Chapter 14: Jaundice Part 2

I went to my next class with some of the team RWBY and JNPR. It was me, Weiss, and Blake from team RWBY, and the whole team JNPR was in the class too. I had my seat next to Blake and Pyrrha. Weiss sat behind me while Jaune sat in the front of the class. Cardin who I now had beef with is leaning back in his seat behind Jaune.

Jaune was resting his head in his hand with his eyes closed while Professor Oobleck was constantly zooming and fast-talking. It was hard for me to pick up the information he gave us because of his fast pace.

"Yes! Yes, prior to the Faunus Rights Revolution-more popularly known as the Faunus War- (He zooms up to the front of the class and the map covered in papers behind his desk) -humankind was quite, quite adamant about centralizing Faunus population in Menagerie. (Oobleck points at the map of said area with his stick, then zooms 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! Why, the repercussions of the uprising can still be seen to this day! (Oobleck zooms around the classroom more, sipping his coffee again before continuing to zoom and talk) Now! Have any among you been subjugated or discriminated because of your Faunus heritage?"

Some of the silhouetted students raise their hands. Velvet, after a moment, does the same.

"Dreadful, simply dreadful! Remember, students, it is precisely this kind of ignorance that breeds violence!" Oobleck takes another sip of his coffee as he says that and waves his stick before speaking again. "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 raises her hand.

"Yes?" Oobleck said.

"The battle at Fort Castle!" Weiss said.

"Precisely! And, who can tell me the advantage the Faunus had over General Lagune's forces?" Oobleck asked the class.

I got distracted when Cardin decided to flick a paper football at Jaune's head, causing him to wake up.

"Hey!" Jaune shouted, annoyed.

Oobleck zooms over into Jaune's face. "Mr. Arc! Finally contributing to class! This is excellent! Excellent! What is the answer?" Oobleck asked.

"Uhhhh... The answer... The advantage... that the Faunus..." Jaune looks behind Oobleck's focused face at Pyrrha, who coughs to get his attention and motions to her lips as she gives him the answer. "...had over that guy's stuff..." Jaune sees Pyrrha cup her hands around her eyes and goes for the most obvious answer. "Uhh... Binoculars!" Jaune blurted out.

While Jaune looked pleased with the answer, the class laughed at him. I couldn't help but laugh too. Oobleck is back at the front of the class. Pyrrha nudged me.

"What? You know those hand motions were kind of obvious, Mom." I said while laughing. Pyrrha sighs and slaps her hand to her forehead. Cardin pounds his fist on his desk while laughing. Oobleck zooms back behind his desk.

"Very funny, Mr. Arc! Cardin! Perhaps you would care to share your thoughts on the subject!" Oobleck said.

"Well, I know it's a lot easier to train an Animal than a soldier," Cardin said. Oobleck shakes his head at Cardin's comment.

"You're not the most open-minded of individuals, are you, Cardin?" Pyrrha said.

"What? You got a problem?" Cardin snapped at her.

"No, I have the answer! It's night vision. Many Faunus are known to have nearly perfect sight in the dark." Pyrrha said. Cardin growls at the correct response.

"General Lagun 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. Blake turns her head towards Cardin and continues to speak. "Perhaps if he'd pay attention in class, he wouldn't have been remembered as such a failure."

"Burn!" I yelled at Cardin while standing up and pointing my finger at him. Blake and I high-fived. Cardin gets up from his seat with his fist clenched.

"Lana! Sit down!" Weiss shouted from behind me. I sighed and sat down.

"Mr. Winchester! Please take your seat." Oobleck said. Oobleck catches Jaune laughing at Cardin's tormented embarrassment, Oobleck zooms up to him.

"You and Mr. Arc can both see me after class for additional readings," Oobleck said. Oobleck yet takes another sip of his coffee.

"Oohhh..." Jaune groans with his shoulders slumping.

"Now, moving on!" Oobleck said. Oobleck zooms away and continues the class.

