The Beast

by Essiter1987

Everybody know about Ruby Rose and Yang Xiao Long's famous, or infamous, drunkle Qrow. But, what if Jaune had such a uncle. Watch the events of the show unfold as a new character interacts with the cast of RWBY. Canon-divergent, slow updates.

4. Chapter 4

A/N: Hello once more to all you lovely people and welcome, to what is probably the hardest chapter for me to write in this story. Not because the content was tough to write, but because Blake and, more importantly, Volume 1 Weiss are the hardest two characters for me to write. I can write Weiss and Blake from later volumes easily because they finally came out of their shells. Also, and this might surprise anyone who's actually read my profile on this site, but, I hate Volume 1 Weiss. Even more so after Ice Queendom. She is such a bitch to just about everyone.

Also, sorry to say, but I was trolling you all. Other than this chapter, which took three weeks to write (And, was actually going to be even longer), I actually had everything else I'm uploading today finished within a week or two.

Why am I uploading so much at once, you might ask? Well, I'm going to be taking just a bit of a hiatus from writing for while, about a month or two,not because I'm out of ideas! No, no, no. It's cause I'm going to be hardcore studying for my CT License Exam.

That's right. Your Boi is going to be a RT/CT Tech very soon. Also, I might be moving from Tampa Bay very soon.

Anyway, Essiter out!

The OCs of Violet Merino, Cobalt Lazuli, Shiemi Meifu, and Vesta are used with permission from ToastyAuthor. For more, and most definitely better stories involving them, please read their works.

RWBY is owned by Roosterteeth and the late Monty Oum

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The Beast

Chapter 4

Jaune found himself in the cafeteria after the Headmaster's speech, pondering over what the man had said, and what he meant by it. It certainly hadn't been a pep talk that's for sure!

But, he suppose he had a point. He was here, after all, to learn how to become a Huntsman himself. It was going to be difficult, he knew that. But, he felt fairly confident that he could handle anything.

I mean he thought to himself as he got a tray of dinosaur-shaped chicken nuggets and some grape soda. What all is there to being a Huntsman, anyway? Besides knowing how to fight and all that.

He slumped at that and sighed heavily.

He shook his head as he started down the aisles again. Okay. So, there was that. But, that could be improved, right? Just watch the others as they fought and listen to the instructors, right?

That, that shouldn't be too hard.

He'd been doing it for years now, after all. Watching from a distance as his father and uncles trained the new knights.

And, he still remembered his own lesson from way back in the day. How to hold a sword and shield properly. How to swing it. He did admit that his stances might all be off, but surely that wasn't too big of a deal, right?

He shook his head again. He just didn't know for sure.

"Hey, Jaune!" A high pitched voice called. "Over here! I saved you a spot!"

Jaune smiled as he heard that. At least, while he was here he'd have some friends for once.

He looked over and saw Ruby waving at him. He waved back and started towards her table. She was sitting besides a taller, blond-haired girl. Who, now that he remembered it, had been standing beside her during the Orientation.

As he got there Ruby smiled at him and said, "Hey, Jaune. I'd like to introduce you to my big sis. This, is Yang. Yang, Jaune, my first friend here."

The blond looked at him and smirked as she said, "Hey, there, Vomit Boy. You owe me a new pair of shoes."

He blinked at that and looked at Ruby for an answer. She shrugged and said as she rolled her hands around nervously, "Well, you did, kind of, pretty much, throw up on her shoes on the flight over. So, yeaah. Sorry 'bout that."

Jaune felt his face flush scarlet at that. He leaned forwards towards the girl as he said, "Ohmygods, I am so sorry! I have a condition. It's very common. Uh, Yang, can you ever forgive me?"

She tapped at her chin in thought for a second before turning and pointing at him with a fry as she said, "Maybe. But it'll cost ya."

"Anything," he replied instantly, much to Ruby's chagrin.

"A new pair shoes." She stated as she dipped the fry in ketchup and ate it daintily with her eyes closed and a smile on her face. Ruby merely shook her head, knowing what was coming.

"Done!" Jaune responded quickly with a sigh of relief. He'd have to fork out the rest of his personal funds, but it be worth it. He didn't want to ruin anything with Ruby so early on in the school year. If buying new shoes would end this mess before it got worse then so be it.

"And, maybe a massage." She said with a grin as she tilted her head to look at him with one eye open and winked.

"Wha-" He started as his face flushed again. How had things progressed to this so soon? And, how was he going to get of it?

He looked at Ruby for support only to see her pointedly looking at her food. No luck there it seemed. "Ah," He started.

"Oi, Jaune? This spot open?" A deep drawl said to his left. He turned and found himself staring up at the armored form of his uncle.

Oh, yeah. Right. There was that, too.

"S-sure. G-go right ahead." He stuttered out.

The big man grunted an acknowledgement before placing his tray down on the table and sitting down himself, armor and all. The bench groaned ominously at that.

Jaune swallowed. This couldn't be good.

He had almost forgotten that somehow his uncle was here as a professor. How ironic. Jaune wasn't an idiot, even if he acted like that sometimes. Something was definitely going on. He just knew it.

He was so sure that he was going to take him home again. But, uncle Brook had swore otherwise. And his uncle always told the truth. He even had an Oath to it.

So, what was going on then?

"So, I see you found your sister then." His uncle said absently as he started eating from a tray stacked high with spare ribs and broccoli. They winced as they heard the crunching of bone as he ate.

Several of the nearby students turned at that and stared before they, too blanched at what he was doing and subtly began to move away. His uncle, if he was aware of it, paid it no mind as he continued to eat, chomping down on two or three ribs at a time when he wasn't stuffing a bunch of broccoli in his mouth instead.

"Ah, yeah. S-so I did, hahah." Ruby said in reply, nervously.

His uncle paused at that and looked up to say, "I was speaking to her, actually" as he pointed at Yang.

"Oh, right. Sorry. I didn't mean to be rude." Yang then said as she straightened up in her seat, flushing. She winced as she said while rubbing at her head, "I didn't know that was directed at me. Sorry."

He grunted again and waved a hand at her in dismissal as he said, "S'alright, Lass. Could've stated that better myself." He paused, a barbecued rib before him, as he said, "Not the best, at getting my point across sometimes."

Then he motioned to Jaune as he said, "The boy will tell you. I'm not the most sociable of people. Don't think much of it."

Jaune nodded dutifully as he turned to them and said, "He can be a bit surly sometimes, but that doesn't mean that he's angry with you. Just, kind of blunt."

His uncle grunted an acknowledgement but otherwise said nothing as he continued eating.

Yang and Ruby nodded and went back to eating in silence as they occasionally looke up at the man. Jaune grimaced at that.

While he appreciated the timely arrival of his uncle saving him from further embarrassment, at least, for now. He didn't like how awkward things were now, and that just wouldn't do.

Uncle Brock was awesome.

Like, awesome like how his dad and uncles were awesome. Like how Aunt Rhea was awesome.

And he wanted his new friends to appreciate that. Not be weirded out by his… peculiarities. So, he asked, "So, you're a teacher here now, Uncle Brock?"

His uncle paused again, mid bite, to asked, "Thought I already answered that?"

"You… did." Jaune returned, before saying, "But I just wanted to be sure. You did say something about it starting after Initiation."

"Aye," his uncle returned and ate a rib, bones and all, before swallowing and saying, "If all goes well I'll be starting the day afterwards. Same as you."

Jaune brightened at that and asked, "You think I got a chance?"

His uncle shrugged, looking down at his plate as he dug around the remnants of his meal, having already consumed the entirety of his meal in short order, before saying, "Don't see why not." Then he looked up at him and stared him in the eyes as he asked, "Don't you?"

"I, uh-" Jaune started, only to be interrupted by Ruby as she said, "Of course, he's got a chance! He's got a cool sword and a collapsible sheath. He's totally prepared for this! We're only going to be fighting Grimm, and going on adventures. Any self-respecting student from a Huntsman academy could handle that!"

Jaune was smiling and nodding along as she defended him only pause at that and said, "Wait, what?"

"Mm," his uncle replied and smiled warmly at his friend. "You have a point. Though, I wouldn't get too cocky. You may face more than Beowolves out there, you know."

Ruby paused at that and nodded. 'You're right. I've only ever really faced Beowolves before now. Although, Yang here has taken on an Ursa Major and won."

Said person then grinned with her eyes closed as she puffed out her chest and preened a bit. Then she opened her eyes and looked at his uncle for a moment quizzically before she said, "Hey, I've got a question for you, prof. If that's alright with you?"

He rolled his shoulders back as he shrugged and said, "Certainly."

"What's… with your armor and sword?" She asked hesitantly. "They totally clash with each other."

