Chapter Text
Remnant Express Courier Delivery Service
By: The Inkblot Bros
Head Writer: Bubbajack
Co-authors/Editors: Icysnowsage, First Hassan/Dark331, Antagonist, Loamy Coffee
Special Consultants: Heliosion, D_Kitsune_Sage, Nightmare III, StrifeHavok
Special thanks go out to my Super Donors: Alexander Murry, Bobby Glass, G Mateos, Jareth Norris, KhaosKry, Martin T. Arandra, Selmephren, and Lucas White my sole Supreme Tier Donor.
Obligatory First Chapter Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY, References, or concepts taken from Fallout New Vegas, or any Characters from any other series that show up in this story in an OC-esque fashion in this fic. Obviously they belong to their respective owners, because this is fan fiction.
Arc 1-1: A Courier’s Mile.
‘I lied! I cheated my way into Beacon! I don’t belong here! I… I'm not like the rest of you.’ The words continued to circle around Pyrrha Nikos’ head, an admission of guilt by her partner, team leader, and crush, Jaune Arc.
It all made perfect sense in hindsight, of course. Jaune entered initiation with no Aura, in combat class he had no form, and his only real notable trait was that he had simply massive Aura reserves. More than three times her own, even after spending four years undefeated as Mistral Champion, honing both her combat skill and Semblance. The Amazonian Beauty bit her thumbnail in thought, ‘What do I do? Tell Ozpin? Perhaps that will get him remedial lessons? But what if that gets him expelled?!’ The thought of Jaune hating her for crushing his dreams terrified her… but the thought of him laying dead in a pool of his own blood due to a lack of basic training chilled her to the core and made her blood run cold. She knew she would rather have him alive and hating her than dead and in the ground. So that left her with only one option.
Getting up, she made her way to the elevator that led to Ozpin’s office. Once it dinged open, she took a breath, to steady her nerves before knocking on the front door.
“Come in, Miss Nikos.” He called, seemingly expecting her.
She walked, her heels clicking across the glass floor that displayed the clinking gears like the inside of a clockwork before standing in front of the Headmaster, who was sitting behind his desk that was an imitation of the floor of his office. See through glass with moving brass gears. Standing off to the side was the ever-stern Miss Goodwitch, the school combat instructor, and Ozpin’s right hand woman.
“Miss Nikos, to what do I owe the pleasure of your late night visit?” Ozipin asks calmly, taking a sip from his iced coffee cup before setting it aside and giving the star first year student his full attention.
“Well, Headmaster, Miss Goodwitch, something has come to my attention that I think you should be made aware of…” Pyrrha began.
(...)
Jaune Arc felt like a weight had been lifted from his chest. He’d finally told someone about his fake transcripts. He’d told Pyrrha, his partner—and if he couldn’t trust her, then who could he trust?
‘I’m being stupid, he thought. I should accept her training offer. I need all the help I can get. Nora loves weight lifting and working out in general, while Ren is a master chef. I bet if I trust my team and just ask, they can whip me into shape in no time.’
He briefly considered bringing Team RWBY into the loop but didn’t know how they’d react. Still, he could imagine it.
‘Snow Angel would be furious. She worked her butt off just to come here, and I cheated my way in? Blake probably wouldn’t care. Yang would respect the fact I did it.’
He paused on Ruby. Her opinion he couldn’t fathom, but it mattered the most to him.
Would she be disappointed, angry, scared? I know that no matter what, she’d eventually offer to help, but it’s her initial reaction that worries me the most, because I can’t picture what it’ll be.
He let out an audible oomph when a crimson whirlwind collided with his stomach before coalescing into the very person he was thinking about.
“Hey Crater Face, what’s up?” He said as Ruby Rose hugged him around his waist, silver eyes staring up into his face. She seemed to have a knack for showing up whenever he felt down or insecure about himself. When he asked her about how she always seemed to know where he was and when, she once cageily replied that her ‘Jaune-senses’ had been tingling.” Whatever that meant.
“Hey, you okay?” She asked him, still clinging to him.
He nodded, “Yeah, just thinking about something is all,” He replied as he headed towards the dorms now that the day's work was done.
“Is it something I can help with?” She immediately offered, that’s just the kind of friend, no, the kind of person she was. Ruby Rose wanted to be just like the heroes from the fairytales she’d been told as a kid. To be the hero everyone looked up to. Hence her reason for becoming a huntress. While he felt he had a legacy he was falling short of living up to, she had a dream and was racing towards it at full speed. She was everything he aspired to but would never be. He sometimes wondered why she was wasting her time hanging around him, but he always did enjoy his time with her.
“No,” He told her, causing her to look disheartened, “It's a… teambuilding exercise.” He said making an excuse. “But if it works well, maybe I can bring the rest of you in on it.” He amended.
“Alright,” She nodded, “I understand. I hope it works out for you Jaune! Keep me in the loop alright?”
“Sure Rubes, tell the rest I said hi, m’kay?”
“Especially Weiss?” She joked but her smile seemed a little forced.
“Not especially, I do like her, she's very well put together… Then again your entire team is full of beauties.”
“You think so… even me?” She asked, looking at the floor nervously.
He chuckled before mussing up her hair, “Yeah, even you Ruby.”
“Thanks! Umm, if you don’t mind me asking, what about me is pretty?” She inquired with her hands clasped behind her back.
Jaune blinked, “Ruby, has someone been picking on you, telling you're not?” Jaune’s face suddenly became wrathful, his eyes like chips of sapphire, “Is it Cardin? I swear if he’s starting that kinda shit with you, Yang, Nora, and I, really will break his legs!”
“What?! No, no, no, no! No one is picking on me, Jaune! But thank you, for saying you’d stand up for me… No,” Ruby continued shyly, “I’ve just never considered myself all that pretty.”
Jaune blinked. “You're kidding me, right?”
“No, I mean when you’ve got a sister like Yang whose basically living sex appeal with legs, who draws every eye when she walks into the room… you tend to feel average, if not something of a wallflower by comparison.”
“Ruby,” Jaune said in a tone he usually reserved for giving commands in team combat drills, “You are just as pretty and amazing as Yang, Weiss, or Blake in your own way.”
