"Yes, most certainly yes," Professor Oobleck pointed out, who was a green-haired man who moved with the grace of a snake, and the speed of a road-runner, he dashed across the room while teaching at the same time, all the while taking a occasional sip from his mug, "Prior to the faunus rights revolution, more popularly known as the Faunus War, humankind was quite adamant about centralizing equal rights for the faunus population on the island Menagerie, a island that you all have come to know as the place that is almost fully a faunus population."

He then snaked away from his chair with a whizzing speed, and continued, "Now, while this might feel like ancient news to you all, it is both imperative and crucial that you remember these events, as they had recently taken place."

Professor Oobleck then dashed around the room, while saying, "And the repercussions of this event can still be seen to this very day!"

Professor Oobleck sipped his cup, before asking, "Now, I don't mean to offend any of you whom this question applies to, but have any of you ever been discriminated against because of your faunus heritage?"

Meanwhile, he still had a majority of the class that listened, but there were a select couple that seemed to have not heed nor paid any attention at all. Mainly Jaune and Cardin.

Jaune was asleep in his seat, while Cardin was leaning back in his chair, his feet propped up onto the table.

In response to his question, Velvet, the only faunus in the room, reluctantly raised her hand

Once she did, Professor Oobleck, with the same hyper energy that he had been speaking with, said, "Dreadful! Simply dreadful! Remember students, it is simply this kind of ignorance that breeds violence! I mean, all you have to simply do is take a look at the White Fang!"

Gaara gave a sigh. It was, to him, a miracle that humanity had survived this long. Surely if this enemy known as Grimm seemed to never leave, that would mean that all the inhabitants of this world should band together, but no! They were too busy judging each other because they looked different! Had the chaos of this discrimination been any greater, surely the Grimm would have used this to their advantage! Thank goodness that the beasts weren't smart.

Professor Oobleck then began to dash around the room, and asked, "Now, which of you young scholars could be what many theorists believed to be the turning point in the third year of the war?"

Weiss raised her hand, and when Oobleck called on her, she responded, "The Battle of Fort Castle."

"Yes!" Professor Oobleck praised Weiss, "Most precise, Ms. Schnee. And can anyone tell me what advantage the faunus had over General Lagoon's forces?"

Meanwhile, Pierce, who sat next to Jaune's sleeping figure, suddenly felt his battle instincts semblance begin to ring off. He knew it before Cardin did it.

Cardin had flicked a small paper football at Jaune's head, but Pierce reached his hand out and caught the paper, and waved the no-no finger at Cardin, who simply scoffed.

However, right after Pierce raised his hand and caught the paper football, Professor Oobleck accidentally mistook it as a sign of participation, since neither Pierce or Jaune really participated in class socializing.

"Ah yes!" Professor Oobleck said with ecstasy, "Mr. Perry! Finally contributing to the class I see! Excellent, excellent! Now, what is the answer!?"

"Uhh," Pierce said unsurely. Unlike Jaune and Cardin, he did pay attention in class, but not as much though. He vaguely remembered Professor Oobleck saying something about this matter, and he could feel that it was on the tip of his tongue, but he just couldn't put his finger on it.

Then it hit him.

"Night vision!" Pierce responded, "Due to faunus having animal-like traits, some of them had the traits of nocturnal creatures, which then in turn made them more capable of seeing things at night!"

"Excellent!" Professor Ports cheered him, "Certainly you have been doing your studying, Mr. Perry!"

Pierce gave a weak smile, when suddenly the bell sounded, signaling the end of the class.

As everyone began to pack up, Professor Oobleck asked Jaune and Cardin to stay a few minutes after class so he could talk to them.

Once everyone had filed out, Professor Oobleck started, "Mr. Arc. Mr. Winchester. I have noticed that your grades have started to drop a dramatic amount in my class. Now, I won't ask about the circumstances of why this is, but whatever the reason for your lack of interest, it stops now."

Professor Oobleck said the last three words while setting his mug down on his desk.

