One Week Later

We see Cardin Winchester with his mace perched on his shoulder and Jaune Arc opposite him with Crocea Mors drawn, leaning on his weapon as if exhausted, in the spotlight shining on the Beacon Academy auditorium stage.

He looks at Cardin, who laughs at his opponent's tiredness, and Jaune gathers his strength to charge forward and swing his blade at Cardin, only for him to jump out of the way. Jaune looks back, surprised, as Cardin's mace sends Jaune's shield - and himself - flying back. Now only armed with his sword, Jaune continued to try and attack, but is blocked by the mace's hilt. Their weapons locked, Cardin forces himself up, towering over a struggling Jaune.

Cardin: "This is the part where you lose."

Jaune: "Over my dead-!"

Jaune is cut short as Cardin knees him in the gut, making Jaune drop his sword and fall to the ground in pain. Cardin raises his mace and is about to slam it down on a worried Jaune just when the buzzer rings, the lights come back on, and Glynda's voice causes him to stop.

Glynda: "Cardin, that's enough!" (he relents and walks away as she comes onto the stage, tapping her tablet) "Students, as you can see, Mr. Arc's Aura has now dropped into the red. 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 Jaune still lays on the floor in defeat and Pyrrha looks sad, Glynda turns her head to look at the losing warrior as he pulls out a smaller tablet with his low, blinking stats and that of his entire team) "Mr. Arc, it's been weeks now. Please try to refer to your Scroll during combat. 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, would we?"

Cardin: "Speak for yourself..."

Glynda: (to the seated and standing) "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! Those who choose to compete in the combat tournament will be representing all of Vale! Now would Blake Belladonna please come up, your opponent will be arriving sho-(Knock, Knock) there he is.

In walks Bruce in a different pair of clothes. He is wearing an all-black leather jacket and pants. He shirt has a zipper that seems to wrap around his chest, buy is open hear his neck. His elbows and knee's have metal plating on them. ( AN: Imagine the flight suit from star wars: The force unleashed two, but without signs of the Empire.) He walks to the stage on Glynda's left as Blake goes to the right. The rest of team is sitting down, not knowing who to vote for, Ruby on the other hand…

Ruby: 'Oh God, Oh God, Oh God! Pleease don't notice! I haven't had enough time to finish!' (She begins to lower herselfin her chair.)

Yang: "Hey sis' , are you okay?" (Noticing this.)

Ruby: "Noooooo."

Glynda: " Are both fighters ready? ( Both nod at her) BEGIN!

As Glynda jumps off the stage, they jump away from each other. Blake takes Gambol Shroud off of her back and duel wields it. Bruce lowers into a stance ( . ) And activates his gauntlets.

CLiCK…

Bruce: 'Huh, lets try that again.'

CLICK…

Blake: (Smirking) "Is everything okay?"

Bruce: "Yeah, hold on."

CLICK…

He drops the stance completely and starts to tap his gauntlets. The hologram screen comes up and says one word…

Empty

Blake begins to giggle with the rest of the laughing class, while Ruby only goes further into her seat.

Blake: (Still giggling) "You came to a fight without your weapons?

Bruce: "I don't know where they are. I always have them in." (Blushing from embarrassment)

Blake: (Her smile only grows, seeing his face) "Are you sure?" (Smugly)

Bruce: "I only take them out when I have to clean them once a month. Wait…"

He begins to ponder when he has used them and turns slowly towards the team, specifically Ruby, who covers herself in her hood.

Bruce: "Ruby.. (She looks up slightly) Did we ever separate Peaceful Flower after the Initiation?"

Ruby is on the floor by now. She taps Yang's leg and motions her to come closer.

Yang: " Mmhmmm….Mhmm…. She says it is in her locker. She is sending you the code now. (she is called back down as Bruce's phone rings) She also asks if you want to go on a-OWW-I mean to go to the workshop on Thursday?"

Bruce: "Yeah, I have no problem meeting up. But I might have to leave early for 'Work'."

Before he can leave the classroom, Glynda stops him.

Glynda: "Mr. Wayne, leaving will not be necessary. I have already called her locker to arrive her.

