Unfortunate Chance by DAM1994 (Chapter 3 of The Multiple Lives of Jaune Arc)

Jaune Arc was not having a good day, he woke up late, couldn't find his locker and he was starting to think Snow Angel didn't like him as much as he thought. Then again maybe he was reading things wrong, after all Pyrrha seemed nice enough and despite that she kind of just speared him to a locker. Then again he did kind of ignore her, his sister always did say he was a bit dense… Said snow Angel just walked past him with a annoyed look in her eyes followed by Pyrrha. A odd hum came to his ears as the spear he thinks she called it Miló or something abruptly pulled away and into her hand.

"It was nice meeting you."

"'Sigh' Likewise…" At least Pyrrha was nice and kind of pretty, really pretty actually, before he could really ponder the thought though a familiar voice spoke up alongside the sound of a pair of footsteps.

"Havin' some trouble there, Ladykiller?" Looking up Jaune was greeted by the sight of his first friend here Ruby and her sister Yang. Ruby put out her hand to him and he couldn't help see the irony in it.

"I don't understand… My dad said all women look for is confidence. Where did I go wrong!?" He'd figured if anyone had good advice it'd be dad. Yang gave him a slight smirk."Calling her 'Snow Angel' probably wasn't the best way to start." Why not? Angel were pretty like her, and her hair was white as snow? He thought it was a bit clever.

"Come on Jaune Lets go." Ruby helped him up, like a good friend, he was lucky to have her as one which brought a smile to his face.

Heh, well at least mom's advice was full proof.

-Beacon Cliffside-

Jaune alongside the other first year students waited, listening to both Glynda and Ozpin. The Headmaster looked to them with an intensity they'd never known before.

"For years you have trained to become warriors and today, your abilities will be evaluated in the
Emerald Forest." Glynda begun to speak.

"Now I'm sure many of you may have heard rumors about the assignment of teams. Well allow us to put an end to your confusion. Each of you will be given teammates… Today"

Jaune and Yang noticed Ruby squeak in terror at the news.

Ozpin looked to them. "These teammates will be with you for the rest of your time here at Beacon. So, it is in your best interest to be paired with someone with whom you can work well."

"Ehhh!"

"That being said, the first person you make eye contact with after landing will be your partner for the next 4 years."

"What!" If Ruby looked scared before she looked absolutely terrified now.

"After you've partnered up, make your way to the northern end of the forest. You will meet opposition along the way. Do not hesitate to destroy everything in your path, or you will die." Jaune could only laugh nervously at that.

What did he just say?

"You will be monitored and graded for the duration of your initiation. But our instructors will not intervene. You will than find an abandoned temple at the end of the path containing several relics. Each pair must choose one and return to the top of the cliff. We will regard that item as well as your standing, and grade you appropriately. Are there any questions?"

"Yeah, um, sir-"

"Good! Now, take your positions."

Dick…

"Uh, sir? I've got, um, a question."

Holy shit did Snow Angel just get thrown in the air!

"S-so, this landing strategy thing, uh, w-what is it? You're like, dropping us off or something?"

"No, you will be falling."

Okay the guy with a mohawk just went! Calm down Jaune, surely, they wouldn't let you be injured.

"Oh, I see. So, like, did you hand out parachutes for us?"

"No, you will be using your own landing strategy."

There fucking with us, right? He has to be…

"Uhhuh… yeah."

And there's goes the meathead!

Yang looked to the two giving a wink no sooner was she launched away quickly Ruby followed suit.

Oh God, Oh God, Oh God!

"So, um, what exactly is a landing strateGYYYY!"

Everyone in the audience laughed but Pyrrha and Jinn.

-Emerald Forest Pyrrha's POV-

After slamming through a few trees Pyrrha landed and immediately set to her next task and pulled out Miló and took aim until she had that strange but cute boy in her sights. Her weapon shifted to its Javelin-form and with pin point accuracy she threw it towards him, knowing she wouldn't miss. She heard the sound of Miló hitting the boy's hoodie and then the tree.

"Thank you!"

