CHAPTER 11
Jaune Arc POV
With slow breathing, Jaune raised his shield as he concentrated, his grip on his weapons loosen up slightly while thanking Rin for training his stamina. If he hadn't, then he would have outright dropped to the ground at this point.
Cardin Winchester of CRDL, a big bad bully in their Year, was fighting against him with his mace. He had a cocky smirk as he rests his mace over on his shoulders.
Man, fighting really tires him out too much. He should follow Nora and Pyrrha to the gym more.
"Come on, Arc, is this the best that you can do?"
He said with a chuckle at his tired breathing, to which Jaune retorts, remembering about a lesson that Rin taught him before.
"When against a human enemy, taunting them is the best way to create new openings. Human behavior is all about emotion after all. So taunt them, and hit them when they're not expecting it."
Sorry, Cardin. Nothing personal.
"Your mom immediately regretted saying that last night."
He flashed a fake mocking smirk to add to the damage when Cardin's face darkened.
"Ohhh!!!"
He could hear Yang and Nora screaming at the insult, as Cardin roared in anger before running at him. Breathing out, he focuses as Cardin got closer and closer.
Recalling a technique that Pyrrha used a while back against Yang who was in her Semblance, he calmed down, relaxed his body before moving towards Cardin.
They rushed at each other, Cardin bringing down his mace with anger in his veins. Expecting the swing, Jaune raises his shield as the mace impacts on it, sending tremors through his left hand.
Gritting his teeth to deal with the pain, he redirects the mace to the side before moving opposite to the mace, creating a disadvantage for Cardin as his mace arm was now in recovery.
Using this opening, Jaune slashes on Cardin's hand, disarming the mace out of his hands.
Yelling out a battle cry, he swipes one of Cardin's legs, causing his opponent to yelp in surprise as he falls to the ground. Scrambling to get up, Jaune quickly gets on top of Cardin before pointing his sword on his neck, just an inch from flesh.
"Yield!"
Jaune said loudly as Cardin thrashes around, trying to get out of the hold and starting cursing at him, when an alarm beeped across the room. The lights turned on and revealed a classroom filled with studies of Year One Beacon students.
"Mr. Winchester, that is enough, you have lost."
Ms. Goodwitch said with an authoritative tone as she floated down to the combat stadium in the middle of the lecture hall, where the two were fighting in just prior.
Cardin, who's face looked like someone who had eaten a sour plum, stops flailing under him as the sound of heels clacking on marble got closer.
Sighing in relief, Jaune gets up from the hold as Ms. Goodwitch talks to the rest of the students above them, referring to holographic screens that showed their Aura Levels.
Jaune Arc: 57% (Yellow)
Cardin Winchester: 73% (Yellow)
"Students, as you can see, even though Mr. Winchester's Aura is still in the Yellows, I still regarded Mr. Arc as the winner. This is because Mr. Arc had full control over Mr. Winchester, and one swipe to the neck would certainly push Mr. Winchester's Aura to Red.
That means, that in a tournament-styled duel, one's Aura must either be in the Red or be in submission to lose, understood?"
Some "yes"s could be heard as Ms. Goodwitch looked over at them.
"Mr. Arc, although your means of provoking Mr. Winchester was... Unprofessional, it worked and you've managed to take advantage of it. Well done. Your improvements have been visible over the past few weeks."
That prompted Jaune to have a sheepish smile of satisfaction as she turned to Cardin.
"And you, Mr. Winchester. You had a total of 3 opportunities to end the duel, but you played with your food, and lost the match due to Mr. Arc exploiting your emotions. Please don't do that next time."
With gritted teeth, he nods as Ms. Goodwitch claps her hands together.
"Remember, the Vytal Festival is only two months away! Those who choose to compete in the Vytal Combat Tournament, you are to register using your scrolls.
Your team will be required to fight against other teams in a Team versus Team format to decide the Year One to Three teams that will be representing Vale a whole.
That is all for today's class, you may go now."
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"Not bad, fearless leader! You totally wrecked Cardin up!"
Nora cheered with her usual loud voice as Yang opted in for a remark too.
"Wrecked him and his mom."
That prompted them both to cackle, fist bumping as Weiss sighed.
"Very unprofessional of you to say such words, Jaune. Even if you wished to taunt your opponent, bringing up one's mother is not right."
"But it worked though, Weiss! Don't be such a poopy pants, Jaune won that!"
