REVIEWS:
Annoying POW marine: I will see about doing a chapter that is a bit more focused on Beacon in the coming days. Flush some stuff out better.
Alexdel27: You are half right. To the women of Beacon, it was never about losing Jaune to other women since no one ever saw him that way, to begin with. Pyrrha might get jelly later, but then again, her fame holds even in the fashion industry. Still, given that she is training to be a huntress, she is not an active model.
Phantom117a: Blake is Blake. Nora is Nora.
Revan222: Ok, you are actually misreading it a bit. Technically, Jaune has no way to show that he is better. As a person? A Huntsman? Revenge is petty, and to be better, one must go over it. He didn't do the shoot to show them up, but rather, he did it more to show himself he could be out there without drowning in shame. It was done for himself, not for others.
Xerzo LotCN: And the story is still being written in gold.
Alright, lads, you know what the text in the middle means. Announcement time. As you all might have seen, the Slateon (You know what I mean.) is no more. This is due to some issues that saw me remove it. Don't worry. I am fine; the whole ordeal just bumped me. Anyway, I am pleased to announce that I have moved to Ko-Fi. There is a link at the bottom of this chapter. Or know what? Ima put it here. You will see all Previews there from now on, as stuff should be pretty similar to how things were before.
Discord Invite: /FVXgdXtMUv
Coffee Link: (You know how to alter this)/horns
Until next time, guys! ENJOY!
"I cannot believe the stuff we did," Jaune said as he and his group were going back to his place. "The speedo? That was one thing. But all the positions and stuff? Especially that last one!"
"Relax, dude, you did well for your first time modeling!" Ashley replied, trying to calm his nerves. "Besides, it was a sweet gig! They even let us keep the clothes, and this stuff ain't due to hit the market until next year!"
"A bit jealous, not going to lie…" Aiko said openly. "They only gave you guys the clothes! And such sweet lingerie as well!"
"I can…" Beli cleared her throat. "I can definitely see couples enjoying them when they hit the market."
"Whatever," Lillian said as she was scrolling through her scroll.
"Speaking of, you guys made some pretty steamy scenes there." Aiko teased. "Especially that last one! Oh my Dust, I think one of the other guys on set was hiding a stiff one!"
Ashley laughed at that line. "It happens. It's not easy being a Remnant-class model. During such shoots, the men on the team sometimes get aroused. A few women, too, believe it or not. But man." She stretched, popping her back. "Having to redo some of those pictures in those positions takes a toll on my back."
"You have a bad back, Ashley?" Beli asked, concerned.
"Not quite, no. I just have some allergies. They are better now, but when I was young, they caused me quite the hassle. Unfortunately, one such allergy was an allergy to milk. It was a mild one, and I AM better now. My body no longer reacts to milk and other milk-based products, but when I was younger, I'd get a very swollen tongue." Ashley confessed. "So, I guess my bones didn't harden that much, and now I am paying the price,"
"I see. You know, I think I know a few yoga poses and routines that can help you with the pressure." Beli offered.
"Thanks, Beli. Honestly, having our yoga instructor did prove useful." Ashley noted.
"Please, all you do is repeat sex positions," Lillian stated, which seemed to trigger Beli.
"They are not for intercourse!" She stated swiftly but then seemed to have a few doubts. "I mean…Not all of them. Some, I guess…Ohhh."
Beli was now officially embarrassed, and Jaune knew he had to step in. "Don't worry, Beli. Look at the bright side! Yoga not only helps keep us in shape but also makes us very flexible. Like, I never saw anyone, even back in Beacon, who could put their foot up to their head!"
"Really?" Beli asked, surprised. "I would have imagined huntsmen-to-be to be well-trained."
"Oh, they are…" Jaune replied slowly. "But flexibility is not on everyone's agenda."
"I see," Beli replied.
"Hey, wait up. You are talking about Beacon a lot more these days." Aiko noted, which got everyone's attention. "Finally ready to tell us everything from top to bottom?"
"No," Jaune replied firmly. "But, I guess you all know I WAS in Beacon once and that I was kicked out."
