Beacon Academy – Dr. Oobleck's class
Patience had never been one of Jaune's best attributes. In all honesty it had possibly been one of his worst, however, that had quickly changed when he took on the responsibility of raising and caring for Jade. It was a decision he didn't regret and while he did have to learn to be patient with her he'd found he was rewarded as he took pride in the strides she'd made as he watched her grow. On the flipside, however, his patience with other people had taken a hit. Weiss had been one of the first to learn this, her attitude and the general manner in which she acted around and spoke to Jade had quickly worn away at his tolerance levels though in recent weeks she'd shown marked improvement, becoming someone he genuinely trusted Jade to be around. The same could not be said for Cardin.
No matter what had transpired between them Cardin's attitude had stayed the same. No Faunus, regardless of their age, was safe from his bullying or that of his teammates. While threats from Miss Goodwitch had set a boundary of sorts, that only applied when a teacher was present. Anytime they were out of lessons and well away from the prying eyes and ears of their instructors Cardin's bullying would begin. So long as there were no witnesses to the atrocities he committed he couldn't be held responsible or so he assumed. Earlier within the week his tactics had gone too far in Jaune's opinion, leading him to challenge the boy to a spar which would decide how their future interactions panned out. The main reason had come from Cardin chucking what he could only assume was a bowl of gravy at his table intended for the back of his head. While Jaune would have ignored it what he couldn't allow to slide was the fact that the bowl had missed him entirely and nearly smashed into Jade's face instead. It was only thanks to his quick reaction time that she'd been sparred a face full of porcelain but by then he'd had enough.
His frayed patience which had been fairly low and, due to some infighting within his own team coupled with Cardin's unapologetic laughter, that had been the final straw for Jaune. Without hesitating for a moment he strode across the cafeteria, wrenched him out of his seat, and had Cardin pinned against the adjacent wall. The act of defiance had been quite a surprise to everyone present and the beating he'd wanted to give the boy would have been oh so satisfying. There was only one thing stopping him, however, and it was the little girl sitting at his table. If he gave into his anger and beat Cardin to a bloody pulp, there was no doubt the Headmaster wouldn't hold back with his punishment. Granted, he wasn't at all afraid that the man might expel him from Beacon and subsequently toss out both him and Jade but a single step off the path he'd so carefully crafted for them was something he couldn't afford to take.
When he and Jade had come here they'd lost everything. For a full year Jaune had trained and worked to help them get by, slowly making their way to Vale and towards his goal of becoming a Huntsman. Having no other family members for them to fall back on they'd had to rely on each other and for Jaune every chance he had at giving Jade a brighter future was something he couldn't pass up nor could he afford to allow anything to diverge them from that path. Beating Cardin in front of so many witnesses was one of those things. In terms of combative capabilities Cardin was a tank both in being able to dish out damage and take it. Jaune was similar in that he could take large amounts of damage thanks to his obscene aura count but he was more tactical when it came to attacking his opponents. He wasn't as skilled as the rest of them, mostly due to the fact that he hadn't gone to any prep schools or had private tutoring. He'd had been trained by Huntsmen in the field on their way here, making his methods a bit more unorthodox.
Knowing all this, had he started beating Cardin he had little doubt he could have held out, even if his teammates came to his aid. The problem would come from the aftermath as the teachers would no doubt have intervened and he would have been held responsible for his actions. It was something Jaune wasn't willing to test so instead he'd thought of an alternative, one that Beacon and its teachers couldn't intervene in. By challenging Cardin to a spar he'd ensured that he could exact his vengeance on the bully in a manner sanctioned by the school. Furthermore, they'd have plenty of witnesses, ensuring whomever walked away the victor would be safe from retaliation when their prize was claimed.
This had all transpired earlier in the week and since then Jaune had been more than eager to get the fight over with. He'd taken every opportunity available to him to train, hoping to hone a strategy that would no doubt prove useful against his opponent. He was certain that, after discovering his adverse effects when exposed to fire and explosions, Cardin would focus on using those against him. There wasn't anything he could think of that might prove useful against that glaring weakness, nothing that he could master or utilize within the week. At best he'd have to try and power through should he find himself falling into that trap or at least focus on ensuring Cardin couldn't use it against him. Hit and run tactics were Jaune's bread and butter. He'd avoid as many attacks as possible, only going in when Cardin was open or warn down. All in all, so long as he paced himself and choose his strikes wisely he was confident he could win.
Cardin must have been fairly confident in his own abilities as well as his bullying had all but stopped following Jaune's challenge. That wasn't to say the guy wasn't still a jerk. His comments and gestures to people, especially those with Faunus traits, were obviously racist. That said, his tendency to act out and even target people physically had ground to a halt entirely. Neither Cardin nor his teammates had done anything to anyone as of late and it was beginning to show. More than once a few Faunus who'd heard about what Jaune had done and his overall terms for winning the spar had come up to him to offer their support. It was flattering and, considering much of what he was doing was for Jade's sake, it was encouraging, enough so that he was currently watching the clock like a hawk, his leg bouncing rhythmically beneath the table as he waited for the bell to ring, signaling the end of class so he could make his way to the sparring rings. Oobleck must have noticed as he glanced up at the clock towards the end of his lecture before looking to Jaune.
"Well, while it is a few minutes early, I don't see the harm in allowing you all out for an early weekend," he said to excited murmurs from the students. "I do expect your assignments ready and on my desk come Monday morning. That said, enjoy your weekend."
The student body almost cheered, less so for the thought of starting their weekend early and more so for the thought of witnessing an epic match taking place between Jaune and Cardin. As Jaune rose from his seat he shot a glance up at Cardin. The bully caught sight of him as well, giving him a cocky grin before leading his team out of the classroom and down the hallway. Jaune wouldn't be far behind, ready to take his frustration out on him in the most preferable way possible.
