SZ: *looks at the reviews for chapter two*...okay. A lot of people are saying we had a few of the characters act OOC...seriously, I didn't see anything like that….and of course there's some people complaining on our choice for Jaune and really wanting Hiiro in this story.

GT: Did we not call it on the Hiiro fans not being happy-cheer or what?

Z0: I'm willing to let people have their complaints, at least their reviews aren't outright flames or some nonsense. I'll admit I myself am not sure I caught what they meant, and given the things some of them said...I like don't want to do something I had long planned...cause they kind of predicted them, and some people will take it as us changing things because of them.

GT *nods* SZ and I are pulling Z0 out of the comfort zone of his with the Jaune thing.

Z0: It really kind of is, I have a rule of never replacing the riders...but I am okay with it because my friends liked it, and I can see some plans we can do. This might be the only time I ever do it really.

GT: And that is a-ok with me. This is a one-time-deal and staying that way unless something changes Z0's mind.

Z0: I said Might, it's not an ironclad rule or law, it's just my personal preference.

O.N: its an ironclad rule for me most times. Mostly cause i seen poor use of the attempt or find it an excuse for more op.

SZ: Understandable. And for those who really want Hiro in this story...who says he won't be in someway or form? Huh? Ever thought of that?

Z0: I appreciate you took the time to review those who did. I really do, I like it even if it is criticism about things you think, as long as it is well intended I'm happy. I'll take anything into consideration, and we all will.

O.N: Also guys please you gotta take into extreme consideration of what we're doing here, it's RWBY a world focus on kids being trained into becoming monster hunters, and we have a show where doctors are using video game characters to gain superpowers that is hard to balance we have half a show about hunting down lives and another half about saving it, we cannot faithfully keep everything the same without ruining stuff, Hiiro's removal is to respect his story and not have it be ruin or conflicted by the other stories we must tell. Plus we must give the RWBY as much attention it's give and take my friends.

GT: Eeyup. Because reviews are our bread and butter in fanfiction.

SZ: Eeyup. We love our reviews...but no flames or troll reviews. We hate those.

Z0: I think we have gone on about this long enough my friends.

SZ: True, so let's get on with the story. We own nothing in this story, nor do we own the Kamen Rider series, nor the RWBY series.

GT: And with the disclaimer done…*hangs up a picture at a window and walks off, whistling innocently*

SZ: *blinks in confusion*...What did you do GT?

GT: Hm? Me? Nothing. Certainly didn't take a picture of a certain sharpshooting Kamen Rider doctor and digitally edited the picture to have him sleeping with a fluffy pink unicorn doll and sucking his thumb. *walks off, still whistling innocently*

SZ: Oh...I s-YOU DID WHAT?! *ducks for cover*

Z0: I'll call the contractor and carpenters. *bullet holes are shot into the walls in GT's outline*

GT: ...Kuroto did it! *jumps into a potted plant*

=BANG BANG SIMULATIONS!=

Z0: I'll call the building crew.

"You could've warned me of the queasy feeling," Jaune groaned, laying his head on the cafeteria table the three teams were eating breakfast at.

"The side effects vary from person to person." Kiriya said, reading something on his scroll, "I had dizzy spells for a day."

"I had short term memory issues." Emu spoke up, "Apparently, I still might have side effects...apparently, I might still have side effects," he repeated on purpose just for fun, "Don't worry, Jaune. With time, your immune system will adapt and you'll be back to normal."

"You're sure? No side effects?" He asked just to be sure.

"Avoid stress," Taiga spoke, walking past their table while sipping coffee, "Or else this happens." he pointed to his hair, mainly the white bangs, "I'm only in my mid twenties." he smirked as Jaune's hand shot up to his hair in worry at the thought of his hair going white or grey so early.

"You notice he sways back and forth between being antagonistic to a pretty decent teacher?" Yang pointed out.

"He's either bipolar...or he's the most emotionally balanced person in the world." Blake added her piece.

"Eh. I could see it," Kirya shrugged a bit before he heard some mocking laughter, "...Ugh...heads up. Cardin and his bully brigade are here."

Jaune tensed up a bit at the name. He slowly looked over at a nearby table to see Cardin and his team mates mocking and picking on a girl with long brunette hair, a pair of bunny ears sticking out of the top of her head.

"...Jaune? Is everything okay?" Pyrrha asked in concern, "Cardin has been picking on you since the first week of school."

"Hmm? Cardin Winchester?" Jaune blinked before waving it off, "Nah...He just likes to mess around, ya know?"

"He's a bully," Ruby frowned.

"Oh please...name one time that he's 'bullied' me," Jaune challenged.

"I can name three," Kirya spoke up as he held one finger up, "One; when he keeps knocking all those books out of your arms." he held up another finger, "Two: he got you stuck in the doorway with your shield." He held up one more, "And three, and this is the most recent, stuffing you in your own locker and sending it flying off campus."

"It wasn't that far," Jaune argued.

"Jaune...we had to rescue you at sea." Emu reminded.

"We got salmon from that," Jaune noted before groaning and letting his head rest on the table once more, "This suuucks…"

"Jaune, if you ever need to, you can just ask," Pyrrha stated.

"Oh!" Nora gasped as she shot up, "We'll break his legs!"

"I like the way she thinks!" Kiriya agreed loudly.

'Oh god...There's two of her now,' Ren realized with wide eyes.

"Guys really, it's fine," Jaune assured them as he stood up, "Besides, it's not like he's only a jerk to me. He's a jerk to everyone."

"That is very much true." Emu agreed.

"Well to everyone he can't win against that is." Yang pointed out.

"Ow! That hurts!" everyone looked to see one of the boys pulling on the girl's rabbit ears, "Please stop…"

"I told you they were real!" Cardin laughed in a mocking manner.

"What a freak!" another of the boys added as Cardin continued to pull on the girl's rabbit ears.

Cardin finally let go as the girl decided to walk away from the scene rather than stick around. Cardin and his friends laughed at her before they all jumped as Taiga slapped the table and glared at them, making them go silent.

"Ten papers...all of you...tomorrow," Taiga growled before walking away. Even as the professor walked away, the four just groaned before they began snickering silently amongst themselves once again.

"Deplorable," Blake frowned.

"Atrocious. I can't stand people like him." Pyrrha frowned, visibly upset as well.

"Think we can break all their legs?" Kiriya whispered to Nora, who nodded eagerly.

"It must be hard to be a Faunus," Yang spoke up.

"I hear it helps that good eggs are around," Kiriya spoke up before he pointed to a now missing Emu.

"Where'd he go?" Yang blinked twice.

"Where else does the caring boy go after seeing such a scene?" Kiriya asked.

The rabbit Faunus held back a sniffle as her Aura helped to deal with the pain from how hard her ears had been pulled. She wasn't surprised at how quick the pain went away; it was something she was used to since they had been pulled on more often than not by others as she grew up.

"Velvet!" Emu called out as he walked after her, "Uhm...you okay?" he asked awkwardly while rubbing his neck and adjusting his headphones he always had hanging on his neck, "I mean well obviously...you're...well...alright let me start over."

She gave a weak giggle, "It...It's fine."

"Alright...you okay?" he asked simply with a smile, getting a nod as a response, "I really don't get why you let Cardin do that. You're a whole year ahead of him."

"Well...It's because of that guy's family. The Winchesters are very important people with his father on the Vale council itself," Velvet replied, "If I did anything, he would probably twist the truth to his father and…"

"Right…" Emu cut her off, getting the picture, "It's still not cool. He really needs to stop messing with people just because of such a reason."

"You know what they say; Power corrupts," Velvet sighed, "Please don't tell my teammates about that. Coco tends to...um...overreact just slightly?"

"I promise I won't." Emu spoke, "I can say I know what it's like to deal with a...colorful teammate." he muttered picturing Kiriya in his mind, "But say the word...and Nora is willing to break his legs...offers on the table." he joked. "And she'll start with the toes and slowly...work her way up to the knees…"

"Maybe," Velvet replied, smiling a little at the the thought, having seen how...excitable...the orangette seemed to be.

"Look, if you ever want to talk about it, I'm always free. I can't say I get how it feels, but I'm a pair of ears." he offered.

"...I'd like that," Velvet replied with a small smile.

"No problem." Emu smiled.

"Ah...our little Meijin is growing up." Kiriya sobbed into a tissue as him and team RWBY and most of JNPR spied on them from behind some lockers.

"But still...would his father really do that? I mean, Cardin was the one who…" Ruby frowned.

"People with influence and power can always turn themselves into the winners using such resources." Blake pointed out.

"One of those bullies...the worst kind, the ones that can get away with being total jerks." Yang groaned in annoyance.

"Can we break his legs now?" Kiriya asked what everyone was thinking.

"..." Ren looked around before seeing a trail in the shape of Nora's hammer, "...excuse me...Nora!"

"You enjoy making things bad for everyone, don't you?" Weiss asked.

"Maybe," Kiriya grinned.

"Jerk, but that's why I keep him anyway." Yang grinned, "Well that and Blake needs a bike, too. Right, Blake?" Yang asked, hugging her partner.

"I am not riding a living bike...let alone one that is this guy." Blake countered, looking at Kiriya.

"Plus, my seat's reserved for Emu alone," Kiriya nodded, earning a wide-eyed look from Weiss and Blake.

"What?" Kiriya and Ruby blinked noticing the looks.

"Oh, I thought he was a womanizer, Yang. I...retract my comment…"

"Oh...who says I'm not." Kiriya countered, wagging his eyebrows.

"Oh god, it's worse than we thought! Run!" Weiss panicked as the girls minus Ruby ran away.

"What didn't I understand?" Ruby asked.

"Grown up stuff." Kiriya smirked.

"Oh...hey!" Ruby complained, pouting.

"Off to my favorite part of the day." Kiriya spoke, looking at Jaune, "Time for you to test a new toy!" he said hooking his arm around his shoulders.

"Uhm...do I…?" Jaune began only to be dragged off.

"No time for chicken nonsense." Kiriya cheered.

"But I just got...ugh…" Jaune groaned as another wave of nausea hit him.

"You didn't finish your objection, so it doesn't stand," Kiriya informed with a cheeky grin.

"Oh here we go again." Ruby sighed, following after them.

Soon everyone made their way off campus-with permission, of course-and made their way to a new destination. After walking, a few trips on public transport, and a good helping of more walking, the group totalling in 10 teenagers made it to a large business skyscraper. Written across the walls on one side read GENM Corp in purple and pink letters.

"Whoa...Dan The Man does not skip out on fancy, huh?" Kiriya asked as he and Yang put on sunglasses to block out the glare of the sun reflecting from the windows.

"It's huge!" Nora stated.

"Yes, Nora...it is a big building." Ren agreed.

"Well he sure knows how to expand his company, doesn't he?" Pyrrha asked.

"Yep!" Ruby beamed.

"He's always been busy with work, even when he visits." Yang explained, "I guess this is why, 'cause dang is this a nice place."

"I'mma mooch off him…" Kiriya smirked walking in the front door, after a while...15 seconds to those who care, security dragged him out by his arms, "Oi! Hey I'm invited! I'm invited!"

"Yeah, Kiriya is on the 'not allowed in unless accompanied by another Gamer Driver owner' list." Emu explained.

"But I am!" Kiriya argued as he looked at Emu, "Tell them, buddy! I'm accompanying you."

"Uhm…" Emu muttered.

"Meijin!"

"Alright fine...he's with me." Emu sighed, "Let him go please."

"Thank you!" Kiriya stated as he was let go.

"So why are we here?" Ren asked.

"Cause I don't want to be left alone with just Kiriya!" Jaune explained.

