Author's notes: Man, it's been so long since I posted anything. I finally have some time (not too much, mind you) and I gravitated back to fanfiction.

Unfortunately, most of the outlines and ideas I'd written for the original Arc (Working title) have been lost, so I don't think continuing that particular story is in any way feasible.

I also feel like I've improved (even if it's only by a little) my English a lot so I decided to rewrite the whole thing.

Things will be different and I assure you, the first monster will not even be the same as in the original story.

In fact, think of this more like an updated remake with new story elements and other differences.

I'm also hoping to adhere to a more regular writing schedule, although real life might not always permit it.

Anyway, without further ado, I present to you, "Moonlit World"

Chapter 1, Arc 1: New beginnings

I frowned inquisitively as I read the most recent news article I'd pulled out from my folder. Not that I didn't know what it said, mind you, I'd read the damned thing at least a few times over.

'Vale in outrage as another student falls into a coma...'

This was the 4th case of a student at the prestigious Hunter's Beacon Academy suddenly and inexplicably falling into a coma.

Yes, I could see why my contact had decided to send me over to investigate the matter. I smile grimly.

'I wonder what I'll run into this time.'

I suddenly felt my stomach sink and I internally cursed to myself before reaching for another article. Anything to distract me from this misery.

My stomach grumbles and turns.

You see, I've been cursed. I carry with me a curse so foul most would shudder at the thought of ever sharing a ride with me. It's not as bad when it's a land based vehicle, but these flying steel coffins that were currently taking me and a large number of other applicants exacerbates the issue drastically.

In spite of my best attempts at self-distraction and denial through monologue, I feel myself succumbing to my curse.

Did I mention I have motion sickness?

I feel vile rising up my throat and I curse to myself even as I shove the article into the folder and tuck the whole thing under my arm.

It's a curse! A curse laid upon my family for being awesome, I tell you!

'Bathroom, bathroom, bathroom…!'

I cover my mouth as I run towards the nearest location where I can vacate my stomach, though I dimly notice a girl shriek indignantly as I run past her, some of my stomach's...content managing to slip past my hands and into her boots.

Gods above and below, it's a good thing I'm not actually a prospective hunter or this would be the worst debut ever.

On the bright side, I wouldn't have to worry about making friends…

Sigh.

I am the first one out the doors and into terra firma, pushing past a bunch of others, ignoring their protests and complaints.

"Oh gods, never again..." I whisper fervently. Hell, I'd rather trek my way back to the city over taking another ride in that...that thing.

I take a few moments to collect my thoughts, something I like to think is understandable given my situation. When I look up, I find myself staring into what I can only describe as a castle.

A. Freakin'. Castle.

I'm exploring what might be a haunted castle.

I sigh.

I have become the cliché that every man, woman and that technicolor rainbow in between in my line of work dreads becoming.

Resolving to strangle my contact the next time I saw him, I began making my way towards Houska Castle, passing through the admittedly nice looking courtyards, where what I can only assume are second years students wave about the most impractical looking weapons.

I mean a burning blade? Really?

Wouldn't that just burn your hand or damage the blade after every use? Not to mention it would automatically cauterize any wounds one inflicts, which isn't always good.

Remember kids, biological warfare is only illegal when it comes in containers!

I roll my eyes and continue onward, refusing to admit that maybe, just maybe, those weapons make me feel just the tiniest bit insecure.

Nope. Not me. No siree.

My musing is interrupted by the sound of an explosion, which instinctively causes me to dash forward, towards the nearest source of cover, all the wile trying to triangulate the location of the explosion. I threw myself behind a tree and draw 'Ole Trusty, my shotgun and cautiously look up.

"This is exactly the kind of thing I was talking about!" I see a white haired girl covered in soot yell at a tiny girl in red.

"I'm really, really sorry!" the tiny girl replies nervously, refusing to meet the taller girl's eyes.

I blink. Then I realize the girl in white has a vial of dust and I start to make the connections in my mind.

"Ugh, you complete idiot! What are you even doing here?" the girl in white demands, "Aren't you a little too young to be attending Beacon Academy?"

...I'm starting to think this is just some sort of domestic spat and I have no reason to be hiding behind a tree, shotgun in my hands. I sheathe my weapon but stay behind the tree.

This is morbidly interesting.

"I...uh..." the tiny girl stammers.

"This isn't your ordinary combat school; it's not just sparring and practice, you know?" the girl in white growls, "We're here to fight monsters!"

Damn right. Also, there are ordinary combat schools? What a sad world we live in.

But would you look at that, the girl in white isn't done!

"So watch where you're going!" she huffs.

"Hey, I said I was sorry, Princess!" the tiny girl finally snaps under the older girl's tirade.

Ooooohhhhhhhh! A sudden counter strike by the challenger! How will the champ reply to this? What a turn of events, ladies and gentlemen!

