Hello RWBY fans. So, just a bit of a heads up, this is actually a rewrite of the original first chapter that I had previously posted. After reading a fairly lengthy review left on Doltish Dust I found that I agreed with a great deal of what he said and made some changes to the original chapter. Honestly, I think it's much better now than it was before. Several questions that would have had obscure answers now have more concrete ones to back them up and I feel Jaune now has a better reason for why he'll be keeping his identity a secret from his friends for a while. Let me know what you think in your reviews.

Beacon Academy – Emerald Forest – RWBY & JNPR

Routine; that had been the word choice Professor Ozpin had used when assigning their teams this particular mission. It was supposed to be routine. Teams RWBY and JNPR, having only been at Beacon for three months, had been tasked with hunting down a particular Grimm and eliminating it. Their target was a Death stalker and a particularly nasty one at that. While such a mission would have been given to some of the senior teams with more experience, their showcase at the entrance exams had given Ozpin reason enough to think they were more than capable of handling it. No one could have guessed it would go so horribly wrong.

It had been over an hour since the teams had begun their search. While they had started out optimistic, as the day wore on their patience and tolerance levels had begun to dwindle. You couldn't blame them for feeling that way. It was a Death stalker after all. Just how hard was it to locate a giant scorpion anyway? Feeling tired and bored from the lack of Grimm in the area the teams had resorted to other means to help them pass the time.

"I spy with my little eye something green," Ruby said.

"Is it a leaf?" Weiss asked with great annoyance.

"Yea," Ruby said, her tired voice having lost its usual pep long ago.

"Cheer up guys. I'm sure we'll find the Grimm before long. I'm honestly surprised we haven't come across a trail or something," Jaune said, attempting to encourage everyone.

"Maybe we'd have found it if we weren't going around in circles?" Weiss said in retort.

"What do you mean?"

"Look," she said, pointing to a rock wedged into the routes of a nearby tree. On the smooth surface of the rock was a small snowflake, perfectly etched onto its face. "I made that marking twenty minutes ago. We've been going in circles. You've been leading us in circles," she accused.

"Uh, sorry, guess my sense of direction is a bit off."

"Like that's a surprise," she growled.

"Don't be so hard on him, Weiss. You did the same thing to us on our first day," Ruby chimed in.

"That was a long time ago," Weiss said in her defense.

"Maybe we should have someone climb the trees and get a better look from up top. Surely we'll be able to spot something," Pyrrha suggested.

"Unfortunately, that idea won't work. The Emerald forest is well known for its thick canopy. I highly doubt we'll be able to see anything aside from a sea of green," Ren pointed out.

The conversation quickly devolved as small bickering ensued. Tired, hungry, and at their wits end the teams began fighting amongst each other. Blake, who'd been relatively quiet, began looking around for something that might help. It was by chance that a particular something caught her eye and she quickly interrupted the teams.

"Guys! GUYS!" she yelled, gaining everyone's attention. "Look."

Confused, and perhaps a little hopeful, the two teams followed Blake to a large clearing not far from their current position. While they'd passed through several clearings during the course of their search none of them had been quite this chaotic.

Trees on either side had either been knocked over or completely uprooted. Large symmetrical holes on both sides dug deep into the earth and a deep rut ran the course of the clearing. If they had ever needed proof, they were on the right track this was it.

"A Death stalker did this? Just how big is it?" Jaune asked, gazing in petrified awe at the scene.

"Certainly something bigger than we're used to," Blake commented, realizing now why Professor Ozpin had sent two teams to kill the creature.

"These tracks are fresh," Ren said, having stooped down to inspect the holes in the ground," I'd say we're not too far behind."

"Alright, everyone stick close. We don't know how big this thing really is. With any luck we'll take it by surprise and catch it off guard. Let's go," Jaune said, once more leading the charge.

The teams followed the trail, their mood livening thanks to having finally found some proof that they were on the right path. Aside from this, however, some aspects of the trail left the more experience members feeling uneasy. The toppled trees were not a big surprise, though the fact that there were so many was odd to say the least. Even the foot holes and rut in the ground were much larger than was normal for a Death stalker. What's more Death stalkers were solitary creatures who were more prone to hiding out in dark places such as caves rather than stalking around in the open.

