[RWBY] RWBY Shorts

[Gur40]

Team STRQ aka Summer Rose Harem

Spoiler: Beacon Days

my money is on the CRWBY version just being a hot mess of failures because no adult can be competent in there show

---

this is literally Jaune journey

Spoiler: accidental MC

Jaune: Everyone hated my 2parter in v1 so i'll be a side character now
also some how gets all the good character moments and growth

Spoiler: Dad Jaune

notmaplemable

Brave

Ruby: *Hears crying from her kid's bedroom* Honey? Are you-

Jaune: *Laying in their toddlers bed with a picture book and crying*

Lancaster Kid: *Snuggled up to Jaune* It's okay, daddy.

Jaune: The little bear is just so brave.

Ruby: ...

---

OZMA POV/world outlook

Spoiler: world of idiots

 

[AndrewJTalon]

---

OZMA POV/world outlook

Spoiler: world of idiots

vs his ideals

Spoiler: good

on a death world that galvanized huntsmen, Empathy should be a strong trait

Click to shrink...

Please no real world politics. It jist ruins everyone's fun.

 

[AndrewJTalon]

Fun idea: Cardin, Jaune, Ren, Sage, Flynt, and Sun are playing a Great War themed game and debate who the best general of the war was. Cardin goes with the Patton-expy, Flynt goes with the Rommel or Zhukov expy... It's a big argument... But they all agree that the Warrior King of Vale was the WORST. They badmouth his terrible strategic decisions and how he was finally pushed back from making any more military decisions by his generals, government, and wife so they wouldn't lose the damn war. Ozpin stops by, listens... And is a bit annoyed by them all dunking on his previous persona.



Jaune's choice is the Eisenhower expy as he had to manage all these lunatics to win the war, but he also agrees the Warrior King of Vale was completely awful.)



Jaune: "I mean he was good at the diplomacy and morale sides but military decisions? Geez... I think a drunken hobo clown would have made better choices."



Cardin: "A newbie on Battle Lightning would be a better general than that guy!"



Guys: "Ahahahahahaha!"



Sun: "Wouldn't have given away as many secrets!"



Guys: "Hahahahahahaha!"



Ozpin: "At least he was capable in battle and willing to lead from the front!"



every head turns towards him

 

[Balorak146]

Arturia sighed, long and suffering. "Jaune. What are you wearing?"

Jaune yanked the sunglasses off, face flaming crimson. "Nana, I—this was—I thought if I acted like a total tool, she'd hate me and we could all go home! I didn't know it was Pyrrha!"

Click to shrink...

Hey, don't look at him, Mama-toria, this is entirely your own fault.

Seriously, arranged marriage interviews? Doesn't that kinda spit in the face of free will - ya know, that eensy lil' thing that your entire planet fought a war over within your lifetime?

Ozpin: "At least he was capable in battle and willing to lead from the front!"

Click to shrink...

Warrior prowess doesn't necessarily translate to command competence.

Just look at Name-A-Canon-Event.

 

[Dragon Bob]

Ozpin: "At least he was capable in battle and willing to lead from the front!"



every head turns towards him

Click to shrink...

Cue Jaune going on a long rant about how that's not a good thing.
Jaune: "The job of a king isn't to lead from the front or to be good at fighting, it's to lead the country. In every battle the King fought extra men had to be sent to ensure he wasn't captured or killed. The average soldier might have had better morale knowing their King was willing to risk themselves, but that's far outweighed by the downsides. The King couldn't be ordered by any of his generals, had less information than those generals, and was a priority target. Considering his skill at diplomacy he would have done better if he had instead spent his time visiting all the neutral parties and battle worn troops to make them believe."
Ozpin, stumbles over his words and leaves.

 

[Sliverhero]

Cue Jaune going on a long rant about how that's not a good thing.
Jaune: "The job of a king isn't to lead from the front or to be good at fighting, it's to lead the country. In every battle the King fought extra men had to be sent to ensure he wasn't captured or killed. The average soldier might have had better morale knowing their King was willing to risk themselves, but that's far outweighed by the downsides. The King couldn't be ordered by any of his generals, had less information than those generals, and was a priority target. Considering his skill at diplomacy he would have done better if he had instead spent his time visiting all the neutral parties and battle worn troops to make them believe."
Ozpin, stumbles over his words and leaves.

Click to shrink...

So he was basically the Remnant King Richard the 1st.

 

[Dragon Bob]

So he was basically the Remnant King Richard the 1st.

Click to shrink...

Richard the 1st but in the first world war.

 

[AndrewJTalon]

Whiter Rose: The Geist

- - -

Whitley Schnee had never expected to become a summoner, let alone one who used a Geist for household chores.

It had started as a simple training exercise with his Semblance — nothing too dangerous, just enough to prove he could defend himself out near an SDC outpost. Fully backed up by his father's security forces and Fafnir's watchful gaze. He'd managed to kill a lone Geist that had wandered too close.

The victory had been small, but satisfying.

What he hadn't expected was the Geist's essence bonding to his Glyphs.

Now the spectral Grimm hovered behind him like a loyal (if unsettling) shadow, ready to possess and repair any broken device he pointed at. It was surprisingly useful.

Ruby found out about it during one of their quiet afternoons together in the Schnee manor's private workshop.

"So… you just have your little buddy do stuff?" Ruby asked, eyes wide as she watched the Geist phase into a malfunctioning Dust heater and fix it from the inside.

Whitley adjusted his safety glasses, looking a touch embarrassed. "Yes. He-It-Can possess electronic devices, which helps me troubleshoot them. It's quite efficient."

Ruby's gaze slowly drifted to Crescent Rose, currently resting on the workbench with a few finicky internal components that had been giving her trouble.

"You… you think you could get into Crescent Rose?"

Whitley blinked. "Ah… Are you sure?"

Ruby nodded, cheeks slightly pink. "Y-yes… But be gentle?"

Whitley gave her a small, reassuring smile. "Of course. I'll be careful."

- - -

Later than afternoon, Yang stormed into the workshop, her eyes blazing red. She turned her fearsome glare on Whitley, who had been doing some adjustments on a power convertor.

"WHAT THE HELL AM I HEARING ABOUT YOU VIOLATING RUBY'S FLOWER?!"

Whitley nearly dropped the tool in his hand. "NO! Nonono that's not— that didn't—What?!!"

He cast about desperately as Yang loomed over him.

"RUBY! HELP!"

Ruby entered the workshop with a dreamy, slightly dazed expression. Her cheeks were flushed, and she was gently stroking the scythe's barrel like it was a beloved pet.

"Oh he was so thorough!" she sighed happily. "So skilled! He did things with my Rose I've never even imagined before!"

Whitley's face went from pale to bright crimson in record time. "STOP HELPING, RUBY!"

