Well I am back folks with a new chapter in the Master Grimm Hunter story. Not much happened in this chapter I see this chapter as a build up chapter and a chapter to introduce two more OCs considering I think I put in the description that there would be a few in my story. Also I wasn't really expecting such a big reaction from the first chapter I am quite happy with it though. Also I hinted at someone who may become a romantic interest to Jaune but who knows (well I obviously do hahaha). With all that being said I hope you enjoy this chapter and I hope you look forward to my third chapter which should come out either by the end of this month or the beginning of next month due to my hours being piled upon me at work.
Knight of Fish
"Today, class, I would like to introduce a new student who will be attending classes here at Beacon for the last few months until graduation," Glynda Goodwitch said to the class as she beckoned for Jaune who was standing just inside the entrance of the class to come in.
Well, now is the time to see how people will react to me being back from the dead, Jaune thought to himself. He took a deep breath of air to calm himself and walked into the classroom to stand by Glynda.
"This is Wiliam White, he has transferred here to Beacon from Greenlight Academy," Glynda said introducing him to the whole class.
Wait what the heck is going on here? Why did she introduce me as Wiliam White? Jaune's brain could not comprehend why she would not just tell the class he was Jaune and had come back. Then it all clicked into place for him at once, Ozpin didn't want it to be known to everyone that he was back so he had created an alternate persona for Jaune to use. Though why not just tell him during their conversation last night? It was a question that was probably gonna be left unanswered until he could talk face to face with Ozpin again, Jaune thought to himself.
He snapped out of his thoughts as soon as he realized everyone, including Mrs. Goodwitch, were waiting for him to say something in greeting to the class.
"It is nice to be here I hope we all have a good few months together," Jaune said to everyone, as he bowed to all of them.
This caused the whole class to start whispering to one another. Jaune looked at class and a wave of nervousness washed over him. What were they all whispering about? How weird it was for someone to transfer into Beacon so close to graduation? This is probably the most likely answer, Jaune thought to himself. There was also the other thing they could be wondering about. Why did he look so much like Jaune? If that was the rumor that was being to be spread here then that terrified Jaune for some reason.
"Quiet all of you, we are still in class," reprimanded Glynda. She then turned her attention back to Jaune and told him. "Now that you have been properly introduced to the class I would like you to please find a seat so we can begin today's lesson."
Jaune shook himself out of his terrified state of mind, knowing that his training at Greenlight would be for nothing if he let his fears take hold of him. He nodded to Glynda and began to search the room for a few seconds trying to find a empty seat. He found one in the third row from the front of the room. He sat down and breathed a breath of relief. That went a lot better than I had thought it would, he thought to himself.
"Now for today's class, we will be holding mock battles to see how you will hold your own against multiple attackers at once," Glynda said to everyone.
Jaune smiled knowing that this would be a piece of cake for him considering at Greenlight they had drilled multiple attackers a ton of times. If he could handle it at Greenlight where he was put against five of his fellow students who were some of the most highly trained and deadly people he knew. Then he could handle this drill here at Beacon, then again maybe he was being overconfident considering he was in an unknown situation being put against people he barely knew anything about. Yes, he should be cautious considering that was first thing that was taught to him was to always be cautious in a situation that involved you fighting against anything.
"For the first match I would like Ruby to come to the arena please!" Glynda said in an authoritative voice to the class.
That name snapped Jaune's attention, back to the front of the room to a woman, he could not believe was the Ruby, standing in the arena. She had formed out in every place from her tall slender body, to her breasts. Her hair was now down to her waist, and her red cloak seemed to have been retailored to fit her new body build. All in all Jaune sat there speechless for a few second with his mouth agape.
"Isn't she a hottie?" a male student who was sitting next to him on his left whispered into his ear.
"Ah yeah. She is," Jaune replied to the guy while still staring at Ruby.
"I bet you would be surprised to hear that she has never had a boyfriend before," the other male student whispered back.
