A/N: EDIT: Trolls ahoy! Cheeky little buggers reallly don't know when to quit. T_T

Added some more content and spruced up a few scenes.

Hope you enjoy 'em~!

This is...somewhat shorter than I'd like, but work calls and apparently I promised someone I'd update this today?

*tilts head*

Did I? I've been forgetting things lately, frankly its a little worrying...seriously. The other day I forgot which was the brake and gas pedal, and before that, the combination lock for my safe, mixed up my shoes the other day...almost forgot to feed the cows...

...might need to get this checked out at the doctors.

As ever, we're sticking with the "Embers" rule for this story for the time being.

Sad as it might sound, if folks don't like this,...well, I won't continue it. Meaning that if the story itself ain't popular? If folks don't like it? Done. So by all means, speak up! Your voice matters! Make yourself heard! As ever, reviews are the fuel that sustain me. Without them I cannot write a single word. Simple as that. I'm working two jobs, trying to keep a roof over my family's head, and at the end of the day this is very much a HOBBY. I simply don't have time to write a story no one likes, and feedback sustains me...

Of course, reviewing is your choice. I can't force you.

Now lets move onto your questions, comments and concerns~!

Q: Give us a fucking timeskip already, I want action! Fights! Romance! Gimme the juicy bits!

A: First, language. Second, in good time.

Q: Have you finalized the pairing?

A: Yup. You'll have to read to the end to see what comes of it.

I can only promise this; you won't see it coming. So by all means, read on~!

In other news, I'm thinking of pulling a Couer and just NOT stating the pairings in the summary of my stories anymore. Builds suspense, you know?

Q: I KNOW WHO PORT IS! All the clues where there! Only *spoiler* would possibly be close to *spoiler* let along go to such lengths to *spoiler* let alone to *spoiler* so Kurama wouldn't recognize *spoiler* and of Jaune wasn't even born back then, so of course he wouldn't know about *spoiler* being *spoiler*

Oh god, Naruto's gonna *SPOILER!* its gonna be an absolute *spoiler* for poor *spoiler*

So? How did I do? Please tell me I'm not making a wild guess here.

A: Well, that question's been heavily redacted, but I thought I'd leave it up to see if anyone else can piece it together like this chap did.

Q: Jaune's getting better!

A: Both as a person and a Huntsman. But can he keep his house of cards together? That's the question.

Q: Will you be including Professor Peach in this? I'd love to see who you could do with her...considering we have no idea who she is.

A: Yuuuuup.

Q:...we're coming to that arc, aren't we? Pun intended.

A: ...yes, and I'll let that horrid pun slide, considering who features in this chapter.

Speaking of which...!

Alright then, I think I've kept you long enough.

You didn't come here to listen to an old man's ramblings, after all.

As ever, I own no references, quotes, themes or memes. Now off we go. Hope you're ready~!

Quote is modified from Fallout. You know the one.

"There is much to be skeptical in this wild world of ours, so it no longer surprises me,to learn how many people don't believe in anything.

For many of us the road is a difficult one, but the path is always there for us to follow; no matter how many times we may fall.

The good news is that you can always find your way back, Jaune.

Naturally some days are...harder...than others. I speak from experience there. But you have to try. We all have our doubts. That's alright. To doubt is to be human. No one's perfect. The light of your mind alone cannot burn away all darkness. Think of it like a fire. Like any flame, you need to feed it, give it fuel, to keep it burning. Look in your heart. When the walls come tumbling down, when you lose everything you have, you always have family. Friends. The bonds you made along the way. We all go through periods of darkness, son. Even me. Of course in a world filled with misery and uncertainty it's a great comfort to know that, in the end, there is light in the darkness.

In such times many turn to other vices, but its good to have friends by your side. Family.

If nothing else, ask yourself this, Jaune. Why do we fall?

So we can learn to pick ourselves up.

~Naruto.

Just a Little Brawl

"You fight good!"

Jaune bit back a smile as he levered the shield of Crocea Mors before his face and took a ready stance. Not a moment too soon; scarce had he raised his trusty bulwark than a powerful fist slammed into him. The impact alone rattled his arm and sent him sliding backwards. His shoes stomped down against the mat, aura sparking -chakra flaring!- to stick him in place and prevent an ignoble defeat. Grunting but a little, he wrested himself away from the edge and stalked back in. Too close. She'd nearly knocked him clear out the ring that time.

