Fighting Chance

Chapter 3

Break and mend

Jaune had been exited about training, past tense. As in right now he wasn't.

Because who wouldn't be exited to live in a house far removed from civilization, near a beautiful lake with a super-hot girl as your company? Jaune sure was. But that quickly changed when he complained about how the trip was giving him nausea.

Satsuki did not take her eyes off the road even if the house was already in view, her eyes narrowed at everything that moved as she drove slowly towards their destination. Jaune refused to comment on her driving speed.

Hell, he refused to speak in general until she apologized.

"We have arrived, please retrieve your things" Satsuki commented, the doll not caring that the only reply she got was a thumbs up, but she did find it odd that the normally talkative young man was so quiet. Jaune breathed in the air and smiled, Beacon was barely a glimmer in the distance but that did not matter.

He would get there eventually

"Lord Vega has instructed me to prepare you for the first day of training, food is already ready at the table. Please eat as much as you can before the training begins" Satsuki snapped him out of his thoughts as she walked next to his side, her eyes focused on the lake. Jaune nodded at her but felt his words slip his mouth before he cold control them "Really, not going to say anything?"

Satsuki tilted her head to the side "What do you mean?"

"… brothers you're lucky you're cute" Jaune passed a hand across his face exasperated "When I told you that I was feeling a bit under the weather I was expecting many things, sympathy would have been cool. Indifference I wouldn't have minded but a PUNCH! Yeah that was not on my list" Jaune said as Satsuki stared at him in confusion "You said that you did not wish to feel that way, so I made you unconscious for most of the trip. It was a very reasonable decision"

Jaune raised his hands as he walked towards the cabin "Whatever, I will get ready so we can begin training or whatever. As he entered the small cabin he was pleasantly surprised by how neatly decorated it felt, everything was clean and not one inch of dust could be seen Satsuki entered shortly after as she inspected the establishment, everything seemed to be in order.

Shadaloo employed several cleaning companies under their umbrellas to keep their bases and buildings spotless, they never knew who owned the house or what they were used for. Satsuki watched in silence as Jaune ate, she already ate a long time ago. Before dawn if she was being precise, she was on edge ever since free reign over some parts of the mission where given to her by Lord Vega. For starters she was supposed to "get him ready" for training and while she did not know the specifics of what Lord Vega wanted from the boy she knew that he wanted Jaune to fight.

And so get him ready for a fight she would.

Jaune felt a chill as he walked outside with his new outfit on, the previous warmth of the sun no longer felt as Satsuki waited for him on the open field near the lake, the girl eyed him for a moment before nodding "Jaune, I was informed that I'm to get you prepared for actual combat. I think I have a solid grasp of what you need to do to prepare; the first thing on the list is jogging" Satsuki commented as she moved to the side and motioned towards a gate in the distance.

"That's where the property ends, run as fast as you can and then back here. Two laps should do to test your endurance" Satsuki stared as Jaune gave a nervous nod.

"S-sure… I will do just that then" the young knight said.

He did some stretches he saw in the movies, a training montge from a boxer if he remembered right, the doll never took her eyes off him as she made mental notes. When he felt he was ready he ran as fast as he could, his lungs began to burn a bit as he realized that the distance was longer than he expected. but he wanted, hell… he needed this.

So he pushed himself for more speed, when he reached the gate he barely stopped, preferring to do a U-turn. his breathing began to become louder as he began the second lap and his eyes even became blurry from the effort he was putting, finally he reached the end of the second lap and he let out a long sigh as some sweat began to form on his brow.

the entire exercise took less time than he expected, but man was it taxing "Performance, bellow required standards" came the cold voice from his side as Jaune looked up at Satsuki in surprise.

"Really?! I felt like I as about to fly there!" Jaune said.

Satsuki handed him a scroll that showed him the data "You fail to come close to what you're being compared to" she tapped twice on the screen as more details came to view, Jaune's jaw almost fell to the floor as he stared at the results. He had taken twice as long as the one he was being compared to.

Jaune gulped as he looked back at Satsuki "And… I am being compared to some athlete or hunter?" Jaune asked trying to save some of his bruised ego. Satsuki tilted her head to the side as she shook her head.

"This data is from Mr. Vega, he is coming later today to… train you, but I am to get you ready, is only natural that I compare you to him" the doll commented as relief flowed through Jaune, ah his uncle. good, he tought he was being compared to other hunters in training. if he was he would have felt like shit.

Jaune scratched his cheek "And… could I see how I did against some other hunters in training?" there was a pause as he swore Satsuki frowned. he was half expecting her not to answer but the quiet reply barely reached his ears.

"No, why would I do that?"

