Disclaimer: The following is a fan based work. RWBY is owned by RoosterTeeth and created by Monty Oum.
"Thank you for coming in Jaune." Ozpin greeted the young man as he entered his office. "I apologize for calling summoning you so early."
The sun was just breaking over the horizon, the city of Vale was shrouded in a gray shade that slowly broke to give way to the light.
"It's fine Headmaster," Jaune said as he approached and subsequently took a seat. "Is this about what happened yesterday?"
"Indeed," Ozpin confirmed as the both of them sat in their own chairs. "I received a verbal report from Miss Goodwitch the moment she got back, but I, as well as all of the staff, would feel more secure if I could get a first hand account."
"Right." Jaune could see the sense in that. After all, a massive, strange Ursa appeared seemingly out of nowhere, without any previous sightings and without warning. It was definitely going to raise some brows. "Where should I begin?"
"Preferably from the beginning, if you would." With a tap of his finger, a holographic screen appeared before Ozpin along with a keyboard. "Whenever you're ready, Jaune."
Jaune sighed as he brushed a hand through his hair, doing his best to recall the chaotic events that happened just yesterday.
"Miss Goodwitch took our class out to the Forest of Forever Fall in order to retrieve the special sap native to the trees there, as per the request of Professor Peach for her Remnant Life Studies," Jaune began. "Goodwitch believed it to be a prime opportunity to show how a Hunter is depended on not only to fight the Grimm but to provide other services to aid the common people as well."
Jaune watched as Ozpin typed away into the screen, his fingers tapping at the board at such a speed that he couldn't help but marvel a bit. It was when he stopped that he noticed that Ozpin was waiting on him to continue. He blushed as he was caught, before resuming.
"My friends, Team JNPR and RWBY, decided to go off on our own little section in the woods to collect sap. Which, looking back was probably not the best of ideas, considering how far away we were," Jaune admitted with a regretful sigh. The idea was that if they went deeper into the uncharted areas, they would fine trees with more sap. And while they did get their sap, it was overlooked by the serious turn of events that happened soon after.
"After we got our share, all of us heard a roar. It was so… different. All of us have fought and killed Grimm before, but this… sound, was unlike anything we've ever heard. We grouped up in a circle and readied ourselves, when Russell and Sky came rushing out from the redwoods."
"When they got closer, we realized that Sky was… really hurt." He paled a bit as he envisioned the grotesque image of Sky's bone showing, covered in torn flesh and blood. He took a pause that Ozpin remained silent for, giving him time. "I used my magic to try and heal him… but it wasn't a pleasant process."
"You did everything you could at the moment," Ozpin assured him gently. "Most people, especially young teenagers such as yourself would have fallen to panic. Though you claim it to be unpleasant, it remains that you prevented an incident from becoming a tragedy. That is something that I, and everyone, are grateful for."
Jaune took a breath as he was comforted by Ozpin's words. Short seconds passed before he continued.
"After that, Russell told us about the situation. How there was an Ursa where they ran from and how Cardin and Dove were still back there. I sent up a flare and formed a makeshift team of myself, Pyrrha, Ruby, and Yang. We went to rescue Cardin and Dove and saw the Grimm. It was… big." Jaune could only describe it as such.
"After getting Cardin and Dove away, we engaged it for, maybe half an hour. In the beginning, Yang and I were the front line while Ruby and Pyrrha provided ranged support while occasionally coming in close. We were getting nowhere until Ruby suggested that we used fire to kill it."
"And how exactly did you go about that?" Ozpin finished typing exactly as Jaune stopped talking, keeping up at his pace. At that question, Jaune fumbled, unable to properly explain.
"Ah. I had some… flammable material on me…" Jaune stated rather open endedly, not wanting to reveal how they went about it.
"Jaune, I need a full report to document this. Please, do not leave anything out."
Jaune sighed and had no choice but to relent and confess. "I… had flasks on me that were originally water… that I transmuted, with magic, into alcohol… among other things…"
At that, Ozpin stopped typing, and looked at the young Arc, a raised brow along with slight surprise. "...May I ask why?"
"...I was curious."
"Curious?" Ozpin repeated.
"Please," Jaune leaned forward and clasped his hands together. "Please, don't tell anyone about this. Especially the Arcs, I'll never hear the end of it."
Ozpin remained silent for some time, comprehending the revelation that Jaune was making alcohol and implied that he drank it. The Representative and idol of Vale, a teenager, was heavy drinking.
"That's…" Ozpin sighed and shook his head. "While that is surprising and somewhat frightening, considering the fact that you are 18 years old… I cannot say that you are not allowed to do what you did. And unless it becomes a problem that interferes with your time here at Beacon, I have no actual authority to prevent you from continuing. Thus, there is no reason to contact the Arcs."
