Chapter 12 : The Knight of 'No Thank You'
Disclaimer : I do not own Kamen Rider and RWBY as they both belong to their respective owners, except for my OC(s).
This clearly wasn't a day for someone like Jaune Arc.
He was unlucky for being parred against the infamous bully, Cardin Winchester in Glynda's sparring session. The latter's raw strength was grades above the blonde knight due to him being a mace wielder. The weapon perched on Jaune's shoulder, putting him at a great disadvantage due to his lack of skill. The brute laughed at Jaune's exhaustion as the latter gathered his strength to charge towards him in response. However, Cardin dodged it away and sent Jaune flying.
Being shieldless, Jaune retaliated again with only his sword and locked in a tie with the mace's hilt.
"This is the part where you lose." Cardin growled.
"Over my dead-!"
Jaune was cut short as Cardin kneed him to the gut. He was wincing from his pain. The brute then raised his mace to finish the spar, only to be stopped by the buzzer. A very convenient save for Jaune Arc, that is.
"Cardin, that's enough!" Glynda halted as Cardin relented from the fight.
"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 off the match."
"Wonder if a Rider armor could double that bar." Kyle muttered.
"It's not a videogame, for Oum's sake. There's no such thing as Aura gauge power up. Not even with that armor of yours." Weiss stated.
"Heh, right." He shrugged.
On the other side of the auditorium, Pyrrha was saddened by her leader's loss. Not only because of the occured fact, but also that he had been a victim of Cardin's misbehaviors, lately. Even then, the knight seemed helpless and unsure of what to do about it. This was further proven by his low, blinking Aura gauge on his Scroll.
"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?"
"Speak for yourself..." Cardin retorted.
Glynda then turned to the other students who started to gleam in excitement, "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!"
Among the enthusiastic students were Yang who punched the air in anticipation, Weiss who shook her fist with an excited smile, and Ruby whose entire body was shaking and squealing softly. Vytal Festival was the best event and playground that every Huntsmen and Huntresses could ever ask for. As being told by the books, Vytal was the place were the peace treaty between kingdoms were signed and the very symbol of unity in Remnant itself. It was no wonder that this was their reaction upon hearing the said announcement.
"Vytal Festival, eh?" Kyle mumbled.
"It's also the light for us Faunuses when we're started to being treated as equals." Blake stated.
"That reminds me; back in my world, there was an archipelagic nation that housed people from many cultures, ethnics, races, and religions. It was through their unity that they could stand up against their invaders. People were being treated as an equal there. Magnificent, indeed." Kyle mentioned a particular nation of his homeworld.
"Wonder if they have those 'cat girls' that you mentioned." Blake remarked.
"Well, they're technically cat-costumed girls. Unlike here, Faunuses don't exist there."
"Now that's a let down." She retorted.
"Whatever you say."
The bell finally rang as the students started leaving the auditorium. Pyrrha was still frowning as Jaune himself was still sitting on the floor. He hung his head in both shame and disappointment of his helplessness. How could he ever become stronger if he kept being like this? He thought.
This went unnoticed by a particular doctor who watched from the sidelines. His eyes were fixated on the knight who had just fallen from his grace. He wondered if Jaune ever needed his help or not in improving his skills. The latter hadn't even called him ever since he was offered by such assistance. That feeling of failure somehow felt similar to him.
Shrugging it off for the time being, the genius surgeon went towards Kyle, who was heading for the lunch along with his friends.
"Good afternoon."
"Doctor Hiiro?" Kyle turned to the doctor.
"Hey there! How 'ya doin'?" Yang greeted.
"One of Beacon's doctor couldn't make an appointment, here. I took liberty of it so I can also see how things doing here, too." Hiiro flatly replied.
"Anything's good, except for Jaune's current bad day, here." Kyle said.
"I noticed that." Hiiro replied.
"Anyways, Vytal Festival's gonna start soon! Oooh, I'm so digging for this!" Ruby squealed.
"I could only wish you all luck, then." Hiiro smiled slightly.
"You can count on it." Blake answered.
"Speaking of which, are there any more updates on them?" Weiss asked the surgeon, to which only they knew what it was.
"I'll only need Kyle to talk this out. Please give us a moment, then." Hiiro stated.
"Eh? You're counting us out?" Yang wondered.
"I'm afraid so."
"But why?" Ruby wondered, too.
"This operation will require lesser people. You can say it's a scouting." Hiiro informed. Kyle seemed to took notice of this. It must be that covert ops that he usually knew from FPS games.
"I understand. Okay, you guys can go first. I'll catch up later." He complied.
"If you say so. Come on, guys." Blake gestured her team to walk away.
Beacon's canteen was the best provider of healthy snacks and beverages. It was crowded with its students, as always. Hence for that, it was also the best place to hangout with teams altogether. That is, unless you prefer a rather privy conversation.
As for Nora Valkyrie, she proceeded with her very own tale.
"So! There we were, in the middle of the night..."
"It was day." Ren corrected.
"We were surrounded by Ursas..."
"They were Beowolves."
"Dozens of them!"
"Just the two of 'em." Ren sighed.
Ruby and Pyrrha were the ones that seemingly willing to listen to Nora's story. The others however, were busy on their own accord. The said two girls then looked concernfully at the distant Jaune, who was playing with his food.
"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!" she joyfully remarked.
"She's been having this recurring dream for nearly a month now." Ren informed.
"Heheh, really now?" Yang giggled.
"I heard that Ursa skin rugs had an increase for its prize, two days ago. Must be the reason why." Weiss informed.
"Even if it's already that high? Makes me wonder." Ren said.
"Right? With that much of a fortune, we could buy a mansion! An island, maybe! Or... whatever you had in mind!" Nora said.
"I prefer loads of tunas for that." Blake muttered.
"Bummer." Nora pouted as gloomy auras sprouted on her back.
After a long, unpleasant gazing, Pyrrha asked her leader, "Jaune, are you okay?"
"Huh? Oh, yeah! Why?"
"It's just that you seem a little... not okay." Ruby commented.
"Guys I'm fine. Seriously, look!" he held a thumb up while laughingg nervously.
However, their focus was shifted into team CRDL, who was seen picking up a rabbit Faunus girl. They were toying with her rabbit ears just to make sure that they were real, much to her dismay. The whole team laughed at her. Kyle, who had just arrived from the conversation earlier, went to pick up his food tray.
"Jaune, Cardin's been picking up on you since the first week of the school!" Pyrrha told him.
"Who? Cardin Winchester? Nah... He just likes to mess around! You know, practical jokes!" Jaune defended.
"Practical? He's a bully, for Oum's sake!" Ruby objected.
"Oh, please! Name one time he's 'bullied' me." Jaune scoffed.
"Well, he knocked your books down. Mostly, it is." Ruby pointed out.
"He messed up with your shield an blocked your path. Disgraceful." Ren told.
"And what's more annoying, is that he locked you in your locker and sent you flying away from school! Jaune, please. How come you're not annoyed by this?" Pyrrha wondered.