What followed was what he could only describe as military training, pushups followed by side hops, burpees and then repeat he whole process. Each time he repeated it he got more slower, his muscles more strained.

By the time he finished the last set he fell to the ground exhausted; Jaune gasped for air as the sun reached its peak. Satsuki kneeled next to him and wrote something down on her scroll.

"First course, complete. Congratulations Jaune" she said and patted him slightly on the chest as Jaune gave her an incredulous look "First?!"

Satsuki looked back at her scroll "Indeed, swimming is next. that's why the lake was chosen, you do know how to swim right?" Jaune glped as he looked at the water.

"A bit… but come on… I can barely move here. if I try to swim I would drown!" Jaune said, but Satsuki merely stared at him for a brief moment. Jaune felt a soft hand touch his chest as she felt his heartbeat through his sweat soaked shirt. Jaune fought the blush as Satsuki frowned.

The doll helped him up and moved her head towards the cabin "Unacceptable, training must continue. Supplement will be administered now" Satsuki said mysteriously as she walked inside the cabin, Jaune let out a long sigh as he tried to make sense of what she was saying.

"Supplement? What is she on about?" he muttered as she limped towards the cabin, his muscles and bones begging him to stop moving. When he entered Satsuki was already waiting for him at the living room her eyes focused on a weird purple container. Jaune sat on the couch next to her as he eyed the substance inside the container with suspicion.

The doll grabbed a large needle an made eye contact with Jaune "As per your agreement with Mr. Vega, you're to test this new… product our company has developed"

Jaune shuddered as the lid was opened and his mind made a connection to the man in red, the weird aura that had surrounded him and made him such an oppressing presence was also purple. Satsuki didn't seem to mind as she poured him a small cup of the liquid, Jaune let out a sigh as he grabbed the cup and looked the bizarre liquid "How does it taste?"

Satsuki simply tilted her head "I do not have something to compare it too, but I was told that it tastes like soda" she was told to lie to him on this little detail, psycho power infused things did not "taste" like anything. But the mind was a powerful thing and if Jaune believed it then it would taste just like soda. Jaune sniffed it and shrugged "I do like grape soda" as the liquid went down his throat the blond knight blinked as he felt something in him change.

"Oh man" Jaune jumped from his seat as energy flared within him, he looked down at his arms and legs and did a couple of practice kicks "What as in that soda? I feel like I never got tired in the first place!"

Satsuki closed the cylinder satisfied with the result "From what I was explained it helps in a… natural way to enhance performance and accelerate the healing of muscles, it basically gives you a second chance in a way"

Jaune gave her a look "So… why is it not on the market yet? I feel like I would have heard of this thing! and there's no way that you guys did not test this in a lab first, I feel like someone would have leaked this." Satsuki bit her lip as she remembered the almost failure that the dolls had earlier in the month. Someone had tried and nearly succeded in escaping thanks to their semblance, a White Fang member. If not for the interference of Lord Fang whose venom had burned through aura and body alike, Shadaloo would have been in deep troubles.

"We are very protective with our products, if not investors like your uncle would be scared off. But I feel like we have talked enough, next comes swimming" Satsuki said as Jaune scratched his cheek a little embarrassed.

Satsuki raised an eyebrow at his reaction "Something wrong?" Jaune shook his head as he looked towards the lake "I just… I think I would feel a bit embarrassed to take my shirt off and swim next to you"

This made the doll pause as she almost smiled "While your modesty is appreciated, it is not needed. I have seen far better bodies than yours"

"HEY!"

Vega arrived at the lake house late into the night, his face hidden behind his mask. His meeting with Lord Bison had gone as expected, the other two generals making complete fools of themselves in order to impress the great Lord Vison. Only one had meant it of course, Fang was special in that way bot him and Balrog where only allied with Bison because it suited them, it did not mean that they had no loyalty but they had no love for it.

the masked killer for example was far more invested in this little pet project of his than whatever Bison was up to. Operation Chains was still so far off in the distance it could be a mirage and the reports about someone stealing dust was so far beneath him that he was almost insulted when the notification showed up in his scroll. To his pleasant surprise he found Jaune practicing fighting with the doll, his strikes where slow and his breathing ragged seems like they had been doing this for a long time.

"Satsuki… please… we have been fighting for…" Jaune let one of his hands rest on his knee while the other was raised up to show that he needed a break "… can't you give me more… of the purple soda or whatever it is called"

Vega watched from the shadows and his grin grew wider when he saw the doll lower her mas and frown at him "Dependency on outside forces would make you a second grade fighter and pathetic excuse of a huntsman. No soda for you Jaune… but I do feel like you have done enough for today, I do not wish to injure or hurt you" Jaune let out a laugh as he gave her a small wink.

