A/N: Alright so I've been watching RWBY for a while now and wanted to write a story for it. So Jaune won't be completely clueless in this series but he won't be some golden god who does anything and everything. He also won't ever be some powerhouse superman who just bulldozes through every problem. I see a lot of stories that turn Jaune into a super hunter that has the skill and strength of full grown hunters at the age of 17. This will not be one of those stories. Here's the first chapter though. I hope you all enjoy!
NOTE: This chapter had been slightly updated. I'll probably change it some more when I have more time.
Where Legends Are Made
A small alarm clock rang with a repetitive buzzing noise.
A young man's hand lazily slapped at the clock. He missed once, twice, then finally silenced the clock on the third attempt. He sat up slowly, stretching his limbs in his blue onesie.
As he got ready for the day; brushing his teeth and combing his hair, his mind wandered to the letter he had received weeks ago.
Dear Jaune Arc,
After an extensive review of your transcript and previous credentials, we are happy to inform you of your acceptance into Beacon Academy. Starting this Fall you will begin your journey as a hunter in training. We expect you to read the attached package regarding the rules of Beacon Academy, the culture behind the school, its purpose, and the curriculum you will be following.
We welcome you to our prestigious academy and hope to see you this Fall.
Sincerely,
Professor Ozpin and the staff of Beacon Academy
After washing up he went back into his room. He pulled out the aged set of armor he had stowed under the bed.
He slipped it on and made his way downstairs to the kitchen.
"Jaune, aren't you excited?" His mother smiled warmly at him as he slowly chewed his cereal. "You're finally heading to Beacon academy! It's always been your dream hasn't it?"
"He's probably a bit nervous." A gruff voice came from the hallway as a sturdy man made his way to the dining table. He gave Jaune one single glance and stalked his way around the table, taking a seat at the head. "Just leave the boy to his thoughts."
The truth, as he contemplated his parents words, was that he was incredibly nervous and excited at the same time. He could barely control the shaking in his legs and the heaviness of his breaths now that his brain started to realize just what day it was.
He was going to Beacon today. He...He of all people had made it in. He didn't think that his ploy would work. He expected the professors at Beacon to have seen through his ruse immediately. They were, after all, fully realized hunters and huntresses...right?
But it seemed that his correspondent was just as good. This...Roman Torchwick really was, as he so eloquently put it, all that and more.
Either way, he had made it in with seemingly no issues.
"-une? Jaune!"
His head snapped upwards in surprise. His eyes stared at the fingers stabbing towards his face. "So, are you excited or not?"
"Sorry mom...I'm a bit of both I guess." He let out a shaky laugh.
"Don't be such a worrywart. Sit up straight and have some backbone! And besides, even if you do flunk out, you can always come back home to your family!" His father's words did not achieve their intended effect as Jaune simply sunk lower into his seat.
"Don't say that! Jaune, just be yourself and I'm sure that you'll be fine!"
"Oh sure! The boy has no training and has landed himself in one of the biggest hunter academies in the world, but as long as he believes in himself, he'll be fine!" His father rolled his eyes and leveled Jaune with a stare. "Look boy, your mother's words are kind and all but just...understand that this isn't a game. As a hunter in training, they're going to send you out on dangerous, grim infested missions. To make matters worse, I haven't trained you."
"Dear, you're going to discourage him!"
"I'm not discouraging him. I'm just telling him the truth."
"Well," Jaune's mother paused as she considered the truth of the matter. "you could be a bit more positive with the message." His mother sighed and put a hand on Jaune's shoulder.
He shook the hand away with a slight twist of his torso. "Mom, it's okay. I know what Dad is trying to say! I'm fine!" He gave his dad a small smile and a thumbs up.
"See! I told you he understands!"
"No, you just said you were 'telling him the truth'!"
"Mom...Dad...I'm just gonna head out now okay?" He stood up from his chair in a hurry. He knew where this would lead. "Tell the others I'm sorry I didn't wait for them but that I really had to go!" He made his way to the door, intent on escaping the eventual cycle of light bickering into affectionate 'forgiving' his parents would go through.
As he prepared to step out the door and make his way to the pickup location, he felt a hand grip his shoulder.
"Jaune..."
Said boy turned his head slightly behind him, eyeing his father. "Yeah dad?"
"Your mother is right in a lot of regards though. Be yourself, be confident, and most importantly, be the man we raised you to be." He handed Jaune a blade and its respective sheath.
"Th-Thanks dad. I promise I'll do my best." His eyes widened a bit as he took the gift. Crocea Mors was the family heirloom. The oldest and toughest blade his family had.