Jaune sighed in relief, making a note to find a way to make it up to the Headmaster when he could. "Thank you sir."
Ozpin couldn't help but laugh at the palpable relief. "It's fine Jaune. But do try to keep it at a minimum. And this goes without saying, but it would be in best interest, for your sake and mine, that Goodwitch never learns of this."
Jaune winced at that. "O-of course sir."
"Now then, may you continue?"
"Right," Jaune agreed, ready to change the subject. "After the Grimm was killed, the four of us managed to find a relatively safe spot to rest at. Pyrrha and I pulled out our scrolls to text Nora and Ren, and that was when Goodwitch retrieved us. We all boarded on the airship and returned to Beacon. And that's about it." Jaune concluded his report.
Ozpin finished typing as well, before tapping another button that saved the document and added it to the pile. He sighed and leaned back in his chair.
"Thank you Jaune. I will try to send out a team of Hunters to investigate the surrounding areas. If it turns out that there are any other variants such as the one you and CRDL encountered, we must strike first. You are free to return to your dorm to rest."
Ozpin gave him permission to leave as he opened one of the many drawers on his desk and pulled out sheets of paper.
"That's good to hear," Jaune let out a sigh, trusting the Headmaster to take affirmative and swift action.
Upon hearing that he was free to leave, Jaune still remained seated. There was still something he had on his mind.
"Uh, Headmaster?"
The gray haired Headmaster looked up from his papers. "Is something else on your mind, Mister Arc?"
"Yes actually." Jaune couldn't help but be nervous. Was he really going to ask? Well, he was already here. "It's about Team CRDL."
Ozpin was ready to provide an answer. "Your concern is appreciated Jaune. I can assure you that the four young men are in no further danger, and are resting peacefully in the medical wing as we speak. Though they may have minor injuries, they should be fully recovered within the week, if not sooner."
"That's good to hear, but that wasn't exactly it." Jaune elaborated. Ozpin put down his papers and raised an aged brow, curious.
Jaune took a deep breath, and braced himself.
"Cardin is, for reasons I've yet to know, stubborn, biased, prideful, and overall an unpleasant person." Jaune confessed his misgivings about the gray armored teen. "He has bullied other students, faunus in particular, and I have to say, I honestly couldn't see us ever getting along."
Ozpin listened intently, letting Jaune say what he wanted to say. He leaned in his chair, one leg crossed over the other, hands folded neatly on his knee.
"But... in spite of all that, he was ready to die that day. To buy time for Russell and Sky to get away, and try to lead the Ursa away from Dove. He was going to die for his friends."
It perplexed him.
Jaune wasn't that naive of course. He knew all about how one person could have multiple faces. How they could be kind to people while cruel to others. How even detestable people could have admirable qualities about them.
But to actually see it from someone as young as him, someone like Cardin who was ready to lay his life down for his friends? He had to know.
"I know I have no right to pry into affairs that aren't mine. And I more than understand if you would prefer if I didn't know. But as Headmaster, you must know something as to why Cardin is how he is? Why even accept him into Beacon at all?"
"So I was wondering… perhaps… would you tell me?"
Silence engulfed the office as Jaune issued his request.
Jaune watched and waited with bated breath as the Headmaster sat there, neutral and unmoving. He was more than willing to leave if he ordered him to.
"...What you're asking me is incredibly personal, Jaune," Ozpin stated. "While you are right that I know of his circumstances, under normal circumstances I'd have no place in telling them."
"...Under normal circumstances?"
"Yes," Ozpin relented. "But, seeing as how you aided in rescuing Team CRDL, I suppose you deserve some light on the matter."
Ozpin leaned forward and opened up the holographic screen once more and typed away, searching through his personal files. After a brief moment, he moved the screen to the side of his desk so that he and Jaune could see what was on it.
It was a news article, of that Jaune was certain. He saw the central image of what appeared to be a ruined street, decorated with blown out cars, destroyed stores, injured civilians. He skimmed the article, and saw a myriad of words. Incident, planned, tragedy, faunus, terrorism, casualty.
Massacre.
But what truly made Jaune reel was the title of the article.
FAUNUS RIGHTS RALLY INTERRUPTED BY TERRORIST ATTACK / OVER 100 DEAD
"It was a clear spring day," Jaune heard Ozpin say. He didn't look as he was too absorbed by the article, but he heard the man age as he spoke. "Everyone was just going about their business. Men going to work, women tending to their children who played with others. It was a normal day."