"Also Kuroto has like...EVERY game in the world in his penthouse office." Kiriya explained, "Along with the world's greatest hot chocolate making machine, free vending machines, oh...and a spa. Or as he calls it, employee relaxation room." he listed all the benefits of visiting this place, "Oh also...his entire window is a TV."

"He has a window that doubles as a television?" Phyrra raised a brow.

"Think of it like a giant Scroll." Kiriya explained.

"He...he has all of that?" Nora asked excited, "All of it!?"

"And more. The dude is filthy stinking rich." Kiriya reminded, "You know...almost as rich as Ice Queen."

"Hey!" Weiss complained.

"Well, let's go see what's up," Yang grinned.

"Come on, Jaune, you need to test out the Gamer Driver." Emu spoke.

"Doesn't sound too hard. You guys use them all the time." Jaune spoke.

"Gah!" Jaune cried as he was tossed against a wall by a blue shock from the Gamer Driver around his waist.

"Hm...it seems that even though Jaune is compatible, he lacks...something." Kuroto spoke as everyone opened their eyes after a moment.

"Jaune...are you okay?" Pyrrha asked.

"I'm okay...Hey Pyrrha...when did you have two identical sisters?" he asked in confusion.

"Worry not, that will wear off after a few moments." Kuroto informed.

"You said he lacks something...what could that be?" Ren asked.

"Physically and genetically, Jaune is a perfect candidate for the Rider system." Kuroto explained, "But...it seems...he can't activate his Gashat...I think it might be some form of mental Block."

"Ugh...The mind…" Nora frowned, "The greatest enemy of everything awesome!"

"So...how do we fix it, Uncle Dan?" Ruby asked.

"Well, my adorable little Ruby, I can only say this...Jaune needs...help."

"Excuse you?" Jaune asked confused.

"It's clear his mental block is due to...lack of confidence?" he asked the other teenagers.

"Well…." Ruby and Emu muttered.

"He is being bullied by Cardin Winchester," Nora spoke up, "Would that help...and the fact that me and Kiri want to break his legs?"

"A: I'm a businessman...and an adult...and an authority figure...so no...I don't recommend it…" he then leaned in near Nora, "But if this Cardin picks on Ruby, I will literally pay you to break all his limbs."

"Roger!" Nora whispered back.

"B: It's clear Jaune's issues are regular anxiety and doubt all teenagers go through." Kuroto coughed into his hand.

"Not me." Yang countered.

"Yang, this isn't about you...We've been over this...No one is like you," Kuroto countered with a warm smile, "This is about a very real and very normal problem everyone...everyone but Yang…" he corrected himself, "...Deals with."

"Guys...I can't hear you anymore." Jaune spoke, banging on the glass between them and the testing room.

"Yeah, I turned off the volume...best he not hear this." Kiriya spoke.

"So...is there an idea on how to make it so Jaune can make this work?" Blake asked.

"I think that someone helping him with his confidence, helping him feel strong mentally, like...a mentor...or tutor." Kuroto offered.

"A tutor?" they all blinked.

"I'm not exactly a trained fighter like you kids." Kuroto pointed out.

"I think I understand." Pyrrha spoke up, "If we can make Jaune feel more confident in himself and his own abilities, then maybe the Gashat will finally work for him."

"Yes, that's right!" Kuroto pointed at Pyrrha, "But the question is...how?"

"We can have Jaune break Cardin's legs." Nora offered as Kiriya smiled and nodded in agreement.

"Guys...I think I'm running out of oxygen in here," Jaune noted, tapping on the glass.

"..." Emu slowly looked at Kiriya.

"What...I just turned down the AC." Kiriya complained.

"That room doesn't have an AC. That's the oxygen cut off control!" Kuroto panicked as he went up and began typing on the keypad before the door opened and Jaune stumbled out.

"Wa...was that part of the training?" Jaune asked.

"Uh...yes, yes it was," Kiriya informed quickly.

"That's enough testing for today, Mister Arc," Kuroto sighed, "You kids have some fun here. I'll arrange for a ride for you all back to Beacon later."

"Thanks, Uncle Dan!" Yang grinned.

"By ride, does he mean?" Blake began.

"Yeah...big fancy Limo." Emu and Ruby agreed.

"Yes…" Weiss whispered.

"Bet it's been awhile since you were in one, eh Ice Queen?" Kiriya asked.

"Can I?" Weiss asked Kuroto.

"Whenever you want." Kuroto smiled.

"Security!" Weiss called out as two big men grabbed Kiriya by his arms and lifted him up before carrying him off.

Emu sighed with a facepalm, "Why...the only other Kamen Rider before now...and he's Kiriya?" he groaned to himself.

"Hey, you can't do this to me! I deserve to be here! I am a Kamen Rider! I'm the Bike guy!" Kiriya shouted as they put him in the elevator.

"Oh! Uncle Dan, can we show them the arcade hallway?" Ruby asked.

"Hm...well it is meant to be a collection of historical games...but how can I say no to those eyes?" he smiled as Ruby was giving him the puppy dog eyes, "To the Arcade!" he cheered.

"What's so special about an arc…..arcade…" Jaune paused as Kuroto opened the door to what looked like a real arcade filled with games, and several TV nestled in circular couch areas with game systems and library book shelves of games, "Whoa."

"Well...we are a Game company after all." Kuroto smiled.

"Copies of every single game in video game history!" Ruby cheered.

"Oh! Ren, look, look, look!" Nora bounced as she pointed at one game nearby.

"At what, Nora? You're pointing at every game to your right," Ren pointed out.

"Giri Giri Chanbara," Nora replied, pointing again, "Didn't you based your guns off the main character's weapons?"

"Nora…" Ren sighed.

"Come on! Let's play! Your timing is perfect! You'll get a perfect score!" Nora assured, dragging him off.

"Alright! Gekitotsu Robots! This is the best robot fighting game ever!" Emu cheered, seeing the large pod like arcade system.

"I challenge everyone!" Yang cheered, jumping into one of the pods as Emu did the same.

"Say, Jaune?"

"Yeah?" Jaune looked at Phyrra.

"Well...Do you think playing the game your Gashat is based on might help?" Phyrra asked, seeing a blue console with an image of a knight on the sides.

"Huh…" Jaune muttered, "Emu is always playing the portable version of Mighty Action X on his scroll." he remembered, "Maybe that's what helps him be so good as Ex-Aid." he figured, "Ah, it makes so much sense! He knows his game in and out, so he's all synched up with his Gashat."

"Is that the best you got, Yang!?" Emu shouted as a screen showed his giant red robot boxing with a thinner feminine yellow robot.

"Oh, you ain't seen nothing yet!" Yang declared.

"Wow that looks so fun." Jaune awed before shaking his head and looking back at the blue console, "Alright Taddle Quest. Let's do this." he smirked as he turned the machine on as medieval trumpet music greeted them at the opening menu.

"So what's the story behind this, Jaune?" Pyrrha asked interested.

"Taddle Quest? Well, you play as a young knight on a quest to slay the demon king and become a hero," he explained, "He does this by claiming the Holy Sword with the powers of the Flames of Justice and the Ice of Victory." he explained, "It's super corny, but that's the appeal."

"Ooh." Pyrrha nodded, "So how do you play?"

"Well it's an old school RPG, so you walk around the area, an enemy pops up...like this." he explained as the first enemy encounter happened, "Then you just pick from the options here, Talk, Escape, Battle, Magic, Items, and etcetera and etcetera."

"The game looks nothing like what the artwork depicts." Pyrrha pointed out the chibi-like 8-bit game design which did not show the epic gothic Knight drawing on the console.

"Well, this is the original version of it," Jaune admitted, "A lot of games during the 8-bit and 16-bit consoles had great artwork but looked more like this."

"Well limitations of technology aside, it sounds like a fun game." she smiled.

"Yeah I spent hours playing this game before, but I could never make it to the Demon King. I never knew how to beat the Mage boss Aranbura." Jaune explained, "He was this magic user who could use ALL the elements, and healing magic."

"Sounds difficult," Pyrrha noted.

"Like you wouldn't believe," Jaune sighed as he beat more enemies, "Oh. Here's the first boss."

"Boss?" Pyrrha pondered as she looked at a large 8-bit scorpion-like monster on the screen.

"He's the easiest of the bosses in this game. You just need to hit his tail enough times to force his stinger to fall off and impale his head to win," Jaune explained.

"Like...we did with the Deathstalker?" Pyrrha asked, making Jaune blink.

"...Y-Yeah. Like that," Jaune recalled, "And one of the enemies in this game...it was like the Boarbatusk." he looked over at Kuroto, "Uh, sir, by any chance are...are these enemies in Taddle Quest based off Grimm?"

"But of course." Kuroto confirmed, "I asked many talented and veteran hunters, and they gave me tips on how to deal with a multitude of Grimm. I incorporated them as tricks to kill the enemies in the game sooner, so as to plant little seeds of thought into the minds of future Huntsmen and Huntresses." he explained happily, "I want to make games for everyone who lives in peace, but I want to add a little bit of our real world into them, be it their story, their mechanics, all these tiny things most ignore are part of a grander picture in the eyes of the creators and those who enjoy it." he spoke passionately.

"Well, it worked with me," Jaune chuckled sheepishly, 'Hoo boy, I think I'm going to need to save up for a portable copy of Taddle Quest for study.'

"That's incredible dedication, Mr Dan." Pyrrha spoke.

"Just as you kids have given your lives to the pursuit of being Hunters for the sake of humanity, I make games for people. It is what makes me proud, for it is my passion." Kuroto smiled, "I'm sure it seems...not as grand compared to your dreams. But they are my own, and I'm happy with that. Well that and helping create new warriors to help battle the Bugster virus makes me just as proud."

"What?! How did you know it could do that!?" Yang exclaimed as her character was destroyed by Emu's.

"Victory!" Emu cheered as his robot lifted its fist up in victory despite losing its left arm and head unit.

"Oh my god! He beat Yang! HE BEAT YANG! No one but Uncle Qrow can beat Yang!" Ruby cheered.

"Despite losing its head and other arm…" Blake pointed out.

"Aw...Neither of them broke the other robot's leg," Nora pouted.

"But it was an interesting battle," Ren responded, "It was as if it the controls were second nature to Emu."

"This is why Emu was chosen to be Ex-Aid." Kuroto spoke, "Emu has some sort of hand eye coordination and instinct that makes things like video games childs play to him. That and a strong synchronization with the Gashats. The only other person for sure I know with this level of synch was your teacher, Professor Hanaya."

"Wow...What about Kiriya…?" Nora asked.

"...He's...able…" Kuroto muttered sheepishly.

"...Just able?" Pyrrha repeated.

"It's...odd...To be honest, he's not one I would have expected...but sure enough. He was able to do it. As if his sheer will allowed his body to adapt and force the synchronization." Kuroto admitted, "It's why he's so cheeky, I assume. He's able to use the gear and adapt despite not having a natural talent."

"That's...that doesn't sound like science." Blake pointed out.

"Or logic…" Ren added.

"You mean...Kiriya...that Kiriya can transform into a Kamen Rider...through some kind of will power allowing him to synch with his Gashat?" Weiss asked.

"Yes, his numbers didn't seem strong enough at first, but sure enough...he made it work." Kuroto explained.

'Kiriya...is that cool?' Jaune pondered, shocked.

"That's why he becomes a motorcycle?" Yang asked as she hopped out of the control for Gekitotsu Robots.

"Yes. That was an odd...glitch." Kuroto informed, "But it's the only game he synched with, so we decided it'd be best he have a partner. He chose Emu."

"Why…?" Emu complained.

"I find it hard to believe that slacker has any kind of skills really." Weiss pointed out, crossing her arms.