"Mr. Arc, a word before you go," Dr. Oobleck called out.
Surprised, though only slightly, Jaune made his way to the front of the classroom. Dr. Oobleck stood leaning against his desk, waiting patiently for the last of his students to depart. The silence that pervaded was palpable. Neither of them spoke as Jaune assumed Oobleck would be the one to start the conversation given that he'd called Jaune out. Instead he took a moment to sip his coffee, looking uncharacteristically calm despite how much caffeine he consumed daily.
"You asked to speak with me sir?" Jaune said, his impatience finally winning out.
"Indeed, Jaune. There have been some rumors floating around recently and I was hoping you might be able to clarify them for me."
"What sort of rumors?"
"Well, the Beacon rumor mill being what it is, it's come to my attention that you challenged Mr. Winchester to a sparring match."
"You heard correct. I was actually headed there after our lessons today," Jaune admitted.
"I see," Oobleck replied, showing no immediate concern as he sipped his coffee. "Any particular reason why? I don't mean to pry. I'm just curious to know if this is a friendly match or if there's something… more to your reasoning."
Jaune considered lying to the man, if only to get him off his back so he could make his way to the sparring rings quicker. He quickly shot down that plan as, given the man's profession and overall perceptiveness, he'd no doubt catch him in the act and continue to try and coax the truth out of him. Reluctantly, he told Oobleck the events leading up to their spar, how he'd reacted to Cardin's actions and wisely decided to challenge him to a spar rather than start something right then and there. Oobleck said nothing throughout, listening intently as Jaune recalled everything, including the way he'd felt. It was odd, finding himself so easily divulging this information to the man when he still felt adverse about seeing him as a therapist. He mentally chalked it up to the man's years of experience, no doubt having met difficult students in the past who'd reacted the same way he had and, instead of attempting to force them to attend, he'd found other ways to do his job without making it obvious.
"I see," the man said as soon as Jaune had finished. "I must admit, Mr. Arc, I'm quite impressed with how well you reigned yourself in. Most students wouldn't have hesitated to start throwing fists."
"I have a lot riding on my behavior here. I have to think about how I should react to things like this. One too many slipups and it won't be just my future I ruin."
"Indeed. Having said that wouldn't it have been better to instead bring this to the attention of one of the teachers. Despite how it may seem we don't spout that we don't tolerate bullying or racism in any form here simply to pacify our legal teams. If such acts are brought to our attention we will do everything within our power to put a stop to it."
"I did and while it worked in the past it isn't always effective. It certainly wouldn't have been much of a help in this situation."
"How so?"
Jaune thought for a moment about how best to put it. It didn't take long for him to think of something rather appropriate even if it did hit close to home.
"Sir, in your Huntsman career, have there ever been times when, despite your best efforts, you were unable to save or come to the aid of a village being attacked by Grimm?"
The question came as quite the surprise to the Doctor. His calm façade was quickly dropped as he recalled several instances in the past, none of which were very pleasant to reflect on.
"Unfortunately yes, more times than I care to recall."
"I know," Jaune said, the statement, while it could have easily come across as arrogant, sounded more sympathetic coming from the young man in question as he continued. "I've no doubt you did everything in your power to help them, to save them, all to no avail. I'm sure they did everything they could too, not only in seeking help from a Huntsman but defending themselves against the Grimm as best they could. Despite all that the Grimm still won, lives were still lost, and we failed.
While I know that is an extreme example its not very different from what I'm dealing with when compared to Cardin. His actions are known and help has been sought in the past but even if I brought his actions to the attention of the teachers I'd still need more proof than simply my words against his. Right now the teachers, while no doubt well meaning, are incapable of stopping Cardin as far as I can see. I'm taking the matter into my own hands, to end it once and for all, in a way that not even Cardin can deny. I have every intention of bringing his bullying to an end in a way that falls in line with Beacon's own code of conduct. In a way you could say I'm honoring the spirit of the law."
"A noble gesture, to be sure, but it still begs one question."
"And that would be?"
"What if you lose?"
"Then I lose," Jaune replied bluntly, "and I face the consequences of my own actions."
"That's a very mature mindset to have."
"I've had to grow up quickly," Jaune replied with a soft chuckle. "Now, if there's nothing else sir, I think I should be on my way. I can't be late for my own sparring match after all."
Without waiting for permission Jaune turned towards the door and started making his way out.
"Mr. Arc," he heard Dr. Oobleck call out, giving him reason to pause and glance back. "Just remember, no matter what happens, my door is always open. I may not have been able to save every person I desired to as a Huntsman but that has simply made my resolve to help my students all the more resolute."
Jaune said nothing, instead taking a moment to consider the man's words before giving him a curt nod and leaving. As always the Doctor's gesture was a charitable one but something he neither wanted nor needed. He had brought them this far on his and he would accomplish the same with Cardin.
/-/
"Where is he? People are getting anxious," Weiss hissed to her partner.
"He'll be here soon, I'm sure of it," Ruby replied, offering a nervous smile as she scanned the rafters.
The Beacon rumor mill being what it was had ensured that nearly the entirety of the student body had been made aware of the fight/spar and it looked as if almost half of them had shown up to watch. Ruby could even see some of the older years walking in with drinks and snacks, offering them to people as if this was a sporting event. It would have been entertaining were it not for the fact that one of the competitors was her friend Jaune and his opponent was Cardin Winchester.
Next to her was her sister Yang who had Jaune's younger sister Jade sitting in her lap. While Yang had instantly shifted into big sister mode, doing everything she knew to ensure Jade was kept pacified, Ruby herself could tell that Jade wasn't oblivious to what was happening. The moment she caught sight of Cardin her mood quickly changed and she kept looking around, expecting to see someone. 100 lien told her that she was hoping to see her brother Jaune, something which Ruby silently hoped happened soon.
