Chapter Text
There was an itch he couldn't scratch.
It had only floated to the surface of his mind after his duel with Weiss. The next day, with everyone in much better spirits, he found that he couldn't stand still. Something was missing.
Something. What was it?
He tried to suppress it for days. He'd tried to focus on classes which he already knew like the back of his hand. He'd watched people spar in Combat Class, knowing full well that the only reason he hadn't floored them to the dirt was because of his body's limitations. None of it worked, and he supposed he should've known better.
This feeling… It felt like he had to do something. Anything.
That familiar itch to work, to fight, to protect, to act out his responsibility. Months after his Beacon fell, he couldn't remember a single hour where he wasn't travelling, training, or helping a settlement. Act now, rest later. The months approaching Atlas had only intensified tensions between their group and Atlas, until it all reached a boiling point during Salem's attack, bringing the flying kingdom down from the sky.
Atlas. Golden bridges. Cinder. Penny. Blood. Smile. Portal. Gravity.
Ever After.
To be still was to leave yourself open, Pyrrha had taught him a lifetime ago. Don't stop moving in a fight. Even when still, always think about your next move.
Don't stop. Keep moving.
That was how he found himself in the break of dawn, training himself against groups of Atlesian Droids. It was the seventh round of the morning, and today wasn't without any classes; as a matter of fact, it would almost exclusively be Professor Goodwitch's.
Jaune swayed away from a baton swing from a droid and struck back with Crocea Mors. The training droid collapsed instantly, his blade tearing through its weak points. As one droid replaced the fallen, Jaune turned around and brought his shield up, successfully blocking an overhead blow from a sneaking droid.
Gritting his teeth, the Knight pushed back against the droid and slammed Crocea Mors through its chest. As it writhed in place, sparks prickling his skin, the Knight roared and swung his sword around him with the droid still stuck in it.
He became like a relentless tornado, his sword-and-droid blunt crashing against any enemy that dared to step close to the turbulence. As more and more fell, Jaune planted his feet to the ground and slammed his sword to the floor. A shockwave erupted, blowing what remained of his enemies off their feet. Before they could even land, Jaune wrenched his sword free and dashed through the sea of soon-to-be scrap metal.
He found himself skidding to a stop in less than two seconds. As his grip grew slack and Crocea Mors found itself pointed down to the ground once more, Jaune's head did the opposite and his eyes laid itself on his results.
Fifteen droids. Destroyed in less than a minute.
But it wasn't without consequence.
"Ack!" Jaune found his chest flaring with pain and took a sudden knee. He had exerted his body far beyond its current limits, and his Aura had covered far more than it ever should. But as sparks of blue died down before him, the droids' eyes growing lifeless as he regained his breath, the Knight found that it was worth it.
Anything to keep his mind off. This was exactly how it all should've been, skilled amongst his peers and respected by all. He was no longer the dead weight, there was nothing more to be sad about! This was everything he… anything one could…
Jaune sighed and re-sheathed his sword. Wiping sweat off his brow, finding morning sunlight starting to bloom through the windows, he clipped his sword on his belt and made off back to his dorm.
Anything… Anything to squash down that restless, twisting pit in his gut down.
Don't ask her how, but she felt like her partner was getting sloppy.
That if he had been in tip-top shape, if he hadn't looked so conflicted all the time, then he would've noticed her spying on his own little, early morning, spur-of-the-moment spar.
What Pyrrha had seen had not disappointed her. As befitting of 'The First-Year Ace', Jaune had destroyed the droids with such ease that it even made herself jealous, but also a little bit thankful.
Jealous, because he had seemingly done everything so effortlessly.
Thankful, because how lucked-out was she to have gotten a dream of a partner.
And another thing – conflicted, because this was all another thing to note.
She sat across from him, the rest of RWBY and JNPR around them as they ate their breakfast. He didn't show an ounce of exhaustion from his earlier training, smiling and responding amicably to the conversation around him.
Once again, Pyrrha was thankful for the fact that RWBY and JNPR combined could be hectic at times. It allowed her to sit back and observe, to pick apart what she needed to.
She saw her partner chewing his sandwich carefully, in rapt discussion with Weiss regarding her fighting style. He seemed natural enough, but it only made her remember her earlier question; just how did he find out she was about to pull out of Beacon?
How was he as skilled as he was, with no one having heard of him?
"Jaune," Pyrrha interrupted, and both he and Weiss turned to look at her. She smiled, "I think, when it comes to this, it'd be best for us to have a more practical demonstration. How about a spar between all of us?"
Jaune's smile came easily. The way his eyes flashed ever-so-slightly, almost invisible had she not looked for it, didn't go away as easily from Pyrrha's senses.
Why was his style's basics so eerily similar to her own?
"Sure thing!" Jaune laughed. "Come to think of it, we haven't sparred at all, have we?"
"No, we haven't." Pyrrha politely chuckled back.
Why were his answers always clipped, always polite, when it came to her?
"Oh, this would be wonderful." Weiss smiled politely, clapping her hands. She sent a smirk to Jaune, one Pyrrha knew lacked her usual decorum. "But don't expect me to be such a pushover this time."
"Wouldn't dream of it, Ice Queen." Jaune smirked back.
Weiss' cheeks flushed. "Wha- hey-!"
"And speaking of, I think…" Jaune turned to the rest of RWBY and JNPR. "How 'bout it, guys? Maybe we can schedule it after Goodwitch's class!"
"I'm down for it!" Yang smiled with teeth. Blake whacked the back of her partner's head.
"You just want to get him back for beating you yesterday, don't you?"
"Hey, am I wrong?"
Ruby laughed sheepishly and put her hands over Yang's and Blake's, shooting them glares to calm down. "Team RWBY would love to participate!"
"Then Renny and I will come too!" Nora grinned and elbowed her partner. "Right, Ren?"
"Sure." The ninja smiled softly.
"Great!" Jaune smiled back. Inwardly, however, he was much more ecstatic. This would give them time to familiarize themselves with each other even more, considering Professor Goodwitch never paired them with each other.
It'd allow him to get them up to par, spend some time with them he had sorely missed. Honestly, Pyrrha always had the best ideas!
His cheer, however, was interrupted when a pained yelp could be heard across the cafeteria.
Jaune's smile faltered. Oh right. There was also that.
Laughter followed the pained sound, and he and his friend group turned to the source. Cardin Winchester, alongside his team, pulling on the bunny ears of one Velvet Scarlatina; and the Faunus certainly did not seem happy about her abuse.
