The Heat

By wildstraydog

Chapter One: It Starts with a Spark

As promised this is the new Yang and Jaune story I have planned out, and I mean really planned out. This is a story I have confidence will at least make me feel free to explore the world of Remnant. This is AU so do expect some out of character moments, though for most characters I will stick to their canon personalities. As always please read and review, and RWBY belongs to Rooster Teeth and Monty Oum.

For the tenth time in his room, Jaune looked in the mirror and searched for any wrinkles in his uniform. His gray jacket was tight and secure around his figure, while his black tie underneath was tied several times to appear correct. His white undershirt and pants were pristine and ironed, all-in-all his appearance was now decent. Preparing for meetings with Ironwood was always stressful for him, his mind concentrating on the tiniest of details that would matter.

A deep sigh escaped his mouth and Jaune exited his room and into the halls of Phoebe academy, large white pillars adorned the halls and red carpentry accented the floors. Between each pillar stood a small statue of different heroes from Remnant's history that hailed from Atlas, one with a man atop a boulder who had lost his arm, chiseled in bronze that reflected off the bright lights on the ceiling. Students that passed Jaune would stop and salute, Jaune returning a small nod, his time so little he had not returned the gesture.

One thing that Phoebe Academy taught Jaune that he came to accept and understand was order. Without it, the scales of the world would tip in the favor of chaos, a purpose Huntsmen and Huntresses fought to prevent. For most of his life Jaune was the victim of this chaos-not anymore, now he was free to work on the side of justice. Jaune stopped in front of a large set of wooden double doors decorated with metal vines twisting at the top, the doorknobs shaped with strange grooves.

Next to the door was a small intercom with a red button at the bottom. Jaune stood at attention and pressed the button, waiting for a voice to respond. Within those seconds he closed his eyes and counted to ten as Ironwood taught him, a small practice of mental preparation before any large meeting. It had done some wonders when talking to his teacher Martha.

"General Ironwood's office, who am I speaking to?"

"Jaune Arc-fourth year student of Phoebe Academy, here for General Ironwood." There was a moment of silence until the lady on the intercom answered with reassurance.

"He's been expecting you Mr. Arc, please come in." A small beep came from the door, and he reached for the knob, swinging open the left side.

The familiar creek of the hinges always surprised him and when they opened the contrast of the general's lavish office with the plain white halls and gray tiles brought him a smile. He spotted the secretary named Janus and made his way past her plain wooden desk with a holographic screen as she typed away with precision.

Ironwood's offices were usually located in special sections of the various academies around Atlas, but Phoebe was special. His office jutted outside of the mountain the academy was built in, leaving a spacious view of the snowy peaks and the beautiful horizon for him to enjoy while the flurry of snow hit against the cleaned windows. It was a beautiful view Jaune came to enjoy every time he visited.

The office was decorated with numerous swords and shields from past Huntsmen that distinguished themselves for their kingdom, decorating the walls with golden plaques, some fake plants lining both sides of the large room, and the horn from an Ursa above his glass desk that contained some cracks. The velvet rug underneath the desk screamed Ironwood, the banner of Atlas stitched with perfect time consuming care.

Jaune stood straight and saluted to the back of Ironwood, at attention as he waited for him to acknowledge his appearance. Jaune noticed on the chair in the corner a stack of papers and vanilla folders crumbled together in a jumbled mess, no doubt unread. He snapped his neck as Ironwood turned around, the General bending over to pull out a bottle of whisky. The scent of alcohol reached Jaune's nose.

Archer Rose...his favorite brand.

"At ease Jaune, you're in good company now."

"Yes sir," Jaune slumped his shoulders and walked over to the chair, setting aside the stack of important paperwork down on the ground without disrupting its order. No matter what the good General said, he could never relax around the man, not because he was afraid. He felt a great enduring respect for the man, his appearance lifted a weight off his chest...the one man he could call family.

"Do you know why I called you in today?"

Jaune could think of a number of reasons, but his first guess was the most obvious. "Is it to congratulate me sir?" Ironwood chuckled and took a quick sip from his glass, letting out a familiar relaxed sigh of satisfaction.

"In a manner of speaking, yes. Tell me Jaune, where do you plan on attending? I imagine your first choice would be Mantle Academy?" It was a strange question for him, perhaps a trick on his part, but the answer should have been obvious to Ironwood. It had been his dream since he began his enrollment into Phoebe, the dream of almost every student.

