A/N: If you enjoy my work, please pop into my Discord server at discord dot gg slash ABfg74C
Couple of commenters asked about future relationships given the discussion of polycules last chapter. Have updated the [description/tags] to make it clear that a polyamorous relationship is indeed planned, but it will be small and is quite a long ways off.
Oathbound
I left a note in case one of my sisters came home, and made sure my Scroll was fully charged before tossing it in my [Inventory]. My headphones went on my ears so that I had an excuse not to talk to people, and I topped my 'Casual' outfit with a nice pair of wraparound sunglasses I'd found in my sister Bianca's room. I didn't recognize the brand name, but they looked designer and worked with the aesthetic I was going for: a sort of casual elegance. My HUD also seemed to be projected onto the lenses once I put them on. The difference didn't seem to be anything other than cosmetic, but it looked cool. It also made me wonder if it would also update if I wore a motorcycle helmet or something. The clothes as a whole fit me differently than they had a week ago, but apparently my [Inventory] was doing a one-size-fits-all thing, because they weren't actually too small despite how many points I'd gained in my physical stats. I wasn't suddenly a bodybuilder or anything, but I was decidedly 'lean' now rather than just 'skinny'.
Jaune's canon armor, which was not much more than a breastplate, pauldrons, and fingerless gloves reinforced at the wrists, had been in the back of his closet. I wasn't sure why he had them, since apparently his parents hadn't wanted him to Hunt, but perhaps they had been a gift from one of his other sisters toeing the line of their geas. I dropped them into my [Inventory], naturally, setting them as a new armor set cloned after my Casual set.
I had also swiped the Family Sword a few days ago, simply dropping it into my [Inventory] when Olivia went back to her apartment in the city to get her mail, and Indigo went out on a Hunt — I'm sure both of them noticed, but neither said anything — and included that in the Combat set as well.
Buying a day pass for the train with the glut of cash I had after fighting Indigo, I watched from the corner of my vision as my minimap filled in all along the track. Not having anything else to do, I actually stayed on the train until the end of the line by the docks, then turned around and rode back to an arbitrary stop in the middle of downtown. There were still blank spots on my map, but I had cut a wide swath across the valley where I'd actually explored.
Plucking a transit system map from beside the door as I stepped back onto the street, I was pleased to accept the offer to add the information to my map and [Journal]. Dropping it into my Handy Haversack — AKA Jaune's backpack now linked to my [Inventory] — before accepting, so that nobody would see the pamphlet disappearing into thin air, I nodded as the various train lines and bus routes traced themselves into visibility through the fog of war. I had no idea what parts of town were to the North and South of me, aside from the obvious Beacon up on the cliff, but at least I wouldn't get lost. Setting off through downtown, I listened to the ambient BGM of the city for a bit before putting on something I could hum along to.
Vale was a big place, and I stepped around all kinds of people as I took in the sights like the tourist I technically was. It was a good-size city; but more like Miami-big rather than NYC-big. The computer animation did not prepare me adequately for seeing an actual person with faunus features, though thankfully I caught myself before I started actually staring. I didn't even realize at first that the guy — a kid, really, around my now-reduced age — was panhandling, because I was busy mentally processing his feline snout and whiskers. Once it did click, I paused, casting around and noticing what looked like a fast food joint called Redd's Table. I vaguely recalled Indigo mentioning that as an option when I'd gotten out of the hospital; apparently it was a chain.
Given the way people were looking past him, it seemed like homelessness was treated about the same as it had been on Earth. I didn't know if it was because he was faunus, or if that was unrelated, but he definitely looked underweight. I'd been homeless once myself, for just long enough to have extreme sympathy for anyone dealing with the same situation. There were lots of stories about homeless people allegedly turning down food because they wanted cash for booze or drugs, but I'd never encountered that. Fuck knows I'd have accepted a meal of any kind back then.
Approaching slowly, I pulled my headphones off and slid my shades up onto my forehead, waiting for him to glance up.
"Hey man, can I buy you some lunch?" I said, jerking a thumb over my shoulder at the restaurant.
He stared up at me for a solid minute, apparently waiting for me to change my mind, before he nodded and picked up the hat he'd been panhandling with. I waited for him to grab his bag and get up, then led the way over to the restaurant so he wouldn't feel nervous about giving me his back — like I said, I'd lived on the streets for a little while. I'd been fortunate enough to recover fairly quickly, but I knew how easy it was to get paranoid, because people treated you differently when they saw you sleeping in parks or panhandling.
"Welcome to Redd's, what can I get you?" asked the tired voice of the pimply teen behind the counter. He glanced at the faunus kid's dirty clothes and wrinkled his nose, but at least he didn't seem to have a problem with serving a faunus.
"Just get me a number three, I guess," the kid said softly.
"Triple that, and bag it up to-go with a cup for water," I requested. "And a medium fry and chocolate milkshake for here."
Nodding listlessly, the employee took my lien and turned to pass the ticket to the cook at the fryer. Stepping back, I glanced at the faunus kid to find him still avoiding my gaze, so I pulled out my Scroll and started scrolling through a local news ticker. He was watching me out of the corner of his eye, but any time I glanced up to check on the food he quickly looked away, so I assumed he was still too nervous to talk. When our order was called, I peeked in the large bag next to the cup of water, reached in, and pulled out a single fry. Winking, I grabbed the tray with my own fries and shake on it, then inclined my head at the kid.
"You don't have to hang around and eat," I told him, figuring he wouldn't want to sit awkwardly with a guy he didn't know. I turned to look for a place to sit.
He picked up the bag, looking like he didn't quite know what to make of me. "Thanks," he murmured.
"Take care out there," I replied solemnly. "Long days and pleasant nights."
He hesitated like he might follow me to a table, but decided against it. Nodding sharply, he slipped out the door and left. Sighing, I dropped into a seat facing the door, popping another fry idly into my mouth. Fuck, I hope he makes it. If I see him again he might trust me more, maybe I can buy him a jacket or something.
I was about to put my shades and headphones back on when a big hand fell on the back of the chair opposite mine. Following the arm up to the man's eyes, I found sharp hazel eyes in a rough face with big sideburns.
‹Thus Conscience Makes A Coward›
LV 12
Tukson Mayes
Hot damn, someone who's title I can actually see, and it's… Hamlet? I wondered. Do they have Shakespeare on Remnant? Or is it just my Semblance?
"Yes?" I asked politely.
"What did you put in the bag?" Tukson asked softly. "Your hand wasn't empty when you put it in, and it came out with just a fry."
I raised my eyebrows. "You have sharp eyes," I praised him.
His fist tightened on the chair back, though his expression didn't change. "What did you put in there?" he repeated.
I shrugged, leaning back and picking up my milkshake. "About three grand in cash."
Tukson blinked. "Why?"
"Why not?" I shot back. "He needed some help and I was in a position to give it." I ate another fry. "I don't need a better reason than that."
The older man frowned down at me for a moment. "May I sit down?" he asked, politely.
"Suit yourself," I replied.
