OK, sorry about this chapter, but to explain a bit about this story this one is slightly more dedicated to plot building and character building than potential future shenanigans. (That happens a little later after the teams are made.) So sorry if this chapter is not what you would expect.
One little thing, this chapter is long because there were a lot of things to cover before the Wingman shenanigans could begin.
Ping!~
Ping!~
Ping!~
…
Ping!~Ping!~Ping!~Ping!~Ping!~Ping!~Ping!~Ping!~Ping!~Ping!~
Despite the grand and majestic musical instrument that could make melodious works of art if anyone tried, the young boy repeatedly pressed on isolated note over and over and over, sounding more and more like an erratic heartbeat than an actual musical note.
She walked in, a sigh rising from her lungs as she saw her son not taking this seriously.
"That is enough!"
The young boy looked to his mother, hands on her waist with a frown on her face.
"Just because your piano teacher is presently on leave, does not mean you are allowed to neglect your musical practice!" The woman strictly told her son before placing a musical score in front of him.
"M'Kay."
"Excuse me? 'M'Kay?"
"Si, seniorita. Me dule estomago."
"Jared Schnee Arc!"
"Yes Mother~!" The young boy playfully giggled to which his mother couldn't help but sigh at the adorable smile of the five year old.
"Mother?" She turned back to her son whose face now seemed confused. "Why are you having me be taught on how to play musical instruments again?"
"My dear child, it's quite simple really. If you dare serenade your future lovers with a musical instrument, for the love of Dust, do not embarrass yourself and her with your horrible musical skills." A vein appeared on his mother's head as she flushed and placed a hand on her face.
The child was far smarter than they all believed him to be, and simply asked, "So Father is the reason why I have to practice several musical instruments every week?"
Mother did not say a single word, but that silence spoke volumes for the both of them.
It was then an old family servant walked in. "Mrs. Schnee, the board of directorates are waiting for you."
Another frown appeared on his mother's face this time stronger than the one towards her son. "… Very well, Jared, do behave while Sebastion instructs your lesson for today."
"Yes, Mother." Her heartstrings were pulled when she heard her son say those same words with less energy in his voice.
"I will be back soon, I promise." She told him, and she promised herself. She would not make the same mistakes her father made.
She left, making the young boy sigh as he stared at the music sheet in front of him.
"Young Master," The servant asked, empathizing with the small heir. "You know your mother loves you very much. Do not be so glum."
"I know," The young boy agreed easily, surprising the older man. "Mother is always working, but father told me just because she isn't here, doesn't mean she doesn't love me."
"… I see. Your father was quite wise to tell you this at such a young age."
Jared tilted his head in confusion. "But mother keeps calling him a dunce…"
The older man laughed. "You'll understand when you are older. Now, time to begin your lesson, start us off now Young Master."
Jared looked to the piano and then started playing.
The older man waited a few seconds of musical playing before realizing something. "Young Master? That is not Ode to Joy."
The young master continued to play rather well for a five year old. "I know! Auntie Yang taught me how to play this song! She said it was called a bunch of words I couldn't pronounce!"
The Servant quickly tried to stop the Young Master, preventing him playing a rather popular song that was very vulgar a few years back.
Meanwhile at the doorway, the mother of the heir felt light in her chest after hearing the conversation. She was glad her son was a little more patient and smarter than she.
But she was also quite ticked. She had an ex-teamate to reprimand for tainting her son.
Jared was both relieved and in panic as he entered into the large auditorium. Relieved that he had found where they were originally trying to go, but panicked as he heard a familiar voice aimed towards their direction.
"Ruby! Over here! I saved you a spot!"
'And there's Ma Yang… I can't believe she made me call her that…'
Ruby turned to the boys, "Oh! Hey, I-I gotta go! See you after the ceremony!" She quickly said before leaving towards her half sister.
Jaune seemed like he wanted to say good bye at least, but missed his chance when Ruby ran out of earshot. "Aww man. Where am I supposed to find another nice, quirky girl to talk to?!"
"Glad to see I'm considered the equivalent of invisible chopped liver in your eyes." Jared noted out sarcastically.
"You know what I mean. Besides you're a guy. All you need to do is… punch a guy on the shoulder and that's like… three years of therapy."
"… Sir, besides me, how many guy friends did you actually have?"
Jaune unceremoniously glanced over to where Ruby went after he heard the question. "Hey look, a free spot over there. Let's go Resh." He left, ignoring the unreadable stare by the raven haired boy.
Jared was having a hard time comparing his epic, super cool, and infinitely wise dad with his wimpier teenage self. Yes, his father did tell him that he was very much weaker when he first came to Beacon. But now he found out his father was kind of… underplaying how weak he was. Jared was starting to wonder how he could even win the hearts of five to six maidens.
He followed after Jaune, but then felt someone watching both he and his father. He quickly glanced over and saw someone rather familiar.
"Come on, Resh!"
Jared quickly looked back at Jaune before returning his gaze and missing where he felt the watching presence come from. "Coming…"
Jared stood next to Jaune and glanced over to the main stage where Principal Ozpin, in his Prime, was delivering his speech.
During the speech, Jared felt this odd feeling. It's like he was being watched again. But this time something was different.
Or rather, some things felt different. He felt more than several pressures directed towards him specifically.
One of them was easy to spot. Headmaster Ozpin meet eyes with him during his speech, with the light of curiosity and interest in his eyes.
Glynda Goodwitch came up to the mike after Ozpin's little speech. "You will gather in ballroom tonight. Dinner shall be served in the cafeteria. Tomorrow, your initiation begins. You are dismissed."
"Well that was something, huh Resh?" Jaune turned to his new friend only to find him replaced with an empty space of air. "W-wha. Did he ditch me?"
"What are you talking about? I'm right here."
Jaune jumped a little to see Resh right behind him. However, something seemed off with Resh. Jaune couldn't understand it, but the air around him just felt… different.