Kiriya whistled a tune as the two guards who carried him off laid on the ground, knocked out with sneaker marks on their faces and black eyes. He walked into a computer lab after he slid a 'borrowed' ID card from the guards. He walked over to a series of Gashats plugged into consoles and glowing. He smirked before he moved onto a sealed cabinet with parts.

"Let's see...blanks...blanks…" he muttered, going down drawers before pulling one out and holding up a white blank Gashat, "Bingo." he smirked, lifting up his sunglasses, "I have some homework to do." he smirked, stealing an unused console device for the Gashat. He then backed up and stole someone's donut that was left on a computer desk.

After a moment, Kiriya came back in and took the entire pink box filled with a baker's dozen donuts before leaving for good. He whistled as he took the stairs down instead of the elevator.

"Yes! Yes, prior to the Faunus Rights Revolution-more popularly known as the Faunus War-humankind was quite, quite adamant about centralizing Faunus population in Menagerie," a figure moving about at speeds that would make them mistake the figure for Ruby using her Semblance spoke incredibly fast in a classroom, a large map on the wall behind them before halting before the board to reveal a slim-looking man with messy green hair with brown eyes that seemed to shift to a sapphire blue color or a brilliant yellow in just the right light with a thermos in hand, the man snapping a ruler in hand onto the map at one location on it before taking a sip from the thermos and was now before the teacher's desk before the map, "Now! While this might feel like ancient history to many of you, it is imperative to remember these are relatively recent events!" he reminded.

Everyone blinked and moved their heads from side to side, either following or trying to follow their teacher. Blake and Pyrrha took notes best they could with the pace of the teacher's lesson. Kiriya pulled his shades down as he pushed his Scroll forward as he turned on the recorder app.

"Why the repercussions of the uprising can still be seen to this day!" he spoke, stopping right in front of a drowsy Jaune, "Mr. Arc, please do try to get better rest." he pulled out a foam shot glass and pour a shot of coffee into before going off to stand before his desk once more, taking a sip from his thermos, "Now! Have any among you been subjugated or discriminated because of your Faunus heritage?"

A few Faunus students slowly raised their hands, Velvet being among those as well. The man frowned a little behind another sip of his thermos at the hands risen and those that weren't yet should've.

"Dreadful, simply dreadful! Remember, students, it is precisely this kind of ignorance that breeds violence!" the teacher noted, "I mean, I mean, I mean just look at what happened to White Fang! Now, which one of you young scholars can tell me what many theorize to be the turning point in the third year of the War?" a hand was raised, "Yes, Ms. Schnee?"

"The Battle at Fort Castle, Professor Oobleck!" Weiss replied.

"I insist you call me 'Doctor Oobleck,' but yes, that is precisely right," Oobleck nodded, "And, who can tell me the advantage the Faunus had over General Lagune's forces?"

While the teacher looked over the students in hopes of someone else eagerly answering his question, he however failed to notice Cardin playing Paper Football. He flicked the paper triangle 'ball' and it flew and dropped down before landing on Jaune's head. The surprise jolting him fully awake and making him drop the foam shot glass of coffee Oobleck had given him.

"Mr. Arc! Finally contributing to class! This is excellent! Excellent! What is the answer?" Oobleck questioned as he zipped over to the blonde.

"Uhhh… The Answer…" Jaune began as he looked around Oobleck and towards his friends, in hopes they were miming him the answer, "The advantage...of the faunus...had over that guy's stuff," he drolled on as he heard Pyrrha cough as she began motioning to her eyes, "Uh...Bi…URK!" A bucket was put in his face before his lunch was relieved.

"It seems Professor Hanaya was correct in providing the teachers in your class schedule with these for a few days, Mr. Arc," Oobleck noted.

"Uwah…." Jaune groaned, shivering.

"Hahaha...He really is Puke boy!" Cardin laughed loudly.

"Sorry...people know…" Ruby apologised from the far side of the class in the back.

'Ruby…' Jaune mentally whined.

"Well, Cardin! Perhaps you would care to share your thoughts on the subject!" Oobleck noted, now behind his desk.

"Well, I know it's a lot easier to train an animal then a soldier," Cardin replied smugly with his legs kicked up on his desk.

Oobleck's expression became one of anger at hearing a student say such a disgusting thing. But he was cut off by someone beating him to the punch...ironically enough.

"You're not the most open minded of people, are you, Cardin?" Pyrrha asked, equally upset yet showing a cold look.

"What? You got a problem?" Cardin asked.

"No, I have the answer! It's night vision. Many Faunus are known to have nearly-perfect sight in the dark," Pyrrha replied as Cardin just growled at her.

"Precisely, Ms. Nikos," Oobleck nodded before seeing Blake raise a hand, "Care to add on to her answer, Ms. Belladona?"

"Yes, doctor," Blake nodded, "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." she gave Cardin the same look Pyrrha had given him just moments before, "Perhaps if he'd paid attention in class, he wouldn't have been remembered as such a failure."

"Grr!" Cardin growled as he stood up.

"Mr. Winchester! Please take your seat," Oobleck snapped.

Jaune wanted to laugh. He really did, yet his stomach's contents chose to come up once more on him before he could even try. There went his breakfast...

"Mr. Winchester, see me after class for additional reading," Oobleck ordered, "Now! Moving on!"

"Ugh...finally class is over…" Jaune whispered as he walked out of class, the blonde about to say something before Cardin pushed him down, "H-hey!"

"Heh heh…" Cardin chuckled as he walked off until a hand was on his shoulder.

"Mr. Winchester, I believe I said you were to see me after class for additional reading," Oobleck informed, earning a scowl from Cardin as he reluctantly followed him back inside.

"...You know, I really will break his legs," Pyrrha said as she helped Jaune up, "Are you feeling okay after that episode in class?"

"Yeah...Yeah, I...I think I'm good for now," Jaune assured, "I just wish the darn sickness would go away already…Ugh. I haven't felt this horrible since I caught a bad on-again/off-again fever when I was fourteen..."

"Toughen up Jauney boy!" Kiriya smirked slapping his shoulder, "You'll never be able to join our little ranks if you can't get over the side effects of the compatibility surgery." he smirked, leaving, "Later Pyrrha."

"Ugh...Kiriya's right. I need to get over this." Jaune groaned, "I never thought I'd say that really."

"I know...why not ask Professor Hanaya for tips?" Pyrrha offered.

"Uh…"

-flashback-

"If you can't control that Gashat...I'll pry it from your hands." Taiga spoke bluntly to Jaune in the doctor's office, "I don't think you have what it takes to take the title of Kamen Rider. So...try and surprise me." he smirked, "And if you can't...do yourself a big favor...Give that Gashat to Hojo...or me. Someone who can make use of it."

-end-

"Yeah... Something tells me he's just gonna tell me to suck it up." Jaune muttered while rubbing his neck at the memory of Taiga's harsh words.

Pyrrha's years of experience with keeping appearances came well in hiding a wince from Jaune belittling himself again, 'Mr. Kuroto said that his ability to use the Gashat was blocked by his confidence issues, but how can I help him get past it? ...Wait, maybe that could work!' she smiled at him, "I have an idea! Come with me!"

"H-Huh?" before Jaune could say anything else, Pyrrha grabbed his wrist and ran off.

Jaune soon found himself blinking as Pyrrha led him up to the roof tops of the dorms or, at least, one of the few roof entrances. Judging by the amount of pipes, and various other ventilation structures jutting out, this small room-sized lot of roof was meant for maintenance of utilities to the upper floors. But to most it was a spectacular view of all of Beacon, and maybe a training spot to others.

As seen from the current view as the sun was beginning to set, slowly turning into night. The sky darkened more and more, as specks of light began illuminating the very image before them. It was like something out of a work of art. One Pyrrha enjoyed while Jaune, in all his confusion, just looked down over the edge at how high up they are.

"Pyrrha, I know I'm going through a hard time right now, but I'm not...THAT depressed." Jaune spoke, looking down.

Pyrrha quickly looked at him then at the edge of the roof as what he was implying caught up to her mind, "!" she blushed a bit, realizing what coming up here might've implied to Jaune, "N-n-no! That's not why I brought you up here!" she explained after calming down a bit, "Jaune, I know you're having a difficult time in class, especially with your recent surgery, and you're not the strongest of fighters. So..." she paused taking a deep breath, "I want to help you." she smiled.

"W-what?" Jaune asked as her words hit him...but not in a way she might had intended. His thoughts began racing, did everyone lack so much faith in his abilities. Was he...that weak?

Pyrrha didn't notice anything wrong as she went on, waving her arms out to the area, "We can train up here after class where no one can bother us!"

"You think I need help?" he asked, scratching his hair.

"N-No that's not what I meant," she corrected, realizing he was misunderstanding.

"But you just said it." he pointed out.

"Jaune, everybody needs a little push from time to time," Pyrrha stated, "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," Jaune sighed as he turned away, "I...I don't belong here."

"?!" Pyrrha's eyes widened, "That's a terrible thing to say! Of course you belong here!"

"No, no I don't!" Jaune snapped, making Pyrrha flinch a bit at the tone while, for just a moment, his eyes flashed a deep royal blue that seemed to glow in the night before he sighed and looked away from her, "...ugh. I...wasn't really accepted into Beacon."

"Wh-what do you mean?" Pyrrha asked, confused now.

"I mean that…" he inhaled deeply, "I never went to combat school. I never passed any sort of tests. I never earned my spot here in Beacon!" he turned to her, his face showing a mixture of emotions, "I lied! I got my hands on some fake transcripts, and I lied…"

"What...but why?" she asked, further confused by what her partner was telling her.

"'Cause this is what I want to be!" Jaune replied, his eyes flashing again, as he turned away from her, "My father...my grandfather...my great grandfather...every single man in my family on my father's side was a warrior! They were all heroes! I wanted to be one, too! To just...To just prove to them that I could be like them! But...but no," he sighed, "I was always seen as just never good enough. Heck, my father took my oldest younger sister of the seven to train over me because he thought I was never good enough."

"...Then let me help you," Pyrrha begged.

"I don't want help! I don't want to be the damsel in distress! I want to be the hero!" Jaune snapped as Pyrrha now saw his eyes change color.

"Jaune, I…" Pyrrha began.

"I'm tired, okay!? I'm tired of being the loveable idiot! Of-of being stuck in trees while his friends fight for their lives! Of getting sick and not being able to get over it to work with a game I grew up on and help with this Bugster disease!" Jaune threw his hands up before sighing, "Don't you get it, Pyrrha?" he asked as Taiga's words and smirk haunted his mind, "If...If I can't do this on my own...then what good am I?" he soon noticed Pyrrha trying to reach out to him, "Don't. Just...just go. Okay?"

"...O...Okay," Pyrrha bowed her head and walked off, "If that's what you think is best…"

After a few seconds after the door closed behind Pyrrha, the words that Jaune spoke...caught up with himself. Guilt began flooding his mind, at how he snapped and took this out on his friend. But sadly...he had even less time to handle those emotions as snide laughter caught his attention.

"Oh, Jaune…" Jaune tensed as he slowly turned around, seeing a certain bully of his climbing up onto the roof.

"C-Cardin!"

"Heh heh...I couldn't help but overhear you two from my dorm room," Cardin stated, making Jaune tensed up further, "So you snuck into Beacon, huh?" he asked in a faux surprised manner, "Got to say Jaune, I never expected you to be such a Rebel." he smirked.

"Please! Cardin! Don't tell anyone about what I said!" Jaune begged, realizing Cardin not only heard his secret...but the secret of the Bugsters and Game Disease.

"Jaune, come on. I'd never rat out a friend like that," Cardin assured with a smirk.

"A...A friend?" Jaune repeated as Cardin walked over.

