Protecting.
A/N: Hello everyone I want to say first this will be posted after Valentines Day. So I would to wish everyone a Happy Valentines Day even though it maybe super late but still.
I also want to say this was delayed due to losing my parrot, my Green Cheek Conure named Sparky. He was a rescue, and I don't know the exact date he was born but he was 2 years old when I got him. But he crawled into my bed when I was sleeping, and I rolled on him. It hurts so much, and I miss him dearly.
I had him for over ten years, he was 12 years old, he loved me dearly we have snuggled together countless times, but this was the one time it went wrong. Goodbye Sparky I love you always.
Sparky: 2013-2/22/2025
With all of that said though, let's move on with the notes about the story and chapter.
We last left off with Bell and Jaune practicing their magic, and we learned that Jaune's aura drains faster due to trying to boost his magic. I made it like that to keep him not OP. He will get destroyed by people like Ais, and the twins. When he levels up to a 2, he will only get even stronger. So a level 2 for him, will be a three in strength. And his Semblance, just makes him stronger, by that, boosting the stats of others, and himself. So he would be close to a level 4 in terms of stats, but when the Amp wears off, back down to base level three stats in a way.
And by the way I have been getting questions about if Jaune could unlock others aura, and the answer is NO!
Jaune CAN NOT UNLOCK AURA'S IN THAT WORLD.
It's a staple of his world, and the gods already kind of gave the adventurers something akin to aura, that is their falna. Giving Jaune a Falna makes him much stronger than a regular adventurer.
I want to answer some comments, and questions, so here we go.
Maximum Rhapsody: I have plans with the grimm, and I am not giving away too much information, I want it to be a surprise. And I do have plans for Jaune's semblance. If others have evolved, then his could too.
Nevaon: Yeah I can agree with that to an extent, I usually do a lot of explanations so I can make the story/ chapter longer. And so it won't seem "lazy" of me for not giving explanations, but I do agree that I need to be better in the future.
NinjaFang1331: I am not going to have Jaune join Ais, there is a reason for that, but you will see later on. I am making it that sometime goes by longer, since Lili is already so comfortable with Bell and Jaune. And of course since Jaune made Bell confront Ais much earlier.
Ichika Orimura noble 6: Sorry about that I don't know what happened with that chapter, but it was there.
Gamelover41592: Thank you, yeah the testing was more responsible, and careful, and your welcome.
Now with all of that said, let's go!
It was morning time now, and Jaune woke up from Bell's slightly groaning.
He was hiding under his blanket, and he could see that he had his hands over his head.
Jaune knows what he is going through, he felt embarrassment. Like how he tried to flirt with Weiss, Bell here feels that he embarrassed himself in front of Ais, and Riveria. But Jaune was just right about being embarrassed in front of Ais.
"Huh what's wrong Bell, did you have a nightmare?" Hestia asked him, now awake walking up to him. All Bell did was just whine and groan at the same time. Jaune resisted the urge to laugh at this. It reminded him of how Pyrrha would wake up him and Nora sometimes.
He got a pang of sadness remembering his team, that's a pain that will never truly go away.
Hestia looked over to see Jaune awake, she gave him a happy smile.
"Oh good morning Jaune how did you sleep?" Hestia asked with a radiant smile. A smile that Jaune couldn't help but smile at to. She is the goddess of the hearth, so she always make anywhere feel like a comfy home.
Jaune then got out of his bed and gave a stretch, he even gave a satisfied pop to his back, he truly felt good waking up. Despite being out so late.
"Oh yeah I did, it was great." Jaune said to Hestia still stretching. Hestia just smiled at him at that. She is so glad that her children are comfortable. But for now she wants to get back to Bell, and his issue. She looked down at the table to see the book that Bell, and Jaune read, and looked a little confused at that.
"Did you have a bad dream because of this book?" Hestia asked grabbing the book, and inspecting it. Jaune decided to speak up on it.
"It shouldn't have, we were reading it to see if that we can learn magic faster, or even get one." Jaune said to her walking up to the little coffee table. Hestia raised an eyebrow at that. You can't learn magic by reading a book….unless?! Hestia's eyes widened and opened the book and looked through it.