Yang froze mid-rant, blinking rapidly as her brain caught up with the actual context. The red in her eyes faded as realization dawned.

"…Wait. You mean the Geist thing. The actual ghost-possessing-robot-baby thing."

"Yes!" Whitley exclaimed, gesturing wildly at the now-innocent-looking Geist floating nearby. "It was just maintenance! Internal repairs! Nothing… untoward!"

Ruby tilted her head, still looking blissed out. "But it felt really good when he was inside—"

"RUBY!"

Yang stared at her little sister for a long moment.

Then she burst out laughing so hard she had to lean against the wall for support.

"Oh Breaker. You two are actually going to kill me one day."

Ruby finally seemed to realize what she'd implied and turned an impressive shade of red herself.

"I-I meant the scythe! He fixed the scythe! The internal mechanisms felt… smoother! That's all!"

Yang wiped a tear from her eye, still chuckling. "Sure, Rubes. 'Internal mechanisms.' Totally believable."

She walked over and ruffled Ruby's hair, then gave Whitley a teasing grin.

"You're lucky you're a good guy, Schnee. Otherwise I'd have to break your legs."

Whitley peeked through his fingers. "Noted."

Ruby, still blushing furiously, hugged Crescent Rose to her chest. She gave Whitley a shy, appreciative look.

"…He really did do a good job though."

Whitley smiled softly.

"You're welcome."

Yang smirked. "I'm telling Dad."

"NO!" both Ruby and Whitley shouted at the same time.

 

[AndrewJTalon]

Beacon Academy Grounds, Afternoon

Jaune Arc strolled along the winding sidewalk near the dormitories, enjoying a rare moment of quiet between classes. The sun filtered through the tall trees lining the path, and for once, no one was shouting about training or Grimm or vigilantism.

That peace shattered almost immediately.

"HEY! JAUNE! HELP!"

He stopped, tilting his head back. High up in the branches of a sturdy oak sat Blake Belladonna, clinging to the trunk like her life depended on it. Her ears were flat against her head, and her expression was a perfect mix of mortification and desperation.

"Blake?" Jaune called up, shielding his eyes. "What are you doing in that tree?"

"I'm stuck! Help!"

Jaune blinked. "Blake... you have Aura. You can just jump down."

"I can't! I got my Aura broken in training and it hasn't rebuilt yet!" she snapped, voice cracking with frustration.

"Then why did you climb a tree?"

"NEVERMIND THAT! JUST GET ME DOWN! GET A LADDER, GET THE FIRE DEPARTMENT!"

Before Jaune could respond, Yang Xiao Long sauntered by with a juice box in hand, the other tucked casually in her pocket. She glanced up at the commotion. "Hm? Oh hey, Vomit Boy. What's up?"

Jaune pointed silently upward. Yang followed his finger, spotted Blake, and broke into a wide, predatory grin.

"Hah!"

"Seriously, why did you climb up into a tree?" Jaune asked again, fighting a smile.

"WHAT, ARE WE DOING AN INTERVIEW HERE? JUST GET ME DOWN!" Blake yelled.

Yang burst out laughing. "Heh... Hahahaha!"

Jaune chuckled along. "You know, maybe we are doing an interview."

"WHAT?!"

"Welcome to the show, Blake! It's a pleasure to have you!" Jaune announced in his best over-the-top host voice, spreading his arms dramatically.

"ARE YOU SERIOUS?!"

"So, you're here to promote your latest project. What's it called?"

"I WILL SLIT YOUR THROAT IN YOUR SLEEP!"

Jaune nodded sagely. "Very visceral! Is this a thriller or a straight-up horror movie?"

"YOU SUCK! YANG, HELP ME!"

Yang, still grinning, took a long, loud slurp from her juice box and did absolutely nothing useful.

"My beautiful co-host would be happy to ask you questions, wouldn't you, Yang?" Jaune said smoothly.

Yang leaned in with mock professionalism. "I would be most happy to indeed! So, Blaine—"

"Blake— SH- REALLY?!"

"Blaine… want some juice?"

Jaune smirked. "And that's why I'm the star."

"HEY! You caught me unprepared!" Yang protested, though she was clearly loving every second.

Jaune rolled his eyes.

"Juice bit, really? This is why Spruce Willis won't return our calls."

"Should it have been cranberry?" Yang asked.

"IS SOMEONE ELSE DOWN THERE?!" Blake demanded from her leafy perch.

"Some ants… a squirrel…" Yang offered helpfully.

Jaune pressed on. "But back on topic, Blake: This is a horror movie, right?"

"UGGGGGHHHH..." She rolled her eyes. "YES. I hate 'thriller'! It's a pretentious term for directors who just want awards!"

Yang leaned over to Jaune. "No but seriously, want some juice? Ruby bought like twenty of these Capri-Sol boxes with Weiss's credit card, and we're trying to drink them all before she realizes."

"Yes, thank you." Jaune accepted the offered box and sipped. Up in the tree, Blake continued her tirade.

"It's a bloody and brutal commentary on Faunus rights!"

"Ooh, that might be difficult to play in the foreign markets," Jaune noted.

"WELL IT'S MY ARTISTIC VISION AND I'M STICKING BY IT!"

"Is it true the main actor got the job due to rumored relationships between him and yourself?" Yang asked, slurping loudly again.

"This is your first movie where you're both star and director. How are you handling the pressure?" Jaune added.

"I'm—I'm taking it one day at a time! My passion is seeing me through! AND NO! THAT'S A FILTHY LIE!"

"But what about all the nude and sex scenes?" Jaune continued innocently.

"WHAT?! I-UGH! I-I'M VERY COMMITTED TO MY ART!"

"Well that does help sell the political commentary!" Jaune said cheerfully.

Yang smacked her lips. "Damn, this is some good shi— sex scenes?! Blake, c'mon girl! Adding that on top of all the bloody stabbings and the chainsaw fight?"

"WHAT?!" Blake demanded.

"Now now, Yang, we should be open-minded," Jaune said. "Besides, the R rating is what's being released. There's an NC-17 cut, isn't there?"

"Yes! It's a bit too extreme... I may have gotten carried away but damnit, it's a passion project! I want to deliver! It's based on Ninjas in Love and Zombies after all—I can't spare on any of the sex scenes! They're a core part of the narrative!"

Jaune tilted his head. "Did you actually try to get Spruce Willis for this? Seems a bit ambitious and risky."

"W-Well maybe he's tired of playing the same character in every movie and wanted to stretch his acting skills! Make some actual art and not just a product!"

"That's a very bold statement," Jaune nodded, "Now, how about the writer? Roger-award winner Baal Cody?"

"She's an overpriced callgirl whore for the establishment!" Blake snarled, practically vibrating in rage.

"Ooh, that's not a good interview response," Yang said. Jaune nodded.

"Yeah, you need to be nicer to the people working on your movie! What if the Writer's Guild goes on strike? Can't have that!"