"Huh?" Jaune said, bringing the group to a halt.

"What wrong?" Ruby asked.

"The trail, it's disappeared," he said.

"Leave it to Arc to get us lost again," Weiss complained.

"No, I mean the trail is gone. It ends here."

True to his words the trail had disappeared. They had followed it the edge of a cliff were a steep drop led to more of the forest down below. Glancing over the edge Jaune had a flashback to his initiation at Beacon and felt his stomach starting to churn.

"Where'd it go?" Ruby asked.

"It's a lumbering tank with pinchers. It can't just disappear," Yang commented.

"You don't suppose it leapt off the edge, do you?" Jaune suggested.

"I highly doubt that. Even with how large it is I doubt a creature like that could have survived the fall."

"That is of course assuming it's a regular Death stalker and not something else," Blake pointed out, putting to words what they were all thinking.

Everyone exchanged wary glances before splitting up to check the surroundings. With any luck they'd pick up on its trail again. Weiss walked along the edge, gazing down onto the forest below. Even from this height it was still difficult for her to make out anything aside from the thick canopy of trees below. For a moment she thought she noticed something that looked like a clearing and stooped down to try and get a closer look. As soon as she shifted her footing, however, the ground beneath her gave way.

"Ahhhh!" she screamed, gravity having taken hold of the heiress.

"Weiss!" Jaune yelled, leaping to her aid grabbing hold of her hand only to be pulled down with her.

While their teammates rushed to help them they were too late. Both Huntsman had disappeared into the trees below.

"Oww," Weiss groaned, picking herself up into a sitting position, "Well, that was graceful."

A quick check showed that nothing was damaged or even slightly bruised for that matter. While the fall had been a long one she'd been lucky enough to land on something soft. Thinking back on it she did recall Jaune attempting to save her at the last minute only to come tumbling down with her. Speaking of which where was the big buffoon?

"Arc? Arc, where are you?"

"Here," came his muffled groans.

"Oh!" Weiss said, leaping to her feet. That would explain the soft landing.

Jaune picked himself, dazed but otherwise unharmed. Thank the Goddess for his near inexhaustible aura reserves. Why is it whenever I'm with Weiss I somehow manage to land on my face? he thought to himself. While the drop had been a long one his training with Pyrrha had been invaluable to him. What might have killed him before or left him with several broken bones had been diminished greatly by his aura. Focusing it on on his front he'd managed to shield himself from the effects of the impact. The same could not be said for his back and spine.

"Good job Arc. Once again your bumbling has managed to make things worse for us."

"Me? Excuse me, Ice Queen, but which of us fell off the cliff? The only reason I fell down here was because I was trying to save you," Jaune countered with obvious annoyance.

"I wouldn't have fallen if you hadn't lost the trail."

"I didn't lose the trail, it just stopped," he argued back. "Forget it, lets just try to find a way back to our teams."

"At least we can agree on that," Weiss huffed.

Jaune took a look around, taking in their surroundings. The first thing that popped out was the cliff. With how high and steep it was they weren't going to be going back up that way, not without some climbing gear. The next thing that garnered his attention was the clearing they were standing in.

"Hey Weiss, I found the trail," he said.

Sure enough the trail that had ended at the cliff face continued on down here. There were several differences that caught his attention causing him to speculate on what they were hunting.

"One thing's for sure, its still alive. Look at the depth of these holes. It must have landed here before continuing on," he said, comparing the foot holds to the others and noticing the large difference between them.

"Its obvious this is more than we can handle. Let's hurry up and find out teams before it gets too dark or worse we run into some other Grimm."

"Hold on a minute, I have a better idea. Let's follow the trail and track this thing to its lair."

"Are you out of your mind? Did you take that impact with your head?" Weiss asked, exasperated.

