Someone, most likely Arslan, was gracious enough to hand Jaune the trash can.
"Thank you." he groaned, grabbing the bucket quickly. He continued to empty his stomach. I forgot about our airsickness. A grumbled, displeased at their inherited flaw.
"Yeah." Jaune managed between hurls. "I hate my airsickness too."
Reese blinked. "You have airsickness?" She asked. "I thought you were just hung over."
Jaune gaped at her, giving her his best scandalized look. "It's one or the other." he said after a moment. "But let's go with air sickness." he said, bending over the basket once again.
He looked up, bleary and green. "It makes me look better." the ranger joked dryly, before his cheeks swelled as the bullhead jerked.
Nadir blanched. "I didn't think people could turn that color." He grimaced, turning away. It was an uncomfortable sight to see.
It was some time before Jaunes stomach was empty and he had nothing left to give to the bucket. Not that it made him any less nauseous. It just made it so that he didn't throw up.
Jaune leaned back in his chair, trying to focus on something that was not his upset body.
How long is this trip going to take? A groaned.
That is a good question. Jaune thought back. "How long until we arrive at Haven?" Jaune asked.
Nadir shrugged. "A couple hours at the fastest. It took us most of a day to get here, so I imagine that the return trip is going to be quite long as well."
Jaune squinted at him, really not wanting to believe that statement. "You're kidding, right?" Jaune asked. Nadir shook his head.
Jaune made a disgruntled face at that information. "Fuck."
The flight was uneventful. There were no great hordes of nevermores come to wreck terrible vengence upon them for their crimes against their kin. No massive dragons lying under lakes of gold to terrorize the metal flyer. It was a peaceful ride that jaune, if he was not under the ill effects of motion sickness, would have enjoyed greatly.
But alas, all good trips must come to an end. And Jaune's journey to Haven, his great exodus, came to an end with it.
Arslan made that sound one makes to gain the attention of someone that is clearly not paying attention.
Jaune opened his eyes to look at the lioness. "Yes, Ms. Altan?"
"You will want to see this. We're coming up on Haven." Arslan said. Jaune looked out the window as they approached the academy.
It was remarkably different than Beacon academy. Particularly the trading of the round circular curves Beacon for solid straight lines and shapes of a rectangular nature. The entire building was modeled strongly after the Edo era of Mistral architecture. The white washed walls shined like quarts in the glare of the sun. It was far more humble than the grandiose Beacon academy, with it's massive spires and castle like design. The bullhead dipped down, heading to the clearly light and designated landing pad. The school was beautiful in its own right.
Once they began their descent to the landing pad, and Jaune had filled his gaze with the white washed buildings, Arslan posed Jaune a question. "How do you know Feral?" She asked.
Jaune looked surprised at the question. "It was taught to me a long time ago. A friendly group of sailors took me across the sea in exchange for a language and some good fortune. I picked it up on the ride." jaune explained. Arslan gave a nod, but was incredibly suspicious. The Feral language was not to be given out so lightly.
Arslan remembered the second thing Jaune had said to the magistrate. "How did you know he was of the fifth testament?"
Jaune blinked, confused at the phrase. "I'm sorry, the what?" he asked.
Arslan looked equally confused. How does he not know the scripture he references? She thought with a headshake. "The fifth testament of the Tal'Qurac, the Bible, the Faunus scripture. You do know what the Bible is, correct?"
"Only in passing."
Arslan was shocked. How could you reference Krydth, Patron of the fifth, and not know about the fifth testament? "How can you speak Feral and not know of the Bible on which it's based on?" She asked. Jaune shrugged.
"I will be honest, Ms. Altan." jaune started. "I only know the words. It is the difference between knowing the word "Acquiesce" and "Obtain", and knowing the difference between their meaning. I know what I say, but not the meaning behind it. But Krydth is the god of all men, is he not? Does that not make all his children?" Jaune asked, his explanation turning into a chance to learn something about Arslan's native tongue.
Arslan was surprised at jaunes' explanation. Most learned the language by reading the Bible, and she imagined that understanding the language, which was strife and filled with biblical references and metaphors. It was an intrinsically poetic language, and not knowing how such poetry was formed led to poor grammatical errors and strange style of speaking.
Jaune took this moment of contemplative silence to ask his own question. "I have been meaning to discover this, but what do the words 'Karmora' and 'Shabyth' mean? I have heard them, but do not know of them."
Arslan supposed that such a gap in his knowledge made sense, as both were direct references to the Bible, the second testament in particular.
"Shabyth means ghost, in it's most direct translation." Arslan started, feeling a little awkward about the explanation, considering her constant comparison of the word to jaune. "They are warrior spirits left behind to guide people out of the battlefields of the dead."
Jaune nodded in a semblance of understanding. He was sure there was more to the definition, but it was sufficient for now. He could find out the rest later.
He waited patiently for Arslan to continue to address the second half of his question.
Arslan took in a breath, unsure how to truly cover the complicated definition and connotation and context behind the word Karmora. "Karmora is… they are a forest god, designated to the ancient world and old untamed woods." Arslan started, seeing that the very definition is probably a good place to start at. "They are often depicted as evil and malicious to the invasive man, playing cruel tricks and magics on those that dared wander into his domain. But has had a kind of "softening" in the fifth testament."
