The Great War raged, across the lands so wide,
While Julius saw folly on every side,
"Unite," he cried, "or fall before the beast!"
But few would heed, from greatest to the least.
Jaune's consciousness flickered back slowly, his senses gradually coming alive. A faint, minty scent tickled his nostrils, accompanied by an unusual warmth spreading through his body. As his mind cleared, another smell caught his attention – acrid and unmistakable.
Smoke.
His eyes shot open in panic, only to be met with great turquoise pools staring back at him. It took a moment for Jaune to realize he was looking up at an upside-down face hovering above him.
"Wow, you smell like a forest fire!" the girl exclaimed, her voice brimming with enthusiasm as she straightened up from her kneeling position.
"Uh, thanks?" Jaune attempted to respond, only for a small puff of flame to escape his mouth instead of words. The girl's eyes widened in astonishment, and Jaune braced himself for what was coming next.
"Rennnn!" she bellowed, her voice echoing through Beacon Academy's grand hall. Jaune winced, trying to cover his ears, only to find his arms trapped within his sleeping bag. The familiar heat coursed through his body once more, intensifying his growing anxiety.
As other students began to stir, a quiet "Yes, Nora?" came from a tent in the corner. Jaune recognized the voice as belonging to the boy with the pink streak in his hair from yesterday.
Realizing he needed to act fast before his... condition... became obvious to everyone, Jaune wriggled out of his sleeping bag and made a beeline for his belongings. Grabbing his usual attire – jeans, Pumpkin Pete hoodie, and fingerless gloves – he slipped out of the main hall and into Beacon's ornate corridors.
The Academy's architecture was a marvel, a blend of classic design and cutting-edge technology. Holographic lamps cast a soft glow on the polished floors, and Jaune could've sworn he saw a cleaning drone whiz by as he navigated the halls. But he had no time to admire his surroundings; he needed to get to the bathroom before things got out of hand.
Once inside, Jaune quickly shed his blue bunny onesie and attempted to cool himself down with damp paper towels. When that proved ineffective, he resorted to dunking his head in the sink, letting the cold water rush over him. The sound of water meeting superheated skin filled his ears before being drowned out by the running faucet.
"Ahhh," Jaune sighed in relief as the heat dissipated. However, his reprieve was short-lived. As he reached for his gloves, sparks danced across his palms.
"I'm so done with this!" he groaned, tossing a glove into the sink as a small burst of flame erupted from his hand. "Maybe I could ask Crocea Mors?" he mused, before chuckling at the absurd mental image of interrogating his own weapon.
"Or maybe Dad knows something?" Jaune pondered, running his fingers through his damp hair. "But Dad's Semblance enhances his physical abilities, and Grandpa could glimpse the future. How did I end up as a human matchstick?"
Lost in thought, Jaune didn't notice the growing flame in the sink until it was licking at the edges of the bowl. "Gah!" he yelped, frantically batting at the fire with his onesie.
Suddenly, a hand reached past him and turned on the faucet, dousing the flames. Jaune let out a relieved whistle, turning to face his savior.
"My partner claims there's a dragon loose on campus," came a familiar, even-toned voice. Jaune's heart sank as he recognized the Mistralian boy from earlier.
"You're on a team already?" Jaune asked, trying to deflect.
"Something like that," the boy replied, his magenta eyes narrowing slightly. "I came to brush my teeth and found... this. Perhaps there really is a dragon after all."
Jaune laughed nervously, his mind racing. "Oh, this? Probably just a prank. You know, like someone slipped some Fire Dust into my gloves. Classic Signal Academy humor!"
The boy raised an eyebrow. "A prank?"
"Yep! I'm Jaune, by the way. Jaune Arc!" He extended his hand, hoping to change the subject.
After a moment's hesitation, the other boy shook it. "Lie Ren."
Jaune noticed Ren's eyebrows rise at the contact and quickly pulled his hand back. "Anyway, gotta get ready for initiation. Nice meeting you!" He grabbed his things and bolted, realizing too late he was wearing only his boxers.
In the hallway, he heard a few gasps and a wolf whistle. A familiar voice called out, "Looking good, Vomit Boy! Take off the shorts!"
Jaune's face burned – hopefully just from embarrassment this time – as he hurried back to the main hall. He had a feeling this was going to be a long day.
/-/
After a stern lecture from Professor Goodwitch about proper decorum at Beacon Academy, Jaune finally managed to change in a secluded broom closet. He entered the locker room, clutching a slip of paper with his assigned rocket locker number.
