The Haunted
By wildstraydog
Chapter Four: Forced Cooperation
The clearing near the base of the cliffs served as a nice area for Jaune to grab his bearings. He looked back at the mangled branches and scattered leaves that were victims of his rough landing. Rotted twigs slid off his breastplate as he stood up, and he wiped the dirt from his pants with a grunt. The forest was unusually quiet save for the distant chirps of the birds flying overhead. Jaune pulled out Crocea Mors from its sheath and released a sigh, twisting the blade with his metal wrist to test the joints. So far everything was working, but the real trial would be in combat.
First, he needed to find Ruby or Yang if possible. From what he saw while in the air, they were closest to his location. He trekked forward and used his sword to cut through some of the foliage blocking a path to the north. With no real destination in mind, it seemed like the best idea. The ground was muddier then normal for his taste, his shoes sinking with each step. He didn't remember it raining last night, though most of his thoughts were preoccupied with the past. At least no one but Ruby knew about his disability yet.
Jaune kicked a log to the side, not caring if he made any unwanted noise for the Grimm to hear. They would attack regardless because of the fearful thoughts of the students afraid not to pass the initiation. The sound of running water caught his attention, and he rushed ahead, finding a tiny stream entrenched by moss covered rocks. He bent over and took out the canteen attached to his hip, filling the container until it was full. The water was clear from what he could tell, and he had much worse back in his old camping days.
The recoil of a pistol echoed in the forest to the left of his direction. Jaune leapt from where he was bending over and pushed through the brush, ignoring the pine needles his feet were kicking up. The shot wasn't too far out—Grim would converge on whoever fired so he needed to hurry. Hopefully it was Ruby popping off a few Beowulfs with that extravagant innocent smile she carried. He slid under a boulder that acted as cover, peeking over the edge to see three Boarbatusk clawing at the base of a large tree. Their pig-like snorts grew louder in frustration at the shadowy figure above.
Without thinking, he emerged from cover and leveled his sword at them, earning their attention quickly. One of the Boarbatusk rolled up into a ball and charged forward, dirt flying through the air in its tracks. Jaune slipped to the left and brought down the blade onto its back to throw it off track, causing it to derail into a tree in the corner. "Serves you right," he quipped, forgetting about the other two.
"Watch your back!" Blake dropped from the tree and fired off a few rounds of her weapon, throwing the Boarbatusks off direction. He watched in awe as she wrapped a ribbon around the tree and lobbed herself behind him.
"Your sword won't crack their hides, you have to hit them in the stomach." Blake cited like a professor, holding up sword close to her chest. Her amber eyes were narrowed at the surrounding Grimm, the Boarbatusk he injured earlier clambering onto its legs. He only managed to piss it off, its red eyes flitting between the two of them.
"Then I'll give you an opening." Jaune said, unfolding his shield. He surmised that if his shield could help with his landing, then it probably could take the brunt force of a Boarbatusk charge. He just needed to flip them on their sides so there underbelly's were exposed.
He took a deep breath and took note of his position. The first two Boarbatusks in front of him were more of a concern then the one Blake was watching over. Jaune tightened his grip on the hilt of Crocea Mors, his palm brushing against the spiraled grooves that decorated it. With his shield hand, Jaune bent over and picked up a large pebble, throwing it at one of the Boarbatusks head. The Grimm was infuriated, its eyes glowing in anger; all three rolled up into balls and accelerated. Blake sheathed Gambol Shroud and used the metal clever to stop the Grimm's momentum, flipping it onto its back. The blade pierced through flesh, killing the Grimm instantly.
The finesse she showed was incredible, but he wasn't able to keep his mouth open as the second Grimm rammed into his shield. Sparks flew as its tusks pushed forward, forcing his feet into the dirt in a bear-knuckled struggle. The third Boarbatusk rounded the edge of the clearing and shot toward him, leaving him little chance of escape. "Do it now!" he shouted, forcing his shield in an upward motion that snapped the Grimm's jaw. Blake jumped in front of the Boarbatusk behind him and used her semblance to leave a fiery clone that burst upon its impact.
