Jaune had neatly folded his clothes away, tucking them into the wardrobe in the corner of his room. It wasn't much, most certainly nothing compared to the vast choices he had back at home. But it was something more than dense armor and a single sweaty hoodie.
Jaune had changed almost as soon as he had closed the door. His armor was tucked away in a corner, neatly stacked in a manner he had gotten accustomed to. He had yet to be accustomed to the lack of the weight on his shoulders.
A looked around the drab, undecorated room. It is rather bland, isn't it? He thought as they took in the dull beige colored walls.
Jaune was inclined to agree. It was a little bland. Back at Beacon, Pyrrha had set up a bunch of posters of old Mistral ring fighters, along with some cute little motivational posters, while Ren had a tiny corner of the room dedicated to a ceremonious tea set, and Nora often would leave the remnants of last night's pillow fort on the floor. Jaune didn't quite feel that there was the space for his own personality in the room, but his comic books did take up their fair share on the single shelf in the room.
"You know, I always wanted a wall flag." Jaune said out loud as he pictured the wall with some simple tapestry. There were a couple strong contenders of tattered insignias from ages past in the Dream. Jaune rolled his shoulders, tossing his backpack gently on the bag. Pulling out the eclectic collection of strange curios and dream born relics from the bag, he started sorting them out. Weapons and the simple bottles were returned to the bag, while his pilfered tombs, flags, and other oddities were laid out on his bed. He unfurled several of the tapestries, and found that most of them were simply far too large for the small room. However he found two that would roughly fit his designated space. He pulled out some nails and string, and got to work on hanging them up. They went up on either side of the single window he had.
One of them was once probably a strong blue color, and had managed to maintain most of it's luster. At its top was an arching of once yellow stars, a dozen small imploding nebulas curving gracefully over some kind of pronged sigil, looking oddly like a crown on top of a skull. That was just interpretation though, as the vertical lines and their breaks were clearly and purely abstract. Underneath it was a red sphere, contrasting strongly with the powerful blue. A stitched banner with the words "Grasha Vitsumi Magasma Ortho Yggrbrag '' inscribed into it, as faded and bled as they were. It must have been some kind of motto or family oath, but he did not know what it ment. It sounded oddly familiar for some reason. Jaune remembered where he picked up this particular banner. It was hanging in the walls of someone's bedroom. They were probably wealthy, considering that their bedroom was well furnished and the veritable McMansion that they had lived in was equally gaudy. There was little taste in it, but at least the crest had some sign of favorable preference in design. That was one he found in the Eternal City.
The other was something he wasn't sure where he picked it up, but was fairly certain he had taken it from what was once a church in the farmlands. It was a black backed banner with a bright orange circle in the center. A straight line struck through the center of the ring vertically, matching its color. It was simpler than the flag on it's left, and for it it was equally, if not more beautiful. Jaune nodded, looking at the dual flags flanking his window view. He turned to one of the walls. It was far too bland.
Do you think they would let us have a wall sword? Jaune thought as he pondered the possibilities.
B scrunched his face. No, but I'm also pretty sure we aren't allowed to put holes in their walls either…
Jaune shrugged. He would have to go get hooks for it anyway. It would have to wait for later. Looking over the rest of his collection, he decided where to place them. Some candles found their way onto the desk, just off center to the left. The Doctor's mask rested on the edge of that desk as well. A couple of Jaune's favorite bottles were stored on the floor, lined up against the wardrobe in a selective manner. He would add more later, but for now it was satisfactory. Jaune looked at his phone, seeing that the cheap charger he bought at Schnee mart was indeed working. There was a message at the top, a notification that called for Jaune attention.
Missed call: Nora, Queen of the Castle. 15 days ago.
Jaune winced, feeling bad about missing that call. He really wanted to keep contact with one of his few friends. Jaune could just imagine the terribly powerful pout Nora must have had when her call was turned down. He tapped at the notification, playing out the recorded message.