"Could've fool me"

Satsuki felt something tug at her lips as a small smile graced her features, Vega happy with the development stepped out from the shadows and made Satsuki imidietly salute "Lord Vega, I was not expecting you"

Jaune turned around and gave him a weak wave "Uncle Vega"

Vega nodded at them as he looked at Jaune, he was covered head to toe in sweat and his shirt seemed to be missing. He turned to Satsuki who was still saluting "My oh my, I know I gave you control over his training but to have him shirtless my dear"

Satsuki simply nodded "Better contact and understanding of where his muscles are sir, it will improve his fighting by at least twenty percent" Vega clicked with his tongue in irritation.

"I see, thank you for that then"

The doll nodded as she waited for further orders, Jaune on the other hand had finally recovered his breath and did some stretches "I am beyond exhausted, I think if I close my eyes I would pass out" he commented as Vega turned to him and grinned beneath the mask.

faster than Jaune could react his legs where kicked underneath him and he fell with a yelp.

as he got up he saw something being thwrown his way, his sword and shield. Jaune gulped as he stood up and looked towards the roof of the small cabin, Vega stood there his back illuminated by the broken moon as he cast a large shadow over Jaune "A hunter must fight, even if he is beyond tired. Do you think a Grimm will give respite? No, fight me with all you got. Fight me with your soul Jaune!" Vega screamed as he leaped from the roof and prepared his claws, the blonde knight felt his legs almost refuse to move but his fear of failing pushed him forward. Vega chuckled as he jumped into the air and kicked him in the back of the head, his nephew falling to the ground.

"Too slow, speed is almost everything. Positioning is the other percent, can your tired body work around that Jaune?" Vega said as Jaune stood back up and glared at his uncle, he hit his nose hard when he fell and a bit of blood trickled down his chin. Jaune watched as his uncle did a dance and launched himself into the air again, this time Jaune jumped to the side and avoided the strike, Vega landed with one foot on the ground and with the other, Vega kicked Jaune in the gut leaving him gasping for air.

Jaune stumbled back and Vega mercileslly beaat him on all his exposed sided, the boy fell to the groun bleeding from his sides as Vega looked at his claw "Do not forget Jaune, they are simple minded beasts but when the only thing in your minds is killing, mastery over the art of death is theirs"

Vega prepared to walk away fully expecting Jaune to stay there but a sword was firmly placed on the ground as Jaune used it to stand back up, this made the beautiful killer to nod in appreciation. Jaune spat some blood, he had bitten his cheek when he fell down but that did not matter "Not…done… yet" maybe it was because he was family, maybe it was because Satsuki was watching with a worried expression but there was one thing Jaune knew:

He would hit his uncle once.

His pride as an Arc would not allow him to leave this battle without having to land a blow, so he stood back up and dropped his shield to the side it was too heavy fro him to use now, but Crocea Mors? He did not know how, but it felt as if it was a part of him. he had been taken to the point of exhaustion twice today, what was once more?

Vega jumped towards him, his speed almost blinding the snake tattoo on his chest seemed to glow. Jaune felt the kick that sent him flying back he watched in slow motion as his uncle landed gracefully on the ground, in that one moment he moved.

The mask fell to pieces as the sword made contact with Vega, there was no pain as the sword bounced off from him thanks to aura but Jaune had done it, a strike had been dealt. As he fell to the ground there was no pain, he got what he wanted for some time he did not move but when the pain all came rushing back he groaned and moved to a sitting position, Jaune looked towards his uncle and realized that he had also not moved. He was looking down at the shattered pieces of his mask with an unreadable expression, Jaune slowly made his way to his feet and walked towards his shield.

Vega gazed at him and nodded "You have earned this Jaune congratulations" the man said cryptically as Jaune looked at him confused "Getting beat up?"

there was a flash of steel as Vega carved with his mask a large gash on his nephew's chest making him gasp and raise up his sword "A mark, when I was a child your father gave a scar that would never heal from that day onwards I promised to keep it until I bested him and when the time came…" Vega traced a hand over his snake tattoo.

Jaune grit his teeth as he looked up and it dawned on him "You…"

"Yes, do not forget this fight. Do not forget the pain and fear of today, this life of ours Jaune is pain and fear, but we are to rise above all that… we are to BECOME that. Doll he is in your hands now, he will make a fine hunter. Come see me at the restaurant when you have the time Jaune" and with that Vega left back to shadows leaving Jaune clutching his chest as waves of pain made it impossible for him to move.

But as the pain hit him, something on him was born. The furious will to fight had been awoken in Jaune and as Satsuki helped him towards his room he realized that the question for this new found fury could only be found in the heart of battle.