JNPR Dorm

Pyrrha looks out the window sadly as Ren loads Strom Flower and Nora is jumping on her bed in the room for Team JNPR.

Nora: "How come Jaune gets home so late?"

Ren: "He's become rather scarce since he started fraternizing with Cardin."

Nora: "That's weird... Doesn't he know we have field trip tomorrow? We need our rest!"

She proclaims this while twirling in midair so her back hits the covers.

Pyrrha responds angrily.

Pyrrha: "I'm sure our leader knows exactly what he's doing."

Nora and Ren exchange glances, not knowing that Jaune himself is looking in through the crack of the door.

Nora: "Mmmm... I guess so."

Jaune hangs his head and closes the door, just as a voice interrupts his thoughts.

Ruby: "Hey, Jaune!"

Startled, Jaune turns around to see her in her pajamas, and she giggles at his reaction.

Ruby: "Long time, no see! Did you lock yourself out again?"

Jaune: "Oh uh, nope!"

He raises his scroll, attempting to laugh it off.

Jaune: "Got it!"

Ruby: "So! Where have you been lately?"

Jaune: "I, uh..."

He tires to come up with something but just sighs and lower his head.

Jaune: "I messed up. I did something I shouldn't have, and now Cardin has me on a leash, Soma is angry at me, and Pyrrha won't even talk to me, and..."

He looks down as he breathes heavily.

Jaune: "I'm starting to think coming to this school was a bad idea."

He presses his back to his team's door and slides down to the floor in depression.

Jaune: "I'm a failure."

Ruby: "Nope!"

Jaune starts looking at her in surprise.

Jaune: "Nope?"

Ruby: "Nope! You're a leader now, Jaune. You're not allowed to be a failure."

Jaune: "But... what if I'm a failure at being a leader?"

Ruby thinks about it for a moment, then gives her answer.

Ruby: "Nope!"

Jaune laughs as she joins him on the floor.

Jaune: " You know, you're not the easiest person to talk about this kind of stuff."

Ruby: "Nope!"

Jaune leans into door some more.

Ruby: "Jaune, maybe you were a failure when you were a kid..."

Jaune groans and sinks lower to the ground

Ruby: "...and you might've even been a failure the first day we met!"

He groans and goes lower still.

Ruby: "But, you can't be one now. You know why?"

Jaune: "Uhhh, because...?"

Ruby: "Because it's not just about you anymore. You've got a team now, Jaune. We both And if we fail, then we'll just be bringing them down with us."

She gets up and place her hands on her hips as she speaks

Ruby: "We have to put our teammates first, and ourselves second. Your team deserves a great leader, Jaune. And I thinks that can be you."

Jaune then chuckled a little then he smile at her as he remember something that Soma said to him in a very similar and painful way.

Jaune: "Ruby you remind me a lot of what Soma said to me yesterday."

Ruby: "R-Really?"

Jaune nods to her and he nervously chuckled while scratching that back of his head.

Jaune: "Y-Yeah, right after... He punched me in the face and it still hurts so bad."

He said still rubbing his left cheek with his hand while looking at her then Ruby giggles with her hand to cover her face and slimed at her friend.

Ruby: "Even, He's like that... He really cared for you as his friend despite his gruff exterior he's really a nice person and a caring friend. He's just like Weiss you know a bit...Uh."

Jaune: "A Tsundere?"

Jaune added making Ruby burst out of laughing as Jaune follows Ruby's lead and begun laughing as well.

Ruby: "Hehe... Yeah."

She walks over to her door and opens it as Jaune, now slight inspired by her words, watches her have.

Ruby: "Have a good night, Jaune!"

She heads inside her dorm. With a new energy, Jaune pushes himself off the ground and face his team, but his scroll beeps and he pulls it off of his side to open it, Cardin's contact relaying a message.

Cardin: "Hey! It's your buddy, Cardin! I know you're probably busy with that Dust project I give you, buuuut I'm gonna need you to go out and get me a bag of Rapier Wasps."

Jaune makes a sound of terror in response

Cardin: "And make sure they've some big strings! It's important, so don't screw this up!"

Jaune closes his scroll just when it begins to beep again. Sighing, he wearily heads down the hallway and away from his room.

