Chapter 4: Weiss's Very Bad Day

Grandfather,

I have been admitted into Beacon and have been made the leader of my team. My team members are Pyrrha Nikos, Li Ren, and Nora Valkyrie. I also formed a relationship with another team, which consists of one Ruby Rose, Yang Xiao-Long, Blake Belladonna, and Weiss Schnee, during our initiation.

I find myself worried about my appointment. I do not believe myself the most qualified candidate as a team leader and am concerned I will not be able to effectively lead or protect my teammates.

Any advice you could provide would bring me great comfort.

In Service,

Lieutenant Jaune Arc

Jaune snapped awake as he always did, his body twitching into full alertness. His surroundings were unfamiliar, worrying him for a moment before his mind caught up with his instincts.

He had made it into Beacon. The three people in the room were his new team.

His new team.

The words seemed odd in his mind. Jaune Arc did not work in teams, much less lead them. Jaune Arc was not capable of such things; his grandfather, Aurelius, was the leader.

Perhaps Headmistress Ozma had made a mistake, except his grandfather had sent a letter to Headmistress Ozma, so she should be aware of his capabilities.

Was perhaps the point of his leadership position to learn the qualities needed to become one? It was something his grandfather would do. To teach by experience.

Yet Jaune worried; what if he let his team down? What if, by one of his decisions, one of them was injured or worse?

Jaune frowned and rose from his bed. He would never let that happen. He would never let his weakness be the cause of another's death. He would have to work ten times as hard.

Jaune nodded to himself and flipped forward to let one palm rest on the ground. He balanced the rest of his body in the air, his feet reaching toward the ceiling. Then he began to do one-arm handstand pushups, seeking to drive the early morning fatigue out of his body.

As he did so, he cycled his aura through his system, focusing on straining the flow through his limbs, flexing the power through them.

Jaune raised his body up and down his sleep shirt, exposing his chest and the small clusters of scars that resided upon it. Those scars simply drove Jaune to strive harder; each one was a reminder of a time he had not been good enough.

Every new scar was a push for him to be better. And he would be. To honor his dream and to honor his grandfather.

That was the kind of man Jaune Arc had determined he would be.

Pyrrha woke early, as she was prone to do. A lifetime of training had made her the woman she was today, and she would not shirk that training despite some of the less-than-desirable results it had produced in her life, well, at least in her social life until recently.

Those results that had begun to break, started by the person who was now her team leader.

She had barely been able to sleep last night, knowing that she was sleeping in the same room as him. The man who had changed so much for her. The man who was now her partner.

It was like one of those books she kept hidden from everybody in her life and only read on her scroll out of necessity.

Pyrrha frowned burying her face into her pillow.

Life didn't work that way. She knew that.

But she couldn't prevent her own feelings from getting the better of her. It was a battle she had never had to fight before.

Still, she would never get anywhere lying in bed.

She opened her eyes and realized that in her sleep, she had oriented herself to face the bed next to her, which just so happened to be Jaune's bed. A bed Jaune was not in as she watched him do standing one armed push-ups, his shirt rode up in such a way that the majority of his well-muscled chest was exposed to her.

She shouldn't look.

She shouldn't look.

Come on, Pyrrha, get a grip of yourself.

Her brain's protestations fell on deaf ears as Pyrrha gazed at the well-muscled form of her team leader performing his exercise with slow, deep movements, flexing every visible muscle she could see.

Her eyes trailed over his skin before they landed on a couple of pale scars that traced over his abdominals, and Pyrrha frowned.

Hunters trained with aura, so having scars on their bodies was uncommon, at least until later in their career, as actual life-and-death battles were unlikely to have occurred yet.

What kind of life had Jaune led to have so many of them? What kind of training had he went through?

The thought should have excited her. A strong opponent to test herself against. A ferocious partner that would watch her back.

Yet a part of her was sad; what had been sacrificed to forge the person before her?

Jaune finished his routine, flipping to his feet, and glanced around the room. His eyes locked with Pyrrha's, and instantly, she had to restrain the flush of embarrassment going through her from flooding her face.

Jaune blinked, then smiled warmly, "Hey, Pyrrha," he said softly, "Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you."

"You didn't," Pyrrha replied just as softly, "I wake up early in the mornings, too."

"Oh?" Jaune cocked his head with the same warm smile on his face, "Would you like to do a small workout then before class?" he asked.

Pyrrha blinked, taken aback, realizing that she hadn't actually worked out with anyone for a long time; then she smiled back at Jaune, pushing her earlier thoughts from her mind, "Sure, just let me get ready."

"I can't Jaune! It's too much!" Pyrrha panted out, gasping for breath, staring up at Jaune, her cheeks reddened from exertion.

Jaune's cheeks reddened as he met Pyrrha's vibrant emerald eyes. This was a lot for him, too, but his Grandfather hadn't raised a quitter he would help Pyrrha reach completion.

