Author's note: Finally! I have found time to write! We have more Team RAPD stuff, I promise after this we will get to the other teams, like SRRG or KHBL due to story progression. There may be chapter in between this arc and the next to give us some breathing room because in the actual cannon it just jumps straight into the next arc which always felt a little rushed ot me. But hey, I'm just a lowly fanfic writer. By the way, I hate chemistry so much, why must I have to take two semesters worth of chemistry for engineering?

-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-

Chapter 10: Lying with Mortals Part 1

Jaune was walking across a barren and desolate battlefield, devoid of life by just the simplest glance. Where buildings once stood harboring lives of families, now empty and hollow shells. Charred beyond comprehension, even the brick and mortar could be mistaken for charcoal. His feet trudged along the burnt dirt making crunches in the shape of his foot prints. The sky was colored a hellish orange hue, it was impossible to tell if it was the sun in the sky or its twin. As the smoke filled the air all Jaune could do was marvel at the sight. What could have done this?

*ROOOOOOAAAAAAARRR*

The blonde's head spun around so fast it nearly ripped itself off, from where the roar came from he could see a bright glow in the distance followed by smoke and debris.

And the body of a long serpentine creature flying along the ground.

His eyes widened at the sight of seeing the long creature rip what was left of the small town to shreds. Fire raged in the streets, and the screams could be heard from where he was. He ran towards the town, reaching for his weapon and preparing for combat. There was no doubt grimm would be there, especially if that creature was there too. He leaned up on a wooden wall full of holes and cracks. The blonde teenager could smell the burnt wood and the ash assaulting his nose. He coughed twice before peering over the wall and seeing the true destruction. He wished he didn't…

-X-

Pyrrha wasn't understanding the turn of events that lead her to being in the stars, the emptiness of space surrounding her for eternity it seemed. She turned around looking for anything that might tell her what she was doing here. The orbs that littered the sky were beautiful, calmly spinning in place as they traveled through existence.

It would have been peaceful, save for a monstrous roar followed by a sadistic laugh.

The spartan looked behind her where the voices came from, a sphere in the void started to have orange hue around the curvature. Cracks could be seen coming through the sphere before it exploded into shard of rock, a bright orange beam whizzed past Pyrrha's face barely missing the side of her head. While still distracted by the immense heat of the beam she felt something else pass by her. Stepping off to the side she saw an ugly looking creature that resembled no grimm she had ever seen before.

Scarlet colored limbs with a black body, no hands but tentacles wrapped and intertwined with themselves. A pale blue face without a mouth, a large scar running down the middle, two eyes full of hatred staring right through her. A second roar sounded off behind her scaring the girl and forced her to look back. A large green lizard creature was now floating in the space, the more humanoid figure at the other end, and herself stuck in the middle. Orange pitch poured from the mouth of the lizard, it must have been a dragon of some kind. Maybe the ones depicted in Mistralan legend?

"You overgrown lizard!" The shout from behind Pyrrha made her jump and turn at the same time. The red skinned being's arms wiggled in the space, "You have chased me for thousands of years and you've only gotten so close. Just give up! You are too weak for a superior being such as myself."

"The only thing that you are superior in, is your arrogance, accursed virus," despite having a mouth, it did not move, the bright orange liquid just poured from its mouth into the wide expanse of the cosmos. "I have been ordered to eradicate you, and I will do just that."

"Oh?" The much smaller creature's arms flailed wildly about until it formed real hands and arms, a black and purple orb formed in his hands with purple colored lightning bolts, "Then come and try you stupid sky guardian." The red creature threw the orb at the green dragon, it zoomed across the great distance passing through Pyrrha's body which startled her. No wonder they hadn't noticed her.

Before the dark colored sphere could reach the lizard, a bright orange beam erupted from the snout of the dragon, vaporizing the orb, going past Pyrrha, and then landing directly into the chest of his opponent. The victim started to descend to a sphere below it, the body burning slightly to the surface.

A dark, raspy, sinister chuckled rang in her ears, when she turned around she saw a man in drab and torn clothes standing beside her. "It's always fun to watch those two fight," he said to her, he turned to her, one of his eyes glowing, "I'm just going to savor when you get caught in the crossfire and learn everything was all a lie, it will be infinitely more entertaining than watching this."

She had no clue just what he was talking about. Who was fighting? Why was he going to savor it? And what was the lie? She was going to ask but a roar made her jump and turned to see the dragon was now right in front of her, she could hear its heavy breathing, orange pitch flowed from its lips. The mouth opened wide and an orange glow could be seen. Pyrrha turned to the man who was just simply looking up at the bright orange hue.

"Miss Nikos, I think it's time you woke up."

-X-

Jaune had never been near an actual corpse, or seen one, or been in a situation where one might be outside of television and comic books. Seeing their lifeless body on the floor, it was charred and burnt on one side while still soft and squishy on the other. He never wanted to puke more in his life, and that included that godforsaken airship.

