Jaune sighed in relief as the school day ended. He and Pyrrha walked out of Glynda's classroom, their team not far behind. Second years streamed out of the combat class and a few patted him on the back or gave him nods of respect.
He had beaten a skilled juggernaut of a second year, one of the strongest second years he had ever fought. But, using both his tactical mind and honed body, he beat the hulking fighter and rose on the leaderboards.
The rest of his eight-man group all won their respective spars as well. They grew stronger by the day and slowly crawled up the second-year leaderboards.
Team CFVY also grew more skillful, although their progress couldn't be measured by their place on the leaderboard as they held the top spot. He couldn't wait for the day he and the rest of his eight-man team reached their level.
He gave the second-year students his thanks. Pyrrha also meekly thanked them, getting congratulations as well. Throughout the crowd, the rest of his eight-man team experienced similar praises.
He led Pyrrha away from the second years and an emptier part of the hall.
The second years dispersed, leaving his friends to regroup with him and Pyrrha. He, and the rest of his eight-man team, stood casually, looking as if they hadn't been in intense battle mere moments before
The after battle high passed over him, leaving him with a clear mind and the healthy pain of well-used muscles. A feeling of accomplishment filled him. He had pushed himself well.
Now they needed to move on from physical battles to ones concerning the mind, mainly their homework. He stood tall and opened his mouth to suggest they all go to the library to do their homework.
A feminine voice interrupted him, "Yo, how are my favorite Firsties doing?"
He turned to the voice's origin.
Coco came out of the combat room with her team in tow. His eight-man team turned to their approaching older team mentors. Team CFVY crossed the distance and both groups exchanged greetings.
They broke off into smaller groups for conversation. Coco walked over to him and Pyrrha.
She met his eyes and took off her aviators.
Raising her hand, she said, "Hey you two, how's it going?"
Jaune shrugged, "We're good, although you didn't have to slap me around that much during our spar. I don't think my body can withstand that minigun.
She smirked playfully, "Awww. Don't worry Jaune, next time I'll make sure you're in working condition for your girlfriend."
She pointedly looked at Pyrrha, making his partner blush up a storm and sputter.
He rolled his eyes, opening his mouth to retort, but she spoke before he could get a word out, "What are you and your team doing now?"
He looked down the hall, "I was just about to suggest we go to the library and finish all of our homework,"
Coco smiled, "Ever the diligent student Jaune, very leader-like of you"
He nodded, "Thanks, Coco."
Her brow rose and she grinned. She glanced over to Pyrrha. The red-haired girl coughed out of her previous embarrassment and stared the dark-haired girl down.
Their eyes narrowed and a heavy pressure filled the air between them. He looked between them, slowly putting his feet forward to get between them.
Finally, Pyrrha shook her head and looked away from Coco's gaze. He stopped.
The brown-haired girl smiled in victory and turned back to him.
Coco filled her beret and told him, "Anyways you probably shouldn't go to the library. Go to the auditorium, it's gonna save you time. There's going to be an announcement for the first years that I think you'll like."
He raised a brow, "What's it going to be about?"
She smiled and shrugged playfully, "It's a surprise."
She put her aviators back on and turned around, signaling to her team.
Walking with her team towards the second years, she waved to him and his team, "Bye guys, hope you have an exciting day!."
He turned to Pyrrha and asked, "Do you have any idea what she meant by that?"
She nodded slightly, "I heard a few of the second years near us talking about some announcement and looking towards us."
He nodded, his curiosity about this announcement growing.
He addressed the rest of his friends and told them what Coco said to him. They became confused, but they were willing to go to the auditorium.
He led the group in the opposite direction of the library, towards the auditorium.
He hoped that Coco wasn't playing a prank on his team or anything of the sort. It would be a waste if they didn't get their homework done early and well.
They passed by many students streaming down the halls in either direction. Teams formed up and headed towards the library or out of the building. Friends grouped up and people started to create plans for the day.
Just another day at Beacon. Everyone moved with life and vigor
How could the videos show the very same school become nothing but smoldering ruins filled by Grimm and Fang members? He shuddered as the horrific images ran through his head. He let the memories run their course, pulling out of their negativity like pulling out of thick oil.
Those videos would never come to pass. He made a vow to both Blake and Pyrrha to make sure of that, and an Arc kept their word.
No matter what.
Other first-year groups also walked towards the auditorium, alleviating some of his concerns that Coco had tricked him.
The hallways near the auditorium grew less dense of other students, leaving only first-years moving through them.
A few of the other first-year teams glanced in their direction and huddled up with one another, whispering feverishly. First team leaders met his eyes and either held looks of respect or envy. Some had both.
He ignored the looks and the whispering. It didn't matter what the other first-year teams thought about him or his team. They didn't have any strong connections with any of them, and he didn't intend to create new bonds. They were well past the other first-year teams' skill levels. There was nothing to gain from them.
Taking refuge in the fact that he and his friends had surpassed the other first years in every way possible, he smiled and led his team towards the auditorium.
A sharp noise clicked from the school PA system and he stopped walking. His team and the other first years did the same.
