Cardin Winchester has his weapon, the Executioner perched on his shoulder, and Jaune stood opposite him with Crocea Mors drawn, leaning on his weapon as if exhausted, in the spotlight shining on the Beacon Academy auditorium stage.
Jaune looked at Cardin, who laughs at his opponent's tired state. Gathering his strength, Jaune charged forward and swung his blade at Cardin, only for him to jump out of the way. Jaune looked back, surprised, as The Executioner sent his shield and himself flying back. Now only armed with his sword, Jaune continued to attack but was blocked by the mace's hilt. Their weapons locked, Cardin forced himself up, towering over a struggling Jaune.
"This is the part where you lose."
"Over my dead-!"
Jaune was cut short as Cardin kneed him in the gut, making the Blonde Knight drop his sword and fall to the ground in pain. Cardin raised his mace and was about to slam it down on Jaune just when the buzzer rings, the lights coming back on.
"Cardin, that's enough!" Glynda said sternly. Cardin relented and walked 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." She said while Jaune still lays on the floor in defeat and Pyrrha Nikos looks concerned.
Glynda turns her head to look at Jaune 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?"
"Speak for yourself," Cardin commented.
"What an asshole," Kamikaze grumbled, the rest of Team Infinity sharing the opinion.
"I feel the urge to humble Cardin." Travis said darkly.
"I never liked him in my world and I sure as hell don't in this one," Arcee said with a scowl.
"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!" Glynda said to everyone.
The bell rang, and students started to leave while Pyrrha looked at Jaune worriedly, seeing the blonde hanging his head in shame. The spartan girl wasn't the only one as Yuki looked at Jaune with sympathy as her team was leaving.
Later everyone was in the cafeteria as Nora told a story.
"So! There we were, in the middle of the night."
"It was daytime." Ren corrected.
"We were surrounded by Ursa…"
Team Infinity with the exception of Ollie, Smith, Samantha, and Toshi were not paying attention to Nora.
"They were Beowolves." Ren, who was holding a coffee cup replied.
"Dozens of them!"
"There were actually two of them."
"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!"
Yuki and Pyrrha were looking at Jaune in concern as the latter dejectedly played with his food.
"She's been having this recurring dream for nearly a month now." Ren sighed.
"She has an overactive imagination for sure," Momonga commented as Samantha nodded.
"Definitely."
Pyrrha looks at her leader. "Jaune? Are you okay?"
Jaune snapped to attention. "Huh? Oh, yeah! Why?"
"It's just that you seem a little... not okay," Ruby said.
"Something bothering you, pal?" Kamikaze asked though he had a pretty good guess what it may be.
Jaune suddenly feels awkward as the others stop their distractions and stare at him.
"Guys, I'm fine. Seriously! Look!" Jaune said, trying and failing to alleviate their concern.
"Jaune, Cardin's been picking on you since the first week of school!" Pyrrha said.
"Who? Cardin Winchester? Nah! He just likes to mess around! You know, practical jokes!"
"He's a bully." Ruby bluntly says.
Jaune scoffs at this.
"Oh, please! Name one time he's 'bullied' me."
"What about the time he knocked down your books in the hallway?" Momonga said.
[Flashback]
Jaune is seen 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 books, then continuing on his way with his hands out as if daring anyone to challenge him.
"Ah, come on!" Jaune replied as he picked up his stuff as Momonga looked on.
[Present]
"I mean that was an isolated incident," Jaune said.
"Really? What about the time he messed with your shield?" Alma countered.
[Flashback]
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!"
Unknown to him, Alma witnessed what happened.
[Present]
Jaune is looking sheepish.
"I-I'm pretty sure that one was on me."
"Jaune you're in denial," Travis said seriously.
"Yeah, what about the time he sent you flying?" Smith said.
[Flashback]
Glynda is in the locker room with several students, gesturing at the devices.
"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.
"What?! No, wait, wait! You've gotta get me out of here! Please! Don't! Don't! Don't do it!" Jaune pleaded.
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.
"Ahhh, cooome oooooooon...!"
"Asshole," Smith said, glaring at Cardin as he laughed.
[Present]
The others are totally focused on him now.
Jaune attempts to laugh it off.
"I didn't land far from the school!"
"Jesus Christ…" Ben mutters.
"Jaune, you know if you ever need help, you can just ask." Pyrrha offered.
"I won't mind putting that jerk in his place," Arcee said, cracking her knuckles.
Nora seemed to agree as she stood up. "Oh! We'll break his legs!"
"Guys, really, it's fine! Besides, it's not like he's only a jerk to me; he's a jerk to everyone." Jaune replied as he pointed to something.
They all look over as Cardin and his team were laughing, mixed in with cries of pain from the rabbit girl when one of her ears is tugged on by Cardin.
"Ow! That hurts! Please, stop…" She pleaded.
Cardin continued laughing as he turns to his cronies.
"I told you it was real!"
"What a freak!" Russel Thrush said.
Arcee is growling and a faint aura appears around her before Kamikaze gestures at her to calm down before standing up and marching toward Team CRDL.
"Aw snap, those asshats are gonna get it now," Ben said, smirking.
"I don't feel sorry for those tools," Samantha commented.
Team CRDL noticed Kamikaze approach them and let the rabbit girl go as they turned to him.
"If it's one thing I can't stand is bigoted bullies." Kamikaze said as he confronted Team CRDL.
Cardin scoffed. "I'd like to see you do anything about it."
Kamikaze grinned maniacally. Suddenly, he slowwed time in the area before unleashing a series of strikes on them before returning time to its normal speed.
Team CRDL's auras all shattered as they are sent flying to the ground. Kamikaze simply smiled at his handiwork and dusted his hands before returning to his table while the bunny girl looked on in amazement.
"Good work Kamikaze." Travis said.
"That was so satisfying to watch," Arcee said.
"Glad to be of service, team," Kamikaze said.
"I didn't see what happened," Ruby said.
"Me neither sis." Yang replied.
Weiss and Blake simply looked at Kamikaze with interest, also curious as to how he was able to send all of Team CRDL down at once in the blink of an eye.
Jaune simply sighed as he returned to his food. This caused Yuki to frown when she noticed this.
Later in the day, Jaune was sleeping with his head resting in his hands while a constantly-zooming and fast-talking Professor Bartholomew Oobleck is in the middle of his hyperactive lecture, educating Weiss, Blake, Pyrrha, Velvet Scarlatina (the bunny girl from earlier), Team KAAB, Team DOTS, Team MRTY, and Cardin, who's laid back directly behind Jaune.
"Yes! Yes, prior to the Faunus Rights Revolution more popularly known as the Faunus War, humankind was quite, quite adamant about centralizing the Faunus population in Menagerie." Oobleck said as he pointed at the map of the aforementioned area with his cane, then zoomed off to the side for a sip of his coffee before appearing in front of the desk.
"Now! While this must feel like ancient history to many of you, it is imperative to remember that these are relatively recent events!" Oobleck continued.
"Is this guy running on Energizer batteries or what?" Ben whispered to Alma who shrugged.
"Why, the repercussions of the uprising can still be seen to this day! Now! Have any among you been subjugated or discriminated against because of your Faunus heritage?" He asked.
Some of the students raise their hands. Velvet, after a moment, does the same and Arcee also puts her hand up while recounting all the times she had been discriminated against for being a Faunus in her homeworld.
Oobleck shook his head, appalled at this.
"Dreadful, simply dreadful! Remember, students, it is precisely this kind of ignorance that breeds violence! "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 raised her hand which Oobleck acknowledged.
"Yes?"
"The battle at Fort Castle!"
"Precisely!" Oobleck stated. "And, who can tell me the advantage the Faunus had over General Lagune's forces?"
Unseen by the professor, Cardin flicks a paper football at Jaune's head, causing him to wake up.
"Hey!" Jaune yelled.
Unfortunately for him Oobleck heard Jaune and pointed at him.
"Mr. Arc! Finally contributing to class! This is excellent! Excellent! What is the answer?"
Jaune was dumbfounded and struggled to find the answer.
"Uhhhh... The answer... The advantage... that the Faunus…"
"...Had over that guy's stuff…" Jaune droned before seeing Pyrrha cup her hands around her eyes and he goes for the most obvious answer.
"Uhh... Binoculars!"
Jaune looked pleased with his answer, while Team Infinity looks flabbergasted at his answer and the rest of the class laughed at him. Pyrrha sighed and slapped a hand to her forehead as Cardin pounded his fist on his desk while chortling, causing Yuki to shoot him a dirty look. Oobleck simply took another sip of his coffee before replying.
"Very funny, Mr. Arc!" Oobleck said unamused before turning on Cardin.
"Cardin! Perhaps you would care to share your thoughts on the subject!"
"Well, I know it's a lot easier to train an animal than a soldier."
Pyrrha frowns as Oobleck shook his head, not approving of the answer in the slightest.
"You're not the most open-minded of individuals, are you, Cardin?" She said sarcastically.
Cardin gets defensive. "What? You got a problem?"
"Yeah, she does! And you can count me in!" Arcee snarled.
"What are you going to do about it then, you dumb animal?" Cardin replied.
He was then hit in the head with a textbook by an enraged Yuki.
"If you have nothing good to say then shut up."
"Order please!" Oobleck said before the situation escalated further.
Pyrrha raised her hand which Oobleck acknowledged.
"I have the answer! It's night vision. Many Faunus are known to have nearly-perfect sight in the dark."
Blake adds to Pyrrha's answer.
"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." She turned to Cardin. "Perhaps if he'd paid attention in class, he wouldn't have been remembered as such a failure."
Oobleck notices as Cardin gets up from his seat, his fists clenched.
"Mr. Winchester! Please take your seat!" Oobleck snapped. However, he then spotted Jaune laughing at his tormentor's embarrassment. "You, Mr. Arc, and Ms. Kaze can see me after class for additional readings."
Jaune slumped upon hearing this, not looking forward to that in the slightest. On the other side of the coin, Yuki accepted Oobleck's reprimand and punishment while Cardin scowled
"Now! Moving on!"
When the lesson ended, Pyrrha, Nora, and Ren began leaving the classroom, only for Pyrrha to stop near the doorway.
"You go on ahead. I'll wait for Jaune."
Inside the classroom, Oobleck was lecturing Jaune and Cardin while Yuki listened.
"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, 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."
Oobleck then turns to Yuki.
"While I also disapprove of Mr. Winchester's ignorant remarks, there is a better way to respond to such behavior. Classrooms are supposed to be places of learning, not violence. Please don't repeat what you did in today's class Ms. Kaze, you're a brilliant student along with your other teammates and friends."
"I understand Professor." Yuki replied.
"Now here are your punishments! Pages fifty-one to ninety-one! I want an essay on my desk by the next class! Now! Run along."
With that, Oobleck left the classroom, passing a waiting Pyrrha. Jaune came out first, and Cardin emerged behind him, pushing him to the ground and causing the blonde to emit an "Ow!" as the bully laughed before walking away.
Yuki appears by the doorway and helps Jaune up. "Don't let that jerk make your life hell. If you need help you always ask me or my friends."
"Yeah, I guess..."
Yuki simply patted him on the shoulder and left.
Later, a dejected Jaune and Pyrrha are on a rooftop of one of the buildings, with a clear view of the glowing green orbs in the central tower of Beacon.
"Pyrrha, I know I'm going through a hard time right now, but I'm not that depressed. I can always be a farmer or something…" Jaune said.
"Jaune, I know you're having a difficult time in class and that you're still not the strongest of fighters, so... I want to help you!" Pyrrha explained.
"Wh-what?"
"We can train up here after class where no one can bother us!"
"You think I need help?" Jaune asked.
"N-no! No, that's not what I meant." Pyrrha backtracked.
"But you just said it." Jaune countered.
"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!" Pyrrha explained.
Jaune turns away from her, lowering his head and voice.
"You're wrong. I don't belong here."
"That's a terrible thing to say! Of course, you do!" Pyrrha replied.
Jaune turns back around, now angry. "No, I don't!"
He then sighs as Pyrrha looks bewildered and he decided to confess something that had been on his mind since the beginning.
"I wasn't really accepted into Beacon."
"What do you mean?" Pyrrha asked.
"I mean I didn't go to combat school, I didn't pass any tests. I didn't earn my spot at this Academy! I lied! I got my hands on some fake transcripts, and I lied!"
Pyrrha was shocked. "What? But why?"
"Cause this is always what I've wanted to be! 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." Jaune said.
"Then let me help you!" Pyrrha pleaded.
Jaune however doesn't accept her help.
"I don't want help! I don't want to be the damsel in distress! I want to be the hero!"
"Jaune, I-" Pyrrha replied but was cut off by a frustrated Jaune.
"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?"
Pyrrha attempts to reach out for his arm and console him, but he leans back from her touch.
"Just... leave me alone. Okay?" Jaune begged.
"If that's what you think is best," Pyrrha said sadly in acceptance.
She walked away, her footsteps getting softer and softer until she completely left the roof. Jaune paced a little until he hears a mocking laugh and Cardin appeared on the roof from his window.
"Cardin!"
"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 said mockingly.
"Please, Cardin, please, don't tell anyone!" Jaune pleaded.
Cardin smirked. "Jaune, come on! I'd never rat on a friend like that!"
"A... a friend?" Jaune said unsurely.
"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, I'll do the same for you! we'll be friends for a long time." Cardin said. "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 attempted to argue but couldn't find any words to say so he hung his head in defeat.
"That's what I thought. Don't worry, Jaune; your secret's safe with me." Cardin said as he dropped back down to his room, leaving Jaune by himself.
Unknown to Cardin and Jaune, Yuki had cast a spell on Jaune earlier when she pat him on the shoulder, creating a mental link between the latter and the former. Thus she knew everything that happened on the rooftop.
"The nerve of that jerk!" Yuki said angrily.
Her teammates had serious expressions as Yuki projected what she saw to them.
"I say let's kick his ass!" Smith said while punching his fist into his palm.
"We should expose Cardin," Toshinori suggested.
However, Momonga disagreed. "As much as I want to teach him a lesson, we need to be careful as we could expose Jaune as well."
"But Arcee told us that Ozpin knew that his transcripts were fake!" Ren protested.
"Yes, but we can't just assume that things would play out the same in this world." Momonga countered.
"So are we just gonna let Cardin take advantage of Jaune like that?" Toshinori inquired.
"No, we won't abandon Jaune because I have a plan," Momonga replied.
"Okay don't keep us waiting Momonga," Smith said.
Devil Dragon Stand Knight A/N:
Hey, Devil Dragon Stand Knight here. Hope you're all having a good time reading this fic and yes, I'm still helping York out.