"Well, I didn't land far from the school!" Jaune defended again.
"Jaune, you know if you ever need help, you can just ask." Pyrrha offered.
"Ooooh! We'll break his legs!" Nora suggested. Her diabolocal plan was presented well on her not-so-sane grin.
"Guys, really, it's fine! Besides, it's not like he's only a jerk to me; he's a jerk to everyone."
The blonde knight made a valid point, proven by team CRDL who was still toying with the girl's ears. After taking the foods to his tray, Kyle made a note that team CRDL wouldn't stop at once. He also had a vague feeling that everyone in this canteen also took notice of this harassment, but somehow they decided to sit still and do nothing. Probably because it was tiring for them or that they were afraid to be marked as the violator.
However, that wasn't what the Rider had in mind.
"Ow! That hurts! Please, stop..." she pleaded as she stopped struggling.
"I told you guys, it was real!" Cardin remarked.
"Heh, what a freak!" Russel scoffed.
Suddenly, the bully team felt their heads being poured by various foods and drinks. The Faunus girl could only watch them being ticked by a presence behind them. The first time they tried to pull a prank on this person went simple as he only glared them in response. However, this person became more and more resillient as he always managed to counter their harassment towards him in many ways, ranging from physical to indirect insult. They had no idea that they messed with a sleeping tiger.
"Oops, sorry. My hands slipped." It was Kyle who poured the foods to the team. And he had left his own food tray empty.
"You...!"
"What the-Kyle?" Ruby gawked as several other students shifted their focus towards them.
"You ought to be out of here. What's your name?" Kyle turned to the girl.
"Uumm... Ve-Velvet Scarlattina!" she introduced.
"You can join my buddies over there, if you please." He gestured to his friends' seat.
"R-right!" she complied as she rushed away.
"Now then, where were we?" tensions rose between him and the team.
"You got a bone to pick here again, dickwad?" Cardin growled.
"Actually, I'm the one who told you to pick the bone. You just don't get my message really well." Kyle spoke.
"What!?" Dove wondered.
"I believe I told you to stop harassing people for like, ages? Guys, please. I'm saying this again; try to do something else that is useful for the society and stop being a prick. Now that's another one."
"Who do you think gives a damn about that, huh? We're Huntsmen! We can do as we please." Russel remarked.
"And besides, we're just making sure if she's a real Faunus or not! We're just trying to be friends here." Cardin said.
"Yet all of them were mumbling some curse words on you. Maybe some mid-fingered greetings count, too." Kyle pointed out.
"Oh, what's that? Can't hear 'ya! Haha!" Sky mocked.
"You should've just eat your dirt with your friends over there!" Dove shouted.
"How atrocious..." Pyrrha softly scowled.
"What did you say!?" Weiss ticked.
"Now that's my point here, Cardin. You see, I've been trying to make some friends, too. So... how about I tear your ears out just to make sure they're not only for displays? I say it's the fair one." Kyle spat a venom on his remark.
"Oooh... get rekt!" Yang squealed softly.
"What-!?" Cardin ticked.
"And besides, you bozos always picking up on someone who doesn't worth your time! What are you, sissies?"
"You piece of turd!"
Cardin swung his fist right to Kyle's cheek. However, despite the sheer force he had even with his Aura intact, the Rider didn't skid an inch back from his position. he then rubbed his cheek from the dirt and remarked,
"*cough* Now-now. What did I just tell you? You punched like a sissy! Ha! I bet that's worth a laughstock for the Grimms out there."
"Wha-!?"
"And you know who else does that?"
Kyle charged his Aura up on his right fist and sent a powerful uppercut to the bully that flipped him back, much to everyone's shock. The rest of Cardin's team could only gawk as their leader was knocked away helplessly. It was thanks to his experience as a Rider that accustomed himself to Aura-charged attacks.
"Babies." He finished.
The other students could only watch with their mouths open agape. Some consider this as the greatest conflict in Beacon's history; a bully hater pitted against the bullies. There was no way that this conflict would slip away should they met under such circumstances.
"I'll give you guys two options; giving up your bullying habits honorably, or I'll put you in the world of shame. Your choice." Kyle stated.
"Damn you!" Dove barked.
"You son of a-!"
Sky was halted along with his teammates by Glynda's Semblance the soon as they tried to assault Kyle. Meanwhile, the latter just simply stood up without any intentions to fight back. He knew that Glynda would come as soon as she heard a commotion, especially if it happened in the canteen. He would never offend anyone and would never let innocents being offended by such manner.
"Looks like it's a time out." Kyle remarked.
"What in the world is going on here, gentlemen?" Glynda glaringly asked them.
"He-he punched Cardin hard!" Russel stuttered.
"They were offending a Faunus. I took action." Kyle countered.
"Who do you think you are, huh!? A Faunus sympathist!?" Cardin spat as soon as he got up.
"I'm a bully victim sympathist, thank you very much." He countered again.
"Enough! This is the second time your commotion had made a mess in this canteen. I implore you to settle this problem of yours wisely and away from anyone else. Moreover, I'm your teacher, not your janitor." Glynda said as she used her Semblance to clean the table they were in.
"So please, do not waste your food for useless rambles." she finished while fixing her glasses.
"My bad too, though." Kyle quietly muttered, reflecting on his food-pouring.
"But! Since my second session will start shortly after this, I will make the match myself. It is going to be Mr. Morgan against Mr. Winchester." Glynda announced.
"I believe it'll be the most civil way to solve this. I mean, we're Huntsmen, right? We're trained to be warriors, not jokes." Kyle pointed out as Cardin glared at his remark.
"While you do have a point here, I suggest you to refrain from your impulsive act, to be fair." Glynda ordered.
"Yes, ma'am." He complied.
"Now, back to your seats. The next session will begin in ten minutes from now. I hope you both prepared yourself." Glynda finished as she walked away.
The earlier tensions had dropped as soon as the studens went back to their seats. Kyle joined with his friends who had been accompanying Velvet on their seat. However, there was still one biggest regret that the Rider had to face himself;
"I hadn't even eat my snack, yet..." he mumbled.
"Well, that's for not thinking thoroughly on saving your food! But you did great, though." Weiss remarked.
"Man, that's totally kick-ass! I say he deserves it!" Yang punched the air in excitement.
"Cookies?" Ruby offered her snack that she stockpiled somewhat.
"Ah, thanks a lot." He accepted her food gracefully.
"You okay, Velvet?" Blake asked.
"Umm... I'm fine. It's okay, they're just pulling my rabbit ears." Velvet answered.
"But I see those bruises in your ears. I know this isn't your fist time."
"Yeah, it happens more often."
Yang sighed in displeasure, "Must be tough to be a Faunus. I mean, the history hadn't been so kind with them."
"I get that a lot. And... thank you, anyways." Velvet brushed off.
"No pressure." Kyle responded.
"Dude, you're serious 'bout this?" Jaune aked.
"Hmm?"