It was blank all blank.
She gave a shocked scream, and an equally shocked face. Jaune and Bell looked on confused at her expression, and the noise of concern of her.
She then gestured to them to sit with her on the couch.
"A grimoire?" Both Bell and Jaune asked at the sametime.
"Yeah it's book that allows you to gain magic just by reading it, it is super powerful, how did you get this Bell?!" Hestia asked astounded of how he came upon this rare treasure!
"Well we got it at the tavern, The Hostess Fertility." Bell said to his goddess. Jaune nodded with agreement.
"Yeah, a waitress named Syr gave it to us, saying that someone left it, and no ever claimed it." Jaune said to her back up Bell. Hestia looked in with exasperation, and sighed at this too, putting her hand on her head. Jaune looked on confused at this, what was wrong? Well Hestia wasn't too upset, since Jaune said the waitress there gave them the book. But with something like this could still cause problems, someone could have had their eye on it, and waited for the right moment to take it. But she needed to let them know what was up with this book.
"Uhhh goddess what's the matter?" Bell asked with confusion.
"Ok look here Bell, and Jaune, this book will lose its power when the first person who reads, and will leave it blank not being able to be used!" Hestia said to them, shocking them.
Bell looked incredibly shocked the most, flipping through the pages, with Jaune looking too. Bell then paled even more feeling that he did something really wrong. But Jaune broke the his panic.
"But wait you said the first person who reads it, how come I was able to gain magic myself?" Jaune asked.
That caused both Hestia and Bell to perk up at this. How did Jaune manage to get magic himself, usually grimoires only work for one person, how was he able to be effected by this? But Bell chimed in.
"Well you were reading it with me almost at the same time, so maybe that had something to do with it?" Bell gave a suggestion. But Hestia, and Jaune were still skeptical about that. It seemed almost too easy, but that is all they can go with. So they just decided to go with that, it's all they had for answers.
Bell decided to get up and get his boots on but fell over hitting the wall, making Hestia Jaune confused.
"And where are you going, Bell?" Hestia asked.
"I need to go apologize and find a wa-"
"Forget it Bell?" Hestia said to him, getting up crossing her arms under her chest. Jaune was going to say something but Hestia already beat him to it.
"It's obvious you two, don't know how expensive a grimoire is worth." Hestia said to him.
"It's as much as a top class item, or weapon from Hephaestus herself, maybe even more!" Hestia said pointing a finger at Bell.
Bell just became a ghost, hearing how expensive it was. Jaune was almost there, seeing how much she charges for the most expensive weapons that she has. He could imagine how expensive her mechashift weapons would be. He was about to comment again, but Hestia put her hand on Bell's shoulder
"Listen closely Bell…you two didn't read this book, understand? Not one chapter." Hestia said. She then gained a very shaky smile, knowing how screwed they probably are, and took the book from a still somewhat frozen Bell.
"I will take care of this somehow just leave it to me ok?" Hestia said, almost walking away robotically. Bell unfroze and lunged at Hestia.
"Hang on what are you going to do, goddess?" Bell asked trying to pull Hestia back.
"Don't try to stop me Bell. There are too many bad things in the lower world you can't take back Bell. This world is really selfish more so than the gods!" Hestia exclaimed still trying to leave.
"What are you even saying goddess, what is that even supposed to mean?!" Bell yelled out still trying to pull her.
Having enough of this, Jaune decided to put his two cents in. He then walked over to them, bear hugged them and held them there.
"Alright you two calm it down, let's really think about this." Jaune said. Bell just hanging a little in the air due to how tall Jaune is, while Hestia is trying get out of his grip.
"Don't stop me Jaune we have to do whatever we can to make sure we are not drowning in debt!" Hestia yelled out.
'We kind of already are with Bell's knife.' Jaune thought to himself. But he needed to say his peace.
"Listen you two, it's like how Bell said. Syr gave it to us because nobody claimed it, and who knows how long that book was sitting there for, no one had to nerve to claim it for their own, so it won't be traced back to us." Jaune said to them. This caused Hestia to stop squirming.
Huh…he made a good point.
But Bell still needed to do something.
