Swing! Batter, Batter! Swing!

Chapter 2: Batter Up! Jaune Arc! (1)

On the streets of Vale, Jaune Arc was a name that carried weight—people feared him. His reputation wasn't just a fluke. He had run with Roman Torchwick and Neo, notorious figures in the criminal underworld, and he was on good terms with Junior, another high-ranking player. No one dared mess with him. Those foolish enough to try quickly discovered why his name was whispered with caution in the dark alleys of the city. He was a force, someone to be reckoned with.

So how could one humiliating incident shatter that image in a matter of seconds?

Now, sitting in the uncomfortable seat of an airship bound for Beacon Academy, Jaune clutched a small paper bag in his hands—the very same bag he had been handed after vomiting all over the floor and, unfortunately, onto a pair of shoes belonging to a very displeased girl. The nausea still lingered, though the worst had passed.

Good news: he felt slightly better.

Bad news: he'd humiliated himself in front of a pretty girl.

'Thank God Neo isn't here... She'd never let me hear the end of it...' Jaune groaned inwardly, the thought of her teasing echoing in his mind. His stomach still churned slightly from the motion sickness. 'Ugh... Roman was right, I really do need to get better at handling this!'

"How're you doing, Vomit-Boy?"

The voice broke through his thoughts like a sharp slap. Jaune looked up, his stomach sinking for a different reason this time. It was her. The girl whose shoes had borne the brunt of his earlier mishap. Standing beside her was another girl, dressed in black and red, with goth-like attire and hair streaked with crimson.

Jaune swallowed nervously. "I-I'm doing better," he managed to say, his voice quieter than usual. He could still see the flash of disgust from earlier in his mind. "Sorry about... earlier," he added, a heavyweight of embarrassment still pressing down on him.

The girl waved him off with a smile, her easygoing nature disarming the tension. "Ah, no worries, it was an accident, name's Yang, Yang Xiao-Long, and this girl with normal knees," she added with a playful nudge toward the smaller girl beside her, "Is my sister, Ruby Rose,"

Ruby offered a nervous wave, her silver eyes glancing shyly at Jaune. "H-Hi..." she greeted, her voice soft.

Jaune felt the knot in his stomach ease a bit. "A pleasure," he replied, his smile shaky but genuine. "Jaune Arc," he introduced himself, trying to project more confidence than he felt.

"Nice to meet you, Jaune," Yang said with a warm grin. "So, where're you from?" Her curiosity was evident, though her demeanor remained casual.

Jaune blinked, caught off guard by the sudden question. "Huh?" he asked, not sure what she was getting at.

"Where are you from? A different kingdom, or did you attend Pharos Academy?" Yang clarified, her head tilted slightly as she waited for his answer.

"I'm from Vale," Jaune replied, rubbing the back of his neck. "And no, I didn't go to Pharos, actually, I didn't attend any combat school,"

Yang's brow furrowed in confusion, her lavander eyes narrowing as she tried to process what he said. "Wait, what? But... how are you here then? You need to be a student from one of the primary combat schools to be on one of these airships." She eyed him curiously, wondering whether he had somehow gotten on the wrong transport by mistake.

Jaune smirked a little, straightening up as he responded with a hint of pride. "I'm a special case. I got offered a spot at Beacon," His voice carried a note of smugness, proud of the opportunity that set him apart from the norm.

Yang's confusion melted into surprise, her eyebrows shooting up. "Whoa! Really?" she asked, clearly impressed.

"Me too!" Ruby suddenly chimed in, her nervousness fading. She practically bounced on her heels, her excitement bubbling over. "I'm actually supposed to still be in combat school, but I got moved up early thanks to Headmaster Ozpin!" Ruby beamed, clearly thrilled with her own achievement.