Chapter VII: Princes and Bullies

The sun was beginning to rise, starting a new day. Noctis and Gladiolus are on a beach near Beacon Academy, Noctis was dressed in plain black running shorts, a white plain shirt, and black running shoes. Gladiolus is wearing grey running shorts, a plain black muscle shirt, and black running shoes.

"Why are we on a beach so early in the morning?" Noctis asked as he rubbed his eyes to wake himself up.

Gladiolus is doing stretches to stretch his legs and takes a deep breath and lets it out "It's been awhile since we did any cardio training and running in sand is pretty difficult, making the beach the perfect place to run."

"Okay…. But why so early?" Noctis said in a whiny voice

Gladiolus puts his arm around Noctis and turns him towards the rising sun "Because you can't deny that view, your Highness."

Noctis looks at the beautiful view of the rising sun and smiles "You really can't, Gladio."

"So we are going to have a race."

"A… race?

"Yup, a race. And if you win no more beach running, but if I win, everyday for the next four years we will run every morning. We have a deal?" Gladiolus said as he put his right hand out.

"You're on, Gladio." Noctis said with a smirk and shook Gladio's hand.

Later that day

Teams RWBY, JNPR, and PING are all sitting at a table in the cafeteria. The blond leader of JNPR is sulking into his food, Pyrrha is giving her leader a worrying look as she eats her breakfast, Ruby seems as if she is waiting for something… Or someone, Weiss is quietly eating her breakfast, Blake is reading a book, Yang and Prompto are having their own conversation as Nora is telling a story, and Ignis is looking through notes that he had taken in class.

"So! There we were, in the middle of the night…" Nora explained

"It was day." Ren corrected.

"We were surrounded by Ursai…"

"They were Beowulves."

"Dozens of them!" Nora shouted as she stood on the table.

"Two of them."

But they were no match for me and Ren, and in the end we took them down and made a buttload of Lien selling Ursa skin rugs!"

"She's been having this recurring dream for nearly a month now." Ren said as he let out a sigh.

Just then Ruby nearly jumps out of her seat as she sees the black haired leader of PING and his towering teammate heading towards their table. They're both still in their attire that they had been wearing during the morning run. Gladiolus is barely sweating, while his leader and friend is drenched in it, still panting while trying to catch his breath as he takes a seat next to his older brother.

"What happened to you, Noctis?" Ruby asked as she noticed her crush's heavy panting.

"Oh… Nothing…. Just…. Gladio trying to kill me is all." Noctis replied in between his heavy panting.

"I took the Prince out for a little morning run on the beach and challenged him to a race."

"And who was the winner?" Prompto asked as he stuffed his face with scrambled eggs.

Noctis, still trying to catch his breath and leaning over with his head down, raises his hand to answer his brother's question.

"Really?" Ignis asked surprised "From the looks of it, Noct is still on the verge of death. Which would make us think that you would be the winner."

"The only reason he won was because I tripped on a rock near the finish."

"Still… Won…" Noctis panted.

Noctis eventually recovers from his near death experience and heads up to get his breakfast with Gladio. The two grab their trays of food and head back to the table to join the rest of their friends.

"S-So Noctis." Ruby said in a sheepish and quiet voice that Noctis was somehow able to hear.

"Hmm?" Noctis said as he looked at the girl who had called him with his mouth full of food.

"W-Well I was wondering if you were busy tomorrow?" Ruby asked while twiddling her fingers

"He's gonna be lifting some weights with me in the morning" Gladiolus replied for the young Prince.

"I am?" Noctis asked as he gave Gladiolus a confused look.

"Yup! You need to add some muscle to that scrawny thing you call a body."

"H-Hey! I have muscle, y-you just can't see it!"

Noctis then turned his attention back to the scarlet and noticed her blond older sister giving her a sly smirk, but shook it off

"Why?" Noctis asked the blushing teen.

"W-Well since it's the weekend I was wondering if maybe you'd accompany into Vale tomorrow. I need to restock on ammo, but I don't want to go alone and my teammates said that they'd be busy with studying."

"Sure"

"Okay I underst- wait did you say sure?" Ruby said surprised that he hadn't shut her down.

"Yeah, I mean I don't have anything better to do. I'll join you after Gladio finishes his 2nd attempt at killing me."

