A/N: Hey everyone! I'm glad everyone liked the Arcstrong version of Jaune's dad (I'm loving that name).

I'm probably not going to retcon him in however. I like Brun's current role as a sort of no-nonsense everyman who just does his duty, and that'll play a key role in Jaune's characterization later one.

However I will say that whenever Brun shows up, I will also most likely throw in an Arcstrong omake! So there's that.

In general I'm probably not going to change much in earlier chapters, probably just grammar errors.

Speaking of grammar errors! I also haven't had much time to proofread this chapter. So please please please let me know if you find any mistakes! Fear my total disregard of the creative writing process! Kidding. I'll try to keep up a decent amount of quality, but I can't promise there won't be any errors.

Anyways.

Thanks for reading and please review!


Jaune had thought that the Initiation would be a peaceful thing. He thought that they were going to cliffs overlooking the Emerald Forest for the scenic views and to set the ambience. Maybe there would be a metaphor or two. Granted he had been a little bit suspicious when Ozpin and Glynda had directed him onto some kind of platform, but he thought that the platform was going to symbolize something.

He hadn't thought it was actually a launch platform and that he was going to get shot through the air like a beanbag.

Oddly enough, it seemed like all the other students weren't fazed at all when the first student was launched through the air. There was nary a gasp or scream as yet another student was jettisoned through the air like some sort of bad spy movie.

Jaune gestured wildly at Glynda Goodwitch, hoping to catch her attention. He figured she would be more forthcoming with answers rather than Ozpin. His wild gesticulations were answered by Glynda turning her head to look at Jaune. Their eyes briefly locked, and for a moment Jaune thought she might actually come over and answer her question.

Then she looked away.

Jaune's eyes narrowed as he glared at Glynda, knowing that she was choosing to ignore him. Glynda for her part didn't look bothered at all at being stared down by an immortal, unimposing as he may be.

'That bit-' *TWANG*

Jaune's thoughts were interrupted by a high-tension spring. Specifically a spring that had just sent him flying into the Emerald Forest.

Jaune mentally sighed as he felt a familiar rush of air on his face.

'Only one thing to do now…'


Pyrrha Nikos was a woman with a plan.

Step one, stick the landing. That part was easy, leaving Pyrrha perched on the branch of a tree barren of any leaves and giving her an excellent view of the entire area.

Step two, find the target. That part was also easy. Pyrrha peered down the scope of her trusty rifle Milo. The crosshairs were centered on a certain blonde-haired, blue-eyed boy flipping through the air.

Step three, secure the target. That part was a little bit more complicated… Pyrrha shifted her grip on Milo, the red and gold rifle beginning to fold and elongate. Pyrrha held out her left to aim, her right arm now holding Milo in its javelin form. Her form was perfect, her arm strong, and her eyes easily tracking their target. Then Pyrrha hesitated.

She lowered Milo, her eyes watching the rapidly disappearing form of one Jaune Arc. It would be too dangerous to throw Milo now. Her original plan had been to use her javelin to pin Jaune into a tree, securing him and giving her time to pick him up before anyone else got there. The problem was not that Jaune was too far, or that he was moving too fast. It's that he was flipping.

This wasn't a lazy sort of flipping through the air that a rag doll might do. No. Jaune had curled himself into a ball, and was doing his best impression of high-diver. He had clutched his knees to his chest, rapidly spinning himself as he flew through the air.

Pyrrha might have been able to pierce Jaune's hood safely. That was a very big 'might' however, and Pyrrha wasn't about to risk accidentally killing her future partner. There was a whole multitude of things that could go wrong. She could accidentally hit him in the neck, or even the face!

The thought of her long, hard rod possibly piercing him in his nether regions made Pyrrha shiver. Not in anticipation.

With step three jeopardized, Pyrrha let out a sigh as she jumped down from her perch. Landing in a crouch, Pyrrha began to sprint in the direction where Jaune most likely landed.

She was going through a lot of trouble to get Jaune as her partner. She had a feeling it'd be worth it.


Jaune had gone 'flying' multiple times since he had been free. There was that time he fell off a cliff, that time with a Nevermore, that other time he had fallen off a cliff… Suffice to say, Jaune had a lot of experience falling through the air.

