#jnrz origin

[didyoutrydynamite]

So what even is “Renegade Au?”

So people have been wondering what exactly the Renegade Au is, the very short of it is basically “What if Jaune and Cinder bonded during Beacon?” With the exception of a few character changes, the Renegade Au follows closely to the canon story line up until after the Batlle of Haven. (Had to dial Adam WAY back from his original canon writing in order for him to work in this lol In Renegades he’s less of a psychotic abusive ex boyfriend and more like the love child of Prince Zuko and Kevin Eleven.)

This Au was something I used to think about all the time back in the day when Volume Six was just coming out, but I didn’t have the skills or time to write about it. I eventually put it to the back of my mind and eventually was inspired to write JNRZ Au!

The Renegade Au is mentally stored away in eight different parts, and the posts I’ve recently been making with Jaune, Cinder, Adam, and Neo, this takes place in Part 4 smack dab in the middle of the whole story. Now, these are going to be massively edited summaries of the first four parts of the Au, and will be missing a whole lot of certain nuances and important moments, but pretty much give gist of what led up to the formation of the Renegades.

Part 1: Beacon. Jaune and Cinder meet and essentially become friends during the Vytal Festival event of Volume 2 and 3. They have friendly banter, assist each other with training and advice, and even go on a couple of “sort of dates”. Cinder, knowing how this is going to end, makes it clear to Jaune that she's not interested in anything serious. Despite this, they continue to spend time together and almost become intimate at one point. In contrast to the typical Knightfall Beacon narrative, Cinder STILL goes through with the plan, almost blowing it by giving Jaune the “Don’t come to school tomorrow”. The Fall of Beacon still takes place, Pyrrha dies, and Cinder gets annihilated by Ruby's Silver Eyes. The only real major difference is that Jaune is forced to kill Penny on national television instead of Pyrrha. (Does that mean I kinda called it several years in advance???)

Part 2: Wanderers. In this section, the events of Volume 4 and 5 are closely followed as Team RNJR journeys through Mistral while Salem's gang continues their usual schemes. The main focus of this part, however, is on how Jaune and Cinder are coping with the aftermath of the Beacon incident. While Cinder recovers from the effects of the Silver Eyes and trains to master her Maiden powers, she finds that her success is a hollow victory that leaves her with conflicting emotions and a frightening realization that she may never be truly satisfied. On the other hand, Jaune is fixated on the idea of killing Cinder, having honed his Aura-enhancing techniques to the point where he can now start pulling off superhuman strength feats. The story reaches a climax in Part 2 with the Battle of Haven, where Jaune and Cinder engage in a 1v1 fight that tears up an entire wing of the school. Despite ultimately overpowering Jaune, Cinder spares his life, and goes down to the vault to get owned by Raven.

Part 3: Reconciliation. begins right after the Battle of Haven and continues into Volume 6, with a dying Cinder contacting Jaune on his scroll, which she remembers from their time at Beacon. Instead of seeking revenge, Jaune finds Cinder by the riverbed and uses his newly discovered Semblance to heal her. Despite still harboring hatred towards Cinder, Jaune realizes that he felt emptier when he thought she was gone, so he can't bring himself to kill her even when she's at her most vulnerable. In return for saving her life, Cinder offers to help Jaune in any way she can. They make a deal that Cinder will help Jaune find Pyrrha's parents so that he can properly pay his respects and grieve for her passing. Together, they embark on a journey across Mistral, overcoming obstacles and emotional barriers, and having plenty of screaming, crying, and heart-to-heart conversations. Eventually, they find Pyrrha's parents at the southernmost point of Mistral (Instead of Argus this time), where Cinder shares Pyrrha's last words and her own regrets, stopping short of confessing to murdering her. From this moment here, Jaune and Cinder have pretty much given closure to their shared past and have essentially started back at square one.

Part 4: Renegades. This part of the story takes place in Volume 7, specifically during the four or five months skipped over in the original show before Salem's attack on Atlas. It begins with Jaune and Cinder dining in a dive bar for thugs and rogues when news of a record-breaking bounty on their heads, placed upon them by Clay Forester, a creepy and mysterious Grimm Poacher they met and fought during part, who also has a strange fixation on Cinder.bThe entire block erupts into chaos as bounty hunters, criminals, Jaune and Cinder, along with the unexpected aid of Adam Taurus (There to join up with Cinder) and Neo Politan (Originally there to kill Cinder, they cool now though), fight for survival. After the battle, Neo and Adam express their desire for revenge against Team RWBY. Jaune, having just gone on a journey of forgiveness with Cinder, invites them to join him in forming a new team called The Renegades. Despite Cinder's reluctance, they set out on a journey across Mistral, taking jobs for money and supplies while fighting off every bounty hunter, bandit, and monster that stands in their way on their way to Atlas.

Again, this the TL:DR of what’s happened so far in Renegades Au in terms of the posts I’ve shown so far, so there’s a TON of intricate details missing. When I open Asks back up after this Weekend you are all more than welcome to ask me anything you want about this Au.

[didyoutrydynamite]

Do you have a Team JNRZ meet Team JNPR snip somewhere?

Surprisingly, no!

JNPR Jaune: Atlas huh? Did you go there for the weather or something?

JNRZ Jaune: *Sighs* It's... complicated. How is Beacon by the way? Sometimes I wonder what it would have been like to go there originally.

JNPR Jaune: It's... complicated. But luckily I've got my team with me. They've been incredibly supportive since I've spilled the beans on the transcripts.

JNRZ Jaune: ASDFGHJK! What?! You've told them about the transcripts?!

JNPR Jaune: Yeah? Has your team not found out yet?

JNRZ Jaune: NO! How long did you wait before telling them?!

JNPR Jaune: Like... two weeks?

JNRZ Jaune: TWO WEEKS?!?!

~O~O~O~O~O~

Neon: OMG! The Pyrrha Nikos!? Wow, your Jaune really won the lottery getting a partner like you!

Pyrrha: Oh I wouldn't say that. In fact, you could say I skewed the odds into my favor.

Neon: Skewed the odds?? Wait, so you made sure Jaune was your partner? After you just met? Why?

Pyrrha: W-Well, there's no real reason. It's just he caught my interest-

Neon: *GASSSSPPPP* Shut. UP! You're crushing on Blondie?!

Pyrrha: *Deep Blush* H-Huh? No! I wouldn't say crush, it's more of a-a fondness! Yes, a fondness! H-he's just really the first person that's ever treated me differently.

Neon: Huphuphup! Say no more. As Blondie's interdimensional wing woman, it is now my goal to get you some of that Cute Arc Ass. By the time we're done, you're gonna be promoted from partner to Mommy~

Pyrrha: *Even deeper blush* I-I'm sorry!?

~O~O~O~O~O~

Reese: You like blowing up shit too?!

Nora: Heck YES I do! Do you like pancakes?!

Reese: PFFT! It's only the greatest breakfast food ever made besides left over pizza! Ok, on the count of three, say the first thing that comes to your mind. 1... 2... 3...

Reese/Nora: PRANK WAR!

Nora: Did we just become best friends?

Reese: Hell yeah we did! You wanna go prank Cardin till he cries?

Nora: *sniffs* I thought you'd never ask.

~O~O~O~O~O~

May:...

Ren:...

May:... So are we just the quiet ones then?

Ren: ... I guess if we had to put a label on it, yes.

May: ...

Ren: ... This is the most peace I've had in months.

May: I know, I love it. Do you want to get some tea and listen to quiet jazz?

Ren: Oh gods yes please.

[didyoutrydynamite]

Your version of Jaune seems to lean more into the softboy archetype than the original. What made you decide to emphasize those traits?

I mostly emphasize Jaune's "Soft Boy" traits in JNRZ because he's so brand new to the whole Huntsmen world or even the world in general. He's naive and way out of his depth.

In comparison to RWBY Canon, Jaune initially on his first day tries his best to seem like some big hot shot soon to be hero and ladies man, despite actually being a big softie and Momma's little gentleman based on how he treats Ruby Rose.

In JNRZ Au, Jaune immediately gets humbled his first day of Atlas by Roman Torchwick, realizing he can't try and bullshit his way through Bulwark Academy, but instead rely on his more genuine qualities to gather allies and resources to make sure he can just keep up.

He'll slowly grow as the series goes on, becoming stronger, more confident, and less naive. As they say, Jaune will go from "Hello sir, nice to meet you" to "Your daughter calls me daddy too".

[didyoutrydynamite]

How would team JNRZ handle being in a resident evil game? Like RE7?

GOD that would be such a cool ass scenario for JNRZ to be in.

Imagine, JNRZ and Qrow Branwen get an expedition mission to the swamps of Piori, where there has been word of mass disappearances including an entire cargo ship. They go in and find that a mansion has been taken over by a Witch with illusion powers and mind control. This Witch named Evelin has taken over the minds and bodies of the Baker family, forcing them to be her thralls and aide her in her experiments creating a whole new form of Grimm, the Mold, a type of viscous slime Grimm that greatly reduces the difficulty for creating Lycanthropes called the Molded.

