REVIEWS
TheCultOfPersonality: That cousin of hers, though...Oh, boy.
Phantom117a: This story won't be all smut and sexy time. Expect some stuff that WILL be heavy.
MereC55: The best revenge Jaune can have is to make it and rise against everything to prove to them all that they have no power over his life. Ren understands this, but as you saw, Yang thinks differently.
Alexdel27: Well considered, although I don't think the situation calls for that. Yet. Good point, though, if it ever needs to be done.
Xerzo LotCN: There will be more Beacon Cutaways in the future, though. Mark my words!
Anyway, guys, this concludes the reviews for now. I just want to say that since I began P tre*n as an extra way to gain some change, I also decided to post the next chapter of Honeyed Arc there, along with my other work, Solomon Game. You need to get the 2-Dollar Tier to gain access to it, at the very least, or one of the higher tiers. As such, there is now a minimum 2-weeks period before that chapter becomes public. If you wish to wait, then wait, and if not, then you will find a link at the bottom of this chapter.
"Rise and shine, buster!" Kyu shouted, sitting right against Jaune's ear, which spooked him awake.
"Kyu…" He replied groggily. He rubbed his eyes as he turned around to lay on his back on his bed, trying to get his bearings. Looking out the windows, however, he saw the light outside shining bright. "What time is it?"
"Almost 10 AM! You slept like a log, and although I would have had no issues with you sleeping in, I am afraid that is not an option." Kyu replied. "We have some things to go over, but first, you have a lady to see out. Aiko had been up for half an hour already, and she went ahead to shower. She should be out already and getting herself dressed."
"Oh, right. Right." Jaune said as he got up, slowly grabbing his pants and a shirt.
"Not gonna shower?"
"I will shower after Aiko leaves. I will just see her off." He replied to the fairy, then went out, managing to catch Aiko in the living room on her phone.
"Oh! Jaune, good morning. How are you feeling after last night?" She asked, giving him a wary look. She was waiting for him to say something to possibly reassure her, given what went down last night.
"Drained?" He guessed. "But I am alright now, thank you for asking. Also, sorry for blowing up back then."
"No, it's actually I who should be apologizing. I probed a bit too much, and I didn't know about the extent of your issues. I am sorry about that, and I hope this little incident doesn't change things between us." She apologized, and Jaune nodded in acknowledgment of her words. "Look, I won't ask more questions. Feel free to tell me these things as you feel you are ready."
"That letter you mentioned…" Jaune began, making her tense up. "Are you…Planning on opening it anytime soon?"
"I don't know. Heh." She chuckled for a bit. "Guess my wounds still have a few sore spots as well. We're two messed-up people, aren't we?"
"Oh yeah…" Jaune replied, agreeing with her. "What are you gonna do now?"
"Get back home and see the evolution of your investments, make sure everything is running smoothly, then count the days until my suspension is over. Granted, I didn't forget about your offer from last night. It's tempting, and I will give it some thought. I will get the stuff that is mine from the shopping trinkets we got and return it to my place. I already called a taxi." She told him. "Are you going to be ok?"
"I'll be fine," Jaune reassured her. "Last night just…There was too much probing - for which I forgave you already, so don't apologize again - and I got overwhelmed. I am good now. I will go to the gym later and work out. Best way to clear your thoughts, right?"
"That is correct. Are you going to tell Beli about what we talked about?"
"Depends. Does she know your story?"
"She does. Does she know about yours?"
"She doesn't. I guess I will be keeping things on the low about tonight, but if you want, you can tell her. Just don't tell her anything about, you know." Jaune replied, earning a nod from her.
"Cross my heart and hope to die." She replied, and then the horn of a car came from outside. "Looks like my ride is here. Later, Jaune!" And with that, she left his house, returning to her own apartment in the city. Once she was gone, Jaune began to rummage through his kitchen to prepare some breakfast.
Kyu, however, had other plans. She flew on his head, cradling her legs in front of his eyes. "Kyu…" He called her name.
"Dude, like it or not, WE need to talk as well. Last night might have been heavy on emotions, but you totally blew it at the end!"
"Didn't you say not to expect anything special from this? If anything, we learned more about Aiko, which gave us better insight into her." He reasoned.
"It may be true, but I am not talking about her or the ultimate outcome here, but what led to the said outcome. Dude, your baggage is still heavy on your back, and what we just saw last night confirms it: No more. Avoid any and all family-related subjects. You are clearly not stable when those are brought up."
"I-...Fine." He relented as his breakfast was ready, choosing some instant noodles. "What advice do you offer, then? Just like with Aiko, others might tell me things about their past and expect me to give that trust back in kind. How do I avoid the subject of my family then?"
"I'd like to say you just have NOT to ask questions, but with you, who actually cares about those broads - a real novelty compared to the guys I trained before - that is not an option. Oh no, you are way too much of a bleeding heart to be a detached jackass."
"Wouldn't that imply that you trained people who were bed-jumping playboys?" Jaune reasoned with her.
