Chapter 6

When Weiss sits across from me in the cafeteria the next day, it's accompanied by shocked stares and a flurry of whispered gossip.

I know, I know, it's totally crazy. Weiss Schnee, the high achieving, insufferable, friendless genius, and Jaune Arc, the clueless, talentless, incompetent hack are together. Or, well, at least spatially together, maybe not together–together, but still. The rumors practically write themselves.

"Aren't you supposed to be eating with Ruby?" I quip after she's settled.

Weiss rolls her eyes. "Do you see her anywhere around here?"

I scan the cafeteria. Plenty of tense and exhausted students, but no eye–catching red. "'No, actually," I concede. "That's odd. Wonder where she is?"

"Hiding from me, probably," Weiss drawls. "Are you sure she doesn't hate me?"

"I don't think Ruby could really hate anyone. Let alone you, princess."

Her eyebrow twitches violently. "What did you just call me?"

Uh oh. Bad mouth. Bad. "Snow angel?"

Worse mouth! Stop!

"As I thought. You are positively insufferable." She even might have meant it a week ago, but now I can detect the traces of amusement in her biting words. "But please don't call me that ever again."

"Which one?"

"Either."

"I dunno. That's a pretty tall order."

"I'm sure you can manage."

We fall into an awkward silence. The frenzied whispering around us rushes to fill the gap. It's kind of unnerving, actually. I mean, I've been the target of some gossip before, as "that dude with the faunus friend," but this is like five levels more intense. I swear half the school is studying me like a bug under a microscope.

If I thought anybody was saying anything positive, I might even be flattered. But I don't, so I'll just eat my pancakes and pretend I'm invisible, thank you very much.

"Did you know we have an exam today?" Weiss says, completely unperturbed by all the attention. She's probably lived her whole life with it.

Wait. What did she say?

"We do?" I gulp. She stares at me in open mouthed shock.

"What do you mean, 'we do?!' In Port's class, remember? Are you an idiot?"

Apparently yes, but that's beside the point. "I honestly don't remember hearing about one.."

"Then you better remember fast," Weiss snaps. "Practical exam. We're going to need to attack weak points on holographic grimm, remember?"

"... Nope. Not ringing a bell."

She unleashes a heavy sigh, sending a few loose strands of her fluttering away from her face. "I should have figured. At least you're not going to have to study too much, since it's a practical. But please try to overcome your natural incompetence. Your last performance was embarrassing."

That… actually kind of hurts. It must show on my face, because her glare suddenly softens into a remorseful grimace.

"Sorry," she mumbles. "That wasn't necessary. I'm just stressed."

I shrug. "You're not wrong."

"But I shouldn't have –"

"Jaaaaaauuuuuune!" a squeaky female voice interrupts our conversation. I don't even need to look to know that an energetic red blur is blazing its way towards me.

"Aaand I think I'm about to be even more stressed," Weiss quips, but her teeth work at her bottom lip as Ruby draws near. How cute. I think she's nervous.

"Sorry I'm late," Ruby plops down right next to me. "Qrow wasn't happy with my footwork this morning, so he –" She finally notices the table's other occupant, and her words trail off as her mouth forms a small 'o' in surprise.

"Oh dear," Weiss sighs.

"Weiss!" Ruby squeals. She throws herself headlong over the table, tackling the white haired girl with a ferocious hug. The heiress flails wildly to keep the both of them from tumbling to the ground. "I'msogladyou'reokayIwassoworriedthatIkilledyouandIfeelsobadwillyoueverforgiveme –"

"Get off of me, you deranged child!" Weiss screams futilely. She struggles to free herself from Ruby's death hug, but the tiny girl offers no mercy.

You know, it's actually really funny watching someone else fall victim to Ruby's affection.

Eventually, though, my humor wears off and I feel a little bit of pity for the hapless heiress. "You should probably let go, Ruby," I say. "I think you're choking her."

Abruptly, Ruby detaches herself, leaving Weiss gasping for breath in relative peace. "Oh! I'm really sorry –"

"Don't you dare start apologizing again," Weiss interrupts. "Once was quite enough, thank you very much." She turns away, suddenly uncomfortable with Ruby's eyes. "Besides… I have a lot more to apologize for than you do."

