A/N: I must say, I'm a tad surprised over how much popularity this story has gotten. As of this chapter, I believe I'm on 13 favorites and 23 follows. Thank you all so much! It's time for the assignment of teams, and the team name will be revealed in the fourth or fifth chapter. I'm trying to base this off of the show, with each chapter being an episode. Just figured I'd warn of the spoilers, though I doubt anyone who reads RWBY fanfictions hasn't seen the show. Here's chapter 3! I hope you all like it.

Enjoy~! ^_^

*Chapter 3*

Cardin woke up, and it took him a minute to remember that he was in a delusion that wasn't fake at all. He was in the grand hall, in a sleeping bag on the floor. He sat up, stretched, and got dressed in a pair of black slacks, black boots, and a dark grey shirt. He looked over, and saw that the other students of Beacon were stirring as well. A small smile on his face, he went to his assigned locker and got his gear. While getting his weapons, he overheard Ruby talking to her sister Yang.

"No more awkward conversations, now I let my sweetheart do the talking," Ruby said, running a hand lovingly over her Crescent Rose. Yang looked at her with a raised eyebrow.

"You know, you'll have to meet new people sooner or later." Ruby immediately started to groan, making Cardin chuckle a bit.

"You sound like Dad!" Ruby complained.

"Well, what will you do when it comes time to be on teams?" Yang asked.

"I guess I'll be on your team or something," Ruby mumbled shyly.

"Maybe you should be on someone else's team," Yang suggested. Ruby towered up in a heartbeat, and it was hard for Cardin to hold back his laughter.

"My dear sister, are implying that you don't want to be on a team with me?" Ruby asked angrily, and Yang had to shy back from the younger girl, saying quickly, "No I didn't, that would be-"

"Impossible!" Cardin turned around to see Jaune walking around with a sheet, talking to himself, "There's no way I put my gear in locker 273. I'm pretty sure I would've known if I had a number that high. Ugh, why does this have to happen to me!?" Jaune passed by Pyrrha and Weiss, who was attempting to get her to join her team.

"So Pyrrha, I'm sure everyone must be desperate to get a celebrity like you on their team. Have you given any thoughts as who to pair up with?" the white haired heiress asked. Pyrrha thought carefully.

"Hm, maybe I was thinking about maybe playing the cards to see where they lead me," she answered. Weiss was too busy caught up in her own little world, and didn't notice Jaune come right in front of her face. Cardin went out to call a warning to the heiress, but it was too late.

"You what else is magnificent? Me, Jaune. Hello, nice to meet you. So, is anyone else excited about teams? I was thinking that maybe you and I could possibly work together. What do you say?" he proposed. Weiss had been steadily backing away, and Cardin didn't blame her. Pyrrha piped up.

"Actually I heard that teams are consisted of four people." Jaune spun around, and was on her next.

"Ah, I see you want to join the winning team too, huh? And who might you be?" Weiss got in front of him.

"Do you even know who you're talking too!?" Weiss shrieked. "This is Pyrrha, the current champion of the Sanctum tournament 4 times in a row. A current record I might add." Jaune continued to not look interested.

"Never heard of her," he stated plainly. Weiss started throwing her arms in the air, shouting, "She's on the box of half the cereals in Vale!" Upon hearing this, Jaune gasped, "THAT'S you!? Oh my God, I love those!" Pyrrha nodded a bit shyly.

"Yeah, sadly the cereal was never really all that good for you." Weiss faced Jaune again.

"So, do you really think you have what it takes to be asking HER to be on your team?" she asked. Jaune's confidence visibly fell, and he slumped his shoulders, murmuring, "I guess not. Sorry for asking." Cardin came out and put his hand reassuringly on the knight's shoulders.

"Nah Jaune, I think you could be a great leader. I mean, look at your family history. All of your family has been great leaders at Beacon," he tried to reassure. Jaune perked up a bit, "You really think so?" Cardin smiled.

"Yes Jaune, I really mean it." Pyrrha nodded as well, "Jaune, you do have what it takes. Leadership is in your blood." Jaune started to swoon a bit at the redhead.

"Oh stop with the flattery," he said happily. Weiss snorted angrily.

"Yes, please do stop." Jaune whirled around to face the heiress.

"Well, since team Jaune is off to a great start, maybe you can join too, Snow Angel. What do you say?" he asked, leaning in front of her. Weiss backed up again.

"That's a bit too close. Pyrrha, a little help?" she asked. Before Cardin knew what was going on, Pyrrha threw her Milos at Jaune, sticking him in the wall, pinned by his hood.

"I'm sorry!" she called out. Weiss grabbed her hand and walked past Jaune, who was trying to get himself unstuck. Cardin lent him a hand and took the javelin out of the wall, freeing the knight. He handed it back to its rightful owner, who gave him a mistrusting look.

'Seriously? I just helped a bro out, and you still think I'm going to abuse him,' he thought irritably.

"It was nice to meet you!" Pyrrha called back to Jaune. The knight slumped down, defeated.

"Likewise," he muttered. Cardin helped him up. Yang and Ruby came over to see what happened.

"Having a little bit of trouble there, lady-killer?" Yang asked with a smirk.

"My dad says all women look for is confidence. Where did I go wrong?" Jaune asked sadly. Cardin shook his head.

