What's this? Have the stars aligned? Did the total price of everything you were buying at the grocery store end up a series of sequential numbers that made you shiver, in a good way? Did a band you never ever thought were ever going to get back together ever, get back together? Perhaps you finally got a SSR in the gacha game of your choosing?
No? What...? It's just another chapter of Just A Few Pointers? Oh, my bad. Yeesh, how underwhelming.
Beta: Knight of Cerberus
"So... "yes, but I can't actually tell you without giving you even more spoilers", right?"
"Of course, for those of you eager to learn more about the failures that brought about the end of such an ambitious project, I would gladly answer any questions you might have."
Pyrrha idly ran her tongue across her upper lip, wetting it as she rested her chin in her hand. Doctor Oobleck's eyes scanned the expanded class, searching for a raised hand or someone about to speak.
Rather than the typical history lecture they would normally have, students from all the academies around Remnant were present. She saw not only Haven students, but the crisp uniforms of Atlas, and a couple of girls Pyrrha assumed were from Shade towards the back of the room.
Perhaps it was the presence of the foreign students, but no one seemed willing to bite the professor's hook today. Even Oobleck seemed taken aback as he looked over the students once more.
Another result of the mixed class was that not a single Beacon student was in their usual seat. The lecture hall was packed, students sitting shoulder to shoulder. The redhead didn't see anyone who was normally in the class aside from Blake, who was a few rows further down than usual.
She hadn't been able to find Jaune.
Well, because the class' attendance wasn't being tracked today, it was expected there would be a few students missing. She just hoped Jaune would have said whether he was showing up or not.
The girl turned her head from left to right, checking once more. Pyrrha sighed in defeat as she didn't see a single blond in Beacon's uniform that looked anything like Jaune, shifting her gaze to the clock as the seconds passed.
"Very well. Typically, I keep my classes until the very last second, but I have no doubt our guests want to see everything Beacon has to offer. Beacon students! Do not forget about the paper due three classes from today. Dismissed."
The clamor that followed Oobleck's dismissal was deafening. The unfamiliar students that had sat next to Pyrrha left in a hurry, thankfully, and the redhead smiled to herself as she gathered her things. If they knew who she was – which was likely – they hadn't really said anything to her. For that, she was grateful.
The last thing Pyrrha wanted was people trying to talk to her and risk incurring Oobleck's wrath – even if he did seem a little more lenient today.
"Hey, can we talk for a bit?"
The redhead frowned to herself as she shuffled her pencils into the small pouch she had. Maybe they were coming back? "I'm sorry, I-"
Pyrrha blinked, before turning towards the boy standing next to her. Jaune's smile was slightly crooked, and his hair was more of a mess than usual.
"Oh, Jaune!"
"Oh me?" The blond boy crossed his arms with smiling eyes, leaning forwards a bit. "Class was packed today, wasn't it?"
"Yes, it was." Pyrrha scratched her neck, looking up at her partner. "I didn't think you were here, actually."
Jaune jerked his thumb over his shoulder, towards the door. "I was closer to the back and that one huge guy was in my way. Serves me right for showing up so late, but at least I could still hear Doctor Oobleck even if I couldn't see him."
"Right." Giving Jaune her agreement, Pyrrha tilted her head. "You wanted to chat?"
"Unless you're busy? You sounded like you had somewhere to be."
Pyrrha shook her head immediately. "No. I'm free."
With a pleased nod, Jaune turned his back to Pyrrha, and started to lead her out of the room.
"What's this about?" Pyrrha stepped up beside the blond the moment they were through the door. He'd been coming to her for questions on things that usually stumped him in class, so maybe something from the lecture had him interested.
"Actually, I was hoping we could talk in private? There's a nice spot in the..."
Turning her eyes to Jaune for the briefest of moments, Pyrrha nearly missed the frown that spread across his face.
Jaune cleared his throat. "Let's go to the roof. I don't really want anyone listening in."