Tukson nodded and went to pick up his food from his table. I picked at my fries, and while he was facing away, I took the opportunity to [Observe] him.
[Name: Tukson Mayes]
[LV 12]
[Title: Thus Conscience Makes A Coward]
[Race: Puma Faunus]
[Age: 36]
[Job: Bookshop Owner]
[Class: White Fang Informant]
[Stats: 15 STR, 12 CON, 10 DEX, 9 INT, 12 WIS, 12 CHA]
[Background: A native of Vacuo, he joined the White Fang prior to its recent radicalization. Unhappy with its new, terrifying image, yet uncomfortable turning his back on his friends, he is caught between a rock and a hard place, unable to safely withdraw and yet unwilling to participate beyond passing information. He wants a peaceful life.]
So, not that different from what was briefly presented in the show, I pondered. Most likely a coincidence that he's here. He was probably in the area and saw me approach a faunus kid, then got more suspicious when he saw me slip something in the bag. Guess the show must have really glossed over day-to-day racism and shit the faunus deal with, if he's this nervous over me just buying some food for a homeless teenager.
Tukson sat back down, and I blinked, having been lost in my thoughts.
"What can I do ya for?" I asked around the straw of my milkshake — which was better than a fast food milkshake had any right to be, I might add.
Tukson gave me a searching look. "I wanted to know why you were buying him a meal," he said finally. "I was here for lunch anyway and I saw you approach him through the window." He nodded toward the outside, and with a glance I confirmed you could indeed see the spot where the kid had been panhandling. He hadn't returned there, so apparently he went somewhere else to eat.
"I already gave him what pocket change I had on me," Tukson continued. "And I was thinking about buying him some food myself on the way out, when you bought him in here."
I raised an eyebrow. "So, why did you question me buying him lunch, if you were going to do it yourself?"
"You're Human," Tukson answered, as if that explained everything. Which, maybe it did, but I lacked the context to appreciate it.
"So every faunus would have done something?" I asked, knowing we both knew it wasn't true. Plenty of faunus on the street had walked straight past him too.
Tukson sighed. "I'm from Vacuo," he rumbled. "And while there's just as many folks there who would as soon step on you as help you up when you're down… I always try to be the latter."
I rested my elbows on the table and steepled my fingers. "Then it sounds like you understand exactly why I helped him out."
Tukson chewed his burger for a moment. "I try because I've been where he is," he said. "I don't have a place to offer him, but there were times I'd have taken a meal from anyone, even a Human I didn't trust." He shook his head. "No offense, but there's no way you have that motive."
Wrong guess, but I can't actually explain that. …Or can I?
I shrugged, momentarily triggering [Eagle's Splendor]. "I feel as if I have," I said smoothly. "But then, I woke up in the hospital with amnesia two weeks ago, so I don't really know. Maybe it's a memory from a past life."
[Acting has increased by 1!]
Thank you, thirty-something boosted CHA, I thought with satisfaction.
Dropping the buff, I ate the last of my fries. "All I know is, I saw an opportunity to do some good. It didn't really cost me anything but time, and that kid might have an easier shot of it. Punch up, but lend a hand downwards. There's no strings attached, and maybe that'll help him hang on to some hope. I'd like to do more, but he was nervous enough waiting for a catch that wasn't coming, so I decided to let him leave."
Tukson frowned thoughtfully. "Amnesia?" he asked, apparently just catching up to what I'd said.
I nodded casually, picking up my shake again. "Total blank before I woke up morning of the 23rd," I said easily. "Apparently I have seven sisters? I've only met two of them."
I extended a hand across the table. "Jaune Arc."
Tukson blinked, seeming to realize he'd been all but interrogating me without even introducing himself. "Tukson Mayes," he replied, clasping my hand briefly. "If you don't mind me saying, you seem very… upbeat? About the whole situation."
I shrugged. "Que será, será," I opined. "Most things that happen in life can be either tragic or comic, depending on how you choose to look at them." I was probably butchering the quote, but the sentiment fit all the same. "So, is life a big, long, tiresome slog from sadness to regret to guilt to resentment to self-pity? Or is life weird, outrageous, bizarre, ironic, and just plain stupid? Me, I gotta go with stupid."
Tukson nodded thoughtfully. "I guess I can see that," he said, balling up his burger wrapper. "It's a good attitude, if you can maintain it. What brings you to the city, if you don't mind me asking?"
"Trying to get the lay of the land," I replied. "I've got a feel for the transit system now, so I just need to get a handle on what parts of town are where. I had some vague idea of getting a freelance job that I can do in between Huntsman training."
"Aiming for Beacon?" Tukson asked. "Even with your new…" He trailed off delicately.
I tilted my head. "I guess it could be considered a disability?" I pondered. "But it doesn't feel like it, since I'm still on track to pass the exam." I shrugged. "It's not like I remember being different."
Tukson got to his feet, picking up his tray to throw out. "I don't have anything long-term, but I have some deliveries you could make for me. I was wondering how I was going to get them all sent out today."
"Sounds good to me," I said. "What do you need me to do?"
I got an alert as soon as I asked, and ended up tuning out most of Tukson's explanation in favor of reading the quest's description.
[Quest Alert!]
[Special Delivery]
[Tukson offers an occasional parcel delivery service, but he has accepted too many contracts today and doesn't have time to deliver them all. Deliver at least two of Tukson's packages to their recipients.]
[Bonus Objective: Volunteer to deliver all four packages.]
[Time limit: 8 hours.]
[Reward: 1,000 EXP, 2,000L, Job: Courier (Temporary), increased reputation with Tukson Mayes.]
[Bonus Reward: +10,000 EXP, +20,000L, increased closeness with ?, ? becomes your enemy, greatly decreased reputation with ? (hostility guaranteed).]
[Failure Penalty: Decreased reputation with Tukson Mayes.]
[Bonus Objective Failure: ? will not trust you, ? becomes your enemy, decreased reputation with ? (hostility likely), serious injury, likely death.]
[Accept/Decline]
What's with the disparity between the regular and bonus objectives? I wondered. Who the hell is the last delivery to, that it's worth so much more, Cinder her-fucking-self? And is that the same person becoming my enemy in both bonus scenarios? Why is it phrased like a reward? Making an enemy is supposed to be a good thing? Fuck me.
I was obviously going to do it, but I didn't have to be happy about the implied danger. I followed him a few blocks back to his bookshop, deciding to browse while he went in the back to get his boxes. Trailing my finger along the spines, I found that unfortunately they mostly weren't skill books, but there were a couple of promising titles, namely [On The Origin of Nature's Wrath] and [The Art of Parkour], which I plucked from the shelves to purchase on my way out.
"I'll still have to close the shop," Tukson said as he came back out, carrying two boxes that weren't huge but seemed heavy. "But we can each take two and I won't miss my promised delivery time today."
"I can take them all," I said immediately. Sue me, I wanted the EXP, and the cash was way better too. I had looked up motorcycle prices on my Scroll and they were indeed in the neighborhood of a hundred grand, as Olivia had estimated. "How much for these books?"
