Written several months ago, it's finally time for my very own TKD AU (TaeKwonDo AU)! As most of you may know, I've been doing TKD for over 10 years now, so why not do a RWBY-fied spin off and share some of what I know in the process? :3
Just know there are a LOT of elements to any martial art. Therefore, there's a lot to cover in this fic. A lot. And I'll gladly admit I don't feel my writing of it was very good, because there are a lot of characters and a lot of information to cover.
All of this stuff makes sense to me, because I'm basing it off of my own school's teachings and style. But for people who have never done a martial art before, I understand this is going to be pretty confusing and hard to follow. So if it's too difficult to understand or get into, just turn the other cheek from it.
The story focuses mainly on the four girls of team RWBY, but JNPR, CRDL, and CRME are in here as well. For this AU, there will be no Grimm, but there are Faunus.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: The first part of the story will be backgrounds and descriptions of the current students. But then it will rewind to the time Ruby sees Yang's first test. After that, it will jump back into current time. Watch for the *** marks.
A special thanks to fareon-the-wanderer! I hope you enjoy this story!
Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.
Colorful Spirits
Chapter 1. The First Step
Master Ozpin's Taekwondo school was the only martial arts school in the town of Vale, and the only studio within surrounding towns.
Because of the convenient location of the building, combined with the excess of youths with little better to do with their time than look into such things, his business was booming to say the very least.
When he'd first opened the school with his vast expanse of knowledge in martial arts, he had hired some old friends as fellow teachers and instructors there. In his younger years of being a martial arts student himself, he had trained alongside Glynda, Peter, and Bartholomew. They had been together for well over thirty years, even after their own school's master had closed down their beloved childhood dojang and retired.
But the determined quartet hadn't simply given up on their training after that. Through hard work and the support of their family and fellows, they had saved up and raised enough money to eventually move and open a school of their own.
Now, their goal was to give those fond memories to a new generations of children, to allow them to form their own bonds and relationships with one another, as well as other students from foreign schools.
It was time to share what they had learned of the martial arts spirit with new, eager faces, to engrave their teachings into the very souls of their students, and to watch them progress, succeed, and grow along the way.
In the first month after opening, Ozpin's school had received a formidable number of students willing to try out the martial art.
Of the group of eleven, four students stood out to him above the others.
One was a Faunus girl named Velvet. Initially, she had appeared to be timid and reserved, but along with the support and encouragement of her friends and teachers, he could tell she would soon blossom into a patient, lively addition to his school.
Coco was another girl he'd watched closely; her confidence wasn't enough that it could be considered arrogance, but it was just enough to allow her to assist others in their training as well.
While Velvet preferred the slower-paced motions and movements of the forms, Coco liked to spar and kick, moving at fast paces and utilizing her surprising strength for a fifteen-year-old.
There was also a boy named Yatsuhashi, a tall, soft-spoken lad who followed after Velvet in the preference of forms. When the class was asked to choose partners for self-defense, Yatsuhashi and Velvet always ran to one another before any of the other students could get to them.
They had an unspoken chemistry and communicated more through their body language than through words. Whenever they performed the self-defense motions of take-downs or practiced striking the other, there was always a notable flow to their motions, a mutual understanding of how the other's body worked and moved best.
They were a gentle pair, but very strong in both mind and body.
Coco tended to select anyone available as her partner when she needed to, but there was a particular boy she partnered up with above all others.
His name was Fox, and Ozpin and his staff had known instantly the second he had signed up for classes that he was blind. The boy had had to instruct Coco to fill out his forms and had signed them himself with an uncertain hand. Ozpin had welcomed him with open arms, determined to boost his confidence in the craft, refusing to turn him down for what other schools might have considered a disability.
Right away, Fox had demonstrated incomparable poise and grace, unlike any student Ozpin himself had ever trained with before. He had a precise kick more so than a powerful one, which meant his breaking techniques were second to none in the school.
When holding a board for Fox, the instructor – be it Peter, Bartholomew, Glynda, or Ozpin himself – would ring a small bell just above the board to allow Fox to picture its location in his mind. Every hit was perfect and never failed to make the gathered crowds of students and family members burst into cheers.
When the four of them progressed and were old enough and of-rank to spar, Coco and Fox typically paired up. After giving the sparring classes a few trial runs, Velvet and Yatsuhashi decided it wasn't for them, but still attended the classes on the sidelines to support their companions.