"There was a rally for the faunus. Not too big, but enough to cause what everyone would call 'A disturbance.' Faunus and human allies advocated in the streets, saying the basics. Regular wages, equal housing, property rights. Somethings that all people should have regardless of race. Soon enough, they were met with opposition."
"The streets grew heated as both sides raged at each other. The Vale Police did their best to try and contain them, but there weren't that many. Back then, most rallies dispersed after a while, with only minor injuries. No one thought that day would be any different. But then…"
"The White Fang," Jaune said, hollow as he continued to read, not daring to look away.
"Yes," Ozpin confirmed. "The White Fang reacted so quickly, many people theorised that the rally was planned by fanatics in order to draw forth racists to gun them down. It pains me to say it, but such words hold weight. It helped that some of the faunus protestors who were killed had evidence of long distance communication and firearms on their bodies. The police were gunned down first, and then the humans, and even some unfortunate faunus caught in the crossfire. It didn't matter who supported what, all the White Fang wanted was their message to the public."
"What about the Hunters? Surely someone was-"
"The Hunters," Ozpin cut Jaune off. There was a heavy, meaningful look in his eyes. "While having civil duty to the everyday people, have a primary objective of scouting the land and eliminating Grimm. Most Hunters enter and exit Vale one after the other. By then, it was already too late. Over 100 casualties."
Ozpin sighed, remembering that terrible, bloody day.
"From what I have heard, young Cardin's parents were among the casualties. He and his family were protestors advocating for the faunus. And that the seven year old watched as his parents were gunned down in front of him."
The days had passed by like a blur, and sure enough Team CRDL were on their feet again.
The interactions that came afterwards were what really made it strange, for RWBY and JNPR, and with the rest of the student body as well.
They were quiet now, subdued even. They mostly kept to themselves nowadays and actually began to take their classes seriously. Any time they made contact with either RWBY or JNPR, they would give a small acknowledgement in some way; a nod or even a few words.
But the most dramatic change was the ceasing of any form of harassment or bullying. A surprising, but not at all unwelcome change.
Despite this, Jaune felt his mind wandering, even now.
"-aune? Jaune?"
"Hm?" Jaune finally looked up, having realized that his name was being called. It was Pyrrha Nikos, his partner, who was giving him a concerned look.
"Are you alright? You've been… off these last few days."
It was night time right now, the shattered moon faced down on them in a way, giving the illusion that it was still whole. He was in his sleepwear inside JNPR Dorm, alongside the rest of his team.
"Is something the matter, Jaune?" Ren asked, looking up from his book. Nearby, Nora was already fast asleep, something that everyone made sure of this time.
"I'm fine, really," Jaune made to assure them when his mind was really in a bit of chaos. "It's just… recently I've learned something that I'm just still reeling from, and to be honest I have no idea how to deal with it."
Pyrrha raised a brow, her worried look never leaving her face. "Would you be willing to tell us? Perhaps we could help you?"
"Thing is, it's not really my secret, or place, to share it," Jaune said, Ozpin's earlier words came from his mouth. "It's not that big a deal really, I just… need time to process all of it. I'll bounce back in no time."
Pyrrha and Ren looked at each other, the black haired teen only shrugging as the girl turned to him for his thoughts. They knew he wasn't telling the whole truth, but he wasn't lying either.
"Well… if you're certain," Pyrrha sighed as she went back to her own business, maintaining her weapons on her bed.
Jaune gave a tired smile, appreciating his friends for not prying any further. He knew it wasn't healthy to bottle things up, but this was something was not even his to begin with. It was Cardin's.
There was nothing he could have done about it. Ten years ago… he would have still been a street orphan in Vale, scrounging around on whatever he could to survive, moving from place to place, never looking back. He didn't have a family, or a home to get to. He was just by himself.
Cardin wasn't. He was a child with a bright future ahead of him, someone who once held a pure, innocent view of the world before it was cruelly ripped away from him. Someone who had loving parents that were taken from circumstances beyond his control, and was now faced with a reality that he was thrown into. He had carried that for ten years.
It just wasn't fair. Life never was, but that didn't make it any better. Jaune, for the first time, could understand Cardin and his hate for faunus. Something that a small part of him, deep down, would say was well placed.
"Ren," Jaune called out to his fellow brother-in-arms, who looked up again from his book that he didn't seem that focused on reading before.
"Yes Jaune?"
"If…" Jaune stammered a bit, unsure of what to actual say. He had a rough idea, but even then, was it truly something appropriate to say to Ren of all people?
No. It probably wasn't.
He needed another voice to consider.
"If Nora… hypothetically speaking, If Nora was kidnapped what would you do?"
Ren, amazingly, did not seem all that offended. He did however, raise a brow along with gaining a very concerned look on his face. As did Pyrrha.
