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Chapter 27 Hunter at Home
When the way out of the tomb led to a flooded basement, his first reaction was concern that he would have to traverse yet another sewer. Only by the grace of it being lit did he not let slip every foul curse he could imagine. Seeing a ladder had a powerful effect on him, akin to seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. He had trekked through the filth-ridden depths and could finally proceed to his goal.
Still, the library at the top of said ladder was a surprise.
"Huh…" he voiced, peeking around at the old but well-lit chamber. He had learned his lesson and now never fully entered a room without looking about it first; best to present a smaller target. But he had never entered into somewhere that appeared so… habitable.
Central Yharnam had plenty of buildings; some even had lights and whatnot, but there was no feeling of safety. He imagined it was at least different in the abodes that were locked and sealed to him, but that mattered little as he was most unwelcome.
But the library he was in was very different. It was well-lit but also in seemingly good condition, with books on shelves or neat piles, chairs alongside long tables with interesting mechanisms and more books resting atop them. The worst thing about the room was the floor, as some of the planks were loose or missing, giving it a very aged appearance, and there were numerous scattered sheets of paper and parchment.
It smelt old, but just old. There was no lingering scent of Beasts, blood, or death, which was a very welcome change. There was, however, a trace of incense that he recognised from the occupied houses of Central Yharnam but that spoke well of the locale if anything.
Perhaps it was even inhabited. Perhaps even by someone friendly.
He could use a friendly face right about now.
Hauling himself into the chamber entirely, his hand quickly found its way down to his Threaded Cane. It was not in the best state, but he was confident he could handle a lesser Beast with it. But despite his caution, nothing came aside from the sudden arrival of two comforting groans.
Jaune's head tilted as he beheld two messengers at different parts of the room; one of whom was on the table adjacent to him that he didn't recognise, and the other was atop a chest on the far side of the room. Jaune recognised that one by its head bob and bright yellow eyes.
"Why hello there, little ones; rare for two of you to show up out of the blue like this," Jaune spoke in greeting, approaching the one he did not recognise first. Its head rocked side to side as it moaned softly, its hands shuffling a piece of paper on the table. Its head was yet another unique addition to its kind; it had both its lips but no eyes. Instead, heavy flaps of flesh hung low over where they should be.
As Jaune leaned over the table, looking over the new messenger curiously, the little one slid forward the paper it was fiddling with, a low moan exiting its mouth as it did so.
"Oh. For me?" Jaune mumbled, reaching out for the paper sheet. He first noticed that this one was in pretty good condition, unlike some of the other papers in the library. With only slight discolouration and no damage, the note scribed on it looked like it had been done so by one familiar with a pen.
The handwriting was neat and easily legible, but despite this, the words may as well have been in an entirely different language because Jaune did not know what to make of the ramblings.
"The Byrgenwerth spider hides all manner of rituals, and keeps our lost master from us. A terrible shame. It makes my head shudder… uncontrollably." Jaune looked up from the paper to peer at the Messenger that had drawn his attention to the paper. "Well, that's… something… I suppose…"
"kughr," the seemingly blind messenger groaned, clasping its hands as it disappeared into the mist it dwelled in.
"And goodbye to you too," Jaune said in response to its disappearance, swiftly glancing at the Messenger he was more familiar with. "How about you? You got any strange, disconcerting messages you wish me to look over?"
The more familiar Messenger, the one that had led him to the Saw Hunter Badge, gave a soft moan and tapped the chest it sat atop before it also disappeared. Jaune got the message. He had one last look before approaching the large wooden chest.
Crouching down, Jaune looked the container over carefully to ensure it wasn't somehow trapped, as such a thing would not surprise him in this hellish city. But it was seemingly mundane, just a wood and iron chest. So Jaune decided to open it, curious as to what one of his Messenger allies would lead him to.
With a creak, the hinges of the heavy lid yielded, and the chest was opened. Jaune took a moment to count his blessings that it was not locked. Inspecting the inside of the chest was practically useless despite his superb vision and the well-lit nature of the room he found himself in.
All because his eyes refused to see anything save a single item.
His hand moved almost of its own accord, and Jaune held aloft a black bag, his fingers gliding to its clasps seamlessly. A soft *click* and the contents were revealed in all its blood-stained glory. A device of some sort though its use he could not hope to guess, baring three legs and a circular base attached to a prominent screw.
The thing carried the scent of iron and blood, the two practically indistinguishable save that the nature of the blood was not at all mundane.
It was the blood of the vials, of the ministration.
The Blood of the Church. Of Coldblood, that which gave rise to the Blood Stones. It smelt of power.
A soft groan to his right broke him from his trance.
Jaune's eyes danced up to the little one that helped him discover this alluring treasure; he looked into its luminous yellow eyes and found a grin, teeth-baring and bloody, working its way onto his face. "You certainly have a knack for bringing me to the most interesting treasures," Jaune commented.
"Poughhhhh," was the little messenger's reply, its tiny head continuing to tilt and rock slowly.
Jaune closed the bag and handed it to the messenger, "Here. Please take this back with you; I would hate for it to get damaged before I can work out what it's for." The Messenger did so swiftly, its spindly arms taking the bag from his grasp, its whole body bending to hold it aloft, but promptly, both the little one and its cargo disappeared into the mist.
