[OPEN] Infinite in distance and unbound by death

[beaconed]

Who: Jaune Arc & You
When: IC: 7/18 - 19
Where: Various
What: Jaune can't even die properly and now he's out and about - strangely better than ever.
Rating/Warning: None!

---

ʜᴏsᴘɪᴛᴀʟ.

[ The last thing Jaune remembers is coughing up blood, his insides slowly rotting away while his weird immune system (read: Aura) tried fighting against it. Whatever Clarke gave him to drink also seemed to change him slightly, but that effect seems to have worn off by now.

Now, three days after apparently dying in one of the most painful ways, Jaune can be seen walking around the hospital. A strange sense of deja vu hits him as he recalls being bound to a hospital after his previous interlude experience, too. That time, he didn't die, though, and recovery was a little slower, which... makes this all the more strange. How does recovering from death make him feel better than ever?

In fact, should anyone decide to visit him, expecting to find him bedridden or hooked up on some IV, then they're in for a surprise. Jaune is walking around in his hospital garbs, greeting some of the staff members he recognizes and helping patients who are worse off than him.

You may find him doing various things as he waits to be discharged, from doing wheelies in a wheelchair that wasn't meant for him, cursing at the vending machine because it doesn't serve patients for free, or telling jokes to a group of patients who are probably high on painkillers. ]

...I looked at his burger, and then I said-- I said, man, you're gonna need a bigger mouth!

[ The audience laughs. ] I love these guys...


[ Alternatively, if your character is also hospital-bound, they could be sharing a room! ]

ᴠɪᴠɪᴅ.

[ Hospital shenanigans outside, Jaune isn't left unaffected as he appears on the surface. He's always been okay with the concept of dying-- or rather, he always knew what he signed up for. If there ever comes a day in which he needs to give up his life for the people he wants to protect, then that's just what a Huntsman is supposed to do. Which is why it bothers him so much that he got killed the way he did. It felt pointless. Why did his Aura, which is supposed to be a manifestation of his own soul, not fight back hard enough?

Could it be that he just didn't train hard enough? He's aware that he skipped more Aura lessons with Pyrrha than he should have, focusing on improving his swordplay instead. Now that she's gone, he needs to practice every department more than ever. Skill, Aura, leadership, teamwork... and what better place to do all that than in a game of ViViD?

So if your character is up for some gaming, they'll find themselves randomly paired with Jaune, who seems more focused and determined than usual. ]

Hey.

[ (If you choose this prompt, I'll try and write a unique scenario for every thread!) ]

ᴀᴄᴀᴅᴇᴍʏ.

[ Look, training isn't just about getting stronger physically! Education is important, too, which is why Jaune is quick to return to school so soon after his recovery. LEARNING IS IMPORTANT.

Haha, just kidding. It's only half a day later and he's involved in a food fight inside the cafeteria. Even though he normally doesn't do well in these, it's nice to be reminded of home a little.

Jaune flips one of the tables and jumps behind it like a barricade. There's a slushy dripping across the side of his face as he counts his "ammo" (just random food particles). Your character can either be hiding with him or firing from the other side. ]

Alright! I got seven nuggets!! [ He... eats one of them mid-sentence. ] --Six nuggets. And a carton of chocolate milk. Augh, where's the mashed potato?! I need it, I need it now!

sᴀɴᴄᴛᴜᴀʀʏ.

[ Normally Jaune doesn't spend too much time in the sanctuary, the place can get a little too tinfoil-hatty for a guy who naively takes everything at face value. More than that, he sometimes starts feeling strangely ill if he hangs out in it longer than necessary. It's probably just him, though.

He also figures there's going to be another mass gathering here in the coming days, assuming there were other people who got kidnapped as well. If not, then he needs to at least tell some of his friends about what happened. What if he randomly dies again without sharing everything he knows?!

This all sounds well and urgent, but if you happen to see Jaune in the sanctuary, he'll just be... mopping the floor and cleaning the walls. What? It's therapeutic! ]

More pizza leftovers... I wonder if we can order McCeres for the next group meeting... n-not that I, y'know, dislike pizza or anything. ... Also, why am I talking to myself.

ᴄʜᴜʀᴄʜ.

[ Jaune isn't religious by any means, and the building itself isn't dedicated to any particular god. What he does like about this place is the sense of community, as well as the idea of keeping faith and hope strong.