"Two thousand," Tukson said, glancing at the section I'd taken them from. "But you can have them for the delivery; I'd say that's worth delivering the two I was planning to give you. You really think you can deliver all four today?"
[Quest Alert: Reward updated! Instead of 2,000L you will receive 2 Skill Books!]
Excellent.
"I've got nothing else to do today," I told him, dropping the two books into my Handy Haversack and reaching for the first parcel.
[You have obtained the Job: Courier (Temporary)!]
I plucked the note off the top with the address on it and set it aside, before carefully sliding the box of books into my backpack as well. Fortunately, all the boxes were narrow enough to fit into the mouth of the backpack, even though it was patently too small to hold all of them.
"You've got a space-expanded bag?" Tukson asked as he returned with the second pair of boxes. He sounded surprised. "I guess you really aren't hurting for money."
I glanced up. "These are rare?"
I was pretty sure my backpack was unique, given it was linked to my [Inventory], which didn't seem to have any weight or capacity limitations, but the fact that space warping was a thing at all in Remnant was news to me.
Tukson looked incredulous. "Rare? Hell, even one that size would probably cost a half a million Lien; how could you not know…? Ah. Amnesia, you said."
"Yep," I bobbed my head, zipping the backpack up after the last box was in. "As far as I knew, this was just a regular thing. Thanks for letting me know to keep it under wraps; I don't want to get mugged for it. Fortunately, it looks big enough to hold a single one of these boxes, so as long as I only pull out one at a time nobody should suspect."
Tukson still looked uncertain, but he nodded, so I made a show of pulling out my Scroll and looking up the address on the first paper. It was only a few blocks North, and I tapped the place on my Scroll to set a Waypoint on my [Map].
"I'll stop back by when I'm done, assuming you're still open," I told him. "If not, I can text you?"
I held up my Scroll, and Tukson withdrew his own to hold next to it; we both pressed the central button, and with dual beeps they exchanged contact info.
Nodding a farewell, I headed out of the shop, following the waypoint as I wondered what the hell was going to go wrong. Hopefully nothing in the first two deliveries, since I'd made note of which ones Tukson had originally intended for me to take, but just in case I paused by a park bench and opened my backpack again. Reaching in, I thought about withdrawing one of the books I'd 'bought' and closed my hand around the spine in what had previously been empty space.
[You learned the skill [Dust Mastery]!]
[Dust Mastery (Passive) LV 1 EXP: 0.00%
Mortals were born from dust, and the spark of hope and ingenuity led to the mastery of Nature's Wrath—Dust: a naturally occurring energy propellant that can be triggered by the Aura of Humans and faunus.
1% increase in power of Dust techniques.
Able to refine and craft Grade I Dust.
[You learned the skill [Parkour]!]
[Parkour (Passive) LV 1 EXP: 0.00%
A skill that represents your ability to navigate a complex environment in the fastest and most efficient way possible; seeing your environment in a new way, and imagining the potential for navigating it by movement around, across, through, over and under its features, whether by running, climbing, swinging, vaulting, jumping, plyometrics, rolling, crawling, or any other movement necessary.
Passively increases DEX by 1%
Movement speed reduced by 50% while changing direction or traversing obstacles.
The ability to use Dust was something I'd been planning on picking up as soon as I realized I was in Remnant, although it probably wouldn't be very useful until I actually had some Dust to play with and figure out how it worked. Maybe that was something I could get my sisters to help me experiment with. But that other skill…
[Parkour] was a lot more than it seemed at first glance, as the description suggested. It was more than just freerunning, it was visualizing how you were going to move through the space around you. Suddenly fences and rails were things to vault; trees were things to scale and branches things to hang and swing from; bollards were things I could hop up to and run across; narrow alleys were invitations to triangle jump and traverse the rooftops; and falling was something I could simply tumble out of to avoid taking damage. It was about the most all-around useful passive skill I'd found yet, and that was before taking into account the actual percentage bonuses it provided.
Grinning, I slipped my headphones back on, tightened the straps of my Handy Haversack, and took off at a fast jog, activating [Cat's Grace] as I went. Hopping up onto another bench, I stepped onto the back of it, then jumped diagonally onto the top of a metal sign that was riveted to the concrete frontage. The sign ran out, and I took two steps on the wall before jumping, which just barely gave me the height to jump and catch the overpass with my fingertips. Hauling myself up and vaulting the railing, I couldn't help grunting out, "Parkour!"
I mentally dismissed the notification that the skill had gained a level, waved at the people staring, and took off again.
Between the buff and my new mindset, I was able to make it to the first drop-off — the penthouse of a fairly nice apartment building — within the 13-ish minutes it currently took for one of my animal buffs to drain my MP.
Panting, I glanced around to confirm I was alone, then just pulled the box out of my [Inventory] rather than go through the charade of using the Haversack.
I knocked, then took a step back and breathed deep, trying to stop gasping for breath. It took my deliveree almost a minute to answer, so my breathing was regular again by the time the knob turned. I just barely had time to refocus on my surroundings, and register that the Aura inside the apartment seemed familiar, before Olivia opened the door.
"Jaune? Is something wrong?" she asked, looking alarmed.
"Nope," I said easily. "Delivery from Tukson's Book Trade." I hefted the box.
"I'm pretty sure I would remember you having a part-time job," Olivia drawled, standing aside so I could come in.
"Just trading favors," I replied. I waited until she shut the door behind me, then unequipped my boots and set them by the door.
"Gods, that's still weird to watch," she said, dropping onto the easy chair and waving me to put the box on the table. "What's this favor earning you?"
"Ten thousand experience and twenty thousand lien," I grinned.
Olivia started. "That much to deliver a box of books?"
"To deliver four boxes," I corrected. "The quest said I'd get two grand for delivering two boxes, or ten times that for four; seemed like a no-brainer. I'm guessing there's going to be some complication, but better I deal with it than Tukson, I figure."
"I guess," Olivia said slowly, opening the box to check her purchases. "How'd you land the quest?"
She listened idly as I told her about the morning's events, looking thoughtful when I mentioned my new skills. "Grade 1 Dust is fairly cheap," she said. "I can give you a few crystals before you go, but be careful with it."
"No worries, the knowledge for safe handling came along with the skill," I reassured her. I looked around and added, "This is a really great place. I have no idea what a Huntress' salary looks like, but a loft can't come cheap. Doesn't seem so messy that you'd need a housekeeper, though," I teased, remembering our bet.
Olivia chuckled. "I'd just make extra messes for you to clean up."
I rolled my eyes. "Naturally."
"Actually, I'm hoping I get that job in Mistral, so I'd have let you out of the deal anyway," Olivia added, lifting her purchases out of the box and revealing some juvenile psychology textbooks, a history of the Academies, and a collection of essays on teaching Hunters. "I should get a yea or nay before my lease is up."
