RPNP: If you are having a bad day I hope this brings light to your darkness. Si estás teniendo un mal día, espero que esto aporte luz a tu oscuridad.
Date: September 1st 10621
Location: Ozpin's office
Jaune stood in the dimly lit confines of headmaster Ozpin's office wearing a baggy t-shirt and cargo pants. The clothes smelled stale but they were certainly better than the rubbish Blake had given him. Overall, he wasn't too dissatisfied.
The same couldn't be said about Glynda.
She stood opposite him, her posture rigid, a storm brewing in her eyes. The light from the window cast a dramatic shadow across her stern face, enhancing her formidable presence. Jaune tried not to yawn.
"Jaune Arc, do you have any idea the impropriety of your actions?" Glynda's voice, usually so controlled, betrayed a hint of incredulity.
She paced, her footsteps echoing in the room. "Exposing yourself in the middle of a training session is completely unacceptable!"
His expression wore an expression of bemusement, a stark contrast to Glynda's indignation. "Honestly, Professor, I don't see what the big deal is. It's not like I did it on purpose. You clearly saw Weiss attack me! Her silly ice ruined my clothes."
"Yo…your clothes?" You were wearing the clothes of Blake Belladonna!"
"Details." Jaune waved his hand dismissively. Predictably this only further enraged the professor.
"Most people would show some modicum of embarrassment. Your nonchalance is baffling!"
"Embarrassment?" Jaune looked at her incredulously. "Have you seen the size of my cock? Why should I be embarrassed? My sister Sapphire always sai-"
"JAUNE ARC! You will watch your mouth! Don't you dare speak such filth in front of me."
Ozpin, seated behind his desk, watched the exchange silently, a small smile playing on his lips as he sipped his coffee. He said nothing, this situation was too humorous to interrupt.
Glynda, struggling to maintain her composure, continued, "Your attitude towards this... incident is as concerning as the incident itself. Do you not understand the gravity of your actions, Mr. Arc?"
Jaune shrugs, a picture of unworried ease. "I guess I just don't get why everyone's making such a fuss. It's not a big deal to me. You looked at my naked body and decided to get offended. I'm not sure why."
Glynda's clenched her hands, her frustration evident. She was at a complete loss, unsure of how to instil a sense of propriety in someone so utterly unbothered by societal norms.
"Did you like it?" Jaune asked with a glint in his eye.
"How dare you!" She howled and raised a fist. Jaune looked at it in wonder.
"What are you planning Professor? Do…you think I'm afraid of you? I assure you I am not. I beat you yesterday and if you try anything I'll beat you again."
"Headmaster!" Glynda wheeled around and complained. Jaune was too difficult to manage. She appealed to the higher authority.
The room fell into a brief silence, punctuated only by Ozpin's quiet sipping of coffee.
"Headmaster?"
Ozpin, ever the picture of calm, set his coffee cup down with a soft clink. He leaned back in his chair, observing the situation with an expression that bordered on amusement.
"Ms. Goodwitch," Ozpin finally spoke, his voice smooth and unruffled, "while I understand your concerns, perhaps we should consider the context of the situation. Jaune's... exposure was unintentional and a result of an attack by Weiss Schnee. Jaune hardly stripped himself naked on purpose did he?"
Glynda's expression softened slightly, yet her eyes still held a spark of frustration. "Yes, Headmaster, but it's the lack of basic decorum that troubles me. It's essential for our students to understand and respect certain social norms."
Ozpin nodded, acknowledging her point. "True, Glynda, respect for social norms is important. However, we must also acknowledge that not everyone shares the same perspective on what is embarrassing or shameful."
"Exactly, Headmaster! It's just a human body, after all. We all have one."
Glynda sighed, her anger deflating. She turned back to Jaune. "That may be, Jaune, but not everyone is comfortable with such... casual attitudes towards nudity. I may have forgiven you the initial disrobing but why on Remnant did you try and chase Weiss around the amphitheatre?"
"I didn't try. I got her!" Jaune said stubbornly.
"Yes, and you tried to arm bar her on the floor! While completely naked. Jaune, can I ask you a serious question?"
"Go for it."
"Did you get dropped on the head as a child?"
"Now, Ms. Goodwitch I don't think that's…." Ozpin tried to step in but was interrupted by Jaune.
"She tried to usurp me as leader! I have seven sisters, professor. I know how to handle uppity girls. Weiss will bow down before me. This I assure you. Plus, she tried to freeze my balls off. I know you saw it."
"I saw a lot of things I regret when the two of you were on the floor." Glynda sighed. "I don't recall that, but I will speak to Weiss separately about her behaviour."