As she says this, a hole on the stage floor appears and her locker raises from it. He walks to it and uses the code. He sets it on the ground and begins to dis-assemble them.

Glynda: "That will not be necessary, Mr. Wayne. (He looks up at her.) You shall be fighting with 'Peaceful Flower', as you put it.

Bruce look at Blake before turning back to Glynda and asking "Are you sure?" Glynda gains a smug smile on her face and replies.

Glynda: "Surely Ozpin's hand chosen Star Student can handle a little challenge? Or perhaps he was wrong about you?"

Bruce puts the pieces that he took off back on and jumps back, clocking the gun, in a different stance ( . /revision/latest?cb=20091004000527)

Bruce: "Ready!"

Glynda: "Don't you require more ammunition?"

Bruce: "Nope, Ready!"

Glynda: "BEGIN!"

Bruce and Blake begin to circle around each other slowly until they completely switch spots. Bruce then points the barrel behind him and shoots of in a red and black blur. (AN: He will keep the cape on always.) and clashes with Blake in a battle of strength. He easily forces her to step back. He begins to spin PF in his hands. Blake charges at him while he does this and starts a combo of slashes at him. He block each on as she begins to use her semblance and launches off of each clone, hoping to catch him off guard. He shocks everyone as he blocks these attack as well. Deciding to go on the offensive, He trips her and waits she recovers, then uses three bullets to shoot himself towards her. She bounces off of a clone, but he shoots towards her again. She vaults over him but is hit with the blunt side of the scythe, sending her flying. Mid-air she turns her weapon into its gun mode and fires at him. He begins to dodge each bullet, seeming to leave an after image of himself in his place. While distracted, Blake charges at him and tackles him, pinning him to the ground with her blade at his neck.

Blake: (Breathing heavily) "I….Win."

Bruce: "Guess again."

Blake, finally regaining felling in her body feels something poking her stomach. She looks down to see the barrel pointing at her.

Glynda: "It would appear that this match is a tie. Remember to keep practicing and have some teamwork as well. Class dismissed!"

The bell rings, and students start leaving while Jaune sits in his chair looking depressed as Pyrrha looks at him and frowns sadly.

Lunch

Nora: "So! There we were, in the middle of the night..."

Ren (rolling his eyes): "It was day."

Nora: "We were surrounded by Ursai..."

Ren: (holding a coffee cup) "They were Beowolves."

Nora: "Dozens of them!" (she screams this as she stands at the table)

Ren: "Two of 'em."

Nora: (while Ruby and Pyrrha now look at a distant Jaune with concern) "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!"

Ren: (sighs) "She's been having this recurring dream for nearly a month now."

Pyrrha: (looking at her leader) "Jaune? Are you okay?"

Jaune: (snapping out of it, turning back toward them) "Huh? Oh, yeah! Why?"

Ruby: "It's just that you seem a little... not okay..."

Jaune: (as the others stop their distractions and stare at him) "Guys, I'm fine. Seriously! Look!" (he holds up a thumb while laughing nervously until his attention is focused on the members of Team CRDL, standing around a girl with brown rabbit ears jutting from her hair as Cardin laughs at her and Sky Lark holds up his hands to his head in a mock interpretation of her unusual features)

Pyrrha: "Jaune, Cardin's been picking on you since the first week of school!"

Jaune: "Who? Cardin Winchester? Nah... He just likes to mess around! You know, practical jokes!"

Ruby: "He's a bully."

Jaune: (scoffs) "Oh, please! Name one time he's 'bullied' me."

Flashback

Jaune is on the way to class as Cardin is going the other way down the hall. When the two pass, Cardin knocks his arm into Jaune and makes him drop his book.

Jaune: "Ah, come on!"

Jaune and Cardin are about to pass through a doorway, but Cardin clicks on Jaune's sheath and extends it into its shield form as he's going out, causing him to run into his own defense and have it block the exit.

Jaune: (grunts in frustration as he tries to lift his shield back out) "Come on...!"

Glynda is in the locker room with several students, gesturing at the devices.

Glynda: "Each of you will be assigned one rocket-propelled locker to store your weapons and extra armor. Additionally, your locker can be sent to a custom location based on a six-digit code."

