That Monday, where Doctor Bartholomew Oobleck is in the middle of his hyperactive lecture, educating Weiss, Blake, Pyrrha, Velvet, David, and a leaned-back Cardin directly behind Jaune.

"Yes! Yes, prior to the Faunus Rights Revolution—more popularly known as the Faunus War—" Oobleck zooms up to the front of the class and the map covered in papers behind his desk "—humankind was quite, quite adamant about centralizing Faunus population in Menagerie." He points at the map of said-area with his stick, then zooms off to the side for a sip of his coffee before appearing in front of the desk.

"Now! While this must feel like ancient history to many of you, it is imperative to remember that these are relatively recent events! Why, the repercussions of the uprising can still be seen to this day!" He zooms around the classroom more, sipping his coffee again before continuing to zoom and talk. "Now! Have any among you been subjugated or discriminated against because of your Faunus heritage?"

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

"Dreadful, simply dreadful! Remember, students, it is precisely this kind of ignorance that breeds violence!" He takes another sip of his coffee. "I mean, I mean, I mean, just look at what happened to White Fang! Now, which one of you young scholars can tell me what many theorize to be the turning point in the third year of the war?"

A hand is seen raised. "Yes, Ms. Schnee?

"The battle at Fort Castle!" Weiss answered, but David makes a 'WTF?' reaction hearing the name.

Oobleck nodded while taking another sip of his caffeine, "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. "Hey!"

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

Jaune wasn't sure, but he did hear snippets of the question, "Uhhhh... The answer... The advantage... that the Faunus..." He looks behind Oobleck's focused face at Pyrrha and David, the latter coughs and motions to his lips as he gives him the answer. "...had over that guy's stuff..." He sees Pyrrha cup her hands around her eyes and goes for the most obvious answer. "Uhh... Binoculars!"

While Jaune looks pleased with his answer, the class laughs at him, and Oobleck - back at the front of the class - sips his coffee. Pyrrha and David sigh and slap a hand to their foreheads as Cardin pounds his fist on his desk while chortling.

*Lord give that boy strength.* David thought.

Oobleck zooms back behind his desk, "Very funny, Mr. Arc! Mr. Winchester! Perhaps you would care to share your thoughts on the subject!"

"Well, I know it's a lot easier to train an animal than a soldier." Cardin as Oobleck shakes his head in disappointment.

"You're not the most open-minded of individuals, are you, Dickhead?" David muttered but Cardin did hear what he said.

"What?! You got a problem?"

Pyrrha interjects, "No, I have the answer to the question. And it's night vision. Many Faunus are known to have nearly-perfect sight in the dark oppose to humans."

Cardin growls at the correct response.

Blake also answers with a follow up, "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."

David turns to Cardin with a smug expression on his face, "Perhaps if he'd paid attention, he wouldn't have been remembered as such a failure in both human history and Faunus history. But what I'm looking at now is a Bootleg General Lagune sitting in class acting like a racist tool and embarrassment to human society."

David's comment got more laughs than Jaune's failed answer, with most being the Faunus students. Blake and Pyrrha covered their mouths giggling.

Cardin gets up from his seat, fist clenched ready to face David for his comment, but Oobleck stopped him. "Mr. Winchester! Please take your seat."

Jaune is seen still laughing at his tormentor's embarrassment, but Oobleck zooms up to him. "You and Mr. Arc can both see me after class for additional readings." He takes yet another sip of his coffee.

Jaune stops laughing slumps his shoulders, "Oohhhh..."

Oobleck zooms away. "Now! Moving on!"

When the lesson ends, Pyrrha, Nora, and Ren come out of the classroom, only for Pyrrha to stop near the doorway. "You two go on ahead. I'll wait for Jaune." She looks back inside as the after-class talk occurs to the two boys.

