3.12
Jaune would normally be found guilty of waking up before the sun was visible most days. Given his morning exercise habits it was something done routinely to be frank. It still felt a bit weird getting ready for a class when he would normally just be getting up to head to the gym with his friends.
Regardless of how 'right' it felt… or the lack there of depending on one's viewpoint. The group wandered over to their shared kitchen for some breakfast with plenty of time for them to trudge the remaining distance to their destination.
For a period of time the only sounds made on a consistent basis was the echoing taps of feet on stone and the continual yawns of various people. Given how crowded these routes can get at times… the comparable lack of chaos was a bit jarring. This went on without interruption until:
"Well… first day of advance class and we are waking up too blasted early… any thoughts?" Ren stated mid yawn.
Given that everybody… EVERYBODY was generally either yawning, trying not to yawn or was sleep walking nobody could answer him competently.
However much Jaune may or may not have been able to voice his feelings at that time… he had to admit that he did not know what to expect. The only instructions which were given were not all that descriptive either. They only came out minutes of them waking up that morning to be precise.
1) Dress as you would for a hunting assignment.
2) Bring the items you typically would, I would suggest extra water. Ensure you have a healthy breakfast. Skipping this step will likely mean you are very unhappy most of the day.
3) As a reminder class is scheduled prior to normal start time of your previous year and we will be gathering even earlier today than normal. Arrive no later than an hour before start time. Do not be late.
At least thus far nobody had the poor sense to challenge any of those points thank goodness…
Short, to the point and … not all that helpful in determining what was happening though at this point it was very much assumed some type of fieldtrip was in the works.
"I don't understand why we all have to get here an hour early… if class isn't suppose to start until 8 this year why make us get there by 7?" Yang grumbled as she shuffled slowly towards their destination.
"Can't really say I have a good reason either way" Ruby agreed mid yawn herself.
"You all just need to get used to getting up like a normal person, you know… earlier in the morning." A somewhat if oddly chipper Weiss smugly boasted.
The friends shared a glance as Blake took up the conversation… somewhat humorously holding onto -nearly being guided around- by Yang's hair as she held on with both arms.
"It was not so long ago that you used to be the one always sleeping in."
Weiss scoffed "That is why it is called 'The Past' not 'The Present'. Things will not always be as they are."
The Heiress would continue to speak about the merits of an early morning paired with the tenacious Schnee genes which are less likely to burn out throughout the day for possible reasons she is able to get up earlier… not that Jaune was particularly listening.
"Personally… I call raison cookie on that one Weissy." Ruby smirked yawning yet again.
Weiss might have made a sarcastic remark but it seems she was more inclined to just giggle given the manner of BS call Ruby opted for.
Even so it was only a few more moments of movement which found the group at the door waiting for the Professors pleasure to unlock it.
As such they more or less moved to find a spot to lean against the wall or sit down as they waited…
Naturally Nora was asleep again within moments… much to the chagrin of the friends.
"I guess that fits her." Jaune commented sourly.
Resisting the urge to try and catch a few extra moments of sleep he shook his head. Trying to wake himself up he looked across to his traveling companions to pass the time. Surprisingly many seemed to update their wardrobe over their summer. Granted sure everybody is growing up including himself but, he was still surprised to see their new choice of garments.
Kate naturally to no one's surprise was wearing her leather gear setup carrying her pack clearly expecting a sojourn of some form. She busied herself with some stretches as she normally does to keep limber and try to wake up in her own way.
Ren and Nora seemed similar yet not the same as how they would dress in the prior year. Ren had much more free flowing material and while his Green White and Black pattern was still found it was much less structured than something he had wore in the previous years. Nora as well even added a black jacket and reinforced her leggings with boots. They seem to have adjusted their setup from their last assignment together.
Moving on to his sister team Ruby was possibly the most odd of them all having really redone her outfit… though growing up more might have spurred that on. A skirt and leggings mix was worn as was her rather rustic top. Something which Weiss very much approved of if the Reaper was to be believed. Her ever present cape of course never seemed to go away was found as was a small but comfortable backpack.
Yang's outfit has changed substantially over what he has known her to normally wear the last few years. She was wearing cargo pants this time and a tank top instead of her previously rather rebellious clothing from the previous years. However he had never seen the stuff she wore when on assignment either… For all he knew that was her ideal clothing when on a mission. Given the cargo pants and backpack she clearly could carry a fair amount.
He could not help but scoff as he looked at the Heiress. Fighting in a dress or 'Combat Skirt' was something only she would swear by and it seems like despite the color changing from white to ice blue… it was remarkably the same. Only real differences was that her sword was now worn comfortably at her hip via a well made sheath. A shoulder strap purse was evidently how she intended to ferry materials around.
Blake found herself wearing a white overcoat with a black tank top and black pants. Mid thigh high boots completed the look while she kept her weapon comfortably on her back. She might have taken some que's from Kate's setup in that it was very tight to her body yet it also gave her full freedom of movement.
As he made note of all of his friends and teammates all carried plenty of water as advertised. Some even went as far as to carry spares in dust reserve just in case any Grimm hunting was to take place.
The only two people who did not come as he expected… was ironically enough… Pyrrha and himself. She did not wear her armor or corset. In fact she only carried her weapons and a backpack wearing some type of skintight under clothing as if she expected something. In fact… he almost knew she did as Pyrrha advised him to come in a nearly identical setup.
It was his Partners goofy and excited grin which prompted him to speak to her as he continued to lean against the wall joined now by his girlfriend.
"Are you going to tell me why you have been so excited now? Or maybe why I had to come dressed like this?"
He kept his voice friendly despite his rather accusatory tone. At this point it was no longer up for debate she knew something he did not to the point she might even be in on the matter whole heartedly.
The Spartan answered him with a happy hum and a shake of her head "Sorry I can't… it won't be long now though." She claimed with a sideways nod.
