Inside team RDDD dorm room, Asher is standing in the middle of it, while everyone else is on their beds. Simmons and Donut are paying attention, but Grif has fallen asleep. Lopez is just sitting at his Workbench, working on a weapon.

Asher puts his hands behind his back. "Men, tomorrow we'll be going on a field trip."

"Yeah!" Donut throws a fist up. "It's going to be awesome~"

"Sir, we already know this." Simmons states.

Asher turns to Simmons. "Simmons, are you talking back to me?"

Simmons panics and shakes his head. "I would never, sir!"

Asher nods. "Goodman. That's why your my number one."

Simmons smiles. "Really sir? Thank you!"

"Then who's your second?" Donut asks.

Asher motions to Lopez. "Lopez."

"Who's your third?"

"You."

"And your fourth?"

Simmons and Asher just stare at Donut.

"It's a valid question." Donut says in confusion. 

"Moving on." Asher continues. "Which means we need to get a good nights rest. So RDDD Team, commence Operation, Sleepy Time."

Asher jumps onto his bed and goes under the covers, and closes his eyes. Simmons lays down as well as Donut. Lopez gets up and heads over to the lights, and turns them off.

.

.

.

Glynda guides her students through the Forever Fall Forest. Asher holds out a hand and a red petal falls into it.

Asher smiles as he looks around. "This is my kind of forest."

Simmons and Donut look around in amazement. While Grif is struggling to carry the groups jars.

"Yes students, the Forest of Forever Fall is indeed beautiful." Glynda starts. "But we are not here to sight-see. Professor Peaches asked all of you to collect samples from the trees deep inside this forest. And I'm here to make sure that none of you die while doing so."

Grif grunts as the jars shake in his hold. "Sarge, why am I holding the jars?"

"Because it builds character."

Glynda continues. "Each of you is to gather one jar's worth of red sap." She holds up a jar with sap in it. "However, this forest is full of the creatures of Grimm. So be sure to stay by your teammates. We will rendezvous back here at four o'clock. Have fun!"

"Let's go men!" Asher starts to walk in a random direction, and the rest of his team follows.

.

.

Team RDDD is collecting their sap. Simmons already has his jar full, and he's just staring at Grif in disbelief. Grif is drinking the sap directly from the tree. Donut is caressing his tree and talking to it.

And Asher is well...

Asher points at the tree. "Tree! You will give me my sap! Now!" He pumps his shotgun.

"Sir." Simmons calls out. "You know you have to get the sap by tapping into the tree, right?"

Asher looks between Simmons and the tree. "Yes, of course I know that. I was just testing you." He then whispers. "I should have brought Lopez."

"Do we have to hurt the trees?" Donut asks. "They're my friend." He hugs his tree.

Asher rolls his eyes and turns to Donut. "Donut, I order you to collect that sap from that tree!"

Donut grows sad. "Yes, sir."

Asher walks up to his tree and starts the sap collection process. 

.

.

Team CRDL is making themselves as comfortable as possible by leaning on stones, trees, and the ground while Jaune returns to the group with six full jars, setting them down just as he collapses face-down. The surrounding team gets up in response.

"Hey, great work, Jauney boy!" Cardin states. "Now that wasn't too hard, was it?"

Jaune is still on the ground, cross-eyed and sounding dizzy. "I think I'm allergic to this stuff."

"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?'"

Jaune nods, and speaks, still sounding exhausted. "That is one of the many questions I have asked myself today, yes." He sits up.

"Well, some with me, and you'll find out."

Jaune moans and gulps in worry.

.

.

.

Now perched on a hilltop overlooking the other students, team CRDL - plus Jaune, squeezed between Cardin and Russel Thrush - peak their heads over the crest and watch as everyone is retrieving their samples of sap. Ren, kneeling to collect it from a tree, passes a full jar to Nora, who "Mmmm!"s at the gift as Ren trades it for the other jar in her care. He turns back to the tree and starts filling it up while several licking sounds are heard off-screen until the camera pans back to Nora, now with an embarrassed smile covered in red and an empty jar in her hands.

