Author's Notes
Another chapter! Life's been hectic these past couple weeks, so progress has been slow. I anticipate I'll be able to pick up speed again eventually, but right now it remains somewhat erratic. In the past, I've not done so many responses to reviews, at least not directly, but I'm going to try to be a bit more communicative.
Essiter: You're very welcome! I released that one chapter of another Lancaster story I never got around to working on again (New Tomorrow) some time ago, and I was a bit distressed to see that it remained on the front page of Lancaster fics on FFN. So, that got me thinking about a story like this! Glad to see you making the rounds on my stories, and I hope you enjoy Electric Dreams and Chasing Dreams.
Guest: Don't worry, Aurum's grieving and her interactions with Jaune are far from over.
Monkey D Conan: Glad to see you in the reviews, as always! I agree on the lack of Lancaster fics, for sure.
Everyone else: While I don't have anything to say directly, just know that I have been reading you guys' reviews, and I'm happy to see them.
I hope you all enjoy this chapter, regardless of if you left a review or not!
Jaune had barely registered what Ozpin had said before Ruby leapt on him, giving him a sideways hug, almost causing Jaune to fall over, but luckily Pyrrha kept him from doing so with a hand. As he tipped back up, Ruby exclaimed, "This is gonna be great! We're gonna be the best team, I know it!"
"A-Ah, yeah." Jaune chuckled nervously as the four started to leave the stage, "You were all great back there."
Weiss looked like she wanted to say something, and judging from her expression, it likely wasn't something nice, but she was cut off when Pyrrha nodded in agreement, "I think we all did wonderfully. I'm looking forward to working with you and Ruby, Jaune." The fact that she left out Weiss wasn't missed, but nobody commented on it, even if Weiss looked shocked.
There wasn't time for more conversation, however, as soon Jaune received a message on his Scroll. He checked it, and found it to be… Ozpin? The message simply read: "Come to my office at the top of Beacon Tower. Don't worry, you're not in trouble."
Well, that was at least somewhat of a relief. Jaune had a feeling he knew what this was about, "Uhm, guys, I need to go talk to Ozpin, I'll be right back. Don't worry, I'm not in any trouble or anything." He smiled, although Weiss seemed disappointed at the 'not in trouble' part. Maybe she wanted to be the leader? Jaune could only guess, and he hoped that she'd mellow out with time.
That was for later, though. For the moment, he broke off from the group and made his way to Beacon Tower.
The walk there was uneventful, and the elevator ride to the top was anxiety inducing. Once he stepped inside the clockwork office, he found Ozpin sitting at his desk, sipping his hot chocolate. Jaune cleared his throat, "Uhm, you wanted to see me, sir?"
Ozpin nodded and gestured to one of the two seats across from his desk, "Indeed. I've already told Ruby everything about being a Maiden, but I've yet to have the opportunity to tell you. That's in addition to telling you about the history and duty of being a Knight."
Jaune walked over to the chair and sat down, "Okay… What, uhm… what do I need to know?"
"First of all," Ozpin began, "you know you didn't need to fake transcripts to come here, right?" Jaune's eyes widened and his face went pale, while Ozpin merely chuckled, "The transcripts were perfect in every way. Indeed, they fooled everyone in the admissions process all the way up to Glynda. I, and only I, am aware of their true nature. You could have simply shown me your magical capabilities, and I'd have arranged for you to join this year."
"A-Ah, uhm…" Jaune looked down while muttering to himself, "Why didn't I think of that?" He'd keep the fact that the transcripts got found out from Sarcelle; she'd probably spend a whole week trying to figure out what had gone wrong, when in reality, Ozpin was just that good. He looked back up, "W-Well, sir… What happens now?"
"Now, we can get started." Ozpin smiled, "I arranged for you to have training at the hands of an expert. Professor Lazuli insisted upon helping you train, even if she's not a swordswoman. I'll also provide you with some assistance myself, but that will be focused entirely on magic, and you'll be training with Miss Rose."
He took a sip from his drink before continuing, "Now, are you aware of the Story of the Seasons? Did Cobalt have time to tell you the truth about it?" Jaune nodded and so Ozpin's smile grew a bit somber, "The boy was always a step ahead. He was a prodigy, with a great deal of potential. Now, I feel, his presence within your soul will augment your magic, and allow you to reach heights greater than other Knights, with the right effort."
Jaune blinked a few times, "H-How? Didn't he just have a regular Knight Soul?" It was hard to ignore the image of the man he had only known for a couple minutes that dwelled in his mind. Jaune could see him, still, and it weighed on him. If Cobalt really was a prodigy, with great powers beyond anyone else, then… well, Jaune felt like that was the man who should be saving the world. The man who should still be alive, while Jaune remained in Domremy, blissfully ignorant to all of this. Now, all of this was on him, and he felt that weight growing heavier on his shoulders every passing moment he was sitting there.
Ozpin regarded Jaune evenly, "Indeed, but his soul was no normal one either. I'll spare you the details, but he had his own latent magical capabilities, due to the circumstances of his birth. Professor Lazuli herself told me the basics, but I will let her tell you more about that whenever she's ready to. Now, you've heard the Story of the Seasons before, but…"
He leaned forward, steepling his hands, "Have you ever heard the story of the Knights of the Round Table?"
Jaune shook his head, and so, Ozpin began to tell a story…
/-/
There once was a mighty King and his four, equally mighty daughters. The King ruled over a vast and wealthy Kingdom, where all knew peace and tranquility.
The four daughters helped protect this peace, this bounteous existence, with the power of nature itself. Such was their power that they remained the heroes of many, and yet the envy of many more. For such is the human heart, so easily tainted by a desire for power, that once good people would turn to treachery to get what they wished for, be it for selfish reasons or misguided ideas of heroism.
The King despaired, for he knew his daughters wished only the best for the world, and yet so many in the world seemed to wish for naught but ruin for them.