Following the motion he found his mother walking towards him down the hallway. Dressed in her leather setup similar to Kate's wearing her sword across her back. It was the authority and purpose to her stride which surprised him. She always was one to move and command attention with a whim… but seeing the reputed Professor Arc at work was something he had to admit was a slight system shock.
"Good to see you all can follow instructs and arrive on time. After the last class I was wondering if I would have to resort to drastic measures again." She advised with a smile moving towards the door.
Huh… she must be talking about team CFVY's advance class which started on Monday… Velvet indicated it was a nightmare but not much beyond that.
Yang raised her hand in jest "Are we allowed to ask why we have to be here so early?"
Mom unlocked the door and held it open from the inside as she answered in a slight smile "You are allowed to ask of course."
She winked at Yang as the Brawler walked past "Doesn't mean I am obligated to answer you however."
Jaune smiled… the ever present Arc humor showing its face yet again.
His smile continued as he followed the rest of his team into the somewhat dark room.
"Ok everybody find a spot." Mom broadcast moving towards the front of the room.
"Spot?" Yang asked quietly still obviously part asleep.
"The standing desks Yang." Ruby answered.
Arrayed around the room was a line of lecterns all pointing to a circular area in the middle. Near the center of them was an oddly glowing circle about the size of a person. An odd glow permeated up from the ground as it illuminated its various markings on the floor.
"Ok so I will skip introductions given that we all know each other by name already. However I will simply say welcome to my Advance Combat class. Know that not everybody who has attended Beacon can claim to have gone through my method of teaching. However those who do tend to enjoy a reputation as that of a superior Huntsman. I will expect you all to aim to exceed expectations. Regardless of it is said, the advanced class graduates have served as examples for other to follow for years. It is a tradition which existed before my time and I will not have it vanish while I am here."
She paused to let her words sink in before continuing "Without further adieu we have things to get done this morning… A few rules for my class." Mom began standing near the center of the room once everybody had chosen a standing desk.
The group was rapidly finding their sleep wearing off as with or without them… Ms. Arc was driving the class forward.
"Number 1. I understand that many of us have a relationship outside of this classroom. Regardless of that relationship be it a bond of friendship or blood, when we are in a class setting you will address me as Professor or a similar honorific."
Jaune could at least understand the reasoning behind that one.
"Rule 2. I know and expect that people will make mistakes. It is something we as Professors press for, to find your limits and hence, to grow beyond them. Know that I will never criticize you for a mistake. Just make that mistake going at 100% when you inevitably suffer them. I firmly believe in lessons of Discipline and work ethic. I cannot force all who enter my class to live by those words, but while you are a student of mine understand being here is a privilege. That privilege can be taken away if the opportunity is not taken seriously. I very much hope I do not have to speak again on this subject, but know that as advance students I will expect a great deal more than what gets by in your every day combat class."
Well… she seems to be fitting the expectations of her reputation thus far…
"I might have other rules as we go forward but those two are typically the one ones I have present in nearly all circumstances. Any questions on either of those points?"
Her voice clearly carried its message throughout the area as that of one used to speaking in public with multiple listeners present.
As nobody made to speak mom… Professor Arc continued to orate.
"Alright then. What we are doing here early is all of you will be measured by this circle on the ground. You need do no more than stand in it as the Glyph performs its task. It is not dangerous in any way, you should not feel anything. It does however take several minutes and might vary depending on the individual. Thus we will start up right away."
Weiss acted as if she wanted to speak, but withheld the question.
However it seems the Professor could pick up on the desire and prompted:
"Ms. Schnee you have something you wish to ask?"
Mom turned towards the smaller girl as she spoke awaiting a response.
Weiss hesitated… but after clearing her throat said "I was curious what that glyph is designed to measure Ma'am."
Mom took the question in stride "To be succinct… you. I will explain more as the process starts."
It was here Jaune felt something like the hairs on the back of his neck stand up straight.
"Ms. Nikos you can do your thing now." She advised with a very visible if unexpected grin.
Kate smiled from her position on the far right, everybody else looked confused… except his girlfriend.
With a smile so large it belied belief she gripped Jaune by his arm and lead him down towards a room in the back.
"Uh Pyrrha?" He asked.
"Just a few more steps… and you will see."
Those words would prove to be true on so many levels.
***Changing room***
"Ok Pyrrha I am able to walk you can let go now." Jaune complained halfheartedly.
Pyrrha giggled "No Jaune I do not believe I can. Sorry."
He couldn't see her face but it was obvious his girlfriend wore an ear to ear smile.
She lead him into one of the off rooms nearby noting the lights seemed to be off.
Finally reaching her supposed destination she spun around with her arms clasped low.
"Your mother has a surprise for you Jaune… she asked me to help her … with an added purpose on the side." She stated plainly excitement oozing off of her.
"You were in on it as well?" He stated in confirmation.
Pyrrha half smiled.
"Once she brought me in… yes I agreed to help make this happen." Pyrrha took a few steps back towards a light switch as she spoke.
"Make what happen Pyrrha?"
In response Pyrrha just turned on the lights… and let them do the rest of the work for her.
It was like a scene out of a dream for the Knight.
"But… what…"
Words did not seem to come easily.
Behind his girlfriend were two suits of armor. One… obviously for a male, another for a woman. Maybe that's why Pyrrha is dressed like she was expecting something? Obviously cause she was…
Lights from the floor were aimed upwards illuminating the armors. Jaune was seemingly drawn to them like he was being pulled towards what was meant for him. Reaching a hand out to touch one of the many pieces of it he remained in a sense of awe.
All the while Pyrrha watched from her spot several feet away smiling like a fool.
"This must have cost a fortune do you have any idea what this stuff is?" Jaune asked flabbergasted.
Pyrrha of course knew what it was. However this was something she and his mother discussed… she should just sit back initially. Let his mind accept it… then push him forward in accepting it willingly.
"Yes Jaune… I know what it is."
Almost as if he didn't hear her he spoke on.
"This under layer is practically armor in itself its… Priceless is the only word for it…" Now walking around the armor stand soaking in more and more details his eyes quickly traveled up and down in rapid succession.
