Chapter 12: Not the Baddest Girl I've Ever Seen...

The streets of Beacon bustled with rushing students, conversing with one another, sitting benches, going through their scrolls, or resting on the grassy knolls, eating lunch and such. Among the students, one would unmistakably catch sight of that minty-green fresh, mohawk-esque hair of the Thrush boy, wearing his battle attire, hands in his pockets, paying no one any mind, his eyes squinting in protest of the blinding light today. And by his side: Dove and Sky.

It was such a peculiar morning today, when they awoke from their sleep to see Cardin, already dressed up in his armor, going through all the lien they had.

"Cardin, what are you doing?" Russel would ask.

Not looking back, he answered. "I'm just getting the lien needed for our suits."

"... Our?"

"Yeah, as in all four of us."

"... O-okay, why are you getting us suits?"

"For the dance, dumbass. I'm gonna go into Vale and get the suits, while you three go out, find Weiss, Yang, and Blake, and ask them out to the dance."

Dove, rubbing his eyes, said, "Cardin- jeez, you know we really don't want to go to the dance, right? We were just naming the people who we'd take to the dance."

"Yeah? Well... I'm still buying the suits."

"Cardin, please-"

"-Fuck you Sky, you three are going out there, and you are going to ask them out, understand? If Ruby said yes to me, then you all have a chance too."

"Cardin, Ruby said yeah because she's probably didn't hurt you feelings, she probably feels sorry for your existence, or maybe she fucking developed a bit of Stockholm's syndrome when you kidnapped her. As for Yang, Weiss, Blake, they have no reason to go out with us to the dance. We ask them out, they're gonna say ew, why would we want to go out with you guys? You guys are assholes, or something like that."

"..."

"..."

"... Sky, you sound like a faggot, just... holy shit." Russel shook his head, loudly huffing, upset with Cardin's attitude right now.

"Cardin, we just woke up, can you just... not act like an asshole, for once?"

Puckering his lips, tilting his head to the left, then right, pondering the question. "... No. Go put your shit on, get out there, and ask those bitches- women, women, out. That's an order from your leader, and big brother." With that, Cardin left, wallet full of lien, heading for the city of Vale not saying another word, as his three brother sat, exasperated, desiring to wring Cardin's neck right now.

Fast forward few hours or so, after having dressed into their gear and eating breakfast, the three ruffians- much to their agitation- set in their journey to their destination, having caught wind that RWBY themselves were responsible for setting up the decorations of the dance, taking place in the spot where all first years spent their first night: Beacon's own ballroom.

"I don't want to do this guys. I don't want to go to the dance." As they trotted, Sky started complaining, he chest swelling with annoyance. "I wish Ruby rejected Cardin, maybe then he wouldn't be so eager to go to this shitty dance."

"Yeeaah, yeah, yeah," Dove would start, "just... just go with it Sky. We might as well do it for Cardin's fat ass, and hope they say no."

"Jeez you two, I know the dance doesn't sound that fun, but hell, you two could at least find some positives for once." Just as he said, Russel had no desire to go to the dance, but he was willing to admit there being perks for doing so.

"Like fucking what?"

"Well, Sky. If - for you- Yang says yes, and if she enjoys going to the dance with you, maybe she'll... wanna hang around with you some more. Maybe go on a few dates even. Maybe you'll find someone to spend the rest of your life with."

"Pfft, that sounds stupid."

"Or, or, is she enjoys it a lot, maybe there's a chance that you'll get laid. Hm? Does that sound good?"

"I don't care about that shit," Bronzewing plainly stated, "I don't care about any of that. It sounds nice, it really does. But I can live the rest of my life with just you three dysfunctional shits."

"Oh, okay, so then what do you care about then? What the hell do you want Dove? What does Dove Bronzewing want " Russel inquired incredulously, hearing the air being sucked through Doves's teeth, as he wondered.

"I... I don't fucking know..."

"..."

"..."

"... I was hoping for Beacon to be different. I was hoping Vale would be different. I was hoping anything would be different once we came here. And it turns out I was pretty fucking right. Instead of going out everyday and fucking around in town, we just stay in our room, sitting and watching T.V. We'll go out to the cafeteria to eat, the library to studies sometimes."

