Weiss made her way down to the underbelly of Beacon, the section of the complex that she was the least familiar with, for now. Since her partner was Ruby, she just knew in her gut that the motor pool was going to be an area she will get to know as well as the library, regardless of her own desire. Even before she entered the vehicle maintenance bay, she could hear the sounds of some kind of machinery running.

"Are you lost missy?" A large, dog like, fauna asked her as she stopped to look around the large open space before her. "Not many of you student types normally come down here."

"I am looking for my partner, Ruby Rose. I am unable to locate her anywhere else on campus, so I figure I would check down here since she has stated that she rather enjoys … well, whatever it is she enjoys doing down here."

"Aye, she is here." He jerked his hand over his shoulder while giving her a toothy grin. "The little volcano is down in bay four," a large crash coming from that direction interrupted him as a piece of shiny metal came tumbling out of the bay in question. With a smirk, he went on as if nothing happened, "She is in a bit of a mood this afternoon, just to let you know."

"Yes," Weiss said with a sigh as more crashes came from the aforementioned bay. "However, she is my teammate and thus …"

"Aye, I understand."

"Thank you for your assistance Mr. …"

"Colin, James Colin at your service, Miss Schnee. I run the vehicle bay as well as teach a few courses, mostly on the proper upkeep on vehicles and emergency repairs."

"Oh sorry professor, I wasn't … I don't recall seeing those courses in the course catalog."

He let out a rich laugh that made it hard for Weiss to maintain her neutral demeanor. He waved his massive hand forward and walked with her to bay four. "No, just Mr. is fine, no fancy titles for me, lass. I'm more of a part time instructor when I am not repairing the school equipment. You would be amazed at what a bunch of novices can do to a van or truck or even a bullhead when they take them off school property for a trial hunt. Anyways, I mostly teach 3rd and 4th year students, with just enough information and skills to give them an appreciation of how screwed they are when they break down in the middle of nowhere."

"Anyways, you won't find my classes in the catalog, they are not required for graduation and you first two years are so loaded already, we usually don't mention them until your pre-third year evaluations."

"Are your classes well attended?"

"Sadly, no. Only about 5 percent of each class sign up, it is like 'wilderness survive' class, something else you will learn about during your evaluation. Most young Hunters assume that repairs is something they won't ever be bothered with since they live in the cities. Although, you would be surprise how many come back within their first couple years out in the real world asking if they can take the class." They stopped outside the bay, Weiss saw her red headed partner bent over some kind of machine, sparks flying up in the air around her, as she held a piece of metal up against a spinning disk. "Hey, firecracker, your buddy is here."

Ruby turned and glared at Weiss from behind the clear goggles she wore over her eyes. Weiss stared blankly back at her, having withstood harsher glares then Ruby could ever hope to make. Although, Weiss was struggling not to make a comment about Ruby actually using her head and wearing safety footwear instead of going barefoot as was her norm. Full body mechanic's coveralls, safety boots, gloves, a ball cap; a side of Ruby I have never seen before, Weiss thought as the still glaring Ruby shouted over the machinery, "When can I use the forge?"

"I said, I will check you out on it next week, kiddo, keep your shirt on will ya. You're going to be around for the next four years you know." He gave Weiss another wink as he started to walk away, "I'm leaving for the weekend in an hour. Make sure you clean up before you leave and no using any of the heavy equipment till I get back on Monday. You kids go have fun this weekend, yawl hear."

"Thank you again, Mr. Colin." Weiss said as Ruby told him to drink one for her.

Weiss stood quietly at the entrance as Ruby shut down whatever she was working on. Ruby slipped off her gloves and goggles, slapping them down hard on a work bench before she spun around, arms crossed and glared back at Weiss. They stood there for a good three minutes before Weiss raised one eyebrow at her partner who let out a sigh and rolled her eyes dramatically.

Grabbing a stool from under a workbench, Ruby set it down in the middle of the bay, next to something under a canvas cover, Weiss presumed it was her motorcycle, and slapped the seat, letting Weiss know it was for her, as she walked back outside to grab another stool from another bay. As Weiss sat down, Ruby set down her seat and scooted as closely to Weiss as she could and lean forward to glare some more. Weiss stared back blandly, for just a second, her eyes went down and she realized just how loose fitting her buddy's clothing was.

With a smirk, Weiss asked, "If this is your idea of a distraction, I must inform you that it is a rather small but an effective one. Although, as lovely of a distraction that it is, a fact I'm willing to point out, but sadly, the main flaw in your plan is the fact there is not much to work with, is there?"

Ruby went from angry, to confused, to looking down and then struggling to keep her face straight as she snorted couple times before saying, "I'm mad at you."

"I know."

"So don't make me laugh while I am mad at you."