"No, hear me out. I'm not suggesting we try and kill it on our own. Far from it. I'd say we can agree that, despite our present skills we're no match for this thing. What I'm suggesting is we track down where it's hiding then find our teams and come back to finish it off. It'll give us an edge and afford us the element of surprise."

As much as she hated to admit it Jaune had a solid plan. His logic was sound and, assuming it worked, it would give them a greater advantage over the Grimm. While she wasn't too keen on spending an extended amount of time with Jaune things could have been worse. Had she fallen down all by her lonesome or with Ruby, Yang, or Goddess forbid Nora, they might be too gung-ho to want to fight the creature without any backup.

"Alright, lead the way," she said.

Jaune happily took the lead, taking out his sword and shield should they encounter any Grimm along the way. For the most part their journey was a silent one which Weiss greatly appreciated. The less flirting Jaune attempted to do with her the better. After a while, though, she started to notice something odd about the boy. He wasn't silent simply because he was focused. Rather, he seemed on edge.

"Something bothering you Arc?" she asked.

"It's just, something about this mission seems odd. I don't know why but I get the feeling we're about to face an unusual Death stalker, one that isn't quite like the rest."

"While I hate to admit it, I think you're right. Nothing about this has been normal."

"Yea, that and I've been getting the feeling we're being hun- Watch out!" he yelled.

Weiss had just enough time to jump out of the way as a large stinger impaled itself into the ground. Pulling out her rapier she prepared for the fight but was momentarily thrown off guard by what she saw. They had indeed been right; the Death stalker they were hunting was no ordinary Grimm but what she saw was far from what she'd expected.

The usual colors of the creature's stinger and pinchers was not that of the usual gold but had been changed to a sickly green. Long spikes protruded from body as well as its pinchers. What's more it was noticeably bigger than other Death stalkers. Its eyes glowed in the same sickly green as it's stinger and pincers and while she couldn't be certain it felt as if the creature was giving off a murderous aura, almost as if it wanted to kill them.

"Weiss, run, I'll distract it."

"What, are you crazy Arc?"

"No, think about it for a second. My weapons and armor will only weigh me down. Any attempt for me to escape would be useless. I have a better chance of surviving by keeping it occupied. You'll be able to find our teams and bringing them back here."

"Fat chance of that happening. While I don't particularly like you I'm not so shallow that I would abandon you, especially against this."

Jaune smiled a bit, noticeably happy at the thought that the Ice Queen tolerated him enough to stick around. The moment was short lived, however, as the Death stalker let out an unholy screech before rearing back it's tail. Jaune just barely managed to leap out of the way before it impaled its stinger into the ground. The act proved compromising for the creature as it soon found itself trying to retract its tail with little luck.

"Weiss!"

"Don't yell at me, I see it," Weiss snapped.

Activating a glyph Weiss shot a stream of ice towards the creature. Soon a large pillar erupted around its tail, ensnaring it further. Following up with her attack Jaune charged forward, taking a running leap before bringing his sword down on the stinger. With his weight and momentum behind the strike it was more than enough to sever the stinger completely.

"Yes!" Jaune yelled in triumph.

In answer the Death stalker shrieked in pain and rage. Its eyes flashed red before reverting back to the sickly green as it reared back, barring its pinchers in a threatening manner.

"Oh crude, run!" Jaune screamed, realizing his folly.

He didn't have to tell Weiss twice. They both took off at a rapid pace with the Grimm not too far behind. While they had gained a considerable lead the creature was quickly gaining.

"Way to go Arc, now its trying to kill us!" Weiss yelled.

"Don't blame me, you're partly to blame! I was only following up on your attack!"

"I was attempting to trap it so we could get away and find our teams! I never asked you to sever its tail!"

She had him there. What's more the creature was getting closer. They couldn't out run it forever, not unless someone was distracting it. Steeling himself he stopped in his tracks and turned to face the beast.

"Hey ugly!" he yelled, picking up a rock and throwing it at the Death stalker. By pure chance he hit it in one of its numerous eyes, garnering its undivided attention. "Oh crude."

