It was late. The moon hung high over Beacon, casting silver light through the windows of the academy's stone halls.
Jaune Arc walked them slowly, dragging his feet just a little. His shirt was damp with sweat, his shoulders bruised, and his muscles aching from the intense sparring session with Arthur Pendragon. Still, despite the exhaustion clinging to him, there was a quiet pride in how far he'd pushed himself tonight.
He rubbed the back of his neck, lost in thought, when a voice called out softly from around the corner.
"Jaune?"
He blinked and looked up to see Pyrrha, standing in the hallway that led towards the dorms. Her expression quickly shifted to concern as she noticed his worn-out state.
"Are you okay? Did… did Cardin bother you again?"
Jaune quickly shook his head, waving it off. "No! No, I was just—training. That's all."
He kept his voice casual, but he'd purposely left out the earlier encounter with Cardin. He didn't want to get into it—not tonight.
Pyrrha stepped a bit closer, looking him up and down with a skeptical expression. "You were training? By yourself?"
Jaune tensed slightly. "Why do you assume I was alone?"
Pyrrha flinched at his tone, her voice growing more careful. "I didn't mean anything by it. It's just… Ruby and her team went out into Vale, Ren and Nora were gone too, and… I wasn't with you. So, I figured…" she gave a small, uncertain smile, "well, we're kind of your only friends."
The words landed a little harder than she meant them to. Jaune winced—not because she was wrong, but because she was right.
"Yeah," he muttered, glancing away. "Guess so."
The silence between them was just long enough to feel awkward. Pyrrha stepped forward again, trying to soften the moment.
"If you ever want help training, Jaune… I'm always free. It must be hard doing all of this on your own."
Jaune stopped mid-step. Her offer was genuine, but something about the way it sounded—how easy it came to her, how automatic—irked him.
"Why?" he asked, his voice quieter but heavier. "Do you think I'm not good enough to train by myself?"
Pyrrha looked startled. "No! Of course not—I just want to help. We're a team, aren't we?"
Jaune turned to face her fully now, eyes lowered but clenched in frustration. He knew she wasn't trying to insult him. He knew she meant well. But that only made it worse.
He didn't want to be helped.
He wanted to be worthy.
He wanted to be her equal, not her project.
"If I needed your help," he said, voice tight, "I would've asked."
Pyrrha opened her mouth to respond, but he was already walking past her.
"I'll solve my problems on my own," he added under his breath.
And just like that, he disappeared into the dorms.
Pyrrha stood in the hallway for a moment longer, the dim light catching the hint of sadness in her eyes. She wasn't angry—just... disappointed. Not in him, but in how far apart they still were.
She thought they were growing closer.
She thought she understood him.
But maybe she was wrong.
Maybe she didn't really know Jaune Arc at all.
______________________________________________________________________
Two days had passed since that night.
The sun had dipped beneath the horizon, casting the Beacon training grounds in hues of orange and purple. A breeze carried the evening chill, rustling leaves across the stone paths. In a quiet corner behind the Academy, where students rarely trained this late, Jaune Arc swung his sword again and again.
His arms ached. His breathing was heavy. Sweat clung to his clothes like a second skin.
And yet—his focus was slipping.
"You're thinking too much again," came the steady, commanding voice of Arthur Pendragon, who stood a few feet away with arms crossed.
"I'm not—"
Arthur moved in a blur. With a quick step, he swept Jaune's legs out from under him with the flat of his sword. Jaune hit the ground with a hard thud, grunting as the air escaped his lungs.
Arthur stared down at him with calm eyes. "Don't lie to yourself, Jaune. You're distracted. Your strikes are too wide, your feet are off-balance, and your focus is anywhere but here."
Jaune stayed on the ground for a moment, staring up at the darkening sky. His chest rose and fell in heavy breaths.
"…I had an argument," he said finally. "With one of my teammates. Pyrrha."
Arthur didn't speak—he just listened.
"I think I hurt her. I didn't mean to, it just… happened. I said things in the moment, and I saw the look on her face. It wasn't anger. She just… looked hurt. And I don't know how to fix that."
Arthur sheathed his sword and crouched beside him, his voice calm and steady.
"If you regret your words, talk to her. Explain yourself. Apologize. It's not weakness to admit you were wrong—it's strength. Don't let a single moment of pride tear apart something that matters to you."
Jaune sat up slowly, wiping sweat from his brow.
"I will. I promise I will. But not yet." He clenched his fists. "I want to show her I'm someone who deserves to fight beside her. I want to show her I can be strong. That I'm not just dragging the team down."
Arthur raised an eyebrow, curious. "And how do you plan to do that?"
Jaune stood up, now looking Arthur dead in the eye. "The first step is dealing with Cardin. He's been a shadow over me since I got here. If I don't face him, I'll never grow past who I used to be."
Arthur studied him for a moment, then gave a booming laugh. "Hah! That's more like it." He stepped back, lifting his training sword again. "Very well, my boy. If you're ready to grow, we'll increase the intensity. You'll be feeling this tomorrow—count on it."
Jaune smirked despite his exhaustion. "Let's do it, Master."
~Intermission Brought to you by Chibi Jaune trying to land a hit on Chibi Arthur~
The stars had taken their place in the sky, and the academy grounds were silent save for the distant hum of bullheads flying overhead.
Jaune laid flat on the training field, chest heaving, too tired to move. His sword rested beside him. Every part of his body throbbed with effort.
Arthur stood over him, a small smile beneath his short beard.
"You did well today, Jaune."
He placed a folded piece of paper next to Jaune's sword.