When the lesson ends, me, Pyrrha, Nora, and Ren come out of the classroom. Pyrrha stops near the doorway.

"Mom?" I said.

"You go ahead. I'll wait for Jaune." Pyrrha said to us.

"I'll wait with you too," I said.

"Okay," Pyrrha said. We look back inside the classroom as the after-class talk occurs to the two boys. I was a bit worried that Jaune would get in trouble.

Oobleck sips his coffee as he starts to speak. "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..." He takes a longer 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, he zooms out of the classroom and past Pyrrha and I in a green-and-white blur. Jaune comes out first, and Cardin emerges behind him, pushing him to the ground.

"Ow!" Jaune cried. This makes the bully laugh.

"What's you're problem, man?!" I shouted.

"What? You want a go with me?" Cardin said, preparing his fighting stance.

"I do if you mess with my family!" I shouted. I also prepared my fighting stance. I glared and growled at Cardin. I was about to pounce but Pyrrha held me back.

"Don't, Lana," Pyrrha warned me. I sighed in annoyance and let Cardin walk away. Pyrrha and I helped Jaune up.

"You okay, Daddy?" I asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Jaune said

"You know, I really will break his legs," Pyrrha said.

"Me too," I said. Jaune sighs and Pyrrha looks like she was struck with inspiration.

"I have an idea! Here, come with me!" Pyrrha said. Pyrrha grabs Jaune by the arm and drags him along as she turns down the corridor. I followed Jaune and Pyrrha.

"Honey, could you give us some privacy please?" Pyrrha asked me.

"Sure," I said. I stepped back inside the building to give them some space, but I hid behind a corner to listen to their conversation. I know they needed privacy, but I was curious about what Pyrrha had to say to Jaune.

Jaune and Pyrrha are standing on top of a rooftop of one of the buildings with a clear view of the glowing green orbs in the control 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.

Pyrrha had realization hit her with horror. "N-N-no!" Pyrrha shouted. She dashes to push Jaune away from the edge.

"That's not why I brought you up here!" Pyrrha shouted. While they were talking, they didn't realize that Cardin was leaning on his windowsill right below them. "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!"

"Wh-what?" Jaune said.

"We can train here after class where no one can bother us!" Pyrrha said.

"You think I need help?" Jaune said.

"N-no! No, that's not what I meant." Pyrrha said frantically.

"But you just said it," Jaune said.

"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 said.

Jaune turns away from her, lowering his head and voice. "You're wrong. I-I don't belong here." Jaune said sadly.

"That's a terrible thing to say! Of course, you do!" Pyrrha said.

Jaune turns back around, now angry. "No, I don't!" Jaune shouted and sighed as Pyrrha looked bewildered. What Jaune said next shocked me. "I wasn't really accepted into Beacon," Jaune said. Jaune turns his back to her so he doesn't have to face her.

I was confused. What does Jaune mean by that?

"Wh-what do you mean?" Pyrrha asked.

Jaune tells the truth and his voice goes higher and higher as he speaks. "I mean I didn't go to combat school, I didn't pass any tests. I didn't earn my spot at this Acadamy!" Jaune looks at Pyrrha again. "I lied! I got my hands on some fake transcripts, and I lied!"

What? Jaune lied?

"What? But... why?" Pyrrha asked.

"'Cause this is always what I've wanted to be!" Jaune shouted. Jaune turns away again. "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."

Pyrrha approaches Jaune, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Then let me help you!" Pyrrha pleaded. Jaune suddenly turns on her with mad frustration.

"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-" Pyrrha started but Jaune cut her off.

"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?" Jaune said.

Pyrrha attempts to reach out from his arm and console him, but he leans back from her touch.

"Just... leave me alone, okay?" Jaune said.

Pyrrha has her head bowed and she is sad. "If that's what you think is best..." Pyrrha said sadly.

She walks away, her footsteps getting softer and softer until she leaves the roof. When Pyrrha left, I slowly walked up to Jaune who looked surprised to see me.

