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Stranded 001
🕑 Added 2023-09-10 22:18:47 +0000 UTCHaiyang was a coastal town on the eastern coast of Sanus built in a large bay at the mouth of an estuary that fed rivers reaching deep into the continental mainland. It was said that this was the area where Mistral had first set foot on the landmass and began its first push into what would later become known as the Great War. Now it was the largest port outside of Vale on the continent and where their ship would set sail from on their journey to Menagerie.
Jaune watched as cargo was lifted off the train by massive cranes, the shipping containers swiftly transported from land vehicle to sea vessel. Dockworkers shouted instructions as everything was carried out in a timely manner, a seamless transition.
They were at the halfway point.
For their midterms, everyone was expected to complete real world missions for credits. Not only that but they were encouraged to form teams with those outside of their typical unit, Beacon wishing to foster wider cooperation between their pupils. Even though most Huntsmen stuck with their teams after graduating, many chose the solo life or even linked up with others in order to learn, or for any other reason under the sun. Learning to work with others was always a boon and so Jaune had put together a squad to undertake this task.
They were to escort farming equipment bound for the faunus nation of Menagerie. Having reclaimed some vital, fertile land from the Grimm, the faunus were keen to use it to its fullest potential. That is where Vale had stepped in, offering equipment in exchange for favorable trade. The first half of the journey had been by train from the Kingdom of Vale to Haiyang, a week long trip that had taken them through winding valleys, lush forests and across wide open plains. The next leg would be entirely by sea.
Since they would be going to Menagerie, he thought it only right to invite Blake along on this task. She had been reluctant at first, not having seen her parents since her days still running with the White Fang but she had warmed to the idea after speaking to her team. Ren was his second, a familiar teammate and reliable partner with Weiss rounding out the team. The heiress was a potentially disastrous pick considering where they were going and the reputation of her father’s business practices but she had insisted on joining and Blake had agreed. All together they made up Team Ambrosia – ABRS.
Led by Jaune, of course.
He felt Ren approach on his left and turned his head, giving his brother in all but blood a smile.
“Hey,” he said.
“Everything going well?” he asked.
Jaune nodded. “Yeah, I think we are ahead of schedule. I just spoke to the captain earlier. He expects us to be out of here by seven.”
The early morning air was crisp and a stream of steam left Ren’s mouth as he exhaled. The Mistralian native rubbed his hands together, trying to warm up.
“Have you eaten?”
Jaune shook his head. “Not yet.”
“Go get something,” he clapped him on the shoulder. “I’ll stand in while you do.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes. Now go.”
Jaune snickered at Ren’s stern tone.
“Right. See you soon.”
The town had a very different look about it compared to Vale. The buildings were constructed from a pale stone, the tiled roofs dusky red, almost orange in the rising daylight. The shrill cries of seagulls filled the air as he left the docks and stepped out onto the street, glancing around. So early in the morning, there were mostly only dock workers around and so he followed them, knowing they would lead him to the best place.
Only a minute or so down the street was a small café with outdoor dining. He spotted a familiar head of a white hair from far off and smiled, making his way over. Blake noticed him first, amber eyes crinkling as she smiled.
“Come to eat?” she asked. Weiss turned in her seat, looking up at him in surprise. In front of Blake was a plate of eggy toast while Weiss had chosen eggs benedict. Now that he was close, he could smell the wonderful scent of cooking food wafting from within, making his mouth water. His stomach roared its approval.
Weiss smirked.
Feeling a little embarrassed, he rubbed the back of his neck. “Yeah, Ren told me to come eat like I was a child. Who is the leader here, anyway?”
Blake’s kitty ears twitched. “You were awake before all of us. Why didn’t you wake us up?”
He shrugged. “I thought you guys could do with the sleep. We rolled in early and at the station, we are as safe as we’ll ever be. Didn’t see the reason in disturbing you guys.”
“Much appreciated,” Weiss tipped her head. “Now go order or Ren won’t be the only one on your case.”
Jaune gave a silly mock salute. “Yes, ma’am.”
The staff rushed around behind the counter, filling orders at a breakneck pace, attempting to make a dent in the line of workers that had developed. Coffee flowed liberally, the smell of freshly ground beans filling his lungs amidst all the other wonderful flavors in the air. Even though it was busy, the workers didn’t look panicked. This was a common occurrence, no doubt.
