~Chapter 7: Secrets Uncovered~

After lunch, the first years now wore their regular Beacon attire as they attend their next class, Doctor Oobleck's History class. 

Jaune sat in his seat, head on his hand as he dozed off whilst the hyperactive doctor zooms around class, giving his lecture at breakneck speeds.

Doctor Oobleck: "Yes! Yes, before the Faunus Rights Revolution --more popularly known as the Faunus War-- humankind was quite, quite adamant about centralizing the Faunus population in Menagerie"

As the Doctor gives his lecture, several maps can be seen plastered on the board in front of the students, to which he points with a long stick. Taking a short and quick break, Doctor Oobleck sprints to the side to take a sip of his coffee before quickly appearing behind his desk.

Doctor Oobleck: "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!"

He then zooms off yet again, roaming around the class as he continues.

Doctor Oobleck: "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.

Doctor Oobleck: "Dreadful, simply dreadful! Remember, students, it is precisely this kind of ignorance that breeds violence!"

Oobleck then takes another sip of his coffee.

Doctor Oobleck: "I mean, I mean, I mean just look at what happened to the 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 then raised her hand.

Doctor Oobleck: "Yes?"

Weiss: "The battle at Fort Castle!"

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

Unseen by the professor, Cardin flicks a paper football at Jaune's head, causing him to wake up.

Jaune: "Hey!"

Upon his exclamation, Doctor Oobleck instantly appears in front of Jaune.

Doctor Oobleck: "Mr. Arc! Finally contributing to class! This is excellent! Excellent! What is the answer?"

Jaune: "Uhhhh... The answer... The advantage... that the Faunus..."

Jaune looks behind Oobleck's focused face at Pyrrha, who coughs and motions to her lips as she gives him the answer.

Jaune: "...had over that guy's stuff..."

He sees Pyrrha cup her hands around her eyes and goes for the most obvious answer.

Jaune: "Uhh... Binoculars!"

While Jaune looks pleased with his answer, the class laughs at him and Oobleck zooms back at the front of the class and sips his coffee. Pyrrha sighs and slaps a hand to her forehead as Cardin pounds his fist on his desk while chortling.

Doctor Oobleck then zooms back behind his desk.

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

Cardin: "Well, I know it's a lot easier to train an animal than a soldier"

The doctor then shook his head in disappointment.

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

Cardin: "What? You got a problem?"

Pyrrha: No, I have the answer! It's night vision. Many Faunus are known to have nearly perfect sight in the dark"

Cardin growls in anger at Pyrrha's actions.

Blake: "General Lagune 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 then turns to Cardin.

Blake: "Perhaps if he'd paid attention in class, he wouldn't have been remembered as such a failure"

Enraged, Cardin shoots up from his seat with his feet clenched.

Doctor Oobleck: "Mr. Winchester! Please take your seat"

As Jaune laughs at his tormentor's embarrassment, Oobleck appeared in front of Jaune once again.

 Doctor Oobleck: "You AND Mr. Arc can see me after class for additional readings. Now! Moving on!"

He then takes another sip of his coffee before continuing the lecture.

Jaune: *slumps*  "Oohhhh..."

When the lesson ends, Pyrrha, Nora, and Ren exit the classroom, only for Pyrrha to stop near the doorway.

Pyrrha: "You go on ahead. I'll wait for Jaune"

The trio looked back into the room, seeing Doctor Oobleck standing in front of both Cardin and Jaune with his coffee in hand which he took a sip from.

Doctor Oobleck: "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..."

The doctor then took another sip, having a bit longer than previous before continuing.

Doctor Oobleck: "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 a waiting Pyrrha in a green and white blur. Jaune comes out first, and Cardin emerges behind him, pushing him to the ground to which he laughs before walking away.

Once Cardin was gone, Pyrrha went ahead and helped Jaune up to his feet.

Pyrrha: "You know, I really will break his legs" 

Jaune took this moment to sigh. Not long after, Pyrrha looked to have concocted a plan.

Pyrrha: "I have an idea! Here, come with me!" 

She grabs a confused Jaune by the arm and drags him along as she turns down the corridor.

A dejected Jaune and Pyrrha come onto a rooftop of the dormintory, with a clear view of the glowing green orbs in the central tower of Beacon.

Jaune: "Pyrrha, I know I'm going through a hard time right now, but I'm not THAT depressed"

Jaune looks over the edge of the roof, much to the confusion of Pyrrha.

Jaune: "I can always be a farmer or something..."

To her horror, Pyrrha finally understood Jaune's implication.

Pyrrha:  "N-n-no!"  

Pyrrha dashes to push Jaune away from the edge.

Pyrrha; "That's not why I brought you up here!" 

Unknown to the two, Cardin can be seen two floors below, leaning against the side of an open window as he can overhear the two's conversation.

Pyrrha: "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!"

Jaune: "Wh-what?"

Pyrrha: "We can train up here after class where no one can bother us!"

Jaune: "You think I need help?"

Pyrrha: "N-no! No, that's not what I meant"

Jaune: "But you just said it"

Pyrrha: "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!"

Jaune turned away from Pyrhha, lowering his head and voice as he meekly spoke

Jaune:  "You're wrong. I-I don't belong here"

Pyrrha: "That's a terrible thing to say! Of course you do!"

He then turns back around, angrily.

Jaune: "No, I don't!"

