AND I'M BACK. ALRIGHT, ROUND TWO!
Got to say, I didn't expect this much of a response right off the bat. THANK YOU GUYS!
Alright, jumping into this, it is currently 11:45 at night, I have to work tomorrow, and had to pick my boss up from jail earlier. So great night. Also, working tomorrow. YAY!
AFTER FATE
Chapter Two
A brand-new career
Qrow stood next to Ozpin's desk with a self-satisfied smirk on his face. His timing had been off slightly, but he was still plenty pleased with himself. True, the idea to make Arc an assistant professor had been off handed suggestion, but the more the Beacon staff had thought about it, the more it actually made some sense.
And the look on the kids faces was worth any future retribution.
He quickly pulled out his scroll and snapped a picture, sending to several contacts in his speed dial.
Ozpin's scroll vibrated loudly in the otherwise dead silent office.
Jaune's visage was completely calm, save for a rather violent twitch under his left eye. Weiss was slowly coming out of her shock and glared daggers at Qrow.
Said man promptly took another picture.
"You decided," Jaune said slowly, eye twitching again, "to make me an assistant professor. Of a combat class. Why?"
Weiss furrowed her brows as she looked between the two older huntsmen, confused and slightly concerned as to how they managed to arrive at this decision. Not that she thought Jaune would be incompetent in such a function, but the affects it would have on their team and their schooling.
After all, they were only second year students.
Granted, she was now the bearer or the Fall Maiden and on a whole nother power level… Jaune being an ex-time traveler… At least Blake and Yang were norma… Ex-terrorist and capable of thrashing massive mechas…
Why was her team so weird….
Why was she just now noticing it….
The sound of Ozpin setting his mug down brought Weiss back to the current situation. "Seeing as to the rather… complicated nature of your current situation, we have been back into an awkward corner." The man said, looking far to amused at their reaction. "Seeing as how you, Ms. Schnee, cannot exactly be classed as a typical student any more, we needed a way for you to stay in Beacon without raising any undue suspicion."
"You still need to be trained in the use of the Fall Maiden's power. While your family semblance does offer the convenient excuse for extensive training, we figured it'd best for someone…" Ozpin seemed to struggle to put his thoughts into words, "to be the focus of everyone's attention."
"We needed someone as bait." Qrow helpfully explained.
Jaune's eye twitched again.
"You see, we were all sitting there thinking, now how can we draw attention away from one student suddenly gaining massive amounts of power with zero explanation?" Qrow said, leaning against Ozpin's desk, "Then I thought, 'Hey, I know someone with some pretty interesting skills and is really good at drawing attention to themselves. Why not make him a teacher? That'll draw some eyes.'"
"You are going to wake up in a shallow grave in the emerald forest." Jaune growled under his breath.
Weiss elbowed him in the ribs.
"So, it's just a diversion tactic then," Weiss said, trying to wrap her head around the logic, "Jaune won't really be a teacher, it's just a title to help throw suspicion off me."
"I'm afraid Mr. Arc will need to actually preform at least some of the functions his new station requires." A new voice said, marking the entrance of Glynda Goodwitch entering the room.
The Deputy Headmistress of Beacon strode calmly past her and took up station next to Ozpin, "Mr. Arc will be assisting me with a select class of students from all years."
"You're actually approving of this idea?" Jaune couldn't help but ask, staring at her with a disbelieving expression.
Glynda shot him a glare, "Are you questioning my judgement?"
"Yes." Jaune replied flatly, "Yes, I very much am."
"Mr. Arc, you've shown a skill set far above that of an average student." She stated, "so much so that you rank on the level of an experienced huntsman. The only thing you have lacked is physical conditioning, something that seems to no longer be an issue."
"You've been stalking me." Jaune grumbled, crossing his arms.
Ozpin coughed into his hand, "Mr. Arc, as much as you may wish otherwise, this is the best course of action. Along with the benefit of helping your fellow students, there are a multitude of advantages to this decision. For one, as a member of the faculty, you and your team will be allowed access to a far larger amount of resources and a number of freedoms not allowed to a student."
