Jaune felt that that was a bad thing. Like, a really bad thing. He turned to Jor.
"I'm sorry, a what now?" the Huntsman in training asked the sea crew.
Ryu looked at the huntsman. "I thought you were a huntsman, Jaune!"
"In training!" Jaune countered. "I had to transfer before we covered the water grimm!" he cried out as the crew scrambled to batter down the ship. Rope strapped down the deck as Ryu immediately started to close the ports and trapdoors that led to the hull storage. Samuel was doing his best to steer the ship out of the storm, but the grimm-caused phenomena was far too fast for the small fishing barge. Soon the Nyra's Ark was overtaken by the waves and heavy rain. Jaune spat out the salt water as a wave broke the deck, smashing into him with a concussive force that reminded him of Nora's hammer. As he blinked the salt water out of his vision, he saw a great fin slide up through the water before disappearing back into the waves.
"WHAT IN THE NAME OF GOD WAS THAT!?" Jaune yelled. If any one asked, it was to have his friends hear him and not out of terror. Samuel staggered and forced his way to Jaune.
"That, my friend." He said, gripping the blonde to not be swept overboard. "Is a Jorgumunder."
Jaune decided, as he saw the beast rise from the sea, that he did not like the Jorgumunder. A massive sea serpent with black scales and a bone white skull. Mask? Skull? Jaune forgot if they were there actual skulls, or a second layer of bone on top of a bit of flesh. Jaune looked a little lower, breaking eye contact with the beast's great glowing red eyes. It had overly large sharp teeth that reminded jaune more of a set of shark teeth than snake fangs. Three rows, at least, of sharp pointy teeth, each long and sharp like sword blades. Jaune glanced down its body, noticing that it had several gill-like valves on its sides. They opened, letting off jets of steam into the stormy air. Jaune realized something. The Jorgumunder created storms by releasing hot steam, or air into the atmosphere, creating a temperature difference and adding to the humidity of the air around it. The temperature and humidity difference would create clouds and increase the winds. It literally created the perfect storm.
That the Nyra's Ark was currently caught in the middle of. Jaune's attention was drawn back to the beast's head as it let out a roar. Jaune drew his sword and shield that Ozpin had handed to him. He smacked the blade on the edge of his shield, causing the monster to snap its attention to the blonde.
You know, this was probably not the most thought out idea. Jaune thought as the snake reeled back, poised like a cobra. "Oh fuck." Jaune said as it slammed its mouth down at him. Jaune hefted his round shield in front of him, hoping that it would protect him against the giant sea serpent. He just barely remembered that lesson on focusing his aura to his limbs intime to reinforce his shield arm. The thing made contact with the blonde. Jaune was floored to the ground as he met the battering ram, er snake, head on. The snake ran over him as it passed the blonde, grinding him into the deck. Jaune bounced and managed to roll out from under the massive snake. The snake wrapped itself around the ship, making a second round at the blonde knight. Jaune dived to the side, dodging its lunging attack as it made it's second loop around the ship. Jaune took the opportunity to stab the monster in the side. The blade sunk into the monster like he was pushing it through a tree. Jaune wrenched the blade out, drawing a bone chilling cry from the Jorgumunder. The snake twisted around to glare at the blonde annoyance with the pointy stick. It snarled, showing off it's multitude of sharp pointy teeth. Jaune tapped his sword on his shield, not breaking eye contact with the thing. The collision made a harsh ringing sound that's only purpose was to draw more attention to the blonde.
The snake lunged again at the annoyingly resilient human. Most broke when the beast struck them once, and few survived a melee with it. But this annoying tiny pitiful human didn't. The Jorgumunder could smell, could taste, could sense the fear radiating off the blonde. It was thick, so very thick. Almost like a pudding, evaporated into the air. Thicker than most that dared to stubbornly engage it in combat. This time the sea serpent made direct contact, and changed its tactics. Instead of just hoping to ram the pesky yellow human off into the sea, it would take it there personally.
Jaune was folded like a lawn chair when the serpent slammed into him. He vomited up this night's stew as his stomach was forcefully punched down to size.
Then he felt the monster's powerful jaws clamp down on his leg. Jaune's head snapped back as he screamed in pain. His leg felt slippery and wet as the coppery smell of blood flooded his nose. He forced his aura into his leg, focusing past the pain of the massive wound. Jaune gripped his sword and lashed at the monster's face. Jaune was lifted off the ground as the monster dived into the sea, Jaune in tow. The monster splashed into the ground with the force of a cannon shot.
