A/N: This idea has been bugging for a very long while now. Sure, the RWBY universe as all different faunus other than Blake. But let's change this idea just a bit. This is an AU RWBY universe where Jaune is a faunus. Now now before you say he isn't as adorkable or any less scrawny, he will be, he'll just have faunus senses and still be the loveable idiot we all know and love. Now as you know, this AU will veer off from the main storyline after a certain point but with a few minor alterations since Jaune's lineage is out in the open for all to see, not so easily hidden away by Blake and her black bow.

As always, I do NOT own RWBY, Monty Oum and Roosterteeth productions do.

The Arc family legacy. Long ago, during the Human-Faunus war, humanity and faunus alike waged war against each other, one race thinking they were more precious than the other, the faunus just fighting for equality.

This war did not end without great casualties to both sides, but from among the depths of the war came an end.

A Lion faunus, with the last name of Arc who withstood the test of time in being very adamant fighters. But what really gravitated people alike to their cause was not their vigor for fighting, but their kindness towards human and faunus alike. Providing shelter and aid to those fallen out from the war be it they were on different sides. The great Jonah Arc, decided this was enough bloodshed that the world did not need, and sought to put an end to this. In battle, he sought to deflect, and disarm, rather than dismember or kill.

But in the end it would be his sacrifice that would bring this horrible war to an end where terms were peace would reign, and both sides agreeing to be equal to each other for the rest of their days.

Well, almost equal.

As we know it now in the present, there are no wars or battles to be fought, despite both races co-existing peacefully, not all grudges were resolved so...peacefully.

More or less, faunus were not regarded as monsters to be killed on the spot, but the subject now of taunts, and discriminatory acts from those who still harbor or were raised to hate the slightly bestial race for their outward appearances of animals. Simply for not looking human.

To this day, most faunus look up to the Arc family line that ended the war, as well as some humans. Noting it down in history as a point where faunus were actually important. While other humans shun the human-faunus sympathizers for crediting a lowly animal.

That is why in this now, in this future that his great great grandfather gave his life so willing to protect, did Jaune Arc question: Could he be a standing symbol for the Arc line yet again? Or fall to discrimination?

At this point, it was looking more towards...the latter.

'Beacon Academy! Blue skies, nice venue, and a perfectly good trashcan to empty my-bllaarrgghfffhgKS!'

Least to say, Jaune Arc was not having a swell time getting off of the airship to the academy. Acting perfectly fine on a moving ship, easy! Being able to hold it all in while getting off said ship that, not so much when he dunked his head in the nearest trashcan when the landing dock lowered. His yellow golden tipped lion tail swishing back and forth as the queasiness was starting to pass. He hiccupped once, finally leaning away from his disaster he caused.

'Note: Feel bad for said janitor that has to clean THAT trashcan out.' walking away with his bag right behind him. Thank Remnant for wheelie bags, best mode of transport for bags ever. Twitching his ears atop his head, he knew he could feel stares on him with every footstep. It wasn't everyday you saw a lion faunus. They were one of the rarer types of faunus breed. Among the public, there were only a few known lion faunus families in the entirety of Remnant; the Arc family line being one of them. Jaune tried to smile to himself about that. At least he had 7 other sisters, that way they weren't so thinned out.

"He's got a lions' tail! And ears too!"

"You think he's an Arc?!

"Most faunus only have 1 animal trait visible..."

Some comments made the blue-eyed boy smile as he walked along. Not very many people were that interested in faunus, more or less...faunus with more than one visible animal trait. That was another thing rare about him and his family. You could say more than one animal appendage meant they just had a bit more animal in them. More honed to that species behaviors, mannerisms, and traits.

Which meant just as much more torment.

"He's more animal than human."

"What were they thinking? Allowing him here."

"He could go back to being a beast and decide he wants to kill us all!"

Ignoring them, as best he could, flattening his lion ears atop his head. But human ears open to the public, but not as near as sensitive. His unruly short, spiky blond hair also resembled a short lions mane. He hurried past finally making his way clear to the courtyard, a most peculiar sight greeting him.

A girl in red being talked down to very loudly by a girl clad in white. It seemed red was in trouble before a girl clad in black-

'Wait.' Jaune inhaled only slightly, sniffing the air hoping for a whiff of a scent. The 3 girls scents came to him and 2 were obviously human. But the third...the one in black. Training his eyes on the way her yellow eyes gleamed and the...slight twitch of her bow.

'She's a faunus, but...she's hiding.' Watching the girl in black knock the one in white down a peg as she stormed off. Red, about to thank her savior was surprised to see by the time she was going to thank her, she too was walking away. Alone once again, it seemed she felt sad, and slightly down. His ear twitched to hearing her fall back down onto the stone ground in despair.

This seemed like as good as time as any to try and make a new friend. Despite her being a human. His mom did always say 'Strangers are just friends you haven't met yet'. But that saying also got him beat up a lot back in grade school. Fidgeting between wanting to help her and the rejection he might face because he was a faunus had his tail going rapidly back and forth. But then again, she was just a small, cute girl in red, what was the worst she could do to him?

Gathering his wits about himself,h e made his way over, she did not move once he came to stand right next to her. Raising a brow at the defeated curved lip, he moved to stand over her, casting a shadow to block out the sun. She stirred lightly and peaked her eyes open, they were the coolest silver eyes he had ever seen. Seeing her finally with eyes open, he extended his hand out for her to hopefully grasp to help her up. His mind racing, would she be like everyone else, and smack his hand away, thinking him a filthy faunus? A helping hand up was suddenly accompanied by his calm voice, hoping his approach didn't scare her off. "I'm Jaune." His heartbeat quickening by the second, he contemplated turning and running and dreaming this never happened.

A much smaller hand came to grasp his own tugging on him to help her up.

"Ruby."