"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" Glynda asked Ozpin, not angry, but a little regretful. The physical gears in the headmaster's office whirred like the metaphorical ones in her mind as she processed what she had been told. Light fell on her from the window behind Ozpin, illuminating her as the events of days past were illuminating her thoughts.

"My apologies; I wanted to, but more important matters had come to light. If Roman Torchwick and the White Fang have truly allied with each other, and I confirmed that they have, Vale isn't safe. Vytal may not even be safe. For such a partnership to take place, something truly incredible must be at stake...and I don't mean this is a positive way. I spent most of yesterday trying to ascertain what the two may be plotting, and whether their partnership is truly of their own volition. The two hate each other; Roman has never thought highly of the faunus, and you surely know the White Fang's stance on humans, and allying with them. I have a bad feeling that someone else may be pulling their strings." Ozpin spoke calmly and apologetically; he usually told Glynda everything. She was his confidant, his second-in-command, and while he refrained from telling her as such, his first choice to take over his position as headmaster of Beacon Academy should he be unable to preform his duties for whatever reason. He truly did regret not informing her sooner, but had many other matters to attend to.

"I'm not angry, but I do wish you hadn't kept me in the dark. Ms. Schnee approached me yesterday with a request to change dorms. I have a good idea as to why," Glynda replied, her thoughts drifting to the heiress. She always had a soft spot for Weiss; she was the best student Glynda had seen in a while. She was patient, respectful, and always willing to learn. She preformed admirably in every undertaking; her attitude towards teachers was different from how she treated fellow students. And while she had a bad habit of insulting others with scathing words, she never went beyond that. She was far from a bully.

"As heiress to the Schnee Dust Company, she must have been placed under a good deal of stress and fear by the idea that she was a prime target of the White Fang. I imagine that she'd be reluctant to sleep in the same room as one who formerly stood amongst their ranks," Ozpin noted as if reading Glynda's mind.

"Considering her upbringing, I wouldn't be surprised if the argument she had with Ms. Belladonna was, in part, spurred by her own skewed views towards the faunus."

"Indeed," Ozpin said solemnly, seeming to be lost in thought. Glynda waited impatiently for a few seconds, expecting Ozpin to continue. She quickly realized that, as always, she'd have to push matters into the spotlight for Ozpin to take notice of them. Despite what some would foolishly believe, he was not omnipotent. He could only address so many problems at one time.

"Should we intervene?" She asked, blunt as always. It wasn't just in her words; her tone had a distinctive edge to it that suggested urgency. Glynda had a way of doing that, conveying what she thought through the sheer power of her voice. Even the distant and mysterious headmaster had to listen.

"We cannot solve every quarrel between the students. If you personally care for Ms. Schnee or Ms. Belladonna, however, I would encourage you to speak to whomever you feel most comfortable talking to," Ozpin replied seriously. He was being honest with her, she knew. He did care for the girls, or at least Blake. He had shown an interest in her ever since she arrived at the school. It was hard not to, given the odd circumstances regarding her entrance into Beacon. She had no family, only herself and her skills. And her skills were certainly undeniable. However, he understood which matters took priority and Glynda had to do so as well. She was not quite where he was; he had learned from painful experience to prioritize instinctively. Glynda still had to focus in order do so. She was a teacher, first and foremost, and her students were often her first concern.

"...Torchwick and the White Fang take precedence over a squabble. I suppose we'll have to let the matter resolve itself." Ozpin smiled sadly, nodding. Despite her prickly exterior, she had a kind heart. She was concerned for the students under her care, even if she came off as more strict than caring. She would truly be a more suitable candidate for his position.

"I apologize for involving you so deeply in my affairs, but...there are things I cannot do alone. I have tried, many times, and the results were less than satisfying. Perhaps Ms. Schnee and Ms. Belladonna will sort out this argument on their own."

