That's right. It's time for the story where Coeur overuses the word `Arcane` so much it appears, like, sixty times in one chapter. Arcane arts, Arcane Collegium, Arcane Academy, Arcanum. Hm. Definitely nothing that could have been spotted and fixed in the planning stages, lol.

To be fair, I tend to plan story arcs, characters and plotlines. I often don't think to ask myself "Will it get annoying having to write X, Y or Z out so many times?"

Chapter 6

The guards rotated three times a night, once every three hours. They were well-rested, alert and quick to snap in her direction if she ever wandered near. They didn't allow themselves to be drawn away from the gates to investigate disturbances, nor did they make any move to chase a hooded figure loitering nearby. Instead, they watched and waited until she left.

Ruby tested them all night to no avail. When the sun began to raise in the morning, she was crabby and tired, not to mention dispirited. Her grey cloak was a little muddy too from all the crawling around. She tossed it on the floor and drew on a new one, then slipped out while the rest of the people in the dormitory were still sleeping.

Kneeling at the edge of the River Vale as it cut through the Collegium grounds, Ruby picked up a handful of the clear, cool water and splashed it on her face. It was cold and refreshing – so much more so than it was by the time it reached the slums, where the water would be grey-brown and murky. People tossed their refuge into it, but she'd never realised just how sweet it could taste on her lips.

Drawing up some more, she washed her hands, arms and gave herself a quick once-over before pulling her robes back on to cover herself. By the time she was done, the two dormitories had begun to come to life. The one for the older students first, who streamed out a full hour before she saw any life from her own. The older students moved not with confidence but with the slouched gait of people used to and fully aware that another day of hard work awaited.

By contrast, when her dorm did awake, the people who came forth were bright eyed, excited and paid remarkably little attention to everyone around them. Yang would have shaken a few down already, or just made a few lifts. Ruby's eyes, practiced as they were, quickly spotted coin purses and pouches. The Arcanists weren't even trying to hide them.

"New initiates!" a voice called out, a tall and willowy woman approaching with her voice raised. "New initiates to me. That's all of you new students. Come, please. We don't have all day."

Everyone began to hurry over and Ruby followed, taking a more sedate pace. While the other initiates crowded around and before the woman, Ruby skirted the outsides, not wanting to be trapped in a mob of people if it turned nasty. That was how you got trampled. With everyone's backs to her, she couldn't help but note the coin pouch sitting tantalisingly in front of her hand. The boy it belonged to was paying no attention whatsoever.

"I am Arcanist Peach," the woman called. "I am a teacher at the Arcane Academy." Her broach, the Arcanum, was on display, one stone was orange and the other green. "I've been tasked with greeting you all and showing you to the initiation ceremony, after which you will be provided your lesson plans. For the first few days, you'll be escorted to lessons by a warden." Looking over their heads, she called out, "Come and introduce yourselves, Wardens."

Two large students strolled to the front of the crowd and stood beside the Arcanist. They were older by at least three years, though the guy looked like he could have had another three on the first. The woman had short brown hair and the guy had short-cropped black with heavily tanned skin.

"These are your Wardens," Peach explained. "They are students who would normally be staying in the upper-year dorms but have earned the right to be Wardens of yours. Make no mistake, this is not a punishment for them. It is an honour and you will treat them with respect. Wardens, introduce yourselves."

"Morning newbloods," the first said. "I am Coco Adel, warden of the girls. Anyone can come to either of us if they have problems, but if those problems are of a feminine nature, you're best off seeking me out."

"And I am Yatsuhashi," the much larger man said in a surprisingly gentle voice. "Should you require assistance I am here to help. Do not hesitate to seek out my room."

"Thank you, wardens," Peach said. "As you can see, they will be staying in your dorms, though in accommodation a little better. Listen to their instructions and be aware that they have similar authority to a teacher. If they give you an order, you will follow it. They'll guide you from lesson to lesson for the first couple of days, but after that you'll be expected to memorise and make your own way. Follow me, please."

