A/N: Here we are.

From The Smallest Acorn

Summary: Jaune was nothing more than a simple farm boy, yet one terrible night shatters his view on the world and he finds out that his destiny is something much greater: becoming the greatest Hero to ever walk the soil of Albion.

*Lessons*

Pain blossomed through Jaune's body as he slammed into the dirty ground of the arena, yet his instincts told him to dive to his left. He listened and was grateful he did, for a staff crashed down where his head was moments before. He rolled to his feet, ignoring the pain in his shoulder, and parried an overhead swing with the cheap iron sword in his grasp. He spun and sliced at his attacker, the tip of his sword bypassing the staff entirely and glancing off her side. She cried out in pain, jumping back to avoid the follow-up attack.

Blood dribbled down her light tan apprentice robes and her dark eyes glared into his as the Guildmaster called an end to the fight. "Well done, Jaune and Whisper. Well done indeed. You two have improved since you last faced one another. Jaune, you didn't rely entirely on defense and chose to be more aggressive. Whisper, your footwork has made great strides, but you still leave yourself too open when on the attack. You must always be mindful of your opponent's reach, especially when they are taller than you."

"I get it," Whisper said through gritted teeth. She glared at Jaune as if it was somehow his fault. He tried to smile apologetically, but judging by the way Whisper's glare only increased in intensity, he failed spectacularly and instead probably came across as smug. Jaune's cheeks flushed and he looked away, withering under the thunderous expression of a girl who, if it weren't for the Guildmaster being right in front of them, would probably beat him to death with her staff. Sheesh, where all girls his age this terrifying?

"Do you?" The Guildmaster's eyes narrowed and he looked out towards the archery range. "QROW! COME HERE THIS INSTANT!"

His bellowing roar stunned the Guild courtyard silent, quiet enough for Jaune to hear both Qrow's exasperated groan and Ozpin's laughter. The rogue walked the Walk of Despair, his head bowed and accepting of his fate. His reputation as a troublemaker really was against him even when he didn't do anything. At least, Jaune couldn't think of a recent incident that was his fault. The black-haired teen came with his hands up and he opened his mouth to say he was innocent when the old man cut him off with a sharp look. He looked over at Jaune worriedly and the blond shook his head. Qrow's despair grew.

"Don't give me that look, boy. You're not in trouble." The Guildmaster looked at the other apprentices silently staring at them. "What are you all looking at? Back to it, apprentices. Unless you want to take the test against Maze?" That immediately dispersed the crowd, and the old man rolled his eyes, muttering under his breath about teenagers being gossipy little brats. "Qrow. I called you over here for a different reason. I apologize if I came across as angry at you. I need you for a little training exercise."

"Ohhhhh." Qrow's red eyes filled with understanding and Jaune winced as it clicked in his brain. He wasn't a complete idiot.

He knew exactly where this was going. He's going to make Whisper go against Qrow.

Whisper was already running ragged, her cheeks puffed as she gasped for breath. Qrow was fresh and didn't appear to have broken a sweat yet, not to mention he was older and more experienced. Even though he was considered to be more of a Hero of Skill, his swordsmanship was brutal and vicious. Jaune had managed to disarm him once, only for Qrow to knock him out with a punch to the jaw.

Ozpin still wouldn't let him forget about it, even four months later.

Jaune hurriedly stepped out of the arena and let Qrow in. The rogue was loosening his muscles, taking the time to get limbered and eye up his opponent. The blond stood next to the Guildmaster and shot Whisper a worried glance. "Guildmaster, is this necessary?"

"It is my duty to make sure every Hero understands that life outside our protection is not for the faint of heart. It is not for the weak, or the timid. Nor is it for the arrogant and prideful." The Guildmaster's eyes closed. "I made that mistake once myself. I shall endeavor to make sure it does not happen to the future generations."

"This isn't a fair fight."

"Life is not always fair. It is best to learn that now, in training. Or would you rather she learn that outside of the Guild, with her life on the line?"

Jaune had no answer.

"I thought not." The Guildmaster turned his attention back to the arena. "You will fight until surrender or first blood. You may use whatever tool at your disposal. Begin!"