"You didn't almost kill me," Ruby points out.

Weiss waves a hand dismissively. "An accident. I brought it upon myself, anyways." She hesitates again. "All the things I did to you were… very much deliberate. So I'm – I'm sorry. For that."

There are several long seconds while Ruby processes her words. Weiss grows tenser by the moment, until I'm certain her spine will snap under the pressure.

"... What did you do to me again?" Ruby finally asks. Weiss's hand meets her face with a resounding smack.

"Why do I even bother."

"I really don't remember anything," Ruby muses. "But if you forgive me, and I guess I forgive you even though I have no idea what you're talking about, does that make us friends now?"

Weiss lets out an agonized sigh. "I suppose. Unfortunately."

"Woohoo!" Ruby cheers. "My first friend!"

"Hey!" I cut in, voice laced with false hurt. "What about me?"

Ruby flutters her hand at me dismissively. "You're my fiancée. You don't count."

"Ouch. Not even married and she's already tired of me."

Weiss's head snaps between the two of us. "M–married?!" she sputters. "Wait, the two of you are engaged?"

"Not entirely by choice," I comment. Ruby nods her head in agreement.

"Could be worse, though." She smirks at me. "You're ok, I guess."

"Of all the traits you could have picked up from me," I moan, "sarcasm is not one that I want."

Weiss must have given up trying to make sense of anything, because her hand meets her face once more. "You know what? I don't want to know. Neither of you make any sense whatsoever. You're a match made in heaven."

"I think she's saying mean things about us," I stage–whisper to Ruby.

"It's not very nice of her," she stage–whispers back.

"Stop doing that!"

::-::-::

Turns out, karma doesn't take long to slap me across the face for teasing Weiss, because Port's class comes far too soon after we finish breakfast.

Instead of the usual classroom, Port bundled us into a large, dimly lit space of nothing but empty floor. I study the line of students at my right and left, my hands sweaty with anticipation of the ordeal to come.

"Attention!" Port barks, and we all snap to ramrod straightness. He strolls up and down the line, expression masked behind his characteristic half squint.

"Eh," he finally declares, "good enough. Alright, cadets. Practical exam. You know the drill. Holographic grimm, hit the weak points as quickly as possible. Same stuff as high school, except ten times harder. You'll be graded on speed and accuracy, which you would know if you've been paying attention in class."

Urk. Ok, I've been kinda tired recently, but did I seriously miss him talking about this entirely?

And what's this about 'just like high school?' I certainly didn't do anything like this. I glance at Ruby, but she radiates nothing but excitement. Maybe you had to take special classes if you were expected to have high aura?

Flat, silver discs whir into position across the ground, coming to rest at wide intervals between each other. The holograms, I'm sure. We all march forward to claim one for ourselves. Or reluctantly stumble into place, at least. Which might just be me.

The discs hum to life, dispersing swirling pillars of light blue particles in front of us.

"Get ready!" Port roars. I grasp Crocea Mors in shaking hands, the sound of my own heart drowning out the noise around me as others prepare themselves.

"Begin!"

The light in front of me rapidly coalesces into the lithe, musclebound form of a beowolf. Even in its intangible state, it cuts an imposing figure, and when it drops into a crouch I instinctively turtle behind my shield.

Then it lunges, and everything I've learned in the past few weeks flies from my mind.

What follows is probably the worst performance on a practical exam in the history of Beacon. I flail left and right in sheer panic, the beowolf's luminescent claws slashing streams of blue through where I stand. Even though the details escape me, I remember enough of the lessons to know my own blows land uselessly on what would be the most armored areas of the grimm. If this was a real battle, I would be dead in a heartbeat. I know the neck is a weak point, but the arms get in the way… what else was a good target? How do you break past the guard?

Oops. I'm dead again.

Abruptly, the beowolf disappears, but it's only a few moments until it's replaced with an alpha variant. Great. As if I wasn't having enough trouble already. The neck is still a weak point, isn't it? But one the beowolf variants actually were actually the most armored at the neck. Which one was it? Wait, that doesn't help, because I still can't –

And now I'm dead yet again. This really isn't going well, is it?