Glynda's voice rang from the PA system, reverberating through the hall, "All first years are needed in the auditorium. I repeat all first years are needed in the auditorium."
The PA system clicked off, leaving the entire hall in science. He turned to his friends and pointed to the entrance to the auditorium.
He resumed his pace and so did the other first-year teams. He led his eight-man group to the front of the first-year procession. They reached the auditorium entrances, which swung open by themselves when they neared.
They entered.
The auditorium's sheer scale took the breath out of him. Its ceiling reached several stories and it held what had to be hundreds of seats. Large ornate chandeliers clung to the high ceiling, glowing brightly even after centuries of use. The entire place looked large enough to seat every person in Beacon with a few seats left over.
No one currently sat in those seats. The sounds of shuffling material from the main stage created the only sound in the other wide dead quiet room. He and his group hurried down the aisle towards the front row. They found plush seats and sat down next to one another.
On the stage, Glynda directed a handful of stagehands to set up equipment and mic stands. She used her semblance and floated boxes over the stage, speeding up the process.
Her eyes landed on theirs in the front row. They greeted her and she nodded in return.
She gave one of the stagehands a command and stepped off the stage, landing in front of them on her heels. She regarded them with a cool, almost proud look in her eyes.
He asked her, "Why did you want all the first years here ?"
She responded, "You'll know soon enough. Wait for the other first-years to come in."
She turned without another word and went through a door at the side of the stage.
He and his friends began to talk about what the announcement could be. He had a small inkling of what it could be, but he didn't share his ideas with the rest of the group.
He met Pyrrha's and Blake's eyes and they too seemed to already know what was going to be said.
More first years filed into the room. The majority of them sat away from them at first, but soon the seats around them were filled with eager students.
The first years around them whispered and pointed to them, but he and his team were so wrapped up in conversation that they didn't notice their peers' attention.
They bounced out suggestions on what the announcements could be and each one became wilder than the one that came before. Nora even outright suggested that Ozpin was going to reveal himself as some sort of mastermind Grimm and that he wanted them to join his ranks.
She became saddened when the rest of the group didn't take her seriously.
A feeling of anticipation filled him as the minutes went by. He looked towards the stage, energy slowly sparking through him.
The other first-years stopped talking about them and turned their conversation to the mysterious announcement as well.
A few more minutes passed and the auditorium's doors closed with a mighty thud. The overhead lights dimmed until they turned off, leaving only the stage bathed in light. All talking stopped at once.
Ozpin walked out of a dark green curtain attached to the back of the stage, Glynda in tow. His cane tapped the stage's polished wood. He walked to the mic in the front center of the stage.
He picked the mic from its stand. Glynda stepped next to him and looked across the students, eyes narrowed. The look promised severe punishment to anyone who went out of line. No one made a peep.
A spotlight shone to life on Ozpin and Glynda as the rest of the stage lights turned off.
Ozpin settled the cane in his other hand, resting it against his leg. He thumped it against the stage. A loud boom thundered from the impact, turning everyone's attention away from Glynda's death stare to the old headmaster.
He coughed into the mic, sending white noise throughout the room.
Seemingly satisfied, he spoke into the mic and his voice boomed, "Thank you all for gathering here. It has been quite a while since I gathered all of you in this room."
"During that orientation, I saw potential. A vast mind-boggling potential that had the chance to be wasted. But, I am happy to say that all of you have honed that potential into a weapon against the Grimm. I congratulate you."
He smiled and the auditorium broke out into wild applause. He joined in with everyone else, the headmasters praising warming him.
"All of you in this auditorium have not wasted the boon of an education at Beacon. From here, I can see that all of you have improved in both mind and body. In a few years, you will take the huntsman licensing exam and pass it with flying colors. I know that for certain."
Ozpin's tone became deeper and his eyes took on a glint of seriousness, "But, do not let this praise get to your head. The Grimm are a constant threat no matter how strong or smart you are. You can make one slip up and they will be upon you with no remorse. Remember, to become great in all aspects is the only sure way to stay alive against the endless hordes of Grimm. Do not let hubris be the end of you as it has been the folly of much stronger and smarter huntsmen in training before you."
"You may have grown but all of you are still brimming with potential. You still have years yet to become even stronger and be the best huntsmen you can be. You cannot let that potential go to waste and flatline in skill. This is why I have gathered all of you here today. I want to give you the opportunity to cultivate your talent."
Ozpin turned away from the mic and nodded to Glynda. The blonde witch flicked out her riding crop.
Holo light projectors floated down from the ceiling, Glynda's semblance covering them in her purple glow. They stopped in the air behind Ozpin's back and turned on. Large light dust screens popped into the air, streaming with images and text.
Ozpin looked over them and pointed to the screens behind him, "I present you with your very first opportunities at huntsmen missions."
He paused. Most of the first year's mouths opened wide and many breathed out in surprise. A moment passed and the gathered students burst out into loud noises of happiness.
The sound shook Jaune's very bones. He joined in with the shouts of approval.
These missions could allow them to gain a leg up on their enemies. They were, most importantly, going to be able to see if all of the hard work they had put in since he found the future videos, months of grueling training, and studying, would benefit them in a real huntsmen environment.