Whisper had cast Barrier and was already sprinting left, narrowly avoiding Qrow's sword slamming into the dirt. The rogue landed in a crouch, seeming to punch the dirt, and he smirked when Whisper came at him with her staff overhead. On the other side of the fence watching, Jaune groaned inwardly. Oh for... really? That trick? You could only fight someone for so long without picking up a few of their tricks. Whisper typically didn't fight Qrow, and she had no idea what she was in for. Jaune knew exactly what he was going to do, only because the prat kept doing it to him.

Whisper was wide open, with her staff still over her head like she was going to crush a melon. Qrow took advantage and chucked a healthy handful of dirt directly into Whisper's eyes. The dark-skinned girl fell back with an angry cry of shock and Qrow kicked her staff out of her hand, disarming her with shocking ease. He caught it, spun it in his hands and slammed Whisper's own weapon right into her midsection, launching her through the arena fence. Jaune winced at the scream of fury and pain as the wood splintered and the poor girl skipped across the courtyard before coming to an undignified halt in the dirt; if it weren't for Barrier, Whisper would have suffered serious damage.

The Guildmaster's moustache twitched and his eyebrows rose, but he didn't rebuke the dirty tactic. Nor did he call out the Whisper-shaped hole in the fence.

Qrow dropped her staff and rested his hands behind his head. "Give up?" He sounded hopeful, like he expected Whisper to know when she was outmatched and give in. Anyone else probably would've. But she couldn't. Not with her brother, Thunder, one of the most prideful and arrogant of Heroes. If she gave in, she would be seen as weak to him. Thunder would call her a disgrace. Familial pride wouldn't allow her to give up, even though the disparity in skill was heavily against her.

Whisper picked herself up from the courtyard, her face bright red with embarrassment at the sound of laughter from the apprentices watching. She spat out a mouthful of grass and dirt and launched herself back at the rogue. If she were thinking straight, she would have remembered that Qrow wasn't much of a magic-user. But she wasn't thinking straight, and her furious assault on Qrow only ended with her skipping across the arena like a pebble over water. She got back up in a hurry, only to be swatted back down a third time. Whisper tumbled in a heap of dust and the rogue tutted, dodging to the right as she tried to catch him with the same trick that he did to her. His foot scuffed back and caught her in the face with a vicious kick, sending her flying again.

Still, Whisper did not give up. Her Barrier still held but the odds weren't good; she was unarmed, and she wasn't quick enough to cast a spell against a faster opponent. He gave her no time at all, ditching his sword entirely and using his bare hands. Whisper's weakness of unarmed combat proved to be a hole Qrow happily exploited, raining blows on her from every angle and not at all being kind about it. He stepped on toes, dug elbows into ribs, and she simply wasn't ready for it. It was like she was trapped in a hurricane.

She was too used to fighting someone like me or weaker. She's never gone against one of the senior apprentices. This isn't a fight. It's a slaughter and Qrow knows it. He could have ended this much sooner, but he's holding back.

Qrow paused, letting Whisper stagger back, and he shook his head. "Come on, don't make me knock you out. I don't want to beat on someone younger than me. Unless it's that blond git over there." He pointed at Jaune with a cocky grin.

Jaune rolled his eyes. Typical Qrow.

Whisper spat out a mouthful of blood and held up her hands. "No. I'm not giving up. And don't hold back on me."

"Damned if you do, and damned if you don't. Your brother really is a twat, you know that?" Qrow sighed and took up a boxing stance, circling the younger apprentice.

Whisper smiled grimly. "You're not telling me anything I don't already know." Oh, wow. Even Thunder's own sister thought he was an arrogant prat.

Qrow looked over at the Guildmaster in despair, keeping one eye on Whisper to make sure she didn't catch him off-guard. The left side of her robes was caked with dirt, one eye swelling a lovely shade of purple. Jaune had to give Whisper a lot of credit for even staying standing against a senior apprentice like Qrow. She was gasping for breath, arms wavering and barely having the energy to stand up, let alone fight. Anyone else would have given up by now, if only to end the one-sided beatdown. "Are you sure I'm not going to hear about this from Thunder later? Because I'm not in the mood for his rubbish."

"You won't have to worry about him." The Guildmaster's moustache twitched. "And what is the first rule of combat?"