"I'm Sorry!"
Pyrrha leaped from thebrush and begun to propel herself just within the tree branches using her semblance she hoped this would keep her out of the sights of a certain heiress. God knows she didn't need her partner to be so… 'spiritually taxing'.

Instead the Spartan's mind went to more pleasant thoughts wiped away was the memories of the white-haired heiress out to use her name to her benefit like so many others and in came tall blonde and oblivious and with his image a smile came to her face.

Jaune Arc huh, Short and sweet.

-Emerald Forest Weiss's POV-

As she soared through the air Weiss righted herself and took in what little information she could before manifesting her Glyphs. It didn't take long after that to make her way down to the forest floor. Crossing her arms, she begun to ponder on her decided partner and look eastward.

As she begun to make her way to where she thought the spartan was she noticed the rustling of brush and turned. She could honestly say that was one of the worst mistakes of her life when a red blur abruptly stopped in front of her and silver eyes met icy blue.

She paused for a second before making her decision and turning away, she was a Schnee after all being partnered with a dolt was not acceptable.

"Wait! Where are you going!"

Anywhere you're not, the last thing I need is to be caught in an explosion.

She made her way to where she was almost positive she saw Nikos land, she didn't care if it was technically breaking the rules. Being stuck with that walking hazard for four years was dangerous at best, a death wish at worst.

Now I know I saw Pyrrha's spear head this way.

"Ugh come on you stupid urg… come on agh."

No…

Weiss looked up to see a rather unpleasant sight.

The dunce… why Oum?

He begun to wave to her, smiling.

I don't deserve this.

Weiss turned back to the lesser of her two evils and grabbed the little hazard's scarf.

"By no means does this make us friends."

"You came back~!"

Four years, this is my hell…

"Hey, wait! Come back! Who's gonna get me down from here?" Jaune watched as they vanished into the foliage.

They… left me.

The boy slumped…

-Pyrrha's POV-

Making her way through the foliage the Mistralian Champion rushed to where she had pinned her soon to be partner. However, as she begun to make out the sound of his voice a roar caught her attention and she turned raising Akoúo blocking the incoming claw of a Beowulf. Preforming a half turn she slammed the shield into the Grimm's face before sweeping it feet and once more bashing its snout with Akoúo. The Beowulf took a step back and she only then noticed eight or so sets of eyes keen on her.

"A Beowulf pack." The Spartan looked just beyond the eight Grimm and saw the sight of a much larger Grimm lined with white boney armor.

An Alpha.

She needed Miló and with that realization she stepped back only to realize the Grimm had surrounded her. Knowing she wouldn't get out of this without having to take out a few and make an opening she exhaled and assumed a basic martial stance. Surprisingly it was the Alpha who rushed forth leaping towards the champion. Pyrrha angled herself and pressed the shield under its flank before pushing back and with the aid of her polarity giving her extra force, she sent the Grimm flying back.

Pyrrha turned ready to capitalize on the stunned alpha but was immediately attacked by another Beowulf and barely managed to avoid its strike returning a kick to its throat. She slammed Akoúo into its neck being rewarded by the sound of a crunch and saw the Grimm fall dead. She turned to keep an eye on the pack leader only to be surprised when she couldn't find the Alpha.

Perhaps… it ran.

Before she could ponder the question any further another Beowulf rushed her way and the spartan was forced to focus on the problem at hand.

-Jaune's POV-

Jaune struggled in the tree trying to grab the mechashift Javelin only to find that once he had grasped it that it was impaled much deeper than he initially thought.

"Oh Come on!" He struggled to move the spear only to fail miserably at the prospect.

"Seriously? Man, Pyrrha's strong if she managed to throw this thing so hard, that or I'm just that weak." The suspended blonde slump.

"Oh who am I kidding I'm that weak, no wonder Snow angel called me scraggly." Weiss, now there was a thought and for a moment his mind went back to the girl who'd left him up in a tree and took Ruby with her.

After hearing all of this, do you really think you're in a position to ask her to be on your team.

