Disclaimer: RWBY belongs to Rooster Teeth. I own nothing.
5. Beacon Days 01
Upper Vale's Bullhead Station
On a warm, early-autumn morning under a clear blue sky, a crowd of hopefuls and well-wishers stood gathered. On this day, of all days, the Beacon Bullheads will transport prospective Beacon students to the academy, where they will meet their destiny.
Behind a pillar, Jaune Arc, the scion of Arc, the nephew of Xiong, prepared for the ordeal to come.
"These are airsickness pills, take some now!"
"I have mints here, disciple. Focus on chewing them throughout the trip." Melanie shoved her sister aside.
"Stay near the restrooms in the back. And don't sit near people, understood?" An elbow dislodged Melanie's position.
"Here are some paper bags, a spare shirt, and a bottle of air-freshener. If you absolutely cannot stop yourself from puking, make sure to spray this around afterward."
Truly, this will be his greatest battle to date.
Uncle Hei, off to the side, hoisted himself off a bench and beckoned for Jaune. Making his excuses to Melanie and Miltia, Jaune followed his Uncle out of earshot.
"Uncle?"
"After it all, I could still scarcely believe that little Jaune is going to Beacon." Half-indignantly, Jaune protested.
"C'mon Uncle Hei! I'm almost as tall as you. Don't you think you can drop the 'little' now? Besides, I had you at my back. Of course I got in." Jaune's words elicited a beaming grin from his uncle.
"Hah! This flatterer! I'm glad to see my teachings paid off, but save that for the ladies of Beacon."
Yes, besides showing Jaune how to wheel and deal, Uncle Hei also clued him in on the most precious secret of all.
The ways of the Xiong Allure.
Forget the Arc Charm, it was his mother that swept his father off his feet according to Uncle Hei.
"I know I've only given you a few tips to chatting up women. Trust me, there was a reason why I had to stop. Luckily, I have a present for you. It took me a week to finish this beauty."
Uncle Hei held up a booklet. The cover carried an illustration, a big stick figure, with its arms looped around the necks of more stick figures. Under the drawing, Jaune saw the title.
Xiong and Whine: The Do's and Don'ts of Romance, with Anecdotes by 'Junior' Hei Xiong.
Eagerly, Jaune grasped the booklet and skimmed over the first few pages as his Uncle boasted.
"With the secrets in that book, I had a flower on each arm by the time my freshman year ended. Your mother had a harem, plus an entourage. The sky is the limit for a Xiong, Jaune." Tearfully, Jaune hugged Uncle Hei.
"Thank you, Uncle. Thank You!"
*BEEEP* Good morning, students. The Bullhead to Beacon is open for boarding. We will take off at 0900 on the dot. Please make you way to the central ramp at this time. Good luck to you all, and round of applause for our brave heroes, everyone!*BEEEP*
Heeding the announcement, Jaune and Uncle Hei rejoined the twins. With a hasty nudge from his uncle, he securely stashed the dating guide away in his suit jacket. Jaune picked up the strap of his luggage, briefly wondering if he had forgotten anything.
Crocea Mors is on my back, knife's on my hips, my scroll is in my pocket, sunglasses still here, and my tie is impeccable.
Confident that he had everything sorted, Jaune bade goodbye to Melanie, Miltia, and his uncle.
Hands on hips, Melanie haughtily commanded, "You better show your face at the Club!"
"I will! This weekend, Arc's word!"
"Don't have too much fun and forget your teachers, disciple." Miltia demanded. "Let us know how your first day goes?"
"Yup! I'll call you right after Initiation ends."
Melanie pouted.
"Check to see if Beacon allow visits? We've never been."
"I'll ask that Goodwitch woman."
Junior interjected, eyes on the prize.
"Secure a hidden area. Once you have one, we can start moving merchandise."
Jaune can see his wallet filling up already. He waved to his uncle and teachers, and ascended the ramp. Miltia happily shouted one last question.
"And if anyone talk smack about you?"
Jaune snickered, and settled his lips in a vicious sneer. He yelled back.
"Stab them in the kidney!"
