Pyrrha was on top of the roof above her dorm. She was replaying the conversation she had just had with her leader.
A fraud? A faker? A lier
On one level it suddenly explained a lot about Jaune. His ineptitude when it came to combat, his lack of flair, his inexperienced demeanor. His lack of Aura at initiation, among other things
But part of her really didn't want to accept it. Her partner had faked his way into Beacon. Her Partner. Her partner. The person who she was supposed to trust with her life!
Correction. A lot of her didn't want to accept it. But the proof was in the pudding. The way he put it so simply, she knew it was the truth.
"I lied! I got my hands on some fake transcripts and I lied!"
Those words played over and over in Pyrrha's head. Much like a broken record player, becoming rather annoying for the redhead.
Jaune had lied his way into Beacon. A place that taught you the final steps in the art of hunting and killing grimm. It was a place for young men and women to learn to combat the mindless evil forces of the grimm for the sake of humanity. To attend such an academy you needed to be able to fight the grimm. Those few had to be trained from a very young age by the combat schools or a trained huntsman.
Jaune could not fight the creatures of the grimm without any training.
But it's his dream to be a huntsman, pyrrha. A part of her responded. You can't just betray him like that!
It would be for his own good. If he continues down this path, he'll end up endangering himself and others. I can't let that happen. Even if he ended up hating her, it's for the best. It's for his own safety.
Pyrrha knew what she had to do.
She just didn't know if she had the strength to do it.
"God help me, Because I could use your guidance right now."
Pyrrha left the rooftops in a daze, her mind clouded in thought.
Jaune awoke the next morning feeling like he felt every day. Slightly stressed, but excited for the day. He went through his normal routine. Get up, brush his teeth, make his bed, get dressed. Not exactly in that border, but close enough.
"Good morning, fearless leader!" Nora said exuberant as she bounced out of bed. Jaune smiled as he rubbed the top of her head. "Good morning Nora." he said before greeting his partner. "Good morning to you too, Pyrrha." He greeted.
Pyrrha didn't greet him, instead looking at the floor guiltily. Huh, that's a bit odd. Maybe she's not feeling well? Jaune thought with a shrug. Pulling his armor on, he led his team to their first conquest of the day.
Breakfast!
Nora led the charge to the dining hall, rushing over to the food line. The lunch lady gave the valkyrie a toothy smile, spooning her a large bowl of Oatmeal and a stack of pancakes. A rather large stack of pancakes at that. Jaune wondered where they all went.
Jaune took his oatmeal and fruit with a kind smile and a nod. Mrs. O'Leary gave him an even larger one before slipping him a muffin.
Jaune sat down with his team, sitting across from his sister team RWBY. "Everyone, Snow angel" he greeted before sitting down. He was greeted with an annoyed huff and scathing glare from wiess, but a pretty normal greeting from everyone else. "So, what's on the docket today?" the knight asked between bites of oatmeal. Ruby opened her mouth, the speakers came alive.
"Would Mr. Jaune Arc please report to the headmaster's office?" The speakers blared for a moment before shutting off.
"Ohhhh, someone's in trouble!" Yang jeered with a smile. Jaune gave her a flat, withering look that Goodwitch would have been proud of. WIth a sigh, Jaune stood up and grabbed his muffin. "Welp, that answers that question." He said, mostly to himself.
Pyrrha looked down, not able to meet anyone's eyes. Jaune walked away, taking a bite out of his muffin.
Jaune had decided something. Ozpin's door was rather intimidating. Or rather, the elevator was.
Jaune gulped, his hand shaking as he pressed the button to call the elevator.
Did they find out about my transcript? It must be, why else would I be called? Jaune fretted to himself, pressing the button. The elevator gave a cheerful ding as the doors slid open, much contradictory to Jaunes current mood. WIth a shaky foot, Jaune stepped into the paneled lift, feeling like he was stepping towards his doom. The doors closed as the elevator chunked up to the top of the tower. One phase went through Jaune's mind as the elevator climbed.
I'm screwed,I'm screwed,I'm screwed,I'm screwed,I'm screwed,I'm screwed,I'm screwed,I'm screwed,I'm screwed,I'm screwed,I'm screwed,I'm screwed,I'm screwed,I'm screwed,I'm screwed,I'm screwed,I'm screwed,I'm screwed,I'm screwed,I'm screwed,I'm screwed,I'm screwed,I'm screwed,I'm screwed,I'm screwed,I'm screwed,I'm screwed,I'm screwed,I'm screwed, Ad infinitum.
