Jaune looked at the all too familiar elevator door, for what was probably going to be the last time. Jaune pressed the button, calling the carriage. His stuff was packed all into one backpack-like thing, as the school didn't supply him with a school uniform, which made up over 75% of his clothes. He had like, two pairs of jeans, a couple tee shirts and a hoodie to his name.
That was about it. He was honestly surprised that his family, his ex family, the boy reminded himself, didn't try to take that as well.
The elevator binged, taking him out of his mind. "Thank you." the blonde said as he stepped onto the moveable box. It ascended upwards as Jaune shuffled nervously.
"Wait, why am I nervous? I'm literally leaving." jaune said to himself. "This deal is set in stone at this point, why am I worried? Must be the thought of a new school." He reasoned to
The elevator doors pinged open a couple seconds later.
"I can't believe this! I just can't believe it! How can you let someone so grossly incompotent continue to study like this!" a shrill voice practically screamed. Jaune rolled his eyes. He had learned long ago (Like half a week or so) that Wiess was not as pretty on the inside as was outside. Honestly, part of him pitied her. It must be a very sad life indeed to be so self reliant and spiteful.
Jaune took a breath in, holding his head up high. All you need is confidence, son Jaune remembered.
Pfft, great advice, dad.
The doors opened when he gave them a slight push. The multi-colored members of team RWBY turned to look at him. Wiess with a mix of vindictive smug triumph and a calculated, ice cold hatred. Yang looked at him with the good knowledge that she had removed a threat to her beloved sister, Ruby. who knew what Jaunes incompetence or clear criminal record could end up doing. It couldn't be anything good, and it would most certainly hurt ruby. Speaking of who, she looked incredibly guilty. She knew that she had done Jaune wrong, abandoning him to the wrath of the rest of her team, and the rest of her school. But what could she do?
She was just Ruby Rose. She could barely control her sister, much less an entire school of people! Jaune's head tilted slightly, his blue eyes seeming to stare into her soul.
Ruby looked down at the ground, seeing her silver eyes in the reflection of the foot. She wasn't sure if it was any better than looking into Jaune's vibrant blue for any longer.
Jaune turned his attention to the backmost member of team RWBY, seeming hidden behind the more colorful members. She was indifferent to the situation, but fearful about something.
Jaune wondered what she was fearful of for a couple moments.
Then he had the urge to slap himself in the face. He had read her file not 24 hours ago! She was a freaking ex-Fang terrorist! If Jaune had simply cheated and forged his way in, he didn't even want to imagine how Beacon would react to being a terrorist.
Jaune reattuned his attention to the headmaster. "You wanted me, headmaster?" Jaune asked as he took a stand in front of the man's desk. Ozpin smiled. "Please, take a seat, Jaune. We have a lot to go over for your transferall."
Wiess gaped at those words. "YOU'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO LET THIS FRAUD TRANSFER?!" She yelled, causing Jaune to instinctively cover his ears, her trade mark screech ringing loud. A Schneech?
Jaune also could have sworn he saw Ozpin's eye twitch, but he wasn't sure.
"Yes, Ms. Schnee." Ozpin said. "I see no reason to halt Jaune's career so drastically. Do you?" Ozpin asked, daring Wiess to challenge him.
Wiess, like in all occasions, refused to let such a challenge go unanswered. "He is a danger to his fellow huntsmen and civilians! He will be the cause of catastrophic disaster if he is allowed to be a huntsman!" Wiess argued. Jaune let out a snort at that reasoning. Then a snicker. Then an actual , if not brief, full blown laugh.
How could he not? Now that he knew what he knew (The personal beacon files probably broke a whole bunch of banana's of privacy laws), it was hard not too.
Wiess wheeled on the blonde knight. "And what, exactly, is so funny, Arc?"
Jaune caught his breath, holding in the rest of his laughter.
"That you guys think that I am going to be more dangerous than you four as a huntsman."
"Oh? What's that supposed to mean?" This time it was Yang who spoke up, and she accompanied her words with the cracking of her knuckles.
"I'm just saying that all of you, with perhaps the exception of Ruby, have done far, far more illegal and worse things than I ever have." Jaune said, holding his hands up in mock surrender. Wiess made a pfft sound. "Oh, come on, what could any of us have done that would be worse than fraud?" She asked, probably rhetorically.