"What do you mean you don't recall that? She literally said she would make me a eunuch." Jaune said in disbelief. Glynda was feeling stubborn though, she didn't feel like giving an inch to this scoundrel in front of her. "And you don't need to speak to Weiss. I'll handle her."
Ozpin smiled, his gaze shifting between Jaune and Glynda. "I believe that's enough for today. Mr. Arc, you're dismissed. And Glynda, thank you for handling this matter."
"Thank you headmaster, and goodnight."
As Jaune left the office, Glynda stayed behind. Turning to Ozpin: "Do you think he truly understood, Ozpin?"
Ozpin gazes out the window, thoughtful. "No, I don't think he does."
"Ozpin! This is serious! Weiss Schnee is a Schnee! If she complains to her family about this…"
"She will not, I think." Ozpin smiled. "As I recall she was blushing rather heavily."
"He's going to cause trouble. I just know it." She complained.
Ozpin gave her a look that was not at all reassuring. "Time will tell, Glynda. Time will tell."
"And…are you sure it was the right decision to form the teams today? We usually wait until after they've had a chance to bond."
"I know, but there's a Guild meeting tomorrow so I won't be here. You know that naming the teams is my favourite part of this whole affair Glynda."
She sighed and left the office. She'd had just about enough of men for one night.
Location: Main Hall
"I cannot believe this." Weiss grumbled. She had sat down on her sleeping bag, gotten up, tried to sit down and again gotten up. "This is practically the same as sleeping on the floor. How is this even remotely acceptable for students of Beacon?"
"It's only for one night." Pyrrha smiled. "I think you can survive."
"And where is our 'team leader'?" Weiss harumphed as she sat back down with an unhappy look. "At an important time like this? Probably off causing more trouble or slacking off somewhere. He's completely unsuitable to the post. He should be trying to find us better accommodations."
"So are you." Blake said. Weiss glanced sidelong at the black-haired girl.
"And who are you again?"
"I think you know my name, Schnee."
"Well, I've forgotten. Remind me."
"Blake Belladonna."
"Blake Belladonna?" Weiss scoffed. "You've named yourself after the Princess of the Menagerie? Is this to do with your obsession with the faunus?"
"Excuse me?" Blake raised an eyebrow.
"Hey guys!" A potential war between Blake and Weiss was narrowly avoided by the arrival of team RYNR (Runner).
"Ah, Yang!" Pyrrha said brightly, relieved at the timely interruption.
"Where's lover boy?" She asked, looking around.
"Expelled, hopefully." Weiss snorted.
"I don't think you'll be able to get rid of him that easy." Yang grinned.
"Like a cockroach." She mumbled. Unfortunately for her, she trailed off as she spoke so that the others only heard the beginning of the word.
"See something you like, eh?" Yang laughed. Pyrrha held a hand to her mouth even as she blushed furiously. She had of course noticed Jaune's endowment. How could anyone not?
Weiss was slow on the uptake.
"What?"
"We all heard you mutter about his…" Yang didn't finish the sentence but the meaning was clear. Weiss frowned as she tried to replay the conversation in her mind.
Then she paled and stood remarkably fast.
"You misheard me." She said quickly. "I did not say c…what you think I said. I said 'cockroach.' Please correct your understanding immediately."
"You seemed to be enjoying yourself on the floor with him." Nora butted in. "It looked fun. I wish I could have joined."
"It was not fun! It was anything but! I'm sorry but are you autistic?"
"Weiss, that's enough. No need for harsh words." Ren said trying to calm the situation down.
"Where is he anyway?" Ruby asked. "You don't really think he's expelled, do you?"
The last anyone had seen of him he was being dragged away by a frightfully angry Professor Goodwitch.
The question was soon answered by the arrival of the Lightning Man himself.
"Hey there." He said as he collapsed on Weiss' sleeping bag.
"Excuse me! Get off there at once." She demanded. "That is not your sleeping bag."
Jaune gave her a lazy look.
"Weiss…you…want to sleep on the floor?"
"Of course I do not!"
"Figured you wouldn't fancy the floor. So, I had a chat with Ozpin and got you a room. You know, with a real bed and everything."
The hostility fled Weiss as if it had never existed.
"Really? You went to that extent for me?" She said, sounding shocked. "It seems I may have misjudged you." She sounded mollified but then paused and looked around. "What about for the rest of our team?"
"Yeah, just for you. Tried to swing it for the whole team, but no dice."
Weiss puffed up at that. ""Well, that's unexpectedly considerate of you, Jaune. Thank you. Now, where's this room?"
"Room 401. The cleaners should be in there so just knock."
"Goodnight then. And thank you again, Jaune."
A moment of silence followed her departure and then Ren spoke very quietly.
