I'm back! Sorry for the long wait everyone, here I am. Don't worry, I don't plan on having anymore extended breaks like the last one. Now.

Disclaimer: I don't own RWBY!

Chapter 4: Unfamiliar Familiar Things

Weiss Schnee

Nightmares plagued my sleep.

Deep. Disturbing. Real.

Ruby being killed because I changed something, Blake losing a leg, Yang throwing me against a wall and choking me.

I didn't sleep well that night, but thankfully my new skill set proved adequate in substituting for my sleep. More or less.

The shock of an airhorn was still unwelcome, if familiar, and nearly gave me a heart attack.

I clutched my hands over my heart, giving a solid glare at the way to cheerful redhead. Curling deeper in my blankets, I tried to ignore her disturbingly high levels of energy.

"Weiss! Get up! Come on you don't want to be late for your first day of class! Ooooh this is so exciting! Yang get up! Yang! Yang!"

Emphasis on tried.

"Ruby it's way to early to be up right now." I mumbled, trying to block her out by covering my ears with my blanket.

"But we have so much to do! We still have to unpack, get ready, learn more about each other, become best friends, not saying that we aren't best friends. Cause like, we are. You know, like you said yesterday in the forest, not that we've known each other that long or that I want to be invasive or anything. I just felt like we all could get to know each other as a group, ya know, break the ice."

"More like break the Weiss heyo." Yang muttered out unenthusiastically from her pillow face down. Unable to resist a pun even half asleep.

I said some very unpleasant things to her from the comfort of my mind, before slowly getting up, brushing back the hair in my face.

"Ruby's right of course. We have a lot to do, and-" I checked the time. "Two hours to do it. I'm going to go take a shower, Ruby it looks like we don't have enough space for all of our stuff, could you please figure something out?" I gave a yawn. "Be out in 20 minutes."

I grabbed the bag holding all my bathroom supplies and school uniform before hightailing it to the bathroom.

I loved the youngest team RWBY sister(not that I'd ever say it out loud) but she could talk for miles.

Besides. I had some things to sort out anyway.

I gave a heavy sigh, turning on the shower and getting lost in my thoughts.

The nightmares. Maybe... I wasn't as over... dying as I thought I was. Which, in hindsight, sounded obvious.

Seeing Pyrrha again, seeing Yang whole, knowing that any changes I made could result in the death of my friends.

More like the definitive knowing that... if anything changes, for the worst... it would be my fault.

Then there's the impromptu therapy moments for my teammates.

I had never known Ruby's insecurities ran so deep. Yesterday I was trying to be there for someone who had done so much for me... but maybe having her latch onto me like this isn't as healthy as I thought. Even in the previous timeline Ruby tended to be clingy, and almost a bit to desperate to call me her best friend.

I guess now that I know I was her only friend, that makes sense. And holds truer in this time now that Ruby hadn't befriended Jaune.

There was a bit of guilt in robbing the two leaders of their friendship, but team RWBY and JPNR have always been close, they'll become quick friends.

And then there's Yang.

Yang had always been a private person-not as private as Blake, but while being open and honest there were things she tended to keep closely to her chest.

The two of us weren't as close as I wanted. Back in Beacon we tended to butt heads quite often due to our differing personalities, and after the Fall she seemed much more subdued, different than I remembered.

We all had changed from when we were students. It felt like so long ago.

Having said that the two of us were still very good friends, but she didn't tell me everything.

Case in point, what she had said at the Ruins.

It wasn't that I thought we were better friends than before, the two of us hardly knew each other(from her perspective).

It was a domino effect.

I accidently triggered that landmine by becoming Ruby's friend early, and not being what Yang expected.

Not saying that what happened was a bad thing. I couldn't say I'm disinclined towards the thought of becoming closer to Yang. In fact it provoked a deep yearning, and I momentarily got lost in a fantasy of Yang now feeling comfortable enough to come to me with such things, knowing I'd listen.

The girls of my team meant everything to me. I was never truly living till I found them.

We all had our issues, our trauma, even from before Beacon. I know it wasn't healthy for any of us to cope the way we were and how we would.

But in a world that had abandoned us. Unjustly hated us. Never wanted to be our friend. Isolated us.

We were all we had.

I took a deep breath, collecting my thoughts. Right. Enough reminiscing.

Goals. Help Yang with her issues. Get Ruby some more friends. Befriend Blake. And grow stronger.