One day, in the streets, an assassin attempted to strike at one of his daughters, the eldest, who was named Autumn. Unaware as she was, she would have been killed, had it not been for a brave and heroic man who, powerful though the daughter was, placed himself between the assassin and his target. Though he was injured for his heroics, he was nonetheless successful, and saved the eldest daughter's life that day.
Once the King heard, he brought the man to his court and asked him why he did it, in spite of knowing how much more powerful the King's daughter was compared to him. The man replied, "I didn't think of power, nor did I obey my mind, which told me that your daughter, powerful as she is, could protect herself. I followed my heart, which told me to not allow harm to befall someone so selfless and kind."
The King, pleased with his response, offered him a bounty and his daughter's hand. The man responded, "I wish not for a bounteous reward, nor do I wish for your daughter's hand, unless she wishes for mine." The King, even more amazed by the man's response, simply agreed to let him recuperate in the safety of his castle as repayment.
The next day, the second eldest daughter, Summer, announced that she had fallen in love with a man in the town, who always treated her with the utmost respect and kindness, ever since they were children. He never looked at her as a vessel of power, nor did he leer at her like many did. The King, skeptical of the man's intentions, as many feigned kindness, asked to speak with him.
The man came as requested, and when asked what his intentions were with his daughter, simply responded, "Truthfully, I love your daughter, but it all began because I felt that she deserves kindness. I have known Summer my whole life, and to me she is more than the whole world, indeed she is the very stars above. I would gladly give away all of my material goods if it meant I could ensure her comfort and happiness."
The King, uncertain of the man still, asked him to prove it. The man returned the next day with wheelbarrows of gold and then showed the King to his old home, which had been turned into an orphanage. The man said, "If only I had more to give, but my love is beyond material goods, my liege." The King, impressed, allowed the marriage and gave the man a place in his castle.
The day after that, the middle daughter, Winter, who was traveling the Kingdom to ensure the happiness of all who dwelled within, fell ill. She sought a place to rest, and was taken in by a man and his elderly parents, whom he cared for in their twilight years. Although Winter was sick for many seasons, the man never once complained, instead offering the best care he could manage while also caring for his parents. One day, the King, worried for his daughter, sought out where she stayed.
When he found out what happened, he was stunned. The King asked, "My dear boy, surely you have your own dreams and ambitions you wish to pursue? Do you not grow embittered by the constant need to care for others?"
The young man simply shook his head and responded, "Nay, my lord, for my dream in life is to care for others. Not just the ones I love, but everyone I possibly can. I dream, one day, of opening a grand center for recovery and healing, where all who are ill can rest, and not be turned away or treated as leeches."
The King, overjoyed at the man's dream, gave him what he wished for. He moved the man and his parents into the castle, giving the elderly couple the best care he could, and giving the man the resources he needed to open the first of a special type of building that would come to be known as a hospital.
Days later the King received yet more news. The youngest daughter, Spring, had met a man most interesting out in the forest. The man loved nature, and even in the middle of winter, he often sat out within it for hours at a time. He planted trees every spring in a wide expanse of land that had no trees to speak of. Spring spoke of how in love she was with the man because of his dedication and spirit. The King was astounded to have heard of a fourth man of such great virtue, and set out to meet him at once.
He found the man sitting out in the field, many young trees were among him, and when asked about them, the man responded, "I planted many of these trees as a boy. My father taught me that, while our lives are precious, it is of the utmost importance to leave the world better than it was when you were born."
The King asked the man if it was truly worth it, given that he would never live to see the forest he had worked so hard to plant. The man merely laughed, as if the King had told him a particularly funny joke, and responded, "Of course I will not live to see the beautiful greenery of this emerald forest… but the children of tomorrow will be able to play in the forest, the medicine men of tomorrow will be able to pick herbs from the forest, and the explorer will find new adventure within the forest. That is enough for me. My love for nature is only matched by the companionship I feel from your daughter, for she often comes and sits with me, observing nature."
After that, the King told the man that he was impressed by his patience and dedication before leaving to think. Four men he had found, each possessed with virtue that shone as bright as a beacon in the dark. Each man had some connection to his daughters, and from that sprung an idea.
He assembled his daughters and spoke with them at length about his idea, and eventually a consensus was reached. The men were summoned to a special meeting room in the castle, one room dominated by a large round table. The King, with his daughters standing at the table next to the one they had met, said, "It is true that my daughters are powerful, but they are still human. Daggers in the dark would see their power taken, their lives cast into the void. You are each filled with virtue only matched by my daughters, and because of that we have a grand reward to offer… and yet, an even grander responsibility will follow.
"My daughters and I will perform a ritual, in which we will bestow upon you a piece of magic tied to them individually. It is they who grant you this power, and they who have the right to take it away, should your virtue falter. If you do not accept, then you may walk out the door. Make no mistake, the role you are each being offered is one of protection, of vigilance, of loyalty. It will be difficult, but you will be able to do good on a scale you could never achieve on your own. I would hear each of your responses individually."
The courageous man, who had saved Autumn, spoke, "I will take up this role! If I may save the lives of the innocent, then it is worth the responsibility."
The loyal man agreed, "I too will take up this role! For if I may be any help to your daughter, then it is worth whatever sacrifices I must make!"
The selfless man spoke humbly, "Though I do not feel I deserve this gift, I will accept. For even if it comes with great responsibility, this power will allow me to help many more heal from wounds of both the body and the soul."
The patient man nodded his head, "Though one day we will all be gone from this mortal plane, our ideals, our very goals, will persist. I accept, and I hope that the torches lit today will carry far into the future."
As the Princesses bestowed pieces of power unto the men, the King declared, "Then it is decided! The oaths sworn here today will carry on for generations to come, and may all remember this day! For you four are Knights, brave and true, and though your paths may diverge, you will always share the same goal! May this shared purpose breed camaraderie, and may you four go forth and do well by my name, and my daughters' names! For you are…"
"The Knights of the Round Table!"