"Of course." Pyrrha agreed.
As Jaune led her up the steps, Pyrrha pursed her lips, wondering what this could be about. There were plenty of possibilities, but one stood out and quickly became her sole focus:
Was this it? Was he going to ask her to the dance?
The muscles on the sides of her neck tightened and her shoulders bunched up as the sheer thought of it crossed her mind. Pyrrha had no idea where Jaune had disappeared to earlier in the day. Had he gone to talk to Weiss? Had things between them fallen apart?
Her heels clicked against the steps, and she stopped for but a moment, closing her eyes shut.
Pyrrha knew it wasn't right for her to think that way. Even so, her heart and mind both raced. Her imagination bloomed and steadily ran away from her.
The teen took a breath, and continued climbing. Jaune held the door for her, and she stepped past with a soft smile. A breeze brushed past, and Pyrrha could see the trees in the distance cheering her on ever so slightly.
The redhead turned and tossed her hair over her shoulder, smoothing out her skirt.
"What's this about, Jaune?"
The rooftop access closed with a click of the door's latch, and Jaune turned to her with a somber expression.
"It's Weiss." He admitted, reaching up to scratch the back of his head. "I still don't know what to do about her, and no matter how much I think about it, I just can't find the right words."
"The right words?" Pyrrha wondered aloud, nearly under her breath. She shook her head quickly, staring at Jaune. "You still haven't talked to her?"
Pyrrha was the last person to know what Weiss might want – or even what her own partner was feeling – but for Jaune and her to have not even talked since whatever happened? That didn't sound good at all.
"It's not like I can just," Jaune waved his hand in a somewhat circular motion, "go and talk to her, you know? We didn't part on good terms last."
All Pyrrha could do was nod softly. "You've been waiting for her to cool down, right?"
"Yeah, but now I'm worried if I'll be going to her too soon, or if she's completely over what happened, or even-"
A loud sigh parted Pyrrha's lips, and Jaune stopped mid-sentence. His eyes met hers.
"I think you just need to talk to her." Pyrrha started, looking to the side. Her eyes settled on an air-conditioning unit, and she fixed her eyes to it as she hummed. She didn't have a straight answer for Jaune, but if he was serious about this – about Weiss – then she'd help him as well as she could. "Did you talk to her teammates? They should know whether she's cooled off or not."
"Blake said something like it being the worst she'd been since what happened at the docks."
Pyrrha's teeth were clenched behind her lips as she watched Jaune's eyes angle down to the roof's tiles. She remembered the last time she'd talked to Jaune about that incident.
"Maybe just talking to you again is what she needs?"
Pyrrha's suggestion hung in the air as Jaune seemed to consider it. The boy slowly shook his head.
"How though?"
The redhead was as lost as he was, but she stepped towards him. "You're not going to know until you try."
"Yeah, but how do I even..." Jaune trailed off as Pyrrha continued to move closer. The blond looked away, backing into the wall behind him. "Do I say sorry? Do I pretend nothing even happened?"
Pyrrha smiled to herself bitterly as she turned and settled her back against the wall as well. "Definitely don't pretend nothing happened. Weiss or no, I think anyone would be angry if you just walked up with a smile after a big fight and so long apart."
Jaune chuckled, which caught Pyrrha by surprise. "Yeah, I see your point."
"As for apologizing, I think it's more important you know what made Weiss mad." Pyrrha blinked as she considered the alternative. "Or maybe you can let her know what you were mad about yourself?"
"Ah, it wasn't like that, it was-" Jaune drew in a large breath, and let it out steadily. "-It was something stupid, and I was stressed out about it. Said some things I shouldn't have I guess."
Pyrrha tilted her head forward, leaning to look up into Jaune's face as he hung his head. "Do you remember what you said?"
"For the most part."
The redhead straightened out, bouncing on the balls of her feet as she looked skyward. Really, she was projecting here – imagining what she'd want to hear, or what she'd want Jaune to do if she was in Weiss' shoes.