Ruby intervened as Weiss looked at her with a disgusted face.
"P-Poopy — Ruby, manners!"
To be honest, having girls talk to you is a really weird experience. He doesn't know how to really respond to any of them at all since this was only the 3rd week of Beacon.
"Well done with the fight, Jaune."
But he could connect with Ren really well! Maybe it was because they were boys?
"All in all, a very interesting fight, Jaune. And that last technique, did you try and imitate me?"
Pyrrha said with a teasing tone as Jaune chuckled nervously. Pyrrha's technique was more advance and cool compared to his one-two after redirecting, but it still worked at least.
"Y-Yeah, I thought that it would work, and it did!"
"But there are some parts where you'd lost if Cardin was serious."
Blake gave her piece before continuing to write on her notebook, causing Jaune's mood to significantly drop.
Sure, CRDL was the 4th best team in their year after theirs and RWBY's, but still knowing that you've won because of your opponent taking you lightly hurt a bit.
Pyrrha who noticed his dropping mood glared at Blake before comforting him.
"... Well, Blake is true, but nothing training can't help! Would you like me to review your fight when we're free? Maybe turn it into a team exercise simultaneously?"
She offered to help him get better, to which Jaune was about to decline when the thought to himself.
Rin, who was a stranger, already taught him so much that he was able to go toe-to-toe with the likes of Cardin. And Pyrrha, one of the strongest people that he knows, opted to teach him.
If Rin's teachings were already a godsend, then what about Pyrrha's?
"R-Really? Then please do! What time's the best? Night after dinner?"
He would be a fool to not ask for help.
"Sure, that should be sufficient time, Jaune."
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Emerald Sustrai POV
"Are you seriously doing this?"
She asks her leader as he got ready for a trip. That Glynda Goodwitch woman asked if Rin wanted to visit the Forever Fall Forest for some fresh sap, to which Rin immediately agreed to.
Rin was a haggler when it came to getting good ingredients at a low price.
"It's free sap, Emerald. Besides, I could get a good look at Beacon's Year One teams to get a gauge of their abilities if they come and fight us during our heists. A win-win situation."
He said while packing jars to keep the sap before zipping it all in a duffle bag. Slinging it onto his shoulders, he took a look at their weapons that were displayed on the table in the attic for tinkering or repairing their weapons.
"Oh, we are not doing this again, Rin."
Emerald facepalms as Rin gave his reasons of not wanting to take any weapons. Sure, he was supposed to keep his cafe-cute but somewhat hot persona, but Forever Fall was a designated Level 3 out of 5 Grimm Zone for Oum's sake.
"But Emerald — "
"I'm not dealing with this, Rin! Take them just in case or else I'll make you!"
She said with a glare, to which Rin gave in after a while of thinking.
"Sigh... Fine, but I'll only take Phantom."
He said before taking his handgun on the table, making her breath a sigh of relief at the slight increase in defense for Rin when he goes to the forest.
"... I can't lose you, Rin. I — "
She didn't know what would happen to her if Rin died.
But if she'd predict the future her, then surely she would...
Shuddering, she starts to calm herself down after imagining what she would do, praying to Oum that it would never happen.
"... Oh, Emerald."
Noticing the shudder, he made a face before walking towards her, dropping the duffle bag on the bed in the attic and wrapped her in his arms.
She stiffens at the touch of his skin on her bare shoulders.
"Nothing at this level could kill me even if I wanted to, but I'll keep an eye out, alright?"
He whispered softly as she could feel his warm breath on her ears. Silently, she presses her head onto his chest before nodding after breathing in his scent.
Letting go of the hug, he took the duffle bag and kept Phantom in his pants behind his back (His t-shirt was long and loose enough to cover it up easily) before waving.
"I'll see you later at 5, Emerald."
He flashes her his iconic warm smile before descending the stairs.
Hearing the click of the lock on the door, she plops onto the bed in the attic, her forearm covering her eyes before heaving a heavy sigh.
She knew that he was powerful, she'd seen it first hand, but even with his powers of his Persona and skill with his gun, she still worries of him.
Since she had nothing else to do, she decided to just take a nap and wait for Rin to come back from his trip with the Beacon Year One students.
Oh, right. The redhead and Faunus girl was there too. Ugh, she hates them so much for some reason.
Wrapping her legs around a bolster, she stares at the ceiling with a blank mind before slowly drifting to sleep.
... Rin smelled really nice with that cologne of his.
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