Episode 5: Jaune Arc Joins the Podcast

The screen faded in, showing the now-familiar outdoor setup in Beacon's gardens. The sunlight filtering through the trees gave the setting a warm glow, and the sounds of birds chirping softly in the background created a calming atmosphere. Yang leaned casually in her chair, flashing her signature grin at the camera.

"Welcome back to The Beacon Podcast! I'm your host, Yang Xiao Long, and today we've got something special for you." She leaned closer to the microphone, her golden eyes gleaming mischievously. "You see, up until now, we've been keeping things pretty close to home—mostly talking with my amazing teammates. But today? We're shaking things up. That's right, folks. We're bringing in someone from outside Team RWBY."

Yang leaned back and gestured to her guest, who was sitting stiffly in the chair across from her, nervously fiddling with the microphone cord. "Ladies and gentlemen, give a warm welcome to Jaune Arc!"

Jaune looked up, giving an awkward wave at the camera. "Uh… hi?"

Yang smirked, leaning toward him. "You're supposed to sound excited, Jaune! Come on, this is The Beacon Podcast! Energy, confidence, pizzazz!"

Jaune straightened up, trying to match Yang's energy. "Right! Hi, everyone! I'm Jaune Arc, leader of Team JNPR, and, uh… thanks for having me, Yang."

Yang leaned back, laughing. "Better! We'll work on the pizzazz part later. But seriously, thanks for joining me today, Jaune."

Jaune rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah, no problem. Though, uh… I'll admit, I don't usually do stuff like this. Talking into a microphone with who-knows-how-many people listening? Kinda intimidating."

Yang waved her hand dismissively. "Don't sweat it. Just think of it like we're having a normal conversation, except people are eavesdropping and judging us in the comments."

Jaune paled slightly. "You're not helping."

Yang laughed. "Relax, Jaune! You're gonna do great." She turned to the camera, flashing another grin. "Now, for those of you who don't know, Jaune Arc is the leader of Team JNPR—one of the best teams at Beacon, if I do say so myself. He's a friend, a goofball, and one of the most determined guys I've ever met."

Jaune looked at her in surprise. "Wait, really? You think that about me?"

Yang smirked. "Well, yeah. I mean, you've come a long way since the first day we met. Remember that? You were so nervous you almost tripped down the stairs."

Jaune groaned, covering his face. "Why would you bring that up?"

"Because it's funny!" Yang said, laughing. "But seriously, look at you now. You've stepped up as a leader, you've faced Grimm and survived, and you're even starting to pull off some pretty cool moves with that sword of yours."

Jaune straightened slightly, his nervousness fading just a little. "I mean… yeah, I guess I have improved a bit."

Yang leaned forward, smirking. "A bit? Jaune, you went from a guy who barely knew how to hold a sword to someone who can actually go toe-to-toe with Grimm. That's not just 'a bit.' That's impressive."

Jaune's face turned slightly red, and he waved her off. "Okay, okay, I get it. You can stop now before my ego explodes."

Yang laughed. "Fine, I'll ease up. But seriously, people need to know how far you've come. And honestly? That's one of the reasons I wanted you on the podcast today. I think a lot of people out there could use your story as inspiration—because let's face it, you're basically living proof that hard work pays off."

Jaune rubbed the back of his neck again, this time with a small smile. "Wow, no pressure or anything."

Yang grinned. "Don't worry. I'll do most of the talking. You just have to answer my questions and try not to embarrass yourself too much."

Jaune smirked. "Yeah, because you're so good at not embarrassing yourself."

Yang gasped in mock offense. "Excuse me! This podcast has been extremely professional."

Jaune raised an eyebrow. "You showed a video of you flipping into a wall with Ember Celica."

Yang burst out laughing. "Okay, fair point. But that's part of the charm! People love that kind of stuff." She looked at the camera, pointing. "Right? You guys love that stuff."

Jaune shook his head, chuckling. "Alright, alright. I'll trust you on this one."

Yang leaned back in her chair, grinning again. "See? He's already loosening up. This is gonna be a fun episode, folks. Stick around, because we're about to get into Jaune's journey."

"Alright, Jaune," Yang began, her tone shifting slightly to something more curious, "let's dive into your backstory a bit. What made you want to come to Beacon Academy? I mean, not everyone just wakes up one day and decides, 'Hey, I think I'll go fight monsters for a living.' So what was it? What drove you to become a Huntsman?"

Jaune scratched the back of his neck, his usual nervous smile surfacing. "Wow, starting with the big questions, huh?"

