Jaune was beginning to think that Beacon only hired eccentric personalities.
"In the years leading up to the Great War, tensions were already running high," Professor Oobleck – or Doctor Oobleck, as he wished to be called – was a slender, tall man with messy green hair and large, round glasses. At first glance, he looked like he had just stepped out of bed, his clothes disheveled; his white button down shirt was only partially tucked into his dark green pants, the collar raised and uneven, showing the loop of his slack yellow tie. His shoes were mismatched, as if he had tried to dress in the dark; one black, one brown, and if Jaune had to guess, his socks were probably similarly at odds.
But that wasn't even the strangest thing about him.
"Mantle's belief in suppressing self-expression and abolishing the arts, a practice loosely adopted by Mistral, greatly troubled Vale, as well as their reliance on slave labor – both faunus and human alike! I say loosely because even though Mistral enforced this doctrine upon its citizens, it only went so far as the lower class. The elite remained free to indulge in art and freely express themselves in Mistral's central power, creating an even greater gap between its own citizens," he said, or at least – that is what Jaune thought he said.
Because Professor Oobleck – Doctor Oobleck – spoke so fast that he was only able to catch every other word, and even then he wasn't sure how accurate his ears were. He wasn't the only one having trouble, a quick glance around the room showing confusion as the man dashed back and forth like a hyperactive rabbit, coffee flask in hand.
"This status quo held for nearly a hundred years, the alliance between Mantle and Mistral solidifying into a true partnership. But when Mistral sought to expand its borders, setting their sights on islands and peninsula on the east coast of Sanus, land that Vale was exploring for future expansion, the tenuous peace was threatened. The King of Vale, against the wishes of his own subjects, was prepared to share the land with Mistral," he rushed out, zipping across the room and causing Blake to flinch as he stopped right in front of her, teetering as if he was about to fall on her. When he straightened up, he continued, "For a time, the settlers coexisted – but ultimately, the high tensions resulted in a riot, many people losing their lives on both sides. Even to this day, it is unknown what sparked the first conflict, or who attacked first, but this is universally seen as the beginning of the Great War."
Jaune frowned as he scribbled down notes, struggling to keep up. History was never his best subject but the Great War in particular was something that he was interested in. He had grown up on stories of his great-great grandfather fighting in the conflict, so it was difficult not to have some interest in it. The sword he carried on his hip was the very same one his grandfather had used in the war, a family heirloom. The things his blade must have seen, the lives it must have taken…
...and the Grimm it still continued to slay. The weight of its history was enormous, and the Great War was part of that history.
Who wouldn't be invested?
Beside him, Weiss was also attempting to take notes but she was struggling just as much as he was with keeping up, her usually neat handwriting becoming sloppy as she rushed. Nora had a lost look on her face, her mouth slightly open as Oobleck's words went in one ear and out the other, her pen still as she tried to comprehend the word vomit without success. Ruby looked panicked, her pen flying across the page but half of it looked illegible, nothing more than a continuous scribble line. Yang wasn't even attempting to take notes, having given up on the lesson within minutes, tapping away on her scroll. Ren was managing the best of all of them, but Jaune could see the tension in the way he was gripping his pen. If he wasn't careful, it was liable to snap in half.
Pyrrha simply listened with rapt attention, and Jaune wondered if she was committing all this to memory – or simply knew all of this information already, and didn't need to copy anything down. While Oobleck wasn't going into any detail, simply giving them a run down of the start of the greatest conflict to envelop all of Remnant, the way he was delivering it was more than enough to overwhelm the mind.
"Meanwhile, Vacuo remained neutral as the fighting began in earnest. This was partly because of their distance but also because Mantle and Mistral had established a presence within Vacuo years prior. Mantle had helped build mines on the northern reaches of Vacuo's territory, and Mistral had provided capital, an investment for the future. However, the people of Vacuo knew that it was only a matter of time before Vale fell, and then they would turn their undivided attention on Vacuo. Though dwindling even at that time, they were still rich with natural resources, ripe for the picking. Mantle and Mistral pressured Vacuo to declare for them but instead, there was a revolt. Under the helm of a charismatic young leader, a faunus, a Princess of the Realm – the people of Vacuo overthrew the corrupt government and forced Mantle and Mistral's presence from their borders, allying themselves with Vale while crowning their new Queen."
