Chapter 1: Rise of the Fire Dragon

'Okay Jaune, calm down, this is easy, you just have to struggle against a creature that's about 10 times bigger than you! Easy right?!Aw who am I kidding, I'm going to die here…' Jaune Arc thought, shield raised protecting him and the school Bully, Cardin Winchester, from the attacks from an Ursa Major. As he did so, he didn't notice his sword start to vibrate. 'Why did I have to be such a big-headed jerk and not accept Pyrrha's training?! She was just trying to help! And it would have definitely helped me right now! I'm such an idiot!'

{An Arc admitting that he's an idiot, that's new.}

'Yeah I… wait what…' He thought, thinking that he heard a voice, caught by surprise he momentarily let his guard down, which was bad because before he knew it the Ursa swiped at him and he got thrown at a tree and lost conscious.

Looking around in panic Jaune couldn't see anything besides himself and complete darkness. "Where am I?" He asked in panic while looking around. He froze in shock when he heard breading. "Who's there?!"

[Looks like, after months of trying, you can finally hear me.] The mysterious voice said, but this time clearer.

"WHERE ARE YOU?!"

[Right in front of you.] The voice said confusing Jaune who looked in front of himself, not seeing anything, that is, until a burning inferno and a massive red dragon appeared in front of him out of thin air, completely freaking him out. [I half expected you to scream] The dragon said in an amused tone, not knowing that the only reason Jaune didn't scream was because he was paralyzed in fear.

"W-What are y-you?!"

[Isn't it obvious?]

"Y-You're an actual Dragon?!"

[No, I'm a scaled fairy. Of course, I'm a dragon! I am the true Crocea Mors!]

"What's happening?! Where are we?! Who are you?! What-" Repetitively yelled Jaune when his brain finally rebooted.

[SHUT THE HELL UP!] The dragon yelled, successfully shutting Jaune up. [Now, we don't have much time, so I'll keep this short. We are currently in your self-conscious, in other words, your head, it's not usually this empty, but your panic attack in the outside world caused it to be like this until you calm down. The reason you are here is because you're finally able to hear my voice, which means you are ready to receive my powers-]

"Powers? Like a Semblance?"

[More or less. The last person to be able to use it was your Great Great Grandfather during the war. After that I waited for someone to wield this sword and be able to hear me. The moment I saw that you had motion sickness I knew that you were the one. For some reason all my true wielders have it. I was hoping for someone more prepared than you, but I guess you'll have to do. Now, do you know how to fight without a weapon?]

"Why do I need to fight without a weapon? I have a sword."

[That's just it. By getting my powers the sword no longer needs to exist. Only reappearing when you die, for the next heir to wield.]

"W-What?!"

[I'll take your reaction as a no. Better get help with that. For now, I'll explain my powers, though you can probably guess what it is, with me being a dragon and all.]

"Something to do with Fire?"

[Right in one! Yes, you'll get the basic abilities of a Dragon, such as the ability to control, breathe, and have immunity to fire, you are also able to consume it to replenish your energy. As well as senses that will pull a Faunus' to shame, and enough strength to fight that ugly bear with an arm behind your back, just don't try it yet.]

"Bu- "

[We don't have enough time to chat, I need to tell you more before you wake up. Now listen closely, 'cause I won't repeat myself!]

'W-What happened?' Jaune asked opening his eyes, immediately smelling enormous amounts of different scents and even hearing the faintest noise, ignoring the slight headache that his scroll was giving him with the beeping to warn him that his aura was low, looking up he was shocked to see the same Ursa, seconds away from leaping at Cardin. Grabbing his sword and shield he was surprised to fell them getting lighter and lighter. Looking down he was shocked at seeing them start to turn into white dust and fly with the wind. 'W-What?'

{What are you waiting for? Show the world that a new Fire Dragon Slayer has risen!} He heard Crocea Mors yell, its voice getting fainter and fainter, in his head as the sword and shield disappeared completely.

"AHHHH!" He heard Cardin yell as the Ursa got closer to him. Springing in to action Jaune got to his feet and ran, faster than he ever ran before, to the Grimm, ignoring all his survival instincts that told him not to, listening instead to the primal voice in the back of his mind that told him to do so. Getting in between the bear and the bully bringing his fist back, he felt a comfortable heat go through his arm before it lit entirely on fire, and punched the Grimm right on its snout, cracking its mask and making it tumble backwards. Not stopping there, Jaune jumped in the air, surprising himself by the height he reached, feeling the same heat reach his feet, that like his arm, lit on fire, and stomped on the beast's head, crushing it under him. As the Ursa turned to dust, Jaune felt all his energy disappear and started to fall backwards.

