(3rd POV)
In Beacon Academy's student dorms most of Team JNPR were in their room doing various things. Pyrrha Nikos looks out the window sadly as Lie Ren loads StormFlower and Nora Valkyrie is jumping on her bed in the room for Team JNPR.
"How come Jaune gets home so late?" Nora asked. "He's become rather scarce since he started fraternizing with Cardin." Ren said. "That's weird... Doesn't he know we have a field trip tomorrow? We need our rest!" Nora said. As she said that she does a twirl in midair so her back hits the covers. "I'm sure our leader knows exactly what he's doing." Pyrrha said uncharacteristically angry.
Nora and Ren exchange glances, not knowing that Jaune himself is looking in through the crack of the door. "Mmmm... I guess so." Nora said with uncertainty. Jaune hangs his head and closes the door, just as two voices interrupt his thoughts. "Hey, Jaune!" Ruby said. "What are you doing peeking in your own dorm room?" Bruce asked.
Startled, Jaune turns around to see Ruby and Bruce in their pajamas, and she giggles at his reaction while Bruce smiles. "Ruby and Bruce, what are you doing here?!" Jaune asked. "I live across from your room." Ruby said, pointing to the door to her own dorm. "Yeah and I am here to get back a book I leant to Ruby for weapons class." Bruce said, showing a book with an all black cover except for a white picture of a sword.
"So! Where have you been lately?" Ruby asked. "Yeah we haven't been seeing you much lately, Felix and Amelia honestly asked if you were dead." Bruce said. "I, uh..." Jaune said as he tried to come up with an explanation.
Nothing comes to mind though and he just sighs and lowers his head. "I messed up. I did something I shouldn't have, and now Cardin has me on a leash, and Pyrrha won't even talk to me, and..." Jaune said before he breathes heavily through his nose. "I'm starting to think coming to this school was a bad idea." Jaune said as he pressed his back to his team's door and slid down to the floor in depression. "Why would you think that?" Bruce asked, getting on his knees and then sitting down on Jaune's left side. "Well because I'm a failure." Jaune said.
"Nope!" Ruby said. "Nope?" Jaune asked, looking at her surprised. "Nope! You're a leader now, Jaune. You're not allowed to be a failure." Ruby said. "Yeah you have to succeed Jaune, quitting is not an option. Not anymore." Bruce said, smiling at him. "But... what if I'm a failure at being a leader?" Jaune asked. Ruby thinks about it for a moment, then gives her answer. "Nope!" Ruby said. "What I think is a better way to say it is you got suck it up and persevere." Bruce said.
Jaune laughs as she joins the boys on the floor. "You know, you're not the easiest person to talk to about this kind of stuff. Can I just talk to Bruce who is more open to conversation with more than just one word?" Jaune asked, looking at his male friend momentarily then back to Ruby. "Nope!" Ruby and Bruce both said.
Jaune starts leaning into the door some more as Ruby starts speaking more than just one word. "Jaune, maybe you were a failure when you were a kid..." Ruby said as Jaune groans and sinks lower to the ground. "... and you might've even been a failure the first day we met!" Ruby said as Jaune groaned and went lower still.
Bruce then turns to the first friend he has made in Vale. "Um Ruby, can you say something that is not going to crush his already low self esteem?" Bruce asked. "I was getting to that." Ruby said to her famous friend. "But, you can't be one now. You know why?" Ruby asked her blond friend. "Uhhh, because...?" Jaune asked, not knowing the reason.
"Because it's not just about you anymore. You've got a team now, Jaune. The Three of us do! And if we fail, then we'll just be bringing them down with us." Ruby said. "Yeah, but how can I stand up for them if I can't even stand up for myself?" Jaune asked.
Bruce sighs as he puts a supportive hand on Jaune's shoulder making both of them look at the yellow eyed boy. "Jaune, I know you have a problem, having a hard time understanding how to do this whole leadership thing. Well Ruby and I are still new to this just as you are. Hell sometimes I am even questioning why Ozpin chose us if I am being honest." Bruce said.
