A silent wind rustled the branches inside the seemingly lifeless hunters dream. Only the crunching of gravel echoing out as Jaune walked in. Carefully stepping past the sleeping doll, not wanting to wake her slumber. Also not understanding how a doll could sleep in the first place.
Looking around for Gehrman, the enigmatic hunter was nowhere to be found. Sighing Jaune stepped into the workshop and collapses into one of the many chairs as the day's events came crashing into him. Stretching and just breathing out as he tried processing everything that had happened. Letting out a long groan as he felt himself melt into the chair.
"You certainly look like you have been through the wringer, lad." Gehrman said dryly as he rolled into the workshop. Giving the old hunter an uncaring look, Jaune was too emotionally drained to argue with him.
"I had a tough day." Jaune muttered weakly out, the words coming tumbling out. "It was supposed to be an evening out, you know. Just… me and some friends having a quiet evening out. Having fun, karaoke, maybe some drinking. Just us having a good time really. And it was fantastic, I was even able to forget the dream and the hunt for a scant hour. Then… Then a teammate on my friends team went and had a firefight on the docks. Surrounded by mountains of volatile material. My team and I arrived when it was over, it looked like a warzone. Not to mention the slaughter that had taken place."
Taking a deep breath as he felt his tongue dry up, glad that Gehrman at least was a good listener. The man had a vipers tongue, but he also took his duty as caretaker of the dream seriously. Offering advice and listening to troubles, in a way Gehrman was the cranky old man from next-door that offered great advice but could probably kill you a thousand ways to Sunday had it not been for his peg leg. And no matter how much he hated the dream, he was thankful for Gehrman's presence.
He would never have gotten as far as he had without his advice. Neither would he have what smother of insight into Yharnam if not for his help. Without what insight Gehrman had offered and what knowledge Iosefka freely had shared, he knew he would have at least an extra hundred deaths to his name. Maybe he was extravagating a bit, but he was well aware that he owed them both immensely.
"So… me and my team went in. Took stock and contacted the proper authorities while giving them an overview of what was happening. If it was the right thing to do… I don't know, but we went in and looked for survivors and started gathering the injured ones together. When the scene was under control, I looked around for other survivors… and stumbled upon him…" Breathing out heavily trough his nose, Jaune felt that familiar numbness in his chest.
"He was… he was a terrorist… but he was also just a teenager, not even into his late teens… and he cleanly bisected."
"But he was alive." Gehrman added in grimly from the side with a nod.
"Yes… he was alive and crying out for his mother." Jaune breathed out, looking up and meeting the cold, uncaring eyes of Gehrman. "And… and I put him out of his misery…"
"You did the right thing." Gehrman said stoically. "Our… a hunters work is bloody business. But we are not deranged bloodthirsty maniacs. We have a job, and we do it well. Nothing more, nothing less. There is no glory in murder. Giving mercy… to someone who might have been undeserving, you might not feel like it. But you did the right thing, don't forget that."
"I know… I know… it just doesn't feel like it." Jaune sighed as he stood up. Stepping over to the worktable where the double barrel shotgun the old lady had given him. Laying his hand on the wood he let the faintest of smiles on his face as he turned looked over at Gehrman. "Met an old woman the other night, old crone claimed to have been saved by you when she was younger."
"Lad, do you have the slightest idea how little that narrows it down?" Gehrman asked as he rolled up to Jaune. "No matter, it's good you are here. You picked up something that belonged to the workshop."
Shivering and pushing that accursed memory away, he looked over at Gehrman. Waiting for him to explain.
"Fortifying your weapon to the limit, isn't enough, unfortunately. There… exists beasts out there who are beyond mortal limits. However, that's where blood gems come in." Gehrman lectured calmly. "If fortification turns something good into something great. Blood gems turns it into something more. Be it poisoning your foe after striking them, bless your weapon with supernatural abilities such as making every strike erupt in flames, make your weapon inhumanly sharp, bless it with almost divine durability, or make it automatically repair itself. To name but a few."
"How… how did something so groundbreaking as that be lost to time?" Jaune couldn't help but as ask. If Gherman had his attention, the man's words having their weight in gold when he was helpful. Now he was fully enraptured, hanging onto his every word as Gehrman explained how to slot a gem, how to know what gem sockets a weapon had, and giving him a basic rundown of what type of gems did what.
Radial gems had effects that that bore upon weapon attacks, Triangle gems served to boost the physical or mental capabilities of the hunter, and Waning gems were steeped in spiritual effects that gave magical effects who served to turn the weapon from great to greatest. Even teaching him about 'droplets', who should be treated as a stop gap measure if anything. Being the gem's jack of all trades, able to fit all slots, but never able to bring a weapon to the same heights as it brothers.
Beside the four 'core' gems as Gehrman called them, firearms had a special gem slot of their own with a matching blood gem shape. While not offering the variety a melee-based weapon had, Circle blood gems only boosted a firearms lethality. Something that never should be scoffed at. After all, had his revolver been stronger, Gascoigne could have fallen to a single shot.
