Since this is something that shows up in reviews often enough, I'll make it clear.

Yes, Jaune is short for his age. It is established in chapter 1, then mentioned in other chapters. Part of it was to set up the whole thing with Saphron last chapter. The other part is that I like the idea of Jaune being a late bloomer.

Jaune will get his canon height in time. For now, he's short and 15.

Individual System

"You're saying that was my Semblance?"

"It is the most likely explanation."

Dr. Polendina gestured at a holographic display of IXA. He and Jaune were in his lab. There was a bar chart floating beside the display of IXA which showed Jaune's vitals and other things.

"These are your Aura levels right before being stabbed," Dr. Polendina said, jabbing his finger at one of the bars. "Slightly over 50%. More than enough to keep IXA operating at full capacity. Notice the strength of the reactor."

Dr. Polendina's finger moved up to point to the topmost bar.

"After you were foolishly stabbed because you lost control of your Aura in the middle of the fight..." A guilty look crossed Jaune's face. "This happened."

The bars changed. The topmost bar grew dramatically.

"It is curious." A hum left Dr. Polendina's lips. "The amount of Aura you had left didn't change. However, the Aura Reactor began working as if it were being fed a substantially larger amount of Aura. This forced IXA to change into Burst Mode. The reactor was receiving too much power and needed a way to burn it off, triggering the safety."

Dr. Polendina paused for a moment, allowing the information to sink in.

"Considering all other factors remained largely stable, I am forced to conclude your Aura suffered some sort of change. Indeed, from this point on, the rate at which your body consumes Aura increases by a sizable margin."

Jaune raised his hand like a student in a classroom. Dr. Polendina motioned for him to speak.

"Couldn't that be due to the reactor pumping out more power than before?"

Dr. Polendina shook his head.

"A logical conclusion yet incorrect. I took the Aura drained by the reactor into account when making my calculations. Even with that factor accounted for, the rate at which you were consuming Aura was off. Additionally, while this was happening, your Aura showed a remarkable increase in performance."

Jaune frowned. "So, is that my Semblance then? I make my Aura better?"

"In a manner of speaking. At this point, I merely have a theory, but I believe your Semblance allows you to amplify your Aura."

Jaune looked at the holographic display for a moment before shifting his gaze back to Dr. Polendina.

"Wouldn't that have made my Aura bigger?"

"No, you misunderstand what I mean by amplify. Your Semblance isn't increasing the size of your Aura. Rather, your Semblance seems to amplify the qualities of your Aura. Even though the amount of Aura you had left was the same, its effect upon your body was completely different. Speed. Strength. Durability. All of it was improved."

Jaune stared blankly.

Polendina sighed.

"Think of it this way," the scientist said, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Think of your regular Aura as tap water. Can you do that?" Jaune nodded. "Good. Now, imagine that upon activating your Semblance, your Aura changed from simple tap water to fancy water harvested from some pure spring in the middle of nowhere that rich people buy for ungodly amounts of money. It's still water. The amount is still the same, but the quality has gone up."

"Oh."

"Oh, indeed," Polendina said dryly. "However, since it is the quality rather than the amount which has been amplified, your Semblance does not create an infinite loop. Instead, the rate at which you consume your Aura is increased. You're using Aura to keep your Semblance activated while also using it for all its normal combat functions. This means you burn through your Aura much faster than usual."

"Is that why I suffered Aura Burn?"

"You could say that," Polendina replied. "Except in rare cases, a person's body is naturally attuned to their Aura. This is why Aura Burn is so rare. It happens only due to extreme overuse of Aura. However, your body was not ready for such a dramatic increase in performance, resulting in you being bedridden for a few days."

The scientist paused for a moment, then added, "Of course, this is all just conjecture. I foresee we'll need further testing to be certain, and make no mistake, there will be tests. Until further notice, your Semblance will be our main priority."

Jaune's eyebrows rose in surprise. "It will?"

"Your Semblance allowed IXA to fight in Burst Mode. I thought it would take months before such a thing was possible. Instead, the data gathered from your fight with Taurus will greatly speed up my research. You will learn to use that Semblance of yours, boy."