"Hey Fearless leader." Nora's voice chirped from his speaker, the mechanical device not quite delivering all of her voice to Jaune. He supposed it was natural that some of the data, some of the human inflections, were lost in translation. "I just wanted to see how you were doing. I know it's been a while, but you haven't responded to any of my texts. Ren says that it's because there is no CCT service out there, but surely someone's got to have a transponder, right? Eh, I'm sure you are busy with saving the world. You could be fighting dragon grimm, or giant sea snakes!" The cheery recording spiked with excitement at the idea. Jaune smiled, that odd quirk of Nora being right in the most odd way possible showing up again. "Or maybe giant sloths!" Nora stopped for a moment, her voice turning to a more timid, pleading manner. "Please don't kill the Giant Sloths. They're so…. So slothly."
Jaune couldn't help but smile at that, letting out a soft huff in amusement. That was such a Nora thing to ask of him.
"But anyway, I just wanted to make sure that you're doing ok. I'm sure you're out there, saving entire villages from grimm and making the world a better place. But still." Nora gave another uncharacteristic sigh. "I miss you, and I would really love to hear from you. I'm doing ok, although it's not the same without you. Pyrrha seems really moody, and she's constantly arguing with people. Particularly Weiss. And Yang. And Blake. And Cardin. And the rest of CRDL. And a couple other people- wow, that's actually a lot of people. Yeah, Pyrrha likes arguing now." That last sentence was almost a question, almost an admittance of defeat. "Ren's doing… well, he's doing. I don't think he's taken it as bad as Pyrrha did. He doesn't talk as much any more, though." Nora said, her recorded voice inflicted with being the bearer of bad news. "I miss his voice." Jaune's face was that of stone, carved into a hard, regretful face. He did regret that he couldn't stay in Beacon, in Vale. he did regret that he couldn't stay with his friend. He regretted that things didn't turned out the way he planned. He regretted that he failed Reed, that he failed himself.
He didn't regret chasing his dream, though. He didn't regret helping those people to Rogues Hill. He surprised himself. He didn't even regret leaving Beacon, or leaving Vale. He didn't have that many regrets, all things considered.
Which surprised him. He thought that he would find himself regretting the mistakes he made in his life more than he did.
"END OF FINAL RECORDING" came the mechanical prerecorded voice, signifying that the message was over. Jaune had missed the ending. He probably knew what it was going to be about, but he still replayed the message anyway.
"END OF FINAL RECORDING" the message played again. Jaune was sitting on his bed, cradling his phone in his hands, looking at the recorded message. He clenched his jaw, mustering the strength within his soul to give her a response.
What did he even say? "Hey, nora. I'm glad you're doing ok. I made it to Haven. Saw someone die. I died myself, woke up on what I think is some form of purgatory? Anyway, every night when I go to sleep I wake up in a terrible dreamscape that i die in over and over again. Also, I now hear voices in my head. See you soon, toodles!"
Pfft, yeah right.
Because that wouldn't be suspicious at all. B pointed out, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
Jaune thought about what he should tell his close friend. How he should respond.
He clicked the call button, letting his phone vibrate in his hand. BRRRT, BRRRT.
"Hello-? Jaune jaune?" Nora's voice crackled from the speaker. Jaune froze, completely unprepared to actually speak to the girl. Oh, god, somehow this is even worse. Jaune thought to himself as he stared at the light up device. "Hello?" Nora asked again, her voice teetering on dismay at the lack of response.
A was practically screaming at him. Don't just stand there, you idiot, say something!
What?! Jaune responded with, desperate to be fed a line.
Anything!
"Hello? Can you hear me?" Jaune spoke into the speaker.
"Jaune-Jaune? Is that you?" Nora asked, her voice rising. "I can hear you Jaune-Jaune!" She practically yelled into the phone. Someone spoke loudly in the background, as though they were trying to gain the electric girl's attention.
"Sorry, prof, but Jaune's on the line! I got to go!" Nora called over her shoulder, the sound sounding distant to Jaune. He heard a door slam closed soon after.
"Nora, are you in class? Nora, don't skip class just to talk to me-" Jaune started, but was abruptly cut off. "Sorry Fearless leader, but Port is just so boring. Besides, it's not like he's teaching anything important." Jaune could hear her beaming though the scroll. He sighed, a smile creeping onto his face. "Are you sick or something?" Nora continued, not stopping for breath. "You sound kind of raspy there."
"Well, I can't say you're wrong, I have been feeling a little under the weather recently" he admitted. It was a lie? Might have been a lie. he most certainly hadn't felt like Jaune Arc for some time, but he wasn't sure if that made him sick. Maybe it was just the stress from his exodus. Whatever it was, it wasn't that important right now. "So, what have you been up to since I've left?"