"Yang!" Ruby then scolded, before falling into her plate face first as she whined, "Don't be so embarrassing, ugh."

The buxom blond beauty blushed at that before saying, "Um, w-what I meant to say was, uh, they don't seem to fit together. I mean, the sword's all shiny and new, while the armor's all rusty-like. Still sparky, though."

"Hah, I take no offense, Ms. Xaio Long." His uncle chuckled before drawing the sword from his back and placing it before them on the table. Jaune noted just how excited Ruby got at that. His uncle rubbed at the sword fondly for a moment along the almost imperceptible seam between the two different colored metals before he said, "T'is a friend's. They forged it, build it, wielded it. An, I now carry it in their name."

He then leaned back, spreading the heavy, black cloak across his chest to show off the detailed etchings on his cuirass and said as he pointed out each detailing on the armor's face as well as the bestial shape to his helm, "The armor is of my own creation, with help from another friend. A detailed accounting of my life leading up to the point of my retirement. From the battles I fought to what I represented. To, who I am as a person, and as a Faunus."

Then he pointed to the gauntlets as he said, "The chains here, around the claws are to signify that I was done fighting. That I had put up my sword, so to speak. Which, is why I use my friend's in its place. It is also why the armor is tarnished. I allowed it to as part of my tale."

He then shook his head with a small grin as he said, "Course, now that I'm newly reinstated, I guess the details don't matter as much anymore. Which is why I've cleaned the armor, somewhat"

"Wow, that's so cool!" Ruby said with stars in her eyes. "I didn't even know that was a thing! Oh, I'm going to have to do something like that with Crescent!"

His uncle chuckled at that, alongside Yang and Jaune, and raised a hand in a patience gesture as he said, "Now, now. No need for that. If nothing else, at least wait until you done or experienced something worth remembering first."

Ruby sat back down and grumbled cutely, "Okay. Fine."

"Hey, wait. I just got an idea!" Yang shouted as she suddenly slammed her hands down on the table, her eyes bright, and interjected with, "You're a Professor! So, that means that you can tell us what's going down tomorrow! Right?

"Got any secrets, advice? Anything?"

His uncle looked at her for a moment before shaking his head as he said, "'Fraid not, lass. I've no idea as to what's going to happen. Wasn't made aware of anything at the time of my… employment. And I haven't been told anything about it since."

He paused as Yang sat back down dejectedly and crossed her arms, sulking. Then he looked at Jaune and Ruby as they both sat there looking dejected, themselves. He sighed at that and rolled his eyes, before he said somewhat gruffly, "Look. There's no need for this, uh, attitude from you."

They looked at each other at that but otherwise remained silent.

Brock glanced between then before rubbing at the back of his head through his helmet, before sighing and said as he motioned with one hand, "I mean, you've trained for this. Prepared for this day. There's no need to be nervous."

He leaned forwards and said with the best smile he had right then, "You got this."

The two sisters seemed to brightened at that before they turned at grinned at each other. Jaune remain sullen, though he smiled at Ruby and Yang when they looked his way.

The trio looked at each other for a moment more before Yang sat back with a sigh and folded her arms under her bust, unconsciously emphasizing its size, as she said, "Welp, back to the drawing board, I guess. I was hoping to get something out of this, but I guess I'll just go back to the old standby."

"What's tha-Oh!," Jaune started to ask her before blushing as he noticed her assets and looking away again. His uncle then lightly kicked him in his shin from under the table to berate him in silence. Jaune hissed at that and rubbed at his shin, frowning up at his uncle as he did so.

The man shrugged before standing up and saying as they heard raised voices behind them, "Well, I've got to go now. Sorry I could be much help."

"No worries, prof." Yang returned with a grin. She then pointed a thumb at herself as she said, "Like you said, we got this."

"Oh, this is going to be so cool." Ruby then said as stars filled her eyes. "It'll be just like a real mission! Oh, I'm so excited." She then turned and asked, "Aren't you, Jaune."

He rubbed at the back of his head as he chuckled nervously and said, "Ahahah, yeah. You know it, Rubes."

"Hey, that's my nickname for her. You have to earn it, Vomit Boy." Yang then said with a finger pointed at him. The smirk on her face lessening the cut.

Brock quietly left with a smile as the three went back to their friendly bickering.

/ /

Things hadn't started out so good for her first day, if you could call it that. She could only hope things would get better, and not worse.

But, right now, she couldn't quite see how.

Blake Belladonna had done her best to find a quiet spot to read in the cafeteria a ways away from everybody. She wasn't really in the mood for companionship right now. Especially after finding out that she would have to attend the same school as a Schnee.

She turned the page in her book as she thought of the irony of that.

All these years attacking the SDC's various trains and installations here in Vale with Adam, she twinged as she remembered him, and their biggest target was right here. In the same room as her.

Mindboggling.

She sighed before putting down her book. It looked like she wasn't going to be getting much reading done right now after all. Her ears twitched beneath the bow on her head as a tray clattered to the floor. Especially with the noise to her right.

She turned and looked as a large human boy shoved at the smaller kid to his right and started telling him off. She noted the emblem of a bird on his breastplate. Her amber eyes narrowed at that. A Winchester she thought. Even worse than the Schnees.

Before the confrontation could escalate a towering figure in black and silver armor appeared from behind the two and swatted them both in the back of the head. They groaned and hissed their displease at they turned to face him as he boomed out, "No fighting. Not now, and certainly not when classes begin. If you want to fail before you even started, continue as you were. Otherwise, if you're not going to eat anything else, then I'd suggest that the two of you returned to the ballroom. Or, better yet, go for a walk."

The two boys grumbled and muttered under their breaths before turning to leave the building in different directions.

Blake rolled her eyes at the display before she started cutting into the apple she had grabbed alongside the container of milk. Pity, they had no more fish she thought to herself as she ate in silence.

She noted as the armored man observed the room for a moment before turning to leave. After that brief display of authority the rest of the room was noticeably quieter, which she approved of.

Now, if only she could get back to her reading.

She opened her book to start reading again only to have a shadow fall over her. A very large shadow.

Without looking up she said, "Could you move, please? You're in my light."

"Ah," came a deep drawl. "My apologies, young miss."

The shadow moved, shifting to the right a bit, enough so that she could read again. Or, at least, she would. She sighed as she saw that it didn't go away, though, and said as she looked up, "Yes? Can I-Oh."

There standing before her was the armored giant, his red eyes glinting from within the dark recesses of his helm. She blinked at what she saw. Her dad was big. Saul, Adam's lieutenant, was big. This man, was huge.

"My apologizes, again, young miss. But, I was wondering," he glanced at her bow as it twitched unconsciously. "Why have you hidden yourself away over here?"

He motioned to the rest of the hall and the gathered students within before saying, "Shouldn't you be trying to make some friends while you're here? Might be lonely, if you don't."

Blake narrowed her eyes at him as she held up her book to read and said, "I'm good. Really. Not much of a socialite myself. Besides," she said as she returned to her book and turned a page. "I've heard we'll be assigned teams after Initiation. I'm sure they'll be my friends."

The giant paused at that and tilted his head curiously at her answer as a dog might before nodding and said, "Very well. An acceptable answer. I'll leave you to it then."

He then rapped the tabletop once before turning and walking away. Blake glance up at him and shook her head with put upon amusement as she whispered, "Dogs, uh."

The man then chuckled aloud before looking over his shoulder at her and smiling as he said, "Close, but not quite." Then he nodded at her and said, amused himself, "Young miss." before leaving.

Blake smiled at that as she returned to her book and food. Perhaps, things wouldn't be so bad here after all.

/ /

As the rest of the new students began to settle down for the night Weiss found that she couldn't sleep. And it wasn't because of that one idiot trying to get her attention.

I mean, Honestly, who wore a onesie to a sleepover? Not that she ever had, but, still? Although, she would admit to no one that the bunny on the front was absolutely adorable. I mean, how could it not? It was Pumpkin Pete! So cute!

Now, if only the one wearing it was half as cute. Not that he was!

Oh, she sighed to herself as she pulled out her Scroll and began looking up the number for the person she wanted to call. She just hoped it wasn't too late. Atlas was only three hours ahead of them and it was currently… 8PM.

She paused at that.

Maybe she should wait till the morning then. She didn't want her to be angry with her. But, this might be the only time to reach her before Initiation tomorrow.

She swallowed and looked around, but no one seemed to be doing anything. There was a girl across the way reading by candlelight. She wondered where she got the candelabra from?

She found the number and hesitated briefly before her promise to the knight drifted through her mind. Then she pressed the button to call.

It rang once.

She immediately hung up.

She looked at her Scroll in silence before leaning back against the wall and thumping her head against it with a groan. Why was she such a coward?