Jaune wonders if he started a trend here or if it's just normal thing that happens, but ever since he put up a small photo of a missing Pyrrha on the walls, others have been doing the same. Eventually it became a memorial wall for those who have fallen or gone missing from Cerealia, with Jaune even updating Pyrrha's status from Missing to... well, resting in peace. Around her picture are the names of his other friends carved: Sousei, Tenka, Peko, Zack, and many more. Rapunzel is the latest addition, and there was also Weiss' name, but it's been crossed out. Twice. ]

It looks like this place still isn't done with me yet, huh. Man, this is gonna get confusing...

[ Quietly, he wonders if anyone would even add him to this little shrine if he doesn't come back someday. It's not like he talks about this special place with anyone. ]

Comments

sanctuary.

[psycholawgy]

[ athena usually pays a visit to the sanctuary once a week to check on the document she's placed there. not a lot of people hang out there, it's true. though upon arriving and looking at the basket where people leave their cerevices, she blinks curiously. there's somebody else inside.

she doesn't think too much of it and just enters. hopefully it's not anybody ceres-related who's inside and is invading the colonists' privacy. ]

Hello— oh, Jaune! What... exactly are you doing?

[beaconed]

Ah--

[ Jaune looks down at his mop before answering. ]

...c-cleaning. [ Kind of true. It's not his whole purpose. ]

Wwwwwhhhhhat are you doing here?

[ Did she come here expecting to be alone? HMM. ]

vivid.

[unswerved]

[ yata blindlessly enters vivid games sometimes. it's his job as a vivid game tester! he just picks something at random and starts the game, but he's never one to forget his skateboard and his metal rod. he'd usually use a metal bat to fend enemies off, but that bat's broken now... ah well?

he doesn't expect to be partnered with anybody when he logs in to this [game] though, but he's alerted immediately that jaune has joined his party!

... hell. ]

. . . you've got to be kidding me.

[beaconed]

[ Congratulations Yata, today they will playing SPOOPY HOUSE OF DOOM, which... becomes obvious as the level around them loads, and they find themselves inside a hallway of a haunted mansion. ]

Heyyyyy, it's Yataaa.......

[ He's trying to sound enthusiastic, but knows that he's the last person Yata wants to see. ]

... Sorry. Heh.

Church

[good_ideas]

[Shiho isn't religious at and if anyone had ever gotten the bright idea to ask her why she was at a church at all, she would have smirked and told them that maybe she just enjoyed watching people's blind faith in something that didn't exist and didn't care, that their suffering gave her the strength to carry on for another day.

None of which was true, but Shiho wasn't the type to expose her feelings and her thoughts unless it was to Kaoru whom she knows would have gotten what she would never say out loud and would have offered her shoulder for Shiho to cry on with a soothing word and a hand stroking through her hair. A part of her almost envied those who could believe without a single doubt in their minds and even someone like her (a psychometer, a sadist, a girl with a terrible personality) could appreciate that.]

JAUNE ARC!

[Which is why she breaks the sanctity of this church by yelling across the length of it at a figure she recognizes, and resolves to....do something to. One part of her says "something murderous after you've checked he's okay and alive and that everything is fine".

The other, more vocal part is what has her running to him and-

....hugging him, apparently. That's okay, all she's done is shout in a church and hug him. That won't cause a scene. And if it does...well....she'll think about that bridge when she has to cross it. For now she's just going to try go with a combination of both plans and hug him to death.]

[beaconed]

[ Shiho's glomp attack catches Jaune off-guard, so much that he hits his head against the wall as she ensnares him in her arms. ]

Ghhk--!!

[ He should have been expecting that, to be honest, and yet Shiho's affection is still something that constantly surprises him. Isn't she sick of constantly having to worry yet? ]

Shiho, I-- I can't--

[ BREATHE. She's going to kill him and he just came back to life!! In retrospect, he should have just carved his own name there after all. ]

hospital

[undaunts]

[It's kind of a thing--when someone from your world you love and care about ends up in the hospital, you go visit. Complete with present! She has a hastily-wrapped and not all too impressive present in hand, and is totally ready to give it to him, except then she walks in and he's doing a wheelie in a wheelchair right as she rounds the hall and the collision is inevitable.

There goes the present, flying away.

And Ruby Rose, too, bye Ruby Rose.]

[beaconed]

[ Cue cartoonish Nevermores flying around both their heads. They deserve it, tbh. ]

Aaauughhh!! Man down! Black hawk down! I... ow, I think I might need a nurse for real... hi Ruby...

church;

[earthpulse]

[ There's a certain irony in a supposed earth angel checking out a church, but hey. She has to occupy herself somehow, and she always has been a little interested in how people pay their respects here. It's certainly no Pendrago Shrinechurch, but what is? The people here have made due with what they have.