Nora made a so so noise. "Not much, Fearless leader. Things have been boring since you left."
Jaune practically reeled at that. A boring day? At Beacon? Filled with stereotypically reckless and hormonal teenagers?
Come on, they aren't that bad. A defended his former colleges.
Jaune gave him a look. I've read some of the fan letters those student's gave Pyrrha. A lot of them were border line erotica. So yeah, they are horny. Jaune said, before returning his attention back to Nora. "A boring day at Beacon? That's an oxymoron if I've ever heard one." He chuckled at the thought.
Nora groaned. "I know! Beacon was supposed to be fun and exciting!"
"Well, life can't always be high octane fuel all the time, Nora." Jaune advised. "Sometimes it just has to slow down, and you with it." That was just the way the world was. Not even the Dream was high octane gas all the time. Hell, Jaune spent most of his time in the Dream reading, training, or learning some odd new skill.
Nora just groaned. "But why?" She groaned, disappointed that the world had decided to not be interesting at that moment. Jaune shrugged.
"I think you should revel in such moments, Nora. You don't know when they will come again, particularly in this line of work." The ranger said sagely. It was a somber word of wisdom. Nora was silent for a moment.
"Jaune." She started. "Do you have something in your throat? You sound kind of, well, scratchy?"
Jaune blinked. He made a grumbling sound, testing his vocal chords. They felt fine, but the sound they made was most certainly one that was far outside of whatever range he had that month and half ago.
"I was stabbed." Jaune responded with almost instantly, before clenching his jaw in a wince. Probably should not have said that. He thought.
"What do you mean you were STABBED?!" Nora practically shouted. "Are you ok? What happened? Do I need to break some kneecaps?" The panicked valkyrie rattled off. Jaune laughed, a rasped snorting laugh, as he attempted to calm her down.
"Nora, Nora, breathe. It's ok. I'm ok." Jaune said, controlling his laughs. "I'm alright. I just was jumped, taken off guard. They're dead now. It's ok."
Nora was silent for a long time at that bombshell. Jaune sat there on his bed, stewing the awkward silence.
"Jaune." Nora said sternly, in a complete opposite tone to her warm concern just seconds ago. "Is there someone you want to tell me?"
Jaune's face looked similar to that of someone sucking on a lemon. "Do I have to answer that?" He asked nervously. Nora gave him a raised eyebrow. Not that Juane could see that skeptical face.
"Nora, if you are giving me the evil eye, I can't see it." jaune pointed out. Nora gave a harrumphing sound.
"I am giving you the evil eye." Nora confirmed. "So, what happened?"
Jaune sighed, running his hand through his hair. "You'll want to sit down. It's a story." The ranger suggested. "So, I was wandering around Mistral, right? Minding my own business, when I came across what I thought was a merchant caravan. At least I thought it was a merchant caravan."
I was just relieved to find actual human beings, instead of drunken ghouls.
Nora seemed interested. "Oh? What were they?"
"Slavers." Jaune responded, his voice full of venom. "Bandits, cruel and terrible people."
Nora was about to speak when Jaune's voice, full of anger and sorrow accented by the static somehow, interrupted her. "They had cargo. Women and children from a town they had burned."
Nora gave him a dry gulp. "What did you do?" She asked. She already knew the answer. Jaune had already answered it.
"I snuck up on them once I became suspicious." Jaune admitted. "Their "cargo" didn't seem normal. When I saw what their cargo was, who their cargo was, I dunno. I just-"
Nora spoke up. "You got angry?" She suggested, already picturing the scene. Jaune, gleaming in the firelight in his armor, an enraged snarl on his face.
Jaune gave her a short shot of breath, almost a snort, almost a gasp. But not quite either. "I wish I felt anger," he said. "I wish i really felt anything at all." Jaune looked wistfully down at his feet, staring past them into. "I just looked at them, and what they had done, and decided that they were not seeing the light of day again." He shrugged. "There was no anguish, no hatred. Nothing. I just decided, like some uncaring god, that they would simply not exist beyond that night."
Jaune thought about his words. He supposed he was a god, in that manner. He could dictate, had dictated the fates of those slavers. Just as they had dictated the fate of those slaves for a moment. It was strange, how man became god. Or perhaps it was god that became man. Food for thought, huh?
