Crash, clang, ting; the sounds of battle rang through Jaune's ears as he was in combat with none other than Cardin Winchester.
So far, despite his best efforts, it was all he could do to bring his shield up in defense.
Even so, Jaune could feel the force of the blows Cardin unleashed with his weapon.
While Pyrrha had helped him unlock his aura, Cardin was using his size and strength to ride with the force of the weapon as it struck him.
Jaune initially thought Cardin was more offensive-oriented and tried to press his advantage, only to discover that Cardin was equally capable of defense.
Now Jaune and Cardin's weapons were locked together, with Cardin showing a smug grin, "This is where you lose," he said.
"Not…this time," Jaune said as he struggled to put his own strength into his sword, but Cardin had both hands on his weapon while Jaune only had his one hand with his sword while the other held his shield.
In short order, Cardin contemptuously batted Jaune's weapons out of his hand and delivered a sound kick to the chest, sending him sprawling on the ground.
Just before he finally got onto his feet, a buzzer announced that the fight was over.
"The winner is Cardin Winchester," Glynda's voice announced as she looked at her scroll, then turned her attention to Jaune.
"Mr. Arc, in the future, kindly refer to your scroll so you know when your aura is dropping into the red zone and when to switch with someone from your team."
Jaune lowered his head in defeat as he gingerly picked up his weapons, switched his shield to its sheath, and put his sword into it.
He stared at it for a moment, it had been an heirloom back when his great-grandfather fought during the Great War, which eventually passed to his grandfather and now had been passed to him from his own father.
Three generations of the Arc family were warriors, but it wasn't easy to live up to.
He thought he had the same spark that made his family into the great warriors they became, part of what drove him to be admitted to Beacon.
Which might have been impossible if he hadn't discovered those old transfer papers that got him in through special recommendation.
Despite this, he was too proud to ask for help.
If he couldn't do it alone, what right did he have to be here?
"There we were, in the middle of the night," Nora described, enthralling everyone with her latest wild story.
"It was daylight," Ren said off-handedly.
As he listened, Jacen was somewhere between a light dose and attentive to Nora's tale.
"Suddenly, a group of Ursa burst out of the trees," she said, using her hands for emphasis.
"They were beowolves," Ren replied mildly.
Jacen eventually called upon the Force to give him some kind of energy, even though he'd just gotten back a few nights ago with Rouge after their rescue.
Nora had come to the peak of her story about fighting the Ursa, beowolves, whatever she imagined.
"Then afterward, we made ourselves some quality Ursa skin rugs," she said, folding her arms across her chest proudly.
Jacen looked from Nora then to Ren, who exaggeratedly sighed, "She's been having this dream for a week now," he said.
"It sure changes every time she talks about it," Jacen said pointedly.
Off to the side, he felt that Yang had her eyes on him intently, "Um, so you mind telling me who gave you that bruise?" She asked, pointing at the still visible bruise on Jacen's face.
"Or any of those other injuries," she added.
Dank Farrik, he thought, it had been two days since the rescue, and the remnants of the beating Dusky plus his fight with that psychopath Gin had given him were still visible.
While Rouge treated his face, Jacen wished for Remnant to have something like Bacta to speed up healing.
"Oh, it's nothing to worry about," he said, even as a loud bang hit the table.
"You looked like someone practically beat you within an inch of your life," Rowan said from beside him.
Jacen glanced over at him, noticing the practically still red meat piled on Rowan's plate, "That stuff is still rare," he said, pointing at it with a knife only for Rowan to bat it away.
"Don't touch my meat," he said, grabbing it with his bare hand and ripping a chunk out of the first slab. Now Rowan looked like a genuine canine.
Then he saw Nora discreetly trying to reach for it, only for Ren to place an unhealthy stack of pancakes in front of her, which she devoured with the same ferocity as Rowan.
Blake looked disgusted before returning to her book, but not without raising her eyes at Jacen.
It might be for the best that Blake wasn't a telepath cause Jacen had a lot on his mind after the Black Citadel rescue.
