What defines a hero? Well, mein liebling I'll tell you this; there is no one standard. A hero can be many things; a father, a mother, a friend, a leader, a soldier, a doctor, and even fallen heroes often remain heroes for a select few. As much as we desire it, there can never be a true hero and our heroes will not last forever. For they are like us; they are mortal. They laugh, and they cry. They rise, and they fall. They break…and they make their mistakes, just like you and me. But it is because they still rise, because they are able to continue forward that I believe makes them heroes; ordinary people who are willing to brave forward, to hold the torch and light the way. To take the continuous hits and still continue forward is what I believe makes a hero. And yes, death comes to all of us eventually, even to the best of us. Just remember, my child; a hero is not forever, but heroes never die.

With a slight jolt, and the sudden wave of turbulence a young man is awoken. Though, he awakes with a mild mumbling as the effect of being aboard this mechanical contraption has gotten the better of him. His palm staggers into a pocket within his armored wrist guard. Within seconds he retrieves a small pill, swallowing it with little effort. The effects would not be instantaneous, but the mere thought that he had taken it eases him. Settling back against the wall of the airship, he takes a look around and sees many a youth, similar in age similar to him. This was a first for him, being around so many other teens his age. And yet, he wasn't nervous, not in the slightest. Mostly due to the idle scroll attached to his wrist guard. It'd been eerily silent since his departure, more so for the past several days leading up to his arrival in Vale. Everything was in order; he had applied and was surprisingly accepted into Beacon, the school were the best hunters arise from. Although, while accepted, therein still lay initiation. A formal test that any with training could and should be able to pass, and with each school came a different method of testing.

Again, he glanced to his scroll; no messages or calls. He wasn't expecting any calls or texts from anyone in particular, and yet he knew it would only be a matter of time until he'd be found. Hence why he needed to pass initiation; he couldn't afford to fail. Otherwise, there would never be an opportunity again. She would see to it. He knew the risks, and he took them.

Though, as he looked around, he found himself the only one perhaps overly dressed, So to speak. Or, more specifically, while many of the would-be hunters and huntresses wore little to no armor, his stood out as being rather bulky. Though, the only stand out to his ensemble was a curved neck guard on his left pauldron, a gold sash to go with the grey-amber mesh of his armor, and an oddly shaped pack on his back. His weapon strapped firmly to his waist; a one-handed mace, designed and forged by someone dear to the boy, as was the rest of his armor.

Strangely enough, this knight carried no helmet, though, that was less a fashion choice, and more for practicality, in his opinion.

Within a half hour the ship finally lands in its destination; Beacon. Such a place brought together people of all over with one single goal in mind; to protect the people of Remnant from a common enemy. Or, at least that's what the main focus should be. Given the state of the world, the mindset of folks, and the reason he felt the itching nerve every time he so much as heard a scroll go off; stress was abundant.

As he takes his first steps off the ship, he stops before a courtyard adorned with flora and a fountain depicting what he could only guess to be hunters of old. It was quite a sight to take in, more so when he noticed a few stares aimed his way. A few whispers and murmurs, mixed in with half-hearted attempts to subtly point at his armor. Some snickered, others ignored him, and a fair few looked at him with some trace of fascination. All in all they acted the way he expected; as teenagers. Then again, he knew he wasn't exactly here to get people to like him; he had a set goal in mind. 'Alright, Jaune, you're here...try not to mess it up.' He attempted to prop himself up, to mentally prepare himself to face whatever challenges came his way.

It shattered the moment he felt and heard a rather powerful explosion just behind him. He looked back and noticed two things that peaked his interest. A noticeably irritated white-haired girl berating a rather young-looking red-head. Or, he assumed she was a red-head, the tips of her hair were, but...

Shaking aside that train of thought, Jaune instead chose to approach, cautiously. An explosion like that meant someone might've been hurt, but given what he saw, it appeared as though only the white-haired one's cargo was hurt, and her ego after the a black-bowed girl intervened. As much fun as it all looked, Jaune was tempted to simply walk away. That is of course until he watched little red fall over once again after being left alone.

Feeling just a slight bit of empathy for her, he approached, the mass of his armor giving away his presence with each step. Her head popped up as he stopped in front of her. With an outstretched hand and a warm smile, he reached out to her.

"Hey. Need a hand?" Though, when he expected her to simply take it or shake her head, instead she just kept a fixed glance on him, or rather, his attire. It was only then that he noticed she had silver eyes, an odd thing to focus on, but in his defense the eye color was rare. And he only had a few seconds to notice them before a familiar gleam sparked in the girl's eyes as she sprang up and began inspecting his armor, in eye blinking speed.

It reminded him of one of his sisters, in an eerily similar scenario. "Wow, this is Rhein armor, from the third crusade. The style is almost the same as the fourth legion's!" The sudden spring in her tone, and the speed in which she spoke only gave him more goosebumps as to how alike this little one and his sibling were. "But it looks so modern. How did you do it? Can you rebuild it? Can I see it closer? Can I take it apart?" She was getting increasingly hyper, and faster, if that was even possible. In the favor of keeping his armor on, whilst also hoping to calm her down Jaune watches her movements for a moment before reaching out and grasping hold of something. Once she's stopped moving, he noticed he caught her by her hood. She seemed surprised, mostly by the fact that she'd been caught.