"Yeah."

"Mm-hm."

"Hell, back in Disown, we were had friends man, people who loved us. Richard, Sure-Shank, Pig-Stain, Tango, Kelly, Timmy, Jimmy, Bimmy, Aria, Dion, Draco, fucking- even Ziz cared about us, at least enough to adopt us. They never saw us as repulsive monsters, or-or hooligans. We were like a big family back in Disown! But in Vale, in Beacon, people are repulsed by us! The way we look, the way we act, almost everyone hear both are scared to come near us, and hate us to the point that if it was legal, they'd probably lynch us!"

"..."

"..."

"I-I just... I just hate it here. I always wanted to go see what was out there, beyond Disown. And when given the opportunity, it turns out it sucks monkey fuck, students just fucking each other, loathing us, playing games in the library, it all pisses me off. This place just makes me want to go back to Disown, and never leave from there again..."

Russel, his eyes widened for the whole duration of his brother's rant, gently pressing his teeth down onto his tongue as he took it all in. Sky was just frowning, eyes staring at the street beneath them, staying quite as a mouse, until lowly speaking, "I want to leave too." Russel missed his home as well, mentally acknowledging the point Dove made, missing all of the people he knew back on Disown. Missing going out in town and messing about.

"... Yeah... well, maybe things will get better you two, who knows. We didn't what is acceptable here and not when we came to Beacon. But... we've gotten better, at... behaving properly, I guess."

"I heard Cardin actually knocked out one of the exchange students at the library, apparently on the first day he started tutoring Yang. And he didn't tell us about it." Sky flatly commented.

Russel, almost chuckling at the thought of Cardin keeping it a secret, shrugged his shoulders. "Well... that's bad, I'll admit but I'm sure he had his reasons. Other than that, none of us been acting out lately."

Dove brought up, "You're also forgetting about him puking onto Pyrrha."

"Now that was an accident. Cardin didn't mean to do that; he wasn't feeling too well that day." A "tch, tch, tch," was what Russel was met with. "It's true!"

"Yeah yeah, I know it's true. But it still isn't socially acceptable."

"Whatever." It was during the discussion, having lost track of time, the three Disownians stumbled upon the building home to the ball room. Enter into it, traverse through the halls, until you come to the set of doors, into which the ball room lies; from the other side, they could hear the heiress herself, shouting about something, muffled to them.

"So... we just go in there, ask them out, and then leave?"

"Yeah. Or, we could also help them out..."

"..."

"... Nah, nah, nah." Sky expressed, going for and pushing the doors open, baring them sight to a decorated ball room, pinkish-red drapery strewn about the golden chandeliers, little bunches of baby-blue and pink balloons tied up at pinpoint area to give a feel of symmetrical effects, chairs of white coloration and sturdy, brown-wooden tables, placed with one another, while a speaker system was currently being set-up for the music. Near it, there sitting at a table, depressingly one could add, was Ruby, while Weiss was talking to her, with two table cloths set-up in front of her leader.

It would be Sky's whistle, in response to how everything was designed so far, that caught the attention of the two partners, their faces being etched with surprise to see the three brothers strolling in; Weiss appeared to be irritated by their presence, yet from poor judgement on the brother's part, they could not tell of this. "Mmph, this place is looking pretty gooooood, so far. You're all doing a nice job."

Sky's compliment, albeit not phasing her, was met with a somewhat low "Thanks," from Weiss, as she wrapped her arms under her chest, "but I'm positive the three of you aren't here just to give us praise."

Russel, noticing the venom behind that word- ignoring it, said, "Yeah, uh... you would be right, Weiss."

"So then what is it you three want?"

"... Uh..." Russel looked at his brother behind him, whom immediately motioned for him to continue on, prompting his to look back, into her ice-blue eyes with his own, "Weiss, you uh... would you like to go to the dance with me?" He could see brows on Ruby elevate, staring at his with wide eyes, before bringing her gaze to her partner, who merely stood still, no visible reaction on her face, no anything to give off a sense of how she felt.

