Stepping off of the Bullhead, Cardin began taking the breathtaking view of his current home of defense, studies, and overall training: Beacon. During his ride, he saw a couple of certain students on the ship. One was a girl with short red hair along with a female next to her with long blonde hair and beautiful purple lilac eyes. He remembered them both as one of his victim's friends. Surprisingly the younger girl was the leader of a team, also consisting of 2 other females. One black-haired, one snow white-haired. Though the blonde could be considered a hottie, the redhead was more unique, such as her silver eyes and rather younger appearance.

He used to remember hearing a tale about warriors with blessed silver eyes and how they would be deemed as to the ones saving the world. But Cardin had soon come to known that life isn't a fairy tale. It would not always end with a happy epilogue.

The clear blue skies were the ones exactly the same color as his eyes. It was a nice scenery to help ease the mind. Even for a fighter like Cardin. Today instead of wearing his normal armor, he chose something different. He was wearing just a black "Beacon Academy" hoodie, blue jeans and black running sneakers. Taking slow and steady steps as if he was a newborn walking for the first time, he set forward for Beacon, once again.

'Hmm. Hard to believe I'm actually in a state like this. But... Was there any doubt that I would? Sooner or later, it was bound to happen.' Cardin thought to himself, still grasping the moment of taking the next step in his day.

He could hear the constant groaning of one certain blonde from behind him. No, not the female blonde, rather a male blonde who has a weakness when boarding air vessels. This would be a scraggly skinny guy who would throw up the second he's even on a ship. No seriously, he will literally upchuck when the bullhead isn't even flying. Oh glory.

"Uough man, this is going to suck today. I feel like a tornado did a number on my stomach and 'Hgmhh!' " the blond stopped with a sickening sound of stomach acid fighting to erupt from his mouth.

'Okay, I understand he ain't feeling too hot, but can he at least shut up about it and bitch somewhere where others can't hear it? Sheesh.'

Speed walking away from the blonde klutz, he could see closer of Beacon with each step he took. Finally stopping in front of what seemed to be the main entrance. Across from the main building was a small statue of a huntsman and huntress.

Though it was just a creation engraved as to means of to fight what was best for mankind, it made Cardin feel something that he just couldn't put his finger on. Vengeance? A passion to kill all that is dark and evil? What, he asks. Though he'd never admit it to anyone, he knew that his leadership was brought up to question as well his choices in the past and present.

Deep within him was an ulcer upsetting him and coming stronger than ever each time, it was guilt finally dawning upon him in the first time in a long time, metaphorically of course, or maybe even literally.

'Tap'

'Tap'

What was that?

'Tap'

'Tap'

"...cuse me ?"

Huh?

Cardin started with a jolt of surprise as he shook himself out of his deep thinking. He looked to see someone familiar. It was the same girl with red hair and silver eyes. She was shorter than he last remembered seeing her. Maybe about 5'3. Most likely she was 15.

"EXCUSE ME PLEASE !" A loud high pitched innocent screech made his ears cringe slightly if not for his patience.

With a growl of frustration, he responded. "What do you want ?"

"Well, you're that Cardin-what'shisface guy, right ?"

Cardin narrowed his eyes.

"That's the rumor."

She raised an eyebrow at that, giving that due to her age she really wouldn't understand much sarcasm, especially from Cardin.

"I was just wondering about something that I kinda been wanting to ask."

He squinted his eyes more at the younger teen, gesturing with his arms for her to get to the paint.

"Which is? "

She looked downwards, digging her boot into the ground floor, trying to find the right way to start it off.

"Well, it's just that.. hmm.. Ah, why do you..." she started before murmuring something incoherent for the big brute to make out.

"What ?"

"I said. Why do you act like such a big fat jerk to Jaune and Velvet and everyone else ?"

Oh, so that's what she wanted to know? God, he didn't need this kind of attention, 'specially from a kid.

"Jesus, look, kid, I don't have time for this kind of crap. Scram."

"But it's just a simple question, can't you just tell me why?"

"Oh, to the hell with this,"

Winchester looked away from Ruby, starting down near the cafeteria. Having to explain one's self for such a big topic is never easy for anyone, even if they were a bully to others that didn't deserve it.

'Why. Out of all the people, this kid's gotta ruin whatever 'happy' mood I've gotten for the past friggin' days. Jeez.'

Little did he know a certain Rose was in walking answer demanding pursuit.

"Hey wait! You never answered my question."

"Boohoo for you then."

"But wait, I mean surely there's a reason for having hate for them, right ?"

"Just shut up. I'm not in the mood, so- so stop pushing."