Jaune ordered simple; bacon and eggs, and a coffee to wash it all down.
Taking a number, he retreated back outside and pulled out a chair, joining his friends at their table.
“Have they finished loading the ship?” Weiss asked, his ass barely in his seat.
“Almost,” he watched Blake eagerly devour her food, stuffing large portions of her eggy toast into her mouth while the heiress ate at a much more controlled pace. The way she held her knife and fork and used them was pure class, no doubt drilled into her from a young age by her ridiculously wealthy family. “The captain said we’ll probably be out of here by seven.”
“Excellent,” Weiss speared a small collection of crispy bacon, poached egg and toasted muffin drizzled in a healthy portion of hollandaise sauce, and slipped it between her lips in a dainty motion, chewing slowly. “I must say that this mission has gone incredibly smooth so far.”
She was right. The train hadn’t been attacked even once by the Grimm but did she really have to say that out loud? Blake stared at her teammate as if she had committed the gravest of sins, slapping her hands on the table and startling the white haired girl.
“Are you out of your mind?” Blake exclaimed.
Weiss blinked at her. “What?”
“You just jinxed us!”
Weiss took a moment to process her words before scoffing. “Are you being serious right now? Blake, that is pure nonsense propagated by the superstitious. There is no such thing.”
Amber eyes swung to Jaune in disbelief. “Can you believe her?”
Jaune chuckled. “Weiss – you sorta did just jinx us. That is bad form, you know?”
Weiss rolled her eyes. “You two are idiots. I expect this type of behavior from Yang, not you two.”
“People who tempt fate rarely win,” Blake said sagely.
“Says who?” Weiss demanded. “Honestly. What is wrong with you?”
Jaune grinned. “Well – you know what they say about black cats, Weiss. It is very bad luck to cross one.”
Blake glared at him, outraged.
“Jaune,” she pointed at him angrily. “That doesn’t apply to faunus!”
Her face was so serious that he almost laughed but knew that if he did, he would be in big trouble. He couldn’t stop his lips from twitching, though – and she saw it, her eyes narrowing.
A look of enlightenment passed Weiss’ face. “Now that’s you’ve brought it to my attention, Jaune – you may be onto something. My life has been a series of unfortunate incidents since meeting this girl. Perhaps you have the right of it.”
Blake scowled. “Don’t turn this back on me. You’re the one that jinxed us.”
Blake and Weiss continued to bicker back and forth as his food and coffee arrived. The yolks were golden, the whites plump and full. They had given him a few pieces of toast and a small helping of beans, and he tucked in enthusiastically, humming in appreciation at the salty, crisp bacon that held a hint of smoky honey.
“This is good,” he said, the yolk velvet across his tongue. The beans had a tangy taste that he rather liked, and the toast crunched pleasantly, done just right. “No wonder this place is busy.”
When they returned to the docks after finishing their meals, Ren was in discussion with some of the sailors. They stared at Weiss and Blake, their eyes raking over their slender, athletic bodies but the two girls ignored them, though Jaune felt great amusement when Weiss placed her hand on the hilt of her sword, the message clear.
Ren made his way over.
“The ship has three cannon mounts,” he said, rejoining them. “When we board, they’ll show me how they operate – just in case.”
Jaune smiled. “Good thinking.”
If all things went well, they’d never have to fire a single shot. But now that Weiss had brought attention to their good luck, Jaune felt a small hint of trepidation. Defending a train was difficult but defending a ship out on the open sea was magnitudes worse. If anything were to go bad and it be at the worst possible time, it would be out there. Ocean dwelling Grimm were just built different.
Leviathans. Sea Feilongs. Krakens.
They were some of the most dangerous, unpredictable, intelligent Grimm around.
Jaune shook his head.
Now he was letting Blake’s warnings get to him. Not something a leader should do.
“Come on, let's get our things,” he said.
They didn’t have much luggage. Jaune had packed only a single backpack but Weiss and Blake had brought a little more than that. Like him, Ren had packed light. Hauling their stuff onto the ship, they flashed their ID’s at the security team keeping vigil by the ramp and quickly found their rooms. They were stationed away from the other staff, in an area close to the kitchens.
