Jaune the Imperishable or how Settra got his Golden Body (RWBY/Warhammer Fantasy) ch.6

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The two slipped into the hall just as the Headmaster began his speech, Ruby glancing back at Jaune briefly before murmuring, "I'm gonna go find my sister. See you later, Jaune!"

Jaune blinked, watching as she darted into the crowd. "Yeah…see ya," he said softly, scratching the back of his head. He sighed. Well, there goes that. Where else am I gonna find another nice, quirky girl to talk to?

He sat in silence for a moment before glancing at the air beside him. Gawain had seemingly vanished as well. His invisible companion had fallen quiet, leaving him alone with his thoughts and...

Why couldn't he have a beautiful woman in his head instead of Settra?

Settra wasn't like Gawain, gentle and accented. No, Settra was like a storm cloud looming in the distance, waiting to break.

His musings were interrupted as the Headmaster's voice filled the hall.

"I'll keep this brief," the man began, his tone cutting through the murmurs of the students.

"You have traveled here today in search of knowledge, to hone your craft and acquire new skills. And when you have finished, you plan to dedicate your life to the protection of the people."

Jaune straightened slightly. That's good. That's noble, he thought. This was the kind of thing he wanted to hear. 

But then the Headmaster's tone shifted, his calm voice carrying a sharper edge.

"But I look amongst you, and all I see is wasted energy, in need of purpose, direction."

Jaune frowned, his confidence faltering slightly. Wasted energy?

"You assume knowledge will free you of this burden, but your time at this school will prove that knowledge can only carry you so far."

The frown deepened. Was…was this supposed to be inspirational somehow? Jaune glanced around, noting that many of the other students looked just as confused as he felt.

"It is up to you to take the first step. You will gather in the ballroom tonight. Tomorrow, your initiation begins."

And just like that, the Headmaster stepped away, leaving the students to murmur amongst themselves.

Jaune slouched, eyebrows furrowed. What kind of speech was that supposed to be? It wasn't exactly the motivational pep talk he'd been hoping for. If anything, it sounded more like a warning. Before he could dwell on it further, Settra's voice finally stirred in the back of his mind, deep and resonant.

"That man," Settra said, his tone low and calculated, "I sense a great energy from him. Unlike anything I have sensed here."

Jaune blinked, startled. Huh? What do you mean?

Settra's presence flared slightly, a faint hum of power rippling through Jaune's thoughts. "The closer we came to this place, the stronger it grew. He is powerful. Not as powerful as me, of course," the voice added with a hint of arrogance, "but it is there."

Jaune swallowed, glancing toward the stage where the Headmaster had stood moments before. Powerful? He didn't look it. Sure, there'd been something commanding about the man, but powerful? If Settra of all people felt that, then it probably was something. 

"Keep your wits about you, boy," Settra continued, his voice fading slightly into the background once more. "This place is not what it seems."

Not what it seems? Jaune frowned, his eyes darting back to the now-empty stage. Beacon was supposed to be a place of learning, of growth, of heroes-in-the-making. What was Settra even talking about?

What are you talking about? Jaune asked, his thoughts sharp with unease.

"There is a great power here," Settra hissed, his voice low and deliberate. "I should have sensed it before but your inane babbling with the spirit distracted me." 

Jaune shivered. You…you're kinda scaring me here, Settra. And wait, spirit?

"Tch. Be not afraid," Settra replied, his tone brimming with superiority. "I am here with you. I am the greatest security guarantee that anyone can have. You are blessed that the Great King chose your body to be his vessel."

Jaune sighed, his hand coming up to pinch the bridge of his nose. Settra, not to be a downer, but you're just a voice in my head. How exactly are you going to help me out? And what was that you said about a spirit?

There was a pause, and for a moment, Jaune wondered if he'd offended the Great King. But then, Settra's voice returned, this time laced with laughter. Cold, condescending laughter.

"Oh, you are truly a fool," Settra chuckled, his tone dripping with amusement. "An idiot. A simpleton. I do not give titles easily, for they must be earned. But you, oh, you have earned this one with ease. I name you, Jaune the Fool."

Jaune's jaw dropped. H-Hey! What did I do to deserve that?! he protested, his cheeks burning with indignation.

"Boy, that Gawain you spoke to was a spirit. A lingering soul yet to return to Djaf," Settra mused. "For why, I do not care to know." 