There was a tremble in his voice, in fact, his heartbeat was going rather quickly than normal. He was getting mad.

'She needs to stop. SHE needs to STOP'

"But I need to know as to why you always bully them. It's in my role as team leader to assure the safety of my friends unlike you."

Cardin stopped right then and there. Though he was sure a Schnee wasn't nearby, from all of a sudden, the atmosphere grew cold and dreadful. Despite such a chilly feeling for the Rose girl, he was heated up to the brim to where Lava would seem like being next to the heater compared to Cardin.

"What... did you say ?"

"No, you heard me this time, I know you did," she said in triumph.

"Stop i-it. Now," he said with unstable shaky hands.

Winchester was getting angry. Yes, he has been in the past been told off by one Blake Belladonna but never was he expecting more of this from a girl when he was minding his own business. Is this what it felt like when he picked on others?

Sure, during his childhood, never once was he belittled by society. But there was the start of his bad influence of where it all began. When one student was being bullied by other kids, Cardin was brought to question as to what he thought of Faunus. He never hated them as a kid, but in order to not become an outcast, he chose to stick with the crowd. Poor choice in retrospect.

There was a familiar uncomfortable pinch in his cheeks and eyes, and having brought up bad doings of his own back then wasn't helping out. He needed to get away quickly so he wouldn't be in shame in front of the girl.

"Why do you always bully Jaune? He's never done anything to you. Every time I actually see you it's when you're harassing Velvet or Jaune."

"KID, I'm not" His voice went hoarse. "I'm not joking, leave me alone. I got to head back to my dorm, so just... drop-" Was all he could say before he had to strain his voice to stop it becoming suspiciously hurt.

So he started to walk away. His plan to hold it in was failing already as his arm subconsciously made its way to wipe his eyes. 'Damn it', he thought.

"Wait up, hey... are you.. crying ?"

He didn't answer, rather he tried to massage his temples and pinch his nose while his eyes remained closed. But all actions led to some tears of frustration to leak out. Cardin was trying to breathe in and out so he can calm down but it was futile.

"Go away... Just leave me... leave.. me" he stumbled off while choking down some sobbing. Just then, things just got worse when all of a sudden came the voice of someone.

"Ruby, what are you doing? Cardin ?"

All words belonged to none other than the sister of little red, Yang Xiao Long. He didn't want to face it that he was going to have a hard time, and it was only true with the arrival of two other people.

"What did he do this time ?"

He instantly recognized it to be the Belladonna girl herself. 'Please, quit, I've had enough, I deserve it, there, happy ?'

"What doesn't he do? Aside from make a public disgrace of himself." Weiss Schnee said. No explanation about who she was, everyone knew her. "He's obviously up to no good, isn't that right, Winchester ?"

He was only losing the sound of their voices as he grew deaf. The many eternal pleas that buzzed around in his head were what clouded his focus on the girls. He pictured many scenarios for no reason, such as him being bullied, him being depressed and then... Suicide!

Shaking his head, he knew that his wild imagination was getting the better of him. 'Take a breather, man. Take a breather.'

"...to You !"

Someone was talking to him now. His hearing coming back, the pain still remaining. His eyes begging to be wiped, they were itchy. Cardin listened for the next one to say his name. Here it was.

"Hey, blockhead! Do you hear me? I'm talking to you !"

The distasteful sound in one Xiao Long's voice made it bad enough to send Cardin into another wave of melancholy. He could only bare anymore as it was about to be revealed.

"I... I hear you..."

The tone of his voice made all girls go wide-eyed as to seeing the long-awaited moment that they could only dream of seeing from Cardin. But now, they weren't ready, nor did they seem to be dancing in glee and squeal with joy. No, now they wanted to pound Cardin senseless in hopes that he'd drop dead.

It had to be Ruby to gain the momentum to step up and see if this was for real. Closer now, she spoke.

"Why are you crying ?"

"I'm not... crying..."

There was a pained grunt in his voice that slipped out voluntarily, making the 4 girls feel odd.

"Dang, Ruby. You really did a number on this chump, huh ?"

Leave it to Yang to make matters worse as she laughed hysterically while hugging her baby sister, seemingly proud of breaking Cardin. However, Ruby wasn't exactly cheery as her sister was.

"Yang, stop," Ruby said as she gently pushed away from Yang's embrace. "I didn't do anything like that. All I did was just ask why he's a bully."

That sparked the floodgates to burst open for Cardin now, the river poured out, leaving trails to be seen dripping out like a leaky faucet. Now he was holding his face with one hand as he shook his head in shame for breaking down in front of the girls. He started walking away as he silently sobbed despite it being audible.