When Ryu heard the call of "Jorgumunder." He immediately started to close up all of the ports in the ship, tossing a disgruntled Catra into his cabin. He then bunkered down in the navigation room, with its glass walls, dual bench and wheel and navigational controls. He ushered his father and crewmate into the nav room.
"SAMUEL, MOVE IT!" He yelled to his non related crewmate, who had gone over to Jaune to tell him something. He then sloshed his way over, fighting the waves that threatened to tip the ship upside down, and made it into the room. Ryu whipped out his scroll and hit the record button. Jor frowned.
"Really? You pull that thing out now of all times?" he asked incredulously.
Ryu turned to look at his old man. "For insurance purposes. You know, proof of grimm attack." he shot back.
"Trust me, the ship will be evidence enough." Jor snorted as he watched the massive serpent wrap around the ship, starting to squeeze and bend the ship in its coils.
Then he saw jaune get rolled by the beast as first contact was made. A bright flash of white light surrounded the blonde boy as he was run over by the Jorgumunder. He spat out some water, scrambling to replant his feet on the ship. The Snake ran for him once more, layering a second coil around the ship. Jor winced as he heard the ship creak and cry from the pressure. Jaune ducked under another passing of the beast, this time landing a blow against it. The beat let out a roar before zeroing in on the blonde knight. It was like something out of a children's book. A lone knight, shining with a kind of holy light against a mighty beast that the forces of evil have pit against him. Ryu held his scroll tight, not daring to say a word lest the monster shift his attention. The monster charged again, this time taking Jaune with him off the edge of the ship.
"Jaune!" Samuel yelled, rushing over to the other side of the navigation room. Ryu focused his scroll on to where the monster and jaune went under, hoping to see some kind of sign of life with the camera's zoom feature.
There didn't seem to be any.
Jaune felt the coldness of the water before he registered the fact that he could no longer breathe. Then he registered that he was underwater. That posed a whole new slew of issues
What I wouldn't give to be a fish right now. Jaune thought as he rushed through the water, being pulled by the Jorgumunder. He felt the serpent turn as it ran on the underside of the boat. Jaune took the opportunity to acquaint the monster's face with his sword, repeatedly. The sword bit and bounced against the serpents bone plating, failing to find purchase in the grimms flesh. Jaune flailed, gritting his teeth and trying not to breathe. He swung a wide arc through the water, catching something soft and fleshy. The serpent wretched up into the air, throwing Jaune into the air. "Jaune!" Ryu yelled out as he watched the knight fall from the sky. He landed with a splash into the sea. Jaune clawed at the cold metal of the Nyra's Ark, scrambling to find purchase. He managed to cling to a strand of rope, pulling himself up to the ship's deck. He gasped as he hunched from exhaustion and blood loss. He looked up at the serpent, his shaggy hair plastered to his face and across his eyes. Jaune looked up at the serpent, thrashing and wailing as it tried to dislodge the blade in its eye. Jaune tried to step forward, but a piercing pain racked his body. Jaune slumped down to one knee with a wide eyed gasp, looking down at his leg.
Ah, that giant serpent shark fang in his thigh would be it, wouldn't it? Jaune gripped it by its root, and pulled.
"FUCK! GOD MOTHER FUCKING DAMN THAT HURT!" He yelled out as he gripped the sharp tooth.
The noise drew the serpent's attention, as it zeroed in on the person that would dare injure it so gravely. Jaune glared at its red eyes.
"THAT'S RIGHT, MOTHERFUCKER! YOU'RE A PAIN IN THE ASS!" Jaune yelled, firmly planting his feet on the rocking ship. His shield raised to his side, and the monster's tooth held like some dagger. The serpent snarled, pulling back like a corba.
"That's it ugly, come and get some." Jaune taunted, every nerve on his body set on high alert. He saw the snake start its lunge forward, hoping to finally kill the annoying human. It lunged at him, it's jaws gashing. Jaune threw the tooth like a knife into the monster's throat. It's eyes went wide as it felt the sharp blade slam into the back of its throat. Its charge faltered as the beast's eyes went wide. It fell forward, overcome by the sudden wound in its throat, arcing down directly to jaune. Jaune hefted his shield, spinning to the side. His shield slams into the snake's snout, whacking it to the side. Jaune's now free hand grasped his sword's handle, ripping out of the monster's eye socket. The monster wretched further away, slamming its face into the mast of Nyra's Ark. Jaune took the opportunity to glance around. His eyes landed on the Mizzen Rope, a rope that held the sails and the log that held them up. Jaune lashed at the rope next to him, then leaped across the ship. He managed to snip the other one, dropping the full weight of at least a tonne of Canvas and wood to fall on the stunned sea serpent. The effect was, well, shattering. The falling log had snapped the serpent's skull open, killing the serpent instantly. Jaune was still on edge as he started to watch the serpent dissolve. The sea calmed as the bluster behind the storm dissolved into ashes. Jaune collapsed to his butt, really feeling the massive amount of damage that had been dealt to his leg. Ryu and Samuel rushed out of their protective hidey hole to help their blonde friend.
