Next chapter of this. Been a while, huh? Sorry, my friend sucked me into Zenless Zone Zero. The gacha has caught me...
For anyone interested in making a commission, email me at: storylover543 gmail . com
Jaune stretched his arms over his head and let out a long yawn, his breath misting in the early morning air. Beacon's grounds were quiet at this hour, save for the the occasional chirp of birds. The Academy felt isolated from the rest of the world. The sun was barely peeking over the horizon, casting warm, golden hues across the landscape. Perfect time for a jog, or at least, that's what Eve always told him.
He wasn't a morning person. Far from it. But with classes starting soon (and with it, sparring sessions with people who went to actual combat school), he figured he needed every advantage he could get. His sisters always said that if he worked as hard as he dreamed, he'd catch up to anyone.
That was the same thing Eve said when she sat on him and told him to give her fifty pushups...
Adjusting his hoodie - one of the last ones Mom sent him before he left for Beacon - he started down the paved trail leading away from the dorms. His sneakers tapped softly against the ground and his breaths came out at the same balanced pace Eve taught him.
Just as he was settling into a pace, another set of footsteps echoed behind him. Before he could turn, a familiar voice called out, "What's up, Jaune?" He looked back and saw Yang jogging up beside him, her usual confident grin plastered across her face. Her orange tank top and running shorts left little to the imagination and he made sure he looked only at her lilac eyes. His sisters always told him not to let his eyes wander when talking to other women.
"Morning, Yang." He tried to keep the strain out of his voice as he kept up. She made running look effortless, which annoyed him more than he cared to admit.
"Didn't think I'd see you out here so early," she teased, looking him over. Her golden hair was pulled into a ponytail that bounced with every step, "Figured you'd still be hugging your pillow, drooling about...what was it? Pumpkin Pete's?"
Jaune frowned, "Hey! First things first, I don't drool. Second, Pumpkin Pete's deserves respect. It's the greatest cereal known to mankind."
Yang laughed, turning around and jogging backwards but still keeping the same pace as before. It reminded him of Eve, "You're too easy, Vomit Boy."
"Could you not call me that? It's bad enough I have a reputation already..."
"Reputation? Oh, you mean the one for puking on the bullhead?"
"Can we talk about literally anything else?"
Yang grinned wider, clearly revving herself up for another go,, when a third voice interrupted, "Good morning, Jaune, Yang." Both turned to see Pyrrha catching up to them. She was dressed in a Beacon training hoodie and leggings, her hair tied back in its usual ponytail. There was something effortlessly graceful about the way she moved, like running was second nature to her. Jaune almost tripped over his own feet trying to straighten up.
"Pyrrha! Hey!" He didn't catch her in the dorms when he left, so he figured she was out training too. Good to see that he wasn't the only early riser.
"Morning, Cereal Girl," Yang greeted casually, "Guess I shouldn't be surprised the four-time champion's getting a headstart.."
"Oh, I just like to keep my stamina up," Pyrrha said with a soft smile, "And it's a great way to start the day, don't you think?"
"Sure," Jaune said, though he wasn't sure at all. His legs were already starting to burn.
The three of them fell into a steady rhythm, with Yang leading the way, Jaune in the middle, and Pyrrha just behind him, "So," Yang started, her voice playful, "how're you liking team leader life, Jaune?"
"It's... fine," Jaune replied, "Still getting used to it, honestly. Feels weird telling people what to do." That and he'd only been leader for, what, a day? It wasn't like he was a leader of men just yet. Jaune laughed under his breath. He could already hear Cindy saying that was Quitter Talk and he needed to take charge.
"You'll get used to it," Pyrrha said encouragingly, her tone warm, "You did a great job during Initiation."
"Yeah," Yang added with a grin, "Not bad for a guy who didn't even go to combat school. You gotta introduce me to that big sis of yours. We can exchange tips. I need to get Ruby to start taking her unarmed training seriously. Every single time I try, it's always 'But Yang~, I have Crescent Rose! Why do I need to know how to use my fists?'" She groaned, "Like, ever heard of a backup plan, Rubes? Yeesh."
"I mean...doesn't she have a point? I'm not exactly gonna try to fistfight Grimm either."
"Oh, come on!" Yang threw her hands up, her ponytail swishing even more, "Pyrrha, back me up here! You think I'm right!"
"Well...not everyone has the same mindset when it comes to combat," she said diplomatically. Yang pursed her lips in a pout, "Huntsmen have different viewpoints on it. Some believe that you only need mastery of one weapon while others say you need at least two or three. I was taught with the latter mindset in mind, but I know the vast majority of Huntsmen adhere to a specific weapon. Ruby's the same."
"I'm not asking her to learn a whole new weapon or anything, just know how to throw a punch. She can't always carry her 'baby' around. And what if she had to take someone down without putting them in the hospital? That scythe doesn't exactly have a stun setting."
"Hm, maybe I can help there?" Jaune hummed, "I'm no expert on unarmed combat or anything, but Eve thinks the same as you do about needing to know how to fight when your weapon's not in your hands." He had the bruises from her sparring matches to show for it. For some reason, she really liked grappling him till he cried uncle.
"Oh? Perhaps you could teach me some moves then?" Pyrrha said.
"I don't mind, but I'm not sure how much I can really help there. You're a tournament champion, right? You probably know way more than I do. Yang'll probably be a better partner."