The sounds of weeping pierced the devastation as he looked to a damaged house. Inside was a small child holding some sort of stuffed animal. She ran her hand across her weeping eyes smearing the dirt and grime on her arms all the way across. She hadn't noticed him yet, nor when he tried reaching through the beams to get to her. Perhaps all the destruction had deafened her ears? He was so close, nearly...there-

*ROAR*

The loud bellow echoed across the sky and nearly made the blonde's ears bleed, the girl looked dead ahead at a large serpent like figure that was looking right at her while flying in the air. When Jaune noticed he stepped back and pulled out his sword, the fine point of Crocea Mors shining in the destruction.

"So you've chosen to hide behind a mortal," the serpent said, still floating, "you're every bit of coward I thought you are."

The blonde gritted his teeth, but his words didn't come out as they were silenced by a maniacal laughter, "Oh you stupid, little, flying lizard." From a pile of rubble jumped a being made of red and black, the debris floated around it with a blue outline around the pieces. "I am not using the mortal to cower," the girl was lifted right in front of the much smaller creature with that same blue tinge, "I'm using it as a shield, that's all they're good for."

The dragon's mouth started to lit up with the color orange, "They would be to any other god, but not me."

"Oh, you're not going to spare one of your master's precious little mortals? What would he say to this?"

"I couldn't give a damn about the mortals, my task was to destroy you."

"It's always so much fun to rewatch these little skirmishes." It was a new voice made Jaune jump fifteen feet back, like literally he was across the street, when he turned he saw a man in rags looking up at the large serpent. In a flash the man was behind Jaune, his head mere inches from his ear.

"What would you do in this situation dear Mr. Arc? Are you going to be a hero? They all die a thankless death and rot in the ground. But you aren't a hero are you? You're a coward, a fraud. Why you bring me to tears dear Jaune, it fills me with joy to watch you deceive others. Do you think they would accept you if they knew? Could they respect you?" He started to chuckle, it was unsettling, bone chilling, almost death inducing. "Run Jaune, run far away from here. The powers you are engulfed with are beyond your punitive existence."

Jaune's feet were stuck to the ground, his eyes transfixed on the orange glow from the snout of the scaled beast. His bright blue eyes slowly being overwhelmed orange. A sick laughter echoed in his ear. He turned to the source.

"Well then, come on!" The spindly red and black creature shouted, four tendrils converged on each other forming a circle filling to the brim with a purple and pink energy. "Show me the might of Arceus!"

A beam of orange and a laser of purple shot out towards each other.

Jaune's first instinct was to run...at the beams.

He was stopped though, he looked behind him to find a body, barely lifeless, holding onto his ankle, when he tried to shake his foot loose but it proved ineffective. The head of the body slowly coming up to meet Jaune's gaze, the man's blonde hair was stained by mud and dirt at the tips. Sapphire eyes met sapphire eyes as Jaune looked to...at himself. His eyes went wide as he looked at his beaten and bruised body, lumps covered his face like a mountain range. His breathing was raspy, on the verge of death.

"This is what happens when you play in a god's affair Jaune," the black clothed figure walked up to him, his clone closed his eyes one last time and let the darkness claim him. "You will die a most horrible death, no one will remember you, no one will sing songs about your so called heroism, and I will laugh at your demise."

Jaune was about to say something, until the two beams were now at both his sides and about to collide with him.

"Jaune, I think it's time you woke up."

-X-

As if on cue Jaune and Pyrrha shot up from their beds, actually Jaune fell out of his bed leaving Pyrrha to giggle at her partner's expense. The lingering images in their mind temporarily disappearing, but as quickly as they left they returned. The haunting images in Jaune's mind of the bodies, the monstrous creatures plaguing Pyrrha's psyche. The stranger's voice still imprinted in the memories. Who was he talking about? Why did he know about them? Pyrrha looked around her room to find it, creating one more question among many: "Where are Rayquaza and Deoxys?"

-X-

Rayquaza's hand slammed down on the ornate, glass, conference table after hearing another annoying statement from the likes of Palkia. Surrounding him and his fellow gods and goddess was the Void of one of Palkia's many pocket dimensions, a swirling purple and blue wall all in the dragon god's vision.

"Calm down Rayquaza!" Palkia roared, as a result a moon in some random galaxy collided with another planet, the Son of Arceus' eyes were glaring daggers back at him.

The other six gods looked at the green horned god's seething gaze, deep breaths were being drawn and his look didn't ease. "You want me to calm down?!" He shouted, it echoed for eternity in the vast void of the...well the Void. "You want me, you want all of us to spend a whole four mortal years playing 'student'; and you have the audacity to ask me to stand down?! I didn't sign up to play teacher's pet Galaxy Tyrant!"

Whatever any of the gods were thinking stopped, even Giratina looked up from his bored task of drawing an imaginary circle when he heard his brother's rather infamous calling. Many a mortal worlds described Palkia as a tyrannical warlord hell bent on destruction whenever he appeared. Technically it was true as he does usually destroy world after world more often than not.

