"Violet, I want you to know, that there is a very real chance that you will break in today's exercises. Maybe you will puke, maybe you will begin to cry, whatever the mater, I want you to know that I, we, won't think any less of you. I will be pushing you constantly towards the breaking point." Jaune said softly. Giving his nervous apprentice a stern look.
It was a bit over five in the morning, and to his surprise, both Pyrrha and Nora had managed to pull themselves out from the confines of sleep early. Clearly wanting to show their support for Violet.
Ignoring the scorching glares, he continued. Face carved from stone. "Most hunter's, huntsmen, or huntresses from here start their education at nine, ten, or eleven. It varies depending on some factors. However, most academies allow their students to hunt after turning thirsted of age, depending on their skills and if they can be trusted to look after themselves. You will partake in your first hunt come Friday night. You don't have the luxury of time as other's your age. As such I have one day to get you ready, some hours of intense exercise at best."
His words tasted like tar, but he knew it was the truth. It was a truth he didn't like, but it was truth nonetheless.
Violet took a deep breath, giving him a little nod. Finger's digging nervously into the hem of his pumpkin pete hoodie that he knew he was never getting back on the treat of tears. She was dressed for exercise, in grey sweatpants, indoor sneakers, with a black sport t-shirt under.
Given the conservative, and dare he say 'gentlemanly' way even Yharnam's deranged madmen dressed, he was a tad surprised that she was willing to step out of her comfort zone and try some other clothes.
"Good, then let's start warming up. Follow me." With that he started lightly jogging around the studio.
One of the many bookable fitness studios that Beacon gave her student's access to. After all, not everything could be done in the public gym. And if anyone didn't feel comfortable exercising there, there was other smaller bookable gym's as well. Beacon offered all the tools a successful hunter could ever need and more; it was the student's task to live up to their full potential. The academy would only hold their hand for so much.
"Aww, isn't she just the cutest?" He heard Nora coo to Pyrrha while they ran past the stretching duo.
Shooting a quick glance down to Violet, she heard it as well. A shy smile on her face. It was impossible to tell if her rosy cheeks were due to embarrassment or extortion. But he would safely go with both.
'She is doing better than expected.' Jaune mussed to himself. After the fourth lap around the studio, sweat was running in great waterfall's down her face. Yet Violet pushed on. Gait growing wildly more unsteady as the second's ticked by.
A part of him had honestly expected her to either collapse or give up after two, maybe one if he was pessimistic, laps. Violet wasn't suffering from malnutrition, but she was underfed. Not dangerously so, but enough that her limbs were mostly sticks. That she was able to still push on was only due to her willpower. What that willpower was fuelled by, he didn't know, even if he had some guesses.
However, unfortunately willpower could only last for so long before something was forced to give. And in Violet's case, her body gave first.
It happened in a split second. One moment she was barely able to trudge along. The next she was racing face first towards the floor.
Acting on instinct, his arm flew out to catch her before she crashed onto the floor. Gently pulling her over to the wall, he sat her down. Pulling out a water bottle filled with the enhanced version of Ren's herb mixture, Violet taking greedy gulps. Chest heaving wildly. The effect's weren't immediate, only offer some light relief. Light returning to her eyes while her breathing became softer. Less desperate gasps, and more deep breaths.
"Easy now, just take deep breaths." He gently ordered, pushing past her panic, giving her something else to focus on. "Deep breath's. With me."
When she managed to ger her breathing under control he stood up. Quickly stopping Violet when she tried to do the same. "We will have a five-minute break. Try to get your breathing under control." He soothed, not having missed how her legs shook, or how the familiar spike of panic shoot trough her eyes.
With that said, he stepped away, moving one of the many dummies that lined the wall into the centre of the studio. All the time making sure his bond with Violet didn't stretch too far. Throwing some looks over to Violet, just to see how she was doing.
"Aren't you a bit too hard on her?" Pyrrha asked worriedly. Emerald eyes staring at the puddle that Violet was slowly morphing into.
"I am. But I can't afford to be soft either. Yharnam won't allow it." Jaune said with finality. He didn't need to look at his partner to know she didn't approve. A soft humming escaping her.
"What are you thinking of having her work through?" Pyrrha asked curiously.
"The basics. Body zones. Where to hit. Being able to push through exhaustion." He said softly. Turning to his partner, he saw only the uncertainty in her eyes. "There is no way she will ever be ready by tomorrow night. There is no way she will be fighting; I will make that abundantly clear for her. But taking her with me will split my focus. It will be easier for men and beast's both to slip through the cracks and go for the attack…"
"And if she is forced to fight, you want her to be able to protect herself." Pyrrha finished for him. Taking the words straight from his mouth.
"Yes." Jaune finished wearily. The weight of responsibility doing its best to crush him. Doubt sprouting forth from everything he had seen and done in Yharnam. His hand instantly reaching for where he usually stored his pocket flask, only to brush against his training jacket. A muttered curse escaping him when he remembered he had left his pocket flask back in his hunter garb.
"What do you have in mind?" Pyrrha inquired before he could think of 'conjuring' his garb.
"You know what. Do you think you could help me iron out Violet's training schedule? I have tried my best. But I'm sure I glossed over some details here and there. My education isn't exactly normal." He chuckled. Failing miserably at lightening the mood if the brittle smile Pyrrha gave him was anything to go by.
"That sounds lovely." Pyrrha smiled softly, giving him a brittle smile of her own.
The familiar burst of self-loathing crashing into him like a truck. But with practiced ease, he slammed it into the back of his mind. Locked tightly beside the despair and hopelessness he felt whenever he thought about Yharnam. Bubbling rage slammed against its chains. Rattling the cages around it.
