AN: By the way this chapter starts at the end of page 97 and ends at the end of page 102. That's fuckin crazy right? Now on with the show.


Chapter 12: Brewing of Change

Part 2

The sobbing of a boy bounced within Jaune's office. Every negative emotion he thought he had ever felt was rushing out of him. There was the fear of losing the deal of a lifetime hanging over him like a sword; if there was one wrong misstep, it was all over for him. He had the anger of a volcano towards the bullies that were now a present force in his life, the student population that didn't accept him, the hard ass that is Glynda Goodwitch that didn't let up on him, and to some extent, his family. Every group did their best to stop him from reaching his dream in their own way.

He wouldn't be surprised if someone told him they were all working together. He felt the stress that weighed down on his body. He needed to meet Ozpin, Peter, and Bart's expectations to prove they didn't waste their time. Then there was his team that he didn't want to let down, nor fail, if he could even make it to the field. A shadow moved in the corner of Jaune's eye, and he swung around to see his bag.

It hung next to a window where he could make out the green and blue shrubbery of the outside. It was stuffed to the brim with different items from his time in the school. From the great amount of effects within it, molten slag poured out and encroached onto the office. Jaune screamed as he scrambled for anything to stop the fiery onslaught that was swallowing his office. As he tossed what little water he could carry in a small cup, it did nothing but disappear into the magma. He went for another cup, but the magma encroached on his bedroom.

It was an easy hop over, but something pulled at his mind. Holding him into place, binding him to the floor. He jerked his leg violently, but it wouldn't move. The burning march that spawned from his bag encircled him, and he screamed tears of terror. His heart beat impossibly fast, and then it all disappeared as Glynda Goodwitch made herself known. "Jaune, is something wrong?" She asked as she stormed into the room. The papers that lived on his desk were wet, and the floor as well. The boy had big globs of tears flowing out. When she walked up and touched his shoulder, it was slapped away.

That stunned both of them. Jaune shook off what he could and looked at his teacher. "I-I'm s-sorry, Professor Goodwitch," he said with a cracked voice. "I was, uh, practicing my uh, war cry. Something that P-Peter told m-me to practice."

She looked at him with worry in her eyes. It worried him to no end. She could think he wasn't fit enough to be a Huntsman. "Right, yes; well, Ozpin said he gave you the day off for the rest of the day." She looked around the room and then back to the apprentice. "Don't worry if you have any paperwork due today. I'll finish it. Rest up." She left, but Jaune didn't know what to think or say. A monsoon of fatigue washed him into his door frame. He looked around and saw that not a single thing was singed. Magma and fire, by association, were things that he decided he hated as he found himself in his bed.

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Glynda entered the teacher's lounge room with her colleagues, anxiously waiting for her. Bart's foot was starting to crack the floor, and Peter's muscles bulged in frustration. She sat across from the two, staring into a random spot in the room, waiting. The email she and the rest of the meager teaching staff received from Ozpin simply said, "Emergency meeting: Topic Jaune."

It was so quick and to the point that Glynda had a bit of whiplash, considering it was Ozpin. She was so used to him eluding the truth that when he did get to the point. It was jarring, to say the least. Thankfully, he was always ready to spring into action regarding the students. Peach, Tusne, and Ozpin finally walked in, and when the door closed. Peter exploded into controlled fury. "We must do something! We mustn't let the students continue their inappropriate behavior."

"You would think they would grow out of this mindset when they graduate preparatory school. Unfortunately, Jaune is unique when it comes to training. They might believe that he is getting special treatment," Bart added.

"Believe?" Tsune snorted. "More like rumors, and you know some of the students believe it. It's mostly a joke to the upper years that he is getting special treatment or Ozpin and Glynda's secret love child." Glynda cringed at the idea. Having a close relationship with someone like Ozpin disturbed her on a spiritual level.

"Yes, well, on some occasions, Jaune is getting special treatment from the staff of Beacon." They all mumbled agreement to their boss. Jaune was getting special treatment according to the terms of their contract. Who could say they were taught by not one but the entire staff of one of the four huntsmen schools in the world. To stay under their tutelage until they were at an acceptable level. Jaune was a first of his kind, and if it were to ever happen again. It could set a new precedent for the academies. "However, we must prove that he earned his spot. As much as it pains me to say, but in huntsmen culture, might-makes-right."