"Perhaps. And Professor...I wish to be let in on all important information regarding my students from now on. I'm sure the other professors would feel the same," Glynda said as she walked out. Ozpin stared at her back as she exited his office, leaving him to briefly contemplate Blake and his colleagues. He would tell them about Torchwick and the White Fang. That would require him to mention her as well.

Weiss was not the only person on her team to isolate themselves, she noticed. As time passed, she realized that she was not alone. She avoided her team as much as possible, talking only to Ruby and Yang when she had to. Even when Blake was gone, she spoke to them only briefly, and their interactions were strained. When Blake was there, she said even less, and said nothing to Blake herself. She spent most of her time in the library or in training. As she wandered away from her team, hiding and sulking and studying, she saw another do the exact same thing. The library became a place she increasingly avoided; she had less trouble sitting with her team at lunch. Blake was gone most of the time, off doing who knows what. Weiss may have completely cut off contact from her former friend, but that didn't mean she didn't notice.

Where's Blake?

Weiss spent a few nights outside of her dorm, but Blake spent even more. She sat away from her team at lunch, and Weiss had worked her way closer to them. She never approached, however, hovering on the edge. She took to hiding behind the large figures of team CRDL, unperturbed by their tormenting of whichever faunus happened to sit nearby. Yet she never joined in.

Is she in the library again?

Blake often went to read or look up various things on the Scrolls available for use in the library. What she was trying to find out, Weiss didn't know, but one of her books was related to the White Fang. Weiss wondered what she was up to. Paranoia seeped into her mind, convincing her that Blake was planning something, yet she took no action. Weiss didn't truly believe it, not really. She knew, in some part of her mind, that her fears were just fears, nothing that existed in reality. Yet she clung to them, desperate for a reason to justify her increased sense of loneliness. Blake was keeping her away, keeping her afraid.

She didn't sleep last night.

Weiss sometimes saw her late at night, prowling the halls in the cover of darkness. She hid when she saw Blake; her fears were greatly increased at night. She had taken to keeping Myrtenaster close by when she slept. Night was when she was weakest and Blake was strongest; the faunus could see in the dark. It struck Weiss as a fitting ability for degenerates who lived in the shadows, a group of criminals who waited until they saw weakness to lash out with their claws. They were strongest in darkness; that was taken away when they were exposed to the light.

She hardly talks to us anymore!

Blake said almost as little to her teammates as Weiss did, and when she spoke it was often in a harsh voice. She seemed upset at Ruby and Yang for something, something Weiss didn't know about or care for. As far as she was concerned, Blake meant nothing to her. The name made her think only of the White Fang. At least, that's what she told herself.

"Suck it, sis! I win! Now gimme all your shit," Yang said triumphantly, towering over a large board full of pieces that meant nothing to Weiss. Ruby was sobbing across from her, pushing her pieces to Yang with great reluctance. Weiss instinctively wanted to shout at them to be quiet in the library, but didn't wish to draw attention to herself. Besides, there were very few people around, only team RWBY, JNPR, and a few other students.

"I...I will never forget you, brave soldiers..." Ruby cried, her head face down on the table. Blake, who sat next to both of them, was running her finger across her cards absentmindedly. Even when she had taken turns, Yang or Ruby had mostly moved for her. She had less interest in the game than even Weiss, and yet she was playing. Across from them, Jaune looked eagerly over at the board as Pyrrha pushed a textbook into his hands and pulled a comic out from under them, immediately reading it. Jaune looked at his new reading material with dismay, but buckled down and studied nonetheless. Nora was sleeping on her textbook, drooling all over it, and Ren was the only person who seemed interested in doing homework. Weiss had always liked him.

The game went on, continuing for a few more rounds. Weiss continued to observe, her face covered by a book she couldn't care less about. She sat slightly behind and across from her team, in the perfect position to watch them and nurse her strange sense of longing. However, a bookshelf partially blocked her view, so she failed to see two young men walk up to the table and begin to make conversation.