The two other friends look at each other briefly then back at Bruce. "What do you mean? You and Ruby seem great for the roles." Jaune asked. "I know, but hey, Ruby isn't really one to make new friends easily, some of my teammates seem way better for the position than I am, and you Jaune seem nervous and scared sometimes so it is a wonder how anyone can see us as leaders. I think of this and then think how Ozpin must have put this into consideration when the teams were forged, so we have to have trust in his taste of judgment when he made us the leaders." Bruce said smiling.
Ruby gets up and places her hands on her hips as she speaks. "He is right. And since Ozpin made us the leaders of our teams we have to put our teammates first, and ourselves second. Your team deserves a great leader, Jaune. And I think that can be you." Ruby said. She walks over to her door and opens it as Jaune, now slightly inspired by her words, watches her wave. "Have a good night, Jaune, Bruce!" Ruby said before she went inside.
The boys then slowly get up off the ground as Jaun smiles hearing this so Bruce decides now would be a good time to tell him what he thought of telling him. "Jaune I think you can also be a team leader if you take your own words to heart." Bruce said.
Once Jaune is standing up he dusts himself off and tilts his head in confusion. "What words?" Jaune asked. "If you can't stand up for yourself then how can you stand up for your team? Well Jaune I think it is time you finally stood up." Bruce said. Bruce then walked away to his dorm leaving Jaune to contemplate what both other team leaders said.
With new energy, Jaune faces the door, ready to turn the knob and face his teammates, but his Scroll beeps and he pulls it off of his side to open it, seeing Cardin's contact relaying a message.
"Hey! It's your buddy Cardin! I know you're probably busy with that Dust project I gave you, buuuut I'm gonna need you to go out and get me a bag of Rapier Wasps." Cardin said on the scroll as Jaune made a terrified sound in response, losing all his energy. "And make sure they've got some really big stingers! It's important, so don't screw this up!" Cardin threatened. Jaune closes his Scroll just when it begins to beep again. Sighing, he wearily heads down the hallway and away from his room.
Time Skip brought to you by Chibi Pyrrha and Chibi Bruce clashing swords
An overhead shot of a forest bustling with red leaves and gray trunks is seen as the camera descends and shows Glynda leading teams RWBY, JNPR, BLAK, and CRDL through the area. "Yes, students, the forest of Forever Fall is indeed beautiful. But we are not here to sightsee. Professor Peach has asked all of you to collect samples from the trees deep inside this forest." Glynda said to the major group of students.
Felix leans in closer to Amelia and cups his hand around her ear. "You think if this class is for her she would at least be here." Felix whispered. "Yeah." Amelia whispered. "And I'm here to make sure none of you die while doing so." Glynda said.
The group stops, and Jaune, grunting and carrying a large case with six empty glass jars on top, tries to catch up with them and ends up bumping into Cardin. The bully scowls at Jaune, who attempts to feign innocence by whistling tunelessly.
"Each of you is to gather one jar's worth of red sap. However, this forest is full of the creatures of Grimm, so be sure to stay by your teammates. We will rendezvous back here at 4 o'clock. Have fun!" Glynda said to the students as she held a jar
While Yang Xiao Long and her sister smile at one another, Jaune attempts to sneak away from Cardin to his team, but the blackmailer sees this and grabs Jaune by the back. "Come on, buddy - let's go!" Cardin said.
Jaune miserably looks up at his team, where Nora and Ren are already walking into the forest's depths and Pyrrha is staring sadly at the scene. Dropping his gaze, Jaune turns and follows CRDL, to the disappointment of a sighing Pyrrha before she continues on.
Most of the three teams then arrive near multiple trees each of them holding a jar. "Well this looks like a nice spot to try and get some sap." Bruce said. "Well then let's get to work." Amelia said.
Everyone then splits up as Amelia is about to go and get some sap until she feels a hand on her shoulder. Amelia turns her head and is slightly surprised to see the hand is from Blake. "Oh hey Blake, how are you doing?" Amelia asked. "Good Amelia, I was wondering if I could talk to you about something." Blake said. "Sure what about?" Amelia asked.
Blake looked away from Amelia and noticed how close the others were to them so Blake made a follow me gesture and the two of them walked away from the others. Once the two were further away from the others Blake stopped and turned to face Amelia with her arms crossed with a sad look on her face. "How?" Blake asked.
