Chapter 7

Huntsman

The first of the sun's rays crept through Beacon Academy. After a few hours of darkness, light was shed upon the institution illuminating every crevice and plains it had. From the amphitheater to the arena, the airship docks to the nearby Emerald Forest. The light filtered through the gigantic glass windows of Professor Ozpin's study revealing the clockwork motif of his office.

"Jaune Arc, son of Jonathan and Joanne Arc." Jaune tried to calm himself as the cold and unforgiving voice of Professor Ozpin pierced him.

"The fifth of eight and the only son of the couple…" He watched nervously as Ozpin settled the data pad on his desk next to his mug.

He stood straight in front of the silver haired headmaster. He looked onto the man's brown eyes as he wore a mask of defiance and determination.

"I understand that due to some circumstances that your family, your village have, you wish to become a huntsman is that correct Mister Arc?" Ozpin asked as he rested his head onto his clasped hands.

"Yes sir, though there are several hunters and huntresses in our village, they can always use an extra hand especially with the increased numbers of Grimm within our general area." The knight replied.

"And our estate, though can be considered to be heavily fortified, can only hold so many of our people." He added as soulless as he could possibly be.

But it was mostly to hide his growing anxiety and fear in front of the huntsman. Ozpin nodded as the two stared at each other.

"Mister Arc, do you know what fuels the Grimm to keep on moving forward?" He asked him.

"Umm…I believe it is fear." He answered.

"Sir." Jaune quickly added.

"Indeed, the negative emotions of both human and Faunus are the main drive that powers the creatures of Grimm. Emotions such as fear, as you have answered. Now, do you know who combats these creatures?"

"The huntsmen and huntresses, sir." The knight watched, relieved as the headmaster nodded once more.

"And what drives these brave warriors to fight the countless horrifying creatures hell-bent on destroying us?"

Jaune thought for a bit. His mind rushed to find an answer as he sifted through the teachings of his parents and sisters.

"May I speak freely sir?" He asked and winced as his voice cracked.

"You are always free to speak Mister Arc, as long as it is within reason." Ozpin nodded as he straightened his back on his leathered seat.

"If I am to base on my own personal experience and outlook, I think that what drives them is the want to protect their loved ones. They defend against the creatures not because of the fame or fortune that it might bring them but to secure the safety and future of those around them."

"A wise answer Mister Arc."

Pure horror gripped the young knight when the headmaster reached out into his drawer and produced a sheet of paper. He tried to suppress the dread that he felt when he saw his forged transcripts on his desk but failed miserably as he felt his knees tremble.

"And given your answer and situation, I understand your eagerness to enroll here in our academy in order to prepare you to become a full-fledged huntsman."

Here we go. He internally prepared for the worst.

"But before I continue, I wish to ask you, Mister Arc. Do you know the intensity of punishment that you can receive due to this single false document?"

Jaune nodded shamefully.

"And you still did it. Why?" Ozpin clasped his hands as he stared into Jaune.

The young man let out a sigh of resignation. Might as well just explain it to him.

"Sir, I believe you know both my parents seeing that they were the same batch as you when they entered Beacon."

Ozpin nodded his confirmation.

"Mom and dad, they were great at their craft, both as a parent and as a huntsman and huntress. They understood that because of that I and my older sisters practically grew up watching them fight to defend our people that we too yearned to follow in their footsteps." Jaune allowed a glance towards the headmaster who, to his relief was listening intently.

"They even went so far as to train us five but then that day happened." Jaune inhaled sharply as he forcefully summoned the memory that he had long since chose to forget.

"Me and Marigold, my third oldest sister was on our way home from our usual afternoon spar. My parents were both away due to some mission, my three younger sisters were in the neighboring village with my grandparents since they were still too young to live without adult supervision along with Cerise, my fourth oldest sister. Jade and Scarlet, the two eldest was, at the time, attending their second and first years here at Beacon." He gulped a lump that was beginning to take shape.

"It was a normal day, or at least, right before a Beowolf appeared out of nowhere." He couldn't help but shudder as he forced himself to continue.

"We were young and naïve, Marigold being fifteen and me being thirteen, we thought that we could handle one Grimm with our training. So we did the most logical thing that we thought we had, to fight, discarding all the various ways that our parents thought us that would allow us to escape from the Grimm. But we were wrong and…" Jaune took a moment to compose himself as he balled his trembling hands.

"We were torn into shreds. Marigold suffered an injury that rendered her incapable of being a huntress while I nearly lost my life due to a fatal blow. We would've died right there and then if it weren't for our fellow villagers who heard the commotion. Since then, except for Jade and Scarlet, the rest of us were prohibited with continuing our parents' or rather, our family's legacy." Jaune ended.

He looked up to Ozpin when he realized that he had lowered his head. He was met with a stern gaze that nearly made him flinch. His head rested on his clasped hands.