"Hey newbies, mind if we sit with you?"
Ruby nearly jumped, not expecting anyone to sneak up on her and she quickly turned to see who it was. Immediately she was met with a girl wearing sunglasses of all things in a sweater with leather pants, a burette, brown hair with a single strand dyed caramel, and a handbag slung across her shoulder.
"Hi, name's Coca Adel, leader of team CFVY."
"Um, hi, I'm Ruby Rose, leader of team RWBY and yes that does get confusing," she said, shaking the girl's outstretched hand.
"Oh, we know who you are. We thought we'd come over and show our support for your friend, especially considering that he helped one of my teammates in the past."
Confused, Ruby looked over at the three other people standing behind her. The first person to stand out was a boy who was incredibly tall, making him especially intimidating to her given how short she was. He had a large sword slung over his back and a calm demeanor that contrasted his overall intimidating appearance. Next to him was a boy with tanned skin, an easy smile, and, if she wasn't mistaken, was also blind though she didn't dare ask for fear of being rude. Lastly was the other girl of the team, a rabbit Faunus who looked oddly familiar.
"Hello," the girl said as soon as Ruby's gaze fell on her.
"This is Velvet. Cardin has been bullying her due to her Faunus traits. I had planned on having a private conversation with him and his team but the blond knight beat me to it."
"Oh," Ruby said, remembering what had happened that day in the cafeteria. "Yea, I remember you. Of course you can sit with us. Here, let me introduce my teammates."
She quickly went through the roster, even introducing team JNPR due to Jaune being absent. They ended with Jade who gave each of them curious looks but focused on Velvet who gave her a kind wave, one with the girl returned.
"Hey Jade, you want to go sit with Velvet?" Yang asked.
Responding with a nod the little girl easily slipped off her lap before walking over to Velvet. While the older girl was surprised by the action, she nonetheless warmed up to the idea and quickly brought her up onto her lap. An easy atmosphere settled over the two as they chatted a little, finding some comfort in being similar in their appearance.
"I've been meaning to thank your friend for what he did. Our class schedules being what they were prevented me from being with Bun-bun all the time so I couldn't step in to protect her from Cardin's harassment."
"Don't worry about it. Jaune doesn't like bullying, especially when it's targeted towards Faunus," Ruby replied.
"They're not related are they? Jaune and Jade I mean," Coca clarified when Ruby gave her a quizzical look.
"Oh, uh, no. They're orphans actually. They lost their families a while back and Jaune took on the role of her guardian while he goes through school here."
"That's very noble of him. I'm starting to like him more and more," Cocoa mussed. "So, do you think he has a chance of winning?"
"Of course he does. Jaune is a great fighter," Ruby replied, showing no hesitation when it came to supporting and endorsing her friends.
"Alright, alright, I believe you Red. Let me ask you this, then. Has he ever won a sparring match against Cardin before?"
"Uh," Ruby paused, thinking back to all the sparring matches she'd seen him fight. While he'd won his fair share of fights, the few he'd had against Cardin had always been close but still ended in the mace wielder's favor. "N-no, but that doesn't mean he won't win this time."
"True, true. Regardless, I'll be rooting for him. Honestly I'd rather see him win than Cardin, especially with what he set as his terms of victory."
Ruby nodded in agreement. Jaune was a good fighter and more than that he was a smart fighter. Unlike some people who relied on their weapons and skills, Jaune was more tactical in his approach. Every battle he'd won had been because he'd entered the fight with a different tactic in mind than the last. She was sure that he would come up with something and his prolonged absence was no doubt proof that he was taking the time to come up with a sound strategy. At least, that's what she hoped.
"Big brother!"
Ruby glanced over at Jade who was excitedly bouncing in Velvet's lap as she pointed down towards the stage. Following her gaze, she found Jade was indeed correct. Stepping out from the doorway leading to the lockers, Jaune emerged with his armor strapped on and his sword on his hip. He bore a stern, focused expression as he made his way to the arena and the onlookers started to clap with some even cheering as he approached. Cardin, who'd had a bored expression, was now wearing a cocky grin. No doubt he'd expected him to chicken out or was just eager to make an example of Jaune. It didn't matter now, though. Now, Jaune would teach that bully a lesson once and for all.
"So it begins," Weiss all but whispered.
/-/
"Well, well, well, and here I was wondering if you were ever going to show up. Thought I might have scarred you off," Cardin mocked.
"I wouldn't miss the opportunity to put you in your place for the world, Cardin," Jaune replied.
"You really think that little toothpick of yours is going to be enough to handle me?" Cardin asked, flexing his arm holding his mace.
"I know it'll be more than enough to handle a weapon that's made less so to kill Grimm and more so to compensate what something you obviously lack," Jaune replied, raising his voice enough that his retort carried to the others nearby.
A few chuckles sounded and grew as the audience began to recount to the conversation to their neighbors. Cardin sneered, moving over to the console to register his scroll and have his aura shown on the overhead monitor. Jaune did the same, setting the computer to automatically start the match for them. A large field lowered over the area, ensuring that any collateral damage would be limited to the arena and wouldn't go flying out into the stands. As soon as it was down a timer began counting down the seconds to the match start. The crowd joined in, counting loudly in time and adding to the tense atmosphere. Cardin rolled his shoulders, hefting his mace easily over his shoulder. Jaune's fingers tightened on his sword, his eyes focused and mind running through several strategies as he prepared for Cardin's first move.
"5. 4. 3! 2! 1! Fight!"