::-::-::

There's good news and bad news that comes after the exam. The good news is that since everything is electronic, we get instant feedback. No need to wait for our performances to be graded – the evaluation is sent immediately to your scroll, with tips on what to improve.

The bad news is, well, we get instant feedback. Which means I know my grade.

And I'm pretty sure 23% is failing.

"Jaune!" Ruby appears at my elbow, silver eyes peering over my arm at the scroll in my hand. "How'd you do?"

I scramble to hide the screen from her, but her tenacity is boundless, and I give up. She's going to find out eventually anyways. "Bad. Very bad, actually."

When she sees my score, her eyes widen. "Oh."

"Yeah."

"Um, well, there's always next time, right?"

"I don't know if that one will be any better," I mourn. "Enough about me. How'd you do?"

When she glances away guiltily and falls into her signature shuffling, I know that our results will be night and day. "A little bit better?"

"Just tell me, Ruby," I sigh. "I won't be mad."

"Ninety seven percent," she blurts out.

It takes me a bit to find my voice. "What? That's amazing!" Probably top of our class, or at least pretty close to it.

I'm happy for her. She gets a lot of crap and abuse, after all, so it's good to see that–

Look at you, you perfect little genius. Isn't it nice being talented?

–she's starting to find her stride, starting to do really well.

"Is it?" She scratches the back of her head, cheeks faintly pink. "I was scared it was low."

"No, definitely not. Trust me. I know what low is."

Our dialogue is cut short when the snappy click of heels on tile signals the arrival of a certain white haired heiress. She sighs next to me, face preemptively placed in one palm. "How badly did you fail?"

I hand my scroll to her without a word. Her response is a strangled choke that would put a dying chicken to shame.

"How – how do you even manage that?!"

"Raw talent?"

"I can't believe you." She studies me with cold eyes. "You need help. Badly."

"That's definitely one way to put it."

"So it's a good thing you know me," she proclaims. Ruby and I stare at her in mirrored puzzlement.

"Sorry?" I stutter.

"Believe it or not, I was an excellent tutor back in Atlas. I'll whip you into shape in no time flat."

I mean, we kind of have the best teachers in the world already trying to do that. I'm not really sure how much it will help–

"Meet me after class in one of the training rooms," Weiss continues, confidently ignoring any of my potential protests. "I'll text you the number once I get it."

"Um, hang on a sec–"

"No excuses!"

I sigh in exasperation as she marches off. "She's impossible."

Ruby chuckles. "She means well, at least. I think."

"I don't even know."

"If it makes you feel better, I'll come too. Um, if that's ok?"

I glance at her in surprise. "You sure?"

"Yeah! It'll be fun."

"Oh. Uh, great! Sounds… yeah, great." Smooth, Jaune. Real smooth. "Thanks. It'll be nice not to suffer alone."

"Suffer?" She teases. "Come on. Training with two cute girls! How bad can it be?"

… Hang on. Is that something my fiancée should be joking about?

"Let's just get going," I stumble onwards. Even someone as dense as me can tell that's some dangerous territory, that. "Long day, you know. Weiss will come later."

::-::-::

The day's work isn't nearly as long as I had hoped, and before I know it, judgement day arrives. I'm not exactly enthusiastic to go, and by the time Ruby and I make our way into the training room, Weiss is already there, foot beating an impatient rhythm into the ground.

"If I'm going to be taking the time to train you," she snaps, "the least you can do is show up on time."

"Sorry," I mumble, but the apology is halfhearted at best. "There's a lot of other work I still have to do."

"I know. I do too, but you really need to improve your combat scores or you're going to be in huge trouble."

I don't understand her concern. I mean, for almost everyone else at this school, mastering these skills is a matter of life and death, but I don't exactly have that pressure. If I want to do well, that's pretty much on me. And if I don't? No one else is going to suffer for it.

But in her own way, I think Weiss is trying to show that she cares.

"Yeah. Alright. Sorry."

She sighs, face in palm. "Don't bother apologizing if you don't mean it. I suppose it's partially my fault for dragging you into it at all."

"No, it's good for me. Thanks for – well, forcing me, I guess."

"Don't worry. Bossing people around is one of my many talents." She gestures towards the center of the room. "Come on. There's plenty of other work to do, so let's get through this fast."

