A/N: I don't own RWBY or High-school DxD, and earn zero monies from publishing this. I mostly do it for the reviews and the hell of it.
Beacon academy is, visible, from the city of Vale to say the least. Twice a year, should a citizen of that city look in the direction of their kingdoms premier Academy for huntsmen and huntresses, they would see an airship headed to or from that academy. That isn't to say that there isn't supply traffic, or teams leaving or returning from missions on a regular basis. However, only at the start and end of the school year do so many people need to be moved at once that one of Vales few airships is diverted in lieu of the veritable fleet of Bullheads that would be required to move such a mass of people and faunus otherwise.
One of the traditions that had developed over the years of Beacons long history as an academy is that all incoming freshmen are moved on, and restricted to a single passenger deck on the airship. As one would expect, this deck is filled with apprehensive and excitable but not terribly talkative young adults as the airship slowly carries them to the start of their future. One such young man, dressed in plain blue jeans, a black hoodie polished breastplate and pauldrons can be found leaning against one of the cabins internal support struts, seemingly lost in thought... or fighting off airsickness.
While Jaune Arc is loathe to admit that the airsickness is a notable part of what is weighing on his mind, what is weighing on him more is the small metal case on the hip opposite Crocea Mors. Within it lies a mostly complete chess set, all of the white pieces are fairly plain plastic, however, fifteen of the crimson pieces are crafted of a strange metal and darkly ornate; equal parts gift for his efforts to save one of the few remaining pure-blooded devils from an assassination attempt, and tool to keep a reborn devil who had only spent half a dozen years as one from gaining too much prestige too quickly.
Jaune heaves a sigh and lets his thoughts wander back to that fateful day six years ago as he closes his eyes both to calm his stomach and focus on his memories. After another of his dads stories about Great Great-Grandpas exploits during the Great War before him and his sisters had been sent off to bed, Jaune had been restless. After a few hours of tossing and turning, the rest of the house on the border between the city proper and Forever Fall was fast asleep. So, the eleven year old Jaune had sneaked out of bed, changed from his pajamas and stolen his great great-grandfathers weapon from above the mantle-place. Youthful optimism locked firmly on the idea of becoming the worlds youngest huntsman, and surpassing all of his forebears achievements he set out for the forest. Whether by luck or fate, he had managed to get out of the house without waking his grandfather from where the retired huntsman had been sleeping in a rocking chair near the fireplace. Nor did he wake any of his recently graduated Sisters team from their shared room by the back door.
His parents slept right through the back porches motion activated light startling him into tripping down said porches stairs and accidentally triggering Crocea Mors shields transformation from its scabbard form. Come dawn, he had been half an hour into the red-leaved, grim infested forest, and becoming increasingly terrified as his utterly untrained senses had lead to him tripping and stumbling loudly through the undergrowth until he had become hopelessly lost. Unable to discern the sounds of more or less safe natural wildlife from the creatures of grimm that infest the woods. He forged ahead, arm tired already from simply holding his blade in a weak facsimile of a ready stance and totally unaware of the two sets of eyes following his progress, one darkly amused, the other glinting crimson with murderous intent. He eventually found a clearing an hour or so after sunrise. A small spring-fed pond shaded by a single tree at its center making the locale almost idyllic.
Exhausted, he had stumbled through the clearing to the spring and fallen to his knees at its bank to drink. Only after he had finished quenching his thirst did he look up to notice one of the early morning shadows was moving of its own volition, and had searing crimson eyes. The next few moments had passed in a blur, the bestial howl as the beowolf lunged at him. His world was engulfed in searing pain as his sword arm was lacerated by claws when he tried to raise the blade, only to drop it in pain after being wounded. His entire body erupted in agony as his chest was savaged by more claws, wind whistling in his ears as he was thrown by the beast.
A sickening crunch the herald to all feeling fading away. Blue sky and no pain, then a beasts snarling, hateful face. The eleven year-olds eyes fell shut as sound began to fade along with the last of his senses. A second sickening crunch and a yelp had barely registered to the dying youth, less so the jovial voice deeply chanting for a few moments before a few drops of impossibly refreshing liquid poured down his throat, before sleep claimed him.
He had woke up at noon, or at least he thought as much, going by the suns position almost directly above him. "Well, looks like you finally came to. Sooner than I thought you would with how stupid whatever stunt you thought you were pulling was." The strangely familiar voice had bounced from above and behind him. "Names Sairaorg Bael. I'll be the one getting you up to snuff from here out."
Jaune craned his neck up to see a tall, burly man with spiky brown hair and a confident smirk leaning against the tree he is pretty sure he had been thrown into. "What... what happened to me?"
He shakes his head, a bit sad looking "Well, the bad news is, you died. The good news is that thanks to me your better now." The confusion must have been obvious on his face, as the smirking man had simply... grown a massive black pair of bat-like wings "You see, I'm a devil, and after seeing a kid with enough guts to wander into the woods of this crazy world alone with what I can only assume is one of his parents weapons, that just so happens to be the Crocea Mors, I figured it'd be a waste for you to die out here. So I reincarnated you as my last servant Mister..."
Thoroughly confused, Jaune slowly levered himself to a sitting position, and looks around for his great-grandfathers weapon. Instead of the plain arming sword he had stolen, he finds a leaf-shaped blade, the letters SPQR tracing its spine, thick guard gold plated with laurels inlaid over its top, its hilt some sort of white bone that flares out to some sort of predatory bird clasping the grip. When he reaches out to touch it, purple light flares almost blindingly, and once again the plain arming sword he had been expecting to find was resting on the grass. A low chuckle from a lot closer startles Jaune to look up again at the perplexing... devil? "Well, that certainly explains why everyone thought it had been buried and lost with Nennius. And is pretty useful too." He offered Jaune a hand before adding "Your probably gonna want some help standing kid, being reincarnated after dying can really take it out of a guy, and I cant have my last pawn hurting himself from something so preventable." Mind still on tilt, Jaune had accepted the offered help, as the smirking man prodded once again "And I still don't know your name."