"Jaune…there is no room is there?"
"Oh, there is." Jaune lay down on the sleeping bag and yawned. "Not empty though. Room 401 is a 3rd year all faunus team."
"Oh Jaune! This is going to cause so much trouble. She'll never forgive you." Pyrrha sighed. She didn't even bother asking how he had found that information out, because of course he had, he was Jaune.
"There's going to be fireworks, that's for sure." Yang whispered. She didn't want to imagine an angry Weiss Schnee.
"You're a funny guy!" Nora laughed. "Don't worry. I'll back you up if there's a fight."
"Are you intentionally trying to provoke her?" Ren asked in bewilderment.
"Yep."
"Why?"
"So, I can kick her ass. That's the only way she'll accept my leadership."
"An…interesting plan. Reckon you can beat her? She's a Schnee."
"We'll see."
Weiss felt jubilant as she walked to Room 401. She had to ask for directions, and it was quite a distance away, but she was in a fantastic mood.
Jaune Arc was not the troublemaker she thought he was. He clearly recognised her superior station and leadership abilities. Getting this room for her was obviously a peace offering. With this, she was leader in all but name.
She would not forget his appalling behaviour in the amphitheatre, but she would forgive him. He would need a firm hand and a lot of guidance but she felt confident that she could turn him into a productive and useful member of the White Peak.
A part of her thought that maybe something was wrong. That Jaune hardly seemed the kind to do such a 180 but she ignored it. She had been pampered, praised and luxuriated on her whole life. This was merely an extension of that, something that was as natural to her as breathing.
"Room 400….401….ah here we go." She even hummed to herself as she set her bag down and knocked on the door.
Hopefully the cleaner will be done by now…
"Who the hell is that at this time?" A rough voice came from within the room. A drop of sweat trickled down her cheek.
That doesn't sound like a cleaner…
The door opened and a large cow faunus peered out. He was a singularly ugly thing with a ghastly mullet haircut.
"Yes, can I help you?"
Weiss' eyes widened and she just stood there stunned. Another head popped under the giant cow faunus' arm. A dog faunus.
Two faunus? The room is bound to be filthy. I'll need to call the cleaner back.
"Must be a first year." The rabbit said. "I don't recognise her."
"You are in my room." Weiss said imperiously. "You will leave."
"Excuse me?" The cow faunus said.
"Who the hell is it?" Another voice came from the room and soon a leopard faunus showed up. Weiss nearly fainted.
What is going on here?
"This first year is telling us to leave! She says it's her room!"
"Ah…" The leopard diplomatically said. "This whole wing is for third years, young lady. First years typically spend the night of initiation all together in the grand hall. I'm afraid someone has played a trick on you." He grimaced sympathetically.
Weiss stood there, mouth open like a gaping fish. It slowly dawned on her that she had been had.
"Then I apologise for the confusion." She gave them a thin smile, turned and left. As she walked back to the grand hall, the floor and walls around her froze solid.
The atmosphere in the hall shifted palpably as Weiss Schnee, fuelled by a cold fury, made a beeline for Jaune Arc. The chatter of fellow students ceased abruptly, replaced by a tense silence, their eyes wide with anticipation and concern. In her absence, the story of the prank had spread to almost the entirety of the first year students.
Jaune, noticing her approach, stood. "Weiss, I was wondering when you'd show up,"
Before he could add another word, Weiss unleashed her semblance. The air around her crackled with icy energy, sending a wave of cold throughout the room. With a swift, elegant motion, she conjured sharp ice shards, hurling them directly at Jaune.
Jaune dodged with surprising agility, the shards embedding into the wall behind him, leaving icy marks. Jaune grinned.
Weiss, her eyes blazing with a chilling fire, summoned a blade of ice in her hand.
"You think you can play games with me, Jaune Arc?" she hissed, her voice as cold as the weapon she wielded.
The room remained silent, the students too shocked to intervene. Pyrrha, concerned, stepped forward, "Weiss, please, let's talk about this!"
Weiss, however, was beyond reason. She lunged at Jaune, her ice blade shimmering in the dim light. Jaune, displaying remarkable reflexes, dodged her strikes and stuck his tongue out.
Weiss's fury intensified. With fluid, almost dance-like movements, she cornered Jaune against the wall. She unleashed spikes of ice from the ground, attempting to entrap him and gut him.
But Jaune, using his lightning-augmented reflexes, narrowly avoided each spike. His calm demeanour contrasted sharply with Weiss's aggressive onslaught.
With a dramatic gesture, Weiss summoned a towering wave of ice, aimed to crush the annoying insect. But Jaune leapt up just in time, the wave crashing against the wall, scarring it with a frosty imprint. Students screamed as they were thrown about by the aftershocks of the attack as the hall was engulfed in a frightful and icy gale.
Weiss didn't relent. She launched a flurry of ice daggers at Jaune, each one parried or dodged.
In the crescendo of her anger, Weiss created a colossal ice hammer and swung it with all her might. The blow finally struck Jaune, sending him crashing through the wall and into the outside air, leaving a gaping hole behind.
The fight moved outside, the night air echoing with the sounds of their continued battle. The other students, led by Pyrrha and Ren, rushed to the hole in the wall, their expressions a mix of shock and worry. Blake followed more slowly, her expression oddly composed.
The power Weiss had so casually wielded was shocking in the extreme. Pyrrha didn't think it possible to stop the Schnee, not even if all the students in the hall tried together.
The moonlit night outside Beacon Academy became an impromptu arena as Weiss, her expression fierce and unyielding, pursued her enemy.
Jaune, maintaining his composure, faced Weiss amidst the debris. "Weiss, are you ready to get your ass kicked and accept me as leader?"
"Never!" With a graceful yet powerful sweep of her arm, she summoned a blizzard around them. The swirling snow and ice intensified, a reflection of her inner turmoil. "I will not be made a fool of, Jaune Arc!" she declared, her voice cutting through the howling wind.
Pyrrha and the others, watching from the breach in the hall, felt a mix of fear and awe. "We can't just let them fight like this," Ruby exclaimed, her concern for both friends evident in her voice.
Nora, her usual energetic self dampened by the situation, added, "But how do we stop them? Weiss is out of control!"
Blake said nothing. Lightning reflected off her golden eyes.
Jaune, in a dazzling display of his abilities, summoned bolts of blue energy, directing them at Weiss with pinpoint accuracy. The screeching bolts arced through the air, illuminating the night with their brilliance.
But Weiss was a force to be reckoned with. As Jaune unleashed his torrent of power, she moved with an ethereal grace that belied the ferocity of her counterattack. Her semblance wasn't just a tool of defence; it was an extension of her will, a dance partner in this deadly waltz.
With each step, she summoned intricate patterns of hardened ice that spiralled around her, creating a mesmerizing spectacle. The barriers and shields she conjured were masterpieces of frost, each one shimmering under the moonlight, reflecting and refracting the bolts of lightning that came her way.
Her movements were a blend of balletic poise and martial prowess. She glided across the ground, her feet barely touching the frost-covered grass. Every motion was fluid and deliberate, as if she were performing a dance choreographed by the very spirits of winter themselves.
As Jaune's electricity crackled and hissed, meeting the cold air and the colder ice, Weiss twirled and leaped, her figure a blur of white and blue. She was not just dodging Jaune's attacks; she was weaving through them, her semblance responding to her command with the speed and agility of a practiced duellist.
The ice shields she created were not static defences but dynamic, living constructs. They pulsed and shifted, adapting to the rhythm of Jaune's lightning, absorbing and redirecting the energy with an almost sentient awareness. Each barrier was a testament to Weiss's mastery over her semblance, a display of power and control that was both beautiful and awe-inspiring.
As the ice and electricity clashed, they created a symphony of light and sound, a cacophony of crackles and shimmers that echoed through the night.
Weiss's display of power was a clear message: she was not just a member of the prestigious Schnee family; she was a force of nature, a mistress of ice and snow, whose prowess in battle was as formidable as the lineage she represented.
The other students, watching from a distance, were in awe. "Wow, Weiss is incredible!" Ruby exclaimed, her eyes wide with admiration.
"Jaune's strong, but Weiss is actually going head to head with him," Nora added, eyes wide and fixed on the battle.
Pyrrha clenched her fist, her heart hammering with worry. Her green eyes tracked the fight, desperately hoping it would stop.
Again, Blake remained silent, her expression blank.
Jaune, undeterred by Weiss's defence, intensified his assault. He unleashed a river of blue lightning, weaving a web of electricity in the air. Yet Weiss, with a swirl of her hand, summoned a whirlwind of water, disrupting the flow of electricity and creating a barrier between them.
She then counterattacked, turning the water into thousands of sharp spears of ice and launching them towards Jaune. There were so many that they blocked out the sky. He tried to dodge but failed. Hundreds pierced his body. If Jaune had been a normal human he would have been turned into a pile of steaming meat.
But the spears exploded on contact with him and he emerged unharmed.
Weiss growled in anger and summoned more spears but only five this time. These spears were much larger, they seemed to pulsate with a bright inner light. She unleashed them. Jaune once again tried to dodge but these spears were even faster than the previous ones and two of them got him. Unlike before these spears seemed to ignore his lightning body and when they pierced him, they pierced through flesh.
