In this chapter: Pyrrha gets a clue. Lack of sleep, constant nightmares and thirst-induced anger issues are driving Jaune into an sour mood. Tensions arise between him and his partner and Cardin get involved. That can't be good.
Also, I can't write emotions apparently. Bummer. Oh well, first fic and all that.
Chapter six: Tensions
It was night and all was quiet. All the students were resting peacefully in their beds.
Except for Jaune Arc. He was tossing and turning, not to mention talking in his sleep. It had started with the talking.
Pyrrha had woken up when she heard her partner speak. But it was not in a language she knew. It was coherent words, not 'gibberish' as Ren called it but she had no idea what it meant. In the beginning she might have taken it for gibberish but after having heard it for months she was getting better at picking out singular words. She just didn't know what they meant.
In her life Pyrrha had met many different people from different parts of Remnant and kicked their asses. They had been from all walks of life, from very distinct cultures and spoke different languages.
Well, some of them at least. During the last few decades Valean had become the Common Tongue of Remnant.
Anyhow, the point was that Pyrrha could recognize many languages but not the one Jaune was currently using.
When Jaune quit talking in his sleep he started tossing and turning.
Unlike the strange tongue Jaune used in his sleep Pyrrha could recognize this. She saw him making the motions for stabs, slashes and blocks. They were not perfect but then again Jaune was asleep. Still, he made the motions like he knew them.
Pyrrha's talk with Goodwitch sprang to mind again.
'Maybe he is holding something back.' she thought as she watched Jaune mimic a very bold sword thrust.
There was such a variety of moves, Could he really have thought himself all of them?
One matter did come to Pyrrha's mind though.
Jaune had always fought with his sword and shield but in his sleep he was only wielding a sword it seemed, occasionally with a spear.
Was the shield new to him?
There was nothing wrong in using a shield as long as one knew how to. If Jaune had picked up the shield just before he came to Beacon then she would have to try to convince him to drop it or to learn how to use it properly.
As Jaune quit moving and got quiet Pyrrha shut her eyes. If Jaune knew that he had woken any of his teammates up at night he would be extra gloomy in the morning.
Like clockwork Jaune opened his eyes and got up to the teams shared table. Pyrrha could hear him scribble in the dream journal for quite a while. He did not say a word while the pen went over the paper. Just how much would he write? Was he even writing or was he just pulling his pen randomly over the paper?
After a while he put the pen down and got up. Slowly and quietly he started to walk back to bed. Pyrrha could hear each footstep, figuring out where exactly Jaune was.
Then he stopped next to her bed. Why? Pyrrha forced herself not not give away the fact that she was awake. She felt him move one of her locks of hair and lean closer. Still Pyrrha remained still. He was close, she could feel the warmth radiating from him.
Pyrrha could not figure out what he was up to. She felt something grace her neck.
A small jolt went through her body and as suddenly as Jaune had approached her, he backed away.
"I'm sorry." he said painfully in a whisper. "Sorry that I'm not strong enough."
Pyrrha heard him get back to bed and fall asleep.
'What was that about?' she wondered but soon sleep took her as well.
It was breakfast. Like usual team RWBY and JNPR had it together. Today Nora was telling all a story of how she and Ren had been battling grimm. Jaune paid her no mind as he downed one cup after another. The thirst just kept getting worse. It was like an itch he couldn't reach.
"There we were, in the dead of night…" Nora said, trying to set the scene for the story.
"It was noon." Ren corrected not turning away from his breakfast. This did not deter Nora who turned to her adoring listeners among team RWBY.
"All around us were savage Ursai…"
"Beowolves, Nora, Beowolves."
"Hoards of them!"
"Only a handful."
"But we slaughtered them all! And then we made a killing selling Grimm-teeth necklaces!"
"I swear Nora, that is the fifth version of your dream you have told us so far." Ren said and put another plate of pancakes in front of his partner, shutting her up.
The people around the table had mixed reactions. "Well that was certainly an interesting story." said Ruby.
"Sure was. What do you think Jaune?" Pyrrha turned to her partner. Since the scene with Cardin at combat class his state of mind had only gotten worse.
"Huh, oh yes. Very interesting." he said, obviously not knowing what he spoke of.
"Are you okay, Jaune?"
"Yeah, just dead tired that's all. Why the question?"
Ruby tried to find the right words. She was not the best when it game to being social.
"You just seem a bit… not okay."
"No, I'm fine." he lied and tried to put on a smile.
Team JNPR and RWBY made a collective sigh. Something had to be done.