She took apart Gambol Shroud and used the distraction to cleave the other Grimm in half, leaving nothing but the strange dark mist behind as evidence of her work. He still couldn't get over how amazing her skill was, even for a young huntress in-training; she was leagues ahead of him. Blake cleared her throat and attached Gambol Shroud to her back with an irritated sigh. She looked perturbed by his interference.
"I could have handled them you know." So he was right.
"Sorry, I thought you were in trouble." She raised an eyebrow at his comment, but shrugged.
Blake walked across the clearing and stomped through a bush on a path heading to the east. He was unsure if he should follow her, but Ozpin specifically stated that teams of up to eight people could be formed. There was also the fact that he had no idea of where to go, or where to even find an Ursa. He pinched the bridge of nose and followed, massaging where his right shoulder would have been. The joint tightened during the skirmish with the Boarbatusk—he was so wrapped up in the battle that he didn't notice the sharp pain until the adrenaline ceased. The doctors said the numbing would eventually fade with prolonged use of the prosthetics.
Blake Belladonna, as he remembered she went by, was quiet, not having said a word since their encounter in the clearing. He managed to keep pace with her, but she was astute of her surroundings, glancing back and forth at the tiniest sound in the forest. Unlike the bombastic pair of sisters he met, she was reserved and peerless, her striking amber eyes full of emotion that she did not flaunt. Blake was the type of girl he was often uncomfortable around, always struggling to start up a conversation. Their brief interaction didn't inspire any hope that they would get along, her expression that of someone that wasn't impressed.
Jaune almost bumped into a nearby tree, his eyes focused on the black-haired girl as she came to a stop and held up her right hand. He noticed the silk black bow on top of her head twitch, which roused up a stifled giggle. The glare she shot back was warning enough not to make any noise in a Grimm infested forest. Yep, she totally didn't like him.
"Be quiet," she whispered, taking a knee. A large branch snapped in the distance and was followed by the familiar grunt of a Beowulf.
He bent over and walked up to Blake who sported a grimace. Up head in the forest, sat a dilapidated rotunda encompassed by hundreds of vines. The wood that was supporting the ceiling was rotted and splintered, while the metal benches in the middle were rusted from years of absence. Nature took over with its powerful grip and morphed the human-made scenery into a natural setting in the expansive forest. It was more puzzling to him that people attempted to build anything where the Grimm were dominate. But that wasn't why they stopped.
Around the structure, were a group of Beowulfs resting in silence, their mumbled groans tangled into an orchestra of breathing. The pack made its home around the complex, the flattened grass on the sides dug into makeshift beds for the creatures to slumber at night. Carcasses of other animals were stacked along the hunkering trees around them, leaving a pungent odor that wafted into their nostrils. What sat in the middle however, was their objective: a growling Ursa that was set apart from the Grimm not for just its size, but for the bracelet that was attached on its wide neck.
How lucky were they to find a bracelet so soon?
"We found one," Jaune said in an excited whisper. He clenched his fists in victory and studied the item that would lead to his stay at Beacon. Although it was hard to see from their spot, a flashing red light blinked in intervals.
"Okay, so now what?" Jaune looked for answers at Blake who furrowed her brow with an amused expression.
"You think I have an answer? Do you see how many Grimm are down there? It would be one thing if the Ursa was alone... but there has to be around ten or so Beowolf's napping around it." His enthusiastic grin dropped at the obvious—she was right though, jumping in would be suicide.
"Then how are we supposed to get the bracelet?"
Blake let out a low hum and stood from their perch. "Honestly I don't know any way besides waking them up. This test revolves around forming a team. The professors knew where to place the bracelets." In purposefully dangerous spots? But if they left it for someone else, his chances of failing skyrocketed again. He worked too hard to be here.