Can JNRZ overcome the Witch and her army of mutants? Can the Bakers be saved or forced to be put out of their misery? Will Qrow Branwen ever catch a fucking break? Will JNRZ uncover the secret origins of this madness and the dark truth this swamp holds???

[didyoutrydynamite]

Before Jaune's Semblance was revealed there was a lot of speculation on what it could be. Did you have your own guess, or favorite? How would the story of JNRZ be different if you decided to use that Semblance instead of the canon one?

Man that was a while ago, let me dig through the brain archive... Hmmm I think my idea was mostly based on the Jaune in Cardin interaction back in Volume 1 when Jaune did that solar flash thing?

My interpretation of that originally was that his Semblance was something akin to "Second Wind" or at least alot like an ability that Fighters have in DnD. Basically, my idea was that Jaune's Aura got dangerously low or broke, his Semblance "Second Wind" would activate and do three things, first it would cause a bright flash to stun nearby enemies, second it would restore like half or a third of Jaune's Aura, and third it would heal everything but severe wounds on Jaune. The only big caveat of Second Wind being that once he uses it, he can't use it again for a couple days.

As for how different Jaune would fight in JNRZ, Jaune would definitely be alot more tanky at the cost of support and versatility, he'd have to take a much more Frontline approach to fights and couldn't rely on cunning plans or misdirects for victory as frequently. But that may also mean his fighting skills altogether improve as he spends more time in the thick of the fight.

[didyoutrydynamite]

JNRZ Chapter 1 Rewrite

So this was actually a long time coming. Now that I’ve gotten a little more experienced with writting, I wanted to come back and fix Chapter 1 of it’s errors. If you have the time, please read this and let me know if’s good enough to replace the original. The first chapter is the first impression so I want to make it an even better one for new comers.

~O~O~O~O~O~

There were a lot of possible reasons why Jaune's stomach felt like it was collapsing in on itself.

It could have been about how Jaune had run away from home, stolen his Grandpa's sword and shield, and left his Scroll behind so his parents couldn't contact him. He couldn't risk his dad tracking it and dragging him back home.

It could have been because he wasn't going to Beacon Academy anymore. His "contact" that had set up the forged transcripts for him had said there was a sudden change of plans. Instead of studying at his dream school in nice and cozy Vale, he was now going to Bulwark Academy in the frozen far-off Kingdom of Atlas.

It could have also been part of the fact that the shortest way to Atlas was an overnight flight by airship. It is well known how susceptible to air sickness Jaune was, another dot on the list of Jaune's flaws, right between his natural clumsiness and the fact he looked way too good in a dress.

No matter the reason for Jaune's stomach sickness, he could at least confidently say that his ailment was the reason why he was sitting in his own corner of the airship, with his very own complimentary trashcan and air spray provided by the poor stewardess who was tired of cleaning up the bathrooms after his emergencies.

To say Jaune was in a bit of a sore spot was putting it lightly.

Using his newly acquired weapon of aerosolized flowers to fend off the foul odor of his stomach contents turned trash contents, Jaune couldn't help but stare out the airship ship window of the slowly passing snowy wastes of Solitas, soon to be his new home.

I should have asked for a refund. Jaune thought to himself. I had to sell my entire comic book collection to afford those transcripts and then save up my allowance for traveling expenses. Now I'm going to a school I didn't even know the name of. It was already complicated enough to fake my way through Beacon. Now I have to fake my way into Bulwark past the Atlesian military?

And what did the broker even mean by 'change of plans'? The transcripts for Beacon were already official, so why do I suddenly have to go to Bulwark instead? Something isn't adding up…

Before Jaune could ponder his predicament anymore thoroughly, the airship's speakers crackled to life.

"Good evening, passengers. This is your captain speaking, letting you know that our landing will be in twenty minutes. If you'd look out the left-side windows of the ship, you should be able to see the cities as we arrive. I promise it will be quite the view."

Jaune, realizing he was sitting on the left side anyways, swerved his gaze toward the window. Just as he did, his stomach pains had all but miraculously vanished.

The view was… breathtaking.

As the airship crested the mountaintop, it was as if Jaune was on a whole nother planet.

It was a world where great castles with impossibly high spires and towers rested on floating islands in the air. Held aloft seemingly by nothing but large tendrils of steam that reached out from a gaping maw in the planet's crust, like the mouth of a dragon that threatened to swallow the floating citadel whole.

To the side of this unfathomably wide opening in the ground sat another city, less grandiose in architecture than the one that sat just above, but where the latter was basked in cold elegance, the former begged for a warm embrace. The buildings below were spaced closely together as if to hug each other to better brace against the harsh Solitas cold. The entire city itself practically hugged the steaming crater like a man huddling near a campfire in a storm.

As the broken moon rose higher into the sky, the lights of the twin cities became alight under the already star-speckled sky, further contrasting the two as one glowed an icy blue that matched sprawling icy wastes while the one below emanated a deep orange that reflected off the spiraling pillars of steam, reminding Jaune of roaring blaze.

Jaune couldn't take his eyes off the scene before him even as the airship descended toward the lower city. He knew that Bulwark Academy was situated in Atlas just above, but opting for a direct flight to Mantle instead could save him a lot of money.

Even as the airship landed on the runway, the young knight couldn't help but feel excited. He was really doing it. He had just traveled all this way to become a Huntsman, and by golly, he officially came too far to turn back.

With newfound determination, Jaune took his first step out into the fresh Solitas air, with only one thought crossing his mind…

HOLY COW, IT IS COLD!

~O~O~O~O~O~

So turned out Jaune's treasured Pumpkin Pete Hoodie was not exactly built for arctic temperatures. The light material made it so the jacket could be worn comfortably on warmer days, and when you're in Vale, that pretty much means you could wear it most times of the year.

Luckily the hoodie helped better when actually traveling the Mantle streets. The lower city had an advanced heating system that ran along every nook and cranny, warming the local temperatures to a pleasant chilly day compared to the harsh freezing cold outside the walls.

But even with the relief of Mantle's heating network, Jaune knew his wardrobe was due for an upgrade if he was going to be living in Atlas, which brought him to a clothing shop. Sure, he was already dipping into his limited currency. But he considered the expenses necessary, especially if there was a chance that he was going to work out in the wilderness, where most of the Grimm were, and that's where the temperatures were even lower.

On this shopping trip, he acquired some thicker jeans, a pair of large snow boots, some thick leather gloves, a rather fashionable orange turtleneck sweater, and a brand-new black winter coat with a hoodie. For a last-second decision, Jaune had opted to grab an orange wool knit beanie with a white pattern along the hem, matching the sweater perfectly!

After putting the ensemble together with his white armor overtop, the jacket donned, and sword buckled at his side…

Jaune thought he looked good. Damn good!

He even took a few minutes to try some poses in the changing room to catch all the good angles. He almost looked and felt like a real Huntsman!

The shopkeeper must have thought so too because as Jaune was purchasing the clothes, the lady recommended a nearby Dust Shop, a locally owned place called "Dust to Dust."

Jaune had a basic understanding of what Dust was from science classes at school and the stories his dad had shared. It was like a magical rock that could create special effects when messed with.

Some could create fire, some could generate electricity, and some would even turn into water when shattered. But most importantly, it was something real Huntsmen used all the time.

Even if Jaune wasn't a real Huntsman yet (or even a real Huntsman in Training to be exact), it would help him blend in more if he showed up packing some heat, maybe even some cold and some shocking as well!

Which now brought him out in front of a storefront of a shop with "Dust to Dust" hanging above it.

Adjusting his new clothes to make himself look more official, Jaune stepped into the shop, a bell chime signaling his entrance.

A quick scope of the place revealed several shelves and display cases unsurprisingly filled with an assortment of Dust types in different containers, ranging from plastic vials, shotgun shells, glass jars, and even just whole Dust crystals to be sold. Everything had a bright red tag on the glass depicting "Fire Sale" and "Everything must go!"

A funny thought came to mind as Jaune looked over the establishment. It felt more like a coffee shop than an ammo surplus store. It felt surprisingly warm and welcoming.

"Well, hey there, son! Looking for a refill?"

Speaking of warm and welcoming, Jaune turned to the friendly voice towards the store's counter, behind which stood a tall, dark-skinned man with graying hair and a stylish fedora that he wore as easily as a smile.

"Don't be a stranger now. How can I help you?"

Standing taller, Jaune confidently strode towards the counter, "Thank you, kind sir. I'd like to see your finest wares!"

Nailed it.

The man gave a hearty laugh, "First time shopping for Dust?"

Jaune's stature immediately deflated, "What gave it away?"

"Well, when customers walk in, they're usually looking for something precise. And don't usually ask to see what I just happen to have."

"O-oh…" God, Jaune was already screwing this up! How is he supposed to blend in a school for Huntsmen when he already sticks out like a sore thumb shopping for supplies!?

