Weiss walked down the halls, fuming internally. Everything was so unfair! Yang, Blake, Ruby, all of it!
She deserved to be the leader! She's trained so hard, worked too hard just to have the opportunity to lead snatched by some dumb blonde! She deserved a competent partner, not some toddler in a cape!
She- she needs someone to vent to. Perhaps Professor Port? Or- "Miss Schnee?"
Weiss stops in her tracks. Looking behind her, Ozpin, headmaster of Beacon and therefore her superior, stands behind her with a friendly and disarming smile.
"I'd like to talk to you in my office, please."
Ruby was sulking on her bed, Blake and Yang were out who knows where, and Weiss was being... Weiss.
Ruby groaned into her pillow. Why was she so mean?! Everytime she tried to actually talk with her partner, it just turned into an argument! She tried proving herself to Weiss by trying to fight that Deathstalker head on, but Yang had to save her when that failed. Even landing the killing blow on the Nevermore didn't change the way Weiss thought about her!
...Maybe Weiss was right. That she wasn't cut out to be a huntress after all. Did Ozpin make a mistake?
She was snapped out of her musings by the door opening, and her sister, Yang, came into the dorm.
"Hey sis. Wanna talk?"
Ozpin noted that Miss Schnee looked uncomfortable as she followed him to his office. Understandable, really. They had entered the elevator when she finally decided to speak.
"Sir, I- if you think I've done anything wrong I assure you I-"
"You're not in any trouble Miss Schnee." Ozpin assures her. "Really, I only want to talk."
"... Alright then." Weiss still looked nervous, albeit less so.
The elevator finally arrives to Ozpin's office. Ozpin gestures to Weiss to take a seat as he goes to his own chair.
"Now, I couldn't help but overhear your conversation with Miss Rose earlier..."
Weiss somehow got paler. "Y-You heard that?! I didn't mean any disrespect! I'm sor-"
Ozpin's chuckle cut her off. "There's no need to apologise, Miss Schnee. I'm not so narcissistic that I would punish you over something so unimportant. As I said, you're not in trouble."
Weiss calmed down. "Then... why call me here?" She asks.
"Again, just to talk. You feel I've made a mistake? Why?"
Weiss hesitates. "Is this some kind of test?"
Ozpin smiles reassuringly. "No. I'm not fishing for compliments or looking for an excuse for punishment. I really am curious on why you're so upset with the team I placed you on." He leans back on his chair. "If nothing else, use this as an excuse to vent out your frustrations, before you do or say something you'll regret. I won't hold anything you say to me against you, you have my word."
"Hey Yang..." Ruby said, not getting up from her bed.
Yang sighed. Thanks Schnee, you've made Ruby upset. The usual punishment was a pounding, but she doubted that the professor's would let that slide.
There's no use in making that joke inside your head.
Jeez, tough crowd. She comes closer to Ruby's bed. "You okay?"
It's obvious that she's not.
"No..." Ruby mutters, turning over to face away from Yang.
"... I overheard your little fight with your partner." Yang says.
This Ruby perks up too. She straightens up and looks at Yang. "Y-You overheard!?" Ooohhh, now Yang would get angry at Weiss and now she'll argue with her too and-
"Hey, chill. I'm not pissed at Weiss." Well, that was a bit of a lie. Ozpin said he'll handle it though... Buuut Ruby would probably take that the wrong way, so she won't mention that. "I'm worried about you. You're upset, and I know it. Just talk to me."
Ruby bit her lip.
Weiss was understandably surprised by the offer. Ozpin had every right to be offended, but he really seemed honest about what he was saying.
Weiss finally made a decision. "Yang shouldn't have been leader. Her semblance is the only thing that gives her some expertise in strategy, but even then there are far better people suited to the role!" Once she saw there would be no reprimand from Ozpin, she continued. "Ruby shouldn't even be here! Yes she has some skill, but she's too young and immature to be a huntress!" She exclaims, finishing with a huff at the end of it.