Just as she opened her mouth to speak however, the blond, brawler of RWBY would step in, holding over her shoulder a massive speaker box, stating, "What?! Oh my God- you two would make such a cute couple together!" It was after that she recklessly set the speaker down, effectively disturbing the surface beneath everyone's own two feet, putting them off balance for a few seconds, as Yang went to wrap her arm around the pale Schnee. "Weiss! You should totally go out with him!"

"W-What are you going on about?!" Weiss incredulously inquired, pushing Yang away as she asked so, doing little to bother the blonde anyhow.

"It'd be so perfect! You, Weiss Schnee, a classy girl who grew up in a rich, fancy, powerful family, well-raised and well taught, expected to by daddy's perfect! While Russel is the bad boy that comes in, whom your dad absolutely loathes, woos you off your feet, giving you the thrill and excitement you so desperately crave in your boring life!"

"..."

"..."

"... W-What are you talking about?" Russel inquired, one brow raised, with a few beads of sweat rolling down the scorch-scarred side of his head. "I mean, keh heh- you sound insane, Yang."

"Aw, come Russel, you don't get it?"

"Get it? Get what? Is it a Vale thi-"

"-Look, Yang," Weiss cut him off, "I already told you this before, and I'll say it again if I have too: I already have someone in mind."

"O-Oh," hearing him, Weiss swiveled her head back to Thrush, a look of disappointed-acceptance washing over him, that somehow made it uncomfortable- more so than before- looking at him, "you have someone in mind already?"

Keeping herself to sound void of any emotion, Weiss, still staring straight at the one-eyed student replied. "Yes, Russel, that is what I said."

"If we guess who it is, will you tell us?" Sky jokingly asked, to be received with nothing but glances of irritation from Thrush and Schnee.

"Sky, shut up, okay?" Lark raised his hands, nervously smiling in response to Russel, before Yang came back in, teasingly so.

"Well, Russel, if Weiss doesn't want go out with you, then I'll accept your-"

"-Uh, actually Yang," being her turn to be cut off, Lark came in between the two, knowing where she was gonna go, meekly smiled as he said, "I was going to ask you if you wanted to go to the dance with me, actually."

"Ohhhhhh..."

"... Is that no?"

"No no! I-I'm not saying no, but I just-"

"-Yang," Ruby, somewhat scolding, called out her sister, "you were just talking about how Weiss should accept Russel's invitation, while you're starting to sound apprehensive with accepting Sky's invitation."

"Well, yeah- but this is different!"

"Oh? How is it different?" Weiss, mimicking her leaders tone, quizzed the blonde. "Do you already have someone in mind? Has someone else already asked you out? Or are you just disgusted by Sky and his scars?"

"N-No! It's none of that! I-I just..." Her violet eyes darted to her surroundings, her cheeks becoming her sister's namesake, her mind rapidly trying to come up with an excuse, all the while the three brothers watched the scolding, silently waiting as Yang finally sighed, her back hunching a bit before she straightened herself out, looked at Sky's dark blue eyes of the scared face to say, "... I'll think about your offer."

"Okay," Lark, with small enthusiasm expressed, nodding his head in satisfaction, "that's pretty good. At least I haven't been completely rejected like you." He directed the stated towards his burn-victim of a friend, visibly irking him, but barely.

Thrush would tell him to, "Shut up," plain and simple, as the two turned their back to start walking for the door, while Dove stood back, confused, prompting him to bring up the following.

"W-wait! I didn't get to-"

"-HEYOOO!" Only to be cut short as the doors flung open, revealing both Neptune and Sun, entering the ballroom. Their somewhat jokingly faces falling flat into seriousness when seeing three of the CRDL boys already in the area, as Sun questioned "What the heck are you three doing here?"

Sky, immediately on instinct, replied with, "I dunno, why does Neptune dye his hair an atrocious bright blue? Or, why do you constantly wear an open shirt?"

As smug as he can be, Sun answered with his teeth flashing, he and Neptune having stopped a few feet away from the brothers. "I grew up in Vacuo, it's a pretty hot place over there."

"Hmmmm... Okay, fair enough, let's go."

Just as Russel and Sky resumed for the door, Dove busted out, "Hold on! I never got to ask Blake out!"