"Bitch, that is exactly what I was implying! It is easy when there are no strings, emotions, love - any of that attached! We are not there ourselves. Thank Venus for that, but you still care about them enough not to be a playboy and just hit it and leave it!" Kyu stated. "That is what makes this so complex. But back to the main subject. You need to avoid speaking about your family, so to that extent, you need to make it clear early on that you are not good at speaking about them. Hint to the girls that the subject of your family is not one they want to probe at!"
"I think I get it. Yeah, I see what you mean. Basically, in order not to bring up the subject, the moment I notice the talk going in that direction, I must deflect and change the subject."
"Exactly! Speaking about changes, how about we switch gears up a bit? What do you think?"
"Depends on what you have in mind," Jaune replied.
"Dude, so far, the chicks we have met so far were pure luck. First Aiko, then through her we met Beli, and by falling onto her, Kyanna. A true chain reaction! But that was blind luck. Do not rely on that kind of luck. You need to get out of the house and go out and see if you can meet more chicks!" Kyu ordered him. 'The more you expand your list of selections, the bigger your chance for some action is."
"I guess, but could I have some time to, let's say, work on what I have so far? Beli and Aiko, to give names." Jaune asked of his partner, who gave it some thought.
"As much as I'd want the fresh snatch as quick as possible before our eyes, you do make a fair point. We should make things more solid with those other chicks before moving on. Fair game, but Jaune? Don't leave me waiting for too long, alright?"
"I promise."
One week. That is how long Jaune decided to keep things stable, with no new venture to explore, at least for the moment. Instead, he had been working with what he had. Aiko and him talked about his investments most of the time, but their talks would also head to other subjects as well, such as Aiko's times after her mother died, how she and Beli met, and so on.
As far as Beli went, they mostly met at the gym and nowhere else. So far, he's only been seeing her there when he joined in for yoga class. Though he might think about changing his spot to the back of the room because he swears that the looks of the women behind him were driving holes through his PANTS. However, that being said, Beli was unable to come to give him the message she had talked about, as something came up, and they had to reschedule for another time. He was understanding when he told her it was alright since she needed reassurance that he was not irritated or annoyed by the sudden change.
And now, the time was upon him. Jaune went out into town to do as Kyu suggested, namely, scouting for women. Odds were he would find another one to chat up and see if he could get their number, as that was the basic plan. Establishing communication and possible long-term relationships. Not the romantic type, that is, as Kyu put it, but merely being sure he had their contact information to get in touch.
He went out wearing some lighter clothing, seeing how outside it was pretty hot. Despite it being the middle of fall, the temperatures were tropical here in Bella Dia. Summer all year round. As such, he was dressed for comfort. He went with a pair of black short pants along with an open jacket. No shirt. And sunglasses. He looked like he was dressed for the beach, but then again, many people in Bella Dia dressed in similar ways. It wasn't uncommon to see women wearing bikini tops or just a sports bra, given the heat.
A feast for the eyes. It only affirmed once again in his mind why Bella Dia was considered a paradise. And frankly, it really was. Since he got here, he got rich! Like stinkin' rich! Jaune still can't quite believe it, but who the fuck cares? He now had mountains of money to spare, and with Aiko's aid, more to come!
Yeah…Life was going in the right direction.
"Hmm. Yeah, this is not going to be as easy as I envisioned." Kyu suddenly said, making him question what she meant.
"Anything the matter?"
"Dude, I don't know how to tell you this, but take better notice of the girls around. What is the most common aspect that pops up?"
"Most of them show a great amount of skin?"
"That too, but they also sport a bunch of rings. Like, most must be accessories, but if any of them are engagement or wedding rings, you might find yourself in a lover's quarrel." Kyu stated. 'Not to mention the amount of silicon boobs I see and red flags. Sheesh. You might not see them, but I certainly do. It is going to be difficult spotting a fine piece of available, decent ass around here."
"Well, I will just look around. Let me know if you see something, or well, correct me if what I see is wrong." Jaune replied to her and continued onward, constantly looking around. However, he didn't have to look for a long time.
"Watch out!" Kyu warned him, and Jaune turned his attention forward just in time to see a girl running into him, but again, his aura merely caused her to bounce back, falling on her rear.
"Auch! Watch where you're going, you dumbass!" The girl shouted rudely at him, getting up by herself. Looking at her better, Jaune could see she seemed…Actually, she looked to be around his age! She had a thin but curvy body with medium-sized breasts, likely B or C cup, and somewhat pale skin and violet eyes. She had black hair and sported two tattoos: a skull with what seemed to be hair and a butterfly hair ornament above a rose on her hip and a skull in the center of a star on her left breast.
She also had quite a few piercings: a stud on her nose, snakebites, and four on her left ear. Her makeup consists of dark mauve eyeshadow, lipstick, and nail polish. She wore a black tube top with side straps on it and a pair of black hip-hugger pants. Her hair was styled in two long pigtails with bowl-cut bangs and long wisps of hair hanging in front of her ears, with her only accessory being a spiked bracelet.
"S-sorry, I didn't see you in time. Are you alright?" He asked, trying to be polite.
"Like, what the Grimm are you made of? Seriously, it felt like I hit a fucking wall!" The whined, still recovering from her sudden fall.
"Ummm. I think you hit my aura?" Jaune replied.
