"Morning everyone!" Ruby grinned as she waved, seated at a table in the dining hall with a bowl of cereal in front of her. The greeting was directed to her next door neighbors as Team JNPR sat down across from them.
"Hey Ruby, Weiss, Blake, Yang," Jaune said in return, placing his own food on the table as he took a seat. This was echoed by Pyrrha, Nora, and Ren as they all joined him to eat their own meals. There was a varied assortment to eat, cereal, fruits, meat, that sort of thing.
It had been a couple of weeks since school had begun, and Ruby was fairly satisfied with how it had gone. Blake was still relatively aloof and Weiss hadn't changed that much either, but at least they were gelling as a team now, much to her satisfaction.
And as they had grown together, Ruby liked to think that she had grown as well. She'd managed to catch up to Beacon's school material, and was now able to cope with Weiss better as well. Blake was more worrying, but as long as Yang was content then she wouldn't push too hard on that subject. For now anyway.
But now it was the weekend once more, and they could enjoy themselves free from the burden of school. Ruby was definitely looking forward to it, though she was currently managing to restrain her enthusiasm. It probably would not last as the day went on, but she could hardly be blamed for that. She was young, and free time was very valuable to her.
"Sleep well," Yang asked, taking a moment from eating as she looked across the table. Her rest had been well, but she said it more for the reaction she would get than for her actual curiosity and concern.
And the particular response she was seeking, she got. "Ooh, I had this great dream," Nora exclaimed, and without hesitation she launched right into recounting the tale. "It was a dark and stormy night..."
"It was daytime. And cloudy," Ren interjected, translating what Nora was saying for the group. It was the same old task, so the rest of them were used to it at this point. It did make for a funny duality as she exaggerated things and he made them mundane again.
And that lack of surprise made it easier for the rest of them, and allowed Ruby to tune out the story that Nora was telling. Instead, she looked across the table to her fellow team leader. "So, doing anything fun today?"
Jaune gave a nervous chuckle at that, glancing over to his partner as he answered. "Oh, you know, doing homework, sparring, stuff like that." Ruby knew that he'd been having some trouble from their conversations and his showings in class, but if he was getting a handle on it or getting help, then she wouldn't have any problem with that.
"Alright," she replied with a nod, picking up a spoonful of cereal. "Sounds like fun."
Weiss sighed, her efforts to impart proper etiquette to Ruby not working in spite of her best efforts. No one paid attention to her sullen complaint though as the conversation went on. "So what are you planning to do today," Pyrrha asked.
"Omm, we're going to Vawe," Ruby mumbled past her full mouth, attention fixed on the redhead and not her disapproving partner. It had been a recent decision for all of them, from this morning, but she didn't mind.
At that point Weiss interrupted to provide some explanation, lest the champion get the wrong idea. "There's a ship arriving from Vacuo with a few teams for the Vytal Festival. We're going to meet them when they get here."
"Cool. Maybe we should come with," Jaune offered. It seemed well intentioned, even if it also served as an excuse to get away from his work. At least to Ruby, but she was willing to allow the rest of his team to handle it, since they would rightfully have the most influence. She didn't mind either way really.
"Perhaps when we're done with all our other activities," Pyrrha replied, shutting him down for the moment. Well, it would save some people a bit of trouble, and it was probably a reasonable decision anyway.
Swallowing her latest mouthful of cereal, Ruby emphatically nodded in agreement with that statement. "Well hopefully we'll see you guys later then." She wouldn't rule out the possibility, given how long the day was. One could always hope.
"...so I cast him down and smashed the Grimm in the name of the Mad Queen!" Nora interrupted by sheer volume, rising from her seat to dramatically gesture to the ceiling as she took over the conversation once more.
Ren sighed as the story finished, providing his usual disclaimer to it. "Same dream as the last time." Really, it seemed that Yang was the only one who actively enjoyed Nora's exaggerated tales, not that that was too much of an issue.
"Oh yeah, did you ever hear from that Templar again," Ruby asked Nora, legitimately curious about this. She would admit that she was a bit jealous of the girl. She wished that she had had the opportunity for personal interaction with a Templar during Initiation. Lucky Nora.
Nora shook her head at that, energy undiminished. "Nope. But I'm sure she's busy fighting Grimm." That seemed like it would be true enough. Who knew when a Templar had free time in the first place? It definitely seemed like a busy job to have, so no contact was understandable.
