Note: Okay, this is a long one. I decided to just make all the Emerald Forest stuff one chapter since I was writing it all at once and didn't fell like figuring out where to split it up. Anyways, sorry for the wait and I hope ya'll enjoy the chapter. Also, I have made some slight adjustments to the previous chapters.
Okay, begin!
"Winter?"
"Hmmm?" Winter replies sleepily.
"Can I sleep with you?"
The eldest child of the Schnee family slowly sits up in her bed and rubs her eyes before looking to face a young Weiss clutching a white stuffed bunny with a light-brown ribbon around it's neck... the only toy she owns.
"I-I... had a nightmare." the little wolf-girl says shyly.
"Again?" questions her human sister.
Weiss slowly nods in response and Winter takes note that the girl is on the verge of tears. The elder sister releases a sigh before forming a small smile and patting the space next to her. Weiss perks up at the action and runs over to her sister's bedside before climbing up. Winter just sits there and strokes her little sister's head as the latter is clinging to her waist. It's not uncommon for Weiss to have nightmares... as a matter of fact, she has them nearly every night. However, Winter cannot help but wonder why. Sure she would, and still does, have a nightmare every now and then... but nearly every night? Something has to be going on.
"Winter?" Weiss asks after about five minutes or so.
"Yes?" her sister replies.
"Do... d-do you think all funus are bad?"
Well this certainly took her by surprise. Why would Weiss even be asking her this? Unless...
"It's pronounced 'faunus,' Weiss, and are you asking this because you had a dream about the White Fang?"
"... Yes."
It's not a complete lie. She hears her father speak ill of them a few times a week. Although, her question was more than that. It was actually about her nightmare. She had dreamed that everyone found out what she was. That Klein and Winter hated her... that her sister hit her like her father does.
"The White Fang is a peaceful group, Weiss. They're not going to hurt you." Winter answers, obviously unknowing of the questions true intention.
"But..."
"Yes, there are some bad faunus who do hurt people, but that's only a few. So to answer your question, no. I do not believe that all faunus are bad. However, they are beneath us. They are not human, they are animals, and so we are sperate from them. I do not think that they are evil, but I could never see myself befriending one."
"O-okay..." Weiss says sadly.
Not knowing what impact that she just made, Winter kisses the top of her sister's head and the two lay down for the night. While Winter had pleasant dreams, Weiss was once again forced to see a hateful sister in her sleep. She 'relives' the person whom she loves most hate and scorn her, leaving a bright-pink handprint on the wolf-girl's cheek. However, it's even scarier this time around because now she knows that this nightmare could actually come to pass.
Present Day...
Five A.M. could not have come fast enough. Weiss had been bored out of her mind all night ever since her scroll died and she had apparently left the charger in the locker room. Ozpin told her to try and sleep at around 11:30, but she refused. How did he even know she was awake anyway? Probably a camera or two in here so he could figure out early on who any possible troublemakers might be. Anyway, the headmaster eventually gave up on trying to make her get some rest and told her she could leave the building at 5:00... so that's exactly what she's doing. Normally any other person would be tired from staying up all night, but she's not any other person. Weiss is no stranger to having a sleepless night or two because of either her father or living on the streets. She's actually been awake up to five days before. However, that's as long as she can go before the desire to sleep is completely dominant. As for today though, she'll be alright.
Weiss removes her stuffed rabbit from her lap, giving it a quick hug before putting it inside her bag. After that, the faunus slowly descends from the windowsill and makes her way past her fellow initiates as quietly as she can before heading out through the doors. Once outside, the girl heads for the locker rooms inside the building containing the arena used for combat classes. Upon entering her destination, Weiss finds her charger laying on the bench in front of her locker. She thought someone would have taken it. Ozpin would likely be annoyed if she had lost it in less than twenty hours after him giving the device and cord to her. She grabs the object before putting her bag inside her locker. She remembers the girl with the sunglasses mentioning something about a shower being in the building, so she figures that it couldn't hurt. After all, it's been a while since she's had a proper one.
Once inside the shower room, Weiss does a doublecheck by looking out the door behind her to make sure no one else is inside the building. After all, she wouldn't want to get snuck up on... or for anyone to see her and start asking questions. Then again, they likely wouldn't care anyway because of what she is. They would just mock her even more than they will anyway, she just wants to keep that to a minimum. Staring into the mirror before her, Weiss places the middle and index fingers of her left hand over her scar; running them down the wound. Not even five seconds later, the faunus' hand curls into a tight fist that she slams down on the counter.
