was an understatement – his arms and legs were only bruised, and none of his bones seemed to be fractured. Had the debris pressed harder onto his stomach, his ribs or a piece of shrapnel might have punctured his heart. Professor Peach pulled out a few ice packs and some alcohol to treat the cuts on his neck, softly applying a cloth on the wounds. Unlike his treatment with Weiss, Peach didn't seem nervous at all. She was focused and careful with how she handled the man's condition.
"Jaune, can you get me some bandages?"
He reached into the bag and shuffled around several objects until he found a roll of yellow bandages. The professor wrapped the man's neck in a precise motion that didn't tighten his air supply. Another villager came over and lifted his head and the man's eyes fluttered open, taking in his surroundings in hesitation. "W-where am I?"
"You're alive you dumb idiot!" His friend said through tearful eyes. Jaune let out a sigh of relieve and smiled, glad that at least one person made it out alive.
"I can take care of the rest Jaune," The professor said, "Go with the rest of your team and get some much needed rest for tomorrow." He only nodded, taken back by her somber tone. She was usually so excited.
One of the barmaids led them upstairs into a spacious hallway that was lined with wooden doors with different numbers plastered on the front. Each room was situated with two beds and a dresser, so they decided to split up the group – however that meant one of the girls would have to stay with him. He looked over at Ruby who blushed at the proposal, sheepishly shaking her head. She was too embarrassed so it was only natural she would stay with Yang in the same room.
"I'm staying with Rubes obviously, so it's between you two." Yang told Weiss and Blake, poorly hiding a mischievous smile. Did they honestly think he would try anything? Not if he wanted to live.
"If it's that big of deal, I can stay with him," Blake proposed, letting out a tired sigh. Her amber eyes were drooping from exhaustion.
"Are you sure Blake?" Weiss asked.
"Yeah I'm sure, Jaune wouldn't dare try anything."
He guessed that was a veiled threat judging by how the other girls stared at him. Weiss conceded and handed him the black case that held his weapon – it was heavier than it looked, and the design was good to the eyes. "By the way Jaune, I forgot to tell you the name of the weapon."
"Oh what is it?!" Ruby excitedly asked.
"Brutalis Scutum... it was hard to decide."
He memorized the name, reciting it several times in his head as he imagined the rapier in his grip. Weiss didn't mention it, but he knew it was the same naming convention the Arc family employed. The way team RWBY dispatched the Beringel was amazing, their teamwork so flawless – he wanted that same level of strength to protect others. Thanks to Weiss and Blake, he was taking that first step. He really meant it when he told Weiss he wanted to repay her, but how could he? She was an heiress capable of getting anything she wanted. The only thing he could do was show results from his training whenever it began.
"Again, thank you Weiss." Yang cooed at his kind words.
"One more thing Jaune," The heiress pointedly said. "We'll begin your training first thing in the morning before we head out." So soon - would Professor Goodwitch even approve of that? He was going to answer, but Weiss hurried Ruby and Yang into their rooms, shutting the door with a decisive slam.
"That's her way of saying 'you're welcome'." Blake answered.
Their room wasn't large, the two beds only a couple of feet apart. The white sheets were clean enough, but the walls looked old, some of the paint dry and peeling. The dresser was big enough to fit most of their clothes, but he opted for Blake to use all of it. She didn't complain, tossing her outfits into the drawers in silence. For some reason being alone in a bedroom with Blake made him nervous. Tawny visited his room all the time back in school, and yet he never grew anxious then.
"If you don't mind, I'm going to change first in the bathroom." Blake asked, holding what looked like pajamas in her arms.
"Yeah sure, go ahead."
When Blake closed the bathroom door, he collapsed onto his own bed and looked up at the ceiling in thought. He wondered what kind of training Weiss had in mind – there was little time before they explored the area. The presence of both Professor Goodwitch and Peach brought him some comfort, especially after the appearance of a Beringel. The Grimm was so huge compared to the pictures in his textbook. Hunters were tasked with killing these large beasts everyday – could he really face something so big after training with Weiss?
