The endless loses of Jaune Arc
Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY. RWBY is made by Rooster teeth and owned by Rooster Teeth Inc, Youtube and the estate of Monty Orm. Please support the official release.
Authors notes: This story was partly inspired by Jaune beats all the First years by Blaiseingfire and by Measuring Up by Milesmorales. It is a little depressing but I like to think I brighten it up a little at the end. See end notes for details.
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Match 5
Jaune got up from his hunched position and charged Cardin recklessly before his sword was blocked and Cardin delivered a kick to the swordsman's gut before rising the flanged mace above his head.
Professor Goodwitch called the match due to lack of Aura.
Match 9
Jaune made a lunge with his sword that Blake ducked under as she wrapped the ribbon of Gambol Shroud around his wrist. Pulling him along as she moved past and throwing him into the wall shoulder first. The people in the stands above him heard the popping of a should dislocating.
Goodwitch Called the match due to ring out.
Match 16
Ash Crimson didn't even have to move to Jaune to beat him. The man just created a ring of fire dust around Jaune and let the extreme heat collapse one of Jaune's lungs.
Goodwitch called the match and gave Ash a detention for his excessive brutality.
Match 17
Jaune blocked the downward punch of the Yang and was actually able to remain standing… until she unloaded all four of the remaining shells in her other gauntlet into Jaune's knee. The pain causing Jaune to stagger and the following uppercut cleared his aura.
Goodwitch called the match.
Match 22
Jaune dodged to the side as Ruby swung her scythe upward and tried to use the opening to slash at her only for Ruby to let the momentum carry her into a kick flip with her foot connecting with Jaune's jaw. Causing the boy to stagger.
Before he could even regain his senses Ruby shot him in the head.
Goodwitch called the match due to aura.
Match 25
Jaune blocked Dove's first strike.
Then the second.
One the third Jaune locked the arm of the CRDN member.
Dove just kicked him in the genitals and then shot him in the face at point black range.
Goodwitch called the match due to aura.
Match 31
Nora got overly enthusiastic and slammed Midgard down onto Jaune's face while activating a round inside it launching Jaune through the ceilings
Goodwitch called the match due to ring out and Aura.
Match 34
Jaune knew that retreating would do no good. Dew Gayl could use wind dust to make miniature tornados so he pushed forward hoping the put her off balance.
He purposefully took a spear stab to the side to close the distance created by her weapon to make a slice at her head. Only for Dew to make a mini-tornado behind him and ducked as he flew over her and out of the ring.
Goodwitch called the match due to ring out.
Match 39
Weiss planted the Myrtenaster into the ground and used a glyph to project the ice dust outward towards Jaune.
He tried to dodge but his left foot got caught, better than his entire body like in his 8th match but still a little too slow.
Jaune was able to still land one solid hit before he was set on fire.
Goodwitch called the match due to aura.
Match 47
Russel Thrush jumped back just dodging the sword strike.
Jaune followed up by trying to thrust his shield forward in a bash. Only for Russel to slide over it and Jaune to land behind him and stabbing both of his daggers into Jaune's neck.
Goodwitch called the match due to Aura.
Match 51
"Sorry." Neptune muttered as he side kicked Jaune out of the arena. Neptune couldn't help it. Jaune had helped him not two days ago at the dance and Neptune didn't want to hurt the blond. But the Vacuo student also wanted to win the match.
Regrettably he kicked with a bit too much force and Jaune's head made a distinct thud as it hit the side wall.
Goodwitch called the match.
Match 53
Jaune brought his sword up, catching the remaining StormFlower between the blade and the gun trigger, crushing Ren's hands. Jaune pulled the blade upward throwing the SMG into the air as Ren's other hand came forward in an aura infused palm strike to Jaune's midsection. Kicking his team leader out of the arena.
Goodwitch called the match.
Match 57
Sun sent the two energy clones at Jaune at the same time. He blocked the first with the shield while the second one kicked one of Jaune out from underneath him.
The real Sun used the opening to unload all the round in Ruyi Bang into Jaune.
Goodwitch called the match due to Aura.
Match 59
Mercury kicked off of Jaune's shield to gain altitude before raining rounds down onto him from above, keeping his elevation due to the recoil from each shot.
Jaune was able to block almost all of them but was so focused on the projectiles he didn't see Mercury descend in an axe kick that broke Jaune's aura and his hand.
Goodwitch called the match.
Match 65
Bolin Hori thrust his staff forward at Jaune's exposed midsection only for the blond boy to just dodge to the side and avoid the blow. So Bolin just swept sideways and threw Jaune into the wall causing a perfect reflection of his face to be planed into the concrete.
Goodwitch called the match due to ring out.
Match 70
Neon Katt seemed to be the only one to realize Jaune entered the fight with a broken knee. She didn't know why he didn't ask for a medical exemption but chalked it up to macho boy pride. She didn't stop hitting that same knee until it gave out on him.
Goodwitch called the match.
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Private room of the medical wing.
Sage walked back into the room with Jaune and attached the CAT scan to a light up backdrop.
