RWBY x T.A.O.TRQS (Vol. 1)

13. Forever Fall Pt.1

[Nighttime in JNPR's dorm]

3rd Person POV

Nora: "How come Jaune gets home so late?"

Ren: "He's become rather scarce since he started fraternizing with Cardin."

Nora: "That's weird... Doesn't he know we have a field trip tomorrow? We need our rest!" (she proclaims this while twirling in midair so her back hits the covers)

Pyrrha: (angrily) "I'm sure our leader knows exactly what he's doing."

Nora and Ren exchange glances, not knowing that Jaune himself is looking in through the crack of the door.

Nora: "Mmmm... I guess so."

Jaune hangs his head and closes the door, just as a voice interrupts his thoughts.

T-Burn: Sup Jaune

Ruby: "Hey, Jaune!" (startled, Jaune turns around to see her and T-Burn in their pajamas, and she giggles at his reaction) "Long time, no see! Did you lock yourself out again?"

Jaune: "Oh, uh, nope!" (raises his Scroll, attempting to laugh) "Got it!"

Ruby: "So! Where have you been lately?"

Jaune: "I, uh..." (he tries to come up with something, but just sighs and lowers his head) "I messed up. I did something I shouldn't have, and now Cardin has me on a leash, and Pyrrha won't even talk to me, and..." (breathes heavily through his nose) "I'm starting to think coming to this school was a bad idea." *presses his back to his team's door and slides down to the floor in depression* "I'm a failure."

Ruby: "Nope!"

Jaune: (looking at her in surprise) "'Nope?'"

Ruby: "Nope! You're a leader now, Jaune. You're not allowed to be a failure."

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

Ruby: (thinks about it for a moment, then gives her answer) "Nope!"

Jaune: (laughs as she joins him on the floor) "You know, you're not the easiest person to talk to about this kind of stuff."

Ruby: "Nope!" (as Jaune leans into the door some more) "Jaune, maybe you were a failure when you were a kid..." (Jaune groans and sinks lower to the ground) "... and you might've even been a failure the first day we met!" (he groans and goes lower still) "But, you can't be one now. You know why?"

Jaune: "Uhhh, because...?"

Ruby: "Because it's not just about you anymore. You've got a team now, Jaune. We both do! And if we fail, then we'll just be bringing them down with us." (she gets up and places her hands on her hips as she speaks) "We have to put our teammates first, and ourselves second. Your team deserves a great leader, Jaune. And I think that can be you." (she walks over to her door and opens it as Jaune, now slightly inspired by her words, watches her wave) "Have a good night, Jaune!" (she goes inside)

T-Burn: "Hey Jaune."

Jaune: "Yeah."

T-Burn: "I just want you know that being a leader isn't a walk in the park. Its gonna be tough the more we get into this school year."

Jaune: *looks down* "Oh."

T-Burn: "What I meant to say is that the more we trust our team to work with us the easier it gets for us to lead, so one of the days try bonding with them. Ok."

Jaune: "Yeah."

T-Burn: "Laters, dude"

Jaune: "Bye."