Cowboys of Remnant: The Taste of His Own Boots 1
The Sleepless One
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A bit of a flashback, to show y'all that Cowboy Jaune is still Jaune.
Cowboys of Remnant: The Taste of His Own Boots
Jaune finished securing the saddle to Orleans' back and gave her mane a quick tousle. In response, the chestnut mare twisted her head around to stare at him balefully, clearly displeased with the mussing of her hair.
"Yeah, yeah," the cowboy groused in good humor. "You'll get your revenge an' all that."
The horse snorted, unamused.
"We're prob'ly fightin' Grimm today, y'know? Feels like this ain't really a big deal."
Orleans bared her teeth and snapped at him.
"Alright, alright!" Jaune retrieved a brush from their saddlebags and gave the mare's mane a few quick strokes to straighten it out. "Better?"
A whinny of approval.
"You're damn vain, ya know?"
The smug look in the horse's eye indicated she was well aware.
Jaune shook his head, smiling. "Well, yer highness, I might need your help today. So keep an ear open, alright?"
Orleans leaned forward, wrapping her neck over her rider's shoulder in an equine hug, and gave a huff of confirmation. Jaune returned her embrace and patted her withers.
"Thanks, Orly. I'll be seein' you,'' Jaune murmured into his companion's neck.
She whinnied farewell.
Leaving the stables, Jaune beelined for the locker room where he'd stashed his gear. He'd kept his revolver and knife on him, but figured storing Crocea Mors and his shotgun would be a prudent measure while on Beacon's campus. Quickly finding his locker, the cowboy gave his weapons a once-over, ensuring they hadn't been tampered with, and buckled them on. Feeling a bit more secure now that he was fully armed, he made his way towards the exit, before a flash of white in the corner of his eye caught his attention.
Jaune turned to take a closer look, and had his breath taken away.
Her hair shone the color of snow. Her eyes glittered like brilliant sapphires. Her pale skin glowed like the moon. She stood perhaps a full head and shoulders shorter than he did, her figure slim and clad in a soft white skirt, blouse, and coat ensemble. A scar ran across her left eye, but instead of detracting from her appearance, it served as an enhancement and spoke of steel in her spirit. Every mannerism she displayed as she conversed with her companion spoke of an elegance and refinement that he'd never seen before. Every single thing about her was ethereal, like she'd just stepped out of the pages of a fairy tale.
She might have been the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen.
Jaune wouldn't say he was "good with the ladies," as his friend Miguel put it. In fact, he'd never flirted with a single woman in his life. But he had to say something to this beautiful fairy that had suddenly appeared before him.
Dammit, what did his father say again?
His mind flashed back to a memory of Nicholas Arc, an encouraging smile on his bearded face. "Remember Jaune," his father said. "Women care about confidence! If you're confident, everything else will follow."
"Right," Jaune muttered to himself, eyes still locked on the heavenly vision before him. "Confidence. But what's a good way to start a conversation with a beautiful girl you don't know?"
Another memory came to the fore, of a beautiful woman in a low-cut dress giving him a sultry smile. She beckoned him closer with her feathery fan, before saying, in a throaty voice, "My my, what's a handsome lad like you doing here?" He'd been flattered and flustered but had to beg off because his ma'd raised him right. The memory of that woman still kept him up on some nights though.
Jaune grinned. If it had worked on him, then it had to work on the angel in white too, right?
Waiting for a lull in the ongoing conversation, he approached the stunning woman with a swagger in his step, trying to imitate Mr. Duke's own stride. Taking a deep breath, he caught the white-haired girl's eye and tipped his hat to her.
"Mornin' Miss." Jaune said with a wide smile. "What's a little lady like yourself doin' in a place like this?"
Perfect! He thought to himself. A thought that fled at the expression of absolute fury that swept over the angel's face.
"I am here to become a Huntress, you absolute buffoon!" The girl hissed venomously, murder in her eyes. "Not engage in whatever stupidity this is! Good day!" She stomped off in a huff.
For a moment, Jaune was stunned into inaction as he replayed the events in his head before he smacked himself in the face.
"You damn fool," he growled to himself. "Of course that didn't work! You called her small and implied she wasn't good enough to be a Huntress! Stupid!"
Lowering his hand from his face, Jaune remembered there had been a conversation ongoing before he'd interrupted it. He looked up at the person the woman in white had been talking to, greeting them politely. "Howdy... Uh..."
Oh Breaker, she is gorgeous. Why are all these Huntresses so dang beautiful? Jaune thought.
The woman in front of him had hair put up in a ponytail that cascaded down her back like a river of fire. Lightly tanned skin was pulled taut over corded muscle on an hourglass figure clad in red and bronze armor. She was almost tall enough to look him in the eyes with her own emerald orbs. Said orbs were set into an achingly beautiful face, heart-shaped with well-formed features.
"I'm afraid I didn't catch your name, Miss," Jaune spoke, slightly stupefied by yet another incredibly beautiful woman.
A woman who gave him a warm smile and happily replied, "I'm Pyrrha Nikos. And you are?"
"Ah, please forgive my rudeness, Miss Nikos. The name's Jaune Arc. Pleasure to meet you," he answered, glad that this conversation didn't appear to be going down in flames. "So... you're uh... Hellenic?"
"Indeed I am!" Pyrrha replied, her smile only growing brighter. "Might I ask where you're from? I'm afraid I'm not familiar with your accent or garb."
"Radian, up in Gallia," Jaune tentatively responded, giving Pyrrha a small grin. "If you ain't heard of it, that ain't unusual." He looked down at the poncho and worn trail clothes he was wearing and shrugged. "Uh, my garb's just... Um... I worked as a cowhand for a while and well, I guess I'm used to it, Miss Nikos."
"Radian sounds lovely," the redhead said warmly. "I'd like to hear more about it."
Jaune's grin broadened and he scratched the back of his head. "Oh, it's nowhere important. I've uh, never been to Mistral! So, you can tell me about it, too. Maybe after Initiation?"
Pyrrha's smile was incandescent, "That sounds wonderful, Jaune. I'm looking forward to it. Perhaps we should begin making our way towards Beacon Cliff?" She gestured to the exit and began walking.
"Oh, of course!" The cowboy agreed readily, falling into step with his new friend. "That's prolly a good idea..." He tilted his head as something about her almost triggered a memory. "Say, ain't I seen you somewhere before? You seem familiar somehow..."
The ever present smile on Pyrrha's face grew brittle. "Oh, I just have one of those faces."
Jaune squinted at the redhead, "Hmm, if you say so."
They continued on in silence until the mounting awkwardness forced the cowboy to speak. "You any good at fightin', miss?" Jaune immediately felt the need to punch himself in the face.
Of course she's good at fighting you moron! the blond berated himself internally. She's at Beacon! She knows what she's doing, unlike you!
Pyrrha's eyes glittered with mirth. "Oh, I think I'm alright. How about you? You certainly seem like you can handle yourself." Her eyes alighted on the myriad weapons strapped to his body.
Jaune shrugged, a sheepish grin on his face. "I mean, I'm alive. Though that's mostly thanks to my friends." He paused as they approached the cliff, noting his companion carried a shield and mechashift sword. "I'll admit, I'm more used to just shootin' Grimm to kill 'em than fancy swordwork but I am willing to learn, miss. It's uh, it's more economical with swords, or so I've heard. But my prospector friend says Remnant is a mineral rich planet so we ain't gotta worry we'll run outta bullets any time soon."
Nice going, dumbass, his internal monologue growled. Keep this up and you'll strike out with every girl in school.
"Perhaps if we end up on the same team, we'll have a chance to give each other pointers?" The armor-clad girl asked eagerly.
Wait, that worked!?
"Well, that would be nice, Miss Nikos," Jaune readily agreed. "I would appreciate anything you could teach me."
"I'm certain we have a lot to offer each other," Pyrrha said, putting her hand on his shoulder.
The cowboy blushed at the sudden contact from the beautiful young woman, coughing awkwardly, "That... That's for certain, miss." He looked down, bashfulness overtaking him, before realizing his gaze would be pointed directly at his new friend's chest.
Jaune immediately turned away, yanking his hat down over his face to cover his mortification. "Ah, W-Well! We should... get down to the cliff's edge! Don't-Don't wanna be late!"
"Indeed!" The redhead agreed, eyes sparkling with amusement. "I look forward to spending more time with you, Jaune."
"L-likewise! Be seein' you, Miss Nikos!" Jaune stammered as he power-walked away.
Pyrrha watched him flee with a singular thought in her mind: He's Perfect.
Cowboys of Remnant: The Taste of His Own Boots
Jaune finished securing the saddle to Orleans' back and gave her mane a quick tousle. In response, the chestnut mare twisted her head around to stare at him balefully, clearly displeased with the mussing of her hair.
"Yeah, yeah," the cowboy groused in good humor. "You'll get your revenge an' all that."
The horse snorted, unamused.
"We're prob'ly fightin' Grimm today, y'know? Feels like this ain't really a big deal."
Orleans bared her teeth and snapped at him.
"Alright, alright!" Jaune retrieved a brush from their saddlebags and gave the mare's mane a few quick strokes to straighten it out. "Better?"
A whinny of approval.
"You're damn vain, ya know?"
The smug look in the horse's eye indicated she was well aware.
Jaune shook his head, smiling. "Well, yer highness, I might need your help today. So keep an ear open, alright?"
Orleans leaned forward, wrapping her neck over her rider's shoulder in an equine hug, and gave a huff of confirmation. Jaune returned her embrace and patted her withers.
"Thanks, Orly. I'll be seein' you,'' Jaune murmured into his companion's neck.
She whinnied farewell.
Leaving the stables, Jaune beelined for the locker room where he'd stashed his gear. He'd kept his revolver and knife on him, but figured storing Crocea Mors and his shotgun would be a prudent measure while on Beacon's campus. Quickly finding his locker, the cowboy gave his weapons a once-over, ensuring they hadn't been tampered with, and buckled them on. Feeling a bit more secure now that he was fully armed, he made his way towards the exit, before a flash of white in the corner of his eye caught his attention.
Jaune turned to take a closer look, and had his breath taken away.
Her hair shone the color of snow. Her eyes glittered like brilliant sapphires. Her pale skin glowed like the moon. She stood perhaps a full head and shoulders shorter than he did, her figure slim and clad in a soft white skirt, blouse, and coat ensemble. A scar ran across her left eye, but instead of detracting from her appearance, it served as an enhancement and spoke of steel in her spirit. Every mannerism she displayed as she conversed with her companion spoke of an elegance and refinement that he'd never seen before. Every single thing about her was ethereal, like she'd just stepped out of the pages of a fairy tale.
She might have been the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen.
Jaune wouldn't say he was "good with the ladies," as his friend Miguel put it. In fact, he'd never flirted with a single woman in his life. But he had to say something to this beautiful fairy that had suddenly appeared before him.
Dammit, what did his father say again?
His mind flashed back to a memory of Nicholas Arc, an encouraging smile on his bearded face. "Remember Jaune," his father said. "Women care about confidence! If you're confident, everything else will follow."
"Right," Jaune muttered to himself, eyes still locked on the heavenly vision before him. "Confidence. But what's a good way to start a conversation with a beautiful girl you don't know?"
Another memory came to the fore, of a beautiful woman in a low-cut dress giving him a sultry smile. She beckoned him closer with her feathery fan, before saying, in a throaty voice, "My my, what's a handsome lad like you doing here?" He'd been flattered and flustered but had to beg off because his ma'd raised him right. The memory of that woman still kept him up on some nights though.
Jaune grinned. If it had worked on him, then it had to work on the angel in white too, right?
Waiting for a lull in the ongoing conversation, he approached the stunning woman with a swagger in his step, trying to imitate Mr. Duke's own stride. Taking a deep breath, he caught the white-haired girl's eye and tipped his hat to her.
"Mornin' Miss." Jaune said with a wide smile. "What's a little lady like yourself doin' in a place like this?"
Perfect! He thought to himself. A thought that fled at the expression of absolute fury that swept over the angel's face.
"I am here to become a Huntress, you absolute buffoon!" The girl hissed venomously, murder in her eyes. "Not engage in whatever stupidity this is! Good day!" She stomped off in a huff.
For a moment, Jaune was stunned into inaction as he replayed the events in his head before he smacked himself in the face.
"You damn fool," he growled to himself. "Of course that didn't work! You called her small and implied she wasn't good enough to be a Huntress! Stupid!"
Lowering his hand from his face, Jaune remembered there had been a conversation ongoing before he'd interrupted it. He looked up at the person the woman in white had been talking to, greeting them politely. "Howdy... Uh..."