The elevator dinged once more. Jaune gulped again, hoping to wet his dry throat. It was woefully ineffective at calming the young man. He clenched his clammy hands, and stepped forward.
This is the point of no return. Jaune thought bitterly as he took another forced step forward. He stood in front of the great wood doors, pausing. This was the end of the line. Jaune knocked.
The three taps seemed to echo throughout the hall.
"Do come in." Ozpin called out. Jaune pulled on the door, but it didn't budge.
"It's a push." ozpin called again
Jaune stopped for a moment. "Right, I knew that." The blonde pushed the door open. Ozpin sat at his desk, eyes leveled at Jaune. "Please, take a seat Mr. Arc." Ozpin said, gesturing to an open chair. Jaune sat down, fiddling nervously with his hands.
"I assume you know why you're here, Mr. Arc?" the green wizard asked.
Jaune gave him a forcibly blank look that was not very convincing. Shit shit shit shit. I can't say that I faked my transcript, just in case that they don't actually know. But what else could I have been called for? Fuck, damn it Jaune, say something!
"I think I have an inkling." Jaune managed to get out. Ozpin raised his eyebrow at his student, a smirk on his face.
"Very well then, Mr. Arc. You seem nervous." the headmaster started. "Would you like to play a game?" Ozpin brought out a checkered eight by eight chess board and a smallish box.
Jaune blinked. "Like, chess or something?"
Ozpin nodded. "Exactly." He said as he set up the chess board. "Now, Mr. Arc, white or black?"
"Black please." Jaune said, shuffling forward to get a better position of the board. Ozpin gave a brief frown, but shook it off. The board was finished and the players were ready to play.
Ozpin pushed a pawn forward. Jaune moved a knight.
"An unpredictable piece that attacks from strange angles. A fine opening move." Ozpin said, his queen moving forward. Jaune remained silent, looking at the board intensely.
His pawn marched onwards to meet Ozpins in the middle.
The white bishop moved forward. Jaune's hand rested on his queen, but he reconsidered. A second pawn moved to support the first.
"You would use the Lennin Offensive against me?" Ozpin asked, his own pawn advancing a space.
"Even the most experienced animals can get caught by the simplest of traps." Jaune replied, the second night moving forward once more.
A white knight moved to counter Jaune's own, protecting a pawn. A black bishop moved far onto the field, next to Ozpin's own, threatening the king. "A straight laced piece that can puncture and slip enemy lines, threatening from long distances." Ozpin noted. Jaune looked a little confused. What is up with him and his explanations whenever I move the pieces. He talks like they're a person or something.
Another white pawn moved forward, blocking the bishop's advancement. Jaune's bishop retreated to safety. Ozpin castled on the king's side.
"A sacrificial move to defend the king." jaune said, turning Ozpin's habit on himself.
Ozpin's face shifted to an inquisitive look laced with doubt. "You think so? I view it as a sound defensive move that develops the pawn." Ozpin said sagely.
"It tucks the king into a corner and traps it within his own pieces." jaune countered as he moved his bishop forward. It stood next to the white Queen, threatening it. The black bishop was defended by the second knight Jaune moved.
Ozpin hummed. A wonderful move by Mr. Arc, for the short term. Ozpin elected to ignore the problem for the moment. His own queen was defended by his own and a pawn. He knew Jaune would take it, it would be strange of him to not.
Jaune moved a pawn forward, further developing the right side of the board. Ozpin raised an eyebrow. "An interesting move, Mr. Arc. An interesting move indeed. I expected you to take my queen."
Jaune shrugged as Ozpin moved a knight to the right. Jaune took a pawn on his own. Ozpin countered, taking the offending pawn. "It has been a long time since I've seen someone play with your style, Mr. Arc. A rather old style." Ozpin commented.
"I played with my grandfather often." Jaune said curtly, his knight moving to threaten the white's white tile bishop. "The Grembol maneuver? Bold indeed, Mr. Arc." Ozpin moved his Bishop back.
Jaune castle .
"I thought you didn't like the castle move, Mr. Arc?" Ozpin asked. "That it was a cowardly move on the side of the king?"