Ren put down his book and looked directly at Jaune, contemplating a response. "Firstly, I'd doubt anyone would be sane enough to try and kidnap Nora, and that would be assuming that they could overpower her. She's stronger than she looks you know."
An attempt at trying to lighten an otherwise dark question. A way to remind all of them that this was indeed, purely hypothetical. Until a serious look was adopted in the young man's gaze.
"...But if she were to be abducted, I would do everything in my power to get her back. Even if it was by myself, even if I had to face every obstacle on Remnant, I would find her."
In the background, Pyrrha smiled at the strong bond that the two of them shared, how much they would face just to stay with each other. She turned to Jaune, and was surprised to see his face remain unchanging. If anything, he actually looked even more apprehensive.
"Is that right?" Jaune said quietly. "Then…" he hesitated again, which was rare. At least, for Pyrrha it was. She and Jaune both knew how to remain composed in situations, it was a necessity living their lives in such public view. Either dealing with the media as an idol, or on the field facing Grimm, composure was key.
"...what would you do if she was killed?"
…
Silence.
Ren stilled, his face blank and without emotion, revealing nothing of what was going on through his head. Either the audacity of the question or the fact that Jaune actually asked it, it didn't show.
Pyrrha was another story.
"Jaune?!" she gasped as she heard her close friend, her partner, ask such a question. "That's… why would… where is all of this coming from?!"
Jaune didn't turn to look at her, only focusing on Ren and his response.
"...That's a rather loaded question Jaune," Ren said simply after a while. There was no emotion in his voice, even considering how he normally talked. He addressed Jaune, for what everyone believed for the first time, coldly. "Could I ask why you'd bring that up?"
Jaune winced at that, realizing that he truly had stepped too far into sensitive territory. He knew that this could possibly estrange them and their team dynamic, given how close the two were. For him to ask such a question, even in hypothetical, that Nora would be killed and implying that Ren could do nothing?
It was too late, Jaune thought. Estrangement was fine. He was prepared to face whatever came next, but he was absolutely not going to back down or run from this, something that he started.
"Earlier, you wanted, the both of you, to know what was going on, and I said that I was fine. I'm not," Jaune confessed. "The truth is I learned something about someone. It… wasn't good. But I think I can finally understand them, even a little."
"They lost someone very important to them. It hurt them in a way that they couldn't do anything to make the pain leave, and it changed them. And that's why they lash out at others. I know this was reckless to ask, and I more than understand if you don't want to answer… but I just felt that I needed to ask. To understand, even if a little."
It was a lame excuse. He knew that. He'd asked a question that risked the balance between all of them for a selfish reason to understand something that only he knew.
And he still wouldn't fully tell them.
Yet Ren looked deep into his eyes, magenta clashing against blue. Pyrrha could only watch on, ready to stop any conflict if needed, a feeling of helplessness in a rare moment of her life.
Ren stared at Jaune for the longest while, but finally answered.
"I would die," he said in a quiet voice, yet loud enough for all. "I would hate myself, find whoever killed her, break them, and then I would die. No matter how long it took, I would see that they suffer."
The harsh, brutal answer, delivered with such a coldness made Pyrrha shiver. She knew fully well that Ren would make good on that.
"...Thank you, Ren." Jaune stood up from his bed and made way for the door. There was an affronted look on his face, not because of Ren, but because of his situation in general. But there was an understanding that he had now. "I think it's best that I sleep elsewhere."
"Jaune-" Pyrrha made to stop him, but her blonde partner held a hand towards her.
"I think I've done enough for one night. Please," he pleaded to her. He turned to Ren soon after, regret and softness in his gaze. "I'm sorry that I asked such a question, but I needed to know. The bond that you have with Nora… it's really something else."
He turned to the hallway, his back turned to them.
"I have a house in Vale's upper district. I'll sleep there tonight. I'll be back at Beacon in the morning."
"Jaune-"
"Good night."
And with that, he left.
"I'm so sorry Ren," Pyrrha immediately apologized. Ren himself currently had his back against the wall as he sat on his bed, taking in the events. "He's not the type of person who would do such a thing without a reason. N-not that I'm trying to say that what he did was right…"
Ren sighed and brought a hand to rub his neck. "It's… it's fine Pyrrha. I know that. Jaune's a good person, and he surely had his reasons for asking. And I suppose that I might have answered with some hostility."
All of them had lived, trained, and learned together for weeks now. Though Ren wouldn't say that his bond with Jaune was on the same level as Pyrrha's, he was someone that he could consider a friend. Nora of course found him a delight, being a wizard with magic and everything. And if Nora liked him, he couldn't be a bad person.