"I think she would want you to have realized what she was angry about. Maybe you were wrong about something, or maybe she didn't like you suggesting she was." Pyrrha pursed her lips, watching a bird fly overhead. "I think that's the most important thing."
"You do?" Pyrrha had a feeling Jaune's response wasn't really a question she needed to answer, but she nodded along anyways.
"I'm just trying to see it the way she might." The girl admitted. "Everyone hates being wrong, or – even worse – being told they're wrong. It's hard to accept."
Aside from another stiff breeze that broke against the building, the world seemed still as Pyrrha breathed.
"Honestly Jaune? If you can't figure it out, then you'll need help."
The boy hummed. "What do you have in mind?"
Pyrrha turned, blinking up at Jaune.
"This is the best advice I have for you: If you don't know what you did wrong, you're going to have to ask Weiss."
It wasn't the best idea, but it was the best Pyrrha had to offer.
"Y-you think that'll work?" Jaune asked incredulously.
"If you don't know what either of you said that set the other off, being straightforward is your best bet."
When Jaune turned away slightly, Pyrrha pushed off the wall and stepped around to position herself in front of him.
"Isn't that how you got her to train you? You just asked her, didn't you?"
Jaune looked up to her and nodded.
"It might not be that simple and things might never be the same, but..." Now it was Pyrrha's turn to trail off, tilting her head from side to side. "The least you can do is try."
The boy nodded slowly at first, and then more resolutely.
"Thanks, Pyr. I'll consider it."
The redheaded girl grinned happily, before stepping forward and punching Jaune lightly in the chest.
"Ow!" The blond winced, rubbing where her knuckles connected with him. "Not so hard!"
"Come on, you're a big boy, Jaune. Act like it!" Pyrrha continued to grin as she let out a breath she hadn't known she'd been holding.
"You're starting to act like one of my sisters." Jaune chuckled, pushing off the wall. "I think I needed that. Thanks. I mean it."
Pyrrha stepped forward, patting Jaune on his shoulder. She really didn't like the sister comment. "Are you going to go see her now?" She asked with a tilt of her head.
"I could use a little time to think about it first." Jaune let out. Pyrrha was a little disappointed he wasn't going to do it immediately, especially after their chat, but she wasn't about to force him.
Maybe she gave him more to think about than she thought she did.
"How about we go get something to eat?" She offered. "The last thing you want is for your stomach to growl if you do decide to go and talk to her."
The blond chuckled. "Now that would be embarrassing."
Pyrrha shared in Jaune's mirth, and the two turned, looking out over the rooftop.
"You know, it's pretty nice up here." Jaune pointed out.
The redhead nodded her agreement, and headed to the door.
"I'm not sure if we're actually allowed here. We should go before Ms. Goodwitch finds us."
"Right." Jaune followed along dutifully, and Pyrrha smiled sadly to herself.
If Jaune and Weiss did end up back together, then at least she could say she helped.
The water pooled in the girl's hands, and she kept her fingers tight as she lowered her head to the sink. With a quick splash against her face, Ruby let out the breath she'd been holding as she reached for a towel. She dried her face off, peering over the fabric at her reflection.
The girl tossed the towel aside and pulled her bangs across her forehead, lips pursed.
"Almost time for a haircut." She remarked, pushing and pulling at her hair. She lifted a hand to her cheeks, tapping them as she leaned closer to the mirror. She settled her elbows on the counter, back arched as she stared into her own eyes.
What was she supposed to do?
Not everything was so simple. For Ruby, it was easy to tell she needed to get a haircut before it grew too long. The solution was, obviously, to get it cut.
Ruby glanced over her shoulder as she heard voices from beyond the door behind her. The girl sighed.
It wasn't nearly as obvious at first, but it was clear now Ruby needed to do something to get her team back on track. Weiss specifically. The solution?
