Gonna be honest here, this entire first chapter was written at like 2 in the morning with just an explosive surge of creativity with no real idea how it was going to go.

To make it even worse I wrote the entire first chapter on my phone with no grammar checking or anything and saw the first couple of reviews. It was humbling in a good way and I'm thankful I read them cause they all were really good for helping me realize that people are curious about this story. Yes, it feels like so many others but it will be my fingers to write it and drive it forward. So, I figured if I was going to do this then I need to do it right and pulled out everything I could to make sure I give something of quality.

So this is my official true first chapter done right.

Normal Description

Thoughts and mental speech

"Character speech"

Chapter 1: Striking the Cords. (2.0)

To say life had given Jaune Arc an unfair hand was an understatement in the grand scheme of it all. Not only had he somehow gotten lucky enough to get into a huntsman's academy but he somehow was able to become the leader of his own team. If it wasn't for the guilt he had for lying on his transcripts then he felt as though he would be pretty set and yet that guilt followed him every single day in every single class. He had tried to justify the events that led him to this point in his life and yet for every small hill he might have climbed in progress over this ordeal it was set back when he would see just how much more effort others were putting in.

Even now as he entered his second year at Beacon he was feeling the weight of his actions digging into him more and more. Pyrrha was a large help for much of his time and he felt as though the more they trained the closer he got to his dream of becoming a huntsman to help those around him. Ren's teachings on Aura and proper control were a large help as well. Nora's...well normal state of behavior gave him a feeling of knowing the unexpected and even team RWBY even pitched in with their own form of help when he needed it. Slowly this weak and scrawny kid was becoming more and more like a true leader and yet deep down he felt the frustration bleeding into his mind. Here he was the leader of a team for one of the most highly regarded schools in Vale and his own team was having to catch him up on things they all learned of their own accords. He had to do better and he knew this but he would not let his stress spill into his relationships.

Thankfully, he had begun a rather cathartic method of releasing stress.

"Oh jeez, Pyr...I can't breathe", the blonde knight exclaimed as he was currently hunched over after his red-headed partner had been taken by surprise by one of his attacks in response threw her shield at him and nailing him right in the stomach earning a loud grunt as he soon toppled over and drove his sword into the stone flooring of the roof as he coughed.

" I'm sorry!", she exclaimed as she rested her hand on his back trying to make him feel better after such a hit as he leaned into her hand a bit. 'I should this as a good sign that she isn't holding back in these sparring matches...yeah...totally a good sign', he mentally told himself as soon a bottle of water was held to his face as he thankfully took it and drained the bottle. Pyrrha watched as her leader, and crush greedily drank down the water she had offered. She checked her scroll for the time and noticed how much longer the training had lasted as she remembered getting to an hour was a challenge to now them having burned through almost three now.

She was proud of him truly and felt as though he was coming closer to his dreams in all of this. At the same, it was getting harder not to notice the results of all this training. Once baggy clothes were starting to get tighter on his frame, scared or nervous eyes were now sharpened when in combat. She could see that look in his eyes when he was planning his next move; deep down, it was hard not to stare at him simply. Such things were what led to his pain at the moment as she had been daydreaming and hit him out of instinct.

"Pyr...Pyrrha...hello?", Jaune stated as he watched his friend sit there with a glazed look on her face with a hand held to her cheek. He sighed rubbing his head as he figured he had bored her into a stupor as he shook his head.

He knew he was rather bland but he didn't think he was that bad as he finished off the water and set it down before taking his sword out as he slid it into his sheathe. The resulting sound made her come out of her daze as she watched him. "Oh...I'm sorry Jaune I was so lost in thought um...I assume it is rather late now to continue", she said as she shifted her weapons back to normal as Jaune gave a small wave. "It's alright Pyr we got a lot done this time hopefully I will be closer to at least a novice soon", he said as he stood up and helped her up as she smiled at him feeling his grip on her for the moment. "Jaune...we talked about this you are learning and getting stronger there is no novice or master here just learning and practicing. You are doing great. You know I believe in you", she said as Jaune merely nodded slowly before reaching down as he pulled his hoodie up and wiped some sweat from his face as he spoke. He knew she was right and that focusing on such terms and titles was going to keep him stuck in a bad mindset.

