Heyo, before we get started with the chapter I was actually curious about some of the thoughts you the readers had.

What techniques, styles, or maneuvers did you guys want to see in the story?

I can't promise I'll include them, as I have my own plot for the story and some moves are imperative for it, but I was curious what you guys were interested in seeing. If they fit in the story I could add them in. I guess the question comes down to what type of fighter will Jaune be huh? XD

The problem is that MMA is so expansive, there's striking, grappling, and transitionary steps, but within those three domains are hundreds of different approaches to them. Different styles, different setups and different match ups. I doubt I'll be able to write it all in the story, but through Jaune's eyes I hope to give you a snap shot.

Shadow Jester: Jaune is a good protag yes he is!

Merendinoemilliano: I wonder who the ship is? *whistles innocently*

Xero619: I try ^^

Guests: I am sorry I don't watch them, but the philosophy checks. Both Tai and Jaune's philosophies are ones I had at different times in my life. But to keep the sob story short let's just say Bullies suck haha!

Wildstraydog: I appreciate it. It's fun to see how everyone reacts when I introduce characters and some of the shipping that has already started though I haven't said anything about a romantic subplot. We shall see our Blonde Bombshell soon I promise!

On with the story!

Cover art by: BobaFiish

Editing by: Freckles Fiction

Round 6

The bus doors closed with a pneumatic hiss behind Jaune as he got off at his stop. Sparing a moment to gather his wits Jaune looked around the area to observe passers-by excitingly hustling about ready to enjoy their weekend. However, instead of movies, greasy food, and window shopping, Jaune was ready to sweat.

It was time for his first lesson.

Chuckling to himself at yesterday's memory, after all of Ruby's excitement and his determination to finally take her up on the offer for training, they spent the rest of the evening talking.

The reason for the first class being free clicked at the moment. They used most of the time to discuss the future and planning out the proceeding classes. Though Ruby assured him that she would give him the friends and family discount, he still felt a little jipped at being charged before he even learned anything.

Then again Ruby did promise that there would actually be a lesson today.

With that in mind Jaune made his way towards Beacon. The tug of the bag at his side added a slight a lurch to his normal stride. How Ruby carried a bag similar to this around with her everyday mystified him. His bag being filled with a few new pieces of equipment, many others were loaned pieces from the gym.

Martial arts could be expensive apparently, he paid for the classes, a mouthguard, a cup, but once they told him the ticket price of the gloves and shin protectors, well let's just say he would need to avoid eating for a month or so.

Ruby, bless her, dug through the gym's storage and came up with an old set for him to borrow. The gloves were a stark white, little rips ran down the surface and the leather was beginning to peel, but it was serviceable.

They would have to do, he did wish he could do something about the smell though.

Nora took one look, or one whiff, and laughed, "The smellier they are the more experience are in them."

Though she meant it as a joke Ruby took to that comment with gusto. She said the gloves belonged to one of the gym's best fighter back in the day and maybe, if he tried hard enough, he could absorb skills and knowledge from the gloves. Like some sweaty form of osmosis.

Jaune thought it was an elaborate form of hazing, as the smell still oozed from the gloves no matter how much he sanitized it.

Additionally, he found it hard to believe someone skilled used the gloves, if anything one not as notable, as they lacked a design or iconography on its milky surface.

So far every fighter branded their equipment with their own logo and words. Even Ruby, not yet a fighter, had a rose embedded across the backhand, the words "Crescent" and "Rose" in the palms of her gloves. What they meant, Jaune had no idea, but they were personalized to her. The same followed for her sister Yang, Qrow, and Taiyang whom all had custom gear.

His were a clean slate, stark white and blank.

Smiling a little as he turned down the red brick path of Beacon, they were oddly fitting.

Pushing past the the door he noticed once again the receptionist's absence. Blake seemed to often be missing for someone whose job was to welcome people to the gym. Then again who was he to judge, the gym hired her and Ruby seemed happy with the more reserved girl.

