The Difference

by Yourfellowwriter

Jaune Arc focused one/two/three-shots. Varying themes. 15th Chapter - A White Forest Filled With Yellow Roses

14. Chapter 14

A Collection of Failed Ideas (A Semblance of Power is limping along)

Not a proper chapter this time, more a collection of all my failed ideas so far. I've not adjusted them so expect mistakes and plenty of spelling/grammar errors. Also, should any of these idea's strike your fancy I implore you to take them off my hands. Even though they failed, I still know how I wanted them to go.

---

Fate/Beacon

Jaune Arcs life was stained in blood. He wandered the globe endlessly seeking out injustice, taking lives to save lives. He gave endlessly of himself in a futile search for a peace that would never come. At 6 he became alone in the world, at 8 he saved his first life, by 10 he'd developed his own combat style, by 14 he'd mastered it. When he was 15 the world knew him as the White Shield and at 16 the Bloody Blade. What was sad is that he'd died that same year, and even when he revived decades later, his deeds were attributed to his old titles. The world thought him reborn, they could never have known he was the same person.

Now 17 in body, and countless more mentally, and he'd lost all hope, because the world was too cruel and too stubborn. The plague upon the lands never retreated, only encroaching further and further, inch by mocking inch. Grimm never ceased, and neither did the darkness in mans hearts. But he was given a chance to truly take that first step towards peace, and he took it.

School was not something he had planned for, but he would attend regardless. That man, Ozpin, had promised him the chance to help with attending being his only demand. He could not refuse. Ozpin was a man out of time, much like he was. Forever cursed to be a leech upon the souls of other mortals, whittling away their life-force till only his remained because the Gods cared naught for what they had written off as mere batteries. Jaune Arc was different, he was bought back while with all his magic and skills, with his noble weapon Crocea Mors. A sword and shield he was never supposed to of wielded in the first place, a weapon that could truly be called Anti-Kingdom if used correctly.

It was strange, arriving amongst the throng of students. His face was too well known, the weapon on his hips too famous. The white sheathe with the golden marks, the once glittering silver blade now dyed dark with blood were a mix of legend and scary story to frighten children. The divide in how people saw him was no stranger, more akin to a close friend, but it never stopped being painful. Whether the masses saw him as saviour or monster was of no consequence, but both meant no one dared approach him.

He could only move forward however, and follow his own path, as a seeker of peace.

Once he'd found it he could finally die. There was no room for him in a peaceful world.

The explosion he approached had surprised him, but he did not hesitate, not a single falter, in seeking to help.

"Do you require assistance?"

He probably sounded robotic, but he'd long ago learnt that keeping his emotions in check was vital when seeking to lend aid.

Neither girl, one in white and blue and the other red and black, was prepared for his intrusion. Both jumping at his arrival.

The white haired girl paled, stepping back in fear.

"I-it's you! W-why are you here!?"

"Do you need help?"

He reaffirmed eyes dull but unwavering. It was the only thing he knew. The white haired girl stuttered out an apology and retreated, all it did was make him realise that she thought him a monster.

He looked to the other girl, quaking in her boots in abject terror. She couldn't even move away from him, such was her fear. He sighed and walked away a quiet "my apologies" as he went.

He stayed away from the crowds the rest of the day, not that any would approach him regardless. When nightfall came he changed away from the other boys. His night clothes lacking, only a pair of thin baggy shorts. They were well worn and all that remained of his full nightwear, he never bothered to replace anything till it became completely useless.

The hall silenced when he entered, they avoided his gaze or stared at his scars. He never saw reason to hid them, numerous and severe as they were cross-crossing over his legs and arms, a terrible tableau on his back and chest. His face remained unblemished fortunately, save for a small one on the underside of his jaw, otherwise he'd probably be seen as a bigger monster. He caught the red themed girl flinch at the sight and sighed for what must have been the 30th time that day. Although he craved interaction, he hated crowds. Too many eyes on him, no amount of exposure to them had ever dulled that feeling.

He approached the only available place left, next to a Faunus girl hiding her ears with a bow.

"May I?

He gestured to the spot beside her, ignoring how her eyes widened at his approach. She nodded somewhat timidly but didn't shy away, for that he was grateful. The others nearby had done so the moment they realised where he would be.

"Thank you"

His smile was small and brief but it was genuine. He only hoped it would ease any worries she had.

He fell asleep quickly, a breathing technique he'd learned early on to allow him to rest easily even in noisy environments. For the first time in years he could sleep without fear of attack, he'd seen the eyes of every student here, none had the resolve to attempt to kill him.

Not that they'd be able too.

Ruby Rose had recognized the Bloody Blade on sight, or rather by weapon. It was as horrid and beautiful as she thought it would be. She'd always had an interest in famous weapons regardless of the type of people who owned them. That said, the boy behind that weapon was nothing like she'd imagined.

---

Supernatural/RWBY

"Ah crap..."

Jaune dove to the side, narrowly avoiding the glittering silver short sword that was flying towards his chest. The blessed weapon just catching his cheek, leaving a thin but burning cut along it.

"Goddamn Angels" he muttered sullenly.

He'd met only one good one since the whole "Apocalypse" thing started and even she was a pain in his ass sometimes.

It was her fault this was happening right now, because of all her cryptic bullshit he'd left all his weapons in his car.

To make matters worse, he knew without doubt that there'd be a Huntsman along soon because of all the ruckus. Being within the main city of Vale, it was also highly likely to be one of those bratty Beacon teams. Why the council let them take lead he didn't know, but it made talking his way out of a situation harder because they were immature and eager to impress.

'Tch, trying to earn points by saving people. Scumbags, the lot of 'em'

He scrambled backwards, desperately avoiding the Angels blades attacks. The only benefit of those bastards arrogance was that they never really seemed to take humans seriously, being gods first creations and all. Except he was one of only a couple of humans who should never be underestimated. Even when his was lacking in weapons that could do any real damage, he was always prepared.

Another dodge, this time literally throwing himself on to his back over a desk. The angel stepped forwards, and Jaune smirked. A match flicked out from his sleeve, fortunately he'd made sure it it wasn't a safety match before buying them this time. And struck it along the floor.

He flicked only a few feet away and the oil he'd poured in a small circle lit up.

Blessed Oil, capable of trapping even an Angel inside.

"Heh" he bit out, blood leaking from his mouth from an earlier punch to the face "got you now bastard"

He pulled his gun from inside his denim jacket a fired, his aim perfect, the Angel Blade flying from its grip and out of the circle. He moved to collect it. He'd made the circle small, so the Angel himself was hardly able to turn without coming into contact with the binding flames.

"This won't hold me forever"

The angel spoke. He was possessing an old guy, someone who hardly looked able to walk let alone punch like a freight train. Jaune didn't need forever, he had the blade now.

"Yeah, but you're not gunna be able to do anything for long"

He stepped forward to stab the man, keeping his grip tight. He was about to stab forwards when a gunshot went off.

His hand flew to the side, the bullet hitting the blade, but he kept hold of the sword. His eyes widened in horror as the human made bullet ricocheted of the blade and hit a water line, dousing the flames.

The Angel didn't hesitate this time, blinking forwards faster than human or Faunus eyes could ever hope to see. The beings hand ended up lodged in his stomach

"FUCK!"

Jaune screamed, pain causing him momentarily lose control of his arms, but he kept the blade tight.

"You will accept Michael, Jaune Arc"

The blond gave a feral, bloody smile in response.

"Hell no, douchebag!"

Fighting through the pain he struck, the silvery blade entering the angels chest.

He was always impressed by how angels died, the only time their wings became visible before they burned.

Silver light poured from the beings mouth and eyes, wings stretching out and catching a fire so hot it burned shadows into the ground. Then it was over, and they collapsed. The old guy was dead too, but that was just the way it was. Angels usually took possession forever, save Pyrrha who was too kind for that and allowed her host to spend time with family and friends when nothing vital was happening.

Sad, but at this point there wasn't much he could do. At least the poor bastard was guaranteed a place in heaven. Angel Blades didn't kill regular souls, just Demons, Angels and various other monsters.

He angled his head towards the new arrivals, glaring heatedly at the shocked group of four girls. Trainee Huntresses, obviously.

"You just gunna stand there or you gunna help get this bastards hand outta my gut?"

He managed to grind out.

He passed out not long after.

Ruby Rose was still somewhat in shock when she walked into the Headmasters office with her team. The blond had been too seriously injured and was rushed to Beacons medical facilities the moment they'd called Ozpin for orders. They'd gone into this expecting a small conflict but not two people literally trying to kill each other. Especially not some frail old guy and a boy barely older than Yang.

Ozpin had been oddly interested in the boy, and after witnessing the scene in the infirmary she was too in a morbid way. He was covered in scars, bullet wounds, slash marks, unmistakable signs of horrendous tortures (as in more than one and by countless different people). The quick x-ray scan had shown something even stranger. Every single one of his bones had symbols like the tattoo's over his heart carved into them. The Doctors had no idea how he had survived getting them.

Ozpin had called him a Hunter, stressed it as that and not Huntsman.

"They don't hunt Grimm" he said solemnly and seriously. "Though they can and do, they hunt much darker prey. Monsters that are not talked about, and few believe in. In fact to most of the world, Hunters are little more than Serial Killers. They arrive in a town, kill whatever is causing trouble and move on. However, like you witnessed earlier, these monsters wear the skin of regular looking people quite often. The one you described, I have only heard whispers of but the way it died sounds like an Angel. Before you ask, yes I am serious and no Angels are not inherently good".

---

God Eater/RWBY

Beacon Academy had always been Ruby Rose's dream school. For two reasons, the first was obvious. It was the be all end all of Huntsman Academies, the first founded and the one that boasted the strongest and most famous graduates. Oddly enough the second reason had nothing to do with the fact her Father, Mother and Uncle had all attended, but a particular group that was said to be attending there starting that year. If her plans had gone the way she thought they would, she'd have got to (hopefully) meet them in two years. Her skipping ahead that two years was just a bonus. That group were lead by one of her personal heroes, one she'd modeled her own weapon after.

The Hound.

Not much was known about him, not even his real name or appearance, and rumours were wild and ever changing. The only thing people knew for certain was his weapon and that from a young age he'd saved hundreds of lives both alone and with his allies. A lot of people hated them though, but nobody could ever figure out why.

Now here she was, at Beacon Academy, ready to start her adventure into becoming the best Huntress she could be, all in the hopes of making the world a safer place. And with any luck meet her hero. Now if only she wasn't covered in dust from a Dust explosion after her sister ditched her then this would be the best day ever.