"Come on," Jaune said encouragingly, "You're almost there; don't give up on me now."

Pyrrha's expression firmed, and she pushed herself up her back, pressing firmly into Jaune's chest as she pushed up from her squat and heaved the barbell back unto its stirrups, helped by Jaune's guiding hands.

Pyrrha laughed, tossing her sweaty red hair back from her face and turning to face Jaune, "That was amazing, Jaune; I think I broke my record squat."

Jaune grinned at Pyrrha, something warm settling in his gut, seeing Pyrrha's carefree smile.

They looked at each other for a moment before Jaune took note of the time, "I think we should go back to wake the rest of the team. Breakfast is starting soon, and we have class."

Pyrrha sighed, still exhilarated, but nodded regardless, "Let's!" she said.

Jaune walked out of the massive beacon gym, his shoulders relaxing slightly as there were no longer the staring eyes of a number of upperclassmen in the gym. It had been rather annoying, honestly, but it hadn't seemed to bother Pyrrha all that much; they had done a nice warmup, Jaune thought, and his muscles felt significantly looser.

"You want the first shower?" he asked Pyrrha as they entered their dorm room.

Pyrrha blinked and then nodded, a slightly shy smile on her face, "If you wouldn't mind, I'll be quick, I promise," she said hastily.

Jaune shrugged, "Take the time you need," he said, "We still have some time before breakfast."

Pyrrha nodded and then grabbed her newly provided uniform before walking into the bathroom.

Jaune glanced at his two other compatriots, who both seemed rather dead to the world, and he found himself grinning slightly.

Nora was splayed out across her bed, somehow having kicked the sheets off her body, and Ren was somehow still worse, the composed persona she usually had gone; her body had nearly fallen out of the bed.

Jaune's smile faded as he noted strangled noises coming from Ren's throat, like half screams that were choked out.

He walked over cautiously and bent down by the slender girl's side, and noted the frantic movements of her eyes behind her eyelids.

Jaune frowned; he didn't want to overstep his bounds, yet at the same time, it seemed that Ren was in obvious distress.

"Ren," he said softly, but there was no response.

Gently, he reached out and shook Ren's shoulder, shifting her body back and forth a couple of times.

Ren's eyes snapped open, and she gasped loudly as if coming up for air. Her eyes flickered around frantically until they landed on Jaune.

"Jaune," she whispered softly; her expression eased, and her body's trembling eased. "It was a dream then," she said in the same soft tone.

Jaune looked at Ren, concerned, "Are you okay, Ren?" he asked.

Ren chuckled, a strange sound coming from her, and didn't respond for a moment, "I am," she finally said softly, her eyes looking at Jaune, seemingly weighing him. Finally, she spoke again, "I dreamed that you didn't come that day all those years ago; I watched my parents die and my village be destroyed."

Jaune frowned, "I'm sorry," the words sounded hollow on his lips.

Ren looked at him for a long moment before she collapsed into a fit of giggles unexpectedly, holding her stomach as her diaphragm shook.

Jaune looked at her, confused, watching her giggle on the bed, "Uh, Ren," he finally said when she showed no signs of stopping after a minute.

Ren looked at him, her face still twisted into an amused smile, "You saved everything I care about, and you apologize for not being there for me in my nightmares."

Jaune had meant more to express sympathy for the nightmare itself, but Ren's amusement was far better than how she was when she woke up.

"Lines like that won't work on me," Ren shook her head, staring at Jaune sternly, wagging a finger at him, "You'll have to save my life a second time for something that cheesy to work," a soft smirk creased her lips.

"Uh, what?" Jaune said weakly, his cheeks flushing as he got a vague drift of what Ren was implying.

Ren shrugged, "I'm not sure; whatever could I mean?" she grinned at him; it was a dangerous smile that worried Jaune but, at the same time, made him flush even more.

"Jaune, the shower is ready," Pyrrha said, walking into the dorm room and drying her hair in careful auburn sheets.

Jaune glanced up at his savior only to be awed at Pyrrha's flushed red skin from heat and her still wet silky red locks as she patted down her hair with a towel, dressed in her uniform, "Thanks, Pyrrha," he said, giving her a somewhat shaky smile.

Jaune grabbed his clothes quickly and entered the bathroom, thinking that perhaps his grandfather had missed some areas during his training.

Jaune shepherded his team to breakfast with little dissent, and he watched, amused, as Nora, who had sleepily trailed at first, rushed to get a truly ginormous stack of pancakes. Pyrrha, not to be down, had laid out a breakfast that Jaune could only describe as efficient, comprised of a maximal amount of protein-focused foods; it seemed that her breakfast was focused on the maintenance and development of muscles. There was not much food that Jaune would have described as sugary, and certainly nothing he would say was focused on the taste of the food. Yet Pyrrha ate with efficient use of her utensils, downing the breakfast mechanically, her expression far off, seemingly lost in thought.