Jaune blinked, his mouth opening and closing like a fish. Wait, what? he thought, his voice rising in disbelief. Ever since Jaune had Settra, the Great King had not lied to him, not one bit. He was arrogant, unruly, and imperious to the extreme but a joker, he was not. He would not make a joke like this. 

Then Jaune looked back, thinking of his interactions with Gawain. Her words, her cryptic way of saying things. 

"S...Sir Jaune?" A familiar voice spoke up. 

Jaune turned, pale-faced. There she was, standing, in all her knightly glory. 

"You look like you've seen a ghost," Gawain smiled, bittersweet.

Jaune ran away. 

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Jaune slammed the bathroom door behind him, stumbling toward the sink as his breathing grew rapid and shallow. He gripped the edges of the sink, staring at his pale reflection in the mirror. His heart was racing, his palms were sweaty, and his knees...spaghetti.

"Ghosts aren't real," Jaune muttered aloud, his voice cracking as he tried to convince himself. "They can't be real."

But no matter how much he tried to deny it, the pieces were falling into place. Gawain spoke to Ruby, and Ruby did not reply. Well, she did but she looked at him like he was...crazy.

Yes. She was looking at him as if he was crazy.

He groaned, squeezing his eyes shut. "Settra," he hissed, "how? Why didn't you tell me Gawain was a ghost?!"

Settra's voice was calm, though laced with irritation. "If I recall, boy, I was trying to tell you. Repeatedly. But you ignored me."

Jaune froze, his eyes snapping open. "Wait…you were?!"

Settra growled, his patience clearly wearing thin. "Yes, Jaune the Fool. I was yelling it at you. But you were too busy prattling on and making a spectacle of yourself in front of that warrior-woman and that brat with the scythe. Are you that deprived of earthly experience that you give girls your full undivided attention, to the point you ignore your betters?"

Jaune winced, the memory of Ruby flashing through his mind. "Oh no…Ruby. She probably thinks I'm crazy! I was talking to the air!"

Settra growled in total and utter irritation. "By the Gods, you are utterly..." He took in a breath, trying to gather himself. Then, he suddenly chuckled, filled with mirth. "I wouldn't worry about her opinion of you," Settra replied dryly. "Your reputation was already doomed the moment you opened your mouth."

"Gee, thanks, Settra," Jaune snarked. 

"You are welcome, Fool," Settra replied magnanimously. 

"So...ghosts," Jaune said. "How...How?" 

"Because you have me, boy," Settra declared, his voice dripping with pride. "I am blessed by the Gods, the Breaker of Djaf's Bonds! With their favor, I have been granted boons. They have been silent since I woke but their blessings remain, it seems."

Settra chuckled darkly, the sound vibrating through Jaune's mind, as though that somehow explained everything.

"I wonder why it has appeared now. Perhaps it is influenced by the magic of this place." Settra mused. 

"Magic?" Jaune repeated.

"Yes," Settra said sharply, a note of irritation creeping in, as if Jaune's doubt offended him. "I would have had you whipped a thousand times for daring to ignore me but I will forgive you that sin, once, for there was something far more exciting here than your inane babble." 

Settra's chuckled again. "As I said, there is a power here, boy. Ancient. Immense. I do not know exactly where it is, for something has hidden it. But nothing stays hidden from Settra!" 

Jaune's thoughts spiraled, his disbelief stretched to its absolute limit. He clutched the sink tightly, using it of for support. Ghosts, ancient powers, magic, it was all too much. So, when Gawain literally stepped through the wall, Jaune was too mentally exhausted to even react.

"Sir Jaune?" Gawain's voice was soft, her tone laced with concern.

Jaune turned, his movements slow and mechanical. There she was, standing in all her knightly glory. She looked, by all accounts, real. But on closer inspection, she looked...spectral.

"Apologies for intruding," Gawain said, raising a hand in an awkward wave. "But you ran off so suddenly. I was worried."

Jaune blinked at her, his expression blank. "You…walked through a wall," he said flatly, his voice devoid of emotion.

Gawain tilted her head, a flicker of guilt crossing her ethereal face. "Ah, yes. I suppose that must have been…unsettling. I should have knocked, perhaps?"

"You…walked through a wall," he repeated. 

"Yes," she admitted softly, her gaze dropping for a moment. "I am a spirit, after all."