He did not overstate that claim. First thing he would have to put on is the extremely tight yet very flexible and comfortable heat transferable leathery material known as Nanofibrosysis, or Nanofiber for short. Bleeding edge armor development made the stuff incredibly rare to the point even the extremely wealthy could hardly afford more than a handful of suits. Durable and resistant enough to stop a knife and provided the caliber isn't exceptionally heavy, possibly even a bullet. Nanofiber was designed to be worn under armor giving it something to latch on too. While it was itself highly resistant to damage and had many properties besides… it was not the main point of the armor stand.
"This is…" He could not complete the thought having turned his gaze on to her armor.
Feeling the time has come to gently press him forward Pyrrha took a few steps forward and spoke on.
"Jaune… we need to get changed in time for our class right?"
He finally looked at her "Pyrrha you know how I hate accepting charity this is too much!"
Pyrrha, thanks to his mothers advise expected that attitude from him.
"Jaune… you were happy to use that armor from your first year? Why is this so different?"
Jaune froze momentarily, before answering:
"That was a learner armor… the armor of somebody in training. This is-"
"This is the armor of a Duke, Jaune. It is the armor of somebody who has earned their place at this school. It is the armor of somebody who because of his willingness to put himself on the line for others, some of those other people have decided to make this for you. All of your family have armor or something similar made specifically for them… this is yours."
She did a good job of making that seem like something natural.
Somebody like Jaune however… knew a bit better than that.
"Mom gave you that line didn't she?" He accused.
She smiled shyly. "It IS A good line. Moreover… she is right." At that… she moved forward to bring her arms to his sides.
Jaune dropped his gaze to the ground seemingly lost in thought.
"Jaune… your mother intends to tell you more about this armor later. For now… we do need to get changed. I know I do." She smirked playfully.
"You think I should accept it?" He asked.
She dropped her backpack and weapons to the ground as she detached from him and moved the few steps towards the stand with her armor on it.
"I would not have agreed to ask you to accept it if I did not believe you have earned it Jaune." At that she nearly emulated his sister in how she strutted playfully towards her armor stand and began the task of getting into it.
Tearing his eyes off her as she worked towards getting her own set of Nanofiber on… he kicked off his shoes and began to work into the under layer.
He knew this stuff had heat transferring properties. In other words it helped regulate the temperature of the wearer. In frigid areas it helped retain heat, and in locations of extreme temperature it tried to regulate excess heat off his body towards the outside. It was not a perfect system and clearly had limits for what it could contend with. That did not take away anything regarding how comfortable the stuff was suppose to be once you got it on.
Stepping into and pulling it up his legs he found Pyrrha studying him as he got dressed. With a teasing wink she began doing the same thing in getting her legs in the under layer. Pulling it up around the curve of her hips giving her boyfriend a playful shake in the process pulling it up to her waist.
He grinned but decided not to answer back or otherwise comment.
With the bottom secure he got the bottom layer of his top noting that Pyrrha's setup did not have sleeves for her upper section.
"You didn't want sleeves on yours?" He asked.
She shook her head "No, I have always preferred to fight without anything on my upper arms if I could help it."
"You had planned on getting some new armor?" He asked.
She shrugged "When a warrior from Mistral becomes an adult and has fully grown it isn't uncommon for them to commission an adult armor of sorts. Given my status as a Mistral Champion I would be expected to have something very expensive. Even so… this goes well beyond what I would be expected to wear I have to admit. Not that I am complaining of course."
"So you really didn't know about this until she asked to talk to you alone?" He asked still working with the underlying material.
Pyrrha chuckled. "No… but I really could not have asked for something better even if I had commissioned this myself."
Jaune smiled… if she was happy with the armor… that's all the more reason for him to accept his without feeling guilty.
Finally getting the last of the Nanofiber on he tested his freedom of movement with various motions. To his surprise it was almost like he wasn't wearing clothing at all. It did not feel in the slightest that the stuff however tight it appeared did anything in limiting his movements or agility.
Pyrrha hummed in appreciation but otherwise began getting into the armor proper starting with her chest guard.
Jaune lost his focus as he observed the Mecha-forged armor expand with her movements until she managed to get it on and bonded with the Nanofiber under layer.
"Stops it from moving around once you have it in place right?" He asked.
Pyrrha nodded again in a grin.
"Stuff works amazing… Cadian forge masters seem to know their craft I have to admit."
For a time he was happy with observing her get into her gift. It took her to gaze at him in a smile that broke his daydream. Suddenly remembering that they were expected to hurry he finally dipped his gaze and began getting his own chest plate on.
"It does seem to be of the highest tier I gotta admit that." He murmured quietly trying to stay humble. The metal of the armor… was lightweight yet resilient in the extreme to damage and pressure. Equally suited to resisting slash hits, puncture attempts or bullet borne insertions. It was a great deal for him to take in.
Pyrrha finally paused convinced now that Jaune did not need any further persuasion in regards to his armor. Being familiar with modern protective gear she knew exactly the price of such a gift… much less two of them. It was undoubtedly a Princely gift. Something which she knew, would rub that humble side of him the wrong way. Just as that same humble side would claim rejecting it would be exceedingly poor form. Thankfully she did not need to resort to anything beyond pointing out the obvious. He has earned his place at Beacon, and should accept the armor in the manner it was given. With good grace.
Such were her thoughts as she found herself observing his form as he got into his new armor.
The chest plate covered far more of his torso than the simple plating he had previously. Gold and white dominated the armor with some red highlights to match the same flame color of his bracer and weapon. Sharp angular lines brought flexible lightweight yet beyond sturdy plating to his chest and abdomen. Wrapping around the sides to his back traveling up to his neck. Leaving the underside of his shoulder free a thick layered plate covered both shoulders. Some straps anchored it down doubling the natural bonding nature of the Nanofiber under armor. A plain armored bracer was prepared for his left arm, leaving just the mecha-shifting bracer on his right arm for his setup on his torso.