Hearing this, Cardin looks at Jaune - standing between him and the only open locker in the room - and the cliché plays itself out as Cardin quickly pushes a shocked Jaune into the small dark space and closes the door on him, pressing random buttons on the pad right after that.

Jaune: "What?! No, wait, wait! You've gotta get me out of here! Please! Don't! Don't! Don't do it!"

It's too late to protest when the locker scrunches down and launches up with a burst of blue fire coming from its base. Cardin watches as the locker slowly soars across the sky.

Jaune: (still heard from within the locker) "Ahhh, coooome oooooooon...!"

The others are totally focused on him now.

Jaune: (attempts to laugh it off) "I didn't land far from the school!"

Pyrrha: "Jaune, you know if you ever need help, you can just ask."

Nora: "Ooooh, We'll break his legs!"

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

They all looks over as the laughing grows louder, mixed in with cries of pain from the rabbit girl when one of her ears are tugged on by Cardin.

Velvet: "Ow! That hurts!" (stops struggling and grimaces as she says:) "Please, stop..."

Cardin: (continues laughing as he turns to his cronies) "I told you it was real!"

Russel Thrush: (still guffawing with his teammates) "What a freak!"

Cardin suddenly lets go as a metal rope wraps around his ankle and starts to pull him.

Cardin: (struggling against the pull) "Argh, don't just stand there, HELP ME!"

The rest of his team move towards him, but are too late as he loses his grip and is dragged across the floor. He finally stops and feels a foot slam into his chest, causing him to cough up saliva and some blood. He looks up to see Bruce putting the rest of the cable back into his gauntlet, while holding Crescent Rose. He gets off of his chest and pick him up with one arm, making him look weak in front of the entire populous. Bruce jerks him closer to him and whispers in his ear.

Bruce: "If I ever see you discriminating ever again, I… Will… Break…. YOU!"

He drops him on his butt and walks away. Cardin looks at his red cape with pure anger.

Cardin: (Running of to find the rest of his team) 'You will get yours, just you wait.'

Bruce finally reaches the table to notice them all looking at him in shook and respect, Mainly Blake and Jaune.

Bruce: (Hands ruby back her weapon) Here you go Ruby. Sorry I took so long, I had to get ready for my 'job' tonight.

Weiss: "Really? Can we come and see?" (Ruby nodding fast in agreement)

Bruce: (Shrugging) "Sure, but just watch out for Oz. He will try to train you instead."

They have a whole conversation hinting the Batcave, leaving everyone with confused faces.

That night PARKING GARAGE

Two black SUV's pull onto the top floor. A large man emerges, the Chechen. Bodyguard 2 opens the back door- three enormous Rottweiler's emerge, growling. The Chechen crouches, kissing the dogs.

Chechen: "My little princes...'

The Chechen moves to the second SUV, reaches in and drags out a skinny, wild-eyed JUNKIE by his hair.

Junkie: (babbling)"No! No get 'em off me! Off me!

The Chechen drags the Junkie towards a battered white van. The van's rear doors open, two armed thugs emerge, a third hovers in the dark interior.

Chechen: "Look! Look what your drugs did to my customers!"

?: "Buyer beware..."

The figure emerges: Scarecrow. Wearing his mask.

Scarecrow: "I told your man my compound would take you places. I never said they'd be places you wanted to go."

Chechen: "My business is repeat customers."

Scarecrow: "If you don't like what I have to offer, buy from someone else. Assuming Batman left anyone else to buy from."

The Chechen frowns as the dogs start barking.

Bodyguard: (nervous) "He's here."

Chechen: "MY DOGS ARE HUNGRY! (He notices a Batman shaped figure standing in the darkness) "Pity there's only one of you..."

A Bodyguard to the side disappears with a scream, and a second bat-shaped shadow appears. The Chechen looks taken aback. Three more bat-shaped shadows appear... even the dogs stop growling.

BOOM! A hole appears in the SUV next to the Chechen. The first bat-shadow steps into the light carrying a shotgun. Chaos as men scatter and the rooftop erupts in GUNFIRE. The Chechen turns as he hears one of his men scream.