"It's heiress, actually."

A new challenger!

A girl wearing a large ribbon over her head quietly walks towards them.

Black, red and white in the same ring, ladies and gentlemen, how will this play out? And what did Ribbons mean by "heiress"?

"Weiss Schnee. Heiress to the Schnee Dust Corporation." as if reading my thoughts, Ribbons explains.

What a tur-wait. What?! I nearly do a spit take. That's Weiss freakin' SCHNEE?!

Oh crap. It's a good thing most of my more...exotic tools are hidden away in the city itself, or she could have me arrested.

Not that I've done anything illegal, mind you.

Nope. Definitely no theft. Not me. No black market trades. No siree.

"Finally, some recognition." Weiss Freakin' Schnee says proudly.

Ribbons gives her a flat stare. "The same company that infamous for its controversial labor force and...questionable business partners." she adds.

Yeah, Ribbons is gonna end up in Schnee Gulag, isn't she?

I think I'm gonna stay away from this one.

"How dare-! The nerve of-!" Weiss Freakin' Schnee sputters.

I wonder if that's how she summons the Schnee secret police™ to take away the malcontents.

After a few seconds, Weiss F. Schnee huffs. "Ugh!" and turns away to leave, no doubt going off to berate the secret police™ for not showing up.

"I promise I'll make this up you!" the tiny girl in red exclaims after her.

No! Little one, that's how you attract the Schnee secret police™'s interest!

Weiss F. Schnee ignores her and keeps walking away.

"I guess I'm not the only having a rough day." the tiny girl in red sighs softly.

Yeah, but I'm willing to bet not everyone has gula-sorry, "frontier towns" where they can put people to work at incredibly low prices.

I've been to a some of those towns. My gaze falls on the retreating Schnee.

They're not nice places.

"So what's your na-" I hear the tiny girl in red ask, so I look back her and notice why she stopped mid question.

Ribbons was ignoring her and walking away as well.

Red suddenly falls over, the weight of being a dejected, lonely girl in a new place crashing into her.

I am NOT projecting.

"Welcome to Beacon." she grumbles dejectedly.

Heh. At least she has a sense of humor.

I shrug and walk towards her. Once I reach her, I hold my hand out to her.

"Hey," I smile at her, "Looks like you could use a hand."

She nods and hesitantly reached for my hand.

Honey, I won't bite you.

She takes it and I pull her up. "Thanks." she says.

"Don't sweat it. I could tell you weren't having the best day." I reply with an easy going smile.

And if the Schnee secret police™ get their act together, her day would be getting way worse.

"That obvious?" she asks with a sigh.

I chuckle. "Hey, it's only your first day and you've already hit rock bottom!"

She glares at me. "Hey!"

I hold my hands out in a placating manner. "It's a good thing! Once you've hit rock bottom, the only way is up!"

She drops the glare and seems to think about my comment.

"And if it makes you feel any better, I'm not exactly having the best day either." I admit.

I have no leads, no idea where to even begin searching, no clue as to where I can go for-

Her eyes widen in recognition. "Aren't you Vomit Boy?"

-and that. Wow. Thanks.

I feel my eye twitch. "I'm never going to live that down, am I?"

The girl suddenly backtracks. "Noooo! I mean, maybe? I'm sorry, it's just the first thing that came to mind!"

I feel my eyebrow rise. "Oh? Well, I'm sure that Crater Face is the first thing to come to mind when I look at you."

…

I've traded banter with creatures that would make any sane man flee in terror and Crater Face is the first thing that came to mind?

I'm a freakin' genius.

Red glares at me again and stomps her foot. "Hey, that was an accident!"

Oh my, it seems that simple insult really got to her.

Like I said, freakin' genius.

I grin. "Well, whatever. The name's Jaune Arc," I once more hold my hand out, "Short, sweet, rolls of the tongue. Ladies love it."

Red giggles and I just notice that she's actually pretty cute.

As in adorable, you freak, get your mind out of the gutter.

"Do they really?" she asks.

"Eh, no idea, really. It's just something I heard someone say once."

More specifically, my father. I quickly force down those thoughts before they can manifest themselves.

It's only at this point that Red seems to have noticed my hand.

"Oh!" she reached out and takes it, "My name's Ruby Rose." We shook hands.

And that, kids, is how I met your mother.

Joke's aside, we found ourselves walking together leisurely as we discussed the school.

"So..." Ruby begins tentatively.

I smile, encouraging her.

She smiles back. "I've got this thing." And she proceeds to draw the most badass farming tool I've ever seen. By which I mean she pulled out a big, bad, red scythe.

"That..." Wow. I'm not emasculated or anything though. Nope. I'm pretty confident. "...is so awesome."

I think I need to upgrade my arsenal.

She beams proudly, much like a mother would, presenting her favored child. "Her name is Crescent Rose!" she then does something to her scythe that causes it to fold in on itself, "And she's also a customizable, high impact velocity sniper rifle!"

