Playing For Keeps - Ch 41 (Adv.) - The Moon Is Just the SSN At Night (Patreon)

In the end, Qrow agreed to split up for the evening, so as to ‘not cramp each others’ style at the festival’. I wasn’t entirely sure if that meant he was going to be meeting with those contacts he’d mentioned or just wanted to hit a bar for rumors, but since he’d agreed to keep me in the loop I didn’t press.

The festival in question, Konohanasakuya no Hi, had apparently been going on since dawn, and was only getting rowdier now that night had fallen and the Cored moon had risen. From the quick rundown Qrow had given me, it was the last of a series of celebrations of the beginning of Spring. The motifs of rabbits and vetches were also everywhere, which he said were a holdover of the Mistrali festival that was syncretized into the current holiday.

Shining Knight -› A Brilliant R Name | Saturday 20:47

‹Shining Knight› touching base as promised

‹Shining Knight› made it to mistral

‹Khamira› That was quite fast.

‹Shining Knight› yeah I thought so too

‹Shining Knight› meanwhile I see the groupchat still has a placeholder name

‹The Warrior In The Woods› I’m gonNA THINK OF ONE SOON

‹The Warrior In The Woods› STUPID-HEAD

‹Shining Knight› Ruby that insult is about as scathing as a vtube comment

‹The Warrior In The Woods› -.-

‹Captain Mistral› I didn’t realize you were going to Mistral. Hopefully you have time to see some of the festivals.

‹Shining Knight› currently in progress. what can you tell me about today’s?

‹Captain Mistral› Konohanasakuya Day moves each year to coincide with the blooming of plum blossoms, which is significant because they are typically the first flowers of Spring despite the lingering cold. I was just thinking it’s a shame I won’t get to have any plum blossom tea this year.

‹Shining Knight› I’ll try to bring you some

‹Captain Mistral› Thank you, Jaune, that would be lovely.

‹Shining Knight› any other recommendations for the team?

‹Captain Mistral› I suspect Ruby will quiet enjoy koulourakia. For Blake, perhaps some lakerda?

‹Shining Knight› got it. all right I should probably pay attention to where I’m going; later

I made my way down out of the upper city and toward Mistral Below. Most of the usual shops were closed, but the owners had mostly set up stalls or food carts out front to capitalize on the increased foot traffic. In addition to the tea, cookies, and fish, which all vanished into my [Inventory], I picked up an okonomiyaki topped with gyro meat in the typical Mistrali style and a bottle of sweet plum liqueur.

Following the biggest crowds and keeping both my eyes and senses peeled, I quickly found the main event: a series of four parade floats clearly inspired by the Familias. The first one was decorated with a recurring motif of a pair of ravens, the next one a green and gold unicorn, then a lion, and finally a wolf. It was the third one that caught my attention, because seated on it with a serene smile that reminded me of her cousin, was a woman I recognized.

‹Unstoppable Force›LV 76Bia Álikos

She was wearing what was presumably a traditional Mistrali dress, something I thought was called a peplos that was sleeveless to reveal her incredible musculature, open at the shoulders and pinned in place with a bronze brooch, and belted just below her bust with a corded girdle. It fell to her ankles, but was slit up to the thigh so her movements weren’t restricted. Her auburn hair was drawn back by a narrow headband, through which was stuck a sprig of plum blossoms, and she held a basket of plums in the crook of her elbow as well as a longspear and round shield on her back. All in all, she looked like a warrior goddess.

Bia was waving idly to the crowd, and I couldn’t help letting out a whistle as I waved back along with everyone. It seemed to draw her attention, however, and her eyebrows rose when she saw me. Her lips formed my name. Jaune?

I grinned and waggled an extended thumb and pinky by my head. Call me.

I tipped her a wink, and her cheeks went a little pink. Huh, what’s up with that? Yeah I was a bit flirty, but as good as she looks tonight I cannot possibly be the only person to hit on her.

My musing was interrupted by a furious growl. “There you are, you son of a bitch!”

Someone else called, “Sage, don’t! That’s not–!” and I glanced around curiously, wondering if I’d need to break up a fight. Instead, I spotted a fist flying at my face, which I caught on instinct, dropping my umeshu and falling back a step to disperse the force. The crowd hurriedly shuffled apart around us.

“Have you been helped?” I asked politely, since the guy was gaping at me instead of trying to swing again. He was a few inches taller than me, with dark tan skin, dark green hair, and gold eyes.

“You’re… not Sun,” he said blankly. His friend, a handsome guy with blue hair, grabbed his shoulder and yanked him back, so I let go and turned to face them properly, ignoring the crowd that still seemed to be expecting a fight to break out.

‹A Man Alone Hath Lost›LV 26Sage Ayana

‹Steadfast As The Tide›LV 25Neptune Vasilias

Sage seemed to snap out of his shock and pressed his hands to his sides, bowing at the waist. “I’m very sorry; I mistook you for someone else.”

Neptune rubbed his face. “I keep telling you, you’ve got to chill out, dude. He doesn’t even have a tail!”

