Happy soon to be New Year everybody! Thank you all so much for the kind words and advice! Seriously, the response has been so much better than I could have anticipated, thanks again everyone. I've had a ton of fun writing this.
Special thank you goes out to Cr00cy, who's been helping me (saving me) as a Beta Reader! Seriously, Cr00cy has made this much more readable, and is saving me from having an aneurism when I catch a mistake after posting.
Couple of notes:
It's been brought to my attention by a few people that Jaune is OOC. My intention was to take some of Jaune's natural sarcasm and snark and turn it up a few notches, but then my hand slipped and we ended up at 11 while breaking off the nob. What are you gonna do right?
I've had a couple of request for Omakes, to which I say…sure, I play requests, enjoy at the bottom.
Hitting Because You Care
He'd been working with, or beating on, whichever you prefer, the kid for about a week or so now. The boy seemed to be picking it up pretty well, and Qrow figured it was time to put some of the theory into practice.
Also, if I have to deal with that little punk mouthing off again in the next 24-hours, team RNJR is going to need a new letter.
He had waited patiently for the right time to approach Oz alone about the day's sparring. He wanted to put the kid's skills to the test, see if he can put them in practice against someone closer to his level.
Don't really want to let him know I've been training the kid on the side though, too many questions about my…alternative training methods.
He finally caught Oz in the living room, finishing his morning coffee. Perfect, now just play it subtle.
"Hey Oz." Good so far.
"Good morning Qrow." The former headmaster raised his mug in greeting.
"I want blondie to fight the ninja kid today." Qrow blurted. Smooth.
Ozpin looked at him curiously. "The who?"
You know damn well who Oz.
"The green one."
"Lie Ren, the young man you're referring to is named Lie Ren."
Yeah, like I said, ninja kid.
"Good for him. I want him to fight the kid."
Oz took a sip of his coffee and considered for a moment. "And why exactly do you want to do this? I was going to have Mr. Arc challenge Ms. Valkyrie today, their skill sets are more closely matched."
"Because kid needs to fight someone that's going to show him something different Oz. His whole fighting style is based off being a plodding meat shield. I want to see how he responds to someone faster than him." You know, like a ninja.
Oz raised an eyebrow. "Is that so? I believe we already ran this experiment with Ms. Rose. It did not turn out in our young knight's favor."
"Which is why we should make him try it again. Consider it remedial education, the kid is pretty slow."
"Hmm…like the remedial training sessions you've been giving him?"
Damn. How does he find this shit out?
"Don't know what you're talking about Oz."
The former headmaster smirked. "I'm sure you don't. Very well, I see no reason we can't give your young protege another chance."
How to handle this? Let's go with denial. "Trust me Oz, if he were mine, we'd be running through booze in this house a lot faster."
Oz chuckled. "If you say so, old friend."
Qrow watched as the kids ran through their normal warm-up on the side of the stone courtyard, prepping for the day's spar, keeping an eye on the young knight in particular.
Get ready kid, let's see what you learned.
Oz cleared his throat. "Students, we'll be continuing to pair off and refine your combat abilities today through mock battles. The first match of the day will be Mr. Lie Ren, facing off against Mr. Arc." Qrow didn't miss the emphasis he put on Ren's name. He'll always be ninja kid to me Oz.
For the kid's part, he was all smiles, fist bumping the ninja and saying something about a "brother-from-another-mother." Game face time kid.
The two combatants started to make their way to the middle of the large courtyard, laughing at some in-joke. Qrow caught the kid's arm as he passed.
"Kid, remember, be mean. Mean as a damn king taijitu." He hissed.
Jaune paused, nodded, then made his way to the center, falling into a low crouch. There we go, make this ninja miserable.
As Oz called a start to the match, the ninja immediately started to maneuver around the kid, trying to open up a flank. Storm Flower coughed as rounds poured forth, slamming into the kid's shield. Ren continuously shifted angles as Jaune tried to walk him down behind his shield, forcing the blond to shift his direction to defend from the incoming fire without making any real forward progress. Qrow finally heard the telltale 'click' of the guns running dry.
Alright kid, close that distance, this guy will cut you to pieces if you let him dictate the pace.
As if hearing him, Jaune shot forward, striking at Ren again and again as he advanced, trying to get close enough to his friend to take Storm Flower's machine gun function out of the fight. Ok, you've neutralized the long-range threat, time to put some pressure on him.
