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Examination
Needless to say, Grandma very obviously went easy on me, and very obviously kicked my ass regardless. While I was grateful for the spike in skill experience, if my [Gamer's Body] didn't heal absurdly fast, I would have been in traction the next morning instead of on a plane back to Vale. I'd booked it myself this time, and since I was flush with cash at the moment, I sprang for first-class. Between the adjustable seat, extra elbow room, and better snacks, I resolved to always book my own flights from now on.
It only occurred to me that I hadn't told anyone in Vale that I was coming home today when my flight landed and there was nobody to pick me up. Undeterred, I waited until nobody was looking, threw my luggage into my [Inventory], and then pulled out my bike. It actually felt a good deal lighter than the last time I'd picked it up, what with the twentyish points I'd gained in STR in the meantime.
[Importing Outsider save data… Save data loaded successfully!]
[You have remembered the skill [Driving]!]
[Driving (Passive) LV 21 EXP 13.86%]
[This skill governs your ability to handle and pilot wheeled vehicles.]
[Improves control of driven vehicles by 52%.]
[Tightens turn radius of driven vehicles by 21%.]
…I didn't have that already? What the fuck? Shaking that thought off, I belatedly remembered to switch to my Riding outfit to equip a helmet, and made my way back out of Vale toward the Arc home.
Arriving, I stored the bike away again and swapped my helmet for sunglasses before strolling up to the door. Curiously, the passive range of [Detect Aura] revealed four souls inside rather than just two. Shrugging, I turned the key, opened the door, and called out, "Hello, the house!"
"Jaune!?"
There was a stampede of feet, and from the living room charged not just Olivia and Indigo, but also Blake and her friend Jazz. It was the latter who reached me first, checking me for injuries. "Are you all right!?"
I blinked. "…Yyyes? Why wouldn't I be?"
Indigo, leaning against the doorframe of the room they'd emerged from, folded her arms. "He says, as if he didn't get in a fight with another Named Grimm," she drawled sardonically.
"That was last week," I shrugged, playing it cool. Honestly, it's not like I forgot, but… my attention really hasn't been on the fight so much as the plane crash and Ginger's death. Plus everything in Mistral distracted me. "Not my first rodeo, y'know?"
"Two is still a very small number of rodeos," Blake observed, hovering a few steps away. Nevertheless, she looked reassured by my attitude.
"Honestly, compared to Krios, Samiri was a cakewalk," I said. "Motherfucker barely hit me. But– and not that it isn't great to see you, but what are you two doing here?"
"In light of your recent battle hitting the news, I reached out to your friends to let them know you were okay. I told them they didn't have to wait for you to invite them over, and since we knew your flight was today — even though you didn't say when — I figured they could come with us to pick you up when you landed and called." said Olivia. "I didn't expect you to take the train."
"I rode my bike home, actually." I explained. "Didn't occur to me to call for a ride since I didn't have to worry about luggage."
"Well, regardless, you guys can hang here," said Indigo. "You need to do more than just eat and train, after all."
"I don't just–" I started to argue.
"Yeah, you do," Indigo interrupted. "When was the last time you did anything for fun, that didn't involve Hunting or training or studying for Beacon?"
That honestly took me aback, and from their faces I thought my sisters could tell. Olivia appeared Concerned™, while Indigo rolled her eyes very pointedly. I guess… I really don't have any friends on Remnant, do I? It just… didn't really click that the only people I interact with are my sisters and occasionally Blake.
"You act like I've been crying myself to sleep over being lonely," I folded my arms, unwilling to concede the point without an argument. "I've been busy!"
"You've been been tunnel-visioned," she corrected.
"Because I started out so far behind!"
"And now that you've killed two of the fucking Named before attending a single class, I think you can say you're caught up," Indigo pointed out flatly. "Quit arguing with me and talk to your friends."
On reflection… it'll be nice to hang out with no goals or expectations for once.
"Are you sure you're okay?" Blake asked, eyes boring into mine. "We can go if you'd prefer to rest; it was obviously a stressful situation, being faced with one of the Named again."
"No, it's fine," I denied, not wanting to kick them out. "Like I said, the fight was much easier. I was more stressed about keeping everyone else alive."
"That's a good attitude for a Huntsman," Olivia allowed, nudging Jazz aside to look me over herself.
I allowed it, slightly petulantly. "Honestly, I got a bigger thrashing from Vi and Grandma than from that stupid bull."
"You fought Grandma?" Indigo asked incredulously.
"…'Fight' is a strong word," I admitted. "What I learned from her and Pyrrha Nikos is I definitely need a better approach for fighting polearms. Or, things with a bigger reach in general. Hint hint," I added to Olivia, who cuffed my shoulder in amusement.
"Have you even considered how your hands are already going to be full with a sword and shield? How exactly are you planning to wield another weapon?"
"Shoulder-mounted cluster missile launcher," I deadpanned immediately, to snorts from the three Huntresses. Jazz simply looked relieved that they were treating it as a joke.
"What was that about Pyrrha Nikos?" the raccoon-tailed woman asked.
"Grandma set up an exhibition match. Without asking," I felt the need to add. "I assume she felt justified in making sure my skill level is where I said it is before I go apply to Beacon, but between that, and Azure changing my flight last-minute, I'm getting real sick of people assuming they know what's best for me."
Olivia and Indigo exchanged a look that I couldn't interpret, while Blake hummed in understanding. Olivia took a breath, then changed the subject. "We weren't expecting you back today, so why don't a few of us run out and pick up some food. Blake, Jazz?"
"Sushi?" I suggested.
"Sure," Blake agreed immediately, causing Olivia and Jazz to both roll their eyes.
"You're enabling her fish addiction," Jazz accused me. Blake let out an offended gasp.
"You need money?" I asked. "With five of us it's gonna be a big order."
"I've got it," Olivia waved me off. "Or rather, mom and dad are paying."
"Say no more; double my order." I might be a teensy bit bitter about being cursed.
Since my luggage was in my [Inventory] and could be unpacked later, I followed Indigo back into the living room when she jerked her head. The other three clattered their way out the front door as Indigo promptly sprawled out across one of the sofas. She didn't turn on the TV, so I reached for the next history book I needed to finish.