"G-Great! I-I mean, that's cool." Ruby said trying to sound normal while trying to contain her excitement of being alone with her first crush.

"Jaune, are you okay?" Pyrrha asked her leader as he was still sulking into his food.

"Huh?" Jaune said snapping back into reality "Oh, yeah! Why?"

"Well, it's just that you seem…" Ruby began

"Not fine." the young Prince finished for the scarlet haired teen.

"Guys, I'm fine. Seriously! Look!" Jaune then attempts to put on a fake smile and gives his friends a thumbs up, but he doesn't fool anyone with his facade. Their attentions are then turned towards another table where team CRDL are standing around a Faunus girl with bunny ears, as one of the members are holding their hands and mocking the bunny girl.

"Jaune, Cardin's been picking on you since the first day of school." Pyrrha said with worry present in her voice.

"Who? Cardin Winchester? Nah… He just likes to play around! You know, practical jokes!"

"He's a bully." Ruby said as she watched Cardin with daggers that could kill a man.

"Oh, please. Name one time he's "bullied" me."

"Well there was that one time he knocked your books down in the hallway." Noctis said as he continued to watch Cardin harassing the Faunus girl "And dude, that's like rule #1 on How To Be A Bully."

"There's also that time he activated your shield as you tried to walk into the classroom and got you stuck in the doorway." Yang said.

"Dude, I'm sorry. But that is funny!" Prompto said as he couldn't contain his laughter. Earning him an angry look from Yang "S-Sorry, I was only kidding." Prompto said as he abruptly stopped laughing and looked down in fear, trying to avoid eye contact with the blond brawler.

"Jaune, you know if you need any help. All you have to do is ask us." Pyrrha said as she put her hand on Jaune's shoulder.

"Oooooh!" Nora said with a diabolical voice as she got up from her seat "We'll break his legs!"

"I'm up for that plan." Noctis said as he watched Cardin and his team with his fists clenched.

"Guys, really, it's fine! Besides, it's not like he's only a jerk to me. He's a jerk to everyone."

The laughing from the table behind them grows and they all turn and see Cardin pulling on the bunny girls ears as she cries in pain.

"OW! That hurts!" The Faunus girl said as she tried to escape his grip "Please stop…" She said as it sounded like she was trying to hold back tears.

"I told you they were real!" Cardin said as he laughed and pulled on her ear "What a freak!"

Gladiolus gets up from his seat and is about to make his way to the table, but he is stopped by his leader.
"Noct, what the hell!" He said as he tried to push Noctis' hand off of him.

"Don't Gladio." Noctis said with pure anger in his voice.

Gladiolus could feel the hatred and anger that Noctis had been building and reluctantly stopped struggling.

Team CRDL get up from the table and knock the bunny girl's tray of food out of her hand, causing the food to spill on her and the ground.

"Come on, guys. Since she's an animal she should eat like one." Cardin said as he and his team walked out of the cafeteria, laughing at the Faunus girl.

Gladiolus again gets up from his seat, but this time Noctis doesn't stop him. Gladiolus gets up and heads towards the table where the Faunus girl was picking up the spilled food, while holding back her tears.

"Hey, you okay?" Gladiolus asked in a sweet and soft voice as he handed her a napkin and helped her pick up the spilled food.

"Thank you…" She replied with her head down.

When they were down cleaning the food from the floor they get up and Gladiolus dusts himself off.

"Those guys are jerks, if they ever give you a hard time again. Let me know, okay?"

The Faunus girl gives Gladiolus a nod without saying a word. Gladiolus then turns and starts to head back to his own table.

"Velvet." The Faunus girl says, causing Gladiolus to stop in his tracks and turn to her.

"Huh?"

"M-My name is Velvet Scarlatina." She said in a shy voice.

Gladiolus gives her a soft smile "Gladiolus Amicita, but you can call me Gladio."

Velvet turns and leaves the cafeteria and Gladiolus takes his seat across from his leader, who still has anger in his eyes.

Ruby notices her crush's almost evil look in his eyes "A-Are you okay, Noctis?"

Noctis stays silent as he looks at the table where CRDL had bullied Velvet and gets up from his seat and walks out of the cafeteria without saying a word to anyone.