"You see what he did to me, right? He'll pit you down in seconds!" the knight worried.
"I've had worse." He shrugged.
"Well, he actually have a point, though. I don't think it's wise to underestimate Cardin, too. Even if I wanted to break his leg so bad!" Nora said.
"Okay-okay. I'll take that advise." Kyle complied as he looked at his Scroll. It was almost time.
Time passed by until Glynda announced the student to gather back to the auditorium. Before he went on to his way, he called out to his fellow Huntsman.
"Jaune, I don't wanna be a show off, but... if you ever want to make things right with Cardin, then watch and learn."
"Okay..." he complied broodingly.
"Hey, I may have something that you don't, but don't you ever forget that you also have things that I never had. You keep that in mind... and you're a Huntsman, already."
After he was done with the pep talk, Kyle turned to the arena that had awaited him, along wit the presence of Cardin Winchester. The latter had his mace ready, swinging it boastingly to the audience's view. The Rider could only sigh to let his pent up fear go. He then recalled his training with Tsukasa a few days prior.
Three days ago, Tsukasa's underground Rider Chamber...
"Hey, Tsukasa."
"Yup?"
"What do you think about revenge?" he asked his mentor.
"It depends." He flatly replied.
"A more thorough answer, please. Moreover, it's also regarding your past as a... you know what."
"And what will it benefit to you? You got someone you really pissed off, with?"
"Yeah. But, before I say more of my reasons, I want to hear it directly from you."
Knowing this, Tsukasa replied, "Alright, kid. As you always knew, there will always be someone who you despised so much that you want that person to just perish without any traces. Dai-Shocker was moved by this alibi to further their agenda of empire expansion."
"They always are." Kyle commented, knowing what Dai-Shocker actually is.
"There was also a story of a poor kid who was always mocked by his own peers. One day he got fed up, and went on a killing spree. At first, he focused on his targets; the ones who bullied him. He succeeded one by one until he took the last person. That changed him. He started to despise anyone who didn't agree on his way of life and terms, including his own kin. His family threw him away, and... well, It wasn't a happy ending story."
"That person was the Great Leader of Dai-Shocker. The one who induced Tsukasa as his successor." A voice said.
"Natsumi..." Kyle muttered.
"True. But he's already long gone, I assure you." Tsukasa said.
"Revenge may always satisfy you. But, it could also change you at the same time. The more you do, the more bloodlust you grow. You may get what you want, but could never accept your flaws ever again. I won't pry on it anymore, but I want you to remember on why the belt chose you." Natsumi explained.
"And that being done, what's your point on this kid?" Tsukasa asked the young Rider.
He was silent for a moment until, "You know, all the things about it was right. I used to feel the same way. why there should be any bullies if you desire peace? How come they never had a better thing to do in life other than harassing people? That kept bugging my mind."
"Then again, I already have some sort of a... mental brake that'd refrain me from doing so as I live on. Either I felt it's really wrong or I just don't wanna add more burdens to my life anymore. But, the more I think about killing people out of revenge, the lamer it become on my head."
"Wait, so what're you trying to say is that killing for revenge is lame? Now that's something new." Tsukasa mused as Natsumi raised her eyebrows in wonder.
"Yeah, you're right. There was a bully in Beacon; all-boy Huntsmen team. So that's why, I wanna learn how to get back at them without costing anyone's lifes. I wanna do that without it affecting my morality." Kyle continued.
"In short, I wanna learn how to piss bullies off." He finished.
"Aah... now I see. That way you could keep things up and personal with them! There's no need for anyone else to be involved!" Natsumi deducted.
"A troll? My-my, why couldn't you at least shorten it to like, less than a minute?" Tsukasa chuckled.
"If you ever want to piss a bully off... you gotta think like one."
It was his mutter before he finally entered the arena. His Driver and Ride Booker were set for the go. He held onto those thoughts as he stood firmly, waiting for the match to start. The Rider and the Huntsman glared at each other for their declaration of war had commenced not a long while ago.
"Hope you'll regret that!" Cardin roared.
"I already made a promise to my family and my friends; I'll regret nothing at all." Kyle stated.
Tensions rose as Glynda rose her hand. The audience also felt the same. Either it was Cardin's own tenacity or Kyle's will of not backing down, both of it weren't that distinctive at all.
"Let the match... begin!"
Both of the warriors charged at each other. Cardin took the first blow with Kyle dodging it and kicking the former's left rib. He managed to punch Cardin's face, but was countered by his mace that almost threw him out of the arena. He fell to the ground and the Huntsman used this opportunity to strike him down. However, Kyle had already prepared his next move.
KAMEN RIDE :
"Henshin!"
DECADE!
The phantoms all struck Cardin in various attack combos. He was stumbled back as he shielded himself with his mace. A phantom managed to kick his groin and broke his composure. After regaining his stand, Kyle had armored himself up as Decade.
"Jaune's stronger than you think." Decade said.
"Huh?"
The Rider took out his sword and clashed a tie against Cardin's mace. Jaune also took notice of this.
"Once you underestimate him, you'll tarnish your reputation for good."
"Shut up!"
Cardin broke the tie and swung his mace wildly. His moves became predictable for Decade, though. The Rider quickly slashed him while dodging his mace swings. He also tried to focus his slashes away from Cardin's head. A powerful slash from him sent the bully back away.
"Strength alone doesn't make you a Huntsmen. You'll only end up as a phony brute if you keep bullying people like that."
"Just shut up and fight, already!"
"I wonder where you put that tiny brain of yours, really." Decade taunted.
This had finally ticked Cardin off. He already had enough of Decade's taunts. He wanted to end the fight as soon as possible. The time was still nigh for them to continue. Cardin charged at the Rider first and landed a powerful smash right to the latter's head. Despite the immense blow, Decade was still standing firm without budging an inch, much to the Huntsman's horror. He quickly grabbed Cardin's mace, took it away from him and bashed the bully away. He then checked his remaining Aura Gauge that was surprisingly low. It seems that Cardin's mace dealt more damage than he thought.
"Once you made his heart boil, show him the horrors of your own pure rage."
It wasn't surprising at all that Tsukasa's advice sounded villain-like, and it was also thanks to him that the Kamen Riders always won over their nemesis in the end. He marched slowly towards the weakened Cardin as he activated his finisher.
FINAL ATTACK RIDE : DE-DE-DE-DECADE!
"Whoa, seriously!?" Ruby whispered in shock.
"Even if it's on Cardin's level? Are you really that angry, Kyle?" Yang muttered.
She wasn't wrong. In fact, it was more like a pent-up that he had been longing for. It was a good thing that he managed to keep his composure whenever he confronted Cardin and his cronies outside of the arena. He almost never had a chance to settle it like this. After loading Cardin's mace with enough energy, he jumped high and rose his stolen weapon. He swung it strongly once he reached the ground where Cardin was. Dusts were dispersed upon the impact.
