Standing on a stage came naturally to Pyrrha. She'd done it before a hundred times, and even though Beacon Initiation was a big deal, it was like every other Big Deal that had come before it, and Pyrrha knew she just had to smile and wave, make a good show for the cameras to present herself as the perfect, ideal media darling, above all suspicion and surely not the member of a secret, illegal cult worshiping the Queen of the Grimm.

But, well, there was one thing different about this time on stage.

Next to her was Jaune Arc. Sauvignon, the icon of her devoted worship. Sure, his legs seemed a little… shaky for a Huntsman. But that didn't matter, it was not her place to judge. It only meant that she would have to be sure to take command of his training—something she was very much looking forward to!

Of course he was named team leader. Pyrrha knew she was a little… biased in her opinion of Jaune, but she could clearly tell that he was a natural leader. Someone who, even though he'd only just met Pyrrha, Nora, and Ren, was quick to give orders in the field.

And those orders…

She felt a tingle in her aura just to remember them! Pyrrha knew that Jaune was blessed by Queen Salem, but when he told her to cut off the Deathstalker's tail, it was like his voice took on a pure, divine quality. As she moved to carry out his orders, time seemed to slow down. Her aura felt limitless, her strength, doubled, and she realized it was more than just the enthusiasm, or even some kind of religious mania!

Pyrrha would normally suspect this to be a Semblance, but she knew Jaune was blessed, by the rightful ruler of the world, and so she understood instinctually what she was hearing—his words were a commandment from the heavens! She suspected that his powers greatly exceeded what he understood, that likely even the Grimm themselves would be compelled to follow his command, or possibly that he could slow an enemy down, make them devote focus and energy to disobey. But there'd be time to explore that later—too much at once might reveal that Pyrrha knew what was up with his powers. And she wouldn't object to... taking her time with Sauvignon, drawing out his potential and shaping him into the true Chosen of Salem.

Especially considering that his Semblance felt wonderful to be subjected to! So purposeful and powerful, while at the same time so directed and controlled! She felt like a river, surging forward as they utterly tore the Deathstalker apart at his command. Pyrrha could have gunned down an entire squad of Huntsmen, her trigger finger moving faster, her arms steadier, her sight more precise than she'd ever been before.

Ah, she only wished it was a bigger mission. Something longer, something… grander. Now that she had found her purpose in serving Jaune, she felt a wellspring of zeal within her, and yet, nothing to point it at! Would that she could just topple the corrupt institutions of Man and appoint their sovereign Sauvignon as the Grand Pontifex of Salemism…

But she had duties to attend to. Even if they were smaller and more local, they were her orders, and she was the handmaiden of her Goddess—she would carry out her will.

Collaboratively, she was reminded, as Nora gave Sauvignon a hearty slap on the back, almost knocking him flat. Pyrrha laughed, genuinely.. She thought highly of the both of her associates, and respected that they came highly credentialed as enforcers of the Goddess's Will, even if Nora was a little… louder than Pyrrha would expect of a Salemist agent. Together, they made an effective team—Ren was cerebral, Nora, active, and Pyrrha would give unimpeachable coverage for their operations.

And onto their first task: setting up their room!

"Nora," Sauvignon was patiently lecturing, "bunk beds are more than just two beds on top of each other, you need something to support the upper bunk. We don't have materials for it."

"I mean, we could just use all our stuff as support pillars, that makes perfect sense! Come on, it'll be fun! Let's do it! Let's do it, let's do it, let's do it!"

Was she… fishing for him to Command her? Pyrrha didn't particularly like that, especially considering that she was herself required to show restraint and not ask for Jaune's lordly Command, even though she really wanted it.

But Sauvignon came back with a surprising compromise. "Well, you said you're doing this to be closer to Ren… but wouldn't you be closer if you could just look to your left and he was there? This way, there's no mattress in the way for you to see him."

"Wow..." Nora said, "That makes so much sense! Thanks Jaune-Jaune!"

"It's, uh, it's just Jaune."

Nora shrugged. "Juste-Jaune sounds less fun than Jaune-Jaune, so I'm sticking with it!"

He was about to say something, but Pyrrha noted an alarm on her scroll.

"Excuse me, Jaune?" she asked him, savoring the way his name sounded in her voice, lasciviously rolling the syllables in her mouth.

