First, holy shit! The number of comments on the last chapter almost hit 100. That's huge for me. While I expected a big increase due to the last chapter being a really important event, I didn't expect double. I'm glad people liked it and those that didn't like it usually had valid views themselves. Yes, Jaune was childish and stupid. Pyrrha was already under mental stress and we all know when someone has been harassed for long periods of time, they can snap too. The two of them probably should have waited longer to have that talk. But what's done is done and hopefully things will change. Not for a while though after what WAS said. They both had points, but both were wrong too. I loved writing that scene.
On a bit of lighter news, my first commission is almost done. Draft outline was finished and the artist is currently coloring. I'm going to put it up on my P a treon for all those amazing subscribers who support my writing addiction. They will get first access. It's going to be on a very funny scene that we all remember with this fic.
If you continue to enjoy my stories, feel free to check out my p a treon.
P a treon . com (Slash) DarkBetrayer
Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.
"Welcome, Mr. Arc." Ozpin greeted as Jaune was led into the man's office by Qrow. "It's good to see you back safe and sound."
"Thank you, Professor." Jaune nodded as he walked in. "It's good to be back."
"Have a seat." Ozpin gestured to one of the chairs in front of the desk. "I'm interested in hearing all about your adventures and to discuss with you everything that you learned during your apprenticeship." Once Jaune sat down, Ozpin turned to Qrow. "Qrow, can you wait outside while we talk?"
"Pssh, it's not like I'm going to tell the kid what to say," Qrow rolled his eyes and let out a short bark like laugh. "I was a perfect teacher and this kid improved by leaps and bounds. He couldn't ask for a better mentor."
"You threw me into a pack of Beowolves, let me fall off a cliff, walk into the arms of a deranged murderer, and I'm sure I can come up with a few more things." Jaune shot back with a grin of his own.
"See, perfect mentor!" Qrow swung one arm at the boy. "He speaks the truth."
"I'll call you when we're done, Qrow." Ozpin stated firmly.
"Fine, whatever. See if I do anything for you again." The man grumbled as he left, slamming the door behind him.
"Pretty sure he's not mad." Jaune assured the headmaster.
"Of course he's not," Ozpin waved the concern off with one hand then let out a small chuckle. "It's just how he is. I'm sure he could listen in while we talk, but for best results, I'm supposed to ask you about the apprenticeship alone. So tell me, Mr. Arc. What did you think of it?"
A moment of silence hung in the air as Jaune grappled with the complexity of the seemingly straightforward question. The task at hand was far from easy; it was a perilous journey into his own thoughts, one filled with uncertainty and the promise of profound revelation. The weight of Ozpin's inquiry pressed upon him, leaving him to wonder whether there was a hidden agenda behind it.
Jaune's mind churned, sifting through a myriad of thoughts and emotions for a full minute before he finally found the words to respond.
The truth.
"It far exceeded my expectations," Jaune confessed with a hint of humility. "The experience was an eye-opener, and it made me realize that everyone who doubted my readiness to be a Huntsman were completely right"
Ozpin's expression remained inscrutable as he gently reminded Jaune, "But you persevered, a feat that's anything but simple."
"Only thanks to my more capable friends and a generous dose of luck," Jaune muttered, his gaze directed downward.
"Some might argue that building connections and relying on luck are qualities that define a formidable Huntsman," Ozpin reflected, his eyes fixed on the world outside the window, lost in thought. In response to these words, Jaune lifted his gaze.
"What do you mean, sir?"
"Just a fleeting thought," Ozpin replied, turning back to face Jaune. "Allow me to rephrase my previous question. Do you believe that your time in this program has imparted more valuable lessons than you might have acquired at Beacon?"
"YES!"
The boy blurted the word out before his brain could even fully process the question.
"Would you care to elaborate?" Ozpin encouraged.
Jaune paused, a brief moment of reflection allowing him to gather his thoughts. The question was a multi-faceted one, and he grappled with the challenge of articulating his true feelings. He had no desire to disparage Beacon's curriculum, but he had come to understand that the path of a true Huntsman encompassed so much more than any school curriculum could provide. Perhaps Ozpin sought to use Jaune's experiences as a benchmark for refining the classes and training at Beacon.
With this in mind, Jaune resolved to provide Ozpin with the most candid and comprehensive answer he could muster.
"It's just… when I first came to Beacon, I thought our training would be all about fighting Grimm," The boy began, thinking back to the beginning. "Combat skills, learning about Grimm's weak points, those kinds of things. Even when I first left with Qrow and Ruby, I still believed that. Qrow was focusing on training me to fight so I would be able to survive. I wasn't joking when I told you Qrow tossed me into a Beowolf pack. Though it was less tossing, and purposely held Ruby back so they would swarm me."
"Qrow did mention that," Ozpin admitted, leaning back in his chair. "He's been keeping me up to date on all your adventures and progress. Trial by fire is a dangerous training style, but it can work wonders."
"Terrifying experience," Jaune mumbled, thinking back to his first experience being swarmed by Grimm. "I can't say it wasn't effective though. It made me truly understand how dangerous this line of work is, but also steeled my resolve to get better. I couldn't always rely on others. But this was still in line with what I expected." He made a fist and gripped it tightly with his other hand. "If it was just Grimm from then on out…"
Ozpin didn't say anything, but he leaned forward and his expression grew serious. His attention was purely on the boy in front of him, listening intently.
"Why don't we learn we have to fight people too?" Jaune asked Ozpin. "That's kind of important information!"
"We have you spar against other students, do we not?"
"Isn't that just because we can't constantly bring Grimm into the school fast enough to let everyone fight?"
"The primary purpose of Huntsmen is to defend the kingdoms against the forces of Grimm," Ozpin reminded him. "However, occasionally there are people who decide they aren't satisfied with that and want more. Normal bandit and slave traders can be handled by local security forces, but when someone with Aura and training decides they want to go down the path of a criminal, things get complicated. Police do not stand a chance against even a first year student at Beacon. That's how strong Huntsmen are compared to a normal person. I take it you began to realize that."
A shudder coursed through Jaune as he delved into the haunting memories. "I came dangerously close to taking a life, a man with no Aura, even after he'd been defeated," He confessed with a haunted look in his eyes. "I still think about that day. He spewed terrible things, and it ignited so much hatred within me. It was nothing like facing a Grimm. It was a person, or at least something resembling one. At that moment, I ceased to see him as a person and instead saw a monster. A vile being willing to inflict torment on a young girl for their own sadistic pleasure. It was Qrow who intervened, preventing me from making an irreversible mistake. We aren't the gods of life and death. Once he had been defeated, I should have stopped."
