A/N: This chapter would've come out yesterday, but King's Fall for Destiny 2 was released last Friday, so I've just been grinding that out. Plus I work most of the day, so I only have time in the evenings to work on the chapters, and my attention can be caught by multiple things besides writing. Anyways, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter.

Ah… history class. The bane of my educational existence.

It was the only class I didn't get high grades in. After all, how was I, an earthborn human, supposed to know the history of a planet I didn't grow up on? Not that it would be too difficult to read up on Remnant's history, as I can easily head to the school library and read there, but it would be extremely tedious to do so. I'm not very interested in learning the long history of Remnant through a collection of books just to get a high grade in one class. I'm fine with a passing grade thank you very much.

With the assistance of Pyrrha, who was not only my table buddy in advisory but also in history, it's been mostly smooth sailing in this class. Her naturally altruistic tendencies were on full display here, as whenever she saw that I was struggling she'd assist me whenever she could. She was the main reason I wasn't failing this class.

Of course, all things come to an end.

"Starting today, we will begin the first of many projects you will be completing over the course of the year" the green-haired coffee maniac quickly said, "You all will be tasked with creating a presentation analyzing the causes of The Great War."

I zoned out as Mr. Oobleck went into further detail about the project. My eyes gazed over the other students in the class, and I saw that some of them had visibly deflated at the mention of a project. Not just any normal project, but a presentation. To be honest, I was right there with them as I have always disliked having to present to an audience. It'll also be harder because of my lack of knowledge.

"This project will also be done with a partner," I zoned back in as he announced that fact.

'Seriously? Shit, then if I partner up with Pyrrha then I'll be able to pass this project with ea-'

"You will be assigned to someone you don't already sit with in the room."

'...oh.'

Oobleck continued as a few students announced their dismay at his words, "In the future, you may be forced to work with total strangers as opposed to people you know. It's an important life skill to be able to work in a team of people you are not comfortable with."

'Whelp. There's go my easy A.'

Our teacher continued to tell us more general information about the project, and even gave out packets of info. I looked it over before putting it into my bag. It wasn't what I wanted, as I was wondering just who I would be partnered with.

Thankfully, Oobleck stopped drawing it out and finally began to announce who will be partners. I patiently waited as he began to announce the names of those who'd be working together. I realized that the people he put together have never interacted with one another, so he must have really planned this out.

"Jacob Cruz and Jaune Arc."

'Well, would you look at that? An interaction with another RWBY character not even a day after another interaction. This is why I gave up trying to become a background character after the first interaction.'

I looked toward where the blonde was sitting and noticed that he had been completely zoned out until his name had been mentioned. He looked around the room until his eyes met my own, and they lit up in recognition. He did a small, awkward wave and I simply nodded back before looking back at the teacher.

Once the class ended, I stood up from my table and walked outside the room. However, I was stopped by none other than my temporary partner himself.

"Hey! You're Jacob right?" Jaune asked in a friendly if oddly hesitant tone. It was like he was expecting me to bite back or something.

"Yeah. I mean that's what the teacher said when he was announcing partners," I responded casually, though I silently berated myself as I felt that came off a bit too rude.

Jaune scratched the back of his head as he laughed sheepishly, "I guess he did."

"So what's up?" I asked getting straight to the point.

"Oh! Nothing important yet. I just wanted to get to know my partner, y'know?" Jaune suddenly looked to the side in slight embarrassment, "I'm not the best in history, so I also just wanted to give you a heads up."

"Hm. It shouldn't be too bad. Just read the books then put that information onto the slideshow." Well, it was slightly more complicated than copying down information, but I was just simplifying the process, "Besides, we got the end of the semester so we have more than enough time to hash out the details."

"Cool! Then I guess I'll see you later?"

"Yep. See ya," I walked away from Jaune as I headed to my next class.

'A partner-based presentation…huh. Kinda crazy for the first semester, but I guess that kinda makes sense. Beacon Academy is supposed to be this prestigious school, so being a bit harder on the students makes sense.'

Speaking of presentations, I remembered that I didn't even have a computer or laptop to work on the slideshows. Guess I'll have to use the school-provided ones. It makes me miss the PC I had built. Now all I have is just my console.