"Hey, don't worry, Jaune. I'm your friend. Anyway, I gotta go and meet Goodwitch really quick about something in my transfer. I'll see you at dinner." Resh smiled plainly and made his way towards the opposite direction a majority of the crowd was going and effectively disappearing.
Jaune felt a little bad that another friend had just left him. Still, he at least had some new nice enough friends. He wondered why something felt wrong with Resh—oh wait. He called him 'Jaune' pretty casually. Didn't he just get used to him calling him sir? Well, he had to admit, it sort of sounded like he knew what he was doing… when in reality he had no idea what he was getting himself into. He forged his transcripts for crying out loud.
Jaune shook his head and made his way towards the cafeteria. Maybe food would help ease his thoughts.
…
"Where is the cafeteria?" Jaune realized as he spoke out loud to himself.
He also realized it was Resh with the directory map.
"Go figure. Maybe I'll get lucky and meet another weird kid and quirky girl on my way there."
Had Jaune left a few seconds earlier, he would have noticed an odd duo of a silent boy with a magenta highlight in his hair chasing after a rather hyperactive orange haired girl. However, he instead had his attention caught by a rather beautiful girl in white talking to a familiar girl in red.
However, what Jaune didn't see was the fact 'Resh' suddenly vanished into thin air the moment all eyes were off him.
Jared on the other hand, felt really bad for ditching his father. Well, if he was his father, he would reprimand him greatly for the lack of manners, but ultimately tell him not to do it again. Still there was the fact that Jaune Arc right now was not his father, not yet at least. Jared stopped himself right there. If he had learned anything from the countless movies and show marathons that he watched with Xia, it's that time travel makes as much sense as expecting crops to grow on the surface of snow inside an active volcano.
Regardless, he didn't understand at all what was going on. But he had to leave, the longer he stayed here the more he didn't want to see what would happen.
He spotted Miss Goodwitch walking in the distance. Deciding on what to say, he made his way to her. "Miss Goodwitch?"
The blonde teacher turned at the call of her name. "Yes?"
"Well… OK the truth of the matter is that I'm lost—very so. I'm not actually a student here in Beacon and due to a mishap in the planes… I was brought here. So, I was wondering if there was any way to get out of here?"
Glynda's gaze suddenly sharpened, Jared couldn't help but step back at her glare. She was far scarier than his father made her to be.
"What is your name?"
"R-Resh Kolc!"
Glynda took out her digital clipboard and seemed to type something in it. "… You are a liar, Mr. Kolc."
Jared's eyes widened. Did she—
"You are a student here in Beacon. Your transcripts and file has already been sent here." She said and revealed the clipboard showing his current face under the name Resh Kolc.
Jared's mind was thinking so fast that he had no more thoughts in his head. …Huh?
"In fact, when your transcripts where sent. We also received a message from your older brother who gave the principal the package. While I did try to send it with the other belongings, your brother insisted in Ozpin keeping it so that you and the headmaster could chat," She fixed her glasses. "Ozpin should be waiting for you in his office at the top floor. Take the elevator down the hallway to your right. … And do try not to press all buttons before going to the top. More students tend to do that than you would think."
She walked away, leaving the life like statue of Resh Kolc/Jared Arc to simply stare expressionless at the empty air in front of him.
"… Brother?" Jared finally brought his mind back together.
He did have one older brother, but only in one of the memories with one specific mother. And Jared was certain he didn't travel back in time… maybe?
But Resh Kolc's brother? What the?
"Meet with Ozpin? Dad always did tell me that Ozpin always seemed to know more than he let on…"
As he entered into the elevator, Jared didn't understand why Glynda would ask him not to press all the buttons on the elevator though. You'd have to be a fool to do that—
~Ping!
… That button made a really nice sound.
Maybe he could take one stop in the floor before Ozpin's. You always want to know the top, but Jared believed that the second to the top floor is way more interesting.
~Ping!
That felt nice. Maybe he could just press that button again. Oh it doesn't work if you press it again. It only works if you press it once.
… It probably won't take too long if he had just pressed a few more buttons.
"Err… sorry I'm late… I got distracted… I totally didn't push all the buttons on my way up here or anything."
Ozpin drank from his coffee mug.
'I should probably tell him what coffee did to his teeth thirty years from now. … Or maybe tell him to go to his dentist more often considering I hear coffee is good for you.'
"You must be Mr. Kolc. Your brother has told me much about you." Ozpin greeted before taking out something from his drawers. A normal sized blue backpack that seemed filled with items and a black scroll.
"M-my brother, sir?"
"Yes, Chronos Kolc, a rather strangely named individual such as yourself. Your parents must have been quite determined to choose such names for their children."
Jared was sheepish. "Eheheh…"
"… Now Mr. Kolc, I understand that at times life may move to fast, but it is important that we take time to understand the situation. We are called Beacon after all. We not only light the way, but show the path to those in search of something." He smiled calmly.
Jared did not know what to say to that. Did Ozpin know who he was? Who the heck was this Chronos dude? He actually has to stay here in Beacon? Crap, what was going on!?
Ozpin motioned to the items on his table. "I believe these items are yours. Do hurry and take them, I hear that today's dinner has quite the array of food and I wouldn't want my students to starve themselves."
Jared absentmindedly accepted the items. Food sounded really good about now. Maybe he could think clearer with a full stomach.
Like a zombie, Jared slugged himself into the elevator and sadly pressed one of the buttons… then all of them right after.
Ozpin drank from his mug as soon as Jared left.
If what 'Chronos' had told him was even remotely true then he needed to make some calls.
The sun had recently set, and it was now dinner time at Beacon. The cafeteria offered a large array of meals varying from kingdom to kingdom. Any of the food entrees offered in the buffet could make even the greatest of food critics swoon.
It was here that we spotted Jared Arc, recently getting out of the line with a plate of fresh lobster, tempting him to undress its sweaty, wet, and hard like exterior for the tender, creamy, and naked flesh within…
'Patience my love...' Let it be known here that Jared was a sucker for sea food.