Ozpin, for his part, said nothing as Weiss ranted, and after a moment steeples his fingers together, no doubt preparing to give her his wisdom. With a straight face, he said: "With all due respect Miss Schnee, you're being quite the brat."
Wait, what?!
"-and she's so bossy and mean and-"
She's been going on like this for five minutes.
Yang frowned. Yeesh, it's only been a day and Ruby's already had her breakdown. The smaller girl was hugging her tightly and was ranting for a while, sometimes repeating the same thing.
It was... concerning, to say the least.
"-and I don't know what to do! It's like she's dead set on hating me!" Her sister finally finished, panting for breath after her tirade.
Yang looked down on her sister. This might be more delicate than she thought...
"Excuse me!?" The words went out of her mouth before she could bite her tongue. Her hands flew to her mouth, horrified.
Ozpin only chuckled. "Again Miss Schnee, I already said you have nothing to fear from me. I'm the one who gave you the chance to rant at me."
Weiss slowly lowered her hands, opening her mouth to say something, but Ozpin continued.
"But then again, I never said I myself couldn't talk back. So you must believe me when I say I think you're just complaining that you aren't getting what you want."
Weiss resisted the urge to stomp her foot. Although the headmaster said she was free to talk to him as an equal (she may be paraphrasing a bit...) she wasn't about to show any more disrespect towards him. That didn't mean she wasn't going to defend herself though. "But it's true! Ruby and Yang haven't done anything to deserve their positions-"
"Miss Rose proved herself to me after she stopped a robbery and fought against a rogue huntsman, and wasn't it Miss Xiao-Long who created the strategy to help you pass Initiation?" Ozpin countered.
Weiss only scowled on her seat. Ozpin really was right on the nail when he said that she wanted to be leader. Not that she'll admit it.
Ozpin's expression became sympathetic. "Perhaps you're being too hard on them. It's only been your first day. Give your team a chance."
Weiss looked down. "It's just- I know that I can lead the team."
"Anyone can. Being a leader isn't something you'll get the hang of immediately. It's something that you become. Yang is inexperienced, I will admit that, but I see potential in her, potential that helped make my decision to make her team leader. I see potential in you that you will become a great huntress. It's the same potential I saw in Ruby, and everyone else who wants to come to this school." Ozpin explains. "All they need is a chance to prove themselves."
The headmaster... had a point. She had been frustrated by Yang becoming leader and Ruby acting like a child. Perhaps she'd been too harsh...
"I suggest you think on it, Miss Schnee. You're free to leave now." Weiss was snapped out of her thoughts by Ozpin's voice. "Or do you have anything else to add?"
"Ah- no sir!" Weiss stood up. "Thank you sir, you've given me a lot to think about."
Ozpin nodded back. "No problem Miss Schnee, good day."
Weiss walked out of Ozpin's office, feeling just a tad bit lighter than before.
"Maybe you should prove yourself to her?" Yang suggests.
She's already tried that. "But I've already tried that!" Ruby unknowingly echoes Mettle.
"Not in combat dummy! You've already proved that by being in Beacon two years early." She flicked her sister's nose playfully. "I mean in normal, school stuff. Show her you can be mature, that you deserve to be here. Be the best you you can be!"
That's... surprisingly solid advice.
Aw neat! Even Mettle thought it was some good advice!
"... I guess you're right. Thanks Yang!" Ruby says, cheered up. "You're the best!"
Yang smirked, patting her sister's back. "Anytime sis, anytime."
Blake was awake. She was always a light sleeper, with even the slightest of sounds waking her up. Blinking the sleep from her eyes, she looked over to Ruby's bed. Yang had said they'll make the bunk beds tommorow, which was probably smart. It was already getting late anyways.
Anyways, over Yang's sleeping form (the girl always had a tight sleeping schedule) and Weiss's empty bed, Ruby and Weiss were talking. Without being at each other's throats. Huh, miracles can happen.
"-just you wait, I'll be the best teammate you'll ever see!" Weiss says, Blake overhearing.
With a smile, Blake goes back to sleep. Those two don't need her listening in.