After taking a moment to calm herself, Weiss stops leaning over the marble surface and turns around, taking off her jacket before laying it on the counter. In doing this, the white-haired girl's arms are exposed to the open air... showing off more scars down her arms and across her wrists. The rest of the world aren't the only ones who hurt her... she does it to herself as well. She's not really sure why. It doesn't make her feel any better. It doesn't make the pain stop, and yet, she does it anyway. As if that wasn't enough, when Weiss removes her shirt, multiple slash marks are shown to have become apart of her back as well. However, instead of a knife or a piece of glass or anything else like the other wounds, the injuries on her back were created by a whip. Her father's whip, and he would use it every time she did something that displeased him... which was several times a day. However, only about six slashes had actually left a permanent mark on her pale skin. If she had a scar for every time he hit her with that terrible thing... she wouldn't even have a back anymore.
After taking her shower, Weiss puts her clothes back on and heads to the cafeteria. Sure, Glynda may have bought her a new outfit and given her some money to buy some more changes of clothes, but Weiss only kept the one. The blonde gave her the lien, Weiss is going to use it how she wants. Besides, what's the point of having multiple changes of the exact same clothes anyway? Everyone always has on the same freaking thing and whole idea of having five pairs of the same outfit is stupid in the white-haired girl's mind. Once arriving in the cafeteria, Weiss heads into the kitchen, grabs what she wants, and sits while using her charging scroll until more people start to show up two hours later.
When that happens, Weiss goes out for a walk until 10:38, when she heads back to the locker room to retrieve her weapon and restock the cylinders with fresh dust containers, seeing as how she has no idea how long this initiation thing is going to be. Actually, she doesn't even know what it is. Ozpin never told her. After arriving at her destination seven minutes later, Weiss speed walks to her locker with her head looking down at the floor in the hopes that would somehow make her invisible. As soon as she opens her locker door, a group of three students walk by as one of them mentions their older sister telling him that teams are formed immediately after initiation.
"Well that great." Weiss mutters in sarcastic annoyance.
Apparently instead of getting at least a few days to herself, Ozpin is going to go on ahead and assign her to a team. She thought that maybe this whole school thing wouldn't be too terrible, and yet now that she's here. Everything just keeps on getting worse.
"You know what else is great? Me. Jaune Arc. Nice to meet'cha." a blonde-haired boy, the one who threw up on the ship, announces as he leans against the locker next to hers with one arm.
… Yep, still getting worse. The scarred girl does her best to tune out the nonstop talking of the boy as she pretends that he doesn't exist and goes back to refueling her weapon as she sits on the nearby bench, hoping that he'll just go away. However, he just won't shut up. She swears she hears him say that she's pretty, but that's impossible. No one would ever think that of her, not that she really cares either. For Weiss, "being pretty" is at the bottom of the list for important things in life. That's reserved for staying hidden from her father, having as minimal contact with people as possible, collecting food and water however she can, having dust for her weapon, getting some sleep at least every couple days, and not dying... which honestly there are times where she doesn't care about that last one.
"So, been hearing rumors about teams and I was thinking me and you may make a good one."
The next thing that happens grabs her attention once again however, when Jaune nearly touches her face as he asks:
"Whadd'ya say?"
As soon as Jaune does that, Weiss grabs ahold of his wrist, stands up, turns away from the locker, and throws the blonde as hard as she can all in one rapid motion. The yelp and the crash that follows gathers the attention of multiple other initiates who look on in surprise and confusion. Weiss doesn't even finish putting the last two vials in Myrtenaster as she snatches up her weapon and bag before slamming her locker door and heading out of the building.
One Minute Earlier...
"Hey, look at that." Yang says to her sister. "Looks like Weiss has got an admirer."
Ruby turns to see Jaune's failing flirting attempts and hopes that nothing goes bad. Jaune seems like a nice guy, and Weiss... well she doesn't really know if Weiss is mean or not. Professor Ozpin said she's shy, and she's obviously not happy with Ruby for several understandable reasons, so it's kind of hard for her to really know if Weiss really is nice or not.
"You think he's got a shot?" questions Yang.
"I don't know." replies Ruby. "He should hopefully be fine as long as he doesn't..."
It's at this moment where Jaune is thrown over Weiss' shoulder and slammed into the floor.
"do that."
The two girls and several other onlookers just stand there and watch as Weiss rushes from the building.
"Yikes." Yang comments after the faunus is out of sight. "That has to put a dent in his pride."
"Would all first year students please report to Beacon Cliff for initiation? Again, all first year students Report to Beacon Cliff immediately." Goodwitch announces over the intercom.
Ruby doesn't say anything and begins walking towards the first friend she made a Beacon, with her sister following close behind.
"Having some trouble there, lady killer?" Yang asks.
"I don't understand." Jaune says in a defeated tone. "My dad said all women look for is confidence. Where did I go wrong?"
"Well, she doesn't seem to like it when anyone gets too close to her. Freaks her out." Yang explains before heading towards the exit.
Ruby helps her friend off the ground and says: "C'mon, Jaune, let's go." as they follow the female blonde.