Ren's breakfast seemed to consist entirely of one of the cafeteria's green juices that she sipped with a placid expression, but Jaune noted that she seemed alert to their surroundings as if watching for any potential threats.

They were also rather silent, Jaune noted. Pyrrha had sat herself next to him and, indeed, was rather close to him, he noted. Nora and Ren were on the other side of the table, both of their gazes directed at him as if waiting for him to begin a speech.

What would his grandfather say? Jaune remembered a conversation with the man about how building bonds between team members could be done through protracted discussions of interests and shared items in common.

Jaune nodded himself; he had this! "So," Jaune began somewhat awkwardly, "Nice weather we're having."

What the hell was that?!

Jaune resisted, slamming his face into the table. He had talked with these people before; he had fought with them; that was the best he had!?

Ren raised a cup of tea to her lips and gazed over the rim placidly at him.

Pyrrha looked at him, her lips set in a practiced smile, but he saw something like amusement glimmering in her eyes.

Nora looked at him flatly and spoke, "So what, you're like incredible at fighting, but you don't know how to have a conversation?"

"Nora," Ren chided softly, though Jaune noted that her cup was still covering her mouth.

Nora shook her head like a dog shedding water, "No, Renny, this guy saved both our lives! He faced down a freaking Hydra without breaking a sweat! Now he wants to talk about the weather!"

Nora's voice gradually rose as she kept talking. She gestured as if to a crowd, asking for their judgment.

Jaune winced, realizing now that perhaps that hadn't been the best opener.

"I'm sorry," he said solemnly, bowing his head, "I have never led a team before. I promise, though, I won't let my inexperience weigh any of you down."

He looked up seriously, meeting his team's eyes.

Nora blinked, looking puzzled, and then she looked at Ren and Pyrrha. Ren's head was cocked to the side as if looking at a particularly interesting puzzle.

It was Pyrrha who spoke first, "Jaune, I said I would give you everything to support you; we can all gain experience together."

Ren looked at Pyrrha, a considering expression on her face before she looked back at Jaune, "We're here to support you as well, Jaune," she said softly, then something wicked flashed across her face for an instant before disappearing so quickly that Jaune decided he must be imagining things, "In any way we can."

"Of course!" Nora grinned excitedly, seemingly having missed Ren's expression, "We'll all work together, and then we'll be the most kickass team in Beacon!" she slammed her left fist into her open right palm, grinning wildly at them.

Jaune found himself smiling like he had yesterday, looking at the three girls, a small warmth in his gut, "Right," he nodded firmly.

Their first class of the day tested Jaune in a way he had not been ready for.

He had walked in with his team, and they had taken a seat near the back. They had been joined by a rushed Team RWBY who had filed into the classroom moments before class had begun.

Professor Port apparently instructed from storied experience, which had been disorienting, but Jaune had quickly picked out the code of information being passed along as he drew a diagram and appended notes on the Boarbatusk in Port's 'Story.'

That was not the issue.

Nora and Pyrrha had settled on either side of him, and while Pyrrha was seemingly focused on the class, scribbling out a long trail of notes as Port monologued, seemingly gradually getting more and more confused judging by her furrowed brow, Nora presented a small difficulty.

Well, actually, two big round and plush difficulties.

For a girl as hyper as she was, Jaune had not expected Nora to keel over ten minutes, pressing her face and chest into his side as she slipped into a deep sleep.

Jaune had politely shifted his arm to provide the maximum cushion for the girl, but it seemed Nora was a rather active sleeper and had continuously burrowed deeper and deeper into Jaune's side.

The difficulties were something Jaune had not encountered in such close proximity before.

He had resigned himself to reciting the steps for constructing and deconstructing one of the standard issue rifles of the Valean Foreign Legion out of desperation to keep his mind from problematic thoughts.

Nora was a Huntress who was essentially under his command; it would be extremely improper for anything to occur between them, but Jaune noted that his team had already made his current thoughts prone to wander in a way they hadn't while he was serving in the Valean Foreign Legion.

Nora shifted, pushing her soft roundness into his side, depressing her chest against his own as she mumbled something too soft for him to understand.

Jaune cursed his weakness as he forced his eyes to continue looking at the front of the room, even as they desperately wanted to peel downward. His Grandfather would be ashamed if he gave in to such base impulses.

Still, Jaune knew he was only a man, and he knew that sooner rather than later, he would no longer be able to hold himself back, and his eyes would go somewhere inappropriate; Nora deserved better.

"Now, who here considers themselves a True Hunter!" Professor Port cried out into the classroom.

Jaune's free arm shot into the air of its own accord as his brain realized its salvation was at his hand, even as a darker part of him that he didn't want to acknowledge existed sobbed in defeat.

