"Why?" Jaune whispered.

"Rather than 'why'…" laughed a manic voice, "I'd ask 'why not'."

Jaune's eyes widened as he immediately recognised the voice. He twisted his head around and faced the murderer, teeth grit and cold sweat trickling down his neck.

Tyrian.

"You did this—" he gasped out, "Why did you do this!?"

The corners of Tyrian's mouth spread across his face, presenting itself in a wide grin.

"How rude! You ask me all these redundant questions but leave mine completely unanswered. It's unfair, completely unfair! Did your parents not teach you any manners!"

Half dazed and his mind racing, Jaune blinked several times in a simple effort to understand the mindless violence before him. The logic of this madman was something he simply couldn't comprehend.

"Why are you here!?" Jaune demanded, pulling out Crocea Mors, "What answers are so important that you would kill innocent kids!?"

Tyrian tilted his head, unfazed by the threatening gesture.

"I don't believe we've met and yet—" the murderer grinned, "Your hatred for me is quite astonishing. Is it the shock of seeing someone die, perhaps?"

"Answer me!" Jaune shouted, his grip tightening around the hilt of his sword.

Tyrian ignored his question and circled towards the dead Beacon initiates. He bent down and grabbed one of the boy's ginger hair, lifting his head up for Jaune to see. Bruised and bloody with several teeth missing from his open mouth, the boy remained limp as he was manhandled by Tyrian.

"Were you close to these boys? Does your hatred stem from revenge?" Tyrian wondered in amusement. "No, no, that wouldn't explain the pathetic attempt to get the attention of Beacon's finest."

"Pathetic…?" Jaune muttered before rousing in anger, "As if! The teachers will be here any minute now!"

"Ehhh? Where do you kids get all this confidence from?" Tyrian drawled, "Your half-arsed plan was doomed from the start."

"Huh?"

"Haven't you got it through your thick skull? If the cameras worked in the first place, don't you think it would be a bit difficult for me to have my fun?"

Jaune's eyes widened in realisation, "You mean…"

"Congratulations!" Tyrian clapped, "You got it!"

"Dammit," Jaune muttered, as he raised himself up from the ground.

The madman laughed, "By the time our lovely Beacon staff realise they've been working with tampered footage, my work will already be done!"

Jaune ran at him with all of his might and raised his family's heirloom up in the air, "You bastard!"

With wrathful desperation, Jaune swung his blade down towards Tyrian's neck. Immediately, Tyrian pushed his Aura to his hand and grabbed Crocea Mors by the blade, ripping it from Jaune's grip.

"Your little tantrums are just so amusing," Tyrian told him, "It was the right idea to rile you up."

Now completely unarmed, Jaune went for a desperate attempt to grab his sword back but was quickly intercepted by a grab to the throat. With little ease, Tyrian swung Jaune back and down to the ground, winding him.

Immediately, pain swept through Jaune's body as he felt the impact cause his internal organs to compress. He gasped as he spat out blood.

"Hm? Why is it that someone going through Beacon's Initiation would have no Aura to speak of?" Tyrian complained, "It's almost as if you're taking all the fun out of this!"

Gasping for air and writhing in agony, Jaune was unable to reply.

"You see, brat? I have many questions of my own that I would just love to be answered. But, rather than acting upon my selfish desires, I will instead ask you only one question."

Tyrian leaned in close as his voice began to lighten in excitement.

"Tell me where Ruby Rose is."

"Why—" Jaune croaked out.

"Wrong!"

Tyrian plunged his wrist blades into Jaune's thigh and twisted, scrambling the flesh and jeans against the bone, leaving only a bloody mess.

"Agghhhhk—!"

"Whoops, looks like you won't be able to walk again." Tyrian looked at his expression with glee, "Now, let's try again, shall we? Tell me where Ruby Rose is?"

"I don't—"

A quick snap and his left arm was twisted backwards.

"How about now? Tell me where Ruby Rose is."

"Hk— stop—"

The fingernails of his right hand, one by one were ripped off.

"Whoops. Tell me where Ruby Rose is."

"Please—"

A dust shell shatters his shin, breaking up the bone into powder.

"Tell me where Ruby Rose is."

"Mum—"

"Tell me where Ruby Rose is."

"Tell me where Ruby Rose is."

"Tell me where Ruby Rose is."

"Tell me where Ruby Rose is." "Tell me where Ruby Rose is." "Tell me where Ruby Rose is." "Tell me where Ruby Rose is." "Tell me where Ruby Rose is." "Tell me where Ruby Rose is." "Tell me where Ruby Rose is." "Tell me where Ruby Rose is." "Tell me where Ruby Rose is." "Tell me where Ruby Rose is." "Tell me where Ruby Rose is." "Tell me where Ruby Rose is."

...

...

...

...

Tyrian lifted himself up and wiped his bloody hands on the sides of his trousers.

"Well, guess you didn't know," Tyrian said as he looked down at the half-dead heap on the floor, "It was fun while it lasted."

"I…" Jaune rasped out. How he was still conscious was impossible to answer.

"Oh? Still alive?" the monster asked, "You have a surprising amount of resilience for someone with no Aura to protect them. Well, I suppose it wouldn't have been interesting otherwise."

Tyrian crouched down once again and grabbed Jaune's blood-matted hair and pulled his ear close.