"639," Jaune muttered, glancing at the nearest locker. "12? You've got to be kidding me. I think I'd remember walking past 600 lockers last night!"
As he scanned the room, a peculiar sensation washed over him. The hair on the back of his neck prickled as if charged with static electricity. Jaune raised a hand to his neck, his eyes darting around the bustling locker room.
Ruby and Yang were chatting animatedly near their lockers, while Lie Ren stood off to the side with the energetic orange-haired girl from earlier. To his right, Weiss Schnee was engaged in conversation with a tall, red-haired girl whose vivid green eyes seemed to radiate warmth.
As Jaune's gaze lingered on them, the red-haired girl's emerald eyes met his. In that moment, he heard a distant clang against a locker. Turning back to his paper, Jaune tried to shake off the odd feeling. When he looked up again, he noticed the redhead seemed uncomfortable as Weiss bombarded her with team propositions.
Mustering what little confidence he had left, Jaune decided to intervene. "You know, Weiss, I was thinking maybe you and I could become teammates. What do you say to joining Team Jaune, Snow Angel?" He flashed a smile that felt more like a grimace.
Weiss facepalmed in obvious disgust. "Oh, brother."
"Actually," the red-haired girl interjected, a small, genuine smile breaking through her polite facade, "I think the teams are comprised of four people each."
Jaune felt a surge of confidence at her friendliness. "Well, Hot Stuff, play your cards right, and you could join the winning team." He puffed out his chest, jabbing a thumb towards himself.
Weiss stepped between them, her patience clearly wearing thin. "Jaune, is it? Do you have any idea who you're talking to?"
"Not in the slightest, Snow Angel," Jaune replied, suppressing a shiver as Weiss's cold hand brushed his chestplate.
"This is Pyrrha Nikos," Weiss explained, exasperated.
Pyrrha gave a small wave. "Hello again!"
Weiss continued, undeterred. "Pyrrha graduated top of her class at Sanctum Academy."
Jaune shrugged. "Never heard of it."
"She's won the Mistral Regional Tournaments four years in a row! A new record!" Weiss's voice rose an octave.
"The what?"
Weiss stomped her foot in frustration. "She's on the front of every Pumpkin Pete's Marshmallow Flakes box!"
In that moment, everything else seemed to fade away. A golden glow appeared behind Pyrrha, casting her in an almost divine light. Jaune's breath caught in his throat.
"That's you?" he gasped. Pyrrha nodded, looking uncharacteristically shy. "But they only do that for star athletes and cartoon characters!"
Pyrrha's cheeks tinged pink. "Yes, it was pretty cool. Sadly, the cereal isn't very good for you."
Jaune unclasped his chestplate, letting it fall to reveal the Pumpkin Pete logo on his hoodie. "I ate fifty boxes to get this limited edition hoodie!"
"Impressive dedication," Pyrrha said with a soft "wooh," while Weiss looked utterly dumbfounded.
"Do you really think you're in a position to ask her to be on your team?" Weiss scoffed, emphasizing the word 'her.'
Jaune's confidence wavered, but Pyrrha placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Actually, I think you'd make a great leader, Jaune."
His spirits instantly lifted. "D'oh, stop it!"
"Seriously, please stop it," Weiss interjected. "This kind of behavior should not be encouraged."
Emboldened once more, Jaune turned back to Weiss. "Sounds like Pyrrha's on board for Team Jaune. Spots are filling up quick, but maybe I could pull some strings, find a place for you. What do you say?" He leaned in closer, mimicking the suave heroes from those Mistralian dramas his sister Coral loved.
Weiss recoiled. "Alright, that's a bit too close! Pyrrha, a little help, please?"
Before Jaune could react, he felt something whiz past him, followed by a sharp tug on his hoodie. He found himself pinned to a locker by Pyrrha's spear, Miló.
"I'm sorry!" Pyrrha called out, looking genuinely apologetic.
An announcement crackled over the intercom, instructing students to report to Beacon Cliff for initiation. Weiss departed with a huff, while Pyrrha lingered for a moment.
"It was nice meeting you," she said, her smile warm and sincere.
"Likewise," Jaune replied, slumping against the locker as she walked away.
In the distance, he heard Crocea Mors clang against metal, reminding him that he still needed to find his locker and prepare for initiation. As he struggled to free himself,
Headmaster Ozpin's voice carried across Beacon Cliff, outlining the initiation process and the importance of teamwork. Jaune's eyes scanned the Emerald Forest below, searching for any sign of the temple that supposedly housed the relics determining their future teams.