"Oh shit, that's right." Russel turned around, just to see worried looks on the three members of RWBY, all sharing worried, yet also confused looks with one another, yet Dove did not see them, since being focused on his two brother, offended that they would easily forget about him. Though there was Sun and Neptune, exhibiting a near-identical expression when compared to the three behind Dove. "What? Did something happen to her?"

Sun, with caution, choosing to leave out one little fact, would say, "Uh... no, not really. It's just that Blake has been saying that she doesn't want to go the dance, so... yeaaaahhh..." Please don't how I know. Such a phrase would constantly repeat itself in his head, watching the brunette, narrow eyes staring straight into his soul, mouth as flat and thin as a mere line.

"... Oh, all right then." Just dismissive of him, Dove shrugged his shoulders, and thanked Sun for telling him. "If I didn't know that, I probably would have had to spend the whole day trying to find her, only to be told that. Thanks mate." He passed by the two exchange students, not bothering to look back when joining his brothers, not looking when joined by him, leaving, listening, as Sun and Neptune finally started to converse with the rest of RWBY, once feeling comfortable enough to do so...


"Woo boy, this where he is?"

"Yes, Sure-Shank, in Beacon tower, up top lies the office of the headmaster."

Leaving from under the streetlamp, one of many in the muddled, dark blue and bright orange that was the twilight, stood Richard, a decrepit, tanned, liver-spotted old man, bald, with his scraggly, scratch inducing beard of grey shades, almost standing at six feet, dressed in thick, hooded, rustic-brown robes that reached to his feet, lined with gold, and on the chest, a bird of similar design that would be found on the chest piece of Cardin's armor. On his back, attached to a strap over his shoulder, hung a great-sword, its silver hilt leading to a blade completely wrapped in stained bandages.

"Mmph, this place looks nice from the inside." By his side, as they entered the tower, was Sure-Shank, incredibly burly, standing well over six and a half feet. His hair, jet black, combed over his head, with a small ponytail on the back, so sleek that one would think of it to be filled with grease. His face, ridden with stubble and a bleached handlebar-mustache, with a small black patch on his chin, was rather long, yet somewhat strong, with high cheekbones, and eyes hidden by sunglasses. He clothing told people that he was a simple man, wearing a dark-green, button-up shirt, one size smaller than it should, beneath him he wore light brown khakis, and black dress shoes. He too carried a suit-case, as in the other hand was a mere metal sphere, tipped with a purple gem.

"Ah yes, well, anything out of Disown looks good to us, now wouldn't it?" Shank nodded his head, agreeing, as Richard pushed a button to open one of the elevator doors. "To the top we go." His wrinkled digit pressing the highest number, watching to doors close in front, listening to the elevator vibrate with life. "It's been quite awhile since I've been here; what such advancements they had made here. I wonder if the office is any the same as I remembered last being in it."

"They probably sold all of the shit you had in there before being sent to Disown, probably your weapon too."

"Ahh, I wonder what happened to it. Everyone was given back their own weapon when we became a vassal, except me. At least Ziz had provided with this one, before her own was returned."

"Hmph, all she gave you was a stick wrapped in toilet paper, old man. That damn thing would probably break when used against a modern weapon today."

"... You are probably right about that. I'm surprised she was able to find such an old blade to begin with."

PING

"Come in." Shank gave Richard one glance, a thick brow risen, before looking back. The two former prisoners exited the elevator, heading out in sight for Ozpin, sitting at his desk, looking up to see the two men before him. "Gentlemen, is there something I may help you with?"

"What? You don't recognize me?" Richard inquired innocently, to be met by the headmaster forehead furrowing, as he studied the features of the old man, his face, his blue eyes, his robes, focusing on the crest, gaining a sense of familiarity with the image of a golden bird. "I mean, I was sure you were student of the academy when I was running it."

Hazel eyes immediately shot back up, widen; it was all coming to him now. "... Richard Smoke?" The old man grinned, showing his yellowed teeth, a few missing. "My... it's been so long. The years could have done better for you."

"Ah hah, yes well, being sent to Disown changes one, both in body and soul." With knees shaking, Richard would take a seat in front of the headmaster's desk, his bones cracking; Shank would come to assist him with such a simple task.

"And I'm assuming you're... Sure-Shank, was it?"