Realizing that it hadn't fully depleted his Aura yet, Decade rapidly bashed Cardin again and again until it was fully depleted. Despite how quick its depletion was, Decade was still seen bashing him. Some of the students were either amazed by his effort to take down the most infamous bully of Beacon, or scared at how vicious he was while doing it, especially the rest of team CRDL.
"Stop!"
He was already done with it just as Glynda shouted him so. He tried to calm himself down after the whole ordeal. Decade then dropped the mace and powered down. Glynda then moved towards the middle of arena to report the evaluations of the battle.
"I must say that this is a quite remarkable display of your victory, Kyle Morgan. However, I highly doubted that such behavior would be tolerated by the mass, especially if it was at the festival. You even used Cardin's weapon for your own purpose. Most pro Huntsmen would mark it as a foul move."
"Isn't that supposed to be a necessity when we're in a pinch?" he asked.
"Not in the festival, Morgan." Glynda stated.
"Oh,well." He muttered.
"A Huntsman should display honor and grace upon fighting in the arena. We are not just mere savages who would do anything to survive, but also the symbol of Remnant's hope. For that, we must also watch for our behaviors during the Vytal Festival, as it is the symbol of Remnant's piece. This goes for the others, as well."
"You better take those words to your heart too, Cardin. You and your team had never been anything but pricks." Kyle said to him.
"Piss off." He replied in venom.
"Keh."
"And one thing for sure; no matter what your reasons, be it personal or not, you must never let it affect your sportivity. The last thing we ever wanted is that there's a mole that will disrupt our harmony. I believe that it'll be enough for today. Dismissed." She dismissed.
With that being said, the students moved away from the arena. However, Cardin was still angered and dreaded by his loss.
"This isn't over, Morgan." He spat.
"Try all you want. Either way, I win. Trust me, this world won't be big enough for the likes of you to live." Kyle remarked as he walked away from the glaring bully.
In Kyle's room, after the class sessions ended...
"That was kick-ass!" Nora squealed.
"Nora, please. We've seen enough brutalities already." Pyrrha said.
"But he already did a number on Cardin! And, uhh... well I don't care if he didn't break his legs, but still!" Nora replied.
"And I thought I already made a point on this, Kyle. Heck, you even made that foul move!" Weiss noted.
"That one's just for Cardin, I promise. After all, I just wanna make use of my trainings with Tsukasa these past days." He explained.
"Like that brutal beatdown back there?" Blake asked.
"Yeah, and I never intended to break his body. I just wanna piss him and scare him off for what he did in Beacon with his cronies; they lacked a character quality, to begin with. So, I intended to bring it upon them myself." He said.
"Now that you said it... well, I admit that all I've been hearing were just school subjects here and there. No one taught us about the qualities of being a good and behaving Huntsman." Yang pointed out.
"Oh, I think we should file this up as our complaint! I hope the teachers will consider it." Ruby suggested.
"I guess we've made a point on how qualities matter, here. It's true that we need high-quality Huntsmen as much as possible. We don't want anyone here ended up being a rogue, though." Ren noted.
"And that's why I'm proud of having you guys." Kyle sighed in relief.
"Awww..." Ruby, Yang, and Nora flustered in unison.
"Well-said, Kyle." Blake smiled softly.
"Anyways, what were you and Hiiro talking about?" Ruby asked.
"Well..."
Infirmary, A few hours ago...
"So? What do you have in mind?" Kyle asked as he sat in front of Hiiro's table.
"Recently, we have spotted another Dai-Shocker outpost thanks to our recon team. We're currently planning to infiltrate it as soon as possible." Hiiro reported.
"And?"
"Tsukasa proposed me to recruit you for the mission." He replied.
"Whoopee! So, you're coming, too?"
"Nope, but you'll be going with the other two Riders enlisted for this mission."
"May I?" Hiiro then presented Kyle the files from his Scroll.
"The first one is Taiga Hanaya, Kamen Rider Snipe. An Ex-Aidverse Rider like me. Expertised in medics and marksmanship, hence his codename. He also the first to use our world's Rider system."
"And the second one is Takatora Kureshima, Kamen Rider Zangetsu. Gaimverse Rider and a former Yggdrasil executive. Currently working at Atlas' construction company. I heard that you had already met his acquintance, before." The doctor said.
"Kouta Kazuraba, eh? Oh yeah, is there any chance he'll pass by this world again, too?" Kyle asked.
"ASAP. He said that he had to make some preparations before doing so. Just don't expect him to show up earlier." He replied.
"I see. okay, carry on."
"You should be going in, let's see... two days from now." Hiiro said after he looked through the reports on his Scroll.
"Two days? That's when the trip to Forever Fall's gonna be! Guess I'll have to miss it, then."
"Well, that's a coincidence. Are you gonna call this off, then?"
"Ah, no no no! It's fine. I'll see if I can have the permission from Professor Goodwitch. She'll be supervising our trip." Kyle said.
"That, you don't have to. Tsukasa already asked Ozpin should this request ever occur. You and your team already have full permission to do it." Hiiro assured.
"Okay, perfecto! I'll let my friends know about this." Kyle complied.
"And one more thing, don't let your grades drop just because of this matter. We'll let you consider about participating in this mission the next time it happens. Just let us know and we'll sort things out together. Understood?" Hiiro spoke to the Rider.
"Sir, yes sir." Kyle complied as he exitted the room.
"And that's why I brought you guys here." He finished.
"Well, it's too bad that you're gonna miss the fun, there." Ruby commented.
"It's not like they're forcing me, though. I Chose to." Kyle replied.
"By the way, I heard what you just said about me, too. I know it's really kind of you but ,uhh... you don't really have to do that beatdown for me, Kyle." Jaune said.
"I don't want you to end up like how I was, Jaune. You gotta man up and show it to him that you're just like what I said there." The Rider pointed out.
"Well, to be frank, I've seen you barely put up a struggle on it. I mean, you're a team leader. You should be firmer whenever you're confronting him." Weiss said.
"And please, let us help you overcome it. You're not alone here, you know." Pyrrha suggested.
The knight could only sigh in response, "Alright. I'll consider that, later."
"Believe me. Like I said, you're leagues better than him." Kyle said as Jaune nodded in response.
However, Jaune still had doubts over himself, deep down. His friends trusted him so much, yet he had another ordeal in his mind. He was still unsure whether he should share it with them or not. Even if he told it, he had a feeling that it wouldn't end well.
Ruby decided to eat her dinner outside once she knew that she had woke up late from her nap. Her teammates had already eaten their foods out while she was still sleeping. It was 7.30 pm as she cleaned herself up and dressed on her casual attire. She was wearing a pink, short-sleeved hooded jacket that covered her gray shirt. She was also wearing a black skirt and pink-white lolipop socks. Here shoes were black.
All she needed was someone to accompany her aoutside. However, her teammates were too full to walk around as they already had their snacks. Team JNPR was nowhere to found in their room, possibly because they already had dinner on the outside. And so, there was only one person she could afford to ask.
"Hey, Kyle!" she knocked his room's door.
