Jaune grit his teeth, burying himself deeper into the rough wooden chair, practically staring holes into the floor. Saying that he was scared was the understatement of the century. His fingers drummed against the knuckles of his other hands, shaking as if stuck in a perpetual earthquake. Anxiety and stress swirled around him in a horrific storm, spiraling and never-ceasing. Jaune recalled similar feelings when dealing with hordes of Grimm, when he fought desperately for his life, though this situation was different. Instead of a raging battlefield where his own sword, shield and teammates kept him safe, he was sitting outside over a large door, awaiting his conference with his own Principle, Ozpin.

To think it had been only a few months ago that he had revealed himself to Pyrrha, and unintentionally, Cardin. He remembered the hell he had gone through with the boy to keep his secret safe from the administrators. Though after a particular act of rebellion involving Cardin, Velvet, and an abnormally thick frying pan, Cardin had let slip of how he faked his way into his school on every social media site known to the school. Obviously, it was found by the higher ups almost an hour later, and called over from his class from an abnormally scary-looking dragon of a woman, Goodwitch. He tried to ignore the sneers of that bastard Cardin, or the concerned looks of Pyrrha, though he could already feel the rapid torrent of emotions swarming in. Guilt. Fear. Helplessness. Sadness. Regret.

Rage.

He couldn't stop his quivering jaw. He already knew what was coming. He had expected it of course. This was it, wasn't it. The end of the line for him. They knew now that he had never attended combat school. While it should have been obvious from the start as the mediocrity of his skills showed earlier, he had managed to barely scrape through by proving himself to the brutal lessons from Pyrrha, he had managed to improve tremendously, being able to defeat some of the more minor students and even Cardin a few times in combat. He had even got his entire team approved for better missions.

That didn't matter now. It was over for him. He was going to be expelled, cast out of the school alone. His family would never accept him back. No school would take him after what he did. Hell, he wasn't even sure if he wasn't going to be arrested for pulling a stunt like this. He knew that option was far from off the table. He wouldn't be surprised if a cop was standing on the other end of that door right now, ready to cuff him, and take him away to the end of his life.

His thoughts drifted to his team that he had grown to care so much for over the many months that he had stayed here. Ren had been not only his first guy friend in this school, he was his first guy friend ever, the first person he could truly call a brother. Nora was the light of the team, always shining his world when things were down. Pyrrha was the greatest friend he could hope for, teaching him, accepting him. He could never think of life without her. He was about to let them down. Them, who accepted him as a leader, ignoring who he was, and how his skills were subpar. They loved him and he loved them, even in this short time.

Oh how he let them down...

A sharp gasp shot out of his mouth as the door creaked open. His entire body seized up in his chair, his back hunching up slightly, unable to take a breath. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted 's boots marching to his side.

"Headmaster Ozpin will see you now." She snarled.

Jaune gulped and slowly rose out of his seat. He couldn't bring himself to raise his head and face her. "Y-yes ma'am." He stuttered. He didn't even need to look up at her to know that she had pure utter anger and contempt in her eyes. He just couldn't bare to look at it.

Wow, Arc, some man you are…

Not taking his eyes off the ground, he trudged over into the office, the door slamming shut behind him. The loud crack of the door that echoed through the room made his heart skip a beat, as if he had just closed the door on his own life. He still couldn't raise his head, his shame to great to look the older man no doubt sitting in front of him. The strong scent of coffee entered his nose.

"Good evening mister Arc. Please sit down." Ozpin said, his calm tone breaking the silence.

Jaune raised his head every so slightly to see another chair in front of the headmaster's desk. Slowly lowering himself into the chair, he finally braved a glance at Ozpin. He didn't see anger, or contempt in his eyes. Instead he found something much more hurtful.

Disappointment.

Pure honest disappointment.

The moment he looked into the man's eyes. He lowered them again, already feeling the guilt crushing him. Pushing himself deeper into his chair, he laced his fingers together.

"Now I don't need to ask you if you know why you're." Ozpin said. Jaune shook his head slowly. "And you are well aware of the consequences of such actions." Jaune sat there, silent. Ozpin adjusted his glasses, not taking his eyes off the young man.

"Yes, sir." Jaune said sullenly.

"This act could go much farther than this school. Are you aware of how illegal you're actions were?" Ozpin said, his voice still oddly cordial.

"I… I knew sir."

"Then why would you do this? You knew very well you couldn't get away with this, so why do this?"

Jaune could not bring himself to speak. His honest answer would always have been that he wanted to be a hunter, who protected the weak and was loved as a hero, though the situation didn't match his intentions. The standard answer would be that he wanted to live up to his family name, but how was he supposed to do that when the Arc's stood for honesty and courage, to which he had neither of. What on Remnant was he supposed to say?