"Hey, I'm Jaune"

The sudden voice and hand stretching above her had her previous thoughts flee due to her usual social issues. Awkwardness at it's finest. She still had the mental acuity to control her arm as she took his hand, but her mouth was another matter.

"Aren't you to guy who threw up on the ship?"

She reddened immediately, mortified by the accidental thought turned spoken word. He grimaced lightly but thankfully didn't decide to drop her back to the floor and finished helping her to her feet.

"I-I'm not great with air travel"

The somewhat embarrassed admission had Ruby giggling.

'No! Mouth, why must you betray me!?'

Forcibly taking back control of her faculties, and somewhat regaining her composure she managed to get out what she'd originally wanted to.

"Sorry, that was just the first thing that came to mind. I'm Ruby!"

The boy, Jaune, quirked a smile and gestured with his head for her to follow. Which she was more than happy to do, if for nothing else than to get away from the crater she'd accidentally made.

They walked in companionable silence for a short time before Ruby got uncomfortable. She chose to take in his appearance.

He was tall, with striking blue eyes and a strip of black tape across his nose. A gold, cross shaped hair clip kept his hair tucked behind his right ear while letting the left curl round his face slightly. He wore a a sleeveless skin-tight shirt that, though thin looking, she could tell offered at least some protection from blades or claws. Atop that, buttoned round his neck but not actually worn properly, was a coat with some sort of short cape attached. A mix of black leather and dark blue fabric. There was a damaged logo on the back that could either be a dragon or a wolf but was too worn for her to tell. His feet clad in shin-length combat boots that ended a few inches before his knees and laced all the way up, with slightly baggy dark blue jeans that were buckled near the crotch to keep them from chaffing too much. Most intriguing though was the two heavy looking red and black stripped manacles on each wrist, manacles that looked to be lacking any sort of latch for removal. She supposed that might be why he wasn't wearing the coat.

She did not stare at his muscular biceps and you couldn't prove different! So what if she preferred lithe bodies over bulging ones anyway!?

"So" she started awkwardly, blush minimal but definitely heating her face up "I got this thing!"

She had Crescent Rose activated and tip imbedded in the ground in less than a second but if the action surprised him she couldn't tell.

"A Scythe?" He responded in amusement but she could tell he wasn't insulting it. Mostly because he was currently examining the blade quite intently.

"Yeah" she beamed and with a click of a button the blades end folding away and a gun barrel was pointed at his chest "it's also a customisable high impact Sniper rifle!"

He smiled at her cheering, she couldn't help how proud she was of her baby after all. He chuckled out loud muttering under his breath but she managed to catch it.

"Huh, small world"

It confused her but she wanted to know about his weapon more.

"So- what d'you got? Actually, are you even carrying it?"

She hadn't noticed before, because she was very busy not admiring his arms, but there was nothing on his person that even resembled a weapon. She had wondered briefly if it were the Armlets but there were absolutely no seams on them that would indicate a transforming aspect.

"My weapon? That'll be in my office. It's too dangerous to be carried publicly"

Ruby faltered, teetering on her feet slightly.

"O-office!? You're a professor?"

He seemed genuinely surprised by the question, and a little concerned by how red her face was probably getting, had she really been not checking out a professor!?

"Hmm" he acknowledged with a nod

"But you don't look much older than me!"

That was true, even though he was at least two heads taller he seemed about Yangs age.

"Ahh yeah, that's because I'm not" he replied awkwardly "you see my friends and I were hired to teach a new lesson that has been implemented across all Hunstman Academies. I can't really give you the details just yet, the worlds councils have decided only those officially attending or are already in the know get them. Sorry"

He shrugged nonchalantly but it was obvious he didn't agree with that ruling. She wanted to push, to wheedle the details out of him but she stopped herself. Annoying as they were sometimes, without rules and laws society would collapse. It was a harsh truth about a world such as theirs where monsters that sought out the darkness in a persons heart were a constant threat.

On the plus side, she didn't feel so bad about her not staring now she knew he wasn't some ridiculously young looking old guy.

She might even chance not staring at him again sometime!

'Yang must never know...'

He waved his hand in front of her rapidly re-ripening face to gain her attention.

"Come on then Ruby, you've got an Orientation to get to. I look forward to seeing you in class"

She followed his pointed finger to a set of large wooden doors, before beaming brightly back at him and running off. Shouting a thank you as she went.

The honest faith he subtly imparted in his voice had taken away a great deal of all the nerves she'd been hiding. He genuinely expected her to pass Initiation and become a member of Beacon Academy. It was one thing to be confident in her skills but it was another entirely for someone else to be confident in them. As long as she didn't get cocky, she could do this! She still had to meet her hero and attend that confidential class of Jaune's! She stopped briefly at the door and turned to see him walking off.

'I wonder...'

[Scene change/Time-skip]

The next two days passed in a blur to Ruby. Initiation had been more trying than even she'd expected but she'd succeeded with the help of her newly formed team. A team which she was made leader of, which was incredibly daunting in itself. All their classes had sped by, except Professor Ports which had dragged on for what felt like hours despite being only one, and now they'd finally arrived at Jaune's class. She hadn't seen him since that day, at least not more than an occasional glimpse of him in the corridors, so she was especially looking forward to this one.

To that fact, she'd rushed ahead of her team in the hopes of briefly talking to him. What she hadn't expected upon crossing the threshold was to see a tiny white haired girl following behind him as he was placing worksheets at every desk. The girl wore a strange flesh coloured dress that flared outwards with similarly coloured shoes that swirled up her legs in a cross-crossing pattern. A smaller version of Jaune coat tied around her shoulders and black gloves that extended past her elbows. Her skin was a heavy tan colour, with a single black horn, innocent red eyes gleefully watching the professor work. Ruby found the massive curl of hair atop her head that resembled a halo to be absolutely adorable.

"Hey Jaune!"

The little girl squeaked at Ruby's shout, hiding behind the blonds legs, shyly peering round. Jaune patted her head gently and turned to smile at the red cloaked girl.

"Ruby. Enjoying Beacon so far?"

He continued to place the worksheets around but she could tell he was listening.

"Eh-hehe, it's been good" she chuckled awkwardly "not sure I like Ports class though"

If it were any other teacher she wouldn't have admitted that, but she didn't think Jaune would scold her for it. He was like her first friend at Beacon, even if he'd never specified it. He helped her up and talked with her after all! That counted for something, didn't it? Plus, considering she was already not staring at his visible muscles, thinking of him as a teacher made her uncomfortable. She was right because all she saw was amusement in his eyes.

"Yes, I've heard about his infamous lectures. Though there is sure to be some helpful information to be gleaned from them. That said" he gestured to the shy girl still clinging to his leg "Phym here absolutely loves them"

He grinned down at the girl, who looked up with the brightest smile Ruby had ever seen. He pushed her forwards towards Ruby, still grinning and mouthing the words 'go on' to her.

Phym fiddled with the hem of her dress before bowing lightly.

"H-hello, I Phym"

Ruby grinned and gave a flamboyant curtsy, attempting and succeeding in getting the shy girl to smile.

"Hi! I'm Ruby, it's nice to meet you!"

The horned girl giggled, but it was at the moment the door slammed open and Yang the rest of the team walked in behind her. Phym shrieked in surprise and was back to hiding behind Jaune's legs. The young man in question sighed in an exasperated manner but quickly got to soothing her. Ruby puffed up indignantly at her sister for scaring the young girl.

"Yang! Stop slamming doors, you scared her!"

Her sister stopped in surprise, a genuinely irritated Ruby was rare. Glancing around she saw a blond boy comforting a small child and she faltered. Sure she couldn't possibly have expected for a young girl to be in the classroom, even the school in general, but she did feel guilty. She didn't get the chance to apologise however because the blond boy spoke up.

"Don't worry about it, Phym is just a little shy when in new places" he turned to the girl and pushed her towards the door. "Why don't you go find Claire or Lulu? I hear they're off to the baths after their meeting"

Phym cheered and sprinted off with hardly a look back, Jaune smiling after her.

"Right, if you girls would take your seats?"

Ruby and Yang listened immediately, Blake only a moment later after she'd finished staring at the door with a light smile. Only Weiss refused to move, crossing her arms and scoffing

"Excuse me?"

Ruby had only known the girl for a few days but she could already see where this was going. Weiss didn't like to be told what to do, moreover she had probably made the same mistake she had upon arriving at Beacon.

Maybe it was petty and childish, but for how Weiss had acted in and after Port's lesson, she wouldn't save the girl from the coming embarrassment.

"Hmm?" Jaune looked to Weiss in confusion for a moment "please take your seat, I'll be starting the lesson soon"

Ruby didn't know it was possible for a person to pale and blush at the same time, Weiss had proved her wrong.

"Y-you're the professor!?"

She sounded equal parts incredulous and shameful, her voice an odd squeaky shout.

"That's me, but considering our similar ages you can all call me Jaune"

Ruby wondered how the boy was able to be so kind when it was obvious Weiss was causing a scene over nothing. The heiress looked like she was going to retort but the doors opening again and the rest of the students filtering in had her swallow her tongue and do as told.

[Scene change/Time-skip]

"Now, I'm sure you've all been wondering why this class has been kept so secret" Jaune stood before them all with his arms crossed and his tone serious. Ruby found herself drawn in by him instantly.

"The various Councils of the world felt that the topic of this class was better kept from the general public to avoid sowing fear. It's not technically a secret, but they'd prefer not to incite unneeded fear in the kingdoms. You will also have to sign the non-disclosure agreement before you if you wish to continue. This class

is optional but what it teaches can and will help save lives. Take your time to read through it and those who refuse or don't think they want to be part of this may leave"

He stepped towards his desk and sat down, giving them time to read. Faint mutterings and discussions rang out but Ruby ignored them in favour of reading the agreement. It was all standard fair for this sort of thing, and it was a more common thing than civilians knew. Just the usual veiled and obvious threats should you break agreement, loss of Huntsman license, expulsion, fines and at worst a prison sentence.

Ruby hardly gave it a thought and signed, Yang not far behind her. Blake was more cautious but ended up signing anyway. Weiss did eventually too but only after reading the document three times and weighing whatever options she thought she had. Ruby didn't mind that she re-read it so many times, they were all taught to never sign anything unless they fully understood it, but to take so long to decide was baffling. She only saw two options; sign a standard agreement and learn about this secretive thing or don't and don't.

Still after ten minutes everyone who was going to sign did, and those that didn't left. Fortunately it was either whole teams or no one, otherwise she didn't know what would happen. Being forced to hide something important from your team seemed anathema to her, even so early into her time in one. Though they did have teams at Signal, they were only for specific class assignments and not for combat.