"What's going on, ladies? Trying to conquer Remnant?" Sun asked, looking excitedly at the board in front of him. Ruby, Yang and Blake had just stared a new game, and he was interested in playing. Jaune looked over with jealously, but Pyrrha was paying close attention to him despite seeming to be engrossed in the latest X-Ray and Vav comic. If he tried to leave, she would know and bring him back.

"Trying? I've just done it three times in a row," Yang said proudly, as everyone except for Blake waved to Sun and the fellow student beside him. He was an attractive boy with bright blue hair that was groomed to look as if it hadn't been, and goggles on his forehead that, on anyone else, would seem ridiculous. Somehow, he seemed impressive enough to pull the look off. He was quite eye-catching, even if one didn't find him attractive.

"Hello, Sun! Who's your friend?" Pyrrha asked, polite as always. The blue-haired student nodded at her in return, smiling brightly.

"This guy? He's Neptune. Just some loser I know," Sun replied in his usual flippant and joking manner. Neptune took it in stride.

"How flattering. Anyway, Sun and I have been friends since we were kids. We're even on a team, SSSN. It's nice to meet you guys. I've heard a lot about you all...particularly about you, Blake. Sun talked about you a lot," he said, looking directly at the cat faunus. She glared at him, her eyes narrowed in an unpleasant stare. She quickly turned back to her cards, leaving Neptune looking surprised. She had black circles under her eyes, almost as dark as her hair, and her eyes themselves seemed to stare holes into his head. It was as if she was staring past him and at some invisible object off in the distance.

"Uh...you okay?" He asked.

"I'm fine, and I'm leaving," she snapped, not looking at him. Everyone watched her go, and Ruby called out to her.

"Blake! Hey! We still have to beat Yang and take Remnant! I promise I'll let you win when we beat her!" She yelled frantically, getting up and walking after her friend. Yang looked at them go, her expression one of worry, but stayed nonetheless.

"She's putting herself under a lot of stress lately...she's worried about Torchwick and the White Fang. She was at the docks, after all. Blake saw firsthand what they were doing," she explained. While everyone knew that she had been present during the incident, along with Sun, they had no idea what had led her there or that she was really a faunus.

"...Damn. That's, uh...that sucks. Really," Sun muttered, turning back to see if Blake was still walking away. She was gone from sight, as was Ruby. They were both incredibly fast, even when walking. He wanted to go after them, but knew that he was never one for comforting. That required seriousness, and that was something he lacked.

"I hope she's alright," Neptune added, looking back briefly as Sun had.

"She will be," Yang said confidently, not talking solely about Blake. She hadn't seen Weiss at all today; despite her distance from the team, that was quite rare. For quite some time, she and Ruby had been sad. They had mourned the broken friendship of Blake and Weiss. Lately, however, they were beginning to feel less regret and more determination.

Sun, Yang, Ruby and Neptune had played a few rounds of Remnant: The Board Game after their brief talk, Jaune joining in for one. Much to Yang's frustration, Neptune won every match. Her risky strategy was falling to his calculated moves and affinity for planning ahead. Jaune also did quite well, although she managed to take him out of the game. Sun was horrible at the game, which was unsurprising to Yang, but he was also quite entertaining. When the fifth round started, everyone planning to topple Neptune however possible, the blue-haired young man announced that he was going to leave the game.

"It's been fun taking over Remnant four times, but I think I'm gonna go walk around, you know, take in Beacon and all that," he said. Sun laughed loudly, waking Nora and causing her to slap Ren in the face as her hands flew from the table and up in the air. He fell from his chair and onto the floor, leaving Nora wondering where he had gone. While Ruby and Yang's attentions were directed towards the comedic scene playing out at JNPR's table, Sun and Neptune kept talking.

"And by 'take in Beacon,' you mean prowl for hot girls, right?"

"Woah woah woah, dude, don't say 'prowl' ever again. It makes me sound like a total creep! And secondly, don't say 'hot girls' either. Say 'attractive young women.' It's classier."