'Ruby might die from weapon induced happiness should she learn of this.' Jane couldn't help but smile at that thought as he finished up his fortifications on both Mortem Ignis and Crocea Mors. Gehrman having noted that Crocea Mors had one of each gem slot, if that was good or bad, he really didn't know. Only time would tell.
Carefully slotting the radial shaped tempering bloodstone into the socket that sat in the fuller of Crocea Mors, close to the hilt of the longsword, he beamed with pride. Grabbing the sword and swinging it through the air. Crocea Mors singing as it cut through the air.
"Blood gems are rated on a scale of 1 to 20. Don't expect a gem with a rating of 1, to turn your weapon into the next Moonlight Greatsword." Gehrman added from the side with a weary chuckle.
Jaune did not pout nor sigh as he sheathed his sword. Instead taking a deep breath. A thousand and one thoughts in his mind as he looked back at Gehrman. "Can I ask for some advice." He asked, knowing that Gehrman had taken an apprentice before. He had no idea about what happened to his apprentice, neither did he want to bring up bad memories for the wizen hunter.
But if what his friends were true about children saved from danger by huntsmen, and if Violet were to successfully complete that little task he had set for her. He would honour his word. If only to save her from herself.
He had no idea how an apprenticeship would work. Not to mention he wasn't ready to be a master. He could barely take care of himself when out on the hunt. But he was a man of his word if anything, and if she accepted him, he would make his darndest to make sure she survived the night and grew up as best as possible.
"I… I saved a little girl. Had to put down her father first." Jaune started, blinking slightly at how wrong that sounded. "He had gone mad with bloodlust. But I promised him I would care for his daughter like she was one of mine. She… begged me to take her on as my apprentice… and I gave her a task to complete… If she succeeds, I plan to honour my word."
"Are you daft, boy?" Gehrman bit into him with a sharp whisper. "You are neither ready, nor able enough to take on an apprentice. Have you let a smidgen of success balloon into delusions of grandeur? You are still green behind the ears; you still have lots to learn."
"I know." Jaune stated calmly as he looked into the harsh eyes of Gehrman. "No one knows that better than me. But I gave my word. And I have heard from friends I trust with my life that those who are saved by hunters or huntsmen tend to follow in their saviours footsteps. And if me taking her on as an apprentice will save her from certain death should she set out on her own, then all the more for it."
"Good. You got resolve." Gehrman noted as nodded softly at Jaune. "Taking on an apprentice is not something that should ever be done lightly. Hunting alone is already taxing in of itself, having a tag along whose life you are now responsible for is something else entirely. If you had jumped into this without a thought or a plan, I would have banished you from the dream until you got your wits about. Yharnam is not in need of idiots who think themselves untouchable."
"That's why I ask for help. As it stands now, I would do more harm than good. And I refuse to let her suffer due to my incompetence." Jaune said softly. "I have some ideas about how apprenticeships work, but I would love to hear the details, the do's and don'ts if you would."
"At least you haven't left your wits in Yharnam. That's good… and you still have time. Time to both learn, and to hunt." Gehrman said calmly.
"Yes, I'm planning to answer the Cainhurst Summoning, if only to not keep royalty waiting. But to get there I will need to make my way through Hemwick Charnel Lane. Hopefully it will be enough." Jaune said, earning a nod from Gehrman. "But not before taking some days away from the hunt. For now I want to catch up on blood rites and the arcane, and whatever else you might deem necessary."
It wasn't the best of plans, and between answering the summoning and getting a chalice, it had been a tough choice. In four days, he would need a total of sixty-four quicksilver bullets to stave of the dream, the day after he would need a hundred and twenty-eight. He needed a chalice as quickly as possible should he ever wish to stave of the hunt in the foreseeable future.
"A plan huh… Not something you would have a month ago. You are getting better. And everything you will ever need is here in the dream. You only have to look; I can't help you in anyway beside giving advice." Gehrman spoke softly as he gestured to the bookshelves. "Before you dive into books, let me give some advice. Be careful that you don't spread yourself to thin. The Arcane is not something that can be learned in one day, and if you want to be able to use blood rites in combat you will require hours upon hours of dedicated study."
"Is that why most hunters don't use the… mystical?" Jaune asked carefully. Having noted that all the hunters he had met primarily used melee weapons. Even beasts used cold weaponry over anything mystical.
"No… yes…" Gherman sighed. "Back in the day, both disciplines saw more widespread use. Even if every hunter followed my philosophy of hunting, they used one or the other to complement their hunting capability. I'm sure you can use only the Arcane, but those who immersed themselves in the study of the mythical forces rarely were hunters. But be warned… should you ever stumble upon someone who only use arcana. Run."
"Lest I die a painful death?" Jaune asked, even if the clear threat only served to solidify his desire to learn both. If only so he would know what he was up against.