Jaune cried out as he was thrown back heavily, his arm and leg wounded. But as he stood back up his expression was not one of anguish. It was of pure, unbridled excitement.
"You…hurt me?" He said in disbelief. "No one has ever hurt me…"
"Pathetic." Weiss snapped. "Aura infused attacks will still damage you, regardless of your ridiculous ability!"
Jaune, smirking, and wiped blood from his mouth.
"Then let's play properly!"
He gathered his lightning into a concentrated sphere, hurling it towards Weiss with a shout. The sphere exploded in a burst of light and energy upon contact with Weiss's ice shield, causing a shockwave that rippled through the courtyard.
Weiss grunted as she was pushed back but her ice constructs absorbed the brunt of the blast. Still, the attack had hurt.
Weiss, her confidence unshaken, readied herself for his next move. "Bring it on, Jaune. I'm not holding back either."
Jaune's body became a conduit for raw electrical energy, his wounds seeming to sear and cauterize in the crackling blue light. With a thunderous roar, he unleashed a torrential downpour of lightning, the bolts thicker and more ferocious than before. They tore through the air, striking the ground with such force that it left scorched marks on the earth. Night turned to day.
Weiss, her eyes narrowed in focus, moved with an even greater urgency. Her ice constructs became more elaborate and intricate, forming a fortress of ice around her, each segment interlocking and reinforcing the other. She countered Jaune's lightning with a blizzard so intense that day turned back into night. The snowflakes hardened into razor-sharp crystals that clashed with the lightning.
The students watching from a distance were rendered speechless. "They're both incredible," Ruby whispered, her eyes reflecting the awe she felt.
"Jaune's like a storm, and Weiss is like the unyielding winter," Ren added, his usual calm demeanour tinged with disbelief. These were supposed to be first year students? What kind of joke was that?
"This is what a battle between S rankers must be like." Ruby whispered.
As the battle raged on, Jaune's attacks became more strategic. He started to control the lightning with precise movements, sending bolts in unpredictable patterns to bypass Weiss's defences.
Weiss, anticipating his tactics, created a series of mirrored ice surfaces that reflected and refracted the lightning. She danced among her mirrors, her movements a blur, as she prepared her counterstrike.
With a sweep of her hand, Weiss shattered her mirrors, sending a barrage of ice shards towards Jaune. The shards, infused with her aura, were like a swarm of gleaming bullets.
Jaune, momentarily caught off guard by the ferocity of Weiss's attack, found himself directly in the path of her ice shards. One particularly sharp shard, glowing with a faint blue aura, found its mark, piercing through his defences and embedding itself deep into his shoulder. The impact sent a jolt through his body, and he grunted in pain, feeling the cold bite of the ice against his flesh.
The pain, however, seemed to ignite something within Jaune. His eyes flared with an intense, electric blue light, reflecting the storm that raged within him. Drawing upon his deep reserves of power, he raised his arm, channelling his lightning into a singular, focused beam of raw energy. The beam crackled and hissed with untamed power, illuminating the night with its brilliance.
Weiss, seeing the impending attack, reacted instantly. She swept her arm in a wide arc, and a massive ice shield sprang up before her. The shield was a masterpiece of her semblance, thick and layered like the ramparts of a fortress, shimmering with a pale light that seemed to absorb the moon's glow.
The moment Jaune's lightning beam collided with the shield, a deafening crack resonated through the air. The impact was like a clash of titans, a meeting of an unstoppable force against an immovable object. The shield held for a brief, tense moment, but the sheer power of Jaune's attack was overwhelming. With a thunderous explosion, the shield shattered into countless fragments, creating a blizzard of razor-sharp ice.
Weiss braced herself against the shockwave, her determination unwavering even in the face of such power. But she could not hold in the face of such energy, and she was thrown back as her body was sliced by her own ice shards and burnt by the unrelenting power of the lightning.
She hit the ground heavily, but she did not stay down. A Schnee always got back up.
Panting heavily now she winced at the stinging pain, feeling the warmth of her blood against the cold air.
The students watching from the sidelines gasped at the intensity of the exchange.
Both Jaune and Weiss suddenly ran towards each other. Both were hurt and Weiss, her ice blade glinting in the moonlight, moved with a swiftness born of desperation and determination. Jaune, his body crackling with electric energy, countered her every move.
She lunged forward. Her ice blade was aimed directly at Jaune's heart, its tip gleaming dangerously in the moonlight. The attack was swift and lethal, a testament to her skill and determination.
If her attack was true, Jaune would die. But Weiss was not thinking about that. She was not thinking at all. Her whole focus was on the battle before her. Never before had she been so tested. Never had she felt so alive.
