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Here There Be Pirates (Pirate AU Jaune Harem) - Chapter 1
🕑 Added 2025-02-23 13:29:22 +0000 UTCA comedic RWBY Pirate AU someone commissioned. This one is a harem story that'll have NSFW segments later. Don't expect things to get too serious. The commissioner wanted it to have the tone of Pirates of the Carribean.
Next thing will be Maid Jaune Chapter 3 for Patrons.
[line break]
Jaune had always wanted to be a pirate. Not just any pirate, though. He wanted to be the kind of legendary, larger-than-life adventurer who sailed the seas with an air of freedom so intoxicating that even the most disciplined navy captains secretly wished they could do the same. The kind of swashbuckler who braved the wild ocean, discovered lost treasures, and had a cool nickname like Captain Arc, the Azure Phantom. (Okay, maybe that one needed some work.)
The point was, pirates were awesome.
They weren't just sailors; they were much more than that. They were explorers, trailblazers, rebels who refused to be tied down by the dull rules of the world. While regular folks had to work boring jobs and obey the law, pirates got to live. They got to do whatever they wanted, go wherever they pleased, and take whatever the world had hidden away in forgotten places. Just sailing the seas with nothing tying them down.
That was the dream.
Ever since he was a kid growing up in a quiet little port town, Jaune had felt drawn to the sea. He'd spent hours staring at the horizon, imagining a sleek ship cutting through the waves, its sails billowing dramatically in the wind. While other kids wanted to be Huntsmen - those serious, rule-following warrior types - Jaune had run around with a wooden cutlass, pretending to command a mighty crew, shouting things like "Raise the anchor!" and "Fire the cannons!" at random seagulls.
And honestly? He still wanted to do that, just, you know...for real.
Pirates were heroes.
Okay, sure, the kingdoms liked to call them "criminals" and "outlaws" or whatever, but come on! Who were the real bad guys here? The ones who sat in their fancy castles hoarding gold while people starved? The ones who controlled trade routes and taxed merchants into the dirt? The ones who made up all these boring, arbitrary rules about who could sail where and who could own what? Pirates weren't bad; they were freedom fighters! They took from greedy, corrupt nobles and lived life on their terms!
And wasn't that way cooler than following dumb laws made by people who never even set foot on a ship?
Dad wanted him to take a stable job. Make a living as a farmer, a blacksmith, maybe even a soldier, if he was being really ambitious. And then he'd find a nice local girl and give her a bunch of kids. Just like Dad did with Mom. But Jaune didn't want any of that. He didn't want a long, boring life where he'd sit on some rickety chair 60 years later talking about how all was well. No, he wanted excitement! Adventure! A life of thrills and death-defying exploits!
Jaune could picture it perfectly even as a kid. He could see himself standing at the bow of a magnificent ship, the wind whipping through his hair, the salty spray of the sea cooling his sun-warmed skin. His ship - which would've had a cool name like The Revenge - would be a thing of beauty: fast, sturdy, and bristling with just enough firepower to make sure no one messed with them. His crew would be loyal and brave, a ragtag band of adventurers who followed him not because of rank or pay but because they believed in the thrill of the journey.
And oh, the battles!
Dueling enemy ships under a blazing sunset or raging storms. Cannons roaring, the deck shaking beneath his boots as his crew shouted orders and dashed to their stations. He'd outmaneuver some puffed-up navy captain, swinging aboard his ship with his cutlass in one hand and a rope in the other, landing perfectly and taking down three sailors with one swing (in reality, he'd probably faceplant, but that was beside the point.)
And when the enemy crew realized they were completely outmatched, he'd offer them mercy - because he wasn't some villain. No, he was the kind of pirate people admired. A gentleman adventurer! A legend in the making! The kind of pirate old seadogs whispered in awe about in taverns and young lasses sighed over.
And then there was the treasure.
Jaune didn't care about gold for gold's sake. It wasn't about being rich - it was about the chase. The thrill of tracking down an ancient map, following cryptic clues, and unearthing some long-lost artifact that'd been hidden away for centuries. Maybe it was buried deep in an uncharted island, guarded by traps and puzzles that only the cleverest of adventurers could solve. Maybe it was lost beneath the sea, waiting to be pulled up from the depths, protected by massive sea Grimm that only the bravest captains dared to challenge. Or maybe he had to duel a notorious rival captain in order to get it from his hoard.
Treasure wasn't just money. It was history. Every coin had a story, every gemstone had belonged to someone important, every artifact was a piece of a forgotten past. And Jaune? He loved that stuff.
And okay, fine, maybe he also liked the idea of a little romance along the way.
Because of course a proper pirate needed a love story. That was just how these things worked.