"Maybe Yang or Ruby would make good partners," Jaune mused, glancing left to see Ruby frozen in terror at Ozpin's suggestion of social interaction. His gaze drifted along the line of students, catching sight of Weiss as she was suddenly catapulted into the air by the silver launch pad beneath her feet.
Jaune's hand instinctively moved to Crocea Mors' hilt as Ozpin's piercing gaze locked onto him. The headmaster's eyes seemed to see right through him, and Jaune fought the urge to bolt. After what felt like an eternity, Ozpin looked away.
"Um, sir?" Jaune ventured nervously. "What exactly is a landing strate—"
His question was cut short as the pad beneath him activated, hurling him skyward. The wind whistled past his ears as he soared through the air, his mind racing to formulate a plan. He watched as Ruby accidentally obliterated a unfortunate bird mid-flight, wincing at the shower of feathers.
As the treetops of the Emerald Forest rushed up to meet him, Jaune's panic rose. "Come on," he pleaded with his hands, remembering how he'd launched that Beowolf into the lake. "You've got to be useful somehow!"
To his right, he spotted Yang using her Ember Celica gauntlets to propel herself forward with controlled bursts of Fire Dust. Inspiration struck. Jaune thrust his hands behind him, mimicking Yang's posture. He took a deep breath, channeling the same energy he'd felt when facing the Beowolf.
"Here goes nothing!" he roared, exhaling forcefully. A small burst of flame erupted from his palms, slightly slowing his descent. Encouraged, Jaune focused harder, willing more power into his hands.
Suddenly, a wall of flames engulfed him. "Crap!" he yelped, arms flailing as he tried to regain control. In a moment of desperation, he swung his hands up as if to block an attack. To his amazement, a massive flaming 'X' shot out, further decreasing his speed.
Jaune's arms scrambled for purchase as he collided with a thick tree branch. He clung to it, panting heavily as he watched the wave of flames continue its journey to the forest floor. A blinding flash of white light erupted as the fire made contact, and Jaune groaned. "So much for staying inconspicuous."
Meanwhile, Pyrrha Nikos gracefully navigated her descent. Her shield, Akoúo̱, effortlessly broke through several tree branches, each impact precisely calculated to slow her momentum. As she neared the ground, she tucked into a roll, landing atop a sturdy branch with feline agility.
In one fluid motion, Pyrrha transformed her spear, Miló, into its rifle form. Peering through the scope, scanning the horizon for signs of her fellow students. A high-pitched scream caught her attention, followed by an enormous fireball erupting from the treeline.
Pyrrha's emerald eyes widened as she adjusted her aim, searching for the source of the unexpected detonation. Through the dissipating black smoke, her crosshairs found their target: a familiar figure with a Pumpkin Pete logo, slumped over a branch like laundry left out to dry.
A small smile tugged at Pyrrha's lips. "Well," she murmured to herself, "I suppose I've found my partner." With that, she leapt from her branched perch, ready to make her way towards the boy who'd made such a memorable first impression.
Jaune's arms trembled with exertion as he clung to the branch, the rough bark biting through his hoodie and pricking his skin. He kicked out, desperately seeking a foothold, but his shoe slid down the smooth trunk, causing him to swing precariously.
"Crap," he muttered, eyeing the distant forest floor. At least the accidental inferno he'd unleashed had dissipated into mere scorch marks. "Well, no forest fire. Could be worse, right?"
A rustle in the undergrowth caught his attention. He turned to see Weiss emerge from the brush, looking as prim and irritated as ever.
"Hey, Weiss! Snow Angel!" Jaune called out, his voice quavering as his grip weakened. "Mind lending a hand? It's not too late to partner up! I'll owe you big time!"
Weiss responded with a disdainful "hmph" before disappearing back into the greenery. Jaune could have sworn he heard Ruby cheering in the distance, but his focus snapped back to his precarious position as his fingers finally gave way.
As he plummeted, a familiar gunshot rang out. Jaune grinned, recognizing the sensation of Miló piercing his hoodie once again. He found himself pinned to a tree trunk, Pyrrha smiling up at him from below.
"You have no idea how happy I am to see you," Jaune exhaled shakily.
Pyrrha's composure softened, and she glanced down almost bashfully. "Are there any spaces left on Team Jaune?" she asked, a playful glint in her emerald eyes.
Jaune's face broke into a grin. "I think I could pull some strings."
With a gesture from Pyrrha, Miló dislodged itself. Jaune let out a yelp as he fell, instinctively raising his hands. To his surprise, his descent halted abruptly. He opened his eyes to find himself cradled in Pyrrha's arms, her expression a mix of amusement and concern.