Jaune, however, matched her speed with his own extraordinary reflexes. Reacting in a fraction of a second, he enveloped his hand in a protective sheath of electric energy, a vibrant shield that crackled and hummed with power. With a deft movement, he parried her strike, the collision of ice and electricity sending sparks flying into the night air.
Their faces were now mere inches apart, close enough to feel each other's breath, which frosted in the unnaturally cold air. Time seemed to slow down, and their eyes locked in an intense gaze that was charged not just with the heat of battle but with an undercurrent of something that seemed more complex, more intimate.
In that brief exchange, a multitude of emotions was conveyed – a grudging mutual respect for each other's abilities and an unyielding resolve that neither would back down.
Weiss's eyes, usually so cool and composed, burned with the fire of her fierce spirit. They reflected the moonlight and the electric glow from Jaune's hand, a stormy sea of blue that revealed her inner turmoil and unwavering determination.
Jaune, sensing the subtle shift in the moment, couldn't help but let a wry smile touch his lips.
"You know, Weiss, I take back what I said before."
"What's that?" She whispered, her eyes locked on his. She drank him in.
"Your breath actually smells pretty nice."
The moment was shattered and she glared at him. What a stupid thing to bring up!
As they broke away from each other, ready to continue their fight, the tension of the moment lingered. Weiss felt her anger fade away but her desire to prevail over Jaune only increased. She gave him an easy smile.
"You're a lot more than I thought."
Jaune half smiled but didn't answer. His eyes, lit by the electric energy he wielded, held a depth of seriousness and focus. An acknowledgment of her strength and power.
In that moment, their battle transcended mere physical confrontation. It became a clash of ideals, a test of wills, each driven by their own convictions and beliefs.
Both wanted to be team leader and neither would easily accept second place. Schnee vs Arc.
It was as the two combatants were circling each other that Jaune had an idea. He could fly. As far as he knew, Weiss could not.
Seizing the moment, he lunged forward, swiftly grabbing Weiss's waist.
Momentarily taken aback by Jaune's bold manoeuvre, she reacted instinctively. As his electrified grip tightened, a surge of her icy power coursed through her, aimed directly at his head. The sudden clash of ice and electricity was explosive, sending shards of frost and sparks of energy cascading around them.
Jaune winced as the cold bite of her semblance tore through his electric shield, piercing into his skin. Despite the searing pain, he held on, his determination unyielding. Channelling more of his lightning power, he propelled them both into the sky, soaring upwards with a burst of speed that left a trail of crackling energy in their wake.
"Noo!" She howled.
Weiss, her body still locked in Jaune's grasp, struggled against his hold. She summoned her aura and wrapped herself in a cloak of shimmering frost in an attempt to break free. The cold intensified, forming a vortex of snow that trailed behind them.
To the observers on the ground, it looked like a rocket taking off.
But despite Weiss' best efforts, Jaune's ascent was relentless. They climbed higher, the ground below rapidly receding. The moon shone bright in the night sky.
Weiss, caught in Jaune's electric maelstrom, felt the pressure building around her. She glared at Jaune, her eyes a tempest of indignation.
He was hauling her like a sack of potatoes!
In a last-ditch effort, she concentrated all her power, channelling her aura into a focused blast aimed at Jaune's chest.
The impact was immediate and brutal. A blast of concentrated ice energy struck Jaune at point blank range, the force so intense that it momentarily overpowered his electric aura. He cried out as his chest was blown open, a raw sound that was lost in the howling wind. The injury was severe, a wound that would have felled anyone of lesser strength. But he did not die. He did not let go.
He was Jaune Arc. The Lightning Man.
High above Beacon Academy, Jaune's voice thundered through the sky. "Weiss, yield!" he bellowed, his voice echoing in the vast expanse of the night. "Accept me as the leader, or I'll let go!"
And there was not a student in all of Beacon that night who did not hear his voice.
Weiss, suspended in the air, her feet dangling over a dizzying drop, met Jaune's ultimatum with a glare of pure defiance. "Never!" she screamed, her voice strong despite the precarious situation. "I won't submit to your threats, Arc!"
Below, the gathered students were but distant figures, their expressions ones of shock and disbelief. Ruby, her concern evident, couldn't believe her eyes. "He's flying with her! He's actually flying!"
High in the sky, Weiss continued to struggle against Jaune's iron grip, her pride as a Schnee refusing to let her yield. "Let me go, Jaune! I'd rather fall than surrender to you!" she shouted, her voice cutting through the howling wind.
"This is your last chance, Weiss. Yield, or face the consequences." His words were like steel. There was not a hint of his usual playfulness.