"See?" Cardin smirked cruelly, turning to his friends in sick pleasure. "I told you they were real!"
He pulled again, eliciting another pained yowl from Velvet. "Ow! Stop, it hurts!"
"Oh? And what're you gonna do about it?" Cardin mocked her, his grip slackening but not quite letting go. All could see it for what it was, a power play.
And when Velvet didn't have the strength to pry him free, it only served to make Cardin's raucous laughter even louder.
"See? You like it, don't you?"
On the other side of the cafeteria, Blake glowered. "People like him make me sick."
Pyrrha couldn't help but agree. Perhaps she might've voiced it as such, she could surely see that many others in her friend group agreed with the black-haired girl's sentiments. Yet once more, Pyrrha found her attention was turned to her partner.
Her partner, who had gotten out of his seat and went to a nearby vending machine.
What is he doing? She thought concernedly. Looking for it, Pyrrha had noticed Jaune's near-imperceptible shift in demeanor once Cardin's actions reached them. His jaw had tightened. His posture turned rigid before he flooded casualness into every vein. Though she didn't see his eyes when he turned, she had a guess that the look her partner shot Cardin was nothing short of scathing.
With the racist and his victim the center of attention, no one at the table noticed Jaune silently slip away. It was only when a curious pair of silver eyes scanned her friends did Ruby ask aloud, "Where's Jaune?"
Immediately as the words came out the petite girl's mouth, did she see where Pyrrha was looking. At that point, the rest of their friends noticed the discrepancy, and followed the redheads line of sight to see Jaune ordering a canned soda.
Yang raised an eyebrow. "What is he doing?" she asked, echoing Pyrrha's own thoughts.
"Yeah," Blake agreed with a frown and a suddenly harsh look. "What kind of response is that? Sees a bully physically harassing someone and the first thing to come to mind is fizzy soda?"
While you're here, critiquing at a distance, doing what to stop Cardin? The thought came upon her before she could push it down, and Pyrrha glanced away. Shame sparked somewhere deep. What was she doing, either?
Silently eyeing her partner, who, with a soda can in hand, began making his way over to where Cardin and Velvet were.
"Maybe Jaune's going to do something about it?" Ruby gulped, looking between her team. "Maybe we should help him, if he's going to break that up?"
Strangely, none of the other members of Team RWBY answered her. Even stranger, Ruby didn't push for an answer - only settling her concern back to her best friend. The air slowed down, and Pyrrha could almost feel the anticipation gripping all the students in a vice. All their eyes, watching.
Jaune approached the bully and his victim, gaining Cardin's attention, before…
…turning left.
The sudden tension of all students anticipating an altercation between the current strongest first year, and the infamous racist… flipped sideways on its head.
Nora's jaw dropped, as did Blake's. "What," they echoed in unison.
Yang nearly fell from her seat. "W-What!?"
Everyone - even Cardin, Velvet, and the former's team - stared incredulously as Jaune gave his soda a solid shake before cracking it open with a fizzy hiss, raising it up to his lips.
Weiss' face mixed between a scowl and pure disbelief. "What was the point of going over there to begin wit-!?"
Carbonated liquid surged from its container.
Just as Cardin Winchester began to jeer at the blond's backside, a gout of fizzy soda splashed all over his face. The cafeteria's incredulousness died to shocked silence at the turn of events.
Pyrrha watched with bated breath. Jaune had stopped walking, instead simply standing there with a crushed soda can held beside his head, with its lid pointed in Cardin's direction. His face, from what she could see, was unreadable. A neutral carved from pure stone. It was so unlike the lighthearted, kind leader she recognized in her time knowing him.
Her mouth thinned a concerned line. Jaune…?
The leader of Team JNPR turned, eyebrows raised mockingly high. "Oops. S- Sorry Cardin. My s-s-soda sort of b-burst all over you."
No one in the cafeteria could be fooled by the absolute sarcasm infused in that stutter, nor in Jaune's faux-casual stance. His face said nothing, but his eyes locked with Cardin's with an intensity that made the bully's teeth grit.
Cardin shoved Velvet away and shot to his feet, forgetting the faunus as a new subject for his ire presented itself. "Jaune frickin Arc. Mind explaining your little slip up? Don't tell me the strongest student of our year can't open a can of soda properly."
"I can't? Alright." Jaune shrugged. "I did that completely on purpose. Happy?"
If anything, Cardin's anger only reached a new peak. He stabbed a finger forward. "You may think you're hot stuff but-!"
Cardin cut off with a shout, when a hand clamped fully around his outstretched finger. With a small twist, the brute was brought low, forced to stare upward at dark, storm-blue eyes.
"Cardin." Jaune's whisper, so soft, echoed. It sent shivers up Pyrrha's spine. "Cardin, Cardin, Cardin, Cardin."
Each repetition felt like nails in a coffin.
"Why is it always, you, huh? What foolish thoughts could have gone through that hollow head of yours that convinced you that pulling the ears of a second year - someone who could demolish you in a fight - was a good idea?" He pulled harder, making the other boy wince.
Suddenly, Jaune's eyes widened, and he looked astounded at Cardin, still at the mercy of his grip. "Wait, you're Cardin Winchester; scion of the Winchester family, who're closely associated with the last king of Vale, back when he demilitarized the kingdoms. I recognize you now. Descendant of a line of mighty warriors, allied to the king, storied with a history of glory and noble honor."
"I bet you're proud of coming from such a great line, Cardin. Really proud. So," Jaune's voice dipped, so low a vitriol-like current made nearby students back away. Even the boy's close friends shifted uncomfortably as they watched, "it really boggles my mind that you'd stoop to schoolyard bullying."
"Of all things," the knight spat, "Do you feel no shame? Do you even see yourself? Look at you, first-year at the most prestigious huntsman academy in the world, and you decide this is how you want to be known as? Don't make me laugh."
Jaune shoved Cardin away. Cardin stumbled, righted himself, then levelled a molten glare that wished to melt the blond in front of him.
"For your sake, Cardin: Stop. 'Cause no one's laughing."
With a final pungent sneer, Jaune turned his back to the bully, to the shocked-silent team, before making his way back to his friends' table.
Pyrrha watched in morbid silence, as did her friends with wide eyes, as the leader of JNPR sat back on his seat, and gobbled into his remaining food without a care in the world.
As if nothing happened.
The questions never ceased.
"Ahhh, that was refreshing!"
"Jaune, you didn't do anything."
"Huh, didn't I?" The knight gave Ren a sly smile.