Passing into the main room he made a beeline for the lockers. Jaune quickly changed into his workout attire, which wasn't that much different than normal. A short sleeved hoodie, thinner and lighter than his usual one, and blue shorts instead of jeans. The no shoes aspect would take some getting used to.

Ruby again said it was due to foot strength or something of the sort, whatever that meant. Jaune didn't even know if one's foot had muscles to strengthen.

The flash of purple on his pale skin gave him pause in the midst of changing. The bruises from yesterday, grew in number and now morphed in color to create a sickly combination of purple and vomit green. They were hard to hide from his parents, his shoddy attempt to stuff his arms in the front pockets of his hoodie doing ultimately little.

Jaune remembered the rising stream of questions both his parents and sisters directed towards him. The excuse of tripping and falling down stairs did little to alleviate their concern, he hardly believed it himself, but with Jaune holding to that story his family couldn't really do anything more.

At the time he quickly made an excuse that he had a long day, definitely abusing their concern for him by hamming up his complaint. Love for him overcame their own curiosity and the tide of his family parted ways to let him climb the stairs to his room. Stopping in the bathroom to toss his clothes in the hamper he lumbered towards his bed. So tired he didn't care much when one of his sisters squawked at him for walking around in his underwear. Either that or by the disfiguring lash of bruised skin covering his lower back.

He wasn't quite sure.

Jaune would definitely hear about that soon, but looking back on the whole event it was rather touching.

They wanted to know what happened, however he rather not tell them. After all what could they do? The family motto was still one of passivity and the truth would worry them.

Jaune had his own solution and he didn't need his family worrying themselves sick over it.

First things first, he needed to be stronger. He didn't really know if he believed Taiyang's speech nor did he know what exactly he planned to do once Cardin finally sought him out, as he knew he would, but Jaune knew he couldn't do nothing.

Jaune's own actions pushed him into this path and going back was now closed off to him, either his friends or himself would pay for it if he did, so Jaune would train in the meantime.

At least it gave him something to do other than stress about it, besides he still got to hang out with Ruby so it was killing two birds with one stone.

Finally changed, Jaune shut the locker as he turned to head back towards the open area, his bag full of gear in tow.

Remembering Blake's action and Ruby's lesson on respect he made sure to bow before he stepped onto the white mats as he walked over to the mirrored walls, the location for the first class.

Picking a corner to stow his bags the blond began rummaging for the things he needed while taking a look around.

Ruby had not arrived yet, apparently neither had anyone else, as when Jaune swiveled his head to take in the surroundings he observed the deserted premises. He noticed it yesterday, but now it caused an eerie feeling. It was the weekend, shouldn't Beacon be filled to the brim with aspiring fighters, isn't that what the forums said?

His musings stopped once his hands found two small rolls of white cloth. These were the only other thing, besides his gloves, Ruby said he should bring for the first class, hand wraps.

Supposedly they were used to protect the wrist and knuckles when worn properly, but for the life of him he couldn't figure out the exact way to put them on.

Throwing them across the room to unwind, he watched as the rolls raced across the floor to almost reach the other side of the wall. Jaune briefly wondered how the large bundle of cloth would even fit on his hands. Regardless he started the task of wrapping, trying his best to follow the instructions Ruby gave him yesterday.

Slipping the loop end of the wraps over his thumb he began wrapping the roll around his wrist. Once, twice, thrice he pulled the cloth over his wrist, pulling the fabric taut against his skin. He pulled the cloth over the gap between thumb and pointer finger to begin wrapping over his knuckles, over his palm and to repeat again. Remembering Ruby's advice, he spread his fingers as wide as they could go as he began the same process of layering his knuckles.

First step done he turned his palm towards the ground and looped the wraps from behind his thumb to cross in between his pinky and ring fingers, once, twice, er was it thrice? Why did it have to be so complicated, wasn't wearing gloves supposed to be for protecting your hand? What was the point of the wraps in that regard?

Shaking his head of complaints he went back to his task, settling for twice between each finger he wrapped the cloth between each digit. After he completed that he once again wrapped it around his knuckles and after another three rotations at the wrist he reached the end of the cloth.

