A/N: I apologize for the metric ton of text you're about to read before we even get to the story, but there's a lot of information you need to know. If you think I missed anything important, feel free to leave a review and I'll answer it in the next chapter. PMs work as well, of course.

First, this story starts right after initiation; this was arranged so that Jaune had no time prior to Beacon to get used to his Semblance. Sadly for him, this comes with the side effect of his first impressions being set in stone: he threw up on Yang's shoes, failed to impress Weiss, got picked by Pyrrha because he didn't know of her, etc. He's got to figure things out as he goes.

Second, the power scale. So many Gamer Jaune stories have him as a physical god compared to canon. "Jaune sneezed, so the city block got destroyed." None of that here. The Jaune in this story has no secret ties to past royalty, nor is he a reincarnation of some divine being; he's just a guy that faked his way into Beacon, and the Remnant Gods said, "Hey, you know what would be funny?" Every character is written as faithfully to canon as I can manage given the setting, Jaune just has a boost.

Next, romantic pairings: I'm keeping any and all pairings a secret at this time for multiple reasons. The easy reason is for the mystery of it; the slightly more complicated reason is that while I have a main pairing I'll be going for, I'm leaving it open to change in case the narrative transforms into something that won't allow said pairing. The only things I can confirm about this topic is that there won't be a harem (because I don't think I can write a convincing poly-amorous relationship) and that it will not be Jaune/Velvet (because I just finished writing one such story, Picture Perfect.)

Lastly, this story is rated T for now, but is subject to change to M later on down the line.

Finally, let's get started! Have fun!

X

Exhausted from the long day, I jumped face first onto my new bed and pillow. Around me I heard the sounds of my new teammates doing what I just did, causing me to chuckle into my pillow. Team JNPR; that was team that I'd be a part of for the next four years, maybe longer if they connected well with each other.

"...Team JNPR, led by Jaune Arc."

My mirth disappeared and was replaced by a shade of panic. What had Ozpin been thinking, making me the team leader? Were the forged papers I submitted that good? I made a mental note to both hug and slap the guy I paid to make them.

As I stewed in my own thoughts, Pyrrha called out to me from her bed. "Jaune, is it really okay that we only unpacked our clothes? There is still a good number of boxes to take care of."

I turned my head to look at her. Even without her makeup on, her emerald eyes were still highlighted by her veil of sharp-red hair. Weiss had mentioned her winning some tournament back-to-back, but with no armor or weapons equipped she looked just like any other teenager. "The clothes were just the most important thing to take care of. If you want to keep unpacking you can, Pyrrha, but personally I'm exhausted from everything. Aren't you?"

"Well..." She looked over to where her boxes were and gave some type of grunt. "...Point taken. Good night, everyone."

Nora gave a tired wave from her bed. Ren had previously assured me that the ginger-haired girl was quite the morning person, so waking up in time for classes wouldn't be an issue; judging by how she acted all day, I didn't doubt it. Said ninja clicked off the light in the room and we all began to drift off to sleep. Tomorrow would be our first day of classes, and, despite my fear of my transcripts being discovered as fake, I had to admit that I was excited for what was to come.

"I can succeed here," I said to myself. "I can become a Hunstman, a hero." With my heart open to the possibilities the future held, I let the darkness of sweet dreams take me away.

My eyes opened and I took in the scene around me. Above my head was a sea of black without stars or a moon to light the scene, but that didn't mean there wasn't a light source; illuminated below me was the very thing I was standing on, a flat, stained glass structure that featured a rather curious image. In the dead center of picture was me, from the torso up, with my eyes closed and holding what looked like a heart in both hands. Around me stood all of RWBY and the rest of JNPR, every one of them armed and facing off against some unknown, off-screen foe.

With a start, I realized that I was fully aware of myself and took a moment to examine my own appearance: I had on my hoodie and armor set, and saw the sheath to Crocea Mors on my hip. As I went to draw it, however, I realized that the sword was missing.