Her Scroll vibrated. She jumped as it did and almost screamed with alarm as she clutched at it. She swallowed and looked down to see that her sister, Winter, was calling her.

She almost didn't answer. Almost.

But that would have been a very, very bad thing to do. As in her sister possibly flying her to get her, or worse, calling her father to find out what was going on.

She coughed and cleared her throat as she answered the call, "Ahem, h-hello, Winter. What a pleasure hearing from you. What might you be calling for?"

"Weiss," came the terse reply. "I have an important operation in the morning. What did you did?"

"I, um," she started before swallowing nervously and said, "It's not too late is it?"

There came a deep sigh before her sister replied, "No." Then she said somehow softly, "Now, what did you need from me that has you so tense you can't sleep before so important an occasion?"

"A promise," Weiss said after a moment of silence.

There was a pause, then, "Care to elaborate, sister dear?"

Weiss swallowed before saying, "Well. It started earlier today before Orientation…" She went on to explain what happened with Ruby, other than the explosion, and then with the mystery girl in black and white before finally detailing what she and the knight had discussed.

"And so, I was wondering if you could help me looking into the matter?" She finished sharply.

Her sister hesitated, then sighed as she looked at her image on her own Scroll before she said, "Weiss, you know just as well as I how corrupt things are in the family business. It's one of the many reasons why I left home for the military. To separate myself from Father and his business. The loss of my inheritance and status as the heiress were mere footnotes to my rebellion, in his eyes."

She heard Weiss sigh on the other side of the call before she said, "I know. But, it can't as bad as that, right? Surely, Father wouldn't stoop that low. To actively force such things on the workers? To," she could tell that she was looking around before she continued, "actively skimming the profits off of charities and donations? Right?"

Winter was silent as she thought over the matter before she closed her eyes tightly and asked, "What would this change for you, Weiss?"

"It would change" -She paused and inhaled-"It would change how I saw him. From a business stand point. You already-we already know how he is behind closed doors here, at home." -she swallowed again as memories arose unbidden- "And, it would go a long way towards my inevitable usurpation of the company from him, if I have evidence of such crimes."

Winter paused again, smiling faintly with pride at her younger sister and her convictions. Convictions she had abandoned for her escape. Then she frowned slightly and sighed before saying, "You know it won't be that easy, Weiss. If such a thing was real he would have gone to great lengths to cover it. And, it's not like taking a cut of the profits from a donation or charity is illegal. Just morally corrupt."

"Which we already know he is." Weiss returned sadly. She sighed. "Damn." she said with conviction.

Winter smiled sadly at that. Only their collective sperm donor could drive her sister to curse like that. Then she said, "I'll still look into things for you, sister dear. But know that it will take some time. I don't have the same connections like I use to."

"Thank you, Winter." Weiss replied with a smile and hung up the call, feeling lighter than she had all day. Then she frowned.

Now, if only whoever was making that noise would be quiet. She got up with a growl and stomped over two the two dimly lit figures wrestling on the floor. "Could you keep it down!" She started. "Do you have any idea what time it is-Oh, no! Not you again!"

/ /

Jaune took a deep breath in, held it for a second and then blew it out slowly as he stood in front of the mirror in the men's restroom in the locker room. He paused , and then did it again. Then he slapped his face a couple of times before muttering to himself, "Okay. I can do this. I can do this."

…

He sighed, slumping over the countertop and groaned, "How did I think that I could do this? I don't have any training to speak of and everybody loos so cool! Argh!" He stood up and rubbed at his head aggressively for a moment.

Then he sighed as he looked at his refection for a moment. After a while he nodded to himself and said, "Well, nothing for it, but to do it. Right, Jaune?"

"Right!"

He smiled with some semblance of his normal good cheer and turned to leave, putting a hand to his weapon, and immediately knew something was wrong! He patted at his side before saying, "Were are my emergency flares! And my mints! What if I meet some cute girl out there?! what if I'm partnered with them? What if its Ruby or Yang?!" He brought his hands to his face as he whined, "They already have a nickname for me! No!"

He left the room and began looking for his locker again. He didn't see it. He groaned to himself and he slumped there before sighing and pulling out the paper that he had written down the number on as he began to shuffle about.

He looked and the number on the paper before whining to himself, "Number 612?! I don't remember having to count that high before. Aw, this day is the worst!"

/ /

"Yeesh," Yang said as she turned and watched the blond-haired youth walk by, still groaning to himself. "Guess somebody's having a bad time of it. So, Ruby," She continued as she turned back to face her sister while she pulled out her weapon, "You ready for today?"

"Oh yeah." Her sister retorted as she hugged her mechashifting scythe like a cat as she said, "No more awkward conversations and meet and greets. Now I can let my baby do the talking, ha-hah."

"Besides, why do I need to talk to people when I already have you?" She continued as attached Crescent Rose to the magnetic plate on her back and grinned up at her.

Yang subtly brushed at her hair as she nervously stated, "Well, maybe you should to talk to more people? I mean, you already made friends with Jaune and his uncle? You know, branch out a little."

"My dear sister, Yang, are you implying that there's something wrong with me?" Ruby huffed and demanded as she glared at her with her hands balled into fists at her waist.

"No, no! Look, I-" Yang started to say in a placating manner as she wondered why she ever listened to her dad's advice. It certainly hadn't helped in middle school when she had a crush on Tommy Pickle!

Why did she think it would now?

/ /

"Aw, this day is the Worst!"

Nora Valkyrie felt bad for whoever that was. She really did. But, right now, there was something more important to do.

Come up with a super cool, super secret password so that she and her Renny could meet up down in the forest as partners-not that he was her Renny! No! That just be silly! Silly Nora!

I mean, they were friends. Always had been, always would be! Nothing would change that! But, it wasn't like they were together-together either! Even if there was a part of her tha-

"Nora." The raven-haired youth with the pink strand in the front said stoically as he retracted Stormflower's blades and barrels into the pistols' body and sheathed them in the holsters he had within his sleeves and turned to her.

"Yes, Ren?" Nora returned, her Aqua Green eyes starting patiently at him as he made her stop her hyperactive antics with but one sentence.

"I don't think that sloths make sounds." He stated before turning to close his locker.

Nora blinked at that. Oh, yeah. He's right. She thought absently. Then her eyes brightened as she said, "Annndd, that's what makes it so per-fect! No one will suspect a thing! You're so smart, Ren."

"Come on, Nora. Let's go." He said to her with a smile.

"Oh-kay," She replied as she skipped after him with a giggle.

/ /

As Jaune made his way towards his locker, sulking, his eyes lit up as he saw the girl who talked him up yesterday. She was talking to another girl in studded leather and brass armor with crimson red hair as they stood before his locker.

He smiled as he began to strut up to them like the guys he had seen do on those movies he liked to watch. Remember he thought all that girls are looking for is confidence. That's what dad says. You can do this.

Now, how to do this? Oh, he knew what to do. Just reply to the last thing you heard her say, Jaune.

He walked up to them and said, "You know what else is awesome? Me!"

"Oh, this is not happening." The white-haired girl said as she face-planted. The red-haired one merely smiled at him politely. He kept the grin on his face even as he winced at his performance so far. Okay, maybe she's just playing hard to get? He thought and went to speak again.

"Ah, Jaune, there you are!" Came a voice boomed to his left. The trio turned to see who it was as did everyone else in the room still. Strolling up to them was his uncle.

He was wearing a red, sleeveless shirt that worked surprisingly well with his tanned complexion as well as the grey pants he wore, even if it was somewhat tarnished by the nappy head of black, blond and white hair on his head and the equally nappy beard.

It also showed off his bulky physic and highlighted his glowing red eyes. His arms were covered in scars from the shoulders down to the knuckles on his hands.

He pointed a thumb back behind him as he said, "Thought I'd find you in the cafeteria and yet here you are already ready to go." He grinned, flashing them with the mouthful of curved fangs he had, as he crossed his arms and said, "I like seeing that confidence on you, boy. It looks good."

Jaune scratched at his head and chuckled as he said nervously, "I, uh, wasn't feeling so confident earlier."

/ /

"Hm, well, there's no need for that." Brock said in reply. He smirked then as he said, "I mean, it's not like it's that camping trip of yours, right?"

He watched as the boy slumped with a sigh before quickly standing back up at his full height as he pointed at him and said in exasperation, "Why does everybody bring that up?!"

"Maybe because you decided to be so independent at the age of six? Maybe it's because you decided to do it in a spur-of-the-moment situation, and became lost in the woods by your house within an hour?" He rubbed at his chin as he watched Yang and Ruby stroll up to them before he said, "Or, maybe it's because there was a pack of Beowolves around wandering the forest at the time?"

His nephew blinked at that. As did the two girls behind him. As did Yang, and her sister. Jaune shook his head as he said, "What?! I don't remember that!"

