Author's note:

We went back and re-did the scene with Glynda, something about it was off the first time round and found myself needing to clean it up a bit. It's much better now, in my opinion. Once again, thank you for all who left me reviews, it let's me know where and how do you guys want the story to proceed so it helps me a lot.

Project Jaeger

Chapter 4: School Of Hard Knocks

"How do I look?" He nervously adjusted his tie, frankly he didn't think it would happen so soon but Ozpin was never one to chide or jest.

When he said he was going to start on the morrow, he meant it.

And so Jaune stood in front of his mirror, haplessly moving his tie around to and fro. The clean red tie played well into his clean pressed button up and black suit.

"Would you stop that?" Glynda lightly tapped him on the shoulder, before moving forward to adjust the tie for him. An intimate act, but Glynda didn't seem too shy about it. Jaune couldn't help but stare at those green globes he'd always been secretly fond of. "Such a child. You look fine, stop fidgeting so much."

"Thanks." Least he could do was put on a smile for her."Just I dunno, the idea of walking up there and talking up in front of all those faces… it's my third grade recital all over again."

"It was your second," she amusingly remarked."I've been in your head, remember?"

"Oh god, that's even worse." Jaune now vividly recalled the forgotten memory.

"Jaune. You've faced gigantic, monstrous creatures and haven't batted an eye but a group of people in a room together can make you shake in your boots?" The green eyed instructor shook her head.

"One, they're loafers. And two, It's the cold, blank staring that I can't stand." Jaune tried to laugh it off. "Well… Here goes nothing. Wish me luck, Glyn." He gave his colleague and friend one last look.

"You don't need it, 'Archangel'. Go out there and just be yourself. The students will accept that." He wished he had her confidence.

"That's pretty much my plan A, B, all the way to Z."

He had one foot outside the door before he hesitated. "On second thought, I think I'm just going to change into something more comfortable."

Glynda only looked at him and shook her head in annoyance before sighing.

Was it this way? Jaune scratched his head as he tried to remember where his classroom was. Glynda just shows me this yesterday! Come on Jaune!

He knew he was close, in the right building for sure. But no matter which way he went, room forty seven illuded him. He followed the forties up, but they stopped at forty five. But he knew he couldn't go up a floor because the fifth floor was all fifties. Growling at himself, he backtracked until he found a hall he had missed. Forty six..

Okay, this has to be it!

The bell rang.

Dammit.

He hustled the last few step to number forty seven and slid the door open as the sound of the bell faded.

A classroom full of first years students looked up as he entered. One of them laughed. "You didn't have to wear your pilot suit today," a girl in a black and red dress called out to him. "They said the first week is classroom only." She grinned.

She was young, even for a first year, so he knew right away who she must be. Ruby Rose. He had read about her in the roster yesterday. Which meant… He groaned. Sure enough, her bombshell of an older sister was peering over her shoulder. Yang, he recalled. "Hey hey!" she cheered, giving him a goofy salute. "It's aviator glasses guy! Who knew we were in the same class!"

Jaune tried everything in his power not to flush red. "Actually, I-"

A student suddenly bumped into him from behind. "Hey man! Get outta the door!" A boy with a completely unbuttoned shirt pushed past him. "Dude, find a seat before teach gets here!"

A boy with light blue hair patted a chair and the blonde, unbuttoned boy plopped down beside him. "Lucky break again," the blue one teased his slouching friend. "How do you always get away with being late?"

"Okay," Jaune tried again. "Excuse me everyone, but-"

"Hey, whatcha reading?"

"Give it back!"

A girls with a short, auburn haircut had snatched a book out of the hands of the beautiful black haired Blake in the front row. "Oooooh! This looks fancy. There are no pictures."

A boy in green robes plucked the book out of the auburn's hands. Jaune hesitated as he recognized the boy as the one who was now staying in his old dorm. "That's rude, Nora." He handed it back to Blake. "Find a chair or you'll get in trouble," he added, sitting down himself.

"Why?" the girl named Nora asked. "Teacher's not here."

"I wouldn't bet on that," the boy answered, but no one listened to him.

"What do we need a homeroom teacher for anyway?" the blonde half-dressed, boy was asking. "We have to meet here before regular classes every Monday, and why? So we can cry about our feelings? Boo-hoo." His friend high-fived him.

"Okay, enough!" a loud voice rang out. Jaune looked to the last student he hadn't noticed and he took a step back. It was Weiss Schnee. "Everyone shut up, and salute!" she followed her own advice, holding the salute until the others joined her.

