Now this one I might actually continue, but don't hold your breath!

-YARN

"Drop armor."

Jaune waited as metal plates dropped from the ceiling , he waited as the movement sync armor slipped on and took a deep breath as they hissed, fitting snugly around his hands, arms, legs, feet, and torso. The area around him lit up and he floated in the chamber he was in. He shifted slightly and slid into his combat stance.

"Initialize sync." Jaune commanded.

3-D holograms blurred into existence as the mech surroundings surrounded him to scale. He looked around at the people who had surrounded him. Data lines ran up and down his body as he waited for a minute for his breathing to steady.

"This time...Please work." He murmured.

He tried to move, just take a simple step and everything went wrong. The metal around him sparked and jolted. His system alarms blared and anxiety welled up in his heart as his breath was cut off and blocked. His body movements were all clumsy and he stumbled. The mech jerked and flailed wildly, the holograms suddenly became blocked by static and bands of interference as the lights surrounded him. Something shattered beneath him, his leg became numb in response as he was thrown around in the cockpit as it tilted sideways. Jaune gagged as a sense of wrongness filled him and he was violently ejected out as people swarmed the damaged mech he was just in. He hit the floor and rolled to his hands and knees, shaking his head as though to clear it of the ringing sound now resounding in his ears.

"Jaune?! Jaune?! Answer me!" one voice said after Jaune could properly hear.

Again. Another mech rejected him.

Resentment welled up in his heart and he punched the ground, ignoring the shocked gasps from whoever was next to him as his knuckles split on the concrete. He glared hatefully at the smoldering wreck that had been a functioning mech a second again. He punched the ground again in a senseless rage, ignoring the blood that splattered and pooled the floor as his knuckles split wider and wider.

"Dammit! Dammit! Dammit! Dammit! Dammit! Dammit!" He roared, punctuating each word with another painful punch.

"Jaune!" strong hands pulled him to his feet as he thrashed, "Stop, dammit stop!"

He vaguely saw a flash of red hair and stilled, teeth bared in a furious grimace before his face crumpled in distress.

Pyrrha Nikos hauled him away as he broke down, "It's okay, Jaune. Next time they'll get one for you to work. You don't need to -"

"Don't lie to me Pyr." He murmured, sagging tiredly in his best friend's grasp, "They'll never find a mech that'll be compatible. What's the point of being the best in all my classes when every single mech model they make won't respond?"

Pyrrha bit her lip, "Jaune..."

Jaune shook Pyrrha off, "I'm sorry Pyrrha. You have other things to be doing. I'll go to the medbay."

"I'll join you!" She said.

Pyrrha made to follow but Jaune shook his head, "Please Pyrrha, I need some time alone."

Pyrrha watched with a heavy heart as her best friend trudged his way down the hall, blood dripping steadily down his hand. It broke her heart every time he acted like this. Jaune always aspired to be a leader in a mech group. It was a dream they shared while still taking classes at Beacon Station. They trained together and Jaune worked hard, his dedication and pure effort that he put in training even matching her skills despite her being lauded as a genuis. When she heard normal mechs didn't work for him, she had pleaded with the scientists to try to make him a compatible mech, they had taken to the challenge and worked on it in their spare time (mostly because they knew if she wanted she could fire them, not that she would).

It wasn't uncommon, sometimes some people needed a different system that would work better for their bodies.

But no matter what Aura-nervous system they tried, no matter what binding style that would work well together they tried, the machines simply exploded and ejected Jaune. Jaune muttered in the assessment that they all felt wrong, like he was trying to move a body that wasn't his own. Nothing they were trying were working. And Pyrrha knew for someone like Jaune, who wanted to help and fight in the army, it was nothing less than pure torture to be benched by something he had no control over.

"There. That should do it." Velvet said, clipping off the excess bandage.

"Thanks Velv. I'll drop by later to chat, okay?" Jaune said as he got up, inspecting the bandage oh his hand.

She nodded with a smile, "Don't worry Jaune, Next you find a mech, it'll be the one!"

Jaune gave a pained smile, "Yeah, I'm sure."

Velvet smile dimmed, "Jaune..."

"Bye Velv." Jaune walked out of the infirmary, rubbing hand over face.

Why?

This was his fifth year here and he had tried hundreds of different mechs.

Hundreds.