Stepping into the armored leg armor a click echoed through the room as it shifted to his size and molded around his lower leg. Knee guards found its way into place and before she knew it… he was nearly dressed. The armor covered his shins and knees. Leaving his feet free to move without the constriction of metal. Instead erring on the side of maneuverability taking on a boot form in terms of his feet and upper legs. It was as he picked up the provided belt that she felt compelled to move once again.
Checking the contents of the belt he found it mostly with just excess storage compartments with plenty of room for additions if he felt the need. Sliding his knife into the belt he tightened the leg strap around his right thigh, then brought the belt tight around his waist.
Taking a moment to test and make sure everything still moved and fit properly he brought out his weapons. Running them through their various forms to find… to his delight the sword accepted the armor without issue, finding a spot on his back as if the armor had always been part of his load out.
Confident everything was in order he got everything put back into their proper spot, then took a deep breath and turned towards his Partner behind him.
She had not made as much progress with her armor as he had… though to be fair it might be because her eyes remained on him. None the less with a shake of her head she focused once again on getting dressed.
She had gotten the chest plate on. It like his, was made of a flexible and light yet very strong material the likes of which is only found on armors made of the highest caliber. Arm guards found its way onto her upper arms in the form of golden leaves. On her forearms were two bracers very similar to his own. To his shock… the bracer on her left arm bore the Arc symbol which she seemed to wear proudly. To go along with the bracers were gloves built into the armor itself in a manner identical to his own… Or Kate's for that matter. This had Mom's signature all over it for sure.
Around her core was a red sash similar to what she typically wore. Above that was a belt much like his own with plenty of room for personalization and customization.
The armor on her legs was much more protective than her prior setup. Covering much more of her leg going much higher on her thigh. Multiple straps around her upper thigh was present as a way to help anchor the armor in place despite the Nanofiber bond… Likely to adjust the armor to the size of the user.
A continual running theme with her armor was something Jaune found very much suited her… yet was something he did not expect.
"That looks great on you Pyr." He claimed honestly.
She smirked but replied back "Thanks… you look great too…"
She seemed to hesitate as she often did when speaking on things of emotional significance to her. As such he decided to ask another question.
"Is there a reason your armor has all those leaves?"
She smiled again and sniffed appearing a bit emotional. But nodded.
To his surprise… a few tears began to fall.
He was just content to wait and give her time… until he figured he should probably inquire a bit more given the tears. None the less she still replaced her weapons on her back resting exactly as they normally did with her previous gear.
"Hey what's wrong?"
She gave a slight hop.
"Oh I'm sorry." She sniffed again in a grin.
"The Maple leaf is a symbol of a Mistral Champion… I guess your mom saw fit to give me more than one." She smiled at him again.
He nodded… that seemed to fit at least. Littering her armor were leaf designs. They extended outwards along her bracer, her hips, even her knees and her neck. Yet… it just seemed to fit her so well it was clearly a remarkable feat of craftsmanship. It almost gave her armor a very spikey aspect to it… though that was likely not fair given how smooth it otherwise was. However there was no denying that the leaves stood out tremendously and made her armor pop. On her hips, near her neck, even in the intricate weavings maple leaves were very much visible.
Beyond that her armor stayed true to her previous colors, likely something that was very deliberate. Brown, gold's, and red's were plentiful in highlights and main roles to match his own white gold and red setup.
It did not need to be said… but it was obvious both armor's were made to the highest possible standard sparing no expense in making them the best they possibly could be.
"Pyrrha? Are you ok?" He prompted once again given the tears.
She smiled at him again, though a few tears continued to fall.
"Yes… I am ok. Just… I've always wanted this for you." She claimed.
Jaune made a confused face and looked at her.
"What do you mean?"
Pyrrha smiled shyly… but pressed on however silly a thought it was.
"Jaune I just… I knew you were special from the moment I saw you. You always said you wanted to become a hero. Well… look at you. You look the part now. I'm glad to share this moment with you. You aren't some boy out of your comfort zone in a hoodie and jeans just trying to survive each day. You look like a Huntsman." She whipped a tear off her cheek and continued to smile at him radiantly.
He frowned.
"I … do not really feel like I have earned it though."
She reached in and gave him a brief peck on the cheek "That is exactly why, and exactly how… you did."
While both parties would not have objected to a kiss… they just decided to hug each other until a call for them to head out was heard.
"Well… ready to show the world the new you?" Pyrrha asked.
He took her hand "The new US… I can be ready for that."
With matching smiles… they exited out to rejoin their friends.
*** Back in the Classroom ***
As the Partners walked hand in hand out of the changing room it was hard not the grin at the conversation taking place.
"No Ms. Schnee the Circle is not simply measuring your weight. It is taking into account many things. Now please step into the circle and hold still like everybody else before you."
Jaune could practically picture the stern motherly glare present on the Professor more clearly with each spoken word.
It was so obvious he couldn't help but share a laugh as he looked at his partner… receiving a very similar smile from her.
Rounding the corner their friends stood on the base level foregoing the lecterns of the upper story. It seems everybody but the Heiress had their turn on the circle already.
"It isn't that just! What is it measuring?!" Weiss asked/demanded appearing a touch uncomfortable with the idea of an unknown glyph 'measuring' her.
It was there that his mother saw him leaning against the wall patiently with Pyrrha… and a very obvious smile took its place.
"Nice of you two to rejoin us." She claimed.
Their friends followed her gaze… and chaos ensued.
"Wow looking good guys!" Yang broadcast loudly.
"Shiney!" Nora praised.
Katherine just smiled and offered a quick clap of her hands.
"Well come forward you two… don't be shy." Professor Arc requested.
Looking down to the ground briefly Jaune smiled… but hesitated.
It was with a gentle pressure on his hand that got him to take a deep breath… and took the first step forward.
"Thank you for the Armor, if fits perfectly." The Knight claimed humbly looking forwards again.
"Yes thank you it is perfect!" Pyrrha repeated.
Weiss just appeared speechless as if she didn't believe what she was seeing.