"Yes sir, that was my plan," Jaune answered, keeping his eyes locked on the General. "It sounds like this might be a problem?"

"..." Ironwood's silence always frightened him as a child, it meant he was unsure of what to say. Jaune always looked to him for guidance, and when his mentor was unsure, it meant he too was at a lost. It wasn't surprising considering his work the past couple of months.

"You catch on quick Jaune. I have an assignment for you."

"An assignment sir?" Jaune perked up, eager to start field work.

"That's right-it's time to put your skills to the test, and this mission requires someone of your caliber and mindset. Are you familiar with Beacon academy? I'm sure you know my good friend Ozpin is headmaster of the establishment." Jaune had met Ozpin once, and he could only describe the man as mysterious and questionable. An observation the General laughed at.

"Are you suggesting that I should attend there sir?" Ironwood took another sip, and then put away his bottle back into the drawer. He walked over to Jaune and bent over to take the first folder on the stack of papers.

"Great machinations are beginning Jaune, our enemies have begun their operations. We won't be debuting the Atlesian Knight-200 for several months, and word has it one of our prototypes for the Paladin-290 was stolen from our warehouse. This is no doubt work of the White Fang." Jaune was one of the privileged few to know of the Paladin, a magnificent work of art created from the intelligent minds over at the Schnee Dust Company.

"I understand sir, what will you have me do?"

"You will be enrolled into Beacon Academy, not far from Vale, where we believe the White Fang has taken up for some of their bases. You are to search for any clues that could lead to their discovery, but remember this is to be confidential." Beacon Academy, lauded as one of the greatest academies in all of Remnant.

The mission was exciting, but also disheartening. Jaune would do anything to please his father, even if it required him to risk his life against a horde of Grimm. Yet leaving Atlas brought a sickening feeling to his stomach, a slight bout of worry at being absent from his home. He often enjoyed the long winters, and the thought of not seeing his comrades brought him a sense of melancholy. Sadly, knowing the good General, he could read this all on Jaune's face.

There was some good to be had however. This was a chance for Jaune to show the drive and skill required of an Atlas Huntsmen, to prove where the best soldiers came from in Remnant. It would also leave him to learn of another culture, while studying a rival school's tactics and training courses. There was always good to be found in a mission Ironwood said. A location must be studied from every angle.

"Don't be sadden Jaune, you won't be alone there." Jaune for the first time since their meeting broke out of his daze and became alert.

"Who would that be sir?"

"Do you remember Weiss Schnee? She too will be attending Beacon, despite the many protests of her father." Jaune was quite familiar with the heiress, and he wasn't surprised she would pull a move that went against her father's wishes.

"I am familiar with her sir, she is...interesting." He chose his words carefully.

"Yes, Miss Schnee can be quite troublesome," Ironwood said with a laugh after pulling out a cigar. Jaune studied his red lighter with a yellow streak that jagged down the middle of the reflective surface. "I'll need you to watch over her as well, I promised her father as much."

"I understand sir."

"You know we originally discussed marrying the two of you together. After all it would make sense from a business standpoint." Jaune once again was not that surprised to hear such a proposition, but it still irked him.

If Jaune had to imagine what a marriage between him and Weiss Schnee would be like, the answer would be up in the air. Jaune almost knew nothing of the girl, except for the few occasions he had met her at several of the balls Ironwood would attend. From first impressions he knew she was pampered, but taught well, cold but an intellectual beauty. If it had been arranged, Jaune would have no doubt accepted the contract.

"However I would prefer if you wed Eliza instead, she would be perfect for you. She's the strongest student here at Phoebe academy, not to mention her academics are above and beyond. She's the perfect choice-What do you think Jaune?" The one subject he was never taught to understand was romance, however he was acquainted with Eliza.

Eliza was a beautiful girl in every respect: She had short shoulder length light brown hair that split in the middle, and bright green eyes that pierced even the toughest soldier. She wasn't too short and had a petite body, though she was well-toned. There was never a question of who the strongest Huntress in Phoebe Academy was, making the top of the board in every exam thrown at her. Jaune respected her authority and tenacity, a follower of rules and order all around.

In terms of belief, I would see our marriage as much more preferable. I always enjoy her company.