The power man could wield at a whim. For that's what it was. A whim. A justified whim? Perhaps, but a whim nonetheless.
"Jaune…" Nora started. "That is like, legitimately concerning. I hate to be the one saying it, but have you considered a therapist?" She said, her voice oddly steady and devoid of inflection. It was a controlled steadiness that was unlike her. It was full of concern, which is something that he should have expected.
"You really think I need therapy?" he asked, only a little insulted at the insinuation. He was fine. He had been fine. He had been fine for years now. Months now?
Regardless. He was fine. He had to be fine. It's not like he was going insane. He just heard voices in his head and had hallucinogenic dreams.
And that's not suspicious at all? A asked, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
Hush you. Jaune responded curtly. You two are a joy.
"Nora. I'm ok." He said, trying to cut off that line of conversation. "I'm fine. It's just been a rough journey, that's all."
The two sat in silence for a while. Jaune turned the conversation to what Nora was learning.
Nora giggled. "Well, we've been talking about Jorgumunder, the sea serpent grimm."
Jaune nodded. "Yeah, I remember fighting one on my way to Mistral." Jaune said wistfully. "I dropped a mast on it's head."
"Wait, wait wait wait." Nora sputtered, shocked at Jaune's casual statement. "I'm sorry, fearless leader, you did what?"
Jaune shrugged. "I killed a Jorgunmunder. On my trip to Mistral on the boat. It attacked us, and I dropped a sail on its head."
"Oh! Storytime! I absolutely, necessarily, completely, utterly, and definitely need to hear this story." Nora giggled. Jaune could just imagine her bunkering down, burrowing into a pile of blankets like a snake does with sand.
"Ok. it was an ironically bright and clear day, with a storm rapidly approaching…" Jaune started telling the story of his first major encounter. He was smiling an honest smile as he did it. Eventually he got to the end as the sun started to dim. "And we entered port soon after that." Jaune concluded.
"Wow." Nora said, filled with awe. "That's an amazing story, fearless leader. You sure you're not pulling my leg?"
Jaune chuckled at the accusation. "Nope." he responded. "True story. I still have the scar on my leg from it." The ranger said as he looked out the window. The sun was falling into the sky, turning the blue into a spackled array of purples and reds. "Well, I'm going to have to let you go, Nora. It's getting late and I need to get some dinner." He sighed. He didn't want to end the call, but he couldn't keep Nora forever. "And I know for a fact you are late for history."
Nora made a pouting sound. "How'd you know?" She grumbled, the sound of her moving towards Dr. Oobleck's class could be heard through the speaker.
"Because I highly doubt that your schedule would have changed at all, even with me gone." Nora sighed at that, the reminder that Jaune was indeed gone and far away from her.
"Hey." She said, grabbing jaune's attention. "Call me again, alright? This was fun."
Jaune nodded. "Of course I will." such an answer was obvious. "I will call as soon as I am able. Give the good doctor my greetings. I will see you soon Nora."
Nora gave a conformational hum. "Of course, Fearless Leader. I'll see you soon."
Jaune ended the call, flopping back onto his bed. He was fully expecting to have some several minutes of peace and quiet in his own room, as forign as it was.
A knocking at his door proved him wrong.
Alright alright alright! Another chapter in the bag. I apologize for taking so long, but life got in the way. This chapter was a slow one, but we get to see Nora again! or rather, we get to hear Nora again. I've been looking forward to this scene for a while, and really think I hit it on the head. Is it perfect? not really, but it hit everything I wanted.
Good Nora, always looking out for Jaune, making sure he's ok and up to date.
next chapter we will return to the dream (I hope) but there is one scene that needs to be done before we get there. The next chapter, or the next few, should answer several questions including but not limited to; Why Jaune's aura is acting strange, why Jaune is getting other peoples memories, and perhaps what happened to this place.
As for separating the two storylines of the Dream and the waking world into two separate stories: I considered this, but it won't work because the two storylines are distinctly interconnected and intertwined. not only though Jaune, but in other aspects as well. so reading one storyline without reading the other will make no sense what so ever. A good idea, but not for this story
As always, please leave a comment, review, constructive criticism, idea, and/or whatever theory you have for this story. I love hearing them and they are often so incredibly cool.
Thank you for reading!