Their attention was pulled away by a shout of pain. They turned around to see Cardin and his team torment Velvet, the faunus from Team CFVY. They were pulling her ears and making fun of her appearance. One of team CRDL, clearly an outpost, made a sign and Cardin stopped just before a teacher passed by.
"Just terrible." Pyrrha curled her hands into fists. "I can't stand his kind."
"Likewise." said Blake. "And there are more like him."
Yang shook her head.
"Being a faunus must be hard. Hey, vomit-boy, where are you going?"
"To see if she is okay. That looked like it hurt." he said. "I'll see you at the lecture."
"Is it just me or has Jaune almost started to avoid us?" Nora asked, mouth full of pancakes.
"Nora, swallow before you talk." Ren said.
"I'm sure he's just got a lot on his mind. He will probably be fine."
"I hope so." Pyrrha said.
"This is not good for him."
"Oh, is Cereal-girl concerned for vomit-boy?"
"Yang, don't be mean! Pyrrha is just looking out for him." Ruby reprimanded her sister.
They were having an lecture with professor Oobleck, or rather the others were. Jaune had fallen asleep during the lecture due to his lack of sleep.
Once again he heard the non-voice in his dreams. 'Remember who you are, my son.'
"Father?" Jaune asked out loud as he woke.
"Correct!" said Professor-, nay, doctor Oobleck with great energy.
"General Lagune had obtained his posting at the castle because of his father's political connections. Now, can anyone tell me what advantage the Faunus had over General Lagune's forces, allowing them to take the castle? Mr. Arc?"
"Uh?" Jaune was blinking the sleep from his eyes. What advantage? From his high seat he could see Pyrrha making signs to him. She make circles with her hands and put them to her eyes.
"Binoculars?"
Jaune's guess earned him a laugh from the rest of his classmates, Cardin in particular.
"Not quite, Mr. Arc. Winchester, perhaps you would like to venture a guess."
"I don't know. Maybe it's because it's easier to train a mutt than a real soldier."
Oobleck shook his head in disappointment.
"You are very narrow-minded Cardin." said Pyrrha with disgust and stood up.
Cardin shot up from his seat, trying to intimidate her. "You got a problem or something?"
Pyrrha did not give an inch though and stood her ground firmly.
"No but I have the answer to the actual question! It's night vision. Many Faunus are known to have it, letting them see in the dark."
Cardin sneered at Pyrrha, trying to come up with a retort or an insult.
Before Cardin could retort Blake cut in.
"General Lagune was not experience in military matters as he had obtained his position by his connections and not through merit. Thus he made the mistake of trying to ambush the Faunus at night. His army was routed, and Lagune was captured."
Blake said, turning to Cardin.
"Perhaps if he'd paid attention in school, he wouldn't have been remembered as a failure."
Cardin was about to say something, fist clenched when Oobleck spoke up.
"Mr. Winchester! Please take your seat. And Belladonna, try not to speak ill of your classmates dead relatives in front of them!"
He took a sip of coffee.
"Mr. Winchester, Mr. Arc, see me after class for additional reading. Now! Moving on! While the Faunus forces were able to take the castle, they did not have the supplies needed to hold it for very long or the needed manpower in case of an attack…"
Jaune let his head fall down to the table. How could he manage more reading when he barely could keep up with the ordinary reading?
He and Cardin ended up having to write an assay each. Cardin for his open racism and Jaune for slacking off in class.
As they exited the room Cardin pushed him over. Jaune wanted to get up and hurt the bully but he would get in trouble for that. He let Pyrrha help him up, like always.
Dust, he was getting sick of it.
"You okay?"
"No, I can barely keep up in combat class up as it is and now with the extra reading... It's hopeless. I should never have come to Beacon."
"Don't say that. All you need is a bit of practice."
A figurative light bulb lit up in her head.
"I have an idea! Come along!" she said and practically dragged Jaune with her.
He did not resist. He was used to this sort of thing from his sisters already. Being dragged along against his will, not having a say in anything….
They found themselves on top of the roof of the dorm buildings. Jaune kept walking along the edge. Looking down he sighed.
"I know I'm not doing so well but I hadn't considered this yet."
He looked down at the ground. For some reason it seemed so inviting. He carefully put his toes over the edge. All it would take was one step.
"No!" bellowed Pyrrha and made a dash to grab the blond by his collar and pulled him back.
"N-no, I did not bring you here for that." She let go off him and took a deep breath.
"I know you are going through some harsh times and your combat skills aren't the best but… I want to help you."
"Come again?"
"I figured I could help you. We could come up here and train when we got time."
Jaune was quiet for a moment, dumbstruck. Then Pyrrha could see anger build up in him. It was the first time she had seen him angry at someone.