A few minutes later and every first year is standing lined up from left to right on a bunch of metal launch pads in front of Ozpin and Goodwitch, the two professors have their backs to the edge of the cliff. Apparently when the headmaster said that initiation will begin at 11:00, he really meant it because as soon as his watch strikes the time he speaks up.
"For years you have trained to become warriors, and today, your abilities will be evaluated in the Emerald Forest."
"Now, I'm sure many of you have heard rumors about the assignment of teams. Well, allow us to put an end to your confusion. Each of you will be given teammates... today." Goodwitch tells them.
"What? Aww..." Ruby whines.
Damn it. Weiss already knew about this, but it doesn't make the announcement any less annoying.
"These teammates will be with you for the rest of your time here at Beacon, so it is in your best interest to be paired with someone whom you work well. That being said... the first person you make eye contact with after landing will be your partner for the next for years." Ozpin announces.
Are you freaking kidding?! Weiss knows that he said that she would have to be on a team... but the first person who she makes eye contact with?! What the heck is that garbage?! And right after he said that 'it's best if they get paired up with someone they work well with! She may not be the best at speaking, but even she knows that those two things do not go together!
"What?!" squeals Ruby.
"After you've partnered up, make your way to the northern end of the forest. You will meet opposition along the way. Do not hesitate to destroy everything in your path, or you will die." Ozpin continues.
Weiss stares at the headmaster in shock while Jaune laughs nervously before swallowing hard and Ruby mopes about the whole team situation.
"You will be monitored and graded for the duration of your initiation, but our instructors will not intervene. You will find an abandoned temple at the end of the path, containing several relics. Each pair must choose one and return to the top of the cliff. We will regard that item, as well as your standing, and grade you appropriately. Are there any questions?"
Yes, can Weiss just not do this initiation thing and say she did?
Jaune raises his hand. "Yeah. Um, sir?"
"Good! Now, take you positions."
Weiss slowly removes her rapier from her side and just kind of stands there, not really knowing what to do. She looks to the people around her for a possible hint and sees Yang is in a fighting stance, Ruby in a running position, and Jaune is still trying to ask his question. Are they supposed to pose?
"Uh, sir? I've got, um, a question." Jaune continues.
However, before Weiss even knows what's going on, she gets flung off of the cliff, releasing a gasp as this happens. However, Weiss quickly overcomes her surprise and adjusts herself into a divebombing position. At forty meters until impact, the faunus flips herself around to replace her head's positioning with her feet and vice-versa. All the while, she creates several gravity glyphs within fifteen feet of one another vertically underneath herself to slow her descent. Upon reaching seven meters until impact, Weiss stops the glyphs and lowers her shoulder; causing her to front roll after coming into contact with the forest floor.
The white-haired girl looks around at her surroundings and takes a deep breath before releasing it. So, if it's a little past 11:00 A.M. the sun will still be leaning more towards the east. If Weiss looks upwards, the sun is in front of her, meaning that the area behind her is west and the cliff a distance to the faunus' right is to the south; so the north is to her left. However, since this is a test, it's doubtful that the intended destination will be straight in a single direction. Deciding on this, Weiss begins walking to the northeast. As much as she hates to admit it, living twelve years of your life on the streets and in the woods actually has some benefits.
However, instead of staying on her own as she would prefer, Weiss picks up the sound of someone running right at her after a minute. Acting on instinct, the faunus removes Myrtenaster from her hip and spins around to face the source of the disturbance coming into eye contact with one Ruby Rose.
...
Why? Just... just why?
Ruby gives Weiss a small smile, in which the faunus returns by twitching her eye twice and turning around before walking in the opposite direction of her without saying a word.
"Wait!" ruby calls out. "Where are you going?! We're supposed to be teammates." the red cloaked girl says sadly as she kicks the dirt with her right foot.
Is Weiss always going to hate her?
Weiss pushes her way through multiple bushes, thorns cutting away at her legs and tail all the while. Did she really have to be paired up with Ruby of all people? In Weiss' mind, the faunus would be happier if she got paired with a fish. Literally anyone would be better than the girl known as Ruby Rose.
"Uhg. Come on you stupid... urg. Come on... auh."
At the sound of someone's mumbling reaching her ears, Weiss looks up to see Jaune Arc stuck to a tree with a spear in his hoodie. The faunus puts her hand to the brink of her nose and sqeezes it in frustration while trying not to scream. So it's either the annoying girl who's fault it is that she's here in the first place and who literally exploded in the faunus' face, or the guy who threw up on several people in the Bullhead, doesn't seem to get a clue or ever shut up, almost touched her face, and seems to be relatively useless.
Jaune finally notices Weiss standing there and lets out a nervous laugh while waving to her as he mentally prays that the white-haired girl will help him down, but drops his arm and head in defeat as she turns and walks away without a word.