"Mister Arc!" Professor Port cried out, looking at Jaune, and Jaune noted a wily intelligence in those eyes similar to the more experienced Valean Foreign Legion members he had met, opposite to the man he had portrayed himself as for the majority of the class, "I was hoping you'd volunteer, I think I have just the thing for you."

Jaune cocked a brow at Professor Port even as he extracted himself from a sleeping Nora, deftly avoiding her grasping arms with small movements attempting to avoid drawing attention to the fact she was sleeping.

Professor Port only had eyes for him, and Jaune walked down to the front of the class, straightening his suit jacket and tie until he stood in front of Professor Port.

"Would you care to grab your weapon or Hunter gear?" Professor Port asked.

Jaune cocked an eyebrow at the man, his pulse slightly rising as a small trickle of adrenaline shot through his system, "I'm prepared as is, Professor; you won't always have access to your weapon."

Jaune's ears caught a soft mumbling from around the classroom, though he didn't quite catch what was said.

"Well said," Professor Port grinned.

He pressed a button, and the floor to the side opened. A large cage emerged, holding what Jaune realized to be a deathstalker, its giant black carapaced body struggling against the cage.

The room went dead silent, and Professor Port's grin turned into a full-blown smile, "I caught this beauty in the forest below. Let's see how you handle her!"

Jaune looked at Professor Port, seriously evaluating the man, before he sighed, the sound now loud in the deathly quiet room, which only had the sound of the carapace of the Deathstalker hitting the cage as it fought to get out.

"That's it?" Jaune said, let down. A Deathstalker, a mere rank C Grimm

Professor Port frowned, looking confused, "I'm sorry," he said, "I don't understand, my boy," there was a fakeness to Professor Port's tone, and Jaune met Professor Port's knowing eyes with a small, disappointed frown.

"It's fine," Jaune sighed, "I guess. Sorry, Professor, let's get this over with."

Professor Port looked between Jaune and the Grimm, his eyes positively gleaming before he pressed a button on his scroll, and the Deathstalker was unleashed in a scurrying of limbs.

Its tail screamed through the air at Jaune, who negligently sidestepped the limb as it blew through the wooden flooring embedded into the ground, sending wooden splinters into the air.

Jaune stepped forward and flexed his aura around his hand, forming it into a point around the tips of his fingers before flaring his semblance, creating a gleaming white sheen over the limb.

Casually, he stepped through the grasping claws at its front with a quick movement of his feet before driving his hand through its skull, watching the black armor shatter as his arm punctured through the Grimm's head.

Jaune turned, withdrawing his hand as the Deathstalker crumbled to the ground and raised an eyebrow at Professor Port, "How was that, Professor?" he asked blandly, noting absentmindedly the silence of the classroom had remained; evidently, the rest of the students were bored with such a simple challenge as he was.

Professor Port laughed, his mustache twitching on his face, "Perfectly acceptable, my boy, full marks; I suppose I'll have to find another Grimm more suitable for your level of skill; my apologies."

Jaune nodded, somewhat mollified that the Professor seemed willing to challenge him to a more appropriate level. It was somewhat embarrassing that Professor Port had provided such a weak Grimm for him. For the first time, Jaune wondered if perhaps his grandfather's letter to Headmistress Ozma was about him. His Grandfather wouldn't ask Ozma to have the faculty go easy on him would he?

"Well, class, I believe that is enough for the day. Remember to -" Professor Port was saying something, but Jaune was already tuning the man out.

Jaune stared at the dissolving Deathstalker, a feeling of disquiet within him; if he wasn't challenged by Beacon, he wouldn't be able to grow.

If he didn't grow he would never achieve his dream.

Except that wasn't the only thing he realized. If he didn't grow, his team would be put in danger.

What if they were hurt because he was too weak?

"Fearless leader!" came a loud cry, and suddenly, Jaune's head was submerged in a warm, soft valley.

"Nora," came a gentle chiding voice, and Nora shifted, allowing Jaune to see again, with his head free to look at the rest of his team, including team RWBY.

Pyrrha had a happy smile on her face, and Ren's face looked rather peaceful.

Ruby was practically vibrating as she gazed up at Jaune, "What the heck was that!" her words came out in a rushed blur, "The Grimm just charged you, and you didn't have a weapon, but you just ended it in one move!"

Jaune noted the glare that was shot from Weiss directly at Ruby.

Blake spoke up, her teeth worrying the bottom of her lip, "Why did you not use a weapon, Jaune? That was rather reckless…" She paused at the very end of her sentence like she wanted to say more, but then she closed her mouth, merely looking at Jaune searchingly.

The rest of the group seemed surprised by the more taciturn member speaking; Jaune blinked before then, despite himself, chuckled, then winced as he saw Blake's narrowed eyes, her mouth firming into a displeased scowl.

Jaune raised his hands, palms open, attempting to appease her, "Sorry, I was just caught off guard; I wasn't really worried. Any Grimm small enough to fit into this classroom wouldn't be worth grabbing my weapon for."

