RWBY: LUCID

As they reached a split in the hallway, Ruby slowed her pace and gave Jaune an apologetic look.

"Hey, so… I checked our schedules last night, and as it turns out, we don't actually have any classes together today," she said, frowning slightly. "Sorry, I thought we might."

"Oh," Jaune said, trying not to sound too disappointed. "That's alright."

"But you're not totally stuck alone," Ruby added, brightening. "Yang's got History and Chemistry with you. That's before lunch, right?"

Jaune turned to Yang. "Wait, seriously?"

Yang gave a mock salute. "History extraordinaire and chemist in the making. I'll be your guide."

Jaune smiled. "Well, that's two classes I won't have to awkwardly sit through by myself."

"Your last two are Biology and Philosophy, right?" Ruby asked.

"Yep. Solo for those."

Jaune gave a dramatic sigh. "Guess I'll have to make… new friends."

Yang leaned in with a sly grin. "Oof. Kant be that bad—but you better hope your bonding agents aren't too unstable."

Ruby groaned. "Yang…"

"Wouldn't the bonding agents part be better off for Chemistry?" Jaune asked, amused.

Yang blinked, then nodded sagely. "You know, I think you're right. Gotta' brush up on my pun game."

"Don't worry," Jaune said with a perfectly straight face. "I'm sure you'll find a humerus joke somewhere."

Yang froze for a second, then broke into a wide grin. "I like this guy. We're totally gonna bond today."

Ruby blinked, then made a face. "Wait… I don't get it."

Jaune shook his head with a smile. "That was terrible. But I'll allow it."

Yang looked smug. "That's why they keep me around."

Ruby's scroll buzzed. She glanced at it and took a step back. "Welp, that's me. Don't wanna be late for class."

She gave a small wave and flashed Jaune a quick smile. "Good luck. Try not to get blown up in Chem."

"No promises."

With that, Ruby turned and trotted off down the corridor, disappearing into the crowd of students.

Yang jerked her chin toward the left hall. "C'mon, Arc. Let's hit History."

"Lead the way," he said, falling in step beside her.

The classroom was already half full when Jaune and Yang stepped inside. It was wide with high ceilings and soft lighting that kept things from feeling too stuffy. Rows of sleek desks curved in a semicircle around the front podium, each equipped with a built-in screen and stylus dock. Large digital boards stretched across the front wall, already flickering with topic headers and historical dates.

Jaune followed Yang to a pair of open seats near the middle, setting his bag down as he took in the rest of the class.

That's when he noticed them.

The hyperactive girl from the train sat up front with her friend, and was laughing about something with her orange ponytail bobbing up and down. Her energy appeared to have not dulled in the slightest. The boy with the pink-streaked black hair sat beside her, seemingly more awake now. His posture was straighter, and his eyes were calmly scanning the board as if he'd flicked some internal switch from sleepy to serious.

In the corner was another familiar face. A girl with long, silvery snow-white hair and a pristine posture sat with her arms folded. Her eyes were fixed ahead, focused on the board.

Jaune recognized her instantly.

Weiss Schnee.

Ruby had pointed her out yesterday to him. She certainly looked quite intense. Jaune could swear she was emanating a type of cool aura that screamed distance. It was borderline royal.

Yang nudged him with her elbow. "You'll get used to the crowd," she whispered. "Want a quick intro?"

Jaune nodded, and Yang gestured casually to the few people nearby.

"That's Sky and Dove. Those two dorks are inseparable," she pointed to a duo in the back row who were already trying to one-up each other on some game app.

"That's May," she added, motioning to a quiet girl with short blue hair and a piercing on her brow. "Total deadpan but wicked good at trivia."

"And back there, Sage and Nolan. Chill guys. Mostly."

Jaune offered a small wave to them. A few waved back, others just nodded, but none seemed particularly unfriendly.

"That girl over there is Weiss. She doesn't really talk to other people too much."

"Oh, yeah. Ruby mentioned her yesterday while we were on tour."

"You don't say..." Yang gave Jaune a funny look that he couldn't decipher.

Just as he was settling into his seat, the classroom door slid open with a sudden whoosh, and in swept a blur of green and tan.

The man moved like he was constantly in fast-forward.

Dr. Bartholomew Oobleck.

His coat trailed behind him like a cloak, beige with hints of fray at the edges, and his shock of spiky green hair stood out in sharp contrast to his otherwise academic look. A pair of circular glasses perched on his nose, glinting with an odd light. He carried a thermos in one hand and a holo-tablet in the other.

His eyes—darting, scanning, brimming with some manic energy—bounced around the room like they were reading five books at once.

"Good morning! Yes! Hello, yes—good morning, students of Beacon, and welcome to another day course on the collapse of civilization!"

He paused dramatically.

A few students blinked.

"In other words," he continued without missing a beat, "welcome to the fascinating, brutal, and oft-misunderstood history of Earth's fractured past."

He took a long, extremely loud sip from his thermos. No one dared guess what was in it.

"Today," he said, flicking the digital board behind him with a stylus, "we begin with the Era of Expansion. A time of hope, hubris, and horrifying infrastructure decisions."

The board flickered to life, displaying an old map of Vale with overly ornate city walls and dated trade routes.

Jaune leaned forward, stylus in hand, trying to keep up as Oobleck launched into a whirlwind of names, dates, and geopolitical chaos. The man didn't even seem to pause for breath. It was like listening to someone narrate a history podcast at 2x speed, except the podcast occasionally leapt onto a chair to emphasize key points.

And sure enough, ten minutes into the lecture, Oobleck did exactly that—perched himself atop a front-row desk with one foot planted and arms spread like a conductor.

"Why, I ask you, did they build the aqueduct of Meletus through an active volcano?! Anyone?! Anyone?!" He spun, eyes wide, and jabbed his stylus at a random student.

"Uhhh…" the guy flinched. "Because… they didn't know it was a volcano?"

Oobleck gasped, dramatically scandalized. "WRONG! They did know! And they did it anyway! Because politics!"

A few students snickered.

Jaune glanced at Yang. She was calmly taking notes, lips curled in amusement, like this was just another Thursday.

He gripped his stylus tighter. Looks like History was going to be more intense than he expected.

Hopefully not in bad way.

As Oobleck charged ahead, Jaune began absorbing the broader picture. The world was split into four major continents:

Solitas, the northernmost landmass, was home to the advanced kingdom of Atlas—a technological marvel built around ice and steel, far outpacing the other nations in innovation.

Sanus lay to the west, shared by two kingdoms: Vale, nestled at the equator with its temperate forests and diverse cultures; and Vacuo, sprawled across the arid southern sands, known for its resilience and adaptability.

To the east was Anima, cradle of Mistral, a kingdom renowned for its art, culture, and cuisine.

And far to the south, Menagerie—a free continent without a formal kingdom but technically governed by Valean law. Rich in natural resources, it was a place of deep forests, tall mountains, and independent trade hubs, where celebration and commerce coexisted without a technical central rule.

Despite their names, none of these kingdoms had kings or even a royal family. They were governed democratically through constitutional assemblies. The term "kingdom" lingered more out of tradition than accuracy.

Jaune underlined this note on his tablet.