Jaune Arc ran down the woods, he had a shield strapped to one arm, a sword in the other, the young man was moving through the dark woods smashing into the occasional branch, he turned around and saw the only source of light. A glowing bulb following after him and he was running, he heard his sisters warn him, he did not listen he had to go exploring he just had to get out of the house and now he is being chased by a hungry deathstalker. He tried fighting it, he had fought plenty of the grimm near the house granted nothing as big as a deathstalker but plenty of boarbatusk and once a beowolf. He tripped over a root and slammed his head against a tree trunk, he groaned in pain as he fell into a nearby stream. He stared up as the deathstalker came up its black body blended into the shadow, if not for the bone like plating he would have no idea that it was raising its claw to end him. He raised his shield to block the attack, he was praying to the gods for a miracle, he was tired, he was hurt, and he was barely conscious if something good did not happen he was doomed.

A gust of wind came by, rose petals fell down before his face and in the water near him, he looked at it confused where were roses near him? He heard a screech come from the monster and returned to focusing on his shield to defend, a flash of light came with a loud bang...gunfire? A womans grunts were heard as well as a light scream as the nose of something slashing through was heard, Jaune struggled to his feet drawing his sword he did not know what was happening but if a girl was in trouble he had to try and fight, his family taught him that he at least had to try. The deathstalker span around snarling several slashes in its boney plates were visable, but it was too dark for the girl to be seen.

"Your armed!" she said enthuisastically. "I'll distract it you strike it!"

"W-wait!" Jaune groaned, he could barely make out a figure, she seemed shorter than him maybe a foot or two, she was wearing some kind of cape and weilding a large scythe. Her movements were quick she seemed to turn into a blur going around the deathstalker causing it to flail trying to hit her, its tail was raised trying to lock on, it made a jab and thankfully the girl was not where it hit. The stinger lodged itself into a trunk if anyone was hit they would have been in serious trouble, Jaune needed to do something he leaped at the glowing bulb he gripped his sword with both hands and with a mighty swing cleaved the bulb off as it retracted the rest of its tail black ichor pouring out splashing over his blond hair. The Deathstalker raised its claw trying to grip at Jaune but before it got a chance to strike the scythe impaled into the monsters face, several gunshots seemed to help her pull her crescent blade through the grimm's hide until pulling it out. The deathstalkers body started to dissolve into ash, soon leaving only the glowing stinger behind.

"You were great! Did your aura run out? You seem pretty beaten." the girl said as she moved towards the stinger, she wore a hood and even in the light of the stinger, he squinted his eyes she seemed fair-skinned, her eyes her eyes were a lighter color...silver? Her outfit was black but he could make out red accents, in fact her hair seemed to be dark as well with bits of red in it. She had something under her hood...two bumps, likely her ears. Wonder what she was but he stopped himself and smiled as he sheathed his blade.

"Y-yeah...guess your the miracle I wanted." Jaune joked as he rubbed the back of his neck, his head was screaming from pain. He gripped the stinger base and put a foot on the trunk as he started to pull.

"A miracle? Where you really that bad off?" she asked eyeing up the young man, he was tall and muscular, he had a soft salty scent from his sweat but that could be forgiven, she currently was not scentless herself. "What are you doing with the stinger? Going to try and extract the venom?"

"M-maybe...really I need the light." Jaune grunted as he finally dislodged it from the tree and staggered backwards, he did his best to not fall and embarass himself but he just stumbled into her and she put her hands up to stop him. "Oh sorry!"

"Why do you need the light...and are you sure your okay? You do not seem to be healing."

"Oh its so dark, and my lantern is lost...I need to see my way home." Jaune said as he held the stinger up looking around, trying to recognize everything.

"What do you mean? Do your eyes not work?"

"What...oh...its simple its cause of-" Jaune's words cut short as he felt fatigue hit him as his adrenaline was gone, he let out a soft sigh as he fell down unconscious. The girl rushing to catch him eyes wide as she kept calling to him.


Hours later Jaune sat up in a bed, he had several bandages across his body, he was shirtless exposing some scrapes and bruising he had gotten during the night, he rubbed his face feeling a few bandaids were put on his face to cover small wounds. He looked around the room, it was a small cozy room with two beds in it, the bed next to him was messy with red sheets while he sat in a yellow sheeted bed. His families sword and shield rested in a corner by the door on a chair was a jar with the deathstalker stinger he had cleaved off. He stared out a window it was based on the sun just a bit before noon, probably about time for lunch. Footsteps got his attention as he looked towards the door.