She'd be someone sharp and witty, someone who didn't fall for his charm immediately (but totally would in the end). Maybe she'd be a noblewoman, trapped in a dull, arranged marriage until she saw him and thought, Wow, that guy's amazing. I should definitely run away with him. Maybe she'd be a rival captain, always one step ahead of him until, one day, he finally turned the tables and won not just the treasure but her heart. Maybe she'd be a runaway, searching for freedom just like him, and they'd sail off into the sunset together.
Whoever she was, she'd definitely roll her eyes at his dumb jokes but secretly love them. She'd act unimpressed, but he'd catch her smirking when she thought he wasn't looking. She'd call him an idiot, but she'd still kiss him anyway.
Because that's just how these things worked.
Jaune sighed, resting his chin on his hand. That was the dream. The life he wanted. And yet...here he was, stuck on land, still dreaming. He sighed again. He was wasting time. He'd spent years thinking about being a pirate, but pirates didn't sit around thinking. Pirates did. They took action, seized opportunity, and chased adventure head-on.
And Jaune Arc was definitely going to do that.
...Just as soon as he figured out how.
[line break]
Jaune was a pirate!
...Kind of.
He was technically part of a crew crew, that was true. But was he a sailor? A gunner? A swashbuckling rogue? No, he was...the cabin boy. Which, as it turned out, wasn't nearly as glamorous as he'd imagined. There were no daring sword fights, no treasure hunts, no thrilling high-seas adventures - just a whole lot of swabbing the deck, fetching drinks, and getting yelled at for standing in the way. But hey, everyone had to start somewhere, right?
And really, he couldn't complain too much. He was on an actual pirate ship! The pirate ship! The Beacon, the legendary vessel of Dread Pirate Ozpin himself. The man was a ghost story come to life, the kind of pirate that even the navy spoke about in hushed voices. He was supposedly immortal, or at least impossible to catch, and his ship had outrun, outmaneuvered, and outgunned entire fleets. The rivalry between him and Admiral Ironwood was the stuff of legends!
And now, by some miracle, Jaune Arc was part of his crew.
It was all a bit of a blur, really. One day, he was sitting on the docks, watching the tide roll in, dreaming about adventure. The next, The Beacon had pulled into port, and suddenly, Jaune was standing in front of Dread Pirate Ozpin himself, babbling something about how he'd always wanted to be a pirate and how he was totally ready to join the crew. He'd been preparing for it for his entire life, he told himself, there was no one better!
And the old man had just laughed. Not a cruel laugh, more like an amused one, like Jaune was some scruffy little dog barking at a pack of wolves. He had murmured something under his breath - something Jaune hadn't quite caught - and then just shrugged and said, "Alright."
And that was that.
Jaune had run home, thrown together a bag of supplies, and - because he had zero foresight - immediately snuck out in the dead of night without telling his parents or sisters a single word. He wasn't worried exactly. He'd just...forgotten to do it. He was so excited, come on! Besides, once he became a legendary pirate, they'd totally understand. They'd see his name in the taverns, hear the stories of his incredible exploits, and they'd all be so proud of him.
...Right?
Well, no sense worrying about that now. He was here. He was finally living his dream. He was standing on the deck of a real pirate ship, surrounded by real pirates, sailing toward real adventure. Sure, he wasn't technically a real pirate yet, but that was just a matter of time.
Of course, Jaune had quickly learned that there was a lot less romance to piracy than he thought. The crew wasn't sitting around singing shanties and swapping treasure maps. They were busy, constantly working to keep the ship moving, supplies stocked, and weapons ready. They were disciplined, too - not in the stiff, proper way of a navy ship, but in a way that made it clear they knew exactly what they were doing. Every crew member had a job, and every job mattered. If something wasn't done right, people died.
Which, okay, made sense. A ship was basically a floating town, and if one person slacked off, it made life harder for everyone else. It wasn't just adventure and glory, there was real responsibility involved. Everyone had a role to play. Sun was almost always at the crow's nest keeping an eye on things; Neptune (who was afraid of water, puzzle that one out) kept an eye out for any leaks and hull breaches; Nora kept every cannon loaded and ready to fire; and Ren made sure that they had something good to eat every night (and didn't die of scurvy). And that wasn't even mentioning the other crew members he'd only known in passing.
And Jaune? Well...he was the least responsible person on board.
It wasn't his fault! He was new and he was still learning! Sure, he'd tripped over the ropes and nearly sent half the rigging crashing down. And sure, he'd accidentally spilled Ozpin's tea three times in one day. And yes, maybe he'd forgotten to tie down a barrel properly and it had rolled across the deck, knocking over three sailors like a very unfortunate game of bowling.
But he was improving!
...
Probably.
...
Maybe.
Okay, he had to improve. Because as much as he admired the crew, he could tell they were starting to get real tired of him not pulling his weight. Especially her. Jaune glanced toward the main deck, where she was standing. Glynda Goodwitch, the ship's quartermaster, second-in-command, and the most terrifying woman in all of Remnant. The one person (other than Ozpin) who could order everyone around and expect immediate obedience.