"Coming!" he shouted as he proceeded to open the door.
"Hi, there. What up?"
"Can I, uhh... can I walk with you outside? I haven't eaten my dinner, yet." She asked.
"Oh, okay." He said.
"Really?"
"There's actually a restaurant that I'd like to go, too. It's called 'Daisy's Top Notch'. I heard that it cooks fried chickens, and its my favorite." Kyle explained.
"Alright! I'll go wherever you choose!" she squealed.
As they walked away through the corridors, Yang peeked them from the door.
"Go for it, Rubester. Make your sister proud." She cracked up silently.
"Was it really necessary for us to do this?" Weiss asked.
"Heh, youth is the best way to crave some beautiful memories as we life by. Besides, it'll also be her experience as she grow up!" Yang explained.
"Well, this is technically a matchmaking." Blake commented.
"Yeah, and the last thing we ever wanted is that it'd end up abruptly. I, for one, am not looking for boys as I fulfill my duties here as a Huntress." Weiss stated.
"Aww, c'mon. It's not like I couldn't do a... match making!" she made her pun by taking out a pack of matches and lit one of it up.
"Yang. No." Weiss deadpanned.
Blake went back to her reading of her most favorite book; 'Ninjas of Love'. As the title suggested, it was a Ninja romance story. For some reason, she didn't allow anyone else to read her book as she always put it in her disclosed book rack section ehenever she was done. After she heard about this macthmaking, she started to have thoughts as she went on reading.
"I wonder if it's one of our turn, next." She muttered.
Later...
The two had finally ordered their food and ate together. It was the most pleasant sensation of both the food's taste and the view from the upper floor they were in. They were enjoying their food until it was only their chicken's bones left on their plate.
"Say, Kyle?"
"Yeah?"
"About Jaune... isn't there really anything we can do for him?" Ruby wondered.
"To be frank, what a did back in Ms. Goodwitch's class session was the best thing I could afford. We can always defend people who were harassed by him, but they're still the ones who must stand up for themselves should this thing happen again." Kyle said.
"But still, I had a feeling that there's something... off about this." Ruby lamented.
"Well, I'm not the one who's prying deeper into one's personal space. We'll be needing Jaune to tell it himself if that's what we're gonna do." He said.
"You know, most kids back in Signal were well-behaved. My Uncle Qrow's teachings were strict enough that they wouldn't dare to try anything inconvenient. Being a Huntress is a sure tough thing to do, so we need to keep on guard or else the Grimms will be coming at us." Ruby told her story.
"Now that you said it, the Grimms were drawn by negative emotions of humanity, yet they hadn't came to this city when they have the chance. How so?" Kyle asked.
"It was thanks to Atlas Military that provided us the best town security and technology. They guarded the borders and installed the CCT crystal on Beacon as the means of our communications so that they could keep Grimms at bay. Unless they're being summoned by the Kaijins, that is." Ruby explained.
"And about the negative emotions?"
"The Atlas soldiers were all known for their pride and optimism, so that the Grimms wouldn't dare to come at them. There was an attempt to suppress those negative emotions before, but it didn't go well and it caused Remnant's Great War, as we knew." She continued.
"Yeah. It was a really bad choice to force uniformity in the world of diversity like Remnant, it is. Even though we need an order to live by, there will always be a desire in ourselves to express who we are and to show our uniqueness towards the other people. I mean, the world's not made just with black and white, right?"
"And yet, some Faunuses are still having a trouble of blending in with the society. Good thing that we already made friends with Velvet, though. I can't stand the guys who still consider them as the freaks of nature. How cruel!" Ruby said.
"One of the world's biggest hypocrisy." He nodded in agreement.
The two were then approached by both Tsukasa and Hiiro who were finished with their sundaes, the restaurant's side menu. It seems that they were coincidentally hanging out to discuss their matters, too.
"Well, what do we have here? Were you guys, by any chance, going out on a date?" Tsukasa teased as the senior Riders sat down.
Both of them were flustered upon hearing his remark. Ruby was at loss of her words. "Huh-what!? No, no! We're... it's, uhh... w-we're just..."
"Hahaha... okay-okay, I won't pry any further. But still, love blooms in the age of teenagers, to remind you." He continued.
"H-huh...?"
"Alright, Tsukasa. Look, we're just looking out for dinner. She hasn't eaten yet, so I accompany her. Nothing more." Kyle explained.
"I see. The sundaes here aren't that half bad, either." Hiiro commented.
"You just wanna tag along for the sweets, Hiiro. Admit it." Tsukasa said.
"Even so, what good would it be for you?" the doctor remarked.
"Eh, nothing much, really." He shrugged.
"By the way, I heard you guys were talking about Jaune from the next seat we were in. I know that both of you were concerned about him. That's the other reason of why I came to Beacon." Hiiro said.
"What do you mean?" Ruby asked.
"I've been noticing his... insecurity from the last two fights. Even if he was seemingly improving, he still couldn't get his head in the game. I don't have the slightest idea on what's going on in his mind, but I have a feeling that I should intervene if I want to make it right." The doctor said.
"Thank you, doctor Hiiro." Ruby thanked.
"What she said. Looks like he could use some advice from a pro, now." Kyle praised.
"Just doing what needs to be done. I wouldn't ignore a single patient who needs immediate help." Hiiro stated.
"I assume you and the others have heard about our assignment to Kyle." Tsukasa said.
"Right. Oh, anyways, when will we have our turn?" Ruby asked about her other teammates.
"You will. We're just gonna need Kyle so he can give you guys some reviews." Tsukasa answered.
"Well, it's starting to get late and the class is still on. See you guys later. Let's go back, Ruby." Kyle said.
"Okay, see you!" she bid her farewell.
After the two went far away, Tsukasa and Hiiro conversed again.
"You know, Jaune kinda reminded me of myself in some way... that I couldn't really explain." Hiiro lamented.
"Then it seems that we should give teams RWBY and JNPR a try to train with us. If they're gonna accompany Kyle on his journey, then they should become stronger by learning the Rider's way, too." Tsukasa said.
"The stronger we become, so does our enemies. Yeah, I get that a lot." Hiiro lamented.
Cardin was very angered at his loss.
He had been a laughstock for the rest of his morning class. He couldn't hold his grudge anymore that he wanted to quickly get back at him. Even his teammate couldn't do much better too. Jaune was just a joke, he thought. He had and could nothing but cowering behind his strong friends. He was a crybaby, not knowing on how to get back up himself. All Cardin wanted was to be the most superior Huntsman of Remnant. How could it be so much to ask for? He thought again.
Just as he was lost in his thoughts while walking down the streets of Vale, a figure approached him. He was seen wearing a hat that covered his eyes. The young man held a jovial grin, knowing that he was looking for the right guy.
"Do you happen to be Cardin Winchester?" the man asked.
"Huh? The hell do you want?" he growled.
"Oh, hey, relax. I'm not here to laugh at your loss. I'm here to help you solve that problem." The man said.