He had tried every combination of Aura system they had that was state of the art. Not a single damn one worked. He walked to his room and shouldered his salvage pack, he supposed he might as well see what he could scrounge up in the word outside. Perhaps taking a walk would help clear his head, besides he didn't really want to talk to anyone at the moment.

"Metallum Acervum. The Metal Heap."

Jaune shielded his eyes behind his goggles as the sun reflected off the field of metal. Littered with battered and damaged mech parts was a sprawling land of debris. This planet had a literal continent made entirely of metal junk or mech parts that were thought to be no good. Occasionally though, the people who searched here found parts that could be saved and repaired, after bringing them back to the station, they would get a paycheck depending on the quality of the material. Jaune had a lot of luck, often finding something that was pretty valuable.

Some of the more jealous scavenge parties tried to shake him down, but Jaune wasn't one of top of his combat class for his snarky attitude and sharp wit. They backed off for good after their fifteenth beating.

He had taken to scavenging and repair after his body's inability to fit with any mech. He did pretty well, especially since his classes had taught him about all the parts and their effect on the mechs. He had even gone into tinkering and engineering to distract himself when the problem with mechs rose up with him. Pyrrha often asked him to help her with her mech, even though there were much better mechanics out there.

He knew she was helping him get as close as he could to the mechs.

Jaune sighed, "You deserve so much more Pyr... don't drag yourself down with me..."

He shook his head sadly and secured his rebreather mask a bit more firmly before he began walking. He clipped a hook to the top of a smooth metal piece that lead down into a metal valley. He gently slid down on his side and began walking forward.

"Damn... no matter how much is found, this place never seems to get smaller. Then again, being called the graveyard of metal must've meant something." He mumbled as he brushed aside some metal wires hanging down from a metal valley.

He occasionally moved his flashlight in some of the crevices, seeing if there was anything good and worth bringing back. A lot of scrap metal was brought back, then the engineers would usually smelt it down and reforged them into parts. Not really amazing quality, but they were approved for usage. After about two hours of walking, Jaune climbed over a small hill of metal, grunting as he hefted himself on top. He picked up the end of an old piece of extra durability armor. After inspecting it he made to yank it out when the floor beneath him shifted instead. He let out a startled yelp as he fell down a pipe that opened up beneath him as the metal covering it moved. He slid down covering his face and tumbled out onto a pile of scrap metal - and as if to add insult to injury - pieces of metal rained down on him.

"Owww..." He groaned, noticing the utter darkness of the place he was in, "Dammit must've fallen under the outer's layer again." He glanced at his hand and swore when he saw the bandaged had reddened again, "Velv and Pyrrha's gonna be pissed. Map: update location mark as sinkhole."

His data-pad strapped to the arm of his scavenging outfit dinged and he palmed his flashlight and dusted his pants. He brushed some of the stray metal scraps out of his hair and clicked his flashlight. He looked ahead only to see a large hand open in front of him as if to grab him.

He fell back with a yelp and scooted away.

A few seconds passed with nothing happening.

Then he noticed it was a made of metal and had a weathered look to it. He got up and placed a hand against it. He moved his flashlight around letting the light reflect of the edges.

He noticed there was a humanoid shape that was in the distance.

"Huh. Seems like a mech is here. My lucky day." He chuckled.

He hoisted himself up the hand and then shined his flashlight down the length of the arm.

He let out a low whistle.

An entire mech had been inside this sinkhole.

It wasn't common, but occasionally mechs that were in working order and more or less whole were found. They were pretty pricey, cost a fortune if you could sell it. Hell they were costly even if they didn't work. This one seemed to be leaning against the wall of the sinkhole as though it had passed out and was asleep.

"Damn, now this is some serious cash, but lets what you're rocking rust-bucket." Jaune said to the mech.

He carefully latched a grapple hook into one of the mech's hand grooves, if he fell from this height to the very bottom of the sinkhole, he might very well break his neck.

And Jaune had a slight aversion to the idea of dying.

He carefully made his way to the head, two faded blue lenses seemed to stare at him. He swiped his flashlight around, checking out the overall condition. Outside overall, the mech was fine, though it was once a golden-yellow that had faded into a pale yellow, the metal was almost unmarred and in perfect condition. Jaune smirked, oh yeah he was gonna get a good price on this one. He knelt on the shoulder pad and brushed away some of the dust, metal, and rust. He saw the name of the yellow mech.

"Holy crow, this was a Knightfall model!" He gasped.