The moment the buzzer sounded Cardin lunged forward with speed completely foreign for someone of his build. Jaune had fought Cardin on more than one occasion, however, and was unfazed by this development. The moment Cardin swung his mace, he batted it aside, using its own momentum to push it further away from before gaining some distance. Cardin's tactics all revolved around hitting his opponent's hard and fast, taking away their ability to counter or retaliate while giving himself the greater advantage as he pounded away at your aura. Jaune couldn't afford to let that happen. He needed to stay on the move, ensuring Cardin wouldn't have a chance to corner him and allowing him to pick his attacks accordingly. It would be long and ultimately boring but Jaune had to play this smart. To give into his emotions, especially his frustration or anger would seal his defeat.
/-/
"Go Jaune!" Ruby shouted.
"Take him down fearless leader!" Nora crowed.
"Your friend is doing pretty well so far," Cocoa commented.
The match had been going on for several minutes now and Jaune had already landed a few hits. Things had started to look boring in the beginning and much of the excitement had died. That had all changed, however, when Cardin got frustrated, lunged forward and attempted to smash Jaune into the concrete with an overhead swing. Jaune had rolled out of the way at the last second, scoring a hit on his arms and chest before backing off and circling around. That small bit of action had been enough to pacify their audience. While it wasn't going to an epic match like something they'd see at the Vytal festival, the combatants were proving themselves capable of at least providing everyone with a show.
"Jaune's pretty smart when it comes to fights. He doesn't rush or use flashy tactics like some others do."
"I can see that. It certainly works for him."
"Yea, it's especially helpful against Cardin."
"Against opponents who focus on brute strength that is a reliable strategy."
"It's especially helpful given that Cardin has a Dust crystal stowed in his mace. He used it on Jaune in their last match and it completely caught him off guard."
"Was a major problem for him?"
"I don't know. It looked like it rattled him a little because he managed to recover but seemed a little out of it for a moment. Cardin took full advantage and knocked him around some more for it too."
"Rattled him? How do you mean? Was he swaying, a little off balance?"
"No, more like he was starring off into the distance. It was like he was spacing out but he looked almost panicked."
Cocoa glanced over at her teammates, exchanging glances with them. Velvet was the easiest to read as her once excited smile became a more solemn expression.
"Ruby, you said Jaune and Jade were orphans. Did he ever say how they became orphans?"
"No, he only said that their families had died recently. Why? Is something wrong with Jaune?"
"It's probably nothing, I'm just being overly curious," Cocoa said, giving the young leader a smile that seemed a bit off.
She waited until Ruby had turned her attention back to the fight, a worried expression on her face. As soon as her attention was away from them Velvet leaned over to whisper to her.
"Should we stop the match?"
Cocoa looked at the combatants down below, focusing her attention on Jaune. Despite how long the fight had been going he showed no signs of exhaustion, frustration, or panic. His aura had taken a couple of hits, scrapes mostly from Cardin's mace, but nothing that would raise any red flags. Still, it would be foolish of her to assume everything was alright.
"We'll keep a close eye on things. If it starts going south, we'll call it and intervene. People won't like it but I'd rather be safe than sorry."
Velvet nodded her consent, leaning back to relay Cocoa's instructions to her teammates. All the while Jade sat in Velvet's lap, the words the older kids speaking not going entirely over her head. She looked to her older brother down below, dodging yet another strike from the bigger teen who had been bullying him, hoping nothing was wrong.
/-/
Jaune's breathing was heavy. Not too much to warrant some worry on his part but it was obvious his stamina was beginning to wear thin. Cardin looked to be in worse shape, not only with how much of his aura he'd managed to chip away but also with how tired he looked. Hefting around such a large weapon and wearing heavy armor was beginning to take its toll on the teenager. Even though he'd no doubt trained his whole life to be able to fight for long periods of time utilizing both, that didn't mean he could hold out indefinitely. Unfortunately, this hadn't lent its hand to making the fight any easier for Jaune. On the contrary, the longer the fight went on the more frustrated Cardin became, ensuring that his attacks held more power behind them. Jaune was certain at this point that an attack from his mace would spell the end for him as he wouldn't hold back, eager to claim victory and his prize.
Knowing that, it was obvious to Jaune that he needed to end the fight quickly. The match was set to end when either of their aura's reached the red or when one of them forfeit. Jaune was close to victory. Just a few more hits and he'd have chipped Cardin's aura down enough to win. The only problem lay with his opponent. Acting less like a man and more like a cornered animal, any openings he found would be few and far between meaning a longer fight and greater likelihood of him getting hit due to exhaustion. There was only one other option available to him and it was one he wasn't eager to take. He'd need to be more aggressive and make an opening for himself. It was risky and suicidal but when compared with the alternative he didn't have much of a choice.
"You getting tired there Jauney-boy? Why don't you save yourself the trouble and forfeit? There's no shame in surrendering when you know you've been beaten," Cardin mocked.
"Are you kidding? With how slow you've become I've considering taking a moment to have some lunch while I wait for your next attack," Jaune shot back in retort.
Cardin growled, readying his mace as he charged forward, no doubt expecting Jaune to try and dodge out of the way. In complete contradiction to his previous strategy, Jaune instead charged forward, his shield at the ready. His plan was simple. Using his speed, he'd force his way into Cardin's guard, using his shield to push back any attack from him as he lost any room to maneuver. From there he'd unleash a volley of strikes, staying close to Cardin to prevent him from defending until his aura dropped into the red. He wouldn't have a whole lot of time but then again he didn't need a lot of time. Just a few choice strikes and it would be finished.