"Uhhh, i think murder is pretty high up there." Jaune said, rather casually for the accusation.
Blake choked on thin air. Was Jaune really going to throw her under the bus like this?
"Who are you calling a murder, Vomit boy?" Yang growled threateningly, ready to punch Jaunes lights out.
"You, mostly." jaune said, quickly taking the wind out of the blonde's sails.
Ruby looked stunned and aghast. "Jaune, what do you mean by Yang is responsible for murder?" she dared to ask the blonde.
Jaune looked Ruby in the eyes. "Two and a half months ago, Yang Xiao Long entered an information broker and club called the Club. After threatening the proprietor, Yang was told to leave. She didn't" Jaune said evenly. "She instead decided to start a fight there. In a club full of civilians, causing untold amounts of property damage and causing a casualty count of 14 people, two of those casualties died on scene."
Ruby looked to Yang with a scolding pout
"She didn't check if they had Aura. She didn't care if she ended up hurting civilians. Of those twelve people, four of them were civilians and less than five of them had Aura.' Jaune continued, digging the verbal grave deeper and deeper. "Of those twelve people, ten of them were put in intensive care, and three of them died of their wounds. Five of them are permanently crippled in some form. So, all in all you destroyed a legitimate business, killed five people, permanently injured five people, and sent twelve people to the Hospital." Jaune wrapped up. "So, who's a danger to people? Me? A man who hasn't hurt anyone, or someone who, had Beacon not swept it under the rug, would be a convicted killer?" jaune posed. Yang had the decency to look ashamed at least.
Wiess looked at him incredulously. "And where did you find this from, huh Arc?"
Jaune shrugged. "It's on her file. Not that hard to find." He said. "And it's not like your file paints you any better, Wiess."
Jaune didn't know that wiess could get any paler. "And what do you mean by that?"
"The fact that your father uses you as a tax shelter?" Jaune asked rhetorically. "I mean, it would take an idiot for someone to miss that. You get your allowance quarterly, conveniently when Jaques Schnee gets his shareholder benefits, CEO salary check, and a multitude of other ill gotten gains. He also removes money regularly from your account, something you complain about constantly. If that doesn't sound suspicious, it really should." Jaune admonished.
"But that's legal in atlas, so don't paint me as some criminal!" Wiess countered. Jaune surrendered at that point.
'You're right. That is legal in Atlas, as you can give monetary gifts that are not tax deductible there. But, is it legal in Vale?" Jaune posed. "The answer is no, in case you didn't know. And while you are in Vale, Valean laws apply to you."
Wiess gaped like a fish, a vindictively satisfying look on her face Jaune thought. "And Ruby, you're the best of the lot. The only strike on your record is your account of vigilantism with Torchwick, which I doubt any sane count will rule you guilty on. Was it stupid? Yes. Very." Jaune said, his face emphasizing the idea. "But, you did the right thing I think, unlike everyone else here." Jaune said, giving Ruby an understanding nod. "And Blake?"
Blake looked up, meeting his eyes. "I know what you did, and while I won't hold it against you for it, you have a lot, and I mean a lot, of shit to make up for." Jaune said, his tone taking the edge of the tone a priest would use during a sermon of cleansing.
Blake gulped, but nodded. "That's-that's why I'm here."
Jaune didn't respond with words, but gave her a mild nod. "Headmaster, Is it safe to assume that you have sent my application to Haven?"
Ozpin nodded. "I even got your acceptance letter here, in email form. It appears that I caught Leo at a convenient time." Ozpin chuckled, forwarding Jaune the email. Jaune read it quickly.
"Dear Mr. Arc, we are happy to tell you that we accept your transfer… yada yada… our esteed academy is always looking for the talent of tomorrow.. Blah blah blah…. We hope to see you by the start of Next Semester?" Jaune finished, looking up to Ozpin. "That's what? A month and a half from now? Little less?"
"About, yes." Ozpin said, not looking up from his desk. He was sorting some papers it seemed. Some student files lay open on his desk.
"Excellent. I'll leave tomorrow and show up early." Jaune stated flatly. Ozpin coughed, having gotten a sip of coffee stuck at the sudden bomb drop.