With that out of the way Jaune returned to the front of the class, a controller in hand that he used to dim the lights and activate a projector. A symbol in the shape of a flower appeared upon the screen, lightly bouncing from side to side. Save for the symbol it was like any other screensaver and garnered no interest from anyone but Ruby. Who grew infinitely more interested at the sight of the Chrysanthemum.

"In the lands northwest of Vale is a barren wasteland where no Human or Faunus dare to live. It's an inhospitable place, lacking any form of plant and animal life, if you paid any attention to your Geography lessons then you know this"

He clicked the remote and the screen changed to show it. A desert landscape with nothing but dilapidated ruins with strange perfectly circular holes dotted throughout.

"We know civilization once existed there, possibly thousands of years ago and only slightly less advanced than we are currently. It's widely believed to be the last obvious existence of a world before the Grimm lay siege. We call this area the Ashlands. However, some twenty years ago an expedition uncovered two things. Some long forgotten sciences that Atlas was prominent in reverse engineering and a new breed of monster, of a new type of Grimm. The origins of both are linked"

Another slide showed a strange metallic looking creature. Like a large Creep but with a long flat tail and a head and jaw built for crushing. Two massive tusks jutting from it's lower mouth. It's feet bearing foot long talons, it was almost bird-like in stance but instead of feathers it was silver metal, black skin and brown fur.

"We call them the Aragami, this one specifically is an Ogretail. It relies mostly on it's powerful Tail, projectile spines and lunging attacks, but is easily toppled with attacks from the side. However, what makes all Aragami dangerous is one thing, and one thing only"

His eyes grew stern and he looked each and everyone of them in the eye

"You would never be able to kill even the weakest"

There was immediate outcry at this, and even Ruby felt somewhat offended but she held her tongue.

"Protest all you want but the truth does not change. Only a specific type of weapon can kill them, anything else would bounce right off. Or worse, be devoured"

Another slide was shown, this time of a group of Ogretails chewing through solid steel with what looked like extreme ease.

"Aragami consume everything, every cell in their bodies does. Everything about them can eat away at you, whether with their mouths, claws or even infecting you with their own cells and eating you from the inside. At best you die, at worst you become one yourself"

The next slide had many in the room gagging, a woman not much older than them writhing on a bed, wrists and arms strapped down. A strange substance bulging her veins black, seeping from her ears and nose. Two tusks forcing their way through her bottom lip.

"This was one of the first victims of the group that encountered them. A graduate of Haven Academy on her first expedition. She was strong, but all it took was a single injury while fleeing to infect her. Barely a bruise but with her Aura depleted she had no defence. It's not known how much Aura can resist the Oracle Cells, only that they can, but without the right weapon all you'd be able to do is flee"

Another slide showed a cross-section of the Ogretail, labels on where best to strike, with what and why. Ruby brought her hand up to which he nodded the go ahead.

"You said only a particular type of weapon could kill them, right?"

He smiled and agreed.

"Yes. Although there are only several dozen in the world right now. You, specifically, might get a kick out of mine though"

He wandered over to the much larger than usual Rocket Locker in the corner of the room, tapping away at the code lock.

"Known as a God Arc, these weapons are essentially Aragami themselves. As such, normal Humans and Faunus cannot touch them without being devoured. This one is mine"

Ruby felt her heart stop.

If Jaune towered over her in height then his weapon was a damn skyscraper. It's haft was his own body in length, no doubt to help support the blade at the top. One which had stopped Ruby from breathing.

It was a Scythe, wickedly sharp and with electronic neon lights across it and on the ballast. Below it a stocky set of two heavy looking plates. She couldn't see it but she knew what was hidden away by them.

"It's him..."

She whispered in awe, her sister giving her the side eye in confusion. Jaune was speaking but she was no longer listening, all her fan-girlish tendencies bubbling up and exploding in a sudden shout.

"It's you! You're the Hound"

Her fellow students were silent in confusion and she couldn't blame them. Jaune's moniker was fairly obscure and only the truly devout weapons nuts had heard of him, Ruby was just more devout than all the rest and sought out information on the people who owned whatever weapon caught her attention from the magazines. It was how she learnt of Jaune and how he became one of her heroes.

She caught his brief scowl before it smoothed over into neutrality, but it had the instant effect of quieting her. She took her seat again in silence, embarrassed and worried she'd just upset her friend.

"As I was saying, these Armlets on my wrists allow me to hold this God Arc and this one only. Controlled using a drug known as Bias Factor which prevents it from devouring me. It's not a process everyone can go through... Well, I'm sure you can figure out what happened to the failures. We're known as God Eaters. Now the hope of this class is to help you learn about and effectively escape each type of these monsters as well as the correct procedure to contact any God Eaters that may be in the vicinity. Now, if you'd direct you attention to the slides again we shall talk about the Ogretail"

Stowing his weapon again, he began the lecture in full.

Ruby enjoyed it, really she did, but she couldn't help but worry about that scowl Jaune had given. She hadn't meant to hurt his feelings or anger him. She meekly copied down her notes, ignoring her Sisters probing gaze.

[Scene change/Time-skip]

When the class drew to a close an hour and 15 minutes later, and everyone was packing away their stationary Jaune addressed her directly.

"Ruby, stay behind a moment" she felt her sister stiffen slightly at her side but neither of them had chance to comment before he spoke again.

"Actually, your team can stay too if they wish"

Yang let out a sigh in relief, but Ruby's worry didn't decrease. She dawdled with her stuff in nervous anticipation, Jaune leaning against his desk with his arms crossed, a tight frown on his face. She approached slowly, her teammates only slightly behind her. She was happy for their support, reluctant as Weiss' was.

"Jaune?"

His eyes opened, powerful blue eyes staring back at her.

"You aren't in trouble, if that's what you're thinking. I just want to make something clear, alright?"

She nodded meekly, eyes darting around to avoid his. He sighed heavily.

"Please don't refer to me as the Hound again. There are very few people in the world I will let call me that and that's because they were dogs like me, ok?"

His voice was stern but she didn't detect any malice in it, only a firm request. It was a little hurtful, though she didn't know why, that he spoke to her that way. Yang spotted this, leaping to her defense.

"It's just a nickname, right? No big deal Mr. Hound!"

Ruby felt her back stiffen up, frigid, glacial eyes staring behind her. Ruby turned to see Yang's large teasing smile frozen on her face.

"That is what I was called when I was a slave and attack dog, do not make me repeat myself!"

Jaune's harsh tone mellowed quickly, replaced with exhaustion and eyes that looked older than they were.

"God Eaters are not treated well, those in the know see us more like the Aragami than Humans or Faunus. We didn't have much of a choice in becoming them and the conditions we lived in were no more than ratty cells. We got only the bare amount of food and drink for survival and our lives were worth nothing unless we killed Aragami. Our Armlets were fused together when not in combat, we were slaves whose only reason to exist was to fight monsters. We were the attack dogs of uncaring masters, only my fellow dogs can call me that... do I make myself clear?"

Ruby felt cold inside but nodded immediately, Yangs smile had fallen and been replaced with shame, even Weiss looked greatly uncomfortable. Blake's reaction was strange though, the most expressive of them at the moment looking absolutely horrified. He continued on regardless, his attention back on her.

"I know you meant nothing by it Ruby, but those times are still an open wound on the hearts of me and my friends. We lost many of our family to Port Arc"

She perked up at that though, disgusted as it made her, he'd revealed something interesting.

"Port Arc? Like God Arc?"

He looked guarded for a moment but released a breath and answered anyway, before she had a chance to back out.

"God Eater training grounds are known as Ports, they're usually named after their owners. Mine was called Port Arc, so I was given the name Jaune Arc. The similar names are coincidental, the owner of Port Arc had nothing to do with the creation of God Arcs"

That was what Ruby was afraid of, there was another student on a team they'd been getting friendly with with that name after all.

"E-erm, there's actually a girl with that surname in our year"

She didn't know why she said it, but if these Port places were as bad as he said then surely he'd want to know about a possible relation in advance. Plus it wasn't like Johanna was a bad person, she was friendly and kind. A great fighter too!

Thinking about it now, she kinda looked a little like Jaune.

"Hmm, I had heard my previous Owner had several daughters"

Ruby found his nonchalant comment entirely relieving, she'd been a little concerned there may have been conflict.

"Why do you still refer to yourself like a slave?"

Ruby whirled around to Blake, her eyes burning with restrained fury. Not at Jaune though, even if she was staring intently at him. Her fists were clenched at her sides and trembling

"Aren't you free now!?"

Jaune was the only one that didn't flinch back, staring placidly at the dark haired girl. He shrugged

"God Eaters still have owners, we'll always be slaves. We were lucky though, our current Owner is a good woman. Treats us fairly, let's us wander freely, even approved of us taking residence here. We'd fight for her if she asked, she's never had to though. She took a huge gamble and brought our contracts. Gave us a chance to fight for our own future. I get why you're angry though, but we aren't like you"

Jaune's eyes flickered upwards briefly but it seemed only Blake realised what he was referring too, judging by her sharp intake of air.

"You'll free yourself someday though, I can see it. Now, it's about time you get to your last class. I'll see you all around"

She didn't really want to leave just yet, but a gentle smile from Jaune soothed any lingering worries and she followed after her dysfunctional team.

[Scene change/Time-skip]

Johanna Arc had an adopted brother once, a fourth cousin on her fathers side whose family died not long after birth to be exact, a long time ago. Her father had seen to it that was no longer the case. Some 12 years ago that man had taken him somewhere and never returned. It wasn't until they'd heard about a facility in the northwest of Remnant called Port Arc that they learnt what had happened. At least a bit anyway.

A report from one of her mothers friends, some Atlas Military General, had revealed her brother had been selected for something called the A.G.E Initiative. A combat training facility that treated it's subjects like slaves. Hypnotism and extreme methods used to alter a subjects memory so they forget whatever pasts they had and replaced them with an orphans history. Her mother had been a wreck for months, it had scared her and her 5 sisters. Two of which were too young to really remember their brother and only had photo's to help picture him. Johanna still remembers the boyish smile he wore when they played together.

She'd missed him greatly, but eventually managed to move past it.

And now, here at Beacon Academy, he was smiling lightly at her class, his eyes roaming over her without a single spark of recognition. A little girl sat atop his shoulders trying her hardest to look like a serious professor herself. If it were any other time she'd have found it adorable, as it was she couldn't get passed the aching pain in her heart.

"Johanna, are you alright?"