Blake gritted her teeth and dug her fingers into the tree bark.

"I think... The tattoo artist... Who worked on her fat arms... Was very honored!"

"Delightful!" Jaune chuckled. "And after the break we'll be talking with your co-star, Tom Dutchland!"

"WHAT?! I HATE THOM DUTCHLAND! HE'S THE WORST ARACHNO-MAN!"

"We'll be right back!" Jaune called cheerfully. "Shall we get more juice, Yang?"

"YOU SUCK! YOU BOTH SUCK!"

Yang finally relented with a theatrical sigh. "All right, all right... Sheesh." She walked over to the tree, grabbed the trunk with both hands, and—much to Blake's horror and Jaune's blushing amazement—lifted the entire thing. She gave it a firm shake.

"BWAAAHHH!"

Blake plummeted. Jaune stepped forward smoothly and caught her in his arms with a soft oof.

Yang set the tree back down carefully, brushing her hands off. She offered another juice box with a smirk. "Juice?"

Blake scowled, scrambling out of Jaune's hold. She stormed off without another word, muttering curses under her breath.

"You're welcome!" Jaune called after her.

Blake flipped them both the bird.

Yang snickered, muttering to Jaune, "She needs to get laid."

"Seriously..."

Later that evening, the inevitable reckoning arrived at dinner.

Weiss Schnee marched up to them in the cafeteria, arms crossed. "Jaune, Yang... You made Blake perform like she was doing a movie interview while she was stuck in a tree?!"

"Uh..." Jaune rubbed the back of his neck. Yang grinned.

Pyrrha, standing beside Weiss, gave him a disappointed look. "Really, Jaune?"

Weiss's eyes narrowed. "...Without recording it?!"

"Yeah!" Ruby added, sliding up, "That's the worst part!"

"Totally!" Nora added.

Blake, lurking in the corner with a book held like a shield, growled, "I will stab you all."

Jaune waved his hands. "No, no, of course I didn't!"

A beat of silence.

Yang grinned. "I did."

"YANG!"

- - -

A bit shamelessly stolen from Family Guy. Yes, I went there. Written with help from @brinkleberry Thanks!

 

[Sliverhero]

A bit shamelessly stolen from Family Guy. Yes, I went there. Written with help from @brinkleberry Thanks!

Click to shrink...

Hah just watch that clip before reading this

 

[AndrewJTalon]

Here's a fun idea:

The people of Remnant would likely have research labs and complexes out of cities to study Grimm. So you could do a kind of story that's popular in video games: Going to explore a base or research lab that has gone silent. And bad things have happened.

In this case, RWBY and JNPR go in on a training mission... But on the way there, contact is lost with the base and the trainees go in first to investigate. They then have to survive until they can get backup.

What would the research people would have found? Well...

1: It's a human/Grimm hybrid Merlot created.

2: It's a Grimm that can turn humans into Grimm/human hybrids.

3: It's a Grimm that can make humans into zombies.

4: It's a Grimm that is sapient and can speak and control Grimm.

5: It's one of Salem's former minions who is holding onto a sliver of his/her humanity and uses magic against the lab. Maybe they were in some kind of hibernation and were woken up out of their tomb.

6: It's a Grimm that can control the minds of humans, enhancing their negative emotions until they're mad with rage or suicidal, etc.

 

[Blackicefox]

Orrrrrrrrr you can go out of left field entirely and go another way you could go Dino Crisis on everything and make it so that dinosaurs have escaped the lab. Or you can make monsters straight from Monster Hunter or the Final Fantasy franchise begin loose or bring them out something else out of left field don't let the fact that there's one creature of Darkness Madison mankind shoe box your creativity

 

[Sliverhero]

Here's a fun idea:

The people of Remnant would likely have research labs and complexes out of cities to study Grimm. So you could do a kind of story that's popular in video games: Going to explore a base or research lab that has gone silent. And bad things have happened.

In this case, RWBY and JNPR go in on a training mission... But on the way there, contact is lost with the base and the trainees go in first to investigate. They then have to survive until they can get backup.

What would the research people would have found? Well...

1: It's a human/Grimm hybrid Merlot created.

2: It's a Grimm that can turn humans into Grimm/human hybrids.

3: It's a Grimm that can make humans into zombies.

4: It's a Grimm that is sapient and can speak and control Grimm.

5: It's one of Salem's former minions who is holding onto a sliver of his/her humanity and uses magic against the lab. Maybe they were in some kind of hibernation and were woken up out of their tomb.

6: It's a Grimm that can control the minds of humans, enhancing their negative emotions until they're mad with rage or suicidal, etc.

Click to shrink...

You could do they find the last free pool of destruction outside salem control and end up creating a being simlair to salem.

Orrrrrrrrr you can go out of left field entirely and go another way you could go Dino Crisis on everything and make it so that dinosaurs have escaped the lab. Or you can make monsters straight from Monster Hunter or the Final Fantasy franchise begin loose or bring them out something else out of left field don't let the fact that there's one creature of Darkness Madison mankind shoe box your creativity

Click to shrink...

The base create a portal for the idea that humanity could escape the world amd the grim. But end up opening a portal to a hellscape or a zombie world version of Remnant

 

[AndrewJTalon]

Blake takes bodyguard duty and Jaune gets his first assassination attempt.

- - -

The Vale afternoon was crisp, the park's air laced with the scent of autumn leaves and distant food carts. Jaune Arc, in his councilman's jacket, had been strolling through the crowd, shaking hands and smiling, with Blake Belladonna as his escort. Her amber eyes were sharp, scanning for threats, but she stuck close—closer than necessary, her arm brushing his, her tail twitching under her coat.

"I'm fine, Blake. Really!" Jaune said, chuckling nervously. "You don't have to follow me everywhere."

Blake's ears flicked under her bow. "I'm just ensuring future positive relations with Vale and Menagerie," she said, gesturing to herself. "I may not be an official ambassador, but sooner or later, someone will connect me to my parents back home. My actions—especially toward you—will be scrutinized."

Jaune softened. "Yeah, but I'd protect you, Blake. You're my friend… Really."

Blake blushed, looking away. "…R-Really?"

"Really," Jaune said, unwavering.

They'd been chatting with locals when Blake's senses prickled. A skinny, muscular Faunus man in the crowd—his posture, his glare—screamed danger. Her instincts screamed louder when he pulled a gun.

"FOR THE WHITE FANG!" he roared.

Blake's eyes widened. "Look out!" She grabbed Jaune, shadow-cloning them away as bullets sprayed wildly. The crowd screamed, scattering. The terrorist seized a young boy, gun to his head.

"Back off!" the Faunus snarled.

Jaune stepped forward, hands raised. "Don't! Don't… Look, you just want me, right? Take me instead of the kid!"

