"Yes, prior to the Faunus Rights Revolution, more popularly known as the Faunus War," Professor Oobleck's voice dragged Ruby out of her reading, and she looked up from her scroll just in time to watch the over-caffeinated and thus hyperactive professor flash step to in front of his desk, blocking the paper-and-pin-covered map of Remnant from the class's view, "Humankind was quite, quite adamant about centralizing faunus population in Menagerie." He pointed to said continent on the map with his baton, before flash-stepping around again, ending in the same spot he started. "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!"
All one has to do is walk down a city street to see that. Ruby mentally noted, as the green-haired teacher continued to flash step around the room, seemingly at random.
"Now! Have any among you been subjected to discrimination because of your faunus heritage?" Oobleck questioned the students in his class.
Ruby glanced around to see the responses, noting a fair number of hands being raised. Velvet was one, she saw.
"And of course Blake is still trying to pretend she isn't a cat faunus. Why does she still think no one will see right through such a flimsy disguise as a bow over her cat ears?" The knight wondered to Rosenkreuz.
"I can't say I understand it, myself, Master." Her device replied.
"Dreadful, simply dreadful! Remember, students, it is precisely this kind of ignorance that breeds violence!" The professor sounded as if the discrimination personally offended him, before taking a sip of his drink—coffee, by the smell—and continuing. "I mean, I mean, I mean just look at what happened to the 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?" He asked the class, gesturing with one hand at the students gathered in the lecture hall.
"The Battle at Fort Castle, wherein General Lagune manages to commit almost every possible tactical error possible in such a situation, as well as prove that lawyers belong in a courtroom, not on the battlefield, and certainly not in charge of an army." Ruby spoke up, her voice showing her amusement at just how badly said general had screwed up.
"Quite correct, Ms. Nakajima! And, who can tell me his most significant errors?"
Mrs. Ruby thought with minor annoyance. Though, correcting him is not a very good idea right now.
She ignored that little gripe, smirked, and raised her hand in front of her face, ticking up a finger with each point she lifted off.
"Presuming that he could defeat an, admittedly smaller, faunus army that excelled in night engagements in a night engagement, on their home territory.
He then proceeded to increase the magnitude of his error by not committing the full bulk of his troops, keeping most of his elite units, such as the Seventh Light Infantry, in reserve until the battle was already lost.
On top of that, he deployed his forces in a formation more suited for the battles of an earlier era, where such tactics as massed mounted cavalry charges and lines of infantry were the standard. Thus, his army was unprepared, tactically speaking, for the hit-and-run harrying tactics of the faunus.
Continuing, he refused to allow his section commanders the necessary autonomy to react to the changing conditions of the battle, depriving his army of both mobility and responsiveness.
Finally, rather than simply holding up and defending the fort once his second-in-command ignored him and managed to take part of it, he ordered his few remaining troops to leave their defensive lines and engage the bulk of the faunus army on the open field, facing the dawn sunrise, no less.
In all, it is quite hard to see how much more of a failure he could have been as a general. Atop that, do not let me get started on his atrocious personal conduct and lack of regard for the laws and customs of war." Ruby leaned back in her seat, still smirking. Ah, military history. Even though it's not my own, it's still fascinating.
"Extremely correct, and well said, Ms. Nakajima! General Lagune was not only a poor military commander, but a war criminal as well! Now, on that particular topic, who can tell me what is considered his most egregious breach of inter-kingdom law set down by the Vytal Treaty?"
"Huh?" Jaune sounded as if he'd just woken up, but his noise of confusion cut Ruby off. Professor Oobleck seemed to take the noise as evidence that Jaune had the answer, judging by the professor's sudden flash step to in front of the blonde swordsman.
"Mr. Arc! Finally contributing to class! This is excellent, excellent! What is the answer?" The professor queried him, while he looked around in helpless confusion.
Ruby's palm met her face. You should know better than to sleep in Professor Oobleck's class.
"Uhh… The, uh… Answer, that that one guy did, he, umm…" Jaune adopted an 'oh crap' expression, loudly muttered a very fumbling sentence, and hung his head. "I, uh, I don't know."
Behind him, Cardin Winchester guffawed loudly at his admission. Would you please stop reminding everyone that you exist.
Professor Oobleck just looked slightly disappointed, before he flash stepped back to behind his desk.
"Well, it is better to admit when you don't know something, than pretend you do! That said, please see me after class for additional readings, as it is obvious you have not covered the assigned material! Mr. Winchester! Perhaps you know the answer?" The professor called on the still-guffawing student.
"Well, the only thing I can say was illegal was his stupidity. Everything else seems fine to me." Cardin laced his fingers behind his head, and leaned back with a small grin. WHAT THE FUCK!?
Ruby was on her feet in a flash, rounding on him.