Pyrrha, her partner, whispered to her. She'd probably seen the tears she was desperately trying to hide.

"I had a brother" she replied quietly, head hung so Jaune might think she was just writing notes and not on the verge of breaking down.

"My father, he took him away somewhere terrible, we never saw my brother again"

She looked to the side so Pyrrha could see her eyes. Bright blue and barely holding back the tears in them, stinging with joy and pain all at once.

"I just found him"

Pyrrha was nothing if not smart, her eyes flicking to the eerily similar professor and back having originally put the resemblance down to coincidence. Especially given he'd only introduced himself as Jaune, no surname or title.

Johanna nodded, trying to regain her composure.

"But, he doesn't seem to recognize you?"

She was unable to prevent the sob that burst out.

"You alright up there?"

Jaune's voice interrupted her thoughts, and she subtly shook her head at Pyrrha, eyes begging to keep this to themselves.

"Ah, yes professor. My partners just having a coughing fit ehehe. I'm sorry"

It was fortunate that her trying to prevent herself from crying out in the first place had distorted the sound enough to resemble a wet cough. Her shaking shoulders and fist in front of her mouth only helped sell that image.

"Ok, no worries then, and please just Jaune will do. I'm your age after all, be pointless to call me professor"

Pyrrha nodded in acknowledgment with a friendly smile before looking back to her partner to see a tumultuous and watery one on her face.

"Thanks" Johanna warbled. She spent the rest of the lesson caught up in memories she'd thought long forgotten, playing hide and seek with Jaune, learning how to bake with their mother, dancing with their older sisters and playing simple baby games with their younger sisters. Of happy times before he was lost to her.

It's funny how even after all this time, all that time hurting and moving on, she still loved him no less than she did back when they meant the world to each other. Back when their universe didn't extend passed their family.

Somehow it made it hurt more that she'd lost him in the first place.

[Scene change/Time-skip]

She finally got a moments peace when they retired to their dorm, the eyes of her teammates both supportive and probing. Jaune's lesson, her brother's lesson, had sapped her of all her energy. She was thankful that they'd had combat class before Jaune's lesson and not after like team RWBY. She didn't think she'd be able to focus after the emotional toll she'd just experienced. It didn't stop her from explaining what happened to her teammates properly though. They'd become fast friends and she already trusted them enough for this. So she told them everything she knew about those days. They were silent afterwards, thinking. Ren broke that after a few minute with quiet questions.

"So it's likely that is when he became a God Eater then?"

She nodded but he didn't say anything else at first, just stared at her intently until eventually

"Do you wish to speak to him?"

She wasn't sure, if she were honest with herself. She was told long ago that his memories were altered, only having them proved just today, but she wasn't sure if she could find the courage to confront him with everything. What if he refused to listen? What if he did but didn't want anything to do with her? What if he did? Her family had barely handled losing him once and now he was some frontline fighter against beasts that even trained and experienced Huntsman wouldn't win against, their hearts would surely shatter if they lost him again. Was it even a decision she had the right to make?

"I-I don't know. I want to, I want nothing more than to have my brother back, but what would he want? He doesn't remember us, he might have a new family now! You saw that girl, she treated him like her dad! Is it wrong that I don't know whether I want to take him away from that or not!?"

She couldn't help growing hysterical, even the thought that she might be willing to shatter whatever family he'd made for himself for her own made her sick but at the same time was something she definitely wanted. It didn't matter that the two families could coexist, she only wanted hers whole again. It hurt so much just to think it, made her indecision so much harder.

"Don't think about your family or his, think about you" Ren cut across calmly "what do you, specifically, want?"

She already knew that, that answer was obvious. She wanted to be by his side again, she wanted to find joy in doing simple things with him again. Baking, dancing, watching the broken moon float effortlessly across the sky on clear nights. She wanted the days when he wasn't just her brother but her best friend and the one that understood her best. The one that would tease her and gamely take the shoulder punches she'd throw at him. All that was obvious, any girl would want those things back if she lost them. Still...

"Just-Just give me a few days to think. This is a bit much right now"

They nodded kindly and in understanding and she was immensely grateful. After getting changed for bed she curled herself up beneath the sheets and let herself be overcome with the full weight of everything. Most of the sadness had been cried out already, leaving mostly joy.

'I'm so glad you're alive' she thought with happy tears beneath closed lids 'I've missed you Jaune. I love you'

[Scene change/Time-skip]

Her dreams that night featured him heavily, reconnecting and bonding, doing little else but normal everyday things together. Shopping, watching tv, cooking and staring out at the stars from their home's roof. Not once did anyone else show up, it was only him and her.

Ruby didn't often wake up early, usually requiring at least two minutes of sheet pulling and frustrated demands before she slithered out of bed. Like a snake. This morning however had her rising with the sun. Her shower didn't kill much time so she chose to leave a note and grab an early breakfast. The Cafeteria wasn't very crowded, plenty of empty tables but after grabbing her food a flicker of White and Blond hair caught her attention. With a, completed necessary, quick application of her Semblance while careful not to spill anything she was stood a few feet away from Jaune and Phym. The girl was playing with two small toys out of her Cereal box, a small green frog with a too big head and a matching pink one, and Jaune was chuckling along to whatever story the girl was acting out with them. Ruby wondered briefly if it was possible to overload her brain with adorability.

"U-uhh- Hey, can I join you?"

Jaune looked back, smile in place and tapped his hand on the table top next to him in affirmation. She was quick to listen, sitting down and pouring milk into her own bowl.

"Good morning Phym"

The girl looked up from her toys in surprise, to caught up to have noticed Ruby's arrival. She smiled widely and waved before going back to her game.

For a few moments Ruby enjoyed the peace and serenity Jaune's table offered, a far cry the loneliness she'd have felt had she sat alone. Jaune was browsing his scroll, she only took a quick peek to see it contained what looked to be a lesson plan, and Phym playing her game; it all felt so warm. Or maybe that was just her, y'know because she was sat pretty close to her, definitely not, crush.

'Who am I kidding? Yang must still never know'

"So, you looking forward to the demonstration today?"

She certainly was, Goodwitch had told them two God Eaters would be sparring to show off the their capabilities and to give a brief showing of exactly what a God Arc could do. Still she wanted to know if he was as excited as her.

"I suppose so" he replied somewhat distractedly as he was trying to get Phym to finish her breakfast "it'll be a good chance to stretch my limbs. We've been away from the Ashlands for a month now and fighting Grimm is a bit too easy when you have a weapon like mine. Need to keep in shape somehow"

Ruby giggled at the casual boast but could hardly blame him. Though stocky and a little unwieldy looking, God Arcs were no joke. Even if the fleshy black tendrils that were visible on parts were a little unnerving.

"And you Phym?"

The Darker skinned girl cheered out a yes, still stubbornly refusing to touch the half eaten apple next to her empty bowl.

The rest of breakfast passed with light conversation and half-hearted attempts to curtail Phym's various demands for attention.

"You said your friends are here at Beacon too right? Where are they?"

Jaune glanced at the clock on the wall quickly before answering.

"Keith's probably in the Fourth year science labs experimenting, Zeke, Hugo and Ricardo are out on a mission for the next week and Claire Lulu are out in Vale with Hilda Amy. They said something about a party but nobody wants to tell me anything. Not even Phym will let me on the secret, will you?"

The little girl mimed zipping her mouth shut and throwing away the key which left Jaune to sigh in mock sadness.

"What about you? Where's your team?"

She didn't get the chance to answer however

"Right behind ya Jauney!"

Ruby span so quickly she almost gave herself whiplash, though Jaune was much more sedate as he turned. They were met with the entirety of teams RWBY JNPR. All carrying various trays of food.

"Oh, good morning!" Jaune answered pleasantly not the least bit ruffled by the attention, Ruby envied him that "would you like to join us? Phym come sit beside me for a bit"

The others graciously accepted, smiling as the girl skipped to sit beside him. Yang took her place beside Ruby, Johanna awkwardly sitting beside Phym while the others sat opposite.

"So Teach, who's the cutie?"

Yang had always had a soft spot for adorable children and considering the previous day Ruby was willing to bet she was trying to make up for scaring her.

"Ah, of course I suppose she never introduced herself to you, did she? Go on Phym, say hello"

The girl wilted at all the attention but a brief stroke of her head from Jaune had her courage rear up.

"H-hello! I Phym, n-nice meet you!"

The group smiled in return but didn't reply back, instead returning to their breakfasts. Ruby saw the frown form on his face.

"Introduce yourselves"

His voice didn't rise, it wasn't harsh or scolding, any inflection was missing. The subtext of what was otherwise a fairly polite tone was lost on Phym who looked to be patiently waiting for something. The annoyance in Jaune's voice was not lost on the others though as they hastily swallowed.

"Aha, I-I'm Johanna! Lovely to meet you ehhe"

Phym smiled up at the female blond beside her

"You pretty!"

The leader of JNPR sputtered and blushed a thank you, inwardly thankful when someone else responded.

"I am Lie Ren and this is my partner Nora"

The partner in question who had a bulging mouthful and thus unable to speak, waved energetically leaving Phym giggling.

"And I'm Pyrrha Nikos, Johanna's partner"

The champion extended a hand awkwardly, as if unsure how to properly greet a child but Ruby was pleasantly surprised when Phym shook it vigorously.

"Weiss Schnee, charmed"

Weiss stood briefly to give a small curtsy but otherwise barely acknowledged the girl. For some reason the halo headed girl was entranced by Weiss' grace.

"Blake"

The black haired girl smiled lightly from atop her book but went right back between the pages.

"And I'm Yang, but you can call me Big Sister!"

Instead of answering Phym turned confused eyes to Jaune who rolled his own quickly

"Like Hilda or Lulu"

That seemed to resonate with the girl who got up and rounded the table to investigate Yang.

"Yay! She soft and smell good too!"

This had Yang instantly squealing and hugging the girl. Jaune seemed to tune them out with practiced ease, turning his sights on the red head.

"Pyrrha Nikos, I think some of the students have been muttering about you. I hope you've not been causing trouble"

The way he spoke was light and teasing but there was a smidge of concern buried in there too. Pyrrha blushed prettily, scratching her cheek lightly as she responded.

"A-ah n-no it's- it's nothing like that"

Weiss responded back, her tone somewhat indignant

"Wait, do you really have no idea who she is? Have you been living under a-urk"

She cut herself off at the suddenly dead eyed stare of the God Eater.

"Uhh, right. Yes, yes of course you wouldn't know. Pyrrha was the top of her class at Sanctum and a four time winner of a Mistral based tournament. I'm sure those students were just discussing her various feats"

Jaune took it all in with a nod before directing his eyes to the uncomfortable champion, who was doing all in her power not to appear so.

