Chapter 28. Vacation Days 03
Half a day's travel from Vale lay the Lumina Plateau.
The high-altitude plains of this region, home to an odd dull-gray grass unique to the area, served as one of the Kingdom's key grazing lands for livestock including cows, sheep, and bison. Beyond its importance as a key producer of dairy, meat, wool, and such like, it was also notable for being a place of stunning views where fields of flowers would paint the slopes in a multitude of colors during the summer. Following the tumultuous conflicts of decades past, retired Huntsmen and Huntresses have put down roots in the region, thus rendering the area safe enough for civilians to follow suit. In time, better roads were laid to carry goods between the ranches and the city.
One road in particular ran past unnamed hills to reach a lake, Lake Pearllight they called it, where it then stretched up along the landmark plateau to its summit. At about the halfway point up the slopes, one can find the Lumina Campgrounds. Built by an old pair of Hunters, their employment of other retired warriors ensured that the Grimm steered clear of the campground's guests.
It became somewhat of a tourist destination, a place where the city folks can get back to nature. The number of people that did so remained a slim fraction of the population, but it has grown year by year. The campground saw the most traffic during the summer months due to the aforementioned flowers blooming, but the best time to go had to be at the tail end of autumn, just before the grass withered in the winter frost.
Or so the brochures said, anyway. Most people opted for the pretty flowers, since to see the so-called 'true wonder' of the place meant that visitors had to subject themselves to the cold, harsh weather prevalent at this point in the year. Were that not enough, it called on them to brave the night. And Huntsman presence or not, the people raised inside the walls of Vale were ever so afraid of the dark.
Besides, how good could it be, really?
Well, Jaune would find out tonight along with Melanie and Miltia. For the moment, he sought redemption for the atrocious performance last week.
Pride was an odd thing, fixating on failure as much as success. Even though he availed himself quite satisfactorily on the combat exercise and gained greater notoriety once more, he had fast forgotten it for a different memory that stuck in his mind of those days. The humiliation, no, the disgrace at being unable to catch a single fish on the entire trip haunted his very soul, his claim of being a 'frontier boy' put in jeopardy after a mere summer of living in the city.
Nora had mounted the fish bones of the trout and carp she caught above their dorm-room beds. It rankled every time he looked at them. A proof of his own accomplishment joining hers on that wall would do wonders for his peace of mind.
"Okay, are you young'uns ready? I'll release the fishes now."
...and if he had to cheat a little, who's going to tell?
To the casual observer, fishing appeared to be the easiest activity in the world. They'd say, in a dismissive tone, that it was just a whole lot of standing around and staring at the water. The actual fisherman, if asked, would point out the various considerations such as seasonality, the depth of the water, the behavior of different fish species, and all the other prep work leading up to them casting their lines in a particular location, and that was before they talked about techniques. Much of fishing began with knowledge, and without such it became an exercise in frustration. In other words, a couple of city girls like Melanie and Miltia would have had a poor time of it.
For them, the Lumina Campground offered a more beginner-friendly course. A shuttle carried guests down to the edge of the lake, where a small and shallow section of the water had been partitioned off from the greater basin. With a bit of Lien, a few dozen fish would be released and campers got to skip past all the prerequisites straight to the fun part. And for someone like him, who had a passing familiarity with the sport, it was an easy chance to look cool.
Standing on the pier, the three anglers held fishing rods in hand as the employee slowly tipped over the first container. Its contents, a shoal of crappies, eagerly dove into the larger pool of water. Short of body and small of size, they grouped together as they swam. Next came a container of rainbow trout, sporting a green color with reddish stripes on their sides and noticeably larger in size than the crappies. Lastly, a third container released ten walleyes, sinking deeper into the water than the other species. The enclosure was alive with activity by now as dozens of fish shared the space. No matter where the three teens cast their line, they're sure to catch something in time.
And so, they fished. Three rods swung back and flew forward, baited hooks sinking into the clear lake. For a few minutes, there was peace and quiet.
...
...
...so quiet.
...
...
"OH!" Miltia, standing on his left, yelped. "Oh-oh-oh, I think I got one! What do I do?"
"Start reeling it in, if you feel it pulling away, stop and let it try to drag the line. Is it dragging?"
"Noooo-yes!"
"Wait for it to slow down, then keep reeling."
"Okay. Okay, I've got this. It's dragging, it's dragging, aaaand reel...let it drag...and reel."
He'd be lying if he said Miltia had a hard time. The enclosure lacked rocks and other obstacles to tangle the line. The fish was just as new to the lake as the three teens, and disoriented from the relocation to boot. It put up a token resistance but no matter how it zigged and zagged, the line drew ever nearer to the pier.