However, despite the heavenly meal he was carrying, Jared could not find any place to sit down and eat.
At least inside.
Outside on the courtyards, under the cold blowing winds, was a different story.
Shivering under the howling cold wind, Jared sighed mentally as he found himself alone on a table balcony.
Trying to wrap himself in his 'trench coat' to keep himself warm, Jared wondered a bit about his predicament.
That was putting it lightly. He was in some kind of deep… well you know… and he pretty much lost his chance for answers from Ozpin because he was so stunned at the fact that something was insanely wrong here.
He met his father at the age of seventeen. Lost all memories of his real mother and now gained six new memories of different mothers. Found out that he was actually applied to Beacon. And was hinted that maybe Ozpin actually knew of his existence… and was allowing him to stay!
"… I want to go home…" Jared whined as he devoured the lobster sadly. His favorite food did little to ease his problem.
After finishing his meal, Jared searched the duffel bag he was given. There didn't seem to be anything too out of the ordinary in it. Some pairs of colored shirts, socks, underwear, jeans, a sleeping bag, a pillow, and stripped pajamas with a night cap.
However, the scroll he received was something else entirely. It was a normal scroll back from this era, but it had one new message labeled: 'Now here's where things get complicated, kid.'
Of course, it was from an unknown number. Jared sighed an opened the message.
"Now, I could actually give you a call and explain what the (curse word here) is happening to you right now. Buuuttttt… nah. Ambiguous message go! "Be your Father's Wingman!" Got it? Good. Peace out kid!"
End of message.
Jared wondered if he could just deactivate his aura and try to fall off this two story balcony. He probably wouldn't die, but then again it was probably better than the idea of being trapped in the past with no way out.
All he was doing was just trying to find his semblance! He didn't ask for any of this!
Wait. Semblance? … Did he do this to himself? Is his Semblance…
'… Head hurts too much, need more lobster.'
"Oh, hey Resh."
Jared looked up and was surprised to see Jaune with a plate of food, taking the other seat across from him. Also, he imagined him to be a little angrier for ditching him.
"Sir? … I thought you would have finished eating by now." Jared asked, honestly thinking at the back of his head that he really would have been packing up his sleeping bag or something.
"Well… I sort of got lost again… took me a whole hour to find the cafeteria…"
Jared pointed to the auditorium that was in sight. "It was right next to the main auditorium. Didn't you follow the large group of people that headed here?"
"… I thought they were getting their stuff?"
"…"
"…"
"Err… your food looks good. Better eat some of it before it gets too cold out here."
"I'm not that hungry anyway, but yeah. … So how was talking to Goodwitch?"
Jared's eyes widened at that. "How did you know I went to her?"
Confused, Jaune pointed at Jared. "You… told me. Yeah, you definitely told me."
Jared sighed in defeat and slumped into the table with his hand on his head. "Yeah, I probably did."
"You OK?"
"Not really," Jared sighed. "It's just… I had a very, very long day."
Jaune Arc may not have been the most competent of people, but he knew when someone was feeling down. "I know what that's like. But hey, if it makes you feel any better, you got to be friends with Jaune Arc!" He winked with a commercial-like smile.
A small smile crept up Jared face at the attempt at comfort. "I'm friends with a guy who has no sense of direction and gets motion sick on a plane that moves slower than a three legged poodle. Truly, my ancestors are proud of my achievements and I have done them a great honor." He proclaimed with staged pride.
"O-oh yeah? Well… you wear a lot of purple!"
Jared cocked an eyebrow. "You have seen Ruby in all red right?"
Jaune made a motion to slap the air poorly. "Pssh! She's a girl, whatever they wear looks good."
Jared opened his mouth, only to close it as he realized something. "… Point there."
"And you totally missed it, there was this hot chick flirting all over me." Jaune beamed.
"Oh really? Did you get her name or number?"
"Umm…"
"Ah I see. She was so engrossed with you that she forgot her own identity completely. What manly prowess you have to seduce the opposite sex."
Jaune leered lightly. "I think I liked it better when you were a nervous wreck calling everyone sir and madam."
"When I get annoyed, I snark, 'Mr. I-use-pick-up-lines-for-girls-on-guys.'"
"That was just an ice breaker!"
"Oh, something broke alright…"
Jaune scoffed. "I bet your friends spit in your drinks when you're not looking."
"I'd like to think exchanging saliva as an art of brotherhood. Like Issue number 43 in X-ray and Vav."
"You've read issue number 43?! It's not out until next week!"
Jared blinked at the slip. He always did enjoy reading the classic X-ray and Vav series ever since he found them at his dad's attic. His father always seemed to chuckle whenever he would spot his son reading one of the comics. Later on in his life, Jared realized that they belonged to his father, but his father never really talked to him about it, mostly due to the fact his father got busier over the later years of his life.
Maybe this was his chance to finally talk to his dad about the comics, without feeling embarrassed on talking about nerdy things with a fifty year old man. "Oh… I do have my sources, but let me tell you. Issue number 45 starts one of the most epic sagas in the history of comics!"
Jared chuckled as did Jaune. He rather enjoyed spending time with his dad… while his dad tried to be there as much as possible, there was always this sense of… perfection whenever Jared looked to his father. That he just seemed so… out of reach… don't get him wrong, the two did bond and did have some normal father and son bonding, but Jared always saw his father as more of a role model than an actual friend.
However, now he thought he was starting to see his dad wasn't always this immaculate, super cool hunter, but a normal guy who just worked hard to get where he was.
Still there was one huge, glaring problem.
Make that six.
His mothers.
From what he could gather from that weird message he received in the scroll he was given, it rudely told him to be his father's wingman. He wondered if that was connected to all of this madness.
What exactly did being his father's wingman do if he ends up with at least one girl?
It shouldn't be too hard though, if not for the fact that he had absolutely no idea how to help someone like Jaune woo the hearts of six beautiful girls.