"Can we just pretend this never happened?" Jaune asked, his face flushing.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Pyrrha replied with a wink, gently setting him down.
As Pyrrha surveyed their surroundings, her gaze fell upon the large scorch mark. "What happened here?"
"Oh, uh, I think I might have landed on a trap or something," Jaune improvised. "You know, the teachers said they'd be watching us. Maybe they set up some challenges, like in X-Ray and Vav!"
Pyrrha tilted her head. "X-Ray and Vav?"
Jaune's eyes widened in disbelief. "You've never heard of X-Ray and Vav? It's only the greatest comic book ever!"
As Jaune launched into an enthusiastic explanation, Pyrrha nodded along, catching snippets about laser vision and invisibility. "Jaune?" she eventually interrupted. "I think we need to get moving."
Jaune paused, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. "Right! Sorry. It's probably lame."
"No, no, it's not that," Pyrrha assured him. "I'm just not sure if there's a time limit. We can talk about it on the way, though."
Jaune's enthusiasm returned. "Right! We've got some relics to find!" As they set off, he continued, "So, X-Ray has laser eyes and can see through walls, and then he meets Vav, who can fly and turn invisible—"
His monologue was cut short as a branch Pyrrha had pushed aside swung back, catching him across the cheek. Jaune stumbled, wincing at the sharp pain. As he brought a hand to his face, a curious warmth began to spread beneath his palm. The stinging sensation faded, replaced by a gentle heat and the faint sound of crackling embers.
Pyrrha turned back, concern etched on her face. "Jaune? Are you alright?"
Jaune blinked, lowering his hand to reveal unmarked skin where a welt should have been. "Y-yeah, I'm fine. Just a little scratch." He forced a laugh, trying to hide his confusion and growing unease about his mysterious new abilities.
Pyrrha's brow furrowed slightly, but she nodded. "Well, let's be more careful. The forest can be treacherous." She extended a hand to help him up. "Now, tell me more about this X-Ray and Vav. It sounds... interesting."
/-/
After trekking another quarter mile through the Emerald Forest, with Jaune providing a detailed synopsis of the X-Ray and Vav movie, he and Pyrrha found themselves on a narrow path. Suddenly, Crocea Mors began to vibrate. Jaune's hand instinctively moved to silence it, but Pyrrha's arm shot out, Miló extending across his chest to halt his advance.
"What's wrong?" Jaune whispered, noticing Pyrrha's eyes darting around, searching for unseen threats.
Pyrrha raised Akoúo̱, gesturing towards a fallen tree that looked as if it had been violently uprooted. She crouched, examining claw marks in the dirt that sent a chill down Jaune's spine, reminding him of his earlier Beowolf encounter.
"Grimm don't usually leave lasting marks since most are not territorial," Pyrrha explained softly. "But if one ran into this tree with enough force to topple it, it must have been hunting something."
Jaune unsheathed Crocea Mors, its familiar weight somewhat comforting. "Could it have been knocked over in a fight? Maybe there was a battle, and the Grimm's already been slain?"
Pyrrha closed her eyes, raising a gloved hand. Jaune watched in awe as she began to glow dimly, her fingers wiggling slightly. After a moment, she shook her head. "I can't sense any metal around us other than our weapons."
"You have ESP?" Jaune blurted out, eyes wide.
Pyrrha smiled patiently. "It's my Semblance. I can sense and control magnetic fields. It's how I manipulate Miló and Akoúo̱."
"Oh," Jaune nodded, remembering how Pyrrha's weapons seemed to move on their own. "I thought it was like a magician's trick with strings or something."
Pyrrha opened her mouth to explain further, but her eyes suddenly widened in alarm. In that instant, Crocea Mors seemed to explode from its sheath, pulling Jaune's arm around just in time to catch the clawed hand of a lunging Beowolf. The silver blade embedded itself in the Grimm's paw, stopping its razor-sharp claws mere inches from Jaune's face.
As the Beowolf roared in pain, Jaune heard the metallic shifting of Miló transforming. A bronze and red barrel extended over his shoulder, and his ears rang as Pyrrha fired a massive Dust round directly into the Grimm's head. The Beowolf dropped, its body already dissolving into ash.
"Impressive reflexes," Pyrrha remarked, looking both surprised and impressed. "I didn't even sense it coming."