The currently armorless knight merely shrugged as he said, "Again, you were six. And," He subtly flexed and popped his shoulders as he said, "It's not like they survived at that long to do anything anyway."

"Whoa," Ruby breathed at that. "So, how many was there? I've slaughtered like over fifty Beowolves at once before-I think it was over fifty, anyway-but that was back on Patch where they aren't all that tough."

"Unlikely," Brock heard Weiss mutter under her breath as he looked over at the small red and black-garbed girl and nodded at her in approval as he said, "Impressive. Even newly spawned Grimm can be deadly. Especially in large numbers."

Then he tilted his head as he strove to recall the incident correctly before he said, "Twasn't all that large of a pack. Only six members in total. They had jumped the wall and at attack a couple of the citizens before their Alpha led them into the woods near your house." He shrugged again as he said, "I was appointed with hunting them down by the Marshal. Twas easy enough."

"Whoa." Jaune breathed and rubbed at his head. "Huh. I never knew. I guess I was really lucky, huh?"

"Undoubtedly," Brock replied with a grin. "But, I was there, regardless."

"Wait, how did they get in, anyway? Who was manning the wall that day?" Jaune then asked as he began thinking about it.

Brock frowned then as he growled out, Augustus Cruz. No relation. Bastard blamed it on the Faunus working that shift, even though it was apparent to all that he had been drinking again."

"He blamed someone else for something that was his fault, and people got hurt? That's… disgusting." Yang said in response the others nodded their agreement.

Brock shrugged. "It happens. More often than you would like to think about. At least it was only a couple of injuries and nothing worse." He shook his head as his eyes grew dark as he said, "Whole villages and townships have been destroyed from such a thing in the past. And still do."

"Ooh, are we having a mini powwow? A secret meeting? I call dibs on the snacks!" A tiny, curvaceous, ginger-haired, although, more of an orange than red, girl said as she walked up to them all alongside a stoic, and very pretty looking, boy in green. He noted the Mistrali fashion to his clothes, too.

"Actually, I was talking to Pyrrha here before I was so rudely interrupted by him." Weiss snipped as her ire rose after losing any remaining chance she might have of talking to her fellow celebrity.

"Oh, sorry about that, Snow Angel." Jaune apologized as he continued to rub at his head in embarrassment.

The way she frowned at that made Brock think that they weren't all that close yet. That was immediately confirmed by her scoffing and crossing her arms as she said, "How dare you! Do you have any idea who you're talking to?"

"Not at all, Snow Angel." Jaune replied with a sincere smile as he looked at her. Brock noted the eye twitch and made to step in, seeing as Jaune had just dug a hole to bury himself in.

"Eee," Yang then said seemingly in agreement with him as she stood by her sister protectively as the shorter girl rose to her not terribly tall height and said, "I am Weiss Schnee" Then pointed at the still silent, politely smiling redhead as she said, "And this, is Pyrrha Nikos."

Jaune blinked at that before crossing his arms and looking to Brock as he finally realized that he might be in over his head here and hesitantly said, "I've, never heard of her."

Weiss blinked at that like she had been slapped before turning to look at the rest of the group of people. Ruby and Yang shook their heads while the still unnamed girl and boy merely shrugged. She turned and looked at Brock only for him to say, "Sorry, Fraulein. I don't recognized the name either."

Weiss was beside her. She waved at Pyrrha with both hands as she said, "She's Pyrrha Nikos! She graduated top of her class at Sanctum Academy!"

"Never heard of it," Jaune replied as he crossed his arms.

Schnee Heiress went to speak up only to be interrupted by Yang as she said, "Neither have I, and I got friends from all over. Though, that's mostly on social media."

Ruby just shrugged as Brock leaned over and muttered loudly to his nephew, "I believe that one of the primary Huntsmen Academies in Mistral. Like How Signal and Pharos are over here."

"Oh," Jaune said in realization with a nod. The green-clad Mistrali boy then said stoically, "It's in the City of Argus."

"Oh!" Jaune said as he slammed a fist lightly into his other hand. "That's where Saphron is!" He then turned to Brock and said, "She moved there after marrying Terra."

"Oh, right." Brock replied with a small grin. "And how is she doing? How's the baby? What was his name?"

"Adrian," Jaune replied immediately and grinned himself. "And the little tyke is fine. Growing fast, too."

"Sister?" Ruby then asked with a grin. "You got a sister, Jaune?"

"Several," Brock grunted out before the lad could say anything to her. He turned and glared at him in an almost what the hell, man kind of way. He shrugged apologetically.

Jaune turned back to her and shrugged sheepishly as he said, "Yeah. Seven."

The others all blinked and balked at that as Yang swore under her breath about his poor mother. Brock couldn't agree more. Well, except for the fact that he knew just how… aggressive Izzy could get at times.

Then the orange-haired girl spoke up, saying, "Geez! Talk about needing a hobby."

After a brief pause Brock said, "I think that is their hobby."

"Dude!" Jaune retorted, flustered.

Brock smiled a bit before looking away with a blush and muttered, "Sorry."

"Oh, I can't believe this!" Weiss then said with a stamp of her foot. "How is it that none of you know about her? She's the four time Champion of the Mistral Regional Tournament, for goodness sake!"

Jaune blushed as he rubbed at his head and said, "Never heard of it."

Weiss once more turned to the others for their responses. Yang smiled wanly and brushed at her hair as she said, "Well, me and Ruby here live on Patch Island. You don't really get the best reception there, you know?" Ruby merely blushed silently in embarrassment.

Weiss turned to Brock in desperation, trying to not feel like a loon all of a sudden. Pyrrha, the poor girl, was beyond embarrassed at being put on stage like this and just wanted to quiet back away from it all, but was unable to. Brock sighed as he looked between the two young women and their equal yet entirely different types of embarrassment and said, "Sorry, Fraulein. I don't watch television anymore."

Then he turned and said to Pyrrha, "Impressive, though. Good on ya, girl."

"Thank you, sir." She replied with a slight bow.

Weiss winced as she looked to the last two people there. The boy shook his head silently while the girl suddenly grinned manically as she said without missing a beat, "Well, I mean me and Renny here are orphans, so… heh, sorry!"

The group of potential students paled at that admission while Brock grumbled in silence. Weiss put both hands to her face in shocked horror as she realized what a butt she had been in front of the two. She stuttered as she tried to form an apology to them only for the boy Renny to say, "Nora. You can't just say things like that to people."

He then turned and bow to them as he said, "Forgive her. She didn't mean anything by it." Then he turned and offered his hand to Jaune as he said, "Lie Ren. And my friend here is Nora Valkyrie."

Jaune only hesitated briefly, still under the lingering affects that declaration, before clasping his hand and saying, "Jaune Arc."

The others did the same as they introduced themselves, including a much subdued and embarrassed Schnee. Hiding in the shadows a certain cat Faunus was notably pleased by that, much to her own chagrin, even as she was equally stunned by the manic girl's declaration in the first place.

"I am sorry to hear that, little one." Brock stated gently, his red eyes sad and dim. He gave her a pained smile as he said, "I know that pain as well after losing my mother, and I feel for you."

The girl and boy in question looked up at him then in surprise. Nora asked, "Was it, Grimm?"

He smiled sadly and shook his head before saying, "Cancer."

The boy, Ren, then cocked his head to one side as he asked, "And, what of your father, sir? If I might ask?"

Brock smiled before looking off into the middle distance. Though he tried to hide the bitterness beneath false cheer, they all heard it in his voice as he said, "He never acknowledge me, even on his death bed." He turned and said simply, "I am both a bastard, and an orphan."

"Oh, bring it here, big guy." Nora immediately declared and stared walking over with her arms spread wide before wrapping them around him tightly.

He blinked at that and said, "Uh, w-what are you doing?"

"Hugging you." She muttered into his shirt before looking up at him with bright blue-green eyes as she said. "Hugs always make things better."

"I, uh-" He started, still confused. Only to stop as, with a burst of rose petals, Ruby appeared on his other side and did the same, only giving out a slight "Meep!" at colliding with the brick shit house that was his body.

He looked between the two for a second before turning to Jaune with a pleading look as he said, "Jaune. Help. The small, cute ones are multiplying!"

All the boy said, a bit thickly, was, "Yeah, they are," before he walked up to him and hugged him, too. He was quickly followed by Yang and Ren while poor Weiss stood there awkwardly, not knowing how to respond to the PDA, what with her own family's dynamics.

Pyrrha made to join herself only for Brock to suddenly grunt and shudder as he shook off all the kids and their affections. He grunted and looked away, refusing to acknowledge their grins or the pinpricks of water at the corner of his eyes. He grunted again and said as Goodwitch came over the intercom then, informing them of the Initiation's starting. "Well, ahem. There's that, too. I guess. I'mma, uh, I'mma gonna go now."