"That's not true. I think we can learn a lot from each other." She smiled sweetly. She was so nice, he thought. Cindy always told him celebrities were jerks who had their heads up their asses. Which was how she justified changing the channel every time a singer or some other fighter showed up on the living room TV. Personally, he thought she was over-generalizing there. He never did understand why she only did it whenever female fighters and celebrities showed up...
"Well, if you really think so, then sure! Just tell me when!"
"O-Of course!"
For some reason, Yang raised an eyebrow, lips curling in a sly girn, "Aww, look at you two, already bonding. Isn't that sweet?"
Jaune rolled his eyes, "What's that supposed to mean?"
"Oh, nothing," Yang said innocently, though the mischievous glint in her eye said otherwise.
Pyrrha cleared her throat, a faint blush dusting her cheeks, "So, Jaune, are you planning to join any clubs?"
"Clubs?" He blinked, "Do we even have those here?"
"Yes," Pyrrha said, smiling again, "There's a combat club, for instance. It could be a great way to hone your skills." A combat club? Wasn't that already a class? Then again, this was a school for Huntsmen. He shouldn't have been surprised, "I took a look at the brochure. It's a place for students from all years to spar and give each other tips. Going up against a fourth year might not end in your victory, but they can make good mentors."
"Sparring, huh?" He scratched the back of his neck, "I dunno. I'm not exactly ready to go up against people who actually know what they're doing." No offense to Eve, of course, but she wasn't exactly a professional trainer.
"You'll never get better if you don't try," Pyrrha said, her voice gentle but firm, "I could help you, if you'd like."
"Really?" Jaune asked, surprised, "You'd do that?"
"Of course." Her smile widened slightly, and Jaune couldn't help but notice how bright her eyes looked in the morning light.
Yang, jogging a few steps ahead, glanced over her shoulder with a knowing smirk, "Careful, Jaune. Pyrrha's got a mean right hook. You might not survive the training."
Pyrrha laughed softly, "I promise I'll go easy on him."
"Thanks...I think?" Jaune said.
The three of them continued their jog, the conversation light and easy. As they rounded the final bend back toward the dorms, Jaune felt a strange sense of contentment. Maybe he wasn't the strongest or the smartest, but moments like this - running with his friends, sharing little jokes - made him feel like he might just belong here after all.
If only he could figure out why Yang kept grinning at him like that.
Jaune felt a mix of nerves and excitement as he walked into his first official class. It wasn't every day you got to learn about the history of Huntsmen from a real Huntsman - one who also happened to talk faster than most auctioneers. Professor Oobleck's reputation preceded him, and Jaune wasn't sure if he was more worried about keeping up with the material or the man himself. Videos about his lectures were on the Beacon homepage and it gave him a good idea on what the guy was like.
"Team JNPR!" Nora cheered as she skipped ahead of the group, her boundless energy on full display, "First class together! Who's excited?!"
Ren gave a small, amused smile, "I think you've got enough excitement for all of us."
"I'm excited," Pyrrha added with a warm smile, adjusting the strap of her bag, "History is one of my favorite subjects. There's so much to learn from the past. I have a particular interest in the Mistralian warriors of old. Their culture, their fighting styles...it's all so fascinating."
Jaune scratched the back of his head, "Guess it's important to know who swung the first sword, huh?" Maia always said that it didn't matter who swung first. What mattered was making sure you were the one who swung last.
"Or who threw the first hammer!" Nora added enthusiastically.
As they entered the lecture hall, Jaune spotted Team RWBY already seated near the middle. Ruby waved them over with a bright grin, while Yang leaned back in her seat with a lazy wave. Blake sat beside Weiss, her face buried in a book as if she hadn't noticed them at all, "Morning!" Ruby chirped as Team JNPR took their seats on the chairs behind them.
"Hey, Ruby." Jaune smiled. He noticed that Pyrrha sat beside him without hesitation, while Ren and Nora took the other spots.
Blake, however, shifted in her seat. Subtly but noticeably, she angled herself away, scooting closer to Weiss. If Jaune didn't know better, he'd think she was avoiding him, "Where's Professor Oobleck?" Nora asked, drumming her fingers on the desk.
Yang chuckled, "You'll know when he gets here. Guy moves like a caffeine tornado."
As if on cue, the door to the classroom burst open, and a green blur zipped in at an impossible speed, "Good morning, students!" Professor Oobleck's rapid voice filled the room as he darted between desks, a coffee cup clutched tightly in one hand and a stack of papers in the other, "Ah, yes, excellent turnout today! History, my dear students, is the foundation upon which all Huntsmen stand! Without the past, how can we hope to build the future? Now then, let us begin!"
Jaune blinked, barely processing the whirlwind of energy that was their teacher. He quickly flipped open his notebook as Professor Oobleck launched into a rapid-fire lecture about the Great War and its effects on modern Remnant.
Despite Professor Oobleck's frenetic pace, Jaune found himself surprisingly engaged. The man's enthusiasm was infectious, and the way he darted around the room kept things far from boring. He glanced around to see how everyone else was faring. Ruby was furiously scribbling notes, her tongue poking out in concentration, but a quick look showed about half of them were scribbles. Weiss looked as though she had everything memorized already, her posture prim and proper. Yang was leaned back with her arms crossed, clearly more interested in looking like the cool bad girl of taking notes.
And Blake...
Blake was still sitting as far from Jaune as possible. Her book was closed now, and she was taking notes like the rest of them, but there was something off about her. She kept sneaking glances at him when she thought he wasn't looking, her amber eyes flicking his way before darting back to her notebook.
