Crash Course training

Weiss managed to summon a glyph and send herself back. But it felt... Off. Like it took twice as long as it should have for some reason. But it also sent her back twice as far than usual.

Callista crashed into where she was leaving a deep cut in the arena and she goes, "Good! Excellent reaction time! But you need to learn to channel your power through your new conduit better!"

Weiss stumbles as she lands and screams out, "Conduit?!"

Auriville chuckles and explains as his wife chases after Weiss and is keeping the ice princess on her toes. "Your snowflake symbol is a conduit for your semblance now. If you channel your powers anywhere else it will be normal powered like usual. But once you learn how to channel them through your conduit it uses less soul power for double the normal effect. Think of it as an amplifier for your scrolls battery making it last twice as long with much better graphics and more features available than normal."

Weiss does her best to channel her aura into her new conduit but it is an uphill battle.

Mostly because of the crazy old lady wielding a 50 pound battle axe like a kitchen knife!!!!

The battle raged and Jaunes grandfather gave tips telling her to focus on what usually gave her strength.

Weiss did so. Focusing on her drive to succeed. To be the best. To be better. To drive herself to the next level. To beat any hurdle.

Only for a voice to say. In a stern older man voice, "You will always be a failure. A lesser version of your sister. And you will always be my youngest daughter. The one who was the extra."

Tears sroung to her eyes as she suddenly drops her rapier and yells out in anguish, "Nooooo! I'm not a failure!!! I'm not a weakling! I'll beat you and your challenges!! Aaaaaagh!!!"

Callista stops mid swing and drops her axe to hold Weiss close.

In other circumstances it would be hilarious to see. A 7ft tall bulky old lady with a mid back length braid of dull yellow and white hair, cradling a petite barely over 5ft tall white haired girl.

But I'm this instance it was more a shock.

Especially to her friends.

They were all wincing or gripping their heads in pain and even Ruby and Yang were both tearing up. Blake had a few tears escape. Ren was stoic but even he had his eyebrows quirked in a grimace.

Jaune was reeling as he was hit hard by it while Pyrrha and Nora were both rubbing their temples from the assault on their minds.

Auriville sighs harshly as he walks over to the group and lets out a pulse of his personal aura.

He then sadly looks to a crying and weeping Weiss as she is comforted by the embrace form Callista who is whispering little nothings to her ear as a woman who has experienced many heartbroken granddaughters shows her experience in dealing with a distraught young woman.

Auriville then speaks up as everyone clams down and managed to refocus on him, "And that students... Is why it is dangerous to do a soul bond hastily without proper preparation or proper mentality behind it."

Jaune and his friends go to dispute what they tried to do but we're stopped by a held out hand. Auriville gives them a steely glare that freezes their mouths as he finishes, "Thanks to the hastily made bond. You all will feel your emotions empower each other. Normally that is where it ends. But with this rushed bond and your unresolved issues. You will be feeling each other's emotions much more powerfully than if you did the proper ritual. The negative emotions will be amplified at least 3 times as they aren't your own and you have no resistance to those unfiltered negative thoughts. But what makes it worse is who the center of the bond is."

Everyone wonders about that before they all gasp and turn to Jaune. He is pale faced as he is panting slightly. Auriville looks at his grandson worried for his health but continues, "Jaune is the center. The anchor of the bond. As a result. He is also the main hub for it. So everything goes through him first before it is filtered to the rest of you. As a result he gets the full force. The rest of you will feel it in varying degrees."

Pyrrha and Nora rush to Jaunes side and try to soothe him with pulses of their auras as he is slowly calming down.

Jaune meanwhile looks to Weiss in shock and sadness as he felt what she went through to get here today. And how she got her scar. And what she is still proving to this day even all the way here form Atlas.

He sighs harshly and tells his friends. "We have a lot of issues to work out for this soul bond to work."

Auriville then snorts as he turns to Ozpin.

The professor approaches the. And nods slowly but with a sad expression on his face, "Yes you do mister Arc. And unfortunately your classes begin tomorrow. So for now use this time to get a grasp on your skills and abilities while your grandparents are here. And you'll need to work through your issues but by bit over the school year when possible. And if any of you face a problem that is too painful for you to individually face. Remember you have your friends. And my office doubles as a counseling office. Come to me if you hit a wall."

