1 1) A rough start

As I open my eyes, I feel a strange sensation all over my body. It's like I'm being sucked into a vortex, and then everything goes black. When I come to, I'm standing at a table in cafeteria. I recognize the setting immediately: I'm in the RWBY universe. But that's not the only shock I experience.

I look down at my hands and see that they're not mine. They belong to someone else. Someone who I know all too well from watching the show. It's Cardin Winchester. I'm inside his body, living his life.

As I take in my surroundings, I notice that Cardin is not alone at the table. He's surrounded by a group of bullies, and they're taunting a faunus girl. I know her name is Velvet, and I remember this scene from the show. Cardin is making her feel small and worthless, and it's making my skin crawl.

At first, I'm disoriented, confused. I don't know what's happening to me, or why I'm here. But as I hear Cardin's voice, as I feel his emotions, I realize what's going on. I've somehow been reincarnated into this world as Cardin Winchester. And right now, I'm doing something terrible.

It's a slow realization, but it hits me like a ton of bricks. I've become the bad guy. The person I always hated watching on the show, I'm now living his life.

I struggle to control Cardin's body, to make him stop what he's doing. But it's hard. The words come out of his mouth, his actions are his own. I feel like I'm trapped, like I'm a passenger in this body, unable to steer it in the right direction.

But I don't give up. I keep fighting, keep trying to make Cardin stop. And eventually, I do. I manage to convince him to back off, to leave Velvet alone. And as I do, I feel a sense of relief, like I've just done something right.

But it's short-lived. The other students in the cafeteria are watching us, and they think that Cardin is still the same bully he's always been. They don't know that I'm inside his body, that I'm fighting against him. To them, I'm just another bad guy.

I feel a sense of frustration, anger even. These people are supposed to be the heroes, the ones who protect humanity from the creatures of Grimm. But when faced with a real-life situation, they just stand there and watch. They don't do anything.

So, I decide to call them out. I stand up from the table and address the entire room. I take a deep breath, trying to control the words that come out of my mouth. This body may not be mine, but I'm determined to make the best of it.

"You all just stood there and watched while this girl was being bullied," I say, my voice laced with anger. "What the hell is wrong with you? If you can't even stand up for someone in your own school, how the hell are you supposed to protect humanity from the Grimm?"

The cafeteria falls silent, all eyes on me. I don't care if they hate me, but they need to hear this.

"I know what it's like to be in a position of power and abuse it," I continue, my voice shaking slightly. "I know what it's like to hurt others just because I can. And you know what? You're all just like me."

There's a murmur in the crowd, a mix of shock and anger. I can feel their eyes on me, some hostile, some curious.

"You all want to be heroes, to protect people and do the right thing," I say, my voice rising. "But you can't even do that in your own damn school. You're all a bunch of cowards, too afraid to stand up for what's right. And that's why this world is screwed."

The cafeteria is dead silent now, as if all the air has been sucked out of the room. I take a step back, feeling the weight of Cardin's body as I turn and leave the cafeteria. I don't want to see their faces, their confusion or their hatred.

I head towards the toilets, feeling a mix of satisfaction and regret. Maybe I went too far, maybe I could have said it better. But at least they know the truth now, and maybe, just maybe, they'll start to think about what kind of people they really want to be.

I slam my fist against the wall, feeling a mix of anger and frustration. This body may not be mine, but I'm still stuck with Cardin's personality and memories. I take a deep breath, trying to calm myself down. I need to stay focused on my objectives, even if it means dealing with this insufferable prick's emotions.

As I splash some water on my face, I hear the door creak open. I turn around, ready to lash out at whoever has dared to interrupt me. But it's just Coco, the fashionista of Team CFVY. She looks at me with a mix of curiosity and concern, like she can sense that something's off.

"What the hell are you doing in the boys' bathroom?" I sneer, trying to keep up appearances. "Can't a guy have a moment of privacy?"

Coco rolls her eyes. "Please, as if I haven't seen worse. What's eating you?"

I hesitate for a moment, wondering if I should tell her the truth. But I can't risk it, not yet. "Nothing, just dealing with some personal issues," I reply, trying to sound dismissive.

Coco doesn't buy it. "Look, I don't know what your deal is, but you better not mess with Velvet again," she says, her tone turning serious. "If you do, I'll make sure you regret it."