Jaune turned his gaze to the stairs leading up from the room, his hand falling back to his cane as he ascended. It would come to pass that his caution was again unneeded as he reached the top of the stairs unmolested and found himself before some impressive doors.
His gloved hand ran over the heavy set doors, tracing along thick metallic embossing that covered the doors decoratively. This was a definitive shift from the designs of Central Yharnam; this degree of… excess was not found in the much more claustrophobic streets below.
With a shrug, he pressed his hands to the double doors and pushed them; with a slight grunt, they began creaking and, with some delay, finally opened.
Thus, Jaune found himself in a spacious and grandiose chamber, albeit the sight of the place was the second thing he noticed after the near-overwhelming scent of incense.
Though impressed, he moved about cautiously; the scent of incense did a lot to settle his nerves, but he remained ready while taking in the expansive décor that took up space around him.
The spacious chamber was tall, reaching far above him with heavy draping fabrics hanging across the wall and amongst the ceiling. A tall window formed the face of the structure, and from said portal, moonlight tinted by the nature of the heavens cast an almost warm glow on a massive censer.
Statues almost seemed ever present along the walls; whether in alcoves or on pedestals, they were a sight to behold. Haunting sculptures depicting prayer that demanded one's attention through meticulous detail and lifelike visages.
Urns dotted the floor and seemed to huddle to the room's edges, candles scattered amongst and upon them, illuminating shadowy corners or making the shadows dance. Some, he reasoned, were incense urns, no doubt helping to create the almost physical force that now pervaded this building.
But this chamber was not without its ruin. Age, for he could not begin to guess how old the building was, had reaped its justice on the stonework. And while bricks and plain tiles that surrounded mosaics might be chipped and cracked, the finery of this building was kept pristine.
And in the centre was a lantern, a way back to the Hunters Dream.
Jaune smiled in relief; it seemed he would not have to return to the tomb. Truly a blessing.
"…Hmm?"
Jaune's head snapped to the right, his body ready for an attack as he gazed upon a… creature.
It was short and cloaked in red with long arms that bore a pale grey flesh, marred by rare marks of some variety. Whatever it was, it seemed to startle at his sudden movement, its whole body, short and hunched as it was, flinching.
"Oh… You must be… a Hunter," It spoke, voice just shy of being a whimper.
Jaune relaxed, his body moving from a coiled spring to a more idle pose. This creature, though strange of appearance, seemed to be ahold of its faculties, which was rare enough to stay his blade.
"Aye," it would not, however, remove his caution. Gascoigne had been able to speak, and he had at first appeared far more human to boot.
"Very sorry, the incense must've masked your scent." The creature apologised, bowing its already hunched form lower, bringing its hands together. Jaune nodded, remembering all he had learnt about Yharnamites and their enhanced sense of smell. It makes sense that without being able to scent him that the creature may not have known of his approach.
"Mm, makes sense; you certainly have opted for more rather than less," Jaune agreed, looking around at the numerous urns again.
The creature looked up and smiled, its lips pulled back in a vast smile, its mouth wrapping around its whole face, revealing the gaps of missing teeth. The creature nodded happily as it spoke, "Good, good." It looked upwards, still smiling, its hands coming to rest before it. "I have been waiting for one of your ilk."
"Oh?" Jaune voiced, thinking of how curious it was that this creature would want for a Hunter when so many others would wish him far, far away.
It, perhaps he judging by its voice, twitched as it looked away to gather its thoughts. "These hunts have everyone all locked up inside." It began, its fingers fiddling with the red cloth that concealed most of its body. "Waiting for it to end… It always does, always has, y'know. Since forever," it shrugged, coming up to meet Jaune's gaze.
"But it won't end nicely, not this time," It spoke, its voice sure and laced with worry.
"… I couldn't comment," Jaune uttered, not knowing much of anything concerning previous hunts, foreigner that he was.
"Even some folks hiding inside are goin' bad," the creature worried, "The Screams of womenfolk, the stench of blood, the snarls of beasts… none of em's too uncommon now."
Jaune remained silent, the red-cloaked creature's words ringing true.
"Yharnam's done fer. I tell ya," it shuddered. It took a breath, the fear not fleeing its form but being set aside as it seemed to build itself up just ever so slightly.
"But," it spoke a hint of something besides fear and fret in its tone, "if you spot anyone with their wits about 'em… Tell 'em about this here, Oedon Chapel. They'll be safe here."
Jaune glanced about the somewhat open chapel; even from his present position, he could see many entry points that were not barricaded. Even with half of his face covered, Jaune was sure that the red-cloaked creature understood his apprehension.
"The incense wards off the beasts," it explained, shifting in its spot to reveal its chest adornment. Its long fingers quickly drummed over the incense urn it wore about its neck with a quirked smile on its face.
"Spread the word… tell 'em to come on over." It paused, shrugging nervously with a twinged look of apology. "If you wouldn't mind… hee, hee…" it trailed off into a fretful wheezing laugh.
