"Think this is the place?" Yang asked her newest partner Blake while they both looked down into a small valley, which did house some pretty run down ruins sitting in it's center.
Blake, who had been pretty quiet during most of the trek, just rolled her eyes and headed down the hill. Yang shrugged her own shoulder, thinking 'ask stupid questions, get a stupid look', before following her mysteries, shy partner towards the ruins. Yang still didn't know much about her new friend, the black bow wearing girl hadn't reveled much of her personal life, which didn't annoy Yang as much as it would other people she knew.
Yang was actually enjoying the prospect of figuring out this girl, to discover all those little quirks that make people so cool, on her own. What kind of music was she into? Does she go clubbing? Is she a gamer? Will they fight over the same kind of guys? Was she a smart ass? All excellent questions, which will entertain Yang for many weeks as she tries to discover the truth.
Especially, now that the main question had already been answered by her taking out that Ursa with minimal fuss or mess. The girl had the skills to be a good Huntress, so she won't drag Yang down. And that she took it down with such style, Blake was, without a doubt, Yang's type of girl. So if the girl wanted to be all cool and give vague answers, Yang can dig it.
Although, sooner or later, Yang will pry the answers out of her, just through the sheer power of her positive personality if nothing else. To one degree or another, no matter how long it takes, no one has been successful in resisting her charm, all will fall before the mighty Yang Xiao Long.
Yeah, well, as there are many things in life, there was one exception to the rule; Ruby Rose.
After all, Ruby exceled at being a pain in the rear when anyone, not just Yang, tried to get a straight answer from her about anything, no matter how small and petty it may have been about. Yang knew from frustrating years of experience dealing with Ruby Rose just how hard it was to get anything useful from the girl. Ruby was notorious for deflecting simple, personal questions with humor, or else by acting as if she didn't hear the question or using her normal, default mode by being an asshole; how she responded depended on her mood, subject of the question as well as who asked the question.
Yang has lost count the number of times Ruby has told her to fuck off in the past decade. To make it even worst, sometimes when you think she is just being a smart ass, you find out later that she was being relativity truthful all along.
Such as her so-called 'going-away' party, she claimed that she hadn't been told about. It could be Ruby just being a goof, it never actually happened and she was just saying it did, just to mess with Yang's head. However, it was also well within the realm of possibilities that her fellow students did throw her party, after she had left, and then told her about it later and citing that they didn't want her there because she would ruin the fun.
That it was very likely to have happen, and similar things have happened in the past, was a testament to Ruby's abrasive and abusive personality. Ruby really doesn't give most people any reason not to treat her like an ass since that is how she treats them.
At one time, Yang or her dad would have asked around to find out the truth, but this time, Yang was actually afraid to know what the truth was, because Yang isn't sure which would hurt Ruby more. That they had a party for her and snubbed her or no one cared enough to even think about having one for her.
Of course, even if Yang found out the truth, that red headed little twit would never admit being bothered by being snubbed or enjoying the said party. That kid had a stubborn streak that was as big as a Goliath.
It wouldn't bother Yang so much if it was just directed at her, and not at everyone else in the world, after all, it was Yang whom deserve most of the hate from Ruby. The facts speak for themselves, after all, it had been her own incredibly stupidity that nearly gotten Ruby and herself killed back when they were kids.
That day when she took Ruby, that stupid red wagon and that idiotic dream of finding her own mother, into the Grimm filled forest around Patch. Not only had Yang been too scare to run from those beowolves when they found her, but Ruby had been sound asleep in the wagon, unaware of what was happening. If it hadn't been for her uncle, swooping in at the last second to save them, Ruby would have died without having a chance to fight back.
Of course, when Uncle Qrow did wake up Ruby, and she woke up enough to understand what had happen; Ruby, for some reason or another, began kicking and screaming at Qrow. A mindless scream, if she had said anything to Qrow, Yang doesn't remember. There was a lot that happen that day Yang has trouble remembering, like just about everything that occurred after Uncle Qrow arrived, except … the look of pure agony on Ruby's face was one thing that Yang would never forget.