It could have been the work of fate or mass coincidence, but when Jaune heard the office doors open, he did not expect to see Eliza filing in next to him with a salute. Ironwood nodded and she went at ease, turning to look at Jaune with a slight nod. She was still in uniform, a variation of his but with a dark gray skirt down to her knees. Jaune realized that his mention of Eliza had been on purpose.

"Miss Crestfall, do you know why I summoned you today with Mr. Arc present?" She shook her head and locked her shining emerald color eyes back at Ironwood, a fierce aura surrounding the young girl.

"Mr. Arc will be leaving us to attend Beacon Academy, though it won't be longer than a year. I assume you are aware of the talks between me and your father?" A talk of marriage during a mission briefing was unusual for Jaune, but he had no room to question Ironwood, his father knew what was best.

"Are you referring to the prospect of wedding us? I am aware of the conversations sir, and I have no objection." Eliza's cool soft voice spoke with authority, a sharp snap to it when she had control of a situation. She was peerless in every respect, an admirable trait Jaune found somewhat attractive.

"Very good Miss Crestfall, we'll be discussing this further in the months to come, until then I want you to remain resolute and continue with your studies at Mantle, understood?"

Eliza snapped her feet together and saluted, leaving the room in a quick fashion, but not before stealing a quick glance at Jaune. Ironwood held a somewhat satisfied smirk on his face as he sat back down in his chair. Jaune was taught to expect the unexpected, yet for him at this moment, everything was going too fast for him. He felt not in control, unable to change the outcome, until Ironwood broke him from his thoughts.

"Jaune...I know this is a lot to ask of you. Are you ready for this mission?" Jaune hesitated for a minute, but saw the resolve in his father's eyes and snapped to attention.

"Yes sir!"

"Very well, you depart for Beacon in three days. I have great faith in you Jaune, don't disappoint me-dismissed." Jaune saluted Ironwood and turned to leave the office, opening the doors with a look of determination in his blue eyes. Everyone in the halls noticed this and stood aside, the underclassmen saluting Jaune whenever he passed by.

Jaune spotted Eliza not far ahead and placed his hand on her shoulder, not surprising the girl in the least as she turned around. A rare smile graced her lips and to his surprise she clasped his hands. It took much to fluster Jaune, but he felt a small blush on his cheeks, not use to the contact of a female student.

"I wanted to talk Eliza."

"I imagined you would, but what I said back there I meant." She let get of his hands and placed them behind her back, the sweet smile gone from her face. Jaune had to admit he already missed it. A pleasing smell of pines brushing his nose.

"I wish to ask if you are content with the situation. From my point of view it all appears to be happening so fast. I just wanted to know how you really felt." Eliza narrowed her eyes and giggled, surprising Jaune.

"Nothing is concrete yet, we'll discuss it when the deal becomes final. Until then you should relax and prepare for your mission. It will be sad to see you leave, but what you're doing is for the betterment of Atlas." They shook hands and saluted, departing ways just as quick as their greeting. Jaune was nervous for a variety of reasons, yet he couldn't shake the feeling that his life was about to change.

Hours had gone by and Jaune sat in his comfortable cotton seat, belt still attached with his arms crossed as he concentrated on his meditation. It took all of his willpower not to start heaving on the ship as it sailed at a listless pace across the skies of Vale. Jaune's form of meditation consisted of counting to 10,000, yet he already reached up to 9,679. Plus the countless voices of the other students didn't help him focus.

"Wow, look at that Yang," a young girl in a red hood yelled.

"Calm down Rubes, wait until we actually get there."

Several more minutes passed and the ship vibrated, coming to a sudden stop that wrenched Jaune forward, yet he remained strong and slid back the bile down his throat. The sound of a woman spoke over the coms and he heard the doors beginning to open, his minor nightmare over. If it wasn't for the intense training Ironwood put him through, the walls would have already been covered in puke. He let out a sigh and stood up, brushing himself off of any dirt and grabbed his sword and bedding.

Crocea Mors, the last memento left of his family. His memories were still fuzzy being only six at the time. All he could remember was the blazing fire that surrounded him and the agonizing screams that filled his ears, and then the warm embrace of Ironwood as he carried him off to safety. When he turned twelve, he was presented with this weapon and the history behind it-His father had entrusted it to him, the last remaining legacy of the Arc family.