Jaune laughed nervously. Dr. Polendina's intense gaze was always a bit unnerving. "That's… cool, yeah. How do we do it?"

"Well, in some cases, people instinctively grasp how to use their Semblance after discovering it. I don't suppose that is the case with you?"

Jaune shrugged.

Dr. Polendina clicked his tongue. "Figures. Luckily, there's another way. Since your Semblance awakened in a high-stress situation, putting you in another one may yield some results. Specialist Schnee was most eager to volunteer for this."

xXx

"Dodge!"

Winter's sword missed Jaune's face by millimeters. The blond back stepped as Winter pressed on with a series of quick thrusts aimed at his torso. Usually, he'd have tried to parry her blows with his blade, but, well…

Winter felt it would be best for him to fight without a weapon this time.

It wasn't punishment.

It was training. Not having a weapon would make Jaune feel more pressured. Besides, IXA did not have a weapon yet, so it was better if they focused on unarmed combat for now. When looked at from that perspective, Winter was doing him a favor. Really, she should have done this from the start.

Winter's eyes narrowed as Jaune almost tripped.

"Don't lose focus! Keep a closer eye on your surroundings!"

"I'm trying!"

"Do not talk in the middle of a battle!"

Jaune dropped to the floor to dodge one of her slices. He rolled out of the way and got back to his feet, his breathing heavy.

"Are you... are you angry?"

"Why would be I angry?" Winter replied as she kept up her methodical attacks. "Because you allowed a terrorist to get inside your head and dropped your Aura during a crucial moment? A mistake that would have most certainly killed you if your Semblance hadn't activated? Do you think I am angry about that?"

Foolishness.

Winter had been worried when she had received the news, and she had been relieved upon visiting Jaune and seeing that he was in good health. That was all there was to it. She had handled the situation with the proper poise for someone of her station.

It wasn't as if, once her initial relief had faded, outrage and indignation had surged.

Winter certainly hadn't spent five hours going over the footage recorded by IXA, dissecting every second of it and writing down every single flaw Jaune had made during that fight so she could literally beat them out of him. She definitely hadn't then done her best to dissect Taurus' fighting style, so that she would be able to treat him with the same kindness he had shown her student.

Such actions would be far too emotional for a Schnee. It would be unseemingly if she were taking out her frustrations on Jaune right now.

"Can't we... can't we at least take a break?"

"No breaks. Keep fighting."

Yes, Winter was most definitely not doing that.

One hour later, Jaune was on the ground, drenched in his own seat, his chest rising and falling with every breath.

"Acceptable," Winter said, lowering the zipper of her jacket. She had chosen against wearing her Specialist uniform that day, preferring to wear her military-issued workout clothes. A pair of dark gray jogging pants and a jacket with a simple gray shirt underneath it. She shrugged off the jacket and neatly folded it.

While Winter was still holding back, Jaune had gotten good enough to make her work up a light sweat. That she had been more… enthusiastic than usual may have something to do with it.

"It is good to know you haven't dulled much from being confined to bed," Winter said while setting down her jacket and picking a bottle of water.

"Thanks," Jaune said between pants. Slowly, he rose to a sitting position. Winter threw a bottle at him, which he caught after fumbling for a while. He was tired. That much was obvious. His face was red, and he couldn't muster the energy to keep his gaze up. "But I didn't activate my Semblance."

Winter would have snorted if she didn't consider the act beneath her.

"If learning how to use your Semblance were so easy, everyone would have one."

"Shouldn't it come naturally?" Jaune asked. "I mean, it's part of my soul or something, right?"

A common misconception. Winter shook her head.

"Many people think that way, but they are wrong. Having your Aura unlocked doesn't mean you will discover your Semblance. While the public seems to think all huntsmen have a Semblance, the truth is many go their entire lives without it."

Some looked down on such people. Winter found such behavior ridiculous. In the end, a Semblance was just another tool. Not having it did not make one worthless in combat. Constant training and determination went a long way.

"Aren't there plenty of cases of people suddenly discovering their Semblances? You see that stuff on the news all the time."