He clapped Jaune on the shoulder before gripping it tightly and giving it a brief shake as he started away, and said, "Good luck out there, boy. I'll be rooting for ya on the sidelines."

As he left he heard from behind him he Weiss softly say, "She's, she's on the front of every Pumpkin Pete's Corn Flakes."

"Wait! That was you!" Jaune then said incredulously, "I thought that was a cartoon character!"

"Yeah, so did I," Ruby replied as she too finally knew who the girl was. "I didn't really like the cereal, though. Too sweet for me. Sorry!"

"Yeah!" Jaune then interjected.

"That's okay. It was quite the honor," The girl, Pyrrha answered. "And you're right. It's too bad it's not very good, though. I might have liked doing the commercial more I did."

Brock grunted a laugh of amusement as the kids continued to chat on gathering the rest of their things for the Initiation as he left. He even remembered to nod a farewell to Blake as he left. She seemed surprise by that, having not joined in the conversation so far as she stand on the other side of a wall of lockers, only giving a small wave of her own in return.

He shrugged it off, unconcerned for the moment.

/ /

Jaune swallowed nervously as he stood on the same square as everyone else did, awaiting the beginning of the Initiation. He absently wondered what it was for. It had the emblem of the kingdom on it and was raised off the ground by an inch, but that was it.

He shrugged to himself.

He was sure that the Headmaster would say something about it. Probably. Hopefully.

He swallowed again and glanced around.

There sure were a lot of interesting people here. First, there was the likes of Ruby, Pyrrha and the rest of the teens he had already met in the locker room, though, from here, he could only really see Ruby and Yang. Although, further down Nora and Ren were standing side by side next a big guy in armor and a little, green-haired Mohawk-wearing kid.

Then there was the, uh, the very curvaceous girl in black with the raccoon tail standing next to an equally attractive boy in blue armor. He kind of reminded Jaune of a cooler, better looking version of him. He looked away after a moment.

Yeah. No. No need to depress himself anymore than he already was. Why did he come here again?

Oh, hey. There was the Headmaster with the scary blond lady, Professor Goodwitch, he reminded himself, coming up behind him.

/ /

Brock grunted to himself as he place the front half of his chest piece down on the table in the Beacon's Common Room. It was on the second floor of the building with the first being largely dominated by the student's gym and communal shower. His and hers, of course. The school wasn't quite that progressive yet.

For which he was thankful.

He scratched at his cheek and wonder once more if he should shave the bread before tomorrow. Yeah. Probably. He'd get around to it later tonight, he guessed.

Then he sat back against the couch there and watched as the new students began their Initiation.

He was already wearing his leg armor and most of his upper arms-couldn't very well put his pauldrons on under the cuirass-as he waited. He was to be a part of the response team alongside Port and Mulberry should anything go awry. Although, he wasn't quite sure how effective they would be when the first responders were Headmaster Ozpin and his deputy themselves.

He was good. They, were better.

He settled down as he waited to see how things would go. He already knew that the other professors would be grading the students on their performance during the Initiation, as the Headmaster just informed them, he just didn't know on what.

Maybe if he had been a little more concerned about that he could've given Jaune and his two friends some pointers. Hmm. Well, too late now.

It was all up to the boy himself now.

Oh, and there he was asking a question. About landing strategies. He tweaked an eyebrow at that. Huh. Odd.

Well, it's not like that was something they taught to the other knights in training, so it wasn't all that ba-and, there he goes! Flying away.

Brock watched as the large, armor-clad Winchester boy was launched away and felt his right eye twitch as he thought absently. Oh, he really launched them off a cliff. He stood up then in panic. Oh shit! He really launched them off a cliff!

"Ozpin! What the Fuck?!" He yelled at the t.v. hands spread out before him.

He could hear Jaune from here, going on about something. A question, perhaps.

Now what was he to do!

"Oh, Maidens. Izzy's going to kill me." He said with both hands on his face as he continued to look on in horror as student after student was launched into the forest beyond. Silently counting down to the platform that his nephew was on.

/ /

"No. You will be using your own landing strategy." The Headmaster replied softly, a mug of something in hand. Professor Goodwitch stood behind him in silence, an assessing look on her face.

"Right. Of course." Jaune replied, absently noting the grin Ruby gave him as her sister was launched off into the distance, laughing all the way. He certainly wasn't.

"Alright. Uh, by the way, what is a landing strateg-EEEEEEEE!" He started to say as he was launched into the air.

/ /

Ozpin turned and watched with a faint smile on his face as he took a sip from the mug. Oh, what a beautiful day.

Glynda merely adjusted her glasses, not wanting to ruin the moment for him.

/ /

"EEEEE!"

"Yep, I'm so dead." Brook said absently as he watched his nephew fly through the air like an action figure by an angry child.

He shook his head. Why was he worried? The boy had training. Surely, he would recover. Right?

I mean he thought. It's not like his father forgot to unlock his Aura or anything. Right?

He looked toward the top of the display to find the various students' names and registered Aura levels. Most had activated their as soon as the platforms began to launch.

He found Jaune and blinked as he noticed the darkened bar directly below his image. The one for Aura. He looked at the feed of the boy flailing through the air again. Then back at the bar, and swallowed.

"Oh, I am so very dead, aren't I?" He whispered hoarsely as he watch his favorite nephew falling to his doom as he quietly place a hand on his mouth in abject horror.

/ /

A group of students, one of many, watched as the new first years were launched of of Beacon Cliff. They were eating various finger foods and colas, but not booze.

They would've, but the Senior bringing in the contraband had been found out by Professors Green and Peach. He was currently at one of the worst detentions known to the school.

They prayed for his survival.

"Hey, Coco," a girl with long, brown hair and equally long rabbit ears asked her friend. "Why is that one guy still screaming as he's flying through the air?"

"I don't know, Vel? But, it's getting on my nerves." Her friend responded as she lowered her designer shades, her own design, to get a better view on the subject as various other screenshots showed various other potential students.

"He better activate his Aura soon, or this will end badly for us all," commented someone from behind him.

The two glanced up at the display at the top of the screen before looking back at the flailing body. The Faunus leaned in and said, "Coco, you don't think…"

"What? No! Who'd be crazy enough to apply to an Academy without their Aura unlocked?!" Coco responded harshly, confusion and fear in her tone.

Even so, the two squeezed in close and held hands as they watched, concerned. Everybody in the room began to hold their breath and prematurely wince at what was to come.

/ /

He continued to scream for some time as he flailed about. Then there came a subtle tug to the back of his chest piece as he spun through the air. Had anybody been looking they would have noted an aura of black energy outlining it.

Then there was a more aggressive tug to his hoodie as something struck the one-of-a-kind item and shot him to the side. He closed his eyes as it did.

Shunk!

He blinked and looked around to find himself high up off the ground. Huh, how did that happen? He thought and looked behind him to find himself hanging from a tree trunk by a crimson red and brass-colored javelin.

He blinked again at that. It seemed familiar somehow.

He turned and waved at the unknown people as he shouted, "Thank you!"

"I'm sorry!" Someone called back. They sounded like a girl.

/ /

"Oh-hooh, thank the Maidens for that." Brock breathed as he fell back against the couch in relief. Then he leaned forwards onto his knees and rubbed at his face as he said, "OoooOOhhh, that boy's going to be the death of me. Ohhohohooohh."

He then sat up with a sigh and began to watch all the other feeds, looking at all the other potential new students to see what they were capable of. And, what would need to be improved.

He shook his head and muttered, "It's fine. I'll kill him later."

/ /

"Oh, thank goodness!" Velvet breathed as she leaned in to Coco. "I was so worried!"

"See, I told you there was nothing to worry about," Her grey-eyed friend said as she patted her on the back while breathing her own sigh of relief. She looked at the feed as she thought about how lucky that kid was.

Ballsy, too.

/ /

Jaune grunted and struggled but the spear holding him in place was stuck too deeply into the tree. He was actually astonished about that.

How had someone thrown it was such strength?

He did remember hearing what sounded like a gunshot earlier. Maybe that's how they had launched it at him.

But, how had they been so accurate? Maybe he'd ask them about it, if he ever got out of here!

He paused as he heard the sound of bushes being moved to one side and looked down to find-that cute Weiss girl staring up at him in confusion. He chuckled nervously as he waved down at her. She facepalmed in silence before turning and walking back the way she had come.

"By no means does this make us friends," He heard her say. Followed by the distinct, cheerful voice of Ruby shouting, "You came back!"

"Wait!" He called after them as he started to struggle again. "At least help get me down!"

