A/N: Welcome back for chapter 2 of the Grimm Lands. I really hope you guys enjoy it.
Airships are evil. At least that's what Jaune Arc firmly believed. If it weren't impossible to reach Vale from lower Anima, he never would have agreed to get onto one in the first place.
'Oh Oum, my stomach,' He moaned pitifully to himself. Hunched over in the corner of the cursed death trap he held on tightly to the lone trash bin.
The young man had rarely ever been on one before today. Often finding his way across Remnant by way of foot and occasionally boat. Airships often racked up too much of a price and though faster left one unable to properly defend themselves should something happen. Granted armored ships were becoming more of the norm but when traveling cheap it was almost impossible to find one.
A slight bit of turbulence shook the young blonde from his musings. Lowering his head to rest on the edge of the trash bin he took a deep breath to try and hold back the rising bile in his throat. In all honesty he would rather fight an entire horde of Grimm unarmed than be on this death trap another minute. Just how much longer was it until the ship reached Beacon?
"Hello and welcome to Beacon." A feminine voice spoke up behind him.
'Speak of the devil and he shall appear,' Jaune chuckled to himself before weakly turning his head. Looking towards the source of the announcement his eyes rested on the hologram display. Switching from a news report about the most recent White Fang attack the hologram revealed a blonde older woman.
"My name is Glynda Goodwitch." The woman introduced herself. "You are among a privileged few who have received the honor of being selected to attend this prestigious academy. Our world is experiencing an incredible time of peace and as future huntsman and huntresses it is your duty to uphold it. You have demonstrated the courage needed for such a task and now it is our turn to provide you with the knowledge and the training to protect our world."
Upon completing her welcome speech, the display faded. The students on board the bullhead broke out in excited murmurs. Some rushed to look out of the large windows of the airship that was now entering the airspace above Vale. The large well protected city was home to many. Being one of the most populated areas on Remnant it was filled with a large diversity of buildings and individuals. From smaller more moderate establishments and complexes to towering sky skyscrapers and corporate buildings; Vale had it all. The city was a melting pot of different cultures and people from all over the globe.
Yet as the hopeful bundles of students gasped and awed at the bustling streets beneath them Jaune felt his stomach churn again. Due in part to the ever-present motion sickness he also felt a tightness in his chest. His blood boiled as he forced himself to take slow long breaths in attempt to control his growing rage.
'An incredible time of peace?!' He would scoff if he wasn't on the verge of vomiting. His hands gripped the trash bin tighter. The metal bending under the strain as the boy failed to ease his growing turmoil.
'Sure, in the major cities it's not so bad but out in the Grimm lands it a living hell!' He argued to himself. Scowling down at the bin he tried again to ease his anger to little avail. 'Do any of them even know how hard the newer settlements have it out there?!'
Gritting his teeth, he let out a shaky sigh. Deciding against his stomachs better judgment he felt a change of scenery might do him a little good. With a low grunt he manages to straighten up and haggardly make his way over to one of the ships many windows. Resting an arm against the glass he cast a weary look over the passing cityscape. It really was a monument to human tenacity and engineering. So many people and cultures living in a community of such size was unthinkable out in the Grimm territories. It caused a sense of jealousy to fester inside him as darker memories threatened to bubble to the surface.
'No! Now's not the time. I made it to Beacon. I'll make sure next time I'm stronger.' With another shaky sigh he pushed down his powerful negative emotions. Forcing them deep down into his subconscious he looked out to the horizon. Unfortunately, the sudden movement of his eyes caused his queasy stomach to once more take center stage.
"Ugh, oh no…" Losing his weak control over his stomach he fumbled away from the window. Stumbling, he awkwardly tried to relocate the trash bin. The nausea led way to vertigo as he lost his bearings. Passing several students, he desperately tried to keep his breakfast down to absolutely no avail.
"Well I guess the views not for everyone." A tall blonde girl remarked as he staggered past her and another young brunette.
"It was a nice moment while it lasted." The other girl responded.
Ugh he was not making a good first impression he lamented in embarrassment. But at least it couldn't get any worse.
