AN: Gonna be shorter explanations here.
I like Jaune in Volume 2 and find the accusations of him harassing Weiss to be dumb, but still, "no" means no. So I changed up Weiss's response.
A lot of people complain that Team JNPR stole the show from Team RWBY, but they really didn't do anything truly involved in the plot until the end of Volume 3. So I wanted to get them more involved.
Also it's a chance for more interactions between Ruby and Pyrrha. Also, the location and placing of the CCT was super arbitrary and weird, and really inconsistent. So I tried to fix that by making it the Beacon tower, and located at the academy.
So yes, Pyrrha knows about Penny. Don't worry, I'll make it work. But I liked this idea for a few things. I thought it'd be funny to see Pyrrha trying to use her celebrity status for something and being hilarious. I also feel like Pyrrha and Penny can kind of relate to each other. Both are treated like more than human, and having great tasks expected of them.
And just because Team JNPR's involved doesn't mean they're front and center. And I like the little bit of Jaune trying to awkwardly flirt with Weiss.
In canon, Yang's conversation with Junior just felt kind of pointless. We don't really know what she's asking him, so I changed it up to actually have them learn something useful.
So I pretty much explained this, but the Atlesian Paladin smashing through a freeway should've brought the Grimm. That would be way more horrifying and fear inducing than a guy getting his leg broken and a girl getting accidentally bisected.
And other than that, just wanted to show that Jaune isn't an amateur anymore, and Sun and Neptune are a good team and can hold their own with guys Ruby and Yang have fought. Power scaling!
On to the dance arc! Won't be many changes to the Blake part of this arc because honestly, that was pretty much perfect.
Jaune heard the buzzer sound as he went down. As he picked himself up he glanced at the scoreboard over the arena. His aura had dropped into the red, but he'd lasted almost 4 minutes, and Cardin's aura was well into the orange.
"You're continuing to show improvement Mr. Arc." Glynda Goodwitch supplied "continue improving at this rate, and you may actually help your team advance past the first round of the tournament."
Jaune accepted the faint praise while heading towards his team, returning Pyrrha's reassuring smile. He was learning to accept the small victories, even if he had yet to gain any literal ones in the classroom.
"Alright, we have time for one more sparring match. Any volunteers?" Glynda scanned the bleachers, her eyes falling on the half asleep Blake "Ms. Bellamy? You've been rather docile for the past few classes. Why don't you -"
"I'll do it." she was interrupted by the gray haired boy from Haven.
"Mercury, is it? Very well, let's find you an opponent."
"I'll take you on!" Yang called from her section, "My fists versus you're feet! Everyone'll get a kick out of it!"
Mercury just scoffed at the bad pun while everyone else groaned "Actually, I wanna fight... her." He pointed directly at Pyrrha.
"Me?" Pyrrha was surprised, as most people avoided sparring with her.
He glanced at Yang's scowl. "Maybe some other time, blondie."
"All we're asking is that you take it easy for one day." Yang pushed at her sullen partner.
"It will be fun!" Weiss encouraged "Yang and I will make sure of it."
"Yeah! We're planning the whole event!"
Blake raised a brow at that "Excuse me?"
Weiss smiled proudly "I have a lot of experience with planning social events, and Yang has experience with the… uh… 'party scene'."
Yang continued, "So, Weiss and I asked Ozpin to let us plan the event. And now we can make sure you have the perfect night."
"And once it's all over" Weiss insisted "we'll return for our search, rested and ready."
"So what do ya think?" Ruby pushed hopefully.
"I think this is a colossal waste of time." Blake coldly responded as she left the room.
"Oh please. If you don't get a date to the dance, I'll wear a dress." Jaune laughed as he went back to his dorm, leaving a sullen Pyrrha behind.
Pyrrha began to follow after him, only to find her way blocked by Cinder, with a sympathetic smile on her face.
"As smart as he is, he's incredibly dense in some areas."
Pyrrha looked down, embarrassed. "I don't know what you mean!"
"Come on Pyrrha!" Cinder laughed "The only person who can't tell you've got it bad for Jaune, is Jaune."
Pyrrha groaned in embarrassment.
"Why don't you just ask him?" Cinder asked "You may not have guys clamoring to ask you out like he thinks, but if you ask any guy out, they'll say yes. And so would half the girls. Even he isn't dense enough to refuse!"
Pyrrha just shook her head at that. "But he likes Weiss. I'm just his partner."
Cinder started to feel annoyed "Do you not realize who you are? You have power and status that most people have to scratch and claw their entire lives to gain. Including the ability to have any man you want, simply by asking."
"You're wrong." Pyrrha insisted "None of that matters to him. Which is why..." She paused.
Cinder scoffed "You think very highly of him. But do you really think he's into Weiss for that dazzling smile she's always sending his way?"
Cinder walked off, leaving Pyrrha to her thoughts.
"Ren... I'm just gonna say it. You are one of my best friends. These past few months, I feel like we've really bonded, even though you beat me up and almost got me expelled. And, to be perfectly honest, I don't know that much about you, personally, and I'm kinda scared to ask, but darnit, I consider you to be the brother I never had!"
Ren accepted what he assumed was meant to be a compliment "And I you."
"Which is why I wanted to get your advice on... girls."
Ren raised his brow at that "Girls?"
As Jaune stumbled to find the right words, Pyrrha listened in at the door, hoping to learn what Jaune saw in Weiss, praying it wasn't her money.