The conversation shifted as Yang spoke up then, her focus directed to her fellow blond. "Cardin still giving you trouble?" That was another story they had heard, though it was not one that was static either. And she liked to keep informed and take care of her friends, which was why she was asking. There was no doubt in any of their minds on that fact.
The response came quickly on Jaune's part. "Nah, it's alright. Everything's working itself out." Admittedly Yang probably wouldn't have been needed anyway had it been the case what with Nora there to provide physical force, but it never hurt regardless.
"Alright. But if you ever need it just ask," Yang ceded, letting the matter lie. With how popular she was, it was hardly a question of her finding out if something did happen. And then things would probably become less than pleasant, at least for Cardin.
The conversation would drift on into idle chit chat, both teams discussing the activities they had planned and happenings around the school. This was quite the fruitful discussion, what with the resources of Weiss, Yang, and Pyrrha to draw on. Just another benefit to being popular, connected, and high society.
But it came to an end soon enough as Team RWBY finished their individual meals. "Well, see you guys later," Ruby said as she stood up and moved away from the table, to go put her empty tray near the trash. It had been a good breakfast, but now it was time to get moving.
"Bye," Jaune replied with a wave as the quartet filed out of the cafeteria. At that point the first stop was their room to collect some things before they headed down to the campus grounds so they could get on the airship to Vale.
Of course, when Ruby arrived she took her wallet, and made sure that Crescent Rose was with her. She was not about to go anywhere without it. "So Weiss, do you know when the ship is arriving?"
She looked expectantly to her partner, who also had picked up what she needed from their room. "They're supposed to make port in a half hour or so." Though with how shipping could be because of the Grimm, it could be a wildly wrong estimate. They wouldn't really know until it got there and they could see.
"I'm surprised you don't have a better idea of their current schedule," Blake noted aloud. It was also a seemingly reasonable claim, albeit a provocative one at the same time.
Weiss harrumphed, folding her arms as she shifted towards Blake. "Just because I'm the heiress to the Schnee Dust Company doesn't mean I can simply ring up some random ship to ask what their schedule is without a good reason. It would be irresponsible of me."
"It will save us time," Blake noted, but she didn't really push beyond that. For that Ruby was grateful, since the arguments between Blake and Weiss always seemed a bit worse, a bit more vicious than her own disagreements with the heiress.
Weiss was not as easy to let it go, if only out of some apparent desire to get the last word in. "I am not going to abuse my position like that. If you have something that you'd like to do, no one's making you come with."
Blake averted her gaze, still attempting to disengage from the conflict. "I don't," she admitted smoothly. That seemed to be it, as she looked over to Ruby for the team leader to move them on now that they were ready.
Taking it as a victory, Weiss rejoined the two, while Yang grabbed what she needed and did the same. Once they were gathered, Ruby shifted onto her tip toes as she pointed out the door. "Alright then, forward Team RWBY!"
The heiress rolled her eyes at that, but nonetheless the four team members left their dorm room to get on their way. It was a swift trip down to the landing site, where they boarded the airship to travel down to Vale.
The trip was fairly rapid, the airship loaded with people going down to the city for the weekend. Team RWBY might not be the only ones to go there, but it was a good guess that they were the only ones headed to this particular meeting. Well, one would assume anyway. But otherwise they were indistinguishable from everyone else there.
It was a casual trip like always. Once again the time was taken by chatting and discussing various topics, both amongst Team RWBY and with the other travelers. Team CFVY were also included in that number, and it was always fun to talk with the upperclassmen as they rode the ship down.
And that was what happened as Yang ended up speaking with Coco about clothes and boys as well as other things. Ruby ignored those more embarrassing topics as she waited anxiously for them to arrive. Besides the ship there would be plenty of time for shopping, and she was looking forward to that.
On the other hand, Blake held herself aloof, and Weiss also kept relatively to herself. So the journey would pass in quick minutes and they would soon arrive at their destination.
The airship came in for a landing, struts extending to settle them on the ground before the ramp dropped down. Once it had entirely made it to the ground the current occupants would exit out to the paved ground waiting for them. Team CFVY would depart on their own business while RWBY would gather now that they were here.
"So, straight to the docks," Yang asked as she looked towards her sister. She didn't really care either way, now that they were in town. She could have fun regardless of the decision.
"Yep," Ruby confirmed with a nod. If they only had a half hour or so then they couldn't really waste time. They still had to actually walk to the docks. But afterwards there would be time for more leisurely activities.
