Note:

You can probably figure out what kind of dragon slayer Ren is by just thinking about it, it's no big reveal or anything. And for others learning magic, I'm going with a hard no. As far as I'm concerned, only the maidens and maybe Salem(?) in the canon universe have magic or something resembling magic, I'm just adding some isolated dragon slayers into the mix. Also, they are first generation dragon slayers, take that as you will. Lastly, Ren will be a main character JUST as much as Jaune is, no more and no less.

Chapter 2: To Fly of Your Own Volition

"Oi, what did he say? I wasn't listening."

Ren deadpanned. "For someone with such acute hearing you really don't put it to good use."

"Yeah but he's talking about boring stuff..." Jaune lamented.

"When you land, head north, grab a relic, and destroy any Grimm you find." Ren summarized.

Jaune grinned. "Sounds easy enough!"

"Also, whoever you make eye contact with first will be your partner for the next four years."

If Jaune had a drink he would have spewed it out. "EHHHH?!"

"Is there something you'd like to add Mr. Arc?" Ozpin asked, slightly amused at the late outburst.

Jaune laughed sheepishly. "Um, no sir…" He rubbed the back of his head awkwardly. The lady from last night glaring while the gray haired man took a sip of his coffee and resumed speaking.

"Ren." He whispered urgently. "When we get down there, I'm gonna try to sniff you out."

"I was planning on doing the same." He agreed. "Just try not to make eye contact if you meet anyone along the way."

"Righ-AHHHHHHHH" He was interrupted as the platform he was standing on launched him straight into the air, his form getting smaller and smaller before plummeting into the forest below.

"Oh yeah. We're being launched by the way." He spoke casually to the spot where Jaune was standing.

"AHHHHHHHHHH!" Jaune screamed as he shifted into a more stable position mid-flight. "WOOOOOHOOOO!"

As the ground approached he shifted himself so his feet were pointed below.

*CRACK*

Spiderwebs appeared beneath him as the ground crumbed under his weight. When the dust cleared, he was standing in his own personal crater.

"Woo! That was fun!" Jaune dusted off his pants and stood up, stretching out his arms as he took in his surroundings.

He sniffed the air and immediately noticed two things. Ren was kinda far away, and something that smelled like strawberries and vanilla was heading straight for him at mind boggling speeds.

...

Jaune took off in a sprint in the opposite direction, tears streaming down his face.

"REN HELP MEEEEEE!"

"SHADOW DRAGON'S ROAR!" A torrent of darkness crashed against the dirt, slowing his fall to a near halt before his feet gracefully landed on the ground.

Ren immediately recognized a few of the scents nearby. Yang and Nora being the closest. But would immediately caught his attention was Jaune, running in his direction at breakneck speeds.

He sighed but mentally prepared himself for the onslaught of problems Jaune usually brought with him.

*WOOSH*

The sound of wind caused him to turn.

And he could only stare, wide eyed as an ursa flew right by him and into the trees. Disintegrating on impact.

"Hiya Ren!" His quicking thinking saved him as he managed to close his eyes, not wanting to abandon Jaune on accident.

"Hello Nora." He could tell by the scent of… maple syrup?

She was silent before asking. "Why are you closing your eyes?"

He didn't want to offend the girl, but honesty had proven to be the best policy. "Jaune and I are trying to become partners. And wouldn't you prefer to be partners with Pyrrha?"

She hummed in contemplation. "Well I would… She's strong, nice, and likes sloths."

Ren raised an eyebrow but didn't comment.

"But between you and me." She said in a whisper, which was unnecessary considering no one else was in the vicinity. "Pyrrha has a bit of trouble making friends, and as much as I love her, I think it'd be a good idea to let her make her own."

Ren sighed. Both he and Jaune had known no one else within their age range until yesterday, and even if it would be good to branch out, he did not want to be separated from his brother in all but blood.

"I respect what you are trying to do, but I would still like to be partners with Jaune." Ren answered apologetically.