"Lana? What are you doing here?" Jaune asked me.

"Daddy... did you really do all that? Lie to get into Beacon?" I asked. I was still in shock after what I had heard from my parent's argument. It was hard for me to process it.

Jaune sighed sadly. "Yes, sweetheart I did. I know it was wrong of me but what else could I do? Please keep this between me and you, okay?" Jaune said.

"Don't worry, Daddy. Your secret is safe with me." I said.

"Thanks," Jaune said, smiling at me. Jaune and I were about to head back to the dorm room when we heard a mocking laugh and Cardin appeared on the roof from his window.

"Oh, Jaune..." Cardin said evilly.

Jaune and I turn around to look at our bully. "Cardin!" Jaune cried.

"What are you, spying on us now?!" I shouted at him.

"Yep. I couldn't help but overhear you three from my dorm room. So, you snuck into Beacon and having your precious daughter keep this a secret. I gotta say, Jaune, I never expected you to be such a rebel!" Cardin said.

"Please, Cardin, please, don't tell anyone!" Jaune said, taking a begging tone.

"Yes, please don't tell anyone!" I pleaded Cardin.

"Jaune, Lana, come on! I would never rat on a friend like that. And I would never spill a friend's secret." Cardin said. Jaune and I looked at each other, confused.

"A... a friend?" Jaune asked.

"We're... friends now?" I asked.

"Of course!" Cardin said. Cardin traps me and Jaune in a headlock with both of his arms despite our struggle. I choked against his strong grip. "We're friends now, Jauney boy! And you too, Lana! And the way I see it, as long as you guys are there for me when I need you, we'll be friends for a long time."

Cardin finally releases me and Jaune, who gasps as he leans on the ground. Cardin continues speaking. "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?"

Cardin leans down to rub Jaune's hair and gets up with a grin. "That's what I thought," Cardin said. Cardin heads back to hang on the edge. "Don't worry, Jaune; your secret's safe with me."

Before Cardin could disappear, Cardin grabbed me by the wrist without warning and dragged me down to his dorm with him.

"What do you want?" I asked when we got to his dorm. Cardin and his team had me backed up into a wall, cornered. Cardin trapped me in between his arms against the wall to prevent me from escaping.

"I told you. I would get revenge for you ratting me out and giving me detention. And this is just the beginning." Cardin said.

"W-What do you mean?" I said, nervously.

Cardin gave me an evil chuckle. "While me and Jauney boy are friends, you are going to be my girlfriend," Cardin said.

"What?!" I shouted, hoping I heard him wrong.

"Yes. Be my girlfriend, or else I will tell all the professors about the secret you are keeping for Jauney Boy. I will tell them that he snuck into Beacon. You don't want your precious daddy to get expelled, do you? So, what's it gonna be?" Cardin said, his voice dangerous.

My heart pounded with adrenaline rushing through my veins. I had no choice. "F-fine. I'll be your girlfriend." I said.

Cardin grinned. "Good. Now that you are my girlfriend, you will do everything I say and be available when I need you. If not, then you know what happens." Cardin said. Before Cardin released me, Cardin pulled me in for a kiss. The kiss was gross, and it made me want to puke. After Cardin and I exchanged numbers, Cardin allowed me to go back to my dorm.

My parents were sleeping by the time I got back to the dorm. I got ready for bed with my mind swirling with thoughts. What would my parents think if they found out? What would happen if Jaune got expelled? I had a hard time sleeping that night.

Whatever Cardin had planned for me and Jaune, I knew it wouldn't be good.

A/N: Hey guys, I am so sorry I had to keep republishing this story. Some asshole keeps harassing me in the reviews and keeps telling me to kms. I understand you may not like my stories but harassing me isn't cool. If you do not like my stories, then do not read them and leave me alone.

Anyways, for those of you who do like my stories, follow, and favorite me, I hope you enjoy the stories I write. Please leave a review and I hope to see you all in the next chapter.

Thank you.

- Rosebuds722