The scenes replayed in Yang's mind.

The fear that lingered in her heart, making her body go numb. The growls of the monsters as they edged closer to her and her sister, fast asleep. She came here for answers, and dragged her sister to their doom. Yang did her best to slowly walk away from the abandoned house. The wagon that carried Ruby was too loud, and disturbed the creatures. Yang began to cry, shuddering as the monsters looked her way, hungry for her flesh. She let out a scream when she held Ruby and shielded her from them with her own body.

Then Uncle Qrow came to the rescue.

It was supposed to be simple. Take out the pack of Beowolves right before them. They hadn't noticed her and Ruby, which was a plus. An easy fight with her baby sister, who'll be her partner by the looks of it. The day was looking rather nice.

She charged in before Ruby was even ready. She pounded and wailed at them with all she had in her. It was fun. The endorphins kicked in and she was getting high on adrenaline. The thrill of flying in the air reminded her of the freedom she had.

But then... there were more of them. And another wave approached. They just kept coming...

Yang grew exhausted after fighting recklessly. She didn't conserve her energy since she wasn't expecting there to be this many of them. Then she had no choice but to guard herself and counter their strikes. However, her aura didn't kick in. She would've felt surges of pain if it weren't for the adrenaline rush, but she felt how deep her wounds were. She struggled to even lift them as she projected herself away from the sea of Grimm.

She regretted it soon. She whipped her head around to Ruby. She was struck on her leg, making her immobile. She was barely defending herself from the Beowolves swiping at her.

No...

Yang forced herself up and mustered all she could to launch herself.

No...

She landed awkwardly and held her baby sister, prepared to be slaughtered.

I'm sorry, Ruby...

Along with her repeating the same mistake, she was saved again. Instead of Uncle Qrow, it was Blake and Weiss.

She screwed up again. She was a thrill-seeker. Becoming a huntress was bound to have plenty of excitement and adventures. It was a bonus though. Ruby had the ambition to be just like Summer, and if she could be there to watch her back... Well, there was nothing else she'd rather do.

Yet she almost got her killed. It was foolish, she let her urges get the best of her and charged in there without a plan. Without any idea of the weight of the consequences. That guy, Jaune... his words hurt. It was distasteful, rude, he had no tact...

However, he had a point, much to her dismay. She wouldn't say no to sparring with him though. Getting in a few good hits without repercussions sounded pretty amusing. She knew she belonged here at Beacon, but Jaune was going to be an issue if he was like that. Hopefully it was just his screwed up way of showing he cared. Or else she'd have to have a word with him.

Blake and Weiss approached the situation differently, which was easier to bear. Yang had broke down crying. She fell to her knees and couldn't even lift her arms to wipe away her tears. It was just hard to accept she'd almost gotten Ruby killed again when she vowed to protect her since that day.

Blake tried asking her some basic questions like whether or not she knew where they were and if she wanted something to drink. Blake even gave her one of her magazines to fiddle with. It was oddly satisfying to flick the bullets out of it. Yang recognized it as a basic method to handle someone going through shock or a panic attack or something along those lines.

Weiss was on her knees as well next to Blake, concern painted all over her. It was sort of relieving to see Weiss Schnee to have a caring and compassionate side to some extent. She was glad Jaune wasn't here as well. He'd probably try to drill his point into her head by asking more questions and barraging her with words. It'd only make her cry; she already knew what he was trying to do.

"Arc..." Weiss growled. "Not only is he an idiot, but he doesn't know how to read the mood. The audacity of him to say such things."

"Weiss..." Blake focused her attention back on Yang. "Just keep breathing, Yang. Nice and easy."

Weiss stood up and hustled out of the room. Yang began to dread what would come next.


Jaune never came back to the dorm. It was the morning of their first day, and Blake couldn't help but keep her eye on the previously bombastic blonde. It was odd to see her act so energetic the other day with her sister, then become a statue. She silently changed her own bandages and protested whenever she tried to help her with them.