"If it's yea, see if they'd mind me taking over the lease," I said, only half-joking. It was a really nice apartment, after all. The Arc household was spacious and all, but I had memories of years of living independently, and alone. Maybe it was just my nature, but I really wanted my
Olivia snorted. "Even if you could afford the rent, you wouldn't be able to spend much time here while you're in school, Bro-bro."
"Twenty grand for a simple quest," I reminded her. "Plus, in games, you usually get loot for killing monsters. I haven't gone Hunting yet, since you and Indigo can't take me, but there's a possibility Grimm will literally drop Lien when I kill them."
"If they do…" Olivia pondered, rubbing her chin. "Depending on how much you got, you could end up essentially getting paid twice for every mission. I'm not sure how any Semblance could do that, but you've been right every time I second-guessed you on how yours works, so who knows?"
I shrugged. "Not today's problem," I said. "You mind if I crash here for like, ten minutes? I want to meditate back to full MP before I run the next delivery."
"Sure," Olivia smiled. "Add it to your map. Actually, let me add the door code to your Scroll. I don't know about turning the place over to you, but I don't mind you crashing here whenever."
"Thanks, Via," I smirked, then ducked as she swiped playfully at me for using Indigo's nickname.
I pulled my Scroll out of thin air and tossed it to her before folding my legs underneath me on the couch and triggering [Gaia's Pulse].
Feeling for the planet's pulse in the middle of Vale was very different from the near-rural village where the Arcs lived. For one thing, I became hyper-aware of every soul within the passive range of my [Detect Aura] skill, and tended to [Eavesdrop] unintentionally. Since I was activating it as a skill, the noise and distractions of my sister flipping through her books, or the bustle of the city around me, didn't actually prevent me from achieving a meditative state, but I was still aware of the sounds and energy of the urban jungle around me, pulsing in a way that the more literal forests around the Arc home never did. There was a lot more 'empty space' in my Aura sense, because the steel and concrete weren't alive the way trees and grass were, but there were many more people around, moving in and out of my range constantly.
At first I had wondered if being so far from nature would affect the skill, or prevent me from activating it at all, but it seemed that even in the middle of Vale I wasn't so terribly far from nature. Or perhaps it was arrogant to think otherwise — humans and faunus alike were still animals, after all; jumped-up apes who weren't so far away from our baser natures as we liked to pretend, most of the time. The steel and chrome and concrete were our chosen habitat, but simply represented a new ecosystem, not the lack of one.
[Recognizing your place in the world caused your WIS to increase by 1!]
My MP was full up just inside the twelve-minute mark, and my eyes opened to find a sandwich on the table in front of me. Smiling in thanks, I stuffed it into my [Inventory], then pulled out the notes with the addresses off the other boxes, and opened the map on my Scroll. I found the first place pretty quick and set a waypoint, but couldn't figure out where the second stop was. "Any idea where Slye Blvd might be?" I asked Olivia.
"Up near the fork in the river, I think?" she replied, not glancing up from her Scroll. "Somewhere around there. I'm adding you to our group chat, by the way. Check it out next time you take a break."
"Later." My Scroll buzzed, but I ignored it for the moment. Scanning street names as I panned around the map, I eventually found the right one and set another waypoint. The fourth address was even further West, across the south fork of the river into the Industrial District. I had a premonition that was the one that was going to be a problem, but I shook it off and got to my feet, stretching.
"All right, I'd better get back in motion," I said, moving to the door and re-equipping my boots. "Got more of my personal map to fill in, since it doesn't give me the details until I've physically been there."
"If it's late when you finish, come back here," Olivia ordered me, looking up at last as I unlocked the door.
"Jeez, you're not my mother, you know?" I joked, which she ignored.
"And call if you run into trouble," she finished.
"If I can't handle it," I agreed.
Olivia narrowed her eyes at my lack of a simple affirmative, but nodded as I pulled the door closed behind me. "Good Hunting, Jaune," I heard her call as the lock clicked.
"See you," I called back, jogging toward the stairs and already planning on vaulting the railings repeatedly rather than using the landings.
The route to my next two deliveries was pretty simple, though the slowdowns when I ran out of MP and had to [Parkour] without [Cat's Grace] made them take a while, not to mention taking a break just before approaching each door to meditate my MP back to full. With two hours of my time limit still remaining after dropping off the third box, I decided to leave the buff off and just jog along the river until I found a place to cross. If anything did happen, my MP would be topped off.
Actually, I should probably eat that sandwich now, because I might not have time later. Retrieving it from my Haversack, I sat down on a bench, balancing my Scroll on my knee as I peeled back the bread to see what was in it. Ham, good; cheese, looked like gruyère, not bad at all; a swipe of mustard, excellent; on the other slice, mayo, ugh. Sticking out my tongue, I stuck the mayo-encrusted slice of bread back in my [Inventory], folding the rest of the sandwich in half and munching on it as I flipped through my Scroll to the chat feature, which had been triggering notifications all afternoon.
Gardevoiradded JauneArcto the group Seven Deadly Sisters| Friday, 13:29
‹Zapdos› what.
‹Gengar› took u long enough
‹Reuniclus› NO WAY !
‹Gardevoir› He dropped by earlier on a part-time job. Since he's taking this whole Hunting thing so seriously for a change, I thought this might be appropriate.
‹Reuniclus› I DUNNO ABOUT THAT .
‹Reuniclus› SEEMS KINDA LIKE ITS AGAINST THE RULES ?
‹Gardevoir› Then don't feel like you have to encourage him. Although we did find out something that merits discussion. We're being forced to feel guilty when we offer him help. Like, by a Semblance-like effect. Jaune was the one who figured it out.
‹Zapdos› how's that, exactly?
‹Gengar› turns out the rents were so srs abt not training j that they decided 2 enforce it w a geas
‹Reuniclus› WAIT LIKE IN THE STORIES ?
‹Gardevoir› So it seems. I've been trying to find information about the actual effect, but outside of fairy tales I can't find much of substance. Usually it's about an obligation that an individual takes so seriously, it becomes a part of their very soul, so their Aura fizzles if they try to go against it.
‹Zapdos› and because the folks made not training Jaune such a rule…
‹Gengar› weve all been goin along w it even if we disagree
‹Gardevoir› Implying we have at least accepted the geas. Even just supplying a knife, not even of Hunting quality, racked me with guilt. I dislike the implications of this.
‹Reuniclus› I'LL LOOK INTO IT !
‹Reuniclus› MY LITTLE BUDDIES ARE STILL BUILDING THIS RAILGUN THOUGH SO HALF MY BRAIN IS STILL FULL OF ELECTROMAGNETISM AND SHRAPNEL-HURLING !
Chuckling, I decided I may as well fit the theme, even if I wasn't sure why Pokémon existed on Remnant.
JauneArc is now known as Aegislash.
‹Aegislash› I assume Olivia and Indigo have filled everyone in about my amnesia by now
‹Aegislash› don't suppose I could get a roll call?
‹Reuniclus› GUESS !
‹Aegislash› how.
‹Reuniclus› NOT MY PROBLEM ~ !
‹Gardevoir› How are your deliveries?