After the third or fourth time, Jaune had thought the experience of flying and then splatting had gotten slightly… stale. So to pass the time between his feet left the ground and when his spleen would most likely meet the ground, Jaune had come up with a little game.

The game was called "Try and get as many flips as possible before your butt meets your neck".

'41… 42… 43…' *SPLAT*

Jaune's flipping was brought to an end by a particularly sturdy tree. His body crunched into the bark, the small bits of food cutting into his skin as he slammed face first into the tree, his body unfurling on impact.

His face caved in upon impact, blood gushing from his crushed nose. His neck snapped back, the back of his head bet his spine as the rest of his body continued to spin until his feet hit the wood above his head.

Jaune's body froze in place for a brief moment, stuck in the tree, before gravity took effect. As his body slipped out of the dent he had made, his body righted itself out of its contortionist death pose.

He landed unsteadily, but wholly on the bough below him, the branch managing to take his weight. The damage was already gone, his face restored, and his neck unsnapped. He pulled a rag out of his pocket, wiping the blood that was still on his face.

"Dammit." Jaune grimaced as he looked out over the Emerald Forest. The wind ruffled his blonde-hair as his left hand came to rest on Crocea Mors strapped to his hip. "My record's 45… This day is already going horribly."

At least the view was nice, Jaune thought as he looked out over what parts of the forest that he could see. He didn't have enough time to enjoy the view however, he still had an initiation to go through. He did have to play the part of a student after all.

"Why couldn't they have just made me a janitor or something…" Jaune thought as he looked down towards the ground. There was still quite a ways down, but he wasn't certain if it would kill him outright.

Jaune stepped off the branch, getting ready to land face first into the ground. It was right then that he heard a rustling as someone began to come into view of the tree. 'Crap! A student! I can't die in front of them.' Jaune's hand shot out and grabbed the branch he was standing on, leaving him dangling from the branch on one arm.

White-hair was the first thing Jaune saw, as Weiss stepped into the clearing, looking around for the source of noise from earlier. She looked up. Her light-blue eyes met with Jaune's bright blue eyes, their gazes locked. Jaune held a hand up to wave awkwardly as he hung from his branch, only for Weiss to turn away.

"Nope." Weiss said as she turned back the way she came. Ruby came bursting after Weiss, and for a moment Jaune's hope went back up. Four years with Ruby didn't sound bad at all. His hopes were quickly dashed however, as Weiss reached over and snagged Ruby by the hood, dragging the younger girl with her.

"Or not…" Jaune said as he watched the two figures of white and red walk away. He sighed as he waited for the two girls to get out sight. He hoped he could get out of this tree soon.

His ears perked up for a brief moment, before his shoulders slumped back down and he sighed. Someone else was coming.


Pyrrha had made good time. Great time even. She vaulted over a fallen tree, landing in a crouch before sprinting once more. Despite her aggressive pace however, Pyrrha's breathing was only slightly haggard. It wouldn't do to show up in front of her new partner while she was all out of breath after all.

Her target was already in sight, hanging from a tree branch. She stopped just out of his range of view, taking a brief moment to catch her breath. This would be what set the tone for the next four years after all. This would be who she would be hanging out with, sharing secrets with, who she'd be trusting in for the next four years.

She idly brushed her hair out of her face, her nerves only showing very briefly before she clamped back down on them. She took a deep breath, before she walked into Jaune's view.

"Hello again." Pyrrha said as she looked up at the dangling boy.

Jaune looked down, blue-eyes meeting the green-eyes of his partner. His partner. Jaune was practically giddy.

"Oh hey Pyrrha, how's it hanging." Jaune said with a grin and a little chuckle at his own pun.

A grin quickly grew on Pyrrha's face as she smiled up at Jaune. This was the man who would be her partner for the next four years.

'Oh god he's perfect.'

"I don't suppose you could help me down?"


With Jaune successfully no longer hanging from a tree, the two new partners set off towards their goal. Find a temple hidden in the forest, then find a relic, take the relic, and then head home. Seemed simple enough.

"You sure you know where you're going Pyrrha?" Jaune asked as they continued to walk through the forest with Pyrrha in the lead.

