(And so begins Bullying: the Dickery. And a play on names title, if you figure it out let me know before I answer it next chapter.)
Trial by Fire
After breakfast, Scale's class room was filled with students spectating. I'm taking a seat next to Pyrrha for this event. And two seats over professor Peach and professor Scale are sitting together and apparently talking about something
The sound of heels clicking silences the murmurs, and on the circular arena comes professor Goodwitch with a tablet in hand. And all lights in the room dim and a spotlight shines on Arc and Winchester
"Everyone may I have your attention please." She states adjusting her glasses, "The duel between Jaune Arc of team JNPR and Cardin Winchester of team CRDL shall now begin. Once one of the combatant's Aura readings are in the red, the fight shall be stopped." with that she walks off the stage and takes her stand on the far left side
"Begin!"
On that sound the two leaders charge in and clash, it's a pretty equal struggle. But soon enough Cardin gains the upper hand and grabs Jaune by the face and tosses him aside like a rag doll
"COME ON ARC! BEAT THIS CHUCKLEFUCK LIKE HIS DAD SHOULD HAVE!"
What? Was that...Scale? Taking a look I can see him seething with anger, while Peach just merely looks on.
Looking back on the fight Jaune is back up and charges at Cardin again, slashing at him with Crocea Mors. The slashes are merely blocked by Cardin each time he doesn't move out of the way, not to long after Cardin smashes his mace into Jaune and sending him spiraling back to where he was the first time.
"MOTHERFUCKING COCKSHIT! I HONESTLY HOPE YOU ARE FUCKING EATEN BY GODDAMN-" Scale's anger is just devolving into a tirade of swears and unfathomable sounds of pure, undiluted super-rage
It's a bit funny really.
Cardin chuckles and perches his mace on his shoulder while Jaune gets up, having to use his sword as a bit of a crutch at first. He has to lean on it, looking exhausted.
I'm worried about Jaune for this, and from looking at her: Pyrrha is too.
Cardin lets out a laugh at him, and at that Jaune gathers up strength and charges at the Giant again. Swinging his sword, Jaune misses as Cardin jumps out of the way of the strike with ease.
Jaune looks back in surprise before a mace blow sends his shield and himself flying backward.
"FUCKFUCKFUCKFUCKFUCKFUCKFUCK FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK!"
Guess even a gentleman has moments of utter anger at times. Jaune, with only his sword tries to attack Cardin again. With the hilt of Cardin's mace blocking his hits, on the last one their blades come in lock again:
Jaune struggling to push back as his opponent towers over him. I can hear them talk to one another.
"This is the part where you lose" the Giant says dangerously,
"Over my dead-!" Jaune gets cut off by a knee to the stomach, causing him to fall over in pain. Cardin brings his mace over head, about ready to smash it right over Jaune's head
Someone stop the bastard!
The buzzer rings and lights come back on, "Cardin, that's enough!" A familiar voice scolds. He relents and walks away as Goodwitch comes back on stage again.
"Students, as you can see, Mr. Arc's Aura has now dropped into the red." She states "In a tournament-styled duel, this would indicate that Jaune is no longer fit for battle, and that the official may call the match."
While saying this, Jaune is still laying on the ground in defeat. And looking to Pyrrha...she looks so sad.
I'm sad for him too.
Jaune pulls out his Scroll as professor Goodwitch turns her attention back to him. "Mr. Arc, it's been weeks now. Please try to refer to your Scroll during combat." She lectures him in a 'teacher wants the student to do good' kind of tone, "Gauging your Aura will help you decide when it's appropriate to attack, or when it is better to move to a more... defensive strategy. We wouldn't want you to be gobbled up by a Beowolf now, do we?" She asks
"Speak for yourself..." Cardin chides as he walks off the stage, my pity for Jaune at that moment turns into contempt for Cardin. Fucking asshole.
"Remember, everyone, the Vytal Festival is only a few months away! It won't be long before students from the other kingdoms start arriving in Vale, so keep practicing!" Wait the Vytal Festival is coming up?! YES! I AM HYPED FOR THIS!
"Those who choose to compete in the combat tournament will be representing all of Vale!" She finishes, with that the bell rings to signal it's now lunch time.
Looking back at Jaune, he's hanging his head in shame as he still sits on the floor. And looking to Pyrrha, she has a sad frown on her face.
I nudge her a bit and she turns her vibrant green eyes toward me. "You...you going to be ok Pyrrha?" I ask in concern for the lady of war, she gives a fake little smile and nods. "I'll be fine Axel...don't worry..."
I know she's lying. But I shouldn't call her out on it, it would be to much of an asshole thing to do. But in any case
Time for Lunch.
Dining Hall
"So! There we were, in the middle of the night..." Nora says in a low and dramatic tone.
Story time with Nora Valkyrie!
"It was day." Ren corrects in his usual, tired tone of voice
Everyone was doing something: me and Yang were really into the story and hanging on every word coming out of Nora's mouth, meanwhile Blake is completely lost in a book and paying no attention at all, Silas focusing on eating, Uriah fast asleep, Roy, Ruby and Pyrrha listening politely, Jaune playing with Grimm-shaped chicken nuggets. And Weiss filing her nails.
But back to the story!
