A/N: If you're enjoying this story, feel free to check out my discord server. discord dot gg slash RD3Y5pM7u2
School Day, Date Night
The rest of the week passed in an uninteresting rush. School for quasi-magical monster hunters was, as it turned out, still mostly just school. As someone who finished a college degree in my past life, the vast majority of classes were excruciatingly dull, which only left me more time to wonder how Ozpin knew the Dark Tower quote when I hadn't seen any sign of Stephen King in the family library, or Olivia's books when I packed up her apartment.
History did manage to draw my attention a little, if only because it was mostly still new to me, but Oobleck was… honestly kind of a terrible lecturer. Not a bad teacher per se — his genuine passion for the subject was plain to see, and he wasn't so old that he couldn't capture the interest of his students — he just talked at a breakneck pace while blurring around the room, making the lecture hard to follow.
The major exception, naturally, was Goodwitch's Combat class on Friday afternoon, something that, certainly, hadn't been offered at any college I'd heard of. After a brief lecture on classroom safety, she dismissed us all to change into combat gear and retrieve our weapons, before setting up a series of five-minute matches. Dismissing the rest of the class up to the seating lining the second level, and leaving her to referee each match down in the coliseum-like classroom.
Most of the matches weren't anything special. Goodwitch had been careful not to match anyone up with their own teammates, since we were expected to be training together all the time, but I kept an eye out for my friends. The Vytal Tournament was coming up, after all — assuming Cinder's plans could be stopped — and Pyrrha and Ruby were both psyched about entering. Not to mention, I had a feeling I was going to get a quest about it once the announcement was made, and I was always a slut for quest EXP.
Blake's match was against the tall kid from CRDL, Dove Bronzewing. He seemed a taciturn sort, doing little more than nodding before their match. He fought relatively well, his shortsword made up for by his own height, but couldn't land a solid hit on Blake, who would simply use her Semblance to slip away before punishing the resultant overextension. He tried to create distance to use the revolver in the hilt, but the caliber was low enough that Blake simply cut his shots out of the air with her cleaver-sheath before whipping the kusarigama out on its ribbon and entangling his legs, slamming him to the floor for the win with her Aura still in the green.
Ruby's match was against Barrie Argent from SBLE, the cheerful silver-haired girl twirling a quarterstaff that narrowed at one end. This match was much harder-fought, at least for Ruby, because much like Dove she couldn't seem to hit her opponent, the spinning staff more than capable of deflecting Crescent Rose's blade. Whenever she made distance to use her sniper rifle, Barrie would simply sidestep at the last second, letting the shots whizz past without touching her Aura. Even Ruby's Semblance didn't change things; with the classroom space so limited, Barrie was always facing her again by the time Ruby reincorporated from rose petals. The match ended after Ruby tried her Semblance again, only for Barrie to pluck a silver orb off her bandolier, about the size of a pool ball, toss it into the air, and jab it with her staff like a cue with a whispered, "Boom." The glowing sphere shot across the arena and slammed into Ruby's stomach the same instant she reappeared, cracking her Aura and sending her to her knees wheezing. Goodwitch called the match when she didn't get back up.
Pyrrha's match against Lie Ren was a slow start, but as with most of Pyrrha's fights that I'd seen — including the one against me — things quickly snowballed in her favor as she got her opponent's measure. Ren's style was a blend of hard and soft martial arts, which incorporated his StormFlower beautifully, both the sickle blades and quick bursts from the machine pistols. Pyrrha, however, was more than equal to it, deflecting the bullets with her buckler and quickly closing in. Ren fought hard, and for a while it seemed he was holding his own, but he obviously didn't know about Pyrrha's Semblance, and I was able to spot when she tagged his blades. After that, it was effectively over, even if it took her another few minutes to wear down Ren's Aura to the point that the match ended with hers still full.
"Next match: Jaune Arc and Cardin Winchester. Gentlemen?"