His head ran full of all of the possible missions they could do and how they would overcome odds. He would ensure that he and the rest of his friends would become strong enough to get through Mountain Glenn.
Ozpin raised his hands in a silencing gesture. Instantly a wave of energy seemed to rush through the room, quieting everyone in an instant. He stopped thinking about the missions and put his full attention back on the old headmaster.
Ozpin pulled the mic closer to him, "Now I know that many of you are excited, but you must know some caveats about these missions."
He raised his arms to the light dust screens behind him, missions slowly scrolling by on their screens, "All of these missions are beginner huntsmen missions specifically curated by veteran huntsmen teachers that will match your general first-year levels. The older years have access to stronger missions and you will too once you later."
"These first-year missions are all centered around Vale so please get any thoughts of lazing on a Vacuo resort or drinking in a Mistrialian tea house out of your head. These missions will all teach you something and fall under many different categories, such as defense, patrol, search, relief, etc. All types of missions hold value in the fight against the Grimm and the continued existence of humanity. You will also get paid for these missions. Use this money how you wish, but these first-year missions do not give you a lot so I advise you to use the money in pursuit of your huntsmanship."
He paused and roamed his eyes over them. Ozpin's eyes landed on his blue orbs. The old man's light brown eyes glowed with something that made him look ten times younger. He swept his gaze over him and onto his teammates, giving all of them the same amount of attention.
The old headmaster spoke once more, "Now this part may anger many of you, but bear with me. When you go on these missions you must be accompanied by an older team or an older huntsman."
He paused and let his words sink in. The entire auditorium erupted into a blaze of shouts and sounds of discontent.
Jaune's teammates sat calmly in their seats, looking at Ozpin with patience. He smiled at their behavior. What the old headmaster had said seemed perfectly reasonable.
Ozpin stood still, looking over the crowd, brow raised. He looked serene as if he had seen the same reaction a thousand times before. He likely had.
At his side, Glynda shot students murderous looks, promising punishment so severe they wouldn't be able to move for weeks. None of the raging students gave her any attention and continued to shout angrily at Ozpin.
Seconds passed and the discontent didn't lessen. Glynda's gaze became deadlier and she raised her crop towards the students. Ozpin placed a hand on her riding crop and gently lowered it. She looked at him in frustration but he shook his head, a small smirk filled his lips.
He turned his attention back to the students and slammed his cane down onto the stage. A massive shock wave erupted from the impact point and traveled across the room like a great ripple of water.
The force pushed students into their seats, silencing them.
Somehow, even though they stood in front of the stage, the shockwave passed through him in a small tingle. He turned to his friends. Confusion etched their faces at the apparent lack of pushback by the shockwave.
He surveyed the rest of the student body who slowly shifted back to their normal positions. The power Ozpin wielded was unmatched, no wonder he was the headmaster.
He recalled the moment Ozpin slammed his cane down. The old man had done it with one hand and his initial motion made it look like he was going to tap, not slam the cane.
Now that he thought about it, he hadn't seen a flash of aura anywhere on the man's body. He must have used his pure physical might.
His eyes widened at the display of raw power and his respect for the old man soared.
The silence hung in the air. Ozpin looked over them, not saying a word. The silence grew awkward and a few students shuffled in their seats.
Glynda's expression cooled but she still held her death gaze. Ozpin's face remained an impassive stone mask.
He uttered, his voice low and full of power, "Are you all children or huntsmen?"
No one answered.
Jaune had expected loud anger, but the headmaster's low tone spooked much more than hot anger.
A shiver ran up his spine and suffocating energy filled the air. A few of the lesser-willed students shook in their seats, their eyes wide but glued onto Ozpin.
The headmaster continued, "I will answer that question for you. After you received your team names you relinquished the right to act like children and swore yourself to become the best warriors of light you can be against the Grimm. You have dedicated yourselves to being humanity's weapons against the endless black tides. If you want to act like the things you are not, you can gladly leave Beacon and give your spot to one of the thousand huntsmen trainees out there who are much more deserving."
He paused and swept his hands to the exits of the auditorium.
A beat passed and no one stood from their seats. Students turned away from the headmaster's gaze or hung their heads in shame. Jaune sat tall, eyeing the old headmaster. He might have cheated his way into Beacon, but he had proved tenfold he had had every right to keep his spot in Beacon.
Ozpin's eyes met his. Something sparked to life in the Ozpin's eyes. The old headmaster nodded and turned his gaze to the other students.
Jaune frowned. What had that been about?
He tried to come up with an answer, but the green-robed man kept his inner thoughts guarded well.
Ozpin thrummed into the mic, "Remember, all of you are the protectors of mankind. You can have your fun when there is time but at the end of the day, your first and foremost mission in life is to fight the Grimm and ensure the survival of all that is good in the world. All of you are huntsmen, the world's greatest heroes."
The fears and tensions filling the auditorium disappeared as his words reverberated through the room. Someone began to clap and soon everyone joined in, including him and his friends.
The cheering shook the room and the very ground. He clapped furiously, hope and vigor pumping through his blood from Ozpin's words.
He would become one of those great heroes, like all of his ancestors before him.
Nothing would stand in his path.
