One week later, and done! Chapter 4 is finished, which means I took the entire day today to clean up Chapter 3 for your reading pleasure! NeoShadows here and I'm happy to say that I've yet to hit a slump in my writing!
When I was busy writing for the Fairy Tail sect. of the site, I would usually find myself cut off from completing another chapter by our mortal enemy, Writers Block. Nasty bastard, always stopped me cold. But I found my own way of slapping the bastard till it crawls away in tears for its mommy, only to find her in my bed. I keep writing every chapter in the same document. Every. Chapter. The thought and sight of an empty page always turned me away and made me nervous to start a new chapter, the number of words played with my head, man. But with this method I can keep going whenever I finish a chapter and not worry about the lack of words. It's been working so far. Hopefully it keeps up till the end of the first volume. Heads up by the way, once this story reaches the end of the first volume, I'm going to take a break from the story. Not a long one, mind you. I'll keep writing, but I won't be posting anything new to the story. Maybe upload a oneshot, or two to let you all know I'm still here. Going to need time to myself to get the story worked over. Some new ideas and premises just popped up yesterday that I've been working over while I was at work.
Anyways before we get started, some Reviews!
Csad21: Glad to know you enjoyed it! Always happy to hear that. No, Ren isn't really a bad guy. That will be explained in this chapter. And the harem thing was going to be adressed. I hate to say it, but I like to thing of it like HuniePop without the sex, mostly because I can't write a Lemon worth a damn. Also fixed some errors in my last two chapters. Five bucks I still missed some, but the Pyrrha one is definitely resolved. Wish I had a Beta.
Otherguy14: The two Players in the Game are honestly my favorites. You can't guess who they are. Maybe. I swear I'm surrounded by psychics. Perks work like buffs. If you've played Fallout then just think of them like that. It's where I got the idea from. It will be explained a bit more in the next chapter, so don't worry. As for training, eh, I'm thinking Arcs with a mix of timeskips. Too much useless text is a turnoff.
Speedy24: What the fuck indeed.
TalonbnLaAhad: Oh, stop! You're making me blush, ya bastard! And thanks for recommending 'Dice: The Cube that Changes Everything.' Read a chapter and was very intrested in it. Just wish I could find the first few chapters. I did get a few ideas from what I read though.
SonicFanFlame: Original indeed. That was what I was hoping to hear when writing this story as a Gamer fic. I wanted something new that hadn't been done before in the other stories. And their is more then two players, there's four in total. Who they are, you'll just have to find out as you read.
Dave134: All will be explained.
An Old Fan: *Sniff* It's good to be back, my fan.
Zorro99: Oh, yeah. Pyrrha's name was a bitch to write, mostly because I've been saying it wrong. Got to hate it when you think you've been saying something right, only to realize you're wrong. Stupid spellcheck, added the wrong pronounce of the name to it. G
Goodge12: Sh, sh, sh, my child. Old NeoShadows will dry your tears. Same way my Ma did, with a good old backhand! Always works. All will be explained of Ren.
Thank you all for the reviews, follows, and favorites! I can already see that this story is gaining some fans. I hope not to disappoint. Now, let get on with the show!
Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to RWBY. All rights belong to RoosterTeeth. Kinda missing playing my video games. Hate to say it, but my the end of the year, I'll be fearing my progress as I hunt monsters in Monster Hunter Generations. The games, they speak to me! And they sound so sexy, dammit!
Chapter 3: Forward and Back.
The bullhead was finally quiet as it flew back to Beacon Academy with its students in tow. Well, all their students, but one. The Breach had ended with civilian casualty, many not making it to safety in time before they were attacked by the monsters of darkness. But out of all that had died today, only one of them had been a student. A hunter in training.
Locked away in the most secure cell they had, the White Fang Lieutenant let out a weary toothless grin from within a heavily guarded SDC airship.
The teams consisting of RWBY and JNPR were beyond devastated. They were broken emotionally at the loss of their friend, Jaune Arc. For Ruby and Pyrrha, the two refused to speak as they had cried themselves to sleep. Jaune was not only Ruby's best friend, but Pyrrha's crush.
Pyrrha broke down. Jaune was someone that had seen her a just some girl, and because of him, she had made friendships that would last her a lifetime. He was also the boy who had stolen her heart. Without even trying or putting any effort, he had snatched her heart the moment they met. He was weak, lacked confidence, and had no idea how to speak to a girl, but he had a charm that wormed its way into her soul. And that soul was gone, ripped away in a single day. His cold, bloody body was held against Weiss's own. She had to shout at her to hand him back to her, yelling she had no right to hold him. In the end she too had be forced to let him go. She couldn't even remember losing consciousness after that.
The red hooded girl didn't even bother to clean the blood off her face. It was all she had left him anyways. Ruby was taught to believe in heroes, that they would over come every obstacle that stood in their way. She had learned the hard way that such stories weren't true, her own mother having died fighting as a hero. That was why she trained so hard, so she wouldn't die the same way, leaving broken hearts behind as she fought against the Grimm. But that strength was useless when she came upon the gruesome sight of Jaune lying in Weiss's lap under a large pool of his own blood. All she could do was cry into his bloody chest, pleading for him to live. He was like her, all he wanted to do was become a hero. So why did he have to die like one?
Yang, well she nearly brought down the airship in her rage. For her, not only did she fail to save someone, but she had failed to save the first person her little sister could call a friend. Jaune was the one who broke her out of her awkward shell and made her take the steps to be who she was. Now, with him gone, Yang was afraid Ruby would withdraw from the world. And even worse, she had lost him as a friend too. The image of blood leaking out of his wound burned itself into her memory, no matter how many times she closed her eyes, she could still see it. It made her question why she had become a huntress in the first place. Was this what waited for her? To see friends die without being able to do anything in return?
Someone like Jaune didn't deserve to die. How could the world let someone as innocent and kind as him die without any form of justice? His killer was still alive, probably grinning his ass off as they locked him away and out of her reach. The world didn't make sense, and it pissed her off.
Blake remained quite during the whole ordeal even as she tried to calm her partner down. Inside though, she was racked with guilt.
The Lieutenant had worked alongside her during her time in the White Fang. She knew him and his strong sense of loyalty matched his hatred for the Schnee. He was a terrifying man when he wanted to be. And, sadly, she had once thought of him as a friend along with Adam. To think that the man she once looked out for and was looked out after, had killed someone who didn't think ill of the faunas, made her feel guilty. The organization she once called family had killed Jaune and many others today. And for what? In the end, it was all pointless bloodshed. She couldn't even save him, his wound was too severe. And yet, he still smiled at her as he died. Without knowing that it was just as much her fault as the White Fang.
