Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY. I wish I did. All characters, terms, and settings are property of Rooster Teeth. This is just a Fan creation. No profits are had. So enjoy this detour into my odd fascination with irrational Ships. It was either this or Knightfall(Jaune/Cinder).

Chapter 4

Jaune had been standing outside of Team RWBY's room at Atlas Academy for what felt like hours when in reality it had been less then a minute. He had taken his time getting there in order to prepare what he was going to say, but to no avail. He had never had to deliver news like this before. The feeling of anxiety and dread was crippling.

Steeling himself Jaune raised a fist and rapped on the door. He felt his heart rate quicken at the sounds of quick shuffling on the other side of the door. What few words he had prepared immediately vanished when Weiss's face came barrelling towards him when the door opened. "Winter! Oh, its just you. What do you want?" Weiss seethed.

Jaune closed his eyes and scowled at what he was about to do. "Weiss, earlier today your sister and I went on an assignment to oversee the repairs of the Mantle wall." Jaune said with a shaky voice, but he didn't falter. He forced himself to get through a complete retelling of what had happened to him, and more importantly her sister. "She's currently resting and should wake up sometime tomorrow."

He was expecting Weiss to lash out at him, to insult him, to belittle his skills or effort. He was even prepared for her to slap him. So when she wrapped her arms around him, and tearfully thanked him, he just didn't know what to do. He just stood their like an unthinking lummox.

Jaune eventually softened and put his arm around her. "Would you like to go see her?"

The next morning

Jaune awoke in his bunk. He was slow to rise as his injuries were taking their tole on his Aura. Normally he'd be fine by now, but he had never forced his Aura into such depletion before. He was struggling to rejuvenate it. The Atlas Medical technicians had assured him that such things were to be expected. There was a reason that organized combat competitions ended when someone fell into the red.

Slowly he showered and dressed, he armed himself and checked his scroll.

'She's asking to see you'

-Weiss

Jaune rapidly pocketed his scroll and bolted out of the room leaving a perplexed Ren and Nora starring at his wake. To his credit, he only got turned around once making his way from the Student Dorm and General Facilities to the Military Base and Limited Authorization Zones, which he had been granted access to when Ironwood brought them into the fold.

He ran into the same waiting room and saw Clover and Harriet standing there talking to the same doctor from the night before. Harriet noticed him first and nudged Clover. "Ah, Arc. You're on my list of people to talk to regarding Schnee's condition." Clover said approaching him and shaking his hand. "I've read up on the entire incident. Spectacular work, when James told me he was bring you and your friends in, I'll admit I was a bit skeptical. But now, I get it. You kids, no, not kids. You guys are the real deal. I've been asked to take over your, how did the General phrase it, Tactical Field Assessments. So starting tomorrow you're being taken off of the regular roster and you'll be working with Harriet here until Winter is back on her feet."

Harriet eyed Jaune up and down. "We'll see. I'm still not sure you've got the stuff. But if the General says you do, then I'll do my best to bring it out of you. One way or another." She said with a certain gruff indifference. "I still think we need to get the kid a pistol or something. I get the whole, knight in shining armor shtick, but have a range beyond 3 feet could really save lives."

Jaune was partially taking her criticism at face value when he remembered that Harriet didn't have a ranged weapon either. He gave her an up and down in return and raised an eye brow. "Oh don't think I'm unprepared Arc." Harriet said before pulling out a set of Gravity Bolos. "These seemed to do the trick just fine when we took down you and all your friends."

"Harriet." Clover said equal parts playful and chiding. "We'll worry about any equipment assessments another time. I was just here to get an update on Schnee's condition and to issue orders from the General, reminding her to properly rest and heal. We're off to discuss changes in assignments with the rest of your friends. Expect an actual assignment later today, though I think it will mostly be in the training room for you, at least for a while. Doc says you pushed your Aura pretty hard. Although I am curious to see what you look like at 100%. Regardless, we'll just have to wait and see. Until then."

Clover patted Jaune on the arm on his way out and Harriet just gave him a playful wink. Jaune rolled his eyes but blushed all the same. He approached the doctor who had been waiting patiently for him.

"Right this way Mr. Arc."

Jaune was led into a room and found Winter and Weiss, the later having obviously stayed the entire night. "How, how are you feeling?" Jaune asked sheepishly as he entered. "The doctor said the procedure went all right, but you're gonna be off your feet for a while."

Winter sighed and nodded. "That is correct Mr. Arc. Despite our best efforts, I will be trapped in this bed for quite a while." Winter said looking at her leg, elevated and completely encased in a high tech cast. "But, I am alive. Thanks to you."