“How?” She asked in a tone that said showed her disbelief, that she just couldn’t see it. “I’m not sophisticated or well put together like Weiss, dark, mysterious, wise, or well read like Blake, or live and breathe sex appeal and fun like Yang.”
After a moment of silence, the knight said, “You have some very pretty eyes,"
“You like my eyes?” She said, being startled a bit. They, along with her hair, were something she got from her mother Summer. She was constantly teased at Signal for looking nothing like her Dad or Yang. The other kids would tease her, saying she was adopted… till Yang had a word with them, usually using her fists.
“Yeah, and your hair too. The way it goes from black to red as it thins out? I thought it was highlights at first, but then I realized you’re just a natural auburn redhead.” Jaune rubbed the back of his head for a moment before adding, “Feel free to ignore this, but I bet you’d look amazing if you grew your hair out. The red would really stand out and pop. How do I know? Need I remind you I have seven sisters?”
Ruby took that under advisement, “Longer hair, huh? Hmm, anything else or…?”
“Pff, that’s just the tip of the iceberg. You like comic books; most girls find that to be a turn off, but you're right there with me every Sunday. Also, you created Crescent Rose by hand while all I have is an ancestral weapon. Meaning you're a mechanical genius.”
“Thank you, but don’t knock Crocea Mors! It's a classic piece of kit that has protected your family for generations! It deserves respect.” Ruby gently chided him, even as her cheeks turned pink from the inside of her hood.
“Fair, but anyway besides that you have this kickass color coordinated Huntress attire that matches the color of your weapon. You're a prodigy if Ozpin let you in two years early, reliable, funny, and fun to hang around with, and a good listener.”
“Umm, wow, that’s… a lot.” He was suddenly nearly knocked off his feet when Ruby slammed into him again, giving him another Semblance enhanced hug. “Thanks Jaune, I feel… I feel better now.”
“No problem, Ruby,” He said, returning the gesture and patting her on the back. “Now I gotta go do this team exercise thing,” He stepped across the hall to Team JNPR’s room only to find no one was home. “Or not?”
Checking his scroll, he found a message saying they had to go into Vale for ammo and if he was able to meet them for dinner, if not, they’d bring him back his favorite from their usual haunt.
Just then he got another message on his scroll, “Mister Arc, if you would please come to my office at your earliest convenience, I would appreciate it.” - Headmaster Ozpin
“Guess this’ll have to wait.” He said to himself, “Seeya around, Ruby and remember what I said, alright? You're beautiful just the way you are.”
“Right, seeya Jaune… Jaune?!” She called getting his attention as he turned to go.
“Yeah?” he asked, turning to face her.
“Do um, do you mind if I ask…” she stopped and shook her head saying, “You know what? Nevermind, it's none of my business.”
“Go ahead and ask,” He prompted her.
“What exactly do you see in Weiss? Not that she isn’t a great partner, but she keeps shooting you down! I just don’t get why you keep trying with her.” the Little Red Reaper complained.
The Knight blinked, “Oh, is that all? Well firstly, I respect the hell out of Weiss’ courage.”
“Courage?” Ruby questioned.
Jaune nodded, “Yeah, she could’ve easily stayed in Atlas where the SDC has both political power and monetary pull. Where her sister Winter is General James Ironwood’s right hand woman much like Goodwitch is here for Ozpin. Using her family connections, she would’ve been fasttracked to be not only a Huntress, but a Specialist, Atlas’ elite of the elite of Hunters. But she didn’t do that. Instead, she came here to Vale to Beacon because she wanted to earn her way not through her family connections but through grit and hard work. And all it cost her to do so was leaving behind her family, friends, and entire cultural identity behind. That takes ba-guts, it takes a heck of a lot of guts.” He amended, remembering Yang had told him not to swear in front of Ruby.
“Woah, I… I never thought of any of that?! How do you know her sis is in the military?”
“She’s in the registry,” He explained, “All official Hunters are in an official registry for every Kingdom from where they graduated from. Winter is listed as an Atlas Specialist so it's not a quantum leap in logic to figure out that, should she wanted to, Weiss could’ve received the best training available had she just stayed home.”
“So you like her because you respect her?” Ruby questioned.
Jaune rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, “Well, while she probably wouldn’t agree, but I see a lot of myself in her. We both left home to follow our dreams. It's a big step to take and not one to take lightly.” ‘Hypocrite’ he thought to himself.
Ruby nodded slowly that made sense now that it was pointed out to her, “So why the constant flirting then?”
“Oh, that’s for her sake.”
“Jaune say what?”
“Ruby,” Jaune explained patiently, “She’s an heiress to a multi-billion if not trillion Lien corporation. How many times do you think rich male playboy socialites have tried making a pass at her growing up, all to get their hands on her money?”
The red cloaked girl gave it some thought, “Umm, a lot?”
Jaune nodded. “And do you think all of them took that rejection nicely? That some of them didn’t get angry or violent at being so coldly brushed off?” She covered her mouth in shock, as he nodded and continued, “Yeah, my thoughts exactly. I just wanted to show her that not all guys are a-holes. Am I persistent? Yes, but I’ve never gotten angry or raised a hand towards her when she rejects me and I never will. I’m hoping she’ll eventually realize that not all guys are either after her money or are domineering jerks.”
A lightbulb went off in Ruby’s eyes, “Oh, I get it now! You’re, you’re oh, what’s the term? Domesticating Weiss?”
He winced, “I don’t think that’s the term you're looking for.”
Ruby shook her head, “Whatever, the point is, you're trying to get her used to guys. To show her that not all of them are nasty.”
“Yeah, I figured she needed help with normal teenager interaction the time I caught her eating a cheeseburger with a knife and fork. Being hit on by a guy is normal, right?”
“So… you're being rejected on purpose?” Ruby asked surprised he would go this far to help someone. It was endearing, showing just how big-hearted he was. “Do you even like Weiss at all?”
“I do… mainly I just don’t want her to feel like she’s alone anymore.”
The gothic lolita themed Reaper cocked her head to the side, “Huh? Whatcha mean?”