As I move to obey, a flash of red out of the corner of my eye startles me. Right. Ruby was here. I catch her eye, and she favors me with a small smile.

"Honestly," I admit, "I kinda forgot you were here. What's so funny?"

"Nothing," she chirps. "I'm just glad to see the two of you getting along."

"I don't need commentary on our friendship, please," Weiss snarls. "Now pay attention!"

"Yes ma'am," Ruby and I chime in unison.

Weiss nods in approval. "That's more like it." She stares at the two of us, brow twisted into a pensive frown. "Right. Believe it or not, the two of you have the same weakness: you're both completely uncontrolled. It's sloppy and slow." She glances at Ruby. "Well, sloppy and slow-er, at least."

"Glynda says the same thing," I confirm. Ruby nods as well.

"So does Qrow. It's probably because we were never trained before."

Weiss arches one delicate eyebrow. "At all? That would explain it. Neither of you would know the basics, and there's a lot for your instructors to cram in to catch you up… Wait, how did you even get into Beacon then?"

"Luck," I say. And I'm not sure if it's the good or bad kind.

"It's kinda a long story," Ruby says simultaneously.

"Good," Weiss interrupts, "because I just realized I don't want to know. You two give me enough of a headache as is."

Ruby huffs, face dropping into a childish pout. If Weiss notices, she gives no sign.

"Well, it doesn't matter. As far as I'm concerned, both of you are raw beginners, and that means we're starting with footwork."

"Ew," Ruby comments. "Sounds boring."

Weiss glowers at her. "If I want your opinion, I will ask for it. Footwork is the basis of all combat. If you can't move, you can't win, and more efficient footwork allows you to move faster."

Ruby, even faster? Now that's a terrifying thought.

"I'm going to show you some drills," Weiss continues, "and watch carefully, because I'm going to be even more annoyed if I have to repeat myself."

::-::-::

Weiss gives up on Ruby within ten minutes. The younger girl's just way too energetic and free spirited, and Weiss's signature brand of icy control is completely incompatible. Who knows. Maybe barely controlled chaos is the price of Ruby's unbelievable semblance. Maybe it is physically impossible for her to exhibit more restraint. Or maybe it's just her personality.

What Ruby lacks in comparability with Weiss's style, however, she makes up in enthusiasm. Under the heiress's capable, if strict, instruction the two of us make deft maneuvers around the room. It's awkward at first, working on minimizing my motion and keeping my balance, but as time draws on it becomes more and more natural. Weiss must be satisfied with my progress, because after a while she pits me against Ruby in partnered drills, where the two of us vie for position. Her longer range means she wants to keep me at her maximum reach, while my goal is either to get in close or to stay so far away I'm out of danger. Needless to say, Ruby has the far easier time of it.

I swear, semblances are cheating.

It's grueling, exhausting work, but exhilarating as well. I'm improving, really improving, and I can feel it. Maybe, just maybe, I can succeed in this training. Maybe I won't have to be a failure forever. Maybe –

I slip and fall.

My world erupts into chaos. Maybe it's because I'm exhausted from a long day and Weiss's demanding drills, maybe it's just my signature random bad luck, or maybe it's just the universe having a laugh at my expense, but for whatever reason, my feet completely give way from underneath me, and I lurch forward with all the grace of a drunken rhinoceros.

Right as Ruby darts forward.

There's a heavy impact against my chest that drives the breath from my lungs, accompanied by a soft cry of pain, but it's not nearly enough to stop my momentum. I hit the floor with a heavy thud, arms thrust out in a desperate attempt to keep from crushing Ruby beneath me. A jarring shock shoots up my bones as my limbs meet the hardwood floor, narrowly missing her head, but it's enough to break my fall. I begin to apologize, to get back on my feet and help her up, but as my eyes meet hers the words die in my throat and my muscles freeze in open rebellion to my brain's commands.

The first thing I notice is our faces are close. Very close. Closer than they've ever been. I can feel her breath on my face, short and warm from the exertion we've put ourselves through. Thin beads of sweat glisten on her flawless skin, leaving transparent trails from where her bangs form messy curls across her forehead, drawing my vision to her eyes like magnetic rails.