"You think I need your help? You think I'm a failure as well!"
"I didn't mean that."
"You just said it!"
"We all need a little help sometimes. You needing a bit of help is nothing to be ashamed of. Dust, you made it into Beacon, as a self thought! If you were a failure you would not have succeeded. I'm sure that with a bit of help you could-"
Jaune cut her off turning back to the ledge.
"No. You are wrong. I didn't make it in here, not the right way. And I sure as Dust don't belong here."
"What? Jaune, don't say that. Of course you belong here."
"I don't." he said in a low voice.
"I never should have gotten in here."
"Why?"
"Why? Because I never went to combat school. Because I am not self thought."
He sighed.
"I forged my transcripts and lied my way in."
Pyrrha looked at him.
"Why?" was all she could say. It couldn't be right.
"Because no one would let me try the honest way and because I have always dreamed of it! My entire family is full of heroes, people who have done great things. I wanted to prove myself! To show that I'm not some failure."
"Then why not let me-"
"I don't want help! Don't you get it? I want to prove that I am not a failure! I don't want to have to hide behind others all the time like some damn weakling. I want to stand up for myself for once like my ancestors did, to manage on my own and not by grace of others. I wanted to honor them. To live up to my heritage, if I even have one!"
He took a deep breath.
"If I can't manage this on my own then why should I even bother?"
"But you do manage." Pyrrha tried.
"No, I don't."
He made a pained expression and pulled away as Pyrrha tried to reach out for him.
"Just leave me be. Please."
Dust, he was already regretting every word he had said. The anger he had shown her was now turning inwards, against himself.
"If you say so." said Pyrrha defeatedly.
Dust, it was like someone was driving a knife through his chest when she turned around and left.
"I have really messed up now." he muttered to himself.
He knew he was going through some hard times right now. His lack of training was holding him back. His lack of sleep was keeping him from learning. His nightmares kept him from sleeping. The annoying thirst never stopped and it was making him mad. Not to mention his ever-present feeling of inadequacy when comparing himself to his ancestors.
But all of that did not justify what he had just done. Pyrrha had only meant well.
He contemplated what she had said about help: all needed it at some point. Maybe it was time for him to suck up his stupid pride and ask for help.
All the others, they had trained at combat school. He hadn't. That was a huge difference that he couldn't make up for on his own.
Yeah, he would have to ask for help. If his friends would help him. He couldn't imagine them being happy with him after yelling at his own partner. Or learning that he got into Beacon with fake transcripts.
There was a noise behind him. Not Pyrrha's footsteps, too heavy for that.
Jaune turned around to see Cardin Winchester dusting himself off with onea very smug grin on his face.
"My, oh my… Jaune, I didn't think you would have it in you. To sneak into Beacon. I didn't know you had the… balls for it."
"How did you-?"
"I was by my window just below, taking in the night air."
Jaune could tell by Cardin's grin that he was lying but that did not matter right now. Cardin knew about the forgeries! He could get Jaune expelled!
"Cardin, please, don't say this to anyone."
"Oh, come now Jaune. What kind of fiend do you take me for? I wouldn't do that to my new, best friend." The last part dripped with with sarcasm.
"What?"
"Yeah, my best friend as long as you are there when I need some help. Come to think of it, I could really use some help with that assignment Oobleck gave us today. I just don't have the time to do it myself. Mind taking care of that?"
Before Jaune could even try to protest Cardin turned around and began to climb down.
"And don't worry, friend keep secrets as long as they stay friends."
The hunt was not lost on Jaune. Cardin was blackmailing him. Simple as that.
Dust damn it!
Cardin had Jaune caught and could have him expelled at any time and Jaune had nothing to retaliate with. He could not go to the teachers, he did not have anything to threaten Cardin into a stalemate with.
Jaune could just take the easy way out and leave Beacon. He could admit to how he had gotten in to Beacon in the first place. That would take away Cardin's hold over him but in the process Jaune would lose everything he had worked for.
No, Jaune was not about to do that.
Anger boiled up in him. He had been getting angry quite often lately but had always held it in, not wanting it to go too far. But there was no one else there but him now.
Jaune let the anger burn in him, fuel him.
He was not about to leave Beacon just yet. He would find a way to turn the situation around and make Cardin squeal.
But how? He had no means to do so, at least not yet.
He would bide his time for now, as much as it would pain him to do so.
He left the roof as he had an assay to write but even so, he would make sure Cardin did not reap the fruits of Jaune's labors. If Jaune's own assay would get an abysmal grade then Cardin's would be a solid failure.
Take that, Cardin.