"You were admitted into this school," Professor Oobleck lectured, "And so we take only the best of the best. So, I expect you to act as such. You see, gentlemen, history is important and if you don't learn from it, you are very well destined to repeat it."

Professor Oobleck adjusted the glasses on the bridge of his nose and said, "Alright then. On page 51-91, I want an essay of the work on my desk tomorrow. Now, run along."

With that, Professor Oobleck zipped out of the room before the two boys even had the chance to get up.

As the two boys began to walk out, Jaune was suddenly pushed over by Cardin, and he fell to the ground, and Cardin simply brushed his shoulder off and acted as if it was a accident, but if it were such he would have said sorry, but he did not, because he walked away with a smirk on his face

Pyrrha, who was waiting by the door for Professor Oobleck to finish speaking with the two boys, saw the ordeal, and as she helped him up, she commented, "You know, I really will break his legs if you want me too."

Jaune sighed, when suddenly, Pyrrha's eyes lit up, and she said, "I have an idea!"

She then grabbed him by his arm, and practically dragged him away, due to him having just gained his balance.

She led him up to the roof, and when they reached the roof, it was almost night. The top tip of the sun could be barely seen above the horizon, and the shattered moon had come into view.

Jaune looked down near the edge of the roof, and he said, "Pyrrha, I know I'm going through a hard time, but I'm not THAT depressed."

At first Pyrrha was confused by what he said, but when she looked down at the edge of the roof, it was then that she realized what he was implying

"I mean, I can always be a farmer of something-" Jaune said when Pyrrha suddenly grabbed him and pulled him away from the edge, and confirmed, "No, that's not why we're here. I didn't bring you here so you could jump off. You see, Haune, I know that you're having a hard time in class, and I know that you aren't exactly the most skilled of fighters."

"Uhhh, so what does that have to do with why we're up here?" Jaune asked

Pyrrha looked up at him, a smile on her face, and she said, "I want to help you!"

"What?"

"We can train up here after class, where no one can bother us!"

Jaune rubbed his head, and said in a slightly offended, and slightly confused tone, "You think I need help?"

"No!" Pyrrha responded, "No, that's not what I meant!"

"But you just said it," Jaune quipped, and Pyrrha said, "Jaune, listen, everyone needs a push every now and then, but that doesn't make you any different from the rest of us."

She then waved her arms at him, and said, "I mean, for crying out loud, you made it to Beacon! That speaks volumes of what you can do!"

It was then that Jaune's blue eyes suddenly took a shade that Pyrrha thought was shame and sadness.

Jaune turned his back to her and said, "No, you're wrong. I don't belong here."

"You do!" Pyrrha said, a bit shocked by what he had just said, "That's a terrible thing to say! Of course you do!"

" No, I don't!" Jaune lashed out, catching Pyrrha off guard once again, before he took a breath and calmed himself a little, and said, " I was never really accepted into Beacon."

"What are you saying?"

Jaune's voice suddenly had a tone of slight panic, and anger in it, as he said rapidly, "I mean that I didn't go to combat school, I didn't pass any tests, I didn't EARN my spot at this academy!"

Jaune then turned towards Pyrrha, sadness and regret in his eyes, as he then spilled something that shocked Pyrrha

"I lied," Jaune said, "I got my hands on some fake transcripts, and I lied."

"What," Pyrrha was confused, "But why?"

"Because this was what I've always wanted!" Jaune said, "My father and my grandfather and his father before him were all warriors! They were heroes! And I wanted to be one too. I was just never good enough."

"Then let me help you," Pyrrha siad, while putting a hand on his shoulder, but Jaune reeled around, furious, "I don't want your help! I don't want anyone's help! I don't want to be the damsel in distress! I want to be the hero! 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 waht good am I?"

Pyrrha tried to reach for his hand, to comfort him, to tell him that it was going to be alright, that it was not the end, but Jaune whipped his hand back, and he said quietly, "Just leave me alone. Please."

"If that's what you think you need," Pyrrha said as she then left

Jaune walked across the roof that he was on. How could it have come to this!? He should have never taken those transcripts in the first place!

However, his thoughts were interrupted when he heard a voice say, "Oh Jaune."