Forever Fall Forest

The next day, we come to a forest bustling with red leaves and gray trunks as Glynda is leading teams such as RWBY, JNPR, GOD, and CRDL through the area.

Glynda: "Yes, students, the forest of Forever Fall is indeed beautiful. But we are not here to sight-see. Professor Peach has asked all of you to collect samples from the tress deep inside this forest, and I'm here to make sure none of you die while doing so."

The groups stops, and Jaune, grunting and carrying a large case with six empty glass jars on top, tires to catch up with them and ends up bumping into Cardin. The bully scowls at Jaune, who attempts to feign innocence by whistling tunelessly.

Glynda, who was still instructing her group, holds up a full jar of their objective.

Glynda: "Each of you is to gather one jar's worth of red sap . However, this forest is full of creature of Grimm, so be sure to stay by your teammates. We will rendezvous back here at 4 o'clock. Have fun!"

Yang and her sister smile one another, Jaune attempts to sneak away from Cardin to his team, but he sees this and grabs Jaune by the back.

Cardin: "Come on, buddy-"

And out of nowhere Soma comes up behind Cardin and "accidentally" bumped him into the mud, Cardin looks up at him with mud on his face and armor.

Soma: *shrugs* "Oops."

Soma walks away, while Cardin slams his fist in the mud. Soma saw Jaune trying not to laugh, Soma stare and continues to walking.

Cardin: "Let's go!'

Jaune miserably looks up at his team, where Nora and Ren are already walking into the forest's depths and Pyrrha is staring sadly before she continues onward.

Jaune and CRDL's Location

Team CRDL is making themselves as comfortable as possible by leaning on stones, tress, and the ground while Jaune returns to the group with six full jars, setting down just as he collapses face-down. The surrounding team gets up in response.

Cardin: "Hey, great work, Jauney boy! Now that wasn't too hard, was it?"

Jaune who was still on the ground, cross -eyed and sounding dizzy, responds to him.

Jaune: "I think I'm allergic to this stuff..."

Cardin: "Greeeeeat, great, great. So, Jaune, I bet you're asking yourself, 'Why did my buddy Cardin ask me to collect six jar of tree sap when there's only five of us?"

Jaune: "That is one of the many questions I have asked myself today, yes."

Cardin: "Well, come with me, and you'll find out."

Jaune moans and gulps in worry.

Now perched on a hilltop overlooking the other students, Team CRDL - plus Jaune, squeezed between Cardin and Russel Thrush - peek their heads over the crest and watch as everyone is retrieving their samples of sap. Ren, kneeling to collect it from a tree, passes a full jar to Nora, who "Mmmm!" at the gift as Ren trades it for another jar in her care. He turns back to the tree and starts filling it up while several licking sounds are heard off-screen until the camera pans back to Nora, now with an embarrassed smile covered in red and an empty jar in her hands.

Jaune: "Cardin, wh-what's going on?"

Cardin continues to stared at the unsuspecting group sharply.

Cardin: "Payback."

Jaune widens his eyes as he notices that Cardin was targeting Pyrrha and Soma

Jaune: "Pyrrha... ? Soma... ?"

He watches Pyrrha alongside with Ruby as they gather more sap from their trees while Soma listening into his headphones while leaning on a tree.

Jaune: "Wh-what are you-?"

Cardin pounds his fist on the ground.

Cardin: "That's them. Red-haired know-it-all thinks she's so smart and that Edgy bastard thinks he's so tough and powerful. Humiliating me in the cafeteria and beating MY team all by himself! I hate him. Alright boys..."

He pulls out a buzzing cardboard box with a large "W" written on its side.

Cardin: "Last night, old Jaune here managed to round up an entire box of Rapier Wasps, and now, we're gonna put him to work."

Russel grabs Jaune by the shoulder, who barely laughs in nervousness.

Cardin: "Now, according to one of the essays you wrote for me last week, these nasty things loooove sweets."

Pyrrha is then seen finishing her sap collection.

Cardin: "I'm thinking it's time we teach them a thing or two."

The members of CRDL gets up. Cardin offers his hand to Jaune, only to painfully yank him up on his feet into their grasp.

Cardin: "And you're gonna do it."

Jaune: "Do what?"

