RWBY: LUCID

Jaune stared at the fan above which spun in slow, lazy circles.

His half-lidded eyes and his body felt heavy, but alive. The echo of the nightmare still pulsed at the edges of his thoughts, but it was fading away, like breath on a mirror.

Distant.

And good riddance.

"And now...school," he muttered.

He sat up with a grunt, rubbed at his face, and pulled himself out of bed with a stretch that earned a few satisfying pops from his back. While the dream had been… horrifying, the day was real, and it wasn't waiting for him to catch up.

School was starting soon and he had to get ready.

The morning shower was hot and grounding.

Steam clung to his skin as water ran down his face and neck. He scrubbed away at the phantom ache that seemed to cling to his arms, eyes shut tight as he let the heat work its way into his muscles.

No blood or pain.

Just clean water.

'Those claws certainly felt real but, it was just a dream, Jaune,' he reminded himself. 'A dream. That's all.'

He opened his eyes slowly, almost stupidly expecting to see blood swirling down the drain. But there was nothing. Just suds and clear water.

Still…

There was an odd sense of weight, of something having happened. It didn't seem to want to leave him. Like his body remembered something although his mind wanted to forget.

'It might have been terrifying, but I'll be damned if that wasn't cool-as-hell experience. I fought off a were—no—Beowolf with my bare hands and won. Almost died, but still...'

He shook it off.

School. That was the priority.

The house was quiet and the kitchen more so, with sunlight pouring in through the window and painting warm patches on the floor. A plate of toast and eggs waited on the counter, covered with foil to keep the heat in. A glass of milk sat beside it, beads of moisture sliding down the outside, in the morning warmth.

Next to the plate was a small note.

Jaune blinked, then picked it up.

"Left breakfast for you. Good luck at Beacon today. Remember to take the train. The card is next to this note. Don't miss it."

He smiled faintly and turned the card over in his fingers. It was a slim, metallic rectangle, a train pass which came preloaded for an entire month. It had a familiar stylized "V" emblem printed on one side, signifying the kingdom of Vale.

'He went out of his way for this.'

It wasn't much, but somehow, it settled something in Jaune's chest. A little anchor. A little reminder that not everything had teeth.

He sat down and started eating, savoring the meal.

His dream still lingered in the corners of his mind like little annoying pinpricks of smoke, but he pushed it aside again.

For now, it didn't matter.

He had a train to catch and a school to attend.

A life to live.

One bite at a time.

.

.

.

The front door clicked shut behind him, and Jaune stepped out into the morning light.

A crisp breeze brushed against his face as he adjusted the strap of his bag and began the short walk toward the transit station. His neighborhood was relatively quiet at this hour with residential homes lining the streets, their lawns trimmed and sidewalks clean.

A few early risers were out walking dogs or heading to work, and some delivery drones were buzzing quietly overhead, dropping off packages to doorsteps like oversized insects.

The station wasn't far, five minutes at a casual pace.

It came into view over a gentle slope, a sleek and low-slung structure of silver and black glass. It had an elegant, modern design but with Vale's distinct flair for minimalist functionality. Wide arching awnings curved over the entrance like a bird's wings mid-flight, and soft blue lighting traced the edges of the platform. No turnstiles or clunky gates, simply an embedded scanner panel near the entrance that hummed gently when Jaune tapped his card.

The bullet train system was one of Vale's more impressive achievements. Built to reduce the congestion of private vehicles in the city, it spanned out like a spiderweb from central Vale to the outer districts. Each line moved with precise timing, with magnetized rails lifting the train cars slightly above the track to eliminate friction entirely.

The result was speed, silence and ellegance.

The trains practically glided. No engine roar nor the screech of metal on metal. Simply a low hum and the occasional hiss of compressed air when the doors opened.

Inside, the compartments were clean and well-lit. Soft, adaptive lighting adjusted to the time of day, and the windows were polarized to control glare. The seats were smooth, molded composites with a surprising amount of give.

Subtle music played from hidden speakers, something modern but orchestral, meant to calm the nerves of commuters.

Jaune found a seat by the window and slid into it, placing his bag on his lap. As the train eased into motion, he watched the city blur by outside.

Glass buildings, tree-lined avenues, and glimpses of sculpture parks or little plazas nestled between business towers.

'Seven stops,' he reminded himself.

'Just seven.'

Beacon's closest station was on the edge of the Inner Ring, right before the train crossed the high bridge toward the cliffs overlooking the bay. It wasn't far, but it gave him enough time to settle in and observe.

Others boarded as the train made its stops.

Some of them were students, judging by the uniforms and bags.

A few even wore Beacon's optional standard navy-and-silver sweaters, though others didn't bother. Jaune was one of them but he was interested in some of the clothes. They appeared quite stylish.

In any case, he wasn't the only one heading in that direction.

Two students, in particular, caught his eye.

The first was a girl with bright orange hair tied in a high, messy ponytail. She was all movement, gesturing excitedly with an animated cheery voice, practically bouncing in her seat as she talked to the person beside her.

Sitting next to her was a guy with shoulder-long, raven-black hair that had a single prominent pink streak running through it. He looked tired—sleepy, really—with his head tilted against the window, eyes half-lidded. Except he wasn't in dreamland.

Jaune could tell from the subtle nods and the way his lips occasionally twitched that he was listening to her speech.

He found himself eavesdropping without even trying as the orange-haired girl launched into a detailed breakdown of her morning meal.

"—and I'm telling you, Renny, they were the fluffiest pancakes I've ever had. Like, little clouds of syrupy heaven! I think I finally figured out the perfect ratio of mix to milk. Oh! And I added bananas this time. Sliced. Not mashed. Huge difference!"

The boy—Renny, apparently—grunted quietly.

"Bananas." It was barely a word. More like a soft acknowledgment.

"Exactly!" she beamed, completely satisfied.

Jaune hid a small smile and looked away, pretending to be more interested in the passing buildings. But he couldn't help stealing another glance.

The girl's energy was cute, filling every corner of the cabin, and the boy's stillness seem to anchor it.

He wondered if they were also first years and what classes they had.

Jaune was curious if this was what a normal school commute was supposed to feel like—strangers, quiet music and conversation.

He never had this back in Ansel, being a lone wolf and all.

He cringed at those memories.

'Lone wolf... right... more like an outcast wolf. Pack-less.'

He exhaled quietly and turned back to the window as the train sped through the last few districts of Vale.