Disclaimer: This is a work of fan fiction based on multiple existing anime/manga series. The characters and settings used in this story belong to their respective owners and creators, and no copyright infringement is intended. This story is purely for entertainment purposes and is not intended to infringe upon any existing intellectual property. I do not own any of the original works that inspired this fanfiction, and I fully support the original creators and their works.
I'm also exceedingly rarely chilling in JaxWolf4's (Author of Nah, I'd Adapt and Zenin Days) Discord Server. It's a chaotic lobotomy mess. Not for the faint of heart.
Here's the link:
Disc: HrPrTeam
-Story Start-
"Alex, thank goodness you're here!" Ruby roared out to the approaching duo of Weiss and Alex, only to continue the sentence with a hopeful string of rapid-fire sentences, "We've tried everything! Everything! Please help us convince Jaune and Yang to stop this! Whatever he's trying to do by fighting her... It's stupid! I don't get it, and he won't explain, just saying he's got to do this and, and-"
A palm met her face as she paused her rant to meet Alex's own amber. "You must be really desperate to let me try and convince them to stop. If you wanted to stop this, you could have just called a teacher."
Ruby's stressed-out smile grew more frustrated, "I wanted to... but-"
Ren's voice came out as a cold, distraught drawl. "We're torn between respecting Jaune's request and listening to our own reason." He folded his hands as he met Alex's look, "We haven't known him for long, but he asked us to put our trust in him to handle this-"
"Fighting each other without a judge or Aura Measurement Devices isn't trustworthy in the slightest!" She gestured wildly at the arena as Jaune stepped forward, "He didn't even mention this is how he was going to try to help Yang!" Nora had sobered up considerably from her usual hyperactive self, showcasing her own distress.
Clearly, no one was happy about this.
Alex turned to Pyrrha, who stood there holding Ruby with a suspiciously strong grip, as if not to let the small reaper slip away to do anything reckless.
"I'm sorry we called you here right after your..." She fiddled with the right term with slight uncertainty, "Visit in Vale."
He nodded in appreciation, "Thanks."
Ruby gasped; her face, which had already been red from the storm of emotion, grew a tint redder due to shame. "O-Oh, sorry, Alex. Did it go okay?"
"Really sorry. This must be too much, right? You should head bac-"
"No point in mentioning it now. If it really did bother me that much, I wouldn't have come here in any case." He shrugged her apology off.
Taking a look over his shoulder, he noted the gleeful crowd eagerly awaiting the fight to begin with impatient expressions. "Guess they aren't going to be any use?" He hummed.
Weiss waved her hand towards the crowd with clear disdain, "I'm losing hope regarding the future of Remnant just by my close proximity to these barbarians eager for cheap entertainment."
Alex nodded, turning to address his friends, "Well, I'm not going to be any use either. Don't really know what you expect me to say to the two of them, but I'm sure it's nothing you haven't tried. If I try, it'd probably make things worse," He confirmed what should have been obvious.
Looks of disappointment hadn't met him, but Ruby pressed forward incessantly, "I know it's insensitive to ask this, but, if you're okay right now-" She bowed a whole ninety degrees, her silver eyes staring down at Alex's boots. "Yang might listen to you! Could you just try? Please?"
"No. I truly have nothing to say to her. The decision to continue moping around is hers and hers alone. The decision to rise and try to be better is hers and hers alone. The decision to let all her hard work and dedication, to let her life and career wash down the drain is hers and hers alone."
That last sentence stung, especially for Ruby and JRNY.
Alex's tone was disturbingly calm, indifferent. Yet paradoxically resolute.
"And the decision to do nothing to help her is mine and mine alone."
"She's her own person with her own agency. I'll respect her decision, whatever it is, even if it's to fall to her lowest." He sighed, stating bluntly, "I won't grab a hand that hasn't extended enough to be reachable, even if it requires a single step forward, I won't do it... at least, that's what I believe."
"Liar..." Ruby frowned deeply, noting that Alex's words weren't entirely truthful.