"Your clones," Jaune uttered, "How many can you make at a time?" She blinked for a few seconds and sighed. "Maybe two or three depending on how much aura I have—don't think what happened back in the clearing applies to an Ursa." Damn... she sure knew how to put a damper on any of his plans. No, he could still use this.
"We won't need them for offense," he said, "Can you slice off the head of an Ursa?" Her amber eyes widened at the question. He knew it was a lot to ask for, but she was probably more capable of the feat.
"I could, but I would have to build up a lot of momentum and force to accomplish that." Jaune looked around the rotunda and spotted a tree behind the Ursa, most of its leaves rotted away by the incoming fall weather—it was perfect.
"Can your ribbon hold your weight?" Blake narrowed her eyes and nodded. In hindsight, he probably could have worded that better.
"Then I have a plan, though you might have to improvise," he chuckled, "Blake, I know this is asking a lot, but with the Ursa planted in front of that tree, we may have a chance." She dropped her uncertain gaze and focused on him.
"I'm listening."
"Okay, great," Jaune mumbled, "Those clones of yours are useful, especially if you can make them last long enough to distract the pack." His presumption was based off what he saw, so he couldn't account for time limit or potency.
"They'll only last for a few seconds."
"That's all we need, and if I have to, I'll throw some rocks like before and draw their attention away from you." He was inviting a lot of risk in this plan. There was no way of knowing how many Beowolf might rush him.
"And how does that allow me to kill the Ursa?" Blake questioned. Jaune pointed at the tree with a humbled smile.
"Use your ribbon to create a slingshot out of the trunk and hurl yourself at the Ursa; that should create enough force to behead it." Blake detached Gambol Shroud and undid the ribbon around her arm in hesitation.
"A good plan, but what about the rest of the Grimm?"
"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it," he answered, releasing another unsure laugh. Blake rolled her eyes and lifted her weapon. So it wasn't the best plan, and it left him with a possibility of being mauled to death. Things could have been much worse in his opinion, given their circumstances anyway. He just needed this bracelet.
"Very well, I'm trusting you." Blake answered.
She released a longwinded sigh and hopped down into the brush, stealthily moving into the middle with limited noise. Blake closed her eyes and sprinted into the rotunda, waking the Grimm instantly with her loud footfalls. She left a trio of dark clones that resembled rock-like statues at different points in the area and jumped into the tree before the Ursa could make sense of what happened. The fragments that she left behind started to crumble into tiny pieces as the seconds passed. Jaune slid down the hill and picked up a few rocks, tossing them at the Beowolf's in a similar vein to what he did back in the clearing.
"Over you here you idiots!" he shouted.
The growls reverberated throughout the forest as the group of Grimm focused their beady red eyes onto him. Saliva dripped from their sharpened fangs into the grass as the sun glistened against their dark fur. Goosebumps trailed across his left arm, a sensation of fear running though his spine as he realized how terrifying the creatures were up close. The Ursa across the forest rose from its temporary throne and marched slowly across the muddied ground. The Ursa's roar made him shiver as it knocked a boulder in the field out of its path. He raised Crocea Mors and braced for the first attack, sweat pouring down his neck as he panted in anticipation for it to move.
A Beowolf on the right lunged at Jaune with its claws forward, swiping at his abdomen. He lifted his shield and blocked the attack, thrusting Crocea Mors into its neck. Jaune let out a rasp and prepared for the next one, looking on in dread as the Grimm reorganized. They were usually so mindless, but the Ursa was leading them, strengthening their ranks somehow. As another Beowolf launched forward, he jumped back and avoided the strike, lopping off its head with the blade. Jaune looked up to see Blake wrapping the ribbon around the trunk of the oak tree in one fluid motion.
Anytime Blake, Jaune muttered in his thoughts.
