Yes, Fanfic fixed notifications so now I can receive stuff! Before anyone asks, yes, I have permission from the original author, vendetta543, to use this idea. In his Omakes, this was always an interesting idea for me, one I which we could see in more detailed, so like Thanos, I just said 'Fine, I'll do it myself.'
Like the original Arc for Every Season, expect some hilarious moments, but also fighting sequences, dark moments and Jaune wondering if it's too late to quit. Enjoy!
Jaune thinks there were a lot of ways his Initiation at Beacon could have ended.
He could've passed and gotten into an awesome team with partners who'd watch his back. He could've failed the Initiation and come back home with his head hung low, his mom and sisters patting him on the head and telling him he did his best.
He could've died in the forest and then the school would have to tell his family that the only remains found were placed in a tupperware.
Of all those, sitting at the headmaster's office in front of the man himself was ranked pretty low on the list.
Jaune gripped the edges of the leather seat and did his best to keep his expression level.
Forget surviving Initiation, he didn't even make it to Initiation! The moment he arrived, the Headmaster was there at the entrance, requesting to talk with him. Thankfully, there was nobody around them at the time since he was so nervous, he took an early Bullhead to the school.
Though now he was regretting that because he was sitting in front of the most powerful man in Vale. So far neither had said a word. Jaune just sat there while the headmaster read through the documents in front of him, the gears turning in his office being the only source of sound, each tick making him flinch. Was it supposed to be some kind of intimidation tactic? Cause if so it was working.
The silence lasted for another minute before Jaune couldn't take it anymore.
"S-So, um...is there a reason you called me here, Headmaster?" Jaune asked before he cursed himself. Of course there was a reason. He didn't think the headmaster invited him over just to watch him squirm.
"Hmm? Oh, forgive me for making you wait." He said. Jaune was about to wave away the apology when he continued. "I was just familiarizing myself with your profile and records."
"O-Oh?" Jaune gulped again. Most of it was real...except for his transcripts.
Mom was very overprotective of him. Especially after Dad died in the line of duty. He was a Hunstman and like him and his dad before him, he wanted to carry on the family's legacy.
Mom had other ideas. After Dad's death, she saw being a Huntsman as a worthless job, where you die young and people don't even mourn you, only caring when the next Hunstman arrived to protect them, only for that Hunstman to die again and the cycle repeating over and over.
So he had to get...creative, making a wager with his mom. If he passed Initiation and entered Beacon, she would allow him to continue pursuing his dream. Mom was still hesitant, so he claimed that if he failed or was ever expelled, he would come back home, do whatever job she wants without complaints and completely forget about being a Hunstman.
She accepted because after all, the odds were in her favour. Even though he managed to unlock his Aura by bribing someone (which took a year's worth of allowance to do so, by the way!), he had no training and he didn't exactly have the body type of a Hunstman.
He was snapped out of his thoughts as Headmaster Ozpin clasped his hands together, a smile on his face. It did not calm him down because the man looked really creepy. "You come from a village outside the walls, correct?"
"Yeah. Domremy." He explained.
Domremy was a small place where everyone knew everyone. Alright, maybe small wasn't the right term. Unlike other towns, it was big enough to have its own school and to have its own militia. They exported a lot of goods like wines and furs so that got them some protection from Vale. It wasn't anything grand or expensive in comparison to the other kingdoms like Atlas, but it was enough.
"Your family exports wines." It wasn't a question, no matter how much his tone framed it as one.
"...Yes." Jaune said as he sat up straighter and looked one of the most powerful men in the world in the eye. If this went on any longer, he was pretty sure he was going to have a heart attack. "Sir, could we please get to the point? You didn't call me here to talk about my background."
"Indeed." He stood suddenly and stared out the window behind him, looking away from Jaune and blocking his face from sight. "Let us get down to business then, Jaune. Do you know what is on my desk next to your profile?"
"My… transcripts." Jaune said.
"Indeed, and I was very impressed." He said and Jaunce winced, though he tried not to let his nerves show. This was it. He didn't know the exact punishment for faking transcripts, but he doubts he will only have to pay a fine. He was so desperate to achieve his dream and now here he was facing his consequences without even taking that first step. "So impressed that I had to call your family in order to find out more about you. Before anything, I offer my condolences. Your father was a great Hunstman."
"You… You knew my dad?" Jaune asked.
"Knew him?" Ozpin chuckled. "We were on the same team."
"What!?" Jaune shouted in surprise. His dad was in the same team as the Headmaster of Beacon!?
"Yes." Ozpin said, blinking. "Did he not tell you?"
Once he snapped out of his shock, Jaune shook his head. "No. Dad never talked much about his Hunstman life. All I got were stories about my grandpa."
"Hmm, a shame." Ozpin said and for a moment there, Jaune could swear he looked sad. "Moving on, after I contacted your mother, imagine my surprise when she claimed you couldn't even lift a sword and that your grades were average."
Jaune inwardly cursed. Great, now his mom knew! So either he was going to jail or face his mother's wrath and he really doesn't know which was worse.
"Am...Am I in trouble, sir?" He asked, afraid.
"Legally? Yes. Falsifying records is no laughing matter, Jaune." He said with a serious tone.
"Which is why you're fortunate that I'm not going to tell anyone about this."
…Wait, what?
Jaune's jaw dropped as the headmaster turned and refilled his mug of hot chocolate. He wasn't going to jail? What was the Headmaster thinking? Does he want him for something? Why? What could he possibly offer?
"Before we move on, I admit I am rather curious, so indulge me if you will." Ozpin said and Jaune nodded slowly. "Why do something so dangerous? Despite our propaganda, the life of a Huntsman is hardly the most glorious. There's a reason it's one of the jobs with the highest mortality rates, of which is common knowledge, might I add."
Jaune looked down, hands balled into shaky fists. The Headmaster hasn't handed him over to the cops yet, so he might as well come clean and tell the truth for once.
"The Arcs are a long legacy of heroes and warriors. My great-great grandfather fought in the Great War. His son and his son after - my grandpa - was a hero too. He saved so many people. Dad also followed in their example, so I..."
"You wanted to live up to their example?" he asked kindly. "Be a hero?"
Jaune nodded, his face a bit heated. Saphron always teased him about how he was still that kid who wanted to be a superhero while the rest of his younger sisters thought it was stupid.
"But why a Huntsman specifically? There are other avenues to living up to your name." Ozpin explained. "From what I gathered in your hometown, there is even a militia, so you could have easily found an easier path."
"I… don't know." He said, and it was true. He didn't know why he chose to be a Hunstman. Obviously he wasn't blind to other avenues. Saphron is a doctor at Argus and some of his sisters have expressed interest in engineering or teaching. Everyone wants to help in their own way. So why did he choose the most deadly one of them all?
"I suppose I can't blame you for that reply. You are, after all, still young. Many students enroll into the academy without truly understanding what it means to be one of humanity's defenders." Ozpin added. "Some want to save the world, some want to get powerful, some just want the freedom to do whatever they please. There's a variety of reasons."
"Sir, I'm sorry, but you still haven't answered my question. Why am I here?" Jauned asked.
"Ah, my apologies, it's been far too long since I could relax and have a casual conversation with someone." Ozpin said before he cleared his throat. "Tell me, Jaune, what's your favorite fairy tale?"
A small start, a bit similar to the beginning of the original one, but with some changes that I feel could help down the line. The story will obviously follow the canon events of V1-V3 and while some things will be a bit similar to the original Arc for Every Season, I am going to try and add my own spin on this story with a few unique moments, one of which you will see very soon.