Her words went ignored, as both her fleeting statement and his own admission began to be drowned out by the roaring crowd growing in volume, as the fight seemed to have begun.
Alex muttered one last sentence, his eyes shifting from the assembled party to the resolute blonde wielding a relic of a blade:
"In that sense, you guys are better than I."
[What if a hand were to be extended, but you could not ascertain due to your poor discernment?]
'Someone asking for help shouldn't be a guessing game. If someone can exert enough energy to play games, he has enough to savehimself.'
[Or drown himself. Hmm... what a perfectly flawed outlook, Master! But, it's a step in the right direction! Isn't it a good thing I'm here to help you discern who truly needs help~?]
[...Not that you listen, anyway. I'll warn you, kidney stones hurt a lo-]
'Unkindly shut up, now.'
-----------------------------
As Jaune stood before the subdued yet quietly furious Yang Xiao Long - his Team Leader, he couldn't help but be reminded of his father's words, from when he was just a boy.
"An Arc never goes back on his word. Actions speak louder than words, do you understand what that means, boy?"
At the time, he didn't really understand the true meaning behind those words - that was until he punched him in the head, and then proceeded to hug him. Even then, Jaune wasn't too convinced of the weight behind those... words, actions.
His grip on both the shield and blade of Crocea Mors subconsciously tightened up, as he felt the weight of the metal with keen familiarity.
The crowd's eager roars only grew in intensity as he took a step forward towards the big, scary, and seriously angry blonde giant that stood before him.
Her lilac eyes, her frown - he had never truly seen her like this.
The stares, the gazes, he felt them on his figure - they felt pervasive, expectant. They bore down on him and sent chills down his spine.
Unknowingly, his body began to twitch - to tremble.
It all felt bigger than him - the world felt so, so big and he... so, so small.
"You wanna know what makes someone a true Huntsman? What separates the wolves from the sheep?" His eldest sister's voice rang in his mind as Diamond happily lectured.
His squeaky voice from back then had calmed his current nerves, albeit slightly, "No! I wanna know what it takes to be a Hero!"
She chuckled good-naturedly, "Well, you'll be surprised to know that this particular quality is just the thing both Huntsmen AND Heroes need!"
"You have my attention, mighty big sister!"
"Guts! The boldness to do what has to be done regardless of consequence! The audacity to accomplish that which no one else would dare to achieve! And finally, persistence! The persistence to never stop until you get what you came for! The kind of willpower that will make anyone else give up to your superior will! That's what separates the wolves from the sheep! What separates the common man from the Huntsman... and from the Hero!"
A light slap of his knee had ceased his pathetic trembling, allowed him to steady himself as he cracked a confident, resolute yet amused smile. "I don't think this is what you meant, big sis." He truly took in his situation and what he had done to get here.
Whether it was exactly the scenario he had pictured when his sister advised him so long ago or not.
Jaune finally met those stormy lilac eyes with a look of unadulterated determination. His eyes strayed to Yang's long blonde hair, which appeared to have lost some of its girth and weight.
"I'm beating your ass, no holding back." Yang's threat came out as easy as she breathed - yet it lacked any hint of humor or that usual battle-lust glee she exerted whenever in a fight.
He knew this was the consequence of his deliberate actions; he had provoked her - he wanted this.
Once more, fear paralyzed his figure - but not for a moment longer this time. He stepped forward at her threat, meeting her challenge head-on with a look of confidence, "I wouldn't be too sure, Leader."
Jaune's final statement was Yang's cue to begin the match, her expression visibly uncomfortable with his words, her irritation only growing.
A match that lacked any form of judge or referee.
As her figure bolted towards him, her gauntlets drawn back for a powerful punch - Jaune couldn't help but recall his Teacher's words:
Ozpin's calm analysis echoed in his mind, "You're too headstrong, Mister Arc. When fighting, especially against an adversary you know you are at a disadvantage against, make sure to take a defensive stance, look for openings. Do not rush into it - you may fall into a trap."