It was a good spot. It was almost dead center in the ship, allowing them to react to both ends of the ship should anything occur in the night. They could get onto the outside decks within seconds, and from there it would only take a minute to board the bridge or in the opposite direction, enter the engine room.
Separating into two groups, Jaune accompanied Blake to check out the kitchens and mess, bridge and the bow while Weiss and Ren inspected the engine room, the cargo bays and the stern.
The kitchens were full of activity, food being hauled into massive freezers and refrigeration units, everything from meat to fresh produce. Non-perishable goods were secured on large shelving units enclosed within shuttered roller doors. People hauled bags of flour, rice, pasta, sugar and much more. All the appliances and bench tops were stainless steel, giving the room a very cold, impersonal feel.
Moving on, Jaune took care to memorize each entry point and any potential escape routes. Glancing around, he noticed that Blake seemed a little withdrawn, fiddling with her fingers. Concerned, he waited until they were back out on the deck before touching her arm.
She jumped, startled.
He pulled away quickly. “Sorry.”
Her cheeks reddened slightly. “No, I – sorry, I wasn’t really paying attention.”
“Lien for your thoughts?”
Jaune had a little bit of an idea what was going through her mind. It was something he had dealt with himself at the end of their first year, a decision he had to make and had been desperately trying to avoid. That is where the similarities ended, though. Blake’s situation was a lot more complicated than his had been.
She opened her mouth to speak, hesitated, and then closed it again, looking frustrated. He touched her arm again, a comforting gesture.
“Does this have to do with seeing your parents again?”
Amber eyes lowered, her black cat ears drooping.
“Am I that easy to read?”
Jaune shook his head. “Not really. It’s just that... well, I guess I understand a little bit.”
She nodded slowly, knowing about how he had basically fled to Beacon with no training, a swiped family heirloom and a head full of dreams, leaving his parents and sisters behind. He hadn’t spoken to any of his friends about what had occurred when he finally returned home after his first year at Beacon, not even Pyrrha – but suffice to say, it had been full of tears and apologies.
“I just...” she trailed off, searching for the words. “What am I going to say to them? I haven’t spoken to them in over two years, I haven’t even sent them a letter to let them know I’m safe or where I’ve been! I – the last time we saw each other, I said horrible things to them,” she looked on the verge of tears as it all came rushing out, this weight she had been carrying on her chest for so long. “Will they even want to see me at this point? Because from where I’m standing, I wouldn’t want to see me!”
Oh yeah, he knew all about those feelings.
Jaune walked over to the guardrail and rested his arms across it, leaning over the side of the ship. After a moment, Blake joined him and for a few beats of silence, they just stared at Haiyang and its beautiful architecture that bloomed in the rays of the sun.
“My parents were always very supportive,” Jaune began, thinking about his family. “If I wanted to do something, they were behind me. Even when it was something they thought I would fail at.”
Jaune sighed. “When I told them I’d been accepted to Beacon, they were happy for me. Confused, no doubt – but happy. They told me that if things didn’t work out, I was always welcome back home.”
Blake watched him as he gazed down at the water lapping against the hull of the ship and the concrete pier.
“Maybe I was reading too much into it but I took that as a confession that they expected me to fail,” he shook his head. “Whatever the case, I took Crocea Mors and I was gone the very next day without so much as a goodbye. I – it was wrong of me, but I just couldn’t face them again thinking that they thought so little of me.”
A soft, slender hand touched his arm and he looked at Blake. Her face was soft, expression sympathetic.
“From that moment on, I promised myself that I wouldn’t call them until I had made it. Truly made it. Passing initiation wasn’t enough. I needed to prove that I belonged at that school. Not just for their sake but for mine. One month turned into two, and then three, four, and suddenly the Vytal Festival was rolling around and I still hadn’t called them. I kept putting it off. I hadn’t done enough, I’d tell myself. I need to do more. Well, by the time I felt like I was ready to face them, a year had passed and school was out.”
He straightened up, reaching over to squeeze her hand. “I was scared about seeing them again. The silence had become... comfortable. I could pretend that I hadn’t fled in the night without even saying goodbye but... with the final term over, I had no more excuses. I went home.”