She perked up. "Aura? As in, the fancy stuff huntsmen have?" She asked.
"Yes? "
"What, are you a huntsman or something? You look a bit green to be one."
"No…" Jaune replied with a hint of hesitation. "It's complicated."
She blew a raspberry. "Whatever! Look, can you, like, point the way to the nearest open bar? I want to drink myself under the counter and literally forget EVERYTHING about this island. By the Grimm, I've only just landed one hour ago, and I am already sick of everything. It's so fucking sunny for one, and the weather is so warm, and there is so much humidity in the air, it's affecting my makeup!"
"Sheesh, talk about a mouthful. This girl knows how to whine." Kyu stated. "But, she does seem like she is the same age as you, not going to lie, so hey, why not, right? She looks like one of those angst teenagers mad at the world for no reason, so hey, why not see if you can tame this brat?"
"Look, I don't know who you are, but-"
"But nothing! What is so hard to understand? Point me to the nearest bar, or at least like make me disappear with your fancy semblance! You do have one of those, right?"
"I do, but it doesn't make people disappear!" Jaune replied, raising his voice a bit. "Heck, why would I even use my semblance on you?! I don't even know your name; you literally just bumped into me, whined, and asked for directions when I don't know the island that well, and now you are asking me if I can make you vanish with my semblance?! Girly, what is your deal?!"
"Hey! I am some girly, got it? And don't you dare talk down to me; I am not some kid. I am eighteen years of age! I don't need anyone to tell me what to do!" She revealed, confirming to Jaune that she and him are indeed the same age. "And who the fuck are you?"
"Jaune Arc, eighteen, just like you." He revealed, which seemed to really catch you by surprise. "What is it? The fact we are the same age took the wind out of your sails?"
"More like the fact you share a family name with my cousin's hired security." Her words, however, made Jaune freeze ten times more.
"Hired security?" He asked. "Is that person, by chance, a huntress?"
"Yeah, how did you guess?" The girl asked back, and Jaune felt himself panicking.
"Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit!" He swore repeatedly.
"Dude, is she saying what I think she is saying?" Kyu asked.
"One of my sisters is on Bella Dia. It seems that it is one of the ones that graduated. The only ones that come to mind are Coral, who is a full-fledged huntress. Or my other sister, Sapphire, who is still in Haven Academy but could be here for a mission or something! Shit! There is no time!"
"What are you-"
"Hey!" Jaune suddenly shouted. "You were running earlier, right? I presume you wanted to get away from your cousin?"
"Uh, yeah? Being near her is such a bother, especially seeing how she gets all the attention anyway." The girl replied.
"Well, how about this? If you want to give your cousin and her bodyguard a hard time, come with me to…Ummm…The local graveyard?" Jaune offered, trying to provide a location she might enjoy, given the appearances.
"The local graveyard, huh? You know what? Fuck it. Get us a cab or something before my cousin catches up." Done and done, Jaune quickly found them a cab and paid the man in advance to take them to the local graveyard, no questions asked. Upon seeing the money, the man smiled widely and pressed the pedal to the metal without so much as another second wasted.
"Hey, you didn't tell me your name!" Jaune remembered, looking at the girl next to him.
"Lillian Aurawell! There! Now shut up!"
"There is no need to be so fucking rude…" Jaune mumbled under his breath.
As their cab sped away, a woman eventually arrived shortly at the last location they were at. She sported black hair tied in a tight tail behind her head, along with a relatively fair skin complexion, along with deep, emerald-green eyes. She wore a red blouse with a green vest over it, along with knee-long brown pants, each equipped with an additional pocket on the thigh.
She had a small scar going over her stomach, yet as she kneeled to the ground, holding a makeup kit, her eyes lit up, allowing her to see the tracks of not just Lillian but also of the taxi they took. She sighed, getting up and getting her scroll out. "Coral Arc here." She said, giving her name. "Yeah, I am on her trail, but she gave me the slip. She got a taxi, it seems, and is going somewhere. Don't worry; my semblance should be within the legal boundaries of the island for me to use freely. I will have her back by nightfall. Yes, Miss Rosemary, I will make sure she is fine." Then she hung up the scroll, placing it back in her pocket.
She had quite the hike before herself.
After about 20 minutes of driving and paying the driver, Jaune and Lillian found themselves at the Bella Dia graveyard, where Jaune had to admit it wasn't so bad. Sure, the place might look spooky at night, but right now, it seemed pretty ok. Lillian strolled around for a bit, then scoffed. "Finally. I thought the ride would not end."
"The graveyard is not exactly close, so of course, it took a second to get here," Jaune replied, but Lillian merely rolled her eyes.
"Duh, did you think I didn't realize that? People usually put places like these outside the towns due to lingering negativity from grief attracting Grimm." She replied.
"Right," Jaune replied, admitting that made sense.
"How come you don't know that? It is, like, Grimm 101." Lillian replied sarcastically since there was no such thing as Grimm 101. The closest thing to that is Grimm Studies, and that stuff is taught only at Combat Schools and Huntsman Academies.
"I know Grimm are attracted by negative emotions, but did you know they are also attracted to aura to some degree?"
"What?" Lillian gasped. "Yeah, as if. If that were the case, how come they do not overrun the academies?"