With that said and no complaints they headed off, leaving the landing zone and moving off into the city itself. It wasn't difficult to find their way, since they had been here before even if some of them hadn't lived here And getting to the docks was comparatively easy as well. All in all, they could handle it without difficulty.
The city itself was busy, as it tended to be on days like this. It was a weekend so people were out and about Vale, seeing the sights and moving with a lack of clear intent as they flowed along sidewalks. This was joined by the crowd from Beacon as well as travelers from other kingdoms, merely adding to the crowds. It wasn't the nightlife but it was hardly empty.
Ruby walked along with a spring in her step, simply enjoying herself at the moment. Their purpose here would not get in the way of that even if Ruby was not the most social person She just couldn't contain herself right now.
The same could be said for Yang as well. She walked with a smile on her face and a slight sway in her step, enjoying being out and about. If anyone had a problem with the crowds it was not her.
Even Weiss seemed a bit more eager, though she continued to walk with poise and grace, her head held high. It was no surprise, not for those who had gotten to know her through her cold and abrasive exterior. She had to keep up a good impression in the public eye, at least in her mind.
As for Blake, well, she was as calm as usual. For her approval at this activity, she didn't show any particular enthusiasm for it. Still, she didn't seem like she was going to leave either so it would have to be good enough.
"Maybe we should see a movie later," Yang noted as they walked past a theater at that exact moment. "I hear that time travel one is pretty good."
"No thanks," Weiss replied with a shake of her head as she glanced at the poster of the movie they were talking about. "The premise seems cliched, and I doubt it will be worth the money."
Yang grinned as she looked back at her teammate, ready for this argument. "Come on Princess," she countered with more than a hint of teasing. "How do you know you won't like it if you don't watch it? Besides, just because it's cliched doesn't mean it won't be good."
Still Weiss held firm, perhaps exacerbated by the use of the nickname that Yang liked to tease her with. "I have a fairly good idea of what I like, and I can always save myself some time by getting it after it comes out on video later."
The argument would go on as Weiss defended what she saw as 'high culture' and Yang fought against it, and Ruby only paid it a bit of attention as she led them along towards their destination. They passed down along a few more streets before something caught her eye, bringing her up short.
"Hey, what's that," she asked. That drew the attention of her team to what she was looking at, and they stopped as well. It seemed that this trip would be a bit more interesting than anticipated.
Down the street there was a section cordoned off around a storefront, with a cop car or two parked nearby. The storefront itself was in shambles, the large glass window shattered and shards sent onto the sidewalk. A couple cops milled about, examining the scene and interviewing witnesses as they went about their jobs.
"Looks like a robbery," Blake noted as they approached. That earned general agreement from the rest of the team, for they certainly couldn't argue against it. Indeed, Ruby was brought back to that attempted robbery she had been a part of a few weeks ago. Was this the same group?
Coming to a stop, the team watched the cops go about their business as the lawmen conversed with each other."That makes the third Dust shop this week," one commented, him taller and with black hair. "And the same pattern too. They only took Dust, no money."
"Yep," his partner confirmed, the both of them currently looking towards the store though they remained close enough to hear. "Who do you think did it?"
The cop shifted on his feet, glancing down at a notebook he held in his left hand. "Probably Torchwick. He's been pretty busy recently." That caught Ruby's attention, confirming her suspicions from before.
His partner would add to that with a shrug. "Him or the White Fang, I guess." At that point the team leader was eager to hear how they planned to take the thief down, if only for her own personal vendetta after he nearly blew her up.
"So, what do you think we should do about it?" Her anticipation grew as they began to discuss what she was wondering. It was sure to be interesting.
But her hopes were dashed in the end as the cop closed his notebook. "I think we don't get paid enough for this." And with that the two of them walked off out of conversation range, and leaving Ruby very dissatisfied.
Weiss harrumphed as she turned away from the scene, tilting her nose up as a general expression of her opinion. "I hope they bring them to justice soon," she proclaim, disdain laced in her tone. Considering her upbringing, it was hardly surprising.
"'They'?" Blake turned to examine Weiss with a critical eye. "What if it was Torchwick? You shouldn't leap to conclusions when we have no proof of who actually did it. The White Fang might not have been involved."
"What does it matter," Weiss asked as she shifted to face Blake, letting her hands drop down and rest on her hips. "Torchwick or the White Fang, they're all criminals that should be brought to justice for their crimes. That's just fact, not leaping to conclusions."