Palkia's gaze eased, but it did not harden in any way it merely turned more reserved and analytical. He took a deep breath in, "What was that Sky Dragon?" The air became very tense.

"I didn't sign up to fight mortals in a sanctioned arena, I didn't sign up to lead a group of mortals to fight creatures of darkness, and I know I didn't sign up to follow you while doing it." Uneasy looks were exchanged by most of the gods, however Deoxys looked forward and never shifted his gaze.

"So explain to me then, dear Rayquaza, what did my father say to you before coming here?"

"I don't have to tell you anything Palkia."

"Oh really?" Dialga glanced to Palkia, somewhat afraid of the current situation, "Well I might have to go to father and ask him personally."

"'Father this', 'Father that'," Rayquaza mocked throwing his hands about, "Can you do anything without your father's permission?"

Giratina rose in his seat, Dialga looked with surprise at Rayquaza's outburst, Regigigas' gaze turned a hardened glare, Kyurem barely even cared and was on the verge of napping, and Ho-oh's worried look was getting her closer and closer to intervening. Deoxys kept his gaze forward.

"What are you trying to say Sky Guardian?" Palkia grinded his teeth together, trying so hard to not to go ballistic on Rayquaza.

"How many times have you said something that required your father's assistance? I can tell you it's more than it should be. You're not really a god and more like a mortal follower of your father's various religions."

Palkia slammed his hands onto the table, cracking the glass, "You dare say that to me?! I am Palkia, creator of the constellations, maker of the galaxies-"

"And the creator of that damn parasite!"

The two gods at both ends of the table now had both cracked the glass table. Rayquaza's unyielding glare about to burn a hole through Palkia, and likewise with the other. Palkia was an enraged as ever.

"Repeat that for me...lizard."

"Palkia…" Ho-oh gave a weak call.

Rayquaza completely ignored the goddess' call to end this, "You are the very reason I have to deal with that virus! You are solely responsible for creating him!"

"There is no way to prove that, and you know it."

"Really?! How else could he travel through dimensions then?! We all know that the fabled Sons of Arceus all share that power. And you used it the most! You used it soooo much that you couldn't even been bothered to at least help me catch the cretin."

"You know, I am right here," Deoxys said calmly, making contact with Rayquaza's face, but only the side as his warden was too enraged to notice.

"Rayquaza, I'm going to ask you to stand down," Palkia breathed to calm himself.

"Please," Ho-oh added in, a soothing voice in the discussion full of thorns, "can we end this."

"Shut it Ho-oh!

The room went silent for a long time, most of the gods were in shock now, even Kyurem was wide awake and eyeing Rayquaza cautiously. Ho-oh stood up, her gaze never leaving Rayquaza's who were narrowed and meeting hers. "Rayquaza I think you need to blow off some steam," she said, placing a calming hand out.

He snorted, "I'll blow off more than that." Before any of them could interject, "he made his way out of the portal, "Come on parasite, we're done here."

Deoxys stood closely following the heels of his warden, "Ummm...If it makes you feel any better he's always like this with me." His uneasy smile didn't serve to ease any of the glares from some of the gods, primarily Regigigas, Palkia, and Ho-oh.

-X-

Jaune and Pyrrha were both shocked as Rayquaza practically ripped the door off its hinges and nearly did it again with a loud swing.

"That imbecile!" Rayquaza roared with intensity that neither Jaune, nor Pyrrha had seen.

"Calm down lizard boy."

"That ignorant fool!

"Rayquaza will you please cool down."

"Cool down?! You want me to cool down?! Do you honestly want to spend that long here at this blasted establishment?! You of all people wish to be stuck here for four years?!"

"Well we could do it while the other two are looking at us." Deoxys' head lined up with Jaune and Pyrrha's gaze.

Rayquaza's head soon followed after and he growled internally, he pointed to the door. "Get out now. I have an important matter to discuss with Deoxys."

While Jaune slowly went over to the door a little wary of the situation, Pyrrha kept a hardened and careful stare at the team leader. The skirmish the two took part in still echoing in her head. His words ever present. "I really couldn't give a damn about you and Jaune, but I am forced to." Things had been slightly tense between the two, at least in private, on the outside they merely didn't speak to each other. But when in the halls of training the two went at it, never letting up on each other. One day Glynda had to separate them. It was clear that something needed to change.

But who would budge first? The unyielding spartan, or the fearless dragon.

-X-

Ruby couldn't help but notice neutral look from Pyrrha as she and Jaune entered the cafeteria for breakfast. Usually when they entered Pyrrha had some sort of warm smile. Her munching and staring was stopped when she felt a nudge on her shoulder.

"Everything alright Ruby?" Her partner asked with a single raised eyebrow.

"Oh it's nothing much," she said throwing away her worries and taking another bite out of the deliciously sweet donut. Usually it would be a cookie, but Yang forbidden it along with Weiss' approval. The traitors.

"Ruby…" Giratina chuckled, "I know when you're lying to me. You're face does that odd twitch with your eyebrows."