Ozpin held up his hands and the entire auditorium quieted.
He said in his regular smooth voice, "Thank you all for listening. Specifics regarding the missions will be sent to your scrolls. You are dismissed and will be able to start missions tomorrow on the weekend. Good luck."
Ozpin bowed his head and walked behind the stage's curtain; Glynda followed behind him.
The students erupted into applause once more. A few stood from their seats and whistled at the retreating their retreating forms. The lights turned back on, earning a series of groans from unprepared students.
He stood from his seat and walked into the aisle leading back to the entrances. His team followed suit, engaged in excited conversation centered around the missions.
Blake and Pyrrha walked behind him, talking about the missions in hushed voices. He managed to hear whispers of Mountain Glenn from the pair.
The other students took his lead and filtered out of their seats. He and his team led the tide of first-years to the entrances. They exited the auditorium and he led his team to the library.
Tomorrow was going to be an exciting day.
The next day, Beacon's first years buzzed in excitement, making the entire school thrum with energy.
He made sure his team woke up early. Ruby had done the same for her team. Both teams reached the mission center well ahead of any other first-year team.
The mission center room opened up to them with the flick of his scrolls. They entered a wide room, a little bit bigger than one of Beacon's classrooms.
Gray concrete and sleek green painted metal made up the interior of the room. The deep threads of past students created paths on the well-worn floor.
Rows upon rows of dust projectors lined the walls or floated above the floor in organized sections. Each section lent itself to a specific year, the higher year section being further into the room while the first-year section situated itself right near the entrance. Missions information slowly scrolled by on the projector.
Electrical wires and machinery hugged the wall and ceiling, all of it covered by the same sleek metal that made the walls. They buzzed with life, supporting the holo projectors. No teachers walked the room, everything was done automatically and done by students.
A few helper robots rolled across the room, beeping at them as they passed.
Older year students in their sections glanced at them before they went back to their mission gathering.
He threaded the well-worn ground to the first-year section of the projectors.
He went over to the nearest holo light projector with Pyrrha and Blake in tow. The rest of his eight-man group splintered off and went to other projectors.
The floating screen in front of him scrolled past a long list of missions. The missions each had a category, date, payment amount, difficulty, expiration date, and a short blurb that described the mission.
A smaller holo panel floated in front of the holo screen. The panel had a search function and other filtering tools.
Pyrrha and Blake stood on either side of his shoulder, looking over the passing missions as well.
There was a small search and rescue mission for a few people that had gone missing from a far-flung village, another one required huntsmen to help restore a withering road near the city. One even asked for a huntsman to act as a crossing guard in the city. The mission looked ridiculous and would be a waste of skill.
He reached over and flagged the mission, one of the options available on the panel. That was best left for the police, not a huntsman. How could a mission like that get on the board anyways?.
He shrugged and went back to looking at the missions. One about Grimm hunting in a nearby forest and village seemed exciting, but it wasn't what he was searching for. He couldn't find the Mountain Glenn mission Team RWBY went on in the videos.
Pyrrha and Blake moved to other holo projectors.
Soon, other first-year teams filtered into the room. It would only be a few more minutes before the entire first-year class filed into the room and clogged the first-year section.
He motioned to his partners and asked in a whisper, "Have any of you seen the mountain Glenn mission, I haven't been able to find it."
Both girls shook their heads and Blake stepped forward, "Have you tried using that search function?"
He frowned and snapped his head to the floating panel. The search bar glowed brightly on its surface. He sighed and chided himself for not using such an obvious tool.
He pulled the floating panel close and typed in the words, Mountain Glenn. The missions flashed away, replaced by a small number of new missions.
None of the missions on the shortlist were the Mountain Glenn mission. The only relation the missions on the screen had were their proximity to Mountain Glenn.
He sighed in frustration and turned to his partners, "That mission isn't here."
Pyrrha hummed and said, "Maybe we're just too early."
Blake interjected, "Or maybe we just have to get Ozpin's attention so he can give it to us from the higher year boards. I think an excursion to Mountain Glenn wouldn't be available as a first-year mission."
He nodded, " I think the only way we're getting Ozpin's attention is if we do some missions. So let's do one that's closest to Mountain Glenn, it's better than nothing."
Both women agreed and turned their gazes back onto the holo-projector.
The closest mission to mountain Glenn was a defense mission. They had to protect a group of workers and machines while they built a railroad through one of the forests of Vale. They could bring three teams with them and they would get paid a decent amount. It would also get them the closest to Mountain Glenn. The mission was set to happen during the current day.
He asked his two compatriots, "This mission looks like a good one. Close to mountain Glenn and it seems like something that could get us attention if we go above and beyond while doing it."
Blake smirked, "I can't believe that in the beginning, we were trying to remain under the radar but now we're trying to become noticeable."
He shrugged, smiling, "Hey we technically have to keep our motivation hidden in a way."
Blake shrugged, smiling.
He accepted the mission onto his scroll. Now all he needed was for team RWBY and an older team to accept the mission so they would be able to go on it.
He gathered the rest of his eight-man team and told them about the mission. They gladly accepted it, noting how they would have a direct positive impact on Vale by helping the railroad construction.