"Did I do something wrong?" Jaune whispered to Pyrrha, leaning slightly toward her.
"What do you mean?" Pyrrha asked, keeping her voice low.
"Blake," he said, nodding subtly in her direction, "She's acting weird. I don't think she's looked at me directly since we got here."
Pyrrha followed his gaze and tilted her head thoughtfully, "Maybe she's just shy?"
"Shy? Blake?" Jaune snorted quietly, "I saw her run on that Nevermore's back at Initiation. Besides, why would she be shy with me and not anyone else?"
"Well, it's probably nothing," Pyrrha said, giving him a reassuring smile, "You shouldn't let it bother you."
Jaune nodded, though he couldn't shake the feeling that something was definitely up. Blake wasn't the kind of person to act standoffish for no reason.
As the professor's lecture continued, Jaune tried to focus on the material, but his thoughts kept drifting back to Blake's odd behavior. It wasn't like they'd had much of a chance to talk yet, but he thought they were on friendly terms. What could he have done to make her avoid him?
Blake's odd behavior was eating at him.
Normally, he wouldn't think twice about someone sitting at the opposite end of the room. People were allowed to choose where they wanted to sit. But the way Blake had gone out of her way to keep her distance - not just once, but throughout the whole class - was impossible to ignore. He tried to move his chair forward and she practically jumped to the seat in front of her. Now he knew he wasn't imagining it.
Did he do something to offend her? Jaune frowned, scribbling a half-hearted note about the Mistral-Atlas trade agreement. She seemed fine during Initiation. He didn't think I said anything weird...did he?
His thoughts spiraled through every interaction they'd had, which admittedly weren't many. Maybe he'd stepped on her foot in passing? Or borrowed a chair she wanted? He hadn't accidentally knocked her coffee over or something, had he? No, he was pretty sure he'd remember that.
What the heck did he do?! He'd thrown up on Yang's boots and she was joking around with him like they were old buddies. Was what he did to Blake somehow worse?!
By the time class ended, Jaune was convinced he needed to make things right...even though he had no idea what things' were, "I'll just talk to her," he muttered to himself as they packed up their things, "No big deal, right?"
"What's no big deal?" Pyrrha asked, tilting her head curiously.
"Huh?" Jaune blinked, startled, "Oh, uh, nothing. Just thinking out loud."
Pyrrha gave him an encouraging smile, "If something's on your mind, you can always talk to me about it, Jaune."
"Thanks, Pyrrha." He appreciated her offer, but this was something he had to handle himself. As the teams filed out of the classroom and headed toward the cafeteria, Jaune lagged behind slightly, scanning the crowd for a familiar head of black hair. He spotted Blake walking just ahead with the rest of Team RWBY, her bow twitching slightly (the heck?) as she walked.
Okay, this was his chance.
Jaune picked up his pace, closing the gap between their groups. He was about to call out to her when Blake suddenly turned her head, her amber eyes locking onto him for just a split second.
The moment she realized he was heading her way, her eyes widened. She turned back to her teammates and started walking faster.
Huh?
Jaune blinked, confused, but he wasn't deterred, "Hey, Blake! Can we talk?" he called, quickening his own steps. She didn't respond. In fact, she sped up even more, slipping between Weiss and Yang to put them between herself and Jaune, "Blake, wait up!"
Blake made a sharp turn at the next hallway, her pace now bordering on a light jog.
Jaune stopped in his tracks, his confusion mounting, "What the...?"
"Yo, Vomit Boy!" Yang called back, noticing his hesitation, "You coming or what?"
Jaune hesitated, glancing down the hallway Blake had disappeared into, before sighing and rejoining the group. What just happened?
By lunchtime, Jaune was more confused than ever.
He sat at a table with his team and Team RWBY, his tray of food untouched as he mulled over Blake's strange behavior. Of course, Blake wasn't there. Probably avoiding him again, "Alright, Jaune!" Nora said, jabbing her fork in his direction, "Spill it. What's got your face looking like you just failed a pop quiz?"
"It's nothing," Jaune said automatically.
"It's not nothing," Yang said, leaning on the table with a knowing smirk, "You've been out of it all morning. What's up?"
Jaune sighed, running a hand through his hair, "It's Blake. I think she's mad at me or something."
"Mad at you?" Ruby repeated, blinking in confusion, "Why would Blake be mad at you?"
"That's what I'm trying to figure out!" Jaune said, throwing his hands up, "She's been avoiding me all day. I tried talking to her after class, but she took off like I was chasing her with a Grimm or something!"
"That's weird," Ruby said, frowning thoughtfully, "Blake's usually not like that."
"She's probably just being Blake." Yang said with a shrug, "I've only known her for a couple of days, but I can tell she's not the chatty type."
"I feel like I should, though," Jaune said, resting his chin in his hand, "If I did something wrong, I want to fix it. I just don't know what I did."
Before anyone could reply, a blur of black and white caught Jaune's eye.
It was Blake.
She'd just entered the cafeteria, a tray (full of nothing but fish...) balanced in her arms. As soon as she saw Jaune looking her way, she froze. Her eyes darted around, searching for an escape route, before she quickly veered toward an empty table as far away as possible. She sat down, her back to him, and immediately pulled out a book to bury her nose in, her shoulders haunched and her posture rigid.
Jaune blinked, staring after her in disbelief.
"Okay," he said slowly, "Now I know I did something."
Pyrrha gave him a sympathetic look, "Maybe she just needs some time."
