Sunshine Chapter 27: Smile More, a rwby fanfic

Chapter 27: Smile More

Robbeeyy: Tai's gonna be a big help for Jaune, trust me! As for Yang's boyfriend, I didn't write who it was but trust me, you'll find out soon enough! Also, Vernal isn't going to like what she hears happened to Jaune.

Asianman2: Thank you and We'll be getting a look at RWBY and NPR soon enough, trust me.

NinjaFang1331: Thank you, Ninja!

CriticaofRandomness: Trust me when I say this: For once Ozma didn't do a thing! This is all because of the Last King of Vale!

blaiseingfire: Neither did I till I watched a YT video that mentioned, whatever you do, don't look up images, some of them look disgusting!

ASpanishReader: Here's more also glad the new "Grimm" Freaked you out! Also, the story for the Rusted Knight, Curious Cat, and the Talking Grimm will be a separate one-shot story and will be far different than the Canon one! And trust me, you should Read it, there's gonna be a lot of Lore coming out with it! I can't say who The "Grimm" is looking for, but trust me, it's a character you won't expect. But I hope you enjoy this chapter!

A/N:

Due to working a closing shift at my Job today, and won't get off around 9 or 10, I'll be posting this now since I know that I'll be far too tired to post it when I get back, and while part of me wants to wait, I know that with my busy schedule for the week, I'll forget.

So, I think it's better to post this early, rather then forget about it until the weekend!

So here you go! I hope you enjoy!

XXX

It was night and Jaune lay asleep on the floor while Deery slept on the bed, however, as the blonde lay on the ground, many shadowy hands appeared out of the ground and wrapped around Jaune's body.

Feeling this, Jaune's eyes quickly opened and he looked around to see the hands grabbing his arms, legs, chest, and waist. Jaune was about to scream when one hand wrapped around his mouth, silencing him.

Suddenly, he felt himself sinking and all he could see was darkness before he finally landed hard on a rock and felt like all of the air in his body had left him. Eventually, he regained his breathing and stood up only to see himself in front of what he could only be described as a battlefield. Bodies lay around him, covered with wounds, mud, and blood. Everyone was dead, and Jaune was shocked, he was scared and confused as to what was going on.

Suddenly, some of the bodies began to slowly rise to their feet in an unnatural manner and when they finally stood up, they turned to face Jaune, causing the blonde eyes to widen with horror.

"Jaune!" They cried in unison. "You've finally come," They said together one more.

Jaune stepped back only for hands to wrap around his neck and other hands to wrap around his arms, holding him in place. Jaune tried to free himself and yet, he couldn't, while there were only a few hands holding him back, it felt like there were more, it was as if 20 people were holding him back, locking him in place.

"Lookie here~! You've finally arrived~!"

Jaune looked up only to see that standing atop a tall rock was Shay, his face mangled due to Jaune bashing his face in with his shield.

"S-Shay...?" Jaune muttered with a confused expression.

"Heya there, Jaune," Shay said with a wave, "Looks like you finally made it!"

Jaune was confused and his terror was rising. "Made it...? Where... am I?" Jaune asked, his voice shaky.

Shay began to laugh, "Where!? Where else would someone like you be!?" Shay asked with a cackle, "WELCOME TO THE VOID!"

Jaune looked around only to see the people he killed appearing before him, some coming out of the rocks like smoke, some crawling their way out of the dirt, and all of them moving toward him. Jaune tried to free himself, trying to get away from the dead that surrounded him, but he was stuck, held back by the very people he had killed, unable to free himself.

Suddenly, his eyes opened and he quickly sat up and looked around frantically, only to find himself no longer surrounded by the dead, but by the four walls of Tai's guest room and all he heard was the slight breathing of Deery as she slept. Jaune stood up and saw that Zwei had snuck into the room, hopped onto the bed, and slept with Deery.

Jaune felt cold and realized that he was sweating, he got up and looked at his scroll and grabbed it, turning it on only to check the time, seeing that it was 7:00 in the morning.