Now its sole target the creature made a beeline for Jaune. Hoping to slow it down he headed into the forest where the tree line appeared thicker. While practical in theory this proved useless to him as the Death stalker smashed its way through, unimpeded by the trees. Seeing this Jaune ran faster, forcing his muscles to pull him further and further away from the monster. It wasn't long before yet another ravine came into view and he had another reckless idea pop into his head.

Slowing his pace down just enough to garner the creature's attention he slide towards the edge, grabbing hold of it just before he went over. The Death stalker, blinded by its rage, didn't see the ravine until it was too late. The creature screeched in futility as it plummeted to the depths below.

"Jaune Arc one, Death stalker zer- ahhh!" he yelled as the rock crumbled from underneath his hands.

Jaune thought his was dead until a hand reached out to grab his. He slammed against the rock face but was otherwise relived to have been saved.

"Thanks Weiss," he said.

"Shut up and hang on," she groaned, attempting to pull them up. This almost backfired as her grip began to slip, threatening to send them both to join the Death stalker in its grave below.

"Weiss! Jaune!" they heard Ruby yell.

"Ruby, over here!" Weiss yelled back. As soon as she said that he grip slipped a little more prompting her to scream, "hurry!"

"Weiss, I need you to listen to me," Jaune said, looking down into the darkness beneath them.

"Not now Arc. I'm trying to concentrate on keeping us alive," she groaned.

"My grip is slipping. I don't think I'm going to make it."

"We're going to make it Jaune, just hold on a little longer."

Weiss' grip on the edge began to slip even more. Despite this her other hand tightened over Jaune's gloved one. She could feel both of them slipping, threatening to send them both to a watery grave down below. Her finger's ached from the strain and as she closed her eyes to concentrate she felt the last vestige of her grip loosen.

It was a strange feeling, the weightlessness that came with freefall. It was like being suspended in midair just before gravity took hold. For a moment Weiss felt a sense of freedom more potent than anything she'd ever experienced. Then, all at once, gravity took hold as it yanked her violently downward. With her hand reaching out for the edge that was growing further and further away she had almost conceded herself to their fate with Ruby's hand shot over the edge and latched onto hers.

"I've got you," she groaned.

"It's about time," Weiss said, attempting to hide her relief behind her snarky tone.

"Weiss you seriously need cut back on the snacks," Ruby said, straining to pull her friends upward.

"Excuse me!" Weiss shouted.

Ruby said nothing aside from groan as she pulled Weiss back onto solid ground. The ordeal was far from over as she attempted to yank Jaune back up as well with Ruby reaching out her hand to help.

"Jaune, grab my hand," Ruby said.

"I'm trying but my grip is slipping," he said as the slick leather of his glove inched out of Weiss' grip.

"Just hang on, you're almost there," Weiss said, doing her best to pull him back up.

Inches from Ruby's hand he strained for his fingers to meet hers.

"Weiss I- "

He never finished. All at once his hand left hers and he was gone. Weiss looked on in stunned horror. The last image in her mind was the startled disbelief on his face. It was a moment before she realized Ruby had a hold on her, struggling to keep her from going over the edge as she reach out into the dark depths, despite to pull him back. It was too late. He was gone.

Beacon Academy – Headmaster's Office – Ozpin

Three weeks. In three weeks their search had come up empty. However, to say that they had come up empty was an understatement. In truth they had found something. Aside from the Arc family sword and shield that had been a staple for the young man's weapon arsenal they'd also found his right arm. The rest of the body which it had once been attached to was nowhere to be found.

Ozpin starred into the dark depths of his coffee. The mission had been nothing short of tragic. While teams RWBY and JNPR had been successful in dispatching the Death stalker they'd paid a heavy price. The emotional damage sustained by all members, especially Weiss Schnee, was something that he doubted any of them would fully recover from.

While officially the search for Jaune Arc had been halted Ozpin himself still held out hope for the boys possible resurface. When they'd found the arm most had assumed it was severed by the razor sharp pincers of the Death stalker, its final act of defiance against those who had sent it to a watery grave. However, upon closer inspection it was revealed that the arm had been sawed off. After examining the sword, they found traces of Jaune Arc's blood on the blade. It seemed the boy had sawn off his own arm but why?