"You make a good point Jaune, but we still need to at least let Syr know about it, we at least don't want her to get in trouble, or have someone question about it." Bell said to him.
Jaune thought about it, and he is right, they do need to tell her, and let he know what it was. Hestia seemed to agree with this, well reluctantly, she still didn't want anyone to know, not even the one who gave them the book, but she knows that she can't stop Jaune and Bell, when wanting to do the right thing.
With all of that said they got dressed and went to the tavern.
When they got there, Bell was apologizing to her, he hoped that she wouldn't get in trouble. Jaune explained to Syr, and Mama Mia who was there right now, about the book, and how they got magic. While Mia was flipping through it, and Syr was saying that they did a bad thing. They perked up when they heard Jaune getting magic too.
Bell explained to them, how they both read it at the same time, they both thought that was too easy.
But, again it made the most sense.
"And Syr why are talking like you weren't apart of giving the book to us too, don't do this to us." Bell said, with a slight annoyed look, and talk. She then gained a cute expression and voice.
"Oh I'm sorry, is there a problem?" Syr asked in a cute innocent look.
Bell blushed and deadpanned at this, while Jaune just deadpanned at this. Jaune was used to this due to how his sisters will try to get all cutesy with him to get what they wanted. And how Ruby, Nora, and Yang will try that on him. He was used to it.
"Your very cute, Syr." Bell said deadpanned slightly.
"But yeah, there kind of is." Jaune said in a neutral tone, arms crossed. Syr just giggled, and stuck out her tongue slightly, still trying to act cute. But she was glad that Bell thought that she was cute, and Jaune did to somewhat.
They heard Mama Mia throw the book in what looked like a trash bin.
"Mama Mia?" Bell asked.
"There is no use fussing over it, whoever left it here is to blame, don't go fussing all over it, you didn't know what it was." Mama Mia said getting ready to start the day.
"Yeah but don't you think I-" Bell didn't finish when Mama Mia gave him a stern look, that caused him to freeze. Jaune froze briefly too, it reminded him of his mother's glare, or Miss Goodwitch's hard to tell, but it did its job, in making someone stop, listen and do as they are told.
Jaune put a hand on Bell's shoulder getting his attention.
"She's right you know, like we said before, no one claimed it, and we didn't know what it was. No matter how guilty we feel about it, what's done is done, all we can do is use our new magic for the better, ok?" Jaune said to Bell, making Bell nod in acceptance.
Mia smirked at Jaune, glad that he got the picture, he is right, turning a mistake, into something better, these two are good boys.
"Well, let's head out Bell, we should hit to the dungeon. We got to pick up Lili anyway, and remember about our agreement in a few more days, with you know who." Jaune whispered at the end about the arrangement they have with Ais.
Bell nodded, but very nervously when mentioning Ais. The training is going to brutal, but yet awesome in his eyes, he could just feel it.
That and he may freeze a few times training with her.
When they got to the tower waiting for Lili. Immediately Jaune and Bell knew that something was off. She was never late. They were a little late due to dropping by the tavern before coming to the tower's entrance.
"She is usually here by now." Bell said out loud looking around. Jaune nodded with him at that.
"Yeah, where could she be?" Jaune asked looking around. Then he saw her in some bushes away from them. "Oh hey Bell I see her let's go." Jaune said to Bell. Bell smiled and they began walking toward her.
They froze a little, seeing someone grabbing her shoulder, and pulling her slightly, Lili looked very uncomfortable at this. Jaune seen what the guy looked like, it was the guy whom he beat up, for robbing Lili!
"Bell let's go." Jaune said, with him running forward. Bell didn't run at first. But Bell was stopped by a guy whom he ran into before. The same guy who tried to attack Lili.
"Come on you little welp you should definitely have something on you, give me your valis, and tell me where that blonde kid is!" Canoe demanded Lili getting angrier, and angrier at her. He needs Valis damn it! He needs that sip again!
"I'm telling you I don't know where he is right now, and I don't have anything of great value on me, or any valis on hand either!" Lili said to him definitely. And she looked him in the eyes, and glared at him bravely.
"And if I knew, there will be no way I will tell you where he is." Lili said to him coldly. Canoe was alone today, and Lili was alone, he could take her on. He scowled in rage, how there this supporter deny him!