"It's close, Jaune get the net!" He followed her direction, trading his fishing rod for a net. Under her increasingly frantic urging, he dipped it in the water. "JauneJauneJaune, hurry up, Jaune, YES! HELL YES!"
The battle between girl and fish ended with an anticlimactic whimper as the crappie obediently entered the net. Yet, by Miltia's triumphant cheers, one would believe that she went through a hard-fought struggle of life and death. Arms in the air and a delighted smile on her face, she hopped up and down, crowing of her victory.
Miltia Malachite.
First catch: Crappie, 10.2 inches. 3 minutes, 21 seconds.
"Nice work, Mil! See, fishing's not so bad." Good thing, too. He was afraid they'd call it boring, and him the same by extension. But now, it was all worth it to witness her innocent smile-
That sneer. That sneer so full of judgment and superiority. It practically oozed with condescension, and was certainly not what he expected to see on Miltia's face when she turned around. Her eyes trailed down to the cooler filled with water, in which swam a single crappie, and raised up again to match his gaze. They flicked over to her sister and back.
"Pheh. It's this easy and you two still haven't got a single bite? If you need my help, just ask." She then placed her hands on her hips, and gave a challenging grin.
Two veins popped on the foreheads of Jaune and Melanie. Their eyes narrowed to slits. The girl knew exactly what her words and gestures were doing, the pride of her companions breaking under the verbal onslaught. What spineless worm would refuse to confront this upstart?
Melanie was the first to lose her composure, her shout resounding across the lake and sending the fish into a frenzy.
"You think you're better than us? It's on, bitch!"
Beside her, Jaune extended his thumb and curled his other fingers into a tight fist. Rotating the hand, he pointed the thumb downwards. Once the message has been conveyed, he marched over to snatch up his fallen fishing rod and faced the lake with newfound determination.
He'll let his skills do the talking.
-o-
"O~hoho, O~hohohohohoho!"
High-class girls don't actually laugh like that! Proof: Weiss Schnee.
The faux snooty laugh completed its purpose, though, by adding insult to injury as Miltia reveled in her victory. At her feet, Jaune and Melanie hung their heads, kneeling on hands and knees in defeat. They had suspected the result half an hour ago but held out hope for a daring reversal. Their fighting spirit blazed like fire right up until they realized it had no effect on whether or not a fish took the bait. To compound their woes and in defiance of all conventions, Miltia did not make any egregious mistakes of hubris like resting on her laurels. Her slow, steady progress landed fish after fish to maintain a sizable lead right up until the one-hour mark.
Jaune could claim to have caught the biggest fish, a rainbow trout measuring 14.7 inches. Melanie boasted the achievement of being the only one with a walleye to her name. Such feats were washed away with one look at Miltia's cooler teeming with her fourteen catches, while their combined total reached half that number.
He'd lost, pure and simple.
"Where's all that confidence now, huh? Who's the best? Admit it, Jaune, a disciple will always be a disciple."
…And he might have taken the lost with grace, too, if it wasn't for that gloating. Jaune shared a glance with Melanie, and in each other they found a like mind. Together, they nodded and got back on their feet. With a fake sweet smile, Melanie pulled her sister in for a hug.
"You were amazing! We've got nothing on you." She tilted her head back to look at Jaune, her smile turning devious. Jaune matched it before adopting a look of innocent admiration.
"I was a little worried for our lunch, but with this much? We're set. Thanks a lot, Miltia!"
"Hehehe, bold of you to assume that I'll just share. Praise me more, and we'll see if I'm feeling generous."
Oh, Miltia, you know just what to say…to set yourselves up. How predictable.
"Hmm, is that so? In that case, we'll stick with what we have." Jaune's soft words were as smooth as silk. "And here I was, thinking I'll help you with preparing them. That's a lot of fish guts to get through."
"…huh?"
Miltia's grin froze on her face, and Melanie twisted the knife.
"And that stench, erghhh. Think of how it'll soak into your skin, or your clothes." Miltia blanched.
"Um, w-why don't I share some of my fish and, uh, Jaune can take over the job?"
Jaune slowly raised his hand. A thumb extended, and the other fingers curled. Seeing this, Miltia's eyes regained their triumphant gleam.
Like before, he proceeded to rotate the hand so the thumb pointed down, shattering her hopes.
"No deal. Good luck!"
"Jaune, no- hey, get back here! Jaune! Oh, you absolute FU-"
-o-
Despite his denial, the main bulk of preparing the fish fell to Jaune in the end. Melanie stepped up to assist in the scaling and trimming, but Miltia had dithered until the moment came to stick their hands in the fish, whereupon she bolted away from the table. She stayed behind him from then on, 'ewww'-ing all the while as she peeked over his shoulders.
It was music to his ears.
Lumina Plateau, Trail
Jaune eyed the path leading up the Lumina Plateau, judging the remaining distance to the summit. The last ten minutes had not been a difficult trek by any definition, but it became clear by this point that they had quite a long way to go.