Over the course of two years, Ozpin and his staff watched many students come and go as his business flourished, but only those four had stuck with him from opening day until now.
Naturally, there was a bond that formed between those students and the staff, which included but wasn't limited to playful teasing or making examples out of them for new students.
Ozpin was sure to let them show off to new arrivals, always ensuring Velvet and Yatsuhashi could demonstrate their forms and how well they stayed together in performing. Coco and Fox were always asked to demonstrate kicks and breaking techniques.
At present, they were only at the rank of orange belts, and all of them just fifteen years old. They had gone through all of their belt tests together and achieved each newer, higher rank as a team.
Just a few days after their testing day, the four walked onto the dojang in their white uniforms, proudly adorning bright new orange belts around their waists. They bowed to the displayed flags on the wall upon entering the studio, bare feet padding softly on the cushioned white floor.
Velvet was still giddy and excited as she looked over her new belt, and she constantly adjusted it to ensure each side was the same, even length.
The four of them were the highest-ranked students in the new school at the moment, and had been attending classes for just over a year. Ozpin and his staff had just celebrated their one-year anniversary of opening the school a few weeks ago, and since Velvet and her friends had joined, the school had received several new students.
In the class of orange belt students, there were also several yellow belts. There were currently no white belts, due to a lack of students enrolling for a few weeks. But a new beginning wave of ten students who had joined the no-belt class made it a fairly good number.
Once Ozpin had taken attendance, the class started with a short jog of several laps around the room as the speakers were turned on to produce modern, energizing, remixed music.
After a few minutes of warm-up jogging, they saluted and bowed to the flags, master, and instructors before beginning class.
Glynda - in her humble white uniform and contrasting black belt - took her place at the front of the dojang and led the usual stretching routine, starting with upper body and working her way down. The students followed her instructions and let out their voices to count the usual ten seconds to hold each stretch.
After stretches, it was fifteen or so minutes of kicking drills and exercise routines. Each student had their own exercise of preference, or just one they were particularly good at.
For Yatsuhashi it was push-ups, for Velvet it was anything that involved jumping or hurdles, for Fox it was sit-ups, and for Coco it was squats – mainly because those didn't involve messing up her hair or ruffling her uniform too much.
Presently, they trained with the few yellow belt students in class, among them were two boys whose names were Scarlet and Sage. They tended to keep together since they had started training at the same time.
Ozpin watched as his students trained together; this group was full of hard workers.
But his white belts were a bit of a rowdy bunch.
Cardin and his three friends had enrolled in the school together. Ozpin could instantly tell they had a lot to learn in terms of respect and discipline, and he intended to teach it to them.
Aside from the boys, there was a pair of girls in the white-belt class as well.
Blake, a young Faunus girl, was a hardworking girl. She was second to none in efficiency and grace when it came to her form. Despite the fact that it was one of the most basic - and therefore one of the easiest forms the school's curriculum had to offer - Blake could perform it in a way that made her appear to be almost professional.
Blake had joined classes together with her close friend Yang, a rambunctious though not destructive blonde who excelled with her basic kicking. Or at least she tried to. She wanted to be the best kicker in Ozpin's school, and with that goal in mind, she was working hard to get off to a good start to achieve that one day.
The no-belt students included two boys named Sun and Neptune, who seemed to have been brought into the sport by Scarlet and Sage at the age of thirteen. They were two of four of the students who had joined the school in the time after the most recent belt test. This ensured that group had trained longer than the rest, and would consequently test ahead of them.
Along with Sun and Neptune in the more advanced group of the no-belts, there were two female students as well.
There was a reserved, determined girl named Weiss. She was highly respectful and always put out her best efforts in all that she did. She was rather composed for her age, and tended to keep to herself. She only interacted with the instructors or one other red-haired girl in her level.
Pyrrha was the last of that group of four. She'd actually joined a few days before Sun and Neptune, and thus was the most learned of their little quartet of higher no-belts.
She was an admirable young girl, wise beyond her years, and she excelled in self-defense techniques as well as learning and being able to recite the mental knowledge. Within only the first few days of receiving her papers as a no-belt, she had memorized the mental curriculum almost perfectly.
For a few months, those four were the only no-belts, but after a time, a new group entered their classes, expanding their circle of friends.
Pyrrha often assisted the blond boy named Jaune who was nothing short of clumsy with just about anything and everything he did. Pyrrha knew she'd eventually split into the white belt class with Weiss, Sun, and Neptune and leave Jaune in the no-belt class.