"What do you mean by the team?" Weiss asked, now far more curious to this absurd proposition.
"Team Jazzberry has been allocated as assistants to the teaching staff of Beacon," Goodwitch said, crossing her arms, "You, Mr. Arc, will be assisting me with a training regime for the rest of the students, as well as providing your own class and offering one on one lessons with any students who wish to learn from you."
Jaune's glower grew as Glynda listed off his new duties. He'd just gotten his life back, saved from an endless crusade of violence. He just wanted to spend the rest of his life with his team and his family.
"Ms. Schnee, you shall be assisting me," Ozpin said, taking a sip from his mug, "You will be acting as a liaison and assistant while I try to rebuild the school, officially in any case. Your teammates will be helping Dr. Oobleck and Prof. Port."
Weiss glanced between the two teachers – Qrow didn't count to her – while considering what they said, "I-I can understand your reasoning," she said, "to a point, but what about our studies? We are only second years, we didn't even have a final exam for our first year… On account of the school being, well, on fire."
"Worry not, Ms. Schnee," Glynda said as Ozpin coughed while sipping his coffee, "You and your team will be allowed ample time for studies and retain some of your free time. Most of your duties will be flexible in schedule and will not have too great an impact on your learning."
"We didn't do this to make your life any harder, kiddo." Qrow said, playing with the cap of his flask, "But with everything that's happened, we do need you to stay relatively close."
Jaune's one sided staring competition with Ozpin ended as he fixed his eyes on Qrow.
"Since when do you have input on what goes on in the school?" Jaune asked, "I know you're Ozpin's pet pigeon, but I don't think you're a professor here."
"That's where you're wrong, kiddo." Qrow said, shooting finger guns at Jaune.
Two sets of blue eyes snapped to Ozpin.
"Mr. Arc, Ms. Schnee, meet Beacons newest staff member, Mr. Branwen." The grey-haired man asked.
Jaune looked to Glynda, pleading with his eyes that this was all a massive joke.
Glynda stared back.
Weiss opened her mouth, but suddenly forgot what she had wanted to say.
Qrow grinned and took another swig from his flask.
Ozpin sipped his coffee.
"That is all for now." Ozpin said with a small, content sign.
Man, that's some good coffee.
Jaune growled under his breath as he and Weiss rode the elevator down, their good mood shot.
Weiss touched a hand to his arm, "Hey, you okay?" She asked, a concern clear in her voice.
"Why is nothing ever simple?" Jaune asked, shaking his head, "One bought of insanity after the next. Am I cursed or something?"
Weiss giggled a little, "I'd say just hard-headed. For as crazy as this is, we've faced worse and survived. You fought against fate for a millennium. You should be fine with teaching a few students."
Jaune ran a hand down his face and sighed, "You're right, you're right. I guess I'm just a little strung out."
"Of course I'm right." Weiss said with an impish grin as she patted him on the arm, "And I think I got just the thing to help you destress a little."
Jaune raised an eyebrow, "You got me strippers?"
Weiss rolled her eyes and scoffed, "No, I did not get you strippers."
Jaune smiled a little easier as the car continued down.
When the doors opened, Weiss led him through the corridors of the school. Following the path that they'd first taken back in initiation they arrived at the cliffs of Beacon, she led him to a spot some little ways away from the launch pads. Behind a copse of trees there was a large rock overlooking the cliff and gave a spectacular view of the Emerald Forrest.
Weiss clambered up to top of the rock and sat down, Jaune following suit.
"I found this spot a few days ago," Weiss said, looking out over the vast track of land spread out below them. "I was wondering around and stumbled upon this."
Jaune took a deep breath of air. It was clean, tasting of earth and smelling of the evergreen trees around them. He followed Weiss's gaze, taking time to marvel at sight.