"Yep, Sure-Shank," he sat his suitcase down to shake hands with the headmaster, his callous skin touching one-another before he sat himself down as well, "but you can call me Shank for short."

"Well then... Shank, Richard, I thank you two for stopping by my office so we could discuss about this... mission Ziz wants her children to go on."

"Yes, yes, I'm assuming you've read over the description?"

"I have, Richard, I have."

"... Well, do you have anything to say about it?"

"It's seems to be a mission suitable enough for first-years; guiding an archaeologist through newly discovered ruin could be a good start for those four to build their knowledge on how to properly escort a client. But, I can't help but think of how CRDL would react to being told that they won't get to choose what their first mission will be."

Shank was quick to speak up. "Oh no no, don't worry about that. Those boys are pretty easy-going with almost anything, hell, they only care about food most of the time. As long as they're packed, they'll be golden."

"... Hm, well, whether that may be the case or not, that also isn't my only concern about this mission. I couldn't help but notice that there being any mention of CRDL being accompanied a professional huntsman or huntress."

"Is that a problem, Ozpin? There isn't any... clear danger at the ruins. They are heavily guarded by soldiers and hunters alike, and Disown has been seeing a decline in Grimm-activity ever since it won the war. There isn't much danger there at the area that would call for a professional hunter to be present."

Soaking in the old-man's explanation, Ozpin smoothly replied. "I understand your point, Richard, but it is protocol for first year students to be accompanied by a professional hunter. I can't, against my ethic, let them go on their first mission without any supervision from one."

Instead of protesting, Sure-Shank, right on the dime, said, "Shit, I'll accompany them then."

"You?!" Richard, breathing heavily for a bit, turned in his seat, slightly grimacing, "You want to accompany them?"

"Yep."

"You're perfectly fine with going back down?"

"Mm-hm, just as long as I'm not alone down there, then I'll be fine."

"Is... there a reason for you to be uncomfortable in the ruins by yourself, Shank?"

Looking back at Ozpin, Shank said. "Oh, yeah, I just don't like to be down there by myself because the place is haunted." Richard's head fell, pinching the center of his brow, as Shank remained silent, ignoring the elder by him.

"... Haunted?"

"Yeah. As in... hearing voices, sounds, coming from nowhere, seeing strange lights and orbs, sometimes we'll see apparitions down there as well. It's nothing too dangerous like poltergeist or shit like that." Not as far as they were aware of. But Shank excluded that, waiting for Ozpin's response, as he sat stoic, not moving a muscle, while Richard still felt irritation, shaking his head, whistling air out.

"... I see. Well, that'll make for interesting mission, now wouldn't it?" He said, cracking a small smile, before continuing on. "Well, Sure-Shank, albeit I appreciate your offer. I'm... afraid I can't send you onto a mission with any student. The Council- of Vale- has... rather made it clear to me, in particular, that they don't want any hunters from Disown."

"Oh..."

"But, I do know of a man who'd be fascinated by such a mission..."


"All right guys! I got the suits!"

"Yaaaaay..." Russel longingly cheered, pumping his fists in a weak-fashion, as he lied on his back in his bed.

"Where'd you get them from?"

"I don't fucking know." Cardin crassly answered to Dove, laying his bags down onto the floor, near his bed. "So, did you guys get your dates?"

"Weiss said she already had someone in mind."

"Yang said she'll think about it."

"Blake doesn't want to go to the dance at all."

Cardin smiled, taking in the deflated answers he got, moaning nervously. "So... does that mean you guys aren't going to the dance?"

"..."

"..."

"... I don't know Cardin, how about you just show us the suits first." Cardin would do as Russel said, just staring at him with worry for a few seconds, exhaling and crouching down to take the suits out, one by one, presenting them on his own bed for his brothers to examine, all double-breasted, all with shawl-lapels, with their own ties. At least that's what the sales-person told Cardin, who did not have a clue of what any of those words meant. "... Are you fucking shitting?"

"Excuse me?"

"Cardin... those suits are abso-fucking-lutely hideous." With cruelty, Russel stated, "I mean, baby-blue? Light orange? Fucking plaid and- what is that, mint green?"