But for now, she helped him out with his training. He was always tripping over himself or someone else, always forgetting his basic hand technique, and he had wobbly kicks. But what stood out about him more than anyone else was his inability to give up.
There was also Nora, a hyperactive girl whose energy levels were ideal for the sport. She excelled in her powerful kicking, and though she could do with a bit more thinking before she acted, the staff could tell she would develop into a fine sparrer when she was experienced enough.
Her companion Ren was a mellow boy who excelled in his basic form, never letting up his stances and demonstrating an impressive amount of self control for a boy his age.
Ren mirrored Blake in his natural fluency in his forms. Being a no-belt, he trained in the same class as Blake, who often worked together with him.
The no-belts and white belts trained together in the same class under Glynda and Peter, while Ozpin and Bartholomew typically handled the higher-ranking students.
But even outside of their forty-five minute classes, the students helped one another when they could.
These were children who weren't simply classmates in martial arts, but good friends off the dojang mats as well. The majority of them were helpful to one another and always strived to do their best to better themselves and others.
Such were the kind of morals Ozpin taught at his school and searched for in his students.
He had certainly gotten an interesting group in his first year of opening his school, that much was for sure.
Ever since her older sister had started attending taekwondo lessons with her friend, Ruby's interest in the activity had increased substantially.
Their father always drove Yang to her classes twice a week and would pick up Blake as well. It just seemed like so much fun, to be able to participate in a sport not connected to their high school, one with its own schedules and classes that allowed people to choose what days they wished to attend.
Yang was always coming home telling stories of the things she'd learned that day, showing off her hand techniques to Ruby and their parents or demonstrating a kick or two in the living room. Ruby watched in amazement every time, gawking in admiration.
"Yang, you're so coooool!" she'd say.
"I know, I know," was the response. "Master Ozpin is a really great guy! And Head Instructor Goodwitch is kinda bossy, but she's great at what she does! She just taught me my self-defense technique today! Here, lemme show you!"
She'd had Ruby grab her wrist and quickly escaped the hold with an efficient twist that rendered her little sister speechless.
Yang's bragging about what she'd learned every day was certainly a big part of what had sparked Ruby's interest in the sport.
But the main event was when her parents had driven her over to the dojang to witness Yang's first belt test.
The studio alone captivated Ruby the first time she saw it.
It was spacious and colorful, with various words like "honesty," "respect" and "indomitable spirit" printed on the walls. There were also creeds and other paragraphs of mental knowledge. Looking up, she recognized some of the words as ones Yang had been practicing at home for the past few weeks in preparation for her test.
Ruby also glimpsed the other students.
There were some kids with orange belts and some with yellow belts, all of them dressed in the traditional white uniform and pants with black collars. They were practicing with some adults who wore similar clothes, but who had black belts.
Ruby marveled at those. She had watched official sports competitions before and seen black belt students in action. She bet that these people could do awesome spinning and jumping kicks, too.
She really wanted to see it, but even more than that, she wanted to learn for herself.
As the test began, she sat on the sidelines of the studio and watched Yang, dressed in her white uniform with no belt secured around her waist. Together with Blake and several other no-belts, they began their test.
The woman Ruby knew as Glynda was in charge of leading the test, whereas the man she knew to be Master Ozpin was sitting at the front of the room at a large table to observe. He seemed to be judging the people who were testing today, always writing things down on papers and asking them specific questions.
Ruby watched eagerly with her parents as Yang completed the first few parts of the test alongside Blake.
First were the hand techniques Yang had shown Ruby at home multiple times, and next was a short combination of kicks, followed by the wrist-grab self-defense techniques.
But next was where Yang choked up a bit.
The people testing were asked by Glynda to kneel down, and Ozpin asked them to recite several different bits of mental knowledge.
Yang had studied – Ruby had helped her with that much – but the blonde simply froze up. Her jaw hung slack and trembling as her mind went blank under pressure, and the only voice in the room was Blake's quiet one.
Even the Faunus girl stumbled over a few parts, but at least she'd said something, unlike Yang.
Ozpin had simply given a nod as he'd told them to stand and continue with the last part of their test.
They needed to break a board of wood with a specific technique, the one for no-belts being a simple punch. Blake broke hers in half on the first try.
And Yang shattered hers into six separate pieces.
The crowds of supporters, friends, and family members burst into cheers for her.