"Well then, if you don't have anything greatly valuable on you, then I will take anything on you, and I will beat the info out of you!" Canoe said cruelly. He kicked her to the ground, and stomped on her side. When he was about to bring his foot down again, his foot was stopped by another person's boot.
Canoe looked at the person and scowled hatefully at him. While Jaune was looking at him in cold fury.
"You." Canoe said with such venom. Jaune looked at him in visible anger now.
"Yes me, and what do you think your doing to my friend?" Jaune asked coldly. The guy flinched slightly at his voice but pressed on.
"This little stain is your friend. She is just a supporter, nothing compared to us. She is a glorified meat shield, and personal bank for us adventurers, they deserve nothing, and she should be grateful that I have been so "kind" to her for a while now." Canoe said to Jaune with the most scummy attitude he has ever heard. Lili looked like she was going to cry.
And to rectify her hatred for adventurers. But Jaune spoke up.
"She is a person. She is a person whom I care for, and how dare you think of her as nothing but shield for you. She is the reason we all are able to get money easier, and keep us alive and healthy when we need it. And she is probably one of the ones who is more knowledgeable about the dungeon better than you and me combined. If you can't see past the whole "supporter" title, you don't deserve Lili. You don't deserve to have someone like her in your life, let alone carrying your crappy gear and loot!" Jaune growled to him in deep anger.
He hates bullies, and he didn't allow help from anyone due to his pride. Bad things happens when someone does nothing. And sometimes when doing something is just as equally as bad. But, when you have others in your corner. You will have a better chance with others supporting you in your corner.
This pissed off Canoe, he dropped his foot away from Lili, and ranged his fist back and swung his fist at Jaune. While Jaune could have dodged it, he was too angry to dodge and he could have blocked it, but he wanted to teach him a lesson. To show that, he will never be able to break him, and to make him leave Lili alone.
"Master Jaune!" Lili cried out in shock and concern. Gratefully it wasn't loud enough that others around could hear it. She knows that Jaune could handle himself, and that he beat up Canoe before, but she doesn't know how he will take damage from other adventurers!
Canoe smiled with satisfaction. He wasn't able to land a hit on him before, but he was hitting a lot in the dungeon lately. Always imagining every monster he killed was Jaune, and Lili. He just sees Lili as someone he can take money from, and like he said she is a meat shield, once her usefulness is done, he will take care of her, probably use her as bait while his team gets away.
But then his smile slowly faded away, he looked to see Jaune slowly turning his head towards him. Eyes still filled with rage. Canoe also noticed something. He was tough, normally some adventurers can feel like punching a wall when they hit higher ranking adventurers, and he could feel that when he punched him.
Canoe didn't notice it at first due to having tunnel vision which was caused by his anger. This human, this guy must be a higher level! But how did he get so strong?! He had to know, if this guy was a level 2 or something!
"W-what level are you?!" Canoe asked almost demanding with wide eyes, utterly shocked at this. Lili looked on with slight shock, seeing how Jaune was barely effected by Canoe's punch. Taking hits from monsters is one thing, but from another adventurer, that is a whole different ball park.
Jaune just looked at him with cold fury, and decided to humor him, before he gets his point across.
"I am only a level 1." Jaune said to him. This caused the man's eyes to widen in further disbelief.
He's lying, he had to be lying to him!
"T-that's a lot of crap! Y-you have to be screwing with me!" Canoe yelled out trying to call his bluff. Jaune simply raised his fist ready to punch.
"Don't believe me all you want, but I have no reason to lie to scum like you." Jaune said coldly to him. He gave the man a right cross, causing some blood to come out of his mouth. He brought up his left fist and have another cross but this time with his left fist.
This caused Canoe to lose a tooth, and he fell on his back due to the force, and shock at how much stronger he was, and how he was able to go down so easily!
Jaune knelt over and started punching him in the face a few times, and parts of his upper torso. Lili looked on in shock, and awe seeing this adventurer stand up for her. The action made her blush looking at Jaune, she is very grateful to him.