“And since you were looking, I’m sure you can also attest Wukong’s ass isn’t half as nice as mine,” I quipped, sticking out a hand. “Jaune Arc, I go to Beacon.”

“I wasn’t looking at your ass!” Neptune protested, then paused halfway through the handshake. “How’d you know who we were talking about?”

“Lucky guess,” I said drily. “ I met Sun in Vale last week; he mentioned you guys. I take it he didn’t call like I told him to?”

“He did not,” Sage growled.

“Well, I’d pass on a message, but I’d be lying if I said he gave one,” I gave a wry smile. “He did agree that he owed you an apology, but I suppose he hasn’t worked himself up to it yet.”

“Really?” Neptune asked.

“He also called you a big nerd?” I offered, and he sighed.

“Yeah, you talked to Sun all right.”

“Who talked to Sun?” asked a voice in what I would have called an English accent.

‹All Goes If Courage Goes›LV 21Scarlet David

“Oh, I see. I’m Scarlet.” An androgynous figure with undercut red hair approached and shook my hand. “He or They.”

“Charmed. I was just telling your boys that Sun is waiting for you in Vale. I’m here for a mission, but if you want I’ll kick his ass when I get back to Beacon for leaving you all hanging.”

“Why send a Beacon student for a mission in Mistral?” Scarlet wondered.

I shrugged. “My sister said the same thing. It’s not really about me, though; it was a personal thing for my Mentor and I got dragged along. Actually, maybe you guys can help me out; I swung by Haven earlier but Professor Lionheart wasn’t in. Have y’all seen him?”

The three of them exchanged looks, then shook their heads. “Not since… Tuesday, I think?” said Scarlet. “He made a speech for Flower Week at dinner.

“I saw him at breakfast on Thursday,” Neptune offered.

Sage just shrugged.

Well, I knew it was a long shot. “Are you headed somewhere? Don’t let me keep you.”

“Naw, we’re just hanging out,” Scarlet denied. “Do you want us to show you around?”

“If you don’t mind me continually craning my neck around to look for the Professor, then sure. In exchange, I’ll tell you all about how Sun got me arrested within hours of meeting him.”

All three of them facepalmed, and Neptune groaned, “Do I need to go bail him out again?”

I burst out laughing. “No, but that sounds like a story. I was just joking, though.” They looked relieved, so I clarified, “Not about the getting arrested, and it was kind of on his behalf, but it wasn’t his fault the way I made it sound.”

“Okay this I have to hear,” said Neptune. “Let’s get out of the crush and grab some tea.”

Falling in beside them, I smirked. “So it went like this…”

----------------------------------------

“–So all of us ended up cuffed along with them,” I finished, nursing a new umeshu Sage had bought me.

“So Tenné ran off to Vale,” Scarlet mused, then shook their head. “Good for… him, I suppose.”

“I actually met him a few months before that, panhandling, so he didn’t have the easiest time, but he’s doing better now,” I agreed, making a note to check what Leo’s plans were over term breaks, since it sounded like going home might not be on the table.

Scarlet looked furious for a moment, then pinched the bridge of his nose and visibly calmed himself down. “Ray and Michael are both gonna throw a real wobbly…”

The British slang prompted me to ask, “Sorry if this is rude, but I lost my memory last year and I don’t think I’ve heard an accent like yours; do you mind if I ask where you’re from?”

“Wait, really?” Neptune gawked.

“S’alright,” said Scarlet. “I’m from New Oxford; it’s the wee island between Anima and Mokupuni o Pālaha.”

I blinked. “And where?”

“It’s the native name for Menagerie,” he explained. “Which doesn’t connote being… you know…”

“A zoo,” I finished, nodding. “I had been wondering about the origin of that name, since, well, it sounds Valic.”

“No, stop, hold on, back up,” Neptune interrupted, crossing his arms in an X. “What was that about losing your memory?”

That led to another long story about my ‘amnesia’, and how I’d overcome it to join Beacon regardless with the help of friends, my sisters, and a series of life-or-death fights.

“Damn, dude,” Neptune said when I finished. “And you still secured an apprenticeship with a Master Huntsman.”

“Some people have all the luck,” Sage muttered, and I shrugged.

“Good luck and bad, or I wouldn’t have run into two Named before school started. How do they say it here, ‘interesting times’?”

“Point,” he admitted.

We finished our drinks and started walking again. True to my word, I was keeping an eye out for Lionheart, Tyrian, and basically anyone whose information was still question marks.

“So what exactly is your mission?” Scarlet asked.

“I can’t talk about the details, and I don’t want this spread around,” I gave them all a serious look, and got three solemn nods back. I lowered my voice and continued, “Qrow heard a rumor about a Grimm inside the city.”

Neptune whistled. “Yeah, I’d call in a Master Huntsman to investigate that, too.”

“It’s weird though, there haven’t been any strange deaths reported,” I added, returning to a normal tone.

“That’s bizarre.”

“Not something you’ve heard anything about?”

“Don’t think so…” he said, glancing at the others. Scarlet shook their head, and Sage shrugged. “We can keep an eye out, though.”