"I see you finally is starting to get some Yharnam common sense. But yes. If the most insidious danger a hunter can face is their bloodlust or giving in to the monster inside. Then the worst danger an Arcane Scholar will face would be the complete and utter lack of Relatability to their fellow man. A hunter will brutally maim you, but a hunter will always kill its prey. But why would a scholar ever want to rid themselves of their specimen?" Gehrman leaned forward with a wicked grin.
A shiver raced through him. For that sounded exactly like the Imposter. For her, he and Iosefka were nothing but subjects. 'Didn't she ask me to go out an tell others about her clinic?' He felt sick just thinking about it. He had almost fallen for her as well, hook, line, and sinker. The only thing that clued him in being was how she offered a 'reward' for doing so. Something Iosefka never had offered, the kind woman already having given all she could by giving him her first aid kit.
Letting out a quivering breath at what had almost happened. Jaune glanced over at Gehrman, making the mistake of looking the old hunter in the eyes. And for the first time in his life, Jaune wished he was wandering the streets of Yharnam instead. Because he saw.
He saw something he wished he never wished he had. Deep in Gehrman's eyes, two yellow wolf like eyes stared back.
Suddenly he wasn't in the dream, he was somewhere else. On a sea of bleeding and broken corpses a gargantuan eight-legged black wolf prowled around. Malicious yellow eyes snapped to him as a twisted smile split the maw of the wolf. A tongue full of razor-sharp teeth and claw coming out of its mouth. Droplets of droll larger than bullheads thundering into the lake of blood as weapons of all types rose from the lake.
The wolf rose even taller by standing on its hindlegs as its paws turned into humanlike hands. Wolf head upon wolf head sprouting from its torso. All sharing the same sick bloodlust as they looked at him. Pulling a sword, a spear, a halberd, and a scythe from the lake. All weapons looking more menacing than the last and bearing an old and worn look.
Stepping forward the gentle moonlight turned blood red and all he could hear was the wailing of a thousand souls as the wolf charged.
Shaking his head Jaune found himself back in the safe confines of the workshop. Crashing into the cold floor as blood leaked from his nose. Aimlessly starring at the roof as he felt his mind tear itself apart as he tried to comprehend what he just seen.
"What… what was that?" Jaune gasped out as he rolled over. Crabbing up as he felt his stomach flip around. Grabbing the worktable he pulled himself up on shaking legs. Not trusting his bladder or stomach to hold again if he were to see that monstrosity again.
"That lad. Is the burden each hunter carries within them." Gehrman said grimly. "A cost for the blood. The sweet… sweet… blood. Intoxicating and tantalising. The very blood that heals you, will eventually turn you into the same beasts you are hunting. Such irony. Yet the Healing Church continue to preach it's tenets and perform its ministrations. Damning the city and gleefully inviting pandemonium into our fold."
"So I really wasn't imagining things then." Jaune whispered softly. His fight with Father Gascoigne had opened his eyes in more ways than one. He had not been expecting the father to explode into a gigantic werewolf. But it also sat perspective on everything else.
The beasts, the deranged huntsmen, and the obsession with blood.
"Then… what about Violet?" Jaune whispered horrified.
"I'm afraid there is not much you can do. If she wants an apprenticeship, she will require a blood ministration. If she succumbs to the beast or not… that is another matter entirely. And one you cannot do anything about. However…you could always… take her behind the barn… it will be far quicker and far, far more painless than slowly succumbing to the beast." The calm way Gehrman said it, like it was just an everyday occurrence terrified him in ways he couldn't explain.
"Unless…" Gehrman said as something flashed in his eyes. A bitter smile on his face as he wet his lips. Drumming his fingers on his cane as he looked eye with his young protégé.
"Unless what?" Jaune asked, almost pleadingly as he looked at the old, wizened hunter.
"A contract… and a special one at that…" Gehrman started with a haunting smile. "She will become an apprentice to the dream. Tying her fate to yours. For a period of seven to ten years she will be your apprentice. Until you deem her fit to step out on her own. A contract that will stand even in the rare instance that you complete yours. But… but it will also give her access to the dream."
"You are a cruel, cruel man… Gehrman." Jaune spat out as he looked at the wizened hunter. "But… but I don't think I can fault you for it. If anything… I can only mourn the man you once were."
Leaving the old man with that, Jaune stepped out of the workshop. Needing to clear his head. Stepping down the paved path to the right. Into what could only be described as an overgrown garden. Sitting down on a stump, he fished up the saw-like badge and started sewing it into his top hat. Right next to the Sword Hunter Badge.
"I still have to explore more of that way." He muttered, having been too caught up in saving the little girl and bringing her and the old crone to the chapel instead of exploring. A decision he didn't regret in the slightest. He just had another part of the city to clean up.
Feeling something poking him in the behind he flew up, turning around and seeing the terrifying, but not really so, faces of a grumpy gang of Messengers. "Sorry about that. Needed a place to clear my head." He said quickly, making the grumpy gang look at him worryingly. For horribly deformed babies, the Messengers were straight down revenant to the dream's hunters.