And what eyes. I knew they were silver, but up close, I'm blown away by the intensity of the shade. They're almost unnatural: a soft, shimmering kind of white–grey that glows with inner light. They contrast beautifully with the dark burgundy of her eyelashes. Did all girls have such long lashes? Or just Ruby?

I'm not sure. I never noticed.

My gaze trails down with a mind of its own, until her petite nose gives way to thin, pink lips, and then to the contours of her chin, and even lower, where the delicate ridge of her collarbone peeks above the neckline of her shirt.

And then–

No.

I'm not going there.

I'm not.

I jerk backwards like I've been burned, practically falling over myself in my haste to get away. Weiss rushes over at the same time Ruby sits up with a pained groan.

"Ow."

"Are you alright?" Weiss asks, rare concern bleeding into her tone. "That was a bad fall."

"Fine." My response is curt, my heart still pounding. Did neither of them notice? Or did they just not care? Am I just going crazy? Just imagining things? Because that? That wasn't just a bad fall. That was–

That was–

Was–

Was what, Jaune?

Almost a bad accident, that's what. Of course. I'm just overreacting. Nobody was hurt, nothing happened, and everything's fine–

But something did happen, Jaune.

–and gee, all things considered, that was really lucky. I mean, we really could have been hurt. In multiple ways. And when it comes down to it, Ruby's just a kid, so I really gotta be more… careful. Because if something, you know, happened, I would really hate that.

Don't delude yourself. Something did happen, and the problem isn't that you hated it.

The problem is that you liked–

Because I'm older. I'm the adult. It's my job to be careful, not hers. Sure, it's only two years, but a lot happens in two years, you know. I just gotta be more careful, that's all. But one accident is ok. It would be ok if something happened, that is. Which nothing did.

"Jaune?" The mere sound of Ruby's voice is enough to make my heart leap into my throat. She leans towards me, trying to catch my attention even though my gaze is averted. I dodge her attempt. "You don't look great. Are you okay?"

"Fine!" I snap. "I said I was fine!"

She recoils away from me. "Okay. Sorry. I just wasn't sure."

Come on Jaune. What are you doing? It's not her fault you're freaking out about something that definitely didn't happen. No need to bite her head off.

Although seriously, is she not bothered in the slightest?

"Thanks for checking," I offer as a meagre apology, but I'm not ready for more. Not yet. "I just can't believe I just fell. I mean, sure, I'm clumsy, but that–"

Purely by coincidence, at that moment, my hand brushes the patch of ground that I had slipped on, and the surprise chokes the words in my mouth. It's not simple glossy wooden floor. It's slippery and vaguely wet, like a thick fog over a twilight swamp. But more importantly then that? It's cold.

Icy cold.

My head snaps toward Weiss, a furious glare boring a burning accusation straight through her. When the heiress refuses to meet my challenge, my suspicion only intensifies.

"Weiss," I growl. "Something you want to tell us?"

She's spared a response when the room's intercom crackles, drawing all of our attention toward it. "Jaune Arc and Ruby Rose," Professor Goodwitch's voice rings out in a distorted crackle, "please report to the headmaster's office immediately."

I'm on my feet before the sentence is even finished. Ruby mirrors my movement. It's never a good idea to keep Professor Goodwitch waiting.

Before we leave, however, I fire a last few words off at where Weiss still kneels on the ground, face downcast.

"Just so you know, I'm going to have a few questions later."

Ruby tugs on my sleeve. "Come on, Jaune. We better hurry." She glances nervously at where the intercom sits with silent innocence against the wall. "I… it's just a feeling, but I think something really, really bad is coming."

I can't help but feel she's right.

::-::-::

By the time I reluctantly creak the door to the headmaster's office open, the dread has only intensified. My palms are so thick with sweat that the smooth brass handles slip through them, and it takes several tries before I manage to get a grip. The sight that awaits me only confirms my fear.

I haven't seen the headmaster's office before, but it follows the same general decor as the rest of Beacon: smooth, spartan, and functional. He has the same dull wooden desk and stacked bookshelves as the rest of the faculty, with the only sign of his status being a lush green carpet. What really unnerves me, however, are the three people that ring the desk: headmaster Ozpin, professor Goodwitch, and an imposing giant of a man I've only seen in pictures.