Come to think of it she probably knew better than I do how much this stuff costs… she's probably seeing lien signs right now.
It was through a brief applause that both Pyrrha and Jaune made their way forwards to rejoin their friends.
"Ok ok ok people they got some new shiny stuff and you will have plenty of time to interrogate them going forward. For now we have work to do yet." Mom advised somewhat between Professor Arc and Ms. Arc modes.
At that she looked at her scroll.
"Thank you Ms. Schnee you can go back to your line now. Ms. Nikos please step forward into the circle."
The two women passed each other with Weiss ending up besides Jaune, she kept at least one eye glued to the outer and under components of it seemingly in shock.
"This is the type of thing even the Schnee dust company couldn't make. Do you have any idea how expensive that type of armor is Jaune?" She worded under her breath.
Jaune nodded keeping his eyes on his Partner "Yeah… it is something Cadia specializes in. I know Ozpin ordered my weapon and I think this armor was made by the same guy. It has the same pattern and style to its design."
"Quiet you two..." Mom chastised.
Growing quiet again they waited patiently as the Glyph started to circle and have duplicates of itself spin upwards to pass through Pyrrha's body.
"Careful there is a slight ticking sensation… forgot to warn you of that." Mom admitted with a slight grin.
Jaune smiled knowing full well that Pyrrha was deathly ticklish on a couple points on her body…
Pyrrha just nodded trying not to keel over in a laugh… and mostly was successful.
When Mom checked her scroll yet again she motioned for Jaune to step forward.
"Now that the hard part is done let me get to the easy part, for those of you anxious to get moving rest assured that part is coming. You will get plenty of movement shortly." She motioned for Jaune to rejoin his friends in the line.
Nora and Yang definitely chuckled at that while Jaune moved back to take his place besides Pyrrha.
"Thank you for humoring that Glyph scan. Now that it is completed I can give you some idea what it does. It measures various things such as aura reserve, how efficient your body is expected to be at physical exertion and other various things which are summed up to simply measuring you in a very real way."
"Why is this necessary Ma'am?" Weiss asked.
Taking the question in stride Ms. Arc answered "It gives me an idea of where you all are starting out and what type of techniques would work to get the most growth out of each of you going forward."
"How long have you been holding onto those armor's Ma'am?" Yang asked still giving an appreciative eye towards both new sets.
Mom grinned "Not like it is important but a bit more than a month now. No more questions about the armor at least until we are moving. If you want to talk about it then… fine. But I would suggest holding on to your breath as best you can. Any other questions about the Glyph?"
Mom waited a handful of heartbeats until it was obvious silence is all which would answer her.
"Very well. Ok listen carefully. Behind you is a grid of rectangles big enough for 2 people to stand in side by side. I want you to get with your initiation Partner, and get into one of the those spots. Ms. Arc you can get to the far side take either half you wish."
Kate shrugged and moved to the lead rectangle standing in the left side half hand on her hip.
Pyrrha and Jaune found a spot next to Katherine, then going away was Ren with Nora. Behind them Yang with Blake, and of course finally Ruby with Weiss.
"Ok, as many of you have probably guessed we are going on a bit of a field trip to give you all some idea of… shall we say the less glamorous parts of being a Hunter. A pair of rules for this segment: Nobody will be allowed to use their aura to reinforce yourself if you tire. No semblances either for those of you with that ability." Jaune grinned.
Mom continued with "Rule 2: In addition to the restriction on no aura use no physical assistance to those whom you are not paired with."
With those final sentences a pin could have been heard dropping in the room.
"Why would you make those rules Ma'am." Ren asked seemingly very focused now.
Mom shrugged "I will answer that question once we get to our destination. Are there any questions with these rules? I have all of your aura meters set to my scroll and I will monitor its use. Any uncertainties should be addressed now."
She picked up a few things left about the room as she spoke seemingly getting ready to leave.
"No more questions? Very well." She started to move towards her daughter on the far side.
"Ok if you are the 'Partner' Standing on the right, please raise your hand."
Smiling at the question Pyrrha, Weiss, Yang and Nora all rose their hands.
"Ok, those people are now going to pick up your Partner."
Uncertainty filled the room for several heartbeats.
"Pick up? Professor?" Weiss asked.
"Yes Ms. Schnee. Pick up." She repeated.
"Pick up how exactly Ma'am?" Yang asked eager to get to some activity.
Mom hefted Katherine up to her shoulders in a fire-mans carry before turning around to speak again… though Kate clearly had a grin present as well.
"As if you are going to carry that person. I will not tell you how to do it… but I would suggest in a manner you can handle for awhile."
With a smile Pyrrha lowered herself and before he knew it Jaune was off the ground resting not entirely comfortably on her shoulders. He knew that Pyrrha could handle his weight… none the less it took some time getting used to the spot.
Pyrrha turned her shoulders to peer behind her observing the others in the class. Yang was carrying Blake with her arms in front of her body. Weiss was trying to carry Ruby on her shoulders and was not being altogether successful. It took some time to get the positioning right. Nora did not struggle at all as she had Ren off the ground in seconds eager to move.
"Right then… Follow me. The partner being carried cannot grip down or make it easier for their partner to carry them. Pretend to be asleep. If you feel the need to speak… I cannot stop you. But we are heading deep into the Forever Fall forest so be ready for a long haul.."
At that she started moving out of the room. Such was the time that they still did not encounter any individuals and cleared the school walls without an incident.
"This is fun!" Nora claimed.
Jaune smiled… but had to admit judging by the sweat falling down Pyrrha's face his partner wouldn't think it's all that fun."
*** Roughly many many times many bounces into the Forever Fall Forest***
At first Jaune tried to keep track of the number of steps his partner took. Being carried around left him with plenty of unexpected time on his hands. At first those being carried had a mildly fun and carefree talk amongst themselves. The talk shortly was concluded as the heavy breathing of those who by virtue of standing on the right had to do all the heavy lifting… so to speak.
He did learn a few things about Pyrrha that day.