He couldn't even rely on his memories! All of them show that there was never a time when any different pair of his parents explained how they fell in love in the first place. He was mostly a kid, and who really wanted to learn those icky cooties stories when they were young? And as a teenager? All his parents did was just giggle at him and fed him to the wolves. (And the occasional Beowolves.) Ultimately making his teen life a dramatic struggle/soap opera that was High School.
Still, if he was at least remembering the old stories correctly, tomorrow would be the day teams RWBY and Team JNPR would be made. Basically Jared needed to do two things.
Ensure those teams happen.
Figure out what would happen to himself if team is actually made with him in it.
Yep that sounded way easier on paper.
"Did you see how cool it was when The Hollow played 'The Game of the Twisted'!?"
"Oh! That was one of the most shocking things I've ever read! He cut off their faces and placed it in front of Vav! I mean, thankfully it was all a dream, but that scene gave me nightmares for the next few days."
"Me too! But I think that pales to when The Hollow first killed Josie Saxton."
"Poor X-ray…"
But Jared figured that would have to wait for now. He was too busy spending time with his father again.
Jared just gawked. "Wow."
"Don't ask. Please don't." Jaune told him, ignoring the points and laughter aimed towards him, or specifically his onesie.
"Care to defend you reasoning sir?"
"It's comfy OK?"
Jared held in a chuckle. "Want my night cap? Really sell the look."
"Oh haha. Yours seems the most normal. Long pants with a long sleeve shirt. For some odd reason all the other guys are half naked." Jaune glanced over to the other guys attempting to show off their body.
'Wow. How vain.'
"I have low body fat and get cold easily." Jared explained.
"You too!?" Jaune asked.
'Well of course, I'm your son after all.' "Who knew?" Jared commented.
"Man, it's like you're my long lost brother or something," Jared rolled his eyes at the comment from his dad. "Only I'm the better looking lost brother."
"I'll be sure to remind you that when your imaginary girl friend has super hot adultery scenes with me every night at eight P.M. on the Soap Opera channel."
"Where do you even get ideas like that?"
"I come from a very diverse and culturally open place," Jared yawned. "I'm hitting the hay first. Good night, sir."
"Yeah, good night, I'll try to prevent someone from smothering you in your sleep. Namely me."
Jared slipped into his sleeping bag. "Oh please, sir, you'd probably pull a muscle just trying to put the pillow on my face. That and the fact you wouldn't last two seconds in the slammer since you have no experience in hiding dead bodies."
"Yeah, yeah. Badnight wisecracker."
"Sweet dreams, onesie lover. I hope you dream of open buttflaps." Jared snuggled into his pillow.
"I loathe you."
"Fake snore, fake snore."
Jaune rolled his eyes before also hitting the pillow. All things considered, not a bad first day. Sure, he probably could have done better in not making himself look like a dweeb in front of Ruby and Resh. But hey Ruby seemed nice, and Resh, while he was a cheeky little… guy… after you get to know him. But had a certain flare with words, and he rather enjoyed their little banter. Jaune would enjoy it more if he could get the upper hand in it though. So was his new main goal: make Resh Kolc speechless. Right next to his other main goal: don't F-up big time.
It was also kind of nice having a friend like Resh for once. He didn't have many guy friends back home. And it was nice to know guys wouldn't pretend to be nice to you in order to meet his sisters.
Jaune yawned. If he played things right, maybe he could survive Beacon.
A small Raven perched itself on the window above both Jared and Jaune. Its red beady eyes pointing towards Jaune's sleeping form that reflected on the surface of its eyes.
"The bloodline of Dagarud has been found…"
It flew off, only to be struck by an arrow mid flight.
He caught the bird, along with the fallen arrow. It was an animal, not Grimm. He needed to physically get rid of the evidence. "… Well that's going to be bloody annoying. Those descendants better appreciate this."
"My locker is… huh. Right next to yours apparently." Jared noted as he and Jaune compared numbers.
"Ridiculous!"
"I know, now my stuff can be potentially tainted with your Egoism."
"No, I mean I swear I didn't place my stuff in locker number 636 yesterday! I totally would have remembered counting up that high!"
"Counter point: Cafeteria."
"Not helping Resh."
"How would you even open up another locker when the one they gave you was supposed to open your originally assigned locker in the first place?"
"… They give out codes?"
Jared wondered if it was actually a locker Jaune placed his items in. He noticed locker number 637 and looked to Jaune. "Well there's my locker, so I'm going to put my stuff away. Hopefully, you'll figure out the mystery of the misplaced items soon."
Jaune scoffed, but then noticed a familiar girl in white talking with a girl with hair not unlike Ruby's.
When Jared came back, he saw his father in front of Mother Weiss and Mom Pyrrha. He remembered from Pyrrha's side on how it went and he pitied his dad who was going to be pinned by a spear soon. Maybe he could ask nicely not to do that to him.
"She's on the on the front of every Pumkin Pete's Marshmallow Flakes box!" Jared heard Weiss scream in disbelief at Jaune.
"That's you!?" Jaune pointed to Pyrrha.
'Way to go dad. All that respect for you that I learned to harbor for you for almost two decades has been nearly undone all in the span of two days. Good job.'
Jared walked up to Jaune, hands folded behind his back.
"I guess not… sorry…"
"Sir? You seem upset. What's the matter?" Jared asked formally as he entered into the conversation.
"Oh Resh this is Weiss and Pyrrha." Jaune pointed the girl in white then the girl with bronze armor.
"Nice to meet you, Mam." He plainly said to both causing Jaune to raise his brow at the sudden change in his friend's character.
"At least your friend has some manners." Weiss scoffed.
Jared leered at the insult to Jaune. "Mam, with all due respect, do not disrespect my friends in front of me." 'Funny, you of all people were the one to teach me that Mother.'
Weiss was not fazed the slightest and simply returned the glare of Jared.