To his surprise and dismay, Jaune turned around to see Cardin, and he gasped in horror. Did he hear? Did he hear everything?

As if to confirm his fears, Cardin said, "I couldn't help but hear you guys from my dorm room."

Cardin chuckled at him, and said, "I gotta admit, I didn't think you had it in you, you know, sneaking and lying your way into Beacon."

"Please, Cardin," Jaune began to plead, "Please don't tell anyone about this."

It was Cardin's reply that left Jaune confused, "Oh come on, do you really think that I would rat out a friend like that?"

"Friend?" Jaune said, feeling that the word was a bit alien when he put it on Cardin.

"Yeah!" Cardin said as he walked towards Jaune, "We're buddies, right?"

It was then that Cardin suddenly got Jaune in a headlock, and his grip was a bit tight to where it was a bit difficult to breathe.

"Yeah, we're friends," Cardin said, "And we always will be as long as you have my back and are there for me when I need help."

Cardin then released his headlock on Jaune, who was now struggling to breathe in the lock, and he heaved as cardin walked away, and Cardin left, saying, "Don't worry, Jaune 'ol buddy. You're secret's safe with me."

Jaune sighed, and he then asked himself, "What has he gotten himself into?"

/

It was two days later. During the entire day, Jaune had been slaving for Cardin and his team, doing their assignments that they didn't want or just too lazy to do, having him do odd jobs, like catching a box of hornets, and many other things.

This morning was the morning of the field trip, and Jaune and his team, alongside team RWBY and team GPHC and many other teams, had gone.

While Jaune was in the back of the traveling group carrying a basket full of glass jars, Glynda led the group, while saying, "The Forest Forever Fall is certainly beautiful, students, but we aren't here to sightsee. Professor Ozpin has asked all of you to collect samples from the trees deep in this forest. And I'm here to make sure that none of you die in the process."

It was then that Hanzo asked, "What kind of samples exactly?"

"I am getting to that," Glynda said, "Each of you is to gather one jars worth of red sap. But proceed with caution, for this forest is full of grimm, so make sure that you stay together. We will rendezvous back here at 4 o'clock."

However, as Jaune was going to walk with his team into the forest, suddenly Cardin grabbed his shoulder, and said with a all too wicked grin, "Come on, Jaune ol buddy."

Jaune looked over at his teammates, who seemed to be leaving without him. However, Pyrrha had turned around and gave him a sad look, before walking off with the rest of her team.

"Some leader I am," Jaune thought to himself

About a half hour later, Jaune came over to a small clearing, where Team CRDL were laying around, relaxing, when Jaune came in bearing 6 jars of red sap.

He dropped them onto the ground before collapsing from exhaustion.

"Thank's, Johnny boy," Sky said, and Russel quipped, "Now that wasn't so hard, was it?"

Jaune's simple reply, more to himself, was, "I think I'm allergic to this stuff."

"Great, great, great," Cardin said as he stood up over Jaune, and said, "So, Jaune, I guess it wouldn't be too far-fetched for you to be thinking, 'why did my buddy Cardin have me get six jars of tree sap when there are only five of us?"

"That is one of the many questions that I have asked myself," Jaune replied, and Cardin answered, "Well, come with me and you'll find out." The grin on his face did not promise anything good.

About after a few minutes of walking, Team CRDL and Jaune were hiding behind a small little hill, while looking down on team RWBY, JNPR, and GPHC the three teams collecting sap.

"Uh, Cardin," Jaune asked, "What are we doing here?"

"Payback," Cardin said, while then turning his gaze onto Gaara, who was chatting with Clarice, and the purple armored girl was collecting sap from a tree

"That's our target," Cardin said with malice in his tone, "Thinks that he's better than me."

Cardin then suddenly pulled out the box of hornets that Jaune had collected last night, and said, "Alright, boys, Johnny boy here managed to collect us an entire box of rapier hornets, and now, we're gonna have him do a little work."

Jaune gulped, and knew that whatever Cardin had in mind with those hornets, it wasn't going to be very good.

"Now, according to one of the essay's that Jaune wrote for me last week," Cardin said, eyeing the box as it began to shake violently, "These nasty little critters love sweets, like this sap that we have. I think it's time we teach that sandboy a thing or two."

Everyone began to stood up, and Cardin helped Jaune up, but then shoved the extra jar of sap into his hands, and said, "And you're gonna do it."

"Wait, what?" Jaune said, perplexed by what he said

"You're gonna hit her with the sap," Cardin said, "Either that, or I'm gonna have a little chat with Goodwitch, and you are gonna be on the first airship outta Beacon."

Jaune looked at the heavy jar in his hands, before looking up at the smirking faces of team CRDL, all of whom looked at him expectedly.

Jaune slowly turned in the direction of Gaara, who seemed to be listening to Clarice singing. Jaune could hear the lyrics clearly from where he was.

"Hear everyone pani, this monster gone manic, pray something can turn this around. My cities are in ruins, I'm feeling so useless, I can't even get off the ground." He then heard her one intensify a little, as she sang, "I'm calling all heroes, legends and stars. Anyone listening, just open your heart. I've gotta do something, I wish I was strong. Enough to see, a hero in me. All these people, they need me, but fear has got me freezing, I can't even get off the floor. All these minutes are fleeting, all the damage that he's leaving, don't want to be a coward anymore. I'm trembling and quivering, this menace is winning, it's looking like a one-sided war. My people are bleeding, just dying and screaming, just lying here watching them burn."

Suddenly, her voice turned into a more climatic tone, and she sang with a fury that made her sound powerful, "We're calling all heroes, legends and stars. Anyone listening, just open your heart. We've gotta do something, we're falling apart, losing everything. I wish I were better, I wish I had strength. I wish I had anything to prove I was brave. Can't watch and do nothing, hiding away. Try to believe that a hero could live in me."

Clarice's voice then took a more soothing tone, signaling that the song was nearing its end, "He won't back down. Family crying out. I made such a mess of my conscience, it's making me nauseous. My world is crumbling, I can't watch and do nothing, I'm done with the panic, I'll hop into action and save this town. I don't need no heroes, no legends or stars, the fight is within us, just open your hearts. We ain't going nowhere, this city is ours, take everything. We're born for this moment, this moment is ours. The battle is turning, and now we're making our mark. Together we're stronger, he's falling apart. Seems they retreat, Now heroes are all I see."

Jaune's hand shook as he listened to her sing. He couldn't do this. It was wrong. Gaara, Clarice, Pyrrha, no one deserved this. Maybe. Maybe being a hero wasn't just about being strong. Maybe being a hero also meant being brave. Brave enough to stand up when no one else can, and to inspire those to stand together. What if. What if the only way to become a hero was through the help of others, and his courage. Because if so, then his cowardice would end today. He would not bend to Cardin. He would not bend to anyone. He will protect his team, his friends, and everyone.

Cardin seemed to be getting impatient, and said, "Hurry up and throw it!"

However, to Cardin's surprise, Jaune turned around and said, with anger in his voice, "No."

"What did you say?"

"I said," Jaune replied, tightening his grip on the jar, "NO!" He then threw the jar with all his might at Cardin, and it shattered against his armor, splashing the red sap over him.

Cardin was a bit caught off guard by Jaune's action, but he quickly chuckled, and said, "Now you've done it."

Jaune gave a nervous chuckle, when suddenly Cardin thrusted a fist into his face, knocking him onto the ground

"You know, that wasn't very smart, Johnny boy," Cardin said before grabbing Jaune again and holding him up and punching him again onto the ground. After Cardin hit him a few times, he held him up by his collar, and said to Jaune's bruised face, "I'm gonna make sure that they send you back to mommy in teeny tiny little pieces."

"I don't care what you do to me," Jaune said defiantly, "But you are not messing with my team."

Cardin's face suddenly became hardened, angered by what Jaune said, and he held him up in the air, Jaune's feet an entire foot above the ground, "What, you think talk like that makes you tough? You think that you're a big strong man?"