"Obviously." Ashley pointed out. "But why were you kicked out?"
"That, Ashley, is the part I'd rather keep on the low, for now, that is," Jaune replied, and the girls seemed to respect his decision. "Anyway, who wants some late-night snacks?"
"Finally! Thought you'd never ask! Now that this shoot is over, I can freely enjoy myself with some cheat cake!" Ashley stated.
"I could use some as well." Aiko joined in.
"Girls, are you certain? Cake at night is not too good." Beli stated, offering her bits of concern. "I will have a salad."
"Do we have pizza?" Lillian asked.
"Well, we won't know what we have in the fridge until we check, so-" Suddenly, however, Jaune's words died in his mouth as they arrived at the house. Or rather, arriving at what looked like the scene of a crime. "WHAT THE FUCK HAPPENED HERE?!"
There were police cars everywhere, and upon seeing the house he bought with his money, Jaune took notice that a window was broken, indicating a break-in. He rushed ahead, and an officer saw him. 'Ease up, citizen! This is a crime scene!"
"And that is my house!" Jaune pointed at the building.
"Your house?" The officer checked their tablet, and Jaune took out his scroll and brought his ID up as well. The officer looked it over, confirming his words. "You are Jaune Arc! Forgive me, Sir, I was just doing my job."
"What happened?" Jaune asked, and the officer let him and the girls through.
"Try not to touch anything. I will lead you to the chief, who will explain everything." The officer led Jaune and the girls inside the house. There, they saw a sight that shocked them: not only was the house a mess, but pieces of furniture were missing.
"Oh no. No, no, no!" Lillian dashed off, going to her room. Upon opening the door, she screamed. "The fuckers took my stereo! And not only! I am missing several pairs of shoes, some clothes, and even some of my accessories!"
"Yeah, and the lower rooms were not spared either." Looking to the side, Jaune was met with an elderly man with short, gray hair from age, with a stern expression, yet with kind eyes. The man's red eyes looked at him closely, and he was rubbing his beard. "I am afraid the robber took several items from each room, as much as they could carry, really."
"Are you the chief of police?" Jaune asked them.
"Indeed. My name's Ray O'Verda." He offered Jaune a handshake, which the boy took. "We received a call about an ongoing robbery. By the time the squad car arrived, however, the robber had run away."
"Who called you, though? We were all away." Jaune pointed out.
"Ummm. I did?" And the one who called revealed themselves, peaking from behind the chief.
"Kyanna?!" Beli gasped but smiled upon seeing her. The two women embraced one another. "What were you doing all the way out here at such a late hour? What about Philip?"
"He is a heavy sleeper, and I never intended to stay long, either. I have been looking for you since I heard about what happened at the gym. I was wondering if you still teach." Kyanna explained. "But I stumbled upon more than I wanted."
"Miss Delrio here has also assisted us in describing the robber's car. They came with a truck, of all things! They were clearly aiming to steal a lot, and from her words, they loaded up a fair amount of objects by the time she called us. She was spotted, however, and the robber ran away when they were discovered." The chief explained.
"I couldn't see their face. They were wearing a ski mask." Kyanna added.
"At least you are unharmed," Jaune added. "They could have just as easily rushed at you to harm you."
She offered Jaune a smile. "Thanks for your concern, but so long as they were not packing a gun, I think I could have managed. I know my cousin could have. Still, I am sorry I didn't arrive here sooner. Maybe I could have scared them and made them leave behind a lot more."
"There is no need to apologize. The simple fact you showed up might just be why we still have beds to sleep in." Jaune stated, then turned to the chief of police. "Assuming we can sleep here at night?"
"We did a full sweep already. Nothing. We will gather the equipment and leave, but we will assign a squad car to keep watch of this place for a while in case they come back for the rest." The chief explained. "You can never be too careful, especially with your status, Mister Arc. The whole island knows of the Lucky Boy."