Ren gave Jaune a blank stare in return. "You didn't. You slept through Professor Goodwitch's entire class."
"Yeah, well. I needed the sleep." Jaune shrugged, before gesturing around him with a flourish. "But look on the brightside! I managed to convince her to let us use all this for ourselves!"
Indeed, the RWBY and JNPR collective were now standing in the middle of Combat Class' infamous ring, with not even Professor Goodwitch to supervise them. She had stated that she 'trusted' Jaune's judgment, though that was not without a heavy glare.
Of course, the Knight wasn't blind to the fact that the Professor was probably watching them from her office, using the room's many cameras.
Eh, he didn't mind as much. Besides, he wasn't doing this for anyone else other than him and his friends.
"Right!" Jaune clapped, directing his friends' attention back to focus. "We've got, uhm… three hours, was it? Yeah, three hours! To train together. Does anyone have any recommendations? Anything they want to do specifically?"
"Gang up on Arc!"
"Gang up on Vomit Boy!"
Jaune shot both Weiss and Yang deadpan looks. "Well, you're both eager, aren't you?"
A thought hit him. Wait a minute-! "And vomit boy? I never vomit!"
Weiss' grin was all teeth, while Yang's eyes flashed red.
"Oh, vomiting's what you're gonna do once we're done with you." Yang banged her fists together, Ember Celica deployed and ready.
Weiss' response was more cutthroat. "We've got a bone to pick with you, Arc, so-!"
Their weapons pointed to him at the same time, both striking a pose back-to-back with each other. "Get ready for a pounding!"
As they held their position, Blake rolled her eyes and drew Gambol Shroud. She gave Ruby an elbow, "Hey. Looks like she's more Weiss' partner than mine, doesn't it?"
"I-I'm sure she doesn't mean bad!" Ruby drew Crescent Rose too, but her eyes were still filled with worry and flickering between her teammates. "Come on guys, let's calm down for just a minute!"
But really, her drawing her weapon was already a mark that she had already resigned to the fact that this was happening.
Jaune shot her a playful look. "You too, Rubes? Blake? Aw, fine then." He danced in place,warming up his toes and rolling his shoulders. He shot a look back to the rest of his team and asked, "What about you guys?"
Ren opened his mouth. "I think I'd like to-!"
"COME AT ME, BRO!" Nora hefted Magnhild, her smile against Jaune asking for blood. "SHOW ME WHAT YOU GOT!"
"I was going to say side with you, but…" Ren managed to give a sheepish chuckle. "Sorry, man."
Jaune's mouth formed an o. "Man… she has you whipped."
Ren flushed, while Nora sputtered. The reaction elicited a laugh out of him, and he nearly forgot to turn to one more person.
"How about you, Pyr?" Jaune gave her a smile. It didn't ask for much, hell it didn't ask her for anything. He was just genuinely curious as to what she had to say.
As always, when it came to him.
"I think I'd like to fight alongside you."
Jaune's smile froze for a minute moment, before he repeated her statement. "Come again?"
"I said, I'd like to fight alongside my partner." Pyrrha tilted her head and smiled, "After all. We don't leave one another behind, right?"
The old saying went, keep your friends close and your enemies closer. Pyrrha intended to follow that (not that Jaune was her enemy or anything!)
She had done a lot of passive observing. Now, it was simply time to observe from a side not opposite his, but side-by-side.
"R-right." His answer came somewhat clipped, but she noted the relief in his tone. The pep in his step returned, and he slowly withdrew to the other side of the stage.
Pyrrha followed suit, taking up the spot beside him. As she drew Milo and Akuo free from their positions, so did he unclip Crocea Mors from his belt and spun the sheathed sword with a flourish.
From the corner of her eyes, she saw his lips mouth the words.
'Isn't this nostalgic…'
Hm. She did notice that he was somewhat unused to a partner. Despite his performance in his Initiation, his steps faltered when she came to his side.
He was restless, she figured. And especially when the others got into their ready as well.
Blake stood belatedly next to her partner - she seemed to be lacking energy all the time, so it wasn't like this was anything new - and asked, "Win conditions?"
Pyrrha found herself sharing a look with her partner. She opened her mouth, but found that Jaune spoke first.
"We fail if either of us hit the red." Jaune said. His tone was firm, his grip on Crocea Mors even more so. "Me and Pyr will have to thin you guys out to one or two members. Standard tournament rules, so step out of the ring or get your Auras in the red and you're out. Does that sound fair?"
"Pyr and I." Pyrrha stressed, but she smiled and faced the others all the same. "Well?"
Myrtenaster's barrel spun and Weiss answered. A chance to square off against her hated (respected) rival, and the strongest girl of the year? "Perfect."
DASH!
Ruby's hand shot out, her lips crying for concern. "Weiss, wait-!"
But it was no use. The Heiress had already lunged straight for the opposing blond, Myrtenaster lunging forward and concentrated with Aura at the tip.
Steel met steel, and Weiss was forced to step back when a circular shield stopped her in her path. A smiling Amazon greeted her shocked expression.
"I'll let you have that one for free." Pyrrha said softly but also firmly. "The match starts now!"
Pandemonium erupted. RWBY worked together well enough, but not up to Jaune's personal standard. They were still… stunted, for a lack of a better word, each still working with their own minds rather than their combined strength.
Ren and Nora were much the same. They were skilled as a team of two, but mashing them with RWBY this early in the semester clearly showed their cracks.
Jaune blocked a swing from Gambol Shroud, "Work-!" he lashed out a kick behind him, feeling his feet connecting to Yang's gut, "together!"
In comparison, falling into step with Pyrrha was like a dream. When Jaune noticed Ruby flying in from behind him, Crescent Rose pulled back, he found that Pyrrha was already there and had intercepted the young reaper with her own sword's swing.
"Thanks." Jaune breathed out. He spun, Crocea Mors with him, and his sword found contact against Magnhild.
"I've got your back." Pyrrha smiled back, and for a moment their backs touched. When they separated it felt much too soon to Jaune, each pushing back against their opponent's oversized weaponry.
They moved like ice skaters across the ring, flawless and in sync. Each person taking three on, neither the Amazon nor the Knight faltered in their steps. When Jaune swung, Pyrrha blocked. When Pyrrha thrust, Jaune covered. They were like a spiky wall, one that constantly moved and prickled anyone that dared to get in close.
Slowly but surely, RWBYNR began to run out of their resources. Stamina, Aura, bullets, everything they tried was either blocked or countered by their opponents. And worst of all, it didn't look like they were breaking a sweat!