Jaune shrugged. "I never said I wasn't a coward, headmaster."
Ozpin looked intrigued at the statement. A pawn moved to threaten Jaune's most troubling bishop.
Jaune moved it to threaten Ozpin's queen once more. Ozpin captured it with his knight. Jaune's face twitched into a frown, trading his bishop for the offending knight. Ozpin moved his queen once more.
Jaune moved his right side knight into a retreat. "The Gorbachev Defense? A strange time to play that now, don't you think?"
Jaune didn't respond. His queen moved to the right edge of the board. Ozpin thought hard about this position. Jaune had, for the most part, taken control of this game by playing the offensive. Ozpin moved the bishop to threaten the queen once more. Jaune jumped the queen forward, capturing Ozpin's backmost pawn.
"Most troublesome, Mr. Arc. Most troublesome indeed." Ozpin moved his left rook forward, defending the threatened knight from the interloping queen.
"No exposition about the rook?" Jaune asked, a bit in good humor and a bit in sarcasm.
"Would you like it?" Ozpin asked. Jaune shrugged.
"It is a strong, simple, forward piece with little flexibility that is mostly useful as a defensive tool until the end game." Ozpin said as his knight moved forward, opening an attack on the queen and threatening Jaune's forward rook. Jaune moved his queen backwards diagonally, taking a white pawn. Ozpin took a pawn with his own, putting another piece on the rook.
What do I do here? Jaune thought for a moment. Sure, he knew his next move, placing his previously second untouched rook into the same file as his more developed one. But what came after that? Neither he nor Ozpin had particularly clear paths of attack on the other king, and Ozpin had heavily fortified his own king with his lines of pieces. They took a diagonal pattern along the white tiles. Ozpi captured the blonde's forward rook. Jaune retaliated with his second rook. Ozpin captured that with his knight. Jaune grimaced. They were entering the late game, and Jaune had lost too many pieces. Ozpin smiled, confident that he would win. He moved his rook to the last rank on his board, threatening the king. Jaune moved the king out of danger, diagonal to the rook. Ozpin moved his back rook to the same file. Jaune's bishop moved to a precarious position next to Ozpin's queen. But it had a shot at the supporting rook. Ozpin captured it with a smile. A bad move, Mr. Arc. one of the few long range pieces you have at your disposal, and you sacrifice it to force a move out of me? The old man thought, capturing the priest. Jaune smiled, his trap sprung. His knight moved forward, capturing the powerful piece.
"You did say that the knight was unpredictable." Jaune said, turning Ozpin's words on himself. Ozpin glowered, considering what move should be made next. His to bishops were more or less useless at the moment, one being trapped and the other in a bad spot. He couldn't truly move his rooks without giving up a valuable position. Ozpin finally decided to move the furthest rook to threaten the king once more. Ozpin smiled as the king was forced to move away. Running his rook to the other side, he captured one of Jaunes valuable knights. A pawn moves forward, threatening Ozpin's bishop. They were in the end game now, and each move was valuable. Ozpin captured, losing it to Jaunes' retaliatory pawn next turn. Ozpin moved his back rook forward once more, capturing a pawn and threatening the queen. Jaune's response was to move his queen to the side, adjacent to the white tiled bishop and capturing a pawn. Ozpin frowned in annoyance, moving his other rook to defend against the interloper.
Jaune moved a pawn forward, pushing against the offensive white rook.
"I will admit, you are very good at this game Mr. Arc '' Ozpin said, moving his rook back one space. "But I fear you aren't good enough."
Jaune ground his teeth, thinking hard about what play was next. He had to move his king, and anticipated Ozpin's capture of the offending pawn from earlier with the silver haired man's bishop. A pawn moves forward, but hesitantly. Ozpin moved his own pawn forward, threatening an all but forgotten knight. Jaune smiled, his long played trap sprung into action. It took a pawn across the moved piece, placing the king squarely in check. Ozpin moved the king for the first time since his castling. Jaune moved his own king to defend the knight. Ozpin's forward rook moved to check the black king. Jaune moved in defence. Ozpin's back most rook moved forwards to check the king once more. Jaune grimaced, knowing what he had to do. He placed his queen between his own king and the offending rook. Ozpin smiled as he captured the long lived thorn in his side. Jaune took the second rook with his knight, and ozpin was left to contemplate his own move. He could take the forward most pawn, but surely that was a trap somehow. Ozpin glared at the left section of the board, almost completely devoid except for the two pieces, locked in at staredown.