"Even still, he was rather…" Pyrrha couldn't find words, and Ren didn't blame her. Seeing a close friend act like that wasn't something that was easy to believe, even if it was right before her very eyes. "I'm sorry," she apologized again."
"...He knows something," Ren said after a brief silence. "He wouldn't ask something like that at all, purely out of curiosity or to get a rise out of me. He knows how much Nora and I care for each other. He wouldn't jeopardize all of us for nothing."
Ren spoke his mind freely, saying the truth that the both of them knew. What didn't hurt them was Jaune acting out. What did was the fact that he knew something that was causing him distress, and he wouldn't tell them.
There was another stint of silence.
"...You and Nora really do care a lot about each other, huh?" Pyrrha gave a weak, but genuine smile. Something that he returned.
"Yeah," Ren said, looking at Nora's sleeping figure, elegantly splayed out and face down on her bed. "She and I are are something that 'close' just can't explain. I bring Nora down everytime she gets too far in, she brings me out whenever I draw back. It's complicated and it can be a hassle at times but… we complete each other. I can't imagine a life without her."
Pyrrha smiled. She could feel the honesty and genuine affection for Nora every word he said, wishing that she could say the same for a certain someone of hers.
"I love you too Ren," Nora said. As it turns out, she was not as asleep as everyone thought.
Ren sighed and brought his book to cover his face, a shade of pink touched his cheeks.
Pyrrha laughed at him. At least something good came out of tonight.
A snap of his fingers and the thin layer of dust that covered the room vanished. Every wall, corner, windows, even the ceiling was absolved of any form of deterrent, leaving a pristine room.
Jaune wished his heart was as clean.
A mere thought and he was teleported from Beacon all the way to his bedroom in Vale's residential district. It was spacious; a king sized bed with drawers built into the frame, an entry that lead into an equally generous shower and bathtub, doors that opened up to a balcony which gave a considerate overlook of vale.
It also cost him half his Aura, but nothing a night of sleep wouldn't fix.
Sighing, Jaune walked over to the side of his bed and climbed in. The mattress, blanket, and even the pillows were of the highest quality and were soft to the touch. He made it so when he enchanted them.
Was it a strange way to use his Semblance? Yes. Could anyone stop him? No.
Also, he doubted the comfort would guarantee him a 'good' night sleep.
He laid awake there on his bed, the clock on his wall ticking the seconds away, rhythmically.
'What am I going to do now?'
He learned what he wanted from Ozpin. He learned, for better or worse, what he wanted from Ren. But what was the next course of action.
Tick… tick… tick…
…
No.
He already knew what he had to do next. The question wasn't about if he knew what to do next. It was about if it would go smoothly or not.
Come tomorrow, he would need to talk with Cardin Winchester.
The bell sounded, signalling the end of the school day.
"I'm afraid that's all the time we have for today!" Oobleck said, of course at a high speed. Make sure you read up on today's lessons because I cannot confirm nor deny that a pop quiz may or may not be issued in the next three days!" A sip from his mug. "Enjoy the rest of your day class!"
Everyone exited the classroom, save for Jaune, who was once again behind Oobleck's desk organizing the green haired Professor's notes and papers. He even took the liberty of cleaning the mugs, after all it only took a moment.
"Thank you once again for your assistance Mr. Arc." Oobleck came over as he looked over the papers, both the students that needed to be graded and his own personal notes. "Once again, you've proven to be quite a skilled organizer! I do apologize for the disarray, my position often makes me rather haggard with organization!"
Jaune gave a small smile. "It's fine Professor. I admit it is rather comforting knowing that I can just sit back here, organizing and grading papers while being exempt from some work. It is quite the trade off, if I do say so myself."
"Is that so?" Oobleck gave a chuckle and a smile at that, seeing the young Representative acting like a teenager. "I'd be careful if I were you, I might just be inclined to give you work for the sake of it. I jest! I jest! Now then, I believe I can take it from here. Enjoy your time, Mr. Arc."
Jaune nodded and organized the last stack of papers before saying his goodbyes and leaving. As he walked down the hallways, the slight hustle of students either walking to their dorms, lounging about, or walking elsewhere, he began to think of what to do next.
Would now be a good time to try and find Cardin? To be honest, he might have gone about this hastily. Even if he did meet up with him, what would they even talk about?
'Hey Cardin, I pried into your past by asking Ozpin and he told me that your parents were brutally murdered and I just wanted to say I'm sorry for your loss?'
Yeah, that was a no go.
"You seem troubled."
He was brought out of his thoughts by a voice behind him. He turned and, sure enough, Lie Ren stood, hands in his pockets, a concern in his eyes.
"...Hey Ren." Jaune greeted awkwardly.
