Welcome to another chapter of Jaune being thrown into a game between gods. Last chapter he didn't get trampled by a giant moose, so that was a positive note, but it is Jaune and he's not allowed to have good luck. A kid with no combat training versus a Beowolf. I'm sure he'll be fine. More importantly, I really liked Nice24's comment about Jaune being able to enter anywhere with Cernunnos's blessing. It's pretty interesting and very close to something I have planned. Good to see people putting pieces together. It will be a little bit before we see what blessings can really do.
Special thanks to Cawme for Betaing.
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There was a huge difference between imagination and real life.
Everyone at some point imagined themselves doing something heroic. Could be fighting off a robber, landing a Bullhead with a destroyed engine, or fighting off countless Grimm to save someone. Anyone who denies that is a liar. People can make themselves believe that during an emergency, they could inexplicably pull out knowledge and skills to achieve those feats. Some even brag to their friends how they would effortlessly do it. Yet real life was not so kind. No matter how many times someone imagines those scenarios, it was still just that; imaginary.
Jaune was no stranger to dreaming of fighting Grimm. To face hundreds alone with only his sword and shield before emerging victorious. Every swing of his arm would fell a beast and the rest would be stopped by his shield. The helpless villagers behind him would praise his heroism. Afterwards, the beautiful girl would jump into his arms as he showed the world he was a hero. Not a damsel in distress himself. Jaune had lived this scenario hundreds of times in his mind.
In his imagination.
Again, real life was not so kind.
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
The boy screamed in horror as he dove behind a wall of rubble as the Grimm charged. Claws tore into the ground for traction as the Beowolf lunged at him. It was thanks to Jaune's quick thinking, er reflexes, that he survived the lunge. The Grimm had moved so fast most people wouldn't have had a chance to avoid it. Fear was a powerful motivator for survival and Jaune had already been on the receiving end of that. This was the second time he ran for his life away from a monster. The Beowolf of course didn't stop after one change and turned to face the screaming boy before leaping once more.
Jaune kept running, bolting around the stone wall as fast as he could. Luckily, the Grimm stepped on a pile of rubble, causing it to stumble and slam its face onto the ground. Not hard enough to cause any noticeable damage but enough to make the creature angrier if that was possible. White teeth were bared when it growled as it looked up at Jaune with red eyes full of hatred. The boy was still running and didn't have time to look back.
"You can't outrun it!" Yatagarasu called out, flying above him. "You need to fight!"
"Are you kidding?" Jaune screamed back at the bird. "Do you see the size of it?"
The Beowolf towered over Jaune when it stood on its hind legs and white bones protruded from its back and appendages. While Jaune had seen Grimm before, including in books and a few glimpses when he was running for his life from the crash, he never expected a Beowolf to be that big. Books said they were only as tall as a normal person standing up. It was like someone pumped this particular Grimm full of steroids. Claws tore into solid stone as the monster continued to chase after him.
Jaune wasn't sure his shield could withstand that kind of power.
Not that he had a choice in testing.
Even with Aura empowering his physical strength and stamina, the Beowolf was faster and stronger. It was able to simply jump over the ruined wall while Jaune had to run around it. Finding himself cut off, the boy could do little but change direction and start trying to make his way to the trees. Experience told him that thick trees were great against larger Grimm as it slowed them down. Old decrypted stone buildings barely standing up with holes in them could not. As it closed in, Jaune could feel the hot breath on his neck, claws inches away from tearing into his skin.
"Get away!"
Jaune pulled his sword out of his sheath and spun around, swinging wildly. With his skill, the little actual training besides swinging his sword at home and imitating Huntsmen, the attack might as well have been a piece of paper. It had about as much force as throwing a sheet. The blade missed the large Grimm completely, as Jaune had his eyes closed when he swung his blade. No experience and fear prevented him from keeping them open. That's why imaginary scenarios were just imaginary and most people don't know how they would react until they actually encounter those situations.
Claws came down, ready to tear him apart. Out of pure reflex and terror, Jaune brought up his shield to block the blow. To his amazement, he actually managed to stop the Beowolf. For about half a second. Then the boy found himself being lifted off the ground as the powerful muscles of the Grimm sent him flying. Sparks flew off his shield as the claws scraped against the metal surface before Jaune was tossed away.
"AHHHHH!"
A lot of screams were escaping him, but what else could he do? He had no combat experience, no one to help him, and no way to escape. This was it. Jaune saw his life flash before his eyes again as Yatagarasu circled above him. The god wasn't doing anything. While not a combat god, Jaune expected him to do something. Anything! Even fly down and peck out an eye or two on the Beowolf. Yet the bird did nothing, even when Jaune crashed on the ground, pain shooting through his back for a moment before his Aura managed to heal him up. His shield and sword clattered to the ground behind him as he lost his grip.
The Beowolf stood over him, drool falling down from its wide open mouth. Razor sharp teeth littered the maw as it bent down, preparing to tear Jaune to pieces. Everything was over! His mission, his dreams and most importantly, his life! His eyes closed tightly, anticipating his end. Hot breath was over him as the Grimm was about to finish his final moments.
"YOU DARE TO TRESPASS IN MY TERRITORY!?"
Jaune's eyes shot open as he heard the familiar booming voice.