Ozpin opted to move his bishop backwards to threaten the king. The king moved forward, advancing towards Ozpin's own king.
Ozpin frowned. Is he trying to back me into the corner, and checkmate me with his knight from there? He wondered. It was possible, but would be difficult to do. Or is he running from my bishop and that was the best place to go?
Ozpin moved his bishop to defend his last rook, the strongest piece in the game right now. Jaune's pawn moved forward.
Ozpin's eyes widened for a moment, Ahah! That's what he's trying to do! Ozpin thought as he moved his king to intercept. The pawn moved forward, the king moved forward. Jaune's knight moved, blocking the king from the most direct path. Ozpin moved his king down to the left, lying in wait. Jaune moved his king away from the rook and down towards Ozpin's own king. Ozpin moved forward, placing his king in front of the would-be miracle pawn. Jaune moved his knight to just underneath the rook. Ozpin choked on his coffee. He would lose his bishop to this knight, as it threatened both his king and his bishop. His other option was to take the knight with his rook, but he would both lose his rook to the black king and lose the chance to take the developed pawn. He opted to capture the pawn, moving his king out of the way. The knight, predictably, moved to capture the bishop, although jaune considered moving the knight to threaten the king once more. Ozpin gave a long humming sound once he put the coffee mug down. He moved to threaten Jaune's king with his rook, backed up by his own king.
Jaune retreated backward, and Ozpin hummed once more. It would prove difficult to push Jaune into a corner. Possible? Yes, but difficult. He opted to move one of two remaining pawns, both in the bottom right of the board. Jaune saw exactly what Ozpin was doing, opting to move his own pawn to block the forward path. Ozpin moved to threaten the front pawn, which Jaune begrudgingly accepted. His path forward, however, was blocked. Ozpin's rook was on the rank just in front of the pawn. Ozpin moved his king, clinging to the valuable rook. Jaune moved his King over to where the pawn was, hoping to give it some protection. Ozpin moved his rook to the right, threatening jaunes last knight. The knight moved forward, hoping to check the king next turn. Ozpin frowned, moving his last pawn forward. Jaune started to move his knight to check the king, but hesitated as he rested the piece there. He thought about it for a moment, considering his options. He decided to move it back behind his own king, placing the rook in mortal peril. Ozpin hastily retreated to his rook. The knight advanced once more, daring Ozpin to take the defended piece. Ozpin did not fall for it, instead opting to threaten Jaune's king once more. The knight moved between them, once again threatening Ozpin's king. Ozping frowned, moving his king forward one.
Jaune advanced his pawn once more. Ozpin realized that it was unlikely that he could stop it, and moved his rook to check the black king again. Jaune moved down. The rook moved down.
Jaune moved down again, as did the rook. Ozpin knew that taking that pawn was a trap, and refused to fall for it. Jaune moved down a third time, and Ozpin was lost as to what he should do. There were so few options, and the rook, should he move to threaten the black king, would be out of the protective reach of the white king. Ozpin flew his rook backwards, threatening the last defensive Pawn Jaune had. Jaune moved the pawn forward two spaces, as Ozpin moved to capture.
"You would use the en passagne against me?" Jaune asked as his face fought a smile. Ozpin nodded as Jaune moved his pawn forward.
"Even pawns are useful, as shields or, if given time, something more." Ozpin said as he scanned the board once more. Ozpin realized his mistake.
Jaune's pawn would reach the end of the board before his could! Ozpin sighed, moving his pawn forward once more. Two more pawns moved, Two more pawns were traded out for queens, and ozpin disliked his position greatly. While they both had queens, it was Jaune's turn, and both queens were on the same file. He would lose it before he would even have a chance to use his newly promoted piece.
It was at this point that Headmaster ozpin, the man who had centuries of experience at chess, who had watched it's birth and evolution, who had not lost a game in over one hundred years,
resigned the match to a seventeen year old boy.
"A very good game, Mr. Arc." Ozpin said, still partially in shock, before shaking it off. He put the board away quickly. "Now, how are you feeling? Less nervous I hope?" Ozpin asked.
Jaune nodded. "Yeah, I do feel less nervous. Thank you for the game, it was a good game."
