Confronting past trauma
Author's Note: Hey Robbeyy here, with a new chapter! I know people say they are very tired of the bullying, but, I see it as in this kind of story, you will go through very tough times, but if you can move past this trauma, you will become stronger, and something better, but, it's your choice how you act with this trauma. Are you going to stay and fall in that darkness, or climb yourself back out, to be something more, and will you let others bring you out of it even faster, and better.
Without a further ado, let's get started people!
Annoyance, that is what Jaune was feeling walking back to this school, this place that made his teenage life hell. The teachers are good, and look out for others even him, but it's the kids here. Bullies, selfishness, and no empathy. Majority of them always found a way to hurt him, most common is by ignoring him, and not being included in anything. Talking behind his back, that is a good one, some even joined Jeffery's little posse. Somewhat out of fear, or just wanting to have strength and power since he was one of the strongest kids in school. Or was in school since his last major assault on Jaune, was expelled, and declared to be homeschooled since the beating happened. But due to his age, he is to be under house arrest, while the town is bigger than other settlements, didn't want to risk having juvie in this area.
Teenagers can give off more stronger negative emotions than adults, and not having the state of the art protection for every part of the town, so it was either for them to sit in the local jail, or them be shipped off to prison. For the younger 'trouble makers', they are handled in the local jail for some time, and majority of the time, they are under house arrest. They are tracked with ankle monitors, and sometimes, wrist monitors, depending on how severe the crime is.
Speaking of wrists. Jaune was very uncomfortable mentally of wearing these aura suppressing bands around him. Now it's not because he is in trouble, or a criminal. It's because so he won't accidently hurt anyone. People with their auras unlocked can grow to super human levels, from strength to speed, they can accidently severely injure someone for those who have no training on how to use their aura properly. A simple handshake could end with a broken hand or wrist. Someone lashing out could punch someone too hard and cause a death. All valid reasons, but it's still bull crap. Thankfully this is usually only used for teenagers, or kids who have their auras unlocked, can't be too careful. Until he either graduates, or becomes of age, usually 18, he will need these on, when in school, and in public.
As Jaune scratched under his wrist just a little, he looked up almost 30 feet from the main entrance of the school, he took a deep breath to gather himself for the time he will be here for. He remembers how his father said he will have to wear these bands until he graduates, or out and about. Jaune was going to slam the door on his face, but said it was against the law for an untrained individual to walk around without these on in this town in particular. But Nathenial told him, he will teach him how to essentially turn on and off his aura while he is at home, so he won't have to be so careful at home, and when he graduates. That was a little step that his father was working back into his good graces, but, one little step won't be enough to walk a mile, time will tell with how things will repair. His sisters and mother try to talk to him, and crack jokes with him at times, but he somewhat gave them the cold shoulder.
They were all upset that he wasn't talking to him but they understood his reasons why. They know they will have to work hard for their brother/ son, to trust him again, and they will work on that. So for now they try to reach out to him more, but yet still distant from them, only talking if he truly needs to, it was painful but they will make due. Jaune soaked up his aura training with his father like a sponge. His father, and mother were legitimate surprised how fast of a grower he was. When Jaune will leave the room for training, his mom and dad would look down in regret because how talented their son was in this kind of training. Like the Arcs before him, it was in his blood. But, they knew that they messed up big time.
Jaune gave a release of breath, glad his family are starting to show support in him, and trying to help him when needed, but he will always be warry of them for awhile, he just hopes and prays that time here will go smoothly. He tried texting, and calling Pyrrha, and Ruby, but they were busy with school, he understood a serious school like that will always be top priority. He just hopes that they talk to him more soon.
As he walked inside some kids were talking and laughing with each other, while he could hear some of them talking, and a few whispering about him.
"Is that Jaune, I thought he left?" Whispered some students.
"I heard he went to go Beacon, he was gone from town for a week, and didn't come out of the house for three days, he was probably embarrassed." Another student said to their group of friends.
"I bet his family is ashamed, I wouldn't even want to be seen with him know that he failed like that." Someone said as a tease.
"He never had training, how did he even get into Beacon in the first place?" "He probably flaunted around that he is an Arc, and they let him in, how is his parents ok living with him?" The students continued, Jaune was starting to get angry.