He knew that she and Dusky had a history alongside the boy Adam and that the new path the White Fang had taken was turning them into the monsters humans painted the Faunus in an unflattering light.
He wondered if he should let Blake know that the Fang, aligning with whatever remained of the Separatists, were about to get even worse than when she'd left.
Then again, Jacen didn't think that two Magnaguards, four commando droids, and two B-1 battle droids indicated a more prominent assortment, especially not if the Empire had been very thorough about confiscating whatever remained of the droid army if only to prevent the possibility of insurgents getting their hands on them. However, their presence raised more questions for Jacen to answer.
A sickening feeling ran down Jacen's back as Ozpin revealed the truth about their group and their enemies.
To be sure, Salem was a significant threat, but Jacen was still uncertain about the identity of the hidden Separatist who had provided the White Fang with the battle droids. The presence of Magnaguards and droid commandos indicated that this individual was likely of high rank within the Confederacy of Independent Systems and had access to significant resources. Additionally, the fact that they could discreetly transport top-of-the-line droids without alerting the Empire suggested they were adept at remaining under the radar.
Jacen felt a strong urge to warn Blake about the dangerous situation involving the Fang. However, the Force guided him to wait and not act on it yet. Additionally, Jacen sensed that Blake was now more cautious around him after his fight with Rowan. He feared that he might remind her of how her friend Adam had started to embrace violence.
"Not to mention you tend to space out a bit," Yang said, getting his attention.
"Just been tired, is all," he replied before turning toward Ruby.
"What about yourself?" He asked.
"We were lending Coco and Velvet a hand cleaning up downtown Vale in preparation for the Vytal Festival," Ruby's eyes gleamed excitedly.
Ah, in all that's gone on lately, Jacen almost forgot that the Vytal festival was coming and that Beacon would be hosting.
In remembrance of the day the Great War ended, an annual tournament was held which teams from the various Huntsmen academies would attend.
Its purpose was to build up relationships with other nations and also show the world what it means to be a huntsman or huntress.
"Gotta make Vale look good," Yang said enthusiastically.
Being the aspiring historian, Gray was also excited about it.
"It changes each year, and I had no idea that my first year in Beacon would see me taking part in it," Gray said.
Even Rowan paused amid his bloody meat breakfast to say, "I hear they always change the terrain of the arena during the matches, then as it gets closer to the finals, the arena gets smaller," he said.
Jacen had to shake his head clearly when the word arena came up.
The memory was still fresh in his mind, the last time he found himself in an arena was amidst a sea of sand, with menacing battle droids, the constant buzz of Geonosians, and the looming threat of death, all of which ultimately led to a galaxy-wide conflict.
He finally turned his eyes on Jaune, who'd barely touched his food.
"This isn't the first time Cardin has been mistreating you," Pyrrha said with noticeable concern.
Jaune quickly lifted his head as if he had just woken from a light dose himself.
"Oh, come on, Cardin's not that bad," Jaune said weakly.
"He's a bully, Jaune," Ruby said bluntly.
Jacen knew that Ruby had her experience with that subject if what Weiss had been doing lately was anything to go by.
"No way, Cardin's just kidding around," Jaune said.
"Name one time he's bullied me."
"How about when he shoved you in your locker and launched it?" Jacen asked pointedly.
"Or when he opened your shield to block your way out of Professor Port's classroom," Gray added.
"Or when he purposely tripped you in the hallway then claimed you'd tripped over your own feet," Rowan added.
"Or when he dunked your head into the toilet, claiming it was an efficient way to do your hair," Yang and Rouge both added as though it were the climax of the discussion.
Nora paused her pancake binge to look at Jaune, "Oh, that's why your hair was all wet and messy," she said energetically, then returned to her pancakes.
"You said it was raining," Pyrrha added.
As Jacen kept a watchful eye on Jaune, he noticed his mood taking a downturn with each instance of Cardin singling him out. Alongside this, he sensed a chilling presence emanating through the Force, sending shivers down his spine.