Ruby hears the sound of approaching footsteps and slowly looks up to spot Weiss walking angrily towards her before passing right by the younger girl. Ruby thought she was just going to walk off again but is surprised and delighted when the faunus grabs the former's hood and starts to drag her with.
"You came back!" the caped girl announces happily as she throws her arms into the air.
After a few yards, Weiss lets go of Ruby and the latter falls to the ground while the former keeps on walking.
"Oww. Hey, what's the hurry?"
Wiess continues to say nothing and keeps walking away until Ruby basically teleports in front of her with a smile and moving her hands up and down to resemble a dog. Is she making fun of her?
Seeing that her attempt to get Weiss to smile failed, Ruby says: "Weiss, I know that we haven't exactly gotten off of the best foot, but I want to try and make things up to you and that you'll forgive me for getting Professor Ozpin mad at you and for running into you and blowing you up."
Weiss opens her mouth to speak but Ruby just keeps on going, tensing up as Ruby puts her arm around her shoulders.
"But for right now, us teammates are going to completely own this initiation and take down a whole lot of Grimm. And after it's all over, you're going to be like 'Wow! That Ruby girl is really really cool... and I want to be your friend."
Ruby then finally notices what she's doing and jumps back when she sees how nervous her new teammate is. "Eep! Sorry! I'll stop doing that too!"
After that, she uses her semblance to speed off so the faunus won't growl at her again.
Shortly after the younger girl is gone, the sound of rustling leaves catches the faunus' attention. First the girl makes fun of her, then puts her arm around her, now she's hiding in the bushes. What in the world is wrong with this kid? It's at this point when the other bushes surrounding the faunus begin to shift, red eyes beginning to pierce through. … Wait a minute. That's not Ruby. Weiss quickly turns to the only opening in the foliage surrounding her, spotting a Beowolf. The beast lets out a roar before leaping at the faunus, however, the creature is met with a sword to the abdomen; killing it instantly. Another one makes a move on her from behind, but Weiss does a backflip, landing on it's back before thrusting Myrtenaster into it's neck.
Two more Beowolves charge, forcing Weiss to preform a dodge roll. After that, she stops one paw swipe with her rapier before pushing upwards, forcing the Grimm's arm into the air. She follows up by slashing the creature's hind legs, forcing it to fall on all fours before decapitating it. Weiss backbends underneath the second Beowolf as it leaps at her, making it fall face first into the dirt. The faunus runs at the creature to make the killing blow while it's busy trying to recover when Ruby appears in front of her, ending the Grimm's life.
The action surprises Weiss and she tries to slow herself down as to not end Ruby's life, making the white-haired girl trip an fall on her face... accidentally sending a row of fire at a tree, completely destroying it. The sudden action catches Ruby's attention, making her lose focus. This results in her thrown back into the faunus, who was just beginning to stand up.
"Watch it!" Ruby yells in annoyance.
"That your fault. Were just fine with no you." Weiss argues back as she picks herself up off the ground... again.
"Looks like you're surrounded to me." the youngest of the pair mutters under her breath.
Before any more words could be exchanged, Ruby takes note of the flames beginning to encircle them along with the Beowolves. Much to Weiss' discomfort, Ruby grabs the faunus' arm without warning and dashes them away from the scene with her semblance. However, at some point during their escape, a burning tree collapses five feet in front of the new partners. This development forces Ruby to make an abrupt stop, making her slip and fall as she is still holding on to Weiss' wrist. Both of the girl's heads smack into one another painfully and they both lay on the ground for a moment before Weiss can feel the fire approaching her face, causing her to get up and bolt with Ruby following closely behind. Once they are a safe distance away from the flames, the two stop to regain their breath. However, Ruby recovers much faster thanks to her semblance being extremely quick running while Weiss has to lean against a tree with one arm while the other clutches her stomach.
"What was that?!" Ruby questions. "First you don't tighten the lid on your container and now the forest is on fire! Don't you even know how to use your own dust?!"
Weiss just gives the black and red-haired girl a glare and removes herself from the tree she's using for support before placing one arm to her head and walking over to sit on a large rock. It's then when Ruby notices a tear in Weiss' jeans just above the girl's ankle, with a small amount of blood shining through. At the sight, Ruby's anger is replaced with concern. Weiss never got hit by a Beowolf, did she get it from the thorns she walked through? How? Shouldn't her aura have protected her from something as miniscule as that? At least healed it? What about her headache? Ruby's was short-lived due to the fact the her aura took the blow for her, but shouldn't Weiss be fine too?
"You okay?" asks Ruby.
"Why you care?" Weiss retorts. "First ask if Ice Wolf know how to use own dust, now ask if okay? Make no sense."
"… Ice Wolf?"
"Yes."
"Really?" Ruby questions whilst tilting her head to the side.
"Yes."
"No offence, but that sounds kinda dumb."
"Ice Wolf no ask opinion, girl."