A carpet of green was interspaced with the occasional grey of old ruins that still poked through the canopy, juvenile Nevermores flew in small groups around those, while normal birds flocked together and soared on the soft warm breeze.
Jaune felt his body relax a little, the tension that had built up in his shoulders loosen as he pulled his legs up in front of him and stared out over the cliff.
The evening sun marked the day as three quarters over, catching the distant mountain range and making the snow-capped peaks glow bright white.
Jaune sighed and Weiss caught a glimpse of joy in his eyes. A smile broke across her face as she turned back to the view. Jaune showing emotion as a rare thing, and when he did, it usually wasn't pleasant ones. Or safe ones to those who stood in his way.
Weiss thought back to some of their first interactions; when she'd met him at her concert, he'd thrown her for a loop, clearly not caring for position in the slightest. Then again at Beacon, when she'd been so arrogant as to believe she'd influenced him to be a huntsman. And then almost killed him by shoving him out of a tree.
Her cheeks darkened slightly at the embarrassing memory. Jaune must have caught it because she heard him suppress a chuckle.
Back then, she'd thought him creative at first, but then being partnered with him had thrown all positive thoughts out the window.
Jaune had confused the ever-loving hell out of all of them, most of all her. She'd never been able to get a read on him, he always seemed… distant wasn't the right word,
Perhaps melancholy would fit, but it still didn't feel accurate.
He would joke and laugh with them, rile them up for his own entertainment. Be angry, angry when they put themselves in danger. He'd always be one step ahead of everyone, seemed to know exactly what they were thinking and how they were feeling.
But sometimes he'd slip up and act out completely randomly. High jacking a bullhead to save Blake at the docks being a prime example. Challenging Pyrrha in Miss Goodwitch's class being another. It also showed in how he treated every one of them, between their team and his old one. He always made time for them. Ruby especially, he always did his best to reassure her that everything was going to be ok.
Jaune also knew how to push all their buttons, something he'd used to maximum effect on her. Driving her up the walls with his laziness and general lack of concern for anything other than sleep.
"Thank you, Weiss." Jaune said softly, breaking her out of her revere.
"You're welcome, Jaune." She said, looking over to him to see him looking at her. Deep blue eyes, holding more memories and emotion then she could fathom met hers before turning back the forest.
And then, just like that, he'd changed. Or perhaps her understanding of him changed. She could see it every now and then, just the faint hints the boy buried under the weight of the world.
Now, she understood why, Miss Goodwitch had been close to correct when she'd said something horrible must have happened to turn Jaune into what he was now. It was just something inconceivable to a rational mind.
Weiss could see the Jaune who held on to the hope that he could save his friends. That he could make things right and one day everyone could get their happy ending. Who could take joy in something simple without worrying about a tragedy or the loss of a loved one.
Weiss wanted to protect that Jaune.
"You know," He began, "It feels like forever since I had a chance just to enjoy a view like this. For the past dozen or more repeats I'd done nothing but focus on learning as much as I could, training hard and working to undermine everything Cinder and her lot did. I ended up all across the world, chasing them. Go figure I'd miss the beauty of what was right in front of me."
"Well, we often over look what is right in front of us." Weiss said, placing her hand on his, enjoying the warmth of his skin and smiling as he squeezed her fingers gently.
Jaune let out a breath, something half ways between a huff and a laugh.
"I got an idea." He said, standing up on the rock and helping her up.
"Oh? Do tell." Weiss said as she hopped down behind him.
Jaune grinned and pulled out his scroll. He pressed a button as they stepped through the tree line again.
His rocket locker with his weapon landed a few yards away and next to the launch pads Ozpin had used to throw them into the forest.
"When's the last time we had the chance to fight through some grimm?" He asked as he pulled his weapon out of the blue locker.
"Oh, not since the last attack on the school." Weiss said as she summoned her own locker and retrieved her rapier. "Running start? See who makes it the farthest from the cliff?"