The school day continued with nothing out of the ordinary happening, and eventually, I was sitting at my usual table during lunch. In my head, I was going over what'd it take to build my pc again. I'd probably have to find a job, however, I'm hesitant to enter the workforce once again. I had already experienced the soul-draining grind of a retail job and I didn't want to do that again.

Maybe I should babysit or something? I remember hearing from one of my coworkers in my past life that babysitters can make a lot of money. I don't mind children either, however, I don't know if I can handle them for hours on end.

A figure suddenly appeared in front of me, and I got a vague sense of deja vu as I looked up. Instead of the red-headed wonder, I instead got Lady Punch-A-Lot aka Yang. Though I guess she isn't the same brawler as she was in RWBY, or maybe she is? I don't even know her in this world so she could be a boxer for all I know.

"I knew I recognized that face," Yang said as she sat down across from me, a tray of food in her hands, "We met yesterday remember? You're…"

The girl trailed off, as she passed the torch to me so I could finish her sentence, "Jacob."

She snapped her fingers, "That's the one."

Just then two other people decided to join us, who ended up being Blake and Sun. The former sat next to Yang and nodded in greeting, while the latter decided to sit next to me.

"So this was where you ran off to," Sun said to Yang before turning his attention to me, "Jacob, right?"

I nodded back as the blonde boy continued, "Is you're…y'know face ok? I know I hit you pretty hard with my ball."

"Oh I'm sure he's fine," Yang interjected as a shit-eating grin suddenly came across her face, "After all, you're an expert at putting balls on other boys' faces."

"Hey!" Sun yelled out in protest. Yang began to laugh and a small giggle spouted out of Blake, who I just realized had pulled out a book when I wasn't looking. I smiled as well as Sun glared at Yang, "The semester basically just started, and your already making me the butt of your jokes? Nuh-uh! Not again! Not after last year!"

"Too late Sun, your fate is already sealed," Blake quipped as she didn't even look up from her book.

Sun continued to protest against Yang's jokes, while I just watched on passively. Why did they choose, or rather Yang, choose to sit near me? I mean we literally just met yesterday so we were just acquaintances. Or is this just some highly sociable person thing I didn't understand?

"Speaking of the semester just starting," Sun's words ejected me out of my thoughts, "Did you guys hear about the project for history?"

Yang slumped in her seat, "Please don't remind me of that."

Sun raised an eyebrow at her, "What are you worried about? I mean you get some of the highest grades among us!"

"Just because it's going to be easy doesn't mean I have to like it. Plus, I was paired up with this girl I don't talk to for a reason."

"Yeah! That whole, 'pair up with someone you don't talk to' thing is total bullshit! I could've been with Nep, yet I was paired up with someone else," Sun signed forlornly, "At least I was paired up with this cute girl."

"Knowing you, you'll probably leave most of the work on her," Blake quipped once again.

"Hey! I take offense to that," Sun protested back.

"Why? Y'know it's true," Yang jested before she turned her attention towards me, "So, who did you partner up with?"

The metaphorical stick was passed to me as Yang gave me the opportunity to join the conversation. To be honest, I had no idea how to join the conversation so her assistance was appreciated. After all, it would feel kinda awkward to just sit and listen to them talk and not speak up at all.

"Some guy named Jaune," I responded.

"Jaune?" Yang asked curiously as she seemed to recognize the name, "Isn't that…"

Sun picked up where Yang trailed off, "Oh! I know him. He's that kid who asked Weiss out last year! Poor guy…"

I tilted my head at him, "What do you mean, 'poor guy?' What happened to him?"

"How do I say this… Jaune doesn't isn't really… how do I say this without sounding like an asshole?"

"He doesn't have the greatest reputation," Blake chimed in with a neutral tone.

Sun snapped his fingers, "Thank you for the big words, Blake!"

The black-haired girl simply rolled her eyes and went back to reading her book.

"So he did something that caused the student body to dislike him?" I said, trying to bring the conversation back.

"Nah, nothing like that. People just think he's a weirdo."

