RWBY: LUCID

Math was first.

Jaune slid into his seat next to Ruby and a boy who barely looked up from his calculator. Beacon's math classroom was bathed in white fluorescent light, and the faint squeak of dry erase markers was already echoing across the room as the professor jotted down equations at breakneck pace.

But Jaune was ready.

Jaune could probably, no longer be considered the "new kid," he now blended in with the quiet rhythm of classroom life. He pulled out his workbook, flipped to the assigned page, and began scribbling down formulas.

Although, he did have odd thoughts that he was mixing up the formulas. Perhaps Jaune should have studied a little more?

The thought passed away quickly into the recess of his mind. His notes from the past few days were already helping bridge the gap, and fortunately, he didn't feel like he was treading water.

The professor called on him once—midway through the lesson, right after making a corny joke about variables being "shy letters"— curious to see if he was adjusting well. Jaune answered confidently enough and his voice didn't crack. He counted it as a win even though he got the answer wrong.

In any case, math passed by faster than expected.

Then came Physics.

And Physics… well, lets just say that it hit a lot harder.

The classroom was bigger and more open, with tall glass windows letting sunlight in. Beacon's science department took pride in its tech, and there was always something blinking or beeping in the background—oscilloscopes, electric coils and even a miniature wind tunnel in the back corner.

Jaune's desk buzzed with low anxiety as he stared at the vector diagrams on the board.

"Is this… is this some kind of advanced art?" he whispered to Ruby, who was sitting beside him again.

Ruby didn't answer right away. She simply slid her notebook across the table, covered in crisp, well-organized diagrams, color-coded with red and silver gel pens.

Her handwriting was immaculate.

"You're lucky I like you," she whispered with a wink.

Jaune blushed slightly at her phrasing but only grinned in response and mouthed thank you. She smirked back and tapped the edge of her page like a threat: keep up.

The physics professor was quite interesting, but had an odd enthusiasm for Newton that bordered on romantic.

He gave Ruby a look when she cracked a soft joke about Jaune's future grades.

Physics still made his brain ache a little, but with Ruby's notes and the professor's patient explanations, it didn't feel impossible.

By the time the bell rang for lunch, he was ready to eat—and maybe sleep.

The cafeteria was already buzzing when they got there. Students gathered in their usual cliques, voices bouncing between the tables like ricochets. The food today was quite delicious. Pasta, salad, and what looked like buttered garlic bread was available.

Ruby and Jaune grabbed their trays and found Ren and Nora already seated near the window.

"How was Math?" Ren greeted, sipping on something herbal.

"Jaune did great!" Ruby said cheerfully, nudging him. "And I only made fun of him twice, which is a personal record."

"Three times," Jaune corrected, sitting down. "You counted the physics quip, right?"

"Oh, right," Ruby snorted. "Massive consequences."

"Boo," Nora, chucked a grape at her.

"I deserved that," Ruby admitted, brushing the grape off her hoodie.

Just then, Yang strode in, golden hair practically glowing in the cafeteria lights. She had her jacket slung over one shoulder, and her walk had that classic Yang swagger like she was the hot actor that just stepped out of an action movie. She had a bowl of pasta in her hand.

"Hey hey, party people!" she greeted, sliding her tray onto the table beside Ruby.

"Yang!" Ruby brightened. "You missed everything. Jaune's growing up to be a real nerd like me."

Jaune wondered why Ruby was happy to even say that out loud.

"Oh yeah?" Yang turned to him with a grin. "So, Goldilocks finally growing into those big boy math pants?"

"I… am trying," Jaune replied diplomatically, instead.

"Trying is the first step toward failure," Yang said sagely, then added, "—according to someone who probably failed more than you."

Jaune chuckled. "I'll take that as encouragement."

Yang poked at her pasta for a moment, then looked up.

"Okay, wait. I gotta ask—Ruby said you've got seven sisters?"

"Ugh, you texted her about that? Well, yeah... I do." Jaune replied, already bracing himself.

Yang grinned like a cat who just spotted a line of unattended tuna cans. "So what I'm hearing is... your household was one Jaune and seven Jaunettes?"

Ruby dropped her fork.

"No," she whispered, horrified. "No. Don't enable her."

"I think that pun deserves to be Jauned and feathered," Nora said with a dramatic groan.

"Stop," Ruby pleaded, burying her face in her hands.

"Don't be so blue about it, sis," Yang replied. "I'm just saying—it must've been absolute Arc-mageddon in that house."