Nor that way Ruby looked … how she begged and pleaded … how her face went purple with tears … when they came … when she was sent away …
"There they are" Blake said suddenly, breaking Yang's train of thought.
"These are the relicts?" Yang said as Blake approached one side of the temple. "I guess a few others have been here already."
"Chess pieces?" Blake sounded unsure as Yang reached out and picked up a gold color knight.
"How about a cute little pony," Yang asked holding up the chess piece.
Yang let a bigger grin slip out as Blake gave her a matching grin while saying, "Sure, why not?"
"So Blake, do you mind if we hang here for a few," Yang asked as she slipped the 'relic' in one of her pouches. "See if Ruby has gotten around to finding a partner?"
"Are you sure she survived that explosion," Blake asked as Yang sat down on one of the fallen pillars.
"Yeah, she maybe a loud mouth, rude, little shit but she is good at combat. If she set off that explosion, it was well planned out to the last detail and then only if she had an escape route. She might not act like it but she doesn't just do things without a plan." Yang let out a huff while Blake leaned against the pillar next to her. "Besides, that was a nice little speech Professor Ozpin gave but I seriously doubt they would allow anyone to die out here. Mostly likely, they will save someone but they would be flunked out."
"I would hope so," Blake said softly but then nodded. "You're probably right. Besides, if they can't get through today without needing help it …"
"Blake?" Yang said as the bow wearing girl stop talking and turned to look off to the right. Then Yang heard a high pitch scream coming from that direction. Standing quickly, Yang yelled out, "Did you hear that, Blake? It sounds as if some girl is in trouble!"
"It does sound like that person isn't that far …"
"You think we should go help her or …" Yang broke off, spinning on her heels as a noise erupted off to the left.
A large Ursa came crashing through some brush, standing at least 8 feet tall on its hind legs. Yang caught a glimpse of Blake pulling her weapon off her back as she cocked her twin shotgun gauntlets, which she called Ember Celica, knowing that it wouldn't be much a trouble for either of them to … then the Ursa let out a grunt and fell forward, revealing the pink hair Nora riding its back.
"Aw, its broken," the hyper girl said as her friend, Ren, ran up behind her.
"Did that girl just ride a Ursa?" Blake asked in a tone of amazement similar to what Yang was feeling.
"Nora!" He said sharply, "Don't do that again."
With a burst of speed that would put Ruby to shame, the girl zipped by Yang and headed to the relics as something went flying overhead, only to hit a tree and then fall to the ground.
"Ooh! I'm Queen of the castle! I'm Queen of the castle!"
"Was that Jaune who just fell out of the sky?" Blake asked as Nora did a little happy dance.
"Nora!"
"Coming Ren," Nora said with a giggle.
Before Yang could make any sense out of what was happening around her … a very large Death Stalker came out of the forest chasing Pyrrha.
"Did Pyrrha just run all this way with a Death Stalker on her tail?
"Will everyone just chill out for one second," Yang snapped feeling her patient coming quickly to an end. Which considering that she would be in battle soon, that wasn't such a bad thing.
"Jauna!" Pyrrha yelled out as she leapt out of the way and landed on the ground in front of Yang as Jaune came running up to help her.
"Alright, the whole gang is here; now we can all die together."
"I would rather avoid that outcome," Jaune said as he lifts Pyrrha up off the ground. "Thank you very much!"
"It is a rather large specimen," Ren put in as Nora and him joined the others.
"Aw, there is six of us and only one of him," Yang said cheerfully, looking forward to finally getting to fight a Grimm that large. Beowolves and Ursas were common on Patch but Death Stalkers were not.
"It might be larger enough to count as two, don't you think?" Jaune said as the Death Stalker seemed to be pacing around the ruins as if it was waiting on them to charge.