"Sorry man, but I doubt 'Snow Angel' was the best way to go with it. As far as I know, calling girls names doesn't help form a relationship with them at all. Still, you shouldn't lose confidence in yourself because the heiress rejected you. I'm pretty sure she rejects every guy," Cardin tried to assure. Jaune thought about it a bit before nodding.

"Anyway, I still have to find my gear. I don't know what locker it is," Jaune said.

"Want any help?" Cardin offered.

"Yes, please," Jaune said in relief. Cardin took the sheet from Jaune.

"It says your stuff's in locker 273," he said in puzzlement.

"The thing is, I don't remember having a number that high," Jaune pointed out.

"Hm, this is a bit strange. The last time I saw them you had them in your arms, and you were going to your locker. Since then, I haven't seen them. Maybe someone stole them again?" Cardin suggested. The color drained from Jaune's pale face.

"I hope not. Those were family heirlooms used by my grandfather." Okay, now it was serious. Cardin knew only too well how much people cherish their heirlooms, and he would make sure the knight got them back. He found locker 273, and was shocked to see it was empty, only a note inside. Jaune picked it up and read aloud.

"Loser, the real location is in locker 75. Signed: POWR," he read. Cardin's temper raised again, as the group of bullies still didn't get the memo to not mess with the blonde. Cardin walked over to the locker, opened it, and Jaune's weapons were in there, unharmed. Jaune put the shield/sheath on his belt, and sighed in relief.

"At least there isn't any damage on them," he said. Cardin was still furious.

'Those weak, sniveling little cowards. I'll make sure they pay for what they've done,' he thought angrily. What did Jaune do that POWR would hate and torment him so much? Then he realized it. It was because Jaune didn't go to Sanctum or Signal to get accepted into Beacon. Instead, he found fake transcripts and got in illegally. Cardin knew that from it being his past life, but he didn't want to make Jaune say anything yet. He would wait until the knight was ready.

This time around, he wouldn't bully Jaune and blackmail him to doing his work for him.

This time, he would not make Velvet's life a living hell.

"Hey, Cardin. Remnant to Cardin." Cardin blinked to see Jaune waving his hand in front of his face. He shook his head quickly, trying to clear his mind.

"Sorry, did I space out at all?" he asked. Jaune chuckled a bit.

"Cardin, it looked like your mind went to another universe while your body stayed here at Beacon." Cardin laughed too. He looked at his newly issued scroll to check the time.

"Dammit, we got less than ten minutes. Come on, let's go!" Cardin jumped up, bringing Jaune along with him. They barely made it to the Beacon Cliffs, where Professor Ozpin and Professor Goodwitch were waiting.

"You know, for a guy of your size, you can run pretty fast," Jaune panted. Cardin smirked.

"That's just one of the few surprising traits I possess, Jaune." They noticed the other first year students were waiting on platforms in the ground, Adam, Sky, and Velvet among them. Seeing the only two free platforms were one by them and another at the end, Cardin shook Jaune's hand in farewell.

"I'll see you later Jaune. I gotta go, as that's the last spot open." Jaune nodded and left too. Once Cardin got on his platform, he went into a stance, but he forgot about the speech Ozpin says before launching them into the forest.

"Now, it has come to my attention that several rumors circling around the assignment of teams is being spread. I'm going to squash those rumors now. You will all be given teams, today," Ozpin started off, pausing to let his words sink in to the students' minds. Cardin saw Ruby acting a bit nervously. Ozpin continued on.

"You will be sent into the forest, using your own landing strategy, and the first person you make eye contact with will be your partner the entirety of your time at this school, so it is in your best interest that you be paired with someone you can work with. Your objective is to reach the far side of this forest, where there is a ruin containing relics. Grab them, and come back here. You will face opposition along the way. Do not hesitate to destroy anything in your path, or you will die," Ozpin informed. Cardin noticed it was Jaune who looked squeamish.

"Now, are there any questions?" Ozpin asked. Jaune put his hand up, "Um, sir…"

"Good. Now, be on your way," Ozpin said, not paying the knight any attention. The first person, Pyrrha, was launched in the air.

"Um, I have a question," Jaune said nervously.

"What is it?" Ozpin asked. Ren was launched in the air, his Jade Dragons in his hands.

"So, this landing strategy thing, um, what is it exactly?" Jaune asked. Nora, Russell, and Blake were sent into the air. Cardin saw Yang wink at Ruby and put her sunglasses on. Adam laughed as he was sent up and away, along with Sky.

"Simple: We launch you into the forest, and you have to land without dying," Ozpin answered.

"Right! Are we getting parachutes at all?" Jaune asked again. Ozpin shook his head, and Yang and Ruby were launched together.

"No, you will be landing using your own strategy." Finally, Jaune was sent skyward, and the knight sure as hell wasn't ready for it at all. Cardin at least knew what to expect, and had the time to brace before he got launched into the air.

He soared into the sky, and he looked back to see Ozpin sipping a cup of coffee with a thoughtful expression on his face. Cardin turned his attention back to himself.

'Well, time to see who I'll be paired up with.'

A/N: I'll admit, I'm pretty sure this chapter is a bit shorter than the other two so far. Sorry about that. Next up, Cardin gets his partner, and it's not who he suspects. Until next time! Review?

RWBYxFluorite