I resist the urge to smirk. Coco may be tough, but she's no match for what I've seen in my past life. Or at least that what the old Cardin in me feels like. She would just wipe the floor with my body if I gave her the excuse, and I know that. "Don't worry, I have no intention of hurting anyone," I say, my voice somehow dripping with sarcasm. "I'm just trying to be a better person, you know?"

'Do you want me dead Cardin?!'

Coco raises an eyebrow as Cardin Winchester sat on the sink, smirking at the captain of Team CFVY, Coco Adel, who was silently seething with anger at the way he had been treating her teammate Velvet. He knew he had gone too far when he had made derogatory remarks about her Faunus heritage, but he couldn't help himself. He had always been confrontational, and he couldn't stand Faunus. Well , not him per say, but the old him before he came in, yet somehow his boddy was trying to do exactly that. But he was trying to be better, at least that's what he kept telling himself.

"So, what do you want, Winchester?" Coco growled, her fists clenching and unclenching at her sides. "You think you can just waltz in here and insult my teammate?"

Cardin shrugged, still smirking despite his will. "I'm sorry if I hurt her feelings," he said, his voice oozing with condescension. "I'm just trying to be a good guy, you know? Help her get better. But I guess you wouldn't want that, would you?"

Coco's eyes narrowed. "Don't you dare act like you're doing us a favor," she spat. "We don't need your 'help'. And we certainly don't need your insults."

Cardin's smirk turned into a sneer. "Oh, come on, Adel. Let's just forget it happend alright? I'm one of the best fighters in my class. And even if you were to defeat me, which I am not sure you could, I wonder how dear Ozpin would react? A second year beatting the shit out of a first year in the boys toilet... what were you even doing there?"

Coco clenched her teeth. She hated the way Cardin spoke to her, as if he was superior in every way. But she knew she had to keep her cool. She couldn't risk getting expelled from Beacon, not when her team was counting on her.

"Listen, Winchester," she said, her voice low and dangerous. "I don't want to hear another word from you about Velvet. You stay away from her, you hear me? Or you'll have to deal with me."

Cardin's eyes widened in surprise. He had never seen Coco this angry before. He knew she was a tough fighter, but he hadn't realized how much she cared about her teammates.

"You think you can threaten me, Adel?" he sneered. "I'm not afraid of you."

'For F sake body stop trying to get me killed.'

"But I get it, I will leave you guys alone."

Coco's fists clenched tighter. She wanted to hit him so badly, to wipe that sneer off his face. But she knew she had to be smart. She couldn't let him bait her into doing something stupid.

"Fine," she growled. "You do that. But if you ever come near Velvet again, you'll regret it. And if you ever speak to me like that again, I'll make sure you never forget it."

Cardin laughed. "Oh, I'm shaking in my boots, Adel. You're not as tough as you think you are. But don't worry, I'll stay away from Velvet. And from you, too. I wouldn't want to hurt your delicate sensibilities."

'Shit I'm dead now...'

Coco glared at him, her eyes burning with rage. She wanted to say more, to threaten him even more, but she knew it was pointless. Cardin would never understand how much he had hurt Velvet, and he would never admit that he was wrong. All she could do was make sure he stayed away from her teammate.

"Just remember what I said, Winchester," she spat. "Stay away from her. Or else."

Cardin didn't say anything, but Coco could see the fear in his eyes. He knew she was serious. And he knew that she could easily blast him away too despite his bravado.

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Cardin sighed, as he walked away from the toilets. Coco had long since departed but he knew that he had ruffled her feathers and that most of the students were now afraid of him. But what they didn't know was that he had no intention of hurting anyone. He just wanted to make a name for himself at Beacon, and if that meant being the bad guy for a while, then so be it. This body and this mouth of his was being uncooperative anyway. So instead of using words he would show his mettle through his actions.

As he made his way back to his dorm room, he couldn't help but think about the information he had learned from the show. He knew that there were dangerous people lurking around Remnant, and he was determined to stop them from bombing Vale. But he couldn't do it alone, he needed allies.

He considered approaching some of his fellow students, but he knew all too well that they wouldn't understand. They were all so focused on their own goals and agendas that they wouldn't be interested in helping him. No, he needed someone who was as driven as he was.