Now all they needed was an older team.
Grouping up together near the entrance, they waited. Team CFVY strolled into the room. He met Coco's eyes and the shorter girl waved at him. He quickly walked over to her and the rest of his team followed.
She greeted him, "Hey Jaune. You guys are up and early, excited for your first chance at being huntsmen?"
He nodded, smiling, "Yep, we've already chosen a mission. Actually, I was wondering if your team would come with us."
Coco hummed and lowered her aviators, her almond eyes washing over him.
She rolled her eyes, "You don't even need to ask. We were going with you no matter what, I was coming over here to ask you that very same question."
He responded, hand rubbing the back of his head, "Thanks Coco, this means a lot."
She shook her head, "Of course it does, this is going to be your first out in the field experience. You're going to get to show off what you've learned so far."
He chuckled. This was most definitely not his or some of his teammate's first time out in the field.
Coco's demeanor changed and she smirked, shifting her eyes over to Balke and Pyrrha.
She laughed, "Anyways, now I can chaperone you and make sure those two don't drag you off somewhere private."
Blake's cat ears shot up, but she shook her head, impassive. Pyrrha squawked and her cheeks turned bright red. She looked away from Coco's gaze as the rest of their teams all snickered.
He raised his scroll, ignoring Coco's words and the heat creeping up his cheeks, "Here's the mission."
He sent the details to Coco and her team. The older team grouped together and looked at one another as if in intense conversation, but they didn't move their mouths.
Coco turned back and nodded, "This looks like a good enough mission for your first one."
She and her team accepted the mission, changing its status to active.
He looked over everyone, "Well then, let's head out."
His friends nodded and walked towards the room's exit. He fell in behind them. Ruby and Coco joined him and the three-team leaders quickly fell into conversation about tactics.
They left the room and went to the airship docks. They boarded the specialized bullheads used only for missions. He sent the mission's coordinates to the pilot.
The ship rumbled to life and flew into the air. Engines buzzing to life, the ship shot into the horizon.
The bullhead shot through the bright blue sky. Vale city quickly became a speck on the horizon, along with Beacon, as they passed over large towns connected by well-maintained rocky roads. The large towns gave way to smaller hamlets and farms connected by well-worn dirt.
A few small Grimm packs roamed the lush Vale forests like black ink splotches on a nature painting. Some Grimm perked up at the roar of the passing bullhead. They passed by too quickly to aggravate them any further.
He eyed the beasts they trained to kill, idle around like normal animals. Grimm, when there were no humans near, acted like their animal counterparts.
They traveled the land in packs, killed other animals even though they never ate them, and even pretended to sleep during the night. It must have been some cruel joke by the brothers to have them become killing machines whenever humans neared.
The sight unnerved him and he looked away from the window.
He took out his scroll. A map showed the mission's site growing closer. The map also showed Mountain Glenn right outside of the mission area, grayed out as an area they couldn't explore. He stowed his scroll away.
The farms and small hamlets gave away to green pastures and pure untampered nature. The trees were taller and the grass greener as the bullhead approached the edge of the Vale border.
In a forest below, a pack of Beowolves chased down a pack of deer. Though the Grimm were fierce, bloody evolution has ensured that life on the planet could survive the Grimm.
The deer ran faster than the Beowolves and crossed over a fast-flowing river, stepping over a makeshift bridge of logs and stones.
The Beowolves tried to chase them, but their dexterity paled in comparison to the deer. They fell off the crude bridge and the current swept them away, pulling them under.
The ones that didn't cross the current eyed the fleeing deer.
The alpha of the pack, who sat on the other side of the river, howled and turned back into the forest. The rest of the pack followed, hunched on their fours, seemingly looking for easier prey.
He sighed at the sight and turned his gaze towards the horizon.
If that pack of deer had instead been a group of humans, the Beowolves would have gone after them with suicidal relentlessness, uncaring if current killed them.
The outline of Mountain Glenn and the small surrounding mountain range popped up into view, small rocky ridges in the distance. The bullhead flew closer and the mountain grew larger.
His breath escaped his lungs.
The mountain rose into the air as the tallest thing he had ever seen. It covered so much of the horizon it took up his entire vision. It made him feel small and insignificant.
The mountain loomed over the world like a giant. The sun shone down on it, highlighting its stark gray stone and small snow cap.
Dark structures and black coloring popped up near the middle portion of the mountain, the failed Mountain Glenn expansion. The only path up the mountain ended at that desolate wasteland.
He squinted, trying to get a better view of the destroyed building and current Fan base. The small stubs of long-abandoned skyscrapers reached towards the sky.
The Fang scurried under that old city, no doubt intending to harm Vale and his friends. Could they see them approaching? Probably not if the city was only a speck to him.
The pilot's voice broke through the intercom, pulling him from the window, "Alright folks we're nearing the drop zone."
The voice clicked off and the bullhead picked up considerable speed.
Jaune turned in his seat and met the eyes of his friends in the cramped bullhead cabin. Excitement and a bit of apprehension shone in their eyes, including his own. He tried to convey as much confidence as he could.
