Summary: Ruby and Weiss are set to fight Nora and Ren, but Ruby doesn't think they'll be up for the challenge. Maybe they could if Weiss wasn't such a crabby snob! Why does she act so mean anyway...?

Chapter 4: Weiss Schnee: Origins Pt.1

"Who the hell are you, Izuku Midoriya?"

Blake pushed Gambol Shroud further into Izuku's neck, yet the bastard had the nerve to not even flinch, only standing arrogantly like he wasn't in danger of losing his life.

Blake scowled. This guy really thought he was the shit, didn't he? Standing there without a care in the world, looking at her with those aloof green eyes, just daring her to try something.

At the very least, the sight of blood running down his neck filled Blake with unimaginable satisfaction. Even if he didn't show it, he's hurting, and any pain someone like him suffered would give Blake any sort of joy.

But it still wasn't nearly enough. She wanted any member who even closely resembled that bastard to hurt as much as she did. As far as she's concerned, they could rot in hell.

She didn't care if he essentially had the strength of a God. Blake wouldn't let the White Fang back into her or any of her friends' lives. Even if she had to hide a body to keep things that way.

"I may not look it, but I know multiple ways to kill you instantly. So just who the hell are you, and why are you here in Beacon?"

Izuku stared her down. Even with his poker face, Blake could see the subtle drop of sweat lurking on his cheek. Silence echoed the tight walls of the hall as Blake narrowed her eyes at the potential White Fang member. He stood there, still looking out of it as if he couldn't care any less about being here. Finally, after what felt like years, he answered, "I'm here for the same reason you are. To become a Huntsman."

Blake growled. "Bull! Shit! None of your stories add up. First, your supposed hometown was destroyed, yet we've never once heard the name of the town or who did it! Then, you breeze through initiation with the most powerful Semblance anyone has ever seen! And speaking of Semblances, you have what? Two? Three!? Hell! You're probably hiding more! To top that all off, you've got that bunny mask on your combat suit, and I know for a fact you're not a Faunus! I don't know why the White Fang would let a human into their ranks or what they want with Beacon, but I suggest you leave before I make you."

"White fang…?" Izuku whispered. His face lit up in realization. But, then, he had the nerve to actually do what he did next….

He laughed.

"Hahahahaha!"

"What the hell is so damn funny!? In case you haven't noticed, you're in no position to be laughing. If anything, I'm the one who should be laughing." Said Blake.

Izuku wiped the tear from his eye. "Blake, this is all a big misunderstanding. Just put down your weapon, and we can talk this out."

This guy must be an idiot, or he thought that she was. "I think I'll hold on to it for safekeeping, thanks."

Izuku kept that dumb smile on his face. "Blake, I know you're not going to hurt me anyway, so I think it'd be best if you put down the weapon."

Yeah, he's definitely the idiot here. "You don't know what I would do."

Izuku, still with that infuriating smile, said, "Trust me. If you really wanted to hurt me, I'd know. Please, just put down the weapon before you do something you'll regret."

Regret…. Blake knew those feelings as well as she knew the smell of tuna fish. It always starts with thinking you've done the right thing. That what you're doing is the best outcome for everyone. It may look bad, but you just knew everything would work out in the end.

Why wouldn't it? You're being a good little girl, doing everything you should to help your brothers and sisters. Raising awareness, protesting against prejudice, taking what was yours. A few people may get hurt, but their injuries wouldn't be in vain. After all, it was for a good cause.

But then, unknowingly, you begin to lose yourself in the process. Hurting more than you should. Taking stuff that didn't belong to you. Making those who made you suffer, suffer more, along with anyone who dares associate with them. Finally, the consequences of your actions hit you full force as you realize you were becoming exactly what you said you never would.

A monster.

There were too many reminders of the things she'd done back in her time with the White Fang. Blake would rather live on the run than relive any of those memories.

She was already a criminal. So what's a body or two?

"Is that one of your little Semblances or something? The only thing I'll ever regret is being a part of your organization. But that won't matter to you in a few seconds."

Blake expected some sort of panicked reaction from him, but she was only given a challenging gaze from the White Fang member. "If you really think that, then do it. Kill me."

Blake gripped her claws on Gambol Shroud, "Just remember you asked for this." She swung the blade into his neck, blood splattering on the wall as his head came clean off his body.

Well…. That was the plan anyway.

Blake's arm shook while Izuku stood his ground, still staring at her. Her brows dripped with sweat as she gritted her teeth, doing her best to commit the deed.

How could Izuku have possibly stopped her from swinging her sword!? Just how strong is this guy!? "What did you do to me?"

Izuku raised an eyebrow. "Me?"

"What! The hell! Did you do to me!?"

"Blake… I haven't done anything."

"Quit lying to me! You're only here to take everything away from me again!" Blake once again raised Gambol Shroud, ready to pierce it through Izuku's neck. "Well, you can go to Hell for all I care!"

Izuku still wasn't budging. Instead, he continued to silently challenge Blake, thinking she wouldn't commit.

Well, did Blake have some news for him.

Time slowed down to the point that Blake swore she could count the milliseconds. Purple streaks shone in the darkness, creating a path to Izuku's throat. Memories of the White Fang flashed in her mind. The mindless violence, innocents, separated from their families, senseless hatred. Things that always laid waste in Blake's head, living off her guilt. All Izuku did was serve to remind her of every terrible thing Blake had ever done.

Well, no more. Blake wouldn't feel a tinge of guilt for doing what she did.

Swoosh!

Heavy breathing filled the hallways. Blake shut her eyes, struggling to keep her composure. She- she really just…? In the middle of the hall….

Gambol Shroud clattered as Blake fell to her knees, barely fighting the urge to throw up. She'd never…. Even when she was in the White Fang…. Blake examined her hands, scanning the calluses and fresh specks of blood. No matter how much she didn't want to look, Blake gazed at the thick red liquid, each spot flashing regretful memories. Destruction, dead bodies, screaming Mothers, and crying children engulfed her mind, each image surrounded in blood-red decor.

Blake gripped her temple, spreading blood all over her hair. The screams and cries only continued to get louder and louder, overwhelming her already hard-beating eardrums. The heat from the fires burned on her skin, making her swat at her arm as her Faunus brothers and sisters slaughtered civilians, laughing at their despair, repaying them for all of the oppression they've faced in this world of bloody evolution.

