Jaune to Jaune Chapter 30

Chapter 30

Cinder and Joan could hear the monsters of grimm on their heels as they mounted the boat. Cinder threatened the captain to set sail without waiting for Salem. He didn’t obey at first, but with a dagger to his throat, he seemed to understand the weight of the situation.

Joan gave Cinder an unapproving glare, but… she knew how necessary it was; how bad things could be if they were caught. In the end, she gave up on the lecture she wanted to give Cinder, but only because Cinder promised no more killing unless absolutely necessary. Still, Joan wasn’t completely sure they had the same definition for that. But, Cinder was trying, and that was something; it was enough. The boat ride to Vale took till morning, they landed just shy of twelve hours after they had left. Joan slept for half the ride, but Cinder refused to join her.

In earnest, Joan somewhat worried that Cinder might try to murder the captain while she was out, but she was comforted to wake with her head in Cinder’s lap and the captain yelling and screaming at them to get off his boat before he was killed for ferrying them back to the mainland. Joan thanked earnestly, Cinder just huffed. She later clarified to Joan that the captain was a bitter old man, but he was the only one who knew the waters well enough to do his job, so he was rather safe as far as Salem’s wrath went.

“So? We’re back in Vale? Where are your friends-” Cinder’s expression fell. “I mean, I- maybe there is something better we can do? Or? I-”

“I know you aren’t looking for Pyrrha; at least, not like that, not anymore.

“I’m not. I just… would prefer we not have to sleep in the woods for too long.” Cinder admitted.

“What? You never went camping as a kid? It could be a bunch of fun! Especially considering you could whip up some shelter all nice and quick!” Joan nudged Cinder playfully.

“I-” Cinder opened her mouth and almost looked angry, but then she seemed to push it down and away. “I just... I’ve spent more than enough nights on the ground. Alright?”

“Cinder?”

“I’d just rather find something sooner rather than later.” Cinder looked around and held her gaze away from Joan.

“Is- is something wrong?”

“Yes! The fact that I had a bed yesterday, and now I’m back to wondering how long it will be till I-”

“How long were you homeless?” Joan asked with horror the moment she realized.

“Long enough.”

“Cin-”

“Are you going to turn this into a whole god damned thing? I- I just want to make sure we won’t be caught out in the cold.”

“No, we won’t. We’re… what? Couple hundred clicks from Beacon?”

“Yeah, it’s north east of us.”

“Cool, If memory serves, Ruby said…” Joan hummed a little tune under her breath. “Left at the… find the main drag, and… and we’re there?”

“Huh?”

“Ruby, she- she had a little diddy for how to get home.”

“Silver eyes and her bimbo sister? Really?”

“Hey, those two are really sweet! And, we are planning to ask to crash at their dad’s house.”

“Really?”

“Yes! Till we can get to Argus, I don’t really know anywhere else that will have us. Weiss isn’t the type to share, Blake is from Menagerie, and unless you are packing a tail I’m missing-”

“What about your teammates? The loud girl and the quiet sulking boy?”

“They lost their village a long time ago. I- I don’t really know where Ren and Nora will be unless they are with Pyrrha, wherever she is... I just hope they are alright.”

Cinder’s smirk fell. “They- umm… they will be.” She stumbled through kindness. “And- uugh, if they’re not- then… then we will help them; together.”

Joan smiled wearily. She was still worried, but she had Cinder. “You’re getting nicer.”

“Uugh, I should have killed you when I had the chance.” Cinder rolled her eyes.

“Come on, I want to get as far as we can today before dark. This is going to take us at least a week.”

“Brothers fucking damnit.” Cinder griped.

“I’m sorry, but this is our best bet at finding them and a solid place to stay.”

“Yeah, yeah, I get it.”

By the time Joan and Cinder pulled down the last road, they were beaten and battered. Their clothes were in taters and each step they took felt like they had lead shoes. It had taken them two weeks, most of which with Cinder doubting Joan’s navigation. But… somehow, they had made it. There was a silver lining- well a many colored lining. The sky had turned a gentle yellow orange. Weary and worn, Joan offered her hand to Cinder to hold. The half maiden took it with little hesitation. “It’s going to be ok. Whatever happens.”