Securing the wrap in place he began the painstaking task of repeating the process with his non dominant hand, grumbling all the while.

Finally completing wrapping both hands he flexed his hands squeezing them into fists as he felt the tug of the layers of cloth resisting and pulling the bones of his hands into a specific shape.

It was an odd feeling. Jaune felt secure and stronger just by binding his hands in fabric. Ruby told him it should let him punch harder in addition to protection from injury. At that time he had his doubts, but finally fastening them on he could see what she meant. For a second he pondered if it would have prevented Cardin from breaking his hand.

Pantomiming a few punches and punching a hand into each other he marvelled at the strength he felt. It reinforced his hands in a way that made his fists feel solid, like he could punch stone and be fine. The pressure building in his hands when they curled into fists was remarkable.

He stared into the mirror as he watched himself go through the motions of a few punches, copying what he saw Yang do yesterday. Curving hooks, as he learned they were called from his review yesterday, and straight rights, which were fittingly called straights.

A few other punches, Ruby ran him through as part of his homework, proved a bit harder to remember or to understand the difference. Never hearing of a gym giving homework before, Jaune was slightly surprised when they gave him several fact sheets to memorize. Try his best on his short ride he only was able to read about each type of punch.

Besides the hook and straight, or cross as they pointed out it was sometimes called, there were upper cuts and jabs and that was only the beginner list. The next page titled advanced filled the page full of other names he had no idea what they could be, though their names did put a little bit of fear in the blond.

Who the heck names moves like a tomahawk elbow crossed Jaune's mind as he continued his imitation of Yang.

If he at least looked the part of a fighter then perhaps it wouldn't be so hard after all. The thought played through his mind as he went through the motions, moving in a slightly off kilter gait, but nonetheless replaying what he remembered of the fiery blonde in the cage from yesterday. He transposed his figure over the mental image he held of the girl.

Lanky overlaid peak conditioning as he mirrored her movements.

That is until a friendly chirp interrupted his thoughts.

"Hehe looks like you're excited," said a familiar red themed girl.

Turning to look at Ruby, who stood slightly off to the left with her hands on her hips.

"Hey Ruby, I guess just a bit."

Ruby grinned at that as she joined him on the matted area, tossing her bag in the corner. As she bent down to begin her own preparations she said, "I'm glad, today is going to be awesome!" Her speech downturned into a slight pout at the end as she mumbled, "Would have been better if it wasn't for Uncle Qrow."

"What's wrong with your uncle?"

At his question it looked like the floodgates broke. Ruby groaned as she continued, "Ughhh, dumb uncle Qrow and his dumb drinking. He was supposed to help teach your first class, but when I asked he just said he was too hungover, which I knew was a lie."

"How would you know that?"

"He's always drunk!" exclaimed Ruby as she threw her arms in the air. "His head doesn't hurt when he trains Yang or me, but noooo when I ask him to do more work, suddenly it hurts. Thankfully Blake offered to step in."

Blake? Hearing the sound of rustling clothes he twisted his head to the other corner of the room to see the very same person in question. How had he not noticed her? He was in a room filled with mirrors for crying out loud, he should have noticed something.

Regardless if it was due to his dull senses or her apparent ability to avoid detection the black haired girl in question was changed and ready to train.

She now wore matching compression bottoms which reached her ankles and a long sleeved shirt trailing to her wrists, hugging her form tightly in a combination of black and white swirls, the design meant to imitate a flame pattern, sporting the large black bow that sat on top her head.

At the mention of her name Blake in the process of stretching out, her legs set in a split that hurt to even imagine trying, met their eyes and gave a single nod before continuing her stretches.

"Wait, if Blake is here who's manning the front desk?" asked Jaune.

"Oh, I just asked Nora to cover for her," said Ruby nonchalantly.

"Wha-" the beginning of a rebuttal was on the tip of his tongue until he thought about it a bit more. Nora's personality, while aggressive, would probably attract more customers in than the reserved girl.