He knew he should have felt honored but the only emotion that ran through his head was guilt. He didn't earn any of this. He had cheated his way into school and cheated his way into his fathers pride.
His conscience told him to fess up to the crime, return the heirloom, and take whatever punishment he deserved.
Instead, he waved his parents a final goodbye as he made his way to the pickup location.
Jaune's father watched his son walk out the front doors of his house, family weapon in tow. He sighed as he felt a pair of eyes bore into his back. He turned to look at his disapproving wife.
"You just let him go..." She accused. "Andre, you just let him go learn how to be some modern day 'hunter'." She made air quotes with her fingers, her lips thinning in displeasure. Andre Arc sighed deeply, his arms folding across his chest as he took the seat across from her.
"Of course I did, what was the alternative? Stop him, hold him hostage here at home?" He retorted, arms unfolding, his hands rested on the table, palms flat and facing downwards. "Anne, I know you're worried but Beacon won't be that dangerous. Besides, didn't you try to encourage him!?"
"I'm not going to put our son down like he's some failure! Why didn't you stop him though!? I mean how can you know that about Beacon? We don't know anything about that place!" She almost shrieked at him. Jaune was their only son, how could he just let him go like that? Just let him leave the house when he wasn't ready for the outside world. "What if it IS dangerous? What then?"
"Beacon has..." Andre paused, he refused to call government dogs hunters, "...teachers of great skill. They will take care of him. Besides, it's a SCHOOL. He won't be sent on anything too dangerous I can assure you."
His wife scoffed at him and shook her head.
"Weren't you the one who said, and I quote, 'they'll send you on dangerous mission, grim infested, missions?'"
"It was just to dissuade him, a white lie is all. Beacon won't do anything like that."
"Oh really? You know that for a fact? What do you even know about Beacon?"
His visage darkened at her question. He looked up at her and closed his eyes.
"I know enough. It's just another pathetic little school the council uses to promote their bullshit. Until those kids graduate they won't send them on anything dangerous. Wouldn't want to harm their future pets after all."
"Oh, and what happens if our little Jaune becomes one of those 'future pets'? What then dear?" She hissed out, her eyes watering as her thoughts turned to her gone son. She was standing now, her hands pressing harder into their dinner table.
"He won't." His confident voice noted. "Our son is an Arc. He'll see how ridiculous their school is with some time. He'll come back soon enough. I promise."
She didn't look convinced.
"And what happens if you're wrong…?" She asked quietly, slumping back into the chair.
Andre closed his eyes and opened his mouth.
"Then I'll make things right."
On the bullhead, Jaune held his stomach as the ship took him to Beacon.
-Oh God...Why flying? Of all things why FLYING?-
"Urgh!" As the ship swooned through the air, Jaune swooned himself and let loose his mothers morning efforts.
"OH GOD!" Jaune vaguely saw the image of a blonde girl with a disgusted look on her face recoiling away from him as he puked next to her. A smaller, crimson hood clad girl was pulling her away from presumably beating him to an inch of his life.
As the ship landed, Jaune rushed out onto solid land, tripping over his feet. Though at this point he didn't mind. Land was land and he felt like he owed it a far more intimate connection than he had before.
A couple students shot him sympathetic looks as he remained on the floor, doing his best to get his bearings straight.
-Great start to my first day at Beacon...At least I'm following my parents advice of just being myself...ughhhh...-
He gathered himself together and took a look at his surroundings. Despite the bad start he couldn't help but smile excitedly.
He was finally there, at Beacon.
-The pictures and videos really don't do this place justice...-
He let out a single whoop of happiness. Sure he may not have done it legally, which put a slight damper in his shout, but he was still there. That had to matter for something.
He shrunk when he heard a loud boom from across the campus. Slightly in the distance he could make out the slight image of an...explosion?
It looked like someone else was having an even more interesting start to their first day.
He jogged off, hoping to catch a part of the commotion.
By the time he got there most of the excitement had died off, leaving him to come across the scene of a young girl sitting on the floor.
He made his way to her, intent on making his first friend at Beacon.
"Need some help?" He extended a hand and smiled at the dejected looking girl. "The name's Jaune Arc. Short, sweet, rolls off the tongue, and the ladies love it."
-Nailed it. That was textbook Arc style.- He smiled as the girl took his hand and stood up.
"Thanks! My name is Ruby. Ruby Rose." His smile fell when her next words came out. "Hey! Weren't you the guy who puked on the bullhead!?"
"Oh cmon, don't tell me this is gonna stick."