The terrorist sneered, aiming at Jaune. "You humans all deserve to die! But if you want to be first—!" He fired.

Blake's heart stopped. "JAUNE?!"

The shot hit Jaune center-mass, but he didn't fall—no blood, just a grunt. Ren, hidden nearby, fired a precise shot, dropping the terrorist instantly. Blake rushed to Jaune, hands shaking, forgetting his Aura in her panic. "JAUNE?!"

"I'm okay… I'm okay…" Jaune rubbed his chest, standing slowly.

Ren jogged up. "You all right?"

"Yeah…" Jaune nodded.

"COUNCILMAN ARC! WHAT HAPPENED?!" Lisa Lavender appeared, microphone thrusting forward, camera drone buzzing.

Blake's ears shot up. "How did you get here so fast?!"

Lisa smirked. "The most trouble-prone councilman in public? Something's gonna happen!"

Paramedics and police swarmed in, securing the scene. No one else was hurt, the terrorist dead. Jaune was whisked to the station for a statement, where RWBY and JNPR converged in a chaotic pile.

"JAUNE!" Ruby tackled him in a hug. "You okay?!"

"I'm fine, I'm fine, really!" Jaune laughed, patting her head.

Weiss scowled. "Fine? You were shot!"

"I have Aura," Jaune said. "Better me than someone without."

Pyrrha and Yang barreled through the hallway. "JAUNE, ARE YOU OKAY?!" they chorused, squishing his face between their chests.

"You scared the shit out of m—us, LB!" Yang said, blushing.

"Yes, please don't ever worry m—us like that again!" Pyrrha added.

Ruby hugged him from behind. "HEY!"

Nora leapt in. "I want hugs too!" The pile collapsed, Jaune wheezing, "URK!"

Blake, trembling, whispered, "J-Jaune?"

Neptune and Sun arrived, assisting the police. Neptune gaped. "…SERIOUSLY?!"

Sun grabbed him. "Easy, Neptune, easy!"

- - -

In the interrogation room, Detective Columbia faced Jaune, Neptune, and Sun. "Well, Councilman, this is straightforward. You're not being charged."

"Why didn't you alert local police?" Columbia asked.

Jaune sighed. "Given my security detail was following my every step, I felt it was unnecessary to divert their attention from their usual responsibilities for a walk in the park. I certainly wasn't expecting an international terrorist."

Sun nodded. "Makes sense."

Neptune scowled.

Columbia raised an eyebrow. "Did you not think putting civilians in danger was a risk?"

Jaune's face fell. "Much of the area was sparsely populated. It just happened that I was accosted near a larger group. But… even I know that's a poor excuse. My naivety and lack of experience put lives in danger, and I take full responsibility. You're within your rights to arrest me for negligence, and I'll come willingly."

Columbia shook his head. "Given nobody died, we're not pressing charges. Exchanging yourself for the hostage was heroic… but foolish."

Jaune smiled gratefully. "Thank you, Detective." His face hardened. "Any more questions?"

Neptune exploded. "How could you cuck poor Sun?! How could you cuck me with Weiss and Yang and Pyrrha too?!"

"YOU DAMN HAREM PROTAGONIST!" Neptune yelled.

Sun held him back. "Easy, Neptune, easy!"

Jaune blinked, confused. "I'm sorry, what am I being accused of?"

Neptune flailed. "STEALING ALL THE POTENTIAL HOTTIES, YOU WEIRDO!"

Columbia, nonplussed, said, "How about you head back, Councilman?"

"I think I will. Have a nice day," Jaune said, bolting.

Back in the station's main room, Pyrrha hovered. "You all right, Jaune?"

Jaune nodded. "Good news: no charges. Bad news: it's a warning. Next time, we follow protocol and inform the police. I thought you guys were enough, and extra security was a waste of taxpayer money, but… it's necessary bureaucracy."

Weiss turned on Blake. "Honestly, why would you let him go off like this?"

Ren stepped forward. "I was shadowing him. I share some of the blame."

Blake, trembling, clenched and unclenched her fists. "Not now, Weiss. Just not now."

Weiss fumed. "He could've been killed! Or that child, by a White Fang terrorist—!"

"The guy wasn't part of local cells," Jaune said. "Lone wolf, inspired by the White Fang."

"Oh, big difference!" Weiss snapped.

Blake looked ready to burst.

Yang glanced at her. "Weiss… there's a difference between being worried and being an ass."

Jaune sighed. "Look… I need to be more careful. We're lucky nobody got hurt, but next time, someone might use bombs on a crowd. We'd be okay, but normal people won't."

"Okay?" he asked.

Weiss nodded. "…Agreed. I can draw up a protocol for public events."

Pyrrha nodded. "I can help."

"Thank you. I really appreciate it," Jaune said.

Blake stayed quiet, eyes down.

- - -

Back at the Council Tower, as they entered Jaune's office, he pulled her aside. "Blake? You okay?"

She took a deep breath, face neutral. "Jaune, before I say anything, I need your word you'll be completely honest with me, at least for this conversation. Can you do that?"

"Yes. You have my word," Jaune said, no hesitation.

"Good." Blake's neutrality shattered. She slapped him, rage flaring. "What the hell were you thinking, jumping in front of me like that?!"

Her voice cracked, fear bleeding through. "You could've been hurt, and it would've been my fault! Hell, it's my fault we were out there in the first place!"

Jaune winced, shaking his head. "Blake, I'm sorry. It was reflex!"

"I mean, I never wanted to be a politician!" he continued. "I wanted to be a Huntsman. To protect people!"

Blake smacked him again. "Don't you think I know that?!" Her expression softened, but her voice shook. "I get it's not what you wanted, but it's who you are now. You're too important to recklessly throw your life into danger every chance you get." She rubbed her arm anxiously. "I know it's hypocritical, given some of the things I've done, but if I'm saying it, you know it's a problem."

Jaune's eyes softened. "Blake… there will never be a situation where my life is more important than yours, or a little boy's."

He sighed. "Look… I'll be less reckless, I promise. But I don't consider myself more important than anyone else. I'm supposed to be in front of people in trouble. That… doesn't change just because I've got a fancy office."

He hugged her gently.

Blake hugged back, murmuring, "I wanna believe that…"

Jaune, catching it in their closeness, asked, "Why not?"

Blake's eyes widened. "Shit, I said that out loud, didn't I?"

"Yes," Jaune agreed. Blake immediately tried to pull away, but Jaune's Aura enhanced strength kept her right there. Though she wrestled furiously.

"Blake-Seriously-Quit it-!"

"No, I have to-!"

Blake used a judo sweep to send Jaune falling… Right on top of her. He pinned her to the floor even as she tried to get away. Clones of herself appeared around him, trying to distract him, but to no avail.

"Damnit Jaune, let-me-go-!"

"No!"

"LET ME GO!"

"STOP RUNNING AWAY!"