Jaune rubbed the back of his head, trying to appear nonchalant. "Oh yeah, guess I have better instincts than I thought." He glanced down at Crocea Mors, catching his reflection in the blade. The face staring back seemed less than amused.
The moment of respite was short-lived as the trees around them shook violently. Birds took to the sky in panic as snarls and howls echoed through the forest. Pyrrha pressed her back against Jaune's, both scanning the treeline as dozens of red eyes glowed in the shadows.
"I'll do my best," Pyrrha whispered, her voice steady despite the dire situation.
"Oh ye—" Jaune's response was cut short by the eruption of gunfire behind him. He turned to see Pyrrha fire a round of ice Dust into an approaching Beowolf's chest. In a fluid motion, Miló shifted to its spear form. Pyrrha threw Akoúo̱ skyward, planted the spear, and used it as a gymnast would a pole. She launched herself at the frozen Beowolf, her boots connecting with its faceplate with a resounding crack.
Landing behind the stunned Grimm, Pyrrha caught Akoúo̱ as it arced back towards her. Using the momentum of the catch, she spun, cleaving the Beowolf's head clean off. Jaune watched, mouth agape, momentarily forgetting the danger surrounding them.
Crocea Mors' insistent vibration snapped him back to reality. A large Beowolf was charging straight for him. Jaune raised his sword, recalling a stance from "Swordsmanship for Dummies."
"Posta di donna di sinistra," he muttered, spreading his stance with his right leg stretched out and turned downward. He held the blade over his shoulder, pointed at the approaching Grimm, feeling like he was preparing for an awkward baseball swing.
As the Beowolf closed in, jaws snapping, Jaune swung. Crocea Mors' flat side connected with the Grimm's head, stunning it momentarily. Surprised by his success, Jaune quickly reset his stance. As the Beowolf recovered and lunged again, he swung lower, the edge of Crocea Mors cutting across its hide and sending black ash exploding from the wound.
Panting, Jaune spotted another, more cautious Beowolf circling him. It swiped at the air, as if daring him to approach. Jaune adjusted his grip on Crocea Mors, stepping back slightly. The Grimm's arm shot out, attempting to disarm him. Jaune's entire upper body strained to maintain his hold on the sword, but the force knocked him off balance.
As he stumbled, the Beowolf pounced, its fangs clamping down on Jaune's pauldron. They crashed to the ground, Jaune wheezing as the air was driven from his lungs. He glanced desperately towards Pyrrha, but she was fully engaged in her own battle.
Gritting his teeth, Jaune bashed Crocea Mors' pommel against the Grimm's head repeatedly, trying to dislodge its grip. He could hear his armor cracking under the pressure. A claw raked across his stomach, and he cried out in pain. In desperation, he dropped Crocea Mors and punched the Grimm's face with all his might.
To his shock, a burst of flame erupted from his fist upon impact. The Beowolf's neck snapped back at an unnatural angle, its body immediately going limp. Jaune struggled to shove the dissolving corpse off him, his mind reeling from what had just happened.
He looked over to see Pyrrha expertly dispatching multiple Grimm, her movements a deadly dance of precision and power. "She's focused on those three," Jaune thought. "I can probably use my... whatever this is."
As another Beowolf emerged from the trees, Jaune raised his fists like a drunken brawler. He threw a punch, exhaling sharply as he did so. A small burst of fire struck the Grimm, setting its fur ablaze. Emboldened, Jaune swung his arm in a wide arc, creating a crescent moon of flames that sent the Beowolf flying backwards.
The fire spread quickly, catching on nearby trees, but Jaune paid it no mind as he watched his target collapse into ash. "Come on, who wants a piece?" he shouted, adrenaline and newfound power coursing through him.
Ignoring the burning sensation in his stomach, Jaune charged into the trees. He opened his hand, swinging it downward to create a wave of fire that surged across the ground, engulfing another Grimm. The flames rose like a tidal wave crashing against a great rock, quickly overtaking the creature.
Jaune felt electrified, as if his very blood was charged with energy. He raised his hands, now wreathed in flames, and surveyed the aftermath of the battle. Piles of ash and scorched trees were all that remained of the Grimm pack that had ambushed them.
As his breathing slowed, Jaune noticed the flames seemed to respond to his inhalations and exhalations, almost as if they were alive. He focused on controlling his breath, and gradually, the fires began to die down.
"Pyrrha!" Jaune called out, his voice echoing through the Emerald Forest. He backtracked through the treeline, Crocea Mors swaying at his hip as he vaulted over a fallen log. "Pyrrha!" he shouted again, cupping his hands around his mouth to amplify his voice.