A voice rang out from everywhere and nowhere, recognizable as neither man nor woman. "You shall be a candle in the Dark."

Hmm? A cryptic, disembodied voice, stained glass floor, empty space all around... where had I seen all of this before? Maybe in a game?

The voice didn't hear (or didn't care about) my thoughts and continued onward. "Be a shield for the innocent, for your allies."

Oh, I'd seen this in Kingdom Hearts! The voice is getting the quotes all wrong, though; also, didn't Sora get the chance to choose between a shield, sword, and staff?

I heard something moving behind me and saw a black form coming out of the glass. After a moment, it took the definitive shape of a beowolf and roared at me. Feeling my adrenaline surge from the sudden threat, I brought the sheath/shield of Crocea Mors up to defend myself. Remembering my missing sword, I shouted at my unseen speaker, "The shield was auto-picked! This dream is a knock-off, gimme a refund!"

The grimm charged at me, front claws swiping in an x-shape as it got into melee range. I raised the shield and took the brunt of the attack dead-on, claws grinding against steel. The beowolf was relentless, going for another strike as I recoiled from the force of the first attack. I kicked off of the ground to put as much distance between us as I could.

Yeah, Sora could swing the dream shield like a blunt weapon, but I still felt all the weight of mine. It was too large to do so to such a fast target; or rather, it's a trick that would only work once or twice.

The beowolf began stalking me in a circle, trying to find the best angle to strike at. I kept my front facing it, trying to figure out how to not die. I was aware that I was dreaming and thus wouldn't really die, but a part of me refused to just roll over and accept an easy loss.

Then, I had an idea. I turned the shield back into its sheath form and held it forward. The grimm, anxious to rip into my flesh, took that to be its chance and lunged at me. It jumped high, mouth open and ready to tear into me; so, I took my sheath and thrust it at its gaping maw. At the last possible moment I felt I could, I pressed the mechanism that changes the form of it.

The shield expanded inside of its throat, causing it to gag on the object that had become considerably larger than the opening; Ol' Grimmy still had momentum, however, so as its weight hit me I practically swung the whole monster over my head and slammed it onto the ground like a hammer. Sadly, the grimm was still breathing, and with my shield still stuck in its vocal cords I did the only thing I could.

Slam! My right fist thrust into its face. It still struggled. Slam! Slam! Slam!

Over and over I struck the beast, adrenaline coursing through my veins as my instincts demanded I survive. I lost count past ten, focused solely on dealing as much damage as I could. Its claws pulled at my armor, but I paid it no heed.

Finally, the monster ceased its flailing and I stood up. My shield was still stuck inside of it, so I could only recover it after it faded. I was startled when a text box suddenly appeared in front of me.

You have overcome a trial and taken the first step on the path to being a true hero. You have been awarded 5 stat points that you may assign at will.

Welcome to the Game.

"Huh?!" My eyes refocused and I discovered that I was back in JNPR's dorm room, the earliest rays of the sun peeking through the curtains. Fighting the feeling of grogginess, I reach over to my scroll and checked the time: 6:11 A.M. "Man, that dream was intense."

I let go of the scroll and rolled over to stare at the ceiling, only to find the the second text box, the one welcoming me to the game, was floating over my head. "A dream within a dream? Aw, man. Lucid dreaming is supposed to be fun, isn't it?"

The text box remained, so I stayed in my position, waiting for the next game-like event to happen. A minute passed... then another...

Sighing, I realized that I would have to keep the dream rolling. Clicking the little 'x' button in the corner got rid of thr notification, but still nothing occured. Maybe there was something else?

"Well, let's put my years of experience to work." What do games usually have? A main menu, for starters.

Responding to my thoughts, another text box appeared, this one reading off like a list.

Menu: 1) Inventory. 2) Status. 3) Skills. 4) Party Chat. 5) Friend List. 6) Options.

Options seemed as good a place to start as any. The menu disappeared, revealing another list.