"Time for what?" Jaune groaned, "I don't even know what's wrong!"
"She probably has her reasons," Ruby said, "Blake's...complicated."
Jaune sighed, leaning back in his chair, "I'll figure it out. Somehow."
"Honestly, just leave her alone." Weiss scoffed, looking at Jaune through narrowed eyes, "If Blake's made it clear that she has no wish to talk to you, then let her be. There's nothing worse than someone who doesn't know when to take 'No' for an answer."
"Speaking from experience there, Weisscream?" Yang asked.
"Don't call me that." Oof, she was in a bad mood. Ruby squirmed slightly in her seat but didn't say anything. He hoped that wasn't gonna be a problem...
Yang stirred her drink idly, lilac eyes occasionally drifting toward her partner. Blake was sitting alone at a table across the cafeteria. Normally, Yang wouldn't think twice about her partner wanting some alone time - Blake didn't exactly scream "social butterfly" - but the way she was acting today had been...off.
Like, really off.
It wasn't just her usual quiet, bookish demeanor. Yang had only known Blake for a day, but she could already tell this was more than just introversion. Blake seemed like the type who'd keep to herself without making a fuss. Today, though, she'd been actively avoiding Jaune, going out of her way to keep distance between them.
Yang leaned back in her chair, tilting her head thoughtfully. Why would Blake act like that? She barely knew Jaune, so what could he have possibly done to make her so jumpy? The guy was harmless. A human golden retriever. He was so awkward that she didn't even really care that he puked on her favorite pair of boots a couple of days ago (not that she'd stop giving him shit for it, of course. Prime teasing material right there).
Her mind wandered back to yesterday. It all started when Jaune showed them that picture of his family. He'd been so proud, pointing out his parents, his biological sister Saphron, and all his adopted sisters. Everyone had a good laugh at how chaotic his family sounded - especially Yang - but then he got to Eve.
Yang didn't think much of it at the time. Eve was a Faunus, and Jaune made it clear he adored her. He mentioned she was the one who trained him in combat, which immediately piqued Yang's interest. But Blake...
Blake had frozen, her expression carefully neutral, but her body language told a different story. She might've seemed like a dumb blonde to most idiots, but she was a Huntress and her fighting style had her be up-close and personal to her opponents. She could read muscles like an open book. Her shoulders had stiffened, and her fingers twitched faintly, almost like she was nervous. Then she just left without even getting her tray.
Weird.
Yang drummed her fingers against the table, her thoughts moving to history class earlier.
Oobleck had been rambling a mile a minute about the Faunus War, jumping from key events to the socio-political fallout without missing a beat. Yang had zoned out for most of it, but then some douchebag's obnoxious voice snapped her out of her daze, "Exploited labor? More like free labor," A guy in a crew cut and full armor said, smirking, "Faunus shouldn't complain so much. They should be grateful they're even allowed to work for us."
Yang had been about to say something - probably something about how he had a tiny dick and was clearly overcompensating - when she noticed Blake's reaction. Blake had gone still, her pen frozen mid-note. Her head dipped slightly, her bangs casting shadows over her face as she scribbled something in her notebook. She didn't speak up or glare at the guy. She didn't even look at him. Instead, she seemed to shrink into herself, like she wanted to disappear.
Yang let out a frustrated groan, slumping forward onto the table, "What is going on with you, Blake?" Her partner was a mystery, and Yang hated mysteries. Especially when they involved people she was supposed to trust. She liked it when people were upfront and told you everything straight up. Love? Hate? Didn't matter. She could deal with both as long as someone said it to her face.
Okay, think, Yang. When did Blake start acting weird? Breakfast. When Jaune mentioned Eve. Then in class, when Oobleck talked about the Faunus War. And again, when that asshole made that crappy comment about Faunus.
Yang's brow furrowed as the pieces clicked together. Blake got weird every time the subject of Faunus came up. She either avoided it, stayed quiet, or, in Jaune's case, actively avoided the person connected to it.
...
Wait a second...
Yang sat up straighter, her eyes widening slightly, "No way."
Could Blake be...racist?
Yang's stomach twisted at the thought. She barely knew Blake, but the idea didn't sit right with her. Blake didn't seem like a bad person. Sure, she was quiet and kind of standoffish, but racist? That felt like a stretch.
...
Then again, every time the topic of Faunus came up, Blake acted weird. She avoided talking about them, kept her mouth shut when that douchebag ran his mouth, and now she was avoiding Jaune because of his Faunus sister. The first two she could kinda brush off, but the last one? What other reason could there be? She was totally fine when Jaune was pointing out the rest of his sisters, but the second he got to the Faunus one? Suddenly she had to leave and she treated Jaune like he had the plague.
Yang sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose, 'Great. My partner's a closet racist. Just my luck.' Still, she couldn't just write Blake off like that. She barely knew her, and there was always the chance she was misunderstanding things. But if Blake really did have an issue with Faunus... "Well," Yang muttered, determination sparking in her eyes, "Guess it's up to me to fix that."
"Fix what?" Ruby asked. Yang ignored her, too caught up in her own problems. She wasn't sure how she'd do it yet, but Yang Xiao Long wasn't about to let her partner walk around with outdated, narrow-minded views. If Blake had a problem with Faunus, Yang was going to set her straight.
One way or another.
