A/N: So, winter break's wound down for me, which is great (not really), and that means I'll start updating me other stories soon. School'll be fun, I think, and writing'll be the worst… wait, it's the other way 'round. Hm. Well, hope anyone who has to go to school makes it through alright!
On that note, for once, I tried to make this chapter a little more lighthearted… I think it kinda, sorta worked. Probably. Let me know what y'all think XD
A Stranger without an account: Hahaha, yeah, updating on Sunday isn't a very good example of me updating on Tuesdays, is it? Thank you for the words of encouragement, I really appreciate them ^-^
Guest 2: Thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed that ^-^
Marshmallow: Bad things happen to Jaune if Cinder doesn't change. Or will they? Shrugs. I guess we'll just have to find out. Hope you enjoy the next chapter ^-^
Guest 3: Thanks!
Guest 4: Hahaha XD many people do. I just wanted to humanize Cinder a little bit.
Guest 5: Wait a second. You think this is a feel good fanfic? Damn, I must be doing something wrong then. XD
Guest 6: Coco's... yeah, a little bit, isn't she?
Guest 7: Hahaha Thanks, glad you enjoyed it ^-^
Axcel: I like that you think that :) I didn't realize that every Arc has died a heroic death. After all, Jaune talks about his dad in the present tense and everything so... Anywho, I appreciate that you're trying to point that out, but... he's not really mad that they didn't accept him because he 'won't be there for others. Nice try though ^-^
As a bartender that serves a myriad of different people, Jaune quickly grew accustomed to the strangeness that followed closely behind any Hunter or Huntress that came through his doors. From a someone who can light themselves on fire to another who can teleport and create illusions, Jaune had stopped even paying any mind to any customer who decided to enter the room, flashy entrance or not. Sure some of the semblances are strange and hair raising, but Jaune only gathered more respect when he didn't bat an eye to anyone who tried to impress the room.
So as a dark haired woman stepped through her portal, looking around the room, face covered with a menacing mask, Jaune simply glanced up once and greeted her before going back to cleaning his countertop. Given, the woman didn't care much about the reactions of those around her, striding straight up towards the blonde boy and crossing her arms, frowning at him.
"Hello Miss." Jaune said, straightening up. "Is there anything I can help you with? If there is, can you wait outside? The bar doesn't open for another half hour."
The woman ignored his polite request, simply staring at the boy before saying, "I need to know where Qrow Branwen is right now." It wasn't a question or a request. From the menacing posture that she took to the dark aura she had on her face, Jaune knew that it was a demand that came from her lips. That, along with how the woman was dressed made it hard for Jaune to exactly trust the woman standing in front of him.
"I don't know if you've ever been to a bar before," Jaune said quietly, "but the only times I know where anyone is will be when they're in this room. And as you can see," Jaune swept his hands to the side, gesturing to the empty bar. "There's no one here, let alone your Qrow Branwen."
The woman stood there, unflappable as she continued to press her case.
"I know that he visits here regularly." She stated, as if that would make Jaune tell her anything. In fact, the bartender simply rolled his eyes, leaning against the countertop.
"Great. So does everyone else in Vale, coming from the crappy singing that he does when he's super-drunk."
She made a sound low in her throat, almost growling at Jaune's casual defiance. The hand on her sword tightened as she stared at him. "Do not test me." She warned, "Where is Qrow Branwen? You must have spoken with him enough to know, seeing how often he visits." Jaune sighed at the woman's insistence.
"Look Miss, like I said before, I don't know where he is, and even if I did, I wouldn't be telling you. Anyways, if you know he visits here regularly, why don't you just sit and wait until he comes here? Probably better than threatening me for information I don't know." He said the last part under his breath, before freezing as he heard the sharp rasp as the woman drew her blade, placing the tip against Jaune's neck before he could even blink. Even then, the mask hid what she looked like, the glowing red embedded in the eye sockets the only indication that she was even looking at him.
"Do not test me." She said quietly, letting the blade dip, the skin around Jaune's throat threatening to split against the edge of the sword. This was a woman that was used to getting her way through force and intimidation, Jaune noted, even as his heart decided to go into overtime. Keeping his external demeanor calm was a part of being a bartender though, and when he spoke, it was in a clear and steady voice, eyes looking at her, well, her mask without wavering.