He raised his left hand, his shield struck with a resonating clang, as Yang's right fist struck it with the force of a Dust-powered hammer. Suppressing a habitual wince, Jaune stood his ground as best he could, his entire figure being pushed a few feet.
The crowd roared with fervor as Jaune pushed his feet forward, jumping ahead with a right swing with Crocea Mors for a counterattack.
Shots rang out from Yang's Ember Celica with her hands directed backwards, the recoil helping her launch forward like a speeding bullet to meet Jaune's counter head-on.
Her gauntlet met the blade with a screeching of steel grinding against steel, as her superior strength and momentum disoriented Jaune's swing, leaving him wide open. His eyes widened momentarily as he brought forth his shield, attempting to slam it to defend himself.
It wasn't nearly fast enough. Yang's fist snuck through the slow defense, as it hit Jaune squarely in the chin.
"OHHHH SHITTT!"
"OH COME ON! THAT WAS OBVIOUS!"
The crowd roared with mixed emotions, and some with a noticeable grimace and stupor - they hadn't envied Jaune's current situation one bit.
The strike sent tremors of pain across his body and damaged his huge Aura reserves. His figure and steadfast stance had been completely shattered in a single blow, as his body flew a dozen feet in the air.
Keeping track of the fundamentals of his training, even amid the unexpected scenario, his grip on both blade and shield kept them at his side - his eyes lowering to see Yang swiftly reloading a magazine of Dust into her gauntlets before she launched upwards towards him with a simple hop.
Grinding his teeth, Jaune hadn't expected this to turn into an airborne fight.
His solid stance, which had been one of the things he was proud of throughout his training, was shattered within an instant. A bead of sweat slid across his face as he forced a grin, "You're just that strong, huh?" He admitted easily enough.
His words seemed to only piss Yang off more, as her gauntlets pointed at the boy, the shotgun shells hit Jaune's shield easily enough as he blocked the Dust shells. Upon reaching his range, Jaune swung his sword at a downward slash, aiming at Yang's neck - a vital area that, upon a proper hit, could even shatter her aura completely.
Yang's gauntlets let loose yet another explosion, as she once more met his blade with her own gauntlet. This time, however, Jaune let it happen - allowing the fist and blade to slide off one another without much protest. Adjusting his wrist, Jaune re-swung the blade swiftly to try and slice her neck at a different angle.
Yang's next movements were a blur, her gauntlets used expertly as a tool of changing her direction and momentum:
The first explosion from a single gauntlet narrowly allowed her to avoid the swing, by flying backwards with its force - then, using both hands pointed backwards, she shot forward towards the falling Jaune before he landed. Yang's muscles tightened, as her hips and abs braced themselves, and with disturbing force, her left leg met Jaune's gobsmacked face with a powerful mid-air roundhouse kick.
His wide-eyed expression and attempt to twist his body to avoid the blow came too late, as sharp pain permeated the right side of his face. With a resonating boom, he fell to the hard ground on top of his shield, kicking up a cloud of dust and debris - he didn't even have enough time to comprehend or brace himself for impact.
He had his breath taken from him, and so did the crowd.
They were so taken aback, not a word left their lips - a good majority of them were certain that they wouldn't have been able to deal with that surprise pivot.
But the fight wasn't over just yet.
His instincts blaring code red, Jaune's ears heard the sharp whizzing of the wind around him as he held onto the shield that he lay on and rolled aside, narrowly dodging a powerful fist.
Much to his dismay, however, the fist was akin to a heat-seeking missile as it was an array of punches that met the ground instead of his fragile figure as he rolled. Eventually, it came to a stop, and he could only gasp and wince as he narrowly lifted his shield to block the oncoming onslaught of punches, as Yang stood atop him.
He felt the pain of her shoes pressing hard on his own thighs, leaving no escape route.
