I'm fairly certain it's still not an actual thing, unfortunately, and I found it by just search "jojaune" and looking in images. From what I can see, there's three unique comic badges: This one, the Velvet one, and the Cinder one.
I'm fairly certain it's still not an actual thing, unfortunately, and I found it by just search "jojaune" and looking in images. From what I can see, there's three unique comic badges: This one, the Velvet one, and the Cinder one.
So about the mecha arm, is it the vanilla 'my hands is cased in steel and thus I can punch your face harder' variety or can we have the new game plus Nero 'modular fist delivery system with esoteric effect' variety
I would really like to have the rocket punch version
Actually, the opposite: Remnant is the kind of world where selling weapons designs is, for the most part, a straight-up moral good, so long as they're anti-Grimm designs. Beyond that just making sure not to give them anything reality-warping enough to risk them accidentally causing global collateral damage, but mostly the comprehension bit
My main concern was more along the lines of making sure they actually understood the math, instead of being a leap too far forward to really comprehend.
So... Shredder style gauntlets with those long blades that extend from the armor? Or Batman's, from the Nolan movies?
Or in a hidden-blade kinda way, like Assassin's Creed...which we're not really built for, but it could work for "vambrace gun/hidden-blade".
Or they could just extend our like Wolverine's claws, or the Slayer Katars from the Exalted rpg.
Or maybe something like those arm-blades from the Cyberpunk 2077 trailers, Only, instead of having the blades be sheathed inside the forearms, have them be part of the gauntlets, and spring out as swords strapped to our forearms...
Any of these could work. That way, we can initially be fighting in armor and wielding the Transistor in-hand. And if we need to let go of the Transistor so it can fight on its own from elsewhere, there's no fuss about needing to draw another weapon, when instead we could just mecha-shift one out of our armor, and engage in melee with the blades.
@Prok the scene where the old lady is first seen crying, you say she is crying from all four of her eyes. Right before that, you say her glasses are broken and are sitting next to her.
Why does an old lady faunus have 4 eyes.
Edit: on rereading it I missed she was a spider faunus.
I... dislike the Plain White Ts, but I promise you that has nothing to do with me to say that Jaune... is in that general neighbourhood, except actually good.
I was thinking—Jaune's emblem might be different here than it was in canon. Emblems seem to, in general, say something about a person. Surprisingly often they give a strong hint to a person's semblance.
Examples of Semblance representation in emblems: Ruby, red rose, turns into/leaves behind red rose petals. Weiss, glyph. Yang, burning heart, when she gets pumped she burns. Blake, shadow of a flower, fleeting shadow of self. Nora, lightning. Pyrrha, spear, she manipulates her spear with her semblance. Sun, a monkey, he makes obvious copies of himself. Etc.
So, it doesn't particularly fit for Jaune to just have the generic 'two yellow arcs' for his emblem. In canon he had that because he wasn't a character so much as an exposition device, and he didn't even have a semblance.
An idea that come to mind for what his Emblem could be: a gold colored Golden Spiral. Either by itself with a tracery of the Transistor's eye in the center, or something a bit more artistic. And perhaps if one looks at the arc closely, they can see the line of the spiral isn't solid but made up of tiny code? (Jaune Arc in binary?).
I do like the Golden Spiral in code idea, but the Transistor's big red eye is almost definitely his symbol by dint of being the most recognisable part of his ensemble, and also a core part of Jaune as a person.
... But I can't get that code engraving idea out of my head now-
I'll, get back to you on that one. I have an idea, I just need to... figure out how to phrase it.
Ada's probably Manton limited because Aura but she might be able to phase through inanimate objects and Grimm. We need to ask. However, using her Semblance appears to reawaken some... trauma.
Ada literally ripped a Loxy's heart out with her Semblance and bare hands not even a week ago now. Straight up Kali Ma'd the fucker. Against something without Aura, she very much can phase through them and cause major damage.
As far as what her Semblance does to her, that kind of shifting already isn't something the human brain is built to account for, but it's also exacerbating an already existing... let's go with condition because it's been a while since my initial research into it and I remember very little about the actual classification. That condition will become more clear, if it isn't already and people have just been too polite to talk about it, once you actually, you know, live with her for a while.
So...I have an idea, regarding speeding up the Process's growth by, basically, creating more of itself to increase its processing power.
Basically, using out relationship with General Ironwood, add to the Atlesian military arsenal by creating Process combat (and combat support) "drones" that operate alongside the Atlesian Knights. They'd basically act like mobile fire support for Atlas forces. By having them masquerade as drones like Atlesian Knights, they basically avoid major scrutiny from both the public and from the Grimm. Creating a combat-capable Process model to support Huntsmen would be a pretty good move, too--they're expected to be capable of combat, and having mobile fire support is always welcome when fighting Grimm.
Also, we could ask for help from Ironwood and Ozpin to get started in the "construction" route.
...actually, come to think of it, couldn't the militaries of the world build flying warships out of Process material? Actually, Jaune could start building self-piloting ships of varying types, even.
But, really, we're best off if we have a major backer--a government or military--because keeping it secret and keeping it effective are going to be very difficult otherwise. We do have inroads for that in Ironwood and Ozpin. Atlas, in particular, has lots of promise, since it already invests heavily in AI-research and creating some kind of revolutionary new thing to turn the tide against the Grimm; the Process is exactly what they're looking for.
Ironwood and Ozpin will both be very interested in what you have to offer, though in different ways.
Ozpin's your road into Vale, but he doesn't actually have any political or monetary power, so to speak- it's purely social clout, on account of being headmaster of Beacon and one of the very, very few Huntsmen who made it past 60 without retiring completely. He can get you some inroads, sure, but that's about it.
Ironwood, on the other hand, is the general of the Atlesian military, which pretty much puts him a fancy hat and cigar away from being called El Presidente of the whole damn kingdom, and he'd probably love to have his sack out of the SDC's vice for a change.
In short, both can help you, not as much as you would hope, but they can definitely get you into places where you can rub shoulders with those who can help you much more, should you actually need it, but at the cost of maybe not having the entirety of humanity's best interests at heart.
This entire explanation was made massively more complicated by the fact that I refuse to use the phrase 'sugar daddy' out of principle.
Anyway…
Two years.
I've been doing this for two years now.
And somehow. Against all odds. I got you bastards to Beacon.
… Was it worth the wait?
You wake almost exactly a minute before your alarm goes off. Which is a shame, because you kinda feel like you might have needed that minute today.
{Welp. Today's the day.}
It is.
You're going to Beacon. Not, in a month, not a week from now, today.
… You're surprised by how… calm you feel, honestly.
{No point being nervous about it now.}
True.
Sitting up, you look at your luggage, an old, off-white plastic clamshell monstrosity your father dug out of the loft while you were out grabbing a few last-minute things. It's packed with most of your wardrobe, new and old, toiletries, your new weapon's still in its case for the moment-
{Hmph.}
Oh, hush, better to have and not need than vice versa.
{Whatever. You'll be back.}
You haven't left.
Leaving the sulky little git to his own devices, you go and take a shower, and then get dressed in the clothes you set out last night.
It is currently 7 am. You have to be at Beacon for… 3 pm.
… You got up way too early, didn't you?
{Yeah, pretty much.}
Dammit. You don't have any final checks to make, you've been ready to leave since Saturday night… you've got nothing to do.
"… Wanna go mess about with the gauntlet?"
{Hell yeah I do.}
But before we do, speaking of your wardrobe:
HOO THAT IS AN UGLY FUCKING SEGUE BUT AT LEAST IT'S A FUNCTIONAL ONE
|||
You wake up just in time to turn your alarm off.
9 am.
The light streams in through your window, and for a single blissful moment, you feel… ok. Wrapped in a thin blanket on your almost soft bed, you feel… good.
Then a spring in your mattress pings back into place and punches you in the fucking kidney, and you're brought back down to Remnant.
Welp. At least you won't have to sleep on this piece of shit after today.
You sit up, rubbing at your back as you do, god that's gonna bruise isn't it.
"Ada, are you alright?" Terry chirps at you from the suitcase sitting on the other end of your room, now opened again and significantly more organised than it was last night.
He also appears to be wearing a pair of your panties as a mask, which isn't something that works when you only have one eye.
If you didn't know better, you'd say he was trying to get away with your unmentionables, but you do, and a quick, practised headbang sends them careening onto the pile of clothes sitting on top of your chest of drawers, neatly folded and ready for you to put on after your shower.
Er, the pile of clothes, not your underwear. That would be impressive.
"I'm fine, I'm fine, this mattress is just a piece of crap." You tell him. "So, uh… run by me what I have to do today?"
"You have three tasks set for today, in order of importance- one, quote, 'pry my security deposit from Chef's cold, unfortunately still alive hands,' two, say goodbye to Mrs Pearl, three, arrive at Seastone Harbour for 3:30 PM, which requires you to catch the 11:45 bus into Vernal, and then the 2:40 train directly to Seastone Central, and then a five minute walk to the harbour. You currently have 7½ hours to perform these tasks."
Hoo boy.
You should, probably get some breakfast first or something. Getting up, you stretch a little to work some of the stiffness out of your tiny, tiny limbs, and walk through to the kitchen, hopping up onto the counter to look in the cupboard.
Do you still have those canned burgers? Won't be great, but a meal's a- aw tight, a fancy instant ramen bowl, fuck yeah-
|||
You wake up to your alarm.
It shocks you out of a very… weird, dream, involving the kitchens of several Mistrali restaurants. You think. You're, entirely unsure, now that you've woken up. Probably wasn't important.
"Creme! Bambina, is time to get up!" Your mother calls from downstairs.
"Coming, mama!" You call back and, just managing to resist the manic urge to curl up under your covers again. Thankfully, it's the start of August, and you can feel the sweat forming on your skin in a constant, bouncing wave across your body, so the open air is a gods-given blessing.
You packed last night. All your clothes, your laptop, metal polish, gun oil, spare rounds- everything's ready, except for you.
It's 10:00.
Enough time for a shower, a good breakfast, and some mental preparation, you suppose.
Oh, and making sure you packed everything.
And, saying goodbye to your family.
And, coming to terms with the fact that you won't be seeing them again for… at least six months. Maybe longer. And the fact that during that time your brother will still be in contact with people inside the White Fang while only you know about it and will be entirely unable to stop him from doing that.
This is fine! You can do that! You can deal with this!
|||
You wake up to your Scroll alarm. You slap it off. It goes off again. You slap it off. It goes off again. You slap it off-
"FOR GOD'S SAKE, LUMEN, GET UP!" Your sister yells.
You fall out of bed, taking your time on the floor to appreciate its coolness and hardness, and wonder, not for the first time, what major mistake you made in life to end up here.
Oh. Yeah. Being born. That's the one.
God, you feel like a tornado's run through your mind.
… You shouldn't.
… It's gonna be a long day whether you do it or not.
Taking a deep breath, you open your eyes. The tapestry of colours you laid into your ceiling pulls into a million different colours, the light of every single one drawn in through your eyes and skin like a breath of mountain air.
So begins the weaving.
Yellow, first, as a base. Like injected jaundice, it flows from the base of your neck and down your arms, the Brightwater illuminating your arteries and capillaries as it reaches your fingernails, bursting open the scabs and scars lining them, dribbling freely into the floorboards and almost immediately evaporating into light again, leaving behind that mint-eucalyptus resin you know so well.
Balance. It washes over you like spring water, actually drawing a cathartic breath from you.
One colour isn't enough.
Red. The red jelly flows through your veins like poisoned blood, a light touch, enough to give some warmth to your thoughts, the minor kick giving you just what you need to get up.
Two colours aren't enough.
Green. The smell of pine quickly joins eucalyptus and tobacco, the sheer wildness of the colour pushing off the tarp covering your mind, followed by the chalk of blue to sharpen the edges and curb the green slightly.
The balancing act only grows from there, until you're drafting six of the nine colours you know of in different ratios, pulling your mind this way and that until you've just about rebuilt a personality in Luxin.
Finally, sub-red. Your irises open, and the waves of heat laced in the warp and weft of a tapestry above you, stealing it for yourself, and letting it amplify everything you've built so far, turning the shade into something more real.
You take a deep breath, the scents mixing and filling your lungs with the result of your work.
Ok. You… think you're ok now.
"Warning- 8% hormonal deviation from baseline. Are you sure you do not wish to spend more time balancing yourself?"
"Eh, close enough. Maybe I'll like the new me better." You mumble semi-jokingly at the Cell.
Having this thing around's great. You've always been able to get in the same ballpark, in the morning, then correct as the day goes on, but with Alabaster around, you can get pretty much on the dot every day!
You know. When you don't feel like mixing it up to see if something new works better for you.
Getting up, you palm your bed for your Scroll to check the time.
Survey says...
11:45?!
Wait, that's like, three hours, plenty of time. At least you've packed, right?
Your bags lay on the other side of the bedroom, open, and damnably empty.
… You take a deep breath.
Then gently place your face into the crook of your elbow.
And scream.
|||
"You're sure this is safe?" Jasmine asks you, saying what your older sisters are no doubt thinking, watching you strap on your new armour, both mechanised and not.
"Relax, the guy running the shop is the best in the business for safety, and besides, he wouldn't let me buy it until I passed a test showing I knew how to not use it without hurting myself. Even if something does go wrong, that's why I have Reboot()." You explain, jerking a thumb at the Transistor with that final sentence.
"Snapshot of left arm taken- so long as it's still attached, we can fix it."
"I'm beginning to think letting Juniper give him her Semblance was a bad idea," Jasper mutters to the others.
"No, gee, ya think!?" Jools hisses back, before taking a calming breath and turning to you. "Jaune, there is a reason mechanised armour is a niche choice- moving mechanical pieces and human skin do not mix."
"Hence, padding." You tell her, pointing to the thick hoodie you're wearing underneath your armour. Not exactly a professional gambeson, but it'll do the job should anything go wrong.
As you do, it finally comes to your attention that the armour is undecorated, and without your emblem. Hm. Something to fix, once you've taken it off.
Not that you don't trust the Transistor, but you wouldn't want to let it engrave something you're wearing. There's trust, and then there's insanity.
"And that won't clog the mechanisms?" Jaana asks.
"{The mechanisms are sealed off. The reason this kind of armour never took off is that the first idiots to come up with it didn't realise that the armour would be inside their Aura, not something they'd be protected from, and thus didn't add any protection between themselves and the actual mechanisms. Nowadays it's as safe as any other kind of formshift weapon.}"
You all take a moment to consider what Blue just said, and the implications of it, and immediately shudder as one.
Pushing that revelation to the side, you continue strapping yourself in. No, no, fear is no use at this point. You're not getting that money back.
A bit later, you are ready for business!
…
Nnnnnyyyyeaaaagghhhhh-
{Jaune, if using this at all constituted a serious risk to your health, we would have stopped you from going into the shop, let alone putting it on. Now come on, be a big boy.}
Right. Yes. Very good point. It's just- it's not easy.
Once those pictures are in your head, they don't, get out.
…Come on, you have it on already, just, sunk cost fallacy your way through the fear-
You splay your hand for a moment, then clench it into a tight fist, pressing the small button on the pad of flesh beneath your thumb, just like the guy in the store told you to, and you have a miniature heart attack when, lo and behold, it does exactly as it did yesterday. You feel the mechanisms shift around just above your arm, plunging your heart into ice water for a moment just before-
[] A small, understated rifle barrel pops out just above where the gauntlet and vambrace connect, the hatch shifting over your knuckles as it does to provide a contact plate. (Punchgun- mid-range option, with point-blank application. Requires ammunition in a specialised magazine that fits your vambrace. Ammunition is customizable in many ways. Current stock: 5 magazines of non-Dust-based ammunition.)
[] The entire back of the vambrace comes apart, and a downright… cruel blade slides out from underneath, its parts unfolding out to their full length with a sudden snap. You watch with equal parts horror and interest as the parts twist, fold, and extend with the movements of your fingers, turning you into something like a praying mantis. (Mantis Claw- melee-range, designed more for grappling and separating limbs than being used as a sword.)
[] The vambrace unfolds, twisting and widening until it becomes a large kite shield, twisting and rotating until you clench your fist again, and it locks into place. You don't miss the keen edge lining it. (Razor Shield, a short-range defensive option with limited offensive capability. Additional Aura bonus.)
[] A goddamn chainsaw shoots out of the top, revving up to its full speed with every clench of your fist. Less dangerous hand to God, you have never felt this fucking metal in your entire life. (A Goddamn Chainsaw- melee range, high maintenance/fuel cost, very low defence capability, extremely high damage output if used correctly.)
"... Wow. That's…"
Your assembled sisters stare at your weapon with a range of emotions, from Jasper's open surprise at you being unharmed, to Jasmine's icy calculation, no doubt trying to figure out the various methods of using it to dispatch both Grimm and people, to Jools'...
Open bloodlust.
Guess that first year of Beacon put the sparring bug in her after all. Is that why she's been avoiding you and your mother during your sparring sessions?
"Jools." You call to her.
She snaps out of it, finally looking at you and not just the pile of meat and metal she wants to stab.
"Wanna help break this thing in?"
You don't think you can process the speed at which she dashes inside, and returns with her chosen weapons. Her old weapon is long gone, broken down and sold for parts when she realised her true passion lay in cooking.
The leather rolls fit on her hips just as well as they did when she first left the house, and when she pulls the strings, freeing at least a dozen knives of various shapes and sizes, you watch her visibly relax outside of the kitchen for the first time in years.
"There will be hell to pay if you dull these, boy," Jools tells you, a blood-craving little smile crawling up her face.
… You may have chosen your opponent poorly.
|||
You chew on a mouthful of noodles as you wait, your Scroll ringing away on the table in speaker mode.
Chef is your landlord, a fucking relic of a man who must be pushing the latter 90s by now, but somehow he manages to keep several apartment complexes under control, while also being the slowest creature on the planet Remnant. You swear the man's only alive because he's slipped into some half-torpor so his body doesn't break in half trying to keep itself running.
Still, the bastard owes you 5,000 Lien, so you're calling to collect.
Ring.
Ring.
Ring pick up the phone you fucking Methuselah-
-Dale Darrie, if this is a telemarketer please hang up the phone and then yourself.-
Charming as always.
"Chef, it's Ada. I'm calling about the security deposit."
-What, you didn't get my letter?-
That's not a good start to this conversation. That's not a good start at all.
"... I did not, no."
-I sent it to you with a transfer code for the 5k.-
"... By courier?"
-Wh- no, I put it in my mailbox to be picked up.-
…
Is he fucking shitting you.
"... Chef."
-Yeah?-
"Vale hasn't had a public mail service for longer than I've been alive."
-... Oh.-
He isn't fucking shitting you.
-I'll, er, just go grab it from my mailbox and drive over.-
This is exactly what you needed today.
"Do not worry- so long as he arrives within the next 30 minutes, you will still be on schedule!"
|||
You pick at your waffles and bacon, trying to settle the butterflies that started messing with your stomach before you try to eat anything.
"Nervous?" Your father asks.
"Yeah, a little," you admit.
Not about Beacon, though.
… Ok not entirely about Beacon, but the two things giving you nerves were kinda, connected. Connected enough that the Venn diagram was probably just a circle.
On one hand, you were nervous about, you know, not sleeping in your bed for the next ten months, give or take a few holidays, and not being in the same building as your mama and your daddy for that much time- stop avoiding the elephant in the room Creme-
Ok. It's ok. Use your words.
You are… concerned… about your brother, because you tried to talk to him, just, about stuff, and…
It didn't go well. You think. Maybe. You just tried to take an interest in the thing he was doing, and maybe you kinda tried to bring up the White Fang as naturally as you could and he just…
Shut you out.
Literally wouldn't hear a word of it.
And, to your surprise, that… stung. You wouldn't exactly say that you were like two peas in a pod, but it was like ice water across your teeth when he did that.
Some of the things he said hurt about as much.
… At least he softened up near the end, and tried to, to explain himself.
What'd he say again?
Oh. Right.
"It ain't as simple as you think. That's… all I can say."
Ah, yes, you didn't catch him in his room with a White Fang mask, he hasn't avoided the subject when it comes up, he didn't spend a solid 5 minutes pulling you as close to crying as you've gotten since…
Friday. Since, Friday.
Gods.
You came home on Friday feeling like the world had rolled off your back, and here you are, back at square one. Speaking of Friday-
"Oh? Anything in particular?" Your father continues his questioning, entirely unaware of your mental monologue going at a mile a minute.
So when he throws that particular board on the tracks, it just derails the whole damn train of thought, and you spend a second just staring gormlessly at your father before you manage to come out with something.
"Uh," good start, "I guess… it's, the longest I'll ever go sleeping somewhere than my own bed." You tell him, picking, probably the safest of your choices to vent about. "It's… weird to think about, I guess. I'm, gonna be somewhere that isn't my house, living with people who aren't my family, sleeping in a bed that isn't mine. It's… a lot to think about."
Your mother giggles, only stopping long enough to eat the last of her porridge.
"I felt the same way when I moved up to Vale for the first time. Just a big knot in my stomach, the whole ride up, and then I stepped out into Huntsman Square station…" She looks up, a more than slightly wistful look in her eye. "... Goodness, all I could think was that everything was so big. That silly little thought settled all my nerves. Suddenly I was just… excited, to be somewhere I've never been before."
She looks over at you after a moment, meeting your eyes.
"Honey, it's normal to be nervous about something this big. But it will pass. It always does, trust me."
… You wanna believe that, mama.
You really, really do.
|||
Ok, clothes, sword, electronics, toiletries, makeup, what else is missing- where the fuck is your wallet- left cardigan pocket, same as always-
"I can't believe you left packing for the day you were due to leave," Marcie grumbles at you from the kitchen table, over the newspaper she's glancing through.
"I swear I didn't! It was packed last night!"
"Well, it didn't unpack itself!"
You did, too. You distinctly remember making sure everything was packed away for today last night, and then… it wasn't. You trust your memory enough to know that's what happened.
So… what happened, then?
… Two little gremlins, that's what happened.
Your eyes flick over the other two, suspiciously quiet girls sitting at the table. Teresa and Alessa, your little sisters, your two beacons of joy in life, it honestly breaks your heart knowing you're not going to see them again for months, are both staring down at their bowls of cereal, trying to look natural as they mechanically shovel it into their mouths.
You keep staring.
They keep shovelling cereal into their mouths, refusing to meet your eyes.
You keep staring.
A slight tremble begins to show in their hands.
YOU KEEP STARING.
Two small blurs wearing pyjamas covered in cats and rainbows slam into your knees at roughly Mach 3, and you actually have to flare your Aura for a moment to not immediately be bowled over.
"Please don't go!""You can't go!""I didn't mean to make you mad I'm sorry please don't leave!"-
It goes on like that for a few seconds before it devolves into a heart-rending melody of wailing and snuffling.
Ohhh you haven't drafted enough orange for this shit.
Looking at Marcie, you plead with your eyes for some help.
"Hey, 40% off coupon for that fancy grocery store that moved in a while back. Nnnnneat." She says, drafting a small blue penknife to extract the coupon from its printed prison.
Welp.
You close your eyes, take a deep breath, and gently pry the girls off you.
Come on Lumen it's time to work those paternal instincts of yours-
"Hey, heyheyhey, calm down for a minute." You tell them, dropping to a knee to look at them. "Look at me. Look at me."
The two rub their eyes for a moment but eventually manage to look up, meeting your eyes with their own.
Every time you see the very start of a ring of orange in Teresa's eyes, and the little specks of violet and blue in Alessa's, you have to bite down on a wave of bone-deep anger that you wish you never had to feel looking at these two rays of sunshine.
"... I have to go." You tell them, hearing how lame an answer it is the moment it leaves your mouth.
"W-why?" Teresa manages after a moment.
That… is not a question you were prepared to answer. At all. Ever.
"Because… I have to get stronger. To protect you, and your sisters, and everyone else, and stop the things that want to hurt cute little girls like you."
"... Miss Hazel told us that trying to be a Huntsman is stupid and that you were gonna die. I don't want you to die!" Alessa mumbles, then yells, her crying very quickly turning into little hiccups as she tries to breathe through it.
Deep breath, deep breath.
You draw the girls close into a deep, squeezing hug, using that to look over to your twin for a second. She looks just as angry as you feel, and a silent nod is all it takes to assure you that she'll deal with it while you're gone.
You pull the girls off you, and look at them until they're meeting your eyes.
"Miss Hazel is a co-"
Wait, was Miss Hazel the bovine Faunus? You can't remember, probably shouldn't go with that anyway-
"Well, Miss Hazel is a bitter witch who should try minding her own business. I am not going to die, for a very, very, very long time."
You know you should be making more nuanced arguments here, stuff like 'it's possible I might die, but there are some things that are more important than me maybe dying,' but…
They're six and eight, for God's sake. That's just gonna go in one ear and out the other if they can even hear you over their wailing.
... But platitudes are gonna make you feel like shit all day. So you have to try.
You drag them back in for another hug, squeezing them close, feeling their warm bodies against yours for, one of the last times you'll get to do this for a while.
"... I... have to do this. Because I can do this. People with Aura, people with, with powers like mine, like ours, we have... a responsibility, to use it to help people who can't help themselves. That doesn't always mean being a Huntsman, but it's the only way I know how to help people, because I'm a big, dumb meathead who doesn't know how to do anything other than fight. That's why I'm going. Because the world is a big, scary mess, and it's up to people like us to make it a little less scary, and a little less messy, however we can. Do you get that?"
To your relief, they nod their heads, eyes red and puffy, but not crying anymore.
"... Promise you'll call?" Teresa asks you after a moment.
"Every day. I promise," you tell her, drawing the girls back in for one last hug. "I love you guys, so, so so much, and don't you ever forget it," you mumble into their shoulders.
With that, you get up, coaxing the girls back to the table to finish breakfast.
… If that's the worst thing that happens today, you'll be thankful.
|||
3 hours, 2 ramen bowls, and a heartfelt goodbye to Mrs Pearl later, you find yourself staring at the envelope, wondering if the money is even worth the time it took to get it.
"We believe it to be so. Also, there is a handwritten note on the inside. Suggest reading, will find alternative route to Seastone Harbour in the meantime."
Such a confident little robot.
Worming a finger between the adhesive, you open it, and find a printed card with a QR code on it, and a handwritten letter.
You look it over, trying your best to read Chef's chicken scratch.
Cyclops,
I know you and I haven't always seen eye to eye, on, a lot of things, but you've always been a good tenant, even if we have had our disagreements. I don't know what your deal is, I dunno why or how a 12-year-old girl with one eye found 5k to rent out an apartment or where she kept getting the money from, and frankly, I don't care, but you're going to Beacon, and that's something I can't help but respect.
I guess all I can really say now is goodbye. And, I hope you find whatever it is you're looking for in a life of killing Grimm.
... Knock 'em dead, kid.
-Chef
P.S. 5k's your deposit. Call the rest a parting gift.
You look at the letter again and try to make sense of what you're feeling right now for a moment before your eye hones in on that post-script.
… He didn't.
You pull out your Scroll, drag up the banking app, and scan the QR code.
You then almost drop it as you gawp at the 20,000 Lien now in your bank account.
That shock takes centre stage over everything else, your brain just stalling for a second.
"... Ada?"
"'m fine, Terry. Just… God, I thought the last of his ability to not be a complete asshole fell out with his last tooth." You tell the concerned Cell, blinking back traitor tears while you do.
God. How's he gonna be such an ass about rent for five goddamn years then turn around and do some bullshit like this? It's not fair, goddammit!
Ugh. And he has the gall to pull this, two and a half hours after you needed him to arrive.
You glance at your Scroll and see the time, extreme panic filling your chest for a moment as you realise it's already 1:30.
Oh God, you're never going to make it on time. There's absolutely no way you'll make it on time. Just as you start to allow your panic to get the best of you, your breathing becoming more strained as the seconds pass, the blood leaving your forebrain-
"Alternate route found. We are back on schedule!"
oh thank god
"What is it?"
"Carpooling!"
Oh.
Joy.
|||
Mwah.
Mwah.
Mmmmmmwahahaaa cold nose in your face, cold nose in your face!
"Agh, mama, stop! I have to go!" You yelp, trying to push your mother away before she can plant anymore gross old lady kisses on your cheek, or press her nose into your face again.
"In a minute!" She tells you, the playful tone in her voice the prelude to her pulling you even closer, squeezing the air from your lungs with a downright mortifying squeak.
How the hell did your mother get this godsdamn strong-
"Paula, you're going to hurt her before she even gets to Beacon, you keep squeezing her like that," your father chimes in after a few moments of laughing at your discomfort.
Thankfully, thankfully, your mother does actually let go after a moment, and you take a deep breath before fixing your coat.
"I know, I know, I just…" your mother starts for a moment before trailing off, just smiling at you.
You watch her blink back tears, and subsequently pray to every god you can name and a few you're pretty sure you mess up that she isn't about to start crying.
"... Promise me you'll write."
"I will."
"And text!"
"Every day."
"You have everything? Clothes, Scroll, hammer-" she starts to list off things until you put your hand on her shoulder.
"Mama, the train is in five minutes. If I don't have them, I'm going without them."
You do, of course. You checked several times that that was the case. Maybe, a few more times than strictly necessary, but arriving at Beacon without a weapon would be…
Awkward.
"The train arriving at, platform 3, is for, Seastone Harbour."
There it is.
You hug your mother and father, one last time, as the train pulls in next to you.
"I promise I'll write, and text, and phone you and all that, I'm gonna miss you all so so much, ok?" You tell them, trying to get everything out as quickly as possible.
"Come back safe. You promise me you'll come back safe," your mother mumbles into your shoulder.
"I will!"
You finally let go of them, as the door opens, and set eyes on your brother for the first time.
… Words catch in your mouth once or twice, but ultimately die off before you can say anything.
"... Miss you, brat." He says after a couple of moments, even managing a tiny smile for your trouble.
You reciprocate, before hauling your luggage onto the train and finding a seat. You wave at them as they pass by you, and then…
They're gone.
The hiccup is not the start of you crying, the hiccup is not the start of you crying-
Blinking back tears, trying to catch your breath, you rush to the carriage bathroom and lock the door behind you, just…
A moment.
You just need a moment.
|||
BAG PACKED, GREMLINS AND TWIN IN CAR, CAR STARTED, YOU, ARE, OUTTA HERE-
You tear down the street at frankly irresponsible speeds, making up for lost time in the hopes of making it to the harbour before the last airship, and by the time you make it onto the highway your sister is not-so-gently reminding you that you won't get anywhere if you're pulled over by the cops.
After that, you... slow down. A little.
Your eyes flick to the radio clock, and you feel your shoulders drop in relief when you see that it's only 1:00.
That's plenty of time! Two hours to get to Seastone, that's easy, you're fiiiiine- THAT BETTER NOT BE FUCKING ROADWORKS UP AHEAD-
As if, Fate herself heard your cries of relief, you all but plough straight into a 'single lane, slow' sign, a hole that is mysteriously devoid of workers in the fucking road directly behind it, and continuing along the road as far as you can see. Merging, you slow to a crawl, the traffic stopping and starting with no rhyme or reason.
Drafting blue and forming it into a small origami crane is pretty much the only thing that keeps you sane in the sea of honking horns. You already feel Marcella's disapproval on your side.
"I really wish you would stop doing that." She tells you quietly, eyes shifting to look at the little ones for a moment, making sure they're engrossed in whatever it is they're doing. "We talked about this."
Oh, God, not this again-
"Did we? Because I remember having my teeth glued together with red luxin while you talked at me." You mutter under your breath, keeping your eyes on the road with her, both of you careful to give no indication any kind of argument is happening, lest the gremlins in the back seat pick up on it.
"You promised you'd stop using it for minor stuff!" Marcie hisses under her breath.
"I agreed under threat of having my teeth set on fire to cut down on it!" You hiss back.
Before the, ahem, heated debate can devolve into an argument that's been had a thousand times before, Alabaster perks up.
"Alternate route found. We are back on schedule! Please take the next offramp, then proceed towards Tyrian Heights."
To your credit, your eyes don't bug out at the little robot just yet. Marcie shoots you a look of worry, the suggested detour more than a little concerning.
"Please tell me there are less dangerous ways to get there. I don't care if they take longer." You tell it without a hint of insincerity in your voice.
You can handle being late for the airship, if it means not taking your sisters through that bad a neighbourhood.
"1. You are a trained, armed Huntsman. We highly doubt any criminal in Tyrian Heights could feasibly pose a threat to you or your sisters if they were so inclined. 2. This detour is necessary in order to get one of your companions back on schedule. She will no doubt be grateful for the help."
Oh.
It doesn't take a genius to use the process of elimination to figure out who he's talking about. So, steeling yourself with the thought of Ada owing you one, you follow your personal assistant's instructions, and quickly end up in one of the dingier parts of Vale. A quick flick of your finger locks the car doors, and you drive slowly through the dingy streets, small apartment blocks on either side of you. You note more than a few eyes on you, people huddled in alleys and behind fences, eyeing your car up for a moment as you slowly drive through, looking for Ada's apartment number. Or, Ada herself.
Marcie keeps her hands in her lap, silently drafting a blue dagger under them.
Nobody speaks, in the car, silently waiting for something to happen.
You feel the slow build in your hindbrain, setting the hairs on the back of your neck on end as you become so hyperaware of the people giving you attention, using it to pin them down and stare straight back at them, outright daring them to do something.
"Lumen, you passed her apartment three doors ago."
Whoops. You pull a quick three-point turn and actually pay attention to where you're supposed to stop this time.
Rolling down the window, you lean out just in time to see your favourite midget cyclops make an appearance, machete on her hips and poncho around her shoulders, suitcase packed and trailing behind her.
"Hey! Get in, loser, we're going to Beacon!"
|||
You load your suitcase into the back of your father's car as the Transistor clamps itself into the roof rack, while your mother and little sisters pile into the other car because a minibus is just a bit much for a family to own.
As you close the boot, you finally take a moment and address the growing ball of excitement/anxiety sitting in your chest.
It's… finally, finally finally finally happening. You are literally on your way to Seastone Harbour to get on an airship and go to Beacon.
A clap on your shoulder snaps you out of your minor fugue.
"C'mon, dork, no time for spacing out. It's your big day!" Jasper says, gently shepherding you into the front seat of the car, next to your waiting father before getting into the back with the rest of your big sisters.
"Everyone in?" Your father checks, getting four affirmatives, and a muffled one from up top. "Great!"
Starting the car, he pulls out of the driveway, down the road, and a few minutes later you're on the highway proper, zooming along the outskirts of the Port district towards the commercial district, where you're getting onto a high-speed train to the harbour, and is where you'll...
Actually... say goodbye. Song- City Of Lights, The Music Tapes
"Lien for your thoughts?"
You stare out of the window for a moment, watching the treetops of Forever Fall slowly shift in parallax, choosing not to answer your father's question just yet. But you do have to answer it eventually.
"I… guess I never really thought I'd… get this far. It still doesn't… feel real." You admit after a few moments. "This is… I've wanted to be a Huntsman for as long as I can remember, and now this… I don't know how I feel."
He chuckles, a little smirk creeping up his face.
"Yeah, that happens. Dreams… don't often pan out how people want them to. So when they do… it just feels kinda surreal."
He pauses for a moment, before pressing a button on the dashboard and turning the autodrive on. He takes his hands off the wheel, and leans back for a second, gathering his thoughts.
"Jaune, I… cannot put into words how proud I am of you. You took… every obstacle life put in your way, and you either bulldozed through it like it was nothing or turned it into something that worked for you. I-" He pauses, laughing at something. "I used to think you graduating Beacon would be the proudest I'd ever get of you, but now…"
He trails off, choosing to look over at you and place a hand on your shoulder, his soft, blue eyes staring right into yours.
"... Huntsman or not, you're gonna be something amazing, son. I know it."
It makes your breath hitch for a second, your chest tightening as words… fail you, listening to your father speak. He turns the autodrive off again, wrestling control from the car. The sudden shake of the car snaps you out of your gratitude-coma with a yelp.
He laughs.
"I mean, I always knew you were gonna be. Jack Arc don't raise no disappointments." He tells you, big dopey grin back firmly where it belongs.
It's almost a relief when your father pulls into the train station. This close to the main event, your anxiety just seems so irrelevant.
Because it's happening. Whether you damn well like it or not.
That revelation is… freeing.
You free your sword from the roof rack, pull your carry-on out of the trunk, and walk into the train terminal with your family, waiting for it to pull into the station.
… If ever there was a time to say goodbye, it's now.
"Nervous?" Jasper asks you. "'Course you are, wouldn't have dragged Jools into a spar if you weren't desperate for a distraction."
"I said I was sorry!" Jools yells, mortification painting her face crimson.
You smile, even as you immediately check her immediate direction for flying knives.
Today, you received a very… pointed reminder on exactly to what calibre Beacon teaches people, even those who drop out.
"Yeah, I'm, a little nervous. Less than I was before we got here, but… still a little." You tell them, saving Jools from further embarrassment.
Your eyes flick to the station clock. Five minutes.
Now's the time, you suppose.
"So... I guess this is it. I'm leaving. For a while, anyway," you say, turning to everyone, your eyes eventually settling on your mother.
She smiles at you, walking forward.
"For a while."
The smile tightens for a moment, before she buries herself in your shoulder, pulling you into a hug.
"Come back to me. Promise me you will." She mumbles into your shoulder, and you can't miss the tiny shake you feel from her hands against your back.
...
"I promise." You tell her, not even questioning why she's asking you to do that.
The fear inherent in any kind of deep contemplation of your chosen job has long since faded into statistics and contingency plans, but that's...
Nothing, in the face of your mother's own worries.
She lets go after one final squeeze, gently wiping tears from her eyes with her hand.
"I- ha, you know, your grandmother said that this never got easier, when they left the nest, and I didn't think she was right, but, here we are!" She finishes, finally taking a moment to breathe.
Your father wraps an arm around her shoulders, and she lets him, for a change.
Taking that for inspiration, you go around, hugging your sisters as you get to them.
"Aw, hey, don't get sappy on me now!" Jasper says. "You're meant to be some big, strong Huntsman now, hugging your sister is for big nerds who, who..."
She trails off, her attempt at giving you shit dying in her throat as she hugs you back.
"Stay safe, you hear me? I see Jaune Arc on a deadlist, I'm gonna be fuckin' pissed."
You can't help but smile at that. It's nice to know she cares.
In her own, incredibly violent way.
-The train approaching, platform 8, is for, Seastone Harbour.-
Shit, that's yours.
Ok, time for speedhugs.
You hug each of your sisters and father in turn, making up for brevity with intensity, you hope, each of them managing something nice, from promises you'll call to promises to stay safe to promises you'll meet a girl already, and by the time you're on one knee pulling the twins close, the train has pulled into the station.
""Have fun, Jaune!"" They tell you, the most positive thing you've heard in the past five minutes.
You swear they practice that.
{They don't.}
Well, that's just mildly unnerving.
With one last wave, you pull your suitcase onto the train, let your sword and your Cell past to stake out a seat and luggage rack, and wave at them as the door closes.
"See you soon!" Jaana yells.
"You'll do great!" Your father tells you.
"Tell Goodwitch she still owes me 200 Lien!" Jools asks you.
... You'll wait to get to know Professor Goodwitch better before you broach that one.
The train pulls out. Your family slowly disappears. Eventually, they're gone.
You're on your way. At roughly 400 kilometres an hour. You are, officially, unable to get off this ride. Against all odds, you actually feel... lighter. The complete lack of control on your part now is really rather freeing, in a way. Nothing to do but sit back and relax for the next hour or so. Finding your seat, and placing your tickets on the table where the attendant will see them, you stare at the passing buildings, watching as they slowly turn from steel and glass skyscrapers to rows of houses and apartments, and eventually...
The Elden river. Second of four rivers in Vale that go out to sea, if one counts from north southwards, and the largest by far. You strain your eyes trying to look down at its unnaturally vibrant colours. Nobody really knows what causes them- some theories suggest a buildup of Dust in the riverbed, or even the water itself, but considering it isn't constantly on fire, freezing over, and sprouting lightning bolts every time someone so much as sneezes at it, that's been taken out of the running for the most part.
Others suggest refraction of light, others the planet's soul showing itself- whatever it is, the whole river looks like somebody's splashed it with most of an art store, and the water from it is supposed to be all but self-purifying. And at the very end, just before it twists out of sight, you spot a very distinctive building, on the very edge of a cliffside, leading down to a personal port.
{There it is.}
Beacon.
So far, yet soon to be so close. As the train moves on, both your new home and the Elden leave your sight, a little tease at what's to come.
Eventually, somehow equally too fast and too slow for your liking, you reach the harbour town where you'll be boarding an airship.
{... We did pack motion sickness tablets, right?}
Oh piss off, you haven't been motion sick since you were 12. Besides, you ride trains often enough that you think you'd realise if you needed motion sickness tablets.
{Yeah, that's trains. This is airships. You haven't been on one of those since- surprise surprise- you were 12.}
... Really?
Really.
Well, you'll just... keep the bathroom within 50 feet, if you do feel ill.
Disembarking, you wheel your luggage off and start making your way towards the airship docks. Once there, it's just a matter of boarding, but not before you run into a familiar face.
"Jaune!" Creme calls out. "Hi, when'd you get here?"
"About ten minutes ago. You seen the others?"
"No, I haven't seen Lumen and Ada yet- I wanted to make sure we all ended up on the right airship, so I've just been watching people board. I've seen half our class board already- Leathers, Salem, Yang, Haru, Naia's almost impossible to miss, but no, haven't seen hide nor hair of those two."
Almost as soon as she says that, you're alerted to two Cells entering your personal range. Turning to look in their direction, you watch a car pull up, and five people get out. Two of them are Lumen and Ada, followed by a girl who is shockingly similar to Lumen, and two children, who your teammate hugs tightly, giving the same sappy 'I love you so much' crap you think the workers around here must be sick of hearing.
He hugs the girl you assume to be his sister a little more briskly before she gets back into the car with the little girls and drives off as Lumen and Ada approach.
"Speak of the devil, we were just wondering when you two would show up." Creme starts.
"Yeah, well, I had a couple of snags this morning. Those gremlins unpacked my stuff in the middle of the night because one of their teachers tried her hand at fearmongering and convinced them I was gonna die if I kept training to become a Huntsman, so that was... yeah."
"I had to wait three hours for my landlord to turn up with my security deposit. If Lumen hadn't turned up to carpool out of the blue, I would have never made it on time."
Yeesh. And you thought nearly getting julienned by your sister was a rough start to the whole Beacon thing.
"Well, we're all here now, and that's what matters," Creme tells them. "So... you ready?"
The silence following that question really does answer it better than words would have.
Is... anybody really ready for-
"Last call for Beacon! All first-years, board a marked airship within five minutes!"
"... Well, I guess it doesn't really matter now, does it?"
With that, you turn and walk up the boarding ramp, taking your very first steps towards... Beacon.
For some reason, you feel almost... giddy.
Fuck yeah Beacooooooooooon-
This is just here to remind you that you have votes to vote for, and have them down here for anyone that missed them the first time round.
Clothing:
Weapon:
[] A small, understated rifle barrel pops out just above where the gauntlet and vambrace connect, the hatch shifting over your knuckles as it does to provide a contact plate. (Punchgun- mid-range option, with point-blank application. Requires ammunition in a specialised magazine that fits your vambrace. Ammunition is customizable in many ways. Current stock: 5 magazines of non-Dust-based ammunition.)
[] The entire back of the vambrace comes apart, and a downright… cruel blade slides out from underneath, its parts unfolding out to their full length with a sudden snap. You watch with equal parts horror and interest as the parts twist, fold, and extend with the movements of your fingers, turning you into something like a praying mantis. (Mantis Claw- melee-range, designed more for grappling and separating limbs than being used as a sword.)
[] The vambrace unfolds, twisting and widening until it becomes a large kite shield, twisting and rotating until you clench your fist again, and it locks into place. You don't miss the keen edge lining the shield. (Razor Shield, a short-range defensive option with limited offensive capability. Additional Aura bonus.)
[] A goddamn chainsaw shoots out of the top, revving up to its full speed with every clench of your fist. Less dangerous hand to God, you have never felt this fucking metal in your entire life. (A Goddamn Chainsaw- melee range, high maintenance/fuel cost, very low defence capability, extremely high damage output if used correctly.)
[X] The Suitcase [X] A goddamn chainsaw shoots out of the top, revving up to its full speed with every clench of your fist. Less dangerous hand to God, you have never felt this fucking metal in your entire life. (A Goddamn Chainsaw- melee range, high maintenance/fuel cost, very low defence capability, extremely high damage output if used correctly.)
My reasoning, I think is self explanatory enough here. We're given a choice to have a chainsaw gauntlet arm. Passing this up is impossible.
[] The vambrace unfolds, twisting and widening until it becomes a large kite shield, twisting and rotating until you clench your fist again, and it locks into place. You don't miss the keen edge lining the shield. (Razor Shield, a short-range defensive option with limited offensive capability. Additional Aura bonus.)
[] A goddamn chainsaw shoots out of the top, revving up to its full speed with every clench of your fist. Less dangerous hand to God, you have never felt this fucking metal in your entire life. (A Goddamn Chainsaw- melee range, high maintenance/fuel cost, very low defence capability, extremely high damage output if used correctly.)
[X] The Suitcase
[X] The vambrace unfolds, twisting and widening until it becomes a large kite shield, twisting and rotating until you clench your fist again, and it locks into place. You don't miss the keen edge lining the shield. (Razor Shield, a short-range defensive option with limited offensive capability. Additional Aura bonus.)
I will admit, the chainsaw vote sounds awesome, but it just comes with way to many drawbacks, lets go with the more reasonable melee option.
[X] A goddamn chainsaw shoots out of the top, revving up to its full speed with every clench of your fist. Less dangerous hand to God, you have never felt this fucking metal in your entire life. (A Goddamn Chainsaw- melee range, high maintenance/fuel cost, very low defence capability, extremely high damage output if used correctly.)
well, we DO have the transistor who can scan the mechanisms and hopefully fix it if ever something goes wrong.
[X] The vambrace unfolds, twisting and widening until it becomes a large kite shield, twisting and rotating until you clench your fist again, and it locks into place. You don't miss the keen edge lining the shield. (Razor Shield, a short-range defensive option with limited offensive capability. Additional Aura bonus.)
[X] Give me Pumpkin Pete or give me death.
[X] The Suitcase
[X] The vambrace unfolds, twisting and widening until it becomes a large kite shield, twisting and rotating until you clench your fist again, and it locks into place. You don't miss the keen edge lining the shield. (Razor Shield, a short-range defensive option with limited offensive capability. Additional Aura bonus.)
Because we actually have Shield training. So this is the obvious choice for self-defense and combat without the Transistor in-hand. The weapon we actually know how to use.
We have no training in other weaponry, but our family has given us training in both swords and in shields. Having a Shield is only appropriate as a nod to their influence and importance in our life.
It feels like having anything else would be a slap in our parents' face for training us in how to use a shield... and then doing something stupid like strapping a Chainsaw to our arm like a moron. Because of course that'll go poorly.
No, the mecha-shift weapon is meant for when the Transistor isn't withing reach for us to use. That means we need to defend our-self without the use of our super-awesome-computer-sword. And honestly, I think having a shield will keep us alive a lot better than having something absurd like a chainsaw on our arm.
[X] The entire back of the vambrace comes apart, and a downright… cruel blade slides out from underneath, its parts unfolding out to their full length with a sudden snap. You watch with equal parts horror and interest as the parts twist, fold, and extend with the movements of your fingers, turning you into something like a praying mantis. (Mantis Claw- melee-range, designed more for grappling and separating limbs than being used as a sword.)
Because. it's. awesome. The chainsaw is okay too but the claw is cooler in my opinion. Also it might serve as inspiration for something we can put on the Process as a melee weapon going forward.
[] A small, understated rifle barrel pops out just above where the gauntlet and vambrace connect, the hatch shifting over your knuckles as it does to provide a contact plate. (Punchgun- mid-range option, with point-blank application. Requires ammunition in a specialised magazine that fits your vambrace. Ammunition is customizable in many ways. Current stock: 5 magazines of non-Dust-based ammunition.)
[X] The vambrace unfolds, twisting and widening until it becomes a large kite shield, twisting and rotating until you clench your fist again, and it locks into place. You don't miss the keen edge lining the shield. (Razor Shield, a short-range defensive option with limited offensive capability. Additional Aura bonus.)
Want the gun, but shield more likely to win. Chainsaw is excessive, doesn't fit Jaune I don't think. And no sword can compare to the Transistor, even if we can't hit people with it properly. Unless we want to dual wield.
[X] The Suitcase [X] A goddamn chainsaw shoots out of the top, revving up to its full speed with every clench of your fist. Less dangerous hand to God, you have never felt this fucking metal in your entire life. (A Goddamn Chainsaw- melee range, high maintenance/fuel cost, very low defence capability, extremely high damage output if used correctly.) [X] The vambrace unfolds, twisting and widening until it becomes a large kite shield, twisting and rotating until you clench your fist again, and it locks into place. You don't miss the keen edge lining the shield. (Razor Shield, a short-range defensive option with limited offensive capability. Additional Aura bonus.)
guess i'll also revote for the sheild one as well.
[X] The vambrace unfolds, twisting and widening until it becomes a large kite shield, twisting and rotating until you clench your fist again, and it locks into place. You don't miss the keen edge lining the shield. (Razor Shield, a short-range defensive option with limited offensive capability. Additional Aura bonus.)
I enjoy the idea of the Engineer and wearing Camerata clothes, but I think the Suitcase fits best. For the weapon, an actual defensive option to complement the transistor's offense seems nice.
[X] Give me Pumpkin Pete or give me death. [X] A small, understated rifle barrel pops out just above where the gauntlet and vambrace connect, the hatch shifting over your knuckles as it does to provide a contact plate. (Punchgun- mid-range option, with point-blank application. Requires ammunition in a specialised magazine that fits your vambrace. Ammunition is customizable in many ways. Current stock: 5 magazines of non-Dust-based ammunition.)
No doubt on this, customizable ammo is just too useful with our Semblance.
@Prok, I seem to recall you being unhappy with JACL (Jackal) for a team name and asking for alternatives at some point, is that something you'd like?
I'm fairly certain the general idea was that this was our back-up weapon for when the Transistor wasn't around to save our ass when we fuck up. It's what'll keep us from being an unarmed moron when we decide that we have to send the Transistor to handle things away from us on its own.
So... ifwhen things go wrong when using our mecha-shift weapon - which you want to be a chainsaw strapped to our arm under our Aura, where it cannot protect us from the fuck-up - then the Transistor won't be there to mitigate its issues and fix our fuck-up.
That's why I voted Shield - it's something we actually have training in how to use, and can help keep us alive when we don't have the Transistor immediately on-hand. Plus, if we get strong enough, we might be able to use it and the Transistor as a sword-and-board... which, again, we actually have training in, and would look hella cool, IMO.
Kinda, but remember that we mostly planned to use our mecha-shift weapon when we're not using the Transistor. Like, when we send it off to do its "flying artillery" thing without us. Which means it's not going to be able to just fix stuff like that for us until it returns... which in a combat situation can be a deadly drawback.
[X] The Engineer
I like The Suitcase a lot, and will be very happy if it wins, but... iunno. I like coats that are like that.
[X] The vambrace unfolds, twisting and widening until it becomes a large kite shield, twisting and rotating until you clench your fist again, and it locks into place. You don't miss the keen edge lining the shield. (Razor Shield, a short-range defensive option with limited offensive capability. Additional Aura bonus.)
Because as noted, we have shield training, and also because honestly I've never been that big a fan of chainweapons.
[x] The Suitcase
[X] Not Quite As Silent, Exactly As Deadly
[x] The vambrace unfolds, twisting and widening until it becomes a large kite shield, twisting and rotating until you clench your fist again, and it locks into place. You don't miss the keen edge lining the shield. (Razor Shield, a short-range defensive option with limited offensive capability. Additional Aura bonus.)
One for business, one for being casual, both for being goddamn awesome. @Prok didn't say how many clothing options to pick, so I'm picking the two I most prefer. If either wins, I'm fine.
[X] The Suitcase
[X] The vambrace unfolds, twisting and widening until it becomes a large kite shield, twisting and rotating until you clench your fist again, and it locks into place. You don't miss the keen edge lining the shield. (Razor Shield, a short-range defensive option with limited offensive capability. Additional Aura bonus.)
Suitcase look good. A wide metal thing we know how to use is also good.
[X] Not Quite As Silent, Exactly As Deadly
[X] The vambrace unfolds, twisting and widening until it becomes a large kite shield, twisting and rotating until you clench your fist again, and it locks into place. You don't miss the keen edge lining the shield. (Razor Shield, a short-range defensive option with limited offensive capability. Additional Aura bonus.)
Wait, Ada and Lumen's immediate family carpooled to Beacon? For how long? How awkward was that back seat with three munchkins in it? Did Ada check her vocabulary at all? IM SO CURIOUS FOR SHENANIGANS!