He watched as Weiss and her partner-who looked to be Ruby?!-ignored him and started away. He sighed and slumped against the tree trunk, swaying listlessly. Yep, he thought. This day is just the worse.

Not a second later, "Hello again!" A familiar voice called up to him from below. He looked down to find Pyrrha Nikos looking up at him fondly with her arms crossed over her leather, faintly-shaped breast plate.

"Pyrrha!" He shouted in relief. "Come on! Help get me down!"

"I don't know?" She said coyly in reply. "Do you still have room on Team Jaune?"

He looked at her crossed his arms as he said, "Very funny." Then he smiled back her in good humor. Only to feel a blush climb up his face as he realized from the angle he was at, he could see right down her armor. And she wasn't wearing anything underneath.

Oh, boy He thought. This might be a problem.

/ /

As soon as she was launched into the air, after the kind of cute, if a bit straggly-looking blond guy that had been asking weird, if honestly, rather sensible questions of Uncle Oz, Violet immediately spread her arms out to slow her ascent while she took a lay of the land. She shivered from a sudden gust of wind then, her tight-fitting combat outfit, consisting of a black tunic with red accents, a pair of black shorts and a pair of black combat boots, was barely doing anything against the chill air, even as the sleeves flapped mightily in the breeze.

She might have to rethink her outfit if this was going to become a thing.

She sighed to herself. It had taken far more effort than even she wanted to admit to, but her uncle had finally gotten her to leave the apartment that her grandpa had left to her after his death. And, while she was grateful to him for everything he had done to help her out after the incident, she really didn't want to be here.

She just knew that things weren't going to go her way. I mean, she thought as she drifted through the air, just what am I doing here? I have no people skills and I get uncomfortable being around others in general. Life is so much easier when all I have to do is experience it through a computer screen.

She sighed to herself. She had promised her uncle that she'd make an effort here, but she wasn't so sure of how well she'd do. The two of them had only trained for a couple of weeks and, before that, she had only trained with her grandpa a long, long time ago.

Basically, she was feeling rusty as heck, and Initiation wasn't the best place for her to stand out, training with the Headmaster of Beacon Academy be damned.

She glanced over and felt her silver eyes widen as she saw the same blond boy flipping through the air without showing any means of slowing himself down. Did he really not know what a landing strategy was? She wondered. Wait, how did he get in without the necessary amount of training, anyway?

She frowned at that and continued to watch him struggle, frustrated that she was too far away to do anything to help him. Not even Yuvi, her Semblance, could be projected that far away.

If her uncle let someone participate in this without any training she was going to have words with him when she got back. She glanced towards the rapidly approaching forest below her before looking back at his dwindling form.

Of course, he would have to be survive for her to chew her uncle out. Otherwise, she be attending a funeral instead. With or without his approval.

She sighed with relief when she saw the distinct form of a javelin being launched his way and sending him-Safely!-into a tree far to her left. Good. One less thing to worry about then.

The clearing before her, full of Grimm, a combination of Ursas and Beowolves, on the other hand. That was a bit more, immediately concerning right now.

She back-flipped in the air, cutting more air as she drew her weapon, Suncutter, a combination scimitar/rifle-chakram and transformed it into its rifle form, then she aimed at the closest Grimm to her landing point, an Ursa. She pulled the trigger and watched as the bear Grimm's head exploded from the high-powered Dust round. She fired again, and again, killing a further two Ursas.

Then she tucked herself into a ball as Yuvi appeared and wrapped herself around her, her transparent body glowing purple with the Gravity Dust empowering it.

As she struck the earth like a mini meteorite, the tremor generated by Yuvi's Dust empowered embrace knocked the other Grimm off their respective feet. As dust scattered around her, obscuring her from the creatures she rose up, a bit stiff, and fired through the cloud at the shapes before her. Three more Grimm collapsed as their heads and/or upper torsos exploded.

Then she fired at the Grimm before her as the rest of the pack recovered and charged her. Yuvi slugged another Ursa in the snout, breaking teeth and shattering its nose, as it tried to ambush them from behind and she hurled the chakram at the incoming pack of Beowolves, it beheaded one of them. Yuvi continued to pummel the big bear about the face and shoulders in a classic boxing stance-she picked it up from playing Street Fighter-as Violet mechashifted Suncutter back into its scimitar mode and slashed a Beowolf from shoulder to hip when it tried to rise up on its hind legs to attack her with its claws and teeth.

Her chakram beheaded another Beowolf on its return, the Gravity Dust connecting it to the Sword resulting its repeated use. She flung it away again as she spun about and slashed at two more wolves, cutting them down.

It was knocked aside by a larger Beowolf as it closed with her. An Alpha, she realized on closer inspection.

She readied her weapon to face it only for its jaw to shattered under the wild haymaker Yuvi on leashed upon it as she suddenly appeared next to it. Yuvi had finally put the Ursa down by then, but only after she physically lifted it up overhead and brought it down on her knee, shattering its spine.

She didn't think about it as she thrust her sword through the Grimm torso, where a heart might be before using an application of Aura to rip its blade upwards with superhuman, or, in this case, Faunus, strength, bisecting the creature. She then stumbled backwards against Yuvi, the spirit holding her upright as she caught her breath. She glanced up at a howl and swallowed nervously.

By then, Violet realized that she was in trouble. Big trouble. There were far more Grimm than she originally thought in the clearing. That, or they just kept coming from the somewhere in the woods.

She and Yuvi stood back to back then as she brought her sword up in a defensive stance as the massive pack of wolves charged at her. Just as the leading ones were about to reach her, they died as a series of lightning bolts struck them.

She glanced upwards in surprise, only to find no clouds in the sky. Then she looked behind her as a trio of fireballs flew by overhead to exploded on contact with the main body of the pack. Grimm burned and died.

There stood a girl dressed all in black with a katana at her side. She was Mistrali by the look of things. And she looked like an absolute badass to Violet. The girl looked at her in silence for a moment before smirking as she said, "Do ya like what ya see, or should I go find someone else to save?"

She blinked and looked away, blushing, as she realized she had been caught staring. "S-sorry." She stuttered out, totally knocked off guard. "It's just, you look really cool. Totally badass and edgy, like some anime protagonist, and I, uh, sorry?" She shrugged embarrassed.

The girl shrugged before she drew her blade and stalked up next to her saying, "Nah. Don't be. And, I guess I kind of am, partner."

"P-partner?" Violet asked, still unsure, as she turned to face the remaining Grimm alongside Yuvi and the girl.

"Absolutely. You heard what the Headmaster said." The girl answered with a smile as she took her katana in hand. "First person you make eye contact with is your partner and all that. Name's Shiemi Meifu, by the way, but you can call me, Emi."

"Violet, Violet Merino." Violet responded with a nervous grin, still not used to talking to others. Especially, when they were so cool looking. Katanas were always cool. Always! As was whatever the girl had done before. Then she tilted her head to Yuvi as she said, "And that's Yuvi."

"Nice to meet you, Yuvi." Emi answered with a nod and another smile. "Now, are you guys ready to kick some more butt?"

"Totally," Violet agreed with a grin as the remaining Grimm finally recovered from the unexpected attack and charged at them again.

They proceeded to cut them down with a mixture of sword strikes, gunfire, more pummeling from Yuvi and a dash of raw lightning Dust that Emi channeled through her katana to strike down the last three with. Violet converted her weapon back into a scimitar then before sheathing it as she turned and said to Emi, "That was totally badass! I don't think I've met anybody that still used Dust like that. Not, that I've met all that many people before." She blushed at the slip-up before rubbing at her hair nervously.

Emi looked at her for a moment before smiling encouragingly at her as she said, "It's okay, Vi. I haven't met all that many people myself. A bit of a sheltered upbringing, and not the best either. You?"

"Uh, um, I used to be what you'd call a NEET." Violet responded shyly. "It stands for Not-"

"Not engaged in Education, Employment or Training. Yes, I know the term," Emi replied with a small smile. "It's also called a Hikikomori in Mistrali." She then put a hand on her hip as she cocked it to one side as she said, "Really, I don't blame you. With how messed up my life has been so far I'm surprised that I haven't become one myself."

"I, uh-"

"Not, to interrupt such an intimate, and obviously important conversation, but, uh, I am feeling just a tad awkward standing over here." At the sounds of a voice the two looked over towards the treeline next to them to find a tall boy with blue hair and eyes in blue plate armor standing there smugly with his arms crossed.

Violet blinked at his comment and appearance and absently muttered to herself,"Just a tad?"

He waved at them and grinned, saying, "Hey. Nice to meet you. Glad you two partnered up."

"Oh, yeah?" Emi replied snarkily, hands on hips, as Violet half hid behind her. "And why is that?"

"Because it would be awkward to inform the two of you that I already got a partner," He responded with that smile of his turning into a full on grin as he pointed a thumb back behind him.

