Competition Moon

Chapter 1: Jaune's problem and Ren's trouble

"Aaaaaaahh!" Shouted Jaune while falling from the skies.

Slightly lower than him was Ren.

Ren, due to the same circunstances, was also falling. However, he would not shout. That wouldn't change the situation and only waste his voice.

Ren knew from the very start that something bad would happen when he agreed to go train with Jaune in the woods. But he decided to go against his instincts and trust his leader.

He didn't hate Jaune. It was just that he had a talent in getting into bad situations.

Ren tought it really didn't matter anyway. He would just manage to grab the tree down there and make his way to the ground safely. Saving Jaune would be the hard part.

He looked up and down and then adjusted his body.

"NOW!" He shouted to get Jaunes attention.

However, as soon as he grabed the wood, a recognizable red javelin pierced through it.

'This is bad' he tought opening his eyes wide.

The boy in green crashed into the ground.

"Ugh".

His aura protected him, but most of it was wasted during the training, so he still suffered some damage and pain.

"Can't get worse" he muttered.

"I am sorry!"

He twisted his head and Pyrrha was falling in his direction. He looked up and saw the trajectory Jaune was falling.

'How did this happen anyway?' He tought. 'This trickery of destiny that will destroy my ribcage'.

Earlier that day...

After professor Port's class had ended Jaune was scared.

Befote the Vytal tournament, Competition Moon was supposed to take place in Beacon to select the most adept students for the tournament.

Any student would still be able to participate either way, but the selected ones would be considered the best within the school and get support.

Likewise, some would also be able to fall down, be ignored and be considered the worst.

Jaune had been learning to fight with Pyrrha, but... What if it wasn't enough? Besides, maybe he would have been dragging her down. Pyrrha was one of the best, he couldn't risk being responsible for making her fail.

Also, as her apprentice he couldn't be one of the lower ranks.

That's why after class he decided to ask Ren to train with him in the forest. Ren was a cool guy and he seemed to understand women (or so Jaune tought after seeing his relatioship with Nora).

So he would be able to help Jaune in his training and in helping the boy to cancel his training with Pyrrha.

Ren agreed right away and they went to the forest.

But... Things happened... Like a Nevermore...

"Nora" Pyrrha called her teamate when she oppened their room's door.

"Hey, Pyrrha" Nora bit a bar of chocolate "want some?"

"Err... Later" she refused "have you seem Jaune?"

"Nope".

"Nope?"

"Nope!" She replied happily "what? You were supposed to have a date or something?"

"No!" She replied red.

"Then you want to ask him out?"

"No!" She replied even redder.

While Pyrrha's supposed crush on Jaune was a discrete one, living in the same room was enough to make Nora notice there was something between the two of them.

Nora tried to be a cupid sometimes, but she failed in most of it. Except one time she accidentaly sent Jaune to the infirmary and had Pyrrha help treating him.

But Ren also noticed that and told her to stop being a cupid after the incident, saying that onwards only more trouble would rise.

"He can't have forgoten" Pyrrha muttered. She was supposed to help him become a better warrior after all.

"It was a date after all?!" Nora asked with sparkling eyes.

"No!" Pyrrha ran out of the room, but also ran against Blake and she dropped her books.

"I'm sorry" Pyrrha said.

Blake only smiled.

"It's no problem".

When Pyrrha tried to help by picking up the books, she noticed a particular one.

"The Ninjas of..."

"It's not mine!" Blake took the book in panic "it's just... A friend asked me to get it from the library..."

"I see..."

Blake noticed right away she should have made a better excuse beforehand. It's way better to prepare a good one than trying to make one on the moment.

'What am i gonna do' she tought.

But Pyrrha, also red by recognizing the book, only asked:

"A-anyway... Have you seem Jaune?"

"Jaune?" Blake looked at Pyrrha and noticed she was red. "Were you supposed to have a-"

"No!"

"Okay" Blake hid her relief.

Blake did have very few interactions with the boy, but it changed during the incident two weeks ago. That was when they were in Forever Fall and by a strike of the destiny were sent away from the other teams.

Initially, he didn't seem much, but afterwards they continuously encountered monsters. As soon as Blake was incapable of fighting anymore Jaune continued and took the next hit for her while killing the last ursa.