"I am sorry," Weiss said sincerely, before smirking again. "They're just so cute …"

To Weiss surprise, Ruby actually started blushing. Wearing a half smile, she sat up straight to make sure her suit was fully zipped up to her neck. Weiss couldn't help letting out a small giggle at Ruby's actions, which just made Ruby struggle to keep the smirk off her own lips. "Okay, stop it. I am trying very hard to stay mad at you right now."

"I know."

"And I can't do that if you are making me laugh."

"I know; it is just … I have never seen you blush before."

"You just … caught me off guard, that is all. I'm supposed to be the degenerate one, remember?" Ruby placed her hands on her knees and lean forward again, and said, "I am mad at you."

"Yes, I believe we have already establish that point."

"And?" Ruby asked after a lengthy pause.

"And?"

"This is the part where you say 'Sorry Ruby, I will never do anything like that again'."

"When we agree to this partnership," Weiss said sitting up straight, placing her own hands on her crossed knees and adopting her most serious look. "You informed me that you were reserving the right to inform me that I was being 'an ass', I also retain that right as well, Ruby."

"I wasn't the one being an ass, Schnee, that asshole Cardin was the one being a jerk. All I was going to do was make sure he understood not everyone was going to put up with his shit."

"Picking a fight with him is not the way to do it, Ruby. There would have been dire consequences to your actions."

"Grimm shit, I would have wipe the floor with his face. Or do think that POS would have had a chance against me? Because if you do, I'll …"

"Do not be ignorant, of course you would've," Weiss said with snort. "I had no doubts about who would have been victorious in any fight between you two. I am taking about after your victory. The rules are very clear; 'No student will incite or allow or accommodate or participate in a non-sanctioned physical altercation with another student on and off campus'. The only exception to that code is one of self-defense."

"Oh, I see. So you're saying I should just let him go around breaking the rules without getting any shit for it?"

"I am saying there were alternative solutions we could have explored before we allow you to splatter him in the dining hall."

Ruby leaned forward, wrapping her arms around Weiss's neck, pulling her slightly forward until they were touching foreheads. "You mean we should have sat down with him over a cup of tea and ask him sweetly not to be a biggie meanie poopy head?"

"You are determined to be difficult about this, aren't you?" Weiss didn't even flinch as she stared back.

"He is a bully Snowflake, the only thing he understands is a fist up side his ugly face."

"Well, then Miss Kettle, I am pleased to introduce you to Mr. Pot." Weiss smiled sweetly as Ruby jerked back.

"Kiss my rear, Snowflake, I'm not a bully …"

"And yet, the first and only solution you see is to employ violence …"

"And you have a better idea? Well, spill it, tell me, what is this brilliant idea of yours that would have dealt with that ass while also teaching him a lesson?"

"…"

"What was that? Could you speak up a bit, I can't hear you over all this silence."

"We could have, as partners," Weiss growled out. "We could have found another solution if you hadn't gone off on your own."

"I found a solution until you sent Captain Super-boobs to carry me off like a sack of potatoes."

"And you would have been expelled if I hadn't."

"So would Cardin!"

"Oh Bravo!" Weiss said giving her friend a slow, mocking clap. "Take a bow, General Rose. You won an insignificant skirmish and yet lost the war."

"Oh, fuck you." Ruby said getting up and storming over to her work bench.

"Not tonight if you keep this up," Weiss snapped back as Ruby started wiping down some tools.

"So what do you want from me," Ruby said after a long pause while maintaining her work on her tools

"I want you to … just … take a moment," Weiss said after her own pause. Getting up from her seat, she walked over towards Ruby and she almost reached out to touch her shoulders. She stopped herself, barely, instead reached out with her left hand and slowly turn Ruby, who wasn't fighting her, around to look at her. "Remember, we are a team. What you do reflects on me and vice verses; we are alone here, my friend, it is us vs this entire school. I'm trying to network, trying to figure out who we can trust and who we should avoid. It is difficult enough due to both of us having such … colorful histories."

"And when you go flying off the handle like you did, your actions only increase the difficulty for us. Cardin isn't as well like as he wishes to believe but even Yang and Blake, our only strongest supporters, are not as comfortable with you actions as I would wish them to be."

"Fuck Yang …"

"No thank you, you are more than enough of handful for anyone. And their concerns are only known to me; publicly, they both said he had it coming to him. Team JNPR is also publicly supporting us, citing he is racist bully who deserve what he received. There are other students who don't support him, however, they also didn't enjoy how you went out of your way to humiliate him either."

"I don't care, I was right!"

"No, you weren't!"

"Yes! I was! He was being a dick to Velvet …"

"She had already left the room! If Cardin had followed her or held her against her will, then yes, your action would have been justified." Weiss said rubbing her forehead, wondering how someone so smart could be so stupid. "Had you step in and yanked his ears off while he was tugging on hers', you would have been justified in most everyone's eyes."

"Oh, so you are against me too!"