"I'm sure it won't vomit boy!"
Jaune let out a groan at her enthusiastic voice. This was looking to be a very long four years.
"So, what exactly happened to you out here?" He came here looking for an explosion but there didn't seem to be any indication of one.
"Hrmmm..." Ruby glared at the floor as her face flushed red. "...exploded..."
"What?"
"...I...I...exploded because I tripped over some mean girls luggage!"
"Oh." Jaune's eyes widened as his brain slowly worked the cogs of his wit. Slowly he came to his perfect answer. "So, what you're telling me is that you exploded, crater face!" He looked up into the sky, knowing he had achieved victory.
"Hey! That wasn't even my fault"
When Jaune flicked his eyes in her direction he immediately found himself face to face with the most pouty face imaginable.
"Ah well, I wasn't there so I guess I'll never know the truth." He was certain she was used to using this power against others and bending them to her will, but...he was accustomed to this power. His youngest sisters had rendered him immune to such effects!
"Well vomit boy if you're going to be that mean I guess I'll just leave then." Ruby blew a raspberry at him as she skipped backwards away from him.
Laughing, Jaune waved her back. "Okay, okay! I'll stop calling you crater face if you can stop calling me vomit boy. Deal?" He stuck a hand out expectantly, waiting for her to take it.
"Deal!" She grabbed his hand with both of hers and vigorously shook it.
Jaune gingerly rubbed his shoulder as he laughed at her enthusiasm. Did all the girls here have hyper strength?
Oh god he hoped not.
"So…...Jaune, why did you help me out back there?" She shrunk into herself, slightly blushing as she asked her question.
"Well, my mom always told me that strangers are just friends you haven't met yet so you have to treat them well." Jaune shrugged at her when she gave him a quizzical look. "Honestly though, do I even really need a reason? Helping people is just something that should be done."
"Wow. Sounds like your parents are nice people. Though, I would say that you aren't allowed to say things like that from now on!" Ruby pointed an accusatory finger at him and stuck her tongue out. "You're not allowed to say stuff that makes you look cool!"
"Hey! I'm plenty cool you know! I once won first place at my towns carnival games tournament!"
"I feel like I've made my case." Ruby closed her eyes in satisfaction at having won the argument. Jaune just rolled his eyes and grinned at her.
A plus one to the friend counter definitely evened out the vomit ride he took to get here. So overall, he was feeling a lot better about the day.
"So, Jaune, what kind of weapon do you use?"
Oh shoot. He really didn't want to bring up his family heirlooms. "Well I have this sword and shield. The shield collapses into a sheath when not in use so I can carry both a bit easier."
"Wouldn't it still weigh the same overall?"
"I meant less unwieldy to carry, not lighter."
"Ohhhh. Well I have this!" He jumped as the red device on her back unpacked itself and slammed into the concrete, digging into it a couple of inches. "It's a high impact customizable sniper rifle."
"Oh yeah...I...totally see exactly that...yeah...just in case though, if some other people want to learn what it is and they aren't as smart as me can you maybe...I dunno...ex-"
"It's a sniper rifle that can turn into a scythe whenever I want it to." Once again, Ruby pouted at him. Clearly he wasn't a weapons enthusiast like herself at all, though he was certainly nice which was a massive plus. Especially considering her first two encounters being with miss Ice Cold Heart and Talks Too Little.
"See, I already knew that! Just helping you prepare for when you need to tell other people who might not get it so fast!" This was okay. He was feeling a lot more confident now. Like his parents said before he left, he just needed to be himself. Nothing more, nothing less.
"You know, I have this feeling we're supposed to be somewhere right now."
"You mean initiation? I thought that's where you were headed." Jaune slapped his forehead as he realized neither of them knew where they were going. He supposed that it made sense. The universe had to balance out in some way. No way he would ever be allowed to just have things go well.
No, that would be fortunate for him and fortune loved to vomit all over his happiness.
"Okay, well I think we should be fine though. It's only the first day and we're both new. I doubt they would do anything drastic for day one tardiness. Ri-right?" Jaune's voice wavered as his thoughts turned to the prospect of punishment on his first day.
What if they were drastic?
What if they decided that he wasn't responsible enough to be a hunter because he couldn't even keep the simplest of deadlines?
Oh God! What if they took a deeper look into his transcripts again and found his fraudulent credentials? These were trained and accredited hunters and huntresses, they were the top of the food chain. The power houses of the generation. The smartest most incredible humans to ever walk the earth. He had no doubt that he used up all of his luck just getting into this academy. There was no way he was going to survive if he pressed it any further.