Amelia blinked a few times then looked at the silent girl in confusion. "Howwww... what?" Amelia asked lost on what Blake was asking. Blake looks at her friend and sighs as she looks away questioning how someone like Amelia can be real. "Something has just been bothering me ever since Yang told me about it. How are you able to continue to smile and seem happy even though people ridicule you over your wings?" Blake asked.
After hearing her say that Amelia made an 'ooooo' kinda look on her face. "That is what this is about, me getting bullied and seeming fine after the whole thing? Well it's simple, I just brush it off." Amelia said.
Hearing this Blake looks at her even more confused and slightly angry. "How?! Team CRDL bullied you! And I heard that this wasn't the first time something like that happened before! How can you honestly not be angry or-or sad?! The way you were treated should make you livid!" Blake shouted. "Well I'm not." Amelia said, shrugging her shoulders.
Blake shouted as she threw her jar on the ground and clenched her hands into fists. "Blake, why does me not really let them get to me, making you so furious?" Amelia asked. Blake sighed and her hands were no longer clenched and she looked down. "Because I wish I had the strength to not get humans to get to me the way you can." Blake said. "What do you mean like I can?" Amelia asked.
Blake, realizing her poor choice of words she breathed heavily out her nose and turned around deciding to face Amelia. Blake then reached her hand up to her bow and pulled it off. As she did this Amelia's eyes opened wide as she gasped when she saw a pair of cat ears on the top of her head. "Oh my gosh they are so cute! I want to pet them!" Amelia said eager to touch them.
Amelia reached her hand out to touch them, but Blake grabbed her hand and glared at Amelia making her stop and put her arms down not wanting to anger the girl more than she has done today. "Sorry." Amelia muttered.
Blake sighed as she crossed her arms and looked away with an upset expression on her face. "I never really told you or the others much about my history did I?" Blake asked. "No, you really didn't." Amelia said. "Well I guess I should tell you, before I came here to Beacon... I was part of the White Fang." Blake said wishing she never took Amelia out here now.
Hearing Blake tell her that Amelia looked flabbergasted. "The White Fang?! As in the White Fang?! The organization that had caused multiple bad things to humans, especially the Schnees?! You were one of them?!" Amelia asked. "Yeah, most of my life. I was even there when it used to be a peaceful organization." Blake asked. "Well if you don't mind me asking if you were part of the Fang then why did you come to Beacon?" Amelia asked as Blake began walking in one direction.
She then stopped as she stood above the jar so she bent down and picked up the jar meant for sap. As Blake picked up she saw her reflection that showed her cat ears on top of her head and her frown. "Because I felt this could be the only way I could do what I wanted to do all my life." Blake said. "And what was that?" Amelia asked as a tear built up in Blake's eye. "Find a way for our people to be treated fairly." Blake said.
Blake then let the tear fall down her cheek making Amelia walk over to her and put a supportive hand on her shoulder. "All my life I felt as if we were considered second class citizens so I joined the White Fang hoping to change the humans' minds about us. It started out peaceful until it ended up more violently. I couldn't support it. I wouldn't support getting peace over spilled blood, so I ran away and joined Beacon hoping to find another way to give equal rights to Faunus." Blake said.
"I'm sorry something you believed would help Faunus was tainted and ruined Blake." Amelia said, frowning with the feline female. "Yeah, and just when I saw you seeming to be OK with what happened at lunch I just lost it I guess... I mean... they insult you for something you have no choice over... for not being like them... how can you be OK with that?" Blake asked.
Blake then rubbed the tear off her cheek and looked at Amelia who shrugged her shoulders. "Well I don't see my wings as weakness. If anything I see them as a strength. I mean not everyone can fly." Amelia said as she flapped her wings.
Amelia sighs as she starts remembering all the times she was picked on and looked at Blake with a serious expression. "Yes I will admit it hurts whenever people see me as I am like some other disturbing alien creature or something. But then I remember not everyone is like that. Some people don't just look at my wings and see me for that. But, some Humans see Faunus as their equals which the mere thought makes me smile. I mean if that wasn't the case my dad certainly wouldn't have married my mom." Amelia said.