She terrified him.
Not because she yelled or anything. If anything, Jaune would've preferred if she did. Glynda didn't yell. She didn't even get that angry. She just stared at him with those piercing green eyes, looking so disappointed every time he messed up and giving Ozpin those little questioning looks, as if she was silently asking 'why did you let this boy aboard the ship?' It was worse than yelling.
She was calm, collected, and impossibly graceful, like she'd been born on a ship. She moved through the deck like a sea goddess, never once losing her balance no matter how hectic the waves and wind got. She also handled a cutlass with such casual ease that Jaune was pretty sure she could take out an entire enemy crew on her own. Glynda barely spoke, but when she did, everyone listened.
And, worst of all? She was cool. Like, amazingly cool. The kind of cool Jaune had dreamed about being. The second-in-command of the most notorious crew in the four seas with awesome nicknames to boot. The Sea Witch, the Deadly Siren, the Sailor's Doom. And those were just the most well-known ones!
She was a looker too. Domremy was full of the kind of women you'd expect from a port town. Nobody really special. The only one that stuck out the was the governor's daughter, Gwen Darcy, and she was definitely the subject of every hot-blooded young man's fantasy back home; himself included. There was something alluring about the forbidden, and the fantasy of taking a noble's daughter like some dashing rogue was a tantalizing one.
Glynda put Gwen to shame. She was clearly on the older side, but her looks hadn't faded in the least. Her blonde hair was done up in a bun that hadn't frazzled despite the sea air and there were no traces of wrinkles or scarring anywhere on her. The only way he could tell she was older was by the look in her eyes. Windows to the soul and all that.
Then there was her outfit. The purple coat might've looked gaudy on anyone else, but she managed to make it look eye-catching and stylish. Underneath that was a blouse that did nothing to hide her generous bosom and tight leather pants that practically clung to her voluptous thighs like a second skin. Capping off the ensemble was a pair of heeled boots that would've had his mom immediately peg her as someone dangerous. Someone to stay away from.
Then there was him. The cabin boy wearing his dad's hand-me-downs and mom's knitted sweaters. The guy who fetched food, mopped the floors, and made tea. It wasn't exactly how he imagined his heroic journey starting, but hey, everyone had to start somewhere, right? He'd have a presence like her one of these days. He he just knew it.
[line break]
Jaune had wanted adventure. A life of excitement, danger, and intrigue. Now, as he clung to the mast for dear life while cannon fire thundered across the deck, splintering wood and sending shockwaves through his bones, he found himself reconsidering.
This wasn't like the stories. This wasn't some thrilling, dramatic duel where everyone traded witty banter while gracefully clashing blades. This was chaos. Smoke choked the air, filling his lungs with the acrid scent of gunpowder. The deck tilted violently beneath his feet as The Beacon twisted through the waves, maneuvering with almost impossible precision under Ozpin's command. The SDC galleon was massive, heavily armored, and bristling with cannons, but Ozpin and his crew fought like they'd done this a hundred times before. Which, to be fair, they probably had.
And Jaune?
Jaune was trying very hard not to die.
"Get to work, Arc!" Glynda's voice cut through the chaos like a crack of lightning. She was a blur of motion, slicing through ropes with an effortless flick of her cutlass while barking orders at the crew.
"But-"
"Get up and make yourself useful!" she barked before whirling around and deflecting a bullet with the flat of her blade like it was nothing, "If you're not fighting, then help reload the cannons! Move, move, move!"
Jaune scrambled away from the mast, narrowly dodging a flying chunk of wood as another cannon blast rattled the ship. Right. He could do that. He could reload the cannons. That sounded easy enough.
It was not easy. First off, cannonballs were heavy. He nearly threw out his back trying to lift one, and by the time he managed to roll it toward a gunner, Ren had already fired twice. Neptune was moving between stations, quickly checking for damage, while Nora cackled like a maniac, gleefully loading the cannons with a speed that really should've been illegal and yelling something about how 'this is why you always keep an extra keg of black powder!'
"Fire in the hole!" she roared, slamming the fuse down before Jaune could even brace himself. The cannon fired with a deafening BOOM, nearly knocking him off his feet. He barely had time to flinch before she was already onto the next one, "Less gawking, more loading, landlubber!" She fired again, not even flinching at the sound or caring when the cannon practically slammed into her when she fired it. He knew that her and a few others had Aura, but seeing it himself was still humbling.
Jaune rushed to obey, dragging another cannonball into place while the ship rocked violently. He had no idea how long the battle lasted. His sense of time had dissolved into a haze of shouting, gunfire, and pure, unfiltered terror. Swords clashed, men screamed, and fire bloomed from the impact of another cannon blast. Somewhere above him, Sun let out a whoop, swinging from a rope to kick an enemy sailor straight into the ocean.