He put on a focused look, grabbed Ruby by the hand, despite her blushing, stuttering protests, and stalked off to find the room where initiation was being held.
Or he would have had he not tripped over his feet and slammed his face into a girls chest the moment he turned around.
As a blonde inferno reared a fist back, Jaune turned his thoughts to the staff of Beacon Academy.
They were probably already scoping out the students at initiation, he was probably missing out on everything important.
Probably.
Across the campus sitting at a mahogany desk, headmaster Ozpin sipped his coffee languidly with no concerns regarding the rabble of hundreds of students gathered in one room just floors below him.
"Ozpin we really should go now."
"Glynda. There is a time and place for everything. A season for all-"
Glynda's eyebrows began to twitch and Ozpin's desk began to vibrate. "We're late!"
"By three minutes Glynda. We're perfectly fine. Hunters in training need to learn patience and-"
He was cut off suddenly when Glynda lifted him, the desk, and the chair all at once, dragging them to the elevator.
Ozpin sighed as his legs swung freely in the air, hopefully the students were having a better start to his day than he was.
"Wow Ruby! Your first day seriously started off with a bang, didn't it!" Yang grinned brightly at her younger sister. Sure she had abandoned her in the wild of Beacon at first but she did find her and bring her to the initiation ceremony. Besides she made a friend as well in vomit boy! Sure, Yang had knocked him out the moment he decided to commit MWP, motorboat without permission, but he survived and got up...eventually.
"Yang! Stop it! It was horrifying and that girl was really mean!" Ruby waved her arms wildly in the air. Why couldn't Yang just focus on what was important, like her making a new friend that wasn't a weapon. Though Jaune really couldn't compare with crimson rose, no one and no thing could.
Nope. Not. At. All.
Yang raised her hands in defense, she couldn't fight the powers of the pout. "Cmon Ruby, it's just a joke. Besides you have vomit boy now! Isn't that what matters most?" She flashed Jaune a grin. He was the definitely in the 'not a threat to cute little sister' category. Sure he was kind of cute in the innocent, always seeking to please, doggy sort of way but he was awkward and didn't seem like the kind who even knew how to flirt. So as long as he kept his hands to himself and away from Ruby, he was in the clear.
"Please call me Jaune. I really don't want that nickname to stick." Jaune would not allow this travesty to stand! He had just gotten Ruby to stop calling him vomit boy, letting Yang, someone ten times more boisterous would lead to disaster. Everyone would be calling him that name by nightfall.
He had to stop it any way he could.
"Look vomit boy, unless you have a way of turning the time back and stopping yourself from throwing up on my boots, the nickname sticks."
"Yang, Jaune, be quiet I think its starting!" Ruby waved her tiny hands in front of their faces, getting their attention. "Woah..." She pointed to the front where...Ozpin was floated into the hall...along with his desk and chair…
Jaune's eyes widened. Was the headmaster that powerful? He didn't even walk around to where he needed to go. It was impressive to watch to say the least.
Across the hall, Glynda put Ozpin onto the floor. She leaned to his ear. "Speech. Now." She growled at him while somehow keeping a calm look on her face.
In Ozpin's defense, he didn't budge an inch at the growl, instead opting to smile towards the students gathered.
Looping back towards the rear of the room, Jaune readied himself as the headmaster rose out of his chair.
This was important.
This was the beginning of his journey.
This was his destiny.
"-aune! Hey! Wake up!" Ruby shook Juane's shoulder. Yang shook her head, if shaking wasn't working…
"Argh! What happened? Where are we?" Jaune recoiled backwards as Yang's palm connected with his cheek. He rubbed his reddening cheek.
"You fell asleep during the speech Jaune."
"Yeah vomit boy, you know it was pretty important too. Sad you missed all of it." Yang grinned at him as a panicked look came over his face.
"Oh god! What did I miss? When did I fall asleep."
"Um...you know when the headmaster stood up out of his chair?"
"Yeah?"
Ruby shuffled her feet. "Maybe...five or six...seconds after that I think?"
Jaune sighed and slapped his forehead.
"Perfect..."
Yang slapped a hand on his slumped shoulder and threw Ruby a grin. "Look on the bright side vomit boy! Ruby fell asleep halfway through as well!"
"Yang!" Ruby's face flushed the same color of her cloak. She had wanted keep up her look of cool and responsible to Jaune…
After the speech ended, the students were all sent as a group to sleep in a single room. Apparently it was to help build self control and discipline.
The real reason was that the staff thought it was easier to watch the students if they were all in a single room.
