What If: RWBY Edition
"Chapter 01: What if Jaune Arc died during initiation?"
...
"For years you have trained to become warriors, and today your abilities will evaluated in the emerald forest..." headmaster Ozpin began. He was giving his usual speech to his potential students as they waited and listened to he and his deputy Glynda explained what was about to happened.
"Many of you have heard about the assignment of teams. Well allow us to put an end to your confusion. Each of you will be given teammates, today." Glynda said firmly. This got a few surprised looks and groans for the aspiring huntsmen and huntresses to be.
One of these shocked initiates was a blonde boy by the name of Jaune Arc. For years he'd dreamed of becoming a great hero like his grandfather and left his home and seven sisters behind to follow his dream. A dream tainted by his means of entering Beacon Academy.
The young man had stolen fake transcripts and lied his way into the academy. He wasn't ready. He hadn't the knowledge nor the training to survive the trials that lie ahead. But rather than come clean about what he'd done, he maintained his façade.
He didn't know what the initiation entailed, but what he did know was that he was standing on a cliff with the rest of his peers while the headmaster and deputy provided information.
"These teammates will be with you for the rest of your time here at Beacon..." Ozpin continued unfazed by the warry looks in front of him. He'd seen them before and he was certain he'd see them again. "So it is in your best interest to partner with someone whom you can work well with."
Juane could hear his first friend Ruby's... grunts? Whimpers? Groans... of displeasure? He wasn't really sure what those sound effects were, but he knew they weren't anything good.
"That being said, the first person you make eye contact with after landing will be your partner for the next four years."
"What?!" Ruby finally shouted in despair. Jaune knew that tone of voice anywhere. He'd been there more than a few times. He could also hear some of the other conversations going on around him. Whoever he locked eyes with first would be his partner for the next four years? A scowling snow-haired girl came to mind.
Ozpin resumed his explanation. "After you've partnered up make your way to the northern end of the forest. You will of course run into opposition along the way, so I implore you to not hesitate and destroy anything in your path... or you will die."
Jaune gulped nervously while some of the potential students smiled ferally. For the first time since entering this academy the blonde boy felt fearful and unsure.
"You will be monitored and graded for the remainder of your initiation, but our instructors will not intervene. You will find an abandoned temple at the end of the path containing several relics. Each pair must choose one and return to the the top of the cliff. You will guard that item as well as your standing and we'll grade you appropriately. Are there any questions?"
Jaun had a question. He had a couple of questions actually. As he raised his hand to voice them, "Uh... sir?"
"Good." he was promptly ignored. "Now take your positions."
Everyone took a step back on the stone platforms behind them and mentally prepared themselves for the challenge that lay just below them. They all looked ready for battle why Jaune nervously held his hand in the hoping to having his questions answered. As he did he saw the snow-haired girl he'd been crushing on launched into the forest by her stone platform.
"So this whole landing strategy thing... what is it? A-Are you dropping us off or something?" Jaune asked. It was a dumb question, he knew it was. The people beside him were literally being launched into the air like human projectiles.
"No..." Ozpin finally answered. "You will be falling."
As he said this another student was catapulted.
"Oh! I see. Do you hand out parachutes for us?" another dumb question. The poor boy just didn't want to face the harsh reality in front of him.
Another student was sent flying. She actually cheered when she was launched.
"No... you will be using your own landing strategy." Ozpin again answered.
"Uh huh... yeah." Jaune said nervously as more students were stent flying through the air. Eventually even Ruby launched towards the forest leaving him all alone and frazzled. "Uh... what exactly is a landing strategyyy!"
That was all he could get out before it was his time to fly. The headmaster and deputy watched the future defenders of the world fly off into the distance. Ozpin would never say it aloud, but he loved this part of the job.
While Jaune continued to flail and scream the others had already begun to execute their landing strategies. Student after students landed safely on the ground with both style and finesse. One of these students was a girl by the name of Pyrrha Nikos... the mistral tournament champion.
Like many of her peers the fiery redhead executed her landing strategy to perfection and landed gracefully in the branches of a tall tree. She used her weapons gun mode to scope out the area and found the flailing blonde screaming for dear life as he continued to rocket into the forest.