"Hmm" Jaune hummed "I imagine it must be difficult when so many people think so highly of you. If you ever need to talk all the staff are available, myself included"

Ruby didn't really understand, but filled that tidbit away in her newly created 'don't let Yang know I'm crushing on a professor' folder within her brain.

Pyrrha certainly looked happy though, so whatever he'd meant must have been a good thing.

Jaune had never known much more than the Ashlands and a cold cell for much of his life, what little he remembered of life before that was hazy at best and entirely missing at worst. Except for a lullaby, a short melodious tune sung by a soft feminine voice.

He rather thinks its his mothers, whomever she was, but for all he knew it could've been a female guard from long ago. They were always the nicest, though only barely and even then only to the youngest of them. He'd always just put it down to motherly instincts flaring up when the young ones would cry out in the night, still unused to the horrors of the Ashlands. Even though they were too young for combat, they were frequently caught on the sidelines of it when gathering materials.

---

Index/RWBY (Jaune = Accelerator)

"Tch"

Blue eyes gazed around Beacon courtyard in contempt. Honestly he couldn't quite believe he'd been convinced to come here but then that damn headmaster had offered him fully paid room and board for him and the brat.

Considering it got Atlas off their backs for a few years he couldn't complain... Well he could. The brat was doing that fucking hyperactive thing again. The calculations were instant, and all sound waves failed to reach his ears. He just kept walking forward. Ignorant of everything including the tiny ginger girl in a flowery green and black dress swinging on his arm, babbling away some nonsense or other.

When he finally bothered to allow sound to reach him again it was to listen to the headmasters speech. It was pointless nonsense and he never was very patient.

"Ozpin! Where the fuck is my room?"

The man halted in surprise, clearly having not expected an interruption. Moron should've expected this though so he felt no pity- not that he ever had any to begin with. The Students glared at him but he couldn't give a shit about what these weaklings thought.

"Accelerator shouldn't speak like that, Pennie says scoldingly"

He glared down at the prototype robot he'd- adopted? Fucked if he knew, what was it called when someone started caring for a stray puppy? Whatever.

"He's the fucker paying us to be here, I'm not sitting through some shitty ass speech with these hacks"

A large boy with full armour plate glared nastily at him but before he could do anything that damn headmaster sighed into microphone.

"Yes, yes. Wait outside and a professor will take you both to your dorm. Though, Accelerator, please try to control your language in future"

Accelerator might've laughed at the stunned faces of the prospective students if he could be bothered, they likely hadn't heard what the brat called him. Many were rather fearful, others incredulous and only a few were confused.

"C'mon shitty brat"

He hadn't really needed to say anything, Pennie followed him around regardless but it had become a habit of late. The brat was growing on him, all of those girls were even if the memories hurt, he smirked as he heard the headmaster continue speaking, quelling the clamour he'd left it his wake.

"The Semblance ranking system, whether arranged by rarity or strength always has the same person at it's top. Vector Control, Accelerator. Welcome to Beacon"

He smirked nastily at some of the more cowardly Initiates.

"Sigh! Pennie exaggerates trying not to let her laughter show, now you'll never make friends like the savior"

He balked slightly, remembering the brutal punch from that Winter bitch. How she'd figured out how to get past his Auto-Reflection he'll never know.

"Screw that fucking Heroine!" He shouted instead. That damn woman was the only person he'd ever lost against. He'd not let it happen again. "How the fuck did she even figure out the timing from only one fight, anyway!?"

The doors to the Auditorium slammed shut behind him leaving a room full of stunned students.

[Scene change/Time-skip]

Ruby Rose was naturally a curious person, she was also someone who wasn't turned away by bad attitudes either. With an Uncle like hers she had to be. That was why she wanted to meet this Accelerator person. Yang had explained the Semblance Ranking system last night, a scientific list that ranked Semblance types from strength to rarity. Although she had said that it didn't necessarily mean that a person was strong just their Semblance, it was widely believed this Accelerator was essentially top dog. Yang herself didn't believe it, and Ruby too was skeptical, but the mysterious boy had claimed he was being paid to attend. That had to mean something!

Honestly, she kinda wanted to know why that little girl was here too! Ruby thought she would be the youngest but that girl couldn't have been more than 6. Normal Knees seemed a lot closer when she wasn't as stand out as she thought she'd be.

"The fuck are you mumbling at?"

She jumped at the harsh voice, blushing in embarrassment. The boy of her thoughts leant nonchalantly against a locker looking bored out his mind, she hadn't even realised she was walking past him.

"U-umm h-hello! I'm Ruby!"

His beady looking blue eyes pierced her soul, like he was looking through her. Somehow she managed to push past his glaring eyes and her social awkwardness. She thought it was probably because her Uncle often had the same look in his eyes.

"W-what's your name?"

He answered with a scoff and nothing more, but before she could even feel the sting of dismissal a cheerful voice from two foot below even her small height reached her.

"Accelerator doesn't remember Pennie says because he's too shy to admit it! He was only ever called Accelerator Pennie continued solemnly"

The blond boy glared down at the unrepentant child, Ruby found herself confused by it all. Forgotten his own name? That seemed absurd...

"I'm not shy you shitty brat!"

Ruby wanted to tell him he shouldn't swear at a child but the tiny girl beat her to it by instead addressing her.

"Don't worry about him, Pennie declares easily, Mr One Way Road never had friends before!"

The Scythe user found that sad, but at the same time saw opportunity, she didn't have any friends here either!

"I'll be your friend then! What d'ya say?!"

The blond stared emotionlessly back at her before scoffing and turning away. It wasn't a no to Ruby's ears though so she grabbed the boy by his arm and began pulling him forwards to meet her sister. He glared angrily the entire way but didn't try to stop her. She wondered if it had anything to do with the gleeful child on her other side.

"Yay! Pennie shouts happily, a friend! Pennie never had a friend either, lets go play!"

If anything, the boy she was dragging grew rather somber instead- guilty she'd almost say.

[Scene change/Time-skip]

Yang didn't know what to think of Ruby's new 'friends'. The kid was alright, all adorable and cheerful like, but Accelerator was hardly the type of boy she wanted around her beloved younger sister. He was so full of caustic anger and foul language and his eyes looked off. Like he'd seen so much he was all but dead to to it now.

She'd tried to corner him before the initiation but failed. No words or subtle looks had gotten to him, the kid had said he was blocking out incoming sound but she didn't believe it. She'd gotten pretty loud after all, he had to be ignoring her.

It didn't matter much though, the idiot was walking to the cliffs without armour or a weapon and it was obvious that the jeans and orange t-shirt he was wearing didn't even have any padding. He was even wearing canvas high-tops for pity's sake, nothing about him screamed ready for combat. He'd fail easily.

That thought lasted until she, her partner, Ruby, the Schnee, a duo named Ren and Nora and finally Pyrrha Nikos and some blonde that looked remarkably like the Number 1 were backed to the wall by an intimidatingly large Deathstalker and a Giant Nevermore. They'd been prepared to move when insane sounding laughter descended from the sky and the Scorpion Grimm was shrouded in dust.

"Tch, fucking thing broke from that?"

Yang almost snarled at the sound of his voice but when the dust cleared and the boney armed blond was visible she stopped herself. The Scorpion crushed and dissolving, and Accelerator stood atop it with one leg bent and hands in pockets. There wasn't a single mark on him, nor was he out of breath.

"Oi brat" he directed over his shoulder and Yang was almost incensed to see that child peek her head up "that other brats here, go play or something. I wanna kill that shitty bird"

The girl, Pennie nodded happily leaping down careless of the skybound threat.

"Friend Ruby! Pennie shouts, let's play!"

Nobody moved save the child, and Yangs anger reached it's fever pitch. Before she could lay into the boy for his careless attitude and endangerment a piercing cry echoed out and black feathers rained towards the kid. 8 sets of feet made towards Pennie too late. She was hidden away by another cloud of dust, nobody saw the single feather fly back up to the sky and narrowly miss the Grimm. Tears began pooling in her eyes witnessing the death of a kid.

"N'aww, Accelerator you said I could play Pennie whines as she wriggles in your grip"

Yang froze again, still in shock from thinking she'd witnessed a child die because of a callous boy

"Fucking brat! I didn't mean- argh forget it, go!"

After another moment a grinning Pennie launched herself at a relieved and laughing Ruby. Yang took a moment to calm herself before turning burning red eyes back to the now visible Accelerator.

With a strangely light kick of his foot against one of the feathers, more a toe tap than anything, it launched upward in an impossible motion. The Blond had tapped his toes softly and horizontally against the feather but it went vertically and at speeds rivalling an Atlas Battleships cannon. The Nevermore died instantly.

"Fuck" he cursed "I miscalculated"

Beside her she heard her partner, Blake, whistle quietly in awe "I guess that explains why his ability is ranked number 1"

Yang definitely saw why too. Made sense that her type of Semblance was ranked at 98 now, too, if there was overpowered crap like that near the top.

"Yeah, Pennie whispers sneakily interrupting the girls, Accelerator's the best!"

"Shitty brat don't eavesdrop on people!"

Yang jumped when the blond was stood in front of them and finally snapped at him.

"Don't swear in front of little girl"

He glared right back, and she almost took a step back from the look in them.

"Fuck off"

She made to punch him but he caught her hand with ease, despite the fact his arms had no visible muscle mass whatsoever.

Casually, as if commenting on the wether he made a statement that took the breath from her lungs.

"Wanna know what happens if I reverse your blood flow? It ain't pretty"

"Bad Accelerator, bad! Pennie scolds as she hits you for scaring the pretty girl"

"Stop it you damn brat, let's get a fucking move on. Bring your friend if you want just stop bothering me"

Yang stayed stock still her arm still outstretched and shaking from the threat. She'd been in some dangerous situations before but she'd never felt as close to death as she did in that moment, and she'd lead her sister to three Ursa when they were kids. She had no doubt he could've killed her if he wanted to, which only made her more sure she didn't want him around Ruby.

When she finally cast her eyes to her sister she saw her pulling on the dangerous boys arm like he was harmless. She could see he was annoyed but he didn't do anything to stop her. She could hear him swearing still, and Ruby and Pennie scolding him for being a 'stick in the mud'. Yet those eyes, those murderous eyes, never even flickered onto his face again as he let himself be manhandled.

"Why?" She muttered to herself

"He's been through a lot" her partner answered steadily and discreetly "he won't hurt them you know. He's not a good person but he's trying to change. He doesn't like being told what to do, too long spent as a puppet and lab-rat for others"

Hesitant and probing purple eyes met longing amber.