Jaune didn't scream. He didn't faint. He didn't even flinch.

"You...you seem to be taking this rather well," she laughed nervously. 

"That's because the voice inside my head explained what you were," Jaune said, matter of factly.

Gawain stared at him as if he was insane. "Oh! Um...is...is this voice inside your head inside the room we are in now?" she asked blandly. 

Great. A literal ghost was thinking he was crazy.

"No, he's...uh, in here. Like, in my head, head. He's not...you know, chilling in the corner or something," Jaune said. "He also constantly has a lot to say, too. Mostly about how much of an idiot I am."

"I didn't ennoble you as Idiot," Settra interjected. "Fool is far more accurate. Idiocy is a temporary lapse of judgment, whereas foolishness is a chronic condition."

Jaune sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "See? This is what I have to deal with." 

Gawain's brows furrowed, her ethereal form flickering faintly as she tilted her head. "And…this voice. It has a name, I presume?"

"Settra," Jaune said flatly, the name tasting heavier on his tongue than he expected. "Settra the Imperishable. Former king of…uh, some ancient place I've never heard of. Likes to remind me how much better he is than me."

Gawain blinked again, her expression unreadable. Then she straightened, folding her arms across her chest. "You are haunted by the voice of a king?"

"Haunted is a strong word," Jaune muttered. "More like...constantly criticized by his royal ghostliness. He's not dead, though. At least, I don't think he is. He's just...in my head for some reason."

Gawain opened her mouth to speak but stopped, her gaze narrowing as she studied Jaune closely. "And this…Settra. He knows of me?"

"Yup," Jaune said with a resigned shrug. "He was the one who told me you were a ghost. I didn't believe him at first, but...well, here we are."

Gawain's frown deepened, and she glanced around the room, as though expecting to see Settra manifest out of thin air. "And you…speak for him?"

"Kind of," Jaune admitted. "He talks to me, and I just...talk back. Out loud, sometimes. Which, you know, probably makes me look insane to everyone else. But he's not exactly giving me a choice here."

Gawain pressed a hand to her chin, her expression growing thoughtful. "This is...most curious. I have encountered many spirits in my time, but never one that dwelled within another's mind."

"Well, lucky me," Jaune muttered sarcastically. "I'm one of a kind."

"You are now with greatness," Settra said, his tone sharp and regal. "Do not mistake my presence for misfortune. I am a gift from the gods themselves."

Jaune groaned, running a hand through his hair. "Yeah, sure, a gift. Like a really loud, bossy, egotistical one."

Gawain didn't respond right away, her gaze distant as if she were deep in thought. Finally, she said, "Sir Jaune, may I ask…how long have you been burdened by this voice?"

Jaune hesitated, his hand dropping to his side. "Uh...a while now. it just...happened one day. I thought I was going crazy at first, but...he's too real to just be in my head, you know?"

"Indeed," Gawain murmured, her tone soft but thoughtful. "It would seem there is more to your situation than meets the eye. This...Settra. Does he know how or why he came to reside within you?"

"Not really," Jaune admitted. "All he says is that I'm 'fortunate' he picked me, and that I should be grateful. He doesn't exactly give me a lot of answers. Just...a lot of yelling and complaining."

"Because you ask the wrong questions, boy," Settra snapped. "Your lack of curiosity is appalling. Were you not so dense, you might already have the answers you seek."

Jaune rolled his eyes. "Yeah, thanks for that, Settra. Super helpful."

Gawain's lips twitched, though whether it was a smile or a grimace, Jaune couldn't tell. "It seems we are both bound by unresolved circumstances," she said finally, her voice steady but tinged with melancholy. "Perhaps it is fate that we have crossed paths."

"Fate, huh?" Jaune muttered, glancing at her. "Not sure how I feel about that. I mean, I'm just a guy with a fake transcript trying not to embarrass himself at Beacon. I'm not exactly hero material."

Gawain's gaze softened, and she stepped closer, her spectral form glowing faintly in the dim light. "Do not sell yourself short, Sir Jaune. A true knight is not defined by their past or their credentials, but by their heart and their actions. And you have already shown great strength by enduring the trials before you."

Jaune blinked, her words catching him off guard. "You...really think so?"