After that, Yang gave her wood pieces to her sister. She gave her mother and father brief hugs, then opened her arms for Ruby. The brunette threw herself at Yang and wished her sister luck for the ending of the test.
After that, Ruby sat with the wood pieces, holding them in her lap eagerly as she watched the final part of the test.
Yang stood beside Blake and her other classmates as Ozpin rose from his seat and presented them with their new belts. Glynda and the other two instructors tied the belts onto the students' waists.
Despite her mishap with reciting the mental knowledge, Yang was standing tall and proud at this point.
The moment she felt Glynda slip that brand new white belt around her waist and tie it in the front...
It was an indescribable feeling, more than just accomplishment or pride. It was proof of this crucial beginning step, proof that she'd made it this far and earned it.
It wasn't a feeling she'd ever forget.
Ruby could see that sparkle in her big sister's eyes, and she could only wonder what it felt like. She wanted to experience that, too.
Along with their belts, Yang and Blake also received small trophies for achieving their first rank. Once the test was officially over, they stayed behind for a group picture of the students with the staff. The parents and relatives all stood and gathered to take photos.
When they were finished, Ozpin proudly announced the test was over and dismissed the students.
At last, Yang ran across the room to her family and hugged all three of them at once. Her parents patted her head and congratulated her as Ruby squeezed her sister in a tight hug.
Blake had gone to her own parents, shining with a subtle air of joy, her ears perked tall and a smile on her face as she presented her trophy. They smiled back and pulled her into their arms.
Yang charged over to her next and hugged the Faunus girl, spinning her around once before setting her down again. "We did it!" she cheered. "We got our first belts, Blake!"
"I'm aware," she chuckled. "Now we'll learn a whole new set of curriculum together starting next week. I can't wait!"
"Yeah! It's gonna be awesome!"
The two families decided to go out together for supper that evening. Yang and Blake changed out of their uniforms in the girls' changing rooms behind the dojang, and together the families headed outside.
Ruby could only marvel at the school as they walked out, and her eyes flashed over to meet the master's gaze. He smiled at her from behind his glasses, and Ruby couldn't help but feel that it was more of an invitation. His eyes seemed to say: "I'll see you again soon."
So Ruby discussed it with her family that night, after they'd gotten home and parted ways with the Belladonna family. She told them how much of an interest she'd taken to taekwondo since Yang had started lessons and asked if she could train alongside her sister.
Her parents were thrilled to hear she wanted to try out the sport, but had to refuse her.
"I'm sorry, Ruby," her mother said gently. "But just for a few more months. We're a bit tight on money right now, so we can't pay for your lessons right away. Can you wait just a little while longer?"
Ruby only continued to smile.
"Yeah! That's okay! Of course! Even if I have to wait, I can still do it though, right?"
"Of course," her father promised.
"Yaaaayy! Thank you, thank yooouu!" Ruby threw her arms around them both, and Yang patted her back.
"Until you start, I can train you in all the no-belt curriculum! So when you get to class, you'll already know everything!"
"Ehhh but then I'll be so boooored!" Ruby whined. "Besides, you'd probably teach it wrong, Yang. I wanna learn from Head Instructor Goodwitch. She's so cool!"
"Hey, I'm cool too!" Yang protested.
The two sisters engaged in a squabble of noogies and grapples for a while, laughing all the while.
From then on, their father drove Ruby, Yang, and Blake to taekwondo classes, even though all Ruby did was watch the others train. Yang, Blake, and their fellow white belts started learning their new curriculum.
Their other classmates were a group of boys who seemed rather bored with everything, always acting out or disrupting the class. Glynda had to stop repeatedly to give them push-ups or pull them aside to speak with them privately. Ruby didn't like them. She couldn't focus on the class, and she wasn't even taking it!
Once the class had ended, Yang and Blake changed out of their uniforms in the back, then returned to Ruby and her father.
"Geez..." the brunette muttered. "Are those guys always like that?"
"Yes, unfortunately..." Blake muttered. "I thought maybe they'd quit after getting their white belts, but I guess they're still here."
"Master Ozpin must've given them a thousand push-ups in their first month here," Yang growled. "But those dumb boys don't ever learn. I think we should change our days and start coming some other time. Even if we still have to test with them in a few months, I don't wanna be in every class with those troublemakers."
On the car ride back, Yang and Ruby's father discussed changing their class days. He stopped the car at Blake's house and dropped her off, and that was when Yang brought up her real issue with Cardin and his friends.