"Jaune…" Indigo began before I could select it. Her tone was cautious, but when I looked at her I couldn't read much from her face. "I have a… very strong suggestion for you."
"Why is it I'm hearing 'mandatory'?" I growled.
"Before everything you went through on this trip, I would've made it an order," she admitted. "Part of me still wants to. Jaune, you need to talk to someone about what happened."
"I don't follow."
She sighed, but sat up and leaned forward, urging me to take her seriously. "You didn't just get ambushed by a Grimm this time. You survived a plane crash. I don't know what the injuries you healed looked like, but they can't have been pleasant. You saw civilians dead after the crash and I'm guessing you had to heal some people in pretty bad shape, while showing nothing but confidence. You watched someone die. You can't just brush that off; nobody can."
"Pretty sure my skill actually–"
"Jaune." Indigo didn't raise her voice in the slightest. "You need to talk to a therapist."
I opened my mouth to argue — plenty of counterarguments sprang to mind, not the least of which being [Gamer's Mind] — but the look in Indigo's eye held me back. It wasn't pity. It wasn't even sympathy, although there was a hint of that. Her eyes were directed at me, but her gaze was unfocused, and I guessed she was remembering something entirely different.
"…Did it help you?" I asked finally.
Indigo didn't betray a bit of surprise. "Eventually. It never goes away, but… It kept me functioning, instead of just faking. Downtime is just as important as training. You have to take care of all of yourself."
"Because a sound soul dwells within a sound mind and a sound body," I murmured the Soul Eater catchphrase. Given Aura is literally the soul, I wonder if the forcefield is weaker when your mind is in tumult. It probably wouldn't be for me, since my Semblance de-abstracted a lot of things to quantify them, but that didn't mean therapy couldn't be useful to me. I sighed. "Well, I did decide I wanted to start volunteering at a hospital, so I guess I'd be around there regardless."
Taking that for the assent it was, Indigo gave a nod before laying back down. "Thanks for not making that a fight," she groaned as she stretched out. "Especially right after you said how sick you are of people making decisions for you."
"Yeah, well," I flopped down in an armchair with the history book I'd selected. "I'm probably going to be taking orders from my team captain and teachers for years to come, so I guess I shouldn't get too rebellious."
Dinner was a cheerful affair once the others got back. Indigo kept to herself, but Blake prodded Olivia for what she knew about the Beacon entrance exam. Blake was nodding thoughtfully when she finished. "So, there's only likely to be a few of us?"
"Correct," Olivia nodded, cradling her elbow while gesturing with her other index finger in a classic 'lecture' pose. "The entrance exam is only taken by students who aren't transferring from a combat school, so a Signal student wouldn't have to take it even if he skipped a grade to enter Beacon."
Seeing Blake was content, she turned to me. "There isn't usually a combat portion. That's taken care of by Initiation, so think more along the lines of a set of written and verbal tests. Not all fact-regurgitation, either; some of it is going to be the teacher presenting you with a scenario, and you explaining how you would go about solving it. There isn't necessarily a right and a wrong answer with those. It's about how you lead and act under pressure."
"Makes sense," I mused. "I assume captaincy isn't settled until the teams are selected, but it gives them a heads-up if any of the incoming students have a particular talent for it."
"They'll also ask you to explain your overall fighting style, so you can be coached into improving it, or corrected if it's not up to scratch."
"Because regardless of moving in squads, every Huntress is expected to stand out on her own as a symbol," said Blake, her hand reflexively moving to her shoulder to touch her weapon's hilt.
"Precisely. On which note," Olivia fixed me with a gimlet eye. "Send me the weapon schematics you said you're working on. I know you have them ready; we'll see if any of them are worth a damn."
"You're just going to steal my best ideas," I joked, and Olivia rolled her eyes as the conversation turned to how Blake designed her own weapon.
"Gambol Shroud is a Variant Ballistic Chain Scythe with pistol, chokuto, and kusarigama modes," she summarized, indicating the different parts and demonstrating the mechshift function. "The sheath can also deploy a cleaver blade; I use it in my offhand."
There's also some serrations on the back of the blade that are definitely sharpened, I observed. If she's precise enough, she could use the reverse for blunt or piercing attacks, and considering how complicated the damn thing is, she's definitely capable of being precise enough.
"I don't have anything this intricate," I told Olivia.
Blake flushed a little. "It started out one-handed, just the pistol and sword, but my… last partner used his sheath in conjunction with a sword, and I ended up redesigning so I could dual-wield. Then he found a material that wouldn't tear, and I thought that if I attached it to the hilt, it wouldn't be that different from using it like a grappling hook." She rubbed the ribbon wrapped around her forearm. "It's easy to attach, but hard to remove, so I can't be disarmed easily. The next version had a mechshift trigger to lay the blade flat, and I started practicing spinning the sickle blade around by the cord. I can even pull the trigger at a distance, if I set it up properly in advance, at least until the clip is empty."
"It built up bit by bit, is what you're saying," Olivia nodded. "That's probably a lesson to take, Jaune. Don't overdesign your first prototype."
"I'm keeping it straightforward," I agreed. "Anything involving reforging the Family Sword is going to be a pain in the ass, because the blade is a single piece, so I want to be completely sure of whatever setup I go with."
"There's a reason none of us tried to use that thing," Indigo snarked, glancing over from her discussion of soap operas with Jazz. "Even Dad prefers his hammer."
"That's because you're all cowards who can't see the merit in a blade that never needs maintenance," I jabbed back, and she snorted. "Anyway, I'm not messing with the sword or the shield with my initial design. And despite what you're probably fearing, Olivia, I don't think it should be that expensive. I just need some kind of answer if a Nevermore is flying around out of reach."
"There go my hopes for having someone do my laundry," Olivia sighed. "At least until I move."
"Oh, did you get the job you were talking about?"
"Didn't I tell you?" Indigo wondered. "Yeah, I did; I'll be teaching at Sanctum starting next term. In a few years, if there's an opening, I'll apply to take on a junior professorship at one of the Academies."
"As if it was really a question," Indigo snorted. "The moment you mentioned Mistral it was a sure thing."
"It wasn't!" Olivia argued. "I didn't rely on Grandma for this; I didn't even ask her."