A fist came soaring towards his face and he dodged to the right. Qrow's hands came crashing down on Whisper's shoulders, dropping her to her knees. He was jumping in the same motion, using her falling as momentum to spring off of her back and kick her facefirst into the dirt. She didn't stir, and Qrow slicked his sweaty bangs back. "Don't take your eyes off your opponent. Are you alive down there?"

Whisper didn't answer.

Qrow groaned into his fist and looked up at the sky for salvation. Some clouds, beautiful trees, and birds singing their lovely tunes, but no answers or help came to him. "Am I done here? She's out cold."

Whisper didn't object to his claim, being unconscious.

"The winner of the match is Qrow." The Guildmaster sounded remarkably unsurprised by the outcome of the fight. Anyone who watched knew just how big of a skill gap there was between apprentices Jaune's age and those with another couple years of experience under their belt. It wasn't pretty, and the only thing that kept Jaune from giving Qrow a piece of his mind was the fact that his friend had tried to hold back so it wasn't a complete demolition. Besides, it wasn't like Qrow wanted to send Whisper skipping across the arena like a pebble over water. He had been dragged into it about as much as Whisper was set up to be humiliated.

Qrow walked over to where his sword and Whisper's staff both lay, picked up both weapons, and looked down as Whisper finally started to stir. She rolled over onto her back and winked one eye open to see Qrow looming over her, offering a hand off the ground. Whisper spat out blood from the corner of her mouth and accepted the hand up, taking her staff back. She was missing a tooth and looked as though someone tied her to the back of a carriage and forced it to go scale a sheer cliff, covered in rapidly forming bruises and dirt.

No matter what she does, she's always going to be judged by Thunder's example. If she can't mimic his success, she'll be seen as worthless. Especially to her brother. Thunder really is a twat. Jaune rubbed the back of his head. It said something that even when Qrow openly insulted her brother, Whisper didn't bother trying to chastise him. Instead, she agreed with the opinion shared by Qrow, Ozpin, and Jaune himself; Thunder was a boastful and arrogant twat and the man desperately needed to be knocked down a peg or two. If one didn't meet his supposed, 'standards', then they weren't worthy of being a Hero in his eyes.

The Guildmaster walked into the ring, slinging Whisper over his back to carry her to one of the Guild healers. Qrow helped her up on her other side and the two men carried the wounded Whisper past Jaune. Her dark gaze met his for a brief moment, and the smallest of grins was on her face. She wasn't angry at him, more at her git of a brother. Jaune breathed out a sigh of relief he didn't know he was holding in. She was dazed, but alive. Alive meant being able to learn from her mistakes.

Ozpin sauntered up to him and nudged his shoulder. "Are you free this afternoon?"

"I think so. That is, unless the Guildmaster or Maze find something random that needs to be done in the next hour or two. Why?"

"Maze is sending me to Bowerstone later to pick up something for his research. I thought we could use the chance to stretch our legs. I already invited Qrow," Ozpin explained. "Just need to know if you are able to come. Don't worry; even if I've not been granted my Guild Seal, I have the authority to choose who I want to accompany me."

Jaune wanted to point out that if it weren't for rules being in place, Ozpin would have already graduated. No one under the age of seventeen was allowed to graduate and Ozpin was still a year too young despite his ridiculous grasp of magic. His magical capabilities exceeded every apprentice in the Guild, even eclipsing some Heroes who already graduated and earned their Guild Seals. The Guildmaster and Master Wizard may have been fine sending them out on missions near the Guild, but they weren't going to bend the rules and let Ozpin become a full Hero early.

He refrained from inflating his friend's ego and said, "Sure. The Guildmaster or Maze won't give me an earful about it if you're with us, I take it?"

"Not at all." Ozpin grinned cheekily. "One of the many privileges of being apprenticed by the Master Wizard. Meet up in the Guild Woods in an hour?"

Jaune rolled his eyes. Smug bastard loved being the first to ever apprentice directly under Maze. "I'll be there."

It's not like anything could possibly go wrong, right?

Jaune met up with Ozpin and Qrow outside the Guild, the former reading a book about the many creatures that called Albion's wilderness their home and the latter looking incredibly bored. Jaune noticed the small irregularities as he drew nearer; a suspiciously torn piece of clothing here, a bruise there, and a smug smile that could only mean one thing. "Who did you fight and do we have to hide the body?"