Behind the Grimm stood the immense form of Cernunnos, though not fully solid. The great moose was somewhat transparent, though kept his aurora colors of green and blue. Like living colored glass. Its presence once again caused the air to weigh down from its very existence. Even the Beowolf was momentarily stunned as it turned around to take in the sight. Lips curled back to reveal its teeth, but it seemed unable to do anything. Most likely because Cernunnos merely swiped his head and hit the Grimm with his antler.
Getting hit by a falling Bullhead would probably have hurt less.
A gust of wind caused Jaune to actually get lifted off the ground into the air and thrown back. Tucking his head into his arms, he rolled on the ground, unable to withstand just being near the Cernunnos attack. He wasn't even hit by it. As his eyes traveled upwards when the dust died down, both the Grimm and the god had vanished. A single strike from Cernunnos was all it took to kill that large Beowolf with no effort.
Honestly, this was the power a god should have.
"Be careful, human. There will be more and next time I will not be there to protect you."
Cernunnos' voice echoed in his ear and vanished like it was being carried by the wind.
"Thank you…" Jaune whispered as he pushed himself to his feet. Man, he loved this Aura. Without it, he would be sore, scratched up, and maybe ended up with a broken bone. Bending over and picking up his sword and shield, he was reminded of how weak he was. No wonder Beacon denied him entry. He was so weak and once again, he was only alive thanks to a nearby god.
The boy wasn't sure what kind of luck that was.
"What are you waiting for?!" Yatagarasu called out, flying down and landing on his shoulder. "Go after it."
"After it?" Jaune blinked as he tried to process it. "Didn't Cernunnos make it explode?"
"No, he just removed it from its territory. It's still alive."
"There's no way I can beat that thing!" Jaune turned to look at the dark bird on his shoulder. "I literally couldn't do anything! I need to get away from it if it's still alive!"
"You need to trust me, Human." Yatagarasu's voice was soft and reassuring, but still firm. "The best choice of action for you is to go after it. You will not die. I guarantee that."
"I better not or I'm going to haunt you as a ghost." Jaune grumbled and began to run forward after only another moment of hesitation.
As much as his instincts told him to run, experience stopped him from doing so. He had met two gods already and the things they did and said did come to pass. Yatagarasu warned him the journey would be challenging and the bird god didn't seem to want Jaune to die. So if he was telling Jaune to follow the Grimm, there had to be a good reason. Thinking about it logically, as he ran away from the ruins toward where Yatagarasu directed him, the Beowolf probably wouldn't be able to move very well, if at all. Cernunnos direct attack sent the creature flying so it had to have taken massive damage.
Isn't that how some animals teach their young how to hunt? But using injured prey?
Wow… Jaune just realized the gods saw him as a child.
"Straight ahead and remember, do not tell anyone about us." Yatagarasu warned.
"Tell who?"
Jaune's question wasn't answered by the bird, but by his eyes after he ran past a couple trees, sword drawn. The Beowolf was laying on the ground in a small crater caused by the impact of its body smashing into the ground. Though it looked terrible. It's arms and legs were bent at odd angles, it's body seemed to have caved in, and it's teeth were all broken. A few gurgles was all that escaped it. No howls or growls. After being hit by a god, Jaune was surprised it was still alive.
However, what drew his attention was the man standing next to the Beowolf.
There was no other way to describe him but… cool.
The tall man had graying black, spiky hair, faded red eyes, and slight stubble along his jawline. Along with a red, tattered cloak, he wore a gray dress shirt with a long tail, black dress pants and black dress shoes. A longsword was strapped on the back of his belt, mostly hidden by the tattered cloak. Jaune could tell this man was a Huntsman. He had to be. When the stranger turned to face him, Jaune felt himself straighten up by reflex.
"Were you the one who did this?" The man asked, noticing Jaune had his sword drawn. His red eyes moved up and took in his appearance, including Yatagarasu on his shoulder.
"Er…. yeah?" Jaune hesitated for a moment before lying. The gods did tell him not to tell others about them. No one else was here to take the credit and making someone up would lead to more awkward questions. So that led to one other real option. "That a problem?"
"Just curious why you broke every single bone in its body." The man commented, his eyes still on Jaune. "And still kept it alive."
"I was just… getting rid of some pent up anger." Jaune answered, thinking fast. "Does it matter? I took care of the Grimm." The boy was trying to sound confident. The way Roman did back at Junior's. That guy was also pretty cool, minus his fashion choice. It always came down to the way people held themselves and not showing confusion or fear. If he wanted people to respect him and not pry too deep, he needed to make them think he was tough.
"You saved me the trouble of tracking it down at any rate." The man's laugh confused Jaune. He sounded amused for some reason. "You look kind of young for a Huntsman, kid."
"I get that a lot."
"There he is!"
Jaune and the mysterious man turned to see a couple armed security forces emerge. All of them were wearing symbols of the nearby town while also holding Dust rifles. They looked a little exhausted, sweat dripping down their faces.
"Qrow! Please wait for us!" One of them panted after stopping and taking a moment to catch his breath. "Don't go running off. What if there are more of them?"
"I'll be fine," The man called Qrow laughed. "Besides, the kid there already took out the Alpha Beowolf. Take a look."
No wonder the Grimm was bigger. Jaune actually knew what an Alpha Grimm was. They were bigger and more powerful versions of Grimm. After living for a long time, even Grimm can grow. It was common knowledge in textbooks that even normal schools go over. Jaune had just never seen one in real life before. Also, panic clouded his thinking to recall information not directly related to his survival.