Yang shrugged, grinning. "Of course! That's what podcasts are for—digging into the good stuff. So spill it."

Jaune took a breath, his tone softening. "Well… I guess it was always about wanting to help people. Growing up, my family always told stories about my great-great-grandfather. He was this legendary hero—a Huntsman who protected villages and fought off Grimm. He was brave and selfless, and I always looked up to that."

Yang tilted her head, her grin softening. "So you wanted to follow in his footsteps?"

Jaune nodded. "Yeah. I wanted to be like him—to make a difference, to protect people, and maybe… maybe to prove something to myself."

Yang leaned closer, her smile genuine. "That's pretty awesome, Jaune. I mean, you hear about people wanting to be Huntsmen for fame or adventure, but you? You wanted to help people. That's really cool."

Jaune flushed slightly but smiled. "Thanks. I mean, it sounds noble, but honestly? I didn't really know what I was getting myself into. I thought it'd be like in the stories—swing a sword, save the day, everyone cheers. But when I actually got here? Reality hit hard."

Yang grinned, leaning back. "Speaking of reality hitting hard—let's talk about your actual first day at Beacon."

Jaune's face immediately fell, and he groaned. "Do we have to?"

Yang burst out laughing. "Oh, absolutely. Come on, Jaune, the people need to hear this."

Jaune buried his face in his hands. "I knew this was a bad idea."

Yang leaned closer to the mic, her grin mischievous. "Okay, picture this, folks. It's the first day of Beacon, and everyone's arriving, super excited and ready to start their new lives as Huntsmen and Huntresses. And then there's Jaune."

Jaune peeked out from behind his hands. "I don't like where this is going."

Yang smirked. "Jaune steps off the airship, looking pale—like really pale. And I'm standing there, just minding my own business, when suddenly—" She clapped her hands together for emphasis. "—he throws up all over my shoe."

The sound of Jaune's groan echoed through the microphone as Yang burst into laughter.

"I was so nervous!" Jaune said defensively, sitting up. "I had never been on an airship before! The motion sickness hit me hard, and—okay, yeah, maybe I panicked a little."

Yang wiped a tear from her eye, still laughing. "Panicked? Jaune, you turned green! I thought you were about to pass out."

Jaune slumped in his chair. "And the worst part? You were nice about it! That made it even more embarrassing!"

Yang grinned. "What was I supposed to do? Yell at you? You looked like you'd already suffered enough."

Jaune pointed at her. "You laughed. A lot."

Yang shrugged. "Yeah, but after I helped you clean up! Come on, Jaune, it's funny now."

Jaune sighed, shaking his head. "Yeah, I guess it is—now. But at the time? I was mortified. I mean, what kind of first impression is that? The guy who can't handle an airship ride and pukes on someone's shoe?"

Yang smirked. "Hey, you recovered. And look at you now—a team leader, a fighter, and, as we've established, not someone who throws up on my shoes anymore. Growth!"

Jaune chuckled, the tension easing from his shoulders. "Thanks… I think."

Yang grinned. "And hey, it makes for a great story. Everyone loves an underdog, Jaune, and you're the ultimate underdog who's been proving everyone wrong since day one."

Jaune smiled sheepishly. "I guess when you put it that way, it doesn't sound so bad."

Yang leaned back, her tone lighter. "That's the spirit. And for everyone watching, let this be a reminder—first impressions aren't everything. If Jaune Arc can bounce back from throwing up on my shoes and become the leader of Team JNPR, then you can survive whatever embarrassing moment life throws your way."

Jaune pointed at her. "But, uh, maybe don't advertise it to the whole world like this."

Yang burst out laughing again, leaning back in her chair. "No promises!"

"Alright, Jaune, since we've talked about what brought you to Beacon, let's flip it around. What if you didn't come here? What if you decided being a Huntsman wasn't for you? What do you think you'd be doing right now? And—and be honest—do you think you could've made a career out of it?"

Jaune leaned back slightly, rubbing the back of his neck as he mulled over the question. "Huh. That's actually a tough one. I mean, for most of my life, being a Huntsman was the dream, you know? It's kind of hard to picture myself doing anything else."

Yang smirked. "Come on, Jaune, humor me. No shame. What was Plan B?"

Jaune hesitated before letting out a small laugh. "Alright, alright. If I'm being honest? I probably would've ended up working on my family's farm."

Yang's eyes lit up. "Wait, farm? You're telling me you'd be Jaune Arc, farmer extraordinaire?"

Jaune chuckled nervously. "Hey, don't knock it! My family's farm is actually pretty nice. We've got crops, animals, and everything. Growing up, I used to help out a lot—feeding the chickens, fixing fences, that sort of thing."