"Have anyone here fought one before," Pyrrha asked as she adjusted her weapons.
"Most of the time, smart people avoid them," Blake said with a sigh while looking at Yang out of the corner of her eye as if she knew what Yang would say next.
Giving her partner a cheeky smile, Yang confirmed Blake's guess. "Well, we aren't most people, so let's go get it!"
Yang got about five feet before Blake yelled out, "Yang," before pulling on Yang jacket, causing Yang to fall on her butt, at the same time as a large, black shape flew out of the air and slammed into the Death Stalker.
"What the …" Yang sat up on her knees as the dust settled, allowing them to see an adult size Nevermore, still screaming and flapping its wings, impaled on the Death Stalker's tail.
A sheet of ice shot out and froze the Nevermore to the Stalker while a blur shot around both of the Grimm, Yang could hear the puny sounds of a pistol rounds going off as a figure crouched on the 'head' of the Stalker. Yang and the others, just stood there, mouths open, as several different elements attacks, and pistol rounds, hit both Grimm over and over again until they both collapsed into rapidly, designating heap. And in the silence, she heard a familiar voice scream out …
"Fucking whore!"
"It worked, didn't it!" The small woman that sounded like Weiss Schnee, even if it didn't look like her, shot back as two small figures walked over to the others.
Weiss Schnee's magnificent side pony tail was missing, the pristine white jacket was smudged with dirt and ripped, one sleeve was practically holding on by a thread, as was her shirt …or what was left of it. Considering how tightly she had her jacket closed up, there probably wasn't much left of the shirt either. She was also walking with a limp as one of her boots was missing a heal. Her face and exposed skin was scratched, bruised, muddy and it looked as if she had a fat lip.
"I said to freeze the claws, not that damn tail!" Ruby snapped back looking, somehow, even in worst shape then Weiss.
Ruby's top was hanging down around her waist with one leg completely missing and the other was probably what was wrapped around her chest, protecting her modesty. Not that she has much of either to begin with. Her belt was the only thing keeping her halfway dressed. Her gauntlets and choker were splattered with mud and probably blood as was her face and, well, most of her body. Her left eye was swelling and her nose looked a bit crooked.
"That Nevermore could have worked it's self-lose." Weiss said not acknowledging the stun looks from Yang and the other five students as they both walk past them to look over the relics.
"No, it won't have! My aim was perfect; besides getting impaled on the Death Stalker would have killed it eventually anyways."
"It is better to be safe than sorry, Ruby Rose."
"'Oh look at me, I am Weiss Schnee, am rich, I am beautiful, I don't know jack shit!'" Ruby mocked as she looked over at the heiress, "Which one do you want?"
"Which ever one you wish to choose is acceptable to me."
"Fine," Ruby picked up a gold knight and held it out for her partner. "And here is the horse you rode in on."
"Must you be so childish all the time," Weiss rolled her eyes as the two walked past the small group heading south, again without acknowledging their presences.
"I swear one day I am going to pull that stick out of your ass and beat you with it!"
Yang watched them hobble away with a knowing grin creeping across her face.
"So," Ren said slowly as the two girls walked out of ear shot. "Does anyone feel the need to find out what had happened to those two?"
"Um, no, I'm-I'm-I'm good." Jaune said as Pyrrha nodded in agreement.
"Ditto," Blake said.
"Hey," the tiny scream came from across the clearing. "What the hell? Get the lead out of your ass, you guys! We need to get back to the cliff to get this dumb thing done and over with."
"Yes, I am in desperate need of a shower."
"Or two!"
"In your dreams, Ruby Rose!"
"Is everything all right?" Blake asked Yang as the small group began hustling to catch up with the two girls who were already making the trek south.
"Yeah," Yang said with a huge grin, "I think everything is going to be good now."
