"'Colourful'. Heh… Go fuck yourself Gilbert." Jaune swore under his breath as the smell of a thousand rotting corpses assaulted his nose. Shuddering he cautiously looking around all the barrels, boxes and stray casket. Spotting a broken window behind the mountain of rubble.
All the while he heard heavy thumping footsteps make their way up the old stone staircase with orange flames that made shadows dance on the walls. Quickly he drew Crocea Mors as he tied his hand lantern to his side. Giving him a source of light while freeing up a hand.
Cautiously peeking down the staircase and looking eyes with a bona fide werewolf, or a man wolf beast thing. Dressed in what had once been a respectable suit. Now it was ragged and torn, sickly hair shooting out the back. The torch made the bloodthirst in its eye's glow as saliva dripped down from a mouth with too many rotten and yellow teeth. It brough a sawblade up and lovingly slobbered over the bloody and rusted teeth as it sent a mockery of a smile towards Jaune.
"And here I tough I was ugly." Jaune mumbled as he readied himself, not wanting to fight on the slippery staircase. Where a misstep could spell death. Having used a staircase to his advantage one to many times.
The werewolf's ears twitched as a threatening growl rang out as it lost all preteens of humanity. Snarling as it stomped up the staircase. Arm raised up so to bring its saw blade down into tender flesh.
Crocea Mors flew up, easily slicing through skin, flesh, sinew and bone as the hand and saw clanged down the staircase. A low roar escaped the werewolf as it ignored its missing limb and thrusted the torch towards Jaune. "Even Cardin isn't that predictable." Jaune sneered as Crocea Mors lobbed of another hand.
Madness set in as the werewolf threw itself towards Jaune. Completely intent of tearing his head from his body.
With a sidestep, a swing of his arm, and the head was removed from the body as the werewolf crashed down.
"That was… surprisingly easy." Jaune whispered to himself as he cleaned of the blood of Crocea Mors. Hating to have the pristine steel marred by the colour red. The bloodstained cloth quickly washed away all blood and much, even if the blade was still stained red. Wringing the blood out, Jaune pocketed it before walking down the stairs.
Retching when he was met with a wall of damp heat and rotten meat assaulted him. Gagging and wafting away the smell to no avail Jaune fled back up the staircase and out to the fresh air of Central Yharnam. Blood was on the wind, but it was a faint and distant taint compared to the rotting stench that never seemed to go away down in the aqueduct. Taking deep breaths as he sought comfort in the frisk breeze.
"No wonder that old coon is so grumpy. Everyone would be if they lived close to this dump." Jaune whispered as he felt his stomach revolt. Dry heaving slightly as he pushed everything down.
He though he had gotten his stomach under control by sheer exposure to blood, viscera and gore. But apparently that was something else compared to a stench so foul it would make paint flake and saints weep.
On shaking legs and queasy stomach Jaune stepped back into the storage room, for it could be no other place. Taking great care as to not destroy anything as he made his way to the cracked window. Wanting to see where it led and if the height would make the smell somehow bearable. Eyes watering as the shear rank that assaulted his poor nose when he made his way through cracked window. Landing on a creaking and rattling ledge of old, rotten wooden planks that groaned with each step he made.
Carefully he stepped from plank to plank, making sure to test them before resting his weight on them. Not wanting to fall all the way down. Jaune may not have a fear of heights, but he would also like to not pummel what felt like ten-twenty meters straight down if he could avoid it. Just because he could survive a fall at this height due to his aura, that didn't mean he would like to test a new landing strategy.
"Coldblood dew, squish it to get some extra blood echoes. Huh, neat." Jaune whispered under his breath as after having searched another corpse. Making Isolde spirit away the dew to his cache in case he ever might need it. "Really need to organize my cache, sometime."
Peeking over the edge Jaune let his eyes scour the aqueduct, checking for chokepoints, hidden ambushes, or any type of traps. The mad men of Yharnam might be mad, but they were also ingenious when it came to traps. Not to mention sadistic. A shiver racing up his spine from just remembering some of their kinder traps.
Jaune noticed that the aqueduct was separated into three parts, four included the rafters he currently was on. The first, and also the lowest was where the murky water was. With two complettly shattered and rotten boats. Then the second floor were the stony walkways that the aqueduct separated, and the third floor must have been a storage and control area. Full of barrels, boxes and winches to move goods between the floors.