Slowly starting to at least slightly trust the strange man, the youth replied "Jaune Arc. And what do you mean re-incarnated? Devil? And you think I'm going to be your servant now?"
The big man had smirked and began re-assuring the child as he explained the Evil Piece system and basics of the afterlife as the pair began to stroll back to the Arc home. Jaune had been claimed as a pawn, and aside from being brought back to life, still more or less the same aside from his physical and arcane limits now being those of a devil instead of a human. The rest of the pieces and their traits and powers had been so much white noise to the youth save for the King. Sairaorg in this case, a being with enough natural power to hold the respect and obediience and respect of all fifteen potential members of his or her peerage.
Jaunes reminiscing is cut short by an overly self-important looking ass positively loaded down with holy items shoulder checking him clear of the support strut. The painful presence of so much blessed gear, sudden motion and shock causes Jaune to loose control of his barely restrained motion-sickness and have to sprint to the nearest trash can to puke. Sure, attend Beacon to learn to do what huntsmen and huntresses do. Form his own peerage to get House Bael a foothold in this apparently new world and keep up the cover story of having went to the Tartarus Combat School in case the Bael, or any other of the remaining Pillars wanted to insert their own agents into Remnant. Of course, no problem at all, not the slightest bit of pressure either. Damn if he doesn't miss the rest of Sairaorgs peerage right now though. Of course, nearly splashing a few of his fellow freshman with his puke is a, less than ideal, way to make a first impression.
Not that he is any stranger to puking. No, Sairoargs training had been intense enough that working until he puked and beyond wasn't uncommon. On the plus side, it had been a long time since he thought of his body and limitations as those of a human... and the airship is finally landing. The plan is to stand out just enough that any other devils sent to Remnant to train will be accepted easily. The problem is that as a low class devil he simply isn't ready for the boost in power and potential of being made into a king. Hell, he had barely been on the cusp of mid-class when the madness that is this plan had been kicked off. He was being considered for trade to another vassal peerage of the Bael to be promoted to a more powerful piece, probably rook or knight.
Being jumped all the way to king, who are either ranked high or ultimate class had thrown all of his being, his power, as it were, into wildly unpredictable flux. Jaunes physical strength, magical potential, senses, emotions and self control are currently on a constant roller-coaster, and he's blindfolded as to whats going to happen next. The solution to this is of course to get high class, in function if not rank, as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, Remnant has no knowledge of Earths myriad pantheons and mythology, so the usual method of making and fulfilling contracts to amass power and renown will be difficult, to say the least.
Predictably, the airship empties quickly after landing at Beacons airship docks, and the incoming freshman disperse in the same cliques they had been clustered in on the ride up, and swiftly melt into the crowd of returning students and staff. Leaving Jaune Arc to amble confused and alone in the crowd, not even sure where he's supposed to be headed. Until he hears an explosion, and a decidedly feminine voice screaming. Since there aren't any sounds of panic to go along with the commotion, he casually makes his way over to the source of the disturbance. He arrives just in time for a short black and red haired girl laying in a crater to mutter a dejected "Welcome to Beacon."
Huh, looks a bit young to be here. So either a prodigy or someone with money and connections, the cynical devil on a mission notes, though, the nice kid from the back end of nowhere figures she looks like she could use a friend "Jaune Arc." He offers, along with a hand to help her up.
"Ruby Rose." She replies as he hoists her to her feet, at which point she snorts out a giggle and asks. "Arent you the guy that threw up on the ship?"
He casts a playful glower at her. "I get motion-sick... and now I'm thinking I should have let you get yourself off the ground." As the pair start walking deeper into the campus.
"Whatever you say vomit-boy." The petite huntress in training quips.
He growls a bit, desperately trying to shake the embarrassing nickname before it sticks. "At least half a dozen of the other students from my class at Tartarus had motions sickness too." He lies through his teeth, both because there had been no such academy, and that none of Sairaorgs peerage suffer from motion sickness.
"Riiiiiiight." Ruby drawls as she side-eyes him, her black and red combat skirt, blouse and red cape fluttering in the wind.
Exasperated, Jane makes a last ditch effort "All I'm saying is that motion-sickness is a much more common problem than people let on."
Ruby apparently decides to drop it. "Look, I'm sorry, vomit-boy was the first thing that came to mind."
Still a bit keyed up he presses. "I didn't call you crater-face, and I first met you sprawled out in the crater you probably made by sneezing or something else equally ridiculous." Ruby growls, Jaune huffs, and then continues. "Its just Jaune Arc, short, sweet, rolls off the tongue. Ladies love it."
"Do they?" Ruby deadpans at his boast, the damn judgy face back.
Jaune sighs and rubs the back of his head, a rather pointed conversation with his former King about why exactly he had spent his first major social event in the underworld surrounded by female devils his age. Apparently, sniping talent from other peerages was one of the reasons the upper crust held balls. "Well, they don't hate it. A few of my friends definitely liked me enough to hang around." Rias and Ravel had both still sought him out at the damned formal affairs after he made it clear he wasn't abandoning Sairaorg.
Snickering Ruby presses. "Just friends though, huh?"
Wincing at the shot at his non-existent love life Jaune counters. "I don't exactly see a harem of admirers following the ravishing Ruby rose around."