Um, I-I guess what I'm asking is... Well, how did you and Nora... y'know...
Ren blushed at the implications "Uh…"
Nora, who until this point had been silent, cleared her throat awkwardly "We're actually not 'together-together…'"
"NORA, I SAID HEADPHONES ON!"
Ren quickly sought to change the subject "Jaune, what is this all about?"
Jaune sighed "It's Weiss. I'm completely head-over-heels for her, and she won't even give me a chance. She's cold, but when she's cold to her team I can tell it's her way of caring, and making sure they have a voice of reason. She's smart, and graceful, and talented. I mean, have you heard her sing? I-I just wish she'd take me seriously, y'know? I wish I could tell her how I feel without messing it all up."
Pyrrha smiled sadly. He hadn't said a thing about her money or status.
"Then do it." She said as she entered the room.
As Ruby awkwardly lounged at the punch bowl, a dateless Jaune finished a dance with Yang, who whispered something in his ear before heading off to dance with one of the other expectant boys. Jaune smiled and made his way over to Ruby. "I see you're hiding at the punch bowl."
Ruby nodded "yup".
Jaune smiled and grabbed her hands, putting her glass down for her, despite her protests. "Come on! Just because neither of us have dates doesn't mean we can't have at least one dance each."
Ruby shook her head "I can barely walk in these things and now you want me to dance!?"
Jaune laughed "I'll go slow! If all else fails you can stand on my feet."
Ruby relented and the two awkwardly swayed back and forth.
Ruby decided to initiate the small talk to alleviate the awkwardness. "Sorry things didn't work out with Weiss."
Jaune shrugged sadly "Meh, it's fine. Neptune's pretty "cool". I get why she went with him."
Ruby tilted her head in confusion "What do you mean?"
"Well, come on, not many people can pull off blue hair."
Ruby shook her head "No, I mean, Weiss came to the dance alone."
"What?" He glanced over to see a lonely Weiss trying to fix a wilted white rose.
Ruby nodded "Yeah, she said that she had too much to focus on to worry about boys."
As the dance finished, Jaune noticed Neptune talking and laughing with Sun and Blake. He growled and prepared to confront the blue-head.
As he began to leave, Ruby grabbed Jaune's arm. "Jaune, before you talk to Neptune, I think you should talk to Pyrrha."
Jaune followed her gaze, to see Pyrrha heading out to the balcony. Alone.
Jaune nodded at Ruby, and headed out, briefly pausing to let Cinder pass in front of him.
With everyone in the dance hall, a disguised Cinder made her way through the side halls towards Beacon Tower. She wore all black, with a hood covering her hair which was in a ponytail, and a securely fashioned black mask.
Ruby had chosen to leave early, though she'd thought to say hi to Cinder who was lounging at the punch bowl, but by the time she'd reached it, her friend had disappeared.
Ruby took a rear exit, knowing Yang would insist that she stay if she caught her leaving. As she got away from the noise of the music, she heard a commotion down the hall. As she turned the corner she saw two atlesian guards unconscious and covered in burns, just as the elevator closed and began to ascend.
Cinder continued to burn her way through guards as she entered Beacon Tower, and began working at Ozpin's computer.
"A party guest is leaving" Emerald's voice rang in her ear.
Cinder sighed "Which one?"
"Ironwood."
"Has he seen me?" Cinder asked.
Emerald took a moment to concentrate. Just before reaching the door, Ironwood paused to let Cinder Fall stroll past him.
"He has now." Emerald smiled.
Cinder smiled as the Black Queen flared on the computer, before vanishing. "Good… We're done here."
As Cinder prepared to leave, she noticed the elevator ding and begin to open.
Ruby cautiously entered the office, having summoned her weapon locker through a window (she really hoped she wouldn't have to pay for that), and left her heels downstairs.
"Is anyone there? Hello?"
Cinder didn't see a way of sneaking out so instead chose to reveal herself.
Ruby readied her weapon "Excuse me? You know, it's not a masquerade party, so why don't you take off that-!"
Cinder threw flames at Ruby, who dodged out of the way. She began firing, only to have them blocked. Ruby rushed, and was once again dodged, barely clipping the woman's hood. Ruby turned as the hood fell, seeing the womans black hair and catching a glimpse of yellow in her eyes.
"Cinder?" Ruby paused in surprise, before a gust of wind from nowhere blew her out the window. Ruby quickly stopped her fall by hooking the ledge with Crescent rose, and pulled herself back into the office, just as Ironwood entered. Ruby smiled, only to realize that the assailant was nowhere to be found.
Omake: This would either take place at the dance, or at the end of the Volume.
As the dance started to wind down, a dress clad Jaune decided he needed to address some things with Pyrrha.
As the two swayed slowly he leaned in to her ear. "I'm sorry it took me so long to realize you were crushing on me."
She blushed as he continued "There's a lot that could go wrong if we started dating and it didn't work out. Especially with the tournament coming up. And honestly, I'm only just getting over Weiss. I don't want you to feel like a rebound."
Pyrrha nodded sadly, avoiding his gaze. "But" he continued " you're my best friend, and I think we'd both regret not trying to make it work."
Pyrrha looked up hopefully, a smile spreading across her face. "So when the tournaments over, let's go on a date and see where it leads us."
He then chuckled and scratched the back of his head "If I survive the tournament that is."
AN: Whoo! Three episodes in one chapter! Let me know what you guys thought!