But eventually, finally, the SDC galleon began to sink. The crew erupted into cheers as the enemy was swallowed by the depths. Jaune, shaking and still clutching a cannonball, let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. He wasn't dead. He wasn't dead!
Across the deck, Ozpin climbed onto the guard rails, effortlessly balancing as if standing on the edge of a moving ship during a storm was the most natural thing in the world. He held his cutlass at his side, his coat billowing dramatically in the wind as he surveyed his victorious crew, "Victory!" he said, raising the cutlass to the air. Everyone, Jaune included, cheered and roared, still high from the battle that had barely finished.
Jaune heart soared with admiration. This was it. This was what he had dreamed of. The legendary Dread Pirate Ozpin, victorious once again, about to give a rousing speech that would go down in history. The salty breeze, the scent of gunpowder in the air, the thrill of triumph - this was what being a pirate was all about!
And then Jaune tripped.
It happened so fast. One moment, he was stepping forward, wanting to actually feel the moment, the next, his foot caught on a discarded rope, and -
Whump.
Jaune slammed into Ozpin's legs. The Dread Pirate teetered, the crew gasped, and then...the legendary, impossible-to-catch, feared-by-all Dread Pirate Ozpin...fell overboard.
...
Oops?
Jaune stood frozen, staring at the spot where Ozpin had vanished beneath the waves. The water was dark, churning from the battle, but any second now, the old pirate would resurface, maybe even swim back up with that knowing little smirk of his. Jaune would get a hiding for ruining his moment, sure, but the old man would realize that it was a all a big accident and the whole crew would look back on it all with smiles and laughter.
...Right?
A few seconds passed and Ozpin didn't surface. There weren't even any bubbles. Jaune felt his stomach drop into his boots, "Uh," he said, his voice a little higher than normal. He turned to the crew, half-laughing, half-panicking, "He's Dread Pirate Ozpin! He'll be fine, right?"
No one answered. The crew just stared.
Glynda sighed. Not an angry or grieving sigh, just annoyed. Like she wasn't getting paid enough to deal with this, "You just killed Ozpin."
Jaune screamed, "HOW?!" The words shot out of his mouth before he could stop them, his brain short-circuiting under the sheer insanity of the situation. He tripped. Tripped! That wasn't supposed to kill anyone! Ozpin was one of the most feared pirates in the four seas! He'd fought entire fleets! He'd escaped the inescapable! He was practically immortal! The entire kingdom of Atlas, and especially Jacques Schnee, practically shit itself whenever he was even rumored to be in their waters.
And now he was just gone?!
Glynda met his wide, panicked eyes with the utmost seriousness, "Ozpin can't swim."
Jaune's mind went blank, "HE'S A PIRATE!"
Glynda shrugged, seemingly unbothered, "Yes."
"WHO CAN'T SWIM?!"
"He never needed to before now," she said simply, as if this was some great wisdom Jaune was too dumb to understand. Like expecting a pirate lord to be able to swim was some impossible ask. Jaune made an incomprehensible noise of pure horror. This wasn't happening. This couldn't be real. This had to be some kind of elaborate test, right? Any second now, Captain Ozpin would pop back up and laugh it off. Glynda would shake her head in exasperation then everything would go back to normal.
A moment of silence passed. Then Glynda straightened, dusted off her coat, and said, with absolute finality, "By the rule of the ship, you are captain now."
Jaune died. Not literally. But spiritually, mentally, in every way that mattered. His entire soul collapsed in on itself like a sinking ship as those words hit him like a broadside cannon blast. This wasn't how he wanted to be the captain of his own ship! "H-Hold on!" He waved his arms, feeling lightheaded, "I- no- there's gotta be some mistake! I can't be captain! I've been here for a week! I don't even know how to tie proper knots! I-I trip over my own feet!"
Glynda stared at him, unimpressed, "Yes, we've noticed."
Jaune felt the sweat rolling down his back, "Someone else should be captain! What about you?! You're the quartermaster, isn't that basically second-in-command?!"
Glynda crossed her arms, "And, as quartermaster, I am the one who enforces the ship's rules. And the rule states: 'If the captain is defeated, the victor shall take his place." She paused, "This is...unorthodox, but the rule still stands."
"Why is that a thing?!"
"It happens more often than you'd think."
Jaune's heart was hammering in his chest. He looked around at the crew, desperate for someone to say, haha, just kidding! We're totally messing with you! But no. Everyone was just watching him, waiting. Waiting for him to take command. His vision swam and every shallow breath came out in a frantic gasp. In all the ways he'd imagined gaining a ship and a loyal crew, accidentally killing the old Captain and taking his place definitely wasn't a scenario that came to mind.