Looking at his hat and the new badge that sat solidly, he put it on with a sigh. Deciding to make his way to the beath messengers and get some extra bullets at hand before talking to the Doll who was hopefully awake.
"Thank you." He said as a small line of messengers hurried away to deposit his new bullets in his cache. Stepping over to the Doll who gave him a kind smile as she bowed politely. "Kind hunter, what is it you require?"
"If would love to infuse some echoes." He said with a soft smile. Already having decided on what he wanted.
Vitality and Endurance.
While Gascoigne's werewolf transformation came entirely out of left field. There was something else that also stood out to him. How Gascoigne had seemingly withstood a shoot to the stomach from a pistol that had bisected grimm. Yes, they had been of the weaker and more fragile sort, but the point stood. Gascoigne had taken the bullet and charged straight back at him the next second.
Because if what Gehrman hinted at was true, that there existed monsters and beings that couldn't be described as mortal. Then he would need to be as ready as he could ever be. It didn't matter how skilled or how physically gifted he was if his aura broke after a single hit. Him dying to the following blow.
Closing his eyes as the Doll knelt, he focused on Vitality first and Endurance second. Feeling life itself surging trough his veins, his heart beating like a drum of war in his chest. Then came a second wind, followed by a third and fourth wind. And Jaune felt like he could fight for days on end.
The surge of power left as quickly as it left. Shaking himself out of the trance, he took a step back and let out a shaking breath. He could understand why some hunters could go mad for the hunt if they experienced this sort of high.
It was more than just physical, a spiritual experience that couldn't be put in words. He felt himself become healthier, more robust, and enduring.
It was addicting.
It was terrifying.
"Thank you, Doll." Jaune said with a smile as he stepped towards the workshop. He had something to ask Gehrman before he started diving into the books. Stopping when a hauntingly familiar glow surrounded him.
#####
"HA-" Ruby breathed out as she shot awake. Heart hammering in her ears as her chest rose and fell with ragged breaths. Quick, haunted pants echoing in the silent dorm room.
Ruby shuddered slightly as she felt how damp her bed had become, drenched in cold sweat. Only when she felt her thundering heart calm down did she dare look around the dorm room to see if anyone was awake. Letting out a sigh of relief when she saw everyone asleep.
Collapsing down into her bed, she closed her eyes. Only to be greeted by silenced screams, explosions, the tang smell of blood, the sickening sound of swords cutting through flesh, roaring gunfire. Silver eyes shooting wide open as she heard the thunderous roar of Mortem Ignis echo out in the silent dorm. Heartbreakingly cold eyes that she never managed to push away staring back at her indifferently from the darkness.
"How… how?" Ruby mumbled to herself. Not able to understand. How did Jaune, the kindest and sweetest boy she know could have so… so cold and dead eyes. Executing a teen no older than herself with seemingly no hesitation. 'That wasn't what we made Mortem Ignis for…' Shuddering at the mere thought of letting blood mar her Crescent Rose.
Silently exploding into a swirl of rose petals she landed next to the door without a single sound. While she loved her semblance to death, she was also extremely thankful for how silent it was. Something that had allowed her to sneak out onto the roof back home and just star watch when she couldn't sleep.
Gently opening the door she was out without none of her team being the wiser. 'But could it really be called a team if only a single person listened to her?' She pouted, glad that Yang at least supported her. Even if she was more than a little certain it was only because she was her sister.
The hallway was silent as she creeped towards Team JNPR's dorm room. A large sticker that said 'Beware Nora' on the door. Taking a deep breath she knocked. Knowing she would never be able to sleep if she didn't get answers for what haunted her dreams.
A loud groan rang out from the dorm, followed by muttered curses as a dead tired Ren, dressed in a soft green and white sleeping kimono opened the door. "Ruby. It's 2 am. Shouldn't you be asleep." He asked, emerald eyes peeking out from the covers and promising bloody death.
"Well… I couldn't sleep. The docks…"
"The docks…" Ren sighed and stepped to the side, letting her in. Stepping inside it was like coming home. It felt safe. There was no tense atmosphere, no barbs thrown around, no cold shoulders, and she envied them for it. Blinking she looked at the windows, one who had a bell-shaped crack in it.
"It was like that when we got the room." Ren said before she could even ask. Coming out from the bathroom with a packet of tablets. Handing her them with a kind smile. "Here, these are sleeping tablets. You should fall asleep in about five minutes or so."
"Why couldn't my team be like yours?" She muttered weakly. Knowing that in her hearts of hearts that neither Blake nor Weiss could be bothered to help her. Only saying that she should toughen up. Not that Yang was any better. Yang cared, she truly did. But Yang was never the best with emotions, her own and others. Doing things she thought would help her that only made matters worse when all she wanted was to be left alone.
But there was one thing Ruby had forgotten. In the silent room her words echoed out like the toll of a bell. Flinching slightly when she heard Ren sigh softly as he sat down on his chair.