"Is that so…" Jaune said back no really paying any attention to what the guy was saying due to him being distracted by Ruby.
"Yeah, it is all due to her sister threatening any guy who has gotten close to her. Which is a damn shame considering I would love to date her," the male student whispered to him.
Wait what the hell are you doing!? Jaune yelled at himself inside his head as he broke his eyes away from her stunning beauty. Remember she is one of the reasons you left Beacon in the first place.
He then turned to the male student who had been whispering to him about Ruby. "So why tell me that you want to date her?" Jaune asked the male student.
"I saw you staring at her and it just seemed like a good conversation starter," the male student answered confidently.
Starting with a 'hi or a why did you transfer here so close to graduation,' would have been better ways to start a conversation, but who am I to judge. Jaune thought to himself.
"You know there are probably better ways to start a conversation with someone you have never meant before then telling them how you think a girl is hot and such."
"You have a point, but in the end that would be to normal for me to do, and as much as I love to be normal I'm not" the male student replied.
"Isn't it better to be normal instead of standing out?" Jaune asked knowing that his training always dictated that blending in with the crowd and striking when your target least expects it is the best strategy.
"Now, now, Wiliam, you seem to be confused about what it is to be a Hunter. To be a Hunter means to be famous and get tons of riches and women in doing so that is what it means to be a Hunter!" the male student proclaimed loud enough that Jaune noticed a few people around them stop watching the match to stare at both of them.
This guy has the wrong idea about what it really means to be a Hunter, Jaune thought to himself with a smile coming onto his face. Even if he was not in agreement with what the guy was saying it was still enjoyable to talk to someone who wasn't so guarded all the time like all the students at Greenlight Academy were to each other.
"Hey Derrick, stop annoying the new transfer student with your stupid dreams of why you wanted to become a Hunter," the student who was sitting next to the guy Jaune was conversing with said.
"Stupid!? My dreams for becoming a Hunter are not stupid Morice! They are what any sane man would strive for!" Derrick passionately told the guy named Morice.
"More like what a greedy, pervert would strive for if you ask me," Morice replied. His bored expression seemed permanent as he continued to stare at the mock battle that was almost over with Ruby's meter still in the green and the four other student's bars in the red.
"It's moments like this Morice, that I question your manliness," Derrick whispered, realizing he was catching everyone's attention.
Morice sighed at Derrick's comment.
"You're an idiot." he returned his attention back to the front. Jaune smiled even more at their banter realizing how much he missed this type of atmosphere. It had been so long since Jaune had been in such a carefree conversation.
Jaune's attention was brought back up to the front as well as Glynda declares Ruby the winner of the fight. He saw Ruby standing in the middle of the arena with four other students who he didn't know on the floor either unconscious or rolling in pain. Crap and I was looking forward to seeing how much she had grown as a fighter since I left...oh well I am sure I will have plenty of time to see her in action in these next few months. Plus it has been nice to meet someone who has such a carefree attitude about him Jaune thought to himself.
Right before he left Beacon and his whole time at Greenlight the atmosphere was never carefree. At Beacon, it had been depressing. Greenlight had been a serious and competitive atmosphere. Though right here and now, it was the first time in a long time Jaune realized he felt truly at peace. It was a great feeling indeed, Jaune thought to himself.
"Sorry about my partner there he is just a super serious type of person," Derrick apologized to Jaune.
"If I wasn't so serious then who knows who would stop some of your crazy ideas that you get in your head Derrick," Morice responded.
"Don't worry I like how you two compliment each other's personalities it is a refreshing thing for me," Jaune said before Derrick could comment on what Morice said.
"Ah yeah you do seem like the type of person who has grown up in a super serious environment," Derrick said his focus completely lost on what Morice said.
"Does it?" Jaune asked.
"Yeah you seem like a person who used to be carefree, who was lost to the darkness that is seriousness," Derrick answered.