Weiss had refused to let go of Jaune's cold body even as the SDC tried to move him. The man who had saved her life, who looked at her with nothing but admiration and love, who never thought of her as anything but his Snow Angel, was dead in her arms. Because of her, and her name. It was Pyrrha who had finally gotten her to let go of his body, pleading with her to let her partner go. Seeing those green eyes drowning in tears and sorrow, Weiss relented, releasing her hold on her knight as the medics rushed her off for immediate treatment. She was right, what reason did she have to hold him? Weiss didn't deserve to see him in his last moments, Pyrrha did. She had been the one who encouraged him, supported him, and even loved him from the very beginning. And she had robbed the spartan girl of him. It was all her fault.
The heiress locked off any visitors to her emergency room. She did not speak, she didn't even look anyone in the eye. A girl like her was meant to be alone. She closed herself off from everyone within the ship, refusing to open up to anyone till they got back to Beacon. Instead she cried into the beds pillow, a dirtied bloody brown glove clutched tightly against her chest.
Nora had gone silent for once. She didn't sob out loud like the others did, but her tears did run as she looked at the sight of her leader dead with a smile on his face. It was almost as if she didn't know how to react to it all. The thought of Jaune dying never came up when they had gone off to Vale to help team RWBY. He just seemed like the guy who'd always be there to make you smile and laugh. But to see the cold dead reality of his icy cold body lying in a pool of his own blood, made her breakdown mentally. Silent tears fell down as she called out his name, receiving no answer no matter how many times she promised him she'd stop jumping on his bed, stop eating all his pancakes, stop shouting in his ears, stop causing him trouble, stop embarrassing him in front of others, just as long as he woke up.
In the end, Nora was taken away from Jaune by Ren back to the Bullhead leaving for Beacon. And that's where she stayed as her head laid against Ren's shoulder on solemn ride back home.
Her bright, energy fueled eyes were dimmed, almost hollow as they stared off into the space in front of her inside the room she stayed. Ren had stayed with her, trying to consul his childhood friend in her time of grief.
"Ren?"
"Hmm? Yes, Nora?" Ren asked softly as he found the bubbly girl's red puffed eyes looking back at him.
"I-I'm going to take a nap. Okay?"
He nodded, noticing her eyes grow heavy before shutting close. "Okay. Just go to sleep, and everything will be fine in the morning." he smiled sadly.
A soft chuckle escaped Nora's lips before she drifted off into sleep.
"Please, don't lie."
'Nora Valkyrie: Asleep. Their is no strategy or Reaction Command for bringing her out of her depression at the moment.'
Ren sighed in frustration as he left Nora to sleep in her bed.
Great, he was going to have to play through this world with Jaune dead. Again. How many times did that make it? Fifteen? Fifteen times he had died early in the game before the fall of Beacon? He knew he was weak early in the game, but come on! Well, he did die fighting the White Fang Lieutenant, so that was new. What was that guy's name? He swore he could never remember it no matter how many times he had made it to the end of the game.
'Oh, well. Maybe Jaune's death would trigger everyone to grow stronger this time around. It usually did the other times that this has happened, but this death seems to of hit them a bit harder. Maybe Ruby will even unlock her ability to use her silver eyes early this time.' Ren mused to himself as he laid back in his own bed.
Was Ren devastated by Jaune's death? Nope. Having to live life like it was a game kinda desensitized you from the death of those you held dear. Especially with how many times he had lived through his life over and over again. Besides, he would come back to life in the end. All they had to do was beat the final boss, which wouldn't even appear for several years now, and then they'd start all over again. The world would reset and everyone's memories would be gone.
All except Ren's. Well, him and the other two Players in this game called a life. It didn't matter which one of them reached their Endings, it would all be reset the moment one of them won. Because they haven't found the True Ending to it all.
He had given up on reaching an Ending worlds ago, and so did one of the other Players. No matter how hard he tried, how hard he fought, how hard he struggled against immeasurable odds, it would mean nothing in the end of things. He didn't even care about the prize for reaching the True End, Ren was sick of it all.
At this point, he just cared for some time to get some sleep in. Closing his eyes, Ren tried drifting off into his dreams. Not even caring for the amazing adventure ahead of him. He'd done it all before, so things would be a little different this time around, who cares?
It was all a waste of energy. All their progress would be brought back to zero. All that mattered was that he got some shut eye in before the game started all over again.
Life was a tiring bitch.
The smell of burnt flesh hit Ren's senses as he held the body of his best friend, Jaune, up by his face. To some, the smell of burning skin was retching, the odor being too much for even some of the most hardened of men, but Ren had gotten use to it. With how many worlds he had lived through, the smell had become something he had familiarized. Especially when he had been on the receiving end of it multiple times. He couldn't count how many times Cinder had burned him alive. But, the look of betrayal, of deep pain staring back at him with confused horror, wasn't something he could get use to.
Out of all the worlds, this one was the first one where he had killed Jaune without really wanting too. Sure, this wasn't the first time his life had lead him to kill his own leader. There had been paths, paths that he had been so desperate to take, to reach an Ending, to end this never ending hell his life had been dragged into, where he had killed his friends. All, but two. He had been left with little choice, and little peace of mind. He needed to try something new that might stop the endless cycle of progress and resetting.
But looking into those blue eyes, that could see the world he saw, Ren was left with very little choice. The Eastern boy didn't want another Player added to the game, not after the last few that had been given the title. This wasn't the first time some one else had joined in, many others had as well. Usually spawning with every tenth, or seventh world that had been completed by either one of them, or by the NPC's. One of those NPC's would be given a shot as a Player like them, given the special abilities of The Gamer, and a special ability and skills along with them that separated them from the others. A Quirk, he liked to call them. But, eventually, it would be too much for them to handle, their souls would be too weak to handle the powers and once they had died, they would drop out of the game, their memories reset back to their scripted form.
It's why he had to kill Jaune the moment he had revealed himself as a Gamer. He liked Jaune, he could even say he too saw him as the brother he always wanted. But the knight was a softhearted idiot. Knowing him, he wouldn't survive the hardships that followed this cursed power. Tough decisions had to be made, sides had to be chosen and not all of them where as black and white as they seemed, and death would follow. Jaune's soul wouldn't be able to take it.
One death. One Game Over. That was all it took to rid a weak Player from the game. But those cursed with powerful souls would continue, every Game Over simply meaning they would have to start over again from the beginning of their game. Honestly, it was no different from reaching the Ending. All would be reset.
Jaune's soul wasn't strong. Oh, sure, he would grow strong in the future, filling into the role of a Hunter and Hero that he had dreamed of, but he wasn't strong enough to make the tough decisions. He was too pure, too trusting and hopeful, it made him weak. If anything, his soul might struggle, survive a few more worlds, but it would die.
A death wheeze escaped Jaune's burnt lips, his final breath drawn. Ren sighed at the gruesome sight before glaring.
"Give up this game. Let your soul reset to its NPC setting. I don't want to kill you again if your memory returns." And he'd do it. If he had to kill him a hundred times till his soul gave up on living this game, the Ren would continue to spill his blood till he gave up the title of Player. He was better off as an NPC. Jaune would live a happier life that way. There was bliss in ignorance.