The Arcanist led them down one of the white stone paths towards the large building Watts had shown her the day before, up some steps and through a great archway. Rich redwood made up the arch and the inside glowed from torches lit overhead, shining light down on them as yet more pooled through glass windows of various colours, sending dazzling rays of red, yellow and blue down onto the marble floor.

A great stairway split ahead of them in two directions, left and right, and led up to a second floor that circled the one they were on, corridors leading off in every direction. On the ground floor, a large archway ahead led to a room from within which loud chatter echoed, while two corridors broke off on the left and two on the right.

On either side of them, standing central in the middle of the room, two huge statues of some white rock reached up toward the ceiling, each of them a robed Arcanist linking their staffs high above their heads. The statues were so large that even if they stood on the second-floor balcony, she was sure they would have only come up to the statue's stomachs. The students looked around and gasped in awe. Ruby found herself among them, despite her panic.

"Welcome to the Arcane Academy," Peach said. "You'll each be provided with a map left in your assigned dorms to help you work your way around, but you're free to explore in your own time provided you do not interrupt lessons. The main one you need to remember is that the archway ahead of you leads to the food hall and the kitchens. Mealtimes are from six until eight in the morning, then eleven unto one and finally from six until nine in the evening. The kitchens are not open to students, but your dorms do have kitchens you may use to cook for yourself outside of those hours. Your presence in the food hall is not mandatory, so feel free to make your own meals if you wish. Any questions so far?"

No one spoke.

Ruby did. "Will we get to eat?"

"Raise your hand if you have a question in future, dear," the Arcanist said. "And yes, you'll obviously be given breakfast before your first lessons." She laughed as though the question were ridiculous. "Anything else?"

It didn't seem possible that no one else had any questions yet the students all remained quiet. Did they not care that they couldn't leave? Did they really not have any questions about the Arcane Academy? She could see some of them straining like they wanted to ask. What was holding them back?

"Very good. You'll all be receiving a speech from Headmaster Lionheart in a week's time, but we like to give our initiates a chance to settle in and learn a little before that happens. I'm sure you're all looking forward to learning the arcane arts, after all."

More excited murmuring. Even Ruby nodded along, excited despite her paranoia.

"You'll all be pleased to hear you'll be learning tomorrow, then. Today is for learning the lay of the land and settling in. I shall be leaving you here for now. The wardens will take you to breakfast and explain some of the rules of the Collegium to you there, then take you on a tour of the academy. By the end of the day you will have been signed and assorted to your rooms. Good day to you all and if you should find yourselves choosing the Emerald Path, you may well look forward to having me as your teacher. Good luck to you all and I hope you enjoy your time here with us."

Because they were all of them stuck at the Collegium, whether they wished it or not.

"Come on, kids," Coco Adel said, stepping before them. "I can hear those stomachs rumbling already. We're a little late on purpose today so we skip the main rush. Let's us talk without being interrupted. The food hall is usually a lot busier."

Everyone hurried after them and for once Ruby was among the crowd, having long since smelled the fragrant and heady scents from within. Her stomach must have growled the loudest and she wiped a sleeve over her mouth, leaving a trail of drool on the fabric. The food hall smelled like a bakery, butcher and crockpot all mixed into one.

The food hall itself was designed somewhat like a tavern, except that instead of numerous round tables there were four or five long rectangular ones on one side, set with benches along them, and then sets of smaller tables on the other side. All of them were of a rich red wood with cushioned seats and candles – not lit at the early hour – in the centre. There were a couple of older students sat at the smaller tables on the right-hand side of the hall, but as the warden had said it was mostly empty.

Along the back wall, food was stacked up on various trays and tables with three or four people behind them, presumably the cooks. Ruby's mouth watered as she noticed one of the cooks stood with a knife behind a huge, carved chunk of meat. Pork from the smell. She'd had the pleasure to try pork once or twice. It was one of the animals most likely to be slaughtered for meat since it didn't give milk or eggs, but even pigs were beyond what she and Yang could hope to get hold of. It was usually scraps. The trotters if they were lucky, or maybe an ear.