"That-that seems a little soon, don't you think? You have most certainly a month before you have to leave, and that would be ample time." Ozpin said, cleaning up his spill.
Jaune shrugged at that. "Probably, but I can't afford a bullhead across, so that means I'll have to hike to the docks, get on a boat, and land in Minstra, And then I have to make it to Haven. That's two weeks of travel there, assuming nothing goes south. And then I have to get settled and preferably find some form of income. I wonder how cheap the stocks are there?" the knight explained, running his fingers over his pathing on ozpin's globe.
Ozpin looked at jaune. "I see you've put quite a bit of thought into this." he said after a moment. It was a shame that Ozpin was going to lose his grasp on Jaune so soon. His mind and Aura would have been valuable tools against Salem.
Well, at least he was still kind of in Ozpin's sphere, being at Haven now. But it meant that Ozpin could not secure Jaune's position conveniently at his leisure. An annoyance, but Ozpin had pulled even worse situations out of such muck, like Qrow or others in previous incarnations.
Jaune sat down, still looking at the scripted HAVEN on the globe. "Yeah. I suppose I have. Is that all you need from me, headmaster?" Jaune said, standing up from his seat.
"Yes it is, Jaune. Do give me a call when you make it, though. It would put my mind at ease at least a little bit."
Jaune nodded as he turned to leave. Before he walked out the door, he turned to look at Ozpin one last time. "Thank you so much for giving me this opportunity, Headmaster. I don't… I don't know what I would do without it."
"Just don't get yourself killed, Jaune." Ozpin said kindly. "I see great things in your future, after all."
Jaune walked out the door, a blur of rose petals zooming into the parlor way between the elevator and Ozpin's office.
"What is Ruby?" Jaune sighed as she seemingly teleported in front of him, between the elevator doors and himself.
"So, this is it, huh?" She asked, her silver eyes boring into his own blue ones.
Jaune's eyebrow raised. "Uh, yeah? We kind of went through a whole week or so of cutting ties, burning bridges, being completely ignorant to me getting bullied. I mean, is that really a question?" Jaune asked, the last sentence coming out as a barking laugh. Ruby shook her head.
"Jaune, please don't do this. You are going to die without training." Ruby pleaded. Jaune raised an eyebrow.
"Well, I'm not dead yet, I've fought Grimm, and I'm getting training right now." Jaune countered. "Got to start somewhere."
"Yes, but you are going to get yourself killed." Ruby said again. Jaune was unimpressed with the reasoning.
"Please, I don't want to lose anyone else. Please don't go on with this. You could be anything, A banker, a writer, a musician, just please, don't do this." Ruby pleaded, her eyes watering.
Jaune's brow furrowed in concern. "Who did you lose?"
"My mother." Ruby sniffled.
"Oh ruby, I'm so sorry." Jaune consoled.
"NO! YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND!" Ruby shouted. "She always came back. She seemed so invincible. And one day, she didn't" Ruby was crying at this point. "I didn't stop looking for her. And one day, I-"
Jaune cut her off with a hand on her shoulder. "Ruby, this sounds like a horrible, tragic backstory and really sounds like something you should really, really tell to someone else. Like a therapist. While it might explain and even justify your actions." Jaune said, bending down just a bit to meet her at eye level. "I really don't care that much anymore. Told me a week ago, maybe. But now? After all the bullying, harassment, and betrayal? That tells me far more about you than your tragic past. I'm sorry that you lost your mother, I really am. I just don't see how it applies to me."
Ruby stared at him, wide eyed as he stood up. She was shocked. Shocked! No body, and she means no body, had ever just flat out didn't care about her dramatic past! Nor did he fall victim to the trappings of her teary silver eyes! Ruby stood there, stock still, as the elevator doors binged shut.
Jaune stood in front of the bullhead that would take him to Vale. man, it was weird thinking that this was the last time he would take this path. Jaune shouldered his duffle bag preparing to step onto the airship.
"I didn't expect you to be leaving so soon, Jaune." a voice came from behind him. Jaune turned to see both Dr. Bartholomew Oobleck and his old teammate, Nora Valkyrie.