Ren didn't spare him another glance before dropping his friend's body into the ruins ravine. He'd see him again in the next world, wearing that awkward smile he always wore. With no memory of the pink eyed boy killing him in cold blood.
'Hmm, I'm going to have to make up some story for Jaune's death. Maybe explain to them he had tripped on his shoes into the ravine. Hopefully he'd made a big enough fool of himself to make the story believable. Who am I kidding? Course he has.' he thought to himself, turning away from the ravine back to the forest.
"Menu." Ren commanded, bringing up his own version of his game.
Status.
Skills, Abilities, and Slots.
Reaction Commands.
Inventory.
PVP.
Options.
Missions and Events.
'Congratulations! You're level has risen by 1! You have Unlocked a Perk! Star Stillness has been Equipped to your Status! Cannot be removed.'
"Perk? I've heard of that before." Ren frowned, reading the pop up message on his menu screen. Was it a special power for killing Jaune? That had never appeared before. Not one of the worlds he had lived in had ever given him a perk. He clicked the message, hoping for more information.
'Star Stillness. A unique Perk granted to all four Players in the game. For now on, all Players are permanently locked with The Gamer's abilities and powers till one reaches the True End. Killing another Player is now impossible in PVP, but will reward EXP and Special Items on occasions. It will now activate an automated revival upon death. Only in Special Events can Players kill one another. Death outside these means still count in Game Over. Have fun!'
"WHAT!? No!" Ren roared in anger, his game menu fading away. A bright flash of light blinded him a second later from a four pointed star like cross floating in front of him.
From within the blinding star, the body of Jaune Arc stepped out. His wounds were completely healed and his HP and Mana were restored. He looked down at his hands in disbelief, moving them around his face before making a fist. A hard right by his own fist to his face snapped him out of confusion, the pain proving his existence. The star behind him blinked, fading away to nothing.
"I-I'm alive? Again? What the hell? I thought this was a once in a lifetime thing?" Jaune grumbled, wincing as his face throbbed. The added Strength from his Perks were still there, so that was good.
"You're back? How? I thought the worse case scenario would be you retaining your memories in the next world. What's going on?" Ren grit his teeth.
Jaune's knuckles were close to breaking as they cracked in anger. Even if he had died, the memory of his best friend zapping him into a smoking corpse was still fresh in his memory. Even death couldn't erase that.
He glared at his so called friend who calmed down enough met his glare with passive cool pink eyes.
"Ren, you've got a lot of explaining to do."
Ruby sighed tiredly, forehead falling with a thump onto the cafeteria table. As far as first days go, she wasn't having any luck with them.
A day's passed since she and her new team had completed their first mission at initiation. And what a mission it had been. Fighting off two giant Grimm, meeting new friends, showing off her sweet darling, Crescent Rose in all its glory, and working things out with her new partner had been the highlights of the day. Not only that, but after completing the mission she was surprised to not only wind up in a team with Yang and Blake, but also be assigned leader of said team, RWBY.
She did not see that coming. Her, Ruby Rose, of all people, was now in charge of leading a team of future huntresses for the next four years at Beacon. And she would make sure she was the best, most fearless, leader they had ever seen!
If only Weiss would give her the chance.
After everything that had happened in the Emerald Forest, Ruby thought that the heiress would finally start acting like her friend. They broke some ground fighting the Nevermore, she even said she was going to try to make things work between them, to give her a chance to prove herself as her partner. So what was the difference from trying to be her partner, to her being their leader? Back in Professor Port's class all the red caped girl had done was encourage Weiss as she fought a Boarbusk. Was that worth getting yelled at? Sure, she was doodling in class on the first day, making faces at the Professor, and itching her nose, not picking! She was a lady, ladies didn't pick their noses, well, not in public at least. It still wasn't worth getting yelled at and being called a terrible leader.
Okay, once she sat down and thought about it, maybe she did have that coming. A little. 'Ugh, being leader is so hard. It's my first day, and already I'm failing at it. I just wanted to fight Grimm, not be handed a team to lead into battle. School is so hard.' Maybe Ozpin spilled some coffee when he was working on teams and glitched out the computer so that it read Ruby Rose as team leader. Too embarrassed about it, he probably just went with the flow instead. Yeah, that had to be the explanation. It was the only one that made any sense.
The sound of a fellow forehead smacking onto the table alerted Ruby to someone sitting across from her. Looking up, she found another person who was familiar with first days, and the bad luck they carried.
"Hi, Jaune." Ruby greeted, letting her head drop back with thud. She was too upset look back at him. "Welcome to the Bad First Days Club, how bad is it?"
"So bad, I can't even stare into the eyes of my dinosaur chicken nuggets anymore without seeing failure in their golden crisp eyes. I've been forced to drown them in my mash potatoes gravy, just to stop their judging gazes. I still hear their gurgled cries of 'why?' in my sleep." he mumbled against surface of what he believed was still a dirty table.
"Yeesh, that went dark quickly. Does it get easier?" she smiled weakly back.
Jaune moved his head up a bit to look back at her, "Nope, but the fact that they even serve dinosaur nuggets with mash potatoes and gravy makes me feel a little better." he tried to chuckle, only to sigh. He took out his scroll, hoping for a little more insight to his fellow leader's mood.
'Ruby Rose. Frienship Lvl: 3. Affection Lvl: Locked. Status: Sad, frustrated, hurt, wants to be left alone, but really wants an open ear.' Chibi Ruby was slamming her cute little head against her own mini table over and over again, a dark cloud hanging over her head.
'Seems that she's having it rough too. Luckily for her, this isn't going to last long. She and Weiss will fix things by bedtime tonight.' Jaune thought with a slight smile. Those two were practically sisters, even if Weiss refused to admit it out loud. They would fight, but make up in the end just like last time. Whatever happens between them, they'll be able to work it all out. Because they were friends, best friends. They just didn't know it yet. 'Wish I could say the same about Ren.'
Things between him and the long pony tailed boy were not good. Not since killing the Deathstalker and revealing to him his secret, that life was now a Game to him. And Ren believed him. That should of made him happy, to have someone he could trust with all his heart help him with his new confusing powers. But he got no help in return. Just a thrusting clawed hand to his face and a charred body.
Lie Ren, his best friend, had killed him. Like that. He didn't even look back when he threw his smoking body into the ravine below. Jaune had died twice now. Once by the hands of that crazy White Fang Lieutenant, and the other by a guy had once come to about his own feelings regarding Weiss. He had opened his heart to him, and he killed him without remorse.
And then he was alive again. The knight didn't understand what had happened. One second he was falling into the dark below, his heart stopping before he ever got close to the bottom, and the next second he was walking out of some bright light as he died. He didn't know he could do that. Did he have a set number of lives or something? If so, then why did he restart at the Emerald Forest after dying the first time? Things weren't making sense, not since he discovered his powers.