The students all nod as Weiss has calmed down and is getting off the lap of Callista. Though she is blushing hard at her episode and is apologizing profusely for it. And Callista was waving her off explaining her experience with her granddaughters and her own daughters. Weiss feels embarrassed but also comforted a bit by the barbarian woman with her motherly aura. As it was something she was not used to but it felt... Nice to her.

Everyone felt more at ease as Weiss's negative emotions left their bond and they instead felt a dull soothing warmth as they all focused down the comfort Weiss was feeling.

Nora then spoke up and said, "Dang this is going to be a rollercoaster of emotions until we get a handle on this bond of our huh?"

Ozping sips from his mug and thinks back to his past where he had reincarnated into a barbarian male when there were more clans around. He chuckles as he remembers when he made a soul bond with his council. And they were all just into their 25-28 years. It was hectic when it came to their emotional highs and lows until they were better able to control it.

He sips once again and speaks up, "Miss Valkyrie you have... NO idea."

They all wonder at his words but focus when Jaunes grandfather speaks up, "Right we will be in Vale during the week doing odd jobs here and there to make some ends meet. But on the weekends you'll be training with us to boost your control of your new soul tattoos and to help you all get used to this soul bond. After all your grandmother and I went through one so we have experience."

They all nod and understand.

Soon they make and order to try their abilities in this controlled environment.

Ren managed to avoid any big emotional swings thanks to his semblance. But when he tried to draw upon his new soul mark, he was assaulted with why he wanted so much power. He suddenly remembered his parents, village, their deaths, the running and starving every other night. And he was tarring up mid battle and frozen.

Auriville who was his opponent managed to stop and make sure he was calming down.

Everyone else was on their knees as they managed to endure it thanks to Ren using his semblance to aid in tamping down the utter despair and anger he was consumed with.

They had a lot more to talk about than they thought.

For Nora it was similar as she fought Callista. But with the sensation of loss and loneliness from losing her family twice. Then they felt her fear of losing the new family she was making with them.

The group knew they had to get stronger to make sure she felt secure that she would never lose them like that.

Blake was able to get more physically used to her form and was showing incredible improvements in her physical form. So good that many of them were blushing at her flexibility. None more so than Jaune and Yang.

The fellow blondes side eyed each other while Blake dodged the hammer strikes of Aruiville and Yang said, "You haven't blinked in a solid two minutes." Jaune returned her side eye and said, "Neither have you."

Yang looked at Blake again and said while holding up a fist, "Protect the sexy black cat together?"

Jaune returns the first bump and says, "Like you need to ask."

As they fist bump their fists are joined by Nora and Ruby. Nora can't take her eyes off of Blake's ears and tail. While Ruby is making notes for making some clawed boots and gauntlets for Blake. Both to increase her armor and to improve her combat potential.

Blake eventually tries to use her marks but ends up feeling the hopelessness of the fight she ran from to become a huntress. The hopelessness hits her hard and her friends all begin to feel despair. Ren managed to use his ability in time but it was close before they would have been all in fetal positions processing this heavy emotion.

Blake knew she would need to think this over with her friends helping her. But also need to talk to Ozpin about it as she sees him give her a sympathetic look at her emotion she succumbed to.

Pyrrha had only a few negative emotions when she was fighting Callista and tried to use her new mark. It was isolation. From friends, family, people she thought she could be with. It hit her so hard she actually went dead stop in her charge to attack. She had a look like someone who was zoned out and all alone in a dark room.

Jaune and Nora were quick to hug her as she fell to her knees with tears in her eyes. She eventually came out of the funk but by then all of them were zoning a bit due to how isolated she felt over the last four years of her life and the pressure that came with being so perfect in the battlefield and in public.

They all helped her remember they were there. But Pyrrha remained quiet during the rest of the training.

Ruby was able to use her ability a bit. Her eyes shines making Ozpin gasp a bit when her silver eyes had the glow. But it was immediately besieged by loss. Losing her mother. Losing her father to work. Lsoignher uncle to drink. Losing Yang to her desire to find her mother. It kept compounding to where she only felt connected to her weapons that she made and knew that since she made them, that they would always be by her side.

Everyone was reeling from these heavy feelings from one so young.

Yang managed to slide in next to her crying sister and pull her hood over Ruby's head and rock her gently while holding her close.