"Bathroom's all yours."
"I'll be fine tonight," Jaune said, "Hey Blake... how did you guys become so amazing?" The Faunus titled her head at the question, placing her soaked outfit into the bathroom. Her expression remained stoic, but a slight grin popped up at the corner of her mouth.
"Envious of our skills?"
"To be honest, yes, I mean you guys were incredible." He caught the slight blush on her pale cheeks which she attempted to hide.
"Trust me, it took a lot of practice for us to be that coordinated – I'm sure you'll be able to fight that well one day." It was heartening to her say that, but he knew the truth. He would never be as strong as they were. Some people were just gifted with abilities that exceeded others, and in his case, being a Huntsman wasn't one of them.
"Do you think I'm making the right decision?" Blake shifted underneath her covers to face him, a questioning gaze settling on his eyes.
"What do you mean?"
"Training with Weiss, getting a weapon, even attempting to fight the Grimm – do you think this is all fool hardy? Maybe I should just be smart like the others and not risk my life." Blake only answered with silence, and he realized what he said was cowardly. He just wanted to be sure, to have some form of affirmation that his decision to help others in the battlefield was right.
"That's one of your weaknesses you know," Blake commented. "You're always putting yourself down – doubting your abilities and who you are as a person." She was right, he did that often. But it was hard not to question himself at every turn, his whole life was one big joke.
"You're right, I shouldn't second guess my choices." He crawled into his bed and relaxed on the comforter. Jaune actually found himself excited to train tomorrow – funny how nervous he was before to be alone with Blake in a room. Even when she was really cute in those black pajamas... what an embarrassing thought to have.
"Are you okay Jaune? You seem nervous."
"I-I'm completely fine Blake, not thinking anything indecent at all!" Oh I'm such an idiot.
Jaune thought he heard a muffled giggle from the other side of the room. He turned off the lights and closed his eyes, his body finally succumbing to exhaustion. He never really put much thought into Blake as a romantic interest, believing that she was too far out of his league. Yet wasn't that his whole problem? He questioned every thought that passed through his mind without considering his own feelings. He stirred under the sheets and looked at the black case his weapon was stored in. Brutalis Scutum... such an incredible weapon was now in his possession. Was this how Olive felt when she acquired Crocea Mors?
His sister... he already missed her. They hadn't spoken in a couple years until yesterday, but already he wanted to spend time with her. Would she proud of him – of the new weapon he now possessed? All he wanted was to make the Arc family remember his contribution to the world, to make his Father regret ever throwing him out.
Jaune clutched the sheets and pulled them closer, knowing that his Mother would be always watching his progress. It was a comforting thought.
To say the beds in the inn weren't comfortable was being too kind. Weiss was able to admit that she was pampered, but the rickety bedframes did horrors to her back. Their lodging was free so she couldn't really gripe – but she already missed her comfortable bed in Beacon. She was up earlier than the rest of her team in hopes of fitting in a little training with Jaune. Professor Goodwitch said they would start their patrol before noon, so that gave her a couple of hours to work with him. They would start with the basics, perhaps spar once or twice until he was tired. The appearance of the Beringel still troubled her
The mission was always to investigate reports of increased Grimm activity in the area, but she was expecting only lower class Beowulf's or a nest of Nevermore. Older and more powerful Grimm usually didn't go near human settlements unless they were backed up. The fact that a Beringel would just wander across the swamplands was odd. Professor Peach of Goodwitch would probably know more, but Jaune wouldn't be able to handle strong Grimm like that. She picked up her scroll and closed the door quietly, waiting in the hall for Jaune to appear.