"Now, now, no need to get embarrassed. A lot of the new kids in the game usually don't have too much experience with Dust. Some just usually focus on the fighting and exercising portion before getting into stuff like Dust Alchemy. I'm assuming you're about to start attending Bulwark?"

"Yes sir! I am. I was hoping to get some Dust before school started so I could… uhm… fit in… better." Jaune admitted rather bashfully, receiving another jovial laugh from the cashier.

"I get what you mean, don't want to be the only one showing unprepared for everything huh? What's your name, son?"

"Jaune Arc sir." Jaune held his hand out towards the man, who it for a strong handshake.

"A pleasure to meet ya, Jaune, people around here call me Charles Coal, and luckily for you, I can help you with just your kind of problem."

Jaune couldn't help but feel reassured, the man just oozed a calming, fatherly nature. He accepted the man's help with a nod. "I would greatly appreciate that. Thank you!"

"Good, now let's start with the basics. What arsenal are you packing?"

"I uh, got this sword." Jaune unsheathed Crocea Mors from his waist, receiving an approving grunt from Charles. "And the sheath is also a shield as well." Pinpointing that fact by expanding out the sheath, revealing the Arc Crest on the shining metal surface.

"Not bad. Does either the sword or shield come with a Dust Feed?"

"A Dust what?"

"Heh, I'll take that as a no. Do you specialize in any kind of Dust usage?"

"Oh yeah, I use… Fire a lot. And some Ice?"

"Son. Have you ever used Dust before?"

"No sir…" 

This was just sad at this point. Not even three minutes ago, Jaune had swaggered in as if he owned the place, yet he seemed to have no idea what he wanted.

"Hey, chin up. It's okay. It's obvious from your weapon that you've never had a reason to use Dust in the first place. There's no shame in wanting to expand your arsenal. How about I do this for you," Charles said as he leaned on the counter with both hands. "I'll hook you up with a sort of 'Starter Pack.' A care package of vials filled with an assortment of Dust types you'll most typically use in the field. You can go through them, experiment, and see what works best. I've got a sale going on, so I can get you quite a bit to work with for a fair price. Sound like a deal?"

Jaune nearly boggled at how great of a deal that sounded! In fact, it'd be perfect! He could show up to Bulwark with a whole stash of Dust that he can learn to use. His neck nearly snapped at how quickly he nodded, causing Charles to chuckle.

"Then it's a deal. Hey, while I get the pack together, how about you check out those paper magazine racks over there? Should be a few magazines about weapon engineering, might help you figure out what you could do next after getting a handle on Dust."

"I think I might just do that. Thank you, Mr. Coal. You have no idea how much you're helping me."

Charles casually waved off the praise, "It's my job, son. Ain't no reason to give me a medal for it. When you're a Huntsman one day, you'll do much more than me to help. Consider this an advancement on your good deeds. Now go ahead, rummage through my stuff while I get the Dust ready for you."

With another polite thank you, Jaune headed toward the magazine racks while he waited for his order.

He picked one at random, turning out to be a natural survival sort of magazine, giving loads of tips and tricks for collecting food in the wilderness. He scanned the pages and pictures instead of actually reading them. His mind was too focused on how excited he was again.

With this Dust, his new winter gear, and his forged transcripts, Jaune had everything he needed to start at Bulwark. He would take his classes seriously, get physically fit, fight monsters, maybe get a cute girlfriend, and go on exciting adventures!

Jaune was going to be somebody!

He was so focused on what possible adventures could await him that he failed to notice the front doorbell chimed, followed by a few sets of heavy footprints rushing in.

BANG!

"Get down this a robbery!"

Jaune held back a surprised scream as he ducked down behind the magazine stands.

Peering from behind the Weapons and Engineering section, Jaune spotted several men with guns and metal pipes. They wore white pants and button-up shirts with gray vests, each wearing variously colored flat caps and white masks of varying cartoonish expressions.

"Back up from the counter, Gramps! If I see one finger reach underneath that table, you'll lose it." Said a tall beefy robber who held a fire axe toward Charles

Charles immediately heeded the man's warning. "Please, I don't have much. Just take what you want and go!"

"Now, Charles, is that any way you greet a customer?"

A tall man walked in, puffing on a cigar and swinging a cane. He wore a red-lined white suit with long black pants and black shoes. His accessories included a small gray scarf, black gloves with buckled sleeves, and a black bowler hat with a small feather tucked into its red band. Unlike the others, though, he seemed to have opted to not wear a mask.

"I know the shop is falling on hard times, but is that any excuse for poor service?"

As he talked and walked towards the front counter, he was followed by a young man dressed in similarly white and gray clothes as the other goons who parted way from their supposed Boss, but what made him stand out was the red-ornate coat that hung off his shoulders like a cape and a black bandana and mask that covered most of his facial features and hair.

"Roman Torchwick." Charles seethed. "I don't share my hospitality with people who don't intend on paying. What's the matter? Bigger fish getting too scary that you now have to pick on small fries like me to get by?"

"Harsh words Charles. But I promise it's nothing personal!" Roman said as he crossed his heart. "Sometimes, a successful criminal like me just wants to take a break from bigger franchise jobs and take from the little guy. Give attention to local smaller businesses so they don't feel left out."

"Wise Guy." Roman snapped his finger towards the tall henchman with the axe and a mask of a frowning face. "Make sure our friend here doesn't try to cause trouble while we work."

"Got it, Boss. I'll keep him nice and friendly."

"Funny Man," Roman turned towards another henchman, who could have been an exact clone of Wise Guy if it wasn't for the darker skin, the smiling mask, and his weapon of choice being a sledgehammer. "Get the others and start gathering the Dust."

"Yes sir, Yes sir!" Funny Man saluted as he giggled and started smashing glass displays.

"Red Roger, secure the back of the shop. Make sure it's only the old man here."

"On it." The young man in the black mask nodded and started toward the back of the shop.

"Chop chop, men!" Roman said as he peeled off one of the red stickers on a broken display case. "And remember, 'Everything Must Go!'"

"Hehe, you said it, boss!"

"Oh crap, oh crap!" Jaune quietly said as he backed up further down the magazine aisle.

This is bad! Jaune thought, What should I do? What would a Huntsman do? He'd try to quietly take them down one at a time, even the odds into his favor, then hit them with an all-out surprise attack… CRAP WAIT! I'M NOT A REAL HUNTSMAN!

As Jaune continued to quietly back up, he failed to notice an extra magazine rack behind him, accidentally bumping into it with his hip, right where his Crocea Mors was…

Click.

With a simple bump, the sheath expanded into its shield form, the force launching the magazine rack down the aisle and the shield right off of Jaune's belt in the other direction. The boy quickly dove for it as it loudly clattered to the ground, picking it up and shushing it like that would feasibly quiet down the noise.

Jaune quickly stood up with Crocea Mors in hand, hoping they didn't hear that. He turned to look as every pair of eyes in the room stood looking directly at him, seemingly stunned in place mid-robbery.

"Uhmm, freeze?" Jaune hesitantly demanded.

Unfortunately for Jaune, not none of the robbers decided to drop their weapons. In fact, he heard what sounded like a gun cocking right next to him, causing him to pale.

"How about you freeze, bruv?" said the henchman designated Red Roger in a thick accent, who held a flintlock pistol point blank to the side of Jaunes head in one hand, and a sharp cutlass in the other. From here, Jaune could see Red's bright green eyes through his mask's eye holes, and he painted his nails black based on the index itching towards the gun's trigger. "No sudden movements, bruv."

All Jaune could do was let out a struggled eep as all the criminals around started laughing, Roman Torchwick applauding as he walked closer to the two.

"Very well done, Red. Looks like you caught us a Huntsman." He took a drag and puffed cigar smoke straight into Jaune's face, causing him to cough. "Trying to play hero, kid? How's that working out so far?"

Jaune felt like he should have had a witty comeback for Roman. But instead, his brain defaulted and opted for the truth.

"Could be going better."

This caused a round of laughter from robbers as more decided to stop their crime to join in on the fun of messing with him.

"Aw, look, he's shaking!" Funny Man chuckled ", What's the matter, pal? Ya nervous meeting such a big star like the Boss?"

"Oh, is that what it is, Blondie? Are you a fan of my work?" Roman snarked as he rummaged through his coat pocket, pulled out a marker, and started writing on Jaune's breastplate. "Here's one to my biggest fan, Twerp. Hugs and kisses, Roman."

Jaune looked down to see Roman's message in fancy handwriting, causing Jaune to blush deep in embarrassment as the criminals started pointing and laughing at him.

"Ha! Make sure to tell your friends, kid! You better treasure that with your life!" said the one called Wise Guy as he patted Roman on the shoulder.

"Heh, and as he should." Roman agreed, then quickly afterward had a thoughtful look crossed his mind as he turned to his crony.

"Wise Guy."

"Yeah, Boss?"

"If you're here, who's watching the shopkeep?"

When Wise Guy didn't immediately answer, all eyes immediately turned towards the counter as Charles' hand continuously pressed the silent alarm.