He wasn't sure what expression she was making, but he would have guessed it was pouty. "Come ooooooon… I'm a great partner!" She got so close Ren could feel her breath on his face. "I'm strong, I'm handsome… I'm strong."

Ren sighed again. "I'm sure you'd be a great partner." He could sense Jaune closing in on his location. "But Jaune and I work very well together."

"But you could still end up being on the same team as Jaune!" He could hear the enthusiasm shrinking as she spoke.

"I know, but there is also a chance I might not." He explained, trying to let her down as easy as possible.

She was silent for a few moments.

"Okay." She whispered.

Ren did his best to resist the urge to open his eyes, hoping she would leave.

He heard her begin to trudge off, slowly, further urging him to just give in.

And then he heard her sniffle.

He sighed.

Jaune was going to be livid.

"Nora?"

"HOW IS IT SO FAST!" Jaune screamed to no one in particular as the trees sped by him.

He didn't know why, but the scent reminded him of… something he remembered in a dream. A demon with a love for strawberry cake and beating him up.

Jaune couldn't help but imagine all the horrible things it would do when it caught up to him. What if it tried to eat him! What if it tried to put him on one of those plane things again!

What if it tried to die his hair black?!

"RENNNNNNN HELPPPP MEEEEEE!"

*CRACK*

Jaune's foot crashed against the stump of a tree, sending him tumbling 50 feet forwards until he eventually hit his head against another tree.

"Owwww, my head." He groaned from the floor, nursing the sizable bump on the top of his skull.

"Are you okay Jaune?" Jaune's head shot towards the voice, only to be met with Pyrrha's back.

"Yeah I'm fine, I think…" He stood up and dusted himself off, still slightly off balance from hitting his head so hard.

"Wait a second!" Jaune glared at her back. "Why the heck were you chasing me? I thought you were some kind of monster or something!"

Pyrrha resisted the urge to turn around. "Why would you think I was a monster?" She sounded incredulous, and slightly offended.

"BECAUSE ONLY MONSTERS CHASE PEOPLE!" He shook a fist at her.

Pyrrha wanted to argue with that logic, but decided against it.

"I followed you because I wanted to apologize."

Jaune tilted his head to the side curiously.

"I was rude to you earlier and I wanted to say I was sorry." She said quietly rubbed her foot into the dirt.

She grew even more fidgety as he remained silent, only for all of the built up tension to immediately dissipate upon hearing him laugh.

"Was that funny?" She asked, now more surprised than offended.

"Yeah it is, why would you apologize for something like that?" He asked, still laughing a little.

He couldn't see it, but her face was twisted in confusion. "I'm not really good at meeting new people…" He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "And I don't blame you for walking away, that last thing I said was something I got from someone I probably shouldn't listen to." He laughed, grinning at the thought.

"I-I see." Pyrrha said quietly.

Silence settled between them, both thinking their own respective thoughts.

"So… Whatcha looking at?" Jaune asked, curious as to why she had been talking away from this whole time.

"Well the Headmaster told us that whoever we made eye contact with first would be our partner for the next four years, and I wish to be partners with Nora." She explained.

Jaune smacked his fist into his palm. "Oh yeah! I gotta go find Ren!"

Jaune took off in the opposite direction, prompting Pyrrha to turn around.

Jaune raised a hand in farewell. "See ya around Pyrrha! Ya know, even though you're a little weird, I like ya!" He shouted as he ran off.

Pyrrha stared at his retreating form. "You're rather odd too... Jaune." She smiled and shook her head as she began walking in the same direction.

"Two others are nearby, about a minute that way." Ren pointed ahead.

He turned to find his partner giving him an odd look.

"What?"

"... Are you part dog?" She asked.

Ren gave her an incredulous look. "Why would you ask that?"

"It looked like you just smelled them out! Like a hound!" She laughed.

"No, but I did smell them out, I just have very acute senses." Ren corrected as they walked towards the temple.

