So, some of the reviewers were weirded out by how severe the prank on Jaune was, stating that it sabotaged his academic performance and actually counted as escalating the conflict. To which I say; Really? I'm attending college currently – well not right now, we kind of have a quarantine in my place – and I wouldn't be too bothered by some mishap happening to me in the lab. Even if it did affect one's grades, those don't really matter to most people. Unless you are struggling to pass or applying for some sort of grant, grades are not something you should be very concerned about. So even if Jaune's overall performance gets affected, it won't actually hurt him. Pouring boiling water over him could have hurt him, which is why Nora has her second thoughts, not ultimately not much harm was done.
If you're still bothered by it, just assume it's nothing important for whatever reason. I perceive it that way and that's how most characters will view it if the subject ever gets brought up again.
Roman overlooked the row of people arranged before him. Or rather animals, as all of them had some faunus traits, be it outward or hidden, a requirement for being a member of the esteemed White Fang. For about a hundredth time, the thief wondered why he stooped down to dealing with such scum. Then, for a hundredth time, he reminded himself that it was his safest bet with Cinder breathing down his neck. Though at the moment, it was the other potentially dangerous person who was now literally breathing on Roman's neck.
"Here are the forces you asked for." Adam Taurus said, the tone of his voice betraying that he enjoyed the meeting about as much as Roman did. "I believe your escapades will go smoother with their help."
Calling that group of faunus 'forces' was being somewhat generous. Just two dozen young men and women, all undoubtedly eager to beat someone up, probably less eager to work with a human. Roman doubted most, if any of them had anything that could be considered martial training – from what he knew about the White Fang it seemed most of its forces consisted of civilians who were shown how to shoot and maybe swing a sword.
Granted, it wasn't like Roman often got to work with anything better. The thugs he hired in Junior's Club had turned out pathetically weak and they were considered professionals by the standards of Vale's underworld. Those kids weren't great, but maybe they would do the trick… provided they had some relevant experience.
"Has any of them been involved in a more down to remnant sort of crime?" Roman asked. He then decided to test his boundaries when it came to teasing. "I'm not implying that your kind is any more likely to commit crimes…"
"They are fresh recruits for the most parts." Taurus cut in. "Some of them might have been forced into stealing at one point or another, but don't expect them to have much experience."
But of course, you couldn't expect White Fang to spare its best and brightest to the task. Roman would have to make do with some rookies, figure out how to manage them himself and if something went wrong, he would be the one to blame.
Then again, there were benefits to commanding someone disposable. He felt Cinder wouldn't bat an eye if some young faunus died during a heist and while he wouldn't admit it in the open, Taurus probably wouldn't mind much either. Every cloud had a silver lining, it seemed.
"I will have to show them the ropes and how to tie people with them, but I guess they will do." Roman replied. If any of the faunus was upset at being treated dismissively, they didn't speak out. At the very least, they knew their place. Splendid. "I suppose we are done here?"
"Not quite yet." Taurus replied, to Roman's unpleasant surprise. "We need to talk in private. Soldiers, remain."
The bull faunus then headed towards the door. Roman quickly considered his options and decided that following didn't entail any extraordinary risks – if Taurus intended to kill or harm his fabulous coworker, he could just as well try his luck with his pack of animals in the room. And so Roman obliged, leaving the room as well.
"Is that really something important?" He asked once it seemed like there was no one around to hear them. "I have a robbery planned in just few hours and I'm afraid I won't be able to use my new mooks for much."
"They are the soldiers of the White Fang." The faunus shot back. "Ones dedicated enough to stand working with a human. I'd rather you appreciated it."
"Of course. My gratitude is immeasurable." Roman rolled his eyes and then fixed them to oversee Taurus' reaction. It was hard to tell what he exactly was feeling, not in small part due to that damn mask, but he stopped himself from retorting. Interesting. Telling. "Now, what is it that I may help you with."
The bull faunus remained silent for a moment. When he finally spoke, the tone was calm, measured. "There is a girl in Beacon Academy, one of the first year students. She used to the part of the Fang, but defected a while ago, sabotaging a major raid in the process. We would like to punish her for her betrayal."
Something told Roman it was less of a 'we' and more of a 'I', since the matter seemed personal. He wouldn't jump to point that out, however, just in case it was personal enough for a mere mention to anger the bull faunus.
"I'm not sure what I have to do with this problem." He replied instead. "Because if you expect me to break into Beacon and slit the brat's throat in her sleep, that might be a little beyond my skills."
