Jaune Arc did not regret his decision to become a Huntsman. Nor did he regret his decision to train as hard as he could.
That said, he was regretting that he hadn't trained harder in the past as Yang knocked him down onto the gym training mat again. The blonde bombshell stood over him with a smile as she panted for breath.
"Hey! Good work!" She complimented him, rubbing a red mark on her cheek that was fading away, "You actually got a hit in on me!"
"Nngh..." He found it in himself to smile. He then pushed himself up to his knees, then back onto his feet. He got his fists back up.
"O-Okay... Ready," he managed. Yang winced.
"Hey Stud, maybe you should take a breather, huh?"
"I... I can do this all day," Jaune insisted. Yang chuckled, before she grabbed his forearm and guided him over to the benches along the wall. Numerous other students were training nearby, on weights, treadmills, and various other equipment.
"I know, but let's take a breather, huh?" She said. "You can save that shonen determinator stuff for a real fight."
Jaune flushed. Yang sat down next to him, and picked up their water bottles. She handed his to Jaune, and he took it gratefully. They sipped their water in silence for a few moments, just getting their breath back.
"Sorry," Jaune mumbled. "I just feel like I'm not getting good enough fast enough, ya know?"
Yang rolled her eyes.
"Geez... Who are you comparing yourself to? Hyperman? You're doing fine, Jaune. Hell, you're doing ludicrously well given how you were literally an untrained civilian a few months ago."
Jaune smiled widely at her.
"Really? Y-You mean that?"
"Yeah," Yang said with a nod, "Seriously. Don't be so hard on yourself. Sure, you're not top of the class but..." She grinned, "I'm definitely not wasting my time."
Jaune smiled back. It did a few things to Yang's heart that she pointed ignored.
Come on... He's all over Weisscream... Ruby's got a crush, and Pyrrha... Yeah, come on, she thought to herself, Don't even think about it...
"Well! Good to see you're keeping up on gym day," a deadpan voice drawled. Jaune started and looked up, as did Yang. A middle aged but fit man with curly brown hair, green eyes, and a long face grinned at them. He wore a brown suit with matching trousers and a green button-up shirt.
Jaune's eyes widened and he grinned.
"Uncle Peter?!"
"I'd hug ya, but I think I'll wait til after your shower," he said. He glanced at Yang and raised an eyebrow. "Your girlfriend?"
"J-Just my friend," Jaune said quickly, "This is Yang Xiao-Long. Yang? This is my Uncle Peter."
Yang tolerated the man giving her the once over. It was only natural given she was hot and in her gym clothes. He extended his hand with his eyes on hers though, so she didn't give into temptation to punch him.
"Charmed," Peter said with a nod and a wink.
"What brings you to Vale?" Jaune asked curiously. "The Vytal Festival?"
Peter shrugged, a wry smile on his face.
"It's work related. An old summer camp needs some special care."
"Really?" Jaune asked, looking interested. Peter nodded.
"Yeah. Actually... I think you and your friend would be perfect for the gig. You want in? I can cut you guys in for a fairly decent contractor's fee."
"What kind of job is it?" Yang asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Extermination," Peter stated. Yang blinked.
"Grimm?"
Peter grinned.
"Even worse. Thing is... The nature of the job means we gotta keep things quiet until the big reveal. We think the thing operates based on emotions."
Yang glanced at Jaune.
"What kind of extermination is this?" She asked.
"It's specialized," Jaune said, "Most people don't uh... Don't believe it, but it's the real deal."
Yang hummed.
"And you need me?"
"Trust me, you are perfect for it," Peter said with a grin. "Just requires a bit of acting."
Yang's eyes narrowed.
"It's not porn," Jaune said quickly.
Peter threw his hands up.
"Why does everyone make that assumption?!"
- - -
Despite Yang's reluctance... The money was good and hey: She did trust Jaune.
Going to an abandoned summer camp where Jaune's uncle's associates set up strange equipment around the dock at the lake was weird, but not too out of her comfort zone. Ray, Egon, and Winston were all nice-Though Egon definitely came off as very weird.
The only hitch was the actual job.
"Okay, you told me this wasn't porn," Yang stated flatly, standing in a string bikini on the dock.
"It isn't!" Peter insisted. "It isn't! Really! Jaune's mom would kick my ass if I even thought of putting him into it!"
"Okay, so what is all this?" Yang demanded. She pointed at a towel and picnic basket sitting on the dock as the sun slowly began to set, "What kind of thing are we trying to lure out?"
"We can't tell you all the details because it tracks based on emotion," Ray pointed out, making some adjustments at a computer terminal, "So your reactions need to be genuine."
"But trust us, if we pull this off, we'll be making the world a MUCH better place," Winston added, the dark skinned man checking on a thrower device hooked up via a tube to a heavy looking backpack. They were called "proton packs", and each man carried one.
"The murder and disappearance rate around this area for the last twenty years has been abnormally high, and the PKE readings are off the charts," Egon muttered, typing on a laptop, "Hmmm... The pattern suggests focused and semi-corporeal... A revenant?"
"That would fit with our theory," Ray added. The chubby man smiled warmly at Yang, "Trust us, this is gonna be great! You'll be totally safe!"
"I think I could handle whatever this thing is with my fists," Yang deadpanned. Egon shook his head.
"Unfortunately due to its nature as partially organic, Aura is ineffectual against it," he said. "Given how many Hunters-in-Training teams it's taken down."
"Immune to Aura?!" Yang squeaked. "And so, what, I'm out here as bait?!"
"It only attacks when there are teenagers involved in specific activities around," Peter said, "But don't worry. We'll take it down."
Yang glared harder. Peter sighed.
"Fine. Triple what we promised?"
"... Fine," Yang groaned. "What's one more stupid decision in my life?"
"That's the spirit!" Peter cheered. "HEY JAUNE! YOU READY?"
Jaune emerged from the dressing rooms near the lake... Walking stiffly in a Speedo. His face was bright red.
"Is this necessary?" He demanded. Peter's lips twitched.
"Totally! It's in the literature," he said.
Yang stared intently, her cheeks bright red.
Oh... Oh wow... Okay... I see the training's been paying off...
Jaune locked eyes on her... And blushed brightly as well. He coughed and held his towel in front of his lower half.
"Uh... H-Hey Yang... You look... N-Nice," he managed.
"Y-You too, VB," Yang stuttered.
"Perfect! Awkward teenaged chemistry!" Ray grinned. "How are their pheromone levels, Egon?"
Egon held up another scanner, his blonde eyebrow raised.
"Quite high overall, but closer contact will help."
"In that case," Peter said, as the sun set behind the mountains, "It's showtime!"
They turned on the lights over the dock, and went into hidden positions. Yang and Jaune walked to the towel, and sat down. Peter poked his head out from behind an overturned boat on shore.
"Okay! Just like in the script!" He called out.
"S-Sure," Yang mumbled.
"R-Right," Jaune muttered.
He reached out and pulled her into a hug. One she returned. Their blushes got brighter.
"Um... S-So... I think you're super hot, Yang," Jaune began, "Like... The hottest camp counselor here!"
"Oh... Yeah! It's what comes from being a cheerleader!" Yang replied.
"Ditzier!" Peter hissed. Yang glared.
"I'm not a dumb blonde!"
"You're playing one!"
Yang sighed. She then let out a giggle and cuddled against Jaune. She had to admit, she liked how cute he was blushing. At least she wasn't the only one embarassed.
"Yeah! I'm the head cheerleader! So like, I gotta be hottest! Totes!" She managed. She looked up at him and batted her eyelashes.
"So, since we're here and not doing our jobs to look after the kids," she continued, "You wanna... Smoke some pot?"
Jaune coughed. He then looked her right in the eyes.
"Uhhh... Actually, um... I would rather have pre-marital sex with you," he said.
Yang giggled, though it was a little more nervous than amused. Jaune was very warm and the way he said it, while dorky, had so much conviction...
Geez...
"W-Wow... Me too!" Yang said. "I love pre-marital sex! Especially without protection!"
A pause. Both teenagers glared at Peter.
"Who wrote this crap?" Yang demaned.