Pyrrha wisely stepped in. "I think we should go now," She talked to Weiss which worked and Weiss simply huffed away in annoyance. She turned to Jaune with a smile. "Bye Jaune, nice to meet you!"
"Heh, likewise…" He did a small wave to her… before elbowing Jared in the thigh. It didn't hurt Jared, it actually hurt Jaune more, but Jared was surprised at the act.
"Why'd you do that?"
Jaune quickly recovered. "Dude, I should be asking you that! Why did you greet them as Mams?"
"It's kind of a habit of mine, when I meet new people, I act formally around them."
"And what the heck was with that glare! She was just playing hard to get and you looked like you were going to rip out her throat!" Jaune angrily yelled.
Jared stepped back, surprised at the scolding. Jaune did have a point, he probably scared them off as some kind of intimidating jerk. "B-but I-I thought she was just insulting you?" Jared asked softly.
"It wasn't like that Resh! And even if it was, I don't need your help defending myself!" Jaune stormed off ahead, leaving a now downcast Jared alone.
"Ouch. That could have gone better."
Jared turned back to see Ruby and Yang, threading carefully towards him.
Jared chuckled weakly. "Yeah. Oops well I goofed up."
"Resh, are you OK?"
"I'll be OK, Ruby, it was just a little misunderstanding. … It'll be fine. " 'I hope.' Jared sighed before leaving the room as well.
'Man I messed up big time. I just… didn't like it when Mother Wiess insulted dad… it's just… she was so different from when I was a kid. She was strict, but she never saw anyone lower than her… and my dad… UGH! I was stupid! Why the heck did I just assume that my parents would technically be the same people as teenagers! Teenagers are the most socially awkward beings in the human race! I am one of them and I know I f-ed up badly! Aww man, I gotta apologize to both of them, even Mom Pyrrha later on.'
Jared half listened to Glynda and Ozpin about finding partners and the goal of this exercise. It was now the partner making test; one of the most important events in his future's life. How the heck would he ensure the team's made while he is participating!?
"… ake your positions."
Jared heard a click. For one quarter of a second, he realized that he was the first to be launched into the forest.
"WHOAZA!" Jared yelled, arms flailing as he wasn't actually prepared.
Jared balanced himself mid flight. Landing was going to be easy; everything else was going to be hard.
As Jared descended closer to the ground, he brought up his legs and tapped another pair of purple ankle bracelets that was around his lower leg. His lower feet and shoes quickly got wrapped up in purple armor, but then he pressed another button on his gauntlets, allowing wheels to appear under his feet.
Jared didn't land. The moment he touched the ground, he dashed off in skates, never truly losing momentum from the launch.
Still, it gave him a headache trying to figure out how to ensure that his Father's and Ruby's original teams were made.
"Dang it! If only I could just skip this test—"
Glynda checked her scroll. Her eyes widened, and turned downcast. "Sir?"
Ozpin caught the tone in her voice. "Yes, Miss Goodwitch?"
"It's Resh Kolc's Scroll signal… it vanished."
Ozpin frowned. "Did he encounter the Grimm that soon?"
"No… if he was… then his aura would have dropped into the red. But according to my scroll… it almost seems as if he got out of range."
Ozpin stared at the statuses present to him then the location of the last signal. He checked the cameras, but saw no trace of Resh Kolc anywhere.
"Hmm… I do not believe he is dead. However, this is a rather curious case, so we may have to keep the cameras up even after the examination…"
Jaune applauded as Team RWBY was made. It was cool to have a friend like Ruby as a fellow team leader.
Speaking of friends, after that little incident with the Deathstalker and Nevermore, Jaune was excited to see Resh again. For one, rub it in his face that he got to be a leader, even though he was surprised to be one. The second was also to apologize for the snap. It was kind of a dick move to call him out on that when he originally didn't mean any harm.
However, a realization came into his head: where was Resh?
He had waited the entire ceremony for even a mention of his name, but never saw him anywhere.
Maybe he just missed them or something? And what was that feeling in his stomach?
'You looked like you were going to rip out her throat!'
Jaune walked up to Ozpin as the headmaster walked down the stage. "Um, sir? Err, I was wondering where Resh Kolc was?"
Unfortunately for him, both Team RWBY and his new Team JNPR heard him.
"Who's Relish Coke?" Nora Valkeryie of JNPR asked.
"Resh Kolc… I met him yesterday." Jaune explained to both her and Lie Ren. Pyrrha and Weiss seemed confused while Ruby and Yang looked at each other worryingly. Blake, much like Ren and Nora, didn't really see what was going on.
"Ahh, are you worried about Mr. Kolc, Mr. Arc?"
Jaune nervously chuckled. "W-well, yeah. I mean, we got along great until a little mishap, so I was sorta hopping to see him again."
Ozpin, with a monotonous face, said. "We have lost Mr. Kolc in the woods."
Everyone's eyes widened at that vague wording. It was as if he was saying Resh di—
"What?" Jaune asked.
"B-but I-I thought she was just insulting you?"
"L-lost? H-ha! And he insulted my sense of direction! Ha! Hahaha…" Jaune laughed feebly.
"Jaune…" Both Ruby and Pyrrha empathized softly.
Ozpin spoke again. "We lost signal with Mr. Kolc's scroll shortly after he landed, we have not found him since. As time grows on, we must assume the worst."
Jaune couldn't believe Resh was gone. He had just seen him this morning.
"And even if it was, I don't need your help defending myself!"
What if… that… was their last conversation?
Guilt was overwhelming for the newly appointed leader. He was just annoyed at Resh. He didn't mean any real ill will towards someone who he bonded with so easily.
But why did it hurt? Why did it hurt seeing his shocked face? Hearing his timid voice? And that last glance of betrayal?
Where those the last things he would say to one of the only people not bothered by his motion sickness at first glance? A friend that only seemed to judge people on their characters rather than their appearances?
"Sir," Glynda came up, approaching Ozpin. "You should see this. We've located Mr. Kolc. He's alive."