Leaves spilled onto the ground as Blake propelled herself forward with her ribbon, leveling Gambol Shroud's blade at the Ursa's neck. In one seamless gesture, Blake sliced the Ursa's head off, the decapitated part rolling onto the mud leaving a pool of blood in its trail. The Grimm's body slammed onto the ground, shooting up dirt onto Blake's leggings. The rest of the body evaporated, leaving only a dent in the mud where the creature fell. His plan had worked, but that didn't assuage the Beowolf's rushing at him. Blake was left with no time to act as one of the Grimm tackled him.
"Jaune!" Blake shouted in fear as she cut down a Beowulf.
In a gut reaction, Jaune threw his right arm forward before the Beowolf ripped his chest open. The Grimm's sharp fangs latched onto his metal prosthetic, breaking its teeth instantly. It howled in pain and threw him to the side of the forest, releasing a guttural chuff. He rolled onto his back and lifted up his arm, the sleeve of the hoodie he was wearing partially ripped. Jaune ignored the other Beowulf that escaped from Blake's slaughter, and tore a bottom piece of the fabric to wrap it around his arm and conceal the metal. Yet it was a fatal mistake as he looked up to see three of the Grimm pounce from above, claws raised ready to eviscerate his body.
"Move you imbecile!" a shrill voice yelled in anger.
By command, Jaune scooted backwards and watched as a wall of ice sprouted from the ground, impaling the Beowolf's into the air like skewered meat. He looked behind in relieved shock to see Weiss Schnee, pointing her rapier with a glyph formation surrounding the tip of the blade. Against the rays of the sun that trickled through the forest, the light wrapped itself around her frame, giving her the appearance of an angel.
She dropped from the boulders she was standing on and approached him, extending her soft hand for him to reach; her fingers were delicate and pampered. Jaune hoisted himself up and sheathed Crocea Mors, finding that all of the Beowolf had scattered.
"T-thank you Weiss, you saved my life." she released a huff.
"How could you be so careless in the middle of battle? Your aura would have taken care of the wound." Weiss haughtily explained.
"I know... sorry." he mumbled in response. She was right however, the fear of being exposed took over his survival instincts. Another mistake like that could cost him more than an arm and leg.
"Jaune, I must admit, that was clever," Blake interjected with a smile. "The fulcrum of the trunk was more than enough force, but how did you know it could handle my weight?" He didn't, to be honest.
"A lucky guess, that and I saw you use it earlier." Weiss looked appalled that he would rely on a simple chance of luck to determine their plans.
"So now we have a bracelet correct?" Weiss asked, pointing to the ring in Blake's hand. It was gold in color, and on one end was a circular device that blinked a red light every few seconds; probably a transponder.
Blake nodded, examining the device in her hand keenly. "Appears so, but we still have to find another member for the team." This was going a lot easier then he originally expected, because once they found someone else to be on their team, they could head back to the cliffs. But who would they consider... Ruby maybe?
"I suggest we find Pyrrha," Weiss voiced, "She's one of the strongest initiates in the test—with her, clearing these forests would be child's play." She was right about that but his introduction to the family idol was off-putting to say the least, the awkward smile she flashed still burned into his recent memories.
"And who put you in charge?" Blake shot back, narrowing her amber eyes at Weiss. The heiress scoffed, folding her arms in defiance.
"I don't see you making any suggestions?"
"We should at least hear Jaune's opinion," Blake said.
"He would agree with me obviously." Weiss retorted.
Jaune sat down on one of the overturned logs in the clearing and sighed, running his calloused hands through his messy blonde locks. This was a like a fight between two of his younger sisters over a new toy.
What did he get himself into?
Of all the people that could join them in the forest, it had to be a Schnee. Blake was very aware of who the heiress was when she appeared, her recognizable snow-colored hair tied back into a tilted ponytail. Anyone who was a Faunus or owned a television knew who the girl was; once famed for her orchestral singing career that took Remnant by storm. The White Fang was created in-part in response to the Schnee Dust Company's controversial labor laws and working conditions.
Essentially they were at war with the company and Atlas, only spreading their influence and tactics across the kingdoms in later years.