On top of all the ruins, one man stood, laughing like he had just heard the world's funniest joke. His brown and blood-red hair blew in the wind as he cackled at the shattered moon, black and red outfit torn to shreds. Red stained his cheeks, blood Blake knew wasn't his, adding to his already psychotic look. Finally, his laughter died down, though he still kept his devilish smile. Her once partner in crime, Adam Taurus, gave Blake a pleased look.

"One step closer to true peace, eh Blake?"

Blake lost her lunch. Salvia dripped from her mouth, mixing with her tears and snot. The taste of vomit, iron, and salt made themselves at home on Blakes's tongue while she tried her best to push down the memories of the place where she once thought she belonged.

She continued to sob, not noticing the figure by her side. A hand slowly made its way onto Blake's shoulder while she wailed over her regret. Before it made contact, though, Blake's sense went off, and she smacked the hand away and glared at the person who dared to approach her.

When her eyes met green, all Blake could do was stare in shock. "...I-Izuku…."

Izuku nodded, standing unscathed, "I knew you were a good person Blake."

Blake ignored him, eyes red and puffy with her voice still hoarse, "B-but, I…. All of this blood…! How are you even still alive!?"

Izuku stared off into space. "I ask myself that a lot. Maybe I'm just lucky? But I'm assuming you meant how you didn't kill me? Well, you were right to guess that sensing danger is part of my Semblance, and not once when I was with you did it ever go off. So all of that blood on your hands, it's yours, Blake. Maybe try to not grip your weapon so hard next time."

Blake stumbled over her words, "You shouldn't even be standing! I-I…!

Izuku shook his head, "You never even touched me with that thing. So the reason I'm still alive…" Then, Izuku gave Blake a solemn look, "Is because you didn't want me dead, Blake."

Blake stared at her vomit in shame. "So I'm a monster and a coward…."

Despite everything, Izuku offered Blake a hand. "Look, I'm not going to pretend I know what you're feeling. Honestly, I'm still a bit confused on why you think I'm part of a terrorist group. But if your situation is really what I think it is, then I can say that what you did doesn't make you a monster nor a coward."

Blake continued to stare at the floor, "You don't know me at all, Izuku…." She said.

"I don't know you very well, but that doesn't mean I can't tell you're not a heartless beast or someone who only runs from their problems. I've seen both of these kinds of people, and I can't even compare you to either of them. Wanting a better life isn't the equivalent of running away, and if it is…?" Izuku smiled. "Then I guess it's okay to run away sometimes."

Blake sniffled and accepted his hand. "You're really corny, you know that?"

"Hehe, I've been told."

Blake smiled and rubbed the back of her head. "So… I'm guessing you aren't a part of the White Fang."

"No, I would never even think of joining an organization that hurts innocent people." He said.

Blake sighed in relief. "Good to know. Listen, sorry about the whole "trying to kill you" thing. It just seems like my past comes to haunt me every chance it gets."

Izuku nodded. "I understand. Like I said, sometimes you just need to get away from it all. Even if you don't know it sometimes, you need a break."

"You can say that again. Oh yeah. We should probably head back, don't want Miss Goodwitch to think we're skipping class."

"I think you should wash up first. You've got blood all in your hair and vomit on your face," Izuku said.

"Right." They began walking down the hall when Blake crossed her arms across her chest and whispered. "You're not going to tell anyone about this, are you?"

Izuku smiled, "Of course not. But I think you should tell someone eventually, or else it'll leak in the worst way possible."

"You're….*sigh* You're probably right. I'll keep that in mind."

They continued to walk in the hallway in comfortable silence. Although Blake couldn't help but notice Izuku looking a bit fidgety. "Um, are you okay?"

"Perfectly fine! But um…." Izuku pulled a notebook from….

Actually, Blake isn't exactly sure where he pulled it from.

"Can you tell me a bit about your Semblance?"

"...Wow, Ruby is right. You really are a dork."

"...My Mom says it's charming," Izuku grumbled.

"Don't worry, it sort of is. Okay, I'll tell you about my Semblance."

Izuku's eyes shined like stars. How could she possibly once think this guy was a terrorist?

Blake still has many questions about Izuku. But for now, it seemed Blake could give him the benefit of the doubt.

Everyone, including Blake and Izuku, finally made it back to the arena, where Miss Goodwitch awaited their arrival.

"So you've all decided to finally show back up? When I said you could visit Yang in the infirmary, I didn't mean for almost the entire class period!"

"Our apologies Miss Goodwitch. We just wished to ensure our friend's safety." Said Ren.

"Yeah, we're really sorry!" Said Ruby.

Miss Goodwitch sighed, "Just go sit down. You're lucky your matches haven't started yet."

They all started to make their way over to the bleachers until Ruby noticed Yang was pulled aside by Miss Goodwitch, "Not you, Ms. Xiao Long. We still have not discussed your performance."

Yang stood, unresponding before she took a deep breath and nodded, "So, how bad was it?"

Miss Goodwitch raised an eyebrow, "Why do you assume it's bad?"

"Well, was it good?"

"Well, it certainly was better than you're giving it credit for. I'm well aware of the power Izuku holds and the skill Pyrrha Nikos possesses, and given those circumstances, I'd say you did better than most would expect."

Yang smiled. "However…." Oh boy, "Rushing them like that, especially by yourself, was a disaster waiting to happen. I understand that getting the drop on them was vital to success, but since your plan relied solely on that, it ultimately fell apart and left you to fight a losing battle."

Yang, to her credit, didn't seem to be taking nearly as hard as anyone expected, only nodding at her critiques.

"And let's not forget the fact that you fired two potentially lethal attacks at your fellow classmates in your pursuit of victory."

This time, Yang flinched, remembering how thrilled she was when she thought she'd won. "I'm sorry. I wasn't in my right mind."

"Clearly. Otherwise, you'd actually think before you follow your crazy impulses. So let's recap; You were reckless, impulsive, arrogant, and completely disregarded your teammate and your classmates' safety."

Each word made Yang tense up, knowing they were all true. Then, in shame, she crossed her arms and hung her head, contemplating her weak decisions. Poor Yang….

"But there is no need to be discouraged, Ms. Xiao Long." Yang looked up at Ms. Goodwitch. "Everyone's performance has been far from perfect, even Izuku and Pyrrha's. So don't obsess over exercises such as these. They're only meant to help you realize your own mistakes and improve. And between you and me…." Ms. Goodwitch blocked her mouth off from the crowd and whispered. "None of these are actually being graded anyway."