Oobleck sips his coffee before speaking, "You two have been struggling in my class since day one! Now, I don't know if it's a lack of interest, or just your stubborn nature, but whatever it is..." He takes a longer sip of his coffee. "It stops now! You've worked hard to gain entrance to this school, and we only accept the best of the best, so I expect you to act like it. History is important, gentlemen! If you can't learn from it... you're destined to repeat it. Pages fifty-one to ninety-one! I want an essay on my desk by next class! Now! Run along."

With that, he zooms out of the classroom and past a waiting Pyrrha in a green and white blur. Jaune comes out first, and Cardin emerges behind him, pushing him to the ground an emitting an "Ow!" from him that makes the bully laugh before walking away.

Pyrrha pulls Jaune back on his feet. "You know, I really will break his legs."

Jaune sighs, and Pyrrha looks like she is struck by inspiration. "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 one of the buildings, with a clear view of the glowing green orbs in the central tower of Beacon and with a clear night sky.

"Pyrrha, I know I'm going through a hard time right now, but I'm not that depressed." He said as he looks over the edge of the roof, to the confusion of Pyrrha. "I can always be a farmer or something..."

Realization hits Pyrrha with horror assuming he meant to jump off the roof to commit suicide, "N-n-no!"

She dashes to push Jaune away from the edge. "THAT! Is not why I brought you up here!"

Unknown to the two on the roof as they talk is Cardin leaning in his windowsill right below them.

"Jaune, I know you're having a difficult time in class and that you're still not the strongest of fighters, so... I want to help you!"

Jaune blinked, "Wh-what?"

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

"You think I need help?" Jaune sounded offended.

Pyrrha shook her head denying that, "N-no! No, that's not what I meant."

Jaune argued back with a pointed finger, "But you just said it."

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

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

Jaune turns back around, now angry at her and himself, "No, I don't!" He sighs as Pyrrha looks bewildered and he reveals the truth. "I wasn't really accepted into Beacon... " He turns his back to her so he doesn't have to face her.

Pyrrha looked shocked at what he said, "Wh-what do you mean?"

"I mean I didn't go to combat school, I didn't pass any tests. I didn't earn my spot at this Academy!" Jaune's voice goes higher and higher as he confesses. He looks at her again. "I lied! I got my hands on some fake transcripts, and I lied!"

Pyrrha looked both bewildered and shocked at what she's hearing, "What? But... why?"

"'Cause this is always what I've wanted to be!" He turns away again, "My father, my grandfather, and his father before him were all warriors! They were all heroes! I wanted to be one, too. I was just never good enough."

Pyrrha approaches him, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Then let me help you!"

Jaune suddenly turns on her with mad frustration. "I don't want help! I don't want to be the damsel in distress! I want to be the hero!"

"Jaune, I-"

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

Pyrrha has her head bowed, sad and tears threaten to come out, "If that's what you think is best..." She walks away, her footsteps getting softer and softer until she leaves the roof. Jaune paces a little until he hears a mocking laugh and Cardin appears on the roof from his window.

"Oh, Jaune..."

Jaune looks behind him at his bully. "Cardin!"

"I couldn't help but overhear you two from my dorm room. So, you snuck into Beacon, huh? I gotta say, Jaune, I never expected you to be such a rebel!" Cardin spoke in a cunning tone of voice.

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

"Jaune, come on! I'd never rat on a friend like that!"

Jaune approaches him, "A... a friend?"

"Of course!" He traps Jaune in a headlock under his arm despite his struggling. "We're friends now, Jauney boy! And the way I see it, as long as you're there for me when I need you, we'll be friends for a long time."

He finally releases Jaune, who gasps as he leans on the ground. "That being said, I really don't have time to do those extra readings Dr. Oobleck gave us today. Think you could take care of that for me, buddy?"

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

Unknown by Pyrrha, Jaune, and Cardin David heard everything from Team DLVR's dorm room window. And he looked pissed at Cardin.

Them including Team AJMK knew about Jaune's fake transcripts when they hacked into the school's database.

David sat on his bunk, arms crossed, eyes narrowed as he replayed everything he had just overheard from his dorm room window.

