Prologue

Jaune beat against the locker, his heart clenching in his chest as he felt a thrum build through his feet. The locker was taking off!

"Pyrrha! Please don't do this!"

The last thing he saw was her sad green eyes peering at him through the bars of the locker. At that moment time seemed to stop. He could see her pain, the hurt that sending him away brought her. But he could also see the determination accompanied by a strange belief that he couldn't quite place. And then she was gone, and he was flying through the air away from her. Leaving his partner to her death. He knew she would die. As good as he knew Pyrrha was, Cinder had already killed Headmaster Ozpin! There was a twisting in his gut, and he felt like all the air had been sucked out of him. Pyrrha was going to die. He didn't know how he knew this. But he felt it was something certain, unchangeable.

That's when the anger hit. How could she do this to him! The flash of anger brought a wave of guilt. It's not her fault.

He spoke the thought out loud. "It's not Pyrrha's fault."

He smashed a fist against the locker once more. "It's mine. I'm too weak!"

He beat against the locker again. "She felt like she had to protect me!"

He screamed, a helpless bellow that did nothing but make him hoarse. "It's my fault." His vocal chords could produce nothing more than a whisper, but somehow those words brought more condemnation than all his previous shouting had before. If I could just go back, if I could just get stronger. If I could just be stronger. But such thoughts were pointless, he knew. He couldn't go back. He couldn't just become stronger in the time he had. He couldn't become strong enough even if he went back to the beginning of Beacon!

He had thought he could join a Huntsman academy-Beacon itself!- without any training. He had forged his transcripts, faked his way into school…and it had been working! He had become a team leader! Him! He had made friends, Team RWBY, Ren, Nora,...Pyrrha. And now it was all gone. They were all fighting for their lives, and he was trapped in this stupid locker! He slammed a fist into the locker again, and was surprised when it suddenly slowed down.

"It's too soon."

He thought Pyrrha would send him to Vale, to one of the safe zones in the fighting…but he had been in the air only a few seconds. He was…he was still at Beacon!

In the seconds before impact, he recognized the Beacon cafeteria, illuminated by the numerous fires that still burned. Then the locker smashed through the ceiling, the harsh and sudden jolt throwing him hard against the front of its metal surface. The only thing that prevented him from being injured was his aura, though even that couldn't keep him from being completely dazed. And then, to somehow make things worse, the locker door snapped open, sending him spilling to the floor. He groaned in both pain and annoyance before struggling to his feet. He had to get back to Pyrrha!

"Jaune?!" The voice caused him to freeze, not because he recognized it though he certainly did, but because of the sheer terror he could hear in its tone. "Blake?"

"Jaune, get away from here!"

It was then he saw her, lying on the floor while an unfamiliar man in a white mask stood over her, his sword raised.

"Do you know this one too, my love?" The man angled his body toward Jaune, who couldn't help but take a reflexive step back before gritting his teeth and drawing his sword. He would be useful! He would save Blake, and then together they could go after Pyrrha.

"I'm not leaving you here Blake. Pyrrha needs our help."

The man's eyes flicked to the side, his stance shifting as Jaune heard another pair of steps come up beside him. "There you are Blake."

Jaune released a breath he didn't know he was holding. "And Vomit-Boy too!" Despite her light tone, Jaune could see small flames dancing in Yang's hair out of the corner of his eye. He gulped. He wasn't particularly close to Yang. To be honest, he actually found her the most intimidating member of RWBY. But you didn't have to be close to Yang to know about her fiery temper. Literally.

"So who's this guy Blakey? Doesn't look very friendly."

He didn't dare risk a second glance, but heard the sound of skin impacting skin. "How is it you always run into unfriendly people huh?"

"Yang!" Blake sounded desperate, something that had Jaune swallow nervously.

If this guy could make Blake sound like that, he didn't have a chance. But he wouldn't run. Pyrrha needed help. And I'm not strong enough. "Just go away! He's too strong!"

Quicker than Jaune could react, the man in red unsheathed his sword again, stabbing it down into Blake who let out a pained cry.

Everything from that moment on moved by in a blur. Even with his reservations, Jaune couldn't let someone just hurt Blake like that. Even if they had never really interacted much, Jaune still counted her as a friend. So, gritting his teeth, Jaune charged forward even as he heard Yang scream behind him and felt a burst of heat on his back. Jaune had only taken four steps when he saw the smallest of grins break out over the man with red hair. He saw the smallest flicker of his fingers over the hilt of his sword. When had he sheathed it again? He's not even looking at me. Jaune realized. The man knew who the bigger threat was, and he knew that Yang would reach him first, even with Jaune's head start. The complete disregard made Jaune angry. The image of sad green eyes flashed through his mind, stoking the flames into something approaching rage. I'm not strong enough to save Pyrrha. He set his jaw as his eyes flicked down to the faunus downed form. I don't know if I can even save Blake. He saw the glint of red-tinged silver as the man began to draw his sword. But I can still save Yang.

Something must have alerted the man in red, because for the first time since Yang appeared, the man's eyes turned back to him, even if only for the barest of moments. But it was too late. Jaune had made his mind up. Abruptly he turned…and tackled Yang to the side. I wish I was stronger. That I could just stop time and become stronger. I just wanted…to be a hero. He felt a searing pain in his back as his aura somehow failed him and then…everything went white.

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