Jaune didn't feel like he could sleep, not after the nightmare, so he grabbed Crocea Mors and headed out of the room and then proceeded to the backyard, and once outside, he began to train.

In front of him, he imagined Raven, She charged in with her sword swing back, prepared to slash at Jaune, however, Jaune ducked under the attack and quickly slashed Raven across her stomach, causing her image to disappear, however, appearing in front of him now was Bane-Saw, who charged at him and swung his chainsaw rapidly and wildly, jaune backed away and avoided many of the attacks, and then when one swing was too wide, Jaune quickly pulled his sword back and jabbed forward, stabbing the terrorist in his throat and like Raven, his form disappeared.

Jaune backed away and he felt... unsatisfied. He didn't know why, but he felt that the fights in his head, the image of the two opponents he projected were too easily defeated. Bane-Saw he understood, it didn't take long for Jaune to get the upper hand on him back in Atlas, but Raven... Raven should've been far more tough and powerful, yet with one fluid strike, he had killed her.

If Robyn had not told him about pushing his aura into his blade and amplifying it to cut through another's own Aura, then that attack would not have been lethal, but because he had learned how to cut through another person's aura, that single strike he delivered to the Raven of his mind, ended her life.

He trained along the road with Vernal and Oscar as much as he could and trained with the Huntresses and thanks to Robyn, he discovered something that gave him an edge over many future enemies. He had grown stronger, His Semblance allowed him to boost himself and others to a high degree, making him nearly invincible, it was thanks to his skill that he managed to survive this long, even against the odds.

Yet... there was a part of him that felt unsatisfied by this, but why? Why was he unsatisfied by easily beating people who were his enemies?

"What are you doing up so early kid?"

Jaune turned to the back door only to see Tai standing there, he was wearing a white shirt, sweat shorts, and slippers. in his hand was a mug, but Jaune didn't know what was inside of it.

"Oh, Uh... I couldn't sleep," Jaune replied.

Tai nodded and took a sip of his mug as he walked over to Jaune, "Nightmare?" He asked.

Jaune nodded, "Yeah..." He replied.

Tai nodded and stood in front of Jaune, a blank expression on his face, "Jaune, have you killed before?" He asked.

Jaune slowly nodded, "I have," Jaune said with a bitter tone.

Tai gave the younger blonde a soft smile, "I'm not judging you, Jaune," He told him, "Everyone on my team has taken a life at some point, including me, and I'll be the first to say that, it's never an easy thing, especially at your age, it can mess with you, in a way you never knew, but you should never hold those things in... talk about them to me, or to someone you can trust when you're ready, but don't keeping holding it in, because it can and will eat you up inside,"

Jaune nodded slowly, knowing that Tai was right, he needed to talk about this, needed to tell someone about what he was feeling, but he didn't want to put his burdens on anyone else, he didn't want to be looked at differently, to be looked at like a... monster.

"smile more, Jaune," Tai said.

Jaune looked at him with a raised brow, "Huh?" he asked.

"Smile more," Tai repeated, with a kind and loving smile as he walked back to the house.

Jaune didn't know why, but the older man's smile shook him to the core because, with that smile, there was peace. A peace that seemed so far yet so close, a peace that reminded him of his days when he was just a child, loving the world around, peace of being so naive and easygoing with not a care in the world.

Not only that but behind Tai, Jaune could've sworn he saw Melissa smiling along with Tai.

Suddenly, light hit Jaune's eyes and he squinted before he slowly turned to the source of light only to see that it was the rising sun, Jaune looked at the sight and saw how beautiful the sky was, how amazing the sight appeared, like something out of a calander.

Slowly a small smile graced Jaune's face as he looked upon the beautiful sight, it had been a long time since Jaune had smiled, genuinely smiled, at something so... tranquil.

XXX

Later in the day, Tai, Zwei, and Deery were riding into town to get some supplies to fix up the fences.

As they did, Tai looked over to the Deer faunus with a raised brow, "How did you and Jaune meet?" he asked.