Jaune Arc.

Fake transcripts.

No combat experience.

Wasn't even supposed to be at Beacon.

And now?

That walking piece of dog shit, Cardin Winchester, was blackmailing him. David's fingers tapped against his arm, his mind already formulating a counter-plan.

"Yo, David, what's with the murder face?" Vincent asked, lying on his bunk while cleaning his Bowie knife.

"Yeah, man," Lena added, stretching her arms behind her head. "You look like you're ready to kill someone. Do we need to make a body disappear?"

David didn't say anything at first. He simply stood up, rolled his shoulders, and exhaled through his nose. "Cardin's got leverage over Jaune," David finally said. "And he's using it to control him."

A beat of silence passed before Rose, who had been lounging upside-down on the couch reading a book, suddenly grinned. "Hah," she muttered. "That idiot really doesn't know who he's fucking with, does he?"

"No, he doesn't," David said coldly, cracking his knuckles.

Lena smirked. "So, what's the move?"

David glanced toward Anthony, who had been silently leaning against the wall, arms crossed, watching everything unfold.

Anthony gave David a knowing look.

A look that said, "You already know the answer."

David grinned. "We make Cardin's life a living hell."

Tuesday Morning – Cardin's Bad Day Begins

It started small.

A broken chair in the cafeteria, timed perfectly so that Cardin fell straight on his ass during breakfast. A mysterious malfunction with his locker, resulting in his gear getting drenched in sticky, blue syrup (courtesy of some creative chemistry from Vincent and Karma).

His scroll?
Somehow locked in another language he couldn't read, making all his texts and apps useless. 

"WHO MESSED WITH MY SCROLL?!"

But things escalated further.

During Professor Port's class, as Cardin prepared to spar against a dummy, his weapon suddenly caused an explosive discharge that sent him sprawling across the arena.

And the coup de grâce?

A very strategic placement of hot sauce in his soda, ensuring that the moment he took a drink, his mouth felt like it had been set on fire. "GAAAHHHH! WHAT THE HELL?!?!"

"You okay there, buddy?" David called from across the room, smirking behind his hand.

Tuesday Afternoon – More 'Unfortunate' Events

Cardin thought he'd be safe by lunchtime.

He thought wrong.

As he entered the cafeteria, his pants suddenly dropped to his ankles, revealing the bright pink heart-patterned boxers he wore underneath. A chorus of laughter erupted throughout the room.

Even Professor Goodwitch, who had been passing by, arched a single unimpressed eyebrow before shaking her head and walking away.

Cardin froze in horror, face turning beat red as he scrambled to pull his pants up.

And right in the middle of it all?

David sat at the lunch table, sipping on his drink, watching it all unfold like it was the greatest comedy show on Earth. "Tsk, tsk," Karma sighed dramatically, shaking her head. "So embarrassing." 

"Who even wears heart-patterned boxers in this day and age?" Jason mused, stroking his chin.

"Tragic," Anthony added with a shake of his head.

"Oh, this is better than a movie," Lena whispered, taking a sip of her soda.

Ruby, Yang, and Nora were crying from laughter, while Weiss smirked and Blake hid a small satisfied grin behind her book.

Jaune, who had been sitting in the middle of Team JNPR, tried not to smile.

For the first time in weeks... he felt like he had allies.

Cardin, red-faced and fuming, turned toward Team DLVR. "YOU LITTLE SHITS!"

David, with all the casual energy in the world, simply leaned back in his chair and grinned. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

Tuesday Night – The Final Straw

By the end of the day, Cardin was mentally broken.

Every single part of his day had been a disaster.

It had reached the point where he refused to leave his dorm, barricading the door and muttering paranoid nonsense to his team. "They're watching me... they KNOW!"

"Who?!"

"EVERYONE!!"

Meanwhile, inside Team DLVR's dorm room, David, Lena, Vincent, and Rose sat around playing cards, casually enjoying their victory. Anthony, sitting at his desk, glanced over from his book and smirked. "So. Do we consider this mission accomplished?"