"Salute who?" The girl called Nora asked, puzzled.

"Him," the boy with the pink streak answered calmly, pointing at Jaune.

"Why?" asked the blonde from the plane - Yang! - he had to remember their names.

"Because, you nitwit," Weiss barked. "He's the teacher." Well, so much for my cool points with her, Jaune thought dejectedly as she rescued him from his own class.

"Pfffbha!" Nora spat out a laugh. "That kid? In the pilot suit? He's not a teacher."

"Um, actually… I am." Jaune straightened his bomber jacket casually and tried to stand taller. "I'm Professor Jaune Arc, and I apologize for my tardiness. This is my first lesson. Also, here at Beacon we don't call our Professors 'Teacher'. I will be your Lead Drift Instructor."

Everyone stared at him for a moment, then about half the class decided to believe him. The dark haired boy stood for a salute and his auburn friend followed. The boy with the sky-blue hair jumped up and elbowed his half-dressed friend until he did the same. Blake closed her book, eyeing Jaune with a calculating look, and stood to salute as well. After a moment, of gaping about, Ruby leapt up and saluted too.

"Well, paint me purple and call me a fool." Yang tossed her blonde locks over her shoulder and stood beside her sister. "Nice to meet you, Prof." She saluted more seriously, but added a wink.

"No need for formalities." Jaune was flushing slightly. He didn't look that young, did he? "At ease. Take your seats."

He paced over to the front of the classroom and dropped off his bag behind the desk. "Okay, so I believe the first question was why do we need homeroom?" The students, all still slowly taking their seats, glanced up at him curiously.

"Actually," Yang spoke up, raising her hand casually after she began talking. "I think the first question is, who are you?"

"I just said that. I'm Professor Jaune Arc, your homeroom advisor." He glanced at her puzzled.

"Yeah, I heard that," she replied. "But like, who are you? Why are you teaching this class?"

Weiss rolled her eyes behind Yang. "Oh come on." Her tone was quite condescending. "You don't know who Jaune Arc is? And you want to be a pilot?"

"Oh My GOD!" her sister gasped beside her. "I know, I know! Ohhhh, pick me!"

But Yang was glaring at Weiss and Jaune felt a challenge coming on. "Hey, hey! Cut it out you two. It's been awhile since I was in the game. Not everyone knows me like they know you, Miss Weiss."

Yang crossed her armed, annoyed.

In the seat over from the bombshell, Blake opened her book back up and passed it to the blonde. "Jaune Arc. He and his sister Louise Arc piloted the Jaeger mark III known as Crocea Mors and were the first to battle against the Grimm known as Big Mama and live to tell the tale." She stated, committing the fact from the book to memory. Jaune felt a lump rise up in his throat. "Including the Big Mama they have over forty one confirmed Grimm kills. He retired four years ago."

"Retired?" The boisterous girl in the back asked perking up. "Why would anyone ever retire?"

"Um, hello?" Weiss asked back. "Didn't you see the statue outside the dorms?" The other girl shrugged and Weiss buried her head in her hands.

Ruby didn't seem able to contain herself any longer. "It was a huge thing four years ago! All over the news. His sister, Louise, die-... um, was lost when they fought Big Mama. He was the only survivor. "

It was only than than Ruby realized the context of what she said as she looked at Jaune with apologetic eyes. "...sorry."

"Ooooh!" the short-haired girl said in understanding. Then, in a much different, more empathetic tone. "Ooooooh…"

All of the students were looking at him differently now.

He took a big swallow.

Well it's not like his piloting history was a big kept secret, but he wasn't trying to advertise it for the whole world either. He could only play along for now. He was just going to have to make them move on.

"Alright, enough about me. The reason we have homeroom is actually to talk about all of you. You all came here to be pilots, right?" There was solemn nodding from all the students. "Well, as you just heard, I've been there, done that. I am here to be a personal guide to each and every one of the eight of you for all three years you will be here. If you have any issues, it is my job to be on your side and to help you through them. A lot of problems you may face, I have likely been through before."

"Yeah, I'll bet," muttered the blue-haired boy.

Jaune ignored him. "So, in the idea of making this an open place, I think we should all start with our names and something about yourselves." He gestured towards the blonde boy sitting beside the door.

He shifted as if it was a bother, then stood up with a bit of a hop. "I'm Sun. I'm here with my Drift partner Nep." The blue-haired boy waved. "We actually did a year at a military camp already, but it wasn't a good fit. Oz scouted us out, so we transferred here. The dress code is way less strict." He lowered his voice to a whisper and winked at Blake, who rolled her eyes sourly.