Deery rubbed her hands together out of nervousness, "Uh... I left the White-Fang and made it to Atlas, and there I joined up with the Happy Huntresses, whom Jaune had been staying with for a long time, We were partnered up together for a mission and he looked after me since I barely knew how to fight at the time, and after a certain mission where we had to help the Atlas Military search for some White-Fang in Atlas who were hunting down and killing Ex-Fang members, he protected me before they could learn who I was," Deery began, "Before he left for here, I decided to travel with him, I felt like I owed him for looking out for me, despite the short time we knew each other, but Robyn told me he'd most likely not let me join him if he knew so I kind of... followed him without him knowing..." Deery replied with a sheepish smile.

Tai smiled, "I once knew someone like that," he said.

Deery shrugged, "Well I also followed him because I thought that maybe... I could find some redemption along the way, to make up for some of the things I did while a part of the White-Fang," He told her.

Tai smiled at her words like a proud father would a daughter, "It's a good thing you want to change and redeem yourself," He told her. "I also looked to redeem myself after my 2nd wife died, fell into a dark hole, and I... let's just say I wasn't there for the people that needed me," He told her.

Deery looked at him and felt terrible for him, "I'm sorry to hear that," Deery told him.

"Don't be, I got some help from a very, very good friend of mine and I finally found some redemption and became a better person for myself and most importantly, for my daughters," He told her, "And if it's not too much to ask, please try to talk to Jaune and get him to open up... He needs someone to talk to, doesn't even matter who, just someone who will listen,"

Deery slowly nodded, "I will try," She told him. "I'll do my best to get him to open up, but I... He doesn't like to talk much about what he's gone through," she told him.

Tai nodded, "And that's understandable," He told her, "He reminds me of myself back when I was his age, tried to put the weight of the world on my shoulders, keep everything inside, stay strong, don't burden others with your own troubles, I see all those old qualities I had in Jaune, and that's when I realized that he and I, we're not so different, in a sense," He told her.

Deery looked at him with a raised brow, "Really?" she asked.

Tai nodded, "I may not have gone through the same things as him, but I can see he's been through a lot worse and has done a lot worse than I have ever done, but it all leads to the same dark pit," he told her.

After hearing that, Deery looked to her feet as she remembered what Jaune had told her before he was attacked by Ilia and Bane-Saw.

"Deery, for what it's worth, I think you're brother would be proud of you," He said.

Deery looked up and turned her head to Jaune with wide eyes.

Jaune looked at her, "I think that you're brother would be proud to see that you're back on the right path and want to help people, want to keep others safe, and want to redeem yourself, so..." Jaune began as he ruffled her hair, something he did with his little sisters. "I think your brother would be proud of you," He said.

Deery smiled a little at the gesture and gave a little chuckle as she wiped a tear that was forming. "Heh... my brother used to do that too," she said with a smile.

Jaune chuckled, "Guess it's just something older brothers do," He said.

"I'll talk to him," She said, "I'll try to talk to him and have him open up as much as I can... I owe him that much," Deery replied.

Tai smiled hearing that, "Good," He said happily.

XXX

Tai and Jaune were replacing the old wooden fence with a more mesh metal fence, and as they created holes for the placement of the posts, placed the posts in the hole, and poured the concrete in the hole, Tai looked over Jaune.

"You ever done work like this before?" He asked.

Jaune nodded, "A little with my dad and grandpa," Jaune told him.

Tai nodded with a smile, "I used to know your dad," Tai told him, "How is ol' Nick doing these days?" He asked.

Jaune shrugged, "Don't know honestly," He said, "Before I left for Beacon, he was still himself, a Good father, humble and respected man, and still the protector of my home village," He told Tai.

Tai chuckled, "Sounds like Nick's changed just as much as I have," He said.

Jaune nodded, "Yeah," He said. He then remembered what Raven had told him about his dad, and how he used to be back in the day. "I heard that he wasn't always like that though,"

Tai nodded in agreement, "Yeah, Nick was a lot more boastful and hot-headed back in the day," Tai said, "He always wanted to be the strongest, course, back then, everyone wanted to be the strongest, everyone wanted to be Invincible,"

Jaune looked at Tai, "Why?" He asked.