Cardin: "Hit them both with the sap!"

He leans in close to Jaune's face.

Cardin: "Either that, or I'll have a chat with Goodwitch, and you'll be on the first airship out of Beacon."

Jaune looks down at the jar of sap in his hand and then up at the four grinning teammates waiting to see what happens. Jaune turns towards the group and aims his throw at an oblivious and smiling Pyrrha, trying to steel his nerves and shaking hand to do the deed, but ultimately steels himself for what he's about to do.

Jaune: "No."

Cardin: "What did you say?"

Jaune: "I said... NO!"

He turns and throws the jar at Cardin, instantly recoiling his hand to himself as he looks at Cardin's breastplate covered in sap. The other team leader, however, just looks at himself and laughs darkly.

Cardin: "Oh, you've done it now..."

Jaune humorously laughs to himself once more with his hands still raised in attempt for defense as Dove and Sky grab Jaune's shoulder and bring him towards their leader.

Soma's Location

Soma was watching the entire event happening on the hilltop unknowingly to CRDL that they are being watched by him as he crosses his arms while smirking at Jaune's bravery.

Soma: "So, you finally managed to grow some balls after all..."

As he gets up from leaning on the tree then begun walking away.

Soma: "Took you long enough, you damn idiot."

Jaune and CRDL's Location

Jaune was getting pushed to the ground of Forever Falls as looks up and sees a sap-covered Cardin looming over him. The bigger warrior picks Jaune up by his front and grins while punching him back to the ground.

Cardin: "You know that wasn't very smart, Jauney boy."

He picks up a bruised Jaune again while the rest of team CRDL watches.

Cardin: "I'm gonna make sure they send you back to mommy in teeny tiny pieces."

Juane: "I don't care what you do to me..."

He looks at Cardin with fury.

Jaune: "But you're not messing with my team or my friends."

Cardin: "What? Do you think talk like that makes you tough? You think you're a big strong man now?"

Jaune smiles in defiance. An enraged Cardin roars and raises his fist again, but just as the hit connects a bright light shines from Jaune, and when the white fades from the screen, Cardin is now crying in pain as he holds his hand. Jaune, now back on the ground but completely healed, looks confusedly at his hands as they faintly glow white. While he stared, though Sky kicks Jaune in the back and gets him on his stomach, but he looks up and glared at the approaching Cardin.

Cardin: "Let's see how much of a man you really are..."

Just as he says this, a low growl is heard, and a surprised Team CRDL, turns around and sees a large paw crash onto the scene, belonging to an huge Ursa Major with dozens of jagged spikes sticking out from its wide back. It leaps forward and stands over the terrified students, lifting its head in the air to smell the sap on Cardin's breastplate. It lands back on its forelegs and roars at Cardin while his teammates heroically flee.

Russel: "That's a big Ursa!"

Cardin is rooted to the spot when the Grimm swings its claws and knocks him sideways, revealing Jaune cowering behind him. The Ursa continues to sniff, uninterested in Jaune and following its nose to Cardin. He watches as it towers over Cardin, who gets his witts and pulls out the Executioner only for the monster swipe it away to Jaune's feet He looks conflicted, wondering whether to fight or run away.

Main Group's Location

Meanwhile, the roar of the giant Ursa is heard by the members of team RWBY and JNPR alongside with Soma still collecting sap of the forest.

Ruby: "Did you guys hear that?"

Suddenly, the remaining members of team CRDL are seen running the other way from the roar through the other students.

Russel: "Ursa! Ursa!"

He then runs into Yang accidentally.

Yang: "What?!"

Yang who was completely unfazed by his collision, pick him up the front of his shirt.

Yang: "Where?"

Russel, who was struggling and still running in the air, points back from where they came.

Russel: "Back there! It's got Cardin!"

Pyrrha drops her jar of sap in shock.

Pyrrha: "Jaune!"

Then out of nowhere Soma runs fast in front of them and head straight to the other side of the forest.

Ruby: "Soma! Wait!"

Ruby goes into leader mode.

Ruby: "Yang! You and Blake, go get Professor Goodwitch!"

Dropping Russel, Yang and Blake nod before following the orders. Pyrrha looks to Ren and Nora as she and Ruby activate their weapons.