Some of this, Jaune had heard before, of course. But the information about Vacuo was new; as far as he was aware, Vacuo had simply allied themselves with Vale. The fact that there had been a revolt… did that mean the original government and King had been poised to join Mantle and Mistral?
Everyone knew how the war ended, though.
The stories and myths surrounding the King of Vale were varied and more outlandish than the last, but one thing they all agreed on was that he was a true Warrior King. Taking to the field of battle himself, he had marched his army into the deserts of Vacuo where the deadliest battle in history had taken place. Mantle and Mistral had attempted to cut off Vacuo's supply lines by seizing their Dust mines and wreaking havoc in their outer territories, but were caught in a pincer when Vale attacked from the east, and Vacuo sallied out from their homeland in the west.
Jaune had never met his great-great grandfather. He had died before Jaune was born but he had read some of his journals when he was younger, keepsakes that his father kept locked away in an old trunk. The horrors of war, penned down by someone who had experienced it first hand.
He had been there, in the deserts of Vacuo as human and faunus alike were torn apart by the elements, and by sword, bullet and spear.
"...With the war over, the leaders of the four Kingdoms gathered on neutral ground on the island of Vytal to form a treaty and plan the future of Remnant, known as the Vytal Peace Accord. There, the four Kingdoms' governments were restructured, territories were redistributed, the tradition of the Vytal Festival was begun and the King of Vale founded the Huntsman Academies," Oobleck finally paused, peering around the room. He took a moment to let that sink in. "And thus, Huntsmen and Huntresses came into being. Since the War, we have undergone an unprecedented era of peace with the notable exception of the Faunus Rights Revolution, one that we all hope will continue far into the future."
Doctor Oobleck was a hurricane and his classroom resembled it. While it held a similar structure to the Grimm Studies room with the ring of wooden desks in ascending tiers with aisles leading to the exits, where Professor Port kept his work space clean and tidy, Doctor Oobleck's looked like a disaster site.
His desk was overflowing with books and discarded papers, many of which had fallen onto the floor. The massive map of Remnant behind his desk was covered in numerous pages and photos, pinned in precise locations with red string connecting all the various points of interest. It looked like the brainstorm of an obsessed stalker, though instead of women, the photos were of places. Temples, castles, ruins – historical landmarks of past civilizations and kingdoms.
On a nearby rack, a worn trench coat hung alongside a tan hard hat, the type you'd expect to see on the head of an archaeologist or explorer – because that is exactly what he was. Not only a Huntsman, but an archaeologist, explorer, a master of history.
Finally giving them some time to breathe, Jaune finished writing down his notes before massaging his hand, trying to return some feeling to his fingers. Nora looked down at his writing and leaned in, a pleading expression dominating her face.
"Can I borrow your notes after class?"
Jaune nodded. "Sure."
Her smile was full of teeth. "Thanks, partner~!"
"While I am happy to share mine as well, you should try and take some of your own," Weiss said, rolling her wrist. After their conversation and a filling lunch, she appeared in a much better mood, though she was pointedly ignoring Yang after her comments about using her father's money to buy her way in. "It will help solidify the information in your memory, even if you cannot catch everything."
"I can't understand any of it," Nora moaned, sagging. "All I hear is bleergh."
Weiss pulled a face. "He does not sound like that."
"Okay, so maybe it was more blah, blah, blah," Nora corrected.
Jaune snickered as Weiss shook her head.
"You're hopeless," she declared.
Nora perked up. "Thanks~!"
"That wasn't a compliment!" Weiss scowled.
Meanwhile, Blake had raised her hand, drawing the teacher's attention.
"Yes, Ms. Bellbrook?"
Blake frowned. "Uh – it's Belladonna."
"Right, right – of course. Yes, Ms. Belladonna?"
"You said that the world is currently experiencing an unprecedented era of peace. Do you really think that is the case?"