He didn't need to turn to know that Weiss had entered the room and had sat at the far side of the table.
He gathered the courage to steal a quick look in her direction and was met with a piercing, cold stare before he swiftly shifted his gaze toward Yang.
"I wondered what made winter come so early," he whispered, earning a slight laugh from Yang.
"I've heard of a cold shoulder, but someone's taken the expression too literally," she whispered.
He turned toward Ruby, who was also looking at Weiss, "She still giving you grief?" Jacen asked.
Ruby finally turned her head toward him, "I'd have better luck with a beowolf," she said.
"At least I know how to deal with them; Weiss is something different."
Jacen let out a sigh and was about to reply, but the sound of distress, a feeling of pain, and an air of malice was in the air.
He knew he'd be angry with what he saw, and yet, seeing the action made his blood run cold.
That thug Cardin and his cronies were gathered around Velvet, who was getting her ear pulled by the former.
"Let go, please," Velvet pleaded, only for Cardin's grip to tighten as he mercilessly pulled.
"I told you they were real," Cardin said as Russel laughed.
"What a freak," Russel said.
Jacen's blood boiled with fury as he saw Cardin harassing Velvet. He was just about to intervene when Blake suddenly stepped in and forcefully pushed Cardin away from Velvet. The rough shove seemed to startle Cardin, who stumbled back a few steps, giving Jacen a chance to step up and assess the situation.
"She said let go," Blake's voice dripped with contempt.
Jacen was probably the only one who understood the real reason for her anger.
Typically, Cardin turned his attention toward Blake.
"What's it to you?" He asked, trying to be intimating, but Blake didn't back down.
"Maybe I take a dim view of thugs like you trying to become a huntsman," she said sharply.
"So you wanna play being a jockey to those fur lickers?" He said bluntly and without regard to civility.
Jacen couldn't stand by any longer.
Even Yang and Rowan seemed prepared to go after him.
In a swift move, Jacen relied on his exceptional control over the Force to unfasten Cardin's belt and lower his trousers to the ground, exposing a pair of Pumpkin Pete-themed boxers.
Cardin's indignation suddenly became embarrassment mixed with humiliation as he tried pulling his pants up, though Jacen maintained his hold through the Force until he eventually let go, causing Cardin to fall on his back.
He actually heard stifled laughter from Blake as well as most of the table's occupants.
Cardin eventually brushed his teammates aside and then turned his eyes on Jacen himself.
"You," Cardin said indignantly.
"If the long-earned fur licker wasn't enough, they had to let a freak like you in here."
"You need to watch that tongue of yours rather than run it so freely," Jacen said with calm, controlled anger.
"A huntsman should never treat humans or Faunus so cruelly."
Cardin was about to make a move on him then stopped when Jacen had his hand on the hilt of his lightsaber.
"I'd rather not have to engage in aggressive negotiations," Jacen said.
"Jockey scum," Cardin said before storming out of the room, though not before slamming Jaune's face into his plate.
"You can thank me for helping you eat, Jaunie boy," he said as he and his team walked out.
Jacen watched Cardin and his group leave and felt his ire rising in his throat. People like Cardin should never become huntsmen.
Additionally, he found it disconcerting that, despite years of being called Jedi scum by his enemies, Cardin had referred to him using the negative term Jockey Scum.
"I can't stand people like him," Pyrrha said angrily.
Yang looked at Velvet, who was still massaging her ear after Cardin finally let go, "It must be hard being a Faunus," she said.
Jacen could probably tell her there was more truth in her statement.
Despite his initial relief, Jacen sensed a growing unease. He knew with certainty that another tempest was on the horizon, and he braced himself for its impact.
"Oh, it must have been tempting for you to use your weird power," Weiss's indignant voice said.
Jacen had to summon all his Jedi discipline not to lash out when he turned to face Weiss.
"Are you suggesting that I should let Cardin rip off Velvet's ears?" Jacen asked in a direct manner.
"I don't condone such a barbaric gesture, but Velvet should have been able to defend herself," she answered.