"You think I don't know that?" Taurus growled. "Some of Vale's best huntsmen are working in Beacon and I bet they're taking their duties seriously. Any direct attempt to break into the school is bound to fail, and I don't see a way to infiltrate it at this point. But students don't spend all their time enclosed and the whole rest of Vale seems to be your domain."
"So you don't have a solution, but you're hoping your friendly thief will come up with one?" Roman summed up. "Fair enough. But why are you asking me to do this?"
Why not ask Cinder? Roman wondered if his interlocutor would catch the implicit meaning.
"I don't want to owe Cinder too much." For better or worse, he had caught the meaning. "But I don't mind owing you a favor."
"Fascinating." Roman made that sound sarcastic, but in truth he really was interested. One of White Fang's leaders offering a favor to some smelly human? Well that was something. "And what do you think it is you may offer me?"
"What do you think happens after Cinder is done here?" Unexpectedly, Taurus replied with a question of his own. "I have resources she can use elsewhere, but your usefulness is quite limited. And something tells me you two aren't best of friends."
"Yes, thank you for stating obvious facts." Roman snarked. "What about it? Can you promise to protect me?"
"Is that so unbelievable? If I'm forced to work with humans, I might work with some a little longer. And I don't think you have many other options."
"Well I don't have a guarantee either." Roman shot back. "Favors are only worth something if there is a reason to uphold them."
"True." Taurus shrugged, apparently taking no offense to his honor. "If you don't think the reward is worth the risk, you don't have to bother. But I think you will take that risk if you see the opening."
Well then, the cattle boy wasn't all that stupid. At the very least, he could understand how to negotiate with someone other than his fellow animals. That didn't necessarily paint him as cunning, but it did raise his threat level a little bit, to an even more uncomfortable level. Turning him down outright didn't seem like a good idea.
"Alright, I'll capture your little runaway if I ever run into her." Roman agreed. "But if you want me to start looking at her, you'll have to offer me something more concrete."
"Something tells me you won't have to." Taurus replied. "Just keep your eyes open for a brunette with feline ears and the strangest outfit around. Some people like looking for trouble, and she is most definitely one of them."
"I know the type." Roman nodded. He still remembered the time he was robbing a random dust store and ran into a girl with a mecha-shift scythe and a little too much bravery for anyone's good. That alone was enough to convince him that they were, indeed, people who were just looking for trouble and people who would always run into trouble somehow, him belonging to the latter category.
As he saw the bull faunus march away, apparently satisfied with the arrangement, roman wondered where that damn girl was now. She seemed like a wannabe huntress, but looked a little too young to be attending any of the Academies just yet. She was probably attending some combat school, struggling with the exams, too far away from Roman to disrupt his plans in any way.
Assuming the universe had any sense of fairness, that is.
Roman exited the building and looked around. He was satisfied to see a young woman wait nearby, short and slim, dressed in a colorful outfit that matched her hair and eyes with shades of brown and pink. With her stature and an umbrella at her side, she could look harmless to someone who had spent less than a minute in her presence, but Roman knew just how dangerous the girl really was.
Neopolitan looked at Roman, and took a step towards him, the sound of her heels clicking the only thing that pierced the silence.
"It looks like I'm done talking for today Neo." He said, understanding the silent question. "We may go town now, rob another store, maybe go pick up some ice cream on our way back."
Neo looked at him with suspicion, silently asking where was the catch.
"We will have to take some new people with us." Roman explained. "Grunts from the White Fang that need to see how it's done."
Neo rolled her eyes, as to express her displeasure.
"Look at it this way; Don't you welcome a chance to show some arrogant faunus brats who is the most dangerous person around here?"
Neo though about it for a moment, before smiling broadly. Roman suspected she had come up with some messy idea, but right now he was just glad to have her on board. Neo didn't work well with most people, which was why he rarely took her on raids these days, but he had recently learned why having someone to help him escape efficiently was important.
"I have a target planned and I think we will encounter just enough resistance to make it fun." Roman tried sweetening the deal even more, just to be sure. It successfully removed all stains of doubt from Neo's face, and the girl gripped her umbrella, as though already itching for action.
"That's the spirit." Roman smiled. "And Neo? Keep your eyes opened for catgirls. I heard there is a demand for one."
Neo blinked.
"That's just our life now." Roman sighed. "Let's go. We have a fight waiting for us."