"You know what never mind it's fine," shrugged the blond. At least if any kids come by they wouldn't be tainted early.

"Yeap," began Ruby, adding a pop to the end of the word. "Besides, Blake's been boxing for years now, she knows what she's doing and Nora hates striking."

At that Jaune swore he could hear Ruby mumble to herself, "striking isn't for wimps. It's cool."

Shaking her head and focusing back on topic, she asked while starting to wrap her own hands, "Did you do your homework? Did you remember the number system?"

"Er, Kind of?" said Jaune as he trailed off, glancing off to the side.

Not skipping a beat she asked, "1?"

"Uh, jab, jab."

"3?"

"That one was jab, cross, hook?"

"32?'

"Er?"

"16? 12? What about when we do Atlas style round?"

"Uhhhhh," supplied Jaune as a single sweat drop rolled down his brow at the slitted eyes of the critical Ruby.

Exasperated Ruby cried out, "Jaune! The number system is the basics of basics! How are you supposed to have your first class if you don't remember the combos!"

"I'm sorry, I just was so tired yesterday and there's a lot of things to remember."

"That's kind of the point Jaune. You're forcing your body to remember all the different combinations in the forms of numbers so you don't have to think when you're fighting, you can just react.

Jaune did his best to assuage Ruby's fury as she started a flurry of mock punches against his arms.

He understood the concept, it was like installing a macro in some of the games he played. With one press of a button his character would perform several preset actions that would normally take multiple different buttons to do.

It was efficient.

Ruby essentially was trying to program him the same way, but it still didn't make remembering the pages of combinations easier.

"I know Ruby, I know, is there any way we can just work on just a few?"

"I guess we can just work on the jab series," huffed Ruby, pausing in her beating of his arm. "Afterall whom ever masters the jab conquers the world."

"What was that?"

"It's an old saying dad used to say. See most striking styles, boxing for sure, is built off the jab. It's the fundamental punch, though a lot of people tend to gravitate towards the other more flashy moves," said the girl as she waved a hand dismissively. "The saying goes if you can master the Jab you'll be able to beat everyone, if you master the fundamentals you'll be able to handle any situation."

At Jaune's furrowed brow she elaborated further, "The jab is a rangefinder, a distraction, a set up, and can be used as a defensive move."

Ruby proceeded to demonstrate the punch a few times before speaking, "That's why we teach the beginners combinations that are built off the jab."

"Ok I think I understand," said Jaune.

"1, is a double jab," said Ruby, as she took two steps forward pumping her left arm twice.

"2, is a classic jab cross," said Ruby, again demonstrating the combo. This time taking a small step forward while sending a quick left handed jab to twist her body and following by shooting out a right handed blow.

"3, is jab, cross, hook. 4, is a jab, cross, hook, cross. Lastly 5 is a jab, cross, hook, cross, with a left uppercut," explained his new coach, as she demonstrated each combination while speaking, each number adding one punch to the chain. "Learn those five combinations and you'll be set, at least for now."

"Sure," agreed the blond having no other answer. As it stood he was so out of his element, he would just follow whatever Ruby directed him to do.

Stooping down to pick up a pair of circular shaped pads, the same ones he saw Taiyang use the day before, Ruby spoke as she slipped her hands into the grips, "These are focus mitts, we use them for striking practice because it allows the trainers help you practice moving, defending and punching all in one. You ready?"

Jaune gave a hesitant nod, which Ruby took as confirmation and said, "Great, alright get into your stance."

At that Jaune slipped on his gloves and stepped into the same stance he used against Cardin. He slid his left foot forward, turned his right foot outwards at a 45 degree angle and brought both gloved hands to rest on each cheek.

"Your stance looks good Jaune," said Ruby, as she stepped in front of him imitating the same stance though instead of resting her hands on her cheeks she turned both pads to face him. Two bright red circles stared back at Jaune from the center of the focus mitts, his targets.

"Alright let's begin, 1!" shouted Ruby, as she took a half step backwards her left hand moving out towards Jaune.