At the moment it looked like his plan was going to work. As Cardin swung his mace it was obvious his reach would exceed Jaune entirely, ensuring only the shaft of the weapon would make contact rather than the head. For a moment Jaune thought he saw panic in his eyes but it was quickly overtaken by resolve as his opponent did something that he hadn't expected and, begrudgingly, was admirable ingenuity. Before Jaune had completely closed the distance he pressed a small trigger on the handle, setting off the Dust crystal installed in the head. The explosion propelled the mace quicker, smashing into Jaune before he had made it to Cardin. Thankfully he'd only been hit with the shaft as planned but the force behind it was enough to sent him sprawling across the area. Dazed, Jaune pulled himself to his feet and stumbled a little. Cardin's counter was something he hadn't accounted for and it cost him. Cardin didn't give him any reprieve, however, as he quickly followed up with another explosive attack.
Through instinct alone Jaune was able to raise his shield to defend against the attack. It worked but at a cost. His shield was sent flying, skidding across the arena until it hit the edge and fell out of bounds. Jaune's shield arm screamed in pain and his aura took a sizable chunk as well. He and Cardin were now even on that front but it seemed like the bigger teen was about to be victorious after all.
"Nice try, Jauney-boy, but you just weren't strong enough. Real shame too. I was starting to respect you. Well, at least you did your family justice."
Whether Cardin's comment was meant as a complement or insult, Jaune didn't know. The pain in his arm was all he could focus on even as his aura worked to numb it. Hot tears of frustration rolled down his face as he struggled to his feet using his sword as a crutch. He couldn't let it end like this. He couldn't lose. He'd already lost so much. His life, his family, and now he'd lose his dignity to Cardin. It just wasn't fair. Why him? Why was he the one being punished? Why did he have to have everything taken from him while people like Cardin had the world handed to them on a silver platter? He wouldn't allow it, couldn't allow it. This was his fight, his victory, and he wasn't going to let it slip from his grasp so easily. Then, something snapped.
What happened next was something no one could have predicted. Standing before Jaune, mace in hand and ready to claim victory, Cardin paused for just the briefest of moments. Jaune glared at him, his eyes focused and threatening in a way he'd never seen before. It was completely foreign to him. In the past Jaune had given him threatening looks but nothing on this level. Then came the inhuman roar as he lunged towards him, wielding his sword more like a club than its intended purpose. In the next moment he chucked it at him and Cardin took a step back to try and get out of range. This proved to be a mistake as the sword found its intended target, lodging itself between his legs and causing him to toppled backwards. That's when Jaune pounced.
Pinning him to the ground, Jaune punched him unceasingly. Cardin's head snapped back, his aura protecting him from the worst of it but it was starting to drop. Desperately, Cardin brought his mace up, hoping to push him off with the handle. Jaune wouldn't allow it as he took hold of the handle, wrenching the weapon from his hands, before tossing it aside and returning to beating Cardin's face in with reckless abandon.
The cheers and applause had died a horrible death as the force field dropped and several figures rushed the arena.
/-/
"Yates, Fox, lets go!" Cocoa shouted, already on her feet and jumping several of the stands to get to the arena.
She cursed silently under her breath, wondering why she had been so slow to stop this before it reached this point. Maybe because the usual signs weren't there to tip them off? Regardless, the moment they heard Jaune scream they'd leapt into action. Students were already watching with expressions of mixed surprise and horror as Jaune continued to punch Cardin' face without reprieve. None of them had the will to act, a dangerous weakness in her opinion, but something that would be addressed later. As they neared the stage the field over the arena powered down without their prompting. Usually that would have been convenient but the reality was it meant that Cardin's aura had taken enough of a toll for Jaune to claim victory and that only meant he had very little left before Jaune's punches started doing some real damage.
"That's enough!" she yelled, grabbing hold of one of Jaune's arms as he reeled back for another punch.
This strategy proved ineffective as Jaune threw her before returning to Cardin. Picking herself up she motioned to Yatsuhashi who quickly intervened. He grabbed hold of Jaune by wrapping his arms around him, pinning his limbs to his sides as he struggled to break free.
"I said that's enough!" she said, slapping Jaune hard across the face.
"Cocoa, I don't think that's very helpful," Yatsuhashi chided.
"I disagree, felt really good to do that actually," she replied.
"Ow," Jaune complained. "What the hell was that for?"
"It was to knock some sense back into you. Did it work?"
"If by leaving a lingering pain in my cheek then yes, it worked," he remarked in a sarcastic tone.
"Yates, put him down," she instructed.
Reluctantly, Yatsuhashi lowered Jaune back to the arena floor. He stumbled for a moment, the fight having taken more out of him than they realized, but he soon regained his bearings and gave Cocoa an indignant look.
"Why did you interfere? Why did you stop our spar?"
"We didn't stop anything. The fight was over but you apparently didn't get the memo," she replied.
"What do you mean?"
"What do you mean what do I mean?" she asked, then, once she realized he really didn't know what was going on she added, "you were pummeling Cardin's face into the floor. We ran up to stop you before you reached the point of no return."
Jaune looked momentarily surprised, suddenly realizing that Cardin wasn't standing anywhere near them despite his large frame being difficult to miss. Slowly, he made his way around Cocoa until his opponent came into view and he drew in a sharp breath at the sight.
Cardin was laid flat out on the arena floor, unconscious. He was breathing, a good sign to be sure, but his face was covered in bruises. While his aura had been able to protect him from what it could, Jaune had managed to break through the last of it and get a few good hits in on the soft flesh beneath. Surrounding him were his teammates, hesitant to touch him while a rabbit faunus, Velvet if he recalled her name correctly, was checking his vitals.
"It looks worse than it really is," she said, earning a sigh relief from his teammates plus Jaune. "He's bruised badly and his nose is broken. We'll need to get him to the nurse as soon as we can so she can help him start to heal."
"Good. Yates, help them lug Cardin down to Tsune. I need to have a chat with our resident champion," she replied.