The gall that she could just mosey up here and start commanding them twisted her stomach. Blake would not deny that she helped save Jaune from the Beowolf's, but that didn't mean she had the right to dictate their every action. She looked over at Jaune who retreated to the corner away from Weiss' rants like a scolded puppy. He fought well, at least for an amateur, and his tactical thinking was unorthodox. But she could tell he was a decent person at heart, only trying to make the best of the situation. The way he reacted though, it was strange to see someone panic over something besides the Grimm. And that metal sound her ears kept picking up distressed her.
Blake dropped the argument, and walked over to Jaune, tapping him on the shoulder. He raised his head and blinked, His ocean blue eyes filled with uneasiness. "What do you think we should do?" she asked.
"Let's just find our way back to the cliffs, it's our best chance to find someone without a team. The headmaster said that teams of up to eight could form in the forest, so if we come across Pyrrha or Ruby, we'll figure out what to do." There was a problem with that logic-in his explanation for the rules, he said individual bracelets could only be claimed by a team of four. If Pyrrha or Weiss wanted to try and steal it, they were given that option.
"That's idiotic." Weiss stated.
"Whys that?" Jaune hesitated to ask under her frightful glare. By now she would have appreciated the company of Yang; at least she could tell a joke now and then.
"Think about it," she began, "There could be teams waiting by the cliffs for others with bracelets. Headmaster Ozpin said teams were allowed to fight over them, remember?" Now that Blake thought about it, Weiss actually made sense. Who knows how many students could be lying in wait.
"Then what do you recommend?" Blake wryly asked.
Weiss' untimely explanation was cut short as an explosion ignited to the left of the forest. A large plume of smoke and fire flew into the sky, sprinkling mud and dust onto the trees below it. Blake stared wide-eyed at the trail of soot, confused as to who would cause such wanton commotion. Did they not know how many Grimm that would attract? She looked on as Jaune sprang to his feet, gloved hand clutching the hilt of his blade as sweat poured down his brow. Like a switch, his placid expression was replaced by a stern gaze, the shy boy from before gone in place of a taciturn leader.
They sprinted into the forest and headed to where the blast originated. Without knowing who would be there it would be a gamble to investigate, especially if the explosion was set off to be a trap. She didn't hear the stampede of Grimm that she expected, only the crackling of the flames that began to spread through the forest. She passed through the wall of smoke and held her breath, keeping her eyes on Jaune's back. On the other side, was a vast field brimming with crumbling temples from hundreds of years ago, untouched by nature's clutches. An old rotted well sat to the side by an overturned wagon surrounded by bales of hay; it was all very picturesque.
"Have another you beast!" an excited voice screamed in glee.
From the brush, an orange-haired girl unleashed a volley of grenade rounds at a large boulder that fell from the sky in the middle of the field. A pink mist followed each round after impact, somewhat reminiscent of the fireworks Blake saw the night before the Valentine's Day festival. The debris that crashed into the ground bore a strange white mask with cracks on the side, and in the middle a glowing yellow eye. An ethereal-like creature rose from the scattered rocks, contracting its individual claws as it scanned the area.
Her mouth remained open in both awe and horror, taken back by the higher class Grimm that hovered in the field. A Geist, was one of many possession-type Grimm, but far more powerful when it has taken control over inanimate objects. Alone they weren't very powerful, but they were trickier and far smarter then lesser Grimm like Beowolfs. Around its right arm was one of the bracelets supposed to be on the Ursai in the forest. How did such a powerful Grimm enter through the barricades the staff placed?
She was given little time to think it over.
The Geist flew forward away from the girl and snatched the bracelet from her hand, leaving mild scratch marks on her left arm. She was so careless to let the bracelet get stolen like that, and now it roamed across the field looking for a suitable object to possess. She pushed past Jaune and chased after the Grimm, shooting her pistol at the Geist as it dodged the bullets effortlessly.