Scouring the area from his high vantage point Jaune saw a corpse with a ghost ball over it, or he really hoped it was a corpse, dangling from a meat hook wrapped in chains. Carefully making his way towards the corpse Jaune gagged as he saw the state of his fellow hunter. Face mutilated beyond belief, swollen skin and tongue torn out and sewn onto where his nose should be.
Crocea Mors clanged against the chain that held him up, breaking the chain and making the corpse crash into the second floor. Where a swarm of rats the size of men descended on the corpse in a wild frenzy. Together with what looked like a weapon splashing down in the murky aqueduct water.
"And here I though Yharnam couldn't possibly get any worse. Should have known better." Jaune tsked as he looked down on the poor fellow get absolutely torn apart. Gently drawing his pistol as he saw a deranged mad man with a rifle stand up and look down at the bloodshed with a smile on his face.
Cocking the gun and lining up for a clean shot. He might not be the best marksman, but even with his Bloodtinge at 10 he was good enough to line up a shot on a target that stood still.
*Crack! *
A gunshot cracked trough the air, echoing of the walls, and making the feasting rats scatter. Blood and brain mater coated the stone bricks as the mad man crumbled and fell down the aqueduct. Terrified rats mad with hunger feasting at the corpse the second it landed, blatantly ignoring how something killed it. Only caring for their next fill.
*Croack!* *Grooan*
The wooden beam he stood on creaked and groaned. Blue eyes widened as the beam gave out beneath him and sending him crashing down. Joining the dead mad man down in the aqueduct.
A single moment was all it took before the frenzied pack of rats had charged at him. Teeth the size of daggers gnashing against his aura as he wildly swung Crocea Mors around. Earning himself many started yelps from the rats when they found out that their next meal apparently fought back.
Quickly looking at the dozen rats, all the size of fully grown adult men, made Jaune once again question when his life went so wrong. Deciding to steal the initiative so he didn't get overrun, he lashed out with Crocea Mors. Smashing the blade into the skull of the closest rat.
Bone splintered, blood splattered, and grey brain matter coated his sword as the rat died without a squeak. The surrounding rats threw themselves at the corpse in wild abandoned. Sharp teeth tearing flesh, ripping out organs and feasting on once had been their brethren.
However, some rats decided to direct their gnawing hunger towards Jaune. Charging and jumping at him. Gnashing teeth whittling down his Aura by the second. Crocea Mors sang as it crushed skulls, pierced organs, and cut of limbs. The bloody smell only serving to spur the other rats on. Diving from corpse to corpse in a desperate attempt to fill their empty bellies.
The rest of the rats died quickly as Jaune continued his bloody work. Too busy trying in vain to fill the gnawing void of hunger that drove them to madness.
Tearing his bloodied sword out of the back of the last rat. Crocea Mors was so bloodied that the hilt guard was dyed a bloody orange reminiscent of a setting sun instead of the solid yellow it had once been. Cleaning the bloodied sword, even if he knew fully well that it would get a new coat of red sooner rather than later, Jaune looked around the aqueduct.
The walls were slick with blood and moss, making climbing up a chore. Not that Jaune would in any way or form climb up if it meant letting go of his sword. That was a death sentence. He had done it once, having climbed a ladder and meeting a mad man who pushed him off from the top. He was not doing that again. He
So with up out of the picture, that only left two other ways. Deeper into the aqueduct, or to a dead end with a ghostly orb. It really wasn't a choice. So with a deep sigh, Jaune began to search the corpse that leaned against the wall. Half-eaten with skull partially split open.
As he searched the corpse his finger slid against that corpses chin. "No. No, anything but that." Jaune whispered hoarsely to himself as his hand rested against dead man's head. "Madman's insight, crush skull to increase insight by 1."
Why he knew, he didn't know, but Jaune wasn't about to crush a poor sods skull just because he was curious. Oh so curious about what Insight meant, what it represented. Most of his morals having been rigorously tested over time in Yharnam, but he wasn't about to crush a skull. Crocea Mors cleanly severed the head. Making the skull land in his hand as skin and bone evaporated of it as the top of the skull cracked open and a galaxy of swirling colours and smells danced within.
Power in its purest form, a piece of the puzzle that was Yharnam, answers. A deep burning sense of curiosity overwhelmed him, together with a never-ending hunger to know.