"Of course! We're friends now, Jauney boy!" Cardin said as he wrapped her arm around him in the form of a headlock, "And as far as I see it, as long as you're there for me when I need you, we'll be friends for a long time. That being said..." he released Jaunes head, "I really don't have the time to do those extra readings Dr. Oobleck gave me today, nor those ten pages Professor Hanaya gave me and my team mates. Think you could take care of those for me, buddy?" he rubbed Jaune's head almost mockingly, "That's what I thought." he walked back to where he had climbed up, "Don't worry, Jaune; your secret's safe with me." he smirked while climbing down.

Kiriya clicked his tongue as he listened into to what happened, as he had been all this time. He hid when Pyrrha left, but he was able to listen in on everything. Kiriya looked through the door at Jaune, who just sat there, staring at the sky.

"Ah...Jaune...you're making this hard for me here…" Kiriya sighed, "Now I need to do extra work just to fix this."

A week had passed since then, and Jaune had been…'helping' Cardin with some 'favors.' Whether it was homework, taking the blame on something he or his teammates did, or planting 'traps' on those he deemed as weak and unimportant. For that week, Jaune had been forced to ignore most everything else, such as friends...studies, and even training with the Gamer Driver for fear of his secrets being spilled if he didn't answer whatever outrageous call Cardin made. However, this was not going unnoticed by his friends who all were beginning to worry.

"How come Jaune gets home so late?" Nora asked as she jumped on her bed.

"He's become rather scarce ever since he began fraternizing with Cardin." Ren spoke as he performed maintenance for his guns.

"That's weird. Doesn't he know we have a field trip tomorrow? We need our rest!" Nora declared, doing a flip in the air before landing on her back.

"I'm sure our leader knows exactly what he's doing," Pyrrha replied, a bitter tone in her voice as she just glared out the window at the night sky.

"Hmm…" Nora thought, "I guess so."

Unaware to the three, Jaune was peeking in on them through the door, giving a depressed sigh at how his team was acting from his absence. But they were not wrong. He was letting them down. But he didn't know...what he could do to change the situation. Managing to close the door quietly and without notice by the others, he stood up and walked off, thinking a walk could help him.

"Hey, Jaune!"

"Gh?!" Jaune tensed as he turned around, seeing Ruby standing there in her PJs.

"Long time no see," Ruby smiled a bit, "Did you lock yourself out again?"

"Oh, uh...Nope!" Jaune held up his Scroll, giving a bit of sheepish forced laugh, "See? Got it!"

"So, where have you been lately?" Ruby asked.

"...I uh…" Jaune began, not sure of what to say...only to give a sigh in response, "I messed up. I did something I shouldn't have and now Cardin's got me on a leash, Pyrrha won't even talk to me, and Emu...trust me. You don't want to..."

"Hi guys."

"Gah!" Jaune freaked as he held his arms up in defense, "H-hey, Emu, buddy. What brings you here…?"

"Uh...my room is right there." he pointed to his room.

"Where are you getting back from?" Ruby noticed he was still in his regular clothes.

"I got back from a little...trip with Kiriya. A Bugster escaped from a student and we've been chasing it around the woods all day." he explained, "I wasn't able to see what character he was."

"A Bugster?" Jaune repeated.

"Yeah. There's a chance he might attack during the field trip tomorrow, so be ready," Emu advised as he walked off...only to stop for a second, "Oh, and one more thing. Jaune?"

"Y-yeah, buddy?"

"If you ever find the guy who carelessly erased half my game data…" Emu began as he turned around, a dark look in his eyes as they flashed pink, "You tell me."

"...Crystal," Jaune meeped.

"Thanks, buddy," Emu smiled as he walked back to his room.

"...I'm starting to think coming to this school was a bad idea…" Jaune sighed, pressing his back against the door as he slid down it, "I'm a failure…"

"Nope!"

"?" Jaune looked up at a grinning Ruby, "'Nope?'"

"Nope! You're a leader now, Jaune. You're not allowed to be a failure," Ruby replied.

"But, what if I'm a failure at being a leader?" Jaune asked.

"Mmm….nope!" Ruby answered, earning a small chuckle from Jaune.

"You know, you're not the easiest person to talk to about this kind of stuff," Jaune said as Ruby sat down next to him.

"Nope." she answered again, earning a sigh from him, "Jaune, maybe you were a failure when you were a kid," Jaune sighed as he slumped further against the door, "and you might've been a failure the first day we met," Jaune sighed once more as he slid further against the door again, "But you can't be one now. You know why?"

"Uhh….because…" Jaune began.

"Because it's not just about you now." Ruby explained, "You've got a team now, Jaune. We both do." she explained as he put her hands on her hips, "And if we fail, then we'll just be bringing them down with us. We have to put our teammates first…" she paused as she stood up, "And ourselves second. Your team deserves a great leader, jaune. And I think that can be you." she smiled as she made her way back to her room, "Have a good night, Jaune."

Jaune stood up as he let the thoughts sink into his mind. He was about to walk off before his scroll went off, prompting him to open it up and check his messages.

=Hey! It's your buddy, Cardin= Cardin's voice spoke up =I know you're probably busy with that Dust project I gave you, buuuut I'm gonna need you to go out and get me a bag of Rapier Wasps=

"Gh?!" Jaune tensed at that.

=And make sure they've got some reaaaally big stingers. It's important, so don't screw this up!=

"Having troubles?" Kiriya's voice spoke, making Jaune jump in surprise, "That doesn't sound very safe, now does it? Rapier Wasps have some of the most dangerous stingers in the world."

"...How...much of that did you hear?" Jaune slowly and cautiously asked.

"Enough to know you're being blackmailed by Captain Bully McMeathead," Kiriya stated bluntly as he pushed his sunglasses up.

"Why are you wearing shades at night?" Jaune asked, trying to change the subject.

"These things have Thermal and X-Ray mode." he smirked with a whistle, making Jaune yelp and jump back into the wall, "Wow...you really are jumpy. And here I thought you'd be fun to mess with...looks like I was wrong about you."

"...Please don't tell anyone," Jaune begged, "If anyone found out, Cardin will know and I can say goodbye to Beacon."

"Eh...Is that all you care about?" Kiriya asked his face serious.

"What do you mean?"

"You have been picked to use…" he pushed Jaune to the wall before he yanked his Taddle Quest Gashat from Jaune's pocket, "This…" he noted, tapping his forehead with it, "You...get to use this for what...for what? To make yourself a hero? To get respect? No. This? ...This is Responsibility." he said with a frown, "Did you forget this is to save people from a virus that will kill them? Or did the words 'Hero' ring in your head so loud you forgot everything else?"

"Don't you think I know that?!" Jaune hissed to him, "I want to do something, but I am literally on Cardin's leash! If I don't do what he says, I'll get myself in trouble, and the entire school will know about the Bugsters!"

"Then maybe you don't deserve this." Kiriya spoke, "I chose to work with Emu because I know he can do what needs to be done. He can help me avenge the people who have already died to this virus." he spoke, making Jaune freeze, "Let me tell you something, Jaune. You know why I'm doing this?" he asked, getting a head shake, "I already know what this virus does to people. My friend...he's one of the many victims." he explained with a frown, "So...if it means avenging him...I'll give up everything."

"Everything?" Jaune repeated.

"Every single thing," Kiriya replied, his eyes narrowing in confirmation, "You are able to do this...so tell me...what are you ready to give up? To save lives like a hero?" Kiriya asked as he held his Gashat up, "Maybe I should hold onto this...Don't want Cardin taking it." he added as he walked off, "I'll return it when you man up."

"..." Jaune gave a depressed sigh at that before a beep went off from his scroll again, earning a groan from him as he answered it.

=Hey, me again. Where are those Rapier Wasps I asked for?= Cardin's voice asked =If I don't get them within the next hour, then I might have to have a small chat with the headmaster=

"...Ugh…" Jaune sighed as he closed his scroll.

-linebreak.

The Forest of Forever Fall...a truly beautiful place. With it leaves of pure red, there was little wonder as to why it was known as a forest where Fall never ends. In a decently-sized clearing of the forest, Glynda Goodwitch looked at the group of students before her with a stern expression as they looked around with different emotions on their faces, many of them being in awe.

"Yes, students, the forest of Forever Fall is indeed beautiful. But we are not here to sight-see. Professor Peach has asked all of you to collect samples from the trees deep inside this forest, and I'm here to make sure none of you die while doing so," Glynda informed.

"Wait, if Professor Peach asked us to do this, why isn't Professor Peach here instead of you, Professor Goodwitch?" a student asked.

"Professor Peach is currently at the nurse's office due to an incident in the second year class. Apparently, a student tried to make a recipe both sweet, sour, spicy, bitter, and tasteful but it resulted in...well…"

"Ah! It's got me! It's got me!" Port yelped as a tentacle grabbed his legs and started dragging it off into a classroom, his clothes stained red and blue from a surprise attack by whatever it was.

"Remarkable, it appears to have developed sentience," Oobleck noted, his own clothing stained green and blue, before smacking a tentacle with his thermos before a scream was heard in the room, "Hang on, Peach! We're coming to save you!"

"I should be doing something more important!" Kamen Rider Snipe shouted, shooting a tentacle while the top of a roasted oversized mushroom was on his head.

"Mama mia!" Port screamed as two more tentacles made from chunks of ham and bacon and bits of vegetables grabbed him until Oobleck jumped on the tentacles and broke them apart.

"Oh good heavens...this mess is getting out of control," Oobleck groaned.

"So while it is being handled, I am tasked with watching all of you for this assignment," Goodwitch informed, "Each of you is to gather one jar's worth of red sap. However, this forest is full of the creatures of Grimm, so be sure to stay by your teammates. We will rendezvous back here by 4 o'clock. Are there any questions?"

"When you say full...does it have to be full full…'cause...we have Nora," Kiriya pointed to the excited girl.

"There is a mark on each jar that you need to fill them up to," Glynda informed.

"Nora...skim the tops," Kiriya gave her a thumbs up.

"But a jar filled to the very top is worth extra credit," Glynda continued.

'Okay, I am keeping my jar as far away from Nora as possible,' Weiss thought.

"Extra credit is for nerds!" Kiriya cheered.

"Yeah!" Ruby and Yang agreed, high-fiving him.

"C'mon, buddy! Let's go," Cardin ordered as he dragged Jaune off, who had his arms full of glass jars and a large box.

Jaune miserably looked over at where his team was. Ren and Nora were already heading off into the forest's depths while Pyrrha was staring sadly at the scene. Jaune dropped his gaze as he was dragged off by Cardin, sighing sadly as a disappointed Pyrrha looked on before following Ren and Nora.

"Ugh…" Jaune groaned as he walked into a small area Cardin and his team were resting in, the blonde carrying some jars full of a red sap before dropping them on the ground and followed suit.

"Hey. Great work, Jauney boy," Cardin smirked, "Now that wasn't too hard, was it?"

"I think I'm allergic to this stuff…" Jaune groaned, his eyes a bit unfocused as his voice came out a bit slurred.

"Greeeeat, great, great. So, Jaune, I bet you're asking yourself, 'Why did my buddy Cardin ask me to collect six jars of tree sap when there's only five of us?'"

"That is one of the many questions that I have asked myself today," Jaune admitted.

"Well...come with me and you'll find out," Cardin grinned, earning a gulp and moan of worry from Jaune.

"That's my jar done," Kiriya grinned as he sealed a jar of sap up.

"Mine, too," Emu smirked, holding his up.

"And no sign of Nora anywhere," Kiriya nodded before his and Emu's Scrolls went off, "...That better not be Ren calling us that Nora's vanished on him."