Their laughter were worth the wary looks from his peers, or so Jaune told himself on the empty Bullhead bench.
Later
Running for his life from the biggest (and first!) Grimm he has ever seen, Jaune would take a moment to mull over a most pressing thought.
Do Grimm really have kidneys?
Indeed, a most pressing question.
Beacon Bullhead Docks
The Bullhead disgorged its cargo, as it does every year. This particular morning, however, the Beacon hopefuls left the airship with an eagerness, a desperation that the pilots have never seen. The students behind shoved those ahead. Those to first leave the Bullhead turned back with confusion only to be stomped over. One young girl in a red cloak, hesitant and lost and far too slow!, was shoved aside into a trolley stacked high with luggage.
The source of the commotion, the last passenger, disembarked. He heaved with every breath taken, as if overcome with emotion. He stalked forward, bloodshot eyes fixed intensely ahead.
Breathe and walk and breathe and walk, Jaune.
The pills afforded him an heretofore-unmatched level of control over his stomach. However, its duration needed work as Jaune still developed the terrible urge to empty himself halfway through the air journey. With every passing minute on that Bullhead, Jaune's resolve had faltered more and more until he rose in the direction of the rest room.
Before fully leaving the bench, Jaune remembered the image of Uncle Hei. His Uncle can stand for hours behind the bar. For the whole night, really. Despite even nature's call, he would calmly man the counter, mixing drinks and coolly chatting with his patrons. Would anyone respect him if he relieved himself at the bar?
Showing weakness so early at this juncture could destroy any image he tries to build at Beacon. It would risk giving away the lie, so Jaune made a choice. He doubled down and refused to touch the waste bags he brought and did not approach the restroom. In his immaculate suit, Jaune chewed ferociously on the mints Miltia gave him, staring into the space opposite his bench and fiddling with his knife for the entirety of Bullhead ride. He met anyone who neared with his clenched jaw and steadfast refusal to speak. For him, a precaution to prevent anything spewing forth. For them, it may have presented an overly aggressive demeanor.
Staring after the students that his visage has terrified, Jaune wondered if he had traded his precious image of a strong, dangerous man for any chance to make friends at his new school.
The sound of an explosion snapped him back into focus. His head turned in the direction of the smoke.
He saw a girl in red, and a girl in white.
Jaune gasped, dashing towards the downed figures. Unconsciously, he searched for a woman on fire.
Upon his approach, Jaune exhaled in relief as the two women were relatively unharmed. Barely singed, really, and nothing Aura couldn't take care of. Moreover, they were strangers to him. They're certainly not Melanie and Miltia, whom he now recalled would be on their way back to the Club in Vale.
Well, so long as he is here, what's the harm in helping two ladies get back on their feet? On closer inspection, the both of them were drop-dead gorgeous, which only spurred Jaune on.
Let's see where the Xiong Allure takes me.
The Xiong Allure: Our First Meeting
Weiss Schnee coughed as she took the offered hand, pulling herself from the crater.
"Thank you! It's good to see someone with proper manners in this school." The man chuckled.
"No thanks needed, miss. I heard an explosion, and couldn't help but investigate."
The stranger's calming voice soothed Weiss' ire. The tall, well-dressed, clearly cultured gentleman let go of her hand. He regarded the scattered cases of Dust, and seemed to loom over her.
"I must say, that sure is a lot of Dust. Do be careful, miss, we wouldn't want it to go off again. I can help you move them, if you like."
Hearing those words, Weiss Schnee's mood curdled, and she scowled. Under his veneer of class, this swine was nothing more than a greedy criminal. She recognized, all too familiarly, his avid interest in her supply of Dust, and the backhanded threat disguised as concern. Her family was no stranger to these cruel men and women. Leeches seeking a cut of the Schnee's resources and fortune under the name of 'protection'. Weiss could hardly believe the sheer gall of the blond villain, to so boldly walk the grounds of Beacon in broad daylight.
Her father had used his private security force to tear out root-and-stem one crime syndicate after another from Atlas, sending the survivors into the shadows of Mantle. She'd show this upstart the same courtesy.
Weiss looked left, Weiss looked right.