"Har har. You're hilarious." Qrow rolled his eyes, still grinning. "Some newcomer. A rogue-class Hero like me, just picked up by Briar Rose. Think her name was Jewel or something-"

"Emerald," Ozpin corrected, looking up from his book briefly.

"Whatever." Qrow waved dismissively. "She's good. Not as strong as you, but she's quick and agile, not all afraid to fight like a rogue to win."

"Think I could beat her?"

"Ha! Ha!" Qrow said the words as opposed to laughing them. "No. She's vicious. Mercury been finding that out the hard way, thinking he could go easy on her because she's a newbie. Merc's eyes were crossed when her foot met his crotch. Take her lightly and she'll make you pay. After Merc got helped out, our esteemed Guildmaster suggested that I should fight her. Taught her a few lessons."

"Was one of them to stay away from your hands?" Jaune snarked.

"Yes." Ozpin snapped his book shut and hid it under his cloak. With a complete lack of sarcasm, the mage apprentice looked Jaune dead in the eye. "The Guild is currently in shock as a result. Quite a few of the elder apprentices are in the infirmary, under Healer Gertude. Most of them suffering from unusual accounts of a heavy object traveling at speed smashing into their jaw. I've no idea what could possibly be the reason why two dozen senior apprentices in the last week have been delivered to Gertude either unconscious or without having the slightest clue where they are."

How he said that all with a straight face or without looking pointedly at the one responsible, Jaune had no idea. He had come to learn that while Ozpin was dedicated to his studies, he was a very big fan of sarcasm.

"Can't blame a rogue for fighting like one," Qrow complained. "What was I supposed to do, let them knock me around the ring?"

"Didn't I ask you to hold back?"

"I was holding back. You know I don't like kicking the snot out of a brat younger than me without a reason. It's not my fault they don't have Blondie's constitution."

Every Hero had different traits than others. Some were incredibly gifted with magic; others with an uncanny ability to skulk around undetected in broad daylight. And some could be beaten for hours on end before finally going down.

Qrow liked to tease and say Jaune's ability to absorb punishment was a result of his brain giving up trying to process it and sodding off to protect itself. But the fact was, Jaune had the strongest constitution out of his entire class and it meant Qrow and Ozpin could both go more all-out with him in their evening spars. Their training had become a lot tougher ever since they were sent out to deal with the Wasp Queen, and Jaune pointed it out to his two friends.

"Yeah it is," Qrow said. "Oz, have you and Maze found anything yet?"

"No." Ozpin sighed. "The old man has been tight-lipped on that end. The Guildmaster, too. I saw Maze looking over some tomes rather worriedly before I left the tower, but no leads. All we have going for us is that a very powerful conjurer is responsible."

"How hard is it to find a list of conjurers who've graduated from the Guild?"

"As it turns out, very." Ozpin pinched his brow with a groan. "It's not an art many practice these days. Most mages see summoning the dead as an abhorrent act and won't touch it. The list of those who've graduated is small, and none in the last hundred years. There hasn't been a summoner strong enough to transport a Wasp Queen since before the Guildmaster's time. That's what has them so worried."

"Why is summoning frowned upon?" Jaune asked. Qrow used them. Ozpin used them. Even Jaune himself was learning to use them. "Isn't magic meant to be explored?"

"Blame necromancers," Ozpin sighed. "You'll be hard-pressed to find a necromancer on the side of good. Dabbling in the black arts corrupts a man's very being. In order to learn it, you must take its evil into you. The more you learn, the more of your humanity is stripped away. I have no interest in raising the dead; I daresay you don't want me of all people to be corrupted by black magic." It would have been egotistical if it weren't true. A power-hungry Ozpin would be dangerous.

"And neither Maze nor the Guildmaster have a problem with us learning how to summon?" Qrow asked skeptically. "If it is as detested as you say, they wouldn't be teaching it to us like they have since we killed the Wasp Queen."

"No. Maze is happy to see all magic be explored, as long as it doesn't cause purposeful harm to our fellow apprentices."

Jaune and Qrow both stared at him.