He grinned sheepishly. “In the end, they were just happy to see that I was well. They’d actually seen me participate in the first round with the rest of my team, so they knew I’d made it into Beacon. I – I’ve never felt such relief in my life. I, er – might have gotten a little emotional. So did my mom. Whatever issues they might have had with my methods, they paled in comparison to seeing me again.”
He turned to face Blake and placed his hands on her shoulder, turning her to face him.
“I know that it isn’t the same,” he said. “The things you’ve been through, the things you did as a part of the White Fang... my experience just doesn’t compare. I don’t know what you said to your folks. I never had an argument with mine when I left. But I understand how separation can foster insecurity. Do you really think they’d be unhappy to see you again? Is that what you truly feel?”
Blake wavered before shaking her head. “No. I – my mother will be beside herself. My father, haah – he will act tough but I know him. He’ll be relieved that I am safe, he just won’t show it.”
“They are good people?”
Blake smiled. “The best.”
“Then you have nothing to worry about, right?”
She gifted him with an even wider smile. “You know – you are actually quite good at this.”
“At what?”
“Pep talks,” her lips then twisted into a smirk. “I thought Yang was the master but maybe she has competition.”
“Just speaking the truth,” he then considered her seriously. “Blake, last year – we dealt with a lot of things. You in particular had to confront a lot of your past and it can’t have been easy. But from where I’m standing? Your parents have every reason to be proud of their daughter.”
Blake looked away, embarrassed. “Jaune...”
“I’m being serious. Everything with the White Fang, the attack on Beacon and the aftermath. You handled things amazingly.”
“Have you forgotten how I ran away after I had a fight with Weiss?” she asked dryly.
Jaune hummed. “Okay, not your best moment but look at you two now? Best of friends, right? Did you ever see that coming? And now we are bringing her to your homeland, she’ll get to meet your parents, who would have thought that was possible?”
Blake giggled. “I suppose getting the heiress of the Schnee Dust Company to meet my father is pretty impressive. I just hope things go smoothly. Jaune, there are a lot of people angry at her family. She won’t receive a warm welcome.”
“But you wanted her to come anyway.”
She nodded. “Yes – I think, no, I know it will do a lot of good. Weiss has shown that she is willing to take things as they come. If she can be friends with a former member of the White Fang, then I believe she is ready to show my people that she isn’t her father.”
“Like I said,” he grinned. “Your parents have everything to be proud of.”
Things had gotten a little heavy there for a moment but it was with a noticeably lighter step that they finished their rounds. Technicians were in the bridge making any final adjustments needed, testing systems to ensure everything was running smoothly. The bow was free of people and after a quick glance around, Jaune hopped up onto the railing at the very front of the ship.
He then spun around to face Blake and struck a confident pose. “So, how do I look? Like I’m about to conquer the seas?”
“More like you are about to fall in,” she grinned as he wobbled and quickly hopped down.
They met back up with Weiss and Ren, and then Jaune set out their nightly rotation.
“So we’ll run a two person shift,” he began, seated on his cot. His team was arrayed around him on their own beds, listening intently. “Ren, Blake, you’ll take the first shift until 0200. Then Weiss and I will carry through until sunrise. This is a pretty big ship so the more eyes we have alert, the better. We’ll continue like that until we reach Menagerie.”
The speaker system sounded, the captain’s voice crisp as he addressed his vessel. “Last call, last call. Any and all personnel, report to your cabin coordinator. I repeat; any and all personnel, report to your cabin coordinator. We are due to leave in twenty minutes. Again, we are due to leave in twenty minutes.”
They were technically independent and reported to no one other than the captain, but Jaune took them to the head of security. He was a burly man in his late-forties with short graying hair and a trimmed beard, his shoulders broad as he instructed his men. They were the ones that would typically lead any defense of the vessel should it come under attack by pirates or Grimm, each man equipped with a firearm and trained in the operation of the large, mecha-shift cannons on board.
From their brief inspection of the ship, Jaune had sighted the three main cannon mounts that Ren had mentioned, capable of rendering even large Grimm into a fine bloody mist. Alongside those were smaller, armored positions armed with mounted machine guns for smaller foes. This may have just been a cargo ship but all seafaring vessels bar the smallest of personal fishing boats were equipped with counter measures of some kind. That was just the reality of their world.