He has never EVER heard her breath anywhere near this hard before. He has seen her completely drenched in sweat following 4 or longer hour workout session and only have her dampness to show for it. Well… a largely uphill climb in uneven territory carrying her Partner was clearly taxing her. She could handle his weight… her legs never stumbled or faltered in the many high steps she had to take in their uneven hike.
But… Pyrrha. Mortal Goddess she might be… was proving to be mortal of body. This hike was actually taxing and stressing her endurance.
If it was stressing her level of fitness… one could imagine how the rest of his friends were doing.
At the head of the pack was his mother, carrying of course his sister. To be fair mom cut a fairly strong figure and Katherine was not exactly a heavy burden. Sure her legs carried a fair amount of power but she would not be considered heavy for probably anybody in their group to carry.
Behind them Nora was beginning to struggle. She did not lack for power… and she at first displayed the least amount of difficulty in their task out of the group. Now… it was clear that her endurance was lacking compared to her strength and what started as a jaunty upbeat step was replaced by one seemingly barely able to keep going.
Yang was doing marginally better carrying Blake in her arms… though she had to switch to a shoulder style carry probably about an hour into the march.
Weiss however… despite her training and pushing herself over the last few months was still the smallest and physically weakest of the friends. Ruby also had grown… and was now a fair amount larger than her partner. Weiss had to stop, or in some cases having tripped and dropped Ruby. Only to pick her back up and press on again. Granted then with much less confidence to her step.
Her panting Jaune could hear even near his spot at the front of the line.
"Pick it up folks we are about to the point where we can switch off. That flag on the top of this hill is the halfway point for our trip." Mom broadcast over scroll chat.
"Thank dust for that…" Blake advised behind him.
The announcement brought some energy back to the team and their pace noticeably improved.
Over the span of the next few seconds however Weiss' panting became more and more distant. To the point the Knight struggled to hear it. Pyrrha seemed eager to complete her task and soon she was only a few steps from their objective only a step or two behind his mother.
"Almost to the top." Pyrrha muttered under her breath in between gasps.
"Pyrrha wait… hang on." Jaune stated quietly.
She didn't waste any breath on answering… instead she just looked up as if to ask "What the hell for?"
"Turn around please." He requested gently resting a hand on her shoulder.
Pyrrha despite her misgivings about prolonging her burden did not hesitate as she slowly shuffled her feet around to give Jaune a view of those climbing up still. Despite her initial questioning she seemed to understand Jaune's concern, possibly the act of climbing didn't allow her to hear… or NOT hear what Jaune had noticed. Deciding to remain in her spot a bit longer Pyrrha enjoyed the opportunity to regain some of her breath while Jaune tried to formulate something he could do.
Yang soon passed them panting for breath looking as if she just swam her way up the hill. Blake carefully balancing herself to make her burden seem the least amount possible.
I should have thought of that…
Behind and slightly above him his mother advised "Mr. Arc I remind you that you are unable to use your semblance on those around you."
She of course was referencing the individual dominating the Knights attention.
The Heiress was really REALLY struggling. Ruby was even trying to voice some motivational or encouraging sentiments… but they seemed to be having minimal effect.
Speaking softly his Partner voiced "Do we go down?"
He definitely noted the term 'We'. Seems despite the fact that She was basically doing all the hard work… The Spartan still considered it a team effort.
"I don't know yet."
Nora finally struggled her way up the hill to join the rest of them looking nearly identically to Yang.
For a time the breaths of the exhausted carriers were all he could hear, however much he was lost in thought.
"Ms. Nikos just another couple steps and you can take a rest." Mom advised.
Pyrrha shook her head indicated she wasn't going to move leaving somebody behind.
"Understood Ma'am" Jaune answered for her, Pyrrha gave his arm a gentle pat in thanks.
Waiting for a few more heartbeats Blake spoke on observing her teammates below. "What if Weiss cannot make it up Professor?"
Mom had evidently walked away from the edge as her voice was much quieter than previously "Then she will need to rest until she is able to do it. The terms of this was set forth out for a reason Ms. Belladona. Weiss must carry Ruby on her own power."
"What do we do Jaune?" Pyrrha asked with as much voice she could.
"Still not sure."
"Come on Weiss you don't have much more to go!" Blake shouted.
Huh there's an idea.
"Just a bit more Weiss keep going!" Yang shouted.
The remainder of RWBY joined with half of JNPR would continue to shout encouragement… yet the effect was minimal.
"They are going about this the wrong way." Jaune worded to himself.
Still breathing hard Pyrrha asked "Huh?"
Deciding on his course of action Jaune advised "Go ahead and get us up top… I have an idea."
Not questioning him she once again shuffled around, and made the few high steps up to the plateau with the rest of the group… sans Weiss at the midpoint.
"C'mon Partner you are so close!" Ruby boasted encouragingly.
Jaune looked back after Pyrrha set him down to find that once again Weiss and lost her balance to drop Ruby on the ground.
"Remain where you are Ms. Rose. Your Partner has to carry you up here." Mom sternly confirmed.
"That seems like a harsh rule Ma'am." Blake stated with a sharp look towards the Professor.
Mom took it in stride "Being a Huntress is a harsh calling Ms. Belladona. It is my job to prepare you for that realization."
"But-" Blake continued.
"I will explain why I'm doing what I'm doing when the time comes, for now I suggest you prepare for your turn to carry your Partner." Deb advised dwarfing that hard glare from Blake with one of her own.
Blake was the first to look away and begin stretching herself out.
"Professor, I understand no assistance physically or aura based is allowed, yes?" Jaune asked.
Mom nodded "Correct."
"Meaning I am able to use my voice?" He queried again.
Mom nodded in response.
"Alright." He said and switched his scroll to comlink mode dialing Ruby.
Shouting at Weiss is never going to work. Sure she might get embarrassed or feel ashamed, but that won't get her back on her feet. No… that is not what will work in motivating her… at least unless I miss my guess.
Ruby answered the call sounding somber "Hey Jaune… how's the view up top."