Nora shrugged. "Weird, but if ya say so."

She hummed to herself as they walked through the forest, a comfortable silence settling over them.

"Say what kind of weapon do you use?" She asked curiously.

"I don't use a weapon."

Nora nearly tripped. "Then how do you fight Grimm?!"

"With my fists." He answered easily.

"Woah! You must be really strong! Like really really really strong!"

Ren smirked. "I'm pretty confident in my abilities."

"Well this is my baby!" She pulled out a massive hammer from… somewhere. "Her name's Magnhild!

His eyes widened slightly. "She's uh… rather large. You must be strong to be able to wield that."

Nora laughed. "I'm pretty confident in my abilities." She did her best impression of Ren's smirk and voice.

Ren joined in laughing as well, it was a pretty decent impression. And before they knew it they were in a clearing with a temple dead ahead of them.

As they walked up to where they assumed the relics were, he recognized the blonde girl, Yang from earlier, and some dark haired girl with amber eyes he didn't recognize.

Nora skipped up to the duo as Ren proceeded to grab a reli. "Hey girls, come here often?"

Yang laughed while her assumed partner groaned. "I like her."

Ren however was busy analyzing the relics, which appeared to be chess pieces. The only two identical pieces left were the rook, and he decided to take a chance and grab both, resolving to give Jaune the other later on.

Upon walking back to the group of three girls, Yang gave him a grin.

"So pink eyes where'd you find her?"

Ren sighed "She actually found me."

"Well Blake this is Ren." Yang wrapped an arm around the shoulder. "And Ren this is Bla-"

"RENNNNNNN!" Pink eyes widened and he turned just in time to be knocked into by a blonde and white blur.

"Alright I found ya! Now we're partners!" Jaune pumped a fist in the air only for it to be grabbed and yanked backwards.

"Sorry blondie, but we're already partners!" Nora looped an arm around Ren's who gave Jaune an apologetic look.

Jaune looked like he was about to get mad before he remembered. "Wait a second, Pyrrha was looking for you!" He pointed a finger accusingly at the girl who stole his partner.

Nora frowned. "If you found Pyrrha why isn't she with you."

"She was facing the other way the whole time we were talking, she wanted to be partners with you." Jaune shrugged.

Nora felt a little bad, but it was for Pyrrha's own good. "Well it looks like you'll have to be her partner then Jaune!" She gave him a big smile.

Jaune sighed but smiled his classic toothy grin back. "Well it's not too bad, Pyrrha's pretty cool!"

"That's the spirit!"

"HEEEAAAADDDSSS UPPPPPPPP!"

"WHY DID I LISTEN TO YOUUUU!"

The five looked up to find Ruby and Weiss free falling towards the ground.

"Ren you get Weiss! I got Ruby!"

"Wait can we-" He had already taken off. "Switch..." He sighed.

He heard a snort which came surprisingly not from Yang, but from her partner. However he didn't have time to ponder it as he sprinted off after his oldest friend.

Jaune leapt high into the air, catching Ruby bridal style, however her momentum forced him downwards, and he landed in a crouch, spiderweb cracks forming underneath him.

He grinned down at the girl in his arms. "What's up Ruby?"

Ruby blinked and looked up at his bright blue eyes, then blinked again and looked down at his arms.

"EEP!"

She jumped out of his arms and over to Yang, who caught her the same way Jaune had been holding her, her head buried in her sister's shoulder.

Yang snickered and leaned down to whisper something in her ear, to which Ruby eep'd again and jumped out of her sister's arms, huddled off in the corner facing away from everyone else.

"WHY IS IT ALWAYS YOU!?"

Jaune turned to see Ren hiding behind Nora to protect himself from a very red and very irate Weiss.

Weiss eventually gave up and stormed off as Ren sighed in relief.

"Girls are really weird…" Jaune muttered as he observed a still incapacitated Ruby and angry Weiss.

"The old man told us so, I guess we just underestimated how weird they can really be."