‹Aegislash› three down, easy enough
‹Aegislash› I'm procrastinating the fourth; better get to it
‹Aegislash› later
Getting back to my feet, I made sure the park was empty, then called up my [Inventory] again to put away my Scroll and give the final parcel I was delivering a closer look, since nobody was around to see me poking at empty air. Tukson's bio said he was an informant for the White Fang, and since nothing had interrupted my first three deliveries, that meant that something was probably going to go down with this one. I tapped the icon for the parcel, hoping for some additional details, but apparently my Semblance couldn't or wouldn't tell me what was inside it. Oh well. Glancing around to make sure I was alone, I pulled the box out and glanced at it. It was definitely heavy enough to be a bunch of books, but the note on top was addressed to "Blake", and given this was Remnant and I was heading into the bad part of town…
Actually, did my suspicion even make sense? In reality, there could be, and probably were, any number of Blakes in Vale. Blake Belladonna, as far as I remembered, had been on the continent that Mistral lay on, before cutting ties with the White Fang during the Black Trailer.
On the other hand, there was no real indication of when the trailer took place, relative to the start of the series. I hadn't heard about any train robberies in the news, but that just meant it hadn't occurred in the last two weeks since I'd 'arrived' on Remnant.
Absently crossing the bridge and heading for my waypoint as the sun sank behind the Bay, I ignored the glances I was getting for, presumably, being a Human heading into the 'Hood. I'd lived in neighborhoods like this on Earth, so I was honestly kind of impressed at seeing the Remnan equivalent — the streets were pretty clean, and there weren't any broken windows or gratuitous amounts of visible graffiti, just a vague atmosphere that set me on edge and made me hyper-aware of the people around me. I vaguely wished I had kept Jaune's hoodie, because putting the hood up to cover my bright hair would probably have made me a lot less conspicuous.
Still, nobody seemed to be paying me any special attention, so I trotted up to the sixth-floor walkup. I was about to knock on the door when I noticed it was already ajar.
That… made all my fledgling instincts flare at once, and I popped [Detect Aura] on reflex. There were six people inside. Four of them felt like civilians, one was a bit stronger than me, and the last…was even stronger than my sisters, which was more than a little terrifying. Swallowing, I activated [Eavesdrop].
"–why you're doing this!" It was a young woman's voice; low, angry, and desperate. "I've made it clear I don't want anything to do with the White Fang anymore. I haven't told the police anything either, I just want to be left alone!"
"Why do you say things that you know will make me angry, darling?" the second voice was male, and soft with repressed fury. Based solely on his possessive tone, I hated him immediately.
An instant later, I jumped as a gunshot went off inside the apartment, loud as hell, and followed by a scream of pain from someone who hadn't spoken yet.
"Look what you've made me do," the man who'd spoken before added. "She's going to die now, because of you."
"Because of you!" the girl snapped back. "You don't get to blame me for the things you do anymore, Adam!"
Adam. A very powerful man named Adam, in a mostly-faunus neighborhood, trying to bring someone back to the White Fang, in an apartment where I was supposed to deliver a package to a Blake. That added up to a very dangerous picture, and one that I wanted absolutely no part of. At least, not until I was a hell of a lot stronger than I was now.
But as badly as I wanted to flee, I found myself rooted to the spot, and I knew I wasn't going to be able to walk away. I couldn't just leave someone in trouble. I took an Oath.
It was probably suicide, but I didn't have a choice if I wanted to remain true to the path I'd decided to walk. To the man I'd decided to be. There wasn't a choice at all.
Swearing internally, I shoved Tukson's box back into my Inventory and equipped my Combat armor set, flexing my hands as the gloves, breastplate, and pauldrons settled on me, and silently drawing the Family Sword. Paying closer attention to [Detect Aura], I was pretty sure that two of the people inside were either side of the door, which opened inward. Neither of them was very strong. The presence I thought was Adam was a little ways in, along with another weakling who I assumed was the gunman. A bit further were two presences closer to the floor, presumably the shot person with Blake kneeling over them.
Drawing a deep breath and activating all my buffs, including [Reinforcement], I burst into motion, knowing I had barely two minutes before I was out of MP.
I kicked the door open as hard as I could, sending it slamming into the sentry standing behind it like an idiot. Stepping into the room, I swung to the other side of the door, wielding the Family Sword with both hands at chest height. It slammed into the chestplate of the other guard, who cracked his head against the wall and dropped to the floor, not moving. Before the door could swing back, I threw my back against it and slammed it open into the fool behind it again, who groaned and dropped a gun that I snatched up.
By this time Adam and the other White Fang had turned, the latter levelling his own gun at me, so I dropped the Family Sword onto the floor in front of me and pulled the shield off my back, hunkering behind it as he opened fire.
Unfortunately, the shield on my back was the wooden practice shield, since I was used to practicing with it, and not the expanding sheath of the Family Sword. While it might have caught a melee weapon once or twice without much trouble, it did precisely fuckall against bullets, and splintered immediately as the White Fang goon emptied the clip. The shield managed to deflect less than half of them, and four more pinged off my pauldron or breastplate, but the last three tore through my arm and shoulder.
"Fuck!" I screamed in agony, bringing up the purloined gun and firing back twice as the goon reloaded. Adam's sword flicked out and batted my shots out of the air before they hit.
‹?›
LV ?
Adam Taurus
Oh, and of course I can't see his information. Fucking great.
Before I could even curse again, though, he had to turn and lock swords with the girl I'd heard earlier.
‹On Whom The Pale Moon Gleams›
LV 22
Blake Belladonna
"Who is this, Blake?" Adam demanded, rage and jealousy detectible in his tone. "You know I'm the only man for you."
"Candygram," I spat.
Letting the remains of the wooden shield drop as my arm fell limp, I took two steps forward and kicked the other White Fang goon between the legs before he could reload, then slammed my new gun into his temple. He dropped like a stone, and I tried to shoot Adam again, who shoved Blake back and blocked the bullets contemptuously.
I threw myself back as that red katana flicked out, seeking my throat. Dropping the stolen gun into my Inventory, I picked up the Family Sword again, remembering to deploy the sheath into a real shield as [Gamer's Body] repaired my shot arm perfectly. Glancing at my HUD, I had barely half my MP left, and I realized that [Reinforcement] had dropped when I got shot.
Reactivating it, I stepped forward again and attacked in concert with Blake. Neither of us was a match for him, and never having fought together we weren't very synchronized, but between us we managed to push him back. I wasn't sure what Blake's plan was, if any, but I was trying my damnedest to maneuver Adam into a specific position in the apartment before my MP ran out.
Finally, gritting his teeth, Adam accepted a hit from Blake's weapon to plant a boot in her gut and kick her across the room. An instant later, her body dissolved, revealing it was a clone, and she slashed at his shin instead, glancing off his Aura but making him flinch nevertheless.