"Yeah, because I care so much about class. I don't even button my damn shirt!" At this, Neptune's half-serious indignant scolding was replaced with a loud chuckle. He slapped his hand on Sun's shoulder affectionately, and used it to push himself up on his feet.

"True that. Anyway, are you coming with me? Just flash those abs and any girl's gonna be all over you," he said, his invitation genuine. Like most things, flirting was often more fun when done with his best friend.

"Nah, sorry. I'm gonna see how well I do at taking over Remnant without you killing us all."

"Suit yourself. See you later, then. Get a win for me." With that, Neptune walked off straight towards where Weiss was hidden.

Weiss heard every bit of the conversation. Mostly, it meant little to her. If he saw her, he was sure to come over. Boys, and sometimes girls, had a habit of coming over to her. They were interested in her wealth, her family name, and her near-perfect appearance. Never had they expressed interest in Weiss herself, and so she had rejected all who came up to her. Some, she could dissuade politely. Others awoke her ire, and were told off more harshly. Regardless, she had succeeded in making herself a cold and intimidating prospect in terms of possible romantic partners.

However, part of it also alarmed her. She didn't wish to make small talk for fear of revealing her team. Then, Neptune would ask why she wasn't with them and quite possibly drag her over. She didn't wish to endure that. So, she waited in stiff silence, not bothering to look over at Neptune as he walked by. She tried to bury her face as deep into her book as she possible could, hoping that she wouldn't be recognized. Such hopes were dashed quickly, however, as she heard footsteps grow closer to her.

"Excuse me, but would it be alright if I sat down?" Neptune asked, prompting Weiss to look at him. His appearance was nothing special to her; most people would see him as attractive, yet she had never quite thought about people's appearances in terms of attractiveness save for her own. It was only his bright blue hair and seemingly out-of-place goggles that caught her eye, and even then she didn't let her thoughts linger on them for long.

"I have no right to stop you," she acquiesced, indicating a seat across from her. She put down her book, took a small breath, and prepared for the irksome flirting.

"I'm sure you don't believe for a second that I don't know you, Weiss. Is it okay if I call you that?"

"Of course."

"Anyway, you caught my attention. I'm not ashamed to say that. You probably know just as well as I do that you're absolutely gorgeous. I'm guessing you put a lot of effort into how you look, being heiress to the Schnee Dust Company and all."

"Thank you." Weiss was wishing that Neptune would leave. Come to think of it, she was surprised that he hadn't stayed to woo Yang. She had a way of catching people's eyes, of drawing them to her. It wasn't just her appearance, but the confidence with which she carried herself. If Neptune was looking to flirt, and he certainly was, he had just walked away from his best option.

"Also...if you don't mind me saying, you were totally hiding behind that book. I'm drawn to people who hide." Weiss was hiding, more than Neptune could and probably would ever know. The remark hit her harder than she would have expected.

"Why might that be?" She found herself asking, a little more harshly than she had wanted. Neptune smiled wider, unperturbed by her increase in hostility.

"It makes for a mystery, and I do love the mysterious. I'd heard a little about you around Beacon, too. People call you 'Ice Queen.' They say that you're intimidating. Well, I think that the people who are the hardest to get to know are the most interesting when you finally talk to them."

"Excuse me?"

Weiss was taken aback, and not simply by what Neptune said. She had often thought about her own isolation. She'd been contemplating how she sat away from her team, alone. She missed them, although she found it hard to admit. She had no reason to go back to them. Blake was frequently absent now, more so than she was. Weiss could talk to Ruby and Yang, alone and unencumbered by the faunus' presence. She could figure out exactly how she felt about Blake, and whether her taciturn teammate scared her, angered her, or made her feel a different kind of emotion entirely. Yet she didn't. She never made a move. It felt so easy, to be alone. It came naturally, like slipping into a worn pair of shoes. It was much harder to try and reconcile with people she had left, repair friendships she had hurt. That would take effort and courage, the latter of which Weiss lacked.

