UPDATE 11/29/23: Hi everyone! I've rewritten this chapter and mainly cut out a lot of fluff, considering a decent chunk of it was ripped straight from the show, which most of you probably don't need a reminder of.
Hope you enjoy this update!
Chapter 2: Welcome to Beacon…
Despite all his faults and failures, Jaune still accomplished some notable things during his time as a Tarnished.
He had traversed the Lands Between, and survived all its horrors.
He had fought ancient Dragons, Beasts of immense power and brutality, fellow bloodthirsty Tarnished, and alien creatures from the abyssal cosmos. And he lived to tell the tale.
And he accomplished the goal given to all Tarnished by the Two Fingers and the Greater Will: to kill the Demigods, and obtain their Great Runes.
He had done all that with the help of Summer, and despite dying hundreds to thousands of times in the process, he never once wavered in front of this sheer adversity.
But he was still a flesh and blood human being, and there were two things that could undo him.
The first… was gravity.
And the second was…
"BLEUGH!"
Motion sickness.
Jaune silently cursed whichever ancestor had passed this abominable trait onto him as he emptied his stomach into the nearest trash can. Thankfully, he had managed to tighten the grip of his esophagus long enough for him to make a run for the back of the Bullhead before all hell broke loose.
And as he slowly breathed in and out, casting his eyes away from the putrid mess that made even the Scarlet Rot look cute by comparison, Jaune wiped the sweat from his forehead, already feeling humiliated from how poorly his duty started.
He was currently on a massive Bullhead carrying over a hundred different students all across Vale and abroad. In a few minutes, they would all soon land at Beacon, where they would spend the next 4 years training to be Huntsmen.
Ruby and Yang were already on board, thankfully far away enough to avoid his stomach's deadliest weapon (or at least he hoped. Yang's disgusted screech didn't inspire any confidence on that front), and thankfully they also didn't seem to recognize him as Ruby was busy getting coddled to death by her elder sister.
He could certainly relate to that. He had 7 sisters after all.
"Marika's tits, that was awful." Jaune groaned. Gargling his mouth with a hearty swig of water, he face-palmed at the stupidity of his condition.
He could endure Scarlet Rot, and ride on Torrent no problem. But spending 2 minutes on a moving Bullhead?
He was already humiliated enough when Summer first found him, laughing her head off at the ridiculous bunny hoodie he first wore in the Lands Between. He didn't want to know what her reaction would be if she ever found out he was easily motion-sick.
"Let's just hope that Ruby and Yang don't ride on Bullheads too much." He sighed, having finally emptied his stomach entirely.
A few minutes spent brushing his teeth in the restroom later, he unsteadily made his way back to the front of the cabin just as the Bullhead touched down.
Brushing aside some fellow stragglers out of the way, he accidentally collided with a red-headed girl who seemed to be followed by a pack of paparazzi.
"Sorry, excuse me."
Jaune hastily apologized and gently moved her out of the way, completely missing the astonished look on her face as he ignored her entirely.
Ruby Rose did not have a pleasant first start at Beacon.
While her morning began with much excitement, having been able to accompany her sister to Beacon in the same year, Yang quickly overstayed her welcome as she continued to mollycoddle her at every moment. Pulling her into rib-cracking hugs, accidentally shoving her face into her much larger cleavage (not that she would ever admit she was slightly jealous on that front), or gushing about how she was gonna be the star of Beacon once people learn she's a prodigy.
The exact thing she hoped would NOT happen!
And after Yang quickly washed her shoes of vomit, she immediately dumped her to go hang out with her 'friends', leaving her all alone with a crabby Atlesian girl she later blew up by accident, and being completely ignored by a dark-haired girl a few seconds later.
Yeah, a real grand welcome to Beacon.
Sighing, she lay inside the crater she left on the pavement, already regretting accepting Ozpin's invitation.
"There are better places to sleep than on the ground, you know."
A light-hearted voice sounded off above her, and Ruby quickly opened her eyes as she instantly recognized the voice's owner.
Standing above her with his arm outstretched was Jaune Arc himself, short, sweet, and some ladies love it.
"Jaune!" she cheered, her mood already improved as a familiar face helped her up from the ground. Wrapping her arms around him in a grateful hug, she let out a sigh of relief, knowing that she had one friend she could count on at Beacon. "You actually did come!"
"I did say that I would go since you're coming as well. And it looks like I made the right choice." Jaune replied, chuckling slightly at the large crater he found her in. "Bad day already, huh? Still, didn't think you were the kind of girl to destroy public property like that."
"Hey! That was an accident! And besides, weren't you the one who threw up on the ship!? I knew I saw someone familiar!"
Jaune's face paled. "Please, for the love of the gods, don't mention this to your sister. I really don't want to be called the class clown on day one."
"Too late for that, Vomit Boy! Everyone's gonna remember this! You weren't exactly quiet on the Bullhead."
"Oh, we're already throwing nicknames now, huh? Guess I'll just have to call you Crater Face."
"Hey!"
The two of them continued to jokingly bicker amongst themselves as they walked down the pathway, before eventually making it inside the amphitheater where the majority of the students had now gathered.
"Oh, there's Yang!" Ruby pointed to her sister, waving towards her amidst a crowd of other students. "Come on, I still need to introduce you!"
"This is revenge for the Crater Face nickname, isn't it?" Jaune's question was left unanswered as Ruby wrapped her arms around his and hauled him towards sister.
"Well, well. So you're the guy who decided to puke all over my brand-new shoes, huh?" Yang said, cracking her knuckles menacingly the moment Ruby brought Jaune over to them. "Got any last words before I knock your teeth out?"
"Yang, stop! It was an accident, a-and besides! This is the guy who saved me from those robbers! Don't you dare punch him!" Ruby said as she tried to stop Yang from unloading her fully-loaded gauntlets into Jaune's cheek.
Jaune raised his arms defensively. "Hey, I'm really sorry about that. Trust me, I hate my motion sickness more than anything else. It's a much more common problem than people realize. If it makes you feel better, I'll buy you a new pair."
"I'll hold you to that, Vomit Boy. Those boots cost me a lot of money." Jaune inwardly groaned at his new nickname. "So, you're the guy Rubes said saved her from Roman Torchwick a week ago?"