"Is that really how people call me?" Jaune asked, feeling somewhat embarrassed by the nickname. Well, at least it was better than Vomit Boy. He got a shrug from the chief, making him sigh and drop that nickname for now. "Did you get his plates, though?"
"Partially…" Kyanna replied.
"Even so, it should be enough. What she managed to get was that the car was not registered to the island, but one was registered in Vale. The owner must have brought it over with them when they came to the island. We find the car, we find the owner, and we might just have our culprit. With a bit of luck, we might even be able to get some of the stolen items back! Assuming that you want them back? I won't lie, son, the process can still take a while, and you are more than capable enough to replace most of what was stolen unless something of sentimental value was stolen, correct?"
"I didn't have anything that important lying around. Girls? What about you?" Jaune turned to his group, asking them the same question.
"Nup. Literally, everything I have that is of any value is worthless to thieves." Aiko replied.
"Hmm. No, the same goes for me. Even more so, considering only this necklace I am wearing of any real value to me." Beli replied, followed by Lillian.
"Well…Fine, I didn't really lose anything. It's just that those things were expensive."
"Oh shit!" Ashley rushed to her room, which worried them a bit. However, when she got back, her words both calmed and frustrated Jaune. "Fuck! They stole several articles from my closet! This is bad…"
"How come?" Jaune asked.
"I will need to check, but I think they got away with one of the designer articles I had in there. The kind that is one-of-a-kind until it officially hits the market." Ashley stated, and the chief was swift to note it down. "Other than that? Just expensive stuff, really."
"Only replaceables?" Jaune asked. "Good…So long as nothing extremely important was stolen, we are somewhat good. Still, it's very upsetting that we got robbed like this. Who'd do such a thing?"
"A lot of people, son. There are a lot of stupid and desperate people on the island. "Don't worry, though; we will find them and see that they are brought to justice! You have my word."
"Thanks, Sir. I guess I need to go shopping tomorrow." The girls all seemed to react to those words.
"Shopping?" Lillian, however, had the strongest reaction. "Hmm. I could have used some new shoes before, but now…"
"Ah, shit. You dug your own grave there, Jaune." Ashley pointed out.
Even the chief sighed. "You made a mistake, son. Trust me, I have a wife."
"What did I- Oh!" Memories flooded his mind. Memories of his sisters while shopping. "Oh, crap…I really shot myself in the head with that one."
"Wait!" Kyanna interjected. "Mind…If I tag along? It's just that tomorrow is my day off, and I wanted to spend it with my son. I was thinking about going to see about getting him a few clothes, so maybe we could tag along? All of us?"
"Sounds like a wonderful idea!" Beli said. "It's been so long since I saw little Philip as well. The last time I saw him, I think it was a few months ago when you used to bring him over with you. The women in yoga class were always so captivated by him…"
Kyanna giggled at the memory. "I remember. But then I found Tiffany, who has been a lifesaver by babysitting Philip."
"Well, I guess having one more person tag along is no big issue. Or two, really." Jaune added. "And hey! Just so we lift our spirits higher, I will be-"
"STOP!" Kyu shouted at him. "Do not say you will be paying for everything, you bloody moron! You want to buy the entire store?"
Jaune said no more words that night.
The next day, everyone went out shopping to replace the items that were stolen. Given the fact that Jaune had no car to carry everything, he did something else instead. Something that might seem a bit unethical, but hey, he was rich, so who was going to give him grief for getting Nicky to be their transport for everything they bought? That is, in exchange for triple rates.
But as far as everything else went? The moment they arrived, they all agreed to split up for their shopping and meet again in two hours or so. Aiko went with Beli, and Ashley went with her cousin, Lillian, leaving Jaune with Kyanna and her son, Philip. The little one was almost a spitting image of her mother, with darker skin and jet-black hair, but his eyes were a vibrant green compared to Kyanna's violet, likely a trait from his father.
Currently, the little guy, who was walking next to Jaune through the mall, was being held by his mother. "Thanks for tagging with us. I know you could have gone with one of the other groups."