"Aren't you glad you two didn't wear heels?"
"Ugh, can you imagine? That's, like, the quickest way to break an ankle. I wanna say nobody's that dumb, but..."
Jaune finished her thought. "It's practically guaranteed someone did it, yeah."
In fact, he could name a few people who would (and did) wear high-heels in the wilds. His own partner was the worst offender with her heels narrowing to a point, perfect to puncture the ground and trip her up. That she can full-out sprint in them was testament to her skills and training. Weiss and Blake worried him too considering their unorthodox movement styles. The Atlesian girl liked to ping-pong her way around a battle, making sudden stops and tight turns that no doubt strained her ankles. The catgirl, on the other hand, favored leaping high into the air and coming down from the equivalent of a second-story building. He'd bet on seeing them in the infirmary one of these days.
"There was a really cute pair I could have gotten, though." Melanie admitted, and Jaune snorted in amusement. Of course, she would consider fashion over practicality.
Says the guy who fights in a three-piece suit. Jaune brushed away the traitorous thought.
"The green ones that, like, goes up to here?" Miltia leaned as she walked to put a hand near her knee, indicating the boots' height. "With the block heels?"
"Yeah, and I almost said 'fuck it' and bought them anyway, you know? But then I remember Jaune said we were going to hike up this trail-"
"So? Get it to wear in the city."
"I was getting to it, Mil! So, like, I went over to check out hiking shoes and got these-" She skipped ahead and raised a leg to show off her cyan-colored footwear. "-then when I came back around the boots were gone!" Miltia gasped.
"Who's the dead idiot that stole your shoes?"
"Some bitch dressed like a walking chocolate cake, all in shades of brown and cream, you know? And I swear, she stopped at the door and gave me this look over her sunglasses like she knew exactly what she was doing."
"Ugh, that's the worst."
"The worst," Melanie agreed, "Like, what are you competing for? The color didn't even match you…"
The ongoing duet between Melanie and Miltia faded into a comfortable background hum for Jaune as he drifted off. Idly, he contemplated telling the twins his suspicion that he might know the person who bought those boots, but in the end he decided in favor of enjoying the peaceful hike up the Lumina Plateau. If anything, he has just gained an idea of what to get Melanie for Dustmas. Leaning back as he walked, Jaune clasped his hands behind his head and breathed deeply of the crisp air.
Too crisp, maybe, and he predicted that by the end of the hike each breath would feel like an icicle spike driving into his lungs. From the wooden sign back at the campground, the road to the summit measured about five miles. It would take an ordinary person perhaps two hours to traverse the distance, longer if they took breaks. For those whose speed and stamina have been enhanced by unlocking their Aura, the hike might take an hour or so and felt more like a brisk stroll in terms of muscle fatigue. Still, it was ample time for the climate to take its toll, so he nudged Melanie and Miltia then pulled up his scarf to protect his nose. They got the hint, and imitated him before continuing their conversation. It had segued into a discussion on the current borders of Vale's underworld, something he kept half an ear on as he traipsed along the road.
The path winded its way upwards at an easy incline, rolling over shallow slopes when it could. Where it met a steeper hill or a thicket, the trail wrapped around rather than plowed through. Jaune reasoned that the builders of the original road lacked the heavy land-clearing machineries available to the city, and so took the path of least resistance to the summit. The condition of the road lent itself to this theory, the paved asphalt halting shortly after leaving the camp and giving way to dirt.
Tall grass lined either sides of the road, rustling dryly in the wind. He tried plucking one and the blade of grass felt rigid to the touch right up until the pressure caused it to snap off. In his hand, it almost looked like an actual sword blade with its steel-like hue. He had not seen its like growing up, and the odd dissonance with what he considered normal reminded him of Forever Fall's unique nature. Something in the water, perhaps?
Rather than a full forest, the plateau featured thickets of trees. Those also possessed a grayish cast, though that might just be the usual effect of the changing weather. Shades of brown or white bled through the deadened bark, indicative of more vibrant colors in better seasons.
Here and there, cows and bison (Bisons? Bisii?) dotted the landscape, searching for the last mouthfuls of living grass before being consigned to hay for the next few months. Where he shivered in his three layers of clothing plus a beanie, scarf, and gloves, these hardy creatures appeared stoic in the face of the imminent winter. What strength and resilience must it take to stay on their feet for so long? Others praised the carnivores, the apex predators, but here was proof that the humble livestock displayed virtues worthy of admi-
"Jaaaaune~" Two arms wrapped around his neck, and a lithe figure settled on his back. "I'm tired, carry me~"
A teasing tone, and a shameless request to be spoiled? Had to be Miltia. And she just proved his point that cows were awesome, since the trio were - with her on his back, Jaune spun around to check their progress and again to face their destination- not even halfway yet. She gave up way too quickly, but he'd wager it had little to do with fatigue and a lot to do with laziness.