"What do you mean?"
"I've been watching your battles yesterday from a friend in Beacon. It was a terrible loss indeed that you had to endure such shame. You're supposed to be the most famed Huntsman of Vale... no, Remnant. You've shown how much powerful you can be to that fraud knight. Too bad that you had to be pitted by his friend that proved to be your worst handicap."
"Then if you're gonna help me, how?" Cardin asked.
"Simple, we will strike them in two fronts. I also have a history with this Kyle Morgan, as well. I shall handle him on my own accord, so that he won't intervene as you do your part on Jaune Arc." The man offered.
"Jaune? Heh, really?"
"Find his weakness. Make him do your bidding. That is how you strive to the top; by ruling over those who you deem worthy of your mercy."
"Oh, I'm starting to get the gist of this. Guess we had a deal now, eh?"
"Indeed, my friend. Indeed, it is." The man chuckled darkly. He had finally fulfilled his objective. However, little did Cardin know that the man had more stories than he could ever imagine.
The following day went by as usual, only that Oobleck had scheduled an evening lesson. Jaune was having a trouble on paying attention to Oobleck's fast-paced lecture. All of the students were present, including the leaned-back Cardin behind Jaune.
"Yes! Yes, prior to the Faunus Rights Revolution-more popularly known as the Faunus War—humankind was quite, quite adamant about centralizing Faunus population in Menagerie. Now! While this must feel like ancient history to many of you, it is imperative to remember that these are relatively recent events! Why, the repercussions of the uprising can still be seen to this day!"
"Now! Have any among you been subjugated or discriminated because of your Faunus heritage?" Oobleck asked the students who were Faunuses in particular. Unsurprisingly, the ones who raised their hands were relatively many, including Velvet herself.
"Dreadful, simply dreadful! Remember, students, it is precisely this kind of ignorance that breeds violence!"
Oobleck was lecturing while sipping his coffee at the same time. He did so in quick seconds. Some of the students were rather having a hard time on processing those thoughts. Kyle's deduction and Oobleck's words were sadly proven true. The unpleasant past had left a scar on the Faunuskind. The Rider kept wondering on how such mindset was developed on one stupid person. Moreover, these might be the cause of the White Fang's aggression towards the protest from a month ago. He was beyond agitated by such reality as he clenched his hands, remembering on how Velvet and the other Faunus students were treated.
"I mean, I mean, I mean just look at what happened to White Fang! Now, which one of you young scholars can tell me what many theorize to be the turning point in the third year of the War?"
Weiss was the one who raised her hand, catching the professor's attention.
"Yes?"
"The battle at Fort Castle!"
"Precisely! And, who can tell me the advantage the Faunus had over General Lagune's forces?" Oobleck asked again.
Out of the professor's sight, Cardin flicked a paper football at Jaune, waking him up in result.
"Hey!"
Unfortunately, Oobleck saw this opportunity to test the blonde's knowledge. He then zoomed into the latter's seat.
"Mr. Arc! Finally contributing to class! This is excellent! Excellent! What is the answer?"
"Uhhhh... The answer... The advantage... that the Faunus..."
Seeing how troubled Jaune was, Pyrrha took the initiative to help him. She made a mouth gesture, coding the answer to her leader.
"...had over that guy's stuff..."
The Amazon then resorted to gesturing her eyes. Jaune tried to decipher her code as his time was about to run out. He had to impress the others so that he can be acknowledged as a skilled Huntsman. He then finally answered,
"Uhh... Binoculars!"
Unfortunately, he mistook the answer and proudly announced it. several students laughed at him, while Pyrrha sighed and facepalmed over it. Cardin was surely delighted by this mistake as he chortled, much to Kyle's chagrin.
"Very funny, Mr. Arc! Cardin! Perhaps you would care to share your thoughts on the subject!" Oobleck asked the said student.
"Well, I know it's a lot easier to train an animal than a soldier." Cardin remarked.
"Heh, smart-ass." Kyle cursed under his breath. Oobleck was also not pleased by shaking his head.
"You're not the most open-minded individuals, are you, Cardin?" Pyrrha remarked.
"What? You got a problem?"
"No, but I have the answer! It's night vision. Many Faunus are known to have nearly-perfect sight in the dark." She answered as Cardin growled in response.
"General Lagune was inexperienced, and made the mistake of trying to ambush the Faunus in their sleep. His massive army was outmatched, and the general was captured." Blake explained.
This piqued an interest on Kyle. Faunuses had made themselves perfect warriors during the warring period. If night vision was one of their traits, then they were perfect for night-time special ops missions such as stealth. He judged it based on his experiences with movies and games, again. Ridiculous-he knew-but makes sense, nonetheless. It seems that 'don't judge the book by its cover' proved its words here.
"Perhaps if he'd paid attention in class, he wouldn't have been remembered as such a failure." Blake remarked as the other students laughed in response.
"That's the main issue here, Cardin; you're the problem, here. You lacked the qualities of being a good Huntsman. Truth to be told, I'm still wondering why a failure like you could attend this prestigious academy." Kyle bursted calmly to the bully.
"Damn you, Morgan! I swear, this time I'm gonna..." Cardin angrily marched towards the Rider.
"How about if you ask professor's permission so we can settle this, once again? I can do this all day. With you in the infirmary, that is." Kyle threatened.
"You friggin' piece of shit!" Cardin roared as he lifted his fist, raising the tensions in the class.
Knowing where this would be going, Oobleck ordered, "Mr. Winchester! Please take your seat."
"You heard him. Sit." Kyle glaringly ordered as the bully scoffed and relented.
After he did so, Oobleck turned to Kyle, "Mr. Morgan, I don't know what's going on between the both of you, but please settle your matters outside of the class. It's been the fifth time-yes! Fifth time since you two were arguing in class sessions!"
"My apologies for my unpleasant behavior, Profess-doctor Oobleck," he fixed his words, "But it was evident that Cardin has been a nuisance in this school. He had been disturbing and harassing the students by pulling unnecessary pranks to them, all to show his superiority. Perhaps, this is the world's problem that we've been talking about, doctor. People like him only breeds hatred towards the society. That might be the cause of White Fang's existence, is it not?"
"Hmm, perhaps you had made a valid point here, Mr. Morgan. However, I must implore you to refrain yourself if we want to keep this outburst from happening again. And, and remember folks, people can change for better should you desire it! we must try our best to prevent the hatred from spreading itself, as being said!"
"Yes, doctor." Kyle agreed as he sighed in relief.
He then turned to Ruby, who was sitting next to him, "Guess he's right about one thing; it's easier to train some dumbnuts than soldiers."
Ruby giggled in response as she knew that he meant by Cardin. Hearing this, Jaune also laughed at his tormentor. But fate said the other thing,
"You and Mr. Arc can both see me after class for additional readings."
"Ooohh..." he slumped.
"Now, moving on!"
The lesson had finally ended. Everyone, except the aforementioned students, scrambled out to their rooms. Still feeling restless, Pyrrha decided to stop in front of the class.
