Disclaimer: This is a work of fan fiction based on multiple existing anime/manga series. The characters and settings used in this story belong to their respective owners and creators, and no copyright infringement is intended. This story is purely for entertainment purposes and is not intended to infringe upon any existing intellectual property. I do not own any of the original works that inspired this fanfiction, and I fully support the original creators and their works.
I'm also occasionally chilling in JaxWolf4's (Author of Nah, I'd Adapt and Zenin Days) Discord Server. It's a chaotic lobotomy mess. Not for the faint of heart.
Here's the link:
Disc: HrPrTeam
KOKUSEN KOKUSEN KOKUSEN KOKUSEN KOKUSEN KOKUSEN KOKUSEN KOKUSEN KOKUSEN KOKUSEN KOKUSEN KOKUSEN KOKUSEN KOKUSEN KOKUSEN KOKUSEN KOKUSEN KOKUSEN KOKUSEN KOKUSEN KOKUSEN KOKUSEN KOKUSEN KOKUSEN
-Story Start-
The echo of eager footsteps and the soft friction of wheels against the floor reverberated through the hallway, announcing the approach of a tall, blond young man headed to Ozpin's office.
A sheathed blade attached to his left hip, he strode with a mixture of apprehension and determination, especially because of the luggage filled with his necessities and clothes tightly gripped by his left hand.
Arriving before the looming door, his dark blue eyes narrowed at his target, as he lightly tapped on the door in a loud, rhythmic knock.
A moment passed with no response, as the boy called out with a slight sweatdrop, "Headma-" He corrected himself, "Teacher, it's Jaune! You called for-" He didn't manage to finish his sentence, as he was granted permission.
"Enter!"
With the vocal command, the door slid open, revealing the familiar interior of Ozpin's prestigious office.
Jaune's nose twitched, as his senses were immediately assaulted by the smell of coffee, a noticeable degree stronger than usual.
His eyes scanned the room, noticing that Ozpin's normally empty desk was now filled with a dozen scrolls with holograms and reports.
Jaune had to suppress a cringe at seeing the layers of bags beneath Ozpin's eyes.
Nevertheless, Ozpin's tone sounded like he was as composed and authoritative as always:
"Thank you for coming on such short notice, Mister Arc. You can set your luggage near the entrance." Ozpin's sharp gaze met Jaune's own with a small smile.
Doing as prompted, setting his luggage beside the door, Jaune approached and dramatically placed his hand on his chest, smiling back with a salute, "I am always ready to serve!" He paused and added to emphasize, "Sir!"
Huffing in slight amusement, his mood visibly brightening up at Jaune's antics, Ozpin gestured at one of the seats before him, "Sit."
Nodding, Jaune did as prompted, approaching and plopping down at the seat before Ozpin.
A short, awkward silence ensued as Jaune's smile cracked, twisting into a more nervous, sheepish expression, swiftly mumbling out what he dreaded, "Umm, have you finally decided to kick me out, because I'm hopelessly untalented?"
Stating the obvious, Ozpin replied easily enough, "Had that been the case, Mister Arc, I would not have kept you here this long, nor invested in you that much," shaking his head Ozpin cut to chase folding his hands, "I'll swiftly explain this, but there's been a sudden change of plans when it comes to your next steps in education."
Jaune's awkward smile shifted into a more serious and neutral countenance, nodding in understanding as he inquired, "Is it related to what's happened with the White Fang and Torchwick?"
Nodding, Ozpin praised, "An astute observation."
Jaune inquired further, confusion marring his features, "So that means the Vytal Festival isn't going to take place? I heard from the news that the new Head of Security, Viridian, authorized the proceedings in the months to come?"
Waving his hand in dismissal, Ozpin elaborated, "That's not it. There is no issue with sending you to continue your training in Atlas Academy."
"But?"
"But as I am incredibly busy with recent incidents and other mishaps, I'm afraid time to train you has grown more scarce as well. The original solution of sending you to Atlas under my recommendation is also no longer necessary; a spot in a 1st year Team in Beacon has appeared that you will be filling in for. For you, I believe it is far more preferable than waiting for the Vytal Festival."
Ozpin's words were swift, to the point, and incredibly detailed.
Lowering his head, Jaune carefully digested the words and where his future was headed.
And... then he realized.
Truthfully, Jaune had no right to complain or even question Ozpin's decisions.
He was on the thinnest of ice; a feather would probably crack the floor below him and drop him into a pool of freezing cold.
With his transcripts being fake, which was something Ozpin knew all along.
And here he was, living his dream, training to become a proper Hero and Huntsman personally trained by Ozpin...