Yang shrugged as she glanced back towards the store. "Well, there's nothing we can do about this. I guess we should just let the authorities handle it."
"Yeah," Ruby agreed, though not without a bit of reluctance on her part. She did want to help out but she just didn't know how to go about it. She wasn't even sure where to start. So while she didn't like it, there was no choice but to let the cops handle it. Somehow.
It was enough for both Blake and Weiss to drop the issue, though the heiress did emit a sense of satisfaction with how things had ended. "Well, shall we be going?"
There was no disagreement and the group continued on their way. In spite of that they couldn't leave behind what had happened, though it festered out of sight. There was no real reason it should have, but it merely added to what had gone on thus far and the burden there.
But with that past them the trip was otherwise rapid. Stores shifted in flavor and tone as they neared the seashore, to reflect the new scenery. It was a nice change of pace, though ocean based Grimm could always be a worry. Here though, there was no fear of that.
At last they arrived at the docks, with ships and vessels offloading goods there as workers bustled about. Beyond the cargo ships themselves there were passenger vessels and more in wait. They were built with safety in mind, for they had to, and even then there were still some empty docks, though whether they were supposed to be occupied or not was another matter.
So Team RWBY walked on past the cargo ships to the passenger vessels, and moved down the rows as they searched for their destination. "Hey Weiss, what was the name of that ship again," Ruby asked as she led her team along on their walk.
"The Costa Ricosa," Weiss answered as her neck tilted slightly upwards in an effort to see the names on the ships. It wasn't hard, just time consuming.
Yang gestured to all the ships at that point as she followed behind her sister. "I don't suppose you know which dock it's at? Otherwise we might be here for a while."
At that point Weiss sighed, indicating that she was beginning to get annoyed by the questioning. "Dock 3," she replied before adding to it. "Was I the only person to bother looking up where we would be going?"
Yang shrugged in return, not exactly bothered by the possibility of any accusations that might come her way. "Well, this was your idea Ice Queen," she pointed out, as if that explained everything. Which it kinda did, if Ruby was honest.
And it did indeed get a reaction as the heiress indicated her displeasure with a slight increase in her step, forcing the rest of them to try and keep up with her in turn. "Really," she grumbled loudly, not hiding her feelings. "The lack of school spirit and pride, as well as kinship with your fellow Huntsmen, is appalling."
Ruby was about to answer that, but Blake managed to do so first. "She just wants to spy on the arriving teams for when we have to fight them in the festival," she noted. Even Ruby didn't have to try hard to find the silent judgment in that statement, which seemed primed to precipitate an argument between the two.
"What?! That is...That's besides the point!" Weiss sputtered indignantly as she waved off the accusation. "Whether we get something useful out of this is secondary to our duty to these teams to be good hosts and representatives of Beacon. That's all."
Ruby would admit, getting some extra information to begin early planning for the Vytal Festival would be nice. But she wasn't about to turn to subterfuge to get it. Well, not yet. "Yeah," she partially agreed. "We'll be fine without any help. Now let's go find that ship." She headed on with Weiss, intent on locating the dock and the ship.
Meanwhile, Yang fell back to converse with her partner. Understandably, her curiosity had been piqued by the conversation and she had no problem with inquiring further. "How did you know?"
Blake was nonchalant in her answer as she followed behind their team leader. "Common sense." She said that without looking at Yang, focused forwards. "She was raised to take over a business and part of that is getting as much information as you can to make decisions, even if the methods aren't particularly moral."
It was a conclusion that was cynical and yet also made sense at the same time. Especially with how wary Blake had been of Weiss thus far. "Was that it?" Yang had the suspicion that there was more to it.
But if there was, Blake was content to remain cryptically enigmatic. "You can hear all sorts of things when you're quiet and listen."
Yang gave a thumbs up in return, indicating her understanding. Certainly she was not one to underestimate the width and reach of the rumor mill. "Got it. Don't worry, I know a thing or two about that works."
"I know." Yang was hardly unfamiliar, and it was too simple to hear all sorts of rumors about her. The blond seemed to flaunt that and revel in the attention she stirred, which was hardly a surprise to anyone who knew her. And it seemed unlikely to change.
Their conversation was interrupted from the front as a voice called out. "Here we are," Weiss proclaimed as she gestured to the berth that they had arrived at. Past the wooden pier where the boat would dock and the concrete therein it rose slightly, before continuing on to visitor centers for arriving travelers. Just a regular port at that. Blake and Yang cut off what they were saying to each other as they hurried forward to join her.