And now he had to deal with this whole thing.
The two young men stood facing each other, not saying anything for a while.
"So about last night-" Jaune said.
"I wanted to know if-" Ren also said.
Both of them stopped as they talked at the same time. Another bout of awkwardness. Both of them made a thin line with their mouths, not daring to speak again/
"You go first," Jaune insisted. "You deserve to speak first."
"It occurs to me that I may have responded a bit too harshly last night," Ren said. "I don't know the exact details, but I know that you must have had your reasons. For that I apologize."
Jaune was shocked that Ren was apologizing to him.
"You don't need to apologize," Jaune was quick to speak back. "I'm the one at fault here. I knew how close you and Nora were, and I knew how you'd react if I asked. But I still did anyways. The fault is mine alone."
That was a fact. Last night's incident started because of Jaune, and he wanted it all to be on his shoulders, and no one else's.
Ren hummed, but didn't say anything further, which was a bit tense for Jaune. Then he sighed and gave a smile.
"Then how about we just say that both of talk responsibility and leave it at that?" Ren extended his arm to Jaune, who stared at it for a moment, before returning the smile.
"Deal."
The two of them were both relieved that they could put this behind them. Now reconciled, they began to walk, not particularly going anywhere.
"Though if I may ask, can I finally learn exactly why you'd ask such a question?"
Jaune considered for a moment, and came to a decision. Considering the brief, but still exhausting, hours of worry he caused, Ren of all people deserved an answer.
So Jaune told him. What happened that morning when he was summoned to Ozpin's office, the report, but most of all about Cardin's history and his hate for the faunus.
After he finished talking, they slowed in their pace until they were completely standing still. The hallways were empty about now. Ren of course, was taken back by the sudden influx of knowledge.
"That's…" Ren leaned against the wall as he crossed his arms, stunned for words. "That's harsh. I can see why he'd have so much hate for the faunus."
"Yeah," Jaune agreed somberly. "I mean, going to a faunus rally with your parents, only to find out that it was a ploy for the White Fang to kill opposition? That's just too much. He's been carrying that for the last ten years."
"Now I understand why you asked me that question last night." It finally came together for the young huntsman-in-training. Another thought occurred to him. "You say that you plan on talking to him. But what exactly do you plan to talk with him about?"
Jaune blew out air as he brushed his golden hair, frustration and exasperation clear on his face. "I don't know man. But I feel that if I just say nothing, after all I've done, I'd just be watching someone go in silence. That just doesn't sit well with me."
"But would Cardin even agree to talk at all?"
"He's been quiet lately, along with Team CRDL, ever since Forever Fall. I think that if I can just catch him alone, I might be able to strike up something?" Jaune shrugged. For a Representative, he was completely outclassed and unprepared at the moment. "I don't know, but I need to do something."
Ren brought his hand to his chin as he thought. Afterwards, he met Jaune's eyes.
"If you are looking for Cardin, I think I might know where he is."
Jaune gave a breath of relief.
"Then, by all means."
Jaune and Ren observed Cardin from their hiding spot behind a pillar. He was sat on a bench in the courtyard, watching the sun set, something that neither of them could honestly believe. Him doing something so calming.
"How did you even find him?" Jaune whispered.
"Cardin's been taking a lot of time for himself lately," Ren replied. "You've been distracted for the last few days and I've heard rumours that he's been by himself over here lately."
Jaune ah'd as he took in the information.
"Are you sure you wanna do this by yourself?"
"I have to. This needs to be a one-on-one talk. Plus I'm not sure if he'd be comfortable having two people know his past. One is bad enough.
Ren hummed in agreeance. "We'll, I'll be taking off then. Good luck."
And with that Ren absconded, leaving Jaune alone behind the pillar.
Jaune sighed as he mentally braced himself for whatever could possibly come next. He knew he resolved himself last night but it was still nerve wracking to actually see through it.
That didn't mean that he was going to back out now. Oh, not at all.
The teen thumped his chest a few times to get the shakes out, and walked towards Cardin.
"Hey," Jaune greeted as he stood by the bench, but not making any movement to take a seat.
Cardin looked over at the voice and saw who it was. He scoffed, but it didn't seem to hold any heat or malice, like a person who knew they had to do something but is still not at all pleased about it.
"Figured it would be you." Cardin resumed watching the sun as it fell underneath the horizon. The sky was now gaining a deep shade of red and blue. "What do you want?"
Jaune sighed as he took the time consider what to say next, but just decided to confess everything.
Once he finished, Cardin clicked his tongue in annoyance. It still surprised Jaune how little energy there actually was into it, like it didn't affect him that much.
