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[ ic contact ]
"Helloooo! You've reached Jaune Arc! If I'm not answering, it means I'm probably off somewhere fighting monsters or... doing something really awesome like saving a cat, or the president's son! You know how it is, a leader's schedule can be really hectic nowadays, ha ha! Just kidding, I'm probably in school, but I'd totally do those things if I ha-- [BEEP]"
[ TEXT | VOICE | VIDEO | ACTION ]
voice;
Jaune, what's your life in Cerealia like? Your day to day, what's that like?
voice;
Well, I... I never really thought about it. I guess it starts with me waking up from bed, then I'd either make cereal or skip it if I'm late for school-- which kinda happens more often than it should. Keeping track of time on my own is harder than I thought it'd be! Anyway, so typically I'd go to school, in which teachers get to remind me how dumb I am for the next 6 hours or so. It's not so bad, though, I mean, my friends go there, too - I actually really like school! Or the time between classes, anyway, like I'd have lunch with Shiho, or Weiss, or Rapunzel, those are the good parts, y'know? After school, barring any disasters, I'd either help Shiho out with her job or I'd do my own - I'm a street sweeper, Miss Hawke! The pay isn't that great, but I think I do a good job and I get to meet new people every day. Other times I'd train at the gym or dojo, or go grocery shopping to stock up on the pantry for the week ahead. Come around evening, again if nothing has tried to kill us at that point, I'd cook dinner-- but, sometimes, I'd get distracted and then it's ruined. That's when I order take-away. After that I'd put on my onesie, but I usually don't fall asleep until much later. Heh, actually, I think I have this bad habit of staying up too late, it's usually homework, or... hobbies! Other times I just, I dunno, I guess I worry about stuff. Now that I think about it, that's probably why I'm late to school the next day. Maybe I should make my cereal before going to sleep, then just eat it in the morning or something, hm.
Why?
voice;
You're not dumb. Don't listen to them. Also, stop wearing a onesie. Maker.
[ but right. she chews on her lip a little, figuring out how to put this. ]
I just think... Sousei had a life like that too, right? He didn't go to school, he didn't have to, but he had a regularly set schedule too. Part of that was seeing you, part of that was seeing me, he adjusted to his life here just like you have and made the best of it. Now he's gone.
[ where's she... going with this... she's not really sure, actually. she's just going to talk. ]
And if he could do it -- and sometimes he helped Cerealia, sometimes he didn't -- if he could do it and feel fine in his place here, so can you, right? It doesn't matter your use to CERES or the colony or anything like that. What matters is... your friends. Shiho, Weiss, Rapunzel, they deserve you staying here just like we deserved Sousei staying here. He's gone and we appreciated him while he was here, didn't we? Don't ask 'why me' -- just value your time here. With your friends. Then if they leave or you leave, you can know that you were appreciated while you were here. Not for anything like usefulness but for something like... like being a good person.
[ hawke is not really into protagging this hard but it happens sometimes! ]
voice;
I dunno if being good is good enough, Miss Hawke. Sousei asked me what I had to offer when I wanted him to train me, and I... I didn't have an answer. He sparred with Pyrrha, yet I wasn't worth a minute of his time. He's so incredible in battle, Miss Hawke, like the way I see my ancestors! Not just in battle, either, but as a leader! I just-- I wanted to prove myself at least once. I guess it's too late now...
voice;
anyway, hawke gives a scoff at that. ]
I think you need to take Sousei off that pedestal you've set him on. I fought Sousei, I fought him quite a lot. Most of the time, we didn't even use swords -- just our fists. And, most of the time, we didn't have a reason to fight other than being bored.
[ she pauses, considers. ]
You provide something, Jaune. To your friends and to Cerealia, if you want to extend it there. I don't think you have to give Cerealia anything of your time but if you think you must, you should think more about what you have to offer. So, you can't fight. So what? So, you're not a good leader. Again, so what? You're a good friend, I've seen you be a good friend, and that's the only thing that matters. Cerealia is... unimportant compared to the relationships you make here. Value those, not some blasted sense of responsibility to a city that's holding you captive.
[ life lessons from marian "friendship wins in the end" hawke. ]
voice;
Being a good friend is one thing, but I need to be better! I didn't ask to be a leader, but I guess I am one, so... I just. Don't wanna disappoint anyone.
[ And he wants
his parentsSousei to believe in him! Or at the very least, don't screw up something so bad that everyone will see him the way Sousei does. ]voice;
No. I know perfectly well what it's like to feel helpless while your friends run off and fight for you. I -- [ a pause. does she want to say it? ] I lost my brother that way and it's my fault. Only mine.
[ well, she said it. ]
Being a leader isn't the greatest thing. I, personally, have never wanted to be a leader and finding yourself becoming one is... unfortunate. Yet, if you're a leader, if you're chosen to be a leader, shouldn't that mean the skills you already have have merit enough?
voice;
voice;
[ she sighs then, hoping she doesn't regret mentioning it. she already feels like she might, feeling uncomfortable with sharing at all. ]
It... is what it is. People die, that's reality. Sometimes they're the ones you care about. Sometimes they're not.