Yatsuhashi gave her a simple nod before walking over to Cardin and picking up his frame in his massive arms. Compared to the older boy Cardin looked like a ragdoll as he made his way out of the room. Cocoa watched them leave before turning her gaze on Jaune and somehow managing to make him flinch with her gaze despite her eyes being hidden behind her glasses.
"What happened back there?"
"I-I don't know," he answered.
"Bullshit," she snapped. "You were pounding his face into the ground like a butcher tenderizing meat. You need to come up with a better answer because I'm not satisfied with yours and the teachers certainly won't be once they find out what's happened."
"I got angry," he said, remembering how the fight had begun to turn against him towards the end. "I lost my temper. I was frustrated and didn't want to lose so I just- I let go."
"Hmm, better," Cocoa mussed.
"I didn't want to lose to him. I didn't want to have everything I'd worked so hard to achieve go up in smoke because of someone like him. I lashed out. I wanted to win and I wasn't going to let anything stop me."
"It wasn't simply that you wanted to win. You just didn't want to fail," he heard Cocoa clarify.
Jaune was surprised by her answer. He looked up, taking in her expression. It was calmer now, more serene. There was a hint of understanding there too, like she knew somewhat of how he felt. It surprised him that he felt a little elated at this fact. Having someone who might understand what he'd been through, even if only a little, was like finding a puddle of water in the desert. He didn't know what to say so instead he remained silent.
"Jaune?"
The moment was soon interrupted when his partner's voice brought him back to reality. He looked over to see his team standing nearby with Pyrrha being the closest. All of them wore expressions that were a mixture of caution and confusion, even Nora who seemed like nothing in the world could affect her over zealous nature. Right behind them were team RWBY and amongst them, clutching Yang's leg was Jade. They too had expressions that matched his teams though Weiss' was more stoic, suggesting she'd weathered similar storms in the past. Jade's, however, was the worst. Her eyes, which always seemed to regard him with admiration, like he was the greatest hero in the world, were fearful and frightened. He'd only ever seen those eyes a few times before when they were traveling through villages that were less than hospitable to Faunus. To have them directed at him cut him deeper than he dared admit.
"You've seen some shit," Cocoa said, pulling him back to her, back to the calm embrace of her empathy, "probably been through some shit too."
"We both have, my sister and I."
"It did a real number on you. I saw a hint of it the first time you confronted Cardin in the cafeteria. I assumed you were just trying to be a good person. You are, just so you know. I liked what you did for my friend. It's probably what kept me from seeing what was brewing beneath.
I won't pretend to know anything about you, Jaune Arc. All I can do is guess at what's happening from my own experiences. Fact is, what happened here won't be the last time your emotions run out of control. Your anger, frustration, those were just the outlets your guilt used to manifest itself. Unless you confront it, deal with it, in a healthy manner it'll force its way out again and next time the consequences could be worse."
Her words, while obviously meant to be helpful, struck Jaune harder than her slap earlier had. She was right, as much as he hated to admit it. He'd already seen it when he'd lost his temper with Pyrrha and again when he'd nearly smashed Cardin's face through the cafeteria wall earlier in the week. This fight, on the other hand, had simply been an easier outlet for all of his anger and frustration to find an outlet. The only problem was once the dam broke he'd been unable to hold back, not that he'd wanted to. He could still remember how freeing it had felt to just let it all go, completely ignoring any consequences that might come. However, after seeing what he'd actually done to Cardin it was obvious he had gone too far and next time would be worse.
"Pyrrha, I need you to do something for me."
"Of course, Jaune," she said in a hopeful tone.
"I need you to take Jade and everyone else back to our dorms. I need to go see Dr. Oobleck and I know I'm not in the best shape to be around Jade right now. I'll explain everything once I come back- "
"No," Pyrrha interrupted.
"Pyrrha," he started.
"No, Jaune, you aren't going to make us wait. You're going to explain to us what just happened," she said, her tone becoming more forceful, more demanding, as she approached.
"Pyrrha its not that simple."
"Then make it simple. Jaune, I'm your partner. I have a right to know. I'm not just going to stand by while you go off to see Dr. Oobleck alone."
"I won't be alone. I'm going to have Cocoa go with me," he said, motioning to team CFVY's leader.
"But Jaune- "
"Pyrrha was it?" Cocoa interrupted, stepping between her and Jaune.
"Y-yes," she replied, stuttering as she was forced out of her tempo.
"I'm going to be frank with you. I appreciate how much you care about your partner's wellbeing, I truly do, but the way you're going about it is more harmful than helpful. Right now he's taking charge of the situation and seeking help from someone capable of helping him. That's a step in the right direction, something that can take people a long time to accept and build up the courage to do. Now its your job to help him by letting him get the help he needs and making sure he doesn't have anything else to worry about or distract him. Besides, he did say he'd come back and explain everything to you once he's done. I don't think he's going to break that promise, do you?"
"N-no, I d-don't," Pyrrha said, deflated.
"Good. Now, you all go back to your dorms. I'll walk blonde here down to Oobleck's office and stick around should he need me. He won't be alone in this, trust me."
For a few long moments, no one moved. All eyes turned to Jaune, Pyrrha's being the most hesitant, as they struggled to think of some excuse to stay with him, to keep him in their sights. Eventually they were forced to admit they couldn't think of anything. Cocoa had agreed to escort Jaune and, given the punishment he'd received during his spar, there was very little chance that'd he'd be able to evade or overpower her along the way. What's more the longer they stuck around the more likely it was for them to be discovered by a teacher, one who might have heard of what was happening, and from there a whole new mess would erupt. Finally, with a nod, the group funneled out of the room with Jade being carried back by Yang.