It was then that Weiss noticed the lethal wound she had inflicted on Jaune and she felt a flicker of shock. The injury was severe, far worse than she had intended, a wound that could have been fatal to anyone else. He was covered in blood.
Jaune, however, seemed to ignore the severity of his injury. His focus remained unshaken, his grip on Weiss unrelenting. Weiss, her resolve wavering for a moment in the face of Jaune's unwavering determination, knew she was at a crossroads.
The decision she made now, high above the world, would define not just the outcome of their battle but the very nature of their relationship moving forward.
She looked into his eyes and saw the resolve of a leader, a resolve that had forced her into this unwinnable position.
"Weiss, decide now!" Jaune's voice, firm and commanding, broke through her thoughts.
Weiss's pride as a Schnee remained unbroken, but she was no fool. She knew the tactical disadvantage of her position. She couldn't fly; a fall from this height would be lethal. Yet, as she gazed into Jaune's eyes, she couldn't help but feel a grudging respect for him. He had outmanoeuvred her, and in doing so, had earned a measure of her admiration.
With the cold air biting at her skin and the ground so far below, Weiss made her choice. "Fine, Jaune... I yield," she said, her voice steady yet laced with frustration. "You win this round. But don't expect me to be so gracious in the future."
Jaune's face, illuminated by the glow of his power, softened at her concession. But then, in a move that shocked Weiss to her core, he released his grip.
Weiss's heart leaped into her throat as she began to fall, the ground rushing up to meet her. Panic and adrenaline surged through her veins, but amidst the fear, there was an unexpected thrill, a rush of emotion that she couldn't quite place.
As she braced for impact, suddenly, Jaune appeared below her, teleporting with a burst of lightning. He caught her in his arms just inches from the ground, his injury seemingly forgotten in the rush of the moment.
Weiss, held securely in Jaune's arms, looked up at him, her heart racing. The realisation that he had caught her, that he had been in control even in that terrifying moment, sent a flurry of emotions through her. There was relief, certainly, but also something deeper, a stirring of something she hadn't anticipated – a reaction, perhaps, to his strength, his audacity, his unpredictability.
Jaune, looking down at her and grinned.
"Good choice."
Who would go so far just to be a leader? She would, certainly. That he had as well spoke volumes. He had the heart of a Schnee.
Then he dropped her on her ass, and she was reminded why she disliked him so much.
"Glad that's settled." He said, his playful attitude having returned. "But you're one serious hellion! I need to get patched up."
That was an understatement. He was covered in blood and was limping. Blood was dripping from his mouth. He took one staggered step forward before collapsing to the ground.
Blake Belladonna, the Princess of Holy Menagerie, The Lady of the Setting Shadow watched the confrontation between Jaune and Weiss.
Unlike many of the awestruck students around her, her expression remained composed, her gaze analytical. Her upbringing and status had afforded her exposure to battles and displays of power far beyond what most could imagine.
She tracked each movement in the fight with ease. She missed nothing. The clash of ice and lightning, the ascent into the sky, and the subsequent fall.
Her mouth twisted into a half smile at Jaune's plan.
"Audacious." She muttered.
She was impressed with the power Weiss displayed even as it made her stomach turn. Could she beat Weiss? Even if she went all out it was hard to say, the battle would be close in any event.
She had never used her true power outside of the Menagerie and Adam had never known who she was. If the White Fang had known of her identity they would have balked and sent her on the first boat back home. One did not mess with the Imperial family.
Some Princess, she thought dryly. I'm just a homeless vagabond.
She had nothing here. Nothing but a burning frustration that the land of her birth, a land of such power and majesty, cared so little for the lives of the faunus outside its shores. And so she had run away, turned her back on a life of luxury and became a terrorist fighting for those who thought themselves forgotten.
She watched Jaune fall to the floor. He was injured badly. That was clear.
In her pocket, she felt the weight of the Lifeseed, a treasure that only grew in the rich and opulent gardens of her home, the Royal Palace. The small, unassuming fruit pulsed with a potent energy, its value immense both in terms of wealth and its healing properties.
Blake knew it was a resource to be used sparingly, and she had carried it with her as a precaution, a secret safeguard.
The other students, now murmuring among themselves, seemed unsure of how to react. Some looked on with concern, others with a mix of awe and confusion at what they had just witnessed. But Blake's focus remained undivided, locked onto Jaune. It would be foolish to waste such a valuable treasure on such a goofball.
Yet, as she watched Jaune struggling to rise, she made her decision. She moved towards him, her steps completely silent as she channelled a tiny amount of the Shadow magic that all members of the royal bloodline of Holy Menagerie possessed.
The collapsed Jaune was surrounded by a small group of his new friends. Ruby's face was etched with worry, while Ren stood by, his calm exterior barely concealing his concern.