Jaune gulped and took a very subtle step back, scanning the faces around him. The crew wasn't exactly hostile, but they weren't not hostile either. There were a lot of unreadable expressions, and he really didn't like how some of them were looking at him. Sure, a bunch of people didn't make it through the battle - piracy was a dangerous business, after all - but some of these guys might be thinking, hey, if we lost one captain today, what's one more?
He side-eyed Sun, who was casually twirling a knife between his fingers. A big knife. Way bigger than it needed to be. Sun caught his gaze and grinned, sharp canines flashing in the lamplight. He flipped the knife and caught the hilt with his tail
Okay. That was not reassuring.
He shifted his eyes to Neptune, who had a perfectly neutral expression. Too neutral. Like a man playing cards and holding a very good hand. Neptune was always cool - the ladies man with countless stories about having a girl in every port. But Jaune had read enough adventure novels to know that the cool ones were the most dangerous. You never saw them coming. One second, they were smiling and telling stories while they put an arm around your shoulder. Then suddenly, you two knives between your ribs.
There was also Ren. Ren, who was impossible to read on a good day. Right now, he was just wiping down his cutlass, completely calm, like they hadn't just lost their captain five minutes ago. Jaune swallowed hard. Did he know something Jaune didn't? Was he planning something? Oh gods, what if he already had a plan?! A little poison in his stew and he'd never see it coming...
And then there was Nora. The orange-haired cannoneer was grinning like she was planning to throw him overboard. Not to take over as the captain, but just to see if he could swim (which he could, for the record, since what kind of pirate didn't know how to swim?!)
Because if anyone would yeet him into the ocean for the sheer chaos of it, it was definitely Nora.
Jaune was going to die. He could feel it. The ship's rule said that if someone killed the captain, then they became the captain. He had no idea if there were sub rules to that like needing to do in front of the whole crew, and right now, he didn't really care. What if he went overboard? Would it pass to whoever threw him off like what happened to him? Would it go to the next highest-ranked crew member? Was there a line for this sort of thing?
He was so close to having a full-blown panic attack when Glynda - who'd been watching his spiraling like a hawk - let out a long, long sigh and grabbed his arm, "Come with me."
Jaune made a noise somewhere between a squeak and a dying cat, "W-Where?"
"To my quarters," she said dryly, already dragging him across the deck, "If you're going to be captain, I refuse to let you make an even bigger mess of things. You're getting a rundown of what the job actually entails before you do something else catastrophic."
Jaune, still giving the crew major side-eye, meekly nodded and let her pull him along. None of them moved to stop him...but Nora winked.
Oh gods, he was so screwed.
[line break]
Jaune sat stiffly in a chair in Glynda's quarters, hands clutched tightly in his lap like he was a schoolboy about to get scolded. Which, honestly, wasn't far from the truth. The room itself was neat and organized, with maps pinned to the walls, stacks of well-maintained logs and charts on the desk, and a single, gleaming cutlass resting within easy reach. The air smelled faintly of ink, parchment, and the salty sea breeze drifting in from the small, circular window behind Glynda's desk. It was a place of business, a place for someone who knew what they were doing.
Jaune did not know what he was doing.
Glynda sat across from him, hands folded neatly on the desk, as she began what could only be described as the most casual explanation of piracy he had ever heard in his life,"As captain, your responsibilities include maintaining the ship, ensuring the crew's morale, keeping up with supplies, and overseeing all major decisions - this includes battle strategy, navigation, and plundering."
Jaune twitched, "Plundering?"
She adjusted her glasses, "Yes. It is, after all, what we do."
Right. Right. Of course. He was a pirate. That was normal. Nothing weird about that. He could handle that.
"You must also maintain our reputation. That means hitting profitable targets, not just any ship we come across. We aren't common cutthroats. We are pirates, not bandits - we take from the corrupt and powerful, not from the common folk. That means SDC ships, kingdom supply lines, and certain trade routes under questionable management."
"Got it."
"Second, keeping up morale. A happy crew is a loyal crew. This means ensuring they're well-fed, well-paid, and entertained. It also means resolving disputes when they arise and making sure no one decides to throw you overboard." Jaune winced at how bluntly she said it. What happened to honor among thieves? "Now, naturally, we have enemies. The SDC, the Atlesian Navy - particularly Admiral James Ironwood. Let's not forget the various bounty hunters, and rival pirates who may try to steal from us. Avoiding capture is paramount. Ozpin was very good at that, so you will need to-"
"Not get thrown overboard?" Jaune said weakly.
Glynda gave him a deadpan look look, "Yes. That." Jaune shrank a little in his chair. She continued, unfazed, "And, of course, our most important duty is ensuring that Sea Witch Salem remains sealed beneath the ocean."
Jaune blinked. Then he blinked again. His hands clenched the edges of his chair as he slowly asked in a very high-pitched, very concerned voice, "I'm sorry, what?!"