It didn't take long for Jaune to notice the tension between Ruby and Weiss. While Blake was avoiding him, Weiss was full-on confrontational with Ruby. Making snippy comments, muttering under her breath, and glaring at Ruby with that 'harrumph' look on her face that looked distinctly Atlesian. Maybe it was wrong for him to say that, but those guys just had a way of saying 'I'm better than you and I don't have to explain why'.
Then again, maybe he was biased. He'd been so caught up with his excitement with entering Beacon yesterday that Weiss practically slipped his mind. Weiss Schnee. As in, the heiress to the SDC, which were pretty well-known for their 'controversial' business practices. Quotation marks because that was the word the news used. He would've gone with something like 'really fucked up and evil', if he had his way.
There wasn't a lot of Faunus in Domremy, but he knew about what they had to deal with. Hard not to when your big sis came into the family with the SDC brand on her face and her eye permanently blinded. He'd been so angry when he first saw it. Even a kid like him knew that only a monster would do something like that to another person. And now he was classmates with the out and proud heiress of that company. The future CEO of Racism, to use Emerald's words.
A part of him wanted to snap at Weiss, but he knew it'd be wrong. Ruby was the one dealing with problems from her, not him. It wouldn't be fair to use Ruby's troubles as a springboard for his own issues.
Of course, that hesitation didn't last much longer.
It was during Professor Port's class. Jaune was expecting a lot from the old Huntsman, especially since, unlike Professor Oobleck, he didn't have any guesses on what he'd be like. He had to admit, he got kinda carried away. He'd grown up hearing stories about Huntsmen. The heroes of Remnant, the unbending wall against the relentless tide of Grimm. Huntsmen weren't just celebrities like pop idols or movie stars. They were...They were legends in the making! Well, some of them, at least, but still!
So he was kinda disappointed with the guy who came into the room. Now, Mom and Dad taught him never to judge by appearances, and he kept that lesson close to heart like the good son he was. Still, having to listen to him drone on for the next hour was like being relentlessly pranked by Neo over the course of a week. It was slow, painful, and not as fun as it sounded.
He could deal with droning lectures. Roma, bless her soul, had a bad habit of going on rambling plans about how she'd steal this or that from whatever place she thought she (and Neo, of course) could break into. Roma always was a fan of those old Phantom Thief shows they used to watch when they were younger.
No, what made Professor Port hard to deal with was that his lectures barely had anything to do with, you know, killing Grimm. The story he was telling the class started off with him being attacked by an Ursa Major. Cool. What wasn't cool was him immediately segwaying to talking about the tea he drank and going into painful detail why that tea was so much better than chamomile and that the Ursa surely was attracted to the scent of tea and not, you know, the big Human it thought it could maul.
Jaune was halfway to falling asleep when the Professor stepped out of the room and came back pushing something that was covered with a tarp. The class immediately stood at attention when they saw it shaking and heard the growls and sounds of crashing metal, "I think a practical demonstration would work for the best, wouldn't you say?"
He pulled down the tarp and most of the class sat up straighter when they saw a Boarbatusk in a cage under it. It growled and rammed the bars, causing the cage to rattle, "Woah..." Jaune muttered. He'd fought Grimm before Initiation, of course, but only ever out in the wilds. Eve taught him that catching Grimm was nigh-impossible. They'd either destroy the cage or themselves before the day was done, assuming it took that long.
"Now, who's willing to-"
"Me!" Weiss said, sitting up straighter with her right arm raised. The entire class turned to look at her, but she didn't care in the least. Jaune pursed his lips. He wanted to fight it...
"Hoho! It seems Ms. Schnee is eager! Well then, change into your combat outfit and get into position!" Weiss practically preened as she walked down the steps. Jaune tried not to let his preconceptions make him annoyed. Yes, she was a Schnee, and that family was undeniably amoral at best, but maybe...Weiss was different? She was here training as a Huntress, after all, instead of just lording it up in Atlas like Jacques Schnee and his wife.
The benefit of the doubt lasted less than a couple of minutes.
Weiss was struggling with the Boarbatusk. He didn't know if it was just her having an off-day or the Grimm was even more agitated than usual after being caged, but the result was the same either way. Weiss found herself on the backfoot from the Grimm's relentless attacks while her own counters barely damaged its thick hide.
"Weiss, aim for its stomach!" Ruby shouted, "Its unarmored! You can-"
"Stop telling me what to do!" Weiss shouted back. Ruby flinched like she'd been hit and shrunk back in her seat.
Weiss managed to kill the Boarbatusk soon after, but Jaune couldn't even pretend to pay attention to that. All his focus was on Ruby. She looked like someone just kicked her puppy. Weiss stood up and flipped her hair, trying to act like it was all effortless, but no one on her team was cheering. Ruby still had the 'hurt puppy' look, Yang looked pissed, and Blake...well, she was still looking at anywhere but him, so no change there.
Jaune waited till class was over to try and talk to Ruby, "Hey, Ru-" He barely got the words out before Ruby stood up and went after Weiss, who left as soon as the bell rang. He shared a brief glance with Yang. His fellow blonde looked torn. Jaune nodded and quickly ran after her. There had to be a reason Yang wasn't immediately going after them, but he didn't have one.
He ran down the hall and debated on where to go before he heard Ruby's voice, "-thought you believed in acting as a team!" she said. Jaune followed the source and rounded the corner just in time to hear Weiss' response.
"Not a team led by you." Jaune stopped. He couldn't see ruby's face, but he didn't need to, "I've studied, I've trained, and frankly, I deserve better!" Weiss turned around, her arms crossed. Like she was the victim in all this, "Ozpin made a mistake."