Yang only went out once, and that was to visit her sister, Ruby. She appeared to be in higher spirits when she sat down with her baby sister. Ruby's leg was bandaged in a similar manner, and she didn't appear to be distressed like Yang was. It was an opportunity for Blake to meet the rest of Team Ruin. Well, two of the other members. Nora and Ren were nice enough to hold a conversation with. Pyrrha Nikos wasn't there though. Nor was Jaune.

It was sort of... heartwarming how Yang relied on Blake to this degree. She hadn't planned on making any friends, but this was nice. Despite how screwed up the circumstances were.

Weiss was rather quiet as well that morning. She stormed off last night, likely to pursue Jaune, but came back not too long after, empty-handed. She briefly explained he wasn't worth the effort before preparing to turn in for the night. Blake had the suspicion Weiss wouldn't appreciate hearing his name this early in the morning. Blake could read her thoughts. Their leader, if you could call him that, going to be late on the first day was going to be quite the statement. If his words last night weren't an indication enough.

Which reminded her of initiation. Jaune and Pyrrha appeared to be on good terms. With how they bantered with each other while trudging through the forest. She didn't feel like intruding, so she kept her distance. From what she gathered, Pyrrha wasn't used to socializing, and Jaune was a bit of an idiot that meant well. Yet his behavior last night suggested there was more.

Not to mention how he didn't help Yang and Ruby. She kept following them and was alerted to the incident because of the gunshots. What was surprising was how Pyrrha and Jaune stayed out of sight and didn't interfere. It didn't look like Jaune was going to step in at all, with how he stopped Pyrrha from doing so. And how she held her hand out like that at one point was peculiar. What was she trying to do?

She'd have to keep an eye on him. Figure out whatever she could. He wouldn't just leave them to die, would he? It'd be an issue to have a leader with that sort of mentality. Things would be different. No more 'necessary casualties'. No friends left behind...

Beacon was meant to be a fresh start, not a new headache to deal with.

Weiss let out a foul shriek when the door began to open. Jaune could take a hint. He closed the door and didn't enter. Weiss scrambled to the bathroom with the rest of her uniform and slammed the door behind her. Blake sort of wished Yang was in there instead. She'd rather have Weiss out here to talk to him.

Blake reluctantly let Jaune in. She wasn't sure what she expected, but seeing bags under his eyes certainly wasn't a first guess. He hunched over and didn't have that smug grin on his face like usual. He looked tired. In fact, his clothes were a bit tattered with some dirt smudged on them. His bright hair was more of a mess and had some grass in it as well.

Yang tried her best to ignore his presence, but she could tell she was having a hard time keeping herself together, with how her arms lightly shook as she tried buttoning her blazer.

Weiss burst out of the bathroom, face flushed and hair slightly disheveled.

"Where have you been, you moron!?" she cried. She inspected him and dusted his arms. "You don't get to speak in such a manner to your teammate before disappearing for the night!"

He swatted her arms away, clearly disinterested. "Didn't you say you wouldn't miss me if I were gone?" Weiss didn't appear to be fazed, but the malice behind his words was different compared to before. It wasn't the insensitive tone, but more grounded. It was probably because he was tired. As in, he didn't get enough sleep. Actually, none at all by the looks of it.

"Your actions reflect Team Abyss as well, leader," she spat. "Now where on Remnant were you last night?"

He scratched his head then picked his nose. Weiss glared at him when he flicked the spoils at her. "I was… not making love in the Emerald Forest last night?"

Blake could've sworn she saw Weiss' eye twitch. She crossed her arms and tapped her foot impatiently as Jaune's eyes began to shut. Weiss smacked him, which earned her a rather annoyed look.

"You… it's not even the first day, and you're already fooling around with your girlfriend the night before classes. Our first day of classes!" she added. Jaune began to avert his gaze, or was he falling asleep?

