Ahhh, Cardin, you inglorious bastard. What will you do to poor Jaune next? The answer is quite simple, but you'll have to read this chapter to find out.

Mwehehehe...

Chapter 10

Forgery

Today, the students were in history class, taught by Sir Bartholomew Oobleck, and he was currently going over something known as the Faunus Rights Revolution.

"This is prior to the Faunus Rights Revolution, more popularly known as the Faunus War!"

Through unknown means, Oobleck zipped around the room at an absurd speed, popping up directly in front of the classroom and his desk, which was absolutely covered in papers.

"Humankind was quite, quite adamant about centralizing Faunus population in Menagerie." He quickly pointed at said area on the map before quickly shooting off to the side to take a sip of his coffee before returning to his original position in front of the class , this time keeping his mug in hand.

"Now! While this must feel like ancient history to many of you, it is imperative to remember that these are relatively recent events! Why, the repercussions of the uprising can still be seen to this day!" said Oobleck before zipping around the room quickly before speaking again. "Now! Have any among you been subjugated or discriminated because of your Faunus heritage or association with Faunus? There will be no judgement in this room, so please do not hesitate to share."

Some of the rather miscellaneous students rose their hands. After a moment, the girl from the lunchroom who Cardin had been picking on, Velvet as Link and Sebastian had discovered, raised her hand. But the most surprising part was when Link looked around for a moment before raising his hand as well, his rather neutral expression fading into a slightly darker one.

Oobleck looked around the room for a moment, his gaze landing on Link.

"Mr. Valion? For what reason have you been discriminated against?"

Link closed his eyes, thinking for a moment. "My family has been looked down upon by others for association with many different Faunus, as well as for treating them as equals when most of society didn't."

"Dreadful, simply dreadful! Remember, students, it is precisely this kind of ignorance that breeds violence!" He stopped to take yet another sip of his coffee. "I mean, I mean, I mean just look at what happened to the White Fang! Not to mention, several Huntsmen and Huntresses had gone rouge just to exact revenge upon their oppressors! Now, which one of you young scallions can tell me what many theorize to be the turning point in the third year of the War?"

Someone in the class quickly raised their hand, the answer easily on their mind.

"Yes?" Oobleck asked, calling on the student.

"The battle at Fort Castle!" yelled Weiss, having been the student to raise her hand.

"Precisely!" confirmed Oobleck. "And, who can tell me the advantage the Faunus had over General Lagune's forces?"

Unseen by the professor, Cardin flicked a paper football at Jaune's head, who had been sleeping, therefore causing him to wake up.

"Hey!" said Jaune, having been startled from his slumber.

Oobleck quickly zipped over to Jaune, startling him even further by nearly appearing in front of him. "Mr. Arc! Finally contributing to class! This is excellent! Excellent! What is the answer?"

Jaune was at a loss for words. He didn't know the answer! He honestly didn't pay all that much attention in history, as he wasn't terrifically fond of the class. "Uhhhh... The answer... The advantage... of the Faunus..."

He looked up to see Pyrrha's reflection on the board, and she looked like she was doing something.

"...had over that guy's stuff..."

Pyrrha cupped her hands around her eyes, thus giving Jaune the idea that she was leaning towards the answer of...

"Uhh... Binoculars!"

While Jaune looked pleased with his answer, the rest of the class laughed at him, and Oobleck, who had managed to return once again to the front of the room, sipped at his coffee. Pyrrha facepalmed as Cardin began pounding his hand on the desk from the back of the room, laughing as he did so.

Oobleck shook his head and returned behind his desk, this time walking at a normal speed. "Very funny, Mr. Arc! Cardin! Perhaps you would care to share your thoughts on the subject!"

"Well, I know it's a lot easier to train an animal than a soldier," Cardin said sarcastically.

Oobleck shook his head again. There was something more hurtful in that statement than Cardin knew. A binoculars joke was easily excusable, thaough Cardin's statement was easily classified as racism.

"You're not the most open-minded of individuals, are you, Cardin?" asked Pyrrha, looking at him with disdain.