"Mhmm?" he looked up from Nora.

"Don't you have a Team Leader's meeting with Professor Goodwitch at 8:00?"

Jaune's eyes shot to the wall clock, seeing it proclaim that it was 7:45. "Oh, shoot! I almost- I totally- thanks, Pyrrha!" he darted up and headed out the door.

As the door closed, Ren idly drawled, "I seem to recall that his meeting was at 8:30."

Pyrrha laughed, quietly. "It's going to take him 30 minutes to find the room. This way, he'll be early. Besides," she turned to Ren and Nora, "I wanted to speak to you two, develop what our plan of action is for these first few weeks at Beacon."

Nora and Ren exchanged a look, then turned back to her. "Aren't... you in charge?" Nora asked, confused.

Ah, this was a question, wasn't it? Pyrrha had been told she would be "in charge," but what did that mean when they were cult operatives trained in clandestine action and she… was an athlete? Yes, she was an accomplished fighter, and while the ring never got as underhanded or as bloody as the field, she could tell that even Ren and Nora weren't on the same level as she was. But while what made her a good fighter might make her a good bodyguard, Pyrrha wasn't sure it translated to leadership.

She sighed. "I'm… I was told that I would be given the task of leading this, and I intend to rise to my Goddess's expectations, but… I'm not so arrogant to assume that I know everything, and I'm certainly not going to dismiss your expertise."

Another brief glance was shared between Ren and Nora, a glance that… became a smile. They approved of her decision, and Pyrrha felt like she could let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. Yes, this was an incredible opportunity, but at the same time, this would be the greatest task in Pyrrha's life… and she knew it would lead to even more and greater tasks in the service of their Divine Queen. It felt good to know she could count on Ren and Nora's help, and, she hoped… she hoped that they could become friends. All four of them, but, as Pyrrha knew, Jaune wasn't to know about the Cult or his protection. So she really looked forward to Ren and Nora being friends she could be wholly honest and open with.

"Alright," Ren nodded, pulling out some papers from a hidden compartment in his luggage. "Here's what I've been thinking for our immediate first objectives, primarily, getting a sense of Team RWBY."

Pyrrha nodded in agreement. "I know how isolating it can be as a VIP—it's important for him to have friends that aren't acting on a hidden agenda."

"And they sometimes explode!" Nora cheerfully added. "Which is a big plus!"

"We'll… try to minimize the explosion side of things," Ren cut in, "but they are going to be of key importance. Sauvignon is already close to team leader Ruby Rose, though the group, in general, seems to be of interest. An ex-White Fang leader disguised as a human and the heiress to the SDC..." Pyrrha felt a soft burn of jealousy, remembering how Jaune's eyes shifted to the white-haired beauty as she spoke to him, but reminded herself that it was not her place to decide who Jaune fancied, "No matter what, they'll be people of interest. But other than that-"

"Ms. Fall's a butt!" Nora chimed in, loudly. Pyrrha had to smile at that—Ms. Fall seemed to have no love for Tyrian Callows, who had trained the both of them, but Master Rainart had no particular fondness for either. He had said it was the Wisdom of the Goddess to keep them opposed, and Pyrrha had been raised in the Mistralian tradition of agonism to know that conflict led to strength. So long as it didn't cause trouble for her mission, Pyrrha would respect her authority.

But then Nora produced a letter. "And she had this for you."

Pyrrha wasn't surprised to receive it, likely further intelligence on the situ…

Her thoughts dropped just as her jaw did as she took the unmarked envelope from Nora's hand and, as soon as she touched it, it became far from unmarked. Like embers across the paper, black letters were revealed… letters proclaiming.

SALEM

This letter wasn't from Ms. Fall. This was… this was written, personally, by the Queen of All Remnant. Tearing her eyes from the artifact in her hand, Pyrrha looked to her equally stunned comrades.

Well, it would not do to wait on their orders. With trembling hands, Pyrrha opened the letter, and began to read their revelation.

He was a team leader now. A… team leader. At Beacon. The most prestigious of all the Academies, the best place to achieve his lifelong dream to excel as Huntsman. Jaune almost couldn't believe it, but the accomplishment came with weighty expectations. He… he still had to prove himself. Just like Auntie always said, most Huntsmen were little more than thugs, and Jaune definitely got the impression that some of his classmates definitely fit into that category. But he was on the right track. He was ready and willing to do what he had to do to excel!