"I remember you and Mel chasing me through Vale in the name of training. This is a walk in the park in comparison."
"Ha! It is one big park, isn't it?" Melanie barked out a laugh. "And if I'm not tired, there's no way you are, Mil. Suck it up and walk." Her sister pointed a finger over Jaune's shoulder.
"Yooou wear those heavy boots every day to train up your legs. It probably gave you better hiking ability… and, like, big ankles for stability."
"Like hell they did! Gopher, tell her that my ankles are perfect." Her voice lowered to a growl. "Right?"
It was easy to agree, no threats needed. His fingers can probably wrap around her ankle with room to spare. Yet whether it would be truth or lie, did she expect anything from him other than the obvious answer, caught as he was in the crossfire? Even before she ended her question, his honed survival instincts had been screaming in terror. Flattery was the only acceptable response.
"Right, they're really, uh, delicate and… and dainty! So don't pay Miltia any mind."
Poetic souls sang praises of eyes shining like jade or lustrous raven locks. Others, more honest, admired perky breasts and sexy backsides. Then, there was him, trying to come up with ways to describe someone's ankles. Honestly, it made him feel more like a pervert, not less.
His words mollified Melanie, nevertheless. Jaune let out a breath of relief when she gave a haughty 'Hmph' and resumed her trek. Next to his ear, Miltia snickered in mischief. Shifting into a more comfortable position on his back, she swung her legs in carefree delight.
Along the winding way they walked, their conversations flowing from one topic to the next. Once he recounted his recent ordeals in Beacon, the sisters dredged up old admonishments about his recklessness. He conceded to their wisdom but made sure to never outright promise that he'd behave any different, then steered the subject to news of another Boba tea shop opening. Discussions of the best combinations of teas and toppings distracted from his escapades, and in turn became another source of conflict as everyone defended their favorites. In that vein, they made their way towards the end of the road.
Their conversations trailed off as they reached the stone steps leading to the summit's observation platform. With a whoop, Melanie raced ahead and Miltia vaulted over his shoulders to catch up with her sister. Behind them, Jaune shook his head with a rueful smile and climbed at his own pace.
The final steps at the top opened up to a wide deck of white stone under the cloudy sky. A small obelisk, adorned with words he could not make out, stood at the center of the circle. Past it, four benches sat facing the edge, which had been lined with metal railings. There, his teachers oohed and aahed as they snapped pictures on their scrolls. He joined them at the lip of the platform to take in the view.
…Big…
Sometimes, a simple word said it all.
What floored him, leaving him near speechless, was the sheer distance in every direction. It was a sight he could only get from a place this high. Without buildings or walls in the way, without nearby forests or mountains hemming him in, the sky stretched uninterrupted to cover the world like a blanket until it touched the mountain tops. He had known of the mountain range to the east, a massive thing beginning from the north and ending in the south to make a semi-circle. Now, he saw that there had been more mountain ranges behind that, rising even higher. At the very farthest visible point, one mountain towered over all others, heretofore unseen because the clouds had obscured it from his eyes. Has anyone ever reached it or given it a name?
Standing here, he can understand how the will to go forth from the walls of the Kingdom and carve out a piece of the wildlands often began at a place like this. It showed just how big the world really was.
Yet…
Yet, if one were to lower their gaze from the sky and pull back their view from the distant mountains, they'd see an altogether different scene. A world of decay.
Autumn's serene beauty was nowhere to be found. By this time of the year, the colors have sapped away from nature. The trees in the fields below stood bereft of leaves, serving as a reminder of the march of time. The once-vibrant hills, its flowers long gone, was awash in the dull and lifeless steel-colored grass. In this drab vista of desolate hills, a sense of melancholia permeated the land. It appeared as if the world had become bleak and full of sorrow to mirror the season's end.
Long roads connected isolated farms, and Jaune spotted a handful of cars at most on them. They chugged along at a laborious pace between the ranches and the main highway leading back to Vale. Herders were leading the few livestock still outside back to the barns, leaving behind an empty landscape. The single fisherman on Lake Pearllight has just docked his boat, ready to go home.
For how big the world was, there seemed to be nothing in it.
In a word? Mundane. Another? Forlorn.
The weight of this loneliness cast a pall over the trio as the wind picked up, sharp and howling. Jaune hunched down and put his hands in his pockets, dearly wishing for something to warm his body and spirit. Next to him, the shivering forms of Melanie and Miltia drew together to block out the cold. Their conversation faded to a quiet contemplation quite uncharacteristic of the boisterous duo. He followed suit, lost in his thoughts for a time.
-o-
"…Let's go back."
