Ranger (RNJR) Chapter 1
So recently I got permission from a man named Imyoshi to use his fanfics for a react. Which you may ask... All of them! I'm so excited! And among them my favourite is tied between two Cherry a very smutty and glorious Lancaster fic and a One-Shot named Pineapple people have been spamming me to try to use for my react. So in celebration of that I decided to make this alongside four other mini fics they'll be between three to five chapters each.
I'm attempting to do them in the same vein as pineapple enjoy and Happy Thanks Giving.
Concept: Inspired by Pineapple, the idea is Ruby partnered with Jaune instead of Pyrrha.
1. Besties
"Weiss Schnee, Pyrrha Nikos, Blake Belladonna and Yang Xiao-Long. From this day forth you will be team WYBP (Wisp) led by. Weiss Schnee." Ruby watched as the heiress nodded, looking every bit like she knew she was meant for the roll. Her partner however didn't look as happy about it with the only person who looked more distressed then her being that Blake girl who'd helped her yesterday. Even Yang looked a bit annoyed rolling her eyes.
Was it wrong that she was a bit happy Weiss wasn't her partner? In her defense the princess was 'super' mean, like cartoon villain mean. Which only made her happy when she looked beside her to her partner. Standing there was Weiss's opposite, her first friend Jaune! Yay! For a second there she was scared, she'd been running through the forest before she crashed into Weiss, she'd saw her and tried to stop but it was a forest, whether it was a rock or vine didn't matter. All she knew was that one minute she was running, she saw Weiss and tried to stop and next she was on her back dizzy from rolling.
Looking up a tree she saw Jaune hanging there, what's more he had some super cool weapon pinning him to it too. It was a sign! Well… actually it was Pyrrha's, she felt a bit bad about that, she stole Pyrrha's catch and left her with the queen of mean. But hey spearing a partner had to be cheating! Regardless she'd paired with Jaune and Pyrrha with Weiss and the rest was history. She was brought back from her thoughts by Jaune who tapped her shoulder.
"Next, Ruby Rose, Jaune Arc, Nora Valkyrie and Lie Ren." Brought back from her thoughts only to hear her name Ruby acted quickly grabbing her new bestie's hand and semblancing them both to the stage. Judging by the way Jaune fell to his knees covering his mouth Ruby apologized feeling her cheeks burn.
Note to self, speed semblance and motion sickness don't mix.
The audience chuckled and jeered, mostly at her partner which made her pout, Jaune was awesome after all. Sure he didn't know what aura was but that just means he was super brave right? and besides Pyrrha said he had a butt load of it after she did that whole soul thingy! Again, she felt a tap on her shoulder and when she turned she saw Jaune, Ren and Nora looking at her the ginger looking like she was about to laugh.
Finally, she heard the crowd giggling and chuckling. Oh, right she was on stage… spacing out. Infront of dozens of people. Her face burning Ozpin continued with a smile of his own.
"Well then, now that all four of you are paying attention you will be…" The headmaster paused, she could swear he was looking between her and Jaune for some reason before he finally nodded to himself, his gaze settled on her.
"Team RNJR (Ranger), led by… Ruby Rose."
What!
Beside her Jaune exhaled before smiling her way giving her a reassuring pat on the shoulder. Surely, he'd give her the reassurance she'd need. Instead he smiled like Yang.
"heh, glad I ain't you… Leader."
Traitor!
2. Cohesion
Ruby's eyes sparkled as she looked the room over, this was it! This was where she'd be living for the next four years! Where her team would be living, they'd set up all their stuff, Ren's cooking supplies and tea set, Nora's collection of Knick Knacks and sloth plushies and Jaune's awesome super retro game and comic collections and finally all her stuff too. They were really here, In Beacon! It was awesome! It was cool! It was… small. Apparently, her bestie shared her thoughts.
"Kinda… cramp isn't it." She whirled on him.