Jaune felt like the world started moving again and quickly grabbed the scroll from Glynda, surprising everyone else around him. Jaune's eyes and smile widened when he saw Resh's aura bars at one hundred percent. "HA! Yes! You Freaking Bastard! I am going to—"
"Mr. Arc!" Glynda scolded, snapping Jaune out of his relief and replace it with embarrassment. She grabbed the Scroll back and handed it to an amused Ozpin. "As I was saying…" She leered at Jaune, who cowered at her glare. "We have located Mr. Kolc, but the strangest thing was that his signal returned at the exact area we lost him. Furthermore, it appears he still is heading towards the shrine."
"I see…" Ozpin took in the situation. "But Grimm tend to be more active during the night which means that there will be more of them at this time or at least stronger Grimm that hunt in the night. Also considering the fact he is now all alone in a forest teeming wtih Grimm…"
"You gotta get him out of there!" Jaune cried out.
Ozpin drank his mug and wondered how to speak out. He looked to Jaune and told him, "… No."
"What!?" Jaune cried out in surprise. Everyone else was also shocked at the answer Ozpin had given him.
"Mr. Arc, technically speaking, Mr Kolc has not finished his initiation yet. And we did state beforehand that no instructor will assist during the test," Ozpin turned to Glynda. "Ms. Goodwitch, did you not tell me that there was one chess piece that was never taken?"
"T-that was simply the pawn. No one wanted the lowest tier piece."
Ozpin chuckled. "How interesting. Despite what movies say about the pawn piece, in chess, pawns play a rather important and flexible role. At times, it could even be considered a tide turner in a game…" He looked back at Resh heading towards the site. "How… fortuitous…"
Jaune was horrified that he would treat this so casually, but the look in Ozpin's eye told him to have a little patience. It wasn't much, but he did see a sense of empathy from Ozpin as if he too wanted to help him, but something was staying his hand. Jaune stood beside Ozpin and watched the camera of Resh skating past at night, just like him, The look in Resh's face was also confused and startled.
'WHAT THE HECK!? IT'S NIGHT!? W-what!? I swear it was late morning just one second ago! What in Oum's name is going on here!?'
Jared jumped over a large tree root and continued skating along the forest.
"EEUGHUGH!"
A loud, primordial whine came from Resh's side. Turning on his skates, Resh was able to look back, but continue his forward momentum despite facing the opposite direction.
He saw trees in the distance collapse rather quickly then spotted a large eight-foot tall creature heading his way.
"UUUURRRRGGGGAAGHHH!"
"Crap a Tauren!" Jared cried out, switching back and skating ahead as fast as he could.
Tauren were Grimm much like the ancient mythological creatures, the Minotaur. With a humanoid body with a bull for a head, the towering Grimm also has the equivalent acceleration of a 100 horse powered machine that had horns as strong as titanium. They can charge up to eighty miles an hour in a strong dash, and can pierce through even the thickest of walls if they are let alone. Unlike most Grimm; however, these creatures had a giant white ring that seemed to 'lock' their mouths. Making them unable to actually eat or even open their mouths at all. However, this only made them more intimidating as hunters would get glimpses of something else moving within its locked mouth besides what some believe to be the tongue.
Spotting its prey, the Tauren rushed madly for Jared.
Jared knew that he couldn't out speed this thing, but he did know that while Tauren were fast and powerful, they were not agile.
Jared extended his hand out, quickly catching a branch and pulling on it to make a quick hard left. When he released the branch, it whipped back at the charging Tauren, only for it to smash into a million pieces touching the large horns of the Tuaren, and not even slowing it down in the slightest.
"Come on Resh! You can't just beat that thing by running away!" Jaune, somehow trying to grab the Scroll away from Ozpin, chanted to the screen as if Resh could hear him.
"Yeah! You gotta grab the Tuaren by the horns and… do something!" Ruby cheered as she too was watching the scroll on the other side of Ozpin, also trying to grab the scroll to view the scene properly.
Jared slid around a boulder that was smashed by the Tauren a few seconds later.
'I lack the fire power to stop or hit it. And I can't keep this up forever because I might attract more Grimm if this chase continues! Think! How do you stop an unstoppable force!? … Wait a sec…'
Jared jumped on and soon grinded on a large root that led him to turn back.
'Come on, I know I spotted it somewhere… Aha!'
"What's he doing?" Pyrrha asked as she tried to peek over Jaune's shoulder.
"It looks like he's going around in circles." Yang added her commentary as she strained to look at the scroll from Ruby's side.
"I'm not sure that's completely true." Ren added along on Jaune's side.
"What kind of weapon is that!? How exactly is that suitable for a hunter!?" Weiss complained at Resh's skates.
"Hey! Skates are cool! Maybe he could do a triple sow cow!"
Ren corrected his childhood friend quickly. "Not a real ice skating move, Nora, also wrong skates."
Blake mentioned to the scroll. "Hey, is he heading straight for that cliff wall?"
'Time to head straight for that cliff wall!'
It was simple, use an unmovable object against an unstoppable force. Sure he probably could have thought of a better plan, but hey he had little to work with.
Jared stopped as he reached the wall. He turned to face the charging Tauren then smiled when he saw that it wasn't stopping.
He knelt, waiting for it…
"UUURRRRHHHH!"
Almost…
"GGGG!"
Now!
Kicking off the wall, Jared slid under the Tauren as it brought one of its hooves up. As soon as he slid under the creature completely he ran off.
The Tauren smashed into the cliff wall and caused it to collapse on the Grimm whose horns were stuck on the wall.
After the dust settled a bit, Jared sighed in relief and noticed the temple was actually nearby.
Smiling, he walked up, only to notice all but one piece was taken.
"A Pawn? Ha. Left alone and unwanted in this depressing forest? Yeah… that feeling sucks doesn't it? Sorry for making you wait." Jared humbly said before taking the white pawn of the smallest pedestal.