"Yeah, the mint green one is mine, actually, I liked it. So I got it in my size; the other three are your sizes."

"Fucking- why? Why Cardin? Why did you waste lien on this shit You could have just bought normal black suits for all of us. Why do you have to fucking botch the simplest of-"

"-Quick being such a dick, Russel." Dove commanded his brother, getting up from his bed to examine the suits up close, soon to place his hand on the light-orange piece. "I mean... I like this one, it looks nice."

"I call dibs on the plaid." Sky proclaimed, as he plucked it from the bed and held it up to his body, trying to get a sense of how it would look on him. Meanwhile, Russel just stared at him, looking as if he had just witnessed one of the most offensive acts humanity could ever achieve.

"Are you two kidding me? This stuff looks like shit! Hell- the two of you were earlier today throwing hissy-fits about not wanting to fucking go to the dance! Now both of you are just-" Thrush was met with the baby-blue suit being thrown on him by Cardin, covering his head.

"Yeah, well, there's your suit Russel, deal with it." Out of spite, Russel threw it down onto the floor with spite, as Cardin watched, his stare void except of contempt.

"Russel... pick that up now."

"..."

"I paid money for that Rus, pick it up now."

"..." Feeling his neck twitch, Cardin went to pick up the suit himself, to slowly, and gently, put it back on top of Russel's head, as Sky and Dove snickered.

"There you go, all patched u- OOFFF!" Russel would proceed to tackle Cardin onto the room's floor, resulting in the two brothers to end up wrestling one another for dominance. As one would expect, Cardin easily got the upper hand once he recovered, quickly locking his arm around Russel's neck, laughing as he watched the lithe boy struggle in chagrin.

"Say uncle you little bitch."

Knock knock knock

"Fuck you! Fuck you, you fat cunt!"

No one, save for Sky, heard the knocking on their door. And so without even looking through the peephole, as Dove watched his two brother still wrestle on another, Lark opened the door, only to say, somewhat nasally, "Awww hell yeah!" Catching the attention of his brothers.

"What? Who's there Sky?" Cardin inquired the halberdier, who moved aside to let in Sure-Shank and Richard. "Oh shit! Hey fellas!" Cardin would release Russel, leaving him on the floor while he and Dove greeted the two men with handshakes and hugs. "What the hell are you two doing here?"

"Ah, Cardin my boy," Richard started, taking the task himself to just sit onto Cardin's bed, resting his old bones, "we just came to visit you four to deliver some news."

"News? What kind of news?"

Sure-Shank answered Dove, smoothly informing him as such: "We came here to tell you four about your first mission you'll be going on."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"... Going on? I thought we get to pick the mission we go on."

"Well, normally Cardin, you'd be right about that. But..."

"..."

"... You're mother felt as if this would be perfect for you four to go on as your first mission."

"And what does she want us to do exactly?" Inquired Thrush, having stood himself up, brushing his vest, yet still paying attention to Richard as he went on.

"Well, my boys, a... little while ago, about a month or so. Some of the miners in the Whitefury Mine, made an... rather impressive discovery. That... of an entrance, that leads into an... underground city of sorts, ancient, abandoned, and incredibly large. The mind ended being converted into a site for us to delve into and explore."

"Oh shit, really? Did you guys find any cool down there?"

"Oh Dove, oh..." Richard started to rub his mouth, smacking his lips before exhaling. "We've been finding so much down there, skeletons, pottery, paintings, flimsy records, why, trust me when I say this: you won't believe what's been hiding under Disown all this time. It will surely rewrite everything we've known about our history as a species."

"That sounds fucking awesome! I wanna go explore some ancient ruin-shit!"

"It does sound pretty neat." Cardin would nod in agreement to Sky and Dove, finding the idea of going down into some underground city-of-sorts of an ancient civilization to be quite exhilarating, if it were really to have an impact on human history. Russel however, albeit finding the idea fascinating, was not as nearly excited as his brothers.

"Ah, but there's one thing you're forgetting Richard. The ruins are haunted." Like that, all of the smiles faded into confusion, skepticism, if one would. Among, Russel would scoff in amusement.