"My name is Ruby."
"Ice Wolf no care."
Ruby opens her mouth to speak again, but is interrupted by her new teammate.
"As for dust, you the one who made vial loose when run into Ice Wolf and forest burn down due to you appear at random and make Ice Wolf fall while try not to run you through. Ice Wolf were mid strike when you chose to jump in."
"Hey! You're the one who got yourself surrounded! I was just trying to help!"
Help? Really? No one wants to help her. No, all this girl has done is hurt, annoy, and inconvenience her. Ruby wants to be friends, but even though Weiss' father abused her, there was one good thing he told her about that she should have listened to:
"Friendship is a lie."
She didn't listen and so she learned that lesson the hard way, by someone who claimed they were "friends" attempt to sell her as a slave. Then she was an idiot again when she made two more "friends" and they tried to kill her. Weiss isn't making that mistake again.
"Just 'cause we on team now, do not make us friend." Weiss announces to Ruby with a slight amount of venom while looking at the younger girl straight in the eyes.
Immediately following her statement, Weiss stands up from the rock and begins walking away as Ruby says nothing and just watches her leave. Why does Weiss have to be so frustrating?! All Ruby did was try to help her out! It's not her fault that the jerk lit the forest on fire! Ruby has done nothing but try to be nice to her! Why did she have to get this "lone wolf" as a teammate?! In her frustration, Ruby releases a small scream and cuts a tree down with one swipe of Crescent Rose before placing her weapon back and following Weiss. The two girls walk in silence, stopping every now and then for Weiss to check to see if they are still heading the right way. However, it's difficult to just keep going in one direction with all the fallen trees and groups of bushes around; so the trip is taking longer than either girl would have liked it to.
"Do you even know where we're going?" Ruby questions after about twenty minutes.
However, Weiss chooses not to answer and just keeps on walking.
"Why can't you just admit that you have no idea where we're going?"
"Not lost." Weiss replies.
"Okay then, where are we going?"
"Forest temple."
"So you don't know where we're going?"
"Temple is north."
"Well are we going north?"
"Yes."
"How do you know?"
"Go left of sun 'cause of time of day."
"But the sun is that way." Ruby announces while pointing a little to the right.
"Going northeast. Doubt it directly north."
Ruby stops moving and turns in the opposite direction the two are walking, spotting something in the distance. She takes Crescent Rose from her back and looks into it's scope, identifying the object.
"Then what's this?"
Weiss turns around and heads towards her partner at the question. Once she arrives, Ruby holds the scope of her gun to Weiss' face. Once she looks through it, Weiss can clearly see their intended destination… which was directly north before they passed it. Weiss looks away from the scope and to a smirking Ruby, who she walks past in annoyance.
"How are we going to get over there?" Ruby questions.
"Walk." her partner replies.
"But that at least another three miles!"
"Well you have idea better?"
Almost immediately Wiess regrets asking that, now she's riding on the side of a large Nevermore that just so happened to be flying towards the temple. Maybe it has a nest there? She hopes not because dealing with this thing on it's own will be a pain if it notices their presence. Ruby eventually looks back to make sure that her teammate hasn't fallen off their ride and sees Weiss burying her face into the Nevermore's feathers and clinging on for dear life.
"We'll be fine, stop worrying so much!" the red reaper exclaims, needing to raise her voice to be heard over the wind.
"This extreme stupid!" Weiss shouts back.
"Why don't we jump?!"
"What?!"
"There are some people on the ground and it doesn't look like it's going to land because of it! We're going to have to jump!"
Is she being serious? She knows they will likely die right? She probably just wants Weiss to kill herself so she can say that she "slipped" and keep up her "nice girl" act. However, Weiss' theory is destroyed when she looks back to her teammate, only to find her missing. The wolf faunus looks downward and spots the girl falling not too far back. She really jumped? So she wasn't trying to trick her? Actually, now that Weiss thinks about it… jumping might not be so bad. She has control of her semblance now, it won't show up unless she wants it to. If she does die, she won't have to worry anymore. No more having fears of her father finding her. No more people hurting her. No more nightmares. She'll be free.
Deciding that is what she wants to go for, Weiss closes her eyes, takes a deep breath, and lets go of the massive bird. With her back facing the ground below, Weiss doesn't think about anything. She isn't scared. Her breathing is calm and her heartrate normal. Her semblance has stopped her in the past, it won't now. No one is there to stop or catch her. The only things there are the Nevermore above and the relaxing feeling of the wind in her hair… and then she feels an arm under her legs and one on her back.
"Just dropping in?" Jaune's voice asks smoothly.