Suddenly, Crocea Mors hummed and tugged in its sheath, as if drawn by an unseen force. Jaune glanced left, spotting a cliff face where a familiar red and bronze figure stood triumphant over a dissipating Grimm corpse, her weapon Miló buried deep in its chest.
"Pyrrha!" Jaune exclaimed, sprinting across the small clearing. He skidded to a halt beside her, hands on his knees as he caught his breath. "I thought the Grimm got you," he panted, relief evident in his voice.
The "Invincible Girl" turned to him, a gentle smile gracing her features. "I feared the same for you, Jaune. When we got separated, I was worried you might have been hurt." Her emerald eyes scanned him, her smile faltering as she noticed something amiss. "Jaune!" she gasped, pointing at his midsection. "Your hoodie!"
Jaune glanced down, panic flashing across his face as he saw the crimson stain spreading across the black fabric. "Oh no, my hoodie!" he yelped, more concerned about the garment than any potential injury.
Pyrrha swiftly lifted the hem of his hoodie, causing Jaune to blush furiously as she examined his stomach. Her brow furrowed in confusion when she found no visible wound. "You're... not hurt?" she asked, perplexed.
Jaune shook his head, his face still tinged red. "A Grimm clawed at me, but I guess it wasn't as bad as it looked?"
Pyrrha's eyes narrowed with concern. "Take out your scroll," she instructed firmly.
Jaune complied, pulling the device from his pocket. He winced slightly as he pressed it to his forehead, activating the Aura meter. After a moment, the screen displayed his photo with an empty bar beneath it.
"Your Aura... it's completely depleted!" Pyrrha exclaimed, her voice a mix of shock and worry.
"Huh?" Jaune blinked, confused.
"Your Aura has shattered, Jaune," Pyrrha explained, her tone grave. "One more hit from a Grimm, and you could have..." She trailed off, unable to finish the thought. "I'm amazed you're even standing right now."
Jaune's expression twisted with a mix of confusion and dawning realization. Pyrrha placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "It's alright. Just stay close to me for now. I'll make sure nothing happens to you."
Jaune cleared his throat, suddenly very aware of their proximity. "Um, Pyrrha? Could you maybe stop staring at my chest then?"
Pyrrha quickly released his hoodie, her cheeks flushing almost as red as her hair. She took a step back, composing herself. "Right. Sorry. Let's focus on getting through this together, shall we?"
Jaune nodded, straightening up despite his wobbling knees. The pair made their way towards a nearby cave entrance, with Pyrrha keeping a watchful eye on their surroundings.
"Do you need a light?" Jaune asked, breaking off a sturdy branch from a nearby tree.
Pyrrha hummed in affirmation. Jaune turned away slightly, concentrating as he wrapped his hand around the branch's end. To Pyrrha's amazement, a small flame ignited at his fingertips, quickly catching the dry wood. He held up the makeshift torch, illuminating the cave's entrance.
As they approached the dark maw of the cave, Crocea Mors began to shake violently in its sheath. Jaune's instincts screamed danger, and he stepped protectively in front of Pyrrha.
"Maybe we shouldn't go this way," he suggested, his voice laced with uncharacteristic certainty.
"Why not?" Pyrrha asked, surprised by his sudden assertiveness.
Jaune hesitated, struggling to articulate the feeling of dread in his gut. "I... I don't know exactly. But I've got a really bad feeling about this place. What if we try going around the cliff instead?"
Pyrrha studied him for a moment, noting the tension in his stance and the worry in his eyes. She brought a hand to her chin, considering their options. "You're right," she conceded. "With your Aura depleted, we'd be at a severe disadvantage if we encountered trouble in there. It's too risky."
Just as they turned to leave, a bone-chilling roar echoed from deep within the cave. The ground beneath their feet began to tremble, and Pyrrha's eyes widened in alarm.
"Run!" she shouted, giving Jaune a firm push towards the exit. "Go, go, go!"
/-/
"How does this keep happening?!" Jaune yelled in frustration as he found himself, once again, tangled in the branches of a towering oak. This time, without a fireball to break his fall, he slid downward until he hung upside down, legs wrapped around a sturdy branch. A pair of familiar silver eyes met his, and he couldn't help but smile. "Ruby!"
"Jaune!" Ruby exclaimed, her red cloak billowing as she effortlessly dropped to the ground beside a small circle of ancient stone pillars.
"Yang!" Jaune called out, spotting the blonde brawler nearby.