"Oh, Yang Gross! You have puke on your shoes!" The short brunette cried out in disgust.
"Gross! Gross! Gross!"
"Oh, Oum just kill me now!" He moaned out pitifully.
Upon touching down at the loading docks the Bull Head doors slid open. As the students unloaded off the large airship the young Arc pushed his way to the nearest trash bin. Retching up whatever was left inside him he slumped down against the dock's railings.
'I am never flying again.' He swore to himself as he thanked whatever force above for solid ground. If nothing else, he was grateful that his motion sickness let him forget about his own personal issues for a while. He had promised himself that he wouldn't let his anger get the best of him here. He could go down that rabbit hole later. Right now, he had to focus on the next step.
He had only managed to get invited to Beacons initiation ceremony because of a recommendation. He hadn't proven himself yet. If he really wanted to become stronger than he had to push himself to pass with flying colors otherwise everything up until this point would have been for nothing. Augusts sacrifice would have been for…
'NO! Stop thinking like that. Getting angry will only make things harder.' He berated himself. With what felt like the thousandth sigh that day he forced his bubbling emotions back down again. 'Run through your checks and focus on the mission at hand. After that you can worry about whatever else is left.'
Nodding to himself he pushed his still queasy self to a standing position. Though his stomach churned he ignored it. He ran through a checklist in his mind he made sure all his equipment was in place. Though he had done it when he had gotten dressed and before loading onto the airship, he felt it calmed him down and focused him.
'Crocea Mors?' Partially drawing the familiar blade from the sheath on his left hip he again nodded again. 'Check.'
Sliding the blade back into place he looked down and thumbed over the several magazines for his trusty firearm. 'Dust filled ammunition. Fire? Check. Lightning? Check. High explosive? Check.'
Satisfied he moved onto the firearm secured to his lower back. Gripping the handle with his right arm he released it from its specially made sling with a practiced ease. Firmly gripping the weapon in both hands, he did a once over to make sure it wasn't damaged in flight. A rather new addition to his arsenal the shotgun cradled in his hands had already proven to effective in fighting off larger hordes of Grimm given the right ammunition. The Spas 15 was a simple shotgun that his teacher had used before him. It had no special mechashift capabilities but was outfitted to handle firing off dust infused rounds. It was a bit battered but Jaune felt it simply showed its use and reliability. It was the last real memento Jaune had of the man who raised him, but it gave him a weird sense of peace. With a melancholy smile he ran through a functions check before sliding it back into it's sling.
Giving himself a once over he made sure his armor was still secured. The silver breast plate that adorned his chest covered his padded jacket. On his arms he wore a long metal bracer that covered from his elbows down to his wrists. Leather gloves kept his hands warm and made sure that sweat wouldn't hinder his grip in battle. Along his hip he held several magazines for his firearm. In his experience it's always better to have more than you needed. Attached to his left hip was his primary weapon of choice. The old blade still cut through Grimm flesh with ease and the collapsible shield held up to even the strongest of blows.
Trailing down he double checked the leather knees pads that adorned his faded jeans. While not matching the rest of the ensemble he favored their ability to help him climb and switch between firing position well over any fashion design. Rounding off his combat apparel was a pair of black combat boots. Old and falling apart at certain areas they held up remarkably well considering their apparent overuse.
Satisfied with his inspection the young teen found himself having calmed down. The rage and jealousy from before were still present but it felt like he could manage to push them down. Taking a hesitant step forward he was happy to find that his stomach had finally settled. With a sigh of relief, he began his trek towards the massive school looming in the distance.
In all honesty the Academy resembled a fairy tale castle more than an institute to train young children how to kill giant monsters. Yet it carried an air of mystery around itself. At least that's what Jaune felt as he walked down the cobbled aisle that led to the main entrance. The building looked almost foreboding, with the upper portion of its rustic tower cloaked in darkness. The young man couldn't help but shake the feeling that there was something more to Beacon than the world was led to believe.