"At this point I don't even know why we both with the X-rays." Sage muttered to himself. "You're just as good at diagnosing your own injuries as we are at this point."
Jaune shrugged and winched in pain as his arm moved. "So a fracture on the upper Radius but not to the Ulna?" He half asked, half confirmed.
"Yup." The dark skinned medical student responded. "It doesn't look like the Humorous received any damage this time either."
Sage was rather proud of the fact that his Match 55 with Jaune didn't result in any injures. The rest of the medical staff at Beacon would probably have broken a few of HIS bones if their intern was the reason their most damaged student ended up under their care again.
He was about to say something else when someone knocked on the door.
Sage opened it only to jump back in surprised as Headmaster Ozpin stood there. The ever present cup of coffee part way to his mouth. "Ah Mr. Ayana. Would you happen to be with Mr. Arc now would you?" It was a rhetorical question and Sage knew it.
"Yes sir. You'll have to come back later." Sage tried to block. Over the past 15 weeks since the start of the second term and team SSSN's arrival. Sage had grown fond of the blond klutz that seemed to end up seeking medical attention after nearly everyone of Professor Goodwitch's combat classes.
"It'll only be a moment." Ozpin pressed in the manner Sage knew meant the headmaster was pulling rank.
Casting a glance over at Jaune the nurse assistant said, "I'll be back in a few." Before pointedly glaring at the headmaster and leaving the room.
"What can I do for you Professor Ozpin?" Jaune asked. Glad that the staff let him keep his personal robe at the medical ward rather than force him to use one of the paper gowns most people had to use.
Taking a sip of coffee as he sat down Ozpin looked Jaune in the eye for a long moment before answering. "It has just been brought to my attention that you have broken some school records Mr. Arc."
At this Jaune perked up.
"You are the only student to have participated in all 74 combat classes we have had over the last two semester." Ozpin continued. "Beating out the previous holder… one Raven Branwen who only had 68 matches."
Jaune blushed and rubbed the back of his head self-consciously. "It wasn't that difficult when Professor Goodwitch has you fight in every class." Jaune tried to deflect.
"Perhaps…" Ozpin agreed. "But she was out sick from matches 40 to 45, but still you fought while other teachers, teachers that didn't have Professor Goodwitch's apparent obsession with keeping you in the ring, cover her classes."
Jaune felt himself sweat at that. He was hoping nobody noticed it.
"Another record you have broken." Ozpin continued, "Is that you have had all 74 of these matches without scoring a single victory." He took a sip while the words sunk in. "By the mere luck alone one would assume that you would have one at least one round. Even Mr. Nadir Shiko has defeated a few opponents while he was here preparing for the Vytal festival."
Jaune tried to think quickly and was coming up with nothing. This was it! Ozpin had finally realized he faked his transcripts and was about to kick him out!
"So my question to you is… why do you insist on fighting even when you are injured?"
It took Jaune a second to register that. "Why professor?"
"Yes Jaune 'why'? Miss Katt was very distressed after her match with you to the point that Mr. Coal all but stormed into my office demanding why I let an injured student fight. She is not the only one. Miss Schnee has also noted that the out of the three matches you have had against her, you have only ever come into one without an injury. In fact, many of our guests seem to think that someone at the school is beating you on a near daily basis." Ozpin looked back at the door for a second, "A sentiment that the medical staff seems to share."
"It's nothing Professor. HAHAHA!" Jaune forced not looking at his unwanted interrogator. "I'm just not all that good at fighting I guess."
"Perhaps in the beginning but I know that Miss Nikos has been spending several hours a week for months working with you. Yet despite that noticeable improvement you have still yet to succeed against another student. From what Professor Port says, you have no trouble against the Grimm he brings to lecture. In fact you defeated the young King Taijitu faster than anyone else in your class even without a ranged weapon. While still being injured." Ozpin took another sip, letting the unasked question hang in the air.
"I don't know sir. Perhaps the answer is the same as to why you haven't had anything in that cup of yours since you entered the room but still insist on pretending to drink it." Jaune defected quickly. Hoping to force Ozpin on the defensive.
The professor only looked down at his mug with a smile before setting it down.
"I can understand wanting to work all hours to improve yourself Mr. Arc. It's an admirable quality. One I wish a few of your fellow classmates would pick up. But working yourself to the bone every night will only result in tiring yourself out."
"Is that why you won't let Team JNPR go on any missions since the Breach a few weeks ago but you let RWBY go on two that are marked beyond freshmen level?" Jaune shot back. Breathing hard despite not doing anything. He was tired. Mildly (ok very) injured and now it would appear Ozpin was purposefully preventing his teammates from meeting the requirements need to graduate by preventing them from going on missions. Requirements Ozpin himself had set down after invitation. "Because if so that seem rather hypocritical of you."
Ozpin suddenly wished he had coffee in his mug, just to give himself a second to think. "Yes." He responded honestly.
Jaune all but exploded. "Do you know how badly Ren wanted to go to that village in Vacuo?" He demanded. "The one that you kept putting off until another team took it instead."