"They do not," she gave a half hearted attempt, but even she could her eyebrows trying not to twitch. The traitors.

"Uh-huh sure," he went back to…, actually he never eat. Ruby was now noticing that he never took part in meals, drink anything, even now she realized that he never removed that bandanna over his mouth. She opened her mouth to speak.

"Hey do you know what happened to our partners?"

Ruby, Giratina, the other two of Team SSRG, Team KHBL, and Jaune and Pyrrha all looked to Yang along with the ever jubilant Nora behind her. Yang's face incited some sort of worry.

Giratina looked at the other gods present. Only Regigigas, Ho-oh, Kyurem, and himself were there. Rayquaza, Deoxys, and his two brothers were gone. Their meeting was about only fifteen minutes in mortal time but went on for many hours. They, as in the gods, already had a small headache and Kyurem was on the verge of sleep, it wasn't like he was asleep for most of the meeting. The lazy ice deity. Regigigas eyed Jaune and Pyrrha, knowing they themselves were in direct contact with Rayquaza. The one who badmouthed not only Palkia, but Lord Arceus. Giratina caught on and rolled his eyes.

"Easy there walking hedge bush," he said with a certain calmness, "they did not influence Rayquaza's thinking. What he said is his own views, this world has no recollection of Arceus."

"That's what worries me," the one god walking army replied, "Rayquaza is a powerful entity, even with Deoxys around him constantly, he can easily overpower the mortals especially Mister Arc."

"You think Rayquaza would turn on Palkia, create a mutiny?"

"I do not rule it out of the question. Power struggles between gods have happened before, would he do it is another question. He would have to split us up to do it, and something tells me you and Kyurem aren't that idiotic to do that."

"Oh, that's how you think the lines would be drawn?"

"Well seeing as how I am the servant of your father I must follow Palkia's wishes as he is the emissary of Arceus for this mission. Rayquaza and Ho-oh seem to be on off terms. You absolutely hate Palkia so it would only be natural to side with Rayquaza, Deoxys will be forced to fight, Kyurem would probably find some reason to fight Palkia's command probably calling it 'tyranny' or some garbage like that."

"You're forgetting about Dialga," the damned deity said as the scene slowly had changed to the breakfast to walking in the hall to their first class, Combat Class with Glynda Goodwitch.

"What about him, naturally he would side with Palkia over you."

"You're forgetting Dialga has no allegiance to Palkia. He's as much as a wild card as say Kyurem, or even myself. While I agree with some of Rayquaza's words I do not appreciate how he shouted at Ho-oh."

"Should we be worried that this might divide us? We are no Emissaries of Ho-oh or even the Three Justices."

"Even the best teams find a few bumps or hit a pothole here and there. Don't worry my hedge bush friend I will make sure we don't become splintered." Giratina chuckled as he looked onto the arena floor, how time flies he wondered.

"The first match will be Rayquaza Delta versus Palkia Primus!" Glynda announced and immediately Giratina's head fell into his hands, followed by Regigigas consoling him with a pat on the shoulder .

"Why do you hate me father?"

-X-

Rayquaza and Palkia stood at opposite sides of the battlefield, a sneer present on both their faces.

"I'm going to enjoy beating your damn face in," Rayquaza promised himself.

"I will make sure to show you who is in charge," the spacial master did likewise.

"Begin!"

It was so fast, so explosive, so unpredictable to the mortals. Palkia and Rayquaza practically raced at each other at the speed of light as craters were created once the leaped from the ground. The loudest clashing of metal was heard as both their respective weapons converged on one another. Naginata and sword clashed more and more with each kicking up winds that could be felt from the highest parts of the stands.

This last time when they met they stayed interlocked trying to overpower one another. With a quick step back Palkia reared his head back and slammed the metal helmet that he wore right into Rayquaza's noggin. The horns on top of head served as a small buffer so the entirety of the attack didn't hit say his forehead. Now the obvious tradeoff of this was his horns were now screaming in a certain amount of pain. Rayquaza reeled back giving Palkia plenty of time to deliver multiple strikes to Rayquaza's chest. Not letting up, Palkia's hand glowed bright pink and sent Rayquaza to the sky using his powers of gravity, his supposed semblance. From the walls, to the single solitary window in the room, to even the ceiling Palkia did not rest until Rayquaza had learned his lesson. It was completely one sided, all of it in Palkia's, the eldest son of Arceus', favor.

Jumping back from yet another clash Rayquaza flipped his naginata around switching it to his bayonet rifle and firing a few shots. With quick singular movements Palkia deflected or split the bullets off the broadside of his sword. The swordsmen charged forward ducking his body underneath shot after shot. When he got to Rayquaza he swept his feet with his blade. Then, he used the pommel of his sword to beat him into the ground. Palkia, in a more symbolic gesture, stomped twice on Rayquaza's stomach and leaving him there in the cracked ground. Glynda cam shortly after.

"That's the matc-"

Rayquaza wasn't done yet however.