"He probably backed out when he got there. I heard those Huntsman academies, and combat schools, have difficult tests, he probably ran for how tough and scary it was." One student said, and a few around started to laugh a little. Jaune clenched his fist.
"Bet he pissed his pants seeing a grimm from a distance, ha!" One said out loud not caring of being heard. Jaune grit his teeth, 'You weren't there, I fought and done a lot more than most would have in my situation!" Jaune yelled in his mind.
"He probably would have perved on all the girls over there. I heard he does that from time to time here. The closes thing he will ever see of a woman naked, half or otherwise." A female student leered at him. Believing what Jeffery and his posse spread about him. Jaune started to feel the anger bubbling up about to explode.
"He should of never came back, could have saved us some trouble, could probably get with his sister, ha!" He heard one of Jeffery's goons speak out, with the rest of people around him laughing at him. The next thing Jaune knew he threw a punch at one of the lockers, thankfully it wasn't in use, and he caused a pronounced dent in it. That shut everyone up. They were so used to him not doing anything, or just walking away. A few scoffed thinking it was a fluke, and some were just surprised.
Jaune's hand was surprisingly fine, a little shaky from the explosion of anger but otherwise, alright. No cuts or bruising nothing, that's good at least. But to be safe he went to the nurse's office. The nurse said that his hand is all good, no breakings or anything else really. The nurse welcomed him back, and Jaune gave a quick 'thank you', and left. But, he knew that they pitied him, they all heard it was his dream, but they knew that he could never achieve his dream. He hated that, he hated feeling so useless, and people looking at him that he is not good enough. It irritated him to no end. But he proved himself that he could have been an amazing huntsman, two of the greatest huntresses that he knew confirmed it, and that helped him so much, he felt that he was worth it. Those two red headed angels who showed genuine interest in him, nothing alternative motive to get something from him, or just to mess with him, just to hurt him, but true friendship. He hoped and prayed that they can call, or even text him back soon.
But he knows how the issue is with a school like that, harder lessons, severe focus, and undying will to work, and train to continue to be the best. He was frustrated about that but, he knew that was selfish, but he understood, he will be patient. He walked to his homeroom early, with no one in there, he didn't want to see his class mates looking at him as he came in, with all of them sitting and looking at him. He didn't want the stares of his peers. The looks of 'I told you so', 'knew you would fail', 'failure', etc. So he sat in his seat, closest near the teacher to hopefully not let the other kids do anything bad to him, the usual throwing paper balls, kicking his seat, kicking him, etc. It worked for the most part, but it all took a turn of the head of a teacher, and they do anything they can, usually spit balls. Gross, cliché, and old school sure, but it's what they did.
As heard the bell ring for homeroom to start, he dreaded it to no end. The students started piling in talking and gossiping amongst each other, it eventually got down to a whisper on seeing Jaune. They looked intrigued a little, while some were snickering. He heard them saying that loser is back, and he failed. He knew that, that was coming, but he didn't see coming was some people almost amazed.
"How is he alive, he has no training?" "How did he get back?" "He punched a locker in today." Was some the students were saying about him. But there will always be those who see it differently. "He probably ran away, like a little bitch." "He seen what they do and said I can't do this." "He probably should have stayed gone." Was some of the talk that was going on. Jaune looked out a window ignoring them, people will always interpret something, and everyone will always be surprised, but that will end in the future, in the end they will just see him as someone who couldn't do what he wanted, and how he was bullied, that will turn soon, because those talks of surprise had turned into jeering, believing the others of Jaune being a coward, and ran.
But, he tried to ignore them as the teacher came in to begin homeroom. He looked at Jaune first, was glad he was safe, and looked at him with sadness, because he knew Jaune wanted to be a huntsman. As school went on, the day was uneventful, the normal stuff, Jaune had to catch up on what he missed but he knew then and their he had to work hard, to graduate, and maybe find a way to graduate early, anything to get out of this school, and away from these people who want to hurt him so.
At lunch he sat alone as usual, he heard kids socializing, and laughing with each other. Jaune wanted that, he wanted to laugh with people, become friends, and hang out more. But, he knew that they didn't want him with them, he was told that hard from other students. "I don't want you sitting here." "We don't want your loser self here." "I'd rather pour this milk on this food, and drink it, than let you sit here." He didn't need to be told twice, and so he sat by himself. He then felt something hit him on his arm, and it felt, papery with something in it.