"Holy gods man! That was incredible!" Ryu exclaimed as he moved to get him off the floor. Samuel knelt down to look at jaune's leg.
"JOR! GET THE AID KIT!" he yelled to his capitan, who scampered down deck to fetch some bandages.
Ryu looked down at the wound and winced. "Ouch my dude. How ya feeling? You need anything."
Jaune squinted at him. "I'm either about to throw up or I can fight a god. I'll get back to you when I've decided." Jaune said before the ship rocked to the side. "Urk! I've decided" And with that single decision, Jaune threw up.
Jaune could remember the following events in a fuzzy manor:
One: He was moved to a bed downstairs.
Two: His leg was medicated and bandaged.
Three: he was given several pills
Four: he passed the fuck out.
When Jaune came too, Jor was fretting over his leg, propped up on wrapped up blankets and a spare pillow.
"You gave us quite the scare there with that Jorgumunder, Jaune." Jor said as he finished wrapping Jaune's wound. "Not everyday a shit survives such a beast, least of all the Nyra."
Jaune nodded, understanding how such a small ship would have, should have collapsed and sunk under the power of such a beast.
"The boys are hammering out the damage that beast did." Jor said before leaning back. "How you feeling? Not in danger of bleeding out on us or anything?" Jor asked in his seaman's accent.
Jaune shook his head. "Fine. My leg's sore and i could do with a nap, but I'll be fine." Jaune waved him off, before looking around. Seeing that his stuff wasn't there, Jaune moved to get up. His eyes flew open as his mouth opened to a silent scream, which devolved into a hiss.
"Ooohhhh, fuck, bad idea, bad idea." Jaune said as he curled around his leg.
"Oi!" Jor yelled. "I don't want you moving for anything, got it? You want something, you tell me or one of the boys." Jaune nodded.
"Could you please bring me my bag?" Jaune asked him. Jor nodded before teetering off into the ship. Jaune sighed, looking up at the ceiling.
Jor returned soon enough with a large duffle bag. Jor put it down next to the huntsman. "Here you go, son."
Jaune thanked the captain and dived into his duffel bag. Reaching around until he found the thick book that Dr. Oobleck had given him, he straightened up. The book lay heavy on his right leg, as his left was badly injured. Jaune opened the cover. "The art of war and other tactical publications from around the world." he read. He flipped the title page over.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction
The Art of War, Tsun Tzu
On War, Carl Von Clausewitz
A Collection of Tactics, Marl Van Stroff
1967: The Faunus War, Anne Tchikoski
The Prince, Niccolo Machiavelli
The Principalities of Combating Grimm, (VOL I. & III, parts.)
The 35 strategies of warfare, Dr. Roberto Emanuel
Days of Blood, Jack Arc
The Art of Chess, Antony Karpov
Jaune looked at the last one. It shouldn't have surprised him that an Arc wrote a well received book on tactics. It really shouldn't have. His family had been involved in war and world politics since before the great war that founded Atlas, despite his father and grandfather taking steps away from the world stage.
Jaune turned the page to the introduction.
"Our world is shaped by conflict. Be it by Grimm, Man, or whatever forces we decide to face the ire of our wrath. To some it is an art form. To others, a cruel necessity. To all, war is conflict. A violent division between the forces that be.
War, over the years, has been refined and ground and sieved through the filters of time, ingenuity and sacrifice. From the days of the cave man and their crude clubs and stones, to the smelted blade and steel shield, to the modern rifle and side arm. Throughout the ages, we have refined the act of war. War has with its evolution started to reveal what we knew about it all along.
War is abhorrent.
No matter what anyone tells you, no matter what you hear, no matter what newspaper you read, no matter what shiny silver metal is stored in the museum's glass, War is abhorrent. There is no Honor, no Glory, no absolution you will find in war that is worth the cost that is paid.