"Right!" Inspiration flashed.
"Oh! I know, 'ahem' My first order as Leader I think we should have Bunkbeds!" Jaune and Nora smiled while Ren nodded.
"It would free up space."
"Whoohoo! Bunkbeds! I call top Renny!" Jaune cupped his chin before nodding.
"I'll ask the staff for supplies." Ruby blinked.
"Supplies?" Jaune quirked a brow.
"Yeah, you know like a power drill, some screws and a few pieces of metal to lock everything in place." She was at a loss for words.
"I was sorta figuring we can just use like books and rope." Jaune's face paled, before he shook his head violently.
"No, no, no! Craterface that's nuts, besides don't worry I've had to set up bunkbeds before."
"You have?" He smiled proudly.
"Yep, cramped house with seven sisters and a lot of them were close." Again she blinked disbelief clear, Ren however seemed unphased by the news stepping beside his new teammate.
"I'll help look for a teacher, the blonde nodded before looking back to her."
"So boss lady, you okay with that?" Back from her temporary surprise Ruby nodded deciding her second order as leader.
"Yep, and from here on out I declare you second in command!" Jaune chuckled giving a mock bow.
"I Humbly accept." Ruby and Nora watched their partner's setup the second bunk from their respective beds on the first.
"How are you two so good at this?" Ren answer was curt a theme she was learning the ninja boy liked to keep with.
"Nora…" She nodded, that kinda explained everything. Like seriously she was fast and hyper like her but as strong as Yang, kinda awesome actually and her weapon was a close second to her baby. What was she talking about again? Oh right.
"And you Jaune?" Said boy shrugged
"I was raised in a frontier town called Ansel, making fences, tables, shelves and junk might as well be in my blood. Didn't help that Jade loved construction and junk." Ruby rose a brow.
"Jade?" He smiled.
"Yeah, one of my big sisters, a twin actually." Ruby gawked.
"Wait, you were serious about the seven sister's thing." Jaune nodded and in response all she could do was zip up towards her partner glomping him in her biggest hug. After all nobody understood the horror that was older siblings more than her before today and she only had Yang, Jaune had seven. The thought made her shiver. It was rather nice how fast things had been set up and sure while she was embarrassed to have boys around and might've preferred an all girls room Jaune was like the nicest guy she new. Ren, well Nora trusted him and that was enough for her.
The next day she woke to the boisterous calls of Nora as said ginger scooped her out of bed and begun to spin. Being startled Ruby did only what was to be expected of her and freaked out breaking into a mess of petals and shooting off unintentionally taking Nora with her as the two girls crashed into the wall.
Rubbing her head she looked up to find Ren standing there like a zombie before gulping down something, shuddering before going right as rain. She looked to the cup of… something? It was green and steaming, noticing her attention Ren smiled.
"Would you like me to make you one?" She was about to say yes figuring it's good to try new things if not for Nora shaking her head vehemently behind him. The door to the bathroom opened to reveal the resident blonde dressed up in their uniform minus the necktie as he dried his hair.
"How did you get up first." Jaune rose a brow.
"Seven sisters remember, you try waking up last and getting warm water." Ruby nodded remembering a similar deal with Yang. Say what you want about her being tough as stones leave her without the means to care for her hair and she'd be girlier than any other.
"So whose next?" Nora rose a hand a hundred gigawatt smile on her face.
"Renny gots long hair so he always goes last so next is me and you."
"Um, don't you mean you then me?" Nora's hand shot out taking the red reaper's as she smiled at her a glint in her eyes.
"Nope." No sooner did the Valkyrie rush her in the bathroom ignoring any plea or demand.
"Wowie fearful leader, you sure your 15?"
"Nora! Stop! And what do you mean fearful Leader!?"
"Duh, you froze on the spot whenever we're in crowds, now hurry up and move your hands and give mama a feel!"