Jaune was willing to forgive Ren though. Kinda. Honestly, he wanted to punch his face for killing him like it was nothing and tell Nora on him. But he wanted answers first. Maybe he had a good reason for doing it? Jaune really hoped that was the case. He didn't want to believe that his friend had never given a damn about him. So, he had asked the eastern boy what was going on.
(Flashback.)
"No."
"I'm sorry, what?" Jaune shook his head, frowning deeply. Ren nodded his head back, crossing his arms in doing so. "I could of sworn you just said, 'No', to me. Your friend, who you just killed like some mosquito in a shock trap!" he roared angrily.
Ren didn't seem to mind the yelling. Jaune couldn't intimidate him, he wasn't that kind of guy. Too sweet for his own good. It was actually kinda funny.
"Are you laughing? What the hell, Ren! What part of this is funny to you!?"
"None of it, honestly." Ren stopped his chuckling, sighing soon after. He cracked his neck of any stiffness before matching his own glare back at the blonde, "If I was honest, I'm pretty pissed off right now. I'd been hoping your soul would fade away like the rest and reset to that of an NPC. Not lock itself with The Gamers power."
"You're still not answering me." he said through grit teeth. The attitude he was displaying was nothing like the Ren he knew. Ren was polite, kind, and patient. The guy in front of him wasn't anything like him.
"And I don't plan to. Actually, we're done here." he paused, clicking his fingers a moment later with a smile. The world was released from its stasis, bringing it back to life. The sounds of running and Nora's laughter could be heard coming closer to them.
The hell they were. Taking out his scroll, Jaune activated the Game Menu, only to curse as it failed to pause their surroundings. What the hell was going on? He was willing it this time, why wasn't it working.
Ren's arm quickly found itself laid across his shoulder, dropping his weight on him as Jaune found himself carrying the green flower themed boy on his back. His mouth inched close to his neck, whispering in his ear with venom.
"Sorry, but the Tutorial is done. And now that our team is back, the Game won't allow for pausing so we can continue with the story." Ren stopped for a moment finding Pyrrha's and Nora's attention on the two of them. He gave them a tired and embarrassed smile before speaking again, "Unless you want them to think you're crazy, and trust me when I say they will, you'll keep your mouth shut. The Game doesn't allow NPC's to know about the Game, it will create a scenario that will lead you to a Bad End. So, keep quite, and play along. This is the last time we ever speak about this."
"What's wrong with Renny, Jaune-Jaune?" Nora skid to a stop along side Pyrrha, both girls confused to finding Jaune carrying Ren by one arm. Ren didn't look that hurt.
Jaune held in a very nasty curse towards his so called friend. He had him in a corner. Either confront him about what was going on in front of the girls, risking a Bad End, or play along with the faking bastard. He had played a wide variety of games when he was younger, so he recognized what a Bad End spelled for him. And he didn't want to know how it turned out.
"Oh, Ren's just tired is all." Jaune laughed as best he could. If he was good at one thing, it was lying. "He was running all over the place. Doesn't look like he has much stamina, huh, buddy?" he patted Ren's chest, hitting him with a little added pressure.
Ren grunted, silently wishing he had just killed him instead. He could live on the lamb again. Did it once before. Wasn't so bad.
"Yeah, you know me, Nora. The only energy I have left for is sleeping." he said with a tired grin.
Nora nodded her head, accepting the answer. "You do love your sleep, just as much as I love your pancakes. Oh, you should totally make us all some when we get back to Beacon! Jaune and Pyrrha have never tried your cooking before! Please, Renny?" she pleaded, pouting her lips with crocodile tears.
"That would sound lovely after today." Pyrrha smiled at Ren. From Jaune's point of view, he could see Ren weaken slightly.
Ren sighed, slacking across Jaune's shoulders. Didn't matter how many times he was sent back, Nora had the power to make him do almost anything, if he wasn't going down a dark path. She was one of the few people he could never bring himself to kill in any world. Her, and Pyrrha.
"I'll see what I can whip up. Hopefully whatever dorms the give us comes with a kitchen."
"You can always improvise!"
"I'm not making a fire in the room."
"Boo!"
As this was all going on, Jaune could only mentally sigh as his team worked their way to the cliffs.
Things were not going to be any easier then his first time. If anything, they had gotten more complicated.
And that was that. Jaune had tried to corner Ren into talking about everything that had happened between them back at the forest, but he really was a ninja like Nora described. When he thought he had him to himself to talk to, Ren completely vanished from sight. In the morning, he woke up early to drag him out, not caring if he made a scene. Ren must of known though seeing as he was absent from his bed. Nora had been caught by surprise, but chalked it up to her best friend leaving for the shower. If their was anything he loved more then sleeping, it was showering. In class, he opted to sit next to him, try and get him to talk to him later. But he had showed up late to class, apologizing to the teacher before taking a seat far away from him. Even at lunch, Jaune couldn't see him. Then again, if things were playing out exactly as they did before, Ren was most likely stuck in Oobleck's class at this time. Not all their classes were together as a team.
"Well, how bad is it?" Ruby tried to cheer him up, poking his sleeve as she watched him drown another T-Rex shaped chicken in gravy. Was she seeing things, or was their bubbles rising from the gravy?
"Team trouble. Or, more specifically, teammate trouble." he grumbled, taking a large chunk of his lunch out with a bite. Oh, chicken nuggets, even when he was down they still had some way to send a shiver of delight down his spine.
"You too? And I thought I was the only one. I thought you and Pyrrha were getting along great."
"We are. It's not her though."
"Nora? She is energetic."
Jaune scoffed, wiping his mouth against his sleeve, "That's putting it lightly. But, no, it's not her."
Ruby frowned, "You mean, Ren? But he seems so mellow. The cool kid in your group. I can't see what the problem could be."
'Problem is that my best guy friend not only killed me in cold blood, which I should honestly be livid for, but is refusing to tell me what the hell is going on with my special powers that he apparently has too.'
"It's complicated."
Ruby sighed, reaching her hand across the table to grab a nugget from Jaune's lunch. She was too upset to grab her own when she arrived. He wouldn't mind sharing. "I feel ya. Things aren't going great with Weiss since I've become leader. Which doesn't make any sense, I'm awesome." she grumbled, munching on the nugget with gusto.
"Bronco, no." Aw, he was planning on eating that one. After dipping it in gravy, much better then ketchup. "And I believe you. You're going to make a great leader, Ruby." he smiled. And she was. He could attest to that.
"Aww, stop it. Shut up, no really, shut up." Ruby blushed with a smile. He was just trying to make her feel better is all. Or stop her from eating his lunch.
+300EXP!
That was new. Looked like cheering Ruby up gained Experience in her Friendship Lvl. Guess it did pay to be nice.