Party Options

Language -Default-

BGM -Off-

Controls

"A little slim on my options, isn't it? Must be an indie dev." I chuckled to myself and pressed the 'controls' button.

X-axis camera -Default- Inverted

Y-axis camera -Default- Inverted

"Oh, you cheeky bastard!" Dream or not, I didn't feel like waking up my new friends from yelling, so I kept the anger internal. I hit the back button and pressed the Party Options next.

Create new party [3 unused slots]

Invite player

Kick player

Exp gain (?)

The question mark was selectable, so I clicked it.

This option controls how earned experience is spread within a selected party.

Even Spread- Splits the experience evenly among all members. *requires all members to be within ten levels of the party host (you).

Merit Spread- Splits the experience according to individual contributions.

No spread- All earned experience is sent to the party host (you) regardless of contributions.

That was much more informative than I was expecting. I click the 'create new party' option.

What would you like to name Party (1)?

"This is so awkward."

Would you like to name the party (This is so awkward)?

I recoiled and furiously hit the 'no' button, and clicked another back button to return to the main menu. Status was my next choice, and my personal stats soon revealed themselves.

Jaune Arc

Title: -Please select one

Level 8

HP: 630/630

AP: 840/840

Str: 19

Dex: 12

Con: 21

Int: 12

Wis: 11

Cha: 13

Skill points: 5

"That constitution, tho'." I did some mental math and determined that, assuming my base stats had been ten across the board at level one, I received four skill points per level. What perplexed me was the stat distribution itself. I thought back to what Pyrrha said to me just the day before.

"It's all right. I used my Aura to unlock yours, but the energy that protects you now is your own. You have a lot of it." So I'm built like a tank, then; but are the stats doled out automatically, or will I be able to specialize however I please?

"Well, it's all a dream, anyways." I refrain from assigning any of my free points and click the 'title' button.

Available titles: (Click on title to see its effects.)

Newbie Hero

Fake Hero

I absentmindly clicked on Newbie Hero.

~Newbie Hero

This title represents somebody who has just started their pursuit of being a Soldier or Huntsman. Keep your eyes forward!

5% damage boost to creatures of Grimm, 5% bonus to charisma (decimals round up)

So it's a little bonus damage to monsters and, effectively, one more charisma point. It wasn't much, but this is a "New Game". What about fake hero, though?

~Fake Hero

This title represents somebody who has taken their heroic position through less than reputable means. The ends justify the means, right?

5% bonus to charisma (decimals round up), minimal boost to success rate of actions that rely on deceit.

How about... no. Understanding that the game was judging me for everything, I reselect Newbie Hero and equipped it. The last thing I wanted to look at was my skills, so I brought it up.

Skill list.

Gamer's Mind

Gamer's Body

Shield Proficiency

Sword Proficiency

What the heck were those first two supposed to be?

~Gamer's Mind (Passive) LV: MAX

The mindset you have when playing video games has developed into a real-world ability.

Allows the user to calmly and logically think things through. Allows a peaceful state of mind. Immunity to psychological status effects.

I couldn't restrain my snark. "But does that mean I can't get drunk? I really don't want to be like Captain Atlas."

Moving on.

~Gamer's Body (Passive) LV: MAX

Video Game characters don't bleed... All that much.

Grants a body that allows for the user to live the real world like a game. (The user receives no physical damage from attacks.) Sleeping in a bed restores the user's HP and AP to full.

I wasn't quite sure what to make of that one. Did it mean that I couldn't bleed anymore? "Well, this is a combat school. Depending on how long this dream lasts, I'll find out what it means. On a different note, that description isn't very good."

If the abilities were to be taken at face value, than they were actually pretty powerful. No broken bones, I'd always remain calm... It really was too bad that-

Beep! Beep! Beep!

A scroll alarm sounded to my right, only to be shut off by Pyrrha's hand. She slowly rose from her bed, red night gown covering everything important. I checked the time on my scroll again (7:30 this time.) "Good morning, Pyrrha. How'd you sleep?"