Pyrrha was the only one who had been granted one - which she named Achilles - by the military as long as he had been at the station, and that too she had it modified to look more Spartan (by Jaune's hand no less). She had piloted a standard-class mech and a defensive model beforehand - named Milo and Akouo respectively - until she was recognized for her combat skills. Milo was currently being synced to Achilles as they were combining the two mechs, which was mainly stripping milo and grafting parts of it onto Achilles. He had always thought that he would be given one too, at least until his body was rejected by every fucking mech made.

He shook off the depressing thought.

Knightfall mechs were specially made. They were crafted by the best and brightest engineers, and made to best of their abilities. They ran smoother, flew faster, could be specialized and customized with weapons and armor. Despite this one being an older model, Jaune recognized the special parts and metals used to create it and the specially designed markings. Mechs like these were every pilot's, soldier's, and/or flier's wet dream of the most awesome level. Most of the other mechs were mass produced and therefore weren't made with the same level of craftsmanship or design. He clambered past and made his way to the opening.

"Data: Lock in Crocea Mors. Model: Knightfall, Label as Goldstrike." Jaune said as he checked the name that had been scratched into the shoulder plate of the beauty.

His pad dinged again and he checked the opening seal. He squatted down to the head and pressed the open button.

The mech hummed under his hand and a hatch next to him opened. He smirked and reeled in his grappling cable from the hand.

"Thank you good Lord Monty!" He grinned, this bucket had battery-life, he was gonna be rich.

He swung in after putting his flashlight in his mouth.

"Let's see if your insides are gonna be as pretty as your outside." Jaune mumbled around his flashlight as he swung in and popped open some of the panels and shined his light at them.

The wiring was still good! Hell if it was up to him, he'd pilot this baby straight to the base! Thing must have been years old, and in such pristine condition? Hell yeah,he was gonna be a rich man! Pyrrha was gonna be so jealous of him.

He snickered before the area around him shook and he slid down the pilot's hatch.

"Whoa crap!" He yelped as he nearly swallowed his flashlight.

He landed on his shoulder and rolled to his feet on instinct

He rubbed his shoulder and swiped up his flashlight, "What the hell...?"

His comm buzzed to life, "Attention, Grimm spotted! Repeat, Grimm inbound!" Commander Ironwood yelled.

Jaune's stomach dropped straight to his feet.

Pyrrha's voice sounded, slightly panicked, "I can't take Achilles yet! His systems are still being modified and upgraded after the last fight with some grimm last week! Milo still needs more time to be properly synced to him as well!"

Jaune activated his mic and cut in, "She's right! It needs at least an hour of me working on it before Milo is properly interfaced with Achilles' systems!"

Pyrrha gasped, "Jaune where are you? I have been looking everywhere!"

"I took a walk to clear my head -"

"Jaune you can't jus -"

"You can adjust the leash on you boyfriend later, Nikos!" The commander growled, ignoring Jaune and Pyrrha's indignant sputtering, "Do you have any mech you can pilot at the moment, we won't have an hour!"

"I think the Akouo mech is still fine and in order." She said, voice strained yet contemplative, "We weren't going to sync its defensive styles to Achilles untill later."

"Then take it." The commander said before he closed his line.

"Pyrrha, Akouo is a defensive model, it barely has any offensive weapons and accessories!" Jaune said, gritting his teeth, "Even if you do hold them off for that long, you can't just call a time out and come back out with Achilles!"

"I'll improvise! Besides, we have other pilots will be around, we'll manage." She said.

She hung up.

"Dammit!" Jaune grumbled, forgetting where he was he slammed his hand against the side of the area he was in.

Something rattled and landed on Jaune's head, "Ow!"

He reflexively caught it and paled as he realized he was holding the mech's pilot helmet. He almost dropped it. He needed to go, he could help speed up the interface process. He got ready to clamber out, he didn't want this one to blow up with him inside, trying to pilot it.

'What do you have to lose?' A voice flitted through his head.

Jaune froze.

'A loss of a limb or two won't even damage the value that badly. You'd still be rich.'

Jaune throat seemed to be dry, "But they never work..."

'What if this one does?' His mind whispered.

"But...but..."

'It's a KNIGHTFALL MODEL you'll never get a chance like this again.'

"I shouldn't..."

'Pyrrha might get hurt, she is using Akouo and it has almost no offensive weapons..'

"All the more reason she'll be fine, defensive as the model is, it can still fight..."

'Do you want her to die because of your assumptions?' The voice in the back of his head hissed.