Jaune coughed. "About that…"

Weiss' eyes narrowed. "No… Don't tell me you were doing something casual." Jaune said nothing. "Did you at least remember her name!?"

She shushed him by placing a finger against his lips. Well, she jabbed his cheek before correcting herself. It'd probably be best not to know whom Jaune was messing around with. She took an audible breath before looking up at him again, with a look of morbid realization. Blake could feel the rage in her tone as she spoke.

"Don't tell me it was Pyrrha…"

Jaune's eyes widened. His mouth hung before it grew into a disgusting smile. So the guy was that friendly with Pyrrha, then? She recalled how Pyrrha was calling him last night, if the photo on his scroll was any indication. Weiss was exasperated. She was having a hard time comprehending this.

"Pyrrha Nikos… with him…"

"I wasn't making love with Pyrrha in the Emerald Forest last night," he clarified. "Sorry to steal your shot at being with her though."

"Just hurry and get changed!"


Blake's eyes were drawn to her leader as he snoozed away on the floor next to her. Professor Port didn't have the most exciting lectures since he told tales about his youth rather than proper lessons on Grimm. Weiss was trying to distract herself from the thoughts she had revolving around Pyrrha. She kept muttering about the world falling apart for her. Normally it would be amusing to watch Weiss' image of someone like Pyrrha Nikos shatter, but this didn't feel that fulfilling.

How red Pyrrha's cheeks were getting as she overheard this was amusing though.

Jaune managed to sleep through the ordeal though, much to her surprise. Despite how Weiss kicked Jaune out of his seat and continued to wail on him, he kept sleeping. Either he was a heavy sleeper or he was exhausted from the previous night.

Blake looked at Pyrrha then shuddered as she shook her head. She'll stick to fictional characters rather than people she knew.

Professor Port didn't seem to mind the rather obvious display Weiss was putting up. Kicking Jaune out of his seat wasn't completely intentional, but Weiss was giving up on subtlety if the constant kicks to Jaune's chest were any indication.

Finally, Port caught on.

"Miss Schnee!" he declared. "I'll have to ask you to refrain from abusing the poor boy!"

He marched over to her and inspected her. Weiss was visibly embarrassed, but didn't speak back.

"May I ask why you are doing this?" he asked.

"M-My apologies, sir," she stammered. She struggled to find an answer. "Jaune here was... out last night unbeknownst to us, and I'll have to apologize on behalf of his behavior."

Professor Port didn't appear to be offended. If anything, it looked as though-

"No, I should be apologizing," Professor Port admitted. "You see, I happened to run into him last night. He was with Miss Nikos, and I'm afraid I was intruding..."

Blake's eyes widened. Weiss' did as well. The two of them kept shifting their gazes between Jaune, Pyrrha, and the professor. He hadn't... walked in on them, had he? Pyrrha began to shrink into her seat when a few more pairs of eyes were aimed her way. By the gods, he did catch them, didn't he?

"I..." Weiss' cheeks matched Pyrrha's hair. "I have to apologize for that, then. I know I cannot dictate what my leader does in his spare time, but I'm sorry you had to... encounter him under those circumstances. I'll try to keep him in check from here on out."

"Oh, please do not worry." Port began to stroke his mustache. "If anything, I was more than happy that they invited me to join them."

Weiss coughed, Blake dropped the book she was secretly reading, Yang was a whirlpool of expressions. And Jaune kept snoring...

"I was surprised Miss Nikos suggested the proposition."

Pyrrha did what!?

"I'm afraid I'm the reason Mister Arc here is so exhausted, so I'm aware as to why he's like this. We were at it all night, and didn't stop until the crack of dawn. To be honest, I'm still a bit winded myself. I'm impressed by Miss Niko's stamina with how she appears ready to go for another round."

Weiss reached new levels with how flustered she appeared. Did Professor Port just openly admit... Blake shook her head as she pounded it. The more she thought about it, the more imagery popped into her head.