Pyrrha was taken aback by Jaune's outburst, bewildered by the information dropped upon her.

Jaune: "I wasn't really accepted into Beacon..."

Jaune turned his back on Pyrrha, with his head hung low.

Pyrrha: "Wh-what do you mean?"

Jaune: "I mean I didn't go to combat school, I didn't pass any tests. I didn't EARN my spot at this Academy!"

Having revealed the truth, Jaune turned to face Pyrrha, at least, as much as he could

Jaune: "I lied! I got my hands on some fake transcripts, and I lied!"

Pyrrha: "What? But... why?"

Jaune: "'Cause THIS is always what I've wanted to be!"

He then turns away again.

Jaune: "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"

In an act of support, Pyrrha approaches him, placing a hand on his shoulder.

Pyrrha: "Then let me help you!"

Frustrated, Jaune swats away Pyrrha's hand.

Jaune: "I don't WANT help! I don't WANT to be the damsel in distress! I want to be the hero!"

Pyrrha: "Jaune, I-"

Jaune: "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?"

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

Jaune: "Just... leave me alone. Okay?"

Pyrrha: "...If that's what you think is best..."

She walks away, her footsteps getting softer and softer until she leaves the roof.

Saddened, Pyrrha continues to head down the stairs. As she had her head hung, she was unable to see Y/n in time as he rounded the corner whilst on his scroll. 

A sudden collision the caused Pyrrha to trip. But before she could land harshly, Y/n manage to catch her in his arm as he still held his scroll on the other.

Y/n: "Hey, can I call you back?...There's a student in need of my assistance...Yes, I'll write a written report first thing in the morning...Okay...Goodnight to you too"

After ending the call, Y/n pulled Pyrrha back to her feet, instinctively putting her hands over Y/n's chest.

Y/n: "Hi..."

Pyrrha: "Hi..."

They shared a prolonged silence which caused Pyrrha to finally break from her trance and lets go of Y/n.

Pyrrha: "I'm sorry, I wasn't looking at where I was going, and I interrupted your important work"

Y/n: "It's alright. I hate for anything bad to happen to you. Plus, it was just a daily report. Of course I'll have to add this interaction to the WRITTEN report"

Pyrrha: "I'm sorry, again. I'll get out of your hair now-"

Y/n: "Though...I'm sure I could put take his off the record. For old times sake"

Pyrrha and Y/n stood just outside of her team dorm, in the same hallway as before, looking at the same broken moon in the night sky.

Y/n: "So...mind telling what's troubling you?"

Pyrrha: *sigh* "It's about Jaune..."

Y/n: "I see... he's been a headache from what I've gathered with the other Professors. But tell me more"

Pyrrha: "I'm worried about him. He told me something tonight. Do you happen to know anything about his-"

Y/n: "Forged transcripts? Yeah, I know"

Pyrrha: "You do!? Then maybe it won't be long until Professor Ozpin will-"

Y/n: "Pyrrha, if a STUDENT submitted fake transcripts to Ozpin, don't you think he would've noticed?"

Pyrrha: "Then, are you saying..."

Y/n: *shrugs* "How Ozpin thinks remains an Enigma to me. You'd think after a few months I'd get the hang of it, but I don't"

Pyrrha: "Then...what do you suppose we do with Jaune?"

Y/n: "With what he's going through...NOTHING"

Pyrrha: "WHA-"

Y/n quickly moves over and places a finger over Pyrrha's lips, shushing her before he gestured to their current venue.

Y/n: "Speculating from your reaction it looks as though you've already tried doing something"

After removing his finger, Y/n walked further towards the window and leaned against the frame.

Pyrrha: "If you already knew then why won't you do anything?"

Y/n: "Because adversary nurtures growth"

Pyrrha was taken aback by Y/n's answer.

Y/n: "Glynda taught me that recently. And right as she said it I started to see the sense in that saying"

Y/n looked over at Pyrrha, arms crossed as the moon shinned behind him.

Y/n: "Jaune needs to learn to stand up for himself one way or another, and Cardin serves as the perfect adversary to do so. Beats sending him off to fight grimm"

Pyrrha: "But is this really the only way? Is it really worth being stubborn when we could just ask for help?"

Y/n: "A man's pride is stubborn. And sometimes the best help is just to let them figure it out on their own"

Pyrrha: *sigh* "I really hope you're right, Y/n"

Y/n: "Don't worry...when the situation grows dire we can offer assistance. Does that console your thoughts?"

Pyrrha: "It's a start..."

Y/n: "Sleep on it. Maybe it'll get better tomorrow"

Pyrrha: "If that's all we could do"

Y/n: "It's what we CAN do. Get some rest, Pyrrha. I heard First-years will be heading to Forever Falls for Proffesor Peach's class"

Pyrrha: "Forever Fall?"

Y/n: "Whoops, I guess I spoiled the surprise. You'll enjoy it. It certainly lives up to its name"

Pyrrha: *nods* "Goodnight, Y/n"

Y/n: "Goodnight, Pyrrha"

Once Y/n sees Pyrrha enter the dorm, Y/n leaned back against the window to look out to the night sky.

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4 more episodes and we'll be done with season 1. Puts into perspective how short these episodes were when they first aired, doesn't it? But I'm not complaining.

Here comes the usual.

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And I'll see you when I see you

Bye Bye