Comparing Vale to Atlas wasn't difficult: gone the cold weather and winds, large mountains covered in snow absent, replaced by a river of large trees and plant life, the mountains much shorter and covered in different shades of brown and orange. The air was warm and humid, and already he began to sweat, his pale skin not use to the scorching sun high above.

Not even after two steps from the ship a large explosion erupted ahead of him. Jaune drew his sword in seconds, surprising onlookers and watched as the cloud of black smoke dissipated, the quiet replaced with a familiar cry. The voice of Weiss Schnee wailed throughout the courtyard as he heard her yell at the young girl in red from earlier, lying in a small crater. The girl was covered in soot and dirt, the look of a confused child planted on her face.

The smartest option would have been to walk away and ignore the squabble, but Ironwood had specifically addressed Jaune to watch over the young heiress when possible. He sheathed his sword and began to walk forward, still wearing his uniform from Phoebe academy that caught the stares of students that continued to exit the ship. Jaune walked up behind Weiss and coughed into his hand, gaining her attention.

The angry stare from Weiss disappeared, and she extended her hand. "Jaune Arc, this is a welcome surprise, what are you doing here?" He gave a slight bow and shook her hand, looking over to check the younger girl as she hopped back up with an enthusiastic smile.

"Yes, General Ironwood wished for me to attend, I was told you would also be enrolling."

"Did my father send you?" Weiss asked with venom.

"No," Jaune replied curtly. "Do you require assistance with your bags?" Weiss tilted her head with suspicion, unassured if he was telling lie. The heiress like Jaune almost knew nothing of him, but he was the only familiar face to her as well.

"I would welcome it."

The confrontation between her and Ruby ended on a light note, Weiss basically forgetting what happened as Jaune grabbed several of her things with ease. Before they left, Weiss shoved a small pamphlet and spit something out about "following the rules", to the young girl.

"Are you ok?" The red-hooded girl turned around and was met with a taller girl in all black, bright amber eyes staring back, and a cute black bow nestled atop her head that wiggled from time to time.

"Y-yes thanks, I can be clumsy sometimes. I'm Ruby!" She extended her hand and the girl reluctantly shook back, an open book in her other free hand.

"So...want to see something cool?"

Students were instructed to leave their belongings in a hall next to the ballroom, where there luggage and other personal items would be transferred the next day to their rooms. Whatever Weiss was carrying, Jaune found it to be an exuberant amount of what a student should bring to school. When he asked what was inside, Jaune was only met with a glare.

They both reached the hall and Jaune dropped the bags, almost earning the third-degree from Weiss at how valuable her items were. He apologized and bowed, an awkward silence replacing the once vibrant room. Jaune's order of business was done, and they were needed in the assembly to hear a message from Ozpin, but that didn't pique his interest. Weiss unzipped her bags and pulled out her weapon-Myrtenaster. According to Ironwood it was a multi-action dust rapier.

He wasn't fully aware of the heiress's semblance, but he was privy to know that her weapon contained a revolving chamber with different canisters of dust within. Compared to Crocea Mors, it required much more finesse and speed, as the wielding of a rapier often did. Without knowing her semblance, he could only predict an 85 percent chance of a successful victory.

"I see you have marveled at Myrtenaster, an amazing piece of work yes? I designed it myself, what about you, let me see the famous Crocea Mors." Jaune took out his sheathe and presented it to Weiss.

The sword escaped it's sheathe, and Weiss studied the clean pristine blade that reflected off the lights. The blade had been maintained throughout the years, countless hours of sharpening and cleaning with love. It was ordinary, but Weiss still came away impressed, handing it back over to Jaune with a respectful nod. Jaune had to hold back his laughter for appearances sake, and was quite surprised that Weiss didn't insult it for being bland. Jaune always proved such people wrong.

"We should get going Miss Schnee."

"Of course, I must say I found your weapon to be quite impressive."

"Thank you, it's a family heirloom."

A few hours Ozpin presented a glorious speech which brought a resounding cheer from the students as Jaune watched from the back, lying against a pillar with his arms crossed. He still couldn't figure out the headmaster, a mysterious aura surrounding him, but his assistant Glynda Goodwitch was a different story. Jaune had the opportunity of hearing many stories about the fiery blond.

To his further amusement, Jaune noticed Weiss walk over to where the young girl in black and red was standing. The tall blonde next to the girl sported a tan vest with a yellow crop top underneath, black shorts with a belt secured around her waist and a white back skirt. Jaune could already hear them arguing, and he chuckled when he caught wind of Weiss describing him as "scraggly", though he would prefer the word graceful.