Ruby made a quick assessment of her forces. The prodigy warrior Pyrrha Nikos and the not-quite-prodigy-but-still-cool huntsman Lie Ren stood ready, awaiting her orders. Then there was Weiss, in her usual white attire and with her trusted rapier at her side. Her long hair was once again snow-white, having only recently managed to wash all the dye off, and now she looked as combat capable as ever.
With such friends at her side, Ruby felt sort of confident. Only sort of, because she knew that what they were about to face was just as scary as them. Even now she wouldn't focus all of her attention on her team, occasionally glancing toward the blood-red bushes just in case something was about to jump out of them and attack their group, using the element of surprise as their edge.
"Friends and Weiss." Ruby addressed her teammates, earning a quiet sigh from Weiss. She suppressed a giggle - she had recently learned how fun teasing Weiss like that was, but she wouldn't push it too far. "We have gathered here to rehearse our plans and give our farewells before the battle. And believe me, the battle is coming. Here, in the forests of Forever Fall, our ancient enemies are about to attack us in hopes of destroying us once and for all."
"It's been just two months, Ruby." Ren sighed, a little louder than his partner. "And I don't think anyone from JNBY actually wants to kill us."
"Quiet, soldier." Ruby reprimanded her teammate. "As I was saying, these are our most vicious enemies we're facing. They spent the last fifty seven days harassing us and playing stupid pranks at us. Mostly Weiss. We were forced to retaliate by having them taste their own medicine. Mostly Jaune. But if they use area of effect attack we will all get hit, so we are in this together."
"We could scatter." Pyrrha suggested, only to wince when she met Ruby's stare. "Sorry. We are totally in this together."
"Regardless," Ruby carried on. "We are facing grave danger. This trip is a perfect opportunity for Team JNBY to attack us, as we are far from our teachers' watchful eyes and there is plenty of ammunition everywhere." Ruby glanced toward the set of jars, each one of them containing a sizable volume of Red Sap. According to Professor Peach, it had some spectacular properties in plant science, but that didn't really matter at the moment. All it was now was a sticky substance that could be spilled on someone, running their dress, hair and day. "For all we know, they could be trying to surround us as we speak. I'm saying we go on the offensive."
"Can't we just wait somewhere safe until the trip is over and we get carried back to Beacon?" Weiss suggested. "I doubt they will do anything with Miss Goodwitch watching."
Yeah, but there wouldn't be any fun in this. Ruby thought.
"That's just what they are expecting of us." Ruby said. "We have to surprise them, take initiative and stuff. Besides, don't you want payback for that prank with a possum?"
Weiss' nostrils flared. Though her pride wouldn't let her concede the argument just like that, Ruby could see her teammate was sold on the idea of attack, just like this. "I suppose I have no choice but to follow your lead. But if my dress gets all covered in sap, you owe me one."
"Don't you have, like, ten copies of the same thing to wear every day?" Ruby asked, but backed off when she saw Weiss irritation rise even further. "But yeah, I'll take full responsibility for my choices as a leader. Now, can we go kick some butt?"
"After you." Ren agreed. Weiss and Pyrrha simply nodded. Everyone then grabbed one jar of Red Sap each, leaving four to submit as an assignment and aiming to use the rest as weapons in the incoming battle.
And just like that, Team RRWP assembled for war.
The first order Ruby gave was one to march off in the direction where she suspected the enemy team might be. About half an hour earlier, almost the exact moment the class was allowed to get off the bullhead and told to start collecting sap, their two teams hurried to get far away from one another, everyone suspecting was coming. Now that they were properly armed, it was time to close the distance.
There was no guarantee it was the right direction, of course, since it was very likely Jaune had moved his forces somewhere else completely. But it was alright. If they ended up not encountering Team JNBY until it was time to go, that would mean they avoided the attack and won. If they ended up encountering the enemy and winning, that would mean they won, obviously. And if they encountered the enemy and Weiss did end up covered with sap, then it would be kind of funny, which counted as a victory in Ruby's books.
Strategy was easy. You just had to pick a plan with which you couldn't lose.
"I sense something." Ren suddenly said, forcing Ruby to cease congratulating herself on her tactical skills and start paying attention to her surroundings. "A singular source of aura, likely another student."
"It seems like one of them broke out from the main force." Ruby concluded. "That is the perfect opportunity to attack."
"That really seems like a trap." Weiss protested.