Winter knew what he was talking about. It happened every now and then. A village under attack by Grimm was saved because one of the villagers discovered their Semblance and helped fight them back. The kingdoms liked to popularize that type of stories. They were uplifting, which was what the people needed to hear.

"Outliers exists. Some people will immediately unlock their Aura and Semblance without having any prior training. They don't even need to be under extreme circumstances for this to happen," Winter added much to Jaune's surprise. "My grandfather unlocked both his Aura and Semblance while trying to reach for ice cream."

Winter smiled softly. That was a story he never got tired of telling. A shame Weiss never got hear it.

"However," Winter added. "You must not mistake this for any sort of innate superiority. People who spontaneously unlock their Semblances have not been shown to possess greater potential compared to those who didn't. I can safely say it took me much training to be able to use my Semblance."

Jaune hummed in thought. "So then, why do some people discover their Semblances randomly and some don't?"

A good question, but not one with a satisfactory answer.

"Unfortunately, there is much we still don't know about Aura. For example, the Schnee Family possesses a hereditary Semblance. To this day, no one knows why that is."

The theories on that particular oddity ranged from her family having won the genetic lottery to one of her ancestors having made a deal with the devil, the latter was usually spouted by unhappy employees.

Jaune frowned in thought. "In that case, what should I do to use my Semblance again?"

Winter's lips thinned. There was unfortunately very little in the way of instruction she could give him. Weiss had been easy to tutor because they both shared the Schnee Family Semblance. Winter knew what worked and what didn't. However, there was no point of commonality between hers and Arc's Semblance.

She could try giving him the standard tips on meditation, but those wouldn't do any good. That only left a few choices.

"One method that could help you is to focus on the way you were feeling during the moment you awakened your Semblance." The way Jaune flinched was wholly expected. No one liked to remember the time they almost died.

"Failing that…" Winter drew her sword. "Stand up. We'll continue sparring until you use your Semblance again."

Jaune groaned in protest. In spite of that, he stood up.

Just as Winter knew he would.

xXx

"Saphron!"

His sister's laughter came loud and clear through his scroll.

"Oh, come on! I'm your older sister. I have to ask embarrassing questions. It's the job."

Jaune grumbled something under his breath. It was late at night. His training for the day was over, and he was back at his apartment. He had taken a quick shower before changing into his onesie. It was nice, warm, and comfortable, perfect for a good night's sleep.

"Do we really need to talk about this? Can't you just ask me about all the secret stuff I'm not supposed to tell you about instead?"

"Already did that back when you dropped that bomb on me," came Saphron's reply. "You said and I quote, 'I can't tell you about hush-hush stuff, so don't even bother asking.'"

Foiled by his own words. As usual.

Stupid hush-hush stuff.

"So yeah, I think I'll stick to my earlier question." Saphron's face grew on the screen as she leaned closer. "Come on, little brother, you can't tell me you haven't met any girls! You work at a Huntsman Academy! Lots of girls in school uniforms for you to talk to!"

"Allegedly," Jaune correctly, raising a finger. "I allegedly work at a huntsman academy."

His actual work took place about a hundred feet below it.

"Besides, even if I did, it's not like I have much time to make friends."

"I"m serious," Jaune added when he saw Saphron's dubious gaze. "I start working early in the morning. By the time I'm done, it's already evening."

During the first month or so, Jaune barely had enough energy to make his way back to his apartment after he was done with all the training and tests. Sometimes, he couldn't even muster the energy to crawl into his bed and ended up falling asleep over the covers. Not so much nowadays. He had enough stamina to last the entire day and even watch a couple of hours of TV or play a few scroll games before going to sleep.

"I'm not convinced. There has to be at least one girl there."

Technically, there was Penny, but they usually just played games over the CCTnet. Beyond that, most of the people around him were either male or too far apart in age. Even Winter was-

"Aha! You're blushing! I knew it!" Saphron's finger pointed triumphantly at the screen. "I knew it! Come on, spill!"

"It's nothing!" Jaune replied quickly. Too quickly. The sudden negative was all it took for suspicion to turn into fact in Saphron' mind.

"That blush doesn't look like nothing~!" Saphron said in a sing-song tone. Jaune glared at her, but it came out more like a pout.