Vaulting the hard-light railing separating the spectator seats from the arena, I transitioned to an easy roll thanks to [Parkour] and drew the Family Sword as I came back to my feet, swinging it carefully to warm up. I wasn't particularly worried. My [Melee Combat Mastery] was LV 31, giving me a pretty solid damage bonus and a slight reduction in physical damage taken, on top of the 22 ranks in [Bludgeoning Resistance] giving me another 22% damage resistance to Cardin's mace in particular. [Sword Mastery] was, meanwhile, a whopping LV 42, and [Shield Mastery] LV 40. On top of all that, I had twenty levels on Cardin, who was a typical freshman, so it was fair to say I was feeling pretty confident.
Still, pride goeth before a fall, so I took a moment to [Observe] Cardin as he took his own position, grip tightening on his mace as he glared at me. Huh, have I done something to piss him off? I don't think I've so much as spoken to him since school started.
[Name: Cardin Winchester]
[LV24]
[Title: Scorning The Dream]
[Race: Human]
[Age: 18]
[Job: Beacon Student]
[Class: Fighter]
[Semblance: Pyre Mark]
[Stats: 48 STR, 42 CON, 19 DEX, 11 INT, 8 WIS, 21 CHA]
[Background: Oldest son of the Winchester industrial and financial dynasty. Recently took over control of the family's business interests from the executor of the estate of his late father, Henry Winchester.]
[Emotions: Resentment, eagerness, hatred.]
[Relationship: Unfriendly.]
Okay, what? Something's off about that. I wasn't given any time to ponder it, however, as Goodwitch dropped her hand and Cardin lunged for a massive overhead strike. The fact that he was one of the only students taller than me, not to mention almost as well-built with STR as high as an Ursa Minor, suggested that not only would it hurt if it connected, but that he was probably used to brute-forcing battles like that.
Rather than try to block, I sidestepped and [Parried] the mace just under the flanged head with my sword, guiding the swing to my right. Raising my shield up to my shoulder, I rammed Cardin's side with my full body weight, which in combination with the whiffed swing sent him staggering. I swung for his legs, trying to trip him, but he slammed the head of his mace into the ground for leverage and tried to kick me.
Catching his booted foot on my shield, I let him push me back and reset his stance. Still scowling, Cardin twirled his mace around his wrist, but didn't charge again immediately, so I took the initiative. You want a game of strength? Fine, let's play.
I activated [Reinforcement] and [Bull's Strength], which combined with my [Aura] more than doubled my effective STR to over 200, outstripping Cardin's fourfold. While my one-handed attack wasn't a reckless overhead like his, I still swung hard for center mass with everything I had.
Cardin braced the head of his mace against his left vambrace, catching the Family Sword on the weapon's shaft… and staggered back again, nearly going ass over elbows as he completely failed to account for the power behind my swing. His eyes widened as I brought my sword around for another swing, and he hurriedly jumped back, slamming his mace against the floor again and jamming his thumb against a button near the hilt. A wave of fire erupted from the crystal set in the mace's head, coming straight for me.
Rather than test my [Burn Resistance], I elected to dive to the side, noting that the fire tried to turn to follow me, but seemed to run out of momentum before it could reach me. It had, however, bought Cardin enough time to come at me again, and he swung at me faster than before, trying to keep me off-balance.
Try that on someone who doesn't have 150 DEX, son. I ducked under the first swing, then caught the second on my shield, using the momentum to spin around and strike at his back with my sword, knocking him reeling yet again. This time I was able to capitalize, hammering a few more strikes at his midriff where his breastplate didn't cover and driving the breath out of him. He swung his mace feebly, trying to force me back, but I caught the head of it with the edge of my shield and ripped it from his hand, tossing it over my head behind me, then drew my sword arm back for a finishing blow.
Halfway through the stab, however, I found myself frozen in place, straining against an invisible force holding me back, and I struggled instinctively before realizing what it must be.
"That will do, Mister Arc," Goodwitch said calmly, letting me go so and instead levitating Cardin's mace back over to him. "Mister Winchester, while your Aura has not quite reached the red zone, I am calling the match on account of the large chunks of Aura you lost in quick succession."
I sheathed the Family Sword back in the shield, and offered Cardin a hand up. Sneering, he ignored it, pushing himself to his feet and snatching back his mace.
[Decreased closeness with Cardin Winchester.]
"While I am impressed that your Aura did not shatter at any point, you may want to consider trying out a shield like Mister Arc's," Goodwitch went on. "You seem to prefer using your mace one-handed, so your personal style shouldn't be hampered much, and the increase in defense would help you to fulfill your team role as the Center."
Cardin merely harrumphed, tapping his mace against his leg and clearly eager to leave.
"As for you, Mister Arc, while I commend your willingness to use your shield for attack and positioning as well as defense, I believe you should put some focus on more precision swordplay rather than simply trying to overpower your opponent. While you are indeed quite strong, larger Grimm will have a mass advantage that it's simply not possible to overcome in a direct contest of strength. Our technique and intelligence is what allows us to win in such scenarios."
"Yes'm," I acknowledged. Not gonna stop me from continuing to pump STR and CON though, I added in my head, letting my buffs expire so the two-hundredish MP I'd spent on the match could start regenerating. Once that was done, in about five minutes, I would start running [Eagle's Splendor] again, as had become habit during school.
"The Vytal Festival is only a few months away," Goodwitch concluded, casting her gaze around the whole class. "Students from Shade, Haven, and Atlas Academy will begin arriving next term, so keep practicing. Those teams who choose to compete will be representing all of Vale!"
The bell rang shortly thereafter, and Goodwitch dismissed us all to shower and dinner. Cardin shouldered past me on the way to the locker room, and I frowned at his back.
Seriously, the fuck is his problem?
Saturday brought with it something much more intimidating than a spar with a classmate: A date with a pretty woman. One who had kissed me out of gratitude — and as a birthday present — after I arguably saved her life. And let her move into my apartment rent-free so I could continue saving her life, or at least keep her from falling back into a coma.
…Was I overthinking things? Probably, I was forced to admit. Even before getting isekai'd, it's been a hot minute since I've been on a date. Take a deep breath and calm the fuck down, Jaune. No one else was in the student garage, so after pulling my bike out of my [Inventory] and setting it down, I took a deep breath, holding it for a few seconds and briefly touching [Gaia's Pulse]. Let's just take today one step at a time. Dinner, dancing; if that all goes well, maybe a kiss goodnight when I drop her off.
Driving back into Vale, I felt the wind catch my tips of my hair under the helmet. Shaking my head, I mentally pushed back the search for a restaurant and pulled into a barbershop. Half an hour later, I set out again with my hair cut the way Olivia had done it back in July, and with directions to 'the best teen club in town'. Instead of wandering aimlessly, I stopped by a flower shop, then made my way back to the family home to shower and equip my Nice outfit.
Indigo was snoozing on the couch when I arrived, but cracked an eye when I opened the safe beside the door. "What're you doing?" she muttered sleepily.
"I'm borrowing your car," I replied. "You want me to leave the keys to my bike?"
"Nah… just don' scratch th' paint," Indigo yawned.
"You drive a sedan," I pointed out, but she ignored me, already rolling over and nodding off again.
Rolling my eyes, I stowed Antares back in my [Inventory] and headed back into Vale, swiping my Scroll at the parking structure under my apartment. Arriving outside the penthouse door in what seemed like no time, I took a breath to force my nerves and awkwardness back down, triggered [Eagle's Splendor] to be safe, and knocked on the door.
"Who is it– Oh!" Amber smiled broadly, stepping back to let me in. "Jaune, you didn't have to knock, it's your apartment."
"It's yours too," I disagreed. "I'm not going to just barge in; what if you'd been getting out of the shower?"
"Do you think I just walk around the apartment naked?" she deadpanned, causing me to glance away. At least she also sounded amused.
"Are you ready to go?" I asked, as Amber picked up her purse and staff, collapsing the latter and tucking it into the bag.
She gave a little twirl as she hung the purse on her shoulder, causing the skirt of her wrap-style dress to flare. It was long enough to brush her knees at the front; a deep emerald green, reminiscent of the cloak she'd worn in canon, with the back reaching mid-calf. Thin straps held the dress over her shoulders, leaving her collar and upper back exposed. Unlike her usual simple bob, some of her hair was pulled back and pinned, leaving only a few locks loose to frame her face. I wasn't an expert on makeup, but I could recognize she was wearing mascara, she had used a well-matched foundation to cover up and minimize the scars on her cheek, and her blush and lipstick were definitely brighter than usual, a medium color that reminded me of apple blossoms without standing out too much, and in addition to her usual gold bracelet, she was wearing a thin gold necklace that held up her usual leafy pendant.
"You look great, by the way," I added without prompting, reaching into my [Inventory] and producing the sunflower I'd purchased earlier.
Amber's smile brightened further. "Thanks!" She took the sunflower, beaming at it happily, and quickly found a vase to keep it in, leaving it on the coffee table before rejoining me at the door.
"Way to make me feel underdressed, though," I teased, offering her my elbow as she closed the apartment door behind her. Her fingers were a bit callused, as expected of a Huntress, but her skin was still surprisingly soft.
She looked me up and down, taking in my slacks and dress shoes, topped with the white silk shirt with gold filigree that I'd picked up in Atlas. "I think you clean up pretty well," she complimented.
Shoutout to my CHA bonuses; date has started and I haven't fucked it up, I thought wryly as we headed down to the car.
Conversation was light as we drove through town, to a restaurant overlooking the bay. I hadn't made a reservation, but the wait was only twenty minutes, which we spent in the lounge each enjoying a glass of wine. The drinking age was 18 in Vale, though as a student Huntsman I was expected to be responsible in case I was called into duty. Doubt anyone will call up students, though.
"So if you don't mind my asking…" I began, but Amber waved me off.
"I'm an open book," she promised, recrossing her legs and momentarily drawing my gaze to her thighs. Her tights were completely sheer, and I wouldn't have noticed them except for the way they gently caught the light.
Glancing up again, I found her eyes were dancing with amusement, and I cleared my throat. "I'm curious why you were… out on your own when you were attacked," I said, as delicately as I could.
Amber's smile dimmed a little as I brought up 'work' matters, but she nodded in understanding. "I'm a country girl at heart," she answered. "I like it fine here in the city, but I've always had a… wanderlust, I guess. I like meeting new people, breathing fresh air, seeing the leaves turn bright, beautiful colors."
"Does that count as irony, given your… season?" I wondered, and she giggled.
"Maybe," she acknowledged. "But it's still true. I grew up on a farm, y'know? Autumn is harvest season; it's hard work, but everyone's working together. The weather's turning cooler, and everybody looks forward to a big festival and feast before winter sets in. I miss that sense of community when I'm in the city, especially with the way Ozpin wanted to keep me up in Beacon tower, maybe occasionally assisting with classes, but never going outside the school, much less the city walls. I can't live like that."
We were called by the host to be seated, so I took my time while we were led to a private balcony considering her answer.
"Our house is out on the edge of a village past the walls," I said. "So the old me might have had a similar attitude. I can't remember, but since I lost my memory and took my oath I've found I'm fond of the city. I'm not trapped anywhere, though; I can see that being… grating."
"You've mentioned your amnesia before," Amber said sympathetically. "But what's this about an oath?"
"Have I never brought that up?" I asked, a little surprised, and she shook her head, so I outlined the five principles I had vowed to live by. "I guess I try not to shove it in people's faces," I concluded. "But it's pretty important to me. By swearing on my soul, my Aura actually enforces it."
"Really?"
"Yeah, it's called a geas. If I know something's against my oath, I can't do it by mistake, and if I force myself to do it anyway… well, I don't actually know what would happen, but probably nothing good." I suspected it would be something like the [Soul Reft] that was still afflicting Amber even now, but I really didn't want to find out.
Amber tilted her head, considering my words as our appetizers were served. Her hair fell across her cheek, and she brushed it behind her ear, drawing my attention to the beauty mark under her eye, and the curve of her neck for a second. This time, she didn't seem to notice my attention wandering. "How come you went to such an extent?" she asked, cutting up her salad. "Not that I think it's a bad thing, but it's pretty… extreme? Especially since you didn't remember who you were before."
"I still don't," I shrugged. "But I can think and reason clearly regardless. I took the time to think about what I considered important, and I took an oath about it because I didn't want these to be things I could easily talk myself into going back on, just because a tough situation came about. If you don't stick to your values when they're being tested, then they're not really values — they're just hobbies."
She nodded, and gave an impressed smile. "I get it. I just hope you don't find yourself up a tree without a paddle, when the time comes that they're tested."
"They've been tested plenty, and I don't have any regrets yet– Hold on, what did you just say?" I blinked. "Why would you need a paddle up a tree?"
Amber giggled. "You know, I've been saying things like that for so long, I barely think about them anymore. It was a joke I had with my dad, finding ways to mangle metaphors together in a way that almost makes sense."
She looked both nostalgic and melancholy, so I raised my glass of wine in a silent toast. Amber clinked hers against it, and we sipped. "He was a farmer?" I asked, wanting to know more about her.
"Yep," she nodded, some of the melancholy gone as she looked at her wine. "He taught me everything, you know? Until I went to Beacon, at least. I hadn't intended to be a Huntress, growing up; never really thought I had it in me. But Grimm attacked the farm one day. None of us got hurt, because Glynda happened to be in the area doing something for Ozpin. She killed all the Creeps and Beowolves like it was nothing, and even repaired the damage they'd done to the fields, fences, and walls. That was what made me decide to be like her, and she vouched for me entering Beacon early."
"I didn't know you were that close," I commented. Though, Glynda did seem fond of her.
"I don't know about close," Amber shook her head. "Or at least, we weren't until I inherited the Fall Mantle. That was when they told me about–" she cut herself off. "About magic and… some other things," she finished vaguely.
About Salem, I clarified in my head. But that's not a topic for a restaurant, so let's keep the conversation moving. "Did your team split up after Beacon?"
It was something that happened, especially for teams with members studying at Beacon from abroad. Sometimes they would make their move to Vale permanent, but it was just as common for teams to part — usually on good terms — as it was for them to remain as a unit for their entire careers.
"Yeah, Mark and Becky were getting married and planning to move to Mistral, and Bart was going for his doctorate," said Amber. "And then when I… became Autumn, the pressure to just sit around got to be too much. Eventually I just stormed out. I bought a horse, and I was headed back toward home when…" She started to reach for her cheek, but stopped and picked up her wine glass again to cover the motion.
I immediately felt guilty for basically being party to keeping her in the city, even if staying at my apartment was an arguable improvement over being stuck in Beacon. "We can go Hunting sometime, if you want," I offered. "And when break rolls around, we can go see your folks, even if Ozpin wants to send an escort with us."
I reached across the table, offering a hand, and she gave it a squeeze. "You're sweet. I'd like that a lot."
I wasn't totally sure about dating Amber, but… this isn't bad at all. She was more than just attractive; she was kind, I liked her sense of humor, and I seriously admired her grit. And honestly, the defiant streak she had with regard to Ozpin trying to control her definitely rubbed me the right way. …I could really see this going somewhere, I thought with some surprise.