"You know that bastard?"

Blake flinched but answered

"He doesn't remember me, doesn't even remember his name. Why do you think even the headmaster called him Accelerator?"

"Do you?"

Blake sighed and turned her head away, but Yang couldn't decipher the emotion in her voice and eyes.

"Yes, but he wouldn't care and so I'll never say. The least I can do, he saved my life once after all. He saved a lot of lives once, he wanted to be a hero but he ended up being made a villain. I was never able to find out much and I don't even know why I'm even sharing this with anyone either" the amber eyed girl looked back towards the slowly disappearing trio with longing back in her eyes.

"He saved my life" she declared resolutely "I suppose I just wanted you to know he's not a villain anymore, and that no matter how he acts he doesn't want to hurt anyone. His Semblance was a curse once, nobody could touch him or it would hurt them. Imagine that, imagine being unable to even touch your own family, then imagine how easy it would've been for someone to pray upon him. If he's here, he wants to change... Let's at least give him a chance"

Yang thought hard before sighing

"I still don't want him around Ruby"

"You have no choice over who she befriends"

The brawler hated that Blake was right.

[Scene change/Time-skip]

There were very few people that Pyrrha Nikos found interesting. It wasn't because she thought herself better than others though, no it was more that she didn't get her hopes up about others these days. Everyone she meets knows her name, even though she's certain there must be plenty of people out there that don't. Everyone she mets makes a big deal of her skills in combat, even her team gushed in their own ways- though fortunately not much which at least meant she could genuinely befriend them. Then she'd seen that blond that had fell from the sky like a comet. He was harsh and crude and not at all friendly, and he didn't even register her presence when she'd moved to introduce herself. It had taken the little girl that followed him everywhere, strange as that was, kicking his shin to even get his attention. His cold blue eyes showed no recognition and when Weiss had noticed and 'educated' him his response had made her smile. Even though it was caustic and meant as an insult he genuinely saw her as no different from anyone else.

"Tch, she's the same as all you other hacks"

It was a truly strange feeling to find joy in being looked down on, probably an instability of hers, but to the Number 1 (as most referred to him) she was part of a group again. It had been years since she felt like that, like she wasn't on a pedestal. It helped that Pennie had cheerfully declared that he was just being a sourpuss. Honestly Pyrrha felt strange about striking up a genuine friendship with a 6 year old but considering the boy seemed to go out of his way to accommodate the little rascal she considered the girl the official translator of the rough young man. In his own angry near homicidal way, Accelerator genuinely cared for the girl. Sure he swore and threatened but he didn't deny the girl much and nor did he often deny the girls claims.

No matter how much he tried to seem otherwise, Pyrrha could see kindness buried beneath all that rage and dangerous indifference. A kindness that burned strong and warm.

She couldn't deny that he was a truly terrifying opponent though. Especially at the moment.

At the very beginning of Combat Class a vast number of students had demanded to fight him. He'd agreed, which she was a little surprised by. She was incredulous when he said he'd fight them all at once.

Even she momentarily thought it was arrogance even when the strict professor agreed and Pennie declared that he'd do so easily.

Then he'd stood dead centre of the Arena, never once moving, and won. Every bullet bounced back at the shooter, every attempted Melee strike rocketed the attacker away. He just stood there bored with his hands in his pockets. He only moved once at the end, when the 20 attacking students realised they had to work together- not that it helped. They surrounded him, not a degree uncovered, and he tapped his right foot. Just a tap. The rubber floors rippled outwards and knocked every student on their backs. That was when he lost interest, and when Pyrrha realised just how versatile and dangerous his Semblance was. Even more so when she realised it didn't seem to drain his Aura much at all. After all everything with motion had a Vector, from bullets and blades to sound and air. All was within his control.

"How does it work?" She'd asked Pennie in shock.

"He calculates it, Pennie says as she bounces and waves at the boy. He's super smart, he can calculate and adjust any and all vectors instantly, though when he saved me he lost some of that ability so the Sisters take some of the strain now! Pennie whispers at you sadly"

Pyrrha couldn't comprehend that, and chose to ask about these sisters some other time, the level of scientific and mathematical understanding that would require surpassed genius level intellect and to do it instantaneously was impossible. Computers take a moment, infinitesimally small as it was, to answer even a simple sum and this boy can do it instantly. There must be a thousand different numbers and variables required to change the Vector of a single bullet and yet she'd just seen him deflect at least 5 simultaneously.

Yes, terrifying indeed. Even her control over magnetism (ranked 3rd on Semblance Ranking system though fortunately it didn't list her moniker like it did Accelerator's) would be useless. He could easily affect the electric charge needed to repel or attract objects.

"Fucking waste of time after all"

She saw him walk away angrily, all his opponents defeated and in the red.

[Scene change/Time-skip]

Johanna Arc had a brother once, a wonderful brother who always encouraged her and made her smile. Until one day, she simply didn't. She still remembers the day he dropped off the map, still remembers all her sisters crying and her parents frantically calling in every favour they'd ever had. Jaune was just gone one day after school, picked up by some Atlas scientists according to the teachers. They'd had incredible forgeries of her parents signatures so the teachers had genuinely thought it was ok, Johanna didn't like it but she hated those teachers a little bit. It wasn't their fault but she needed someone to blame for taking her brother away so she chose them. Once she was able to pull herself together after 6 long months of family wide depression she decided to dedicate herself to finding him again. She trained hard, studied harder and gave up on all of her hobbies and initial career choices so she could have the best chance of finding him. She was now one of the most promising first year students at Beacon.

Her brother was also sat two tables away ignoring the world.

She'd recognized him in the Auditorium but she'd been to stunned to say anything. She'd always thought that the Number 1 was probably her brother but he was notoriously difficult to find. Then there was also his attitude. Gone was the sweet, somewhat goofy, good intentioned boy and in his place a perpetual angry young man who swore constantly and only seemed to (barely) tolerate people other than Pennie and Ruby- whom he was only infinitesimally warmer. The look in his eyes frightened her too much, she was ashamed to say she avoided him. It didn't help that she'd overheard he had no memory of his real name anymore, or that he didn't care about his past anymore either.

She wanted him back, the whole family did and seeing him now only reminded her of the day her father flew into a rage and tried to skewer some Atlas General that had paid them a visit long ago. She wondered if her parents had already known how twisted their son had become.

---

Shadow of Mordor/War/RWBY - Gravewalker Jaune

Caught betwixt life and death, not truly alive but not dead either. That wasn't to say he couldn't die, he could, it's just death didn't want him. So he was banished from it and cursed to wander the world in effort to complete a seemingly impossible goal, defeat Salem. That goal led him to Beacon Academy.

"Be wary Jaune. Ozpin carries a similar curse to us. He is a shrewd and conniving man, many eons have made him wary and he is undoubtedly aware of us. His connection to death far stronger than our own"

Jaune nodded in understanding to the Wraith at his side. A glowing ethereal blue and transparent woman, her skin tight across her face. Sunken eyes and lips decayed to reveal teeth. She might have been beautiful once, from the memories of hers he's seen, but now she reminded him of zombie.

His sword flashed once, twice, in two clean slices severing an arm and then the head of Beowolf that strayed to close. The way he was meant that with focus he could erase his presence from the world. The Grimm cared not for dead things, so by momentarily forcing himself over the border he becomes invisible to them. He had a similar-ish ability for Human and Faunus opponents too.

Slipping back out of, what he'd come to call, the Grave Walk he sheathed his sword. It was a tatty looking thing these days, though still wickedly sharp. He never really had the time or the funds for any true maintenance and so only did what he could to keep it in action. Plus on the occasions he looted any cleaning supplies they were used on his other blade. Crocea Mors was a broken sword now, half it's length missing. It's tip a jagged line but it still cut well and with some work he'd learned to compensate for it's new balance. This was his only remaining tie to the family he should have died with but was denied. That days only other reminders were the scar on the back of his left hand and palm, as well as across his neck. They glowed the same ethereal blue as his companion when in Grave Walk, but the odd coloured skin was visible in the normal world too.

They were scars his enemies feared, because if you saw them twice you knew you'd not live to see them a third.

He'd died too many times now to care about the grizzly look of them though.

"Summer" he stated quietly pausing at the edge of the forest to gaze at a steep cliff face, or rather the seven teens about to climb it. The Wraith appeared at his side, her decayed face creased with pain.

"I had prepared myself to see them again, just in case, but it's harder than I expected it to be"

He could understand, Summer had been a mother before she died, seeing her still living daughters and knowing she'd be unable to interact with them must suck. It only made him think of the nine faces he wished to see again but couldn't. Their pains were twisted reflections of each other. Summer the Wraith kept from her family in death and Jaune the Gravewalker kept from his in life. All the people she wanted to hold still living and all the people Jaune did were dead. At least until they killed Salem and the natural order that escaped them was normalised. When they could both move on to the pure world and rest.

He re-entered the Grave Walk, the world darkening and erupting in blue-ish flames. Each of those seven students lit up white except Yang Xiao Long and Ruby Rose whom he perceived as allies and were blue. He wasn't sure how Grave Walk determined things like that but assumed it was just his mind subconsciously categorising information for him.

He moved to stand amongst them, acutely aware of each of their Aura Levels and assessing any need to offer aid. Fortunately they were tired but unharmed, so he slipped back across to the living world.

They jumped when they suddenly became aware of his presence, the Faunus girl hiding underneath a bow by far the most startled. Understandable really, he had made no noise when approaching. He wasn't even sure if he truly took in air when he breathed anymore, or if his heart even beat.

He nodded to each of them, and turned back to the cliff face. He'd be able to ascend easily, despite how sheer it was and the lacking handholds. Ignoring the looks of confusion he rummaged around in his backpack, withdrawing a sturdy, long rope which he placed over his shoulder and torso like a sash.

"I shall secure a path"

He dashed a moment later, his initial run seeming slow. Until he reached the first grip point and jumped. With Summers Wraith abilities she could Augment everything he did, which included leaping normally impossible heights and speeds. He always left a trailing after image though, giving his body the impression it was smudging across the cliff. It took only 5 seconds to reach the top and he made no delay in tossing the rope down.

If he had ever truly bothered to hide his abilities he might of found an anchor point to support the rope but instead simply dug his feet into the ground and held it. Being deathless meant he hardly felt the strain on his muscles and didn't get exhausted as others might.

The first up was the White Haired girl, she was appraising of him though when she spotted the visible scar that made a second smile across his throat she grew uncomfortable and turned away.