"We must accomplish three objectives. First, we must show Jaune can fight. Second, we must show what his job truly means. Third, the student body must know the power he wields while in his position. Do you have any questions?"

"Yes, what is this power he wields?" Oobleck asked.

"That would be his ability to reprimand the students. Obviously, with some stipulations, every detention will be run by one of us. Any questions?"

"How are we supposed to go about this show match? We can't just choose a student that we think Jaune can take, or they will think it was rigged from the beginning." Glynda knew that the rumors wouldn't disappear overnight, and some would remain. She was a victim of rumors when she was just a student. They remained until the end of her tenure at Beacon. Hell, the entire teaching staff had rumors floating around them.

Some students believed Thumbelina was a fake person and just another name for Glynda. Bartholomew was just normally that fast, and there were secret meanings behind Peter's stories. While only one of those was true, it didn't help that it couldn't be proven. Jaune would have to live with what was left after the waves were made.

"Also, I am working with the Vale Press for an interview about the new position opened within our school. Now, if there aren't any more questions, let us get everything ready for our coworker. I will work things out with Glynda to find the best time to proceed with our plan." They all made to leave and attend to their usual duties until Thumbelina raised her hand.

"Yes, Thumbelina?" The teacher's movements halted and rooted the facility to their spots around the room.

The room's attention fell onto the small faunus, and she let out a small eep. "Well, I think we should rethink our bullying policies." She twiddled her thumbs and looked to the ground. "Well, I have been receiving plenty of complaints from our faunus students about bullying. Even after they used "might-makes-right." They are still experiencing it."

"I agree. We shouldn't sit on this while the White Fang's actions have emboldened the less savory part of society," Bartholomew added.

"Yes, you're right. What do you all think we can do?" Ozpin asked the room.

"Mmmm, in my experience, hard work can always resolve those issues," Peter said, adding his two cents.

"Yes, that might work, but not for all. Unfortunately, we can't just scare them. But beyond punishing them, what can we do?" Tsune stated.

"We punish them, and we don't bend. We do not let it go unchecked. And if we want to change the Huntsmen's might-makes-right mentality, we start here. If it keeps feeding such an idiotic idea, it will be here for the next hundred years."

"Well said, Glynda." Ozpin looked around the room with a satisfied smile. "Let us conclude this meeting because I know we all have something to do. Glynda, will you meet me in my office later?"

"Of course, Headmaster."

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Glynda and Ozpin smoothed out the details and ironed out the creases in their plan. They knew who they would pick. When it came to willing volunteers, it would be the first years, and time was made to meet with the student body at large. All that remained was to inform Jaune about the whole plan. "Glynda, there is something I must ask of you?" Ozpin said, not looking up from his work.

"What is it, Headmaster?" Glynda replied, scanning over the papers given to her.

"The Council of Vale wants to see Jaune's results." He signed another paper and then passed it to his vice headmistress.

"What does that mean? I assume they know of him, at the very least. But why would they want to see the results of something that is extremely untested?" The Vale Council was a curious bunch by proxy of being heads of one of the last four significant cities in the world. They would rather have things move at a snail's pace. As the old saying goes, why fix something that wasn't broken?

Then, when it came to new ideas, they would try them with tiny versions of their projects. Thus, the amount of resources used wouldn't be a blow to the kingdom when an unexpected event rears its ugly head. They could pass the blame onto the creator and go about their day as if nothing happened. The only reason Mountian Glenn was an idea that got moving was because Vale was becoming bloated with people. She remembered those days before it all happened. She was just a child, but every corner had a person on it. They were truly something that had the backing of the country of Vale and would be protected.

Mountain Glenn was supposed to bring an incalculable amount of value. However, the Grimm thought otherwise. Vale had grown enough in the Grimm's eyes, and it wouldn't be able to advance any longer. "They seem rather intrigued by Jaune's position and believe that raising a Huntsman teacher would be more valuable than another person with a shifting pistol in hand."