"Ruby. As I understand it, you were handed a team that was violate from the start." Ren said softly as Pyrrha sat up. Gesturing for her to sit down beside her. Sitting down next to the older girl Ruby sigh and rested her elbows on her knees. "Weiss comes from an extremely privileged upbringing. There is bound to be friction as tries to settle into her new normal. Then there is Blake, I have no idea what lead to her hunting for the white fang like she did, neither do I really care as it is none of my business. But she handled the matter poorly, extremely so if I am to be honest."
"I know…" Ruby muttered. "I wanted to step in, but it seemed like she had everything under control. Then before I knew what happened I got a bullet in the face, and Penny turned into a full-on murder machine." A shiver raced through her as she remembered. It was like a switch had been flipped in Penny. One second being the happy and friendly girl, even if she was a bit weird. Then in the next she had murdered a dozen people.
"And you did the best you could, sometimes inaction is better than action." Ren said sagely. Sighing as he looked over at the blonde who peacefully slept with a smile on his face. Dressed in a blue onesie that was a bigger fashion disaster than the previous one. "But this is about Jaune isn't it."
"Yes…" Ruby muttered softly, curling into herself. "It's… it's just…"
"You never expected Jaune to be one to take a life." Pyrrha said from the side, earning a nod from the red reaper. Having struggled to find the words for the complicated clump of emotions in her chest.
"Jaune… he… he just never seemed like the type… you know." Ruby said softly. "He has always been my somewhat goofy, but kind and funny best friend. Even when he was struggling to sleep, he always had a kind smile, not hesitating to sit down and listen or talk about comics. And… and."
"And then he went and performed a mercy killing." Ren finished for her. Making Ruby softly nod. "Do… do you think I could talk to him? I don't think I can sleep if I don't…"
Ren and Pyrrha shared a glance. Before Ren sighed and grabbed a towel from the bathroom. "He said he was going to spend the entire night in 'the dream' 'dream', right?"
"He did use the silencing blank before going to bed yes. If that is what you mean." Pyrrha replied, fighting trough a yawn as she carefully stepped towards Jaune's bed. Gently poking him in the side until he began stirring. Ren at the ready with a towel as she did.
"Why do you need a towel to wake Jaune?" Ruby asked softly to the two teammates as one Jaune Arc smacked his lips and sat up with a massive yawn. Blinking when he took in how dark it was. Instantly going from her outgoing and friendly best friend to something else as his shoulders tensed. That familiar coldness settling in his eyes before quickly melting as he looked around the room.
Ruby didn't know that was worse, the haunted look he still sometimes got, or the inhuman coldness in his eyes. Both were bad, but she didn't know what was worse.
"Ruby? What time is it?" Jaune mumbled as he got out of bed. "Is anything wrong?"
"Do… do you think we could talk?" Ruby asked softly. Looking at her Jaune let out a soft sighed before getting up and grabbing his clothes. Quickly slinging on his pants and coat before coming out of the bathroom. "Yeah, sure. This is about what happened at the docks, isn't it?"
Jaune threw a look back at his teammates, getting two nods in return as they climbed into their respective beds. Pyrrha fast asleep before he even managed to close the door.
Sitting down on one of the many benches that was spread around Beacon. The gentle night breeze ruffling the trees. Jaune sat patiently and waited for her to muster up the courage to say what she wanted. Something Ruby was more than thankful for. Because sometimes talking was hard.
After a gentle five minutes, Ruby finally managed to whisper out a soft. "Why?"
"Isn't that the question of the century." Jaune said softly, leaning back on the bench and taking in the night sky. Taking a deep breath, he turned and looked at her with a soft smile on his face that looked oh so brittle. "It was the right thing to do."
Looking at her friend, Ruby didn't know what she felt. There was anger there, smothered under crushing sadness. There was confusion as she just couldn't begin to even understand what Jaune meant. Dismay warred with worry, and deep, deep down in the deepest darkest part of herself. She even felt a little bit betrayed. That her best friend was not the person she thought he was. Even if the smothering of betrayal was crushed under guilt for feeling like that in the first place.
"That man, or boy really, as he could be no older than you. He was dying." Jaune said, making Ruby cringed as the memory of murder-bot Penny and her many floating swords crashed into her like a sledgehammer. "He was… bisected in two. There was no way he would survive. There was also no way medical care at the level required to save him would be offered to a terrorist. So… I made a decision. Did I want the boy to bleed out? He had a good five minutes left, maybe ten if the fates were cruel and he had his aura unlocked. Or… or would I make the hard decision of freeing him from his misery."
At her best friends words, because Jaune would still be her best friend, no matter his flaws, Ruby couldn't help feeling nothing but pity for the blond goofball she lovingly called her best friend. Shivering slightly as the breeze picked up. Jaune wrapping her up in his duster coat before she knew what happened. Just giving her a warm smile as she wrapped the coat tighter around herself. It was warm, and in the back of her mind she felt like nothing could harm her now.