They waited until they'd left before leaving themselves with Cocoa in the lead and Jaune following her from behind. It was oddly quiet, not due so much to the lack of students in the halls but for the fact that Cocoa hadn't said anything since they'd left. She always seemed to be a real chatterbox, someone who could have a conversation about anything and somehow dominate it. Now, however, any urge to talk seemed unimportant. It was comforting in a way but also left him wondering if he shouldn't say something to fill the void. It was a while before he actually did say something and it was something that he knew needed to be said.
"Thank you."
"Hmm?" Cocoa asked, stopping and turning to look back at him.
"I said thank you, for what you did," he said again. "Things could have ended a lot worse had you not interfered so thank you for that."
"You're welcome," she said, resuming their journey down the halls.
Before long they reached Oobleck's office. Cocoa stepped to the side, motioning for him to step up and knock on the door himself. He knew why she was doing it. This was his journey after all. She couldn't be the one to decide the next step for him. By choosing to knock on the door he was taking his fate into his hands by taking that first step in admitting to himself that everything that had happened to him and Jade was affecting him, changing him, slowly destroying him. He knew he needed to do it, to knock on that door, but it felt so damn hard just to do that he couldn't quite say. He just stood there, starring at the wood, wondering when his arm would listen to the signals being sent to it by his brain and follow suit.
"it's never easy, taking that first step," he heard Cocoa say.
His hand faltered for a moment. He glanced over at her, seeing how she leaned against the wall as she waited patiently. Despite her heavy sunglasses and how unnecessary they were being worn inside, he could still feel her empathic gaze on him, like she saw some part of herself standing there, hesitating at the door.
"Was it difficult for you, the first time you had to do this?" he asked, wondering why, out of all the questions he could have asked, his mouth had chosen to voice that one.
"Probably one of the most difficult experiences of my life, as ironic as that may sound," she admitted with no hint of discomfort at being asked such a blatant question. "I spent literal months avoiding talking to Oobleck about what had happened. I got pretty good at hiding it too. Thought I had everything under control for the longest time."
"What changed?"
"A girlfriend I had a while back," she said with a heavy sigh. "We were at her place, fooling around, when she decided to amp things up and smacked me. It was meant to be playful but it triggered me somehow and the next thing I knew I'd put my fist through the wall. Destroyed the drywall and our relationship. She was honestly terrified of me after that and, to be honest, I couldn't blame her."
"That would do it," Jaune replied, wincing as he remembered just what he'd done in his own scenario.
"The first step is never an easy one and it doesn't come with that moment of clarity you see on television. That only happens when you let it, when you open yourself up to those who're trying to help you. It's a process and however quickly it takes is up to you. You just have to find the right speed for you and Oobleck will help you find it."
"I know, I just- "he paused, looking down at his hand and then the door, "I just kind of hope it'll start itself without me needing to do anything, you know?"
"Well, what I do know is that if you stand out here long enough Dr. Oobleck is going to open the door eventually. Now, you can either wait here for that to happen or you can make it happen."
He nodded, taking a deep breath to steady his nerves, before knocking on the door. A few moments passed. Nothing happened. No one came to open the door. It was jarring, horribly so. The one moment when he needed Oobleck to be here and he wasn't.
"Did he go home for the day?" he asked out loud.
"No, he's here," Cocoa answered, whether she knew his question hadn't been for her completely irrelevant.
"Then why hasn't he- "
"Mr. Arc, so good to see you," Dr. Oobleck said as the door suddenly swung open.
"Son of a bitch," he hissed, jumping back as the man suddenly appeared.
"Oh, my apologies, I didn't mean to startle you," Oobleck said, glancing over at Cocoa who was trying and failing to contain her laughter. "The water for my tea had just begun to boil and I was pouring it into the pot when you knocked. Please, come in and make yourself comfortable."
Awkwardly, Jaune did just that, sitting himself down on the couch while Cocoa took the seat next to him and Oobleck the spot on the opposite side.
"Thank you for being here sir. I honestly didn't know if you'd be around this late."
"Not to worry, Jaune. I make it a point to always be here for my students when they need me the most," he replied. When Jaune shot him a surprised look he then added, "though the message Miss Adel sent me ten minutes prior to your arrival was helpful as well."
Jaune's head snapped to Cocoa and she waved her scroll in the air, shooting him a cocky smile in return.
"So, I take it you wanted to speak with me?" Oobleck asked as he set a cup of tea down in front of him.
"Um, yea, I did," he said, his eyes occasionally glancing over at Cocoa.
"If my being here is making it hard to talk I can leave," she offered.
"No, no, its not that. I'm just a little confused."
"About what?" Dr. Oobleck inquired.
"Well, Cocoa told me she's seen you before," he said, taking cautious steps so as to not say too much and upset her. "I just find it strange that she'd feel so comfortable sitting here while I basically talk about everything that's wrong with me."
"Not to worry about that. Miss Adel is one of our mentors," Oobleck explained.
"Huh?"
"You ever hear of the twelve step program?" Cocoa asked.
"Yea, its something they use in the addiction recovery programs. Why?"
"They have similar people, those who've graduated and stayed clean for a number of months or even years, who act as friends and emotional lifelines for people who just started the program. They volunteer their time, helping to guide new people through the program and even step in to help them when they start to feel like they might relapse. Dr. Oobleck decided to do the same with students. He believes that having someone who's similar to us in age will help us to open up and learn to trust people more with talking to them about their problems."
"So you're basically here to help me as I begin to process," he concluded.
"Exactly and guess what, you're my first. That means I get the pleasure of popping your psychological cherry," she said with a laugh.
"Miss Adel, please refrain from using such a profane metaphor to describe my program. You're supposed to be someone who he can rely on, not scare him away," Oobleck lamented as he massaged his temple.