The growl she lets out in response and the blush that go with it are both cute... until she pulls the lump of metal off her back and it unfurls into a massive scythe. Jaune lets out a very manly eep and jumps back, hands up in a placatory gesture "So... I've got this." She announces, hefting the blade onto her shoulder.
Suddenly worried about how much longer his head will be perched between his shoulders Jaune takes another step back "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend you. Please don't kill me."
The damned redhead giggles at him "What? Pffft No, I'm not mad, its just that, well, who cares about all that stuff. Peoples weapons are just sooooo much cooler to talk about! What do you have?"
Jaune cocks an eyebrow at the expectant girl, and draws Crocea Mors with a quick flourish "My great great grandfather wielded it in the Great War, my dad started out with it. And it got me into Tartarus."
Ruby nods, leaning in to inspect the blade closer "Ooh, a classic! Whats it do?"
Jaune plods to a stop again "Huh?"
The petite prodigy snickers "I mean, Crescent Rose is also a customizable, high impact sniper rifle."
"So its also a gun." Ruby nods at Jaunes simplistic reply "Why? Wouldnt having a barrel instead of a proper hilt just make the scythe form weaker? Plus aiming a gun with all that weight on the end has to be ridiculously difficult to do with a rifle!"
Ruby growls "I'll have you know I was top of my class at Signal for Weapon Construction! Straight A's! The barrel is reinforced with titanium laminate, and the blade is a custom alloy that keeps my baby both balanced and functional!"
"Huh?"
Still glowering the short girl snarks "I made it myself, and its super awesome." Jaune takes a few more steps back, eyeing the angry girl like she might turn into a monster and attack him at any moment. "And you still haven't told me what it is your weapon does."
"Its a sword. The sheath can expand into a shield." Jaune dryly replies.
Now its Rubys turn to slow to a halt "That's it?" Jaune nods, deploying his weapons shield to prove the point, before shrinking it back down and putting his weapon away. "Not only did you not make it, but its just a plain old sword? The heck kind of school is Tartarus?!" A seemingly disappointed and worried Ruby exclaims.
Jaune cocks an eyebrow, more than a bit off-put by the awkward teens outburst. "The kind that sticks to the basics, and drills you hard enough that your body can get on with the fighting while your brain worries about more important things?"
"Oooooh." Ruby replies, looking to be caught somewhere between embarrassed and placated. Maybe trying to figure out what he meant by that too. "Yea, sorry about that, I'm... kind of a dork when it comes to weapons. I might have went a bit overboard with mine."
Jaune shrugs as the duo start walking again "That's fine. Its probably something I'll need to get used too with how many students here went to Signal."
Rubys face shifts back to a tentatively confident smile as she collapses Crescent Rose and clips it to her combat skirts belt. "If you don't mind me asking though, why did you help me out back there?" She pauses as she turns a near trip into a skip "In the courtyard?" She clarifies.
Because I'm a devil looking to start his own peerage and a fighter good enough to get sent to Remnants version of battle-college a few years early is sure to be an amazing addition? "Ehh, why not? My mom always says strangers are just friends you haven't met yet." He half-lies.
Rubys response is a contemplative hum as the duo continues to pace the worryingly deserted courtyard. "Where are we going anyways?"
"Good question." a third voice interjects. Ruby and Jaune both freeze and wheel about to see a brunette girl a year or two older than Jaune, face obscured by a pair of sunglasses, and a black beret resting on her head. Baggy slacks, tan shirt with a decorative corset over it and a truly worrisome amount of ammunition belts – and Jaune notices that they're actual belts with bullets on them – after double checking. A few scarves and necklaces, fingerless gloves and knee-high boots as well, the almost painfully trendy girl continues. "You look like a pair of lost Freshies, and the ceremony for you kids is in an auditorium on the opposite side of campus." She pulls a pocket watch out from under her corset to check the time, despite her scroll projecting a large, clip-board like list probably having a clock on the display. "Follow me and you should probably make it in time for the headmasters speech."
"Oh, thanks. I was about to start looking for a directory. And you probably know how useless those things are when your as lost as we are." Jaune replies as the two new students fall in behind the mystery girl.
"He was lost, I totally knew where I was going, umm..." Ruby trails off, not knowing the upper-classwomans name.
"Coco Adel. Only doing this because I earned a few detentions on the last day before summer break last year. Get me your names and I'll note that I'm taking you to registration and save you two a few days detention before your first day starts." She spins on her heel to walk backwards as she leads them on, tilting her glasses down to her nose as she takes a closer look at them. "If you survive initiation that is." Both flinch, and she cocks an eyebrow as she suppresses a wince "Not that I doubt either of you two will."
"Uhh, I'm Ruby Rose, and what do you mean by survive initiation?" The timid girl quips, all of the confidence she had built up over the course of her and Jaune getting to know each other fleeing in the face of the force of nature that is Cocos calm, cool, self-assured nature.
Coco swipes at her scroll, before tapping a few times at the projected screen and answering. "Exactly that. Around half the kids on that airship wont make it past tomorrow, and a decent chunk of them will be mauled, maimed or dead because of it." The visible bit of her face quirks in recognition "And whats a signal kid... ohhh your the one Ozpin jumped ahead two years. No wonder you didn't show up with the rest of the Signal cliques." She smirks "Not that your doing bad for yourself. If loverboy aint carved from stone under the scrappy duds I'll eat my hat."
Ruby makes a confused noise, Jaune blushes and offers a very intelligent. "Huh?" As Coco continues to eye him up. After a few moments, his brain pulls itself together from the bombshell of the fashionistas backhanded compliment and he continues. "Jaune Arc" Wisely leaving off the cheesy pick-up line his dad had fed him to go with it.