Ren breathed out, skidding to a stop near his partner after a kick from Jaune. "As expected of The First Year Ace and the Invincible Girl…"
Nora, meanwhile, seemed to share the sentiment to a much more extreme degree. "Oh, this is fun! RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!"
Ren reached out. "Wait, we need to think of a plan!"
"YAAAAAAAAA!" Weiss charged in alongside Nora, the cool-headed one of their group losing all her composure.
The ninja sighed. "Great…"
He was comforted by the other ninja in their team. "I agree with you. We do need a plan."
Ren turned to Blake, "Any ideas?"
"Numbers clearly aren't doing us any good." Blake turned to her leader, who was doing her best holding their brawler back . "Ruby?"
"Gimme a moment!" Ruby grit her teeth, "Yang, stay still! You're already in the yellow!"
"No! Lemme at him! This time my punches will land-!"
BONK!
"OW-!" Yang nursed her head and shot Ruby a betrayed look. "Did you just bonk me?!"
"You weren't listening!" Ruby pouted, though thankfully her older sister did listen this time. "Right. Okay, so… I think we need to get those two apart. Single them out, and they'll be easier to handle."
"And how are we going to do that?" Ren asked. He motioned to the current fight going on, "Look at them. They're in perfect sync."
Ruby did look, and indeed, wasn't that a wonder? Jaune and Pyrrha fought alongside each other as if they had known each other for years. When Weiss' rapier summoned ice beneath their feet, Jaune was quick to slam Crocea Mors beneath his feet and shatter the would-be obstacle. When Nora rushed into strike, Pyrrha was already there, twirling above her partner with her rifle aimed dead on at the ginger's forehead.
Nora's eyes widened. "Oh shit-!"
The bang sounded in Ruby's ears as loud as in everyone's, and Nora was forced back. And before Pyrrha could even land, she felt herself being caught, pulled, and sent straight towards their white-haired enemy.
Weiss flinched. "No-!"
Bronze met steel as Pyrrha slammed Weiss down to the ground. She felt her heart flutter when strong arms pulled her back up. Teamwork!
"Y'know, I think this might just be my new go-to strategy from now on." Jaune pulled away and patted her shoulder.
Pyrrha rolled her eyes. "You mean, throwing me at your problems?"
Jaune laughed. "It's working so far."
Yes, indeed it was. Almost too well, something she couldn't help but note again.
Something that Ruby felt was what they needed to learn. She - they - were standing here, waiting for her to decide, as Weiss and Nora had kept both Jaune and Pyrrha busy for just a moment. Had the two of them not done that, then Ruby doubted that Pyrrha or Jaune would've let her stand by on the sidelines, ruminating a plan like this.
Ruby slammed a fist to her palm. "That's it!"
Yang turned to her sister with a raised eyebrow, and the reaper promptly explained. "Yang, keep Pyrrha busy. The rest of us will gang up on Jaune."
"That's your big idea?" Blake asked skeptically.
"Well, as long as I get to bust some heads!" Yang smashed her fists together. "I'm game, sis."
"There's more to it," Ruby continued, "They work well together. Too well. They're relying on each other, and while they're separated, they're bound to try their best to get back together! Which means-!"
"That their focus will be split." Ren finished for her. "It's… not a bad idea. Risky, since both could just decide to go all out, but it makes sense."
A face of sky-blue eyes and a raised brow appeared beside him. "What does?" asked Jaune Arc.
"GAH-!" Ren jumped back, reacting just fast enough to evade a swing from Crocea Mors.
Lips crinkled in delight. "Come on, talking's not a free action you know!"
The two of them blurred, engaging in proper combat. Ren could just barely hear Ruby shout "Now!" before they began their plan.
Red, Pink, Black, and White all converged with Green against Gold, while Yellow kept Crimson busy. Jaune rolled his shoulders as they all converged on him, but he had to admit, it wasn't a bad plan per se.
Steel met steel, bullets ricocheting against his shield. He danced on his feet with his arms moving everywhere it needed to. He parried a blow from Myrtenaster, letting the remaining momentum add to his own to block Crescent Rose just in time. A kick came from his side and he stepped back, parrying with his own. Magnhild shifted the air behind him, raising hairs on his neck. He ducked right on time, with his shield shifting to deflect a swing from Gambol Shroud.
The Knight grunted and decided to strike back. With a flourish Crocea Mors struck forth, faster than most could expect, glinting silver meeting green robes. Ren bit back a cough and flew back, but not before he saw Nora smash a fist through Jaune's defenses in return.
"Ngh!" Jaune's head flinched back, but he smiled to himself. Good, this was getting interesting.
But something inside him itched, once more. Theoretically he could take this seriously and beat all of them with some effort. But it didn't feel right.
Less than a minute and he already missed having someone else watch his back.
And that vulnerability showed, and was exactly what Ruby capitalized on.
Just when Jaune's gaze strayed to Pyrrha, a red blur crashed into him, her metal striking his shoulder. "Grk!"
Ruby spun to a stop and brought a fist up. "Checkmate!"
Blake and Weiss moved as one, the ninja tying his feet up and the heiress shooting Fire Dust right at his chest. Forced to endure the attack, he could do nothing as he heard Ruby shout out the next part of her plan, "Renora!"
Hey, that name was his idea-!
Whatever thought he had was almost lost as he felt leather strike his cheek and metal strike his neck. Head snapping back, his vision grew hazy as he saw red silhouetted against the arena lights.
"Here's the finisher!"
Red petals decorated a bloody red descent, a rapier cutting deep against white, forcibly stationary armor. Ruby stopped with a breath and turned around, still at the ready and prepared to look at her handiwork.
She saw that his Aura was in the yellow now. His armor was damaged, and he was on one knee, supported by Crocea Mors, but that shit-eating grin was still there.
He groaned and stood up. "Heh. Hahah. This is getting fun…"
Ruby's trepidation grew. It hadn't been enough.
"Screw it." Jaune cracked his neck. "Let's dance, Crater Face."
"You're not half bad!"
"Same for you."
Yellow and crimson crashed against each other, fist meeting shield and a sword hitting nothing but air. Pyrrha had to hand it to Yang, as a duelist she was perhaps one of the best in their year.
Still nothing on Jaune and her, though.
Pyrrha cast a glance past the blonde before her. Indeed, Jaune was now fighting against Ruby, Weiss, Nora, Ren, and Blake single-handlely, moving before they did and striking right where they lacked.
"Hey!" Yang's fist flew just a bit too close to her cheek. "Eyes on me, P-money!"