His clenched fist trembled, his grip tightening.
"He was more monstrous than someone like Raven and her tribe," Jaune continued, his voice heavy with the weight of his convictions. "Yes, they commit acts of violence, theft, and whatever it takes to survive, but I can empathize with their plight. After tangling with the Arachna, witnessing the harsh reality of life beyond the kingdom's protective walls, I understood the necessity of their actions. I didn't condone what they did, but I could comprehend it. Ruby and I had to resort to theft while we were with them, just to survive until we could escape. I even got to know some of the bandits, realizing that, under different circumstances, I might have been one of them. Then there was Tyrian."
Jaune became pale as the memory of that man, Tyrian, resurfaced. "Tyrian was something entirely different," He muttered, blood draining from his face. "A twisted embodiment of evil, a murderer who reveled in the act. He had no reason to kill us, but he was doing it for sheer enjoyment. I've had more nightmares about that man than I'd care to admit."
"Tyrian represents the deepest depths of depravity of mankind," Ozpin held up a hand, not needing Jaune to explain himself. "That was not someone you should have had to meet at such a young age. Tyrian Callows is insane and is wanted by all four kingdoms. A man who might as well have shed away his humanity and became a monster himself." The man tapped his desk. "Qrow underestimated the man who was following you and it nearly cost you and Ms. Rose your lives. For that, I can't apologize enough."
"You don't have to!" Jaune raised his hands quickly. "Qrow already apologized and I got any lingering grudges out of my system." Admitting how good punching Qrow felt could be kept to himself. "And you two warned me plenty of times how dangerous this would be. Not only that, Ruby and I did disobey him and it nearly got us killed. That was the part I think about the most. About what would happen if my Semblance didn't activate at that time."
"But it did and I heard you've been using it quite effectively." Ozpin told him with a small smile, almost like he was cheering him up.
"That… I managed to save people with it," Jaune admitted, still not looking happy. "But sometimes, I can't help but draw on what if I didn't? What if my Semblance hadn't triggered then? What if I didn't know how to activate it again? Ruby would have died, Tobias would have died, I probably would have died when I fell off the cliff…."
"Enough, Mr. Arc." Jaune looked up in surprise as the headmaster raised a hand and spoke in a firm tone. "I can tell you from experience, that dwelling on what ifs will not help you or anyone else."
"But!" Jaune protested, but Ozpin wasn't hearing any of this.
"I have made more mistakes in my life than any man, woman, or child ever has," Ozpin's tone was like steel. "The mistakes you have made are insignificant to my own. By dwelling on what could have been, you become blind to the present. If you truly regret the mistakes you made in the past, learn from them so you don't make them again. You can also pass on your experiences to others to help them grow."
"I… I'll try." Jaune nodded, actually feeling a little better. Ozpin was always kind of an enigma, like it was hard to know what he was thinking. He appeared calm, cool, and collected, but his inner thoughts were a mystery. But now Jaune felt like he understood the man just a tiny bit. The wistful look in his eyes, the way he held himself up in his chair, and his strong tone indicated he didn't seem to be lying.
"Can I ask what brought this on?" The headmaster asked.
"Uh, you asked me about it?" Jaune answered, confusion in his voice.
"I'm talking about you dwelling on these things," Ozpin clarified. "I understand you went through a lot, but even if he didn't show it, Qrow was giving me pretty thorough reports." He reached behind his desk and pulled out two large files, one much thicker than another. "Due to the situation, he was monitoring not only your training process, but your mental condition too."
"I'm not crazy!" Jaune blurted out before he could stop himself.
"I never said you were." Ozpin assured him calmly. "But mental health is important for our students too. Being forced into constant stressful situations, after what happened to you here, can wear down even the strongest minds. If Qrow saw you were breaking, he would have taken you back."
"There were periods when the weight felt like too much," Jaune thought back to his adventure. All the times he thought about giving up. The sleepless nights worrying about if he was going to survive, if he was going to earn his place, and what would happen if he did his best and still failed. The pain of knowing his best wouldn't be good enough. "Times when I seriously did consider giving up…"
A familiar encouraging face with silver eyes flashed through his mind.
"...then Ruby would help me remember why I'm doing this," Jaune continued, a small smile tugging on his lips. Just thinking about her made him feel better. "No matter how tough it was or how low I fell, she was there to help me back."
Ozpin also smiled at the boy's change in expression.
"Normally these apprenticeships are supposed to be one on one with a student and a teacher," The man considered out loud. "But with such an improvement with two? We might have to consider the positive aspects of this for future use. Mental stress is one of the main reasons students drop out while being perfectly healthy physically."
"Yeah, having someone close to talk to helped a lot," Jaune agreed quickly. "Qrow's great and all and there's things I can talk about easier with him than Ruby, but Ruby and I… we have a connection and can talk about anything. We understand each other's struggles and work together to grow. I can say with 100% honestly, if she wasn't there, I wouldn't have made it."
There were a few moments of silence as Ozpin wrote down something Jaune couldn't see.
"I'm pleased to hear you understand your own limitations along with acknowledging what others have done for you," The headmaster finally spoke up. "You'll be surprised how many students have passed through these walls thinking they achieved everything themselves, while belittling the help they received from their team and classmates. Rivalries, friendships, teams, all contribute to your growth."
"Tell me about it…" Jaune mumbled dryly. If anyone understood that, it was him.
"But did something happen recently?" Ozpin asked. "After you returned? You seemed to have regained some of the weight on your shoulders."
Initially, Jaune hesitated about delving into this personal territory. It was an intimate matter, and while Ruby could often sense his emotions and thoughts due to their deep connection, he suspected that Ozpin also held some awareness of his internal struggles. It felt like a choice Ozpin was giving him—the freedom to decide whether to open up. Part of him yearned to share, while another part shrank away from the prospect. These conflicting emotions weighed on him, given that Ozpin was still somewhat of a stranger, despite the assistance he had provided throughout their time at Beacon.
This was a private matter, but maybe a little bit of information would be enough?
"Pyrrha and I had our talk last night."
"Ah, say no more." Ozpin's gaze held nothing but sympathy. "I see it did not go well."
"No, sir. That's the understatement of the century."
"You don't have to tell me anything about it," Ozpin assured the boy kindly. "I'm not going to try to weasel anything out of you. This is something between you and Ms. Nikos. But I can give you some advice." The man smiled at him, but Jaune didn't feel good about it. It was a smile full of reminiscing and sadness. "Everyone fights. The best of friends, lovers, enemies, it doesn't matter. Whether large or small, it will happen. The only thing you can do is apologize and hope that over time, you two can forgive each other."