To which Jaune answered cryptically, “Did you know before she became a Huntress, she was a singer?” Seeing her shake her head, he continued, “Well, I’ve heard her music and… well, maybe you should listen to her songs sometime. They can be quite revealing. Anyway Ruby, I gotta go now, something came up,”
He put his hands on her shoulders and, bending down reiterated, “Remember this ok, you're beautiful in your own way. If people can’t see it, then they aren’t worth your time. You’ve got beautiful eyes, and a beautiful mind and soul. You're beautiful from the top of your head to the tips of your toes. And if anyone tries to make you feel bad about yourself, you have my blanket permission to kick their ass.”
“You said a swear.” Ruby said surprised.
“Sometimes, it's warranted,” He replied, "Especially during important discussions like this one.”
She thought about it for a moment before nodding in agreement, “Fair,”
“Cool, now I really do need to get going, seeya later, Crater Face.”
She smirked, “Bye Vomit Boy, seeya later.”
She walked into her dorm room with some extra pep in her step only to find Yang and Blake both on top of Weiss, with her big sister holding her hand over the heiress’ mouth while Blake had her legs pinned down to the carpet.
Ruby stared at the scene for a moment, her teammates stared back, and then Ruby finally asked, “What in the Brothers' names is going on in here?!”
(...)
The elevator dinged and Jaune found himself in the anti-chamber to the Headmaster's office. He genuinely thought the place was cool, all transparent glass and clicking gears, though he hoped he wasn’t going to have to come here very often. ‘I wonder what he wants? Status reports on the Teams, maybe?’ He knew he was better at giving and writing reports than Ruby was, bless her, but she was action oriented. When it came to actual team work, leadership skills, tactics, and report writing, he was better. ‘I just suck Beowulf dick at everything else.’ He thought self-depreciatingly as he knocked on the headmaster’s door.
“Please come in, Mr. Arc.” Ozpin called.
Jaune entered the room, and walked across the floor till he was standing in front of the desk. “You wanted to see me, Headmaster?”
Steepling his fingers and leaning forwards as he peered at him over his pince-nez sunglasses Ozpin asked him point blank, “Mr. Arc, we have recently been informed that you have falsified your transcripts to get into Beacon, is this true?”
Jaune felt his world fall out from under him, ‘How, how did they find out?! The… the only three people know, and the only person I told who is at Beacon is… Pyrrha?! She wouldn’t have betrayed me, would she?’
“Mr. Arc, we’re waiting.” Glynda said, her voice harsh.
Taking a breath, Jaune nodded, “Yes Headmaster, it's true.”
“I see, that is most unfortunate. Do you know Mr. Arc, that falsifying records to get into a Hunter Academy is a criminal offense, punishable up to four years in jail?”
“No, I didn’t know that,” He said, swallowing hard. He’d just been a foolish boy wanting to follow his dream.
Ozpin rose from his chair and turned to look out the wall of glass behind him, his hands, and cane held behind his back as he continued to speak, “I thought not, you see Mister Arc, the Academies can’t just let in anyone. Had you been injured under our care, we would’ve been facing a serious lawsuit. One that could’ve bankrupt this Academy and put the entire Kingdom at risk, without the ability to train more Hunters, Vale would eventually fall to the Grimm.”
Jaune clenched his fists. He didn’t realize things were this dire for Vale, “I… That’s not what I wanted, Sir! I just wanted to prove to myself, and my family that I could do this, that I’m not as weak or pathetic as they think I am!”
“I know Mr Arc, and you showed promise as a leader enough to bring three unknown people together to pass initiation, that is why I’m not going to inform the authorities… but I’m afraid I must expel you, effective immediately, not only for your sake, but for the sake of every student here.”
Jaune felt like he was going to throw up. This was it, he’d failed. His father had been right. He was useless. This couldn’t get worse.
“I’ve already informed your father so that arrangements can be made on your behalf.” Ozpin told him.
Jaune was wrong, it could in fact get worse. Swallowing the rising bile in his throat, Jaune managed to reply, “I understand, Headmaster. Thank you for not reporting me to the authorities. I know it's more than I deserve. Also, I know it probably doesn't mean much to either you or Miss Goodwitch, but I’m sorry for causing you both any trouble.”
“Mr Arc,” Glynda spoke again after he spaced out, “You… had you actually attended a school, you could have great potential. But we simply don’t have the time or resources to teach someone the basics. Along with the potential risk of you getting harmed on missions, this is simply the best solution for everyone. Should you graduate from a combat school, I will personally endorse your enrollment in three years time. Do you agree with this, Ozpin?”
“Yes, provided his transcripts are legitimate this time,” Ozpin said with a nod.
Jaune smiled at the usually stern woman, “Thank you Miss Goodwitch. Do… Do I need to leave immediately?”
“You have till lights out to pack your things and leave campus grounds.” Ozpin told him not unkindly.
Jaune nodded. “Yes sir, thank you, both of you, for everything.”
(...)
Jaune returned to his dorm, no, his former dorm room in a daze. He looked around like he’d never seen it before, Ren had left his tea set out, a half drunk mug of tea sitting on the window sill.
Nora’s bed was a tangled mess of sheets, half filled grenade canisters sitting on the workbench they kept in their dorm room for weapon maintenance.
Pyrrha’s bed was as neat as ever, nothing out of place.
His own bed was half made. He looked around taking it all in as if trying his hardest to remember every little detail. He couldn’t even properly say goodbye to his team, they were in town right now, waiting for their Fearless Leader to meet them for dinner. The idea of eating anything right now made him want to puke.
His team weren’t the only ones he owed a goodbye to. He gazed at the door, and the one just across the hall that led to Team RWBY’s Dorm. He owed them, his friends, the truth as well, but he couldn’t find the strength, nor the courage to go knock on their door, much less go see his own team. So he did the only thing he could think to do. He sat down at the writing desk in the room, usually used for essays, and began writing letters to each of his friends. Some here in Beacon and a few in Vale proper. They deserved to know, even if he was too cowardly to tell them in person.
Once he was done writing, he slipped each letter into an envelope, then pressed a hidden catch on Crocea Mors’ sheath. A narrow compartment popped open, revealing the Arc family signet ring: a thick white-gold band inlaid with two arcs of gold, one curving over the other.
