Jaune Mercer: Volume 1

Chapter 6: A Fanged Smile.

"I know that you're responsible for several heists in Mistral," Eve started.

 I know that numerous criminals either want to recruit you, follow you, or kill you."

"I know that you've either injured or killed people."

Jaune remained silent, not denying anything she said.

Eve paused for a moment, looking hesitant to say the next part.

"And you've been eating Grimm."

Jaune looked at Eve even more. She had a nervous, yet look of worry. On the inside, Jaune could sense those negative emotions.

At the same time, he could feel a sense of courage.

"Tell me the truth. That's not a semblance. It's something else, isn't it?" Eve asked.

"You're not wrong," Jaune said.

"Truth be told, I'm not exactly fully human anymore."

Eve walked closer to Jaune.

"Jaune. What happened to you?" Eve asked.

Jaune looked away from Eve.

Eve walked even closer.

"Please. Tell me," Eve said.

Jaune sighed.

"Before I say anything, what do you know?" Jaune asked.

"Just that you got expelled for fake transcripts," Eve said.

Jaune sighs. She already knew, so what's the harm. The truth is he was hesitant for fear of being looked at like some kind of abomination.

"To be honest, that's the least of the news," Jaune said.

Jaune looked away from Eve.

"Are you sure want to know?"

"Yes," Eve said with no hesitation.

"Alright," Jaune said.

Jaune started to tell Eve everything. From when he revealed his fake transcripts to his so-called friends to everything after that. How he was cruelly treated by the students and professors. How he got disowned by his family and was branded a disgrace. How the citizens of Vale treated him like a pariah. How he couldn't show his face without some sort of repercussion. How he tried to be a hero but was treated like a villain. He even told her of his descent into the Grimm pool and becoming what he is now.

However, he did say how the incident gave him more power than before. Not only that, he had people who still cared about him. He also mentioned how the incident gave him a sense of purpose and goals again.

Jaune stopped talking and looked at Eve, who was silent.

"Speechless, huh?" Jaune asked.

He turned his head away from her.

"Well, I guess that's to be expected. I mean, I haven't told anyone what I am now. You're the first."

"I figured they'd look at me as some kind of abomination and try to kill me or study me like some lab experiment."

"I understand if I look like some kind of freak to-"

Suddenly, Eve hugged him, cutting off his sentence.

She starts to sniffle.

"E-Eve?" Jaune asked.

She pulled away from the hug and looked at him. Tears were streaming down her face.