Ren danced around Jaune's strikes, waiting for an opening in his friend's defenses, confident that his speed would keep him out of range till an opportunity presented itself. Come on kid, just hit this ninja bastard!
Qrow watched the frustration build on Jaune's face, as he tried and failed to pin Ren down. Maybe it was too early. He thought dejectedly.
Then he caught something flash across the young man's face. What are you thinking blondie?
The kid's next strike went wide…way too wide for how focused on form the boy normally was, and he stumbled forward. Ren seized the opportunity and darted in, slamming his weapon into the kid's exposed right flank. Jaune launched his trap, wrapping his sword arm around Ren's arm before he could pull it back, pinning it to his side.
Qrow smirked. Not bad kid. Had to eat a strike to get to it, but you got him now.
He watched expectantly as Jaune pulled back his shield, preparing to smash it into the trapped ninja, and start the end of the fight. Qrow watched the boy hesitate, then begin to try to wrap his shield arm around Ren's other arm, attempting to trap it as well. What the hell are you doing kid?
The two teens pummeled for position, as Jaune started to force his weight onto the slighter fighter, Ren fought to free Storm Flower's blades, jabbing the daggers into Jaune's sides whenever he could find the angle. The kid had the perfect shot, why didn't he finish the fight?
Then the realization hit him.
Qrow felt his anger rising. You soft-hearted blond bastard. Don't tell me you're afraid to hurt your friend?
"Kid if you don't smash that damn ninja, I swear to God, I'll show you the meaning of the word mean! You're letting him off the hook! What, do you want him to be weak like you?" He shouted across the makeshift arena.
Oz shot him a surprised look at the sudden outburst. Well, I guess that cat's out of the bag.
Across the way however, he watched the kid's eyes harden. Do it kid.
Jaune's shield arm released Ren's, as he cocked it back and slammed the shield into his friend with an animistic yell. He brought the it down once, twice, three times, before the green ninja fell to a knee, staggered under the force of the blows. Jaune raised his shield again, keeping Ren's opposite arm firmly pinned against his side.
"Yield Ren." He pleaded.
The ninja kid shook his head to clear it, looked up into the blond's eyes, and the shield poised to strike, and nodded slowly. "The match is yours my friend."
Jaune relaxed, and released his grip on Ren's arm. "Sorry about the whole…you know…going berserk thing man." He said, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly.
Ren just laughed, rubbing the side of his head gently. "If it works, it works, I suppose. You definitely caught me off guard this time. I didn't expect you to take a blow for the chance to rob me of my mobility. It was quite…pragmatic."
Jaune smiled at him. "I think you mean desperate. Anyway I don't think it'll work aga-"
"JAAUUUNNNE!" Ruby shouted as she tackled him from the side. "That was amazing! Where'd you learn to fight like that?"
He patted her on the head affectionately. "A little birdy told me it might be a good idea."
Oh look, the kid has jokes.
Jaune felt a pair of arms wrap around him, as Nora pulled him into a bear-hug from behind. "That was so COOL! First Renny was all like, bang, bang, bang, then you were all CHARGE! Then you guys were wrasslin, then you went full NORA SMASH!" She praised as she shook him from side-to-side like a rag doll.
"Nora..need…air." Jaune croaked.
"Whatever you say, fearless leader." Nora saluted as she dropped the knight to the floor in a heap.
Oz chuckled as he approached. "Well fought, both of you. Mr. Lie Ren effectively controlled the early going, but I was impressed by your tenacity Mr. Arc. Quite the improvement in such a short time."
Hell yeah it is Oz.
Jaune grinned back at two-souled man. "Thank you, sir. Ren's a hard man to pin down, I don't know if I could do it again." You're supposed to be confident kid! Whatever, you earned this one.
Oz nodded. "I suppose we'll see the next time you square off. However, I believe our resident cheering section might have a few notes for you both." Who is he talking about? Oh…Oz you bastard.
Qrow sighed and walked forward. Better to get this out of the way I guess. "Ninja kid."
"Ren." The boy corrected.
"Right, ninja kid. You did a good job cutting angles out there to keep rust-knight out of range, but if you had alternated firing between one of your weapons and the other, you could have reloaded while keeping the pressure on him, rather than running dry all at once."