"That's your training regimen. Follow it daily. I've got a mission to tend to—should only take a few days. But I'll know if you slack off. Understand?"
Jaune lifted a weak thumbs-up without even lifting his head. "Yes, sir. Thank you again… Master."
Arthur gave a quiet chuckle and turned away.
He paused once at the edge of the training grounds and looked back at his fallen student. His expression softened.
"I never thought I'd train anyone other than my daughter," he murmured.
Then, with his cloak billowing in the wind, Arthur Pendragon vanished into the night.
Jaune remained on the ground, breath steadying, a quiet fire burning in his chest. The path ahead was still long, but he was walking it—one step, one strike, at a time.
________________________________________________________________________
The scarlet hues of the Forever Fall Forest glowed softly under the morning sun, painting the trees in vibrant reds and oranges. The leaves rustled gently in the breeze, the atmosphere peaceful—almost too peaceful for a forest known to be crawling with Grimm.
Today's Grimm Studies class had moved outside Beacon's walls, with Professor Peter Port leading his students into the wild.
"Now, my dear students," he had declared in his usual booming voice, "we've spent ample time discussing the vicious Ursai—but what good is theory if not paired with practice? Today, you'll be using what you've learned to engage with a real specimen."
He went on to explain how Ursai, those massive bear-like Grimm, had a peculiar fondness for the sweet nectar found only in the Forever Fall trees. It made the area a common nesting ground for them—and a perfect live testing ground for Port's class.
Students were split into their respective teams, with Port overseeing from a safe distance.
Team RWBY disappeared into the trees first, and Jaune caught a glimpse of them as they went. Something was off. They were arguing—or at least, Ruby and Weiss were. Blake looked uncomfortable, and Yang just sighed, hands on her hips.
Jaune didn't have time to worry about them. He had his own problems to face.
Team JNPR stood just behind him. Pyrrha was silent, giving Jaune space—too much space. He could feel the distance between them like a wall. Nora was bouncing on her toes, totally unaware. Ren, however, had been watching everything with quiet understanding.
Jaune cleared his throat. "Okay, guys. Let's head east. I think we'll have better luck that way."
Pyrrha nodded quietly. Ren gave a short hum of agreement. Nora let out a loud, "Yay! Forest adventure!" and skipped ahead.
They moved together beneath the trees, their footsteps muffled by leaves. Ren scouted a few paces ahead, keeping his senses sharp. The tension between Jaune and Pyrrha still lingered, and Jaune hated it. He wanted to say something.
"H–Hey, Pyrrha…" he started.
But Ren's voice cut in from ahead. "I see one. Ursai. Minor class."
Jaune snapped to focus. "Alright. Here's the plan."
He pointed toward the Grimm's location.
"I'll go in from the front to draw its attention. Nora, Pyrrha—you two flank it from the sides. Ren, stay behind me for support."
They nodded. Pyrrha, for her part, didn't question the plan—she just trusted him.
The team moved in unison, their formation clean and purposeful. Jaune stepped out into the small clearing, catching the Ursai minor's attention. It growled and charged, but Jaune held firm, raising his shield and letting it slam against him.
That was the signal. Pyrrha and Nora struck from the sides with practiced precision. A few quick slashes, and the Grimm stumbled and fell, dissipating into black mist.
Before they could regroup, however, a second roar tore through the trees.
Another Ursai charged at them—bigger this time. A Major.
Jaune didn't hesitate.
He ran forward, planting his feet and bracing his shield. The impact rattled through his body, but he didn't falter.
"Nora, Pyrrha! Hit the neck! It's the weak spot!" he shouted.
Nora let out a war cry as she struck with her hammer. Pyrrha followed up with a precise thrust, her spear sliding into the Grimm's side. But the creature didn't go down—it reared back, wounded but not finished.
Ren opened fire from behind, drawing its attention long enough for Jaune to move. He stepped in low and drove his sword up under the Grimm's neck, piercing through the soft tissue.
The Grimm let out one final growl before collapsing and dissolving into the forest air.
"Jaune! That was awesome!" Nora yelled, running over and tackling him to the ground. "Were you training in secret without us?"
Jaune laughed breathlessly. "Something like that…"
Ren quietly pulled Nora off before she crushed him completely.
Jaune turned toward Pyrrha, walking over slowly. His expression was softer now, thoughtful.
"Pyrrha…" he began. She looked up at him, the tension still lingering between them.
"About what I said last time... I'm sorry. I know you were only trying to help. And that means a lot to me, it really does. It makes me happy to know I can rely on you."
He took a breath, steadying himself.
"But… I also want to be someone you can rely on. I want to be your equal, not your burden. That's why I've been training, why I didn't say anything before. I need to face some things on my own. So... please, just trust me for now. I promise, I'll tell you everything. Just… not yet."
Pyrrha blinked. For a moment, she said nothing.
And then she smiled.
"Jaune… thank you. Take all the time you need. I trust you. I always have."
They stood there, smiling quietly—no need for more words.
"TEAM JNPR FOR THE WIN!" Nora shouted, bursting in between them and throwing her arms around both.
They all laughed.
Even Ren cracked a smile.
The sun was starting to lower again behind the canopy, casting golden light through the trees as the team stood together—closer than ever.
A/N: I hope this story is being enjoyed by all of you. I want to create more development for team JNPR. Specifically Jaune and Pyrrha. I don't know if I did a good enough job here but I hope it made their relationship feel a little more developed with it than without. Anyway you'll see me jumping between team RWBY and JNPR for a while longer but I hope Jaune's side of the story will be fun to follow. Thanks again from Author-Kun.