"Alright," Coco said. "Everyone go grab some food and meet on this table." She tapped one of the long bench-tables with a hand. "Yatsu and I will explain the Collegium's rules while you eat."

There was nothing Ruby wanted more than to be at the front of the queue for food, but caution had her waiting somewhere in the middle, not wanting to do something that made her stand out. She watched the boy ahead as he picked up some fruit and laid it on a plate, then took some porridge and moved to the pork.

"I think not," he said, raising a hand toward the portly woman behind it. "I'd rather avoid something so heavy."

What?

How could he say no to food like that? And look so dismissively at the woman offering it? Ruby watched as a few others were the same and even those who accepted a few cuts of pork were, at best, ignoring the woman. Were they that confident they'd get food later?

In the slums, there was a rule. You did not steal from those who made food. You did not insult those who made food. You did not hurt those who made food. You did not upset those who made food. Because if the people who made the food were hurt, robbed or bothered in any way, they might stop making the food!

When it came to her turn to stand before the meat, Ruby almost collapsed. The metal bench it was on was heated somehow, probably a fire beneath. She knew because the meat still crackled a little and some fat had run off to bubble on the surface, causing steam to waft up into her face carrying the thick and fragrant smell of pork.

"Any pork for you, dear?" the woman asked her.

Ruby pushed her plate forward, unable to hide how she licked her lips. "Yes please."

"Oh. Such a polite one. And so thin. Here." The woman cut off four whole strips of pork and laid it on Ruby's plate. The meat was golden brown on the outside and pale brownish pink on the inside with a little fat streaked through it. The portion size was bigger than some of the other initiates received. It paid to be nice to the people who had the food.

"I will," Ruby said, speaking as she only did to the butchers and bakers, a saccharine and light tone. "Thank you, miss."

Cooked meat. Actual meat and not the offal. Ruby wanted to run back to the table and eat it as it was, yet there was more. Following the queue along, she was presented with six different loaves of bread in various colours, some with seeds on top. They had been sliced and laid to rest on their sides. The initiate ahead of her took two from a white loaf. Ruby took one from each, six slices in total, and stacked them on her plate.

"Ugh." A girl beside her turned up her nose. "Are you really going to eat all that?"

"Yep." It only made sense to eat as much as you could when food was abundant. Ruby looked at the other girl's plate to find an apple, an orange and a single slice of bread. "Aren't you going to be hungry?"

"This will more than last me until lunch."

The voice was pompous, even dismissive. The girl was around the same height as her, though much healthier in shape and size. She had pale skin, white hair and bright blue eyes that peered at Ruby's plate with obvious disgust.

Noble, Ruby thought. If the way she spoke didn't make it clear, the pretty silver necklace around her neck did. There was a small white gem in it that had Ruby's fingers itching. If this had been the slums, she'd have snatched it and run. The girl didn't look like she could keep up a sprint for long. As it was, Ruby tore her eyes away and offered what she hoped was a friendly smile.

"I'm Ruby. Nice to meet you."

"Weiss Schnee." The girl politely offered a hand. Ruby took it and tried not to instinctively slip the girl's ring off her finger as she did. "Of the Schnee family. You've no doubt heard of us."

"I have." She hadn't. "Very well known."

"We are. Of course, I'll be the first Arcanist of the family. It was a surprise when the talent was discovered, though father was obviously proud of it. Which family are you from? I didn't catch your family name."

Were all the Arcanists from noble families? The way the girl acted made it seem like it might be. "I'm from the Rose family," she said.

"Rose?" Weiss' brows drew down. "I haven't heard of them…"

"We're not from Vale. I came from Menagerie."

"Menagerie-? The city that fell-?"

"Yeah."

"Then-?" Weiss' eyes grew wide. "Well, it's understandable that I've not heard of your family, then. They were nobles, though? Yes?"

"They were," Ruby said, the lie coming easily. It didn't make sense to say anything else.

"You must be new to Vale, then. Allow me to be one of the first to welcome you. I hope you'll find yourself adjusting to our fair and beautiful city."