In reaction Jaune tried to imitate Ruby's jab and thrust his hand out meeting the pad in its trajectory, creating a solid popping sound. However when following up with the second punch in the combination he felt off balanced. His fully extended arm not even coming close to reaching the pad this time.

"Ah, almost Jaune! Try to remember to take a step every time before you jab."

Before Jaune could evaluate her advice she continued on both hands held out towards Jaune. "Next 2 and 3!"

Trying his best to listen to her suggestions Jaune slid his foot forward as he thrust his left fist at the pad, once again creating a strong pop with his jab and once again when he attempted to follow up with his cross his body didn't comply.

His right hand hit empty air as he lurched to the side, throwing off his balance making him unable to proceed to the second combination Ruby had called.

"Um, don't forget to turn your hips when you throw a cross. This time let's try four."

He easily remembered the combination, it wasn't hard, jab cross hook cross, but once again when he tried to emulate it his body didn't comply. His first punch creating a pitiful puff of sound and the rest of the combination striking at empty air, missing the pads.

It was all so hard to keep track of. Twist your foot, turn your hips, thrust your arm out. All the different movements didn't jibe together and when he tried to correct one issue another arose.

If he was a machine then the action of punching felt like it caused multiple different gears and pulleys to grind against each other as one system got in the way of another. Whenever he tried to address a specific issue his focus would cause another area to jam up.

Jaune grit his teeth as Ruby continued to call combinations that never really got started. He could manage maybe one punch before getting his limbs tied up in knots.

Yang made it seem so simple yesterday. She was a constant stream of motion, everything she did was optimized, her body moving in conjunction with itself, a well oiled machine and here he was unable to even chain two punches together.

His frustrations must have been transparent as Ruby started to anxiously call out numbers, adding more suggestions every time he made a mistake.

One comment on how to improve became dozens. A veritable torrent of ways to improve himself. To do what she could do so easily.

Their awkward display of both verbal and physical stumbling must have gone on for at least ten minutes. To the point where both of them were red in the face. Jaune from the exertions, Ruby from the embarrassment of her failed lesson.

Jaune on the verge of calling it quits was beaten to the punch, when a soft voice voiced everyone's thoughts..

"Ruby I don't think this is working," said Blake from her spot on the sidelines, her golden eyes watching the whole debacle.

"It's fine… we're just having some issues, that's all! I can fix it," responded Ruby adamantly, not willing to admit her first lesson was an utter failure.

"It's not your fault Ruby I just don't get it," said Jaune as he looked towards the floor, sparing a moment to pull his hand from the confines of the gloves and to paw at the sweat dripping from his face. "I don't think I'm cut out for this."

"No! Jaune you're great, it's just-" Ruby in the beginnings of another stream of reassurance was interrupted when the bow wearing girl calmly walked up to the duo, making eye contact with Ruby.

"Ruby when did you start learning how to fight?" asked Blake.

"Dad taught us since we were little, why?"

At her answer Blake turned towards Jaune and spoke, "Put your hands up."

Not sure where this was going Jaune complied and pulled his hands back up to his cheeks.

Blake gesturing for him to face the mirrors lining the walls continued, "Alright now get back into your stance you had before. Ruby can you do the same in front of him and slightly towards his right?"

Ruby regardless if she understood where this was going followed her instructions and assumed her boxing stance facing the mirror. Jaune was able to see a slight quirk of her eyebrows through her reflection.

With everyone situated, Blake said, "Ruby can you show me how to throw a jab,"

The smaller girl looked confused for a moment before complying, lunging forward with a snapping left handed punch.

Blake then asked, "So how did you do it?"

"Uh, well, you step forward and throw out your jab?" answered Ruby, raising her pitch at the end of her explanation as she waggled her extended left hand out tentatively.

"That's my point Ruby," Blake said as she assumed the same position.

"When you throw a jab you take a step forward. Adding to the momentum of shifting your weight forward you twist your back foot slightly, pivot your hips and turn your back," she said while demonstrating everything, over exaggerating each movement once she got to it.