I washed the shampoo from my hair, getting out of the shower slowly, drying my feet as I stepped on the tile. Throwing my night gown into my inventory, along with a few other necessities, before finally putting on my Beacon uniform.

[Inventory] was a surprise. A 12x12 storage space for any inanimate object or item. With the [Help] option unlocked, and more functions made available I had another thing to keep me up at night.

Not even mentioning the [Store] now made available to me. That opened a whole new world of possibilities, even if most of the things I came across seemed stupidly overpriced. Even for me.

Smoothing out the wrinkles in my skirt I looked myself over one last time, taking note of my off-center ponytail.

I had gotten used to the long braid and weaves. I loved the blue and white tones of my latter outfit. Made me feel more mature. Now I look exactly like her. The-prim and bossy girl who didn't know how good she had it until it was all taken away.

I sighed.

I may have looked the same, but I didn't feel the same. More... heavy. Burdened.

I missed my curves.

Sure I wasn't... the most endowed in my family-but I had curves! I filled out, less petite. My hips didn't lie.

Whatever. Maybe I'd switch up my training regimen, get muscles like Yang. It'd probably be doable with this new power of mine.

As I walked out the bathroom I paused, taking in a ridiculous but nostalgic sight.

"Yeah, Rubes, I really don't think this is a good idea." Yang hissed, glancing back and forth between the two haphazardly thrown together bunkbeds.

"Don't be such a worry wart sis, this is perfectly safe!"

"What could possibly go wrong?" Blake sarcastically said from the desk, not even looking up from her book.

Yang didn't look convinced, in the slightest. Suddenly she caught sight of me and looked at me with such hope, exasperation, and relief I couldn't stop the joy I felt bubbling in my chest.

"Weiss you're the logical one here right? Come on please, tell Ruby this is a horrible idea."

"Pfft!"

I hid my face behind my hand, although ineffectually as laughter bubbled through.

"Hahahaha!" I couldn't help it. I... I missed this. I missed them. I missed being with them like this. "Sorry, sorry." I giggled, trying to regain my composure.

[Blake Belladonna is confused.]

Was Blake really the only one confused Game? I could see Ruby's and Yang's confusion clear as day. I cleared my throat, the message clearing my head, although not fully muting my happiness.

"Sorry. I think the bunkbeds are a wonderful idea Ruby."

"Yes!"

"What?!"

"Actually it's pretty impressive you managed to build something like this in less than 20 minutes." I continued. "And, I wouldn't want to ruin your hard work of course."

5 Reputation with Ruby Rose!

[Ruby Rose's reputation is now set to Charmed!]

Ruby squealed, latching onto me like a torpedo. "You're the best Weiss! Ha! See sis?! It's 3 against 1!"

"I don't think Blake counts." Said sister grumbled, watching Ruby collect her things and walk into the bathroom. "You're really letting her do this? Those things are not stable."

"Well I've always wanted bunkbeds." I tried for a joke. Seeing how she wasn't calming down I sighed. "I have it on good authority that they'll hold-at least for the better part of a year or so maybe. It'll have to do for now, I'll go into town and get a set of tools to make them actual bunkbeds later if you're worried."

"Thanks Weiss." She sighed, sparing a glance at me. "Hey I just kind of noticed... but you're pretty short."

I felt my face flush, feeling her eyeing me. "O-oh really? You just noticed?"

I tried for a sarcastic remark, not really having the heat to glare at her. It was a bit out of left field, but I understood. Yang was a people's person at heart, and she loved to poke and prod new people, friends, to see what not to do.

A bit strange, but so was she.

She held her hands up in mock surrender, sending me a roguish grin. "Hey I mean... you feel taller than you look." She shrugged. "Plus the-what? Five-inch heels?"

"Three-inch thank you very much!" I growled. Damnit I know I'm not taller than Ruby you don't have to rub it in!

"Damn still, that leaves you at like what? 4'3?"

Okay, screw this! I screeched in unbridled rage, walking over to her and poking her in her fat chest gritting my teeth.

"What are you trying to say Xiao Long? You trying to start something?"

"Ha! You think you can take me Ice Queen? Without your fancy stick?"

No, probably not. I had a lot more experience than her but Yang was a master brawler even at this time. By myself I couldn't beat Yang in a straight fight, not that I'd ever even consider it, even with her messing with me about my height.

But that nickname. I hated that nickname.

I don't know why. Jaune said it, Nora said it. Everyone I had personally knew had at least used it once.

Maybe it was when they used it.

Yang had said it before a couple nights ago passingly and I didn't feel this way. But right now... I felt pissed.

"Don't call me Ice Queen." My eyes narrowed, lips thinning.

[Yang Xiao Long is scared.]

She paled a bit, backing off. "Yeah-ok. Yikes, sorry."

I frowned, feeling my anger shrivel up and die, replaced by guilt. "No, sorry. I just... I hate that stupid nickname." I stood there, rubbing at my arm.

"Bad history?"

"Maybe." I hedged. "I'm actually used to hearing it a lot. I'm... I know I come off as standoffish." I confessed.

Yang grimaced. "Okay yeah, never using that word again."

"I mean, it's not like it's untrue..."

Yang looked at me with something I couldn't describe.

Suddenly she placed her hands on my shoulders, startling me, glaring into my eyes.

"Weiss!"

"Yaaang?"

"You're not a bitch. You're the least bitchy person I know-well, excluding Ruby. Do you get me?"

"I-I guess?" Where was this coming from?

She could see she wasn't getting to me and narrowed her eyes. "Look, your Rubes' best friend, you're my friend. I saw you take down a Deathstalker and giant Nevermore single handedly. You're badass. Not to mention like, super pretty. Have some confidence girl."

"I-!" I blushed red, feeling my face heat up like crazy. "I guess..." I muttered out, glancing away from the taller blonde girl.

She sighed, releasing me. "Good. I'll make you say it again if you come down on yourself like that again."

I blushed harder, not able to look her in the eye.

Stupid blondes.

...

Yang Xaio Long

I felt a sense of satisfaction, seeing the unflappable heiress like this.

She was squirming in a way I hadn't seen her do before, and her face! Red as a tomato. I may have been pretty forward(very forward) in it, but it was obvious the girl didn't get honest praise very often, or at all.

Even from herself. That was a sad thought.

Either way I now knew two things that made the normally calm and assured(if slightly glum) heiress loose that attitude.

Birds, and complements!

I might revisit the short angle later(if it didn't get me killed), but that Ice Queen landmine was not one I was planning to step on.

I took another glance at the girl, seeing that she had mostly calmed down by now. Hah. What a cutie.

And she was beautiful. There was no doubt about that.

Weiss was absolutely gorgeous. She commanded respect, oozed experience, had sharp but soft blue eyes that seemed so warm whenever she looked at you. She spoke in lower tones but still carried an air of class.

If I was a knockout Weiss was a coup de grâce. From an outsider's point of view looking in though, all of our team was drop dead gorgeous.

Weiss cleared her throat, still not fully looking me in the eye.

"Yang how long would it take you to get your hair done?"

"50 minutes." I hard sold. No way was she getting a better deal than that, I could take at least an hour on my hair if I wanted to.

She sighed, like it was what she expected. Although to be fair it probably was, the girl was sharp.

"Yeah that's the best you're gonna get with Yang." Ruby chimed in, coming out of the bathroom. "That's kinda why I wanted us to wake up so early. My sis don't mess around with her hair routine."

"Should still give us plenty of time." Weiss muttered to herself, thinking about the crunch time.

Not my problem though! My hair needed to be fed in order to grow after all.

"It would if you two stopped flirting and start getting ready." Blake rolled her eyes. "I already took a shower. I'm heading out for breakfast."

She left the room, looking extra grouchy. Yeesh.

We all got ready, Weiss doing her thing looking over some kind of list, Ruby packing as many cookies she could sneak away into her bag, meanwhile I went into the bathroom to start working on my hair.

...

Professor Port had to have been the worst teacher I had ever met. I mused to myself.

Ok, sure I had delt with flirty teachers before(even if that was icky and gross), and yes, I had been through the most mind numbingly boring lectures I could ever imagine.

But then combine them. And then make the lectures useless. And then make it an hour long.

Gods it was torture.

I was very tempted to fall asleep, what a snooze fest.

But then I found an even better show than Pyrrha struggling to write corrigible notes, which was Wiess and Ruby slacking off together making doodles.

How scandalous.

Those two were so cute! Gods, and they didn't even know it yet did they? I'd allow it. It wasn't like it'd be the end of the world, my baby sister getting a girlfriend. Damn there was just so much chemistry there, It'd be a crime if I scared Weiss off.

My smirk widened just a tad as I saw Weiss's eyes dip down to Ruby's lips, before darting back up to her eyes. Haha, down girl!

No seriously, calm the fuck down.

Okay. Maybe I wasn't as ready for my little sister to grow up as I thought. But still!

When we first met I saw the... glances she gave me. I mean she had great taste, but it did give me concerns about where that left Ruby. So I figured I'd... well, give her some encouragement so to speak. Spoke to her privately about things, tried to subtly suggest that maybe her and Ruby could get closer. Normally I would have tried to distance myself so they'd lose interest, but I really wanted this to work.

I mean my baby sis was struck head over heels and it was painfully obvious to anyone with eyes.

But my manipulation tactics(and wow, that felt so gross and wrong to think about) weren't really needed, aaannnddd I ended up having a breakdown in front of her. Ooof. To be fair it was a long time coming.

So much for first impressions though.

I gave a snort, looking away from the sickly-sweet scene, getting lost in my thoughts.

Weiss was a bit self-conscious. Considerate. Kind. How anyone could dislike her I didn't know.

My eyes glanced over at the black-haired teammate of ours. My partner.

I liked Blake. Her sarcastic comments were funny.

But the girl had a hate boner for Weiss.

I just didn't get it.

I would have said it had to do with the Schnee Dust Company, but the way the two looked at each other... whatever was between them was something personal. Maybe. Probably.

I swiveled my attention back to the teacher just as he was finishing up his lecture(fuckin finally).

"-well-educated, and wise!" He cleared his throat, his mustache moving as he did. "Haha! Now who among you believes they embody these traits?"

No one immediately spoke up, instead murmuring to themselves about what the professor was asking.

The man scratched his cheek nervously, looking around the class as no one continued to speak up.

"Haha! This is-actually I'm asking because I need a volunteer." The man admitted. "Would anyone like to come down?" A few more uncomfortable seconds and he let it go, instead pulling out a roster. "No matter, I'll simply... Ms. Schnee!"

Said girl startled, sitting up straighter in her chair. "Oh... huh, what were the chances?" The girl muttered to herself getting lost in thought.

"Before you come down Ms. Schnee, I would like you to answer my question." He adjusted his tie. "You've come from a rich household; I think it'd be fair to say you've had better opportunities afforded to you, and that you've used that opportunity and privilege to get you the tools necessary to become a Huntress. Having seen you during initiation it's safe to say that you're incredibly skilled and incredibly strong. Do you feel you're what embodies the perfect Huntress?"

Weiss looked taken aback by the question, considering it.

"I've spent countless hours training myself to one day protect those who can't protect themselves." Her eyes narrowed in thought. "Maybe when I was younger, I would have the arrogance to say such things, but as I am, and as I always will be, by myself it'll never be enough. As things stand the perfect Huntress is something I am not, and as such someone I'll never be."

"A long-winded way of saying no." The older man seemed to grow taller in his seriousness. His eyes cold, hard. "That's a good thing to already know, and one few learn. Most Huntsmen chase after an impossible dream. Something that drives them, pushes them forward. A mix of youthful ambition and strength makes a person feel like they're invincible. And then they die. Or something even worse. And they learn the lesson Ms. Schnee already seems to know."

The man had been pacing, before he stopped, overlooking the class.

"Arrogance kills. And complacency weakens a person." He cleared his throat. "Now Ms. Schnee, why don't you change and grab your weapon for the demonstration." He gestured over to the growling snarling cage at the back of the room.

The girl sweat dropped, but shook her head. "I'll be fine."

Professor Port looked pleased. "Haha! Yes, a good lesson class. You can't always depend on your weapon!"

"Quite. I'll use my money fighting skills." The girl jokes, stretching as she walked down, waving back at Ruby as my sister wishes her luck.

I leaned forward, interested. Weiss didn't look like the type for hand to hand. She was petite, didn't have good reach(cause she was on the smaller side), and looked frail. It was the perfect cover for a smart use martial art. Something made to take down people if disarmed, something like quick jabs or maybe some knife play. That didn't clue me in on why she was confident taking on a Grimm barehanded tho.

Don't get me wrong, I loved a good fist fight, but as much as I hate to admit it blunt force was terrible against Grimm. People like Nora or I were heavy hitters against people, but our main focus when fighting Grimm would always be to break up it's armor or to attack joints. Sharp blades against Grimm hide cut through like a knife against butter, and that was simply a fact.

Weiss made it down, frowning to herself in thought.

"How strangely unfamiliar yet familiar..."

Professor Port laughed, swinging an axe... gun thing(what a terrible design) down at the lock of the cage, a wild Grimm charging forward.

It was a boartusk.

Very top-heavy Grimm, usually easy to deal with. Wiess has this.

The Grimm screeched, rushing Wiess, tusks aimed to kill.

My eyes widened as I saw Weiss square her shoulders.

This crazy bitch.

There was no way Weiss was strong enough or heavy enough to take it. The girl must have weighed like 80 pounds.

Still I watched in anticipation.

The boartusk stopped dead in his tracks.

Wiess's grip like iron, gripping it's tusks in a white-knuckle grasp.

There's no way. My jaw dropped.

"Strength..." The girl muttered.

The tusks cracked, a sickening snap echoing across the classroom.

My eyes widened.

"Trade!" The girl snarled. Her muscles flexed, thin wry arms snapping the tusks with ease, and she turned them inward, jabbing them into the boartusk's head while it was stunned, killing it instantly.

"Holy shit!" I hissed, gaping at the heiress. There was no way! How the fuck?! Damn if that wasn't hot as fuck tho... what a badass.

I didn't think I could do something like that, maybe Nora. Wiess being able to do that? I just...

She was sweating, panting pretty heavily. Still looked as calm and collected as ever though.

I rubbed the back of my head, collecting my thoughts.

"Woo! Go Weiss! That was amazing! Represent! Woo!" My sister cheered, stars in her eyes. Almost falling over the desk cheering for her partner.

Weiss startled, having look lost in thought, before glancing up over to Ruby, a gentle smile spreading across her face.

Those two had it bad.

...

"And you were all like, not today! Bah! Swoosh! Snap! That was crazy!" My little energetic sister gushed, almost vibrating in place.

"Almost as crazy as how interested in this conversation I am." Came Blake's dull monotone, not glancing up from her book.

"It was super cool right?!" Ruby missed Blake's sarcasm, instead turning to the annoyed book worm.

"The coolest." She replied flatly.

Weiss's face was lit up scarlet, crossing her arms defensively across her chest(what chest hahaha!), looking flustered.

"Come on Blake you got to admit killing a boartusk with it's own, well, tusks is pretty hardcore." I chimed in.

Blake finally closed her book, choosing to give the heiress a look.

"It wasn't... bad." She hedged. "You're really strong." Blake continued, glancing away having said her piece.

I decided to give our antisocial team member a break, instead focusing back on Wiess.

"Seriously is there anything you can't do?" I prodded at her, loving the way her face lit up with a scarlet blush trying to swat away my hands. "You're like literally perfect, well, except in certain areas." My eyes trailed down and she covered her chest, growling at me.

"I'll chose to ignore that." She hissed, before crossing her arms with a huff. "But if you must know... I can't cook." Wiess confessed. "And... I've lived my entire life very sheltered, so it's a bit hard to connect with people." She grumbled.

"You made friends with us pretty well." I countered, trying to give the girl some confidence.

"I wouldn't say we're friends..." Blake muttered, and I shot her a glare. Geez, this bitch needed to get over herself. Gods and we were going to be partners for the next 4 years. There was no way I could see myself becoming besties with someone like her.

Weiss's mood seemed to dim a little at that comment, but otherwise didn't say anything.

"Oh! I just remembered, Yang and I have something to talk about, you two can go on ahead. We'll meet up with you two later."

"Er, yeah you two go on ahead, it won't take long." I reassured.

Ruby gave a sidelong glance at Blake, before her eyes darted back to me, pleading to me with her psychic sister powers for help.

I instead just let myself be dragged off by Wiess, giving a silent sorry to Ruby.

Weiss had pulled me to the side to talk about my near panic attack mid Initiation yesterday, reaffirming the fact that she didn't become Ruby's friend for ulterior motives(like getting to me).

In the end she didn't let me get a word in, saying that if I could butt into her personal issues so could she. Which, to be fair, made sense.

Her talk boiled down to people are idiots.

In the end I really appreciated it. This was something I had been stewing on for a long time, and it felt amazing to hear someone else say it.

Like that we set off for our next class.

...

Sorry again for the super late chapter! I'll be posting more regularly now so look forward to that. If the ending felt a bit rushed it's because it was. I had planned out a really amazing wholesome talk and then my laptop crashed and deleted my work. I might add the full thing later, but that's for another time!