He felt his lips twist into a snarl, bloodlust insidiously coming seeping out.
Quickly shaking it out of his system, he fished out a permanent marker and began dividing the dummy's body into zones. Needing something to occupy his mind with.
Tsking, he turned to Violet. She looked better. Breathing easier, not slumped into a puddle of tired limbs. Instead she sat, back against the wall and looked curiously at him. Excitement twinkling in her eyes as she looked over at the dummy.
"Break's over Violet." He called out. Violet startling out of her thoughts, hurrying to get up. Wincing slightly, steps growing more and more steady as she pushed through her earlier exhaustion. Only for her nerves to get the better of her in the end. Nervously fidgeting with the hem of her hoodie, shooting both an exited and dreadful look at the dummy.
"Now, you know how to shoot. But ammo, while not exactly sparce, is precious. You will need how to learn how to fight in melee as well. It is where you will be spending most of your time." Jaune started, smirking slightly to himself. Violet hanging onto his every word if it were divine gospel. Even Pyrrha was humming noncommittedly while nodding.
Gesturing over at the dummy, he continued without missing a beat. "It's a simple exercise. As you can see, I have marked the dummy into six individual zones. Head, right arm and side, left arm and side, back, right leg, and left leg. I will randomly be calling a number. All you have to do is hit the specified zone within five seconds. Any questions?"
"How long will I be doing it?" Violet asked shyly.
"Until you are about to collapse, or I say otherwise." Jaune answered with a tone that brokered no discussion. "Then you will have a five-minute break to recover, before beginning again. We will be doing this out the hour. When the hour is up, we will do some simple stretches."
"Oh-" Was the mutter of utter hopelessness that escaped Violet. Suddenly face to face with the monumental task sat before her. All done in an effort to make sure she doesn't die a horrible death come Friday night.
She would die. It was inevitable really. But it wasn't going to be on her first hunt. Jaune would make sure of that.
Violet shot the two of them a nervous glance, trying, and failing, to calm herself with a deep breath. However, it did help ground her. Small fingers coming up, grabbing around an imaginary handle. With a little pull, the saw-cleaver appeared in her hand as if always having been there.
With a sinister *click*, the saw-cleaver snapped open. A wide smile splitting her face, a giddy energy settling over her. Because suddenly everything was right in the world.
Riding the high of her newfound surge of confidence, Violet skipped over to the dummy. Eagerly bouncing on the balls of her feet. Previous exhaustion just a distant memory as she waited impatiently.
"Two." He called out. Prompting Violet to leap into action.
*Thunk* The cleaver bit into the wooden dummy, only to harmlessly bounce back.
A grey aura coating the metal part. Metal teeth centimetres from tearing into her face.
Sending a quick thankful look to Pyrrha, he turned to back to Violet. "A good hit. It wouldn't kill anyone, but they would feel it. Hitting a wooden dummy is different from hitting a body."
"Don't grip the handle to hard, you will sprain your wrist. Instead hold just hard enough to not lose your grip, but not loose enough so your weapon slides around in your hand." Pyrrha added kindly from the side.
Giving Violet some extra seconds to catch herself, having completely looked up when her weapon bounced back. "Six." He called out after a while, forcing Violet to focus trough her panic.
A cruel, but important lesson she needed to learn.
Weapons not being toys being another lesson she would learn eventually.
'Neither are they artistic expressions of your soul.' He sighed, feeling a migraine forming. While they had never grown heated, he and Ruby have had more than one discussion about weapons.
Weapons only had a single purpose. Taking life. What that life was, was unimportant.
*Thonk* The saw cleaver bit into the dummy's leg. Small splinters harmlessly flying outwards together with the saw cleaver.
"Four."
Violet quickly scrambled towards the back of the dummy. Almost tripping over her legs, managing to barley catch herself just in time. Saw-cleaver hitting the dummy moments before time run out.
"One."
Violet was quick to grasp the exercise. Unfortunately, that meant nothing when her legs felt like lead and her lungs were burning. A minute of intense exercise would make anyone tired. Say nothing of a young girl who's only physical activity came for playing with other children.
A moment of inattention on Violet's part was all it took for her to crumble like a house of cards. He called out a number, as he had done so many times before. She raced to hit it as quickly as possible, wanting to earn herself some extra seconds to rest. Only for her shoe to step onto a little puddle of sweat.
With a foot racing left, the other already out in the air, she crumbled like a sack of potatoes. Aura glowing briefly as she scurried to get her feet back under herself. Grabbing her saw-cleaver, only to come up a moment too late.
"Time." He called out uncaringly. Ignoring the way Violet crumbled back down onto the floor from exhaustion. Instead going over to grab her water bottle and giving it to her. Violet taking desperate gulps, wanting to drench the burning in her muscles. A feeling every one of them was all too familiar with.
"You did well." He complimented. His words blowing away whatever dark thoughts were brewing in her head. The all too familiar panic that shone in her eyes whenever she failed washed away by beaming pride. A tired, but satisfied smile worming its way onto her face.
"Everyone here has been where you are now. Just starting out. You will get better. Training, experience, and simply eating healthy will make sure you will be getting some more muscle on you. Before you know it, you will be able to keep the same tempo for longer and longer." He complimented. Not liking how her expression fell on the mention of 'muscles'.
"But pretty ladies don't have muscles." Violet mumbled sullenly.