He was about to call out when Ruby's shoulders shook and she sped away with her Semblance. Weiss didn't even look back, and she looked like she was about to walk away with her head held high when Jaune spoke up, "...You know, you're right. The headmaster did make a mistake. I can't believe he let someone like you into Beacon."
Weiss whirled around to face him, her face knotted in an ugly scowl, "Excuse me?!"
"You're a brat," Jaune said. All the lessons he remembered about being polite and not judging fell to the wayside. He tried to give her the benefit of the doubt, but she'd shown that sometimes, first impressions really were right, "Ruby's done nothing but try to help you and all you're doing is acting like the world owes you just because of who you are." Flashes of Eve's scarred eye burned at the front of his mind, "Huntsmen are supposed to help people. But I can't see you helping anyone except yourself."
"You don't know me, Arc!" Weiss stomped up to him till they were just a few inches apart. Despite being a head shorter than him (and maybe half his weight), Weiss looked up at him without any hesitation, "You haven't seen the way Ruby's been acting. She's supposed to be our leader, but she's done nothing but be an immature child! I've been trained to be a leader my whole life. I would certainly do a better job in the position than her."
"I've seen what Schnee leadership looks like. What, you gonna brand your teammates if they talk back?"
Weiss' eyes widened in furious indignation, "How dare you?! You-"
Jaune shook his head and left, ignoring Weiss' screams behind him. Talking to her was pointless. She was someone who grew up with a silver spoon in her mouth and was never told no, he was sure of it. All his talking was like static to her. No, he wasn't gonna bother with her."
It took him a quarter of an hour to find Ruby, "Oh...hey, Jaune." She was standing in front of a vending machine, but she wasn't getting anything.
"...Hey." He inserted a lien card and got a couple of chocolate bars plus some water. Neither of them said a word to the other as the machine whirred to life and depostied two bars in the pickup slot. Jaune took one and handed the other to Ruby, which she accepted with a mumbled 'thanks'. The pair sat next to the food dispenser, their backs against the wall. If Maia was here, she would've made a crack about how they looked like they were trying to make an angsty metalcore cover.
"...Was she right?" Ruby asked.
"Huh?"
"Weiss. Was she right? Do you think Ozpin made a mistake?"
"I don't think so." Jaune shook his head, "It's only been a couple of days since we got here. Even if you were a bad leader - and I'm not saying you are - there's no way Weiss would've had the time to make a proper judgment call." He took a bite out of the chewy bar, "She just wants to be the leader."
"Yeah. She told me as much yesterday."
"I'm not surprised." Jaune sighed, "People like her...they always grew up expecting everything to be handed to them just because of who they are. What's she done to prove that she deserves to be the leader?" Ruby didn't respond, "I saw how you led your team during Initiation. You were the one who came up with that plan to stop the Nevermore. Weiss didn't."
"Yeah, but...I think she might have a point." Ruby took a bite of her own bar, "Not about her being the leader, but me being immature. I'm supposed to be the leader, so I can't just goof off anymore."
"That's fine. You need to know when to take things seriously, but you also can't be serious 24/7 like she is. You know what they say about all work and no play." Or as Neo put it, 'work only when you have to, and try to find ways to get out if it even then'. Oh, and a lot of picket signs about how 'taxation is theft'. Which was weird considering Domremy barely had any taxes.
"Sure, but all play and no work isn't any good either." She stuck her tongue out. Cute. She reminded him of Neo...except without the stab-happy tendencies, "Thanks, Jaune. I'll...I'll talk with Weiss."
"I'm not sure that'll do any good."
"Maybe, maybe not, but I have to try. That's what a good leader does." She stood and finished off her chocolate bar before tossing the crumpled wrapper at a nearby trash can. Three points, "Thanks again for coming to cheer me up. See ya!" She left with another burst of her Semblance. Jaune wished he could smile like that, but he still had his doubts. Ruby wanted to see the best in people, and that was admirable, but Weiss had given her no reason to. He didn't like the idea of her being taken advantage of.
He stood up and was about to head off when a new voice cut in, "Nice one, Jaune." He almost stumbled forward when a hard hand slapped his back.
"Y-Yang..." Jaune said, trying to keep balance. He was used to hard hits, but Yang was a league all on her own, "You saw that, huh? I didn't really do much."
"Psh, false modesty ain't a good look, VB. You know, I like guys who own it more than the ones that act modest." She winked at him.
"Noted." He coughed, "I'm kinda surprised you didn't do it on your own. I could tell you wanted to."
"Yeah..." She sighed and rubbed a hand at the back of her head, "I wanna give Weiss a piece of my mind too, but I gotta hold back. Ruby's growing up now and she's the leader too. How's it gonna look if her big sis comes in and bails her out every time? Truth be told, I wasn't even planning to be on the same team as her. Me and Dad figured that Beacon was a good time for her to stretch her wings. I'll be there if she really needs help, but for now, she needs to learn how to handle this on her own."
"I'm...not sure I agree, but I respect the decision." Then again, he was the guy with seven sisters and he was the baby of the bunch.
"You handled it pretty well, though."
"I've got experience." Jaune laughed under his breath. Seven sisters meant a lot of arguments. Eve and Cinder were the worst. They were still family at the end of the day, but the two had a lot of arguments growing up. It only got worse when he turned seventeen a couple of months back, "You could say I'm an expert on arguments." Granted, that was usually mediating instead of one side being totally, one hundred percent wrong.