"Trust me, you'd be better at it then me." Swallowing one last spoonful of mash potatoes, Jaune stood up from his seat. He pushed the decent amount left of his lunch to Ruby who looked back at him with confusion, her cheeks painted with gravy. He grinned tiredly, "I better go. My next class is coming up."
+150EXP!
Maybe he was better off leaving Ren alone. He wasn't willing to talk to him, and it looked like he never would. Who was he kidding anyway, he wasn't a leader. He died a terrible one, just because he was given another chance at it didn't mean he was going to be any better at it. He wasn't like Ruby, she fit into the role perfectly.
Jaune walked away with a sigh, leaving Ruby to his lunch.
"Hey, Ren?"
"Hmm, what is it, Nora?"
Lying back on his bed back at their dorm room, Ren opened one of his eyes to turn to his partner. Nora was busy jumping up and down on her bed, a contemplative look on her face. That could be a good thing or a bad thing.
"I was just wondering something." she frowned, doing a little spin in the air. "Is there something wrong going on between you and Jaune?" she asked.
Bad thing then. Nora always could read him like a book.
"It's nothing." he tried to deny.
"Rrrrrrright." she nodded sarcastically. Nora wasn't stupid. Eccentric, yes. Crazy for pancakes, yes. Queen of the castle, fucking yes. But stupid she wasn't. She could see how her best friend acted around Jaune, he was avoiding him every chance he got.
"You know you can tell your old friend Nora what's going on. I won't judge." she suddenly gasped, a thought crossing her, "Don't tell me you're crushing on Jaune! You like him!? And here I thought I knew you. Guess that explains all the pink."
Ren slapped his face, cursing Oum for Nora's line of thoughts, "No, Nora, it's not that." And what was wrong with pink? He only had a streak of it in his hair and it wasn't his fault that it was the same color for his eyes. Not to mention his aura. He didn't have a hand in any of that. And it definitely didn't make a person gay. "Me and Jaune are simply having some. . .difficulties getting along with another. Turns out we both don't have any experience in being friends with the same sex."
"Pfft, you said sex."
'Dammit, Nora.' He wasn't getting along with Jaune, so what? Logically speaking norfal people didn't become friends the moment they met each other. It took time, for fucks sake a day hadn't even passed. Why was it such a big deal that he wasn't buddy-buddy with his leader?
Nora had never asked him that question before. Then again, he was always friends with Jaune until the last reset. Even when he had given up on messing with the time line, he was still changing things. This was all Jaune's fault. Ren silently grounded his teeth. Things would have been better off if he stayed as an NPC.
"Really? I thought it was just jealousy. You know, you were my only guy friend, and now I got a new one, and he is kinda cute in a dorky kinda way. I was pretty sure that I was going to have to break you two up from killing each other over my attention."
Other then the jealousy, she wasn't wrong over killing him. Ren had already done it once. And he'd do it again if it wasn't so pointless. Jaune was locked into the Game. He was stuck in the same hell as him. But that didn't mean he was going to work with him. Ren was done trying to win the Game. Every End wound up with him having to restart again and again, and he was tired of it. Nothing would change, even with Jaune now a Player. He had already worked with the other two separately to reach the True End, and it still wound in a reset. As things were now, he just wanted to enjoy life playing through it without making any changes, like his first life. He could hardly remember his first play through, it was blurry.
The only thing that never changed was his reset point. The moment he had met his best friend.
Ren got off his bed with a sigh. He wasn't feeling like napping right now. He could use a walk about now to clear his head.
"I'll be back, Nora. I got something to take care of."
"Oh, okay, Renny." Nora responded worriedly.
Walking the halls of Beacon, Jaune wondered what he was suppose to do now. He was back at Beacon, made leader again with information on what would happen in the next few months, and had been gifted with gamer like powers that could change the fabric of the world around him. The problem was though, what exactly were you suppose to do with such knowledge and abilities? When Jaune had stopped to thing about it his powers were incredible, he had the ability to increase his strength, speed, and defense from what was available of his perks, stop time when he needed time to think or prepare himself for any situation, gain powers that altered his weapon into a new form, and even read peoples emotions, and that was only from what he had learned from his first day. There were still other options locked and he hadn't even read the manual that he was rewarded from completing the Tutorial mission. If he really trained himself, he could finally stand on the same levels as everyone else in Beacon.
But the way Ren had acted when he found out he had these life altering powers, the powers of The Gamer, Jaune began to doubt himself. Ren acted as if his powers were something to be feared. He had knowledge of what was going on with him, and it looked like he had them too. How else could he lift the pause he had called? Just what was wrong with him being a Player? It was almost as if it was a curse.
Jaune stopped in the middle of the halls, shoulders sagging. Being a Player was looking like a curse. His own friend didn't trust him, he even killed him with his back turned. And he was made leader. The knight already failed at it once, there was no doubt in his mind that he would fail again. What good did a few months worth of school knowledge do him if couldn't fix things with his own friend? What good did having the abilities of a gamer do him if he couldn't even get Ren to talk to him?
"I really am pathetic." Jaune chuckled sadly. What did Ozpin see in him that could possible make him think assigning him leader to a group of well trained Hunters was a good idea? Not only once, but twice? A fraud like him was never meant to even step foot on the ships delivering the future protectors of the world. "Guess Ozpin must of lost a bet if he chose me as leader." he sighed in depression.
"Well, no. I admit, I did lose a bet with Professor Port on whether or not Glynda would notice me switching her sweet tea with a Long Island ice tea, but even I would never bet the status of leader on something as silly as a bet."
Without even turning around, Jaune knew that the familiar voice belonged to Headmaster Ozpin. He could even smell the dark aroma of coffee behind him. Swore he never saw the man without his cup of coffee in one hand. He turned around to greet the gray haired Hunter, finding a small smirk on the man's lips.
"Headmaster, what are you doing here?" he asked in confusion.
"Wandering the halls of my school, trying to enjoy a cup of coffee before heading back to the office to be buried in paperwork." he said with a shrug, taking a sip of his beloved nectar. "Oh, and playing councilor with my students. Honestly, I should really hire someone for the job. I wished I found someone like yourself for such a thing, only more experienced."
"That, sounds like a bad idea. I don't know the first thing about leading a team, let alone talking to others about their problem. Why would you want someone like me as a councilor?"
"Meh, my own amusement perhaps. Sounds like a good read."
"Rrrright." Ozpin seemed like a good guy, but he was mysterious as hell. He could still remember how despondent he seemed when he delivered the welcoming speech to all the hunters and huntresses of the academy. He could never get a read on the man. His secrets must of held secrets.
Ignoring his Headmaster's odd words, Jaune realized that now was the perfect time to ask him a question that had been bugging him since his first official day at Beacon. "So, Headmaster, you don't mind if I ask you a question, do you?" he asked.
"Of course not, Mr. Arc. I may not teach you in any classes, but I do still consider myself your teacher as I do with the rest of my students. If you wish to know anything, or need help in any matters, don't hesitate to ask me." he smiled. Ozpin patted the blonde's shoulder reassuringly.