Pyrrha: "You two, go with them! There could be more!"

Ruby: "Let's go! they might need our help!"

Pyrrha: "Right!"

Jaune and Cardin's Location

Cardin is attempting to run from the following Ursa, but it leaps over its prey and claws him away. He tires to get up and crawl away.

Cardin: " Crap! Crap, crap!"

Pyrrha, Ruby, Weiss and Soma come into the scene.

Pyrrha: "Oh, no!"

They watch as the Ursa leans over the helpless victim, raising its paw and swiping it down... only to be blocked by Jaune's shield, Crocea Mors. He struggles to defend a stunned Cardin from its attempt to lean on him, but Weiss lifts Myrtenaster while Soma draws out his God Arc as they prepares to go help.

Pyrrha: "Wait!"

Jaune takes the shield out from the Ursa's paw and slashes its stomach, causing it to lash out and try to crush him. He rolls out of the way and jump over its swipe at his feet, but he is unprepared for when it launches a claw at him in midair. He lands far away, yet is immediately back on his feet and passing Cardin as he charged again. The Ursa knocks Jaune behind it when he tires for a leaping attack, and he looks at the scroll in his shield to find out that his Aura level is red. He grows angry again and starts to run at the Ursa as it also begin to dash toward him.

As Jaune and the Ursa Major, are about to clash in slow-motion, Pyrrha sees that Jaune's has left himself completely open to the Ursa's attack, and lift her hand out to him, gathering dark red energy in her arm. Just as the Ursa is about to hit him, the glows surround Jaune's shield and makes it lift up to block the swipe. Jaune uses the surprise defensive move to lean on the ground, push his shield back up, and swings his blade right through the Ursa's neck

The head falls to the ground as the body slams into the ground. Ruby looks in confusion as Pyrrha's hand stops glowing and she smiles.

Ruby: "Uhh... What?"

Weiss: "How did you?"

Soma: "That was polarity wasn't it?"

Pyrrha looks shocked before smiling and nods at Soma's statement.

Pyrrha: "That's right... Well, Ruby has her speed, you have your glyphs and Soma has his power boost. My Semblences is polarity."

Ruby: "Whoa, you can control poles..."

Soma: *facepalm*

Weiss: "No, you dunce! It means she has control over magnestism!"

Ruby: "Magnets are cool, too..."

Then Soma begun walking to towards to Jaune.

Ruby: "Soma?"

A bruised Jaune sheathes his weapon before going over to Cardin.

Cardin, still covered in sap, looks up at Jaune as his savior as he takes it and is lifted back up on his feet.

Cardin: "Holy crap, Jaune!"

Jaune: "Don't ever mess with my team - my friends- ever again."

Jaune stares at Cardin dead in the eye.

Jaune: "Got it?"

Cardin looks intimidated, possibly even apologetic. With his order spoken, Jaune turns and walks away from a frozen Cardin. But when Jaune turned around and saw Soma walking to him.

His expression broke when he saw Soma walking in his direction, he had his usual serious look.

Jaune: "S-Soma?!"

When Soma was in front of him, instead of saying a single word, he looked at the Ursa's body which was evaporating. Soma looked once more at Jaune, he was nervous, the sweat of his forehead could confirm it.

Soma: "...."

Jaune: "...."

Soma slowly raised his fist pointing at Jaune's chest.

Soma: *give a friendly smile* "Good job... Jaune."

Jaune smiled after some second with excitement, it was the first time Soma acknowledged him.

Jaune: *happy* "Yeah!"

Jaune give Soma a fist-bump and the two of them were smiling.

Then suddenly a loud roar echoes trought then the two boys look up from the skies and saw a black object heading towards them as Soma looks closey right before his eyes widen and shouts.

Soma: "Look out!"

But its was too late the black obeject hit the ground sending the two flying and crashing into the ground. The girls saw this as they rush off to aid them.

Pyrrha: "Jaune!"

Ruby: "Soma!"

As the two managed to got up on their feet as the fog clears revealing obeject was indeed a creature of Grimm it looks like a gorilla with bulky arms and some armor around its body.

Jaune: "W-What kind of Grimm, is that!?"

Soma: "Beringle..."