It took them an hour to reach this place, but they stayed for barely twenty minutes before agreeing to return to the campgrounds. As he crossed the platform towards the steps, Jaune turned and gave one last glance at the horizon.
It might have been better to see at another time. He sighed and looked away.
Two arms wrapped around his neck. A lithe figure settled on his back.
"Jaune, carry me down."
"Bu-"
"Now."
A tone which brooked no argument, and a firm order to spoil her? It could be no one else but Melanie. Instinctively, his arms followed her direction to wrap under her thighs. A laugh escaped his lips, and his previous thoughts flew away as the scent of lavender tickled his nose.
"You're as lazy as Miltia. Maybe we should just roll you two down the hill." Her arms squeezed tight.
"Drop me and I'll steal your dinner."
Pffft. That was not even a threat, because the past dinners they've shared have always ended in a free-for-all for the tastiest morsels. He had every intention of stealing their food before this moment, and that resolved has redoubled.
"Speaking of, what do you want for dinner? We've got instant ramen with a bunch of ingredients we can add in, or I could break out the grill to make us some hamburgers. Oh, and there's leftover fish." Miltia shot a hand in the air.
"The café!"
The what?
Before Jaune can retort, Melanie hummed in agreement.
"Seconded. You're going to be tired by the time we get down there, so we'll feel bad if we make you cook. There's a café in the main building, let's eat there." Jaune raised a skeptical brow.
"Uh-huh. And this has nothing to do with you two doubting my skills?"
"Whaaat? No way!"
"We've seen how good you are in a modern kitchen." That qualifier sounded suspiciously like a confirmation, but Miltia maintained an earnest expression in the face of his scrutiny.
"Hmm. Okay, I guess we'll leave the stuff we brought along for tomo-" A possibility came to mind. "It's not because you can't stand waiting for your food to cook over a fire, is it?"
""…""
They truly have been spoiled by city life.
Lumina Campground, Café
Dastardly.
That was the word Jaune came to describe the Lumina Campground as. Sure, they did not lie in their brochures. Everything they had to offer were listed out for their guests. The camping area hosted amenities from clean bathrooms to fresh water to barbeque grills, plus a host of little things that made living outdoors as easy as possible. However, the innocent visitors could not possibly understand the reality until they arrived for their weekend getaway.
Private rooms with jacuzzi included! High-speed CCT connection! Seven different types of vending machines!
A café offering breakfast, lunch, dinner, which carried a selection of coffees and teas accompanied by an assortment of cakes and other sweets. It also had a fully stocked bar, where the owner served as a bartender come evening.
And a gift shop.
All that was good in civilization (minus the gift shop) was condensed into one building, just…there for anyone to enjoy. Or, they could be outside, braving the elements and cooking like cavemen.
The old couple had laughed uproariously at the trio's glowering faces after the teens had an actual look inside the complex. As they recounted the tale, the husband and wife first added the café to accommodate their hobbies of baking and drinks mixing. The personal rooms came next, and were envisioned as an intimate retreat for honeymooners and such. Once they've realized how much demand there was for a luxurious indoor experience at a campground, the modern technologies slipped in.
The reason Jaune and the Malachite sisters have not seen other guests the entire day? Those visitors were hanging out in here. Needless to say, the three were not amused. As excited as they were for camping, the temptation proved too much and they would have traded in a heartbeat had they known.
The owners struck the killing blow when they suggested that Jaune, Melanie, and Miltia spend at least one night in their tents first before giving up. At the core, they established the Lumina Campground as a place where people can get close to nature, and they had hoped the teens would see it as such.
The earnest expressions of pride and expectation they gave the teens were the very heights of unfairness. They certainly did not spare a glance at the snobbish upper-class family sitting a few tables over, and in the end the three caved under that atmosphere of two grandparents warmly watching over their grandchildren.
They demanded discounts for their meals in turn, though, and with good food came good cheer. Meals that would have taken him hours to cook came out in twenty minutes thanks to the prior preparations of the restaurant. In terms of quality and flavor, the simple fares Jaune would have made paled in comparison with that made by the chef. Whatever nutrients the cows gained from the strange grass made for very tasty beef bourguignon. Braised in red wine and beef broth, garnished with onions and button mushrooms, the dish warmed his stomach on this cold evening and paired quite well with the risotto Melanie and Miltia ordered.
The initial scramble to steal food from each other's plates have settled down to good-natured glares and the occasional swipe. From the glances Miltia had been sending towards the dessert menu, something sweeter was on her mind. The picture of a tall glass of chocolate parfait has held his own attention for a while. As for Melanie, she seemed content with eating slowly, and found entertainment in observing the other guests.
"No. No. You've got to see this!"
Case in point.