Yang's eyes twinkled and he froze, suddenly reminded of the times his sisters used to tease him or style up his hair to mess with him when he was young. He recognized that look in her eyes instantly: the teasing big sister look. "Well, as far as boyfriends go, you don't seem half-bad. Didn't think you were into blonde and scraggly knights in shining armor, Ruby." She casted a teasing smile at Ruby, whose cheeks turned bright red as she started stuttering in embarrassment.
"C-cut it out! And I'm still mad at you for dumping me back there!"
Yang shrugged. "Hey, relax. It's not like you blew up someone in the 30 minutes I was gone, right?"
As if on cue, a shrill voice cried out from behind them. "There you are!"
Ruby shrieked and jumped behind Jaune as a gorgeous, white-haired girl angrily stomped in their direction, with a staggeringly large number of Dust suitcases trailing behind her.
Both he and Yang shared a look at each other before glancing in Ruby's direction. "Uh, Ruby? Did you really blow up someone?"
"It was an accident!"
"Accident, my foot!" The girl retorted. "You're carelessness left a huge crater outside the school! What if I didn't have my Aura up, or if I was some civilian!? Consider yourself lucky I'm not suing you for the damages!"
"Woah, there! Ease up, Ice Queen." Yang intervened. "I know my sister, and I know she'd never do something like that on purpose. Look, let's just start over. Ruby, come on."
Ruby nodded eagerly. "Y-yeah! I swear it wasn't on purpose! I'm Ruby by the way, Ruby Rose." She offered her hand to the other girl, who only gave her an unimpressed face. Faltering slightly, she continued. "Um, I was hoping we could be friends?"
"Oh, of course! And we can paint our nails, go shopping on the weekends, paint our nails, and talk about cute boys like tall, blonde, and scraggly here." the girl said sarcastically, pointing at him.
'Really? Scraggly? I'm no Godfrey, but come on!' Jaune rolled his eyes. He was already starting to dislike this girl's prissy attitude.
Almost reminded him of another bratty princess he knew.
"Alright, that's enough." he intervened, separating the two as Ruby's face fell. "While I appreciate that you think I'm cute, you didn't need to go that far. Ruby apologized, and said she didn't mean to blow you up. Let's just drop this and move on, Miss?"
"Weiss Schnee. And fine, I suppose I can drop this matter for now, but you better not step within three feet from me next time."
Weiss then shoved a paper flier into Ruby's surprised arms. "The Schnee Dust Company is not responsible for any injuries or damages while operating a Schnee Dust Company product. Although not recommended, the Schnee Family highly encourages their customers to read and familiarize themselves with this easy-to-follow guide to Dust application and practice in the field. Now do me a favor: memorize it, and never speak to me again."
"Wow, what a complete bitch." Yang said angrily, watching Weiss strut away before talking to a red-haired Huntress a few meters away. "I sure hope I don't end up on a team with her. Anyways, forget that Ice Queen, Rubes. There's still way better people out there to hang around with. Don't let her ruin your first day."
"I guess so…" Ruby muttered halfheartedly as Yang wrapped a comforting arm over her shoulder.
The commotion inside the main auditorium died down as the lights dimmed. Stepping onto the main stage was Professor Ozpin himself, followed closely behind by the same blonde witch from before. Clearing his throat, he adjusted his glasses and spoke through the microphone.
"I'll keep this brief. You have traveled here today in search of knowledge. To hone your craft and acquire new skills. And when you finish here, you plan to dedicate your life to the protection of the people. But I look amongst you, and all I see is wasted energy. In need of purpose, direction."
Ignoring the puzzled looks of the students around them, Ozpin continued. "You assume knowledge will free you of this. But your time at this school will prove that knowledge can only carry you so far. It is up to you to take the first step."
Ozpin took one long glance across the ballroom, locking his eyes onto Ruby and Jaune for a few extra seconds as his gaze landed on them, before leaving the podium to allow Glynda to take his place and speak up.
"You will gather in the ballroom tonight. Tomorrow, your Initiation begins. Be ready. You are dismissed." She concluded her set of instructions and followed Ozpin out of the ballroom, leaving the rest of the students puzzled at the abrupt end of orientation.
"Well, that was weird." Yang said as everyone else began to unpack their things. "Kinda expected him to say something more, like maybe a 'Good Luck', or I dunno, something more welcoming?"
"Yeah, it kinda felt like he wasn't really there. What do you think, Jaune?" Ruby asked.
Jaune wasn't sure what to make of the man, to be honest. He had this air of ancient wisdom around him, and the way he carried himself made him stand out as someone far above that of a mere Headmaster.
If he were to make any parallels, then he would have compared him to Gideon Ofnir, a man who showed superiority through the immense knowledge he held over others.
Whether he would share Ofnir's arrogance and snotty attitude, time will tell. In the end, Jaune shrugged his shoulders. "Hard to say. He definitely doesn't act like your typical teacher, but then again, I've never gone to a preparatory school so I wouldn't know."
"You never went to a place like Signal?" Yang asked. "How'd you end up qualifying for Beacon then?"
He bit his lip. "I've… been in an apprenticeship. It was thanks to my teacher's recommendation that I was able to get in."
Before Ruby or Yang could inquire further, he shook his head. "Looks like they expect us to sleep here for the night. I'll let you guys get changed." He then made his way out of the main amphitheater, leaving the sisters confused by his sudden departure.
"Your boyfriend isn't the talkative sort, is he?" Yang said jokingly.
"For the last time, he's not my boyfriend Yang!" Ruby retorted. "And, I think he has a lot on his mind. Let's just go get changed."
A Few Hours Later…
Ruby laid down over her sleeping bag, eagerly writing down her journal as she began to settle in for the evening. Night had already fallen, and across the amphitheater students were hunkering down, sleeping side by side or idly gossiping and flirting with each other. Guys were already strutting about, eager to show off their muscles, and she was thankful that she had chosen to place her sleeping bag in a distant corner of the room. Let Yang have her fun fawning over the guys and girls in their pajamas.
Speaking of said sister, Yang had plopped herself down on Ruby's sleeping bag as she looked over her sister's shoulder. "Whatcha doing? Writing back to the guys at Signal?"
"Yep!" Ruby answered. "Everyone back at Signal is probably wondering what Beacon's like, so might as well write a letter saying how things have been so far."
"You gonna tell them you made a hole in the pavement on the first day?"
"Oh, haha." Ruby said sarcastically, recognizing Jaune's voice. "Very funny, mister. Wait, how come you haven't changed?"
Jaune was still wearing his blue and silver armor, and even his staff was still strapped to his waist. Shouldn't he have stowed it away in his locker?