"Because it takes large amounts of aura concentrated in one area, meaning a few hundred aura users…" Jaune trailed off but then realized something. "Which is exactly what an academy is and has, woah. I guess the kingdom defenses are usually more than enough, and hey, they have all of those weapons and semblances to fight with!"
"Speaking about a semblance, you didn't tell me what yours is," Lillian asked again, but Jaune found that odd.
"Why are you so interested in my semblance?" He asked.
"I am not interested in YOUR semblance; I am interested in semblances in general. They say they reflect the person using them, correct? So, if you show me yours, then I would at least know if you are an asshole." Her words confused Jaune.
"Hold on, if you are having doubts about my intentions now, why did you agree to get in a taxi with me?" Jaune asked her.
"I was desperate to get away from my sister's temporary hound! Though, I doubt this would last." She crossed her arms. "That woman has some semblance that lets her track people. Could you believe such nonsense? What was her name again…" Lillian tried to recount the name, but as she did, Jaune was wide-eyed. "Cona…no. Floral? No, that's not it. Damn, what was-"
"Coral," Jaune stated.
"Yes! That's it! Coral Arc! Still surprised you share a family name. Are you family by chance?"
"She is my sister!" Jaune said loudly. "And one of the last people I wanted to see right now!"
"Woah there." Lillian looked at him with curiosity. "Do you have something against your sister? You seem quite tense over her being on the island."
"Let's just say my relationship with my entire family right now is a bit…tense. I really don't want to have to face her right now, and the fact she is likely on her way is not making things easier." Jaune explained. "I know her semblance well. Tracker. That is how she calls it. She can use things that belong to a person to track them over great distances. There is a limit, of course, but if she is on the island, then unless I am on the other side of Bella Dia, she can track me!"
"Excuse you! Track you? What makes you that important?" Lillian asked, which reminded Jaune about the actuality of their situation.
"Right! She is tracking you!"
"So what? You are going to leave me here, all by herself, to save your own ass?" She asked with a deadpan expression. Then she sighed. "Go ahead. Not like it matters to me either way."
"It's not easy to fool her semblance…" Jaune stated slowly. "Look, I won't leave you here alone, but I cannot exactly help you run all over the island to avoid her either, as much as I'd want that myself. That being said, I think I can help you lose her, even if it is for a short while."
"Is your semblance some kind of tracker-jammer? Cause if it is, then I'd be really convenient now." Lillian guessed, but the way Jaune acted didn't fill her with much confidence.
"No, it is not. But I know how to trick Coral's semblance." He added, which really got Lillian's attention.
"Ok then. How?" She asked.
"Coral's semblance works by allowing her to see the tracks we make. Or, rather, it lets her see tracks only she can perceive. But she once complained that she had had trouble chasing cars since when the tracks overlayed, she could not tell if they were going forward or backward. That's the thing. She sees ALL tracks made by her target, but she cannot tell which are new or old. I just need to call another taxi and tell it to drive us around the island while we keep our heads down to avoid being seen. How does that sound?"
"Honestly? It sounds like it might just work." Lillian admitted. "But where would you take me at the end?"
"I was thinking, maybe, my place?"
"Right. That doesn't sound shady at all." Lillian stated sarcastically.
"Got any better ideas?" Jaune asked her, but she gave no actual reply. "Yeah, I figured as much. No time to waste; I am calling us a taxi!"
"You think I'd arrive before your sister?" Lillian asked.
"Maybe."
"A graveyard?" Coral asked herself as she arrived within viewing distance of the graveyard, seeing the entrance. The tracks she was seeing went there, meaning that Lillian was there. With a sigh, Coral took some steps forward, ignoring the taxi that went past her.
"I can't believe that worked!" Lillian said with disbelief as the taxi she and Jaune were in continued driving, the two of them having lucked out and caught a cab with tinted windows that seemed to work to shield them from their pursuer. "She was, like, right next to us, and she didn't see us or pick up on us using her semblance!"
"See? I told you that is how her semblance works. Now, she will eventually pick up on our tracks, but that is if she followed them all night. However, the tracks do go cold after some time, and if she refreshes her semblance, well, she might get new ones that will lead her straight to you."
"So, we gained only a temporary respite." She summarized. "You know what? I'll take it! You are pretty smart for thinking about this plan, too."
"Nah, I just know my sister's semblance," Jaune replied.
"That was your sister, dude?" The driver asked. "Now I don't get it; I thought you were running with your girl from your crazy ex!"
Jaune laughed at his words. "No." Then replied with a stern voice.
"And I am NOT anyone's girl! So shut it and drive, would you?"
"Dust…Yeah, pal, good luck." The driver said, then fixed their eyes on the road, intending to ignore them for the rest of the road.
"And here you go, Sir."
"You just might have put my kid through college, Mister Arc!" The driver said happily, as Jaune paid both what he was owed and a bonus for having to put up with Lillian's words the entire time. "Here. This is my number. If you ever need a personal cab driver, just ask for Nicky, and I will drive here as fast as my old car can drive."