Jaune turns to Cardin. "Cardin, wh-what's going on?"

Cardin stares at the unsuspecting group with a sharp look. "Payback."

Jaune's eyes widen in understanding. "Pyrrha...?" He turns to the group and watches Pyrrha gather more sap. "Wh-What are you-?"

Cardin pounds his fist on the ground. "That's the girl. Red-haired know-it-all, thinks she's so smart. Alright, boys..." He pulls out a buzzing cardboard box with a large "W" written on its side. "Last night, old Jaune here managed to round up an entire box of Rapier Wasps, and now, we're gonna put him to work."

Russel grabs Jaune by the shoulder, who barely laughs in nervousness.

Cardin speaks again. "Now, according to one of the essays you wrote for me last week, these nasty things looooove sweets. I'm thinking it's time we teach her a thing or two." The members of CRDL get up. Cardin offers his hand to Jaune, only to painfully yank him up on his feet and shove the jar into his grasp. "And you're gonna do it."

"Do what?" Jaune asks.

"His her with the sap!" Cardin then leans in close to Jaune's face. "Either that, or I'll have a chat with Goodwitch, and you'll be on the first airship out of Beacon."

Jaune looks down at the jar of sap in his hands and then up at the four grinning teammates waiting to see what happens. Jaune turns towards the group and aims his throw at an oblivious and smiling Pyrrha, trying to steel his nerves and shaking hand to do the deed, but ultimately steels himself for what he's about to do.

"No." Jaune says.

"What did you say?" Cardin asks.

"I said... No!"He turns and throws the jar at Cardin, instantly recoiling his hands to himself as he looks at Cardin's breastplate covered in sap.

The other team leader, however, just looks at himself and laughs darkly. "Oh, you've done it now..."

Jaune humorously laughs to himself once more with his hands still raised in attempt for defense as Dove and Sky grab Jaune's shoulders and pull him towards Cardin.

Jaune falls to the ground, groaning as he looks up and sees a sap-covered Cardin looming over him. The bigger warrior picks Jaune up by his front and grins while punching him back to the ground.

"You know that wasn't very smart, Jaune boy." Cardin picks up a bruised Jaune again, while the rest of Team CRDL watches. "I'm gonna make sure they send you back to mommy in teeny tiny pieces."

Jaune's head hands back. "I don't care what you do to me..." He looks at Cardin with fury. "...but you are not messing with my team."

Cardin looks momentarily shocked. "What? You think talk like that makes you tough? You think you're a big strong man now?"

Jaune smiles in defiance. An enraged Cardin roars and raises his fist again, but just as the hit connects, a bright light shines from Jaune, and when the white fades from the screen, Cardin is crying out in pain as he holds his hand.

Jaune, now back on the ground but completely healed, looks confusedly at his hands as they faintly glow white. While he stares, though, Sky Lark kicks Jaune in the back and gets him on his stomach, but he looks up and glares at the approaching Cardin.

"Let's see how much of a man you really are..." Just as Cardin says this, a low growl is heard, and a surprised Team CRDL turns around and sees a large paw crash onto the scene, belonging to a huge Ursa Major with dozens of jagged spikes sticking out from its wide back.

It leaps forward and stands over the terrified students, lifting its head in the air to smell the sap on Cardin's breastplate. It lands back on its forelegs and roars at Cardin while his teammates heroically flee.

"That's a big Ursa!" Russel yells.

Cardin is rooted to the spot when the Grimm swings its claws and knocks him sideways, revealing Jaune cowering behind him. The Ursa continues to sniff, uninterested in Jaune and following its nose to Cardin. He watches as it towers over Cardin, who gets his wits and pulls out The Executioner only for the monster to swipe it away to Jaune's feet.

Meanwhile with team RDDD the roar of the Ursa reaches their ears.

Grif's dog ears shoot up. "You guys hear that?"

The team looks in the direction of the roar.

"An Ursa?" Donut questions.

"I just hope whoever's ever there, can handle it." Simmons says.

Grif, Donut and Simmons all hear Asher's shotgun pump, and they look over to him.

"Men, someone could be in trouble." Asher points in the direction of the roar. "We must help them!"