"Well yes…" Ruby could see it now as well, the opportunity too convenient not to be some sort of bait. But she remembered being told that a leader had to be confident in their decisions, so she couldn't back out now. "...which is why we should attack at once!"
"I'm sorry?" Pyrrha blinked.
"Jaune likes planning a lot, so he surely came up with some complicated scheme that hinges on us not taking the bait. We will surprise him by being unpredictable and taking the bait, thus ruining his plan." Ruby explained. It actually sounded really convincing when she put it like that.
"That's really not how scheming works…" Weiss muttered.
"I think they are approaching." Ren stated. "We better make a choice right now."
"The choice had already been made." Ruby announced. "The die is cast. Team RRWP, attack!"
Ruby then sprinted forwards, hoping her teammates would follow. They did, though with various levels of enthusiasm. Satisfied, she focused her attention ahead as she rushed towards the impending enemy.
As she emerged onto a clearing, Ruby spotted her target. An enemy combatant, dressed in black and while, with mane of black hair flowing behind her, looking deceptively similar to Blake. Or, realistically, just Blake. She wasn't holding a jar of sap of her own, or any sort of weapon for that matter. She seemed unarmed, maybe coming to surrender.
Ruby halted, but only once she had crossed half the clearing and cut off one of Blake's potential retreat routes. Her companions arrived shortly after, surrounding the girl in a perfect… some sort of quadrangle. They didn't attack, as they haven't been ordered to shoot without an order given. Good soldiers, all of them.
"Blake Belladonna." Ruby said loud and clear. "We request your immediate surrender as the member of Team JNBY. If you place your weapons down, if you have them that is, we promise you fair treatment under the rules of…"
"Sure." Blake rolled her eyes. "I wasn't really participating in that stupid game anyway. Jaune told me to march in your direction, so I agreed just for the peace of mind."
"Why did he tell you to do that?" Weiss asked.
"I don't know." Blake shrugged. "I was not told what the plan is."
"Ah, he didn't tell you so that we wouldn't think to torture you for information." Ruby said. "Villain he might be, he does care about his women. As in his men, but in feminine."
"I just didn't ask." Blake replied. "Your guess is as good as mine."
Before Ruby could come up with any guess, she heard Ren shout out a warning. "Watch out!"
Ruby reacted immediately, the unusual sound of Ren screaming snapping her to attention. A split second later she saw a missile – a half-filled jar of Red Sap – soaring through the air, straight towards Weiss. Luckily the heiress was quick on her feet as well and jumped sideways, narrowly dodging the jar that then fell on the ground, harming nobody.
"Did it hit!?" Ruby heard a voice she recognized as her sisters'. "I don't hear any screams, so probably not. Damn it!"
"You don't have to do this, Yang!" Ruby stepped forwards, in the direction from which the jar flew from. "We are family, I know you don't want to fight me!"
Just as Ruby finished, another jar flew through the air, this time directly at her, at even higher a speed. She had to use her semblance to doge, and even then it was only by inches that she avoided being splashed with the sticky substance.
Gosh, what was she thinking? Of course Yang wanted to fight her, they hadn't been able to go one night without a pillow fight back when they were sleeping in one room. It was sister against sister in this war.
"They had been collecting sap as we marched." Ren said. "And it's not exactly hard to collect. They probably have a lot to throw at us, assuming Nora hasn't drunk too much."
Ruby sighed. Even though for they knew it was four against one, numbers didn't matter all that much. Yang had a really good throwing arm and a fairly good aim, so chances were they would get hit eventually. Unless, of course, they got her first, but that would mean closing the distance and likely getting hit at least once before reaching the blonde. Ruby at least could dodge efficiently, the other not so given that they were carrying jars themselves. The safest option seemed to be retreat, but that would just feel dumb.
Ruby took a glance at her forces. Blake was not there, somehow having disappeared as they were talking. Weiss, Ren and Pyrrha were still there, all standing and tense, waiting for their leader to give a command or for another missile to fly their way. They seemed demoralized, which meant they needed a quick victory to boost their spirits.
"We charge at once." Ruby decided. She kept her voice somewhat quiet, as to not let Yang hear her. "Drop your jars so that you can proceed quicker, we will use some of their stock if necessary. If someone gets hit during the assault, leave them where they lie. We will nurture the wounded and bury the dead once our enemies lie defeated."
"This is all so silly." Weiss massaged her palm. This moment of inattention almost cost her dearly, as when another jar flew her way, Pyrrha had to push her out of the way almost getting hit herself. Luckily neither of them got the sap in the end.