"Are you going to answer?" Ozpin asked, tapping the desk. More silence. Ozpin closed his eyes, no doubt in thought. "Very well. I assume you know the punishment?"

Prison time or expulsion. Pick your poison Jaune, cause there's no going back now.

"I do sir." Jaune mumbled, his head somehow slinking lower.

This was far from the first expulsion that he had to give out. Not by a long shot. In fact, in his first few years he had seen every single trick in the book. From begging to attempted seduction to even threatening by financial or physical means. Obviously, none of them worked. He was far too experienced for that to ever work. The smarter ones would often would play to his sentimental side through begging, groveling, crying, and pleading for mercy, though of course, they were all futile. All it did was prove to him that they weren't meant to be hunters to begin with if they didn't have the courage to face the danger. When he witnessed Jaune enter his office, he was curious on what he had to add to the table.

Ozpin waited for excuses, for cries of mercy, for groveling and pity parties, but to his surprise, none came. The boy remained silent, head bowed in shame.

"Do you have anything to say for yourself?" He asked, sipping his coffee.

A thousand words crossed through Jaune. Plea's, hopes, bargains, anything that could get him out of this predicament. On his way to the main office, story after story had already piled into his mind. All he had to do was to speak of one, and he may be home free.

But…

He couldn't bring himself to speak. A part of him knew why, but the other part constantly nagged him to further spread the web of lies that he had entangled himself in, just for the hope of getting off with a slap on the wrist. The other part only repeated the same argument. You arrived a liar. At least try and leave as an Arc.

"No?" Ozpin asked. Jaune shook his head. Curious indeed. He stood, towering over the boy. "Well, under normal circumstances, I would have had you arrested and carted out of my school, or at the very least, shamefully expelled." The headmaster's eyes darkened over the boy. Jaune dared another glance, though to his surprise, there was no disappointment there. On the contrary, the one thing that shone his eyes was pity and a little sadness. "Luckily for you, I have decided on the latter rather than the former."

Jaune felt his heart sink like a weight. He had just heard it. He was gone. Out. Never to return. His future was going to be in complete shambles. It took all the willpower in his body to keep the tears from creeping. He could feel his body lurch, feeling extremely nauseous. Somehow he found the strength to stiffen his body, his hands pressed against his knees, sitting up straight and attentive. Ozpin sighed, and sat back down, his fingers drumming against his desk. Disappointment returned to his gaze, yet it didn't seem directed completely at him.

"I'm sorry it had to come to this. You've held so much potential, no, you still do. I've seen you evolve into such a great young hunter. You are truly a talented and kind young man, and it has been a pleasure getting to know you. I wish you well."

Ozpin stood up, and offered walked up to Jaune, hand raised for him to shake. Jaune couldn't move, his head hanging low once more. Ozpin stood for a few moments before retracting his hand.

"Is that all sir?" Jaune asked, his voice strangely deep and strangled.

"Yes, Mr. Arc. You are to leave the campus grounds by morning. The Bullhead will be at the port, ready to pick you up and take you to Vale." Ozpin said, sitting back down. "Do you have family waiting for you there? Anyone waiting for you at least?"

After a moment, Jaune answered. "Yeah sure, I can text mom on my way home."

A lie of course. His family would never take him back. He just couldn't bring himself to say that. He had no money, no survival experience, no chance of getting a job. His jaw quivered at the prospect of the harsh ,compromising future that lie ahead of him. But this was the grave that he dug, so now it was time to lay in it.

He had to admit it. Going into this, he was completely in over his head, thinking everything would just go great as soon as he entered this school. He had no idea what he was in for and barely thought of the consequences that would follow, but he didn't care. Jaune Arc, the wimp, the slacker, the loser was going to be a successful hunter, a shell of his former self. That prospect seemed so far away now, almost gone over the horizon.

"Thank you sir." Jaune said sullenly.

With that, he marched out of the office, walking past Professor Goodwitch's stalwart glare, and into the hall. The hall felt so empty despite it being full of students just getting to their dorms, another day of classes over. He made it to his dorm seemingly faster than usual. None of his teammates were back yet.

Good.

Letting his body flop down onto his bed, he stared at Crocea Mors, and his shield. Which lay against the wall, stupidly begging it to save him somehow.

Ozpin picked his scroll up, and dialed his desired number quickly. He hoped that the boy would answer this time. Maybe this time he would help him. After many moments, a gruff voice sounded on the other end.

"Michael here, what'll it be?"

"I'm sure you already know who I am. But that doesn't matter now. I have a job for you…"

Thanks for reading! Review for more, and I'll see you next time!