"JAUNE!" He heard a familiar voice call out to him has everything turned dark.

"Nice joke Rubes."

'Is that Yang?' Jaune thought, not bothering to open his eyes. He felt his back against something soft and something light on top of him. 'Am I in a bed?'

"I'm telling you! We saw it with our own eyes!" Jaune head Ruby's voice say. "Tell her Weiss!"

"It bothers me to say, but Ruby's right." Weiss' voice was heard this time.

"I knew our fearless leader was awesome!" He heard Nora's cheerful voice.

"I still find it hard to believe that Jaune did that." Blakes stoic voice was heard. Without having to look he knew that she was reading a book, not bothering to participate 100% in the conversation.

"Be that as it may." Jaune immediately recognised his partners voice. "Me, Ruby and Weiss saw Jaune be thrown by an Ursa, only to stand back seconds later and punch the Grimm in the face with his arm on fire."

'I DID WHAT?!' Jaune thought before memories of what happened came flooding his mind, he getting his ass handed to him by an Ursa, his conversation with Crocea Mors, his fight with the Grimm. "*Groan* My head." Jaune said out loud, bringing a hand to his head.

"JAUNEY!" He heard Nora call before feeling something, or better yet, someone, crash on top of him, making his eyes shot open, waiting for the crushing feeling of his bones to come, only it never did. 'Wait what?' He thought before looking at Nora, who was busy giving him a bone crushing, most times, hug and talking a hundred words a second.

"Nora." Ren called. "I think you're crushing him."

"No, I don't think she is." Pyrrha said, noticing that Jaune's face wasn't turning blue, and that his arms weren't flailing around like the other times.

"Where am I?" Jaune asked looking at his teammates and Team RWBY.

"Hospital Wing." Blake answered, her gaze lifting from her book.

"Jaune. Do you remember anything that happened?" Pyrrha asked her partner after Nora finally let go of her Team Leader.

"Yup."

"We should say that we're sorry Jaune." Ruby said gaining Jaune's attention.

"What do you mean?"

"We were there, me, Weiss and Pyrrha. At first we thought that you were handling yourself quite well, but then you were thrown away by the Ursa."

"Don't worry about that Ruby. It all went well in the end. But maybe next time intervene instead of letting the guy who hasn't won a single combat match fight an Ursa Major on his own."

"Right… We forgot about that." Weiss added.

"We need to say sorry for another thing…" Pyrrha started getting Jaune's attention.

"Oh god what did you guys do to me while I was sleeping?!" Joked Jaune.

"N-Nothing!" Pyrrha said. "Its that… after the fight… We looked and looked and we… couldn't find…" Pyrrha was saying, finding hard to find the correct words.

"You couldn't find Crocea Mors." Jaune finished for his partner, knowing that she didn't know how to say that she couldn't find her partners family heirloom.

"Y-Yeah… But don't worry! I'll go back there tomorrow and look for it!"

"Pyrrha."

"I won't quit until I find it!"

"Pyrrha."

"I promise you! I- "

"Pyrrha!" Jaune called a third time, getting his partners attention. "Don't worry about it."

"What do you mean don't worry about it?!"

"I mean that you won't be able to find it. And before you explode in my face!" Jaune said, stopping his partner. "You won't find it because it doesn't exist anymore."

"… You lost it and are too embarrassed to admit it isn't it?" Yang said drily.

"It's a long story, for now, I'm starving!"

"Well, it is time for dinner." Ren said.

After having dinner in the cafeteria, where Jaune shocked the others by eating about four times of what he would usually eat, were they decided that it was only because he needed to replenish some energy, Jaune asked Pyrrha to meet him back on the roof.

"So… No Cardin tonight?" Pyrrha asked as she walked in to the Rooftop, where Jaune was standing by the ledge, not bothering to turn around because he could smell her scent as she came up the stairs.

'That's going take some used time to get used to.' He thought.

"I thought you two were best buds."