"Still no screams." Yang's voice was dripping with disappointment. "Tell me it was at least close?"
"Focus on the battle, soliders." Ruby commanded, before turning to face the trees once more. By now she thought she had a good idea where Yang was hiding, having seen a glimpse of yellow amidst all the red. "At my signal."
"What is the signal?" Pyrrha asked.
Ruby though about it for a moment. "Now."
"Is now the signal, or are we attacking now?" Ren seemed confused.
"I was just stating what the signal would be." Ruby replied. "Now."
"Were you repeating what the signal was, or were you actually using it this time?" Weiss asked.
"You know, I could have taken you off-guard just now, but this is just too good to interrupt." Yang commented, clearly amused.
Ruby sighed. "Just go get her." She then lifted off and ran towards the tree from behind which Yang's voice was coming, counting on her teammates following the charge.
When Yang stuck her neck out from behind the trunk and threw another jar, Ruby found herself prepared. She ducked and rolled onto the ground, dodging the projectile by a wide margin and saving herself a shower of sticky sap. Unfortunately, when she stopped rolling, she found herself lying on the ground right next to Yang, who as Ruby could now see, had at least a dozen jars close at hand and ready to be used.
"Hi sis." The blonde said casually, reaching for another jar with equal calmness.
Ruby regretted she did not bring a jar of her own, for the fear of it slowing her down. Though in truth it probably wouldn't matter that much, given that she couldn't throw it while prone, and getting up would take about half a second too long. As she realized how doomed she was, Ruby mentally prayed for a swift end and for Red Sap to be easily washed from her combat dress.
And then, as Yang grasped the glass container, Ren jumped from behind a nearby tree. With speed even Ruby found impressive, he ran to the stack of jars and picked one up, immediately bracing to throw said jar at Yang.
Now, Ren wasn't so quick as to do all that instantly. Yang also had a jar in her hand now and was ready to throw. But given how much she liked her outfit and how much more she liked her hair, her decision was fairly easy to predict.
"I give up." She blurted out, dropping the jar. "You win, fair and square."
"Well that was easy enough." Weiss said, her and Pyrrha emerging from the crimson bushes. "Though I do wonder where the rest of your team is."
"Are you asking me to betray my comrades in arms?" Yang asked with a slight smile. "I'm not sure how it looks at your side, but there is comradery in team JNBY."
"Will that comradery last if we dip you in all that sap?" Weiss retorted with a question of her own.
"I'm pretty sure torture is forbidden under the rules of war." Pyrrha pointed out.
"It's not torture, more like enhanced interrogation." Weiss replied. She then winced. "Great, now I'm starting to buy into this too. Can you please just tell me where my brother is, so that I can spill some sap over him before I go insane from all this?"
"Not sure where he is right now." Yang replied. "But he should be here in a moment."
Just as Yang uttered the last word, another figure emerged from the forest. It was also blonde, somewhat taller, much broader in shoulders and generally looked a lot more like Jaune than Yang did. He was holding a jar with both his hands and running towards the opposing group, with no sign of having any clever tactic other than to throw the jar once he got close enough to someone and without any concern for his own safety. Apparently, having seen his primary plan fail, Jaune Arc decided to go out in style.
He was fairly close to succeeding, as Ruby had no idea how to stop him at the moment. Neither did Weiss and neither did Ren, judging from their reluctance to act. Perhaps they were just shocked, as the turn of events was surprising to say the least.
Luckily, Pyrrha knew better than to stand there and take it. She countercharge Jaune, despite having no weapon of her own, showing no fear or hesitation. When Jaune raised the jar in defense, Pyrrha simply closed the distance and wrestled the container out of Jaune's hands. No, not wrestled, simply took it as though it was being handed over, with nothing but complete ease.
Having lost his weapon and seeing it aimed at him, Jaune jerked to the side as though trying to dodge. He failed to move an inch, however, as though some invisible force was preventing him from moving. Pyrrha opened the jar without any haste and, with one swift move, spilled the contents all over her opponent.
There were no fanfares, but this moment really felt like a triumphant victory. It was first blood and the blood of the enemy leader at that, which had to be worth a serious amount of points. As Ruby had predicted, her tactics paid off and brought her team to victory.
"Well that didn't go as well as I hoped." Jaune murmured, his armor dripping with a red, thick substance.