"From... Tartarus Combat School? Havent heard of that one." Coco replies after finding his name on what must be the incoming freshman list.
Jaune shrugs "Small academy near my home-town. A bunch of retired huntsman and huntresses from families that spit them out like clockwork formed it a few years back. I think I may be the first to graduate from it to make it into a major Academy though."
"Explains why I've never heard of it." Coco half quips, half prompts.
Jaune just shrugs, forcing his nerves down as he tries to sell the story he'd been told the Underworld was aiming for. "Its a few hours north of my hometown on the north edge of Forever Fall."
Coco visibly deflates. "I take back what I said, you're from the back half of nowhere at best, and probably think your actually dressed halfway decent too."
Ruby snickers, Jaune blusters, and a quartet of sprinting students nearly bowl Coco over. "Amphitheaters the other way!" She shouts at the running kids, who ignore her as the dash around a corner. "Eh, not my problem I guess." The trio continue in silence for the next few minutes, cutting through a dizzying procession of pathways, lecture halls, dorms and common areas as they cross campus, until Coco strides to a halt. "Right, so this is you two. I'm an RA too, so we might be seeing more of each other if you make it through initiation. Just keep your heads straight tomorrow and good hunting."
At that, the upper-classwoman spins on her heal and struts away, twirling her handbag on her right ring and pointer fingers as she does. "Think we'll be like that in a few years?" Jaune cant help but ask, despite the knowledge that if his power wasn't fluctuating and fighting control thanks to his recent promotion from Pawn to King he probably was already beyond her. His childhood dream is finally within reach after all.
"Pfft. Of course we will be. Beacon trains up the best Huntsman and Huntresses in Remnant." Ruby shoots back as Jaune pushes the door to the noisy, full amphitheater open for the younger girl to enter. "Just like all that talking she did about students getting hurt or killed was just to rile us up. There's no real danger coming here."
The pair stride through the doors, and, almost immediately a cheery voice shouts. "Hey, Ruby! Over here! I saved you a spot." Jaune tracks the voice to a chipper looking busty blonde on the outskirts of the crowd waving at his new friend.
Ruby half hugs his arm, before shooting off a quick apology and darting towards the other girl. Drat. "Hey, wait!" He tries to get Rubys attention back, before growling in frustration, the dull roar of a room nearly over-full of potential huntsmen and huntresses in training swallowing his words. "Great, where am I supposed to find another nice, quirky girl to talk to!?"
Still grumbling, he makes his own way through the crowd looking for a decent spot where he can see the stage, but not get crushed by his fellow freshman. He is nearly bowled over by a squinting blonde man with a bowl cut half-way between pudgy and fit and a wiry guy with dark blue hair, hawkish features and an almost painful air of superiority about him laughing at some joke as they shove and shoulder their way through the crowd. Luckily for Jaune, in the wake of the seemingly self-absorbed friends a decent opening remains that he can watch the headmasters welcome speech from.
A cute, albeit upset looking girl with an enticing white side-ponytail and an absolutely killer ass points at him with her thumb over her shoulder as she shouts down who he thinks might be Ruby and the girl that called her away from him when they entered the amphitheater. However all conversation dies as the Headmaster clears his throat into a microphone on the stage "I'll, keep this brief" he opens, pushing his glasses up his nose, his tone lazy at best. "You have traveled here today in search of knowledge. To hone your craft and acquire new skills. And when you are finished, you plan to dedicate your life to the protection of the people." At this point, most of the crowd, the scattered cliques especially, perk up and nod, fist bump, hip-bump, kiss or high-five respectively "But I look amongst you, and all I see is wasted energy." Most of the crowd flinches or deflates, but Jaune is one of the few in the crowd to stand firm. After all, over the last six years the Strongest Youth of the Underworld had beaten nearly all of the waste out of his youthful energy; and he still has a few centuries to go before the older nobles even consider him middle-aged.
"The need of purpose, direction." More shoulders slump, but Jaune only leans in eagerly. He has a purpose, and a goal, after all. Form his own peerage, gather meaningful information on this new, Tenth World, as the Norse pantheon calls it, and establish a foothold in the world of his birth for the underworld that enabled him to live past his eleventh year despite his stupidity. "You assume knowledge will free you of this. But your time at this school will prove that knowledge can only carry you so far. It is up to you, to take the first step." To form my own peerage. To make it past Low and Mid-class to High, or maybe even Ultimate class. To be a huntsman and an influential noble of the Underworld. Maybe get a wife and family, Jaune snickers as an errant thought strikes him or even a harem and some vassal clans under my own. The pure absurdity of the notion has him giggling, and most of the other students around him casting nervous or judgmental glances his way. Whatever.
With those heady dreams flitting through Jaunes mind the silver-haired headmaster simply steps away from the microphone and off the stage, a stern, curvaceous blonde wearing a tattered fuchsia cape over a scandalously cut black buttoned knee length dress made modest by a professional white blouse layered under it taking his place to announce "You will gather in the barn tonight. Tomorrow your initiation begins. Be ready, you're dismissed."
Jaune makes a detour to the pale hottie to try his luck "I'm a natural blonde ya know." He opens with a proper half-bow. He straightens out to see an aghast Ruby avoiding eye contact, the blonde that had called her over from him once they got here looking away, and the girl he'd tried a pickup line on clenching a fist and glaring at the ground. Jaune might be a bit dense, but he isn't mentally deficient. He beats a silent and hasty retreat to the cafeteria, and is pleased to see that most of the other incoming freshman have yet to make their way to it.