Yang stared in surprise, "Wait. Does that mean initiation…?"

Goodwitch smirked, "All just a ruse to give students an extra push. Make no mistakes. This class will be graded, just not today. So if you don't want to fail, I suggest you shape up."

Yang gaped for a while before she clenched her fist to her chest, "I promise, I'll do much better from now on."

"Don't rush your progress, Yang. All we ask from you is your best. No one expects you to come back tomorrow to be able to take on an army."

Yang nodded. "Right."

"Now run along and watch your classmate's match. Learn from their mistakes as well as your own." Her heels clacked as Goodwitch began walking away until she turned around to give Yang one last statement, "Oh, and a word of advice. You should learn to control that temper."

"I'll…. I'll keep it to a minimum."

Goodwitch smirked, "When did I say any of that? I just said, learn to control your temper. Remember, Ms. Xiao Long, emotions can either be your greatest ally or biggest enemy. It's all up to how you manage them. Just keep that in mind next time you feel yourself in a losing battle with your rage."

Goodwitch finally walked away, leaving Yang to contemplate.

Ruby smiled at her sister. Finally, Yang was on the path to becoming a true Huntress, and Ruby would do her best to do the same.

At this point, though, there aren't many people who believe in her ability. Most of the class has already dismissed her as a lucky child. Someone who got into Beacon through pure luck, nothing more. And, for the most part, they're entirely correct. Without that chance, she'd still be at Signal Academy, watching Yang take off on an airship, only dreaming of being there with her.

But none of that mattered. Ruby is here now, isn't she? So regardless of what anyone has to say, Ruby Rose was at Beacon academy and is here to stay.

You've got to be the worst Huntress candidate in the school.

Really!? Now!?

She's super childish.

"Please…. Stop!"

I don't buy for a second that Professor Ozpin let her in for a second! How else could she have possibly made it into this school? She must've cheated!

"I didn't cheat! I swear I didn't!"

Look at her! What a child!

Clearly a fake!

Yeah! Why is this fraud coming to our school!

Ruby whimpered as her mind spiraled down an abyss of hurtful comments. Remembering all the doubtful eyes drowned out any confidence she once had, only adding to her self-consciousness. Ruby's throat choked up, and her eyes burned, struggling against her tear ducts. They were right, she didn't have a chance, and she was dumb for thinking she did. What did she have to prove? Not a damn thing, that's what.

Ugh! Why is this confidence thing so hard? Yang and Izuku made it look so easy.

"Maybe it's because they actually have confidence, dummy!"

Oh, shut up, brain! What do you know!? People have always said fake it until you make it, so that's exactly what she was doing.

"Congratulations! Look where that got you. Now you have a voice in your head."

Ruby did her best to ignore her subconscious thoughts, but she couldn't help but acknowledge their accuracy. The confidence thing just wasn't for her….

"Ruby…. Ruby!"

Ruby jolted, "Huh!?"

"Is everything alright? You got really jittery all of a sudden." Said Izuku.

Just don't lose sight of your dream, and you'll become an amazing Huntress in no time! I guarantee it!

"Yeah, what is it? Do I need to teach someone a lesson!?" Asked Yang.

I'm so proud of you!

Izuku… Yang…. They had faith, didn't they?

"Trust me when I'm done with you, you'll be kicking butt in no time, kiddo." Uncle Qrow….

"When you get to Beacon, I want you to let everyone know who you really are, Ruby!" Dad….

Ruby smiled, "I'm okay, guys. Just some jitters, that's all."

Izuku nodded, "I get that. Sometimes it's all a bit overwhelming, being here that is."

Ruby raised a brow in concern, "That isn't a cry for help, is it?"

Izuku laughed, "No. Just how I feel, ya know?"

Ruby hummed, "Nah, you're just dying for me to help you."

"Trust me, Ruby, if I really needed help that badly, I wouldn't beat around the bush. Honestly, you're probably the first person I'd go to for help."

"But why me? What about your teammates? You trust them, right?" Ruby asked.

"Of course I do. I'd always go to them for help, but you were the first to help me, even after you found out about my situation. Most people would probably bail on me, and I wouldn't even blame them. Yet, you went out of your way to help me feel comfortable when you could've just as easily ignored me and left me in the middle of that dust shop. So basically, what I'm trying to say is, I'm glad you were the first person I met in Vale!"

Yang nudged her sister's arm, "K-i-s-s-i-n-g." She whispered.

Ignoring her sister's teasing, Ruby cherished those little words of sincerity. So many people may not be rooting for her to succeed, but four was more than enough for Ruby.

Of course, words from her peers never hurt any less, don't get her wrong, but when she thought of the people who actually cared….

Well, Weiss and everyone else could suck a moldy Lollipop! Screw what anyone had to say! Ruby would be one the best huntresses around, or else her name wasn't Ruby Rose!

"Now that their match has concluded, let's get to the final match of the day."

Their classmates' match ended? Wow, she must've been really out of it, huh? She wondered who the last match of the day….

Wait…. She and Weiss haven't fought yet. Neither have Nora and Ren….

Oh no.

City Ruins

Golden Rook

Ruby Rose & Weiss Schnee vs. Nora Valkyrie & Lie Ren

You've got to be kidding her! It isn't exactly unexpected, mainly because she and Weiss were the last fight of the day. Still, did they have to fight Nora and Ren!? Yeah, Ruby may have been ready for any challenge, but not right after she got done monologuing! Ren and Nora's teamwork was impeccable! While Ruby and Weiss….

Weiss slept in her comfortable, elegant light blue nightgown, basking in the warmth of her bedsheets, unaware of the immense danger her sleep was in.

A dark figure crept their way over to Weiss's bed, shadowing her entire bed frame. Weiss, confused, slowly opened her eyes and was met with a bone-chilling smile.

TWEET!

"Rise and shine, Team RWBY!" Ruby, fully dressed in her uniform, yelled way too loud this early in the morning.

"Ahh!" Weiss rolled out of bed and landed on the ground with a thud. "What is wrong with you!? Why would you do that?"

"What's wrong with you? You slept for so long we barely have any time to start our first order of business!"

Weiss raised an eyebrow, "And that would be…?"

Ruby gave a sly grin, "Why, decorating this bland room, of course! Isn't that right, guys!?"

Yang smiled, "What else, my dear younger sister!?"