"You go on ahead. I'll wait for Jaune." She told her teammates as the after-class talk occured.
"You two have been struggling in my class since day one! Now, I don't know if it's a lack of interest, or just your stubborn nature, but whatever it is..." Oobleck stopped for a sip of his coffee.
"It stops now! You've worked hard to gain entrance to this school, and we only accept the best of the best, so I expect you to act like it. History is important, gentlemen! If you can't learn from it... you're destined to repeat it. Pages fifty-one to ninety-one! I want an essay on my desk by next class! Now! Run along."
With that, Oobleck zoomed out of the classroom past the waiting Pyrrha. still angered by his own mishap, Cardin decided to let out his pent-up anger by pushing Jaune out. This amused the bully, as usual. Luckily, Pyrrha arrived in time to get Jaune back on his feet.
"You know, I really will break his legs." She muttered in venom. Her leader could only sigh as he was already at his loss. Suddenly, Pyrrha was struck by an idea that could work out for both of them.
"I have an idea! Here, come with me!" she then dragged Jaune through the corridors. This was noticed by Cardin, however. The bully decided to keep his emotions in check and following them, commencing his plan.
Hiiro was seen walking around the upper floor. He reminisced his earlier days as a genius student who strived to be a doctor. His life was changed after he met his late lover, Saki. All the time, he didn't pay much attention to her kindness, especially in giving him a cheesecake. However, things turned out worse as she had succumbed into the Bugster virus during the Zero Day incident. He never had a chance to say that he loved her so much. And yet, he put the blame on someone that wasn't worth the hatred.
So much things had also happened during his earlier days as Kamen Rider Brave. He had solved most of his problems and made peace with his past. Now, he strived to protect people's bright future both as a surgeon and a warrior. Had he chose the other way, he might ended up like his colleague was; striving down a dark path in order to fulfill his responsibility alone.
However, one thing that he couldn't shake off was the mysterious presence that he felt during Jaune and Cardin's sparring session. He just hoped that his feelings were just messing at him. Just as he was at those thoughts, another presence came from his right.
"Doctor." It was Kyle who was greeting him.
"Morgan." He answered.
"So, what do you think of Beacon?" the young Rider checked.
"It's as prestigious as the townspeople said, I admit. However, I also took notice of some students who are misbehaving. The last time I saw him was when he ended up in the infirmary after yesterday's sparring session. He only had several bruises and dislocations, but it's only a few hours before his Aura healed him." The doctor said.
"Ah, Cardin. When will he ever learn?" he sighed.
"I heard that he had a bad rep for being a bully, too. You can always hold a complaint to that. I'm sure the teachers here would understand." Hiiro suggested.
"I just did. I even put it in the class subject's discussion. People like him are the reason of why White Fang existed." Kyle said.
"I wouldn't disagree."
"That reminds me, how do you deal with Faunus patients?"
"I must say that they're interesting. Even I'm still in the process of learning their unique and differing physiologies. It's like I'm learning how to become a vet at the same time." Hiiro answered.
"Very funny. You'll make a great teacher for Huntsman paramedics in here, I say." Kyle commented.
"Like I said, this is temporary. Maybe, I'll have another guy and..."
"Shh! Did you hear that?" Kyle shushed. He heard a conversation going on the outside.
"One way to find out." Hiiro said.
"I want to help you!"
"W-what?"
"We can train up here after class where no one can bother us!" Pyrrha offered.
"You think I need help?" Jaune wondered.
"N-no! No, that's not what I meant."
"But you just said it."
"Jaune, everybody needs a little push from time to time. It doesn't make you any different from the rest of us. You made it to Beacon! That speaks volumes of what you're capable of! And like Kyle said, you're leagues better than those who looked down on you!"
"You're wrong. I-I don't belong here." He dejected.
"That's a terrible thing to say! Of course you do!" the Amazon countered.
"No, I don't!"
The sudden outburst from Jaune bewildered her. Pressured, he then revealed something he had been holding on this whole time.
"I wasn't really accepted into Beacon..."
"Wh-what do you mean?" she stuttered in disbelief.
"I mean, I didn't go to combat school, let alone passing any tests! I didn't even earn my spot at this Academy!" he confessed.
"Eh?"
"I lied! I got my hands on some fake transcripts, and I lied!"
Pyrrha was very surprised, along with the eavesdropping Kyle and Hiiro. The two looked at each other in disbelief. They thought that Jaune was just an honest beginner and amateur Huntsman in training who happened to met the requirements to attend Beacon. However, it turned out that he did it in the most unfair way possible; he cheated.
"Oh, boy." Kyle whispered.
"Why now, Jaune Arc?" Hiiro growled softly, clenching his hand at the unpleasant truth.
"What? But... why?" Pyrrha gasped.
"'Cause this is what I've always wanted to be!" he shouted as he looked away, "My father, my grandfather, and his father before him were all warriors! They were all heroes! I wanted to be one, too. I was just never good enough."
"Then let me help you!" Pyrrha offered, placing her hand in his shoulder.
"Pyrrha, you..." Kyle muttered. He was quite taken aback by her willingness to help Jaune as much as possible.
"I don't want help! I don't want to be the damsel in distress! I want to be the hero!" Jaune shouted.
"Jaune, I-"
"I'm tired of being the lovable idiot, stuck in the tree while his friends fight for their lives! Don't you understand? If I can't do this on my own... then what good am I?" he said.
And thus, they finally knew the reason of his lies. He wanted to be acknowledged as a hero so bad that he rejected the others help. He wanted to be independently strong so that he could b proud of himself. However, the knight made a wrong step that he had to keep it secret from the others. That was, until now.
"Dammit, Jaune. Is that really what you think?" Kyle cursed under his breath.
Pyrrha attempted to reach him out, but she halted knowing that he would reject her again and again. She couldn't think of the best idea to solve this problem anymore.
"Just... leave me alone. Okay?"
"If that's what you think is best..." She finally left the rooftop, bowing her head in sadness.
"That idiot..." Hiiro growled.
"He had her on his back and yet, he rejected her!? I mean, seriously!" Kyle whispered.
"Looks like this is getting out of hand. It's already night-time, though. It'll be hard to make things sense in this tiresome hour. He may need a peace of mind at this moment." Hiiro suggested.
"Yeah, let's just go back and-"
"Oh, Jaune..."
The young Rider's chest throbbed as he heard that voice. Only one guy in Beacon who owned that annoying accent, and he knew it all too well.
"That voice..."
"Cardin!" the blonde looked at the bully who approached him.
"What the hell he's doing here!?" the two then leaned closer to get a clearer hearing.
"Truth to be told, I'm starting to have a dubious feeling, here." Hiiro told.
"Oh, it always is." Kyle commented.
"I couldn't help but overhear you two from my dorm room. So, you snuck into Beacon, huh? I gotta say, Jaune, I never expected you to be such a rebel!" Cardin cackled in amusement. His sly grin represented it clearly.