Stomach still churning from nerves and the after-affects of his motion sickness, Jaune opts for a bowl of tomato soup, and is able to snag one of the fresher looking grilled ham and cheese sandwiches when the server isn't looking. He grabs a bottle of blue Potentiade from the open cooler at the end of the line and steps into the cafeteria proper, idly shaking the bottle as he looks for a seat. Not really any empty tables already, and most of the cliques of incoming students have more or less taken up the middle of whichever table they're sat at, though a few tables are already hosting several groups. At the far end of the lunchroom he spots a promising duo in the form of a grinning ginger girl and a calm looking black haired guy. He makes his way over to the duo, and before he can speak "Looking for somewhere to sit?" the curvy ginger girl asks between massive bites of... pancakes?
Jaune goes to nervously rub at the back of his head, only to smack himself with his Potentiade and nearly spill his tray "Uhh, yea, if you guys don't mind that is."
The pink-eyed guy shrugs and motions to a seat between bites of casserole "Lie Ren."
"Jaune Arc." he introduces himself.
"NnnnnRrrrrrra" the ginger gleefully declares through a mouthful of food.
Ren palms his face "She's Nora Valkyrie" the now properly named Nora just nods before shoveling another massive bite into her mouth.
Jaune just takes a nibble off of his sandwich, and is mid chew when Nora swallows with an audible gulp before asking "So, you were able to sneak to the front of the Gear-Check line too then?"
"The what-now?" Jaune asks, spoon frozen halfway to his mouth.
Nora giggles "I mean, you didn't really think they'd just let anyone come to school here, did you? That's why they had you put your field pack and check bag together when we got off the airship. I mean anyone who doesn't know what the necessities are for survival when your hunting down grimm in the wild really shouldn't be here. That was why Ozpin and Goodwitches speeches were so weird, it was all about buying time so that the professional huntsmen and huntresses going through the field packs could finish up."
Jaune starts to panic as Ren asks "What doors did you get here through?" before pausing to look at Nora "And how did you find all that out?"
Nora shrugs "Oh, some upper-class-man was behind me in line for dinner while you were in the bathroom. Sat over there." Nora turns and points at a table, but its empty "Huh, fast eater. Anyhow, apparently the kit check is how they wean out a quarter of the potential incoming freshman before tomorrows initiation."
Heart suddenly encased in ice Jaune asks "So, how do we find out if our gear passed the check?"
Nora looks at him her face somewhere between confusion and worry "At the desk under the sign that read 'incoming freshman' with a door to either side along the right wall of the amphitheater? Had a huuuuuge line leading to it." She adds, stretching her arms wide to make her point.
Before any more words can be said Jaune has his chair clattering across the ground and is making for the door he came in through, vaguely aware that Ren and Nora are still talking as he exits the Cafeteria. He swiftly makes for the Amphitheater set on making it to the table Nora had described before its too late . He had had the whole Peerage helping him put his kit together and pull off all the Underworld and Earth logos, though that doesn't lessen his panic. With this test being one that takes out a quarter of the students whose academics got them this far... He skids to a halt once he enters the amphitheater and immediately sees the desk Ren and Nora mentioned with the crowd gone, a single line of three students all that's left waiting to learn their fate. Jaune dashes to the second attendant, who looks to be closing his station down "Forgot to check in, or didn't know you had to?" the bored looking attendant asks with a flat affect and unfocused gaze.
"The second one. Jaune Arc." He nervously sputters.
The forty-something clerk pulls up a list on his scroll and types for a few moments before lazily offering "Right door."
Jaune just blinks for a few moments before asking "Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"
His expression that of a man who is absolutely done with human beings for the day, the clerk replies "Its the one that doesn't lead to the airship dock, so good. Unless your one of the morons who cheated in combat class, lied on your application or bribed your way in. Its the over-under that makes tomorrows pot exciting; the ballpark is always thirty or so percent." The handful of students in the line to his right all tense up. Clearly, that hadn't been common knowledge or to be shared with the prospective students.
Right, combat school to fight soulless monsters. You're the student of the most physically powerful High Class devil of his generation. Keep it together. "So, whats the chance of me getting in on that action?" Jaune tries to play it off smooth, though his voice cracks a few times, and he cant really hold eye contact. Especially when a suddenly bawling mouse faunus starts staggering towards the left door. As it turns out, the sounds of someone elses dreams being crushed hurts.
The clerk however actually looks less tired as he barks out a laugh "Tell ya what kid, survive tomorrow and I just might let you get in on some the action as to which teams survive year one complete, contiguous and unscarred. Head for the staff-room behind the cafeteria, say you gotta talk to Marv about a horse, and they'll get ya in touch with me." the clerk, Marv, maybe, offers a hand, eyes alight at the prospect of a kindred spirit "Now get back to your dinner before it gets cold. Your shits gonna be piled up against a wall with the rest of the kids who did the same thing you dids crap come curfew." With absolutely no intention of meeting up with the apparent bookie, Jaune nods his thanks and heads through the correct door down a hallway packed with Beacon Ads and propaganda on his way back to an increasingly desperately needed meal.
By the time he reaches the cafeteria, its absolutely packed. After a few minutes he manages to pick his way through the crowd to find only Ren sitting at the table, in front of a covered tray. "Nora ate your food" he explains as he rises, opening a seat for Jaune to use at the filled table. "Then she went to check out one of the common rooms before finding the hall we're supposed to sleep in tonight. So I replaced your meal and saved you a spot." He pauses as Jaune sits and uncovers his still mostly warm meal "Good luck in initiation tomorrow."
Jaune just nods as he sits, bites a chunk off the lukewarm sandwich, chews, swallows and offers "Same to you."