Pyrrha continued walking forward, Milo having changed into its sword form and held in her right as she held her shield Akouo in her left. She brushed a branch out of her way with her shield as she continued forward.

"Yes, Jaune. I'm sure. Trust me on this!"

Jaune looked behind, not paying attention to the way forward as gunshots ran in the background. Seems like someone else had run into trouble.

"I mean if you say so Pyrrha, but I did just you meet you li-" *THWACK*

Pyrrha's eyes widened as the sound of branch on flesh came to her ears. The branch! She had just let it go and it looked like it had hit Jaune. Her new partner who she had already hit with a branch. She had been so busy trying to show to him how useful she was, she hadn't been paying attention to something so stupid as a branch!

She whirled around, an apology already on her lips. "I'm sor-" The apology died on her lips as she looked back at Jaune. The branch had scratched deep into the side of his face, barely missing his eye. Multiple red angry marks shed red tears as his blood began to leak onto his face.

"-ry…" Pyrrha finished with a small voice as she looked at her unperturbed partner.

Jaune looked blankly at Pyrrha, wondering why they had stopped. And why Pyrrha kept on staring at his face. "What's up Pyrrha? Oh shoot! Is there something on my face?" Jaune reached a hand up, his fingers coming away with slicks of red.

"Oh hey, I'm bleeding." Jaune said as he tried to wipe his fingers off on the branch already slick with his blood.

Pyrrha finally found her voice as Jaune continued trying to shake his finger off. "I'm so sorry! Are you okay Jaune?" She stepped forward, her gloved hand coming up towards Jaune's face. It stopped just short however, as Pyrrha looked at the scratches that marred Jaune's face.

"Uhm… yeah? Why wouldn't I be?" Jaune said, this time returning Pyrrha's worried gaze with one of confusion.

"You're bleeding!"

"And?"

Pyrrha just gaped at Jaune. Not sure what was going on. He was bleeding all along his face. "Please Jaune! Don't try and act macho!" Not that Pyrrha was even sure he could act macho. He was so thin and pale… like he hadn't gone outside in years.

"Wait…" Pyrrha's eyes were drawn back to the bleeding lines on Jaune's face. "Why didn't your aura protect you?"

"My what?"


Glynda's eyes were trained on the video feed in front of her, her eyes stuck on the apparent immortal that had just waltzed into her life. Multiple feeds were displayed on the Scroll in her hands, but only one had her attention.

"Ozpin, are you watching this?"

Ozpin took another sip of coffee, his normally impassive face staring intently at the screen.

"I thought with his immortality…" Glynda's voice trailed off, thinking about the implications of what they were watching. The tiny Pyrrha on-screen was explaining to Jaune what aura.

Aura, along with the explosive Dust that powered much of their weaponry, was one of a Huntsman's greatest weapons in their arsenal. A manifestation of one's very soul, an almost mystical energy that let them perform inhuman feats and to stand head and shoulders above the average person.

A powerful weapon that also granted its user a semblance, a unique power. A more tangible representation of their soul imposing its will upon the world.

Jaune's semblance was supposed to be immortality. There was only one problem.

"In order to unlock one's semblance, one must first unlock their aura." Ozpin said, finishing Glynda's thoughts. In order for the soul to express itself through a semblance, it first had to be free to do so.

"What does this mean Ozpin?" Glynda said, her eyes stuck watching Jaune and Pyrrha on the screen in her hands.

For once, Ozpin had no answer, as he too stared at the Scroll. He only had questions, with one burning prominently in his mind.

'What is Jaune Arc'


Jaune listened as Pyrrha explained to him what this aura stuff was. One thing stuck out in his mind from Pyrrha's explanation. "Everyone has aura. Even animals." Her words rang in his mind.

"Even monsters?" Jaune asked, not sure he wanted to hear the answer.

Pyrrha shook her head. "No. The monsters we fight lack a soul, they are empty husks of nothing but darkness and anonymity. They are the Grimm, and we who use aura are the light that must fight them."

To Pyrrha their conversation was nothing more than an educational lecture, or perhaps a topic argued about by philosophers and scientists alike. Aura was mystery as were the Grimm and the topic had been discussed extensively in academia.