"Damn," Yang said, shaking her golden hair in a glorious wave, looking at Jaune with a considering look on her face, "I know you're good and all. We've all seen it, but like, don't you think that's a little much to risk? You could get hurt even with a Professor here."

She grinned at the end of her sentence, a sunny, warm smile, but Jaune couldn't help but feel as if it was forced, and her eyes were more serious than Jaune had seen them, except for perhaps when he had talked with Yang in the diner about her mother.

Jaune considered brushing the girls off, but the words caught in his throat; he didn't remember a time when someone had been concerned about him, seeming genuinely worried for his wellbeing.

"I-" Jaune coughed, clearing a strange thickness in his throat, "I guess I'll take that into consideration next time."

"We should head to our next class," Ren said softly, and the group turned to her before Ruby glanced at her scroll.

"Ren's right!" Ruby said, "We can't be late to class on our first day!"

"Says who?" Yang yawned.

Weiss gazed at her team with a suffering look, which Jaune noted in the back of his mind. He thought it was an unusual expression for the usually prim and proper girl.

"Says your team leader and sister," Ruby glared at her sister, though the look lacked any meaningful force, in part because the look just simply had little effect on a girl as cute as Ruby.

Pyrrha handed Jaune his book bag, and he smiled warmly at his partner, "Thanks, Pyrrha."

"Of course," Pyrrha said, bumping her shoulder against his lower arm.

Team RWBY moved off, still in the midst of an argument between Ruby and Yang, with Blake and Weiss trailing behind them.

Jaune followed with the rest of his team, assembling themselves around him. They made their way to history together, and this time, they sat together with team RWBY, who, it seemed, had calmed down somewhat, though Jaune noted that Weiss looked even more put upon.

Pyrrha settled on his right side, and Jaune's left was taken by Weiss, settling herself primly into her seat. Nora and Ren were on Pyrrha's other side, and from Weiss's side, Blake, then Yang, and finally Ruby had sat down.

A blur rushed into the classroom, and a thin woman with green hair and glasses appeared at the front, "Hello, class. My name is Doctor Oobleck, and it is Doctor; I did not get my degree just for fun. Today, we begin with a general overview of the history of Remnant and its peoples."

The entire sentence was said without pause, or really any break and the lesson continued from there at a breakneck pace, covering the general background of history, focusing, it seemed, mainly on the conflicts and wars that had occurred throughout Remnants' history.

In other words, there was nothing that Jaune hadn't heard before; in fact, he would say at points his education was more detailed than Doctor Oobleck or the book discussed. His Grandfather had the habit of having Jaune run military simulations using previous historical battles.

"Mr. Arc," said Doctor Oobleck, breaking flow, "Would you like to answer?"

Jaune looked up from his meticulous diagrams and notes on the current battle and met Doctor Oobleck's gaze and hesitated for a moment before he replied, "Our history textbook would claim the main difference that made the night battle between the Faunus and human forces was the Faunus's night vision capabilities."

Doctor Oobleck vibrated into existence in front of Jaune, meeting his eyes directly, "And you have a different answer, Mr. Arc?"

Jaune bit his lip but met the Doctor's eyes nonetheless, "The human forces had been marching for several days with little food, water, or rest before they had camped in the valley. The reports say they had frequent Grimm attacks."

"Correct, Mr. Arc, what do you surmise from this?" Doctor Oobleck asked.

"Morale," Jaune said calmly, though he didn't feel the calm, a little tense at the way Doctor Oobleck looked at him, "By all accounts, the Faunus were better fed and had the opportunity to rest, but more than that, the human forces were mostly conscripts taken from their homes and families, the Faunus on the other hand were fighting for their own freedom from oppression."

"You believe this was what made the difference?" Doctor Oobleck asked.

Jaune nodded, "Fighting for a better future or fighting to defend what you love and care for is far better motivation than fighting because you've been forced to."

The classroom was silent for perhaps the first time as Doctor Oobleck did not speak, looking at Jaune with narrowed eyes behind her glasses, her expression unreadable, "An interesting hypothesis, Mr. Arc," then she zipped back to the front of the classroom, "One I tend to agree with. All of you should remember yourselves. You are Huntsman and Huntresses; you fight for a better future, and that," Doctor Oobleck took a short sip from her coffee cup, "Is a strength, class dismissed."

The class broke from its stupor, rising to its feet once again to head for lunch, and Jaune rose with his team, thoughtfully packing his notes away.

"Do you really think that?" Blake had appeared next to him, and she was looking at him searchingly, her yellow eyes gazing at him, a soft, open look to them.

Jaune frowned at Blake, "What do you mean?"

Blake looked away slightly from his eyes, "That the Faunus were fighting for a better future. That they were fighting for their freedom."

