Relic of the Future: Chapter 30, Chapter 31, Chapter 33

"Team JNPR stands ready." Jaune said. To anyone else, it would have been bravado.

[...]

Dad, take Cinder!" Magnis yelled. "I'm on Null. Everyone else, keep Ashari busy. Beware Emerald's Semblance. Adam's too!"

Jaune paled. He wanted them to take on Adam, Emerald and Ashari all at once? That was a ridiculous plan. They couldn't stand against Ashari when it had been them and RWBY both. Sure, the man was down an arm now, but he still moved ahead of Emerald with a dogged expression, his long white coat flapping up to reveal bandoliers of grenades, guns and other weapons.

[...]

The faunus clicked his tongue and rushed back in pursuit of Magnis, who had chased Null down the corridor to buy them space. Only Ashari and Emerald, then.

[...]

"Very well. Jaune Ashari-Schnee at your service."

The name had their eyes widening. Seriously? Finally, he'd found someone who got with Weiss, and it was this bastard? He was an old man! Jaune heard Nora titter nervously from behind him and knew she was thinking the same thing. Before he could think further, the man brought the gun down and fired. Jaune's shield came up, taking the brunt of the impact, but a shouted warning from Ren told of his error. Even pulling it down as quick as he could, he was left unprepared for the boot striking it, kicking off and sending him hurtling back into Nora.

Pyrrha charged in to take advantage of Ashari's attack, even going so far as to strike at his side with the missing arm. The man swayed away however, dodging by a mere inch and driving his gun into the back of her neck. Pyrrha flicked her arm up to knock it off course as he fired, sending the shots high, but she couldn't do much else as Emerald fired from a distance, hitting her stomach and driving her away from Ashari.

—Arc Royale: Chapter 30



Jaune was used to feeling outmatched. It came not only from being one of the weakest in Beacon and his fights with Cardin, but also his training with Pyrrha. Over time, however, he'd learned how to fight against people stronger than him. Not enough to beat Pyrrha, but enough to take Cardin down. Being so easily handled by Ashari, then, wasn't a surprise. Even down an arm, the man danced among them, wielding his borrowed Crocea Mors like a fencing rapier.

He moved in and around them, often stopping to lock blades with Pyrrha or kick Ren back, but only when he could be sure that their teammate was between him and the rest. He never let himself get surrounded. It was obvious he was used to facing unfavourable numbers.

They weren't. They trained and sparred against one another, but they were still first years, and the highly controlled and sanitised spars in Miss Goodwitch's class just didn't compare to real combat. That much was clear.

"Nora, go left." Jaune called. "Ren, focus on shooting. Pyrrha, keep Emerald busy."

"Are you sure-?"

That he could take Ashari on in melee alone? No, of course not, but that wasn't the point. "Just deal with her! You're the only one who can!"

Shield raised, Jaune charged the older iteration. He knew he couldn't win – but he didn't have to. When Ashari brought his sword up, Jaune ducked his head behind his shield and kept going, pinning the weapon against the man's body with his shield.

"Nora! Now!"

Grenades rained in. Jaune slammed his aura up a second before they exploded, casting both him and Ashari in dust and flames so hot they choked the very air from his lungs. Even if he was more skilled, he only had one arm – if he could just keep that arm pinned, they could wear him down from a distance. Gritting his teeth, he struggled to hold onto the man as Nora's grenades threatened to blow them apart. Ren was already shooting, placing his shots far more carefully to strike Ashari's back.

When the sword fell from the man's hand, he knew something else was coming. Wildly, he leapt for the limb before it could disappear into the coat – if he could grab it- A knee drove up into his gut, his hands missing as he buckled over. Ashari drew out a large, blinking grenade and Jaune barely managed to shout a warning before it was sent spinning toward Nora and Ren.

They weren't blind and made distance before it exploded, tearing down a section of wall, but that was time enough for Ashari to grab Jaune by the hair, yank him up and deliver a powerful headbutt to his nose. Stars exploded before his vision and his hands weakly flailed against the older man's. Without another arm, Ashari couldn't stab him, but he kicked Jaune's legs out from under him and kicked him again on the way down, sending them rolling away gasping for air.

"Jaune-" Ren called.

"I'm fine! Keep the pressure on! Don't let him dictate the fight!"

If Ashari started controlling this again it'd be a repeat of the docks fight. Their only hope was to keep him on the back foot, keep him busy, and trust in Pyrrha to do what she did best. Ashari might be far beyond their level, but Emerald Sustrai was not. You're all better versions of me but you come with weaknesses too, he thought grimly. I don't disappear if my anchor is dealt with. He trusted Pyrrha implicitly to beat her, which meant all he had to do was bite back on the pain, push himself up and charge back in. He did so, bleeding slightly from his nose but determined to keep fighting.

"You really are me, aren't you?" Ashari whispered under his breath. Jaune heard it. "It's like looking back in time."

"I'm not you! I'll never be you!"

His wild swings forced the man back, ducking and weaving without the sword he'd dropped. Aura allowed Ashari to fend the blade off with his hand, but only slight diversions and light parries. It wasn't about skill here, only overwhelming a one-armed man, so Jaune swung like he was trying to fend off a wasp with a stick, left, right, left, right, left, right. It was the kind of technique that would have made Pyrrha cry.

Out the corner of his eye he saw his partner in a fast-paced melee with Ashari's anchor, blades spinning and flying and aura flashing wildly. Beyond them, Nicholas held his own against Cinder while Magnis – Magnis was bleeding badly, slowed down by numerous wounds inflicted on him by Null and Adam both.

He won't be able to hold on, Jaune realised dully. It hurt more than any other iteration had. There was no one else he'd really connected to on an emotional level. He's taking Null and Adam on alone. No one could win that fight when Null can turn your aura off at will.

A fist caught his jaw and knocked him back. "Eyes on me," Ashari said.

"Why?" Jaune snarled. "Why are you doing this!?"

"Why are you?" he fired back. "I gave you the chance to run. It exists now. Take your team and go – meet up with Team RWBY, stake your ground and fight us as a group. It's your best chance for dealing with Cinder."

"I'm not leaving my dad to die!"

"Null won't-"

Ashari's eyes narrowed and he leaned his head to the left, flicking his hand up as well to catch something in his fist. The wood snapped under his grip and Jaune had the briefest moment to realise it was an arrow of all things before the packet strapped to the side erupted in Ashari's hold. A thick, spore-filled smog exploded out from his hand, clouding over Ashari and him both and causing Jaune to hack loudly.

[...]

They'd barely been able to hold Ashari off, and only then because the man blatantly avoided killing blows. He'd hoped Pyrrha could take Emerald out, but there was no guarantee that wouldn't just set Ashari off and make him start taking them seriously.

—Arc Royale: Chapter 31



"It looks like Hunter is back." Ashari said. "He shot some smoke arrow at me and helped the team escape."

"He's no threat." Null said. "An arrow against aura. Really. He's not even a huntsman."

"Makes it all the braver for him to come back, doesn't it?"

Ashari smiled. The man was ridiculous, always acting so pleased when other champions did things. Null didn't doubt the man wanted the wish from winning, but it felt as though he didn't take it quite as seriously. He was more interested in seeing alternate versions of himself.

"You let them go." Null accused.

The one-armed man didn't deny it. "What if I did?"

—Arc Royale: Chapter 33