Adrenaline surged. Hysteric strength washing over him, as his shield caught the flurry aimed at him. Up, right, left, down - his head, his crotch, his abdomen. He was barely keeping up with her blows, and as he tried to swing his sword, the superior combatant had kicked his hand and the blade away.
Noting him guarding the vital areas, Yang opted to aim for chipping away at Jaune's aura. Her swings were a force of nature, as while his shield blocked the ones aimed at his vitals, the ones aimed at his wrist, at his biceps, at his forearm, resulted in only sharp pain and his Aura draining at a rapid pace.
At this rate...
'I'm going to lose!'
He wasn't going to let it end that easily.
His sister's voice rang in his mind once more. "Guts! Brat! Chin up and fight, even if it's a losing battle!"
A guttural roar left his lips, as his abs and back muscles tightened to a disturbing, painful degree, "WRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" His roar was followed by the bold gamble of launching his shield towards Yang with both his hands and with all his might.
Hopping away to catch the shield, her feet no longer stomping on Jaune's legs, locking him in place, Yang caught the shield with gritted teeth, "STAY DOWN!"
"NO WAY!" He replied as he utilized this opportunity he had generated to get up on his feet.
His shield flew through the air as Yang swiftly threw it with blinding speed back at Jaune as he lowered himself to swiftly grab hold of Crocea Mors.
His head darted towards the shield as he ducked under its speedy trajectory, his hand swinging to meet Yang's rapid fists and kicks.
Even now, he was completely on the defensive, his feet digging into the hard ground; he was being pushed back.
His free hand attempted to parry Yang's blows, to slap away her wrists or disorient her - to no avail.
She's stronger.
She's faster.
She's more skilled.
She's more experienced.
He had no advantage!
'What do I do?!' His mind raced, looking for an answer, as even though his aura drained from the hits that hadn't met his vitals, his face wincing with each blow.
No... he had two advantages over her.
Jaune's defensive posture continued until eventually one of her fists hit him in the solar plexus, Yang's left hand digging into it as his body reflexively bent.
The pain was extraordinary, as his breath hitched momentarily. Yet instead of gasping for air, as expected from a blow to that region.
Instead of his Aura shattering, he roared in protest as his grip on Crocea Mors tightened, "WRAAAAAAAAAAAAAH." Yang's eyes widened in shock, but she wasn't about to get hit by a side swing to her chest. She retracted the left hand that had dug into Jaune's solar plexus and attempted to back away.
Only for her eyes to widen as she felt a firm hold... on her long hair. "YOU FUCKING-" Her words were cut short as she felt herself being pulled towards Jaune, her fist already swinging to block his blade and another to hit his face, and yet-
Indeed, Jaune held two advantages over Yang.
The first was his significantly longer reach, given their size difference.
And the second...
Jaune's jaw was hit squarely by a punch from Yang's left fist, further strengthened by a Dust-fueled shotgun shell hitting him, and in swift motion, his kidney was met with her right fist.
His head wobbled to the side, pain, unimaginable agony coursed through him...
And much to Yang's and everyone else's surprise, there was no indication of his Aura shattering just yet.
Jaune's head wound back, and he hit Yang with a devastating headbutt, his first hit, his grip on her hair never loosening.
His last advantage was... Aura Capacity.
Her head cocked back for a moment, as she was struck with more stupor than pain, her rage growing. "L-LET GO ALREADY!"
'I-If I can't match her, I just have to lower her to my level!' This is the essence of Jaune's plan.
It was on the level of a brutal kiddy brawl, as he held tightly onto her precious hair and attempted to hit her with his fist, headbutt her as much as he could muster amid the excruciating pain.
But it was comparable to a civilian brawling against a professional MMA fighter.
Jaune's fists usually met air, instead of skin, while Yang's punches stuck true with brutal efficiency.
Her wrath permeated the air, yet she seemed to refuse to utilize her semblance even with the minor damage Jaune had managed to induce.
It was a sorry sight for all who watched as the two fighters exchanged blows, as one-sided as the sight was, with a genuine grimace.