"You kidding me? Haunted? As in what? Footsteps? Voices coming from nowhere? Seeing people who are half-invisible? That kind of bullshit?"

"... Well, yeah, pretty much that Russel."

"... So it's really haunted then? Is he bullshitting us Richard?" The whole time, Richard was focused on the floor until Thrush called for him, making the old man look up, looking hollow as he stared dead into Russel's only eye. "Richard?"

A toothy grin. "Keheh, I... I never really did finish listing everything we've been finding in the ruins now, did I. Thrush?"

"..."

"I do hope it doesn't... discourage any of you, the thought of... facing the unknown, but just kn-"

"-It's sound awesome!" Cardin would cut Smoke off, at a volume that made the old man flinch a bit, gritting his yellowed, remaining teeth. "Sorry, sorry. It's just we've been so bored here that anywhere else but Beacon would sound like an exciting place to be."

"Hmph, does every one of you agree with him?" Sure-Shank got a confident yep from Sky, Dove firmly nodding his head smiling, yet saw Russel, with a mere roll of his eye.

"Yeah, sounds better than staying at Beacon, I guess." He got up from his bed, heading for the door.

Cardin asked, "Where you going?"

And he would lie, "I'm just gonna get a snack from the dining hall. I'll be back."

"Okay." Close and shut, as his footsteps were muffled by the walls...


Just tell her exactly what you said. No ridiculous schemes, no pick-up lines. Just... be honest.

Jaune would recite that to himself in his head, as he traversed throughout the academy, the night, starry sky with the broken moon above, and lamp posts, guiding him, as with each his step he took threatening to become that of joyous skipping from his new-found confidence, as with him he held a white rose, its plain petals acting as a fine service for the moonlight to be deflected off.

This is it, he would think to himself. Just tell her, just tell Weiss, how you feel- honestly feel about her. Present her with the rose, colored as her own being's sake, and inform her that you are simply enamored by the most gorgeous girl you had ever laid eyes upon, that her knowledge, her skill, her gracefulness, her melancholy-inducing voice, is all that you could think about, and that all you want is for her to go to the dance.

Perfection, a plea filled with raw emotion, Jaune would think to himself. And if she still rejects, then at least he can have peace knowing that at least he got all of it off of-

"-OOFFF!" Just at the entrance of a hallway, Jaune bumped into a student who had just turned the corner to hit chests with the blond, love-stricken boy. As both fell down to their rumps, Jaune could see who it was indeed. "Damn- Jaune, watch where you're going!"

"S-Sorry Russel! I was just busy thinking..." He trailed off, as both of the first-years pushed themselves up onto their feet, stretching anything that took the worst of the brunt.

"About what, exactly?"

"I... uh..." Russel's mildly agitated stare was brought down to the white rose in the hand of JNPR's leader. "Well, you see, I-"

"-Neptune!" Right as Arc heard that voice, in the skip of a heart beat, he hid himself by ducking behind the columns outside of the hallway, meanwhile, fueling his ire, pulled Russel down with him.

"H-He-" To be quickly muffled by the blond's own gloved hand, prompting the Thrush boy to about give the Arc a proper thrashing, until he noticed Weiss run by, missing the two out of her eyesight. Both of them would peak their heads around the corner, watching as a now stopped Neptune was being confronted by the Schnee girl.

"Oh, uh, hey, what's up?"

"I know this is a little unorthodox, but... I wanted to ask you something." The two would watch, the realization of what she was going to say slowly creeping up on them as Weiss put her own hands behind her back, trying her darnest to look as sweet as possible. For Thrush, a second realization would come to him, as he took note of the look of dread that was imprinted onto his face. "Would you like to accompany me to the dance tomorrow?"

That was it. That was when Jaune could not take it anymore and quietly walked away, leaving behind both his white rose and Russel, whom remained for but a moment to watch Neptune act like a buffoon, nervously rubbing the back of his head. Then Thrush, looking down at the rose, then towards the demoralized Jaune, quickly went and plucked the fallen flower, before running to Arc, missing what Neptune would have to say.

"H-Hey! Jaune! Hold up!"

"..."

"Jaune... you were going to ask her out, weren't you?"

"... Y-Yeah... I was."

"Tch, well... shit man, I'm... sorry, bro."