Oh, God no. Why does nothing ever work out for her? However, before she can push him away from her, Jaune whines: "Oh, God" before gripping onto Weiss for dear life as if she could fly or something. Obviously, this makes Weiss freak out even more, but she can't get out of the idiot's grip and so she just squeezes her eyes shut as tight as she can and prays that the fall will kill her. Again, her wishes don't come true as she survives. How? She doesn't know. Yeah, she landed on Jaune's back after finally freeing herself from his grasp somehow, but logically speaking, she still should have died from the impact due to her falling from that height. Speaking of, as soon as Weiss' mind registered that she wasn't dead, the white-haired girl rolls off of the blonde and points her rapier at the back of his neck.
"Woah woah woah woah woah woah." Yang repeats. "I know you're iffy about people touching you, but he just saved your life. Maybe don't cut his head off, eh?"
Weiss looks around at the people around her who are staring at her in concern as she is still breathing heavily before looking back to Jaune. She gives him another glare before walking off.
It's at this moment in time when a red-haired girl is finally hit by a Deathstalker that was giving chase to her and she falls to the ground at Yang's feet.
"Great, the gang's all here! Now we can die together!" the blonde announces, obviously meaning it as a joke.
However, her sister doesn't seem to get it and states: "Not if I can help it" before charging at the Deathstalker head on. Seriously, what is wrong with this kid?
"Ruby, wait!" Yang calls out in protest.
The caped girl ignores her sister's pleas and jumps at the giant scorpion, only to be swatted away like a fly from a horses tail.
"I'm okay!" Ruby responds as she picks herself up off the ground… right before the Nevermore from earlier decides to target her and launch a bunch of feathers in the girl's direction like spears.
"Ruby!" Yang shouts as she runs to the scythe-wielder's aid.
The youngest girl of the bunch attempts to flee the scene, however, one of the Grimm's feathers penetrate her cape; pinning her to the ground and Yang is forced to fall to the ground as to not get impaled… all the while the Deathstalker makes it's way over to finish off the annoying red kid named Ruby. Weiss smacks her hand against her face at this absurd sequence of events while Yang calls for her sister to "get out of there."
"I'm trying." Ruby whimpers begore finally hearing the chatter of the Deathstalker.
She releases a scared gasp and lowers her head as she squeezes her eyes shut in anticipation for the blow to come. Weiss isn't quite exactly sure what causes her to save the annoyance by speeding over with her semblance and freezing the creature's tail mid strike. Maybe if she were to guess, it would be because she could see herself in Ruby at that moment. Helpless and cowering in fear as she waits for a force to collide with her skin, never knowing if her life will come to an end or not. Yeah Weiss doesn't really care if she dies… but she wants it to happen her way. She's doesn't want to be in anymore pain. She wants it to be over and done as fast as possible. However, this Ruby girl doesn't want to die. She enjoys life. Why not let her have what Weiss didn't get to?
Hearing the formation of the ice, Ruby looks up to see what her teammate had done. Aww man. Part of what she did was just to impress Weiss so she would hate her less, but now she probably thinks she's even more annoying.
"Thank…" Ruby begins to say sadly before getting interrupted.
"Like living?" questions Weiss.
"Huh?"
"Do you enjoy life?"
"Y-yeah?" Ruby half-asks-half-answers, not knowing where her teammate is going with this.
"You want to be hero, you youngest person here. Have possible to do want you want. Enjoy what you have. No waste by being stupid."
Before Ruby can say anything in reply, Weiss walks away. However, she fails to hear the faunus mutter something that would confuse her and make her stomach turn if she heard it: "Not something everyone get to enjoy." Instead, she's happy with what she has heard and whispers: "Normal knees." to herself. Weiss thinks she can be a hero.
After Ruby and Yang embrace in a hug and walk back to the others, Janue announces: "Guys, that thing is circling back!" referring to the Nevermore.
"Then let get thing and leave." Weiss says.
"Run and live, that's a plan that I can get behind."
"She's right," Ruby announces. "there's no sense in fighting these things. Let's just grab the relics and head back to the top of the cliff.
Ruby and Jaune then collect a white knight chess piece and a white rook respectively and a black-haired boy says: "Time we left!"
"Right. Let's go." announces Ruby, and everyone begins to depart from the scene with Ruby leading the way. Yang stops to observe her sister with pride, catching her partner's attention.
"Yang? What is it?"
"Oh. Nothing." the blonde replies before the two follow the rest of the group.
The group runs through the remains of the temple, towards the starting cliff... with the Deathstalker and Nevermore chasing them. Once the cliff is in view, everyone splits up into groups of two and hides behind some of the pillars, that were left standing from whatever happened to the temple, because the Nevermore flew ahead of them. Weiss ended up getting separated with Yang's partner... also known as the ravenette who approached herself and Ruby after they exploded in the courtyard. As if things weren't annoying enough, the Nevermore lands on a large chunk of rubble right in front of the cliff.
"Well, that's great." deadpans Yang.
… and then the Deathstalker bursts through the trees behind them. Can this get any more absurd?