/-/
Once Ozpin was finished recounting the story, Jaune took a moment to absorb it, "So… four noble men were raised by the Maidens and the King to become Knights. That… makes sense."
Ozpin nodded, "Indeed. Your magic promises to be some of the strongest, but that will take time. In that time, you will become the Knight you were tasked with being. For now…" He looked at his watch, "I think I've wasted enough of your time; your team, no doubt, is settling into the dorm already. Have a good night, Mr. Arc, and I hope your first day at Beacon meets your expectations."
Jaune nodded and thanked him before getting up and heading to leave.
/-/
Team Jasper settled into their dorm fairly quickly. They didn't bother unpacking; everyone was too tired for that. Instead, they started to prepare for bed, with everyone taking their turn to shower and change before heading to bed.
Jaune felt that the day had gone well, all things considered. He left a text for Sarcelle, telling her that he had made it and that he'd call her the next day once he had some alone time.
Ruby was up first, and once she was up, she took the time to shower and dress in her Beacon uniform before making her way over to where Jaune was sleeping. She put a hand on his shoulder and shook gently, whispering, "Jaune." In response, the Fall Knight merely groaned and pulled his covers up more. Ruby shook him with a bit more vigor this time, "Jaune~!"
When he didn't respond, she wrested control of his blanket and pulled it back, "Rise and shine Mr. Arc, rise and shine!"
Jaune was wearing a simple teal T-shirt and a pair of darker blue pajama bottoms. He groaned, "Alright alright…" He was not used to waking up this early at all, and having to do it two days in a row was killing him, but he knew that this was just the beginning. He'd adjust, he knew he would, but until then, this was his personal hell.
At least he wasn't like his sister, she slept straight through the morning and into the afternoon, causing her to stay up all night.
Ruby smiled as she saw her leader rise, "Great, go get ready. I'll wake the others up, and then we can start unpacking and decorating."
He saw the logic in that, so he did as he was asked. Once he had finished getting ready for the day and had dressed in his uniform, he left the bathroom to find that Pyrrha was the next Ruby had woken. Contrary to her usual appearance, Pyrrha looked incredibly disheveled and tired, clearly not a morning person. She was quick to commandeer the bathroom for her own use, which left Weiss as the last one to be woken.
Waking her up, Ruby found, was the most difficult out of everyone else. She slept like a rock, and it almost seemed like nothing would get her to wake. That was until Ruby took out a whistle and used it to wake Weiss. The poor girl went tumbling off the bed, onto the ground.
Weiss groaned and let out a whine as she sat up, "How dare you? I was having the most wonderful dream…" She looked up and saw both Jaune and Ruby smiling at her, causing her to huff as she remembered just where she was, "Oh, right…"
Jaune tried to play the leader as he offered her a hand, "Rise and shine, Weiss! We've got to unpack, and decorate! We've only got an hour and a half before class, so we've gotta get to work."
Again, Weiss huffed. She stood up on her own, not taking the offered hand. She yawned, "Okay, fine…" She looked at the bathroom, "Pyrrha's in there?" That prompted the other two to nod and, for some reason, only the enlightened truly know why, her face heated up, as if her mind was picturing something, "A-Ah, alright. I'll wait."
Pyrrha returned not long after, looking a lot more lively than she did before. She was wearing her uniform as well, and she waved as she came out, greeting the team with a sing-songy voice, "Hello again~!"
The other three greeted her, and Weiss went to shower. Only once they were all prepared for the day did they begin unpacking and decorating. Everyone had their essentials, but everyone also had their own oddities. Jaune had brought some posters for comic book series he enjoyed along with lots of comic books themselves. Weiss had brought mostly Dust and Dust accessories, but she also had a bunch of books that ranged from the studious to the more fantastical. Pyrrha had brought her laptop that she seemed fairly protective of. Finally, Ruby had brought a bunch of supplies she used for weapon maintenance.
Luckily, they had a bookshelf for everyone's collective books, and after they were finished setting everything up, the room looked a lot more lived in then it did the day before. However, they didn't have time to celebrate, as they all realized it was almost time for their first class.
Skipping breakfast, Jaune was always told, was unwise, but in this instance he felt he could make an exception and just try to survive until lunch.
Their first class for the day was with Professor Peter Port. Apparently, he was a veteran Huntsman, which said something, because to grow old in a profession where people die young was an indication of skill. Considering the class, Grimmology, Jaune was certain that he'd learn a lot!
…Such an assumption, made so optimistically, was easily shattered once Professor Port actually began talking.
Both Jaune and Ruby found his lecture to be rambling and dull; he started telling stories from his career with, at best, questionable validity. As such, the two of them began to do what most anyone would do in that situation. Their minds wandered, and they started to goof off.
Ruby drew some rather crude sketches of Port, while Jaune whispered a joke to her. It wasn't anything special, just a jab at Professor Port's mustache being almost as big as his ego, but it still got Ruby to stifle giggles. Pyrrha got in on it too, sharing some jokes of her own, and although they weren't very good, Jaune and Ruby still thought they were hilarious.
All the while, Weiss was diligently taking notes. Or, rather, she was trying to take notes. Jaune and Ruby messing around so much was incredibly distracting and more than a little anger inducing. Pyrrha was guilty too, but Weiss didn't have it in her to be mad at the Invincible Girl. She had earned the right to goof off! The other two hadn't earned anything! At least, not in her book.
So, when Professor Port asked if any of the students had the makings of a true Huntsman, Weiss raised her hand and eagerly volunteered herself. If she did well enough, she hoped, maybe Ozpin would realize he had made a mistake in naming Jaune leader, and instead, he would promote her, Weiss Schnee, to be the leader! It was foolproof!
Well, it would have been, if her team hadn't started cheering her on the moment she came back with her gear on. She wasn't entirely sure where Jaune had gotten the foam finger with 'JSPR' on it, nor where Pyrrha had gotten the tiny 'JSPR' flag, but she could certainly see that Ruby had drawn a caricature of her while cheering her on. Weiss huffed and tried to turn her attention to the Boarbatusk that was about to be released from its cage.
She was certain she had enough time to make sure she was in the right stance, but the beast was faster than she anticipated. She was forced to jump out of the way as it charged her. She rolled on the ground before popping up, all while Professor Port commentated on her actions, "Oho, best be prepared! Grimm won't wait for you to get ready!"
Ruby leaned forward in her seat while calling out, "Kick its butt, Weiss! You've got this!" She got an annoyed glance from Weiss as a reward. She frowned and watched as Weiss tried to take the Boarbatusk head on, only to get Mrytenaster tangled in its tusks as a reward. She whispered to Jaune, "Tell her about the Boarbatusk's weakness! You know, its belly!"
She said this as if he knew that, but Jaune barely knew what a Boarbatusk even was, really. Still, he cleared his throat and did as he was asked, "U-Uhm! Weiss! Hit the belly! That's where it's-"
Weiss glared in his direction and sharply responded, "Don't tell me what to do!" Jaune's eyes widened, but he didn't say anything. Instead he leaned back in his chair, while Ruby looked between her two teammates worriedly.
Weiss still seemingly took the advice given to her, creating a Glyph in front of her that the Grimm slammed into, causing it to fall onto its back. She then jumped up onto another Glyph before using it to propel her down. She impaled the Grimm on her rapier, killing it in one fell swoop. Professor Port laughed joyously, "Aha! It seems we really are in the presence of a true Huntress-in-Training!" He looked at his watch, "I'm afraid that's all we have time for today, remember to do your assigned reading tonight!"
Everyone began to get up, while Weiss was quick to leave after shooting another glare at Ruby and Jaune. In response, the two shared a look, before Jaune sighed and went to stand up to head to the next class. However, Ruby had a different idea. She grabbed his wrist and stood up, "Come on!" She then started to drag him away, in spite of his protests.
They found Weiss walking down the hallway, and Ruby called out to her worriedly, "Weiss! What's wrong with you?" Weiss stopped and turned towards the two while Ruby asked, "Why are you being so-?"
Weiss cut her off, "Why are you being so annoying?! It's you and Jaune, both of you are being nuisances!"
Ruby looked offended, while Jaune honestly had expected something like this. Not that he felt she was wrong, not about him at least. Still, expected or not, it still took him aback. Ruby looked offended, but not for herself, "What did he do?!"
"That's just it!" Weiss once again interjected, "He hasn't done anything but act as childish as you! And I saw you whispering to him, telling him what to say to me earlier! How is he supposed to lead anyone? If he doesn't have a good grasp on Grimm, then what's he going to do?" She shook her head angrily, "I've spent my whole life training, studying, and learning how to be the best Huntress I can be! Ozpin made a mistake. I should have been the leader." She turned around and began to walk away.
Meanwhile, Jaune's face fell as he sighed, "Man… She's right. I wouldn't even be here if it wasn't because of… you know…"
Ruby smiled somberly at him, "You know, I'm right there with you. If it wasn't because of… the thing, I would still be at Signal." She looked away sadly, "I don't think I belong here either."
Jaune was quick to shake his head, and with practiced ease that came from being an older brother to so many siblings, he was quick to deflect his own trouble and focus entirely on hers, "Hey, that's not true. You're a great fighter, even without the you-know-what. If either of us should be here, it's you. I'm… not that great at this."
Her smile grew a bit less somber and a bit shyer, "Thanks, but…" She frowned as she looked up at him, "Just because you didn't get here like everyone else doesn't mean anything. You still killed a Beringel, and the way you held back that Nevermore was super cool!"
Jaune blushed and rubbed the back of his neck, "Thanks, but I don't know how much that means. It took me as much time to kill one as it took you to kill something larger and stronger. That's not to mention how well Pyrrha and Weiss can fight, I bet they can kill things super easily. You'd be a much better leader, too, you were the one who knew what to do with that Boarbatusk."
Ruby huffed, "But you knew what to do with the Splitback! You and I both knew that, and we acted together, like partners! If that's not a sign that you're meant to be here, I don't know what is."
Suddenly, another voice joined the conversation. Professor Ozpin spoke evenly, "You know, I think you two should learn to listen to some of your own words." The two teens looked in his direction and saw him standing there, one hand on his cane and the other holding his mug.
Jaune blinked a few times, "Professor? Did you hear all of that?" Ozpin nodded, and so Jaune looked down, "Well… is she right? Did you make a mistake?"
Ozpin smiled amusedly, "That remains to be seen, Mr. Arc. I've made more mistakes than any man, woman, or child on this planet, but I don't think appointing you to be leader of Team Jasper is one of them." As Jaune looked at him again, Ozpin continued, "And I can tell what you're thinking, why didn't I make Ruby leader. Am I right?" Jaune nodded, and so he explained, "Truthfully it was a tough decision. I think both of you have the makings of a leader, but ultimately, Mr. Arc, I feel that there are different kinds of leaders. Ruby is very morally supportive, and has the potential to learn to keep the team emotionally and mentally cohesive. Yet in combat, I feel that you have the makings of a real tactician. There are different kinds of leaders, you two, and I think that you both will make a great duo. Perhaps in time you'll be one of the greatest partnerships in Beacon history. After all, I can already see how well you two work together."
Both Jaune and Ruby shifted nervously and awkwardly at the praise, careful not to meet each other's gaze at first. Then, Ozpin's smile grew slightly, "Keep that in mind. I hope that I've gotten the point across. Mr. Arc, remember that you've got training once your classes are finished. Good day, you two."
Ozpin left, and Ruby found herself in a far better mood than she was earlier, "Yeah… I guess we are a great duo. We'll be the best Beacon has ever seen!" She fist-pumped before looking towards him, "So what was that about training?"
Jaune smiled, "Well, I need to get better, and fast. Ozpin's set aside some time, and some help, to get me up to snuff. I'll make sure to tell you all about it once I'm done. For now, we should really get to class."
So, they left, heading to their next class. While the teams didn't share all of their classes together, Jaune was happy to note that he at least had this next class with Ruby.
Still, his mind was on the coming training, and he wondered just what it was going to be like.
/-/
Later that day…
The rest of the classes for that day were far less eventful. There was Professor Oobleck's class, but Jaune's main complaint about him was that he talked a mile a minute. He gave up trying to take notes, and just hoped he could copy the ones that the rest of his team took.
Although it seemed Ruby was in the same boat as him, so he just had to hope that Pyrrha had taken some good notes.
Once he was done with his classes, Jaune changed out of his uniform and into his 'Huntsman Gear' (He didn't consider his armor over a sweatshirt and pants to be much in the way of gear, but it was something) along with Crocea Mors and Promise.
He was directed to head to one of the many training facilities that Beacon had available, to a particular room where he could spar and learn, both with people and with robots, apparently. He was still uncertain as to why Aurum wanted to help him so badly when she had just lost something so dear to her, but he wasn't going to challenge her on it, for much the same reason as why he questioned it in the first place.
When he got there, he found Aurum, but she wasn't alone.
She was going through some training motions while a man watched her with a smile on his face and crossed arms.
He was pale-skinned and stood at 5'8'', with fluffy black hair that fell to his eyebrows and covered his ears. He looked to be just a few years younger than Aurum. His ice blue eyes held a certain intrigue to them, reminding Jaune of Ozpin somewhat. It wasn't quite on the same level, but it was there. He wore a loose black turtleneck sweater, a belt with two satchels attached to it, along with black boots that almost reached his knees and were lined with white fur at the top, with two six-pointed snowflakes on top of the tongues. The lacing crossed itself, and it was bright orange.
Over all of that, he wore an orange scarf that was wrapped around his neck a few times, with the two ends hanging and stopping at his chest, with loose black fabrics on the ends and what looked to be Ice Dust crystals slotted into either end. He wore a white open-front cloak that fell to just above his feet and had long sleeves that went down to his wrists, with snowflake designs sewn into them. The part on his shoulders was layered, with the layer above the bottom one containing snow-flake patterns on it, like a flurry of snow in the winter. Finally, he wore black gloves and light blue vambraces that had ice blue snowflakes along with what looked to be blue… roses?
When Jaune entered, the man looked in his direction and smiled, speaking with an amicable voice, "Ah, we've been waiting for you. Jaune Arc, right?"
Aurum stopped swinging her scythe and looked in Jaune's direction. She smiled, "That's him alright. How was your first day of class, Jaune?"
"Uhm…" Jaune scratched his cheek, "Fine. So…" He felt awkward, her seeming so normal after only a day didn't seem right. He had a feeling there was more to it, but what was he supposed to say? "What do we do first?"
Aurum's smile remained, "Well, admittedly I'm not the best with swords, but I can still teach you a lot of important fundamentals. For the most specific things, I brought Neve; he's a skilled swordsman."
The newly named Neve smiled as he stepped back towards the wall, where there was a sword resting against it. It looked to be a greatsword, and appeared to have some mechanical functions to it, although what they did Jaune had no clue. Neve went to grab the sword off the wall while saying, "I'm no Qrow Branwen, but I think I can hold my own. He was one of the people that helped train me, after all."
He hefted the sword and rested it on his shoulder, and that was when Jaune saw some of the details of the weapon better. It had a dark blue grip with a gold crossguard, and the blade itself seemed to have veins of different kinds of Dust running through it, glowing lightly, "So I think Tau and I can show you some new tricks."
Jaune still felt nervous, but still he nodded, "Well, I'm gonna need more than just a 'few' tricks if I'm going to do my best." Jaune had already resolved that he was going to need to train and work a lot if he was going to live up to the legacy of Cobalt, and he was willing to put in that work, no matter what, "Let's get to it!"
And so, they began to train. Jaune was already learning a lot about swordsmanship from Neve, it was a lot harder than it looked. He had to wonder how his ancestors had such an easy time with it when it was such a deceptively complicated weapon. Still, it was something he could learn, and so he'd put the effort in.
Similarly, he was trained in some of the basics of using Promise, which proved to be a simpler weapon, all things considered. In two hands, the weapon was long and capable of spearing someone with the spike at the top as easy as it was able to smash them, and when it was made shorter and one-handed, it was still an effective tool for delivering blunt damage and hitting things with the sharp 'beak', or pick (It wasn't technically called a pick at all, but Jaune called it a pick because that's what it looked like), on the other end. Jaune was told that it was better at dealing with armor, be it Grimm bone armor or otherwise, and he promised to keep that in mind.
It was noted that he seemed to have some sort of natural talent with Promise, but Jaune wondered just how natural that was. Maybe it was a holdover from Cobalt. If so, then that just made him more resolved to continue to carry it with him. Natural or no, he still didn't intend to give up Crocea Mors. It was his family heirloom after all! He'd just learn to use both whenever the situation called for either of them.
All told, the training lasted a few hours. After that, Jaune felt too tired to keep going, and his two tutors agreed that he needed rest. Aurum left to go get some water, while Neve remained, putting his weapon onto his back and going to look over Aurum's weapon, which she had left leaning on the wall. Jaune took this opportunity to approach him, "Uhm… Neve?" The older man looked at him, and so Jaune smiled awkwardly, "I uh… I wanted to ask about Aurum." His smile turned to a small frown of concern, "Aurum seems… well… like she's acting way too normal, given what happened."
Neve sighed as he looked at her weapon, which was a scythe with a golden body and a blue blade. It reminded Jaune of Crescent Rose, just with different colors. Neve responded after a moment, "She's not taking it well. She was always… fragile, in certain ways. She's felt like she needed to hold the world on her shoulders her whole life, and if she wasn't saving people, she wasn't doing good enough. She'd been getting better at it before, but now… Well, I don't know."
Jaune frowned and looked down, "I wish there was something I could do, or say, but… I'm here in place of her son, I'm using his weapon, carrying a piece of him with me. I don't know if I should say anything. It doesn't feel right."
"Well…" Neve sighed as he took up Aurum's scythe and folded it, again reminding Jaune of Crescent Rose, "I think the best thing that I, or anyone, can do is just try to be there for her right now. She's not gonna tell us how she's feeling, so we have to try and support her, until she's ready to talk."
Jaune found that a bit strange, and he looked back at Neve with a raised eyebrow, "She won't tell you either? Aren't you, like… a good friend or something?"
"Husband, actually." Neve chuckled, "And that's just all the more reason why she won't tell me. She doesn't want to be a burden, and no matter how many times I tell her otherwise, she's convinced that her emotions are just that, a burden." He sighed, "She'll come around eventually, if not to me and our daughter, then maybe to someone else, like you."
That raised the question of just how old he and Aurum were, to have a daughter that could be confided in. He had to wonder just how old she was as well, but that didn't matter too much at the moment. Instead, he turned his question to the last thing Neve said, "Me?" He pointed to himself, "Why me?"
Neve looked towards the door for a moment before saying simply, "You've already got a good idea why. You've mentioned it before." Briefly, he reached under the collar of his jacket and grabbed something that he lifted up. It looked like a blue heart-shaped pendant, but he put it away before Jaune could get a better look at it, "We'll all just have to do what we can." Jaune noted that he appeared to be struggling with his emotions as well, there was a clear pain in them, and Jaune realized that Neve had lost his son, too, and was just trying to keep a calm demeanor, much like Aurum.
Before Jaune could say anything, Aurum returned with water, and so the conversation ended there. Jaune wasn't about to just move on from it, though, maybe it was his own good-natured disposition, or maybe it was that strange sadness that remained with him, but was not merely his, but he was worried about her, even if they barely knew each other.
He didn't get a chance to talk to her about it until they were leaving. Neve mentioned going to see how 'Iris' was doing (presumably their daughter, from what Jaune could gather), and that gave Jaune some time to ask Aurum about how she was feeling.
The two of them had begun to leave, with Aurum giving some advice about his form while they walked. As they drew close to the exit, Jaune finally cleared his throat and asked, "Uhm… Aurum?" She looked at him curiously, and so he stopped walking, the two of them standing near the front doors to the building, and asked, "Are you okay? I mean… that wasn't some light news, but you're here…"
Aurum gained a look of sadness for a split second before she hid it with a smile, though it remained somber, "That's just life, Jaune. You take hits, you lose things, but…" She looked down at her hand, "I made a promise that I would fight, that I would help save people. Cobalt… if I had been there, or if I had been more stern… maybe he and Amber wouldn't have left. Maybe they'd still be here." She closed her eyes, "I have to make it up to them; I have to keep going, no matter what. Remnant is a world that needs saving, from a lot, and I have to be one of the people who save it. I'm one of the only people who can handle it."
"Well…" Jaune looked away to collect his thoughts, "You… you should still try to remember to stop and breathe. You're not the only one who's fighting, I bet Neve is taking it hard too, and… Iris?" He tried, and as he looked at Aurum, her subtle nod told him he was right, "You need to remember to stop sometimes…" He tried to think of what best to say to help take a weight off her shoulders, "And hey, Ruby and I will be fighting too, some day." He smiled meekly, "I've got a lot of learning to do, but… I'm not going to stop until I'm as good as Cobalt was. I didn't know him long, but… he looked like everything I wanted to be when I was younger. So I have to try."
She opened her eyes again and looked at him, the sadness was evident in her eyes, "Jaune… I wanted things to be better for you, this time, but all that happened was you getting pulled into something dangerous. I'm sorry." She seemed to realize that she was talking weird, and so she chuckled and shook her head, "Listen to me… an old woman ranting about the past." She wasn't that old, Jaune knew from the roster of teachers all of the students got that she was only in her 30s, but she looked like she had the weight of two lifetimes on her shoulders, "I appreciate the gesture, but… I'll be fine. Try not to let the good times slip by you, you'll regret it."
She walked away, not offering any more comments as she left out the front door. Jaune watched her leave, and that feeling in his heart from yesterday just weighed heavily on him again.
He'd do better. For her, for Cobalt, for everyone. He had to.
/-/
Later that day, Ruby told Jaune to meet her in one of the weaponsmithing workshops Beacon played host to so she could look at improving Crocea Mors.
When he got there, he found that Ruby was already working, just on her own weapon. She had shed her school uniform, and was instead wearing a black tank-top, a pair of work pants, and her boots. She had goggles on, shielding her eyes as she messed with the inner workings of Crescent Rose.
The look was… appealing, to say the least. Jaune couldn't help but note how good it fit her, and how the tanktop let him see things he hadn't before. For example, it would be easy to assume that, due to how petite and small Ruby was, that she would lack muscle mass. However, it was very clear that she was toned. Not like some kind of body builder, but she had clear muscle definition.
He didn't want to look at her too much like that, though, she was his friend, and a relatively new one at that. He had promised that he'd be better than how he acted when he was younger long ago, and so he just approached her while clearing his throat. That got her attention, and she turned towards him and smiled, "Hey Jaune! Gimme just a sec, I'm just tuning up Crescent Rose really quick. Can you hand me that wrench?" She pointed to a random wrench laying on a table.
Jaune smiled, "Sure." He grabbed the wrench and handed it to her, "Take your time, it's not like I've got anything else to do today. Well…" He rubbed the back of his neck, "Other than study, but… I guess we're in the same boat there, huh?"
Ruby groaned, "Don't remind me… I never liked studying. It's not like I can't do it, but that's the thing! I can, and I've never needed to study that much to get good grades!" She huffed, "I'm a sponge for information, Jaune, a sponge!" She made a squeezing gesture with her hand to get her point across, "Weiss might need to go over the homework, but I don't!"
Jaune didn't entirely believe her. Everyone needed to study, even if it was just a little bit. Still, he wasn't going to be the one to call her out on it, "Well, we still should. It'll only help, and it might make Weiss take us a bit more seriously."
She sighed and deflated, her voice betraying her somber mood regarding the SDC heiress, "I know. Pyrrha said she was going to talk to her later, but I haven't heard anything about that yet. I hope she's able to get through to her a bit… Weiss actually respects Pyrrha, so she's our best hope."
After that, Ruby finished her work on Crescent Rose, "Alright, Jaune, bring me Crocea Mors." He did as he was asked, and once she had the weapon, she set it on a separate table to Crescent Rose, "So, without taking the weapon apart, there's not a lot of super advanced things I can do to it, but I can at least infuse it with Dust." She smiled, "So that's what I'm gonna do, just to give you a bit of extra kick with it, and uh… so you don't have to rely on you-know-what for it. We should probably keep that kind of stuff under wraps."
Jaune nodded, "Ah… yeah. We did go a bit overboard with it back during initiation." He rubbed the back of his neck, "I was uh… pretty scared. I just used everything I had because I wasn't sure what else to do."
She waved one hand dismissively before she started to get the supplies she'd need to infuse the blade with Dust, "I can't blame you, I mean, Grimm are pretty intimidating when you've never seen one before. Soon, though, you'll be kicking Grimm butt like a pro! I believe in you, and if you don't believe in yourself, then…" She pointed at herself, "Believe in the me that believes in you!"
He couldn't help but laugh, covering his mouth and looking away as he did. It took him a little while to get the giggles out of his system, but once he did, he looked at her with a grin, "That's so corny! You're really going back to the classics there, aren't you?"
Ruby blushed lightly as she once again waved her hand dismissively, albeit this time a lot more sheepishly, "Hey, I mean it, you know. We're partners! So we have to face all of the challenges we come across together, even if that challenge is studying or dealing with Weiss! Now," she looked down at the sword once again, "time for me to get to work! Get cozy, this'll take a little while."
Jaune did get cozy, sitting in a chair and pulling out his Scroll, browsing it while Ruby got to work. He did look at what she was doing sometimes, and he got a good look at what she looked like when she was concentrating. Her eyes were squinted slightly in focus, her tongue stuck out of the side of her mouth, and occasionally she'd smirk or smile triumphantly when something went right. It was adorable, there was no doubt about that.
It ended up taking a few hours, and once she was done, the blade now had some veins colored like Dust running up it. It looked like Neve's weapon, but Jaune felt it made the blade look a bit cooler. Ruby grinned proudly as she held up the finished product, "Here it is! Crocea Mors now imbued with the power of Dust! Remember, next time you need weapon upgrades, you come to Ruby's Weapon Emporium!"
He chuckled at her threatrics before going over and kneeling before her, "May I have the honor of carrying this blade, Lady Rose?" He made a show of looking down, as if he was a real knight like his great great grandpa.
Ruby gagged, "Don't call me Lady Rose! It makes me feel old." She was still smiling all the same as she placed the flat of the blade on either one of his shoulders, "Rise, Sir Jaune, and accept your blade!" She bowed as he stood while holding out the blade for him to take.
Neither of them could stop smiling during this frankly dorky display, and Jaune found it to be good fun all the same, dorky or not. He accepted the blade, "Thank you, Ruby, really." He grinned, "You didn't have to do this."
Ruby just kept smiling as she stood up entirely again, "I didn't have to, but I wanted to! You're my first Beacon friend, and my partner! That means we need to do everything we can to help each other, no matter how big or small."
In response, Jaune could only nod in agreement and say, "You're right. Ozpin said we could be one of the greatest duos in Beacon history one day, we've got to try and live up to that expectation."
The two left after that, heading back to their dorm. It was getting late, with the sun about to sink below the horizon. They had expected to find Weiss and Pyrrha already asleep, or close to it at least, but Pyrrha was sitting on her bed and reading, while Weiss was looking over her textbook.
Once they were inside, Weiss greeted them, "Good, you're both back. Listen…" She stood up and took a deep breath, "There's something that I have to say to all three of you!" Jaune and Ruby both stopped, staying by the door as they looked at her, while Pyrrha raised an eyebrow and looked up from her book. Weiss cleared her throat, "Right… okay. This is difficult for me to say, but… I'm sorry." Everyone's eyes widened and she looked down, "I was being immature, and selfish, and entitled, and… I'm sorry."
She looked at Pyrrha, "Pyrrha, I've spent my whole life hating people who just want to use me for my name, for my money, anything like that. Yet… the first thing I did when I saw you was try to poach you and convince you to be my teammate. I don't blame you for not wanting to be my partner." She looked down, "I saw the way you looked at me when you thought I wasn't looking."
Pyrrha looked a bit guilty, though Jaune and Ruby both felt that she was justified in feeling as she did. Weiss turned her attention to them next, "Jaune, Ruby. I was… being very unfair. As long as you two promise to bring your best, then I'll do everything I can to help! We can study, and quiz each other, and maybe spar on occasions. If we're going to be the best team at Beacon we can't afford to be slouches."
The first to respond was Pyrrha, "Weiss… thank you." She smiled, "I'll admit that I wasn't all that enthusiastic about being your partner. I was worried about you being like one of those people who try to use me. You and I aren't that different when it comes to that, it turns out. If you're promising to be better, then… I think it's only fair that I give you a second chance."
Weiss smiled in response, and the next to speak was Ruby, "You've been kind of a jerk, but… Pyrrha's right. If you're willing to change, then I don't know any reason why I shouldn't give you a new chance. You're only getting one though!" She pointed at Weiss dramatically, "So don't screw it up!"
While Weiss was looking at Ruby with a look that was a mixture of confusion and amusement, Jaune picked up, "Yeah… I'll admit that I'm not the most cut out to be a leader. If it were up to me, Ruby would be the leader, but… since I'm here, I'm not gonna back down. I'll give it my all too, and give you a second chance, Weiss."
Weiss looked a bit teary eyed, yet still she smiled, "Thank you, all three of you. Now… let's get to studying! There's a lot left to do before the day's out!"
The other three groaned, but they didn't complain too much. They started to study together, going over the materials before them, and Jaune had to admit that this was the first time he'd truly felt like he was part of a team. It was a feeling he could definitely get used to.
When they were just about finished, Jaune took out his Scroll to check it for any messages. He didn't have any, but he did have a news alert that read 'New White Fang Leader Speaks Out!' That got his attention, and so he pulled up the article. It had a video, and the text below it made his eyes widen, "Uhh, guys… you're gonna wanna see this."
The other three looked at his Scroll as he started to play the video of the red haired bull Faunus standing at a podium.
The man looked out at the crowd of Faunus before him and declared, "Brothers and sisters of the White Fang! Today is the dawn of a new era for us! No longer will we be pushed to the side! No longer will we be used, tortured, and mistreated by humans! We will show them that they're inferior to us! From this day forward, the White Fang is in a state of war with Humanity, and those who would support them!"
What this meant, exactly, the article could only speculate, but the White Fang, being a terrorist organization, was likely going to start a campaign of violence. While it was unlikely that there was going to be any large scale attacks on any of the cities, at least, not yet, it still seemed that humans everywhere were now going to have to deal with a far more aggressive White Fang.
Weiss scoffed after she read the article, "Let them come! We'll beat them again and again, and once the kingdoms find their base, I'm sure we'll root them out once and for all! Those Faunus are nothing but a bunch of degenerates, and this proves it!"
Jaune wasn't sure about the comment being so broadly pointed at Faunus, but the White Fang did seem scary, "One way or another… I've got a bad feeling about this. I just hope that this is just blustering…" He hoped so, but there was just no telling, at that moment.
Pyrrha cleared her throat, "Well… I guess we should get to sleep. We've still got class tomorrow."
Everyone was in agreement, and so, regardless of the news, they started to get ready for bed.
/-/
Cinder could only sigh as she looked out the window of her temporarily Atlesian apartment. She'd never liked the city, both for the memories it held and for less personal reasons. The architecture, the climate, all of it was just unpleasant to her. She'd much rather live on a nice island somewhere, but that could come after she'd achieved her goal.
The apartment she was in was sparsely decorated, and she was looking out the window while waiting for some of her comrades to show up. They had a meeting, an important one at that.
There was already someone sitting on the couch, looking rather downcast. He had fair skin, short platinum blond hair, and earthy brown eyes. He was built strongly, and was wearing a long-sleeve white shirt under a black vest, along with a pair of dark brown trousers and brown work boots. He didn't look all that happy to be there, but Cinder didn't particularly care.
She walked up to him and smiled, cooing, "Lunus, you're not thinking anything bad are you?" He shook his head, and she wrapped an arm around him, purring, "Good. You know why you're here. For me, because you love me, and for your… family."
He didn't say anything, and she pulled away as she heard another knock at the door, "Come in."
In came Emerald and Mercury, followed shortly by Watts. Emerald and Mercury took seats on the couch, while Watts fixed his jacket, "Well, Cinder, we made it, despite your directions. What was this meeting about?"
Cinder began to pace, "The Fall Maiden slipped from my grasp the first time, and we were forced to come here, but that doesn't mean this needs to be a wasted endeavor." She looked out at all of them, "We're going to find the Winter Maiden, and I'm going to take her down. Once I have her power, I can turn my attention back to Vale, and we can get the Fall Maiden. She'll be weak, inexperienced, and her Knight will be as well. The Winter Knight's been dead for years, and the fool of a Maiden hasn't chosen a new one. We can use this to our advantage."
Watts chuckled, "So you want us to hunt this woman down and help you apprehend her? It's going to be difficult when General Ironwood keeps such a close eye on her. Are you certain it wouldn't be easier to go for the Summer Maiden, or the Spring Maiden?"
She shook her head, "The Summer Maiden will be harder to find, and the Spring Maiden has been missing for years. We can worry about them later; for now, we know the Winter Maiden is in this damnable city, and we know the Fall Maiden will be in Vale, almost guaranteed. I'll be hiring two more mercenaries down the line to help us with our problem, but we need to do the planning now.
"Emerald, I'll need you to use your semblance again. That woman is old, it'll be easy to fool her mind once we catch her wandering the city. Watts, you'll fashion devices that can hide us from the cameras. Lunus, your semblance will help restrain her. Mercury, you know what you're good for. As for me… I'll be taking what's owed to me."
Emerald looked at Lunus for a moment, and for that split second there was clear worry in her eyes. Yet, soon, it was gone, masked with a look of indifference as she looked at the wall, "Since there's no Knight, we should be able to take her out easier."
Cinder stopped pacing, "Exactly." She smirked, "If everyone knows what needs to be done, then you're free to leave. You've got your safehouses to stay at, keep your heads down and don't draw attention to yourselves."
Watts looked at his Scroll, "There is a problem, Cinder." He held up his Scroll and showed off the latest announcement from the White Fang's leader, "It appears that the White Fang are taking a more aggressive stance. It's likely Atlas' security will be tightening soon."
Cinder swore under her breath, "Damn it… fine. We'll deal with it." She waved her hand dismissively, "We can't afford to fail, so go, and be ready for what comes next." The others began to leave, except for Lunus, who remained where he was. Cinder, pleased with this, went and sat next to him, putting her arm around him, "Good… don't worry, soon, you'll see that you're making the right choice." Even if there had been no real choice in the matter for him, "Soon…
"The Winter Maiden's powers will be mine."
Author's Notes
If you're familiar with my other works, then you're aware of my use of OCs and my handling of them. If you're not, then rest assured that I don't intend for any OCs to overtake the importance of other characters. They will have their roles to play, some will be major while others will be minor, but they're never going to take focus from Jaune or Ruby.