Oh Breaker, she is gorgeous. Why are all these Huntresses so dang beautiful? Jaune thought.
The woman in front of him had hair put up in a ponytail that cascaded down her back like a river of fire. Lightly tanned skin was pulled taut over corded muscle on an hourglass figure clad in red and bronze armor. She was almost tall enough to look him in the eyes with her own emerald orbs. Said orbs were set into an achingly beautiful face, heart-shaped with well-formed features.
"I'm afraid I didn't catch your name, Miss," Jaune spoke, slightly stupefied by yet another incredibly beautiful woman.
A woman who gave him a warm smile and happily replied, "I'm Pyrrha Nikos. And you are?"
"Ah, please forgive my rudeness, Miss Nikos. The name's Jaune Arc. Pleasure to meet you," he answered, glad that this conversation didn't appear to be going down in flames. "So... you're uh... Hellenic?"
"Indeed I am!" Pyrrha replied, her smile only growing brighter. "Might I ask where you're from? I'm afraid I'm not familiar with your accent or garb."
"Radian, up in Gallia," Jaune tentatively responded, giving Pyrrha a small grin. "If you ain't heard of it, that ain't unusual." He looked down at the poncho and worn trail clothes he was wearing and shrugged. "Uh, my garb's just... Um... I worked as a cowhand for a while and well, I guess I'm used to it, Miss Nikos."
"Radian sounds lovely," the redhead said warmly. "I'd like to hear more about it."
Jaune's grin broadened and he scratched the back of his head. "Oh, it's nowhere important. I've uh, never been to Mistral! So, you can tell me about it, too. Maybe after Initiation?"
Pyrrha's smile was incandescent, "That sounds wonderful, Jaune. I'm looking forward to it. Perhaps we should begin making our way towards Beacon Cliff?" She gestured to the exit and began walking.
"Oh, of course!" The cowboy agreed readily, falling into step with his new friend. "That's prolly a good idea..." He tilted his head as something about her almost triggered a memory. "Say, ain't I seen you somewhere before? You seem familiar somehow..."
The ever present smile on Pyrrha's face grew brittle. "Oh, I just have one of those faces."
Jaune squinted at the redhead, "Hmm, if you say so."
They continued on in silence until the mounting awkwardness forced the cowboy to speak. "You any good at fightin', miss?" Jaune immediately felt the need to punch himself in the face.
Of course she's good at fighting you moron! the blond berated himself internally. She's at Beacon! She knows what she's doing, unlike you!
Pyrrha's eyes glittered with mirth. "Oh, I think I'm alright. How about you? You certainly seem like you can handle yourself." Her eyes alighted on the myriad weapons strapped to his body.
Jaune shrugged, a sheepish grin on his face. "I mean, I'm alive. Though that's mostly thanks to my friends." He paused as they approached the cliff, noting his companion carried a shield and mechashift sword. "I'll admit, I'm more used to just shootin' Grimm to kill 'em than fancy swordwork but I am willing to learn, miss. It's uh, it's more economical with swords, or so I've heard. But my prospector friend says Remnant is a mineral rich planet so we ain't gotta worry we'll run outta bullets any time soon."
Nice going, dumbass, his internal monologue growled. Keep this up and you'll strike out with every girl in school.
"Perhaps if we end up on the same team, we'll have a chance to give each other pointers?" The armor-clad girl asked eagerly.
Wait, that worked!?
"Well, that would be nice, Miss Nikos," Jaune readily agreed. "I would appreciate anything you could teach me."
"I'm certain we have a lot to offer each other," Pyrrha said, putting her hand on his shoulder.
The cowboy blushed at the sudden contact from the beautiful young woman, coughing awkwardly, "That... That's for certain, miss." He looked down, bashfulness overtaking him, before realizing his gaze would be pointed directly at his new friend's chest.
Jaune immediately turned away, yanking his hat down over his face to cover his mortification. "Ah, W-Well! We should... get down to the cliff's edge! Don't-Don't wanna be late!"
"Indeed!" The redhead agreed, eyes sparkling with amusement. "I look forward to spending more time with you, Jaune."
"L-likewise! Be seein' you, Miss Nikos!" Jaune stammered as he power-walked away.
Pyrrha watched him flee with a singular thought in her mind: He's Perfect.
