Today is something different for everyone as Miss Goodwitch has planned a field trip through the Forrest of Forever Fall. The assignment for the students is simple: just collect a few jars of red sap from the trees and then regroup to go back to Beacon. Of course the whole thing won't come without trouble as there are various Grimm in the whole forrest and so, everyone is instructed to either find a hiding spot or call the teachers for help. The weather is aöright so far, warm enough with a slight breeze, so the work shouldn't be too stressful. Right now most students are doing what they were told, but some just go their own way. Specifically Team CRDL and Jaune. They seem up to something, yet Jaune isn't comfortable with it at all, showing worry all over his face after he puts down the jars.

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

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

Cardin:" Great, great, great. So, Jaune, I bet you're asking yourself 'why did my buddy Cardin let me collect six jars of tree sap when there's only five of us?'. Well, come with me and you'll find out."

A moment later, their group is assembled on a small hill, overlooking the other students who are still collecting sap as best as they can. Cardin's expression tunrs to anger as soon as he sees Pyrrah in his field of vision.

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

Cardin:" Payback."

Jaune:" Pyrrah? What are you---"

Cardin:" That's the girl. Redhead know-it-all thinks she's so smart. Alright, boys. Last night ol' Jaune managed to round up an entire box of rapier wasps. And now we're gonna put 'em to work. Now according to one of the essays he wrote for me last week, these nasty things looooove sweets. I think it's time we teach her a thing or two."

When they all stand again, Cardin shoves a jar of sap into Jaune's hand and lets him know what follows next.

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

Jaune:" Do what?"

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

This puts the young man in a difficult predicament as he thinks about what he really wants. If he hits Pyrrah with the sap, his team will hate him, but if he doesn't, he will be expelled from Beacon. Jaune is maybe not the strongest or smartest, but his future depends on the next move when he suddenly flings the jar at Cardin. But that just stirs the fire up more as Team CRDL begin to beat Jaune up. They bruise him up and even give him a black eye, but he's willing to take it if it means to protect his team.

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

Jaune:" I don't care what you do to me. But you are not messing with my team."

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

This causes Jaune to chuckle as Cardin becomes more enraged than before. His fist almost connects with jaune's face when suddenly a bright light emerges from the blond boy. He's on the ground now, looking at his hands as some white cover floats over his body, meaning he unlocked his aura. Then again, it doesn't end the beating as Cardin walks closer to him again, trying to be intimidating. Unknown to all of them though is that Y/N is watching from the top of a tree branch. He has seen everything so far and is about to intervene when suddenly a loud growl can be heard and an Ursa major comes from the forrest. They all know that this trip wouldn't go smoothly, but a major is something they never fought before.The beast is attracted by the sweet smell of tree sap on Cardin's chest plate and his teammates already make a run for it to get to safety.  Of course it doesn't go unnoticed as the rest of Team CRDL crash into Team RWBY and the rest of team JNPR.

Russel:" Ursa! Ursa!"

Yang:" What? Where?"

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

Pyrrah:" Jaune!"

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

Pyrrah:" Ren, Nora. Go with them. There could be more."

So the four run off while the ones that are left make their way towards where Russel pointed before. Cardin is being chased around by the Grimm so far and Jaune isn't doing anything yet while Y/N debates with himself whether or not he should help this poor soul. He never got along with people like Cardin, so maybe it would do Remnant good if he just lets him die, but then again, it's a huntman's duty to protect the people. The E/C eyed boy sighs and lands right behind Cardin, offering his support.

Y/N:" Just get out of here if you wanna live!"

Cardin:" Who the hell d---"

Y/N:" I could always let the Grimm mawl you to death, if that sounds lovelier to you."

Cardin:" No, please. I can't die at this age...Please kill this thing."

Y/N:" Very well...Jaune, I need your help here! Can you handle a fight?"

Jaune just looks at the bigger boy and nods as both of them get in a fighting stance. The Ursa isn't affected by having two enemies in front of itself as it just roars again. It lifts its giant paw and is about to swing it when Y/N already stands behind it, slashing at the beasts' back. Jaune on the other hand just dodges the attack and goes back a few steps. Nobody has seen Y/N fight before, but they all know what he could do. The flow of his attacks seems so furious, so precise. The cuts are deep enough to cripple any creature, but the Ursa just rages on. In a flash of seconds Ruby, Pyrrah and Weiss arrive at the scene looking at the situation in front of them.

Weiss:" Why is Y/N here? I thought he was minding his own business."

Ruby:" Maybe he was nearby when all this broke loose. Or they talked too loud about something and he was about to stop them."

Pyrrah just stays silent as she sees Y/N leap into the air and immediatly crashing down with his katana pointed at the Ursas' chest. The metal rips through it with ease and the Grimm is finally showing signs of fatigue. Its movements slowed down and its breathing changed as well. Then Y/N walks up to Jaune.

Y/N:" This is your moment now. Kill this thing and prove to everyone that you're stronger than they think."

Jaune:"...Thank you."