"Professor Ozpin?" Glynda Goodwitch's voice broke his concentration.

"Sorry, just deep in thought."

"The Arc family has arrived," she said.

"I see. I'll see them shortly. How are preparations coming along?"

"Everything for the memorial is ready. We're allowing any and all students who were close friends with Jaune Arc to attend."

"Speaking of which, how is Miss Schnee?"

"She appears to be holding it together though I'm worried that this is simply a front she's putting on to conceal her true feelings," Glynda said with obvious worry.

"I can't say I blame the child. What happened out there, what she's experienced, is something we can never truly prepare them for. I think we'll all be putting a brave face on at today's ceremony."

Glynda merely nodded before turning towards the elevator. Looking at her Ozpin noticed that the serious expression she usually wore was not there. It didn't really surprise him. While such a face was something she had found useful to her as a teacher today she needed to be more sympathetic. One of her students, and in a sense one of her children, had died. No one could hide their true feelings today, not unless they really tried.

Beacon Academy – Team RWBY dorm – Weiss

Weiss stumbled into the dorm and headed straight for the bathroom. She turned on the shower, waiting for the water to warm as she stripped off the black dress she'd worn for the memorial service. As she undressed she glanced over at her reflection in the mirror and stopped. Usually when she saw her reflection she saw herself. The confident, skilled heiress of the Schnee family who could overcome any obstacle and was well on her way to proving she was beyond her father's control. Now she could barely even look at the woman starring back at her. It was like she didn't even recognize that person.

It had only been a few minutes since the service ended and but the toll it had taken on her was immense. It had been a long time since she'd had to wear black. She never cared for that color. In comparison to her skin it always seemed to make her look pasty. However, she'd worn it without complaint or care once for her Grandfather Nicholas' funeral and now for-

She shook her head, attempting to push the event out of her mind. She didn't want to think about. It couldn't be true. Seeing Jaune's family there, his mother, father, and all seven of his sisters, it was almost enough to cause her to break down in front of them. She kept a brave face but all the while she could feel her thinly veiled mask cracking.

One at a time each of the family members took turns speaking about Jaune. His mother and a couple of his sisters had a difficult time making it through their speeches. She couldn't blame them. They then opened it up for friends of his to speak as well. Pyrrha had been one of the first but she broke down crying almost immediately and was led off the stage by Blake. Ruby spoke of course as did her sister and the members of his team. Even Cardin Winchester offered some words of admiration which surprised her most of all.

The entire time Weiss felt as if everyone was watching her, waiting to see if she would stand and speak. It wasn't true, of course, but that didn't dissuade the feeling. Try as she might she couldn't bring herself to stand. She wanted to say something, anything that might offer his family words of comfort but she only felt hollow. She had barely even tolerated the guy and now he was gone.

Lastly Professor Ozpin stood to speak and it was about this time that she began to feel sick. The moment it was over she rushed back to the dorms, frightened that her stomach might expel everything she'd eaten in the last few hours.

Gingerly she stepped into the shower. The water was cold, abrasive, but Weiss didn't notice the temperature. In fact, she didn't feel anything. All she could think about was the memorial, Jaune, and his final moments. She could still see his face, his expression etched into the deepest recesses of her mind. Was he in painshe wondered to herself. Did he suffer? Did the cold water sooth his pain?It was hard to tell. It had been so dark and deep that it could have been a long while before he ever reached the river below.

I did everything I couldshe told herself. There was nothing more I could have done.

"You know that's not true"a voice that sounded like hers said in her head. "You know you could have done more. He's dead and it's all your fault."

"Shut up," she mumbled.

"He's dead and it's all your fault,"it said again.

"Shut up," she spoke louder.

"He's dead and it's all your fault!"

"Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!" she screamed, covering her ears.