Cinder faked a smile poorly.

Joan squeezed her hand and kissed her cheek. “I love you.” She whispered for Cinder weakly.

Cinder just nodded and put on her bravest smile.

The last stretch was short for a road but stunningly long for a drive way. Eventually, Cinder and Joan could see the forest open into a clearing and then they could see the cute house in the middle of it. Voices began to grow clearer over the natural sounds of the forest. Women’s voices, and maybe one man? Maybe two?

“No! No! That’s cheating!”

“How is it cheating!? I’m literally unarmed.”

“I’m sorry, but that… still seems less than fair.”

“Ha! Haha! I get it! Unarmed! Cause! Cause! Cause she’s... unarmed!

“Yes, yes Nor, it’s very funny.”

“Did I really come all the way out here just for this? Ah~ You all are so lucky Atlas is unbearably cold this time of year!”

“Really, cause Menagerie’s untenable toasty right about now?”

“Ah, well, umm… I was kind of under the impression part of the reason we were here was... umm... me-” “US.”

“That’s them! They’re all here! I-” Joan broke out into a run, Cinder’s hand still clasped in hers as she sprinted off to see everyone again. “Ruby! Yang! Pyrrha! Nora! Ren! Weiss! Blake! Everyone! Everyone!” Joan called out the names of the voices she could make out as she ran. She was so excited, she missed when Cinder’s hand slipped loose. “Everybody! Everybody! It’s me! It’s me I’m-”

“Rube, you know this girl?” Yang dropped a ball from her single hand down to the floor.

“Ah, hey stranger!” Ruby waved.

“Blake, tell me this is one of your faunus friends; like, Sun’s sister or something?” Weiss asked.

“I was about to ask if you knew her.” Blake countered.

“I- guys, it- it’s me…” Joan laughed anxiously.

“Where are your manners!” Pyrrha snapped at their friends. Thank Brothers! At least one of them remembered her! And of course it would be Pyrrha. “This poor strange woman clearly needs help! What is it ma’am? Can we get you a hot meal or something? We are so sorry for being so-”

“Pyr, no.” Ren laid a hand on Pyrrha’s shoulder and his voice told Joan that he knew.

“You’re alive.” Nora teared up immediately.

Joan nodded and began to cry herself. “Yeah, I am.” She looked behind herself to Cinder who lingered just out of sight. “I am, and I brought someone with me.”

Stunningly, a young boy amidst the clearing seemed to be the only other one to recognize Joan at that.

“Wait, I’m confused? We know her?” Ruby made quite the confused face.

“Yeah, you do.” Joan affirmed. “How’s being a team lead been after the fall? It was never easy on us, even before, but… something tells me you did better than me lately.”

Pyrrha’s hands shot up to her mouth and she fell to her knees. Blake dropped her book and Weiss’s jaw lingered open.

“How have you been young man?” The young boy spoke with the voice of someone three times his age at the very least.

“I- umm… I’m not really a man anymore- not sure I ever really was.” Joan pulled at the skirt of her dress with a wince. “But- uugh, how- how did you know? Who are you?”

“Jaune!” Nora screamed and began to charge her long lost leader. She charged, but before she could reach Joan, she spotted the hooded Cinder approaching from behind. “What is she doing here!”

“I! I said! I’m not alone. Nora, I- I know how it looks, but-” Joan looked back to Cinder, worried she might be scared off.

“Joan, this is a bad idea.” Cinder warned.

“No, no, it’s-”

“Jaune! What the hell is going on! Why is she here.” Nora demanded accusatorily.

“Wait, wait, who is it! Who is it! Who… is… I-” Ruby ran over to Cinder and stopped dead in her tracks. “You!” Ruby’s eyes shined a bright silver.

“Joan!” Cinder yelped and dashed to hide behind her lover.