“Don’t go chasing it on your own,” I warned. “And don’t mention our mission to anyone. Even Professor Lionheart, if you see him — consider this me pulling rank if you need to think of it that way, but if you spot either of my objectives, hang back and call me.”

They looked puzzled, but agreed. “Why?” Sage asked.

“Strictly, I’m not sure I should have mentioned it to you,” I invented. “I’m trusting you to keep it quiet.” Then, leaning on [Acting], I added, “I’m guessing the reason the Professor wasn’t at the school is because he’s looking into this, too, and you can see why we’re keeping it so quiet.”

[Persuasion successful!]

“Yeah, that’s not something you want spreading even as a rumor,” Neptune agreed.

He opened his mouth to say something else, but someone else said, “Jaune?”

I turned, and a smile stole across my face. “Hey, Bia. You look great.” She was still dressed in her peplos,

“I’ll say,” Neptune agreed. “Nice to meet a friend of Jaune’s; can I buy you a drink?”

Bia gave him a polite smile. “No, thank you,” she declined. “Actually, I was hoping I could talk to Jaune for a bit?”

“Sure, just give me one sec.” I patted a dejected Neptune’s shoulder. “Trade numbers?”

“You can call us if you need backup for something, too,” said Sage, fishing out his Scroll to share his contact.

Scarlet and Neptune did the same, the latter glancing at Bia again and offering me a fistbump. Well, at least he bounces back quick from getting shot down.

----------------------------------------

Name: Jaune ArcLevel: 59 (Next: 67.87%)Title: Academy StudentRace: HumanAge: 18Job: Journeyman HuntsmanClass: PaladinSemblance: The GamerHP: 7834/7834MP: 4369/4369STR: 222 (100)CON: 274 (102)DEX: 160 (54)INT: 136 (51)WIS: 110 (52)CHA: 151 (52)Points: 102Money: 951,788LStatus: Cursed – Yellow Death [High]

----------------------------------------

A/N: If you’re enjoying this story, feel free to check out my discord server at https://discord.gg/H6V854Fvbg

Ruby assigned superhero names to her teammates in ABRN’s group chat — For Jaune, Shining Knight is a DC hero; For Pyrrha, Captain Mistral is an obvious take on Captain America; Khamira is the Khajiiti princess from Elder Scrolls that I thought was a decent allegory for both Shuri Aja-Adanna as the Black Panther and for Blake; while her own handle comes from (as I’ve established before) her favorite Remnan fairy tale about a Silver-Eyed Warrior who protects a village so thoroughly they don’t know what Grimm are.The group name is supposed to be a backronym for ABRN, but she (I) hasn’t thought of a good one yet.

Japanese hanami (花見; ‘flower viewing’) typically means the flowers of the cherry (桜, ‘sakura’) tree — likewise, in real-world Japan, Konohanasakuya-hime is more closely identified with cherry blossoms — but the practice came from China where it was traditionally practiced viewing plum (Chinese: 梅, ‘mei’; Japanese: 梅, ‘ume’) blossoms, so I elected to go with the older practice here. Fun fact, the so-called ‘Chinese Plum’ (Prunus mume) is more correctly an apricot (not a plum).

Plum Blossom Tea is Korean (매화차, ‘Maehwa-cha’). Koulourakia (κουλουράκια) are spiral-shaped Greek butter cookies. Lakérda (λακέρδα) is a salted and pickled fish dish.

Jaune’s dinner is a combination of Japanese and Greek street foods: Okonomiyaki (お好み焼き) is a savory pancake, though instead of the standard toppings (cabbage, seafood, yam, etc) it’s served in Mistral with gyros meat (γύρος), usually pork cooked vertically on a spit — quite similar to al pastor (Mexico), shawarma (Arabic), or döner kebab (Turkish). The mentioned plum liqueur (梅酒, ‘umeshu’) comes from Japan, made by steeping unripe ume in shōchū (焼酎) liquor and sugar.

A peplos (πέπλος) was typical attire for women in ancient Greece, usually ankle-length; held at the shoulder with a pin or brooch, and at the waist with a girdle or belt called a zone (ζώνη).

I had a bit of fun with Scarlet, peppering in references to their voice actor Gavin Free, and some of the other classic Rooster Teeth shows (Achievement Hunter/Versus, X-Ray and Vav, etc). Gavin was also born in Thame, South Oxfordshire; hence Scarlet’s remote home island.

I think it’s somewhat known in the fandom that the city name Kuo Kuana seems to be based on Hawaiian language (ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi), and I decided a long time ago to designate Hawaiian as the native language of Menagerie.

The translation I have in my notes is kūō (‘cry loudly, howl’) kūana (‘[place value]’); together, something like ‘place of lamentation’ — but considering Hawaiian is both case and compound sensitive and that I very much do not speak Hawaiian, I make no claim that I’m constructing or conjugating it correctly.

Nevertheless, I wanted a ‘native’ name for ‘Menagerie’ as well, and did my best with online dictionaries to land on Mokupuni (‘island’) and Pālaha (“Spread out, extended, flattened, wide, broad, broadened”), whence Mokupuni o Pālaha (‘broad island’).