Yang leaned in, grinning. "Okay, okay, but hear me out—Farmer Jaune. Picture it. Straw hat, overalls, waking up at dawn to milk the cows."

Jaune laughed, shaking his head. "I don't know about the overalls, but honestly? I think I could've made it work. My dad always talked about passing it down to me someday, and part of me liked the idea of keeping the family tradition alive."

Yang tilted her head. "Wow, Jaune. I gotta admit, I didn't see that coming. I mean, I could totally picture you chasing after chickens, but running a whole farm? That's impressive."

Jaune shrugged, smiling faintly. "It's honest work, you know? And it's not like I didn't enjoy it. But… I don't know. As much as I liked helping out, it never felt like enough. I always had this nagging feeling that I was supposed to do something bigger. That's part of why I came to Beacon. I wanted more than just a quiet life tending crops. I wanted to protect people and make a difference."

Yang's grin softened into something more genuine. "I get that. But hey, don't sell yourself short—farming's pretty important too. Without people like your family, the rest of us wouldn't have food. That's literally saving lives."

Jaune blinked, then chuckled. "Huh. Never thought about it like that."

Yang smirked. "You're welcome. But seriously, I can see it now—future Jaune, if the whole Huntsman thing ever gets too crazy, heading back to the farm and becoming the most dramatic farmer ever."

Jaune laughed. "Dramatic? Me?"

Yang raised an eyebrow. "Oh, don't even try to deny it. You'd be the guy giving inspirational speeches to the cows and doing dramatic sword swings while plowing the fields."

Jaune covered his face with his hand, laughing. "Okay, maybe a little dramatic. But hey, if this whole Huntsman thing doesn't work out, at least I've got options, right?"

Yang leaned back, grinning. "Absolutely. And for the record, I'd totally visit Farmer Jaune's pumpkin patch or whatever you end up running."

"Alright, Jaune," Yang said, flashing a teasing smile. "We've talked about where you came from, what you could've been doing if you hadn't come to Beacon, and even your not-so-glamorous first day. But now let's look ahead."

Jaune tilted his head slightly. "Look ahead?"

Yang nodded, leaning closer to her mic. "Yeah. I want to know—where do you see yourself in ten years?" She smirked. "Are you still out there slaying Grimm and leading Team JNPR? Or are you living your best life as Farmer Jaune with a straw hat and a barn full of cows?"

Jaune laughed nervously, scratching the back of his neck. "Wow, uh… ten years? That's a big question."

Yang grinned. "That's why I asked it. Come on, Jaune, humor me. Where do you see yourself?"

Jaune leaned back in his chair, his expression softening as he thought about it. "Honestly? I'd like to think I'm still helping people. Whether that's as a Huntsman or doing something else, I just… I want to make a difference, you know?"

Yang nodded, her grin fading into something more genuine. "I get that. But what does 'making a difference' look like to you?"

Jaune took a breath. "I guess… in ten years, I'd hope I'm stronger. Not just physically, but mentally, too. I want to be someone people can count on. Whether it's protecting a village from Grimm or helping rebuild something that was lost, I want to feel like I'm making an impact."

Yang smirked. "Sounds like you're still planning to be out there fighting the good fight."

Jaune smiled faintly. "Yeah, probably. I don't think I could walk away from it, even if I wanted to. And besides, I like being part of a team—working with others, figuring out how to tackle problems together. That's what being a Huntsman is all about, right?"

Yang's eyes sparkled. "Exactly. So does that mean Team JNPR is sticking together long-term? Are you guys pulling a forever team like we're planning to do with Team RWBY?"

Jaune laughed softly. "I'd like to think so. We're pretty close, and we work well together. But, you know, life happens. I'd hope we stay connected no matter what, though—even if we end up working apart sometimes."

Yang raised an eyebrow. "So no Farmer Jaune arc after all?"

Jaune grinned. "Hey, I'm keeping that as Plan B. But honestly? In ten years, I just want to be better than I am now. A better Huntsman, a better leader, and maybe… a better person."

Yang tilted her head. "A better person? Jaune, come on, give yourself some credit. You've already come so far."

Jaune shrugged, smiling sheepishly. "I appreciate that, but there's always room to grow, right? I think that's part of why I'm here—to keep learning, keep improving."

Yang's grin returned as she leaned forward. "And that's why people love you, Jaune. You're basically the poster boy for perseverance. So, ten years from now? I'm calling it—Jaune Arc, fearless leader, famous Huntsman, and occasional pumpkin farmer on the weekends."

Jaune laughed. "I guess I can live with that."

"Alright, Jaune," Yang said, mischief creeping into her voice. "Before we wrap this up, I've got one more question for you. And this one's important."

Jaune raised an eyebrow, immediately suspicious. "Should I be worried?"

Yang smirked. "Definitely."

Jaune groaned. "Oh no…"

Yang leaned closer to her microphone. "The people want to know—how's life at Beacon treating you? The teachers, the missions, and—" She wiggled her eyebrows dramatically. "—any romance in your life?"

Jaune instantly froze, his eyes widening as his face turned a deep shade of red. "W-What?! Romance? Why are we talking about that?!"

Yang burst out laughing. "Because it's fun! Come on, Jaune, don't leave the audience hanging! Do you have any admirers? Suitors? Someone you're secretly pining for?"

Jaune buried his face in his hands. "Yang, no! Why would you even ask that?!"

Yang smirked. "Because it's my podcast, and I can ask whatever I want." She leaned toward the mic, grinning at the camera. "Come on, folks, let's hear it—who do you think has a crush on Jaune? Let us know in the comments."

Jaune peeked out from behind his hands, groaning. "You're the worst."

Yang laughed harder. "Admit it, Jaune! There's gotta be someone."

Jaune fumbled, his voice cracking. "I-I don't know! I don't ask people if they're into me!"

Yang gasped dramatically. "So there is someone!"

Jaune's eyes widened. "That's not what I said!"

Yang waved him off, still grinning. "Alright, alright, I'll let it slide. For now." She leaned back, smirking. "But just so you know—this isn't over."

Jaune groaned again, but a smile tugged at his lips. "You're impossible."

Yang winked. "And proud of it. Alright, let's switch gears before Jaune explodes. How's everything else at Beacon? The teachers, the missions—what's been your experience so far?"

Jaune jumped on the topic shift like a lifeline. "Oh! Uh, yeah—Beacon's been great. The classes are tough, but I've learned so much. Professor Port's lectures can drag a bit, but his enthusiasm is kind of contagious, so it's hard not to like him."

Yang nodded. "Yeah, Port's a character. What about Goodwitch?"

Jaune winced. "Intimidating. She's amazing, but I swear she can see through me. It's like she knows when I'm nervous or second-guessing myself, even when I try to hide it."

Yang grinned. "Sounds about right. And Ozpin?"

Jaune's expression softened. "Ozpin's different. He's calm, but it always feels like he's playing chess while the rest of us are playing checkers. He's someone you want to impress—not because he asks you to, but because you just respect him."

Yang leaned back. "Totally agree. What about the missions? Those can't be easy."

Jaune nodded. "They're intense, but they've also been some of the best learning experiences I've ever had. Team JNPR has grown so much since we started, and honestly? I'm proud of how far we've come."

Yang smiled. "You should be proud. You guys are awesome out there."

Jaune smiled back. "Thanks. I mean it."

Yang sat up straight, her grin widening. "Alright, folks, that's a wrap for today's episode! But before we go, I've got some very exciting news."

Jaune raised an eyebrow. "Exciting news?"

Yang smirked. "Yep! Next time on The Beacon Podcast, we're bringing in the one and only Nora Valkyrie!"

Jaune's eyes went wide as he leaned toward the microphone. "Wait, Nora? Are you serious?"

Yang nodded, clearly amused by his reaction. "Absolutely. It's happening."

Jaune leaned back in his chair, laughing nervously. "Uh… good luck with that. Just—be careful, Yang. It's Nora. You might want to be… selective with your questions."

Yang raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Why's that?"

Jaune smirked, leaning forward again. "Because it's Nora. She doesn't have a filter, and I'm 90% sure she'll turn your entire podcast into a chaotic mess."

Yang grinned. "Sounds perfect."

Jaune chuckled. "Alright, just—don't say I didn't warn you."

As he leaned back, Jaune suddenly shifted his chair a little too far, and before he could catch himself—

Crash!

Jaune fell backward, his legs kicking up briefly as the chair toppled over.

Yang froze for a split second before bursting into uncontrollable laughter—only to lean too far back in her own chair and tumble over as well, creating a second crash.

The camera stayed focused on the now-empty chairs as both Jaune and Yang laughed hysterically offscreen.

Yang's voice came through the microphone, barely coherent through her laughter. "And—this—is why we can't have nice things!"

Jaune's voice followed, equally breathless. "I told you—this is all your fault!"

The camera finally cut to the podcast logo, the upbeat music playing over their laughter in the background as the screen faded to black.