But she shook her head, to get her mind back on track. As much as she wants Jaune to beat this guy down, even kill him. She doesn't want this good soul to have a target on his back, with her familia wanting revenge. So she got up and grabbed him left arm, before he could hit him again.
He turned towards Lili looking at her eyes filled with emotion. Hurt at first, but grateful in the end.
"Master Jaune, it's over you helped me, and he is done, no matter how much I want you to continue. I don't want my familia going after yours, it's just you and Bell, and I don't want you or him to get hurt, so please, just stop." Lili practically pleaded for Jaune. Jaune looked over at her, her hood covering her eyes. Jaune looked at the still awake man, who's face was slightly bloodied, and slightly swollen. Jaune held him by the his collar, bringing him to meet his eyes.
"You listen here, you greedy, selfish, asshole." Jaune started with his voice almost growling at this "man". "You will leave Lili alone, you will not steal from her, bully her, use her, and hurt her. You will not come after me or my familia, or others ever again got it?" Jaune growled out to the man. Canoe just looked on with slight fear in his eyes. His vision slightly blurry due to them being nearly fully swollen shut.
"If you do, I will make sure you can never be an adventurer again, I can report you to the guild, or maybe the Ganesha familia, or I can beat you so bad that you will not be able to fight ever again. So what do you say…Canoe?" Jaune said to him giving him a final threat of what will happen. Now Jaune will never want to actually kill the guy, or cripple him, he wants the guy to get the idea he is not playing around with him, for threating Lili.
Canoe nodded his head slightly and agreed to it. Jaune gave a slight smile. He brought him to his feet at this.
"Good, glad you understand that." Jaune said to him glad that this was over. But before he Canoe left, Jaune grabbed his forearm, making him look at Jaune in the eye again.
"Again, to get it in your head, don't mess my team, my friends ever again, got it?" Jaune said to him. No he ordered him to. Canoe's eyes widen seeing him. He seen him glow a little, and his already blue eyes becoming fierce, and looked like starting to glow slightly.
Canoe nodded a little rapidly and agreed, Jaune finally let him go, and he ran away from them.
Jaune turned to Lili and smiled kindly at her.
"I'm so sorry you had to see me do that, I don't normally get that aggressive with others, but when someone hurts a person I care about, I get really serious." Jaune said rubbing the back of his head sheepishly.
Lili just looked at him, with happy eyes, and she was blushing up a storm. If the bag was off of her, he would have seen her tail wagging. She felt her heart flutter seeing how Jaune stood up for her, and protecting her. It was simply…..amazing.
She threw caution to the wind, and leaped at him. She gripped him and hugged him with all of her might. She was crying too. Jaune looked on with slight sadness and happiness. He is sad that she has gone through a lot, but he is glad that she is happy and that she has real friends now. He reached down slightly hugging her head, and rubbing it.
However he figured out something that looked really awkward.
Her head Barely goes past his waist, and her head is on his privates.
Lili is only 3'7 while he is 6'1(That's how tall he is at this during volumes 3-6), so it was a little awkward especially figuring out she is not a little girl, but as old as Ruby was when they first met. And in this world age of consent is when you become a teenager, in Remnant it is 15-16 for consent due to the grimm out numbering everyone. The 16 year old range is usually in Atlas.
But the consent is only usually if they are in an academy like Beacon, or if both parties are at least 3 years apart, so thank oum, he wouldn't be arrested, if he ever wanted to date someone like Ruby. He knew that growing up of course but still.
What didn't help was she is almost as…..thick as Ruby, and he thought that Ruby's hugs always felt amazing, especially when she wrapped her legs around him, when she always jumped on his back, during their time at Beacon, and on the road. But she grew greatly on the road.
It was hard not to feel…..somethings from her, and it's dejavu all over again, but this time someone was in front of him!
Meanwhile in Remnant
Ruby and the others were talking about their next move and what to do with getting to Atlas. They were going to try to steal a Bullhead. But Ruby decided maybe they could use Weiss to contact her sister, and explain to her that they need help.
But then out of nowhere, Ruby felt so flustered, her whole face turned red. She also felt embarrassed, but flattered and giddy about something. Everyone looked at Ruby with extreme concern. Yang reached over holding Ruby and feeling her head.