He opened the paper, that had and almost smashed potato in it, with the big bold words of 'Loser', and, 'Failure'. Jaune crumbled the paper up and threw out his food that he got done eating, along with that paper and left out of the cafeteria, he went to his next class early to get away from them. The rest of the day ended timely with Jaune leaving out first so he wouldn't have to run into anyone else.
When Jaune was home his father will spend time with him, and help him control his aura. His sisters keep trying to talk to him, but he barely talked to them. They knew that it will take a lot more time to get back into their brother's good graces. But, for now they held onto hope that it will be sooner or later.
A week passed, and Ruby and Pyrrha were able to talk to Jaune. Ruby had told him about her first day of being a leader. She told him about how Weiss didn't like her for being the leader, instead of herself, but eventually worked through it. And She told him about some team attack names she came up with. Jaune listened to her enthusiastically, he felt so good, to see that he had a real friend, and was eager to talk him. They talked about comic books, what they like and disliked. She even talked to him on what kind gun could be good for him. He can probably use a shotgun. At first they were going back and forth on what could be good, but ended up with a lever action shotgun, easy to use it one handed, and can use it with his shield if he had to. They also talked about letting the shield be part gun. Jaune liked the idea, but told her that he needed a new shield for that, he can't use Crocea Mors anymore.
They ended their convo with simple 'see ya later', he was sad to see her go but, knew she had work to do, he felt so blessed to have her there. His talks with Pyrrha have been about the same. She had talked about her hobbies, most of wasn't much for video games or comics, she didn't have time for them growing up, but she wasn't opposed to them, she found them interesting. She did say that she did love competition and fighting, she felt alive in the ring, and wanted to do good work fighting the grimm. Jaune was intrigued with her determination when it came to fighting. It was like she was meant for fighting, but he knew people can feel their callings, and want to do them. She then talked to him about her team. The only boy on their team Lie Ren, was very quiet but cared a lot, especially to his partner, Nora Valkyrie. She was super hyper, and had a hard time reigning her in, but with Ren's help, she was able to work with her. Ilia, was quiet, and kept to herself mostly. She was nervous because she didn't want people to know that she was a faunus. Ilia was still nervous around humans, always seeing her as an animal, but seeing Pyrrha, and the rest of her team, almost torn her world apart, it was really weird for her at first.
She wasn't used to be treated with respect outside of other Faunus, it felt good to be treated with respect from human. It felt like a breath of fresh air to her.
Pyrrha then gave Jaune advise on how to use a sword. She showed him the proper stances, and looked how Jaune was doing, at first his foot placements were wrong, but after awhile he got the beginnings down pact. She noticed he was a natural when it came things that involved fighting, he got the basic leg placements down. He just needed to be polished up, she just wished he was at Beacon, she would be able to help him out a lot more. They then talked about her time there, and how being a leader was. It was stressful, but she could handle it, she had to work with investors, agents, and crazy fans at times so she can handle that.
Jaune didn't bring up his time at school, he didn't want to dump any trauma onto either of them, they just met less than a month and didn't want to dump everything on them. He was going to wait until, he feels that he will be comfortable enough to talk to them about it. Their conversation ended with them giving a simple goodbye of 'Talk to you later', he laid down on his bed, and felt nice, to talk to someone who genuinely likes you, it felt amazing.
As another week went on, Jaune's original bullies, without Jeffery around a lot he barely seen them outside, usually always inside to be with him. But, Catherine was essentially his voice and action, without his presence. She was pissed. Pissed at the fact Jaune was back, pissed at the fact he came back and like he more sure of himself, and pissed at him for getting her love in trouble like how he did. She didn't let that go standing down, so for the last few years, she worked to make his life a living hell, when Jeffery can't be around. She had her friends, her and Jeffery's crew, trip him up, beat him up after school at times, prank him, by making him almost slip on food, mess with him while he was in the bathroom, and one of the worst parts was, she spread a false rumor of Jaune being a creeper, spying on girls in the locker rooms, stalking people, that made him really unpopular, especially with the female department. And, now here he is walking taller, having a smile on his face, and lashing out at times when people go to far with him, by throwing back the papers they would throw at him, is infuriated her to no end, so now she is going to confront him, and remind him of his place.