"Does anyone not know how to keep a damn secret anymore?" He was annoyed, of that there was no doubt. "Well, now you know. So what?"
Cardin did raise a solid point. So what if he knew about Cardin's past; what was he going to do? Give him some consoling words over something that neither of them had any control over? Say that he understood why Cardin's so abrasive?
"Look, I'm not here to start a fight."
"Then why are you here?" Cardin shot back immediately. "I swear if you're gonna give me some sort of 'friendship and bonds are the way to happiness' shit or something like that," he ended there, leaving the rather empty threat open to interpretation.
"No, nothing of the sort." Jaune took a seat to the far side of the bench, positioning himself so that neither of them could see the other's face. Cardin didn't make any move to prevent him, so that must count for something.
"I'll just say what's on my mind. You're a bully, Cardin. For all this time at Beacon, you've done nothing to hide it; mocking weaker students, targeting faunus, hell you even tried to bully me too."
He didn't need to say those things. Those cruel, factual truths, especially now of all times when he sought him out. But this needed to be said.
"To be honest, I didn't think there was any place for you here. I wondered why Ozpin would even accept someone like you here, to be a Huntsman, someone who's supposed to protect the people regardless of race. Something that you seemed to forget."
"Is there a point to all this?" Cardin replied heatedly, obviously fed up with the tirade of insults. "Because if there is, get to it. If you're just gonna shit on me then you can-"
"Seeing how you were in the Forest of Forever Fall made me realize how wrong I was."
Cardin, for his part, was rather flabbergasted at that. "What?"
"I was wrong for assuming that I knew you, that I could just label you like that. To write you off as some sort no good misfit who, while wrong to bully others, must have had reasons. To make you out as some sort of… villain."
Jaune sighed and rubbed the back of his neck.
"So… seeing you out there that day? Watching someone like you lay their life down for someone else? For your team and for your friends? I know you hate me, but… for what's it's worth, I stand by what I said that day. You were a true Huntsman."
Silence overtook the two teens on the bench.
"Yeah?" Cardin scoffed. "Cause I did so much. Getting my ass handed to me by a Grimm and not even being able to help my team properly is really telling how great a Huntsman I am."
"Even still," Jaune assured. "You stayed behind to fight and die in a battle you couldn't win. You got your teammates away."
"After, we were already attacked," Cardin reminded, bitterness in his tone. "After we got so fucked up that Sky got his arm broke and Dove was knocked out. Even if Russell got Sky away, I was next and Dove was gonna die after. I had to be rescued by someone else. By you."
Cardin gripped the side of his pants, frustration at his own powerlessness evident. He knew he wasn't the strongest, but he should have at least put up a better fight than that. No, it wasn't a fight, it was just a one-sided ass kicking, delivered by a Grimm, something that he was supposed to kill, not the other way around.
He made himself seem like the big guy, but in that moment he never felt so small.
"...Whether or not you would have died, whether or not Dove would have, it doesn't take away the meaning of what you did. At that moment, you decided to stand your ground, no matter how pointless you think it might be. That moment brought Russell and Sky to us, and they brought us to you and Dove. You and only you, were the one who started that."
"You Cardin Winchester, the bully and racist of Beacon, made the choice to save your friends. You turned a tragedy into fight, and all of us got out. That's something to think about you know?"
Cardin had no idea why Jaune Arc, the guy who had it all, the guy he detested, was going out of his way to cheer him up. Why, after everything that happened, he was reaching out to him.
He had no idea why the frustration in his chest that lingered all these days, seemed to ease.
No, all he could do was give him a stunned look, before sighing and turning back to look at the horizon. The sun was now swallowed by the land, and the sky was now a gentle shade of blue and purple.
It wasn't unlike the times he used to watch the sky with his parents.
The two of them sat there on the bench. No one spoke, no one did anything. They just sat there alone together.
"...Cardin-" Jaune began before he was interrupted.
"I'm dropping out of Beacon."
Now it was Jaune's turn to be wordless. "W-what?"
"I talked to Ozpin a few days ago and told him I was dropping out. It took a damn while with him trying to convince me otherwise, but come next semester I won't be here anymore."
Jaune was astounded to hear Cardin, stubborn and hardheaded, say that he was essentially giving up.
Jaune stood up and addressed his fellow teen, who was still on the bench, facing the ground. "Don't you think you're making this decision too quickly?!"
"No, not at all. I've been thinking about with my team for the last weeks and we all came to the same decision.
The same decision?
"What?" Jaune asked. "Do you mean to tell me that-"
"All four of us are dropping out," Cardin affirmed. "When I told them I was, they decided to they didn't belong in Beacon either," Cardin scoffed. But there was a softness in his voice. Gratitude of the loyalty of his friends, who stay with him even now.