Keep that in him as you read the following. Some will wax poetic about war, others will tell it as the harsh truth it is. And as war and her weapons evolve, one day, war will be refined to its simplest form.
The single push of a button.
Know that as you continue to read this book. Know that you will not find the honor, glory or fulfillment in the contents of this book, or its implementation.
May your days be peaceful,
The name of the writer had been smeared. Jaune blinked.
Damn. Ok then. That was a rather heavy introduction. Jaune had to stop and look a the wall for a moment, resting the open book on his leg.
No honor in war, huh? What the hell was he here for? If there was no honor nor glory to be found, then would he be remembered?
Would he ever be the hero that he always dreamed of being?
A mewling broke him from his spell of existential crisis. "Oh, Catra, hello." jaune greeted the sea cat. She merely rumbled, hopping up onto his bed. Jaune gave a gasp as she walked over his wound. "Easy! Easy Catra! I'm a wounded man you know." jaune winced, gingerly moving the grizzly sea cat. The cat gave a humph sound, but curled up at Jaune's shins.
Jaune reread the introduction once more. "Hey Catra, do you think I'm a hero?"
"Mrow?"
"I mean, do heroes have Honor or Glory? Should that be what they fight for? I mean, I want to save people, at least I think I do. But are my motives strong enough?" Jaune asked the cat. The cat made a vibrating grumble, like it had something in its stomach. Jaune took that as a no.
"Then what do you think makes a hero, Catra."
"Meow." The cat said firmly
Jaune gave a huffing laugh. "Yeah, I guess you're right. I suppose it doesn't matter, does it?" Jaune said before returning to his book.
The boat rocked gently as the sun rose and fell. The crew was kind enough to check on him every once and a while, thanking him for saving their sailor ass.
It took two days for Jaune Arc to fully recover and be walking again. "I don't believe it." Samuel said as he watched the blonde hauling rope and pulling up the collapsed mizzen cross. "He practically lost his leg day before yesterday. I could see his fucking bone, man. I could see it through the blood and ripped flesh. And the dude is just walking around like it was nothing." Samuel complained to Ryu, who was on a rope swing, hammering out the damage the Jorgumunder did to the hull.
"Aura's one hell of a drug, man." The faunus shrugged, returning to hammering another replacement board into the hull. Samuel shook his head, watching jaune grasp the two ropes and give them an experimental tug. Satisfied that his knots would hold, Jaune started straining against them, walking backwards like a tug of war player. The tonne or so log started to slowly rise to its former position. Jor clinged to the mizzenmast, ready to re-secure the fallen log.
The old seaman started to reattach the log, taking only a few minutes to properly secure the thing. "Alright Jaune! It's on! You can let go of the ropes now!" Jor yelled down. Jaune let go of the ropes, watching them fall slack with bated breath.
Jor's securing held, much to the crew's relief.
Jaune and the Boys, as Jor called them, had set up a game of Marrakech, a traditional faunus game that originated from Vaulco.
"I'm kind of surprised you know the game." Ryu said, rolling the die and tisking, moving the Merchant to Samuel's carpet. Samuel laughed as Ryu gave him a button. "And the fact you have one that's so…" Ryu searched for the word. "Hey, Pops!"
"Yes?"
"Is there a word for Alyehnbahll?" jaune blinked at the strange word.
"Alyenball?" Jaune tried, raising an eyebrow.
Jor shook his head, walking over to the trio. "No. Alyehnbahll. The closest thing that comes to mind would be 'rustic', or 'authentic." Jor said before sitting down.
"So, who's winning?"
Samuel looked around. "I think jaune is, but it's hard to tell."
Jaune nodded before turning to Ryu. "what was that language you spoke? The Alyenbal thing?"
Ryu looked confused for a moment. "What, Feral? It's kind of the cultural language to the faunus. I'm surprised that you've never heard of it."
Jaune shrugged, taking a wood circle from Samuel. "I never knew that the faunus had a separate language. Doesn't really surprise me though, since Orleans speaks french."
It was Samuel's turn to raise an eyebrow. "French? What does that sound like?"
"ça ressemble beaucoup à ça, Samuel." Jaune said, looking up. Ryu looked surprised.
"Woah, that sounded cool man. It was like… it was like verbal silver, you know?" Jaune laughed at that.
"Yeah, i guess it is. Your Feral though sounds really cool. How difficult do you think it would be to learn?"
Ryu and his father shared a look. Jor shrugged before turning back to his soup. "Can't be that hard. I could probably teach you the basics before our journey ends." Ryu said finally. Jaune brightened up.