Glynda sighed, as if this was the most normal thing in the world, "Salem. The ancient and malevolent entity sealed beneath the waves, whose awakening would spell doom for the four seas. Surely, you've heard the legends? Every child knows the tale."
Jaune's brain short-circuited. His breath hitched. His mouth opened, but no sound came out. This wasn't part of the deal. No one said anything about stopping an actual Sea Witch! He signed up for adventure! For cool sword fights and treasure hunting! Not 'preventing a legendary sea monster from rising and destroying everything!'
He let out a weak, almost hysterical laugh, "Haha. Okay. Okay. Uh, just, y'know, quick question...WHAT?!"
Glynda clearly did not appreciate his tone. She gave him a flat, unimpressed stare, "There is no need to panic."
"No need to- " Jaune sputtered, voice cracking, "No need to panic?! We're talking about some evil sea witch lady who's apparently this close to breaking free and you're telling me not to panic?!"
"She's sealed." Glynda huffed.
"Oh, well, that makes me feel so much better," Jaune said, voice laced with sarcasm and pure anxiety, "Totally not worried at all! Not even a little bit!"
Glynda ignored him, "The Beacon's primary mission is to ensure that the seal remains intact. Ozpin kept a close watch on it, ensuring that no foolish treasure hunters or cultists interfered. It's a simple enough task."
Jaune swallowed thickly, "Okay. Okay. Okay. Let's say, hypothetically, I believe you-"
"You should believe me."
"-what happens if she does wake up?"
Glynda adjusted her glasses, "The seas will boil. The Grimm will rise in uncountable numbers. The kingdoms will fall and all will drown in eternal darkness." Jaune gaped. She continued, "The ones who die first will be the lucky ones. Salem has been aware of every second of her imprisonment. From what Ozpin told me, she will be very bitter if she ever does escape. She'll prolong the agony of anyone she gets her hands on. And as the new captain of The Beacon, I imagine she'll have a particular grudge against you both for your role and for denying her revenge against Ozpin."
Jaune wheezed. Oh Brothers. He was going to have a heart attack. He was going to die before the crew even had a chance to throw him overboard!
Glynda leaned back slightly, as if finally noticing how close he was to fainting. She waved a hand dismissively, "Again. There is no need to worry. Salem has been sealed for centuries. As long as we continue our vigilance and stop any would-be cultists from getting their hands on the key, she'll remain trapped. The key, of course, is at The Beacon itself. There's no better way to ensure its safety. A vault can be picked. A castle can be breached. A ship is much more mobile and powerful.""
Jaune pressed his hands to his face and groaned. He was just supposed to mop the floors.
"I've also noticed-" she said, entirely ignoring his existential crisis, "-that your Aura isn't unlocked."
Jaune blinked, "Wait, my what?"
"Aura." She laced her fingers together and rested them on the desk, "The life force within all living things, capable of shielding the body, enhancing strength, and sharpening the senses. You do know what Aura is, don't you?"
"Huh? Well, yeah, everyone does, but it's not...well, I never had the chance to get it unlocked before," Jaune muttered.
Glynda pinched the bridge of her nose and let out the most exhausted sigh yet, "Of course you didn't," she muttered, "Why would Ozpin let an untrained, Aura-less child aboard this ship? I swear, he does this just to irritate me..." She took a deep breath and fixed Jaune with a stern look, "Regardless, this is unacceptable. You are now the captain of the Beacon. You will not be Aura-less. Sit up straight and let's get this over with."
Jaune sat up straighter, still not fully understanding but getting the vague sense that this was about to be important, "Uh...okay?"
Glynda stood, circling the desk with the slow, deliberate grace of someone who had done this before. She reached out, placing one hand against his forehead, the other over his heart.
Jaune barely had time to react before she closed her eyes and began to speak.
"By the tides that guide us, by the wind that fills our sails,
By the stars that mark our passage, by the storm that never fails,
I call upon the sea, as endless as the sky,
To awaken the spirit that slumbers inside.
Rise with the waves, strong and true,
As the ocean's will now flows through you."
As she spoke, Jaune felt something stir deep inside him, like a current pulling at his very being. A soft glow radiated from Glynda's hands, spreading over his skin, filling him with a warmth that was both unfamiliar and yet strangely comforting. It was like the first light of dawn stretching across the horizon, like the salt-laced wind rushing through the sails of a ship bound for adventure. The feeling of pure adventure he always imagined in his fantasies as a kid.
Then, with a final pulse of energy, the glow sank into him. Jaune gasped. He felt...different. Stronger. Lighter. Like he'd just taken the biggest, cleanest breath of his life. His heart pounded in his chest. Not from fear this time, but from something else. Something new.
Glynda withdrew her hands, nodding in satisfaction, "There. Your Aura is now unlocked."