Seemingly unfazed by his earlier smackdown Rayquaza rushed from his prone position into slamming Palkia into the far wall, faster than most could comprehend. The god of space growled as Rayquaza applied more pressure on his wrist making him drop the sword.

"You think you're so tough?! I will gladly bring you back to reality space demon!"

Rayquaza grabbed him by the collar and slammed him back down and then kicked his helmet in the chin throwing it off. With a rush of wind behind him Rayquaza got behind Palkia to deliver a roundhouse kick. Rayquaza was now seething, heavy breaths flaring his nostrils and heat coming out of his throat. Palkia skidded back to his feet, a furrowed brow but no where near as furious as Rayquaza right now. The dust was starting to settle and Glynda was about to intervene.

"Okay you two that is quite enough!"

But neither cared and they both charged back in and arm locked each other into a stand still. Palkia could hear his opponent taking a deep breath, and he could see an orange glow through his skin.

"Rayquaza, I'm warning you…" Palkia looked into the dragon's eyes.

"Like I give a damn," for once, Rayquaza threw a sick smile, mirroring that of the parasite Deoxys.

Exhaling Rayquaza let out a massive stream of pure fire. The flames licking Palkia forcing him to withdraw and remove a few pieces that had too much heat. He may have been a god, but no one likes melting flesh, even if it was only temporary. When Palkia jumped back Rayquaza took another deep breath and released a second cone of flames. It now became a game of dodging to and fro between blasts, but the attacker had a strategy in mind. After a certain blast Rayquaza jumped up and inhaled so much air, it wouldn't be surprising if the pressure in the room changed dramatically. A ring of fire was formed by Rayquaza's deadly breath with Palkia at its epicenter, Rayquaza then rushed back in. With no weapon on either, it became a duel of fists. Expertly placed punches were matched with precise blocks and parries. Palkia got the upper hand when he caught on to Rayquaza's patterns and grabbed his wrist at the opportune time. Pulling him in, he smashed his palm into the sky guardian's throat. Rayquaza reeled back and was giving a wicked shoulder charge landing him near the fiery edge. PAlkia now stood atop him and raised his fist to-

"Palkia!" The world slowly halted as he looked to Dialga and Giratina who were now standing up, while most of the students were silent and dared not to do a thing.

While the students were motionless, Glynda carried the slack and stormed over to the two, quickly resetting the field. What surprised everyone was that Ozpin was now at the entrance to the hall. He must have been called by Goodwitch. "You." It was stern, angry, enraged and it was pointed at Rayquaza, "You are going to talk with the headmaster this instance. And you," she pointed to Palkia, "we will talk after class."

Palkia slowly nodded and looked to Rayquaza, "We will have our own little chat afterwards."

Rayquaza merely grunted, not really directed towards either of them, and stood up walking to the headmaster.

Glynda then dismissed Palkia, and wanted this whole thing behind her. "The next will be between Jaune Arc and Cardin Winchester!"

-X-

Rayquaza honestly had no desire to ever talk to the headmaster, he didn't have any desire to do anything at this damn school, but now he was forced to. At least that was what he was told, it had been a solid ten minutes of Ozpin going over the recordings of the fight.

"So can I ask what led to the altercation," the headmaster said in a neutral tone, "from the looks of it you were soundly defeated by Mr Primus."

"Only because we're forced to 'restrain ourselves' because you mortals are pitiful," he wanted to say.

"So why attack him?"

"I have my reasons, that's all," Rayquaza gave a deadpan stare back at Ozpin.

"And those reasons are…"

"Not yours, so you have no reason to know."

"Hmm," Ozpin pulled up a small file, "Going over your past few weeks here, I can soundly say you are one of our strongest first years. I find it interesting that most of your friends-"

"They're colleagues at most, I don't consider them 'friends'," he interrupted.

Ozpin went on, "I find it interesting that most of your 'colleagues' seem to be above the majority of first years, outside of people like Miss Schnee, or even your own teammate Miss Nikos."

Rayquaza scoffed, "Maybe it says something about your precious Combat Schools."

"Perhaps, regimens change over the years and some people can't cut it. But there is something else to note about you," Rayquaza rolled his eyes and looked back at Ozpin, "you are a rather ferocious one. Especially when it comes to Mister Ribo, your partner. Glynda even said you shouted at her when she asked about his bindings. Can you care to explain that?"

"If you knew what Deoxys could do without his bindings then you would want him restrained too."

"And what did he do to actually deserve such a punishment?"

Rayquaza looked into Ozpin's eyes, a fury in them that hadn't been seen in a long time. Even with his earlier outbursts today. "Do you really want to know?"

-X-

"Cheer up Jaune, you gave it your all," Deoxys assured Jaune as they walked back to the cafeteria. Man, a three hour combat class really soaks up the time.

Jaune may or may not have gotten brutalised by Cardin in his match. Where he got sort of, kind of, maybe lectured by Goodwitch. She never really lost her 'cheery' demeanor from Palkia and Rayquaza's fight. Palkia was away from the group as he was being talked to by Goodwitch.