'When he had time, at least.' Jaune mentally cited.
He truly was in no position to complain - that would be the height of insolence.
Nevertheless, his cold realization is...
He slowly drawled out, praying his intuition and reasoning were wholly incorrect, "Umm, is that Team, perchance, Team YRBN, sir?"
Ozpin did nothing to lighten the impact as he admitted easily enough:
"That is correct."
With Ozpin's startling confirmation, Jaune's broad shoulders immediately slumped as his head nearly dropped onto the desk.
Lifting his head, Jaune voiced his opinion, "Don't get me wrong, Teacher. They're all really nice people." He paused, mulling over his next words, "and I think it'd be amazing to be their teammate, it's just... Their teammate recently passed away?"
The more he spoke, the more assured and confident his tone came to be, his gaze growing resolute, "I just don't think it'd be good for them if I take her place. I'm not saying forever, but just for a little while, I'm not even sure there's even been a funeral."
He nodded, "I'll be fine for now. I have been and will continue to take my own private assignments and training seriously." He suddenly rose up from his seat, meeting Ozpin's poker face with a resolute look and...
Plea, as he gave a ninety-degree bow, "For their sake, please delay the decision, just for a little while, sir!"
Complete silence, as Jaune was as still as a stone in a closed-eyed bow, the only interruption was the reverbrating casual sound of Ozpin sipping on his coffee.
Cracking an eye open to see his Teacher's reaction, Jaune was met with an enigmatic yet stern smile.
...
"Rejected."
Jaune let out a pained exhale, as he straightened his bow into an unwilling slouch, sitting down with a rather clear downtrodden expression.
Even so, he met Ozpin's order with a weak nod, "Yes, sir..."
Ozpin praised, "While I find your care for others highly praiseworthy, Mister Arc, this is necessary for the sake of both you and the former YRBN now JRNY."
"The situation surrounding them and the occurrences of Vale are incredibly frustrating, and pardon my transparency, infuriating. I consider it a priceless skill in life to make the most of anything, even incidents and tragedies. This skill is even more invaluable when you live a life surrounded by them - such is the life of a Huntsman."
"In this, you will find yourself in a difficult situation. This will be a valuable lesson to both you and your new Team in navigating one of the many uncomfortable or difficult situations in life."
Smiling sadly, Jaune admitted his opinion shamelessly, "That's very cold of you... and sad, Teacher."
"I suppose it is." Ozpin huffed with a shake of his head.
As the melancholic air around them settled into a kind of strangely comfortable atmosphere, a loud knocking resonated at the door.
It was disturbingly loud and strong.
"Enter!" Ozpin shouted.
The door opened once more, prompting the attention of both Jaune and Ozpin.
The figure before them caused Jaune's eyes to widen in recognition and admiration.
A dull-amber-eyed blonde, with a brilliant, awe-inspiring blade strapped to his side.
Noteworthily shorter than Jaune.
"Water Bottle Hero!"
"Quit calling me that."
"Alex!"
"Yeah, that's me. How've you been, John?"
"...Jaune."
Alex blinked and nodded in acknowledgment, "Jaune sounds like a more attention-starved John. But yeah, my bad, Jaune, your name confuses me."
Before Jaune could reply, Alex turned to the man of the office, Ozpin, with a slight tilt in his head, "Yes, how can I help?"
Raising a single finger, Ozpin started, "Firstly, the forensics results of those you had eliminated in Mountain Glenn." Pulling at the drawer in his desk, Ozpin pulled three folders, corresponding to three individuals.
The three terrorists he had killed.
Approaching with a thin stoic line on his face, ignoring Jaune's pitying grimace, Alex extended his hand to grab the folders, quietly observing the first one in his hands and then on to the next.
A frown appeared on his face as he quietly mumbled a sentence that both Ozpin and Jaune heard.
"So that's how they looked like..."
A sentence that sent a disturbing chill down Jaune's spine.
Nodding firmly, Alex's frown hadn't lifted as he called out to the poker-faced Ozpin, "Vanille... isn't that the family of the deceased City Manager?"
"It is, she has no more family. Besides her partner Torchwick, intel says they were very close."
"That's out of the cards..." Alex turned to Ozpin, "As for the two others, the White Fang Lieutenants, their families are in Vale, right? It's written here in the folder." He tapped on the folder in his hand.
"That they are."
"Can it be arranged for me to meet them?"
"I'll ask again, are you certain that you want to face them and apologize?"
"Yes, I hadn't intended on killing them."
"Even if they throw colorful words? Swear revenge? Spit on you? Even strangle you? These types of endeavors never paint a pretty picture, Mister Andrite."