"Geesh, what's his problem?" Yang asked no one in particular.

"He hates bullies." Prompto said with sadness in his eyes "When we were younger, we had this friend in middle school. He was always being bullied, until one day he couldn't take it anymore and he… After that Noctis had always hated bullies."

"Noctis…" Ruby said as she watched the doors to the cafeteria swing from when Noctis had left.

Later that day, Ms. Goodwitch's class

The class of Huntsman and Huntresses had been sparring the whole class and it was getting to the end of the class period.

"Looks like we have time for one more sparring match." Glynda said as he looked at the time on her scroll. "Would anyone like to volunteer or should I pick from rand-" Glynda started, but before she could finish Noctis had raised his hand. "Mr. Caelum. Very well please head to the locker room and change into your battle attire as we pick your opponent."

"Actually." Noctis said as he made his way down to the sparring area "Can I pick my opponent?"

"Very well, who do you choose?"

"Team CRDL" Noctis said in a cold voice.

"Which member?"

"All four of them"
"All four of them?" Glynda asked, giving Noctis a questioning look "I would recommend one on one matches only, Mr. Caelum."

"It's okay, Ms. Goodwitch." Cardin said as he got out of his seat "If the Princess wants to get hurt, who are we to deny him?"

"Very well… Get to the locker rooms and change, quickly."

Noctis and team CRDL make their way to the locker room. Noctis changes into his battle attire and makes it back onto the sparring arena before team CRDL. A few minutes pass and team CRDL make their way out of the locker room and head to the opposite side of the sparring arena from Noctis. Cardin gives Noctis a smirk as he sets his mace on his right shoulder, Russel takes out his daggers and points them towards Noctis, Dove unsheathes his bronze short sword, and Sky Lark takes his halberd and gets into a fighting stance. Noctis just stands there, not summoning any of his weapons. He stands there giving CRDL stares telling them that he wanted to hurt them… really really badly.

"Why isn't he summoning his weapons?" Ruby asked as she watched the match that was about to commence.

"Cause he doesn't want to end it quickly." Prompto answered Ruby without taking his eyes off of his brother.

"Glynda takes her place above the arena and pulls up the aura bars on the big screen above the arena. "And… Begin!"

All four members of CRDL rush at Noctis at the same time. Noctis runs head in towards the four Huntsman in training, Sky Lark thrusts his halberd at Noctis, Noctis side steps and dodges the strike. He grabs the halberd and tosses Sky Lark towards his rushing teammates, making him lose his grip on his weapon and slams into Dove, knocking them both to the ground. Noctis twirls Sky Lark's halberd and motions Cardin and Russel to attack him. They both run towards him and Cardin swings his mace, aiming at Noctis' head. Noctis blocks his swing with his teammate's weapon, Russel attempts to attack Noctis from behind as he blocks Cardin's swing, but Noctis pushes Cardin a few feet away and makes him stumble to the ground and uses the back of the hilt of the halberd to stop Russel in his tracks with a thrust to his gut, causing Russel to lean over and receives another hit from the hilt to his face, knocking him back. He turns to Russel and twirls spins the halberd hitting Russel simultaneously in his face and gut, Noctis then notices Sky Lark making his way back up to his feet and throws the halberd to Sky Lark hitting him in the chest and sending him flying and slamming into the wall of the arena. Noctis then turns back to Russel and gives him a hard kick to the chest, sending him flying to the ground and loses his grip on his daggers, and Noctis catches them as they fall to the ground.

Cardin gets behind Noctis and attempts to bring his mace down onto Noctis' head, but as he swings down Noctis turns and blocks the hit with the daggers. Noctis knees Cardin in the gut making him drop his guard and begins to attack Cardin with a barrage of slashes from the daggers to his legs, arms, and chest. He then drops the daggers to the ground and grabs Cardin by the shoulders. He then tosses Cardin over his shoulder and slams Cardin face first into the ground. Noctis then turns his attention towards Sky Lark and Dove as they had just made their way back onto their feet. The two members of CRDL attack Noctis in unison, but Noctis is able to easily dodge their attacks. Sky Lark thrusts at Noctis, but Noctis stops it with his foot and slams the end of the halberd to the ground using his foot, then runs up the hilt and knees Sky Lark in his face, Sky Lark begins to fall to the ground, but Noctis catches him and tosses him towards his three downed teammates. Dove looks at Noctis and points his sword towards him that is being held by his shaking hand. Noctis slowly makes his way to the remaining CRDL member, Dove then drops his weapon in surrender and Noctis motions for him to join his team near the wall. Dove runs to his team and helps them up. As soon as all four members are back on their feet, Noctis summons his arsenal. His weapons circle around him and he gives the same cold look to team CRDL, this time striking fear into them. He aims his crystallized weapons at them and launches them at the four boys. Sending them all to the wall and to the ground as their remaining aura depletes.