Coco and her team idly chatted with one another, carefree as if they were on vacation. The mini gun-slinging girl met his eyes and winked.
His hands began to fiddle with the handle of his sword. The hardness of the metal and the power it held calmed him.
Taking a deep breath, he stared down the Bullhead doors, waiting to employ his landing strategy.
Pyrrha, who sat next to him, reached over and squeezed his hand. He met her emerald eyes and squeezed back, trying to reassure her.
The red-haired girl nodded and pulled her hand away, her gaze moving over to the window. He searched over the eyes of his teammates and they too looked ready to bolt out of the Bullhead door.
Nora and Yang openly ribbed one another. Ruby and Blake both held their weapons tight to their chest, eyeing the doors. Ren and Weiss talked in whispers, their heads bowed over the mission's information on their scrolls.
Finally after what felt like hours, but what must have been only seconds, the pilot's voice crackled to life, "We've reached the drop point. Should I head down or do you want to free fly?"
He raised his brow, confused at what to choose. He turned to Coco and the beret-wearing girl mouthed the words free fly.
He nodded and shouted, "Free Fly!"
The pilot hummed, "Alright kids, good luck."
The bullhead jolted to a stop, sending him into Pyrrha's side. He gasped in shock but his seat straps stopped him from flying off. The ship hovered in the air, engine lowering in volume. A green light turned on and blinked on top of the cabin doors.
The lights of the ship dimmed and the cabin doors slid open. A gust of cool air swept into the cabin, pulling his golden locks. The wind brought relief from the stuffiness of the cabin.
Bright sunlight streamed in, picking up where the dimmed lights left off. A glare shone into his eyes and he brought up a gloved hand to shield his vision.
He blinked away the glare and put his hand down. The bullhead doors opened to a marvelous sight: a clearing of greenery, spanning for miles in each direction, in the middle of a dense forest.
Slowly, he unstrapped himself and stood from his seat. His friends did the same.
He walked to the open doors and latched onto a handle, attached to the ceiling, to steady himself against the strong wind. The wind blew with more pressure at the open doorway.
At the open doors, he had a much better view of the ground. Tree stumps filled the wide meadow-like clearing. Tiny outlines of people stood on the clearing, peering at him. A few waved and pointed towards an area free of tree stumps. Tall trees grew thick in the forest around the clearing, looking more like some Mistralian jungle than a Vale forest.
He closed his eyes, pushing away vertigo building at the edge of his mind. He took a deep breath and loosened his hold on the handle.
Opening his eyes, he turned around. The other huntsmen in training had formed a huddle behind his back, eyes glued onto him.
He turned back to the open expanse.
Bunching his legs, he trained his eyes on the landing spot.
He pushed aura to his legs and jumped out of the bullhead, a loud shout involuntarily escaping him. The air surged to meet him and the sun enveloped his back. He couldn't believe he missed the feeling of hurtling through the air like an initiate.
The booms of his teammates launching off the aircraft echoed behind him.
Crossing through the sky, the wind rattled against his ears. He smiled like a loon and spread his body wide. His initial flight gave way to a full-frontal descent.
He fell like a golden comet, aura pumping through his legs. His teammates flew right above him, their auras glowing at the edge of his vision.
He flipped over in the air and hit the ground feet first, creating a mighty boom and a mini crater. His teammates fell around him, adding to the explosion and crater. A giant dust cloud blew up from the crater and covered them. He stood up, a small pinprick of pain traveling through his legs.
He and his teammates slowly stepped out of the dust, their auras glowing faintly.
They emerged into the open field and were met by cheers and applause.
A group of workers stood off to the side, clapping and hooting. He met their gaze and blushed, not knowing what to do at the sudden praise. He went to bow but a sharp crack on his side from Coco jolted him.
She gave him a pointed look and turned back to the workers, smiling and waving. He nodded and did the same.
The workers stopped and stepped aside for a man to walk through to them. He wore a crisper uniform compared to the other workers and looked old with authority.
The man held out his hand towards him. He took the hand and gave it a firm shake, careful not to break it with his huntsman strength. Respect shone in the man's eye and he turned to shake hands with Coco and Ruby.
Workers peered at them in wonder. The man craned his neck and barked an order to the workers.
The workers jolted and quickly went to work, turning on idle robots and spreading out over the clearing. The robots whirled to life and began to carry supplies and used gravity dust pincers to pluck tree stumps from the ground.
The man said to them, "So all of you must be the huntsmen in training that signed up for this defense mission. It's a pleasure to meet you, I'm the foreman of this group."
Jaune and his other two team leaders made sounds of assent.
He asked the foreman, "So what do you need us to do?"
"All you need to do is to guard my workers and their machines against the Grimm. These forests aren't usually filled with Grimm so you'll probably have an easy time. We'll finish the railroad by the time the sun sets and we'll be gone by dark."
"Have you encountered any Grimm so far?"
"I haven't been up close and personal with them but the previous huntsmen we've hired have fought off a few Grimm while we built. You can see our progress back there."
He raised his finger and pointed into the woods on the other side of the clearing. A thick sleek train track cut a clear path through the trees and emptied into the open field. The end of the tracks jutted out into the clearing.
