RWBY: Kindred Spirits

Chapter 9: A Much Needed Talk

So something about how I posted this chapter before didn't function correctly. I think it has to do with the fact that I'm using multiple editors to make the story look well, and sound well. A feature, for some reason, disappeared from Fanfiction's editor, and I had to use it in another editor. Turns out, Fanfiction didn't like that very much. It seems to have been a formatting problem. Thanks to user "Lone10" for pointing this out to me. I'm sorry that it has taken this long for me to change it. I promise the next chapter will arrive soon, I just realized that Vermont could end up very shallow or uninteresting, so I took some time off to gather inspiration in relation to his past, his relation to Blake and specifics about how Qrow helped him. It should be understood that Qrow wasn't with Vermont 24/7. He only visited him a couple of times a month in order to see how he was doing. The reason Qrow never told Ruby and Yang about Vermont will play a bigger role later. Now what I mention in the last upload of this chapter was that I had discovered that I might be dealing with a form of "mental disorder". Don't worry, I've got it under control. It's just that I will have periods where I properly won't upload that much, and as you might have noticed, I have been in such a period for a time now. My love for writing and developing these chapters will always be stronger than anything I'm dealing with right now.

TL;DR: I'm sorry.

Hope you enjoy.

The fight was about to start. Weiss readied her weapon, and the beast growled from within its cage. Vermont sensed something in Weiss's aura. Confidence. Maybe too much. Or just enough. The team was cheering her on.

"Gooo Weiss!" Exclaimed Yang as she fist-bumped the air. Blake had somehow managed to get a small flag that said RWBY on it and waved it back and forth proudly.

"Fight well." She said. Vermont then decided to chip in.

"Don't fuck it up!" It wasn't exactly very positive but it was what he had.

"Language." He could hear Weiss respond. Ruby had gotten all excited about the fight too. Well, of course. It was Ruby after all.

"Yeah! Represent team RWBY!" She called out. Apparently, the cheering wasn't exactly Weiss's cup of tea, as she sounded quite pissed when she turned to face Ruby.

"Ruby! I'm trying to focus." Said the heiress, the venomous tone of her voice quieting down her younger teammate. Vermont felt like she targeted Ruby there. She could just as well had been talking to anyone of them.

"Oh, sorry..." Ruby excused with an awkward smile.

"All right." Said Professor Port as he pulled out an axe. "Let the match... begin!" He then chopped down the lock of the cage. As soon as the door fell to the floor, the grimm, a boarbatusk, charged forward to attack Weiss. She nimbly dodged the creature of hate and swung at its side. Her blade connected with the bone armour of the boar, but it didn't take any damage. The creature drifted and faced Weiss once more, as she entered a combat-ready stance.

"haha!" The professor started. "Wasn't expecting that, were you?" She probably wasn't. Vermont on the other hand was. His aura connection allowed him to sense that it was a grimm, but his faunus ears made the connection to boarbatusks when they heard the sound. He truly was born with a strong natural perception. The beast charged forward, as did Weiss. She lunged at it, trying to stab it in its face. But the boarbatusk countered. It used its humongous tusks, as the name of the beast would suggest, to grab Weiss rapier. She struggled to get her weapon back. But her focus was lost.

"Weiss, show it who's boss!" Ruby cheered gaining the unwanted attention of her teammate. And as soon as Weiss lost focus, the monster threw her weapon to the other side of the arena. It then grunted and attacked Weiss with its tusks sending her to the ground.

"Ho ho... Now, what will you do without your weapon?" Asked the professor, in a very casual way, considering his student just lost her weapon, but Vermont picked up a small fragment of worry from his aura. He was ready to step in if needed. The monster charged at Weiss, but she managed to get to her feet and dodge. Impressive speed. The monster collided with one of the desks and sent a bit of splinter out around it, the force flipped the monster onto its back. This meant that Weiss had a window to make a run for her weapon. And with a slide to finish of her run, she grabbed the rapier and got ready to fight once more.