Blake nodded and pulled out her suitcase, "Yep. We still have to unpack." Blakes assortment of items then fell out of her suitcase, "...And clean."

Weiss threw herself off the ground, "Are you kidding me!? We could've done all of this stuff last night! And decorating of all things!? What are we, twelve years old!? I swear you guys have the mind of a-"

TWEEEEEEEEEEEEEET!

Only to end up right back where she started, on the ground clutching her ears, "Will you cut that out!?"

"Only when you cut out all that negativity! How about this? Each time you start acting like a buzzkill, I'll blow this whistle in your ear. Capeesh?"

Weiss growled, "You immature brat-"

TWEEEEEEET!

"Stop that!"

Ruby smirked, "Stop being a buzzkill."

"Listen here, you little-"

TWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE-

In her moment of triumph, Weiss yanked the whistle out of Ruby's mouth and chucked it out the window.

"NOOOOOOOO!" Ruby ran to the window and watched with sorrow as her whistle fell into the abyss.

Yang walked over and consoled her sister, "Twas a good little whistle."

Blake crossed her heart, "Rest in Peace. He did his job well."

As team RWBY grieved the loss of a valued member, Weiss slapped her forehead in frustration, "It's just a whistle. Get over it."

"...Just a whistle." Ruby glared at Weiss, and she could've sworn she could've seen literal skulls in the red-haired girl's eyes. "That wasn't just a whistle, you snob! I'll have you know I won that at a carnival!"

Weiss gasped, "Oh no, I'm so sorry! We must get it back!" She said with obvious sarcasm.

Ruby, being who she is, lost her animosity, "Yes! That's the first thing that came out of your mouth that I agree with! We shall invoke this perilous journey to save-"

Weiss's head grew 10x in size, "I WAS BEING SARCASTIC, YOU DIMWIT!"

Ruby's head did the same, and she slammed her head against Weiss's, "QUIT SCREAMING AT ME, YOU CRAB!"

"YOU HAVE NO RIGHT! YOU'VE BEEN SCREAMING ALL MORNING, YOU KLUTZ!"

"WELL, AT LEAST I'M NOT ACTING LIKE SOME ENTITLED PRINCESS!"

At that moment, they heard a knock on the door, and Izuku's head peeped through the door, "Um, could you guys keep it down? I think there are still people trying to sleep-"

Izuku was bonked on the head with an apple, "STAY OUT OF OUR BUSINESS, YOU DORK!" Yelled Weiss.

"AHH! Why does everyone keep throwing things at me!? That's the fourth time this morning!"

"Hey! Don't throw things at him!" Said Ruby.

"I'll throw whatever I want at him!"

"Oh! Just like you threw my whistle out the window!"

"Who cares about that dumb whistle!"

"I care! Unlike you care about hygiene! Ever heard of a toothbrush, your highness!?"

Weiss gasped, for real this time, "You bit-"

Yeah, they could definitely use some work….

Ruby continued to just stare at the screen until she felt a scolding heat on the back of her neck. She whipped her head around, and her silver eyes met Weiss's heated glare of defiance.

In all her dorkiness, Ruby awkwardly waved. Weiss, in all her snobbiness, crossed her arms and humphed. So there went Ruby's only hope for teamwork….

The same couldn't be said for Nora and Ren, though. Nora, as hype as ever, cheered like her Mom was taking her to Disneyworld.

"Finally! Victi- I-I mean, opponents! I get to stretch my legs and break someone else's! You ready, Ren!"

Ren nodded, "As long as you don't actually severely injure anyone, I'm ready for anything."

"Aw Ren, you worry too much! I won't hurt anyone too badly! On purpose…."

Call Ruby crazy, but that savage smile on Nora's smile told Ruby that Nora wouldn't show any mercy to her victim- Oh sorry, 'opponents.'

"Right…. Anyways, will the last team make their way to the battlegrounds so we can commence our last match of the day?"

Ruby took a few deep breaths, trying to calm her nerves. Guess she was really doing this. It seemed pointless, though. After all, it was inevitable. This battle had been decided from the very moment it was chosen. The impeccable tag-team duo, Nora and Ren vs.….

Ruby and Weiss made eye contact once again. Aside from narrowed eyes, Weiss's face showed no emotion. Heels clicked against the floor as Weiss opted for a silent yet elegant walk to the exit. Slowly, Weiss walked down the steps, and for a moment, Ruby could swear that the only people on Remnant were them two.

The air felt heavy, weighed down by the tense atmosphere. Weiss long since disconnected her eyes from Ruby's, now ignoring her altogether. She continued to travel down the steps, not even caring she was getting scarily close to her team leader.

Ruby did her best to stare in defiance, but a bead of sweat couldn't help but make itself visible. Shivers went down her spine when Weiss finally gave her a cold stare, acknowledging her existence in the worst way possible. A light breeze blew up some dust as Weiss stepped past Ruby, bumping her shoulder in an out-of-character act of disrespect.

Ruby took more deep breaths, a fast-beating heart overwhelming her after losing her adrenaline. She looked around only to see everyone's eyes on her once more. They didn't weigh nearly as much as before, but the judgmental stares still gave her chills.

But she wasn't the only one everyone had their attention on….

"Hey, isn't that the Schnee Heiress?"

"Yeah, it is! I wonder what she's doing at Beacon. Don't they have a Huntsman academy at Atlas?"

"I don't know about any of that, but I feel so bad for her. She has to be on the same team as that kid."

"Yeah, that sucks. How was she even made team leader? It should've been the Schnee Heiress for sure."

Ruby was starting to hate the words 'team' and 'leader.' Why is everyone so caught up in titles like that?

"Ruby." She turned around and met Ren and his partner. He bowed to her and said, "I wish you luck in the match. Fight well."

Nora smiled, "Don't hold out on us. You got that!?"

Make that six people who didn't hate her. Ruby nodded, "Right!"

They all made their way to the gates, but Ruby stopped to look into the crowd once more. This time, instead of mean looks, Izuku and Yang both gave her encouraging looks as they made eye contact, giving Ruby all the more reason to fight on!

Ruby finally made her way out of the gates, confidence renewed. Weiss and her may not work well, but Ruby would make it work. That's what any good Huntress would do, wasn't it?

She'd make Team RWBY proud and become the leader she knew she could be.