The rest followed not long after, grouped together and talking as he regathered the rope. A quick glance over them, he entered Grave Walk when he thought no one was looking. He left immediately after.

"Hey, we just wanted... to thank you..." Ruby Rose slumped, the helpful boy nowhere in sight. She wondered what his deal was, since she most definitely would've remembered seeing him at some point since arriving at Beacon and yet she hadn't. Those blades on his back, the grips visible over a tattered grey cloak, reminded her of weapons from the War. Though simplistic she'd always admired the craftsmanship. Many a forging technique was lost to those dark times, the crafters back then taught their craft mostly by speech and wrote nothing down, their deaths truly tragic to the blacksmiths of the world.

The loss of Misitrali Steel was a great one, and although the alternatives of modern day are good there was something about that metal Ruby Rose loved. She had a shard of it she'd found in the woods, it was clearly from a weapon too.

---

Fate Oath Under Snow/RWBY

I am the bone of my sword

It was an Aria he heard in his dreams every night since he'd found that card. Found wasn't quite the right word, created would be a better one, a forgery to be precise. It was perfect for him, after all everything about Jaune Arc was a lie. His Transcripts, his seven sisters (he had two neither by blood or even of this world now and neither of whom he could remember the names of), his name- his entire existence was a forgery.

Jaune Arc was just a memory of a memory, not even his own. Who he was before was dyed over by someone else, a different version of him. All he remembered was that he threw away everything, the world and his dreams, for one girl. He wished he could remember more than just bright amber eyes. So similar to someone else's he knew currently but possessing an innocence Blake Belladonna's had lost. He wondered if that girl was happy wherever she was.

When he woke up so long ago, the world so drastically different and overrun by monsters he had tried to lock away the power he had once gained. He'd fought enough already, he won and lost everything in the process, he could've lived away from conflict in peace.

He didn't think that girl would love him anymore if he did that though, let another world (or maybe it was the same and this was the result of his choice, he didn't care which) die.

So he sought out Beacon Academy, partaking and learning of the world as he traveled there. He brought a sword and shield, it was cheap but surprisingly well made and all it took was a paint job and he could pass it off as an heirloom. He couldn't fight with it though, it had no previous experiences to it's name for him to copy. He got by that though, by cobbling together basic stances and techniques for the other swords he could copy. Specifically those his counterpart EMIYA had Traced in his long life.

He struggled and fought, experienced bullying for the first time in his own memories, gained a teacher that could help him learn to wield his current weapons and people who called themselves his friends. He made the best of what he could, flirted and joked and acted every part the typical teenage boy...

No one even glimpsed the hollow being he was.

He wasn't deserving of friends and love, not after throwing away an entire world. Because he doesn't regret it, not even for an instant. He may not remember much of that life anymore, but he'd made his wish for that girl to be happy. He couldn't regret that. He never expected that he'd take up his Reality Marble once more. His body was forced into becoming that of the Counter Guardian EMIYA, he no longer needed that forgery of a Class Card to become that forgery of a Hero. So in the middle of a Breach event in Central Vale, he acted once more, that Aria ringing out.

"I am the bone of my sword."

The battleground froze at those words, no students or monsters moving, caught up by the strange mercurial words that seemed to grate like steel and linger on the air. A chill wind blowing through and a bright, white moon flashing briefly into existence where once had been the sun.

"Steel is my body, and fire my blood"

Kanshou and Bakuya formed in his hands, the Yin Yang blades though forgeries like everything else cut through Grimm with ease. They were copies of Blades blessed by gods, their abilities- diminished as they were- still boasted remarkable Anti-Monster stats. Not even Deathstalker Chitin could stop the married blades. He cut and slashed his way across the pavilion, removing every monster in his way so he could stand at the Breach.

"I have created over a thousand blades.

Unaware of beginning,

Nor aware of the end.

Withstood pain with inconsistent weapons,

but my hands will never hold anything"

He paused for just a moment, eyes empty of everything but a desolate hopelessness. He'd not seen his own version of his inner world, that landscape of tombstones disguised as swords, in a long time. He didn't want to see it again, but she would want him to push on. So he did.

"Yet, my flame never ends.

My whole body was still Unlimited Blade Works"

Flames with no heat encompassed him, passing over Grimm and person alike. His team and team RWBY were the only humans enveloped, the rest of the Beacon Teams were still enroute. He saw them flinch and startle, attempting but failing to avoid the flames.

It was as cold and dead here as he remembered. He was right at home.

[Scene change/Time-skip]

Ruby Rose could hardly keep her eyes off the sky. In a dark and starless sky, a beautiful full (and more amazingly unbroken) moon hung. She felt amazed and deeply, deeply saddened. The sight of it made her want to cry. The snowy landscape all around her only made it worse. The swords littering the ground like markers, each different on fundamental levels as well as aesthetic ones. Each felt like they had purpose. The snow felt empty, hopeless. It felt like despair and sorrow and a million other things.

Jaune had created all this, she just knew it, this world of swords that had destroyed every single Grimm near instantly in a rain of blades that would've blotted out that sad, beautiful moon. They didn't though, Jaune who had been staring up at it must have controlled them so he could gaze at it uninterrupted.

"Miyu"

He let out that word with a grief she'd only heard from her Father when he told her about her Mum. She wanted to rush to his side but held back. This Jaune seemed so much different from the boy she befriended at the beginning of the year.

"Jau-"

He cut her off by looking at her, his eyes dead and dull and a perfect reflection of this empty place within.

"I lied" he said quietly, lacking in any emotion she could recognise.

"To all of you. Nothing I've told you was true. Everything I am is a forgery, just like everything around you"

Ruby bit back on the hurt and betrayal that rose up in her at his statement, because she wanted to trust him. She forced herself to remember that there are reasons people lie, that she'd recently experienced it with Blake already, that for him to tell them now it meant those reasons were important to him.

"Why?"

It was the only word she could say, but it may as well have been the most important word in the world at this very moment. She ignored everyone else's reactions, ignored their existence entirely because the boy she befriended, whom she'd developed a soft spot for, someone who was precious to her. He looked so hollow right now, she needed to help. He looked back to the sad moon, she copied and nearly cried again when it seemed to glitter and shine brighter.

"I had a different life once" he started "I had a girl in my care, a sister that me and my adopted father took in before he died. She was special, more special than you can imagine"

Jaune paused and a disgusted wind blew across them, a wind that felt like guilt and self-loathing.

"I was a terrible brother, but I tried to change. I tried to give her the older brother she desperately craved. They took her away from me, so I fought for her happiness. I threw away everything I was and wished for her, the entire world. I'd let it burn down to ash, I don't regret my decision, the lives that were ruined because of that choice"

She felt a horrified shiver run up her spine, not only from the story but from the broken teen stood before her. The world around them, it was obvious now, it represented-

"So, the moon..?" Ruby whispered brokenly, tears finally slipping loose to run down her cheeks. They had no effect to the snowy ground. He nodded

"The only connection I have left of her. Miyu. When the fighting stopped I made a wish, for her to find somewhere she could be truly happy. Where she could have friends who care about her, where she could experience more than the same house every single day, where the brother she wanted so much hadn't started out as a coward who refused to see her as anything more than means to an end"

He walked towards her slowly, bringing up a hand to rest gently on the top of her head, softly stroking her hair in a manner that felt too much like a goodbye.

"I refuse to regret my choice. Even though I always wanted to be a hero of justice, to me, my little sister was worth more than my ideals or even the world. Maybe it was wrong, maybe the choice shouldn't have been mine, but I'll not change it. Miyu is somewhere out there, happy and loved. I broke a world Ruby, and I'd shatter it all over again if I had the chance. Just, please, don't hate me too much for that"

Ruby stood shocked, when he walked past her, her hands coming to rest atop her head where his had been. A lump in her throat that felt like it was choking her, because it was a goodbye after all, because he was walking away, because he was hurting so much and there was no way to fix him. She wanted to turn around, to see him. She knew he'd paused when the world fell away and Vale was back, she'd heard his final words to Blake of all people.

"It's hard to walk away from you Blake, you look so much like her. I know you're not, I do, but it's still hard"

Then, he was just gone. Not even a whisper on the wind, she didn't even see him leave. She was still in shock, collapsed to her knees in a barren pavilion with no Grimm insight and the majority of the damage gone.

Her hand clutched at the scroll he'd placed in her palm, vital for entering Beacon Grounds, his scroll.

She thought she would always have him around, he was her closest friend here. Her and Weiss were close but Jaune had become something more to her, something she had been ill equipped to handle given her social awkwardness.

He was gone now.

She cried, and she never forgot the sight of that glittering moon in the dark sky. She understood why it made her sad now. It was happy and bright, but the world Jaune was in was anything but. A world of his own making that left him suffering through the pain and loneliness willingly so his little sister wouldn't have to.

A sister who is forever out of reach much like their own moon.

---

Trinity Seven/RWBY- Jaune =Arata

Ozpin was not the only Magic user in Beacon. The man had happened to come across another earlier in the year and recruited him, having him take the name of Jaune Arc.

Their respective magicked differed in use and technique but they drew from the same source apparently. Whereas Ozpin wasn't as connected to that source anymore, and thus couldn't easily replenish what he used Jaune could. Where Ozpin used magic with his body as the medium Jaune used three small books known as Grimoires. Sentient beings that possessed incredible power and unerringly loyal to Jaune. Ozpin had only met one in the flesh, so to speak, but he'd heard the voices of the others.

With the boys unique skills, though incredibly lacking in combat that didn't utilise magic, he "hired" him to attend Beacon as a student. Though the, now, blond boy had insisted that any strange Gravitational Phenomena be relied to him so he could investigate it. Breakdown Events, the boy had called them, could be utterly devastating to the world if they were left unchecked.

One had just occurred, so he'd given the boy the location and excused him from classes. What he failed to mention, however, was that he'd "accidentally" sent the same message to the rest of his team and team RWBY. All of whom had been growing concerned and/or confused by the boys habit of completely disappearing for a few days at least once a month.

It was risky to allow them the chance to discover that magic was real, but he considered it a test run for them. He'd likely have to reveal the truth to them all one day and this might Aid him in figuring out how much trust he could afford to give them.

He watched from his tower as, five minutes after Jaune left, they followed the blond leader.

"I wonder, Mr Arc" he refused to call the boy by his original name even when alone to aid in the boys request to keep it secret no matter what. "What will you do now?"

The boy was good at acting but Ozpin much preferred the blunt and utterly honest boy who lacked any shame in himself and his desires. A person like that was someone Ozpin could trust not to betray him so easily as others had and likely will do.