At the moment the berth stood empty, but that would rapidly change due to the presence of the ship slowly pulling in from it's position nearby. It would take several minutes, but compared to the possibilities it was a short time to wait.
As time passed and the ship maneuvered in, Ruby found herself growing increasingly excited. She had to resist the urge to bounce on her heels, or to wring her hands, or sing, as she waited anxiously. She was looking forward to meeting the other teams, and seeing what weapons they had.
Eventually the ship managed to arrive, slowing to a stop inside it's prepared berth. At that point the quartet advanced forwards along with the rest in the small crowd, ready to meet the other teams. It had been long enough, but now at least they could get this over with.
Before they could reach the end of the pier though, a cry arose from on the ship itself, near where they were. "Get him!" "Stop right there!" That earned confused looks between the various team members before they sped up into a jog. Something was happening, and they wanted to find out what.
Drawing closer, they were able to see someone appear on the deck railing, a guy with sand blond hair eating a banana. He waved to someone else on the boat before jumping off the ship, using his tail to end up on a light post.
"Thanks for the ride," he called back jovially to the two men in suits who appeared where he had just been. "Catch you later!" And with that he began to jump away from the ship and the docks.
Naturally, the two crewmen were not happy about that fact. "Somebody get that stowaway," they yelled as the ramp on the boat began to lower to the pier. It definitely explained why he was running away so fast to everyone watching.
Now that left Ruby in a dilemma. They didn't have any responsibility to be involved, but they couldn't allow a criminal to escape if they had the ability to do something about it. And from the look of things it seemed that the Port Authority couldn't handle it as they were focused elsewhere.
In the end Weiss chose for them. "Well? Come on, we have to stop him," she said, before running off. And somehow that became the party decision, as everyone else ran after her. It seemed that the chase had begun.
That was how it lasted for a few few seconds or so, before Ruby mentally slapped herself. If she was going to do this then she wouldn't hold back. This stowaway was not going to escape, not if she had something to say about it.
With that decision made she activated her Semblance and rushed past everyone in a blur and a shot of rose petals. It might be going overboard, but she didn't care. This was just the easiest way to catch this guy, and nothing more.
Her surroundings flashed past in a blur, but for Ruby that was no problem, her eyes darting about as her reaction time rose as well as her ability to process what she was seeing. After all, it wasn't just her speed that got increased, but the things that would let her operate effectively at that speed. Thank goodness for Aura.
Sadly it seemed that the guy was more observant than she expected, as he noticed her coming up behind him then. And that seemed to motivate him to stay up and out of reach, understandably. It made things more annoying, but she didn't really want to break out Crescent Rose for this. It would be overkill and she wanted to avoid the property damage.
Still she pursued, seeking the opportunity to get up to him. Somehow. Eventually he would run out of space and have to come down or be trapped up there. And either way was fine by her.
Running as she was, she grinned as at last he hit the ground, and put on a burst of speed to catch up and clobber him. But in the process, she almost missed the banana peel as it was thrown down right in her path. She dodged, of course, but not far enough. Instead her foot clipped it and sent her spinning on the next step.
"Whaaaa-" A cry escaped as Ruby spun, feet kicked out from under her in that first step and sent tumbling as a result. Fortunately her Aura absorbed the damage as she rolled along the ground, but it was definitely a blow to her pride.
She was barely able to hear it over the obvious distractions, but she swore she could hear him apologizing before the Faunus ran on, barely taking any time to stop. Well then, the sentiment was appreciated all told, though she was a bit too battered to care.
"Oof!" Her tumble was abruptly terminated as she slammed into something, earning a groan as she sat facing upwards. Her head spun as she rested in place, wishing that the sky would stop turning soon. Well, that had been fun, but it was definitely not something that she wanted to repeat.
There was silence for a moment before whatever she had collided with spoke up. "Oh, are you alright?"
"I'm fine," Ruby groaned in return, her head still tilting to and fro as her eyes spun in slow circles. "Just a bit dizzy, that's all." Something of an understatement, but her condition was rapidly easing. She would be fine in a minute or so.
"Sensational!" That was...weird, in comparison to other things that could have been said, but she let it pass. Priorities and all. This person had acted as a brake after all, so they couldn't be too bad.
The spinning subsided to a gentle sway soon enough, and she was about ready to give a shot to sitting up if nothing else. But before she could do so she heard the sound of feet running up. Given the situation, it wasn't hard to guess who that was.
"Ruby, are you okay?" That voice was her sister, and Ruby braced herself for what would come next. Yet somehow it was bearable as the three emerged into her field of vision, the other members of her team looking down at her with varying degrees of concern in their expressions.
"I'm fine," she reiterated, before lurching into motion. With a grunt she got back to her feet and brushed herself off, pretending that it was nothing. "He tripped me, you know?"
At that Weiss scowled, gratitude for her team leaders safety hard in coming. "Now look," she complained as she gestured about. "He got away!"
For the moment Ruby ignored that fact, instead turning to the person who had helped her. What she found was...interesting. It was a girl, taller than her, with orange hair and green eyes to go with an odd dress. It wasn't anything in particular, but there was just something unsettling about the way she stood there looking at them all.
She proceeded on regardless though, since it was only fair. "Hey, uh, sorry for running into you," she apologized with a chagrined look. "I didn't mean to."
There was a pause before the girl answered her. "Do not worry," she answered Ruby, loudly. "I am unharmed."
"That's good." At that point Ruby took a step back to join the rest of her team. She considered what to do next, before opting for the simple choice. Introductions, specifically. "Well, I'm Ruby. It's nice to meet yah."
"Weiss," the heiress added indifferently as she caught on.
"Blake," the eponymous girl said, arms folded across her chest.
"And I'm Yang," the blond finished, waving like she was in some sort of commercial.
"Salutations!" The usual greeting was not what had been expected, certainly not by the four of them. But they merely exchanged glances and said nothing. "My name is Penny."
Ruby bowed, slightly, as she memorized the name. "It's a pleasure to meet you Penny." She wasn't sure if they would ever meet again, but there was nothing wrong with leaving a good impression when she had just met someone new.
Though she felt that, others in the group differed. Specifically Weiss, who stepped forward as she inquired of the girl in front of them. "I don't suppose you've seen the hoodlum we were chasing after just now, have you?"
Penny directed her attention to the heiress, blinking a couple times before she answered in apparent confusion. "I'm sorry. Who are you looking for?"
Weiss sighed, taking another step closer. "The monkey vagabond," she reiterated in a tired tone. "That Faunus lowlife from the ship that just docked, the one who tripped my partner here." She gestured back to Ruby at that, to say who exactly it was who had been tripped as if the girl she was talking to didn't know.
"I understand," Penny replied with a startling seriousness and a determined expression. But whatever hope that might have inspired, it was as abruptly smashed as it had been raised in the first place. "I did not see him."
Weiss grunted to herself before harrumphing definitively, shifting onto another leg as she grumbled. 'Wonderful." She then stepped back, letting Penny off the hook as she returned to ruminating on her problem.
"Well, we'd better be going then." Yang's comment was unexpected and yet not entirely unwelcome, given that it prevented the descent into awkward silence. And no one complained either, since they did have to get back to the boat to meet with those teams like they had said they would. It was what they had originally come for, and with the Faunus long gone there was no point in delaying.
Ruby waved as they turned and headed off, prepared to retrace their steps to the docks. "Goodbye friend," she called with a smile. That had ended relatively well.
So they went on their way, points of tension rising as Blake practically bristled in annoyance. This was directed at the oblivious heiress, yet the two sisters were able to pick up on it. Well then, this was going to end well.
"So, she was...interesting," Yang noted as she led the way, with Ruby making up the rear. And it was something she could agree with given her previous thoughts, much as she might not want to
"She was nice," Blake replying, belying the emotions that she might be feeling and yet suppressing through sheer will. Ruby was actually a bit envious of that ability.
Still, Weiss let her annoyance shine on. "I'm just disappointed that we couldn't find that piece of riffraff, even though we had someone with a speed-"
Her comment was interrupted by a cry from behind as Ruby was grabbed in mid step and spun about. "Eep!" She would admit that she was a bit scared as she found Penny there, staring intently at her and proving quite unnerving in the process.
"What did you say to me?" That was said in a serious tone, leaving Ruby worried that she had offended the girl. Which was something she definitely didn't want to do. And it seemed that the rest of her team wasn't about to help as they looked dumbfoundedly at what was going on.
So Ruby went into panic mode. "Me? I don't know, um, I'm not sure-" Better safe than sorry, right? Even if it was just because of that appearance rubbing her the wrong way.
Fortunately, or not, Penny elaborated as she leaned closer. "You called me friend. Am I really your friend?" Chalk that up on the list of odd questions today, as the interview happened in plain view on the sidewalk.
