I don't own anything.
"Don't hop around so much, you have a shield for a reason!"
I planted my feet onto the ground more firmly at the shout, before smacking the incoming Ursa strike aside with my shield. Lunging, I stabbed forward, planting the gleaming edge of Crocea Mors straight into the Grimm's throat, dusting it.
+ 3821 DUST
Seeing as there were no enemies in the clearing anymore, I walked over to the tree Jade was leaning against, twirling her daggers as she watched me 'train'.
"You're getting better, but you need to play to your strengths more. You're getting pretty strong, but not very fast. And you have a lot of aura. Stop trying to bounce around and dodge attacks, its only making your footwork awkward. Block or parry if you can, dodge when you absolutely have to." She said simply, pushing off the tree and walking further into the forest, beckoning me forward.
"Yeah, yeah, you said that yesterday." I grumbled, only to see my ever-increasing aura bar take a small hit as my sister cuffed me on the back of the head.
"Maybe you should take my advice, then. You wouldn't have taken that last hit if you didn't screw up your footwork by trying to twirl around it like some kind of ballerina." She mocked, as we went to find some more Grimm.
Over the last two weeks, I was coming to realize that I might not know my darling sister as well as I had thought. As much as she was a sweetheart at home, out here, she was ruthless. She broke down my fighting style with no regard for my perpetually bruised ego or any of my protests.
"I can't afford to be nice if you are stupid enough to think going around fighting Grimm without backup was a good idea. If the price for your life is hurting your feelings, I'm not going to hesitate." She had said when I brought it up, and I understood. Doesn't mean I had to like it though.
And yet, it was working. I could fight tougher Grimm without having to be afraid for my life the whole time, which allowed me to level up for more quickly than I otherwise would have been able to. The tips she gave also meant that I wasn't just getting stronger, but I was also getting better.
As hard as she still rode me about it, I wasn't taking nearly as much damage as before, discounting the occasional slip-up.
"Come on! We only have a week left until the Beacon try-outs, you don't have time to stand around day-dreaming."
Quietly, I shook my head and hurriedly followed after her. We were much further out than I had ever been on my own, though it was only natural. With Jade as not only a safety net, but also a guide, I could much more effectively find Grimm in the area, and I could get back more easily without getting lost. And it made sense, as a fully-fledged Huntress, recently graduated or not, she had gone with our parents more than once to help cull the Grimm around Ansel. It would be strange if she didn't know her way around.
As we walked, I pulled up my attribute page, hoping that the last fight had granted me another level.
Jaune Arc
Level: 23 - 24
HP: 100/100
AP: 183/340
Vigor: 10
Mind: 17
Endurance: 13 - 14
Strength: 20
Dexterity: 12
Intelligence: 10
Dust: 7360 - 972
CONFIRM?
At the moment, I was splitting most of my points between Strength and Mind, also adding a couple of points into Endurance. Strength because it increased my damage, and it scaled well with Crocea Mors, but also because it made blocking and parrying a lot more manageable. Mind because aura was the thing keeping me alive. Vigor would probably have a pretty similar result, but if I had to rely on my HP, I was probably in more trouble than I would like.
I winced, sweat beading on my forehead as I remembered when that first Ursa had crushed my shoulder under its paw. The phantom pain almost made me trip over a fallen branch, but I recovered fast enough. 'And thank the gods for that, Jade would never let me live it down.' I thought as I hurried to catch back up to my sister.
Lastly, I was putting some points into Endurance, because if I could keep going for longer, I could train longer, and thus level up faster. It was a pretty costly investment, especially since my levelling costs would soon enter the five-digit numbers, but it was worth it. It even helped in individual fights, since I didn't get fatigued in the short term as easily anymore either.
When Jade abruptly stopped walking, I nearly walked straight into her back. We were standing in a clearing now, the trees spread out leaving a vague ring of grass and weeds around us. In the center of that ring, I could see the reason she had stopped. It was a little hard to make out in the dark, but whatever it was, it was huge.
Beringel
Level 39
My eyes widened as I saw how strong it was. It was almost twice my level, and now that I was able to get a better look at it, it was also around twice my size, only also 4 times as wide. I had started filling out more since I started levelling my Strength and Endurance, but this Grimm probably had close to a thousand pounds on me, judging by the thick bone plating on its arms and chest.
I got into my stance as it charged me, but it never hit me. Suddenly, I was on the other end of the clearing, Jade holding me by the scruff of my shirt. "I agreed to help you train, not to help you kill yourself." She hissed, "I am not letting you fight that thing. You aren't ready."
I felt hot as heat rushed to my cheeks at her scathing tone. "I'm never going to be ready if you don't let me try." I hissed back while the simian Grimm turned towards us, either hearing us, or simply sensing the negative emotions as Grimm were wont to do.