Jaune looked around the chapel again, his eyes glossing from the architecture to the urns, even following along a particularly dense cloud of incense. The creature did not appear to be speaking dishonestly; it was nervous and seemed fidgety… but Jaune could not hold these things against it.
He wondered briefly if it could smell Gascoigne's blood on him.
Perhaps he should not be so quick to label something else a creature when he is wearing the blood of a freshly made orphan's father.
"I will deliver your offer to those who seem to be of sane composure… do you have a name?" Jaune spoke politely, kneeling before the creature, his eyes examining the many baubles that adorned what he now believed to be a robe.
"Oh… me, a name? No, no heh…" The creature seemed almost to convulse, but Jaune realised it was just quietly laughing in its wheezing manner. "No, not me, good Hunter, I am not one to have a name… I am but a humble dweller of this here chapel."
"… Very well then, good dweller, I shall bear that in mind," Jaune nodded, paying his new acquaintance a smile. After all, strangers were just friends you haven't met yet.
…
'Where had he heard that phrase again?'
YVYVYVYVY
The rest of the year following Jaune's completion of the 'Rite of First Quest' or whatever it was called, passed by in a blur for Hella. Not that there wasn't excitement to be had; with the two new additions to Jaune's life and the Arc household, one never had to look far. But it was a different type of excitement, and it was one Hella found herself coming to enjoy, even if she did so begrudgingly sometimes.
The primary source of said begrudment was Orr Flamberge, her son's first and only friend; compared to her, the Deer Jaune brought back was a stray kitten.
Hella was no stranger to new situations; she prided herself on adapting to any situation and rising to the challenge. She had done so when she was but a child of her clan; she had done so at Beacon, she had done so as a Huntress, and she had done so with her family. It was possibly telling of her character that the last one had been one of her biggest challenges.
But just as he had at Beacon, Cloud had been there to help her, and now their children were her pride and joy.
Cloud was absolutely no help with Orr.
The man was enjoying it too much to lift a single finger and aid her in this newest challenge.
When she had left following the delivery of her son, Hella had thought the world of the younger woman. How could she not? Orr had fought off an Elder Grimm for her son at no little risk to herself. Hella's opinion of Orr Flamberge was that she was an overly friendly but exceptionally talented Huntress and a boon to Reach.
Then she came back…
Jaune did not have any friends, so when he had explained to her how much he enjoyed the company of Orr and the high esteem he held her in, Hella could do nothing.
When said woman, over a decade older than her child, began to hog his attention and cling to him, she was too wary of upsetting her son to do anything.
When she caught the harlot woman kissing her son on the cheek as a means of thanks for making her breakfast, she bit through her spoon but said nothing.
When Orr interrupted her morning training with Jaune to run off with her son, hollering about showing him her bunk, Hella had to be physically restrained by Cloud.
Hella was not fond of this woman who called her son 'Sprout' and seemed to revel in aggravating her for her own amusement. Hella did not understand her relationship with her only son and feared it might even be deviant in nature. She grew angry at the mere thought of Orr Flamberge, but before she could act, Cloud advised that perhaps she should observe things from a different perspective.
She did not want to, but Cloud asked her to trust him and, more importantly, Jaune.
So she did…
She watched when Jaune proudly demonstrated how to hold his baby sisters; both were eager to be carried and may be a bit spoiled, but Orr was diligent and keen to learn.
She watched Orr run screaming across the yard, holding a crying twin, begging for Jaune's help 'because she didn't know what was wrong,' and found herself sympathising.
She watched as Orr visited Jaune first after returning from an extended mission instead of returning to her quarters, her son letting the woman doze off on his shoulder while he read.
She watched Jaune ruefully hose off a triumphant Orr alongside a giggling Jade, the two of them appearing as if a rainbow had vomited on them, her son being a mess but only over half his body.
When she came across her son asleep under the shade of a tree with his head on a snoozing Orr's lap, both beat to high hell and covered in grass and dirt stains from training together… Hella accepted her.
Jaune had not dozed off around Tami until four years after his reintroduction to the woman.
Orr had Jaune's trust, and so she would have Hella's.
The fact that when she told her husband this, his only response was 'finally'… was far from appreciated.
Orr still seemed to take immense pleasure in teasing Hella and occasionally Jaune's sisters, but Hella had long since learned of a better way to alleviate her aggression. Hella was not the kind of mother to let her son's training slip, and she could hardly let his friend accumulate rust.
Because Orr was a Huntress.
And there was nothing strange about two Huntress sparring together.
Hella's revenge was sweet but short. After the very first -of what would be many- spars, Hella found Orr laid out on Jaune's bed, being tended to by her only son, milking her injuries for all she was worth.
To make things worse, Hella had commented on how Orr was 'being ridiculous and that you didn't see her complaining about her injuries'. Jaune had then proceeded to rush to her side, asking her where she was hurt and giving her the same treatment.
Orr's cackling had not helped trying to explain to her son that a few cuts and bruises were nothing to be worked up over.
Yes, Orr was an acquired taste, but Hella found that she was used to the woman's presence now, even sharing a few amicable moments with the woman her son called friend. While she might not like the entirety of Orr's personality, Hella found that she could at least appreciate the woman's skill. So sparring became more frequent between them, with Cloud even joining in occasionally.