It was not lost on Jaune on how true Derrick's words were even though it was worded so strangely. Jaune just smiled at Derrick and replied with, "being serious isn't so bad just ask your partner."
Just as Derrick was about to reply with something snarky, Glynda yelled out, "Wiliam White would you please come and enter the arena."
Derrick held back, "good luck."
Jaune nodded his thanks to Derrick as a sense of focus and serene calmness came over him. Now was the time to test out his new skills here on one of the teams of his graduating class here at Beacon. He entered the arena, stood overlooking the whole class. He could make out Derrick watching him intently, and beside him was Morice with a blasé expression staring at him. He then continued to scan the room and his sense of serenity almost broke when he saw team RWBY, and what used to be his old team NPR in the crowd. He held his emotions of guilt and regret in check that surfaced at seeing their faces brought. He knew fully well that if he gave into those feelings he would lose this upcoming battle.
He could not really see how much they had all changed, recognizing who they were by their hair colors and clothing they had back when he transferred. He could also feel a sense of excitement coming from them. This was probably due to them all wanting to see what the transfer student could do skill wise in a fight he mused to himself. It was all weird, considering there was not even a sense of dread for all of them being there watching him. Instead all he could feel was the instinctive readiness as Glynda called out which team he would be facing. "Team CRDL will be your opponent."
In a normal state of mind Jaune might have found the team he was facing to be pretty ironic considering all the troubles they had given him while he was first attending Beacon. Right now though all Jaune saw was four armed targets taking places around him. He drew out his blade and extend his shield into its full form; all the while picking which targets to take out first based on how dangerous they looked and what weapons they were equipped with.
Two of them had medium ranged weapons in the form of a sword and a mace, one had a long ranged weapon in the form of a halberd, and the other two short ranged weapons in the form of two daggers. All in all, each of his opponents presented their own challenge. Depending on who the fastest to strike him first to which one he would take out first.
"And let the match begin!" Glynda said in a commanding voice.
"Do you honestly think you can take on all four of us at once? Because to me it doesn't seem like you stand a chance, considering you look like a huge wimp that I used to know," the opponent who was standing in front of him wielding the mace tried baiting Jaune into becoming angry and therefore letting down his guard.
It didn't work as Jaune, in his combat mindset, zoned him out and could hear the footfalls signaling someone was running up behind him to attack him. He spun around with his shield leading the way which caught the guy by surprise as his daggers hit and bounced off the shield. Jaune didn't stop his shield as he used his momentum by utilizing his hips to slam his shield into the guys face, sending the dagger wielder stumbling backwards with a broken nose.
Jaune then felt the presence of all three of the remaining opponents charge him at once. He listened intently to see which of the three opponents was running faster and would get to him first. The one behind him and the one to his left were running at the same speed it seemed, the one to his right was a few strides slower than those two. An idea formed in his head on how to get rid of two of his opponents in one move then. He ducked downwards as a mace and a sword both flew over his head he looked over to see the person who was wielding the sword fly backwards due to impact and the explosion of the impact made by the mace. He didn't have any more time to check on the mace wielder who was behind him. He just had to pray that he had also gotten hit by his ally and was stunned.
Knowing that the halberd wielding opponent would be on him at any moment, he pivoted himself so that he was facing the direction of his upcoming opponent. He then aims his shield with the barrel of the gun he had built into the shield at the halberd wielders face. He fired and the bullet hit his opponent straight in the face and exploded due to his bullets being infused with fire dust sending the guy to fall backwards onto the ground unconscious.
Jaune didn't have time to appreciate his success as he side rolled to the left and back onto his feet. He then heard the sound of the mace slamming into the ground where he had been kneeling seconds before. He turned to face the last opponent still standing. He had the look of a enraged boar on his face and which is great, considering his opponent's frustration makes him open to making a mistake due to not thinking clearly. Though, he is still going to have to be careful due to his opponent's unpredictability. Also it seemed like his opponents mace could cause an explosion when it hit anything. If got hit once by that thing it would be the end for him.