"AHHH!" Two of the guards jumped when they saw the broken body of the Grimm still moving.
"What the…?" The first guard actually examined it a bit before turning to Jaune. "Wait… you're the Huntsman that was inspecting the ruins, right? I saw your application before we set out."
"That's me." Jaune confirmed, still trying to sound confident. "I finished my investigation and was returning to town when I ran into this Grimm."
"Good thing you did," The first guard agreed. "Shortly after you left this morning, we received reports of a Grimm nearby. We were looking for it with the help of Huntsman Qrow Branwen here. Do you two know each other?"
"Nope, first time." Qrow held out his hand. "Thanks for the help. You saved us a hell of a lot of time."
"No problem." Jaune started to shake his hand.
"As he said, my name's Qrow Branwen. Yours?"
"Jaune. Jaune Arc." Jaune answered automatically and he could just hear Yatagarasu sigh on his shoulder.
"Nice crow." Qrow grinned, looking at the bird after they let go of each other's hands.
"What can I say?" Jaune grinned and shrugged. Something about the man's humor was infectious. "He makes me distinguished." The glare from Yatagarasu told him he would regret this later, but Jaune would be ready. He chose the best option for the situation. "Grimm killing wasn't the reason I came out here, but I do what I can."
"You still have our gratitude for helping out." The guard told him. "There's also a small reward back in town for taking care of the problem."
"Eh, I don't need it." Jaune held up a hand and tried to keep acting nonchalant. "Just doing my job as a Huntsman." He turned to Qrow. "Nice to meet you. Anyways, I'm heading back to town to check in and then will probably take the first Bullhead back to Vale. Got a schedule to keep." Vale's hotels were probably leagues better than a town on the outskirts.
"Don't we all kid." Qrow agreed and waved. As Jaune left, his eyes narrowed slightly in suspicion.
Meanwhile, someone else wasn't too appreciative of the way Jaune acted to the strangers.
"You should be more careful about who you trust with information." Yatagarasu had warned Jaune after they split from Qrow and headed back to town.
"I didn't tell him about you or Cernunnos," Jaune pointed out. "I know lying and saying I killed the Grimm when I didn't do that wasn't necessarily right, but it kept our secret."
"No, that was fine." Yatagarasu cut him off. "That man… he has a scent on him. Something from our world."
"He's come into contact with a god too?" Jaune gasped, wide-eyed, before looking over his shoulder.
"No, not quite." Yatagarasu was quiet for a moment. "It's weaker, but he has the faint scent of the old humans."
"Old humans?" Jaune was completely confused. "I mean, he's older than me, but not that much."
"No, the original humans." Yatagarasu stopped mysteriously and then changed direction. "Don't worry about it. That human is not a threat."
Once again, Jaune had so many more questions, but Yatagarasu always avoided answering questions about the past. At this point, the boy just gave up.
Professor Ozpin, headmaster of Beacon Academy, was currently sitting at his desk, sipping a mug full of hot chocolate as he worked on a stack of papers. Ozpin was a middle-aged man with tousled silver hair and thin brown eyes. He wore shaded glass spectacles and a small, purple, cross-shaped pin on the cowl around his neck. His outfit mainly consisted of an unzipped black suit over a dark green, buttoned vest and green shirt. He also wore black trouser shoes and long, dark-green pants. The man oversaw the entire academy of inspiring Huntsmen and Huntresses.
Suddenly his Scroll started to ring and he picked it up after examining the caller ID..
"Hello, Qrow." The man answered.
"Sup, Oz!" Qrow greeted cheerfully. "Just checking in. No luck on the target yet. Trail seems to have gone cold for now."
"As we feared." Ozpin sighed. "Keep looking. We need to find out what happened and where they went. Anything else to report?"
"Actually, I did discover something interesting, but completely unrelated." Qrow leaned back in the chair he was sitting in on his end.
"Oh?" Ozpin raised an eyebrow. For Qrow to voluntarily give that information, it had to be important.
"An Alpha Beowolf showed up outside the town and I was roped into helping the security forces find it before it caused a panic." Qrow began.
"I hope you didn't spend too much time doing so." Ozpin interrupted. "I applaud your initiative to help out, but your task takes priority."
"Eh, it was after the trail went cold." The man replied, pulling out a flask and taking a swig. "Plus, I didn't spend very long at all. There was another Huntsman there who took care of it before we found it."
"Oh?" Ozpin sipped his hot chocolate. "Who was it? I don't recall seeing anyone stationed up there recently." As headmaster, he was let in on official Huntsman movement in case they needed support.
"He was there investigating the nearby ruins for some reason." Qrow answered. "Which is probably why you didn't know he was there. He wasn't on duty."
"Hmm, well it was good he was there to take care of the Grimm problem."
"It was just, he seemed kind of young, and I didn't recognize his name at all."
"Who was it?" Ozpin set his mug down. While Qrow did drink a lot, he was still a professional huntsman. The man could remember a lot of information in a short time and it wasn't unusual for Huntsman to know each other at least by name.
"Name was Jaune Arc."
Silence followed Qrow's answer.
"Oz? Oz?! You still there?"
"Yes, I'm still here." Ozpin answered slowly.
"I take it you know the name?" It was Qrow's turn to raise an eyebrow as he took a sip
"Jaune Arc… applied for entry to Beacon Academy." Ozpin told him.
"Huh?!" Qrow spat out a little alcohol. "He's a student?"
"No," Ozpin shook his head. "He was rejected due to Glynda discovering he falsified his transcripts. According to her, they were completely fabricated. He had no combat experience to speak of at any school. The last thing we heard about him afterwards was that a Bullhead he was on crashed with no survivors due to a Grimm attack."
"Well, he's very much alive, unless he's a ghost or zombie." Scoffed Qrow. "Doesn't look like he's been surviving out in the wilderness either. And what do you mean he has no combat expertise? He decimated an Alpha Beowolf. Literally broke every bone in the thing's body while keeping it alive. That takes some skill, especially when you're taking out your anger on it."
"Really?" Ozpin frowned at the information. "What did the boy look like?"
"Tall, blonde, kind of gangly." Qrow recalled, rubbing his chin. "Childish torn up sweatshirt? Why?"
"I'm curious if someone's using his name." Ozpin answered seriously. "It wouldn't be the first time a criminal has done that from a deceased individual."
"Usually they wait for a bit so people who know them won't be able to surprise them with an unmasking." Qrow pointed out. "Along with hearing about his death so soon… no, I don't think he's an imposter."
"Was there anything unusual you noticed?"
"He had a very well behaved crow on his shoulder that didn't let go when he ran," Qrow recalled and shook his head. "Felt like that bird was staring into my soul or something. Then there's the fact the kid was nervous though he hadn't done anything wrong. Except… impersonating a Huntsman, I guess?" He shrugged. "That can have a pretty hefty sentence, but mostly because people rely on us to protect them and kill Grimm. If he just said that so he could leave the city without issue… that's not the worst thing. Kid can protect himself."
"Hmm, is he still there?" Ozpin asked, leaning back in his chair.
"No, he wanted to head back to Vale proper as soon as possible. A Bullhead was late leaving, so he got a ride. Why?"
"Just thinking." Ozpin didn't give anything away. "Was he really there just studying ruins?"
"He came from that direction and there were some claw marks from the Grimm there." Qrow replied, not sure what Ozpin was looking for. "Not sure what else he could be doing. Not enough people there for a cult meeting."
"If it didn't have anything to do with your mission, I suppose we can overlook it." Ozpin considered. "Though if he tries to pretend to be a Huntsman to get a job, we'll have to step in."
"Vale PD can handle something like that." Qrow shook his head. "Kid doesn't seem like a threat. We have more important things to worry about. Like the trail running cold."
"Keep at it," Ozpin encouraged. "If anyone can do it, you can."
"Yeah, yeah. I want a raise after this."
"I'll see what I can do."
After Qrow hung up, Ozpin let out a long sigh.
"So Jaune Arc's alive. I need to let Glynda know about that to take some of the stress off her."
When the Bullhead was attacked by Grimm, Beacon was notified in case they would need to send some of the upper years to assist with Grimm extermination. Glynda had found out that Jaune was on the plane when it crashed. Ozpin still remembered her expression of fear and guilt. That woman was one of the strongest people he knew, but she was also very caring in her own way. She had to be strict for the purpose of making sure students learned and grew strong to survive with the war against the Grimm. Not that she enjoyed criticizing or punishing them.
That caring nature caused her to blame herself for his death.
Glynda had a lot of reasons for that. If she hadn't missed the forgery in the first place, Jaune Arc wouldn't have been in Vale. Then if she hadn't reviewed his transcripts and rescinded the offer when he was already in Vale, he wouldn't have gotten on the Bullhead. Glynda followed all her student's exploits when they graduated and was devastated when they lost their lives in the line of duty. This was the first time she felt that way about someone who wasn't a student. It wasn't her fault and Ozpin understood that she knew it logically. Emotions just didn't always follow logic.
Taking out his Scroll, he dialed in her number.
"Glynda? Can you come to my office? I have some good news."
"So tired." Jaune grumbled as he walked out of the Bullhead at the Vale airport. "Let's find a motel."
"You slept the entire way here." Yatagarasu pointed out.
"Yeah, but the jolts kept waking me up." Jaune retorted, even if the truth was a little more complicated. Due to the trauma of his Bullhead crashing during the Grimm attack in the past, anytime the Bullhead jerked at all, he was sitting up, heart racing. Fear would wash over him before he could collect himself. It was hard to get any rest at all.
"Ah, that's why you threw up."
"T-That's motion sickness!" Jaune protested. "It's very common and it's even gotten better. I almost made it the entire trip."
"Stop doing it. The small is awful."
"Fine! I'll just magically tell my stomach to stop." Jaune rolled his eyes. "Now let's find a motel that will allow pe-... birds." He almost said pets and the last time he did that, Yatagarasu was not happy. The welt on his head still hurt occasionally.
"For now, go back to the bar you were at before." Yatagarasu told him.
"Huh, why?" Jaune looked at the bird on his shoulder in confusion. "Do we need information? I thought we were going to wait until you detected another god?"
"We need a map."
"That stall over there has them right now!" Jaune pointed.
"Okay, buy one and then go back to the bar."
"There's no point! Everywhere else is still open." The city lights were on, the streets crowded, and people were looking at him curiously as to why the boy was raising his voice. To hide that he was talking to his bird, he took out his Scroll and pretended to be talking to someone on the other end. "Why do I need to go back there?"
"It's important for you to develop contacts and relationships with them." Yatagarasu explained. "They were very helpful already and they will be useful in the future."
"Is this important for the future or are you just trying to torment me? Do you hold a grudge?"
"God does not hold grudges. We are above such emotions."
Jaune learned at that moment that gods can lie with a straight face. That wasn't good for him, but even if it was a lie, there were such things as white lies. Like a parent telling a kid the stork delivered them because they were too young to understand the details. This was a little different. So far everything Yatagarasu told him to do worked out. If he was telling Jaune to go back to the club, maybe there was a reason for it. Sighing, the boy paid for a map from the stall and headed toward Junior's.
"Welcome back." The bouncer told him when he arrived, allowing him to skip the line. Jaune was confused at this, as the man was different from the first bouncer who let Jaune into the club.
"Er… thanks?" Ignoring the other people in line complaining, he kept his eyes forward to avoid seeing their annoyed faces. Because of that, Jaune didn't see the bouncer touch his ear.
"Boss, the kid's returned."
Music boomed loudly as Jaune stepped inside, drowning out all the noise behind him. The crowd was just as packed as the last time he was here. People were dancing, drinking, laughing, and flirting. Most of them were pretty fashionable and leagues above anyone Jaune would have a chance with. Not sure what to do, as Yatagarasu was silent due to the number of people around them, he headed to the bar.
"What can I get you?" The bartender asked.
"Umm… a shot."
"A shot of what?" The man asked, eyeing him like he was an idiot. Which in fall fairness, he kind of was. Though they didn't ask for ID, which was interesting.
"Anything, I don't really care." Jaune played off.
"Tsk, sure." The man clicked his tongue but turned around and pulled a bottle off the bottom shelf. Pouring a small glass, he slid it down the bar table and Jaune passed over a few Lien.
"Bottoms up." Jaune told Yatagarasu as the bartender left to serve another patron. Holding the glass, he downed it in one gulp.
Biggest mistake of his life.
A burning sensation ran through his throat as he started coughing. Not only was he physically in pain, the liquid tasted vile. Was he drinking paint thinner? The bartender looked at him and smirked before moving down to another customer. Jaune glared at him, realizing he got served something bad. At the same time, he really shouldn't be drinking so maybe that was karma. Setting the glass down, Jaune was debating what to do, when he heard a couple of voices come from behind him.
"Well, well. Look who came back so soon?"
"Want some company, handsome?"
Jaune spun around on his stool and came face to face with the pair of twins, Miltia and Melanie. The stunned boy didn't know what to think. Usually they served as bouncers or messengers for Junior. Did the man want to see him? Jaune didn't think he did anything to make the guy upset. Before he could say anything, the two girls sat down on either side of him, looking at him with expressions of amusement and curiosity.
"You don't mind if we join you, do you?" Melanie, the girl in white, asked.
"Why would he?" Miltia, the girl in red, laughed playfully. "Two sexy girls want to hang out with him."
"Really?" Jaune looked between them. "Why?"
"This is your third time here, isn't it?" Melanie giggled. "That makes you a regular."
"And we've heard good things about you from Junior and Neo, Jaune." Miltia added, placing a hand on his arm, causing his stomach to flutter. Was this really happening? Were a couple hot girls actually flirting with him? What did he do to attract their attention? And more importantly, how does he keep them interested in him?
"They did?" Jaune wanted to learn more.
"Few people can just walk into here and ask Junior for a favor." Miltia told him. "They would be lucky to leave with a couple of broken bones." Jaune's heart stopped for a moment. "Heh, don't worry. He's not upset. If anything, he likes your moxy."
"So do we." Melanie added, touching his other arm. "Neo told us all about you. How brave and intelligent you are."
"Not to mention, handsome and generous." Miltia added.
No one noticed Yatagarasu rolling his eyes. Jaune sure didn't as he was too busy thinking with his lower brain to realize how hard he was being played. The poor boy thought he was finally popular. Even if he hadn't done anything worthy of drawing their attention. To a teenager, his mind can make up any reason why he deserves this.
"Heh, I didn't know Neo thought that way about me." Jaune rubbed his neck in embarrassment. He remembered his interaction with the quiet, multicolored girl. "I knew she liked Yatagarasu here. Enough to feed him sweets."
"She likes animals." Melanie sniffed. "But my sister and I are more interested in you. What have you been up to?"
"Well, I wanted to be a Huntsman and study at Beacon, but that didn't work out." Jaune recounted.
"We heard from Junior." Miltia told him sympathetically, still touching his left arm.
"But we want to know what you've been doing lately." Melanie pushed, her green eyes sparkling. "We heard you were doing something dangerous."
"Who told you that?" Jaune raised an eyebrow.
"Neo's our friend and we share everything." Melanie laughed lightly. "She said you were going somewhere dangerous and needed your Aura unlocked."
"Huh, didn't think she would tell you about that." Jaune told her truthfully. "She doesn't seem like someone to talk much."
"If she was here, she would make you regret those words." Miltia warned. "She's mute."
"She is? Crap!" Jaune was honestly sorry. "I just thought she didn't like to talk."
"She does prefer action over words." Melanie snickered.
"But enough about her," Miltia waved to the bartender. "Bring us some drinks." The man looked up, saw the twins on either side of Jaune, gulped, and grabbed some glasses. He proceeded to fill them with some alcohol from the top shelf before sliding them down. "Here." She pushed one toward Jaune. "One of my favorites."
Remembering the previous shot, Jaune was a little hesitant to drink again. Yet when the two girls on either side of him took the drink and swallowed it without trouble, it made him feel like a sissy. He picked it up, took a deep breath, and gulped it down. Instead of a burning sensation, it actually felt kind of smooth, with only a small kick. The drink wasn't bad and he might actually order this again. Jaune set his glass down and looked at the grinning girls.
"Pretty good."
"Hah, told you." Miltia winked. "It will go on your tab, don't worry."
Jaune didn't even bother to argue. After all, Roman told him people don't do things for free. It would be nice if they did though. The main reason he didn't argue was money wasn't an issue. It wouldn't be for a very long time thanks to Yatagarasu's hoard. Plus making friends with these two might be useful in the long run. They were close to Junior and from what he heard about them, they were strong. Both had Aura at least. A god did tell him to form contacts and relationships.
"Might as well add your drinks to it then." Jaune was playing it cool. If they liked him, they would be more willing to share information in the future with him.
"Awww, how generous." Melanie cooed. "Just like Neo said."
"As for what I'm doing…" Jaune shrugged, still trying to act mysterious. "I'm doing a lot of traveling. Looking for things."
"What kind of things?" Miltia pushed, leaning towards him. Her face was so close to him. "Treasure hunting?" Yatagarasu hopped off his shoulder and landed on the bar, though his eyes were always on him.
"In a manner of speaking." Jaune chuckled, thinking how the crow there gathered so much wealth without caring about it. "Money's not really the objective, but it's not uncommon."
"How noble," Melanie laid her head on his shoulder. "But you know what they say. Money makes the world go round. You should definitely think about yourself."
"Can't deny that." Jaune admitted, constantly reminded of Roman and Neo. "Though what I'm looking for will put everything else to shame."
"What are you looking for?" Both of the girls asked, their eyes sparkling.
"That, ladies. Is a secret." Jaune grinned, finally having the upper hand with the hot girls. Keep up the mysterious persona and girls would be all over him right? Confidence was the key. "But I mostly came in for a drink. I just got back from checking out some ruins and had to deal with Grimm."
"Find anything this time?" Miltia asked, leaning on the bar.
"Some information, but nothing important." Pretending to be a treasure hunter might actually be a way to deal with questions. He'll have to talk with Yatagarasu in private about it. "Hoping my next outing will be more profitable."
"Ooo, keep us up to date." Melanie rubbed his arm. "I love a dangerous man. Though I wish I had something to remember you by."
"Same." Miltia cooed. "Maybe a Scroll number and something?"
"We can share Scroll numbers." Jaune said eagerly. Maybe a little two eagerly as the twins shared an amused smirk. He quickly tried to act more nonchalant. "If you want."
"I mean, if you're going to beg, I suppose we could, right Mel?" Miltia winked at her sister.
"Indeed, it's not very becoming of you to beg." Melanie laughed. "So we'll bless you with our number."
"That means a lot." Jaune couldn't help but grin a little himself. They were teasing him, that much was obvious. However, he got two hot girls' attention. His friends back at home would kill to talk to girls at the twin's level. Along with getting their numbers by scanning their Scrolls. "I'll definitely stop by to see you two when I'm in town. Always happy to make new friends."
"The best of friends." Miltia agreed with a grin.
Jaune was going to pay for the drinks and slipped his hand into his pocket to grab the wad of Lien. That's when his fingers slipped on a couple of gems. Thinking back to the last time he had been here, Neo had been shocked when he gave her a pink diamond as payment. There was that saying, 'diamonds are a girl's best friend' or something like that. The twins were tough and attractive, but they were talking to him. Maybe he could impress them a little? After all, the trinkets were worthless to gods.
"As a sign of our friendship." Jaune passed the two girls each a small emerald. "I couldn't help thinking they matched your eyes."
Yes! He did something right because both girls gazed down at the gems. Not only had he surprised them, but they were sure to remember him from now on. Jaune heard rumors about girls at clubs pretending to like boys but those two seemed genuine. They were also friends of Neo who Jaune actually liked, even if he didn't know much about her. Maybe she'll be around next time. He owed her a lot for unlocking his Aura. It made traveling so much easier and kept him alive against that Beowolf.
"For us?" Melanie gasped, maybe a little over dramatic. "You shouldn't have." She swiped hers and examined it.
"They are beautiful." Miltia beamed. "You're so sweet." She leaned over and kissed his cheek. "Do you have to leave or can you stay a while? The night's still young."
"Ah, sorry." Jaune rubbed his neck as he looked toward the girl in red, his ears matching her dress. "I have a couple things I still need to do tonight. I just… needed a drink and Junior's helped me out, so I like to support his business."
"He'll be glad to hear that." Melanie commented, running a hand in his hair. "Don't be a stranger. If you don't come back quickly, Mil's going to be sad. I'll let you know how much she thinks of you."
"Shut up!" Miltia snapped at her. "Why don't you go and sleep with a couple drunk guys like usual."
"Don't be a bitch." Melanie shot back.
"Whore!"
"Slut!"
"Come on now!" Jaune held out his arms. "There's no need to fight. You're sisters."
"Hmmph!" The two twins turned away from each other and Jaune was looking between them. Sisters fighting was something he was used to, just maybe with a little less cursing. He had seven sisters back home and he had seen plenty of drama himself. There were times when the entire house had been in the middle of a civil war when two of them were fighting.
"I'll try to be back as soon as I can." Jaune promised, distracted the two of them. "If anything exciting happens, I'll let you know." He glanced over at Yatagarasu, who flapped his wings to land on Jaune's shoulder again. "See you two later."
The twins watched him leave with the weird crow on his shoulder.
"Hmm, Neo was right about him being rich." Melanie commented to Miltia. "We barely did anything and he gave us a couple gems."
"It was kind of adorable how he was trying to act tough." Miltia giggled. "Like we couldn't see through that."
"He seems pretty naive," Melanie added, pocketing her emerald. "Maybe he really is a wealthy heir with no street smarts. Get with him and you're set for life."
"He seems pretty nice though," Miltia said thoughtfully. "Not like the usual losers who come here. He didn't once stare at our chests."
"Huh, I didn't catch him doing that either." Melanie agreed, realizing that. "I would have shown a little bit if he did. Maybe get him to give me some more too." She winked at her sister.
"And you called me a slut." Miltia rolled her eyes.
"You kissed him."
"As a thank you. That's it. He's obviously a nice guy, so I didn't have to do anything crazy."
"Hmm, do you like him?" Melanie smirked. "You always had a thing for blondes."
"What, no!" Miltia spat out. "It's just… nice to see a normal person in this club."
"Awwwww, you do like him."
"I will stab you."
"So I shouldn't text him a picture of you in your underwear?"
"I really will kill you."
"You're lucky Neo isn't around or she might get jealous you were flirting with him," Melanie continued to tease. "You know how possessive she is." Miltia shivered. "Your body would end up in the lake."
"Please, if Neo had interest in him, it's for the money," Her sister countered at last. "She gets bored of people pretty quickly."
"Heh, true." Melanie shrugged. "Whatever. He may be kind of plain, but he's interesting. I'll enjoy seeing what we can milk out of him. Think he's packing anything down there?"
"I hope so," Miltia scoffed. "It's hard not to laugh when they are small."
"Today's been exhausting." Jaune complained, collapsing on the old creaky bed in his motel room. He probably should have found a better place, but this was close by and he was exhausted. If that Bullhead hadn't brought him back to Vale that very day, he would have stayed in the small town for at least one night.
Most towns weren't that far from Vale proper due to supply routes needing to be protected from Grimm attacks.
"But you've taken an important step forward." Yatagarasu pointed out, yawning as he stood on the TV stand next to the broken TV. "We're ready to move on to other gods. Get some rest while you can."
"Yeah…" Jaune stared at his phone. A huge smile plastered to his face. "It's the first time a couple older girls actually gave me their numbers. And no sisters to get in the way and embarrass me."
"You do know they are using you, right?" Yatagarasu sighed. "Since humans are attracted to shiny objects, they flocked to you for those trinkets."
"There could be other reasons…" Jaune protested, looking at the god. The two of them stared, unblinkingly, at each other for a minute, before the boy finally looked away. "Okay, fine, they probably were, but that doesn't mean it won't change. Strangers are just friends you haven't met yet. Once they get to know me, they could develop real feelings."
"The line between naïveté and optimism is almost invisible."
"...fine, but it doesn't hurt to have them like me in case we need contacts, right?" Jaune changed the direction of his argument. "Junior's club is run by a gang, so they probably hear a lot of rumors and things. Plus if they don't hate me, I won't have to risk being shot or stabbed by one of them."
"That's a more realistic look at things." Yatagarasu nodded. "They will be useful in the future, but the one you need to be wary of is the human girl called Neo. She will either be a thorn in your side or an invaluable asset."
"She seemed nice enough," Jaune shrugged. "I wouldn't mind talking with her more."
"Right, you are a human boy in the middle of puberty." Yatagarasu reminded himself. "Being attracted to the female of your species is programmed into your biology. Just do not let it blind your judgment or you'll stumble on your journey."
"What's wrong with being popular!?" Jaune demanded. "It's fine to get some attention now and then!"
"Take out the map you bought." The god ordered, ignoring his outburst. "I have our next destination."
"Already?" Jaune gasped. "But I thought it would take time?"
"The winds of change don't wait for you. There are signs one domain is revealing itself but it's far away."
Jaune grumbled to himself prompting a few pecks to his head from his avian companion. "I'm just thinking we're running around too quickly. I've barely had a chance to relax since leaving Cernunnos's lair. Shouldn't there be more travel time in between all of that?"
"Hmph. Is there time to relax when your world is at stake?" The god asked him.
Jaune rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "I mean… When you put it like that I suppose not." He said sheepishly. "But hey hasn't it been like thousands of years? What's the harm in a day or two more?"
It wasn't that Jaune didn't think it was important but he felt like he barely had any time to really mentally prepare. Never had any time to think. He was always following the path that Yatagarasu sent him on. Sure it always worked out for him which honestly prompted Jaune to ask another question.
"How do you know rushing to these domains is for the best? Heck how did you know fighting the Grimm back there was the best option for me? I thought you were the god of traveling? Not god of the future… Wait, can you see the future?" Jaune's mind was rapidly moving back and forth between these questions trying to understand. "I mean… like how did you know the last time I went to Junior's it'd be best for me? Like how does me going to Junior's tonight and talking to the twins work out for me besides getting the pretty girls' numbers?"
"I am not the god of the future, and even if I was, you would not want an answer to the question," Yatagarasu said slowly, staring at him. "The future is hidden from mortals for a reason. Knowing it can destroy an individual. You can lose the ability to dream if you know what your future holds. What if you learned that your destiny was to be a farmer instead of a hero? What would you do if even fighting against your fate wouldn't change anything? Humanity without hope becomes nothing more than mindless drones."
"That didn't answer my question about how you know what the best path is."
"I can tell which path has the best chance to achieve a traveler's goal." Yatagarasu revealed, his tone stiff. "As for what exactly you will encounter, I do not know any details, so asking me wastes your time and mine. Now take out the map and I'll show you the next god's destination."
Jaune reached into his bag and pulled out the map of the world of Remnant, still not fully satisfied, but the tone of the bird indicated he wasn't going to get much more information.
Unfolding it, Jaune spread the map out on the bed and stared at it. The map wasn't new to him. Everyone learned about it during their time in school. Vale, the kingdom in the middle continent was where Jaune was. On the western part of the continent, the kingdom of Vacuo lay, past an enormous desert. To the east, on another continent, the kingdom of Mistral covered most of it with a wide variety of cultures. To the north, in the icy region, was the technological advanced Atlas, who was responsible for a lot of military defenses for the other kingdoms.
"Where are we going?" Jaune asked. "Mistral? Vacua? Please don't say Atlas. I really don't like the cold."
"Hmm…" Yatagarasu stared at the map for a moment from his position. Jaune didn't interrupt as the bird seemed to be intensely concentrating. The god's eyes seemed to glow blue, or maybe it was a trick of the light. Then Yatagarasu opened its wings and flew over to the bed. Its talon landed on the south east corner of the mass. "This large island. Which kingdom is this part of?"
"It's not part of any kingdom," Jaune said slowly. "That's… Menagerie. The home of the Faunus."
"Faunus?" Yatagarasu asked. "What are they?"
"They are pretty much people but with animal traits." Jaune explained. "We've passed a few when traveling. Other than that, I don't think they are any different than humans."
"But they are considered a separate race?"
"I guess?"
"And they live on this island?"
"They live in all the kingdoms." Jaune told him. "Though Menagerie is supposed to be their main home. But I heard they don't like many humans visiting there."
"Why?" Yatagarasu asked, tilting his head.
"Some people are racist and consider Faunus to be inferior to humans." Jaune explained, not looking very happy. "I had a friend back home who got bullied because he was a Faunus and some people didn't like him for that. Can't stand bullies."
"All these years and humanity still haven't changed." The bird scoffed. "Hating other tribes because of a few differences when they should be focusing on the darkness."
"Exactly!" Jaune pointed to him. "And the people you knew years ago were like this too?"
"I vaguely remember that." Yatagarasu yawned and Jaune grew slightly annoyed at the lackluster answer. "But if that's the home of the Faunus… Interesting."
"What is?" There was a story there and Jaune wanted to know what it was. "Did something happen there?"
"I don't remember."
"Are you serious!?" Jaune blurted out, his land slamming down on the mattress and shaking the bed.. "You obviously remember something! Stop leaving me in the dark!"
"I remember something happened there, but the details are missing. It wasn't called Menagerie back then. Knowing the name might jolt my memory." Yatagarasu glared at Jaune for calling him out. "It has been a long time. Do you remember everything that happened to you only a couple years ago?"
"I would remember big events!"
"Do you think something you consider a big event might not be so for a god?"
Jaune opened his mouth but no words came out. Eventually, he closed it again, conceding that point. Shoot, events between people could be anywhere from significant to insignificant depending on who they were. Like a championship sports game. If someone was really into the sport, they would remember the championship game, but someone who didn't care about it wouldn't even remember who was playing. Jaune only met two gods but they seemed to have different priorities for sure.
"You… have a point." Jaune muttered.
"Very good," Yatagarasu tucked his wings against his body and continued to tap the island on the map. "Tomorrow, we will head to Menagerie."
"It won't be too dangerous, right?" The boy asked nervously. "I couldn't do anything against a single Beowolf."
"You'll find someone to help train you there. Probably."
Jaune's eyes widened as Yatagarasu gave him that cryptic revelation, yet no matter how much Jaune pressed him, the god wouldn't give him any more information.
No matter how much I considered having Jaune versus a Beowolf, I could not in good conscience let him kill it by himself. He has no real combat experience and just unlocked Aura. So I thought, let's make it an Alpha, far more powerful than a normal Beowolf and go all out. Then of course he was still at the ruins, the domain of a very territorial moose god. It just seemed obvious Cernunnos would step in.
CawmeKrazee: Man this chapter was great. I like the seeds being planted with Ozpin. Seeing Cerunnos' godly power is good too. Though Dark and I had concern if the pacing is feeling rushed but I feel by the nature of this story that Jaune needs to be moving quickly. He needs to travel quickly as the threat to the world is a concern. Jaune not being sure and 100% up for running around constantly makes sense in my mind. He went from being a country bumpkin trying to get into a school. To now being a rogue traveling adventuring man. A Vagabond if you will… ranger? Idk, but yeah while we weren't in Vale for long, not many problems in Vale would really impede him from doing his job other than maybe a temple in the city that the white fang are unknowingly using as a hideout. Hmm maybe in Mountain Glenn eventually? Either way, see you all next chapter.
Feel free to leave a review, comment, suggestions, or ideas, I love reading them. If you have a question you wish to ask and would like a quick answer, feel free to message me directly. I try to respond to those within a day or two. Comments, I tend to respond to in the next chapter.