"Noted." With that, the cab departed, leaving Jaune and Lillian at his place. Jaune was aware that by bringing Lillian here, Coral was eventually going to find them, but if it came to it, she would only find Lillian. The girl in question was waiting for him at the front door.
"Is this your place? Doesn't look too bad, so you must be doing pretty well for yourself." She relied on relative honesty, and then Jaune invited her inside. "Huh. Strange."
"What is it?" Jaune asked.
"Where is the filth? This place is unnaturally clean for a man's house. Do you have a girlfriend or maid that cleans?" Lillian asked again, making him shake his head.
"It's just me," Jaune replied.
"And me, but I ain't cleaning shit," Kyu added but went semi-ignored like usual.
"This is so much nicer than expected. But, regardless, where is your bathroom? I've been holding it in for the last hour. I still cannot believe it is already evening." Lillian stated, and sure enough, Jaune had the driver roam the streets of Bella Dia for the entire day. He missed his gym day and yoga class, but that was not an issue.
"Up the stairs. I had the door painted a light blue, which makes it easy to find," He told her, and Lillian dashed at once for the bathroom.
"So, we are in a pickle. Your sister is on the island, and you literally brought a localization beacon home." Kyu stated with a monotone tone of voice. "I thought we agreed not to touch any family-related issues anymore."
"We did, but this is not me touching it."
"Dude, you knew it was one of your sisters BEFORE you took her to the graveyard. You know about their semblances and likely could have figured out which one had you asked her sooner, meaning you could have just ditched her and ran away before your sister could have found you!" Kyu reasoned, and Jaune could see she made some good points. "Yet, you decide to help 'save' this ungrateful, bratty teen. Had I not known better, I'd say you are after her boobs. A bit small, but I am willing to reckon she at least has a nice, tight one to use."
"I am not looking to seduce and fuck her, Kyu, I just…Look, I know how it is to want to be away from your family, but I think her reasons are not the same. I don't know why I helped her; it must be my inability NOT to help people, but…Look, what's done is done, ok? Besides, this could count as my managing to score a point in our original goal for today, right? Like, wasn't our objective to meet a new girl?"
"Yeah, but not like this! Look, at least tell me the odds of being found are low because, honestly, I didn't get what you said before about Coral's semblance. It sounded like the tracks you made today would fade, and new ones that point in the right direction would appear."
"Because that is exactly how it works. Her semblance might be unable to tell fresh tracks apart, but after a while, it kind of resets and creates new tracks that are precise. Usually, this happens a few hours after starting her chase, but I am pretty sure it had reset mid-journey, meaning that she has more tracks to follow." He explained.
"Couldn't she have tracked you all this time, though? I mean, she must surely know about your, well, you know. Couldn't she have used her semblance to track you?" Kyu asked.
"Not quite. Coral always wanted to remain close to her home, and that's why she rarely leaves the continent of Anima. The fact that she is here in Bella Dia is one of the rare times she must have taken a mission that takes her off the continent."
"That doesn't answer my question."
"I was getting there. You see, Coral's semblance has limits. Like, a range, for one. It is very large, to be fair, but her range IS limited. No way could she have tracked me halfway across the planet! Plus, she needs an object that I owned to use her semblance to track me specifically." He explained. "That, and I doubt she is looking. I mean, didn't they announce the winners of the Bella Dia lottery in the news? It was a small article; not a lot of odds to see it. Plus, my sisters don't really read the news anyway. If they did, they'd have stormed the island the next DAY after seeing it. We have been on this island for around two weeks now. That, and I have not blocked any of their numbers, so if they wanted to reach out to me, they could have."
"Strong arguments there. Very strong ones. You do know your family best, but that being said, what are the odds Coral might figure out where Miss All-Black is tonight?"
"I'd say there is a 1 in 10 chance she manages to get another reset and find this place by the crack of dawn, but there is just as fair of a chance she will give up for the night and resume tomorrow after sleeping." He finished explaining just as Lillian came down the stairs.
"So, got anything to eat? I am famished." She asked, and Jaune merely shrugged.
"I will see what I got, just me a-"
Knocking on the door had them both freeze, with Kyu going to the door and peeking through it to see who it was. "Umm. Dude? Does your sister have green eyes and black hair?"
Jaune froze again, and Lillian saw that, knowing what it meant. "Shit! She is here already? Didn't you say you could fool her semblance?" She spoke using a more hushed volume of voice so as not to get found.
"I did…" Jaune then went upstairs. "I am NOT here." He told Lillian sternly, then went inside his room, locked the door, and hid inside his closet, behind the clothing, in the corner.
Lillian sighed. "What is so scary about this woman anyway?" She asked herself, then went to open the door, seeing Coral Arc there. But before Lillian could open her mouth to comment, Coral forced her way inside. "Hey! Not even going to acknowledge that you caught me?"
"Where is he?" Coral asked, looking at Lillian.
"Who are you talking about? It is only me in-"
"Don't think I didn't figure it out!" Coral replied sternly. "I saw the confusing tracks, and there is only one person on the entire Remnant who knows my semblance and the trick to confuse it. So, after everything was said and done, I decided to switch tactics." She took out a pen, one with a bunny decoration on one of its ends. "This is the pen he usually kept at his desk. He personalized it himself. One thing to know about my semblance is that when I change targets, it automatically resets. Though, I do admit. It was just a lucky guess."