The best course of action Jaune has, against his last opponent, is to avoid all of the attacks that got sent his way and wait for a opening to present itself. Well openings in this case, due to Jaune knowing that this type of opponent would not go down with just one hit of his sword.
With that in mind, Jaune began his careful walk towards the mace wielder who could, at any moment, charge at him. As he was about halfway from closing the distance between him and his opponent the man rushed him suddenly. Knowing this circumstance, Jaune stopped his advance, and dodged the awkward side swing of the mace that was coming at him. It then turned into a game of dodging the giant mace. He would roll backwards when the mace wielder would slam his weapon into a downward strike, because the immediate ground in front of him would explode. He would step backwards just out of the reach of the mace whenever it would come at him from his sides. All the while, he kept attentive for an opening in his opponent or a pattern in the attacks he could exploit.
He then saw the opening he had been hoping for all this time in a super slow side swing done by his opponent. This time Jaune did not dodge backwards but instead ducked underneath the lazy swing, then brought his blade into play. If Glynda hadn't stopped the match just then, he would have gutted his opponent.
"That is enough! The match is over. I declare Wiliam White, the winner!" Glynda said as she brought out her wand and flicked it sending both Jaune and the mace wielder a few meters apart from each other.
Jaune realizing the match to be over closed his eyes and willed himself to calm down he breathed in and out and then opened his eyes again and looked out over the class again. What he mostly saw were stares of disbelief in lots of his fellow students eyes. Team RWBY, and NPR all had looks of impression written on their faces and Jaune smiled at that. If only they really knew who he was they would have way different expressions on all their faces no doubt. He also spotted Derrick who had a look of "holy shit what did I just see" written on his face, while his partner Morice had the same somber expression on his face.
He then looked around at his opponents, team CRDL, and saw them all picking themselves up and staring at him with expressions of afflictions. He then remembered how much team CDRL had given so much grief when he first was attending Beacon Academy. No wonder it felt so rewarding kicking the crap out of their asses, Jaune thought to himself as he walked off the arena and went back to his seat.
"We have time for one more match before class is over, does anyone want to volunteer to go?" Glynda asked the class.
"Oh me! Pick me!" Derrick said enthusiastically, waving his hand in the air.
Glynda sighed and finally said, "okay Mr. Clandistine you may be our last one to go."
"Ah sweetness!" Derrick said pumping his hand up and down in the air.
"Good luck," Jaune told Derrick as he got up to go to the arena.
"Just you watch Wiliam, I will show you how a true Hunter takes care of business," Derrick replied and then added, "but thanks for wishing me luck."
"Of course. I look forward to seeing how a true Hunter will act in this type of situation," Jaune replied with a sarcastic smile coming across his face. He didn't know if it was luck he had met Derrick on his first day back, but he was glad him. Derrick's positive, energetic attitude is super infectious and it knocked away any doubts had about his remaining days at Beacon and what they entailed.
Derrick just gave him a thumbs up and walked down into the arena. Jaune focused his attention on the arena then wondering what type of weapons Derrick might have. Glynda called out the name of a team he didn't recognize and a group of three males, and one female walked up to the arena and got into a surrounding position just like what had happened with Jaune and team CRDL. The girl pulled out a bow and arrow, one of the three guys pulled out what looked like a rifle with a bayonet on the end of it. One of the remaining two guys then put on a claw like weapon onto both of his hands, and the last guy pulled out a huge warhammer. All in all it looked like a very bad situation for Derrick,
"Don't worry Derrick won't lose, he may not sound or act like it, but he is the leader of our team and is a skilled combatant," Morice told Jaune as if he had read his mind that he thought Derrick had no chance at all.
"How can he possibly win though? He has two ranged attackers being backed up by two melee attackers. They have a huge advantage over him," Jaune said back.