*Plosh!*
The skull landed in the murky water of the aqueduct as Jaune hurriedly stepped away from the skull and its temptation. Hand clutched over his chest where his heart hammered like a drum as he started down at the skull in unabridged terror. Muttering a terrified "What the fuck?" As he looked at the unassuming skull.
The skull stared back with empty eyes as the galaxy of swirling colours retreating back into the crack. Making the skull look like any other skull he has had the displeasure of seeing.
Fishing out his beckoning bell he waited anxiously as Isolde materialised out from a cloud of dust. Eyes wildly looking around as he drummed his fingers over Crocea Mors's handle as his mind made up all the ways mad men could descend upon him.
"Master called for Isolde?" Isolde asked as she bowed a crocked bow. "Yes, can you be so kind and take that skull back to my cache?" Pointing at the madman's skull as he gently ordered Isolde to do his bidding.
"Isolde is sorry master. But Isolde is unable to touch things of that nature, yet." Isolde dejectedly answered, sadness in her voice as she dipped down to the skull and trailed a pale, almost translucent, arm trough the skull. Doing her best to grip it but her fingers only passing trough it. Almost as it wasn't there.
"What… is it?" Jaune asked as he knelt down by the skull. Not daring to touch it again, lest he be affected by it's weird 'magic'. But far to curious to simply leave it there.
"Isolde can't say master." Isolde whispered morosely. Earning a raised eyebrow from Jaune as he looked at her. "Can't say, or won't say?" He asked curiously. Well acquainted with Isoldes 'weirdness'. She wasn't human, more a spirit bound to his will. Why she was bound to him, he didn't know. Neither did he know why she always seemed so willing to perform any tasks he asked of her. Like everything Yharnam related, Jaune had more questions than answers. And the list was massively skewed.
"If master wishes to know, Isolde will abide." Isolde said gently before beginning whispering. Nails in a blender, rocks in a washing machine, nails down a blackboard. A canopy of madness, garbled nonsense, and mishmashes noises escaped her as Jaune fell down on his knees. Wildly letting out a soundless scream as he held his hands over his ears in a desperate attempt to make the pain stop.
Isolde stopped the never-ending torture when blood seeped from Jaune's nose and blood welled in his eyes instead of clear tears. "What was that?" He whispered hoarsely as his bloody tears freely fell. Mind and body reeling from the torturous sermon Isolde just gave.
"Isolde didn't think less of Master when she said she couldn't tell. Isolde meant it that Master shouldn't push himself. The path of insight is a marathon, not a sprint. Maybe in the future, when Master is able to hear Isolde, Isolde will tell will say what she did today." Isolde explained as she bowed reverently towards Jaune.
Still reeling Jaune sent a soft smile towards Isolde as he dried his bloody nose. "Is there a way for me to carry it? Without it getting in my way until I can get back to the dream?" He asked looking down at the skull. Not wanting to leave it behind, but far from wanting to experience its sinister pull again.
"Isolde can give Master a small weightless pouch. It will keep the skull safe and minimizing the draw master might feel." Isolde said as a small bag with a tie at the top appeared in her hand. It wasn't anything extremely noteworthy, but Jaune would take anything he could get as long as he didn't have to feel that insidious pull.
Yharnam might be gnawing at his morals with each and every day he scourged the streets. But Jaune was never going to crush a skull for personal gain. No matter how tantalising it would feel to have answers.
"Is there anything special I should need to know about the bag?" He asked as he tied it around his belt. Looking at the skull reluctantly as he bent down, gently grabbing the skull as the small nebula of colours sprang to life in the crack that tore it on two. Power, knowledge, answers tempted him. Whispering sweet nothings and regaling him with grand visions.
Quickly the whispers stopped as Jaune tied the ends of the bag together. "Yes Master. The bag is fragile, easy to destroy, and can only carry so much." Isolde explained patiently, ashamed that she was unable to fulfil her duty.
The skull still tried to influence him, but it was weakened, further away. An echo from the other side of the mountain instead of a roaring waterfall of noise and temptation right by his side. It wasn't better, but it would do for now.
Picking Crocea Mors up from the muddy water and giving it a quick polish to get all the muck out from any stray nock and cranny he was ready to continue his exploration of the Aqueduct.
But first, he began his search for the weapon that had fallen into the aqueduct. Scouring trough the dirty water as he gagged. "Thank fuck." He muttered as his boot kicked into the weapon. Shaking it slightly to shake away the murk from the aqueduct, he took it in.