"He used chemical weapons on prisoners of war, you dumb fuck! That, in and of itself, is an execution-worthy offense!" The Knight almost-shouted at him, forgetting to speak in Valian in her anger, and slipping into Belkan instead. "What the fuck is wrong with you!?" The Sankt Kaiser would turn her head away in shame at such behavior!
"Woah, Ruby, calm down! Your emotions just spiked furiously, what happened?" Vita's voice sounded in the back of her head. She stopped, closed her eyes, and crossed her arms over her chest.
"Sorry. Asshole here in class just said he's got no problems with racism-driven war crimes. And, yes, it's the one who leads the team I keep having to beat up."
"The hell's wrong with him?" Vita sounded disgusted. "Still, he's not worth getting all worked up over, though, from the sound of it."
"No, he isn't. Sorry, everyone." Ruby apologized.
"It's fine. Slightly startling, but so was Vita's behavior earlier." Amusement tinged Hayate's 'voice'.
"I regret nothing!"
Ruby took a deep breath, and opened her eyes again, allowing the telepathic conversation to bleed into the background.
Cardin was no longer leaning back casually, but was now on his feet himself, his face red with anger, fists clenched at his sides. Even if he hadn't understood her insult, or anything she'd said at all, her tone had conveyed the point well enough.
"And who's got a problem if a bunch of—" He didn't get a chance to complete his sentence, as Professor Oobleck interrupted him.
"Mr. Winchester. That's enough." The professor flash-stepped between the two. "You will keep your bigotry in check in my class, is that clear?" His voice was calm, for once, and almost glacial.
"Yes, professor." Cardin still looked absolutely furious, but he unclenched his fists, and crossed his arms, before pointedly turning and taking his seat again.
"You will see me after class. And Ms. Nakajima? Please try to keep calm, and stick to Valian!" Oobleck's voice returned to its normal jubilant, hyperactive tone.
Ruby nodded as the professor flash stepped to the front of the room again.
"I will try." She took her seat again. Kaiser, please give me the strength to not throttle the idiot.
"Now, then! Moving on!"
***
"You go on ahead. I'll wait for Jaune." Pyrrha told the others as Teams RWBY and JNPR exited the classroom.
"I will wait with you." Ruby stated as she leaned against the outside of the doorframe, closing her eyes. Rosenkreuz obliged a quick mental command, and the latest of her device's analyses on potential workarounds for Remnant's AMF flashed through her thoughts.
"Yes?" She asked out loud after a few seconds, practically feeling the Mystralian Champion's gaze, as five sets of footsteps walked away.
"Nothing, nothing. Sorry." At Pyrrha's hasty apology, Ruby opened one eye and glanced her way.
"If you have something to say, say it. If you have something to ask, ask it. I do not bite." Ruby smiled slightly. Also sort of amusing, that phrase is almost unchanged across the different cultures of the worlds, within and without Administrated Space.
"Well… Can we talk later? Alone?" Pyrrha now sounded, and looked, apprehensive.
"Okay?" Ruby opened her other eye, meeting the other girl's gaze. There was a light blush on Pyrrha's face. "What about?"
"Not here. I just, wanted to talk?" She said, tilting her head slightly and glancing away, as if embarrassed.
The Knight blinked once. Then twice. Then a green-and-white blur raced past the two, and Jaune followed said blur out into the hallway, Cardin behind him.
Ruby glanced back at Pyrrha, turning away when she heard the sound of someone falling and an "Ow" from Jaune.
Cardin laughed, and walked away from where Jaune half-sat on the floor.
Ruby scowled at the retreating student, making a mental note to take up the topic of bullying with Ozpin the next meeting. Patience is a virtue, but I am almost out of it.
"You know, I really will break his legs." Pyrrha commented, pulling Jaune to his feet as Ruby stepped away from the doorframe. The boy sighed softly.
Pyrrha seemed to notice this, then looked as if she'd come up with the solution to a problem. "I have an idea! Here, come with me!" With that, she started to pull Jaune down the hallway. Ruby followed.
After a few minutes, they came to a rooftop overlooking the Beacon Courtyard, the Beacon Tower dead-center of the view. It was late enough the sky had grown dark, and clouds barely allowed the moonlight to show through.
"Quite beautiful here."
"Indeed. Want me to take a picture?" Rosenkreuz asked.
" Please do."
Jaune's voice sounded to her left, and she glanced over, to where Jaune and Pyrrha stood, at the edge of the roof.
"Pyrrha, I know I'm going through a hard time right now, but I'm not that depressed." He glanced over the edge of the roof as he spoke.
Ruby was moving before the words registered. Her hand lashed out, taking rough hold of the back of his collar, before she spun around, hurling Jaune into the center of the roof, where he landed on all fours.
"Not happening." She declared.