Jaune swallowed, flexing his fingers, "I...whoa."
She arched a brow, "Do you feel different?"
"Yes? No? Maybe? I don't know what I'm supposed to feel!" He ran a hand over his chest, then patted his face, then tentatively poked his own arm, "I feel...weird. But, like, good weird?" He felt like he could bench press six full barrels of rum at once.
"That's normal," Glynda said simply, "Your Aura will take time to fully settle in with your body. But from now on, you'll heal faster, endure more, and, in time, grow stronger."
Jaune processed this for a moment before he grinned, "So what you're saying is..." He held up his arms, flexing dramatically, "...I'm basically unstoppable now?"
She didn't even blink, "No. More like you're slightly less likely to die immediately. It also won't help you if you're facing someone of equal strength. Or if you're forced to walk the plank and fed to the shark Grimm in the waters below."
Jaune deflated for a second before he quickly perked up again, "Still, that's better than before!"S
Glynda sighed and rubbed her temples, "Why did Ozpin do this to me..."
Jaune, still buzzing from the whole "unlocking his Aura and being told he's now responsible for making sure an ancient sea witch doesn't destroy the world" thing, sat rigidly in Glynda's chair. It was the first time he had actually felt like the captain, sitting in the seat where Ozpin used to lounge so effortlessly.
And now he had to make decisions. Real, actual, important decisions that affected the entire ship. Okay. Okay. He could do this. He just had to think logically. Rationally. Like a captain. He took a deep breath, exhaled, and said with as much authority as he could muster, "We're going to Patch."
Silence.
Glynda blinked, "...Patch?"
Jaune nodded, trying his best to look confident, "Yup. We, uh, did just get out of a huge fight, right? We need supplies, and the ship could use repairs. I mean, sure, I'd love to go after some grand treasure right now, but what good is adventure if we sink on the way there?" He paused, "And we'll probably have to recruit a bunch of new people for the crew. We did lose a bunch of guys in that fight. We don't want the crew pulling off 24 hour shifts, right?"
More silence. Then, after an agonizing pause, Glynda nodded, "Reasonable. Patch is neutral territory, and the shipyards there are reliable. A responsible choice." Jaune almost collapsed with relief. Responsible! He made a responsible choice! He knew he could do this!
Glynda turned on her heel, "I'll inform the helmsman. Get your bearings, Captain." Jaune still wasn't used to being called that, and the moment she left, he let out a long, exhausted breath. Holy crap, he'd actually done it. He made a captain decision. The anxiety from before slowly faded. It hadn't disappeared entirely, but the familiar lust for adventure slowly took over again. Okay, maybe this wasn't how he imagined becoming the captain, but wasn't this a good thing? This was part of his dream!
Jaune nodded to himself. Yeah, everything was gonna be fine!
[line break]
By the time they arrived at the island of Patch, Jaune had fully accepted that this was a good plan. Patch was quiet,at least compared to most islands in the four seas. It wasn't some lawless haven for pirates, nor was it a strict military outpost like the SDC strongholds. It was just a place where people lived. A good resupply point, with skilled shipwrights and a solid dock that didn't ask too many questions. And right now, that was exactly what they needed.
The Beacon pulled into the harbor just as the sun began to set, its golden light reflecting off the water in shimmering waves. The moment the gangplank hit the docks, the crew started filing off, stretching their legs, chatting amongst themselves, already discussing what bars they planned to raid before the night was over.
Jaune, standing at the railing, took a deep breath. This was it. His first time stepping onto land as captain. He straightened his coat (well, Ozpin's coat, which had been handed to him rather than given by choice), squared his shoulders, and took his first confident step onto the docks.
And immediately tripped.
He barely caught himself, stumbling forward with all the grace of a drunk baby deer, but technically, he didn't fall.
Progress.
At least the crew had the decency not to laugh. Well. Most of them.
Sun was definitely laughing. Ren shook his head. Neptune patted him on the back like a disappointed older brother. And Nora? Nora smirked, "Careful, Captain! Wouldn't want to go for a swim like Ozpin!"
Jaune whined, "Too soon, Nora."
Glynda sighed behind him, "Let's just get this over with." Jaune groaned but nodded, leaving the crew to their own devices.
Time to get responsible.
Jaune made his way toward the dockyards, weaving through the busy streets of Patch's harbor district. The scent of salt and woodsmoke lingered in the air, mixing with the chatter of merchants and the creak of ships moored along the piers. It was surprisingly peaceful. No cannon fire, no shouting crew members, and, most importantly, no sea witches. Just a peaceful island where even an infamous ship like The Beacon could go without comment.
He let out a slow breath. Okay. Okay. Things were gonna be fine. Just get the ship fixed, get the supplies, and everything would be okay.