"Legends were disappearing kid," Tai said. "For example, a legendary Huntress called "The Grimm Reaper" disappeared, no one knows what happened to her, but she and many amazing huntsmen started retiring or died, so, people wanted to be the next legend, the next strongest of our time, wanted to be Invincible... Nick and my first wife wanted that, wanted to be the strongest amongst everyone,"

"But then that Mission happened, right?" Jaune asked. "I heard about my Dad's last mission before he quit,"

Tai nodded, "Yeah," He replied, "Nick told you about that?" He asked.

Jaune shook his head, "No, Raven Branwen told me," Jaune told him.

Tai was shocked to hear that Jaune had met Raven, "Whoa! You met Raven!?" He asked with a smile.

Jaune nodded, "If I had to guess, with her and Yang looking so similar, she's your first wife, right?" Jaune asked.

Tai nodded with a smile, "Yep," He said popping the P. "Can't believe you met Raven and didn't die,"

Jaune chuckled a little, "Almost did, she did stab me when I tried to fight her but since she knew my dad and wanted me to be like him, she thought I'd join the tribe, didn't work out as you can guess," Jaune finished.

Tai sighed, still smiling though, "Yeah, that's Rae for ya," He said, "That's one of the reasons I don't want Yang looking after her, but that girl's stubborn, just like me and Rae," He said.

Jaune stopped and looked at Tai, "I want to kill her," Jaune told Tai.

Tai stopped and seemed shocked by the boy's sudden admission of his desire to kill his ex-wife.

"I'm not saying I want to hunt her down and Kill her, but Raven... she nearly took something I loved right in front of me, and I can't ever forgive her for that," Jaune told Tai, "But if I ever saw her again, I wouldn't hesitate, I'd kill her," Jaune told him.

Jaune expected Tai to glare or even threaten him, yet, the older blonde did nothing but sigh and shrug. "I can't say I blame you, Jaune," He said.

Jaune was confused and shocked that he didn't get the reaction he expected. "That's it?" He asked.

Tai nodded, "That's it," he said.

"Why?" He asked.

"Jaune, I've made peace that Raven won't ever come back to me, and I've made peace that she's not the same woman I loved all those years ago," Tai told him. "However, while she may be the mother of my first child, a child I care for more than the world, I know that she's going to pay for all the terrible things she's done, and there's nothing I can do anymore to help her," Tai finished.

That shocked Jaune, he expected Tai to be angry about him threatening Raven, yet, it seemed he had accepted Raven's path and her inevitable fate.

"I WILL NOT HAVE YOU WALK DOWN THAT BLOODY PATH! YOU HEAR ME!? I WON'T LET YOU FUCKING WALK DOWN IT!"

Suddenly, Jaune remembered a memory struck him, he remembered when he first told his father he wanted to become a Huntsman. "You know... my dad didn't approve of me becoming a huntsman," Jaune told Tai.

Tai looked at Jaune, "I don't doubt it," Tai said. "Your father's last mission really shook him to the core, I could see it in his eyes,"

Jaune nodded, "Yeah, I see why he didn't want me going down this path, but back then, I just thought he didn't believe in me," Jaune said. "I remember the first time I told him I wanted to be a Huntsman, I remember how he scared me that day," He said.

Tai's brow raised with confusion, "He scared you?" Tai said, sounding a little worried for the young boy.

"My dad had his off days, some days he would have days where he never came out of his room for a long time, times where he would just stare off into space, and while I found that weird when I was younger, what scared me was that day I told him my dream of being a Huntsman," Jaune began, "He scared him so bad that I never left the house for three days,"

"What happened?" Tai asked.

"When I told him I wanted to be a Huntsman, my father flipped out on me and shook me so hard that I nearly pissed himself... Never saw so much anger in his eyes," Jaune told Tai. "Course at the time I thought he just didn't believe in me, so that only pushed him to be a huntsman more," Jaune said.