Jaune nodded, fascinated by the explanation.
How many testaments do you think there are? B thought. She's mentioned at least five of them.
Jaune would have to ask that question later, and the bullhead was about to land anyway.
Jaune was grateful to get onto solid ground, swiftly moving to the nearest trash can.
"You still have stuff to lose?" Reese asked, amazed at the vastness of his sickness.
Jaune's warbaling groan came from the depths of the trash can as a response.
Headmaster Lionheart approached the bullhead, his face of kind friendliness shifting into disgust and concern upon seeing the sickly green ranger bent over a trash can.
"Ah, er, Hello Mr. Arc." The lion faunus said to the hunched figure. Jaune looked up at him.
"Good morning." Jaune said as he pulled himself up off the steel can. "Please call me Jaune." the ranger said, brushing himself off.
"Ah." Lionheart nodded. "Jaune then. I am Headmaster Lionheart." He introduced himself. Jaune's eyes widened at that statement. "You're headmaster Lionheart?" he asked dumbly. The headmaster just smiled.
"What? Am I too old?" he joked, to which Jaune shook his head.
"No, actually." He said quickly. "I expected someone closer to Ozpin's age."
Lionheart frowned at that. "By that do you mean younger or older?" He asked, unsure of the target age Jaune was referring to. Ozpin managed to look both twenty and six hundred at once, somehow. Leo was a little envious of that, to be honest.
Jaune shrugged in response.
"I'll take it." Lionheart said, leading Jaune and team ARBN into the school. He walked them through the gate into the main courtyard, rambling all the way about how pleased he was that Jaune had chosen to move to Haven.
"Ozpin spoke very highly of you, you know." Lionheart mentioned to the ranger. Jaune was surprised at that. He hadn't really done anything note worthy during his time at Beacon. "Came to me with a personal recommendation for your transferall, he did."
Arslan perked up with a keen interest there. Freaking Ozpin gave Jaune a personal recommendation? She thought, astounded with the information that was presented.
The walk quickly turned into a tour of the school. Lionheart seemed to be ecstatic to show Jaune around, from the training ground to the dorms to the cafeteria. "Here are the dorms. You'll notice that there is a little more space in these dorms than back at Beacon, I assure you!" Lionheart laughed as he gestured to the room. It was one small common area, roughly two and half meters by two meters, that led to another equally small room that Jaune assumed was the bathroom. Along the wall, there were four separate doors that led to, what Jaune assumed, were individual bedrooms. Depending on the size of those rooms, the dorms were indeed larger than Beacon's singular eight foot by eight foot room per team. One singular room and an attached bathroom. That had been an interesting experience, sharing a room with Nora.
"We are so pleased that you decided to come to our academy Mr. Arc." Lionheart said cheerfully. Jaune shook his head again.
"Once again, Headmaster. Call me Jaune." Jaune said, his voice carrying an unfriendly chill that sent shivers down Lionheart's spine.
"O-of course, Mr-Jaune." Lionheart corrected nervously. "D-do you have a scroll?" The headmaster asked, recomposing himself. Jaune nodded.
"If you could kindly give me your number, I can add you to our system."
Jaune gave him another nod. "To where should I deposit the number?"
It was at this point that Nadir spoke up, interrupting the headmaster. "Https:login/signup/identify/Haven_ . The H and the first A in Academy are capitalized." Nadir said, going on to speak out the entire website address for Jaune. Jaune turned to the pink gunner.
How very interesting. B thought as Nadir shrunk away from his gaze. What an intriguing sentence.
Closer to really weird. I mean, who says the entire website address? That's just strange as heck. A frowned, confused as to why. Jaune shrugged it off, seeing as the oddity was not particularly important or insulting. "Thank you." Jaune said, giving Nadir a small head bow.
Returning his gaze to the headmaster, Jaune continued his questioning. "I assume I will be given a room once my number is in your system?"
The headmaster nodded. "Along with your class schedule, yes."
Jaune gave him a silent nod. "So that is everything, correct?" The ranger asked. The older lion faunus gave him a rapid and nervous nod.
"Yes, I believe so."
Jaune gave him a nod, clearly dismissing the headmaster, as he had no new information to give him.
Lionheart picked up on the dismissal, as surprising as it was to be so blatantly dismissed by a student.
"Wow, bro. That was cold." an unfamiliar voice whistled from behind Arslan. Jaune peered over the shorter girl to see another faunus. This one was a blonde monkey faunus who apparently had an intrinsic dislike of shirts, or an unhealthy pride in his abs. He looks like the definition of a sunny saturday morning. Laid back, relaxed, and generally cheerful. The man simply radiates positivity
A looked at him with envy. They have some impressive abs. He admitted jealousy.
Arslan spun to the intruder, her face one of friendly recognition. "Sun. Hello." She greeted him. Sun gave her a 'sup?' nod in return. "Who's the new kid?" He asked.
