𝐈𝐧 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐃𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦𝐬 (English)

Chapter 20

Oobleck's training was a vast amount of theoretical knowledge combined with aura control exercises. Having had no real training before Beacon, they were all new to him and his control was terrible. It included tasks like moving aura to his right hand and only his right hand, then bringing it through his body to his left hand. He jumped up and down and alternating his aura between his feet on each hop, and even had to try and swing his aura from his toes to his head and back down again over and over, like he was making it wave.

He didn't manage any of them, but Oobleck told him to keep practicing at least once a day, and that it would get easier over time. The idea was that if he could control his aura in so specific a way, then he should be able to control his Semblance. Aura and Semblances might be two different things, but they were quite obviously interwoven, and it was his aura he was spending while he was in a person's dreams.

It was something Oobleck told him he could ask for help for, and both Pyrrha and Ren were happy to teach him. Nora offered to but got bored ten minutes into it. The other two were both patient teachers, and happy to help out, and soon Jaune was spending his time after classes balancing a knife on one finger, using his aura to keep it in place and from harming him, while he tried to match the number of fingers Pyrrha was holding up with his other hand, and push aura to just those fingers.

"This is impossible!"

"For now, maybe," said Pyrrha, smiling patiently. "But you've only just started. No one gets this for the first week."

"Did you?"

"Jaune, I wasn't born a championship fighter. Even I had to start and struggle with the basics."

"Renny got it straight away," boasted Nora.

"Renny had to," replied Ren, voice flat. "Because, otherwise, we'd have died to the Grimm in that forest. I don't think it's a fair comparison, Nora."

It should have been a moment of silence, or a dumping of trauma, but Nora picked up and flung a pillow at her crush, and he caught it, only to be blindsided by the second. Pyrrha laughed, and Jaune did as well, losing control and making the knife bounce off his finger to the floor. It didn't hurt much.

"Guys, come on. How am I supposed to concentrate with you two doing this?"

"Are you going to ask the Grimm to let you concentrate as well?" teased Nora.

"No, but I was under the impression I'm supposed to be walking before I can run, hence why I was doing this without distractions."

"Hence," moaned Nora. "Renny, he's been corrupted by Weiss. He's saying fancy words again."

Jaune wasn't afraid to give as good as he got and was about to start teasing Nora back when a heavy knock came at the door. Pyrrha, being the closest, moved to open it. They weren't expecting anyone, but it could have been someone from Team RWBY wanting to hang out or host another inter-team video game tournament.

It wasn't. It was Ozpin.

"Sir," said Pyrrha, surprised.

"Miss Nikos. Is Mr Arc present? I need to talk to him." Pyrrha stepped aside and let the headmaster in. He didn't look too bothered by the state of the room, and instead looked straight at Jaune. "You need to come with me."

Jaune's stomach dropped.

"Why? Has General Ironwood really-"

"It's not about him. It is..." He took a deep breath and seemed to age before their eyes. Ozpin's hands clutched the head of his cane tightly. "It is about your family. The one in critical care. Her condition has worsened." His eyes closed. "Badly. I do not believe she has much time left."