[Scene change/Time-skip]

Weiss was growing frustrated. They'd been following that blond dunce into a dense forest for nearly an hour and had yet to see any indication as to what he was doing. Other than walking and apparently talking to himself.

Normally Weiss would seem the sort to not care about whatever Jaune was up to but that was merely a front. While she hated when he tried to flirt with her, she could admit he was a genuine and likeable young man. His constant disappearing worried her, as it would if any of her other friends were to do so. Especially with Blake's recent disappearing act. She was not alone in this feeling, all of the others were worried too. While he was improving at staggering rates, he was still the least talented fighter amongst them. So it begged the question; what was Ozpin having him do? What did Ozpin want them to see?

"We close yet Sora?"

They'd finally gotten close enough to be able to hear him, as well as gaining a clear view of whatever he was doing. Immediately everyone questioned who he was talking too, but before it was even a fully formed thought it had question was answered. A short girl with long bluish-silver hair in a black corset and bow shimmered into being atop his shoulders.

"It should be in this next clearing Master" her voice was light and teasing, though Weiss bristled at the form of address. There wasn't anything wrong with that, the staff of the Schnee Manor House referred to her father and brother in that manner, but coming from such a small girl, and with a decidedly seductive tone rankled at her sense of propriety and decency. Yang giggling did not help.

They lost sight of him for a few moments as he vanished amongst the trees, and when they caught up, she could be forgiven for thinking the world was ending.

They hadn't been able to see the sun in the through the dense treetops but it's light had still reached them. So they could be forgiven for not noticing sooner, especially as light itself hadn't changed.

It was still sunny and warm, but the sun was black.

Black and writhing like a ball of hideous gas, similar in ways to the dissipation of Grimm carcasses. The world seemed heavier and lighter at the same time, her body felt like something was pulling at the seams incessantly. And Jaune stood unaffected, the girl Sora still resting nonchalantly on his shoulders.

"Is it me or have their been more of these of late?"

The boy asked with a sigh, the girl giving a noncommittal shrug.

"Whatever, Let's get to work then Sora, Illia. Reconnect to the Superbia Archive, Excure Thema!"

Weiss could only watch caught between awe and abject (This one end's in the middle of sentence, sorry!)

---

Bleach/RWBY - Jaune is Ichigo

"Who are you again?"

With those words something inside Jaune broke. It snapped in half like a twig.

Something pressed down on the entire room, heavy to the point of crushing and not a single person save Jaune stayed upright.

Ruby could see a strange white substance taking over her friends face, jaggedly sticking up from around his left eye and slightly curving round his head. It formed from the air, as if that strange weight was turning the Oxygen to a liquid.

The weight increasing and increasing but she was distantly aware that it was affecting their opponents the worst. Emerald was on her knees and hand, the other clutching at her throat, gasping for breathe. Mercury was on his back, much the same, his metallic legs seemingly unaffected by what ever was pressing down. Cinder was trying in vain to rise off bended knee but failing, fear and rage warring in her eyes.

"Heh"

The pressure vanished at Jaune's strange dual tone chuckle but not a single person moved.

A burning amber eye in black scelera under that mask like fragment, raging sorrowful blue in the other.

"Who am I?"

Those dual tones, Jaune's voice she corrected herself, the cackle in them sent a shiver up her spine. She knew she wasn't alone in that feeling.

Jaune gazed around them, but it wasn't quite the gaze she remembered. There was no warmth or love in it, just cold apathy and murderous intent. He turned back to Cinder who'd risen to her feet but froze at whatever she saw in them.

"I don't have a name"

Then he was gone. He hadn't left, he'd just moved too fast for her eyes to track. When he reappeared behind Cinder, who was staring stunned at a suddenly missing arm- dissolving claw rather, it was to gleeful cackling and cruel mocking.

"Oops! You ok there, need a hand?"

Ruby gagged at the cloying hatred that oozed from Jaune, inwardly thankful that Cinders stump wasn't bleeding. Like he'd only cut off a prosthetic.

Emerald and Mercury were knocked out in that disappearing thing the boy had done.

Belatedly, and partially because she only just realised she was still on the floor, she stood. One arm reaching down to help Weiss while Yang, Ren and Nora stood too.

"How!?" Cinder bellowed hatefully.

The black haired Fall Maiden glared, fire erupting in her good hand and from her one eye. Jaune giggled unconcerned.

"I should thank ya, King's finally remembered who we are! He's too rusty though so he sent his loyal stead instead. Che, no matter the world there's always someone thinking their top shit when they ain't."

Then they both moved, skipping across the room- off the walls and ceiling in blurs of motion. Cinder a red swirl and Jaune black and blue, the White of his armour drowned out. Without the use of her Semblance speeding up her perception those colours were all she could see.

Still, as confusing and worrying as all this was, there were still opponents.

"Yang! Follow Raven! Nora, Ren you take the big guy, me and Weiss will handle the other one"

She didn't bother to order Oscar, Ozpins eyes were looking out of his body so she'd leave him to do what he thought best.

They all nodded and moved to engage. She activated her Semblance. Before running to attack herself, she cast her eyes to Jaune and Cinder. With her perception boosted they were no longer blurs, but she was still stunned. Cinder was in an utter rage, littered with cuts and bruises some of which looked downright lethal, and Jaune was unharmed save for some torn and sliced clothing. She moved off to help Weiss with only one final though of him.

'He looks so bored'

[Scene change/Time-skip]

When everything was over, the enemy all lay captured, bar two. Raven had escaped, Yang having lost to her but somehow convincing her to give up on the Relic and Cinder.

Cinder who was dead.

Jaune had collapsed after the deed was done, having some sort of fit. He tore and scratched at the mask that had fully covered his face- skull like with wicked looking horns, before he'd managed to shatter it. He'd muttered something but Blake had heard, and shared. It was fortunate the girl had turned up, they hadn't known the White Fang had been outside planting bombs until it was almost too late. They didn't recognise the word he'd said though, it sounded like a name but not one they'd heard before.

With the bad guys carted off they'd all holed up back at the house they were staying in, surrounding the blond. Waiting till he woke up and answered their questions. He'd woken up two minutes ago and Weiss had pushed aside the tension in the end, sounding cold but their was worry and fear in her eyes.

"Jaune, what was that?"

He looked he in the eye, a heavy scowl that had settled on his face while unconscious still in place.

"You wouldn't believe me"

Weiss scowled back at him, stomping her foot lightly. She hid it well but she saw a flash of a nostalgic longing and amusement in his eyes at the act. She continued to glare and after a moment of debate he sighed and gave in.

"My swords name isn't Crocea Mors"

He paused, all minds wondering why that mattered but waited for him to compose his thoughts.

"Back in the fight, at the start. Cinder asked who I was and I said I didn't have a name, right?" He asked rhetorically "the person speaking, that wasn't me. Bastard was lying to boot, just wanted to say that again. Anyway, that was Zangetsu"

He hefted he weapon from his bedside and held it both hands staring down and the sword and shield.

"This is Zangetsu... Well, it's more like a fake image over Zangetsu"

With a muttered chant in a language no one had ever heard before, the weapon changed.

In a shattering of blue energy, the once lovingly recrafted Arming Sword and Heater shield were replace by two obsidian blades.

One almost as long as Jaune was tall, lacking a hand guard and hilt wrapped in bandages instead of leather. The over only as long as his forearm, machete like in shape and a hand hold seemingly cut into the blade itself. Both looking like a single piece of metal each.

Jaune looked down at them as if he was looking down at family.

"Zangetsu is special, more so than anything this world has ever seen. Ruby was told me that Weapons are like extensions of ourselves... In my case, it's literal. They're literally a part of my soul, sentient, and the only thing they want to protect is me. To the point that, well you saw. Heh, well this guy" he patted the larger sword "he really hated Cinder. Pulled me into my inner world and took control while I got my head on straight. I'd forgotten a lot of stuff, a whole lifetime in fact. You could say Zangetsu and Tensa" this time he gestured to the smaller blade "are kinda like Ozpin. They live in my head and if I'm ever in danger of dying they help me out"

Weiss frowned, the others looking to be digesting his words, too many questions. He was usually an honest man but she wanted to know more.

"Why are they special?"

"They're Zanpakuto- Soul Cutters. The weapons of the Soul Reapers. They purify Hollows and send the dearly departed on to the next life"

No one believed him and he could tell, so he resorted to desperate measures. He ditched his body and became his soul form. While they panicked that he'd suddenly just died he'd planned to cut up the walls a bit, go poltergeist on their ass and scare the crap out of them- but two sets of eyes followed him. He wasn't surprised by Oscars, the boy had a dead guy in his head already so he was naturally tuned to the more Spiritual things. He probably couldn't tell the difference between the living and the dead yet though so had never paid attention in the past. The other was a wide eyed Blake, eyes flashing from his straw sandals to his black Soul Reaper uniform and his Pauldrons.

"Uhh, guys" she said almost hysterically, he couldn't blame her. After all he was confirming the existence of an afterlife, shitty place though he knew it was, and his natural scowl didn't help. His memory loss self hadn't done it much. Damn Hat and Clogs, bastard must of known that would happen. He'd always said he'd wipe his scowl of his face one day. There was no choice though, a reality shift had to be done if he wanted to live, and it had to be one where his Spirit Energy wouldn't permanently kill or change the souls he came in contact with. A reality where Ywach combined all three realms but died in the process was the perfect place for him. He was too dangerous just by existing in his own world, he'd have accidentally killed anyone below a lieutenant just by being near them if he'd stayed. He turned his attention back to Blake who was pointing at him now.

"... Seriously he's stood right there"

---

Right, well, there you have it. All my most recent attempts at another crossover chapter. They all failed for various reasons, I ran out of ideas/patience/care/interest. Either way, this is what i've been able to produce of late, and that's why you haven't had a decent Difference chapter for a while.

Personally, I don't think these ideas are bad just lacking in something that I can't quite put my finger on.

On a side note, anyone been playing God Eater 3? I fucking love it! I've liked the God Eater series since I discovered it (Games only though, fuck the other stuff). I'm not even very far through the game, Rank 5 (so somewhere between 1/4 to 1/2 through the story I think) and i'm already hooked on it's shitty story and shitty characters. Seriously, God Eater games are the only one's I can forgive for have almost shitty everything because the game play (the most important part of a game) is awesome!

Eh-hum, anyway... Here's my most recent bollocks, I hope it tides over your interest!

[You got a PS4 or Xbox 1? Recommend me some games, yeah? No recent one's though, I want something I might of missed from early in their life]

Kind regards,

Yourfellowwriter