"Of course," Jaune frowned at the girl, "I still think they are."

"Even acknowledging what the White Fang has done?" she asked softly.

"Nothing that others wouldn't given the same situation," Jaune shook his head, "The whole thing is wrong. We should be fighting the Grimm; if we continue to divide ourselves, we'll continue to lose lives; I think the whole thing is warped so much now, and there's so much pain and anger; it'll take someone strong to bridge the gap, someone who cares about uniting Humans and Faunus as one people."

"Someone?" Blake asked softly, her head cocked to the side.

"Oh," Jaune chuckled awkwardly, scratching the back of his head, "Sorry, don't mind that., I guess it could be multiple people; maybe it would be better that way. Leaders who both sides could look at help people understand we aren't so different."

Blake's amber eyes stared deeply into Jaune's own, and he met her gaze with his own blue, a little confused.

Then Blake's lips twitched in seeming amusement or some other emotion that Jaune could not identify, "Maybe we'll see a world like that someday," she said softly, then turned and walked away with the rest of her team.

Jaune finished packing up his stuff and joined his team, who had waited for him at the exit of the classroom.

Pyrrha looked at him with a cocked eyebrow, "Ruby invited us to eat lunch with her team," she said, the question obvious.

Jaune looked at the rest of his team, "Any opposed?" he asked.

"Sure!" chirped Nora, "We're basically battle besties!"

"I don't mind," Ren said softly.

Jaune nodded and then looked at Pyrrha, who hadn't spoken. The red-haired girl looked startled by his look, "What?" she asked.

"Do you want to?" Jaune asked.

"Ah," Pyrrha still seemed surprised, "I suppose so?" she said questioningly.

"Great," Jaune said, "Then we're all in agreement."

The combined teams of RWBY and JNPR were a surprisingly loud combination as the jokes and conversation flew as the teams ate their lunch.

Jaune wanted to join in, but his instincts were, unfortunately, distracting him, warning him of the collective gaze of a huntress team some tables away.

He had already gotten a look, and he knew it was Violet's team, the girl who had such a poor reaction to him in the locker room, along with the other girl, Scathach. They sat with two other girls, who Jaune guessed were the other members of their team.

It was disconcerting, Jaune thought, and more than that, it set him on edge. He didn't think they would attack him, but he was also concerned that they may focus on his team, which would be unacceptable.

Jaune focused back on the table and noted that Weiss was poking her food moodily next to him and pointedly far away from her teammates on the opposite side of the table, not involved with the conversation in the slightest.

She had been worrying him all day. He couldn't claim to know her all that well, but he thought her attitude was very different from the Weiss he had spent time with previously. Given the state of the table's conversation, perhaps he should ask.

"Weiss?" he asked softly, and she didn't look up from cutting her food into progressively tinier and tinier pieces.

"Weiss?" he said somewhat louder, and this time, he seemed to catch her attention, and she looked up at him, her ice blue eyes clearing from the clouded state, "Yes, Lieu- I mean Jaune?" she said.

"Are you okay?" Jaune asked bluntly.

Weiss dryly chuckled, "Why wouldn't I be?" she asked rhetorically.

Jaune raised an eyebrow at her. She looked back, and Jaune noted a stubborn set to her jaw.

Fine, he could also play that game.

"You look about as miserable as I've seen you, including the time when those scions of Atlesian houses were competing amongst each other on who would dance with you at that party."

Weiss blinked and then wryly chuckled, "I seem to recall them disappearing some minutes later after having an entire bottle of wine spilled on them somehow when they tripped over themselves, ruining their entire set of clothes."

"Ah, yes," Jaune nodded slowly despite himself, a small flare of nerves in his gut.

Weiss gave him a wry look, "You're not very subtle, Jaune," she said softly.

Jaune winced and gave a weak chuckle, "I didn't think you caught that."

"I didn't at the time, actually," Weiss said quietly, looking at him with a soft set to her eyes, "But I noticed it after you saved my life. That entire month we spent together, I didn't treat you very well, and then you were gone, and I didn't hear anything, I thought…" she trailed off looking down at her lap.

Then she looked up solemnly at Jaune, "I suppose I have a habit of not treating people well, don't I?" she mused, once again breaking eye contact and looking down.

Jaune frowned and shook his head, "You're not being fair to yourself," he responded softly.

Weiss looked up once again, meeting his deep blue eyes with her own pale blue; she softly chuckled, "What if I told you the only reason I was miserable was because I wasn't made a team leader like you?"

Jaune hummed thoughtfully, his mind turning over Weiss's statement, "I don't think being a team leader would have helped you, though," he said bluntly.

Weiss frowned, "What?"

Jaune bit his lip, trying to figure out how to phrase his next words, "It's just, well, I've already seen you lead; you're trained to direct people; you did a lot of that while I guarded you, and you carried out your heiress duties. On the other hand, I don't think I ever saw you work as part of a team. I mean, we're at a school, right? They're supposed to teach us qualities we don't already have."