Arslan stepped aside, removing the barrier between the two blondes. Sun sized up Jaune, deciding that he was only a little taller than him.
"Sun, this is Jaune, a new student." Arslan introduced the two. "Jaune, this is Sun, leader of team Sun." She said, before muttering under her breath "please don't hurt him." She whispered to Jaune.
Sun strode forward with confidence, moving to greet the grey clad ranger. And then realized just exactly how poorly hid judgment was.
Jaune was not a little taller than him. Jaune was a lot taller than him. Sun was, even with his shoulders squared and his back straight, only eye level with the rangers chin. Sun looked up to meet the grey rangers dulled eyes.
"Wow, you are tall." Sun said, sticking out a hand. Jaune looked down on it, his entire head peering at the offered limb like some kind of bird. Perhaps those dinosaur eagles that ate bones.
What were those called? jaune wondered, remembering when he had read about them on Wikipedia.
B recalled that they were called Harpy Eagles. Their diet consists of roughly 80 percent bone and they like rubbing clay into their feathers to turn them red.
Jaune reached out with his armored glove, the roughened and well used from its decades of service to the ranger. Sun shook it, looking down in surprise. No huntsman wore armor anymore. Not really, anyway. Anyone who did so only did so for show. Or they were just hardcore oldschool like that.
You didn't have to worry about your Aura breaking if you were decked out in plate mail, after all.
Jaune nodded at his statement. He was indeed, "Tall" as the monkey faunus put it.
Sun, Jaune discovered, was a very chatty person. He liked to know people, and he liked asking questions.
"So, where are you from?" The monkey asked, walking besides Jaune as team ARBN trailed behind them. They were most likely going to their own dorm suite, ready for a peaceful rest in their own beds.
"Orleans." Jaune grunted, striding swiftly through the school's tiled floors.
Sun nodded, before frowning good naturedly. "Orleans? Can't say I've heard of it. Is it nice?"
Jaune noted that Sun didn't ask where it was, but if it was nice. "Nice as any other place, I suppose. Pretty quiet, not a lot happens there." Jaune admitted as he turned a corner, trying to remember how to get to the gym, and attached to it, the communal showers. He stopped at a crossroads, trying to remember if he was supposed to go right or left. He clasped his hands together, pointing his fingers like some kind of dowsing rod to direct him in the way he wished to go. He eventually decided on right, heading that direction.
I'm pretty sure it's on the left, actually. B said, correcting Jaune's direction.
Modern buildings are confusing… Jaune grumbled, turning around on his heels to head in the suggested direction.
"Quiet, huh?" Sun asked, leaning against the hall. "Must be nice. I'm from Vacuo." He continued as Jaune seemed to decide which way he was going. "It's pretty hot there, you know? All that sun and sand will just bake you alive."
Sun continued to fill the silence as Jaune wandered his way to the gym area Lionheart had showed him earlier. Sun stopped at the edge of the bathrooms. "I'll, uh.. I'll see you around." Sun offered as he realized what Jaune intended to do. Jaune nodded.
"Of course." He said, taking off his cloak. "Thank you for your company."
He closed the door, cutting off his vision from the blonde monkey faunus. He looked around the white tiled room. It was pretty stereotypical for any well maintained gymnasium public bathroom. White tiles, white paint where tiles was not necessary. A row of porcelain urinals and stalls. Behind them was a large singular room with a line of showerheads. Jaune headed directly to the showers, slipping out of his armor as he strode.
The water rushed through the pipes upon being summoned, and Jaune could not help but let out a content sigh as the scalding water. "Oh, hot water I missed you" Jaune practically moaned as he lathered himself in the hot water. The bath in the inn was nice, but was nothing compared to the steaming hot water that could be provided with the power of a boiler. It was nice, having all the amenities of modern living again.
Jaune left the bath feeling the freshest he had in a long time. Decades, even, just washed away with hot water. Jaune checked that off of his list, dressing himself and opening his scroll. Next was to get himself settled into civilized life once more. He opened up the website Nadir had given him, and found that it asked for a "Student Identification number."
Jaune squinted at it.
Time to get to work. Juane sighed, cracking his neck. It took Jaune a pathetic two hours to force his way into the Haven server system. It helped when he had an almost direct back door to the servers. Jaune decided to just directly put in the information he wanted into the system, rather than letting the algorithm decide his fate.
"Room… Which room do I want?" Jaune considered pulling up a map of Haven. He would like something with a nice view, but he was going to be limited to the Kado Hall.
You know what, I like room 366. Nice mountain view, overlooking the city in the distance. A pointed out. Also, no one is in the connected dorms.
Jaune nodded. Alright then. Room 366 it is. And you know what? Jaune asked his counterparts.
I think things are looking up.
And with that positive note, I leave you with this chapter. This chapter wasn't that important, but to bring back some semi important details and skills Jaune has, like computer skills and languages.
We also are introduced to my third favorite blonde! Sun is in the house. I look forward to the next couple of chapters, but they're going to be slower on the Waking world side.
Let's just hope that it last's Jaune.
As always, please leave a comment with whatever constructive critism, scene idea, theory, or really anything else you have to say. I love reading them.