They then just walk past each other as Y/N goes back to the regroup point with the jars of sap he collected before. Of course the others notice, but they don't wanna disturb him or cause any havoc. Jaune is standing in front of the Grimm and raises his sword, but it moves differently than he expects. It feels lighter and smoother for him as his shield also goes up and deflects the attack the Ursa is about to rain down on him. His shield pushes the paw away and shortly after, his sword strikes up and decapitates the Grimm, making it fade away from existance. This causes some confusion as Ruby and Weiss look at Pyrrah who puts her hand down and smiles.

Ruby:" Uh what..."

Weiss:" How did you---"

Pyrrah:" Well, Ruby has her speed, you have your glyphs. My semblance is polarity."

Ruby:" Ah, you can control poles."

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

Ruby:" Magnets are cool too."

Weiss and Ruby want to tell jaune what just happened, but Pyrrah tells them to keep it secret since it boosts his confidence a bit. Jaune just sheathed his sword againwhile Cardin is still on the floor, looking at him. He walks over to cardin and helps him up, but his eyes say there is something important behind it.

Cardin:" Holy crap, Jaune?"

Jaune:" Don't ever mess with my team, my...friends ever again. Got it?"

His tone of voice is very serious as the two make sure to regroup with the others.

--------------------------------------------------------------

When night falls though, Jaune is somewhere else. He is on top of the roof of the academy again, looking out into the distance. The whole situation he's in has affected him and his friends greatly. They tried helping him against Cardin, yet he denied them. The truth behind him being at Beacon is that he faked his transcripts. Becoming a huntsman has always been his dream and yet he had to fake his way into Beacon. It is still unacceptable for Jaune, but he knows he can catch up with the others. A few seconds later a voice joins him as Pyrrah appears.

Pyrrah:" No Cardin tonight? I thought you two were best buds?"

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

Pyrrah:" Jaune, it's okay. Your team really misses their leader, you know. You should come down. Ren made pancakes~. No syrup though. You can thank Nora for that."

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

It touches her deeply as she turns her head to the side and smirks, knowing she couldn't really be mad at him. Pyrrah just walks towards him and then shoves him, making Jaune fall to the floor in surprise.

Jaune:" Hey!"

Pyrrah:" Your stance is all wrong. You need to be wider and lower to the ground. Let's try that again."

This goes on for a while as Y/N is sitting in his own dorm, looking out the window. He decided to leave the curtains open for some time as his eyes glide over the courtyard. The day has gone by alright for him, yet the hangover still made him walk a bit strange. Questions from other students have been asked, but he just said nothing. Right now the boy is holding a glove in his hand. Its a darker grey, yet not black though. 

Y/N:" Who really am I?.......Y/N L/N, the secret son of the Nikos family, rejects every mentioning of anything remotely close to them...I push my sister away from me, yet she tries to get closer. Why is she doing this? She never knew and still doesn't know anything about me....I feel like I'm the one who messed up...This isn't right. No, I didn't do anything wrong. I was the hurt one. I was cast out and nobody understands my situation. I ca---"

Then, a knock at the door disturbs him. He looks a little nervous, not knowing who awaits him. Y/N walks over and slowly opens the door. When he does, a flow of black hair greets him. The amber eyes and the bow give away that Blake is the late night visitor.

Y/N:" What are you doing here?"

Blake:" Um...I just couldn't fall asleep. Can I come in?"

Y/N:" Ugh, sure. Come in..."

They just look at each other for a moment before they walk back into the room again. Y/N closes the door again and Blake just sits down on the chair near his desk. He then is back on his bed as he still wonders what brings her here.

Y/N:" So...what made you come here for real?"

Blake:" There is...something I wanted to know about you.......You probably guessed it already, but let me ask anyway. Who are you really? We all know L/N isn't your real last name and we heard the headmaster refer to you as Mr. Nikos....Care to explain?"

Y/N:" You know you have a lot of nerves, coming here and demanding answers from someone you don't even know......but I guess I owe all of you an explanation. You may wanna record the things I tell you. I'm not stoked about repeating myself to others..."

Blake:" Already taken care of..."

It takes Y/N a few seconds to arrange his thoughts and when he does, the tone of his voice changes from the raspy and vicious one to a calmer and more collected one. He looks at Blake with his E/C eyes.

Y/N:" I was Y/N Nikos for most of my life. I just changed my name when I ran away from home...You see, my parents were monsters...They started abusing me just a few days after my sixth birthday, because I used my semblance on my mother for the first time....They deemed me dangerous, but also weak and dumb and so, they decided to keep me away from everyone. No relatives, no friends, not even the law was told about me......I starved, I cried and I even lost my voice for years to come...When I was twelve, I decided that I had enough. I was hurt long enough, I didn't wanna suffer anymore...So I left when the rest of the 'family' were out for dinner because Pyrrah was such a good girl. Everyone praised her for whatever she did. It continues on still, making her seem invincible...She won tournaments, helped everyone she ever found injured, did stuff for charity...She's even on Pumpkin Pete's cereal box for crying out loud!"