Well, she was working on it. Blake and Yang helped wherever they could, and Ruby was sure Weiss didn't want things to continue on like this, even if she seemed to refuse any efforts to pull her out of this funk she was in.
The leader of RWBY stared at her reflection for a few seconds more, before pushing off the counter and stretching. She twirled on her heel and stepped forward, pulling the door open.
"I'm going for a walk." Ruby proudly declared, putting her hands on her hips as she stepped into the center of the room. She leaned forward slightly as three pairs of eyes turned to her. "Anyone want to come?"
"No thanks." Weiss was the first to answer. Her partner had already changed into her nightclothes and was lying in bed, looking at something on her scroll.
As Ruby turned her attention to the other two members of her team, she got a shrug from her sister and a silent negative from Blake. It was hard to keep a lot of her enthusiasm after that, but Ruby found she didn't mind too much.
She needed a little time alone herself to work this out.
"Okay, well, you three know how to get a hold of me." Ruby smiled, turning just as suddenly as she had in the bathroom. She pulled open the door leading out, and closed it once she was on the other side.
The young girl backed into the wood with a sigh, gently resting her head against it as she stared at the ceiling of the hall.
Being honest with herself, fixing this was Ruby's number one priority. She had no doubt Blake and Yang had been doing their best, but even then, Weiss refused to budge. On her own, she'd been trying to be the best leader she could be, in hopes that her partner would be able to drag herself back up on her own, but now Ruby recognized it just wasn't going to be enough.
Ruby popped the fist she made with one hand into the palm of her other.
It was time to get serious.
The girl pushed off the door and strode down the hallway with purpose. Each step she took, she made an effort to make it as impactful as she could.
She didn't know what to do yet, but she needed to do something. Of course, there was one thing she knew she could do if she hadn't a clue how to proceed:
She could always ask for advice.
Perhaps it had been foolish, thinking she and her team could solve this on their own. Or maybe they could have earlier if they'd approached it differently at first.
Now she was at a loss. Fresh out of ideas. The one thing she knew she could do was ask for help.
The question now was who could she find? Whoever she was looking for, chances were she wasn't going to find them in the dorm building at this hour.
The girl threw her arms forward, pushing her way outside. The sun was slowly falling towards the horizon, and the lights around Beacon's grounds turned on as she stepped forwards. The professors had residence elsewhere at Beacon, but Ruby wasn't even sure if students were allowed in the building. For all she knew, it could be like the teacher's lounge, and Ruby wasn't about to barge in there on a whim.
As the girl's feet fell on the path towards the main building, she started to consider her best options.
Being able to talk to Professor Ozpin would be ideal. Perhaps it was a weird way to put it, but she felt she could trust him with this the easiest, and his advice was something she could truly believe in. After all, he'd helped her before, hadn't he?
Goodwitch also seemed reliable, even if she could be a little scary from time to time. Maybe she'd be able to relate to Weiss more than the headmaster, in some way? Ruby couldn't take her out of contention.
Doctor Oobleck knew a lot. A lot more than Ruby felt she'd ever need to understand. Maybe he'd know what to do.
Aside from those three, Ruby couldn't think of anyone else who might be able to give her good, solid advice.
"Aha! What's on your mind, little Ms. Rose?"
The girl blinked, before turning her head towards a railing overlooking the Valean Bay.
Professor Port gave her a wave, and Ruby looked around, then behind her, not seeing anyone else around.
"Out for a walk this afternoon? At least you're dressed for it." Ruby watched on as the man smiled. "Your cloak must be an awfully warm comfort on a chilly day. Not that today is cold, mind you. Makes me wish I had one when I was a boy-"
"Professor Port, could I ask you something?"
"-and the chilling wind was as fierce as the bite of a mighty Ur-oh, of course. What is it you need?"
Ruby let out a quiet sigh, glad she'd stopped the man before he'd gained momentum. Stepping towards where the professor leaned against the railing, Ruby rested her weight against it as well.
"I'm having teammate troubles."
"Is it Ms. Schnee?"