For Jaune, the conversation was the most important thing in the world right then. Monsters lacked aura. Monsters lacked a soul. Monsters were empty husks of nothing.

Aura was what separated monsters from everyone else, and from what Pyrrha had explained about aura… He didn't have it. He needed to be sure.

He licked his lips, his mouth suddenly becoming drier than it should have been. "H-How… How do you know if you have aura?"

Pyrrha gave him a smile, as if lecturing a small child. "I just told you Jaune. Everyone has it."

Jaune could feel his sanity sinking. If everyone had it… and he didn't… Where did that leave him? His mind flashed back to Clover and Verdan, their eyes full of fear as they stared at something… inhuman.

"You just have to unlock it."

What.

Jaune moved closer to Pyrrha, his hands grabbing her shoulders. "What."

Pyrrha looked away and blushed at the sudden close proximity of Jaune's body. "You just have to unlock it." She looked back towards Jaune, still nervous at how close he was. " I-I… I could unlock it for you if you'd like."

Jaune let go of Pyrrha, stepping back as his face went blank.

The answer should have been obvious. Go with the power-up, the super force-field that every Huntsman had.

Ugly tendrils of doubt began to worm their way into Jaune's mind.

A question was on his mind. A question that had always been there, ever since he had first woken up in that lab and realized what had happened.

Was he even human anymore? Was he ever even human? Were Clover and Verdan right? Did he… did he even have a soul?

Jaune was afraid. He was terrified. If Pyrrha were to try and unlock his aura, it would let him know if he was actually human, or if he was just some… thing trying to play at being human.

He felt himself take a step back, fear taking control of his body.

He couldn't even remember the last time he had taken a step back. Whether it was jumping off of a cliff or into the jaws of waiting Grimm he had never hesitated. This was one step he could not take.

At least not by himself.

Jaune felt a warm hand grab his own, stopping both his physical and mental retreat. Pyrrha's warm gaze and smile greeted him, her hand squeezing Jaune's tightly. "It's okay Jaune. I don't mind. " Her hand gave one more comforting squeeze as the two stared into each other's eyes.

"I'll be here for you."

Jaune looked back into Pyrrha's eyes, his own expression unreadable. He clenched his jaw, looking down for a brief moment before looking back up. Pyrrha saw a multitude of emotions in his eyes.

Hesitation. Fear. Courage. Hope. Determination.

Gratitude.

He gave a timid smile, giving Pyrrha's hand a squeeze in return before finally nodding.

"Close your eyes."

Jaune took a shaky breath before closing his eyes like asked. Jaune felt Pyrrha's other hand coming up to rest on the side of his head.

Pyrrha gave one last smile at Jaune, before she also closed her own eyes. A faint red glow began to surround Pyrrha as her aura began to show itself.

Elsewhere, Glynda and Ozpin stared intently at the video feed, unable to look away.

The words came unbidden into Pyrrha's mind. She chanted the words in her mind as the silence of the forest surrounded her and Jaune.

'For it is in passing that we achieve immortality. Through this, we become a paragon of virtue and glory to rise above all, infinite in distance and unbound by death. I release your soul, and by my shoulder protect thee.'

She felt her aura bleeding into Jaune's form, attempting to spark his own aura into being.

All of the sudden, her strength gave way from her legs. She dropped to the ground, only to be held up by a strong grip. She opened her eyes to two arms covered in a warm white light.

"Oh, thank you Jaune. Your aura took a lot of mine to unlock."

Hearing no answer, Pyrrha looked up only to see silent tears on Jaune's face.

His blue-eyes glistened with tears as he pulled Pyrrha in close for a tight hug. Pyrrha awkwardly returned the hug, looking over her shoulder in concern.

"Are you alright Jaune? I didn't hurt you did I?"

Jaune simply shook his head, squeezing Pyrrha harder.

"I'm fine… Just… thanks…"

Pyrrha simply smiled before leaning into the hug. "You're welcome Jaune."


A/N: And no I didn't have Pyrrha not kill Jaune just to spite all of you :P. Don't worry, though, there will be more Jaune death! There actually won't be too much gratuitous student-on-Jaune murders however. He is trying to keep his cover after all.