"Woah, woah Rubes are you ok?! Your whole face is red, and your burning up, did you catch something?!" Yang asked her with deep concern. Weiss was by her too holding her arm and hand.
But Ruby regained her composure, and just ended up with a healthy blush on her cheeks. She looked at everyone smiling a little sheepishly.
"Oh, n-no I'm f-fine!" Ruby stuttered out a little. "It's just I think someone was talking about me, and it made me feel squirmy, like embarrassed, but I felt so….flattered about something, and it was a weird set of mixed emotions. And I don't know why, it felt like my heart just soared, and I felt so happy. It was so weird." Ruby said with her blush calming down a little.
The others just looked on confused and a little concerned. Yang was the most because, a boy was probably something perverted about her sister. It made her annoyed, but hearing how it made Ruby happy, also confused her, did that mean that whoever thought about her, she liked, she needed to know more, but for now they needed to talk about their plan.
Back with Jaune
"Hey it's ok Lili, I care for you deeply. And I won't let any of the people I care about be hurt." Jaune said smiling down at her. Lili looked up, with red eyes from crying. When she looked at his happy smile, she couldn't help but smile, and nodded at him. Jaune smiled a little wider too. He rubbed her head, and decided to get down to business.
"Alright with all of that out of the way, let's go meet up with Bell, I don't want to keep him waiting for too long." Jaune said to her. She just nodded again, holding onto Jaune's arm as they walked away.
He seen Bell, looking serious, and slightly angry. Looking in a different direction.
"Hey Bell what's up?" Jaune asked concerned seeing Bell like this. Lili also looked confused too. Bell looked over slightly, but smiled a little seeing his two friends. But he gained a serious face again.
"Hey guys, it's just an adventurer wanted me to help him, to rob Lili, but I told him now, and he walked away angry." Bell said still looking in the direction the man walked.
Jaune and Lili frowned at this. Lili let go and walked up to Bell.
"Master Bell, what did the guy look like?" Lili asked. She had a feeling who it was. Bell turned to her, and revealed who it was.
"It was the man who tried to use his sword on you, and I blocked it in that ally way. The time we technically first met." Bell said to her.
Lili's eyes narrowed at this, and she frowned at the revelation.
"I know him, he was the adventurer I was working under before I agreed to join you two master Bell, master Jaune." Lili revealed to them. This got both boys angry. But Jaune knelt down to look at Lili in her eyes. He put both hands on her shoulders. Making her look at him directly.
"Listen Lili, you don't have to worry about him, just like with Canoe, I will help and protect you, Arc's word ok? And an Arc never goes back on his word, especially for something like this." Jaune said to her promising to help and to protect her. Lili's eyes became a little watery again, and blushed too.
"He's right, I will help too." Bell said getting Lili's attention. "You are my friend, and your someone who needed help, and I will help, Jaune is the same way, we won't let them get what they want. If they try anything to you, we will come running and save you, whenever you need us." Bell promised her, having a determined look of his own.
Lili just stared at the both of them, looking at them, wondering how did she get such great people in her life, she doesn't deserve them, for what she has done to other adventurers before. But these two allowed her to move forward, and to show that not all adventurers, are selfish, greedy, and evil people. But some are truly kind, and these two are proof.
She jumped to both of them hugging them. They returned the hug to her, which she started to cry again.
"Thank you, thank you both so much!" Lili cried out, truly thankful to them.
Jaune and Bell just looked at each other smiling at this.
"Anytime Lili." Jaune said to her, with a gentle voice rugging the back of her head.
"Yeah anytime." Bell said hugging her too.
They stayed like that for a few minutes not caring the looks others were giving them. A lot were just thinking that they were weird. But some thought it was sweet, some even showed appreciation to their supporters, majority of the opposite sex, with a hug.
The dungeon just became a little bit brighter.
A/N: And that's the chapter. Thank you all for the continued support for this story. And I do hope that others will join and support my stories. And again I will be honest. This story is so much more easier to write since I have a template with the other series, and I can make a lot of decisions, adjustments, and creativity.
So with all of that said, I will see you all in the next one. So please stay Blessed.
And May God Continue To Bless You All!
1 John 1:9: If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness!