Note on Updates: Very soon, this story will be going into a weekly update slot. This is because Unseen Hunt (Sunday slot) is ending soon. That means this story will at some point be switched to Sunday update times but will update each and every week.

Just letting you know now in advance so it's not a surprise later.

Chapter 11

Ruby tensed up. She had her hand on her knife and could have it out and into the woman's body before she blinked. That would leave a body. While she was no stranger to defending herself, killing was one thing she'd always avoided and doing that within the Collegium smacked of a bad idea. Her natural instincts kicked in first.

"Wildmage? Me!?" She laughed. "You're totally mistaken. I was just curious!"

Cinder was having none of it. "Curious enough to ask with such desperation? To follow me all this way? I think not. You need answers in the way a starving man needs food." Her smile grew as she stepped away, letting Ruby off the wall. "But I'll tell you what. I'll believe you. All you need to do is walk out that door and accept that I'll never tell you anything, and I'll believe you're not a Wildmage. Alternatively, you can stay and have your answers."

Ruby bit her lip. She didn't move.

"Hm. That's what I thought. Rest assured, little Wildmage, I have no interest in doing the Arcanist's jobs for them. Your dirty little secret is safe with me."

"You… You said there'd be answers."

"So eager? I suppose you would be. You don't want to end up like me after all." Cinder turned and made her way to the only stool in her room. She sat and gestured to her bed. "Sit. Make yourself comfortable. The rooms are not watched. We can speak here."

Nervously, she made her way over and sat down. The bed was soft and clean. "Are you sure? What if they have a spell that watches the room?"

"You haven't realised?" Cinder laughed. "Try to reach your magic here, little Wildmage. Try to cast a spell."

Ruby did so, almost expecting what she found by Cinder's voice. When she reached for her magic, nothing happened. There was a void on the edge of her mind, suffocating and silent. Suddenly aware of it, she shivered and brought her knees up to her chest,

"You feel it at last. The reason why the Sanctum so efficiently keeps our kind locked away, and the reason why we do not simply break out and take our chances. We are helpless here, locked away and sealed from our magic. That is why there cannot be a watching spell on this room. The blade cuts both ways."

That was why the guards worked alone here, and why they were so unarmoured. The Arcanists locked in the Sanctum were disarmed and unable to fight back. It really was a terrifying prison despite its opulence. Ruby longed to touch her magic again.

"How do you manage…?"

"Me?" Cinder smiled bitterly. "I focus. I study, I learn and I do what I can to ignore the issue. Some are not so fortunate and go mad within the first few months or years."

"How long have you been here?"

"Twelve years. I was… collected at the age of ten."

Ten years old and she was thrown in the Sanctum? What could she have done to warrant so extreme a punishment? "Is it just because you're a Wildmage?"

"Just? You should understand that to the Arcanists there is no `just` where a Wildmage is concerned. No justifiable restraint. No justice. Certainly no letting them go because they're just a child." She sneered. "We are hunted down like animals and locked away as such. And yet you stand before me, in the monster's lair."

"I… My magic was going out of control," Ruby explained. "The Arcanists knew there was a Wildmage. It was only a matter of time until I was found, so I decided it'd be best to sneak in here and learn how to control it. Hide it."

"Not a bad decision, though ultimately flawed. There is no hiding your power. Not perfectly."

Ruby leaned forward. "What is my power? I don't understand and no one will say!"

"Of course they won't," Cinder scoffed. "Do you think such knowledge is freely given by the Collegium? They hoard information to suit their own needs – but I'm sure you're slowly coming to understand that for yourself."

Maybe. But then, wouldn't someone like Cinder Fall be the most biased against the Collegium? Ruby didn't dare say, afraid she might withhold what she knew. Or worse, get her in trouble. A word in the wrong ear and she'd be hunted down.

"Why do they hate us so much?"

"Straight to the difficult question. Sadly, that's not one I should answer."

Ruby bristled. "Why not!?"

"The only answer I have is one tainted by my own experiences. As I said, I was ten when I was taken. How much research do you imagine I did before that? Or after? It's not like the Sanctum's library is any less controlled than your own. I have my suspicions," she said, "But I have no definitive proof on why they hunt us. If I told you my interpretation then you would doubt it. Better you make your own."

"Then what can you tell me?"

Cinder frowned. "Plenty. I can tell you that your power differs from theirs. It comes freely, easily. To us, magic is as simple as floating in a lake, whereas they have to study and learn, chant and control the flows of magic around them. What spells take them a year to master, we can bring out in the heat of the moment." She cocked her head to the side. "I'm sure you've already experienced this. Unknown spells coming at times of high stress or emotion, when you needed them most?"

"Two nights ago," Ruby admitted. "I… I was sneaking back into the Collegium and some guards nearly found me. I wanted them to not see me."

"And so you blinded them," Cinder surmised. "Or became invisible." She watched Ruby's expression. "The latter? Yes. This is what I mean. Without ever learning such a spell, you were able to cast it through desire and emotion alone. That is the trial we face."

"Trial? But it was good! It helped me avoid the guards. And I know it's suspicious if I excel in lessons so I've been dumbing it down and keeping around the middle of the pack." Ruby trailed off, watching Cinder shake her head ever so slowly.

"You don't understand. How could you? The nature of a Wildmage must still be new to you." Cinder sighed and looked out the window, out toward the city she could never venture into. "You did not elect to cast a spell granting you invisibility. It happened. The magic reacted to your emotions and your will, shaping itself and affecting the world around you. I repeat, the magic shaped itself. You did not shape it. At least not consciously."

"I-Is that a bad thing…?"

"It's not dangerous. In fact, it's less dangerous than what Arcanists do, since a mishandled fire spell can cause an explosion. Our spells cannot fail as they take care of themselves. But that is also our biggest problem. Our magic is wild. It acts on its own. Or not exactly on its own," she said. "I don't think it's sentient, but we're obviously not conscious and in control of the delicate intricacies of what we do. You desired not to be seen and thus you became as such. What happens when you lose your temper and want someone hurt?"

Ruby's blood turned to ice. "It would react to that!?"

"It could," Cinder said. "It would depend on how angry you were. Extreme emotions cause bigger reactions; I don't think annoyance or smaller forms of anger would make you spontaneously cast magic, but a big enough stimulus might."

Meaning she could lose control at any time. Was that why the Arcanists hated them, because they could lose their temper and do terrible things without meaning it? That still wasn't fair. There was a difference between willingly killing someone and accidentally causing a death. And couldn't they just teach Wildmages to better control their emotions?

"I'll keep calm," she said.

"That won't be enough. Surely you've also felt the surges."

"Surges…?"

"Moments, periods…" Cinder frowned and struggled for the right words. "You would feel them as a great desire – no, a need – to use your power. A need that cannot be ignored and that eats away at you the longer you hold it in. You must cast. You must use your magic."

Ruby's face had become paler and paler. "I felt it. With my sister…"

"The surges are something that come on when we do not use our magic enough. I don't know why. No one does and the Arcanists don't care to look into it. My personal theory is the wild nature of our magic again. Think of it like a hedgerow. An Arcanist keeps their hedgerow trimmed and well maintained, but a Wildmage's grows and grows without control, and sooner or later is too heavy to sustain itself. At that time, we must prune it or suffer."

"It went away when I used a spell," she said. "I haven't felt it since."

"You may be safer here because you are casting spells more often. Your disguise may well help you deal with the surges, though I doubt it will be enough. You may delay them, but they will come." Cinder leaned forward. "When they do, you must siphon away your magic quickly. Don't attempt to weather the storm. You'll only experience more bouts of wild magic. Find a place alone, away from the Arcanists, and expel it all."

If it was anything like the shakes and sickness she felt when hiding with Yang, she knew it would have to be used. Nothing would give her away faster than a lingering illness that wouldn't go away, and that only did if she let out a deluge of magical energy. Arcanists didn't have to do that. It would have been in the lessons if they did.

Why did Wildmages? Was magic really sentient? Could it be wild, or was it a Wildmage's control that was lacking? More and more questions burned under the surface and she wanted to interrogate Cinder for hours and hours.

But it was late. And getting later. "You should go," Cinder said. "They will become suspicious if you are unseen."

"What? I have so much more I need to know!"

"And I will be here tomorrow. And the day after, and the day after that." Cinder chuckled bitterly. "I'm not going anywhere. Return for your detention, and then stay after. Tell your friend that you feel sorry for us and wish to volunteer to work here."

"Is that allowed?"

"The Sanctum is a void where magic cannot exist. They won't see any threat in you visiting. While you're here, I will tell you what I know of our heritage. There are questions unanswered for me as well, and perhaps you can find information I need in the library."

"I… I can't read," she admitted, face red.

"Ah." Cinder regarded her silently for a moment and then closed her eyes. "Then our first goal will be to teach you. There's not much hope in you staying hidden if you cannot read the texts. In the meantime, I will read them to you for your lessons. Until you can read yourself."

Such a generous offer. Too generous. No one would do all this for no reason. Not go this far, breaking the law, answering all her questions and even teaching her to read. It was just too much for a stranger to offer.

She'd been burned once, with the Arcanist who threw her in this.

"What do you want in return? To be free…?"

"There is nothing more I want than that," Cinder hissed. Her shoulders relaxed. "But I would not ask it of you, little WIldmage. That's an impossible task. No, what I wasn't is twofold. Company for one. Even trapped here, the other Arcanists look at me as some wild beast. Yours is a welcome company."

"And secondly?"

"Revenge. And helping another Wildmage stay out of their clutches is the best I can ask for."

/-/

Jaune was still in the Inner Sanctum when she handed her cloak back in at the main desk and signed out for the day. The man there asked her if there was anything to report and accepted her shake of the head after.

"Your friend will be in the Inner Sanctum for three days," he said, "Come back tomorrow."

"Is Jaune sleeping there?"

"Something like that. Go on, girl. You shouldn't be here after dark."

Ruby scurried out the building and through the garden, then past the wrought iron gates. The moment she was beyond them she felt the comforting rush of magic flow back into her. I can't believe I never noticed it being taken away. Now that Cinder told me, I can't help but feel it.

Looking back, she saw the tall windows all along the Sanctum building. It was impossible to make out details, but she imagined Cinder sat by one, looking out at her and freedom. The Sanctum could be as comfortable as it wanted to be. It was still a prison.

It was still a surprise Cinder didn't demand freedom in exchange for information. Ruby needed it, so Cinder could have asked for whatever she wanted. Was it that impossible to escape? Were there even more defences she didn't know about? And was teaching her really revenge enough for Cinder, or was she just keeping quiet on her real goals? Ruby's distrust refused to let her accept the woman at face value. It hadn't been proven wrong thus far.

Time would tell. In the meantime, she had plenty to think about. Wildmages, surges, wild magic and spells popping out of nowhere. She made her way back toward the dorms with her lower lip twisted between her teeth.

The invisibility spell had seemed so convenient at the time. It happened, saved her and everything was great – nothing to worry about. Except that Cinder was right. It was good there, but what happened if she wanted to escape a teacher in class and turned invisible? What happened if she tripped, fell, and magic cushioned her fall in a way she wasn't supposed to know?

One time or twice she could probably write it off as being talented, but any more and people would become suspicious. Pull out a really rare spell – one she had no business knowing – and they'd know for sure. I didn't even do anything. I just wanted them not to see me. I didn't even think of casting a spell. It just reacted on its own and did it for me.

Outside of her control, without even the conscious thought of `spell` or `magic` crossing her mind.

If all Wildmages were like this, did that mean their magic exploded out of them eventually? Did they kill people by accident? If so, why didn't she hear more about magical explosions back home? Were Wildmages that rare? To only have one in the Sanctum was a sign, but like Jaune said, people would fight and die rather than be taken. And if Wildmages had instinctive control of their magic, they'd be better at fighting.

If they came for her, would she fight?

Probably. The Sanctum looked nicer than what she'd have ever expected living in the slums, but it didn't have Yang. If the Arcanists tried to take her, she'd fight back with all her strength, though she'd hopefully be able to avoid that.

"I didn't ask how Cinder got captured," she realised. That was probably something to talk about, especially since she needed to know how to avoid it herself. "I'll have to do it tomorrow."

For now, I'll hold back on the magic and try not to stand out. That means not getting angry or putting myself in spots I'll need to get out of. Like sneaking out the Collegium for one.

/-/

Weiss was still awake when she got back.

The noble hadn't been asleep at all. Obvious from the clean sheets on her side of the room. She sat cross legged atop them and looked up as Ruby entered. There was a tenseness to her that had Ruby feeling just as strained.

No. Can't get emotional. Or my magic might go wild.

"Ruby," Weiss greeted. "I think we should talk."

"Okaaay." She sat down on her own bed, hooking one knee up to her chest and leaning on it. Weiss sniffed at the pose. Or her state of dress or manner of speech. One of the usual things. "I'm willing to talk, but not if it's going to be more of you insulting me."

"Insulting? My criticism is aimed at improving you. At fixing your social errors."

"Which means I'm not good enough," Ruby pointed out. "Hence, you're insulting me."

"I'm not-"

Ruby's brow rose.

"W-Well if I am, it's only because you need to fix those mistakes. A certain degree of decorum is expected of those studying here, and you fall below. Haven't you heard what they're saying?"

"Um. No."

"No!?"

"No," Ruby admitted with a little shrug. "Are people saying anything about me?"

"Y-Yes! Of course they are!" Weiss slapped both hands down into the mattress. "I can't believe this. The others in are year are constantly mocking you behind your back. They call you uncultured and barbaric. They say those from Menagerie are more like animals than people. Even when they say nothing, they watch you and laugh. How have you not noticed!?"

Because everyone laughed at the Dredgers. It was just the done thing.

If a Noble saw a Dredger floating face-down in the river, their first reaction would be to throw rocks. Only after they realised the person was dead would they say anything, and only then how the person was drowned by a family that didn't want them.

Macabre as it sounded, things like that happened. Each tier of the city was one lower than the other. People quite literally threw their trash down on the heads of the Dredgers – and that included their piss and shit. Whenever that built up and disease took over, they'd seal the gates and quarantine the slums until the disease burned itself out, usually along with all the corpses on the funeral pyres.

Compared to that, what did laughter count for? They could call her names if they liked. Hell, she called them names back. Inbred nobles, money bags, sticks, prigs and stabbies. The slums had a whole range of words for insulting those further up the city. Course, Weiss didn't know that.

"I guess it doesn't really matter. I don't care what they say."

"You should!" Weiss pressed. "They can make your life here difficult."

"Can they? I thought we had to leave all noble stuff at the door. None of them have any more power here than I do." Less even, since she was one bad mood away from a fireball. "Just ignore them. It's pointless."

"Social standing matters, even in here. Alliances are being made, Ruby. People are banding together and planning their futures, and they're doing so at your expense. It's even worse since you did so well in Arcanist Oobleck's class. You made them feel insignificant. That's made them even worse."

"Who is they, anyway?"

"Mostly the other girls. The boys have their own issues – mostly jealousy toward the Newbloods since they keep stealing all the attention."

Jaune and Sun? Honestly, she could see why. The boys studying to be Initiates weren't hideous as far as she'd seen, but they weren't going to be able to compare physically to those who had been training for years. Especially not when the Newbloods were out running topless in the mornings.

The girls though? She honestly hadn't noticed. Maybe they were being subtle about it, in which case things might get worse. Or they might not. It was hard to figure out what nobles would do compared to common people.

"How does this make you always yelling at me okay?"

"Because I'm trying to help you!"

That didn't change the fact she was yelling at her, did it? You could punch someone in the face as much as you liked but telling them it was to `make them tougher` didn't make you any less of an ass.

"So you're not apologising for the things you said?"

Weiss huffed. "Why should I? Your behaviour is lacking."

"But I'm fine with it."

"I'm not! Damn it, Ruby, your reputation impacts mine. When I'm seen with you, you need to act more like a woman should!"

Ruby sighed and rolled onto her side. "Then don't be seen with me. Spend time with your other friends, at least when school is on."

"I don't have any other friends!" Weiss shout shook the room and was likely heard by those next door. "There! I said it! Are you happy now? I don't have friends. Weiss Schnee doesn't have friends. You're the only one who talks to me!" Her breathing was ragged, and her shoulders rose and fell as she took in great and heaving gasps of air. "Is that what you wanted to hear? There you go. I said it. Can we stop this stupid arguing now?"

That wasn't what I wanted you to say at all. And why is you not having friends my fault? A part of her wanted to point out that maybe there was a reason she didn't have any friends, but even she could tell that would be too much.

"Can't you just apologise for being mean?"

"No!" Weiss snapped. "Because I wasn't being that at all!"

Was it too much for her to say sorry? Was that really a step too far?

"Does this at least mean you're going to stop?" she asked. "I mean, you tried to… help." For a weird definition of the word. "And I don't want it. So you'll stop insulting me all the time now. Right? You can be nicer."

"I'm already being nice by not giving up on you and letting you act like an animal."

"You're doing it again!" Ruby moaned, voice full of dismay. "I thought we were supposed to be making peace here."

"We are. And peace will be had once you accept your deficiencies and admit that I was right all along." Weiss paused. "And when you tell me where you went that night you ran away. You still haven't told me."

"I'm not going to."

"Ruby! Stop being childish!"

"Weiss!" she parroted. "Stop being a bitch!"

Weiss gasped. "W-What!? I – I am here breaking my back to give you my reasons, to open up and explain why I have been working so hard to help you, and this is how you repay me? By throwing it back in my face?"

Those were her lines. One insult. One bad name and that was it for Weiss to lose her shit. Meanwhile, she had to put up with constant name-calling. Yeah, that was fair. And if Weiss thought she was getting the truth of the other night out of her; she had another thing coming. You went and told the Arcanists once. I'm not letting you ruin this as well. But peace could be good, if only to stop her losing her temper.

Getting an apology out of Weiss wasn't going to happen – that much was clear. Would have been easier squeezing blood out of a stone. Much as it annoyed her, there wasn't much point trying. Yang always said to focus on what you could get, not what you wanted. Focus on things that were real. Right now, that was a frustratingly small list.

"Look," Ruby said, rolling over. "How about we make a deal? You stop insulting me, my habits and stuff, and I'll try to learn some of the things you're pushing on me. But!" she stressed. "Only if you tell me nicely and in private. Not yelling it at me over breakfast."

Not perfect. Not even good to be honest, but whatever. It would probably be better to fit in anyway, so as not to draw more attention than being a Wildmage already would. And if it got Weiss to stop being such a bitch, that was a bonus.

"And you will tell me where you went," Weiss demanded.

"That's not part of the deal."

She crossed her arms. "Make it a part."

Piss, how annoying did she want to be!? Take the branch being offered! "Fine! I went to make out with Jaune. Happy?" There was no way Weiss was going to bother verifying that, especially with how red she looked. "I figured you wouldn't want to come along for that," she lied. "But I'll wake you up next time and you can join in."

"N-No. No, that won't be necessary."

Good. Sheesh, she was demanding. "That means we're okay, right?"

"Not yet." Weiss said. "You still owe me an apology."

"Don't push it," Ruby growled.

In a moment of clarity, a rare moment admittedly, Weiss seemingly realised what the noise meant and chose not to test her further. "I suppose we can let it go. Start afresh, as it were. I'm willing to take that step if you are, Ruby."

"Yeah. Sure." Annoying, but then she was starting to realise that was Weiss in a nutshell. "Let's do the fresh start thing. And next time you have something you have to help me fix, how about you tap my leg under the table. I'll listen."

"I suppose that will do." Weiss smiled and sat a little taller. "I'm glad we had this discussion."

"Yeah," Ruby agreed. "Me too."

I wonder if Jaune has room in his bunkroom.

/-/

Weiss' fingers tapped on her thigh.

Ruby wished she could ignore it – as she did the last ten times it happened that morning. But that would only bring back the fighting so she put down the slice of boiled egg she'd been eating and looked to the left.

Her roommate frowned back, though that lessened slightly as she saw Ruby listening. "Cut it into smaller pieces that you can eat in one go. It's unseemly to bring food to your mouth, then tear at it with your teeth."

"Isn't that what teeth are for…?"

Weiss' glower told her otherwise and Ruby obediently put the slice down, cut it into smaller chunks and used the fork to bring one to her mouth. She chewed – making sure not to swallow instantly – and Weiss eventually nodded.

So many regrets from accepting this. It already wasn't worth it.

"Hey," Coco said, sitting down opposite them. "I see the two of you have made up."

"Of course," Weiss replied. "I told you as much myself. Did you doubt me? If so, perhaps you'll think better the next time. Ruby and I spoke and explained our differences, and Ruby was mature enough to accept my offer of tutelage as to her-" She cut off, perhaps realising the near insult. "A-As to her acclimatising to the culture of Vale."

Coco hummed and leaned her cheek on one hand. "Is that so?"

Ruby glared back at her. Somehow, this was all Coco's fault.

"Heh." Coco coughed into her hand. "All's well that ends well. And I hear you're not doing so bad at the Sanctum. Is it as terrifying as they say?"

"You've never been?"

"You don't get to be a Warden by breaking a lot of rules. So, how is it?"

She noticed that Weiss and a few others around were leaning in to hear, all curious but none willing to risk visiting in person. It reminded her of Jaune saying he didn't like to tell people he was from the Sanctum. Apparently, there was a good reason for that.

"It's alright." She shrugged. "It's pretty nice on the inside and no one sleeps in cells. They have nice rooms with beds, windows and furniture. It even has a library. Smaller than the one here, but big enough."

"Is it true magic doesn't work there?" someone asked quickly.

Ruby didn't recognise the guy but nodded anyway. "Yeah. You can't even touch it."

"Ugh."

"Horrible."

"Can you imagine it?"

Shudders, protests and horrified noises echoed around their little pocket of conversation. No one liked the sound of it. She didn't either, but her reaction had been more shock than horror. Was that the difference for people who grew up knowing they had magic, and likely came to accept it as a part of them? Honestly, if they could have turned off her magic without locking her away, she might – might – have gone for it.

Okay, she wouldn't have, but it could have been a failsafe if all else went wrong. Or if being a Wildmage was as dangerous as everyone made it sound. Yang would have pushed that for sure, but then she wanted her away from the Collegium.

"At least it's just the bad people that go there," a girl said. "Not like we have to worry. If you're in the Sanctum you deserve to be in the Sanctum."

"Yeah. Murderers, thieves, traitors all."

"And Wildmages," Ruby muttered.

"And them," a guy said without much sympathy. "Hey, did you see any? Wildmages, I mean. My dad said he saw one once. More beast than man with red eyes and razor-sharp teeth."

"Sounds more like a Grimm," Coco said. "Which would be rare enough to see."

"Nah. This was a Wildmage. There were Arcanists from the Collegium there to deal with him, and they took his body away. Grimm don't leave bodies." He waved his hands excitedly, ignoring the sceptical looks from some. "The Arcanists had to band together to put him down. My father was among those who did. He said it was a huge fight, and that the guards stuck three spears through the Wildmage to kill him. Even then, he lived for a bit, shouting and screaming as the Sanctum Guards held him pinned down!"

"Tch. Good riddance. Monsters like that earn what they get."

Ruby glared down at her food, for once lost of an appetite. Monsters like that, huh? Like her? Like Cinder, who had been ten years old when they took her and locked her in the Sanctum. And judging from the request for company, her family hadn't exactly taken to visiting. Why would they? If they were Arcanists like these people, they'd just see her as a monster.

If Yang was like that…

No, she wasn't. Yang knew she was a Wildmage and didn't care.

Just everyone here that did. And her, the little Wildmage, stuck in the middle. Ruby's hands clenched into fists. Something warm and wet ran down from them, over her wrist. For a second she feared she'd stabbed herself by accident, but when she looked down, she found silvery liquid dripping down her wrist. The utensils in her hands had bent and begun to melt.

Panic slammed into her. The knife and fork disappeared, swept away into her robes with the sleight of hand only a pickpocket could manage. No one was watching anyway, far too concerned with the story from the noble brat. As for sensing it, there was magic all over the cafeteria. People practising or using it for whatever reason. No one would know, as long as she got rid of the evidence.

But it was more proof of what Cinder had said. Wild magic. Uncontrollable magic. Instinctive magic.

Ruby stood, drawing Weiss' attention. "I need some fresh air."

"What? Ah, wait." Weiss was up a moment later, smoothing her robes down. "I'll come with you."

No one in the dining hall cared, too busy talking about other such instances they'd heard of and how the Collegium stamped down on them. Weiss and Ruby made their way out, Ruby drawing in a huge, calming, breath of air once she was outside. Stay down, she told herself. Don't cast anything. I'm calm. I'm calm.

"Is this about what they said in there?" Weiss asked, standing before her. "Ignore them, Ruby. They speak about things they've never seen as if they're to be lauded. Breakfast is hardly the place for talk of people dying." She glared back. "Maybe it's them I should be tutoring and not you."

It wasn't.

Not quite.

But it had hurt, she couldn't help but admit.

"Y-Yeah." Her head fell a little. "I didn't like it. Sorry."

"No. It's fine. I'm not a fan either – and for what it's worth I doubt his story. That was Viktor Franz of the Franz House. His father is and always has been overweight and prone to grand stories with little basis in fact. He's known as a blowhard at court. The closest he has come to Wildmage or Grimm is when he reads the words in a book."

"Hah." Her anger diminished a little more. Just people bragging. People being people. She felt the last threatening tendrils of her magical energy subside. Still there, but under control. "Thanks, Weiss. That helped."

"It did?" Weiss' shock vanished in an instant. "I mean, of course it did. And you're welcome. I always help those I consider friend."

Hadn't she said she had no friends the night before? A bit soon to be making grand proclamations like that. But maybe she was just saying what she hoped to be like, in which case it could be let go. If Weiss wanted to be that way, Ruby wouldn't stop her.

All she had to do was last through lessons and find out what she could from Cinder. Learn to read and make it through the Collegium. Once she had a few spells under her belt, she could better mask the wild magic. Explain it away as things she was researching and learning on her own. No one would bat an eye at an experienced Arcanist using unknown spells.

"Lessons?"

Weiss nodded. "Hm. Let's go. And let's sit at the front today. It's anti-social to always be at the back like you are."

"You're pushing it again, Weiss."

"Alright, fine. Never let it be said I am not magnanimous as well as kind. So long as you're not childishly changing seats when I sit next to you."

Still Weiss. Still annoying. One day she'd wring an apology out of her, but for now it was better to have them as friends again, even if it was a royal pain in the butt.

"Sure thing, Weiss."

"And stop answering like you're not listening!"

If nothing else, it was fun to tease her. That would be a good distraction.

"Yes, Weiss."

"Gah! Ruby!"

Some Wildmage info and Ruby offering an olive branch to Weiss. Weiss is still unable to actually apologise though; Ruby hasn't so much given up on that as has decided to shelve it for now. It's definitely not their issues being over, more an early peace and their tenuous friendship restored.

There are ups and downs to every relationship.

Cinder being Cinder in the background.

Next Chapter: 1st October

P a treon . com (slash) Coeur