Chechen: "Loose the dogs!"

A Bodyguard releases the dogs- they race, salivating, into the darkness...The Dogs race towards a Bat-Shadow- the first dog leaps, gets its jaws around the Bat-Shadow's throat...

Scarecrow ducks behind the van- holes punched in the side by shotgun blasts right behind him. He starts to climb into the driver's seat- The muzzle of a shotgun is pressed to the back of his head. A bat-shadow is behind him- he sprays him with fear toxin. The bat-shadow collapses to the ground, screaming. The Chechen, cowering from gunfire, looks down at him.

Scarecrow: "Not the real thing."

Chechen: "How you know?"

Scarecrow: "We're old friends."

A huge black shape SLAMS down onto a row of parked cars. The Tumbler.

Scarecrow: "That's more like it."

The Chechen's men blast away at the front of the car: the bullets spark off its monstrous surface harmlessly...The cockpit is empty. One of the screens reads "LOITER". The shooting stops. The screen switches to "INTIMIDATE". The men stare at the Batmobile for a quiet moment... BOOM! The Batmobile cannons blast cars all around the men. A bat-shadow lines up his shotgun on a running Bodyguard. CLUNK- a black gauntlet grasps the barrel and bends it upwards with a howl of tortured steel. The bat-shadow looks into the face of the Batman. The REAL BATMAN. The Bat-shadow stumbles backwards in terror, leaving the bent shotgun in Batman's hand. Batman opens his hand, revealing a PNEUMATIC MANGLE hidden in his palm. Batman bears down on the dogs mauling another bat-shadow. Draws his grappling gun and shoots his grapple into the fake Batman's leg and RIPS him from the dogs, one dog hanging on. As Batman pulls the unconscious man away... the Chechen runs down the ramp towards the exit.. As Batman kicks the dog off the fake Batman, the Chechen gets into his SUV- another dog lock its jaws around Batman's forearm, ripping, tearing- Batman swings the dog onto its head, smashing it against the ground- its jaws open. Batman rises, an engine races behind him- he can't turn in time- BLAM- he's slammed sideways by the speeding van. Scarecrow, driving, nods at him and hits the gas. Batman raises his hand, revealing his jointed mangle and pistons. The mangle straitens and rotates from his palm to the knife edge of his opened hand. Batman chops straight through the windshield, pulls his hand out and chops again. The mangle gets stuck as Scarecrow steers towards a column. Batman can't free himself- he turns a dial on his forearm piston. Explosive bolts blow, freeing his gauntlet from the mangle. He rolls free of the van as it scrapes the column and barrels down the circular exit ramp. Batman rises. A phony batman lying on the ground watches as Batman climbs up to the edge of the ten-story corkscrew ramp and stands there, waiting for something. After a moment he jumps... and falls... ten stories... He's about to hit the exit ramp as the van appears, his cape pops open. He slams into the roof, crushing the van.

The Chechen's men are lined up against the wall, bound with zip-ties. So are the fake batmen. Batman throws Scarecrow next to the three "Batmen", RIPS his mask off.

Fake Batman: "We're trying to help you!"

Batman: "I don't need help."

Scarecrow: "Not my diagnosis. Can't save this city alone, kid."

Batman silences Scarecrow with his boot. Turns to "Batman"

Batman: "Don't let me find you out here again."

Batman moves towards the Tumbler. He touches a piece on his gauntlet starting its engine.

Fake Batman: "You need us! There's only one of you-its war out here!" (Batman gets into the Batmobile.) "What gives you the right?! What's the difference between you and me?!"

Batman: (As the Canopy hisses shut.) I'm not wearing hockey pads.

The "Batman" looks down at his makeshift costume as the Batmobile roars past.

Thirty minutes later

Batman launches up to the top floor of the Batcave after coming in. He takes off his cowl and looks at his arm. Clicking his teeth he looks for Ozpin, but can't find him. He thinks about where he could be.

Bruce: (Hearing a sound in the distance) "OH, NO!"

He uses his speed semblance to rush towards the sound. When he reforms again, he see ruby and Weiss fighting helplessly against training robots with Ozpin sitting to the side. He jumps in and starts to take out the robots. When he finishes, Ruby and Weiss latch on to him, crying.