David flipped a poker chip into the air, caught it, and grinned. "Oh, definitely."

They might not have broken Cardin's legs like Nora wanted, but they damn sure broke his spirit.

And that?

That was even better.

Mission Status:
✅ Cardin Winchester is now paranoid and broken.
✅ Jaune Arc no longer feels completely alone.
✅ Team DLVR successfully avenged Jaune... without getting caught.
✅ The psychological warfare continues.

And somewhere, in the depths of Vale's White Fang safehouses, a new rumor began to circulate.

A rumor that a mysterious faction was secretly working against Beacon's biggest asshole.

And that?

That was just the beginning.

White Fang Safehouse – Somewhere in Vale

The dimly lit hideout reeked of oil, dust, and metal—a stark reminder of the weapons caches stored in the back rooms. The sound of muffled chatter from various White Fang members filled the space as Adam Taurus sat in front of a flickering communication screen, awaiting Sienna Khan's report.

The transmission crackled slightly before stabilizing, and Sienna's face appeared—her amber eyes sharp, her expression unreadable.

"Adam," she greeted curtly. "I assume you're prepared to listen?"

Adam crossed his arms, jaw clenched. He had a million questions. "Go on."

Sienna wasted no time.

She detailed everything—the arrival of human troops, the UN's intervention, and the shocking fact that the Faunus of Menagerie were neither enslaved nor exterminated. She spoke of the battles against the Grimm, the medical aid provided to the wounded, and the supplies that poured in from this United Nations—an organization Adam had never even heard of.

But the real kicker?

These humans weren't from Atlas.

They were from a nation not of Remnant.

A nation called the United States of North America.

A nation that, despite its overwhelming military strength, had chosen to protect rather than oppress.

By the time Sienna finished, Adam's hands were clenched into fists, his nails digging into his palms.

His mind raced.

This has to be a lie.
A trick. A trap. Some kind of ploy.

No human nation would willingly help the Faunus.
Humans had done nothing but take from them.

And yet...

Sienna's expression remained firm.

She wasn't trying to deceive him.

She had seen it with her own eyes.

The White Fang members in Menagerie—some of the most radical, battle-hardened fighters—had seen it with their own eyes.

Even the Menagerie Guard, those who had never once trusted humans, had admitted these newcomers were different.

Adam refused to accept it.

He slammed his fist on the metal table, causing the entire screen to shake. "You expect me to believe that humans—HUMANS—just... helped us?" His voice dripped with venom. "That they fought and bled for Faunus?"

Sienna narrowed her eyes. "I don't expect you to believe, Adam. I expect you to listen."

He grit his teeth. "The White Fang was built because of human oppression," he snarled. "We fight because we have no other choice."

Sienna let out a slow breath. "Then tell me, Adam," she said, voice measured, calm but firm. "What happens when we do?"

Adam blinked. "What?"

Sienna leaned forward, her face deadly serious. "What happens if we are given a choice?"

Adam couldn't respond. For the first time in years, the words stuck in his throat.

Sienna pressed on. "These humans, this 'UN' and their military, they didn't come to Menagerie to take anything. They didn't force our people into servitude. They didn't demand submission. They fought for us. They died for us. They buried our dead as if they were their own. Do you understand what that means?"

Adam refused to. He couldn't. "It doesn't change anything," he snapped.

Sienna's expression darkened. "It changes everything."

Adam Taurus had always believed that humans were incapable of change. That violence was the only path forward. That only through bloodshed could the Faunus earn their place in the world.

But now?

Now he had to face the fact that perhaps he was wrong.

And for a man like Adam, who had built his entire existence on the foundation of hatred and revenge, that was a terrifying thought.

He turned off the transmission before Sienna could say anything else.

His reflection in the dark screen stared back at him.

And for the first time in his life, Adam wasn't sure who he was anymore.