Emu pulled his Scroll out and opened it, "?!" he looked at Kiriya, "It's here."

"Welp...time for work." Kiriya said, pulling out his Gamer Driver, "How far?"

"It's closing in," Emu explained doing the same and pulling out his Gashat.

=MIGHTY ACTION X!=

=BAKUSOU BIKE!=

"Shock!" a voice roared as thunder rained on them both.

"Henshin!"

=I'M A KAMEN RIDER!=

Level 1 Ex-Aid and Lazer jumped back as the smoke clear as out walked a figure. His body was all white and red and resembled armored robes; his face was a monstrous mask of red and white, shaped like a dragon with a third white eye on the center of the forehead. A hood folded down around his neck like a collar while his red clawed arms held a crimson scepter with a large red diamond at the end.

"Aranbura!" Ex-Aid shouted, "The Wizard boss who defends the Demon King!"

"Taddle Quest, right?" Lazer noted, "Ugh...and just our luck that the guy with that Gashat's a no-show. Mostly likely due to his leash being pulled."

"Wait. What's that mean?" Ex-Aid asked in confusion.

"Eh? You didn't notice that Cardin's been dragging him around like a beat dog all week? He has a lot of secrets over his head." Lazer explained.

"Nani?" Ex-Aid tilted his head before yelping as he jumped out of the way of a few fireballs.

"Glacier...Drop!" Aanbura said as a magic circle formed above them before spikes of ice formed from it and then fell down. The two jumped away as it hit the ground, causing a loud shake felt across the forest.

Ren stabbed one of his guns into the tree he was on, managing to keep himself from falling out of the tree as he finished filling his jar, "What was that just now?"

"Sounded like someone dropped a giant chunk of glass." Nora spoke, flipping upside down from the branch above Ren.

"Do you think one of the other teams ran into a Grimm?" Pyrrha asked, looking up at them from where she was filling her jar with sap.

"It sounds loud...lots of explosions. So I'm sure whoever is fighting must have the advantage." Ruby spoke.

"Ruby, stop eating the sap!" Weiss snapped.

"We do not have the advantage!" Lazer Level 1 shouted as Ex-Aid Level 2 swung his sword, cutting down fireballs.

"In this moment...Aranbura sticks to fireballs, lightning bolts and sometimes icicles." Ex-Aid spoke, "But when we drop him to half health, he switches to stronger spells."

Lazer fired a few shots at Aranbura, only for a barrage of fireballs blocking them from hitting, "Gah! And us without being able to get a hit on him!"

"In this situation, we have but one plan," Ex-Aid spoke before he turned around and began power jogging, "Run!"

"Seriously?!" Lazer barked before a bolt of lightning broke the tree beside him and ignited, "On second thought...Gear 2!"

"Oh? Running away?" Aranbura chuckled before firing more lightning, icicles, and fireballs at them.

"Meijin, what's the plan!?" Lazer asked.

"The trick to beating Aranbura is that he has a lot of power...but a normal amount of mana, so he wastes it soon! So when fighting him, you need to be on the defense 'till he runs low," Ex-Aid explained as they swerved around trees.

"So we cut loose by tiring him out then ride right over him," Lazer noted.

"It's either that or having the shield you start with in Taddle Quest equipped and charging through the attacks with it active," Ex-Aid replied, "...We need Jaune for that, though."

"Weeeeell…" Lazer drawled out.

"What did you do?"

"I confiscated his Gashat so he wouldn't be further blackmailed or screw things up."

"KIRIYA!"

"I'm sorry!"

"DIE, KAMEN RIDER AND KAMEN RIDE!"

"Ugh...okay. What is it y-" Jaune began as he joined Cardin and his team on the edge of a cliff, looking down below to see his teammates and Team RWBY, "...Cardin, what's going on?"

"Payback," Cardin replied as he looked down at Pyrrha and Blake, "There's those girls. Think they're so smart." he scowled for a moment before grinning as he pulled out a cardboard box with a 'W' on it, "Lucky for us, boys, I've got this. Last night, old Jaune here managed to round up an entire box of Rapier Wasps, and now, we're gonna put him to work."

"?!" Jaune's eyes widened at that.

"Now, according to one of the essays he wrote for me last week, these nasty things looove sweets," Cardin explained, "I'm thinking it's time we teach them and their friends a lesson...and to know their place." He then stood up, dragging Jaune along with him before giving him a jar of sap, "And you're gonna do it...and start with the red head."

"Wh-What?"

"Hit her with the sap, or else I'll have a chat with Goodwitch, and you'll be on the first airship out of Beacon, and I'll reveal you and your nerd friends' little secret," Cardin threatened.

Jaune looked down at the jar of sap and then at the four grinning members of Team CRDL waiting to see what he would do. Jaune turned towards where the two teams were and aimed his throw at Pyrrha, who was unaware of what was about to happening and smiling as she tried to hold a conversation with Blake. Jaune closed his eyes for a moment before his talk with Ruby and Kiriya the other night came back to his head.

'If it means avenging my friend, I'll give up everything. Every single thing.' Kiriya's voice rang in the back of his mind.

'We have to put our teammates first, and ourselves second. Your team deserves a great leader, Jaune. And I think that can be you,' Ruby's voice soon followed as his hand holding the jar began to shake.

"No…" Jaune sighed, lowering his arm.

"What did you just say?" Cardin narrowed his eyes.

"I said…" Jaune spun around, his eyes flashing once more, and threw the jar right at Cardin, shattering the glass and splattering the bigger teen's breastplate with the sap, "NO!"

"Oh-ho-ho," Cardin laughed, not angered...but more amused, "You've done it now." he smiled as his team walked around him and grabbed Jaune's shoulders.

"Haha!" Ex-Aid laughed, U-turning around a tree as he came back and slashed Aranbura across the chest with his sword mode Gashacon Breaker, taking him by surprise.

"Got you now, magic boy!" Lazer cheered as they swerved to a stop as the Magic using bugster groaned.

"I am a wizard!" Aranbura shook his staff at them.

"Wizard, Witch...what's the difference?" Lazer taunted as they drove around him before attacking him from behind, "Well one thing's for sure...maybe you shouldn't have wasted all your big spells...and made more flat ground for us to drive on." he taunted, noting the ground had turned into a larger clearing thanks to the number of destructive spell that hit the area.

"Gh…" Aranbura growled as he raised his scepter, "Obey my orders, Creatures of Grimm!" he ordered as the diamond began glowing.

The Riders pulled to a stop before Ex-Aid swung his sword and knocked away a Boarbatusk while more charged into the clearing. Lazer then fired lasers from the exhaust pipe that took down another of the boar themed monsters. Ex-Aid swapped his weapon back to Hammer mode as he smacked away yet another Boarbatusk that tried to crash into him.

"He controls Grimm now?!"

"Aranbura would show up and summon the bosses of the game when it was time for the boss battles before escaping until it was time to fight him," Ex-Aid informed.

"Oh, great. So he's a boss rush guy."

"Yeah...he's that kind." Ex-Aid said while smashing a Boarbatusk, "He'd summon them...to give him time to restore mana. This is what made his battle hard, since you'd need to waste your own to wipe out the bosses. It's a battle of time and patience!" he said as he smacked a Boarbatusk mid-roll and, like a baseball, sent it flying and smacking Aranbura in the rear as he tried to escape.

"Ah, my back!"

"Aranbura is an old fart of a magic user!" Ex-Aid explained, smacking another Boarbatusk.

"Hey! I am not old!"

"Your character bio says you're 300 years old!" Ex-Aid pointed.

"Daaaang...you ancient." Lazer added.

"Gh! Why you little…" Aranbura growled before his diamond glowed again, "More creatures of Grimm! Bigger and nastier!"

"I don't think that's good." Lazer spoke as the bushes and trees behind Aranbura shook.

"I'll handle the Grimm here." Ex-Aid said, "You go and warn the others and give Jaune back his Gashat. If he can't transform now, then when will he get a better chance?"

"I'm not sure now is the time to put the guy to a test!" Lazer complained, rising up and using his front tire to smack a Boarbatusk in the face knocking it away.

"Well no time like the present!"

"Okay, okay! I'm going! Lazer shouted as he drove off, running through a few Grimm in the process, "Just hope Jaune didn't do anything stupid."

"Oof!" Jaune grunted as he was thrown onto the ground, only to be picked up by his neck by Cardin before he was slugged in the face, "Gah!"

"You know that wasn't very smart, Jauney boy," Cardin frowned as he picked Jaune up against, "I'm going to make sure they send you back to mommy in teeny, tiny pieces."

"I don't care...what you do to me…" Jaune grunted out, a bruise underneath one of his eyes as he glared at Cardin, "But you are not messing with my team...with my friends."

"What? You think talk like that will make you tough? You think you're a big strong man now?" Cardin frowned as he grabbed Jaune with both hands and lifted him up, "Well you're wrong, because guess what? No matter what you say, you'll always be a loser, who-much like your friends will soon-should know your place in the world."

Jaune just gave him a smile in small act alone seemed to strike a chord of anger with Cardin. The mere thought that in spite of the difference in their skill and power...he just smiled at him. Cardin growled in anger as he raised his fist and punched at his face, intent on knocking the smile off his face.

However...the moment Cardin's fist connected with Jaune's skin...something...happened. A bright flash of light and loud ring went out that knocked the two away from one another. Cardin grunted holding his wrist, his fingers twitching in pain from the result of his own strength being reversed and sent coursing through his own arm. Jaune blinked confused as he was glowing white, all the bruises on his face healed as he looked at his body then down at his hands.

However, Jaune couldn't ponder this much as one of Cardin's team members kicked him from behind, sending him falling forward.

"Alright then, let's see how much of a man you really are…" Cardin stated as he walked forward, "You guys, start throwing those jars. I'll deal w-"

A loud noise soon caught their attention, causing them to turn and look out into the woods. Cardin turned around, only for a bike to come in and slam its front wheel into his face, sending him skidding away. Lazer stopped before his eyes turned to Jaune.

"So...you learned to man up, huh?" Lazer asked with a chuckle, "Alright... That's what we wanted to see from you, Jaune."

"Dude, is that bike talking?"

"Holy cow, it's a talking bike."

"Why is there a talking bike?!"

"Kiriya?!" Jaune shouted at seeing Lazer.

"No time to explain the situation. We have a real problem," Lazer spoke, "Emu is facing the Bugster Aranbura. We need you to make the Gashat work." he motioned to Taddle Quest in his Gashat holder clip on his Gamer Driver.

"Aranbura?!" Jaune repeated in shock.

"Emu claims he's a hard boss...Let me guess, you never beat him?" Lazer sighed, his eyes becoming an 'annoyed' emote.

"Well...y-yeah," Jaune replied, "I can easily count the number of times I lost when he was nearly defeated because I ended up wasting my mana potions on his hoard battles and I would need a healing spell to survive his next attack." he walked up to Lazer, "But…"

"Hey...Didn't you know your shield can deflect his attacks?" Lazer asked.

"Not really, no. I never bothered to get a guide for the game since I wanted to beat it without help," Jaune replied as he stood up and walked over to Lazer whose eye looked up at him given their differences in position.

"Without help, huh? Then why would you join a team then?" Lazer asked in a calm, almost happy, voice, "Isn't the point of a team that they give you their power...adding to your own?"

"Yeah...I know that now," Jaune nodded as he grabbed Taddle Quest, "I've got a lot to apologize for with Pyrrha, Ren, and Nora."

"Don't forget Emu." Lazer added, "You're his partner now, too. You're both Kamen Riders ain't ya?" he teased.

"...Yeah," Jaune nodded before they heard an explosion from where Lazer had come from, "!"

"Better get a move on!" Lazer called.