It was ugly. There was no other way to say it. Ugly, full of old bloodstains, and some teeth looked ready to fall off. Yet it stunk of the workshops practicality. A saw to draw blood and leave deep wounds, turning into a spear that would be useful for range. Effortlessly switching between the saw and spear forms, Jaune smiled. Wondering how Ruby would react to seeing the weapon. Would she gush over how cool it was, or would she gag at its 'oldness'. Maybe even pop a vein due to its uniqueness?
Reluctantly he rang his bell and had Isolde spirit it away to his cache. Not really wanting to start experimenting with a new weapon when he was in the middle of a hunt. Even if the saw-spear could readily pull its weight, he wasn't comfortable trying it out now. Not when a single mistake was all it took for him to wake up back in the dream.
Shaking the thought away, he carefully began making his way through cobbled walls that seemed to snake around with a single thought in mind. His only companions being the splashing of water, the rank smell of rot and decay and his own heavy breathing. His lantern made shadows dance on the walls. Twisting and writhing as if they had a mind of their own.
The sound of swift skittering echoed through the aqueduct. Making his shield fly up on his arm as he looked around. Prepared to fight at moment's notice.
Looking around he found only stone walls, dirty water, and a never-ending sound of soft pitter patter. Jaune didn't spend a single second thinking about where the pitter patter came from. Hand flying into his tool belt and pulling out a molly. Throwing it with all his might down the aqueduct.
*Scheee!*
The mad screeching of an army of rats lit up as fire clung to their fur. Burning and spreading like a wildfire as the panicky rats ran over one another in a desperate attempt to get away. However, a good part of the rat swarm decided that another way trough him was a much better decision.
Crocea Mors was sheathed as he took out the threaded cane and switched it into whip mode. Wildly whipping the serrated whip around in a desperate attempt to not get crushed under a wave of terrified rats.
The whip did more than needed. Tearing flesh and bone, splattering the walls and shallow water a familiar crimson. The blood was making the rats ever more worked up. Sharp teeth gnashing together as a few brave rats stepped forward only to get multiple whip lashes to their face.
Blood was tickling their noses, fire was creeping towards them from behind, the sizzling smell of cooked rat made tears well in Jaune eyes from sheer disgust. Whip lashing out again and again as he corralled the rats back to the burning flames. Someone must have thought themselves smart dumping whale oil or the like in the aqueduct, because the fire was steadily creeping towards them. And Jaune was on the brink of following the rats example by madly fleeing.
Whipped to death, rat after rat died as they gnashed their teeth at him. To scared to go forward where pain was and a searing heat striping away what little decision-making ability the rats had as panic and fear set in. A few rats tried to make a run for it, but they received a shield bash to the nose. Breaking it and throwing them back to their brethren who pounced at them ruthlessly.
Rat after rat tried to run, all meeting the same felt. Until they stopped dying to their fellow brethren as Crocea Mors bit deep into neck and bone again and again.
The fire had died down but the stench of burnt hair and meat remained. Choking the air with its foulness. Walking through the pile of dead rats, Jaune poked every corpse with his cane. Seeing if any rat had been unlucky enough to survive. A small whimper, and blue eyes looked coldly down at a pair of rats the size of cats. Looking up with big soft eyes welling with tears.
*Crack!*
Bone cracked as Jaune brought his cane down at the rats. Killing them without a shred of hesitation. "Yharnam is already suffering from a beast infection. I'm not allowing a rat infestation to take hold as well." He swore under his breath as he made his way over the corpses and deeper into the aqueduct.
His lantern cast an inkling of light around as he walked around. Frowning as he eventually came to a large open area. A tall ladder that promised escape from the aqueduct, and ladder that trailed down the rickety platform. Down into the aqueduct proper.
A ghost ball of light hovered over a corpse out in the dirty, grimm water of the aqueduct. Surrounded by a good dozen other corpse that looked drowned. He knew it was possible to drown in shallow water, but not en masse like this. "Is this the churches doing?" Jaune asked as he carefully made his way towards the corpses. Spurred onward by curiosity and deep remorse as he looked at the drowned corpses.
Freezing when he felt a slimy wet something, grab his ankle. As one the dozen drowned men looked up at him. Mouths rotting up, skin swelled and gaunt to ridiculous proportions.
"AHH-!" A sharp girly scream pierced trough Yharnam.