"Hey Doc, Nora. come to see me off?" Jaune smiled as he strode towards them. Nora nodded brightly. "Yup! It's the last time I'll see you, fearless leader." Nora said, the sentence dropped in perkiness as the words hit her. It sounded like he was marching to his death.
Jaune gave a chuckle, putting a hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry Nora, It won't be the last time you'll see me, I promise." Nora smiled, and then sniffed. "Ah, damn, I promised myself I wasn't going to cry." She sniffled. Jaune gave her a soft smile, pulling the ginger into a hug.
"There, there, it's ok Nora. it's ok to cry sometimes." the blonde cooed. Nora sniffled once again, burying her face into Jaunes shoulder. Jaune could feel his hoodie getting soaked in tears. She held onto him for some several minutes before it was let go. "I'm going to miss you, Jaune Jaune."
Jaume smiled. 'I'm going to miss you too, Nora. I really am."
Nora took a step back, looking at jaune, teary eyed and almost proud in a way. "Oh! Before I forget, I got you something for when you get to Haven!" Nora exclaimed, rustling in her pockets. She pulled out a small notebook. "This is my favorite pancake recipe! I'm sure it's better than whatever icky healthy food Haven tries to force down your throat." Nora smiled. Jaune smiled and gave her a nod, tucking the notebook in his pocket. The good doctor stepped forward. "I also have a gift to give you, Jaune." Oobleck said as he pulled out a thick book. "A tactics and strategy book. It should work your brain a little on your trip."
Jaune took the book graciously. "Thank you so much, Doctor. I am sure that it will come in handy, even if it is to fight off boredom." jaune smiled as he took the book and put it into his backpack. Jaune gave the doctor a handshake before turning to Nora again. 'Well, I'm going to head off now… I'll keep in touch." Jaune said, and was swarmed by Nora once more.
Nora sniffed, her waterworks acting up once more. The bullhead's horn beeped as the two stood there, silent in the bittersweet moment.
Jaune let go first, giving Nora a pat on the back. "Hey… I need to be going now." He said softly, but making no attempt to break contact. Nora held onto him until the bullhead honked again, impatient at the two former teammates' hesitancy to separate. Nora gave him one last bone shattering squeeze and let him go.
Jaune ruffled her hair, burning this memory into his brain, and turned to board the bullhead. Nora and doctor Oobleck waved him off as the bullhead took to the skies. "Bye Fearless leader! I'll miss you tons!`` Nora waved as the bullhead ascended into the sky. It started to move towards Vale, slowly disappearing out of sight.
Jaune was straight up not having a good time. It was a bullhead trip, which was always particularly bad for him.
God damn fucking motion sickness. Jaune thought, before he hurled into the bucket.
"You better not be making no mess I have to clean up back there, kid!" the pilot yelled from the cockpit.
Jaune gurgled a response before filling the bucket one more. "I'm trying not to." he grumbled.
"Well, good news, kid. I drop your vomity ass off in ten minutes, so hold tight. And keep your innards inside!" The Pilot yelled over the great blades that kept the aircraft up.
Jaune quickly exited, dragging a trash can bag behind and dumping it into the nearest proper reciprocal. The crowds of Vale gave him a wide berth as he slugged his way to the nearest bathroom.
Jaune splashed the water from the sink on his face, washing off the last bits of puke. Jaune looked up at himself in the mirror. He had bags under his eyes that would qualify as carry on luggage. His face had become gaunt from stress and bad nights.
Man, I look like a right pile of fucking shit. Jaune thought, then something struck him. When had he started cursing like that? Jaune couldn't remember. He knew that he wasn't at that fieldtrip where Cardin threw that sap at Pyrrha. Although Ursa has most certainly drawn a long "Shiiiiiiiiit" from him.
Maybe it was then? Maybe it was after, did anyone know?
Did anyone care?
Jaune sighed, checking the clock at the bullhead dock. It read seven fifteen or so. He had a whole forty five minutes to cross to the docks and board the Nyra, the ship he had chartered for cheap. He had agreed to be an acting sea man and huntsman for the small shipping charter for the trip to get a discount. Jaune took a quick inventory check. Nothing gone, missing, or otherwise out of place. Good.
Vale was a decent place. Jaune had, after spending thirty minutes catching rails, walking, and possibly breaking some traffic and pedestrian laws, decided. He preferred more open and green spaced areas. Jaune ducked under two large faunus hauling planks across the pier.