Jaune was sent to infirmary and Blake didn't talk to the boy after that. She just didn't know what to say.

'Maybe saying thanks wouldn't hurt' she thought.

"So..." Pyrrha was feeling the awkwardness after the long silence she received from Blake "you haven't?"

"No, no, i did see him" she answered "if i remember well, i saw him going to the forest with Ren".

The definition of 'saw' used meant 'spied'.

'Why would he go to the forest?' Pyrrha thought... 'With Ren...' It meant Jaune wanted to train, but not with Pyrrha, but Ren.

Pyrrha dropped her shoulders. Blake asked:

"You... Want to go after him?"

Pyrrha looked up.

"Ye-yes. I'm sorry if it is a bother".

"Don't worry. I also needed to train for Competition Moon".

And she got to train with a celebrity while also getting an opportunity to talk to Jaune.

"Come".

However, just when they go into the forest they found a locker crashed in the woods.

"Stop moving".

"Sorry, but it's just that..."

"Just nothing! It's too tight here! I don't need you moving more, it's uncomfortable!"

Pyrrha turned to Blake when she recognized those voices.

"Are they?"

"Yes" Blake replied "Weiss and Ruby".

Ruby's voice came from the crashed locker.

"My back, Weiss. Could you please scratch it?"

"No".

"Please?"

"No".

"Pleaaaasssseeeee?"

"Fine! Just stop moving... Here?"

"Oh... Yes!"

Blake looked at Pyrrha

"This is getting weird".

"Weiss, why did you stop?"

"Shut up, Ruby. Blake, it that you?"

"Yes" She answered the locker "why are you two..."

"Long story!" Weiss replied "get us out of here!"

"Okay..."

Blake took out the Gambol Shroud in katana form and sliced the lock.

"I may need help... Pyrrha?"

"Okay".

Ruby noticed her.

"Pyrrha is there too?"

"Be quiet, Ruby!" Said Weiss.

Pyrrha helped Blake in lifting the locker.

"What have you two been eating?" Blake asked when she noticed how heavy it was.

"Ugh" Pyrrha helped her in turning the locker sideways, which opened it's door and made both Ruby and Weiss fall into the ground.

"Freedom!" Weiss said.

Pyrrha extended her hand.

"Why were you two in there?"

Ruby got up.

"Well..."

Earlier that day...

Ruby opened her locker, but was hit by Weiss in the back and both were locked away and sent flying by the turbo propelled locker.

"And that's it" said Ruby.

Pyrrha and Blake turned to Weiss as soon as she got up.

"It wasn't just that, look..."

Earlier that day...

Weiss was passing by just as Ruby opened her locker. She was going to ask where Yang went when suddenly...

BOOM.

An explosion happened after a green lighting came from the door, making all the machines go crazy and blasting Weiss away. She crashed into Ruby and was sent flying by the turbo propelled locker.

"A green lightning?" Pyrrha asked.

"Yes!" Responded Weiss.

"In the middle of the locker room?" Blake asked.

"Look, some dumb idiot must have released his aura or something, and when i get him" Weiss gritted her teeth.

"More importantly" said Ruby "why are you two here?"

"Well..."

"GRWWWOOOOAAAAAHHHH!"

Just when Pyrrha was about to explain the situation that happened she saw the Deathstalker approaching.

"No problem..." Said Weiss looking at Pyrrha "your team already defeated one of those so the four of us are enough".

"Weiss" Blake called "you and Ruby are weaponless".

"Oh yeah" Ruby noticed "i let go of Crescent Rose when Weiss bumped into me".

Weiss seemed to freeze for an instant.

"Err... I don't need Myrtenaster to fight it!"

Ruby looked as the scorpion approached 'think Ruby, there must be some sort of makeshift weapon i can use...'

"Think... Woaahhh" Ruby gasped "that's it! Eat this locker!"

Ruby jumped backwards and swiftly activated the locker that was shot in the direction of the Deathstalker.

Pyrrha looked at her impressed 'now i know why she is their leader...'

Ruby looked at Pyrrha and she got the message.

Pyrrha quickly activated her semblance to accelerate the flying locker and also shot Miló at the direction of the creature, but...

The red javelin pierced the locker and it exploded, sending everyone to the skies.