The taciturn teen simply nods "I heard a rumor that teams will be decided tomorrow as well, just a heads up."
Again, the blonde nods, as his mouth is full while Ren heads for one of the exits. Jaune finishes his meal in silence after that, sandwiched between two large cliques bantering in the rapid-fire manner that only long time friends can, and having absolutely no idea how to inject himself into the conversation. Stomach full, and confidence failing Jaune leaves his tray on the conveyor leading back into the kitchens near the exit, then follows the printer-paper signs and crowd to an assembly hall packed with students. Currently it is split evenly between people in their pajamas setting up bedding, people in line for the lockers with balled up sleepwear under their arms or slung over their shoulders, and people just chattering, playing games or otherwise wasting time. Glancing around the room, he spots a literal pile of bags being shifted through by a couple dozen less than happy looking students against the opposite wall. Jaune sighs and walks over to the mound to start sorting through it for his bags.
It takes nearly half an hour, and he winces every time he hears a tumble or crunch, but he does manage to get his field pack and check bag from the flight to Vale then Beacon, and remove himself form the rotating cast of grumpy students trying to find their belongings. After a few more minutes of wandering and searching he finds an empty enough spot for his bedroll, sleeping bag and bags, sets them down and checks the time. Ten PM, and according to the painfully vague itinerary he had been sent on acceptance his initiation group begins at noon tomorrow, with breakfast from eight to ten in the morning. Grabbing his weapon and remaining gear, he follows the temporary signs to the incoming freshman lockers and stows his gear. As he searches for the telltale open door of an available locker, he cant keep his mind from wandering.
As a kid, he just wanted to become a huntsman. But after half a dozen years training and fighting alongside Sairaorg, his former kings dream had in part become his own. Then, politics and necessity had made him a King, subservient to the Bael Clan of course, but it gave him more options to support his direct Liege. Becoming a huntsman is now just the next step after clearing the exams to become a mid-class devil. After that he just has to influence his team so as to not care of his no-longer-human nature and hopefully recruit them to his peerage. From there, successful or not, form a peerage of his own of huntsmen and huntresses so as to smooth over the trail his Mentor and Liege is blazing through the politics of the underworld through an undisputed and unbroken winning streak in the Rating Games.
Spotting an open locker, 636, he steps ahead a bit more, and, finding it open, stows his gear in locker 666, chuckling at a joke no one else from Remnant will get as he heads back to the meeting hall the incoming students are to bed down in. By the time he makes it back to the bustling hall, he is pleased to see there is about enough time for some of his daily sets before a shower if he wants to wake up early enough for a decent breakfast, and still have time to settle his stomach before Initiation. So he casually unfastens his breastplate, and pulls off his hoodie and t-shirt before working through a dozen ten rep sets of cross-side sit-ups and one armed push-ups. Normally he would at least go on a run as well, but considering how controlled the current environment is he decides to skip that part of his routine for fear of being locked out of his only option for somewhere to sleep.
"Show-off" a punkish looking guy with a green mohawk sneers at Jaune as he passes Jaune on his way to the lockers presumably to shower and change. Not that he really gets the accusation, Sairaorg puts out double that easily as part of his daily maintenance workout. If there were any training dummies or punching bags available he would have made use of them, just like any other warrior currently getting ready for bed in this room Jaune cant help but mentally add as he rummages through his bags for his onesie. Before nearly dropping into an apoplectic curse chain when he can only find a single pair of flannel pajama pants to change into. Clearly, this is the work of his former peerage and their seemingly endless quest to either kill him of embarrassment or get him laid.
Grumbling, he slings the garment over his shoulder over the top of his towel and joins the cue for the lockers and showers. Forty five minute later he strides back out, smelling fresh, feeling content and more or less ready for bed. He dumps his dirty jeans and boxers next to his bedroll, not willing to add the scent of sweat and vomit to his change of clothes for tomorrow and leave the dirty garments in his bag. Not quite tired yet he decides to walk around what looks like a massive sleepover and hoping to see at least one of the maybe friends he's met today. However, halfway through his circuit, a playfully scuffling duo bump into his side, causing him to trip over himself and nearly slam headfirst into the wall as his momentum ignores his mind and dances to physics own tune.
Luckily for both himself, and the white haired girl now backed against the wall he catches himself, right arm flashing ahead to arrest his momentum before he hits the wall, or the other innocent bystander. Recognizing the girl he nearly accidentally tackled as the hot girl from earlier, now clad in a conservative gray and white nightgown that ends at her knees, he opts to try to break the ice a second time "Hey there Snow Angel, I'm Jaune." He opens in his best 'smooth and seductive' voice, casually hooking his left thumb into the same pocket pocket.
She just stands against the wall, seemingly frozen in place and going increasingly red, her eyes having a hard time finding their way all the way to his face. Is she just nervous, or... Jaune looks down himself and is immediately mortified to find that he must have stepped on one of his pant legs during his extended, stumbling, trip, leaving him at best half an inch from flashing the girl he just realized he has pinned against the wall. His right hand brushing her ear, the arm flexed to absorb the shock leaving his elbow touching her shoulder and his face definitely in her personal space, his breath probably blowing on her ear. And he just hooked his free arm into a catch point. Oh...
"PERVERT!" the girl howls as she slaps him hard enough to throw him to the ground.
As she beats a hasty retreat, the blonde that had called Ruby away from him before Ozpins speech walks past, shaking her head "Real smooth cowboy. Might wanna hold your horses next time." Her voice seems to be playful and amused, but it doesn't make the embarrassment sting any less. Whimpering quietly to himself, Jaune stands up and slumps his way to his sleeping bag and lays down to sleep.