She dropped to the ground, hot tears streaming down her face. Despite her efforts she could still hear the voice echoing in her mind it's all your fault.It wasn't true. He had let go of her hand. There was nothing she could have done. She never wanted him to die. And yet he isthe voice responded in kind.

"Weiss? Weiss, are you okay?" Ruby's voice called from outside.

Weiss couldn't answer. Her voice was cut out by her sobs. She merely dug her face into her arms to try and hide the tears. Naturally Ruby did what she usually did and opened the door. Her concern for her partner, teammate, and friend being such that she took her silence as a red flag.

"Weiss?" Ruby said, seeing the girl sitting on the shower floor. Shortly after the water was turned off and Weiss felt the embrace of a towel being wrapped around her naked form. "Weiss, what's wrong?"

"Ruby," she managed to sob.

"I'm here," she said.

"It's all my fault."

"No, it's not."

"It is! Jaune's dead and it's all my fault!"

"It's alright," Ruby said, embracing Weiss in a hug that showed she didn't even notice the water dripping from her friend, "everything's going to be alright."

Unable to hold it back Weiss clutched onto Ruby, drowning her sobs in her friend's corset. After a long cry and a much needed group hug from the rest of her team Weiss crawled into bed and hide beneath the covers. All night long her dreams were accosted by images of Jaune being chased by the Death stalker before shifting into images of him missing his right arm while his other one pointed at her as he spoke it's all your fault. It would be a long time before Weiss ever had a dreamless sleep again.

Anima – Medical facility, somewhere in Mistral – Jaune

Jaune cracked open an eye before quickly closing it. The bright light that hung overhead was blinding and burned his eyes to look at. His body felt heavy and weak and his mind was swimming. He knew who he was, that much was for certain, but the rest of details were still foggy. His lungs burned every he took a breath and, for some reason he couldn't quite describe, he felt somewhat off, almost imbalanced. Before long the sound of heavy footsteps drew his attention.

"You're awake. How are you feeling?" a man with a strange accent asked.

"Where am I?" Jaune asked.

"You at my laboratory in Mistral. You were barely alive when I found you."

"Mistral?" Jaune asked, confused.

"Yes," the man said, forcing open his eyelids before shinning a bright light into each. "Your pupil dilation is normal. Good. Any aches or pains?"

"My lungs feel like they're burning," Jaune said.

"I'm not surprised. You nearly drowned."

"I almost drowned?" he repeated, the information new to him.

"Indeed. Tell me, what do you remember?"

Jaune took a moment to try and retrace his thoughts. He knew his name and that he was the leader of team JNPR at Beacon. They'd been hunting a Death stalker when he and Weiss Schnee were separated from the rest of the group. They'd been attacked by the creature and he'd lured it to a ravine where it went over the edge. He'd gone over to and would have joined it if Weiss hadn't caught him. Unfortunately, her grip was slipping and, in an attempt to save her life, he let go. He spoke all of this out loud while his benefactor silently listened.

"I see. Jaune, could you lift both arms for me please?"

While he thought his request was odd, Jaune decided to humor the man and proceeded to lift both arms. His left arm came up like normal but for some reason his right arm wouldn't respond. Try as he might it wouldn't move. Frustrated, Jaune glanced over, expecting to see it restrained. He was shocked and horrified to see nothing there. Nothing aside from his bandaged shoulder where it should be connected to the rest of him.

"My arm. Where the hell is my arm!" Jaune yelled.

"Calm down please."

"What the hell did you do to my arm!?"

"Jaune, calm down! Think back. What happened after you fell into the ravine?"

He thought back. He remembered falling into the rushing waters down below. It had felt like smashing against a raging concrete block but he didn't have time to appreciate the feeling. He struggled to keep himself above the surface as the waters dragged him further and further away. Then, without warning, he felt something drag him under the water. Whatever it was had latched itself onto his arm and was stronger than him.

Kicking with all his might he looked down to see what had snagged him and was horrified to see several pairs of sickly green eyes starring up at him. The Death stalker was alive and it was out for revenge. He took his sword out in his left hand and attempted to fight it off but the water made his movements sluggish. For a moment he thought it was the end for him. This was how he would die, dragged to the depths by a Grimm.