Jared, with a piece in hand, but not meeting with someone else, decided to head back to Beacon if he remembered his way back. Actually, it was easy enough from this clearing. Beacon's lights could be seen from here.
As he made his first step off the shrine, it was then he heard a very loud howl.
Jared gazed up to the top of the cliff he used to stop the Tauren. "OH COME ON!?"
It was an Omega Beowolf, leagues above the Alpha. Unlike the Alpha, Omega Beowolves travel and hunt alone, giving new meaning to the term 'lone wolf'. However, Omega Beowolves are older and far more experienced than any of their species. Over the decades, their fur started evolving into thick scaled armor that even the sharpest of weapons had trouble cutting through. Their arms, and by extensions, claws were twice as long and three times as deadly.
And unlike their younger versions, these could easily adapt and hunt far more effectively.
Faster than the Tauren, the Omega jumped off and launched himself towards Jared.
Arming his steel around his arms, Jared reacted quickly and jumped out of the way of the Omega's swipe, destroying the shrine in one powerful slash.
"Despite being smaller, The Omega Beowolf is probably on par with the Nevermore and Deathstalker in terms of level. However, Mr. Kolc is all alone." Ozpin fixed his glasses, and struggled to keep hold of the scroll since Team's RWBY, JNPR and Ms. Goodwitch were now fully crowding him and watching the screen.
Jared tried to run away, but unlike the Tauren, the Omega was far more agile. It cut off Jared's escape route. It mockingly missed him with his swipes, but was able to scratch the surface of his flesh. Jared did try to run, but it only proved worse the more he tried to escape.
It wasn't trying to let him run, it was forcing him to fight to the death.
'Sadistic jerk!' Jared darkly thought as he charged right for the larger beast. It dodged the first punch, then spun to back hand Jared, swatting him away like a ragdoll.
"No! Resh!" Jaune cried out in vain. He turned to a slightly crushed Headmaster. "You gotta get him out of there!"
Ruby gasped. "Jaune, wait! He's getting back up!"
Jared stared at the creature. At the rate he was going, he was going to die.
"I really hate using this…" Jared looked to his waist and grabbed his belt. He slid it over revealing some kind of fancy metal buckle that looked like it had an empty slot where a sphere went in.
"What is that?" Jaune asked, causing everyone to press in further to see what Resh was doing and causing Ozpin to question why he had not simply put this on a screen yet.
Jared took out something from his pockets, a small see through orb with a thunderbolt inside it.
"What?! That's impossible!" Weiss screamed as she pushed to take a closer look at what Resh had taken out.
"Weiss, what is it?!" Ruby asked her partner.
"That sphere he's holding, it is a Crystal Dust! One of the rarest and purest forms of Dust on Remnant! It's basically a stronger more lasting version of regular Dust! But it's so rare and near impossible to replicate in labs, how did Resh obtain one?!"
"And what's he going to do with it?" Blake wondered, seeing as Resh didn't seem to have a way to access it despite his odd buckle.
Starting to sense something was wrong with the situation, The Omega launched itself towards Jared. The boy from the future was unfazed and quickly locked the small orb into his buckle. The instant it did, a bright flash of light appeared and momentarily blinded everyone.
*Clang!*
A loud yelping sound was heard followed by an explosion.
The light died down on the screen, and everyone, sans Ozpin now being shoved away violently from his own scroll, desperately checked to see what had happened in the flash of light.
"No way…" Jaune spoke out as he saw the screen.
The scroll showed that Resh was now in full body armor. He wore a purple helmet that had the design that had a sleek designed that looked to be the combination of a biker helmet's visor with a medieval knight helm's shape. His armor also looked like that of a knight, but he had shoulder shields that proudly wore a strange symbol of two crossed swords broken by an arrow shooting upward. His joint areas seemed to have some black chainmail around them. His arms were still covered, but now thrummed with lines that seemed to glow, as the same with his feet. He had a shiny purple cape with gold trimmings, and finally on his torso was the crystallized thunder Dust embalmed in the center, seemingly transferring glowing lights throughout his armor like blood vessels.
The Omega came out of a bunch of broken trees and snarled angrily at his prey.
Jared, in the suit, took a fighting stance with his fist ready. His visor showed the reflection of the Beowolf in front of him.
"Round two."
Then in a flash of purple, Jared was right under the Beowolf and launched a devastating uppercut. A loud cracking sound was heard, signaling that the punch was strong enough to break decades of evolving armor, and as Jared followed through, the Omega was sent flying into the air a good feet. The Omega landed on its feet, howled madly and charged even faster at Jared.
In streaks of Purple and Black, the Omega slashed and wildly swung its massive, side arching claws at its target. But Jared was avoiding each attack with equal speed, but also adding his own attacks within each dodge.
One kick to the knees or an elbow to the chest into a rising kick, Jared was slowly breaking the proud armor of the Omega.
The Omega clawed to the ground as it tried to less the impact and flight time from the recent blow. It looked up to see another light gathering into Jared's fist.
"Die."
Jared literally blasted off from where he stood and launched his glowing fist at the Omega. The Grimm returned in kind, launching his claw right towards the punch.
The two attacks made contact, but the refined claws of the Omega shattered instantly and Jared's attack followed through.
Jared landed and quickly looked back. There was now a large gaping hole in the middle of the Omega's chest.
The Omega fell and started to dissipate, signaling its death.
"… Still think his weapon sucks Weiss?" Yang finally spoke out after a stifling silence.
"Not one word."
Jared quickly removed the orb on his chest, and his armor quickly vanished in a lesser light. However, he gasped for breath and fell to his knee. "I… I hate how that drains my aura so easily… better get back now. I can't last another fight." He told himself and sped off, not wanting to deal with anything else.
Everyone else took a second to look at Jared's aura bar; it was already in the red. While that power boost looked amazing, it obviously had its drawbacks.
Jaune took this time to leave from the group and head his way outside.