In fact, this was his first time seeing it ever. It had been described to him by a few Huntsman he had met in his travels, but their descriptions really didn't do the School any justice. Besides word of mouth all he had heard before were rumors and stories. The general civilian population and news outlets only had bits and pieces to go off of. It seemed Beacon as well as the other academies liked to keep their secrets to themselves. Some people in the outer Grimm settlements even thought it was a floating fortress in the sky where men and women would venture towards in search of power never to return. Others in the smaller cities thought it an elitist hive mind that only took in the wealthy and privileged. Granted the last one had some merit, especially in Atlas. They were nothing more than rumors and speculations of people who never had the interest or ability to find out for themselves.
In this time of 'peace' the number of Huntsman and Huntresses had dwindled a considerable amount. Only those with a legacy or nothing else to lose ever considered signing up to a life of constant danger. Every now and then a bright-eyed wannabe hero would emerge and take on the challenge, however they were few and far between. The Huntsman were simply tools used by the kingdoms for a variety of purposes. They rarely ever traveled beyond the city boundaries anymore. They simply hunted the Grimm and occasional criminals festering inside the Kingdoms territories. Most of the outer settlements had to resort to picking up arms themselves and fighting back against the Grimm that threatened their livelihoods.
No matter what the media and even the kingdoms individual councils said Jaune knew the reality. Just because life was stable inside the walls didn't mean the world was peaceful. Every day new settlements were found and even quicker they disappeared. It was a problem that has been going on for decades, yet no one lifted a finger to help. Those with the power to fight back simply let the Grimm outside do as they pleased. It was enough to make anyone angry.
Taking a deep breath Jaune calmed himself once more. It was always like this when he got lost in his thoughts. Unclenching the fist, he hadn't realized he had clenched he managed to push the rage back down. Taking note of his surroundings he was surprised to find he had made it to the Center Plaza. Eyeing a bench a few feet away he made his way over.
Sitting down on the edge of the bench he combed a hand through his long messy hair. He had to stop zoning out, especially in an unfamiliar place. He didn't want to make any mistakes on his first day. If he got lost than there was little chance, he would even make it to the opening ceremony. Deciding to find something else to occupy his mind he looked around his surroundings. The plaza was littered with benches and lamp posts. Jaune assumed it was meant as greeting place for large audiences during the school's bigger events. Maybe it even offered a place for students to unwind when studying or heading for the bull heads on the weekend. As his eyes drifted over the small crowds of students chatting, he figured he might as well head to the main hall. The school guidebook he had been issued said it was where the entrance ceremony was going to be held. He could definitely use all the time he could get.
BOOM
The sudden sound of an explosion caused him to jump to his feet. His right hand instinctively reached for Crocea Mors as he surveyed the area. Yet as he cautiously took note of where it had originated all he found were two girls yelling at each other. Or one yelling and the other trying desperately to explain herself.
'Maybe I should try and help mediate the situation,' He thought to himself. Yet looking at the circumstances maybe going the other way wouldn't be so bad. 'That girl in white is pretty scary though.'
Honestly, give him a giant Grimm and he would fight till the bitter end. Put him in front of other people though and he would fold in on himself. Stuck in musings he noticed the addition of another girl, this one clad in black intervening in the scuffle. 'Oh, thank Oum. I was not ready for any of that.'
Relaxing his stance, he tried his best to make it look like he wasn't staring. He was invested in the outcome now. He blamed them for making such a scene. Awkwardly shuffling his feet, he watched as the girl clad in white marched off indignantly. The girl in black followed almost immediately after. Figuring the scene had dissolved itself he turned away ready to head for the main hall.
Thump
Until he heard what sounded like someone hitting the ground. 'No, don't go ask what's wrong,' He reprimanded himself 'It's not your problem, you have to make it to the opening ceremony.'
Against his better judgement he cast a quick look back. Seeing the young girl dressed in red and black laying so pitifully on the floor made his heart ache.
"Stupid hero complex," He mumbled to himself. Turning around he made his way over to her. Standing over her small frame he offered her a hand.
"Hey, I'm Jaune." He introduced unsurely.
"Ruby," The girl responded before taking his hand in hers. With a slight pull he helped her back onto her feet.