"They're always making fun of Blake," she grumbled. "Since day one they've been saying stuff like 'Faunus can't do martial arts! You're not even human! Go play your own stupid sport!' and crap like that! She got really upset one day and just sat in the changing room crying and didn't even take class! I don't want to have to keep going to class on the same days as them! I wanna have fun training with Blake!"
Her frustrations were soon pacified by her understanding father, and he agreed to change their schedule so they could attend class on different days than the rowdy boys. Ruby was glad for that; when she started training, she didn't want to be anywhere near them.
The next time Yang tested for a belt - her yellow belt - Ruby was on the sidelines again.
But this would be the last time, because next time, she'd be on the dojang with her sister.
The orange belts were actually testing as well, and Ruby eagerly observed the peculiar group as Glynda led their test. Ruby had learned their names by now, and she was astounded to see what they were capable of.
The rabbit Faunus Velvet and her friend Yatsuhashi were very good with their form, while Coco was kicking far above her head and even above Glynda's for their kicking techniques. But most impressive of all was the blind boy Fox when he performed his breaking.
Ruby watched as the room fell instantly silent. Instructor Port was holding the board for Fox, ringing a small bell just above the wood. Fox positioned himself in a crouch before giving a short yell, and with a swift jump into the air, his foot flashed out and broke the board cleanly in half.
The audience erupted in cheers, and Ruby even jumped up from where she'd been sitting on the floor, clapping enthusiastically. She caught Coco's eye, and the older girl smirked and winked at her. Ruby grinned and sat back down.
The orange belt group moved up to receive their green belts, and the two boys Scarlet and Sage went from yellow to orange.
Blake and Yang tested along with Cardin and his friends. Yang frowned when Blake was called up and told to stand in the spot beside Cardin, but the Faunus girl was focused on her test, not her tormentor.
They performed their basic hand techniques, followed by their kicking techniques. The instructors held hand targets for them to kick, and the students showed off the basic front-snap, roundhouse, and ax kicks.
Ruby watched them all, and was amused to see how every person had one specific kick they seemed to be best at.
For Blake, it was ax kick, and for Yang it was definitely roundhouse, even though most people her level found difficulties with that kick.
But the boys didn't even try – all of their kicks looked the same, kind of purposefully sloppy.
But maybe that's for the best, Ruby thought. They're just making Yang and Blake look even better!
For their self-defense, Yang was relieved that she was chosen to be Blake's partner. It usually worked out that way since it was best to pair up people of similar height and sex whenever possible, but sometimes during class, Blake had inevitably ended up with Cardin or one of the other boys for one reason or another.
She hated being touched by them, and they always squeezed her wrist unnecessarily hard. And whenever it was Blake's turn to attack, Cardin always ended up actually hitting her with his counterattack, rather than stopping a few inches short of making contact like they were supposed to.
But now, Blake and Yang worked infinitely better with one another, never grabbing too hard or hitting one another, even by accident.
Had Cardin been just another bully at school for Blake, she was permitted to use her self-defense if he ever physically attacked her first. But it was difficult when her tormentor was a martial artist as well, and was even taking classes in the studio where she came to feel safe.
Even so, she vowed to become stronger in both mind and body, until the day could arrive when she didn't need to flinch upon seeing him anymore.
Yang was determined to help her get there, and she'd do whatever it took.
Blake completed the physical portions of the test without having to touch or look at Cardin or his lackeys. She did well with reciting the mental knowledge as well – in fact, she was the only one who did.
Yang knew it, but she couldn't remember anymore, and ended up just mumbling incoherent things. She bit her lip and didn't look up. This was the second time it had happened during her tests; she didn't want to keep humiliating herself like this.
Ruby sighed as she was forced to watch her sister struggle. She knew Yang had these things memorized – she'd heard her recite everything in the car and in her room. But the pressure of being watched and graded simply got to her again.
Even so, when the test finished up with their board breaking, Yang broke hers on the first try, using an ax kick this time. Blake also aimed perfectly, while the boys needed to redo their breaks a few times.
Finally, they were presented with their yellow belts by the instructors and master.
Yang and Blake ran to their families and hugged them again, adorning new medals with yellow ribbons around their necks. Ruby jumped into her sister's lap the moment she sat down on the floor beside her.
They decided to stick around for the final test - the new, current no-belts who were getting their white belts today.