"And so you decided to run away and forge your way into Beacon." Ozpin concluded to which Jaune nodded sadly.

"Mom and dad were furious at me when I told them that I wanted to go to Beacon. So I was left with no choice. I knew that if I go through the legal process to enter, then my parents would be notified due to some needed papers. So I decided to forge my transcripts knowing full well that it was a gamble."

Several moments of painful silence passed by, Jaune uncomfortably shifted his weight from leg to leg in an effort to ease some tension within him. He was about to talk when the headmaster spoke.

"But forging government papers in order for you to be accepted, I believe you know what this means am I correct Mister Arc."

He nodded slowly, crestfallen. Flashes of his family's possible reaction once they learn of his treachery played through him. And he had the guts to leave the family unannounced due to his want to prove himself to them and to continue the legacy. He bit himself back to maintain his demeanor.

"As such, saddened as it may be seeing that today is practically your first day of classes, you are to be no longer enrolled in this academy,"

Jaune couldn't help but flinch as the hammer was finally brought down to him. He felt the weight of the world slowly pull down his head.

"Or at least, that was what I was supposed to say." Jaune raised his head ever so slightly to look at the headmaster.

He watched as he ripped the forged credentials until it was merely reduced to several pieces of scrapped paper. He then produced another transcript from his drawer. The blonde looked at it with widened eyes as he realized that it was the genuine thing. He gazed at every field that it had where his correct information, from his birthdate to his combat experience was written. A pen then rolled on top of it which prompted the confused glance of the blonde.

"That's a true copy of your transcripts. Originally, I wouldn't have noticed yours as fake if it weren't for the obsolete coding number. For a seventeen year-old, it was an excellent forgery."

"But why?" Ozpin's brows rose as he took a sip of his drink.

"You already know that I cheated my way in, why still accept me despite my treachery? I understand if you will report me to the authorities but-" Jaune was stopped by a raised palm.

"Mister Arc, you must understand, while I am bound by my duty as a headmaster to do such actions due to your forgery. But I am also bound by my duties as a huntsman and a mentor, to teach and train the future generations of warriors that will protect mankind from the Grimm."

Jaune watched as Ozpin took another sip. Ever so slowly digesting the man's words and trying to find any underlying agenda that he might have.

"Because of this, I am giving you a second chance, to redeem yourself and to become what you have always dreamed of." Jaune simply stared at Ozpin, utterly stunned at what he just said.

"If you look onto this piece of paper, you will find that the forged information has been changed to that of your actual background, all you have to do is to sign it."

He couldn't still believe his ears. He was found to be guilty of forgery and yet here he was, being given a second chance.

"But why? You never answered that question."

The man in the black suit simply smiled as he placed his mug on his desk.

"I see in you great potential, Mister Arc. Much like your sisters and parents before you." He took another sip from his mug.

"I know your parents as well as your two older sisters. They are good folks. Always eager to put their own lives on the line in order to protect the people they have sworn to defend. And much like them, I see such virtue in you much like when I fought alongside Blaine and Clementine."

"But what if they-"

"And though I am doing this both for your sake and that of Remnant, if ever comes a time that your family is to take you back either with your consent or by force, know that we can only provide so much help until it goes out of our jurisdiction. As such, make sure that you are to deal with your family whenever you are ready so that to avoid any conflict."

Jaune nodded.

"Now that that is settled…"He straightened his posture as he motioned towards the paper.

The knight stared blankly at Ozpin then to his legit transcript and back to Ozpin.

"Oh for Oum's sake, Jaune Arc. Just sign the damn paper already. We still have an initiation to be held and its best that none of us are to be late." Ozpin said as he stood up from his comfortable chair.

Nodding, Jaune leaned down and signed on the indicated field. He then looked at Ozpin who was now standing in front of him.

"Welcome to Beacon Academy, Mister Jaune Arc." He offered his hand in which Jaune shook it.

"Thank you, sir." He said as he freed his hand from the gesture.

"Now move along, we will meet again once the initiation starts and along the hallways henceforth."

Jaune proceeded to exit the room but as he clutched the doorknob, he turned to face the man once again.

"I will not disappoint you, sir." And without further words, leaves the man with a cane.

As the Jaune heard the lock of the door, he allowed himself a fresh breath of relief.

I have to make things count. He thought as he stared at his clenched fists.

Too much is riding on this.

Thus with renewed determination and fervor, he walked through the halls of Beacon Academy as he once again found himself heading towards the locker rooms. But this time, he no longer need to creep his way through as if he was a thief, he was, after all, a student of Beacon Academy.

Just changed the names of Jaune's parents. I just thought that Jonathan and Joanne had a better ring than Blaine and Clementine. And although the new names are not based on colors, I guess that the rationality behind it is that the color oriented names only started with the newer generation thus having the older generation having a bigger name pool.