Fair and beautiful. Well, Vale could definitely be called one of those things, though not so much the other. The walls between the various quarters – not to mention the drops – went to show just how `fair` the city could be.

Ruby nodded, however, smiling and moving along the food tables as she heaped beans, tomatoes and some strange breaded potato things onto her plate, quickly amassing more food than it could realistically hold. Weiss had begun to look at it with even more disgust, having only added a few vegetables to her own.

It wasn't her business. If Weiss wanted to starve, so be it. Ruby carried her plate back and took an empty spot on the table, far away enough from the wardens to listen in without being seen.

To her surprise, Weiss took the spot next to her.

Weiss settled her plate down and picking up a silver instrument on the table, using it to stab into a piece of vegetable and bring it to her mouth. A quick look down the table showed her that other people were doing the same, so Ruby emulated them.

Normally, she would have eaten with her hands and a knife if there was something that needed cutting. It didn't take her long to get the hang of it and she was soon leaning over the table, shovelling food into her mouth. So good! The meat was so rich and tender. The vegetables were cooked but not mushy! The bread was soft, spongy and didn't have stones hidden in it to make it feel heavier and crack teeth.

"You're eating like a pig!" Weiss hissed, leaning back with one hand over her mouth. "S-Slow down. You're causing a scene!"

"Hah-?" Ruby looked up, some pork dangling from her lips.

People at least four seats up from her were staring, eyes wide, mouths open. They all sat prim and proper, clean and delicate as they picked up morsels with their forks. Ruby's chin was dripping with juice and butter.

Uh-oh.

"Looks like there was a reason you asked about breakfast!" Coco said, laughing at the top of her voice. "Someone didn't get anything to eat last night. Stop staring, you lot. We'll see if you're any different after a hard day casting spells." The distraction saved her, though Weiss still shot her an indignant and disgusted grimace. "Right then, newbloods. You can listen while you eat. You're in the Arcane Collegium now, that means you need to follow the Collegium's rules."

"First of all, now that you're Collegium Arcanists, you have to follow the tenets of the Collegium. These are, in no particular order; Do not use the arcane arts against another Collegium member with intent to harm. Do not use the arcane arts against the city with intent to harm. Follow the laws of any city you inhabit. Do not travel outside a city without alerting the nearby Collegium as to your intent. Do not act in a way that brings disrepute to the Collegium. Do not seek to learn or disseminate the teachings you learn outside of the Collegium. Keep your Arcanum on you at all times."

"These are the core tenets of the Collegium, and though there are many smaller rules, it's these ones you have to remember the most. Once you enter these walls, any and all prior loyalties must come second to the Collegium. We have all been granted a lot of power and you're going to learn some very dangerous spells in the future. The Collegium has to keep a handle on those to stop people misusing them, so I'll tell you now that these tenets are not to be broken. If you do, you may well find yourself in the Sanctum."

Gasps echoed down the table while Ruby choked on a slice of potato, only managing to spit it out when Weiss slammed a fist into her back, still looking absolutely disgusted – especially when Ruby responded by picking back up the potato she'd spat out and eating it again.

"It's the Sanctum for a single broken rule?" someone asked. "Isn't that… a little much, Miss Adel?"

"Coco," the woman corrected. "Not Miss Adel. Never Miss Adel. And these aren't little rules. You show up late for lessons, goof around in class or get into fights with your fellows and you'll be breaking rules. You'll be told off or given chores. Think of these tenets as laws. You murder someone out in the city, you'll be thrown in a cell. You murder a Collegium Member, you'll be thrown in the Sanctum."

"So the bit about using spells on another member…?"

"It'll be based on intent. No one is saying we expect you to never get angry or make mistakes. The rules are strict, I know, but you need to remember that you're Arcanists now. Or will be. We're more powerful than the average person on the street. The only reason they're not afraid of us is because we don't use our abilities for ill. The reason we don't do that is not because we're all perfect and beyond reproach; it's because we govern ourselves. Anyone who breaks a tenet risks pushing Arcanist relations back decades. This isn't a game. Follow the tenets."