"But they made you a team leader?" Weiss said, looking up at him confused, her brow furrowing cutely.

Jaune chuckled softly, "Well, truth be told, I've mostly only worked by myself or as my Grandfather's subordinate. This is the first time I'll be leading anything. I told my team today that I was inexperienced, and in turn, they said they would support me so we could be the best team we could be together. Maybe, given that you do have experience, you could help Ruby out; you're probably the best person on your team for that position."

"I-" Weiss paused, looking thoughtful before she nodded slowly, "You may be right," she said softly, then she giggled uncharacteristically; she looked up at him with a smirk, "So there's something I have experience with that you don't?" she asked.

Jaune felt oddly like he had earlier when he was talking with Ren, though he couldn't place why; his cheeks flushed slightly, and Weiss hummed, taking a sip of her drink primly. Still, Weiss was now smiling, which he thought of as a small victory.

Lunch finished the table, leaving to attend their next classes.

Well, class singular, the entire afternoon was dedicated to combat class with Professor Goodwitch. Sparring would be done in pairs at first, and Jaun was interested in seeing the capabilities of his classmates.

They had dressed in their combat gear before class, ready to be called, and Jaune had meticulously attached his armor and put on his coat before strapping his sword to his side.

Jaune sat with team RWBY and the rest of his team at one of the desks, and Jaune pulled out a notebook to take note of any techniques he believed would help him improve. Ready to finally learn how to be a better hunter.

He was a little confused as the first spars occurred, and none of the students seemed to be exerting much effort. They moved slowly and, at times, were erratic, performing with their weapons in what Jaune thought should have been a far more practiced manner.

Had these people really been to combat school? Had they perhaps faked their way into Beacon?

They couldn't have all done so, and regardless, they had passed initiation and had as much right to be here as anyone, but Jaune found himself disappointed by their efforts. Perhaps it was merely the first day of jitters and fighting unfamiliar combatants.

Still, Jaune found himself bored out of his skull, watching the students fight seemingly in slow motion; his notebook remained untouched. To entertain himself, he decided to use a couple of his grandfather's lessons and determine, based on the tells of the huntresses, who would win the fight before they began.

After the most recent pair of huntresses match came to an end, Professor Goodwitch stepped forward and initialized the contestant selector again, "The next match will be between Cardin Winchester," Jaune looked over as a red-haired boy swaggered to the front, one of the only men in the class, "And Jaune Arc."

Jaune blinked and then glanced disbelieving at his opponent again; this was his fight; the boy looked to barely know which end of his mace was swung at his opponent.

Jaune stood from his desk, resting his hand gently on the pommel of Crocea Mors at his side, noting the sudden silence that had engulfed the room, which previously had teams cheering on their respective members.

Jaune met the eyes of the boy as he walked down the steps, dissecting his stance and searching for the Hunter he was sure should be there.

He found nothing, a mere child playing at warrior.

What wasn't he seeing?

"You think you're some hot shit, don't you," Cardin sneered with a cocky grin, "Prepare to face a real hunter."

Jaune observed the boy silently, his face impassive; if he were missing something, he would have to be judicious with his first strike, a small testing strike at quarter power—nothing he would have to commit to.

Professor Goodwitch looked between them, and Jaune saw something indecipherable flicker through her eyes as she glanced at him.

"Begin," she said simply.

Cardin flexed his muscles and rushed at Jaune, swinging his mace with crushing force.

Jaune waited, eyes narrowed, watching for the trick he was sure was coming.

He waited.

He waited some more.

The mace kept swinging for his face, and Jaune frowned. He twitched his neck minutely, and the mace swept past him, embedding into the floor and sending chunks of stone and wood into the air with a thunderous crash. Jaune's hair blew lightly in the breeze generated.

Jaune eyed Cardin with a small frown. Was the other boy not taking him seriously?

Well a show of force was in order, to show the other boy to fully fight him.

Jaune flickered the hilt of his sword out, not drawing the blade from its sheath but merely embedding the pommel of the sword into Cardin's breastplate at quarter-strength to let the boy know he had been hit and to take the fight with a bit more effort.

The blow flashed across the boy's red aura, cracks spreading out in shards of red before shattering as the Cardin was sent flying across the arena, his breastplate dented. He embedded into the wall, gasping and wheezing before he crumpled across the floor, spasming as he tried to catch his breath.

Jaune gazed blankly at the crumpled boy and worried his bottom lip. Had he overestimated the boy?

A whining keen emerged from Cardin's mouth in the deathly silent room.

"Sorry," Jaune said, feeling guilty, "I thought you could handle more than that."

Another moment of silence passed before Professor Goodwitch spoke, "The match goes to Jaune Arc," Jaune looked at her, waiting for any commentary on which to improve that had been given to the previously matched students; Professor Goodwitch looked at him with unreadable emerald eyes, "Mr. Arc, perhaps a tad more restraint would be in order."