She looked ready to protest again, but I didn't give her a chance, instead rushing to meet the massive monster halfway. I stepped to the side as its giant fist compacted the ground where I had been standing, and I slashed out at one of the uncovered spots between its chest and abdomen, scoring a slight cut.
My victory was short-lived, however, as I was suddenly on my back. In the corner of my vision, I saw my aura meter flashing grey, it was empty. On the other side of the clearing, I heard the Grimm roar as gunfire rang out into the night. By the time I looked over, I saw that the monster was already turning to dust.
Jade stood in front of it like some kind of avenging angel, holding out one of her daggers in its blade form while the weapon's twin was in its pistol form, the barrel still smoking. Before I could blink, she was right in front of me, grabbing me by the back of my shirt and bodily dragging me through the forest.
When we got to the edge of town, she finally let me go, throwing me to the ground. I rolled to get to my feet, but she kicked my legs out from under me, dropping me on my ass again. I couldn't help but wince when I saw the look on her face. Jade wasn't just angry, she was apoplectic. I had never seen her so angry.
She leaned forwards until our noses almost touched. "If you ever do something that stupid again, you won't need to apply to Beacon, because you'll be dead. If the Grimm doesn't get you, I'll kill you myself. Understand?" The snarl on her face became more pronounced as she forced the words out through grit teeth. Looking into her eyes, I knew that she meant it.
She leaned forward, and at first I thought she was going to hit me, but instead a warm pair of arms wrapped around me. Hesitantly, I hugged her back, and then I felt my shirt grow damp where her head lay. 'Good job Arc, you made her cry. Again.' I rubbed little circles on her back to try and calm her down, but it didn't seem to do much.
"Why won't you just stop?" She whispered. She didn't sound angry anymore, or even sad. She just sounded, well, broken for lack of better word. "Why can't you just go to some university, become a doctor or an accountant or something. Why can't you just stay safe?"
It hurt, to hear her say that. For the past three weeks, I had finally been making progress. I thought, with her helping me, that she would finally start believing in me. That she, unlike the rest of our family, would actually believe that I could do it. But even after all of that, she just didn't.
'It doesn't matter how hard I work, or how strong I become. I will always be little Jaune to them. The runt of the litter, the only Arc who didn't have it in him to become a hunter.' I realized, and somehow, that hurt even worse.
After a while, Jade passed out. I gently scooped her up and dropped her in her bed, before making my way to my own. I didn't feel tired, not really. I hadn't really needed to sleep since, well, ever. I mostly did it because it made me feel normal. I only had to sleep if I was injured.
So, when I got to my room, I didn't crawl into bed like I usually would. No, instead, I grabbed a bag and began packing. Jade meant well, and out of all of my family, she had always been the most supportive. And yet, she couldn't find it in herself to trust me even the slightest bit. She didn't go with me into the forest to help me, she went in to make sure I didn't die. Helping had just been the easiest way to do that.
It hurt. And somewhere, in the back of my mind, I had always known. I was the goofy, happy go lucky brother who was never really good at anything. The worst part was that they cared. If they were assholes, or abusive, then I could rationalize it, ignore them and go on my merry way. But, they cared, they just didn't want to see me hurt. They wanted me safe, even at the expense of my dreams.
And that was why it would never work.
When I was all packed, I grabbed a piece of paper and scribbled a short note. They would find it in the morning when I wasn't at breakfast, they would call and worry and probably even come looking for me. But by then, I hoped to be long gone. That done, I strapped Crocea Mors to its belt, shouldered my bag and walked straight out of the front door.
Next stop, Beacon.
People always say that Vale has some of the most beautiful landscapes in all of Remnant. Lush green fields, beautiful forests, and the occasional mountain dotting the backdrop. Forever fall was the epitome of that. Dark brown bark contrasted wonderfully with the blood red leaves that stayed the same year-round, hence the name.
The company could be better, though.
Beowolf
Level 14
Beowolf
Level 18
Beowolf
Level 15
I planted my feet and pushed forward, blocking the incoming paw from the largest of their number, and pushing it to the ground. Meanwhile, I slashed Crocea Mors off to the side, taking the head off the smallest one as it tried to crash into my side.
+ 921 DUST
I ignored the popup as the last member of their pack crashed into my back, taking a chunk of my aura with it. Turning, I smacked it in the nose with my shield, dazing it before I sliced through its neck.
+ 1047 DUST
I continued my spin and blocked a bite from the downed Beowolf, breaking some of the beast's teeth. With a final stab, the monster turned to dust.
+ 1239 DUST
A quick look around revealed that I was alone, so I collapsed my shield and sheathed Crocea Mors at my waist. I had been stuck in this forest for over a day now, and as beautiful as it was, I needed to get to Vale soon. Beacon's entrance exams would close in three days, and I was not going to miss it.