Jaune's only response was a grin, and when Cardin raised his fist to punch him again, Jaune suddenly became enveloped in a white light, his aura activating.

Cardin dropped Jaune, and when Jaune sat up, he felt his face, and saw that the bruises on his face were no longer there. His aura had healed them.

Cardin pulled out his mace, and said menacingly to Jaune, "Let's see how much of a man you are."

Jaune gritted his teeth, and he stood up, ready to fight Cardin and his team. He didn't care if he might die today. No one would mess with him, his friends, or his team. Matter of fact, he would fight the biggest grimm to defend his friends

However, as if to see whether he would actually keep his word, a roar sounded out, and when Cardin and his team turned around, a giant Ursa, an alpha, stood hulking, growling.

The grimm tower over Cardin and made him look small, while Jaune said nervously, "That's a big grimm."

Suddenly, Cardin's teammates suddenly went running, leaving Jaune and Cardin for themselves.

The Ursa suddenly started sniffing, and saw the sap on Cardin's armor from the jar that Jaune had thrown at him earlier.

The Ursa smacked Cardin off to the side, sending the boy flying. Cardin held up his mace threateningly to the grimm from the floor, but the Ursa smacked the weapon out of his hand, and rolled to Jaune's feet.

It was then that Jaune had a choice. Would he run? Or would he fight?

Jaune looked at the mace at his feet, and up at Cardin, who was backing away, trying to put as much distance between him and the black bony bear

It was then that Jaune pulled his sword out of its sheath, and activated his shield, and it sprang to life.

/

Meanwhile,

Ruby perked up, as she then asked, "Hey, did you guys hear that roar?"

Suddenly, Sky, Russel, and Dove all came running out of some red shrubbery, shouting, "Ursa! Ursa!"

Yang then grabbed one of them, and asked, "Where the hell is it?"

Sky then pointed back, and said, "It's over there, and it has Cardin!"

Pyrrha, who was close by, heard this, and immediately thought of Jaune. She immediately pulled out her spear and shield, and Ruby ordered, "Yang, you and Blake go get Professor Goodwitch. Nora, Ren go with them. Weiss, you're with me!"

Ruby pulled out and activated her scythe, which sprang to life, and Weiss drew her rapier, Myrtenaster.

Gaara, Hanzo, Pierce and Clarice suddenly arrived, and Clarice asked, "Hey! What's going on?"

"Jaune and Cardin are in trouble," Weiss said, "Blake, Yang, Ren and Nora went to warn Professor Goodwitch."

Gaara nodded, and gestured to Clarice, Pierce, and Hanzo, with Pierce saying while drawing his trident, "We're right behind you, man!"

As if to confirm Pierce, both Hanzo and Clarice voiced their agreement, while drawing their weapons.

Gaara nodded, and said to the others, "Alright, let's go!"

/

Cardin held his side, which was hurting like hell. His aura had already been shattered, and now he was crawling away when the Ursa pounced on him. He looked up at the bear with panicked eyes. This would be where he would die.

To his surprise, when the Ursa swiped its claw at him, he heard the clang of metal, and when he looked, Jaune stood in front of him, his shield blocking the bear's paw.

Meanwhile, Weiss, Ruby, Pyrrha, and Team GPHC had just arrived, and when they saw Jaune block the strike, Weiss got ready to summon a glyph to assist him, when Pyrrha held out her hand as if to block her, and said, "No, wait."

Jaune, however, gave a grunt as he then managed to shove the paw off of his shield, and he slashed his sword at the bear, making a gash across its thick chest, however it was too shallow to do much damage.

The Ursa reeled back, and tried to smash Jaune into the ground, but Jaune managed to roll to the side and avoid it, the Ursa's paw smashing the ground where he was, but the Ursa then tried to floor up by trying to sweep it's paw in a attempt to swipe Jaune

Jaune jumped over its paw, the Ursa's claws kicking up red leaves and dirt in its wake, but the minute that Jaune jumped up, he was vulnerable.

The Ursa whacked him with its other paw, sending him tumbling backward and crashing into the ground near Cardin, kicking up dust.

Jaune rolled back up onto his feet, and charged head on towards the Ursa, and jumped up to deliver a downward strike with his blade, but the bear sidestepped the sword, and smacked him away

Jaune tumbled across the ground, his aura taking most of the impact. Jaune grunted as he hit the dirt.

Jaune was panting heavily, as he then stood up to his feet, when suddenly he remembered Professor Goodwitch's words from the day before,

"Gauging your aura during battle," Glynda lectured, "It will help you decide when it is appropriate to attack and when you should move to a more defensive strategy."

Jaune looked at his scroll which he had strapped to his shield so he could always gauge his aura levels. It was in the red.

The Ursa stomped forward, roaring at Jaune as a sign of intimidation

It was this moment that would decide everything. Either Jaune would die, or this Ursa would die. And he was determined that it would not be him.

Jaune charged forward at the Ursa, giving out a battle cry, and the Ursa in turn charged at him as well.

The minute that the two were within each other's range, the Ursa raised its paw, its claws out and ready to slash apart Jaune.

Jaune raised his sword, ready to cut the bear in half.

As the two were ready to slash each other apart, it was then that Pyrrha decided that it was time to intervene. She held out her hand, and using her semblance, polarity, she slightly adjusted the position of Jaune's shield, and made it block the incoming paw.

The bear's claw raked slammed against the shield, and it was then that Jaune saw it. The Ursa was open.

He gave out a yell of effort, and swung his sword with all of his might, and he was rewarded with the sound of his sword cleanly dismembering the bear's head from its body.

Jaune panted, as the body of the Ursa fell to the ground, and began to dissipate.

Meanwhile, Ruby had seen Pyrrha hold her hand out, and once the Ursa had successfully been decimated by Jaune, the silver-eyed girl asked, "Uh, what did you just do?"

Pyrrha then gave a sly small grin as she then said, "Well, Ruby has her speed, while Weiss has her glyphs. However, my semblance is polarity."

"Ohhh," Ruby said, "So you can control poles?"

"No, you dunce!" Weiss said, annoyed at how much of an idiot that Ruby could be at times, "It means that she has control over magnetism!"

"Magnetism," Gaara had repeated to himself. When he heard it, he couldn't help but feel as if it were another version of the Kekkei Genkai Magnet Release.

Jaune walked over to Cardin's shaken form, and extended a hand to help up Cardin, but when he pulled him up, Jaune said with a slight hint of anger in his voice, "Don't you ever threaten me or my team again, or else."

And Cardin knew that Jaune meant every word.

Gaara was smiling a little at the whole ordeal. When he first saw Jaune, he saw a confused, scared little boy, but now, he was seeing Jaune grow into a warrior before his eyes, even if it was just a little bit at a time.

However, it was then that Gaara felt it. An odd, familiar sense. A dark presence, one that felt familiar. He had felt it before. And he knew that it was impossible.

Gaara suddenly turned eastward, and with great speed, dashed, leaving in his wake a cloud of kicked up leaves and soil.

Hanzo saw where he went, and Clarice, startled by Gaara's sudden take off, looked to Pierce with a questioning look, and Pierce simply shrugged.

Meanwhile, Gaara dashed through the red forest, thoughts racing through his head,

"How can I be feeling this presence? This is impossible! He died a long time ago! He turned into the dead bones that he used carelessly right before my eyes!"

Gaara knew that this was logically impossible. He dashed from tree to tree, giving no heed to anything that was in his way, whether it be animal or Grimm.

But, whether it be a good or bad thing, Gaara did not know that the very machine that brought him to this world, was in fact not limited by time, and that he was not the only one here.

Alright, everyone! That's the end of the chapter! In case you're wondering, the song that Clarice sang is "The Hero," by Nathan Wagner. Please follow, favorite, and leave a review, and I don't really care if the review has any criticism in it, for it is criticism that makes one better at what they do. Also please tell me your thoughts on how this is going so far, and if there is anything that you believe I should change, or anything that you would like to be added to the story in the future. Anyway, have a good day!