"Hey Arc." Cath approached him after school with her posse, eager to get him to see it their way. "What do you want Catherine?" Jaune asked with an annoyed look, and sound. That pissed her off.
"I'm tired of you Jaune Arc, tired of seeing your face here, tired of seeing you look so happy even though bad stuff happens to you, tired of you thinking that you can be anything else than just the dirt can be scraped off the bottom of my shoe." She seethed at him almost getting in his face. But, Jaune just stood their indifferent. She wasn't intimidating him in the slightest. That made her start to see red.
"Oh what, just because you went off to beacon, you think your hot shit, your nothing, just a little bug, that has no business on being around here. Someone like you makes me sick." Cath seethed.
Jaune stood there, impassive, and didn't feel a threat from her. He then gave a deep breath, and exhaled out. He began to talk to her, clearly. "Listen Catherine, I don't care what you think about me, I don't care what anyone here thinks about me. True in the past, I wasn't willing to stand up for myself, for not having any faith in myself, and you hate the fact, I am stand up for myself. That is your issue that you have to figure out, and move on from that." Jaune said to her looking her in the eye, not caring about the others around them. He started to walk away when the group surrounded him.
"Where did you get the balls to talk to me like that?" Catherine sad and looked at him so coldly that it felt like winter. Jaune then responded to her looking over his shoulder. "Because I found people, people who believes in me. People who seen that I can be more than what you, and others can assume what I can, and can not be. They are my friends, and they will always want to help me."
Laughter started up, "Ha ha, what your sisters finally decided to stand by you, and you call them your friends, since you can't find your own?" One of the goons laughed at him. But he kept quiet, feeling anger rising.
"Oh, not your sister, who is it losers like you, found someone else to crawl around in the mud with you?" Another one mocked. His anger was boiling over.
"Maybe we can pay them a visit, probably beat them down, and offer a chance with us. Or, if they are girls, we can visit them, give them a good screw let them be on our team, so who are they?" One of them grinned cruelly. Jaune's anger exploded. He punched the one who said that. A good punch too, the guy was on the ground unconscious.
"MY REAL FRIENDS!" Jaune yelled out to them. Then all hell broke loose. He was jumped by all of them, the group grew over the years, almost 15 of them, use to be only seven. Jaune managed to give a few good hits in. He gave a right cross to one individual who tried to haymaker him, broke the nose of his opponent. He then ducked from a swing from another and gave an uppercut to one of the goons, but it was too much for him.
If he was allowed to use his aura, he would be able to handle all of them easily, but he was hit a bunch of times from all directions, with one of his eye's closed, lip starting swell, with a bloody nose, and he started to breath heavily. He managed to look up to Catherine sneering at him, and Jaune gave her a determined face. "Let's take him to the roof." Catherine had told them. He was hit one more time and he fell unconscious.
He woke up to laughter, and flashes, and red dots. He felt breezy and tried to see what's wrong, but then he felt his arms and legs tied up. He looked down with one opened eye and seen he was naked. The laughter was coming from everyone else, taking photos of him, and recording him.
"My god, he barely has any muscle." "No wonder people don't like him!" "His dad would have broken him if he trained!" "You'll never satisfy a woman with that thing Arc, should probably get it removed, you'll never use it anyway!" That was some of the words he was hearing from them. Then Catherine came by, and lifted his head up, and gave him a cruel smile.
"You really think I will let that small thing pound me out, takes more than that to even get me to moan. Know this Jaune Arc, you are nothing, and will always be nothing. No woman will ever love you, and you will die alone, I can make sure of it, you can count on it." She ended with her spitting on him, her and her gang left him there.
What they don't know is before all of this, Jaune always recorded his days so he can have evidence against others, and what they do to him. What they don't know, everything was being recorded, no video for the most part, except in the beginning. Jaune made it look like at first he was on his scroll, but he was recording, so when they started harassing him, he had evidence against them. He still looked down in pain, more of embarrassment and shame, he was naked and beaten. Everyone is going to see what he looks like, and it's going to travel all of Remnant he knows it. He looked down and cried a little. "Not everyone can be showers you know? And under stress like this things can happen, you jerk." Jaune muttered to himself. Jaune fell asleep again, being drained both physically, and mentally.