"Watch and see what happens. I am positive he will win," Morice told Jaune.
Jaune could not believe that Derrick has any chance of winning at all. Though, he is gonna be proving me wrong; like Morice said he would. He continued to watch as the match started, and Derrick pulled two small flails from on his back.
Jaune could see Derrick smile, and then swing his flail at the guy with the rifle from twenty meters away. The chain on elongated on his flail, the end of the flail hit the guy square in the face. Jaune could then feel Derrick channel something through his body and a spark of lightning leapt from his hand and went down the chain and into the end of the flail and the rifle guy flew backwards in a mix of flailing limbs.
His semblance is electricity, that is a very deadly and effective semblance to have with that type of weapon. I don't even honestly know if I could defeat him with the skills I have now Jaune thought to himself.
"See, I told you he was going to win hands down," Morice told Jaune to which he only nodded back.
The fight lasted a few more minutes with the four students only landing three hits on Derrick before he knocked all their Aura meters into the red. "The match is over Derrick is the winner!" Glynda called out.
Derrick walked back up and sat down next to Jaune again. Sighing, "dammit I let them get a few hits on me."
"Yeah, but even so you are a very powerful person indeed. I would never want to fight you without backup," Jaune told him and he met it in full.
Derrick just laughed and replied, "you are kidding yourself. You could defeat me with one hand tied behind your back with any indication on how well and fast you took out team CRDL. Who I might add seemed pretty pissed off about the whole thing."
Before Jaune could reply to Derrick, Glynda coughed as she tried to get the attention of the whole class. "That is it for today's class, you all did very well. Though, some of you need work on your teamwork. Considering not one of the three teams I put against one of the three people even put a dent in the aura meter of the person they were against. Next class will be the class were we will practice team battles. You are all dismissed."
Derrick and Morice got up from their seats and turned to face Jaune. "Well Wiliam, it was great talking to you. If you ever need anywhere to sit during lunch remember team DEMN always has a spot open for you!" Derrick told Jaune as he put his hand out for a handshake.
"I will gladly take you up on your offer, and it was also nice getting to talk to you Derrick," Jaune replied as he shook Derrick's hand.
"Well, see you later," with that Derrick and Morice both left down the stairs, out of the door.
Jaune started for the door, his book bag slung across his shoulder only to be stopped by Glynda calling out to him.
"Mr. White could you please stay behind for a few minutes? I would like to discuss how your battle against team CRDL went today."
Jaune sighed. Instead of going for the door, he walked up to Mrs. Goodwitch desk. She then stared at him for what seemed like an eternity as her eyes penetrated his soul. Well, not literally, but it sure felt like that was happening with how intense she was staring.
Considering Jaune had nothing to do, but to stare her down. He realized something. Glynda Goodwitch looked just like he remembered her, when he had seen her right before he had left Beacon all those years ago. It was like she had some spell cast upon her that kept her from aging at all. Though, that would be pretty crazy if that were true at all, Jaune mused to himself.
It wasn't until the classroom was completely emptied that Glynda started talking. "So you really have returned to Beacon after all these years."
"What do you mean? This is the first time I have been to Beacon, mam," Jaune told her not really knowing if it was alright to get out of the character of Wiliam white even for a teacher.
"You can cut the act Jaune, every teacher at Beacon knows you are back. It's the students who don't know that you are Wiliam White," Glynda told him curtly.
It was a relief that the teachers at least knew his true identity. Jaune told himself.
"Well, then, yes I am back and it has been a better experience being back then I thought it would be."
"Did you honestly think Ozpin would tell you to come back without a plan to keep everyone from knowing that you were never truly dead, and the trouble that it would cause?" Glynda asked.
"I didn't know one way or another mam; but now that you mention it, I should have probably known that he would have a cover system for me to use while I am attending Beacon Academy," Jaune replied sheepishly.
"This is all besides the point, considering I have a quick question for you that has been on my mind since you have come back to Beacon," Glynda said to him.