"What? No, no thanks needed. I just did what anyone would have done in that situation. I couldn't just leave you there." Jaune said, clearly uncomfortable with the praise.

Winter shook her head. "You're wrong. Not anyone would have done what you did. Huntsmen and Huntresses here in Atlas are train to take orders. Even the AceOps would have retreated when order. Had I been partnered with anyone from Atlas, they would have left me for dead when ordered to do so." Winter explained morosely. "I am in your debt Jaune Arc."

Jaune found himself unable to coherently get a word out. He looked to Weiss who gave him a smile and nodded. "Well, okay then. I'm just happy you're okay." Jaune said pulling up a chair next to Winter's bed. "I'd offer to boost you Aura, but I've been told not to use my Semblance for the next few days. Turns out I did some serious damage to mine forcing it like I did."

Winter smiled at Jaune's offer. "Do not burden yourself with my recovery. I will endure it as is. This will be a reminder of my failure. Not in battle, that was beyond our control and the risk we take every day, but my failure in assessing the situation. Perhaps I could have used a repulsion glyph to raise the supports beams need for the wall, or perhaps I could have done any number of things differently. I was foolish to persist in attempting to slow down the Megoliath." She clenched her fist and looked down.

"Regardless, we must press on. Mr. Arc, have you been given a new overseer for the General's evaluations?" Winter asked, clearly wanting to change the topic.

Jaune obliged her and sat up right. "Uhm, yeah. Met with Clover and Harriet just in the waiting room. He's scheduled me with her for tomorrow." Jaune explained with just a hint of nervousness creeping into his voice. "I get the feeling that I'm not gonna enjoy tomorrow, am I?"

There was a brief moment before Winter's stoic expression demonstrated a smirk. "Harriet is a capable Huntress and Clover's second in command. She's quite capable of training and overseeing your evaluation." Winter said smoothly. "But no. You will not enjoy it. Whereas my... abrasiveness, steams from high standards and my professionalism, Harriet will intentionally attempt to aggravate you and to make you irrational. She will, under the guise of playful banter, insult you, make you angry. That is just her way. She'll have the high standards of the AceOps, but rather then inform you of your shortcomings she will strive to beat them out of you."

"She likes to talk. Block it out." Winter advised. "Remember that this will only be an evaluation. Not actual combat. That being said, I would not be disappointed to hear that Harriet was taken down a peg." She smirked and raised an eyebrow. "If you can adequately ignore her attempts to unnerve you, it may result in her being unnerved instead."

Jaune smiled and gave out a little laugh. "I'll keep that in mind. Though I'm not sure exactly what they have planned for me. I don't think they'll just throw into a 1 on 1 with an AceOp"

Jaune was currently in a 1 on 1 with an AceOp.

In the viewing deck above Clover reviewed the footage of Team JNPR during the Vytal Festival Tournament. There was an obvious quantum leap in skill and ability. Even at his best, the Jaune Arc then was less then anything noteworthy. But the young man currently receiving a beating from Harriet fought like an entirely different person.

Clover had been reviewing all of the footage Atlas had of the Beacon alumni. Four session a day of his people fighting their new recruits. Seeing where they came from, where they are now then determining where they could go. Arc was an odd case. He was seemingly the weakest of the bunch, but grew at rate that outpaced the others.

Even now, watching him receive hit after hit from Harriet, not being able to land on hit on her. Eventually he stopped trying. Clover was curious to see how that strategy went. It seems that Arc was attempting to simply tire out Harriet. He backed himself into a corner intentionally. Harriet was mostly just striking against Arc's shield at this point.

Clover smirked. It was certainly a strategy. In most any other situation this would have been a critical error, but in this simulated 1v1, it had merit. Clover was familiar with Harriet's limits, so he wasn't sure what would break first, Arc's endurance or Harriet's patience.

Clang! Whoosh! Clang! Whoosh!

Jaune held up his shield tightly as Harriet continued to hammer at it from all angles. Just when he thought he had figured out a pattern to her hits she'd change it up and hit him twice as fast or hold off and catch him off guard.

"Wow kid, you're holding up better then I expected." Harriet shouted from somewhere out of sight. "Not exactly what I thought you'd do. Not like you've got many options. Must be nice for your friends to have such a hefty meat shield to hide behind."

Clang! Whoosh! Clang! Clang! Whoosh! Clang!

Winter was right, Harriet was attempting to unnerve him. He had been giving it a bit of thought and decided to gamble on Harriet's composure. "At least I have friends."

Clang!

Then nothing. Jaune peaked over his shield to see Harriet seemingly dumbfounded and frozen mid-punch. It was only brief but it was enough that Jaune was able to push back with his shield and activate the Gravity Dust in it, launching Harriet several feet away. Knowing that if he allowed her to recover he'd be right back to being on the defensive.