"Oi, Watch where you goin, mate!" one of the mammal eared men barked. Jaune apologized as he made his way down to the end of the pier.
A smallish fishing boat sat by a post labeled 19C. On it three men worked on hauling several crates onto the barge.
Jaune cleared his throat, gaining the attention of the three men. Two, upon closer viewing, were clearly father and son. Two tiger faunus. The third was a middle aged Vaulco human with dark hair and bright pale brown eyes.
Jaune cleared his throat, gaining the attention of the father. "Is this the Nyra's Ark?" Jaune asked him. The old tiger Faunus looked up, spitting something, probably tobacco, over the side of the boat. "Aye, this is Nyra's Ark. I be 'summen you be one Jaune? No last name given?" The Faunus grunted. Jaune nodded. "Yessir. Are you Captain Yendryl?"
"Aye, I am a good Captain, but you can just call me Jor. Why don't ya grab one of those there barrels and come aboard?" Jor recommended. Jaune agreed, picking up two of the large oaken containers. The two younger shipmen's eyes widened as Jaune hefted the heavy things around like flower sacks. The pile quickly disappeared, all of it loaded onto the ship. Jaune felt the boat rock under his feet as the Vaulcan, who he learned was named Samuel, cast off.
It was unlike the small but constant vibration of a bullhead. It was more like the caring rock of a dusky old grandmother, sitting in a rocking chair on the front porch.
Jaune spent the next couple of hours learning the ship and what his duties would be. It was mostly delegated down to moving things and whatever the crew didn't have enough hands for. Jaune quickly was delegated to cooking duty once the three men learned of his particular areas of expertise. Sure, Ryu had a laugh at him for it, but claimed his respect for surviving seven sisters anyway.
"You have my respect, Jaune." Ryu recovered from laughing, having to put his bowl of stew down. "I've met men who would not survive one sibling, much less seven of them!" Ryu snorted as they ate under the stars. Jaune discovered after dinner that there was a fourth member of the crew. An old sea cat who's only name was Catra. With heterochromatic eyes, blue and green, the grey brown sea cat preferred to be far away from most humans, either at the top of the roof which covered the navigation room and the second smaller set of staircases that led down into the sleeping quarters of the fishing boat, or down in the storage room with all the lashed down barreled jaune and the other fishermen had brought onboard. Catra, while she would not approach anyone, didn't scamper away when the blonde came towards her. While Catra did not appreciate being touched, the other members of the crew regarded it as a god blessed miracle that Jaune could come within a meter of the grouchy sea cat.
He would often sit on the top of the roof with her at night, looking up at the stars and pointing out various constellations to the cat, and the stories he remembered from them. Some of them he made up.
" -and that's the story behind the kite looking see those four squares or so, with the tail on them? That one's corner flower. Long ago, there was a warrior who roamed the great Vaulcan desert-" jaune started, but was stopped by Catra making a grunting, almost talking sound, stretching out and padding over to jaune. Jaune was rendered in a shocked silence as Catra curled up against the blonde knight, falling asleep with a deep rumble. Jaune shut up, content to let the cat sleep. Jaune checked the harness attached to him, tying him to the roof's cage-like skeleton. Just in case.
"Those storms look like an issue." Jaune said, looking into the horizon at the darkened sky. Jor looked at it as well, frowning. "Aye, that doesn't bode well for us. Samuel!" he barked, calling to the current helmsman. "Turn us starboard, 25 degrees and lose the sails!"
Samuel complied to his captain's orders, turning the wheel. Ryu and Jaune hopped to the ropes, letting the sails fall to their fullest extent. The ship picked up speed, moving along the waves faster, hoping to outpace the coming storm.
The storm marched onwards, visibly whipping waves into a furious maelstrom in the edges of the human vision.
"Is it getting closer? It looks like it's getting closer." jaune said, concerned.
Samuel looked behind him at the storm. "That does seem to be moving alarmingly fast, doesn't it?"
"Too fast." Jor said, concerned. It didn't move like a normal storm like that. Any experienced seaman could tell. Ryu's eyes widened as he saw a great fin cut out from the stormy waves.
"Jorgumunder!" he yelled out to the crew.