Ruby and Weiss made their way to their side of the abandoned city, feet scraping the ground, neither of the two saying a word. They navigated between collapsed structures, deserted shops, and large pieces of rubble, each step kicking up more debris, getting grey specks of dirt on their combat suits. Both Team RWBY members watched their actions on their travels, cautious of the unstable buildings and destroyed bridges that laid waste in the unfortunate city. The whole time, even with the blaring sun, Ruby could feel Weiss's icy cold aura running chills down her spine, making her grip her sweaty palms onto Crescent Rose just a bit tighter.

They couldn't go on like this, Ruby knew. But how could she possibly get Weiss to even consider the possibility of working with her? Trying to play the leader card would only make Weiss resent her more, and there was more than enough resentment between the both of them to last a lifetime. Not to mention coming up with a plan to obtain the relic with their limited chemistry would be incredibly unlikely, if not impossible, especially against Ren and Nora of all people.

Overall, this battle was nowhere near in their favor. Some would even say it's a waste of time. How could they, the Child of Beacon and Crabby Schnee Heiress, whose teamwork was incredibly awful, pull off any win, much less against a team who was practically inseparable?

Well, Ruby knew the answer to that question….

Speed.

If Ruby was correct about Nora, she'd look for them with Ren right behind her as soon as possible. They're strong together, that is true. Even individually, they were both excellent fighters, but with Ruby's Semblance and Weiss's glyphs, she knew Nora and Ren stood no chance against her and her partner's speed. Not that Nora and Ren are slow, but not many people could compete with Ruby when it comes to speed, the only person who came to mind was Izuku, and he's more powerful than everyone anyways.

So the plan had been settled; fighting would be pointless. They'd go straight for the relic and end this as soon as possible. Now, if only she could relay that message to Weiss….

"...Weiss…?"

"..."

"...Weiss?"

"..."

"Wei-"

"Shut! Up!"

Ruby jumped back at Weiss's hostility, her Icy blue eyes burning holes into Ruby's eye sockets, "I don't want to hear a word from you. You got that?"

Ruby gulped but pressed on, "Weiss, I know you don't want to work with me, but-"

CACKLE!

A barrier of Ice cut off Ruby as she fell on her butt. Weiss glared into Ruby's skull, an angry frown on her face, and grumbled, "I told you to shut up! I don't need some child telling me what to do!"

"Quit being snobby! We don't have time for this! Nora and Ren will be on us any second!"

"If they're dumb enough to come to us…." Weiss readied her Rapier, the clicks of the revolving chamber shuffling through her dust, "Then I'll simply move them out of the way."

"We can't do that! They've been together for years and we hardly even know each other! Do you really think we can take them on!?"

Weiss scowled, "Who said anything about you?"

Ruby felt her eyes widen in realization, "Are you insane!? You can't take them on your ow-"

"WILL YOU SHUT UP ALREADY!?" Weiss went out of her stance, shaking with rage. She looked at Ruby with an angry frown on her face, "Nothing that's happened since I've gotten here has gone my way at all!" Her voice cracked, just barely keeping herself together, "Beacon hasn't been like anything I've imagined, and it's all because of you!"

Her fault? Her fault!? "MY FAULT!? How could any of that be my fault!?"

"All you've done is constantly mess up everything! In just one day, I almost died twice because of your childish antics! And yet, somehow, even after that, you became my team leader!" Weiss turned her head away from Ruby to hide the frustrated tears brimming her eyes. Then, still shaking, her voice cracked, "And then, because of that idiot, Izuku, I haven't had a single moment to prove myself! He comes out of nowhere, takes all the spotlight away from us all, but everyone seems to love him for some reason! I don't understand! Was all that training, all the blood, sweat, and tears for nothing!? How could this have happened!? Why did I get stuck with you for a teammate!? Why does everyone always try to decide what I can and can't do!?"

Ruby gaped, eyes widening at a loss for words. She watched as Weiss tried to put herself back together, wiping the angry tears still streaming down her face.

"Decide what she can and can't do…?"

Why did she feel so strongly about this? Ruby did understand setting high expectations for oneself. People have always expected a lot out of her for years now. But to have this type of reaction over a few days of bad luck? It's only barely been a day since initiation, yet Weiss seems to have months, maybe even years of frustration stored up inside of her, just waiting to be released. And now that she thought about it, had that scar always been on her eye like that...?

Ruby didn't know much about anything, but she was confident that Weiss was controlled by someone. By who exactly or why she didn't know, but either way, it's entirely unacceptable, and Ruby will be damned if she'd let that continue.

Mind you, ever since she got here, Weiss has been nothing but rude, snobby, and arrogant. Even during her breakdown, she couldn't help but let an insult slip through, so at this point, Ruby hasn't had a reason to care about her teammate. But why she acted this way never occurred to Ruby, and now that some new light has been shed, she knew that Weiss didn't seem to have the glorified rich girl lifestyle Ruby had imagined.

If she were honest, Ruby still doesn't care about Weiss. It's difficult to care about someone who constantly makes you feel like you don't deserve a chance to prove yourself. But regardless of her feelings, Weiss is a person and her teammate. So, Ruby didn't need any reason other than that.

She'd help her teammate, even if that meant losing the match, though she'd still like to try at least.

She pulled herself off the ground and reached a handout past the ice as an act of sincerity. "Weiss…."

RIIIIIING!

CRACK!

SWOOSH!

Literally, not even a second after the bell rang, a blast of dust was seen just a few meters from where they were standing, breaking the very concrete. Ruby quickly turned her head in the direction of the air blast when suddenly, the light from the sun was blocked from her vision. She looked and felt her heart stop, remembering she had no time to deal with breakdowns.

Nora, hammering overhead, grinned savagely and began swinging her hammer downward, with indescribable force, "SURPRISE!"

BAAAAAAAAAAMMMMMMM!

Nora's hammer smashed into the ground like a bomb, blowing up and breaking the pavement, blasting up powerful winds throughout the entire area, shattering the glacier and sending both Weiss and Ruby flying in different directions at high speeds.

CRASH!

Ruby crashed through the window of a shop head first, shattering the glass. Her body hit the ground with a hard thud, ensuring an uncomfortable tomorrow morning. Her heavy breaths and ringing were the only sounds beating her eardrums, clouding her thoughts. She felt warm thick liquid run down her forehead and into her eye, obscuring her already blurry vision. She grit her teeth, struggling to steady herself against the cold, unforgiving floor. Ruby put her hand on the floor, attempting to push herself up, but she immediately regretted it.