"..."

'...'

"This is stupid."

'I thought so.' The voice said smugly.

Jaune groaned, "This is so fucking stupid."

He slipped the helmet over his head.

He attached his salvage pack to the storage vault in the side of the cockpit. He walked to the middle of the small chamber. He pressed a hand over the startup panel which blinked on as it memorized his handprint.

"System Check."

Crocea Mors hummed, "System operating level stabilized. Ready."

"Drop Armor."

The individual plates dropped down, latching onto Jaune's limbs, Jaune rotated his limbs, his body loosening up, the metal grafts were soft and cushioned. He was lifted into the air

"Initialize sync." He murmured.

3-D holograms blurred into existence, showing him the contours of the hole he was in. Data lines ran up his body. Crocea Mors rumbled to life for the first time in a very long while as metal shifted and rolled down around it. He was forced into the slumped position of the mech and took a shaky breath.

"Please." He begged.

Jaune squeezed his eyes shut.

He straightened and took a step.

The mech moved, and took a step.

Jaune opened his eyes.

Another step.

Another step.

He breathed a shaky exhale of pure elation and awe.

"Yes..."

He clenched his fists and threw the into the air, accidentally blowing open the sinkhole he was in, "HELL YEAH!"

Jaune laughed and stared down at the holograms.

"Equipment and Aura check!" He yelled.

Crocea Mors appeared in a 3-D hologram on his visor, it showed a folding adamantium-metal blade was sealed to the hip as well as a aura-bracer that was a part of left arm and expanded energy to form an projected kite shield. In each of his palms were heavy energy cannons.

"Overall power?" He inquired.

The readout appeared on his visor and he bit his lip.

"56%, not really powered but that better than expected considering how old this thing probably is." He murmured.

He reached for the holographic blade at his hip and drew it before clambering out of the hole.

For the first time in years, sunlight reflected of Crocea's yellow metal and it crouched as the metal on its back shifted and its two rockets sent it hurtling into the sky.

Akouo flipped in space as another blow from the grimm it was fighting sent it back, it thrusted away as the grimm lunged after the mech before being blasted away with a cannon. The grimm howled as the energy bolts bit into its skin and it's viscous blood crystalized in the freezing vaccum space. But it wasn't anything close to fatal.

Draconians' tough hides were always a bitch to deal with.

Pyrrha scowled, "This stupid pistol isn't enough, dammit."

Suddenly her readout bleeped and she grunted as a grimm latched onto her back and swung her around. Milo spun towards the planet as it was tossed and she struggled furiously to right it. The grimm was on top of her almost instantly. She brought her circular projection shield up and blocked several attacks and kicked it away before using her thrusters to gain some distance. The grimm circled her and she gritted her teeth.

"Why did they have to come now?" She growled as she made Akouo strafe to the side to avoid several shots of energy coming from the grimms' mouths, "They couldn't have waited for three hours?"

The other pilots opened fire and blasted a few of the mechs managed to kill a few of the grim before breaking off as the grimm began to chase them.

Suddenly her comm buzzed, and she grumbled, "I am a little busy general!"

"There is something heading towards the battle from the planet's surface! We have no idea what the hell it is aside from the fact that it's a mech! We didn't sanction anything so it could be a rouge!" The general roared, "You intercept it and try to detain it!"

"What about the grimm?" Pyrrha said, already beginning to drift away from the fight.

"My men can handle giving the run around for a bit, and we are launching other mechs to assist!" He said, "Go!"

Akouo turned and rocketed towards the planet.

Jaune couldn't stop grinning.

He was flying a Knightfall.

HE WAS IN A MECH.

It was perfectly synced with him and it was working.

His readout beeped and he calmed himself as his eyes scanned the readings.

"A mech is approaching? But why...?" He mumbled.

His eyes widened as the implications sank in.

Oh shit, he wasn't on their comm channel! They had no way of knowing it was him coming!

He stopped dead and began to talk to his mech, "Patch me into the comm channel 998.3! Now!"

"Estimated time till connection, 3 minutes." The computer cooly replied.

He cursed, he was so caught up in the ability of finally using the mech that he forgot basic startup protocol! That was a fucking beginner mistake, with how outdated this mech was, it didn't have the instant channel switch. He would have to overhaul the system and work on it to get it up to date.

He cursed even more vehemently as he recognized the mech approaching.

Of course they would send Pyrrha.

Of. Fucking. Course.