"'Exhale' man she really doesn't like me does she? She even left me here hanging… Ugh and now I'm making puns… fantastic…" Between his small fit of sadness Jaune heard brush rustle and felt a small tinge of hope.

Maybe Ruby convinced her to come back and help me, or it could be Pyrrha.

Jaune smiled and waved to the brush.

"Hey! Guys over here!" However, whatever he was going to say next died in his throat when instead of being greeted by the sight of one of the three individuals he had suspected a Grimm stepped out. Standing taller than any man was an Alpha Beowulf still a bit groggy from the Spartan's throw but not so much so that it hadn't sensed the negative emotions of another stationary prey.

Looking up it met eyes with a human who had been pinned to a tree and while he may have been to high for Weiss to reach him, not that she'd made the effort. For the Grimm that towered over even Jaune it only took raising its massive paw up towards him.

"Shit!" Jaune swung himself left avoiding its paw but this only served to anger the Grimm who swung out again, this time with a lot more force. Its attack didn't miss this time and the sensation of its claws tearing through the teen's flesh rung true in the Arc's body.

"AH!" Jaune let out a scream but quickly and desperately suppressed it not wanting to draw another Grimm to himself. He reached for Corcea Mors and drew the blade ignoring how his leg bled heavily, turning to prop himself against the tree to gain a semblance of stability for a good slash the Alpha swung again. However unlike before the blonde was ready and rose his shield blocking the attack but the force behind the attack pushed him into the tree knocking the air out of him.

The Alpha snarled and leaped towards him gripping his waist with its left paw and opening its maws to bite down. Regaining his bearings, the panicked Arc rose his shield and intercepted the bite bashing its mouth before he drew back Crocea Mors and thrusted it forward stabbing the Grimm's collar. The ancestral blade tore through bone and flesh alike and in response the Grimm wailed falling back but not letting go of the blonde's waist.

The sound of tearing fabric greeted the Arc when he looked up he saw his hoodie begin to rip from the combined weight. Before he could react, the fabric split apart, and he and the Grimm were sent plummeting to the ground. Jaune pulled back his blade and slashed at the claw gripping him, cutting it and forcing the beast to let go before they hit the ground. His body ached but he ignored the pain and stood only for his clawed foot to partially buckle.

Jaune looked to see the staggered Alpha shake off its stupor and glare at him, he wanted to run but knew it'd catch up before he could get far. Readying himself the Grimm roared and lunged forward in response he rose his shield managing to block the blow but being sent flying into the same tree he'd been stuck in by the force losing his shield in the process. He coughed up blood as he fell forward the bark he'd been slammed into slightly cracked.

He struggled to stay conscious looking up to see the advancing Grimm and with the sight of it his fear and adrenaline rushed. He stabbed Corcea Mors into the ground and used it to stand once he got a good footing, he pulled it out and directed it at the Alpha.

Stay calm… focus.

But he couldn't, he was only human after all… he didn't get how the huntsman in the stories his mom told him did it. How they just took blow after blow and remained none the worse for wear.

Stop shaking dammit…

Exhaling a trembling breath he gripped Crocea Mors in his sweaty palm, yet despite how scared he was he remained standing, determined.

"I-I want to be a huntsman." He'd risked everything to get here, left his home, took the blade he'd heard so many tales of heroism from and even entered initiation knowing the creatures of Grimm where present. He knew the risk, he'd heard them constantly when his family tried to convince him to give up but that didn't matter.

Because even now.

The Alpha leapt.

Even as he stared down the maws of a monster like that of his worst Nightmares.

Jaune roared and swung Corcea Mors forward tearing into the beast chest, his family's sword cutting through even the white bone armour.

He still wanted it just as much as before… to live up to his family's name, to be a hero.

The Alpha hit the ground behind him slumping while Jaune stabbed Crocea Mors into the soft soil of the forest to stabilize himself and not fall over. He breathed heavily and turned back to see the beast form.

"I-I did it…" Despite his injuries and pain, he smiled and pulled the blade from the ground before looking in the direction Weiss and Ruby went.