Yang looked up, her lilac eyes widening in surprise. "Vomit Boy?" she quipped, standing next to the quiet, bow-wearing girl from earlier.
Suddenly, a blood-curdling scream pierced the air. "Jaune!" Pyrrha's voice rang out, filled with panic. The forest exploded into chaos as a massive Grimm burst through the treeline, its bone-white armor gleaming in the dappled sunlight. Pyrrha sprinted ahead of the beast, narrowly avoiding its snapping mandibles as it threatened to overtake her.
"How could you leave me?!" Another voice cried out. Crocea Mors shuddered in its sheath, and Jaune's gaze snapped upward. There, dangling precariously from the claws of a Nevermore, was Weiss Schnee.
Without hesitation, Jaune leapt from his perch just as Weiss let go. He caught her mid-air, and for a brief moment, they seemed to float. Jaune, despite the dire situation, couldn't resist cracking a joke. "Just dropping in?" he asked with a nervous grin.
Gravity, however, had other plans. They plummeted toward the ground, Weiss letting out a very un-ladylike scream as she used Jaune as a human shield. They hit the forest floor with a resounding thud, Jaune's face planted firmly in the dirt.
"My hero," Weiss said, her voice dripping with sarcasm as she dusted herself off.
Jaune wheezed, spitting out a mouthful of leaves. "I thought princesses were supposed to be nice."
Crocea Mors vibrated briefly, as if agreeing with its wielder. Jaune had barely gotten to his feet when Pyrrha came flying towards him, knocked back by the pursuing Grimm. She collided with him like a crimson cannonball, sending them both sprawling.
"Great! The gang's all here! Now we can die together!" Yang announced with mock cheer, her gauntlets, Ember Celica, primed for action.
Ruby, ever the optimist, countered, "Not if I can help it!" She unfurled Crescent Rose, the massive scythe gleaming dangerously.
As the sounds of gunfire and clashing metal filled the air, Jaune remained flat on his back, taking a moment to catch his breath. When he finally tried to stand, his entire body trembled with exhaustion. Pyrrha was at his side in an instant, supporting him as the world spun around him.
"Are you alright, Jaune? You're not hurt, are you?" she asked, her emerald eyes filled with concern as they roamed over him, checking for injuries.
Jaune managed a weak smile. "My ego's a bit bruised, but I think I'll live." As he spoke, he felt that strange heat building up inside him again, growing more intense by the second.
Looking up at the sky, Jaune spotted the massive Nevermore circling overhead like a malevolent storm cloud. "Hey, guys?" he called out, his voice tight with worry. "I think that oversized chicken is coming back for seconds. What's the plan?"
Weiss stepped forward, her rapier Myrtenaster at the ready. "There's no sense in dilly-dallying. Our objective is right in front of us." She gestured towards the stone structure where several chess pieces gleamed in the sunlight.
Jaune exchanged a meaningful look with Pyrrha. "Castle piece?" he suggested, and she nodded in agreement.
Ruby, taking charge of the situation, backed up Weiss's assessment. "She's right. Our mission is to grab an artifact and make it back to the cliffs. There's no point in fighting these things if we don't have to."
Jaune felt a wave of relief wash over him as the world finally stopped spinning. "Run and live? That's an idea I can definitely get behind."
With newfound determination, Jaune approached the relics. He grabbed a rook piece, its weight oddly comforting as he tucked it safely into his hoodie. As one, the group turned towards the distant cliffs, their goal in sight.
"Alright, team," Ruby called out, her voice filled with a mix of excitement and trepidation. "Let's move out!"
/-/
"DRAGON BOY!" Nora's exuberant voice rang out as Jaune face-planted onto his bed, exhausted from the day's events. Team assignments had just concluded, and Jaune silently thanked whatever cosmic force had paired him with Pyrrha instead of Weiss. The Schnee heiress had given him an earful earlier, though Yang had come to his defense, teasing that Weiss was "just jelly" about Jaune being partnered with the "Invincible Girl."
Jaune recalled giving Weiss a thumbs-up back in the Emerald Forest, and he could've sworn the temperature dropped several degrees in response.
"Jaune, are you alright? Your Aura hasn't recovered at all" Pyrrha's concerned voice cut through his thoughts. He looked up from his pillow to see her standing at the edge of his bed, scroll in hand, displaying his depleted Aura levels.
"I think I just need some sleep," Jaune mumbled, rolling onto his back. His gaze drifted to his new Beacon Academy uniform, hanging pristinely over his bed frame.