He was thankful when the speech ended, and all the students were encouraged to retreat to the ballroom for the rest of the night. Jaune had to admit he was tired, most of the day taking him by surprise, not to mention adjusting to a new environment. Nothing at Beacon Academy was so simple, everyone was so relaxed and carefree, not at all like back home. He began to wonder if they all pretended that the outside world wasn'

Ironwood will be happy to know that the students here aren't focused. I've yet to see their combat capabilities, but the attitude around here is lax. Jaune joined the crowd of students and marched along to the ballroom, hoping to catch some much needed sleep.

Students gathered around in their various cliques, chatting away in their pajamas and shorts, while some boys in the middle of the room flexed their muscles in a vain attempt to impress the girls. Jaune wore a simple white t-shirt and black shorts, adjusting his roll-out bed near the north side of the room. Everyone had placed their weapons inside designated lockers-not that he needed it now.

"Man this is like one big slumber party," an excited feminine voice shouted across the room. Jaune's attention was once again diverted to the buxom blonde and the smaller girl from before that created a crater.

A pattern was beginning to form: these girls were wild and out of control. The thought of sleeping became dimmer at the thought of hearing them chat away all night about menial problems. Jaune did begin to notice that the smaller girl was not from their age group, springing up the possibility in his head that she was more than meets the eye.

"You again," Weiss shouted an accusing finger at them. "I should have known, don't you realize some us are trying to sleep?"

Yes, including me. The situation would only blow out of proportion the further it went on, so Jaune with great reluctance again, got up and approached the group. Weiss would be more trouble than he originally thought, diffusing arguments that could have been avoided.

"I apologize for interrupting, is there a problem here?" All three of the girls ceased talking and turned their attention to Jaune. Ruby and Weiss just remained still as they thought of a reply, while Yang began to wiggle her eyebrows in a suggestive manner.

"Well, who is this handsome devil?'

"My name is Jaune Arc...and you are?"

"Yang, Yang Xiao Long, and this is my little sister Ruby!" Ruby began an awkward wave as she fumbled on what to say, earning another laugh from Yang.

"I'm glad you're here Arc, I was just trying to get these girls to keep it down, aren't they being noisy?" Weiss looked to Jaune for agreement. He had no intention of being a constant mediator between the three, so he clapped his hands and let out a sigh.

"Perhaps we should all retire, we have initiation tomorrow and arguing will get us nowhere." Weiss blushed in embarrassment, leaving with a loud huff. Yang was about to giggle until Ruby stifled her laugh with the palm of her hand.

"T-thanks, we appreciate it Jaune."

"It's no problem Miss Rose, I'm just very tired." Before Jaune could turn away and retreat to his bed, Yang grabbed his shoulder and forced him back around.

"Not so fast hotshot, where are you from?"

"Atlas."

"Neat, well anyone willing to stick their neck out for my sister is a friend of mine. Right Ruby?" Yang extended her hand for Jaune to shake, Ruby smiling as she agreed with her sister. He was confused about what to do, having no intention of making friends while on his mission.

For some strange reason, her hand was inviting, and Jaune took it, a feeling of brief warmth overwhelming him. He was confused and unable to wrap his mind around the notion of becoming closer to any of the students at Beacon. Yet here he was, greeted with glowing smiles. All he could think in the back of his mind was about Ironwood, and the expectations brought upon him.

"Well it was nice to meet you Miss Rose, Miss Xiao Long, I'll be taking my leave now."

"Whoa, don't call me that, makes me sound like a grandma. Just Yang will do."

"Very well Miss Yang." She wanted to say something but decided it would suffice and waved with Ruby as Jaune made his way back over to his bed.

He made himself comfortable and bundled under the sheets, lying his head on the pillow and shutting his eyes. Jaune began to block everything out, sorting his mind as he reflected back on his actions today. He was sure everything had gone according to the parameters of the mission, yet along the way the boy found himself being dragged into the business of others. Before sleep took over, Jaune held only one thought.

Would father be...disappointed?

And there you have it ladies and gentlemen, I worked really hard on this one, and I hope everyone is open to the idea of a universe where Jaune has been raised by James Ironwood all his life. Great thanks to Super Saiyan Cyndaquil.