"... Thanks..."

"..."

"... I was going to tell her how I feel, how I really felt for her, you know. I was going to tell Weiss that she's the most beautiful woman I've ever seen in my life. That her talents, her intelligence, her voice- her singing is just amazing, her... -GAH- fuck! I w-was gonna tell her everything. But... but I guess she had someone else in mind."

Just as she said earlier to Russel.

"... Well, I'm sorry Jaune, I can't imagine how you're feeling right now, but..."

"..."

"... Jaune, what would you say, if I told you that there is a girl, close to you, that looks up to you with admiration, just as much as you looked up to Wei"

"Russel, just... j-just shut up, okay? I'm just going back to my room, where I can just go to slee-"

"-What if, I told you, that there is a girl, on your team, that feels to you just as how you feel towards Weiss. That she looks up to you everyday, constantly, always visibly longing for you, everyday, as your dense-ass head completely ignores it somehow."

"... Russel, just leave, me, alone. I don't want to-"

"-You stupid idiot- JAUNE! What if I told you that your partner wants you all to herself, Jaune!"

"... P... Pyrrha?"

"Yeah, Miss Perfect herself. Mistral champion and celebrity, Pyrrha Nikos, wants you Jaune."

"H... how do you know? Huh? How the hell do you know?!"

"I know she does, Jaune, you dumb, thick, oblivious CUNT! Because everyday, every-FUCKING-day, as your thick, fucking skull doesn't acknowledge it, Pyrrha looks at you with the biggest puppy dog eyes I've ever seen. Like holy shit Jaune, my team, my brothers, we're constantly dumbfounded by the fact that you've been able to go through this whole semester without noticing the longing-glances Pyrrha gives you! And I'm pretty sure Ren, Nora, and all of fucking RWBY notices it too! YET I guess none of them have the common sense of telling you about it!"

"..."

"Jaune... listen to me. Pyrrha likes you, she respects you, she probably finds every little quirk about you adorable, and it makes her want you. Yet every tie she sees you, or hears you, talking about Weiss, about how much you admire her, it probably makes Nikos feel exactly the same way how you just felt when listening to Weiss ask Neptune out."

"... Is.. I-Is it r-really true?"

"It's about as true as the fact that fire took my own eye, Jaune."

"... But, but... Pyrrha. We've... we've been friends this whole time. She... she told me to go tell Weiss how I really felt about her."

"She probably did that because just as much as she finds you adorable, she probably wants you to be happy. Yet here you are, your heart shattered, when you didn't even GET to ask Weiss out."

"... Why wouldn't Pyrrha ever tell me about how she feels about me then, huh? Why hasn't she ever told me?"

"... Why? I don't know. Maybe she's more of a coward than either of us thought. But, you know what you can do right now, Jaune?"

"Ask... ask her out? To the dance?"

"Well aren't you Captain Obvious."

"What... well- what am I suppose to even say to Pyrrha? After everything she did for me?"

"What do you say?" Outside of the door to JNPR's own room, they stopped, as Russel took Jaune's hands, and placed the fallen white rose into his palms, while whispering. "Tell her that you changed your mind, and that you'd much rather take her to the dance than Weiss."

Whispering as well. "What... what if she asks me why I want to take her though?"

"Don't worry about it Jaune, it'll work. I promise."

"..."

"Now go in there, and do it. Just... do it." With a pat on the back, and a firm nod of acceptance from Jaune, the Arc boy opened and closed the door, leaving Thrush to press his ear up against it.

"Hey Jaune! Did you ask Weiss out?"

"Uhm... no, not exactly."

"Oh..."

"..."

"... Well, it's okay Jaune, I-"

"-I didn't ask her out because... because Pyrrha."

"..."

"I realized there's someone I'd much rather take to the dance, and it's you."

"... Jaune."

"Pyrrha, will you go to the dance with me?"

"Oh... yes Jaune. I'll go to the dance with you."

A silent boo-yah was mouthed from the lips of Russel, who couldn't help but find himself smiling in the rare glee one has from helping others with their troubles, often absent from the humans or faunus of the modern-day

"Not bad Russel, not bad at all..." His footsteps, muffled by the walls...