Ren, ever practical, spoke up from the corner of the room. "I have some homemade salve if you have any wounds. It should help with the healing process." He pulled out a small glass jar from his pack, its contents a mysterious mix of what looked like twigs and berries.
"Uh, I think I'll—" Jaune started to decline, but Pyrrha interrupted.
"We'll take it," she said firmly, reaching over to accept the jar with a quick thanks. Turning back to Jaune, she ordered, "Hoodie off."
Jaune couldn't help but quip, "If you want me to strip, you could at least buy me dinner first." No sooner had the words left his mouth than Crocea Mors fell from its spot on the nightstand, its hilt bonking him squarely on the head. "Ow!" he whined, rubbing the sore spot.
Nora burst into laughter, nearly doubling over. "Ha! Even your sword has perfect comedic timing!"
Ren smiled apologetically. "The salve can help with head wounds too, you know."
Sighing in defeat, Jaune pulled off his hoodie and shirt, sitting at the edge of the bed. Pyrrha positioned herself behind him, and he soon felt her cool fingers applying the lukewarm, slightly sticky gel to his back.
"You've got quite a few bruises here," Pyrrha observed, "but luckily, your Aura probably absorbed most of the piercing damage."
"I guess," Jaune responded noncommittally.
Pyrrha's brow furrowed. "It's odd, though. You have a lot of bruising, but it should be much worse considering you fell from that tree catching Weiss, not to mention when I was thrown into you by the Deathstalker."
Jaune felt a wave of panic rising. "My dad says we Arcs are built a bit differently," he offered weakly, attempting to flex his arm. The sore muscles protested, and his arm flopped back to his side like jelly.
"Hmm," Pyrrha hummed thoughtfully. "What about your Semblance? Maybe it could be healing you. You feel really warm—perhaps your Aura is working, but your Semblance is somehow masking it?"
"I haven't heard of a Semblance that hides Aura," Jaune replied, trying to sound knowledgeable.
Ren perked up at this. "My Semblance allows me to mask emotions and calm people down. Sometimes it can even cloak us from Grimm by hiding our fear."
"And I can control electricity!" Nora chimed in, raising a hand as static danced across her palm like a miniature lightning storm.
"Maybe it's your dragon genetics!" Nora exclaimed, popping up from behind the bed like a shark breaching water. "You know, like in the movies! Maybe you have a scale that's your weak point, but you're invincible everywhere else." She grinned mischievously. "Pyrrha, hold him down! I'm going to check for wings!"
Before Jaune could protest, Nora launched herself towards them. Pyrrha reacted instantly, pulling Jaune aside as Nora sailed past, colliding with the wall with a resounding "Oof!"
"What does she mean by dragon genes?" Pyrrha asked, confusion evident in her voice.
Jaune leaned in, whispering, "When I woke up this morning, she caught me with really bad breath from a midnight snack. You know, 'dragon's breath' and all that."
Pyrrha nodded slowly. "Ah, I see."
Ren, ever observant, added, "There was also that incident in the bathroom earlier with the fir—"
"Fire choice of outfit!" Jaune interjected hastily. "Ren walked in when I was changing out of my onesie and thought it was the coolest thing." He finished through gritted teeth, hoping Ren would take the hint.
Fortunately, Ren caught on and dropped the subject. Nora, however, was still fixated on the onesie. "Renny, so you did ask if it came in pink?"
"Yup," Ren replied with a slight smile.
Nora beamed. "Ooh! I'm gonna get one!"
Jaune quickly pulled his shirt back on, cringing as the salve made contact with the fabric. "We can probably do some shopping in Vale tomorrow," Pyrrha suggested. "I know we were given a list of supplies to grab. Maybe we can go as a team?"
Jaune looked at Pyrrha, her emerald eyes hopeful. He had to remind himself that this girl, whom he couldn't bear to disappoint, could probably break both his legs without breaking a sweat if she wanted to. "Sure, yeah. Sounds good," he agreed. Turning to Nora and Ren, he asked, "What do you say, guys?"
Nora threw her hands up in excitement. "Field trip time!"
Ren gave a small grin. "I can't leave her alone, so I'll go along."
AUTHORS NOTE
Three chapters, over 11,000 words, all written, edited, and published from nothing but a vague outline in just 48 hours! A new record for me. Anyway, thank you everyone for the support, and I'm sorry if some parts are of weird quality or maybe some things seem out of character. This is my first RWBY fic, so if there are any issues or problems, please leave them as a review so I can fix them. If you have any questions about the story or want to read drafts I write before publication, shoot me a private message. I really like RWBY, so I'd love to talk about it with you all.