Soma turned his attention to his wounded comrade as the three girls joined them as they ready their weapons but Soma raised his hand signaling them to stop the others looked confused until he spoken.

Soma: "Girls go get The Professor, and take Jaune and that ginger-haired punk, out of here.

Pyrrha: "Soma, we're not leaving you here, to fight that thing alone!"

Then Soma glared at Pyrrha making her flinched as he spoked again.

Soma: "I'm not asking you, I'm ordering you! I don't need any of you deadweights in here, now leave me god damn it!"

Pyrrha sigh in defeat knowing that he could not convince him because of his hard headed stubbornness nature is on the top. But she smiles at him knowing what his trying to do here Is to protect them all.

Pyrrha: "You better alive, when came we back here, you jerk!"

Soma give Pyrrha a playful evil smirk and said something with a arrogant tone on it.

Soma: "When you, came back here, this fight is all over."

Pyrrha: "Show off."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yYF-PVtKGIk

As the five students runs away leaving Soma to face the giant gorilla-like Grimm as the two rush off on each other Soma swung his God Arc while the Grimm lunched its fist as two attacks collide a strong gust of wind appeared the Grimm jumps back into the ground and roared toward to the god eater while Soma was pushed back a little with his sword on behind his waist while holding by his left hand as his right arm and legs were open downward and bend as he evilly smiled.

Soma: "Alright Let's do this! You sonuvabitch!"

As the beast rush towards him he brought out his rather large sword, and intercepted the beast's fist and managed to slice it wounded it on the process The beast roared out in pain,
as he charged in on it. The beast roared out, as it send another fist towards Soma However, Soma easily saw that coming, and managed to evade the attack by jumping to the side. He overslashed the beast on the back as it roars in pain but it managed to retaliate by punching him send crashing in severals trees, Soma managed to get up as he spit some blood while he wipes the rest from his mouth before charging in as the two begun to trading blow after blow before finally breaking apart.

Only for Soma to charged ahead at the Grimm it tried to punch him away but he dodge it and jump toward the beast and performed a spinning overslashed several times on the Grimm's shoulder then he proceed to bash the Grimm's face with the flat side of his sword sending it away crashing in severals trees Soma makes a mad dash as jump toward the Grimm as he rammed his sword on the Grimm's face making them both crash on a giant stone breaking it piece but Soma manged to got out fast

The Grimm was enraged by this and begun throwing trees at the god eater as Soma does to dodge and cut them all but one managed to hit him making lose his defense very open then the Beringel chraged at Soma sending him flying the Grimm chrage again only for him to block its fist with his God Arc making a small carter on the ground as it continues to smash the blade as Soma begun to struggle as Soma summons all his strenght and manage to push back the Grimm he let go his right arm and punch the Beast in the face making reel back from the pain it tired to run away but Soma transfomed his God Arc into Devourer mode and grab the Grimm in the neck and pulls it towards him.

Soma: "Pay attention! Dumbass!"

(Like this)

Then Soma punches the Beringle in the face again with sheer burte strenght making it crashing into the ground as the Grimm managed to get up charge at him only this time to counter it with his sword as the two begun to fight for dominace in the end Soma eventaully won and managed to push back the Beringle but it managed to counter back by tackling him sending the god eater flying crashing in several trees.

Meanwhile Ruby, Pyrrha along with Professor Goodwitch arrived at the scene only to see Soma flying through the air and crashed into several trees then finally into a giant rock causing this to break his aura.

Ruby: "Soma!"

The young reaper cries out in worries as she helplessly watched one of her friends getting hurt then the Beringle appeared out of nowhere and roars towards the three girls as Soma somehow managed to get back on his feet but nearly fall into the ground as he shout to get the Grimm's attention.

Soma: "Hey! Bastard!"

Grimm heard and turned towards to him as he taunts it and roars at him.

Soma: "No more holding back! Say goodbye!"

Soma roars towards the Grimm not before unleashing his all his power as rushed towards the beast as the Beringle begun to pick and throw trees at him as Soma began to cut down everything that the Grimm throws at him until he throws a rock at the god eater but he punched it with his left arm breaking and also breaking his fist as well as he finally managed to get close enough the beast he then swing his sword at the Grimm but it was blocked by it's fist not wanting to give up Soma let out one final roar managed to slice its hand off as its roars in pain it to retaliate with its remaining limbs but Soma was able to dodge it as he jumped closer to its head.