"Sorry." Pyrrha said with an awkward smile. "I was just following orders."
"And you did it real well." Ruby said. "Your semblance really is something."
Pyrrha smiled a little broader, in a slightly different way. Maybe pride, maybe embarrassment, it was hard to read like that. Ruby hadn't dared to ask why, but Pyrrha was always a little awkward when discussing her semblance, since they first breached the subject at the start of the school year. Was there something embarrassing about being able to control metals?
"Frankly, I'm not sure what you were expecting." Weiss said, addressing Jaune. "Splitting up your forces can't be a good tactic."
"Maybe you just can't see the merits of my strategy." Jaune retorted.
"Don't be ridiculous." Weiss huffed. "There is nothing to gain from… wait, where is Nora?"
As though answering Weiss' question, a ginger-haired creature swung from a tree. As in, she was hanging from a branch by her legs somehow, like a sloth or a particularly agile monkey, directly above Weiss' head. In her hands she was holding a jar, but not one filled with Red Sap. Rather it contained some other substance, greenish in color, a substance which was then spilled out of its container and onto the Schnee heiress below.
"Wahhh!" Weiss exclaimed as she covered her eyes, trying not to let any liquid under her eyelids. Ruby had already seen such process unfold and she wasn't sure if she like the results. "What is this?!"
"As I said, it didn't go quite as well as I hoped for." Jaune stated, pretty amused with the situation. "But I'll say it's good enough."
"I told you I can do it!" Nora stated, before jumping back on the ground. "Can I get my sap now? I think I was good today."
"Sure." Jaune shrugged. "I prepared a few extras, in case Yang actually managed to hit something."
"It's not fair." Yang grunted. "I did the biggest share of the work. And I almost hit two times."
Nora paid her teammate no mind as she scooted towards the pile of jars, opened one up and began sipping on the juice inside. Weiss also paid little attention to her surroundings, the consequence of having her eyes closed, but Ruby could already see what had been done to her.
Weiss' hair was bright green. Vibrantly green, green like a forest in the middle of summer, other than Forever Fall that is. It didn't look bad, but it was just as unfitting as the pink variant, if not moreso.
"Ugh, don't tell me you did that again." Weiss groaned once she could actually see the effects herself. "I'll have to order the dissolver again. Amazing."
"We could go shopping together, find something that would match the color better." Ruby suggested, only to receive a piercing glare from Weiss. "Alright, point taken. We'll just order a bigger bottle this time."
"So… do we just call it a draw?" Ren asked. "I don't think any of us has a reason to keep fighting."
"Not a draw." Ruby objected. "We will make sure our propaganda focuses on the gains and downplays the losses, thus painting this as a victory and appeasing the populace."
"Wow. You either definitely should run in an election, or definitely shouldn't." Yang commented. "But yeah, let's just call it a draw."
"I am fine with that." Jaune shrugged. "Let's just go back to the landing zone before someone gets…"
Suddenly, everyone glanced in the same direction. Ruby deduced there was something to see there, and so she turned around, only to see Miss Goodwitch stand there with her crop in hand, looking dangerously annoyed.
"I told you to collect the sap and watch out for the Grimm." She said in a calm, yet cold tone. "You somehow managed to fail at both tasks, wasting forest resources on pointless games and teeming with negativity all the while. Yet I am not impressed."
"I feel pretty positive." Ruby argued, only to wither under the teacher's murderous gaze.
"Well, we have collected the sap as required." Jaune replied, pointing to the stack of jars under a nearby tree. He then paled a little bit.
All the class containers were not only empty, but clean of any sap. Near the stack sat Nora, her face a little dirty with red, but content despite the rough situation.
"Guys I… I think we all lost that one." Yang said.
Ruby gulped.
/-/
The Headmaster's Office was a sparsely decorated room, really an empty, circular space with an entrance on one end and a desk on the other. Other than that, the only things to see were gears – some over Ruby's head, some adorning the walls, and even incorporated into a large chair on the other side of the desk. Ruby wasn't sure if they served any practical purpose, were meant to symbolize something or were put there because the architect really liked clocks. She leaned towards the last one, though it wasn't the most important thing on her mind at the moment.
The Deputy Headmistress Glynda Goodwitch was staring at her from the other side of the desk, no longer visibly angry, but even more serious. She had led Ruby to that room without having explained why, though Ruby suspected it was all a setup for a quiet execution, or something similarly fun.
"Miss Rose." She started. "Do you know why you were summoned here."