"We tried and it sort of… spiraled out of control." Jaune's ears burned in embarrassment at a lot of his childish retorts during his conversation with Pyrrha.
"Give it time," Ozpin told him. "You both had your reasons for doing the things you did. Try to understand their point of view and go from there. I regret to say, sometimes relationships don't always have a happy ending. You two might decide to go your separate ways in the end. There's no reason you have to hate each other, but you might just end up being acquaintances. There's nothing wrong with that. Relationships come in all shapes and forms."
"I know, but part of me still wants things to go back to normal, but I'm pretty sure I messed it up."
Oh, Jaune knew he fucked it up bad.
"If you're sincerely committed to healing the rift, there might come a time in the future when an opportunity arises to mend your fractured relationship," Ozpin's gaze turned upward as he spoked. "You know, there are artists who take shattered pottery and painstakingly repair it with gold. It's not just about fixing what's broken; it's a testament to the value of optimism when things seem to unravel. It teaches us to embrace the imperfections and missteps in life and to accept ourselves as we are. When all the pieces eventually come back together, you'll appreciate what you have even more because you've witnessed what you have lost."
"How much time will it take?" Jaune groaned.
"That's something only you and Ms. Nikos will know," Ozpin answered simply. "No one else knows the answer. If you try to force it, things will only become worse."
"I see… thanks for the advice, professor." Jaune slumped in his chair. Weirdly enough, while he was still depressed, he felt slightly better having vented his frustrations. Not only that, even someone as renowned as Ozpin understood what he was going through. It made him feel more normal than he had felt in a while.
"Why don't we change the topic?" Ozpin suggested. "Outside of learning combat skills, what else did you learn during your apprenticeship?"
"Oh, tons!" Jaune exclaimed, glad to change the topic too. Remembering last night just opened the wound in his heart. "Where do I start…?"
Their conversation delved into an array of practical topics, encompassing survival skills, navigation, the importance of remaining ever-watchful of their surroundings, and even the art of diplomacy to secure lodgings in towns during their journeys. While combat classes laid a crucial foundation for combating Grimm, they scarcely prepared students for the rigors of extended forays into the wilderness. There was a conspicuous absence of education on survival, tracking, and other essential outdoor skills.
Grimm studies, while valuable in terms of understanding how to fend off these malevolent creatures by discerning their attack patterns and vulnerabilities, appeared to offer little in the way of preparation for the complexities of venturing into the wild. In contrast, historical studies did prove to have some utility, particularly when it came to gaining insight into various regions and cultures.
"So you think we should have more instructions relating to survival training," Ozpin tapped his desk and looked interested. "You may have a point. Those skills are normally developed once students start taking team missions later in their first year. It might not be bad to have an occasional class to start laying the groundwork. We could even move up the survival exercises."
"You're going to redo so much from just our short talk?" The boy couldn't resist blurting out, shocked the headmaster was putting so much faith into his opinion.
"Haha, no," Ozpin shook his hand. "We've been considering this for a while. Your testimony is just reinforcing things I've discussed with the other headmasters. Though I am appreciative of your insights. That was something Qrow always graded you highly on."
"Right…" Jaune rubbed the back of his neck. "I guess when you lack combat skills, you have to pay attention to your surroundings to learn everything you can."
"Indeed," Ozpin agreed with a short nod. "Too many people get overconfident due to their strength and lose their lives."
Jaune waited, but Ozpin didn't say anything else, choosing to sip from his coffee mug. A few more moments of silence passed and Jaune was getting antsy. The headmaster didn't seem to be planning to say anything else. Was the meeting over? No, Jaune still had one more major topic to discuss. If Ozpin wasn't going to bring it up, he would have to.
"Sir, about Salem…"
Ozpin let out a very long drawn out sigh.
"Mr. Arc, it would be in your best interest to pretend you never heard of her and live your life."
"It's far too late for that."
"So I heard." Ozpin crossed his hands in front of him and looked Jaune right in the eye. "Qrow told me everything including what he told you. I can't stress this enough that Salem's existence is supposed to be of the utmost secrecy. This isn't something to be talking about in public. Do you understand?"
"I understand," Jaune assured him. "It would cause so much hysteria if people knew about her."
"More than you know." The headmaster nodded. "Salem rules the Grimm, but not all Grimm are under her control. She has powers that allow her to use Grimm to spy on humanity, so she has eyes and ears everywhere. Her goal is the complete destruction of Remnant. I can assure you the mission Raven and Summer went on, I did not know about. If I had, I would have done everything I could to convince them to return."
"They went because they didn't know about her immortality." Jaune pointed out. "They thought she could do it and save everyone, especially their family."
"Raven told you that, did she?" Ozpin was a little surprised that Jaune would say something like that.
"Yes, in a roundabout way," Jaune admitted, grimly. "Facing Salem, losing Summer… it broke her. She's the way she is because of that. It's why, if Salem is really immortal, I don't know if that information should be revealed to the public."
"You don't know?" Ozpin raised an eyebrow. "Can you explain? I thought you would say we should tell everyone so people didn't rush off to face her on their own."
"Well, some might to prove themselves or try to prove the legend wrong," Jaune pointed out with a small snort. "But after seeing Raven, I realized how many people would just surrender if they knew. As long as we believe she can be beaten, we still have hope."
"Do you still have hope?" Ozpin asked seriously. "After knowing about her?"
"She can't be killed normally, so that makes things difficult," Jaune admitted, crossing his arms and thinking. "But we might be able to find a way to do that. If we can't, there's other ways to go about this. She's not a mindless Grimm, so while it's a long shot, we might be able to reason with her, but I doubt it. If we can't do that, then there has to be some way to seal her. We met a Chill that was sealed in a cave until an earthquake freed it. That means sealing a powerful Grimm that's difficult to kill is possible."
Ozpin smiled the more Jaune talked. When the boy finished, instead of responding, Ozpin touched a keypad on his desk.
"Well, James. Do you think he's trustworthy?"
"I still don't believe we should bring a child into the inner circle, Ozpin." Ironwood's voice came from the intercom. "He's too young, no matter how intelligent he is."
"We discussed this, Jimmy." Qrow's voice came from the intercom next. "It's more dangerous to let him keep a partial understanding of this."
"Wait!" Jaune bolted to his feet. "Were you all listening in this entire time?!"
"Sorry, kid." Qrow's voice did at least sound apologetic. "We needed to know your mental state. Don't worry, everything you said is strictly confidential."
"I can assure you, Mr. Arc." Ironwood also sounded a little apologetic. "I tried to avoid listening to any detail involving your personal life at Beacon."