"Pyrrha, I need to say I'm Sorry. I was a jerk while you were only trying to be nice and I all this stupid male ego in my head-"

"Jaune, its okay. Your team really misses their leader, you know. Today in the hospital wing was the most time we spent together in days…"

"I know I don't deserve it after all that happened but… you know… after losing my sword, which isn't your fault so don't give me that look!" Jaune said noticing his partners face change to one of sadness. "Would you still be willing to help me?" Jaune asked. "To help me become a better fighter." Hearing that Pyrrha turned around to hide the smile that now adorned her face, before turning back towards Jaune, getting closer to him and pushing him back for him to fall. Well, that was what she expected, not for Jaune to just take a step back and remain standing. "Hey!"

Recovering quickly Pyrrha said. "Your stance is all wrong. You need to be wider and lower to the ground."

"Well." Jaune started before getting in the stance that Pyrrha just told him. "Let's get started!" He said smirking.

Two days later. Combat Class.

"Does anyone volunteer to start the class?" Glynda asked the students, expecting this to be like most classes where no one would offer, and she would just pick someone. So, imagine her surprise when Jaune Arc, the one who hasn't one a single match, the one who hasn't made a single opponent drop from green aura levels, raise his hand. "Mister Arc… Do you need to be excused?"

"No, I'm volunteering." Jaune said, making the rest of the class as surprised as Glynda.

"What's up with Vomit Boy?" Yang asked her partner who just shrugged in return.

"V-Very well. Please come to the arena." Glynda said as Jaune walked through the stairs towards her. "Anyone else?" Glynda asked, receiving silence as expected. When she was about to choose a random student, she saw someone's arm raise. Looking up she saw that it was Ruby. "Very well Miss Rose. Please come to the arena." She said before Ruby also made her way towards her. When both her and Jaune where the she started. "I know there isn't any need for me to say this again, but this will be a tournament rules battle, if your aura drops towards the red, you surrender, you leave the area, or I think you had enough, you lose. Any questions?" She asked only to be met with silence. "Very well, get into positions." She said before starting to walk out of the arena, while Ruby and Jaune made their ways towards their respective areas. "Get ready." She said before Ruby unfolded Crescent Rose and Jaune raised his fists up.

"Is he seriously going to fight Barehanded?" Blake asked.

"You'd be surprised." Pyrrha said. "I've been helping him a little the past two nights, and I have to say I was quite impressed."

"Oh really?" Yang said while smirking deviously. "I bet the two of you had a hell of a time, alone and probably sweating a lot." She said making Pyrrha blush by her double entendre.

"Ew." Weiss simply said.

"Anyway, my money's on Ruby." Yang said.

"No way! Jaune-Jaune will win this one! I can feel it!" Nora added.

"Wanna bet?" Yang asked Nora, raising her Hand towards her for her to shake. "50 lien."

"Deal!"

"Fight!" Glynda said getting everyone's attention. As she said that Ruby jumped into action and rushed towards Jaune, who still hasn't moved. When she got close to him she did a horizontal slash towards Jaune, only to her surprise for Jaune to duck under it and slide closer to her, with his arm cocked back ready to punch her, which he would have done, had Ruby not activated her semblance and disappeared, leaving behind a bunch of rose petals as she ran around the arena. Seeing this Jaune closed his eyes and focused on his hearing.

Hearing a footstep behind him and a blade cutting through the air he did a quick front roll and avoided getting slashed.

"Oh come on!" Ruby whined and Jaune got back towards his feet and stared back at her. Quickly changing her weapon to rifle mode, she planted her blade on the ground and prepared to fire, loading a cartridge of Fire Dust bullets as Jaune started making his way towards her. Knowing for sure that he couldn't dodge bullets, she fired, hitting him square in the chest. Mentally cheering she got confused when she head confused mutters coming from the other students, only hearing something about Aura levels, looking up at the display screen she saw that she was still on the green, only a little under 100% due to the use of her semblance, she looked at Jaune's only for her eyes to widen to see that he was still at a full 100%, even after getting shot. Feeling something tug on her weapon she looked in front of her to see that Jaune had gotten a hold of Crescent Rose.

"Bad move." A smirking Jaune said, arm cocked back, before lighting it on fire and punching Ruby, who, caught by surprise, only had time to bring her arms up to defend herself. After the punch contacted with her arms she was thrown a couple feet back. Getting back up, and quickly putting out the fire on her sleeves, she stood back up. Getting ready to go grab her weapon she was shocked to see that Jaune had already grabbed it and just threw it out of the arena.