"I know I know it just gets frustrating sometimes", he said as his voice was muffled a bit, meanwhile Pyrrha at that moment got a rare glimpse of his body being toned from the training as she felt her brain starting to short circuit. "Y...yes well getting flustered I mean frustrated is part of the work um...I find a cold shower helpful yes...very cold...I think I'll go take one see you back in the room!", she quickly stated as she gathered her things with a blush on her face before running off leaving a very confused blonde standing there. He stood there for a moment brushing off some dust as he checked his scroll and saw the time as he hummed for a moment. 'I have some time before curfew sets in...', he mentally recited as he thought about it a moment longer before grinning as he gathered his stuff and headed back in and headed for his favorite spot.

It didn't take long to navigate the halls of Beacon as he soon arrived at one of the empty classrooms. Some of these rooms were yet to be opened up for use and thanks to some keen searching Jaune found one that wasn't locked up yet. He hastily was able to create a lock for the door with the use of his scroll and a lot of dumb luck. Who knew tapping enough times would mess up the locking system. Regardless, he was far enough away from the main teaching areas that being loud here was easy and safe. It was here Jaune kept a few things like his study notes and a few extra snacks and such. It was an empty classroom so he figured it could work for a quiet space away from it all. This is also where he stashed his old guitar. After failed attempts of wooing Weiss, he felt like it would be better spent here instead of as a reminder of his foolishness. Even though they were on better terms now that did not make him feel any better about being turned down so much.

Once he was inside however he grabbed another bottle of water from his snack bag and he downed it immediately. He was feeling a little better after the training match but now that he was alone he felt his mind dwelling on pushed-back thoughts. Reminders of how he got here were creeping in as he crushed the bottle in his hand and dropped it into his bag as he stripped off his armor and set it down on a stray desk. He rubbed his neck slowly feeling as though he was weighed enough for the day and he looked at his old guitar. He grabbed it and hefted it up as he sat down in a chair he assumed was meant for a teacher. His feet onto the desk as he sat back and ran his fingers over the cords. He let out a sigh feeling the cords as he remembered how much he use to love playing this instrument. He had let it fall to the side in favor of training but he never let it leave him fully as he figured it wouldn't hurt to see if he still had it. He flexed his fingers for the moment feeling the muscles get ready. Despite having just swung around a sword for hours the feeling was altogether different now that his fingers were having to remember movements from long ago.

At first, he missed some cords as the muscles had to be reminded how to operate he tuned a bit before he strummed again hearing the proper tune as he smiled a little as his head tilted back and hit the cushioned leather of the desk chair. A tune slithered into the air as he began to play. He thought about all the things that were on his mind as he tried to process them. Trying to figure out ways to conquer these hurdles and what he could do to make sure he didn't fail. He thought about how he had to look at himself every day and live with the lies and guilt that got him to this dream he wanted so badly. He remembered the first time he killed a Grimm and how even for a moment as it was fading away into nothing its 'blood' hugged his sword before fading into the wind. All these things bubbled into his mind as he tilted his head forward for a moment. His blond locks swayed a bit as he felt his lips tugging to move.

Without realizing his voice soon joined in as he began to sing along.

Song to play: I'll be Good by "Jaymes Young"

''I thought I saw the devil this morning
Looking in the mirror, a drop of rum on my tongue
With the warning to help me see myself clearer''

''I never meant to start a fire
I never meant to make you bleed
I'll be a better man today''

Jaune stopped for just a moment feeling the weight of what just left his lips, and before he knew it more words followed.