"Uh-oh."

Seeing an opportunity while everyone watched Charles, Jaune expanded his shield and charged through the criminals.

"CHARLES, RUN!"

In his valiant effort, Jaune managed to get a few meters before he felt someone trip him. Having focused all his momentum on charging, the boy flew across the shop, landing shield first on some soft duffle bags. Duffle bags full of the recently stolen Dust.

BOOM!

~O~O~O~O~O~

Despite all the habitual smoking Roman did, he coughed hard from all the smoke that filled the room.

Unfortunately, his unhealthy habit also did nothing in the way to get him used to loud explosions that nearly deafen your ears, nearly as in the case he could still hear the alarms blaring around him, partially from the store's security system and from the cars parked outside blaring their lights.

Luckily for Roman, these specific car lights did not belong to any police cars, but that didn't mean the streets wouldn't be full of them soon.

"Uncle? Uncle!" said the muffled but familiar voice of his sidekick Red Roger.

"I told you not to call me that on the job!" Roman loudly yelled through his tinnitus, pushing his kid nephew to the side as he stomped over to his overpaid cronies. "And which of you idiots had the bright idea to trip him?!"

His two tallest and beefiest henchman looked at each other, Wise Guy being the first to point fingers.

"It was all Funny Man."

"Oh, you little snitch! Why I atta-."

"And why didn't you just grab him?!" Roman asked as he quickly stomped up to the burly masked man ", Instead of, oh, I don't know, tripping him into our haul of highly combustible rocks!?"

"S-sorry Boss! I had to think fast. The kid got the slip on us."

"Hehe, slip." Wise Guy laughed before getting whacked upside the head with a cane. "OW!"

"Hehe, OW! OW, Ok!"

"What do I pay you guys for?!" Roman yelled as he gave Funny Man an extra smack with his cane for that pun. "Come on! We're leaving before the cops get here."

"What about the Dust, Boss?" Funny Man tentatively asked before getting an angry glare from Roman. "R-Right. Sorry."

The dapper gangster stepped through the front entrance, its front door now hanging loosely on its hinges. He glanced around all the broken glass shattered on the sidewalk and street, looking for a particular Blonde nuisance that he was pretty sure launched through the front windows after the Dust ignited. Roman thought he could loot the twerp's chunky remains for that shiny sword, but no armor-clad salsa was in sight.

Scanning the surrounding street, he did catch a scrawny teenager just limping into an alleyway across the street, a trail of blood following behind him.

Oh no, you're not getting away that easy.

"Unc- Uh, I mean Boss!" Red yelled from the open sliding doors of the white getaway van. "Hop in! We got trouble coming our way!"

Even Roman could determine the sounds of police sirens growing closer. But the man was not nearly finished here.

"Head on without me. I'll meet you guys back at the hideout." Atlas's greatest thief ordered. He turned, adjusted his hat, and strolled down the dark alleyway. "That little hero owes me a goddamn robbery."

~O~O~O~O~O~

Everything hurts.

Jaune's mind raced as he limped down the Mantle alleys, no idea where he was going but forward. He wasn't exactly sure what his condition was. Probably a few cracked leg bones, maybe several broken ribs, a concussion, and quite a few cuts and bruises…

Oh, gods, everything hurts.

He wanted to go home, but he realized now how much of an idiot he was.

What kind of Huntsman couldn't stop a robbery!? How could he ever face monsters when he struggled to take down a few armed robbers alone?

He planned to hobble to the nearest port, purchase a one-way ticket to Vale, and endure the arduous journey back to Bourbon on his hands and knees if he had to. Take the grounding and ass-kicking his mom would give him, and stay in that village where it was safe and cozy for the rest of his life!

"Ohhhh, Sir Knight! Where areeee youuuuu!?"

But first, he had to get away from HIM!

Jaune tried frantically to pick up the pace, but there was only so much his legs could do after that explosion.

His breathing became ragged by the time the alley opened up to a sort of steaming canal. The river was flanked by two raised sidewalks with railings that overlooked the flowing water, melted snow that fell within the heated air of Mantle and drained out here.

The injured knight looked down both ways of the river, trying to quickly determine the path to outrun…

"Didn't your mother tell you not to run with sharp objects?" Roman said with smug satisfaction as he strolled out of the dark from behind him. "You could get hurt, you know. You better hand the expensive-looking sword over before you injure yourself further."

"N-no, my mom didn't tell me that. She'd always tell me, 'Strangers are friends you haven't met yet,' but I feel you'd be an exception." 

That's it, Jaune thought. Buy yourself time, Jaune. Keep him talking.

"I'm hurt. If you'd give me an honest chance, I can show you exactly how swell a guy I can be! How about we start over?"

The thief pressed the tip of his cane down to the ground and gave a deep bow.

"Roman Torchwick, leader of the Candlelight Crooks, The Gentleman Robber, the Trickster of Two Cities, and the Greatest Criminal Atlas has ever known!"

"Uh… Cool. My name is Jaune Arc. I'm uh, about to attend Bulwark Academy, and a fun fact about me is I uh… I have seven sisters!"

As they stood in awkward silence, the sound of rushing water from the canal and distant police sirens filled the air. After a moment, Roman broke the silence, his voice laced with astonishment. 

"Seven sisters? I can barely handle the one I have! You have my sympathies."

Jaune let out a small chuckle. "It wasn't all bad. They annoyed each other just as much as they annoyed me. And at the end of the day, I still love them."

Roman nodded, a wry smile on his face. "Siblings, am I right? Love to hate them, and hate to love them."

Jaune chuckled in agreement. "Exactly."

The two not-strangers shared a quick chuckle, taking a moment to take a trip down memory lane of their antics with their sisters.

"Hm, now that we got introductions out of the way," Roman said as he lifted his cane back toward Jaune. "Hand over the sword and shield, Jaune."

Any good atmosphere they shared vanished for Jaune, tonal whiplash nearly breaking his neck. "W-What?! You can't want it now!"

"I can, and I still do. I've got an image to maintain, and I can't allow myself to walk away from a botched robbery empty-handed. I swear, Blondie, I thought you would be much more understanding about this."

Jaune clutched Crocea Mors harder, "You can't have it."

"Well, then I'm just going to have to take it."

Roman adjusted his grip on his cane to hold it more like a club and started stalking toward Jaune, the boy now seeing no way of running or talking his way out of it unsheathed his sword and expanded his shield, trying his damnedest to get into a fighting stance. Due to his lack of training and numerous wounds, the boy was shaky at best.

Due to the knight's intense nerves, he broke first and went on the offensive with a wild swing. Roman effortlessly parried the attack with his cane, his expression revealing a hint of surprise at the ease of it.

The parry caused Jaune to stumble, who took a few seconds to recompose himself as Roman watched curiously yet cautiously.

Jaune charged in again with a yell, going for a thrust this time. Torchwick rescinded by swinging his cane upwards, redirecting the sword, then jabbing Jaune right in the nose with the end of his weapon.

Jaune cried out, trying to cover his now bleeding nose with his shield hand.

Roman looked at Jaune with wide-eyed astonishment, a cruel smile slowly carving into his face.

"You can't be serious."

The Gentleman thief changed his battle stance into a mocking fencer's stance, twirling his cane like a rapier. "Well, come on then! Engarde Blondie!"

Jaune's legs were shaking, he was starting to feel everything hurting again, and he was getting angrier and angrier. With as primal a yell he could muster, the Huntsman in training charged with reckless abandon, unable to properly swing his sword. Roman immediately smacked the weapon out of his hand. The thief followed up the disarm by delivering an ear-ringing open hand slap across Jaune's face, knocking the boy to the cold ground.

The thief stood in awe and let out a belly laugh, greatly amused by the boy below him.

"Oh, you have got to be joking with me!" Roman let out between laughs. "You're no Huntsman at all! You're probably not even good enough for training!"

Roman sauntered over to Jaune's prone body, placing one foot against the back of the boy's head, pressing it deeper into the mushy snow as the thief wrenched off his shield from his arm.

"Now I know that this doesn't even belong to you," Roman said, brushing off some of the dirt that got on his new shield before figuring out how to collapse it back into his sheath. "All this trouble over a sword you don't even deserve, pathetic."

As Roman walked over to pick up the remaining sword, clipping the shield to his waist, Jaune just laid there, face down in the snow, fading in and out of consciousness.

The words stung. Stung worse than the cuts exposed to the cold air. Roman was right. That sword didn't belong to him, he was no better thief than he was, but at least he could get away with it.

Jaune agonizingly turned his head towards Roman as he leaned down and picked up his sword- no, his grandfather's sword. That sword belonged to a true hero. A man who fought for and sacrificed everything to keep those he loved safe.

It doesn't belong to me…

Jaune watched as the smug bastard pulled out his cigar case, leaning against the railing overlooking the canal. The sight made Jaune clench the snow around him, squeezing so tight his knuckles turned white.

But it sure doesn't belong to him either!