"Lucky guess?" Lillian echoed, feeling intimidated by the look given to her by the older woman.
"I will ask only once, then I will use my semblance again to find him. But you'd be saving me some aura by just telling me. Where is my brother?" Coral asked, cornering Lillian.
Lillian sighed. "Fine. He went upstairs, likely to his room, to hide. Don't blame him either."
"Thank you," Coral replied, then made her way upstairs, where Jaune was hiding. She took out the pen again and briefly saw the tracks under his door, making her go to it and attempt to open it. Locked. With a scoff, Coral took distance from the door, then kicked it open, breaking the lock…
Then, she was promptly struck in the face with a boot, sending her stumbling back into the wall, followed by someone dashing past her while she was dazed, taking a certain something that was strapped to her back.
"Stay back!" Jaune shouted as he unfolded her weapon, Thunder Bringer. Her weapon was a long, metallic spear that could fold itself, powered by Lightning Dust. It could shoot out lightning or be used to taze her opponents. Currently, her younger brother was holding it close to her neck. "I am only saying this once, Coral! I am NOT going back to Ansel!"
"Hey, hey! Easy, Jaune, put Thunder Bringer down!" Coral asked, taking a less intense tone of voice as she did with Lillian. Instead, she seemed to take a softer one. "Please? I don't-...I am not here to take you back to Ansel. Arc promise."
Jaune listened to her, then let his guard down, folding Coral's weapon back to its smaller form and tossing it to her. Coral caught her weapon, strapping it back to her back. She got up slowly, but she saw how tense Jaune was. "There is no need to explain why you are here. I figured you were on a job." Jaune stated.
"Yes. I am acting as security for a certain someone, and that girl there is her cousin, who ran away." Coral spoke the last part loudly for Lillian to hear. "But…I am glad she did. Otherwise, I wouldn't have found you. Can we talk in the living room, please?"
"Sure," Jaune replied. "Kyu, keep an eye on her."
"Already on it." The fairy replied as Jaune and Coral got down the stairs, eventually arriving in the living room, where Coral took a seat on the couch while Jaune took the chair. Lillian stayed within sight in the kitchen.
"So…" Coral began, but she was clearly feeling awkward about it. "I see you are doing well. This is a nice house."
"Thanks. Winning the lottery than winning millions in the casino did me well." Jaune replied plainly, throwing the casino part to gouge out her reaction. People tend to change when money is involved, so it is best to be sure nothing is said out of possible greed.
"M-millions?!" Coral recoiled in shock upon hearing that. "I won't pry, no. Sorry, it's just…How?"
"Luck," Jaune replied simply.
"No, like, how did you end up here? I heard what happened, Jaune." Coral's sight shifted to Lillian for a bit. She knew she had to be vague. "I was worried about you. After what happened, I tried to contact the others, and they said they tried to reach out to you-"
"I got no calls from anyone," Jaune stated directly. He then got his scroll out. "There is nothing in my call history, either."
"Impossible! We tried to call you, Jaune! Saphron was ready to fly you to Argus even!"
"And what would Dad say?" Coral flinched hearing that line. She remained silent, giving Jaune a clear answer. "I see. So, Saph was ready to follow me down the road of shame?"
"You know she and Dad already have a rough relationship, with her being into women and all of that," Coral stated the fact, and Jaune could admit that it was true. "Even if she took you in, it wouldn't make a difference."
"But would she be ready to hide me from him?" Jaune asked further. "Coral, I am not stupid. I know what my father wants. The only reason I am still an Arc…And I know that'd imply him likely locking me up somewhere he can keep an eye on me."
"At home, yes," Coral added. "And honestly, Jaune…Dad knows you are here on Bella Dia."
At this, Jaune jumped up immediately. "W-what?!"
"Shit! This is bad, really bad!" Even Kyu knew things were not good.
"He knows?! HOW?!" He asked loudly.
"Long story short, it was a chain of people finding out. Alice learned about your location at Beacon, as I think a classmate of hers saw the article about you winning the lottery." Coral explained, and Jaune put the pieces together easily. Of course, Alice would fill his spot from Beacon; it was a logical decision. However, something else didn't make sense to him. Or, it did, but he had to confirm it.
"And why hasn't he shown up?" Jaune asked. "If he knows I am here, surely he tried to come and get me at least once, right?"
"Not during divorce proceedings."
"D-divorce?" Jaune echoed with shock. "What do you mean? Mom and Dad barely even fight, not to mention that Dad never-"
"He decided without Mom knowing, Jaune." Coral clarified. "Mom didn't know until a few days later, a time in which you were likely a few days out of Beacon already. What followed was a really messy fight, which I know from our sister, Silva. Apparently, Dad puts the values and laws of his house above his blood. From what Silva told me, he said he was willing to overlook Saphron's sexuality thanks to her being his first-born, but couldn't tolerate what you did. Even now, he is going against the rules by not cutting you off entirely."
"Fuck…" Jaune slumped back in his chair. "I can't believe this is happening. And all because of me?" Now, he was starting actually to feel guilty, but Coral saw this and was quick to cut in.