Somehow that thought had elicited a reaction from him, one he didn't recognize. It was a strange feeling, a desperate feeling, a need to survive. With his sword in hand he looked to the arm the creature had latched onto. If it wanted it so much it could have it. Bracing himself he dug the blade into his arm, sawing through the flesh until he had completely severed it. Amidst the bloody water he saw the Grimm's eyes slowly fade into the darkness before he faded out as well.

"I- I cut it off," Jaune said, mortified by his realization.

"You did what you needed to survive," the man said.

"Why am I here? I was in Vale, at Beacon. Why am I in Mistral?" he asked, turning his anger on his savior.

"You were dying. Under the current conditions it would have been almost impossible for the medical facilities in the area to transport you safely let alone ensure your survival. Here I could do both. I was able to keep your life signs stable on my personal transport before bringing you here. All things considered you're lucky to be alive. You have some aura, even for a huntsman in training."

"My team, my family, do they know where I am?"

"I'm afraid I can't say. I was more concerned with preventing you from going into the light."

"I need to contact them, let them know I'm safe."

Jaune attempted to sit up but found his body was too weak. The past events had taken more out of him than he'd realized.

"You mentioned you were hunting a Grimm, correct?"

"Yes, why do you ask?"

"It was no ordinary Grimm, was it?" he asked, the question sounding more like a statement, like he already knew.

"What are you getting at?"

"The Death stalker, what did it look like?"

"I don't know, like a Death stalker. Look it up I'm sure there are thousands of pictures on the web," Jaune replied in annoyance.

In response the man lifted Jaune up into a sitting position. His eyes, which were level with his own, bore into him. The serious, intimidating aura they gave off was enough to make him fear for his life all over again.

"What did it look like?" he growled.

"It was different," Jaune said, finding the words spilling out of his mouth like the water he had nearly drowned in. "It was green and it had spikes growing out of its body."

"Was it aggressive?"

"Very, like it intended to kill us on the spot."

"Hmm," he said, gently setting Jaune back on the table.

"You know what it is, don't you?" Jaune said. "Please, tell me. What was that thing?"

"Mr. Arc, I'd like to make a proposition for you," the man said. "It'll be a few weeks before your body is healed enough for you to return home. Also, if you'd like, I can make a new arm for you to replace your old one. I'll contact Professor Ozpin at Beacon and have you on the first transport back to Vale. No doubt your family and team will be thrilled to know you survived."

"Or…" Jaune said, sensing that there was more.

"That creature, that Death stalker, was no ordinary Grimm. It was not something that occurs naturally, though, to be honest there's nothing natural about the Grimm. I know who created that monster and, while I've made a great effort to stop him in the past, I've been unable to do much from my position. I need a field agent, Mr. Arc, someone who can be my eyes, ears, and even muscle at times when I cannot.

This is, of course, is need to know information. I can't tell you anything further without putting your life as well as the lives of those around you at risk. As such I need to know now which path you'd prefer to take. Regardless of which, there is no going back."

Jaune was silent for a moment. He was eager to rejoin his team and let them all know he was alive and well yet he sensed something else, something his benefactor wasn't telling him.

"You say I have a choice but somehow I don't buy that. I get the feeling it was simply a formality, something to give me the impression that I have a control over what comes next. You say I can return home but you'd much rather I stayed and worked for you, don't you?"

"You're very sharp, Mr. Arc. That's something most people wouldn't have realized, especially considering your grades."

"My grades? You've looked at my student file?"

"Oh, I've done more than that. The moment I discovered who you were I began doing some research of my own. Your transcripts, while impressive, are fake. It's not something that can be easily spotted but, given your combat experience, the lies become very distinct."

"Why help me then? It's obvious I'm far from the pinnacle of Beacon's finest. Why ask me to be a field agent when you know for a fact I have no business attending a school for Hunters?"