"Oh man! Run!" Jaune screeches.
Everyone takes off again and the Nevermore flies back into the air.
"Nora, distract it!" the black-haired boy exclaims and the pink wearing girl beside him ducks and dives over the Grimm's attack feathers that it sends after her.
She pulls a grenade launcher off her back and opens fire, nailing it in the face and forcing it to retreat from any more explosive blasts that come it's way. Nora is then about to be crashed by the Deathstalker's pincers but is saved by her and Yang's partners blocking the attack. After that, Weiss creates a glyph underneath the heavy weapons girl and pulls her away from the Grimm. As the two who protected Nora begin their retreat, Weiss turns around to face the scorpion after getting onto a bridge. The unknown redhead exclaims: "Go! Go!" and turns around with her rifle pointed at the Deathstalker as well as she drops to one knee. She opens fire and Weiss launches lighting at it to provide cover. Once the two make it onto the bridge, the two girls run after them as the Deathstalker keeps up it's charge. As they run, the Nevermore swoops around the side of the pathway and smashes right through the midpoint of it; trapping the three unknown individuals with the scorpion while everyone else lands on the other side.
Weiss waves her rapier towards the Nevermore, sending a bolt of lightning that strikes it's back. To follow up, the scarred faunus draws a circle nearly as tall as herself in front of her, creating a ring of electricity before thrusting her rapier forward as to fire the attack. As it heads for the Nevermore, the circle expands, creating a larger attack area that hits it's target as it tries to escape a shotgun blast from one of Yang's gauntlets. As Ruby, Weiss, and Yang are keeping up their assault on the bird, the blonde's partner somehow got on top of the thing. She slashes the Nevermore's face and body before jumping off and landing on a pillar above them before jumping down next to Yang.
"It's tougher than it looks!" she announces.
"Then let's hit it with everything we got!" Yang says and she cocks her gauntlets.
Each of the three girls with guns aim their weapons at the giant bird and open fire as Weiss rotates her weapon's chamber, switching it to ice before sending ice shards in the Nevermore's direction. The attacks either do little to no damage or completely miss before the Nevermore reaches them and crashes into the tower they are standing on. Each of them have to either parkour or use their semblances to make it back up to safety as the tower crumbles into the canyon below. Weiss lands down next to Ruby and Yang charges at the bird from the other side.
"It no die." Weiss states and Ruby looks around as Blake makes it onto a platform and Yang shoots wildly at the bird.
"I have a plan! Cover me!" the red reaper says before shooting herself off, giving Weiss no room for arguments.
Weiss turns to look at the Nevermore again, wondering what in the world the younger girl could be thinking.
"We're going to make a slingshot!"
… She really should have expected something dumb like that.
"Yang, lure the Nevermore to the wall of the cliff! After that, Weiss will freeze it in place! Blake, I need you and Yang to stretch your weapon's ribbon across those pillars! I'll jump in the center and Weiss will launch me at it! You have gravity dust, right?!"
"Yes, but...!" Weiss replies, but is cut off by her new partner.
"Good! Everyone got that?!"
"Sounds like a plan, Rubes!" exclaims Yang.
"This stupid!" voices Weiss.
"Only plan we have!" Blake announces, forcing Weiss to sigh.
This day just keeps getting more and more ridiculous. Giving up, Weiss changes her active dust to fire and sends several lines of flames at the Grimm, forcing it to fly towards and into Yang's shotgun blasts. Yang then pulls back with one arm before releasing a blast to the bird's face, angering it an making it fly at her. The Grimm swoops around and opens his beak to swallow the brawler and she jumps right inside. Using one arm to hold the beak open, Yang fires multiple blast into it's throat with the other as she yells: "I! Hope! You're! Hung-ry!" before backflipping out and away.
The bird blanks out for a second and crashes into the cliff like Ruby wanted. Weiss and Yang then swap positions and the wolf girl freezes the Grimm's tail by launchng herself over to the cliff and stabbing through it's tail feathers and creating spikes, this ensures that it can't fly away. Weiss then retreats and Blake throws her ribbon to Yang and the two stretch it out across two opposite pillars before Ruby jumps into the middle of it and Weiss pulls her back with a glyph.
"This no going to work." she tells the red reaper.
"Think you can make the shot?" Ruby asks, ignoring her partner's negativity.
Weiss says nothing, which in turn concerns Ruby.
"... Can...?"
"Probably." Weiss answers.
However, before Ruby can say anything in reply, Weiss sends her off. Everyone watches as Ruby fires several rounds behind her, creating momentum to hit her mark. Ruby lands her weapon across the Grimm's neck and begins to run up the side of the mountain with the help from her weapons recoil, her speed, and Weiss' glyphs until she makes it to the top and decapitates the Nevermore. The other nine teens watch as the Grimm's body drops into the canyon and Ruby walks back over towards the edge and looks down at them.