Stupid Saphron. It was her fault. He wouldn't even have thought about Winter if it wasn't for her.

The images of that afternoon made Jaune's blush grow in intensity. Winter was beautiful. Jaune had known that from day one, but seeing her in those workout clothes had been something else. Her body covered by a light sheen of sweat, that shirt clinging to her upper body, perfectly displaying her curves, her white hair slowly breaking free from that tight bun.

That had just not been fair.

"It's not like…" Jaune sighed. "She's older, okay?"

"Ah, an older woman." Saphron nodded sympathetically. "Been there. Ms. Mint during my freshman year. That woman gave me a glasses fetish."

"I did not need to know that," Jaune said even as his mind unhelpfully reminded him that Terra had stopped wearing contacts shortly before she started dating his sister.

"How much older is she?"

"I don't know. Five years, maybe?" He had never asked. You never asked a woman about her age. His father had made sure he knew that much. "She's my superior officer."

Who trained him and helped him get better. Who was strong and brave, and well… cool.

Maybe he was attracted to Winter, but he wasn't about to act on it. No way. If Winter were his age, then maybe he'd muster the courage to try a pickup line on her. However, she wasn't. She was his superior officer, and that made it… daunting.

"Hm, five years is not much," Saphron said, humming thought. "Don't get me wrong. You're too young to be in a relationship with a woman in her twenties. You'll also probably make a fool of yourself trying to flirt with her"

"Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence, sis."

Sure, he had been thinking along the same lines, but she didn't have to say it!

"I'm speaking from experience here. I don't want you making my mistakes," Saphron replied, which mollified Jaune a bit. "I'm just saying that in a couple of years, five years won't seem like much."

As if Winter wouldn't have a boyfriend in five years. She probably had lots of options available to her.

"And hey, you're turning sixteen soon. That makes it better. Slightly"

"Can we talk about something else? Please?"

"Well, we can talk about your upcoming birthday," Saphron said, drawing out the words. "I take it you're not going home for it."

"I… hadn't really thought about that."

Sure, he had noticed his birthday was coming up, but with everything going on, he had been too busy to plan anything.

"Can you… can you at least consider calling mom and dad?" Saphron asked. "I know you're angry, and you have a right to be. I am just saying it would really mean a lot for them to hear from you."

Jaune shifted uncomfortably on his bed.

It wasn't as if he had meant to ignore his parents. He had been busy at first, so he kept missing their calls. Then, over time, communicating over text messages had become the norm for them. He'd hear their voice messages and write something short to them, assuring them he was fine before going to sleep.

He was going to turn sixteen in a few weeks.

Had it been that long since he heard his parents' voices?

"I'll think about it."

"That's all I ask."

The conversation shifted to lighter topics after that. Saphron mentioned the possibility of her coming to visit him. Jaune hoped she'd find the time to do so. By the time the call ended, Jaune was ready to get some sleep.

His scroll rang. Jaune thought it was Penny at first, but his eyebrows rose when he noticed the Called ID.

"What on Remnant are you wearing?" Weiss Schnee asked as soon as her face appeared on the screen.

"It's a onesie. It's nice, comfortable, and when I sleep in it, it makes me feel like I'm flying," Jaune replied without a hint of shame.

"It's atrocious."

Jaune looked at his onesie. Atrocious? Surely, not. His onesie was the coolest.

Yeah, it was totally the coolest.

"Maybe you just have bad taste."

"B-Bad taste! You…" Weiss took a deep breath. "No, I will not allow you to goad me. I did not call to join in your foolishness."

Jaune had been wondering about that. While they had exchanged numbers during the whole business in the Argonaut, Weiss didn't strike him as the type to make social calls.

"I have called to lend my assistance," Weiss said, placing a hand on her chest. She spoke in a tone she probably thought sounded magnanimous. "As someone who is far more used to the burdens of fame, I thought it fitting to offer you my guidance in these trying times."

Jaune stared blankly at her.

"Weiss, what are you talking about?"

It was Weiss' turn to stare.