"Alright." Jaune took a deep breath before asking his question. "Why did you make me leader? It wasn't by mistake, was it?"
Ozpin chuckled, "Well, it seems Ruby wasn't the only one doubting her new position as leader. As I told Ms. Rose, it's only been one day. Whether or not you are a good leader has yet to be seen."
"But what if I don't become a good leader!?" Jaune shouted suddenly. He flinched, looking down in shame for yelling at the man who had even accepted him into the academy. "I'm sorry. It's just, what if, even after all my training here, after all the blood, sweat, and tears, I fail as a leader?"
It's not that Jaune didn't want to be great leader. But he didn't deserve the title like the rest of his team did. Hell, even Nora would of made a better leader then him. So, why him?
"Maybe you made a mistake. Because I don't have what it takes to be the leader my team deserves."
"Really, because every word that leaves your mouth only further proves my decision."
"Eh?"
The dumb look on the boy's face was priceless. Ozpin held back a laugh as he tried to explain. "My boy, can you tell me what requirements a person must have to be given such a responsibility?"
"Well, they would have to be fearless, strong, calm in the face of danger, smart, and an inspiration to his teammates. To name a few." Jaune counted off from the top of his head.
Ozpin nodded, "Quite a few indeed. But, tell me, Mr. Arc. Do you truly believe all great leaders in history, including a simple Headmaster such as myself, attained such requirements when they were assigned leaders?
"Well, yeah." It's not like wimps like him were poster child's for leaders. "Why else would you have been chosen for leading others into battle?"
"That's simple, Mr. Arc. Wasted potential."
Okay, he lost him. At this point Jaune was better off asking him where babies came from. He was sure the Headmaster could fine a way to convince him that all it took was some bull crap like believing hard enough for a child. When he knew the truth. The blonde shivered in disgust, the sounds of beds creaking and cries to 'don't stop' fresh in his him mind. His parents bedroom was not a good spot for Hide and Seek. Kinda made him wish he had died to forget that memory.
"Still confused, I see." Well, just this once he could tell him the answer. "Jaune, when I look at you, I see a weak, naive, pathetic excuse for a hunter."
"Ouch! I think you ran out of bullets there, Headmaster." Jaune winced. Way to be blunt. "I'm already dead on my feet. No need to say anymore."
"Let me finish. It's rude to interrupt."
"Sorry."
"Where was I? Oh, yes. A pathetic excuse for a hunter. But," he paused, catching Jaune's full attention, "That only means that your reservoir of potential is all the more deeper. When I look at you, I see wasted potential, so much that it would be an insult to leave it as so."
"You're still not making any sense." Jaune sighed in frustration.
"Then let me elaborate. The difference between you and me, along with many other great leaders, is nothing. Nobody is ever ready for the position, and those who do believe so, are always proven wrong. It's our insecurities that become a driving force for us to keep on improving, so that we can prove to others that we can do this, that we can be the leaders that they deserve."
He looked at the young man in front of him, smiling softly at the familiar image. Even a man such as himself had been a boy full of insecurities. He only wished that Jaune didn't make the mistakes he had because of them. That was why Ozpin was here, to make sure the future generations learned from their mistakes and made better decisions.
"Wasted potential is not a bad thing, it only truly becomes wasted when you decide to do nothing with it."
"But what if I die without doing anything at all? What if I die before ever truly proving myself as even a hero?" Jaune asked, looking away as memories of his time before dying played in his head. He hadn't done anything to deserve his teams respect.
"Honestly, I don't see that happening." Ozpin simply shook his head at the thought, taking a moment to sip his brew. Sighing in delight at the dark, bitter taste on his lips he continued, "You take me as the kind of young man who doesn't die easily. Despite your training as a hunter, I see a soul that refuses to quit, even when faced against impossible odds. You're an idiot, in layman's terms." he smirked, receiving a groan from Jaune at the jab, "And idiots are the kind to die doing what's right. Can you tell me what kind of death you might see in your future?"
The memory of a horribly wounded Weiss flashed through his mind. And the immense pain that brought him to his death.
"I would die protecting someone I cared about." he gripped his chest, the phantom pain of the chainsaw tearing through him fresh as day. He swore he could still feel it.
"And would you do the same for some random stranger?"
"Yes!" Jaune blinked in confusion before frowning at his answer. That was kinda automatic. He wasn't sure he was ready to answer such a question so easily.
"An idiots answer."
"Hey!"
Ozpin smiled in apology, "But it's the kind of answer a great hero and leader would make. A highly intelligent man would consider the cons of risking their life, weighing the life of a stranger with their own. A fearless man would charge straight in, not caring about their own life. A calm man would simply break under the pressure, for they are still human. And a strong man would believe whole heartily that they would win no matter what, their pride blinding them of danger. Your answer doesn't require thought, strength, sense of mind, nor bravery, it requires heart. Those with heart understand the danger and value their lives, they know how terrified they are, they know they don't have the power to to win, and know that they can't keep calm in danger, but still move their body to protect others. They do it without thinking, it comes naturally as breathing for them." he said, closing his eyes.
"I truly don't now if it was the right decision to make you leader, but talking to you about it, I believe that I might of just made the right choice. I believe that a man such as yourself wouldn't die a failure, he would die a hero, and a kind leader. Let us hope though, that we may never have to remember you as such for a very long time. As for now, well it has only been one day. You have the rest of your life to prove to yourself that you can be a great leader."
A moment of silence stood between the two. Ozpin continued drinking his coffee, his eyes closed in bliss. And Jaune? He bit his lip, embarrassed as he looked down with tears gathered in his own.
The Headmaster may not of known it, but he had struck a very vulnerable cord in his chest. He was right, it had only been a day since he made leader. A day since he had come back to life from saving Weiss. A day since he had discovered his amazing powers. And a day since Ren had killed him in cold blood. But he still had tomorrow, next week, next month, a whole years worth to fix everything. Hell, he still the last few hours of the day to try to amend his problems with Ren. Jaune sniffed back his tears, rubbing his eyes in hopes of the Headmaster not seeing him in such a sorry state.
He didn't know how he was going to do it, but he'd be damned if he didn't try! Jaune was his leader after all, he had to be strong and not back down. He was going to get answers even if it killed him again.
"Thanks, Headmaster." Jaune smiled. "I still don't know if I'll be a good leader, but I'll definitely try!" he said with gusto.
"That's all one can do, Mr. Arc." Ozpin said gently before patting his shoulder one more time. He moved away from the young knight and went back to his walk, pausing for moment to look back at him.
"Jaune, you have more wasted potential then any other person I have ever met. I do hope you work on turning it all to proper energy. I may be your Headmaster, but I am also your teacher as well. Never hesitate to ask for help."