"Good mor-" She was interrupted by a yawn that she did her best to stifle. Clearly, she wasn't a morning person. "...morning, Jaune. You seem chipper today."

"Nah, I've just been up for a while. Do you want the first shower?" Pyrrha gave a tired nod and mumbled her thanks, making her way to the restroom with her uniform in hand. As she walked away I got my first real look at her, and stopped breathing as I read the words above her head.

Pyrrha Nikos

Title: She who controls Victory

LV: 46

"You're almost six times my level."

Pyrrha turned back to me and tilted her head quizzically. "I'm sorry, did you say something Jaune?"

I didn't realize until she asked me that question that I had spoken out loud as well as in my head. Flustered a bit, I coughed and said, "Sorry, I was talking to myself. Didn't mean to bother you."

She shrugged and walked into the bathroom, and within a minute I heard the water running. It struck me that this lucid dream was, despite the game parts of it, hands-down the most realistic dream I'd ever had. Time was flowing as it was supposed to, and her behavior had been quite human...

...I was dreaming, right?

To my left, Nora practically leapt off of her bed and landed with both feet together, posing with her hands up in the air. "And she sticks the landing! Nora Valkyrie has done it again, ladies and gentlemen!"

...Alright, Ren hadn't warned me that she was one of those morning people. "Morning, Nora."

"Morning, Jaune-Jaune! Pyrrha in the shower?" I saw a set of words above her head, as well.

Nora Valkyrie

Title: The Bubbly Thunder-God

LV: 40

"Yep." Wait, this was a good chance to test if I was awake or asleep. "Can I ask you a question, Nora?"

She began going through her dresser as she answered, "Sure thing. What is it?"

I needed to ask something I didn't know the answer to. "How long have you and Ren known each other?"

"Since we were kids! We sorta lived in the same village when some bad things happened. We stuck together- well, not together-together, and got stronger over all this time. Now we're all super-strong and ready to fight Grimm!"

It was a very 'Nora' answer, and while it wasn't exactly detailed it was proof enough: I was awake... This was freaky! Why was this happening?!

Suddenly, a wave of calm overtook me, and I felt my nerves return to normal at almost record speed. "I see, so this is Gamer's Mind."

While I was busy going from angst to no angst, Nora woke up Ren with an extremely cheerful "Good Morning!" I subtly understood that Ren probably hadn't needed an alarm clock set for any number of years. When Pyrrha came out of the shower Nora dove right in, so I decided to occupy my morning by going through my belongings; however, I couldn't help but sneak a peek at the space over Ren's head.

Lie Ren

Title: Ninja of the Lotus

LV: 39

By continuously observing those around you, you have developed the skill "Observe"!

Oh?

~Observe (active) LV: 1 EXP: 0.0%

This skill allows the user to see information on any observable person or object.

This skill costs no AP. Leveling up this skill causes more information to become viewable.

Person or object? Is that any object, or just particular 'Items?' I dug into my small stack of boxes and found my guitar case. I slipped the guitar out of its case and examined it.

...Nothing happened. "Do I need to specify 'Observe?'" As soon as I thought that, a text box appeared over it.

~Jaune's guitar.

An old acoustic guitar that Nicholas Arc found at a decent price and purchased for you. The strings need to be replaced soon, but it is otherwise in good condition.

"Oh, you play the guitar, Jaune?" Pyrrha spoke to me, now dressed in her school uniform and brushing her hair.

"I used to play a good bit, but fell out of practice. I brought it here hoping I could relearn it in my free time." I spent a few moments tuning it the key of C, gently plucking the strings as I held it up to my ear. Satisfied with my work, even if it wasn't pitch perfect, I gave the guitar a few lazy strums.

Performing a special action has earned you the skill "Guitar Playing"!

You have learned a skill you previously excelled at prior to playing the Game. The skill level has been adjusted appropriately.