"Finally when you extend your lead hand rather than use the muscles in your arm you relax them completely and use the force generated from your legs and core to create a whip like effect, only clenching into a fist at the moment of impact," finished Blake, as she completed the movement and repeated it in full speed to showcase an identical jab to the hoodie wearing girl. "Those are all the steps for a proper jab."

"That's what I said," protested Ruby.

"You really didn't," said Jaune.

At his comment the smaller girl deflated from her normal exuberance. Noticing this Blake said, "It's not your fault Ruby. All those little steps come naturally to you. You've been doing it so long that you don't even have to consider all the little details."

The normally reserved girl now turned to Jaune and asked, "And you Jaune, do you have any martial arts experience? What about sports?"

"I don't. Well in high school I spent a summer LARPing." From their incredulous looks, the blond protested, "What?! I thought it looked cool to sword fight. They even gave me some armor to wear, I even had a cool spring loaded shield..."

Blake's smirk was telling, but she continued forward regardless. "People who have done sports before normally transition easily into martial arts, since sports is about learning how to move and manipulate your body to perform a certain task."

As she pantomimed a soccer kick, baseball pitch and even a golf swing, she continued, "Sports teaches you how to maximize and better utilize your kinetic chain, especially for kids at a young age. Kids are like sponges they absorb things much easier than when you get older."

Sparing a moment to glance back at Ruby, who was poking her pointer fingers together as she slouched, Blake continued, "Ruby also never comes to the cardio classes or the rookie class. Since she spends all her time with the pros the small stuff never really comes up. To pros 'turn your hips more' is adequate enough a suggestion."

Each comment appeared to take the wind from the silver eyed girl's sails. Noticing Ruby visibly deflated, Blake let out a small huff as she reached out placing a hand on the smaller girl's shoulder. Breaking out to a small smile, "I don't think you're a bad teacher Ruby. I just think your lessons are a little too high level for Jaune. Do you think I could suggest something?"

Ruby finally made eye contact with the taller girl, her cheeks puffing outwards slightly in a gesture Jaune found adorable, though was likely intended as a pout.

"He was supposed to be my first student," murmured Ruby.

"He still is, after all wasn't it you who asked me to help today? Seems like a good move for a teacher," responded Blake, to which Ruby immediately perked up.

"That's right," said Ruby as she thrust one hand out towards the taller girl, in what appeared to be a pointing action if her fingers weren't stuck in a glove. "Beginning striking advisor Blake, as my assistant what do you suggest?"

"Shadow boxing," responded Blake.

Before Jaune's question could be voiced Blake added, "It's where you work through the motions of strikes without hitting anything. We could do it in front of a mirror so you can watch Ruby and yourself."

"That does sounds easier," said Jaune.

"It's different," added Ruby. "I see where you're going with this. Since shadow boxing is supposed to be practice with an imaginary opponent the drill scales with how good you are. I still rather hit pads though."

"I couldn't even hit the pads half the time."

"I guess so."

"If you show Jaune how to do it properly I can help him with the small adjustments, that okay with you coach Ruby?" asked Blake.

"That's head coach to you, sub coach Blake!" said Ruby before going back into her striking stance. Back to the same pep she had at the start of the lesson, "Let's try the jab cross again."

So they continued. Ruby would demonstrate a combo perfectly, demolishing her mental opponent. Jaune watched her add steps backwards, ducks, she even feigned getting hit at one point and continued with her combo.

He could almost see the imaginary assailant, they were someone aggressive or someone who came straightforward. At least it seemed so, as Ruby would constantly step sideways or shuffle backwards before she threw her combination.

All that movement for a 1-2.

Jaune on the other hand was stuck in place moving at a snail's pace compared to the hooded girl. Following Blake's instruction he worked from his feet up. For the past 10 minutes he kept his hands up and practiced twisting his feet and then his hips, his body beginning to move fluidly.