"Tell me where the silver-eyed girl is. My Goddess demands your patronage."

Jaune tried to respond, but he found that he could barely move. Was he paralysed? Was he in shock? It was as if his mind was trapped in a body that refused to do its bidding.

Oh, I understand now.

"Ah well," Tyrian shook his head in disappointment, "On to the next one then."

He was dying.

With no amount of effort, Tyrian lifted his boot and crushed Jaune's throat.


"Hnk! Hnk!" Choking, Jaune gulped air desperately, causing him to start coughing violently.

His consciousness, which came and went in intervals, was completely clouded as if he had finally resurfaced after having been on the verge of drowning. His head ached, his stomach was upset, and his body wouldn't stop shuddering violently. He felt as if he were floating, swirling uncontrollably, due to his mind's inability to process the stimuli his body had received.

Therefore, he didn't even realise that his convulsing body had caused him to tear his favourite hoodie from Pyrrha's spear and plunge to the muddy floor below. Despite the harsh drop, it hadn't even registered as an event that occurred.

Why?

The slow and painful torture Tyrian Callows inflicted on him could only be categorised as his worst death. Chewed and consumed, a dust shell mangling up his insides, being strangled, they could not compare to the hell he had just experienced.

Curling up into a fetal position, coughing, spitting, shaking, Jaune squeezed his eyes shut in a vain attempt to hide away from reality.

"Why…" a croaked voice spat out.

The multitude of thoughts and memories raced through his mind, spinning out of control, not leaving any time to think or recollect.

"Why…" again, he asked, "Why!?"

Why did this happen? Why am I experiencing this pain? Why do I have to die over and over?

The question "Why?", was directed at no one. The inexplicable nature of what Jaune was experiencing was finally catching up to him. No other person had experienced their death multiple times. What was the possible reason that caused the prior events to occur?

If there is a reason

"—Tell me… please" Jaune begged.

"Are you… alright?" A voice tentatively asked, reaching out with her hand.

Tell me where Ruby Rose is.

Jaune, feeling the presence of a hand reaching for his shoulder, immediately backpedalled, slapping it away.

"Get off me!" he demanded, eyes wide. He finally broke free from his turmoil and turned to the voice.

Stuck in his turmoil, Jaune had been completely unaware of the two figures that approached him. A snow-haired girl, dressed in an elegant and expensive silver dress, as well as a familiar and younger crimson-haired girl.

Weiss and Ruby.

"Jaune! What's wrong!?" Ruby cried.

"What— why are you…" he gasped, catching his breath. Seeing the two broke him out of his reverie and he suddenly felt very aware of the situation he was in.

Sitting on the dirt, his ripped hoodie hanging from Pyrrha's spear, he was back here.

Jaune wiped the tears and snot from his face and clutched his head.

"Dammit…" he muttered, "I ruined my start…"

"Hah? What's wrong with you?" Weiss asked, her look of concern forming into complete confusion, "Did you hurt yourself during your landing strategy?"

That's right. Jaune's eyes closed as he began formulating his plan. He had to make up for his failed start. He had to be better this time.

Pushing himself off the ground, Jaune stood up tall and gave them the best smile he could muster.

"Haha! That's right!", Jaune choked out, "My control over my Aura isn't the best so it was inevitable I would hurt myself when I landed. Were it not for this spear attaching me to this tree, I would have died!"

Jaune pointed towards the tree behind him, affirming his explanation, and Weiss' eyes followed before widening in recognition.

"That's Pyrrha Nikos' spear!" Weiss exclaimed in rare shock, "Although, I suppose it's only natural that the champion would be able to catch you with it."

"R-right, she's got one hell of a shot," Jaune responded weakly, "You must be quite the fan, huh? If you recognised her spear like that."

"I'm not a fan!" Weiss cried defensively, "A-anyone would recognise Pyrrha Nikos' spear!"

"I suppose she is pretty famous," Ruby murmured.

As the conversation slowly drifted away from him, Jaune placed a hand against his forehead in an effort to stop his mind from racing. He tried as hard as he could, but it was clear that the memories and sensations from not five minutes prior would not leave so easily.

However, with the appearance of Weiss and Ruby, he was once again reminded of his original motivation.

I got to prepare for Tyrian. I have to stop him before he kills everyone again. I have to save Ruby from being kidnapped.

Jaune's overwhelmed mind raced for answers that could not be found. Unconsciously, his face contorted and he grit his teeth in frustration.

"Jaune…"

He opened his eyes to the sight of Ruby gazing at him with a sad expression.

"Why do you look so sad?" she whispered.

"I…"

Jaune opened his mouth to respond but found that nothing could come out. In the face of Ruby's absolute genuine concern, it was impossible for Jaune Arc to lie and manipulate. What's more, the emotions that he tried to keep buried uncoiled and rampaged in a desperate need to surface.

Why had he tried to keep quiet about his ability? Was it truly because he didn't think people would believe him? Surely he could just blame his foresight on some kind of weird Semblance.

"I…"

Could he really share his pain with them?

Jaune grimaced as tears streamed down his face. He quickly tried to stop the flow of emotions bubbling up inside of him with a wipe of his sleeve, but it was a fruitless endeavour.

Ruby and Weiss' eyes widened at the sudden display and Weiss stepped back in shock.

"The truth is…" he forced out, "When I die… I return to the start of Initiation."

Then the world turned black.