"I trust you, Ironwood." Jaune assured the man. "It's Qrow who I know was listening in and taking notes to blackmail me later."
"It's not blackmail if I don't request you do anything," Qrow scoffed. "I'll just read it at your wedding or something."
"Note to self, don't invite Qrow to my wedding." Jaune muttered.
"Pssh, I already invited myself."
"It's good to see you cheering up," Ozpin commented on Jaune's expression. "You perked right up when you started bantering with Qrow."
"I guess…" Jaune grumbled, rubbing his arm.
"I'm sorry for letting them listen in," Ozpin apologized. "But we had to know. We discussed what we could and could not tell you before finally reaching a decision." The man took a deep breath. "You need to report back here tonight."
"Why?" Jaune blinked.
"We're going to show you what Salem and her forces are capable of." Ozpin's tone grew stern and his expression dark. "The people Qrow was after were just pawns of hers and you'll understand just how dangerous they are."
Jaune's eyes widened.
"We need your Semblance, Mr. Arc. To save the life of someone incredibly important. Not just to us, but to the very future of Remnant."
"You called for me, sir?" Ruby peaked her head into the headmaster's office.
"Come on in, Ms. Rose." Ozpin welcomed her. "Have a seat. Don't worry, you're not in trouble. Your uncle told you what this meeting is about, correct?"
"He said you were going to grade us on what we learned." Ruby gulped, sitting down.
"Haha, no, not exactly." Ozpin chuckled warmly. "While I do want to know what you learned, you're not being graded. Anything you say here is just between us. Though, maybe in a way you are grading Qrow. His teaching skills would affect how much you improved."
"Uncle Qrow's the best teacher!" Ruby waved her hands anxiously. "You should give him an A+."
"We'll see." Ozpin couldn't resist smiling as he examined the girl. "So, Ms. Rose. Qrow has kept me updated on everything that occurred during your apprenticeship from start to finish. I have a rough idea of your skill levels and Glynda is going to verify that for me during combat classes. However, what I really am interested in discussing is something a little more serious."
"What's that?" Ruby tilted her head.
"Are you okay after your run in with Tyrian Callows?"
Ozpin's question hung in the air, casting a shadow over their conversation. At the mere mention of Tyrian's name, Ruby's demeanor underwent a subtle but telling transformation. Her eyes lost their focus, and her complexion paled, revealing the unmistakable signs of distress. Ozpin, ever perceptive, observed her closely, waiting for her response.
"I'm fine, sir!" Ruby suddenly asserted, her previous vulnerability seemingly vanishing. "I know he's stronger than me... right now! The next time we cross paths, I'm going to be much stronger, and I'm going to defeat him and bring him to justice."
Ozpin acknowledged her words with a nod but remained skeptical.
"That's a commendable spirit, Miss Rose, but most students who experience their first near-death encounter are deeply affected by it. The impact might not be immediately obvious, but it can insidiously affect their day-to-day lives. Mental health is of paramount importance, and such an experience can leave unseen scars. You don't have to put on a tough façade if something is truly bothering you. Nearly facing death at the hands of that man would have an effect on anyone."
Ruby gulped, her determination waning as she hesitated for a moment. Finally, she admitted the truth, her voice quivering, "I... yes, it did affect me. It was difficult to sleep at night, and I had to pretend to be asleep so that Jaune and Uncle Qrow wouldn't worry. He kept appearing in my dreams. There were even times when I was convinced he was about to jump out of the bushes." She clenched her fist, gritting her teeth. "But I won't allow that fear to paralyze me. He was stronger than me, but if I give up and hide, he'll continue to hurt innocent people."
Her voice resounded with unwavering determination as she spoke, a testament to her indomitable spirit.
"I know I'm not a match for him, I'm not stupid," Ruby defended herself, even though she knew she made a terrible decision back when they first met Tyrian. "Well, I was, but not anymore. I'm trying to learn my own limits and not risk my life so easily. If we meet again, I'm going to be stronger. Tyrian has to be stopped. That guy… he won't stop his killing. He does it for fun! We have to stop him. If I give up on being a Huntress, it's like he won. I want to stop people like him from killing innocent people who haven't done anything wrong"
Ruby took a deep breath.
"I was lucky Jaune was able to save me. It was stupid of me to ignore my uncle's warning. It's a lesson I think about constantly. Everytime I woke up at night and see Jaune, I recall how lucky I was. It also calmed me down. Knowing my friend was there, growing with me, along with being someone I can talk to about it. We talked a lot and it helped me recover. He's like my personal therapist and I'm his." Ruby giggled and her cheeks flushed slightly. "But it's thanks to him being there, I didn't hide myself away and give up after that. He's really cool with how no matter what happens, he keeps moving forward. When we were kidnapped by Raven's group, he helped hold me together more than I want to admit."
"Thank you for sharing this, Ms. Rose." Ozpin smiled kindly at her, like a grandfather would to a sad grandchild. "I know it couldn't be easy for you. If it helps, I think you've grown quite a lot since the last time you've sat in this office."
"Umm… thank you?" Ruby was pretty sure that was a compliment, but it also implied she wasn't grown up when she started Beacon? But she was a grown up! She drank milk!
"I would never dream of asking you to stop being a Huntress," The man continued. "I just wanted to make sure you have no lasting trauma from your adventures. You can see how this apprenticeship is much more dangerous than training within these walls. Situations arise you can't always predict and many of them have lasting effects on individuals your age. It's why this is normally saved for older students."
"I think the constant hiking, eating terrible trail food, and sleeping in shifts was the hardest thing to get used to." Ruby tried to joke to lighten the mood like Qrow and Jaune did a lot.
"Hmm?" Ozpin raised an eyebrow. "Traveling outside the cities was tough?" There was a hint of amusement in his words.
"First, sleeping outside was fun, but you won't believe how many times the ground was hard or wet. If it wasn't for the hammock, we probably wouldn't have gotten any sleep!" Ruby rattled on and on. "Then it was constantly being on the lookout for Grimm, that wears you down. At night especially when we were sleeping in shifts so we only get a little rest when we aren't sleeping well in the first place. And those Atlas rations are like eating chalk! But sometimes that's all we had…!"
Ozpin leaned back in his chair and listened to the young girl rant about her experiences. He was seeing a pattern between them. Jaune mentioned a lot of the same issues in preparing them for this mentorship. Maybe his curriculum was lacking and while the students were capable of facing off against the creatures of Grimm, they weren't prepared for life outside the city.
"...plus Raven kidnapped us and we had no idea what to do…!
Okay, some stuff she mentioned weren't things anyone would normally experience.
Eventually, Ruby stopped talking after realizing how long she was complaining. Her face turned the same color as her cloak as she slumped down in her seat. She hadn't meant to reveal all that but once she started talking, it just kept coming out. Yang had mentioned before that she tended to ramble.
"...Sorry…" The word came out in a squeak. "I didn't mean to talk so much."
"On the contrary, Ms. Rose." Ozpin replied with a pleased expression. "I appreciate everything you told me. It gave me insight into your adventures, maturity, knowledge, and weaknesses in our curriculum. Interestingly enough, Mr. Arc also mentioned similar problems as you."
"He did?" Ruby's eyes widened in surprise. "But he had so many awesome outdoor skills. Why would he complain about that?"
"Mr. Arc knew those skills due to training he received from his grandfather, not at Beacon or a previous combat school that you and most of our other students have attended." Ozpin explained. "Some students may have been camping, but most do not have extended long term survival skills. You two have identified a critical weakness in what is being taught here. While there are some outdoor survival classes in your second year and up, they tend to be supplemental. It seems we need to start teaching how to survive in the wilds during your first year. We might even use your class to test out some new curriculums."
"Does that mean Jaune and I have an advantage?!" Ruby gasped. "Awesome! Weiss won't get mad at me for my grades!"
"You have a little more experience than most and can use that to help others." Ozpin smiled at her expression. "We'll have to see how to proceed with this."
"Is there anything else you want to know?" Ruby asked. She wanted to quickly go and tell her team the good news. Well, maybe bad news for Weiss and Yang. Those two wouldn't be able to survive in the wilderness without all their hair care and makeup products. It was going to be so funny watching how grumpy those two would be each morning. A large smile formed on her lips at the thought.
"No, not at this moment." Ozpin shook his head. "However, you will be required to write an essay about your experiences to be graded. Glynda was very insistent on that."
Ruby's smile slipped off and crashed to the floor.
"You're free to go," Ozpin chuckled at the look. "I would hate to keep you from your friends after being away for so long. Unless… of course… is there anything you wanted to tell me?"
Ruby opened her mouth. One conversation came to mind she did kind of want to talk about now that he brought it up. If anyone could tell her more, it would be him. However, she wasn't supposed to talk about it. In fact, she wasn't even supposed to have heard about it. Part of her warned herself she shouldn't let anyone know about that talk. It was very private information and Qrow made sure Jaune wouldn't talk about it. Admitting she was eavesdropping on Jaune felt almost as bad as betraying his secret.
"No… no, sir." The girl shook her head, trying to keep her face passive.
Ruby slumped into her seat at the cafeteria, feeling the intense glare of Weiss and Yang bearing down on her. The two members of her team wore expressions of fierce disapproval, and it was clear they had a bone to pick with her. Blake, on the other hand, remained engrossed in her book, her lunch receiving only partial attention. Jaune, sitting nearby, watched the unfolding drama with a sense of relief, thankful that he wasn't the one on the receiving end of Yang and Weiss's ire. Nora, always one to revel in the drama, couldn't help but giggle as she eavesdropped, while Ren maintained his usual calm demeanor, silently observing the situation.
"You convinced Ozpin… to give us more wilderness survival courses?" Yang repeated slowly. "Like actually going out into the wilderness with no supplies?"
"I didn't convince him of anything!" Ruby protested anxiously, aware how angry her sister was. "We just talked about what I learned during the apprenticeship!"
"But you told him you weren't prepared for surviving outside of the city." Weiss pointed out seriously, her eyes sharp. "As a teacher, it's only natural for him to want to fix any deficiencies in his curriculum. You should have realized that if you told him Beacon didn't prepare you for something, he would think of a way to fix it." Weiss rubbed the bridge of her nose. "And the one time you acted like a leader and informed him, it's to our detriment.'
"He was already considering making changes to that anyway!" Ruby argued. "He just used me and Jaune's testimonies to cement his ideas. We had no way of knowing Ozpin was planning to give us more classes. Besides, we were just telling the truth. Right, Jaune?" She turned to Jaune, who deliberately looked away. "...Jaune?"
"I have no idea what you're talking about." Jaune muttered in a monotone.
"JAUNE!" Ruby gasped loudly.
"Ruby, there's a lot I'll do for you, but taking the blame from an angry Weiss and Yang? Nope! I value my life."
Nora's hearty laughter filled the cafeteria, and Ren's smile grew more pronounced, while even Blake couldn't help but join in with a quiet chuckle. The atmosphere lightened, save for Ruby, who remained in a state of shocked silence. Jaune's quip had not only earned him amusement from his friends but also left Ruby feeling somewhat betrayed, as if he had left her to fend for herself. While Weiss managed to maintain her composure, Yang found herself torn between anger and laughter.
The source of their discontent was no secret to anyone present. Yang and Weiss were not the types to relish the great outdoors. They valued the comforts of civilization, complete with a wide array of hair care and makeup products, as well as the luxury of a soft bed. The notion of sleeping in a tent on the hard ground and waking up early every morning with their hair in disarray was nothing short of a nightmare to them.
Jaune knew most of his sisters felt the same way.
"What's the big deal?" Nora asked, her mouth half full and somehow still able to talk coherently. "It's just camping."
Yang and Weiss flinched a bit at that as Blake looked up, now interested in the conversation. It was known to all of them that Ren and Nora were orphans and traveled around a lot when they were younger. That meant those two probably slept outside more often than not when they had no money and didn't have someone kind enough to give them shelter. The fact Nora could talk about it so nonchalantly made them all a little confused how they should react. Ren noticed their change and demeanor and sighed.
"It's fine everyone..."
"Phew," Jaune wiped his brow. "I thought we might have said something wrong."
"What did you think you said?" Nora tilted her head curiously.
No one was sure if Nora was messing with them or not. Well, except for Ren and he wasn't telling.
As Ruby continued to endure the brunt of her team's displeasure, Jaune focused on his food, trying to avoid looking around for Pyrrha. It felt so lonely without her at the same table, chatting away with him and Nora. Not that he blamed her for staying away. He said some really stupid and childish things last night. Jaune still believed that Pyrrha wasn't completely innocent in his eyes either. She said some things that would be hard for him to forget. Nora had been great at helping keep him distracted, but he couldn't rely on her forever.
If he had been paying attention, he would have noticed Yang nudging Ruby and pointing at him.
Instead, he felt a tap on his shoulder and turned around.
Jaune's mouth fell open, his eyes widening as he beheld the short girl who stood before him. She wore a black blouse adorned with white frills, and her green eyes sparkled with mischievousness. Her black hair was styled in pigtails, making her all the more recognizable. It was the same girl he had encountered just a couple of nights ago. An unexpected meeting just transpired at Beacon—a twist of fate he couldn't quite wrap his head around.
"M-Mint?!" Jaune stammered, his shock palpable.
'In the flesh!' Mint signed with an exuberant smile. 'You didn't tell me you went to Beacon.'
Jaune's brain struggled to catch up as he gazed at the girl he had met in a bar only two days ago. However, his outburst drew the attention of those around him, most of whom were unfamiliar with Mint. She was known to be a member of Cinder's team but didn't frequently attend classes, and her presence didn't register much with the other students. Yet there was one exception: Ruby. The young had encountered Mint before and vividly remembered some of the rather foolish things she had said while she was 'drunk.' Ruby's face turned first pale and then beet red as she recalled those moments.
"Jaune, how do you know Mint?" Ren inquired, casting a curious look between Jaune and the familiar girl.
"We... uh..." Jaune faltered, struggling to find the right words, his mental gears grinding slowly. Fortunately, Mint was quick to come to his rescue, holding up her Scroll with a written message. She was accustomed to people not understanding sign language, which, in this instance, turned out to be quite unfortunate for Jaune.
'He's my daddy.'
The utterance of those three words sent shockwaves through the table. Nora, Yang, and Weiss executed exquisite spit takes in sheer astonishment, while Blake deftly dodged the projectiles of chewed-up food and spraying liquids. Ren, however, was not as fortunate and ended up with a face full of Nora's lunch. Ruby's jaw hung open as she stared at Jaune, her mind struggling to process the implications of that revelation.
"JAUNE!" Nora exclaimed at a volume that resonated across nearby tables, drawing the attention of several onlookers who knew Jaune. Even Pyrrha, seated on the other side of the room, couldn't help but turn her head at the sound of Nora's distinctive voice. "You never told us you had a daughter!"
Several more spittakes occurred at that revelation.
Cinder's eyes narrowed as she spotted Neo, disguised as Mint, at the epicenter of the commotion.
"Don't be silly, Nora." Ren sighed, wiping his face with his napkin. "They are around the same age. It would be impossible for Mint to be Jaune's daughter."
"Oh… I guess you're right." The ginger girl actually looked disappointed.
"It's just a joke," Jaune assured them all, finally thinking clearly. "Ruby and I met her at a club a few days ago."
"You were at a club?!" Yang blurted out, looking between Jaune and Ruby.
"Qrow dragged us there to get a drink the day before we got back to Beacon." Jaune answered.
"Oh… that makes sense."
'He saved me from a drunk guy who kept bothering me,' Mint put a hand over her forehead and pretended to swoon. 'Then he and Ruby decided to adopt me'
"THAT WAS REAL?!" Ruby stood up and shouted. "I thought that was just a drunk memory!"
"YOU WERE DRUNK?!" Yang yelled back, as this was the first time she heard about this. "What the hell?! You're too young!"
"I'm a Huntress, I'm allowed to!" Ruby shot back quickly.
Mint wasn't helping the situation.
"She offered me ice cream to come with her.'
"RUBY!" Weiss turned to the team leader. "What have I told you about using ice cream to kidnap people?"
"Uh… nothing?!" Ruby was momentarily broken from her shocked stupor and having it replaced by confusion. "You never said that!"
"I shouldn't have had to!"
'So when are we going out for ice cream, mom?!' Mint held up her Scroll.
Jaune slammed his head on the table as Yang, Ruby, and Weiss continued to shout at each other. Nora and many onlookers were laughing as Ren patted Jaune on the back. Blake sighed loudly, closed her book, and slipped away to somewhere less noisy. She wasn't getting involved in something stupid like this. Though she did give Jaune a pitying look as she snuck away. Jaune didn't notice her leave, but couldn't blame her when he realized she left.
This was entirely his fault as he was the one who used adopting Mint as a joke against a 'drunk' Ruby.
In his defense, he really thought she was drunk.
"ENOUGH!" Weiss shouted, cutting them all off. "You, explain!" She pointed to Jaune before turning around to the eavesdroppers. "Rest of you, mind your own business!" They quickly looked away, still amused. Weiss then sat down, crossed her arms and glared at Jaune.
Finally, he was able to explain it all. He recounted the visit to a bar with Qrow, the incident at Junior's club where they had intervened to protect Mint from a drunkard, and the noteworthy detail that Ruby had indulged in her first taste of alcohol, a secret he intended to take to the grave to spare her the embarrassment.
However, Jaune was quite strategic in leaving a few details out, not wanting to divulge everything that had transpired. Just when it seemed the situation might stabilize, Mint decided to take matters into her own hands—or rather, her own lap.
She planted herself in Jaune's lap during the discussion, an unexpected and slightly awkward gesture that left him perplexed. In his attempt to gently persuade her to return to her own seat, Mint playfully threatened to reveal certain escapades involving the twins, a prospect that silenced Jaune's protests. In the end, he decided to humor Mint's whims, attributing her actions to a form of karmic retribution for his previous involvement at Junior's club.
"Luuuuucky… I'm banned from there." Yang sighed. "Just because I was a little rough with Junior."
"You blew up the club." Ruby reminded her.
"You blew up a club?" Weiss demanded to know, looking at Yang before turning to Ruby. "When was this?"
"Little before we started Beacon."
"Hey, he was rude to me and his goons wouldn't learn their lesson." Yang shrugged.
"Sounds like you had a party." Nora laughed. "Good job at helping Mint through, Fearless Leader. Drunk people don't know how to take no for an answer, even if you punch them."
"A lot of experience?" Jaune asked.
"We've had a fair share of them coming out of bars and hitting on Nora." Ren nodded. "Many legs were broken."
"They tried to touch me, so it was a reflex." Nora humphed, crossing her arms.
"Been there, girlfriend." Yang fist bumped her across the table.
Mint, really the criminal Neo, was looking around as they talked, not sure what to do next. None of them were paying particularly close attention to her after the initial shock. Ignoring the fact she was sitting in the boy's lap. Her! A cute girl, so why were none of them doing anything? It had been unusually easy to get into the group and she had no idea why Cinder was making a big deal out of everything. The blonde girl didn't even recognize her after she got her ass kicked in the train at Mt. Glenn. It was too easy, so she might as well relax. Snuggling back against Jaune's chest, she prepared to just watch some videos on her Scroll.
Without warning, her danger sense kicked in and her eyes darted around to find the source of the threat. It took only a second to narrow it down, but the murderous intent came from such an unlikely source. Thinking about it, she should have realized after meeting Jaune at the club and encountering the drunk girl.
Ruby was glaring at her, a pitch-dark Aura surrounding the girl.