"Don't let it escape!" Weiss angrily cried out. She formed a glyph beneath her feet and shot into the sky after the Geist, flinging another attack in its direction, only for the creature to dive into the field.
"Guess it stole yours too huh?" the ginger-haired girl giggled, saddling besides them. Her grenade launcher transformed into a giant hammer that exhibited electricity at the face. Blake couldn't discern why she was so giddy about their current situation.
"Nora, where are you?" a reserved masculine voice said from the forest. Coming out of the forest in a hurry, a young male with short black hair emerged covered in dirt and twigs. Behind him was Pyrrha Nikos who shook her ponytail of the leaves that stuck to her. She didn't recognize the boy, and the only thing that made him stand out was the pink stripe on one of his locks. The girl known as Nora, bounced over to him with a bright smile, unloading dozens of questions onto him at once.
The Geist interrupted the potential reunion with a piercing screech that almost ruptured her eardrums. The Grimm spread its arms out, and the ground began to shake, pieces of the ruins that were scattered across the field rising into the air towards it. The broken remnants were stacked against each other, morphing into a humanoid figure that towered over them. Pillars and buttresses broke apart to create limbs, while arches and lintels gave shape to complete its desired body. At the center of the neck, was the Grimm's mask, the lone eye of the Geist darting back and forth in rage.
Blake jumped back as the hunkering monstrosity slammed its right arm down, the impact crushing anything in its path and conjuring a forceful gust of air. Jaune lied on the ground with a mouthful of dirt, climbing back onto his feet as the Geist prepared another attack. Did the six of them even have enough firepower to destroy it? Its movements were slow, but the strength behind it could knock away they're aura and more with one hit. Weiss touched the grass with the tip of her rapier, creating several glyphs under each of their feet.
"These will make you faster!" Weiss shouted.
She looked over at Pyrrha and took the opportunity to attack. The Geist again slammed both makeshift arms onto the ground, allowing them all a window of opportunity. Blake ran up the creatures left arm, noting the blocks of concrete and rotted wood that made up its structure. Pyrrha was on the other side following her queue, and they launched into simultaneous attacks on the Geist, hitting it with every move she had. Pyrrha struck her sword onto the area near its face, only for sparks to fly, the damage not enough to pierce through. She fired a couple of rounds at the mask, only for the Grimm to block them, shrugging her off like an annoying fly.
"That armor is too tough," Pyrrha said through a pant. She was right, the combination of rock and solid marble created an almost impenetrable shield.
"I'll cover you Ren!" Nora merrily sang, shifting her weapon back into its grenade launcher form.
Weiss rushed forward with Ren, swiping at the legs of the Grimm as Nora shot off a series of rounds. The grenades exploded against its chest, the pink mist spreading across the field. Blake wrapped Gambol Shroud's ribbon on a piece of rebar that stuck out from its massive leg and used it to climb up onto the Geist's shoulder. Down below, Jaune tried swing his weapon at its makeshift feet, the blade only flinging backwards in a vain effort. Not even the combined Crocea Mors would crack it.
"It's too tough!"
The mask was exposed as it tried to smash everyone below, the Grimm's movements throwing Blake off balance as she gripped an opening in the rocks. She clenched the hilt of Gambol Shroud and let go, sliding across the marble near the face. Blake pulled back her weapon and thrust her sword at the Geist's mask, only for the blade to miss its mark. It shook its body and threw her off toward the trees.
They're teamwork was too disarrayed, with everyone focused on attacking the core body. Nora's grenades while powerful, weren't strong enough on their own. She pursed her lips and slammed her fist against the trunk, frustrated by the lack of progress. They were losing precious time.
"This is pointless, we need a plan!" Blake yelled.
Jaune rolled to the right, avoiding the Geist as it stomped on the ground, leaving a wide indentation in its place. Mud sprayed onto his armor and he slipped, falling to his knees with a strained grunt. Blake ran over and helped him up, observing the pointless strikes on the Grimm from the others. The sound of metal colliding with rock echoed in her ears, and she looked over at Jaune for any ideas on what to do. Right now they were all running around like scattered mice in the basement.