And with the addition of Orr to his training retinue, Jaune's abilities skyrocketed. It got to the point that Hella, now unashamedly, was forced to start using Aura in her training with him. Though his strength was still no match for a Huntsman with an Aura, it was more than enough to hurt. Hella was ridiculously proud.
And that was just the changes brought about by Orr; the deer was an entirely different matter altogether.
In Hella's opinion, its appearance alone wasn't too strange; at least it wasn't after Jaune explained its existence. Suddenly, the fight with the Elder Spriggan made a lot more sense. Animals with their Aura unlocked were uncommon but not unheard of, with many Huntsman awakening the Aura of their animal companions.
But a wild animal with its Aura unlocked… now that was a rarity.
Such beasts were the stuff of myth and legend; it was said that Malik the Sunderer was blessed to have tamed two such creatures in his youth. That her Sunshine had found one was unbelievable, but considering he also happened to run into an Elder Grimm the first time he left Reach… it seemed in line with his luck.
At first, she and Cloud were unsure of the stag, a feeling not helped by Jaune's reservations about the beast. But her worries eased after watching the thing interact with Jaune as if it were nothing more than a well-trained pup… Even if her sons did not.
But Hella would not dismiss her son's feelings, so it became law that no one was allowed around the deer unless someone with Aura or Jaune was about. This continued for a few months, but eventually, Jaune was forced to rescind his instruction due to unbearable pressure.
The force in question?
Sky giving him the cold shoulder.
Hella loved her son, but he was a complete pushover. Sky did not appreciate that Jaune did not like 'his' deer and was hellbent on making him 'play nice'. However, Jaune would not just yield to his younger sister's whims; he might love her dearly, but he was also exceptionally stubborn.
He lasted just over a week.
It ended with Jaune sitting down with the family and letting them pick a name for the stag, saying he would leave it up to the group. But oddly, he did shoot a bunch of the names down, much to Hella's confusion, as she didn't think the boy cared that much.
Ultimately, the stag ended up being named Ramus, courtesy of Saphron, who suggested calling it Branch but perhaps in another language. Thus, the Arc family officially had their first pet, a large, powerful deer that could survive a fight with an Elder Grimm.
As if their house did not already have enough protection.
But the now-named Ramus seemed to take to his name rather well, and as the months passed, even Jaune began to relax more about the beast. Hella could still not understand why it took so long, but her son had always been somewhat cautious. It just seemed strange, considering the creature obeyed his every command.
But Jaune did relax, and now it was not uncommon to see the girls patting and brushing Rammus or even riding him if Jaune or another adult with Aura was nearby.
Jaune rode him, too, on occasion, but for a much different reason.
Her sweet Sunshine… he had changed as well since his return.
He wasn't suddenly bombastic and forward like his new friend or anything so severe, but if you knew him, you could see it. Jaune moved with a purpose. He moved with a confidence and ease that hadn't been there before. It was like her son came back from the Trial a man renewed.
It was visible in all aspects of his life, from how he moved casually at home to how he fought during their training sessions. Jaune seemed more active than he used to be. It wasn't overtly noticeable due to a lack of social engagement, but it was there. Her boy was growing up, and Hella was happy about it.
During training was when it was most visible. Jaune used to rely on technique and skill to try and keep pace with her and did so to great success. It was a testament to Jaune's preternatural ability with weapons and one that made fights a good workout for herself. But after his return, something in her boy had shifted.
Now Jaune fought with ferocity.
It was like seeing a whole new side to her son when they clashed. Yes, he was still incredible with any weapon she could throw at him, but now there was more in how he fought. He continuously pressured her, attacking with everything he had and all but forsaking direct blocking. He had always had perfect footwork, being light and agile, but now he was also explosive. Lunges, feints and leaps, anything he could do to keep at her like a frenzied animal, only to snap his weapon back in a perfect parry and pivot his entire body, avoiding her own attacks.
He fought like a duelist with decades of experience but moved like an animal starved and hungering for the kill.
Hella was proud beyond words.
Jaune had advanced to the point that Hella now had to use her Aura to keep him challenged. A feat she was sure no one else in his age group could hope to boast about. As if he needed more achievements, it was not strange to see her boy fighting both her and Cloud simultaneously.
And sometimes, Hella would have Orr join her and Cloud just for a challenge and to practice fighting while outnumbered.
That was when Jaune truly shined.
Outnumbered, outclassed, outgunned… Jaune came alive, instincts alight in his eyes as he would fight with everything he had. He would eventually tire and need to stop, but Hella could see it when he was pressed in those harshest moments…
She could see what Jaune could be.
She could see the Hunter.
What impressed her the most was how long he would last, even when facing all three of them. What terrified her was the realisation shared by the three adult professional Huntsman that Jaune was making them try.
She wondered one day if she would have to go all out to match her child. Admittedly, such a thing was far off and would likely only happen if he had his Aura unlocked … but she could see it. Jaune was exceptional.
Fighting wasn't the only area her Jaune had changed; her boy had gone and developed a new and rather tasty hobby.