"Not as good as you might think… how's she holding up?" He asked.
Ruby turned her head away and spoke very quietly "She's dead on her feat Jaune… it's all she can do to catch her breath right now."
From her tone it was obvious she didn't want Weiss to hear her… but it was also equally obvious that she didn't believe Weiss had anything left in her battery.
Jaune contemplated the merits of his idea for another couple heartbeats… then made his request.
"Hold the scroll to her ear please."
Even from his position at the top Jaune could still make out the questioning glance The Reaper gave him… but she did not question the request.
"Hey Weiss… its Jaune." Ruby advised.
Weiss was breathing too hard to speak, her frantic gasping was in fact all he could hear.
"Weiss… you can hear me right?" He asked.
The Heiress gave an exhausted nod.
"Listen, You are going about this the wrong way Weiss. Do you remember that feeling you had when you successfully summoned that Knight last year?"
Weiss nodded again still utterly breathless.
"You did it to protect Ruby from a possible threat." He stated just to really hit the point home.
This time Weiss did not answer in any manner.
"Weiss, you need to tap into that right now. Imagine Ruby was wounded or something. Maybe she needs medical help. You need to get her out of there Weiss, you need to get her up here. There is no shame in relying on emotion to give you strength when you need it."
Jaune stopped speaking hoping he lit the fire he wanted too.
Speaking through deep gasps of breath Weiss voiced "Not… from within… from each… other? Right?"
Jaune had to take a moment to recall the quote of himself from the previous year 'It is not from within we draw our power as Arcs… it is from each other.'
"Yes, that is right." He confirmed glad she seemed to understand his point.
Weiss slowly pushed herself up using her arms… and gave an unholy focused glare towards her Partner.
The call was still live… and despite Jaune not really trying to listen in… couldn't help but overheard the brief talk between the two below:
"Weiss hang on take a minute to catch your brea-"
"QUIET!" she snapped.
The group unknown to the Knight had taken to listening in… and they all were surprised at where that breath came from.
"I AM getting you OUT of here Ruby now stop moving so much!"
It was with a series of determined grunts and groans Weiss once again hefted her Partner… and resumed her path towards the top.
At seeing their teammate start moving again Blake and Yang continued their shouts of encouragement.
Jaune decided to give them some room and moved away from the ledge moving towards Pyrrha sitting down on the ground. He sat down next to her and placed a hand on her shoulder. Pyrrha did not speak… but rather reached up and gave a firm grip on his hand.
Jaune was keen to just let her get her breath back such that he didn't hear his mom walk up behind him.
"Well done Mr. Arc, nice choice of words." She grinned at him.
He smiled back noting Weiss had finally reached the top and collapsed into her teams waiting arms.
Getting back into her typical Professor body language Deb broadcast "Well done everybody. We will be switching soon and we still have a fair bit to go. Those of you being carried previously can take a few minutes to stretch out and get ready to march. Get some water in you and get ready for another long walk."
While the group seemed prepare to switch rolls Jaune began to do some light stretching. Just like normal Pyrrha recovered the quickest of the bunch and soon turned around to face her Partner.
"Well… that was a good workout, though I probably won't be putting that in our normal regime." She stated slyly.
"Would take too long to complete right?" He joked.
Pyrrha smiled as she asked "How did you know what to say to Weiss?"
Before he could answer, Katherine took a place next to the redhead and advised "Because… he sees a complete picture when he looks at people."
Though her grin advised a partially sarcastic side to her statement.
"Pretty much." He admitted with a smile.
A few minutes later… and it was time to switch off. Though thankfully water and stretching was enough to help as they were very much needed for all people involved.
*** Many Many times Many many Many steps later ***
Thankfully the situation with Weiss was the only real possibly game changing scenario the group encountered in their long march into the forest.
Blake probably had the most difficult task carrying the larger and heavier Yang, it wasn't however to the degree that Weiss had in terms of differential with Ruby.
That isn't to say it was easy… far from it. The lack of an established path down the rocky hill onward was nearly as challenging as getting up it in the first place. Using only rough landmarks as their guides they could only proceed forwards.
Mom from her spot on top Katherine gave occasional pointers for where to move, but in the end they came upon a somewhat homey but very basic on appearance cabin. Huge logs were placed in on all sides and locked into place allowing a rather awesome but rather limited getaway local. How it was made, or how old it is were answers nobody could say for sure and nobody asked the questions besides. All anybody knew was it looked comfortable… seemed to have running water, and could be a 5 star inn for however much anybody cared.
Jaune and Katherine reached the door first, and were able to let their burdens towards the ground first.
Jaune allowed himself to hunch over resting his hands on his knees to catch his breath.
"You all should be proud, you have prepared well for your Future." Mom said in praise waiting for the line of people visible behind them to catch up.
The twins were too busy trying to catch their breath to respond, as such Pyrrha responded while giving Jaune a comforting pat on his back "They… we do work hard."
Mom smiled "Just remember… keep going and keep pushing. Never get used to normal."
She grew more serious once again before broadcasting. "Just a few more steps folks, then we can relax."
It was only a few more minutes before everybody else had joined them near the door.
"No doubt you all have questions as to why we did this or what the point was. Before I get into it I suggest we all head inside and clean up. You will find robes and clothes for the night inside. I will get something going for dinner. Remember, be an adult, space is at a premium with this cabin so keep it civil."
With that, in no particular order they opened the door and went inside.
Greeting them was a rather homey scene. A large fur rug was in the center of the main living room with room for a fire in the center. A cooking station over the fire was Mom's destination as she went to get the fire going and start a meal.
The place had a rather basic bathroom setup designated men, and women. No private shower stalls were found instead group showering en masse seemed in order. Such was their exhaustion neither male cared and instead focused on getting in and out as quickly as possible.
"This has been a long day." Ren stated as he threw on a robe from the nearby closet.
"I hope the cleaner can handle everything we threw at it." Jaune agreed commenting naturally on the same technology for cleaning found at Beacon itself.