"Ruby!" Weiss said physically pushing her back against the work bench, slamming her arms down on the table top, pinning the younger girl in place as the two girls glared at each other. Weiss allowed a quick, annoying thought cross her mind about Ruby wearing boots and how close in height they were while she was wearing those boots. "Will you shut up for one minute and hear what I am saying. I agree with you, dolt! Cardin is an ass, a racist and a bully, nevertheless, no matter how enjoyable it was seeing him get his just reward, your execution was flawed. Any potential allies we could have gathered putting Cardin in his place are now going to be harder to court because you look to be as big of an as ass as he is."

"Come on, I was right. Why should I care what anyone else thinks? I'm not going to stop just doing the right thing just because it isn't the popular thing at the moment!"

"Ruby," Weiss said tiredly as she gently lean forward till their foreheads touched. "You are the most amazing honest soul I have ever met. Your code of honor, your ability to be so strong in the face of everything … I truly hope you never lose that part of you." Weiss open her eyes and stared hard into the silver globes before her. "For you, just about everything is black and white. And for you, that works because I know that you don't just blindly pick a side but because you evaluate and judge things on their own merits and then go with your gut."

"Ruby, most of the world does not work that way. And you need to understand that, I am not saying you have to act as everyone else does but just acknowledge that they do. Can we agree on that at least?"

"Maybe …"

"Then will you allow me, who had been forced all my life to evaluate people based not on their moral code but by their usefulness, to ask you to trust me on this part. We will need allies …"

"But why? No, stop rolling your eyes and listen, I really don't get it. You and me, the most awesome team ever, we don't need other people. We don't need to kiss ass to have others like us. I did okay for years on my own …"

"And how much trouble would you have avoided if you had someone watching your back?"

"Well … that why I have you here … right?"

"And that is what I am trying to do, for both of us. Still, no matter how great we are, there are still things that we need help on. Like this morning for instance, I wouldn't have been able to stop you fighting as effectively as Yang. We are lucky that Yang thinks of you as family even after all the years of knowing you."

"You're not helping your case."

"Fine, look, what would have happened if you were allow to fight Cardin this morning?"

"I would have kicked his ass."

"Clearly and then what?"

"What?"

"What then? What the hell would you have done after being expelled?

"I-I-I …chance are I wouldn't have been expelled …"

"Breaking that rule is grounds for expulsion. I would remain standing at your side but my voice would have been a pebble being dropped in a rock quarry. Now you are expelled …"

"They wouldn't just kick me out … right?" For the first time, Ruby sounded hesitant, as if she was unsure of her answer.

"Why not? This is not your orphanage, Ruby, they are not required to protect and feed you. By the laws of this Kingdom, you are an adult now. You are sololy responsible for your action and will reap or suffer the consequences of your actions, just like the rest of us." Weiss said, ticking off points from her left hand. "You no longer have a guardian or even a case worker to intercede on your behalf, all you have is yourself. And me as well. So if you got expelled, then what?"

"Fine, if I get kicked out … guess … take my bike," Ruby said pointing to the covered vehicle. "And do what I was born to do; go out protect the people by killing every single Grimm I can find."

"Predictable," Weiss nodded, crossing her arms while turning to lean against the table. "And what will you do for food?"

"What do you mean? Go to the grocery store, duh."

"What will use for liens? Or you going to steal your dinner?"

'What? No, I don't steal. And I have some liens in the bank …"

"And dust? Dust is expensive, I should know."

"Well, yeah but …"

"Clothing? Lodging? Your cigarettes and rum, how long will you have the liens to last the rest of your life?"

"No, but …"

"So while you are out there, alone, with no one watching your back, killing Grimm by the hundreds … how do you expect to get paid?" Weiss looked over at Ruby who was glaring at her while she tapped her fingers on the table top. Weiss gave her reluctant friend a small smile, "Without a license, you won't get Hunter's pay, will you?" Turning so she could lean her stomach against the table, Weiss gave her a smirk. "Sooner or later, you will need supplies, sooner or later, you will need help; and who will you turn to for help? Who will you turn into to survive?"

"Into a monster," Ruby said quietly as she turned around to lean against the table next to Weiss, who was blinking in response to Ruby's answer. "Probably started working for questionable people, then starting down the spiral of crime till…" Ruby let out a sight, "Fine, you … maybe this one time … maybe … you have a better handle … shit, don't make me say it."

"You might as well get use to saying it, I am sure you will have lots of opportunities telling me the same thing in the future."

"You're a fucking whore, you know that Snowflake, don't you?"

"Do not be mad at me because the facts are in my favor." Weiss smiled then cringed as a new voice echoed in the vehicle bay.

"Miss Rose!" Professor Goodwitch's voice and distinct heel clicks bounce off the walls, sounding like the marching tune to the gallows.

"Well." Ruby whispered out as they both locked eyes on each other. "Shit."