Indigo made a skeptical noise, and as the two bickered, Blake leaned closer to ask quietly, "Who exactly is your grandmother? You keep mentioning her like she's important."
Jazz had sidled over as my sisters got more heated, and I shifted to include her in the conversation. "Her names Jeanne Roma. I get the impression she's… kind of a big deal."
Both girls' eyes widened. "The Wolf of the West?" Blake hissed, her ribbon bunching up as her ears laid flat. "You're–?" She took a deep breath, and glanced at the family portrait. "I should have realized. Your mother uses a Mistrali sword."
Sure enough, everyone in the picture except me was carrying their weapons: Olivia's dirks were holstered at her sides, Indigo's iklwa spear sat low across her back, Azure's derringers were peeking out from under her coat, Shani's bow hung from a complicated harness, Sienna was wearing her boot and gauntlet, Violet had her morningstar held over one shoulder, the hilt of a greatsword peeked out from behind Bianca's back, Isabella's katana was on her hip, and Jacques' warhammer was on the ground with one of his boots resting on the head as his arms wrapped around his wife and son. I withheld a grimace at the… honestly kind of dopey look on past!Jaune's face.
"We'll have to take a new picture," I murmured. "Yeah, Isabella is from Mistral. Apparently it was a minor scandal that everyone got over after Jacques challenged Anicetus Alexandria to a fight over some snide remark. Having seen Anicetus… I guess I should wait until I meet Jacques, but I'm still impressed."
"You can call them 'Mom' and 'Dad', even if you're pissed at them," Indigo cut in, her needling of Olivia dropping off as she turned back toward me.
"I'll decide that when I've met them," I shrugged. "Right now they're strangers whose names I happen to know. I can't say I feel anything particularly strongly toward them."
Now everyone was looking at me with extremely conflicted expressions.
"What?" I asked. "Put yourself in my shoes, if you woke up one day in an unfamiliar place and some people you'd never met insisted they were your parents, would you be all on board? Or would you want to get to know them better first?"
Nobody seemed to know how to respond to that, only exchanging some awkward glances, so I rolled my eyes and got to my feet. "I'm gonna go to bed. Sleep well and wake, everyone."
After settling Jazz and Blake in the guest bedroom, which they decided to share despite the number of empty rooms in the house, I went up to my own room, dropped my suitcase on the floor, unequipped my clothes, and finally it was time.
[You have obtained a new trophy! Do you wish to mount it in your room?]
Yes.
Like Krios' before it, Samiri's mask appeared on my wall, this time directly over the door, where its wide horns just barely managed to not scrape the walls on either side.
[Mask of Samiri — Rank: Mythic]
[A trophy held by the slayer of the Name-ranked Grimm, Samiri, the Wrath of the Scorned.]
[Grants [Aspect of the Marathonian].]
[Do you wish to obtain this Aspect?]
Affirmative.
Once more, the mask's eyes glowed briefly.
[You have subsumed an Aspect of a Name-ranked Grimm, and now bear its mark. Aspects collected: 2.]
[Aspect of the Marathonian (Passive) LV MAX]
[20% increase to base HP.]
[Increases Stamina Regen by 20%.]
A boost to Stamina Regen, huh? Still can't view my Stamina bar directly, which feels weird when my Semblance is so happy to enumerate everything else… Hm, and the HP boost is 20% instead of the 10% boost to my CON from Krios, does this mean each one is stronger than the last? Wait, no…
With a thought, I pulled up Krios' Aspect.
[Aspect of the Amalthean (Passive) LV MAX]
[20% increase to CON.]
[Return 20% of damage taken to the attacker.]
The CON boost was definitely only 10% before. So the main boost from each aspect gets stronger the more aspects I collect? Heh, as if I needed another excuse to kill them. Not that I would be turning the aspects down, of course. More passive buffs forever, please and thank you.
Dropping into bed, I set my Semblance to wake me in six hours and let sleep take me.
As per usual, I was the first one awake, even after half an hour's meditation, so I went for a light workout before getting breakfast ready, just a few dozen laps in the pool with no buffs active. Well, no relevant buffs; I was actually alternating [Fox's Cunning] and [Eagle's Splendor] every other minute, trying to catch them up to [Owl's Wisdom] in level. The CHA buff needed 3 ranks, while the INT one was down by 7. I also needed to bring [Bull's Strength] up by 3 and [Bear's Endurance] up by 4 to be equal with [Cat's Grace], which was my only animal buff that was even with WIS.
[Reinforcement] was ahead of all of them, at least in terms of level, since it was a more all-purpose buff, and because raising its ranks lowered the chance to take extra damage when it breaks. I also needed to figure out a way to grind [Aura] up to a reasonable level before classes began. Sparring with Pyrrha brought it up to level 6, meaning I could now absorb up to 6% of my MP in a single hit before it shattered, but I hadn't been able to raise it otherwise, because Vi and Grandma both hit way too hard for it to gain any EXP.
Other than those, my hand-to-hand skill needed some work, and all the practice with training weapons meant my [Bludgeoning Resistance] was way ahead of [Slashing Resistance] and [Piercing Resistance] — which was a problem, because Grimm were far more likely to do one or both of the latter. At least I don't have to worry about [Shock Resistance] for a while. Fuckin' Vi… Two days of spars with that sadist brought me to thirty-two ranks in that damn skill.
Overall, I decided, my level was finally at a point where I could feel comfortable with my raw power. I would still take a few Hunts, especially if Blake was on board, but I was in a good place as far as money and raw EXP, but I decided to spend the rest of the next five months mainly honing my Skills.
After breakfast, Jazz and Blake left, and Indigo insisted on driving me to the hospital.
"I said I would go, you don't have to baby me," I griped as she manhandled me into the passenger seat.
"And risk you putting it off? I don't think so," she shook her head, slamming the door on me before getting in the car and starting it. She stared straight ahead for a moment. "…I didn't mean that as harsh as it came out. But I'm still setting up the first appointment for you. If the headshrinker says you need more, I'll trust you to keep them, but I know I would've — and did — procrastinate setting up the first one until Via made me. I called it bracing myself, she called it avoidance; we never ended up agreeing."
Sighing, I let it go. "Can I ask you about something else?"
"Mm," my sister made an assenting noise.
"Although, Violet got seriously pissed when I brought it up."
