AN: Welcome to my first attempt at a longer RWBY fanfic! I really appreciate the response from my first one shot, "A Spicy Meatball", and decided to take some of the suggestions that I continue writing to heart. This will be a JNPR based fanfic, so don't except the other teams to join in just yet (if I can find a way to work them in, I will try). The goal here is for Arkos to bloom, so that will be the focus, but you might get some Renora in there as well. So I'm going to try to make this a few chapters long, maybe like 5-6 (more if I get extremely inspired), and try to update at least once a week. So read, enjoy, review me, tell me I suck, tell me I'm great, whatever strikes your fancy. If you like how the story is going, or you have some ideas on how you want it to progress, let me know and I'll do my best! Stay classy, gents!

It was shaping up to be a beautiful spring afternoon on the grounds of Beacon Academy. All day the sky had been spotless blue, and now as the sun began to lower towards the Emerald Forest, it seemed even more stunning, birds zipping through the air on a slight breeze. A truly perfect day.

If only I didn't have to see it through a window, thought Jaune Arc, as he sat in class, wistfully gazing out at the gorgeous day.

It didn't matter that he wasn't paying attention to the lecture, as hardly anyone else was either. At this point at their studies at Beacon, when Professor Port started one of his tales of glorious Grimm conquest, the whole class tended to tune him out.

"…once the trap was set, I knew the Ursa would come right to me!" Port continued to drone on. "My father wouldn't have been pleased to discover that I was using his prized cow as bait, but as long as I pulled Edgar out of the hole before my prey could attack, he would be none the wiser! So I waited for my target to approach, and then… dum dah blah bluh blah…"

Jaune groaned as he looked at the clock. Luckily, there was only five minutes left in class. Five minutes, and then he would be free from the tyranny of classes for the weekend. He glanced over at his teammates, all in varying degrees of focus. Pyrrha, his partner, was trying to pay attention to Port's lecture, but even she wasn't immune to the boredom-inducing droning, as she turned to Jaune and gave him a weary smile. Ren, who normally wasn't the one to let his mind wander during class, was clearly as ready to leave as Jaune was.

Nora, however, was in a completely different state.

She was practically bouncing in her seat, twitching and jerking, anxious to leave. "Nora, relax," Ren whispered to his partner.

"But class is almost over!" Nora whisper-yelled back. "Class is over in 24 seconds, and then it's the weekend! And then we can go do fun stuff! Oh, just wait and see what we're gonna do this weekend, Ren, it's gonna be so much fun!"

Jaune smiled. Well, it looks like Ren and Nora have plans for the weekend, he thought to himself. As for me, well…

He glanced back at Pyrrha. She was focused on Port again, which allowed Jaune to stare at her for a bit. Her red hair was in her usual ponytail, falling in a wave down her back. Her Amazon physique made her look like a goddess, which, for all intents and purposes, she might as well have been. She really is stunning, Jaune thought. If only I could tell if she feels the same way about me that I do about her...

Jaune's feelings for Pyrrha had been brewing for a while. Ever since initiation, in fact. When they made eye contact in the Emerald Forest, he felt a certain bond form with the red-haired warrior. At first it started as a bond of friendship, but as the days went on, and Jaune and Pyrrha started to train together, his feelings grew from friendship to something more. She must like me back, right? I mean, she keeps training with me, so she obviously wants me around. Maybe all she's waiting on is for me to make the first-

The bell finally rang, signaling the end of class. Jaune stood and stretched. Finally, he thought. It's finally the-

"WWWEEEEEEKKKEEENNNDDD!" Nora cried, as she shot out of the classroom.

Nora was waiting for her teammates when they finally caught up to her back at their dorm room.

"What took you guys so long? Don't you know it's the weekend?! Now I can tell you what we we're gonna do tonight!"

Jaune looked confused. "Wait, what we're gonna do? I thought you and Ren had plans?"

Nora bounded towards her team leader. "No silly, I want ALL of us to go to THIS!" She produced a folded poster from her pocket and handed it to Jaune.

He unfolded it and read aloud, "Join us for the 1st Annual Vale Carnival! Come enjoy countless rides, snacks and entertainment! ONE NIGHT ONLY!"

"I KNOW, RIGHT?!" Nora shouted with glee. "That's why we have to go tonight! So we can do everything there before it all ends!"

"That sounds like fun!" Pyrrha said with a smile. "I'm up for it if everybody else is! Jaune?"

Jaune was honestly just planning to hang around Beacon for the weekend. Dust knew he had tons of homework to catch up on. But the thought of spending the evening at the carnival actually perked Jaune up. "Sure! Why not!"

And, Jaune thought to himself, maybe I can try to build on my relationship with Pyrrha. He turned to Nora. "So, when do we leave?"

Nora was already halfway out the door. "The next airship leaves in 30 minutes! Hurry and get changed! LET'S GO!"