A whirlwind of rose petals swept in the forest and encircled the Grimm's right arm, a ball of red unleashing a flurry of slashes. Parts of its hand crumbled, and the Geist let out a wail in fury, its exposed black claw summoning more rocks to replace its hand. Ruby skidded on the dirt and fired Crescent Rose with Yang following through with a series of punches, only for the bullets to deflect off the face. Blake admitted that seeing the two sisters was comforting, the extra help always welcomed against something so powerful.
"Hope we made it in time!" Yang cried out with a grunt, firing her gauntlets.
"I thought the bracelets were on Ursa?" Ruby asked in confusion as she unloaded sniper rounds towards the center of the Grimm.
"Guys, I have a plan," Jaune stated, eyes wide as if a lightbulb appeared over his head. She was wary, but his plan back at the pack of Beowolfs did work.
"Ruby," Jaune shouted, "I need you and Weiss to attack the legs, have her freeze them in place while you chip away at the upper thighs. And Blake, work with Pyrrha and make your way back onto its shoulders." Ruby nodded, not even questioning the orders as she flew over to Weiss to explain the plan.
"What about me?" Yang questioned.
"You and Nora are the lynchpin, you both have the strongest attacks, so I'm going to make an opening for you two to destroy the mask." Yang chuckled, clasping her fist with an enthusiastic grin.
"Better hope this works blondie."
As Jaune instructed, Weiss created a glyph under the Geist, freezing the Grimm in place. The ice rose from the ground and crawled up its legs, while Ruby used her semblance to dislodge pieces of the ruins that made up its upper legs. Pyrrha grabbed her shield and threw her onto one of the flailing arms. Blake used the ribbon of Gambol Shroud to pull up Pyrrha, throwing her onto the left arm of the Geist.
She detached the katana from its sheath and put pressure on its arms, preoccupying the Geist away from Jaune and the others. Ren left up to his own devices, climbed onto the back of the Grimm and shot his submachineguns at the exposed neck.
Nora's weapon shifted into its hammer form and used the electricity at the tip to shoot herself above the Geist, all but ignoring Jaune's plan. He used Crocea Mors to latch onto the legs with Yang behind him, climbing slowly upwards as he tried his best not to fall off. Nora landed on top of the Grimm's head, laughing in silly bouts as she literally hammered its skull. With the distraction, Yang jumped off of Jaune's back and punched the mask, unleashing a volley of hardened punches at an unstoppable speed. By the time she was finished, the Geist remained still, its gigantic body falling backwards into thousands of pieces of debris. The plan worked.
She caught the ghostly form of the Geist sneaking away-it only got two feet before she decapitated its head, the bracelets falling onto the ground. Blake didn't know how it worked, but Jaune's brilliant strategy succeeded, proving that he wasn't just relying on luck back when he improvised against the Ursa. She looked over to see him bent over with labored breathing, supporting his weight with the sword.
"Damn Jaune, I can't believe it worked!" Yang complimented, smacking him on the back.
"I... just thought overwhelming it would give us enough time to attack the mask." Jaune answered in-between pants. Regardless, it was sound planning.
"Enough banter, lets hurry back to the cliffs." Weiss complained, picking up one of the bracelets and securing it to her waist.
"Well, I thought that was amazing Jaune," Ruby said, "It was so cool how you barked orders at us like a commander!" he released a light chuckle and rubbed the back of his neck. Ruby wasn't the only one who took notice of how quickly Jaune took charge. He became so competent, his blue eyes sharpened in contrast to his usual goofy smile.
"Ruby's right, you should be proud." Ren added.
At least the initiation was finished.
