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Jaune Arc: Bearer of the Curse

Ren, a man who I saw as a man of few words, high moral standards, and my honest to Oum best male friend, ok onlymale friend, had just broken down in front of me. I tried to force myself to chuckle, but it came out shaky at best, "Ha ha, Ren don't joke like that! I mean, if I were dead. How could I be standing here, right?". Ren looked up and saw me smiling like a big goof, so he finally started calming down, still visibly shaken though. I helped him up, 'Damn he's light!', I thought as I pulled him to his feet. A little too quickly apparently, he bumped into me.

Ren, looked shocked as he balanced himself, " Jaune?".

"Ya-huh?", I asked, as I started scanning around the forest, feeling a bit uneasy.

"Do you recall what happened when you were launched into the woods?", he asked, finally calming himself, wiping the tears dry.

"Being, launched?", I thought real hard about what happened before. "Not really. All I know, is I woke up in pitch darkness, then I saw a silhouette of fire that I recognized as you. You were being attacked by those damned wretches. So I did my duty, and drove them away.". Hearing those words I shook my head, 'What the heck? Since when do I talk like that?', I stopped pondering over that when I felt a pretty strong presence in front of us.

Ren seemed to notice my strange speech pattern, but instead seemed to play it off with sarcasm, "Did not take you for the 'Ye old hero' type Jaune.". He stated with a light, but still shaky chuckle.

"Ya ya laugh it up. Come on, I think I know where some more people are.", I started marching on towards the source of the presence I felt.

"One second, Jaune. " , as I turned, he bashed his palm against my chest plate, which made me slide back a few centimeters.

"What the hell Ren!?", I asked, kind of pissed, but shocked at the lack of pain.

Ren just sighed and smiled, "Had to be sure you were real.". I gaped at him as he walked by with his old self back, "Coming, Jaune?". Sighing, I walked next to him, 'Yep, going to be the death of me.', I thought as we continued to the source.

We were walking for about five minutes and so I decided to finally ask, "So what exactly happened for you to think I was dead?", not the most tactful approach, but I am not a very socially tactful guy.

Ren stopped suddenly causing me to as well, he sighed as he looked me in the eyes, 'Damn his intense stare', I thought. "Jaune, we were catapulted off the Beacon Cliff. We were told to make a landing strategy. Before I was launched I saw you sleeping while standing. I kept my eyes on where you would land in hopes I could help you, but I was late…..". He started to hesitate.

I blinked, "Err, Ren if its too much to ask just tell me…I know I couldn't recount someone's death easily. Much less to their faces no less.", I stated nervously. I smiled genuinely trying to put him at ease.

Ren saw this and let a small chuckle, "You're a very strange man, you know that?", he stated not hiding his mirth. He took a deep breath, then let it out slowly, "When I arrived. You had fallen feet first to the ground. At the speed and trajectory, I thought you may have been injured, but not to that extent. 'His Aura should cushion him somewhat', I had thought but-", Ren was about to continue, however I raised my hand, and he nodded for me to go ahead with my question.

"My who-what now?", I asked genuinely confused.

"Your Aura…..Jaune, I thought it was strange or a testament to your skill that Beacon let you in without having it unlocked, are you telling me you don't even know what Aura is?", Ren asked, and half analyzed me with that question.

I considered acting like I did but remembered Ren's disposition towards lying, more so what happens to liars when Nora hears about them. Scratching the back of my head, I sighed , a bit more seriousness in my expression. "Ren, can I trust you with…..a huge secret?", I asked, bracing myself, knowing this day would come, just not so soon.

Ren wore his deadpan with pride, "Jaune, I just watched you die. There is not a lot you could tell me that would surprise me".

"I cheated to get into Beacon!", I said as quickly as possible, and trembled at the thought of returning…'returning…where?', my mind tried to recall where my home was, but nothing came to mind other than a grayed out castle, and faceless villagers, 'Huh, thats kind of creepy'.

Ren, just sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose, "And how, pray tell, did you do that?", already feeling slightly annoyed.

"I faked my transcripts. My father never wanted to train me, telling me I was always a bad reminder of his younger days, 'a ghost of my past' he would call me. My mother always wanted to protect me and my seven older sisters felt there was no need for me to take up Crocea Mors, my family's heirloom weaponry I wield here.", I explained, motioning to the sword and sheathe which deploys into a shield.

"So, how did you end with them, and in Beacon?", Ren asked, genuinely curious now about the young would-be huntsman in front of him.

"I…got ahold of some fake transcripts. Essentially, they stated where I lacked in physical capability, I made up for in strategy and tactics. A few months ago, I stole the family weapons when I got accepted, and traveled to Vale on foot, to get some experience under my belt.", I finished my explanation fully.

Ren, sighed, he looked at me with a bemused look, "Definitely a strange man." "Look despite all, that, when I finally reached you, I felt your Aura still locked away, so I took it upon myself to unlock it, but you had passed on.". He continued, "Yet fact that you lied on your transcripts. You came back from the dead, or brink of death, and quite possibly saved my life, where I failed you.". He looked to be in thought for a minute, then extended his hand for a handshake, "Partners?".

I looked confused but, my heart told me to do it, "P-partners, but are you sure? I'm kind of, very weak.", I averted my gaze to the side dejectedly.

Ren continued walking forward, "I think that Alpha would beg to differ, that parry/riposte was quite a sight. You're quite the warrior it seems, at least when someone's in danger.", he finished as we approached a clearing.

I felt the strong presence culminate into a glow that emanated from a girl, a blonde girl. 'Just my damned luck!', I screamed internally, as we approached the temple ruins.

A/N: Real short chapter, and I'm sorry for that. The next one will take a bit longer, but will definitely have some more substance.

This chapter was pretty much to show how the curse can change Jaune, and to develop a solid ground of understanding between Ren and Jaune.

Ren being so perceptive, of course he would know something was up with Jaune not knowing what Aura is. And the threat of death by Nora scared our blonde goof straight. Anyway, definitely will cover the rest of initiation in chapter five. So, take care till then. Nexus, signing out.'