As Roman lighted a cigar, Jaune pelted the back of his coat with a snowball. The thief turned to see him barely standing, blood smearing his face as he held another snowball.

"Give it… back." Jaune growled out.

"A snowball? Really? Why don't you be a graceful loser and lie back down in the snow while I finish my victory smoke? Save yourself from any more trouble."

"GIVE IT BACK!" Jaune yelled as he hurled another snowball, sailing just above Roman's head, and plowed right into his bowler hat…

"My hat!" Roman exclaimed as he attempted to grasp his precious headpiece, nearly barreling over the canal's railing as his fingers grazed the wool felt, just a hair out of reach. The hat was carried away by the Solitas winds into the rushing waters below.

"Alright, kid." The hatless thief seethed. "You want your sword back? You can have it after the doctors pull it from your asshole when I shove it down your throat!"

Clutching his cane, Roman turned towards Jaune to exact his vengeance, in time to realize that the stubborn blonde had rushed in and kicked the thief right in the side where Crocea Mors was…

Click.

As soon as the foot made an impact, the sheath had expanded, the force of the weapon's activated mechanisms causing the shield to fly off Roman's waist as he was launched over the river's railing with a surprised yelp.

SPLASH!

Crocea Mors clattered back to the cobbled stone ground next to Jaune. The boy quickly grabbed his family heirloom, then stumbled over to the rail to see the notorious criminal splashing around in the water. Seeing Roman sputter in the dirty city water caused Jaune to chuckle, which then bubbled into full-blown laughter.

"Atlas's Greatest Criminal, my butt!" Jaune yelled down to the river below. If Roman had any witty remark, it was inaudible through the water he sputtered out of his mouth as he splashed around in the river.

"What's wrong, idiot?! Nothing to say now that you aren't so tough?"

"H-Hel-"

"What was that?!"

"Pffft H-Help! I-I can't swim!"

Jaune watched the helpless thief try his best to stay above water as he digested the information.

"Oh. OH CRAP! H-Hold on! I'll uh…," Jaune looked frantically around him for any other souls who could help until he noticed Roman come up for one last gulp of desperate air before disappearing below the water.

Jaune quietly cursed as he dropped the weapon and shed his backpack before hopping off the railing and into the river below.

~O~O~O~O~O~

The two men gasped for air as Jaune pulled Roman and himself out of the river onto a stone ledge, resting above the water line. Next to them were a set of stairs that lead back to the streets above.

Roman coughed up some water and sat on the cobblestone stairs as Jaune lay on the ground, his body aching too much to stand.

The rescued thief watched his unlikely savior for a few seconds as he caught his breath, before stating the obvious.

"You… saved me."

The blonde just tiredly nodded, staring up at the stone bridge that hung over their little platform, saying nothing and prompting Roman to speak again.

"Why?"

"Huh?" Jaune asked as he slowly sat up, scooting his back to the wall to better look at Roman. "Why wouldn't I?"

"Don't patronize me, kid. I was robbing you of your family heirloom and kicked your ass."

"Yeah, but you were drowning," Jaune said. "Just because you're a huge jerk doesn't mean I'll sit by and watch you die."

Roman studied Jaune's face, looking for any hint of deceit. When he found none, he smirked.

"Dumbass."

"WHAT?!"

"I said you're a dumbass, kid," Roman confirmed. "If you're naive enough to save someone who just mugged you, then this Kingdom will chew you up and spit you out." The thief said as he gestured towards Jaune as he sat soaking wet and beaten black and blue…

"Wait a minute. Why isn't your Aura healing your wounds?"

"My… Aura?"

Roman's eyes bulged as he looked at Jaune like he had grown a second head.

"NO!" the flabbergasted crook exclaimed. "No way. You can't be this dumb. Do you not know what Aura is?!"

"I-I know what Aura is!" Jaune defended as he tried to hide his embarrassment. "My dad is a Huntsman for crying out loud. I know what it is. It's a forcefield, right? It protects you from damage and gives you a superpower?"

Roman facepalmed and sighed loudly. "Look, Blondie, it's more complicated than that, but it's technically correct." He rubbed his chin as he organized his thoughts. "Let's see, how do I explain it. Think of Aura as a sort of energy battery that's in your soul or whatever. This energy can be used to do a few things, generate a forcefield as you said, heal wounds, boost your muscles, and even interact with Dust Crystals. And depending on your Semblance, your superpower, it may have to be powered by your Aura."

"And so yeah, a useful battery, but just like a battery, if you use all its energy, you can't use it anymore unless you recharge it. It can also- so- Yes, Jaune?"

Jaune had his hand raised like a student in class. "How does it recharge? Does it, like, feed off your soul?"

"How the hell should I know? You tell me, aren't you going to Bulwark for this stuff?"

"Y-Yeah, I'm going there because I don't know this stuff."

"And you're going there without your Aura activated?" Roman said incredulously. "Well, hot shot, how did you plan on becoming a Huntsman without your 'force field?' It's a miracle you survived that explosion. How do you think you're going to survive a Beowolf claw?"

"I was hoping to find someone there to activate it," Jaune said non-committedly, the idea sounding half-assed and reckless now that he was saying it. "I'll just have to make it work, I guess."

Roman studied the young man closely before sighing and stood up from his seat on the stairs. "Stand up."

"Huh? Why?"

"I'm going to unlock your Aura."

Jaune stood as quickly as his aching body could. "R-Really? You'd do that for me?!"

"Don't get all soft and mushy on me, Blondie," Roman said as he helped Jaune stand straight. "I'm not one for being indebted to people, especially to idiots. Consider this repayment for saving my life by saving yours. You won't last a day in Bulwark without Aura."

"T-Thankyou! So what do I need to do? Do I need to make a certain pose or-"

"Just shut up before I change my mind."

Jaune's mouth snapped shut, not wanting to let this golden opportunity go to waste. He silently watched as Roman placed a hand on his shoulder and one over his breastplate, just where his heart was.

Then he started glowing orange…

"For it is in our cunning that we shape the world to our will. Through this, we defy all odds and obtain our deserved fame and glory. An eye for an eye and honor among thieves, I release your soul, and by my code repays thee."

It was as if the words flowed into Jaune, sinking into his soul and causing something to burst forth. A white light surrounded him as what felt like pure energy began to flow through his being.

For a second, Roman looked tired, but as he watched the light cast over Jaune, he let out a whistle.

"Not bad, Blondie. You got yourself quite the Aura reserve."

Jaune paid little mind to Roman's words as he looked at his arms and saw his cuts close shut and bruises fade away. He could also feel the energy flow through his bones as they healed fractures and repaired his broken ribs. When the glowing faded, Jaune took in a deep breath and felt…

"Amazing." The knight uttered, now feeling reinvigorated and healed. "This is amazing! Why doesn't everyone do this?"

Roman shrugged, "Several dumb reasons. Some morons believe that having Aura attracts Grimm."

"I-Is that true?" Jaune paled.

"Probably not. Anyways now that I've repaid my debt, I'll  get go-"

"ACHOO!"

The tense silence after Jaune sneezed directly into Roman's face was so palpable you could cut it with a knife. The thief looked perturbed as the knight covered his mouth with utter embarrassment and horror.

"I. Am. So sorry." Jaune began. "I didn't mean to a-a ACHOO!"

Another sneeze came, but luckily he sneezed into his elbow instead of on Roman again, who was now noticing that the two of them were shivering cold.

"Well, this won't do," Roman said, reaching into his sopping-wet coat pockets.

"W-w-w-w-What are you doing?" Jaune shivered as his body started shaking.

"O-o-our clothes are wet and were standing in about 30-degree temperature. I can't officially repay you for saving my life if I let you freeze to death. O-o-open your palm."

Jaune tried his best to keep his arm steady as Roman fished out a vial of red Dust and poured some of it into the young man's hand, instantly warming his palms.

"Now that you have your Aura unlocked, here's a good way to use it," Roman said, pouring the vial into his hand. "Watch."

Jaune did just that, observing how Roman closed his eyes and focused, his Aura around his hand flaring first orange, then red, causing the wet glove to steam. Soon the red light spread throughout his form, covering his entire body until it finally dissipated, leaving Roman Torchwick's stylish clothes completely dry.

"Whoaaaa," Jaune said in amazement. "Was that your Semblance?"

"Nope. That was Fire Dust." Roman answered smugly. "And now it's your turn to try. I want you to remember the energy you felt when it first flowed through you. Think hard about what it exactly felt like. Then I want you to focus that feeling on your hand that's holding the Fire Dust. Then when you feel the energy growing, imagine that feeling spreading from your hand across your body. Like water droplets in a shower, or slowly submerging into a swimming pool."

Jaune nodded, took a deep breath, then focused. He imagined the warmth that first spread over him and imagined it all in his palm, growing brighter and hotter. It began to feel intense, like putting his hand near an open flame. Before it got too much, he imagined the heat spreading evenly along his entire body, basking him in what felt like a hot summer's day.