I look at the skill details out of the corner of my eye. "Passive, Level twenty-two, huh? Depending on the level cap, that might not be that bad." This would be good to keep in mind as I progressed through the game- I meant, my life. I heard my name being called and looked up from the text box. "I'm sorry, I zoned out there for a minute. What's up?"

Ren was the one speaking to me now. "Nora came out of the shower. If you'd like, you can go ahead and take yours."

I nod and say thanks, grab my clothes, and disappear into the restroom. As I turn on the now lukewarm water, I let my thoughts branch out. "For whatever reason, I am now living the life of a video game character. The important question is: what do I plan on doing about it?"

I couldn't tell anybody about this since nobody would believe me, and I didn't want to try "quitting" the Game since it might turn out to be a literal suicide. It looked like I was stuck in my situation, whatever the hell it was.

Making the shower a quick one, I dried off and got dressed before stepping out. I had a tendency to let my shower hair go uncombed, and that day was no exception. Ren slipped in after I left, leaving me with both of our female companions.

Oh, that reminded me. I mentally said 'Friend List' and watched what looked like folder tabs appear. One said 'Family', another 'Ansel', one more said 'Beacon- students', and the last said 'Beacon- teachers.' I clicked the tab for students and saw a short list appear.

Arranged by closeness

Pyrrha Nikos -25- New Partner

Ruby Rose -25- New friend.

Nora Valkyrie -20- Fearless Leader

Lie Ren -20- Teammate and Leader

Yang Xiao Long -15- Ruby's Friend

Blake Belladonna -5- Acquaintance

Weiss Schnee -(-5)- Fool

Woah, woah, where did the negative come from?! Did I make her angry at some point? I thought back to every interaction I had with Weiss up to that point. "She addressed me as scraggly in the assembly, then she hated me calling her 'Snow Angel' (according to Yang), and finally I caught her- correction, she landed on me when she fell from the sky. That... was not a series of good impressions. Still, at least Blake's is in the positive. Barely."

I pondered what type of actions would lead to more positive relationships. Deciding to experiment, I asked, "Hey, Pyrrha, I was wondering if there were any songs you want me to learn on the guitar."

She raised her eyebrows in surprise before hurriedly waving her hands in front of her. "There's no need for that, Jaune. I was just curious, that's all."

"Nah, it's okay. Like I said, I want to pick it up again, and what better way than to learn songs that people want to hear? That offer extends to you, too, Nora."

Your closeness with Pyrrha increased by 1!

Your closeness with Nora increased by 1!

Nora took the bait first. "Ooh, ooh! Do you know how to play 'Through the fire and the flames?'"

Success! I laughed and answered, "That's kinda above my pay grade right now, but I'll try to learn it once I get better. Promise."

For her part, Pyrrha gave a soft smile and said, "I don't have any requests right now, so I suppose I'll have to get back to you on that."

"No problem, just let me know." Ren appeared looking rather refreshed and joined us in our conversation.

Suddenly, a voice was heard from outside our room. "It's 8:55, you dunce!"

New Quest!

You're gonna be tardy to Professor Port's class! Book it before it's too late!

Success: 500 EXP

Failure: 5 EXP, decreased closeness with your teammates, decreased closeness with Peter Port, possible detention.

~This quest is mandatory.

The game didn't have to tell me twice! "Let's go, double time!" We all bust out of our dorm room, not even bothering to see if the door closed behind us. We were hot the heels of our sister team, RWBY, who couldn't spare the time to acknowledge us. Thankfully for us all, Weiss had memorized the location of the classroom, helping us make it there just in the nick of time. The bell rang just as we plopped onto the only empty benches.

Professor Port, who had been standing by the door, nodded at us and closed the entrance. He announced the start of class with, "Welcome, students, to your first lesson in Grimm Studies! I am Professor Port."

Quest Success!

You earned: 500 EXP.