"What? You got a problem?" Cardin asked, standing to challenge Pyrrha. Sadly, everyone in the room but Cardin knew how that would go.

"No, I have the answer! It's night vision. Many Faunus are known to have nearly-perfect sight in the dark," Pyrrha quickly stated, not wishing to get into a fight. It wasn't that she feared losing, it was that she didn't want to hurt Cardin, no matter how much he deserved it. Cardin merely grumbled as he sat down, as he knew Pyrrha was right.

Blake took this chance to quickly cut in. "General Lagune was inexperienced, and made the mistake of trying to ambush the Faunus in their sleep. His massive army was outmatched, and the general was captured."

As she finished, she turned to Cardin to prove a point. "Perhaps if he'd paid attention in class, he wouldn't have been remembered as such a failure."

Oobleck saw that Cardin rose, his fists clenched, and quickly took action."Mr. Winchester! Please take your seat."

Jaune chuckled quietly at Cardin's predicament, but Oobleck had gotten annoyed with the two's antics. "You and Mr. Arc can both see me after class for additional readings." After finishing his statement, he took yet another sip of his coffee as if he still needed more.

Jaune's shoulders slumped in defeat. "Oohhhh..."

Oobleck didn't pay it any mind and quickly zipped off. "Now! Moving on! Our next subject will be on the legends of our world! Today we will focus on the legends of the Geminus!"

Lana quickly raised her hand, and Oobleck called on her. "But wait, aren't we supposed to refrain from talking about unproved legends in history class?"

"That is precisely right, Miss Cianna! We cannot talk about unproven legends! But those that have either been proven or possessing great evidence are allowed!"

"So the Geminus have nearly been proven?" she asked.

"Exactly! Excellent deduction, Miss Cianna! For those of you not in the know, the Geminus were a special race of people long thought to have gone extinct, as they were hunted to extinction out of fear for their sheer destructive potential! I am speaking of course about their overwhelmingly dangerous Semblances!"

Link really started to pay attention, grabbing his notebook out and readying his pencil, ready to write down anything at a moment's notice.

"What about their Semblances?" Ruby asked, raising her hand.

"Wonderful question, Miss Rose! The answer to that is not what their Semblances themselves did, but how many they had. Most people in Remnant will at some point in life exhibit a Semblance, their own unique ability. But the Geminus were blessed with two Semblances, hence their name!"

Most people in the room gasped. Two Semblances? That was positively unheard of! A Semblance by itself was nearly miraculous, but possessing two of them at once...

Link quickly wrote down everything he heard Oobleck say about the Geminus in his notebook. He didn't miss a single word, somehow keeping up with that cafinated beast.

"Not only was this alone dangerous due to how much a toll this took on the less resolute of the Geminus, some died due to their Aura running out and forcing their abilities to feast upon their own flesh to continue usage, but for the most part, the Geminus were a war-hungry people! They lived for battle, hunting both Grimm and humans alike! Nothing was spared from their hungers! It was only when the strongest Huntsmen and Huntresses at the time faced off against them were they stopped! However, recent studies suggest that the Geminus still exist today, though their blood would be so diluted to that point where if a secondary Semblance were to present itself, it would be weak to the point where no one would know the individual possessed two Semblances, even the individual in question themselves! Regardless, were two beings with Geminus blood to bare a child, this child would likely possess enough Geminus heritage to fully utilize a secondary Semblance! Now, does anyone have any questions!"

Link quickly raised his hand the moment he finished copying down everything Oobleck had just said.

"Yes, Mr. Valion?" Oobleck said, calling on Link.

"Are their any known bloodlines theorized to contain Geminus blood to this day?"

"A good question, but that answer still eludes researchers to this day! Now, I fear that was all we had for class today! Remember to do your homework, and never forget to learn from the mistakes of others! You can't make them all yourself, after all!"

And with that, everyone gathered their things together and got up to leave, though Link quickly wrote something else in his notebook before getting up to leave. Ruby noticed that he did so, but she knew he had already copied down everything Oobleck said beforehand.

"Oh, was there something else that I didn't catch? Weiss is helping me out with notes, but I want to make sure I have everything just in case," Ruby asked.