As he felt the heat of the Fire Dust runout, he let his Aura fade with it. After a moment of feeling himself up, he discovered himself to be completely dry and toasty!

"Nice job Blondie!" Roman clapped in approval. "You're a pretty fast learner! I was ready to laugh as you blew yourself up again, but you got it in one shot."

Jaune couldn't help but chuckle, "Too bad. But really, thank you, Roman. You know, I think you'd make an awesome teacher!"

"Oh really?" Roman smiled. "Let me teach you one last lesson about Aura before I leave."

He placed a hand on Jaune's shoulder. "So you know that Aura can be applied as a force field, but I bet you didn't know you had to consciously activate it for it to protect you."

"Really?" Jaune asked. "So it doesn't automatically protect me?"

"Nope, for example..."

Next thing Jaune knew, Roman had swung his leg and kicked him right in the groin, causing him to bowl over on himself and lay on the ground. As Jaune coughed in pain, he squinted up at his teacher.

"W-why would you do that?!" He groaned.

"Don't think I forgot how you botched my robbery, kid. That was payback for all the trouble you've caused me." The thief crouched down and riffled through Jaune's pockets for his wallet. "And this is to cover the expenses for a new hat, jerk."

Jaune continued to clutch his privates as Roman walked towards the nearby stairs, whipped out a cigar, and lit it, letting out a satisfied sigh as he breathed smoke.

"Consider this your final lesson for the day, Arc. This Kingdom feeds off the naive and trusting schmucks like you. If you wanna make it big, you gotta play dirty. And if playing dirty doesn't work, get nasty." With another puff, the infamous criminal turned and smiled at Jaune.

"I expect big things from you, kid. Don't you dare disappoint me." With those words, Roman began his assent of the stone stairs towards the streets of Mantle, yelling back towards Jaune some final parting words as the boy's Aura slowly repaired his nuts.

"Oh, and by the way! Welcome to Atlas!"

[didyoutrydynamite]

World of Remnant: Grimm Eclipse

A long time ago, I made a post on Grimm Classification within the JNRZ Universe, which you can read here using this link ( here ). In this post, there is a certain detail I would like to expand upon, a certain recurring event known as “Grimm Eclipses”.

No one knows where Grimm originally came from. Their malice has plagued humanity as long as the first texts of history were written, so it is no wonder there are so many legends and records surrounding these creatures of the dark.

Amongst these stories there is a recurring phenomenon, horrible that rivals the worst natural disasters of history. Disasters so great, it has wiped out dozens of forgotten civilizations and countless lives, an event they call, Grimm Eclipses.

Grimm Eclipses are occurrences of mass Grimm migrations that occur at the awakening of Nephilim Class (Colossal Type) Grimm. To quote the original Grimm Classification post, “Nephilim Class Grimm will find a secluded spot far from civilization and go into a hibernation state that lasts for years, sometimes decades, possibly even centuries. - Eventually, Nephilim wake up from their slumber and will leave their nesting grounds, and lead gigantic hordes of Grimm towards nearby Settlements.”

The leading theory on the reasoning behind these “Awakenings” is that these Nephilim Class Grimm sense large concentrations of negative emotions in densely populated areas, mostly towns, cities, or battlefields. This is backed by evidence of increased Grimm Eclipse occurrences during times of war. Ever since the ending of the Great War and the founding of the Huntsmen Academies, the number of Grimm Eclipses have dropped from as high to 3-4 events a year to as low as a single event every 2-5 years.

No one Grimm Eclipse has ever been the same, each being led by a unique variant of Nephilim Grimm, leading to their naming rule. While hurricanes are named after people, Grimm Eclipses are named after their Nephilim. To use some RWBY canon examples, the Fall of Beacon was led by the Wyvern, therefore it would be named “Eclipse Wyvern”. The attack on Argus in Volume 6 would be known as “Eclipse Leviathan”. And the Fall of Atlas in season 8 would be known as “Eclipse Monstra”.

Whenever a Grimm Eclipses begins, the Nephilim will wake from its slumber and begin it’s migration towards the nearest settlement. The length of these migrations can range anywhere from hours to weeks depending on the distance. Along the way, every Grimm near the Nephilim will join in it’s migration, creating an absolutely massive horde of monsters for the  upcoming destruction.

Grimm of every classification have a role within Grimm Eclipses to an unsettlingly organized degree, almost that of an organized military force. Mavet Class (Predatory Types) make up the bulk of the Grimm forces, acting as the main infantry and fodder, while Shedim Class (Dweller Types) make up the rearguard and support elements. Within settlement walls, Mazzikin Class (Vermin Type) act as scouts and saboteurs while Dybbuk Class (Sadistic Types) act as assassins or vanguard. At the center of it all will be the Nephilim acting as the central command, leading the swarm in its crusade of death and destruction.

[didyoutrydynamite]

Actually relating to the latest ask would zoo’s in the JNRZ be equipped to handle Dire Beasts?…like say a polar bear encase it can’t be returned to the wild

Depends on the animal and the zoo. If it's anything bigger than an large elephant then they won't have the space. And it also greatly depends if they have the appropriate enclosure matching their original environment or meet the necessary dietary needs.

You have to understand, Dire Beast are not built for life behind a glass. They last a fraction of their original life time from the stress and lack of space. The only times Dire Beasts have been tamed and lived among humans happily are when they are provided wide open spaces away from the city, preferably in their natural environment.

Owning a Dire Beast is illegal in Atlas not just because they're dangerous, it's because more often then not it leads to them living an unhappy and unhealthy life in captivity.

[didyoutrydynamite]

If any ships were confirmed (like jaune x neon) would they be doing anything special for Halloween

Oh most definitely. In Jaune and Neon's case, it would pretty go along with the original plans of the night they had with the rest f JNRZ, (Trick or Treating then Costume Party), but would deviate near the end of the night with the couple splitting parting ways with their teammates and going back to the Katt Residence, having them some kinky costume roleplay. (Two immortal enemies, two monsters of the night, a Vampire and a Werewolf release the beast in a night of bloodlust and passion!!)

[didyoutrydynamite]

Yo, a question from one author to another author. How do you blend new RWBY material with your story especially when it contradicts your story? Like what if the parents of Jaune will be revealed and are completely different from your interpretation. Gotta ask for your take because V9 Ep 5 is 'disrupting' my timeline hahaha

Hmmm, well if its new canon info thats effecting stuff you've written in the past, then honestly I wouldn't worry about it. Its the material you were working with before and its still part of YOUR story. So I'd say ignore it and continue how you originally wanted it to go.

For example you provided, I would never for a second believe that Jaune's mom in Canon was ever the arch nemesis of General Ironwoods. If they ever give her an official appearance in the show, I'll think its nice to see she got some screen time, but I would still keep my Charlotte Arc as she is in JNRZ, especially since her relationship with Ironwoods is a huge catalyst of future interactions between Jaune and Ironwood later in this Au.

In the end, you just have to remember its fanfiction, as in you the Fan is in charge of your story. If you want to keep it as close to Canon as possible, then you'll have to roll with the punches and really think about what changes you need to make. But if its getting in the way of you being able to tell the story you want to tell, I say ignore it and have fun with it.

[didyoutrydynamite]

So I've got to ask why: these four specifically? We know Jaune pretty well, and we got a sample of Neon through V2 and V7, but we know basically nothing about the other two girls. What inspired picking them over, say, Sun or Neptune?

Now this is a question I had to reflect on.

It all started over four years ago when I came across a fanfic titled "Shake your Foundations" by Meinos Kaen. Basic summary of the plot is that Ozpin and Ironwood hatch a plan to spy on the most suspicious students from all four schools by putting together on a pseudo-team. This team is formed by Jaune Arc, Reese Chloris, May Zedong, and Penny Polendina, acting as eyes and ears for Ironwood. With the four of them together, they decide to form band. (I would recommend checking it out, but It only has two chapters. But check their other stuff! Apparently they made that JDPE fan game.)

Anyways after reading the story, I couldn't help but think to myself "I kinda wish they went with Neon Katt instead." Which then lead to me thinking about the absolute chaos a team like that would cause. Not to long after that though, I sort fell out of love with the RWBY show for a while, then on and off again just for the fanfiction. I then rediscovered that I had written a first draft years ago for a Shake your Foundation Rewrite, with Neon Katt instead of Penny Polendina.

So after remembering JNRZ vs. The World (That was their band name), I started pulling up their Volume 3 pictures and placing them next to each other and realizing "They look really good together. Why is this working so well?" So seeing as I would never find fan art of the four of them together in the wild, I had some art commissioned and shared it with the world.

It was when I read the feedback that I sort of realized, people saw there was something charming about the four of them together, that there is something here, potential if you would. The four of them together gave off an energy and aesthetic I personally like to dub "When you gotta kill monsters at 12:00, but then meet the squad at the arcade and skatepark at 1:00." AKA, they look like real teenagers.