Jaune squeezed his mechanical fingers together to create a fist. The action caused him to flinch, and a sharp pain rose in his right shoulder. Since the end of the initiation, he was suffering from a reoccurring ache in his limbs whenever the joints were moved. The doctors said he would experience normal episodes of burning pain throughout his body if he strained the muscles. The more his limbs endured strenuous activity, the easier it would be to adjust in battle. Jaune was thankful that no one noticed during team assignments in the assembly; it took a lot to stand up there next to the podium.
Between rough pants, he steadied himself in the dorm hallways. The distance to his room seemed much farther then he originally remembered. While it was still early in the afternoon, Jaune decided to catch some extra hours of sleep until dinner. His body was exhausted, and he needed time to accept the headmaster's decision. When Ozpin declared him leader of team AWBN (Auburn), he was shocked, and not just because Blake and Weiss would be on his team. He thought himself as a follower, not someone who could take charge and lead his friends into victory. Sure he came up with some strategies during the test, but wouldn't anyone if their life was at stake?
He almost stumbled, clasping his left knee in a fierce grunt. "Jaune, are you okay?" Glynda's concerned voice called out. She rushed over and helped him up, letting him lean on her shoulder for support.
"Thank you, Professor Goodwitch." He mumbled in embarrassment. The thought of one of his teammates seeing him like this frightened him.
Professor Goodwitch escorted him back the rest of the way to his dorm, taking careful steps. She avoided placing unnecessary tension on his limbs, and opened the door to his room. Jaune rested on the wall next to his room and waited for the professor to roll the wheelchair outside. Jaune's back relaxed into the chair, letting the professor push him to the side of his bed. He forced himself up and lied down on the sheets, his left hand tracing the fabric. Jaune turned away from Goodwitch's stare because of his helplessness. It didn't matter if she already knew about his disability.
"Jaune," Glynda whispered, "You should have informed the staff if you were in pain. I would have gladly assisted." He removed the first prosthetic that acted as his right arm and winced.
"I didn't want to bother anyone." He answered, placing the mechanical limbs onto the floor, ignoring the sensation following the removal of the prosthetics.
"Nonsense, we're always willing to help Jaune-you don't have to be ashamed to ask." He nodded, not wanting to argue with his caretaker. The professor was only trying her best to take care of him.
"Was there anything else Professor Goodwitch?"
She paused and adjusted her glasses. "You did very well today Jaune, you should be proud. I know being a team leader can be intimidating, but remember that this designation wasn't assigned without merit." He still found it hard to believe... how was he supposed to lead a team?
"Thank you, though I'm not sure I'm ready." Glynda placed her hand on his shoulder with a reaffirming smile. Jaune found the warmth welcoming, the comfort evocative of what his Mother used to do.
"Jaune, there is something else I must tell you," Glynda said, her voice taking on a somber tone. "You're aware that you are unable to board with the rest of your team correct?" Oh he was aware, considering it was one of the more upsetting conditions of his stay at Beacon. Jaune wanted to be treated normal and not isolated from everyone.
"Neither I nor Headmaster Ozpin do not wish to upset you, but your team will have to be informed of your residence." Jaune's eyes drifted shut. The reason made sense, there would be too many questions to answer, so it was better to let them know before school officially started.
"I understand... but can you not tell them why, just that I'm sick?" They didn't have to know the specifics, just that he had a disability and wasn't comfortable talking about it.
"Of course, I'll leave it up to you when to divulge such information–again I apologize Jaune. I know you wish to be seen as a normal student, and I will do everything in my power to fulfill that." His face brightened at those words, knowing there was a glimmer of hope to be a regular person.
"I'll leave you for now, get some rest Jaune." Glynda shut the door behind her, clicking the lock into place. He grabbed the covers of his bed and lied back, staring up at the ceiling with a placated expression.
Initiation for all it was clouted to be, wasn't the true test in his eyes-it was being normal in a school full of gifted individuals.
One immediate difference in the rewrite people will notice is that Jaune's weapon is back to normal, well in the sense that it's not also a gun. I have tweaked canon here and made Crocea Mors the version it is currently in RWBY volume 4 and 5.