Jaune followed her gaze, and made a subtle turn of his head to peek behind while Miltia leaned over to her sister's side. He saw mix of diners spaced throughout the room. Some were old, some were young. Some ate with a party, and others sat alone. Nothing that really caught the eyes.
"Alright, what am I looking at?"
"See those scrubs out in the lobby? Check out the girl in the front."
With those directions, he spotted them right away. Four people, two men and two women, were standing at the front desk. They had tents and supplies galore, their intent to hoof it in the wild clear. They were also about to have a bad time by the look of their camping clothes. Or rather, what trendy people thought were camping clothes. The outfits were stylishly adorned with zippers and furs, the cut designed to hug their bodies tight in order to show off their figures. The thinness of the clothing exposed their impracticality. Even Melanie and Miltia, fashion-focused as they were, eschewed their normal preferences and bundled up in layers. These campers were dressed for a mild day out in Vale.
Their appearances were top-notch. Substance? Not so much. Thus, like a peacock sensing its rivals, a part of Jaune disliked them on instinct.
As for the woman in question, Jaune observed her closely for any greater faults than her companions. She looked like a walking autumn catalogue, as they all do, and he would have considered her quite pretty were Melanie and Miltia not here for comparison. He gave her another once-over, eyes trailing from the top of her head down to her feet…
Miltia stole the words out of his mouth.
"High. Heeled. Boots! I can't believe it actually happened!"
The trio cracked up with laughter. Melanie tried to stifle her giggles when nearby diners shot them nasty looks, but then Jaune and Miltia had to duck to avoid the confused glances of the campers in question, and she lost it again. Opposite her, Jaune pounded the table as he cackled.
Their raucous cacophony drew the male half of the retired duo to their table.
"I see you've noticed our newest guests. Any bets on how long they'll last before renting one the rooms?"
"Thirty minutes!" Melanie happily shouted, and Jaune chanced his own guess after.
"I give them until midnight."
"You know what?" Miltia held her chin in thought. "I believe in them. Tomorrow morning, then they'll quit!"
"Hahaha I'll place my bet behind the gentleman. Most of our guests would be asleep by midnight, so it's a good time to sneak back in the lobby and book a room. Though, you won't be among their numbers, will you?"
Insulted by the insinuation that he'd be so weak, Jaune firmly shook his head, an action echoed by the twins.
"Great. Now, is there anything else I can get for you?" Miltia opened the menu up in a split second and pointed to her choice.
"I'll take the apple tart, and a strawberry milkshake!"
"And for you, young lady?"
Melanie dithered over the menu, having not paid attention to it yet. Her finger traced the list and stopped near the bottom.
"A crème brulee, please. And a black tea."
"A wonderful choice. I always love breaking out the torch. And lastly, for the young man…"
"The chocolate parfait, thank you." His eyes wandered over to the bar, a movement that did not go unnoticed.
"Aren't you a little young to be drinking?"
"Pssst, I live in a nightclub. I can handle it. Besides,-" Fumbling, he pulled out his Beacon ID from his wallet. "It's legal for Huntsmen-in-Training to drink."
"A hundred excuses at the ready, you remind me of myself way back when." The old man chuckled. "But, alright. How about an espresso martini? A happy buzz, and a kick of caffeine to help you stay up for tonight."
The old man's suggestion was answered by Jaune averting his eyes.
An espresso martini. Popular as a drink for women looking to socialize but remain alert. Notorious as a drink for pansy men who can't handle straight liquor. The last time he ordered it, a bartender placed it in front of Melanie, and Jaune never forgot the server's unbidden giggle when she slid it over to him.
Recognizing Jaune's reluctance, the old man continued his pitch.
"We have our own espresso machine, and the beans we use are freshly imported. My wife likes to use a 7-3 ratio of Valean coffee liqueur and Irish cream to retain the deep bitterness of coffee while contrasting it with the barest hints of sweetness. This blend also gives the martini a smoother, creamier texture. With each sip, notes of chocolate would surface to enhance the vodka, perfecting the taste. It's a more mature, subtler Mudslide cocktail. A rich and decadent treat for a cold night."
...Damn, that actually sounds delicious.
Jaune scanned the café. There were people around, some close enough to possibly notice whatever he drank and judge him for it. As always, reputation mattered.
On the other hand, did he care about any of these strangers beyond a passing impression? The chances of him crossing path with anyone here again was miniscule. The old couple would not mock him for getting what they recommended, either. If he wanted to enjoy his drink in peace, this was as good as it got.
Making his choice, Jaune raised a finger in the air and found two other hands joining in. Evidently, his teachers fell for the pitch, too. He, Melanie, and Miltia called out in tandem.
"""Give me one!"""