Even Ren sneezed a chuckle at that one let alone Ruby who snickered against her will.

"Oh no," she whispered, in horror, like the world was ending. "I laughed. I laughed. I'm becoming her."

"It begins," Ren said dryly.

Jaune raised an eyebrow. "Honestly, I think that's the worst part of the whole thing."

But Yang wasn't done. She leaned back, resting her arm behind Jaune with a grin that spelled trouble.

"So… sword arts club huh?"

Jaune blinked. "Yeah? What about it?"

"Oh, nothing," Yang said, eyes glinting mischievously. "Just wondering if your scabbard's compensating for something."

Ruby choked on her drink.

"Really, Yang?" she coughed, thumping her chest.

Nora whooped like she'd just seen someone fall down the stairs. "Ohhh, burn!"

Jaune, now the color of an tomato, stammered, "I—I'll have you know, my sword is very well-balanced!"

"Uh-huh," Yang drawled. "Nice grip? Good... length?"

He pointed at her accusingly. "Okay! You're the one who made it weird. I was talking about metallurgy!"

"Sure you were, Casanova."

Yang leaned in, grinning ear to ear. "Bet it's a longsword. Two-hander. Needs both hands to wield properly, huh?"

"I-What?" Jaune flailed, flustered.

Ren sipped his drink without looking up. "Technique matters more than size."

That really didn't help.

"Well then!" Jaune exclaimed faux annoyed, puffing his chest like he was rallying a charge. "Next time, I guess I'll have to show you."

Yang blinked. Her smirk faltered a tad bit. It was a rare sight. Jaune saw a hint of red creeping up her own neck at his words.

"Y-you want to show me your...?"

"My actual sword, Yang!" he blurted, hands up like he was under arrest.

The table exploded.

Even Ren's usual stoic mask cracked wide open into an actual laugh.

"Careful, Jaune," Nora said between gasps. "You flash that thing around too much and you'll get arrested for unsheathing in public."

"I hate all of you," Jaune muttered, hiding behind his hands.

Yang patted his shoulder as if consoling a wounded soldier. "Don't worry, Jauney boy. Happens to the best of us."

"It's not even—! You know what? I'm gonna go become a monk. A swordless monk."

"You'd still find a way to embarrass yourself with a butter knife," Ruby giggled.

Eventually, the laughter died down and trays were pushed aside just as the afternoon bell rang.

Ruby stretched and stood. "English next?"

"Yeah," Jaune mumbled, still red in the ears. The two of them started to leave, Jaune giving a stiff little wave over his shoulder.

"See you guys after class."

"Don't forget to polish your... sword," Yang called helpfully.

"Seriously, shut up about the sword!" he groaned, half-laughing as Ruby tugged him away by the sleeve.

Nora leaned back and sighed. "You know, I'm really gonna miss him when he spontaneously combusts from embarrassment."

"Or when someone actually sees his sword," Ren added dryly.

"Either way," Yang said, "I'm bringing popcorn."

Outside the cafeteria, the hallway was cooler and quiet. Ruby smiled as they walked side by side, their shoes tapping in time.

"You good?" she asked.

"Barely survived lunch," Jaune muttered. "I need some solid armor next time."

"You did pretty well," she said. "For someone who got Yang'd."

He smiled, a little proud despite everything. "You totally snickered."

"I'll deny it in court."

They reached the hallway split

They exited the cafeteria side by side, the hallway buzzing with students switching classes.

"Next up—English," Ruby said, adjusting her bag over her shoulder.

Jaune groaned softly. "Hopefully no more dramatic monologues. I still haven't recovered from the teacher reciting that weird poem like a sports announcer. Was that supposed to be hamlet? I couldn't even tell."

Ruby smirked. "Hey, 'to bean or not to bean' is a valid artistic interpretation."

He gave her a look. "If I wanted puns about beans, I'd have asked Yang for her opinion."

She gasped. "Please don't. Next thing we know, she'll make some pun about Phaseolus and Phalluses."

"Don't tempt me. But maybe just to see the look on your face?"

Ruby bumped her shoulder into his. "You're lucky I'm walking with you. Most people would pay for this kind of literary insight."

Jaune grinned. "And yet, here I am. Free tutoring and comedy. A worth-it price if I do say so myself."

"Don't get used to it," she said, trying to look serious—but the smile tugging at her mouth ruined the act.

They reached the English hallway, blending into the stream of students. The sound of their footsteps echoed in tandem, casual and easy, as they disappeared down the corridor—heading to their next class together.