"I wasn't gonna in the first place." Jaune said, slowly standing. "I can always be a farmer or something…"
Ruby glanced over at Pyrrha, opening her mouth to give the Champion a severe verbal lashing, but stopped when she saw the look of guilt and mild horror on her face.
"That-that's not why I brought you up here!" Her face flushed. "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! We can train up here after class where no one can bother us!" She sounded quite enthused with her idea, Ruby noted, as the two of them approached Jaune.
"You think I need help?" Jaune asked, sounding quite offended. Pyrrha opened her mouth to reply, before Ruby pre-empted her.
"Yes." The Knight bluntly stated. "You do. Your stance and sense of timing are horrible, you have no form in combat, and you seem to have no real idea how to use a shield or sword. Your only asset in single combat is your physical strength." She crossed her arms, ignoring the shocked expression on Pyrrha's face and the look of depressed hurt on Jaune's. "You are worse at personal combat than my sister Uno."
"That's enough, Ruby." Pyrrha tried to interrupt. Ruby continued to ignore her.
"You need an instructor. Someone to teach you the art of battle." Ruby nodded at the Mystralian Champion. "Fraulein Pyrrha has offered her assistance in doing so. I personally would recommend taking her up on the offer." Glancing at the expression on Jaune's face, she continued. "Do not think that it is somehow dishonorable to recognize one's own failings and to request help when it is required. I will admit, there are still aspects of combat I struggle with. I am supremely lucky I have had such good instructors myself, and I am still learning from them."
"Ruby's right about that, 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!" Pyrrha added as Ruby finished.
"Easy for you two to say. You actually belong here." Jaune didn't raise his gaze from his feet as he spoke.
"You say that as if you do not belong at Beacon." Ruby observed.
"And that's a terrible thing to say, Jaune! You belong here, too!" Pyrrha again added to the end of Ruby's statement.
"No, I don't. I wasn't really accepted into Beacon…" Jaune said, sighing and turning away from the other two.
"What do you mean?" Pyrrha asked the boy, as Ruby just sighed and crossed her arms.
"I mean I didn't go to combat school, I didn't pass any tests, I didn't earn my spot at this Academy!" He turned back to the Champion and the Knight. "I lied! I got my hands on some fake transcripts, and I lied!" His hands had balled into fists as his voice became higher and higher with every word.
"Now, tell me something actually relevant, please." Ruby interrupted him. "So you used fake transcripts. So what? Why should that matter at all? You successfully passed the entrance exam. That should be all that matters on that front."
"What?" Jaune and Pyrrha both looked over at Ruby, shock the dominant emotion on both faces.
"I did not go through any of the Four Kingdoms' approved combat schools. I never studied at any of the Academies. I have no transcripts at all. Kaiser, I do not have any records of my existence at all beyond a few months ago." She told the two.
"You still earned your place here!" Jaune responded, starting to get angry. "I've seen you beat everyone you've fought! You're here because you're actually good at this!"
"Because I learned how, by admitting what I do not know and taking steps to correct it. I did not simply wake up one day with these skills, I was not just born with them." Sort of. "I trained for several years under Ritter Vita, Lady Takamachi, and my father. The three of them can be credited with practically all of the combat skills I have.
And that is my point, Jaune Arc. You are not expected to be an Ace immediately. You are, however, expected to learn. Pyrrha has offered you the opportunity to train. Most of the students here would be supremely jealous of that, if her reputation of being 'The Invincible Girl' and the 'Champion of Mystral' are even close to accurate. Given what I have seen, the reputation is well deserved.
In short, my advice to you is this: take her up on her offer. Let her help you." Ruby finished her little speech and sighed, quietly. Pyrrha looked impressed with Ruby, but Jaune just turned away for a moment, before turning back, anger clear on his face.
"I don't want help, I don't want to be the damsel in distress! I want to be the hero! My father, my grandfather, and my great-grandfather were all warriors! They were all heroes! I want to be one too, I'm just not good enough! 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!?"
Ruby sighed. He's too stuck in this mindset for right now. He's not really listening, just fixating onto a handful of things and using those to justify his current feeling of inferiority.
The Knight sighed again, as Pyrrha reached out towards him, as if to console him.
"Just… Leave me alone. Okay?" Jaune leaned away from Pyrrha's hand.
"If that's what you think is best… " Pyrrha trailed off, looking completely dejected.
Ruby tapped her on the shoulder and gestured to the door. Pyrrha nodded, and left the rooftop with Ruby.
As she reached the door back into the building, Ruby paused, turning back to glance at Jaune.
"Think on what we said. Pyrrha and I did not speak for our own benefit." With that, she slipped through the door, where the Mystralian Champion was waiting for her.
"Well, that could have gone better." The Knight sighed, and turned her attention to Pyrrha. "You said earlier that you wanted to talk with me?"