"Well no, you haven't answered any of the dozen times I asked." Ruby replied, although given the circumstances, she suspected what the reason could be. "Also, is the Headmaster around?"
"Professor Ozpin won't rescue you… I mean he won't assist me this time." Miss Goodwitch replied, causing Ruby to desperately start looking for an emergency exit. "Calm down young lady, I do not intend to punish you… per se."
"It really sounds like you would like to." Ruby pointed out.
"Nonsense." The Deputy denied. "I just wish to talk. I have picked this room because I am sure no one can overhear us here. And the matters I wish to discuss are somewhat personal."
"Alright." Ruby relaxed just a little bit. "What is it, exactly?"
"Well, Miss Rose." Though Miss Goodwitch still had the same, stone expression, it seemed as though she had trouble finding the right words for the occasion. "I have met you before you set a foot in Beacon, saw you fight criminals out of your own volition. From that I conclude you… possess a significant measure of good intentions, even if you have trouble acting on them the proper way."
"Thanks?" Ruby was unsure where this was going.
"It was a statement of a fact. And the reason why I trust you will help me with a problem I'm having. Namely, your team and the team your sister is on."
"You mean those pranks we make? Are they really that much of an issue?' Ruby asked, causing the teacher's eyes to narrow behind her glasses. "I mean of course it's an issue, I'll try to…"
"No, you need to understand what the problem is." Miss Goodwitch sighed. "For the longest time, your shenanigans were indeed tolerable. Annoying to hear about and certainly not commendable, but tolerable. But now the matter becomes somewhat more serious."
"You think we crossed a line this time?"
"No, though you could have attracted rapier wasps had they been any around." Miss Goodwitch replied, causing Ruby to shrink in shame. "No, my concern is for Beacon's principles and the reputation it gets for not upholding these principles."
Ruby barely stopped herself from rolling her eyes. She hadn't gotten in all that much trouble in Signal or while she was even younger, but she was familiar with the rhetoric. Every offence was an insult to some vague, unwritten values the school supposedly upheld. Somehow the teachers never failed to live up to these values, no matter what they did. Go figure.
Though maybe in a huntsman academy there was more value to such claims…
"You think we are being too… undisciplined?" Ruby took a guess.
"Undisciplined, frivolous and holding more malice for your fellow students than any of the forces you are trained to fight." The teacher specified. "So far you've only been noticed by your fellow students, so the damage was not too severe. But that will change. The first wave of exchange students is arriving this week and they will be staying in Beacon for months."
Oh right. Vytal Torunament was slowly approaching and that meant a lot of people coming to Beacon, from all corners of Remnant and probably a fair deal of publicity even before the tournament proper. Ruby could definitely see why the people who run the school would be concerned about Beacon being presentable.
"You think those students will think badly of Beacon if they see us do something silly?" Ruby asked.
"I think they will definitely think badly of Beacon if you accidentally hit one of them while throwing possums at one another." The Deputy replied.
"Point taken." Ruby conceded. "But it's really not my doing, I'm not just saying that to save my own skin. I'm not sure if I can convince… certain people… to calm down."
"I think I know what people you are talking about." Miss Goodwitch sighed. "But since one of them is a part of your team, I suggest you at least try to influence them somehow?"
"But how? I have no idea how to even start." Ruby protested
"Why do you think we assign leaders to teams? So that they could make decisions based on the knowledge they have of their teammates, with their interest in mind. This is no different to a battle situation, in which you have to think independently to achieve a certain result."
"I'm sorry, it is really unlike a battle." Ruby pointed out. "For one there are no weapons involved, so…"
"Exactly like a battle." Miss Goodwitch insisted. "There will no consequence for you if you fail. But ask yourself this, Miss Rose; Do you really wish the current state of affairs to remain all the way until Vytal Torunament?"
No. As funny as some of the pranks were, even Ruby had to admit some of them went a tad too far. And if they escalated, if they escalated around the time they were preparing for the tournament… she didn't want to imagine the precise ways this could go wrong, but the danger was certainly there.
"I'll do what I can." Ruby promised. "Not sure if I can get them to like each other, but I'll defuse the tension somehow."
"That is all I ask." The deputy Head nodded. "If you wish to go now, you are free to do so."
Understanding she was being dismissed, Ruby marched towards the exit. She wasn't sure what she was supposed to do, exactly, but now she knew she had to do something.