Ruby & Weiss: "THANK YOUUU!

He looks towards where Ozpin was previously standing, only to find that he is no longer there

Bruce: (Sigh)

The next day

Pyrrha is looking out the window sadly as Ren loads StormFlower and Nora is jumping on her bed in the room for Team JNPR.

Nora: "How come Jaune gets home so late?"

Ren: "He's become rather scarce since he started fraternizing with Cardin."

Nora: "That's weird... Doesn't he know we have a field trip tomorrow? We need our rest!" (she proclaims this while twirling in midair so her back hits the covers)

Pyrrha: (angrily) "I'm sure our leader knows exactly what he's doing."

Nora and Ren exchange glances, not knowing that Jaune himself is looking in through the crack of the door.

Nora: "Mmmm... I guess so."

Jaune hangs his head and closes the door, just as a voice interrupts his thoughts.

Ruby: "Hey, Jaune!" (startled, Jaune turns around to see her in her pajamas coming from Bruce's room. She giggles at his reaction) "Long time, no see! Did you lock yourself out again?"

Jaune: "Oh, uh, nope!" (raises his scroll, attempting to laugh) "Got it!"

Ruby: "So! Where have you been lately?"

Jaune: "I, uh..." (He sighs and lowers his head) "I messed up. I did something I shouldn't have, and now Cardin has me on a leash, and Pyrrha won't even talk to me, and..." (breathes heavily) "I'm starting to think coming to this school was a bad idea. I'm a failure."

Ruby: "Nope!"

Jaune: (looking at her in surprise) "'Nope?'"

Ruby: "Nope! You're a leader now, Jaune. You're not allowed to be a failure."

Jaune: "But... what if I'm a failure at being a leader?"

Ruby: (thinks about it for a moment, then gives her answer) "Nope!"

Jaune: (laughs as she joins him on the floor) "You know, you're not the easiest person to talk to about this kind of stuff."

Ruby: "Nope! Jaune, maybe you were a failure when you were a kid..." (Jaune groans and sinks lower to the ground) "... and you might've even been a failure the first day we met!" (he groans and goes lower still) "But, you can't be one now. You know why?"

Jaune: "Uhhh, because...?"

Ruby: "Because it's not just about you anymore. You've got a team now, Jaune. We both do! And if we fail, then we'll just be bringing them down with us." (she gets up and places her hands on her hips as she speaks) "We have to put our teammates first, and ourselves second. Your team deserves a great leader, Jaune. And I think that can be you." (she walks over to her door and opens it as Jaune, now slightly inspired by her words, watches her wave) "Have a good night, Jaune!" (she goes inside)

With new energy, Jaune pushes himself off the ground and faces the door, ready to turn the knob and face his team, but his scroll beeps and he pulls it off of his side to open it, seeing Cardin's contact relaying a message.

Cardin (on-Scroll): "Hey! It's your buddy Cardin! I know you're probably busy with that Dust project I gave you, buuuut I'm gonna need you to go out and get me a bag of Rapier Wasps." (as Jaune makes a terrified sound in response) "And make sure they've got some really big stingers! It's important, so don't screw this up!"

Jaune closes his scroll just when it begins to beep again. Sighing, he wearily heads down the hallway and away from his room. As he is walking, he hears a voice talk to him.

?: "Are you happy with your decision?"

Jaune looks to behind him to see no one. He turns back around to see the Batman, The ACTUAL BATMAN, talking to HIM. (Fear suit)

Batman: "You fake your way into a high skill academy with no prior experience or training, Managed to become a team leader after showing leadership, and because some punk knows one secret, you think about giving up?"

Jaune thinks for a second before realizing that he did those thinks, but it only makes him feel worst.

Jaune: "You don't understand! What I did will get me in major trouble if anyone finds out! Cardin will te.."

Batman: "If I found out about this, what makes you think that the headmaster hasn't?" (Jaune then looks horrified, then a small smile appears on his face) "I hunt people who wish they can have the skills that you can have, only if you work with friends, not slaving around for someone else."