_-*R-DxD*_
The next morning begins at seven AM when the first hopeful freshmans scroll begins wailing an alarm tone. For the next hour the entire hall is a horrendous cacophony of noise, both electronic and natural protests and wailing as students wake up to an audio hell. Going by the amount of grumbling even those prospective students who had late afternoon Initiation starts or who had spent the night partying are roused by the initial salvo of noise. Bleary eyed and grumbling Jaune shambles to the lockers, gets dressed and makes his way to the cafeteria, nearly deaf by the time he is safely out of the hall the students had been made to sleep in.
Two eggs, a few sausage links, buttered toast and some orange juice are nervously picked through in silence, Jaune having failed to spot anyone he met yesterday, and once again surrounded by cliques and groups that he has no idea how to insert himself into. He wanders out to the courtyard and sets about the task of wasting time by wandering campus with the map up on his scroll trying to learn where the important places on campus are. Not that he knows which lecture halls he'll be taking classes in, which dorm building he'll be in or even which permanent locker bay his teams lockers will be in. Still, the flimsy excuse gives him something to while the time away until his initiation starts.
Jaune cant help but grumble about his stupid, ridiculous joke that no one probably would get as he makes his way to the locker he left his gear in. He spots Ruby and the blonde that had called her over before Ozpins welcome speech yesterday but is too frustrated to greet them. When he passes the hot petite girl from last night chatting with an equally hot curvy redhead however, he cant help himself. "You now what else is great? Me, Jaune Arc. Nice to see you again." he cuts in as he leans between
The redhead leans in almost as close as he had to the Snow Angel to interject "Nice to meet you Jaune."
"The pleasures all mine, Fire Goddess." he turns to the other girl as the redhead blushes furiously "And I apologize if I seemed too forward last night Snow Angel, Id overheard your fondness for me during the Headmasters speech and couldn't help myself."
The white haired girls hand falls into her face and she growls something out. He moves to sling an arm around her shoulder, but she bats it away and all but shouts "Stop calling me that!"
Jaune freezes, his mask of confidence probably slipping a bit, but he tugs it back into place quickly enough "Then, what should I call you?"
"My name!" the Fire Goddess giggles a bit.
"Which is..."
The Snow angel growls again "My name is Schnee! Weiss Schnee!"
Jaune blinks a bit, more than a little confused "Schnee Weiss Schnee? That's a bit redundant, but I suppose every family has their traditions."
Schnee Weiss Schnee actually slams her forehead into a locker "No you dolt! Its just Weiss Schnee! You know, heiress to the Schnee dust company! I'm a professional singer for dust sake!"
"So, your dad owns a dust shop? That's cool. Mines a huntsman, runs in the family." Jaune replies to the cranky beauty.
The Fire Goddess gets the strangest hopeful look on her face "Wait, you've never heard of the SDC? Their the single largest dust mining, refining and sales conglomerate on Remnant."
Jaune blinks a few times, realizing that Weiss is probably as big a deal as the heirs and heiresses of whats left of the 72 pillars back in the underworld. His memory finally kicks in and ties the SDC to Atlas, so he makes a wild stab in the dark "Oh, so she's here to get away form her family and the politics then." he pauses as Weiss makes a strangled, shocked noise "I'm sorry, I haven't got your name yet, Fire Goddess."
"You, you mean to tell me that you don't know who Pyrrha Nikos is? The Invincible Girl?" Weis splutters, clearly her mind is still on tilt.
Jaune shrugs "Well, however she got that nickname I wasn't there for it, though I guess its cool to have one on the second day of school." realizing he's rambling, Jaune loops back to his real reason for chatting the two cute girls up "You know, I've been hearing rumors about teams Snow Angel" she growls, he backs up, then steps boldly back into arms reach "I was thinking you and me would make a good one. Whadaya say?"
Still standing off to the side and looking a bit unsure Pyrrha interjects "Actually, I think the teams are comprised of four students each, so-"
"Ya don't say." Jaune cuts her off before bouncing over to stand just as near her as he had Weiss "Well hot stuff, play your cards right and you could end up joining the winning team." he offers smoothly, pointing a thumb at his chest.
Growling, Weiss throws herself between him and Pyrrha "You have no idea who she actually is, do you?"
"Not in the slightest Snow Angel." He shoots back quickly
Crossing her arms Weiss presses onwards "She graduated top of her class in sanctum."
"Never heard of it."
Weiss' brows furrow and Pyrrha perks up a bit "Shes won the Mistral Regional Tournaments four years in a row, a new record."
"The what?"
Weiss growl is... cute, as is her angrily waving her arms as she shouts "Shes on the front of every box of Pumpkin Petes Marshmallow Flakes cereal box!"
Jaunes jaw drops open "They only do that for star athletes and cartoon characters! That's my baby sisters favorite cereal!"
More than a bit bashful looking and glancing about at the compliment, Pyrrha answers "Yea, it was pretty cool. Sadly the cereal isn't very good for you."
Jaune snickers "Tell me about it. Sairaorg blew his lid when he found out Saffron had been smuggling me boxes of it." Plastering his best serious on, he continues "This is part of no balanced breakfast." before imitating his now former king angrily hurling the offending box across the room.
Pyrrha snickers into her hand "So, your baby sister managed to sneak nutritionally void cereal to you while you were going to your combat school, but your coach caught you?"
Jaune nods, but before he can say anything, Weiss cuts in "So, after hearing all of this, do you really consider yourself to be in a position to ask us to be on your team?" her arms crossed, face pinched and judgmental, tone condescending.