"General Ironwood," Ruby gasps beside me.

"Miss Arc." His voice is ice over black water. "I hardly expected to ever meet you here." His twist on her name does not go unnoticed. Glynda glares at him, but says nothing.

"James," the headmaster warns. He does not raise his voice, but his quiet authority radiates from him in such intense waves that it shadows even Ironwood. "Please."

The general complies, but his displeasure is palpable.

Ozpin turns his attention to me, and I'm horribly conscious of my sweaty training clothes and wildly unkempt hair.

"Thank you for coming on such short notice, Mister Arc," he says. "I'm afraid this was a matter of grave importance."

"It's no problem, headmaster," I bluster. His serene grace is in some ways even more intimidating than Ironwood's anger. He's unreadable, but I'm certain there's disappointment lurking behind that gentle smile. "I'm sorry we couldn't be more presentable."

"That's hardly your fault. We gave you no time to ready yourself."

"Headmaster," Ruby pipes up uncertainly. "Why are we here? Did we do something wrong?"

He settles back into his chair. Never once does his gaze leave ours. "Not exactly, little one. If anything, the fault is our own."

The pressure is so intense that I can hardly stand on my shaking knees. What do I say? There – there's probably… something? But I –

Before I can panic further, Ruby comes to my rescue. "What do you mean?" She tries to put on a brave front, but she sounds every bit as terrified as I feel, and the sidelong glances she sends at Ironwood leave little doubt as to the source.

"Allow me to make the purpose of this meeting perfectly clear," the general barks. "Your entrance into Beacon was a gross abuse of faculty power and a mockery of the laws that hold our society together. Furthermore, Jaune Arc, your performance thus far is a disgrace to this prestigious academy and an insult to your city. By agreement of the Headmaster of Beacon and myself as the Chairman of the Vale Council, the two of you are hereby expelled from Beacon Academy."

Glynda flies to her feet from the chair that she was sitting in, unable to contain her wrath. "This is hypocrisy at its finest, James! You want law? She's sixteen, she shouldn't have her report for another two years! And don't you dare forget that you promised me–"

"My promises were contingent on the fact that they would be excellent students!" Ironwood interrupts with a furious roar. "Not a talentless fool and a whimsical child!" He stalks forward and leans down, until his face is only inches from Glynda's. She stares back unflinchingly. "Do not push me further. This foolish flaunting of your position should never have been allowed."

Talentless fool. He's… he's right. I never should have been here. But to expel Ruby too? Maybe she's innocent and childish, but she works so, so hard, and she could be amazing someday and she wants more than anything to be here and why is she caught up in all of this?

"Please, sir," I utter in a hoarse, horrified rasp. "We're trying our best, but it's just taking time and –"

"Your best, Mister Arc, is absolutely atrocious!" In the blink of an eye, the general is before me, and I backpedal desperately to escape from his presence, but he matches every step. "And your effort is meaningless. You –" he jabs a finger into my chest, before turning on the petrified Ruby. "And you – were never meant to be here. What use is effort, if it's applied towards the wrong thing? Because of you, two excellent, promising, prepared applicants may very well be denied the training they deserve. All so you could enact your abhorrent desires."

Glynda marches up to him, hand raised as if to strike him, but Ozpin halts her assault.

"Glynda!" His voice is sharp, so unlike the polished veneer of before. She backs away, but her eyes spit fire.

"I'm sorry, you two," the headmaster says to us. "But though I may disagree with the general, he is not incorrect. It saddens me, but I must insist that you leave this academy. Pack your things, please. You shall be gone tomorrow morning."

::-::-::

A/N:

Screw this chapter. Beacon is where my fics go to die, which is why this one was so delayed. And I don't really want this one to die, so there you go.

Anyways, plot twist at the end, I guess. Mad props to anyone who saw it coming, because I sure didn't. Outlined everything I planned in this story, decided I hated it, and revised it completely, which is why this update is so delayed. I'm much happier with the story's direction, though, which is good news for future updates.

More importantly: season four hype? Yes please. (And so much fodder for Lancaster… It's probably a bait, but for now, I'll embrace the illusion)