Still, you fight good?

He couldn't even bring himself to be angry after taking that hit; it was such a Yang thing to say that he had to laugh. Shaking the ache out of his arm he considered the blond brawler for a moment. Green aura for both of them, neither anywhere in yellow...but this wasn't working. He'd been on the backfoot since they'd begun. Swordplay was all well and good, but against someone like Yang Xia-Long...

.

..

...it wasn't enough.

Time to fall back on his tried and true talents.

"Jaune, no." Kurama growled. "Don't even think about it!"

'Jaune yes!' Blast it all, normal or not, he'd been on the defensive for too long! 'I can barely move like this!'

"Really love your puns, don'tcha?" Sheathing his sword before him he reached down and began to fiddle not with his crimson chestplate, gauntlets or greaves, but rather what lay beneath them. "You've been at it for the last five minutes, you know...

Yang arched an eyebrow, but didn't budge.

"What can I say?" he heard the telltale crack of Ember Celica reloading as she cocked her fists. "I like what I like."

The ghost of a smile touched whiskered cheeks. "Then you're gonna love this. Gimme a second, will you?"

Never once to balk at a challenge, she stood her ground. "Alright. I'll bite...not gonna use your sword?"

He cast Crocea Mors down.

"I'll let my fists do the talking."

Nora hooted from the sideline. "Thatta boy, Jaunie! Kick some blond butt!"

"Hey! I'm blond!"

"Meh." she waved a hand. "Potatoe, potato...

Not a week after Forever Fall and combat class had 'round come once again; dragging him back into the spotlight. After that wild waltz with Weiss he'd almost dared to hope he'd proven himself capable enough for awhile longer; he'd almost though himself safe in the peaceful glow of anonymity.

Not so, apparently. What miss Goodwitch wanted, Goodwitch got.

...well, at least he wasn't facing Ruby. He didn't think he could bear to hurt her. She reminded him too much of his sisters. Good, pure, always ready with a smile and kind word, ever eager to help. Moreover, he was fairly certain Ruby wouldn't be able to take what was coming Yang's way.

There!

He found the clasp beneath his gauntlets. Something heavy struck the ground. It wasn't his armor. Yang made a puzzled noise, but he didn't stop. Next came the one wrapped around his chest beneath his armor. A quick tap and the final strap went with it followed the weight beneath his greaves; one by one they crashed down against the mat, allowing him ease of movement once more. He rolled his shoulders and bounced upon one heel, then the other, testing himself. He was quite pleased with what he found.

Much better! He'd been wearing those blasted things for the last year; his body felt so much lighter without them.

A light, lilting laugh trickled into the air. It took Jaune a moment to realize it came from him.

Pyrhha hummed from the sidelines. "Oh dear, those looked heavy...

She had no idea. Chakra weights weren't something you wanted to mess about with.

Yang balked back, eyeing the small pile unlimbered at their feet. "You were wearing weights under your armor?! This entire time?!"

Weiss utter a strangled sound behind him, drawing a wince from Jaune. Oh. Right. He'd fought her with those on, hadn't he? Couldn't remember. It felt like he had...?

"You really have no idea, do you?"

Jaune shrugged helplessly. "...nope?"

Weiss made angry Weiss noises anew.

"Ballsy." Yang pumped a fist and started forward. "I like it."

Ruby squawked at his back. "Hey! That's my line! Dirty line-stealer!"

He craned his neck toward her. "I'll buy you a plate of cookies after class...?"

It was like flipping a switch; her squawk became a squeal of joy. "Aaaaaand you're forgiven!"

Yang's shout behind was his only warning. "Heads up!"

Jaune dodged by a hairsbreadth, narrowly avoided a fist that would've launched him clear out the ring, and lashed out in kind. She was all too happy to meet him head on. Clenched knuckles collided. Aura sparked as air burst between them. Cheery lilac eyes blazed back at him. They almost seemed to burn...red. What was that? A semblance or something? She swung with her other fist and when he reciprocated said fist opened, fingers grasping. Quite suddenly he found himself holding hands with her, grappling against this gregarious, grinning girl.

His brain bleated in dismay. 'Isn't this a little forward?!'

"That's much better," she all but purred the words. "I can actually feel that."

Jaune felt something, too! Embarrassment! He'd never held hands with a girl before!

"Eye on the ball, tiger!"

Much to his chagrin she tried to push forward and failed. Her smug smile vanished as quickly as it came. Jaune's didn't waver. This wasn't something he could fake; if he let Yang overpower him, she'd surely notice. That would lead to questions, questions he wasn't ready to answer. So he planted his feet, grit his teeth, and took one step. Two. Three. Slowly, inexorably, he pushed Yang back. Back. Back yet again, towards the ring. Credit where it was due, she caught on quickly.

"Aw, hell." her lips pursed in a scowl. "Weiss didn't say you were this strong...

"I'm sorry." he winced a little. "Time for you to lose."

Yang was strong. Really, she was...

.

..

...he was just stronger than her.

She must've realized it too; because she broke the grapple and swept his legs.

The world twisted and he had all of an instant to see Ember Celica whistling toward his face.

Say what you would about Yang, but she wasn't stupid. She had a temper that burned white-hot when you tugged on her hair, as he'd learned after that last combo, but anger didn't necessarily make her a berserker. She was an entirely different beast than Weiss; stubborn as only a fellow blond could be.

Damnitall, that made him want to fight her fair and square!

Slapping a hand on the mat, he caught himself, pivoted his hips, and smashed a bruising kick into her side. He felt her ribs creak before she hit the mat. Yang didn't stumble so much as she drop to a knee; even so it gave him time enough to scramble upright. She grit her teeth and surge after him with a roar. He found himself returning it as he lunged at her. His fist slammed into her cheek; an uppercut smashed into his chest, rattling his armor. He caught her by the arm and reeled her into a bruising knee. They spun away and came back for more.

"Ha!" he heard her cry. "That's more like it! Where have you been hiding?!"

Time got funny after that, seconds blurring into minutes as they fought on. Strike after strike, combo after combo, a blazing burly brawl that saw them raging across the ring. Hoots and hollers of encouragement chased them as they fought. Had he been aware of them, he might've blushed:

"Fight well!"

"Go Jaune! Kick her butt!

"Save some of him for me, Xiao-Long!"

All eyes turned to Weiss.

"What?" She shrugged. "At least I'm honest about it."

He heard none of it, only the roar in his ears, the sweat on his skin, the smile stretching his face. He could feel his right eye aching, a black eye forming, but he didn't care. Wading in, ducked a kick, caught Yang by her thigh and flung her away. She twisted in the air and unloaded on him, Ember Celica raining dust around him. He crossed his arms and trusted in his armor, only for her to come raging through the smoke and force him on the defensive once more.

"Someday, son." he recalled Dad's words in a in instant. "Someday you'll meet someone who gives as good as they get. Watch out for people like that. They just won't go down.

Dad had been right! This! This was what he lived for. Give him a good fight any day of the week. He was pants when it came to homework.

"Gee, its almost like you needed to learn those things before you came to Beacon!"

'Not helping!'

Jaune gave as good as he got, whaling on her with nearly no restraint. Yang returned it in kind. Her grin had returned. He wasn't sure why. Her aura was falling, and fast, any moment now Miss Goodwitch would step in. If she didn't one of them -likely Yang!- was going to drop, and soon.

Finally, he caught Yang's chin with a rousing uppercut.

It was a good punch, stern and solid, more than enough to knock her out.

Yang's head snapped back, then snapped down thrice as fast.

Too late, Jaune saw her eyes. They were red. Like fire.

She grinned at him. "Now that's a punch! My turn!

Too close! Too fast! No, he could tank it-

Clenched knuckles dented his cheek.

Her punch sent him flying.

Jaune didn't even realize he'd landed out of the ring. He must've blacked out One moment he was standing, the next, Yang Xiao-long stood over him, hand extended before his blurry vision. Why were there three of her? Had she really hit him that hard...? Chagrin broke through the haze. Sloppy. He'd been arrogant, tanking a hit he should have, by all rights, dodged. Dad would've had his hide.

...ot bad."

"Eh?" Jaune dug a finger into his ringing ear, to no avail.

"I said not bad." Yang's grin was nothing short of contagious. "You almost had me there."

Kurama scoffed. "Bah! You would've won if you hadn't limited yourself. This is what you get for holding back."

His spirits soared as she hauled him to his feet. "Worth it, though...

"Aint' your fault." Yang must've mistook the words for herself, because she preened like the phoenix she was. "You fought me on my terms, not yours." she flicked her golden mane over one shoulder. "For what's its worth that last hit was my Semblance. Lets me dish out the damage I take twice as hard. You'll be ready for it next time." a thought must've occurred to her then; because she absolutely grinned at him. "Guess I beat you to the Pun-nnch for once?"

Silence stretched between the two of them.

"That was bad and you should feel bad." Jaune twitched. "Ow, my head...

"Not bad, tiger." she clapped his shoulder. "Maybe I'll start calling you that, instead."

Another nickname in the Xiao-long repertoire. Lovely. As if she needed another. "Please, don't. "

"Too late! See you around, tiger."

Her peace said, the bemused brawler drawled the last word, bumped her hip against his and walked -strutted!- away to face the praise of her team.

Jaune slumped a little as his own came to console him, rubbing his aching eye. "Right, lesson learned...don't tank what you can dodge...

Realization dawned soon thereafter. Waitaminute! He'd lost a match.

A bleary grin spread across whiskered cheeks.

Cover secure!


(.0.0.0.)


"This mission will be dangerous. Knowing this, will you still accept it, Penny?"

The cheery girl snapped off a sharp salute. "Yessir, Grandfather!"

Naruto patted her head. "Good girl."


(.0.0.0.)


Blake was wary of Jaune Arc.

It wasn't caution born of confrontation rather, a lack thereof.

The boy was a walking enigma, one she couldn't seem to puzzle out no matter how hard she tried.

Therein lie the problem. She liked mysteries. Less so when they endangered her perhaps, but they intrigued her all the same.

And yet he'd not made the slightest effort to approach her. Not in the least. They'd barely spoken to one another. Two acquaintances, two ships passing in the night; their teams aware of one another but little else. He had performed well against Weiss and earned a bit of favor from that; if only because a small secret part of her had enjoyed watching the Schnee get smacked around.

Was it wrong? Definitely. Did she enjoy it? Maybe a little.

He was a Faunus too, he must be; no ordinary human would have whiskers like that on their face.

Today's bout only baffled Blake further. He wasn't all powerful; Yang had managed to beat him...hadn't she? He'd pulled back at the last second. He must have. Yang might've missed it, but she hadn't. As if he'd stopped himself from dealing a lethal blow.

Only a killer could see such things. Though it shamed her to admit it.

On the outside he put up a brave front; kind and affable, ever ready to step up when someone was in need. The very ideal of a Huntsman. He'd certainly shown Winchester a thing or two Yang and Ruby seemed to get on with him well enough. Weiss...probably wanted a rematch with him. But she saw the way he held himself the way he moved, the manner in which he held himself, the hesitation at key moments.

Unfortunately that begged another, more personal question. Did he know?

She was hardly as infamous as Adam, but hadn't been subtle during her time with the White Fang...or her disguise. Most Faunus knew her face, if not her last name. In hindsight, that might have been her fault. A bow? Really? She could have changed her name and outfit, died her hair, wore colored contacts, even thrown Gambol Shroud away. Instead she'd hidden her ears behind a pretty bit of ribbon and called it a day. Because surely no one could see through such a brilliant disguise!

...not one of her finer moments, that.

'Paranoid kitty is being paranoid,' a tiny voice -her own self doubts- cooed in her ear. 'He doesn't even know who you are.'

Nonsense. It isn't paranoia if someone's out to get me.

'Exactly the sort of thing a paranoid person would say."

...she was talking to herself again.

Tossing her head from side to side, she buried herself in her book. Or rather, she tried..

A frustrated groan drew her back to reality.

The sight before her did much to diminish the mystery of Jaune Arc in her eyes; for the object of her curiosity sat not a table away. He was trying too hard.

"I can't figure this out!"

Head in his hands, teeth bared, eyes wild, he looked fit to bite the textbook before him. For that at least she wouldn't blame him. Profressor Port's nonsensical assignments were a cakewalk compared to the sheer slew of paperwork that was Proffessor Oobleck's.