"Weiss! Go its belly." Ruby started again. "There's no armour undernea-"

"Stop telling me what to do!" Weiss interrupted, this time she sounded mad. Maybe the intensity of her fight got to her head. The monster roared. It then curled up into a ball, preparing an almighty charge. But Weiss didn't do anything. The monster let loose and fired towards her. She started waving her hands around a specific pattern. At this point, Vermont was invested. leaning over his desk to get a little closer to the action. His long ears perked up and towards the fight signalling his investment. Suddenly a huge round symbol appeared in front of her. Vermont didn't feel her aura being affected, meaning that this was definetly her semblance. It reminded him of his lack of one. The beast his the symbol and fell backwards and landed on its back. Weiss nimbly backflipped, her feet colliding with another symbol of hers. This one turned black and seemed to be holding her in mid-air. She then shot forward and her rapier pierced the beast's chest, the force dragging them a few feet forwards, and piercing the boarbatusk's heart. Weiss kept kneeling on the floor for a moment. She was exhausted.

"Bravo! Braa-vo!" Cheered professor port. "It appears we are indeed in the presence of a true huntress in training." The professor then said some closing remarks and dismissed the class. Vermont was focused on something different - the aural source of guilt one seat away from him. Ruby felt awful. She was just trying to live up the pressure of being a leader, but Weiss was struggling with the jealousy of her not being appointed leader. It wasn't, per se, a good combination. Weiss walked towards the door with heavy steps and a frown on her face.

"Sheesh, what's with her?" Jaune said from behind Vermont. All members of team RWBY, expect, well, Weiss, had different reactions. Ruby looked towards the door, still feeling extremely bad. Yang had a wondering expression her face, Blake looked towards her teammates, her face painted with worry.

"I'll talk to her," Vermont said. Blake was surprised.

"Umm... You sure about that?" She was trying to make him reconsider. "You know she isn't a big fan of you and your... heritage, right?" Vermont wiggled the long ears on his head proudly.

"These? I know. That's why I must talk to her. To prove her wrong, and show her that we aren't all bad." Vermont smiled at blake. Her amber eyes widened slightly. Vermont noticed this and started sensing her aura more closely. The pure feeling of her purple energy radiated in his mind and soul. He poked at it. Not physically of course. She was a bit surprised. Maybe doubtful. But most importantly, impressed and intrigued. A weird reaction for a human. But that could describe all of her aura. Weird for a human. Perhaps, had he dug deeper into her soul, he would have seen. He didn't though. She might have noticed if he did.

"You should go then. Find her and talk to her. We have the rest of the day off. Me, Yang and maybe Ruby are headed back to our dorm. If you need something, just come by." She told him. She was a lot friendlier towards him, compared to their first interaction. Vermont looked towards where Ruby had been sitting, but she had already gone after Weiss.

"Ozpin made a mistake." Her voice was cold. Vermont didn't hear the whole conversation, but at this point, he didn't need to. He turned a corner, and to his surprise, he found Ruby and the headmaster. Weiss had walked off.

"Now that didn't seem to go very well," Ozpin said in order to make his presence known.

"It's okay Ruby. I'll go talk to her." Vermont said as approached the pair. He walked up beside Ruby and looked up at the headmaster.

"Is she right?" Ruby asked, almost with tears in her eyes. "Did you make a mistake?" She looked towards the headmaster for an answer.

"That remains to be seen." He said with a slight smile. "As for you Mr Scale, I'd like for you to go talk with Ms Schnee."

"Of course." Vermont walked off the direction Weiss had gone, his emerald coloured coat waving as he turned down a corridor.

"What do you think of him?" Ozpin asked Ruby as he looked towards Vermont's last visible position.

"What do you mean?" She inquired.

"He has a certain presence to him, doesn't he? He will be a great huntsman one day. Have you noticed anything about him, Ms Rose?"

"Well, he's a faunus for starters. He's very kind. He is pretty good at knowing how people feel."