"Okay, it's because he thinks we're going to need to know how to use it in order to combat whoever is behind this." Ozpin rolled his eyes and sighed. "Before you ask, no I don't know what the bloody hell either of their intentions are. I'm Maze's apprentice, not a mindreader. Whatever plan they have, they've been very careful not to say it around me. But enough of the heavy topics for now. This is supposed to be a day out away from the Guild, not another meeting with the Guildmaster."

"To Bowerstone then." Qrow smirked and bowed mockingly. "After you, apprentice of the Master Wizard." He landed on his back as a burst of purple lightning shot out of Ozpin's fingers, his legs thrashing uncontrollably. "O-oz! Cut it out you twat!"

Jaune laughed.

The Guildmaster's moustache twitched as a ragged howl left Mercury Black's lips. The young man was on his hands and knees, massaging his sore testes, and the green-haired girl fighting him gave him no mercy. She kicked him while he was down and held a sword to his neck, forcing him to yield, and the Guildmaster pinched his brow. "Mercury why do you keep leaving your genitalia, a confirmed weak area, open to an assault by an opponent you know is going to aim there? How many times is this in a row now? Five?"

Mercury groaned pitifully and held his hands over his crotch. "N-no more..."

"Emerald." The green-haired girl looked his way. "Do remember that not all opponents are going to repeatedly let you assail their reproductive organs. There are other ways to finish a fight."

"There are?" Emerald stared at him as if she had never heard of such concepts.

The Guildmaster had no words for that response. He blinked and looked skyward for answers. Some clouds, the lovely tweets of some birds, and the roars of laughter from those watching. Nothing that was any help, though. This is a girl who grew up in Bowerstone Quay as a pickpocket. It makes sense for her to immediately go for an incapacitating blow with her small size. The old man let out a sigh. The girl was going to be as big of a handful as Qrow, he just knew it.

"Yes, Emerald. There are," he deadpanned, ignoring the laughter behind him. "For example, have you ever considered using magic?"

Emerald cocked her head to the side. "Like this?"

A howling cyclone scooped Mercury up, spun him around while he yelled in panic, and threw him into a nearby pond with a loud splash.

The Guildmaster stared in the direction Mercury was flung off to, noticed the lack of terrified screams from those present, and assumed the boy was fine. Probably. They were training Heroes; a few accidents like this were to be expected. Ah, sure enough, Mercury swam to the surface and yelled how that wasn't fair. The old man didn't allow that to distract him from the more important thing. Emerald had a very strong grasp of Vortex. Not as strong as Ozpin, but still much more powerful than he expected. Wind magic was always tricky to get right; do it wrong, and the user could flay the flesh off their own bones. Get it right, and anything in your way would be cut to shreds by a localized tornado.

A spellthief. A very interesting combination of Heroic talents. It wasn't unheard of, but not exactly common. If he had any criticisms about her so far, it was she was still open to being overpowered. For all her quick wits and brutally unfair fighting style, it was clear she was an orphan on the streets. She simply didn't have the muscle mass the rest of her apprentice class did. A few good meals would do her wonders. And a lot of training. She had only done five spars and already she was exhausted; the Guildmaster doubted she could cast another Vortex spell of that power soon.

"I think its best if we move on to the more physical aspects of your training. Not now." He held his hand up to stop Emerald from objecting. "You need to tuck into a good meal and allow your body to rest; we don't wish to break your body so soon after joining us."

Emerald nodded quietly and handed him the training sword he lent her. She turned around, making her way to the Guild kitchens. The crowd cheered as she walked past and the girl's cheeks turned ever so slightly red.

The Guildmaster chuckled quietly. The girl would do well here. He turned his gaze onto the crowd a second later, frowning. "If you're so bored, perhaps you'd like to test yourself against me?" He opened his arms wide, inviting any and all challengers. "Anyone?"

The Guildmaster had never seen a crowd disperse so fast.

"Bloody teenage years..."

He scanned the crowd, frowning when he noticed a certain rogue and farm boy lacking amongst them. Ozpin was also nowhere to be seen, off doing business for Maze in Bowerstone.

Something that didn't bode well was all three of them missing at the exact time. It didn't take long for it to all click into place. Sneaky little brats pulled one on him.

This is my fault for not giving them something to do around this time. He pinched his brow and sighed, praying up to Avo that the boys wouldn't get into too much trouble. Watch over those lads. Albion is going to need them.