Glynda looked up from her paperwork with wide eyes. "Are you sure? The population of Huntsmen is low as is, but to push for someone not even to combat the Grimm?" she rebuked.

"Indeed, I even have the new contract they drummed up for Jaune. He's even going to be paid properly." Ozpin tapped his desk, and a green holographic screen sprouted two inches into the air above his desk. With a few drags of his fingers across the desk and one button press, the screen flipped to show Jaune's contract. From a quick scan, it was more or less the same contract, except Jaune had an evaluation at the end of the year.

Before she could look any further, Ozpin brought her back to the forefront. "So I need you to personally raise Jaune to that level. The rest of the staff will, of course, be doing their regular teachings for him, but do you think you can do it? Because if he can be brought to such a height, they will approve more funding."

Glynda sat there contemplating the idea. She was sure Ozpin had made it so that he wasn't guaranteed to become a teacher. However, her taste for the young man didn't help the situation. "I don't think I am the best fit for him."

"And why is that Glynda?"

"May I be frank?"

"Yes."

"He is a fool. He will get himself killed before he can take a step outside of Vale. I haven't mentioned it to him out of professionalism, but I do not trust a boy who would lie and cheat to have an inkling of a chance to be a part of Beacon."

"Oh, so you know?"

"Don't be coy. I saw his papers before they even got to you. Even if you have the final say in who gets in and who doesn't, I don't think entertaining his fantasies is even the right idea. He must understand the world he wants to put himself into and the depravity it will breed in him. His willingness to break the law indicates that he will do whatever he can to get the job done. That does not mean he won't use unsavory methods to achieve his goals."

"Then why not advocate for him to be removed?"

"Because he should be here rather than fall into the hands that would use his passion for something cruel and vile. You've seen his progress with Aura. Within a few years, he might even catch up to professional Huntsmen."

"Glynda, I believe that within his very soul, he is a person that wouldn't do such a thing. Not a very good reason, yes, but let me entertain you for a second. He may do all that, but not if we guide him and give him what he needs to be the Huntsman he wants. He was never given a chance, so why not give it to him now? Think of the inspiration he could give to the future generations. He can show them and guide them on to the right path."

Glynda stared at the impossibly old man for a while. The sudden bout of emotion was strange and foreign. If she knew Grimm could imitate human feelings, she would test her Aura on him now. But those were all good points in a flimsy sense, and the test would also push him to become a teacher. If it went well, they could also take in Huntsmen to teach them to be a part of the future generation. The funding would be added for additional staff, and the new teachers' training wouldn't even fall on her.

Maybe, just maybe, they wouldn't be sending children to their doom or into therapy immediately after getting their first solo mission. Jaune has put in the work and has even made her life easier, if only by a margin. "Alright, I'll do it."


AN: So I'm working on a for my writing. It will go towards funding beta readers, artists, and other things related to content creation. That's what I want to be, so I should start somewhere. It can also be good practice for the future. The low down is that you'll be able to see chapters early. I believe by a month but keep in mind that they are subject to change since that is the rough draft. EVERYTHING WILL COME OUT EVENTUALLY, SO DON'T FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE TO SUBSCRIBE TO IT. But they have to be vetted and checked for grammar. There is a whole scene where Glynda catches the student who puts the illusion on Jaune.

But I cut it because that would have made her too powerful, possibly in the future. I did leave a slight indication that the perpetrator was there. I am also considering making a discord for anyone who wants to get notifications about the story. The would give you a special role and channel for the corresponding levels. Oh, and I am thinking of voicing over the chapters. Unless, obviously, I can pay someone to do it, but I can't. I don't have that kind of money. I am also considering whether to publish the voiceovers on YouTube. They would just come later. The whole idea is in the air, so we will see.

My thoughts on this chapter and mainly the ending are influenced by the reviews about Glynda not being there. You're right, and I am sorry it took this long to get her closer to Jaune. It is a lot of talking, but character interactions can move a story along. Other than that, I don't have much to say. Leave a review if you have the time. I read them and do my best to interrupt them neutrally. If you like my work, you can find me on YouTube, Twitch, Twitter, TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook under DragooFire. Thank you for reading, and I hope I made you smile.

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Next Chapter: May 17th