Author's Note: This is chapters 2 and 3 combined because chapter 2 would have been only Weak Hero with nothing relating to RWBY. I didn't want that, so I combined the two chapters.
Rewritten/Redited 11/14/2024
Talk about Gray's absolute beat down on Cardin had finally reached the ears of Ben. He and Gogo sit on a bench after taking off from Ruby and her company when Ben decides to tell Gogo about it gleefully. "Hey Gogo, didn't you want a stab at Cardin Winchester, though if you had, you would have gotten crushed instead." "What the heck are you talking about anyway, dumbass?" Questions Gogo slightly miffed. "Sorry to tell you, but he already got beat today." "Really, by whom?" "I don't know. This Gray guy tied him up and slapped the shit out of him. Well, at least from what I heard."
"No way that happened; you're either too gullible or have an active imagination. Also, nice story, man. I swear you have the most active imagination, and make it more realistic next time. Seriously, what was he? Was he a medieval baron? Either way, I'll get another chance to crush that shithead Cardin and make him pay for playing dirty during basketball." "Well, that's what I heard. Anyway, let's see that Gray guy. I hear he's sitting at a table outside the library. Afterward, you can call me a liar if I'm wrong," Ben said smugly. In his mind, Gogo considers the possibility that what Ben said is accurate, and curiosity gets the better of him as he decides to join Ben to see if he is speaking the truth.
During that time, Gray receives looks and whispers as he sits at a table outside Beacon's library with Eugene beside him. People gawk at him. Unable to believe that he beat up Cardin Winchester. However, Gray couldn't care less. Whispers run amok as some say, "Woah, that's the guy who beat up Cardin Winchester." "Are you sure he did it? I mean, he doesn't look like much." "He looks cute. Almost looks like a girl," says the blonde Xiaolong girl. "Tch, I can take him; Cardin must have been an over-hyped nobody." As those whispers turn out, Ben chimes into the group near him, "So, did Cardin, for real, leave early?" "Yeah, he left alright. And with his goons in tow," He was told in response.
"I find it hard to believe that he beat him. Quite the mismatched fight with both their heights and weights. No way that small fry could have beaten him without using his semblance." Comments another. "No, it's true that guy was like a literal demon slapping the shit out of Cardin. I'm still getting chills thinking about it." Says a witness to the fight. They proceed to continue looking when Gerard Jin, a tall initiate with green hair covering up to his eyes, walks over to see the buzz. And as they began to notice, their talk shifted to him. "Hey, isn't that Gerard Jin from Do-Eui High?" "He must have gotten curious too." "Man, that fucker got taller. What is he, a Giraffe." "Hey Gerard, you're curious too, huh," says Ben laughingly. Gerard turns slightly to look at Ben. While smirking, he says, "Man, you two are still inseparable. Ben. Alex." Gogo, annoyed by his comment, glares at him in response, saying, "The fuck you looking at." Still smirking, Gerard looks at Gogo and thinks, 'Man, that guy's quite the hothead.' With a hint of laughter, he responds, "Just thought you two look cute together."
Time passes, and as the sun sets, Gray decides to stay at his apartment in Vale instead of at Beacon. After leaving the airship, He walks towards an overpass and sees Cardin with two cronies waiting just for him. He looks at them unsurprised and emotionless, not even caring that they're there to hurt him, 'My hunch for trouble is rarely wrong. And today, it proves itself again.' He thought. "What do you know? I was right. This robotic bastard was going to pass over through here," Grudgingly says Cardin, still ridden with facial wounds as his aura hasn't healed him yet. Royce Na, a crony wearing a backward red hat, laughs at Gray while smoking, "This guy embarrassed you. What a joke." Eddie Moore, the other crony, who has orange-blond slicked hair, laughs at Cardin, "Cardin, you fucking idiot." Cardin, disliking the ridicule at his expense, makes excuses for his defeat.
"Hey, I could have beat him if I hadn't gotten tied up. Seriously, this guy uses the most underhanded tactics, man. He frickin tied me up using cheap tricks." The kind of people who spout such nonsense so confidently disgusts Gray. It struck a nerve within him. "You call me cheap. I'm essentially a skeleton walking. My height is just barely over 5'4. My semblance isn't even meant for fighting. A fair fight on equal grounds couldn't even begin. I'm outnumbered and outclassed by you disgusting meatheads." Coldly says Gray, eyes piercing at them. "… Yeah, and?" Replies Eddie in an intimidating fashion. "That ain't very nice to say," smirks Royce. Cardin, behind the two of them, has a face of hesitation while looking at Gray.