"NOOO!" After leaving said shower room utterly red faced Ruby led her team to victory… and by victory she meant their first class. Hey but seeing as her sis's team came in running for life she figured she was doing pretty good. Weiss was mean as always blaming everyone else but if she had to guess it had something to do with each of them having hair like Ren. Things were interesting for her first day as leader, but not bad.
3. Nope
"So Craterface, what'd you want to talk about?" Ruby looked to her partner a bit nervous making little circles in the floor with her left foot. After all this leader stuff was difficult.
"Um Jaune…" Crud, how was she supposed to say it.
"Hm? What's up?"
"You suck at fighting." Jaune blinked mirroring herself, before she realized what she'd said and rose her hands.
"No, no, no. that didn't come out right! It's just, y'know Cardin keeps going like Rawr and swoosh with his mace and you keep yelping and dodging…" Jaune rubbed the back of his head.
"Yeah, I-I know… sorry." Ruby stepped forward seeing the disappointment in his eyes.
"Ruby?" He sighed.
"Imma sucky partner huh?" That made her blink.
"What?"
"Come on Rube's you don't have to sugar coat it, you're a prodigy after all, got here two years early even. Yet here I am floundering like a fish and screaming like a girl against the school bully." Ruby stepped up to him a bit of anger in her eyes.
"Did Cardin say something to you? I know he whispered something when he pinned you." Jaune looked down clenched his fist.
"Nothing that everyone doesn't already know."
"Whats that? I can tell you whatever it was he's lyin-"
"That I'm dragging you all down!" Ruby stilled at his raised voice.
"Jaune that's not tru-"
"Now you're the one whose lying…" She stopped as he looked down fist clenched.
"they rate us by team too Ruby. You have perfect scores in combat class, haven't lost a single round so is Nora, even Ren's got perfect grades… But me, I haven't won a single match, I'm tanking our dust and Grimm studies."
"That's not important! Those are just classes when it comes to missions you'l-"
"I'll get you killed!" She froze.
"You, Nora and Ren, either by drawing Grimm, getting hurt or dragging you down! After all the Grimm won't listen to Goodwitch telling them to stop! So go on, tell me I won't get you killed, that I can help against the Grimm and not just end up a burden when I can't even land a good blow on Cardin… Well." Ruby stood there silent.
"'sigh' …That's what I thought." Jaune turned making his way through the hall she wanted to follow him but couldn't not while she couldn't convince him otherwise. Her head lowered dejected.
"Hmm... Now that didn't seem to go very well." Ruby stiffened before turning to see the headmaster standing there sipping at his mug.
"Ozpin, I mean Headmaster, I um, high," He smiled to her.
"It appears there's some trouble with your partner miss Rose." Ruby looked down.
"It's not his fault… I-I should've known what to say, I'm a bad leader."
"So sure in only a month?" Ruby looked down.
"I can't even help my partner."
"Perhaps the problem isn't you, but him." Ruby looked up to Ozpin actually looking a bit mad at the man for saying that about her bestie.
"No, Jaune's just, he's being bullied by Cardin." Ozpin nodded.
"Indeed." She looked up shocked before it morphed into anger.
"You knew!" Ozpin nodded.
"Indeed, mister Winchester's antics are quite well known throughout the academy."
"And, and you just let him get away with it!?" Ozpin smiled to her.
"As do you despite that fact that any of your team beside mister Arc is more than a match for him."
"But we can't! It's against the rules, right?"
"Miss Rose, this school is to foster hunters, not doctors, politicians or scientist, fighting is expected and in some cases encouraged." Ruby blinked.
"So, then… we could've just attacked him?" Ozpin chuckled.
"It is rather odd is it not, you wouldn't believe how many students don't expect that answer."
"I could've just let Nora brake his legs." Again, the headmaster nodded.
"It would be a greater kindness then what usually happen to his lot. How many bullies were left behind on a mission by the person they tormented through their stay to the Grimm." Ruby shuddered at the thought. Finally, though she recalled how they'd spiraled into this conversation.
"Wait, no, you said Jaune deserved this!" The headmaster smiled inquisitively.
"Did I? All I believe I did was suggest that mister Arc's situation is little more then by his own choices. He chose to face CRDL Leader, to keep you and his teammates at arm length about mister Winchester's actions and even and to attended Beacon itself despite having no combat training nor experience." That last line drew the girl's attention most.
"Wait? No previous combat training. That can't be right." Ozpin looked to her his eyes completely serious.
"As leader I believe you are more then allowed to this knowledge miss rose, mister Arc indeed has no combat training, he'd not attended a combat school. He entered through false transcripts." Ruby froze looking to the headmaster.
"That, that can't be true?" Ozpin nodded.
"It is, I confirmed such myself." Ruby looked to the ground shell-shocked, Jaune was a fake, he cheated his way here. Ozpin sighed looking up to her.
"If you wish miss Rose, I can have his records expunged and him expelled." Ruby stopped at the sudden suggestion looking up and meeting Ozpin's firm gaze.
"Mister Arc's continued existence on your team presents a risk and hazard to you and your teammates, as leader you have the right to expunge him from the group Albeit under certain circumstances though I find it more than acceptable in this situation. So, your answer?" Ruby didn't even hesitate.
'Smack!'
The headmaster blinked as his cheeks burned, he looked to her then noting her angry silver pools keen on him. He'd never been on the wrong end of Summer's withering gaze but he could imagine she'd passed it on to her daughter as she hissed out her answer.
"No…" Ozpin rose a brow.
"May I inquire as to why?" Ruby spoke arms crossed as she looked unusually defiant.
"Cause Jaunes my partner, and you don't abandon your team! Uncle Qrow always said people who break the rules might be scum, but people who leave their comrades behind are worse than that…" Ozpin nodded.
"I see, perhaps I was right about choosing you to be the leader instead of mister Arc." Ruby blinked.
"Wait, you were gonna make Jaune leader?" Ozpin nodded.
"Indeed."
"But why? You just said he was a faker and I'm two years younger then anyone else here, anyone else would've been better than us like Nor- Like Ren." The headmaster chuckled.
"Miss Rose being leader is more than a mere title you carry into battle, but a burden as much as it is a honor you constantly bare. If you're not always performing at your absolute best, then what reason do you give others to follow you. Yet when push came to shove you and mister Arc separated to help the others. I still wonder which was more impressive. The boy who was auraless rushing against a deathstalker to save mister Lie even going as far as to allow miss Valkyrie to fling him over a canyon or you who went to aid and lead miss Schnee who've you've had no good report with. Even now I wonder if I chose the better leader for your team, truthfully I'd rather you'd not partnered so two teams could've benefitted instead of one but I digress."
Ruby stared wide eyed at the man who smiled a bit to smug for a headmaster as he turned.
"You've been burdened with a daunting responsibility Ruby Rose. I advise you take some time, to think about how you will uphold it, However I do hope you and mister Arc can solve your troubles soon, after all I expect much of you two." Ruby nodded quickly turning in Jaune's direction before breaking into a tornado of roses.
Jaune walked through the halls hands in his pockets and head down, he'd been a jerk, but he was right, they were better off without him. Nora and Ren were amazing and Ruby, she was a prodigy, a literal protagonist with how she got in early. And here he was putting them at risk. Teeth gritted and fist clenched.
What was he thinking, he was putting their lives on the line, if he died, it'd be… well not alright, Saph would probably raise him from his grave just to kill him herself for making her worry. He exhaled as the guilt ate away at him, they were in danger with him on there team, he was a fake, a burden and risk. If it got out he was sure they'd be ridiculed and left in a three man team, which, might leave them better off. Heck he could tell Cardin was fairly low on the totem poll here, anyone else on his team could take the bully.