"Aww, don't worry about it professor. He already knows I only go after girls."
"Doctor," he corrected before sitting back up. "Regardless, Jaune, if you'd prefer to have these conversations in private you can ask for Miss Adel to leave. Her presence here isn't mandatory just as she doesn't have to be your mentor if you don't feel comfortable around her," he said, ignoring the girl's indignant gesture as she stuck her tongue out at him.
"I'm fine Doctor," Jaune replied with a chuckle. "Honestly, I feel more at ease with her here."
"That's good to hear," Oobleck said with a smile. "Now, I assume you have a certain reason for coming to see me so late in the evening and on a weekend no less."
"Yes sir. You mentioned earlier how you'd heard about my spar with Cardin Winchester?"
"Yes, students often talk and gossip and I hear a great deal of it. How did that go, if I may ask?"
"Um, well…"
Jaune began his recounting of the fight. Doctor Oobleck listened intently, showing incredible patience, especially when Cocoa interjected with her own thoughts as she discussed how she and her teammates had realized something was wrong and decided to intervene. The moment he reached the point of telling him what he'd done to Cardin he was hesitant. He was speaking to a teacher, after all. Confessing to the fact that he'd attempted to smash his opponent's face in didn't seem like the type of thing the man would ignore. Yet, even after he recounted how Cocoa's teammate had been forced to literally drag him off Cardin and that'd his injuries had warranted him going to the nurse, the man didn't flinch or even bat an eye. The only real emotion he showed was when he mentioned Cocoa slapping him, something which earned her an indignant glare from the man as she simply shrugged in reply.
"I see," he said, putting down his now empty cup. "And what prompted you to come see me?"
"Honestly," he began, taking a moment to think before saying, "honestly, I'm surprised you could listen to me talk about beating Cardin's face in and not do anything or say anything."
"Did you expect me to?"
"Well, yea. Why haven't you?"
"A fair question, Mr. Arc, and one that is easily answered. Simply put, you came to me for help rather than running away. Now, while it could be easily explained that what you did to Mr. Winchester was simply the result of you being a little overzealous in your spar, the fact that you sought me out afterwards and had the clarity to realize you needed help shows me that what you need isn't punishment but rather understanding. I think we can both agree that me giving you a detention wouldn't help you in the long run."
"Yea, I can see your point," Jaune agreed.
"Now then, can you tell me what prompted you to change your mind about seeing me?"
Honestly, it could be summed up in the simple yet distinct gaze he'd seen from his younger sister. The look of fear she had, for him of all people, was something that tore at him deeply. He'd never ever wanted her to look at him like that. Having her fear him, even a little, was in many ways a confirmation that'd he'd failed her by failing himself. However, he wasn't ready to talk about that just yet and not in front of Cocoa.
"I'm sure it's no secret that my relationship with my team, my partner especially, has been suffering," he began. "I'm supposed to be the leader; someone everyone relies on. It was something I was proud of. Now though, after seeing how they looked at me, I'm afraid I may have lost a lot of that trust and I can't say I blame them.
I failed my team, sir. I ignored what was happening to me, told myself I could handle it on my own, and watched as it all blew up in my face. Hell, it was so bad they almost wouldn't let me out of there sight so I could come down here. They're all afraid of what might happen and, frankly, so am I."
"That is one way of looking at it, Jaune, though I wouldn't go so far as to say they were afraid of you."
"Sir?"
"You haven't failed your team, Jaune. I very much doubt they feel the same as you do. At worst I'd say they were concerned for you and that in of itself shows just how much they care about you. They care enough to refuse to leave you alone, to chance you going off and doing something worse to yourself. If they were afraid of you they'd have done whatever they could to distance themselves from you. No, I'm confident that they still care about you and they always will. You're not someone who leads through fear, Mr. Arc. You inspire trust and loyalty in your friends and I'm sure, once you return, they'll be ready to embrace you once more."
"Yea, I suppose you're right," Jaune said with a tired smile. "Thank you professor, er, I mean doctor."
"That's quite alright," Oobleck replied as he refilled his cup. "Now, we have some time on our hands. Is there anything else you'd like to talk about?"
"Yes, actually," Jaune admitted, his smile quickly fading as he looked at the man. "If I remember correctly, you asked me about the events that took our family last time."
"Yes, I do believe I did," Oobleck recalled.
"I think I'm ready to talk about that," he said.
"Alright then," Oobleck said, taking on a more serious demeanor. "Take your time."
Man, this was a difficult chapter to write and for more than one reason.
Firstly, I always go in trying to create something that I think people will enjoy and maybe even feel a connection to. I never want to write something that is sort of "cookie cutter, this worked for so and so, I'll try it and see if it takes." I prefer to write something I enjoy creating and which I hope you guys/gals will enjoy reading meaning I never want to just push out something that doesn't met my personal quality standards. If I feel its lacking or that its just not working quite right, I don't post it until it's fixed, period.
Secondly, the fight scene was a bit of a bitch for me. I'm not the greatest when it comes to writing them. I've read quite a few works from authors I really enjoy who make fantastic scenes come to life and, while I try to write on the same level, I find my own falling short of it. That said, I think what I've written is better as it focuses on the main points and not on every little detail of the fight. It also helped it to flow better which was a plus.
Lastly, the climax and overall conclusion was something I had started with something in mind and then completely changed as the story progressed. What I had planned originally when compared to what you've actually read are night and day comparatively. In all honesty, I feel what I penned is more true to form while what I had in mind was a bit too theatric and exaggerated.
I hope you all enjoyed what you've read and that it was worth the wait. Things will start looking up for Jaune but the road he's started himself down is not an easy one. Often times the roads which lead to the greatest rewards are ones not easily traversed.
As always like, follow, and review.