"We were surrounded by Ursai..."
"They were Beowolves."
"DOZENS OF THEM!" Nora exclaims, standing up and slapping her hands on the table.
"Two of 'em." Her partner corrects (possibly)
"But they were no match... And in the end, Ren and I took them down and made a boatload of Lien selling Ursa skin rugs!"
I can tell Ren has had enough of this possible bullshit and sighs, balancing his mug of coffee in hand. "She's been having this recurring dream for nearly a month now."
"She could be sleepwalking and doing this stuff." Roy adds in, Ren turning his tired gaze over at the tinkerer. "What? People can do some craaaazy stuff while sleepwalking." Roy says on the defense
"Says the one who hardly gets in any sleep?" Ren shoots at him, "And says the one who's constantly tired?" Roy shoots back
I can only silently chuckle. This shit is good.
"Jaune? Are you okay?" Pyrrha's voice of concern stopping the argument, taking a look she has her hand on her leader(and crush)'s shoulder. Jaune snaps out of playing around with his food and turns his attention toward her
"Huh? Oh yeah! Why?"
"It's just that you seem a little..." Ruby starts up before pausing, "not okay."
"Hate to tell you Jaune, but she's right." I add in
Everyone else stops what they're doing, even Uriah waking up and giving a half-lidded stare along with everyone else.
"Guys, I'm fine. Seriously! Look!" Jaune states holding a thumbs-up and grinning, giving a nervous laugh. Saying we're convinced is like saying that Ren was full of more energy than a power-plant.
He wasn't, and we were not convinced in the slightest.
But looking around something else is going on: team CRDL circled around a brown-haired girl with bunny ears, the one I can only guess as being Sky Lark holding his hands up to his head to mock the girl.
I can hear Silas growl, "Fucking bastards."
But back on the matter of Jaune.
"Jaune, Cardin's been picking on you since the first week of school!" Pyrrha states
"Who? Cardin Winchester? Nah... He just likes to mess around! You know, practical jokes!" Jaune says, weak defense.
"He's a bully." Ruby sternly says, glaring at Jaune
"Speaking of bullies." Roy starts up, "Some say that the reason bullies are what they are is because that they have something that causes them to do it: bad parents, poor, all sorts of stuff." He says with his expression turning dark, "I call garbage on that: they do it either for fun or to just be a part of the 'in' crowd. Cardin is a perfect example."
A moment of time passes before Jaune scoffs. "Oh, please! Name one time he's 'bullied' me."
Time to name some.
"There was the one time he knocked books out of your hands in the hallway." Uriah states dully.
"Uriah, it was just a friendly shove! I fumbled it out of my hands!" Jaune says in his weakening defense
"How about the time he caused your shielth to expand in professor Peach's class doorway?" Silas asks inquisitively
"A malfunction Si! The old thing does that from time to time!"
"And of course: there is the time where Cardin pushed you into your rocket propelled locker and sent you flying off to someplace between 'I don't know' and 'Nowhere'." I plainly say, causing Jaune to sputter and throw his hands up.
"Oh come on Axel! I didn't land that far from the school!" Jaune says trying to laugh it off, I can only sigh at his feeble attempt trying to shrug off all the abuse Cardin's thrown on him.
"Jaune," Pyrrha firmly says "you know if you ever need help, you can just ask."
"Ooooh!" Nora coos, standing up with a diabolical 'I'm not insane, you are' grin right on her face that would make Cheshire proud. "WE'LL BREAK HIS LEGS!"
"That's not a bad idea..." Silas and I mutter
"Guys, really, it's fine!" Jaune states still on the defensive "Besides, it's not like he's only a jerk to me; he's a jerk to everyone."
"Ow! That hurts!"
Case in point.
The sounds of cruel laughing and cries of pain stop us from speaking, and we all look to see Cardin tormenting the rabbit girl by pulling on her ears. She doesn't struggle and only grimaces with the bastard still has his grip on her long rabbit ear.
"Please, stop..." She begs, with tears streaming down her cheeks.
Cardin only keeps laughing and turns to his three stooges, "I told you they were real!" He boasts like the cocksure prick he is. "What a freak!" the mohawked one of the bunch says, guffawing with his teammates.
Bastards. Utter bastards.
Cardin relents and let's the girl go. The girl hurries off, hiding her bowed and tear-stained face from anyone who could see it. My anger and loathing for team CRDL soon turned for pity for the bunny Faunus,
"Atrocious." Pyrrha spits with an uncommon amount of fury in her voice "I can't stand people like him."
All the while Blake is staring daggers at the team of bigots, and Silas calm...disturbingly calm. "He's not the only one."
Yang can only sadly sigh, "It must be hard to be a Faunus." She says quietly. Leaning her head on her hand.
"Trust me. It is." Silas states without emotion, grabbing his tray of food and starts to walk off. "Wait a moment. Where're you going Silas?" Uriah asks, Silas can only scowl at team CRDL...not even looking his direction.
"I'm feeling sick." He states with his voice filled with venom before walking off.
I can only sigh and rest my head on my arms like a pillow. Another class today and then it's over.
Not much to it, eh?
(And so there goes Jaunedice part 1, next time: Trial by Fire 2...electric boogaloo)