Weiss Schnee walked quietly back to her dorm room, she had just finished a call to her sister, Winter, at the library and she was exhausted. Normally, a call to her sister on the CCCT was a joyful event for her, for Weiss never got to spend as much time with Winter as she would wish. However, the events of the past day had already strained her far more then she was willing to voice, even to herself, as well as listening to her sister lecture her; it wasn't helping her either.
And surprising to herself, Ruby wasn't the worst thing to happen all day. Even with their 'disagreement' out in the forest, Weiss found Ruby to be, while being a degenerate, immature, windbag with the vocabulary of a drunk sailor, she was, at least, an honest sort.
It has been less than a day since she had arrived at Beacon and already she has had several students make subtle, and not so subtle hints, to future alliances based on her influence and standing in the business world, thanks to her family.
Some of the inquires, such as Jaune's flirtation, was filed away has 'never' while others, she will have to exam more closely before agreeing to any kind of alliance. After all, a poor business partnership can doom all her hard work, as her sister had just spent a better part of their conversation reminding her.
By those rules in which the high society ran their petty lives, her partnership with Ruby should never occurred since Ruby had neither the family nor the connections that would further Weiss's own plans …
Yet …
Ruby was the only one who treated her as a person and not a stepping stone. Yes, she was loud, crude, rude, sarcastic little … bitch but she was also well aware of Weiss's family and wealth and she could care less. She was going to treat Weiss just like she treats everyone just because. Ruby stated several times this day that she will be a Huntress, so if you helped her or hinder her, it makes no difference, she will be one and on her own terms. And she had some serious power to back up her terms.
So far, this has all the signs of an unhealthy relationship, yet; she has treated Weiss as an ordinary person, something she had always had hoped for from others. So while it won't be easy, Weiss knew being partners and teammates with Ruby will be a test of her strength and resolve. If they can come to some kind of agreement and work out their differences, without killing each other first, they would be best team in Beacon.
Unlike most students at Beacon, there was usually one pair who was not included in the four man teams, for good or bad, Ruby and Weiss was this class odd man out. So how well they do, how far they come, it will be solely based on their own abilities to work as a team.
It is a relief actually, we could have been paired with Yang and Blake, what a disaster that would have been. Nevertheless, with Ruby's skills combine with my superior skills and intellect, we will rise to the top no matter what!
And as Weiss opened the dorm door, she decided to revise her assumptions of Ruby as she was dancing around the room wearing nothing but a pair of white bikini panties and red headphones.
"Ruby!" Weiss snapped as the girl sang along with whatever song she was listening too.
Weiss had no idea to which action that was taking place at the moment was the worst to be subjected to, Ruby's attire or the very horror inducing singing voice. Being a trained singer, who has performed in front of sellout crowds, hearing Ruby alleged singing, just made her cringed. Fingernails on a chalkboard, was the nicest thing Weiss could compare it to.
Trudging over to the red head, she tapped her on the shoulder, quietly enjoying watching the Ruby jumping in the air and turning around with a wide eye look of horror on her face. "Ruby! Have you no shame? What if I had someone with me!"
"What? I'm wearing underwear!" Ruby said pulling off her headphones and tossing them on her desk.
"I was speaking of your so-called singing."
"Oh, ha-ha, asshole."
"Speaking of which, you have no idea how thankful I am that you do have an understanding of underwear," Weiss said setting her scroll down on her pristine clean desk, unlike the already messy desk that Ruby had. "I wouldn't have guess from you attire earlier."
"Whatever," Ruby said as Weiss sat down on the lower bunk. "I like to be free, ya know."
Bunkbeds, Weiss had been flabbergasted when Ruby first suggested that they could save some space by making their bed into bunkbeds. Weiss was barely able to contain her unlady like squeal of excitement as Ruby explain her plan. Bunkbeds had been something she always wanted as a small child, when Winter and her shared a room but their father had forbidden it.
It took Ruby about an hour, after retrieving some power tools and material she had stored in the workshop area, to finish making the standard, non-stackable, beds, well, stackable. They were even able to convince Yang and Blake to help them lift up Ruby's mattress and box spring.