"You don't know," she concluded, her voice flat. "How could you possibly not know? I understand you must have been busy recovering, but have you not watched the news even once?"

He hadn't actually. While recovering, Jaune had chosen to watch cartoons instead.

"That's not important," Jaune said, blushing. "What did I miss?"

Weiss sighed.

"Well, for starters, you have a fan club."

"I have a what?!"

xXx

A fan club. An action figure (With Kung-Fu Grip). A lunchbox. A clothing line.

Jacques certainly hadn't wasted time.

James Ironwood put a hand on his forehead as he stared at the pile of documents on his desk. The sight wasn't anything unusual. If anything, it was a sadly common state of affairs. However, the subject matter was definitely new.

IXA.

Ever since the attack on the Argonaut, IXA had been all over the news. While Ironwood understood it was natural for the press to focus on the victory over the White Fang, he also knew there was something more behind this sudden attention from the media.

Jacques Schnee.

During the negotiations for IXA to be displayed on the Argonaut, Ironwood had given certain franchise rights to the SDC, knowing that such things would quell the older man's worries about Atlas potentially making manufacturing deals with other companies.

Due to the White Fang's attack, the SDC had lost money, but Jacques Schnee had always been good at making it. IXA was the word on everyone's lips, and Jacques was making sure to capitalize on that. In a matter of weeks, the market had suddenly become full of IXA-based products.

There was even talk of an animated series.

Ironwood sighed. The ways of businessmen were forever tiring. However, that wasn't the worst of it. With IXA's popularity overflowing, there were now endless requests for IXA to appear in events. Some people wanted to hire the robot as security. Others just wanted to have a look at it. Even some of the teachers working for him had shown up at his office, asking if they could have IXA spar with the students.

It was insane, and unfortunately, Ironwood couldn't turn down all the requests. IXA becoming popular had always been part of the plan. He just hadn't counted on it happening so soon. Regardless, he couldn't let the opportunity go to waste. IXA needed to remain in the public eye.

After almost two hours of deliberation, Ironwood grabbed one of the requests and stamped his seal on it.

xXx

Merlot hummed a little tune as he went about his work. Behind him, there were several screens, each one showing a different news outlet. As usual, it seemed that IXA was all anyone could talk about. Certainly, there was a hand manipulating that focus, but it wasn't all that.

People were genuinely interested in Atlas' latest creation, the "android."

Merlot's lips quirked up. How long did Ironwood think that lie would last?

Oh well, it wasn't as if IXA's popularity would decrease if the truth were to be revealed. It would be yet another proof of the ingenuity of humanity. People tended to love such things.

A pity. Humans had a tendency to be entirely too proud of their efforts. It made them blind to the beauty of the world around them.

A low rumbling sound echoed through the room.

"Patience, my child," he said to the creature dormant behind the glass, a magnificent specimen he had been growing for quite some time now.

If the rest of the world saw it, they'd call it a monster.

That was the problem with humans, faunus as well. The world only saw nightmares, mangled and deformed. They couldn't see beyond short-term self-preservation. They feared the Grimm because the Grimm had been their enemy since time immemorial.

Not him, though.

He saw beauty. He saw promise.

The world didn't understand. It refused to do so. They did not see the possibilities. The power. The potential. No. Of course, they didn't.

It would be up to him to show them. The Grimm were part of nature, and sometimes, nature needed a guiding hand.

His hand.

"Your time will come soon."

AN:

I kept shaving stuff I didn't like from this chapter. Before I knew it, it had become pretty short.

Before anyone asks, Jaune having a crush on Winter does not mean this fic is Jaune/Winter (What's the ship name for that? Winter Knight?). It means Jaune is a teenager, and he finds Winter physically attractive on top of her having traits he finds admirable. Will that go somewhere? No idea.

Anyway, a new arc starts. This chapter was mostly dedicated to establishing some things about Semblances and letting you guys know how Jaune's Semblance is going to work in this fic. It amplifies the qualities of his Aura, but not the amount. Like making a knife really sharp instead of turning it into a sword. At least, that's what happens when he uses it on himself.

Also, IXA has a fanclub!

And some Merlot stuff. He's still a thing.

Till next time!