Her son had always preferred meat; her Sunshine was especially fond of pork and pig-related meat. Since his return, it seemed Jaune had developed an appreciation for the food his father cooked. It made sense as the gamey meat cooked over an open flame often could leave something to be desired in the flavour department.
When he was not reading, training or seeing to his sisters… or Orr, Jaune could be found working in his smokehouse. It had been a bit of a trip, her son asking for permission to build a workshop and a smokehouse. It had been sweet to see him and Saphron working together on recipes, their father joining in to offer advice and give his 'expert' opinion.
What no one probably expected was what a great success it would be.
Jaune even got himself a City Pass to leave Reach to hunt game in the nearby woods.
He managed to get his pass through his outstanding diplomatic skills and inside connections.
He had Saphron ask their father, and the man, much like his son, folded like wet paper.
Thanks to his and Saphron's efforts, Arc Smoked Meat (Revolution) was a locally well-known and sought-after supplier of delicious meat-based meals. With the restrictive space of many settlements, meat was not always a luxury everyone had ready access to. For the most part, Reach avoided this because it was a central trading hub for all of Sanus. But it was often quite pricey, and game meats were rarer.
So when Jaune had a surplus after an especially fruitful expedition with Ramus, they passed out some extra to friends and acquaintances. It had been a major hit, and afterwards, a few even came forward with an interest in purchasing what would often only be a caravan good.
Since then, Scarlett had also become involved with her connections to Ray Shipping, allowing her to get them access to exotic spices and flavours. Her boss, Mr Brown, stated he was pretty fond of their Nut Blaze flavours and was a happy customer.
She did not mind Mr Brown; there was something to be said about a man wise enough to respect her son and clean up his own messes. It helped that he also had immense respect for her eldest and was very apologetic for past events.
It would have been a shame to have to kill him.
What made it even better was that her eldest kids were all doing something together, and Saphron seemed to have found something she could engage with. Hella was not stupid; she did not expect her daughter to be the same after the incident.
But for Hella, seeing Saphron showing some of her old passion for something entirely new felt right.
The hobby also revealed something… exciting.
Ramus ate meat.
Jaune's reaction to this discovery had been the most exhausted, deadpan look she had ever seen her son wear on his face. No one had thought anything of Ramus sniffing Sky's plate curiously. The reaction to a deer, a known herbivore, proceeding to snatch her brisket and dash off back to his area near the woods was stunned silence.
A silence which was broken by Jaune getting to his feet, handing his plate to his sister, and proceeding to tackle the massive deer and wrestle it to the ground. Hearing her son berate Ramus for not even trying to hide his Beastly nature would forever be one of her fondest memories. Sky shouting at Jaune to stop bullying the deer only made it better.
That wasn't the only strange new occurrence in the Arc household.
Jaune had become highly protective of Jade for some reason, and Jade had decided to learn how to do tattoos. Now, the first part had both Hella and Cloud concerned, as Jaune was often not one to get worked up over nothing, and the second part was no surprise. Usually, Jade would be too young to begin learning the skillset.
But fortune was on Jade's.
A caravan hailing from Cloud's mother's tribe just 'happened' to arrive, and wouldn't you know it, they just 'happened' to have a tattooist with them. And wouldn't you know it, they were more than happy to train the granddaughter of one of their members.
Jade had been so excited her words escaped her.
It had been a heartwarming period; while Jade was learning her new skill, Jaune and the rest of the Arcs spent time with their distant cousins. Jaune and Scarlett were the two that were closest to the caravan group.
Mainly because they had the tribe's height.
It always amused Hella that people thought that Arc's height came from Cloud's paternal line; the stature of the Arcs was well recorded. If the great General Arc were to stand before Jaune, her boy would positively dwarf his famous ancestor.
The height that made Cloud so famous came from his mother. It was a trait that many in her clan shared.
Jaune wound up bonding with a trader who dealt in artifacts retrieved from Vacuan ruins, not for the man's product no, but his knowledge in Dunetch. Scarlett became close with the caravan leader, a woman half a head taller than Hella who had been close friends with Cloud's mother. The two had traded stories and discussed business in equal measure, and Scarlett had been sad to see the woman leave.
Jade's teacher had been a woman that Hella would not have been surprised to learn had been alive since before the Great War. Though her flesh was old and wrinkled, that ink that covered her head to toe showed that she had no doubt been amongst the most colourful people on the face of Remnant. The months Jade spent with her had been an intense crash course and had often left Hella's daughter exhausted.
But by the end, the girl had gained a degree of confidence that made Hella proud. Her goodbye to her teacher had been tear-laden and heartbreaking, but Jade promised to remember everything she had been taught.
Jade would later admit that she felt much closer to her Grandma now, and Cloud had only just kept a tear from his eye at hearing such.
But even after they left, Jaune did not relent in his protective nature; in a way, it was cute and reminded her of his younger years. When they still tried to socialise their son, she and Cloud always found him hovering near his younger sisters. He was practically their shadow then.
Like everything else, it was the same yet different now.
Jaune was now, more often than not, lurking nearby, one eye always on Jade but just Jade. He was still active with his other siblings and played with Sky and the twins, but with Jade, he was wary. Hella watched as Jade and he went through her precious folder, how her son would tense and sometimes seem to cringe at what was in it.