Jaune glanced towards the edge, "Nope." He pulled out his scroll again and began typing.
"Nope?" Weiss questioned, wondering how he intended to get down to the forest.
The sound of gears turning next to her drew her attention to the large metal plates on the ground.
Jaune's grin grew as he looked over at her incredulous expression. He waved his scroll a little, "Turns out, most of the stuff in Beacon runs off scrolls. If you know how to get into the network, you can control almost everything."
Weiss facepalmed, "Please tell me you didn't just hack into Beacon's security."
"Nope. Just logged in."
"Wait. Logged in how?"
"Teachers username and password." Jaune said, typing in a few more things into the scroll. Two pads in front of them clicked,
"Please tell me you didn't just use Miss Goodwitch's credentials." Weiss said, feeling a headache building as she massaged the bridge of her nose.
"Nope. Ports."
And just like that, headache gone.
"Ah… Well, I suppose a little jaunt in the woods would feel pretty good." Weiss said, drawing Myrtenaster and hopping onto one of the platforms.
Jaune laughed and walked onto his own, drawing Crocea Mors and pocketing his scroll.
"Five seconds." He said as he took a crouching stance.
"First to fifty?" Weiss asked, a competitive gleam in her eyes.
"You're on."
With a heavy thunk, the launch pads hurled the two students into the clear blue sky.
Ozpin looked out the window of his tower, cup in hand as he took in the view.
"Quite serene." He said, sipping his coffee.
Glynda stood next to him, a large scroll in one hand as she rubbed the other against her forehead, "I take it you are not referring to the two students who just launched themselves off the cliffs." She said, slightly exasperated. "How did he even…. Peter's login…" She mumbled.
"Sometimes I really do question your methods." Glynda said with a sideways glare at her boss as she closed the file and opened up the control panel with the Emerald Forest cameral feeds.
"I'm sure I have no idea what you are referring to."
Yang laid spread out across her bead, thumbing through her scroll. It felt good to be back at Beacon with the team back together. She grinned at a meme of a wet cat and forwarded it to Blake, who was sitting on her own bed with a book.
"You are so immature." Blake said as she checked the message, rolling her eyes at her partner.
"You love me." Yang said with a chuckle. "Have you heard from Sun lately?" she asked as she looked for more things to send Blake.
"I talked to him the other day, he's doing ok." Blake said, her cat ears flicking a little, "The team's recovered from their injuries and is back to classes. He mentioned something about transferring to Beacon for the next semester."
"I bet you're looking forward to that." Yang said with a grin, "Missing your little monkey man?"
Blake ignored that comment, though her cheeks did darken a little. "Someone's at the door." She said, one ear twitching.
Sure enough, someone knocked on the door not a second later.
"Ok, it's still kinda cool when you do that." Yang said as she rolled off the bed and on to her feet.
Blake grinned a little as she kept reading.
Yang opened the door, "Oh, hey Rubes. What's up?" She asked, seeing her little sister standing there.
"Hey Yang, Blake." Ruby said with a smile, "So the gangs heading into Vale tomorrow to hang out, you know, kinda a 'We're all back together' party thing. We were thinking of hitting an arcade and maybe a movie. Thought I'd see if you guys wanted to come too."
"I'm down." Yang said, glancing back to Blake, "What about you?"
Blake looked up from her book to see Ruby smiling hopefully at her. She rolled her eyes, "I suppose. I need to stop at a bookstore anyways."
Ruby cheered and hopped in place, "Can you see if Jaune and Weiss want to come too?" She asked.
"I'll ask them." Yang said, grinning at her little sister, "They should be back soon, so I'll let you know."
"Thanks Yang!" Ruby said happily.
Yang laughed as she reached out to drag her into a headlock. Only for Ruby to dissolve into a cloud of rose petals, reappearing just out of arms reach and sticking her tongue out.
"Nyaaaah!" Ruby said, crossing her eyes at her big sister.