And… he was completely lost. No idea where he was, wandering through the halls. His attempts to explain this to a professor, a big man with a big mustache, had only been met with a booming laugh, a slap on the back, and his full support of "seeking out adventure." But no directions on how to get to the room he was looking for.

Although being late to his first meeting was definitely getting off on the wrong foot, Jaune knew to calm himself, to accept it, and take it in stride. Auntie had always told him that true strength came from taking the long view, from knowing you had time on your side to try again, and Jaune took that lesson to heart. Wandering the halls just gave him time to think about his new teammates!

Who were great! And intense! Very intense; Jaune wasn't sure what Nora and Ren's background was, but he was very relieved to hear Ren interrupt Nora's, uh, graphic description of their time in the wild of Mistral to let him know she was just exaggerating. Jaune didn't need to know that much about what ways legs could be bent, though he also picked up that Nora was the kind of effervescently cheerful girl that could brighten his spirits easily, even if they'd just been dimmed by a detailed account of the difficulties of trying to leave a Beowulf's head in someone's bed. And Ren... Jaune knew he was going to like Ren. Very laid back and easygoing, he was definitely going to have a good time with Ren as his bro.

And then there was Pyrrha…

It wasn't just that his partner was a beautiful and accomplished celebrity, it wasn't just that she also seemed like an incredibly kind and patient person, who basically offered to teach him everything he needed to know, but she kept… giving him looks. The kind that made it seem less like she was his partner and more like she was…

His bodyguard.

Had… this been Auntie's doing? Had she pulled some strings? Hired someone to keep him safe while at Beacon? Jaune wasn't sure he liked that, as though his Aunt didn't... didn't trust him to succeed on his own. But she wouldn't do that, would she? Maybe… maybe his Semblance was just some kind of tremendous good luck? Except… he was pretty sure he'd gotten to learn firsthand what his Semblance was when his team started glowing and then ripped the Deathstalker apart like it was nothing.

Jaune didn't know much about Huntsmen or aura or even Grimm (which, now that he thought about it, were probably things he should have read up on a little before arriving), but could they all… do that? They seemed almost as surprised as he was, so… well, Auntie had promised him a power, and what else could he call what happened in the forest other than that?

"Hey Jaune!"

He whirled, jolted from his thoughts to see Ruby! She would know where... ah, she was standing in the doorway of the room that was probably where they were meeting. The room Jaune had almost walked right past. And a room that… only had a few people in it? Was it- oh… yeah, that was right, the meeting started at 8:30, not 8:00. Pyrrha had the wrong time, and he was so wrapped up in doing things right, he hadn't even realized her mistake.

Well, better to feel foolish than to be late, he supposed.

"I saved you a seat!" Ruby added, cheerfully.

"Aww, thanks crater face!"

"No problem, vomit boy."

They both smirked at each other. Yes, not all Huntsmen were good people, but any school that had Ruby Rose couldn't be as bad as Auntie had made it out to be.

"Can you believe we're Team Leaders?" Ruby asked, alight with excitement. "We're like, it's like- I mean, I can't- can you even-"

Jaune opted to interrupt before she hyperventilated. "I can't believe it," he admitted. He couldn't. Really, he couldn't.

"My mom was a team leader," Ruby said, wistfully, "It was how she met my dad, actually. I wonder if I… well," she blushed, "there's only girls on my team, so..."

"That can be a blessing," Jaune muttered under his breath, thinking of how Pyrrha… was. But he shook his head clear. He could… figure that out later. "I'm sure she's really proud of you."

"Yeah," Ruby said, smiling, "Team RWBY's gonna be the best team ever!"

"Not if Team JNPR has anything to say about it!" he shot back in good cheer. It was… it was good that the two of them could be so excited for their semester together. There was a whole lot ahead of him, but Jaune felt that, with a good friend like Ruby and his… intense, but dependable, team, he was on a good path to achieve his dreams!

"So," he asked, "how's the first night of team bonding going?"

Ruby's face lit up even brighter than Jaune felt possible. "It's going great! Weiss and I are gonna be bffs for life, AND we made bunk beds!"