A host of machines and workers were already hard at work, extending the railroad into the clearing. The sounds of thumping metal and the hum of electricity filled the field as the robots worked, drowning out the sounds of the forest.
Jaune turned back to the foreman, "We'll get to the defense right now."
The foreman smiled and stepped away, leaving the huntsmen in training by themselves. He turned to his teammates and regarded them. All of them looked ready to start the job.
He moved his gaze to the edge of the clearing, "Okay everyone, let's split up into teams and divide the forest into three quadrants. Keep in touch with your scrolls."
All three team leaders bundled up to decide which team would go where. He convinced Ruby and Coco to have team JNPR and team RWBY guard the quadrants of the forest closest to mount Glenn.
Satisfied with their positions, Coco and Ruby led their respective teams to their quadrants. He led team JNPR over to their quadrant and they quickly established a perimeter.
Right before he left with his team, he met Blake's eyes. They shone with an understanding as to why her team and his team's quadrants were so close to mountain Glenn.
Reaching the edge of the forest, Nora, who held their rations in a small pink messenger bag, plopped onto the ground and slumped against a tree. She shrugged off the bag and dug through it. Producing some of the rations, she began to devour them right then and there.
Ren admonished her but she simply shook her head and continued to eat. Pyrrha stood next to him, looking on at the spectacle.
His eyes focused on the forest.
Even though the sun shone brightly, his eyes couldn't penetrate the darkness of the forest, unlike the ones they passed over on their bullhead ride.
This forest radiated a strangeness compared to the brightness and open emerald forest near Beacon. The greenery of the forest seemed to peek out of an inky pool of black.
Animals sounded from the forest, eerily exotic yet familiar. The trees sent a cold shock up his back.
His eyes caught something bright red and round. His hand shot towards his sword, ready to face a Grimm.
Squinting, he received a better look at the red glows. They weren't Grimm eyes, but only bright red flowers that had managed to grow up a tree's side. He sighed and released his grip. He couldn't be jumping in the shadows.
Pyrrha asked, concern dripping from her voice, "Jaune are you alright?"
He took a slow breath, "Honestly I just got a bit spooked by something in the forest. I'm not used to this sort of raw nature."
Pyrrha nodded, "Same here, I'm more used to the small snowy forests I used to play in when I was a kid back in Argus. This thing feels unnerving."
They stood side by side staring deep into the forest. The erratic chirps of birds and the distant howls of Beowolves echoed from the tall trees and into the clearing.
He shook his head and moved his gaze skywards. Through the canopy of trees, small flickers of sunlight shone on his face and allowed him small glances of mountain Glenn.
The Fang were right on top of them yet they couldn't do anything about it. He sighed in frustration.
Pyrrha turned to him and gripped his hand, her brow furrowed, "I get what your feeling Jaune, I know the Fang are there doing who knows what, but we can't just abandon our post and rush them."
He turned to her and smiled a strained smile, "I know that Pyr, just a bit frustrated."
Her emerald eyes gleamed, "Well then why don't we go on patrol to clear our heads? It's better than standing here."
He squeezed her hand and let go of it. They walked away from the bickering Ren and Nora, doing their job.
Hours passed and they had encountered no Grimm.
The sun's glare lessened as the hours went by and the sky slowly darkened, filling with clouds.
During the time that had passed, he had kept his guard, gripping his weapon in one hand and his shield in the other. He and Pyrrha had walked back and forth along their quadrant many times, the clearing on one side and the forest on the other.
They hadn't met a single Grimm or any other opposition. They switched up their patrol makeup with the other duo of their team to keep things interesting.
During his walk with Nora, the pink bombardier had managed to tell him an entire saga she had dreamt up in one night. The story left him wide-eyed and wondering about his place in the universe.
The walk with Ren had been insightful as he asked his male confidant about the other man's origins and his relation to Nora. He learned about their hardships as orphans but found strength in how they stuck with one all the way to Beacon.
Now he walked with Pyrrha on another patrol of their quadrant.
The other teams had similar experiences concerning the Grimm if what Ruby and Coco said held true.
Some members of the other teams had elected to delve deeper into the forests themselves. They managed to find Grimm deep in the forest, too far from the clearing to pose any real threat to the workers. Still, they had fought the Grimm anyways.
He didn't like the idea of his team separating, but after Nora kept on complaining he let her into the forest. She returned an hour later, her hair covered in Grimm ashes, making it look black. She happily partook in the patrols after that.
The builders had been true to the word and had managed to build most of the high-tech railroad across most of the clearing. In an hour or so they would finish.
Reaching the end of their quadrant, he turned to Pyrrha.
Boredom wore his head and the due diligence that he had tried to build up shook. He looked into the forest and longed to fight some Grimm. Pyrrha looked with him, a lust for battle shining in her eyes.
The forest, after walking by it so many times, had become familiar. It still held that mysterious edge to it but it didn't scare him anymore.
He asked Pyrrha, "How are you holding up?"
She shrugged, "I'm bored, but if this is what we have to do to protect those people, I don't mind."
He slowly nodded and leaned over to her, "I was wondering if you wanted to go in there and fight some Grimm. We won't go too far. I'm tired of just walking and you look like you're itching for a fight."