"I better catch up to them… with they're size those monsters will tear them apart." He slowly took one wobbly step after another forward and retrieved his shield while imagining the look on Ruby's face when he'd tell her how he took out a Grimm.

Actually Jaune, I think you'd make a great leader.

His smile grew when he remembered Pyrrha's words, they were simple words now that he pondered them, they were but still it was the first time anyone had believed in him.
"Maybe Pyrrha was right…Pyrrha!" He looked to Milo and paled.

"She doesn't have her weapon…" Thought of if the alpha had spotted her instead raced through his mind, sure she was strong especially if what Snow Angel said was true about her being a four-year champion of that tournament thing. But he was sure her opponents weren't trying to kill her and armed with claws and fang as sharp as Crocea Mors. Worse her weapon was here, because she'd saved him with it, because of him she was left with a shield in the middle of this place.

Crap, crap, crap! I need to get Miló out of there. He turned towards the tree and looked up almost groaning at how high up it was.

"Alright Jaune calm down, you've climbed tree's before." Jaune sheathed Crocea Mors and reached for the nearest branch but just as he did a growl sounded and he tried to turn only to feel a pressure sink into his shoulder.

"AHHHH!" The Arc screamed as the maws of the Alpha dug into his right shoulder, its claws buried themselves inside his left upper arm and wounded waist from before. Not able to resist Jaune fell to his knees under the Grimm's weight as it bore down even more pressure into its bite greeting him with the sound of his right shoulder giving way as its bones snapped.

No… not like this…

Jaune reached out for the sheathed blade and triggered the shield making it expand pushing against the claw buried in his waist. When its claw pulled away, he struck out his leg for balance and drew Crocea Mors and desperately swung the blade into the other claw tearing off two of its fingers. The Alpha released its bite to wail only for Jaune to Roll forward past the tree and away from its grasps.

He looked back to see it nurturing its damaged claw before glaring at him with its glowing yellow eyes. He tried to stand but found the act a herculean feat to merely crouch. The Alpha roared again in rage before launching itself at him its body low to the ground having learned its mistake. Jaune jumped left while thrusting Crocea Mors out piercing the incoming claw and tearing through it as the blade went leftwards with him.

The Grimm roared as its claw throbbed and it sent a glare Jaune way watching with hate-filled eyes as the teen struggled to stand. It made its way to his form as he raised his shield with his good arm to intercept its blow. The Alpha swung its claw diagonally hitting the sword away, however instead of being met by the sight of a scared boy it saw the blonde press forward into its bosom and swung his blade downwards severing its right foot.

The Alpha roared and before it could act Jaune tackled its chest sending it to the floor but not himself as he used his sword as a crutch.

Jaune looked to the beast writhe on the ground and stepped back before resolving himself and raising Corcea Mors in overhead to stab down into it only to stagger as the blood loss finally begun to show. However just as desperate as him the alpha maneuvered itself and pushed forward headbutting the frail teen and making him fall.
Before he could act it opened its maw and bit down with all the force it could manage into his leg and pulled back tearing open and apart the offending limb.

Jaune wailed in pain but the Grimm didn't care as all that raced through its mind was its goal, to kill, tear apart and devour the human. A giant claw stretched out and gripped his chest piece as the Grimm pulled itself over the struggling Arc, its weight pinning him to the floor. Jaune looked up and was greeted by the rancid smell of the man-eating monster's rotted breath, the Alpha stretched out its other claw and gripped his shattered shoulder.

Jaune winced in pain but never gave in as the Beowulf opened its maw Jaune reached for Crocea Mors pulling the heirloom back and thrusting before thrusting it forward. A silent moment passed as the two enemies looked to one another, however just then sunlight shined off of the old blade emerging from the back of the Grimm's head, soon the beast begun to seethe an ebony miasma and quickly disintegrated as its form slumped forward.

Within a matter of minutes, the beast was gone and Jaune laid there struggling to breathe as he looked to the trail of blood where his leg once was. He wanted to cry out in pain but knew better, that if he did, he'd only help draw in another of those monsters. With great efforts the Arc worked his way to the same tree he had been pin to.