Blake froze. Jaune panted for breath, holding her down. She looked up, almost meek. Her eyes met his.

"I just…" She shook her head. "I… I don't want to fail you… I don't want to fail again."

"Well… Running away isn't going to help that," Jaune murmured. Blake flushed, her eyes darting downwards.

"You can't fix anything if you keep running," he added, more gently. Blake looked up and blushed softly.

"I… But when the mess is so big you can't fix it-"

"This isn't," Jaune murmured, "I promise. As long as we work together, we'll do better. I screwed up too. It's not always about you."

Blake stared into his eyes. She nibbled her lower lip, worrying it, before she spoke.

"You… You don't have as much to make up for as I do-"

"Doesn't matter," Jaune insisted, "We both want to make the world a better place. Right? We both want to make things better. I know you, Blake. You wouldn't be so reckless and forthright if you didn't care… Right?"

Blake slowly nodded. She licked her lips.

"I do… But you need to stop being so reckless yourself. You're a target and… And I don't want to lose you. It would hurt all of us."

Jaune sighed, and nodded.

"You're right," he said, "I'll try. I promise."

Jaune blinked twice… Glanced from side to side… And realized their position. He turned bright red.

"O-Oh… Um, uh…"

"You really should get off me," Blake said softly, "Unless you want to keep me pinned underneath you?"

Jaune gulped. He was abruptly aware of how intimate their position was. Their legs entwined, his hands pinning her wrists down to the carpet…

"Oh, um, I uh…"

"Unless you want to keep me here? Under y-you?" Blake asked, her voice shaking a bit but still warm and honey toned. Jaune gaped.

"Wha…?"

"I… I wouldn't mind," she managed softly, "if-if it was you, I-I mean… You could even punish me for my lapse, if you wanted?"

Jaune sighed. He got up off Blake, and brushed off his jacket before he reached out. Blake took his hand, and let him pull her up.

"Over the desk? I suppose it would be appropriate," Blake added. Jaune sighed and shook his head.

"Blake… I have seven sisters. The teasing isn't going to work on me."

Blake turned bright red. Jaune chuckled.

"Still, thank you for that," he said. "But I mean… I don't want things to get any more complicated. I don't want you to get in trouble. They already think I'm keeping a harem as it is."

Blake hummed.

"You know," she murmured, "I wouldn't mind if you did keep one. As long as I got to play with the girls too~."

Jaune turned bright red… Then laughed it off.

"Okay that was a lot better. But I'm gonna-"

"Jaune," Blake said quietly, "Do you know who I really am?"

Jaune blinked.

"Uhh…?"

"I'm Blake Belladonna, daughter of Ghira and Kali Belladonna, the Chieftains of Menagerie," Blake said, soft and quiet. Jaune blinked. He blinked twice. Three times before his brain reconnected with his mouth.

"Wait what?! You're… That Blake Belladonna?! But-You-How-?!"

"I honestly don't know how no one else has made the connection," she admitted, "It's really amazing."

"No kidding," Jaune agreed, staring at her in astonishment. Blake smiles.

"Which means it would be good for both of us to connect," Blake said, "for politics, friendship… And potentially other things." She took Jaune's hands in hers. "For the sake of Faunuskind and international politics, yes Jaune, I would absolutely accept being part of a harem!"

Jaune gaped… Then laughed hard again. He patted Blake on the shoulder.

"Okay, you definitely got me then, Blake! But enough comedy. Thanks for cheering me up. And I promise I won't tell anyone your secret, either. That said, if we could meet your parents, that would help me with a lot of our issues."

Blake frowned.

"Well… I haven't seen them in a long time. I… I don't-"

"Please Blake?" Jaune asked. "It would help us out a lot."

Blake slowly nodded.

"I suppose I-I could try… If you were there with me?"

"Sure thing, Blake," Jaune said with a warm smile. He hugged her, and headed into the side room to change. Blake sighed.

"I suppose I need to be less subtle about my politics."

Said the former terrorist.

 

[Freeze046]

"I suppose I need to be less subtle about my politics."

Said the former terrorist.

Click to shrink...

Ok that made me snort up my soda. Well done.

 

[LordofBones]

Blake's mind must be working overtime: sexy faunus bodyguard, sexy faunus kunoichi bodyguard, sexy faunus secretary, sexy activist...

 

[Gur40]

Rose Problems

Spoiler: Leader Eye Candy

Tai and Sun are really similar at the same age, while Qrow is the disaster bi of his generation

Spoiler: Harem Queen

Ruby like goth Aesthetic because it's STRQ brand would be funny

---

Jaune in most timelines vs stepsibling war/si bs

Spoiler: damn protags

---

FNKI COOKING

Spoiler: Court of Swords AU

---

curb stomp

Spoiler: cast buff

white mage are OP

---

AJT meeting Girlfailure or canon

Spoiler: wtf

just a fun thought

---

Spoiler: cool art

[/SPOILER

---

HATE

Spoiler: drama

The real problems started in atlas arc. but man are they problems

 

[AndrewJTalon]

Fun crack fic premise: Adam decides he's going to get his revenge on Blake the only way an edgy manchild can...

He's going to date Weiss Schnee, get close to her to allow him to kill her dad, and make Blake jealous!

Adam: "Perfect."

However, things get complicated when she sees his real face...

Weiss: "My dad's men did this to you?! That motherfucking twice damned shit fucking cunt son of a whore-He should burn in the pits of Hell-I'd castrate him if he had any balls-!"

Adam: staring... Red faced "... Oh no... I'm in love."

Blake meanwhile is in disbelief.

Blake: "You're just using her to get to her father!"

Adam: "Correction: We're dating and planning on kill her father together!"

Blake: "B-But you hate humans!"

Adam: "Not this one! Also Jaune, apologies. I didn't mean to steal your girl."

Jaune: "She wasn't really my girl and as long as she's happy... I'm happy."

Adam: "... You're a real bro, Jaune."

Jaune: "Thank you Adam."

Adam: "... Okay so now there are two humans I don't hate."

Blake: "SERIOUSLY?!"

- - -

Blake then goes to the most racist human she knows...

Blake: "I'm your girlfriend now!"

Cardin: "I-What?"

Blake: "Yes! I am your hot catgirl girlfriend! We will kiss and cuddle and go on dates together!"

Cardin: "But-But-!"

Velvet: "HEY! He was racist to me first, ya know!"

Blake: "Well I'm everything he hates in a tight, curvy package!"

Velvet: "Not curvy enough!"

Blake: "Why you-!"

A catfight ensues. Glynda storms into the room.

Glynda: "MISTER WINCHESTER! What is going on?!"

Cardin: "I DON'T KNOW!"

- - -

Later...

Ruby: "Why didn't you choose Jaune to make Adam jealous? He's nice!"

Blake: "That's the problem! Nobody would buy that he's racist!"