I wasn't going to get a better opportunity, so I brought up the shield to bash him with all my buffed strength. Again, he must have decided to take the hit in exchange for giving one, because his sword sank into my side before catching against my ribs, ripping another scream from my throat. Fuck me, but that had done a good 400 damage right there, and I could tell that [Reinforcement] 's enemy damage buff hadn't proc'ed — if it had, I might very well be dead, after the bullets I'd taken earlier.
I didn't stop moving though, and used my temporary 45 STR to shove him as hard as I could against the wall.
Only, there wasn't a wall behind him, but a window, which shattered under the inertia of a grown man moving as fast as I'd pushed him. His hands reached for the edge, but with his sword in one hand and sheath in the other, he didn't have the chance before I kicked him in the chest the same way he'd kicked Blake.
His roar of rage faded as he fell, but I wasn't taking any chances. I sheathed the family sword as fast as I could, deactivating my buffs while I still had a sliver of MP remaining, and ran to the downed man that Blake was already moving to kneel beside again.
Woman, rather; a woman a few years older than Blake, with a round, striped tail, who was extremely pale and clutching at a wound in her lower abdomen.
"Hold on, Jazz," Blake was begging her, pressing a towel that was rapidly staining with blood. Her cat ears lay back flat against her hair.
The woman, Jazz, choked on a hysterical laugh. "I know what a gut shot does, Blake," she said bitterly. "I'm done for, but you need to run before he comes back." She looked at me, eyes widening. "You, too, buddy. You can't stay here; that fall won't kill someone with Aura."
‹Why Fell Trees But Leave Men Standing?›
LV 3
Jazz Minnewether
Ignoring the woman's dire warning, I clipped the Family Sword onto my belt, then knelt and grabbed Jazz's wrist. "This is going to hurt, but I can heal you while we run," I said. Before she could ask, I hauled her up over my shoulder, clamping my hand over the exit wound on her back and triggering [Lay On Hands]. Jazz groaned when I moved her, but didn't struggle much.
"Tell me you have another safe house," I begged Blake, who was watching me warily, her sword still out.
"Why should I bring you there if I do?" she demanded.
"I don't have another fight like that in me." I was at barely 10% HP and MP, so if we didn't get away clean, I was fucked. "Do you think that guy won't kill your friend if I heal her and leave her here?" I added wearily.
"Why are you helping us?" Blake insisted, even as she started moving toward the door.
"Would you rather I let you both die?" I asked rhetorically. "I'm just trying to do the right thing, and I can heal her with my Semblance if I have the time. I don't understand why everybody is so damn suspicious today."
"You're Human," Blake echoed Tukson's excuse from earlier, and I scowled at her back.
"Oh, so every faunus in the neighborhood would have sprang to your defense?" I growled as I followed her toward the hallway. The first White Fang goon I'd hit was stirring, so I kicked him in the head as I passed. "Oh, wait, nobody came to help you except me!"
"I didn't ask for your help!" Blake shouted as she shoved open the door to the staircase. "I could have gotten away from them!"
"And your friend would have died," I shot back, following her up instead of down and hoping like hell she had a plan. "Instead you get away uninjured, and your friend gets to live, so what's the damn problem?"
"I don't know you," Blake said flatly as she peeked out the roof access door. Apparently it was clear, because she pushed it open a moment later. "I have no idea where you came from or how you happened to be here at exactly the right time; it's suspicious!"
"I'm a fucking courier," I said, trying not to stumble. Jazz didn't weigh so much that I was over my carry limit, but I had to balance her weight on my shoulder and I was still tired and aching after the fight, not to mention that [Lay On Hands] was redirecting half my usual regen to her instead. If we could sit down so I could meditate, I could heal us both a lot faster, but if we tried to sit still for fifteen minutes, we'd probably be dead in two. "I have a package for you, and I was about to deliver it when I heard a shot and a guy threatening you. I did what any decent person would have done!"
Blake glanced over her shoulder at that, her tired yellow eyes reflecting doubt. "Most people wouldn't have bothered to come in," she said.
"Then I'm not most people," I said, straightening up as best I could and looking at her over my sunglasses, which had slipped down my nose. "I took an Oath to never suffer the wicked to harm the innocent, if I was in a position to stop it."
Blake rolled her eyes, turning away to cross a wooden plank that led to the next rooftop. "You're naïve," she spat. "The real world — real people — don't work that way."
"'Be the change you want to see in the world,' then," I quoted another of my Oath's tenets. "That's why you were a revolutionary, isn't it?"
"And that just led to people getting killed," Blake said bitterly, leading the way down a fire escape. "There's nothing heroic about the way the White Fang are, anymore."
"And how about Hunters?" I said, jumping down from the second floor and absorbing as much of the shock with my knees as I could to spare Jazz, who nevertheless groaned again.
"What about them?" Blake asked, dragging a piece of plywood aside to reveal a jagged hole that led down to either a subway or the sewers. Peeking down, I saw the tunnel was only about six feet high, so I suspected the latter. Gross.
Momentarily activating [Detect Aura], I felt the Aura signature that I recognized as Adam's getting closer across the rooftops, so I wasted no time jumping down. "Hurry, he's coming."
Blake hopped in behind me, reaching up to drag the plywood back across the opening. "This way," she brushed past me.
Reaching out with my free hand to find the wall, I pursued as fast as I dared. Fortunately the ground seemed mostly level and clear. I peeked over my sunglasses again, but it didn't make any difference; it was too damn dark down here to see anything regardless.
"Hurry up!" Blake growled from somewhere ahead.
"We don't all have darkvision," I grumbled, shifting Jazz on my shoulder and almost stumbling as the wall I was following ran out. "Which way?"
"Straight," came the reply from a bit ahead of me. I moved forward slowly, hand reaching for the tunnel wall again. Instead, Blake's hand clamped around my wrist. "If you try to grope me in the dark, I'll cut your hand off."
"And then I'll bleed out, and so will your friend," I retorted. "I'm trying to find the damn wall, because I can't see down here!"
Blake huffed, dragging my wrist to the side until it touched the wall before releasing me. "Just keep them to yourself," she said, already getting further away.
"You jumped to that conclusion pretty fast," I mumbled to myself as I followed, too quietly for her to hear, kvetching to keep myself from getting too tense. "I can think of way better places than this, for one thing. In the damn sewers after being shot and stabbed and carrying an injured person, not really my kink, I don't care how much of a knockout you might grow up to be."
Jazz, over my shoulder, let out a pained giggle.
"And of course you're awake," I sighed, shifting my grip on her a little even as I kept channelling [Lay On Hands].
"Not to sound like a five-year-old, but are we there yet?" I said irritably as Blake doubled back to find me again .
"Almost," she said, sounding calmer now that we had most likely gotten away from Adam. I wasn't counting him out yet, though, because I hadn't gotten the quest completion. "We're already downtown, now it's just a matter of finding the right exit."
"Why the hell are we going downtown?" I asked, glancing at my minimap for the first time in a while, since I'd been focused on not tripping in the dark while carrying an injured woman. "You got a safehouse above a store?"