The dockyard itself was bustling with activity. Blacksmiths hammering away at metal fittings, carpenters inspecting wooden hulls, and sailors hauling cargo. Among them, standing atop a pile of crates like she owned the place, was a young woman. She was younger than he expected, short with black and red hair cut in a messy, practical style, and bright silver eyes that practically gleamed in the fading sunlight. Her outfit - a dark long-sleeved blouse, red trousers, and boots - was covered in a thin layer of soot.
She had the kind of energy that made Jaune instantly exhausted just looking at her, bouncing on her heels as she gestured wildly to a pair of dockworkers.
"And I told you, if you reinforce the hull plating with Dust-infused steel, you'll get twice the durability for half the weight! That way, you don't have to worry about impact damage or long-term corrosion!"
One of the workers - an older man with a grizzled beard - rubbed the back of his head, "Ain't that a bit expensive?"
The girl crossed her arms, "Do you want your ship to break apart the first time it hits rough seas? Think of it as an investment! Sure you spend a bit more than usual now, but think on how much you'll svae on repair costs later!"
The dockworker groaned, "Ugh. Fine."
She grinned, "Great! I'll draw up the schematics later-"
"Ruby."
Jaune turned toward the voice and saw a woman leaning against one of the dock posts, arms crossed.
She was tall. Not towering, but almost as tall as Jaune himself, with broad shoulders and well-defined muscles that made it very clear she could snap him in half if she wanted. Her long, golden hair was tied back in a loose high ponytail, and even though she had the same general energy as the girl - Ruby, apparently - there was something sharper about her. Less frantic, more...measured. The sleeveless shirt (which she'd tied up just below her bountfil chest) and shorts gave him a generous view of just how chiseled her arms, legs, and stomach were.
"Don't go overboard again like last time," she said lightly.
Ruby turned with a pout, "That was one time!"
"Twice," the blonde corrected, "Three if you count that one ship that caught fire."
"That was not my fault! That guy had terrible safety precautions! I told him to keep his Dust in better storage, but did he listen? No!"
Jaune, wisely, decided not to ask. Instead, he cleared his throat, "Uh. Hi. I'm Jaune Arc, and my ship needs repairs?"
Ruby immediately perked up, eyes practically glowing as she beamed at him, "You came to the right place!" she declared, hopping down from the crates, "I'm Ruby! Best shipwright in Patch - maybe even the world! I'll get your ship fixed up tip-top!"
Jaune stared. Well, at least she was enthusiastic. The blonde woman sighed, "I'm Yang," she grinned, "Ruby's older sister. I mostly handle security around here and make sure my dear little sister doesn't accidentally set things on fire."
"I told you, that wasn't my fault!"
Jaune found himself exhaling, tension he hadn't even realized was there bleeding out of his shoulders. Okay. These two seemed normal. Not terrifying quartermasters, not overly-serious first mates, not bloodthirsty mutineers, and definitely not Sea Witches. Just a couple of shipbuilders who seemed relatively sane.
For the first time since this whole nightmare started, Jaune actually started to believe things were going to be okay. Everything was gonna be fine.
...Right?
[line break]
One chapter in and Jaune's the captain of his own ship. Not bad. Anyway, the story will be an adventure thing with Jaune slowly amassing more and more (female) crewmates that make The Beacon an unbeatable fortess of the seas. All while getting tangled up in fights against the SDC, Atlesian Navy, and Salem's lackeys.
Question:
1. Which crew member do you guys want to recruit first? Obviously, Ruby and Yang are gonna go first, but afterward the 'sandbox' opens up. The commissioner has final say, of course, but he seems open to feedback. Possible crew listed below:
Weiss Schnee - Heiress to the SDC who's always dreamed of being kidnapped by a dashing pirate. Despite being a noblewoman, she takes to piracy very well. Like, almost scarily so. Schemer with inside knowledge of the SDC.
Pyrrha Nikos - Champion fighter and unbeatable combatant. Her combat skills and her Semblance make her a near-unstoppable force on both the land and sea. Fighter and top of the boarding crew.
Blake Belladonna - Daughter of the Menagerie chieftain. Desires to explore the world and shoots her shot when she gets acquainted by chance with Jaune. Stealth specialist and survivalist.
Penny Polendina - Mermaid who's curious about Human life. Gets a pair of legs from a sea witch (not Salem) and joins the crew. Also ate Humans, but that's technically not cannibalism since she's a different species. Underwater swimmer and saboteur.
Comments
Syraxes
Yes, Jaune, yes. That is how all governments should be seen. Good boy. It's a painful lesson Jaune, but the only way to be cool is not carrying. If you csre about being cool, you're uncool. Like killing your captain. Not cool, Jaune. Not cool
pilot puntastic
I'd definitely vote for Penny, I feel like Weiss, Blake and Pyrrha would require more confidence than Jaune currently has whereas Penny would be happy with anyone as long as they feed her