Besides, she's not an angel right now, thanks to losing her seraphim attributes and powers due to the interlude. For all intents and purposes, she's just a small human girl checking out a church right now. ]

Isn't it supposed to be heresy to carve things into the walls of a religious place like that?

[ She's just being cheeky again. In all honesty, she kind of admires that Jaune is tending to this particular shrine, in his own way. ]

[beaconed]

What are they gonna do, burn me on a stake?

[ Don't joke about that, Jaune of Arc. ]

...Wait, am I really in trouble?! [ Yeah, his realization that Edna is an angel was delayed. ]

Church

[mermaiding]

[She hates this place, normally.

Well, no the building itself is nice enough, but she hates the memorial wall. She hates the pictures, the names, she hates being reminded. She's only here because...

Well it definitely wasn't to finally carve Adolf's name in there or anything haha that's crazy. She's been kicking herself for even entertaining the idea and that had led her to the church anyway and... Jaune apparently. She perks up a little, but it deflates when she realizes he might be there for a similar reason to her.

Oona hangs back a moment, debating on how to approach or if she should at all, but turning around and leaving now would seem too much like running away. So instead she places her hands on her hips, draws herself up and just yells:]

JAUNE!

What are you doing? This is boring!

[beaconed]

Waaah! Oona!!

[ This is the second person to yell out his name inside the church today. ]

I-I'm sorry! Wait, why am I-- Oona, it's a church, this is supposed to be boring! I mean, no, I-- I probably shouldn't say that here.

[ BUT IT'S DEFINITELY NOT A PLACE FOR ENTERTAINMENT... ]

sanctuary

[emotive]

Jaune?

[The gentle voice belongs to Ai who comes to the Sanctuary to also see if there's any need to fix it up or find things to add. But instead, she finds a familiar face she hasn't spoken to in a while and with people who went missing didn't help that along.]

You're cleaning the place up by yourself?

[beaconed]

WAH!!

[ Jaune thought he was alone, so when he hears Ai speak up behind him, he suddenly throws his mop in her direction. He misses entirely, of course, like way off and it just... hits a wall. ]

Ai, you scared the bananas out of me! Sorry, by the way.

TAKE ME TO CHURCH

[prosecutory]

[Edgeworth isn't religious, either. And having gone through so many cycles of this-person-is-gone-now or occasionally this-person-died-away-from-their-home-world, he's too jaded to consider adding to the memorial wall. As far as he's concerned, it's a part of life in a strange world like this.

He's here because Pess ran straight inside with no respect for any god or worshiper. So, Jaune will see a dog sprint toward him and bark a greeting. The bark echoes all over, but even it is not enough to drown out what Jaune is saying.

Edgeworth sighs and can't help but add with a wry expression:]

It's not done with me yet, either.

[beaconed]

[ Jaune is alerted by the barking from a distance and already starts petting the dog once it reaches him. ]

Aw, it's Pess! Who's a good doggie? Yeah you are, it's you-- no, it's you. Trust me, you're a much better dog than I am! N-Not that I am a dog, b-but if I were I mean, you'd still be... better... where am I going with this point.

[ Now cue Edgeworth making his entrance: ] --oh, and it's... you! Mister Pess...sess owner, sir... h-haha... heyyy...!

[ For some reason he remembers the dog's name better than Edgeworth's. ]

sanctuary

[ukakus]

[Staying in her apartment for too long feels a little stifling, and the places she used to frequent don't really match her tastes nowadays, so she decides to go somewhere she rarely visits. That is: the sanctuary. With any luck, maybe there's someone who experienced something similar there. Or, maybe there isn't. Either is fine as long as she's able to clear her head after suffering her first death.

Of course, Touka's not the only person there. And she totally overhears him babbling.]

Isn't talking to yourself what you usually do?

[Hello, Jaune. It's been a while.]

[beaconed]

[ Jaune looks over his shoulder passively before continuing to mop. ]

Heh, yeah, I--

[ --Jaune suddenly drops the mop and turns to address her properly. Hello there. ]

Wow-wha-who-aaaa...doooo I... know you? Hi! No. What?

[ .........yeah, someone's looking different after their canon update. ]

vivid

[notsogreedy]

[Ankh hasn't been back to ViViD since the beach, but at this point, he figures he may as well see what it's like if he chooses to use it normally. Eiji has work right now, Ankh doesn't, and he doesn't have anything better to do. It might even earn him a few credits, not that he expects to be paying for any popsicles any time soon.