I instantly fell in love with the idea of a group of misfits that have no business saving the world having to rise up to the occasion and do just that. That Konosuba energy especially came across in the second piece Mission: Complete that people went bananas over. Suddenly people were begging for fanfiction for it, so I thought myself, "Well at least I should give it a try."

So here we are, leading my own project with a surprising amount of support and encouragement backing me up. This is why I want to give you all the best story I can possibly give because for whatever reason, you all see the potential behind JNRZ as well!

[didyoutrydynamite]

So dove what were your initial thoughts of your team?

Dove: I was initially worried about the team when I first met them. I always knew I was going to have to bring them along on my journeys, so seeing the twins constantly bicker and Nadir's skittish behavior made wonder whether they'd be good for a life of adventure.

But now I can say that I was wrong. I've never met some who's more intuned with nature than Octavia, Nadir is endless well of insight for art and culture, and Nolan's mechanical skills have saved us quite a few times! I couldn't have asked for better companions.

[didyoutrydynamite]

World of Remnant Concept 2: Corrupted Dust AKA Ash Crystals

So a while back I did a post on a concept thought that was cool and would have made the JNRZ's Remnant more fantastical, you can check out the original post here.

Anyways I am now back with another installment of World of Remnant, and this week we're talking about the strange yet fascinating natural phenomenon know as " Corrupted Dust" or "Ash Crystals", an incredibly rare form of Dust that can only be harvested from Grimm remains.

On their quests, Huntsmen will sometimes come across powerful Grimm that have learned to scavenge or even grow Dust on their bodies, and harness the elemental powers they contain. Some examples of these type of Grimm include...

Enmity: Grimm with hulking strength that will consume Electricity Dust to boost their speed and attacks.

Wickermen: Tree-like Grimm that will plant Fire Dust within their open chest cavities to set themselves ablaze and gain the ability to throw fire.

Geists: Geists will once in a while posses boulders that contain Dust Deposits, adding their elemental energy to their arsenal.

Once defeated, the Grimm will disintegrate and leave behind their 'bones' like every other monster, but with in their skeletal remains you will find what looks like glowing burnt embers of a campfire.

This charcoal like material is the result of an alchemical reaction between the Dust Crystals incubated within the Grimm, and the black essence that disintegrates upon it's death, creating a new type elemental energy source know as Ash Crystals.

The color and elemental effect of each Ash Crystal depends on what type of Dust was present during transformation. The Ash will glow the same color as the it's original source, but the elemental property becomes a volatile "corrupted" version of that parent element. So far there has been only eight types of Ash discovered in the field.

Water Dust > Blood Ash: Instead of water, the Ash will create fresh blood, oddly enough, if the Ash is broken with in a person's hand, the blood will match that person's blood type.

Air Dust > Void Ash: Instead of a burst of air, the Ash will create a concussive vacuum that will instantaneously remove the air within it's area of effect. This usually creates the sound of a thunderous clap as air quickly refills the vacuum.

Earth Dust > Erosion Ash: Instead of rocks, the Ash will weaken the integrity of all solid earth like material, sometimes disintegrating it to dust. This Ash will also quickly rust away any metal it comes into contact with.

Fire Dust > Radiation Ash: Instead of fire, the Ash will release dangerously high levels of radiation upon activation. Arguably one of the most dangerous forms of Ash, the effect of it's radiation is only a fraction as long lasting as it's real world counterpart, but prolonged or intense exposure to this radioactive energy can prove to be fatal.

Plant Dust > Fungus Ash: Instead of plant life, user can create fungus and mold that will quickly infect and decay organic matter.

Ice Dust > Acid Ash: Instead of freezing things solid, this Ash will corrode most organic matter and some metals into a puddle of liquid.

Electricity Dust > Polarity Ash: Instead of pure electricity, Polarity Ash produces electromagnetic energy. If used against metal, the Ash will magnetize the material so other metals and magnets can stick to it. If the Ash is crushed in a persons unarmored hand, or destroyed in mid air, it will create a small EMP blast that will temporarily knock out all nearby electronics, or even completely fry circuitry if detonated with enough energy.

Gravity Dust > Singularity Ash: Instead of creating gravity wells, this Ash will temporarily cause gravity to collapse in on it self, creating a small black hole that will destroy all matter within it's reach. Even though these last only for a few scant seconds before ceasing activity, it's effect can be incredibly catastrophic on it's surroundings. Easily considered the most dangerous of Ash Types.

[didyoutrydynamite]

300th POST SPECIAL & JNRZ AU DESIGN SNEAK PEAK!

JNRZ Jaune Arc! Looks simple right? That’s because my design philosophy going into this for the  Team JNRZ Year 1 designs was to keep them as close to the original designs as possible, but as a winterized version of it!

Jaune by far has the simplest changes. I had his Pumpkin Pete hoodie with a heavier leather hoodie because I like the headcanon that the original was more a spring time hoodie, explaining why he wore it all the time no matter the weather or environment, except when he had to get rid of it when went to Atlas in the show! I also gave him a rather fashionable orange turtleneck sweater t wear under the leather for extra warmth. Gave him some big ass snow boots for the local terrain. And finally to literally cap it off with what many of you will recognize as the Ice Queendom Beanie! This was added because honestly it looked cute. (Plus May now has a beanie bro!)

The rest of the designs for the girls will all be released together at a later date, this is just a sneak peak of what’s to come and what to expect.

The concept art you see before you was made by the wonderful Feerocomics who can be found deviant art! Has a whole TON of My Hero Academia art so go check him out!

HAPPY 300th YOU PSYCHOS!!!

[didyoutrydynamite]

It’s the Rwby version of Christmas, each member of team JNRZ is dead broke, but still managed to get something small but meaningful for each member of the team. What did they get and how do they react?

It was another cold winter for Atlas, but that didn't mean it was dark and dreary. No, quite the opposite in fact, for around this time of year was a time of festivities, for a local holiday known as, "Shawcrossmas".

The origins of Shawcrossmas goes far back in Atlas's history, all the way back to the first winter for the settlers of Mantle, as cold as it was unforgiving. Much of the construction still needed to be done, the food supplies were running low, and most people were losing hope of making it on the harsh continent of Solitas. When things were at it's bleakest, something amazing happened. In one of the cottages in the village, there was suddenly a new member of the community, the first baby born in Mantle.

This child belonged to the Shawcross family, a pair of young newlyweds who came along on the expedition to make a better life for themselves and now, their newborn daughter, Carol Shawcross.

It is said that news of this birth had given a surge of hope to the men and women of Mantle, giving them the energy they needed to fight through their first winter, eventually causing the settlement to bloom into a vast kingdom, all thanks to the Carol Shawcross, the Northern Light of Solitas. Now every year on the anniversary of the baby girl's birth, the people of Atlas celebrate in honor for the perseverance of their ancestors and give thanks for the family they hold dear.

Both Atlas and Mantle were in celebration, even though Shawcrossmas wasn't for another week, Winter Break had officially begun. School was out, kids and teens alike were finally able to bask in their long awaited vacation. This break even included the Huntsman Academies, young warriors of the future had to have their time off as well, same as everyone else.

And there was one Huntsman Team that planned to start it off in style.

In a certain apartment complex in Mantle, in a certain abode owned by one Miss Flora Katt, Team JNRZ were hosting their first Shawcrossmas party just for the four of them! Seeing as everyone was going to be home for Winter Break, they decided to have one last get together and celebrate the holiday a bit early.

The whole apartment was decorated in cheap holiday decorations, complete with tassels, hanging paper snowflakes, and old Shawcrossmas lights that Reese had to rewire herself. They had even managed to find an old pine that barely had any branches on it left, yet found home in the Katt residence, now donned with a few old dusty ornaments.

Despite their shortage of money, Team JNRZ had acquired a surplus on food and drink! On their way here, they were stopped by quite few thankful people, people that the young students have helped in the past at one time or another ever since starting school. Tons and tons of holiday cookies had been handed to them on the street, so much that the team had to give away half of them, but thankfully making a group of kids day. Tucson had given them Miner's Moonshine Vodka straight from the Solitas frontier villages which was going to find some great use tonight. They even managed to score another one of Ms. Jolicoeur's famous casseroles! Jaune really thought they should find a way to thank her, she was always so nice!

"To new friends and new opportunities!" Jaune toasted, with his team mates gathered around him in the apartment's living room.

"To asses kicked and bad-asses made!" Reese toasted looking at each member.

"To hearts broken and loves lost." Neon playfully swooned, eliciting a giggle from her friends.

"And to our hard earned successes and battles yet to come!" May proclaimed, raising her mug with the others.

"To Team JNRZ!" toasted the four huntsman and huntresses in training, clinking together their ceramic mugs and taking a drink of their spiked dollar store hot cocoa.

"Alright enough of that!" Reese after taking a huge gulp of chocolate, "It's present time!"