Yet, here she sat, with a boy who seemed interested in her. Not just her name, or her appearance, or her wealth, but her. He wanted to see her as she was, no matter how many books she held in front of her. It wasn't romance she wanted; she had promised herself that she wouldn't even consider the prospect until she had figured out more important aspects of her life. It was the idea of companionship that entranced her, the chance to fill the absence that giving up Blake's friendship had left. She wouldn't have to be alone.

"Did I offend you in some way? Should I have just quit while I was ahead?" Neptune asked, sounding calm on the surface but internally, was a little nervous. He tried quite hard to seem desirable and appealing, to stand out from the other boys around him. He worried if he had done that too well, and he worried even more that his anxiety would cause his cool exterior to fade.

"N-no...no, not at all. I'm just surprised; most people aren't this forward," Weiss hurried to say, not wanting to lose her chance. Little else mattered to her now; she just wanted to rid herself of the painful loneliness that plagued her mind. If fixing what had been broken was too hard for her, perhaps she could start over with a new relationship. Anything, she thought, to stop being so alone. She had tasted real friendship, the love of having people who truly cared for her. She had given that up when Blake revealed what she really was. The betrayal stung her, the idea that she had been trusting a former member of the White Fang hurt her. It made her want to hide deeper than ever before, to protect herself from the pain and humiliation that came with having her trust shattered.

But ever since she'd felt the joy of trust and belonging, she found that the once powerful castle she had built around herself was collapsing. She couldn't go back to the way things were. It was strange to her, the feeling of such a strong need.

"Well, I'm glad to be unique. Anyway, let's start with the basics...well, the basics that I don't already know: what's your team?" Weiss sighed internally, wanting to lie, but knowing that it would only make for more questions should the truth be found out.

"RWBY. Yours?"

"SSSN. Anyway, if you're on team RWBY, why not join them?"

"I like to study, and they like to play board games. The two activities don't go well together," Weiss said simply, hoping that her reply would be enough for Neptune. It was.

"Well, I can't say I disagree. With preparations for the Vytal Festival, we're gonna have less time to study than ever. Best get it in while we can, huh?"

"Indeed." Weiss and Neptune talked for a little longer, their conversation mundane but enjoyable, when Sun called out to Neptune.

"Yo, Neptune! I'm heading out. You coming?" Neptune sighed and got up, still looking at Weiss.

"Well, my BFF calls and I must respond. It's been really nice talking to you. Sun likes hanging out with your team; I'm sure we'll be able to talk again soon. Although, I've gotta say...it's nice just hanging out one-on-one." Weiss had almost forgotten that Neptune was Sun's friend. That would present complications, she realized. It hadn't occurred to her, but she realized that her arguments with Blake might come to light, and if they did, Neptune might not be so willing to talk to her. Not if he found out that she detested the faunus, faunus like his best friend. It scared her, more than she wanted to admit, and she simply nodded at Neptune, managing to give him a small smile to make sure that he didn't sense something was wrong. He walked away, waving, and moved out of sight. Weiss, for her part, packed up her things and walked in the opposite direction.

She needed to walk, alone, with her excitement and fear. She had absolutely no idea how to deal with her emotions; she had rarely ever felt these particular ones before.

My heart cannot be turned to stone.

Chapter 3 is all done! While I really liked the first two chapters, I felt mixed about this one. I'm not sure how good the writing is or if I got across what I wanted to. I also realize that Weiss and Neptune's interaction was a hell of a lot different than in the show, but I wanted to give him some more depth as well as a deeper connection with Weiss. Through him, I'd like to reveal Weiss' new inability to deal with the loneliness she'd grown so accustomed to. I'd like to hear what any potential readers have to say, as always! Anyway, for next time, I feel like I should focus a little more on Blake, draw some more parallels between her and Weiss' situation, so I might do that. I can't quite say. I know how this story will end, but I need to work out the details.

Also, writing RWBY is rekindling my love for the series (and for the one and only Ice Queen, Weiss Schnee)! I might rewatch it again or something.