Doctor Oobleck nodded. "I know it to be. As I said, with the exception of the Faunus Rights Revolution, we are currently undergoing an unprecedented stretch of time without a major conflict. You must understand, Ms. Bellbrook," he cut across her when she went to speak up, her face twitching when he mispronounced her name again. "When I say this, I am doing so with the full knowledge of how the world was before. Are there still conflicts in the world? Of course! Do we still lose towns and villages to the Grimm – or to banditry? We do! But before the Great War, it was not unusual for battles to be fought for all manner of things. There were constant disputes over land, for example – the very thing that kickstarted the war in the first place. There were many other kingdoms, places many have not even heard of. The reason? Because they were wiped out, not by Grimm, but by other kingdoms."
"So does that mean the suffering today means less?" Blake retorted quickly before he could begin to ramble further. "Calling this a peaceful era – it feels like the current hardships of people like the faunus are being dismissed."
"Heavens no," Oobleck exclaimed, sounding outraged at the very thought. "It is not about things be lesser or more, Ms. Bellbrook—"
"It's Belladonna!"
"—it was just a simple statement of fact. The world is a much more stable place currently and it is not a debate. Historical records make that very clear. But that does not mean that current problems are not important. Once we finish our work on the Great War, we will be moving onto the Faunus Rights Revolution, the years leading up to it and the aftermath, as well as how it shaped current events and organizations like the White Fang."
It was subtle but Jaune saw Weiss tense. She wasn't the only one. Blake's shoulders were a hardline, her back like steel.
"The ongoing plight of the faunus will be covered extensively in this class, as well as the deteriorating situation in Vacuo, and the fate of the once great kingdom of Mantle, now reduced to no more than a city under the purview of Atlas. Do not worry. While we deal with History, the past shapes the present and the future."
"Who cares about the faunus?" a snide voice said. It was unmistakably Cardin. "They should all just go back to their island and stay there, then there wouldn't be any problems."
Blake turned, her eyes filled with fire. A sudden tension filled the room as other students looked Cardin's way, a mixture of opinions clear on their faces. Some were in agreement, nodding their heads while others glared, disgusted.
"Why is it that whenever you open your mouth, the more stupid you sound?" Yang asked, annoyed.
"Hey, I'm just saying it how I see it, that's all. I didn't know you were an animal lover, Xiao Long. I guess I should have pegged you for a freak."
"It's disgusting people like you who make this world a worse place," Blake said coldly. "At least the Grimm can't help themselves and are just mindless beasts, but you – you're a piece of trash that adds nothing to anything."
Cardin's face clouded over, his mouth opening to return fire when Oobleck banged his coffee flask against the desk, the loud bang sounding like a gunshot. Everyone jumped, startled.
"That is enough," he said sternly. Cardin swallowed his words. "While I do appreciate free discussion, I will not tolerate hateful remarks, do I make myself clear, Mr. Chestnut?"
Cardin grunted. "It's Winchester."
"And though I understand your feelings, Ms. Belladonna, Ms. Xiao Long, please do not escalate the situation with hasty words."
Yang perked up. "Hey, he got my name right the first time."
"Now then," Doctor Oobleck took a long sip of his coffee before zipping over behind his desk. "Now that I've outlined the basic overview of the Great War, we will begin by dissecting the reasoning behind Mantle's adoption of their draconian edicts, and the forging of their alliance with Mistral. Books open to page thirty-two."
Jaune slowly raised his hand.
"Yes, Mr. Art?"
He didn't bother correcting him.
"What books?"
Oobleck blinked at them, glasses slipping down his nose as he scanned their desks. "Oh – right. Be right back!"
He vanished in a blur.
Weiss pinched the bridge of her nose. "I think I made a mistake coming here."
Dust Usage was held not in a lecture hall but outside, under the cloudless sky. Their teacher was an elderly woman by the name of Professor Plum, her light purple hair graying with age. Though she looked to be in her seventies at the youngest but likely in her eighties, deep wrinkles around her mouth and eyes, she walked with the spryness of someone half her age, marching them all across campus to a clearing of hard, packed dirt within a ring of trees. The area was large, and from a quick glance, Jaune judged it to be at least five to six acres.
More than enough space to test out the destructive nature of Dust.