"That would be great. I could teach you french in return. You know, a language for a language?"
"Deal."
Jaune hung from the rigging, tying a loose knot back up.
"Jrabelosh yel Valar?" jaune guessed from the top, yelling the sentence to Ryu.
"Close. Remember, Jra is a more gutteral sound. Add a growl to it." Ryu returned, giving the rope a testing tug. He nodded, confident at his knots firm hold.
"Jrabelosh yel Valar." jaune said once more, this time more firmly.
"That was perfect! One more time!" Ryu yelled as he started to descend.
Jaune smiled, his self confidence rising just a bit at his success. "Jrabelosh yel Valar!"
"Wonderful, Jaune. Great pronunciation." Jor said as Jaune hit the deck.
"Thank you Jor. it means much to me." Jaune said with a smile. Feral conjugation and order of words was… simple to say. The word to didn't exactly exist, as the same with The and As, and possibly the word you as well, depending on dialect. So the direct translation ended up being closer to Thank you Jor, it means much me.
Eh, language was weird. Jaune had decided that long ago. Jor was shocked for a moment, but his surprise turned quickly to joy and pride.
"Very good, jaune. You are doing well." Jor smiled. 'That boy is smart. Very smart.' Jor thought as he watched the blonde tie off the mizzen ropes.
Jor was going to miss Jaune when he left. He had been a real boon to the ship, scaring off any small grimm that came close, pulling the work of easily five men or so. Jor shook his head, striding to the map room. Six days until they reached the port city of Moralle, should the wind and weather hold. Sure, they had the dust engine, but it was as much a bomb as it was an engine in Jors opinion. He didn't like the sounds it made when it was running at anything more than several knots.
Jor looked once more at the blonde, as he leaned over the rail to chat with Ryu from his swing.
"Yeah, He's a good kid." Jor said under his breath. He returned to moving planks as the sun started to set.
Jaune sat on deck, Catra curled up next to him as he looked at the book in front of him. The sun beat down from its throne high in the sky upon the blonde's neck, the white rag resting there absorbing any sweat he produced The blonde knight absentmindedly stroked Catra, who decided that the effort to bat the blondes hand away or to move out of his reach was too much.
"I can't believe that you're actually managing to read that thing." Ryu said with a groan. He had picked it up earlier and read four lines of it before having to put it down. "It's just so booorning!"
Jaune looked up at him. "If you say so." he said with a serene smile. He had gotten use to Ryu's energetic, sporadic, and what Jaune chose to call "positive Chad energy." The dude was a total Dudebro in the best possible ways. He wasn't a jerk or inconsiderate, he was just loud and often did before he thought. Jaune remembered when he was injured, Ryu came in to keep him compony during his stint in "Med Bay" and proceeded to just talk loudly at Jaune. It reminded him of Nora to an extent, but with less ingrained chaos to the speech.
"And then i said to her- hey, are you even listening, jaune?"
Jaune looked up at him. "Something about a woman?" Jaune made a guess.
"Yeah, so I said to her-"
"Ryu." jaune flatpanned. "You've never met a woman."
Ryu spluttered, his words robbed from him as the person he thought was his friend betrayed him so.
Samuel choked on his breath. The shipman let out a slow wheeze of a laugh. "Ohhh my god, Jaune, that was perfect. Just, pfft, Wheeze. " Samuel giggled as he picked himself up from the ground.
Jaune smiled with a wide, wide grin before turning back to his book.
Jor looked down at his son. "I'm more impressed that Catra hasn't clawed your hand off yet." Jor said, sitting down with the boys. Jaune just shrugged.
"Maybe cats just like me." jaune shrugged, turning the page. The constant sea breeze started to waver, causing Jaune to look up at the flag at the crow's nest, the power behind it dropping rapidly.
"The wind is dying." Jaune stated. Jor looked up to the flag as well.
"Well, damn. The wind do be dying. Ryu! Help me start the engine up! I don't want it to explode." Jor grunted, rising back to his feet. Ryu sighed, following his father.
"The engines not going to explode, dad. It just needs a tune up." Ryu groaned as they disappeared down to the under bellows of the ship.
Samuel and Jaune sat there in silence for a little while as the sounds of mechanical struggle came from below.
"Soooo…." Samuel started. "You're going to be leaving us soon."
Jaune was forced once more to look up away from his book. "Soon, yeah. We're only two days out, if the engine keeps strong." Jaune said, looking back down at his book.
Samuel looked out to the ocean wistfully. "Yeah, two days…"