"It was quite unprofessional of me... as a teacher and all."

Please stop talking!

"I shouldn't have kept them out in the Emerald Forest all night. As fun as it is to slay the prowlers of the night, I should've taken into account how long we were out there. Perhaps I should make a field trip out of this."

Weiss slammed her head down on the desk as she muttered something about this all somehow being Arc's fault. Port thankfully, started to tell some story about slaying his first Grimm as Weiss struggled to retain what sanity she had left.

Blake did catch the faintest of smiles on Jaune's face though.

"I was... not making love in the Emerald Forest last night?"

"I wasn't making love with Pyrrha in the Emerald Forest last night."

His appearance and demeanor earlier made much more sense. He didn't lie, just took advantage of Weiss' assumptions. And gave an oddly specific explanation to implant the idea. He was manipulative. She'd have to take note of that.


Jaune noticed Yang's distress when she pulled out her scroll and read her incoming message. It wasn't the pain from lifting her arms, it was more of an emotional pain by the looks of it. She didn't recoil or wince from moving her arms. How her eyes widened when she read the message was enough of an indication. He doubted it was a breakup or anything of the sort.

Her look had dread behind it... with hints of fear.

Jaune was feeling more refreshed after his needed nap during Port's lesson. He was glad the man understood his position, considering last night, but was disappointed how he missed his story on how he killed his first Grimm.

It wasn't every day you'd get to hear how a toddler murdered his first Ursa.

He didn't expect Professor Port to be wandering around that late at night. Pyrrha insisted on chatting, which ended up lasting for hours. She then came up with an excuse as to why the two of them were out past curfew. He was surprised she had it in her; lying like that on the spot wasn't easy for him when he first started.

Weiss assuming what happened was an absolute gem. He hadn't expected her to come up with the idea, but it was still pretty funny, nonetheless. Especially how Weiss implanted the naughty idea beforehand, then Port made it obvious what Weiss was thinking with that misguided mind of hers.

Still, it was actually quite fun, exterminating those Grimm and all. It'd also make him appeal to the veteran.

Blake started feeding Yang her lunch when she realized her teammate was struggling to lift her fork. Yang made a teasing comment which Blake did her best to ignore. Blake then threatened she would stop feeding her if Yang didn't stop. She complied afterwards.

Weiss sat a considerable distance away from him to his right. She kept picking at her mashed potatoes as she went on about possible ideas for revenge, as petty as it was. He doubted she'd go through with any of them. Not only were they terrible and bound to fail, she would probably focus on recovering her image as the heiress of the SDC.

Blake and Yang engaged in light conversation as Weiss plotted to herself. Jaune kept jabbing his beef cut with his fork as he eyed the other students. All of them had the potential to become capable huntsmen in the eyes of Beacon. His mind whirled as he came up with ways to properly handle each and every one of them. There were specific things for each unique individual in order to make them tick. His main plan would surely affect everyone, but it might not work due to a variety of reasons.

He'd go through with it anyway. He just needed to keep on going with the farce.

His eyes were drawn to an unwelcoming sight. He heard someone tumble on the ground as laughter echoed. A girl, a faunus, was on the ground with her face planted into her tray. It didn't take a genius to figure out what was happening. He recognized the armor of Winchester, laughing at the girl's plight. Others looked, but didn't do anything. No one even offered to help her.

Jaune put his hands on the table as he helped himself up. He noticed his team looking at him oddly, and their eyes followed him as he walked over to the girl on the ground with a napkin in hand. He knelt down and looked at her in the eye. She was on the verge of crying as Winchester kept laughing.

It was pathetic.

He gave a look, and gestured toward her face. She nodded and he reached for her cheeks. He began to wipe away the mashed potatoes that were on her. He heard Winchester making comments on his love for freaks. He taunted him, likely to get him to react. Perhaps he was still bitter over the spar they had, if you could call it that.

