It was a familiar scene, but no less horrifying for the repetition. The screams and growls reverberated around his mind, louder than they'd ever been in reality. The light of the shattered moon shone upon the bare trees, casting shadows in every direction.

But some shadows held darker secrets.

His sword, still coated in the blood of his sister, was poised to attack. The beast snarled at him, razor teeth gleaming as its jaws opened impossibly wide. And then it lunged for him.

"Graah!" He yelled, shooting upright.

The black and red shape before him reared backwards in surprise. Grimm! He punched forward to keep it at bay while his left hand quested for his sword but struck only duvet.

What?

He blinked several times and the world came back into focus. The figure before him was not a demonic nightmare but the unmistakable image of his partner.

"Ruby? What are you doing?" He asked hoarsely.

Ruby stared at him, her silver eyes wide before pulling the whistle from her lips.

"Good morning Jaune!" She exclaimed, jumping down from his bed as he sluggishly rose to his feet.

"...Sure. What's with the whistle?" He mumbled.

She ignored him, turning to greet her sister and other teammate.

"Now that you're awake we can officially begin our first order of business!" She said, pumping her arms for effect.

He yawned disinterestedly, lazily eyeing the pile of items Yang was holding.

"Decorating!" Yang said.

"Is this really that important?" Jaune asked, picking up his uniform. "Also I need to get changed."

"Of course it is! Yang, Pyrrha, Jaune and second-in-command Ruby will begin their-" Ruby exclaimed, but then froze as he began to remove his sleepwear.

"Wow Jaune, you been workin' out?" Yang asked as he stood there shirtless.

"Yes," he said shortly, pushing his arm into a shirt.

"On second thought, it can wait!" Ruby shouted, grabbing Yang and Pyrrha and dragging them to the door.

He laughed to himself for a short while as he continued to dress himself. Satisfied with the way he looked, he turned to call his team back inside but paused. Was the door open slightly? No, it was probably just his imagination.

"Alright you three, you can come back in now," he called.

The door opened instantly, all three girls returning with slightly reddened faces.

"You said something about decorating?" He asked.

"That's right, though I didn't bring many items with me from home," Pyrrha admitted.

"Don't worry, Pyrrha, we've got plenty of posters and stuff to spruce this place up!" Ruby declared, swiping one from her sister.

In one smooth movement she turned and slapped the poster on a wall. Achieve Men, huh? Well, he was hardly unused to boy band posters - his elder sisters had a few in their rooms.

"You do that," he said casually as he adjusted his tie.

It was funny to see them run around, adjusting the room to their liking - though somewhat less funny when Ruby decided to use her weapon to help their Feng Shui, causing some damage to the curtains.

"It's a good thing I know a bit about sewing," Jaune grumbled as he tried to fix the torn fabric.

"Some girls like that kind of thing, y'know. You're house-husband material," Yang laughed.

"I'll bear that in mind," he said dryly.

"Know how to cook at all?" She continued as she moved a lamp an inch to the left.

"I can make a few dishes, but I'm hardly a chef," he said, finally finishing with the curtain surgery.

"That's a lot better than Yang, at least," Ruby chimed in. "We don't let her near the kitchen."

"Hey!" Yang frowned, crossing her arms together. "You're no better."

"Are we done here?" He cut in to forestall any arguments.

He knew how quickly banter could turn ugly.

"It would seem so," Pyrrha said, glancing around.

It wasn't the neatest job he'd ever seen but it was good enough.

"Although… We could always turn our beds into bunkbeds!" Ruby cheered.

He stared at her in confusion.

"What? How, exactly?" He asked.

She wasn't a carpenter as a well as a weaponsmith was she?

"Well, we stack them on top of each other, right? Maybe we could tie one to the ceiling?" She muttered, gazing at the beds speculatively.

"No. No bunkbeds, that's crazy. You can't just pile beds on top of each other, that's bound to go wrong. What if one collapses in the middle of the night?!" He exclaimed, waving his hands.

"Aww," Ruby said despondently as Yang frowned at him for spoiling her sister's fun.

Pyrrha silently sighed in relief.

"Maybe you should ask one of the teachers if we can have actual, proper bunkbeds. I don't mind that," he added.

It'd be like a return to the old days. Before there had been enough space for him to have his own room.

Ruby perked up, nodding happily.

"I believe it's nearly time for us to head to class," Pyrrha added, checking her scroll.

"Is it? I didn't even get to have breakfast," Jaune said with a groan.

"We might be able to grab a quick snack on the way," Pyrrha said placatingly.

"Alright! Our second order of business is breakfast. And then classes," Ruby said as they headed out the door.

"What classes have we got anyway?" Jaune asked.

The group paused as loud, argumentative voices began to sound out from Team BRWN's dorm.

"Sounds like they're having fun," Yang laughed. "Anyway, it was Grimm Studies wasn't it?"

"Yes, that's correct. With Professor Port. I hear he's quite a distinguished Huntsman," Pyrrha confirmed.