"Gather around, class," Professor Plum called out, her voice strong and loud. A number of large cases were stacked two high, and when she opened their lids, Jaune saw a rainbow of color. Red, green, blue, yellow, purple, and more. Dust Crystals, and tubes of powdered Dust. "How many of you are familiar with using Dust?"
Weiss' hand immediately shot into the air. After a few seconds, a couple more hands joined her. Blake. Ruby. Pyrrha. Nora. A few others.
And Cardin.
Professor Plum smiled, eyes on Weiss. "Yes, of course, Ms. Schnee – please, step forward. I require you for a demonstration."
When Weiss took her place at the front of the class, Professor Plum plucked a red crystal from one of the cases.
"First, a brief history lesson," she began, holding up the crystallized fire. "According to legend, humanity was on the verge of defeat, the endless tide of darkness halted only when they discovered and harnessed the power of Dust. Nature's Wrath, some called it – and still do. It is our primary source of energy. The lights above your head at night, the cars and airships that ferry you from one point to another, those scrolls in your pockets – all powered and made possible by Dust. But before it was harnessed as a power source, before it powered all manner of technology, we used it first and foremost as a weapon."
The crystal in her hand began glowing, aura pouring into it. Shining brightly, Professor Plum turned and with a flick of her wrist, threw it several dozen feet. Everyone tensed, bracing themselves, knowing what was to come. As soon as it hit the ground, a deafening explosion of fire erupted, the shock wave slamming into them. Even at such a distance, Jaune felt the heat rush over his skin.
"In its most base form, it comes in crystals. While they can be volatile in this state, it would take a decent application of force to trigger a reaction. As you can, however – even the barest amount of Aura can and will activate Dust, priming it for use," turning back to face them, she tapped her finger on a tube of powdered dust. "Refined Dust Powder allows for a more controlled usage of Dust but can be much more difficult to handle, increasing its volatility alongside its versatility. Powdered Dust should be handled with care, and kept in shock absorbing containers to avoid accidents."
Ruby began grumbling under her breath, shooting Weiss a dirty look. Surprisingly, the heiress looked abashed.
"There are many ways to use Dust. Most Huntsmen utilize them in bullets, for example, or even fashion blades from the material, though they are more brittle than steel. Others can combine them with the effects of their semblance's, bringing about unique abilities. It can even be woven into clothing for a variety of reasons, not just for combat purposes. Though rare in the current age, people used to take Dust directly into their bodies. A painful experience but a powerful tool, for sure. But the easiest way is what you just witnessed."
She let all that information sink in for a moment before turning to Weiss. "Now – Ms. Schnee; would you like to show your classmates a little of what you can do?"
"Certainly."
She plucked out a tube of light blue Dust. They watched as she opened it up and sprinkled some onto her hand directly before placing the tube down and walking several paces. Without effort, she twirled on the spot and Jaune saw a cascade of powder before a flash of light shimmered into existence, the Dust activating. In the blink of an eye, a spiral of ice formed around her, almost like a sculpture.
Yang whistled while Nora clapped excitedly. Blake rolled her eyes, muttering, "Show off," though Jaune could tell that she was impressed by the display.
Professor Plum smiled. "As expected, you have a high level of control. Using powdered Dust accurately without a medium such as a weapon, clothing or semblance is incredibly difficult, and should only be attempted by one confident in their abilities. If she had gotten it wrong, she could have easily encased her entire hand in ice."
Weiss looked incredibly pleased with herself, patting down her skirt primly. Jaune recalled her shooting Nora up with lightning, and wondered how dangerous that could have been if Weiss hadn't been the one to do it. Though perhaps Nora's semblance made the entire thing moot.
"For beginners, you will be dealing with crystals for the foreseeable future. Until you get comfortable with handling Dust in its most pure form, it will remain the safest option. Though we are sure to have hiccups, so make sure to keep your aura activated at all times in my class. Now – partner up with the person on your immediate right, and come claim some Dust."
The person to his right was Yang.
"Looks like we're partners," she grinned, her gorgeous face lighting up. "You know much about Dust?"
"Not really," he said, shrugging, trying not to stare too hard. Yang was simply too pretty by half. "What about you?"
"Eh – a little bit," she waved a hand carelessly. "My dad taught me a little bit but I was never really interested. I just wanted to punch things, you know? This was more Ruby's lane."
They collected a handful of crystals each and then found a nice clear spot for them to test things out, away from others.
"Want to go first?" she asked.
Jaune held up a pale green crystal, the sun passing through it beautifully. Dust could easily be mistaken for valuable gemstones, holding a similar look to them.
"Sure," he said. "This is wind, right? I think I'll try this one first. I don't want to blow myself up, first thing."
He should have kept his mouth shut. Jaune quickly found out that he was completely pants at using Dust. Channeling a small amount of aura into his hand, the pale green crystal lit up like a miniature sun – and then promptly detonated in his hand. One moment, both feet were planted firmly on the ground. The next? He was tumbling through the air, carried forth by a violent current of wind that roared around him with fury before hitting the ground several dozen feet away.
Jaune blinked, gazing up at the sky in confusion.
Yang started laughing until tears stung her eyes, her entire body shaking.
"Oh my god, are you okay, dude?" she managed to get out as she rushed over to his side. "Ahahah – you should have seen it, you just got tossed like a rag doll."
Jaune held up his hand but the crystal had crumbled into nothing, leaving nothing behind.
"Remnant to Jaune, you awake?" she giggled, holding out a hand. He grabbed it without thinking, allowing her to haul him up. "You land on your head?"
"I don't think so," he said, still a little dazed. He didn't feel any pain, it was just the shock of being tossed around like he weighed nothing. "Good thing I didn't use fire, huh?"
"You'd have been toast," she agreed, snorting. "Come on, it's my turn now."
Yang was only mildly better than he was. While she wasn't tossed several feet away, she did end up with a face full of water when the Water Dust Crystal in her hand decided to fire randomly in all directions. Jaune managed to dodge out of the way.
Yang spluttered as she was drenched from head to toe.
"This sucks," she declared.
Removing her jacket, her shirt and vest had not been spared. Jaune looked away quickly as he caught a hint of her bra beneath the soaked white material, cupping her bountiful breasts firmly.
Jaune shrugged off his jacket and held it out to her. Yang blinked.
"Here, cover up," he said.
It took her a few seconds to realize what he meant and a healthy flush crossed her cheeks and the bridge of her nose. "Oh, uh – um, thanks," she stuttered, taking his jacket and pulling it on.
They stood awkwardly for a moment, uncertain.
"Do you – uh, want to dry off or something?" he asked. "Professor Plum might have a towel or…"
Yang cleared her throat. "Yeah, that sounds – oh, look," she pointed and he followed her finger, and saw that Weiss had started a small fire. Even without wood, it continued to burn. "I can dry off over there."
Weiss was partnered with Ren, who saw them approach first.
Ren took one look at Yang and said, "What happened?"
"Water Dust," Jaune explained. "Can she dry off here?"
Weiss stared at Yang, who stared back. Jaune recalled their small spat in Grimm Studies over Ruby, and worried that it may reignite.
"You probably used too much aura," Weiss finally said, diplomatically. Blue eyes then fell on him. "What happened to you?"
"What?"
Her eyes lingered on his hair. "You're covered in dirt."
"Oh, haha – too much aura, I guess?" he rubbed the back of his neck. "I got thrown by some Wind Dust."
"I see," Weiss said, shaking her head ruefully. "Gather around, then, children – I will teach you the finer points of Dust control."
Yang looked like she wanted to say something but instead cut her losses, moving closer to the fire to dry off.
"You must be mindful of how much aura you are using," Weiss began explaining, picking up a crystal with a yellow hue. "Too much, and it may prematurely discharge. Too little, and it may not activate sufficiently. You have much more leeway on the lower end, however, and should always aim for using the least amount of aura possible."
Jaune and Yang watched as the yellow gem began to shine, though unlike the small sun he had been holding in his hand moments before it blew up, this was softer, calmer. A faint scent of ozone filled the air and even though he was standing a few feet away from her, he could feel a current, the hair on the back of his neck standing on end.
"Right now, this Dust is still relatively stable," Weiss waved her hand up and down. "It is in no danger of igniting without cause. But should it encounter sufficient force," turning, she tossed it carelessly, the crystal tumbling through the air before hitting the ground. At once, it erupted in a flash of blinding light, a crackle of energy erupting in a pillar of lightning. It was over as quickly as it began, a sudden crack as it tore through the air and scorched an arcing path. "It will explode."
Ren was cradling a dark crystal in his hands. It almost looked black but a closer look revealed a purple tint. Gravity Dust. Just as Weiss had shown, he applied as little aura as possible, the gem igniting with an inner fire. He then tossed it and they all watched as it hit the ground and exploded, a wave of invisible force kicking up a ring of dirt in all directions.
"There are five primary Dust types; fire, water, wind – or air, lightning and rock," Weiss lectured, looking all too smug to be teaching. Yang shot him a look, though she looked more amused than annoyed. "And then there are combination types, far too many to list. Some of these can occur naturally. Gravity Dust, for example, is a naturally occurring combination type though it can be manufactured, as well. Combustion Dust is also naturally occurring, though it is used in all manner of vehicles so we produce it synthetically on a tremendous scale. Ice is a combination type, commonly found in nature. And then there is Hard-Light Dust – the rarest of dust, and only formed through artificial means. It is used in all manner of barriers and weapons, and was pioneered by the Atlas Military."
"My uncle had some of that, once," Yang said. "Ruby thought it was super cool. He formed a small shield with it and no matter how hard I punched it, it wouldn't break. Pretty nifty stuff."
Somewhere across the field, Jaune heard Nora cackling wildly.
"Yes, well – I have some back at the dorms," Weiss looked away, crossing her arms. "Perhaps I could show you all how it works sometime."
Jaune blinked.
"Bring your sister," Weiss added, and it was impossible to miss the way her ears turned red at the tips. "It sounds like she would appreciate it."
She was trying to make amends.
His words must have gotten through to her this time, after all.
Yang smiled. "Sure, that sounds like fun," then her face fell, looking awkward. "Uh, sorry about… you know, what I said earlier."
Weiss hummed. "Already forgotten."
Jaune shared a look with Ren. He was about to say something when the ground suddenly rocked, almost throwing all of them off their feet. Yang nearly stepped into the fire that was drying her off but Jaune was able to grab her at the last moment.
"The hell was that?" Yang asked, looking around. A large plume of smoke was rising into the air, and those cackles Jaune had heard earlier were only getting louder.
And… were above him?
"Look out below~!" Nora bellowed, and Jaune only had enough time to look up before one hundred plus pounds of young, supple Huntress barreled into his chest and shoulders.
"Oof~!" he grunted as Nora rode him down to the ground, her plump butt resting directly on his chest.
"Ahahaha~! That was awesome!"
"Ms. Valkyrie," Professor Plum called out. "Please refrain from attempting to enter low orbit in my class, please."
She saluted. "Got it, teach~!"
"Nora," Ren sighed. "Get off Jaune."
"Don't wanna," she said childishly. "He's comfortable."
Luckily, her skirt was still protecting her modesty but because of the way she was sitting, her legs spread on either side of him while remaining fully extended, he was seeing a lot more thigh than was proper. He could also feel the heat of her core, directly against his chest, and the only thing separating them was two thin strips of material – his shirt, and her underwear.
"This is becoming a bit of a habit," he said as she giggled. "I'm starting to think you are doing this on purpose."
She poked her tongue out at him, and only got up when Weiss grabbed her under her armpits and hauled her to her feet. She might look like a doll but Weiss was stronger than she looked, easily manhandling her.
"Weiss, what are you doing?" Nora whined.
"What are you doing?" Weiss snapped. "Sitting on him like that is incredibly improper!"
Yang snickered. "Looks like you've got Weiss looking out for you, dude," she smirked. "Aren't you lucky."
"Oh yeah, the luckiest," he said from the ground. "I think I'll just lay here until my back and ribs decide to stop hurting."
"Hey!" Nora frowned, overhearing him. "I'm not heavy!"
Jaune somehow knew he was going to pay for that at some point.
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