The Boy Who Talks to Machines
By The Good Life Creator 678
Chapter Six: (Not So) Atomic Punk
"I am a victim of the science age, a child of the storm, woah yes. I can't remember when I was your age, for me time is no more, no more."
Jaune wasn't afraid to admit that he was a nervous wreck. Most of his morning was filled with self-doubt; thoughts of failure had played themselves on repeat at the forefront of his mind. He knew what it could possibly mean for him if he didn't pass this morning. What it could possibly do to the promises of semi-freedom that being a huntsman bring.
He tried shaking those thoughts off by multiple means. Attempting to simply be optimistic was a bust. Same with going with the old adage of not thinking about it. Distracting himself with breakfast did little to nothing for him.
He did try talking about it with Ruby. She listened earnestly to him, nodding at the right moments. She did seem to understand what he was worried about; that he was scared that he would fail. In the end she just smiled and told him how he had it, that they would pass no matter what for they had plans to make him a superhero.
Even though that bright smile she flashed in her words of encouragement seemed forced she did seem to put him at ease; if only slightly. He couldn't shake the sense of foreboding that had followed him all morning.
Jaune shook his head as he continued to get ready for the day ahead of him just like all students around him in the locker room. It didn't matter that he was scared. It didn't matter that he was unsure of himself. All those what ifs that ran through his head were just that, what ifs.
Right now, he had to actually do.
At least his armor came in earlier than expected. The cuirass was thinner than his old breastplate, made of hardened leather dyed white with gold accents. The bracers followed the same pattern, bronze studs riveted into the leather. It was lighter than what his old armor and allowed for more flexibility. Initially he wanted something more akin to a knight with heavy plated armor but thought better of it when Peach brought up that huntsman were always on the move.
There were also the four pairs of white rimmed goggles she left him with a note that stated they were to help keep the bugs out of his eyes. Weird. Were they for when he created his hoverbike and turbine wings?
Thoughts for later. He was just glad that Rebekah wasn't there. The raccoon and the white haired girl got along like fuel and fire.
"So Pyrrha, have you given any thoughts as to whose team you'd like to be on?" he heard a familiar voice question. He cringed eternally at the sound of her, preferring to simply run away.
No. No, he couldn't do that. Just because something was uncomfortable it didn't mean he should run.
Slipping on his jacket and closing his locker he turned to face his fears. There stood the Ice Princess conversing with another girl that looked as comfortable as he did at the moment. She was a tall teen, standing an inch or two shorter than himself, dressed in brown leathers and shining bronze. Scarlet hair splashed down her back in a controlled ponytail strands kept from her eyes by a bronze circlet. Her bright green eyes flashed with emotions she was too polite to say aloud as the Ice Princess continued to all but gush about team placements.
"I'm sure everyone must be eager to unite with such a strong, well-known individual such as yourself!"
"I haven't," Pyrrha replied, placing a xiphos and shield on her back. "I was planning on letting the chips fall where they may."
"Well, I was thinking that you and I could be on a team together."
"That sounds… grand." The redhead sounded reluctant of the idea of it all. She didn't seem at all comfortable with the prospect.
"I thought that teams were picked by lottery," Jaune interjected. That was the most prevalent rumor he had caught this morning.
"Why would a prestigious school such as this do something so asi- oh, it's you." The white haired girl held a look of disdain in her cold blue eyes. Jaune winced slightly under her gaze. He guessed he somewhat deserved that. She didn't seem all that happy last night with their antics, having stated as much when she came over to tell them to go to sleep. "What do you want? Can't you see we're having a conversation?"
Jaune gulped, trying to get rid of the lump in his throat. This was not going as well as he had thought it would. "I… uh, I think we got off on the wrong foot yesterday. I'm Jaune Arc." He extended his hand towards her, a sheepish smile breaking apart his face. "And I'm sorry about keeping you awake last night."
The Ice Princess raised an eyebrow at the boy. "You… truly have no idea who either of us are, do you?" Jaune shook his head, confirming her suspicions. "How sheltered are you?"
"What do yo-"
"Weiss Schnee," the white haired girl spoke, shaking his hand lightly. "Heiress to the Schnee Dust Company." A few wires connected in the blond boy's mind. She wasn't just related to the SDC; she was the SDC. "And this is Pyrrha Nikos, four time champion of Mistral Regional Championships. Does any of that ring any bells in that thick head of yours?"
The blond EVO noticed Pyrrha shift at the mention of her accomplishments. She turned her face to anything but the conversation. She seemed so small, wishing for the ground beneath their feet to swallow her whole.
"Uh, why should it matter?" Jaune inquired. He knew the SDC. They were famous for being one of the main dust distributors and miners with a litany of human and faunus rights violations with pending lawsuits threatening to bankrupt them. It was kind of hard not to. The Mistral Championship though, he had no clue. He and Rebekah never stayed in a city when one was being held so he never got a chance to see one.
"Of course it matters, you dolt!" Weiss spoke, eyebrows knitted in anger. "Why would a school just throw together teams on a lottery system when they can craft ones with high pedigree?"
"Because at the end of it all, we're just people trying to do the right thing." The boy didn't hesitate in his answer. It was the reason why he wanted to be a huntsman in the first place. Current ultimatums and self-doubts or not, he really did want to try and make the world a better place.
"You really believe that, don't you?" Jaune nodded his head slowly at the Ice Princess's question. Irritation washed over her face. "You're just as childish as that little girl."
With a twirl, she gripped the taller girl's wrist in an attempt to leave. "Come, Pyrrha. We don't have to entertain his juvenile fantasies."
Pyrrha waved sheepishly at him as she was dragged away. She really didn't seem like she wanted to leave yet Weiss wasn't seeing any of it.
Jaune hung his head and slumped his shoulders. That could have gotten better, a lot better. It was strange though. The girl Weiss was talking to, Pyrrha, looked like she was searching for every way to escape.
And he just let her down.
"I, for one, agree with Rebekah," Yang spoke, slinging an arm over his shoulder. "Weiss is a total Ice Bitch."
"Yang!" Ruby exclaimed, holding her ears. From what Jaune could gather, the young reaper really didn't like cursing for some reason or another.
"What, it's true. Right, Jaune?"
"All first-year students report to Beacon Cliff for initiation. Again, all first-year students report to Beacon Cliff for initiation." Goodwitch's voice crackled through the intercom system. Ruby bounced on the balls of her feet in excitement. Yang smirked as she pumped her fist in the air. Jaune felt his nerves freeze over.
It was time to do; creeping self-doubt or not.
--The Boy Who Talks to Machines--
Jaune remembered the rumor about the faculty launching them from a cliff. He laughed at it. Why would they do that? Wouldn't someone get hurt or worse? What if someone managed to sneak there way in with just a sword and shield with no aura to protect them?
Then they had the students line up on metal platforms. On a cliff. Overlooking a forest. The little rumor he heard about some mad old man decided that seeing how much hang time a student can get unexpectedly was gaining a lot more credence with every passing moment.
Maybe the gave out parachutes? With a quick glance to the students on either side, Jaune cursed at his luck. Maybe there were stairs? He looked behind both Ozpin and Glynda, color draining from his face upon realization.
"For years, all of you have trained to become warriors and to face the trials that come with your chosen profession. Today, all of your abilities and talents will be evaluated in the Emerald Forest." Ozpin waved towards the forest below, trees stretching out to the sea. The older man seemed to be in better spirits.
"Now, I have no doubt that you have heard the rumors about team assignments," the blonde woman spoke, filling the pause that the grey haired man had left. That was an understatement. It was all anyone could talk about all morning. "Well, allow us to put an end to the confusion of how they are assigned. Each of you will be assigned teammates today."
Jaune's eyes widened slightly. How did they plan on assigning teams. He didn't see a list in their hands. How did they plan on assigning teams?
"The teams you form today, should you pass, will be with you for the rest of your time at Beacon. It is in your best interest to seek out someone whom you work well with." Ozpin's voice hung in the air. The theory of random lottery shattered. "With all of that being said, the first person you make eye contact with after landing will be your partner for the next four years. After you have found your partner, you will make your way to the northern end of the forest. There you will find an old temple housing relics. Each pair is to choose one relic and make it back to the cliff before sundown. Along the way you'll meet opposition. Do not hesitate to destroy or route anything and everything in your path. Stilling your blades foolishly at any moment will lead to your death. Any questions?"
Jaune shook in his boots, trying his best not to show the rest of the world just how terrified he was. He knew death was possible at school; the waivers that he had signed made it clear. He knew that being a huntsman was never considered a safe job by any stretch of the imagination. He just thought that they would ease the students in. Not throw them in to the deep end and hope for the best.
One thing did bother Jaune to no end. If there were no parachutes or a stairwell to descend safely to the forest below, how did they plan on sending the students?
"Thwmp!"
Jaune all but jumped out of his skin as an unfortunate was flung high into the air, screaming obscenities into the air. The rumors were true. Beacon's halls really were home to sadists. They really were going to fling them into the forest with a hope and a prayer.
Shaky blue eyes looked at the rest of the students as they were launched into the air. Some of them knew what was coming, lowering their center and unfolding their weapons in anticipation. Others were like him, shaking in their skin, eyes filled with fear as their fellow hopefuls were flung into the air like ragdolls.
He turned to face Ruby. She was like a lead caught in the breeze but it wasn't from fear. The gleam in her eye held something else other than terror.
"Thwmp!"
The student beside Ruby flung in to the air. He was next. It was his turn to quickly learn how to fall with style. "We got this." He tried his best to sound confident, to sound brave, but deep down he knew that he failed.
Then he felt her crawl onto his back, fur brushing against his cheek as she peered at Ruby as well, holding up her thumb. "Damn straight!"
Everything around the machine EVO slipped his mind. The exam, the would be students learning how to fly without wings, the fact that he was to be the next projectile, all of it disappeared from his thoughts as he stared at Rebekah's face.
"The hell are you doi-!"
"THWMP!"
"Son of a biiiitch!!!"
--The Boy Who Talks to Machines--
"I… hate… you…" Jaune gritted out in between gasps, hands on his knees as he tried regaining his bearings, glaring daggers at Rebekah as she rolled on the ground laughing. Outside the Bullhead Incident, he really did like flying; loved it even. To him, it was almost the epitome of freeing. The adrenaline, the wind blowing through his hair, all of it was exciting. When he was expecting to soar through the air.
Every time he took an unexpected trip through the air, it never turned out well for him. When he got thrown halfway across the desert of Vacuo by the many face giant, he ended up face first in a dune. The time he got smacked outside a village in the south of Vale by a six armed mutant rabbit, he ended up making a trench through a cornfield. Now after being launched off a cliff by sadist disguised as a headmaster, he created a seismic event with large metal boots.
"The look on your face!" Rebekah cried out, not even bothering to contain her laughter. Jaune swore he saw tears in her eyes.
"At least someone's enjoying my misfortune…" Jaune muttered under his breath before straightening up and taking in the scenery around him. Broken tree limbs filled the crater he had just created in the forest floor. Maybe he should have found a more graceful way to get down to terra firma than simply falling down and breaking every branch on the way. "What are doing here anyways? I thought that this was for would be students; not staff."
"Hey! I count! You'd be dead without me!" At least the raccoon stopped laughing.
Jaune pulled out his scroll and opened up to the app that Beacon had them all install. "Nope, the app doesn't recognize you as a candidate." From what he could tell, it was a multipurpose app to use some facilities on campus and track auras tuned to the scroll. He wasn't sure that the app would even register teammates in that manner. But it did the trick of getting under the furry EVO's skin.
Rebekah huffed and crossed her arms as she turned her head in indignation. "I don't care what some stupid app says, they know we're in this together."
Jaune rolled his eyes at the comment. Part of him felt like this was cheating, that having her there was an unfair advantage that no one else held. But he knew that he had to press every advantage he had. Regardless of what he felt, regardless of what scholarly morality dictated, this was a test to prepare them for the rigors of what being a huntsman in Remnant truly meant.
"Hey, why didn't you use the goggles?" The question ripped the mechanical EVO out of his thoughts and to the pair of said goggles hanging around his neck. The gears started turning in his head as he digested the inquiry.
"What about the… Wait! You knew we were gonna be flung from a cliff?! Why didn't you warn me?!"
"Didn't you read the note?"