"Indeed. Anything about... his appearance."

"His eyes are... Wait why are you asking me this?" Ruby looked back up at the headmaster.

"No particular reason, Ms Rose, no particular reason."

She stood on a balcony. Her white hair waved in the wind. And Vermont approached her. She knew he was there, but she didn't want to talk to him. He sat down a bench near her. The sun was setting over the forest. After just being there for five minutes, Weiss was getting annoyed at him. If he was going to talk with her, then why didn't he talk!

"Are you going to say something?" She asked bitterly.

"Not really no." Vermont kept his eyes on the horizon. "I'm not here to talk. I'm here to listen."

"You're probably just going to tell me I don't deserve to be the leader."

"You got it all wrong Weiss." Vermont looked up at her. "You do deserve to be the leader, more than any other student."

"Then why am I not?!" She crossed her arms.

"Because you deserve to." He stated to her disbelief.

"That doesn't even remotely make any sen-" She was cut off

"Ozpin doesn't need someone who is a good leader. He needs someone who can become a good leader. Look, Weiss, right now, you aren't needed as a leader. You are needed as a teammate." Her aura was stirring with mistrust.

"And why should I trust some like you." She said coldly.

"Because right now, You shouldn't see me as a stranger. I know I'm a faunus, but more importantly, I'm your teammate, your friend. You should be a teammate too. The best teammate you can be." Vermont made eye contact with her. "Ruby needs you, Weiss. She needs support to boost her confidence as a leader. If you aren't going to support your own leader, then what kind of teammate would you be." Weiss just looked at him in deadpanned surprise.

"I-I guess you're right..." She looked towards the ground.

"Damn it!" Vermont stood up from the bench. "I said was only going to listen, and instead I almost had a monologue! Typical me..." Vermont turned around and went inside again. Weiss needed a short moment to think.

Ruby had been studying all night, but despite her best effort, and a whole lot of sugar, she had fallen asleep. But she felt a tap on her shoulder. She suddenly awoke to find Weiss waking her up. She tossed her pencil across the bed and spontaneously tried to get up

"Weiss! I-I was studying and then I fell asleep, I'm sorry." She had calmed herself down a bit more towards the end of the sentence. Weiss suddenly put a hand over Ruby's mouth and gestured to be quiet, for fear of Ruby waking the others up. She was right. If Yang's loud snoring wasn't a giveaway, her team, except Vermont, was sleeping in the room. Weiss looked to her right and saw that Ruby had been drinking coffee.

"How do you take your coffee?" She asked.

"Uh, I-I don-"

"Answer the question."

"Uhh! Cream and five sugars!" She blurted out after being interrupted. Weiss sighed. She could've guessed it was something like that...

"Don't move" Weiss ordered. She then disappeared under Ruby's top bunk and left Ruby to wonder. Weiss was being friendly. The heiress soon reappeared, holding a mug filled with coffee.

"Here." She stated.

"Uhm. Thanks, Weiss." Ruby said as she gave her teammate a genuine smile.

"Ruby. I think you have what it takes to be a great leader." Weiss suddenly said, apologizing. "Just know, that I am going to be the best teammate you'll ever have." Ruby smiled at her friend, happy to see her come around.

"Good luck studying," Weiss said as she went back to her bed, only to reemerge and say: "That's wrong by the way." She pointed at one of Ruby's notes. Then she disappeared, for good this time, but before she left she said one last thing - "Hey, Ruby. I always wanted bunk beds as a kid." Weiss closed the door and left Ruby to her own devices. Ruby felt proud. Her teammate was coming around. Maybe not to like her, but at least enough to support her. She would have to thank Vermont for speaking to her at some point.

That night Vermont kept thinking. He had been brought to beacon a year too early and very suddenly. Something had happened. And he was needed. But why? Why would a man like Ozpin need him so suddenly? And also, why did Qrow, not just save his life and bring him to Vale, but also train him and set him up with an education. What was so special about him? And why did he feel like he was being used?