"Hey, hey! Please don't get all gloomy on me now! Jaune, listen, as the second oldest, I saw how Mom and Dad's marriage had been over the years. Dad always valued family laws and traditions over us. Mom just figured it out that, or at least hoped that he wouldn't exclude her from important calls like this. But the rules…"
"I know. Old-outdated, from the last century."
"When a woman's word was as weightless as air," Coral added with distaste. "It was a ticking time bomb that was bound to explode at some point. Dad is unable to accept how the world works outside our family's way of things."
"And you are? I seem to recall you were pretty by the book yourself." Jaune pointed out, but at that, Coral had a very good argument.
"Jaune…Dad made me promise I'd never tell you this, but right now, odds are I won't remain an Arc for long anyway. All of us are adults now, so it is up to us which parent we decide to stick by. But, during my first year in Haven, I had a mental breakdown. And I don't mean that I freaked out, but literally, I…I lost it."
"What? Wait, how come?" Jaune asked further.
"Because when I got away from it all? Away from the house, away from the rules and whatnot, I experienced how things ACTUALLY were, and I couldn't believe anything. I couldn't accept anything. The ways people fight were so different from what we were taught. You remember, right? Before, I used a sword and shield as well!"
"I do!" Jaune remembered. "It was, like, the favorite weapon combination our father would teach."
"Jaune." Coral began. "It wasn't his favorite. It was the only style he was willing to teach, and he didn't want to change himself. I am not made for the shield and sword, and every training day was torture for me. When I got to Haven, and after I had my meltdown, it was my team that picked me up and corrected the damage done by our father. That's right: Damage. The way he teaches us is…It's not right, Jaune. He refuses any kind of change, always sticking to the 'Arc Family Laws and Traditions', like they were some sacred book of law! So for him, there are no weapons an Arc should wield, except for the shield and sword."
"Dust…I never noticed." Jaune said slowly. "So all this time, you didn't want to be a Huntress?"
"Oh no, that I wanted! But at the time, I didn't realize I was becoming one for the wrong reasons. To make the family name proud? That is not a reason a huntsman should have to become one. Our reasons should be pure: To protect the innocent and battle the Grimm with all we have. Not to honor and glorify ourselves. It was mid-way through my first year that I made Thunder Bringer and sent back the sword and shield Father gave me."
"And did he take it well?" Jaune asked, but Coral seemed almost tense at that question.
"He literally stormed into Haven, demanding I melt Thunder Bringer and take back the weapons. It was only thanks to my Combat Instructor putting him in his place and warning him not to return with such an attitude that he left me alone." Coral recounted. "After that, I just re-trained to use Thunder Bringer and create a fighting style that, well, fit me! Dad never forgave me, though."
"Wait…I remember one day, he went out and came back all bruised up. Said he encountered some bandits on the way back, but that wasn't the case, was it? He got beat up by your Combat Instructor, then sent back battered and bruised." Jaune said, with Coral nodding her head.
"Dad hid a lot from you, Jaune. He hid even more from those outside our family, all to keep the impression we were some honorable example to follow among the huntsmen communities. Still, the truth is that the Arc House is a fading pillar of glory." Coral continued. "But I went off the rails. Mom and Dad are getting divorced, yes, and most of us decided to go with Mom. But…"
"Alice…"
"She is Dad's latest. She turned out just as I did, just more thick-headed and unwilling to change. It doesn't help she doesn't have issues with the shield and sword, meaning her eyes must be opened differently." Coral added. "But even after the divorce is done, he still cannot just show up here, on this island."
"And why is that? I know Bella Dia has laws that are strict on huntsmen, but surely they are not THAT restrictive!"
"Did you know the island has a blacklist?" Coral asked, which got Jaune attention. "There is a list of huntsmen that are outright banned from Bella Dia for breaking the very laws you speak about, and not just once. Dad is on that list, so he cannot step foot on the island without getting arrested."
"What? I never- What am I saying? At this point, everything I knew seems to have been a lie." Jaune summarized, rubbing his head. "Yet, this is good news. It means that so long as I am on this island, I am safe."
"Pretty much," Coral confirmed. "But that aside, Jaune…Look, I don't know why our attempts to call you went wrong. But I wasn't lying when I said we were all worried about you. We all, except Alice, tried to call you to make sure you were fine. And now? It lifts a boulder off my soul to see you are doing more than just fine."
Jaune smiled slightly. "Thanks, Coral. It means a lot to me to know you care. I am saddened to know that my parents are divorcing because of this, but, as you said, it was a ticking time bomb. If I weren't the reason, something else would have been. But, now it begs the question…How are you all going to manage?"
"What do you mean?" Coral asked, but she quickly figured it out. "Oh! Right. Mom was a housewife, and usually, Dad's huntsman salary kept the family provided for. But we are all adults now, Jaune. You don't need to worry about us. Saphhire is training to be a Huntress as well, just like me, and Jade and Lapis are studying hard to become doctors together."
"What about Silva? You know she is hurt…"
"She is studying to become an IT Engineer. It can be done from home, so you don't need to worry about her." Coral assured him, but Jaune was still somewhat troubled. "Jaune…"
"I know. I know. You don't want me to use my money to help you guys. I could read between the lines, Coral. But why?"