"When doesn't she?" Indigo rolled her eyes. "What was it?"
"The Beaufort Tragedy–shit!" I grabbed the car handle and flared my [Aura] instinctively as Indigo's suddenly white-knuckled grip on the steering wheel made the car jerk.
"Sorry. That's just… not exactly the subject-change you think it is," Indigo said, voice brittle.
The fuck does that mean? Wait, is this event the thing Indigo had to get therapy for? I assumed it was because her Hunting partner died. Or is it both? That's not something I want to ask though…
"Never mind, then," I said, repressing a sigh. I'll just ask a teacher at Beacon or something.
Indigo didn't say anything for the rest of the drive, until finally, with the hospital in sight, she whispered. "It was the last time everyone was at home together, you know?"
I didn't know, but I also didn't interrupt.
"It's been a few years now; I don't think you were more than fourteen. Bianca had already shipped out to Vacuo and Sienna was in Atlas, but everyone else still lived here, and they both came home for the New Year. After… that event… everyone scattered. Vi moved in with Grandma. Azure took that research job. Shani bugged out all the way to Menagerie. Olivia started looking into teaching somewhere else, even before she actually graduated. Even Mom and Dad started taking missions again in the aftermath."
"I thought Shani was in Vacuo?" I asked. "I think you told me that when I got out of the hospital."
"She must've been on leave visiting Bee," Indigo shook her head. "That firebug loves the tropics; she took an indefinite posting in Kuo Kuana back then."
We were parked by this point, Indigo taking the time to back the car in like I always used to. Her hands were steady even though her voice was flat. I hadn't really learned anything new, but…
"If you're making an appointment for me, I'm making a fresh one for you," I said. Indigo opened her mouth, probably to complain, but I clapped her on the shoulder. "Deal with it. Like I am." Not giving her time to protest, I got out of the car, stretched, and made my way into the hospital's reception area.
The word 'hospital' was slightly misleading, although that was certainly what the building called itself. Here in Vale, with a population of maybe 100,000 in the city proper, the hospital was more of a compound that housed the majority of medical employees in the Kingdom. General practitioners and psychiatrists took their appointments here, as well as emergency care and even cosmetic surgeries. It was one of the taller buildings in Vale, near the middle of the city, and right on the river, allowing for access by ground, air, or water, from every direction. While there were certainly doctors in the Kingdoms' outlying villages, major issues always tended to be handled in the capitals.
Indigo wasn't far behind me, and overtook me as she power-walked to the reception desk. "My brother needs an appointment with a therapist," she said, after returning the man's polite greeting. "Give him your Scroll," she told me.
"Give him yours," I shot back, even as I handed it over. "Kindly make an appointment for my sister as well. Separate ones, to be clear."
"I will need your scroll as well, Miss," the man said, and Indigo reluctantly set hers on the desk.
"I'd also like to speak with someone about volunteering here," I told the receptionist as he returned our Scrolls. "I have a healing Semblance, so I'm hoping to help people more directly when I'm not fighting Grimm."
"Oh!" the man perked up. "That's wonderful, sir. Let me call someone up here, while I make your appointments."
Soon enough, the appointments were set, for just a couple weeks out, and after a few minutes more we were joined by a stressed-looking doctor in a dress shirt and slacks with the stereotypical white coat.
‹Life Is Short, The Art Long›
LV 11
Harris Amaranth
"Jaune Arc?" he asked, reading off his Scroll, and I rose, wishing I'd thought to buy a suit. Belatedly, I added it to [My Shopping List].
"Good morning, Doctor." He offered a hand, and I shook it.
"What brings you to volunteer at our hospital?" His tone was curt; not rude, but he clearly had a lot on his mind, as he barely glanced at me before returning to the tablet in his hands.
"My Semblance heals wounds and rejuvenates energy," I summarized. "It can also restore Aura if the subject has it unlocked. I've also closed cuts and stab wounds, healed broken bones, severed nerves, and concussions, and reduced the duration of Aura Shock by at least half."
The doctor lowered his Scroll, now staring at me intently. The receptionist, for his part, wasn't even pretending not to eavesdrop; his mouth was hanging open. The doctor glanced at him, then at Indigo, before tilting his head for me to follow and striding away.
"And the limitations?" he asked as we drew near a door marked Private.
"It works by sharing my restoration with a subject I'm touching," I explained. "I give up some of my own regeneration to do it, but the patient gains more than I'm giving up."
"How much more?"
That was a trickier question for anyone who didn't have the numbers in front of them like I did. "It depends on several factors; I get a better feel for it once it's happening," I prevaricated. "If I use it casually, while doing something else, I can usually expect to restore a civilian to full health in maybe five minutes. I can still use my Aura as a shield during this time. Even in combat as long as I can maintain contact. If I focus solely on using all my Aura for healing, to the exclusion of everything else, I could reduce that time to under a minute, but I'd be helpless during that time."
He pushed his way through the Private door, and took the second left into an office labeled Harris Amaranth.
"There's rarely any danger in a hospital, but I understand that's something you feel you have to specify as a Huntsman," he muttered, dropping into the chair behind his desk. "You noted these times are for civilians. Is it different for Hunters?"
"The same amount of time to fully heal a civilian would probably only stabilize a Hunter," I nodded. "At least for the moment. I get better whenever I use it."
"How long have you had it?"
I thought back. When did I get [Lay On Hands]? "Beginning of August."
That made him look up at me again, frowning slightly. "How old are you?"
"Seventeen. Does that matter?"
He scanned me up and down, taking in my Casual outfit and the Family Sword at my hip, which everyone in the hospital had ignored until now. "Are you enrolled at Beacon?"
"I will be for the coming term. Until then, I have a lot of availability. Once classes start, I may only be able to come by on weekends."
The doctor let out a tiny sigh. "I don't suppose I could convince you to join us full time?" he asked, obviously not expecting an answer.
I shook my head anyway. "I think I have more utility out in the field, keeping Hunters alive even when I'm not killing Grimm myself."
He sighed again, but nodded grudgingly. "There's something to that. Hunters are rarely patients here; they tend to either come back whole or not at all."
Before he could ask another question, there was a rap on his doorframe, and a nurse stuck her head in.