''I'll be good, I'll be good
And I'll love the world like I should
Yeah, I'll be good, I'll be good
For all of the times that I never could''

''My past has tasted bitter for years now
So I wield an iron fist
Grace is just weakness
Or so I've been told
I've been cold, I've been merciless''

''But the blood on my hands scares me to death
Maybe I'm waking up today''

''I'll be good, I'll be good
And I'll love the world like I should (oh-oh-oh)
I'll be good, I'll be good
(I'll be good, I'll be good)''

''For all of the light that I shut out
For all of the innocent things that I doubt
For all of the bruises I've caused in the tears
For all of the things that I've done
All these years, no, yeah''
For all the sparks that I stomped out
For all of the perfect things that I doubt

His throat burned as he felt his stress and emotions filling each verse and word, his fingertips plucking the strings more vibrantly now.

''I'll be good, I'll be good
And I'll love the world like I should
Yeah, I'll be good, I'll be good
For all of the times, I never could''

''Oh, oh-oh
Oh, oh
Oh, oh-oh
For all of the times, I never could''

Jaune's voice filled the air with lyrics as he sang from his heart. Words that felt right and real as he seemed to bare his soul and once he felt he reached the end merely bowed his head as he let out a breath again. 'Not bad Arc...still got it, he mentally told himself as he set the guitar on the desk and got up stretching as the soft glow of the broken moon bled into the room obscuring him as it had while he played only really showing a silhouette.

For team CFVY being a later-year team meant missions that had them coming back at odd hours. This meant that dinner could be missed, halls would be empty, and for many this time of night meant to sleep.

Coco walked along slightly stumbling as she felt ache and pains in her feet from their last mission. She stretched a bit feeling a pop in her back as her other teammates followed along very much mimicking her same condition. Velvet's ears drooped as she looked as though she had been awake for two days straight and a small yawn escaped her lips as she looked like the spitting image of a sleepwalker at the moment. Fox for all his silence was speaking volumes in how he ran his hand along the wall to steady himself and use it as somewhat of a guide as his ears didn't fully hone in on his teammates. Even Yatsu for his towering frame and strength moved like a bull that had been worked nonstop.

Needless to say, team CFVY was exhausted and only had their beds on their minds. For Fox though even so tired his keen sense of hearing honed in on something that was odd for this time of night. A voice and cords of an instrument seemed to create a strange feeling as the blind huntsman lifted his head up feeling somewhat recharged at this strange sound. He had just spent hours on a mission deep in Grimm-infested territory and he should be feeling far worse if not for his aura healing his aching muscles and yet as he listened more and more he felt like the aching and fatigue were going away more and more as he sped up a bit. The wall was no longer being used as his teammates watched him move and turn around corners soon following as they got closer and began to hear this strange music as well. Soon they arrived at a classroom which from all accounts for the rest of them in this hall should be empty and yet as they peered inside they could see someone inside as the source of this rejuvenating music.

Meanwhile, outside of the room, four sets of eyes were watching from the darkness with one hitting stop on their scroll as they pulled back and ran off to their dorm. With a set of bunny ears on one head and a beret on the other followed by two others, it was clear team CFVY had just witnessed something they might not have after coming back from a late mission, needless to say, miss Coco Adelle was more than happy to post this little video of hers to the school's student message board. What would come from this could only spell trouble for our blonde musician as he was none the wiser to the audience he had as he soon headed to his dorm.

The show must go on.

It wasn't until the following morning that Jaune was awoken by his alarm he shut it off and slowly sat up rubbing his eyes in his sleeping shirt and shorts having ditched the onesie finally as he got up and headed to the bathroom as he quickly took a shower and began to brush his teeth as he idly looked through his scroll as he soon saw a quick notification speaking about music on campus. He raised an eyebrow as he tapped it as it took him to the student message board as it showed a video to play. He felt nervous for some reason as his thumb tapped the play button.

It was at this moment most of Beacon was awoken by a very loud yell as most of the hall shot out of bed as one Jaune Arc was presented with a video showing him singing. Thankfully the room was dark and he was not seen but his shape and voice were very clear as his toothbrush tumbled into the sink before he could gain his sense as he soon fell back onto the bathroom floor with a thud staring up at the ceiling.

"Why me..."