My mouth is agape. "...so, so awesome."

That has to be the most impractical weapon, but hot damn, that is also the most awesome weapon I've ever heard of.

"So what have you got?" she asks, still beaming proudly.

A much, much smaller ego? Then again, I do have enough in my stashes that I could probably blow up a large part of the city…

"Nothing as impressive," I shrug and draw my shotgun, "This is 'Ole Trusty, a sawed-off, double barrel, one pistol grip shotgun."

"So what does it do?" she asks excitedly.

Honey, it's a gun.

"It shoots things." I reply dryly.

"Well yeah! I mean, what does it shift into?" she asks.

It shifts things from alive to dead with a few bullets in them?

"It doesn't," I shrug again. What can I say? I'm a simple man, "I do occasionally load different types of dust rounds as the situation demands."

Her eyes light up. "Really?! What can kinds?" she practically demands.

I smile. And then I wonder why I'm smiling as I'm about to explain the variety of ammunition I've had to use before to the most adorable young girl I've ever seen.

I'm not a bad role model, am I? Oh, who am I kidding, I'm probably the worst.

"Just fun little things like freezing rounds, explosive, paralyzing, you know, the usual."

She damn near squeals. "That is so cool!"

What is she, a weapons nerd?

"I've always wanted specialized dust rounds!" she admits enviously.

I nod sagely. It's not the size of your weapon, but what its capable of discharging.

…

Why did that sound so dirty?

Then I pause. "Wait, you mean you've never used anything other than standard rounds for your sniper?"

She nods. "Yeah, my dad always said they were too expensive or too dangerous."

Okay, he has a point, but c'mon, she's in Beacon and she has the most awesome sniper/scythe I've ever seen!

"I need to introduce you to my arms dealer. He's tough but fair and his prices are good." I decide.

Her eyes widen. "You would do that for me?"

I'm not volunteering to give you a kidney. There is no need to look so touched. Seriously, stop looking at me like that!

"Y-yeah, it's not a big deal! I'm sure he'll appreciate the business."

She grins widely. "Ohmygodthankyou!"

I find her glee contagious and smile back. "Thank me once you've got exploding bullets," I then sheathe my shotgun and draw my handgun, "Anyway, I also have this Taurus PT92."

"Ooh," Ruby examines it closely, "What does this one do?"

Well, it's a gun, so…

"Again, it shoots things." I reply with a teasing smile.

She actually pouts and I suddenly feel like kneeling before her and offering her everything I have.

What...what is this overwhelming pressure?!

"I use it in a pinch because I can add all sorts of attachments to it!" I reply quickly, finding myself unable to do anything but reply, "Tactical lights and other such things!"

She looks at the gun with renewed interest and I feel the pressure lessen.

"That's interesting."

I shrug, "It's just something I can rely on in case things go south, y'know?" I put the gun back in its holster, "Anyway, my last tool," I mean at the moment, "Is this!" And I draw my bowie knife.

She examines the edge.

"It's nothing special, really, just something that comes in handy every now and then."

"Well, I think you've got an interesting arsenal!" she exclaims.

Heh. I wonder what she's say if she ever saw one of my caches.

Although then again, "It's nothing as cool as yours though."

She again smiles proudly. "I guess I did go a bit overboard when designing my baby~." she cooed.

Yeah, she really d-wait. What?!

"You designed that?!" I ask, shocked.

"Y-yeah!" Ruby stammers slight, "...it's not weird, is it?"

A little bit, but I'm not about to judge. Especially not when my own interests are so much weirder.

"Nah, I think it's pretty cool actually." I reply.

She smiles. "Really?"

"Yeah!" I nod.

She beams and I have to resist the urge to take it home, give it some treats, play with it-and what the hell is wrong with me?

"Most people don't get it!" she exclaims happily.

"Most people are stupid." I nod sagely. But more importantly, I wonder if she does requests. A gunblade is impractical as all hell, but it'd be so cool to wield one!

Somehow, her smile widens.

I smile back when a thought suddenly hits me. "Hey, are we forgetting something?" I ask, suddenly feeling that we're supposed to be doing something.

She tilts her head and hums inquisitively.

The realization hit us at the same time.

"Orientation!" we both cry out, "We're going to be late!"

And we both proceed to run like headless chickens into the general direction of the school.

End Chapter 1

Ending notes:

Yes, pretty similar to the original chapter, for which I can only apologize. Unfortunately, the story will remain similar to Arc (Working Title) until Jaune begins his time in Beacon as a proper student although I am hoping it will make for a much better read this time around.

This was a pretty short chapter and I admit that it is like this in small part because I don't know if there is any kind of interest in this story still alive.

Regardless, I will do my best to actually finish it this time. I promise.

That said, I look forward to any guesses as to what Jaune is hunting this time!