As she rose to her full height Jaune managed to get a better view of the young woman. Clad in a black and red ensemble she stood roughly a little over a head shorter than him. Her most distinguishable features were her long red hood and her bright silver eyes. The tips of her short hair had a tinge of red to them. In all honesty he would call her one of the cutest girls he'd ever met. Then the girl snickered.
"Aren't you the guy that threw up on the ship?" And just like that Jaune Arcs self-worth plummeted.
"All I'm saying is that motion sickness is a much more common problem than people let on!"
For the last ten minutes as they wandered the outskirts of Beacon, Jaune had desperately tried to explain the severity of motion sickness in a vain attempt to save face.
"Look I'm sorry Vomit Boy was the first thing that came to mind." Ruby conceded.
'Oh yeah? What if I called you crater face?" Jaune retorted with a slight smirk.
"Hey that explosion was an accident!" Ruby defended indignantly.
Deciding to drop the nickname in favor of preserving the friendly atmosphere they had managed to create. Jaune instead felt the need to properly introduce himself.
"The names Jaune Arc," He stated with level tone. "I'm from lower Sanus."
"Well my names Ruby Rose!" The girl responded in kind with a bright cheerful smile. "My home is on Patch."
Taking a moment to try and remember he hesitantly asked, "The island of Patch just off the coast?"
"That's the one!" Ruby confirmed with a hint of pride in her voice. "Yup I was born and raised there."
"Wow so you lived around this area your whole life, right?" Jaune questioned eager to learn more about his new friend, "Does that mean you went to one of the combat schools around here?"
"Yeah, I went to Signal Academy until I was transferred here to Beacon." Ruby confirmed with a slight uneasiness in her voice.
"Transferred? Wait does that mean you got accepted early?" The surprise was evident in his voice. Just how strong was the girl in front of him.
"Well…yeah kinda...I mean...um.." The girl meekly started to shrink in on herself. "Hey! You said from lower Sanus right? What part? "
Eager to change the subject the young girl failed to notice the flash of something darker crossing the Arcs face. It was only for a moment before it was replaced with another easy-going smile.
"I'm originally from a small-town named Aramore." He replied impassively
"Aramore?" Tilting her head in confusion Ruby failed to put a place to the name. "Sorry I don't think I've ever heard of it."
"I'm not surprised," Jaune spat out bitterly.
With that last remark the upbeat atmosphere quickly faded leaving an awkward tension. The young huntress in training shuffled her feet. Uncertain of how relieve it Ruby fell back to one of her go to topics of choice.
"So, I've got this thing," Unhooking her prized possession from her belt the giant weapon shifted. In a matter of seconds, the hunk of metal hanging on her back transformed into a massive scythe. Just its weight alone managed to pierce into the concrete.
"Woah is that a scythe?" The sudden appearance of such a massive device shook the Arc from his internal musings. Stepping away slightly in surprise he eyed the giant piece of machinery.
"It's also a customizable high impact sniper rifle."
"Is that so?" Jaune asked hesitantly as he eyed the red death machine. 'Man, that looks like a pain to use'
"It's also a gun," Ruby finished
'She sounded way too proud about that,' Jaune couldn't help but note dryly. But looking at her bright excited face he couldn't bear to bring himself to say anything negative. So, he decided to go with the much safer option, "Wow that's cool!"
"So, what do you got?" Ruby asked eagerly.
"Oh, uh well I have this sword," He remarked unimpressively. Drawing the full length of the blade he held it out for her to inspect. The sharp edge glistening as it reflected the sun.
"Ooh"
"I also have this shield," With a practiced grace he slid the scabbard from his waist onto his arm. Expanding the shield, he presented it in front of the girl. "It shifts from sheathe to shield. It makes it convenient to carry and makes it at least a little surprising in a fight."
Usually he wouldn't give away any of his tricks but something about the girl in front of him screamed trustworthiness. He couldn't help but play along and show her the few tools he had.
"Its not much but they've been with me for so long now. It's almost like they're a part of me you know?"
The girl eagerly nodded in agreement. With a soft smile the boy sheathed the sword before collapsing the shield back down. Taking the scabbard off his arm he fastened it back onto his hip.