Lumina Campground, Lake Pearllight
A crackling fire illuminated the camp, casting shadows on the canvas of two tents plonked down on Lake Pearllight's banks. A dry log, precut and stocked by the campground employees, had been rolled into the middle of the camp to serve as a backrest for Jaune, Melanie, and Miltia. Set at an angle to the water, its position afforded them a view of the lake and the plateau as they lounged.
The three of them have shed the outermost layer of their outfit, the heavy coats that served as their strongest protection from the cold. Each were now bundled in a thick camping blanket to insulate them from the elements.
As a consequence, the change in clothes exposed the current holder of the Pumpkin Pete hoodie. Jaune had suspected it to be in Miltia's hands. She, in turn, believed that he possessed the treasure. And while each thought it was the other, the true culprit had been wearing the garment this entire day. At the moment, said thief basked in the jealous glares of her peers as she nestled into the hoodie's fluffy softness. A smug, cheeky grin adorned her face.
The first signs of fatigue have shown themselves. A yawn here, eyes shutting for one or two seconds there, and the lulls between conversations lengthened. Lapses in attention caused the mugs of hot chocolate in their hands to shake, with the subsequent recovery reminding them to take a few sips. Once a source of heat, the drinks have become somewhat tepid, denoting the elapsing time. They were far into the night, the few distant lights of farmsteads extinguished. Early to bed, early to rise, most everyone has gone to sleep.
Jaune very much debated if he should join them. The scenery, if anything, has become even bleaker. Dark clouds obscured the sky, and what little moonlight to escape from their cover proved dull, barely bright enough to give patches of the land an ashy color. He imagined that this might be what an apocalyptic wasteland would look like. Lonely, miserable, and gray.
Checking his scroll, the clock indicated that midnight was just about upon them. Not exactly late for the three night-owls who lived in The Club, but they lacked for entertainment to keep their minds awake.
"Do you girls want to call it a night?"
"We're good."
"This is pretty nice."
What is 'this'? The three of them had done nothing for the last hour.
"Honestly, we expected more disappointment -not like that!"
Too late, his confidence was shot. Slumping where he sat, Jaune groaned into his palms. Mental screams resounded in his mind, regretting his every action. Next to him, Miltia reached out a gentle hand to rub his back, though he could hear her stifled laughter. Meanwhile, on his other side, Melanie pinched the bridge of her nose and rephrased her words.
"I meant, we knew going in that it wouldn't turn out like we assumed, what with this being our first time camping."
"It was a tossup between our inexperience and dumb bad luck for which would get in the way. This isn't on you, disciple."
Jaune shook his head, disagreeing.
"Eh, that's debatable. I was the one who bought into this place after reading the articles."
"And was it really so bad, hm?" Melanie leaned close. "I thought we had a lot of fun."
Yes, they did. The fishing activity turning into a competition and the lunch afterwards had been the types of shenanigans that often occurred between the three of them. Barring the anticlimactic event at the summit, he found the hike worthwhile as it reminded him of the lazy days where they walked aimlessly through Vale, chatting and joking and finding themselves in one incident after the next. In that vein, he was thankful for the chance to catch up on their time apart. It paid to keep track of the troubles his teachers got into, given how they have a pattern of involving him at some point. Already, he foresaw many trials lying in wait the next time he showed his face around town.
They ate delicious food at the café, met interesting people, and had a few good laughs. Espresso martinis were now his latest obsession. And despite his grumbling, he enjoyed the hours spent just hanging around by the fire with Melanie and Miltia.
Everything turned out pretty well. It was all so familiar. Like turning the clock back to his favorite days.
And for the life of him, he could not figure out why it felt unsatisfactory.
Still, his silence has stretched a touch too long and the twins were getting antsy as they waited for an answer, so he brushed away the feeling of discomfort. He gave them a nod and a soothing smile. His eyes returned to the lake.
The minutes passed in peace. Midnight came and went. He began to doze off in his seat.
Then, the clouds break.
Winds pulled apart the curtain, and patches of the sky connected with each other to form a full picture. What had once been a blank canvas was now awash in a sea of stars. A million glittering lights greeted the world.
The last vestige of the shroud struggled to hide the moon. It held fast for a moment more. The very first sliver of that celestial orb spelled its end, peeking around the clouds. That sliver became fuller as the seconds go by, turning into a crescent, then a half-circle. And it was there that the flaws appeared.
A harsh wound revealed its presence. A jagged line that would forever mar the heavenly body, giving it the appearance of an open maw. Fragments big and small scattered amongst the gap, some trailing off into the void.
Their shattered moon. An imperfect thing of beauty.
Under its light, Remnant came alive.
It began at the highest point of the plateau, a shimmer to catch his eyes. A wind blew, and the tall grass shook. As the moon fully emerged, the grass oft-compared to swords in color gleamed with a new radiance, dull gray transforming to a bright silver.