"Then we can get back to back to business then." Ozpin said, lacing his fingers together.
Right. Fuck. Jaune thought. "So, the reason I was called?" Please don't be my transcript, please don't be my transcripts.
"It's about your transcripts." Ozpin said.
Fuck.
"We were given a tip from a student that you had falsified the transcript, and, after a surprising amount of digging, we confirmed that your transcript was indeed false. Now." ozpin sighed, pulling out a vanilla folder. "Rules dictate that we expel you-"
Jaune grimaced. Yup, saw that coming seven miles away.
"But I believe that you are too valuable as a huntsman to let go."
What? I'm valuable as a huntsman? I wasn't expecting that coming, but I'm not going to look a gift horse in the mouth.
"But I cannot let you stay here, it would set a bad precedent."
"Okay?" Jaune said, his head tilting to the side. "So, where does that leave me?" The knight asked.
Ozpin leaned back. "You could formally transfer, using your transcript from Beacon to one of the other three academies." Ozpin answered, and then saw Jaune drawing a blank. Ozpin sighed.
"You don't actually know what those are, do you?" Ozpin asked.
Jaune shook his head. "I know their names and where they are, but nothing beyond that about them." Jaune admitted, rubbing the back of his head.
Ozpin gave a small smile. "Well, Perhaps I can enlighten you a little bit." Ozpin pulled his globe to him, placing it in front of Jaune. "Let's start with Atlas." The globe spun to show the scripted writing in the northern part. "ATLAS".
"Atlas Academy is located in, of course, in Atlas. It's technically a subset of their military academy, and they view themselves as a single large unit. Sure you have teams, but they are wholly interchangeable and subject to revision after formation." Jaune nodded, seeing the usefulness of the large-scale interchangeability. He also, personally, very much disliked the idea of being so easily replaceable.
"Next is Shade, on the opposite side of the spectrum. Unlike Atlas, they believe in individual strength and survival of the fittest. Vaulco is an unforgiving place, and Shade reflects that." Jaune did not like that at all. People were stronger working together, and were able to do more. Vale wasn't made by one man and wasn't built in a day.
"That seems rather stupid, doesn't it?" jaune asked, frowning at the script "SHADE".
Ozpin shrugged. "It works for them, I guess. Anyway, in between the two is Haven and here, Beacon. While Beacon leans to the Atlas style teamwork, where there are teams that, as a unit, are more or less interchangeable, replacing team members is complex and a process. Haven on the other hand, leans towards the Shade style of teaching. You have teams, but you also have pairs and solo students that are not associated with a team. It is probably the closest school to Beacon."
Jaune nodded. "I… Can I have a day or two to make a decision?" he asked, his voice catching. Ozpin smiled with a mix between pity and sorrow. "Of course, Mr. Arc. Should I prepare your transcripts in the meantime?"
Jaune gave his headmaster a bright smile. "That would be greatly appreciated, headmaster." He paused for a moment. "If i'm an illegitimate student, how can you use my school transcript?"
The silver haired man smiled. "You passed initiation. The transcript is only a formality that we must take. Initiation is the actual test, and if you pass initiation, you are a legitimate student here. Unfortunately, we cannot, unlike many other students, simply ignore your criminal past.."
Jaune nodded, giving another dry gulp. Well, good news, his dream wasn't dead yet.
He would just have to move. Not a big deal. Not a big deal at all.
"Wait a minute, what do you mean by "Ignore criminal pasts?"" Jaune asked incredulously.
Ozpin took a breath in. "it is often that Huntsmen have criminal pasts of often violence. We often overlook it for the sake of having more viable and skilled Huntsman. It is unfortunate that you didn't end up killing someone instead, Mr. Arc, that would have at least been excusable."
Jaune blue screened. 'I'm sorry, whAT? You can just wave off murder, but not forgery?!"
Ozpin rubbed his temple. "Because the council is a bunch of dipshits that don't understand the concept of common sense. That and the idea of people being able to hurt them in ways that aren't physical scares them more than a problem that can be solved through bodyguards and money."
Jaune lamented Ozpin's words, before deciding that he didn't want to entertain the idea any more. "Am I excused, headmaster?" Jaune asked, starting to stand. Ozpin just waved him off. Jaune hurried towards the elevator, and the descent to the ground floor with his friends could not be faster.
Everything might turn out to be ok.