Jaune: "HEY! I could be racist! ... If I wanted to! ... And had some time to prepare! ... Maybe!"

Yang: "Why does he have to be racist?"

Blake: "... I... You... Shut up!"

 

[etabb6]

Ok, so I had a RWBY story idea that I really want to see happen, but I can't write to save my life so I am putting the basic idea here. Basically, when Jaune was young and asked his parents for training to become a Huntsman, while they were initially against it, they eventually gave in and started training him. Jaune would turn out to be extremely gifted with a sword and shield (Crocea Mors), but when they go to actually awaken his aura, it is so large that when his father (Nick) tried to awaken it, it not only took all of Nick's Aura and knocked him out, but it still didn't awaken Jaune's aura, it was just that large. Eventually his parents try to stop training him because he can't awaken his aura, but Jaune still trains in secret. Also have it so that his parents even mention that the only way for Jaune to awaken his aura would be for Ozpin himself to awaken his aura. Also, some time between Jaune finding out that only Ozpin can awaken his aura and before he runs away from home to go to Beacon, Jaune somehow ends up dating both Katy Sith (who still decided to stay in their home town, but still video call each other at least once a day) and Pyrrha Nikos (who Jaune met and befriended before she became the 'Invincible Girl'). Cut to Beacon, and after the day that the students arrive, when all the prospective students are supposed to be sleeping in the auditorium before the entrance exam the next day, Jaune instead sneaks to meet Ozpin in his office, where he convinces Ozpin to awaken his aura, to which he eventually does. As a consequence though, Jaune and Ozpin found out that the reason Jaune had so much Aura was because he was somehow born with magic as well, which also awoke at the same time.

I don't have any more ideas than that, but give your thoughts on the idea on how it could be better. Also, if the idea inspires you to make a Fanfic/One-Shot based on it, go right ahead, you have my permission.

 

[Gur40]

Another possible STATS Ozpin theory

Spoiler: meta

His Marriage failed because they both were Casters by FNKI

Spoiler: stats

---

what if the moms came with the kids

Spoiler: step sibling war

good news Cinder never ran and Salem is blind to time travel, bad news Beacon is on fire

---

What Jaune mentally time traveling would act

Spoiler: on site

Cinder Mercury and Emerald first day at beacon is there last

---

Rose Bridal wear

Spoiler: by manuchan

meant to be Summer but could also be Ruby

---

Blake protocol

Spoiler: what she do

ideas of Blake crimes?

---

Weiss coded

Spoiler: Neo and Weiss

Neo being the only girl in canon shorter then Weiss

---

How Qrow helped Ruby lose her fear of angry talking birds

Spoiler: comic

 

[cavalal386]

ren: allow me to share an ancient mistral proverb; "when a man who speaks like a poet starts cursing like a longshoreman, you don't ask why. you load up, and hold on".
jaune: that doesn't sound mistral.
ren: it lose somethings in the translation.

 

[AndrewJTalon]

One idea: Duels might still be legal in some parts of Remnant. They follow the code duello: The seconds to the duelists do everything in their power to resolve the duel peacefully, and negotiate the terms of the duel. And what weapons can be used (usually named by the guy who is challenged but this can be negotiated). And the duel can be to the death but this was extremely rare, usually it was to first blood or a number of hits to satisfy honor.

So, Jaune Arc finds himself in a duel against a very traditionalist warrior and has to figure out how to either prevent it or win it. And perhaps choose a form of battle he's good at.

 

[Sliverhero]

One idea: Duels might still be legal in some parts of Remnant. They follow the code duello: The seconds to the duelists do everything in their power to resolve the duel peacefully, and negotiate the terms of the duel. And what weapons can be used (usually named by the guy who is challenged but this can be negotiated). And the duel can be to the death but this was extremely rare, usually it was to first blood or a number of hits to satisfy honor.

So, Jaune Arc finds himself in a duel against a very traditionalist warrior and has to figure out how to either prevent it or win it. And perhaps choose a form of battle he's good at.

Click to shrink...

Its cinder who got egged on by mercury to prove she can best someone without using her abilites so she chose jaune, while also study the great pyrrha weakness. But through jaune accidently mispronounced the old valen when declaring what the duel is and now its a sex duel. And even more embarrassing is that because of the very old laws in place they have to accept the duel or their aura would be sealed.

 

[AndreOmega]

One thing I will like to see is the Remnant's version of Jackass in action, just saw the new jackass film and it was hilarious

 

[GrimmKenway8646]

So, Jaune Arc finds himself in a duel against a very traditionalist warrior and has to figure out how to either prevent it or win it. And perhaps choose a form of battle he's good at.

Click to shrink...

So we can go with swords, as he's the scion of House Pendragon. Artoria may kick his ass for being shite at them.

Or we can go with the crack option, his body. Specifically dancing.

 

[AndrewJTalon]

So... An older idea a friend of mine had: Jaune brings along some old spheres from one of his relatives, purported to be full of incredible power.

Jaune can't figure out how to use them. It's not until Initiation, when things go wrong and the teams are cut off... That he grabs one and begs, begs, for the power to save his friends, to not be useless!

One of the spheres reacts, shines with power... Jaune gets the impression of a great reptilian eye burning with power looking him over, seeing into his very soul... And going...

"Hm... You'll do."

And in a massive burst of magical power long forgotten... Bahamut, the King of Dragons, flies again and annihilates the Grimm before vanishing.

Good news: Jaune has incredible power and can summon the powerful Guardian entities from before the World was Destroyed in the war between Salem and Ozma!

Bad news: Jaune has incredible power and can summon the powerful Guardian entities from before the World was destroyed in the war between Salem and Ozma... And now everyone knows he has that power.

 

[RandomDragon]

even better version of that...Bahamut turns Juane into one of his Clerics/Paladins DND Style, with the offer that he can eventually turn into a metallic dragon later on (or perhaps after going through the entirety of the hell thats being the rusted knight? Potentially become a Platinum Dragon himself).

of course this has Tiamat turning her gaze to this world as well...and the resulting clash will be far worse then Ozma and Salems spat.
(Saridor is just hanging around)

 

[ThunderBasilisk]

Good news: Jaune has incredible power and can summon the powerful Guardian entities from before the World was Destroyed in the war between Salem and Ozma!

Bad news: Jaune has incredible power and can summon the powerful Guardian entities from before the World was destroyed in the war between Salem and Ozma... And now everyone knows he has that power.

Click to shrink...

Goddammit now I wanna see Jaune as a Prime. Maybe Ultima Prime form? Ifrit or Bahamut would also be cool.

 

[Sliverhero]

Idea for what if the grim Dragon was more a proper dragon from ancient times.