He shook his head. "Trust me, you don't want to see me in my nightclothes, unless you'd rather feast your eyes on the ugliest pajamas this side of Remnant. Besides, I don't like showing my skin off to others."
"Well, I don't mind seeing some skin!" Yang said with a purr as she cast her gaze towards a crowd of boys flexing their muscles in the corner.
Ruby gagged at her sister's tastes. "Anyways, what have you been up to? You've been gone for a few hours now."
"Just been looking around the school." Jaune answered. It wasn't a lie, he had been taking a walk around Beacon, though he made sure he was within easy distance from Ruby should she require his help.
Not that she'd be in any danger at Beacon, of all places. And he had seen her fight back at the Dust shop a week. Ruby certainly could handle herself in a fight, and he doubted she'd show any difficulty fighting Grimm starting tomorrow.
That errant thought gave him pause, as he realized with a start that this would be the first time he'd be fighting Grimm, his previous failed attempt notwithstanding.
Back then, when he died for the first time, he had been little more than a fish flopping helplessly on dry land. Swinging his sword back and forth like a lost animal as the Beowolves easily broke through his flimsy defenses and tore him asunder.
He had come a long way since then, fighting creatures and abominations that would have made the scary Grimm from his children's stories seem like cute animals by comparison. He certainly wasn't the complete amateur from before, his handling of the robber a week ago proving that point. But it was interesting, thinking how he would eventually be fighting Grimm again for the first time since returning from the Lands Between.
What would his old self think, seeing him as he is now?
"Jaune?"
Ruby's voice pulled him from his thoughts. "Sorry, what were we talking about?"
"Uh, you've been staring off into space for a while now. You alright?" Yang answered.
"Sorry, I was just thinking about tomorrow." Jaune admitted. "Initiation's gonna begin tomorrow morning, and I have no idea what they're gonna have us do. Makes me kinda nervous, to be honest."
"Yeah, I feel you." Yang agreed. "I also asked my Dad and Uncle what to expect, and they've been pretty tight-lipped about it. Guess it's some kind of Beacon tradition."
"Hope it isn't something too hard." Ruby pondered. "They also never said what our teams or partners would be. Oh, I hope they don't pick for us! What if I end up with that scary girl from before!?"
"Nah, I doubt they'd force us into groups. They probably let us pick our partners and teammates." Yang answered, causing a hopeful smile to appear on Ruby's face.
"Perfect! Then you and Jaune can be on a team with me!"
Surprisingly, Yang was hesitant to return her enthusiasm. "Yeah… um, I was thinking, maybe this would be a good time for you to, you know, branch out! Make some new friends!"
Ruby looked positively betrayed at that moment. "Yang Xiao-Long, are you saying you don't want to be on a team with me!?"
"Woah, woah!" Yang raised her hands defensively as Ruby leveled an accusatory finger at her face. "It's not like I'm against being on a team with you, but you've been by my side for most of Signal. Wouldn't you want to spread your wings and meet new people?"
Ruby groaned in annoyance. "You sound like Dad! I can make new friends and 'spread my wings' no problem!"
Yang wasn't convinced. "Really, Rubes? Then go and prove it. You already made one friend and one enemy today, why not make another friend to add to the team?"
"Like who?"
"Didn't you say something about that other moody girl you met this morning aside from Ice Queen? Try asking her if she wants to join your team."
"Uh… maybe she's busy right now?" Ruby said hesitantly. She noticed the girl a few meters away as she lit a candle beside her for some bedtime reading.
Unfortunately, Yang followed her line of sight and a smirk formed on her face. "Nope! You know what they say, there's no time like the present!"
"Hey, wait!" Ruby's protests went completely ignored as Yang dragged her to the girl from before.
Jaune shook his head, not wanting to get caught up in whatever awkward situation Ruby would soon find herself in.
He turned to the window, gazing at the starlit sky illuminated by the brightness of the shattered moon as he thought of the Initiation tomorrow.
It's a shame that Yang didn't know much about what Initiation entailed. The last thing he wanted was to screw up now right before he became an official student. He at least hoped that it would be combat-related, in which case his greatsword and sorceries would do the job easily enough.
Though, it would be interesting to see how the Grimm would react to Glintstone sorceries. As far as he was aware, there were no such otherworldly deposits on Remnant, though he did wonder about the origins of Dust. Maybe he should have practiced fighting Grimm during the time between meeting Ruby and boarding the Bullhead to Beacon.
Speaking of Beacon…
To think he'd find himself here after all this time. All the heartache he went through, going through all those loops and hurdles with getting himself fake transcripts, and even dying in a futile attempt to prove himself worthy for Beacon, all so he can end up here thanks to a personal invitation by the Headmaster himself.
He never imagined that his promise to Summer would require him to attend Beacon, of all places. Becoming a Huntsman had been the last thing he had on his to-do list for when he returned to Remnant, and with how he died in the first place, all thoughts of attending Beacon had long since died out in his mind.
And yet, here he was now. A Tarnished and Elden Lord, now going to school like a typical teenager.
When Summer gave him her last request, Jaune had assumed that he would be looking out for a couple of young kids, making sure they grew up well and protected. Whenever she spoke about her daughters back in the Lands Between, she always talked about them as if they were little children, sometimes telling him about the little birthday parties they had, the shenanigans they got up to in school, and the stories she would tell them during bedtime.
Instead of little children, however, he met a teenage Ruby Rose and Yang Xiao-long around the same age as him.
Well, appearance-wise at least. But it did surprise him, seeing a young woman looking like the spitting image of Summer as she blasted through the window of a Dust Shop.
It made him wonder how much time had passed between Summer's first death, and the time he arrived in the Lands Between. She must have first died when Ruby and Yang were still quite young, for all her memories of them were of that time.
And yet, he showed up in the Lands Between only a few days after Summer did. And he was already 17 by the time he died and arrived…
Jaune shook his head in dismay. Time must have been completely shattered in the Lands Between by the time the Elden Ring was broken. Either that, or the Lands Between was nestled someplace in the Universe where Time just functioned differently. After all, if the Elden Ring could command the stars themselves, who's to say it couldn't do the same for space and time?
At any rate, it didn't change things for him. Even if Ruby and Yang were teenagers like him, his mission stayed the same. He'd make sure they were safe and well-protected, even if it meant dealing with the torture that was homework and exams.