That was a surprise to Mint. Who would have thought that little girl actually could generate murderous intent. It was almost kind of impressive. Obviously, she liked the boy Mint was sitting on but were they a thing? It seemed like when Ruby was drunk, she thought they were. Maybe she didn't confess yet and Jaune was clueless. He didn't seem to notice the Malachite twins flirting with him after all. Or maybe he just didn't care? Weird, they weren't attractive, and he did show some embarrassment. A small smile graced her lips.
She was going to find out.
Jaune noticed Mint signing at him, asking a question.
"A dance?" Jaune blinked and looked down at her as she looked up. "First I've heard of it."
Weiss and Yang's eyes went wide as Ruby's face turned from angry to deathly white. However, Jaune didn't know that Ruby had been planning to ask him. Neither Nora nor Ren mentioned a dance to him at all. That was to be expected as they were more interested in his adventures and catching up. Plus, obviously Nora and Ren would go together, and no one expected differently, even if they said they weren't together-together.
Mint smiled up at him and signed another question.
"You want me to go with you?" Jaune repeated, his mouth dry. "Are you sure? Why?"
Mint shrugged before signing back.
'You're really the only guy I know at Beacon. I usually keep to myself.'
"Well…" Jaune paused as he scratched his head.
"WAIT!"
Ruby was barely contained; her impulse to lunge across the table was evident, but Weiss held her tray out of reach, her expression a mix of disbelief and consternation. Yang sported an uncharacteristic silence, her grin the only indication of her amusement, her eyes sparkling with mirth. Nora seemed on the verge of making a comment, but Ren swiftly covered her mouth with his hand to keep her in check. Mint, with a strong resolve, suppressed her laughter, maintaining a serious demeanor. Meanwhile, Jaune, still bewildered, turned toward his friend, his face etched with confusion. The atmosphere at the table was undeniably charged with intrigue.
"I…I…" Ruby stammered and then locked eyes with Mint. Seeing the amused expression in her eyes, regardless how well Mint was hiding it, solidified her resolve. "I wanted to ask you to the dance!"
Yang nearly gushed at this, but still managed to hold her tongue.
'But I asked first!' Mint protested, writing on her Scroll.
"But he's my best friend!" Ruby countered and turned to Jaune. "Well? Will you go with me?"
The poor boy was just staring at them like a deer in a headlight.
Until Weiss kicked him under the table to get this over with.
"I er…" Jaune gulped under her stare and then he stared into her eyes. She didn't seem angry at him. Not even irritated. Worried maybe? And she wanted to ask him to the dance? But Ruby hated dances and other social events. Was there something more? At that instance, Jaune realized it didn't matter. His friend wanted to go with him so there was only one correct answer. "Mint… sorry. I'm flattered, really. But I'm going to go with Ruby. I can save you a dance if you want."
Mint thought about it, shrugged, and nodded, before leaning back into his chest and closing her eyes.
That might have upset Ruby a bit, if the girl hadn't been focused on what Jaune said.
"Really?" Ruby's cheeks began to redden. "You'll go with me?"
"Yeah, if I had known about the dance and you wanted to go, I would have asked you."
Ruby wanted to express how happy she was, but the weight of what she asked suddenly weighed down on her. The introverted girl on anything outside of weapons suddenly realized what she just did. She asked Jaune, her best male friend, out to a dance. That was a date, right? Her original plan was to ask Jaune privately if he wanted to go, not out in public like this. Countless eyes were on her as she had made a scene. Slowly, she retreated back to her seat, stared down at her tray, and then bolted up.
"Er… bathroom!"
Rose petals fell down where she had just been a moment before.
"Ugh…" Weiss sighed. "I bet she expects us to clean this up."
"Soooo, Vomit Boy?" Yang grinned. "When did you become a ladies' man? Did Uncle Qrow rub off on you?"
"I'm not that popular." Jaune rolled his eyes.
Without missing a beat, Mint held up her Scroll. She did promise not to talk about this, but the opportunity was too perfect.
'He was flirting with the Malachite twins at Junior's.'
"He did?!" Yang was actually stunned he did that with those two. "But… But they are like Weiss! Stuck up and even more unlikeable."
"That's… HEY!" Weiss protested.
"This is revenge for what I said about you, isn't it?" Jaune moaned to Mint. The small girl nodded and smiled sweetly. "Okay, fine. I deserve it. If I treat you to ice cream like Ruby offered, can we put this behind us." Mint nodded again as she was easily bribed. "Okay, it's a deal."
"People are finally seeing how amazing our fearless leader is." Nora whispered to Ren.
"I think it's more that Jaune finally sees more in himself." Ren commented back.
"This is fun and all, but I need to tease…OW!" Yang yelped as someone kicked her under the table. The only reason Yang knew who did it was because her leg was stabbed by a very pointy heel. "Weiss!"
"Yes?" Weiss asked, sipping her coffee with no sign of having done anything.
Jaune found it surprisingly challenging to slip away from Nora and Ren that evening. As he was preparing to head out well past sunset, Nora's curiosity got the best of her, and she pressed for an explanation of his plans. Jaune eventually resorted to the explanation that Qrow wanted to have a private conversation with him and couldn't do so at the crack of dawn, which seemed to satisfy Nora, who generally took his word as gospel.
Ren, on the other hand, appeared a bit more skeptical, his reservations evident in his demeanor. Fortunately, he didn't voice his concerns, allowing Jaune to depart without further complications. Like Nora, he too trusted his friend.
Pyrrha still hadn't returned to the room, though some of her stuff had vanished over the course of the day.
"Come in." Came Ozpin's voice when Jaune knocked on his office door.
Pushing the door open, Jaune quickly realized this wasn't a private meeting. Ozpin was sitting behind his desk, but there were three other people there. Glynda Goodwitch was standing on one side of the desk, arms crossed, while James Ironwood was standing on the other side looking serious. Qrow was sitting in a chair and gave Jaune a reassuring smile and nod, which did help ease the boy's tension as he shut the door behind him. Until he realized that Qrow did not have his flask on him.
That put him on guard.
"It's good to see you again, Jaune." Ironwood stepped up and shook his hand.
"You too, sir." Jaune replied, a little stiffer than he intended while returning the gesture.
"Relax, son." Ironwood tried to assure him. "You aren't in trouble."
"Indeed, Mr. Arc." Glynda agreed. "We just want to make sure you are absolutely sure you wish to continue. It's not too late to back up now. Once you understand what Salem's forces are capable of, you won't be able to forget."
"I won't say I'm not scared at all," Jaune admitted, taking a deep breath. "Thinking of some immortal Grimm Queen is a frightening prospect…"
"Join the club." Qrow glared at Ozpin for a moment.