The walk from the Guild Woods to Bowerstone was a relatively short one, one that was a first-time experience for Jaune. Since they slew the Wasp Queen, the Guildmaster had been very careful to make sure they were busy in the Guild training. He never got a chance to see the world past the Guild's territory, and he was taking it all in for the first time.

The road cut through thick woods, leading to a large stone bridge over a wide blue river. On the other side of the bridge lay a large city surrounded on all sides by a thick stone wall. The entrance was equally massive; two large oak doors with three armed men on each side. "So that's Bowerstone..." The biggest city in all of Albion, it was a far cry from what he was used to in Oakvale.

Oakvale had been a relatively small community, an idyllic village nestled along the southern coast. Everyone knew each other, making it a close-knit community full of warm wonderful people who would give you the shirt of their back. Bowerstone's towering walls were taller than the biggest farmsteads in Oakvale prior to its burning, huge works of stone that shielded the city from any invaders.

"Bowerstone is a garrison as well as a city," Ozpin explained for Jaune's benefit. "You won't find a safer place in all of Albion, apart from the Guild itself. The walls themselves are hundreds of years old, built after the War of Tears."

"War of Tears? I've never heard of it." Jaune looked to Qrow for help.

Qrow could only shrug.

"I'm not surprised." Ozpin chuckled, leading their party across the bridge to Bowerstone. "It's not a tale many in the Guild would have told you. History isn't exactly a favorite subject amongst apprentices. Hundreds of years ago, a terrible wizard opened up a direct portal to the Void in the center of the city. The Void, if you don't know, is an alternate reality that exists within our world yet doesn't, home to many vicious beasts with terrible power. A land of absolute chaos and destruction. We would never be able to access it obviously; the magic required to open a portal to it would almost instantly kill us. When the gates opened, the beasts that came through slaughtered their way through countless innocents until the Guild intervened. One of Maze's predecessors, the great mage Solcius, led the resistance against the Void demons that spat from the portal. After months of fighting back, Solcius slew the wizard and sealed the portal at the cost of his own life. Bowerstone was rebuilt and this time, they decided to add some protection to prevent another tragedy."

Once they were across the bridge, their trio was greeted by a burly man in the blue uniform of a guard. A single longsword dangled from his belt and he looked at the three teenage apprentices suspiciously. "What's your business in Bowerstone?"

Ozpin handed him a note, giving the man a friendly smile that somehow made him look two decades older. His height helped with that. "Business pertaining to the Heroes Guild. Coming from Master Wizard Maze himself."

Whoever heard of a mage towering over Heroes of Skill?

Honestly, it was such rubbish.

"Is that so?" The guard snatched the note out of Ozpin's hands, reading it with a thunderous scowl. His eyes scanned it rapidly and frowned when he saw the official stamp of the Guild on the bottom of the letter. He handed it back to the mage apprentice, clearly unhappy about whatever Maze's letter said. "Very well. As you are aware, Bowerstone is a peaceful city. Draw your weapon, and there will be problems. Go on in when you're ready."

He stormed back to his post, grumbling in annoyance, and Ozpin folded the paper before putting it back in his robes. He turned to Jaune and Qrow with a cheeky grin and said, "Shall we?"

Nothing could go wrong here.

"Chug! Chug! Chug!"

Jaune sipped from his water, watching with wide eyes as Qrow was held upside down and drinking from his tankard while a crowd of Bowerstone's residents cheered him on. When Ozpin suggested they come to the city to pick up equipment and get away from the nonsense in the Guild for a bit, Jaune had a sneaking suspicion he didn't mean, 'let's take Qrow to a pub where they won't care he's underage and get him absolutely hammered'. The Guildmaster is going to kill us when we get back.

The blond sighed and looked down at his own drink, water sourced from Bowerstone Quay. It wasn't the worst he ever had, tasting like very watery chicken soup. It did nothing to distract him from his friend getting more intoxicated by the minute, and he jumped out of his skin when Ozpin thunked down a long and heavy object wrapped in a brown cloth next to him. "Oh bloody hell, Oz. Gave me a fright there." He took a sip, looking at the package. "What's that?"

"Something for you. I think you'll be pleased." He was huffing a bit, clearly worn out from lugging it back.