Once sighing in relief that he caught her on the first try, he smiled again. "Before asking to take off someone's armor, don't you think a date should come first?" His first instinct is to tease, and with it comes a rather noticeable blush from the silver-dyed girl. She sputters, incoherently, and he just grins at her failed attempts to form a proper sentence. In all fairness, this wasn't the first time he made a sputtering mess out of someone; it came with living with his family. After about a minute, he holds up a finger, shushing her. He waits as she does, and begins. "Let's try that again. Hi, I'm Jaune." He puts her down, the blush still present on her cheeks as she keeps her head down.

"Ruby." She replied meekly.

Jaune nodded. "Good, now that names are out of the way, you mind explaining that little explosion back there?" His curiosity got the best of him.

Ruby blushed again, though he could tell this was from embarrassment. "It was an accident, I swear!"

"Hey now, no need to yell. I'm not pointing fingers; I just wanna know what happened."

From Ruby's perspective he seemed earnest, caring, almost like a big brother. The blond hair only reminded her more of her own family. But, that wasn't necessarily a bad thing. For the most part. She hesitated for a moment before indulging on the details, few as there were to begin with.

"Well, I tripped over her bags...on accident!" She furthered her point with vigor. The blond nodded and gestured her to continue. "And after that she started yelling, and I got nervous, and she kept waving a vial of dust in my face...and then I sneezed." She admitted sheepishly.

"That's...one hell of a set of circumstances, feels like I'm missing something here."

"The dust was red and leaking. Some of it went up my nose…it smelled like smoke."

"There it is." Jaune mumbled, his fingers pinching the bridge of his nose. "So this girl has the nerve to go off on you about how dangerous dust is...while shaking a vial of volatile pyro dust, a leaking vial mind you, and then blames the explosion on you." He summed up, the edge of his voice bordering on annoyance and disbelief. When ruby nodded, Jaune sighed deeply before laughing dryly. "Well, that's some new level of ego right there. My sympathies to whoever has to deal with her for six years."

"I-I-I'm sure she means well. It is the first day and all; new people, new surroundings. It's a lot to take in."

"Hmm, I suppose you're right. Still, wouldn't hurt for her to lose the attitude." Jaune remarked.

There remained a moment of silence between the two as they continued their walk. That is, until the socially awakened Ruby decided to attempt to make conversation. "So, why are you here?" She then felt the urge to smash her head against a wall, asking a student why they were attending Beacon was similar to asking a hitman why he's killing someone; it's kinda what they signed up for.

Seeing the nervous expression on the silver-eyed girl, the blond chose to ease her embarrassment. "Well, aside from a tempting job in my aunt's architecture company, I mostly want to do some good. I always wanted to be like my mother." As he explained, a rather nostalgic smile emerged on his lips. "She's actually the whole reason I want to be a hunter; I want to help people get back on their feet, fix them up, and do everything in my power to make sure folks live to see another day. Long story short..." Jaune's right fist balled up, held up with faint vigor and a rather unique emblem on his left guard; a rabbit. "And it should go without saying; I'm going to be a hunter, well to be more specific, I'm gonna train to be a field medic."

Ruby's eyes lit up for a moment, sparks of admiration and inspiration were mixed in with her beaming expression. Although, as she did a double take on his armor, she realized his whole look gave more of the appeal of a knight in shining armor instead of a field medic rushing to your aid. His weapon as well screamed the exact opposite of his intention. She wanted to make a comment over it, but felt the need to keep it to herself for the time being.

Still, Ruby still seemed enamored with the level of detail and dedication that went into his attire, though her offhanded remark over the needless addition of his sash was slightly unnerving. His uncle had given it to him, a gift he cherished greatly, as he did with most things his family gave him. But, he didn't bring it up, choosing instead to play it off as simple banter. He knew she didn't mean any ill will towards his him, but from a practical standpoint, it didn't appear necessary, or so she said.

Which in turn made him choose a snide remark over her cape, resulting in the little one pouting, almost adorably, and huffing at how 'cool' her cape was.

As they reached orientation, the blond was still beside the puffed-cheek Ruby.

"C'mon Ruby, I said I was sorry." The girl had been ignoring him since he uttered his little opinion over capes.

"Say capes are cool." Ruby whispered; though the way she spoke only made him wanna tease her more.

"Hmmm...nah, serapes are cooler." He replied, teasing again, knowing full well she'd only grow more irritated with him. All of it in good jest, mind you. And he was right, Ruby again puffed in irritation, turning her head away. "Alright, alright. Capes are cool...on you." He added in.

A small tinge of pink was painted across Ruby's cheek as she chuckled nervously. "Better than serapes?" She asked with puppy-tears in her eyes, a little trick he became immune to oh so long ago. Although, it didn't mean he wouldn't play along, mildly.

Smirking, he crossed his arms. "Like I said, only on you, Ruby."

Upon entering the building, the two were greeted by the sight of a sea of first-years, many of which from all corners of Remnant. And of course, the blond was one of a few to stand out, particularly due to his combat attire. While many appeared to be wearing a lighter version of armor or in some cases only selective platted guards, Jaune was of the rare few that wore full-bodied, bulky, armor, save for a helmet.

"I feel overly dressed for the occasion." Jaune remarked, earning a chuckle from his silver-eyed companion.