There were murmurs down the table, some more worried than others. Ruby memorised the rules as best she could and instantly started to think of ways around them. There were laws in the slums, too, but everyone knew what they meant by laws was that you didn't get caught doing any of those things.

Nothing in the list sounded too bad though, except maybe attacking other Arcanists. Hadn't she broken that already? The rest were obvious enough, though the not learning outside the walls seemed designed to keep them in. She didn't miss that Coco hadn't mentioned anything about not being able to leave. Did that mean she'd forgotten, or was it not a tenet and just a rule?

That was an important distinction. Whether she meant it or not, the warden just admitted that rules could be broken if you accepted punishment. As long as it wasn't a tenet, she could get away with breaking it.

"Alright, you lot. Let's get up and we'll take you on the grand tour."

They all rose to their feet, pushing plates away. Ruby smeared her last bit of bread to collect some juice and shoved it in her mouth, ignoring the gagging sound Weiss made. As the chairs scraped back, one boy patted himself down frantically.

"My pouch is gone." He spun around, touching his waist. "I've been robbed!"

"You sure you didn't forget it?" Coco asked. "Or drop it somewhere?" Seeing the boy's uncertainty, she sighed. "We'll see if anyone has found it at the main desk. Otherwise, you probably lost it somewhere. Make sure to check under the tables before we go."

The boy did, grumbling while others laughed or rolled their eyes. No one actually thought it could be a thief, not in the Arcane Collegium. And besides, someone would have noticed. Ruby tipped the coins out into her own pouch and stashed his down her pants to dispose of later.

Took him long enough to notice.

/-/

"Your days start officially at nine. Each lesson is one to two hours long, and there is a single hour break after for you to travel to your next, rest or prepare any supplies you might need. An hour probably sounds like a long time at this point and will be for a while, but once you start choosing what path you want to follow, you'll be stuck with a lot more prep work between lessons. Not to mention the work gets harder, so you need that break to recover your energy. Take advantage of it as free time for now, newbloods. You'll be longing for free time once you're a couple of years in like me and Yatsu."

"Yatsuhashi and I," the large man corrected. Coco rolled her eyes.

Ruby had to admit she liked the older girl – though `like` might have been a bit much considering she didn't really know her. She was fun though and wasn't as stuffy as she'd expected given her meeting with Watts and the lord scribe the day before. Not as stuffy as Weiss either, who had taken to sniffing at every little thing she did, from wiping grease off onto her sleeve, to yawning through a brief lecture by an Arcanist. In her defence, she'd been awake all night but for a few naps between guard shifts.

The food had her feeling sleepy, too. They'd stopped for a lunch break in the middle, another chance for her to all but collapse over the varied offerings on display. Lunch for Weiss had been a bowl of soup with some bread and a slice of ham and melon. Lunch for Ruby had been four sausages, a heap of steamed cabbage, soup, chunky bread and a cut of lamb soaked in gravy and some minty sauce that had sent her taste buds tingling into the back of her brain.

Even now, Ruby had to hold her stomach with both hands. It was fit to burst, and her burps had not got unnoticed by the proud noble who kept trying to get further and further away from her.

Better out than in as Yang always said.

"You can spend your free time how you like but most people do it outside. The Collegium has a host of amenities for your enjoyment. Toward the back there's even what we call the student village. It's not just for us, but it has a few restaurants, a general store and even a salon. If you want a massage or your hair doing, check it out."

Hm. A salon? Not something she'd ever used, but the people who worked there would be normal people, not Arcanists. They could leave the Collegium. Probably. Could she sneak out if she stole some of their clothes for a disguise?

"There's also the Grand Library, the Gardens and the training rings. Those are where the Collegium Guards do their own exercises. Girls, their mornings runs are at seven sharp and if it's a hot day they go topless. You can thank me later."

Yatsuhashi rolled his eyes while a few girls among the Arcanists tittered at the joke.

"Yeah, you think I'm joking." Coco said. "Check it out sometime. I know I do."