The next time there was a belt test, it would be Ruby standing up there.
The thought excited her to no end, and she had to bite her tongue to keep from squealing as the people testing were called to their spots on the mat.
There were four no-belts wearing the usual white, long-sleeved uniform and pants, two boys and two girls. The tallest boy had blue hair, and the shorter one had spiky blonde hair and a Faunus tail. Ruby noticed how Sage and Scarlet were cheering them on, and they kept grinning at one another. Glynda called their names as Neptune and Sun.
One of the girls had long red hair tied into a ponytail, and her smile was bright and confident. She looked very pleased to have made it to her first test, and she was called Pyrrha.
But Ruby was most intrigued by the other girl.
Her hair was also tied into a ponytail, but it was snow-white in color. There was a small pink scar over her left eye. She seemed refined, confident, and very, very serious about her test today.
Glynda called her Weiss.
All the while, and as soon as they began, the girl never cracked a smile or looked over at her parents, as most testing students tended to do.
Rather than sit along the sidelines of the dojang's matted floor like other families, Ruby saw that this girl's father and presumably and elder sister were seated on the carpeted area on two of the chairs there. The man looked stern and unmoved, eyes fixated on his daughter.
Sun and Neptune would flash smiles at their friends and family, but Weiss kept her gaze directly ahead, never once taking her eyes off of Glynda or Ozpin.
Ruby watched the two girls and boys go through the same routine Yang and Blake had gone through a few months back.
Sun was best at the hand technique, making every motion fast and powerful.
Neptune kicked the highest of the four of them, though Weiss was definitely straining to do her best as well.
They were partnered up for their self-defense, and though the others performed it correctly, Pyrrha was the fastest and most precise.
Throughout the test, Ruby managed to catch all of their gazes at least once, all except for Weiss. She didn't even look back at her own father and sister.
Ruby didn't know why she was so drawn to that white-haired girl; maybe it was because she seemed to be taking this test as though it were a life-or-death situation. She didn't seem to be having a lot of fun.
When it came time for the mental knowledge portion, Weiss raised her voice louder than every one of her classmates. She recited everything perfectly, word-for-word, her voice clear and enunciating.
Every question Ozpin asked her was answered swiftly and respectfully, with a confident gaze and a straightforward tone. He nodded approvingly at Weiss in particular.
Her kicks and forms might not have been perfect, but her mental knowledge was second to none.
Ruby knew by now that of all the curriculum taught and practiced at the school, the mental knowledge was what students tended to neglect. But even as a no-belt, Weiss had recited and answered everything perfectly, better than Blake or even Yatsuhashi.
Ruby was really impressed. Everyone was.
The breaking portion was up next. The technique for no-belts was a downward punch.
Sun broke first, making quick work of splitting the board, as did Neptune.
Pyrrha also made it look rather easy; despite the fact that the board was an inch thick, she was rather well-muscled and coordinated for a fourteen-year-old girl.
But when it came Weiss' turn to break, her first hit didn't split the board. Her shout cut off into a bitten-back whimper, but she did her best not to show the pain in her expression.
Yang and Blake both winced at the sound it made.
"Ouch..." Blake muttered. "That really hurts. Especially on your hand."
"But she's not giving up," Yang added. "That's what's most important."
Ruby's eyes flashed to Weiss, who had bowed to Ozpin respectfully.
"Sir! May I please try again?" she requested.
Ozpin nodded calmly.
"Of course. That was just a warm-up, I'm sure."
Ruby watched as Weiss took a deep breath. Ruby's eyes quickly flashed back to the other girl's father. He looked angry that Weiss hadn't broken the board on her first try.
Geez, give her a chance! Ruby shouted in her mind. She's just a no-belt! Even the higher ranks miss their boards sometimes!
After her second shout, Weiss tried her punch once more. This time, she broke through the board, splitting it cleanly in half.
Pyrrha was the first to cheer for her before the rest of the crowd could begin, but Ruby was sure to join in shortly afterward. She couldn't help but look to Weiss' father again, but he wasn't even smiling, let alone clapping.
Yang peeked over her shoulder to look at the man as well.
"Geez, what a hard-ass."
"Yang!"
"Well he is!" she whispered. "This stuffs not easy for someone our age, especially not a kid who's under so much pressure from her grouchy dad like she is."
"Still..." Ruby said. "It's like you said. It's best that she didn't give up. I'm glad she broke her board."