"Nora, I must apologize for Rayquaza's actions during the fight," Pyrrha was quick to make it over the one-person-missing Team PYND.

"Ah, it's okay Pyrrha," Nora happily waved off.

"Wha?" It came out of her mouth faster than she could think.

"Yeah, I'm sure Palky won't mind it at all, he looked like he really enjoyed it. Plus, seeing your team leader spew fire was awesome."

Pyrrha looked at the ginger, a tad amazed as to how she could easily brush of something like that. It did reassure her, but seeing Dialga soon walk up did make her worry.

"It is fine Pyrrha," the student who walked with a cane wherever he went seemed to read her thoughts, "I'm sure it was just a...misunderstanding."

"He needs to be talked to."

"Now, now Regigigas, we will do that later, right now we should get a meal," Dialga mentally felt his eyes narrow. Behind his plastered smile he was a tad annoyed at Rayquaza. "Well then, let's get some food, I am quite hungry."

It took a good ten minutes for all of them to get all their food, most of the mortals were still fixated on Rayquaza and Palkia's fight, while the goods were not nearly as focused but were still thinking about it. The only one who wasn't thinking about it was Jaune. So to cheer everyone up, Nora started telling a little story

"So there we were, in the middle of the night."

"It was day," Ren countered.

"We were surrounded by Ursai," it appeared to be doing it's job as some of them were now listening intently.

"They were Beowolves."

"A dozen of them!"

"Two of them."

"But they were no match. And in the end Ren and I took them down and made boatload of lien selling Ursa skin rugs!" Nora finished her thrilling tale by sitting down feeling accomplished.

Giratina had a hard time comprehending it all, "How can one little girl exaggerate that much?"

"Sound familiar?"

"Shut up Regigigas, I wasn't talking to you."

"Ah…" Ren looked down and sighed, "She's been having this reoccurring dream for nearly a month now…"

"Oh, it's fine Ren, a good tale of heroism is always needed to keep you focus towards your goal," his partner chuckled almost feeling sorry for him. Almost.

"Jaune," Pyrrha who had been staring at Jaune ever since he lost his match, which was about twenty minutes ago, called out to her partner who had been forking and spearing his food into oblivion, "Are you okay?"

The words hit Jaune after a few seconds, then his mind kicked in, "Uh? Oh, yeah! Why?"

"It's just that you seem a little…" Ruby threw her hands a bit trying to think of the words. She, like Pyrrha had been watching while the rest of her team did other things, "...not okay."

"Eh, guys I'm fine...seriously, look!" The nervous laughter that followed afterword did not inspire confidence. Ho-oh had now been listening in on the conversation too.

There was a laughter that caught Jaune's attention, it was Cardin and his team making fun of some rabbit faunus who was sitting alone at the lunch table

"Jaune, Cardin's been picking on you since the first week of school," Pyrrha reminded.

"Who? Cardin Winchester?" Jaune skills in acting were not convincing, "Nah...He just likes to mess around, you know? Practical jokes!"

"He's a bully," Ruby narrowed her brow and felt a feeling inside her thinking of all the times she was bullied.

"Oh please, name one time he's bullied me," Jaune practically handed them a silver platter stating 'let me have it'."

"Didn't he slap down your books in the hallway and acted like he did nothing wrong?" Ruby recanted.

"Or the time he expanded your shield in the doorway getting you stuck," Pyrrha said with less uncertainty.

"And he did shove you into those rocket propelled lockers."

"I didn't land far from the school…" Jaune said as now everyone was listening in on the conversation.

"Rayquaza had to get you out of the ocean...he wasn't very happy about it either."

"Jaune if you ever need help, feel free to ask us," Ho-oh said from the one end of the table. Needless to say ever since their single date things had been a bit awkward with them, at least from Jaune's perspective. He had a hard time trying to look her in the eye nowadays/

Nora jumped out of her seat. "OOH! We'll break his legs!"

"She is way too excited about doing that," Giratina noted.

"I don't know who has it worse. Palkia for having her as a partner, or Dialga having to explain why the mission was a failure after Palkia eventually loses it," Regigigas added.

"Guys, really it's fine!" Jaune said a bit more forceful, "Besides, it's not like he's only a jerk to me; he's a jerk to everyone."

"I fail to see the logic in that," Kyurem combatted, flipping through a pocket sized book about Vacuo philosophy. They certainly had interesting ways those desert crawlers.

But speaking of jerks. "Ooww, that hurts!"

The shout came from the other side of Jaune and the whole group angled their heads to witness Cardin and his crew teasing the rabbit faunus from earlier, it had escalated to now where he was pulling on her ears.

"Please stop," the girl begged.

"I told you it was real," Cardin told his followers.

"What a freak!" The one with a mowhawk said.

"Funny as it comes from the one with the abnormal hair style, I swear it looks like something died on his head and then the ghost gave up and killed itself again." Giratina thought.

Eventually he let go, letting her walk away ashamed. Pyrrha turned around and gave a slightly angered sneer, "Atrocious. I can't stand people like him."

