So I was reading over reviews for my recent one shot, Jaune Arc and the Tournament when I decided to follow some advice, this will tie together both of current one shots for the RWBY fandom, Challenges and the previously mentioned Jaune Arc and the Tournament. So as I ave yet to say it, this is your Lord and Savior, Prince and Pauper, King of Shadowed Ones, and welcome to my newest story, Jaune Arc: Stages...

A slightly taller than average blond youth stood, eyes closed in front of a heavy looking dark wood door. Clenching his hands hard enough that he could feel the very tips of his nails bite into the flesh of his palms, he opened his pure blue eyes he let out a long held breath as his legs and arms trembled slightly. The teenaged combatant licked his lips as he forced himself to raise his right arm the still closed fist was ready to bang against the door, when it just seemed to fall back down to his side. Letting out another sigh the youth looked at the door longingly before turning away from it.

"Enter, Mister Arc," the bored sounding voice of the master of the school came from the door caused Jaune to turn back around. Looking at the door he took a breath, Ozpin knew he had to know… Jaune was called back to reality by the annoyed edge in Ozpin's voice. "I said enter Mister Arc."

Following the order Jaune pushed the door open to see Professor Ozpin sitting behind a large desk the ever present mug of coffee on the side of his desk that was crowded with paperwork, the equally ever present Miss Goodwitch was standing at her usual position to the Professor's left slightly behind him tapping away at her scroll. A single empty chair sat across from the pair of instructors. Gulping audibly Jaune steeled his nerves for real, taking a deep breath and remembering why he was doing this he stepped forward and took the seat facing the two most intimidating people he had ever met. Ozpin had yet to look up from whatever piece of paperwork that held his attention, Jaune sat there for a moment as the Headmaster finished, as the man looked up Jaune realized for the first time that Ozpin wasn't wearing glasses.

"Well then Mister Arc," Sounding bored Ozpin leaned forward his fingers crossing as the very tip of his chin seemed to rest on his fingers. "What can I help you with today?"

"Umm…" Ozpin raised a brow when he saw Jaune's eyes shift unconsciously to Glenda and back. Leaning back off of the table he leaned back in his chair and brushed a hand past his assistant's side.

"Ah, Miss Goodwitch, I need a refill of coffee if you don't mind." Nodding her head the woman reached around him and picked up the coffee mug and walked out of the room the clicking of her heals echoing around the space before the sound of the door opening and closing caused Ozpin to reiterate. "How may I help you Jaune?"

"… I need to be strong." Ozpin nodded his head at the boys response and waited for him to continue. And waited, and waited.

"Jaune that is not a question or a request but a statement, a true statement of fact, but still a statement, now then I shall ask you one last time Jaune Arc, what can I help you with?"

Jaune looked at the older man sitting across from him, the brown eyes of the silver haired professor bore into him waiting for the proper question to be asked. Jaune looked into those eyes back looking for something, he didn't even know what he was looking for but what he found surprised him, understanding, a want to help, a look of speculation. What surprised him most of all was the lack of blankness that would match the instructor's usual tone of voice. Jaune felt himself nod his head as is voice came out stronger this time.

"Sir, I'd like to request that you help me with becoming strong enough to protect everyone." Jaune waited for the laughter and dismissal, he even looked away to avoid the shame of seeing the living man he respected most laugh at him, hearing it would be bad enough. But it never came. Jaune looked back at his headmaster what he saw surprised him. Ozpin was looking out a window at the moon that looked whole as it began to set.

"How are your parents Jaune?" Ozpin's voice almost sounded distant despite the short distance between them.

"My mother is fine, she wished me well as I left the village." Jaune watched Ozpin simply nod his head.

"And your father?"

"I never knew him, he died when I was young, he was a hunter and his team was sent to border patrol for a special mission to clear out a particularly dangerous place, Shadowed Vail." Jaune had a flash of memory from his early childhood he would have had to have been about three at the time, sitting in the main room of his family's home in Vale. He remembered being picked up, and a face with blue eyes and blonde hair. In the corner of his vision he remembered a man in a green long coat and a pair… of… glasses.

"He was a good man, a good friend… and a great leader." Jaune watched Ozpin turn and look at him his brown eyes locking onto his own blues. They turned serious as the man spoke focusing in more on the young man in front of him. "I will help you Jaune, Rouge would have wanted me to… I warn you though Jaune that you should prepare yourself for hell because you'll be taking my lessons along with your course load, your three times a week practice sessions with Miss Nikos, your two times a week study sessions with Miss Belladonna, your weekly spars with Miss Long and Rose, your biweekly Dust tutoring that you somehow got Miss Schnee to do for you as well as the History tutoring that you do with Miss Scarlatina every lunch after you have the class. That and you'll have to maintain a much higher standard of class work then you currently do. "

Jaune gulped again audibly as he rose from his chair and extended his hand.

"If I agree… I'll be strong enough?" Ozpin rose as well walking around his desk and looked down his glasses at the boy.

"If you agree and survive Jaune, you will be able to do what you wish." Jaune nodded his head and extended his hand, he felt the same calm that flowed over him while he was fighting the Ursa Major.

As Jaune left Miss Goodwitch stepped out of the shadows a steaming cup of coffee in hand as she handed it over to her boss.

"So that's why you accepted the boy in?" she saw her boss nod as he took a sip and she elaborated. looking over her bosses shoulder as he sat back down she saw a picture of their youth the two teams, ROGE and TORC. "So he is Rouge's son… that would explain a couple of things."

Ozpin took another sip nodding as he started back in on the infinite paperwork that came with running a school where the underage student populace had overly lethal weapons.

"Think that he'll be able to live up?" Ozpin stopped his pen above a spot on yet another of the numerous insurance forms on his desk that needed his signature.

"Glenda, he will do more than live up… he'll push the Arc name back into the center of everything." Ozpin looked fondly at the old holo of the past saddened by the fate of some of his older friends. He heard a small gasp from Glenda as she passed her Scroll over to him; there on the bottom of the screen was a message from an old friend.

To: Ozpin

Subject: WARNING

Queen has taken bait

Infiltration successful

Limited time left for plan

From: R

So here is where I'll put this chapter to a close, Start time on chapter 11:58 pm 2-28, stop time 1:32 am 3-01. Total words in chap 1283, total words in story 1283. Read, Review, Eat Pancakes.