Murmuring a silent apology to Ren, Jaune lit one of his meditation candles and pooled a bit of wax onto each envelope. He pressed the ring into the warm wax, leaving the Arc crest stamped in every seal.
He set the letters meant for his teammates carefully on their pillows, arranging them so they’d be impossible to miss. Only once that was done did he start to pack.
There wasn’t much to take. His hoodie. A few spare pairs of jeans. Socks and underwear. His armor. That was it. Everything he owned in the world fit into a single travel bag.
When he finally stepped out of the dorm—Crocea Mors at his waist, travel bag slung over his shoulder—he knew, with a hollow finality, that he was leaving it behind for good.
He almost knocked on Team RWBY’s door, but heard a muffled discussion coming from within. Thinking it might be serious, he simply slipped the letters into the team's mail slot. Though most messages were sent by Scroll these days, packages and physical mail from relatives especially during the holidays was still a thing so each team had a mail slot to receive items. Dropping the letters in there with his travel bag over his shoulder, Jaune made his way across campus. It took him a while to find it having never been to their dorm before but he eventually located Team CFVY’s room. Deciding to forgo knocking because he wasn’t as familiar with them as he was with Team RWBY, Jaune opted to just use the mail slot again.
Or he would’ve if the door didn’t suddenly open and Fox Alistair was standing in front of him.
“Can I help you, Jaune Arc right?” he asked.
“Yeah, hi Fox, I was just dropping something off for Coco and Velvet, can you make sure they get them for me? Or are they in?”
“They’re out, Coco decided to take Velvet shopping,”
“Oh, that poor sweet bunny.” Jaune said, shaking his head in sympathy for her.
“Yes, indeed.”
“So why is Yatsu… She’s making him carry the bags, isn’t she?” Jaune guessed.
“Indeed so.” He said with a laugh, before he paused and asked, “Is something on your mind, Jaune?”
“Can’t you read minds?” The blonde boy shot back, “Pretty sure Vel mentioned that was your Semblance once.”
The blind man nodded, “Yes, but I don’t like to do it if I don’t have to, it's an invasion of privacy. Is there something you would like to tell me?”
Jaune made up his mind. “Yes actually, whenever you're not around Velv’s been bullied by Cardin Winchester, a first year. Personally, I don’t know why she lets him do this but since he targets me too, I’ve kinda taken it upon myself to look out for her. I’ll pull her into an unused classroom when they're chasing her, the library, because I don’t even think Cardin and his goons know how to read, and she eats lunch with us more often than not. Which begs the question, why does she have a different schedule from the rest of you? She shares a combat class with us.”
“Firstly, let me thank you for informing me beforehand about Mister Winchester. This will allow me to stop Coco from going on a rampage and take… measures… to ensure this harassment stops. As to your question, that's because her weapon was very intricate and difficult to make, needing parts sourced directly from Atlas. Because of this and how it operates, she had next to no combat experience in her first year. So she lacked that class credit.”
“Wait, she got held back a year?” That was news to Jaune.
Fox shook his head, “No, she did more than enough extra credit work to pass, but that doesn’t make up for lack of combat experience.”
“I know how that feels.” The blonde knight said.
“Hmm, but why even bring this up… unless for some reason or another… you will no longer be here to protect her?” Jaune’s heavy silence said it all. Fox’s hand reached out and landed on his shoulder, “I am sorry, my friend. For what it's worth, you have my eternal gratitude for protecting Velvet.”
“It's no problem Fox, and thanks, that means a lot coming from someone as cool as you. Or anyone in Team CFVY, really.”
“You are too kind and humble by far. Velvet and Coco see something in you, and I think I see it too now, after this discussion. A genuine kindness that does not discriminate based on species or infirmary.”
“Why would I hate on someone for being blind or a Faunus when they can still kick my ass even when I can see just fine and have the coordination of a fish on land?” The knight asked.
That got a laugh out of Fox. “If only all were as smart as you, then my time here would be so much more enjoyable.” He lamented at the end, before holding out his hand, “Now, the letters you spoke of?”
“Right, here you go, if I’m ever in the area again maybe we can hang out, Fox.”
“I would like that, Jaune Arc. May you find what you're looking for out there.” Fox told him in farewell.
As Jaune turned to walk away, he turned back and called, “That’s the thing Fox, I’d already thought I’d found it. Guess I was wrong.”
(...)
He finally found himself out in Beacon’s courtyard, in front of the statue of the man holding the sword aloft. He’d always felt drawn to this statue for some reason, he didn’t think it was a statue of his great-great-grandfather, but he felt a connection to it all the same. He turned his gaze away from the stone statue when he heard someone approaching. The figure was garbed in a weather worn cloak, a mask that covered there face but he could tell by the shape of the body, it was a woman, too wide hips and narrow shoulders to be a man, even in that getup.
“Jaune Arc?” The voice that came out was modulated but feminine.
“Yes?”
“I am from the Remnant Express Courier Delivery Service. I have been hired to retrieve one Crocea Mors and return it to my client.”
Jaune didn’t have to guess who arranged this, “My Father, I’m assuming?”
“I’m sorry, but I’m not at liberty to say, it goes against company regulations to reveal the names of those who hired us.”
He nodded. It made sense, job security and all, and his father was sending him a clear cut message, “The sword is important, you are not. The family weapon is more important than you are, more of a legacy than you will ever be.”
He wanted to say he didn’t expect this, that it didn’t hurt, but he’d be lying to himself. He knew what kind of man his father was. He wanted a son, an heir to the land, rank, and title of the Arc household. He didn’t particularly care what his sisters did, but was more than happy to finance their endeavors, but when it came to him, he was controlling. He was forced to learn etiquette, history, manners and all things befitting a nobleman. His grandfather, the actual family patriarch, wanted him to be a child, to have fun, to follow his dreams, but he was old, his youth having left him, his vigour waning. The times he did get to spend with his grandfather were his favorite. He wasn’t Jaune Arc scion of House Arc, he was just Jaune, grandson to Beor.
“I take it you weren’t given instructions regarding what to do with me, Miss?” He asked as he slyly pocketed the family signet ring, the thing his father likely truly wanted and put it in his back pocket.
“Code name is Dune kiddo, and no… no the client just wants the sword back, didn’t say anything about the person who had it.”
