Horns of Beacon

Chapter 9: Blackmailed

  Things were not going well, Jaune was isolating from his team and hanging with Cardin more, Cardin was being a prick (As usual). Adam just shook his head as he read one of his comics "Is it possible for a day or even a week to be normal?" he murmered under his breath as he read, but as he read he noticed Pyrrha looking at Jaune sadly.

Jaune, Cardin and his group had walked out of the room leaving Adam alone but he looked at Pyrrha and sighed. "Pyrrha," he said as he walked up to him "Yes?" she said "We need to talk," "About Jaune?" asked Pyrrha, Adam nodded "Yes, I think I have an idea of what is going," "And what is that?" Adam looked left and right and got closer and said quieter "I think Cardin is blackmailing Jaune," Pyrrha sighed sadly "You're probaly right," she said looking away "Jaune told me an important secrete. Cardin must have somehow heard it" Adam nodded "I see. I'll see if I can try and do something for him," he said, Pyrrha looked at him "But how?" Adam sighed "I'll see. I'll talk to him when he's alone and try to atleast get some anwsers," "Alright, thanks Adam," said Pyrrha as she walked away.

[The next day]

Jaune was walking alone when he felt a presence, he then turned around and was pinned to the wall "You and me are going to have a little chat," said Adam "O-okay," replied Jaune as he was taken to somewhere secrete.

"I'm fine Adam, really. I'm just trying to get used to Cardin," said Jaune "Bullshit!" said Adam aggressively spinning around to face him "I know that Cardin is forcing you to do something, don't lie to me Arc!" Jaune took a step back "I...It's none of you're buisness," "Yes it is. Your team is worried for you, especially Pyrrha. I haven't had any humans in the past show me any kindness, but most of my team and all of your team have. I see you all as friends, and I will not allow Cardin to torment you!" shouted Adam which caused Jaune to take a step back and then look down before sighing.

"If you must no why. It's because Cardin lear-" "Learnt of a secret of yours, yes, I know that. But what is that secret?" interrupted Adam, Jaune was silent for a bit before sighing again "I...I cheated my way into beacon," "What?" "My transcripts. I faked them to get into here. I did it because I wanted to me a hero like my family has bee-" "So you came here because you want to be lionised?" interrupted Adam angrily "No...I just want to make my family proud. I always feel like I'm not doing enough and I feel like I need to be strong like my father, and my grandfather," once Jaune gave his explaination, Adam calmed down and sighed "I see. Still, that was a very foolish decision for you to do," "I know, I just wanted my family to be proud of me. But now Cardin knows of this, if he leaks it then I could get kicked out, then I'd be a dissapointment to my family," said Jaune looking down "You've got yourself in a bad position. But Jaune, you must know coming here with fake transcripts and with almost no training could've got you killed. And besides, from what I know of having a good family is that they're always proud of you. And you going here has made the risk of you dying higher. Think of how devastated your family would be when they hear you were killed by an ursa. You wouldn't want that, would you?" said Adam.

Jaune looked down as he just realised that Adam was right "I...I didn't think it that way. I only cared about my family being proud of me. I feel so stupid now," he said "Good that you finally realised that. And about the situation with Cardin, then you could always ask for our help," replied Adam, Jaune shook his head "You may accept my truth but my truth may break friendships with my team, and I don't want that to happen," he said, Adam sighed "But that means you will always have Cardin controlling you, with that happening, you won't be able to get stronger," "NO, I can find myself out of this situation, besides, I can be strong on my own," replied Jaune angrily, Adam was shocked, he thought he was getting through to him "I don't need other people's help. If I do then I will always be weak-" He was suddenly slapped hard "CUT THE CRAP JAUNE, ASKING YOUR FRIENDS FOR HELP DOESN'T MAKE YOU WEAK. IF ANYTHING, THINKING YOU DON'T NEED HELP FROM ANYONE MAKES YOU LOOK ARROGANT AND PATHETIC!" Adam shouted which caused Jaune to back up to the wall, Adam then tried to calm down.

"I...sorry, but this is something I have to stop on my own," said Jaune as he ran out of the room, Adam let out an animal like growl and punched the wall in frustration, all of that for nothing. "Falling out?" asked the voice of Rouge who was standing outside of the door "No. Just a very frustrating indervidual," replied Adam "What was it about?" "Oh, just about me getting anwsers from Jaune," "What anwsers?" "Such as why he is hanging around Cardin and his group," Rogue nodded "Yeah that is weird, do you think he is becoming like them?" "No, he is being blackmailed, I think we're going to have to get Ozpin involved in this," that made Rogue look surprised "Blackmailed?" Adam nodded "Damn, just how more vile can one man be," "I know right," replied Adam shaking his head "So should we go and tell Ozpin or?" "Not yet, there is still hope we can prevent it," said Adam determinedly.        

Meanwhile, while Jaune was walking down the corridor he came across Cardin "So Jauney boy, why were you talking to the animal?" he asked, Jaune grimaced "He was getting suspicious of our actions, that's all," Cardin then laughed "You are such a bad lier. I heard everything you said. You gave it away," "I...Well," "Don't worry Jaunney boy, I'll give you one more chance to keep your mouth shut. But as punishment," Cardin smiled evily as he punched Jaune hard in the face and kicked him. Cardin then started beating Jaune up hard "You're lucky you have alot of aura, otherwise you'd be nothing but a bleeding mess," said Cardin as he kicked Jaune hard in the chest and the punched him in the face again before grinning and leaving Jaune, with a ton of of bruises.