As he said this a girl wearing a large, old fashion witch hat strolled out from the woods while brushing at the skirt of her purple sun dress while saying, "Alright, Sir Lazuli. I'm all finished. Now how about we go help that girl now?" Then she looked up at them and froze with a "Meep!"

She coughed into a hand before saying, "Ahem, well, nevermind then."

"And you two are?" Emi asked as she pointed a finger between the two while narrowing her eyes at them suspiciously.

"Cobalt Lazuli, Knight Errant of The Knights of Vale, Vacuan Branch." The boy returned with a grin and a bow.

"Vesta Goodwitch, Dust Mage extraordinaire!" The Girl returned proudly before nudging Cobalt and grinning wickedly as she said, "And I'm already partnered to this handsome hunk, so too bad. You'll just have to find another."

Cobalt laughed goodnaturedly at that while Vesta merely grinned herself to show no harm was meant. Violet snorted at that, the tension in her melting away at their goodnatured ribbing even as she noted Emi's eye roll, and grinned.

Maybe things wouldn't be so bad here after all.

/ /

Ozpin felt a sigh of relief escape him as he watched the foursome start away. He had been quite worried when he saw what his honorary niece was flying into.

Against popular opinion, he did not have the platforms set to preset coordinates. All partners, and landing sites, were completely random. Not even he could know what a student may fall into. A lake, a briar patch. A nest of Grimm.

He closed his eyes at that and the memory it garnered before shaking his head free of it.

Luckily, she had passed her first test with exemplary skill. As had the others.

Now, if anyone voiced a complaint about the possible nepotism between him, and Glynda, on allowing family members into the school without proper testing he had evidence to the contrary.

Also, Glynda didn't know that he had waved Vesta through without the proper testing. Luckily for him, the girl was too stubborn and proud to just accept such a gift and had wanted to prove herself. As had the other three when he made the same offer to them. He smiled as he glanced at his Deputy Headmistress, that certainty didn't remind him of someone at all.

He looked back at his scroll feed as he her Glynda cursed under her breath, "Damn it, Vesta. I told you to use relieve yourself before Initiation started. You're lucky I have control of the drones watching, otherwise you'd be known as the girl that peed during Initiation."

He chuckled at that. She would worry about something like that. Vesta Goodwitch was a bonafide Dust Mage in all but name-her own title not withstanding. Especially after the years of training her aunt had put her through.

He scrolled through the images, rewinding the video as he rewatched the fight again and frowned as he watching, contemplating everything.

As he thought, Shiemi Meifu was as skilled in Dust manipulation as Vesta, if a bit more unrestrained. A bit more aggressive in how she wield the power of Dust. He blamed her teacher for that. The man had been a monster to her, among other things, but he had been family. Her caretakers at the Guild had said that his influence was still ongoing, even now.

It would take years to be expunged completely. Luckily, he had that and more.

His eye twitched as an Ursa Major stalked towards the two while they fought off the pack of Beowolves before it was killed by a single, brutal smash from a mace. A mace wielded by the young knight, Cobalt Lazuli.

While he didn't want to think of any of the three girls as potential replacements for Amber, having so skilled a fighter among their number could only be a good thing. His mother, Aurum, may not exactly be on speaking terms with him for letting her boy into his academy, but she would at least understand his reasoning for it. Once he got around to speaking with her.

As for the boy, he was already an exemplary student and warrior. Much like a certain Mistrali Champion, he had graduation top of his class from Gloom Academy and was a four time champion of the Vacuan Trials, the kingdom's version of the Mistral Regional Tournament. Meanwhile, thanks to his mother and father's tutoring, he had been made the youngest knight in Vale's history in several decades.

He had a bright future and would go far. He was sure of it.

He switched the screen to watch another pair that he was interested in. The Rose girl and her partner, Weiss Schnee. He watched as the two had an argument before Weiss stormed off with a huff, only to be followed by Ruby after she cut down a tree with her scythe in anger. He frowned at that.

That, would be a problem for later, he was sure.

Then he switched the scroll to another camera and looked on as Pyrrha Nikos unlocked Jaune Arc's Aura. Now that, was truly impressive, especially in someone so young. The necessary skill to be able to forcibly unlock another's soul was restricted to the most talented of individuals.

The girl was truly a prodigy.

And the Arc boy, while lacking sense, was incredibly brave to have entered such a test without even his Aura unlocked. He was also incredibly lucky to boot. Otherwise, he'd be dead. And Ozpin would be put in the regrettable position of informing his parents of the circumstances surrounding it.

An event he was happy to not have to perform just yet.

He smiled after watching the various team-ups for a bit. Everything seemed to be going well so far, though he and Glynda would remain on standby, just in case. The other instructors and professors would be allotting points for teamwork, leadership, the individual students speed and skill in killing Grimm and the like, as they watched the event from back at Beacon.

Although, Cruz would be doing something just a bit different.

He'd be watching the students like the other, sure. But he would be writing down what they lacked in Survival or what they needed to improve on in training.

It was similar to Glynda's Combat Training, sure, but he hadn't yet explained to Glynda how much harsher the former revolutionary's training would actually be. Bone breakingly so, at times.

See, he was beyond tired of seeing his students and colleagues die before they had even seen ten years in their profession, before they had really had the chance to live. He was tired of going to funerals, of looking on as the spouses and children of former friends wept over, all-too-often empty coffins. He was tired of the Tai-yangs and Qrow Branwens he that saw, of watching former phenomenal fighters and warriors break over the losses of loved ones.

Of them falling themselves.

And he wasn't going to let it happen anymore. Not now that he had that power.

That's why he fought so hard for Cruz to join them, to join him.

The man wasn't wrong in his assessment of himself as a granny, of being so overprotective of his students, and he was counting on it. Counting on him so wanting those children to survive that he would brutalize them through training to make certain of it. That he would kill himself in the pursuit if it meant one more of them would make it.

It was yet another reason for letting Jaune Arc through, now that he admitted it to himself.

The man's reputation was, as far as he was concerned, flawless. His record impeccable. Which was why such a record baffled him.

How could a man that had fought so hard, so passionately, through some of the most brutal battles of the Faunus Rights Revolution, for nearly five brutal years, just abandon the cause he had fought so hard for, for so long, right as it ended? Why would a man known for his commitment to duty, renowned for a record as a Huntsman for slaying legendary Grimm as well as breaking up dozens of powerful drug cartels and slaving rings out in Mistral for years all of a sudden abandon that duty? A duty he had performed for over a decade. Why would a man known for his loyalty, for going above and beyond in the line of Duty to risk his life for fellow Huntsmen and soldiers, kill his former teammates?

Why?

It just didn't make sense. Not to Ozpin. And not to so many other Huntsmen that had known of the man.

It couldn't be apathy he thought. The man's own daughter was a Huntress in her own right. A daughter he had personally trained and allowed to be a Huntress. One with a reputation of her own . A daughter who was, in fact, one of Ozpin's best agents. Besides Qrow Branwen that is.

A daughter, who's last name, was Arc, he suddenly recalled.

Ozpin frowned at that realization.

Now, why was that the case? The girl's parentage was clear, there was no need to adopt her like the family had done so many times over the years. And why not have Cruz join the family as well.

This stunk of something personal, familial perhaps?

Guillaume Arc could be a bastard at times, but he was at least a reasonable one. His brothers and sisters were very much the same as him, and , more over, they followed his orders to a T.

So, why all the apparent hate over a man that was, by all reputation, decent.

He didn't know. He just didn't know.

But, he was going to find out.

After all, he had all the time in the world to.

/ /

"Impressive," Brock muttered to himself as he watched the Nikos girl unlock Jaune's Aura by using her own. That was a skill he had witnessed only rarely in his life. And, it was always a spectacle to behold.

Still, though…

He frowned as he wrote down a note in his planner. There would be much to teach. For all of them. But, especially, for the boy.

He scoffed to himself as he continued to write a series of notes in the planner before blinking and grumbling to himself as he took out his glasses and put them on his face. Damn his Semblance and what it did to him, couldn't look at his own notes without his vision going blurry.

Then he watched the camera feeds some more. After a time he nodded to himself again. Looks like Ozpin nepotism was at least on point. Those four were quite impressive.

Not many Huntsmen could handle a pack like that. At least, not without sufficient training or firepower. Especially, not when using Dust Magic or mere tools like the boy did with his mace and shield.

Hmm, now that he thought about it. That boy looked familiar. Didn't The Marshal say something about Aurum's son following in hers and her husband's footsteps? If so, then he was even more impressive. Perhaps even impressive enough to exploit…

He jotted down another note for Jaune's training, and smiled, his red eyes glittering.

There was always room for improvement.