"They're pretty cool. Not many people have a taste for the classics these days," Ruby tried her best to sound understanding though Jaune felt she was just trying to be nice. "Although I am curious about that little beauty you have on your back there."
Jaunes hand immediately reached for his firearm. "Its just a basic shotgun. Its modified to handle firing off higher integrated dust rounds."
"Why not go with something with multiple functions? I'm sure you could modify the shotgun into your shield. That way it'd be all in one." Ruby offered. It made sense and most Huntsman did it. It saved on space and though complicated they tended to have a higher success rate than multiple individual weapons.
"No," Jaune barked out sternly, surprising even himself. Realizing immediately how it sounded he tried to backpedal. "I mean no it's ok. After all these aren't really my own weapons. So, it feels wrong you know? Like I'd be betraying their owners if I messed with them... or something like that…"
'Oh, Oum what am I saying,' He moaned pitifully to himself. 'Now she probably thinks I'm a jerk and a weirdo.'
"Pfft,"
His musings were again interrupted by the girl in front of him. Was she laughing at him now? This was going downhill and fast. He knew he should have just kept walking back at the plaza.
"You know Jaune," Ruby called out to him. Turning his head, he eyed her hesitantly "You're kinda weird"
That one hurt. Day one and he'd already earned an embarrassing nickname and a girl called him weird. Granted he wasn't here to make friends, but a little self confidence wouldn't hurt anybody. With a defeated sigh he hung his head in shame.
"But I kinda like that, I think we're going to get along great!"
'I'm not sure if that's a compliment or her trying to make me feel better but at this point, I'll take it.' He thought weakly to himself. Raising his head once more he offered her a friendly smile.
"I think so too. So, what do you say? Friends?" Sticking out his hand unsurely he hoped he wasn't being too straightforward. But honestly having a friend wouldn't be too bad. Even if at the end off his time here he would venture back out into the hordes of Grimm waiting in the outer lands. These small moments would make that hell just a bit easier to endure.
"Yeah, Friends!" Grasping his hand in hers the young girl energetically shook it up and down. Staying like that for a moment a thought suddenly occurred to her.
"Hey Jaune?"
"Yeah?"
"Where exactly are we?"
"Fuck."
Well here it is. For everyone who commented, favorited and followed I really want to give a giant thank you. Even if you didn't thank you for giving some of your time to read this new work. One thing I really want to accomplish in the story is an expansion of the world of remnant. We kind of see how the huntsman and academies are but we never get a look at the struggles of the smaller outer settlements. In Rens arc in volume four we caught a glimpse but it feels like the Grimm should pose a greater threat. How do the newer villages fend them off? How do they afford huntsman, how do the councils support development projects?
The Grimm have driven back humanity for centuries, yet the show treats them as more of set pieces then actual threats. Here I want to try and build up the men and woman in the outer limits who fend for themselves, take up arms and fight back. The story will probably get a lot darker later on. Especially with some of the arcs I have planned out. But I really do enjoy RWBY and the fans have created so many fantastic expansions of the world all on their own. I hope this can turn into something half of what other content creators have put out.
This chapter stuck very close to the source material for a few reasons. The first is that as much as I want to give Jaune something more to his character and an expansion of the world I still want to retain some of his goofiness. Not all the time and he will definitely be more capable but even with everything he went through he still has that softer side to him. His awkwardness around other people, his unsuredness in social settings. Being hardened doesn't mean you lose that spark in you or are devoid of emotion. He will definitely have his faults but I want to create a character who grows over the story and overcomes those very faults and demons.
I also want to give a bit of warning for the format of this story. There will be flashback arcs coming up and as such the chapters will jump from present to past. It's to give light on Jaunes upbringing and how everything turned out the way it is now. I'm really excited to share this with you guys and I hope you enjoy. Please leave a follow or comment if you enjoyed they really do help me stay motivated. And your comments are instrumental in helping me improve myself and I really want to hear your guys' feedback.
As always OneWhoWanders has beta read this story and again please check out their work. They really do deserve the attention. Well until next time!