I stared at Sun incredulously, "That's it?"

"Well. remember when I said he had asked out Weiss? Yeah, well he ended up doing that in public."

'I guess to a group of young teenagers doing something like that would be seen as funny, but that doesn't seem too bad-"'

"...and he serenaded her," Yang added on.

'...oh.'

"Yep. After that, the whole school saw him as a laughingstock. I kinda felt bad about it, but there was nothing I could really do."

Ah. The classic case of a 'social suicide', which is a horrible event for a person to go through. You can say goodbye to your reputation, and goodbye to any chance to socialize. No matter what the people who witnessed the event will never be able to treat you normally, and it will haunt you for a while. In a school full of teenagers whose impressions of you can flip on a dime it's going to be made ten times worse.

Is that why Jaune seemed so hesitant when he was talking to me? Did he think that I know about what happened and that he was expecting me to dismiss him? Jesus, that is depressing.

"It definitely doesn't help that Weiss rejected him. And knowing Weiss, she did it in the most spiteful way imaginable."

'I can certainly imagine. Weiss was quite the bitch during the first few episodes. Though they don't exactly know that.'

"Sounds horrible. Though I don't have a frame of reference since I've never met Weiss," I remarked.

"Really? I'm surprised considering her family owns one of the biggest corporations in the city."

I shrugged, "I had only just moved here before school started, so there's a lot about this place I don't know."

"Oh, so that's why I didn't recognize you," Yang said as a flirtatious smile came over her face, "I would've recognized a handsome face liked yours."

I kept my face neutral even though inside I felt oddly…weird about her flirt or compliment or whatever. I didn't really know how to react, so I kept a straight face that did not represent how I actually felt. Plus, I began to realize that there was a mischievous and teasing light in her eyes. Her comment was likely a tease meant to get a rise out of me; She wanted to see me flustered or embarrassed.

"Thanks," I said simply, as I tried to finish the food that had long gone cold.

"Ooh, look at that. Looks like Yang has met her match yet again," Sun poked fun at Yang, "Guess we've got a Blake 2.0 on our hands."

"Hey-"

"It helps that she flirts like a middle schooler" Blake joined in on poking fun at Yang.

"Wha-"

"Not everyone is an easily baited hormonal teen," I decided to join in, "You're gonna have to step your game up."

"You-I-How…!?" Yang bumbled her way through her words as she tried to create some sort of comeback. However just as she was about to say something, the bell rang signaling the end of lunch. In the end, all she could do was furrow her eyebrows in annoyance, and leave off with a, "I'll get you all for this."

We simply laughed her off as we left the table and went our separate ways. Walking through the halls of the school, I had to admit that talking to them had been pretty fun. It certainly spiced up my usually mundane school day, aside from the occasional appearance from Pyrrha. Hell, if I was going to be isekai'd into a modern version of RWBY, which seems to hold no difference compared to my world, I might as well enjoy my time here.

Speaking of, should I even try to head back to my original world? The people I knew, at least on the family side of things are still there. Though the lack of my stepfather certainly puts a massive damper on things. That pushes me greatly towards wanting to find a way back home.

The question is, how would I even get back home? As far as I know, the world of science hasn't even attempted any sort of dimensional travel, and it likely never will for many decades to come. I'll be long dead before we even reach that milestone, and I'm definitely not smart enough to even try that.

There's no secret fantastical world or hidden magics that exist, though they are likely to be hidden for a reason. The alternate universe of Remnant just seems to be a modern version of it. If there was no Grimm, no Aura, or any of that instance magical bullshit that permeated the series.

So once again I'm brought back to my original question: Should I even attempt to head back to Earth?

I tried to work the angles over and over in my mind, yet each path seemed to lead to a dead end. In truth, the only answer I have is: I don't know if I can. I sighed mournfully as I continued to walk forward, my mood going down the drain.

'Aaaaand all my enjoyment is gone. Great. Nice job you idiot.'

I shook my head of those thoughts and decided to just ignore them for now. I'll just deal with that problem another time. Hopefully, 'another time' means not any time soon.

A/N: Comments and critiques are always appreciated.