It would have been tremendously embarrassing if it weren't for Blake, who didn't show any signs of his ineptitude. The bow wearing girl patiently observed Jaune and added helpful suggestions when he reached a snag in his movements.

They continued on to the sounds of mats compressing, the sharp exhales of Ruby, ragged gasps of Jaune, and Blake's quiet comments.

It must have been an hour since they started their lesson and Jaune's clothes were drenched in sweat, his heart was hammering through his chest and all he was doing was moving slowly.

Though his own heart beat in his ears, he had to admit it was fun. An exuberant Ruby still shouted encouragement. Leaving the suggestions to Blake, who did so without judgement.

Who knew learning how to fight would be peaceful.

"I'm bored!" shouted a voice in conjunction with the sound of the reception area door slamming open.

Well it was peaceful.

Nora with a long drawn out sound lurched from her position at the doorway, dragging herself as she slowly slumped towards the ground in a human puddle, "I'm sooo bored, no one's come by all day."

In a blink she reassembled herself to a shape that could be called human again and darted towards the assembled trio.

"It's not fair that you guys get to have all the fun, I wanna join in," said the orange haired girl as she lept to tackle the first target in sight.

Poor Blake, being the nearest of the group was the unfortunate victim. A shriek, almost a hiss, sounded as Nora hauled her off her feet in a bear hug.

"Who likes to just shadow box all day, we could do sloth in the middle or something!" shouted Nora.

"You just like to play that because you always win," dead panned Ruby, halting her shadow boxing.

"Come onnn, it's been hours."

"It's been AN hour," growled Blake as she furiously struggled to escape the wrestler's grasp, currently using one arm to push against Nora's face and the other to futilely pry apart the hands clasped around her waist.

"Aww Blake, why thank you I would love some more hugs."

The duo's struggle grew more rapid until the they collapsed into a pile of limbs on the mat. Blake desperately using her arms to push the bubbly girl off herself, causing Nora to cackle madly as they rolled across the ground, a ball of equal parts rage and laughter.

Jaune burst into a fit of laughter at the waist in deep heaving chuckles. Eventually turning into a mix of laughing, inhaling, and gasping as his heart still hasn't calmed down from the previous exercise.

Beacon was ridiculous. The original house of death he imagined when he first entered the door was completely shattered as he watched the two girls grapple, Nora now lying across Blake's stomach as she continued to shimmy herself higher.

The Forums were wrong, though there may be great fighters, old and young here, they definitely didn't beat each other to the point where ambulances needed to be called.

If anything they had been gentle to the point where he might call it babying if he didn't feel the improvement from the change of pace.

Jaune Arc was learning, it may be the basics of the basics. Really only two punches at the moment, but he was getting better, getting stronger.

Thanks to the help of Blake and Ruby. Pausing in his thoughts to glance at the very same girl who brought him here in the first place, Ruby in the process of calling out instructions to Blake who was definitely losing the war, Nora now chest to chest with the quiet receptionist.

Maybe I could do this after all.

"So what's next?" he asked Ruby, who turned from her play by play.

"Well, we've been going for a while and Nora is right we could use a break," said Ruby.

"You betcha butt I'm right!" shouted the wrestler, who at the moment now was straddling Blake, her legs on either side of Blake's stomach as she pressed her cheek onto the bow wearing girl's face.

Blake for her part, up until this point was pristine, now was drawing in heaving breaths, her hair frazzled and out of place, with her arms spread across the mat in defeat. Her bright yellow eyes burning holes into the ginger haired girl, swearing vengeance at another venue.

Ruby stood at his side, spoke in a slight mumble, "After we rest and maybe grab a quick snack did you, maybe, want to try the pads again? I promise I'll go slow."

Jaune noticing the signals, not wanting one of his good friends to feel down about trying to help him, nodded, "Sure, but can we only practice combination 2?"

At the smile Ruby beamed towards him after his answer he added, "After all I remembered that one."

~/~

"Is this the place?" asked a brown haired girl who stood just before the red brick pathway to Beacon, as she paced back and forth. The same as she had done for the past ten minutes.