Had she been more nosey, she might have asked to see what they were looking at, but Jade guarded the book jealously. Only Jaune was allowed to see what was in it. Hella suspected Scarlett might have some inclination, but her eldest was also being extra friendly to Jade and apologetic to Jaune.
It was always something with these girls.
It had been an exciting year, but the family had settled into this new normal with an ease that had Hella feeling proud of her children. But for Hella, she could not help but think that this new year might have its own excitement to share.
Hopefully, it would be a good kind of excitement.
YVYVYVYVY
Jade was exhausted but in the best of ways.
With the end of the school year, she was free, and it felt incredible. To top it off, her last day had also been the day of her presentation of her year-long group project, and it had gone off without a hitch. Through the respective efforts of her whole group, she had little doubt they would be pulling out the best score of the class.
Her friends were of much the same opinion.
"Can we graduate now? I never want to go back," Brick groaned as he kicked off his shoes, stuffing them in the same place he always did when he came to the Arc household.
"Agreed," Malt supplied, doing much the same as Brick.
Jade snorted, "No, I don't think we can. I am sure my parents wouldn't go for it."
The trio entered the lounge room before simultaneously flopping down on one of the couches or chairs. Luckily, none of Jade's sisters had come to claim the TV so they could do so; let it not be said the Arc household was without its disputes.
Usually, they were resolved by either Cloud or Jaune.
Brothers help you if Hella had to do it.
Malt and Brick had both had the misfortune of seeing one such argument over the TV between Cloud and his eldest. Scarlett was reminded that despite her age, she was still very much Hella's kid.
Cloud was made to sit in the corner for acting like a child.
For eight hours.
No one laughed.
"When did your mysterious ghost of a brother graduate?" Brick asked, his eyes darting around warily.
"At twelve, he isn't inside, so you can relax… seriously calm down," Jade chuckled.
Her friends had never really gotten over the fact that Jaune had a habit of just appearing at random with no warning. She knew her brother was quiet, but other people never really understood what she meant by that. Brick and Malt got to learn it first-hand.
"Twelve huh… I always get conflicting stories on that," Brick commented a little warily, Malt nodding in agreement.
"I bet," Jade replied teasingly, knowing neither of her friends would dare broach the subject as it was too closely related to the Saphron incident.
They knew better.
Having Jaune show up in the middle of the room you were in as if he were a spectre and state in no uncertain terms that it was 'none of your business' would have that effect.
Brick picked up on her tone and returned to looking around cautiously. Malt seemed to shiver a little before speaking, nervous for an entirely different reason, "You sure he isn't around?"
Jade took a moment to tilt her ear back and could faintly hear the sound of grunt and the clash of training weapons. Considering she knew that both her parents had the day off, it seemed they had decided to use the day as a training period rather than one for relaxation. That or Jaune asked them, and they both caved to him immediately.
"He is outside training. Both mom and dad are back for some reason, so they decided to spend some time with Jaune," Jade explained, an evil sparkle in her eyes.
She rose off the couch, looking at the two of them, though staring slightly longer at Malt.
"Would you like to see?" She asked, wiggling her eyebrows.
Neither of the two could say no.
Jade led them back out to the veranda and didn't try to hide her amusement as they both gasped at what they saw.
Despite the fact that both of them had come over a handful of times, neither had ever really had time just to hang out. Jade had always desired to do well in school, just like her older siblings, Scarlett and Jaune, more so than Saphron, as she wasn't great at sports.
And when those times did come around, Jaune had typically already done his daily training, either alone or with whoever was around that day.
It was rare for him to train with both of his parents and Orr.
"Holy shit…" Brick breathed in amazement.
Malt reacted much louder as she gripped Jade's sleeve, "Is he going to be okay?"
"Shh, watch," Jade instructed, moving over to the porch seat, her friends quickly following.
And watch they did. The three of them sat there and watched as Jaune, now taller than his mother and nearly as broad as her, fought like a man possessed.
It never ceased to amaze her that her brother was so incredible.
He was pincered from three sides. Orr was harrying him, her shorter stature allowing her more ease to slip past his guard, or so one would think. Hella was supporting the shortest Huntress, doing her best to attack from Jaune's blindside, attempting to at least. Cloud was attacking head-on, armed with a training sword roughly the size of Hrunting. He was providing a continuous string of heavy blows with the end goal of breaking Jaune with pure force.
All three were yet to succeed.
Despite his size and build, Jaune was just as flexible and agile as his mother, so despite Orr's attempts, Jaune would leap and bound away, keeping distance between himself and her. While Orr had indeed upgraded her arsenal, the woman had opted not to use them for this sparring match.
Hella's attacks were meeting a similar success. Jaune would move away from Orr, right into her attacks, but it was as if he was blessed with a sixth sense. Jaune would weave and duck, twisting his taller frame into his mother's swings and doge into her blows, his elbow driving back into Hella's sternum in retaliation.
Cloud was straightforward, his attack telegraphed, but with a sizeable fraction of his strength behind them, the grooves in the ground were proof enough of that. Jaune met his father blow for blow; his training sword was far worse for wear, but he avoided taking direct hits. His arms shook with each block but held their father's titanic if modulated, strength back.