"Oh, I'm gonna get you for that." Yang declared. "I'll be back later." She said to Blake, closing the door behind her as she chased Ruby down the hallways, their laugher echoing through the corridors.
Blake chuckled at the sisters as opened her book again. What a crazy life I have, Blake thought to herself with a smile.
Half an hour later, Yang returned, panting heavily. "I think Ruby is getting faster." She said with a huff and trying to regain her breath. "I mean, seriously, she's always been fast, but damn."
Yang walked over to her bed and flopped down, "Phew. I need a shower after that." She said, getting back up and grabbing a change of clothes. "Weiss and Jaune make it back yet?" She asked as she moved towards the bathroom.
"Not yet. Haven't heard from them either." Blake replied, still in the same spot with her book.
"Huh, wonder what their up to." Yang said as she closed the bathroom door and turned on the shower.
Blake pulled out her scroll, it had been a while since their two teammates left. She thought it was just a meeting with Ozpin, but that had been at least an hour and a half ago.
She sent a quick text to Jaune, then remembered how Jaune had a tendency to not respond and sent one to Weiss too.
A few minutes later, her scroll buzzed. Blake opened the message. 'Out in the Forest. Everything's fine, we'll be back for dinner.'
Blake hummed and went back to reading.
By evening time, team JWBY and RRNN where finishing up dinner. The teams swapping stories of what they'd gotten up to while they'd been apart. Jaune gave them an update on his newest sister, which earned a round of coos and awes from the girls.
Nora recounted a larger than life battle that she and Ren had apparently been involved in, with Ren summarizing it down to 'Someone tried to mug Nora, Ren called an ambulance. The mugger should make a full recovery physically if not mentally.' Blake, Yang, and Weiss winced and looked at the bubbly bomber with mild concern.
Jaune just chuckled. That was Nora for you. The whole 'Break their legs' thing was sometimes serious.
Pyrrha said she'd gotten a chance to call her family, said they were proud of her and her big sister was coming to visit at some point once work aloud her some free time.
"I guess dad's gonna come for a visit some time in the next couple weeks." Yang said, taking aadrink from her glass
"Is Zwie happy to be back home?" Nora asked, leaning on the table.
"Yea, made a beeline for the couch." Ruby said with a laugh.
It was kinda weird not having the little dog in their room, he'd become something of a staple of the team's room.
"Oh," Weiss spoke up, drawing the tables attention to her, "Ozpin spoke to myself and Jaune today," She said, explaining for RRNN, "And he informed us of a few new changes happening this year."
Jaune groaned as everyone perked up and paid attention.
Weiss smirked a little at her partner's exasperated expression. "You all got the message about the announcement first thing Monday, right?" a round of nods said that everyone had, "Well, one of the big changes is there is two new teachers joining the staff."
The table ohhh'd at that, "Who are they? Are they some badass super hunters from another school?" Yang said.
"I hope they're better then Port." Someone said.
"I wonder what they'll be teaching." Ren said, a contemplative look in his eyes.
"I hope they have cool weapons." Ruby stated, practically vibrating in her seat.
"Well, don't keep us waiting." Nora said.
Weiss's grin grew as Jaune lowered his head onto the table.
"Well, one is someone we all know." Weiss said as the other's leaned in closer.
"Who is it, who is it, who is it." Ruby said, almost hanging off Weiss.
"You're uncle." Weiss said, shocking the table into silence.
Well, almost silent.
Yang spit her drink across the table, soaking Ren. Pyrrha and Nora's jaw dropped and Ruby froze.
"WhhhaaaaaaAAAATTTTT!" Ruby shrieked, causing Weiss minor hearing loss.
"Qrow's going to teach here?!" Yang said, only slight less loudly.
Blake just stared with her mouth agape.
Weiss ran a finger in her ear to try and make the ringing stop.
"Yes, Ruby. Mr. Branwen is going to be a teacher." Weiss said.
Jaune just kept his head on the table, arms over his head.