"Will we get there in time?"

"Uh...hello...Bike man." Lazer reminded.

"Oh. Right," Jaune nodded as he got on, "Any chance for a helmet?"

"Sorry. Bakusou Bike doesn't do helmets," Lazer revved his engine, "Now hold on!"

Lazer spun around and gunned his engine. For a few moments, he just kicked up dirt and bits of the broken jar and bits of sap at the last three members of CRDL, knocking them over into the other jars with the skinniest landing right on the box and busting it open. Lazer laughed as he drove off, leaving the four behind covered in dirt, broken glass, and sap.

"What just happened?" one of them asked before they all heard a buzzing noise, making them turn to a cloud of angry wasps with their stingers resembling rapiers.

"The box got...opened…" one of them gulped.

"RUN!" the three left Cardin, who was still dazed and with a large tire mark on his face.

"And that's the last jar," Ruby smiled before turning to Weiss, pulling out a pink jar with a chibi Beowulf on it out of her clothes, "So...Can I get some for our room now?"

Weiss opened her mouth when the bushes nearby rattled and shook. The seven teens whipped out their weapons and aimed their ammunition at them before the three mooks of Team CRDL ran out, screaming while covered in a mixture of dirt, sap, and broken glass.

"Rapier Wasps! Rapier Wasps!"

"I don't want to be stung! I don't want to be stung!"

"What did we do to make the talking bike sick them on us?! What did we do?!"

"Talking bike?" Yang asked, grabbing one of the three and lifting him up like a rag doll.

"Y-Yeah! It just came outta nowhere, threw the sap we were gonna throw at you guys, and let out the Rapier Wasps we had Jaune collect to throw with the s..." he spoke fast before covering his mouth.

"Explain. Now. Before you end up lacking a spleen," Yang ordered as Ren and Pyrrha joined in her glaring.

"Can I break their legs?" Nora asked innocently...while her hammer was out and being held tight by her.

"Not yet." Ren said, "So...answers, please. Nora can be very impatient." he added as, as if understanding, Nora smashed a boulder the size of a car with a single swing.

"Cardin was blackmailing Jaune with something! We have no clue what it is, but it got him so spooked that Jaune's been doing everything we want," the one held by Yang spilled the beans, "We've even been making him do all our assignments and the papers Professor Hanaya wanted us to do!"

"Yeah! He heard Jaune and Pyrrha talking on the roof!" another shouted.

"Oh no…" Pyrrha gasped as she realized what they knew.

"A-And Cardin was going to have him throw jars of sap at you and her before setting Rapier Wasps on you," the third added, shaking in his spot while motioning to Blake, "Because you two one-upped him in Doctor Oobleck's class!"

"Really?" Blake deadpanned.

"So...what else?" Ren asked, guessing they left a part out.

"Jaune threw the first jar at Cardin and then this talking bike came out of nowhere and knocked Cardin silly before taking off with Jaune to an explosion!"

"Yellow, with pink spike mohawk and blue eyes instead of headlights?" Yang asked, earning rapid nods from all three, "Okay. Yeah. Kiriya and Emu are dealing with another monster." she said, dropping him.

"Anything else any of you want to add?" Ren asked.

"...I stole twenty Lien from Locker 236!" the one Yang had been holding cried.

"Hey!" Ruby fumed as that was her locker, "I was gonna buy cookies with that!"

"Ruby, focus!" Weiss hissed, reminding her of the rest of the info they got from the three.

"Oh right! Yang! You and Blake go get Professor Goodwitch," Ruby ordered as they nodded.

"You two go with them," Pyrrha ordered to Ren and Nora, "Who knows what could happen in this situation, and these three frankly need all the protection they can get."

"And burn," Yang giggled.

"Aw…" Nora pouted, realizing she wouldn't get to break their legs.

"We'll go…" Ruby paused, "Help Cardin." she said carefully as Weiss and Pyrrha got what she really meant.

"Sounds fine to me," Weiss agreed.

"Let's go," Pyrrha nodded as they left.

Ex-Aid panted as the last of the Ursa and Beowulfs summoned by the Bugster dissipated into ashes, "That's...the last of them…"

"You've done well, Ex-Aid, but your health bar has already dropped by half!" Aranbura noted as Ex-Aid's Rider gauge was on 55%.

"It's more than enough," Ex-Aid argued, swinging his hammer down.

"True...But I've fully recovered!" Aranbura laughed before he yelped as a wheel bounced off his head before Lazer landed by Ex-Aid, spinning around to face Aranbura, "Gah!"

"Oh…" Jaune groaned, "Well...at least I didn't eat anything...otherwise...It'd be all over the forest floor."

"If you had, I would've thrown you off and had you run all the way here," Lazer stated as Jaune got off him.

"Jaune!" Ex-Aid called out upon seeing him, "You okay?"

"Yeah...Never better," Jaune replied before looking over at Aranbura, "Wow. He looks exactly like the guy...even down to the fox head."

"DRAGON! IT'S A DRAGON HEAD! WHY DOES EVERYONE SAY IT'S A FOX HEAD?!" Aranbura snapped, stomping the ground childishly.

"He even overreacts when you call his head a fox head, too," Jaune chuckled.

"Jaune?" Ex-Aid spoke, turning to him, "It's now or never."

"Yeah," Jaune nodded as he pulled out his Gamer Driver and put it on, "...Hey, Emu?"

"Hm?"

"You want to do a co-op on Taddle Quest after this?" Jaune asked as he pulled out his Gashat.

"Heh…" Ex-Aid chuckled, scratching where his nose would be, "You don't even need to ask, buddy. I'm always game to play with my friends!"

Jaune nodded before holding up the Gashat, "Here goes…" he pushed down on the black piece on his Gashat.

=TADDLE QUEST!=

An epic melody came out of the Gashat as a screen appeared behind Jaune. Blue waves of pixels spread out around Jaune as a multitude of treasure chests came out of the screen and around the area. In the center of the clearing, a sword embedded into a stone appeared.

"It worked...It worked!" Jaune cheered.

"Say it, Jaune!" Ex-Aid ordered, "Say the phrase and then insert the Gashat!" he went on like an instructor.

"Right!" Jaune spun the Gashat around before it was facing down in his hand, "Henshin!" he called before inserting it into the first slot of the Gamer Driver.

=GASHAT! LET'S GAME! METCHA GAME! MUTCHA GAME! WHAT'S YOUR NAME!?=

The character select screen formed around Jaune before it stopped on a character with a Knight-themed helmet with bright yellow eyes. He reached out and touched the screen before it spun around and collided with him.

=I'M A KAMEN RIDER!=

Jaune opened his eyes as he was greeted by a Heads up display. He was now clad in the white Level 1 armor. He held a small blue hexagonal shield in his left arm, his chest display was a vibrant yellow with the symbols of a Snowflake and Fire instead of weapons. His head was covered by a large blue helmet with blue hair seemingly slicked back to resemble the top of a helmet with it tied upwards like a ponytail which resembled the plumage of a Knight's helmet. A silver knight-like visor acted as the majority of his mask, only instead of multiple thin lines forming a grilled visor, two goggle like pieces revealed his animated yellow eyes, as a white chin strap of armor acted as a mouthpiece.

"Here he is!" Lazer shouted happily, "Kamen Rider...Brave!"

"Brave?" Jaune repeated as he looked at his hands and shield.

"The heroic knight who rises up past his own doubts to become a hero. Bravery is what that's called! So Kamen Rider Brave," Lazer explained, "Also, that is already the designated name for the armor anyway."

"Oh. Right," Brave nodded before yelping while jumping back from a fireball, "Whoa!"

"So now you have the foolish knight?" the Bugster growled, "Fine! Thunder!"

"Jaune, your shield!" Ex-Aid ordered.

"Huh...oh right!" he said as he stepped forward and raised his shield as the thunder struck it...only for the magic attack to bounce off and back at Aranbura.

"Now summon your weapon!" Ex-Aid added.

"How do I...?" he began before the ring formed and an App formed into a basic broadsword he grabbed, "Oh...okay...why not?" he muttered, annoyed it was just that...a sword.

"That!" Ex-Aid pointed at the sword in the center, "That's the legendary Holy Blade in the game! If you get that, you'll have an advantage over Aranbura."

"Now that's what I'm talking about!" Brave grinned.

"I'll run interference! You go for the sword," Ex-Aid spoke as he twirled his hammer around.

"Got it!" Brave nodded.

"Gah! I won't let you!" Aranbura screamed, preparing to fire a fireball at Brave only to move back from Ex-Aid's swing of his hammer.

"Go get it, Jauney-boy!" Lazer cheered as he rammed into Aranbura pushing him away.

Brave ran straight for the sword in the stone, making a long jump at the end to grab it by the handle. He grunted as he began pulling at it, making it slowly inch out. He then yelped as a Bugster grunt dressed as a monk/towns person jabbed at him with a pitchfork.

"What the heck?!" Brave exclaimed before turning to see more of them appearing, "Aw come on...Shouldn't he have been done with the Boss Rush by now?"

"Those are the normal grunts summoned by them!" Lazer said as he spun on his front tire and slammed his rear tire into Aranbura's face before making it peel out, sending the monster stumbling back and into Ex-Aid, who used his hammer like a golf club and smacked the Bugster's rear, sending him flying into a bush of poison oak.

"GYAH! ITCHY~~~~! WHY AM I SO ITCHY?!" Aranbura screamed as he jumped out, scratching himself madly.

"Jaune, you'll have to deal with them first before the sword!" Ex-Aid said as he super jumped before he slammed his hammer down, sending a shockwave that caused the ground under Aranbura to explode.

"Well...guess I should consider this a sidequest then," Brave sighed as his HUD let out a jingle and showed a screen, "...Did it just set up a sidequest?"

"Oh yeah. Our HUD's run off our games' individual mechanics." Lazer explained.

"...And this got sweeter," Brave chuckled before yelping as he jumped back from an attempted jab by pitchfork before skidding to a halt by a treasure chest, "Huh...So if these came from Taddle Quest…" he looked at it before sighing in relief, "Phew. Not a Mimic." he opened it and a large coin-like object came out, displaying the shadowed out image of a rider with blur lines trailing behind him, "Oh! Nice! A power up!"

"Nice idea!" Ex-Aid cheered as he jumped and crushed a block as a tan medal depicting a Rider 'falling' came out, "Item Get!" he cheered as it flew into his chest. He then began shrinking to the size of an action figure.

"Ahahahaha!" Aranbura laughed before Mini-Ex-Aid jumped on his shoulder...and punched him sending him skidding into a tree, "WHY?!"

"Shrink doesn't alter a Rider's power!" Ex-Aid's high pitched voice spoke as he jumped and grabbed Aranbura's robes before tossing him around like a rag doll, "But on Bugsters, it does affect power like this!" he said tossing Aranbura into a chest as it opened and a purple medal with a confused dizzy rider came out and into him.

=Konran(confusion)!=

"Where...I...ugh…" Aranbura slurred stumbling around in a dizzy manner, "Stop spinning world!"

"My turn!" Brave said as the medal went into his armor.

=KOSOKU-KA!=

"What's this one do...AH!?" he shouted, running around as a blur before he tackled into several of the grunts, "Super speed...got it…" he grunted, "How does Ruby control that?" he groaned before grabbing his regular looking sword as he cut down a grunt, making it fade into ash, before he swung and cut the pitchfork of another before he took its head off, "Not bad, classic." he chuckled as he snapped his fingers and pointed his his basic sword before an axe-wielding Bugster grunt chopped it in two, "..." he kicked a treasure chest beside him at the grunt before the chest opened to reveal a demonic mouth within that started mauling the grunt, "...Found a Mimic."