Taking out my scroll, I turned it back on. 128 Notifications it read, and I ignored it as I opened my map. Apparently, I should be close to the train tracks here, and then it was just a straight walk for about 8 hours. 'Almost there, come on Jaune.'
And then I heard the cracking of gunfire. It would put me off course, but I couldn't very well leave whoever it was alone, they might need help. Oh sure, it was more than likely a Huntsman, and probably not in any danger, but could I take that risk? No, no I couldn't.
I took off towards the noise at a dead sprint, cursing the fact that I had yet to really invest points into Dexterity. When I made it to the clearing, I threw a single glance across it before charging in.
Ursa Major
Level 38
It was huge, far larger than any of the other ursine Grimm I had fought or seen before. Not only that, but it was also around the same level as that Beringel that had given me a beatdown before. Luckily, its health bar was already halfway, likely due to the girl standing in front of it, pistol held out as she backpedaled away from the Grimm's charge.
She was beautiful too, with smooth alabaster skin and silky raven locks that flew around in the wind as she moved around the Grimm at high-speed. I caught a glint of gold in my periphery as I crashed into the Ursa's back paw, shield first.
The Grimm's thick, bone plate on its hind leg cracked where I had crashed into it, and I quickly rammed Crocea Mors into the crack and dragged it down. Grimm roared, and as it turned to stomp me into paste, it took another flurry of bullets to the face as the pressure was finally off the girl that had been fighting it before.
I parried a strike from the pair, wincing as the glancing blow to my shield still took nearly a fifth of my aura with it. I didn't let it phase me, though, and I swiped into the joint between its armor plates on the front paw that was still on the floor. The hit dropped it to the floor as it had only one paw left to stand on. As it tried to get its other leg back under itself, it took another flurry of bullets to the skull.
Taking advantage of its distracted state, I planted my feet and stabbed Crocea Mors' gleaming tip into its throat, taking its HP bar down to 0.
ENEMY FELLED
+ 12837 DUST
I couldn't help but widen my eyes at the sheer amount of Dust it had dropped. That would net me another level on its own, judging by the previous level costs I had had. I was broken from my thoughts as the girl I had come to help was suddenly right behind me, weapon still in hand.
"Who are you?"
A/N: Hello again everyone. To the Spanish anonymous reviewer, from the little Spanish I speak, I think you want Jaune to spread his points out more, and for me to explain what the stats are and do exactly. At least I think that's what it means. Jaune will start spreading out stats more as he finds situations in which he needs them. Until he finds a problem he needs speed for, he won't think to put many points in Dexterity, if that makes sense. After all, Jaune is just a kid, he is kind of dumb and makes mistakes.
As for what the attributes do, here is an overview.
Vigor: Overall health, poison resistance etc. (HP grows with this stat at 10 points of HP for 1 point of Vigor)
Mind: Aura reserves, Semblance unlock at certain value (TBD I'm not 100% sure yet what semblance I want to give him)
Endurance: Both long- and short-term endurance. (What I mean is that yes, upping endurance means he can run for longer, for example, but he can also swing his sword at high intensity for longer without having to stop for a couple of seconds.)
Strength: Physical strength, pretty self-explanatory
Dexterity: Speed, handling, reflexes (No, he won't ever be going at the speed of sound, it's too OP.)
Intelligence: Semblance potency/Aura skill damage (if he has an INT scaling weapon it will also up the damage on the weapon)
I hope that this clears things up a little. No, Jaune doesn't know this, he is making this up as he goas, since in Dark Souls, the player is also told jack shit, which is good for a story, as it means he won't be metagaming and becoming ridiculously powerful for no reason.
To Idew, I for some reason can't PM you, so I will also answer here. I want the 'Going Hollow' thing to be something completely mental. It's easier to write, and fits really well with the RWBY world without needing to figure out mechanics of him actually turning into a Grimm. After all, the RWBY world is full of despair and hopelessness, fighting against endless tides of monsters will do that. (Also Qrow and Taiyang will be good side-characters for this since they have very different stances on this theme.)
To Guest 2.0, I updates last chapter to fix the typo and the issues with Aura, I put a little addendum in the last chapter when I did so.
As always, feel free to leave a review if you have any feedback or questions for me. I was especially wondering what you guys thought of the scene that caused Jaune to leave home early. I thought it displays how Jade feels a little more accurately than in the last chapter. It clearly shows us that she was willing to help to help him, but still reluctant because she doesn't want him to get hurt. The Beringel puts this into perspective for her, and breaks her resolve. Anyways, I would love to hear what you guys think.
And as always, have a good one!
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