"Wait, wait, wait," Nora said loudly, having to almost yell to be heard over the sisters, "Who's the other one?"
That brought silence to the table once again as everyone paid rapt attention to the heiress once more.
Weiss simply smiled widely and held a hand out over Jaune as if she was presenting some painting at a museum.
Jaune groaned into the table.
Silence reigned supreme.
Seven pairs of eyes stared at Jaune.
"WhaaaAAAAAAAATT!?" shook the halls of Beacon, echoing all the way to the edge of Vale itself.
End Chapter 2
OMAKE
Jaune GLARED at Ozpin from across his desk. The twitch under his eye growing more aggressive every second.
"You decided," Jaune said slowly, trying to reign in his emotions, "to make me an assistant professor. Of a combat class. Why?"
"Seeing as to the rather… complicated nature of your current situation, we have been back into an awkward corner." The man said, looking far to amused at their reaction. "Seeing as how you, Ms. Schnee, cannot exactly be classed as a typical student any more, we needed a way for you to stay in Beacon without raising any undue suspicion."
Qrow leered over at them from next to Ozpin. "You see, kiddo's, the world isn't exactly ready to learn the truth of the Maidens and Salem and Magic Ozzy." Said Magic Ozzy glared at the man, "But at the same time we need to keep you close."
The older huntsman took a moment to savor a drink from his flask.
Jaune felt his temper on the edge of bursting.
"There I was, thinking of how to solve all of Ozzyman's problems when it hits me," Qrow made a dramatic gesture, posing with his flask and face set it the picture of epiphany, "How do you hide a campfire in the forest? You set the forest on fire." Smiling to beat the band, Jaune felt his self-control short circuit.
"And so, kiddo, we're making you a professor." Qrow finished with another dramatic gesture.
Jaune slowly turned his withering gaze to Ozpin, seeing as how it had zero effect on Qrow. "And you agreed with this lunatic?" He asked, voice flat as Weiss's chest.
The Headmaster of Beacon Academy took a long, long drink from his mug, maintaining eye contact with Jaune the entire time.
"Meh. Pretty much. Welcome to Beacon, Professor Arc." Ozpin said, smiling as he set down his mug.
A good portion of Beacon's students were busy being lazy and enjoying the last few days before the return to class's and Port's lectures. Quite a few were out enjoying the pleasantly warm day, catching naps in the shade, playing games or sparing with one another in the sun, and even a few of the more studious one had text books out and were refreshing their minds for the coming semester.
*CRAAAAASSHHHHHH*
All activity in the area ground to a halt as many looked around in confusion.
"Look at the tower!" Someone shouted and every eye turned to the massive structure in the center of the academy to see one of the windows of Ozpin's office shatter and several objects fall through the air.
If one looked closely enough, or at least were near the impact zone, it would be noted that one of the objects was in fact Ozpin's desk, the other a ragged looking huntsman, and the last was Ozpin himself.
Those with a heightened sight may have made out the look of panic and rapturous laughter waring on the huntsman's face.
Ozpin, for all the world, looked unfazed as ever, sitting in his dick chair, one leg crossed over the other and sipping his coffee despite the fact that he was hurtling towards the ground.
Those with a heightened sense of hearing may have heard the headmaster mumble something about someone being over dramatic.
Back up at the top of the tower, Jaune watched the result of his work.
Weiss slowly walked up beside him and looked down the tower.
"I suppose that's one acceptable way to react." She said with a slight humph.
I apologize for the short ass chapter. It's been a crazy, long week and I've been exhausted.
Did I use an omake to pad word count? yes. yes I did.
Anyways, I hope you guys enjoy this one, I have more coming, I promise. Hopefully in longer chapters instead of only 4k-ish ones.
I will respond to any questions I get as soon as I can.
And PLEASE, PLEASE! If I miss a detail pertaining to details in NttF, PLEASE let me know. I want this to be as accurate to Couer's work as possible.
Thanks