"I will answer to the best of my abilities mam," Jaune told her.
"Well, first stop with the mam, it makes me feel old," Glynda said to Jaune with a glare.
"Sorry about that ma...I mean Mrs. Goodwitch," Jaune stammered knowing that he almost crossed into dangerous, inescapable waters.
"With that out of the way, I can ask my question. After you answer you may leave so I can grade everyone," Glynda said to him and then asked, "do you honestly feel ready for the missions you are going to be sent on?"
"I...well, first let me ask you this; why do you want to know?" Jaune asked, curious as to why she even cared if he was ready or not.
"I guess it is because, like all my other students, I care about you Jaune. Even though you went away to a special training school for the past two years. You are still one of my students here, and now. If you don't feel that you're ready for missions of the caliber that Ozpin is about to make you go on, I will go and convince him to just allow you to be a student here at Beacon so that you can focus on graduating with all your classmates," she replied to him.
She wants to know, out of concern for my well being, as one of her students. I already said yes, there is no way I am going back on my word now, Jaune thought to himself. He then smiled at Glynda and told her his answer.
"I am fine taking on any mission that Ozpin sends me on. I am not the same clumsy fighter and Hunter you knew from two years ago. I have under gone some intense training to come back here and fight to protect Vail; and everyone who resides in it. So I honestly feel ready to tackle any mission no matter how dangerous it may be."
"I see...Then a word of advice Jaune. Know your limits of what you can do by yourself, never get in too deep. If you have to, retreat, and live so you can fight another day," Glynda told him as she got up and put a hand on his shoulder.
"Thank you for your words of advice, Mrs. Goodwitch. I will take them to heart," Jaune said and bowed to her.
"That is all. You are free to go," Glynda told him as she sat back down into her desk and began looking through something on her scroll.
Jaune smiled, knowing that it wasn't everyday Glynda acted like a motherly figure to one of her students. It seemed like all of his horrible fears, on his first day back at Beacon, would be false. It was until he walked out of the door and into the hallway that he saw his three old teammates standing right in front of him in the hallway talking to each other.
Just ignore them and walk back, don't make eye contact at all, Jaune told himself. His eyes glued themselves to the floor, he tried to quietly walk by the three of them only to be stopped by a hand being place on the back of his shoulder, just as he finished passing them. Even as he thought not to look, he could not help but glance at all three of them from his peripheral vision right after he passed by them,
Ren looked the same, as he had all those years ago. Now with more muscle and height to him. Nora had, like Ruby, chosen to let her hair grow out, though her physical appearance had not changed at all. Pyrrah on on the other hand had changed with her hair now cut short and dyed a darker red then how he remembered it being, also she was a few inches taller then when he has last seen her. All three of them seemed to be engaged in a conversation about something with Pyrrah, and Nora doing most of the talking while Ren only smiled slightly and nodded in agreement when he needed to.
A slight pain hit Jaune in the pit of his stomach, he realized that if things hadn't gone wrong and the trust his team had in him had not been broken, that one night two years ago, he might be standing there with them engaged in the conversation also. It had happened though. His failure as a friend, and a leader, had made most of his old friends turn against him. He shook those thoughts from his head and continued walking towards the cafeteria. It did not matter what happened that night, it was in the past. He was back, and stronger for it. He would make up for his mistakes by fighting for the people of Vale, he promised himself.
Jaune was so lost in thought though that he did not realize that Ren was staring at his back with a slightly troubled, yet surprised look on his face.
And kinda of a cliffhanger. My editor wanted me to add tension to the end of this chapter a bit so I did so. Also don't worry this story will get pretty dark soon. On a ending note I challenge my readers to find out which game inspired me to write this. It is one I have been playing recently and it came out not long ago. If you have a guess P.M. me and I will tell you if you were right or wrong. As a gift to those who get it right I will let you give me a prompt for a one shot that I will then write.