"He's not the only one," Blake, for some reason, took it the worst out of all of them.

Yang sighed and rested her head in her hand, "It must be hard to be a faunus."

"And that is probably the saddest thing," Kyurem disclosed keeping his eyes his book, "with such a difficult life ahead of them, faunus may never see true equality for a long time." "But the real question here is why do those in Vacuo call them 'shirmps on the barbie'?"

-X-

"One day I'm going to find out who made caffeine and personally pay them a visit. It will be the first thing I do once I'm free," Giratina promised as he watched Prof-Doctor-Oobleck whip around the room.

"Yes! Yes, prior to the Faunus Rights Revolution, more popularly known as the Faunus War, humankind was quite, quite adamant about centralizing the faunus population in Menagerie." With his collapsable metal pointer he tapped to where Menagerie was on the map. He took a sip from his cup that was honestly thirty two times larger than it needed to be, in reality Oobleck should have thimble sized serving. "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! Now! Have any among you been subjugated or discriminated because of your faunus heritage?"

"That's a bit of a personal question don't you think?" Dialga asked through the telepathic network.

"I doubt there is malice behind his reasoning," Ho-oh assured, "this one appears to be a fine mortal."

"Dreadful, simply dreadful!" Oobleck said gazing upon a few faunus students in the crowd, most notably the rabbit eared girl, who had raised their hands. "Remember students, it is precisely this kind of ignorance that breeds violence!"

"While I agree with the sentiment, sometimes a push is what is needed to start the gears of revolution."

"Keep your views in perspective Kyurem," Regigigas said, "they have only been around for a fraction of our lives. They will see many different angles on change."

"I mean, I mean, I mean just look at what happened to the White Fang. Now, which one of you young scholars can tell me what many theorists believe to be the turning point in the third year of the war?" Weiss raised her hand almost immediately. It put a small smile on Regigigas' face. "Yes," he called on her.

"The battle of Fort Castle."

"Ugh, that one was brutal," Dialga noted, going back through the compendium about the event.

"Precisely!" Oobleck shouted in response, "And, who can tell me the advantage the faunus had over General Lagune's forces?"

"Hey!" The whole class was surprised by Jaune's sudden outburst.

"Mr. Arc! Finally contributing to class! This is excellent! Excellent!"

"So he was noticing the fact Jaune was asleep…" Deoxys nodded slowly, Rayquaza had now joined him but had remained completely silent, even with Deoxys' outbursts. It wasn't like anyone else heard him.

"What is the answer?" Oobleck asked him, his face was about a good foot away.

After about thirty seconds of Jaune trying to fumble through, he gave an answer, "Binoculars!"

Even the gods facepalmed, Ho-oh felt a lot of shame doing it too. To Dialga it was quite possibly the longest thirty seconds he had ever had to endure.

"Very funny, Mr. Arc. Cardin!" The teacher turned to the student in question who was leaning in his seat, "Perhaps you would care to share your thoughts on the subject."

"Well," he picked something out of his hair and threw it aside, "I know it's a lot easier to train an animal than a soldier."

Oobleck slowly shook his head, but Pyrrha spoke next. "You're not the most open-minded of individuals, are you, Cardin?"

"That requires a mind to be open in," Deoxys added subconsciously.

"What?" His chair came forward, "You got a problem?"

"Mister Winchester," Rayquaza spoke up, "if you have any grievances with my team, you can bring it to me. Team leader to team leader."

Cardin scoffed, "I gotta hand it to you Pyrrha, don't know how you can stay in a team led by an animal."

"Says the coward who fights in metal plated armor," Rayquaza shot back in a slow, smug tone, his eyes averted from Cardin, to a certain deity who eyed him back.

"What was that?!" Cardin stood up.

"Mister Winchester please sit down, you will see me after class." A small roar of giggles unfolded, unfortunately that included Jaune who was right in front of Oobleck, "And you too Mister Arc will see me after class. Now, can anyone tell me the answer."

"I can," Pyrrha raised her hand which was quickly called on, "It's night vision. Many faunus are known to have nearly-perfect sight in the dark."

"Excellent, can anyone tell me how that affected the battle? Yes!" Oobleck called on Blake.

"General Lagun was inexperienced and made the fatal error of trying to ambush the Faunus in their sleep. His massive army was outmatched, and the general was captured. Perhaps if he'd paid attention in class, he class, he wouldn't have been remembered as such a failure."

The whole class looked back and forth silently laughing while Giratina contacted Ho-oh, "By any chance you haven't been teaching her in the art of the burn have you. You eviscerated an entire army doing that if I remember correctly."

"And you should remember that, just in case," Ho-oh looked behind her and smiled to Giratina, who shuddered. That burn took eons to recover from.

"Now! Moving on!" Oobleck then started to discuss more of the curriculum.

-After Class-

"You two have been struggling in my class since day one!" Oobleck told Jaune and Cardin who both sat in the front row. "Now, I don't know if it's a lack of interest or just your stubborn nature, but it ends here. You have worked hard to be here 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."