'My body is trembling. I'm in fear. But I can't show it. You mustn't let it show. At this moment, that fear I'm feeling is just an illusion. Just need to focus on a way to win.' contemplates Gray while glaring at the three. His body trembles slightly, but he stands firm, ready to fight. "Hey, asswipe. What happened to all your bravado." Taunts Eddie, "He must be shitting himself right now." "What are you mute?" Laughs Royce. Eddie laughs out, "Look at him trembling." Throughout this taunting, Cardin begins to relax slightly and feel that his loss against Gray really was a fluke.
'Take care of the one in front first. Suppress my emotions and make them feel my fear instead. It doesn't even have to be quick,' Gray analyzes. Eddie begins the attack with a slap swing from his right arm. 'Duck on the first swing.' Eddie misses as Gray ducks down at a 90-degree angle, and he trips Eddie by grabbing his pants from the leg holes, making him fall flat on his back. Gray jumps on Eddie, one foot on his chest and the other kicking his chin, knocking him out. "You mother fucker!" Screams Royce as he rushes in to attack. Only for Gray to activate his semblance and throw dirt at his face, blinding Royce. Gray warps his reinforced scroll onto his hand and heavily hits Royce's right eye. Both of them were defeated in that stunning performance, writhing in pain. Cardin began to cower up against a wall. He questions himself who the hell Gray is. Gray speaks coldly, with eyes once more like a demon, "Don't you remember what I said if I caught you acting up again? I promised to gouge your eyes out." Gray, in a single move, takes off his reinforced belt and turns around to face Cardin. Using the belt like a whip, he hits Cardin on the forehead using the buckle. A direct hit caused Cardin to cry as his forehead bled. "You pathetic scumbag. Do you even understand why you're getting beaten by me? It's because you're pitifully predictable." Spat Gray.
As if nothing had happened, Gray walked away. "Urgh, is everyone okay? Stop crying, you idiot. It's embarrassing. And wake that dumbass up." Spoke a groggy Royce as he started to rise after the fight.
'I knew Cardin would make a scene if he lost, so I got worried and followed Gray, but that guy…," smirks Gerard, who was watching from a near distance. Cardin's second defeat made more headway than his first one because, this time, Cardin had help. Rumors spread instantly throughout the night. "I heard that Cardin Winchester got his ass handed to him." Says one to his friend, "He even brought his entourage. They all ate the pavement. But apparently, the guy who beat them uses the most underhanded tactics." Says his friend. Some were jealous. Some exaggerated the story. Some believed that they could beat the rumored person in question, while others couldn't care.
The story grew so big that almost every person in the auditorium knew about it or was learning about it that it reached the ears of one certain heiress. 'Honestly, Beacon is the most prestigious hunter academy in the world, and of course, he started trouble. Two fights in one day. Why did my father decide even to help him? Because he's family. What a joke. As if that man cared for the family,' bitterly thought Weiss as she sat alone, getting ready to sleep.
Ben and Gogo found a spot to sleep in the auditorium as Ben noticed Weiss. "Hey, doesn't that girl over there look like Gray?" Asked Ben to Gogo. "Yeah, now that you mention it, she does," replies Gerard, who made himself known to the two boys. "You seem to pop out of nowhere." Says Gogo. "I wonder if they're related?" Ben questions, still looking at Weiss and noticing her angry face.
"What are you doing sis?" Says Yang. "I'm just writing to my gang back at Signal. I mean, not everyone can go to Beacon with their friends. It's weird not knowing anyone here," Ruby responds with jealousy. "Aw, so cute," a pillow is thrown at Yang, "Well, you should write about that cutie who beat up Cardin Winchester and his friends. Plus, that Jaune guy seems to be your friend." Says Yang back. "Well, counting that Weiss girl hating me, I have zero friends. Ah, wait, we forgot about Ben and Gogo. They were friendly," Ruby says back. "Well, that's three friends and one enemy. Nice going. And trust me, you have friends all around. You just don't know it," Yang responds optimistically as she gets another pillow launched at her. "Sup, we heard our names being said. Obviously, talking about our awesomeness, right?" Jestingly said Ben with bravado as he, Gogo, and Gerard walked toward the sisters. "Huh, oh wow, he's tall," says Ruby as she looks towards the boys, noticing Gerard. "Who's big, green, and tall over here?" asks Yang, looking at Gerard. "Oh, this here is Gerard," responds Ben. "Oh, a friend of yours from before getting here," asks Ruby. "No, we just met today," says Gerard nonchalantly. An awkward silence soon envelopes. "Well, aren't you two social butterflies," says Yang as she tries to get the conversation out of the awkwardness it had just landed in. Ruby then notices a girl sitting next to a lit candle. "You know her?" Asks Gogo as he takes notice of who Ruby is looking at. "Well, no, but she did defend me after Weiss got angry at me this morning. But I didn't catch her name," Meekly said Ruby. "Well, now's a good time to introduce yourself," excitedly proclaims Yang. "Yeah, now come on, don't be scared," chimes Ben as he and Yang drag Ruby to Blake with the rest in tow.