Blake:" And what did Pyrrah say?"

Y/N:" She didn't say anything. She didn't know about anything...Not about the pain, both physically and mentally...Gosh, sometimes I just wanna hurt anybody to get it all out.........Then yesterday after school, she said she found photos and started to ask questions when she was graduating. And here in Beacon, she demands of me to forgive her for something she doesn't understand? She demands that I become her brother again?...Who the hell does she think she is after all those years, not even caring to look at me? I am not someone you should overlook at all! This is not a threat, this is a promise: I will not stop being this aggressive and brutal guy who I was so far. Just because I'm in a more sociable environment doesn't mean I'll let anyone tell me who to be or what to do...."

Blake:" You said you wouldn't forgive her, but what about your parents?"

Y/N:" I can't call them that ever again. They never have been true souls and they'll never be. The memories still haunt me....I can't stand them, their mentionings or seeing them. If I wasn't known around here, I would have beein getting rid of them already...Vale is a place where I'v e met quite a few special people who may or may not have helped me stuff....No matter if human, Faunus or anything else. They were good for what they did and I let them go their own ways whenever they wanted to........"

Blake:" Did you ever align yourself with the White Fang?"

Y/N:" Not under the new regime. The way they act these days disgusts me. I liked the older version of it more because there were fewer escapades of violence...Now you can't just go out there and try to get some money of your bank account without running into one of them. They stole all of my dust reserves a few times already, but they never attempted to kill me...yet........"

Blake:" Aside from all the personal stuff: why aren't you wearing a shirt? Isn't it cold?"

Y/N:" No, it's just a bit chill.....And to answer your question: I need to let some fresh air hit my scars from time to time to remind me that I'm still alive...No matter which way I turn, I see the cuts and bruises and every single spot where my own bones pierced me....My lungs are messed up as well, so longer fights may be a problem in the future....."

When he turns to close the window, the moonlight reflects on his body and shows off many of his scars. The most prominent one is on his chest, reach from his right shoulder to just above his left kidney. Blake gasps in shock and catches the attention of Y/N again who just looks down at his own body and chuckles slightly.

Y/N:" You didn't expect me to be torn up like this, huh?"

Blake:" I...who did this to you?"

Y/N:" Grimm, criminals, bandits, you name it...I faced them all at least once. Blake, you have to understand that I didn't make it this far with sheer luck. I am a fighter and I know millions of ways to end lifes. Even a simple needle would be enough...Hey, are you listening? Blake?"

But the girl is completely out of it as she takes in his features. It was just long enough before someone would look at hima and his body. Blakes' eyes travelled up and down repeatedly until she snapped out of it and shakes her head.

Blake:" Huh?...Oh, yes. I'm fine."

Y/N:" You didn't look like it. You were caught in some kind of fantasy, I believe...This isn't the first time someone would look at me with that expression."

Blake:" I'm sorry. I didn't me---"

Y/N:" There's nothing to be sorry about. We're teenagers, alone in a room, at night...This is classic romance novel stuff....But don't expect it to go the way it does like in your books."

Blake:" W-what do you mean?"

Y/N:" I saw you read 'Ninjas Of Love' earlier this week. Don't play dumb with me, I...."

Thw two are then interrupted when Y/N's door opens and Yang walks in. She takes in what unfolds in front of her and laughs shortly. Y/N and Blake aren't so amused when Y/N suddenly flings a knife near Yang. The blade hits the wall next to the door and a slight terror beams through the two girls.

Y/N:" Yang, whatever you thought isn't what you saw here...and Blake: you can show the video around to whoever you deem good enough to withstand it. I just have to ask you to leave for now....We may talk again sooner or later............Have a good night, ladies."

Blake just nods silently and gets up. She's about to leave the room when her head turns back and her eyes look at the scratched up boy who is sitting in his bed again. She sighs and drags Yang out of the room, closing the door after he. Of course the blond girl can't pass the opportunity for a joke.

Yang:" So...did you catch a glimpse of something before I could?"

Blake:" We were just talking to each other. It was nothing of that sort."

Yang:" Oh~? Then why was he shirtless?"

Blake:" Y/N was shirtless because he had to let some air hit his scars. He didn't undress in front of me."

Yang:" But you wished he did~"

With that the two enter their own dorm and get to bed, trying to fall asleep. The bickering of Yang is to be expected, yet Y/N' story has something to make Blake uneasy. She never thought she would meet someone so dysfuntional in Beacon, yet here Y/N presents himself on a silver platter. She knows how hard it is to tell anyone about some personal things. Y/N on the other hand is repeatedly opening and closing his fists to release some tension. The talk with other people never seems to be easy, so why did he open up the a girl he doesn't know anything about? He doesn't understand the process completely, but he shows will. He never took his time to do anything well enough. Bet he is aware that the fallout of his actions can be hell for anyone around. That's why the H/C haired boy hides in the shadows, because he knows the fire will only grow.