If he couldn't beat even a weakling like him how was he supposed to help, finally he considered it, maybe… maybe he should confess to Ozpin, about his transcripts, and have himself expelled. His heart hammered at the thought, he'd go to jail he was sure, get blacklisted and maybe even disowned, after all even if his father loved him he was sure he was disappointed in him, maybe this would push him over the edge. Thoughts of his team ran through his mind then, of Nora, of Ren and Ruby.
They worked hard to get here, Nora and Ren having nothing before this and still making it to be hunters. Ruby had skipped two grades… they deserved to be the best, they would be the best, if he wasn't around. He promised himself when they got a team he'd do his best to protect them, forget that he was weakling. Maybe it was time he followed through with that oath. Turning to make his way to Ozpin's office he was greeted by a tornado of roses that crashed into him sending him flying into the floor.
Opening his eyes he met Ruby's gaze, her eyes fixed on him in a mix of determination and contemplation as she seemed to try to think what to say.
"Uh, Rubes, you mind getting off?" She blinked before realizing their position and leaped off him and rubbing the back of her head.
"Ehheheh, sorry."
"It's, its fine." Both stood there for several seconds before he breathed deciding enough was enough.
"Hey Ruby?" She looked to him seeing the guilt in his eyes.
""I, I think coming to this school was a bad idea, being made a part of your team, was a bad idea. I've, I've got something to tell yo-"
"Nope." Jaunes looked up meeting his partner's gaze as she looked at him.
"Ruby, you don't know what your talking I'm a-"
"Nope." He groaned.
"Craterface, stop cutting me off, trust me this is important and once you hear it you'll know exactly why I have t-"
"Nope! And its Ruby! Not Craterface Vomitboy…" Finally anger took fueled by shame.
"Ruby listen, I'm no good for the team, or being your partner! I'm a failure a fake!"
"NOPE!" This time she practically screamed the words.
"Just cause you used fake transcripts doesn't make you a failure!" Jaune froze.
"You knew?" She nodded before smiling.
"Yep."
"And even knowing that you, you still want me on the team?" Again, she nodded.
"Yep."
"That's not your decision." She pouted.
"Nah uh." Fist on her hips and eyes narrowed she looked every bit as adorable as a kitten.
"You my friend, the only friend I made here, Nora and Ren are forced to be with me but you helped me when I messed up."
"Anyone could've done that." Ruby nodded.
"Yep, anyone could've, my sister could've not disappeared, Blake could've not left me there and Weiss, well Weiss could've been less Weissy. Only you stayed though, helped me up and made friends with me." Jaunes shrugged.
"That doesn't mean I'd be any good as a teammate."
"Sure it does, dad always said it's not about what you have to do, but what you choose to do that matters. And you helped me out, and don't let my age bother you, and you help me with math and junk because I skipped two grades and even study that leader junk with me to help." Jaune looked away blushing, not use to praise.
"Plus you can get better, everyone sucks at first, I was complete garbage before my uncle taught me how to fight. And now, I'm all like— Hooowaaah! Witchaaaa!" Jaune watched as his partner and leader proceeded to make karate poses adding in her own sound effects. Seeming to realize the state she was in Ruby righted herself chuckling cheeks pink.
"Well yeah, we all suck at some point, but… we're partners, friends; right?" Jaune looked to her pleading gaze and smiled softly still feeling guilty but not as much as before.
"Yeah, are you sure though, you really want me in your team still, I'll drag you guys down y'know." Ruby shrugged before smiling.
"Yep, but only until we make you able to kick butt, you have a ton of aura after all." He smiled as he followed his leader. Maybe, maybe she was right,
-Several Hours Later-
"Okay let's begin operation clipping the Cardinal!"
"YES LET'S BRAKE ALL THE LEGS!"
Yeah the way I see it Ruby and Jaune would get over their conflict rather early ultimately they're would be the most smooth sailing of it to me.