Ruby, to Weiss's amazement, actually offered to do the same for Yang, if she wanted one too. By Yang's expression, she was surprised as well, but declined the offer. Citing that Blake and herself had better things to do then sit in their rooms all day, so they wouldn't need as much space.
"Anyways," Ruby said grabbing her desk chair and sitting in it backward while sliding over to the beds. "The only rule we have agreed upon so far is calling ahead if you have anyone with you or if you have company with you in the room. So if you had called, I have a shirt and shorts on standby, I'm not a pervert, ya'know."
"Just a degenerate," Weiss said with a sarcastic sigh. "What makes you think I am comfortable with you running around without any clothing?"
"Panties are clothing," Ruby said with a raised eyebrow then said in a smug voice that was just made to be slapped. "Plus, the way you were ripping off my top earlier, I would say you wanted to see them pretty badly."
"Again, I wasn't trying to see your breast, you dummy, I was endeavoring to kill you."
"Yet, there I was, laying on the ground, topless and helpless."
"Yes, so helpless you tried to smash my head in with a large stick that you found somewhere."
"Fucking a right I did, you freaking broke my nose, Snowflake!"
"Only after you attempted to rip my hair off my head."
"Fair play in love and war and all rubbish." Ruby and Weiss glared at each other for a minute before Ruby's face relaxed enough to turn into a grin. "Have to say Snowflake, that was the best throw down I have been in, in a long time. You fight dirty, I like that."
"I'll admit that I have never fought that 'dirty', as you call it, before, but you seem to have the ability to bring out a side of me I was unaware of," Weiss let a sigh. "I am also glad that it happened in private. As teammates, we need to project an image of solidarity, as to avoid having others try to place wedges in our way."
"Yeah, and I'm sure you don't want to have a dorm full of boys ogling us topless either." Ruby said seriously as Weiss stood up to change into her night clothing. "You seeing me naked doesn't bother me as much as I thought it would. I always figure whoever I was partner with, it would have happened anyways, sooner or later, since we will be living together for next four years. I mean it happened a lot when I was younger but what hasn't change is my desire not to have the whole school seeing my goodies."
"Agreed, nor do I wish to be subjected to that fate as well. We must ensure that if we get to that point again, we retreat to a more private setting." Weiss said, then let out a sigh to add. "Of course, the best course of action would be to save that kind of discourse for our opponents but I fear our worst opponents are ourselves. Look, I know that I can be … difficult from time to time …"
"Can be?" Ruby asked with a giggle and ended up wearing Weiss shirt as a response. Pulling the shirt off her head, Ruby went on to say, "Okay, yeah, I can be a bitch sometimes, maybe." Weiss favored Ruby with a raised eyebrow as she finished pulling on her nightgown. "Fine, maybe most of the time."
"But I believe that we can … we will keep the big picture in view …" Weiss squatted down to look at Ruby's silver eyes. "We both want the same thing, to graduate as the best. The only thing standing in our way is us. If we fight among ourselves, we only harm ourselves."
"Four years isn't that long," Ruby nodded as she leans back but keeping her eyes on Weiss. "I will admit … I've been … on my own for a long time."
"As have I."
"So … I will make an extra effort not to treat you badly. I'm not going to kiss your ass, or follow you around like a little puppy, Schnee; so if you are expecting anything like that you can just kiss my tiny ass right now. If you are being an ass, I will fucking tell you that you are being an ass and in a way that will leave no doubt on how big of an ass you are being."
"I'm not expecting you to become an angel overnight either, dork. This will be acceptable as long as you remember that this is a partnership, I will expect to be treated as I treat you."
"Acceptable, as partners, not friends. Got it, Schnee? Partners. Don't expect me to go shopping, or play with your hair as we paint each other nails and talk about hunky boys. Nor am I going to be your 'wing man', you need a babbling idiot to help you get a boy in bed, find someone else. Got it?" Ruby stood up and held out her left hand. "Partners?"