Ruby cries hard into Yang's chest while Yang feels similar and heavier as she knew Sommer longer than Ruby remembered her.

They were given a moment before Yang went up.

And hers hit hard. Her desire to grow in strength. Her feeling of weakness being the reason her mom left. Her feeling weak to stop Summers death. Feeling weak to protect Ruby. Her feeling weak next to Jaune and the others despite wanting to be a possible girlfriend and being able to defend her new friends.

It all compounded and her energy left her so fast that her crimson eyes dulled to a light red haze. Ruby and the others all nearly joined her until Ozpin used his mastery of aura to fight off the feeling of weakness permeating them all. And once he did Ren aided his efforts with his semblance.

Soon everyone was back.

And while they now knew they were all stronger thanks to the soul marks. They knew they had a lot to go through in the coming weeks.

Ozpin nods to them all and says, "I wish we had more time but remember my office is always open during or after school. Please see me if you wish to discuss anything relevant to your self discoveries here."

He walks away giving them time to be alone.

Glynda reminds them, "Remember tomorrow is class. I understand if you want the day off and I can give you passes to do so. But please if you can attend. Sometimes you need time to be in a normal environment to process things like this. Trust me. I know."

With a small sad smile she walks off.

Everyone heads back to the dorms to rest.

No one says a thing.

But they all make it to the rooms while under the watchful eyes of Callista and Auriville who stop Jaune.

He looks to them while being drained emotionally and physically. He never got to train as he was the hub. And hence was the most drained every episode his friends wne through. He would be back in the arena tomorrow for combat class.

His grandmother gave him a hug and kiss on his cheek before whispering, "We'll be back this weekend. Just take things one step at a time Jaune. You're friends need time to heal those scars in their soul. And you can be their rock to anchor them through the turmoil. Understand hon?"

Jaune nods quietly as he processes this information.

His grandfather steps up neck and claps Jaune on his shoulder before embracing him in a manly hug. He then says, "Jaune rushed as your decision for this soul bond was. I understand it. You found friends. Real friends and allies you would die for. But now you need to take it to the next level. You must protect them from their own selves. Some of those emotions you felt? Can be self destructive. You must guide them through that minefield and help them grow past their traumas. Help them be their best selves. Or your soul bond will break and they will never be able to reconnect with you."

Jaune goes wide eyed but then says, "I promise I will do my best grandpa."

Auriville smiles gently at him and says with a gentle nod, "Then I will have faith you will all be better come this next weekend when we are back. Take care."

They both leave with final well wishes and Jaune enters his room.

He sees Pyrrha and Nora resting in his bed cuddling each other. He chuckles to himself and goes to sleep on an open bed. Only to feel a pair of hands grab the back top of his PJ bottoms. He looks back and sees a sad looking Pyrrha and Nora who are leading with their eyes for him to be with them.

He comes in gently and has Pyrrha cuddled to his right while Nora situated herself on his left. Both girls nuzzle into his chest as he protectively curls his arms down their backs and rests his hands on their hips and thighs.

They quietly breath in his comforting scent as he says, "I felt your emotions."

They tense up as they look up at him. He gently smiles at them both and kisses them on the lips. A quick kiss to each one. And then continues, "I felt it. I know a part of it now. So I will be here for you. To comfort you or to be an ear for you to speak to when you are ready. I'll always be here. Never fear losing me."

He looks to Nora, "We will always be here for your Nora." She smiles gently at that and kisses his chest and cheek then lips in response and thankfulness that he understood.

He then turns to Pyrrha, "And you are no longer that champion stuck alone in the arena. You are here and with us. We will never leave your side no matter what. You have a family with us. And that is a promise to both of you."

Pyrrha then kisses his chest, then his bicep, his cheek, and finally his lips. She nuzzles into his neck for good measure while Nora has happy tears and kisses him next.

They both nuzzle into him with smiles.

Jaune knows this is just a step on their path to recovery. They are comforted for now. But he needs them to believe he will never leave.

And this will be possible only once he unlocks more of his immortal seal. That way he will never leave the side and any of his friends. He needs to be their rock. Their anchor. If he crumbles. So does their soul bond.

He goes to sleep with his brides in his arms and a full mind to think on in class tomorrow.