"Dad I can do it!" a familiar voice sounded muffled by the wooden door and walls, was that the girl from last night?

"Sorry Ruby, no way I am leaving you alone in your room with a guy, let alone a stranger." another voice this time belonging to an older man.

"I am not a kid!"

"I know your not, neither is he; and that is why you two aren't allowed alone in there." the father said as the knob started to turn Jaune looked at his exposed body he seemed to be wearing only his pumpkin pete boxers. He gripped the yellow sheets covering himself up, he did not know exactly who these people were or where his clothes were but he would prefer to cover himself in front of strangers to the best of his ability. The door opened up exposing the girl he met last night, her hood was still up as she stared at an older man. He was a tall and lean man with messy blonde hair, a tattoo was on his exposed arm, a pair of small round golden brown ears peaked from the edges on top of his head. He wore a tan vest over a white shirt, a pair of khaki shorts and boots, in his hands was a metal tray which had a plate of sandwiches, two bottles of water and several bandages. The man gave a smile at Jaune as the girl noticed as well he was awake.

"Your up! Are you okay? I was worried you died!" Ruby exclaimed dashing over to Jaune looking at him. "Also what are you? I don't see any ears, tail, claws, fangs, scales, wings, not one thing other than your body. I checked."

"You did what?" the man asked looking at Ruby whose cheeks heated up as she looked away.

"Nothing dad, I didn't come in middle of the night through the window to look over him to figure out what his base is…" Ruby mumbled as both blondes looked at her.

"What?" the two asked as Ruby just gave a nervous chuckel and took the tray from her father. "My name is Ruby Rose, and this is my dad."

"Taiyang, call me Tai." the man said as he pulled a stool over to the side of the bed and started looking at Jaune checking his wounds. "Your not healing fast, most of these are small stuff your aura should have dealt with this by now...is something wrong?"

"Aura?" Jaune asked as the two looked confused.

"You don't know what aura is?" Ruby asked picking up a sandwich and biting into it.

"Nope...where am I?" Jaune asked as Tai started to undo the bandages on his head.

"Our house. You passed out when Ruby saved you from a Deathstalker, she did not know where you lived and you were in bad shape so she took you home." Tai said studying the wound on his head.

"Oh man...can I reach my family?"

"Don't worry, we took your scroll and called up your mom and dad, we explained everything...they seemed concerned that you were out in the dark and you couldn't see...do you not have nightvision?" Tai asked.

"Yeah you mentioned you needed the stinger for light too." Ruby mumbled food in her mouth as she looked at his trophy.

"Yeah, humans can't see in the dark." Jaune said as he shut his eyes as Tai put a new bandage on his head.

"Ha a human...that's a good one...no one seen a human in years." Ruby chuckled, but paused when the two were not laughing. "What?"

"Ruby...what faunus have you met has no darkvision, no visible traits, and not aware of their aura?"

"Uh...none...have you not unlocked your aura yet?" Ruby asked.

"Still don't know what that is." Jaune answered.

"Wait...are you actually a human!" Ruby gasped covering her mouth.

"Yes, what are you two?" Jaune asked pausing for a moment. "I mean I KNOW your faunus, just curious what kind you two are."

"I'm a bear, and Ruby is a wolf." the father said as Ruby gave a fanged smile, she had a cute smile even though most of her teeth were pointed. "So is your family humans...I thought you all died out."

"No, my family are faunus just like you. I was born human...or I was found and adopted and no one told me. I don't care, they treat me like family...even let me fight with grandpa's sword and shield." Jaune said staring at his weapon. "Can you two explain what aura is?"

"Oh right!" Tai put his hands together. "Aura is a part of you, it helps protect and heal you, hold up I can unlock it for you." he said putting his hand on the young man's chest, Tai seemed to glow yellow for a moment, Jaune was not entirely certian what it was but the light was flowing through him with some effort based on Tai. soon a large powerful golden aura shined around Jaune his wounds closing nearly instantly as Tai pulled his hand back panting softly. "Man you got a massive aura pool…"

"It is impressive." Ruby said watching the glowing bonfire of aura around Jaune before it started to die down retreating inside of him, Jaune looked at himself with amazement. "Don't worry you can will it out whenever you need it."

"Awesome...so uh...mind if I eat something and head home?" Jaune asked, Tai chuckled handing him a sandwich, it was tuna. Not really what Jaune liked but it was food, he started sinking his teeth into it.

"I'll walk him home dad."

"Ruby…"

"I am not Yang dad! You can trust me." Ruby growled staring at her father, Jaune felt the energy spark between the two. The silent argument between the two felt powerful, Jaune did not think anything of this it was not like he was in a relationship with Ruby...unless she was one of those Faunus that marks a male she likes and claims him...if he did not start it would Tai still be mad that he was claimed? Jaune was not sure if he wanted to find out.

"How did you learn about this stuff?" he asked breaking the tension.

"I learned from my dad and uncle Qrow." Ruby said with a proud face.

"And we learned from Beacon Academy, she's going to train as a huntswoman herself in a few days." Tai said puffing his chest up proud of his daughter "both my little girls are going ot be starting this year and I can't be prouder!"

"Can I go?" Jaune asked without thinking. The two faunus looked at each other, Tai seemed uncertain but Ruby seemed excited.

"Yeah! Can he? He is really strong even without his aura he ripped a deathstalker tail, he helped me kill it too, and he is a human dad! That must mean he is a sign of good luck right?" Ruby clung to her father. "Come on we got to make sure he can live a good strong life right dad!"

"Ruby...he's a living person, not a pet like Zwei." Tai said as he looked at his daughter who stared at him with puppy dog eyes, Jaune was impressed thanks to his sisters he had dealt with that look often, none of them were any type of dog...where canine faunus just better at begging? Tai bit his teeth and let out a deep sigh. "I'll see what I can do...but please no funny business..and he needs to get permission from his folks…"

"I'll make sure they know he's in good hands!" Ruby said taking jaune's hand looking at him. "We will be able to make sure you aren't the last human in the world! Your going to be a big strong huntsman in no time!"

"Uh thanks?" Jaune asked, he did want to be stronger, but more to be a hero and not be like a weak burden on his family. After some food and borrowing Tai's shower, he donned his clothes that were washed overnight and with his stuff in hand and the trophy in a pack. He stepped outside where he met with Ruby who smiled clasping her hands behind her back as she slightly bent over.

"Ready to go on our little adventure Jaune?" she chimed, they went over the map they were practically neighbors they just did not know of each other.

"Yeah...let's go…" Jaune said smiling at his new companion. The two walked to his home, where he was pestered by endless questions from the shorter girl, he found it amusing how much difference she thought there was from their races. Perhaps this would be great start to a new friendship and life for Jaune.


A few days passed, Jaune was sitting with a duffle bag on a plane to the City of Vale, and the school of Beacon. He was amazed his parents allowed him to go to Beacon, even more that Tai had apparently pulled some strings allowing him to get into Beacon despite the lack of training. He looked around on the craft, there were a lot of other soon to be students, each had a various trait, horns, tails, extra eyes, spikes, tusks, wings, scales, and the occasional one that looked human but where quick to display something like changing colors or producing light or something...Jaune sighed looking down not a single human with him...he was still the only human in the world to his knowledge. He felt his leg start to shake, vibrating the immediate area around him he had never been so far from his family before, he was sheltered a lot and did not get to see other people because his family worried how he would be treated at a young age, but now he was old enough to fend for himself...well that and the young woman that was resting her head on his shoulder. Ruby had fallen asleep about halfway, she stayed with him to be his bodyguard when he tried to lift her hood up, he was curious about her ears. Ruby had not once showed him her ears refusing to remove her hood in front of him. Her hand darted up gripping his wrist.

"Sorry thumper." she teased opening her silver eyes to gaze up at him. "No sneak peaks."

"Thumper?"

"Yeah, you may as well be a jackrabbit based on your leg there." she joked as Jaune noticed his restless leg and the many stares he was getting, he gripped his leg and gave an awkward smile.

"Sorry."

"So made any friends since I dozed off?" Ruby yawned stretching in her seat.

"No...not yet...I was too nervous to leave my spot...so...uh...your sister is going to be at the school right?" Jaune asked looking around, he felt more careful now and started looking for individuals, maybe he could find Ruby's sister in the crowd.

"Yeah...Yang is a bit older than me...she's closer to your age, she's really fast and strong and pretty! I think " Ruby said as she thought for a moment. "I hope she isn't mean to you."

"Why would she be mean is she normally?"

"Not really...but I just remembered her thoughts of humans…" Ruby said looking down.

"Am I endanger?"

"Don't know about that, Yang just thinks humans are weak and inferior given the last time humans were around was during the war of humans and faunus, the faunus won because of their animal traits, and superior vision. The faunus won completely...I heard Yang and some other Faunus talk about it they see humans as weak given how the war went." Ruby said looking down.

"Oh…" Jaune looked down, he knew from his sister there were faunus that had taken a mentality, he did not know how they would treat him given his family had strongly restricted those kind of faunus from meeting with him. He took a deep breath, maybe this was not the best idea… "I don't think I should have come…"

"What! No you totally can be a great huntsman!" Ruby sang hugging him tightly. The human smiled patting her head, a goofy smile appeared on her face. If she had a tail it would have been wagging.

"But what about the faunus that think i'm weak or will hate me because I am human?" it was silly kind of thing to ask for Ruby, she was not a faunus to care about race she was not even fond of how many faunus liked to divide themselves based on their base. Jaune being a human just meant he had more room to grow.

"Jaune I know you can be great, and if anyone is giving you too much trouble well then I will bite them." Ruby growled lightly baring her fangs.

"Thanks Ruby your a good friend." Jaune said giving her a hug.

A tall woman seemed to move through the crowd, Jaune eyed her up she had a pair of brown boots on, yellow socks, shorts that barely covered her thighs, a yellow shirt with a brown vest over her chest revealing to Jaune and many others her ample cleavage. She wore a pair of gloves and had long flowing golden blonde hair that draped her shoulders, as she got closer he noticed her fair-skin was covered in spots. A cheetah? The tall woman put her hands on her hips and gave a big grin looking at Ruby.

"Hey there little puppy following me around again?" she teased.

"Stop calling me that Yang! I am not a puppy!" Ruby growled with a pout crossing her arms over her chest, her silver eyes locked onto the blonde's lilac ones. Jaune looked between the two and raised a hand.

"Hey I am Jaune Arc, and I guess your Yang Rose?" he asked as the blonde blinked tilting her head.

"Yang...Rose?" she asked confused, a faint snicker from Ruby was heard.

"Oh sorry Jaune, we are actually half-sisters. She has my dad's name Xiao Long, while I got my mom's."

"Oh sorry about that…" Jaune said looking down, but he heard Yang laugh as she wrapped her arm around his neck holding him close rubbing her knuckles gently into his scalp.

"Its cool buddy! So you are Ruby's friend I heard mentioned huh?" Yang asked with a smile.

"You know about me?" Jaune asked looking at Ruby who seemed just as confused.

"Yeah dad gave me a call, told me to keep an eye out on my puppy of a sister, and to make sure she was not getting too close to a certain blonde friend of hers." Yang said with a grin, the two face's heated up as a tint of pink came on their cheeks.

"It's not like that!" Ruby and Jaune both protested.

"Relax, I ain't a prude like dad. If you two want to be like that I won't stop you." Yang said making a suggestive gesture with her hands, Jaune's face turned more red as Ruby started beating on her larger sister's back with her fists.

"Shut up!" she cried.

"So as long as you don't hurt the puppy we won't have trouble, and I don't see any horns or claws or fangs, so you probably got to rely solely on skill in battle." Yang said eyeing him up as she held up her had as a set of claws was visible through her fingerless gloves. "Don't make me cut you."

"Y-yes ma'am no need to worry about that ma'am!" Jaune announced his voice stiff and awkward, he never was cut before except for the occasional kitchen accident, and when Saphron's cat decided she did not want to be held. Neither were fun experiences and he did not want to learn what it would be like from a faunus whose sister he hurt. Yang chuckled and was about to speak again when the speakers crackled to life.

"We will be landing soon, please take your seats and fasten your seatbelts." the announcer said. Yang shrugged as she said goodbye and waved to her sister and Jaune walking with the crowd towards the other seats. It was at this moment Jaune realized Ruby and him were in the back, in a mostly empty larger spot.

"Why are we alone back here?" he asked looking at Ruby who was clicking her seatbelt together.

"It's our seats duh?"

"No i mean, why just us?"

"Maybe...because I thought it would be better if we could be away from the crowds…" Ruby mumbled looking away. Was she uncomfortable in crowds? The craft soon landed with a gently jolt to the passengers, a chime was heard and everyone grabbed their stuff and began to exit the craft. Jaune took a deep breath as he looked out into the light of day shining over Beacon academy. Doubt was flowing over him again, but he felt a gently hand coiling around his, Ruby took his hand and gave him a reassuring smile before he matched her's. The two moved together into what would be their new home for some time.