The girl visibly winced. Not out of pain, but at the words Winchester spat. Jaune took note of the girl's features. She had this aura unlike most first years. She was likely an older student.

High priority...

Jaune stood up and held a hand out to her. She hesitated, but took his offer.

"Ought as well leave that there, I'm sure the custodian can take care of that." Jaune tried to get her to speak. Tempt her to make a comment or something.

"Y-Yeah..." she whispered. Not much to go on for now.

Jaune turned to leave when a hand rested on his shoulder. It wasn't a gesture with pure intent. He turned around to meet the cocky expression of Cardin Winchester. He knocked the girl aside and tried to look down on him. Thankfully, he was blessed with his height.

"Hold it, Jauney, we have some unfinished business." He was referring to the fight then. Some of the spectators muttered to each other. He could make out some of the comments about the fight finally continuing, or how he wouldn't be able to run this time. They probably witnessed or heard of their spar during initiation. "What you did was dirty, and we should settle this properly."

"Here?" he asked. He wasn't in the mood for whatever Winchester believed to be proper retribution. "In a cafeteria, after you've harassed this girl? May I remind you that what you've just done won't paint you in the best light? And picking a fight with the guy who helped the victim in question, as everyone else stood by and just watched, not offering a helping hand?"

"That's real rich, coming from you," he snarled. "You've got quite a rep around here already, you know. Coming here, like you own the place." Winchester was a hypocrite then. One of the worst of the bunch. "Cheating your way to a strong team and passing initiation. Not to mention how you've bagged Pyrrha Nikos as your bitch."

Jaune's anger flared. "I'll have you know Pyrrha is not a bitch. And I'm afraid I don't come to the same conclusion in regards to your outlandish claim of cheating."

"You-"

"If anything," Jaune said. "It was your own stupidity that was your downfall. It was your fault for falling for such a trick. And to my knowledge, it isn't against the rules. I mean, do you think I'd be able to use that trick with Grimm? The monsters are mindless, but at least they're smart enough to not fall for that, Winchester. It says a lot about your intelligence. Or rather, the lack of it."

Jaune eyed the girl as she stood up. She tensed and tried to move in. He saw the punch coming at him, but didn't bother to stop it. He took the hit and came tumbling to the ground. Winchester laughed, but didn't know what to do next. He probably anticipated for him to fight back. The girl wasn't sure what to do either.

"You see that everyone?" he called out. "Arc is nothing but a fraud!"

Winchester continued to boast and refer to him in a demeaning way. He noticed a few others cheering him on. How funny. A bunch of people training to fight for humanity, following and admiring a racist. He took note of those who cheered. And he began to run through the possibilities of the girl who helped him up and tried dragging him away.

A pacifist perhaps? His instincts told him this girl was capable of so much more than acting meek and passive. Now he had a general idea of her, Winchester, and a few others in the crowd. Not to mention his own team. They didn't follow him as the girl led him out of the cafeteria. They were an exception, considering how he had presented himself to them.

"Thank you," she blurted. She didn't stop walking. She hadn't let go of his sleeve either. "I'm sorry you had to get involved with that."

"No worries. I went into that situation under my own will, and knew the potential consequences." The girl stopped in her tracks but refused to turn around and look at him. He laughed. "It's a shame that no one else bothered to step in. Probably because of the reputation I've seemed to have built."

"It's likely because of my heritage," she said. It didn't sound like a complaint. She tried taking the blame? Maybe it'd make him feel better, if he were actually bothered.

"What're you going to do about it?" he asked.

"I beg your pardon?"

Jaune exhaled. "Surely you don't intend on letting them continue to treat you like that. If I were you, I'd find a way to put them in their place. They're new here, and mellowing them out will save their lives down the road."

"I..." She held her wrist and placed it against her chest. Her ears, the rabbit ones, drooped a bit. "I wouldn't want to stoop so low when it comes to my juniors. If anything, I'd be setting a bad example, using my power over them to teach them a lesson I'm sure they'll learn."