He walks up to Jaune and hands him a canister.

Batman: "Here, this will mask your presence from the Rapiers." (He walks out of Jaune's vision)

Jaune: "Y'know, I've heard things about you. Most people don't even think you are real."

Batman: "I'm real when it's useful."

Jaune turns around as fast as can to see nothing there.

Jaune: 'So Awesome.'

An overhead shot of a forest bustling with red leaves and gray trunks is seen as the camera descends and shows Glynda leading teams RWBY, JNPR, Bruce and CRDL through the area.

Glynda: (to the group) "Yes, students, the forest of Forever Fall is indeed beautiful. But we are not here to sight-see. Professor Peach has asked all of you to collect samples from the trees deep inside this forest, and I'm here to make sure none of you die while doing so."

The group stops, and Jaune, grunting and carrying a large case with six empty glass jars on top, tries to catch up with them and ends up bumping into Cardin. The bully scowls at Jaune, who attempts to feign innocence by whistling tunelessly.

Glynda: (still instructing her group, holding up a full jar of their objective) "Each of you is to gather one jar's worth of red sap. However, this forest is full of the creatures of Grimm, so be sure to stay by your teammates. We will rendezvous back here by 4 o'clock. Have fun!"

While Team RWBY and Bruce smile at one another, Jaune attempts to sneak away from Cardin to his team, but the blackmailer sees this and grabs Jaune by the back.

Cardin: "Come on, buddy - let's go!"

Jaune miserably looks up at his team, where Nora and Ren are already walking into the forest's depths and Pyrrha is staring sadly at the scene. Dropping his gaze, Jaune turns and follows CRDL, to the disappointment of a sighing Pyrrha before she continues on.

Team CRDL is making themselves as comfortable as possible by leaning on stones, trees, and the ground while Jaune returns to the group with six full jars, setting them down just as he collapses face-down. The surrounding team gets up in response.

Cardin: "Hey, great work, Jauney boy! Now that wasn't too hard, was it?"

Jaune: (still on the ground, cross-eyed and sounding dizzy) "I think I'm allergic to this stuff..."

Cardin: "Greeeeat, great, great. So, Jaune, I bet you're asking yourself, 'Why did my buddy Cardin ask me to collect six jars of tree sap when there's only five of us?'"

Jaune: (nodding, still exhausted) "That is one of the many questions I have asked myself today, yes."

Cardin: (as Jaune sits up) "Well, come with me, and you'll find out."

Jaune moans and gulps in worry.

Now perched on a hilltop overlooking the other students, team CRDL - plus Jaune, squeezed between Cardin and Russel Thrush - peak their heads over the crest and watch as everyone is retrieving their samples of sap.

Jaune: (turning to his left) "Cardin, wh-what's going on?"

Cardin: (still staring at the unsuspecting group sharply) "Payback."

Jaune: (widens his eyes in understanding) "Pyrrha and Bruce?" (watches him gather more sap from a tree, then jumps down to give the jar to a still sad Pyrrha) "Wh-what are you-?"

Cardin: (pounds his fist on the ground) "That's the girl. Red-haired know-it-all, thinks she's so smart. And that kid thinks he is so tough and scary. Alright, boys..." (pulls out a buzzing cardboard box with a large "W" written on its sides) "Last night, old Jaune here managed to round up an entire box of Rapier Wasps, and now, we're gonna put him to work."

Russel grabs Jaune by the shoulder, who barely laughs in nervousness.

Cardin: "Now, according to one of the essays you wrote for me last week, these nasty things loooove sweets." (Pyrrha is seen with Bruce walking back to the rest of the students.) "I'm thinking it's time we teach them a thing or two."

The members of CRDL get up. Cardin offers his hand to Jaune, only to painfully yank him up on his feet and shove the jar into his grasp.

Cardin: "And you're gonna do it."

Jaune: "Do what?"

Cardin: "Hit them with the sap!" (leans in close to Jaune's face) "Either that, or I'll have a chat with Goodwitch, and you'll be on the first airship out of Beacon."