And eventually, a knee to his crotch, followed by a sharp elbow to his chin, followed by a gauntlet-induced explosion to his chest, sent Jaune flying, finally allowing Yang's hair to swing wildly at the howling wind, his yellow aura flaring up and shattering like glass.
His body ragdolled through the air, as he rolled into a painful, dirty stop. Lying on the ground with the arena's debris digging into his unprotected skin, scratching him as blood oozed out of his mouth.
Yang drew back her fists as she observed from a decent distance, her snarl lowering to an enigmatic frown as she announced what all had concluded following the shattering glass.
The victory felt hollow for her - there was none of her usual thrill, her excitement. That permanent cheeky smirk.
"It's over." Her words sounded bitter.
Jaune's body shakily rose up, his knees weak.
However, his voice stated otherwise, "No, it ain't."
Much to the astonishment of both the crowd and Yang herself, he trudged as if he were walking through mud towards his blade and shield.
They watched his every movement, and Yang's frustration was made evident. "GIVE IT UP ALREADY! YOUR AURA'S SHATTERED!" She clicked her tongue audibly.
He spat out blood as he turned to look at her with a determined grin, as if he hadn't just been downright embarrassed in this fight. His gaze then turned towards the crowd. The anxious, the excited, the genuinely confused - the whole cacophony of emotions.
His voice bellowed as he shouted for all to hear, Crocea Mors pointed sharply towards Yang. "IS THERE ANYONE HERE THAT CAN CALL HER 'WEAK'?!"
The question left everyone in a stupor, especially Yang.
He repeated, for all to hear clearly, "WELL?! IS THERE ANYONE?!"
His question was met with eerie silence.
He then turned to Yang once more, his determined eyes showcasing a genuine, unadulterated fury and even... contempt.
"ARE YOU REALLY GOING TO LET ALL THAT HARD WORK WASH DOWN THE DRAIN?! HUH!? LEADER?!"
It took but a moment for Yang and the crowd to process the weight behind his words - but only a few truly knew the meaning behind them.
Yang's reaction was immediate. "WHAT WOULD YOU KNOW? HUH?!" Her hair ignited, and her eyes turned red, as her Semblance subconsciously activated. Her face was a complex weaving of anger and despair.
And much to everyone's surprise, following her outcry, Jaune ran towards her, his sword and shield in position.
The fight... wasn't over.
"WHAT I KNOW IS THAT YOU'RE LETTING ALL WASTE AWAY!"
Fearful looks crossed everyone's features as the aura-less Jaune practically ran to continue the fight, his steps extraordinarily loud amid the quietude.
Ruby's shout sliced through the shocked crowd's muteness, "JAUNE STOP!" She burst into motion as she slid off Pyrrha's grip with her semblance, she made her way instantly to the arena's edge, and was about to enter-
"NO ONE INTERFERE! I SAY WHEN IT'S OVER! YOU GOT THAT?!" His tone was an uncharacteristic growl - a voice no one who had known Jaune personally could comprehend the sheepish, kindhearted boy to be capable of.
His run was a wobbly mess, but his determination masked the weakness of it as everyone, Yang included, could watch with muted shock.
Within the crowd, Coco's voice was a hushed whisper towards her teammates, "Let's go. We're done here."
Her teammates met her announcement with strange looks, as she practically turned on her heel and strode confidently through the crowd. "Wait... what?" Velvet's question left her lips.
Coco snorted, an impressed smile on her lips. "We're being used. That Arc brat's got one hell of a pair to do this clever ploy. I like it," She admitted easily enough, her tone radiating amusement.
As her teammates had comprehended her words, the sounds of metal clashing with metal resonated. Yang had met Jaune's almost manic swing with a bewildered frown.
An expertly aimed, yet angered swing met his face. It sounded painful, and with no aura to protect him, so did the crack of broken bone.
Yet, he persisted.
"STAY THE FUCK DOWN!" Yang's uneasy demand sent a pang of discomfort to everyone present.