"Oh, it was nothing," Link clarified. "Just a little side note. You won't need it for anything."

"Okay!" replied Ruby cheerfully before grabbing his hand, heading out of the room. Oobleck managed to see a little bit of the page that Link added extra information to.

...ife's origins?

Oobleck shook his head. He must be thinking of something else. There was no way Link could be one of them.

A little time after the lesson had ended, Pyrrha, Nora, and Ren made their way out of the classroom, only for Pyrrha to stop near the doorway.

"You go on ahead. I'll wait for Jaune," Pyrrha said, leaning on the wall in order to wait for her team leader. Nora and Ren looked at each other for a moment and shrugged before turning to leave, waving as they did so. Pyrrha leaned into the doorway, watching as Oobleck chewed out Jaune and Cardin.

"You two have been struggling in my class since day one!" shouted Oobleck, sipping at his coffee. "Now, I don't know if it's a lack of interest, or just your stubborn nature, but whatever it is..." He stopped in order to take a longer sip of his coffe, this time waiting a moment to continue talking. "It stops now! You've worked hard to gain entrance to this school, and we only accept the best of the best, so I expect you to act like it. History is important, gentlemen! If you can't learn from it... you're destined to repeat it. Pages fifty-one to ninety-one! I want an essay on my desk by next class! Now! Run along."

With that, he zoomed out of the classroom and past a waiting Pyrrha in a green and white blur. Jaune came out first, and Cardin emerged behind him, pushing him to the ground. Jaune let loose a quiet sound of pain from his spot on the floor, causing Cardin to laugh as he walked away, Pyrrha glaring at him as she helped Jaune up.

"You know, I really will break his legs," Pyrrha said as she set Jaune on his feet, having finally warmed to the idea after witnessing Cardin's brutality firsthand. "I have an idea! Here, come with me!" Pyrrha stated, quickly dragging Jaune down the corridor. Rushing past the corner, they caught the attention of Link and Ruby, who had a reasonably long brake until their next class.

"What could they be up to?" Link asked, turning in their direction.

"I don't know," replied Ruby. "Let's go find out!"

Following that, Link and Ruby trailed Jaune and Pyrrha as quietly as possible.

OOO

After classes had ended, Pyrrha had almost literally dragged Jaune to the top of the housing units. Letting him go, she walked over to the edge, overlooking the colossal Beacon tower, lit by several green orbs of Dust. She smiled to herself, as it really was a beautiful view. Jaune saw her standing at the edge and stood next to her, and instead of looking at the view, he looked to the ground.

"Pyrrha, I know I'm going through a hard time right now, but I'm not that depressed," said Jaune, still looking over the edge. Pyrrha grew confused as Jaune kept speaking. "I can always be a farmer or something..."

"N-n-no!" shouted Pyrrha as she shoved him away from the edge, horrified at what he thought she meant. "That's not why I brought you up here!"

Link and Ruby made their way to the doorway, but Link quickly grabbed her when Ruby tried to keep going and out into the open.

"Hold up, Ruby. We don't want them finding us," he whispered, holding her close so that she wouldn't draw Jaune and Pyrrha's attention. Ruby nodded, leaning into him to reduce her presence as much as possible.

"Jaune, I know you're having a difficult time in class and that you're still not the strongest of fighters, so... I want to help you!" said Pyrrha, continuing her previous speech.

"Wh-what?" asked Jaune in confusion.

Pyrrha smiled. "We can train up here after class where no one can bother us!"

Jaune, however, didn't. "You think I need help?"

"N-no! No, that's not what I meant.," Pyrrha stated, trying to cover up what she had earlier said, though Jaune didn't buy it.

"But you just said it," Jaune pointed out.

"Jaune, everybody needs a little push from time to time," Pyrrha said. "It doesn't make you any different from the rest of us. You made it to Beacon! That speaks volumes of what you're capable of!"

"You're wrong. I-I don't belong here," Jaune lamented, his eyes wandering to the ground and his voice growing quieter.

"That's a terrible thing to say!" Pyrrha contested. "Of course you do!"