He turned to face Jaune. "Kid, I get what you were going for by taking the hit, and it worked out this time, but that won't always be the case. Imagine trying to take a love tap from Pinkie's overgrown mallet over there." He nodded over to Nora, who smiled devilishly and hefted Magnhild menacingly. "That kinda strategy is a last resort. More importantly though, why'd you hesitate?"
He watched the kid shuffle nervously. "I felt bad about beating on Ren like that, he had no way to defend."
"Yeah? You felt bad huh? Where do you think it's going to be better for him to take those lumps, here in the training yard with you, or out there where they're a lot more final? How bad do you think Pinkie over there would feel if someone ventilated ninja boy's head, because he never learned to defend against that?" Nora gasped as Jaune looked down dejectedly.
Qrow looked around at the group of students. "This goes for all of you. Your teammates won't thank you for being soft on them, you're robing them of a chance to learn and improve. The more you hold back, the more holes in their game they're going to develop, holes that will get them killed."
He scanned over them again, meeting all their eyes.
"You want to keep them alive? Fight hard, but more importantly, fight mean."
Don't let your teammates develop bad habits!
Next time on Fighting Mean! Qrow attempts to teach Jaune how to fight against a heavy hitter, while Jaune attempts to find out how far he can push Qrow and maintain a functioning Cardiovascular System!
OMAKE
In which the gang watch Jaune's training session with Qrow from Chapter 2.
"Why are we so far away?" Ruby whined.
"Your uncle is an experienced Huntsman, any closer and I'm sure he'd pick up on us." Ren explained.
She huffed. "But I can't hear anything!"
Nora cut in. "Don't worry about it! Renny's got ninja hearing! He'll be able to tell us what they're saying."
"Keep you voice down Nora. Also, I am not now, nor have I ever been a ninja. I'm simply able to focus my hearing when I need to."
Ruby eyed the possible ninja warily. "I don't know Ren, that sounds awful ninja-like..."
He rolled his eyes. "Why are we spying on them anyway?"
Ruby waived her arms. "Cause drunkle Qrow never trains anyone…like ever!"
"Didn't he train you?" Nora asked.
"Yeah, and that took years of badgering! Jaune has known him for like, two weeks! Look they're talking! What are they saying Ren?"
The boy in green focused. "It sounds like Qrow is lecturing him on the importance of fighting without weapons…it sounds like Jaune doesn't fully believe his motives."
They watched as Qrow delivered a fierce knee to Jaune's face.
Nora winced. "Yeah, I wonder why."
"I'm sure he's got a good reason, he's just trying to help him!" Ruby defended her uncle. "What are they saying now?"
"It sounds like Qrow is describing the proportional requirements a woman must meet to get his scroll number…Jaune appears to be worried that he's being propositioned in the woods…" He looked at the red hooded girl questioningly.
"Uncle Qrow would never do that!"
"Look they're fighting again!" Nora half-shouted. "Man, this is not going well for Fearless Leader."
Ruby looked on worriedly. "They stopped again, what's uncle Qrow saying to Jaune?"
"It appears that he is questioning his resolve…ah and Jaune is responding with…" He hesitated.
"With what Ren?! Tell us!"
"It sounds like he's…speaking excrement."
The two girls looked at him in confusion until Nora's face brightened. "He's talking shit!? Hell yeah, go FL!"
Ren winced as he watched Qrow's boot catch Jaune under the chin. "Yes, and from watching Qrow's reaction, he appears to have taken exception to it."
Ruby was mortified. "I'm so sorry Jaune! Is it over now? Jaune is just laying down."
Ren listened again. "Qrow seems to be questioning what lessons Jaune has retained from the training…"
Nora snorted. "Don't catch a boot to the face."
"He also appears not to know my actual name…and believes I am a ninja…oh…that's very…bold."
"What did he say!" Ruby panicked.
"Jaune was questioning…how Qrow would prefer to be addressed in the event…that your families became joined…" The most likely a ninja boy tried to put gently.
It went straight over Ruby's head. "Oh, well that sounds nice!"
"….sexually." The boy in finished.
"I bet it does Rubes!" Nora barked a laugh as the young girl reddened. "Oooh! Nice shot to the breadbasket by oh captain my captain! What good shit is Jaune talking now Renny?"
"Huh." Ren glanced at Ruby. "Ruby, is everything ok between your father and your uncle? I'm sensing some animosity."
She considered. "Yeah they're all right now..." It hit her. "OH GOD WHAT DID HE SAY?! HE'S GONNA KILL HIM! GO TEAM RNR GO!