Blake smiled hearing this as she turned to Amelia and gave her an apologetic look. "Your dad sounds like a nice guy. Sorry for snapping earlier." Blake said. "It is OK, I know you wouldn't mean to do that." Amelia said, smiling at her. "Thanks... Can you not tell anyone of my heritage?" Blake asked, pointing at her ears.
Amelia rubbed her chin with her index finger and thumb thinking as she smirked at the same time as a lit lightbulb appeared over her head. "I will, on one condition." Amelia said, raising her index fingers. "What?" Blake asked slightly nervously. "I get to pet the ears for a full minute." Amelia said. Blake looked at her, flabbergasted until she sighed and bent her head down and felt Amelia's hands touch her ears. "So soft." Amelia whispered, making Blake give a slight smile.
Time Skip brought to you by Chibi Felix using Chibi Yang as bench press while the blond uses Chibi Blake as a bench press at the same time.
Perched on a hilltop overlooking the other students getting their sap, team CRDL - plus Jaune, squeezed between Cardin and Russel Thrush - peek their heads over the crest and watch as everyone is retrieving their samples of sap.
Ren, kneeling to collect it from a tree, passes a full jar to Nora, who "Mmmm!"s at the gift as Ren trades it for the other jar in her care. He turns back to the tree and starts filling it up while several licking sounds are heard and he turns back to Nora, now with an embarrassed smile covered in red and an empty jar in her hands.
"Cardin, wh-what's going on?" Jaune asked, turning his head to the left. "Payback." Cardin said, staring at the other students who hadn't noticed him. Jaune's eyes widen in surprise as he figures out who his first two targets are. "Bruce... Pyrrha...?" June asks as the two of them gather more sap from a tree.
"Wh-what are you-?" Jaune asked as Cardin pounds his fist on the ground. "That's the girl. Red-haired know-it-all, thinks she's so smart. And the boy think he is so much better than me all because of some dumb dead brother, well he is gonna get it too." Cardin said, glaring at them.
"Alright, boys..." Cardin says as he pulls out a buzzing cardboard box with a large "W" written on its sides. "Last night, old Jaune here managed to round up an entire box of Rapier Wasps, and now, we're gonna put him to work." Cardin said. Russel grabs Jaune by the shoulder, who barely laughs in nervousness.
"Now, according to one of the essays you wrote for me last week, these nasty things loooove sweets." Cardin said. Jaune looks to see Pyrrha finishing her sap collection while Bruce finishes screwing the lid on top of the jar. "I'm thinking it's time we teach them a thing or two." Cardin said.
The members of CRDL get up. Cardin offers his hand to Jaune, only to painfully yank him up on his feet and shove the jar into his grasp. "And you're gonna do it." Cardin said. "Do what?" Jaune asked, hoping it is not what he thinks it is. "Hit them with the sap!" Cardin said, pointing at the ja. He leans in close to Jaune's face then. "Either that, or I'll have a chat with Goodwitch, and you'll be on the first airship out of Beacon." Cardin said.
Jaune looks down at the jar of sap in his hands and then up at the four grinning teammates waiting to see what happens. Jaune turns towards the group and aims his throw at an oblivious and smiling Pyrrha and Bruce.
The blond boy knew he couldn't do this. He couldn't do this to someone who is like a brother or his... female friend... it's complicated, but still he can't do it to Pyrrha! Trying to steel his nerves and shaking hand to do the deed, but ultimately steels himself for what he's about to do. "No." Jaune said.
Not pleased by what he heard, Cardin starts glaring at Jaune. "What did you say?" Cardin asked. "I said... NO!" Jaune said with an even tighter grip on the jar. He turns and throws the jar at Cardin, instantly recoiling his hands to himself as he looks at Cardin's breastplate covered in sap.
The other team leader, however, just looks at himself and laughs darkly. "Oh, you've done it now..." Cardin said. Jaune humorously laughs to himself once more with his hands still raised in an attempt for defense as Dove Bronzewing and Sky Lark grab Jaune's shoulders and pull him in so his terrified eyes are seen.