"Don't mention it. Besides, this is a nice change of pace for me." Jaune added. "I usually stick with working out, talking with Aiko about my current investments, and stuff like that. Even when I shopped before, I admit to have been sticking with the smaller stores. I didn't exactly visit this place until now."
"Oh! Then I guess this is a good chance to learn the layout of the place. Here, just follow me. I know some good stores we can visit first." Kyanna suggested. "But you did say you have your shopping list to follow, right?"
"Yeah, and I'd honestly like to get it done with, but I don't mean immediately. So please, go ahead and focus on your list for now." Jaune told her, and with a smile, Kyanna led him around the mall. Specifically, they went to a clothing store for children first. Figures, she did mention she wanted to get her son some clothes. Jaune merely stood around, giving his opinion here and there.
"Hmm." However, at some point, Kyanna looked troubled by something.
"Is there a problem?" Jaune asked.
"Well, I really like this shirt, and Philip does too, but the price is a bit spicy," Kyanna said, and Jaune looked at the price. He was a bit confused, however, as the price wasn't that high. And no, he was not speaking from the view of a rich person. If anything, this price was more average. Now that he thought of it, the section this specific shirt was in was different, as Kyanna had been shopping from the Second-Hand section before.
"Kyanna, are you having financial issues?" Jaune asked.
"What gave you that idea?" She replied to his question with a somewhat offended reaction, but Jaune knew by that reaction alone that he had hit the nail on the head. She sighed. "It's just that we are not very well-off. I work as a hairdresser, and you can guess how well that pays."
"I see…" Jaune said softly, recalling what he knew of Kyanna. She was a single mother raising her young son. Little Philip was simply looking, seeing his mother troubled.
"Mom?" He called out to her.
"Oh! Sorry, Philip, I was just spacing out. I'm afraid that-"
"Here." Jaune acted quickly, taking the shirt and giving it to Philip. He saw why he liked it. It had a cool image with superheroes on it!
"Cwel!"
"Jaune!" Kyanna called out his name.
"It's on me." He told her.
"B-but…Why?" She asked.
"I have seven sisters at home, Kyanna. Even if they were all older, at times, they acted like I was the older brother. I guess I developed such an instinct, and I just can't abstain myself from spoiling Philip here a bit." He replied to her, the ruffled Philip's hair.
"Hey!" He laughed.
"I see…You really are a good man, huh? I can see why Beli seems to have taken a liking to you." Kyanna added. "We can't really afford to spoil ourselves, so I guess him having such a nice shirt is a far cry from what I can get him."
"Oh…" He made a mistake. "But you are doing your best."
"I could do better. Gods, if only I didn't drop out of high school…"
"I thought you dropped out of college?" Jaune asked, feeling confused.
"Many would think that considering my age, but no. I had to drop out of high school when my mother got sick, and I had to take care of my siblings. You are not the only one who has a big family. Granted, everyone is now old enough to have their own lives and no longer need Big Sis Kya anymore." She explained. "But my son does. He needs me. And I think I am failing."
Good thing Philip was not old enough to understand things properly yet. "You are not failing. You are doing your best. Look at me!" She looked at him, confused by his sudden string of words. "I failed, Kyanna…"
"What? But you are stinkin' rich!" She argued.
"By sheer luck! Sure, I might have just a high school diploma, but that doesn't mean I am some big business shark! I lucked out, nothing more, nothing less. This was never my dream, but it is the hand I was dealt."
"And the hand I helped fill with money," Kyu added from his shoulder.
She scoffed. "Some hand…I wish I had your luck, and-"
"What was your dream?" He asked, getting her attention.
"My dream? Gods, it's been a while since anyone asked me. I always wanted to make it big as a singer and dancer. To dazzle the stage with my moves and voice! But then I had Philip, and I guess that slowed things down. I never gave up, however. I keep myself in shape, I do vocal exercises when I can, and I even practice my dancing as often as I can! But I just can't seem to…It's hard, you know?" Her words had a more impact on Jaune than she knew. Here he was, having given up on his dream in favor of the life laid ahead, yet Kyanna had the tenacity he lacked. She kept chasing her dream despite the challenges, and he could hardly imagine a bigger challenge than ending up with a kid.