"Partners," Weiss said with a smile. "I am glad we see things in the same light." Before Weiss could let go of Ruby's hand, the girl pulled her in closer, giving her a goofy grin. Rolling her eyes, Weiss said, "Ruby, I am tired."
"We just made a pack, we need to celebrate," Ruby pulled her across the room towards her desk.
"You smuggled in a bottle of wine?" Weiss asked, perking up a bit. Weiss was not much of a drinker, actually she had never been allowed much more than a half of glass at most parties, with handlers hovering nearby to make sure she didn't try anything rash, such as maybe enjoying herself.
"Wine? Really, Snowflake?" Ruby said spinning around, looking mortified. "Wine is for snobs, who wouldn't know a good time if it came up and licked them. You are with me now, and as your non-friend partner, we shall only and willingly drink rum. Rum is a real Huntress drink, grow hair on your chest, it will."
"Hasn't grown anything else on your chest."
"Oh ha-ha, Snowflake," Ruby sighed as she one-handed dug through a desk drawer.
"So you have this rum? I would prefer wine but rum would be acceptable." Weiss watch as Ruby prove to be as dexterous with her right hand as her left.
"No, sadly." Ruby said pulling out a pack of cigarettes out of the drawer as well as a lighter. "Smokes, I can buy; rum I need to bribe others to get me some."
"Wait," Weiss yelp as Ruby pulled her over to the window. "I thought I heard you say that Yang burned your last pack?"
"She did," Ruby finally let go of her hand to pull open the drapes and window. While climbing outside, Ruby went on to say, "I found this pack while unpacking. I guess I forgot I had it."
"Ruby! Put a shirt on! What if someone see you?" Weiss hissed as Ruby sat on the small ledge while patting a section next to herself. Weiss crawled out to sit next to her, both of them having their feet swinging out over the edge.
"Chill out, will ya. We are facing the airport, on a corner, on the fourth floor and hidden by a tree." Ruby stopped long enough to get the foul smelling weed lit. "They would have to go through a lot of trouble to get a glimpse of your little marbles."
"I'm not the one running around half naked. Why do you smoke anyways?"
Smirking, Ruby let out a cloud of smoke. "Honestly? I found out it pissed people off."
"I should have guess that on my own."
"Plus, it gave me something to do on those few times I got drunk since I refuse to play 'those games' with the boys I hung out with. If they got too pushy, I could burn them as well." Ruby held it out, Weiss took it without much resistance. "Take two small hits, just enough to get the end to glow."
"That is horrible," Weiss said coughing. "How do you stand it?"
"Takes some practice," Ruby grinned. "So? You ever get drunk?"
"No, I have had wine before at various functions, but my handlers always ensure I had only one half glass and it had to last me the evening."
"Sucky. So ever kiss?"
"A few boys, when our mutual handlers unbent enough to allow us. But it was mostly … well … almost … it was as If they allowed it to occur only because they thought we were a good social match not because we wished it."
"That blows."
"It did put a damper on any excitement of the moment," Weiss said taking the cigarette again. "You?"
"Never been kissed, no sexy games … nothing. Never found anybody that made me want to play that game."
There was a long comfortable silence as they smoke the cigarette before Weiss said, "Perhaps, you will find someone while you are here at Beacon?"
"I could say the same for you," Ruby gave her a toothy grin. "As for me, let's work on me not trying to kill you first. Then I worried about any other relationships. Okay, partner?"
Weiss gave her an answering grin, "As you wish, partner."
A/N: It has been a month and seven chapters, I have so far gathered 58 alerts, 34 favs, 17 reviews and 2,444 views. Thank you all for your support! Even a hack like me enjoys knowing that I can write something others enjoy. I hope that as the story progresses I can keep your interest. Thank you again.