"Well, being light on your feet is kind of essential when fighting the Grimm, it's kind of hard maneuvering a battlefield in full body metal. Also, Rhein armor is pretty rare nowadays. I mean, I've only ever seen them in books. Sometimes on the CCT network, they occasionally show documentaries about the crusaders." Ruby inquired, her love of old tech was only surpassed by her love of weaponry. Or more specifically, taking gadgets apart and improving on them. "Speaking of which..." as Jaune's eyes turned to face her, he was met with a slightly drooling teen with various sets of tools between her finger tips. "Can I take a look at your armor now?" The girl approached with unyielding curiosity, and he would've indulged had this not been his only set, even he couldn't exactly put it back together if Ruby did indeed take it apart. He backed away, nervously, and yet she only grew closer.

"I don't think my big sis would like others tampering with her tech..." he had hoped to reason with her, and to his surprise she seemed to comply, the gleam in her eye fading as she lowered her tools.

"Oh...is your big sis a blacksmith?" Even when being denied the chance at inspecting a rare piece of armor, she found it even more appealing to known that there was someone who could forge a set of crusader armor themselves, perhaps they'd like an apprentice.

"Something like that." Jaune rubbed the back of his head nervously. "My sis designed my whole set, trained me too...well, her and opa."

"Opa?"

"My grandfather; mountain of a man. He was actually a crusader, now that I remember. Don't know how that got past me, every time he came for a visit he told me of his adventures with his old team. I think he said his group was the First of the Order." The moment those words left his mouth, Jaune could feel the rather joyous aura emitting from the young teen. It was no secret the crusaders, in their prime, were some of the best warriors and huntsmen forged during the conflicts between the kingdoms, and the ongoing war against the Grimm. Though, after a failed assault on the Dying Lands some time ago, a majority of their order had fallen, leaving the rest to hang up their helms and retreat into the annals of history.

Of course, their weaponry was just as legendary as their history, with stories of their weapons being able to pierce through the toughest Beringal hide, without the use of dust. And their armor, able to withstand the force of a deathstalker's charge. The most famous of the crusaders was a man wielding a warhammer; his charges were enough to knock a pack of Ursa Major off their feet. In fact, the armor type was named after him.

Then again, aside from the latter, these were all mere tales, nothing exactly based in facts.

Even so, it appeared that Ruby was enthralled with the very idea of them, so much so that she seemed on the verge of exploding with both joy and questions now that she knew her new friend was a descendant of one. She was indeed bouncing again; the smile on her face was clear evidence to the amount of fangirling she'd be showing the minute the gasket blew.

For Ruby, this was a turn of events she never dreamed of. A living descendant of a crusader, here? In Beacon? And one who she got along with, she was practically over the shattered moon. Long hours of watching those documentaries and reading up on whatever she could of these legendary hunters, and one of their grandchildren was standing before her with a set of modernized Rhein armor; she was so close to sugar-rush levels of excitement. However, before she could interrogate her new friend on this remarkable discovery. A familiar voice called her out.

"Ruby!" She turned and saw the approaching figure of a buxom blonde, waving happily at her.

With a widened smile, she waved back. "Hey Yang." Without warning Ruby grabbed her new friend with a frightening grip, a lighthearted grin, and with an unbelievably strong tug; she managed to drag him a few feet before her face became strained. It seemed she was able to pull on him for a short amount of time before the weight of his gear caught up to her smaller frame. Still, it was a bit impressive, to say the least. Of course, that didn't mean she was having much luck moving him after the initial tug. Chuckling lightly, Jaune chose to walk forward, though he found himself unable to escape the smaller teen's grip.

Once they were close enough, Jaune took immediate notice of the fellow blonde's sudden shift in character at seeing Ruby locked in arms with him. The implication of the scene was clear as day, but he had hope whoever this was wouldn't jump to unnecessary conclusions. Keyword; hoped.

"Yang, meet Jaune; my new friend. Jaune, this is my sister." Ruby introduced, finally letting him go as she gestured them to greet. Granted, it seemed to have an effect on her sister given that the tint of irritation she had almost immediately dissipated once the girl released her hold on the blond. He had several theories on why her demeanor changed so suddenly, the most obvious being the protective sibling. His sympathies went out to the poor huntress in training, he had experience with overprotective family members.

Hoping to start off on a positive light, Jaune offered his left hand. "Nice to meet you." She seemed to hesitate, but soon took his arm, shaking it only twice. He noticed a faint twitch in her grip, her jaw tightening, almost as if applying pressure to something. Glancing subtly down, he noticed her fingers turning a pale fight, possibly from attempting to intimidate him through a show of strength. He wanted to taunt her, tease maybe, over why her little efforts would be all in vain. And it wasn't the armor that protected him; he could see dents on his armored gloves already.

Without warning, he returned the favor; her reaction was not so subtle. She winced as his grip increased ever so slowly. Of course, he let go once he noticed Ruby's worried expression.

After being released from his grip, she released a breath she didn't realize she had held in. Within seconds a mock grin sprung up. "Nice grip you got there, handsome." Her little compliment threw him off guard, as it did for Ruby as well. Yang took a moment to eye him from head to toe before smirking. "So, you all filled up in there or is the armor just for show?" Again, her question had Ruby a babbling mess, mostly due to her sister actively sizing up her new friend, whether it was her protective nature or an actual interest in him she still couldn't tell.

Seeing his chance to respond similarly, Jaune flashed his own cocky smirk. "Care to find out?"

Ballsy, he had to admit, however, given her little act with the greeting it was clear this blonde responded to strength. A trait he most certainly did not lack. Though, given his intended occupation, he wasn't so sure he'd rival whatever this buxom blonde had in her arsenal.

For a moment, neither two uttered a word, though Ruby was nervously quiet. On the one hand, her new friend wasn't backing down to her sister's intimidation, on the other hand; Yang had never been challenged like this before without immediately exchanging fists. It was an anomaly, to say the least.

Though, just before things could escalate a small chime broke the silence, the blond knight glanced to the scroll in his wrist guard and nearly paled at the sight of who contacted him. His brows furrowed, he bowed lightly whilst excusing himself and turned to leave, ignoring the small call from the scythe-wielder. He had no intention of sticking around for the headmaster's speech either way. Though, he walked out unaware of a few pair of eyes trailing him as he left the auditorium.

The hacker. The damned hacker found him, took her longer than he expected. But, he wasn't surprised, why would he be? Of all his family he knew she'd find him first. And given her nature, she saw this as an opportunity for her to get some leverage on him. Damn girl was resourceful, quick-witted, and absolutely merciless when she wanted to be. That is, so long as she had the upper hand.

After finding a secluded area near the cliffs, the blond braced himself for whatever came next. He opened up his scroll, instantly receiving a call simply labeled Boop. Jaune hesitated before accepting the call, and being greeted by a familiar face, her color aesthetics still various shades of purple, grinning smugly at him. But, upon closer look, he noticed something else, something faint. It almost felt like she looked relieved to see him. Odd.

"Olivia." He greeted, curtly.

"Aye, still the gentleman I see." Her tone never changed, but why would it? She always made sure she held all the cards, and if her hand fell apart, she always had a backdoor.

Jaune remained silent, and her smirk lessened as her eyes wandered elsewhere.

"You know, for a runaway, you're doing a shitty job at it." she commented, pulling up various surveillance images of him from the small hotel in Vale he stayed in, to the many bullheads he rode for his little trip. "You're lucky I found you, your mom is beyond pissed. She's got everyone looking for you; even Sati is pulling some strings. I'm almost impressed." Interesting, she almost sounded genuine. "But, a little misdirection here, missing scroll-mail there, and you're still in the clear." So she helped him, that made more sense than him believing he was clever enough to evade the many resources his family could reign in. But, he wasn't surprised that she stepped in, she didn't assist out of kindness. There was a catch, no doubting that. Almost without missing a beat her entire demeanor changed, her expression had become neutral. "And all it would take is one press of a button. If I press it, everyone will know where you are. Make no mistake, hermanito; they'll all come for you. Hell, your mom might too when she finds out you're attending Beacon. And if she's anywhere near the headmaster, not even abuelo will be able to hold her back this time."

"What do you want?" He replied, again curtly.

Olivia's face remained neutral, no ounce of smugness or joy could be found. And it unnerved the blond. It was a rarity to see her so serious, even on her job she'd be playful and layback. But now, he couldn't tell if she too wanted to tear into him for running off like he did, or if this was some new tactic she decided to use. "Information." Of course, he shouldn't have expected otherwise. Though, that she would seek his help in gathering Intel where she'd normally be able to acquire it herself was a curiosity, and a foreshadowing of whatever task she had in mind.

His eyebrow arched. "You need me for that?"

"Yep." Her smile returned with the popping of the P. "Something recent has piqued my interest, and your headmaster is to blame." The moment she mentioned the head of Beacon being her intended target, a small slither of fear crawled up his spine. It was one thing to gather information; it was another issue entirely to work for Olivia.

"I don't like where this is going."

"Whether you like it or not isn't important. And before you get the idea to not do as I ask keep in mind; you ran away, and I'm one key click away from giving away your location to the entire family. The closest to Vale is the vaquero and Sati." Her tone felt malicious, though not murderous and more along the lines of annoyance and an eerie feeling she'd be showing her annoyance towards him very soon. Though he didn't flinch when he heard of his uncle was near, Sati did indeed raise a couple of hairs.

"…I thought you were on my side about coming here." Jaune's comment struck a nerve with the hacker, if her hardened glare was anything to go by.

"NOT when you decide to sneak off in the middle of the night, leaving no note for your own mother." She spoke through gritted teeth. "Do you have any idea how desperate she had to be when she asked me of all people to help find you? Do you know what she'll do to you when she does eventually find you?" He did, or at least he had an idea. And the very idea shook him to his core, the dread had seeped in with images of the woman he called his mother, her sickening false smile sowing fear in his heart as he refused to consider the amount of punishment she'd have in store for him.

After a prolonged moment of awkward silence, Olivia chose to return the tone of their conversation back to business, she'd reprimand him another day. "Alright, enough of that, chamaco, your job is going to be simple." He felt the urge to scoff, but managed to reserve his lack of faith in his sister's idea of 'simple'. "I'm gonna send you a little somethin in the mail, when you get it, go to the same spot you are now. I just installed a tracker on your scroll so I'll be notified when you're back here. Assuming you pass initiation, of course. But, I have my money on you getting in, shouldn't be too hard." She said all of it as if that without missing a beat, and quite honestly it didn't surprise him. "Don't open the package until we're able to talk again, and it should go without saying; we never had this conversation."

"You gonna tell me what this little op of yours is? What kind of information could Ozpin have that you can't access?" His interest was also piqued, though not as intensely as hers.

To which Olivia's response was a dry chuckle and the wagging of her finger. "Need to know basis. Earn my trust again, and maybe I'll fill you in. Don't be a stranger, squirt." As her finger pressed gently against her screen, she let out a small 'boop' before cutting their connection, leaving behind a purple skull.

-Later-

Suffice to say, the blond missed the entirety of the headmaster's speech, though he honestly couldn't care less to hear whatever it was Ozpin had to say. While Jaune didn't enjoy his mother's firm hold on his life, the only reoccurring description he received from people when regarding Beacon's headmaster was always the same; don't trust Ozpin. And with the stories he's heard of the man, it didn't surprise him to be given such a warning. However, the blond had a reason for choosing to attend Beacon, two, actually. One was his main goal, a path he was intent on treading, even if having to oppose his family. As for the second, that was an optional assignment he wasn't exactly sure he wanted the answer to as of late.

Still, aside from having to now work for the hacker, the first day at Beacon wasn't starting off so badly. Granted, as he stored away his armor and switched into his sleepwear, he couldn't help but feel immense guilt for not having left a note upon his departure. But, knowing his mother, she'd have eyes and ears around every hunter academy if she knew he was aiming to be a hunter. Which she did, mind you, but for her to step foot anywhere near Ozpin would mean the school would become a battleground. Not to mention, admission to Beacon required a rather effective background check, mainly to analyze an incoming student's prior training and lineage. The latter was more of a formality; offspring of well-known hunters were greatly sought after, the idea being that two powerful individuals could produce even stronger offspring. A ridiculous notion, but practiced regularly by the four academies. And while Jaune knew his mom was indeed well-known, her reluctance to even consider allowing him to enroll into Beacon was mostly due to its headmaster.

If it wasn't made clear, saying the woman did not like Ozpin would be a gross understatement. Jaune shivered upon remembering a moment in his life where he told her he wanted to attend Beacon, joy and pride beaming in his eyes, only for her to instantly shut him down, without hesitating. Though, it was the unnerving smile she had in that moment that sent alerting signals across his body, urging him to bolt, especially when she referred to the headmaster of Beacon while gleefully cutting up a chicken…the poor thing's head didn't see it coming. Almost made him go vegetarian.

Almost

Lost in his thoughts, and just barely exiting the bathroom the blond failed to notice an incoming student until the two collided. Though, in all fairness she didn't seem to notice him either, the cause being a book that had fallen like its owner; unceremoniously unto the ground. Though, Jaune remained standing, having trained for months on end to wear his particularly set of armor forced him to add on muscle to heft his gear. So, naturally it'd take a bit more to get him on his knees.

After recovering from what felt like bumping into a brick wall, the young lass groaned whilst attempting to stand, failing horribly. She knew hunters and huntresses would be strong, but hulking was not exactly what she expected to see in a school for hunters in training. Granted, she didn't exactly see this student until the sudden crash sent her and her book tumbling. Which reminded her…

"Ah, sorry about that. Here, let me help." As her vision cleared from its hazy setting, she glanced up and was met with an interesting sight, for a student at least. The blond before her was wearing a black, muscle shirt that hugged his frame rather tightly, accompanying the shirt were a pair of grey pajama pants. Of course, what instantly caught the girl's eyes were the exposed portions of skin on him riddled with scars. Jagged, often in pairs, like a certain symbol of a well-known infamous group; they were claw marks. Of what? She could give a good guess. She took note of a tattoo on his left shoulder; a gear cog with what she could only guess as wings sprouting from its sides. And metal. The arm he offered to lift her up, from the elbow to his fingertips; artificial, a prosthetic. Given these traits, one would expect a battle-hardened hunter ready to face humanity's greatest threat, and yet, there he stood with an apologetic smile and a welcoming expression.

An interesting mix, not one she expected to encounter so early on in Beacon, and from a potential first year no less.

She took his hand, hesitating at first, feeling the cold grip of whatever alloy it was made from. Once on her feet, she took note of his height; not a giant, but by no means small either. When he ducked down, she remained focus examining this curious anomaly, her mind mentally referring to him as an overgrown bear with a welcoming demeanor.

"Here's your book too…" Her train of thought instantly collapsed as her eyes snapped to her book now in his possession. Before she made any attempt to snatch it away, the blond's face formed into one of nostalgia. He released a small chuckle as he flipped through the pages. "Ninjas of Love? Aw man, I remember this, can't believe it's been three years since I finished it the first time." He closed the book, handing it back to her.

"You don't think it's…inappropriate?" the girl asked, her brow arched, slightly delighted to come across someone who has read the book as well, though what his opinion on the piece of literature was yet to be known.

In response, the blond shrugged. "So it has a few racy moments, doesn't make it any less a piece of literature. Actually, the fact that it makes certain folks uncomfortable is what makes it a standout. A proper story should challenge the reader's belief, not just reinforcing it." And with that, the girl smiled, faintly. She agreed, whole-heartedly. "I'm Jaune, by the way." he offered his hand again.

"Blake." She accepted, hesitating like before, but a little more open.

The pair walked towards the hall where all first years were meant to inhabit until their initiation. The two too focused on their conversation to notice a few eyes glued to them as they join their fellow first years.

"All I'm saying is that Tsukimi and Raiden were starting off at a good pace, but their relationship completely spiked in the second book when Tsukimi got jealous each time Raiden flirted with the countess. After that I swear it was almost like they took a dose of insta-love…which sounds like a Schnee product now that I think of it." The blond argued, to which the response was a slightly annoyed pair of amber eyes glaring at him.

"They were traveling together, the journey to Sinnai isn't an easy one, and there were moments the two had to rely on one another, even more so after they passed the border guard." Blake pointed out with a mild hint of annoyance, but mostly out of her own vigor to prove him wrong on a particular aspect of the Ninjas of Love series she enjoyed. "And she wasn't jealous; she just didn't trust the countess, which turned out to be justified when she and her brother attempted to kill them. Multiple times in the same chapter mind you."

"Twice." He corrected. "But I see your point, still, what about that scene where he was injured? I don't see how that's a confession."

Blake looked ready blow a casket; if her rolling eyes and tired sigh were anything to go by. "How could it not be? All those sweet words she said to him, her crying while she held his slowly dying body in her arms." She fixed her eyes back on him, quickly taking note how quick his smile dissipated into a hardened expression. Glancing around, she too noticed why he had grown quiet; eyes were on him. Some were out of curiosity, especially his prosthetic arm; that was to be expected. Others looked puzzled, as if they were trying to remember something. Was he familiar to them, did they know him from somewhere? Odd. But the ones that caught her eyes were two more worrisome glances; hostility, and hungrily. The latter she got, taking a look back at the blond, she'd admit, not openly, the blond was indeed eye-candy. Then again, these were all teenagers with raging hormones, walking a path where the phrase 'do you want to die a virgin', while a cliché and cringe-worthy line, would indeed come up more times than it should. And the hostility came mostly, and unsurprisingly, from the male side. She could see why; most of the first years were indeed built, it was expected given the line of work they'd be specializing in. But, compared to the blond, and with the additionally features that made him appear as a full-fledged hunter, Blake saw where the hostility came from; envy. Though, when she glanced back to the blond, she noticed the uncomfortableness in his body language, all these eyes on him were unsettling him, or she could only assume given his current situation.

"You alright?" She knew he wasn't, but confirmation was important.

"Y-y…no, not really used to folks staring." A small ting of pink arose in his cheeks. "Don't see why they're looking though, I don't know how I stand out." He muttered. To which Blake did a double take, wondering if he was actually serious. When he made no further comment, she chose to enlighten him, gesturing to each of her examples accordingly.

"Riiiiight. Cause every seventeen year old hunter-in-training has a missing limb, scars, and a body built to bench press bullheads. Nothing at all unique." She grinned, coyly.

The blond said nothing, instead choosing to remain quiet and avert his gaze, unaware of the ting of red still lingering on his face. Though, when he did respond, he muttered it so lowly he assumed she wouldn't hear him. "Some do…"

The two walked towards a small space by the window, giving them a fair view of the Emerald forest with the shattered moonlight in all its glory. As the two settled down, Blake now indulging in her book and Jaune silently tinkering with some tech in his hands, there was a collective peace being enjoyed.

Meanwhile, sitting a few rows away were a pair of siblings, one with an eerie wolfish grin, whilst her younger sister was more or less in awe. For Ruby, while she expected Jaune to have some form of muscle to maintain proper movement in his armor, she didn't expect the sight that passed before her. Not to mention, the tech on his prosthetic, while had her feeling a bit of sympathy for the boy, made the gun-nut rather curious as she had never seen the form of tech before. Each kingdom's technology was distinctive, and she worked with enough gear in her Signal days to get an idea of each kingdom's style. Jaune's arm, however, didn't match any she'd seen before, not to mention, the tattoo on his shoulder was strangely familiar, but she just couldn't put a finger on it.

Perhaps she could ask him, tomorrow.

As for the blond, while Blake was indulging in her book, he chose to meddle with a little piece of his weapon's component before dozing off. It wasn't so much to make any improvements or a scheduled maintenance check; this was more a force of habit. It had finally settled in that he was one step closer to achieving his goal, the next day he would be tested and if he passed, he'd officially be a student at Beacon. If he passed, the next six years of his life would be him dedicating his life to becoming what he wanted. But, if he failed, no doubt he'd have to return home, and there was no chance his mother would risk this happening again. Not him becoming a hunter, but him being remotely close to the headmaster. Like Olivia, there were answers Ozpin had that he wanted, and more importantly; a name.

-Next day-

With the rise of the sun came a collection of first years scrambling into the mess hall, the smell of syrup and meat filled the noses of those entering, and those stuffing themselves. There was little to no detail over what this year's test would entail, meaning they'd need to prepare themselves for days' worth of travel if need be. Though, sitting off in a corner of the cafeteria was an armored blond sitting alone. The lad was tinkering with his prosthetic, stopping only for a moment to take a bite out of his breakfast; eggs and hashbrown. Like the night before, several eyes were locked on him again, though he paid them no mind. Or at the very least he tried, focusing on his work and meal.