He's a little surprised by someone else showing up along with him. When the stranger greets him, he gives him a look that's something between curious and skeptical.]

Is that how this works? I get a random partner?

(ooc: Ability permissions here, please take a look!)

i'll fill out the permissions as soon as i can!

[beaconed]

[ Yes, it's random! And so is the level that's currently being generated around them. While they wait for it to finish loading, Jaune greets his partner. ]

U-Uh. Some...times.....? You're here, aren't you?

academy

[whiteris]

[ Why did Cloche get stuck in a food fight? This is not the place to be. She ducks for cover as food comes flying her way. ]

Hey, you shouldn't waste food! [ Cloche stares at Jaune like he's the culprit. ]

What did the mash potatoes ever do to you?

[beaconed]

[ Jaune peeks over the table barricade, only to block off more food particles with his tray. Ugh, they're getting barraged here! ]

W-What? What are you talking about? Did you say-- yeah, I need them! Where are they?! The mashed potatoes!!!!!!

[ calm down, psycho boy ]

hospital

[heiroglyphs]

[Hopefully Jaune doesn't get too comfortable in his hospital room, because a trio of nursebots is wheeling in a new patient they've just finished treating. What, this was supposed to be a private suite? Well too bad, the hospital is swamped right now. What is with you humans and dying in droves all of a sudden? Successfully wheeling her bed to the wall opposite Jaune's, they bring in a little privacy curtain to keep them separate.

Weiss' eyes are shut tight, having gone through the shock of revival not too long ago. After dying of asphyxiation, her throat is in tatters. Beneath her oxygen mask, her labored breathing can be heard. Honestly, if she can just sleep through all of this pain, she'll be just fine.]

[beaconed]

[ lol nah, what sleep?

Jaune hasn't noticed his new roomie yet, but she's about to notice him when he starts strumming on a guitar he found in the activities room. ]

When it blooms and it turns into-- something-cool... I.... agh, I gotta work on these lyrics...

Alright, from the top! A-one, a-two, a--

Church

[lethechained]

[ Naminé has never given much thought to higher powers. An afterlife wasn't something she anticipated having, for one thing, and she's never exactly been the type to seek out a deity to blame for her misfortunes, so it's entirely by chance that she's happened upon this particular building. She's been restless lately, more likely to wander, and it's... quiet, here, or at least more so than the city outside. ]

[ Which is why the tapping of her footsteps, soft though they are, is probably quite noticeable as she steps otherwise mutely into the space next to Jaune, face raised toward the wall. There's an uncharacteristic tiredness in the set of her face, eyes a little lower-lidded and darker underneath than usual. When she does speak, her voice is sedate. ]

Did you want it to be?

[ Yep, looks like she heard that. ]

[beaconed]

No...

[ Thank you for being one of the few people who didn't scream his name at the church today, Namine. For that, Jaune isn't nearly as startled and responds in an equally pensive way. ]

I could've done without the whole dying thing, though.

[ ........ ]

--wait, I... I didn't mean to... [ ...say that out loud. ]

sanctuary;

[zerotohiro]

[Why are you talking to yourself Jaune? Hiro's not going to ask, but he's entering the Sanctuary with Baymax in his rolling red suitcase and his backpack, pausing inside the doorway as he spots Jaune cleaning away.]

...dude, there's gotta be a better way to spend your time around here. [What are you doing...] Also do you know how expensive it'd be to get McCeres for literally everybody in the colony?

[beaconed]

It doesn't have be McCeres, we could have... taco night or something! Though, I guess it doesn't matter what food there is... [ It's not the real point of those meetings anyway. Speaking of points, Hiro made a good one with his first comment. ]

...Do you know what a guy should be doing after being dead for three days?

sanctuary.

[covenantal]

[ The idea of a mass gathering is exactly why Yu is here. He's been pretty much attached to his CereVice since he woke up, trying to catch up on as much of everything that happened as he can. He already knows that there seems to have been some kind of mass kidnapping, thanks to Rise, and they're all going to need to talk about it. As soon as possible.

He isn't expecting company when he steps into the sanctuary, though. He especially isn't expecting that company to be mopping. Yu pauses at the sight, tilting his head a little, and braces one hand on his hip. ]

How about a potluck? More variety, and less expensive, too.

[ There's a faint smile on his face as he moves towards his friend. Hi, Jaune. ]

[beaconed]

Potluck, yeah! Great idea!

...
What's potluck?

[ Sorry, he just got excited that someone sort of agreed with him. Hello Yu. ]