Blake snorted. "I told you, I'm not taking you to my safehouse. I'm bringing us somewhere that we can lay low so I can see your so-called healing. If Jazz makes it, my contact can take care of us. If she dies…" she trailed off, leaving the threat implicit.
"And we find the right exit, how?"
"I've been this way before; I know where I'm going and I have it marked. It's right here, but…" She sounded concerned.
"What's wrong?"
"I can't lift the manhole cover, it's too heavy," Blake explained. "If my contact is here, I could try to text him, but I left my Scroll when I left the Fang and I haven't gotten a new one, and Jazz's is back at the apartment. If he's not here, we'll have to find another exit."
"What do those things weigh, like three hundred pounds?" I pondered. "I can lift that. Can you hold your friend?"
Blake took Jazz from me carefully, and I edged by her. "Where's the ladder?"
"About two feet to your left," Blake replied. "A little further… There," she said as I finally grabbed the metal rung. She started murmuring to Jazz as I climbed carefully, reaching above me with each rung for the ceiling.
I'd estimate the ceiling was at least twice as high as it had been at the spot where we dropped in, so maybe we'd been sloping down slightly. Finally, I found it, and braced against the metal plate with my shoulders. Bringing my feet up another rung, I flexed my thighs and abdomen like I was doing squats at home, and a ray of light suddenly broke through the darkness.
"Gah," I blinked rapidly, trying to clear the spots from my vision, but I kept pushing until I straightened up, and the manhole cover slid off my shoulders to the alley floor. Dropping back down, I lifted Jazz's chin. She blinked at me, looking dizzy, but she was definitely awake. "I'm gonna need you to hang on to me so we can climb out of here, okay?"
She nodded muzzily, so I turned around, and Blake helped Jazz into a piggyback position before darting up the ladder herself, presumably to find her contact.
Since Jazz was touching me again, I managed to trigger [Lay On Hands] again, and she leaned her forehead against my shoulder. "It hurts less when you're carrying me," she groaned softly.
"That's my Semblance trying to heal you," I explained, starting to climb steadily toward the circle of light twelve feet overhead. "Once we can sit down somewhere, I'll be able to kick it into high gear."
We'd been on the run for maybe fifteen minutes, but since we were splitting my regen I was still less than 20% HP and even lower on MP. I was tired and aching and couldn't wait to get some meditation in.
As we reached the top, I felt a pair of hands lift Jazz off me, and I climbed up to find her being held by Tukson in a princess carry. He gave me a searching look, but then turned and moved hurriedly through a nearby door that faced onto the alley we were in.
Groaning, I hauled myself out of the hole, then dragged the manhole cover back over and let it fall back into place. Kicking leaves and trash back over it, so it didn't look like it had been moved recently, I followed him.
The door shut behind me, and I glanced over my shoulder to find Blake there, still watching me warily.
"Kid, what the hell happened?" Tukson asked, bustling over with a first-aid kit, but looking lost about how to help Jazz.
Tugging the kit from his hand, I said, "Just bring me a rag and a bucket of water."
Tukson hesitated, then nodded and headed for the bathroom.
I turned to Jazz, who was laying on a towel on the bedspread. "We need to clean you up so I can finish healing you," I told her. "You want me to just roll it up, or do you want the bloody shirt off completely?"
Behind me, I heard a click.
Jazz groaned, trying to sit up, but I held her down pretty easily. "Just answer."
"Take it off," she grunted. "It's nasty, and any doctor would just cut it off."
Sliding a hand under her shoulders, I lifted her into a sitting position. "I'm no doctor, but we can do that. Blake, do you mind? I don't want her to tense her abdominal muscles until I can heal them."
There was a pause, then Blake moved into view, setting her weapon (in gun form, confirming my suspicion about the click) out of my reach before starting to peel Jazz's shirt off. I shifted my hands around to keep supporting the injured woman's weight, until Blake got it off entirely, and I laid Jazz carefully back down.
Tukson returned with the washcloth and a bowl of water, but averted his eyes at the scene.
"Oh for crying out loud, she's still wearing a bra!" I said, rolling my eyes and taking the bowl, setting it beside me. "Blake, I'm going to roll her on her side, keep her there."
I used the washcloth to wipe as much blood away from the exit wound as I could. I was pretty sure it was already smaller than it had been, but it was definitely still leaking a little. Pressing a square of antiseptic-covered gauze to it, I waved Blake to let her back down. The front cleaned a little easier, or at least oozed less because of gravity.
[Importing Outsider save data… Save data loaded successfully!]
[You have remembered the skill [First Aid]!]
[First Aid (Passive) LV 8 EXP: 25.64%]
[First aid is the first and immediate assistance given to any person suffering from either a minor or serious illness or injury, with care provided to preserve life, prevent the condition from worsening, or to promote recovery.]
[Improves diagnosis by 8%.]
[Reduces shock by 8%.]
[Improves wound cleaning by 26%.]
Only eight levels? I griped mentally. Come on, I've taught first aid classes, I should get more than that!
"Now then," I said under my breath, stripping my gloves off and settling into a kneeling position beside the bed. "Let's [Lay On Hands] properly this time." I pressed one hand over the entry wound, the other sliding beneath her to cover the exit.
"This might take about half an hour," I warned Blake and Tukson. "Jazz can talk, but I won't be able to. Don't touch me, and don't let her move."
Getting a nod from both of them, I closed my eyes. I took a deep breath, and tapped into [Gaia's Pulse].
As always, the feeling of life teemed around me. I was vaguely aware of Blake explaining the situation to Tukson, of the man heading to the front of the shop for a moment before returning, of the smell of food as the two sat at a nearby table to watch me. Blake's Aura was easily the biggest, being both released and trained. Tukson and Jazz were both civilians, their Aura still locked fully within, but their life and souls were still detectable. Tukson's was noticeably stronger at first, but as the healing took effect, Jazz's flickering soul rallied.
I'd been keeping her alive with half of my passive regen, but that equated to barely over 5 HP/sec, at least for me. I wasn't sure exactly how that applied to people who weren't The Gamer, but it would have taken nearly two hours to bring me back to full HP at that rate. While meditating though, my regen was over five times higher, so the 26-point-something HP/sec each of us were receiving now meant that I would be back to full in a little over twenty-four minutes.
It was easy to lose track of time while meditating, but I opened my eyes once my HP was filled and tilted my head, popping my neck. "Feeling better?" I asked Jazz, who had looked down when I moved.
"Yeah, tons," she said, glancing at the small, puckered scar that was all that remained of the wound. "That's amazing."
Wringing out the washcloth, I wiped the little bit of blood off again. "Are you still having any pain? Try to roll onto your side."
Jazz rolled away obediently, and I peeled the gauze off her back, scrubbing at the dried blood. "It doesn't hurt anymore at all," she said, wonderingly.
"I would still get looked over by a doctor you trust," I advised, wiping off my own hands as I sat back, slowly stretching my numb legs out after kneeling on them for half an hour. "There's a chance I may have missed something internal. I don't think I did, but I'm definitely no expert."