Weiss, who happened to overhear the two whirled on them.

"WE AREN'T WEIRD, YOU TWO ARE THE WEIRD ONES."

Both dragon slayers blinked at her, then at each other, then once more at her.

"What did we do?" Jaune asked, genuinely confused.

"HOW DUMB ARE YOU?!"

Ren raised a hand. "I'm not dumb and I still don't know what we did."

"OI."

Weiss's disbelief only grew, but before she could respond, Pyrrha bursted out from the trees, a massive scorpion like Grimm hot on her trail.

The seven Huntsmen in training watched as Pyrrha and the Grimm came barreling towards them.

"I'ma punch it!" Jaune grinned ferally.

"Don't you do it." Ren warned.

"I'ma do it!" Jaune yelled as he had already begun running right at Pyrrha.

Ren sighed and looked wearily at the rest of the group. "Sorry about him."

"Don't be." Blake drawled. "If he didn't Yang probably would have." Her amber eyes flicked towards her blonde bombshell of a partner who shrugged.

"Probably."

Ren laughed and Blake responded with a playful glare. "You're in the same position."

"He's not my partner, I chose this of my own accord." Ren countered.

The rest watched as Jaune was knocked all the way back to where they were. "Are you sure you're not the dumb one?" She asked as Ruby and Weiss began firing at the Grimm.

"Honestly, I question that more than I'd like to admit." With that, he yanked Jaune to his feet, and right when he was about to join the fight, everyone froze as a shrill shriek sounded from above.

"Oh yeah I forgot about the Nevermore…"

Weiss's eyebrow twitched. "How could you forget you dolt!? We fell out of the sky!"

"Less talking more tactical retreating!" Yang grabbed her sister's cloak and yanked her past the temple, the other six following close behind and providing cover fire.

"Oi Ren!" Jaune called out as he caught up. "Wanna do the thing?"

"It could work, but we'd need time to prepare!" He called back, hurdling a boulder in his way.

Jaune grinned ferally. "Hey Pyrrha! Ren and I have an idea! Can you buy us some time?"

The redhead nodded as they approached the bridge, she and Nora stopped right before it, firing their respective munitions at the Deathstalker.

"That thing is a lot tougher than it looks." Yang huffed, glaring at the Nevermore as it soared back around. "Weiss-cream! If I can ground it can you keep it there?!"

"Of course I can!" She snapped back.

Yang grinned and quickly scaled the top of a pillar, getting the Grimm's attention. Right as it swept towards her, mouth agape, she jumped in between its jaws, firing Ember Celica directly down its gullet before flipping out of its mouth as it crashed against the mountain behind her.

Yang looked up to find Weiss speeding by, jumping and pinning the Nevermore to the ground in a geyser of ice before it could take off once more.

"Yang, I got a plan!" Ruby shouted, her feet on Blake's weapon which was now being used as a makeshift slingshot.

"Go for it Rubes!"

Weiss activated a Glyph behind Ruby's feet. "Don't mess this up."

Before Ruby could respond, she was launched at ludicrous speeds, using the blade of Crescent Rose to grip the Grimm's neck.

A series of Glyphs appeared up the mountain, allowing Ruby to use her speed to run up the mountain, firing her scythe for extra momentum.

With a fierce battle cry she decapitated the massive bird against the top of the cliff, landing on top of the mountain with red rose petals fluttering all around her.

Ruby looked down at the three below and found Yang cheering, Blake smiling somewhat, and Weiss looking surprised.

"Well that was a thing…" Yang grinned at Weiss.

Weiss harrumphed and crossed her arms. "So she may not be as incompetent as I thought."

"Where are the others?" Blake questioned, only for the other two to spot them down below, Pyrrha and Nora were fighting a losing battle against the massive scorpion like Grimm while Jaune and Ren were a ways away their hands nearly touching.

"Why aren't those simpletons helping?!" Weiss almost shrieked.

Yang shrugged while Blake's eyes narrowed at the small glowing orb between their hands.