Jaune couldn't make any sense of what was actually happening right now.
"So after everything that happened, everything at Forever Fall, the White Fang, your parents, you're just gonna turn back and-,"
"This isn't about any of that!"
Cardin roared as he stood up from the bench, anger on his face for the first time since they talked. Jaune actually took a step back.
"This isn't about what happened at Forever Fall, this isn't even about the White Fang, and it sure as hell isn't about my parents!"
Cardin made a fist slammed it against his chest, face red.
"This is about me! This about my own weakness and my own damn faults! I'm not dropping out of Beacon because I want to, it's because I have to. Because I'm not strong enough, because I'm not smart enough, and most of all because I'm not grown enough! Deep down I'm still just a kid, scared of everyone and lashing out at people because it's convenient! I'm gonna work harder and train harder than anyone else! And maybe when my bones break, I can actually start to call myself a fucking man!"
Cadin glared at Jaune, eyes moist but tears unshed.
"I'm gonna learn every damn trick that there is! Every damn thing about fighting, Dust, weapons, technique, all of it! One day, I'm gonna be able to look back on all of this and laugh at how fucking pathetic I was back then, cause it's finally time for me to actually give a shit about my life and what I have! So don't you even think that I'm running away from this! I'm not, but I can't stay here. Don't get me wrong, I am going to be a Huntsman, just not at Beacon, and I am going to be the best damn Huntsman Remnant's ever seen! When I'm done, the White Fang's gonna be history and everyone will know my name! So if you think I'm running because I'm scared or because I'm a coward you can just shut the hell up! It's not because of my past, the White Fang, my parents, none of it! I'm doing this because I want to! And no one can take that from me!"
…
…
…
Cardin panted heavily as he finished his declaration, hair disheveled as he was so worked up. A stray tear fell from his face, but just the one. He didn't bother to acknowledge it.
Jaune stared at him, awed and quiet at the sheer volume, the sheer weight and energy of what he said.
"...You're right," Jaune said quietly. "You're absolutely right. It was wrong of me to say anything about running away, I'm… I take it back."
"Yeah," Cardin said as he came down from his anger, his face now a more neutral look. His breathing came down as well. "You better damn well be."
Jaune looked at Cardin in a new light. This was something that he would have never dreamed of seeing from him. Not for his time at Beacon, not even in his lifetime. This turned everything he knew upside down.
"...You're actually going to go through with this?" Jaune said, more in disbelief than questioning. "Going to just take your team and find a new path?"
"Call me whatever you want, but a Winchester never goes back on their word," Cardin promised firmly, one of the first family sayings that he ever learned. "And if they want to tag along, that's their choice. I'm not gonna stop them."
"So where do you plan on going then?" Jaune asked, knowing that he could do nothing at all to prevent him or CRDL from leaving. "Any specific Academy you had in mind?"
"...There's a few I can think of, but there's one I've set my mind on," Cardin told Jaune. "When the semester ends, we'll just pack our things and see if we can't join up. It's gonna be a challenge, but that might just be what we need."
"...You know," Jaune began. "As Representative I could talk to Ozpin, see if he can send in a good word, a recommendation even?"
Cardin scoffed. "Thanks, but no thanks. If we're gonna be in another academy, we're gonna do it with our own strength. We have to. And I don't know about you, but I think it's time I head back to the dorms."
Sure enough, the sun had sunken even further, and shattered moon made itself known to them, peering over the horizon. The time had passed remarkably fast.
Cardin walked past Jaune. As he made to the entryway, he paused.
"...About me being a racist," he called to him, but not actually turning to look. "I don't think I can ever forgive them, but… now that I think about, some of them were killed that day too. So… I guess I can tone it down a little."
"Cardin…" Jaune called his name softly, before it turned into a small chuckle. "Is that right? Well, just so you know, I do have the authority to put you in detention if you cause a ruckus. Even if you are leaving Beacon by the end of this semester, we'll see how well you can get in when they see you're detention marks. The Great Cardin Winchester, hopes dashed by his naughtiness."
"Yeah?" Cardin said, challengingly. There was a small bit of amusement in his voice. "Well… I guess I better keep quiet then."
And with that, Cardin walked away.
Jaune would be lying if he said he completely understood Cardin Winchester. But at that moment, he could proudly say that he understood him just a little.
He made his way back to his dorm room as well, and within his heart he wished CRDL the best of luck.
I might be planning a rewrite soon. Not right now, but maybe when the story hits the end of volume 1. Looking back, there's a lot of things I need to work on, and I'll try to make it better.
I am undeserving of all the people who continue to read and follow.