After breaking, the students were supposed to present their broken boards to their parents, and Weiss was doing that now.
She was sweating a bit from all the effort and energy she'd spent during her test, and Ruby watched her rush over to where her father and sister were sitting.
Sun, Neptune, and Pyrrha were all hugged and congratulated by their parents and siblings, but not Weiss. Her father didn't touch her breaking board or say a word to her. Weiss left him and her sister and hurried back to the dojang to be awarded her first belt and trophy.
Once everyone had been given their new belts, Ozpin called for a group photo of all the students who had tested that day.
Yang and Blake got up to show off their medals and colored belts, alongside the new white, yellow, orange, and now green belts.
Coco and her friends were still the highest-ranked students in the school, and Ruby couldn't wait to start training under them next week. But she wouldn't be in class with the color belts, only other no-belts and white belts.
Since she knew she'd soon be classmates with them, Ruby made sure to say hello to Sun, Neptune, and Pyrrha. They were all very nice to her, saying things like "Awesome! See you around, Ruby!" and "See ya next week in class!" and "I look forward to training with you!" respectively.
But when she went up to Weiss, the girl had turned her back already and was making her way toward the changing room. Ruby hurried after her.
"H-Hey, um, Weiss?"
The girl froze at the sound of her name, turning back to look at Ruby with calculating eyes.
"Who are you?" she demanded.
"Oh, right! My name's Ruby! I'm Yang's sister, and I'm gonna be starting classes here next week! I'm so excited! I can't wait! Even if you're a rank above me, we're gonna be in the same class!"
"Wonderful..." Weiss sighed. It didn't sound convincing at all.
Ruby tried to maintain her smile.
"I just wanted to say I think you did really great today!"
Weiss huffed and looked away.
"No I didn't. I missed my breaking. Everyone knows it's best to get it on the first try."
"But you still broke it! What's important is that you never gave up! And you were really respectful when you asked to try again. Not to mention you were so good with the mental knowledge stuff!"
Weiss' eyes widened just a bit, and her gaze slowly moved back up to Ruby's. It was the first time the younger girl realized just how brilliantly blue they were.
Weiss' voice grew quieter.
"You may say that..." she mumbled. "But to my father, I failed today."
"No you didn't!" Ruby protested. "That's just silly! If you failed, then you wouldn't be wearing your white belt right now! You wouldn't be holding that trophy in your hand! You trained hard to pass today and you did! You deserve it!"
Weiss held her gaze for a moment, surprised to be hearing such things from a girl who was clearly younger and less experienced than herself.
"Maybe..." she muttered.
"Not 'maybe'! It's the truth, Weiss!"
"Alright!" Weiss hissed. "Just hush! It's fine... maybe I do deserve it..."
"That's right! Of course you do! You worked hard for it! So don't give up! I'll be in class with you next week!"
"...You're really going to join?"
"Yeah! I was gonna join a few months ago but we didn't have the money at the time, but now we do! So I'm starting next week! I'll see you then! Maybe you can help me and Yang with all the mental stuff. That's kinda hard for us..."
Weiss was silent for a moment, as though considering the suggestion. At last, she gave a small nod, and even the faintest of smiles.
"So long as you don't distract me too much from my own training, I'd be more than willing to help."
"Really? That's great! Thank you, Weiss! See you next week!"
With a wave, Ruby hurried off back into the dojang to return to her family.
She didn't know it at the time, but she'd helped Weiss in more ways than one that day, and she'd be seeing a lot more of her in the future.
As promised, Ruby started classes at Ozpin's school the following week.
She received her white uniform and tried it on immediately, so excited she forgot to close the door to the changing room. Blake had to rush to shut it for her before Ruby started changing out of her clothes.
Yang helped her adjust the uniform and roll up the ends of her sleeves and pants.
Once she was ready to wait at the edge of the dojang for class to begin, Ruby made sure to bow to Ozpin and all of the instructors in greeting. There were other no-belts there as well who would be Ruby's classmates.
There was a blond boy named Jaune who seemed exceedingly nervous, even though he'd already been taking classes for a while. Together with him was a girl named Nora and another boy named Ren.
Pyrrha, Sun, and Neptune were preparing for their combined class as well. Pyrrha was briefing Jaune and giving him little tidbits of advice for some of his curriculum. Nora was repeatedly butting in on the conversation while Ren listened quietly, keeping his eyes on Glynda and waiting for her to invite them all onto the dojang. Sun and Neptune were practicing their kicks and stretches together.