"It's ready!" Jaune shouted.

"Nora! Pyrrha! Get out of the way!" Ren yelled, watching the two girls vault behind them, turning the scorpions attention to the dragon slayers.

It cried it's awful cry and charged, closing in fast.

Jaune and Ren nodded at each other and grit their teeth.

"HOLY SHADOW DRAGON'S-" They thrust their fists outward. "FLASH FANG!"

A torrent of light and shadow burst from their hands, raging towards the Grimm who tried to stop charging, only to be enveloped by the vortex that was their attack.

Pyrrha and Nora were forced to shield their eyes from the attack, as were the three watching from above.

When the light finally died down, all that remained was a massive semicircle crater that spanned all the way from the boys to farther than the eye could see. The only remains of the Grimm was part of it's golden stinger, laying in the crater.

Jaune and Ren walked up to Nora and Pyrrha, who were still staring at the scorched land.

"Well that was… an interesting first day." Ren mused stretching out his arms.

"Aw man if everyday's gonna be like this I'm gonna love it here." Jaune grinned. "Oh yeah Pyrrha!" The redhead reluctantly tore her gaze away from the crater. "We're partners by the way!"

"Wait! What!?" Pyrrha's head snapped to Nora, who laughed sheepishly.

"Ahaha… It was an accident?" Nora half asked half said, rubbing the back of her head.

Ren sighed, hoping she wouldn't react too badly.

"I-I suppose this is okay." She said, unsure.

Jaune grinned. "We're gonna be the strongest partners ever!" He pumped a fist.

Ren snorted. "You'll definitely be the weak link."

A vein in Jaune's forehead bulged. "YOU WANNA GO FLOWER BOY!"

"No, you have other things to do anyway." Ren said, eyes closed and arms crossed.

"Like what!"

"Like grabbing a relic."

…

"AH CRAP I FORGOT!" Right before he was about to start running back to the temple, something hard and metal smacked against his face.

Jaune caught it and inspected it, a golden castle tower that could fit in his palm. He looked at Ren to find he was holding an identical one, smiling slightly at his friend.

Jaune's surprise turned to joy as his face broke out into a bright grin. "You're the best Ren!" He tried to pick him up in a bear hug only for Ren to move away, already expecting that move.

"C'mon Ren give me a hug." Jaune laughed.

"I'm going to go with no."

"Stop being a party pooper!"

Nora giggled as Jaune chased Ren around, Ren looking annoyed while Jaune kept laughing.

"Boys am I right?" Nora said to her best friend who was still staring wide eyed at the crater and the dragon slayers.

Pyrrha watched as Ren stopped in front of a wall and seemingly disappeared, causing Jaune to run face first into it.

She couldn't help herself.

She began laughing, laughing so hard she was doubling over in laughter, her abs began to ache as she laughed, air becoming scarcer and scarcer.

Jaune and Ren had stopped to stare at the spartan, even Nora looking surprised at the sudden outburst.

Pyrrha panted and wiped a tear from her eye, still laughing slightly.

"Uh, are you alright?" Jaune asked, unsure why she was laughing so much.

"I'm quite alright Jaune, in fact I'm very well." She beamed at him.

"Then what was so funny?" Ren asked.

She smiled coyly. "It's just as Weiss said, you two are very weird."

Everyone was shocked by the sudden change in demeanor, and Nora began pointing and laughing at the dragon slayers.

"I feel like everytime I'm beginning to understand people, something happens and all of my theories go out the window." Ren sighed dejectedly, still not understanding why he was considered weird.

Jaune wasn't having any of it. "Yeah well maybe Ren and I are normal and you're all just weird!" He countered, making Pyrrha laugh again and Nora laugh harder.

"OI I WAS SERIOUS!"

Ren sighed as the two girls laughed harder and Jaune began pouting, he really knew how to pick em.

Despite a lot of consideration, I decided to go with canon teams in the end, sue me.