Though it would have helped him a lot if he knew who or what he was protecting Summer's daughters from.
Sadly, neither of them arrived in the Lands Between with the memories of their previous lives intact. They were pretty much blank slates, and it wasn't until the two of them got stronger and acquired more Great Runes did their memories start to slowly return.
And it was the beginning of a dark turn.
Summer was originally happy-go-lucky, always starting off the new day with a bang and an energy that he just couldn't match. She was ever the optimist, always brimming with enthusiasm to explore and accomplish their task, and she acted like a mother hen, always hovering over his shoulder protectively and even combing his hair whenever he woke up, much to his embarrassment.
But when her memories started to return, so did her insecurities. She started to doubt herself, and their original goals and purpose. She grew more despondent and somber, always lingering on thoughts of home and her family. Though she tried to hide it, he always noticed her crying in her sleep, mumbling about her husband and daughters. Sometimes, she would spasm from a nightmare, recalling horrific beasts that tried to tear her apart back in her home world. And the closer they reached the Erdtree, the more her thoughts lingered on past regrets.
Her previous energy and drive to become Elden Lord started to erode away, and eventually she abandoned the idea entirely, instead devoting herself to returning home at all costs.
For although she could not remember everything, she did know one thing. She had left her family behind to deal with a threat that would have gone after them had she done nothing. And with her death, there was nobody left to protect her daughters from suffering a similar fate.
She told him with her dying breath that there was a force out there, a person, who would go after her daughters, to Ruby especially, and kill her, just like with her own parents and siblings. A mysterious, shadowy force that was not to be underestimated at all costs. A villain who even she couldn't stop, and who had all the time in the world to accomplish their objectives.
But who or what this force was, Jaune didn't know. Summer had passed before imparting this information to him, and as he recalled how he met Ruby for the first time that night, he just couldn't imagine any kind of person capable of causing her harm.
Ruby was a talented fighter, obviously trained incredibly well by someone she called Qrow, and now she and Yang were together, studying at Beacon Academy for the next 4 years on how to fight the Grimm.
Surely there wasn't any place safer for her in the entire world than here, right? Surrounded by many other students, Professors, and a Headmaster who seemed to know her family well, there was no way some outside individual or Grimm could arrive and pose any serious threat to her or Yang.
And yet Summer's last words and regrets returned in his mind. She was an excellent fighter as well, having gone and defeated many a Demigod like himself, and she was the one who taught him how to fight. She carried herself like a leader, and was ferocious when she put her mind to it.
All that, and even she met her end to this antagonistic power.
His hands curled into fists. He couldn't afford to be lax or undertake this duty without a hundred percent of seriousness. He had to be careful.
A loud, feminine shout suddenly drew his attention from his stormy thoughts. Looking up, he raised an eyebrow as a girl with a familiar head of white hair started arguing with Ruby and her sister. Shaking his head, he gave a sympathetic glance as the girls finally separated, leaving a dejected Ruby and annoyed Yang making their way back to their sleeping bags.
"I guess it didn't go well?" He asked hesitantly.
Ruby only sighed. "No, not really. Turns out Blake is really anti-social, and then Weiss showed up again and chewed us out."
"Honestly, that Weiss girl really needs to get that stick of Dust out of her butt." Yang commented crudely. "I know she and Ruby didn't get off on the right foot this morning, but man she needs to learn how to relax!"
Jaune winced in sympathy. "I guess we can't win all our battles. Cheer up, Ruby. I'm sure we'll find some nice people to meet tomorrow." He then offered a small smile. "And hey, next time Weiss shows up, I'll chase her off."
"I guess." Ruby didn't seem too enthusiastic about the matter. "We should probably get some sleep now. Weiss was right, it is pretty late now."
"Might as well hit the hay. See ya in the morning, Rubes." Yang promptly crashed onto her sleeping bag, out like a light in a matter of seconds.
"Woah, hey look outside!" Ruby nudged him, shaking his arm and pointing out the window.
Jaune turned around and felt his eyes widened as a series of purple streaks flew across the sky.
"A meteor shower!" Ruby exclaimed excitedly. "I haven't seen one since I was a kid! Oh, maybe it's a sign of good luck for tomorrow!"
"I sure hope so, too." Jaune replied back, though as he watched the streaks of violet light flicker across the sky before disappearing over the horizon, his gut churned uncomfortably. Ignoring the sensation, he took a seat next to Ruby's bag.
"Isn't that a bit uncomfortable?" Ruby asked. "Are you really gonna sleep like that?"
He shrugged. "I've slept in weirder places. Don't worry, I'll be fine. Goodnight, Ruby."
"'Night, Jaune."
When Ruby finally settled in, the sound of her soft snores reaching his ears from the confines of her bag, Jaune finally relaxed, detaching his Greatsword and staff from his armor and keeping them on his lap as he huddled to the wall.
It had been a long time since he had a decent night's sleep. As one of the 'dead who yet live', he didn't really need to eat, drink, or sleep anymore, at least not out of necessity. He and Summer had kept to these routines as a way for them to stick to old habits, but as they continued to journey across the Lands Between, they started to eat and sleep far less. The Roundtable Hold wasn't nearly the safe haven Gideon Ofnir claimed it to be, and the roads grew more and more treacherous as they moved closer to the Erdtree. It was often more dangerous during the night than it was during the day, and the only times they had any decent rest were during brief periods of levity as they huddled around a Site of Grace.
Come to think of it, the last time he took a nap was before he descended into the depths to make contact with…
Furiously shaking his head, he forced the errant memory out of his mind. Taking slow, deep breaths, he let his eyes flutter to a close as drowsiness finally took hold…
He knew this was a bad idea…
But where else was he supposed to go? That guy with the weird bloody mask (he hoped that it was just animal blood on his face), only spouted out some nonsense about 'Guidance of Grace' and some weird Castle manned by a guy named Godrick.
And then he called him a 'maidenless runt'!
What a dick! Sure, he wasn't exactly the most handsome guy around, but come on! He was pretty sure he could get a nice lady to fawn over him, right?
At least, once he was able to make heads or tails of where he is.
Things seemed to just blaze past him faster than he could comprehend. The only thing he could remember was waking up in an abandoned church, nearly soiling his pants at the sight of the dead woman huddled in the corner of the building, venturing outside to find help, only to later… die, at the hands of that thing, before waking up in the bottom of a cave, running for his life outside, and then meeting that same masked man, Varré.