Jaune's expression turned bloody and began to swell.
Yet, he persisted.
He swung and he swung, "I COULD LIVE WITH YOU NEGLECTING ME!"
Another fist into his gut, making him step back and spit both blood and saliva. "I-I COULD LIVE... WITH YOU NEGLECTING OUR TEAMMATES!"
A kick to his leg, forcing him to bend down.
"I COULD LIVE WITH YOU DISREGARDING YOUR SISTER'S WORRIES!"
Yet, he persisted.
His weapons dropped to the ground with a disturbing clang as he shot up and grabbed onto Yang's wrists. The fists that were growing more hesitant, less forceful at his ugly, swollen expression.
More hesitant as her fists and gauntlets were dyed red with Jaune's blood.
"BUT I COULD NOT LIVE WITH YOU LETTING ALL YOUR HARD WORK GO DOWN THE DRAIN!" His head cocked back, and he headbutted her once more, her aura trembling at the force yet not even close to shattering.
Jaune lost strength in his grip, his body refusing to match his determination as he stood shakily a few feet apart from Yang.
Her breath accelerated as her expression dyed with his own blood from the headbutt. She began to hyperventilate.
Confusion, sorrow, anger, disbelief.
"WRONG, WRONG, WRONG YOU'RE WRONG! I AM-" She shot towards him, cutting herself off as he easily fell to the ground.
She sat on top of his chest, her gauntleted fists swinging wildly onto his face - noticeably weaker than before.
Even so, without an aura, it was a painful ordeal.
Blood sprayed left and right, a tooth or two launched from Jaune's face.
Each swing was weaker, yet more painful than the last.
The crowd's breath was taken away; they wanted to help, but none could move a muscle. Jaune's hand extended towards the crowd, even now in the form of a palm.
He wasn't done. He wasn't...
Yang wasn't done. She wasn't...
Her fists stopped eventually, as she sat on top of his chest, her eyes locked onto his unrecognizable, bloodied face.
His blood sprayed in drops from her fists and face. Resignation crossed her features, as she could only lift her hands and stare at the result of both their actions.
A pang of anxiety, of fear crossed her features. "No... No, no no no no-" She repeated, her panic growing with each syllable.
Only to pause at a soft, almost gentle pat on her hand.
Jaune's voice came out softly, weakly, "Weakness... It's like hair." He fiddled with the words as he spat out a perplexing statement, as Yang felt his hand extend towards her long, yet shorter hair that he had cut himself. He played with the long blonde strands, something that Yang would have usually put a stop to. "Hair grows back if nurtured." He coughed for a moment, as Yang could only stare at him with a gobsmacked lilac gaze, "I-I hope I'm saying it right. But I'd know it best myself."
Jaune mustered all his remaining strength, his weak voice replaced by his usual strong bluster.
His unrecognizable, bloodied mess of a face was managing to form a genuine, sunny smile.
"Ya know? I really want to get to know you, Leader." He meant that with every fiber of his being.
Yang's fists softened as her hand lowered to hold Jaune's mess of a face.
No words left her lips.
She only wept.
Helplessly holding onto his face as her tears streamed down his face, and the blood on her fists dripped on the messy floor.
...
And Alex could only stare, even with more context than the average observer, with similar profound confusion.
"I don't get it."
To Be Continued!
-Author Note Start-
Dayum.
Well, I'll be showcasing only a smidgen of the aftermath of this fight afterwards (Ya know, taking him to get treated.) As for how this affects Yang and how this fight came to be... well, there are hints, and this is confusing on purpose.
I won't linger on this specific plot point too long, since there's more important things in the next chappie and the following ones.
Things happen in the background, and Alex isn't and shouldn't be involved in everything (System does not approve).
Also this helps regarding what will be the situation and status quo with Yang's team plus Jaune.
In any case, hope the chapter's been enjoyable for ya'll and I'll see you later!
New chapter to arrive within 24-48 hours!
Love you! Bu Bye!