"None of that now." He said quickly. Knowing he had to nip this in the bud before it could flower into something self-destructive. He didn't know much about culture in Yharnam outside of hunting. But he had picked up some clues here and there. That all the deranged people he had seen walking the streets were men, was an indicator that it was different from what he was used to.
From what he had picked up, women were mostly regulated to household task and caring for children, while men were free to chase whatever their heart's desired. And if a woman was free, or 'allowed', to choose a career, it was something related to nursing, taking care of others, and other softer, more feminine tasks.
Of course, there would always be outliers, Eileen being one. Gehrman's apprentice being another. Women who had said 'No, I am more than a caretaker. I'm a hunter. I'm going to hunt beasts.' And were also some of the best if he were to be believed.
"There is nothing wrong with muscles. Just look at Pyrrha and Nora. They are muscular, but they aren't ugly. In fact I would say they are both very pretty ladies." Gesturing over to the two girls of the team, he saw rosy cheeks and beaming smiles. Nora already having ripped her tank top to shreds, vigorously posing. Much to the mortification of Ren and Violet.
Pyrrha herself showed of a little. Flexing, muscles of coiled steel coming to life in a marvellous mixture of power and grace.
Violet looked awestruck. Eyes darting from the powerful form of Nora to the sculpted marvel that was Pyrrha.
"See, there is nothing wrong with muscles." Jaune said softly, gently taking hold of her wrist. Leading her hand over to Pyrrha's stomach, but not before giving her a look asking for permission. Something she gave with a little nod. The champions cheeks turning rosy.
"Ohhh-" Violet marvelled, poking Pyrrha's well-toned stomach in open wonder. Small hands wandering over well-defined arms and powerful thigs.
Pyrrha gave Violet a fond look, not at all minding the wandering hands.
"As I said. A lady can have muscles and be beautiful at the same time." He said, not missing the blush that sprouted on Pyrrha's cheeks. "But why don't you take a break?"
Reluctantly Violet pulled away, huffing, and trudging over to the dummy. Taking a greedy sip from her water bottle before she sat down, tucking her knees closely into her chest. Eyes twinkling with excitement as he and Pyrrha stepped over to the middle.
"The girls will be good for her." Pyrrha said absentmindedly. "Some more good role models will do wonders."
"I know. I only hope she isn't overwhelmed by all the attention she will receive." Jaune said. Wholeheartedly agreeing with his partner. "They can all be a bit… much."
"That is one way to say it." Pyrrha hummed. Giving him a little look. "Are you up for some light sparring? I don't think Miss Goodwitch would take kindly to it if we were to scratch up a studio when there are thousands of better places to spar. But something light should be more than ok."
"Always." Was his quick reply. Drawing Crocea Mors, he gave her some gentle swings through the air. She sang her dreary song, a far cry from the righteous song she sang once upon a time.
"I guess I'm not the only one changed from Yharnam, huh?" He muttered softly to himself. A flare of warmth, full of loving support, shooting trough him from the hilt of his trusty partner. "I really must be losing it." He said to no one but himself. Knowing full well that there was no way his sword could respond to him. He wasn't that mad.
Instead of mulling over his crumbling mental state, he instead turned to Pyrrha who also was getting in some quick practice swings of her own. "Go easy on me, m'kay? I started working on refining my fighting style. It still in its beginning stages, so it feels a bit like going right and left at the same time."
"No." Pyrrha sang with a lovely smile on her face. A smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.
"This isn't because I been keeping secret's, right?" He tried, deftly dodging to the right. Crocea Mors barley touching Milo just in time to parry Pyrrha's opening lunge.
"I have no idea what you are talking about." Pyrrha smiled. Milo turning into its javelin form without missing a beat. Pyrrha quick to use her extended reach to punish him for thinking he could gain some distance.
Tsking, when Pyrrha's onslaught grew ever more relentless he quickly switched gears. His embryonic style not able to keep up with the ever-growing pace Pyrrha was forcing him into. Instead he fell into what he did best. Dancing out of her blows, throwing some quick and easy attacks to test out her defence before throwing himself into full out offence.
Pyrrha gracefully dodging his lunge by effortlessly bending almost ninety degrees backwards. Using her position to ruthlessly throw the winning counterattack.
Crocea Mors clattering against the ground, hands coming down to his nuts. A soft whine escaping him as he fell to his knees.
"I'm sorry." Pyrrha apologised. Quickly coming to his side. Only for Violet to come hounding her away with a look that promised bloodshed. Forcing himself up, he blinked away tears. Running a thankful hand trough Violet's hair.
"There is something about having your nuts in your throat to make you appreciate the smaller things in life." Jaune groaned out. While he was all to familiar with pain in all it's horrible facets. The sharp nauseating pain from a nut shot was something that still managed to throw him of balance.
"Language!" Nora called out from the other side of the studio. "And don't be such a drama queen, Jaune-Jaune. It's just a nut shoot, how bad can it be."
"I hate you." He moaned out, shooting her a dirty look. Grabbing Crocea Mors, he took some steps to walk away the pain, before getting ready again. Nausea still assaulting his senses, but she was a longtime companion. His stomach had quickly been forced to transform into one of steel. He couldn't allow himself to go spilling his guts whenever he spotted something grotesque.
'And he had only explored two zones.' Not counting his few forays into Chapel Ward. He didn't want to imagine what other horrors laid in store for him. Man made or otherwise.
"Again." He shot back, this time stealing the initiative with a quick lunge.
####
"Any idea how to introduce Violet to the girls?" Nora beamed. Shooting an amused look at Violet, who was sitting on his shoulders. Quite literally draped over him. Completely exhausted after an hour of intense exercise. "And why don't you just do the blood echo thingy with Violet? Shouldn't that get her up to snuff quicker?"
"Having your attributes increased is… addictive. I don't want her to become addicted to it, so I plan to help her trough it in small increments until she has a proper foundation to work of." Jaune said as they walked down the hallway. It was still early, only a few confused looks were thrown their way. It wasn't everyday a child was allowed to be in Beacon, the same was true for other combat schools.
Thankfully all they got were a few confused looks, some cooing from some girls, but it was mostly nonchalant shrugs.
"There are also some requirements she will need to meet before she can even do so. Then there is that I have no idea how it would affect someone so young. But we will cross that bridge when we get there." He said, fighting the urge to sigh.
"Jaune…" Ren warned, sending him a freezing look. No doubt having picked up what went unsaid.
"Friday." He retorted. Giving him a glare of his own.
"Okay, okay. Friday. Team meeting after classes and after Violet is done with her test. Let's keep things civil until then, okay. No causing a scene in the hallway." Nora ordered, putting herself between him and Ren.
Huffing, he and Ren shared a quick glance. Both nodding slowly, deciding to let the matter rest. Even if disproval shone in Ren's eyes, he grudgingly accepted the truce. Face settling into a mask of apathy.
"I was thinking of winging it?" He said, answering Nora's earlier question. Wanting something else to occupy his thoughts with.
"Eh, probably the best." Nora shrugged. "No need to make it even more uncomfortable for the little lady."
He didn't need to look up, to know that Violet heard her. Huffing, crossing her arms with a mighty pout. Nora exploding into giggles beside him. Smiling wildly himself he rested one hand on Violet's thigh, before quickly poking Nora in the side. "Race you."
With that he was off, sprinting for dear life down the corridor, Nora hot on their heels. Violet whopping with joy as she gripped into his hair.
Nora was closing in on them quicky, unfortunately for her the corridor wasn't the longest. Slowing down to a jog, he turned and shoot her a smile before knocking on the girl's door.
Tired groans his only answer.
Doing the responsible thing, he knocked again. This time louder.
Stomping feet promising pain his answer, before the door was torn open. Tired ice-cold eyes burning into him.
"What." Weiss growled out. Dressed in her faded blue nightgown, a dangerous look promising pain in her eyes.
"Good morning to you to." He teased, lifting Violet down from his shoulders. She landed softly, but quickly hid behind him. "I was thinking of introducing my apprentice to all of you. A lovely little lady that has been looking forward to meeting you."
Gently he laid his palm gently on Violet's back. Giving her the courage she needed to peek her head out from his back.
"Jaune. Why is there a child hiding behind you?" Weiss asked. She shot him an inquiring look, daring him to try and lie to her.
Nora snorted loudly, ribbing her elbow good naturally into his side as she grinned. "Sounds familiar, huh?"
"She is my apprentice." Jaune said matter of factly. Even if the truth only seemed to puzzle Weiss further. After all, taking on apprentices were a practice that had fallen out. Not to mention he was seventeen. Too young to take such a responsibility onto his shoulders. "Well, it's a bit more complicated than that."
"Yo… Vomit Boy… When you said you were going to introduce her to us properly tomorrow. I thought you meant around breakfast. Not at the asscrack of dawn." The tired voice of Yang rang out.
"Language." Jaune, Weiss and Nora called out at the same time. A cute snort escaped Weiss, before she quickly schooled her features. Acting as if nothing had happened, she let them in.
Stepping into the familiar dorm, his eyes couldn't help but wander around the room. He hadn't been here since the fight. Not that their room had changed. Weiss bags still took up an entire corner, their bunkbeds stood as precarious as ever, Yang and Ruby's dirty clothes were thrown haphazardly over their chairs. The two girls in question were looking at him through half lidded eyes. Ruby looking a second from falling asleep sitting.
"How are you awake so early? It's half past six. It's too early to be awake." Yang groaned from her bed. Cracking open a tired lilac eye, scowling at him and Nora.
"Carpe diem." He quipped back. A deep breath rang trough the dorm, followed by a pillow racing towards him. Snatching it out of the air, he threw it onto to her desk. "And it's not even that early. We have been up and training since five."
"If I hadn't known Violet can't be more than ten meters from you, I would report you for child abuse. Being up at five is a crime." Yang grumbled. Lying back down, arms behind her head as a pillow.
"What do you mean Violet can only be ten meters away from you?" Weiss asked, arms crossed over her chest.
"Violet is manifested through my semblance-" Jaune started, only to stop himself. Instead choosing to pick his words. Violet wasn't a 'thing', and he wouldn't treat her like one. "Think of it like a permanent summon from your semblance. Only that she has a soul. She breaths, she feels affection, fear and anything in between. She has a heart that beats, a will of her own, and is capable of her own decisions with her own wants and needs and dreams. But…"
"She can't be more than ten meters' away from you." Weiss finished. Giving the heiress a nod, he gently patted Violet on the back. Suddenly the sole focus of a pair of cold blue eyes.
"Don't go scaring the little lady." Nora warned from the side, having plopped down on Weiss's desk. Matching the glare Weiss sent her and more. Lightning crackling in her eyes. "Ozpin gave his approval; she is a true a person as any one of us. Just be a bit careful. I can't count the times she almost had a panic attack yesterday."
"I'm not made of porcelain." Violet grumbled softly from behind him.
"I never said you were." Nora said with a gentle smile. "But sometimes you have good days, where nothing can ever go wrong. And sometimes you have bad days where everything is too much. There is nothing wrong with that, no man is an island and all that. But until you get settled, big sis Nora will be here to help you every step of the way."
Violet didn't say anything, instead he felt her nuzzle into his side. Soft sobs echoing out. Gently lifting her up, she latched her arms around his neck. Nuzzling into the crock of his neck, her body wrecked by silent sobs.
"Why don't we do this another time?" Jaune started, throwing a little look at Nora. "We might have gotten a bit too excited to introduce her."
Nora gave a sheepish nod, and with that they were gone.
####
"What just happened?" Weiss asked dumbfounded. Staring at the door. Sleep addled mind trying to make sense of what just happened. She got the gist of it, the two of them being too exited to show of the little girl. A little girl who was somehow a conjuration of Jaune's semblance, his apprentice, and a being with a soul. All at the same time.
"Hurricane Norana… Noune…Jauneora? Eh, doesn't matter. Throw me my pillow please?" Yang yawned.
"Go get it yourself." Weiss grumbled. Standing up on her bed and gently pushing Ruby back into her bed. The team's youngest having fallen asleep hunched over the edge of the bed.
Yang threw one look at her pillow, before deciding it would be too much work to get out from under her blankets to get it. Making the mature decision of ignoring it.
"How can you be so blasé about it? That shouldn't be possible. A soul can't create or conjure a soul. It goes against everything I have learned." Weiss hissed out after having tucked Ruby in. Shooting Yang a harsh look. The blonde only rolling her eyes at her.
"Because it's too early to think about overly complicated things. Because the headmaster already handled it. Because it's Jaune. I sat with them for about five minutes give or take yesterday. And I can say with hand over my heart that Jaune absolutely adores her. I pity the fool who manages to hurt her. Especially with how she also got Nora in her corner. Hurting Violet is the same as pissing of all in Team JNPR at the same time." Yang grinned. Sitting up upright and beaming over at her. "I mean, can you imagine? An angry Nora? Actually going through with her threats. Or what about an angry Ren? Something cracking that apathic exterior? Or what about an angry Pyrrha?"
"Your mind is a dangerous place when tired." Weiss eventually settled on. Not wanting to imagine what sort of things the four of them would pull of if properly incensed.
"Thank you." Yang grinned happily. "But do you mind turning off the lights? I plan to catch some extra Z's."
"A wonderful idea." Was her answer. With a swish of her fingers a little glyph sprang to life over the light switch. Drowning their room in a comfortable darkness.
"Have I ever told you how bullshit your semblance is?" Yang grumbled.
"No, but you certainly won't be the last." Weiss didn't sigh but felt an all too familiar migraine forming.
"Your semblance might be bullshit, but your height isn't. I know you didn't get a proper look at her, but Violet reaches up to your chest. And she is nine." Yang teased.
"Who do you think I am Xiao-Long? You will need to do better than that to get a rise out of me." Weiss huffed, a sly little smile coming to her lips. "I mean, if you want a pillow. There is one right there up for grabs. You just have to woman up and go get it."
The loud tsk Yang let out, making sleep come just a bit easier. Closing her eyes for five seconds, an energic voice woke her up a second later.
"You wouldn't believe the crazy dream I had." Ruby announced peppily. Not giving them a second to catch themselves, she rambled on. "Get this. Jaune and Nora visited and showed of Jaune's mini me. Weird right? Even weirder is how she looked like his kid. If I didn't know better, I would have thought one of his sisters came to visit."
"That actually happened." Yang yawned.
Rubbing the sleep out of her eyes, Weiss was greeted by a familiar rain of rose petals tailing after her partner.
"Ruby! Wait!" Yang panickily called out. Throwing herself out of bed and racing after her sister.
"Jaune-" Ruby cheered, pulling open Team JNPR's door.
*Bang!*
The sound of a gunshot silenced whatever Ruby were to say. Turning her exited greeting into a startled "EEEPP!"
Locking eyes with one suddenly very awake Blake. They threw themselves out of bed. Racing over to JNPR's room. Hearth slamming in their chests.
Catching herself against the doorframe she saw Ruby, hand over her beathing chest as she hid in the lap of one very confused Ren. Rose petals tailing harmlessly onto the floor.
A head of blond hair leaned into Jaune's chest. Two terrified blue eyes nervously darting from her, to Blake, before quickly darting between Ruby and Yang. The still smoking barrel of an old timey pistol trembling in little hands. Never once leaving the door.
"Shh, it's okay, no one is going to hurt you. It was just a happy little accident." Jaune cooed softly. Gently lifting Violet into a hug. Violet throwing her arms around Jaune's neck. Pistol clacking against the floor, turning into silver mist a second later. Only the sound of Violet's choked sobs ringing out dead silent room.
"Sheesh, you told me she was skittish, not that she was packing heat." Yang quipped, breaking the silence with the subtlety of a wrecking ball.
"I hadn't planned to, didn't see the need to really." Jaune sighed tiredly. "But it seems I were wrong."
"I'm sorry. I was just so excited." Ruby apologised. Quickly climbing out of Ren's lap. Nora levelling her a death stare from her top bunk. Looking over at Jaune and Violet, Ruby's expression fell when Violet dove even deeper into his side. Not daring to look in her direction.
"And I'm not going to hold you being you, against you." Jaune assured kindly. "Just… please. Could you leave? Violet doesn't need any more stressors right now."
"See you at breakfast?" Ruby asked, getting a little nod from Jaune. Tentatively sniffing the air, Ruby's expression fell further. "We will be going now." With that she grabbed her sister and marched them all back to their room.
"What gives sis?" Yang complained after Ruby slammed the door shut behind them. "I was about to ask P-money about how they got proper bunk beds. As much as I love what we cobbled together, I rather not wake up to my bed crashing into the floor when Kitty cat's books give."
"Please don't call me that." Blake said, letting out a long-suffering groan. Her words going ignored by the blond menace. Whose expression had softened seeing the tears brimming in her sisters eyes.
"Rubes, what is it?" Yang asked tenderly.
"Am I really that scary?" Ruby asked, voice barley a whisper.
"What?"
"She peed herself Yang." Ruby whispered hollowly. Silver eyes burning into her sister. "She peed herself because of me."
With that Ruby exploded into rose petals again, bathroom door slamming behind her.
"That could have gone better." Yang mumbled.
"Way to state the obvious." Blake yawned, crawling under her blankets without a moments hesitation. Grabbing a blook and flipping it open.
####
'Today had been a good day all things considered.' Jaune thought to himself as he awoke in Ogden chapel. Even with Violet peeing herself from the scare Ruby unwittingly gave her, the day could always have been worse.
Thankfully, even if there was some tension between them, mostly from Violet's side, Ruby was good on her way to make the little girl open up to her. He couldn't say the same about the rest of her team. Not that he had been expecting anything either. Both Blake and Yang seemed fine with ignoring her. Not really knowing what to do around Violet, instead settling for the easiest solution while trying to not overwhelm the little girl further. He was sure they would be more including when Violet grew on them, but for now it was maybe for the best that they allowed Violet to go at her own pace.
Surprisingly it had been Weiss who was the most smitten by Violet. Even thought he was sure the opposite was true as well. While he hadn't seen much of 'high society' or anything like that in Yharnam. It was true that it was Weiss who held herself most to the standards of a 'Lady'.
And with what little he had grasped about Violet; it was that she saw herself a lady.
Weiss having been all to happy with having a little admirer.
After lunch, he had sat Violet together with Pyrrha, ironing out the last details of her training regime. Figuring out what would be best for Violet to focus on, both short and long term. Then came an obstacle he honestly hadn't expected.
Learning how to read and write.
He didn't know why, but Violet couldn't read or write the common language used in Remnant. Something that came as a surprise, given that he understood the language used in Yharnam as another mother tongue. Having expected the same to be true for Violet. But it seemed she could only speak and understand the common tongue verbally.
Not that it was a major setback. They had borrowed some books about learning to read in the library, using the opportunity to help Violet get a bit more used to Beacon's hallowed halls. A homely little alcove back in the library becoming their little refuge as the hours passed by.
It felt nice to relax, not having to worry about anything but helping Violet along as she learned to read. Violet grinned the entire time, having claimed his lap as her chair, much to Pyrrha's amusement. The cosy atmosphere was a good send to forget the horrors in his mind, if only for a few hours.
Pyrrha must have felt the same, having fallen asleep a good five minutes it, much to both his and Violet's amusement.
When it was time to head back to the dorm, Pyrrha's cheeks turned the same colour as her hair. She also looked visibly more relaxed, shoulders having lost their tenses that had cropped up after his and Ren's little spat. And as much as he dreaded that conversation, he wasn't blind to how the schism between him and Ren effected the team.
The second they were back to the dorm, Violet was 'kidnapped' by an overly excited Nora. Not that he minded, as much as he loved Violet, the little girl having grown on him faster than he tough possible, he wanted a bit of time for himself.
So while Nora was busy teaching Violet different board games, he sat his ass down and continued working on his blood rites. Desperately wanting to find a way to make them more viable in combat.
It wasn't that they couldn't be used, it was that they were either to complicated to use on the spot or came with too little practical benefit to justify casting them in the first place.
Sure, his blood mist rite held a lot of sentimental value, being the first rite he ever learned and successful performed. The problem was that chunking a pungent blood vial would be quicker and more useful nine out of ten times. And in the one situation it was viable, he found more use in just quickly killing whatever group he stumbled upon instead of setting the group upon one another and sneaking past.
Unfortunately, the limitations on blood 'rite's' or blood magic in general, pushed it squarely into a supportive category. And even then, what 'good' support rites he had could be counted on one hand thanks to blood magic's tendency to take as much as it gave.
Trying to make blood mist viable was an exercise in futility. Using a supportive rite wasn't worth it, and he hadn't come to a point where he could freely splurge his blood echoes to experiment recklessly with his transmutation ritual unless he wanted to set himself back. The only good thing that came about it was that he was getting a better grasps of blood magic's inner workings.
Endless possibilities at his fingertips, only to be shackles by arbitrary limitations and his own inability to find the 'key' to unshackle it.
In the end he didn't get much work done, not even able to begin working on the kinks in his other self-made rite before Nora dragged all of them into multiple rounds of Remnant the game. Hosting the first of many board game evenings too come.
"But that's not what is important right now." He mumbled to himself. Quickly making his way down the stairs. Doing a hard right into the hidden passage he had seen open. Throwing a cautionary look out to Cathedral Ward proper.
"Not yet." He mumbled to himself, body shaking slightly. "Explore this first, go through the rounds in Central Yharnam with Violet tomorrow, then exploring more of what the Tomb of the Gods have to offer the day after. Then Cathedral ward." He promised himself.
Stepping up the stairs and into the large, but no less elaborately, carved room. Jaune felt a cold shiver race down his spine. Knowing all too well it didn't come from wall of heavy, stale air. Almost suffocating in its 'deadness'. He had never thought something as free as air could die, grow stale at best. But like time and time again, he was proved wrong.