"Well, that was a thing." Yang says after she walks up next to Weiss.
The blonde looks over to see Weiss' reaction, hoping for either a small smile or a short conversation, but the faunus says nothing and begins to walk away with a plain look on her face.
"Okay then." Yang says with some disappointment evident in her voice. If Weiss is going to be her sister's partner, she would like at least some kind of idea as to what kind of person she is... and honestly, she's a little worried for the faunus. It's not often that people are scared of psysical contact without reason, especially someone's hand. Then there's the scar... maybe she's overthinking it, but something doesn't sit right with her.
As the teens walk back to Professors' Ozpin and Goodwitch, Weiss and Ruby are walking in the front of the group as the latter tries to have a conversation with the former.
"Hey, Blake?" Yang questions.
"Yeah?" the bow wearing girl replies.
"Does something about Weiss seem off to you?"
"What do you mean?"
To Blake, yes, something seems wrong... but for different reasons than her partner thinks. After all, she hasn't had any real interaction with Weiss aside from the courtyard incident. What she feels though, is something that she can't really explain. It's like... Weiss isn't natural. Why though? She's a faunus just like Blake, so what's the problem? Blake doesn't feel this way about other faunus. But Weiss... just gives her a strange feeling.
Yang, explains her concerns about Weiss, and Blake replies: "She is a faunus, Yang. There's likely been a lot of people who haven't exactly treated her with kindness."
"I guess, but it kind of sucks, ya know? Knowing that people treat her poorly just for being a faunus." Yang states.
"Yeah," her partner says somewhat solemnly as she looks towards the wolf girl. "it does."
Shortly after, Ruby stops walking and lowers her head to the ground.
"You okay, sis?" Yang questions.
"Not really." Ruby admits.
"She didn't insult you, did she?"
"No, she just wouldn't talk to me... Is she always going to hate me?"
"Nobody can hate you, Ruby. They can get pretty mad, but with a personality like yours, they can't hate you."
"Thanks, sis." Ruby says with a weak smile.
After that, Yang grabs her sister around her neck and rubs her fist in her sister's hair and they keep on heading back to the top of the cliff. Upon reaching their destination, Ozpin gives out congratulations and everyone departs to go get cleaned up. As she waits in the locker room for everyone to finish their showers and leave, Blake notices that Weiss isn't in the crowd. After turning off the water from her shower, Blake dries her hair while still standing in the shower so she can put her bow back on just in case anyone walks in. After finally stepping out, she spots Weiss beginning to take off her jacket. However, the white-haired girl sees Blake's reflection in the mirror and quickly turns around. She only had one sleeve still on, so Weiss uses the rest of her jacket to cover her other arm.
"... Ice Wolf no realize you in here. No hear water." Weiss explains after a moment.
Blake takes notice that she's protecting her arm from sight, but decides not to pry. "I just dried off my hair while I was in there."
Ruby had mention that Weiss calls herself that, but it's still a little weird to hear. They way she talks kind of throws Blake off a little bit as well. Blake offers a small smile to the girl, but Weiss neither says nor does nothing in response and wouldn't do anything else until Blake finally leaves. That night everyone is gathered back in the auditorium with Ozpin is on the stage, announcing the names of students to step forwards.
"Russel Thrush, Cardin Winchester, Dove Bronzewing, Sky Lark. The four of you retrieved the black bishop pieces. From this day forward, you will work together as Team CRDL. Lead by... Cardin Winchester!"
The sound of applause causes Weiss to jump, not going unnoticed by Ruby, Blake, and Yang. Weiss is not used to people "clapine" or whatever it's called. Loud noises and people make her uncomfortable, and now she's in a large collection of people making a ton of noise... needless to say that she's extremely on edge. Not to mention that apparently teams are composed of four people, even now things are still getting worse. The new Team CRDL leaves the stage before Ozpin speaks again.
"Jaune Arc, Lie Ren, Pyrrha Nikos, Nora Valkyrie. The four of you retrieved the white rook pieces. From this day forward, you will work together as Team JNPR."
Nora giggles in delight and hugs Ren and Jaune looks at them.
"Lead by... Jaune Ark!" Ozpin announces, regaining his attention.
"Huh?! L-Lead by?" he questions.
"Congratulations, young man."
Pyrrha then playfully punches his shoulder as she smiles and Jaune falls over, gaining some laughs from the crowd.
"And finally, Blake Belladonna, Ruby Rose, Weiss, Yang Xiao Long."
When they walk on stage, Weiss holds her right hand on her left arm and looks at the floor with her eyes shut.
"You four retrieved the white knight pieces. From this day forward, you will work together as Team RWBY. Lead by... Ruby Rose!"
"I'm so proud of you!" Yang announces as she throws her arms around Ruby.
"Looks, like thing are shaping up to be an... interesting year." Ozpin states.