"Your dad is a huntsman, right?" Jaune asked, making her nod as she gave her friend a sceptical look. "Then why don't you just call him and ask for some help? I'm sure he has some insight to shed on the situation. I can't say what you want to hear, but maybe he can tell you what you need to hear."
As Jaune chuckled softly, looking exactly like Yang when she had made a good pun, Ruby fished up her scroll and keyed the familiar number. Not before long a dead tired voice called out trough the scroll. "Ruby… it's . Can't you call in the morning."
"I would… but something happened."
That got her dad's reaction. Mad scrambling ringing out from the scroll as the light was on. The soft whining of Zwei ringing out in the background. "Sorry buddy, but something happened to Ruby." "Gruhf?"
"Ok Ruby. What happened? What are you wearing? Why are you outside past midnight? You know you shouldn't stay up so late." Dad worriedly bombed her with questions, as Zewi butted his head in and began licking at the camera. And for the first time since the docks, Ruby let out a soft laugh. It wasn't boisterous, it wasn't loud, but it was a sweet little laughter that made the night brighten just a bit. When she managed to get her laughter under control she looked down at her scroll
"It's Jaune's coat, dad. And it's comfortable." Ruby said with a smile that rapidly fell. "But… something happened. Do you think we can… meet up in Vale tomorrow morning and talk about it?"
"Sure thing Rubes, what do you want to talk about?" Dad asked kindly, even if she could see the worry that shone in his eyes. Something that made the next words feel like thick tar. "Mercy killing. Something happened at the docks… and… well… Jaune… my best friend did a Mercy Killing… and I just don't know what to feel."
"Oh Ruby." Dad sighed as he gave her a soft look. "Are you ok?"
"I… I don't know… I just don't understand." Ruby sobbed out softly, not having noticed the tears streaming down her face. "Everything happened so fast, one moment it was a full-on fight, then the dust settled as silence fell around… And I don't understand… Have… Have you ever killed people in the line of duty."
The silence was telling as dad sighed out. "This is why you shouldn't have gotten into beacon two years early. During your last year at Signal… there will be multiple classes going over what can happen in the line of duty and ways to get help. Not many does the later, but it is a class that goes over scenarios that can and most likely will happen. Mercy killing being one of those. As it is unfortunately something that happens far often than one would think. What good does saving people from the grimm do when they are already at death's door?"
A hallow "Oh." was the only thing Ruby managed to let out as she just wanted to curl into a ball.
"It is one of the unfortunate truths of being a huntress that no one really talks about. Because why would they? Huntsmen and huntresses are defenders of the people, champions that take the fight to the grimm that threatens us. Yet they are also the one who are first to the scene after a group of grimm have slaughtered entire settlements." Dad sighed out as he gave her a soft look. "But… I think it's high time you learn about it…So… meet me by the ferry docks about nine tomorrow?"
"Thank you, dad." Ruby said softly to the scroll, giving a soft look over at Juane who was busy scribbling down in his notebook. Not having noticed when he began. "Is… is it possible to bring a friend?"
"Sure, the more the merrier." Her dad said with a soft smile as he fought trough a yawn. "But Rubes, go back to bed and we will talk about this tomorrow. Does that sound good?"
"Mhhmm." She nodded, shivering slightly. Regretting getting outside in only her pyjama. Jaune's coat was warm, but it could only do so much. Stretching and ending the call, she looked at Jaune who gave a sigh of his own. "Nine in the morning huh? Sounds doable, but let's head to bed."
#####
The next morning saw the pair of tall and short strolling down the street of Vale. The short reaper looking around without her usual excitement, while the taller gentleman drummed his fingers over the hilt of his blade.
"Come on Jaune, we are just meeting my dad." Ruby said with a playful grin that didn't quite reach her ears. Bags that were amateurishly hidden under the faintest layer of makeup. Jaune didn't comment on it, knowing full well that if it hadn't been for Yharnam beating it out of him, he would have emptied his stomach and maybe his bladder if he stepped onto the docks as he had been. But unfortunately the docks could only be compared to a tame night in Yharnam.
Shaking those morbid thoughts away he instead gave her his best deadpan look. Making her giggle as he shook his head, blue eyes wandering over the crowd as plan after plan made itself known. "Ruby. We aren't dating. It's just… crowds make me twitchy and nervous."
"Yeah… Uncle Qrow says the same about crowds." Ruby said with a shrug as a yawn threatened to escape from her. "He said it's one of the many reasons why he is drinking."
"Ugh… I knew there was something I forgot." Jaune facepalmed as he remembered. He was going to ask Gehrman about ways to deal with his nerves, to at least make sure he wasn't a nervous wreak day in and out. But he had completely forgotten it when he returned to the dream. Having instead been completely immersed in book after book about the Arcana.
It seemed he would soon make another visit to 'Wands and Witches'. Because magic was a finicky thing if what he read was true. You needed to channel magic it through a medium, any medium really, to be able to perform any sort of magical feat. Lest the magic would go out of control, literally tearing the Scholars body apart muscle by muscle, sinew by sinew. Not even sparing the soul as it was consumed as fuel.