Jaune nodded, wincing slightly, "Sorry, Professor," he said honestly, "I'll try harder next time."

Professor Goodwitch looked at him for a long moment, her lips thinning in a light pink line, "Thank you," she said after a moment, "You may go back to your seat."

Jaune nodded firmly and turned, walking back up the steps, feeling the eyes of his classmates upon him but more focused on his own internal thoughts.

That had been way too easy; he still felt like he was missing something. Had he been perhaps matched up with one of the weaker students in the class on account of the fact he had no previous schooling?

It was very possible, Jaune decided; he was sure that his next matches would be more difficult.

He settled into his seat next to Pyrrha, who was giving him an appraising look, and he noted that her cheeks were flushed a deep red as she looked at him.

"Are you alright, Pyrrha?" he asked, concerned for the girl.

The girl nodded slowly up and down without saying a word.

Jaune frowned, leaning in slightly, examining her for any signs of fever or illness, "Are you sure?" he asked.

"Please fight me," Pyrrha whispered, almost whimpering, gazing at him with a deep longing in her emerald eyes.

Jaune nodded slowly, his concern mounting ever so slightly, "Yeah, sure, but are you okay?"

Pyrrha smiled brilliantly, and Jaune's heart clenched at the beautiful sight, "Never better!" she sighed happily before turning back to the front of the class.

Jaune looked at his other teammates, but they simply shrugged; Ren shifted her shoulders slightly, and Nora giggled at him with a bubbly smile, sticking her tongue out slightly.

Jaune turned to Team RWBY, Yang was looking at him with startling intensity, and her eyes flashed red for a moment, though Jaune didn't get the same feeling he had when her eyes had done so in the diner those weeks ago, if he had to describe the feeling now, rather than anger, it was hunger.

"They say the first time is chance, the second time is coincidence…" Yang trailed off before shaking her golden locks, "Damn, Lady Killer, you got some moves," Yang licked her lips, and Jaune thought the move looked uncomfortably good on her.

Suddenly, she twitched and then glared at Blake for some reason, who was seemingly innocently reading a book next to her.

Weiss simply nodded once at him, "Good work as usual, Jaune," she said, "You're really setting an example for the rest of us."

Jaune turned for help from the last member of Team RWBY and saw Ruby gazing at him with a bright smile, "Jaune, you have to show me how to do that!" she exclaimed as she launched herself forward in the gap behind her teammate's chairs grabbing on to his left arm and Jaune noted pressing her small but soft breasts against it.

Jaune blinked, then chuckled, scratching the back of his head, "Sure thing, Ruby," he grinned down at the slim girl.

Jaune settled down beside his friends, pulling his notebook back in front of him; biting his lip in thought, he began to draft another letter to his grandfather. Perhaps the man would have some advice on how to prepare himself best when he started facing real opponents.

Aurelius Arc sat in his office signing requisition forms for new equipment for the VFL. He was sure there would eventually be some end to the paperwork, but that end was not currently in sight to his own eyes or his Semblance.

A knock echoed on the door, and without looking up, he spoke, "Enter."

A woman dressed with the VFL insignia on her chest entered, clasping her fist over her chest; she had short blue hair and warm golden eyes, two white fox ears peaking through her short hair. Aurelius knew her as he knew most of those under his command, Lieutenant Sky, "Commander, there's someone here to see you."

Aurelius blinked; he wasn't expecting any visitors today, "Who is it?" he asked.

"Sienna Khan, Sir," the woman replied, her fist still firmly clasped.

"I see," Aurelius said, stroking his chin, the stubble of the long day upon it, "Well then, let her in."

The woman nodded before hesitating, "Sir, should I call for some Legionnaires? I mean, given who she is…"

Aurelius chuckled a warm, deep sound, "Nonsense, this will be just a conversation."

"Sir…" the woman frowned at Aurelius, "Are you sure?"

Lieutenant Sky was one of the few people under his command who would ever question him, and Aurelius appreciated that aspect about her. She was intelligent and quick-witted; he saw her going far in the VFL.

"Lieutenant Sky, the day I need someone to protect me from the leader of the White Fang will be the day that you stop sneaking looks at my grandson during his morning training."

Lieutenant Sky blinked, her ears twitching and her cheeks tinting a faint red, before she nodded firmly, "Of course, sir, I'll send her in."

"Thank you, Lieutenant," Aurelius smiled warmly at the woman and sat back in his chair as she turned and exited.

"Now," he said to empty air, "The true game begins."

I am also launching P. A. T. R. E. O. N. for my original works. I'd love for you all to check it out. That, of course, does not mean that these stories will stop being published. There will just be original works on that website.

Dirty Doug

P a treon . com (slash) user?u=53654642