I'll figure something out. She thought as she entered the elevator and directed it to descend. I am a leader after all.
Glynda sighed. She found herself sighing a lot in recent days, but it worked well enough. Expressing one's irritation, even in such a minor way, helped to reduce it to bearable levels.
She watched Miss Rose enter the elevator and ride it down, leaving the deputy head alone in the office of her superior. She sat there for a while, wishing she had some tea to drink, but still enjoying a moment of silence, a commodity in her line of work.
Naturally, since nothing good lasted forever, that moment eventually came to an end. The elevator door opened, showing not the young girl who just left, but a tall man in a suit, with a walking cane he most definitely did not need.
"Ozpin." At times like these, Glynda couldn't be bothered to use proper honorifics. "Thank you for lending me your office just for that."
"You are welcome, Glynda." Headmaster nodded. "I hope the peace talks have went as you hoped they would."
"Miss Rose seems to understand the severity of the problem, at least in part. That is more than I was expecting, though I'm not sure if it will amount to anything."
"You have to trust the leader with their own men." Ozpin replied, in his typically vague manner. "And even if she fails to convince her teammates not to jest, is that really a reason to be so concerned? Your nerves must be worth more than that, Glynda."
"One of us needs to be concerned about the school." Glynda retorted, only a second later realizing how unfair that was. "I'm sorry. I know you care about Beacon as much as anyone."
"No, you have a point." Ozpin sighed. "I have other duties, and those can be distracting. In fact, I was hoping to talk about them right now."
"What is it?" Glynda didn't bother to hide her concern. "Is it time to choose our guardian?"
"I haven't made a choice yet." Ozpin replied. "And Amber's condition is still stable, if largely hopeless. I am more worried about our enemies making a move."
"Has the Queen or her agents shown themselves?" Glynda asked, not using their enemy's real name out of habit.
"I'm not sure. But I have noticed something that might imply so." Ozpin walked up to the wall, staring at one of the gears. He did it quite often, and though Glynda never asked why, she suspected it made it easier for the Headmaster to center his thoughts. "You have noticed the increasing number of robberies in Vale? Especially those aimed to gather Dust?"
"I had ran into a few, as you know." Glynda replied. "I did not think them… connected to any larger conflict."
"The night you rescued Miss Rose, you confronted someone able to fight you off." Ozpin didn't ask, but stated what Glynda once told him. "You know that few people can match you in combat, and it's strange that one of them works with Torchwick of all people."
"You think Roman Torchwick was granted help from the Queen?" Glynda cocked an eyebrow. "That seems like quite a leap in logic."
"Perhaps." Ozpin admitted. "Yet just now I received a report of Torchwick robbing yet another store, this time with the help of masked allies. Faunus allies, if the report is correct."
"White Fang." Glynda instantly caught the meaning. "I can see what you mean. This is an interesting web of alliances he's forming. Do you wish I look into it?"
"I will see to the matter personally." Ozpin shook his head. "You should focus on your tasks in Beacon. As much as it pains both of us, this divide of duties seems like the best solution."
"Very well." Glynda knew better than to argue. "I will try to keep things relatively orderly. And I will inform you of anything I learn about our students that could help us."
"That will do." Ozpin turned around to face her. "Speaking of, do you have any idea of which of our students should become the next Fall Maiden? Assuming we have no other choice but to pick one, or course."
"Well…" Glynda felt uncomfortable deciding which of her students should go through a dangerous procedure and, if successful, be burdened with enormous responsibility, but it wasn't as though denying Ozpin information would make things any better. "Miss Adel is both strong and responsible enough for the role. I'm not sure if she would want it, but we cannot know that without asking her. Aside from her… no, I don't have any suggestions."
"Nobody from the first year?"
"If you mean who I think you mean…" Glynda searched for the words to make the next sentence sound pleasant and failed. "Ozpin, neither Team RRWP nor JNBY has a single suitable candidate. All of the young women there are willing to engage in an open war with other students for petty reasons, with the possible exception of Miss Belladonna, who is not suitable for a range of other reasons. Add to that, we are yet not sure if any of them can keep their calm in actual combat, with the exception of Miss Rose, who is way too eager to seek actual combat. I would suggest looking elsewhere."
"Then by all means, extend your search." Ozpin agreed. "But please, don't rule any of these ladies out. They are undisciplined for sure, but I see potential in each one of them. And when they finally see true combat, I am sure they will face it as true huntresses should."
Glynda hoped these words would remain unproven.