Jaune turned around, growing angrier by the second. "No, I don't!" He looked Pyrrha in the eye, and she grew more and more confused with every word he spoke. "I wasn't really accepted into Beacon..." he said, shortly afterwards turning away from Pyrrha again.

"Wh-what do you mean?" Pyrrha asked.

"What does he mean?" Link asked himself quietly, Ruby nodding in return. What could Jaune mean?

Jaune continued, his voice continually growing higher and higher ask he confessed. "I mean I didn't go to combat school, I didn't pass any tests. I didn't earn my spot at this Academy!" He turned to Pyrrha again, looking her in the eye. "I lied! I got my hands on some fake transcripts, and I lied!"

"What? But... why?"

"'Cause this is always what I've wanted to be!" he said, turning away from Pyrrha again. "My father, my grandfather, and his father before him were all warriors! They were all heroes! I wanted to be one, too. I was just never good enough."

Pyrrha approached Jaune, placing her hand on Jaune's shoulder. "Then let me help you!"

Jaune, however, turned around violently and angrily. "I don't want help! I don't want to be the damsel in distress! I want to be the hero!"

"Jaune, I-"

"I'm tired of being the lovable idiot, stuck in the tree while his friends fight for their lives! Don't you understand? If I can't do this on my own... then what good am I?"

"Link, what are you doing?" Ruby silently yelled, as Link had gently pushed Ruby off of himself and stood, heading over to where Jaune and Pyrrha were standing.

"I can't sit back and watch this anymore!" he yelled, drawing both Jaune's and Pyrrha's attention to himself.

"Link?!" they both shouted in unison. "How much of that did you hear?" Jaune asked in defeat.

"All of it. And I have to ask you this, Jaune; What good are you dead?"

"What are you talking abou-" Jaune tried to say, but he was cut off by Link drawing his sword on him, which he still had from Port's class earlier that day.

"I asked what good you are dead? You asked what good you were if you needed to rely on your friends for help. In that case, you'd be just like the rest of us! But where would you be when they look to you for help? What if someday they get faced with something they can't handle, and they all get killed because you weren't strong enough since you felt the need to walk this path alone? Is that what you want? Everyone you know and love dying because you wanted to be a Hero who thinks he doesn't need anyone to help him? Let me tell you, the world doesn't sway in favor of those who want to do the right thing! It doesn't sway in anyone's favor! It's survival of the fittest out there, Jaune! Life isn't as easy as denying everyone's help and getting better to save them on your own!" Link shouted, startling Jaune. "Even I needed help to get to the point I am today, and I'll need even more to get better! Do you really think that everyone here is as strong as they are by chance? No! They're as strong as they are because they accepted that they couldn't do it on their own! Even Pyrrha needed help to be as strong as she is! Unless you're born with sword in hand, you aren't going to end up anywhere but a grave on your own! How do you not see that?" Link finished, aiming his sword at Jaune's neck. "If you still think the strength of one is enough, then allow me to help you test it against the strength of many!"

Jaune grew scared, staring down the blade of none other than Link Valion's sword. He was there when he saw him easily down sixteen Grimm on his own, and he knew he was strong. Jaune thought that Link was just too good to need others for help, but if he himself said that he needed help... Maybe he might too.

"I-I guess that you're right..." Jaune said, looking to the ground. "I don't want anyone to die because of me, especially when they only mean well. Look, Pyrrha, I'm really sorry for snapping at you like that. I know you're just trying to help me, and I really appreciate that. I'll just... need some time to myself to think things through, okay? Link gave me a lot to think about today... You guys go ahead, I'll stick around up here. The fresh air might help me out a bit..."

Pyrrha nodded. "Of course. Just remember, no matter what you decide, I will stand by no matter what that decision is."

"That being said," said Link as he sheathed his sword, "I will help to train you should that be your choice. Much like the old saying, two teachers are better than one. Regardless, take your time, make what you feel is the right decision. I await your answer."

With that, Link turned to leave helping up Ruby on his way past her. Jaune saw her and instantly grew more exasperated.

"Oh, come on! How many people heard that?!"