"Ummm," she had to think quick given the situation, and her team was of no help. Here she was on her own. "Yeah, sure. Why not?" There couldn't be any harm to it, right?
It seemed that that was the right answer as she was released, Penny stepped back as she smiled and gestured upwards with both arms. "Ha-hah, sen-sational!" Before anyone could stop her, she went on. "We can paint our nails, and try on clothes, and talk about cute boys, and..."
Ruby kept her attention on Penny as Weiss sidled up to her. "Was this what it was like when you met me," she asked nervously, things somehow making a lot more sense now.
After a moment, Weiss shook her head. "No. She seems far more important than you."
Since trying to dodge or avoid the person they were currently talking with had come to naught, Yang went with the alternative, hoping to placate her or change the subject. "So...what are you doing in town?"
It worked, as Penny shifted to look at Yang. "I'm here to fight in the tournament," she said matter of factly. Now that was interesting, mostly because she didn't seem to be the type that would be fighting anyone. By appearances anyway.
"Wait, you're competing in the tournament," Weiss asked incredulously. Ruby would admit that she was surprised too, but she wasn't as vocal about it.
Penny nodded, giving off a one armed salute which was very out of place. "I'm combat ready," she proclaimed, and Ruby wasn't sure whether to believe her. Still, if she was competing then it was probably true.
And, finding something that offered a common interest, the team leader pursued it. "That's nice," she commented. "What weapon do you use?"
"Oh, I cannot say," Penny replied, shaking her head slightly and after a delay, almost like it was an afterthought. "Father said to not show anyone until the tournament starts."
Leaving whatever that meant aside and Ruby's disappointment, Weiss spoke up as she moved on to a different topic. "So you're not from Vale then?" Hardly unusual if that turned out to be the case. And if she had only arrived recently that made it easier to figure out where she was from.
Or she could simply say it. "Nope. I'm from Atlas." Well, that was one way. It was also hardly odd, and certainly what Weiss would have guessed. But then again she was from Atlas so she was biased.
"And you're sure you didn't see the Faunus from the boat," Weiss reiterated, returning to that old topic. It was all Ruby could do to wave and attempt to subtly indicate that this might just be a bad idea, but if the heiress saw she didn't do anything to change her course.
"I am positive," Penny reaffirmed. She seemed indifferent to the whole affair, but that was unremarkable when one took everything into consideration.
Then, what Ruby worried about happened as Blake moved from behind Penny to face her teammate. "Can you give it a rest? He's long gone by now. And why do you care so much anyway?"
Weiss directed her attention from Penny to Blake, defenses rising when faced with the attack. It would have been hard to expect otherwise. "Well excuse me for caring about law and order," she answered indignantly. "Stowing away is a crime, and that lowlife should be held accountable."
Ruby blinked, breath catching in a nervous chuckle. This was...she wasn't sure how to deal with this just now. "You make it sound like he killed someone," Blake pointed out. "We have no details as to why he did what he did. There could have been a good reason."
"It doesn't matter," Weiss retorted. "If we let this sort of thing go unpunished, who knows what might happen? Besides, he'll probably just end up with those White Fang trash anyways."
At that Blake snapped, and Ruby braced for the storm that came following it. "Can you stop saying that? Stop calling him trash, or vagabond, or a hoodlum. He's a person."
"I'm sorry," Weiss shot back. "Would you prefer for me to stop calling a lamp post a lamp post, or a trash can a trash can? Using a different name isn't going to change the fact that they're criminals and terrorists."
Things only escalated from there, as Ruby watched the flames roar higher. "Stop it! Those are generalizations and you know it. I would expect the head of a major business to be more tolerant."
"I am tolerant. But you can't deny that Faunus groups like the White Fang aren't exactly going out of their way to prove me wrong, now are they? Or should I point out the robberies, kidnappings, and murders they commit."
"They only do that because they've been forced to by ignorant brats like you, who can't see past what's in front of your face."
"Hey! I'll have you know that I'm very well informed on a variety of subjects. People don't change, and I expect that it won't be any different for that ruffian we were chasing. It's just a matter of time."
"Ugh!" At that Blake threw her hands up and marched away, apparently disengaging from this argument. But things had gone too far to simply be left to hang like that with all the baggage that had accrued. They were in this now.
And Weiss pursued as part of that. "Hey, don't walk away from me. I am your teammate."