"Either way, I appreciate it."
"No problem. Ruby's a friend." He stretched his arms above his head, "Come on, let's get to the next class."
Jaune adjusted his grip on Crocea Mors as he stepped into the combat arena, trying his best to appear calm despite the pit in his stomach. The air in the room buzzed with anticipation, the entire class whispering and exchanging glances.
How did he get myself into this?
Well, he knew how. Weiss had all but demanded a duel, her voice dripping with outrage, declaring she would 'teach him the meaning of respect' after their fight earlier. Professor Goodwitch, ever the professional, had given him the option to refuse, but Jaune couldn't back down. Not in front of his friends, not with Weiss looking at him like he was some grimy peasant who wandered into her ballroom. That 'I'll teach you to learn your place' look she gave him was pissing her off.
And now here he was, standing across from the Heiress of the Schnee Dust Company herself, with no idea how he was supposed to win, "Ms. Schnee," Professor Goodwitch said, her voice clipped, "you will control your emotions. This is an exercise, not a personal duel." Weiss tilted her head slightly in acknowledgment but didn't respond, her pale blue eyes focused entirely on Jaune. She looked every bit the picture of discipline and refinement, Myrtenaster gleaming in her hand, her stance textbook-perfect.
Jaune wasn't sure if he was more annoyed or intimidated.
"Mr Arc," Professor Goodwitch continued, "Are you certain you wish to proceed?"
He hesitated, glancing at Weiss again. She looked calm and composed, but he caught the faintest twitch at the corner of her mouth. Was she irritated or amused? "Yeah," he said, trying to sound more confident than he felt, "I'll fight her."
Goodwitch nodded, stepping back, "Very well. Take your positions. Remember the rules. A winner is declared as soon as one side has their Aura dip into yellow or they're knocked out of the arena."
Jaune exhaled slowly as he moved to his starting spot. Crocea Mors felt heavier in his hand than usual. This wasn't gonna be fun, but he refused to back down from her. Eve would never forgive him if he backed down from Weiss Schnee of all people.
"Begin!"
Weiss moved with blinding speed, propelled forward by a Glyph that appeared under her feet in a flash of white. Her rapier darted toward him, and Jaune barely managed to bring his shield up in time. The force of the strike sent a jolt through his arm, and before he could fully recover, she was already repositioning, her movements precise and fluid, "Is this the best you can do?" Weiss sneered, her voice as cutting as her sword.
"Nope," Jaune grunted, stumbling back to gain some distance. She was faster, more skilled, and clearly better trained. He wasn't surprised. She could afford the best tutors and commission the best kind of weapon to play into her strengths. He was using a family heirloom that didn't have mechashift and coiuldn't even use Dust.
But Eve always told him there was more to a fight than skill.
As Weiss closed in again, Jaune dropped his sword mid-swing. She blinked, startled by the unexpected move, and in that split second, he swung his shield upward, smacking her wrist hard enough to knock Myrtenaster out of line. She recovered quickly, but not before Jaune had retrieved his sword, Weiss's eyes narrowed, "Is this what you call strategy? Tossing your weapon like a fool?"
"Hey, if it works..." Jaune shrugged, ignoring the way his heart pounded in his chest.
"Don't expect it to work again, Arc." Weiss pressed the attack, her movements growing sharper, more aggressive. Jaune found himself dodging and deflecting more than he could strike, his mind racing for a way to turn the tide. He barely stumbled back before she swung the rapier in a wide arc, fire shooting from the tip. The heat of the Fire Dust made him sweat and he winced as his Aura went down when the flames licked his skin.
Time to play dirty.
The next time she lunged, Jaune waited until the last possible moment before sidestepping and shoving his shield forward. Not at Weiss, but at the ground. A small cloud of dirt and dust puffed up, momentarily obscuring her vision, "Really?" Weiss snapped, coughing slightly as she waved the dust away.
"Sorry!" Jaune called back, completely unapologetic,
He followed up by grabbing at the water bottle in his hoodie pocket and lopping the top off with his sword, flinging it at her feet as she finally charged again. Her heel caught on the sudden puddle, and she stumbled slightly, giving him just enough of an opening to land a solid hit with his shield.
Weiss staggered, her Aura flickering faintly as it dropped closer to the yellow. Her glare could've frozen fire, "You fight like a street thug," she hissed.
"Thanks," Jaune said, flashing a grin despite the sweat dripping down his face.
The duel continued with Jaune relying on every underhanded trick he could think of to keep up. He faked swings, tripped her up with the edge of his shield, and even feigned a stumble to lure her into overextending. Weiss countered every move with increasingly precise strikes, but her frustration was evident. He was seriously regretting not carrying some pocket sand (or Dust) and not having the foresight to bring his tazer with him.
Both their Auras were flickering dangerously close to yellow by the time Weiss finally lost her patience, "Enough of this nonsense!" she snapped, summoning multiple Glyphs in rapid succession. The arena lit up with white light as she propelled herself forward, her rapier aimed directly at Jaune's chest.
Jaune gritted his teeth, readying himself. He dodged the first hit, but Weiss continued. The next glyph propelled her forward again, and Jaune took a glancing stab before he was able to dodge again. It didn't matter. The next Glyph propelled her forward again with even more speed and he found himself trapped in a barrage of stabs and slashes.