"I didn't even leave them a body to bury. I'll apologize and leave; that's the most I owe them. Whatever they do from there is up to them, and so are the consequences of doing something similarly stupid as terrorism."
Shaking his head, albeit with a satisfied smile, Ozpin mentioned, "I'll arrange for you to meet them. I would have offered someone from the Police, however, you'll have to make do when a Professor's schedule is open for the visit. Just make sure yours is as well."
"Don't worry, I strive to be the paragon of not being busy. Thanks."
Tilting his head, Alex inquired, "Is that all? I think you could've just sent me this information via scroll."
Making a so-so gesture Ozpin replied, "It's a security measure, I will need you to return me these papers. And you are correct, there is another reason I brought you here." He gestured at the awkwardly shifting figure of Jaune.
'I a hundred percent heard something incredibly private that I shouldn't have!' Jaune believed with obvious dismay.
Smiling and praising genuinely, albeit sheepishly, "I think it's commendable that you're trying to make right out of a mistake!"
"Thanks." Alex accepted it at face value with no visible change in expression.
Those were his honest thoughts; however, on the other hand...
'How does one kill someone accidentally to the point you don't even know how they look?!'
While that question had many simple, logical answers, Jaune's thoughts were cut short by Ozpin's orders:
"I thought it best to kill two Grimm with one Dust Explosion. Alex, could you do me a favor and guide Jaune to Team JRNY's Room?"
"Sure."
...
Blinking and realization crossing his features, Jaune mumbled, "O-Oh, I'm moving in, like... right now, right now?"
"Right now," Ozpin affirmed.
"Yikes." Alex voiced his sympathies with the dullest of cringes, followed by the dullest of tones.
Sighing, "Yikes is one way to put it..." With those words, Jaune headed towards his luggage with a noticeable slouch.
-----------------------------
The noon sun was high over the horizon, beaming over Beacon with a warm, radiating light.
In this isolated environment, the worries, troubles, and anxieties within Vale were mostly scarce.
Except for the lack of Third and Fourth Years, the campus was nevertheless filled to the brim with students during this period.
Why waste away when it was such a pretty day outside, after all?
In any case, the road from Ozpin's office back to the first-year Dorms is no slouch, especially in a highly financed and spacious campus such as Beacon.
Although Alex was a big fan of pointlessly roaming around and enjoyed roaming the campus when he actually got out of bed, lately it's gotten rather overbearing.
"Hey, Alex! Can I get a picture?!" A girl from the second year inquired.
"No."
"What about 'Stick'?"
"Excalibur." He fervently asserted.
"O-Okay, can I take a picture of Excalibur? It's really magnificent and divine looking!"
"I agree, go ahead."
"Wanna grab some lunch, Alex?" Some guy from the 1st year inquired.
Alex thinks he's from Cardin's Team... he forgot his name.
So he just calls him 'dude'.
"I'm flattered, dude. But I like women."
On and on it went.
"Getting the Hero treatment sure is exhausting, huh?" Jaune mentioned with a jesting tone and smile as he followed Alex towards the dorms with his luggage behind him.
"Could be worse," Alex admitted.
Tilting his head, Jaune was a smidgen exasperated, "I would have been over the moon if I were you! I mean, being a Hero-" He corrected with more passion in his tone, "You are a Hero! You stopped the terrorists single-handedly and saved others, the attention is understandable, you should feel proud!"
Continuing his walk uninterrupted, Alex levelled an unimpressed look at Jaune, "It's not as simple as that."
Mulling Alex's words for a moment, Jaune's excitement and admiration simmered down as he offered his own opinion, "I get that you killed people. But they were terrorists! Bad guys, you know?"
He smiled awkwardly, "It's not ideal, but doing the right thing shouldn't make you feel bad. What incentive would there be to do the right thing if doing the right thing made you feel bitter?" He confirmed to himself.
At that point, they had arrived before the large dormitory building of the first-years, to which resolute amber eyes that appeared less dull than earlier met with dark, eager sapphire eyes, "You're pretty idealistic."
Rubbing the back of his head rather sheepishly, Jaune admitted, "I guess I am, but it's what keeps me going, what brought me here. Is that so bad?"
"No. Take it as a compliment." Alex shook his head as he opened the door.
-----------------------------
Standing before the looming door leading to Team YRBN's dorm room, now Team JRNY's room, with Alex at his side, Jaune couldn't help but admit with a sweatdrop, "I didn't know doors could get that big."
Or maybe... it was just his mild anxiety and discomfort making it that big.
Yeah, it was probably that.
Ignoring his nonsensical sentence, Alex gave him a light pat on the back, "Good luck."
"Any tips?" Jaune's tone was practically pleading.
"I wouldn't know. In your case, I guess just don't take whatever they say personally?" Alex supplied with a shrug.
"I'll be off, bye." With that said, Alex turned around and immediately headed off back to his dorm room.
As per the shorter blonde's explanation:
"Coffee before Class makes it more tolerable."
Jaune could only turn his head to watch with undiluted envy as Alex's figure grew smaller with each passing moment, the light in the hallway dimming with the magnificent sword's exit.
Envy of Alex not having to deal with what was about to come.
Taking a deep inhale of air through his nose, Jaune then exhaled through his mouth to calm his nerves.
"Man, this'll be awkward." He whispered to himself.
"Come on, you've been through worse. You've dealt with being the only boy in a family of seven sisters! This is nothing!"
Completely unrelated comparisons aside, this self-hype seemed to encourage him as he pressed on in his mental preparation, "Teacher is trusting in you to deal with this! He didn't put me to this test if he didn't believe I could pass it! For the sake of my goals, I have to get through this!"
Slapping his face with both hands, he finally nodded with a chiselled expression and narrowed eyes filled with determination, focus, and sheer force of will, "Let's go-"
A girlish voice suddenly called out from behind him, "What are you doing?"
"KYAAAAAAAA!" He practically jumped a few feet, bringing up his hands in karate chops ready to be unleashed upon the sudden, sneaky assailant.
His eyes gravitated towards the giggling evildoer, a familiar redhead with silver eyes, "R-Ruby, don't scare me like that!"
Ceasing her chuckles after a moment of catching her breath, she greeted him with a small wave and a smile, "It's been a while, Jaune, how've you been?"
Confidently gesturing at his chest that he puffed up, Jaune stated with certainty, "Me? I've been training. The Jaune you've seen back in Initiation?"
"Gone!"
"Dead!"
"Replaced by the upgrade in every aspect that matters."
Ruby chuckled at his usual confident bluster, "The way you talk hasn't changed a bit, besides it hasn't been thattttttt long."
"Only in the aspects that matter!" Jaune asserted with a broad grin.
As the warm atmosphere enveloped them, Ruby's smile sobered up as she regarded him with a rather knowing look and a more subdued tone, "I just passed by Alex, you're moving in with them now, right?"
"Yeah..."
Moving to grab Jaune's shoulders, though with a smidgen of difficulty due to his height, she gave an encouraging smile, "If you want, I can go in and soften Yang up for you."
Shaking his head, Jaune flashed a confident, courageous smile, "I have to face it myself, but thank you for the offer, kind lady!"
Her lips lowering to form a smaller smile, Ruby huffed, "Don't call me lady... but are you sure? I'll warn you, she's not in the best of states."
Blinking in slight apprehension, Jaune inquired, "Is she going to lash out at me or something?"
Ruby blinked and immediately flailed her hands in denial, "No, no! I mean, it could happen. You just have to be... mindful and sensitive?"
Her silver eyes darkened a note, "Frankly, my team and I aren't doing all good either... Weiss still can't walk properly on her own."
"I'm... sorry to hear that." Jaune's expression turned somber as well, a deep apologetic frown on his face.
Brightening up as best she could, Ruby's lips shot up to a smile, faux as it was, "Well! Do you want my help?"
"No, I'll be fine... if anything, I know how to deal with moody girls. I have seven sisters after all!" He patted his chest confidently once more.
'Not ones who've experienced loss you dumbass!' his internal Jaune called-out on his haughtiness.
"Okay, good luck! If you need anything, here's my number! I'll rush to help A.S.A.P!" Quickly handing out her number that was scribbled on at the speed of light, Ruby disappeared in a swirl of petals, leaving Jaune alone in the hallway, standing in front of the looming door.
Smiling in amusement at himself, he gazed at the note in his hand, "Getting a girl's number, I should be over the moon, but... not right now." He pocketed the number and decided to add her later.
With a calming breath followed by a resolute nod, Jaune swiped his scroll at the door, the audible click of it opening resonated as he pushed the door open.
A loud, almost ominous creak followed, as his eyes were greeted by...
To Be Continued!
-Author Note Start-
What in the actual fuck am I doing.
In any case.
Hope you've enjoyed the chapter, with no more time to waste, I'm winding up my next black flash.
Also Jaune has an apartment in Vale courtesy of rich old historical hero family whatever the fk.
More to be expanded on later if I think it narratively interesting or I care enough lol.