"Yes, yes." she answered, and their match began once more. Her strikes flew as sweat bounced off her arms, clenched fists determined to make an impact. Pyrrha found herself respecting the tenacity, her shield blocking and shaking under repeated blows.
But to be still was to leave oneself open.
She danced through telegraphed blows and struck Yang in the chin with her spear. The brawler stumbled, and Pyrrha pressed the advantage. Sweeping Yang's legs under her, the Amazon struck again and brought Yang crashing to the ground.
She spared a glance to her partner - he was still there, still dancing, still winning-!
BANGBANGBANG!
Her head ducked beneath her shield again as flames burst in front of her, empty shotgun shells clattering beneath her now recovered opponent. Red eyes of fury cut through the smoky haze, determination warped into frustration.
"I TOLD YOU! EYES ON ME!"
Pyrrha took a calming breath and recollected herself. Indeed, in a fight, there was only the here and now.
So why was she always off-centre when it came to her partner?
Everything became a blur to her. Fighting Yang, one-on-one - it was like she was back at the tournaments. Yet when she had fought with her partner, when a style complimented hers so perfectly that she had to wonder if she was dreaming, it was like a breath of fresh air.
Ruby was right. In separating them, she undoubtedly broke their rhythm.
And it also helped her push her agenda, knowing that Jaune's fighting knowledge was not only when pitted against them, but when sided with, too.
Much more than mere talent. Nothing that could be so easily trained.
It was experience. Not looking at what she was going to do and moving accordingly. It was an instinctive rhythm pushing and pulling with each and every action. And with hers, the most of all.
The thought dominated her even as the fight finished, as Pyrrha worked through Yang's Semblance and tired her out. It couldn't escape her mind as she watched Jaune finish it all. Taking away Ruby's speed, invading Blake's space, closing in on Weiss' range, taking advantage of Nora's telegraphs, and matching Ren's thought patterns.
She saw him slam an open palm to Ren's side, and the martial artist fell to the floor beside his partner groaning with his Aura clear in the red.
In much the same way, Yang's Semblance burnt out as did her stamina and Aura, and she collapsed as Pyrrha breathed out her exhaustion.
Jaune was exhausted too. Yet he had the biggest grin on his face. "That was fun!"
Was it a game to him? No, no it wasn't, Pyrrha dashed that thought away.
It was a trip through memory lane, through reflexes and routines. Pyrrha knew that feeling well, yet she never enjoyed it. It made fighting too easy, it made her feel like there was nothing else out there for her.
Yet… Jaune enjoyed it? No, there was something more there. As if he needed it.
She called out to him. "Jaune. Since we're done with this…"
She motioned to her weapons with a smile, "How about we spar with each other?"
She heard the others gasp in surprise, as if thinking, don't these two ever get tired?
But she wasn't interested in anyone else's opinions. Only her partner's.
And he looked at her with those same eyes, freezing ever so briefly.
He needed it. Needed her.
An intensity, burning beneath those orbs. Fire, and if she wasn't so embarrassed to think it; desire. It was akin to an itch waiting so long to be scratched. The fervor of a man shrouded in darkness given the opportunity to see the light. A drowning man seeing the surface and wanting to swim.
It sent a shiver down her spine. Instantly, her nerves sharpened, her grip reflexively tightened. When given the call to battle not just for the sake of fighting, but to answer an energy that almost bordered passion?
How could she deny that?
Jaune, locked in his stupor, seemed to have not noticed the way his friends looked between the two of them in abject shock, and just a little anticipation. Then again, they were all nearly in the red for their auras, so it wasn't like it would take much effort to throw them out of the ring. And Pyrrha had to admit; the prospect of the two strongest students of their year - who had just finished styling on their peers with sublime teamwork - made for an undeniably enticing spectacle.
Her partner, eyes locked with hers, stepped forward, already forgetting the audience to focus solely on her. He swallowed. "Are you sure?"
Pyrrha didn't say anything. She simply bent her knees and primed her equipment.
Jaune's gaze shifted into a subtle awe, before he smiled. Soft and warm. He mirrored her actions, taking a ready stance.
"I guess that's answer enough," he said.
Her friends faded to the periphery. All that registered to her was simple. Light, sound, dust. The figure of her partner - her leader - readying his body to clash against hers.
The world held its breath.
Then-
-exploded.
From two ends of the arena they disappeared, reappearing in the middle with a spark of steel biting into each other. Pyrrha pushed the blades aside, leaning in to smash the edge of her shield into his face. He saw it coming, and leaned back, throwing himself away further to avoid her sword's upward swing by a hair's breadth, extending the distance between them.
All without once taking his eyes off her.
Distance created, Milo became a rifle and sent dust rounds careening into him. His shield came up and he crouched behind it, reducing visible body mass while her bullets pinged on metal. She used the brief window to close the distance, never letting up the gunfire. To her surprise, he didn't try moving out from under his shield. Was he waiting for an opportunity to counterattack?
She kept that possibility in mind as she closed in on him. By the time her rifle became a spear, racing into the space beside his shield and for his core, did he move. Jaune stepped aside, keeping his shield faced on her. If he was going to keep that up, she might as well show him the folly of it. Pyrrha jumped, planting both feet on the surface of his shield, and kicking off with all the power she could muster.
She felt the swing of a blade cut into her heel as she did, and stumbled near-imperceptively upon landing. She looked back to him, taking his form, and especially the building grin on his face.
"Alright then. My turn," he chuckled, before moving.
Jaune blurred the distance between them, reaching her with a wide swing. She sidestepped, wary of a false opening, before swinging into his exposed flank. He allowed it to scrape on the aura-reinforced chestplate before swinging down into her knee caps. Pyrrha brought one up, sliding it on a covered shin, then used it to push the blade back and kick into his chest. His sword came flashing down, and despite the length being too far to stop it, Crocea Mors' pommel held against her strike.
The flash of a grin was the last she'd seen before her foot - and following it, her leg - was shoved upwards. Jaune dropped down with one leg in a sweep. Eyes widening, Pyrrha jumped on her last leg into a backflip, transitioning into a one-armed handstand and pushing off before he could capitalize.
Just as her feet were about to touch the floor, a shield rocketed into her, having blitzed through the air in a mighty throw. What was supposed to be a calculated landing became a stumble. One which Jaune wasted no time swinging deadly silver into. Her shield moved up to block, but Jaune revealed the feint when he grabbed the top of the shield and sliced into her leg.