'Am I really such a piece of garbage? Oh god.'

Team RWBY was exchanging glances at the event that just occurred 6 seconds ago.

"I didn't think you were able to bring such a barbaric dunce down to his knees, Ruby. I actually envy you."

"Weiss, that wasn't..."

She let out a tired sigh.

"It wasn't my intentions of making him cry."

Out of all the four, it was Blake who seemed to be irritated at the topic. She started speed walking to catch up with the Winchester, it wasn't difficult as he was so close.

"Blake what are you-"

Yang's question was cut short by Blake's rising voice.

"How does it feel now, Cardin ?" Blake demanded as she shoved Cardin's shoulder to grab his attention.

Said Cardin was no fool to the question, he knew too well of what she meant. Wiping his tears away for more to pour down, he answered while his eyes focused on her.

"H-horrible..."

The Faunus girl glared intensely at him as he sniffled.

"Good, because it's nothing compared to what you bring upon the other students here. The same goes for the Faunus"

The boy only quivered his lip down at her and let tears roll down as he sobbed away. "Oh man..." he said in a pitch. "Please... I'm sorry... I'm sorry, let me just go-"

"And what, just let you off the hook for another day of your nonsense? You're beneath me, Winchester."

The venom in her voice was definitely hard to miss, making it harder for Cardin to swallow without a lump in his throat. He coughed during his sobbing as his eyes were turning red and puffy.

"Stop... I didn't even do anything..."

That's what set Blake off. Her eyes for a mere second had turned feral, slanted and dangerous. Cardin himself would have missed a heartbeat if he wasn't distraught enough.

"You liar!"

He didn't remember feeling it, but she had slapped him across the cheek, her hand covered with his tears.

"Seems ironic, doesn't it? Huh ?!"

The cat Faunus shoved him again, moving him barely as he fell on his rear, pouring his tears in the palms of his hands as they leaked through. This wasn't the girl that team RWBY knew, Yang stepped up quickly.

"Woah, Blake! He's not worth it. Don't let him under your skin like that, he's garbage."

'Yeah, no kidding.'

"I know that! But if he thinks he deserves forgiveness for being so arrogant, idiotic and a monster, he-"

"Miss Belladonna !"

Everyone, except Cardin, felt like they just stepped into some deep shit as they had all eyes on none other than the headmaster of Beacon Academy, Ozpin. Mug in hand, disappointed written on his face and the eyes that could make you weep. Cardin could only feel guilty, but he didn't know why. So the next thing that only came to mind as to get out. He got up and tore ass away from them all.

In what seemed like hours slowly passing by, all 5, team RWBY of 4 and 1 Ozpin, they all had a shocked expression. Ozpin was the one that stood out however, it took a lot to switch his facial expression aside from his smirk or stern look. What was spread on his face was a look of pure loss, as if Cardin was snatched from a Nevermore and never coming back. He demanded answers.

"Care to explain, young ma'am ?"

"Oh well, it was just a little fluke, Professor Ozpin, we'll just-" said a nervous Yang while she scratched her head in a sheepish manner.

"I was talking to Miss Belladonna, Miss Xiao Long."

His tone was dead serious and cold, everyone was taken back when he didn't address her by her last name like most of the teachers did. All eyes were on Blake.

"Now, it's not just another dispute that starts with Mr. Winchester with his known no-good deeds, but now it ends with him seemingly ganged up against for the wrong reasons."

Blake didn't feel talking back was a choice, so she had to just go with it.

"He- he- he..."

"He what? Spit it out," Ozpin said impatiently.

'What the hell ?' Yang thought. 'Why does he care so much about this ? Especially Cardin! Cardin !'

"I did it, Professor."

The headmaster turned his attention to the one who made the statement. Ruby.

"Explain now."

Cardin kept running. Sprinting with all of his power, even using aura to get as far away from the spot as possible. Although he was only venturing deeper into trees and branches, he didn't dare look back to where a new source of hauntings would torture him. He couldn't feel the tears as he ran faster than Ruby's semblance speed, he actually felt pain shooting up in his legs. But Cardin didn't dare stop until he lost the ability to walk.

More tears were blown away as the wind drilled deep into his eyes, making it hurt even worse. What felt like lava shooting in his legs and his muscles clenching tight as hell, he fell. He fell face first into the grass, not feeling like standing up. He just poured his pain into the earth's floor.

"Things got to get better, they just got to."

He lay on the ground, just letting it out and bawling. He wished he never existed. He wished he could start over. To erase the pain of the innocent and be the better man that few loved ones wanted him to be.

He vowed vengeance.

Vengeance from himself...