He planted his feet and swung his shield upward, deflecting the next strike just enough to sidestep and slam his sword against her side. Weiss cried out as her Aura dipped into the yellow, but her momentum carried her forward, slamming into Jaune with the force of of a freight train. The impact sent him tumbling backward, his body skidding across the arena floor until he hit the edge and fell out of bounds. Weiss barely managed to avoid falling off the edge herself.
The buzzer rang, "Match over!" Professor Goodwitch declared, "Draw. Ms. Schnee's Aura reached the yellow, and Mr. Arc has been ringed out."
The arena was silent for a moment before the murmurs started. Jaune groaned, lying flat on his back as he stared at the ceiling, "That...was brutal."
"You got lucky, Arc," Weiss said, panting heavily as she stood just inside the ring. Despite her obvious exhaustion, she still managed to flip her hair and look smug.
Nora's voice rang out from the sidelines, "You were awesome, fearless leader!" Jaune sat up slowly, wincing at the ache in his limbs. Weiss shot him one last glare before turning on her heel and walking away without a word.
Yang clapped him on the back as he shuffled off the arena floor, "Cheer up, VB. You might not have won, but you definitely got under her skin. That's a win in my book."
Jaune gave her a tired but satisfied grin, "Yeah, sure. Let's go with that."
He watched the rest of the sparring matches. Some people chose to fight their partners while others grabbed people seemingly at random. Ruby herself chose to fight with Pyrrha, and he wasn't really surprised when Pyrrha demolished her in the fight. To her credit, Ruby didn't pout or whine. Instead, she gushed about Pyrrha's skills, which his partner accepted with a demure smile. Nora, of course, chose to fight Ren, with the other man treating it with a resigned sigh.
He was changing back into his uniform with the rest of the students in the communal locker when he heard it, "Ruby, I wish to...apologize." That was Weiss' voice. He wasn't crude enough to lean over, but he did keep his ears open, "My behavior this morning was...unbecoming, and I've been unfair to you. Would it be possible for us to start over with a clean slate? I promise to do my best to be a good teammate."
"Huh? O-Oh! Well, great!" Ruby replied happily, "No problem! Clean slate!"
Jaune frowned. It looked like they solved their problems, but Jaune had his doubts. Weiss was probably just trying to save face and make herself look better. And why wouldn't she? High class people like her always knew when to put on a good face. It didn't mean they actually changed, of course. Her dad was the same. Talking on the news about initiatives and these new programs to ensure employees were treated fairly. He didn't need Eve or Cinder to tell him it was a load of bullshit.
He shook his head. He'd help Ruby when she needed it, but if she was willing to give her a chance, then that was her choice.
Jaune returned to his room with a pleasant ache across his body. He still didn't really like Weiss, but at least she was a good person to fight. Eve was a good teacher, of course, but he couldn't help but think that she was unconsciously going easy on him. No chance of that with Weiss, at least.
He sat down at his desk, writing a group message to his sisters about what happened today. He wasn't going to tell them everything, but Eve and Cinder insisted he write every couple of days. Or every day. They were really insistent on that.
Across from Jaune on her bed, Pyrrha chewed on her lip as she watched her partner tap his scroll. She'd pushed the initiative by inviting Jaune to spar with her, but she needed to do more. Was it odd for her to say that she'd become fond of him despite the short time they spent together? She shook her head. No, of course not. It was fine. They were partners - friends - and it wasn't odd for her to feel like this. This was why she went to Beacon, after all. To make friends with those who saw her as more than the Invincible Girl.
In Team RWBY's dorm. the atmosphere was equally chaotic.
Weiss pursed her lips as she studied on the desk. Her talk with Professor Port had pushed her to admit that perhaps she was wrong in being so judgemental to Ruby, but her feelings for Jaune Arc hadn't changed. He was a crude country boy who thought she knew her. She sneered. Far too many people made assumptions of her simply because of her identity. As if she was nothing more than her last name. She'd find a way to pay him back for those comments he made. A Schnee always repaid their debts.
Lying down on her bed, Yang's mind was a jumble. She wanted to help Ruby, but she also had to worry about Blake. She needed to find a way to change her partner's 'dated' views on the Faunus. She was Yang Xiao Long, damn it, and she wasn't gonna be partners with a racist!
Inside the restroom, Blake washed her face and looked at her haggard reflection. She needed to stay away from Jaune Arc. A shudder ran through her as she remembered what caused her to leave the White Fang. The sight of Eve - her idol, her inspiration - naked and worshipping at a shrine devoted to Arc. When she found her, Blake had assumed that Eve would be ashamed or try to explain herself. Tell her that this was all a misunderstanding. Blake would've wilfully deluded herself if Eve at least tried.
Instead, she smiled proudly and said that Blake would be the second one to 'experience' Jaune when the group was ready. After herself, of course. It was the least she could do for her most faithful disciple, Eve said. To achieve true pleasure with Jaune.
Blake left within the hour.
Back outside, Ruby looked at Weiss, then Yang, then the locked bathroom door. Her shoulders sagged. This wasn't gonna be easy...
Poor Ruby. Poor Blake too. Join an ideology to fight for equality, find out your idol is a simp for her adopted bro and is planning to start a cult with you as the second wife. She might've preferred Canon Adam to this...
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Question:
1. Do you think Jaune is justified in the way he treats Weiss or is he being a judgemental asshole? He's definitely biased against her given Eve being his sister, but she hasn't really done anything to dispel the notion that she's an entitled snob given the way she acts. Her telling Ruby that Ozpin made a mistake choosing her is canon dialogue, for example.