Jaune looks down at the jar of sap in his hands and then up at the four grinning teammates waiting to see what happens. Jaune turns towards the group and aims his throw at an oblivious and smiling Pyrrha and a pained Bruce, trying to steel his nerves and shaking hand to do the deed, but ultimately steels himself for what he's about to do.

Jaune: "No."

Cardin: "What did you say?"

Jaune: (gripping the jar tightly) "I said... NO!"

He turns and throws the jar at Cardin, instantly recoiling his hands to himself as he looks at Cardin's breastplate covered in sap. The other team leader, however, just looks at himself and laughs darkly.

Cardin: "Oh, you've done it now..."

Jaune humorously laughs to himself once more with his hands still raised in an attempt for defense as Dove Bronzewing and Sky Lark grab Jaune's shoulders and push him into Cardin, who punches him down.

Cardin: "You know that wasn't very smart, Jauney boy." (picks up a bruised Jaune again while the rest of Team CRDL watches) "I'm gonna make sure they send you back to mommy in teeny tiny pieces."

Jaune: (head hanging back) "I don't care what you do to me..." (looks at Cardin with fury) "... but you are not messing with my friends!"

Cardin: (looking momentarily shocked) "What? You think talk like that makes you tough? You think you're a big strong man now?"

Jaune smiles in defiance. An enraged Cardin roars and raises his fist again, but just as the hit connects, a bright light shines from Jaune, and when the white fades, Cardin is crying out in pain as he holds his hand. Jaune, now back on the ground but completely healed, looks confusedly at his hands as they faintly glow white. While he stares, though, Sky Lark kicks Jaune in the back and gets him on his stomach, but he looks up and glares at the approaching Cardin.

Cardin: "Let's see how much of a man you really are..."

Just as he says this, a low growl is heard, and a surprised Team CRDL turns around and sees a large paw crash onto the scene, belonging to a huge Ursa Major with dozens of jagged spikes sticking out from its wide back. It leaps forward and stands over the terrified students, lifting its head in the air to smell the sap on Cardin's breastplate. It lands back on its forelegs and roars at Cardin while his teammates heroically flee.

Russel: "That's a big Ursa!"

Cardin is rooted to the spot when the Grimm swings its claws and knocks him sideways, revealing Jaune cowering behind him. The Ursa continues to sniff, uninterested in Jaune and following its nose to Cardin. It looks towards a tree, but ignores whatever is there. He watches at it towers over Cardin, who gets his wits and pulls out his mace, only for the monster to swipe it away to Jaune's feet. He looks conflicted, wondering whether to fight or run away.

Meanwhile, the roar of the giant Ursa is heard by the members of Teams RWBY and JNPR, still collecting sap on the other side of the forest.

Ruby: (getting up, concerned) "Did you guys hear that?"

Suddenly, the remaining members of Team CRDL are seen running the other way from the roar through the other students.

Russel: (looking back) "Ursa! Ursa!" (he runs into Yang accidentally)

Yang: "What?!" (completely unfazed by his collision, she picks him up by the front of his shirt) "Where?"

Russel: (struggling and still running in air, but points back from where they came) "Back there! It's got Cardin!"

Pyrrha: (dropping her jar of sap) "Jaune!"

Ruby: (going into leader mode) "Yang! You and Blake, go get Professor Goodwitch!" (dropping Russel, Yang and Blake nod before following the orders)

Pyrrha: (to Ren and Nora as she and Ruby activate their weapons) "You two, go with them! There could be more!"

Cardin is attempting to run from the following Ursa, but it leaps over its prey and claws him away. He tries to get up and crawl away.

Cardin: "Crap! Crap, crap!"

Pyrrha: (she, Ruby, and Weiss come on to the scene) "Oh, no!"

They watch as the Ursa leans over the helpless victim, raising its paw and swiping it down... only to be blocked by Jaune's shield, Crocea Mors. He struggles to defend a stunned Cardin from its attempts to lean on him, but Weiss lifts Myrtenaster as she prepares to go help.

Pyrrha: (to Weiss) "Wait!"