Jaune raised both eyebrows, skeptical. He searched his friend's face for any sign that this might be a trick, found nothing but sincerity, and undid the bindings keeping the cloth wrap in place. It fell away to reveal a silvery steel handle and crossguard. A sword?

More of the cloth fell and Jaune's jaw dropped. No wonder it sounded so heavy when Ozpin put it next to him.

Calling it a sword was an understatement. Jaune struggled to lift it, groaning as the heavy weight came over his shoulders. "W-what the bloody hell is this thing made of!?"

"Steel," Ozpin answered helpfully. "Oh, you might want to watch out for-"

Jaune teetered over and fell with a loud crash. He groaned in pain and ignored the roars of laughter ringing in his ears. The only one not laughing was Ozpin, who had settled for a slow, sarcastic clap. "Bravo. I assumed you would realize that the weight of this weapon will make it incredibly easy to be thrown off-balance, but it appears that assumption was foolish of me. Are you alright down there?"

"Oww..."

Ozpin sighed and helped him off the floor. "Come on; I've got what we came here for. Grab Qrow and hopefully the Guildmaster won't have noticed our disappearance."

"You really think he wouldn't notice it was too quiet?"

"I said hopefully, Jaune. Hopefully."

The Guildmaster had in fact noticed their absence in the afternoon and stood waiting for them just outside the Guild in the woods surrounding it. The old man slowly clapped his hands upon seeing them stagger in with a drunk Qrow being carried by Ozpin and Jaune. "Well, it appears you three certainly had a busy if not interesting afternoon." He raised an eyebrow at Qrow, but the drunk mumbled something incoherent and the old man's gaze locked onto Ozpin's. "Did you assume I wouldn't notice the lack of mischief with your absence? You three are far from subtle."

It wasn't often Ozpin winced like a naughty schoolboy, but he did here. Jaune had the appearance of a boy trying his best to be invisible, staring straight ahead and refusing to meet the Guildmaster's eyes. Qrow was obviously no help in his current state.

"Well-"

"Rhetorical question. Did you get what Maze instructed you to?"

"I did." Ozpin reached into his cloak and tossed over a small package. "She took some convincing, but she was willing to part with it in the end."

"Excellent. I trust there were no complications then?"

"None at all, sir. No troubles to or from Bowerstone." Ozpin spared a look for Qrow. "Apart from our colleague and friend getting swarmed by the townspeople the second he walked into the pub."

Qrow's eyes were drooping shut by the second. Jaune could feel the weight on his back getting worse and he groaned. "Can we find a bed to toss him in instead of standing here talking? Please," he hastily added when the Guildmaster turned to face him. The boy wilted under the old man's stare.

"Yes, you may. And remind Qrow that he will be put through the worst training imaginable when he recovers. Getting completely pickled at your age... ooh I should let one of the washerwomen bend you over their knee." The Guildmaster stormed off, promising the amount of pain inflicted on Qrow in his next training exercise was going to have him wish he never so much as touched alcohol again.

He clearly didn't know Qrow as well as Jaune and Ozpin did. Qrow was a glutton for punishment.

"That could have gone worse," Ozpin said, sighing in relief.

"Really?"

"Oh yes. Maze himself could have been here, or the stars could fall out of the sky one by one until the world is cast into an eternal winter from which there is no awakening, or we could have been beaten senseless by bandits and sold into slavery."

Jaune sighed. He didn't need to ask if Ozpin was being sarcastic.

"Let's just carry this lump back to bed..."

And collapse into one himself.

The next morning had Jaune waking up to an angry roar and howling laughter. The blond boy groaned and blinked his eyes open, all weariness suddenly disappearing. Now he understood why half of the apprentices were laughing and why his friend looked like he was five seconds away beating a rabbit to death with a blunt instrument. "Um... Qrow?" Don't say it, don't say it...

"What!?" Qrow growled.

"Why have you got a penis drawn on your face?"

Foot, meet mouth. Say hello.

Jaune felt like he deserved his chair mysteriously falling out from underneath him when he went down for breakfast.

A/N: That is all for now. Emerald as a dirty spellthief just seems too perfect. The Guild is not ready for the dirty fighting and it will be glorious. Of course this will cause issues with some within the Guild. That's the plan.