A breeze set the grass at the summit rippling, and the plateau seemed topulse as a ring of reflected moonlight cascaded down the slopes in time with the undulating stalks. Again and again, concentric circles swept across the silver plains in the rhythm of a heartbeat. It was as if the land itself breathed.
Another source of illumination lit up their camp, and the origin of the lake's name became apparent. Near invisible in the day due to the distortion of water, the lake weed along the bottom shared the same ancestry as the Lumina meadows. A soft glow emanated from the depths of the basin. As it reached the surface, the luster faded to a milky white, near uniform across the water. Pearl-light, indeed.
Laying back against the log, Jaune looked at the sky and hills and lake, committing their details to memory. He recalled how it appeared a mere hour ago and marveled at how different the world can be from one minute to the next.
And though it had vanished with the clouds, he now had a name for the feeling of discomfort in his chest.
Ennui.
Ennui, when all that was good in life seemed to be in the past, and the days circled without purpose. Autumn's end had crushed his spirit, the bone-deep chill of the cold air a reminder that the warmth of summer was long gone. Despite the experiences he gained in the past few months of Beacon, he always dreamed of his days in The Club, preferring his time as a bumbling disciple to the twins rather than his current life as a Yakuza and Huntsman. He had looked to his remaining years of Beacon with uncaring indifference, seeing an ordeal instead of an honor. In the end, his vaunted goal to be a hero lost to his need to go back to a more comfortable time.
It might be for that same reason that they named this world Remnant, the place the Brothers left behind. When the people looked out from behind the walls and see the Grimm looking back, it must have seem as if all the good in the world left with the gods. Thus, the people of Remnant traded adventure for safety, and dismissed the magical for the mundane. Forever Fall became just a forest with strange leaves, not worth a second glance. The Lumina Plateau was reduced to a hill that sometimes glowed, a destination no one could be bothered to see. Life coasted along without drive.
The dissatisfaction he felt on what should have been an ideal day? His heart had roared its desperate want for more. It had been a desire for things to change.
He might have found what he wanted here.
There was yet wonder remaining in this land. In the sight before him, a phenomenon he had not thought possible. In the mountain ranges beyond these hills, untouched in living memory. Imagine what might exist just past the horizon.
Could he, perhaps, fight for this dream?
The sound of a sob wrenched his gaze from the sky towards his companions, and what he saw there took his breath away. Captivated by the same moonlit tableau, his teachers' faces carried expressions he had never witnessed. Clutching her blanket tight, Melanie stared wide-eyed. Her lips trembled in a smile, and joyful teardrops fell in her lap. Turning to his left, he saw Miltia's motionless form. Her fingertips covered her parted lips, and water pooled at the corners of her eyes. A dusting of red colored her cheeks.
For how long he stared, Jaune did not know. He came back to himself when the need to breathe forced him to gasp for air. A hand came up to wipe away the sweat on his brow. And if there was a bit of moisture on his own cheeks, he would not admit it under any circumstances.
Jaune froze in place when he felt the touch of silky hair brushing his chin, as the two women next to him rested their heads on his shoulders. With a minute turn to either sides, his eyes met theirs. A quirk of a brow asked a silent question.
To his left, Miltia merely snuggled closer. She gave no reason, only an expectation that he would let her do as she pleased like always. To his right, Melanie stared into the distance. She offered two words.
"I'm…cold."
He heard neither a teasing tone nor a commanding voice. Just two tender smiles, and two pairs of emerald eyes shining with… is it fondness that he saw? Not quite. Affection? Still not right.
He could only describe it as an emotion at once familiar yet unknown. Something new.
A wonder worth discovering.
It was a quiet thought, a vague feeling transmuted into words spoken only to himself as he watched the moon alongside Melanie and Miltia. Were these the hectic Beacon days, he could not admit to such sentimentality. The callous, lying Jaune Arc that was obsessed with his own reputation could never be so weak. But here, he was far away from the proving grounds of Beacon and Vale; away from enemies, allies, friends, and rivals. So, he reveled in the moment, for he has found something to pursue beyond his pride and the shallow dream of a hero's fame. Something real and true, that would not break against the might of the Grimm.
Jaune looked up at Remnant's broken moon and bared his teeth in a happy smile, for he had found a reason to become a hero that he could accept with all his soul.
A wish.
I want to show them the beautiful world.
Author's Notes: Hm? Hmmmm? So, so close. They'll get there.
A Yakuza must be a romantic at heart, otherwise he'd just be another thug.
'Tired of Beacon, we need more Melanie and Miltia' was the idea.
Trivia: Like Irish coffee in an earlier chapter, Irish cream is a specialty from one of Vale's settlements, the region of Ire. The land of Ire, if you will.
Second trivia: It was either Irish cream from Ire or 'whiskey-cream-chocolate-vanilla-etc mix' from a nameless place. Choices were made.