"Doctor Amaranth, do have a– It's you!" She grabbed my shoulder and pulled me around, then threw her arms around me in a hug. "I didn't get a chance to thank you before you went out to fight that monster. You saved me; you saved us all!"
"Heather?" the doctor asked, puzzled.
"Doctor, this is the Huntsman who healed me when my plane crashed," she explained, straightening up so I could see her properly.
Oh, it's the lady with the broken neck from the plane.
‹Cure Sometimes, Comfort Always›
LV 7
Heather Calluna
"Good to see you. Have you had any pain or stiffness?" I asked. I didn't expect there would be, since my [Observe] had deemed her fully healed, but it seemed like the thing to say.
"No; I even had an x-ray done earlier and there's barely any sign of the damage!" she brandished a manila folder.
"May I?" Amaranth asked, and stuck them on the illuminator on his wall when she passed them over. "I can see where the damage was, but this restoration is certainly unusual for a patient with no Aura." He nodded slowly, looking from the x-ray scans to me. "We'll have to do some further testing to see if you can affect sickness as well as injury, and you'll accompany Heather or another nurse whenever you're on premises, but I can think of no reason we shouldn't welcome you, Jaune."
"You won't regret this, Doctor."
Time started passing in a blur after that, as I split my time between training my skills, volunteering at the hospital, and sparring with my sisters whenever they could spare the time. Every so often I would join Blake on a basic Tyro-level Hunt, just to keep my eye in, but most of my focus remained on skills. The gains I made were too many to list, especially with [Enlightened] increasing them further. Easily my biggest gain was to [Aura], which I had power-leveled during those handful of Hunts — because wow was it busted when combined with all my other passives — until it was boosting all my stats by more than 50% before activating. At which point, I gained the only fully new skill I would get before Beacon: [Aura Mastery]. I even gained a couple more actual levels, despite my attention being elsewhere.
Before I knew it, five months had passed, and I was meeting with Blake to take a bullhead to Beacon for the Entrance Exam. The city spread out below us, but both our attentions were drawn to the school overlooking the valley, which we could finally see clearly. The white marble and green shingles made it look like a fantasy castle. …Monty probably based it at least obliquely on the Emerald City of Oz, but I wonder where that design comes from on Remnant itself?
Blake shivered a little, rubbing her arm idly even as she buried her nose in a book.
"Relax, you've got this," I told her soothingly. "You're more than strong enough to be here."
‹On Whom The Pale Moon Gleams›
LV 24
Blake Belladonna
"Easy for you to say," she snorted. "I haven't been able to beat you in a spar in months. If anyone's a shoo-in, it's you."
"Why not both?" I shrugged. "Olivia said you were ready before she moved, and that was a month ago. You'll be fine."
Seeing her raise the book again to hide her face, I let the subject drop and looked around the bullhead. There were only three other people on board, and to my surprise, I recognized two of them. The orange-haired girl in a white top and pink skirt, bouncing on her heels next to a black-haired boy with a green coat were unmistakably Nora and Ren, two of Jaune's canon teammates.
‹Ceaseless And Sorrowless›
LV 23
Nora Valkyrie
‹A Little Apart›
LV 24
Ren Lie
I didn't recognize the third; a boy with a leopard's nose complete with whiskers, who was wearing a muddy-colored muscle shirt.
‹The Peasant›
LV 21
Leopold Tenné
I wonder if he failed the exam in canon?
Unlike in canon, there was no news feed playing, and soon enough the airship was settling on a pad at the edge of the cliff. The door opened, and we were greeted by a statuesque blonde woman, with curly hair and green eyes behind cat's eye spectacles. She wore a white blouse with a keyhole cutout, a tattered purple cape, black pencil skirt, stockings, and knee-high boots with what I estimated to be four-inch heels. Wearing them, she was taller than me, which I hadn't seen from anyone on Remnant outside my family.
I, personally, was additionally greeted by a frantic drum solo via my Semblance, that I had to struggle not to react to.
[BGM Unlocked! "Hot For Teacher" by Van Halen]
"Greetings, candidates. Welcome to Beacon Academy." Her eyes swept across us, and I thought she lingered on me for a moment before turning on her heel. "Come with me, and we will begin the Entrance Exam shortly."
‹Do Good Though, Will You›
LV 81
Glynda Goodwitch
Hold up, I thought Glynda was a major badass. Why can I see her level? Just the feats of telekinesis we see in the show should be way beyond this, right?
I hit her with an [Observe] as we followed her inside, but it looked like even 30 ranks wasn't enough to get a clear understanding of her, even though I could see her level.
[Name: Glynda Goodwitch]
[LV 81]
[Title: Do Good Though, Will You]
[Race: Human]
[Age: ?]
[Job: Deputy Headmistress]
[Class: Mage]
[Semblance: Telekinesis]
[Background: Professor of Combat class at Beacon Academy. Ozpin's right hand. Veteran Huntress.]
Thankfully, the BGM faded back to my idle playlist once the previous song faded out, and by the time we took our seats in the desks Professor Goodwitch indicated, it was quiet enough for me to focus on her words.
"This Entrance Exam is designed as an assessment for prospective students who have not, for whatever reason, attended an accredited combat school. The Exam will consist of four parts; the first written portion will take twenty minutes, the second ten. These will be overseen by Beacon professors. Afterward, there will be a brief recess; I encourage you all to stretch your legs, but do not wander off. I will be interviewing each of you after that, and you do not want to make me come find you." She punctuated the unstated threat by pushing her glasses up. "Finally, Professor Ozpin will be joining us for a final, brief interview. We will then reconvene here before you are dismissed. Are there any questions?"
Everyone seemed to get it, which led Goodwitch to give a single, sharp nod of approval.
"I will go and fetch your professor for the first–"
She was interrupted by the door opening, and a green blur sped toward her. "Terriblysorry!" The blur came to a halt, revealing a skinny, green-haired man even taller than Glynda, wearing round glasses and a disheveled dress shirt, half-untucked from his slacks. He took a deep breath, and seemed to make an effort to speak more slowly. "Ah, it appears I am not actually late. Splendid! Are we ready to begin?"
‹No Shortcuts In Life›
LV 56
Bartholomew Oobleck
Once again, that level seems way too low. He's young, but he's got a full doctorate; he shouldn't be weaker than Azure. Am I missing something?