"You are better than me, that's for sure." He said aloud, not realizing he spoke his thoughts loudly.
"Huh?" She caught on to his words, and that was when Jaune realized he spoke loudly. "Wait, speaking of, what was YOUR dream?"
"My dream?" Jaune echoed. "I wanted to become a Huntsman. I even have an unlocked aura and a semblance, believe it or not."
"Really?! Amazing…" Kyanna replied. She already knew of his aura from yoga class, but she didn't realize he aimed to be a Huntsman. "What happened? Surely, you don't need that many credentials to fight the Grimm."
"No, overall, getting accepted into a Huntsman Academy is not that hard if you had prior training." He replied. "But in my case, that training was denied to me. It isn't that I lacked the desire, but rather, the road itself was laid with so many traps I fell for each one."
"Jaune…Did someone stop you from training all your life?" She asked, making him nod his head. "Do you want to talk about it more?"
"I'd rather not. Given what happened to me before, the wounds are a bit fresh. I am slowly coming to terms with it, but it'd take time before I can speak about it and brush it off without issues." He explained. "If anything? I envy you, Kyanna. I envy that, despite everything, you keep going."
"Woah…No one really said that about me before." Kyanna replied, and honestly, she sounded quite genuine in her words. "Many people tend to pity me rather than envy me, you know? Here I am, a mother at 21, with a dream I cannot choose over my son…And here you are, rich and without a worry in the world, yet still unhappy because you think you had to give up your dream…"
Jaune shook his head. "No, Kyanna, I don't think that. I know that. What CAN I do anymore? The door to achieve my dream is pretty much closed."
"What about the Trial by Fire?" Jaune flinched upon hearing of that.
"What is that?" Kyu asked as well.
"How do you know about that?" Jaune asked her.
"I did some research back in the day when I was exploring possible career paths. The Trial by Fire is a special test meant for Huntsmen, no?" She stated.
"Not quite. From what I know, it is for trainees who had no master or combat school to vouch for their skill." Jaune replied.
"But it is also for those above the age of a trainee, in case they want to get their license. Granted, the process is more brutal." Kyanna added, and that point stunned Jaune.
"Wait…" He quickly fished out his scroll, looking up the information. "Oh my Gods…"
"Wait, you didn't know?!" She gasped in surprise.
"Dude!" Kyu gasped as well.
"You mean to tell me…I can still become a Huntsman?" Jaune asked slowly, looking right at Kyanna. The poor woman was quick to realize her impact on him. She had given him hope again.
"I guess?" She replied, unsure about what to say next. "If that is what you still want to do, I'd be a poor person to tell you otherwise. I certainly didn't give up on my dream, so I have no right telling you to do otherwise."
"I will need to research this more later," Jaune stated. This changed everything! "Gods, I-..." He couldn't help but laugh at the turn of events. "Oh Gods…I-I-I am honestly at a loss for words right now."
"You really believed your dream to be over, huh?" Kyanna asked, seeing him looking somewhat giddy but also strangely tense. "I had an uncle who got his Huntsman license that way, hence how I know about it."
"It gives me time. Knowing I can make it? It means I can work harder." He clenched his fist, making his aura flare. However, without realizing it, his eyes became golden again, a clear indication that Origin was active.
"Dude, your eyes!"
"Huh? Jaune, did your eyes always change color?" Kyanna pointed it out as well, however, making Jaune finally realize he was, maybe, stretching his aura a bit much.
"Sorry." He blinked, returning his eyes to normal. "Semblance side-effects."
"It's alright. I was just surprised, that's all. I have heard a lot of people with auras and semblances do that. First time I have seen it up close, however. Is golden the only color your eyes change to?" She asked.
"I think?" Jaune shrugged. "I haven't exactly been experimenting with a mirror in front of me."
"Fair." Kyanna nodded. "But you said something about working harder?"