The girl blinked as she looked over at the older man. She cracked a bit of a smile as he stroked his moustache. "I think she'd be offended you thought it was her right away."
"Oho? You think so?" The rotund man leaned a little closer to Ruby, his voice slightly louder than a whisper. "But I'm right, aren't I?"
Ruby took a moment, before letting her muscles go slack. "I just don't know what to do. She was recovering from that fight down in Vale just fine, but then her and Jaune had a big argument or something, and now she's as stubborn as she was before. I don't know what I can do to fix it."
"If I know you and the rest of your team, it isn't like you haven't tried to cheer her up, either."
"Exactly!" Ruby agreed. "We've tried getting her to come back out of her shell, but nothing's working. We tried playing games together, and I've even invited her out for walks. Blake seems to think we need to give her more time, but it's stressful having to watch what we say around her, knowing any little thing could make her even grumpier."
Professor Port nodded and hummed as Ruby rambled slightly, before the girl took a breath and collected herself.
"Perhaps..." The larger man trailed off, staring into the bay. "You do need to rile her up."
"Huh?" That sounded like the opposite of a solution to Ruby.
"Your little distractions aren't doing much when they're spread thusly. If anything, it's probably even more obvious to her that you're trying to shine some light on her day. Someone who's in a bad mood might even want the time to themselves to sulk or reflect on what caused it."
"Yeah, but it's been days now!" Ruby explained, turning to the professor. "She should-"
The girl clamped her lips shut as the portly Professor Port raised a hand to quiet her.
"It's been days, yes. Ms. Schnee has spent days in that shell you speak of. If it's been long enough, maybe deep down she's just waiting for you to crack it open." The man patted his chest. "Doing so isn't without risk, of course, but you said it yourself: you, your sister, and Ms. Belladonna have been stressing over Ms. Schnee for a few days now. You should go and shatter that shell, and dump everything that's burdened you onto her."
"That doesn't sound right at all, though..."
"As leader of your team, this is a responsibility that falls on you. In a perfect world, you wouldn't have to do such. In this one, however, you're balancing the mental state of one member against the wellbeing of the team as a whole. If you can correct such disparity with some harsh words – no matter how difficult that may seem – it falls to you. Ms. Schnee might not want to hear what you have to say, and you might not even want to say it."
The man raised a single finger, and Ruby could easily recognize his serious expression.
"If all else fails, appeal to Weiss' sense of honor, and duty." The professor clasped his hands behind his back, leaning forwards somewhat menacingly. "It may be an underhanded tactic, but guilt is a powerful force, one that few can resist."
"I don't want to guilt Weiss into doing stuff if she doesn't want to. That's not the kind of leader I want to be."
"That's not the kind of leader I'd expect you to be either." Port admitted, turning back out to the bay. "If your options run completely dry, just know that you can always be forceful and abrupt. You have the right."
The man seemed to stare longingly down at the water, and he let out a sigh.
"This world isn't so easy. You can't afford to always be kind or polite. I say that not as a professor to a student, but as the leader of my former team to the leader of team RWBY."
Ruby's mouth opened and closed repeatedly as she considered, reconsidered, and then finally dismissed what she'd been about to ask.
"I think I understand." She finally let out, stepping back from the railing. "If it comes down to it, I'll be blunt and say what's on my mind."
"Hope with every fiber of your being you find other options. Each member of your team is a budding huntress, a storm in the making." Professor Port put both hands on the railing, staring out down across Vale. "All of Remnant would suffer if any of you burnt out here."
Wiping her forehead with her sleeve, Ruby blinked, before turning and walking, though she kept glancing over her shoulder at the professor. "I'll see you in class tomorrow, professor! And thanks."
"Anytime Ms. Rose. Stay vigilant."
For the first time since she'd heard him say it, Ruby wondered how much more meaning there was behind the professor's parting words.
"Yeah, he seemed like, really depressed. It was almost weird because usually he's just so loud, you know?"
"Believe me, sis, we all know how loud he can be."
Weiss sighed as she pulled her ear from the bathroom door that separated her from her teammates. She wheeled around and paced, drumming the fingers of her good hand against her chin.
This was her fault now, wasn't it? After the thought crossed her mind, she immediately shook her head violently, growling to herself.
No.
It had been obvious from the moment Ruby walked in. The way the girl refused to meet her eyes – and when she did for a moment, she looked away, almost ashamed.
What did Jaune say to her? What had he told her?
Ruby had come across Jaune on her walk. Who else would be so weirdly depressed when they're usually loud and boisterous? There weren't many students who fit the bill there, especially with what had happened between her and the boy at the forefront of Weiss' mind. What other possibility was there?
The girl lifted her casted hand and stared at the writing on it, grumbling to herself as she leaned on the bathroom counter. The well-wishes from everyone even seemed like taunts now, more than anything else. 'Get better soon' was a demand, rather than a gentle reassurance. She rolled her eyes when she glanced at the long, black bar of ink she had to add to cover up Yang's completely inappropriate text.
All because of that stupid blond idiot!
Weiss' good hand wrapped around her cast, and she squeezed tightly. She grit her teeth, and glared. When her wrist began to hurt, the girl let go, panting.
"Stupid, stupid, stupid!" She repeated, whirling around to glare at her reflection in the mirror. She ran her fingers through her loose hair, not breaking eye contact with herself.
This wasn't anyone's fault; the way Weiss was feeling. There were causes, but deep down it was all her. She was the reason she felt like this right now.
It angered her like nothing else could.
Weiss turned the tap on and grabbed a small facecloth of hers, soaking it in hot water. When it was good and damp, she balled it up a bit, and laid her left hand on the counter. With a wince, she took the hot towel and cleaned inside the opening of her cast, scrubbing angrily around her arm. She'd found doing so easier than the alternatives, even if it wasn't nearly as comfortable.
The heiress walked over to the shower-bathtub combo while scrubbing and balanced on one foot, turning the water on with her other. A simple shower wasn't about to do her any good, right now. She wanted a good long soak instead.
Weiss considered just locking the door for a moment, before stepping back.
She opened the door to the dorm and stuck her head in. Yang and Ruby were playing some sort of video game, while Blake read as she laid on her bed.
"I'm having a bath; the door's open if you need anything." Weiss let out, closing the door immediately after. Yang's response was muffled, but it sounded like an affirmative as Weiss pulled off her nightgown.
The heiress slid into the water as the tub continued to fill, hanging her cast over the side. She tilted her head back and stared at the ceiling as her body got progressively more submerged.
What was she supposed to do?
The girl sunk lower, so her mouth sat under the water as she drew in a breath out her nose, blowing it out past her lips to bubble the water. She reached one of her legs up, and turned the tap off.
A few moments later, all Weiss could hear was the dripping of the faucet, and the frequent cheering and jeering from the other side of the wall. The white-haired girl shook her head, wondering how Blake could even focus on a book with that racket. Her hair fanned out around her as it floated, the girl turning her eyes back up to the ceiling.
When she was younger, bathing was one of the only times Weiss could be herself, by herself. There was no one to tell her what to do, or verbally berate her for acting like a child. The Schnee heiress kicked her feet softly, the water rippling as she smiled.
She only wished she had a bigger tub, like the ones back home.
"Home, huh..."
The girl lifted one leg high, staring at it. She ran her fingers up and down her thigh.
"I wonder how Winter's doing." It wasn't like the rest of Weiss' family was an afterthought, but Winter was special in a way only Winter could be. Sure, her older sister could be hard on her, but she was hard on her differently from the ways their mother had been. Winter was strict, whereas their father was demanding. Weiss felt Winter's compassion.
Weiss knew Winter cared. Obviously, their parents did too, but they weren't nearly as up-front with it.
It had been a long time since Weiss last talked to her sister. Even before leaving Atlas, she'd been busy running around doing whatever the military needed of her. Now Weiss didn't know how to get ahold of her.
The girl lifted her casted hand up, staring at it much like she had her leg.
She could always probe around. Someone, somewhere would be able to tell Weiss who or where to call, whether it meant calling home, Atlas Academy, or even her dad.
Weiss winced as she flexed her immobilized wrist. Maybe not her dad. Of course, sending a letter was always an option as well. Perhaps it was even more reliable.
The girl, blinked. Once, and then twice as she considered it. A slight smile spread across her lips, before fading just as quickly.
Would it even be a good idea, what she was thinking?
Out of the corner of her eye, Weiss saw the bathroom door ease open. She brought her arm down, all but slamming her bad wrist into the edge of the bathtub as she spun in the water. The girl bit back a whine as Ruby stuck her head through the open door, cheeks slightly red.
"Hey, sorry to bother you." Ruby greeted, Weiss's toes curling as her every muscle tensed up.
"I-it's fine." Weiss let out weakly, trying her hardest not to scream at Ruby. She did leave the door unlocked for someone to come in, after all.
"Did you go see Peach today?"
The white-haired girl shook her head rapidly, biting her lip.
"Okay, well, make sure you go early tomorrow. We don't have classes, so I'll go with you."
Weiss nodded her head just as quickly. "Okay, thanks!"
"I'll let you get back to washing up." Ruby's words cut off as the girl's head retreated through the opening, door slamming shut.
The heiress whimpered as she clung to the side of the tub, wrist throbbing.
"I'm such an idiot..."
With puffed up cheeks and a loud huff, Ruby put her fists on her hips.
"Weiss, come on. Wake up." She offered once more, leaning over the girl. As Weiss' partner, team leader, and probably the third or fourth highest person on the "Weiss' Health is The Most Important Thing" supporter list, she wanted to wake the girl up and drag her to see Professor Peach more than anything.
On the other hand, the heiress looked downright peaceful as she snoozed. There was far more elegance in Weiss' face – even as she drooled on her pillow – than Ruby had in her whole body. As Ruby looked around the room, she was reminded how she was alone in the room with her; Blake and Yang had gone to go get something to eat, among other things.
"C'mon lazybones, don't make me go get the whistle."
As there didn't seem to be any response from the snoozing heiress, Ruby took a step away.
"Don't do it, I'm awake..."
Ruby perked up, smiling as she turned and saw Weiss blink her eyes open, rubbing at them before drying her mouth on her sheet. The younger girl nearly bounced on her feet as Weiss pushed herself up, stretching one arm at a time. It seemed it would be a while before they'd be going – at this rate – and even longer before Weiss was back to one-hundred percent, but at least she was making progress.
This was the most docile Weiss had been when Ruby had woken her up. Ever. Lots of progress there.
"If you call me lazybones again, I'll freeze you from the neck down and ask the headmaster to launch you into the Emerald Forest."
Okay, scratch that. No progress.
"I don't think he'd agree to that." Ruby chuckled.
Weiss sighed, swinging her legs out of bed. Ruby met the girl's stare with the best smile she could wear, and for a moment, the girl thought her partner might actually crack a smile.
The heiress broke eye contact before she did, stood, and looked out the window.
"What time is it?"
"Almost noon." Ruby replied matter-of-factly. "I figured you'd want to go see Professor Peach before lunch, rather than after. Even if we're late, it'll be less busy."
Not responding immediately, Ruby tilted her head as Weiss pushed open the window, drawing in a long breath.
It seemed like Weiss was just taking some time to wake up, so Ruby nodded to herself in understanding as she backed up. "If you'd like, I can leave you in here for a minute? I'll wait in the hall."
"No, it's alright, I just need to get dressed."
"Oh." Ruby was genuinely surprised Weiss hadn't agreed to the time alone. With how the girl had been acting recently, she'd been fully prepared to have to wait outside for no small amount of time.