"Ah!" Ruby stared at the giant cut on her right hand, thick loads of blood leaking from the gash, making her even more nauseous.

Dang, they must've given up their position with all of that yelling. Good going, Ruby, some leader you are….

Vision blurry, Ruby shakingly got up, doing her best not to lose consciousness, also careful not to cut her hand on the glass this time. She looked out the window to locate her teammate, and she didn't need to search for long. There stood a bloody Weiss, hair down, overshadowing her eyes, in a shaky stance, Rapier at the ready confronting both Nora and Ren, both unscathed.

"Weiss, I think it'd be best if you surrendered…." Ren said calmly.

That did it. Weiss revealed her bloodshot eyes, blood flooding her left eye, and growled, "OVER MY DEAD BODY!"

Weiss's Rapier cycled through dust, and she activated a glyph for a head-on attack. Both Nora and Ren had straight faces as they readied their weapons, awaiting Weiss's strike.

Hand still stinging, Ruby gripped her scythe and tried to run after her teammate, but she collapsed, hardly holding on to consciousness, so all she could do was watch in terror as her partner dashed to her doom. It seems the fight would end barely after it started.

Three years ago….

Snowflakes fell on the courtyard of the Schnee household, highlighting the winter exterior of the extravagant castle. Each drop of snow had its own elegant pattern, allowing you to appreciate its beauty even in the freezing cold. Twinkling stars and the shattered Moon made the night sky as a 14-year-old Weiss prepared herself for battle under the Moon's shine.

She stood gracefully, fixing her straight ponytail, pinning it with a shining icicle-shaped tiara. Her Rapier cycled through its many options of attack, deciding on Ice dust as its primary choice of combat. Fitting, really, seeing as a snowflake fell into her palm, closely resembling the symbol on the back of her bell-sleeved bolero. Weiss took a minute to admire the patterns of the snow, showing her gratitude by slowly letting it fall to the ground. She took a few deep breaths, the cold air making each of her exhales visible, and she turned around, hair blowing in the wind, icy blue eyes filled with determination.

She was ready.

Weiss slowly walked to the middle of the field as sudden blizzards encircled the white-haired young woman. If she felt the cold breeze hitting her unprotected legs, she didn't show it. Instead, she only watched as the winds grew stronger and colder, Rapier gripped tighter than ever before. Finally, after long seconds of awaiting the beast, an Ice Grimm made its presence known with a growl and scratches to the ground.

More and more beasts appeared in the snowstorm, entrapping their prey in the center. Finally, one of the Grimm licked its lips in anticipation, ready to feast on Weiss and any of her negative emotions. It slowly crept toward her, eventually picking up the speed to lunge at her from behind, ensuring its dinner's fate…

CHINK!

Over her dead body, that is.

Another beast attempted to attack her, but Weiss wouldn't even let them get the chance. She activated a glyph below her, bouncing her up like it was a trampoline, and she slashed the Grimm backflipping, fiercely ripping its spine open as it turned to dust.

*ROAR*

The roar pierced Weiss's ears, but she didn't relent. Instead, she charged the Grimm and hopped just above his face. Then, creating a platform with her glyph, she chopped the beast head clean off and flipped onto the podium a snowflake statue stood on, landing smoothly on her toes.

Her Rapier once again cycled through dust and settled on a red marking, indicating fire. Weiss activated the dust, encasing her weapon in a hot orange fire, melting any snowflake within the vicinity of the flames. Gripping her weapon, Weiss sleekly swung the sword across the field, blasting a wave of flames over the courtyard.

WOOSH!

Fire burned in the field, quickly taking out all of the remaining Grimm and stopping the blizzard. Weiss watched, satisfied with her performance as the thick snow and sleek icicles on the courtyard pillars melted into cold water. She grinned in delight, seeing her hard work pay off.

*ROARRRR*

But since when has her life ever been this easy?

More Grimm appeared with another snowstorm, growling and clawing at Weiss, who still stood on the pillar. She took more deep breaths before activating her Semblance and dove at one of the Grimm, quickly slicing through it like butter.

Another beast lunged at her, hoping to get the drop on Weiss, but luck wasn't on its side that day. Weiss quickly sidestepped the beast attack, then she shanked the Grimm repeatedly. Each thrust tore a gnarly hole in the monster as it screamed in pain before being put off its misery, turning to dust.

One more beast attempted to get the drop on her, but before it reached its chance, Weiss's glare penetrated its soul, and she chopped the monster up, limb from limb in gruesome fashion, each chop accompanied by a roar of anguish. Then, Weiss brutally decapitated the beast and watched its remains float into the wind with the snow.

One by one, the Grimm dove at her, swiping their meaty claws at the Schnee Heiress. However, Weiss expertly countered anything those soulless creatures could throw at her. She bounced from Glyph the Glyph in the air, showing off her acrobatics, dodging and weaving claws and slicing monsters in two like mere playthings, showing no mercy to any of these beasts.

She finally landed on the ground and used her Semblance to slide and dash toward a Grimm, almost like ice skating, stabbing it in the chest, watching as it turned to dust like its brethren. Then, hearing another beast approaching, Weiss threw her Rapier right through its chest, killing it instantly.

Changing tactics, the remaining beasts charged toward her at once. Fortunately, Weiss managed to catch her weapon before it hit the ground and decided to end this bout once and for all. Her Rapier quickly cycled through elements and chose an ice dust canister, but it already seemed to be too late. The Grimm were all already mid-air, too close for any comfort as their claws and sharp, raggedy teeth were put on displace. Finally, the Grimm just inches away from her, Weiss stabbed her Ice-coated Rapier into the ground and rapidly began to build up strong, sturdy, sharp ice and exploded it into a giant sculpture.

CACKLE!

A large glacier surrounder her, taking out all the remaining Grimm. Weiss took a minute to catch her breath, a tired frown on her face as the glacier melted. Then, barely able to stand up, she pushed herself off the ground using her Rapier as leverage, almost falling straight onto her face as a reward for her strenuous efforts.

Weiss knew this exercise was far from over, yet she couldn't help but be surprised to find another Grimm charging her at higher speeds than any of the previous beasts.

She tried to dodge, but her stamina was nonexistent. It seems the overuse of her Semblance was finally starting to take effect. Taking advantage of her depleted Aura, the beast slammed into her repeatedly, giving her bruises and scratching up her white dress. Blood was shed, noses broke, muscles ached, and joints cracked as the beast played with Weiss like a dog played with its toy. After one last unforgiving bash to her abdomen, Weiss landed on the ground with a thud, along with her weapon as it clattered and slid across the pavement, far out of her reach.