Ozpin gave him a small grin before finally leaving the boy to his thoughts. Hopefully he gave him the answer he was looking for.
'Congratulations! Headmaster Ozpin has returned your charisma back to normal! You've completed an Unknown Event! Time Moves Forward, Complete! You've gained +700EXP! You've Unlocked the Ability, Clockwork Glitch! A Side Mission has been Unlocked, Fairy Tales! You've Unlocked a secret reward! Monty's Missing Page, Page #17, Unlocked!'
Once the Headmaster had left, Jaune read his scroll over. A wide grin made its way to his face once he read over his new ability.
Ozpin had done more then cheer him up. He had given him exactly what he needed to talk to Ren.
Ren leaned against the front fountain in front of Beacon's courtyard, eyes closed as he relaxed with the gentle sound of the birds chirping.
Today hadn't been the best of days in his many lives. He had been hoping that things played off as normal as they usually did. Team JNPR would be formed, they would learn about the ways of the hunter, help team RWBY when they were in trouble, attend the dance, fight in the Breach, prepare for the Vytal Tournament, and then deal with the tragedy that followed. It wasn't the best play through, but it was the only one that didn't require wasting so much energy to reach. If he could, Ren would stop it all from happening again. His fingers nearly pierced his skin as he gripped them tightly. Green eyes and red hair turning to burning cinders burnt permanently into his mind.
Things might change in one world, but that event never would. So, what was the point in even trying anymore? He was better off living the little time of peace they would have left in ignorance.
The sounds of footsteps reminded him of the problem to his regular routine.
Opening his pink eyes, he found Jaune standing in front of him with a look of determination. He scoffed. He could never take a hint. Didn't even know how good he had it.
"I'm not talking, Jaune." he said coldly. He went back to closing his eyes to find some peace. "You even try anything, and I can just get you expelled. I already know about your fake transcripts." he smirked.
Jaune always did back down when his career as a hunter was in danger. It's why he was bullied every time he entered Beacon by Cardin. It might even solve his problem in dealing with him.
Except he had forgotten one thing. This wasn't the Jaune who came into Beacon with little experience. This was the one who had faced death and lost.
"Clockwork Glitch!"
Ren's eyes snapped open wide in surprise, suddenly finding the world around him colored gray and frozen still. A large clockwork clock was painted below their feet, trapping them in a bubble of time. He cursed himself for looking down at Jaune, an idiot he may have been, but he still had a cunning mind on him. Now that he had the powers of The Gamer too, he could do just about anything.
He began to call on Storm Flower to attack, only to find some unseen force keep them back in his sleeve. What the hell was going on now!? It must have been his ability he shouted out. He hadn't encountered something like this in a long time.
"Clockwork Glitch. A special ability unlocked by completing an Unknown Quest with Ozpin." Jaune explained. He reached for his own weapon, only to struggle to take it out of its sheath. He grinned in the face of Ren's own scowl, happy to get his attention, "By completing this Unknown Quest, I've unlocked the ability that allows me to trap another Player in a mini marble of time where actions such as fighting are missing from within. You could say a glitch has stripped your ability to fight, and mine too. In other words, all we can do is talk until I drop the marble."
"That's your plan." Ren asked with a hiss, "Keep me trapped here until you give up? Because I have no reason to talk to you about any of this!"
"Then you don't have to."
Now Ren was lost, "What? Then why did you trap me in here with you?"
"Because I'm willing to wait till you tell me at least one thing, Ren." Jaune sighed, crossing his arms. He looked at him dead in the eye, "Did everyone live a happy life after I died?"
The green themed ninja dropped his arms by his side, staring back at Jaune in disbelief. That's what he wanted to know? Not why he had killed him? Or what his new powers were about? How did he even know about the reset? He knew for a fact the other two Players hadn't talked to him about it. They weren't even allowed to step foot in Beacon. So, how did he know?
"If you're wondering how I know that you're still the same Ren from my life before I died, it's because of this." Rummaging through his pockets for the piece of paper, Jaune presented his friend with the secret reward from his recent quest.
If Ren hadn't been surprised before, he was close to dying from a heart attack now. With trembling hands he reached for Monty's Missing Page, trying to calm his beating heart. "How?" he asked in utter disbelief. "Monty's Pages are nearly impossible to find! No matter how many paths I took, or things I changed, I've never gotten more then two pages in all the worlds I've completed or died in."
"So you know what they are then?"
"Yes, but only Players can find and read them. Their writings from a prophet that Oum spoke through, they tell of stories that have or yet to happen. That still doesn't explain how you know I'm the same Ren as the one in your world."
"Well, other then all the stuff I don't understand, it's because of what this page says." Taking the page back, he cleared his throat before reading it out loud.
'73. That's how many worlds the young raven had traveled. 21. That's how many times his pink aura had faded before the killing blow landed. 52. That's how many times all his progress was brought back to zero. No matter how many times the raven reached an End, it would all be reset. Again and again. The raven was losing hope, but he preserved. His dream was at stake. It didn't matter how many times the world rejected his vision, the raven would continue to fight, to keep his happy ending. He would do whatever it took to reach the end, so he couldn't lose hope. As he opened his eyes to the familiar sight of a ginger haired girl poking him with a stick, he smiled. The raven would at least have the valkyrie to greet him with every reset. And even though it would take years, he would meet the rest of his friends in time. Then, they could start all over again.'
"It took me a while to understand what I was reading, and what it was saying, but Valkyrie isn't a common name." Jaune chuckled sadly. "Nora's an orphan, like you. And she told me that you both didn't have any other family left, that you had found her long ago with no memory other then her name. All I had to do was connect the dots from there." Back when they had gotten to know each other, when they had all become a team, the subject of family had been brought up. He was saddened when the bright energetic girl had revealed her past, or lack of, and Ren's dead family, killed by a Grimm attack. It was a sensitive subject, but she had said it all with such a wide smile. He learned later on though as they continued to get closer as a team, that she didn't care about losing her memory. It was the memories she made now that mattered to her, its why she was always smiling. Because every moment she spent with her friends was worth remembering.
"You've been in this game longer then I can could possibly imagine." he scowled deeply. Just how long had he had to go through such a hell? Constantly resetting whether he passed or failed. "I think I might know why you killed me when you found out about me having the same power as you. You didn't want me to live through the same curse as you did. You wanted me to live a blissful ignorance as just another NPC."
". . . .No. You're wrong about that." Ren said answered stiffly. He sighed, knowing that it hadn't been the only real reason he had killed him. His eyes stared back at him so he could see the truth of his words, "I did it to erase your soul to its original setting, but I also did it, because I hate you." he glared, his pink eyes glowing with emotion.
Jaune smiled in pain at his friend's honest words, "I know. There was always something between us, even in my first time line. You acted so polite and kinda awkward with me, and I always thought that was your thing. But I could see something behind your eyes that kept me away from getting closer. I ignored it, I thought it was because I was a crappy leader that you looked at me that way. I guess it's much deeper then that though, huh?"