She looked back at the builders finishing their work and looked back into the forest, biting her lip. She looked between the clearing and the forest a few more times, her face etched with worry.
Finally, she locked eyes with him and nodded. Her worried expression vanished, replaced by a feral smile.
She stepped towards the forest and turned to him, "Well come on! Let's find some Grimm."
He grinned and chased after his partner, sword at the ready.
They entered the thick foliage of the forest.
The sounds of animals assaulted his ears like a chaotic canopy. They broke a path through the flora, heading towards the dimming outline of Mountain Glenn. The forest had somehow grown darker as the hours had passed. It was as if they were traversing at night, even though the sun hung high in the air.
He swung at hanging vines or large bushes in their way. Their aura broke any smaller hindrances on their path. Animals scurried away from them, deeper into the forest.
He marveled at the amount of life around them. He craned his head back and noted the path of destruction they made from the clearing. They wouldn't get lost anytime soon.
Running through more foliage, they stopped in a small cluster of trees.
He helped Pyrrha onto a mossy boulder in the center of the cluster. She landed on it with a soft thump and patted the space next to her. He climbed the rock and sat down in the space, resting his legs against the boulder. Pyrrha's legs dangled over the boulder's edge, gently rocking against it.
The sounds of the forest quieted down. His muscles relaxed and he took in a deep breath. A sense of peace he had never experienced before. It was as if he was connecting back with his ancient ancestors. He took in the fresh air and laid down on the boulder.
Pyrrha cracked her back from side to side and began to gently play with his golden locks. He closed his eyes, the tension of the day escaping him.
Her hands stopped moving.
He opened one of his eyes to gaze at her. She looked into the forest, her other hand on the hilt of her weapon, a frown on her face.
A howl broke through the peace.
Instantly, he leaped into the air and landed at the edge of the tree cluster, holding out his sword. Pyrrha jumped over to him, javelin in hand.
A swarm of red eyes bounded towards them from further in the forest. The small flickers of sunlight filtering in from the canopy showed the bodies behind the eyes: A pack of Ursa.
The Grimm ran at them, their Alpha in the front and his giant white spikes searing the branches off of smaller trees and anything else in their path.
Jaune locked eyes with Pyrrha. They nodded at the same time.
The duo rushed into the forest and fought the Ursa pack.
To call it a fight would have been merciful.
The two of them worked in utter harmony, becoming one weapon as they ripped through the Ursa.
They swung and shielded one another without a moment's thought, cutting Ursa heads and arms off. They jumped over the Grimm or leaped out of their blows, thinning out the pack in a matter of seconds.
The Ursas' attacks only hit the surrounding forest, tearing it to shreds, but none of their attacks hit him or Pyrrha.
He cut the head clean off of an Ursa and whipped around to use an aura-enhanced punch to fling another to Pyrrha. The amazonian woman, who had just killed two Ursa in a sweeping twirl, flicked out her sword and cut the Ursa clean in half. Its halves cleanly flew past her on both sides and collided with two different trees.
She spun with her attack and hurled her javelin. The metal spear sang through the air and found purchase in an Ursa at his side. He pulled the spear down and stabbed into the Ursa, killing it. He bashed the head of another Ursa with his shield and stabbed it with Pyrrha's spear.
He ripped out the javelin from the fresh dead Ursa and twisted to throw her weapon back to her.
He didn't have to.
She held out her hand and used her semblance to pull the javelin. The metal spear slid out of his hand with a cool metallic ping against the edge of his gauntlets. Pyrrha caught the spear and spun around to skewer an Ursa that had tried to sneak up behind her.
She flung the corpse off her weapon, flying it into a nearby tree with a mighty boom.
Their final enemy stood in the middle of its fallen brethren, the alpha Ursa. Its red eyes glowed with some intelligence as it scanned them. The beast had led the charge but it stayed at the back during the fighting.
He and Pyrrha regrouped and stared at the beast. Adrenaline ran through his veins like a fire. He smiled widely ready to take down their last foe.
The Alpha Ursa hunched, its giant white spikes moving as if they had a mind of their own, and its gigantic inky muscles rippled.
He held his shield out ready to defend against the beast's blows.
A deep rumble bellowed from behind the Ursa.
Flocks of birds flew out of the canopy and into the air, shrieking. Animals ran out from the forest and past the Ursa, paying it no heed.
The ground shook and the rumbling approached, becoming nearby booms. The trees moved as if they stood on moving ground.
The Ursa growled and craned its neck, peering behind it into the forest.
He shared a glance of concern with Pyrrha.
Out of the trees, the booming reached a defining point and a giant Ursa hurled itself into its smaller counterpart.
It crushed the other Grimm in a single stomp and howled. The guttural sound tore through the air and echoed deep in his head.
The beast was the largest Ursa he had ever seen.
AN:
Dun, dun, dun! A cliffhanger to end the chapter. Jaune and friends get to go on their first mission and have a happy time all around. I'm pretty sure that the new Ursa has no plot significance at all and Jaune and Pyrrha will beat it instantly next chapter, yep.
Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Please leave a review! I'll see all of you in the next one.