"Three," said Ruby as she and Link left, Pyrrha leaving shortly after them, though not before giving him a reassuring pat on the back.

Jaune turned back to the edge of the building, this time taking in the view. However, his attention was drawn to someone from one of the rooms below who had managed to climb up to the roof of the building, and it was none other than...

"Cardin?!" Jaune shouted in worry. Did Cardin hear any of that. His suspicions were proven true when Cardin held up his hand, holding up four fingers, a sly grin on his face.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't Jauny Boy! Fancy meeting you up here at a time like this. And if you couldn't already tell, I was drawn up here by that rather heated conversation between you and Valion."

As he spoke Link's name, he almost spat at the ground. Evidently, he didn't like the green-clad warrior.

"So, you snuck your way into Beacon, huh? Never would have thought of you as being the rebellious type!" Cardin snickered, knowing full well he had Jaune in a terrible position.

"Please, Cardin," Jaune begged, "don't tell anyone what you heard here!"

Cardin looked hurt. "What do you take me for, Jaune? I would never do that to a friend!" As he spoke, he approached Jaune.

"A... A friend?" Jaune said in confusion.

"Of course!" Cardin declared Cardin as he locked Jaune's neck in his arm despite the smaller boy's struggles. "We're friends now, Jauny Boy! And the way I see it, as long as you're there for me when I need you, we'll be friends for a long time," Cardin said, dropping Jaune to the ground. Jaune couldn't stand back up due to lack of air, though he did manage to rise to his knees, though he still needed to support himself. "That being said, I really don't have time to do those extra readings Dr. Oobleck gave us today. Think you could take care of that for me, buddy?" He leaned down and rubbed Jaune's hair with an innocent grin on his face. "That's what I thought," he said, heading back to the ledge such as to return to his own room. "Don't worry, Jaune; your secret's safe with me."

And with that, Cardin dropped back down, leaving Jaune alone to ponder what just happened. Left to his own devices, he merely sat there, rubbing his neck in pain.

But he wasn't alone.

Off in the distance, standing at the top of Beacon Tower, stood a man in a black trench coat with silver detailing and silver pants, a huge silver broadsword with a black-wrapped handle at his back that matched the size of its wielder, and it bore a large split along the blade suggesting a secondary function. He stood there, watching Jaune until he went back inside, his silver hair blowing in the wind, his silver eyes scanning the area. He crossed his arms, each clad in black bracers possessing fingerless gloves and multiple silver straps along the bracers. His coat was open, revealing his bare chest, though there were a few straps keeping his coat on his body. He looked down, readjusting himself at the top of the spire, looking for a moment at his black boots.

He rolled his shoulders, growing tired of standing at the top of the tower, but more importantly, he was growing tired of watching Jaune.

"So, this is one of the kids he goes with here? Wait a second..."

The man grabbed his scroll from his pocket, looking through his pictures until he came across a picture of Jaune crawling out of a locker in front of a massive castle.

"Hehe. He was the guy shot to Oni's dwelling place. How pathetic. But even more pathetic is that bigger kid, blackmailing him like that. But whatever, it's none of my concern. All Oni wants to know about is how his mission is going, so I'll quick give him a check up on his mission status."

With that, he leaped off of the tower, which mind you was an extremely long fall, though a little way before he hit the ground he drew his sword, impaling it into the wall to slow himself and creating a massive gash in the wall where he had cut in. Landing on the ground rather quietly, he made his way over to the living quarters of the students, sheathing his massive weapon on his back, treating its weight as if it were nothing

"Don't you worry, Link, I'm coming to say hello. Nothing else," he said to himself as he put on a pair of sunglasses, smiling.

Say hello to someone else who works for Oni. I'd tell you name, but it's pretty plot-important, so why spoil it now? Besides, you'll find out eventually, maybe even sooner than later. But, I will give you his initials just for fun.

GG

Also, his sword is pretty much Cloud's Fusion Sword from Advent Children, though it has a few differences, which will be gone over when the time comes that he needs to use it in a fight. And I'll say now that GG is pretty tough.

OniHelix out!