The First Shadow

The Grimm Dragon did not merely roar, it spoke.
The sound that tore from its throat shook the very foundations of Beacon Tower. Stone cracked. Glass shattered across every building still standing in the city below. Hunters and Huntresses alike dropped to their knees, hands clamped over their ears, not from volume alone but from the weight of the voice, ancient, deep, rumbling up from somewhere far older than language itself.

Smoke curled between teeth the length of flagpoles. Its eyes, burning with that sickly red glow, swept slowly across the burning city like a king surveying a domain that had always been his. "Little things." The words were not growled. They were measured. Deliberate. Each syllable carved into the night air with the patience of something that had waited millennia to speak again.

"You scurry beneath my shadow and think yourselves brave. You forge your little weapons, weave your little auras, and whisper to each other that you are the light against the dark."

The Dragon shifted its massive bulk atop the tower. The structure groaned, buckled, but held barely. Its talons, black as the void between stars, scraped against stone and left furrows like open wounds in the masonry. Each claw was as long as a sailing mast, curved and honed to a point that could pierce the hull of an airship like parchment.

"My claws are spears. Not the crude iron your kind hammers in forges. Spears forged in the first darkness, before your sun begged for its first dawn. Before your moon cracked and wept. Before your gods painted your world like children splashing color across mud."

Its wings unfurled, slowly, deliberately stretching wider than the amphitheater below. The membrane between them was thick, leathery, riddled with cracks that glowed faintly from within, as though magma flowed through the veins of the creature itself. They blotted out the stars.

"My wings are a hurricane. I have carried storms across continents. I have turned seas to dust with a single downbeat. When I flew in the age before your age, the world itself trembled and forgot which way was up."

The Dragon lowered its enormous head. Closer now. Close enough that those on the tower could see the texture of its scales, not smooth, not like a snake, but jagged and overlapping like plates of blackened iron, each one edged with a faint crimson glow, as if the creature's very hide was constantly burning from within. Scars lined its body. Old ones. The kind that spoke of wars fought before humanity had learned to cry.

"My armor is not yours to break. I have worn this darkness since the first shadow fell across the first stone. Your bullets pit it. Your blades scratch it. Your Semblances flicker against it like candles trying to burn a mountain."

It inhaled. The air around Beacon reversed. Smoke, ash, embers, all of it spiraled inward, drawn into the creature's maw like a world ending in reverse. The sky itself seemed to dim, as if the Dragon were stealing the light from the atmosphere.

Then it exhaled. Not fire. Not exactly. A wave of pure, concentrated darkness, Grimm essence in its rawest, oldest form, rolled outward across the sky. It didn't burn. It consumed. Where it passed, the air turned black. Dust particles ceased to exist. The clouds above Beacon simply... dissolved.

"My breath is unmaking. The God of Darkness breathed life into me with the very first exhale of creation. Where your light builds, I unbuild. Where your hope gathers, I scatter. I am not a creature of your wars. I am the reason your wars mean nothing."

The Dragon's gaze swept across the battlefield. The ones still standing. The ones still foolish enough to hold their ground. Ruby Rose, silver eyes wide and shining. Weiss Schnee, rapier trembling in her grip. Blake Belladonna, shadow melting into shadow as if she could hide from the thing that invented shadow.

The Dragon noticed none of them. Because it had caught a scent. Its nostrils flared. A small motion against the enormity of its form, but the effect was immediate, the smoke and ash hanging in the air stilled, then reversed direction, spiraling inward toward those twin black holes of breath.

It was scenting. "Hhhh." A low sound. Not a word. A discovery. Its enormous head swiveled slowly, deliberately, like a searchlight cutting through the chaos below. The red eyes narrowed. The scarred lips peeled back just slightly, revealing teeth that could serve as siege weapons.

"There." The gaze locked onto the tower. Onto a figure standing among the rubble, half-hidden in shadow, her amber eyes wide with something she had never felt before.

Cinder Fall didn't move. Couldn't move. Every nerve in her body was screaming at her to flee, to use the Maiden's power, to do something, but the Dragon's attention was a physical weight, and she was pinned beneath it like an insect under glass.

"You." The word dripped with something worse than malice, just nothing but pure disgust. "I smell it on you. Even from here. Even through the smoke and the blood and the stench of your own fear." The Dragon's upper lip curled further. A sound rumbled in its throat , not a roar, not a growl, but something far more unsettling.

A sneer. "The witch's stain. Old magic. Stolen magic. It clings to you like rot clinging to a corpse. You wear it like a crown, don't you? You think you've claimed something powerful. Something that makes you special." Cinder's hand twitched toward the bow at her back. The Maiden's power flickered in her palm, heat, flame, the desperate warmth of a stolen sun.

The Dragon saw it and it laughed. The sound was catastrophic. A deep, rolling, earth-shaking bellow that sent cracks racing through every wall within a mile. Debris fell from half-collapsed buildings. The air itself seemed to shudder.

"You would show me fire?" The laughter died. Instantly. Completely. Replaced by something far colder. "I was born in the dark before your sun existed. I have bathed in the cold fury of the God of Darkness Himself. And you... a thief ...would wave His brother's leftover warmth in my face?"

The Dragon leaned closer. Its breath washed over the tower like a tide of ash and decay. Cinder's hair whipped back. Her skin went pale. The Maiden's flame in her hand sputtered, dimmed, flickered, as if the very presence of the Dragon was suffocating the light inside her.

"You are not worthy of that power. You are a rat wearing a queen's robe. The magic you carry does not belong to you. It was never meant for something so small. You reek of desperation. Of ambition so hollow it echoes. You stole what you could not earn, and you think that makes you dangerous."

Its eyes burned brighter. "It makes you pathetic."
Cinder Fall, the woman who had orchestrated the fall of Beacon, who had murdered, manipulated, and clawed her way to power through sheer ruthless will, felt her legs give out beneath her.

She dropped to one knee. The Dragon had not touched her. Had not breathed destruction upon her. Had merely spoken and she was on her knees.

The Dragon's head pulled back slightly, dismissive, as if she were already forgotten. A footnote. An afterthought unworthy of further attention. But then...It inhaled again. Deeper this time. The ash reversed. The smoke spiraled. And the Dragon went still.

It went completely still. Not the predatory stillness of a hunter spotting prey. This was different. This was the stillness of something that had been waiting for a very long time and had suddenly, impossibly, been answered.

"No." The word was barely a whisper. But it carried across all of Beacon like a thunderclap.
"No, it cannot be." Its head swept left. Right. Left again. The enormous eyes, ancient, terrible, older than civilization, darted across the battlefield with an energy that hadn't been there a moment before. Something alive flickered in them. Something that had no place in a creature of Grimm.

Hunger. Not for destruction. Not for the annihilation of light. Recognition. "Where!!!!"
The head snapped downward. Past the fallen Huntresses. Past the scattering students. Past the Grimm pouring through the streets like a flood of black water.