"Really? Then we'll be off to a good start," Jaune said.

The man before them was undoubtedly the oldest Huntsman he'd ever seen. From a logical perspective that could only be a good thing - bad (or just plain unlucky) Huntsmen did not survive to old age.

It was just a shame that he seemed more interested in talking about himself than explaining how to actually fight Grimm. The few moments where he did talk about defeating the enemies of all Mankind were either nonsensical or appeared to be completely made up.

And what his uncle smelling of cabbages had to do with anything was a mystery. As was the metal cage that sat by the man's desk, occasionally twitching.

Still, he was hardly the only one not taken in by the teacher's waffling. Beside him sat Ruby, happily scribbling away. She held up her drawing to them, earning a snicker from Yang as the blonde lay her head on her desk.

Pyrrha, for her part, tried not to look amused by the childish picture and actually attempted to pay attention to the lecture, but was only partially successful.

On the other side of Ruby sat Weiss, who seemed significantly displeased by that fact. Her group had been later to arrive then his own and most seats had been taken already, separating her from her own team.

Privately he suspected they were grateful for it.

Regardless, the girl was clearly put off by Ruby's antics if the baleful glances she threw their way every few seconds were any indication.

"Something wrong, Weiss?" He asked archly.

She turned her gaze onto him, perfect teeth clenched so hard it was a wonder they didn't shatter. There was something strangely enticing about her look of abject frustration.

He paid her no more attention, however, as Port continued to speak.

"-Strategic, well-educated and wise! So, who among you believes themselves to be the embodiment of these traits?" Port finished, staring out at the class.

Weiss's hand shot up and she opened her mouth.

"Me. I do," Jaune spoke, his louder voice drowning out his classmate's.

Port glanced between the two as Weiss literally shook with fury.

"I see. Well then, let's find out. Mister Arc, step forward and face your opponent," Port ordered.

The classroom muttered amongst themselves as he stood up to join the portly professor.

"Professor, I raised my hand first," Weiss complained.

"Now now, Miss Schnee. There will be plenty of opportunities for you to prove yourself in the future," Port dismissed her.

She sank back in her seat with a snarl etched onto her face as Jaune stood before the cage.

"I'm ready Professor," he said confidently.

"Come now my boy, I admire your spirit but it's still much too early for you to be fighting Grimm with your bare hands! Go and change into your combat equipment and then we shall see what you are made of," Port declared.

Jaune ducked his head in embarrassment as the class laughed. His weapons, of course he needed them. Chastised, he shuffled off even as Yang called out her desire to see him fight it unarmed.

Hey, that was way too little lien for her to be offering as a bet!

The cage rattled as the beast within threw itself against the door. His team shouted encouragement from their seats but he could barely hear them as he focused on the creature before him.

It had been some time since he had last slain a Creature of Grimm single-handedly. While it was unlikely that Port intended to release a particularly deadly one onto first-year students, any Grimm was dangerous in its own right, no matter how small.

He drew his blade from its metal sheath and then expanded that into his shield. Taking a deep breath, he nodded at the overweight professor.

"Alright. Let the match… begin!" Port said, smashing open the lock with a swing of his weapon.

The Grimm squealed angrily, immediately charging forward to impale him upon its tusks.

Ah. Not the Beowolf he had been expecting. He had never fought a Boarbatusk before and while he had learned a little about them previously, none of the information was coming to mind now.

But there was no time to curse his memory for failing him as the mass of tooth and bone smashed into his shield. It was a tough blow but nothing like the power of the Death Stalker, so he stood his ground and swiped at the Boarbatusk.

It shrieked as Crocea Mors sliced through the tip of one of its tusks and carved out an eye. First blood to him.

The crowd chattered excitedly, his team hollering even louder in support as the Boarbatusk backed off to assess its prey. Now that he had it on the back foot, all he had to do was press home his advantage.

He grinned, gripping his sword with both hands as he rushed forward to deliver another strike. But the Grimm was not content to let the Huntsman come to it, instead jumping up into the air and rolling into a ball.

He froze, pulling back a little in confusion. What the hell was it even doing?

The answer came very quickly indeed as the spinning Grimm rammed into him once more. The extra momentum provided much more strength to the hit, pushing him back a little.

It was undeterred by the impact against his shield this time and continued to try to rip his flesh at close range. A stray tusk hooked under his shield in its frenzied writhing, the Grimm wrenching its head side to side as it tried to savage him.

Distantly he could hear Ruby shouting something about its belly, but he was a little busy trying to keep the Boarbatusk at bay. It had closed the gap too close for him to stab it in the head and he'd been forced to drop his sword to grab ahold of it.

This naturally was not a pleasing arrangement for either of them, the Boarbatusk only growing angrier and more aggressive breastplate with surprising force as it snapped at his face. It gave a particularly fierce tug and the tusk he was holding in his right hand - the one he had shortened earlier - slipped through his fingers.