Part of Jaune knows that he most certainly can and will stand as their equals or better, but after seventeen years of being at the very best an equal of the least of the group, his confidence flees as he physically deflates and slumps forward. Weiss turns up her nose and spins on point to walk away, missing Jaune drawing himself back up and squaring his shoulders. "I really should say no, but both of you traveled at least a continent from home to attend an Academy, when Atlas or Haven would have showered either of you in preferential treatment and luxury. So no, you both came here to be just two more huntresses, and that's how I'd treat you."
Pyrrha steps forward to place a placatory hand on his shoulder "Actually Jaune, I think you'd make a great leader." her voice veritably oozing earnestness.
Jaune fidgets despite the red-headed beauties presence so close to his, or, perhaps, because of it, he cant really be sure with hwo scattered his thoughts are as he manages to reply "Doh, please stop it."
"Seriously, please stop it, this kind of behavior should not be encouraged!" Weiss cuts in.
Phyrra steps past Jaune to plant a hand on Weiss' shoulder "He figured out that both of us want to be judged by our skill and worth, not our name and reputation after less than five minutes of talking with us. Honestly look me in the eyes and tell me that isn't exactly how a leader should act, and I will aggressively seek you out to have as a teammate."
Grinning, Jaune moves to sling an arm over the two girls shoulders "So, that's all aboard for team Jaune?"
"Gah! Too close! Pyrrha!" Weiss belts out, more than a little panicked at the sudden contact.
Jaune can barely feel the redheads muscles shift as she grabs hold of his wrist and shoulder before turning as she drops to a knee and launches him across the locker-room. All he can manage is a shocked shout, before slamming into an abandoned locker with a thump. "I'm sorry!" Phyrra shouts in his general direction.
"Would all first year students, initiation group four report to Beacon Cliff immediately. I repeat, all first year students, initiation group four report to Beacon Cliff immediately." Glynda Goodwitches voice orders from the PA speaker above Jaunes hunched form.
Jaune can only moan in a heap as the students begin to move for the painfully obviously marked door leading to the Beacon Cliff. As Pyrrha passes by his crumpled form, she offers a cheery "It was nice meeting you." though she doesn't break her stride.
"Likewise" is all he can manage as a response, his mind simply done with people for the day.
Shortly after, Ruby and the blondie stop in front of him, the curvy girl quipping "Having some trouble there, lady-killer?" As Ruby offers him a hand to stand back up.
"I don't understand, my dad and teacher both said all women look for is confidence. Where did I go wrong?" Jaune gripes, his head spinning a bit, unbidden as he tries to track the path of his failure.
Strutting past teasingly, the blonde replies "Snow Angel and Fire Goddess probably weren't the best starts." He shakes off the embarrassment and falls into step with Ruby as they make their way to the cliff.
The cliff itself is more of a well maintained lawn than the edge of the wilderness. The students of his group line up in no particular order, each of them standing on a steel pad waiting for further orders and an explanation. "For years you have trained to become warriors, and today your skills will be evaluated in the Emerald Forest." Professor Ozpin all but drones, gesturing with his mug of coffee. The sound of the wind clashing with the cliff-face nearly drowning out the sounds of combat rising from the woods below. As the earlier groups fight towards whatever goal had been set before them.
Goodwitch cuts in, her voice stern and unyielding "Now, I'm sure many of you have heard rumors of the assignment of teams." her hands clenched about her scroll, posture ramrod straight and unyielding, she presses on "Well, allow us to put an end to your confusion. Each of you will be given teammates. Today."
Ozpin continues to yammer on about the obvious points of forming a team. How it will last until graduation. How it is important, while Jaune along with Ruby and some of the other less socially adept freshman in this group feel their nerves slowly begin to fray. "That being said, the person you first make eye contact with after you land will be your partner for the next four years." As the headmaster continues to explain their objective and warn the prospective students of the dangers, Jaune actually feels his anxiety decrease. Though Ruby looks to be even more nervous for some reason. Random chance, then a trial by fire. He can deal with that. "Are there any questions."
Jaune raises his hand, more than a little worried about the steel plate each of the students is perched on "Yea, um, sir-"
"Good, take your positions." Ozpin cuts him off, the other students dropping into ready stances while Jaune continues to stutter nervously.
"So, sir, this landing strategy thing." He barely suppresses a wince as Weiss is launched skywards. "Uh, w-what is it? Your'e like, dropping us off or something?" He presses worriedly while the front of line moves closer and closer to him as his fellow freshman are hurled skyward and off the cliff.
"No." Ozpin calmly replies, steaming mug of coffee held steady as the punkish looking guy with the mohawk actually makes some weird hybrid between metal horns and a hang-ten symbol before being hurled to his probable doom. "You will be falling."
Jaune scratches his head, wondering what sort of madhouse he had been born in as he presses "Oh, I, see. So did, you, like, hand out parachutes for us?" Mentally patting himself on the back for making no mention of magical techniques for slowing your fall.
Nora howls her gleeful excitement as she is sent skyward, only three more students until he is launched. "No, you will be using your own landing strategy." Ozpin plainly retorts, seemingly focusing all of his attention on Jaune, not his prospective students being launched to their dooms.
"Uh-huh. That." Rubys friend winks, clicks her tongue and dons a pair of aviators before being flung skywards. Ruby just lets it happen. His probable doom closing in, all Jaune can manage is a more or less dignified "Well fu-
So, what did you guys think?
And if anyone is curious, ships will sail as and when, I'll update the description as needed for that. Ship related flames will be openly ridiculed. Harems: Isseis is plenty big and wont be growing once he shows up, and that's all I'm saying on that for now.
Day two edit: broke up some of the text walls I missed. sorry about those.