"It just shows that Faunus are weak on their own, and that's why they form into groups like the White Fang."
Without even turning to glance in Blake's direction, Jacen was able to detect the sharp nerve that Weiss's comment had clearly struck. It was evident that the impact of Weiss's words was weighing heavily on Blake's emotions.
He sensed bitterness in Weiss's tone when he said the White Fang's name.
Jacen knew, too that the White Fang often targeted anything remotely linked with the Schnee Dust Company.
Though Jacen didn't like it, he knew that Weiss was a victim of whatever the aftermath of attacks led by the White Fang.
Jacques Schnee, the current President and CEO of the company, had been bringing the company into a morally gray area that seemed to match everything that gave weight to the White Fang's arguments on humans utilizing Faunus laborers.
Jacen had a strong feeling that Jacques was equally a corrupt businessman and a horrible father.
However, Weiss was sucked in by whatever information in Atlas referred to the Faunus negatively, and even Gray had stated that biases mired their information.
It didn't help that Weiss was probably unaware that her father was in league with someone even more dangerous than Roman Torchwick.
That and Weiss was still distrustful of Jacen.
"An eye for an eye leaves the world blind," Jacen said calmly.
Weiss knew she would be overruled and quickly but elegantly made her way out of the room.
The tension hung in the air for a handful of heartbeats before Jacen exhaled in a huff.
"She still needs thawing," he said dryly, then turned his attention toward Jaune with Pyrrha still trying to help clean his face.
He leaned in and whispered to Yang and Rouge, "I wish Cardin were a droid so I could take him apart and find out what made him such a jerk."
He noticed that Yang was raising a curious eyebrow, "Did you ever have to kill living combatants during your war?" She asked quietly so only he, Rouge, Gray, and Ruby could hear.
Jacen thought about it for a moment, "Yes, unfortunately, but that wasn't done with any malice or hatred," he said.
He added quickly, "I wasn't planning to kill Cardin, even if he was asking for it."
"Well, he did get caught with his pants down," Yang said humorously.
"Guys, I know Cardin's kind of a jerk, but what can we do about it?" Jaune asked.
In answer, Nora lept onto the table, "Oh, we'll break his legs," she said with an enthusiastic grin.
Rowan seemed to share that thought, "Perhaps even his arms so he learns to keep his hands to himself," he said, wiping his hands with a cloth.
It was a tempting idea to retaliate against Cardin, especially given how he was hurling a series of offensive slurs toward Velvet and nearly tearing off her ears. Only someone as merciless as the cyborg Grievous would be capable of inflicting such brutality.
Weiss, despite her cold attitude and misplaced understanding of the Faunus combined with the burden of bringing some honor back to the Schnee name, might actually become a good huntress with her own identity rather than just being recognized as a Schnee.
He sighed, "Everyone's walking their own path," he said as though in revelation.
Blake had a more improved opinion of Jacen.
Even though she still couldn't make sense of who he was or what the Jedi were.
There must have been hours she'd spent in the library looking into books regarding anything like Jedi, but she found nothing.
The few times she'd tried asking Yang or Ruby, they always gave some reason for why they wouldn't say anything.
Rouge probably knew, too, but she seemed to be keeping something else hidden.
She probably shouldn't be too hypocritical with them keeping secrets, considering she had her own.
It was somewhat ironic that the oaf Cardin called her a jockey, a term for humans that showed sympathy for faunus; meanwhile, the term fur licker was often attributed to faunus, such as herself being a feline faunus.
"Um, Jacen," she called out to get his attention.
The way Jacen looked at her, it was as though he was surprised she was speaking to him.
"You alright, Blake?" He asked.
"Actually, I rather found your unconventional method for stopping a bully humorous," she answered, hiding a slight smile.
"It was either that or watch Yang and Rowan crush him into red paste," Jacen said with a shrug.
"There's something about you I can't put my finger on," Blake said.
"What exactly is a Jedi?"
Jacen looked around as though he didn't want anyone else to listen.