Jade could see this because she had watched her brother train countless times and joined him. Not as a partner, but she, Saphron and Scarlett, on occasion, had the pleasure of shooting dummy rounds at him so he could practice evasion.
Jade's mother was a slave driver, but Jaune was just as bad as he seemed to enjoy having his sisters shoot at him.
But Brick and Malt were not used to watching her brother train, and it no doubt appeared like he was an acrobatic blur to their unconditioned eyes. They would see him for a flash, body twisting midair as he springboarded off Cloud's body. Turning past Orr, his foot lashing out to crack her in the jaw as he rolled off the ground, weapon rising to parry Hella's attack without looking… but then he was moving again.
"Holy shit…" Brick muttered again, face locked in a look of shock.
"He's incredible," Malt breathed, a flush rushing to her cheeks that made Jade want to snicker, but she resisted. It wouldn't have been nice to tease her friend for her crush.
"He's fucking terrifying," Brick said while pumping his fist, his surprise melting into a look of raw excitement.
"Both true," Jade spoke up.
"Hey, sis!" Sky called from the other side of the veranda; Jade's younger sister sat atop Ramus, giving her a lazy wave.
"Sky, you know Jaune doesn't like you riding Ramus when he isn't around," Jade admonished, knowing the deer discomforted her brother for some reason.
Which was odd, considering he and Rammus often went out hunting together.
"He is right over there," Sky huffed, waving at where Jaune was breaking out of a chokehold by hurling Orr at his father.
"… Fine," Jade shrugged, rising off the veranda couch to pat Ramus, the sizeable carnivorous deer bringing his scarred flank over to lean against the railing. "Hello to you, Rammus, staying out of the smokehouse?"
A bark she knew was sass was the deer's response to her question before he gave a shaking snort and trotted off with his head imperiously directed away from her.
"That better have been a yes!" Jade called after the intelligent animal.
"I always forget how damn big your pet is," Brick commented, watching Sky direct the stag back towards the sandbox.
Jade shrugged, choosing not to comment on the fact.
Any further conversation was halted by a meaty *thwack* as Jaune was sent soaring backwards, tumbling ass-over-head until he came to a rest near the Arc's shooting range. Malt gave a scared gasp that had even Brick looking at her knowingly.
Jade didn't even bother feeling worried as it was not even a moment later that Jaune was sitting upwards and shaking his arms. There would likely be a harsh bruise on his forearms tomorrow, but at least he kept their dad from landing a blow on his head. Not that Jaune would have cared, but Jade worried about her brother, Arc thick-headedness aside.
"Oh no! My future husband!" Orr suddenly cried out in a dramatic and feinting tone.
She was swiftly rewarded for this by Hella taking her husband's weapon and giving Orr the same treatment Jaune had just endured.
It was just another day in the Arc household.
YVYVYVYVY
Jaune felt truly at home.
Since his return, since he had found his place free of the Eternal Night, Jaune had felt what he imagined serenity was. He could only compare it to the comfort he once experienced with his dearest companion. He could not replace her, but the love and comfort he found with his family was a treasure all its own.
Sitting at the dinner table with his family all around him was a feeling he wouldn't give up for anything. Family meals at the Arc house were loud but pleasant, with food and drink being passed around as quickly as conversation. It had not always been that way, but since his reconciliation with Scarlett and Saphron, it was the norm, and it was beautiful.
Tonight's affair was delightful, with the school year finished and Tami and Orr happily joining in the table as alive as ever. Jaune sat next to the twins and was currently doing his best to eat as quickly as possible as little Lazuli kept trying to feed him forcefully. Lapis was doing much the same, but she was doing it to Cloud, who looked majestic with sauce smeared over his eye.
Seeing the fun, Orr decided to try and do the same to Tami. The Faunus blushed heavily as the Huntress practically wrapped herself around the squirrel woman and tried to convince her to 'open wide.'
"Come, little sister, you need to eat too," Jaune tried to appease the little twin.
"Open nom noms!" Lazuli cheered, gesticulating with a snow pea.
"Yes, yes, ok," Jaune smiled, plucking the veggie from his sister's little hand and practically swallowing it whole.
Just because he preferred meat did not mean he was averse to vegetables.
Though it was a hard-fought battle, eventually, Jaune managed to get Lazuli to eat enough to fill her stomach. Jaune ate more food from Lazuli than he did from his plate. With nearly full stomachs or stuffed stomachs in the case of poor Tami, who had lost to the will of Orr, everyone was eagerly awaiting a hinted-at special dessert.
A dessert that would come after an announcement from Cloud and Hella.
"Right… suppose it's time then," Cloud exclaimed happily, clapping his hands together thunderously.
"Agreed," Hella spoke up, rising to stand as everyone looked towards her curiously. "As you all know, our family has not always had the easiest time. The last couple of years… have not been without their trials."
A contemplative silence descended over the table as no one could disagree with Hella's proclamation.
"But despite that, I find myself grateful because my family is still here with me despite the difficulties we might have faced." Hella continued gently patting Lapis, who giggled at her mother's attention. "And with the new year soon to be upon us, I want us to do something we haven't done since before Sky came along."