Down in the aqueduct Jaune was busy using his whipping cane as a stabbing cane. The sharp point of his cane coming up and down in wild hysteria as he crushed eyes, tongues, and skulls in a mad attempt to make the dead go back to being dead. Letting a sigh of relief as he almost collapsed when he saw no more movement.
The dead was well and truly dead.
On shaky legs, and an emptier balder than he would have liked, jaune took in the carnage he had created. "Why jumpscares? Why is it always jumpscares?" He asked no one in particular as he had his hand over his chest in a failed attempt to calm himself.
He hated flying, but that was more due to motion sickness than outright fear and dislike. He liked muffins, doughnuts, and all sort of yeast based baked goods over candy or things overly sweet. He hated murder, no matter how good he had become, and he detested senseless violence over all else. And he was particularly easy to scare. Hating horror movies and their jumpscares with his very being. So why was there jumpscares here?
Shaking off a shiver that raced down his spine, Jaune pocketed the quicksilver bullets, having Isolde store the excess in his cache. Quickly scouring out the area before looking around. "Up to get a better look around, and maybe onward? Down the aqueduct to wherever it leads?"
It was a simple question, and sooner rather than later Jaune found himself climbing a ladder up and onwards. Shaking in his boots as he did his best not to look down. Breathing a sigh of relief when he got of the ladder. Not at all liking the extreme vertical designs that Yharnam appeared to love. "How many have fallen to their deaths?" He absentmindedly asked as he stomped the head of a charging carrion crow that wiggled its way menacingly towards him.
Making quick work of its companions that came crawling out from behind boxes and barrels. Had they been able to fly they might have been a threat. Fat birds that had gorged themselves on blood and were unable to fly posed as much a treat to Jaune as a deranged man with his back turned.
"Not another one." Jaune whispered as he looked at the corpse the crows had been feasting on. It wasn't that Jaune hadn't become used to corpses, as whenever he stalked Yharnam's street he wore blood, death, and the smell of corpses like a perfume.
A smell that seemed to never leave him.
A smell he was insanely glad didn't come with him back to his waking world.
No, it wasn't the corpse that set Jaune on edge. It was the ominous green smoky clouds that wafted out from a crack in the skull that set him on edge. Green smoky clouds that teased him with answers, questions, and gestured at him to just crush it.
He didn't need to be a genius to know what that meant. An overwhelming part of him wanted to just tear the skull of and chuck it down in the Aqueduct. So it could never tempt him or anyone else again. Yet, discipline crushed that response quickly. He didn't trust himself to not be tempted, but the trusted the people of Yharnam even less.
What would happen if a mad man gained 'Insight?' Jaune didn't know, and he didn't want to find out either. With great reluctance he bent down and plucked to skull from the corpse like one would an apple from a tree. Quickly putting the skull in his bag, next to its brother. If it even could be called that.
With that he looked around and readied himself for another fight. A brick troll seemed to be walking towards him. Following the smell of blood in the air. Taking up the entire bridge, even if its entire face was covered in bandages, it looked at him with malice and hunger.
'Strong, far faster than expected, agile, keen smell and hearing.' Automatically Jaune listed of all he knew about the trolls 'Stupid, mentally slow, incapable of feeling pain.'
The troll was dragging a large sledgehammer that looked like the troll had just grabbed a large enough stick and forced it into a brick. The sledgehammer looked fit to break any second, but also looked more than capable to turn his bones to dust should he be careless. Aura be damned.
With each thunderous step forward the troll picked up speed as murderlust wafted of the troll.
A single step forward and Jaune the young huntsman turned into Jaune the proficient killer as he dashed forward without hesitation. Sliding under a lightning-fast hammer swing that made the iron fence cry out as it was ripped from the bridge and sent crumbling down into the aqueduct.
In a smooth motion Jaune stopped his slide, planted his feet on the bridge and lunged upward. Crocea Mors piercing trough the trolls neck as blood now coated the sword. Not letting go of his sword, Jaune landed feet first on the troll's thighs and shifted his wight in a fluid motion. Lobing the bandaged head of cleanly but getting a blood squirt in his face as a reward.
Jumping down from the corpse and sidestepping out of its was as it fell, Jaune blinked stupidly to get some stray blood out of his eyes. Spitting out some bloody globs of spit to get the bloody taste out of his mouth. "At least it's clean." He whispered to himself as he did his best to ignore the familiar metallic tang in his mouth. The taste wasn't something spit really could clean out. But even mad men had clean blood, as he had secretly done more than a few HIV and tested for all known blood born sicknesses back in the waking world.