Jaune blinked at the question. Yes, he read the note. At the time, he thought it was a gift for him and his team for when he was flying or using his hoverbike. He had no idea that it was a warning that he was going to have to learn how to fall with ungraceful style at the hands of the head lunatic of Beacon Academy.
Before Jaune could press the issue further it happened. It started with Rebekah's fur standing on end. A primal growl escaped her throat as she lowered her center. Then the recognizable smell of burnt hair and stale blood smacked him across his face with its pungent odor. Grimm. How many there were, the teen EVO couldn't tell, but the stench of the dearly departed had always clung to their soulless forms like a constant reminder of what were to befall those either unfortunate or insane enough to come across them.
The boy's head began to fill with thoughts of how anything could ever smell this bad, how many there were that wanted to make his limbs their new chew toys, and how he was going to die a horrific death. Seemingly just to solidify that his doom was impending their glowing red eyes peered from the surrounding trees, their inky forms slinking from shadow to shadow.
Jaune shook his head. He couldn't think like that. Those kinds of thoughts only served to attract more Grimm to him like moths to a flame.
"I count ten," Rebekah spoke, her plasma cannon sparking to life.
The blond lowered his center, trying to make himself as intimidating as possible. This was it, this was his do or die.
"Ba-dum, ba-dum, ba-dum."
His heart hastened it's pace, slamming against his chest in anticipation as the beasts stilled momentarily.
"Rrroooaaawwwrrr!!!"
Everything broke out in a matter of seconds, a primal roar acting like a round from a starting gun. A beast broke from the trees, leaping towards the two EVOs with outstretched claws and snarling fangs.
Jaune reacted quickly, the nanites in his arms shifting, his large mechanical hands coming to life with a closed fist. He was shocked as his fist struck home against the thing's jaw, surprised that his first reaction was to not to freeze in place or try to find an out but to strike back.
The feeling was short lived, another beast roaring as it made its leap towards the two. Jaune gripped the beast still reeling from the punch and flung him into the leaping beast and sent them crashing into a tree.
Again, the another of the beast leaped towards his back. His build shifted as he extended his arm towards the new beast. "Shckk." The beast found itself impaled on a large golden blade, its claws touching Jaune's face, blood stained saliva dropping from its maw. A Beowolf, a werewolf-like monstrosity with inky black fur and white bones jutting out from its flesh.
So those were the Grimm that were attacking the two.
Suddenly, Jaune felt the brief sensation of gravity taking hold as he fell through the ground to his knees, another Beowolf leaping through him. Lighting cracked from his shoulder, striking at the beast and leaving it crumpled on the forest floor in a heap of convulsing limbs.
"I told you you'd be dead without me!" Rebekah exclaimed from his shoulder, her plasma cannon smoking.
"Now is not the time for that!" Jaune struggled to move against his new binding. He was trying not to panic, knowing that it would only attract more to those monsters to them. He had to find a way out and quick. He could dig his way out quickly, before the others came to capitalize on him being stuck up to the knees in the earth below.
As Jaune formulated a plan to break free, the remaining beasts pounced towards them, malice burning in their eyes, claws outstretched, fangs tinged with blood bared for the world to see.
"Bang!"
A torrent of rose petals rushed over him, slamming a large red and black scythe into them.
A/N-So I'm caught up both with what I've previously written for Of EVOs and Grimm and with what I've written down now. I've also got some news. I recently took a job with a 4/10 schedule so periodically updating throughout the week is not gonna be feasible. So I'm going to put this on a weekly basis for sometime Saturdays PST for right now. I may throw in a one shot or two regarding a what-if scenario with this version of Jaune, I recently got into ArcShot (Jaune/May) for some reason and can't get it out of my head. I recommend I'll Hit You, by the way.
I'm also going to take down Of EVOs and Grimm next week as well. If you wanna take it, feel free to but I am deleting it.
In regards to this fic, I have Jaune's 'superhero' name picked out. While this isn't a hero fic, this version of Ruby is kinda enamored by the idea. As you've also guessed, I'm renaming the original builds. What they will be named, I may have a few ideas but nothing concrete. If you have any suggestions, feel free to leave them in a review.
On to answering the reviews.
IrishKatana- I like the suggestion. I do have plans for the Omega nanites, some of those might be what was shown from Generator Rex, some will not be. I'm not exactly fond of a couple designs they had for it.