The Orthodox Arcane branch that he had read up on focused on the use of two types of mediums. Blood, it was Yharnam after all, and trophies. Trophies taken from beasts that still held their lingering essence. He should, should be able to use the black heart of the Cleric Beast as a medium. But the problem with trophies was that they only had a single function. Only able to do one thing but doing that thing well. He hadn't tried it yet, as he wasn't depraved enough to turn a beings heart into a trophy.
However, it did manage to ring his bell so to say. Ideas coming pouring in as, for the first time since stepping foot in the deconsecrate city that was Yharnam, he found a silver lining. After all, wasn't Tarot divination using cards as mediums to divine information? What about potions, using 'magical' ingredients to concoct something special. Enchanting, inscribing magical runes onto weapons and other items to create magical items. Then there was that Onmyo thing Ren mentioned, Shamanism, and many more branches of magic that he alone had access to.
And thanks to his 'Semblance', what was cultural hearsay at best, would be turned into useful parts in his arsenal. 'Maybe I should give Lily a call. I'm sure she has some books that would be useful. Not to mention pissing her off is a prize in of itself.' For if he had spent his life obsessing over magic, and one day his sister who had shown no interest in it whatsoever suddenly got a semblance that allowed her to use magic. He would be more than a little jealous.
"There you are Rubes!" A tall man with wide shoulders, kind blue eyes and blonde hair, a tattoo of two dragons facing each other that looked a bit like a heart, and a sweet pair of cargo shorts. Stepping forward and engulfing the red reaper in a bear hug. Much to her embarrassment.
"And you must be the friend she mentioned." The man said as he looked him over.
"That would be me. Jaune Arc, and before you start hazing me. I'm not dating your daughter." Jaune said with a sigh, instantly making Ruby's dad break out in laughter before pulling him into a hug. Clapping him good heartedly at his back before breaking the hug.
"Good. I love my Ruby, I really do. But I'm not blind to her faults. She can tend to be…naïve…" He eventually settled on, not finding a proper word. Wilting slightly at the pout Ruby sent him before caulking. "Name's Taiyang Xiao-Long. I'm her and Yang's father."
"I know a café further down that serves great breakfast, let's talk there. It's a huntsman only café, so no one will judge us for what we will talk about." Taiyang said morosely as his smile fell. Sending a worried look at his daughter as they made their way down. Luckly, it just took them a scant five minutes as they swiftly walked down the street.
Stepping into the café it was like stepping into another world. For once there weren't so many people here and everyone was armed with unique weapons. Before Ruby could explode into a thousand rose petals and badger everyone about their weapons. She was stopped in her tracks by two different hands landing on her shoulder. Pouting at Jaune and Taiyang who shared a nod.
Finding a cosy table in the corner they ordered quickly, both Jaune and Taiyang shared another nod as they ordered the big breakfast.
"What are you ordering Rubes?" Taiyang asked as he unbuckled his belt to make space for all the food.
"I'm thinking pancakes." She muttered softly as she fought trough another yawn.
When everyone had ordered Taiyang leaned back with a sigh. Running a hand over his face as his eyes danced from Ruby, to Jaune and back to Ruby. "Look. I'm not the smartest man around, I can admit that. But… Ruby calling in the middle of the night, asking about mercy killing, and then bringing you as well. One doesn't need to be a genius to figure out it was you who did it, and that Ruby was shaken by it."
"That's right." Jaune said calmly. "Do you know what happened at the docks?" He asked, earning a raised brow from Taiyang. "Well… someone was hunting after the fang, and that led them to a dock raid where the fang together with Torchwick was stealing dust. When me and my team got on scene it was already over, with many members of the fang lying dead. One of them was the same age as Ruby, maybe younger and older. And he was cut in half, but still alive."
"You did the right thing." The waiter said gruffly as he planted two large plates of food before Jaune and Taiyang. "Letting someone suffer needlessly, no matter age, orientation, or profession is needlessly cruel." The gruff waiter with arms thicker than Jaune's legs turned to Ruby. "Your pancakes are ready soon."
Jaune started to dig in, leaving Taiyang to his thoughts as he instead focused on shovelling eggs, bacon, hash browns, baked beans, sausage, and toast into his gullet. He had a lot to do today, especially if he didn't want to slack of on his training. He might have the Doll and the dream there to give him a boost. But there was no reason to be lazy because of that. Especially with how addictive it was.
Jaune knew himself to be a weak man, even if he did try his best to be strong. He knew he wasn't the noble paragon he imagined himself as. Yharnam forcing him to come face to face with the worst of himself. Forcing choices onto him that would haunt him for the rest of his life on a nightly basis. And, deep, deep down, he knew that he would be addicted to the rush of power that was blood echo infusion if he didn't at least try to limit how often he did it. He wasn't going to stop doing it, but if he could push back the times between each infusion, he would feel a weight of his shoulder.