And then he remembered something; something about the captain of one team that desperately wanted to be a hero. If anyone was going to be willing to help him, it would be her. But he would have to approach her carefully, he couldn't just waltz up to her and ask for her help.

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Meanwhile, Coco was seething with anger. She couldn't believe that Cardin had the audacity to speak to them like that, especially after everything that had happened with Velvet. She knew that he was trying to get under their skin, but she refused to let him win.

As she stormed back to her own dorm room, she couldn't help but think about how much she wanted to hurt him. But she knew that she couldn't, not without risking expulsion from Beacon. She would just have to find another way to deal with him.

And then she had an idea. She would make sure that Cardin stayed far away from Velvet. She would keep an eye on him and if he ever came anywhere near her, she would make sure that he regretted it. She may not be able to physically harm him, but she could certainly make his life miserable.

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Cardin sat cross-legged on his bed, his eyes closed as he focused on his breathing. He was determined to become the best hunter he could be, and he knew that meant training hard every day.

As he meditated, he thought about the stories he had watched and read before being reincarnated in this world. He remembered watching Naruto and how the young ninja had trained relentlessly to become stronger. He also thought about Bleach and how the Soul Reapers used their powers to fight against evil. And then there was Dragon Ball Z, with its epic battles and powerful warriors.

All of these stories inspired him, and he knew that he could learn from them. He had already seen how powerful Aura could be, but he needed to learn how to use it more effectively. He needed to be able to tap into it at will, to channel it into his attacks and defenses.

He opened his eyes and stood up, feeling energized. He knew what he had to do. He would spend the next few days studying everything he could about Aura, about how to control it and use it to his advantage. He would also spend time watching the other hunters and huntresses at Beacon, studying their techniques and strategies.

But he also knew that he couldn't do it alone. He needed allies, people who could help him become stronger. And he knew just the person he wanted to approach: Pyrrha Nikos.

He had heard that she was one of the best hunters in training at Beacon, a skilled duelist who had won countless tournaments. He also knew that she had taken Jaune Arc under her wing later in the show, helping him become a better fighter.

And that's where Cardin saw an opportunity. He knew that Jaune had cheated his way into Beacon, and he knew that Pyrrha was the only one who would come to know the truth. But instead of using this information to bully Jaune, Cardin wanted to use it to his advantage.

He would approach Pyrrha and offer to help train Jaune, using his own knowledge and experience to help the young man become a better fighter. He knew that Pyrrha would be hesitant at first, but he was confident that he could win her over. He would threaten to reveal the truth and get Jauny boy expelled if not. Coercing them into helping him, up untill he built enough trust with them so that the threat would unecessary for them to help him train anyway.

That was not a great plan... but it was a plan. A very Cardin-Winchestry like Plan. It would have to do.

But before he could approach Pyrrha, he needed to deal with another issue. He had been a complete jerk to Velvet earlier, and he knew that he needed to apologize.

As Cardin lay on his bed, he couldn't help but replay the events of the day in his head. He had been a complete ass to Velvet earlier, and he knew he needed to apologize. However, he couldn't just walk up to her and say sorry. He had to plan it out carefully.

Cardin was never one to back down from a fight, but this was different. He had been threatened by Coco, and he didn't want to make things worse. He had to be careful, especially around her. He knew she had a short fuse, and he didn't want to set her off.

But it wasn't just Coco he had to worry about. He had to be careful around Velvet too. He didn't want to come off as a creep or scare her away.

As he lay there, Cardin couldn't help but think about how he could approach Velvet without raising any red flags. He had to be smooth, charming even. He had watched enough romantic comedies to know what worked and what didn't. But this wasn't a movie, and he wasn't a hero. He was just a guy who had messed up and was trying to make things right.

He decided that the best course of action was to wait. He couldn't do anything tonight anyway, but he could start planning for tomorrow. He needed to find a way to talk to Velvet without anyone else around. Maybe he could catch her alone in the library or during lunch. He just had to be patient.

Cardin closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He couldn't keep dwelling on this. He had to focus on his training and becoming a better warrior. He was at Beacon for a reason, and he didn't want to let anyone down.

Tomorrow was going to be a new day, and he was determined to make it a good one. He would apologize to Velvet and make things right. He would prove to everyone, especially himself, that he was a better person than he had been today.

Cardin fell asleep with a sense of purpose, determined to make things right. He didn't know what the future held, but he was ready to face it head-on.