There wasn't a barracks in the slums – the one for the guards who patrolled there was stationed in the Merchant's Quarter and they'd come through the gates – but the west farm tower outside the walls had one, and Ruby knew there were plenty of farm girls who liked to watch the boys train. Ruby had gone along once or twice as well, though more to learn some forms from watching than drool over boys.

Yang was in the latter category, much to Ruby's disgust. Whenever she accused her of that, Yang would just laugh, rub her head and say she'd understand one day. Then she'd go back to leering over sweaty boys and whistling occasionally, trying to see if she could make them falter and get hit. It surprised her that Arcanists would be the same. Maybe that was silly. There had to be young Arcanists before there were old and powerful ones.

It also explained why Coco kept calling them newbloods, which Ruby knew from talking to the guard was what they called their initiates. Coco must have spent a lot more time watching the boys train than she wanted to admit.

"Anyway, you can also head back to the dorm to catch up on rest if you like. There's a much smaller reading room there. Less books than the library, but less stuffy and you're allowed to take food and drink in. You can do what you like in your rooms but be aware that the cleaners will report you if you make too much of a mess. You'll be forced to clean up yourself for a week if that happens."

Ruby raised her hand.

"You don't have to do that with me, newblood," Coco laughed. "What's up?"

Raise my hand for some, don't raise my hand for others. Why is this all so confusing?

"Watts told me we'd be put into dorms with other people. Shared rooms."

"Watts?"

"Arcanist Watts," Ruby corrected.

"Can't say I know him, but there are plenty of Arcanists around. He's right, though. Older years get rooms to themselves, as do wardens, but newbloods – sorry, initiates – have to share." The news garnered several protests and complaints. "I know, I know. I didn't like it either, but it's a rule. On the bright side, boys will be with boys and girls with girls. We don't mix and match. You'll get used to it."

"Miss Adel," Weiss called.

"Coco. Or Warden."

"Warden, then." The noble's face was pinched. "Can we not pay extra to have rooms to ourselves? I can easily provide a donation to the Collegium to cover the cost of a room, even with a little extra."

"Are you talking about a bribe?"

"No. A payment. It's only fair to pay for a room."

"Hm. Would be, but I don't make the rules. I'd say it was about fostering teamwork or some such, but I'm fairly sure it's to beat humility into us. Show you all that you're no better or worse than anyone else here; we're all Collegium Arcanists or something like that. So no, sorry. You can't pay extra to escape having to share a room with someone."

Weiss frowned but nodded her head and stepped back. The girl's eyes scanned over others in the crowd, no doubt wondering which she would find acceptable to share a room with. Her eyes passed over Ruby and she grimaced before quickly moving on.

"How will it be decided?" someone else asked. "Can we pick our partners?"

"Don't see why not." Coco said, shrugging. "We can get that out the way now if you like. Right. Anyone who wants to partner with a friend, family member or something else do so. Boys with boys and girls with girls. I don't care if you're brother and sister; I'll be told off if I let you bunk together."

People began to pair up, some having already hung together, probably friends before the Collegium, others gravitating toward people they knew or had gotten to know in the short time they'd spent together. Ruby stayed still, knowing she had no one in either category.

Soon, the numbers began to dwindle. Those that remained partnered up of their own choice, picking someone, anyone, they thought they could get along with. No one did so with her. A few looked her way, but it felt like there were more boys than girls. It might have been that some of the girls thought she was a boy as well, and so didn't bother asking her.

It didn't take long for the number to be brought down to six. Four boys and two girls.

Her and Weiss.

"I-I object!" Weiss cried, looking at Ruby and then away in horror. "This isn't a fair way of choosing dorm assignments. It should be randomly selected."

"Sorry, newblood. I think you've been outvoted on that one." Coco nodded to Yatsuhashi. "You want to sort the boys out and get them placed? I'll handle the girls."

"Hm." The giant of a man walked toward the four remaining boys. "Come. Let us exchange introductions and see if we cannot decide how the four of you shall be split."

"Girls to me," Coco called. "I'll need to register your names and dorm assignments in the book of names. Come on. Let's get this sorted quickly and you can all have the rest of the afternoon to yourselves to explore and settle in."