"Please, Cardin. Please, don't tell anyone!" Jaune begged.
"Jaune, come on! I'd never rat on a friend like that!"
"A... a friend?"
"Of course! We're friends now, Jauney boy! And the way I see it, as long as you're there for me when I need you, we'll be friends for a long time." Cardin said as he headlocked Jaune tightly that the latter struggled to flee from.
"That being said, I really don't have time to do those extra readings Dr. Oobleck gave us today. Think you could take care of that for me, buddy?"
Jaune regained his stand in agreement. He didn't even know anything else to do, anymore. He was weak, fragile, and tactless as a leader. He was the worst, he thought. So much for being a leader, that is.
"That's what I thought. Don't worry, Jaune; your secret's safe with me. But fear not, you can still be the hero that you always wanted. Strong, independent, smart, and last but not least, legendary. I can show you how, Jaune. That is, if you're willing to throw every unnecessary things away... and befriend me. You'll get your benefits, too." Cardin offered.
"I... I, uhh..."
"What's the matter? Cat got your tongue? Easy there, man."
"Dammit! He's gonna use him! That sonuva-" Kyle was suddenly halted by Hiiro.
"Wha-Hiiro!"
"You have a mission tomorrow. Go get some rest."
"But-!"
"Like I said, this is the reason why I came here. I should be the one who's confronting Jaune, now. As a knight myself, I won't allow Jaune to fall astray from the path that he forged this whole time. No matter how dirty the path he took, he's no trash to begin with. Now, go." Hiiro ordered.
"Grr... okay, man. I'll leave him to you." He clenched his fist as he walked away.
"C'mon, clock's tickin'. What's it gonna be?" Cardin asked.
"It's a 'no thank you', that is." Hiiro said as he emerged.
"Hiiro?"
"Oh, hehe... hey, doc." The bully greeted.
"What do you think you're doing here? Getting up late in this hour won't do any good to your health and your sanity. I believe I told you before not to move around too much." Hiiro said.
"Well, we're just bein' buddy-buddy, here! You see, we're gonna have a trip to Forever Fall and we can't help but think how fun it'll be! Right, Jauney?" Cardin said as he brushed the latter's head.
"Well, yeah... sure."
Hiiro simply glared at the bully for his answer. He was no fool for not knowing what really was going on. This was enough to frighten the bully out.
"On a second thought, doc... okay, I'll leave you guys here, heheh. My offer's still on, Jaune! See ya around!" Cardin then went away from them.
The blonde knight slumped into the floor in exhaustion. Could it be that Hiiro had heard his conversation? He thought. As for the surgeon, he waited until Cardin was already out of their sight and made sure that there were no disurbances around.
"I... I'm sorry, Hiiro. I did a really terrible thing..."
"On your feet, Jaune."
"Eh?"
"I said, on your feet!" he commanded.
As he did so, the doctor suddenly punched him in the face. This caused Jaune to almost fall again. His cheek was bruised due to his sheer strength. Before he could say anything, Hiiro had already grabbed his uniform's collar. He then barked a word that most people would likely think.
"What the hell were you thinking, Jaune!?"
"I just want to be a hero, that's what!" he barked back.
"That just proves how idiotic you are!" Hiiro said as he threw Jaune away, letting him go from his grasp.
"Is it wrong for me to become stronger all by myself? I'm tired of being a weak-ass guy who was always being spoiled by his friends! I want to continue the lineage of my ancestors as the greatest heroes of Remnant! Tell, me this Hiiro; have you ever felt useless and helpless of yourself? Tell me!" Jaune demanded.
"I do!" he answered, "But that doesn't mean that you should cheat your way here just to prove yourself to anyone else! I say 'no thank you' to this, Jaune. You're just a fool who's walking into the lion's den without consideration. It's the most pathetic thing to do." Hiiro chastised as he lowered his tone. Jaune lowered his head, knowing that he was right.
"However," he continued after a silence, "Throwing your friends away, not to mention selling them out, is the biggest 'no thank you' in this world. That boy Cardin just wanted to use you for his own gain. You'll get nothing in the end, I assure you."
"Then what should I do, Hiiro? I can't always count on them if I'm not strong enough to help them, too." Jaune asked.
Hiiro sighed to calm himself down, "Jaune, we are social animals. Even if there are times that you should prove your own worth to your friends, there will always be a time when you should ask them for your help. Think about it, why do you think you're assigned on a team? You're even appointed as the leader, for God's sake."
"And take an example; I may be considered as a genius surgeon here, but I need a crew; a team to work on my operations. An industry owner also needed a group to keep the company in check; secretaries, accountants, employees. Moreover, why do you think that games nowadays have a multiplayer feature installed on it? so that they can share the fun together, that is!" Hiiro said, referencing to some of his experiences.
"Jaune, being in a team means sharing your joy and pain with your teammates. Let them see both of your strong points and weak spots. Let them cover it for you, even if you're not asking for it. So, I'll say this again; you're the leader of team JNPR, Jaune Arc. Only your self-confidence that could give out your true strength. So, if you want to be the hero for your friends... then make it right." Hiiro firmed as he walked away.
The blonde knight was left restless. Hiiro had come all the way from the hospital just to knock a sense out of him. The doctor was right; he's a total loser for entering Beacon improperly. Good thing was that Hiiro also didn't care about it. all he cared about was Jaune's own performance as a Huntsman. He already made his step to Beacon's door. All he had to do was to become stronger and survive. Not only that, he was reminded again by his own merit; he may not have the brawns to beat a Grimm, but he still had a big brain of his. Figuratively, that is.
He clenched his fist and punched the ground behind him. His Aura slightly glew trhough his body, which was the reason of the floor's crack from his fist. He breathed the night air to let out all of his doubts and anger. He then looked up to the shattered moon of Remnant, lamenting everything that he had went through. he had cleared his mind. His face softened and was filled with determination.
"Man up, Jaune. Man up." He muttered.
A feint glow of golden light emitted deep inside of him. Perhaps, it was a story for another time. After all, who knows?
(A/N)
Chapter 12 is done, and here you go, folks!
It's been a while since I write canon chapters of RWBY. This one's supposed to be Jaune's development as he faces his ordeal. I figured out that Hiiro's the best guy to knock him some sense, seeing that they both shared the same warrior class and that they also shared some things in common (I assume you all know what those are).
Anyways, I've been waiting for writing the scene of Kyle beating up Cardin, too. He already had a pretty bad share with bullies as stated in earlier chapters, so this is a good opportunity to put this grudge to use for a good reason, that is. Also, I pictured Cardin as a rather temperament person when he becomes the one who's humilliated, so when it comes to him being this manipulative... it should be the work of an outside force.
Jaune Arc has confessed his sins to both of his friends and his enemies. How will he make up for it? Who's the guy that assisted Cardin's atrocities? What shall befall upon our heroes for this ordeal?
Stay tune for more chapters, please leave your comments below, and BE CONSTRUCTIVE.
Until next time.