He sighed, he already knew as much of course but it hurt to hear it confirmed. He handed the weapon, his last connection to his family and ties to Beacon and time as a Hunter over to the woman. “Here you go,”
“Thanks… hey kiddo, since you don’t seem to be busy with school anymore or have a job, are you looking for employment?”
Jaune blinked then said, “I’m sorry, are you offering me a job?”
“That depends, you are Jaune Arc, grandson of Beor Arc, who cheated his way into Beacon with zero combat skill but somehow, someway, still managed to pass initiation, right?”
“Yeah… you were totally hired by my dad.”
“I can neither confirm nor deny that, company policy.” Dune retorted with a bit of mirth in her tone. “But yes, I’m willing to put in a good word for you in my line of work should you be interested. I only have one question.”
“Go ahead.”
The Courier continued, “Have you had your Aura unlocked, and do you have a criminal record?”
“That’s two questions and in order. Yes, and… I’ve never been caught?”
“...Good enough for me! You're in, kid!” She pulled out what looked to be a metal poker chip before flicking it to him, it was embossed with the number one, “You take this, you head down into Vale, you find the Little Bear Club, ask for Junior, show this token, its-.”
“I know where it is.” Jaune said, interrupting her raising a hand.
“Oh, been there before have you? For business or pleasure? She asked, her voice becoming sly.
“Business, but certain people wanted to make it…pleasurable.” He replied rosy pink dusting his cheeks.
She gave him a thumbs up, “You go kid! Have all the fun you can, life is short ya know, you never know if the next sunrise is gonna be your last.”
“Yeah, and Miss Dune… thanks.”
“Just Dune is fine, kiddo. Now get outta here, I’ve got a package to deliver. When I get back, I’ll run you through the paces but since you don’t have a weapon anymore, once you get to the Facility, ask for Wrench, have him fix you up anything you want, show him the token and he’ll put it on my account, m’kay?”
“You… you really don’t need to go this far for someone you just met.” Jaune said.
She waved him off, “Someone did the same for me once, now, I’m paying it forward. Now scram, I’ve dawdled enough and I’m on a timetable. If I don’t return this beauty in ninety-six hours, I don’t get paid, and the money comes out of my account.”
“Alright, I’ll… see you when I see you, I guess.” He said as he took his leave towards the Bullheads, swallowing a few pills as he went. He was riding them out of Beacon for the last time, and he’d like this trip to be a calm, memorable one.
(...)
Jaune was thankful that the Little Bear was located in the opposite direction of his team’s- his former team's usual dining spot. One had to go through the back alleys and be in the know about the night life scene to find this place. As he approached, a couple of toughs near the front doors raised some pipes, and one growled out, “New policy, no Beacon Students allowed. So scram!”
Jaune just replied, “I’m here to see the Malachite Twins.”
The guards looked at each other for a moment, and then the other spoke, “I’ll let ‘em know, what do I tell ‘em if they ask who wants to see ‘em?”
Sighing in embarrassment, Jaune said, “Tell them Blue Eyes is here to see them.”
“Right, I’ll be right back," He said before heading into the club, a couple of minutes later that very same man came flying though the glass on the second storey window facing the entrance causing the booming techno music to blare out into the night.
“They're very excited to see you, head on up,” The man said upon picking himself up off the ground.
“Did… did they throw you out the second story window?” Jaune asked.
“Weren’t too thrilled that we were holding you up,” the man explained as he dusted glass shards off his suit and straightened his tie, “They’re very eager to see you again sir, so go on ahead.”
“Um, thanks, sorry for the trouble,” he said as he made his way inside.
Ignoring the noise and the few people on the dancefloor, Jaune made his way to the second floor, where the VIP lounges were located. There, he found the Malachite sisters lounging on a couch, each sipping glasses of champagne. Upon seeing him, their eyes lit up. Militia, bedecked in red and black, a black feather boa around her neck and a gemstone studded choker on her throat. She wrapped her arms around him before pulling him in for a chaste kiss, “Bluie darling! Have you come to visit or did those Hunters not treat you well?”
“We’ll treat you well,” Melanie said, sneaking up on his other side, garbed in white, “We’ll treat you, very well won’t we Mil?”
Militia picked up where her sister left off, “Yes, oh yes we will Mel. Why don’t we just show you how well we’ll treat you someplace more… private.”
Before the blonde boy could answer one way or the other, the two were shoved forward, almost causing them to fall if Jaune hadn’t caught them by their waists. The Twins glared venomously at the person who dared interrupt, only to share cheshire cat grins as they noticed just how muscular he’d gotten since they’d seen him last.
“Neo,” Jaune chastised, “That wasn’t very nice,”
The petite young woman with multi-hued hair just stuck out her tongue in defiance before she hugged his torso.
“Yeah, I missed you too Neo, have you been keeping your nose clean?”
His Scroll buzzed, looking at Melanie, he asked, “Could you?”
“You got it, handsome,” She plucked his Scroll from his belt clip and read off the text, “Neo said, “Define clean.”
He sighed, “Just… just don’t get arrested, Neo.”
She nodded into his chest having still not let him go and enjoying the warmth.
“It's amazing how you can text like that without looking.” Jaune commented.
“Smiley face emoji, I’ve got all kinds of skillz, babe.” Melanie read off.
“Okay, how about we all sit down and catch up?” He said moving over to the sofa the Twins were lounging on and placing them on either side of him, while Neo promptly claimed his lap.
“I see you three still aren’t getting along,” Jaune noted wryly.
“Only when you're around, darling,” Militia said, draping herself over one of his arms.
“We just can’t seem to keep our hands off you,” Melanie agreed, as she echoed her sister's movements.
Neopolitan promptly turned around and hugged him to her, staking her own claim.
“I only worked here for like, a week in order to pay for my transcripts. I thought for sure, you would’ve forgotten about me by now. I mean, I’ve been gone for three months.”
Melanie slapped him on the arm, only for her fist to rebound off his now unlocked Aura, “Sweet nice guys like you don’t come around everyday, especially in our social circles, isn’t that right, Militia?”
“That’s right Melanie, so being the dirty rotten criminals we are, we’re not gonna let a good thing like you slip away.”