A small mercy, upon their already deranged morals and mind.
"Aura really is a terrifyingly strong edge." Jaune muttered as he cleaned Crocea Mors. For the fight would have gone completely different had the troll also had Aura. The extra safety net of having a literal invisible, full body shield allowed him to trade blows, act more recklessly, take more punishment when he miss-stepped, or simply just survive stupid ideas. Stupid ideas who otherwise would have cost him his life. 'If you are going to be stupid, you better be tough.' A saying his father was fond of, even if it being called stupid had hurt him a bit.
Seeing another ladder, Jaune continued up as he came face to face with a locked gate. Sighing heavy readied himself to climb down the ladder again. Hating the winding parts of Yharnam. "Yharnam's city planner should be shot." He grumpily muttered as he got ready to climb the ladder down. Hating how he stumbled into dead ends time and time again.
"Who… are you? I don't know your voice, but I know that smell… Are you a hunter? Then, please, will you look for my mum? Daddy never came back from the hunt, and she went out to find him, but now she's gone too… I'm all alone… and scared…" A young if skittery voice called out. Making him almost loose his grip on the ladder.
Hurriedly getting up from the ledge Jaune made his way over to the window. "Yes, I'm a hunter. And… can you tell me some more? So I know what to look for?" He asked gently. Saving someone, this he could do. Even more so when it came to helping a scared young girl.
"Really?! Oh, thank you! My m-mum wears a red jewelled brooch. It's big and... and really beautiful! You won't miss it. Oh, I mustn't forget. If you find my mum, give her this music box. It plays one of daddy's favourite songs. And when daddy forgets us, we play it for him so he remembers. Mom's so silly running off without it!" The young girl rattled of as a dainty little arm opened a slit in the window and help out a delicate music box.
Gently taking it. Jaune felt his stomach sink. Yharnam wasn't a kind place, a worried mother that ran out on the night of the hunt without a means of protection sounded like a recipe for tragedy. Stoically pushing away his churning fears he instead focused on something he could do. Comforting a scared young girl.
"I'm sure your mother has just gotten lost. I'll find her and say how worried you are, and she will know what a brave girl you have been. Arc's word, and an Arc never goes back on their word." Jaune said softly. Giving a brittle smile. Hating himself for how the lie came so easily.
"Thank you~" The girl wobbled out. "I'm scared, I hear howling of beasts and screams. And I'm just so…so scared. But! But I have been brave, not hiding under my bed. I just want my mommy back!"
"And I will do my best to make sure she gets back." Jaune swore. "But if I'm going to get you your mother back, I'm going to have to leave. So… please be strong."
Jaune hurriedly left after that. Knowing that if he stayed, he would stay until he woke up. Landing with a thump aura flared briefly around his legs, forgoing the ladder entirely. Not even minding getting told of for knocking on another door. Instead Jaune felt like he was on the clock. Maybe… maybe if he was quick enough, he could find the girls mother before the beasts did.
Grabbing the tall ladder, he took the express down, shattering the skull of a lucky survivor of his rat massacre. Planks groaning from his harsh landing. Kicking the rat corpse back into the aqueduct, Jaune hurried to the ladder he had seen further in during his rampant rat massacre. Having ignored it back then due to the literal army of rats that were interested in eating him.
Now that the path was cleared, in a manner of speaking if one ignored the burnt rat remains that littered the aqueduct. Kicking a rat carcass away he climbed up the ladder as he felt the weird if familiar sensation of waking up.
Slowly gentle light appeared, blinding his vision as the incessant beeping of an alarm blared, followed by a familiar "Fearless leader, wakey wakey. It's time to head to the gym." Nora's voice echoed like bells, making him groan. Team Juniper had all decided to wake up early for every weekend to work out together.
Sure, they all worked out on their own. But training and sparring together had become kind of a team 'ritual' after the first time. And even if his regime was bone breaking and left him a panting mess wishing for the sweet release of death. He wouldn't trade it for the world.
Taking a last look around the area he was in, Jaunes eyes flew open in surprise when he saw a man wolf beast charge at him. Too late to properly dodge he threw himself to the right. Only to eat a hatched to the throat.
"hnngh!" Jaune grunted, eyes shooting open to a familiar ceiling and familiar turquoise eyes that turned from mirthful joy to downright horror when his neck tore itself open. Blood shooting out like a broken faucet and painting Nora red.