Tai looked at Jaune with a pity expression, "Ya know, in reality, I don't think Nick was mad at you, but was just... afraid for you," Tai said.

Jaune slowly nodded, "Yeah, I... I see that now," Jaune told him.

"Will you surrender and be robbed? Or will you fight and die young Arc?"

"You have to understand weakness to know your strength! You have to adapt to the cruel world that surrounds both Huntsman and Bandit! Adapt Arc! This isn't Beacon! No teacher is gonna stop a fight and save you! You have no team to back you up if you're surrounded by Grimm! So fucking adapt you blonde fucking idiot! adapt and get stronger to defend yourself! Because if you don't adapt to how this world really works and know just how cruel it can be..." Vernal began, "THEN YOU DON'T HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO LIVE IN THIS LIFE! TO LIVE THE LIFE OF A HUNTSMAN! YOU DON'T HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO SURVIVE!"

"So tell me, Arc, are you ready to adapt and kill, or are you just gonna screw around and die?" She asked him, "Are you ready to blacken your soul?"

"Hey come on, don't look at me like that, this is just how things work in this world," Shay told him.

"You still have a long way to go Jaune before your even on my level, you couldn't even kill me now," Raven said.

"Jaune, they were bandits, you're a huntsman, and I am an ex-cop, all of us chose a dangerous path, and we have to live with that choice," Melissa told him,

"We who live by the sword, will die by the sword, that's our fate," Melissa finished.

Malachite chuckled once more, "I suppose you're doing what you Huntsmen do best... killing monsters," She said with a smile. "But then again, what does that make you? Shouldn't those that hunt monsters be careful not to become them?" She asked with a smile.

'Have you admitted it to yourself finally? That you are a killer... A murderer... A Monster?' It asked before chuckling.

Fiona simply smiled, "While that's true, that people like Jacques Schnee in power, things won't change, and while we don't have control over those things, doesn't mean we should stand by and do nothing, because then things won't change either," She told him, "The Darkness may be bigger than the light, but that light, that light is the hope in a dark world that guides people forward give them hope to keep going and the courage to fight, and as long as there are good people in it, people like us, who will do anything to change the world or protect what matters to us most," She told him with a smile.

Jaune closed his eyes as he thought back to all the words that stuck to him, all the people he'd met so far, all the people he'd killed, and all the blood on his hands. 'This road I've been walking has been paved with blood... It keeps throwing things at me that eat away at me, that keep pushing me down into the darkness...' Jaune began taking a deep breath in before exhaling. 'And yet I'm still walking this path, still pushing forward, still fighting with every tooth and nail, and I haven't given up yet... why?'

"It was during our 3rd year, My and Nicholas's team were sent to check in on a local village that was seeing some small Bandit activity, they sent us there hoping to scare them off, however, the Bandits snuck into town and began raiding the place" Raven began, "We fought as best as we could in order to drive them off, however, we found some of the bandits brutalizing some of the townsfolk, and when your father found out what they were doing, he went crazy, it was like he possessed some untapped rage or skill he had kept hidden, he killed those bandits, showed them no mercy, even when he was surrounded, even when he was hit, he didn't falter, he didn't let up until all of them were dead,"

He then remembered the image of his father.

The days where he stared off into the distance, stuck in his own mind.

The days his father looked disheveled and tired as if he hadn't slept for a week.

Jaune was now sure that his dad had thought back to the men he had killed that night on his mission, and that those men still haunted him.

'My father couldn't handle what he did that night, he couldn't handle the blood on his hands... he quit the moment he had blood on his hands and gave up... so will I be the same?' Jaune asked himself 'Will I still be able to handle the reality of this job or... give up like my dad?'

Jaune pondered this as he continued to work on the fence with Tai, he wondered if he'd end up like his father who couldn't handle the reality of the job and give up?

Would he die while walking along the path of the Huntsman? Or... could he end up like Tai, who found some sort of peace?

Could he even choose what ending he got in the end?

The answer to that question would not be answered for a long time...