Ozpin, finally grabbing back his Scroll, cleared his throat. "Best to go meet him now then?"
Jared gasped for breath as he re entered into Beacon grounds. He disabled his skates and fell to the floor, allowing himself to breathe properly after expending so much.
"Resh!"
Jared looked up and was surprised to See Jaune being the first to meet him.
"J-jaune? You're here?"
"The test ended hours ago! Where the heck where you!?" Jaune screamed, but offered his hand up to help Jared up.
Jared took the hand and stood up. "Hey don't blame me, one minute everything was fine and the next—wait… the test was done?" Jared paled at the thought of his worst fears. He quickly asked, "Jaune, what's your team name!?"
"Huh? Team JNPR why?"
Jared sighed in relief. "I… I was just curious…"
"Resh!"
The two boys looked over to see Ruby and everyone else coming over to him.
"Whoo! Not bad, Hero! That was some secret weapon you pulled against the Omega!" Yang cried with a smile.
Jared blinked. "Wait… you all saw that?"
They all nodded furiously, some more than others. However, Ozpin started speaking before they could all start asking question at the same time. "Mr. Kolc, congratulations on passing your initiation. However, there is a problem."
Everyone looked at him confusingly again.
"While you have passed, you also have no partner. And you are not assigned into a team. Beacon is a school for Hunters and follows a rather strict teaching system that involves simply more than slaying Grimm. A system that cannot work for a single person."
"What… what do you mean, Sir?" Jared asked hesitantly.
"With regret Mr. Kolc, the fact remains that you are late for the assignment. Therefore, you are disqualified and must be sent back home."
Jared actually had mixed feelings about that. He was horrified to know after all that work he had to do, even getting close to death, he was just kicked out. But on the other hand, he could finally leave this place like he originally intended. And if Team JNPR was made, then RWBY was also made, signaling that Jared didn't need to stay if the teams were the same.
"Wait, headmaster! You can't just do that! He almost died out there!" Jaune cried out in shock.
"I'm sorry Mr. Arc, I truly am. But the Team System is a major part of the curriculum and one cannot be a team by himself, even with a cloning semblance." Ozpin rather lightly said. Jared wondered why he emphasized team for a second there. It was almost as if he was hinting something.
Jaune's eyes lit up. "Wait! If Resh is part of a team, then he can stay right?"
Ozpin rubbed his chin. "I suppose… but all teams have been assigned."
"Headmaster," Jaune said, standing tall and eyes determined. "As leader of JNPR, I request Resh Kolc to be added as our fifth member!"
Now that shocked everyone, but Ozpin, who did his best to suppress a smile.
"J-Jaune!?" Jared called out in shock.
"Mr. Arc!" Glynda also in amazement. "You cannot—"
"Actually Glynda," Ozpin interrupted her. "While all teams have been four per group, there is no Rule, in adding a new member into a team through recommendation or by odd number." Ozpin turned to Jaune. "However, adding a fifth member will cause some formal issues to come out essentially giving the leader of the team more work."
"I'm fine with that." Jaune responded instantly.
"But…" Ozpin turned to NPR. "What about you? Do you accept your leader's outrageous demand?"
Jaune paled as he realized that his request was kind of selfish and that he really didn't talk with anyone about this. Just one of them saying no could not only get Resh kicked out, but make Jaune look like a selfish and bad leader.
Pyrrha stepped up. "Yes. I believe simply kicking Resh Kolc out after suffering through the test like the rest of us is unfair. If this will prevent him from disqualification, I support Jaune's idea." She smiled at Jaune, to which the leader mouthed a silent thank you.
"We get five members!? That makes us even cooler!" Nora cried happily, excited about the idea.
"I believe it would be… interesting. I also support our leader." Ren plainly stated.
Jaune felt happy and proud to have such teammates. Ozpin once more had a hard time suppressing his smile and finally turned to Resh. "And you, Mr. Kolc? What do you say to Mr. Arc's offer?"
"Uhh…" Jared, was so confused right now. Too much was happening for him.
"Hey, uh Resh?" Jaune spoke out, causing the purple clad boy to look at him. "Look, I wanna say sorry for this morning. You were just trying to be my friend in your own way and I sorta snapped at you for being yourself… which is completely hypocritical of me, of all people, to say to someone else. You're my friend, and hey… every cool hero needs a sidekick, so what kind of hero would I be would out my faithful sidekick spouting strange one liners every other day?"
A smile crept up on Jared's face. "You? The hero? If anything, I'm the hero and you're the comic relief!"
"So is that a yes?" Jaune asked truly.
Jared sighed. "Yeah. I'll join your team… Sir Butt Flap."
"HEY!"
That name earned a few good laughs out of everyone, even Ms. Goodwitch.
However, as the night ended, Jared wondered if he would regret that decision.
I never got to say it here, since there wasn't a proper place to say in the story, but the name of Jared's weapon/body armor is called the "Armaments of Raijin."
The weapon for this OC was heavily inspired by Kamen Rider and Power Ranger. (Only less bug looking and more Power Ranger like.) (Don't get me wrong Kamen Rider looks cool, but I always found the bug looking thing a bit weird.)
Instead of a normal (Unbelievable) two in one weapon, Jared wears a boosting armor. I find this very heavy in plot potential, especially in fights to come.
Another thing I couldn't mention is that JNPR is still JNPR. Adding Resh/Jared just makes it "JNPR plus 1." This will be explained a bit more next chapter.
As I said, the potential romantic building starts later. This chapter was more on building up the plot and character relationships.
Another thing is that despite the summary, there's an actual story plot behind the romantic one.
Jared wasn't just sent here for the sake of hooking a brother up. There's another reason why he was sent and staying at Beacon.
This story allows me to play a bit of my comedic bits, while also trying to branch out to my favorite story expanding parts.
Next time: Teams RWBY and JNPR start thier first day of school. It's mostly the same... except for three people doing one thing completely different.
Thank you for reading.