And here he was, aimlessly wandering this mysterious world he found himself in. The Lands Between, or so that guy claimed.
He had no memory of how he got here in the first place, nor any memory of things before that.
No memory of any other place, of family or friends, or anything of his former life. Not even his childhood.
Just his own name.
Jaune Arc.
Lost as he was, he was only given one single purpose by Varré. To head to Stormveil Castle, farther to the North, where he could challenge a Demigod.
Yeah, screw that.
Despite having lost much of his memories, even he knew better than to head off to some random place without at least knowing the lay of the land. And considering how he got his ass kicked by that giant golden paladin riding atop the equally giant horse (he had to run away like a little girl for several minutes before the knight lost interest), he had a funny feeling he wouldn't last long at this Castle anyways.
Might as well learn more about what kind of place he found himself at.
And that's what made him end up in this particular spot, roaming around a large inland lake east of where he first showed up. He figured that the first thing he should look for was a source of water, and maybe anyone else who could know of this world and give better answers than Varré.
Though he would have preferred if the lake wasn't filled with giant mosquitoes and whatever those plants were that were spewing out some toxic green gas. Gross…
And boy, was he gonna regret not having a spare set of socks on him after wading through water up to his knees for half a day…
After several hours of wading through muddy swamp, he let out a sigh of relief as he saw a gathering of several men, each huddled around a large fire while chanting something fervently.
"Hey!" Jaune called out, large splashes of water trailing behind him as he hobbled his way towards them. "Oh thank god I found some other people out here! You mind if I stick by the fire for a bit to warm up?"
The Sun was already starting to set, and he'd rather not wander in the dark without a torch. At least he could warm himself by the fire until morning.
Sadly, the men didn't seem to acknowledge his presence in the slightest. Wearing faded robes, they continued to pray fervently to the fire on their hands and knees, still muttering a single word each time.
"Agheel…"
"Agheel?" Jaune pondered. "Is that a person or god?"
Still no answer.
"Well, I guess if you didn't say no…" he moved himself closer to the fire, stretching his hands forward to warm himself up when he started to notice a small screeching in the air.
"Uh, did you guys hear that?"
The same screeching grew louder, until it resembled less of a screech and more of a roar. Suddenly feeling his gut telling him to get the hell away, Jaune panicked and quickly ran away from the large bonfire.
Just as a… monster flew by and landed, crushing all the men underneath its foot.
Jaune felt himself fall to the water in a loud splash. There was no way this was possible, right!? Did he just see a… a…
"Dragon!?"
With gray scales, a long protruding snout with wisps of flame bellowing from the nostrils, and a set of wings with talons digging into the eviscerated bodies of the men it flattened, there was no way it could be anything else but a dragon. With a massive wingspan and standing several meters tall, it easily towered over him like a small mountain.
And as it sniffed the air, it quickly turned its head towards him, before bellowing out a screeching roar.
"Shit! Shitshitshitshitshit!" Jaune yelled, as he scurried to his knees and ran for his life.
The Dragon roared behind him, flapping its wings as it took to the sky. He barely had time to react before he felt the beast suddenly land only a few feet behind him, sending him and a plume of rock and water flying across the air. Even with his armor and shield he still landed painfully onto the ground, rolling across the thin surface of the lake before skidding to a halt next to a fallen log.
Shakily standing up, he quickly tried to pull out his sword and shield as the Dragon screeched in anger.
Quick! He had to think! Could he outrun this thing? No, not while it can fly! And good luck trying to even make a dent in that thing's scales with this crappy-looking sword!
Wait, the ruins over there! Maybe he could run past the Dragon and try to seek shelter there!
The Dragon suddenly rushed forward, angling its head to try and throw him in the air! With a panicked shout, he dove into the water, luckily able to avoid the blow from its head by an inch. Scurrying onto his feet, he pushed all the strength he had into his legs and ran for dear life!
Sadly, he forgot that the Dragon had a tail, and with a simple flick from it, Jaune felt the air get blown out of his lungs as it smacked straight into his chest, crushing his armor instantly and throwing him into the air alongside his sword and shield.
He landed painfully once more, blood now pouring from his nostrils as he collided face-first onto the ground.
His legs were shaking from fear and adrenaline, and in his downed state he knew that there was no escape. The Dragon lurched forward, opening its mouth wide as it prepared to swallow him whole.
Jaune closed his eyes and prepared for death.
Only for the Dragon to let out a pained screech as it swiveled its head around. The sound of hooves dashing across the water drew his attention, and he hesitantly opened his eyes.
Time stood to a standstill as he saw the arrival of his savior. Atop a horse with antlers on its head was a woman, bearing a white cloak, glistening axe strapped to her waist, and a red combat dress decorated with silver buckles shaped like leaves. With blazing silver eyes and dark hair with red tips, she was one of the most beautiful things Jaune had ever seen, and as the Dragon roared she extended her arm out to him.
"Climb on, I'm on your side! Hurry!"
Adrenaline rushed through his veins as he pushed himself up and grabbed onto the woman's arm. Quickly tumbling onto the back of the horse, he wrapped his arm around his savior's waist as she tapped the sides of her horse with her feet, sending them rushing away as the Dragon screeched with anger.
It let out a massive wave of fire from its mouth that closely chased after them. Jaune could feel the sheer heat from the flames on his back, and with a cry of lament, he watched on as his discarded sword and shield were instantly melted into slag from the Dragon's breath.
"Oh, shit!" He cried out, as the flames practically licked his armor, the heat already scorching his back.
"Don't worry! We're almost out of there!" His savior yelled, jostling her horse to rush forward.
The horse let out a loud neigh and with a surge of speed, it raced across the lake, before the three of them eventually reached the shoreline.
Thankfully, the Dragon had already seemed to lose interest in pursuing them, unfurling its wings before taking to the sky in the opposite direction.
With shaky hands, Jaune let go of her waist and practically tumbled off the horse, his face covered in sweat and his armor practically ruined.
The woman jumped off her horse as it dissolved into hundreds of blue particles with ease, merely brushing her cloak and hair before turning towards him with a smug expression on her face. She opened her mouth, probably about to ask him what happened, before her face quickly morphed into one of horror.
"Your butt is on fire!" She yelled, pointing straight towards him.
Wait, what?
"My butt is on… FIRE!? OH SHIT, GET IT OFF GET IT OFF GET IT OFF!"