"I am aware. But I wasn't the one preventing them from going Mr. Arc. You were. It would be reckless to the point of irresponsible for me to let my students out into the field when one of their member is having difficulty standing. I was hoping you would get the point without my interference but it would seem I was mistaken." Ozpin got up to leave. "You will let yourself recover Mr. Arc or I will prevent Team JNPR from entering the Vytal tournament at the end of the month."
Jaune felt his blood run cold. The tournament was all that Pyrrha had been talking about for weeks. The food stalls, the venders, the chance to win another tournament and with it remind everyone why she was one of the best in the world.
Jaune slumped himself in defeat. "I understand professor."
"Good." Ozpin said as he hesitated for a moment. Feeling that leaving Jaune in such a state would not be beneficial to anyone. "You know… despite being the headmaster of the school I have yet to have an entire room set aside for my own personal use." Ozpin smiled as he looked over the room. A cork board with a dozen notes from Jaune's victorious opponents hoping Jaune would recover soon so they could hang out. A blanket on the hospital bed that was of such higher quality then the regular ones that it was apparent someone had bought it for a specific purpose while still being allowed to pretend it was the same as all the others in the medical wing by getting the color perfectly to match the rest. The fact that not even Ozpin was allowed to bring his own personal robe into the ward when he was injured but that Jaune had two set aside for him. "You must have some very good friends."
Jaune looked up but Ozpin opened the door. To find a glowering Sage and an angry May Zedong standing there. May with a 'get well' card in hand to apologize for the match Jaune had just gotten out of an hour before along with a shooting simulator game.
Ozpin excused himself and left while the two waiting people entered.
"Everything alright?" Sage asked looked out the door at the retreating headmaster's back.
"About the same as always." Jaune said back automatically before looking at May. "It was a good match."
"Would have been better if you had some means to attack beyond the length of you sword." She complained before pulling up a chair next to Jaune's bed. "So I though a little target practice would make you realize your mistake." She held up Duck Hunter XXX.
Jaune raised an eyebrow before turning the game on and taking the first round. "I'll have you know I was town champion at this game."
May rolled her eyes and tried to look angry. "Maybe but I'm Vacuco national runner up." She boasted before realizing Jaune just shot the golden goose with a point's multiplier bullet and suddenly didn't feel so good about her chances.
"You should be good to go in another two hours." Saga said as he made to leave, "I'll check in on you after my shift ends."
"Thanks Sage." The two said as the hunched over the small screen.
As Jaune passed the game over to May he couldn't help but think about what Ozpin had said.
He was right about a one things. Jaune could never perform properly is he wasn't at his best. And working himself to death all the time will never get him there. He still might not be at the level of his classmates yet. But he also wasn't about to give up.
He came to Beacon to improve himself. To help other people. To be someone that he, Jaune Arc can look back upon with pride rather than shame.
And while it make take him forever to get there, Jaune was willing to try. And as long as he DID his best at every step of the way. He will get there eventually. He will be someone worth to stand with the others. The people who sent him the cards. His teammates and his friends across the hall. The people he fought against in the arena throughout the week.
He'll be worth of them and what they represent. The defiance against the Grimm. The means of survival. The strength of humanity.
He, not THEY will become huntsmen and women.
And pity those that try to stop them.
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End notes:
Working under the assumption that Beacon acts as a college, not a high school. (The average starting age of Beacon is 17 closer to college.) They would have 75 days a semester as with most colleges. Also assuming that they don't have the exact same classes every day, something that is rarely done even in high schools, and they work on an alternating day system, that would mean 34.5 combat classes a semester. Round down to 34 and then multiply by 2 for the number of simesters that Beacon had before the Vytal festival you get 74 combat classes.
One of the lesser things about fictional school settings that I have always found interesting is the class load and times. I don't think many others think about it all that much, either in professional writing of in these fan stories. Sometime someone brings it up but it's a rarity.
And as for Jaune fighting everyone I think that Measuring Up had a good idea with that to I borrowed it for my own ends.
Also, despite not having any basis in canon, I can't help but feel/wish that Jaune would make friends with people at Beacon easily. I don't know why. Maybe as a means for making up for his lack of combat ability I hope that he could just become one of those people others like to be around. It's probably wishful thinking on my part.
I mean, the only reason he, Ren and Nora are even with Ruby to make RNJR is because RWBY is scattered to the winds and not usable. I have a the feeling that with RWBY getting back together in Volume 5 that JRN are going to be relegated to a background role again. Plus, it's all but canon that the only reason RWBY interacts with JNPR was because Jaune and Ruby were friends and Weiss idolized Pyrrha. With Pyrrha gone, I don't think Weiss will care all that much about the others, not so much because she is mean but because they just don't register to her. Or that she might avoid them to escape the awkwardness of having to deal with a dead friend. I can't think of a single instance where Blake talked to any of team JNPR and Yang only did so because of Ruby. So Weiss' incentive is gone, Blake never had one and Yang did to humor Ruby. Leaving the only connection being the silver eyed wonder herself.
Release date. June 18, 2017.