Down to a blonde boy standing in the middle of a crumbling courtyard, sword drawn, shield raised, aura flickering like a candle in a hurricane. Jaune Arc. He was shaking. Visibly. Undeniably. His knees were bent, his breathing ragged, his grip on Crocea Mors so tight his knuckles had gone white. He had no idea what was happening. He only knew that every instinct he had ever had was screaming at him that the thing looking at him was not just a Grimm.

It was a predator older than the concept of prey.
The Dragon stared at him and then it made a sound that no one present had expected.
A sound that, given everything they knew about Grimm, soulless, mindless, driven only by the desire to destroy, should have been absolutely impossible.

It purred. Low, Deep and resonant. A vibration that could be felt in the chest, in the bones, in the marrow. The sound of an apex predator that had just scented the one thing in all the world it had ever truly wanted to find. "Oh," the Dragon breathed, and the word was almost tender.

"Oh, there you are." Jaune swallowed hard. "W-what?" "Do you know what I smell on you, little slayer?" The title hung in the air. Slayer. Not student. Not boy. Not child.Slayer. "I smell the Arc." The Dragon said the name like a prayer. Like a curse. Like a memory so old it had fossilized and then been dug up and breathed back to life.

"I smell the bloodline that hunted my brothers. That drove them from the mountains. That cracked their scales with blades forged in hatred and wrapped in holy fire. I smell the line that killed dragons, true dragons, not the pale imitations your age has forgotten and mounted their skulls on walls that have long since turned to dust."

Its wings twitched. Not in aggression. In anticipation.

"Do you understand? Your kind were the boogeymen of my kind. We whispered about the Arcs in the deep places of the world. In the caves before your caves existed. In the dark before your dark had a name. We told our young and we had young, once, before your ancestors butchered them, that the Arcs would come. That nothing could stop them. That even the gods themselves had tried."

The Dragon's voice dropped. Lower. Reverent.
"And failed." Jaune's eyes were wide. "The... the gods..." "The God of Light struck down your ancestor with a beam that carved a canyon into the earth. The Arc stood back up. The God of Darkness unmade the ground beneath another's feet, swallowed him into the void itself. The Arc climbed out. They threw everything they had at your line. Light. Darkness. Creation. Destruction. They waged a war against the Arcs that made your little human conflicts look like children arguing over scraps."

The Dragon leaned down. Far down. Its massive head came to rest at the level of the courtyard wall, eye to eye with a boy who could barely hold his sword steady. "And your bloodline survived. Not because of magic. Not because of relics or blessings or stolen power."

Its breath washed over Jaune. Hot. Dark. Smelling of ash and antiquity and something almost like respect. "Because you are built to kill things like me."

Around them, the battle had slowed. Grimm and humans alike paused, drawn by some primal gravity to the exchange. Even the other Grimm seemed confused, their relentless advance faltering as the Dragon, their progenitor, their living god , purred at a blonde boy with a dented shield.

"Look at you," the Dragon said, and there was something almost sad in it. "You don't even know what you are, do you? You stumble through this world with your borrowed armor and your clumsy stance and your fragile little shield, and you have no idea that the blood in your veins is the most dangerous thing on this planet."

Its eyes narrowed. It pulled back slightly, and its gaze shifted, comparing. Contrasting. The amber-eyed girl still on her knees atop the tower. The blonde boy in the courtyard below. Two inheritances. Two legacies. And the gulf between them was so vast it was almost funny.

"The witch reeks of theft. Of borrowed power clutched by desperate fingers. The wizard, oh, I smell him too, somewhere in this city dying, that old man with his staff and his stolen fragments of godhood, he is the same. Relics. Crutches. Parasites feeding on the corpses of an age that died before their grandfathers were born."

A low, rumbling growl, not of anger, but of contempt, vibrated through the air.

"They belong to a pathetic age. An age of leftovers. An age that scrabbles for the crumbs of powers it was never meant to touch. The Maidens. The Relics. Pale shadows of what the gods left behind, clutched by small, desperate things who think stealing fire makes them Prometheus."

The Dragon's head swung back to Jaune. The contempt vanished. In its place was something far more terrifying, pure Wonder. "But you, Jaune Arc. You are not a relic. You are not a thief. You are not a crutch. You are the original weapon. Forged before magic was divided. Tempered before light and darkness went to war. Your bloodline does not borrow power. It is power. The kind that cannot be stolen. The kind that cannot be given. The kind that can only be born."

Jaune's mouth opened. Closed. Opened again.
"I... my family are just... we're just..." "JUST!!?"

The Dragon's voice cracked like a whip. The ground beneath Jaune's feet split. "Your ancestors slew my kin. They faced the gods and the gods blinked first. Every monster that has ever haunted your species' nightmares, the ones so ancient your historians have forgotten their names, the Arcs killed them. And you stand there and call them just?"

The Dragon drew itself up to its full, impossible height. Its wings spread wide. Its chest swelled. And when it spoke again, its voice was not contemptuous. Not mocking. Not cruel. It was exhilarated.

"I have slept for ten thousand years. I have watched your species rise and fall and rise again. I have seen empires burn and religions crumble and heroes turn to dust. And in all that time, I have wondered, wondered, if the Arcs were truly gone. If the gods had finally, after all their failures, managed to exterminate the one line they could never defeat."

Its eyes locked onto Jaune's. Blue met red. Terror met rapture. "And now, on the night I rise to end an age... I find you." The Dragon smiled.
It was the most horrifying thing anyone at Beacon had ever seen. "The gods could not kill your line, little slayer. The darkness could not swallow it. Time itself could not erode it."

Its wings beat once. A hurricane. The ground cracked in concentric circles radiating outward from the tower. "But I am not the gods. I am not the darkness. I am not time." The Dragon's voice rose to a crescendo that shook the sky itself. The broken moon above seemed to tremble.

"I am the thing your ancestors lived to destroy. And you, the last, the best, the brightest burning ember of a fire that refused to die, you will have the honor that no living soul has had in ten thousand years." Its jaws opened. Wide. Wider. The red glow in its throat intensified, building, to an end. "You will face a First Shadow." "And one of us will die."

Jaune Arc stood in the ruins of Beacon Academy, surrounded by falling ash and fleeing students and the screaming of a world coming apart, and he raised Crocea Mors with hands that would not stop shaking.

But he raised it. And somewhere deep in his blood, deeper than memory, deeper than training, deeper than fear, something old woke up.

Something that had been sleeping in the marrow of every Arc for ten thousand years. Something that had survived gods and darkness and the slow grind of ages. Something that the Dragon could smell like a furnace smells fuel.

Something that recognized the thing before it not as a nightmare, but as an old enemy. The shield on his arm, old, dented, passed down through generations of people who had no idea what they were carrying, hummed.

Not with aura or with semblance. But With an ancient heritage. The Dragon saw it and it roared with joy.