"And the winner is Noctis of team PING." Glynda said as she looked at the four downed members of CRDL. Earning Noctis applauses from the students in the bleachers watching the match.

Noctis walks towards the downed members of CRDL and grabs Cardin by his breastplate. Noctis then drags Cardin to the middle of the arena and summons his own dagger and puts it to Cardin's neck.

"Mr. Caelum, that's enough, the match is over!" Glynda said but her words fell on deaf ears as Noctis looked at Cardin who had fear in his eyes.

"If you ever mess with anyone for whatever reason again, there isn't a force on Remnant that will be able to protect you, you got it?"

All Cardin could do is nod his head in reply as for the first time in his life, Cardin was the one that was afraid.

Noctis got off of Cardin and desummoned his dagger. He made his way back to the locker without looking at any of his friends. Leaving the frightened team CRDL to help their leader up.

Ruby watches as she sees Noctis walk away and immediately gets up from her seat and heads out of the room.

Later

Noctis is sitting on a bench, in the school garden with his headphones in. Ruby finally finds where he had disappeared to and walks up to him. Noctis sees the young scarlet and takes out his headphones.

"Is it okay if I join you?" Ruby asked as she pointed towards the empty seat next to Noctis.

"Go for it."

"Are you okay, Noctis?" Ruby asked as she looked at the young Prince with worried eyes.

"I-I'm fine, Ruby. I-I just hate bullies."

"I know… Prompto told us the story."

Once Noctis hears her say that he hangs his head in sadness.

"He was a good kid, he didn't deserve to be bullied. He was the nicest kid I ever knew. Me and Prompto… We would see him getting pushed around… but we didn't want to get bullied so we never did anything… we didn't even try to help him, and we called ourselves his friends." Noctis clenched his fists and tried to hold back his tears "One day he didn't show up to class, we just thought maybe he was sick. So the next two days after he hadn't shown up, me and Prompto went to his house and…." Noctis began to cry and Ruby put her hand on his shoulder "They were having his wake… N-Nothing hurt more than seeing my friend lay in that coffin… especially when I could've done something… I-If only I would've helped him… If only I would've done something."

Ruby puts Noctis' head on her shoulder and he lets it all out "It's my fault, Ruby."

"You can't blame yourself, Noctis. You were just kids. You shouldn't put that kind of blame on yourself. There was no way you could've known…" Even with her best attempts to calm him, it did nothing for the young Prince's guilt.

"After that day I swore on his name that I would never let another kid get bullied, that I would be the protector of those who couldn't protect themselves…. That's why I chose to become a Huntsman."

The two youngest students of Beacon stayed in the garden for awhile , looking at the flowers bloom until the sun had began to set.

"We should head back, Noct." Ruby said as he had fallen asleep on the young scarlet's shoulder.

The two head back into the dorms and Noctis walks Ruby to her dorm.

"Thanks, Ruby." Noctis said as Ruby opened the door to her dorm.

"Of course, Noctis." Ruby said with a soft smile. "I know your friend is looking down on you, smiling seeing all the good that you've done and will do."

Ruby gave Noctis one more hug and heads back into her dorm. Noctis then stands there for a minute then heads back to his dorm room. Noctis slowly makes his way back into his dorm and sees that his older brother is still awake.

"You okay, Noct?" Prompto asked his brother as Noctis laid on his bed.

"You told Ruby?"

"I thought maybe she could help you get rid of the guilt."

"Nothing is going to help me get rid of the guilt, Prompto. I-I've come to accept that." Noctis said as he closed his eyes.

"Prompto looks at his little brother and lets out a deep sigh "I hope you're wrong, Noct."