He charged at her as she was staggering to her feet and with his full weight behind his shield he rammed her, completely taking her off her feet. She hit the ground roughly and rolled. Jaune wasted no time and continued his attack. He knew this was simply meant to be an evaluation of his skill, he wasn't meant to win or lose, but he wasn't about to pass up on an opportunity to put a win against an AceOps on his scorecard.

Jaune tossed two of his newly acquired Hard Light and Gravity grenades behind his opponent as he ran towards her. One landed behind her and one directly in front of her. Harriet had barely gotten to one knee when she noticed them. Behind her a Hard Light Shield came into existence seconds before a pulse of Gravity Dust threw her into the air. She attempted to catch her bearings and right herself but was struck by Jaune's shield once again as he crashed them both into the Hard Light.

He had her firmly pinned to the Hard Light with his shield and his sword pressed against her abdomen. Panting, Jaune smiled. "I, got you." He said, breath ragged. "No where to go." He was expecting Harriet to rage against his shield or to attempt a counter attack of some kind. So when she smirked at him he was worried.

"That was pretty cool kid. You had me on the ropes there. But its not enough." Harriet said as she leaned closer to his shield. Jaune realized what she was doing far to late to stop it. He hadn't noticed it in his onslaught but at some point she had retracted her Mechanical Arms back into their dormant and collapsed state. She threw her arms out to her sides triggering her arms to activate, but as they were pressed up against the Hard Light it pushed her and Jaune outward. Harriet rolled with the momentum and with her Mechanical arms back on she grabbed onto it hard and pressed it against him. Jaune landed on his back hard, knocking the wind out of him. Harriet had both hands on the edges of his shield, her full weight on top of him. He went to slash at her with his sword, but a leg shot out and pinned his arm down at the wrist.

She was leaning over his shield, adding pressure to it and to him. "Unless you've got anything else here hot stuff, That's the match." Harriet said closing the distance between them. They were both exhausted and panting, red faced and embarrassed.

Jaune closed his eyes, scowled, and nodded. A simulated air horn rang out in the training room and all of the artificial structures started to disappear. Harriet rolled off of him and onto her back. They both just laid there for a while, catching their breath.

"I gotta say, that was entirely unexpected. Never pegged you as the type to push an advantage like that. Pretty awesome and brutal." Harriet said just starring up at the ceiling. "If that had been real combat, then you might have had me at the end there. Just needed to take that sword and penetrate my Aura."

Jaune nodded. "Yeah. I was kind of hoping to force you to concede there. Didn't really have many other options." He said, also just staring at the ceiling. "When did you retract your arms? That's the part that I can't figure."

Harriet barked out a single laugh. "Oh, that. I did that right after your second hit. When you shoulder checked me with that shield of yours." Harriet said without any malice or resentment. "Nice hit by the way. Using your stature to your advantage. Good idea. You've got the mass and enough speed for that to be a pretty powerful hit. Not to mention that shield is pretty heavy."

Jaune took the loss in stride and listened to her assessment. "I'll try to remember that. Aside from the Vytal Festival, and the attack on Haven, I've never really fought against people. Its only ever been Grimm, or, well Atlas tech." Jaune said remember the rogue Atlesian Knights and Paladins at the Fall of Beacon.

"Oh yeah. You guys totally fought against all that." Harriet said before sitting up right. "Come on. I'm sure Clover's got his own assessment and pointers to give you." Harriet stood up and offered Jaune a hand up. With a smile he accepted and allowed Harriet to pull him towards her.

Either Harriet pulled too hard and Jaune stood up too fast but as he rose he moved forward a little too much and bumped into Harriet. He felt her hair brush against his nose as he stood up. When he caught himself he was standing extremely close to Harriet. She seemed to notice their situation and was amused by it. "Easy there lady killer. Take a girl to dinner first." Harriet said with a smirk gesturing down.

Jaune looked down and saw that their stances had forced Harriet to straddle his leg between hers. He quickly detangled himself from her and started sputtering out apologies. "Hey don't worry about. Its not a terrible concept to be up close and personal with someone I know can handle my fine ass." Harriet said with a wink before bursting into laughter as she walked away leaving Jaune in a state of sheer confusion.

Another chapter in the bag. But what's this? The tags said this was a Jaune/Winter fic, why are we seemingly getting a Jaune/Harriet set up? Oh you'll see. Now I'll put this out there, I am considering getting a Beta, just I know I'll have a second set of eyes on hand when I finish a chapter and need it looked over before I post it. You can find me in the r/RWBY Discord Server or just message me here on Ao3.