Snap
Snap
"Ho-Heheh..." Y/N giggled like a child, snapping pictures of Forever Fall with his scroll while an annoyed Weiss trailed beside.
"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 trees deep inside this forest, and I'm here to make sure none of you die while doing so.," Glynda addressed the group firmly.
"You heard that?" Weiss's glare fixated on the taller male.
"Ah, you heard that?" Y/N mimicked her voice mockingly, earning an eyeroll and a groan from her.
"Ugh..." She walked off, clearly exasperated.
The group halted, Jaune grunting as he struggled to carry a sizable case with six empty glass jars atop it. He hastened his pace to catch up and inadvertently collided with Cardin. The bully scowled at Jaune, who tried to feign innocence by whistling a tune off-key.
Glynda, still guiding her group, lifted a jar brimming with red sap. "Each of you is to gather one jar's worth of red sap. However, this forest is full of the creatures of Grimm, so be sure to stay by your teammates. We will rendezvous back here at 4 o'clock. Have fun."
Yang and Ruby exchanged smiles, sharing a moment of camaraderie. Meanwhile, Jaune tried, rather noisily, to sneak away from Cardin towards his team. However, the blackmailer caught sight of Jaune's attempt and swiftly seized him by the back.
"Come on, buddy - let's go!"
Jaune gazed forlornly at his team, watching as Nora and Ren ventured further into the depths of the forest while Pyrrha, a hint of sadness in her expression, observed the unfolding scene. With a heavy heart, Jaune dropped his gaze, relenting, and turned to follow CRDL, prompting a disappointed sigh from Pyrrha before she resumed her path.
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Team CRDL settled in, finding whatever comfort they could by leaning against stones, trees, and the ground. Jaune eventually rejoined the group, placing six full jars on the ground before collapsing face-down, utterly exhausted. His teammates around him stood up, taking notice of his return.
"Hey, great work, Jauney boy! Now that wasn't too hard, was it?" Cardin remarked, his tone oddly congratulatory.
"I think I'm allergic to this stuff..." Jaune mumbled from his prone position on the ground, his voice slightly slurred and dazed, his expression cross-eyed as he struggled with the effects of the sap.
"Greeeeat, great, great. So, Jaune, I bet you're asking yourself, 'Why did my buddy Cardin ask me to collect six jars of tree sap when there's only five of us?'" Cardin said, laying out his scheme
Jaune nodded wearily. "That is one of the many questions I've asked myself today, yes," he admitted, still feeling drained and perplexed.
"Well, come with me, and you'll find out." Cardin said as Jaune sat up.
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Perched atop a hill, overlooking the other students, team CRDL - including Jaune, wedged between Cardin and Russel Thrush - peeked over the crest, observing everyone gathering their sap samples.
Ren knelt by a tree, filling a jar and passing it to Nora, who delightedly exclaimed, "Mmmm!" upon receiving the jar.
She handed over her jar to Ren with a playful exchange, but as Ren returned to collecting sap, the surrounding area echoed with several licking sounds. Nora, now sporting an embarrassed smile and red-stained cheeks, held an empty jar in her hands, having surreptitiously indulged in the sap herself.