"I guess most teams are more evenly balanced in men to women. I can imagine how crowded the girls room is."
The two men had no more exited the room when they encountered Yang and Nora.
"Bout time you two got outa there. Our shower is too crowded so we are going to use yours, kay?" They advised.
Neither gave time for any arguments or discussion as they pushed past the two males.
Sharing a look they shrugged "Guess that's fair." Jaune advised not ultimately concerned either way.
They shuffled their way to the living room to find a spot in the open fire.
"Jaune would you look over the meal while I get cleaned up please?"
He turned towards the voice as he spoke "Sure mom."
Standing up again brought out an obvious complaint from his legs… but that would pass in time.
"What do we have Jaune?" Ren asked.
Opening the cook top Jaune answered "Looks like mostly meats. Hotdogs and brats, that sort of thing. Should be good once they are done. Glad she had the foresight to bring buns too."
It was probably 20 minutes later when everybody had finished their showers to find a spot in the living room. Once everybody had some food to feast on Mom decided to conclude her lecture.
"Now that everybody has had something to eat hopefully we can finish the lesson." She smiled looking around the room.
Looking at each student in turn she asked "Can anybody tell me why we just hiked here?"
Jaune had long pondered that answer, and while he had guesses… he did not know for sure.
Evidently nobody had a definitive suggestion as no answer was given.
"How about why I prohibited anybody from using their aura to reinforce their body?" Mom tried again.
That Jaune had a solid guess for "Because it wouldn't be fair, some of us have more Aura than others."
Mom nodded at him "Any other guesses?"
"You wanted to see how well conditioned we are physically?" Yang guessed having experienced some of Ms. Arc's style of instruction previously.
Mom looked around the room again waiting for another suggestion.
"Anything else?"
It was obvious she was trying to get to something specifically… something nobody was leaning towards.
"Why don't you tell us Ma'am?" Weiss requested.
Mom smiled again.
"Being a Hunter is not an easy job. It might have its perks, but it is about as demanding a job which exists. How far do you think we hiked today?" She asked.
When nobody answered her she continued.
"When you are on assignments, either given through an institution like Beacon, or something which you find for yourself. There is naturally going to be an aspect of traveling included with that assignment."
"But Ma'am, that is why we have Bullheads. They take us to the trouble spot." Weiss put forth.
Mom shook her head.
"They might take you to a town Ms. Schnee, but surely you understand how many villages have been abandoned or lost over time."
Weiss frowned.
"What we did today is what, on the average, a Huntsman must travel to complete an assignment after they have taken transportation as far as it will go. You are considering obtaining the assignment, landing at the location given, and seeking out the Grimm causing problems. In some instances it will be even longer, in others a shorter distance. But you can expect it to be a sizable distance on the average."
She let that sink in for several heartbeats when another question was asked.
"So why limit our ability to use aura if you weren't concerned about some people have more than the rest of us?" Ren asked.
Mom smiled again briefly.
"Mr. Lie, I try to instruct as to prepare my students for the worst case scenario. Can you think of no instances when you would not have access to your aura?"
Suddenly Jaune got it.
"If the mission went poorly, your partner was wounded and you had no aura left over?"
"Or, you had to save yours… whatever you had left for when you would have to fight again… yes." Mom finished for him.
The friends shared a slightly concerned glance with each other as the weight of those words sunk in.
Mom stood to get another serving before sitting down to speak again.
"That is why I start my year with this lesson. Many of you are talented fighters, many of you are blessed physically. But being a Hunter is more than learning to fight or track competently. The halfway point today was just that. On the average half of what you can expect an assignment to require. Granted sure in some cases paths will be available and they won't be on uneven terrain. But others can be just as hostile and may even be worse."
She paused and was pleased at having captured the attention of the room.
"There is a reason I preach discipline and hard work. I have always lauded those principles over others and I will continue to do so for as long as I am a Professor. I hope to open your eyes to the difficulties of this job now, so you all can better prepare for it. As you can tell some of you are better prepared than others, but all of you have room to grow. Do not be happy with getting done on time, do not be happy with doing the minimum needed to accomplish your goal. Because in some cases doing the minimum will not be enough. That is what I will be doing to the best of my ability with you all in this class. I hope to teach you to push yourself forwards more and more. That is my biggest goal with you all."
The twins shared a smile…
Tough… but fair.
Mom let that speech fade before checking her scroll.
"Ok, you all can relax for a bit if you wish but I would suggest turning in early. Tomorrow we have our march back. Your clothing should be ready to go by the time we need to set out."
"Where do we sleep Ma'am? I don't see any beds?" Weiss asked clearly letting the lesson sink in.
Mom made a hand motion towards a closet on the side.
"You can find blankets, pillows and sleeping rolls in there. The fire should stay going throughout the night. I will however be claiming the bed on the second floor." At that she smiled mischievously and walked the steps to the upper level.
The group seemed rooted to their spots for several heartbeats before Yang complained "My legs felt like they would fall off… I don't see how she can say we are gona be marching back tomorrow."
"I guess you better get to bed early, get plenty to drink and let your aura heal you up eh?" Ruby claimed wisely. A glance upstarts to Ms. Arc let on that she was trying to take these lessons to heart.
Exhaustion seemed to speak more than anybodies desire and following that simple exchange they seemed to spread out finding a spot to rest after all the brats and hotdogs were gone.
Unsurprising to Jaune, his Partner found herself nearby seeking a way to keep warm if not a pillow of a manner of speaking. Sharing each other's smile, the Partners settled in for the night.
A/N
Ok firstly put away your torches and pitchforks. I am suffering writers block on the Kate X Ren bonus chapter but I still tinker with it time to time. I have not forgotten about it so those of you who desire it please be patient until I can complete it. I am not a professional anything much less a smut writer but I DO try to make things as good as I can. Turns out that's proving very difficult in that setting.
Thank you for your continued support. Please like/fav/follow/review/comment yada yada your feedback to me. I will always talk about my story or other subjects besides.
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Thank you for reading, and I will see you next time.