He pulled off his blooded hoodie and ripped it into long streaks of fabric and desperately worked them around his nub, waist and right shoulder fighting thru urge to sleep. After his work was done the Arc leaned back into the Tree but he could feel it, as a pool of crimson formed beneath him.

Am I gonna die?

He looked up and chuckled when he saw Milo still stuck in the tree.

"'Heh' I couldn't even thank you for the save huh?" A tear ran down his cheek at that, at the fact that he couldn't even get a single step in before he'd failed.

My Little Knight I know you want to be a huntsman but… sometimes we're not, meant to do the things we dream of…

Jauney you need to slow it down okay little bro, come on I'm sure there something better for you to do then try to be like dad right.

Jaune I love you but come on, Jeans already able to spar with dad and you can't even last a minute.

I'm sorry bro but please… just give up… I want Adrian to know his uncle.

You a huntsman, Jaune life isn't one of your stories… grow up.

Come on Jaune just stop, please.

Why won't you stop even after all our sisters have told you to, we're not trying to hurt you, we just don't want you to get yourself killed.

Big Brother… you should stop…

Son… there's no shame in not raising Crocea Mors, I fought so you wouldn't have to so please… leave the protecting to Jean.

They were right… He remembered the day he told them he'd made it into Beacon, he remembered as his father put his arm on his shoulder how he had anticipated his old man's praise.

Don't worry if you end up coming back home, none of us will think any less of you…

Tears began to streak down his cheeks as he remembered those words and with his despair, several forms had been drawn, with fading eyes Jaune looked out to see the encroaching form of several Grimm like the alpha but smaller.

"Beowulves..." He knew it was futile, yet he rose Crocea Mors despite that, he wanted to raise his shield, but he couldn't feel his other limb anymore. However, a smile came to his face when he remembered yesterday when he arrived. Sure, he blew chunks on the bullhead but… he remembered meeting his first friend, after all his sisters made it hard for him to make those before.

Aren't you the guy who threw up on the ship?

"Heh, at least I got to make one friend…"

Well, I like it! Not many people have an appreciation for the classics these days.

She even liked Crocea Mors, I'm sure mom and the others would've loved to meet her, though Jean would've teased me endlessly about having a Girl-friend 'heh'.

The Grimm closed in drawn by the blonde's sorrow and blood yet despite that he struggled up leaning against the tree. The first pounced but Jaune barely managed to swing Crocea Mors in time the Arc of his swing somehow managing to decapitate the Beowulf however the attack took too much out of his failing form and the blonde fell forward. He looked forward to his family's sword just out of reach and saw the other two.

Do you really think you're in a position to ask her to be on your team?

The world began to blur yet still he reached for the blade and with what strength remained he pushed himself back against the tree. his breath became shallow bit of blood mist coming out as he coughed while his mind fogged over.

Actually Jaune, I think you'd make a great leader.

The two Grimm were within spitting distance of him.

"Sorry Pyrrha… I couldn't prove you right…"

As the beast lunged he couldn't help but think, if he hadn't acted like he'd belonged here, if he'd have said yes when Snow Angel demeaned him would she'd have not turned her back on him.-Pyrrha's POV-

She pushed aside the foliage a bit winded but nothing a moments rest wouldn't rectify, Pyrrha made her way forward deciding she'd spent to long fighting those Beowulves and that it be best to rest once her partner had been secured. The alpha still concerned her, but she was sure it would show sooner or later, It was only then she saw it. In the air was a bullhead and boarding it was Glynda Goodwitch, but what set alarms in her head was the direction it was heading.

"Jaune!" She rushed past the remaining brush and stopped when she saw it, Miló still firmly piercing the tree and below… there sat a lone Beowulf its brethren keeled over an old blade running through it fading body. And beneath the surviving Grimm was a collection of gore and flesh and a mess of golden blonde hair…

I'll be loading up the My Hero Parody used in Chapter 4 later something weird happened to it so I have to edit.