Just as Pyrrha was falling she saw Ren on the ground and, unable to change her direction, she shouted:

"I'm sorry!"

She prepared for the impact, but hit something mid-air and fell on someone else.

"Ugh" he muttered.

Pyrrha looked down and got red when she saw she crashed into their leader.

"I am sorry, Jaune!"

The boy also got red and said:

"No problem... I have gained endurance from all our training together, remember?"

"Yes..."

They looked at each other in the eyes, observing one another, but soon they were awaken from their moment of peace.

"I am sorry for... Overhearing both... Of you, but... Could you please... Get off me?"

"Ren!" Jaune noticed he was on top of him.

Pyrrha got up and helped Jaune get up also, but as soon as they were going to help Ren...

Weiss fell.

"Ugh!" The boy in green muttered.

And Ruby fell.

"Argh" he groaned in pain.

Blake was coming in their direction, but used her semblance to create a copy of herself and change the trajectory, so she crashed into Jaune instead.

"Argh".

"Jaune!"

Weiss looked at them. Jaune laying down with Blake on top of him. She soon remembered the events of two weeks ago and felt envy through her body.

"What are you two doing?!"

"Blake?!" Pyrrha was surprised.

Ren felt as if his ribs were about to break.

"All... Of you... Please..."

"Ren!" Ruby noticed him surprised.

She got up and helped Weiss get off him. Blake got off Jaune and he also stood. Afterwards he approached Ren and extended his hand.

"You okay, buddy?"

"I..." Ren held his hand and forced himself to get up, using Jaune's support to remain standing "i shall be fine... Why... Are the four of you here?"

"Well, i bumped into Pyrrha..." Blake begun to explain.

"Then we went to the forest..." Pyrrha continued.

"And they freed us from a locker" Ruby said.

"And it exploded" Weiss finished the tale.

...

Jaune was trying to understand the situation.

"Uhh... What?"

Ren tried to force his logic to work while ignoring the pain.

"I think they are saying they came to train for Competition Moon".

"Ohh!"

Ren looked at Jaune and back to Weiss, Pyrrha and Blake. After the incident Nora caused two weeks ago it was clear they saw the boy in a different way than before.

'For most people this would be lucky' Ren thought 'but Jaune will need lady luck herself by his side in dealing with this situation'.

"We also came to train" Jaune responded and thought 'think Jaune, a way to explain why you would prefer skipping Pyrrha's training... C'mon, you can do this!'

"But why you..." Pyrrha begun to ask.

"We needed to discuss man stuff" Ren answered "from man to man".

"Ohh!" Pyrrha understood. Just like girls have particular conversations, boys would have too, which would explain everything. Jaune was also forgetful, so he must have forgotten to contact her. He didn't want to cancel the training at all, just have a different one.

Jaune looked at Ren in the eye and smiled 'nice one!'.

Ren only thought that was the minor of his troubles.

"But why were you in the ground?" Ruby asked him.

Facepalm. Ren knew that question was no good. His little time with Jaune taught him questions like those triggered some sort of cosmic mechanism of pure trouble.

"Grwwwwoooooaaaaaahhhh!"

And from the trees the group saw the Nevermore approaching.

"That's why" he answered.

"We have been dealing with that thing all day" said Jaune.

"As such, i am nearly out of aura... Better call Nora for backup".

"Backup?" Weiss asked "why would you need backup? Six of us together is enough".

Blake put her hand on her shoulder.

"Jaune and Ren are in no fighting condition, Ruby and you are weaponless. We will need help to get out of here".

Ren sent the message: NORA, I AM IN THE FOREST WITH JAUNE AND WE ARE ALMOST OUT OF AURA. A NEVERMORE IS ATTACKING, WE NEED YOUR HELP.

"Or we can just run away" Ruby answered.

Nora's answer was: GOT IT, REN. GONNA BRING SOME PANCAKES.

Pyrrha pointed at Jaune and Ren and the girl in the red hood noticed their condition.

"Oh..."

Nora's answer was a bit off, but Ren knew he could rely on her.

"And there is also that Deathstalker" said Weiss.

"Wait, what?" Jaune turned "you encountered a Deathstalker?"

Ren's eyes widened. The situation went from bad to worse. Since Yang was the only one remaining, he thought of calling her for help too, but his battery ended.

"I called Nora" he said "my batteries are dead. Can any of you call Yang?"

"Call Yang?!" Ruby didn't seem to like that idea "we can do this ourselves. Go team RBJWPR! (Rebel Jupiter)"

"I don't think team RBJWPR can stand in this battle, Ruby" said Jaune "but that was a really cool name".

"Agreed" said Blake.

Weiss looked at the Nevermore.

"Then what do we do?"

Ruby remembered the first time she encountered a Nevermore and smiled.

"We can ride it!"

Weiss' eyes widened.

"No! Don't even think! That was a bad idea and now it is a terrible idea!"

Jaune forced his courage to ignore the fear.

"I think we should ride".

"See?! Even him..." Weiss stopped and computed the words Jaune said "well... I guess there's no helping to it..."

'No, Weiss' Ren tought 'you were right, it's a bad idea. A really bad idea'.

"I agree" said Pyrrha while picking up her javelin.

"I as well" said Blake.

Ren backed down a little while forcing himself to remain standing 'okay, they are beyond Nora's common sense. It's better for me to go now'.

"Well... It's nothing personal, but i can barely remain standing and don't want to become a pancake when falling from a giant black bird so..."

He started to run (walk fast), but Jaune shouted:

"Blake!"

"Got it".

The Gambol Shroud tied Ren down and he fell. Jaune got closer.

"You are in no condition to go alone, we have to ride the Nevermore".

Ren didn't say a word. He only had the bad feeling they would somehow crash in the Deathstalker on the way back.

Nora was walking in the direction of the forest.

The girl did bring the pancakes, but ate all of them in the way, so she didn't have any food to help Jaune and Ren. Either way, they would only need her battle skills, so with luck she would be rewarded with Ren's cuisine.

"Grwwwwooooooaaaaahhh!"

Nora noticed the giant scorpion in front of her.

"Yes! They must be close... Now what shall be my reward? Already ate pancakes... If i choose cookies Ruby will want o eat most...

"Grwwooaaaaahhh!"

Nora evaded the Deathstaker's attacks.

"Meat takes time... But..." She remembered Ren message included something about a Nevermore "but giant chicken wings must taste great!"

Nora readied Magnhild and prepared to jump over the Deathstalker when she saw from above the black bird coming.

"Yes! Chicken wings and legs! I am a genius!"

"Noraaaa! Get down!" She listened Jaune saying so from above.

The Nevermore came crashing down in the Deathstalker and a bunch of people crashed down into Nora.

"Ugh..." Nora opened her eyes and noticed she was in a white room "where am i?"

In a bed next to her she noticed Ren.

"Infirmary... One student from the third year was passing by and brough us here... You only blacked out. I broke my arm and two ribs".

"Ohh... Are there any chicken legs in here?"

Ren smiled.

"I guess not".

"What happened?!" Ruby woke up near them".

"Silence, Ruby!" Weiss answered.

On the other side of the room was Blake, together with Weiss and Pyrrha standing near Jaune in bed.

"Girls, girls, i am fine. Really!" Jaune tried to stop them, but...

Weiss pushed him.

"You are not!"

Blake tied him into the bed.

"Stay down".

Pyrrha was bringing some food.

"And heal slowly".

"Hehe..." Ren smiled.

The boy was still hurt, but one day or two was enough for a full healing.

But he knew that while his problems would end soon, Jaune's were only beginning.

"Gonna make some pancaaaaakeeeesss".

Ren's eyes widened when he saw Nora getting away from the infirmary. 'God no!'

"Wait, Nora!" He got back to his feet, but fell down to the ground "don't touch my utensils!"

And he forced himself to get out of the infirmary. After all, he couldn't let Nora destroy another room with her culinary.

Author notes: hey guys... I am kind of bad in making notes... So, how was the chapter? Hope you liked it. For now it's only the beginning, before Competition Moon itself. I plan to introduce later an OC team composed of characters based in old ''scary'' movies (i don't consider them scary). Like Frankenstein (the one responsible for the green lightning and the locker trouble). The team's name shall be Team VLNT (Valiant) hope you like trying to find out who are the other base characters.

Heretic out!