"What you are is a-"
Ruby and Yang sighed as they stood next to each other, watching the scene as the two argued. "This is not going to be fun," Yang noted, and Ruby could only nod in agreement. No it was not.
The group had arrived back in their dorm room much more disunified than they had left it. The argument had continued onwards, only stopped momentarily as they met the teams from the boat, and even then the enmity between the two was obvious. And it had pretty much immediately resumed once that was over.
Now they were back in their room, and Yang and Ruby had settled down next to each other as they watched the argument, still at a loss for what to do. Interfering seemed like it would make things worse, but if it went on like this who knew how long it would last. It didn't look like they would burn themselves out any time soon.
"So you DO agree with me," Weiss said with some triumph in her tone, uncaring to that fact that she and Blake were probably audible from beyond this room itself. She was on the offensive and it would stay that way.
"That's not what I meant and you know it. Don't go interpreting facts to suit your own agenda." Even the most taciturn of them was getting into this, an unusual change of pace.
Weiss sighed then, shaking her head as she rested on her bunk, across from where Blake sat. "I don't understand why this is causing you such a problem? It's the truth. Deal with it."
"That is the problem," Blake returned. "Blind ignorance and stupidity are what is ruining Vale."
Weiss rose from her seat, advancing slowly as Ruby and Yang watched, with the former still uncertain if she should act somehow. "Yes, let's talk about ignorance. You realize you're defending an organization that quite explicitly hates humanity, don't you? Bombings, killings, threats, the Faunus of the White Fang are pure evil."
"There's no such thing as 'pure evil'," Blake retorted as she rose from her seat in turn "Why do you think they hate humanity so much? It's because of people like Cardin, and people like you that forced the White Fang to take such drastic measures. Or do you want me to list all the examples of peaceful demonstrations broken up by human supremacists, racial violence, or the way Faunus are treated by YOUR company?"
"People like me?"
"You're discriminatory!"
"I'm a victim!" The sheer offense and disbelief, was palpable in the air as the two edged even closer, and Ruby slowly reached for Crescent Rose on the off chance that it got physical. And it seemed all too likely to at this point.
With a temporary silence caused by that outburst, Weiss went on. "Do you want to know why I despise the White Fang? Why I don't particularly trust the Faunus?" Slowly she paced about, moving to the window, and Ruby relaxed a bit more.
"It's because they've been at war with my family for years. War, as in actual violence and bloodshed. My grandfather's company has had a target painted on it's back for as long as I can remember. I've watched family and friends disappear. Board members executed, trains and warehouses ransacked and burned to the ground. They even tried to abduct me and my sister for ransom. And every day my father would come home furious. It didn't exactly make for an easy childhood. So you'll forgive me if I don't feel any shred of sympathy for a bunch of liars, thieves, and murderous psychopaths."
….Well then, Ruby frowned, sympathy going out to Weiss at that moment. It certainly couldn't have been easy, and she couldn't imagine having to deal with that sort of thing on her own. "I'm sorry," she mumbled, as if it could help.
Yet the other girl was still having none of it. "And what about the Faunus, living in poverty and being discriminated against? Does how you've been treated justify that, when they only acted against an injustice being committed against them in the first place?"
"Yes," Weiss answered brusquely. "I am NOT going to go cry myself to sleep over what happens to that terrorist group, and I suggest you do the same. They've chosen their path, and as far as I'm concerned they'll get whatever coming to them. Even if it means arresting and hunting down everyone in that group."
"But that's not going to solve anything! Especially as long as bigotry and prejudice exists amongst the human population. What about all the innocent people that would get swept up in something like that. You can't tell me you're okay with that."
Weiss harrumphed, folding her arms as she turned her nose up at the very notion. "That's what they get for being associated with those criminals. They should have known better."
"And attitudes like that are why we had to do something!"
Dead silence fell, the rest of Team RWBY staring at Blake as she slowly backed away from Weiss with wide eyes, who was doing the same in turn. No one said anything, as they all took in what had just been said, and the implications of it. It had been a mere slip of the tongue, but even Ruby knew that things would never be the same.
"I, uh, I..." Blake began before she bolted, making a quick dash before she jumped out the open window, the quickest way to the ground.
"Wait!" Ruby called as she rushed after Blake, only to watch as their teammate ran along the grounds, away from the building and not once looking back. Ruby watched for a moment or so before looking back at the rest of her team, Weiss angry, Yang concerned, before she shook her head. For the moment, at least, Blake was gone. And there was nothing they could do about it.