Jaune swore, suddenly realizing the warm sensation on his ass was actually real. Swiveling his head around, he panicked as he saw the flickering embers on the back of his jeans and hastily started pulling his pants and armor off.
"Uh, wait! I-I think you should, uh, what was the expression? Ah, yeah! Stop, drop, and roll!" His savior yelled.
Not that he really needed it. He was already in his underwear, throwing aside his pants and tugging his armor off his upper body.
After he stomped on his ruined jeans for a good several seconds, the flames finally died out, leaving only a large blackened area around the backside.
Jaune let out a heavy sigh. This day turned out to be a complete disaster, and he had a funny feeling that it was only going to get worse from here. Not only did his sword and shield get turned into molten iron, his armor was completely ruined, and now he torched the only good pair of pants he had.
Still, it was better than turning into a Dragon's chew toy. He turned around to thank his savior, grateful for her help. "Hey, uh, thanks for saving–"
"Pfffffffftttttttt!"
He stopped as she suddenly began giggling loudly, laughter barely restrained as she covered her mouth with both hands.
"Wha- what is that!?" She choked out, face red as she pointed straight at his chest and crotch.
Jaune looked down, and nearly fainted.
Underneath his armor was a black hoodie, with a cute little brown bunny emblazoned proudly in the center.
And his underwear? Blue in color, with many other small brown rabbits decorating nearly every square inch of the fabric. With a particularly giant brown bunny placed right in the middle.
He felt every inch of his skin turn bright red in embarrassment as Summer's giggles grew louder and louder.
"Is that a cute little bunny!? Where did you get something as silly as that!? And why is there a bunny right there on your crotch!? You trying to make a statement with that!?"
"I-I don't know! I just woke up with this, and I thought the bunnies looked kinda… cute?" he said halfheartedly.
It was the straw that broke the camel's back, as the woman began laughing out loud for all the Lands Between to hear.
Jaune Arc, caught with his pants down wearing underwear and hoodies decorated in cute little bunnies. Truly, the armament of a future champion.
He could only stand there helplessly, hands hastily covering his crotch as the woman collapsed to the ground, rolling around in laughter as she clutched her ribs.
'Somebody just kill me now…'
…
…
…
…
Eventually, the woman finally let out a content sigh as her laughter finally died down. Jaune had put his ruined jeans back on, and the two of them were huddled around a small glowing bead of golden light. Night had started to fall, and much to his surprise, the entire landscape started to get peppered with small beads of golden light fluttering across the area like rainfall.
The woman coughed, cheeks still red from her earlier laughter. "Uh, sorry for laughing like that back there. Especially after what happened. I don't know what came over me."
Jaune shrugged. "Eh, to be fair, I did look pretty stupid. I mean, what kind of knight in shining armor runs around with bunnies all over his underwear? I'd laugh at me too. And trust me, I wish I knew why my sense of fashion is utter garbage."
He smiled and offered his hand. "Thanks for saving me back there. Name's Jaune Arc. Short, sweet, and the ladies love it." He flashed a wink in her direction.
Hey, she was really gorgeous. Sure, the knight was supposed to be rescuing the girl, not the other way around, but he had to start from somewhere, right?
And for some reason, saying that catchphrase made him feel nostalgic in a pleasant way.
The woman chuckled, playfully rolling her eyes. "Sorry, sweetie, but I think you're way too young to be using those pick-up lines on me. I'm just an old lady."
Jaune gave a light-hearted chuckle. "What, you? An old lady? Pfft, yeah right. You hardly look even thirty. But still, I really am thankful you saved my butt back there. Or what's left of it, anyways."
His savior laughed. She offered her own hand, which Jaune shook with a smile on his face.
"My name is Summer. Summer Rose."
"Jaune? Jaune, you okay?"
A small shake of his shoulders roused him from his dream. Wearily blinking away the sleep from his eyes, Jaune let out a yawn as he stretched his limbs, before suddenly flinching as an eerily familiar face moved closer to him. "Ruby?"
The young woman looked at him with concern. "Are you alright? I came to wake you up, and you were… crying in your sleep."
He blinked in surprise. "I was?" Brushing his hands over his face, he flinched as he felt the tears still streaming down his face.
Ruby placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Is everything alright? We're you having a bad dream or something?"
A bad dream? Far from it. "No, it was actually a really nice dream. I guess it just reminded me of… better days. Happier ones."
Jaune stood up and stretched his limbs and back with an audible crack. Looking around, he realized that the auditorium they slept in was now almost completely empty of people, with only a few stragglers still remaining. "What happened? Where'd everyone go?"
"Uh, everyone's already left for the lockers to go change. Initiation's gonna start in about half an hour." Ruby said apologetically. "Sorry, I would have woken you up sooner, but you were mumbling in your sleep and crying. Yang said that I should probably give you some space."
Ruby was already dressed, donning her characteristic combat dress and red cloak. Both Crescent Rose and Sundered Rose were attached to her belt, and she turned around, looking at the exit as Yang stood by waiting for them.
Jaune's face paled at the realization that Ruby might have overheard him. "Uh, Ruby? Did you by any chance hear what I was mumbling about?"
Ruby's face turned slightly red. "Sorry, I didn't mean to eavesdrop! But honestly, I couldn't really make out much of what you were mumbling, save for a couple words."
"What words?"
Ruby looked a bit crestfallen. "You kept saying 'I'm sorry', over and over again. Um, are you sure you'll be okay? Is there something bothering you?"
He shook his head vehemently. "No. Sorry you had to hear that. Was just… dreaming about things that could have gone differently, that's all. Come on, let's hurry and get dressed before they leave without us. And thanks for waking me up, Sum– Rubes. I appreciate it."
Jaune left before Ruby could catch the slip of his tongue. She made her way to Yang, who moved to the side after seeing him quickly walk past her entirely.
"Everything good with Vomit Boy back there?" She said with a concerned voice. "He didn't look so great just now."
Ruby could only shake her head. "I don't really know. He didn't seem like he wanted to talk about it."
"Guy's probably got some skeletons in his closet. Not that I'm one to judge, we all have them. Best just let him handle it himself." Yang shrugged. "Anyways, you woke him up just in time, too. Everybody's either getting ready or already at the cliff. Come on, the sooner we get there the sooner you might get a nice partner!"
Ruby crossed her arms. "Yang Xiao-Long, you better not be abandoning me again!" She yelled just as her sister already made a beeline for the exit.
"So, Pyrrha? Have you given any thought on whose team you'd like to be on? I'm sure everyone must be eager to unite with such a strong and well-known individual such as yourself!"
'Oh no, not another one…'
Pyrrha barely restrained a sigh as she tried her best to maintain a diplomatic smile. "I'm… not sure. I was planning on letting the chips fall where they may." Hopefully this answer was vague enough to satisfy the obviously eager heiress.
It didn't. "Well, I was thinking that maybe we could be on a team together!"
Pyrrha didn't have the heart to give a flat-out no, especially with how eager Weiss looked. "Well, that sounds grand!" Hopefully Weiss didn't catch the hint of sarcasm in her voice.
Thankfully, she didn't. "Great!"
Pyrrha could only watch with a raised eyebrow as Weiss turned around, no doubt scheming of how the two of them would be the future stars of Beacon, and be regarded as legends amongst their classmates.
Unfortunately, this wasn't the first time someone tried to get close to her this way. It all ended the same way for her, people feigning wanting to form a friendship with her only to instead be using their closeness to benefit from her fame.
And sadly, Weiss Schnee seemed to be the exact kind of person.
Pyrrha let out a quiet sigh as she left Weiss to her delusions. She hoped that going to Beacon instead of Haven would have given her the opportunity to be around people who would be different. Who might not have known about her and would be willing to become actual friends with her rather than try to piggyback off her fame.
But it looks like she severely underestimated how far her fame would travel across Remnant. When she stepped down in Vale for the first time, it took less than 10 minutes for her to be swarmed by both the media and by rabid fans. And when she got on the Bullhead to Beacon? She was once again surrounded by fans and admirers alike, all eagerly trying to be friends with the 'Invincible Girl' rather than 'Pyrrha Nikos'. All of them were either asking her for autographs or tips on how to fight, with a few even trying to not-so-subtly invite her to interviews or meetings with members of high society.
And she was too polite to adamantly say no to any of them.
How could things have ended so badly for her? All she ever wanted to be was a Huntress, and thankfully fighting came to her as naturally as breathing. Going into tournaments was an easy way for her to win some money for her and her mother, both of whom weren't as well off compared to many others in Argus, and when she won first place at her first tournament? She was filled to bursting with joy. The money was secondary to the sense of pride she felt from all the hard work and training she put herself through.
Sure, she had her admirers back then, but it was only ever a curious glance, nothing more. She started to gain a little following back at Sanctum Academy, and when she won her second tournament? That following started to grow exponentially.
But when she later won her third tournament? And then the 4th? All without losing even half of her Aura at all?
That's when things began turning for the worse. People began to see her as less a human being and more of an idol or icon. Someone had brazenly called her the 'Invincible Girl' at the end of the last tournament, and it stuck to her like mold on a shower curtain. Soon, it was the only thing she'd hear all day. Invincible Girl this, Invincible Girl that.
And though she never really cared for her winnings, by the time she won her 4th she had already earned enough to make herself a multi-millionaire. And then the sponsorships came rolling in, and not realizing the mess she would eventually land herself in, she accepted it wholeheartedly.
Seriously, why would she ever endorse a cereal with enough sugar to give a Goliath a heart attack?
At first, she tried to back out, to try and distance herself from everything, but then the idolatry grew even worse, to the point where people began to harass her mother at work or in public, all to gain the scoop on what Pyrrha Nikos was doing.
Though her mother always tried to support her, waving her hand as if to brush aside any worries she had about her newfound fame, she always felt guilty about how her fame had caused them so much trouble.
And her victories began to affect her life at Sanctum Academy. Either she was met with blind admiration or petty rage and jealousy. She had lost any friends she had made prior to becoming an icon, and the last remaining years of her time at Sanctum had grown incredibly lonely.
Abandoning her sponsorships would do nothing at this rate. All it would do was just cause the paparazzi to harass her and her mother even more.
Finally, she had enough, and decided that she had to leave Argus and Mistral altogether.
Beacon had a renowned reputation and catered to students all over the world. She didn't want to serve the Atlas military, and Vacuo was just as obsessed with her as Mistral was. Her choice may have drawn some controversy at home, but the alternatives seemed worse in comparison.
Now? Maybe she should have given Atlas a chance. At least the military might have stomped down any excitement about her.
Weiss was once again speaking to her excitedly, though she could hardly bring herself to pay much attention. With how disinterested everyone seemed to be about Pyrrha Nikos compared to the 'Invincible Girl', she doubted that she'd ever really find a nice friend or partner at Beacon.
Perhaps the best she could hope for is for her new partner and team to at least respect her privacy.
Suddenly, the doors to the locker room burst open, drawing both her and Weiss's attention as a young man with water dripping down his hair and wearing a blue and silver set of knightly armor rushed inside. The man swiveled his head around, eagerly looking for something while muttering to himself.
"Dammit, why did those guys have to take so long to leave the showers!? I can't shower when everyone's there to watch you! Now where the hell did they put my locker?"
Pyrrha's eyes widened as she quickly recognized the face and voice. It was the same person who moved past her on the Bullhead to Beacon without even giving her a cursory glance.
Whoever he was, he quickly looked through his Scroll as he moved closer to the two of them, before accidentally brushing Pyrrha aside as he moved to the locker between them.
"Sorry, 'scuse me." he muttered, before rummaging through his locker.
"Excuse me! What are you doing!?" Weiss yelled.
"Trying to grab my things?"
"Now!? It's almost 5 minutes till Initiation starts!"
"Yeah, I know. I overslept, and the men's showers were packed." he muttered angrily.
"And besides, we were in the middle of a conversation! You can't just butt in between us like that, especially given who you just bumped into!"
"Into who?" the knight muttered, looking up from his locker and facing her.
"Hello, again!" Pyrrha waved at him.
Weiss rolled her eyes. "This is Pyrrha Nikos. The winner of the Mistral and Interkingdom Tournaments 4 times in a row?"
Jaune looked at Weiss like she was speaking gibberish. "Sorry, never heard of it."
Pyrrha bit back a smile.
Weiss frowned. "The top student of Sanctum Academy? First of her class?"
"What?"
Weiss began to openly gape at him, just as Jaune put his hand to his chin in deep contemplation.
"Though now that I think about it, the name does sound a bit familiar." Jaune muttered, making her heart once again sink.
He snapped his fingers. "I got it! She's the mascot for Pumpkin Pete's Marshmallow Cereal Box!"
Pyrrha's heart once again soared in her chest, while Weiss looked like she was about to have an aneurysm.