Someone in the distance Blake could've sworn she heard the man holler "Doctor!" at the skies.

Her imagination, surely.

Still how could someone with strength and committed be so hopelessly incompetent when it came to homework?

Sat before an empty table in the library, locked in mortal combat with an equation he couldn't comprehend, Jaune Arc fought.

It was a losing battle. He agonized over the text to no avail. He was trying to do it alone too, the stubborn boy. But why? What did he gain from such a thing? Did he not want to disgrace himself before his team? Or was he simply studying during his downtime? More questions, not enough answers.

"Being a hunter is hard." his lips pursed, unaware of her keen hearing. "Yeah, yeah, know I chose this but math is evil...

Blake felt her ears twitch beneath her bow. Who was he talking to? Himself? It seemed the obvious answer, and yet she didn't want to give it. For a Faunus, he didn't let anything get to him; yet an up-and-coming test had him wracking his brain and chewing on a nail; gritting his teeth as though he were caught in some life and death struggle.

Enough. Blake took pity on him.

"Its simple." her arm crossed his as she reached over him and scribbled out the rest of the formula. "See?" she nudged his arm when he titled his head. "You just solve for X here. Then the route follows through. Its basic. How do you not know this?"

"Sure...basic. Guess I must've missed that class." he blinked, then grinned. It didn't reach his eyes. "You know, you're a pretty nice person, Blake."

Urk.

"R-Right." she gulped. "Nice...

Paraonia reared its ugly head anew. Was he onto her?!

"By the way," he continued, wholly unaware of her mounting anxiety, "I wanted to ask you something."

Panic bleated, turning her thoughts to static. Ask her about what?! The White Fang?! Nope! Code red! Abandon ship!

Blake stepped back sharply; not quick enough to miss the flash of confusion on his face, followed by hurt.

"Wait!" he rose, reaching out in a vain attempt to stop her. "It wasn't anything bad, I swear!"

She retreated or rather, tried to; because she smacked into someone.

"I'm sorry," she mumbled to them, "Please excuse...me?"

Another Jaune blocked her path.

.

..

...another Jaune?!

Blake recoiled. "What is this?!"

"I'm sorry!" Each Jaune flailed their arms, looking quite chagrined. "I panicked!" as she looked on aghast, the doppelganger vanished in a plume of smoke. "Please don't tell anyone!"

Her mind whirled a mile a minute. Don't tell anyone? Did he have a secret too? No, not important. That...just now, what was that? He'd created another physical copy of himself; not at all like her clones. It had caught her. Stopped her, and not dissolved. It had even spoken to her. Clones didn't do that. That thing had been...alive.

Golden eyes fluttered in a rapid blink. ...just what are you?"

Jaune scratched the back of his head.

...just a normal student?"

A/N: To be clear, that was Jaune holding back and brawling.

Blake Runaway Arc next chapter.

As ever, sticking with the "Embers" rule.

If folks don't like this, it won't be continued. Meaning that if the story itself ain't popular, if folks don't like it...well, I'll not continue it. So by all means, speak up! Your voice matters! Make yourself heard! As ever, reviews are the fuel that sustain me. Without them I cannot write a single word. Simple as that. I'm working two jobs, trying to keep a roof over my family's head, and at the end of the day this is very much a HOBBY. I simply don't have time to write a story no one likes, and feedback sustains me...

Once again, reviews are my fuel. Without them I simply cannot write.

So in the Immortal Words of Atlas...

...Review...Would You Kindly?

And enjoy the previews.

POTENTIAL ONES!

Soooo! Tell me what you want to see~!

(FUTURE! Previews)

Child sighed. "You panicked, didn't you?"


"Wait, we have a Professor Peach? Who is she?"

The woman smiled and kept walking.


"Maybe we were tired of being pushed around!"

Weiss blinked.

Blake did what she always did. She ran.


"Hello, friend of Ruby!"

Jaune leaned back. "Hello? And you are...?"

"My name is Penny! It is a pleasure to finally meet you." green eyes shone with thinly disguised glee. "Your family has told me so much about you!"

"Wait. Family?!"


"Let me help you."

"I can do this by myself!"

...you really can't. Even I can see that."


Torchwick tugged his hat down.

"These kids just keep getting weirder...

R&R~!