"–I was an ocean, lost in the open, nothing could take the pain away–" I stopped mid-sentence, surreptitiously pulling my Scroll out of my [Inventory], via a pocket since I was in public, and glancing at the screen.
[Incoming call from Bianca Arc…]
"That's weird, my sisters don't usually call…"
"Go ahead," Amber offered.
We still had the balcony to ourselves, so I put the call on speaker, setting my Scroll on the table. "Talk to me."
"Jaune." Bianca's voice was a bit lower than Indigo's, and her tone was brisk and curt. "I'm not supposed to spread this around, but Amphivena has been spotted out west. After the news of you killing Samiri, Vacuo decided to put together a task force to take care of it."
I raised an eyebrow, staring at the static image of my oldest sister on the screen.
"If you can get here by tomorrow morning, I'll authorize your participation," she finished.
"Done and done." I stood up immediately, pulling Lien out of my wallet equal to about thirty percent more than the meal actually cost and dropping the cards carelessly on the table. Switching back to handset mode, I scooped up the Scroll and made my way to the car.
Amber was right behind me, nodding firmly and pulling out her own scroll. Glancing through the transparent back, I could tell she was checking flight times.
"Is that offer good for two?" I asked Bianca, causing Amber to flash me a smile.
"Are you sure you want to bring another student?" she asked. "I know you've proven yourself, but–"
"She's not a student," I cut her off. "She can hold her own."
Bianca hissed a breath through her teeth. "Fine, I can swing two, but no more. The Council wants this to be an internal matter, to boost Vacuo's international reputation, but I should have the clout for it. As long as it works."
"We're up for it," I promised. "We'll be there tomorrow."
"Then I'll see you in the A.M.," Bianca said, hanging up immediately.
"There's tickets to Vacuo available tonight, but we'll have to go straight to the airport," Amber said at once, and I put the car in gear.
I handed her my still-unlocked Scroll. "Buy them with my Scroll, first class if they have it." I pulled out into traffic and started toward the airport, sticking to the speed limit but driving with more urgency than I usually did. "Are you sure you want to come? Name-ranked Grimm are no joke."
"You're going," she pointed out. "Without you I'd still be in a coma, and you're the only thing keeping me from falling back into it. Frankly, I'm not letting you out of my sight that easily."
"It could still be risky," I shot back, glancing at her as I merged onto the freeway. "If you come out to help, we might end up on the news, and you could end up drawing Cinder's attention again."
Amber wasn't deterred. "That train has sailed," she said firmly. "You're heading out to fight one of the twelve deadliest Grimm in the world; it's my duty as a Huntress and as a Maiden to do the same. You have your oath, so consider this mine. I'm coming with you."
I chanced another look, but there was no hesitation in her face, so I just nodded.
"Having said that…" she sneaked a glance at me in turn. "Who's Cinder?"
Fuck. My fingers tightened on the wheel. I didn't dare to look at her, but from the corner of my eye, I spotted Amber's hand reach up to where her scars were hidden under her makeup.
"You know who she was?" she asked quietly.
I gritted my teeth. Shit, shit, shit. That was fucking sloppy, Jaune. "I've been looking into it," I offered, hoping against hope that she would let the subject drop.
Naturally, I wasn't so lucky. "Ozpin said Qrow was still looking into it, but didn't have anything to go on."
Okay, I've got to come up with something fast that won't somehow come back to bite me. …I am not good at improvising like this. "I ran into one of her associates in Mistral," I said, thinking of when Emerald stole my wallet. "And after a while I caught their names." True as far as it goes. It took until Volume 2.
"But you haven't told Ozpin?" she pressed. "Quit dancing around the bush."
"I don't have proof," I sighed, getting into the exit lane. "No pictures, no references, not even any sources I can point to. I can't even be sure it's any of their real names. I'm sure it's her, but he's got no reason to believe me. And besides, maybe it's not fair, but the guy makes me a bit paranoid. He's making sure magic is secret from the world; what other secrets is he keeping?"