Not allowing her to catch her breath, the Grimm bounced on top of Weiss, pinning her arms into the ground. Weiss tried to struggle, but the beast seemed to relish in her efforts as it drooled, growled., and lifted its arm up in preparation for an attack.

Weiss gasped, realizing the danger she was in, began to fight even more for freedom, begging her tired limbs for extra strength, but her effort was futile. Sweat ran down her forehead, blood dripped down her chin, and frustrated tears brimmed her eyes as the beast swung its claws down toward her face, its claws nothing more than a blur. Unable to do anything about her fate Weiss could only close her eyes shut, not wanting to see the beast's satisfaction of seeing her at her lowest.

SCRATCH!

Weiss's blood-curdling scream filled the night sky as The Grimm's howl echoed in the courtyard, claws overflowing with blood.

"What were you thinking, Weiss!? This could've ended much worse had I not gotten there in time!"

Weiss sat on her bed, hair down, face almost completely wrapped in bandages. Then, ashamed, she apologized, "I'm sorry, Winter."

"You better be! Do you have any clue of how dangerous that was!? You set those Grimm to attack with the intent to kill on sight! Have I not taught you better than to do something as foolish as this!?"

"I'm sorry, okay!" Weiss yelled, "It's just, you've always told me that you won't always be there for me, so I wanted to see if I could do it on my own for once…."

Winter frowned, eyes softening. She then sighed and gently grasped her sister's shoulder, "You're right. I won't always be there for you. But that doesn't mean you need to do everything by yourself just because you think you can. I only told you that so you'd finally find some independence. Lord knows you'll need it for what father will put you through…."

At the mention of their father, the atmosphere grew awkward, with no words being spoken by either sibling. Before it could get any worse, Winter cleared her throat and changed the subject, "So, I heard you want to apply to Beacon academy when you're older."

Weiss perked up, "Yes! I actually managed to convince father to let me go! Can you believe it!?"

"Hardly…. But I'm happy for you regardless. But why Beacon? There are plenty of Huntsman academies in Atlas."

"Well, because you went there. So I thought that it'd be the best option for me…."

Winter hummed. Her arms were crossed behind her back as she stared down at her sister, "I see…. So is that why you decided to start the Grimm simulation in the middle of the night?"

Weiss gripped the hem of her dress, "Well, no…. But-"

"Don't bother with excuses, Weiss! There was absolutely no reason for you to attempt that exercise without supervision!"

"But I-"

"No! I'm extremely disappointed in you. You aren't even a Huntress in training, yet you thought you could attempt something as advanced as this?"

"But I did really well, though!"

"Until you didn't. Correct?"

Weiss hung her head, lips sealed.

"Face the facts, Weiss. You aren't ready to take on any Huntress-level threats." Winter's heel clicked the floor as she began walking toward the door, "It's okay to aim for the top, but don't be an idiot."

"...Shut up."

Winter raised an eyebrow, "Excuse me?"

Weiss glared at her older sister, "I said shut up! You're always spouting all of this nonsense about being my own person! But as soon as I try, you scold me like some little kid! What do you want from me!?"

Winter paused at the door frame, not even turning to look at Weiss, "The real question is what do you want for yourself?"

"I just told you! I want to know what you want from me!"

"And that's exactly the problem, Weiss."

Confused, Weiss asked, "What do you mean?"

Winter turned to directly face her little sister, "You claim to want independence, yet all you ever focus on is what you think others expect of you and following a path that isn't your own. If you ever want to make it as a Huntress and get out of father's grasp, then focus on what's best for you, not what you think others want from you."

Annoyed, Weiss said, "Can you just tell me what that means? Why are you always being so vague?"

Winter rubbed her chin. "Vague? As far as I'm concerned, I've been pretty direct with you. As it stands, me being 'vague' stems from your lack of understanding."

Weiss threw her arms in the air in frustration, "So what!? Now you're calling me stupid!?"

"I said nothing of the sort. I just couldn't help but acknowledge your ignorance."

"Well, sorry, I don't know everything like you do, Winter!"

"I haven't claimed to know everything, and I never will!" Weiss flinched back, and Winter widened her eyes, realizing her mistake. Her eyes softened once more, and Weiss, in turn, lost her angry expression, "Weiss, it's okay to not have all of the answers. Sometimes, even the wisest of men need to be corrected. But those who refuse to acknowledge their ignorance for whatever reason are doomed to repeat the same mistakes! Instead, you must ask questions, and if you don't get answers, you find them, then take them for yourself!"

Weiss nodded, "I understand. I'm sorry for getting angry."

Winter dismissed her apology, "There is no need for apologies, dear sister. Better in front of me than in front of anyone." They shared a chuckle before Winter kneeled down in front of her sister and placed her hand on each of Weiss's shoulders, "Listen, Weiss. You have a lot more to learn before you can become a proper Huntress. But despite how much I chastise you, you carry an immense amount of skill that even I never possessed at your age."

Weiss blushed from the praise, "Yeah, right. You're just saying that."

Winter deadpanned, "When have you ever known me to hand out underserved praises?"

"Never?"

"Right! Just know, when I say something, I mean it." Winter got up from her position on the floor and looked down on Weiss, "You have limitless potential, even outside of being a Huntress. But there are many things you need to learn before you even stand a chance. And you already know this, but I can't always be there to help you. So, you need to learn that sometimes you can only be there for yourself. And doing something idiotic and dangerous is not one of those ways."

Weiss tensed up at the implications of her past actions and asked, "How will I know when I'm ready?"

Winter smirked, "Trust me, sister. You'll know when you're ready." Winter looked outside of Weiss's window and said, "It's getting rather late, so it's time this conversation came to a close. Get some rest. We'll take off the bandages tomorrow morning."

Weiss nodded, and Winter began walking out of the room, but not before giving one last word of advice, "Remember, I'm not telling you to never take risks. A lot of your journey ahead will require you to just take that leap of faith, but always know what you're getting into, or you'll regret not thinking things through. Goodnight Weiss. Sleep well."

The door shut, leaving Weiss in the darkness of her bedroom. She sighed and fell onto her bedsheets, back first, arms spread out.