But Ruby found herself alone.
Blake and Yang were there, as were the green and orange belts, but they were waiting together in groups for their own class to start after this one.
Ruby's eyes naturally traveled to the last person present, the one who wasn't talking to others or stretching.
Weiss was kneeling properly at the edge of the dojang, back straight and eyes forward as she waited for the command to come inside. With a grin, Ruby crawled over to sit beside her.
"Hi, Weiss!"
The girl flashed her an unamused, sidelong glance.
"Hush. Class is about to begin."
"Oh! Right! Sorry~"
She knelt beside Weiss and waited for the order to stand and come inside.
They started with jogging around the dojang, followed by some basic exercises like jumping-jacks and push-ups. Then it was kicking and punching drills.
Ruby observed her classmates and their techniques. Sun and Neptune had the strongest punches, though Weiss' were nothing to laugh at either. Ruby tried to copy the other girl, tightening her fist as she walked up to the target Instructor Port was holding out for her. With a short yell, Ruby threw her first punch, hitting the target right in the center.
"Excellent!" Port laughed. "You've got quite a good swing on you, my dear girl!"
"Really? You think so? Thanks!" Ruby said. Weiss grunted behind her, and Ruby quickly corrected herself. "Oh! I mean, thank you, sir!" she said, bowing.
When she returned back to the line, Weiss was already talking to her.
"You dunce!" she snapped. "Don't put your thumb on the inside! You'll break it! Honestly..." She grabbed Ruby's hand and pressed the girl's fingers into a fist, making a point to fold her thumb on the outside. "Now when you hold your arm, put your elbow behind your fist, not underneath it. Aim with your first two knuckles."
She instructed Ruby as the other students punched and moved up the line. When it was Ruby's turn again, she threw the new punch that Weiss had helped her make and gave a shout. Instructor Port laughed out loud.
"Even better, my girl! You're learning quickly! Good job!"
Ruby's lips curved up into a bright, beaming smile.
"Thanks, Weiss!" she grinned to the girl.
"It still needs work," Weiss mumbled. "But not bad, Ruby."
That had been the first time Weiss had ever said her name.
The rest of the class seemed to fly by: they went over basic kicks and their hand motions, and before Ruby knew it, it was time for the higher ranks' class.
She retreated to the changing room with Pyrrha, Nora, and Weiss to shed their uniforms, wishing them all goodbye and promising to see them again in their next class.
Ruby bowed and said goodbye to Ozpin and the staff before taking a seat beside her father as Yang's class began. She gushed to him about everything she'd learned, forgetting that he'd been there to watch her do all of it.
She was surprised when she felt someone sit down beside her, and Ruby quickly turned around.
Weiss was there, dressed in casual clothes now instead of her uniform. Ruby excitedly scooched her chair closer to the girl.
"Hey! You're not going home?" she wondered.
"...My father's not here yet to pick me up. So I might as well watch the class. Learn something."
The fact was that there were ten or so free chairs around them, and Weiss had chosen to sit beside Ruby. The brunette couldn't keep the smile off her face.
She sat beside Weiss as they observed the color belts' class, catching glimpses of their own future curriculum.
A few minutes later, Weiss reached into her pocket and extracted her phone. She stood and said goodbye to Ruby.
"I'll... see you next time in class."
Ruby grinned and nodded.
"See you then!"
She watched Weiss go before directing her attention back to Blake and Yang's class.
After almost half a year of waiting, Ruby had finally begun her taekwondo lessons beside her sister. She'd made some new friends – more than she'd made in school that year, that was for sure – and she'd learned so much just in her first class alone.
This was a commitment Ruby wanted to keep to for a long time, and she'd known that much from the start.
And this really was just the beginning.
She couldn't wait to discover whatever was to come of joining Ozpin's school, be it good, bad, or anything in between.
A/N: Phew! So I know that was a lot of stuff rushed into one chapter, but I needed to get it all out of the way so the next one isn't as dull and unfocused.
Clearing up some confusion! Originally, the no-belt group consisted of Sun, Neptune, Pyrrha, Weiss, Jaune, Ren, and Nora. But as happens in real TKD schools, students who join and train first get to test first, while the others have to wait a few more months to test. In this case, Sun, Neptune, Pyrrha, and Weiss go to advance to the white belt test, but Jaune, Ren, and Nora have to wait till the next one. So Ruby will join them as a no-belt now.
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