"Quite a few," Amber admitted. "I know some of them. But there's a good reason for some of them."
"I figured. I'm not saying I think he's totally unreasonable, I just don't like the feeling that I'm potentially being trained, not as a hero to keep the peace, but as a weapon pointed at some unknown enemy so someone else can claim a victory."
"I get what you mean," she sighed. "He always thinks he knows best. Even if he means well, there's no doubt that guy's out to butter his own nest."
Just gonna pass over that phrase. "Even more than that…" I thought of [The Shining Beacon, Part 3]. "You deserve the first crack at her. And I'm planning to be right there to help."
Amber laughed. "You say the sweetest things," she teased.
"Hell of a way to end a date, huh?" I smirked, pulling into the airport parking structure and tossing the ticket on the dash.
I grabbed Amber's purse, since she still had her Scroll in her hand, and tossed the bag in my [Inventory] before pulling out my riding jacket and offering it to her. She shrugged it on as we ran inside. We only slowed down once we reached the building — Hunters running tended to give the wrong impression, so we stuck to a brisk walk as we passed through Remnant's abbreviated security checks and settled into first class side-by-side.
I took the opportunity to shoot an apology text to Indigo.
DM: Paladin -› Kagemane | Saturday 20:47
‹Paladin› hey, heads up, I'm flying to Vacuo tonight
‹Paladin› your car's at the airport
‹Paladin› I'll bring it back when I can, or you can get it towed
‹Kagemane› wtf j
‹Paladin› Bianca called me
‹Paladin› they're going after Amphivena
‹Kagemane› …good hunting
"Not the date-ending I had in mind," Amber mused, after the flight attendants double-checked our seatbelts and we'd taken off into the night sky heading west-southwest. She had taken off my jacket and laid it across her lap like a blanket, and wriggled in her seat to get comfortable.
"I had planned to take you dancing," I told her. "I got a recommendation for a club from the guy who cut my hair."
"It was still a nice dinner." Amber lifted the armrest between us and leaned up to peck me on the cheek. Then she lifted my arm and wrapped it over her shoulders, leaning against me. I hadn't topped up her MP before the date, so I went ahead and triggered [Lay On Hands], causing her to make a small noise of satisfaction and close her eyes. "Wake me up when we get there."
"Sure." I pressed a kiss of my own to the crown of her head, enjoying the softness and warmth of her skin. "Sleep well and wake," I murmured, closing my eyes to meditate. "Coz we've got a helluva day ahead of us."
Name: Jaune Arc
Level: 44 (Next: 14.85%)
Title: Academy Student
Race: Human
Age: 18
Job: Beacon Student
Class: Paladin
Semblance: The Gamer
HP: 4385/4385
MP: 2926/2926
STR: 101.5 (53)
CON: 111.8 (50)
DEX: 124.8 (53)
INT: 90.8 (50)
WIS: 98.5 (52)
CHA: 110.8 (50)
Points: 124
Money: 1,214,961L
Status: Cursed – Yellow Death [High]
A/N: I'm technically bumping what looks superficially like the Jaunedice arc up a few weeks, but it's not like that arc could possibly go down the same way, since our Jaune didn't cheat his way into Beacon, so I'm butterflying this fight up to the first week and setting up a very different sort of antagonism.
Cardin's Semblance is not specified in canon (actually, none of CRDL's is) so I'm pulling together something that I think makes sense with Cardin's weapon and design inspiration. Basically, he marks a target with his Aura (usually by striking it with his weapon), which acts as a homing beacon for the Burn Dust he ignites.
Jaune's ringtone is the next line of the song (compared to the last time it rang) because… uhhh… Scrolls are advanced enough to remember where you cut off the last call and continue from there, only looping at a predetermined point so you can actually hear more than the first few seconds of your chosen song. Yeah, sure, that sounds good.