Following a path, that's not her own…. Weiss groaned in confusion. Seriously, why did Winter have to be so indirect. Well, Weiss supposed she could just think on it in the morning because she could really use some rest right now. She slid out of bed and walked to her closet to change into her nightgown. Her footsteps echoed in the room but then suddenly stopped as she stood in the middle of the room.

Weiss froze and turned to look into her mirror. She slowly brought her hand up to her face, and her hand slid down the bandages that made her left eye. The more she stared, the more the applications started to irritate her. The way they tightly squeezed her head, The tiny prickles of the material making her itch. How they covered her eye, giving her monocular vision. All of it was excruciatingly aggravating.

Weiss scowled, angry at the circumstances in which she got the infuriating appendages. Her nails clawed at the woven fabric, repeatedly scratching at her eye, desperate to rip the bandages off of her face. Each failed attempt only added to Weiss's frustration as rage-filled tears brimmed her eyes and the scratches filled her ears like nails on a chalkboard. Finally, having enough, she gripped a handful of fabric in her palm and pulled as hard as she could, straining them against her head.

"Get…!"

Pull!

"Off…!"

PULL!

"ME!"

RIP!

Weiss took deep, heavy breaths, hands on her knees, trying to keep her balance. Then, disregarding her lightheadedness, she glanced at the now torn bandages in her burning palms. The fabric smelled of iron, cloth, and sweat and was dull in color while being light in weight, but that wasn't the main thing that caught her eye….

Blood…. Blood everywhere…. On the bandages, on her hands, her face! It's the only part Weiss paid any mind to. Every spot she scanned had thick globs of thick, red liquid, each stain bringing her mind back to her earlier disaster.

"Ahh!" Weiss's eye burned in anguish, and she slammed her hands against her face in response.

Of course, she'd go and do something stupid again. Winter just told her not to make foolish choices like these, but yet here she was. On her knees, writhing in pain over something that could've easily been prevented had she just listened to her sister.

Then, slowly, her arms trembled, trying to push herself off the floor. Her wounds still burned, but the pain wasn't unbearable, unlike before. Eventually, she managed to grab her counter and pull herself off the ground, finally witnessing the wounds that caused her so much pain.

Three gnarly, grotesque scratches raced across her red, blotchy eye, completely contradicting her elegant aura. First, Weiss's quivered, eyes widening. Then, Shakingly, she brought her hand up to feel the gash, but the moment she made contact, she winced from the burning sensation once more. These would no doubt scar her face, permanently staining her beauty.

A fool she was…. Assuming someone like herself could attempt something of that level…. Weiss stared, blank-faced, at her mirror, reflecting on her failed efforts to live up to anyone's expectations of her.

It was always about what she couldn't do, what she should've done instead, or what she wasn't capable of in the first place. Never about how much hard work she put in or how far she's come since she was a little girl. Weiss failed to comprehend any of the critiques, constantly questioning whether or not everything she's done was all a wasted effort.

Why does everything have to be so confusing? Both Winter and her father have two different views of who she should be, but Weiss wasn't sure she could live up to either version. Truthfully, she still had no idea what Winter wanted her to do or if she wanted to be what her father thought she should….

Focus on what's best for you, not what you think others want from you.

What's best for herself…? But she didn't know what was best for herself….

It's okay to not have all of the answers.

She needed answers, though…. What if she never got her them…?

Instead, you must ask questions, and if you don't get answers, you find them, then take them for yourself.

Take them for herself…? Take them for herself…. Take them for herself…!

...Herself….

Weiss's eyes widened as she gaped at herself in the mirror. Was this what Winter was trying to tell her? It all made sense now! Following a path not her own…. So that's what she meant! Winter didn't want her to follow in someone's footsteps.

She wanted Weiss to take her own path.

But there are so many, yet so few, paths to choose from. So how will Weiss know if which ones she's taking is the right one…?

Weiss turned her eyes over to her Rapier, leaning against the wall in the corner of her bedroom. She slowly walked over to it, feeling the floor's cold exterior on her feet, and gripped her weapon, picking it up and placing it the front of her face. Weiss gazed at her reflection on her weapon, taking in the massive wounds on her left eye and her silky, flowing white hair.

"Well, it's just as Winter said…."

Once again, in front of her mirror, Weiss took a hairband from her desk drawer and tied her hair into a ponytail, this time letting it fall to the left. Then, she flexed her fingers against the handle of her Rapier, and her eyes glowed with conviction as she steeled her resolve!

"It's all a leap of faith."

Author's Notes: Hey guys! This chapter took a bit longer than expected once again... I originally wanted to show the entire fight, but I felt like I would burn myself out if I tried, plus this chapter is already over 9,000 words, so I decided to leave it off on this. Yes, I know this says "Origins part one" but don't worry your pretty little heads off guys! The next chapter won't be littered to the brim with flashbacks. It'll mostly showcase the rest of the battle, and toward the end, it'll finally address the issue with the vestiges. I've also edited part of chapter three at the nice suggestion of JollyIceMuncher! Great Idea, by the way, I'm glad you pointed that out because when I thought about it, it hardly made any sense to me why I put it there in the first place.

Also, in regards to the reviews, thank you all so much for the feedback! All of it really helps! And when I say all of it, I really do mean ALL of it. Believe it or not, I look forward to criticism and angry reviews. While yes, it does hurt to see someone was dissatisfied with my work, all of their insights helps me to work better in the future, keeping their critiques in mind. So there is no need for you guys to come at someone if they leave an angry review. Thank you for arguing on my behalf, but I don't want you guys targeting another person because of their personal opinion.

Another thing... The "bunny" mask. Some of you guys probably thought that it made no sense, given it's his vigilante costume. But keep in mind that I mention it got repaired, so the bunny ears now look more like bunny ears now. And even if it didn't get repaired, personally I still think it looks a bit like a rabbit. A very horrifying rabbit mind you, but a rabbit nonetheless. Honestly, besides the box of Trix, another thing that inspired me was that Izuku's costume sorta reminded me of Metal Sonic from Sonic CD, and that version of Sonic still sorta retained its hedgehop aesthetic so I thought it would work here too. I don't know, maybe I'm just a bit slow in the head, but who knows really.

Anyways, thank you all so much for reading! Did you enjoy it? Did you hate it with an absolute burning passion? Was there anything you thought was great? Stupid? Don't be afraid to let me know your opinion in the reviews! Until next time readers, happy reading!