'Two fights already in one day, from the same person as well. Before the initiation process even begins. I didn't expect that from Beacon. Maybe Shade, but not Beacon. Well, this is going to be an interesting time.' Curiously, thought Blake Belladonna as she read her book. She then hears footsteps coming her way. She notices the girl she helped earlier being dragged by two people as she helplessly tries to wriggle free to no avail. Then they finally reach her. "You're that girl who exploded," Blake comments to Ruby. Ruby nervously responds, "Yeah, I'm Ruby, but you can call me Crater–Um, actually, just call me Ruby." Blake looks at her and then looks back at her book, uninterested in the conversation, as she only responds, "Okay." Yang and Ben whisper to Ruby, "What are you doing, sis?" "You're kind of blowing it, Ruby." Ruby responds in a frantic whisper, "I don't know. Help me, please." Gerard and Gogo both snicker at the awkwardness of the situation in front of them.
Yang then speaks up to take command of the scene, "Well, I'm Yang, this here is Ben, and the two laughing at our expense are Gogo and Gerard. ... So what's your name?" Bothered by the conversation taking her away from her book, Blake sighed, "Blake." "Your bow looks nice," added Ben, trying to ease the tension. "It goes well with your pajamas," said Yang, adding to Ben's comment. But that only increased Blake's irritation, "Thanks." Ruby laughs nervously in the background as Yang, once again, tries to garner a conversation, " Nice night, isn't it?" In a harsh tone with increasing volume, Blake responds again, hoping they will get the hint to leave her alone, "Lovely. Just as Lovely as this Book that I will return to reading once you all leave!" With a sudden burst of courage, Ruby talks to Blake again.
"What's the name of your book?" This caught Blake off guard somewhat as she stammered in her response, "Well, it's about a man with two souls as they both are trying to fight for control." Yang sarcastically responds due to the book's bleak nature, "Oh wow, so lovely." "I love books. You know Yang used to read me every night before bed. Usually, stories about heroes defeating monsters, saving the day, and living happily ever after. They're one of the reasons I want to be a huntress," says Ruby in a bright manner. This made Blake laugh a bit, "Why? Because you want to live happily ever after." "Well, I want to be a hero just like in the stories, but I hope to have everyone live happily ever after," says Ruby. "An admirable goal, but real life isn't like that at all, unfortunately," Blake says somberly. "Real life isn't the best, and it can give us more scars than we care for, but that doesn't mean we'll ever stop trying to achieve our hopes and dreams," says Gerard with remembrance while holding a hand over his left eye. This swelled emotion from Ben as he held his left arm, and Gogo looked ashamed as Ben did that. "And that's why we're here. To make the world a better place," optimistically said Ruby. This caused Yang to gush over Ruby as she picked her up, which led to a mini scuffle as both sisters began to wrestle. Everyone started to laugh.
The commotion had annoyed Weiss enough that she stood up and walked to the group to give them a piece of her mind, "EXCUSE me. Some people are trying to sleep here, and your noise is very irritating!" Then, in accidental unity, Yang and Weiss said, "Urgh, not you again." Realizing they were making too much noise, Ruby said, "She's right, guys; we should be quiet now as others are trying to sleep." Though this angered Weiss as she was still mad from earlier in the day, "Oh, so now you're on my side." "I'm always on your side," responded Ruby, trying to calm her down. "What's your problem with my sister? She's only trying to be nice," said Yang, trying to control her anger. This new spout has caused the boys to begin laughing softly, not to bring on the ire of the girls. "She's a hazard to my health!" huffed Weiss. Tired of all this nonsense, Blake put down her book and blew out her candle as a sign for everyone to finish. "You know why did you have a lit candle with you anyway? I mean, the lights are still out, and it's only about nine-thirty," questions Gogo to Blake. Now, all eyes were on Blake, which made her feel embarrassed. Her only response was, "You know it's been quite the day, and I'm feeling exhausted right now, so now I'm going to sleep. Bye now." She turned away from them and lay on the ground, pretending to sleep. With this, everyone except Weiss bid their goodbyes and decided to turn in for the night.
Author's Endnote: In the episode The Shining Beacon PT 2, I always wondered why Blake had a candle with her since the lights were still on. Probably in-story, the lights were supposed to be much dimmer, but I had already written that last bit, so I will keep it like that.