"So you're just going to kill me? An unarmed civilian in a bar that's about to open in half an hour, in the middle of Vale?" Jaune asked, raising an eyebrow. Huntress, hardened criminal, or just plain drunk, most of them would've hesitated at least a second knowing the implications. The good majority probably would have backed off, knowing that killing or even harming the boy standing behind the counter would come with consequences no one really wanted to deal with.
The woman in the mask simply pressed the sword a tad deeper, actually cutting into Jaune's skin at this point, a drop of blood trailing down Jaune's neck.
"It will not have been the first time I've done it." The woman said quietly.
Jaune believed her, and showed that he understood by standing as still as he possibly could, trying not to swallow, or breath too deeply. The blade hovered there for a second longer before she withdrew it, allowing Jaune to take a relieved breath, straightening up off the countertop. He didn't know what to say to the woman who just threatened his life, and judging by her speed and semblance, she probably could cut his head clean off and disappear to who knows where before Jaune could even begin to dial for help.
The woman unceremoniously plopped herself onto the bar stool in front of her, making Jaune jump. Raising her hands, she grabbed her mask and pulled it off, setting it aside, revealing a pale face with deep red eyes. Under the mask, she looked a lot younger than Jaune assumed, except for the depth that was held in her eyes, marking her as an experienced… something. The blonde still wasn't sure if she was a Huntress or something… more. Or less.
Nevertheless, the woman had stopped threatening his life and was sitting in front of him, which made her a customer, no matter how axe-happy she seemed to be.
"Would you like something to drink? We have a great selection of beverages and I could certainly make a drink if you have one in mind—"
"I don't want a drink."
Jaune didn't even pause, jumping to the next topic. "Or if you're feeling a little peckish," from trying to murder me, "we have a few items of choice that are good for filling up the stomach, although I don't recommend them as much as I do to drinks—"
"I don't want food."
"O-okay, well, then maybe I can interest you in a selection of—"
"I don't want it." The woman said before Jaune could even finish. The boy continued to smile while screaming internally, not able to think of anything.
"… Peanuts?" Jaune offered, pointing at the little tray to the side of them.
The pale woman gave him a pointed stare, not even saying anything.
At this point, Jaune gave up, closing his eyes and frowning. "Well, you have to get something."
"I don't want anything." The woman repeated stubbornly. Jaune wanted to bash his head against the counter, and was contemplating if he was fast enough to reach over and throttle the woman before she could draw her sword.
"Well, you have to get something," Jaune said stubbornly, crossing his arms. "This is a bar, and we don't allow people to loiter around. It's bad for business." The woman continued to glare at him, eyes sharp as she tried to stare him down. The bartender wasn't willing to back down though, and stared back steadily at her, daring her to go against him.
"… Don't want anything." This time, the woman's response sounded a lot less serious, and a lot more whiny, as if she was a young kid being forced to eat her vegetables. Jaune wasn't having any of that though, and continued on his firm stance, keeping his lips pursed tightly.
"Then you can leave."
The two of them continued their staring contest before the woman sighed, slouching in the stool.
"Fine." The raven-haired woman said grumpily, crossing her arms. "Give me something." Jaune raised an eyebrow, smirking internally at his minor victory.
"What do you want?" He asked. The woman shrugged, not even looking at him anymore.
"Don't care. Just give me something."
Jaune groaned, shaking his head as he turned around, grabbing a mug and filling it up with the cheapest drink he could find, setting it down in front of the woman. He didn't both with the niceties, finding that she didn't bother with them either, thanklessly accepting the drink and pulling in large drafts, finishing the drink, setting it down and simply sat there, looking at a nearby wall without moving.
Jaune stared at the woman, trying to provoke a reaction from her. It was as if she was carved from stone, Jaune thought to himself. Giving up on the woman, he continued to clean up and set the tables, glancing at his watch and finding that he only had five minutes before opening time. Finding nothing else to do, Jaune sidled back towards the counter and crossed his arms, frowning at the woman who still hadn't moved an inch.
"What do you need from Qrow anyways?" Jaune asked. The woman finally budged, moving her eyes to look at the boy. She didn't do anything else though, simply just looking at the boy. The bartender stood there, letting him be examined for Dust knows how long. Time seemed to slow as she looked at him, her eyes piercing through his body.
"I have business with him." Came the simple reply, making Jaune roll his eyes.
"Well that doesn't come to a surprise," Jaune said sarcastically. "But I'd kind of like some warning if you guys start swinging your swords around, you know? Gotta have a good place to duck if that stuff happens." The dark haired woman snorted, a small smile appearing on her face. Jaune smiled as well, glad to see that he wasn't dealing with a complete robot of a person.
"Look, I just want a promise that you won't harm anyone or trash the place while you're here, Miss…" Jaune hesitated, not knowing her name. The woman looked at him with an amused glance, nodding.
"Raven." She answered. "My name is Raven Branwen." Things clicked behind Jaune's mind.
"Oh. Like Qrow… Branwen." The woman nodded. Jaune looked up and down at the woman, a different perspective given to him. Piecing things together, Jaune came to the appropriate conclusion.
"So, you guys married or something?"
"W-" Raven didn't even try to hide her confusion, and the faint disgust that appeared on her face. "What? Of course not! We're twins!" Jaune snapped his fingers, pointing at her, nodding.
"Right. That was my second guess."
"Why would you even— ugh." Raven covered her face, frown marring her face. "That's just disgusting." The bartender couldn't help but laugh, shaking his head.
"Alright, alright. I'm just kidding. Even I can see you guys are related." Jaune said, waving his hand dismissively. Raven settled down for a second, happy that she wasn't being put together with Qrow in that way. Suddenly the woman frowned, going through the boy's words again.
"Wait a second, what do you mean by 'you can tell that we're related'?"
Jaune raised an eyebrow at the woman, who actually looked even more offended than before. He gave her a once over again in his mind, easily bringing up attributes that both the twins had. Aggressive, antisocial, demanding, and didn't know what personal space meant, Jaune thought to himself as he took a step back, giving himself another inch of space between the two of them. Those weren't really flattering things that Jaune could say in front of her though.
"You're uh, you've got the same sense of color scheme?" Jaune suggested, laughing nervously at the hard stare on Raven's face. The expression lasted for another second before her expression morphed into a smug smile.
"Well of course. These are the colors of the Branwen clan after all."
Of all the things you can take pride in…
Any further conversation was interrupted as Jaune's scroll started to vibrate, the alarm to open the bar setting itself off. The bartender tapped the screen once and stuffed the device into his pocket, excusing himself to open the doors of the bar, letting in a few early-risers into the bar, greeting them with a small smile. The next few minutes were a blur as Jaune fell into routine, serving everyone and making sure they were all satisfied and comfortable, spending a minute or two with a few of the lonelier ones before making his way back towards the imposing woman. Raven's eyes constantly flicked from side to side, looking at every person who walked in through the door, tensing slightly every time.
Finally the doors swung open to reveal the grizzled Hunter, striding in without a care in the world, a little grin on his face as he looked at the nervous bartender.
"Jaune! I need one of your drunky shots, stat! I think my sister's coming to visit and I definitely need to be smashed for…"
Raven sat there, waiting patiently for the Hunter to notice her, which he did as his words trailed away, realizing who was sitting next to Jaune. The blonde boy shrugged helplessly, his grin more of a wince than anything else.
"Surprise?"
Qrow stared at the woman in front of him for a little longer before coughing into his sleeve, falling back into his normal demeanor. "Raven! Didn't realize you knew this place. You enjoy one of Jaune's drinks here yet? They're worth the lien, let me tell you." The dark haired man laughed casually, striding a up and falling into a bar stool, leaning against the countertop. Jaune decided that now would be the best time to leave the two to their devices, stepping back to grab his Hunter-effective alcohol, pouring a shot for the Qrow. Placing it on the table, the Hunter didn't even have to look as he grabbed the glass and threw it back, placing it on the coaster and tapping his finger twice, letting Jaune know that he was ready for a refill. The boy raised an eyebrow, surprised that Qrow was asking for another shot so soon. Even the extreme alcoholic Qrow needed to pace these shots, or he'd go absolute drunk within seconds.
The moment Jaune finished refilling the shot, Qrow consumed it again, signaling for another refill. Maybe Qrow was trying to get completely smashed for some reason. The third drink filled, Raven intercepted it, snatching it away before Qrow could grab it. His face was already a rosy red, and he frowned at the woman sitting in front of him, pointing at the drink.
"That's mine." Qrow said shortly, hints of slurring already present in his voice. Raven continued to hold it in the air, a frown on her face.
"I need you to be lucid for this Qrow." Raven gave the drink a curious sniff, wondering what it was. "I'm surprised though, I thought you were more of a heavyweight than this." Qrow eyed her balefully, before focusing his attention back to the more important, still out of reach shot glass in her hands.
"You know exactly how much of a heavyweight I am," Qrow retorted, lunging forwards to grab the glass. Raven leaned back and pretty much punched her brother in the face, sending him reeling backwards. "Ah, you, ugh, that hurt, dammit." He said, holding his nose gingerly. Raven rolled her eyes, swirling the liquor around in a circular motion idly.
"Stop being such a weakling. Your aura's probably already healed that up."
"Doesn't mean it didn't hurt." Came the childish response, Qrow's posture clearly slumped and sulking.
"Stop being so childish," Raven snapped, placing the drink beside her. "This is a matter of great importance."
"Yeah well so is that drink." Qrow replied, hand outstretched to grab the drink again. With a frustrated noise in the back of her throat, Raven grabbed the drink again, drinking it quickly, coughing explosively after she did so.
"Listen, cough, to me! We have to talk about, cough cough, about—" Raven continued to cough, tears in her eyes. "What is that?" Qrow was dying off to the side, clutching his stomach in laughter, wheezing as he struggled to breathe. Jaune was also fighting to make sure he didn't grin, viciously reminding himself that she could remove his head from his body without a second thought. The woman continued to cough, her body trying to reject what she had just tried to ingest.
"It's a drink Raven." Came the breathy reply from Qrow. "I didn't realize you were such a lightweight." He repeated what she said mockingly, still trying to smother his chuckles.
"It's poison." The woman said distastefully, glaring at the glass as if it was its fault for making her do something so embarrassing. Qrow snorted and was finally able to snatch the glass away from her, handing it to Jaune with a hopeful look in his eyes, silently asking for a refill. Jaune nodded, handing the glass back to the man after he had done so.
"It's good." Qrow snorted, this time savoring the drink in his hand, letting the flavors fill his mouth as he closed his eyes. Raven looked at her brother in disgust, before turning and demanding what Jaune did to create something so potent. And potent it was, as Jaune was able to notice the faint brush of red that the angry woman sported. The boy offered an innocent smile at her, shrugging.
"Blood of a Beowulf with a strain of aged Death Stalker venom." The lines were delivered flatly, and Qrow almost spit out his drink in surprise. Almost. Instead, he struggled to choke it down, coughing a little as he covered his mouth with his sleeve. Raven reacted by recoiling visibly, her face arranged into a look of absolute horror. Their positions lasted for another second before Jaune let out a snicker, unable to hold it in any longer. Covering his mouth, Jaune turned to the side to stifle his chuckles, making Qrow breathe out in relief, covering his face. Raven simply looked confused.
"I didn't realize you had a sense of humor kid. Especially a bad one." The old Hunter said, grinning at the boy. Jaune shrugged, smiling at him.
"It comes and goes."
"Comes and goes," Qrow muttered in amusement. "Right."
"Wait a second." Raven interrupted their exchange, still slightly bewildered. "That was a joke?" Jaune glanced questioningly at Qrow, who didn't say anything, and nodded, an eyebrow raised. The woman looked down at her lap, before turning to Qrow, then Jaune.
"So… no Beowulf blood?" Jaune shook his head. "No Death Stalker venom?" Again the bartender shook his head. "So there's no Grimm… excretions that go into this drink?"
Jaune hesitated.
"Sure."
"… Ok then." Raven relaxed her shoulders, mollified. Again Qrow didn't react much, simply shaking his head and keeping the grin on his face, finishing the last of his drink and deciding that now would be a good time to get to business.
"Alright there Ravey. What's the deal?" The slur in his voice is much more noticeable now, and his eyelids were half closed, but what parts of the eyes Jaune could see were still very aware. Raven frowned at the use of the nickname and crossed her arms, not hiding the look that she sent to the bartender.
"Maybe we can find a better place to do this at. Somewhere a little more… quiet." The words would've been more subtle if Jaune wasn't standing there, and if Raven hadn't literally gestured at him when saying the sentence. Qrow scoffed, waving a hand.
"What're you talking about? This is the best place to do this. Trust me, no one listens in on a conversation at the bar without getting caught. We'll just, you know," Qrow leaned over and put a hand to his mouth, pantomiming a whisper. "be really, really quiet." He said in a normal voice. His sister didn't seem very amused by his display, her mane of hair bristling like a cat in annoyance.
"Even so. Maybe we shouldn't let civilians hear what we're about to say." Raven said, continuing to press the subject. Again Qrow waved a hand, even more dismissive than before.
"Jaune's level. I trust him." The words were simple, and spoken by a drunken man who didn't care much for social norms, but they brought a proud smile on Jaune's face, humbled to hear a Hunter comfortable confiding with him. Raven though, didn't look so happy.
"Even if it's about the Queen?" She asked quietly. Qrow squinted at her, then back at Jaune, the gears in his mind whirring. Jaune spared him from answering the question, raising his hands.
"Don't worry about it." The bartender said with a smile. "I need to make sure the other customers are okay anyways. I'll come back in a few minutes." Without giving any time for Qrow to object, Jaune slipped past, happily making sure everyone else had their fill.
The process was automatic for Jaune, and left him a lot of thinking space while his body moved automatically. Queen. It was a strange word, and he only knew of it from his past History lessons from before he came to Vale. It was a female ruler, if he remembered correctly. Which didn't make much sense for him, seeing as how Remnant was divided and governed by councils. Remnant hadn't had any type of 'ruler' since the Color Wars, if Jaune wasn't mistaken.
Maybe if he had stuck with going to school instead of filling his head with the unachievable goal of become a Hunter, he would've been able to guess as to why the twins were talking about a Queen. Maybe if Jaune had never tried to go against his parents' wishes and tried to leave for Beacon, he would've never been in this situation to begin with.
And his family might still be alive.
Jaune sighed, frustration building as he faced the ever present shadow in his mind, threatening him silently. He knew sooner or later his mind would turn towards the depression lurking there, and just the thought made his body a little heavier, his heart ache a little more.
My baby.
The bartender closed his eyes, ignoring the brief whisper that touched his eyes. This wasn't healthy, Jaune told himself. Stop.
"—not sure what, I just know that it's going to be big." The blonde caught the tail end of their conversation, Raven gesturing urgently as Qrow simply leaned back, his façade of extreme drunkenness put to the side. Sure, his face was still very red, and the slur was poking out, but everything else was tucked neatly away as he processed the information.
"I'll make sure to keep a look out then." Qrow said, before nodding at Jaune. "You done with everyone already? Impressive." The boy gave a weak grin, shrugging.
"Part of the job." Jaune replied.
Raven stood up, her eyes stormy as she placed the mask back onto her face. "Remember what I said Qrow. Watch your back." The man nodded, looking at his sister. A portal ripped itself open beside her, Jaune stopping her before she could step through.
"Wait a second!"
Raven paused, turning back to look at the boy, who coughed in embarrassment.
"You still need to pay for that drink." Jaune said, pointing at the forgotten glass over on the side. Raven's head turned to follow the finger, before turning back to Jaune.
"… He'll pay for it." Raven said, tilting her head at Qrow.
"I am?" Came the incredulous reply, right as the woman stepped through the portal, the tear in reality closing itself up. Qrow gaped at the air in front of him, blinking in confusion.
"I guess I am." He muttered, pulling out his wallet.
Jaune couldn't help but give a helpless chuckle as he accepted the lien, tucking it away into the nearby register.
"You know, I'm not one to pry," Qrow snorted, Jaune ignoring him as he shut the drawer and turned to the man. "But I am slightly curious. What were you guess talking about when you meant Queen? You don't have to tell me anything," Jaune added. "It's just weird that you're talking about rulers—"
"We weren't." Qrow interrupted, confusing Jaune even further.
"What?"
"We weren't talking about rulers." Qrow repeated, a thoughtful look on his face. "We were talking about chess pieces."
"Chess pieces?" Jaune sounded as incredulous as he felt, unable to fathom why anyone would be talking about a board game with such secrecy.
Qrow seemed to make up his mind about something, and his eyes sharpened, piercing into Jaune, making the boy stand up straight in attention.
"Tell me," Qrow said quietly, eyes flicking back and forth once more before continuing. "What's your favorite fairy tale?"