"Those things are here, too!?" Lazer asked as he spun around on his front wheel and rear-wheel slapped multiple grunts.

Brave bashed one more grunt with his shield before making it back to the sword in the sword, "Okay, let's try this again…" he grabbed the handle of his Gamer Driver, "But maybe doing this first would be better." he let out a thinking grunt for a moment before shrugging, "Can't think of anything for the call, so I guess it's 'Level Up' for now?"

"Ugh...I can see...I won't let you take that blade!" Aranbura shouted, forming a giant magic circle, "My ultimate spell! Fracture!" he shouted before jabbing his scepter into it.

"Brave!" Ex-aid shouted as he grabbed a silver medal.

=KOTETSUKA!=

His body turned into metal as he spread his arms out and let the blast of magic hit him. "Gh…" he grunted, holding the orb of orange energy.

"E-I mean, Ex-Aid!" Brave called.

"Emu!" Lazer shouted.

"What are you doing, fool? You're so weak already! This spell takes half your life bar away!"

"Gh…" Ex-Aid grunted as the orb exploded, leaving him in his regular appearance as his Rider Gauge dropped down to 5 percent, "My friend...is busy doing his mission…" he grunted while standing up as smoke came off his armor, "I won't let you get in his way."

"Emu…" Brave whispered before grabbing the handle tighter and swung it open, "Level Up!"

=Gacchan! Level UP!= Brave floated up as doors spun around him; one stopped right in front of him as his level one armor broke off while the door opened = Taddle Meguru! Taddle Meguru! Taddle Quest~!=

Out of the door walked the Level 2 form of Brave. He was clad in a black suit with blue lines and patterns forming an armor pattern of waist armor in the shape of an arrow going down his abdomen, blue patterns on his thighs forming the pattern of armor as well, white rings began the black legging with armor plating around his legs ending in white sneaker like shoes with blue stripes across them. Large rounded pieces of armor covered each shoulder with blades extending from each of them, green rings formed around his upper arms before white sleeves covered his entire forearms, his left arm had his shield grafted on as a gauntlet. Blue glove covered hands closed as his new sleeker helmet tilted up.

"Whoa!" Brave shouted, looking over his armor, "Oh...ah...this is so cool!"

"Way to break the tension…" Lazer noted.

"Even I have to admit that…"

"Jaune, the sword!" Ex-Aid shouted.

"Oh! Right!" Brave snapped out of it.

Turning around, he grabbed the handle of the sword in the stone. With a grunt, Brave pulled the blade out. Cracks formed along the blade before shattering, exposing a new one beneath. The new sword was a shiny combination of blue and silver. It had a hexagonal crossguard with an orange A and Blue B button and a Gashat slot in behind it. The silver blade was then ignited with fire and cold icy wind. The flames turned into a solid shape on one side and the icy wind on the other.

=GASHACON SWORD~!=

"Oh, that's so cool." Brave awed while flipping it around to see both sides.

"The Legendary sword…" Aranbura spoke, raising his scepter with intent on blasting Brave now, but before he could, a rifle round hit him in the head, knocking him over, "My giant red head!" he cried in pain.

"Did he finally show up?" Lazer pondered, turning around and expecting to see Snipe...only for Ruby to wave towards them, "Nope."

"Ruby?" Ex-Aid called out as Brave landed next to him.

"You know...I wondered how long till they found us." Brave admitted.

"They?" Lazer repeated.

"Fire…" Aranbura began before another rifle shot him him in the face, "Gah! Right in the third eye!" following that was a glyph appearing beneath him before it pulsed, sending him into the air where more shots hit him, "Whoa! Gah! Gee!"

"Oh...them…" Lazer noted as Pyrrha and Weiss joined Ruby.

"Oh my gosh!" Ruby exclaimed before, in a scattering of rose petals, she was before Brave, looking over him and his sword, "You look so cool! You look like a knight of the future!" she gasped, "That sword is so beautiful! What does it do? Is is fueled by Fire Dust and Ice Dust? How much can it cut before it starts to dull?!"

"Uh, guys? Help!" Brave was being...not so brave...as he tried to back away from the excited little teen.

"Ruby...Ruby...Ruby…" Ex-Aid said before he picked her up and put her down away from Brave, "Stay."

"Thanks," Brave sighed in relief before turning to the dropped Aranbura, "Okay...This time, you're going down, you stupid fox."

"DRAGON!" Aranbura snapped before Brave charged at him, "Fireball!"

Brave held up his shield arm, blocking the spell once more. Grabbing his new weapon in both hands, Brave swung it at Aranbura. Brave's sword connected with the Bugster's shoulder, making him stumble back, before Brave took another swing of his blade. Aranbura blocked with his scepter only for the clash to push the spell user away.

"Tap the B button!" Ex-Aid shouted.

"B Button?" Brave blinked, doing so as a guitar riff came from the sword as the flames sparked brighter.

"You brat! Die!" Aranbura roared as he attempted to attack Brave from behind.

"Whoa!" Brave yelped, spinning around and striking Aranbura with the blade...setting him on fire.

"GYAH! HOT! HOT! HOT!"

"Awesome…" Brave awed.

"Try the A button to change its weapon mode." Ex-Aid instructed.

"Like this?" Brave pondered as he pressed the A button. The sword then spun around as it changed to pure icy blue, "Oh! Cool."

=KO-CHIIN~!=

'Yang infected him with bad puns, didn't she?' Ruby thought with a bead of sweat going down the back of her head.

Brave pondered what to do before he raised the sword to stop a fireball from Aranbura, the flames were dispersed as snow fell from the now cold blade. Brave awed at the realization of the new elemental affinity of the sword. He then charged as he slashed at Aranbura, but he noted...it felt harder to swing...like it was heavier. He clashed with the scepter of Aranbura...as ice spread across it and to his hands. Aranbura panicked as Brave slashed his side, spreading the ice to his waist and abdomen, hindering his movements.

"Nice. It's like the Frozen status in Taddle Quest," Brave noted, "I like it."

"I d-d-d-d-don't…" Aranbura shivered.

"Jaune, be careful! Aranbura still has more tricks up his sleeves." Ex-Aid warned, holding his side as the low Rider Guage resulted in more pain being felt by his body beneath the suit.

"Huh...oh right! He still has his other cheap tricks." Brave remembered, "In the game, hitting an opponent with the frozen status with a fire attack results in extra damage." he mumbled, reverting his sword to fire mode and tapping the B Button a total of four times. "Ha!" he roared as he slashed, unleashing a large burst of fire upon slashing the bugster.

Aranbura rolled away, steaming as he groaned in pain. He weakly held up his scepter as a magic portal formed over him as golden sparkles rained down on his body. The burns and ice vanished as he was lifted up with a laugh of victory.

"I have been restored!" he cheered.

"I hate when the bosses have Heal Spells," Brave groaned before blocking another fireball with his shield, "And did I mention that I am digging this shield right now?"

"Funny...you're using the same gear you normally do...but you're more excited for this version." Lazer noted.

"Well, wouldn't you be excited if you were essentially like your favorite game personified?" Ruby asked.

"I'm a bike...my level of excitement does not match yours for this set up," Lazer pointed out while reverting to Level 1. He then opened a chest before grabbing a white coin, "Emu!" he called while tossing it at Ex-Aid as his Rider Gauge rose up to 60 percent.

"How did you know that was in there?" Weiss asked as Ruby poked the life bar in amazement.

"Racing game. The lower you are on a leaderboard, IE if the others are ahead of you in regards such as level or progress, better stuff I get from item drops." Lazer explained, "What...is slower than Level 1?"

"Level 0?" Pyrrha guessed innocently.

"...We need to get you a few games to play once this is done," Lazer deadpanned, 'Though Level 0 does sound kinda cool...hm…'

"Eeyup," Ruby agreed with the same look.

"I don't get it...That sounds like a legitimate question," Weiss argued.

"I feel like I should explain...but we wouldn't have time for that…" Ex-Aid sighed, his eyes blinking in emotional exhaustion.

"Oh come on! Why is it that you start spamming thunder every time I fight you?!" Brave complained as he dodged another bolt of lightning.

"It's a legitimate strategy!"

"It's as annoying as camping in an online game!" Brave shook his sword at the Bugster.

"Silence, you foolish knight!" Aranbura shook his scepter right back.

"So...what's that thing?" Weiss asked.

"Aranbura the high mage and right hand to the Demon King in Taddle Quest. He's technically one of the hardest bosses, as the final boss battle is a heavy dialogue centric scene and is determined by your actions in the game 'till then. So as long as you did the game perfectly then the payoff is worth it." Ex-Aid explained in one breath.

"In short...the real big boss that tests your skills, as opposed to the story boss which is more for the sake of emotional fulfilment." Lazer simplified.

"Seriously? So the second-in-command is stronger than the leader?" Weiss questioned in disbelief, '...Huh...That seems to reflect my father and his best bodyguard.'

"It's an RPG; it tends to be more for story," Ex-Aid shrugged, "The Action game remake does make it a full boss battle...but well..." he paused.

"He one hit kills you with demon magic," Lazer blurted.

"It sucks~" Ruby groaned.

"So...then it is good this is who we got instead?" Pyrrha asked as, in the background, the two were still arguing legitimate strategies.

"Big time." the three nodded, "He's strong...but stupid."

"Illegitimate!"

"Legitimate!"

"Illegitimate!"

"Legitimate!"

"Legitimate!"

"Illegitimate and that's final!"

"Okay, okay...it's Illegitimate." Brave gave up, holding his arms up to concede defeat of the argument.

"Heh. Glad you understand!" Aranbura snorted in glee before what just happened came to him, "Wait a second…"

"Nope," Brave replied as he pressed the 'B' on his blade several times while it was on its ice side. He then swung it down in a larger overhead arc and slashed Aranbura across the chest and abdomen. Sparks and icy mist came off the wound before his entire body was encased in ice. "Too cold for you?" Brave tapped the A and it switched to the fire side, "Why don't we warm ya up?" he looked at the blade to see a slot on it, "Huh? Hey, Emu, Kiriya, what's with this slot on the sword?"

"Hup," Ex-Aid said, jumping over and landing next to him, "That's the finisher slot." he explained as he yanked the Taddle Quest Gashat out of Brave's belt; he blew on it before he plugged it into the Gashacon Sword.

=KIMIWAZA!=

"Then select attack mode and unleash the finisher by pressing that trigger."

"Right!" Brave nodded as he pressed the trigger while turning to Aranbura.

=TADDLE CRITICAL FINISH!=

Ice and Fire began swirling around the blade and upwards, extending the length of Brave's weapon for his following attack. Brave grunted in surprise as he stumbled back a bit. Aranbura gawked as he turned to try to run only for Ex-Aid and Ruby to cut off his path.

"You don't get to run away from the finishing move!" they both said, slashing him with their weapons sending him stumbling back.

Aranbura then blinked as his legs were frozen in place. He looked up as Weiss yawned as her sword was stabbed into the ground. Aranbura grunted as he tried chipping the ice away with his scepter, to panicked to remember he has fire spells.

"How...how do I do this...overhead swing...side swing...diagonal...stab?" Brave asked in confusion, wondering how to deal his finisher blow.

Pyrrha smiled and rolled her eyes as she grabbed Brave by his shoulders and put him on the ice path Weiss made. The New Kamen Rider blinked before she grabbed one shoulder and spun him around, sending him gliding down the path, becoming a tornado of what could best be described of as blue fire.

"When I get out of here, I…" Aranbura snarled before Weiss, Ex-Aid, and Ruby pointed behind him, "What's huh?" he looked over his shoulder to see Brave's blade in mid-spin, "Oh sh…!" Brave shot by him, his blade striking multiple times in his tornado spin, "GAH!"