Aura sparked a shrill cry and she shoved him off. Her sword came to thrust into his core, but he sidestepped just as it was midway. He parried the following swing, then shifted his foot aside when the tip threatened it. His blade moved before she began her upward cleave, catching above Milo and slowing the momentum. Suddenly his knees bent, and ducked entirely when she went through the routine shield bash if her first attacks didn't work.
He isn't just reacting, he's anticipating!
The surprise must have flashed across her because he smiled as his free hand smashed aura-coated knuckles below her bicep. Even with aura, the power alone wasn't fully dulled and she gasped. She heard a laugh before she felt his hand clamp over the forearm of her shield hand. Her sword raced down and sparked on his shoulder, but he accepted the aura loss to pull her forward, spin in place, and place a foot in her sternum to kick her away at speed.
She landed and rolled into a knee. Her chest heaved with an unfamiliar burn against any other classmate she'd sparred. Having had her bout with their friends earlier had burned through aura - no matter if she had come out on top. Fighting Jaune was an altogether different challenge. He was leagues above everybody else in their year, and a small, miniscule part of her wondered if she could beat him even had she not used her energy on the earlier fights. And if she remembered right, Jaune was the one everybody bombarded in tandem, before walking it off, beating them all, and then sparring with her.
Not only that. Not only had he fought everybody with her - he fought everybody without her, before then fighting her. It was insane. And in certain parts, it didn't just feel like fighting. After the initial bout, and then the following passes, it finally clicked. She was familiar with this experience. And if her suspicions were true, he was, too.
It felt like fighting her trainers back in Argus. Someone who'd helped to actively shape her style. Someone who'd sparred with her time and again and learned of all her tells - all the miniscule openings buried under years in the tournament circuit. Someone who knew just the way she moved, in order to counter just right.
This feels just like that, Pyrrha thought, watching Jaune kick his shield up into his hand, before securing it on his arm again. It feels like routine. Like we'd sparred hundreds of times before. But how? That can't be reacting alone.
She checked her aura, wincing at how low it had gotten. It was honestly impressive how much he could push her compared to the rest of their peers. It only meant she had to go all out while she could before the match was over.
Even for all her suspicions, Pyrrha wouldn't deny that it had been thrilling.
Standing once again, she zipped forward and met his blade with hers. Jaune pushed his superior weight in, and she twisted aside to unbalance him. Steel met steel once again, grinding intensely into one another in unsuccessful strikes.
He smiled all the way, she couldn't help but note. As he went for a feint and then another, Pyrrha finally found her opening. Despite all the earlier bouts, Jaune still had it in him to parry her sword away with the force of a sledgehammer, but she allowed it. Knowing he'd follow up with a slash, she let him prime his movement before pushing aura in an altogether different direction.
Inwardly, Polarity pulsed to life.
Crocea Mors' and its sheath-shield split away, forcing Jaune's arms apart. Wide-eyed, he couldn't stop Milo from slicing cleanly into his chest, and Akuo's edge smashing into his face. He gasped, bound under Polarity's mercy. That and the fact his left arm was still trapped to his shield. Her sword rushed in again and again, slash after slash, depleting aura blow after blow.
Jaune had enough when he let go of his sword, leaving it to fly away. He caught Milo's blade as it came down again, gripping it enough to halt her, before pulling. Pyrrha let her weapon go and stepped in to finish him off. His foot came up to kick. She blocked it with Akuo. Blade in hand, he tried to stab the handle toward her head. She ducked it.
With him immobilized, he was completely open. Excitement surged through her veins and Pyrrha went to strike at his jaw.
Suddenly, Polarity's grasp was repelled.
CRACK!
One second, Pyrrha was about ready to cut open a salvo into Jaune's open front, the next, her face smashed the floor. The back of her head screamed in agony, and with it, her aura cracked, one step from fizzling away. Pain, pain, pain! It burnt in her skull and she clenched her eyes and grit her teeth. The weight of something sharp and metallic had her pinned, before it was removed. With one last bout of effort, she shifted and turned to look up.
Jaune stood above her, panting and sweaty, but the wide smile on his face as he looked down on her looked nothing short of euphoric. Shadowed by hair, those darkened sapphires shone with a veritable medley of emotions. Most of all, relief, and pure happiness.
Despite losing, Pyrrha couldn't help but return it.
The world sharpened once more. The veil over the battle, the arena, expanded. She could hear the cheering of their friends - the excited "Whoo!" of Nora jumping up and down.
"Man!" Yang shouted, "That was so close! She had him, Blake! She had him!"
"Guess we'll have to wait a little longer for the day that someone finally beats Jaune," Blake replied, cheek propped on knuckles.
"That was awesome!" Ruby hollered, shaking Weiss by the shoulders. "Did you see the way they block, parried, and did all that!? And those throws! They went so fast and so crazy and- ahh!" she punctuated by shaking her partner even wilder. "The best versus the best!"
"Enough shaking me!" The heiress pushed off the hyperactive reaper before looking back down. "Though I have to admit, that turnaround at the end really caught me off guard. Pyrrha had him completely open, before he just flooded his shield with aura and broke through her semblance."
Pyrrha's eyes widened. Was that what he did? My trainers tried that, but none of them had the aura capacity to overwhelm Polarity. She stared at Jaune with no little respect, but also as much awe. Just how much aura do you have?
He offered her his hand. "Good fight, Pyr."
"Yeah." Pyrrha grabbed his hand with a smile, gladly letting him lift her up. "Good fight."
Because indeed it was. She had gotten the best challenge out of her entire career in a mere spar, and she couldn't wait to test him on more even ground! She was happy, she truly was.
It was a learning experience, both regarding combat and other things that were more important. Because one thing was certain now, something she couldn't deny.
Jaune Arc didn't know Pyrrha Nikos, the Invincible Girl. Jaune Arc didn't know Pyrrha Nikos, the lonely girl looking for friends.
Jaune Arc knew both of those simultaneously, knew the real her. He knew everyone. From Ruby to Yang, from Nora to Ren to her.
It was the only logical conclusion. Such a thing would allow one to go beyond reacting, go beyond normal interaction. Just like her fight, he had predicted everything.
Perhaps that crackpot theory wasn't that far off after all.
And the ramifications it led to… why?
The thought wouldn't leave Pyrrha for days, though Jaune didn't seem to catch on one bit. Their spar had seemed to burn off his nervous energy, and he was back to the caring, confident leader that he usually was.