It wasn't a great reward by any means, but it was waaaay better than failure would've been. I glanced around the room, taking in the classroom's atmosphere and students. As my gaze drifted downwards, I met the eyes of one Ruby Rose, who was also looking around. I gave her a thumbs up and mouthed 'We made it,' and she returned the gesture with a smile. When she turned to face forward, I decided to use 'Observe' on the back of her head.

Ruby Rose

Title: Little Red Fighting Hood

LV: 42

HP: 750/750

AP: 1000/1000

STR: 31

DEX: 62

CON: 25

INT: 28

WIS: 33

CHA: 45

I wrote a note to myself to figure out which stat gave AP and by how much per point. Port had resumed talking, so I opted to give him my full attention. "-emons... Prowlers of the night! Yes, the creatures of Grimm have many names, but I merely refer to them as prey! Ha-ha!"

The portly man promptly lost that attention as he launched into a tale about capturing a beowolf as a child. I tried to gleam what useful information I could from the story, but thirty minutes in I gave up and decided to observe him instead of listening to him.

Peter Port

LV: ?

"He's un-observable?" That was new. I spent several minutes using 'Observe' again and again, but the results remained the same. With no better alternative to listening to him drone on, I turned my attention inwards and looked at the Sword and Shield Proficiency skills.

~Sword Proficiency (Passive) LV: 1 EXP: 0.0%

This skill belongs to anyone who has picked up an edged weapon with the intent to swing. This skill does not measure your mastery of swordsmanship, but rather your dedication to learning it.

1% damage bonus to sword-based attacks.

~Shield Proficiency (Passive) LV: 1 EXP: 34.7%

This skill belongs to anyone who has equipped a shield in order to defend themselves or others.

1% bonus to Constitution while a shield is equipped (decimals round down)

"Huh. I wonder why there's such a difference in bonuses? Maybe defensive bonuses require different calculations?" I also wondered why I had experience points in 'Shield', untiI remembered my unique dream... experience... thing.

Below me, Weiss suddenly stood up and proclaimed "I do!" to some unheard question. I was going to have to learn to multitask when dealing with my game menus, because I seemed to miss a lot whenever I got into my own head. The Schnee heiress left the room to retrieve something while Professor Port began moving a large, growling box to the empty space where he had been "lecturing."

Pyrrha, seeing my confusion, leaned over and whispered, "The professor asked if anyone believed themselves to be Huntsman or Huntress material, and she volunteered."

Nodding to show I understood, I joined the class in waiting for the departed to come back. Weiss returned after several minutes, armed with her rapier and dressed in her battle outfit from initiation. Her attire was pressed and imaculate, but I couldn't help but notice that her face was distorted with a scowl that she aimed at Ruby. As she set herself into a fighting position, I observed her stats.

Weiss Schnee

Title: The Frozen Princess

LV: 43

HP: 1020/1020

AP: 1360/1360

STR: 30

DEX: 46

CON: 34

INT: 65

WIS: 27

CHA: 26

With that much focus in Intelligence she would most assuredly qualify for a mage of some description, but why was her Wisdom so low comparatively? I was interrupted from that train of thought by the professor whipping out an ax and slamming it down on the lock that had been on his mystery box. A grimm rushed out of it immediately, taking only a moment to examine its surroundings and mark Weiss as its target.

Boarbatusk

LV: 25

HP: 1500/1500

STR: 50

DEX: 27

CON: 30

INT: 12

WIS: 10

CHA: 10

"The Grimm's stats don't match the four points per level pattern, and its HP is way higher than Weiss's, even though the CON is lower. It looks like Grimm follow different standards." I couldn't take my eyes from the scene, even while I analyzed their stats. I was about to witness what a true Huntress-in-Training could do when solo fighting a monster.

X

Woo! Sorry to cliffhanger you, but I have to keep the chapters to a manageable size.

Let me know how I'm doing! As I said before, I'll be responding to reviews each chapter. For now, GG.