Neo leaned back and made a big heart with her hands, pointed at Jaune, then at herself before giving a thumbs down, pointing at herself again, before pointing back at him and giving two thumbs up, and nuzzling into his neck.
“Stop it both of you, you're not bad people, you just weren’t given opportunities to be good people,” Jaune defended, “If you three were truly reprehensibly evil, then you wouldn’t have helped me get into Beacon.”
“Blonde hair, blue eyes, golden heart, and a silver tongue.” Militia sighed as she kissed him on the cheek.
“I can think of a couple of other things I’d like him to do with that tongue that doesn’t require talking,” Melanie mused.
[“Go be whores on your own time!”] Neo ‘spoke’ using the text to speech device on her Scroll, the voice feminine, seductive, but robotic. Turning to him, she smiled and moments later spoke again, asking, [“How is your time at Beacon going Jauney, honey?”]
“Not too well, I got expelled today.” He sighed.
“…WHAT?!” All three girls yelled out at the same time, well, Neo typed furiously.
Jaune nodded morose, “Yeah, they found out the transcripts were fake and expelled me.”
“How in the Brother of Darkness' Infernal Pit did they figure that out?”
Jaune glanced up to see Roman Torchwick, strutting towards him, his weapon the Melodic Cudgel in hand, hat on his head, looking dapper in his suit as always.
“Hey Roman,” Jaune said, sending him a wave.
“Well, if it isn’t my favorite bike messenger, and what’s this I hear about them finding out about your transcripts? Sorry kid, but that’s just not possible.” Roman said with a shake of his head.
“What do you mean?” Jaune asked.
[“Roman… What did you do?”] Neo inquired as she narrowed her eyes at her pseudo-father figure.
Holding out his hand defensively, Torchwick said, “Nothing bad, just seeing how happy you were making these brats, I went the extra mile, that’s why I had you work for me for a week instead of just a day or two. Once I did my best, I sent your transcripts off to Spider’s best forger. They should’ve been impossible to tell from the genuine article.” Roman narrowed his eyes at the blonde before asking, “Who grassed? The only way someone could find out is if you told someone and they grassed.”
“My partner, I thought I could trust her. I guess I was wrong. Grassed?”
Roman waved him away, “Sorry, a term from my home city for ratting on someone, snitching.”
[“Who was your partner? Give me her name and I’ll make sure they never find her body.”] Neo promised, a malicious gleam in her eye, her eyes going from brown and pink to a malicious red.
“Neo no,” Jaune said.
[“Neo, yes!”] She retorted, [“She hurt you Jaune honey, she took your trust, and stomped all over it! She deserves to get the same!”] Neo texted hotly.
“While I appreciate the thought, Neo, I just don’t think you stand a chance against her,” The blonde told her straight faced.
[“Oh yeah?”] She taunted, getting off his lap pirouetting and ending with one hand cockily placed on her hip as she texted with one hand, [“And just who did you get paired with? The Invincible Girl herself?”]
Jaune rubbed the back of his head and said sheepishly, “Well, actually… Yeah?”
“SERIOUSLY?!” The shout came from everyone looking at Jaune incredulously, to which he nodded.
“Yeah, seriously.” He replied.
Neo scowled for a moment before smirking and texting, [“Alright, bet.”]
Jaune got up from his seat, forcing the Malachite Twins off of him as he moved to stop her, but the moment he touched her, she shattered like glass.
“Damnit!” The blonde swore, “Mel, Milie, I know you three don’t exactly get along but?”
“You want us to stop her from getting killed?" Militia guessed standing up
“Or arrested?” Melanie continued echoing her sister's movements.
The former Beacon student nodded, “Yes, please? As a favor for me?”
The Twins sashayed up to him, before planting a kiss on either cheek and saying in unison, “If you were anyone else Jaune, we’d say no. You’re lucky you’re cute.”
He nodded to hide his momentary blush, "Thanks girls, I’m sure Roman appreciates this too.”
“Yeah, can’t have my second in command locked up, not that she’ll grass, but that’s not the point. Good help is hard to come by, thanks brats one and two.”
The Twins rolled their eyes, “If you want to thank us Roman, can you stop calling us brats already?” Militia complained, crossing her arms, “You’ve been doing it since we were thirteen, it's getting old.”
“Sorry, force of habit,” The gentleman thief apologized as the two left the club after Neopolitan. Once they were gone, he turned to the young man and asked, “Why try so hard to get rid of them?”
“Was I being that obvious?” Jaune asked with a sigh.
Giving him a deadpan look, Roman lit a cigar as he stated bluntly, “Arc, you know damn well those girls want you, that all you have to do is say the word, and you wouldn’t be leaving the bedroom for at least a few days, and when you came out, you’d be tired, proud of yourself, and fully employed with either Junior, myself, or Spider. So, why get rid of them?”
“I’m surprised, I thought you’d be more… protective of Neo.”
“Neo is a big girl, she can take care of herself,” Roman said after taking a puff on his cigar, “You know what I mean, and you also know better than to go there.” He said, knowing the boy was about to point out his pseudo-daughter’s height. It was one of the few things that bothered her, that and when people got annoyed by her lack of speech. Another long pull, a puff of smoke, before he continued, “Besides I know you’d never hurt her, you're a good kid,” The gentleman thief's eyes narrowed dangerously before he continued, “But if for some reason you ever did hurt her, I would hunt you down, cut you into little pieces, and scatter your remains all across Remnant.”
“Yeah, and then Neo would kill you, probably anyway.” Or so Jaune suspected.
Roman conceded the point. “Yes, you're probably right. So what are you about to do that you don't want them to know about?”
“It's not that I don't want them to know about it, more I don't want them to try and talk me out of it.” The blonde knight said, confiding in the gentleman thief.
“Same thing, kid. Now, fess up. I may not be a preacher or anything, but I'm willing to listen to another person's sins. Brothers know I have plenty.”
In response, Jaune pulled out the Platinum poker chip, and showed it to Roman, saying "I was handed this earlier today by a Courier and offered a job right after I got expelled from Beacon.”
Roman's mouth fell open and the cigar fell from it, flattering on the floor as he looked at the token in shock. “You were offered to become a Remnant Express Delivery Service Courier?” He looked at the token that bore the number one. “By the Postmaster no less?”