"Not that much less," Jaune pitched in. "You can wear what you want, but please at least button your shirt, huh?"

Sun shrugged and sat down to do so, high fiving his buddy as he stood. "And I'm Neptune Vasilias, his partner. We found out we were Drift compatible when we were twelve, so we've been preparing to be pilots ever since. We're looking forward to a fresh start here at Beacon even if we have to repeat a few classes. We'll try not to blow the rest of you away," he concluded with a cocky smirk.

Next Yang and Ruby stood. "Hi, I'm Ruby!" the younger said with a wave.

"I'm Yang," the blonde added easily. "Our mothers were both pilots, and our dad's an engineer, so it was kind of a no brainer for us to come here."

"We're half-sisters," Ruby put in. "Yang had a wait to start classes for a few years until I was old enough that Oz said I could come. But now we're here, and we're like SUPER EXCITED, so um… yeah!" She clicked her heels together and promptly sat down, her sister following suit.

Behind them Weiss stood. "I'm Weiss…" she hesitated half a second before continuing on with her last name. "Weiss Schnee." There was immediate muttering. "I'm here to start in the pilot program because, well this is the best school to become a pilot at. I'm accompanied by a compatible partner my company found for me and sponsored… Um… Blake?"

The dark haired girl sitting across the room from her partner stood and shook her head. "I'm Blake. And now, as you all know, I am a first year pilot sponsored by the Schnee company. Yippy." She twirled her fingers in fake excitement, then sat back down without another word.

"So… you two have never met before today?" the girl with auburn hair pipped up.

"No, we've met a few times," Weiss answered. "But only formally. However, I look forward to a good year with all of you, Blake included!" She waved like a princess on a float and sat back down.

Jaune looked at the last two students, the girl who had just spoken and her green robed friend. "Oh, I'm Nora Valkyrie!" the girl said, jumping to her feet and reaching forward to pull her partner up next to her. "And this is Ren Lie. Say 'hi' Ren!" He waved a hand half heartedly. "He, ah… doesn't talk much… But don't worry! I talk plenty for both of us!"

"I can see that," Jaune chuckled. "How'd you two decide to become pilots?"

"Ren and I have been together forever, and I mean forever!" Nora launched into her story. "We grew up in the same foster home, so kind of like brother and sister, only way not. But we're the same age and went to the same schools and have all the same friends-"

"We were tested in middle school like Sun and Neptune," Ren spoke up.

"And can you believe it! We were compatible!" Nora exclaimed. "Well, I wasn't really surprised, I mean, come on, how could we not be?" She snorted. "I mean, we're like, best friends and all!"

Ren waved her down "It's not like we had anything better to do with our lives. So we took the scholarship and came here."

"And I have to say, this school is AWESOME! They served the best food! I am so glad we came here!" Nora clapped her hands together in excitement.

The next and last student in line was Blake, but she had already gone, so Jaune waved Nora to take her seat again and stood up himself. "People who are able to Drift are rare, people who have found a compatible partner are even rarer. This school will teach you how to fight, how to tend your gear, the kind of Grimm you'll be up against, and much more. But your bonds with your partners are what will make or break your ability to succeed here in the school. Support each other. A Drift partner is once in a lifetime for most people, so hang onto them, respect them, and understand that here you will get to know them inside and out. For better or for worse, your relationship with your partner will change drastically as you start to Drift with them. Neptune, Sun, I'm assuming you two have already Drifted? What can you tell the class about it?"

The bell rang.

"Well, next time then," Jaune concluded. "I'll see you all next Monday. Remember, if you ever need me outside of class, to the eight of you I am always available."

"Thanks, Teach," Neptune said with a nod of his head as he and Sun scooped up their bags.

Nora and Ren stayed in their seats, clearly indicating they had his class next, which made sense. His next class was a beginner's guide to Drifting with a partner. If they had just been selected recently, they would be new to the whole Drift experience.

"You didn't tell me you were a teacher," Blake spoke up, stepping up to his desk.

"Instructor," he corrected."Besides, You seemed to have figured it out all on your own," Juane pointed out, gesturing at her book.

Blake shrugged. "Weiss recognized your name. I should have."

Jaune glanced sideways, his view completely on the heiress. "Thanks for the save, by the way."

Weiss waved her hand as if to say it was nothing. "Teaching is like leading. You just have to take control sometimes. What's our next class Blake?"

"This is," Blake said. "Drift 101, for idiots like us who have never truly tested our compatibility." She stated this deadpan as she looked down her nose at her partner.

"Oh… well, back to our seats then!" Weiss laughed weakly.

"Girls," Juane spoke up. "Sit together?" They nodded, apparently a bit annoyed, but switched seats anyway.

More students were coming into the room and finding chairs, but Yang was leaning against his desk waiting her turn. "So, Professor," Yang stated in a sultry voice. Jaune immediately felt his pulse quicken. She's a student! She's a student! Why? Why are they all so hot!? "Rubes and I have your class next too. Technically we haven't ever Drifted together, but I have to let you in on a little secret. Our dad is a drift engineer."

"That isn't a secret," Jaune reminded her. "It's on your transcript and you just told us."

Yang rolled her eyes and leaned in closer. "The secret is that, obviously, we have Drifted. Just not… officially. But we've done it plenty of times." She winked at him. "We'll be your star pupils."

Damnit! Stop being all flirty! I'm your teacher! I mean instructor! But he forced the reaction down and said instead, "Sounds… excellent. Um, please take your seats again then…"

Yang gave him a winning smiled and walked back into her chair, her skirt bouncing as she walked away. Then another girl stepped up to him, and this time, he didn't know her.

The girl - no the young woman - actually looked down at him. She felt as tall as he was, contrary to what was actually evident. He was taller, but she made him feel small, her presence and confidence were captivating. "Hello, Professor Arc." She smiled and he felt that it was somewhat sad, and lovely all the same. "I'm your T.A., Pyrrha Nikos. Did Miss Goodwitch tell you about me?"

"I… yes?"

Jaune gulped hard. Glynda had told him he would have a T.A. She hadn't told him who, just that she would probably be able to teach the class herself if Jaune had any problems. But she had failed to mention what an amazingly beautiful woman the T.A. was! She was like the perfect athlete, lithe, tall, well muscled, but not in a way that turned you off. Every line about her was feminine and strong and lovely. She had shockingly red hair tied up in a ponytail that swung whenever she moved. Her smile was perfect, even if a bit sad, and her emerald eyes were… well to die for. One look at her, and Jaune felt immediately that this was the kind of girl that men would go on quests for to the end of the world in hopes of impressing her.

The bell rang.

He had been staring at her for almost a whole minute now without saying anything.

"I… uh…"

"First day jitters?" Pyrrha asked knowingly. She patted his arm gently. "Don't worry. I will start us off."

She lifted a clipboard off his desk and began roll call. When it was finished, she introduced him as teacher and lead the class in a salute. Then she went over the syllabus introduction of the class, the required books needed, where the homework would be posted, and when they should begin dressing for Drifting in pilot suits.

Jaune just watched her in amazement.

She was completely captivating. He kept watching her ponytail swing about, and the shadow of a sadness in her cheerful demeanor. He recognized that look. It was the same one he wore every day. Chipper, perky, even the fool, trying to make sure everyone knew he was okay. He wondered what had put that look in this young woman's eyes. He would have to look up her transcript later.

Suddenly he became aware that she was turning the class over to him.

"Oh, um… yes. Miss Nikos is correct," he paraphrased her speech quickly. "Next week we will be beginning your first sessions in the Drift. We have a lot of training to do before then, to prepare you for what it will be like. But for everyone, your first time can be very difficult. If you don't succeed at first, don't despair." He found himself echoing what Glynda had told him the night before. "Even failure gives us a place to start from. If you work with me and trust me, I will get you all Drifting before the end of the year. But if you shut out your partners, or myself, you will have a hard time of this class.

"I say your partners or myself, because I am an instructor uniquely qualified to teach this subject, or so they tell me. I am Zero Drift Compatible. Who knows what that means?"

Blake's hand shot into the air, followed by Weiss' though she looked more surprised. "Yes." He nodded to them.

"That means that you are compatible with literally anyone else who can Drift," Weiss stated, her tone somewhat reverent.

"Less than point one percent of people in this world are Zero Drift Compatible," Blake added, her tone more skeptic.

"Well it would be completely no one if not for the rare anomaly like myself," Jaune put in. "This doesn't mean I am more skilled at Drifting than anyone else, but it means I have lots of experience from my days as a pilot, and also that I have worked with more than one partner before. Starting today, I am going to work with each of you individually and help you all become cohesive teammates for your Drift partners. So I will be Drifting with you all too, to a degree. That means you will need to trust me like you do your partner so that I can help guide you through the initial steps of Drifting. Are there any questions?"