Jaune's eyes narrowed. "So you choose to take the abuse instead?"

She sighed. "I know it's not perfect, but we all have our own way of doing things, don't we?"

That's... stupid.

"Oh! Forgive me, I haven't introduced myself. I'm Velvet Scarlatina. A second year and member of Team CFVY." She bowed her head a bit and offered a weak smile. "Thank you for helping me back there."

She reached her hand out. "Jaune Arc," he said as he shook it. "First year, leader of Team ABYS. Would you care to let off some steam? I find spars can help with that."

Velvet looked tempted. "A quick one." A good fight ought to take her mind off things. It's prevent him from learning more about her personality, but he's gathered enough for now. It'd be better to see what she was capable of.

He'd have to approach this one differently.


Bloody Arc and his schemes. He had to have planned that, with how he phrased his words. No, wait... only people with a brain can properly think. And Arc was more of a moron than some evil mastermind.

Weiss sat next to her teammates as Professor Goodwitch took roll call. She tapped her foot against the ground while there was still no sign of their leader. She suspected he was off asleep somewhere before she recalled what had transpired back at lunch.

She wasn't sure what to make of it. What was happening to that girl was frowned upon. It made her stomach turn when people actually applauded for Cardin Winchester, a racist, when he punched Jaune out of nowhere. She was mixed on that. Cardin telegraphed his attacked and she knew even Arc could have avoided that. Yet it was satisfying to see Arc injured, despite the situation.

It was a surprise to see Arc actually cared for anyone besides Pyrrha. However, it said a lot when he showed some empathy for a complete stranger instead of his own team. Moreover, it raised some questions regarding why he displayed some degree of concern for the girl. Perhaps he had a soft spot for faunus and the prejudice they faced. It was a shame to see that sort of behavior here in Beacon Academy. Then again, a place like this had its flaws. They accepted someone like Arc, for instance.

She heard something sit behind her. She didn't bother to turn around and greet him, she could tell who it was. Class was about to start anyway.

"Now I know it's only the first day, but I believe it'll be good to start with some placement spars for the semester." Goodwitch fixed her glasses as she addressed the class. "You'll be paired with opponents I'd like to personally evaluate. Each victory you gain will determine who your next opponent will be. As we continue throughout the year, you'll likely face the same opponent as I gauge your capabilities. Those are the basics for this class."

Goodwitch looked up in Weiss' direction. She felt an odd chill.

"Mister Arc, correct?"

Arc stood up behind her and placed his hands on her shoulders. He adjusted his weight, practically crushing her, much to her dismay. She refrained from objecting under the watch of Professor Goodwitch.

"Yeah. By any chance we can forfeit and accept a bad grade?"

Both Weiss' and Goodwitch's eyes narrowed. "Mister Arc, I will not accept forfeits unless your aura is in the yellow. I expect some sort of effort in my class." She checked the device she held. "In fact, why don't you be the first to fight? I've read Professor Port's report on you, and I must admit I'm now curious."

"I'm afraid I'll have to deny your advances."

She only glared at him without throwing in a response.

As Arc made his way to the locker rooms to prepare, Weiss couldn't help but wonder what he had planned. He must've been up to something. Getting all chummy with Professor Port, now drawing attention from Professor Goodwitch. She had a feeling she wasn't going to like the results, especially from what she's heard about him.

Just as she suspected, he's an idiot. It must've been fate for Cardin Winchester to be called out as his opponent, considering what had transpired earlier and during initiation. Apparently Arc used a cheap trick to win, and his opponents afterwards were too scared to go against him.

She never caught what it was he did, but knew he'd have something up his sleeve besides giving up.

Arc walked onto the stage as he typed something onto his scroll with his sword along his hip. It was in a sheath that appeared to be made out of some sort of alloy. It was painted white and gold, which stood out with his dark shirt and jeans. His clothes were too casual for combat gear. The gray jacket was new compared to the other day, but it had a hood, which made it harder to take him seriously. He wore it over his...