He had gotten up earlier than most, equipping his armor took allotted a fair amount of time, and he preferred a touch of solitude in the mornings. Like his mother, he wasn't exactly the friendliest in the mornings, hence a half cup of coffee beside his plate. With the continuous amount of first-years coming in for their meals, and the echoing sounds of chatter, Jaune found his peaceful morning dissipating. Amongst the various students, the blond took note of a rather eccentric red-head bouncing around a boy with ebony hair with a single pink strand. Feeling a certain pulsating pain in his head arising, he took his coffee and chugged it in its entirety. The pain had diminished, but it would only be temporary. In the interest of not starting his morning off irritated, the blond finished his meal, gathered his gear and walked toward the locker room.

On his way to grab his weapon, wandering eyes followed him as he passed his fellow first-years. Similarly to the night before and while Blake gave him a fair idea of why he stood out, the blond still disliked the feeling of those eyes locked on him. Watching him, seemingly keeping track of everything he's doing. It reminded him of home. Approaching his locker, Jaune found two individuals talking quite literally in front of his. A white-haired girl, the same one from the day prior. Her demeanor today was completely different, and judging by her rather eerie grin and cackle escaping from tightly grit teeth, he shuddered. The red-haired one, somewhat familiar in a sense, was visibly uncomfortable with her companion's villain-like expression.

Silently, or as quietly as his armor allowed, he approached; the white-haired girl must've been voicing her thoughts subconsciously since he knew no sane person would speak the way she did. All this talk of becoming popular and strong, felt like some overrated drama. Funny enough, the white-haired one didn't seem to notice the clanking of his suit as he approached. The red-haired one did, though, before she could notify her companion, the blond spoke up first.

*ahem*

The short girl's head snapped towards him, a faint blush arose across her cheeks as a pair of ocean blue eyes was staring blankly at her. Judging by her reaction to his sudden presence; he had snuck up on her, something that should not be possible. Still, it was amusing to see the girl rather flustered. Although, given her previous encounter with Ruby, he expected something different.

"What do you want?" And there it is. Her demeanor changed, drastically, as the blush remained but her eyes narrowed. Her glare was anything but threatening; her attitude could use an adjustment, though. "Can't you see we're having a conversation here?"

Jaune felt the pulsing pain again; he immediately regretted not getting a third cup of coffee. This wasn't what he signed up for; dealing with someone's bullshit. Like he said the day prior; his sympathy to whoever has to deal with her as a teammate. With a mild grumble, managed to respond without sounding too irritated. "My locker." That response being two words apparently. When she showed confusion he groaned, no longer subtle with his annoyance, leaned over and held a mild glare aimed at her. "You're standing in front of it." He really didn't want to start off on a bad note with a potential classmate, but mornings did not agree with him, and he couldn't care less if she was insulted by his tone at the moment.

Once again, the girl appeared embarrassed, scooting to the side as he walked in between the two. Without caring whether she watched he retrieved, firstly, a small shield, barely enough to cover his head from an attack, and with a rabbit emblem. He attached it to his left guard with a small metallic click noise to ensure the device was firmly locked in place. Next he reached in for his weapon; a mace. He attached it to his waist, calmly and with no rush, sensing hos slow pace was possibly annoying the short girl. If he had been looking, a smirk would've crossed his lips as he was indeed annoying her. Lastly, he retrieved a pack, or so it appeared.

For Jaune, this last piece was the hardest to equip on his own. Had he done it earlier, he wouldn't need assistance, but lugging this hardware was taxing if it wasn't going to be of use. He glanced to the white-haired girl, pondering for a moment as she glared at him. Out of pettiness that he would probably regret later, he scoffs and turns instead to the amazon. If he kept his eye on the other a little longer, he would've seen her livid reaction. "Pardon, miss…?" As he spoke those words he noticed a sudden gleam in her eyes, almost as if glint of hope had sparked.

"Pyrrha." Her tone had shifted, almost instantaneously.

"Alright then, Pyrrha, may I ask for your assistance?" It wouldn't be too much trouble with two, a simple thing really. When she smiled and nodded, it brightened his mood a bit. That is of course until the walking icicle started speaking again.

"Excuse me, do you not know who she is?" Her tone was now a near shrill scream, and it ate at his patience.

Subtlety and patience be damned, he turned to face the little snow flake and grinned. "Of course I do, that's why I asked for her name." His sarcasm earned a stifled giggle from Pyrrha, and a less than pleased reaction from the short-stack.

"This is Pyrrha Nikos, graduated at the top of her class at Sanctum." If his previous comments didn't annoy her, then his lack of reaction to the amazon's accolade was what caused a bit of steam to blow. "She's won the Mistral Regional Tournament four times in a row, a new record!" Again, he showed none of the signs she expected with the pedestal she placed Pyrrha on. Rather, Jaune seemed almost annoyed by it.

"I suppose this is where I say; congratulations?" The blond turned his attention back to Pyrrha. "Now then, mind attaching this to my back?" With a courteous nod, Pyrrha grabbed the pack, her eyes bulged a bit as she underestimated the weight of the package. Even so, she took hold of the device with a firm grip. She noticed three nail-like spikes and three holes on the armor. Needing no directions Pyrrha aligned the screws with the holes, meanwhile Jaune tampered with something on his scroll. Before getting the chance to ask him how to further proceed, a whirring noise caught her attention. As she glanced to the pack, the nails, one by one, automatically inserted themselves in. The blond winced with each insertion, almost as if the nails were being drilled into him.