"Um, what?" Grif questions. "We should go in the opposite direction of danger, and stay safe."

"Grif, stop being a wuss and let's go."

Donut turns to Grif. "Yeah, Grif, what if a friend is in danger?"

Grif sighs. "Fine. Let's go."

Team RDDD gets their weapons out as they run towards the Ursa roar. When they get there they see Jaune fighting a really big Ursa.

Asher looks to the side and sees Pyrrrha, Ruby and Weiss. He and his team run over to them.

"Ruby!" Asher calls out.

Ruby looks at Asher and smiles. "Asher!"

Simmons looks over to Jaune. "Looks like Jaune is fighting a big Ursa."

"Why aren't we helping him?" Donut asks in confusion and worry.

"Pyrrha wants to see him fight." Weiss informs.

"Ohhhh." RDDD says together and they watch the fight.

The Ursa knocks Jaune behind it when he tries for a leaping attack, and he looks at the Scroll in his shield to find out that his Aura level is in the red. He grows angry again and starts to run at the Ursa as it also begins to dash towards him.

As they are just about to clash in slow-motion, Pyrrha sees that Jaune has left himself completely open to the Ursa's attack, and lifts her hand out to him, gathering dark red energy in her arm. Just as the Ursa is about to hit him, the glow surrounds Jaune's shield and makes it lift up to block the swipe.

Jaune uses the surprise defensive move to lean on the ground, push his shield back up, and swing his blade right through the Ursa's neck. The head falls to the ground as the body slams onto the ground.

"Holy Mackerel, what was that?" Asher asks.

"How did you..." Weiss questions Pyrrha.

"Well, the twins have their speed, you have your glyphs, my semblance is polarity." Pyrrha informs. 

"Ah, you can control poles." Ruby mutters.

"No, you dunce!" Weiss nearly shouts. "It means she has control over magnetism."

"Magnets are cool, too."

"I know, right." Asher whispers to his sister. "That gave me an idea for a weapon!" 

Pyrrha then starts walking away.

"Wait, where are you going?" Weiss calls out.

"Yeah, we gotta tell them what happened." Donut says.

"We could." Pyrrha starts. "Or, perhaps, we could just keep it our little secret." She walks off.

Everyone glances at each other, then they follow Pyrrha.

A bruised Jaune sheathes his weapon before going over to Cardin.

Cardin, still covered in sap, looks up at Jaune as his savior offers a hand. Cardin smiles as he takes it and is lifted back up on his feet. "Holy crap, Jaune!"

"Don't ever mess with my team - my friends - ever again." Jaune says threateningly as he stares Cardin dead in the eyes. "Got it?"

Cardin looks intimidated, possibly even apologetic. With his order spoken, Jaune turns and walks away from a frozen Cardin.

.

.

Team RDDD is back inside their dorms as night is high. Lopez is as his workbench, cleaning sap off Cataclysmic Edge.

Simmons sits on his bed and brushes his teeth. Grif is munching on a sandwich, and Donut is humming to himself.

Asher walks out of the bathroom, in his pajamas with his cloak on, and walks into the middle of the room. "Men, today was another successful day for RDDD team! All of you did a good job today. Except for you Grif, you could have done better.

"Thank you, sir." Simmons, Donut and Grif responds, but Grif is sarcastic.

"Now, I'd like to think I deserve a medal for being such a good leader, and good example for you all. But now's not the time for that! Now is the time for sleep! Because we have some tests tomorrow!"

"Ugh!" Grif groans. "Tests!"

"Hey, it won't be that bad." Donut states.

"Says you! I barely knew anything on the last one."

"Maybe you should study more." Simmons says, still brushing his teeth.

"Ew, why would I study, it's nearly as bad as exercise."

"What, but exercise is amazing." Asher says. "How do you think I got so amazing!"

Grif deadpans. "You're not amazing."

Asher frowns. "Grif, as your superior and team leader, I demand you to call me amazing!"

Grif sighs. "Sarge, you are so amazing."

Asher smiles with pride. "Yes, yes I am."

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01-01-2023

2197 words