Peter pointed over at Ray. Ray coughed.
"To be fair, I used an AI generator to avoid any emotional bias-"
"Don't knock it!" Winston said, looking over at the trees. "It's working."
Yang looked at the trees. Something huge and hulking was stalking through them. Dark and malevolent, like smoke trying to assume a human form. Her eyes widened.
"Don't pay attention to it!" Peter hissed, "Keep focused! You gotta draw it in!"
Normally, Yang was fearless. But the prospect of being bait for something she couldn't fight was intimidating. Still...
"R-R-Right," Yang mumbled, looking back at Jaune, "Um... So... That pre-marital sex, and-and all... Uh... Um... We... We..."
It was very hard to remember her lines as the shadow gained form-A seven foot tall brute of a man with a hockey mask and a machete. It began to stride out of the trees-Relentless, menacing.
Ohhh... Oh shit... Um... What... What do I do?! I forgot everything! Yang's mind wailed.
"He's almost there! Go! Go!" Peter hissed.
What do I do now?! Yang's mind demanded. Something cold and icy was wrapping around her, like the brute was projecting sheer menace. She couldn't move, she couldn't breathe...!
Jaune cupped her chin in his hands. He swallowed, and looked deeply into her eyes.
"Nothing will happen to you," Jaune whispered, "I'll never let anything happen to you... Because you're the light of my life."
He leaned in and kissed her. The icy feeling vanished, replaced by warmth. She leaned into the kiss, moaning quietly as he held her tightly.
She'd had so little physical affection in her life: Despite her looks and attitude, she wasn't easy. She had to think about Ruby and so she had virtually no experience. Jaune was so warm and so strong and his conviction even in this situation... It was definitely doing things to her.
But she was still a Huntress. So when the menacing figure stalked over them and lifted up its machete? She grabbed Jaune and leaped right off the dock into the water.
"NOW!"
Four streams of orange energy erupted, projected from the four older men's proton packs. The monstrous figure's rotten, decaying flesh exploded. Something glowed in the center of it, writhing and screaming like a worm from hell. Yang and Jaune surfaced, treading the water as the four men blasted the worm. The orange beams wrapped around it, and it struggled to escape against the pull.
"THE TRAP RAY!" Peter shouted. Ray threw out a small box on wheels that rolled underneath the monster. It opened, and a bright light emitted. The worm screamed like something out of nightmares, before it was sucked into the trap. The doors shut and its lights flashed... Before it beeped twice.
The four men walked up to the trap, checked it over, and grinned at each other.
"One in the box!"
"Ready to go!"
"We be fast..."
They pointed at the trap with smiles.
"They be slow!" They chorused together.
Yang and Jaune got back onto the dock. Yang scowled as Jaune got her a towel and wrapped her in it.
"So... You were using us as bait?!" Yang demanded.
"You were in little real danger," Egon stated, adjusting his glasses, "And it had to be very attractive teenagers with good sexual chemistry."
"Take it easy, Yang," Winston said, waving a hand, "You've saved a lot of lives."
"Yeah," Ray enthused, "Camp Crystal Lake is haunted no more! I can't wait to study this guy!"
Yang scowled. Jaune wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
"And we did have to go in blind since it can sense emotions," Jaune said with a nod. He scowled. "Still Uncle Peter... I hope you're not gonna be cheap."
Peter pointed to himself with an innocent look.
"Cheap? When have I ever been cheap in my life? You should see these guys' research budget."
"Peter," Winston, Egon and Ray all said with varying scowls. Peter sighed.
"Fine. Triple the usual rate... And I'll get you guys a table at Minerva's. Least I can do for my nephew and his girlfriend."
"She's not," Jaune started, "URK!"
And ended with Yang's elbow in his abs. Yang smirked and took his hand, even as he blushed brightly.
"Sounds like a start, Uncle Peter! So uh... What did you call your company again? I swear I've heard of it before."
"Ghostbusters," all four men said in synch.
- - -
I dunno, it just came to me. A Halloween themed Arc Clan entry! Which is something any of you can do!
well except maybe the council but pretty sure he could have stopped them of power with his seats and military.