They ate in silence. Only interrupted by Ruby yawning occasionally. Laying down his cutlery Taiyang groaned loudly as he slapped his belly. "Regret. So… so much regret."
"But so worth it." Jaune added from the side as he let out a little burb.
"That, my friend. Is completely correct." Taiyang smiled with a nod as he looked over at Ruby who looked marginally happier and peppier than she had a scant five minutes ago. Sighing, he pulled himself up and sent a loving look at his daughter.
"Now… this might be pragmatic to say. And know this is coming from a place of love. But… Ruby…if you can't stomach the thought that you one day will be required to shed blood in order to save the greatest amount of people, then I can't in good conscience allow you to be a huntress." Taiyang said as he looked sadly at his daughter, who stared back with her big eyes. Tears already threatening to fall.
"I… I don't want too burry you." He whispered softly as he felt his own tears race down. "If… If you ever were to come into a situation where you need to take a life to save your team and friends. Then going into that fight half-heartedly with only lead you to sleeping six feet down below. Side by side with your team and those you wanted to save in the first place."
Gently pulling his daughter into a hug, Taiyang hated himself for ruthlessly destroying his daughters rose tinted glassed for the huntress lifestyle. But, rather he do it as gently as he could now, than Ruby have them shattered as her world came crumbling down in a fight where not paying attention would cost her, her life.
Breaking the hug, he looked around, finding Ruby's friend nowhere to be found. Confusedly looking up at the waiter as he placed two large chocolate and vanilla milkshakes before them. "Don't worry, the lad left after paying for both the shakes and the food. Said he didn't want to introduce on something private."
"Ruby. If you won't marry him. I will." Taiyang said completely seriously to Ruby who already was sipping on her favourite milkshake. When the words registered in her mind, she sent her father a horrified look as she snorted hard, spewing milkshake out of her nose. Looking down at the mess she made, Ruby laughed.
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Walking down the familiar street of Vale, Jaune whistled a jaunty little tune. A slight smile on his face as looked at his scroll. Glad for his good deed. It wasn't much in the grand scheme of things, but his hands felt cleaner. Looking at a clock he knew he had at least some hours left before his team would eat lunch.
Especially with how much Pyrrha loved sleeping in. But they all had their vices, Ren had his healthy green goop that he would never touch with a five feet pole, and Pyrrha had sleeping.
Stepping past the Wand's and Witches shop he instead sat foot on the paved park roads. Finding a bench under the shade of some threes a further up. Sitting down and just taking a deep breath.
Looking around with a soft smile he let it out, taking in the sound of birds chirping and children playing. It was cathartic, in a way. Being surrounded by life, pure and untouched by the madness of Yharnam. The sun cast its gentle rays over the park. Stary cat's hissed at him before bolting away the second he looked at them. Dogs pulled the opposite way, rather trudging through bushes and shrubbery than being close to him.
But he paid it no mind, just basking in the joy that was life. Letting out a yawn, he decided to rest his eyes for five minutes.
Stretching and yawning, Jaune blinked as he took in the soft evening sun. Fishing up his scroll he cringed when he saw what time it was. 5 pm, and dinner was already started. Quickly sending a quick text to the team group chat, he started making his way towards Beacon's bullhead terminal.
Idly reading trough the messages he had gotten. A soft smile as he read Ruby's "Thank you." He might not have gotten as much done as he wished, but it was all worth it for this.
Smiling he felt like this day couldn't get any better. He was well rested in what felt like forever, Ruby got what she needed to hear from her dad. Stepping into the cafeteria he smiled as his teammates waved at him. Grabbing some food and sitting down with them. Looking around and getting a little smile and wave from Ruby as she was dragged into her sisters storytelling.
With wandering eyes, he took in the hustle and bustle of the cafeteria. Never having noticed how alive it was. Teenagers just chatting and having fun over their meals. Not caring about the world outside as they just enjoyed the moment. Even Cardin and his team were smiling as they talked and gestured wildly. Being the teenagers they were.
'This. This little happiness is worth fighting over.' Jaune thought as he was dragged into one of Nora's extravagated tales.
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Note: Take her behind the barn is not in any way meant nor implied to be sexual if it was interpreted as that. It means taking her behind the barn and putting a bullet into her. Flat out executing her.
Note: Remember that the Bloodborne stat meta is sort of thrown out of the window. So what builds is good and bad isn't the same.
On an another note entirely, just because Jaune plans a route, doesn't that mean he can complete said route.
Note: Jaune's current 'Core' weapons are Crocea Mors +2, Mortem Ignis +1.
Note: Magic and Arcana are finally introduced. Something that took me ages before deciding on what to settle on. I had Elden ring Incantations of different schools that fit Yharnam, using the DnD component spell casting, using rituals to graft symbols onto ones soul to be able to cast spells. Before settling on this 'Medium' type of spell casting. Something that also fit in Lore wise and thematically.