Goodwitch let out a tiny sigh, but inclined her head. "Whenever you're ready, Doctor Oobleck."
"Excellent!" There was another blur, and worksheets and pens were placed in front of each of us. "This is a brief quiz on the history of Remnan society and culture since the Great War. I do not expect fully comprehensive responses, so try not to spend too long on any one question. You have twenty minutes. Begin!"
There were four questions:
1. What was the initial skirmish which started the Great War? In what order did the Kingdoms get involved, and on which side(s)?
2. What was one primary reason for the failure of the Mountain Glenn colony? How could it have been avoided?
3. What were the provisions of the treaty that ended the Faunus Rights Revolution (AKA the Faunus War)? Do you feel these provisions have been upheld?
4. What are some fundamental societal issues suggested by the White Fang's current existence? What are some potential solutions?
Blake's gonna love those last two, I thought, starting to scratch out the broad strokes of what I knew about the Great War. Fortunately they were all subjects I'd covered since getting isekai'd, so I wasn't very worried about my results.
Once twenty minutes had passed, Oobleck's Scroll beeped, and in another blur he collected the sheets before vanishing out the door without a word. Nora, who had still been in the middle of writing, stared after him, pen now pressed to the desk's surface. A moment later, he was replaced by a corpulent, elderly man in a double-breasted burgundy suit.
‹Are You Sitting Comfortably›
LV 54
Peter Port
"Doctor Oobleck just scooted by, so I presume you all are ready for me," he puffed. "I am Professor Port, and this test should be a little more straightforward for you." He passed out new worksheets. "Try not to linger too long. Brevity is, after all, the soul of wit!"
I wonder if he'd have the nerve to say that to anyone who's sat through his class? And what the fuck is his level doing? Is my Semblance on the fritz?
As promised, the second test was indeed shorter. In fact, there was only a single prompt: Name three species of Grimm, their weak points, and the ideal way to kill each.
Smirking, I decided to make sure my list included Amaltheans and Marathonians, before adding Taijitu as one of the larger threats on the continent of Sanus, where Vale and Vacuo both sat.
When he collected the tests, mine ended up on top, and Professor Port's bushy eyebrows rose when he glanced over it. His perennial squint widened as he took me in, and his walrus moustache twitched. "Well, I hope I will be seeing you all in my class soon. You have a few minutes before the next section, so please, talk amongst yourselves."
He strolled out, leaving the five of us alone for the moment.
"Huh," said Nora after a few beats of silence. "I kinda expected we'd have a chaperone the whole time."
"I suppose we're expected to be able to pass time unsupervised," Ren guessed.
"Do you think that's part of the test?" the leopard-nosed boy wondered. "To see if we cause trouble or wander off?"
"Could be," I mused. "Professor Goodwitch seems like that type. You heard her, right? If she has to come find us, we'll regret it."
Blake nodded idly, nose already buried in her book again.
Smirking, I stood up, stretched, and then leaned against my desk. "Anyway, I'm Jaune. Good to meet y'all." The other three introduced themselves as well. After a beat, I rolled my eyes and added, "And that's Blake; we've gone on a few tyro Hunts together."
Blake's eyes scanned the group over her book, and she nodded again with without speaking.
Nora, meanwhile, got up from her seat and bounced over to me. "You're really tall!"
"I thought so, too, until I saw Doctor Oobleck," I replied.
"Ooo, yeah, you're right, he was reeeally tall. Do you think I'll get that tall, Ren?"
"I doubt it," Ren answered, not getting up from his seat.
Nora slumped.
"You're not short, you're fun-sized," said Leopold.
"Aww, thanks Leo!" she perked right back up.
"Leo…?" the faunus boy wondered, since he hadn't offered that as a nickname.
Nora ignored his confusion. "Hey, do you think they'll feed us?"
"You just ate three stacks of pancakes before we came here," Ren reminded her. "And then stole one of mine 'for dessert'."
"You can never have enough pancakes, Ren."
"I don't think we're going to be here long enough to miss lunch," I offered. "We're already halfway done, it's just the interviews left."
"Indeed, Mister Arc," said Goodwitch, heels clicking as she strode back into the room. "You may retake your seats, children," she added, though it clearly wasn't a request. "As you have no doubt noted, there is another door just here." She indicated the wall opposite the exit. "Professor Ozpin is inside. You will join me individually when you are called. Mister Arc, we'll begin with you."
"Heh, no pressure," I joked, following her into a smaller room where, indeed, Ozpin was waiting for us. He sat beside an empty chair, ubiquitous coffee mug in hand, and watched me take the seat opposite him with lively, curious eyes over his tiny round sunglasses.
Unable to quash my own curiosity, I let my eyes flick up over his head as I sat down.
‹?̶̢̛̹͙͓̠͕̣̩̯͉̦͎̭̼̰́͗͂›
LV ?̶̘̯͚̾
"Ơ̴̝z̶̼͝p̶̥͝i̶̘̅n̴͔̂"
My head twinged, and I blinked involuntarily. When I forced them open again, the corruption or whatever it was had vanished.
‹?›
LV ?
Ozpin
What the fuuuck is going on today? I've been relying on my Semblance for more than half a year; don't crap out on me now!
Goodwitch closed the door with a snap and sat down, leaning forward. "This portion of the exam is intended to assess how you deal with pressure, in a simulated Hunting scenario, Mister Arc." She laid her tablet on the table between us, tapping a few times to bring up a map. "In this scenario, we will presume that you are the leader of your team. You are first-year students, midway through term, and this is your first mission without supervision. You have been deployed to reconnoiter the village of Hammerhead Point." She indicated a small promontory on the ocean far to the South, near the swamp that formed the border between the kingdoms. "The bullhead dropped you off two days ago, and is not due back for another twelve hours. You circled back to the village, having killed any Grimm you encountered along the way, only to spot smoke on the horizon. Rushing back, you found the gate to the village in ruins. Screams echo from inside as your team approaches. What do you do?"
"Move forward as a unit, leave two of my teammates to secure the gate, barricading it if possible," I answered immediately, not even needing to consult my Oath by this point. "Advance with my partner to Hunt whatever's gotten inside. I'll try to sense any Grimm to orient us toward the strongest one present."