=KAISHIN NO IPPATSU!=

"AH!" Brave shouted as he kept moving and crashed into a tree. Aranbura exploded into a large pillar of smoke that soon began falling as ice.

"Sorry!" Pyrrha apologized with a cringe at the sight of him hitting the tree.

"The armor is strong enough for that to be little more than an annoyance," Ex-Aid explained as they all heard a victory noise.

=GAME CLEAR!=

"Woo...hoo…" Brave groaned as he pulled himself off the tree, revealing a perfect indent in the shape of his head in the bark.

"Well that was a heck of a finisher move." Lazer joked, "How you gonna top that one, Jaune?" he chuckled, smacking his wheel tonfa into his stomach.

"Honestly...hey...you're not calling me Jauney anymore." Brave noted.

"Huh...oh Cardin ruined that nickname for it. Along with all the others…" he sighed before he revved his handle as he had an idea, "Brave Boy! That's your new nickname!"

'Better than Vomit Boy…' Brave thought.

"I like it!" Ruby smiled, "Speaking of...what do we do about Cardin?"

"In all the excitement...we had forgotten all about him." Pyrrha noted, "And he knows about...well a lot of things." she spoke carefully as Brave sighed.

"Yeah, I forgot about that too."

"Eh, don't worry about it." Lazer waved off, "I got him covered. You guys don't gotta worry bout a thing."

"I'm worried." Weiss pointed out, looking at Lazer who was roughly around her height given his Level 1 changes.

"Hehehe...I don't blame ya." Lazer replied as he closed his belt, reverting to Kiriya, "But if there's one thing I don't let fly, it's messing with a friend of mine. That's my job."

"...It doesn't involve locking him in a room with Nora after she's drunk coffee, does it?" Brave and Pyrrha asked at the same time, a terrified look evident on their faces.

"No...but that's a good one. I'm gonna have to write that down." Kiriya laughed as he fished his sunglasses out of his jacket.

'Darn it…' both slumped, the eyes on Brave's mask emoting tears.

"So...The Bugster's gone and everything okay now, right?" Ruby asked, looking at Ex-Aid.

"That's right," Ex-Aid nodded as he changed back into Emu.

"Good, good. So now…" Emu blinked and a pile of roses falling to the ground was left of Ruby.

"HELP!" Brave yelped as he was trying to play keep away with the shorter girl trying to grab his Gashacon Sword.

"Lemme see it!" she shouted, trying to steal it, "I need to see it! I need to use it to cut stuff and burn it at the same time!"

"It freezes, too," Pyrrha added.

"HELP ME, NOT HER!"

"LEMME TOUCH IT!"

"I NEED AN ADULT!"

"They're buffoons," Weiss sighed.

"Well now...it seems that nearly all of you got your jars," Goodwitch noted, giving a glare over at the tied up Team CRDL with Cardin covered in welts from stingers.

"Luckily...I found four conveniently full jars for Nora." Ren mused as Nora finished the last of the spare jars with her name written on them.

"I wonder where those came from?" Emu asked.

"I don't know…" Ruby shrugged.

"Well there went that scheme…" Kiriya whispered to himself.

"Do you four have any reason why you failed a simple task such as this?" Goodwitch asked.

Cardin tried to say something. However, due to the swelling of his lips, all that came out was mumbles and saliva. Goodwitch flicked her crop at them and the four were floated away from her.

"And this is a reason why you should take care of your assignments sooner rather than wait for the last moment," Goodwitch shook her head, "I expect a ten page report on why it's important to do your work first before slacking off from all four of you due tomorrow."

"I bet that's gonna suck with all the other assignments they need to redo," Kiriya blurted out, getting everyone's attention, "What? You know with how Cardin's been paying people to do his work for him and stuff."

"Excuse me?" Goodwitch narrowed her eyes.

"Everyone knows. Cardin and his boys have been bragging about it in the dorm halls." Kiriya explained, "Claiming the teachers aren't smart enough to figure it out." he went on as the four bullies paled at what he was doing to them, "I mean Jaune knows, right?" he asked, elbowing him in the side.

"...Y...yeah…"

"Yeah. I mean, they did try to get him to start a prank involving Rapier Wasp and all," Kiriya shrugged, making the four bullies pale further, "...What? Not like you're not getting away scott free." he smirked devilishly.

If looks could kill, the glare Goodwitch was delivering to the four bullies would've incinerated them with the force of a billion suns. Cardin tried to say something, but once more his swollen lips failed to produce words and only more spittle.

"Alright, let's go get some food!" Kiriya shouted, "I have an extra jar~!" he cheered to his friends, "Who's up for Ren Pancakes with this stuff?"

"ME!" Nora tried to grab the jar only for Kiriya to pull it up in time, letting her crash into Weiss.

"No, this is for everyone!" Kiriya shouted before Nora got up and lunged for the jar again resulting in their running around the forest.

"Nora…" Ren sighed.

"Well one thing came of our field trip." Emu noted patting Jaune's shoulder, "You were able to make your Gashat work. I'm sure Professor Hanaya is gonna blow a fuse when he hears you did it."

"Hahahaha….yeah…" Jaune muttered at the thought of an enraged Taiga facing his direction, "Speaking of...why didn't he show up?"

"Bang!" Snipe roared, unleashing a powerful beam from his rifle into a classroom, "Is it dead? ...Tell me it's dead. Or so gods help us I don't want to be the one to explain to Ozpin an entire class is now the home of a freaky food demon."

"It's dead!" Port cheered, holding Professor Peach, "And we saved Peach!"

"And apparently is going to bake us a cake as thanks," Oobleck added.

'This is feeling so dang familiar...but where the heck does it come from?' Snipe pondered, taking in the events that just transpired, he groaned revetting to civilian state, "Joy...well, do we all agree...we're making students clean this up?"

"Oh no contesting that."

"Perhaps as a punishment for Students in detention at that."

"Or even those who are falling behind in their lessons?" Taiga offered with a smirk.

"Brilliant," Port agreed, "Now if you will excuse me, I am starving and for some reason I am craving spaghetti."

"I don't think I can eat…" Taiga muttered.

"Frankly, I find it impressive he can." Oobleck nodded in agreement.

"But I suppose a drink wouldn't upset the stomach," Taiga added as they all began leaving.

"You know, this reminds me of the time we went out and slaid that Grimm that breathed fireballs," Port recalled.

"Except less lava and more tentacles made of food," Oobleck replied, "Though now that I think of it, just how could a student have made something sentient from a simple recipe of making a ham and cheese omelette?"

"That's what they were trying to make?!" Taiga asked, shocked, "Whoever this student is...should never be allowed to cook...ever again."

"Agreed," Peach nodded, bits of pink flour on their clothes falling off.

'Seriously, I have seen something like this before,' Taiga thought.

"Shield, Jaune, shield!" Emu yelped.

"Right, right!"

"Ugh! I know the guy was cheap in the real world, but now in a game and he does a slide kick that stuns you?! I call shenanigans!" Kiriya shook a fist at the screen, "Ren, I need healing!"

'And this is why I don't let Nora make bets for me,' Ren thought as he used a healing spell on Kiriya's character before moving his character back out of range of Aranbura's spell range, "You're good."

"Break his legs!" Nora whooped from her spot in the school's rec room's bean bag chairs, the three teams all in there with the four boys of the three teams all playing the HD remake of Taddle Quest.

"Here he comes with his next spell set!" Emu shouted, "Jaune, get in the frontline position, me and Kiriya will flank him for a pincer attack, Ren will provide long range backup!"

"Got it!"

"I still find it hard to believe that the same beast we fought earlier was from this," Weiss admitted.

"He does look really different in the games artwork." Ruby added.

"So he looked different in real life?" Yang asked.

"More Monster-y and armor-ish." Ruby explained.

"And, from what we saw...a bit childish," Pyrrha admitted, "He even stopped his attacks to get into an argument on if a boss using a healing spell on himself when they're about to be defeated and this 'camping' thing are legitimate strategies with Jaune."

"Hahaha…" Ruby snorted, "Man that was funny, and you can tell that happens to him a lot."

"He's stunned! Get him before he uses a healing spell again! Quick!" Kiriya shouted.

"Strongest attacks now!" Emu ordered.

"Right!" Ren nodded

"Got it!" Jaune smirked as all four of them hit the boss with their strongest moves.

A victory tune went off on the screen and three of the four boys cheered, Ren just merely giving a satisfied smirk. Pyrrha shook her head with a small smile at seeing the look on Jaune's face.

"Whoo! They won!" Nora beamed as she jumped on the beanbag...only to stop for a moment as she blinked a bit, "...Say, what happened to Cardin and his team of buttmonkeys?" an unsettling glint appeared in her eye for a moment, "Is it too late for me to break their legs?"

"Where they are right now, they're gonna WISH they were dealing with you," Kiriya smirked.

-linebreak-

'I'll get back at them…!' Cardin snarled as he and his team were trying to clean up the mess left behind in Peach's classroom.

"You missed a spot." Taiga spoke while walking past them as he spilled the contents of his mug on the ground.

"...H-"

"You even get one of your idiot teammates to do it, or even attempt to blackmail, harm, and/or manipulate any of your fellow students again...I don't care who you are...I don't care who your family is…" Taiga began as he shot Cardin a venomous look, "I...will...break...every bone in your body...with your own weapon." he exclaimed as he grabbed him by his school uniform and lifted him up, "Do I make myself clear?" he asked, his eyes glowing navy blue for emphasis.

"C-Crystal…" Cardin gulped.

"Good…" Taiga frowned as he dropped him, "After you're done here, you owe me a redo of those papers I ordered you to do a week ago...but make it a hundred...each."

"H-hundred?!"

"Want me to make it a thousand each?" Taiga threatened.

"N-No sir," the four gulped.

"That's what I thought…" Taiga frowned as he left, slamming the door right behind him.

"...You know, I just thought of something?"

"What is it, Skye?"

"What was the subject he wanted those papers on again?"

"I don't know…"

"So...then what do we give him?"

"I don't know…" one of them sobbed.

GT: That was a good chapter. And we got to finally introduce Brave to the fight!

SZ: Eeyup...and we gave Cardin and his team of buttmonkeys a MAJOR case of karma.

Z0: Trust us we could have taken that notch further, this was us controlling ourselves.

GT: Agreed. *turns to a sad Ursa Grimm in RWBY Chibi form* Sorry, Fluffy. You got pushed out of the way by a Bugster. But we do have a consolation prize. Nora! We need someone who needs a hug and sap!

Nora: I got it! *tackles Chibi Ursa and rolls across the ground*

GT: And while she takes care of Fluffy, let's go on to the preview!

SZ: Preview time!

Ex-Aid: That's...me…?

Kiriya: The Black Ex-Aid...or so he's called.

Ruby: You know him?

Kiriya: He's the mastermind behind everything...or so I theorize.

Everyone: Theory?!

Black Ex-Aid: Kiriya Kujo...how much longer do you think you can lie to them? Eventually they will see what kind of human you really are.

Nora: You never told us you had a twin brother, Emmy!

Chapter 4: The Finish Line of Lies!

Kiriya: Friend...Don't make me laugh.

GT: Oof...This next chapter's gonna be bad.

SZ: Very bad…

GT: Very, very bad.

Z0: Oh yeah it is.

GT: Well, I do hope we'll get more reviews before then.

Z0: Same here. This was fun to work on.

SZ: Indeed. Anyways, we hope you enjoyed this, folks.

Z0: Indeed, and we hope to see you guys next time for the next chapter which we promise will get out sooner.

GT: So until then, Read and Review!

Z0: And we're out! Goodbye everybody!