Jaune paled. "Umm… can we… would you mind if I made sure that Nora didn't learn about that?"

He was already imagining the architectural nightmare that was surely going to result if she had "the other Team got to do it!" in her arsenal.

Ruby gave him a quizzical look and he just asked, "Have you met Nora yet?" answering her unasked question.

But they didn't have much time to talk before the Headmaster and Ms. Goodwitch entered. A perfunctory introduction later (man, Headmaster Ozpin was not big on speeches), he began with a quick roll call.

And, of course, Jaune was once again head of the line. Thanks, A name!

"Jaune… Arc?"

"Here!" Jaune said, cheerfully raising his hand.

"Huh," he gave a soft laugh, "I once knew an Arc..."

That got Jaune's attention! "Oh? Who? We're a very tight knit family, I wouldn't be surprised if I-"

But the Headmaster just shook his head. "I can assure you, you very likely don't know her. She was… from a long time ago."

Headmaster Ozpin didn't seem that old, so Jaune really doubted he would have known an Arc that Jaune hadn't, at least, heard stories about. And certainly, Auntie Salem would have known them—Jaune resolved to ask her what Arcs might have gone to Beacon previously. Or would have known the Headmaster, since he seemed like a big deal.

He was about to ask a followup question, but the Headmaster was already calling off the next names on the roll call, and Jaune felt he didn't want to interrupt him. The last thing a busy man like the Headmaster of Beacon needed was a student telling him all about his Aunt.

Nora was beyond excited to hear what the Goddess herself had to tell them! Boy this day just kept getting better and better! She got to use Magnhild without restraint, got to ride an Ursa, got to be on the best team ever, then got lit up by… by SauvinJaune's (as she was now calling him) super-magic awesome power! It felt like she was a million grenades, all going off at once! And then Queen Salem was going to tell her how awesome she was! Best day ever!

"My Loyal Servants," oooooooh, Nora was getting tingles already! "I write to you with a task of most urgent importance. You have been told already, by my most faithful servants," awwwwww, Uncle Tyrian would love to hear that he was a most faithful servant! "That your task is more important than any you have faced before. But I must reiterate: the Arc family has long been important to me, and Jaune is the most precious of them all. He is dear to me in a way no other mortal is. Protect him with your life, but ensure that he is allowed to grow and bloom into the brilliant young man I know he will one day become. And… and..."

Pyrrha's words trailed off as her lips curled upwards in the single biggest smile Nora had ever seen. It was actually really creepy!

"Ahem," Ren cleared his throat, "Agent Victory? "

Pyrrha, her voice trembling, with a faraway look on her face, continued to read. "I expect my nephew to continue the Arc family line. Nothing would bring me more pleasure than knowing he was ensuring that the next generation of Arcs was swiftly coming, and that there would be many of them. I expect… I expect… ehehehehehe" Pyrrha's voice broke down into a wild, manic giggle. Which actually made Nora feel a lot better—Uncle Tyrian did these all the time, and Nora, who really, really missed her uncle, appreciated the reminder of her family.

But she also really wanted to hear what else was in the note!

"Agent Victory…?" Ren asked again, prompting her to finish reading.

"I e-expect you to assist him in a-any way to ensure this happens. He promised me he would get a, get a g-girlfriend before leaving to Vale, and while I have considerable faith that he has the Arc charm, anything to assist him in this endeavor will earn my favor."

They all froze at that. Even Ren's eyes seemed to go up a full millimeter. Her favor… Queen Salem's favor! Uncle Tyrian would be so proud of her. And she'd promised him she'd make him proud before she left for Vale. Mostly so he'd stop crying, but the thought of telling Uncle Tyrian that she and Renny had earned Queen Salem's favor…

And it would be so absolutely easy, so utterly simple that all they had to do was… whatever it was that made girls like guys! Piece of cake! Nora and Pyrrha were girls, and they already liked him, so this was going to be even easier than that! They were so gonna get Jaune-Jaune laid!

Thanks to Renarde for feedback on this story!

People have been asking for longer chapters and I'm sorry to say, I'm not really interested in making this story more that a bunch of quick, goofy chapters. Some of them might be longer, but I'm writing this as a break from the heavier content of "The Children of Remnant," so I'd personally rather write short chapters for that. Sort of like how I wrote "The Fairest of Them All."