He was some she actually had her eyes on since she first met him in the locker rooms. He was nice enough and more importantly ignorant to her fame outside her kingdom. He'd make the perfect partner for her. She twirled her weapon as it shifted into hit's spear mode and carefully took aim. She'd speared him one before to a locker so it'd be a snap to nail him to a tree until she could retrieve him.
In another place at another time she might've nailed the shot. She might've saved the poor boy and formed a partnership and friendship that she'd cherish, but this time however, events play out differently. She hurled her spear at the boy just like before as he disappears from sight just past the treetops and smiled contently when she heard the sound of her spear sink into a tree.
"I'm sorry!" she called out. Little did she know how sorry she'd really be when she inevitably found him.
Jaune Arc, huntsmen in training found himself nailed to a tree. Or to be more precise, speared to a tree. Red liquid fell from his lips as his eyes went wide as saucers. He couldn't screamed, how could he when a gold and red spear was embedded in his chest. Instinctively he gripped the weapon as more of his life essence drained from his body, but alas he didn't have the strength to do so.
His strength was failing him and his vision was starting to dim. Was he really about to die? The answer was a cold, hard yes. Guilt suddenly weighed on his soul as he thought about his family back home. His mom, dad, and seven sisters never wanted him to be a hunter as they feared for his safety, and it turns out they were right to be fearful.
He wouldn't die a heroes death on the battlefield like a true warrior. He'd die in training nailed to a tree by a spear rather than being torn apart by the Grimm. If he'd known this was how things would've turned out, he would've stayed home and done anything else. This wasn't what he wanted at all... not... at... all.
And just like that he was gone. His arms fell limp and his lost all light. The boy known as Jaune Arc... was no more.
As the poor boy remained there dead, the girl known as Ruby Rose was zooming through the forest. "YANG?! YANG?!" she called out. This was bad, really, really, bad. What if she couldn't find her and team up? What were her other options. There was Jaune. He was nice and funny, but she didn't think he'd be much help in a fight.
Who else had she met? Blake? She was so mysterious and calm, plus she liked books just like her. But then again she was a quiet girl and she didn't think she'd be able to hold a conversation with her. Crap! Who else did she know at this school? Yang, Juane, Blake, and...
She finally found an empty clearing, and came to a dead stop when she locked eyes with... Weiss. Weiss Schnee, the heiress of the Schnee dust company and the crabby girl who's bad side she'd gotten on when they'd first met after she blew them up. The two continued to stand there staring for a moment before Weiss quickly turned to walk away.
"Wait! Where are you going?" Ruby asked as Weiss disappeared into the woods. "We're supposed to be teammates." she whispered.
Weiss paid the black and red-clad girl no mind as she had no intention of partnering with someone so childish. The snow-haired girl continued to push through shrubs and roots all while grumbling under her breath. She placed her hand against a tree to steady herself and notice it felt a bit... wet?
She looked at her hand to see her near porcelain skin now painted red. "What on..." she looked at the tree she touched and the red streak running down it. Confused, she trailed her eyes up, and when she did she let out a hearty scream. "EIIIIHHHH!"
That earsplitting shrieked caused Ruby to go chasing after the crabby girl who'd just abandoned her. With her speed she caught up to her in no time at all and found her back pressed against a tree while her eyes were bulging and her jaw hung. It was the look of terror Ruby had only ever seen in storybooks. It looked so alien on Weiss's face.
"Weiss? Weiss? What happened?" Ruby asked while trying to shake the heiress out of whatever shock she was in. She didn't answer. Instead she pointed a shaky finger. Ruby followed along and when she did her entire body felt like it had been dipped in ice water.
Blonde hair, blue eyes, white armor, and red... so much red. It was Jaune, the very first friend she made at Beacon. He was in a tree... dead. A spear poking out of his chest. Tears began to well up in her eyes as she dropped to her knees. Why? Why had this happened?
"Ja... Jau... JAUNE!"
Meanwhile up above on the cliffside watching the monitors, Ozpin and Glynda both observed the scene with sad eyes. They too had seen comrades fall, but this wasn't like those times out in the field with Grimm. This was just an unfortunate accident caused by another student who was unaware of what she'd done.
"He... he didn't even have any aura." Glynda whispered. "Shall I make the call sir?"
"No Glynda... you stay here. I'll make the call."
END