RWBY||Rising Phoenix

Chapter 7: Forever Fall

3rd Person POV

Beacon

Over the next few days, Phoenix noticed that Jaune had been getting increasingly distant from his team and hanging around Cardin more and more.

"Looks like he's deadlocked," the mercenary muttered as he sat at his team's table, eyeing Jaune as the boy sat away from them. While he knew this was unavoidable given the circumstances, he wished that Jaune would have enough sense to come to him or Pyrrha for help, seeing as how they were the only other people besides Cardin who knew his secret.

First chance I get, I'm going to set that son of a glitch on fire and drag him to Hell, Phoenix growled internally.

Timeskip brought to you by a flaming chicken shaped like Cardin

As Phoenix sat across from Ruby, polishing his weapon in their dorm, the red-hooded huntress spoke up. "I think something's wrong with Jaune."

Phoenix paused, then resumed polishing his blade. "Why do you think that?"

"He's been getting back a lot later than usual, and he's always hanging around Cardin," Ruby explained. "Isn't that weird?"

"Isn't everything about Jaune weird?"

"I mean, doesn't he know we have a field trip tomorrow?"

"He does," Phoenix answered. "But I'm guessing he knows exactly what he's doing."

"That makes one of us." Ruby looked out the door, and her eyes widened in surprise. "Look."

Phoenix glanced over and saw Jaune standing outside his teammates' doorway.

"What do you think he's doing?" Phoenix asked as he sheathed his sword, but he had his own ideas.

"I don't know; let's ask."

Before Phoenix could protest, Ruby opened the door. "Hey, Jaune!"

Jaune yelped and whirled around. "Oh, hey, Ruby. Phoenix."

"Long time, no see," Ruby said cheerfully. "Did you lock yourself out again?"'

"Oh... Uh... Nope!" Jaune scratched the back of his head nervously, holding up his scroll. "Got it!"

"So... where have you been lately?" Ruby asked as Phoenix leaned against the wall, watching in amusement.

"I... Uh..." Jaune sighed. "I messed up. I did something I shouldn't have, and now Cardin's got me on a leash, and Pyrrha won't even talk to me."

Can't blame her, Phoenix thought.

"I'm starting to think coming to this school was a bad idea," Jaune admitted, sitting down against the wall. "I'm a failure."

"Nope."

Phoenix glanced over at Ruby, as did Jaune. "Nope?"

"Nope," she said again. "You're a leader now, Jaune. You're not allowed to be a failure."

"Anymore" Phoenix added.

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

"Hmm... Nope," Ruby said again.

"You know, you're not the easiest person to talk to about this kind of stuff," Jaune said as Ruby sat down next to him, Phoenix sliding down next to her as well.