"I do," Gawain said with conviction. "And though our circumstances may be unusual, this meeting feels purposeful. I must admit, it was not by chance that I found you. From the hall, I sensed something, a presence, an energy that resonated unlike anything I've encountered before. It led me to you and to Settra. He may be a braggart, as you say, but there is no denying the sheer power that emanates from you, Sir Jaune."

Jaune blinked, his confusion deepening. "I...radiate energy?"

Gawain tilted her head, a faint smile tugging at her lips. "Well, not you exactly, but Settra does," she clarified. "It is unlike anything I've felt in my time as a spirit. I am the first to notice it, but others will sense it soon enough."

"Others?" Jaune's stomach dropped. "Wait, what do you mean others?"

Gawain's expression grew hesitant, as though she feared her answer would only add to Jaune's mounting anxiety. "The energy that surrounds you will not go unnoticed for long. There are spirits, like myself, who are drawn to such things. Some may come seeking answers, others with less honorable intentions."

Jaune's face paled. "So what, I'm going to be hounded by ghosts? I'm going to be some kind of magnet for dead people?!"

Gawain flinched slightly at his outburst, her ethereal form flickering faintly. Realizing his mistake, Jaune immediately raised his hands in apology.

"Sorry! I didn't mean it like that," he said quickly, his voice softening. "I'm just...you know, freaking out a little. This is a lot to take in."

Gawain relaxed, letting out a small, understanding sigh. "No, no, it is fine. I cannot fault you for your reaction. It is overwhelming, I'm sure." She hesitated, her gaze dropping briefly before meeting his again. "If I'm being honest, I am simply glad to have someone to talk to. Someone who can see and hear me. Most spirits aren't strong enough to be like, well, me."

Her voice carried a faint melancholy, and Jaune felt a pang of guilt at his earlier outburst. He scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "Yeah, well...I guess I'm your guy for that, huh? Lucky me. Ghost whisperer extraordinaire."

Gawain smiled gently, her expression softening further. "It is not so terrible, is it? To have someone willing to listen. Perhaps we are not so different, Sir Jaune."

Jaune opened his mouth to respond but was cut off by Settra's voice, sharp and imperious as ever. "Bah! Enough of this sentimental drivel. If others come, we will deal with them as needed. I will not allow myself to be inconvenienced by the petty squabbles of wayward souls."

Jaune groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Settra, could you, just for once, let me have a moment without your commentary?"

"Do not mistake my silence for absence, boy," Settra snapped. "You are my vessel, and I will not allow you to wallow in mediocrity. If others come, it will be my strength they fear, not yours."

Gawain raised an eyebrow, her lips twitching faintly, as she watched the annoyance on Jaune's face. "I assume some wise words are being said?"

"You don't know the half of it," Jaune muttered. Then, after a pause, he added. "I am going to be a magnet for ghosts. How in the Brothers name am I going to handle that?" 

Gawain's expression grew thoughtful, and she placed a hand on her chin. "Perhaps your Settra can answer that?"

Jaune grimaced. "Oh, great. So my only hope is to rely on him? That's comforting."

"Do not waste my gifts, boy," Settra growled. "You are fortunate beyond measure to have me as your guide. Without me, you would be nothing more than a trembling whelp, cowering in the face of the unknown."

Jaune sighed, his shoulders slumping. "Yeah, thanks for the pep talk, Settra. Super inspiring."

Gawain chuckled softly, her voice like a soothing breeze. "You are not alone in this, Sir Jaune. Whatever challenges lie ahead, I will stand by your side." 

And with that, she drew her sword and pressed it to the floor as she knelt. "You have my sword." 

"Uh…you don't need to kneel, you know" Jaune said awkwardly, scratching the back of his neck.

Gawain looked up at him, blinking in confusion. "We don't kneel anymore when we pledge ourselves?"

"No!" Jaune said quickly. "It's-" 

"Proper," Settra said. "Do not interrupt them when someone is pledging themselves to you, fool. Take her allegiance." 

Grumbling. Jaune sighed. "I...nevermind. I accept your sword, Gawain." 

Gawain rose gracefully to her feet, her spectral sword vanishing into the air as she gave him a small, knowing smile. "Then, what are our first steps, my lord?" 

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A/N: When this is over, Jaune will have his own army of goons. It will be a surprise that will help us later. 

Also, if you have any questions for Settra, in the guise of Jaune, what would you like to ask him?