"What! Why me?" Sky exclaimed, shocked.
"… Just worked out that way," Cloud shrugged, sipping his beer.
"I feel targeted," Sky proclaimed with a harumph, Saphron chuckling and tossing an arm over her younger sister.
"Noted," Hella uttered, paying her daughter a sideways glance, "may I continue?"
"Sorry."
"Thank you. Now, honestly, this idea came about courtesy of Jaune. His interest and participation in the Arc traditions of old got me curious, and I have decided that I would like my side to have a turn."
Hella had only just made her announcement when Jade and Scarlett both moved in a rush, grappling onto Jaune.
"Oh, hell no!"
"Not again!"
Jaune's sisters both shout out denials at Hella's announcement.
"No more crazy camping trips!" Scarlett protested.
"He barely survived the last one!" Jade added in exasperation.
Orr naturally had to add her own two cents, "Does this mean I get to spend some more alone time with Sprout here," the huntress fake gasped, a devilish smile on her face.
Hella's reply was swift and punishing as she kicked her fellow huntsman under the table hard enough that her chair slid back, and her Aura flared.
"No, I think one survival challenge will more than suffice," Hella hissed banefully at Orr.
"Plus, there would be no point; back in the day, Jaune would be amongst the most honoured Slayers imaginable. We would be practically fighting off potential wives with everything we have," Cloud added, snorting at the look Jaune and his sisters gave him.
"No fair, I have first dibs!" Orr piped up, still grinning widely while rubbing her shin.
The hollow *thunk* of a plastic cup bouncing off her head did nothing to assuage her evil snickering.
"Hush you," Hella growled, "That goes for all of you. No one is going off on their own, and no one is undergoing any more crazy northern trials or rites and certainly no bloody marriages."
"How about engage-"
Tami quickly silenced Orr by stuffing a napkin in her mouth as Hella gave her a vicious stare.
"… WE, meaning me, my husband and my children, sorry Tami, are going on vacation." Hella ground out, her eyes continuing to stare at Orr murderously.
At this, Sky perked up, her previous funk forgotten, "Really!"
"Yes, we are… I was recently in contact with my mother, and she has expressed a desire to meet the rest of her grandchildren… I have decided that it is far past time you kids get to see my homeland," Hella said, beaming at Sky.
"Man, I haven't seen grandma since… oh," Scarlett trailed off, her eyes flicking to Jaune before they came back to rest on Hella.
"The reason for us not visiting is on me. It was my decision, Scarlett… we have been busy," Hella explained, giving her eldest a knowing look.
"… Of course, sorry, mum," Scarlett nodded.
"So… wait… are we going to-"
"Yes, the Arcs are going to Anima!" Hella proclaimed excitedly.
Everyone at the tables was swept up in the rare elation of Hellebore, cheers and eager exclamations ringing out loudly. Cheers that only became louder when Cloud brought over dessert.
By the time the night was over, Jaune found himself dozing off on the couch in the lounge room, Sky and Jade nearby, the three of them having decided to watch a movie together. That night, he was happy to find his family's dreams filled with thoughts of the ancient land of Anima and the kingdom of Mistral.
Although he was somewhat concerned that his mother's dreams involved throwing Orr into shark-infested waters.
Jaune kept strict vigil since his sister showed him the Caryll Runes. He still had no idea what could have led her to the book… but he had ensured that said scripture was well and truly out of reach.
But the damage was done; even now, his sister dreamed of etching the Runes onto his body as part of his Slayer Marks… and Jaune accepted this. It was already in motion now; he could only try to safeguard his sister from this point forward.
Hopefully, once she could finally get the Runes on his person, she would no longer dream of them as such. Instead, they could be a feint memory, nothing more than a dream she had woken up from.
… Though he would admit, a part of him, treacherous and weak, did enjoy the sight of his sister carving the symbol he related to the little ones.
He could really use their Guidance right about now.
A.N.
Right, time skip chapter should bring us back up to the present and let us get started on the next arc that won the poll. Cue vacation music!
Also, we are moving into Cathedral Ward; in case you have forgotten, this is the closest thing to a central hub that Bloodborne has, so there will be a lot of important events soon.
Also, regarding the Arcs going off to Anima, that is happening in the next chapter, this chapter covered everything incidental, so next time, we will be straight into the Mistral stuff. But yeah, this chapter was just a way to keep my flow going… sorry if that doesn't make sense.
Also, this should all give you an idea of Jaune's abilities. At this point, our boy would easily outclass any student of a primary combat school if he were to give it his all. The only thing allowing them to fight on the same level being Aura, but Jaune would still for the most part have them beat. He is undoubtedly closer to Academy class in terms of his abilities.
If he had Aura… well, hehe, that's a whole other kettle of fish.
Right, I'll leave it there.
And remember, if you find yourself really, really, really liking my writing and want to show some financial support, I'm AceReaper on Pat re on, the same icon as my FF account.
Also, you can find the next chapter already posted there if you wanna jump on ahead and, you know, vote in Polls and stuff.
Happy (Belated) Fathers Day
And as always.
Until next time.