“The Postmaster?” Jaune questioned, confused.
Shaking his head, Roman reached down and picked up his dropped cigar, “C’mon Jaune, we need to go talk to Junior. We need to show him that token of yours.”
(...)
Roman banged on Junior's door, which was in the back of the club for employees only, in a rapid staccato.
“Who is it?” Junior groaned in annoyance.
“It's Roman and Jaune. We need to talk. It's important.” The usually suave and cavalier thief had none of that in his tone as he called behind the door. This time he was no nonsense.
“Come on in, then,” Junior replied brusquely.
Hei “Junior” Xiong’s office was lined with portraits of his predecessors on the walls all in black and white, they went back generations showing the Xiongs were around long before the formation of the Kingdom of Vale. Sitting behind a blackwood desk, with a personal Scroll terminal taking up a majority of space, was Hei Xiong himself. He was a big broad man in a black and white suit, complete with a red tie. He was currently wearing a neck brace, his nose was bent at an odd angle, and he clearly looked uncomfortable.
“Mr. Xiong, what happened to you?” Jaune was concerned for his well being.
“Oh hey Blue, as for this? This is nothing, just got in a scrap with what I’m assuming is some student at Beacon. She did close to two-hundred thousand Lien in damage to the place and sent me for an extended stay in the hospital all because I wouldn’t give her some info about someone she was looking for.”
“Do you still have the camera footage, I bet I can identify them?” He offered though he had a feeling he already knew who it was.
Despite his injuries, Junior gave a thousand watt smile, “Seriously? Sure just a sec, I’ve been wanting some form of petty revenge against this Blondie for a while now.”
Hei clicked a few keys before turning his monitor around and sure enough the video recording showed Yang Xiao Long destroying the place in her rage, smashing the glass dancefloor smacking Militia and Melonie around like ragdolls, and punching Hei so hard his aura broke and she could’ve quite possibly snapped his neck.
Junior leaned forward expectantly asking, “So Blue, do you know her?”
Sighing, Jaune said, “Unfortunately, I do… but considering what happened to me today, I don’t know if I should say anything or not.”
“Roman?” Hei asked questioningly.
“The kid just got expelled from Beacon because his partner grassed on him.”
The club manager and part time criminal ran a hand down his face, “You think you can trust someone and then they go and do that… Look kid, I understand why you're hesitant, but this isn't the same thing. I'm not going to hurt Blondie. Not physically. Just financially, emotionally maybe, but not physically.”
“What exactly are you planning to do, Junior?” Jaune asked, getting to the point.
“I wanted to sue the person who put me in the hospital and destroyed my business. But I couldn't do that because I didn't know who they were. You do, meaning once I get a name I can go through proper legal channels and sue them for everything they're worth.”
Jaune scoffed. “Good luck with that. She ain't worth a darn thing. You'd be better off going through her dad. At least he has a job.” Jaune then did something only he would do. He got down in the Dogeza position, getting on his knees, putting his hands on the floor and then his head on his hands before speaking sincerely. “I would like to offer my sincerest apologies on her behalf.”
“Blue, get the hell up off my floor.” Junior said after a moment. “You don’t do that on somebody else's behalf. You know darn well in this business, everyone has to wipe their own ass,” Junior rubbed his bearded chin for a moment before sighing, “Still, the fact that you are willing to go this far means she must be a friend, something more. So what's her name and what is she to you, Blue?”
“Her name is Yang Xiao Long, and she is a friend of mine who attended Beacon while I was there.”
Flipping his monitor back around, Hei Xiong started typing frantically, after a moment he started reading off, “Yang Xiao Long, age seventeen, first semester Beacon Academy student, home address Patch Island, 2122 Maple Lane. Father Taiyang Xiao Long, age thirty-nine, Huntsman. Retired from active duty and works as a teacher at Signal Combat Preparatory School. Sister…” Junior paused his eyes widening for a moment before they flicked to Roman and he said, "Torchwick, you may want to come take a look at this.”
“What’s so-” He began as he walked over to the other side of the desk and looked at the screen only to spit wrathfully, “It's Little Red! Wait, the pint-sized little brat who foiled my dust robbery was only fifteen?!”
“Guys,” Jaune began.
“Girl must be a prodigy,” Hei mused, “Her sister is like a bull in a dust shop so I know the feeling,”
“Oh ho ho, when I get my hands on her…” Roman was rubbing his hands together evilly,
“Oi! Twiddle Dumm and Dee!” Jaune yelled, getting their attention.
“WHAT?!” The two snapped back.
Placing his hands on the desk and leaning forwards, Jaune told them, “I hate to break it to you, but both of those girls are going in my Green Book.”
Torchwick looked at Jaune like he’d grown a second head, “You can’t be serious?!”
“I am, alongside Ruby Rose and Yang Xiao Long, I'm adding Weiss Schnee, Blake Belladonna, Nora Valkyrie, Lie Ren, Coco Adel, and Velvet Scarlatina.”
“Two whole Hunter Teams?! You really want to add them to your Green Book?” Junior asked incredulously.
“Technically, it's three teams because I'm not on mine anymore, I didn't bother to add my former partner because she stabbed me in the back, and Velvet and Coco are part of Team CFVY, which is a second year team.”
“You're not gonna make this easy for us, are you? Do you have any idea how hard it's going to be to pull off crimes when our guys aren't allowed to defend themselves from Hunters?” Junior asked.
“I'm not saying don't defend yourself, I'm saying don't kill them. There's a difference.”
“Accidents happen in a fight, kid. Sometimes Auras break and people die.”
“Junior, I know what I'm asking, but I'm asking you to not kill them anyway.”
Junior and Torchwick stared at each other for a moment before turning back to him, and Torchwick asked, “Blue, while you were there, did you form a harem or something? 'Cause I can't help but notice that all the names on this list are girls.”
“It's not like that, Roman. They're just good friends of mine,” Jaune said defensively before adding, “By the way, Lie Ren is a boy.”
“Neo, Militia, and Melanie are also good friends of yours. But they also want to get into your pants.” The gentleman thief pointed out.