Oh, no! Her family's servants have all departed. She was standing alone without a single ally. Like a ravenous lion stalking a lithe and delicate gazelle, this- this beast has bided his time, waiting for her moment of solitude to strike. How could she have been so careless? A veritable fortune in Dust, exposed and without guards. Little wonder, she thought, that the leeches have come out of the woodwork.
Yet-, yet he had made a mistake. There was a witness to this shakedown. Surely he would not commit crimes so openly. Weiss whipped her head towards the clumsy child, only to be met in return with a guileless smile and a carefree wave. She wanted to scream in frustration. Does this girl not understand-.
It can't be.
The Dust explosion! He practically admitted it! It was no accident, Weiss realized with wilting spirits. The red girl did not trip. Weiss was a fool for believing that a Huntress could have made such a mistake, not after years of training. How could she have so naively thought that there would only be a lone criminal on this campus.
The girl was his underling. The suited man must have sent her ahead to stage an accident, an example of what awaits Weiss in the future if she does not follow his demand. A tithe every week, or all her Dust in flames.
Very well.
With all easy paths to end this conflict closed to her, Weiss will simply punish this insolent fool herself. Surely Beacon will understand that she must defend her property. To capitulate, to show weakness, would only embolden the thug to push for greater wickedness.
Weiss smoothly drew Myrtenaster with a flourish. A split second, and her rapier's tip tickled the beast's throat. He moved not a millimeter, but his eyes widen noticeably. Weiss realized that she had managed to catch him off guard.
A smirk, unbidden, crept its way onto her pretty face. Typical. All bark, no bite.
Heiress and criminal stared each other down in silence. The moment stretched uncomfortably, and Weiss found herself breaking into a cold sweat at her foe's nonchalant demeanor. She expected him to run the moment he faces peril. Instead, he stood as if this was not the first time a blade rested at his throat. She'd believe it.
She prepared to raise her voice, to vehemently reject this oaf and his protection scheme. A Schnee does not bow, A Schnee has no betters. Weiss will not spend her years in Beacon trapped as an easy wallet. Her soft lips parted, ready to make her stand.
The wolf in man's clothing slowly, oh so slowly, tilted his head a few degrees. His smile took on an altogether sinister air as he continued to blithely speak in his serene tone.
"Careful, someone could lose an eye." He shifted attention to his underling, laughing lightly, "Is this a Beacon thing? Showing our weapons to strangers?"
In response, the red girl moved with practiced grace and speed. She drew a weapon concealed under her cloak just as fast as, no, faster than Weiss ever could. It unfurled into a wickedly-sharp scythe, taller than either of the Huntresses present. The blade spun in the girl's small hands and crashed down into the paved road inches from Weiss, scattering debris. A white strand of hair floated past Weiss' eyes.
"If it's not, then it should be! Meet my baby! This is Crescent Rose, my battle scythe. It's also a customizable high-impact sniper rifle! Oh, and my name is Ruby Rose. Hi."
Weiss gulped.
The girl's weapon made Myrtenaster look like a child's toy.
Up close, the farming implement resembled nothing so much as an executioner's tool; the crimson body of the weapon giving the weapon a bloody hue and sending a shiver through Weiss. The fact that its second form is a sniper rifle cemented in Weiss' mind that this outwardly innocent child must be, in actuality, a deadly assassin in disguise.
A cough threw her attention back to the greater danger. The hitwoman's superior. The beast played along with his underling's skit and clownishly waved at the scythe. In the same soft and even tone, the smile never fading, he spoke.
"Hello there Crescent Rose! Hehe. And you too Ruby Rose. My name is Jaune Arc, and I suppose it's my turn to introduce my baby."
Following his declaration, the criminal unsheathed the sword on his hips.
It was…short. Shorter than Myrtenaster, in fact. After the reveal of the long and intimidating polearm, Weiss felt unimpressed, almost disappointed, at the sight of the diminutive blade. The girl in red commented.
"That's a pretty short katana, huh?" The thug immediately growled.
"It's a decent enough length! It's not a claymore, I know, but it gets the job done. My teachers said it was a Mistralian design. A wakizashi, designed for indoor fighting and enclosed spaces."
A man-slaying blade. Weiss thought. There was no such thing as a house-dwelling Grimm. The red girl, Ruby Rose, pointed to the longer sword on the man's back.
"The wishi-washi thing is neat, I guess, but what's that one, then? Does it have a gun form?" As if the girl would not know her master's weapons. They must take Weiss for a fool.
"This, on my back? This is Crocea Mors, a sword and shield. No gun either, but the shield transforms into a sheath. It's a family heirloom, but I'm not as experienced in it as I am with the wakizashi."
Of course not. You must have spent all your days with your assassination blade steeped in the blood of innocents. Such knightly weapons must be alien to you. Stolen too, I'll bet.
The dastardly duo's little farce has amply demonstrated that Weiss Schnee is far outmatched. Her training in duels and Grimm-slaying, while likely on par if not superior to these louts, could not possibly compare their specialization of hunting their fellow man.
"So what's your name, miss?"
Outmaneuvered at every turn, Weiss gave in to the despair of her situation. She held out one of her suitcases, and presented her circumstances in the hopes that they will allow her to keep the rest. She needed that Dust, her entire fighting style depends on it.
"My name is Weiss Schnee. I may be heiress of the SDC, but I have little access to the resources or lien of my company. Please, understand that this case of Dust is all I can spare for now." A small lie, but this should keep their avarice in check. The beast observed her for a beat.
"Weiss, what am I gonna even do with this suitcase? Why-" Weiss interrupted, she cannot lose the momentum now.
"I have Lien, then! L3,000! It's all I have on me right now, and I can get more, I swear!" She cannot let them take everything! Weiss saw the thug groan in indecision, naked greed on his face.
"Ughhhhhh, No! There's no need for that!" He paused. "Look, Weiss. I wanted to say that it's good to meet you and I was hoping that we can be good friends?" The red girl piped up.
"Ditto! Me Too!"
Good friends? Weiss wanted to scoff. She knew all about 'good friends'. In Atlas society, the term has lost all of its original meaning. Her father has 'good friends'. They were the yes-men, the easily cowed. Patsies her father found useful. Jacques Schnee demanded favor after favor, and fed them scraps from the Schnee family's dealings. He would be apoplectic if her knew his daughter, his heir, has fallen in the same trap to become an underling. Anger surged through Weiss again at the thought of being so outplayed.
Weiss will not live the life of a pet, she will not. This beast think her beaten, this beast laughs at her defeat. She may be outnumbered now, but do not think that this heiress will remain helpless forever.
"Understood, Jaune and Ruby. Let us be 'good friends'."
Mark my word, Jaune Arc. Biding her time, Weiss Schnee will escape her fate!
Laughing loudly makes you seem desperate, a light chuckle projects more confidence.
Keep an ever-gentle tone and a sedate tempo, and you'll stutter less.
Height is an advantage. Lean just a touch towards your partner, to create a sense of intimacy.
Joke around, treat them like you would a friend, it will ease tension.
Avoid the crazies, don't be the crazy.
-Excerpts, from Xiong and Whine: The Do's and Don'ts of Romance, with Anecdotes by 'Junior' Hei Xiong.
Beacon Ballroom Hallway
Jaune marched along to the Beacon ballroom, where everyone will stay for the night. Ruby followed and shot uncomfortable glances his way, sweeping her gaze up and down his body as if trying to remember something.
Her difficult face disappeared as she took in his blue tie, though. Probably, she was just judging the appeal of his outfit.
Hopefully, she will also get over his short kata- ahem, his long knife. Her face clearly drooped in disappointment at its introduction.
Weiss, on the other, was so sweet that Jaune couldn't help but make sure to stay by her side. She clearly had worse social skills than Ruby. Not five minutes into their first conversation, and she offered Dust to him right out from her personal supplies. Then tried to give him Lien too, after he rejected the Dust. It wasn't until he asked her to be friends that she stopped trying to gift him things. Jaune found quite the pitiful princess, indeed, if she thought she had to buy friends. Well, she's got a friend in him, and in Ruby too. No gifts needed!
Arriving at the ballroom doors, Jaune considered his path forward. A gathering of his peers made the perfect opportunity for Jaune to send a message. Back at the Club, Melanie and Miltia always stressed the importance of an entrance. Succeed, and Jaune will dominate the hearts and mind of all in the room. The flip side of such attention came in the form of the inevitable emergence of rivals and enemies, each eager to use his defeat to bolster their own reputation. They would be stronger than him. Their years of training outshone his three months, after all.
They, however, haven't bet their future and freedom on entering Beacon. They have not walked through a battlefield. They lacked the conviction of the desperate. Jaune overcame a monster, these children are cute in comparison.
As new friends watched, Jaune set his shoulders back, and donned his blue-tinted sunglasses. He puffed his chest out, raising his chin with false confidence. His thumbs hooked into pockets, as a delicious idea came to him. With his companions here, Jaune could allow himself a little extra flair in this performance. He held out both elbows, wiggling them in the direction of Weiss and Ruby. Weiss, quick on the uptake, slid her arm into his in a practiced motion. Her stance changed from the sheltered girl to a regal aloofness that almost took Jaune's breath away. She, no doubt, had experience in putting on a show. Ruby, on the other hand, appeared flustered at first. She took Weiss' lead, copying the pose with a passable grace.
Jaune did not plaster on a fake smirk. He didn't need to. He could barely suppress a wide grin. Once more, a dashing peacock will strut before a crowd. With a flower on each arm, no less.
If only the twins could see him now. His entrance would make them proud.
Jaune stepped forward in a measured gait. Wide and long to project power, yet slow to take into account the height of his companions. Even then, the two women hopped ever so lightly with every step to keep with his stride, giving an ephemeral mien as they seem to float alongside the lazy swings of his steps.
Those closest to the door were the first to gawp. With most of the audience dressed for sleep, Jaune and his new friends instantly became the most stylish sight in the room. Their passage left awe and jealousy in their wake.
The faintest trace of illness churned in Jaune's stomach. He likely will never become comfortable being in front of so many people, but he has definitely improved from the early days of his training.
Weiss certainly picked up his game, as Jaune spied a smug little smirk playing on her lips as she soaked in the attention. She subtly scanned the room, noting the attitudes of the other students. Jaune followed her lead, panning his gaze to catalog the reactions of the possible enemies and allies.
A group of rough-housing boys sent death-glares towards Jaune, or longing leers in the direction of Weiss and Ruby. He would mark them as the equivalent of a rival gang, to be avoided until he can isolate their members. A duo of unassuming boys held more promise, their eyes full of worship for his feat. The strategic dissemination of wisdom from Xiong and Whine could garner their loyalty. Beyond them, a circle of young ladies observed Jaune appraisingly, no doubt wondering what would draw Weiss and Ruby to him. Lies, ladies, all lies. But Jaune won't tell them that. Ruby appeared to know them, her nervous demeanor shifting into a mischievous expression as she recognized their envy. People from her hometown, then, and unfriendly to her at that.
Jaune noted the more interesting faces, those that showed no amazement or antagonism. An expressionless boy, alongside a girl chattering away at him without a glance in Jaune's direction. A redheaded woman, leaning on a wall and calmly regarding him. As she noticed his attention on her, the girl nodded politely. Another girl, who, hang on, is she? Dammit, it's just a tight shirt the same color of her skin tone. Jaune scrambled to regain his poise, missing a fraction of a step at the distraction, and continued his swagger.
Reaching the far wall, Jaune basked in the murmur and rumors flying back and forth behind his back. By this time tomorrow, nobody in Beacon would forget the name Jaune Arc.
The Xiong Allure: Meeting Destiny
The first time she saw him, a thrill ran through her spine.
The way he strode through the Beacon ballroom that night, the way his suit and sunglasses sharpened his looks, the way the girl in red and the girl in white lined his sides.
He was unmistakable.
Holy-moly, it's a Yakuza! An honest-to-Oum Yakuza!
…
Squeeeeeeeee!
Has he killed a man? Has he exchanged blood oaths with his sworn brothers? Was he recruiting!? Does he give autographs!?
All important questions, of which Pyrrha revealed not a hint as her eyes locked onto the figure at the far end of the room.
Not many know her secret, that Pyrrha's bookshelf back home in Argus heaved and creaked with the weight of crime fiction novels, comic series, movies, dramas, and games devoted to the golden age of Mistralian crime.
Pyrrha devoured any scrap of media she could find. She researched famous names from that era of history, the rise and fall of individuals that heralded prosperity and turmoil in equal measure for all of Mistral. One, who turned the capital upside-down over the course of a night, seeking vengeance for his slain leader and adoptive father. Another, who conquered over three-quarters of the city and brought peace to the underworld for 5 years, only to fall as Mistral's Huntsmen and Huntresses stormed her compound at the instigation of her jealous rivals.
She marveled at the myths, cheered the legends, and, in the end, cried for the death of the Yakuza Way. For every historian, journalist, and novelist agreed, that ruthless greed has triumphed over the bonds of brotherhood and the gangs of Mistral today were but a mockery of the titans who've come and gone.
Two years ago, she ventured to Lower Mistral during a tournament break, hoping to witness Yakuza. She found only low criminals in ill-fitted suits, preying on the people they claim to protect. Pyrrha saw no great meaning or romance in their actions. She, herself, have already eclipsed their ambitions. Pyrrha retreated to her tournament career in disappointment, wistfully dreaming of being one of the Yakuza legends of old.
Yet! Yet, one of those bygone figures was standing in this very room! A king in his court, his entrance silenced the masses. His clothes fitted him like a glove. As she observed, the man smiled and joked with his subordinates while they staked out their territory among the students. She saw no hint of the casual cruelty displayed by the Mistralian criminals from two years before.
Seeing him now, Pyrrha realized why the suit she commissioned always felt like cosplay. She had looked like a child playing dress-up, or a fashion model at best. She lacked the assured arrogance of his stance, the sheer presence of those sunglasses. Where did he buy them? Perhaps they are specially-ordered, only available to his group? Would she have to kill a man, to get one?
She would look so rocking in those shades!
Pyrrha firmly believed that she would be a perfect asset to any Yakuza group. She's the four-time champion of Mistral's Regional Tournament, trained in taking apart her opponents. There's not a single person in this academy as bloodthirsty, yet honor-bound, as her. If she can just get the chance to showcase her talents to this man, surely he would acknowledge her dreams? Invite her to join his Yakuza empire? Get her a pair of sunglasses?
Heheheh, if only there was some sort of combat trial happening soon.
This Initiation will be the perfect chance, she can see it now. A classic scene, two strangers finding themselves fighting as partners in a common cause, sharing cups of Sake in the wake of their ordeal as a sign of their eternal brotherhood, swearing that their names will resound throughout the ages.
She just needed to make sure by tomorrow morning that this man was a true Yakuza from her games and movies. For that, maybe she'd need to scoot closer to that side of the room.
Later
Running from the Ancient Deathstalker alongside her partner, Pyrrha 'squee'-ed in her mind, again.
It. Is. Happening!
Your reputation will precede you, cultivate an image and defend it with your life.
Get two guys together, and there will be Alpha Male displays. Prepare accordingly.
A reputation for being dangerous, funnily enough, is not a turn off.
Avoid the crazies, don't be the crazy.
-Excerpts, from Xiong and Whine: The Do's and Don'ts of Romance, with Anecdotes by 'Junior' Hei Xiong.
Author's note: Jaune pulled a Blake. There's no way Ruby can find a connection between the dangerous-looking men in black suits and red ties, with the dangerous-looking man in black suit and blue tie.
Canon Jaune: Jaune Arc used Arc Charm, no romance occurs
Yakuza Jaune: Jaune Arc used Xiong Allure, no romance occurs
Canon is difficult. Too many characters at once, too much set up needed. Can't get that mini-stories format I like. After obligatory Initiation, most Beacon Days chapters will likely go the way of School Days. Self-contained episodes. Some humor, some seriousness, action and dialogue over backstory. Except when canon events can allow for good fights or character development for Jaune.