A light yawn escaped from Weiss, her light blue eyes focused on the aging door. If Jaune slept in she would be furious, didn't he know that you should never keep a girl waiting? The door creaked opened and reveal the haggard appearance of the blonde, his bangs swept to the left. He must have just woke up and not even attempted to take a shower. She was going to put him through a rigorous workout anyway, so it was probably for the better. Jaune was carrying the black case and didn't have the rapier clipped to his waist.
"Did you just wake up?"
"Uh... yeah," Jaune slurred, "Sorry I overslept." Weiss released a sigh and beckoned him to follow her outside. The sun was barely visible against the horizon, the light slowly taking over the landscape.
A few minutes away from the village was a suitable opening in the swamp area that was cushioned by dried mud that could support their weight. She found the coarse ground was powerful enough to sustain any damage that might result from an extended spar. First he needed to learn some of the basics – he got a quick lesson in Beacon on some of the fundamentals of handling a rapier. Yes, in-depth explanation would be required, including a demonstration of sorts. She looked around for an object and spotted a medium-sized boulder that would suffice.
Jaune undid the black case and took out his weapons, gripping the shield close to his abdomen. "I'm glad you took us away from everyone, I don't want to embarrass myself in front of the others." He said with a chuckle.
"Think of this as your new training grounds."
"Seems... cozy." Weiss rolled her eyes at the comment and walked up to Jaune to correct his posture. He needed to work on his balance and poise - his body needed to relax while at the same time concentrate on his center.
"Today I'm going to teach you how to properly thrust and guard with a rapier – these are basic exercises and with the time we have its all I'll be able to teach you today." Jaune nodded in understanding and remained in position.
"Am I holding Brutalis right?"
"Yes, but when you are guarding, you would place your index and middle finger above the crossbar. With two fingers you'll have more strength in your defense, and using one allows for some reach in your attack." She explained. The confused look he displayed didn't go unnoticed, and she helped move his fingers to the appropriate spot.
"Like this."
"Oh, that make's sense," He tightened the rest of his fingers around the hilt and brought it up to guard. "What about thrusting?" At least he's a fast learner.
"We'll go over different guards later, but for thrusting it's actually simple: point the tip of the blade of where you wish to engage the opponent, and then extend your body weight forward with a couple of steps. Usually in spars, you would attack the upper right side." He continued to nod along.
"Why learn to guard with my rapier if I use a shield?" Was it not obvious? Jaune wasn't dumb, he probably just wanted to ask for clarity.
"Because you won't always have your shield to defend yourself. Do you know how many times in the battlefield people lose their shields? Come here, I want show you something..." Weiss led him over to the boulder and took a relaxed position a couple of feet away from it.
"Now watch this." Weiss released a deep breath and focused her gaze at the boulder, pointing Myrtenaster near the center. She thrust the blade and stepped forward, the pressure from the attack splitting the rock into tiny pieces. She looked over at Jaune whose mouth was hanging open.
"Damn... I mean, that was incredible!"
"We're going to build you up until you're capable of shattering a boulder – easy enough? We'll start with one hundred thrusts and then go into detail about guards." Jaune blinked at her command, his grip loosening on the blade.
"One hundred?"
"Did I stutter? Get started, we don't have much time!" Jaune gulped and stood in the middle of the clearing, performing a thrust under Weiss's strict instructions. His grunts dampened the sound of any animals within the swamp, and all that mattered to her was getting him in shape. This was important to the team and for Tawny... especially for herself.
"Burgundy, Sherry, what are your positions?" A strained voice said over the communication equipment a young girl and man were wearing. They were designated codenames, replacements for everything they abandoned in their lives.
"We hear you Dr. Merlot, Pinot is almost done gathering the Grimm in this area." Sherry replied with a monotone voice, brushing away a strand of red hair from her emerald colored eyes. She was tired of these exercises.
"Once he's done, report back to basecamp, it appears you'll finally be able to test your abilities in the field." She found herself excited to hear this, having nothing better to do in the long months of training.
"Possible targets sir?" She asked with a lilt.
"More than you can imagine."