Pyrrha was holding him gently and whispering that everything would be alright.
Weiss looked down, her expression extremely troubled.
"I'm fine." Jaune said trying to wave everyone off, but his words were starting to slur.
"We need to get him to the infirmary," Pyrrha looked up, her voice laced with urgency.
Nora, strangely, seemed particularly upset.
"Jaune! Don't die!"
"I'm not going to die." He grimaced. "Can someone just get the doctor?"
"I'll sing you a song to make you feel better!" Nora cried and then stepping forward began to sing, her hands pressed together as if in prayer. She had a terrible voice.
"Oh, Jaune, the Lightning Man, so bold and so bright,
With a flash you teleport and…um…disappear from sight,
Through storms you may travel, in thunder you stand,
With the power of lightning held in your…your…hand.
You light up our world like a star in the night,
Turning darkness to day with your electric might.
So stand tall, Jaune Arc, with your heart brave and grand,
For you are our hero, the Lightning Man!"
Blake knelt beside him, her expression unreadable. She reached into her pocket and discreetly slipped the Lifeseed into Jaune's hand.
Their eyes met for a brief moment. Blake's gaze held a depth of understanding, a recognition of the sacrifice and pain inherent in leadership.
"I'm trusting you." She whispered. "Don't let me down."
Jaune, feeling the weight and energy of the Lifeseed, looked at Blake with a mix of surprise and questioning. But she merely nodded and stepped back.
"He'll be fine. Give him a moment," she said and her voice held the authority that she had always hated using. The students listened and gave them all space.
As she stood, the Lifeseed began to work its magic. Everyone watched amazed, as Jaune's wound started to close, the bleeding stopping as if by some unseen force. Whispers and gasps filled the air, their expressions a mix of disbelief and wonder.
None were more delighted than Nora. She gasped and looked around to check that everyone else was seeing what she was witnessing.
"My song!" She gasped. "I channelled the power of the Lightning Man! Jaune is healing!"
Blake, stepped back from the scene, her face calm and impassive.
Jaune never took his eyes off her. In the shadow of the night, her silhouette was both regal and enigmatic. He thought he had never seen a more beautiful sight.
From a flying carpet high in the sky, Ozpin, sitting cross legged, observed the dramatic confrontation between Jaune and Weiss, his eyes betraying a hint of satisfaction.
Beside him, Glynda was visibly agitated, her usual composure frayed. She hated these Vacuan flying carpets. They seemed so…unstable. Maybe it was because she was standing. She decided to sit down.
"We should have intervened, Ozpin," Glynda insisted, her tone laced with frustration. "This was reckless, dangerous!"
Ozpin, calm and contemplative, sipped his coffee, his gaze never leaving the scene below. "Sometimes, Glynda, we must allow our students to face their own battles. It's the only way they truly learn."
Professor Bartholomew Oobleck, ever the enthusiast, leaned forward, his eyes wide behind his glasses. "Astounding display of abilities, wouldn't you say, colleagues? Quite the educational experience!"
Professor Peter Port, stroking his moustache, nodded in agreement. "Indeed, Oobleck. Absolutely remarkable. Though, I must say, quite unorthodox."
Glynda shook her head, unconvinced. "But the risks, Ozpin. What if they had seriously injured each other?"
Ozpin finally turned, his expression thoughtful. "Glynda, Jaune's potential as a leader needed to be tested, and Weiss, with her upbringing, was the perfect challenge. Leadership is not only about strategy and strength. It's about understanding your team, earning their respect."
He paused, watching as Blake intervened discreetly, her actions unnoticed by all. So, she helped after all…
"Jaune's approach was unconventional, yes, but effective. He has shown he can lead, even someone like Weiss, who was born and raised to be a leader herself. That's no mean feat."
Glynda sighed, her concern still evident. "And what of the injuries, the damage?"
Ozpin turned back to the window, a small smile playing on his lips as he watched Jaune's wounds heal miraculously. "Our students are more resilient than we often give them credit for, Glynda. They are learning, growing. This was a necessary trial, for Jaune, for Weiss, and for all of them."
As the scene outside settled and the students began to head back into the hall. Ozpin's gaze lingered on Jaune and Weiss, his eyes reflecting a deep understanding of the complexities of leadership and growth. "This was a turning point, not just for them, but for all of Beacon. And I believe they are all the better for it."
Glynda, though still uneasy, nodded slowly, trusting in Ozpin's wisdom. The headmaster's ability to see the potential in his students, to guide them through trials that others might deem too risky, was part of what made him a respected leader at Beacon Academy.
"But what about the wall Ozpin. He broke the wall. He deserves a detention for that, at least!"