/ /

"Okay! We're clearly lost!" Ruby finally announced in exasperation after she and her partner had past the same stump from the third time. She was really wishing she could have met up with someone else, like Jaune or Yang!

"Okay. Fine. I concede that point." Weiss replied haughtily with a hand to her chest and her eyes closed. She paused there for a moment like that before blinking and and turning to her to ask, "So, what do you propose to do about this?"

"Well, I, uh-Oh," Ruby started as she began to look around for something to inspire her. Then she noticed the shadow passing by overhead and looked up, mouth agape.

"What are you looking at?" Weiss demanded shrilly once more before walking over to her and looking up herself. Her mouth dropped open as she watched the gigantic Giant Nevermore pass by overhead once more, circling them.

"Hey, Weiss?" Ruby said to her, still looking up. "I think I may have an idea."

/ /

"Ozpin! Do you see it?" Brock barked at him over the scroll call. He could hear him rummaging around, no doubt putting on the rest of his armor as he made to rush out and save the two.

"Yes, Mr. Cruz!" He returned as he and Glynda continued to run along the cliff face, trying to get to the nearest point for an interception. Unfortunately, the bird, and its passengers, were proving to be difficult to reach. "Remain on standby, for now. The two are trained Huntsmen cadets! If worse comes to worse, I'll call you in myself!"

"Understood, sir. I'll be waiting." Cruz returned before hanging up the call.

Ozpin pocketed his Scroll and glanced at Glynda as she ran beside him. She looked back at him and nodded. They pushed their respective Auras into their legs and dashed forwards even faster, even as the rest of the academy's professors began to gear up themselves.

A Giant Nevermore was no joke. And one had two of their students in its talons. They would not let anything happen to them.

/ /

"You think this is it?" Jaune asked Pyrrha as they looked into the ominous, dark cave. Pyrrha glanced at him nervously but said nothing as she looked up at the oddly placed Cave Drawings, wondering if they were real.

He sighed at her silence and said, "I'll go make a torch so we can go in and check it out, okay?"

She looked back him and nodded, smiling. He grinned back before kneeling as he rummaged through his pouches. He just knew bringing all these emergency tools was the right thing to do.

/ /

He was already not doing well, pacing as he awaited either instructions or news from Ozpin about the other two students.

He knew Ozpin was right about them being trained Aura users, but that couldn't stop him from worrying, though. He was a father, damnit! This was just the kind of thing that he worried about happening to his daughter!

Even fully licensed Huntsmen had trouble with Nevermores. It usually require gunships to take care of them. The rifles and other close range weapons of Huntsmen being useless against them unless employed against specific weaknesses.

And a Giant Nevermore was another matter, entirely. For a Grimm to grow so large meant it was old. Which meant it might have learned how to fight against Humans. Thus, why it was flying well away from Valean Air Space.

He stared at the screen of the two idiot girls holding onto its massive talons and couldn't help but wondered at just what the Hell they were thinking. By all the Maidens! Damnit!

He glanced up at the sound of his nephew's voice on the t.v. and watched as he led his partner into a cave of some kind. He hung his head at that as he raised his arms, palms upwards as he said, "Oh, come on. What is with you children?"

That's when he heard a high pitched, girlie scream.

/ /

"HHAAAAAaaaAAAAAHHH!"

Yang swirled around from where she was standing on the stage and shouted out, "Some girl's in trouble!"

Blake's hidden ears twitched at the sheer volume of that scream as she looked on in wonder before her ears picked up the sounds of even more distant screams. Ones of protests and obscenities being launched at another person. Screams that were somehow familiar…

And, coming from..

Above?

/ /

"Some girl's in trouble!"

At the sound of Yang's comment, Brock burst out into a laughing fit. He couldn't help it, even under the stress he was feeling, that was funny.

He continued to guffaw right up until the cave Jaune and Pyrrha had gone into burst open, revealing an Ancient Deathstalker. One with Jaune currently holding on desperately to its massive stinger.

He jumped back at that, and screamed.

/ /

"HHAAAAAaaaAAAAAHHH!"

Yang turned the other way as she once shouted in concern, "And, now there's some old lady in trouble, too!

She turned to her partner as she asked,"Blake what do we do? Blake?"

Her partner looked at her silently before pointing upwards. Yang looked up to find her sister falling towards her. She opened her mouth to say or do something, only for Ruby to suddenly be knocked into a tree by some white and yellow object as it collided with her in mid air.

Distantly a voice could heard protesting, "I'm not old! I'm barely fifty!"

/ /

Brock watched, in stunned disbelief, as things went from bad to worse in a matter of moments.

First, one of the two girls, the Rose girl, decided to jump off of the Nevermore only to realize that she had dropped into an area with nothing to stop her descent. Then, his idiot nephew had been launched through the air, and somehow miraculously hit the same girl in mid-air.

If he believed in romance he would've thought that the two were destined for each other. Especially after he failed to woo the Schnee with his "heroics".

He winced at the sound his back made on the girl landing on him after he fell on the ground first, somehow. If it wasn't for Aura, his back would've been broken by that alone.

Then, if that wasn't strange enough the Nora girl somehow rode into the Temple on a damn Ursa's back. Just, how? And, why?

Then, the Nikos girl brought the Deathstalker with her into the Temple's clearing. He couldn't really fault her for that. Damned thing was chasing after her like a runaway freight train, for Maidens sakes! And, the Nevermore was still flying around out there.

He collapsed onto the sofa, despondent, and sighed. There was no way Ozpin and Glynda could get to them now. Not that far out from Beacon.

The couch groaned under his weight as he shifted forwards, his face one of abject fear and disbelief as Ruby Rose charged the Deathstalker!

He almost jumped through the t.v. as it knocked her to one side dismissively. He brought both hands up to his face as she turned to run only to have her cape snagged by a feather when the Nevermore launched a Falling Feathers attack at her. He watched as her sister tried to save her as the Deathstalker's stinger arched towards her, only to fall back in relief as she was saved by Weiss's timely arrival.

"Oh, Maidens, I'm too old for this," he muttered as he rubbed at his face in relief.

Then he leaned forwards again as he quietly chanted at the kids to get the fuck out of there!

"Maidens, damn it, Jaune!" He shouted out as he stood up nervously to watch as they were then chased by both the Nevermore and the Deathstalker. "Move it, boy!"

He kept shouting at the t.v. as the group of eight dashed towards what they thought was Beacon's Cliff. It wasn't. It was the cliff at the other side of the valley they had been launched into, completely opposite of where Professors Ozpin and Goodwitch were at.

It was where the rest of the Ruined Temple Complex was located.

When the Nevermore shattered the bridge they were on as the Deathstalker kept on coming, he yelled in alarm. "Izzy's going to killed me. Bury me. Resurrect me. And kill me again! Get out of there!!"

He watched with bated breath as Jaune led the other three students with against the Deathstalker even as Ruby and the other three girls with her fought off the Nevermore. As it shattered the tower they were on he felt like his heart was going to give out from the stress of watching it, and Ozpin still hadn't called him yet!

When Jaune blocked one of the Deathstalker's pinchers, he cheered. When young Ren danced across its body and leapt onto its tail to shoot at the joint for its stinger, he cheered. When the boy was sent careening into a wall he gasped with fear. And as Jaune directed Pyrrha and Nora into killing it he cheered like a madman only to shriek even louder as Ruby Rose was launched at the Nevermore and, with Weiss's assistance, ran up the cliff-side with the gigantic bird caught under her scythe's blade, firing away until, finally, she beheaded it at the apex of the cliff face before landing smoothly on top.

He collapsed back onto the couch with a hand on his forehead in stunned disbelief. The couch groaned loudly before collapsing beneath him. He fell back onto the floor, hitting his head.

On the t.v. Yang could be heard saying, "Well, that was a thing."

"Ow," he groaned from the floor.

---

A/N: Well that was a massive thing (Thanks Yang!) Sorry if it got a bit dark there with Brock again. Don't worry, though. His life is about to get much lighter and way more exciting than he would probably like-we all know how Teams RWBY and JNPR can be.

Also, I was going to write Blake's scene in the cafeteria differently, but I didn't like it. It didn't fit with the rest of the scenes. So, it's an outtake. That I will later upload after the end of Volume 1 (And Ice Queendom) much like how MahinaFable does with most of her stories.

Alright, I'm done holding you up. Enjoy your day.

Essiter out, once more!

P.S. (Because there has to be one for this) This is probably going to be the longest chapter of the series so far. The Fall of Beacon and Battle of Haven chapters will be similarly in length (I am still so hyped for when I write those for you guys). I am also kind of surprised no has made a comment on Brock's allusion yet. He does actually have one, and like much of his backstory, it's fairly obvious. I am Not a subtle person.