"...but I already know, and I can't change it." The boy continued. "And you mentioned someone was injured and needed my Semblance to heal them. At the very least, I want to help them." It didn't matter to Jaune that the person was important to Remnant's future. Well, it mattered a little, but if anyone was injured and Jaune could heal them, he would.
"A man who doesn't feel fear is a fool," Ozpin mumbled. "But it takes a brave man to be afraid and still step forward." He looked at the others. "I think at this point, we need to accept the fact that Mr. Arc is going to learn about the war we are facing."
"He's still a child." Ironwood reminded him.
"I agree with James." Glynda added. "I think we should limit the information on a need-to-know basis, rather than bringing him in on everything at this time."
"I'm okay with that!" Jaune blurted out, causing all of them to look at him. "I know my limitations. There's still a lot of work I need to do to get stronger. I need to focus on that for now. But since I do know, if you never need me for anything, I'll be able to help. You only have to fill me in on important information I need for missions." He blinked and rubbed his neck as his ears began to burn. "Well… I don't think I'll be that useful…"
"Don't sell yourself short, kid." Qrow interjected. "The fact you know your limits is more than most people can claim. It shows a keen mind." He taped his own head. "I'm sure there will be missions that if one of us goes," the man gestured to the adults in the room, "we'll draw notice. But you? There are ways to hide your main objective under the disguise of something else."
"Of course we will try to avoid sending you on anything too dangerous." Glynda glared at Qrow. "The war we fight has been waging on for years and the sacrifices we make… shouldn't be taken on by children."
Jaune felt a small tinge of irritation at that, even if he knew it was true. Glynda had always been harsh and blunt, but honest in her criticism. Her job was to make sure they improved and glossing over weaknesses was a surefire way for people to get hurt.
"As you can see, we are in agreement that you will be privy to information only a few people on Remnant know." Ozpin explained. "But yes, you won't have access to all of it. Not because we don't trust you, but for your own safety. You must also be aware that what we discuss can not be discussed with outsiders without express permission. Qrow telling you what he did was a unique circumstance."
"Raven…" The man in question muttered and slammed his fist on the wooden arm rest of his chair.
"I understand." Jaune wasn't planning to tell anyone, even Ruby, though that pained him. He also didn't want Salem's minions to know he knew about her and go after him directly. His strength wasn't at a level to face someone like Tyrian. "Everything we say is secret and will not speak of it."
"Good," Ozpin nodded in relief. "Now let us discuss the main reason we called you tonight. The task only you are able to accomplish."
"Qrow was using you and Ms. Rose as cover to investigate some assailants on an individual essential to our operations," Ironwood explained, his words coming out stiff and straight to the point in typical military style. There was none of the joking man Jaune met in Atlas. "While we didn't locate them, the fact Tyrian Callows was there to intercept, proved Qrow was closing in on them. The individual who was attacked is a young woman by the name of Amber. She is currently residing in a specially made Atlas medical capsule that is keeping her alive within this school for her protection."
"If she's that injured, shouldn't she be in a hospital?" Jaune couldn't resist asking.
"Her injuries aren't something that normal medicine can heal." Qrow replied instead of Ironwood.
"Jaune…" Ozpin actually used his name. "Amber's injuries are not physical. The minor wounds she received were healed quickly enough. No, the person who attacked her was given a gift by Salem. It allowed her to attack Amber's soul directly."
"Attack… the soul?" Jaune couldn't understand that. "Like, destroy her Aura?"
"Literally, her soul." Ozpin repeated. "The assailant ripped her soul apart and if it wasn't for Qrow's timely arrival, she would be dead."
Jaune just stared ahead as he tried to process that information. It was so unreal that part of him wanted to believe this was fake. The looks on everyone's faces showed that wasn't the case.
"H-How…?"
"We don't know." Ironwood shook his head. "Amber was slowly dying as her remaining soul wasn't capable of keeping her body alive. We made the medical capsule specifically designed to stabilize her, but even that's not enough. All we've done is slow her decline."
"Why would someone attack her like this?" Jaune shook his head, trying to comprehend all this. "If they just wanted her dead, why not just kill her directly?"
The adults shared a look and the boy realized he touched on something he shouldn't have.
"Amber has… a power that Salem wants," Qrow explained, still looking at the others to make sure he wasn't revealing too much. "So just killing her wasn't the goal. She was trying to steal it."
"Like a powerful Semblance?" Jaune asked, tilting his head.
"In a manner of speaking." Ozpin answered. "It's a bit hard to explain right now. The truth was that Salem's forces were attempting to take her power. If Amber dies in her current state, her power might transfer to her attacker since they took part of her soul. We need to avoid that scenario at all costs."
"That is where you come in." Glynda pointed to him.
"Me?" Jaune pointed to himself. "I can heal people, but their souls?"
"You Semblance amplifies Aura," Ironwood explained. "The enhanced Aura just allows faster recovery because there's more energy available to the body."
"Aura is the manifestation of one's soul." Ozpin continued. Instantly, Jaune remembered Pyrrha saying that very line when she unlocked his Aura during initiation. "If you are able to amplify it, and keep it amplified for an extended period of time, it might allow her soul to heal, or at least stabilize."
"Best case?" Qrow offered with a strained smile. "She wakes up and can tell us who attacked her. Maybe she'll give you a kiss as a thank you."
"Qrow!" Glynda snapped angrily and the man shut his mouth instantly.
"I have no idea this will work at all!" Jaune shook his head. "I've never done this before."
"We don't know either." Glynda confirmed seriously. "At this point, we don't have much of a choice. James believes it's possible based on what he saw in Atlas. It's why Qrow was stressing Semblance training and being able to access your Semblance for extended periods of times."
"We just want you to try." Ozpin continued. "Do your best while James measures her condition. It might not work and we'll have to figure something else out, but in the slim case it does work…"
"...We could save her and find the people who attacked her." Jaune finished, understanding the situation.
His mouth was dry as he took in a deep breath.
"I'll do my best."
Someone's life was in his hands once more and he would do everything in his power to save them.
Feel free to leave a review, comment, suggestions, or ideas, I love reading them. If you have a question you wish to ask and would like a quick answer, feel free to message me directly. I try to respond to those within a day or two. Comments, I tend to respond to in the next chapter.
nBappo: Be proud, for you have cooked. Out of the entire chapter I liked editing the 'Mint' part as I am one to enjoy a little comedy in fanfics and novels. The end stuck out a bit but it was not a cliffhanger, no room for one thank god. Editing this fic has made me want to binge the entirety of RWBY but I'm holding back since I can not afford to spend time on it. (I will succumb to the urge)