“Ruby! No! No! She! She is here peacefully” Joan looked over everyone, all of them staring her down with accusatory eyes. She had led the fox to the hen house, and the hens weren’t soon to believe the fox was keen on a vegetarian diet. “I swear, I-”

“No!” Blake yelled, her weapons shifting into guns in her hands. “Ruby, don’t stand down!”

“Rube-” Yang hesitated and inched towards Blake, her half arm extended. She clearly meant ot hold Blake back, but the faunus only seemed enraged by the sight.

“You BITCH!” In a flurry, Blake lept into the air, spinning wildly. One of her weapons shot out by the ribbon, lodging itself in the ground at Joan’s feet and she yanked. The faunus flew at Joan with all her speed.

“Blake! Blake! I- Cinder isn’t here to hurt-” Joan pulled her sword and shield off of her back and held up the shield alone to prevent Blake from cutting through her. The impact nearly launched her onto her ass, the only reason she didn’t go flying was Cinder holding her up from behind. “Blake- listen-”

“So you really were Jaune!” Blake snarled and ripped the shield away. “You can’t be anymore; she would never bring… that here!” Before Joan could run or evade, Blake pressed her gun’s blade to her neck.

“She’s-”

“She’s the reason Yang lost her arm!” Blake screamed! “She sicked the White Fang on Beacon!” She snarled and sniffled. “I should kill you both!”

“STOPIT!” Pyrrha yelled and launched her spear from across the clearing. It pinned Blake to the ground by the heel of her boot without harming her. “Stopit!” She coughed a sob as she struggled to her feet. When she nearly tumbled to the ground again, Ren helped her up and stayed with her all the way over to Joan.

“Pyrrha. You’ve got to believe me. I know- I know the last time she-”

“You’re alive.” Pyrrha sobbed.

Joan nodded. “She saved me, twice over.” Joan took a half step to the right, revealing half of Cinder.

“She’s the reason we thought you were-” Pyrrha yelled.

“I know.” Joan admitted.

“She is the reason Yang-”

“I lost my arm because that douche hat was quicker on the draw than me!” Yang yelled to her partner. “Not because of you, not because of her, not cause of anything else. And I’d do it ten more times to keep you safe.

“Pyr, do you trust me?” Joan worried.

“I- I don’t know you- I- she keeps calling you Joan- are you?”

Joan nodded again. “There’s a lot to catch up on. And I’d like to share it with everyone. But I can’t stay if she isn’t welcome here with me.”

“Joan no!” Cinder spoke up. “You- You’ve been fighting for a year to get back to your friends! I can just-”

“I really want to stay, I miss you all so bad. I have so much to tell you. But if she isn’t welcome, we need to get moving before it gets dark.”

“I- It’s not my place…” Pyrrha seemed uncertain and just passing the buck as she turned to Yang.

“We all deserve another chance, but only if everyone’s cool with it.” Yang offered. “Blake?”

“If you so much as look at Yang wrong, I will kill you.” Blake warned Cinder and slipped out of her heels- with a small glare to Pyrrha of course. “Weiss?”

“Yang said it best, everyone deserves a second chance. Nora?”

“This- Joan? Is you? You’re a girl? The real you?” Nora seemed to ask.”

“If I’m honest? It wasn’t my idea to start… being Joan. But in a way, I think I always; I chalk it up as Cinder saving me a third time. But, yes. It is me; me is she. And I wouldn’t trade that for the world.”

“Then she’s welcome from me. Ren?”

“If Nora’s ok with it, I am too.” Ren smiled and rested his hands on Nora’s shoulders. “Ruby?”

“Dad said more the merrier when it came to the Beacon reunion. She was a student?” Ruby winced unsure.

“Welcome home Joan.” A familiar kindly deep voice emanated from the child lingering in the back. “Ah- where’s Jaune and who’s this Joan?” Oscar questioned in a voice more apt for his stature.

“And you Pyr?” Joan circled back to his former love.

“You are ok?”

“Yeah, I think I am.” Joan winced. “There’s been a hell of a lot though, and I’d really like to talk to you and everyone else about it.”

“I guess it’s time we all go inside and start talking then.”

End of Chapter 30