With a team of Huntsmen on board, they were, in theory, higher in the chain of command. But these men knew their vessel much better than they did and he didn’t mind taking a step back to observe and learn from them.
“The name’s Vand,” the man greeted them, clasping hands with Jaune. He might not have had aura but his grip was strong, his arms large and muscular. “You are the Huntsmen?”
“We are,” Jaune confirmed. “My teammate mentioned that a few of your men offered to help teach him how to operate the cannons. Much appreciated.”
Vand nodded. “No problem. The last few trips have been a little hairy. The more people that can use those things, the better.”
Blake shot Weiss a knowing look, mouthing ‘jinx’ and the heiress rolled her eyes.
In the end, Jaune also learned. Since they would be taking rotating night shifts, it was best that one person from each group knew how to work them. As the ship disembarked, Jaune and Ren spent the better half of the morning learning the ins and outs.
The first day was smooth sailing, as was the second. On the third, they encountered rough water, the swells cresting high and forcing the ship from side to side. It was then that Jaune found out that Weiss really didn’t like sea travel.
“Are you okay?”
It was the middle of the night, about an hour into their shift. Leaning against the wall, Weiss’ face was pinched as the ship rolled with the waves, swaying beneath their feet and making sudden lurches. If Jaune didn’t have his motion sickness medication, he knew he would be a mess – or would make one, rather.
Even with them, he could admit to feeling a little off balance and a mite queasy.
Weiss glared at him from the side of her eyes, “I prefer air travel.”
There was a sudden shunt as wind howled and her eyes snapped shut. Jaune watched as she inhaled slowly, controlled, attempting to calm herself down and without thinking, he moved over to her side. Without hesitation, he placed his hands on her shoulders. Her ice blue eyes snapped open in surprise.
“Just focus on me,” he said before she could say anything. “It’s okay to be scared.”
“I’m not scared,” she snapped furiously.
“Unsettled, then,” he amended. “It’s okay to feel unsettled.”
She exhaled shakily, her hands coming up to grab his arms. Her hands were small, fingers slender as they gripped his forearms firmly.
“This is pathetic,” she muttered.
He put a little pressure on her shoulders, squeezing them. “Hey, no it isn’t. Weiss, don’t think that for a second.”
Her lips pressed into a thin line.
“I hate feeling weak.”
Jaune could understand that.
“You can kill Grimm by the dozens,” he said, leaning in close and locking eyes with her. “I’ve seen you defeat some of the strongest Huntsmen-in-training without breaking a sweat. Trust me, you might feel weak right now but you most definitely aren’t.”
The ship jumped, rising up on a wave before dipping down, and Jaune felt the pit of his stomach drop with it.
“If I wasn’t taking my pills, I’d be throwing up all over the place,” Jaune told her. “It would be a disaster. You’d have to help me clean up, it would be an entire experience you would never forget.”
It was small but he saw her lips twitch.
“You’d clean it up yourself, thank you very much,” her hands tightened on his arms. “I’m not cleaning up your sick.”
Jaune grinned. “Isn’t that what teammates do?”
“Temporary,” she said. “We are temporary teammates. Maybe if you were my partner,” she paused, no doubt thinking of Ruby. “Okay, maybe not even then.”
He chuckled.
Jaune did his best to keep her mind off the weather, talking about everything and nothing. As an hour passed, and then two, the waves dwindled and the wind calmed somewhat. It was still choppy, the currents strong, but it was much better.
“Thanks,” Weiss said after some time, looking uncharacteristically shy. “I – for keeping me company and taking my mind off everything.”
He beamed at her. “No problem.”
She bit her lip, a nervous tick of hers that he had discovered only recently – and then she said, “Can I talk to you about something?”
But whatever it was that she was about to say, he would never know. For at that moment, their lives would change forever.
Comments
Robert Walker
Let's see what happens now, hopefully things will turn out alright!!!
Mayari Eastwitch
I’ve been excited for this, Blake/Jaune/Weiss is my fave
haipa
And here we go!
Bcs759
Awesome, i am looking forward to this
zorro99
Some nice bonding with the girls before the action starts. Looking forward to seeing how it develops.
The Red Man
A brand new series of peak is here with two best girls to boot. Looking forward to this one a lot.
JugHerKnot
And so a new adventure begins! How long is this one planned out to be?