Both professors raised an eyebrow at that statement, but Goodwitch gamely narrated, "There is a single strong Grimm present toward the center of town."
"As we move toward it, I instead try to detect any survivors by their souls," I went on. "If there are any, I shout for them to fall back to the gates."
Goodwitch considered my chosen course. "Very well. You feel a few people begin to follow your instructions. When you reach the town square, you find a full-grown Beringel."
I had to think for a second to remember what that was — gorilla, it's the giant gorilla; full-grown means it'll have bone armor down its back and sides like an external spine and rib cage, with additional plates on its arms and shoulders. Like a great ape it walks on all fours; only balances on its hind legs when not moving. No projectiles unless it throws debris; primary attacks are punches and one-hand grapples — before Glynda continued.
"No one is left alive here. Your partner urges you to fall back while it's distracted. How do you proceed?"
"What are my assets?" I asked instead. It's obviously a trap question. It's phrased to encourage hotheaded candidates to charge, where they'll probably get killed, and we're probably expected to spot that. For most first years the correct answer is to keep it contained and call for backup… but that's neither just nor steadfast.
Glynda's brow creased, but Ozpin looked mildly interested.
"You have your personal weapon at your disposal, as well as anything you would normally carry in your pockets, having dropped your pack when you entered the gate," Glynda allowed. "Your partner, likewise, has a weapon with basic melee and ranged capabilities. They are talented, but not beyond your level of schooling."
"Can we say Blake?" I suggested, jerking my head toward the door we came in.
"I'll allow it," Ozpin said before Glynda could reply.
I nodded. "How is the terrain in the square?"
"Mostly clear, but damp, as the Beringel has destroyed a stone fountain in the middle, leaving water to spill out and rubble around its feet," Glynda was obviously describing a scenario someone had actually encountered, or else was meticulously crafted. She would make a good Dungeon Master. "There is some debris from benches and stalls in the square that it has destroyed, and a few bodies are visible, the water around them swirling red."
Yikes, not pulling any punches, are we? "Are any of them alive?"
"A few, though they are fading fast; let us say four."
"I instruct Blake to keep the Beringel busy for five minutes, and start healing them, beginning from the most injured — I presume my file discusses my Semblance?" I added. I was sure it did; Ozpin was very much a 'gather all the information' type of leader.
"Indeed, Mister Arc," Ozpin nodded. "But are you so confident in Miss Belladonna's skills, to distract such a dangerous creature?"
"Long enough for me to join her, easily," I said confidently. "We've Hunted together before; her Semblance and skills lend themselves to hitting-and-running."
"And what if it were someone else?" Ozpin pressed. "Mister Lie, for instance?"
"I don't know his capabilities," — officially — "So I would instead point out which of the civilians were alive, tell him to get them out of the way, and distract the Beringel myself, aiming to kill it as quickly as possible and get back in time to heal them. Once the survivors are clear, he can look for a target of opportunity." His Semblance makes him a good rogue too, so the strategy doesn't need to be that different from what Blake and I used against Krios.
Glynda's gaze dropped to the sword at my hip. "How do you intend to combat a Beringel with a knightly sword and kite shield?"
"Carefully," I deadpanned. Seeing her unimpressed glare, I elaborated. "I imagine it will be stronger than me, so blocking it directly with my shield is out. But I'm strong enough that I should be able to deflect, which will leave it open. Beringels have gaps between their armor plates I can target easily. You said the target is full-grown, so it should stand tall enough that I can tumble between its legs if necessary. The knees and calves are obvious targets and will slow it down; if I can cripple one of its legs, it'll have to balance on one hand and only attack with the other hand thereafter. Injure the arm it's bracing with and it's effectively immobilized. If Mister Lie doesn't land a killing blow when he returns, it'll still be distracted and I can go for the neck."
"A great deal of your plan relies on the assumption everything goes perfectly," she pointed out. "Entering melee combat with a creature so much larger and stronger than yourself is not what many would call a wise decision."
I shrugged. "A Huntsman must Hunt. It's also not as reckless as it appears," I argued. "I have backup available, and the other half of my party at the gates should have already called for help, if they're at all competent, so evac is inbound either way. Even if I can't kill it, I can certainly slow it down and play for time until someone shows up who can kill it. Either way, the Grimm dies."
The Professors exchanged a long look, probably having an entire conversation I couldn't follow.
"Afterward, heal the rest of the survivors, put out any fires, re-secure the gate and perimeter, stay on guard for a surge until we're relieved," I tacked on.
Glynda folded her arms, finally giving an approving look. "While your approach appears careless, it seems you are thinking things through," she allowed.
"The final interview comes from me, Mister Arc," Ozpin leaned forward, peering at me over his tiny glasses and cup of coffee. "Why do you wish to come to my school?"
He's looking for more than 'because I have to' or some kind of empty flattery. I could go to Haven instead without skipping a beat and we both know it.
Ozpin seemed happy to let me consider my response, so I took a moment to decide how to explain. "Are you aware of how I got these?" I asked, brushing a finger along the scars on my face. Glynda shook her head briefly, but Ozpin didn't respond at all, and I suspected the answer was yes. "I don't remember anything before July of last year, but I woke up in the hospital with an adult mindset. Once I refamiliarized myself with the world, how could I want to do anything else? I couldn't — still can't — remember who I was before, so I made myself a promise about who I wanted to be going forward."
"And?" Ozpin prompted, still inscrutable.
"I decided to improve myself and the world," I summarized. "I haven't had cause to regret it. I want to come to Beacon because I want to be a better Huntsman, because that's the best way to lead by example. Save people, kill monsters, make a difference." I debated ending it there, but I felt like I'd earned the right to a bit of pride. "Currently, my goal is to rid the world of the Named Grimm; I believe I'm a hair over sixteen percent of the way there," I added with a confident grin. Probably riding the edge of 'cocky'.
"A bit overconfident, considering some of those creatures are older than the Kingdoms themselves, Mister Arc," Goodwitch tutted.
"Maybe," I allowed, "but isn't an ambition supposed to be something you have to reach for?"
Ozpin seemed to agree. "Well said. I'm satisfied with your answer; you may return to the waiting area."
Blake was called in right after me, followed by Ren, Leo, and Nora. None of them took as long as me, tending to return in about five minutes.
"Wait here while we discuss your interviews," Glynda instructed us. "We will not be long."
Everyone else sat stiffly in their seats, but I stretched out and slouched as soon as she was gone. Seeing that, Nora dragged her chair and Ren's over to me, heedless that her friend hadn't stood, simply gripping the seat so she wouldn't dump him out of it by accident.
"So what took you so long in there?" She asked without preamble, slinging a leg over the chair to sit down, heedless of the fact she was wearing a skirt. Fortunately, they seemed to be constructed like a tennis skirt. Or is this what a 'combat skirt' is?
"I don't know?" I shrugged. "I don't think anything special happened; Goodwitch presented a scenario about an incursion in a distant village and then Ozpin asked why I wanted to come here."
Blake, who had slipped up without me noticing, agreed. "Sounds the same. You did take almost fifteen minutes, though."
I tapped my chin. "I had to go over a few different ways of killing the Beringel before she believed me, that probably took the longest."
Everyone stared at me, including Leo, though after a moment Blake rubbed her face.
"Of course you would say that. Why am I surprised?"
"I dunno," I smirked. "I thought you knew me better than that."
"So you didn't think you should call for backup?" Ren asked curiously.
"I expected my team to do that, and protect the survivors. But the scenario said there's a Grimm in town. Someone has to kill it."
"That's what I said!" Nora cheered. "Although, I brought my whole team with me, and had Ren hide us with his Semblance so we could get the drop on it."
Ren sighed. "I said much the same, since Nora is bound to be on my team."
I glanced at Blake. "I… extracted my team, along with anyone who'd made it to the gates," she admitted. "I didn't want to lose anybody else."
"I, uh," Leo, the last to speak up, was hanging his head. "I barricaded the gate to keep the Grimm in until our backup could arrive."
I frowned, but after a moment I gave a nod. It wouldn't fly with my Oath, but in a ruthless sort of way, I can see where he's coming from. If he assumed the town was already lost, keeping them contained for a full purge is pretty clever.
"There was no wrong answer, children," said Goodwitch's voice, and the others jerked to attention. She had emerged from the interview room again with Ozpin, and after exchanging a glance with him, she added. "As Hunters, every choice you make has consequences, both the obvious and the unforeseen. Very rarely is there a singular 'perfect' solution. Now, Professor Ozpin has something to say, so I will await you outside. You are free to go once you're dismissed, although I will be offering a tour of the campus if anyone is interested."
Her heels clicked across the floor, and she shut the door behind her, leaving all our attention to fall on the tall man still nursing a mug of coffee. "My interview question is always the same," he revealed to the five of us. "But rarely do I hear such interesting and varied responses. Normally you would be left awaiting a letter of acceptance or rejection, but I am delighted to announce that I believe all of you to be Beacon material."
"Yes!" Nora cheered, raising Ren's hand in celebration. Ozpin looked to be hiding a smile behind his mug as she spun the taller boy around and then dragged him out the door.
There was a buzz as my Semblance immediately minimized the completion announcement of my The Shining Beacon quest.
I nudged Blake's shoulder, and she looked away, but I spotted the smile on her lips before her book covered them. Looking forward again, I was surprised to see Leo extending a hand.
"I wanted to thank you," he said, in his soft voice.
"For what?" I shook it gamely.
"You don't remember?" he smiled ruefully. "You bought me lunch a few months ago, when I was busking downtown. I had almost convinced myself I wouldn't be good enough for Beacon…" he trailed off, rubbing his hair. "Maybe to you it was just a small act of kindness, but it's why I showed up today. So thanks."
The faunus kid from the day I met Tukson. I knew those whiskers looked familiar! Actually, that was also…
"I do remember now," I told him. "You won't believe it, but I actually got shot interrupting a home invasion later that same day." Blake stiffened. "It was a really busy day."
Leo blinked. "I… don't know what to say to that. I just wanted to make sure I thanked you. I guess I'll see you at Beacon?"
I shook his hand again. "Long days and pleasant nights, Leo."
I thought I saw Ozpin shift out of the corner of my eye as Leo also left, but when I turned back he was simply taking a sip from his ever-present mug, watching me. "Did you need something, sir?"
"Yes, actually," he hummed. "Come with me, please."
I exchanged a glance with Blake. "I'll meet you later?" I offered.
"I'll wait," she promised, wiggling her book and settling back in her seat.
Ozpin made his way back to the interview room. "This isn't part of the exam," he promised, retaking his earlier seat and gesturing for me to do the same. "Rather, I had something different I wished to ask you."
"Sir?" I sat back down gamely.
"Tell me, Mister Arc… What is your favorite fairy tale?"
Name: Jaune Arc
Level: 32 (Next: 0.72%)
Title: Initiate
Race: Human
Age: 17
Job: Nursing Assistant
Class: Paladin
Semblance: The Gamer
HP: 3563/3563
MP: 2291/2291
STR: 99.6 (52)
CON: 111.8 (50)
DEX: 124.8 (53)
INT: 77.6 (43)
WIS: 98.5 (52)
CHA: 72.8 (33)
Points: 88
Money: 137811L
Status: Cursed – Yellow Death [High]
A/N: An immediate-term first-class flight from NY to LA (1-way) is around $800-$1000 based on a cursory search, so I scaled up and knocked 10,000L off Jaune's wallet. Although the Hunting jobs he did afterward raised it back up, some.
I can't picture the total mortal population of Remnant cracking the seventh digit, if I'm honest. Just four major kingdoms, villages beset on all sides by not just the difficulties of subsistence farming but literal monsters, plus fantasy!Sydney… I don't think I'm being too conservative. No danger of extinction in the immediate-term, but it's really a question of whether the global population is trending up or down. Which I imagine depends on Salem's current mood more than most other factors.
I'm well aware 'Ren' is supposed to be the character's surname, and I would accept it if everyone else called him that, but it just doesn't scan coming from Nora. She's not the type to So by fiat, he calls himself "Lie Ren" by putting his family name first (considering the obvious Chinese influences in his design, this works for me), and people just call him what he wants to be called.
Jaune's stats at the end include the timeskip, but not the rewards from The Shining Beacon; those will come next time.