Jaune takes the shield out from the Ursa's paw and slashes at its stomach, causing it to lash out and try to crush him. He rolls out of the way and jumps over its swipe at his feet, but he is unprepared for when it launches a claw at him in midair. He lands far away, yet is immediately back on his feet and passing Cardin as he charges again. The Ursa knocks Jaune behind it when he tries for a leaping attack, and he looks at the scroll in his shield to find out that his Aura level is in the red. He grows angry again and starts to run at the Ursa as it also begins to dash towards him.

As they are just about to clash in slow-motion, Pyrrha sees that Jaune has left himself completely open to the Ursa's attack, and lifts her hand out to him, gathering dark red energy in her arm. Just as the Ursa is about to hit him, the glow surrounds Jaune's shield and makes it lift up to block the swipe. Jaune uses the surprise defensive move to lean on the ground, push his shield back up, and swing his blade right into the Ursa's neck. Jaune struggles to remove it, luckily a red caped savior comes in and finishes the cut.

Bruce: "Well done, Jaune!" (Smiling)

Jaune: "BRUCE! When did you get here?"

Bruce: "Did you notice the Ursa look up into a tree? It was looking at me."

Jaune: "Why didn't yo-"

Bruce: "I am still hurt Jaune, I would have gotten in your way."

Ruby: (as Pyrrha's hand stops glowing and she smiles) "Uhhh... What?"

Weiss: (equally amazed) "How did you...?"

Pyrrha: "Well, Ruby has her speed, you have your glyphs. My Semblance is polarity."

Ruby: "Whoa, you can control poles..."

Weiss: "No, you dunce! It means she has control over magnetism!"

Ruby: (still impressed, whispering) "Magnets are cool, too..."

Weiss: (noticing Pyrrha start to leave) "Wait, where are you going?"

Ruby: "Yeah! We gotta tell them what happened!"

Bruce: "Or, you can keep it a secret."(Walking past them)

Pyrrha: "Maybe we could" (walks away again as Ruby and Weiss smile to each other in understanding and a bruised Jaune sheathes his weapon before going over to Cardin)

Cardin, still covered in sap, looks up at Jaune as his savior offers a hand. Cardin smiles as he takes it and is lifted back up on his feet.

Cardin: "Holy crap, Jaune!"

Jaune: (threateningly) "Don't ever mess with my team - my friends - ever again." (as Jaune stares Cardin dead in the eye) "Got it?"

Cardin looks intimidated, possibly even apologetic. With his order spoken, Jaune turns and walks away from a frozen Cardin.

Later that night, on top of the dorm building, a uniformed Jaune stands on the edge and looks into the distance at the green lights of Beacon.

Pyrrha: "No Cardin tonight?" (walks to his side) "I thought you two were best buds?"

Jaune: (turning to her) "Pyrrha... I'm sorry. I was a jerk! You were only trying to be nice, and... I had all this stupid macho stuff in my head-"

Pyrrha: "Jaune! It's okay!" (as they smile at one another, she adds:) "Your team really misses their leader, you know." (she begins to walk to the exit) "You should come down! Ren made pancakes! No syrup, though - you can thank Nora for that!"

Jaune: (smiles, but holds out his hand and calls out:) "Wait!" (Pyrrha turns around, and Jaune looks sheepish) "I know I don't deserve it after all that happened, but... would you still be willing to help me... to help me become a better fighter?"

Pyrrha turns around so a worried Jaune won't see her satisfied smile. She goes up to Jaune and suddenly pushes her leader to the ground.

Jaune: (whining) "Hey!"

Pyrrha: (standing over him with her arms on her hips and an evaluating tone) "Your stance is all wrong. You need to be wider and lower to the ground." (she offers him her hand, which he graciously accepts. She suddenly pulls him into a hug) "Good to have you back, leader."

Jaune: (returning the hug) "Good to be back."

As they hug, Jaune looks up and is shocked. On the highest roof of the school is Batman (Savior suit). His white eyes are staring at Jaune and his cape flaps behind him. Jaune makes a waving motion and the Batman responds by leaping off of the roof towards the two. Right before he hits the ground, He turns into a cluster of bat-shaped rose petals. Pyrrha is startled as they fly through the two.

Pyrrha: "Jaune, what was that?!"

Jaune: "A friend, Pyrrha. A friend."