"With my fortune, I can hire private tutors. Trainers, even commission a new weapon…" Jaune said softly, realizing how the stars aligned for him. "Before, there was no way I would have been able to do any of these things, but now? Kyanna, I can do so much, and I-"
"Jaune," Kyu interjected. "Calm down, boyo. You are going off the deep end."
"What do you mean?" He asked, confused by his partner's words.
"Dude, look at her. She is worried." Kyu's words made Jaune pay more attention to Kyanna's expression, seeing her looking quite worried. That had him stop his little tirade and switch his focus to her.
"Something the matter?"
"It's that being a Huntsman is dangerous work." She replied, and those words told him everything he wanted to hear. "I don't mean to insult anyone, let alone you, but I doubt I'd ever let my son choose such a profession."
"Even if he wanted to?" He asked, feeling a bad sensation washing over him.
"That is what I fear the most," Kyanna replied. "Jaune, I don't want to speak ill of you or any Huntsman out there. I respect their duty deeply since it is only thanks to them that we can sleep at night peacefully, safe from the Grimm. But the uncle I mentioned, he…After one year, he came back with a leg gone Jaune. I just don't know if I can stand seeing that kind of scene again, and worst of all, with my son being the one in the wheelchair."
"Kyanna…" Jaune spoke her name softly, and slowly, he understood her point of view. If anything, it looked like the other side of his predicament. The way Kyanna was acting, wishing to protect her son, was likely how his mother was thinking regarding him. Wanting him to be safe and not come back maimed, or worse, dead.
But then again…Did his father really think the same? No, he didn't. His reasons were rooted in something else entirely, not in worry for his safety.
But this was not about his mother or father, was it? It was about the woman before him now, whom he unknowingly worried with his reaction. "I'm sorry."
"What for?" She asked.
"I must have worried you there with the way I reacted. I'm sorry if I went off the deep end. It's just that…Being a Huntsman is all I ever wanted. I've known the risks from an early age and what I was getting myself into. But I guess, along the way, I did grow selfish and never considered others' thoughts about my actions." Jaune said. "Gods…I need to really give my mother a call. I imagine she is worried sick about me."
"Wait, what do you mean by that? Surely, you contact your mother as often as you can, right?"
'Not ever since I was forced to leave Beacon Academy behind." He revealed, which surprised Kyanna.
"You went to Beacon…Right."
"It's been a hot minute since I last contacted them. The last I had any contact with my family was some time ago when my sister, Coral, was Ashley's bodyguard here on the island. She had to leave and return to Haven, but odds are she did contact the rest of my family to inform them of where I am." Jaune stated, not seeing a point in hiding anything. Well, anything minor, that was. "Gods, I must be such a bad son."
"Hey now! Don't think like that! I am sure you had your trials to go through, and you shouldn't have to worry about such things in such a nasty way. Come now, surely there are some positive things you have to say about yourself to make yourself feel better."
"Such as the fact you got a big dick?" Kyu stated, which really had Jaune smirk. It was such a silly statement that he couldn't believe he was actually entertaining them by reacting to it.
"See? You likely thought of something right now, and it made you feel better. Come now, we better- Wait, where is Philip?!" Kyanna half-shouted, making Jaune go into alert as well and look for the boy.
When they didn't find him, the two of them were really worried. "Oh no, no, no! This is not happening!" Kyanna said to herself, and Jaune threw a side glance at Kyu, trying to see if she had anything to aid them.
"The kid was at his mother's legs last I looked! Look, he ran off somewhere, but I am sure he is close by!" Kyu replied. "Surely, he couldn't have gotten far!"
"Excuse me?" As Jaune and Kyanna were looking around, calling out for Philip, a woman showed up.
"Philip!" And she had Philip by the hand. The moment Kyanna saw him, she rushed to him. "Why'd you go off like that?" Philip didn't reply and just looked ashamed. "Oh, come here." She picked him up. "Don't do that again, you really scared me. Thank you, Miss, for bringing him back to us."
"We were just about to go to the security staff," Jaune added.