Soma: "You're done! It's over!"

As this said the god eater slices the Beringle's head off just like what Jaune did to the Ursa Major as it falls lifeless on the ground as he lands on its back panting do to exhaustion as he started in the sky while his left arm was bleeding as he smirk to the girls who was still dumbfounded about everything not long before he lose consciousness and fall.

Ruby: "Soma!"

The young reaper rush towards to the god eater's aid she helps him up.

Beacon Rooftop

Later that night, on top of the dorm building, a uniformed Jaune stands on the edge and looks into the distance at the green light of Beacon.

Pyrrha: "No, Cardin tonight?"

She walks to his side.

Pyrrha: "I thought you two were best buds?"

Jaune: "Pyrrha... l'm sorry. I was jerk! You were only trying to be nice, and... I had all this stupid macho stuff in my head-"

Pyrrha: "Jaune! It's okay! Your team misses their leader, you know."

She begins to walk to the exit.

Pyrrha: "You should come down! Ren made pancakes! No syrup, though-you can thank Nora for that!"

Jaune smiles. He then holds out his hand and calls out to her.

Jaune: "Wait!"

Pyrrha turns around, and Jaune looks sheepish.

Jaune: "I know I don't deserve it after all that happened, but... would you still be willing to help me... to help me become a better fighter."

Pyrrha turns around so the worried Jaune won't see her satisfied smile. She then goes up to Jaune and suddenly pushes her leader to the ground.

Jaune: *whines* "Hey!"

Pyrrha stands over with her arms on her hips and an evaluating tone.

Pyrrha: "Your stance is all wrong. You need to be wider and lower to the ground."

She offers him her hand, which graciously accepts, and they continue to hold on to and at each other.

Pyrrha: "Let's try that again."

Then a familiar voice spoke.

???: "Hate to interrupt you two, but."

The two look behind and saw Soma standing on the door wearing his uniform but his left hand was bandage with a strap on support .

Jaune: "Soma!?"

Pyrrha: "Shouldn't you, be resting, right now, what about your arm?"

Soma: "It's fine, my aura will restore in a few days and my semblences has a healing factor on its own so. I can still fight even without my aura."

Then Soma turned his attention to Jaune as he begun walking to him he was nervous and Pyrrha was a bit worried about her leader as few seconds past Jaune finally breaks the silence and mustered his courage to speak towards his friend.

Jaune: "Soma... I... I was wrong I should've have listened to Pyrrha and I'm so-"

Soma: "Stop..."

As holds out his hand signaling him to stop talking. As he lowered his hand before taking a deep breath.

Soma: "I understand... because I was like you before, but a little back up wouldn't hurt, right?"

He asked him only for Jaune to chuckle a bit then he smiles to him.

Jaune: "Yeah, I guess you're right about that."

Soma: "And Sorry about punching you on the face yesterday."

Jaune: "It's fine and I'm sorry as well."

Soma: "So, we good?"

Jaune: "Yeah."

The two boys shared a grind as a sign of understanding each other then he hold out his hand to him.

Soma: "To the end?"

Jaune look at him in a brief moment before accepting the handshake graciously shaking it.

Jaune: "To the end."

Pyrrha sigh in relief before smiles at the two until Soma spoke.

Soma: "Well I should get going now, I'll see both of you tomorrow in class, I don't want to interrupt you're romantic moments in here."

As Soma said this Pyrrha blushed as she looks down to avoid being notice while Jaune on the other hand confuse at what his friend said.

Jaune: "What are you talking about? We're just here talking about helping me become stronger like you two, right Pyrrha?"

Soma looked at Jaune with a blank face saying "are you kidding me?" as pinch the bridge of his nose and let out sigh in frustration.

Soma: "You, dense mother- Gyah!"

The shifts towards to a shocked Jaune and a blushing Pyrrha while her fist connects towards to the god eater's stomach, she quickly realized what happened she removes her hand and turn away as Soma rubs his stomach before glaring at her.

Soma: "What the heck was that for!?"

Pyrrha: "Language! Mister!"

Soma: "What are you? My mom!?"

Then the trio burst out of laughing.