“That’s not the point here, Roman.” Jaune tried to argue only for Hei to shut him down by saying.
“No, it’s not but do you realize what you’re asking, Blue? We’d be shooting ourselves in the foot if we let you do this.”
In response, Jaune tossed the token he’d been given by Dune on top of Junior’s desk where it landed with a dull thud before saying, “Can you really afford not to?”
Junior looked at the coin then back at his one time employee before asking, “Where did you get this?”
“A Courier by the name of Dune gave it to me, said I should show it to you and that you’d know what it means.”
Junior nodded, “Yeah, I know what it means, but are you sure this is what you want?”
Jaune shrugged before saying, “I don’t see why not? I’ve already lost my dream, and more or less been disowned by my father, so I might as well take a chance to do something entirely new with my life.”
Again, Hei ‘Junior’ Xiong ran a hand down his face before he sighed and said “Do you even know what you’re signing up for, Blue? Couriers get next to no respect from the people, no backup in the field, and are expected to deliver on time and according to a timetable. It’s a very rough profession. Are you sure you can handle it?”
“But it has some perks Junior, a face hidden behind a mask and name obscured by a code name. I wouldn’t be Jaune Arc, the Failure of Beacon, the Disowned Son, I’d just be another Courier, and right now that sounds really appealing.”
Junior sighed, “Sounds like you’ve made up your mind about this.”
The ex-Huntsman-in-training nodded, “I have, but don’t worry. I’m not going to leave you in the lurch with Yang.”
“You’ve already given me her name, what more could you possibly do to help me?” The club owner asked.
Once Jaune explained his idea, Junior shook his head incredulously, “You’d really be willing to do that? Blondie will be after your head for this stunt, you know?”
Jaune just grinned nervously and replied “Then it’s a good thing I’m disappearing, huh?”
“Of course, in return for taking the heat off me, you want me to add your friends to your Green Book, I take it?” Junior asked knowingly.
“If that’s not good enough, then I’ll start paying off the debt Yang owes you as soon as I can start working,” Jaune offered, sweetening the pot further, “Just don’t tell her I’m doing this, she deserves to sweat and know her actions have consequences.”
“Fine Blue, have it your way. I’ll set up your ride to the Facility, and once you complete the training course, you’ll send me a thousand Lien a month, understood?”
Jaune nodded his head in agreement and in a show of respect as he replied, “Yes, Hei Xiong and thank you.”
“How soon did you want to leave?” The club owner asked.
“As soon as possible,” the former Hunter-in-training replied, “Preferably, before any of the girls get back.”
Frowning at him, Hei replied, “Leaving without even saying goodbye to the girls? That’s a dick move, and you know it, Arc.”
The blonde boy nodded, he knew it was cruel of him to leave without saying goodbye to his friends, but he had to do this. He knew if he tried to tell them what he was planning on doing, they would try to talk him out of it and take the safer option by joining the criminal underworld here in Vale. But that would actually be even more dangerous for him because there was a high chance that he would end up on the opposite side of a fight and end up fighting his other friends from Beacon. For him, that would be the worst case scenario. “I know, sorry Junior, but I did write them letters. Make sure they get them, won’t you?”
“Fine, fine I just gotta do everything around here. Don’t I? Then let’s do the second part of your genius plan in one take, shall we? Since your Bullhead leaves in an hour.”
“Thanks, Junior,” turning to Roman, he apologized to the gentleman thief, saying, “Sorry Roman, I know this is gonna make your job a lot more difficult. But I appreciate you leaving Ruby alone.”
Roman had finished off one cigar and already lit another, and was already puffing away at it as he replied, “Whatever, it’s fine Blue. Little Red is small potatoes anyway. What really concerns me is having to explain all this to Neo and hope she doesn’t kill me.”
Jaune slapped him on the back and said, “If anyone can handle her, you can. After all, she’s only what, a hundred pounds soaking wet and seventeen? I think you can manage.”
“Blue, how old do you think Neo is?” Torchwick asked for clarification.
“Well, I never asked because I was always told by my mother it was rude to ask a woman her age, but I always assumed that she, Miltia, and Melanie are the same age as me, seventeen.”
Roman and Junior both shared a look before they burst out laughing. Jaune looked at them both in confusion for a moment before asking, “What’s so funny. Did I miss the joke?”
“Do you wanna tell him or should I?” Junior offered to Roman.
Turning to him, Roman’s head with a grin on his face, "Blue… Neo, Miltia, and Melanie are all twenty five.”
The poor blonde boy had had one too many shocks today. This was the one that broke the camel's back. As he found himself hitting his knees and his head hit the top of Junior‘s desk before he muttered out, "You've got to be kidding me… but if that’s the case, then why me?”
“You’re a very decent person which is very hard to come by in this line of work. Plus, they probably thought it was pretty flattering that a young guy like you thought they were the same age as him. But we’re getting off track. Let’s get this thing done and get you on that bullhead.”
“Right, today has just been full of shocks and surprises. The sooner I get to this ‘facility’ place, the sooner I can screw my head back on straight.” Jaune said as he fulfilled his end of the bargain. Once he was done, he turned to Roman and offered him his hand, “ I know it wasn’t very long Roman, but it was fun. Same to you, Xiong.”
“Stop acting like you’ll never see us again, Blue.” Torchwick said even as he clasped his hand and gave him a firm shake.
“Yeah kid, we’ll see you around. You’re gonna be a Courier after all.”
“That’s the thing guys, I know it’s gonna be you, but you’ll never know if it’s gonna be me or not.”
Roman clicked his tongue. The kid was right, even they wouldn’t know if it was him behind the mask or not. “So I guess in a way, this is goodbye for us too.”
“I guess from a certain point of view, Jaune Arc dies tonight. But that’s fine, not many people liked him anyway. Or at least not many will once they find out he cheated his way into Beacon.”
The two grown men shared a look both thinking the exact same thing at the same time, ‘Idiot.’
Jaune Arc would disappear from the lives of several people from that night on, and after more than a year of searching, would be declared legally dead. Some were pleased, others were distraught. But one particular Courier couldn’t care less, and just kept delivering packages.
(…)
Word count: 9,920 Number of Pages: 22 Date Completed: 12/12/2025
(…)
AN: