Weiss inspected herself in the mirror carefully, ice blue eyes tracing her outfit and hair for any imperfections. She had elected a much more casual outfit than usual, one of the few she had hastily packed before her escape from Atlas. Her blue dress hung lonely by the closet and in its place was a simple white summer frock, the narrow straps showing off her delicate shoulders and collarbone. The material flowed with her movements, airy and loose against her skin, cinched tight at the waist with a fashionable white leather belt, a far cry from her usual combat skirts or gowns. It was something she had purchased in Vale where the climate was warmer but hadn't been able to wear before the Fall of Beacon and it was not something suited for her homeland. Pleased with the look, she slipped on a pair of light blue sandals, the leather straps crisscrossing her shapely calves and secured with a tiny silver buckle. A light dab of perfume adorned both wrists and after a small pause, a quick swipe across her collar – a soft vanilla scent infused with a hint of heat and spice.
Giving her hair one last brush, she nodded, watching her sidetail bob and swing at the action, her white tresses shimmering in the light. She looked like innocence manifest, the pure image of a maiden. A pointed smirk crossed her lips, perverting the image she wished to create. She was dressed for war.
Her plan was simple but foolproof. Carefully unfolding a small piece of paper, she re-read the brief but important contents within.
Invite Jaune out to tour the city.
Get him alone at Haven Academy.
Question mark times three.
Profit!
Simple.
The internet really was a wonderful tool.
Matter of fact, the first phase had already been enacted the night before, Weiss cornering Jaune before bedtime to suggest a bit of sightseeing. He had agreed readily enough, as despite being in Mistral longer than the rest, Team RNJR had rarely left their accommodations other than to stock up on food. Not that it had mattered. Jaune would have agreed regardless, Weiss knew.
She was the one asking, after all.
A knock sounded on the door.
"Weiss!" the voice of her partner called. "Why are you taking so long? Come on! Everyone is ready to go!"
Weiss glared at the door and wished it would ignite, along with her partner. No such luck. Myrtenaster was in the living room, along with her dust supply. All of her fire dust, out of reach in her moment of need.
Ruby knocked again, more insistent this time. "Weeeeeiss!"
Of course, they weren't going alone. Weiss wasn't stupid enough to believe that the rest of her team wouldn't notice her absence, nor would they miss the absence of Jaune. It was a futile endeavor to hide it from the rest of them as they all shared a living space, so when Jaune had suggested inviting the rest of their friends, Weiss had not put up any resistance, instead encouraging it. She had been expecting it, hoping for it even.
She clenched her fists with a crinkle of paper, cradling them against her breastbone as her face twisted further into what Yang had once called her scheming face.
With their eyes and ears ensnared by the sights and sounds of a foreign kingdom, it would be more than enough distraction for the pair of them to slip off unnoticed. By the time they realised they were down two friends, it would be too late for them to do anything about it.
There would be no further interruptions!
A third knock sounded and with a huff, she grabbed a light blue cardigan off the bed, placing the scrap of paper on the bedside table and stalked to the door, wrenching it open to reveal her teammate about to knock again. Her fist missed at the sudden lack of door, the younger girl letting out an exclamation of surprise as her knuckles tapped against a soft bosom. A thin white eyebrow arched in question.
"Finally! What took you so long?" Ruby pouted fiercely. "We're all waiting!"
Weiss glared. "I was getting ready, what do you think I was doing? It takes time and patience to select the right outfit, even with an eye as keen as my own."
Ruby rolled her eyes as they walked down the hall. "Don't you only have like three outfits with you?"
"That isn't the point," she replied before continuing sarcastically, "I see you put in a lot of effort."
Ruby was dressed in her combat skirt and boots, looking not one bit different than she usually did. Her cheeks coloured lightly under Weiss' piercing look.
"What?" she asked defensively. "What's wrong with this? We aren't doing anything special - we're just going out and checking out the city. I m-mean, it's special because we haven't been together in such a long time! I didn't mean that it wasn't - it's just that we aren't going anywhere special. Just normal, everyday stuff, right?"
"Looking a little flustered, Rubes," Yang said when they entered the living room. Unlike her sister, she had dressed in something a little more casual and non-combat related, a pair of jeans and a simple singlet, her hair once again pulled back into a ponytail. Looking around, Weiss felt vindicated that she wasn't the only one who had dressed up – or was it down? – a little for their outing. "You all good?"
"I'm fine. Weiss is being a meanie about my clothes."
"I am not," she responded immediately, hackles raised. "You were giving me grief about wasting time. Putting together an outfit is a very important life skill you need to learn and should implement more frequently. Fashion is no joking matter."
"There is nothing wrong with my outfit!" Ruby protested. "These are comfortable!"
"Your stockings have tears in them."
Ruby spluttered. "W-Well you are shorter than me without your heels!"
Weiss froze.
"She isn't wrong," Blake commented dryly while Nora laughed at her horrified look.
"Should you be laughing?" Ren asked. "She is still taller than you."
Nora shrugged. "Yeah, but I have bigger-"
"Right," Jaune cut in while Ren smothered her mouth with a hand. Oscar looked embarrassed while Yang snorted unashamedly, no doubt remembering their little argument the day before. She even shot Weiss a mocking wink. "Thank you, Ren. How about we get going?"
Weiss chose to ignore those mortifying words her friend almost fired without thought and instead nodded to Jaune, grateful. He nodded back with a smile. Instead of the usual jeans and hoodie he sported at Beacon, he now wore a neatly pressed black pair of trousers and an ironed light blue polo, Crocea Mors strapped to his hip. They all filed out into the street after grabbing their weapons.
"So where are we going?" Yang asked as they made their way down the narrow stone path. It was lined by a simple red wood railing, followed by a sheer drop. Weiss peered over the edge, high enough that she could barely make out the ground.
"Dunno," Ruby said coyly. "Where do you want to go?"
Nora grinned in excitement, bouncing on her heels when Yang gave her sister an odd look. "Ruby, let's see it!"
"See what?" Weiss asked, bewildered.
Ruby reached into her skirt pocket and pulled out a worn folded pamphlet, opening it with a flourish.
"Tada! Our secret weapon against boredom!"
Weiss looked at it with narrow eyes. "Is that a travel guide?"
"Not just any travel guide!" Ruby leaned forward into Weiss' personal space, causing her to back up, "but the most recommended guide in the entire kingdom! Guaranteed to show you the best Mistral has to offer!"
"She sounds oddly taken with it," Blake commented.
They all watched as Ruby enthusiastically thrust the guide at Weiss, gesturing wildly while rattling off various locations without even reading the text.
"Does she have that memorised?" Blake asked in amusement. Jaune chuckled.
"Did you know Mistral has some of the best swordsmiths in the world?" Ruby gushed excitedly, silver eyes wide. "There is an entire section of the city dedicated to weapons! While their mecha-shift tech isn't as advanced as Atlas, it is seriously awesome. We totally have to check it out! Oh, oh - and then there is some island lake suspended by gravity dust, it is super popular with tourists. See look - doesn't it look really pretty?"
They barely got to see the picture before Ruby started waving it around again.
"And then there are a ton of art museums but who cares about that stuff? There are the waterfalls, of course. Over fifty of them-"
"I like art!" Weiss interrupted indignantly but was promptly ignored as Ruby continued to ramble.
"-one of them is even near the floating island, so the gravity dust makes the water do strange things. Then there is the famous street of food. Food stalls everywhere! Fried chicken, steamed buns, crispy pork strips, octopus balls - yeeck, maybe not that one," Ruby looked faintly ill at the thought.
"Awww yeah," Nora pumped her fist before reeling Oscar in and placing the younger boy in a headlock. The young farmhand flailed in an attempt to free himself without success. "I can taste it already!"
"Nworaff," Oscar cried into her chest, face a brilliant red.
Yang laughed loudly. "What else is there, sis?"
"There is a park with over a hundred cherry blossom trees and they are blooming right now, so that would be pretty neat, huh? Maybe we could take our lunch there. It's right by the natural hot springs-"
Blake appeared by her side and snatched the travel guide away, Ruby squawking in alarm at losing possession of her baby. "Did you say hot springs?" Amber eyes roamed across the page hungrily, "we must visit them."
"I agree," Weiss stepped next to Blake so she could see. The picture of the steaming pools and sleek wood paneling of the bathhouse painted a very relaxing scene. "It would be a wonderful experience. A chance to relax and revitalize."
The perfect place to ditch the rest of them had presented itself. Now all she had to do was figure out how to convince Jaune to go with her. Weiss grinned to herself. Was that even a challenge? It was almost too easy.
But only after they had a good long soak, of course.
"F-Fine," Ruby said. "But weapons first!"
"And then food!" Nora cheered, releasing Oscar. Jaune helped steady him, patting him on the shoulder as the younger boy gasped for breath.
"Have fun?" Jaune joked.
"S-Shut up," Oscar said, face still red. Jaune and Ren shared an amused grin.
The group continued chatting as they walked, Ruby enthusiastically leading the way. Soon enough, the ringing of hammers on steel filled their ears, the hissing crackle of molten metal submerged in water and oil, as well as the voices of hundreds of smiths and customers bartering for wares. Plumes of smoke puffed out of narrow chutes and chimneys from the various stores lining the twisting lane, creating a cloudy haze that hovered far above the street. The temperature was much higher here from all the forges, a bubble of humidity that threatened to stifle any who were unprepared.
It really was a sight to behold.
"Are you looking for anything in particular?" Jaune asked but Ruby might as well have been deaf, for all the reaction she gave to his query. The small girl darted left and right with stars in her eyes, trying to take everything in at the same time.
"Aaaand we've lost her," Yang said as she vanished into a cloud of rose petals, startling a nearby group of men, one them tumbling from his seat in fright.
"Should we follow her?" Oscar asked uncertainly.
"Nah. Even dad wouldn't be able to contain her when she gets like this," Yang wore a fond smile. "She'll come back to us. Eventually."
"Ren, Ren! Look at this," Nora gestured over to a nearby stall containing a range of helms. One such helm, polished steel with bronze trim was quickly snatched up and lowered over her head. It slanted to one side, a little large for her. She squealed like a girl half her age. "It has cute little wings!"
"O-Oi, are you going to buy that or what?" the stall owner growled as Nora continued to gush about the cute wings, fingers dancing over the pointed ends. While Ren attempted to smooth things over as the owner became increasingly irate at his work being referred to as cute, the rest of the group continued onward.
Yang paused by a display, a look of outrage on her face. Weiss soon discovered why.
"What is this meant to protect?" Yang asked the blacksmith incredulously.
The armour in question was small, form-fitting and very obviously designed for females. While it did come with a matching set of very handsome greaves and gauntlets with remarkable workmanship, the breastplate would be more accurately described as a metal bra, designed to support a suitable bust and not much else. The leggings were no better, for they truly didn't exist, replaced by thin arching metal bands attached to a triangular steel front that were very clearly modeled after underwear.
"This is a metal bikini!" Yang continued irately when the blacksmith mistook her expression for interest and offered a discount, oblivious to her anger. Weiss gave the cretin a look of disgust and marched on, dragging her fuming teammate with her.
"Who would buy that?" Yang groused in annoyance.
"No one competent," Weiss assured her.
"Cosplayers," Blake mused.
"What?"
"Nothing," she said quickly. Jaune laughed, the faunus girl nudging him sharply with her elbow in response.
Blake's scroll chose that moment to chime. Ruby dashed by in a red blur as she pulled out the device, the screen snapping open to show her a text notification. At her friends inquiring looks, she said, "Sun wants to come hang out, that all right? A friend of mine is with him,"
"The more, the merrier," Jaune replied first.
"Yeah, tell him to get his butt over here," Yang seconded.
Blake gave Weiss a curious look. "She was in the White Fang until recently. I hope that is okay?"
Weiss gave her a long look, recalling all that took place at Haven. "As long as she doesn't try to kill me or kidnap me, I find this arrangement acceptable."
"Neptune is also with them."
"On second thought," Weiss began seriously, holding up a hand. At their startled looks, she smiled. "I have no issue. Proceed."
Yang laughed. "Wow, the ice queen has jokes."
Blake sent them a quick text back, Sun replying soon after. They would meet them in half an hour by the street filled with food stalls.
"Waaahh! These are too cool!" Ruby's young, girly voice screamed from further down the road, attracting a lot of attention. "Oh my god, these fold out! Awesome! Oh! And this shield shifts into a what!? Jaune! Jaune! Look at this shield!"
Ren soon rejoined them, dragging Nora behind him by the scruff of her neck, the former looking much more frazzled than he had minutes before. Nora was pouting fiercely, arms crossed beneath her breasts.
"She wanted to buy that helmet," Ren answered at Jaune's unspoken question. "But I told her it was too expensive and we had to think about rationing our funds."
"It was really cute, though!" Nora argued.
"Stop calling it cute!" the stall owner roared, somehow hearing her over the hustle and bustle of the crowd.
"But it really is!" she returned volley, Ren pulling her further down the lane to separate the two. "It was a compliment!" she hollered even louder to compensate.
"Well, shall we?" Weiss said after a moment, following after them. They quickly found Ruby salivating over a pair of curved daggers, distinct ripples as dark as smoke running the length of each blade, the hilts capped with chambers capable of holding powdered dust.
They were beautiful.
"I want them, I want them, I want them," Ruby repeated rapidly despite not even using daggers to fight, eyes gleaming with stars as she swayed from side to side. Weiss stepped closer to see the price tag and recoiled when she spotted it, bumping into Oscar as she did so.
The younger boy spotted the price and choked.
"Better start selling your organs, sis," Yang gripped her red cloak and pulled, Ruby flailing in alarm, "even our resident money bags here is thinking twice about it."
"Former money bags," Weiss corrected without thought. "…hey! What did you just call me?"
In the end, they did little more than browse each store, the more sensible members of their group doing their best to curtail the impulses of their more flighty friends. Several incidents were avoided, though Nora did end up arm wrestling one of the smiths despite Ren's best efforts, a man with arms the size of small trees and shoulders as broad as a van. The look of disbelief on his face when Nora's five-nothing frame obliterated him was beyond funny and still fresh in their minds as they traded polished steel for food.
The most wonderful aroma wafted over them long before the street came into sight, the smells too numerous to count. Mouths salivating and tummies growling, they hurried onward, excitement growing with every step.
"Yo!" a familiar voice called out as they rounded a bend in the road. An enthusiastic arm waved through the air, beckoning them on, mimicked by a slender yellow tail. "Over here!"
Sun beamed at them as they approached.
"Hey," Jaune greeted, shaking the monkey faunus' hand while Ruby and Weiss said hello. Yang slugged him in the shoulder, the taller boy rocking to the side with an 'oof'.
"Heya," Yang grinned. "Where are the others?"
The others were a few paces away, Blake's friend from the White Fang looking like she wanted to disappear into the background while Neptune talked at her with his usual brand of cool. When the girl spotted Blake, she stepped away from the wall she was leaning against and smiled.
"Guys," Blake called to get everyone's attention. "This is Ilia – we've known each other for… well, a long time now. Ilia, these are my friends from Beacon," Blake paused, "and Oscar."
Nora snorted, scooting forward. She grabbed Ilia's hand that was in the process of waving shyly and began pumping it up and down in a very vigorous handshake that made the slender girl shake in place.
"I'm Nora! Pleased to meetcha!"
They all introduced themselves one by one until at last, Weiss stepped forward, her face entirely emotionless. Ilia watched her nervously, the two facing off silently for a few long moments before Weiss offered her hand with a small smile.
"Weiss Schnee. A pleasure to meet you."
Blake sighed in relief when they shook hands, Ilia even managing to offer up a small smile of her own.
Stepping back, Weiss turned and watched as Jaune and Neptune exchanged greetings, the blue haired boy even reeling him into a one-armed side hug, the pair laughing. Eyes lingering on her former crush, she found that not one speck of her previous infatuation remained. Not that it surprised her, as even during the Vytal Festival any modicum of attraction that had remained after the disaster that had been the school dance had fled at the sight of him flirting with other girls during the preliminary rounds.
"Ah," Neptune spotted her, blanching. "H-Hey Weiss."
"Neptune," Weiss nodded coolly, "everything is well, I hope?"
He rubbed his neck nervously. "Yeah, everything is cool with me. You?"
"As good as can be expected," she replied simply.
"Right."
Jaune shuffled awkwardly off to the side in the ensuing silence.
"Well," he said, clearing his throat. "I'll just let-"
"I'm rather famished," Weiss said loudly before he could scoot any further away, patting her stomach gently. "Jaune, will you accompany me? These smells are simply divine and I find myself at a loss on what I wish to try."
"Ah, sure," he answered, perplexed when she threaded her arm through his and tugged him along with a firm pull. He waved to Neptune as he stumbled along beside her.
"I suppose we should also get going," Ren said. Nora grabbed his hand and followed Weiss' lead, hauling him along like a piece of baggage.
The narrow, stall-lined street was filled to the brim with people, opening up into a large square ringed by even more food stalls and brick stores, a massive stone fountain the center piece. It was mounted by three heroic figures brandishing sword, shield and spear, water sprouting from the tips of their weapons in sweeping arcs. Fried chicken, steamed buns, crispy pork strips and octopus balls were only the beginning; there were fat sizzling sausages, crumbed, deep fried prawns, marinated beef skewers, bowls of creamy seafood chowder, crispy battered fish fillets, golden fries, fresh bread with all manner of herbs and spice baked through and succulent chicken wings dripping with a variety of sauces. There were rice dishes, noodle dishes, with broth and without, topped with an egg or a fishcake or both. There was food from all four kingdoms and even cuisine from Menagerie despite Mistral's historical problems with faunus. And there weren't just savoury delights but sweets and desserts as well.
Sticks of candy floss, sticky toffee apples, custard tarts, danishes adorned with fruit and dusted with powdered sugar, small meringues topped with whipped cream drizzled with passion fruit or strawberry syrup and every flavour of ice cream imaginable; there were the classic chocolate, strawberry, and vanilla choices, and more adventurous ones like lemon poppy seed, boysenberry swirl, burnt almond fudge and salted caramel, and rocky road marshmallow to name but a few.
And then there was cake.
So much cake.
Chocolate, banana, carrot, red velvet, angel cake, sponge, an endless selection – with icing, without icing, filled with cream, rolled into logs, some looking more like works of art than anything edible.
And her favourite cake of all.
Cheese cake.
She wasn't alone in thinking so, knowing her partners tastes. Ruby was eying a particularly delicious looking slice of strawberry cheesecake, the rich, red fruit looking juicy and ripe. The young girl would have marched right over if not for Yang giving her a surprise noogie.
"Gerroff!" Ruby pried her sister's arms apart and escaped. "What was that for?" she asked furiously.
"Food first," Yang said, waving a mechanical finger mockingly, "and then you can have sweets. Got it?"
Ruby grumbled. "I'm sixteen!"
"Of course you are," Yang cooed.
Blake looked a bit dazed, overwhelmed by the smells. The dark haired girl was in serious danger of drooling on herself. Oscar was trying to take everything in at once, never having visited such a place before in his life. Problem was he only had two eyes, his head whipping around as he turned on the spot, going in circles to ensure he missed nothing. Meanwhile, Nora looked like she had died and gone to heaven, leaving Ren behind as she stormed over to a man selling egg fried rice.
Sun laughed at their reactions.
Nora's abrupt departure was the unspoken signal, the group splitting up with a quick promise to meet at the nearby park that had been in Ruby's travel brochure.
That left them alone. Weiss glanced up through her eyelashes at her companion, tightening her hold on his arm on reflex. If she really wanted, this was the moment she had been waiting for. No one was around to stop her. No interruptions, no interference. It would be a simple matter to lead him away. Haven wasn't that far – but...
"See anything you like?" she asked instead.
Jaune looked around quickly.
"Have you ever tried Vacuan?"
She hadn't. She shook her head and so with a light tug, Jaune led her over to a cart selling skewered spiced meats. The line was long but fast moving and soon enough, they were called forward to order. The smell alone had her mouth watering, her nose tingling with warmth.
"Lamb, beef," Jaune murmured before blinking, tilting his head, "Snake... camel?"
"I think I will stick to the lamb," Weiss commented after a moment, pulling a face. "Can I get two of the lamb, please? Thank you."
"One lamb, one snake," Jaune ordered. At her look, he smiled though he looked a little uncertain. "You only live once, right?"
Before she could say anything, he paid – for the both of them.
"You didn't have to do that," she said quietly though feeling inexplicably pleased.
He just shrugged in response and smiled even wider. They received their orders atop styrofoam plates. Grabbing a handful of napkins, they found a small spot in a secluded corner. Weiss felt her stomach rumble at the sight of her meal, the meat glistening invitingly. Carefully wrapping the wooden skewer with a napkin to keep her hand clean, she took a small bite from the end, her teeth easily sinking into the juicy, tender lamb. An involuntary groan left her lips as the many spices erupted across her taste buds in a gush of juice. By habit she picked out the familiar tastes; black pepper, garlic, rosemary and smoked paprika among others, too many to count. Taking another larger bite, her tongue darted out to sweep at the juice lingering on her lip. There was a mild heat, a numbness that was spreading within her mouth that was rather pleasant. Some sort of chili.
Weiss swallowed. "This is lovely."
So lovely, in fact, that she had to restrain herself from tearing in like some sort of starved animal. Reigning in her base impulses, she continued to take small, dainty bites. Before she knew it, none remained. Disappointed, she watched instead as Jaune eyed his snake skewer. He glanced her way and noticing her attention, grinned awkwardly and took the plunge, biting into it hesitantly. Chewing thoughtfully, he looked surprised as he swallowed.
"Tastes a bit like chicken," he confessed after a moment, "but kinda chewy."
He took another bite, humming.
"It's good. Want some?" he offered.
Weiss eyed the skewer, particularly the half-bitten portion halfway down.
"Oh," he said, beginning to pull away. "Here, how about-"
She grabbed his wrist and pulled it back, Jaune looking surprised as she leaned in and wrapped her lips around the spiced morsel, her teeth pulling it free with a light tug. Her cheeks felt hot as she leaned back, covering her mouth with a hand and chewing carefully before swallowing.
Not bad.
Not bad at all.
Jaune stared at his skewer dumbly before taking another bite. Finished with their meal, they wandered around, taking in the sights. They stopped by a place selling small savory pies, purchasing a few. The pastry was flakey and buttery soft, the filling hearty with chicken, peas and onion with a hint of herbs. After that, Jaune tried some of the crispy pork strips glazed with honey while Weiss tried some freshly made cheese buns, the bread soft and fluffy as she pulled them apart, and gloriously warm and tasty. They combined the two into a pork roll which just made it even better, sharing smiles as they devoured their creation.
"How have you been feeling?" he asked out of the blue.
Weiss tilted her head to the side quizzically. "What do you mean?"
He looked uncomfortable but determined, his jaw set. "I'm sorry I didn't ask earlier but I didn't know – I mean, well, I didn't really know how to go about it. I could have asked yesterday when we were practicing with my semblance but I thought maybe you didn't want to talk about it and just bringing it up will make things awkward, it can't have been a very good experience-"
"Jaune, stop rambling," she ordered firmly.
He cleared his throat. "Right, sorry."
"So what are you asking, exactly?"
"About what happened at Haven," he finally said softly. "When Cinder..."
The way he said that woman's name was reserved for swearing. It was more than anger or loathing, or perhaps not only just that. There was a palpable sadness to him, a visible weight on his shoulders as her name passed his lips.
"Oh," Weiss exclaimed, taken aback. "I – I am well. Truly," she reassured at his enquiring look. "I – sometimes, it feels a little surreal. How close I came..."
To dying.
Weiss swallowed. "It scared me a little, how easy it can be. I won't deny that – but I wasn't lying, I am well. Thanks to you."
"I didn't-" he began to deny but when she arched her eyebrow, he sputtered. "Okay, I mean, I did, I guess, but-"
"It wasn't your fault."
He froze, looking uncertain.
"Don't blame yourself for the actions of that wicked woman," she scolded. "She isn't worth it." She then gave her belly a pat, giving him a warm smile, "and I meant what I said. I am well. It didn't even leave a scar."
She knew he wanted to say something else. That he was holding something back. It was written clear as day across his face but in the end he just nodded.
She was starting to get a little full. She hadn't eaten so much food in a long while, not since her days at Beacon where the constant training and exercise all but demanded a healthy appetite. Even so, she would not be denied.
It was time for cake.
"I'm just going to use the bathroom," Jaune said after a moment, wiping his fingers clean with a napkin. "You can go on without me."
Weiss shook her head, giving him a smile. "I'll wait."
Their day so far had been a good one, even with the heavy conversation that had just taken place. Almost like a date – Weiss felt her cheeks warming at the thought. Was this what a date back during their Beacon days would have been like? They hadn't done much more than walk around trying different foods but she'd had a lot of fun. And okay, they weren't exactly alone. All their friends were with them but even still. Yes, the day had been splendid so far and they hadn't even visited the hot springs yet, so of course something had to try ruin it.
"Hey pretty lady," a voice drawled nearby. "What's a girl like you doing all alone in a place like this?"
He was tall, that was the first thing she noticed about him, with dark green hair and would have been handsome if not for the sleazy look on his face. As he swaggered over with his hands in his pockets, he was accompanied by two others. Friends, no doubt, and identical twins to boot. They were all dressed nicely enough, all three wearing the same leather jacket and their hair in similar styles, shaved on one side and combed over aggressively. Briefly, she was reminded of that pompous, self-centered prat from the charity event her father had hosted.
Weiss rolled her eyes. Typical.
It would be just her luck that she would be accosted by ruffians. Some kind of street gang, perhaps? The lower levels were notoriously dangerous and Weiss recalled Ruby's uncle talking about it once. They weren't currently down there but it wouldn't surprise her if some of the scum floated to the surface every so often.
Perhaps she was being a little harsh.
"Oh, you know," Weiss said blandly. "This is a good place to stand. Alone."
His laugh was grating and fake. "The name is Forest."
"I didn't ask."
He moved closer, looking smug. "I can tell you're new around here. How about I show you around?"
"No, thank you."
"C'mon, babe, let us show you a good time, huh?"
Weiss turned, facing him front on – bringing Myrtenaster into full view at her hip. The three hesitated, suddenly wary. Her hand drifted down and rested on the hilt, her finger tapping against it rhythmically.
"Leave," she said coolly. "Now."
"Maybe we should go," one of the twins muttered.
"She's a Huntress," the other said with apprehension.
Unfortunately, it appeared their leader wasn't quite as smart as they were. After a moment, the smug look returned to his face as he very clearly ran his eyes across her body. Weiss fought the urge to run him through then and there but he hadn't tried to touch her. Not yet. If he tried to reach for her, he would be swiftly down a few fingers.
"I do like an active woman," he said with appreciation. "I'm quite fit myself. Just think about what we could do together."
She wanted to be sick. "Okay."
He looked pleased. "Yeah?"
"We can do something together," she confirmed, giving him a sweet smile. "If you stand right there, I can take my rapier here and pin your obnoxious face to the ground."
Her threat hung in the air.
"Do you have any idea who you're talking to?" he blustered angrily, composure lost. His two friends exchanged worried glances and stepped back, hands raised.
"Yeah, she knows," Jaune said, walking up beside her. His shoulder brushed against hers. "Nobody."
Their eyes darted to Crocea Mors still sheathed by his side.
"Psh, whatever," Forest thumbed his nose at them and turned away to save face. "S-She isn't worth it." He couldn't hide the way his voice cracked, however.
"You alright?" he asked as the group of three trudged away.
"I'm fine," she said haughtily, flicking her hair. "I can look after myself, you know."
"I know. You're more than capable," Jaune appeased as they started moving. "I wasn't worried but he sounded like a jerk."
"Understatement of the year," Weiss shook her head irritably. "Sometimes I feel like Qrow isn't the only one with a semblance of bad luck, though mine is surely centered attracting attention from idiot men."
Jaune was silent for a beat.
"I suppose we can be pretty bad, huh?"
Weiss peered at him from the corner of her eye. "I wasn't talking about you, you dolt." He opened his mouth to defend himself but she cut him off, "now shut up and come on, I want cake and I want it now."
Ruby was already at the cake stand but that was no surprise, looking dazzled as the man handed her a small box that contained her slice of strawberry cheese cake. Yang rolled her eyes in affection as her younger sister cradled her prize like it was her dog Zwei, popping a golden fry into her mouth. She waved as they approached.
"The rest are waiting for us at the park," she informed them.
Weiss chose an elegant slice of lemon cheese cake while Jaune and Yang wandered over to a stall nearby selling crepes. The thin pancakes were folded over like a burrito and packed tightly with whipped cream and various fruit. Yang's was topped by a light drizzle of chocolate sauce while Jaune's was dusted with powdered sugar. The pair beamed at each other as they dug in, their sounds of appreciation only making Weiss and Ruby ravenous to tear into their own dessert.
"Must you make those sounds," Weiss needled as they left the square behind and passed under a large wooden arch. "I would rather not be known to associate with indecent people."
Yang only took that as a challenge and her next moan was much louder, taking as big a bite as she could in the process. Ruby guffawed as cream burst from the crepe across Yang's chin and nose, a raspberry stuck to her cheek. Yang hastily wiped it away in embarrassment, Jaune joining Ruby in laughter. Weiss shook her head though she couldn't stop her lips quirking in amusement.
"Har har, okay, not funny now," Yang took a swipe at her sister but Ruby was much too fast, darting away with a massive grin. Several people were looking their way, Yang's cheeks flushing under their stares.
Crossing a small bridge, they soon arrived. Four sets of eyes widened in wonder, taking in the sight of dozens of blooming cherry blossom trees. Thick and vibrant, the pink petals hung above their heads as they walked into what felt like an entirely different world. The grass, the stone pathways, the park benches, they were all covered in the fallen blossoms, a carpet of pink as far as the eye could see.
"Pretty," Ruby said quietly. The rest could only agree.
They soon found their friends huddled under what looked like the largest, oldest tree around, surrounded by containers of food from what could very well be every stall, store and stand in the city.
"So much for saving our funds," Jaune joked. The food had been relatively cheap but the amount they'd bought meant it would have cost a decent sum regardless.
"It's fine, Oscar – err, Ozpin had some hidden cash that he was willing to share," Yang revealed as they sat down with their friends.
"Wait, where is Ilia?" Ruby asked in confusion, noticing that while Sun and Neptune were still with them, the faunus girl was nowhere to be seen. The question was mostly directed at Blake but she was too busy devouring her sushi to answer, cheeks bulging as she chewed.
"I'm right here," a voice said right next to her, Ruby letting out a shriek of surprise and almost dropping her box of cake. They watched in astonishment as Ilia's skin shifted in colour; her legs from the vibrant pinks of the strewn petals and deep greens of the grass, her arms, neck, face and hair from the dark colouring of the tree she was leaning against to its natural hue, revealing the girl to their eyes. It wouldn't have worked so well if her shorts and top hadn't also matched the bark of the tree, blending her in perfectly.
"Woah," Jaune said in amazement, mirrored by Yang.
"Isn't it like the coolest thing you've ever frickin' seen?" Nora crowed, reeling Ilia in and crowding in against her side. "Blake can't do anything cool like that!"
"H-Hey," the mentioned girl finally said after swallowing, looking away from her fish delicacies. "I can do cool things!"
"Oh yeah? Like what?" Nora challenged her. Ilia looked embarrassed by all the attention and a little nervous but strangely enough, her lips were very clearly pulled into a smile.
Blake spluttered in attempt to find some cool aspect of her cat faunus heritage.
"Sun can swing with his tail," Nora added thoughtfully while peering intently at Blake. "You just eat fish."
"I do not," Blake answered crossly while Sun laughed. "I can – see in the dark?"
"Can't all faunus see in the da-" Neptune choked as a black ribbon looped around his neck and tugged him to the ground face first.
"She is good at chasing laser pointers," Yang supplied, Blake looking at her in betrayal.
"That was only once! One time!"
"She is very agile," Ruby supplied.
"We're all agile, Ruby. Well, except Jaune."
"Gee, thanks, Nora," Jaune replied sourly. Nora poked her tongue out cheekily.
"Enhanced hearing," Ren spoke up calmly, drawing their attention. "Right?"
"R-Right," Blake latched on desperately. "I have four ears. I can hear better than anyone here."
"Oh, yeaaaah," Nora eyed the pair of cat ears atop Blake's head which chose that very moment to twitch and flick. "That makes sense. I always forget that you have actual ears up there."
"…how do you forget that?" Weiss asked incredulously in the ensuing silence.
Nora rolled her eyes and mimed with her hands a pair of floppy ears above her head. "Well, she used to wear that ribbon all the time. I guess I haven't gotten used to it being gone, you know?" She tapped her chin with her pointer finger. "How did you guys share a room with her for months and not notice, anyway?"
Ruby looked embarrassed at Nora's doubtful tone, shrugging awkwardly, while Yang said, "She used to wear it everywhere. She wore it when she went for a shower and it was still on when she came out. She wore it to bed as well."
"And it never fell off while she slept?" Nora questioned in wonder. "Not once?"
Yang looked flustered. "I wasn't exactly keeping track."
"Unbelievable."
Weiss frowned, feeling offended at the implication. "You never noticed either."
"I didn't share a room with her," Nora pointed out like she thought Weiss was a bit dim.
"But you still had classes with her! You ate lunch with her every day! You even trained together sometimes!"
"Yeah, but I didn't share a room with her," she stressed, winding her up even further.
"Are you insinuating that we somehow neglected our teammate?" Weiss fired back irately.
"Weeeeell," Nora smirked. "You said it, not me~"
"I would really appreciate it if you didn't talk about me like I wasn't here," Blake grumbled in annoyance but it fell on deaf ears, Weiss furiously defending the actions of her team. Whenever it seemed like she was losing steam, Nora would say just the right thing to set her off again. Ilia stared at the pair of them, bemused.
"Is this normal?" she asked the group at large.
"Nora has a knack for getting under peoples skins when she wants to," Jaune said in amusement. "While Weiss – well, it doesn't take much to get a reaction out of her."
Weiss turned and thrust a finger his way dramatically, "I refute that statement!"
"See what I mean?" Jaune said while leaning out range of her very sharp nails.
Weiss huffed as everyone shared amused smiles. "You are all insufferable."
It took some serious effort to finish all their food, Neptune, Sun, Jaune and Nora doing the bulk of the eating. Meanwhile, Ruby and Weiss swooned with each bite of their cheese cake, sharing a look of despair when they each finished faster than they would have liked. Bellies filled to the brim, they all lazed about under their tree in various states of awareness.
It was what the kids would call a food coma.
They exchanged small talk as the morning lazily drifted into afternoon, a few of them even falling into a light sleep. They drew curious looks from passersby, their odd group of trainee-huntsmen sprawled about without a care. They took little notice of the watchful eyes, absorbed in the first piece of genuine contentment many of them had felt since the day Beacon had been attacked.
Time passed by and out of the haze of relaxation, Ren asked, "Where are we headed next?"
Blake rolled onto her side, propping her head up with a hand, "Hot springs." The eagerness in her voice was clear.
"That does sound good," Yang admitted with a stretch, her shoulders and back popping.
There were varying degrees of assent until only Neptune remained silent, grimacing. "Uh, maybe I'll sit this one out guys..."
"Dude, come on," Sun slapped him on the back. "It's just a bath, bro. You'll be fine."
Neptune's expression wasn't promising but when he noticed the girls looking his way, he squared his shoulders.
"Psh, I know I'll be fine, what are you talking about?" he said as firmly as he could, clearing his throat. "I-It's just that I'm a little tired and thought maybe I'd go back and sleep a little."
"Uh huh," Yang hummed. "And it has nothing to do with-"
"—whatever it is you are thinking," Neptune continued for her, waving his hands around. "Nothing at all."
Ruby tilted her head. "So it isn't because you are scared of-"
"Scared? Hah!" he interceded once again with bravado. "What is there to be scared of? Don't be silly."
"Oooooh," Nora said as if in sudden revelation.
"Wrong!" he said before she could say anything else. "Whatever you are thinking, you're wrong!"
"I am?" Nora asked in surprise, looking genuinely startled.
"You are!"
"Oh," Nora scratched her head. "So you're still terrified of water, then?"
Neptune flushed. "I said you're wrong!"
"Huh? But I was going to say you had overcome your fear and you said that was wrong," she looked frustrated. "I'm confused."
"I-I've never been scared of water," he implored but when he realised no one was buying it, he slumped. "Maaaaaan."
Sun laughed. "Did you really think they forgot?"
Neptune grumbled. "Well, I was hoping..."
"You did kind of freak out in front of a live audience," Blake said in amusement.
"Thousands were in attendance," Yang continued with a smirk. "Not to mention the many more watching at home."
"Please stop," Neptune complained while clutching his head in despair. "Don't remind me."
Jaune pat him on the shoulder in a show of solidarity. "Look, you don't have to go if you don't want to."
Neptune sighed. "No, no, I'll go. Backing out at this point would be totally uncool."
Because when it came down to it that is all that really mattered to the blue haired boy. Following the directions supplied by Ruby's travel pamphlet, the group made their way through the city.
The bathhouse was just as handsome in person as it was in the brochure. The hardwood floors of the foyer were a rich polished cherry while the walls were a darker wood paneling. There were a variety of potted plants arranged around the room, local and foreign flora, filling the empty spaces and giving the room an inviting quality. As they approached the counter, Weiss spotted the receptionist eye them sourly – or more specifically the twitching ears atop Blake's head and the swaying tail that swished from side to side behind Sun's black. A quick glance showed that the usual spots that showed on Ilia's skin were now hidden, blending in perfectly with her natural skin tone. She looked completely human.
"Party of eleven," Yang said brashly, placing her mechanical arm atop the counter with a bang. The receptionist flinched and stared at the prosthetic with pursed lips.
"Yang," Ruby scolded.
The blonde ignored her, one of her metal fingers tapping the desk aggressively.
Weiss understood at once – she hadn't been the only one to notice the look. The woman hesitated a moment and Weiss took that opportunity to step forward, bumping Yang out of the way with a not-so subtle elbow to the ribs.
"Wha—Weiss, what the-"
"Weiss Schnee," she said promptly, ignoring Yang for the moment. "Are you able to accommodate my friends and I? I was lead to believe that this establishment allowed walk-ins – or should we have made a reservation for a party as big as ours? If so, can you give us directions for somewhere that can receive us adequately?"
Everyone knew who the Schnee were and this woman was no exception. She may have been disinherited but the masses didn't know that.
"Miss Schnee," she said in surprise. There was no mistaking her name – nor her appearance. "A-A pleasure. I-" there was a brief pause as she took in her companions once more. "We can more than accommodate you. Welcome to Mistral Springs."
She gave a sharp nod. "Thank you."
The price was reasonable but not exactly cheap. They had enough when they pooled their funds together but their day out had surely chewed into their reserves – or it would have, if not for Oscar slipping a card across the desk.
"It's on – er, me," he said at the astonished looks worn by Sun, Neptune and Ilia.
"I feel a little bad," Ilia admitted as they were escorted through a door and down a hall. It opened up into a large common area with couches and chairs, where other patrons were relaxing and watching the large televisions adorning the walls. One side was dominated by a series of wooden sliding dividers, pulled open to a magnificent garden in full bloom. There were two doors, one for women and one for men – changing rooms. The sign above these doors indicated that there were separate springs for each gender, as well as a mixed bathing area that could be accessed.
"It's fiiiiine," Nora assured her, bumping Oscar with her hip. The young boy was nearly thrown off his feet. "He's loaded."
"Still..."
"Like really loaded," Nora pressed.
They couldn't exactly tell them where the money was really coming from.
"Don't worry about it," Oscar spoke up, giving the faunus girl an encouraging smile.
They split off into separate groups – boys and girls. The changing rooms were large with divided spaces for changing and showering, towels and bathrobes provided for further privacy. Lockers stretched the entire length of one wall to store their clothing and other items, even their weapons. They had clearly taken Huntsmen into account.
Blake didn't waste any time, darting away to change. The rest followed much more casually, undressing and showering clean. Weiss carefully wrapped her slender body with a tower after tying her hair up, the material soft and fluffy against her skin before shrugging into the equally comfortable robe. Carrying her clothes and weapons to the lockers, she was met by Ruby.
"They're already in," Ruby said while Weiss secured her rapier in place. The door sealed shut and locked when she pressed her hand to the panel. "Come on."
There were two doors at the end of the room – female and mixed.
Weiss narrowed her eyes. "Yang didn't go into the mixed side, did she?"
"Not even she would be so daring," Ruby laughed. "She likes to talk a big game but she can be pretty shy about things like this."
The air was thick with warmth as they stepped out into the springs. The great blue sky greeted them above their heads, the steaming pools ringed by rocks and plants big enough to provide shade. The entire enclosure was ringed by a high bamboo fence, keeping the various springs separate and peeping eyes out. They had the place almost entirely to themselves and quickly approached their friends who had taken a spot on the far end.
Yang greeted them lazily by waving her prosthetic-free arm. She was submerged up to her chin, her long hair tied into a messy bun atop her head, "Hurry up, Rubes. This feels great."
The partners stepped out of their robes but kept their towels in place, carefully kneeling before sliding down into the wonderfully warm water.
Weiss let out a groan as she settled in, resting her back against the curved, smooth stone of the pool. Blake looked almost comatose, her face flushed as she rested against the side, her arms folded beneath her head. Ilia stole glances at her friend every so often but stopped when she noticed Weiss' gaze, her skin a healthy rose all over.
"This is awesome," Nora proclaimed as she floated by, her significant bust poking out of the water. "We need to do stuff like this more often."
Weiss agreed.
Tilting her head, she idly rubbed at her neck, her fingers dancing over the soft skin. She could feel the tension leeching out of her muscles slowly, humming contently as she stretched out her legs and feet. Something popped in her back and shoulders, bringing forth a rush of brief pleasure.
This was the life.
It almost felt like Jaune's semblance but instead of filling her with energy, it was draining it. Draining in a good way, the best way – relaxation at its finest. She felt her eyelids droop in contentment. Taking a deep, soothing breath, she felt calm descend upon her. All her stress dissolved into nothingness. The Maidens, the relics, Salem – even her problems with her family.
Nothing mattered but this moment.
"We should have bathed with the boys," Nora said out of the blue. "Like we used to do on the road – right, Ruby?"
And just like that, the calm was shattered.
Weiss sputtered as water splashed her in the face, Yang having jerked forward in alarm, the movement disturbing the calm waters of the spring.
"Nora," Ruby whined in embarrassment.
"What did you just say?" Yang asked incredulously. It took a moment for Weiss to process what Nora had said and when she did, she turned to her partner in shock.
"Ruby?"
Blake had perked up, drowsy but alert, while Ilia looked intrigued.
"I mean, we didn't exactly have an inn to stay at every night," Ruby began to explain, sinking further and further into the water under the combined weight of her teammates stares. "Sometimes w-we had to bathe in rivers and lakes and stuff, what else were we meant to do? All that walking and hiking and fighting Grimm works up a sweat – I didn't want to smell!"
Yang was speechless, opening and closing her mouth in a futile attempt at speech.
"Couldn't you have taken turns?" Weiss asked, feeling inexplicably angry.
"We did!" Ruby assured her. "I mean, at first. But it was just easier... you know, for everyone to do it at once – or while one of us cooked."
Weiss stared at her.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" Ruby demanded hotly, covering her face. "We weren't close together or anything, we had heaps of space! Rivers are big, you know!"
"I mean, duh~" Nora piped up. "Who do you think we are? Gee, Yang – don't you know your little sister better than that?"
"You – but – ah—" Yang said uselessly.
A muffled laugh escaped Blake's mouth.
"Though that didn't mean a certain pair of silver eyes didn't like to wander on occasion," Nora sang.
Ruby looked like her head was about to pop, her face as red as the cloak she normally wore.
"Well," her voice was almost as quiet as a whisper and yet it carried across to every single one of them. "Ren was a lot more buff than I thought he was."
It was like someone flicked a switch. One moment there was a megawatt smile on Nora's face and then the next moment it was gone as if it never existed. Nora stared at Ruby blankly, the lack of emotion on her face more than a little disturbing.
"Come again?" she finally asked.
"Ren – you know, he is pretty slender for a guy," Ruby continued, her voice gaining strength, "but his chest was pretty muscular. It was a surprise."
"You were looking at Renny?"
Ruby simply nodded.
"Listen here, little girl – he is mine, got it?" she punctuated this statement by jerking her thumb at her chest aggressively. "You stay away from him or else!"
"Uh, are they about to fight?" Ilia asked uncertainly.
"I really have no idea," Blake replied, watching the unfolding drama with an air of disbelief.
"I didn't think you minded," Ruby continued.
"Of course I would mind! He is my boyfriend!"
"He wasn't your boyfriend then-"
"We weren't together-together but you knew we were still together!"
"-and you were just teasing me about it, so I didn't think you cared."
"I thought you were looking at someone else!" Nora blustered.
"Someone else?" Ruby tilted her head with an innocent smile. "Oh, you mean Jaune?"
"Yes, Jaune! Who else was there?"
"Oh..." there was a beat of silence. "Nope."
Yang and Weiss exchanged glances as the pair bantered back and forth, the latter feeling a swell of amusement at seeing the tables turned on their rambunctious friend.
"Sometimes I wonder if you and Ruby are really sisters at all," Weiss said, keeping her eyes fixed firmly on Ruby's growing smile. The younger girls face was still beet red but she no longer looked like she was about to collapse out of anxiety. Nora, on the other hand, was moments from going completely ballistic. "But then she does something like this and I realise you two are way more alike than I thought."
Yang just nodded with a proud smile.
"I believe this is what you call being trolled," Blake explained for Ilia's benefit.
At some point Nora figured out what was going on and settled for glaring mulishly at Ruby who couldn't contain her laughter anymore, doubling over and nearly dunking herself completely beneath the water. The rest followed suit, the four girl's laughter egging each other on until they were a complete mess.
"You guys suck," Nora declared loudly.
It took more than a few minutes for them all to calm down.
"I really needed that," Blake said when they finally settled. She wiped a tear from her eye.
"My stomach hurts," Yang complained good-naturedly.
Weiss sighed in contentment.
They remained in the hot spring until their fingers began to prune and their skin overheated. As they made their way back to the changing room, Yang waited until Nora was out of earshot before leaning in toward her sister.
"Ren, huh?"
Ruby hunched over.
"Shut up."
Yang blinked. "Wait, you weren't joking?"
"I was," Ruby replied quickly. "I mean, a little bit. He really is much more muscular than you'd think."
"Ruby!" Yang teased with a scandalized gasp.
"Oh shut up," she repeated. "Just because I don't go flirt or-or sleep around or something doesn't mean I'm not interested in boys," she poked her fingers together, looking shy. "I couldn't help it – they were both there being all handsome and naked-"
"Both?" Weiss questioned suddenly from her other side. Ruby jumped.
"I mean, yeah," she said like it was obvious. "There is a reason Nora calls Jaune 'Mr Muscles'."
"My baby sister is all grown up," Yang lamented with a wail, pulling her into a side hug.
"Cut it out!" Ruby panicked, clutching at her towel before it could come loose. "Yang, stop it! This isn't the time!"
"Aw, what's wrong with a little bit of skinship?"
Weiss frowned.
Mr Muscles, huh? Walking arm in arm with him, Weiss had definitely felt more than little bit of definition. Yes, he had been pretty solid and firm, there was no denying that. Yang had once called him a noodle back at Beacon. Even then, that had been a little unfair. While he had been tall and skinny, she recalled just how toned and muscular his shoulders and arms had looked while rocking that white dress at the school dance. Even then, she had appreciated the sight even if she would have vehemently denied it if questioned. And he was even more toned and muscular now, after weeks and months of training and hiking through the wilderness, hidden under his clothes and the armour he usually wore.
And Ruby had seen him.
All of him.
Weiss felt her jaw clench as that thought reverberated through her mind over and over and over again, as she dried off, as she changed back into her clothes, as she checked over Myrtenaster and belted it to her waist. As she saw her dumb partners face smiling at her, joking with her as they left the changing rooms behind and entered the common area.
"Weiss?" Ruby looked at her with concern. "Are you okay?"
An automatic smile crossed her face. "Of course."
"You look a little scary."
That snapped her out of her funk. "Excuse me? No I don't!"
"She always looks that way," Yang piped in. Weiss took a swipe at her but she stepped out of the way, grinning stupidly.
"That's our Ice Queen for ya," Nora added with a stupid grin of her own.
Weiss frowned before perking up, spotting a certain group of boys over Nora's shoulder. Giving a wave, she called out, "Hello Ren."
Yang caught on immediately, giving a wave of her own, "Hey Ren, looking good there, buddy!"
Blake, Ruby and Ilia called out their own greetings in sort order. Ren looked at them uncertainly as Nora's face soured like curdled milk.
"Looks like you're in your popular phase, man," Jaune joked as Sun grabbed his shoulder and gave Ren a small shake.
"Do I even want to know?" the raven haired teen asked with a sense of dread.
"I won't forget this," Nora vowed ominously. "I swear it."
"Where are Neptune and Oscar?" Blake asked.
They weren't far. The pair were seated in a couple of massage chairs, their faces dopey in bliss as they vibrated with a hum. When Neptune spotted them, he gave a shaky thumbs up. Oscar smiled at them, looking completely boneless as his head rocked from side to side.
"How was he?" Weiss asked curiously. "Neptune, I mean."
"Oh, you know," Sun rolled his eyes. "He put his feet in."
"It's a work in progress," Jaune added before letting out a big yawn. "Man, I'm wiped."
That started a chain reaction, Yang almost dislocating her jaw with how wide she yawned. Ruby and Sun followed, then Blake. Weiss tried to clamp down on the instinct but it was a futile battle, her jaw wobbling uselessly in weak resistance that broke when Ilia let out a cute squeaking yawn of her own. She felt her eyes water a little.
"Think we should call it?" Yang asked the group at large. "I'm with you – I'm beat."
When Yang had run out of energy then that was saying something. Weiss always found it strange how a simple day out could feel more exhausting than a day of training at a combat academy. Even with their little nap in the park. Soaking in a hot spring certainly hadn't helped. Her body felt great, her skin practically glowing but the heat had also sapped her strength.
They parted ways where they all met up, the boys exchanging handshakes and the girls indulging in hugs. Ilia in particular gave her a very firm embrace, stepping back with a wide smile.
"It was a pleasure meeting you," she said earnestly. The faunus girl had given off a rather reserved vibe at the beginning, much like Blake had when they first met but it hadn't taken nearly as long for her to open up.
The journey back to their accommodations was filled with silence – the silence of a day well spent and enjoyed, full of contentment. As they piled in through the front door, Qrow was sitting at the dining room table, his weapon Harbinger disassembled and arranged before him alongside a well oiled rag.
"Good day?" he asked upon spotting their heavy lidded eyes and shuffling gaits.
"The best," Ruby replied with a tired grin.
A few of them loitered around but Weiss immediately made for her bedroom, feeling another yawn tear through her. Her whole body shuddered from the force of it. Slipping off her sandals and unbuckling her weapon, she left it leaning by the door, wandering over and crashing down face first upon her bed. Burrowing in against her pillow, she let out a happy sigh.
This had been the best day she had experienced in a long time.
There was a beat of silence as she snuggled in deeper, clutching at her blanket as she inhaled deeply, scenting traces of her perfume – before she jerked up into a sitting position, eyes shooting open in alarm.
Sitting on her bedside table was a scrap of paper, her elegant script detailing her foolproof plans for the day. Those very important, foolproof plans she had completely forgotten about!
Her resulting scream of frustration was muffled by her pillow.
AN: Anyone else hungry? This chapter ended up way longer than I expected it would be. This time, Weiss had so much fun that she got in her own way – she had ample opportunity and blew it. But was it really a loss this time? I guess I just like writing about these characters being friends in stupid ways. Hopefully it isn't a bore.