"How did you do that?" Blake asked, eyes narrowed as she looked at me wiping at the bloodstains on my jacket's sleeve. "You took injuries directly, so you don't have an Aura unlocked, which means you can't have a Semblance."
I didn't bother meeting her eyes as I unstrapped my breastplate and pauldrons. "Well, I very obviously have a Semblance, so some part of your supposition is wrong," I pointed out drily. "I was making myself stronger and faster for that fight instead of focusing on defenses that would have failed in one hit from that guy. That's why we had to end it fast; I gave it literally everything I had. I also just saved your friend's life, so I'm having a hard time seeing how I owe you any kind of explanation."
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Blake's uncovered ears droop, and she looked at the floor. "You're right, I apologize. Thank you for your help earlier, and especially for saving Jazz."
I sighed, dropping the washcloth I'd just cleaned my face with and turning to face her. "I wasn't fishing for thanks, I was just trying to point out that we haven't exactly been introduced, and now that you don't need me to keep her alive I'm at a bit of a disadvantage if you decided to turn on me."
Blake looked up sharply. "I wouldn't do that! I owe you twice now, for saving both of us."
I waved that off, shifting to lean against the dresser without standing up. "I already told you, I just did what any decent person would have. I was there and able to help, so I did. Same thing with Jazz; I have a healing Semblance, so I used it. What kind of monster would I be if I hadn't?"
"Most people wouldn't," Blake repeated herself from earlier.
"Most people haven't taken an Oath," I replied. I held up a hand before she could dismiss my words again. "I'm not talking about some childish promise. I have amnesia, so I had to make a decision, completely rationally, about what kind of man I wanted to be. I swore upon my mind, my body, my soul, and my life. This is an important part of who I am, since I don't have much else, and I'd appreciate it if you'd refrain from disparaging it."
I hadn't raised my voice at all, but Blake bit her lip, glancing away.
I sighed again. "Regardless," I said loudly, drawing her attention back. "It's nice to meet you, though I could wish it was under better circumstances. I'm Jaune."
"Blake," she replied, arching an eyebrow.
"I'm Jazz Minnewether," the woman on the bed put in, sitting up now and patting me on the head where I was sitting on the floor. Rolling my eyes behind my sunglasses, I allowed it.
"May I ask what you were doing outside our apartment?" Blake asked, this time at least couching the interrogation in politeness.
"I believe I mentioned, I had a delivery for you," I replied. I snagged a strap of my Handy Haversack and pulled it toward me. Retrieving Blake's package from it, I held it up. "It's from Tukson, so I'm assuming it's books. Although, I expect he wouldn't have paid me to deliver it to you if he'd known you were going to come by today and could have picked them up," I joked feebly.
Jazz giggled, perhaps a little hysterically, but that was understandable considering how much adrenaline must be working its way out of her system now that she wasn't dying. Tukson snorted, and even Blake rolled her eyes good-naturedly. She leaned over and took the box, dropping it on the table as my Semblance buzzed the silent 'mission complete' jingle.
[Quest Complete!]
[Special Delivery]
[You have gained 1,000 EXP!]
[Bonus: You have gained 10,000 EXP and 20,000L! Reputation feature unlocked! Increased closeness with Blake Belladonna. Adam Taurus is now your enemy. Greatly decreased reputation with White Fang.]
[Secret Objective complete: Jazz Minnewether lives!]
[You have gained an extra 5,000 EXP and 10,000L! New Ally: Jazz Minnewether.]
[Level up! Your level has increased by 1! Your level has increased by 1! Your level has increased by 1!]
[By pushing your body past its limits, you have increased your physical abilities! Your STR has increased by 1! Your STR has increased by 1! Your CON has increased by 1! Your CON has increased by 1! Your CON has increased by 1!]
[Skill group unlocked! By withstanding pain, you have unlocked the skill tree [Endurance]!]
[Endurance (Passive) Rank: 1]
[A skill that makes the body's durability increase, reducing damage taken and allowing the user to endure pain. Endurance is obtained by enduring adversity, combat, and harsh climates.]
[Passively increases CON by 1%.]
[1% increase to HP]
[Currently unlocked: [Slashing Resistance]
[Slashing Resistance (Passive) LV 1 EXP: 0.00%]
[A skill that makes the body's durability increase, reducing damage taken from slashing and slicing attacks.]
[1% decrease in damage taken from slashing attacks.]
[Reduces bleeding by 1% when taking damage from any source.]
[By quickly coming up with a plan to defeat a superior opponent, you have increased your mental abilities! Your INT has increased by 1! Your INT has increased by 1! Your INT has increased by 1! Your WIS has increased by 1!]
[Detect Aura has increased by 1! Eavesdrop has increased by 1! Lay On Hands' level has increased by 1! Lay On Hands' level has increased by 1! Lay On Hands' level has increased by 1! Reinforcement has increased by 1! Reinforcement has increased by 1! Melee Combat Mastery has increased by 1! Sword Mastery has increased by 1! Shield Mastery has increased by 1! Shield Mastery has increased by 1!]
Hot damn, and that was for not even killing the guy.
[Your near-death experience has left you with a scar.]
…Of course it did.
My Scroll buzzed once, then several times again in succession. I pulled it out idly and found, not to much surprise, that I had a few new messages in my sisters' group chat.
Gengar - 'Seven Deadly Sisters' | Friday, 20:03
‹Gengar› fuck via r u listening to 5-0
‹Gardevoir› That's out West in the Industrial District…
‹Gardevoir› Jaune, the police band said there were shots fired near where you were supposed to be for one of your deliveries.
‹Gardevoir› Aegislash are you there? Is anything wrong?
‹Gardevoir› Aegislash, for the love of gods, answer me.
Man, it took this long for someone to report the shots? I wondered. At this point, why even bother? Whatever.
Well, I needed to reassure my sisters, but seeing as I was totally fine, I decided to be a little shit about it. I held up my Scroll and switched to the camera, making sure my expression was deadpan behind my shades even as I got both the old scars and the new bloodstained holes in my shirt in the frame. And a peace sign, since I was going full stereotype anyway.
Aegislash sent a photo to the group!
‹Aegislash› I lived, bitch
Name: Jaune Arc
Level: 10 (Next: 51.74%)
Title: Initiate
Race: Human
Age: 17
Job: Courier (Temporary)
Class: Paladin
Semblance: The Gamer
Race: Human
HP: 810/810
MP: 725/725
STR: 35
CON: 25.3 (25)
DEX: 28.6 (27)
INT: 31
WIS: 43
CHA: 27.8 (23)
Points: 30
Money: 41015L
Status: Cursed – Yellow Death [Highest]
A/N: Seriously, being homeless is shit. I'm not claiming that everybody should take Jaune's exact response and start offering to buy randos food, or that every homeless' situation is necessarily the same, but speaking for myself when I was in that position... it sucks, and anyone offering help really does mean a lot. The fact that there are six empty houses for every one homeless person is an indictment on society, and not everyone is fortunate enough to have enough help and enough luck to get out of that situation as quickly as I did.