Why didn't he have his armor on?

She shook her head and analyzed Cardin. He wielded a mace and wore heavier armor. Arc didn't have his armor to weigh him down, but he lacked the muscle mass Cardin had.

The two of them stood across from each other. Cardin was eager and ready to go. He likely saw this as a chance to get more payback, but his show from earlier made his guard drop. Perhaps this was Arc's plan? Take advantage of Cardin's behavior?

She leaned on the edge of her seat when Goodwitch announced the fight had begun.

Then all of Weiss' theories lost their credibility when Arc pulled out a pistol and shot Cardin in the chest. Cardin lost his balance and fell, clearly startled by the sudden move.

"Mister Arc!" Professor Goodwitch called out. "What is the meaning of this!?" She appeared to be on the verge of a barrage of verbal abuse.

Arc on the other hand, didn't seem to care. "I took advantage of using a concealed weapon. And now-"

Professor Goodwitch waved her riding crop, enveloped Arc's pistol with a purple light. She had it levitate into the air where it ended up in her hand.

"My pistol is indeed a registered weapon," he said. "I just decided to take advantage of the element of surprise."

"Like you did during initiation, only this time you used a gun instead of your words."

"Correct."

Goodwitch didn't appear to be amused. "You will fight on without this. Think of it as a drawback. Now, fight!"

Cardin appeared to hesitate. Arc reached for something inside his jacket again, but he drew nothing. Whenever Cardin tried to take a step closer, he'd reach into his jacket again. Arc smiled every time he did this. He was completely aware of how paranoid Cardin was getting. Professor Goodwitch was beginning to lose her patience, which Cardin took notice of.

He took a deep breath before he charged in. Arc pulled out something, stopping Cardin in his tracks. It was only his scroll. At that moment, he got another message.

Suddenly, a loud shatter rang in her ears. Glass fell from the ceiling and something landed between Cardin and Arc. A familiar face dropped in from the skylight, brandishing an impractical weapon.

"I have arrived, my boy!" Professor Port declared. "Where is the danger!?"

Weiss began to piece together Arc's backup plan. When he was on his scroll earlier, he must've been sending an SOS of sorts to the professor, considering his entrance. Arc pointed at Cardin and adapted an almighty, exaggerated tone.

"There, good sir!" Jaune's smile grew more infuriating.

"Why, the nerve! It's been years since I've last seen one. A shapeshifter taking the form of a dear student of mine!" He aimed his weapon at Cardin, whom was panicking at this point. "Fear not, for I have-"

Port didn't get to finish as he was hurled through the air by Goodwitch's semblance.

"I'll have a word with you later, Peter," she said menacingly. She directed her attention towards Arc. "Dare I ask... what you've done?"

"I called in backup."

"So it would seem..."


I've gotten many chapters done in advance. Hooray.

(Checks calendar)

...

*internal screaming*

I forgot to upload this chapter yesterday. Crap. Well, I won't be switching PoVs this often, but I wanted to make up for forgetting to upload the chapter yesterday, so here you go. Some extra content.

Now, it's been brought to my attention that some people find Jaune very OoC. I understand. This is meant to be a story where we see Jaune shaped in a different way. Originally, I was going to have this start far in the past to see what made Jaune this way, but that'd take away some of the mystery and anticipation.

So, thank you to the readers that are giving this a shot anyway. I'll try to meet your standards as more chapters come out.

I know I'm going a bit out of order with canon events, but the cafeteria scene is a new one. The scene where Cardin pulls Velvet's ears will happen later, but this is important.

As requested in PMs, I'll keep the notes at the end of each chapter. I've been convinced it may be good for readers to get an idea of my thought process.

Next update: November 26th. Remember, I'll try posting a new chapter every four days.