Had something happened when Ruby hadn't been paying attention?
The leader of RWBY backed away as Weiss closed the window, watching her as she strode over to the closet. The girl turned away as her partner changed: more of a courtesy than anything, of course.
"Making sure I actually go see Professor Peach? How very responsible of you."
Ruby smiled as she turned around, seeing the heiress fully dressed and ready. That was something Professor Port had brought up the other day, wasn't it? Maybe Weiss noticed Ruby was trying a little harder for her?
Whether her actions as leader made Weiss feel better or worse didn't matter to Ruby too much. Being responsible and proactive was something she found she enjoyed, though she didn't see it that way at first.
"Well, I just want to keep you company, really. You're my partner, after all."
Weiss blinked a couple times as she seemed to process Ruby's words. "Right. My partner."
With a resolute nod, Ruby turned to the door, opening it wide. "Ready?"
A ghost of a smile tugged on the edges of Weiss' mouth, and even so little was enough to put the broadest of grins on Ruby's face. They stepped out into the hall together, and Ruby closed the door behind her.
As they walked, Ruby found she actually didn't have much to talk about. Or rather, there was nothing she could think of she could bring up that would actually be a decent conversation topic with Weiss. There were more things she wanted to talk about she was sure she had to stop herself from mentioning than there was anything else. As such, their walk out of the dorm building passed in a delicate silence.
If she could be honest, the times Ruby felt more comfortable talking to Weiss were always when there were others with them. It wasn't like she couldn't hold a one-on-one conversation with her partner, goodness no, but having Yang or even Blake around made it easier to get the words out.
Ruby hummed as she looked across the courtyard, the path they were taking shadowed by the buildings around them. Beacon was a lot busier with four times as many students as usual.
"Looks like people are enjoying the weekend so far."
Ruby turned to Weiss, seeing the heiress staring out across the courtyard as well. Students of each of the four academies were scattered about, some mingling and some keeping to their own.
"You know, I thi-" Ruby's comment came to a stop as she saw something out of the corner of her eye. Such wouldn't be cause for concern if the something in the corner of her eye wasn't a someone she'd been about to collide with. The girl took small steps as her knees bent slightly, and she practically spun around the orange-haired girl she'd nearly run into.
The girl panted softly as she turned to whomever she'd danced around. Weiss was practically nose to nose with the girl, and Ruby's neck tensed.
"Are you seriously just standing there?" Weiss questioned, eyes narrowing. The orange-haired girl smiled openly.
"It is what I was told to do." The girl spoke in an even tone, not blinking as she met Weiss' stare.
Ruby stepped back towards the two quickly. "Sorry I almost ran into you." She apologized.
"Ruby, what are you talking about? If anything, she-"
"Your name is Ruby? It is nice to meet you."
"Yeah, uh, nice to meet you too." The younger girl reached up and wrapped her hand around Weiss' upper arm. "Don't worry about it, we should go."
Ruby attempted to drag Weiss away, and was surprised when it was easier than expected, the heiress following along almost dutifully.
"I hope to see you again, Ruby and other girl!"
Ruby turned back as Weiss pried her fingers of her arm. "It's Weiss." The heiress called back before pointing her eyes forward. "What a strange girl."
In Ruby's eyes, the one who was acting strange here was Weiss. Most all of that interaction was just so unlike her partner, the girl was beginning to question whether her partner had been replaced in the middle of the night, or if this was maybe just a dream.
"Are..." Ruby sighed as she took the plunge. "Are you doing okay?"
Weiss turned and her eyes bored into Ruby's. "Yeah. Actually, there was something I wanted to ask."
"What is it?"
"After I see Professor Peach, I need to go to Beacon Tower and make a call. You don't mind delaying lunch more, do you?"
Ruby shook her head as she hummed in thought. "No, of course not."
Weiss smiled.
What could our little heiress be thinking? And what's Jaune's next move? Maybe we'll find out before the year is done.
Later!