"Because, Mr. Arc, grades and transcripts can only tell you so much. Sure, memorizing specific facts and dates may gain you access to some of the more prestigious schools and academies here on Remnant, but that is nothing compared to the sheer power of natural instinct and ability."

"Pardon me if I come off as rude but that natural instinct and ability caused me to slip off a cliff and nearly drown. I'm far from the ideal field agent candidate."

"Don't sell yourself short. I know Ozpin quite well. He and I were once good friends and I can tell you that he's encountered more than his fair share of men and women who were willing to forge their transcripts in an effort to become Hunters either to fulfill a lifelong dream or gain a prestigious lifestyle. No doubt he was able to pick yours out without much difficulty.

The fact that he didn't kick you out but rather allowed you to remain tells me he saw something in you, something no one else was able to discern. He saw the potential that lay dormant in you, young man."

"I think you're mistaken. I'm no hunter and without my other arm I never will be."

"Quite feeling sorry for yourself!" the man barked, causing Jaune to jump painfully on the table. "You may have one less arm, this is true, but think about what you had to go through. You willingly sacrificed it on the slim chance that you might survive. The sheer amount of mental fortitude and will power needed not just to commit to the act as well as cling to life like you did is something that no Hunter Academy can teach. It's something you either learn or are born with."

"That's a wonderful pep talk sir, I really appreciate it, but it won't stop me from seeing my friends and family."

"Perhaps not but your fateful return will surely put all their lives in danger."

Jaune looked at the man's steely gaze, perplexed by what he had said. Was he threatening him? Was he trying to suggest that, if he went home he'd make sure to get even with him for not conceding to his offer?

"What are you getting at?" he asked, testing the waters.

"I told you before that the Grimm you faced was no ordinary Grimm. The truth is the man who created it is- was an old colleague of mine. No doubt once he learns of your existence, of how you managed to destroy one of his creations, he'll come after you. You may have gotten lucky with the first but the ones following won't be so simple to take out. He'll target you, your team, your family, anyone he thinks he can use against you."

"Well if that's the case then I need to warn the others," Jaune argued.

"They'll be fine."

"What? Why? How am I different?"

"Because you're the weak link," he said, the words falling on Jaune like a tone of bricks. "I've already looked into the backgrounds of your other team members as well as your sister team. Needless to say they either have skill, family connections, or both at their disposal. Going after any of them would be too costly to him."

"So in other words because I'm the weakest, I'm the easiest to target," Jaune concluded.

"I'm afraid so," he said.

Jaune was silent for a moment. While he desperately wanted to return home to his family and team, his fantasies were quickly becoming overrun by images of the Grimm. No doubt his team would be able to weather the storm but what about his family? Aside from his father only a couple of his older sisters had any hunter training. Would that be enough? Against the monstrosity he had faced down, would they be able to survive?

"If I said yes to your offer, would I be able to see my family and team again?"

"Once we've brought him to justice, I don't see why not but I can't guarantee the mission will be easy. There's no telling just how long it will take to track him down and even then there's still the matter of bringing him to justice."

"So, I guess this is what my life has become. I make one mistake and I wind up becoming a one armed delivery boy," Jaune said mockingly.

"Who says this is where your Huntsman career ends?"

"I'd think it's pretty obvious from the shape I'm in. I can't exactly hold a sword with one arm."

"True but that doesn't mean I can't give you a replacement," he said with a smile.

"You mean a prosthetic?" Jaune asked, hope evident in his voice.

"Indeed but first let me ask, is this your confirmation that you're agreeing to help me?"

"I don't have much choice in the matter," he said glumly.

"It isn't a matter of whether or not you have a choice. It's a matter of which option is more advantageous. Now then, seeing as how you'll officially be working for me I think it's only fair that I tell you who we're going after. Hs name is Doctor Merlot. He was a well known and well respected geneticist but his fascination with the grimm led many to distance themselves from him, myself included."

"Never heard of him," Jaune said.

"I'm not surprised. Not too many remember him these days."

"I take it you're a doctor yourself?"

"Indeed. I am Doctor Lazarus and today is the first day of your new life," he said with a warm smile.