"Alright Rubes, spill!" Said girl rose her hands in defense as a single, long finger was thrust into her cheek. "You're writing in your diary about Jaune aren't you!"
"Yang." Ruby gave her a deadpan stare as she shoved her letter into her face. "It's a letter to my friends back at signal. I promised to write to them!"
"It's okay Rubes! You can tell me the truth!" Yang grinned even as the letter pressed deeper into her face.
"It is the truth Yang!"
"Excuse me!" Yang flicked her eyes to a pale girl staring her down with her hands on her hips. "If you can't tell, people are trying to sleep here. So keep the noise down!"
"Oh no!" Ruby froze for a moment then quickly found shelter behind her older sister. It was the scary girl from earlier. She didn't want to explode again.
"Oh. Of course its you again. Causing more trouble?"
Yang narrowed her eyes for just a moment before flashing a bright smile. "Oh, you already met Ruby? I'm her sister Yang. You the one who made her explode?"
"Yang!" Said girl looked aghast as her own flesh and blood seemingly betrayed her.
"No she did that all on her own I'll have you know." She turned her nose up at the accusation. "Keep your sister in line before she causes anymore problems, would you!"
"Look, I'm sure you and Ruby just got off on the wrong foot. How about the two of you try to be friends." She hadn't played mediator since...well, since ever really. She was usually the active participant in arguments. Though, for her sisters sake, she was willing try her best.
"Yeah, maybe we could! We could shop for school supplies, paint our nails, go clothes shopping, and talk about cute boys like tall blonde and scraggly over there." She shoved her pointer finger at Jaune as he strolled through the hallway in his blue onsie. He noticed the commotion and waved brightly at the girls before heading off to what Yang assumed was his bed.
"Really?"
Weiss stared at the hopeful face of Ruby Rose. For a moment she faltered at the sheer optimism the girl showed. Just a moment though.
"No."
Yang stepped in again to defuse the situation and turn the pale witch of a girl away. "Alright then 'princess'! We'll keep the-"
"Excuse me! What did you just call me? Do you not know who I am?"
Yang clenched her fists, she didn't care about her name and her piss poor attitude was about to get her renamed to casualty.
"Look, princess" Yang made sure to put extra emphasis into the princess portion. Judging by the furious look on the girls face it had the desired effect. "I don't ca-"
"I am Weiss Schnee of the Schnee Dust Company. You have absolutely no rigth to speak to me life that!"
"..." Yang's mouth was wide open for the world to see...This girl's...audacity was just dumbfounding. Ignoring Ruby's protests to the impending violence, she closed her mouth and prepared a fist to line drive into the girls face.
"For a girl looking for sleep, you're quite loud..."
Weiss turned her fury to the new addition to the conversation. "And who are you exactly?"
"Blake...Blake Belladonna. It's getting late. You should just retire back to your bed and go to sleep since you want to be so well rested for tomorrow."
"Ugh! As long as these two buffoons keep it down."
Yang nearly drove her fist home at the insult but was held back by Ruby who stood before her with her arms wrapped around her torso.
"Yang! She's leaving now." Ruby pressed her tiny fingers together and blasted Yang with the strongest dose of the puppy dog eyes she could. She was absolutely not getting into trouble with the professors on the first day. "I think we should just go to sleep!"
"Alright, alright. I'll let it go." Yang took deep calming breaths as she took a step back. "Hey. Blake, right? Thanks for the-" She gestured towards the brunette but she was already walking away from her. "help...Well this is just great."
Yang sighed and went back to her sleeping bag.
A/N: So there's the end to the chapter. Jaune did not get involved during the sleeping scene. Romance won't ever really be that big throughout this story. There won't be any chapters solely based on romance. I might write a one shot dedicated to the pairing if I get a request for it but I will probably stay away from anything too graphic. Feel free to leave a review stating whatever you liked and didn't like about this chapter. I would really like to hear what you think I could work on in this story. Thank you!
UPDATE POST:
Something I was told was that the interaction between Jaune and his parents made very little sense.
I agree having read it over. I realize now that people do not have the kind of family values that I have which means that the scene is insanely confusing to some. I removed a scene when I had written this chapter since I thought of it as a bit superfluous but I chose to put it back in now. Hopefully it adds to the chapter as a whole.
Jaune's family is not ideal or perfect. They have flaws in everything they do like any other family would. However, in the world of Remnant where death quite literally surrounds their home, their flaws are different from ours. They don't put value into things we put value into.
This will be expounded upon from here on out for the coming chapters.