Almost every hand went in the air.

Jaune sighed and rubbed his temple as Pyrrha started calling on people. He had two more classes after this, and he was supposed to meet with Glynda that evening.

This was going to be a long day.

His first day introduction was long.

His day… even longer.

It was four in the afternoon by the time Jaune had been through all his assigned classes for the day. So why was he in The Room out of all the places in Beacon, working up a sweat beating the crap out of a punching bag?

The Room.

Or the red box as it was affectionately called, was the training room that forged all junior Rangers to be the pilots that they were. This was where they were tested beyond their physical limits.

Where he used to be tested.

Jaune was breathing hard as his partner in crime was swinging casually, waiting for him to make the next move.

Too long.

Jaune had been out of practice for too long.

He could tell. What was something he did with ease now caused his body tremendous effort to pull out the same results he had been able to produce years ago.

He clicked his tongue in frustration as he sucked in some air and continued to get back to work.

No guts, no glory.

If he truly was to be the future generation's instructors he couldn't ask them to do things he wasn't fully capable of himself.

Pyrrha certainly wouldn't let them.

His mind continued to wander around the subject of the red haired beauty. Pyrrha Nikos. Age 18, Graduated with honors from Beacon Academy. Daughter of Hector and Miriam Nikos, renowned pilots of the Mark II Jaeger, Wild Ambition. Currently holding a teaching credential at Beacon Academy after the Kalos Incident.

Jaune recited and committed to memory Pyrrha's history from her file and always one word came to mind.

Legendary.

This woman had single handedly been Beacon's top weapon against the Grimm since he had left the academy and she had done so with ease. Sixty eight confirmed Grimm Kills. Sixty eight sorties. Sixty eight total victory.

Pyrrha alongside her father had been the light that kept the darkness at Bay. And for everyone to say she was done all because of a stupid…

Jaune heavily pounded the bag harder than ever.

It was sad.

It was too sad, he thought.

It must be why he was so drawn to those melancholic green eyes.

For someone so talented to be locked up here...

She could still keep going.

She just needed a partner to be able to lend to her strength.

"Mind if I join you?"

They say, Speak of the devil and he shall appear.

In this case… the devil was in the form of one very alluring Pyrrha Nikos, in black trim track pants and a cut out matching black tank top. Her luscious red mane tied in the classic pony tail she was so fond of.

He looked around and found no one else. So she must be talking to him.

Yet all he could seem to do was stop and stare at this woman.

"Um… Instructor Arc?" She waved casually at him.

"Hmm? Oh. Oh! I'm sorry. I wasn't-" Way to go Jaune.

He smiled, covering up his faulty beginning. "Please. I'd welcome the company."

He beckoned for her to join him. "Actually I was hoping for a more… livelier course." She stated.

Oh my goodness… was that what kids nowadays called it?! He didn't know Pyrrha could be so… bold.

"Pyrrha I'm flattered but we only just met and I thought we could start of as friends and-"

She gave him a puzzled look. "I'm... sorry? I'm not sure I follow. I was hoping for an exhibition match with you… in the ring."

Jaune instinctively straightened himself out as he gave his thoughts an inner beatdown. … What did we say about mind in the gutter, Arc?

"Instructor Arc?"

I'm an idiot.

Could he fully blame himself though? Beacon Academy was teeming with lovely ladies. It wasn't his fault he'd been self-exiled to a town with little to no women around his own age.

He shook the thought aside.

"I'm sorry, I heard ya. But are you sure? I mean I haven't been in the ring in so long… you probably wouldn't even break a sweat." He nervously laughed despite his real concerns. Pyrrha's files had dubbed her The Invincible Girl of Mistral. Could he even compete with someone with invincible in their title?

Her green graze solemnly looked at his person. "I'm sure you'll be fine." She finally smiled and did that smile make his heart skip a beat. If She was gorgeous before Pyrrha had definitely caught his attention now. "After all… you're the hero of Vale."

She said it with such confidence Jaune couldn't doubt the sincerity of those words. If she had that much confidence in him, how could he not?

"Okay… alright. You're on Miss Nikos." He grinned proudly.

"Splendid." she returned his gaze as she gestured to the boxed arena before them.

Louise always said the best way to get to know someone intimately… was to beat them down the mat til you knew every inch of of their character.

He always thought that was a little extreme but Jaune was definitely curious about the redhead before him.

Well…what could possibly go wrong with one friendly sparring match?