There was also a slight shift in their friend group's dynamic. Weiss was now eager, very much so, to one day defeat her so-called arch-rival. She was putting in hours to train which put even Yang's to shame, though the only reason that happened was because the blonde spent much time in the shower.
But really, Weiss wasn't the only one. Many had decided to step up their game, and training for greater heights became a shared activity that everyone partook in.
They became somewhat absorbed in their clique. After classes, they'd all go to train, and it was more obvious after Professor Goodwitch's class. Pyrrha wasn't blind to the looks of awe and envy that everyone - CRDL especially, with jealousy - shot them, and neither were the rest of her friends blind to it too.
All save for Jaune. He only had eyes for his friends, her included.
She tried to follow in his example. The fame and notoriety she tried to run away from had seemed to return tenfold now, and yet, with her friends by her side, she found that she didn't mind it as much.
But even as she tried her best, when she followed his example, it only led her back to her questions, and their dreaded answers.
A not-unpleasant, but surely uncomfortable cycle.
Eventually, the days blurred enough that the day for their field trip came; she had almost forgotten that Professor Goodwitch mentioned one at all. A walk through Forever Fall, to gather sap for Professor Peach. Each student was given a jar and partnered up with their, well, partner, to tap as many trees as they could.
It was beneath these red leaves, eternally so as far as she knew, tapping sweet sap from tall trees, that she dared ask to her partner next to her. "Doesn't it bother you?"
"Hm?" Jaune's drain clicked empty and he screwed his jar shut, then turned to her. "What're you talking about, Pyr?"
"The attention." She waved, while she finished her tap too. "The looks. You know what they've been saying behind our backs."
"What, that we're the best?" He huffed. "We put in the effort. People can complain all they want, but we're not doing the impossible."
"I suppose that is true…" She trailed off. They moved on to the next set of trees, their conversation continuing as a light breeze moved past them. This was nice, and the smile they shared certainly reinforced it.
"But…" Pyrrha began, "Never- so. I suppose you've always been this strong?"
"Mmm, not really." Jaune answered. "I- I didn't… I had to train my ass off, Pyr."
He gave her a cryptic smile. "That's why I don't mind people looking at us. There's a lot more things we need to worry about."
She supposed that was a way to look at things. But that problem had been so prominent with her, had been the entire reason she went to Beacon, so she couldn't help but ask. "Such as?"
"My friends." Jaune's answer had been quick, timed perfectly with finishing his new tree tap. "You."
Pyrrha hummed and finished her own drain. She held the jar up and shook it, sloshing its insides around. "Still only half full…"
"Yeah. It does take a while." Jaune looked at his own; three-quarters. He laughed softly, "And Nora's gonna eat this all up in a day, I can just tell."
"She would do that, wouldn't she." Pyrrha laughed as well. "I have to wonder, does the fact that we're doing it out here, where there's Grimm, make this any more delicious for her?"
"She likes the thrill. Who knows." Jaune shrugged. "But we should be fine, even this far out."
"Oh?" Pyrrha looked around. They were in their own little corner of Forever Fall, and though she could still hear the sounds of other students, she couldn't see any of them in her vicinity.
She turned back to her partner, "And why is that?"
"Ah ah ah!" He waved a playful finger in front of her. "That's a secret."
"Just like your Semblance?"
"You betcha!"
"Okay, then." Her eyes flicked to the side. They were indeed alone, yes, but she would be remiss to not see the way bushes near them rustled slightly. And she doubted Jaune missed it either.
And she decided.
"Ah, I'm going to get some fresh air." Pyrrha stretched and yawned. "See if the other's've finished yet. You want to come?"
"Nah." Jaune waved her off and offered his hand, "I could fill your jar if you want?"
"...I'd appreciate that. Thank you." Pyrrha handed hers gently and marched off. "Have fun!"
"Yeah." The bushes rustled again, and Jaune had to suppress a wince.
Of course, just because he ignored the happenings outside didn't mean that he wasn't aware of them. "Have fun…"
Once he was sure that Pyrrha was out of vision and earshot, he wandered deeper into the forest. He turned around into the bushes that kept moving, that kept rustling in his ears, and sighed.
"Get out of there, Cardin! I know it's you."
Was she getting to know her partner better, that she knew his silent tells that he wanted to be alone? Or did he read her instead, knowing that she'd want to give it to her?
Pyrrha didn't know, but as she kept herself hidden, she supposed that that was what this was for. A final confirmation.
Yet another prediction, though it could be called a stretch...
She felt a tap on her shoulder, and soon she also felt many more people make their presence known. She supposed she shouldn't be surprised.
"Ooooh, is Arc gonna be fighting Cardin?" Yang snickered. "Eagle boy doesn't stand a chance."
"He's got to have a plan, Yang." Blake shook her head. Her grip on Gambol Shroud tightened, and she growled. "People like him always do."
"Wait." Pyrrha forced the eager ninja down. She knew not of why she had a particular distaste for Cardin - well, most people did, but Blake's seem to run deep - but whatever reasons she may have had to wait.
Because they all knew Jaune would win. That wasn't the question Pyrrha wanted answered.
She kept all of them back as Jaune conversed with Cardin, then CRDL when they all stepped out of the bush. She watched with sharp eyes as Jaune waved to a box Sky and Dove held together and he spoke,
"Going to throw that rapier wasp box at me?"
She watched as Sky and Dove gaped, though Cardin growled. "You better get off your high horse, Arc, or-!"
"Or what?" In a rare moment, Pyrrha found her partner's tone laced with true, deep anger. "Or you'll throw it at me? Or you'll beat me up?"
"Why you-!"
His agitation was clear to Pyrrha. Jaune had humiliated him constantly, though with his continuous impressive performance it was hard for many students not to feel small. But it seemed that what little stunt before at the cafeteria had run its course deep.
After all, how could one pressure another when they simply didn't give a damn?
"There are more important things to worry about than schoolyard rivalries, boy." Jaune grit his teeth. His muscles coiled, tensed, and his shoulders scrunched up. Oh, he was pissed. "There's a whole world out there. Grimm. Bandits. Horrors you nor I could comprehend. You want to get stronger? Work for it!"
"And what about you?!" Cardin yelled back. He pointed an accusatory finger at the blond, "You just waltz in, make a mockery of Huntsmen everywhere, of us-!"
"I've worked for it!" Jaune interrupted. "I deserve this! I don't concern myself with- speciesism, with who comes from where, just so I could feel better about myself. Everyone has a chance, something you refuse to believe!"
"You telling me what to think?" Cardin laughed hoarsely. "Oh, you really do have it on thick, don't you Arc?!"