"Unbelievable! That's what you think of the moment her name pops up!? What is wrong with the students here!? First some child nearly blows me up on the first day, then she interrupts my sleep, and now some scraggly knight is somehow ignorant of one of the most renowned Huntresses in our generation!?"
Jaune's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Okay, that's enough, princess. Ruby already said she was sorry, and frankly your attitude could use a LOT of work. If you think anyone like Pyrrha would want to be in a team with you, then you're the one clearly deluded. Quit acting like a spoiled brat and try to speak to people normally."
He grabbed his bag and slammed his locker shut, ignoring how Weiss's face turned red with anger and giving Pyrrha a somber glance back before rushing out the locker room.
"That… that… jerk!" Weiss spat out heatedly. "Come on, Pyrrha. Just ignore him. I'm sure I can be a better teammate than that! Honestly, who does he think he is, calling me some spoiled princess!"
"Right…" Pyrrha muttered halfheartedly as she was dragged by her hand outside.
"I can kind of understand why you don't like Weiss that much, Ruby. She's… got some issues."
"Yeah, hopefully I don't end up on the same team as her." Ruby shuddered. "Hopefully we can choose our own partners and teammates. That is, unless a certain sister of mine wishes to not join me."
Ruby cast an angry glare at her older sister, who whistled nonchalantly a few paces away.
Jaune rolled his eyes, knowing what was up. "Yeah, older sisters suck. Let me tell ya, nothing is more annoying than an older sibling who wants some alone time."
Ruby raised an eyebrow at him. "You have an older sister, too?"
Jaune nodded sagely. "Oh, you wouldn't believe. But in all seriousness, don't be too discouraged. Even if Yang isn't on the same team as you, that doesn't mean you won't ever see her again. Let her have some space, be someone besides the ever-present big sister. She still cares about you a lot. And besides, who knows? We might be able to choose our partners and teams today."
Right on cue, the Headmaster and Deputy Headmistress arrived, signaling for the students to follow them. Sticking close to Ruby, the two of them followed along, until several minutes later they found themselves atop a large cliff overlooking the massive Emerald Forest next to the Academy.
Ozpin cleared his voice just as all the students stepped atop a series of metal plates on the ground.
"Your objective is clear. You will be launched into Emerald Forest, and when you land you will head North and make your way to an abandoned temple. There, you will acquire a chess piece and return here. This forest is occupied by Grimm, so you will be expected to protect yourself. The other teachers and I will not interfere, so plan accordingly and be safe."
Jaune frowned, not liking the idea of being separated like this. He cast a worried glance at Ruby just as Professor Ozpin continued.
"Many of you have heard rumors about teams and partners. I will be putting those rumors to rest. Your partner and team will be chosen today. From the moment you land, the first person you make contact with will be your chosen partner for the next 4 years. We will then decide teams once all students return."
'Well, that just sounds stupid.' Jaune thought privately. A glance to his left showed that Ruby was worse for wear, the news that she would essentially be given a partner at random not the most welcoming.
'Guess I'll just have to find her first.' Gripping his staff in his left hand, he made sure to keep an eye on Ruby as she flew through the sky. With any luck, he could use Gravity Magic to move himself closer to Ruby's location.
Hopefully it will just be a quick Initiation. Just head North, grab a chess piece, and return. All while taking out any Grimm in their way.
Should be easy enough, right?
Further away, Weiss once again checked the vials of Dust stored into her weapon before giving a quick glance at Pyrrha, who for once ignored her and instead stared at Jaune carefully.
"Good luck, everyone." Ozpin concluded, before slamming his cane into the earth.
One by one, the metal plates sprung from the ground, sending a student each flying through the air. A young woman with orange hair and turquoise eyes brandished her hammer with glee while making animal noises as she was launched, soon followed by a young man with pink eyes wielding dual SMGs. Yang winked at Ruby as she was sent flying, using her gauntlets to pick up speed as she rocketed into the sky, closely followed by the dark-haired girl they failed to befriend the night before.
Weiss concentrated as she flew through the air, already twirling the revolving mechanism in her rapier as she began to descend.
Pyrrha brandished her sword and shield, having already decided where to land. Soaring through the air, she raised her shield to protect her from any incoming branches.
Ruby was second-to-last, giving a thumbs up to Jaune as she took off, her red cape fluttering in the wind as she blasted through the air.
And Jaune pulled his greatsword from his back, catching the attention of Ozpin and Glynda as he flew through the air, attempting to track Ruby's descent before she fell.
Not realizing that a certain redhead was tracking his progress through the air, aiming her javelin at him before tossing it in his direction.
And deeper inside Emerald Forest, a large flock of birds took to the sky in panic as the trees shook all around them, as the sound of hundreds of Grimm echoed through the foliage.
Update 11/29/23: Apologies this next chapter update took so long! I decided to combine Chapter 2 and parts of Chapter 3 into this second chapter, since most of the original second chapter was ripped straight from the show almost verbatim. Honestly, wasn't too happy with this rewrite since I still ended up using a decent chunk of stuff from the affiliated episode, but thankfully this will be the last time things will match so closely to the actual episode.
In regards to changes, I decided to remove the mention of Vyke's story from the original chapter and instead replace it with a small snippet of what Jaune's journey was like in the Lands Between. I needed to show how close Jaune and Summer actually were in order for people to try and understand why he's so determined to look after Ruby, and I thought I'd sprinkle some of the happier and sad moments both Jaune and Summer had while the events of Elden Ring occurred.
I also feel really guilty about writing Weiss this way, since she's one of my favorite characters in the show, but what I wanted to improve on was the development Weiss had, both in the early volumes and in my original chapters. I felt that I made Weiss be forgiven too quickly, and honestly reading back on that section just makes me cringe. I wrote way too much stuff in that chapter. Don't worry, I plan to make Weiss likable in due time, but of course she can't just suddenly mature as a person that fast.
Hopefully the flashback section was enjoyable to read, and to also highlight the change and development Jaune had from the time he first became Tarnished to now. I wanted to portray Jaune as he is right now as a much more mature character after everything he's been through, and to show how much he's changed, I wanted to contrast it with what he was like before back when he was in the Lands Between. Don't worry, he won't be a goofball forever.
Hope everyone enjoyed this updated second chapter, and hopefully the next updated one won't take so long to develop! I appreciate you all for sticking with this story and giving me feedback, especially for the updated chapters!