"You're still my best friend though. And no matter how many times you kill me, I'll still be your friend." he closed his eyes, grinning happily.
Ren grit his teeth, closing his eyes with a grimace. Despite his hate, Jaune was still his friend. He had never done anything wrong other then being oblivious. And that was what he had hated about him. The blonde truly didn't realize what was in front of him. And it tore him apart knowing he could never create any time line where he was seen the same way. Those eyes would only see him as a friend.
A small chuckle escaped his lips, realizing how petty he was acting. In the end everything would be reset to nothing. What did it matter if Jaune joined the Game this late? One page of Monty didn't mean anything. So what harm could answering his question do?
". . .They didn't live as happily as you might of hoped." Ren said in defeat. Jaune flinched, gritting his teeth at the news. And he had hoped that they would of lived a happy life after his death. Guess he was being too optimistic. He was still their friend, as pathetic as he was, it still would of hurt them deeply. "But they pushed on till the End." he smiled. "Ruby grew into a great hero with your inspiration of heroism, Yang found her purpose as a huntress, fighting the evil of the world and bringing them to justice. Blake worked alongside her, trying to stop the White Fang and bring an end to the negativity between humans and faunas. And Weiss helped in stopping the discrimination, eventually taking over her father's company and fixing the damage of her name. Me and Nora continued to fight against the Grimm, always keeping in touch with team RWBY. And Pyrrha,"
Burning cinders flew in his vision, flying away in the night sky.
"She lived following her destiny."
"So they lived a full life?" Jaune asked. He got a nod back. A sigh of relief escaped him. "That's a huge weight off my shoulders."
"They never forgot about you, you know?"
"Really?"
Ren scoffed. Of course not. Just because Jaune saw very little in himself, didn't mean that they all did.
"You were everyone's friend. And our leader. Not a day went by where they weren't thinking about you. Ruby even dedicated our final fight against the Final Boss in your name. Your death drove them to make the world a better place, even if it was all reset in the End before it took affect."
The gray marble engulfing them cracked, breaking apart into tiny shimmering glass dust onto them a second later. Ren smirked at the sight. Looked like he was tricked.
"Scan." His left eye glowed bright pink, showing off a target cross hair in his pupil. Jaune's HP and MP were displayed in his sights. Looked like his MP was completely drained. The ability he used must have been taking away MP with every minute. "You lied to me, didn't you?" he chuckled, impressed.
Jaune rubbed the back of his head in shame, "Yeah, sorry about that. Hell, Clockwork Glitch was a one time thing. It disappeared after I ran out of Mana. But it was the only way of getting you to talk to me."
"Even though you act like an idiot, you're actually pretty smart. I just wished you'd stop acting oblivious, even if she will wait for you forever." Getting a look of confusion back, Ren kicked back from the fountain, slowly making his way back to their dorm room.
"You're still not going to tell me about The Gamer, are you." Jaune asked without looking back at the raven haired hunter.
"Nope. I'll tell you this though," he stopped, keeping his eyes on the setting sun in front of him. "It's pointless. Even if you win the Game, everything will be reset and all your progress will have been for nothing. I won't stop you though." he shut his eyes in acceptance. "I'll continue to follow you as my leader, but I'm done trying to change things for the better. It's a waste of time saving NPC's, there Non imPortant Characters for a reason." NPC's had meant Non Playable Characters long ago, but one of the other Players had a better example for them. The sly bastard was right. It didn't matter if they saved them, it wouldn't affect the story. Even important character like Ruby weren't needed to reach an End.
Jaune shook his head, refusing to accept what he was hearing. Even if everything was reset, the one life he had saved mattered. Weiss had lived a full life, that life wasn't wasted, as did any other life. If he could save everyone again and again, then he'd do it. Until he found a permanent end to the game, and continue living without resetting.
"But I'll remember. And I can't stand aside if I can save someone's life. I'm an idiot, I don't know any better." he grinned. "If all my progress is brought back to zero, then I'll just do it all over again. After all, what's the point of having all this wasted potential if we don't make something of it?"
He really was an idiot. But like Ren said, he wouldn't stop him. He'd break under the never ending resets soon enough. For now though, he'd just follow along. Jaune was his leader after all.
"Open the Help Guide you were rewarded the other day. It'll tell you all you need to know about your powers and any further questions you may have." That was all he was going to tell him for now. Jaune would have to learn it all on his own, just as he did. The idiot should of used the help guide first instead of him. Why didn't that cross his mind?
Walking away, Ren left Jaune to discover his new powers to himself. If he wanted to waste his own time, then fine. He had some relaxing to do before things got out of hand once again. Leave it to him to play hero.
Jaune smiled sadly as he opened his scroll, shutting off the world around him. He knew he could probably get the answers he was looking for from the guide, but he wanted Ren to be the one to explain it to him. He was his friend after all. And he would make sure he remembered that.
"The Gamer Help Guide, Open."
He would show Ren though. Jaune would reach the True End on his first play through. How, he didn't know, but he'd be wasting his potential if he didn't at least try.
There we have it, folks! The Game has begun, kinda.
Jaune now has a fellow Gamer in his team that can teach him the ways of his new reality. Too bad Ren wants nothing to do with it. Left to figure things out on his own, the knight must work his way around the new mechanics and discover the secrets to the Game if he wants to complete it without resetting everyone's progress. What will our naive hero encounter on his second day of school as a Gamer. Can anyone say, Remix?
If there's one thing to say at the end of all this, it's that I need a Beta to proof read. I suck at looking over my mistakes, I truly do. I just went over some in the last chapter, and I'm pretty sure I missed some still. Wish I paid in attention in school. Irony is I was nose deep in reading books during class. That, and my bad eye sight. Didn't get glasses till I was seventeen. Makes sense why I didn't see that truck coming towards me in eighth grade. Got brush up on my writing skills after being absent for almost two years. Going to re upload the last two chapters with the errors fixed. And maybe work on the summary, looks like it could do better.
There is so much I want to tell you all about the story, but I can't in fear of spoiling anything. And boy, once Volume 4 comes out this fall, I'm going crazy with my writing. Hope plans work when the new volume comes out. Don't think I'll be close to volume 3's arc when it rolls out though, so that good.
I feel like there's more to write to you all about, but I'm drawing a blank. Too excited to post this up. So don't be afraid to ask some questions as you review, I'll try answering them next week. Chapter 4 is done, but as always I won't be posting it up till Chapter 5 is done. Another method to keep me writing.
Read and Review! It's common courtesy after all, gentlemen. And gentle woman! Or is it fair ladies? Wouldn't know, most of the girls I know aren't exactly fair nor gentle. Kimmy once tied my hands and feet together with duct tape, along with my mouth when school ended. She also smacked me. Don't know why I didn't stop her.
. . . .Am I a Masochist?
NeoShadows fading in and out.