"It's not about what I think, it's about you knowing your place!"
The bully threw the jar. Jaune didn't wait for it to land on his head, grabbing it with finesse in his hand inches from his hair. The catch was gentle enough that it didn't shatter, and with a whoop Jauen instead threw it to a far-away tree.
The wasps flew immediately out of their box and swarmed the stain. All could see the permanent scowl on Jaune's face, the air's temperature dropping a hundred degrees as he turned an icy stare against Cardin.
"That's it." Jaune growled, "Play time's over. You want to fight people? Have at you."
Jaune was blindingly fast; in less than a second he was already upon Cardin, fist flying to the bully's nose and with speed faster than anyone else could react to.
His fist crunched against Cardin's nose. The bully cried out in surprise, stumbling back. His friends tried to jump in to help him, but a venomous glare and a flinging sword that struck too close to Russel's ears stopped them from jumping in.
Cardin recovered his footing. "You bitch-!"
Crunch! Another strike, faster than he could react to, and Cardin found his toes crumbling beneath Jaune's foot. He cried out in pain again, Aura dulling the pain but not that much, and soon he found his feet swept from under him.
He found himself on his back. And then, he found Jaune above him wailing down on his head.
"COME ON!" Jaune yelled. "FIGHT BACK! FIGHT BACK!"
Cardin tried his best. Really, he did. He lashed out with a punch, but then Jaune brushed that away too and slammed a fist down his forehead.
"STAY DOWN!"
To some, it may have been cathartic or exhilarating. But to Pyrrha, and indeed the rest of her friends, they could do nothing but frown.
This wasn't like Jaune at all.
Eventually, Cardin stopped trying to resist. He just lay there, taking blow after blow, hands brought up with his Aura but doing little to minimize Jaune's assault. Slam after slam reverberated across the forest, and it was almost… pathetic.
"This isn't right…" Nora muttered.
"No, Nora." Pyrrha agreed. "It isn't."
A final punch lashed out, a last bang as Jaune's fist met Cardin's face. When it retreated, the man's Aura flashed red; thankfully, it seemed that Jaune still had enough restraint not to knock him unconscious.
But Aura didn't dull the pain completely, and the bully still sported several bruises. A cut lip and the beginnings of a black eye could also be seen, and the worst of all was that he didn't even try to look for his teammates.
But there was something even deeper in Jaune, Pyrrha could see. The way he looked at Cardin was unusual, much like the whole situation was.
It was like he was lost in memory.
"It's a good thing that we're still in this forest. Another place and I'd've beaten you senseless." Jaune grunted and hefted Cardin by the collar, his knees still pinning the bully down.
"You wanna go? Wanna make people's life harder? Fight over stupid shit?! Come on, man! I'm right here, ready for a fight! Give me something to do! MAKE-"
-a knee to the skull-
"-MY-"
-another blow to the head-
"-DAY!"
The victim's skull crashed into and splintered the bark of the tree his captor propped him on with ruthless force. Cardin's lip trembled. Jaune's glare remained cold chips of ice.
Pyrrha's mind raced. It sounded like… PTSD, like the survival stories that she often heard from veterans who spoke in P. . Their focus wasn't on equality, on rights and justice, but how outside these walls that cradled them safe, they were all food for the Grimm.
Blake's bow twitched, and her gaze fell. She was the most vocal of all regarding Cardin, and yet even she was uncomfortable. This wasn't the way, and Pyrrha found that everyone, including herself, agreed.
Yet she knew not of what her partner could possibly be thinking.
Cardin's voice was hoarse, barely above a whisper. But in the silent forest, they could still hear his scared whine. "Please… stay away from me!"
"..."
"PLEASE! You won't hear from me again!"
His gaze was filled with unbridled fear. He trembled in place, and when Jaune inevitably let him go, he scampered off and ran away without looking back.
His team followed suit, while the rest of RWBYJNPR didn't know what to do. Their eyes were trained on Jaune as he stood up, as his eyes blinked, and his hands shook.
"What…" The Knight's voice shook too, before he took a deep breath and ran a hand through his hair. "Goddamnit. Way to lose your cool."
He pulled out his Scroll and dialled a number. His friends watched in silence, hidden, as he talked to whoever it was on the other end.
"It's done… yeah, thanks for clearing out the Grimm. I, well… it is that day, so… yeah, I kinda went overboard." His face scrunched up when the other end said something he didn't particularly like.
"Well, he deserves it! Come on, it's Cardin, and I-! Well, yeah… just-! Look, I didn't call you to get lectured. You're free to go. I'll call you again later."
He hung up the call without waiting for an answer. Pocketing his Scroll back, Pyrrha saw him looking to the skies, to the red leaves that fell down around them all.
He sighed. "What're you doing, Jaune…"
And what struck her was the sincerity in his tone. He truly didn't know what he was doing. For the first time since they all knew him, he lost his composure and acted like he didn't have a plan. LIke this was the real him.
No purpose, despite his strength. And Pyrrha knew that feeling well. What she didn't know were the words that came from his mouth next.
"What's next…? Right, that. Torchwick, Fall…" He breathed again.
"You deserve this, Jaune," the knight whispered to himself. "You do. All for them. All for her."
He clapped his hands to his cheeks, put on a smile, and walked away.
And Pyrrha didn't know what to think anymore.
"That…" Ruby trailed nervously, eyes locked on where Jaune disappeared off to. "Was that really… Jaune? It's so unlike him."
"Even if Cardin was a massive jerk," Blake added, "that doesn't give him the right to brutalize him back."
"Yeah." Yang nodded. She raised her brow at some stilted looks her way. "What?"
Nora exhaled a laugh, humor not all there and leaving the sound hollow. "Y'know, out of everyone here, I pegged you as the most likely to cave Cardin's face in."
The blonde scowled. "Just because I can be a hothead at times doesn't mean I'm going to go out of my way to abuse him. If the guy pissed me off, I'd have confronted him and had heated words, not do whatever Jaune did!"
Those of them that didn't speak up were Pyrrha, Ren, and Weiss - the latter's icy eyes locked silently on where Jaune left, with a complicated look about her. Among them all, she knew they were all trying to consolidate the kind blond knight they knew to the scarred, almost merciless man they had just witnessed. As the more vocal members of their clique murmured within themselves, Pyrrha shared a worried look with Ren, who couldn't hide it even from his stoic countenance.
As they eventually left their hiding place, one thing was made abundantly clear - even more than since initiation had come and gone.
Jaune was anything but normal.