The woman in question, however, if Kyu had to say something about her, was a chocolate goddess. She was a slender woman with quite the gifted chest, dark gray eyes, and medium brown, curly hair that merely extended to her neck in an afro-like style. She had chocolate-like skin, along with large hoop earrings, and currently, she was wearing a red top that extended only to above her stomach, together with a pair of blue jeans and black heels.
"You're welcome. I must say, I never expected to see such a young couple." She gave them a playful laugh. "Your husband here sure works fast, given how young the two of you look."
"Husband?! No, you got it all wrong! Jaune is a friend!"
"Y-yeah! Kyanna and I are not married. We are not even dating!"
"Oh? Really now. I could have sworn you were this little one's father, given how you were looking for him. My mistake then." The woman added. "Though, you do seem familiar…Have I seen you somewhere before?"
"The yearly lottery?" Jaune stated.
"Wasn't on the island for it. I just got back a few days ago." The woman added. "I do think I heard about you, though. Tall, blonde, blue eyes…Wait, you wouldn't happen to be sharing a roof with Ashley Rosemary, right?"
"I am?"
"Oh my Gods, you are Jaune Arc!" The woman said in recognition. "You are the hottest news around the island lately! The wonder boy who hit it big here on Bella Dia! First, you won the lottery, then beat the house at the casino, then got yourself several women under your roof - some people would call your life the dream life."
Jaune laughed awkwardly. "Yeah, that about sums it up. And you are…?"
"Guess introductions are in order. Name's Lola. Lola Rembrite. I own Southern Sun here at this mall." She introduced herself and shared her business, which Kyanna seemed to recognize.
"That is a high-end fashion store!" She said, illuminating Jaune. "I heard the owner was a skilled designer."
"And she stands right before you!" Lola added. "Though, not everything is part of my collection. Most of what I sell is the usual clothing being delivered to me, and I usually take on more personal orders."
"Personal orders? Like custom commissions from clients?" Jaune asked, catching her attention.
"Why, yes, that is exactly what I meant! Are you interested in something special?" She asked.
"Not me, specifically, but maybe Ashley might want something. We were recently robbed, you see, and she had several of her clothes taken."
"Oh no, that must have been quite the hard pill to swallow when you guys found out, right?" Lola guessed.
"Pretty much. Getting robbed is never nice, but nothing of significant importance was stolen." He added. "Granted, I do wonder if she might want those replaced. If anything, I think I will give her a call and see what she has to say. Who knows? Maybe I can convince her to visit your store."
"Which, speaking of, I need to get back. I only took a small break and left one of my employees to handle it to seek this kid's parents. It's not far, but it can get busy. I will see the two of you around, alright?" And with that, Lola waved them goodbye as she returned to her business.
"Dude, you need to chase after that black ass," Kyu commented.
"What?"
"She is perfection incarnate! A true chocolate-skinned goddess in the flesh! And trust me, I know goddesses, and she could definitely pass as one! You need to see if she'd be interested in a fling or two!"
"Kyu, didn't we talk about this multiple times? I don't do stuff like that…"
"Bullshit! You fucked Ashley!"
"Not in that way! I mean that I don't just…You know. I don't think I can do one-night stands."
Kyu sighed. "Fine. Do it your way. But I am telling ya, such a piece of hot cocoa doesn't come around often!"
"Perhaps we should get back," Kyanna suggested. "It has been quite some time, and we left our items back at the shop."
"Right, let's. I will also call the others to see if they are finished with their shopping list and if we can meet up to decide what to do next." Jaune stated, and then the duo did just that. He gave everyone a call to see if they were done, and to his fortune, everyone had managed to replace most of the lost items. Well, except Ashley, of course. If anything, she had some bad news.
"Really?!" Jaune gasped as they all sat at a table, enjoying some snacks. "So let me get things right. You got a call saying that you need to pay for the stuff that was stolen? From the original designers."
"Yeah…Apparently, the fact the articles were stolen means there is a risk their designs might get taken as well, so now I need to pay them back from my pocket." Ashley stated, letting out a long, tired sigh. "I guess I can understand where they are coming from. Counterfeiters drool at getting their hands on such things. So, if their works get leaked early, it'd be a huge blow to their reputations. I lost four such articles in total, but it still amounts to around 2 million Lien altogether."