"Because, no matter how you look at it, we abandoned you, Jaune. More than just that: Growing up, none of us made even the slightest effort to support you in your dreams. The opposite even. We were all worried Dad might yell at us or around us." She scoffed. "Some older sisters we turned out to be. And now? After doing nothing for you this entire time and not being there for you at your lowest? We don't deserve to ask anything of you. I know you might hate us even or at least resent us for everything."
"Coral…"
"What I want to say is…I'm sorry, Jaune. I'm sorry for not being strong enough to help you when you needed me." Coral finished, waiting for his verdict.
"Are you…Low on aura?" He asked, catching her off-guard.
"What? I mean, yeah. I've been using my semblance all day looking for you two." She replied, then Jaune got up and got closer to her.
"Then, let me show you something to tell you what I think of you, Coral." Jaune's reply confused her, but then he touched her shoulder, and his aura just…Began to glow. It went from white to golden, and even Lillian peeked from the kitchen to see the light show. Coral's light-green aura was shining, and the shine was growing stronger by the second. Not only that, but she was feeling better. More energized, in a word. When the light died down, Jaune stood over her, looking at her dumbfounded face.
But she realized what he did. "Jaune…Was that your semblance?"
"It was. Discovered it after Beacon." He replied vaguely, not wishing to give details on HOW he discovered it.
"It feels like my aura is back at full capacity." She got her scroll out. "It IS at full capacity!"
"My semblance lets me amplify aura by giving you some of mine, or I can amplify my own. Your semblance might be stronger now as well, but do note, it is very-" He didn't get to finish as Coral leaped at him, hugging him tightly. He smiled, knowing she understood the message. "I don't blame you, Coral, for anything. I don't blame any of you. You can rest easy."
"Once I get back, I will tell everyone that you are fine," Coral said as she broke the hug. "Should ease their worries."
"Thank you, but could you leave out the part about me being a millionaire?" He asked sheepishly.
"Wait, a millionaire?!" Lillian came barging in. "I had a feeling you had money, but you have THAT much?!"
"Wait, Jaune, you are the guy who won over 800 MILLION Lien at the casino?!" Coral asked with shock.
"Yeah? Why?"
"Ugh. Just my luck…" Lillian complained. She didn't bother to listen in to their talk and was mostly in the kitchen, grabbing a snack.
"Dude, my client was actually tasked by her boss to come meet with you! Something about looking for investors and the rumors making them think you might be willing to invest in their company!" Coral stated. "Oh my Dust, I can't believe you are the young millionaire my client is looking for!"
"And who is your client, if I may ask?"
"My cousin, Ashley Rosemary," Lillian stated, which had Kyu explode.
"Ashley Rosemary?! DUDE! I saw her when we went shopping for clothes! Well, not her, but remember the magazine I had you buy? The one with models trying on clothing? She is a Remnant-wide model! Pure gold here for your finances!"
"Oh…Oh…OHHHHH! I see…"
"We were planning on searching for you by asking around tomorrow, but since I found you, well…Could you do your sister a favor and come tomorrow to the Belleza Del Sol Hotel to meet with her? Please! Odds are she will give me a fat bonus for not only finding her cousin but also finding you!"
"Dude, don't turn this down! A model?! Do you realize how golden of a chance this is?" Even Kyu was urging him to do it.
"Fine, fine. On one condition, though." He stated, his gaze shifting to Lillian. "Lillian here will accompany us tomorrow."
"What?"
"Deal!"
And so, the wheel turns further.
Later that evening, however, Jaune stood with his scroll laid on the table. Smashed to bits. He backed up his data already, but what he found really pissed him off. A bug. Not one for listening in, but one to control his scroll. Explains why his sisters could not get their calls through. Their father blocked them remotely, so they could not call Jaune.
"Dude…That is so uncool." Kyu commented, watching.
"Yeah. I will get a new scroll, but…I think I should keep calls from my sisters down." He replied to Kyu. "What happened today with Coral helped to some degree, but I don't want to get overwhelmed. As far as things go, Kyu, we keep this a secret."
"Don't you want a better relationship with your sisters?" Kyu asked in curiosity.
"I do. But I want to first wait out the divorce. I have a bad feeling, Kyu. A really bad one. From what Coral told me…I am starting to see some patterns now. Dad might do something stupid if pushed too far, and I don't want to bring harm to my sisters."
"I see. I'd call it bullshit, but I saw stuff like this before. Perfect husbands turn to monsters when things do not go their way. Your father sounds like the crazy, traditionalist type. I saw those kinds before, and frankly, I know they can be very petty. If you want to lie to your sisters to keep them safe, then by all means, do so. But what are you going to do when he comes for you?"
"For that, Kyu…I need to keep hitting the gym and get ready. I do not have a plan yet. My father is a strong huntsman, so I know I cannot defeat him as I am now." He stated, voicing his worries.
"I see. Then, in that case, go to sleep. Tomorrow is going to be a full day." Kyu suggested, and Jaune listened to her, going to sleep after throwing away the broken scroll.
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