"Will we get dinner?" Ruby asked.

"You cannot still be hungry!" Weiss shrieked. "It is not humanly possible!"

"Yes, you'll get dinner," Coco laughed. "You don't need to keep asking me that. The only reason you'll miss a meal is if you choose to."

People chose to miss meals...?

"This can't be happening. I'm a Schnee. This isn't fair."

Ruby couldn't say she was looking forward to it either.

/-/

The room they'd been given was easily big enough for two people, yet her new roommate seemed to think otherwise. There were two single beds, one set on either end of the room. Beside them, a small set of wooden drawers, then a bigger chest at the end. There was also a cabinet, one on her side and one on what was quickly becoming Weiss' side of the room.

A single window looked out onto the gardens outside and beyond that, the walls and the city proper. Thin white curtains wafted in the breeze from the open window and everything had been cleaned before their arrival. A single door led to what Ruby assumed was the washroom. Hopefully, there was a copper tub and some wood in there.

"This is ridiculous," Weiss hissed, stomping one foot on the carpeted floor. "This room is more fit for a servant's quarters, and now I have to share it with another? Father would have a fit if he could see this. We're one of the great families and I'm being reduced to the status of a commoner."

A commoner? A commoner would have loved a room like this. It was bigger than what she and Yang had back in the slums, not to mention warmer, cleaner and more comfortable. Ruby lay back on her bed, then winced and rolled onto her side, clutching her stomach.

"And you!" Weiss hissed, rounding on her. "You may be from Menagerie, and I don't claim to know what that city was like, but your actions today have been nothing short of an embarrassment. Are you even listening to me!?"

"Hurts," Ruby whined. "Stomach hurts."

"I'm not surprised! You've eaten enough for five people!"

"Ugh… But it tasted so good…"

"That's no excuse for gorging yourself like a pig. And that's something we need to discuss." Weiss planted her hands on her hips and stood before Ruby's bed. "As much as I hate it, we're stuck together. We have to live with one another for at least the next couple of years. As such, I am willing to be magnanimous and lower my standards to accept you."

"Urp."

"That said! You need to make some alterations to your behaviour. I won't allow anything less. For one, you need to clean yourself up. I can smell you from here. Secondly, no mess in our room. Third, you are not to cross onto my side of the room for anything. Fourth, you will not disturb me when I am studying. Fifth, no guests are to be brought into our dorm without first asking my permission. Sixth, you will-" Weiss cut off. "You're not even listening to me, are you!?"

Ruby moaned pathetically.

"You – You!" Weiss stormed over and grasped her shoulders. "I am trying to introduce some kind of accord between us. When a Schnee deigns to speak to you as an equal, you will respond to the honour accordingly." She shook Ruby harder, rolling her up so she was sat on the edge of the bed. "You will listen when I'm talking to you!"

"I dun feel good…"

"Listen! Rule number one-"

"Urp." Ruby's body trembled. "Uh…"

"-and things might have been different in Menagerie, but you will need to adapt to Vale now. Vale's rules and Vale's standards."

Ruby's hand fisted in Weiss' robe. "Bucket…"

"Bucket? What are you going on about now? Why would I have a bucket of all things, and where would I hope to find one in a dormitory? And I'm not your servant! If you want something, you can go fetch it yourself. I am Weiss Schnee, proud second heiress of the Schnee dynasty and twenty-seventh in line to the throne of Vale. I do not fetch buckets for people. I-"

Ruby's body gave up the fight. Her back arched, her mouth opened. Breakfast, lunch and dinner roared their way upward, outward and down the front of Weiss' immaculate robes as she stood before Ruby, eyes wide, mouth open, horrified and dripping with vomit.

Weiss screamed.

First impressions are important. Ruby is good at those.

I wanted to slow down a little now that the original tension re Ruby being a Wildmage has happened. The temptation was to continue at the same speed, but I decided I'd rather take my time with introducing Weiss and forming a wonderful working relationship between her and Ruby.

Oh, wait. Ruby is pulling a Jaune. Whoops.

Next Chapter: 16th July

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