"Once, honorable warriors and guardians of peace," Jacen answered.
That explained Jacen's conduct and perhaps was his reason to become a huntsman; he even seemed to have compassion for the faunus.
"It's just that I haven't been able to find anything regarding them," Blake said.
"I think your droid friend might know more, but I can't understand him."
Jacen looked at her with a look she couldn't decipher, as though he wanted to say something about it, but he simply couldn't.
There might also have been an additional sympathy toward her; he definitely showed genuine anger when Cardin pulled on Velvet's ears.
With a sigh, Jacen eventually said, "When there's a better time, I'll be sure to tell you," he said in the form of a genuine promise.
Still, there was one other thing on her mind.
While fighting Rowan, Jacen's eyes burned with a fire that was all too familiar. Despite not appearing to be a ruthless person, he only reacted that way because Rowan was provoking him. However, it reminded Blake of the similar behavior exhibited by Adam.
Despite her deep respect for Jacen, she realized that her feelings towards him were similar to those she once had for Adam. Even though she had left him, Adam still haunted her memories as a dark shadow of her past. If Jacen had indeed killed Rowan during their duel, it would only serve to repeat the painful experience she had with Adam.
With everything she'd been through, she wasn't prepared to open herself up to anyone else.
It was late in the evening, and Yang was still wondering why she, alongside Rouge, Gray, Rowan, Jacen, plus his loyal droid Skipper, wanted them to meet in the labs.
"So what exactly is it we're doing here?" Yang asked.
She noticed Jacen and Rouge traded looks before Jacen carried some bag and then set it on one of the tables, which made a clear metallic sound when it hit the table surface.
"So everyone who's already familiar with my unique circumstances, what I'm about to show is what remains of something I once fought against during the Clone Wars," Jacen said.
Yang's eyes suddenly went to the bag Jacen was opening, and he pulled out what looked like the head of some robot or, in this case, a droid.
She vaguely recognized it from the recordings she studied from Skipper.
"Isn't that one of those fancy ninja droids?" Yang asked.
Jacen nodded, "The BX-series droid commando, designed for infiltration and action behind enemy lines, was also used to perform security, bodyguard, and enforcer duties for certain high-ranking Separatists," he said.
"You mean you found one of those here on Remnant?" Gray asked, taking out his scroll to document it.
Even though the eyes of the droid were dead, Yang found the droid even more frightening in person rather than in a hologram.
"Clone troopers and even some Jedi had that same look of apprehension whenever a squadron of these come into play," Jacen explained.
"They were as much a challenge for Knights as well as some masters."
The world knight seemed to ring in Yang's head.
"Speaking of which, you think our lovable blonde dork will actually stand up for himself?" She asked.
Rowan made a sound of uncertainty, "He's as inexperienced as a spring lamb," he said.
"Someone like him should have gone back home."
"He's where he's meant to be," Jacen said.
"Though he's not as cold as Weiss, I think he has a bit of pride that prevents his own growth."
"Well, maybe Wolf Boy can talk to him," Yang said, looking at Rowan.
Rowan gave a slightly annoyed growl at Yang's comment.
She heard Jacen laugh, earning a glare from Rowan, "Really think your girlfriend is that funny?" He asked.
Upon hearing Rowan's comment, Yang felt a sudden warmth spread across her cheeks, indicating a blush. As she glanced around the room, she noticed a similar reaction on Jacen's face, but couldn't quite decipher the expression on Rouge's face, as it appeared to be guarded and difficult to read.
Jacen immediately recomposed himself, "Anyway, if we can actually focus," he said.
"I want to know who it was that sent that thing."
Yang returned her thoughts to the droid's head, "You think it has information stored in it?" She asked.
Jacen looked joylessly, "Skipper's been running a scan on it for two days, and it's under a completely different security matrix than what it had during the Clone Wars," he said.
"I'm hoping you might have something that could open it."
Yang let a grin cross her face, "I think I have something that can crack open that clanker," she said in the same way she'd heard the clone troopers say.
END