Each breath he took felt heavier than the last. Dead air gradually filling his lungs, a ticking clock. Holding his breath, his eyes danced over the room, nothing but pillars and a circular dais, not to dissimilar to a smaller version of the carvings in the chapel.
"This is a stupid idea." Yet not one to shy away from making stupid decisions, Jaune cautiously stepped onto the dais. Crocea Mors out on the ready, blue light shining from his hand lantern. Casting the caved statues in an eerie glow, faces shining with mad delight.
Foot sinking together with his stomach when he stepped on an elegantly hidden pressure plate. Instincts flaring, he threw himself to the side. Crashing face first into a flickering barrier that had appeared around the dais. Blood red intricate script lit up from the edges of the dais. The screech of old metal coming to life ringing out from his right, harsh vailing coming from the left.
Gently the dais rose, pulled along by invisible forces. Heart thundering in his chest, he waited impatiently for the lift to finish ascending. Feeling like a piece of meat about to be served on a silver platter.
Not a moment to soon, the lift came to a gentle stop. Throwing himself of the lift, Jaune took in his surroundings. Quickly spotting the sight of an old man dressed in immaculate clothes revving up his gatling gun. The old gentleman's eyes shining with righteous zealotry.
"You're better off dead ye filthy beast! It's all your fault! Yharnam was fine until y-"
Thunder boomed in the room, silencing whatever he wanted to say. Bone and pungent brain matter coating his wheelchair and the marbled stone behind him.
Tucking Mortem Ignis back into her holster, he took in the room he found himself in again. This time free from the threat of a hail of bullets. It was empty, filled with thin carved pillars and coffin after coffin lining the walls.
Gaze locked at the walkway out he carefully made his way over to the chest. Kicking it open and hurriedly searching through it. Eyes brightening when he found two runes.
Inspecting them under the light of his lantern, he felt a chill travel up his back.
"Formless Oedon, lacking form, existing only in voice." He whispered, understanding crystal clear what the rune meant. Shivering and throwing the rune with all his might when he felt a 'presence' directing it's attention towards him.
'It' wasn't even properly paying attention, just the quirking of an eyebrow in the direction of someone calling 'It's' name. But it took all his willpower and more not to crumble in on himself. His blood long since turned to ice in his veins. Cold sweat racing down his body in great waterfalls. Hearth thundering in his ears, wracking his body with pain.
Jaune felt in slow motion how his veins popped. First went the capillaries in his eyes, then popped the veins around his temple, sending blood shooting over the uncaring stone floor. Unable to move a muscle, Jane stood frozen in terror, feeling more and more of his veins exploding. Coldness seeping in as he was unable to do anything but wait until his body eventually gave up under the strain of bearing a grain of 'It's' attention.
Just as quickly as the 'presence' washed over him, it was gone. Leaving Jaune crashing face first into the stone floor. A rasping breath, followed by violently coughing out clumps of blood. Forcing his body to obey him, Jaune pushed past the shakiness that rattled his body. Spilling precious healing blood. With a gargled roar he smashed the mouth of the bottle trough his teeth, the muscles in his arm tearing themselves apart.
Not caring for the pain, Jaune allowed hope to wash over him again. The healing blood miraculously fixing his body before he tore himself further apart.
"Come on Jaune, names have power. You are better than this." He rasped out, pulling himself up, only to crash back down when his muscles screamed at him.
After spending five painstakingly slow minutes gathering himself, he eventually forced himself up. Pushing past the jitters he grabbed the rune. Scowling at it, half of a mind to throw it away, only the reassurance that it might be useful later down the line staying his hand. Some might describe it as a man with open arms holding a sermon to two other men. But all he saw was a smiling face crying blood.
He didn't know what it did, neither was he in the mind to brand the name of 'It' into his mind. He wasn't mad. Not that he could, the dream was still missing the rune workshop tool.
Throwing a cautionary look over at the other rune, it bore a mark shaped like a leaf with a golden cup, chalice, or eye in the middle. Surrounded by all sides with 'star' like dots. "Communion." He muttered, running a shaking gloved thumb over the symbol. "But what is shared?" Shaking his head he quickly pocketed both runes. He could mull over what they did later. Right now he had a hunt to continue.
His body still felt bruised and broken, but he forced himself to press on. Stepping onto the walkway only to be greeted by gunfire. Sidestepping, Jaune sprinted over the walkway. Parrying the thrust of an oncoming hunter. Lodging the man's blade between two fenceposts before diving into his guard. Gutting him and using his body to absorb another bullet.
A harsh shoulder bash sent the corpse spiralling down into the ward proper. Diving into cover before the huntsman could fire of another round. Only to come face to face with a pack of six huntsmen. Armed with everything from torches, oversized meat cleavers, axes, one even carrying a wooden shield.
"Death upon all Godless outsiders." The sword wielder bellowed, throwing himself into an unsteady lunge.
Not one to let a golden opportunity go, Jaune greeted his lunge with a charge of his own. Tsking when warm blood splashed him in the face. Mentally chiding himself for having slipped back into familiar habits.
"Beast!" Another huntsman hollered. Hastily trusting his torch towards him. "Not even the church's blessed hunters can move that fast!"
"Foul cur! Thinking it can fool us upstanding huntsmen with its fancy disguise. I say we show it what us proper huntsmen do to beasts." Another huntsman called out with a blood-drunk grin on his face.