With only his shield to keep it at bay, the Grimm squealed once more, seeming victorious. It pushed him down inch by inch as he scrambled fruitlessly to regain his hold. It was almost completely on top of him now, worrying hard at his shield in an attempt to remove his last defence.

"It appears that you're having some trouble," Port chortled, but made no move to assist him.

"It's not over yet," Jaune grunted, feeling his aura drain as the beast thrashed, tusks digging into his skin.

His sword had been knocked aside and out of reach but he still had other options.

He pulled his shield away a few inches before smashing it into the Grimm's face as it tried to rip out his throat. The blow was not a strong one but it distracted it for a few seconds - long enough for his other hand to fumble at his hip, easing out his revolver.

It was hard to manipulate his weapon into position but somehow he managed it, the barrel poking against its unarmoured belly.

"Thank you, Ruby," he muttered as he pulled the hammer back.

The Boarbatusk screeched louder than ever as the first round tore through it, but collapsed under repeated fire. Jaune panted, exhausted as he pushed the dead Grimm off his chest.

"Bravo, bravo!" Port said as Jaune struggled to his feet. "It appears we are indeed in the presence of a true Huntsman in training."

His team all cheered, pumping their fists and waving their arms but Jaune looked up to Weiss instead. The white-haired girl was sneering as hard as ever, unimpressed with his performance.

"I'm afraid that's all the time we have for today, be sure to cover the assigned readings. And stay vigilant!" Port dismissed them.

Weiss stood up immediately, flouncing off with a decidedly displeased air. But that was the norm for her, so it was hardly something to consider important.

Instead he pulled his gaze from her rapidly retreating form to smile at his team.

He had passed his first test and hopefully there would be more successes to come.

"You were like 'woosh'! And it was like 'squeeee!' And then you-" Ruby chattered excitedly, waving her arms as she recounted the events for the third time.

"I think we get it Ruby," Yang said fondly, tousling her sister's hair. "We were all there."

Jaune just shrugged, chewing his meal. Victory had tasted sweet, but so did a plate of bacon.

"When it had you on the floor, I thought you were a goner," Nora interjected, grinning at him from across the table. "But then you had a hidden weapon. Sneaky."

Jaune glanced up at her, noting the boy sat beside her, seemingly of his own free will. Just what hold the ginger-haired hurricane had over him remained a mystery. As was the reason why she had chosen to join them at the table instead of the rest of her team.

"Well, not everyone has a fancy multi-purpose weapon. Us lesser mortals have to make do, I guess. But I'm sure I could have come up with some other way, if need be - it was only a single Boarbatusk," he responded after a few moments. "If it had been an Ursa Major maybe it might have been different."

The girl's eyes sparkled at the idea.

"You think they'll make us fight Ursa Majors?!" She shouted, pushing up on the table as Ren leaned away from her sudden burst of movement.

Jaune blinked, unsure what to make of her inquiry.

"Uhh… Maybe? Can't just keep killing weak Grimm forever, right? Eventually we're gonna have to fight things like King Taijitu and such on our own," he explained.

Ren smiled a little, apparently amused by some distant memory.

"Don't worry, Nora, I'm sure you will get the opportunity to fight some larger Grimm in time," Pyrrha said diplomatically.

Nora nodded emphatically, clearly imagining herself slaying the most monstrous of Grimm. Privately Jaune doubted her chances against any of the tougher monsters alone were all that high - she was hardly the strongest looking girl in the world.

Then he looked to his side, watching as his partner snacked on a strawberry, the picture of innocence. Looks could be deceiving, he supposed.

"I hear that the older years get to go on Grimm-hunting missions," Yang said with a smirk. "Some of them are there for over a week, just them out in the wilderness with a load of Grimm."

"Sounds like a fun camping trip," Ruby added through a mouthful of fruit.

Jaune's mood soured at the thought, but he tried not to let it show on his face. Judging by the looks his team threw him, he wasn't all that successful.

"For now we get to fight small ones in a controlled environment," he said tightly. "And then there's sparring as well, of course."

That roused everyone's interest. The chance to test each other's mettle in a sanctioned fight was an eagerly anticipated opportunity indeed.

"Oh yeah, anyone you're interested in going up against?" Yang asked.

He considered the idea for a few moments before shrugging.

"No one in particular. Hopefully not you though, those punches of yours look brutal," he admitted as Yang preened at the praise.

"Hah. Still aiming for you, Pyrrha," the girl said, nudging her partner who smiled gently.

"Me too!" Nora cut in. "We heard all about you back in Mistral. I wanna see if it's all true."

Pyrrha's smile shrank minutely, but she nodded.

"You're from Mistral as well? How nice. I can't promise that all the rumours are true, but should we spar I'll do my best," she agreed.

Jaune pushed his empty plate away as the rest of his team began to stand.

"Guess we'll have to wait and see then," he said.

Tomorrow would be their first taste of human combat.

For those that read the last chapter prior to the update, I ended up changing the team names because I came up with better ones. Well, I think they're better at any rate. Ruby got a team named after her, how could I resist the opportunity?