Shaking away that rather morbid thought, Jaune rose up after the pack was tightly adjusted. He gave Pyrrha a polite node before attempting to make his way out. Sadly, luck would not be on his side. Just as he took two steps, the sound of the snow-themed doll called to him. "Excuse me, where are your manners?" Sparing her a sideways glance, he noted she had an ounce of vigor in her to approach him with her attitude. "Pyrrha has given you her name; at least have the decency to return the courtesy." She huffed while crossing her arms.

Oum, he really hoped she wouldn't be assigned to him as a partner. Any time of day he'd handle her, no problem. Her attitude wasn't anything new to him, but mornings would be a nightmare. Mostly for her, he wasn't exactly a pleasant person to be around in the morning. "If it'll get you off my back, short stack."

Oh how fun it was to watch the girl become a sputtering mess. "My name is Weiss Schnee." She spat out, rather angrier than he anticipated.

"That explains a lot." He muttered to himself, though it appeared that the two heard it. Pyrrha was barely muffling her amusement, whilst the Schnee almost blew a gasket. Seeing his opportunity to leave, he decided to quickly give his name and leave. "My name is Jaune." And with that, he again made treads towards the exit, or at least tried to.

"What? No surname?" The fact that he hadn't blown up yet was perhaps a bigger mystery than how this girl found it in her to bring up unnecessary drama. "Surely even a brute like you must have one."

Why was she insisting? He doesn't exactly know her, but he has been giving her reason to be thoroughly livid with him. Taking a moment to calm himself, the blond took a deep breath, easing the tension in his muscles before sparing the Schnee a final glance. "I doubt you'd care, Schnee."

No further words were spoken, Jaune just walked away without looking back.

-Later-

Pissed could not describe the sentiment Jaune felt as he was treading through the Emerald Forest. Not only did the headmaster not show for the beginning of the initiation, but the test this year was to search the Grimm infested forest for artifacts. And with a limited number of them, only those and their partners would be accepted into Beacon. Therein lay another issue he was having, the partner system was as followed; the first person you make eye contact with once in the forest is your partner. Simple.

Or, it should be. In his search for the relics, the blond had yet to find any living person. The lack of Grimm was nice, but it might've meant he was behind. Still, he hoped to find at least one Grimm to fight.

*snap*

Like clockwork, his luck seemed poised to adhere to any remark that would favor him negatively. Retrieving his mace from its holster, the blond readied himself for whatever came his way. His eyes scanned the forest, searching for any sign of a Grimm. Given the thickness of the surrounding shrubs, his attacker would have a small window if he caught them in his sights. If attacked via flanking, his armor would null the initial attack, hopefully.

*snap*

From behind. Jaune quickly turned, his mace held high as he turned to face his attacker. A beowulf, smaller than usual, easily taken care of. The creature lunged at him, with his reaction time he managed to get the first hit, striking the overgrown mutt clear across its jaw. It whimpered as its body limped to the side. Its jaw hung, unbalanced; he had dislocated it. Stunted by this, the beowulf had left itself wide open. Seizing the opportunity, Jaune clicked on a mechanism on the hilt of his mace, the head of the weapon fell over, connected to the hilt by chain. Without hesitating, Jaune swung the chain across the creatures neck, kicking its leg to force it on its knees, and with a swift twist, the sounds of a sickening crunch echoes in the forest.

The Grimm falls dead, its neck twisted. As it dissipated, a sense of relief and a tinge of pride washed over the blond. For being launched into a forest teeming with Grimm, he expected more.

*snap*

A shiver scrawls up his spine yet again, only this time; nothing is hidden. If they aren't in full view, then their glowing red eyes peer through the thickened shrubs. Surrounding him were a pack of beowulfs and a lone Ursa.

He cursed his luck as he readied his flail, flexing his left hand's fingers extended his small shield to a larger one with a bright blue particle barrier, his emblem displayed proudly at the center of his shield. Another little gift given to him to go with his little ensemble. Realizing there was no way out of this, and with a bit of pent up stress built up; Jaune steeled himself, spinning his flail around before grinning at the soulless husks.

"Alright, who's ready to take some punishment?!"

So here's a new story, the device I use to write the chapters for my other stories decided to die on me and take with it a lot of work I had written…so I'm a little behind, and this one's just sprung up after a couple of gaming sessions, and trying to picture an idea where Jaune's semblance could be of use earlier on in the series. It's an AU, but It'll be pretty obvious what inspired Jaune's new storyline, as well as his family. I made this story solely for fun. Granted, I can't guarantee how often updates will be, this will mostly be a relaxing, day-to-day story line. Will it reach the moments of vol 3 and forward?...yes, I actually have a plotline planned out in that event. I made no effort to be subtle over who Jaune's family are, however, I will be making it much clearer for anyone who doesn't get the references in the next chapter. Thank you for reading.

Extra; I threw in a little reference in here, as opposed to the clear crossover of the story, in Jaune and Blake's conversation over the book, can anyone guess what series I'm referring to? Have fun with that.

Also, in case anyone is curious or just enjoys nitpicking, a serape is NOT a cape…it's a woven blanket used as a cloak, there's a difference.