The five remaining huntsmen set upon him with bellowing war cry's. A quick backstep brough him out on the balcony, quickstepping to the left, he dove right back. Crocea Mors splitting the leading huntsman skull in two. Lips thinning, he quickstepped further to the left, using the circular design of the tower to his advantage.
Not that he needed it. The huntsmen were sloppy, uncoordinated, and drunk on blood. They were more a threat to themselves than to him. But if there was anything he had been forced to learn by trying to implement waltz into his fighting style, then it was to take things slow. What did it matter if he spent a second longer or two to kill a group when they all died in the end?
The slower tempo was as jarring as it was rewarding. He was all to used too quickly dashing at his targets and striking even quicker. Stealing the initiative and keeping it trough a relentless onslaught. He had to remind himself time and time again that he had time. He wasn't in a race against some unseeable opponent to see who could kill the fastest. He was allowed to take things at his own pace.
That however didn't mean didn't find himself wishing to just be done with it. "Why do I keep doing this to myself?" Jaune mussed absentmindedly to himself. Leading an incoming axe into the wall with a gentle parry, before cutting down like lightning. Cleanly separating the head from his body.
"Because I cherish Pyrrha to much to not at least give her advice a proper try, and Gehrman would never let me hear the end of it." He sighed, smiling slightly to himself. Switching his tempo had allowed him to freely experiment with other avenues of fighting. Parrying and counters being one such avenue. Taking his time, allowed him to exploit openings while making it easier to create openings that didn't stem from overwhelming his prey with a never-ending onslaught.
A quick and dirty riposte, and only three remained off the pack of six. A huntsman chucked his torch at him in desperation, to high on adrenaline and bloodlust to even consider retreating. Instead he let out a bellowing war cry and charged at him as a cheap imitation of Yang. Just without any of the training, no aura so to speak of, and with an axe instead of her gauntlets.
Sending a quick kick to his knee, the bellowing war cry turned into a cry of terror. The huntsman plummeting towards a quick demise.
With that three turned too two.
Instincts screaming, Jaune looked up. Locking eyes with the ugly face of a brick troll peeking it's head out from a window further up.
"Please have some sense of self preservation." Jaune prayed, face rapidly paling when a giant hand wrapped grabbed the windowsill. A second later, a meteor of flesh crashed into the balcony. Another huntsman fell to his doom, an enviable fate compared to his companion who was crushed under a mountain of pure muscles.
The brick troll stood straight, not at all harmed by its short free fall. Instead it roared a mighty war cry, stamping its foot into the balcony, before charging at him with furious frenzy. A rumbling groan all the warning they got before the balcony gave out under them.
Free falling, Jaune was quick to hatch a plan, and even quicker to implement it the second his boots crashed into another balcony. Darting forward he ran dangerously close to the edge, slipping under a lethal left hook, he buried Crocea Mors deep into the trolls knee. A roar of pain, loud enough to make his ears bleed. Paying it no mind he 'felt' more than heard the brick coming down with crushing force.
Tearing out his blade, he bashed it with the flat of his blade while dangerously teetering around the troll. Lips coming up into a grin as he saw the trolls unprotected back. With well practiced ease he dashed up it's back. Ignoring how it's knee completely gave out under the combined assault of his extra weight and earlier. Riding the momentum, he drove Crocea Mors down with all his might.
His trusty sword jutting out of it's neck. Tearing it out, it's head was sent sailing out into Cathedral Ward. Climbing off the troll, he sat his ass down against the wall, and kicked with all his might. Sending the rest of the large corpse crashing down.
More than content with taking a little break, Jaune leaned back against the wall, enjoying Yharnam's skyline. It was a jarring thing, full of sharp and twisting buildings. But it had grown on him.
Feeling his rune radiate with familiar warmth, a bark of ugly laughter escaped him. Looking over the balcony, he tried to see if he could spot what poor sod had been crushed by the falling troll. Looking over the cityscape, he could make out specks of dark surrounding a larger blob of crimson.
"Godspeed to you, brick troll." Jaune said, leaning back against the wall. "May you get your revenge against whoever turned you into that."
Taking a second to rest against the wall, he felt his fingers anxiously drumming over his hipflask. Shakes from earlier still wrecking him the moment he allowed himself to relax. With a tired groan he pushed himself up, needing something else to focus on. Quickly looking around the balcony ledge he was on. Eyes landing on the dead end to the right, with a flicker of hope in his chest, he turned left. Not wanting to use a bold hunters mark if he could avoid it.
The flicker of hope burning brightly the second he saw an open gateway, only to be ruthlessly drowned under an ocean of frustration the moment his eyes landed on the wooden scaffolding.
Giving the scaffolding a tentative test, he knew he never should have gotten his hope up. The plank gave the second he rested a bit of his weight on it. Creating a domino effect where more and more planks snapped. Causing the 'main' walkway to lose it support and go tumbling down into the dark abyss within.
"As if this night couldn't possibly get any worse."
The second his words left his mouth, the scaffolding on the right gave out a tired groan. Collapsing under its own weight. Crashing down on the platform beneath it and dragging them both into the abyss bellow. Completely cleaning out the entire right side.
A choked long-suffering wail escaped Jaune.
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Note: Violet isn't completely mentally healthy by Remnant standards (Or any modern standard really). She is overwhelmed, out of her element, and is very much almost constantly on the brink of panic attacks, only staved off by Jaune's presence. Not to mention all the heaps of different social norms she was raised up around, something we got a little peek into.
Note: Runes, most are like their game counterparts. However, since Jaune can freely choose how many bullets and vials he can carry with him, these two runes will have different effects. The same is true for the Guidance rune as well, all others are mostly the same.