"I don't know about this. What about if he thinks it's weird when I show up? What if I read the message wrong?" asked the girl into her scroll.

"What's to get wrong about the message Velv?" asked a smooth voice, slightly distorted through the scroll.

"Well, what if I am misconstruing the intent?" responded Velvet, ears twitching nervously.

"The message you showed me said something along the lines of 'I'm training at this new gym you should come by' right?"

"Well, yes, but it also said I should meet some of the people there."

"Pssh that's just an excuse boys say to get you to agree to hang out with them. Sounds like he's asking you out on a date to me."

"Coco!" exclaimed Velvet as her face slowly grew red. "I told you it's not like that. Jaune's just a good friend that's all."

"Sure," said Coco sarcastically. "The fact he saved you like a knight in shining armor and looks good, in a stringy kind of way, does nothing for you huh? What's up with the coffee date then?"

"That was a thank you for helping me out there. I told you guys that already!"

"You never took any of your other friends to our club's favorite haunt Velv."

Velvet didn't have an adequate response so instead she grumbled into the scroll.

Soft laughter echoed back soon after before the voice continued, "Look I have to go there's a new purse from 'Mech-Shift' and you know how their brand fits my aesthetic. Yatsu is coming to help me carry some other purchases I might find, so if it turns out bad just come down and meet with us ok?"

Velvet sighed into the speaker before saying, "Okay, Coco thanks for staying on the call with me until I found the place."

"Anytime Bun Bun, go get your man," drawled the scroll.

"Coco!" yelled Velvet to the sound of the line going dead.

Grumbling to herself at the blunt nature of her friend she again looked up towards the building and the address, which matched up to the one Jaune had sent her a while back.

Pausing in her pacing she glanced left then right before taking a fortifying breath.

"I don't know about this," muttered the girl as she continued down the path.

Alright y'all I dunno how you guys will receive this chapter. There was alooooooot of information I needed to cram in here without boring you guys. I asked a few of my friends who don't train to read this over and they said they got what I was trying to explain so I hope that it works for you guys too.

Velvet's back y'all, with Coco as wingwoman! What will she find inside of Beacon's doors? I guess you'll have to see in the next chapter.

Here is an actual break down for the combos I use in practice and fights. One thing of note that I had a hard time debating writing in the story or not was that in my classes individual punches have a number.

Individual strike numbers

1 - jab

2 - cross

3 - left (l) hook

4 - right (r) hook

5 - l-upper

6 - r-upper

7 - l-teep

8 - r-teep

9 - l-roundhouse

10 - r-roundhouse

11 - l-knee

12 - r-knee

As such it does get confusing if you are calling a combination or a single strike. It's easier in person when you get a rhythm with your partner, where you learn to pick up cues from them and can infer which they mean, but in a story I'm not sure I could describe it correctly. As such I'll leave in the author's notes and maybe talk about it later.

Jab Series

1 - jab jab

2 - jab cross

3 - jab cross l-hook

4 - jab cross l-hook cross

5 - jab cross hook cross l-uppercut

6 - jab jab cross l-hook r-uppercut

11 - jab jab cross

12 - jab cross jab cross jab jab cross

15 - jab l-upper cross

16 - jab r-upper l-hook cross

Hook rotations

23 - cross l-hook cross

32 - l-hook cross l-hook

Tyson - l-hook l-hook cross or r-hook r-uppercut l-hook

Matrix- r-hook l-hook l-hook cross

These are basics most of my fighting style and actually what a lot of striking styles are based off of. The number system was popularized by D'Amato, if I remember correctly and from there many martial arts adapted it to help 'program' their fighters to act on a singular number and perform a string of strikes. It helps much more than mentally thinking of all the punches in a combination.

In regards to the Atlas style of boxing, well, that was a nod to the dutchie style of kickboxing. What a dutchie is combination where you throw a punch into a kick using the opposite side leg. The famous one is a l-hook into a r-roundhouse.

Until next time,

Mkspotlights