"HEY!"

"Sorry." Jaune said before brining both his hands up, this time both on fire. "But the fight still hasn't ended!" He said before rushing at her again, moving faster than anyone watching has seen him before, and doing a right jab towards Ruby, who let a little squeal of surprise and used her semblance to dodge. Before she had a chance to catch a breath, Jaune was already on her, flaming leg raised before bringing down towards Ruby, who managed to dodge again, making Jaune's foot impact the ground, cracking it a little. Not stopping for a second, Jaune jumped towards Ruby again, this time going for a horizontal kick, Ruby managed to dodge again, however, as she moved back she felt the floor under her foot missing, making her fall backwards, out of bounds.

"That's enough!" Glynda called after coming out of her shock of seeing Jaune, not only win, but also not sustain any damage. "Miss Rose has fallen out of bounds, meaning Mr Arc is the winner." She said looking back towards the display screen, where it showed that Ruby's aura was now at the orange, while Jaune's was still on the green, no longer full, but still up there.

"HA! PAY UP XIAO LONG!"

"DAMMIT!"

"Its good to see that the training was worth it." A smiling Pyrrha said, proud that her partner not only won a match, but won against one of the strongest fighters of their year.

"I'll say!" Nora said skipping ahead of them, happy for both her leader wining and for her winning the bet.

"Yeah, but I still have a way to go. I only managed because Ruby got distracted and I managed to take her weapon away from her."

"You're lucky you didn't scratch it!" Ruby said.

"See Ruby, I told you should learn hand to hand combat." Yang told her sister before turning to Jaune. "Enjoy the feeling of wining while it lasts, next time, you're fighting me!" She said making Jaune pale a little.

"I-I might need to train a little more before that."

"I hate to admit, but it was actually impressive how you could dodge Ruby while she was attacking you from the back." Weiss said.

"Did Weiss actually compliment Jaune?" Yang ask, astonishment clear in her voice. "Oh god, first Jaune wins, next the Ice Queen's frozen heart starts to melt, it's the end of time I tell you! What's next? Blake starts being social?" She asks receiving a glare from both Weiss and her partner.

"I am curious how you managed to dodge Ruby." Blake said.

"I heard her."

"What?"

"He's not kidding." Pyrrha said gaining everyone's attention. "I noticed the past two days that his earing as become sharper, he heard Ren coming to the roof we were training in while he was coming up the stairs."

"He did?!" Nora asked. "How?! Ren doesn't make a noise while walking!"

"Well, besides my ability to control fire, my senses went through the roof. For example." Jaune started before smelling the air. "They are serving Tuna fish salad today in the cafeteria."

"Jaune. You do know that we're still 5 minutes away from the cafeteria." Ren said.

"So?"

"There is no way that you were able to smell it from here. Even a Faunus would have some difficulty smelling it." Blake added.

"Just wait and see." Jaune said before continuing to walk.

And lo and behold, the moment they arrived at the cafeteria they all saw something they weren't expecting.

"Is that…" Weiss started.

"Tuna fish salad…" Yang finished.

"Jaune quick!" Called Nora. "Smell where they keep all the pancakes!"

"And cookies!" Ruby added and Jaune couldn't help but laugh.

"H-He probably got lucky, right Blake?" Yang said. "Blake?" She called again, only to see that her partner had disappeared. Looking around she saw that she was already making her way towards them with a tray with two plates.

"You guys got any plans for the weekend?" Ruby asked the members of Team JNPR, now sitting at their usual table.

"Well, I was thinking of heading out to Vale." Jaune started. "I'm considering changing my attire to one more appropriated for hand to hand combat. That, and more fire proof clothes." He said showing the others his slightly burned sleeves.

"They would be slightly more expensive, as you'd have to get clothes imbedded with Fire dust." Weiss added.

"There go my savings." Jaune said sighing. "But I guess its worth it unless I want to fight naked against Grimm."

"I don't think that's the kind of sword you should wield against Grimm."

"Yang!" Whined Ruby. "Anyway, our team was going to Vale too, because Weiss wants to spy on the new teams coming for the Vytal Festival- "

"I do not want to spy! I simply wish to welcome them to this fine kingdom!"

"-So, you guys want to tag along?"

Jaune simply turned to his teammates, who gave him nods of agreement, before turning back to Ruby. "Sure, why not."

End of Chapter 1