Jaune awoke, and seen that it was night time. It was a Friday night and he had get home. He noticed that his scroll was against the ledge a little it must have flew when they stripped him. Jaune moved his hand to see he can loosen his bindings, he looked at his hands, and they used his own shoe lases as a rope, and his belt and stick for his legs. He couldn't break free properly, but he noticed on his cuffs he had on to suppress his aura, his right wrist was loosened, after sometime of wiggling he freed his right hand and arm. He was able to use some of his aura snapped the bindings easier. Once he was free he felt the cuff fall off of him, and noticed the cuff was blinking, probably an alarm for if they slip off, or someone gets out of them. His father, and law enforcement was going to arrive soon. He used that time to slowly undo his bindings, and sat there thinking, how things had turned out, he might be able to leave this school much earlier than he thought, the pain of what he has gone through, he can't be here anymore. He then dressed himself, and grabbed his scroll, it was slightly cracked and the battery was almost dead, he rushed to the nearest outlet to charge his scroll, he had 5% left, and the recording was still going!
Jaune's eyes lit up, and found out, all this pain was not for nothing, it was his win in the end. Jaune will get justice for himself for all the pain he has gone through for years. He checked out something from social media. It was him beaten up, tied up, part of him was censored. And the caption was: "Creeper caught trying to take advantage of a woman." Jaune then remembered what Catherine said to him. 'No woman will ever love you, and you will die alone, I can make sure of it, you can count on it.' That's what she was going to do, frame to make him look like a rapist so no one will want to go near him. He seen Catherine in a video of her crying, with a few bruise marks on her face, and a black eye, crying about how he forced his way on her, and forced her to do disgusting things. Like: 'He told me to choke on his dick, and to look him in the eye.' 'He came inside me multiple times, but I had already washed myself up, I felt so gross, dirty, of what that freak has done to me!' Was what she was saying while fake crying.
But, Jaune can see her farce from a mile away, the injuries was all make up, to make her seem hurt. The upsides of having seven sisters, you can pick up a lot of things from girls when they are lying and faking stuff. He eventually walked outside this police on him, and bringing him in.
Jaune sat in jail for a little bit, but told the officers to check his scroll recordings, they managed to listen and see what really happened. To say that they were disgusted in this group was an understatement. These kids were going to do something so heinous and to truly, destroy this young man's life. They looked at him with pity, and sorrow. They felt guilty for arresting him, and some were rougher with him, and was pissed for allegedly raping a woman. But, they also sad for him. Even though he will be seen as innocent, they knew that people are going to assume regardless, and this will follow him for the rest of his life. Even with the evidence is in his favor, they will say, she is a gorgeous one woman, and they will always usually take the woman's side, that pissed them off to no end.
When Jaune's family came to get him, Jaune couldn't look up, but his family hugged him, while he sobbed, knowing that life will be harder from here on out. But, his father, and mother had a plan to make things easier for him. His family knows he is no rapist, or an assaulter, and when they heard the recordings, they hugged Jaune and congratulating him for his smart move.
His family will keep moving in the right direction to help him, this they swear it, they are Arcs, and an Arc never goes back on their word!
Author's note: I know all these chapters have been depressing and messed up, but it's so the story can grow more. Jeffery, and his goons are not getting away with their actions, as we have seen. The time Jaune has been back home, he really opened his eyes to be careful, he felt things will be very difficult, and he needed to fight back, and he fought back. He lost the battle but won the war. We will see how the ones at Beacon react to it. Keep in mind I will keep their time there brief, and will help will try to write more on their times there. Ruby, and Pyrrha will immediately ask what happened, but some of their friends will not want them to talk to him, due to the evidence being out a little late. But, I can assure you the extreme bullying is done, and Jaune will truly be able to start to Move Forward! Thank you so much for reading, again I won't cuss much, in stories, since I hate cussing.
But notice an anime scene I put in for this, put your guess in where it was from. Thank You so much for reading, and May God continue to Bless You All!