"Two million?! Gods…" Jaune rubbed his forehead. "Do you even have so much money?"
"And be left with enough to support myself? Keep dreaming! There is no way I got that much just lying around! I might be a Remnant-wide model, but that doesn't mean I am loaded. Well, not as loaded as others, at least. I cannot pay that amount without it stinging badly, and Mark said he cannot do anything since this is being treated as my screw-up for not keeping the articles in a more secure place."
"This kind of stuff is also bound to leave a black mark on her record," Aiko added. "If the designers who rely on models to showcase their works don't trust them, they might stop letting Ashley keep the prototypes, or worse, stop requesting her altogether."
"Which is the worst-case scenario!" Ashley added.
"What a bunch of idiots. It was just a bunch of cloth woven in a fancy design, nothing else!" Lillian commented, and Jaune found himself somewhat agreeing with her view on the matter. "Besides, it's not like you cannot pay that sum of money like it was nothing."
"Because I can't!" Ashley argued.
"Not you, Ash. I am speaking about the blond millionaire at the table." Lillian corrected, making it more obvious who she was speaking about.
"Lillian…" Jaune sighed.
"What? Oh, you tell me I'm wrong, I dare you."
"Technically, you are not wrong," Beli replied, surprisingly. "But it is wrong to rely on Jaune's fortune for every bit of financial difficulty we might face."
"Thanks for the kind words, Beli," Jaune stated. "And you're right. As much as I'd like to help, I don't think I can just keep doing it. Don't get me wrong, if things were desperate, then I'd help, no questions asked, but let me ask you this, Ashley: You can pay the sum, correct?"
"The issue was never that I couldn't pay but that it was just a lot. I can pay, but that would set me back a few months before I can recover that amount of money." Ashley replied. "It's nothing critical, really. It just sucks balls."
"But with that being said, I don't reckon you found anything to replace those items in your wardrobe, correct?" Jaune asked.
"Are you kidding me? Those things were essentially one-of-a-kind! No way I can convince the designers to give me new ones, either! It doesn't work like that." Ashley replied.
"Well, what if, in theory, I happened to meet a designer here at the mall?" Jaune asked, but Kyanna caught on swiftly.
"Oh, you sly beowolf."
"What? Come on, you heard Lola as well! She said she takes custom orders!"
"Hold on! Who is Lola?" Ashley asked.
"While Kyanna and I were shopping, Philip slipped from our gaze. Luckily, a woman named Lola Rembrite found him and sought us out, bringing him to us. She told us she owns the Southern Sun store here at the mall."
"Lola Rembrite…I think I heard a thing or two about her in the industry." Ashley stated. "Yeah! Now I remember! She once requested us to feature some of her works, but she was turned down due to lacking popularity!"
"Really? She was turned down by Black Dreams Modeling?" Jaune asked.
'It was back when we had the old CEO, but with Mark, I think she might have a shot…Yeah, you know what? Let's go check out her store!"
"I need to go back home with Philip, so I guess this is where we must go our ways for now," Kyanna said.
"I will escort you." Jaune offered.
"Are you sure?" Kyanna asked. "It isn't very close."
"I will call a taxi. I know the driver, and I am sure he will see you two home in no time."
"Thanks, Jaune," Kyanna said. "Really. Thank you for everything today."
"Don't mention it," Jaune replied.
Later, after Kyanna left with her son and their share of the shopping, Jaune also said goodbye to the others and placed the orders for the furniture he had to replace. It didn't take him long, and he began his way to rejoin the others when something caught his eye. Or rather, caught Kyu's eye.
"Dude, look out!" She warned him, and before long, the world around them grew colorless, and the people suddenly vanished.
"No…"
"You cannot escape…" The eerie whispers of Eros echoed through the mall. "You are mine, Jaune Arc. Kyu Sugardust. You two have no escape from me."