"As Team leader, I will go first." Jaune proudly said, retrieving the bag he had brought with him to this little get together. Team JNRZ had been strapped for cash this winter, having to use most of what they managed to earn to either buy weapon upgrades, restock gear, waste on lavish meals, and cover damages they may or may not have caused. So the four of them decided to secretly draw names and buy one person within the group a present. And for the first annual JNRZ Shawcrossmas gift exchange, Jaune walked up to one particular girl…

"Merry Shawcrossmas, May!"

The group's sniper smiled and graciously accepted the gift. "Merry Shawcrossmas, Commander."

May carefully opened the paper hand bag and finds what appears to be- "A blanket?"

The statement seemed to have just made Jaune more excited. "Not just any blanket! Open it up!"

Upon his request, May stood up with the maroon colored blanket, letting it unfurl to the floor. Now able to get a better look, May finally noticed what made this blanket so special causing her to uncharacteristically gasp with glee.

"Jaune! Are those-?"

"They are! I added sleeves to it!" Jaune excitedly confirmed her inquiry, the long cloth tubes hanging out the side of the sleeved blanket now obvious to the others. "I borrowed Headmistress Cordovin's sewing kit to put it together. Try it on!"

Not needing to be told twice, May carefully slinked her arms through the sleeves… and stepped into a whole new world of comfort and warmth. It was as if the ghost of Atlesian Winters had finally released it's grasp on the poor desert dweller. Her knees buckled beneath her as she fell back onto the living room recliner, using her now free arm to move and pull out the legs and reclined back and let out a loud satisfied sigh.

With her chair fully deployed, May curled up in her new present. The girl had only one thing to say.

"Holy shit."

This caused Neon to snort, further causing everyone to laugh. May usually would have blushed at being the center of such attention, but she was too damn comfortable.

"Thanks Commander." The sniper sighed as she sunk deeper into her warm cocoon.

"Hey, hey, hey!" Reese loudly said to the sniper. "We still need you back down here on Remnant, May! You gotta give out your present!"

The sniper lazily lifted her arm towards the coffee table. "It's in the manila envelope right there, it's for you."

Reese gasped and quickly grabbed the envelope, immediately ripping it open with reckless abandon, all with an excited grin on her face. The skater slipped her hand into the packaging and slowly slid out what seemed to be a single piece of paper. The more that was revealed to her, the wider and wider her grin became before she squealed with excitement, tossing the envelope away and holding the paper in two hands.

"AAAAHHH! Guys! Guys! Guys! Looklooklooklooklook-!" Reese repeatedly chanted as she faced the paper towards Neon and Jaune."

"Wanted, Reese D. Chloris." Jaune read aloud.

"Guilty on all accounts of being the Baddest Bitch in Remnant?" Neon continued.

The piece of paper in Reese's hand was sure enough, a Wanted poster for her. The picture was a black and white photo of the skate punk, scrunching her face up, sticking her tongue out towards the camera, and throwing up gang signs. It included her bio information, last whereabouts, nicknames, every possible detail a bounty hunter might need to track the supposed criminal down.

"Whoa." Neon said, clearly impressed. "This thing looks almost legit!"

"It almost is." The comfortable ball of warm lazily stated. "I asked my father to make it at his police station. That is as close to a genuine wanted poster you can get without legally putting a bounty on Reese. But that didn't stop him from putting a number though."

"Five trillion lien!" Reese cheered "HA! That's even higher than Torch-Bitch! Oh this is so going on the wall when I get back from vacation! You're the best, Mayday!"

May, from the comfort of her recliner still nursing her cocoa, nestled within in her new blanket cocoon, simply replied. "I know."

After carefully placing her wanted poster away, Reese came back to the group with her hands behind back.

"Neon?"

"Yes~?"

"Close your eyes!" Reese insisted, causing Neon to do just that and hold her hands out. It wasn't until the party girl felt some weight in her hands did she open them up again.

Resting in Neon's palm was what looked like a walkman, retrofitted with new components and a bright neon paint job. Where the cassettes would usually go was replaced by a small computer screen.

Neon inspected it a little more before asking. "Did you make this?"

"Yeah, just something I cobbled together." Reese nonchalantly asserted. "You see I started by ripping out the PSG out of this old gaming console, I'm talking 8-bit era stuff, and fitted it into that walkman. Ripped a few things out of that, then used an old touchscreen display to replace the controls, so now 'Wala' you have your very own Chiptune Machine!"

"Chiptune?"

"Hell yeah! It's like early electronic music, kinda stuff you hear in arcade machines? Try it out! I already got one song on it that I know you're going to love!"

Upon turning it on, it started playing a chiptune song, it's beats and synthesizer instrumental formed a symphony that the girl immediately recognized, "Is that 'Neon'?!" the party girl inquired, receiving an enthusiastic nod from her punk bestie.

It was no secret within the group that there was one particular song that had a special place in Neon's heart, hell she was named after it! Her mom had always told her that it was her comfort song during the early years of motherhood, having to grow up too fast and raise a daughter on her own, so she always listened to an old club mix called 'Neon' by C.L.W. When it came on, she would imagine the day her daughter grew up to be as happy and confident as the girl in the song.

Neon was now bobbing to the artificial drum and swayed side to side at the electronic melody, coming together in an incredibly cute version of a beloved song. Before the song even finished, Neon bubbled over with mirth and hugged Reese.

"This is awesome! Thank you!"

"No prob. Let me know when you wanna add more songs. I know this guy that makes 8-bit tunes of all the popular stuff!"

"Totally!" Neon accepted. "Now then, I believe that leaves one more gift exchange~"

With a hint of excitement in her voice, the faunus turned her gaze on the last person yet to receive their gift, a now suddenly somewhat nervous Jaune Arc.

"Should we give you two the room?" Reese asked hesitantly

"Huh?"

"No you don't!" Jaune quickly blurted "Right? Neon?"

"Yeah? Why? What do you guys think I'm gonna do?"

"I'm not moving from this chair," May stated, "So please behave yourself or take it somewhere else."

"Behave myself?" Neon scoffed, "Oh. OH! What? You think I'm just gonna get freaky with Jaune right here in the name of the Shawcrossmas spirit or something?"

She was met by a moment of awkward silence with her teammates.

"REALLY!?" Neon practically shrieked.

"Seriously? No." Jaune answered. "Just to mess with me and get a reaction? Yeah."

"UGH! Fine! If you're so worried, what if I promised that I actually got you something?"

"Promise?"

"Yes! I promise! Damn, I'm not that bad am I?"

"No, no, you're right." Jaune reassured softly, attempting to defuse the situation. "I'm just still reeling from the Halloween incident."

Neon took a second to remember what exactly went down a few months ago, before she let out a laugh. "Hahaha… Yeah, sorry about that, but you gotta admit, that was a pretty sexy costume~"

"So you got me a present?" Jaune quickly asked, changing the subject.

"Totally! I got you this!" Neon smiled, pulling out a silver bell from her skirt pocket, much like one she wore on her collar all the time. "Remember? Twinsies~?"

It took Jaune a second to remember her quip from a little while back, something said in passing during an intense fight. Did she really keep that conversation to heart? "Wait. Did you get me a collar as well?" he asked somewhat hesitantly, causing Neon to laugh.

"No. As stylish as you already are, I don't think a collar would mesh with your unique taste. You could just put on a keychain or something."

A soft smile spread on Jaunes face as he nodded, taking out his key chain and placing it right on the spot next to his Pumpkin Pete charm, the highest honor one can bestow. After the bell was set in place, the knight held it up and gave it a little ring.

"This is great Neon than-Ow! Ow! Ow!" Jaune pained, suddenly having his ear pinched and pulled by his gift giver.

"That's for thinking that I would ruin a perfectly sweet moment just to mess with you!" Neon huffed, looking rather crossed with her leader.

"Ow! Okay! Okay! I'm sorry!" Jaune apologized until she suddenly leaned in and he felt something pillowy and soft press against his cheek.

"... And that's for everything else, Blondie." smiled Neon, a slight blush on her face as she gave him her signature man-eater wink. Jaune's cheeks were bright red as she let his ear go.

Sudden hacks and dry heaving sounds came from across the room as Reese pretended to hold back a tide of vomit. "Eugh! Warn me next time you're gonna do that so I can look away."

The mocking dry heave caused Neon to glare at the skater punk before it turned into a predatory smile. "Oh~? Is someone feeling left out? Well let me spread the love then!" The faunus crouched down and before Reese could even question what she was doing, Neon pounced on her from across the room.

"AH! Jaune! She's killing me! She's got me!" Reese panicked as she fought off her assailant.

"Don't be such a drama queen Spearmint! Tis the season!" Neon cackled, giving her teammate some holiday affection. The two of their antics caused their leader to boastfully laugh.

All the while, May sat in her comfy chair, shrouded in her new warm blanket, drinking a nice hot cup of spiked cocoa, while enjoying a great view of two cute girls wrestling with each other on the ground. Truly, if there was a promised paradise in the afterlife, this must be it.

'I love Shawcrossmas.' May thought to herself as she took another long sip.

[didyoutrydynamite]

Think I've found Sun's JNRZ AU design.

Art originally made by DashingIcecream.