Hello. There are two very important notes I need to leave here, though they would be for readers from before the release of this second chapter, which would be the 3rd of March 2023, so for anyone new, please do feel free to ignore this and I hope you enjoy the story.
Onto the notes, the first is as to this fic - I've made adjustments to the former chapter, mostly prettying it up, but there was a substantial change towards its end, after the last line break, right after Neo takes Jaune to Roman, to be precise. The scene there has changed drastically as I'd done it very poorly, and the story would've suffered if not for that being fixed. I am sorry for this inconvenience, but the scene now can properly serve its purpose here and be - hopefully- far more entertaining.
This second note is as to all of you who've chosen to stick with my stories, and is one I'll be posting on the latest chapter of any of the others which I update. It'll be too long to post on an individual chapter, I feel, and probably not for the best to post it on each story individually, so I will be posting it towards the bottom of my profile, an explanation that I'd say I owe after disappearing for so long, though not solely for the disappearance alone. As of now it is not posted as I am still thinking it over, trying to formulate everything I intend to say. Even so, it'll be up by tomorrow at latest.
That all said, I'd like to say, as it's been long overdue, I hope you enjoy!
Ye Olde Faithful Advisor - Jjpdn
A chair clanked to the ground as Jaune swiftly stood, taking several steps back as he clumsily drew out Crocea Mors with one hand, pointing it at the man before him as he slowly backed away, his other hand still holding onto a newspaper.
"Geez, you really need to be that dramatic about this, Kid?" Roman rolled his eyes at him as he calmly remained sitting at the table.
"You're a criminal. A thief!" Jaune heatedly replied.
"Hey, that's the gentleman thief, I'll have you know. Yours one and truly, Roman Torch-" a yawn broke out from him before he could properly stifle it, and his momentary self-satisfied expression turned annoyed. "Ah, forget it. But yeah, we were over this already. No need to make such a big deal out of it."
"Make a big deal- you're a wanted thief!" Jaune protested. "What're you going to do with m- does that mean… does that mean Neo is...?" He trailed off.
"I can give you my scroll if you want. We also had some old computer over here somewhere, though not sure how good that'll do surfing the web. You won't find anything on her, I like hogging the spotlight, you see."
Jaune wearily kept his eyes on Roman but otherwise didn't respond or move.
"So much for breaking the ice… Listen, surprisingly to the both of us, I am being honest with you. You saw I'm a famous thief, not a secret to anyone here in Vale. Stealing from the rich, giving to the… well, me."
"And you're saying that makes it better?"
Roman let out a mirthful laugh at that, that almost made it seem like he wasn't feeling too tired to even be here right now. Almost. "Hardly. Don't get me wrong, I'm definitely not someone who can, or will give you all that holier than thou crap. I lie, cheat and steal. Oh, I steal only from richer folk? My, how commendable of me, not like everyone else can't also brag the same."
Roman laughed out loud. "Of course I steal from them. What's the point in stealing from someone who doesn't have much to begin with? I'm no more noble than any other thief, though I won't deny, they are quite spot on in stating what a gentleman I am-"
"Enough of this." Jaune shouted. "What's even your point?"
"My point is that," Roman's frivolous expression was replaced by a more serious, tired one again. "that is me. You won't be finding anything like that on Neo. Now mind you, I'm not saying she's little miss innocent. After all, she knows what I do, and she's shown you her semblance's little trick, so you'd be right to guess she's bailed me out of a tough spot more than once. Though that's it."
"But why are you telling me this?" Jaune began. "Why'd you even bring me here, for what? And where is Neo?" Exasperation and nerves won over him in the end, "Is this supposed to be some ridiculous plot where you now intend to ransom me?" Jaune spread his arms to his sides in exaggeration, not even realizing or caring Crocea Mors was no longer pointed at Roman due to that.
"Ha, like she'd ever be patient enough to carry on with a plot for as many years as she's known you!" Roman barked another laugh. "I'd wish it was something like that, Ki- no, Jaune. I really wish so, cause even if I'd never want to get involved in something as volatile as ransoming, it'd still probably have it make more sense than the truth of this nonsense."
"And what is that truth!" Jaune demanded.
"That what I told you when we first met a bit ago was mostly true. She didn't bring you here with the intent of kidnapping you. No, she did, indeed, bring a friend over."
"...What?"
"I didn't expect to be up early on a Sunday and spending my morning doing… whatever this is, I know. But well, here," Roman tossed a letter - a pamphlet to Jaune as he panickedly dropped the newspaper and grabbed it in turn.
"This is? Deadlines, acceptance dates… Beacon?!" Jaune's eyes widened.
"Bingo. Neo wants me to try and find you a way in."
"What?"
"You know, you're proving to be quite one track in conversation. Though I can't fault you, that was my response as well when she brought it up to me."
"No, that - even before that… don't mess with me!"
"Ha, I wish I was. But this just is that impulsive girl really being in her element today." Roman gave him a tired smile.
"...And what if I said I want to leave?"
"Alright."
"Really? Just that easy?" Jaune narrowed his eyes.
"I'd get Neo to get you out of here so you can't actually see where we are, of course. But otherwise, I won't be stopping you."
"I know what you look like, who you are."
"You and all of Vale. I doubt there's anyone who won't recognize me if you showed them my picture." Roman smirked. "Unless they don't even check the news once a blue moon like somebody in this room."
Even among the confusion and stress of the situation, Jaune couldn't help but focus for a bit on that jab at him. Regardless, there were far more important things. "What about Neo. You said it yourself, no one knows about her. What if I were to give away that she's involved with you."
"So?"
"So?" Jaune questioned back in surprise. "What do you mean 'so'? Won't you want me to not reveal anything, to stay silent, to-"
"To silence you? Throw you in a river with cement shoes, or maybe wake up with a horse head in your sheets." Roman slowly got up as he began walking towards Jaune, expression serious, mostly unreadable, though Jaune couldn't help but think he saw a bit of sadness behind it.
Jaune's sword had fallen to his side, still held firmly but downward, and while he did not raise it as Roman came up to him, his grip on it tensed as his nerves flared.
"I'm a thief, Jaune, not the mafia. Though even if I was, you'd not need to worry about any such nonsense. If you chose to leave here and now, Neo would take you out of here and back to your home. And if you did squeal, rat her identity out, or whatever fancy way you want to put it, I can guarantee you we'd not be coming looking for vengeance, though you'd probably not be hanging out like the good 'ol days after the fact."
"I… I don't get it." Jaune simply said in a weak voice, now staring the man before him in the eyes.
"Well, that makes two of us then. I honestly can't tell at all why, but Neo's decided she's trusting you with this."
"I still don't get it. Why-"
"Are you deaf, Kid?" Roman raised his voice for the first time since Jaune had met him, only slightly, yet it carried all the more an intimidating air. "Hell if I can ever figure out what that girl's thinking… Either way, she's chosen to trust you with this. I can tell you that's not something I've seen before."
Roman turned his back to Jaune as he walked a few steps away, letting out a long breath. "And after panicking, she left all the heavy lifting to me, I swear that girl can be so merciless sometimes." He spoke out in an almost weak, resigned sounding voice.
"Well, I can re-assert what's already been said, but that's really just it. She's the one choosing to tell you all this. And I will request you don't reveal any of it, but I guarantee you, this is not a threat. Whatever the outcome of today, I'm not coming after you."
"...But why let Neo do this then? If you're being honest, that you won't do anything to me regardless, I can immediately walk out and tell everyone."
"Yeah, and? It's her choice, so I'll let her do what she wants. If it blows up in her face then maybe it'll at least be a lesson learned."
"That… doesn't sound like a good parenting method."
At that Roman barked a laugh. "It isn't, is it? Can't claim I did all that well there either, huh?"
Silence then lingered for a short while, and just as Jaune began feeling it a bit suffocating, racing through ideas of what to say, Roman first broke it. "You an artist?"
"Huh?"
Roman glanced at the painting supplies that had been hurriedly dropped to one side on the floor.
"A-Ah, yeah. I'm a painter, I guess? Not really anything special, I just do it for fun, but…" Jaune trailed off, the small talk feeling oddly relieving, despite the situation not having been yet diffused.
"Geez, talk about hitting the jackpot," Roman plopped back on his chair. "A painter, all the better to remember your faces and paint a police portrait myself with. That has to be the beginning of some bad joke." His demeanor shifted to being far more frivolous, though Jaune couldn't help but feel the mirth wasn't quite there. "Well, what'll it be?"
Jaune stood and stared at him all the same, not sure what to reply.
Roman let out a sigh, "This is overwhelming for the both of us, alright? So, what do you want to do? Do you want me to get Neo to take you back and just pretend all this was a dream, do you want-"
"No!" Jaune looked surprised for a moment himself, at how curt and matter of fact his own tone was, even if he wasn't exactly trying for excessive politeness. Glossing it over, he spoke up. "I want to… Please get Neo. I think we need to talk."
Roman eyed him for a long moment, it made Jaune feel anxious, as if he was being judged in some way. "You heard him!" Roman then yelled out. "I know you're damn well close enough to eavesdrop, I've known you long enough!" Despite his raised voice, his tone didn't appear annoyed in any way. "You threw me to the wolves, but I can't play your role for you."
A few moments passed but there was no sign of her.
"I swear that girl," Jaune barely caught as Roman mumbled out, after which the thief got up and began walking to a door to the far wall of the… 'Is this a warehouse?' Jaune finally wondered before he brushed the thought aside.
"H-Hey, where are you going?!"
"I'm leaving. You can use this exit as well if you want, I don't care anymore."
"...What?!" Jaune felt utterly baffled.
"I don't have more time to waste playing chaperone to a host who can't even greet her guest of honor." Roman seemed to ignore Jaune, simply carrying on as he spoke aloud. "Just remember, if he wanders off onto the streets he'll have to figure out his way back from here to wherever the heck he came from."
Before another word could be said, the slam of a metal door was heard as Roman walked away, it even remaining slightly ajar as it was not properly closed. Jaune could hear Roman's steps for not a second more before they became too distant, and he could truly see the outside from the slightly open door.
Before he could contemplate what kind of joke this was, he heard more footsteps this time from behind him, these a familiar clack of heels, though much slower than he usually knew them to come - more uncertain he'd dare say.
Turning around he could only catch her feet from under the knees, her parasol - with a hidden blade he reminded himself - open and pointed forward, hiding most if not all of her.
"Neo?" If she were still before, at his words, after bristling for but a moment, she outright froze. No further gesture, movement or sound.
Jaune felt his own annoyance bristle yet again, as he wasn't sure if he was acting with or against his better judgment when he sheathed Crocea Mors and walked up to her, throwing caution to the wind as he pushed aside her parasol.
At this point, he was not at all sure what to expect, there were so many things he was still trying to figure out himself, yet what he saw he couldn't help but feel as so foreign.
It'd been three years. Three years since he'd first met Neopolitan, yet he could never think of anyone else that he knew to wear as often a smirk or a grin, such that saying it was her default state was a natural conclusion to him. She'd been annoyed or irked at times, she'd also given smiles that felt much more from the heart - such he chose to still believe - but nervous?
Such he'd never seen her.
It was why it was so odd now, seeing her not looking amused, bored or excited about something, but instead gazing away to the side, refusing to meet his eyes. So odd, the unnatural nervousness and worry he'd rarely if ever at all seen on her face, as though a teenager called out in class or caught by his parents skipping curfew.
He couldn't help but let his expression soften, "Neo, we need to talk." He firmly stated.
She almost seemed as nervous as him at an exam as she seemed to begin to speak, only for there to obviously be no sound to come, and then to give a false look of surprise and a shrug as she even more nervously still looked away.
"Neo," This wasn't at all like her, "Please, we need to talk about this."
A long moment of silence passed before she finally turned her head to him, eyes held down and still not meeting his, but she gave him a nod.
This time it was his turn to take her hand as he lightly tugged her along, she almost dropped her parasol in surprise as he brought her to the side of the room, and before she could question him, he sat down and leaned his back on the wall. Not exactly comfortable but it'd have to do.
He looked at her, "What? Come on," He patted the spot beside him, "Can't really do with a tree, since I can't go figuring out where this place is, so this'll just have to do, right?" He gave her a small smile.
She gave him a long, nervous look, before she dropped her parasol aside and sat by him, though she wrapped both hands around her knees as she pulled them in, her head above them and not looking at him. A new side of her maybe, but he couldn't say he was happy seeing her in such a state, and he felt that feeling was enough direction as to what response he should give.
"You know, Neo… Wow. I mean, today's a crazy day, huh?" He waited for a bit, and got a nod as a response, even if she still chose to look away. That was progress… right? "To be honest, I guess I don't really know what to say. Calling this a surprise feels like it'd be the understatement of the century, but…"
He took a long breath. "Feeling so lost, not knowing where to begin, you felt the same, didn't you?" At that, she looked at him in surprise, though she averted her eyes quickly after again. "I mean, this is crazy, but if you resolved yourself to actually share this with me, if it's actually like how that Roman guy said, then… Sorry, I guess I'm not quite sure what I'm trying to say, too." He gave a weak smile.
He couldn't let silence reign right now. It was a hypocritical thought that gave him that notion, recalling how he eventually played it off as to the nightmares - a false bravado everyone knew but learned to not question. How he acted as though they were no longer a problem, let them fester, all because it felt too difficult of a thing to think of a solution to.
"Neo, has this always been the case? I know this is personal, but is this how you grew up?"
She glanced at him, still nervous, and after a few long moments she gave a so-so gesture with her hand and looked away.
"...I see. I… won't pry any further - for now. I can't promise you that I won't ask at some point again though." He received a slow nod at that.
"Why'd you- No… I'll be right back." He got up as he cut himself off, causing Neo to raise her head in surprise as she followed him. He took a moment, rummaging through his tools, but there it was, his sketchbook. He didn't start off with painting itself. He didn't use it as much nowadays, but he'd considered it a good idea to have on hand today, to outline something faster if they'd take most of their time actually training.
He sat back down beside her, "Well, you know I can't quite find the right words sometimes as well, and there were also a few times I got you to have a go at sketching something, right?" Her eyes widened at that as though he'd said something scandalous, "So, they say a picture says a thousand words. Statistically at least a few of those will have to be helpful to us, right?" He pushed his fountain pen into her hand.
Likely nervousness and surprise found her grasping it unintentionally, as Jaune held the sketchbook between the two of them. "Come on, your first tries were a lot better than mine. You'll do fine." He gave her a reassuring smile. "Though I guess we'd probably want to do this on the table, huh?" He pulled her along, though she did not resist as they quickly found themselves sitting at the table.
She looked at him, panic notwithstanding to the absurdity of the situation, and she didn't need words to convey that her message was likely along the lines of 'What the Hell do you want me to even do?!'
She seemed to find it irritating how he simply chuckled as though he'd exactly gotten her meaning, "How about this, let's try depicting what we had in mind to do this morning proper?" Her expression was one of surprise before realization struck, not even focusing on how she was now holding eye contact with him.
A few moments passed before she brought the pen in her hand to the sketchbook at the table. It lingered there. For a second. Eventually for a minute, though Jaune didn't press her. Then, slowly she began moving, a wobbly line or two before she again stopped, obviously not sure where to go.
Jaune paid close attention meanwhile, and worry and nervousness washed over him as he saw it, subtle, yet he could tell how her hand shook slightly. One might've thought it inexperience, but he remembered when he'd egged her on to give it a go before, how steady her hands were, it made it all the more obvious here.
"Where do you think we should start? Do we depict the beginning? Maybe the middle of our clash? Oh, or do we go for the grand finale?!" Neo appeared annoyed at how frivolous he was, perhaps at how calm he appeared as well.
It made it all the more nerve-wracking for him to act reassuring so as to meet her down the middle of this crazy ride of a heart to heart they were having. That annoyed expression of hers was familiar though, and he found that reassuring himself.
Subtly shaky hands continued to make wobbly lines over the next ten minutes or so. Her mounting irritation at the difficulty seemed to distract and subside some of her nervousness, if but a bit.
And if Ember and Saphron ever taught him something, it was that there was no better distraction than absolutely flustering someone.
He gave a wry smile at what he was picturing to be her intended drawing from what he estimated to be roughly half its outlines. Then, he gently grabbed and began guiding her hand.
Neo nearly jumped as he did so, irritation overtaking her face as he pretended to not notice and gently pushed along her hand, though she seemed to let him all the same.
He wasn't sure how long it took, the awkwardness of two people drawing it in so ineffective a manner, one still figuring it out and the other going by guesstimate, the sketch was rough to say the least.
"You know, I'm a bit insulted, I could do better in a fight now, come on." contrasting his words, his tone was quite cheery as he gazed at what was a discernible enough by context image of him sprawled on grass as a smaller frame that would've definitely been Neo loomed over him, umbrella over shoulder posing victoriously after having kicked his butt.
He was pretty sure her expression - if it was discernible - would have been a smirk as well.
She raised an eyebrow at him.
"Hey, I'll have you know, they said I have a lot of aura! I bet I'd tire you out by letting you beat me up." He said with an overexaggerated display.
Neo rolled her eyes at that as she waved him off. He could also see a small semblance of a smile there.
"Feeling better?" At his words she caught herself, a bit of panic momentarily seeping through before she reigned it in, taking a deep breath as she looked at him, giving him a small smile, then a nod.
However, as the moment passed, Jaune's smile dropped, "...Neo, I… I'm sorry, but I have to ask this much. Do you intend to get involved in this? I mean past just bailing out that Roman guy."
Neo was not quick to answer, her expression complicated as the silence drew on for a while. Finally, she shook her head in response as a 'no'.
Was she being honest? Jaune felt a bitter taste when those words crossed his mind, and with uncertainty still, he pushed them aside, "Alright. And… Thanks, for being honest with me. About all of this."
Neo's expression looked almost somber to him for a moment, but she broke it with a small smile. She grabbed the sketchbook, tapping on the questionably decent drawing with a finger.
"Huh?" Jaune looked confused for a moment, "Geez, yes, Neo, I guess you'd beat me in a fight. Didn't we already go over this?" Though he was grateful for the distraction, if feeling it a bit out of the blue.
Neo shook her head, then tapped at the sketch with her finger again, then at the side of her waist, then pointed at Jaune.
"Neo, what are you trying to-" Jaune paused as he looked down at his side, "Crocea Mors? You were… serious about this, weren't you? About training me."
A nod and a smirk.
"I don't- listen, I'm grateful, but I don't think it'll just work like that. I mean, I know I was the one who said a school is where we're supposed to learn to begin with, but I'm missing too much to just get anywhere fast, right? Not to mention I've never been to any of the prep schools either."
Neo moved and picked up one of the papers that had drifted and fallen off to the side, waving it in her hand.
"That's - yeah, that's what that Roman guy brought up. It said one month until Beacon accepts its next students. It's way too soon, isn't it? And even then, I've not been to any-" He was cut off with a bit of a surprised yelp as Neo shoved the thing right in front of his face.
He took it out of her hand, "Neo, what am I supposed to be missing here." He began looking over it again.
Impatience seemed to win out, however, as Neo began to exasperatedly sign out something. "Wait, Neo, that's too fast for me to keep up!- Wait… entrance exam?' She nodded her head in affirmation.
"...I guess they'd have those. It technically makes sense for… home-schooled people, I guess? But no, that's not really important here, is it? I haven't had any kind of schooling in fighting."
Neo waved him off, quickly signing out more.
"Neo, we can't just- It won't be just fine- Neo!' She finally halted at his frustrated calling of her name, "I appreciate this sentiment, really… But there's just no way. Dad said it best, it's just too late for me to try something like this now. I'd never pass."
A few moments of silence passed before Neo began again.
"...Neo, I'm grateful, saying you'll have my back, but really- huh…? You're saying you'll come with? No, no, don't just shrug it off! You ca- well, shouldn't just go deciding something like trying to become a huntsman on a whim." At that, Neo raised an eyebrow. "Hey, I'm not doing it on a whim, I've been thinking this over for a long- no, even before that, I did say it's a bad idea. It's too late for me at this point."
"Besides, it'd be crazy to just go and try being a huntsman on a whim, right?" he groaned at the shrug he received in response. "Besides, I'm pretty sure you need to also at least be 17 to even try and-" He couldn't help but halt whenever Neo signed out anything rapidly, namely when particularly excited or annoyed over something, as she was apparently now.
"I don't think I caught that right, sorry. You're older than me?" A nod. "Are you sure- Sorry, sorry," Jaune raised his arms placatingly at her irritated expression. "But… even if you're ready, Neo, I'm just not. I… don't get me wrong, it sounds like it'd be incredible if I could go to Beacon, even more so if we both did, but even if they could teach me everything I'm missing… I just can't make it in a month."
Neo looked at him for a long moment, seeming to contemplate something for a while. Then, she moved to the side and picked up her parasol. Before Jaune could contemplate her actions in turn, he found himself getting up with a yelp as the parasol came down, cracking the chair where he'd sat.
"Neo, wha-" His words were cut short as a clang reverberated, him having just barely drawn Crocea Mors in a panic, blocking her parasol. In response Neo seemed to relax as she pointed it downwards, giving him a so-so gesture.
"Neo, that's not how all this works!" His words, while not too loud, had an obvious tone of exasperation to them. "Believe me, I wish this could work out as easy, but it can't. How can it be possible for me to be ready for an exam to Beacon of all places, in just a month? Not to mention my parents wouldn't allow it either, especially not since five years ago…"
Neo looked upon him with a serious but calm expression, then signed anew a familiar set of words from earlier: 'I've got your back.'
"You…" Jaune let out a sigh. "Geez, I'm not even sure what to say to that." In reply, she signed out something short. "...Alright, I will. I can promise you I'll think it over some more again, but… you know that doesn't mean everything will just go all swimmingly, right?"
Her reply was but another nod, expression neutral.
"Geez, as pushy as always." Despite the words, he gave her a small smile, and she returned a grin in response, as though proud of his praise.
Then he took note of the door, namely how the light rays that filtered through had gotten much stronger as morning would not for long remain such. "That said, I think I should probably head back. Man, they probably would've noticed by now that I left… Uh, so, that teleport thing, can you do it again?"
Her grin unwavering, she extended her hand, beckoning his own.
"So can you do that, like, anytime?" Her smirk fell at his words as she shook her head in response, though he knew her enough to tell it was her being peeved at that fact rather than him. If it was the latter, he'd have already been halfway to finding somewhere to get ice cream from as tribute.
"So, is it something you can do, say, on a timer? Like once every five minutes, or 30, or an hour?" He nonchalantly questioned as he finished gathering his things.
She made a so-so gesture in response.
"Wait, what's that supposed to mean? Is it tha- Wah!" She grasped his hand as he felt his world lurch. "Neo- Wait! I need to mentally prepare for thi-" Much like his words, they, too, were gone, the room falling to a quiet lull, now devoid of inhabitants.
That lasted all of a second before the door creaked, the clack of shoes echoing the mostly bare, large warehouse as Roman walked towards the table.
"Heh, it's been a long while since I've seen you act that way," he quietly whispered under his breath. "And that brat…" He took out and lit a cigarette, stopping by and looking at the ruined chair, the Beacon brochure, and the hastily done drawing they'd dropped in their rush.
He picked it up and stared at it as he let out a puff of smoke, and a long sigh with it. "Goddamn Kids, I swear, I feel like I'm getting too old for this."
With a subtle creak and a mental note from Jaune that they should probably oil their overused and abused front door, he made it all of three steps in before he could hear his name being called out by Saphron. On cue, his scroll in his bag rang, momentarily followed by footsteps as he was faced with his parents and two of his older sisters.
"Uh… surprise?" He meekly said.
"Jaune, where were you out this early? And with Crocea Mors on you!" His father, Richard Arc, exclaimed in an even voice, both he and his mother, Julia Arc, gazing at him with stern looks that left him hard pressed for any response.
"Jahn, Jaaahn!" And the tension eased as Adrian cheered from within his mother, Saphorn's arms.
His mother sighed, "Alright, there's no point keeping everyone here. We've yet to prepare breakfast even. Jaune, Ember, come help me." With that, she turned and Ember followed, and right as he was about to as well, his father turned to him, holding out his hand.
Jaune unlatched and gave him the sheathed Crocea Mors as Saphron went upstairs with Adrian. For a moment their eyes met, and understandably, his father was not impressed. The man opened his mouth, ready to say something, but then looked to Saphron's retreating back. "We'll talk after breakfast. Understood?" A nervous yes and a nod from Jaune in response, his father turned to go and return the heirloom to its place as Jaune went to the kitchen.
Troublesome as it is with as big a family as his, Jaune appreciated how the cacophony distracted from everything. Both in how the atmosphere couldn't really stay tense over how noisy it all was with everyone here on a Sunday, as well as how it worked to distract him from his own thoughts. That ended with breakfast, however.
After breakfast things became more lively with everyone buzzing around the house, even more so with Saphron and her family visiting them for the first time since Adrian was born, him now having grown up enough to manage the long distance travel better now. Family was shuffling around left and right, some getting ready to go out, others on games, and his mother having gone to help Saphron and her wife, Terra, prepare for a trip to the park.
Jaune, meanwhile, found himself nervously sitting at his bed as his father sat down beside him. He was slightly taller than Jaune, wide shoulders and a lean build and a relatively youthful face that, with him being clean shaven, made him look like someone more in his late thirties rather than late forties. His eyes a light blue to his mother's dark blue, and in contrast to her golden blonde hair, his was a dirty blonde.
"Jaune, where do I even begin…" Despite the tired sounding words, he seemed more sad than anything else.
"Dad, I… I can explain."
"Need you? We've been over this a lot of times, Jaune, we both already know. I understand it - that wanderlust. After all, you get it from your old man over here to begin with." He let out a small chuckle, though it quickly died down with its lack of mirth. "There's nothing wrong in dreaming, Jaune, but you need to know your limits. Besides, there are many commendable things you can be, the line doesn't need to start and end at huntsman. And you know it's also just too late at this point."
"I…" He wasn't sure why it felt so heavy to hear that, even though he agreed with his father on all those points. "I know. I do. I accepted it."
"Did you? Then why were you out this early with Crocea Mors. Actually, where even? I'd assume you'd have gone to try training somewhere. No, regardless, you need to realize how bad such an idea is. You might have your aura unlocked due to circumstances, but that doesn't mean you can just do that. There's much technicality and method to even just training alone, you could still hurt yourself, or someone els-"
"No, Dad, really, I- I wasn't doing that." 'Technically not a lie,' a little voice spoke in the back of his head. He'd intended to, but he never did get the chance with everything that'd happened.
"Then?" It was slight, but the tone of Richard's voice sharpened. "What would you then have me believe you were doing out and about so early with a sword, quietly sneaking back home just before eight?"
"Well, I…" What indeed? Was there anything he could say that wouldn't be a blatant lie? It didn't help that he was honestly still processing the events of not too long ago himself. He hadn't even had time to come to terms with it all himself. "Well, I…"
"Jaune, I think this is enough," his father let out a tired sigh. "I'd hoped you'd come to terms with this. You'd found a hobby you enjoyed. There are things we need to eventually let go of…"
It was strange, why Jaune felt so dissatisfied with all those statements, despite agreeing with them. In a stranger contrast still, it also made him think of Neo of all people. And of Romans words, of how he effectively said that if he was dissatisfied with her potential criminal ties, they'd be better off not being friends anymore - and that was reasonable. It sounded right.
He didn't know the first thing about being a huntsman. Exactly what was he thinking?
He didn't really know much about Neo either. Was the situation about the same there?
'No.' Neo was a lot of things, snarky and showy most often, but she was also supportive. His family were there for him during the nightmares, and she didn't ignore him, she was there for him the same. Taking into account what he now knew, he could even recall that among the times he'd vented to her, once of a bully he had, shortly after the guy had seemingly backed off. Not just that but as he thought about it, he could recall how the guy was rather nervous around him, even now still. Even though he'd not told anyone else back then yet apart from her, nor up to now really.
Hadn't that statement been true - that she had his back, even since before? And she did even here, when everyone else told him to give up. And she'd even offered to go with him, seemingly serious about it, despite the utter absurdity of such a situation. But if she did - if they did manage to actually do this and go through with it, would this be a new start for both?
He couldn't tell it, even now, if she really did or didn't intend to get involved in the shady side of the world, but he'd already chosen, hadn't he? He decided he'd trust her. And then, wouldn't Beacon be the ideal chance to find a path away from that. And for him as well, perhaps it'd not only be his dream, but also an end to those nightmares as well.
An utmost stretch, his mind tried to reason, but could this not be what both of them were after, his it also panickedly argued back.
All these thoughts might've been zipping through his head quickly, but time still passed. A dozen seconds, then two, his father might've been taking a bit to find the right words and approach himself, but Jaune's silence would do him no favors if he simply remained in his currently stressed and jumbled mind.
"Dad, It's… I kinda wanted to impress this girl!" He blurted out.
"...Huh?" His father replied in turn, with surprise on his face.
"I- There's… well, remember the girl Ember mentioned, that I sometimes meet with?"
"...Yes?" Richard had reeled in most of his surprise, but Jaune could see he had caught him off guard as he seemed more curious and confused than suspicious.
"Well, I wanted to impress her," Not a lie, he echoed in the back of his head. Whatever the main purpose of his actions, he'd not deny he'd have liked it if Neo was still at least somewhat impressed with their spar, especially given she obviously knew how to fight and it'd be a good sign on his part in terms of potentially actually having a shot. That all needn't be clarified to his dad, however.
"You did…? But why did you take Crocea Mors then-"
"I mean, huntsmen are cool, right? And, uh…"
"Jaune," his father began, now more calmly taking control of the situation. "What a scatter brained idea is that? You don't just take a sword like that, it's dangerous. That's why there are regulations, even if less so in small villages like ours with a fair few retirees. And all to just impress some girl?"
"I know that was stupid. I agree. But she isn't just some girl!" He found himself surprisingly heated at the statement.
"Oh? Then?" his father questioned.
"I've known her for three ears at this point. I guess it isn't all that much when you think about it, but it's not that little either."
"Then why not impress her with something else," his father chastised. "Like your art for one. You can't tell me you can't see the charm and romance in that!"
'Romance?' "I mean, I've already painted and sketched some portraits of her. Twice or thrice, I think? It wouldn't really be anything new."
"Hoo?" Richard's surprise this time sounded less so peeved, more so curious, to Jaune. "Well now, that's news to me."
"Um, I mean you guys never asked, I guess," Jaune chuckled awkwardly as he nervously scratched the back of his head. "I mean, I guess I didn't really say anything about them, yeah. And she also kinda always wanted to keep them, so I couldn't really show you them to begin with…"
"Then to me it sounds like you didn't need to try and act cool, did you?" His father seemed to now have a small smile, Jaune noticed. "It's all about confidence and being yourself, and you seem to have done well enough in impressing this little lady. You don't need to go backwards on that like now."
'He's getting distracted from the topic, that's good.' "I mean, I-I guess, but I-" And then Jaune finally felt his somewhat tired and still overburdened mind click on something. His father had thought… "I, uh, yeah, I don't think I've overall made a bad impression till now… I hope." 'He thinks we're- no, but it's working. Neo's going to ki- well, I guess probably mug me rather, for throwing her under the bus like this. But I guess as long as she doesn't know…'
"I see, I see. It's good to see you talking about something - someone rather, with such a spark," his father smiled. "Rather than the usual," he added under his breath. "That's good. You know, you said you've known each other for three years, right? Don't you think it's long overdue that you invite her over, then?
"Wait- wha, no. I mean…" So much for her not knowing…
"Has she ever invited you over?"
"What kind of question is that, Dad?!" He did not account for this. The plan was imploding on impact with the enemy. "I mean, well, sort of… Yes?" Technically, as of this morning, that had been the case of sorts.
"Then that's perfect, isn't it? And it'd be rude not to invite her when she'd done that for you. Have you met her parents?"
"...Her dad, I guess? He seemed…" 'like a criminal' "...Like a guy who liked looking fancy and eye liner too much."
"Huh. Fair enough. Regardless, I think it's only proper if you invite her as well then. It even lines up wonderfully with how Saphron and her family are visiting now as well, right?" His father beamed with excitement.
"Y-Yeah. Definitely. Totally…" Jaune, not so much.
"Then I'll have to tell your mother about this. I bet we can do it this Saturday - oh, she wanted us to all go on a picnic together, maybe that'll line up even better? But then again, Ember said you always go to the park, right? And she did invite you over once, so it'd only be proper you did the same. Maybe next time it can be a picnic…" His father wasn't so much leading the conversation as having taken over it, and Jaune found no room to argue back.
"Yeah, that… That sounds great. I'm sure she'll be all for it." 'I'm sorry, Neo, please don't send me to the bottom of some river for this…'
"Alright, then I'll go talk to your mother, but don't think we're done here, we'll be talking more later about how dangerous your escapade out into the town with a weapon was, and how something like that won't be happening again." Despite the return to the serious topic at hand, it was fleeting, and obvious where his father's attention truly lied.
"I- Sorry."
"And you should be. Even back in my day I didn't do something as silly to impress your mother."
"D-Dad!"
"Oh come now, you kids nowadays. Acting like it's the end of the world if someone knows you're being lovey-dovey, I swear. Anyway, I'll talk to you more later. Honeeey!" With that Richard got up and left the room as he called out to Julia, leaving Jaune to finally recollect his thoughts of everything since this morning.
"...Huh." He spoke out to no one in particular. 'Well, at least now I'd technically be certain. Cause If Neo wasn't a criminal until now, she will be when she kills me for this. If she survives the family anyway.' With those thoughts, still sat on his bed, he fell back flat on his back. As he looked at the ceiling, he spoke a few more words out loud, though these more precisely aimed at himself.
"Aw crap…"
Bit on the prolonged side with the scenes here, I know, with only a single line break. Hope that didn't make it too overbearing. And hope you enjoyed!
Next chapter: 14th of March