Aura briefly flashed as Nora crashed into the floor. Having fainted in a silent scream. Making Pyrrha, dressed in full training gear freeze as she looked at her leader, and her maybe crush bleeding out from a giant tear in his neck. Freezing for a split second before she moved.
Rushing to his side, she shouted. "REN! HELP!" Before diving down at Jaune, doing her best to keep pressure on the wound even if blood freely flowed. Quickly colouring her hands the same as her hair. "What is it?!" Ren asked, poking his head out from the bathroom. Toothbrush in mouth.
A toothbrush that clattered on the ground as Ren hurriedly swallowed and dashed out. Only half dressed in his training shorts.
"Bbbb…" Jaune weakly muttered as he did his best to lift his arm and point at his bell. A simple action that felt like moving a mountain. At least Ren was quick witted, remembering the time Jaune had ringed the bell, and something had happened for him to fire that old flare gun. He had checked, there were residue of a paper cartridge in the old flare gun. Something that hadn't been there before. Ren hadn't pushed Jaune over his little discovery, simply glad that Jaune looked better the day after.
He regretted his inaction now as Jaune's blood stained the white sheets red. But he also quickly grabbed the bell and gave it to Jaune. It had to bee a reason he reached for it, right?
His prayers were quickly answered when Jaune weakly dinged the bell. And without a sound, a glass vial filled with crimson sat on the nightstand. Like it had always been here, and he had just noticed it now.
Jaune's dimming eyes regained a spark of hope as he did his best to reach for the vial.
Pink eyes widening in surprise as his hand travelled trough it. Like it was a mirage. In a burst of mad strength, Jaune tore himself free of Pyrrha's death grip around his throat and lunged for the vial. Grabbing it in his hand, popping of the cork and downing its contents in a single gulp. Before collapsing down onto the floor in relief as his strength left him.
"Is… is he dead?" Pyrrha asked horrified as she looked down on Jaune. "Not dead." Jaune replied weakly, startling Pyrrha and making all metal in the room titter dangerously towards them for a moment. Pushing himself up from the floor, Jaune did his best to smile. Even if the smile was brittle.
His neck was perfectly healed, having stopped bleeding. Even if it still looked like it came out from a bad horror movie with greatly extracted blood.
"I… I think I speak for all of us. But what… was that Jaune?" Ren demanded in his usually soft tone as he collapsed down on Pyrrha's bed that unfortunately also had gotten some blood splattered on it. "People don't bleed that inhumanly much when having their throat slit. And how did that even happen? People don't get spontaneous slit throats like that!"
"Let's… clean up first and give Nora some time. Please?" Jaune asked, feeling lightheaded from a lack of blood. Looking sheepish with his hands up in surrender. "I promise… I will talk to you all about what happened. But let's get the room cleaned and give Nora some rest. I really don't want to repeat myself."
Pyrrha and Ren shared a slow nod. Clearly planning to hold Jaune to his word.
Sighing, Jaune stretched slightly and looked down on his comfortable onesie that had been completely drowned in blood. "Awww… this was my favourite onesie as well." He muttered sadly. "But… what do the two of you say about cleaning up before any teachers comes along and see this bloodbath?"
"If it's alright with you, I'm going to the bathroom to finish up and get changed." Ren said quickly, looking slightly green now that the panic left him. Only to be pushed away as Pyrrha flew past him. Slamming the door shut behind her and proceed to empty her guts once the adrenaline faded.
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Important Note: I may or may not throw in a romance subplot. This isn't final. And just because someone likes Jaune, doesn't mean that he will reciprocate their feelings. Especially with what he is going through. This may change as I get more confident in my writing. But for now, it's just Season 1 Pyrrha, who is developing romantic feelings for Jaune due to him treating her like a person and not hoisting her up on a pedestal.
Note: Does wounds given to him when he is in the process of waking up, return to the waking world with him? Yes. Because, in Yharnam. Nowhere is safe.
Note: I have also been spending time fleshing out buffs, 'endgame' effects, and some points that will happen when we reach the last stretch. As stated earlier, Jaune will eventually be OP, just in a Bloodborne type of way. I fully plan to see this story trough to the end.
Last Note: If people is interested in seeing Jaune's stats, I can start posting them at the end of the chapters. Have them in a onenote notebook but can add them if people are curious about his progress.