Somewhere, Dialga sneezed feeling as though someone just mentioned an old phrase he came up with long ago.

"Pages 51-91! I want an essay on my desk by next class!" Oobleck told the two before saying, "Now. Run along."

Oobleck zoomed faster than Jaune or Cardin walked out. Jaune slowed his last few steps and ended up getting knocked down by Cardin. The bully walked off after scoffing and he was helped up by Pyrrha, Deoxys was there too but no sign of Rayquaza.

"You know, I really will break his legs," Pyrrha told the blonde while helping him back to his feet.

"And I can always break more than that if you want."

Jaune merely sighed and dusted himself off.

"Come on, we've had a rough day."

"Deoxys, I require assistance," the message from Rayquaza actually surprised him.

"Oh, why?"

"I need Palkia off my back. Now."

"Gods damn it all."

-X-

"You told Ozpin!" Palkia's roar could be heard from inside the Team RAPD dorm room, the door was wide open so it wasn't that loud.

"What's going on?" Jaune asked as he walked in.

"This doesn't concern you Mister Arc," Palkia shot a glare at Jaune, "I'm going to ask you to run long while Rayquaza and I discuss a few things."

"They will not be leaving this is their room, the one who is out of line is you Primus," Rayquaza responded with crossed arms.

"I'll get to you in a second," Palkia pointed at the dragon, "but I want them gone."

"No."

There was a pregnant pause that made the two mortals slightly uncomfortable.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Rayquaza went on, "do you need your father's permission?"

"We are not getting into this with them present Rayquaza."

"You won't, but I gladly will. You can't do anything without daddy giving you orders like a tin soldier. How brown is you nose from sticking up in your dad's ass? Besides, who cares if I told Ozpin? They know," Rayquaza pointed at Pyrrha and Jaune in the doorway.

Anger coursed through Palkia's body and his glare went to the two mortal, "You told them?! Rayquaza are you a fool?!"

"No, I'm quite the intellectual, them knowing will only make it easier. What difference does it make?"

"'What difference does it make'?!" Palkia thought about rendering Rayquaza apart with a black hole right now, "You told them that Deoxys is a-"

"Killer? Yes."

The room was silent, Deoxys felt like a lot of eyes were on him, mentally speaking. Jaune and Pyrrha dared not miss the glance. Palkia relaxed his stance, catching the mortals off guard. "You told them?" He asked for assurance.

"They were put off a bit, but I was able to convince them everything was fine as long as I'm around."

"Did you tell them the whole story?" Palkia's tone was coming close to being venomous.

"Palkia…" Rayquaza warned.

"Tell us what?" Jaune asked.

"Nothing," the faunus was quick to answer.

Palkia however thought otherwise. "Deoxys is a killer, that much is true, he is responsible for many deaths," "More than you can comprehend Mister Arc." "Rayquaza was sent to stop him, but in his carelessness he is responsible for the other half of those who died." Palkia let the two stare at Rayquaza with wide eyes before going on."

"He's just as much of a killer as Deoxys is."

Not long after that Palkia left without saying another word, but he kept his gaze to Rayquaza who returned it with a sneer. After a solid two minutes of silence Rayquaza turned to the shocked teens.

"Leave. Please,"

His tone had completely shifted. From one of anger, to one solemn and depressed now.

For some reason they felt as if they couldn't move their legs until Deoxys nudged them. "I think it would be best if you gave Rayquaza some space. I'll come get you when he's ready."

All they could do was nod and move out to the room. Rayquaza gave a sigh, "Can you go with them? I have to think over a few things." He had turned his back on Deoxys.

With no words he left the room, to find Pyrrha and Jaune. It was about ten minutes later when he caught up with them having a discussion.

"-Pyrrha I said I don't want your help!" The parasite heard Jaune yell from the window, the two were on a rooftop outside. Pyrrha looked hurt by Jaune's words and closed herself off.

"I understand," she said slowly.

Deoxys then decided to keep walking, not needing to make things worse. "What do we do now?" A thought crossed his mind, it was probably a bad thought, but Deoxys was full of those. So how was this any different. Lodged in a pocket he telekinetically brought up a scroll he may or may not have stolen from someone when they first arrived. Now came the hard part, actually typing a message. Luckily he learned how to use his feet to type ages ago because of his current...predicament and in three minutes he had a message typed out.

~When can I see you again? Something's come up and I need your advice, Deo~

In a few minutes a reply came.

~Sure, pick a time and place. You know what I like. :) , Neo~

-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-

You can't tell right now, but I am smiling like a madman. That so much fun to write, I love writing conflict. Also let the silent mad people converge. This wasn't going to be a two parter, but after six thousand words I was like: 'Oh crap, this is going to be a two parter. Oh, well'. Next chapter will be the conclusion for the Jaunedice arc (no pun intended) and we will have a somewhat badass moment. Anyways, I must go back to studying. Sometimes college is a pain. See ya later suckers!