A/N: Thank you for taking the time to read my story, but I would like to start by saying that I am not a swimmer. I knew nothing of competitive swimming before I began to write this. If any facts about competitive swimming or the competitions are wrong, please forgive me. I did my best to learn from Google.

Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY or its characters.

The Race for Dead Last

Chapter 1. Breathe In

Breath in. Breathe out.

Weiss stepped onto the block. She focused her vision in front of her, ignoring the cold drops of water running down her arms. The room was quiet apart from the gently clapping of the water against the pool wall. Slowly closing her eyes, Weiss took a deep breath.

Focus.

Breath in. Breathe out.

"Take your mark."

Weiss knelt down.

"Ready."

Weiss leaned forward, opening her eyes to a view full of water. Tiny, inviting waves dancing across the surface of the pool. The whistle blew, without a moment of hesitation, Weiss kicked from the block, clasping her hands before herself and diving into the cool pool. The water encapsulated her in a gentle embrace as she glided through, only moments later breaching the surface to paddle quickly across the pool.

Weiss' mind was fixed on her actions, tuning the world around her out.

Focus. Breathe.

As she approached the end of the pool, Weiss pushed under the water once more, flipping around effortlessly and kicking off the wall in a steady and firm motion. She breached the surface again, making her way to the end she began, reaching and clasping her hand down onto the edge of the pool.

"Very good, Weiss," Coach Goodwitch congratulated, "an excellent lap time, for sure."

Weiss pulled herself to the pool edge, placing her forehead against the chilled pool tile. She breathed at a slightly elevated pace, her focus on relaxing her heart rate.

It was only one lap. Calm down.

The clack of Goodwitch's heels echoed as she made her way over to Weiss, stopping before her, clipboard in hand.

"You were just under your time from last year. You should have no problem making Varsity once again."

Weiss opened her eyes and looked up to her coach, barely seeing past her well-endowed chest to her face.

"How much under?"

"Does it matter?" Goodwitch disputed.

To Weiss, the answer was 'of course'. Of course, it mattered. Weiss had set the two previous state records, once as a Freshman, and then the year after as a Sophmore. So, of course, it mattered, if she was to do it again.

She kept her words to herself. She wasn't going to fight the Coach on something as small as time. Weiss owed her enough from letting her practice before school, especially on the day of tryouts.

Pulling herself out of the pool, Weiss reached up and pulled off her swim cap. Her long white hair descending down her back. Coach Goodwitch held out a towel to her. Weiss, without looking up at her, took the towel from her and began to dry off her body, making her way over to the benches.

"I understand your frustration," Goodwitch began, turning towards Weiss, "but I don't want your focus to be on your record."

Sitting down on the bench, Weiss looked up at the walls of the gym. Hanging around the gymnasium were banners. Each dating victories for the school from the many swimmers and swim teams that won one for Remnant High School. As her eyes followed up the years, they ended on the two years prior. The banners were large and blue, with gold letters spelling out:

Weiss Schnee
50-Yard Freestyle
State Record Time
20xx

"You earned those banners, but I don't want them consuming you," Goodwitch continued, sitting beside Weiss.

Weiss turned her head slightly away, but she was still listening.

"I know, I'm your Coach. Why should you listen to me? But, I am also your teacher. Your Vice Principal. But, I am also your competition."

Weiss felt Goodwitch place her warm hand on her shoulder. Weiss turned to her but Goodwitch's eyes were elsewhere. Weiss followed her line of sight to a banner of her own.

Glynda Goodwitch
50-Yard Freestyle
State Record Time
xxxx

"I let that record consume me and I just don't want the same happening to you."

Weiss' eyes lowered.

"But you aren't me," she said softly, "you don't know how much that record means to me and what I could be."

Weiss pushed Goodwitch's hand away and stood up, folding her arms across her body and holding her sides, slightly hugging herself.

"You don't know what it means to the people around me," Weiss continued, "and what I have to do to make them proud."

"Weiss.."

But her pleading fell on deaf ears. Weiss headed quickly to the locker room, her still damp feet gently slapping against the tiled floor. She pushed her way through the door, the creak echoing throughout the gymnasium, along with the loud close of the door.

She moved to her locker, wet footprints followed. Weiss slipped the one-piece swimsuit off her shoulders and pulled it off her body, stepping out of it as it dropped to the floor. She opened her locker and grabbed her panties, hurriedly slipping them on.

She paused for a moment when her eyes met her own through her locker mirror. Her brows were furrowed and heat pulsed through her eyes. She was flustered, angry, but why? Coach Goodwitch was only trying to help. Like many other before.

It was obvious Weiss cared about what her father thought of her. Most of the time making decisions based on whether or not he would approve.

He was proud of her when she achieved that record. In her Freshman year, no less. And even more so when she did it again, beating the record she already made. She could still see how big his smile was. She could still feel how tightly he hugged her. It was the last time he did. Almost a year ago.

She would do anything to get that again.

Weiss quickly finished getting dressed and checked her phone.

6:38 am.

She still had time to get breakfast in the cafeteria before school starts. Maybe Blake and Yang were here as well. She didn't see them over the break and missed them so much. Weiss grabbed her bag and threw it over her shoulder, she then closed her locker and headed out of the locker room.