Disclaimer: RWBY is owned by Rooster Teeth and Monty Oum, not me. This is merely a fanwork meant for entertainment purposes only. Cover image courtesy of Jan Chrt (jeni-cek on deviantART). All rights reserved.
Many things in life frustrated Weiss. Her father, Professor Port's lectures, undercooked hot dogs...but nothing quite compared to sitting on a perfectly functional business and not being able to use it.
"Been doing it up?" Cardin asked, looking curiously around the room with his mace slung across his shoulder, "A bit much, if you ask me, but I guess I've never been a fan of art."
Weiss had certainly been busy since the meeting in the cafeteria. The formerly bare walls of Project Alpha's second floor had been cleanly and precisely decorated by a variety of beautiful paintings, one for each 'sector' of the room. One was a lovely watercolour depicting a couple walking through a street, several autumnal trees by their side being illuminated by street lamps. Another was an abstract piece, seeming much like random bits of colour to Cardin, but to the more artistically inclined, it supposedly portrayed the anguish of the human condition. Lastly was the painting in Weiss' sector. While it appeared to be a rather simple, if well done, shoulders-up portrait of a young woman with piercing light blue eyes, Cardin had a feeling that there must have been more to the picture than that for Weiss to put it in her own booth.
"I suppose it's not for everyone." Weiss replied simply, moving her motley collection of pens around the desk, "Still, whether you are vulnerable to its charms or not, a good piece of art truly completes a room such as this. It...gives it a certain kind of peace that an office needs, in my opinion."
"I don't really see it, but sure, whatever. Not like I ever did much interior design or anything."
Finally content with the organisation of her desk, Weiss soon had to confront the reality of having nothing to do for several hours while the rest of the students finished their last day at Beacon...well, until the holidays were over, at least. It was only by the grace of Professor Ozpin that Weiss herself wasn't stuck in the classroom; according to him, preparing for the first real day of business was 'more important than we teachers giving ourselves a pat on the back'. Unfortunately, after preparing the job board, attending to the cleanliness of the main hall and decorating the second floor, she had a good few hours left and nothing in particular to do with them. Nevertheless, as Cardin made a cursory examination of the abstract painting, an idea began to form in Weiss' mind.
"Cardin?"
"Yeah?"
"It'll still be a fair amount of time until Aurora officially opens, and I think I'm about as prepared as I'm going to get. Would you like to accompany me outside?"
"Accompany you?" Cardin asked, raising an eyebrow, "We going somewhere nice?"
"I hope so. There's this ice cream parlour near here that Nora told me about...Orin's, was it? She said they stock some unusual varieties there, and I've been meaning to drop by for a while now, but…"
"Life got in the way of living?"
"Something like that, yes." Weiss said, smiling, "So what do you think, Cardin? Want to come with me?"
"You signed me up as your bodyguard, Weiss; whether I like it or not, I'm coming with you anyway. Still, I guess going for an ice cream date sounds nice enough." Cardin finished, winking roguishly.
"Hmph, how presumptuous!" Weiss exclaimed, "As much as you might wish it to be, this isn't a date, Cardin. It's an...outing."
"Whatever you say." Cardin replied dubiously, "But I'll warn you, if anyone sees us out together, they'll certainly assume it's a date."
"As if I don't already have rumours about my love life circling around." she replied bitterly, "Who knows? It might be good to throw some confusion into the mix. Maybe then they'll stop assuming that Jaune and I are an item."
"Well I wouldn't-" Cardin began, but perhaps thinking better of it, he promptly cut himself off.
"You wouldn't what?"
"It's...nothing." Cardin lied, running a hand through his hair, "Better you hear it from someone else."
"Hear what?" Weiss demanded, frowning, "Has there been another rumour going around?"
"You could say that."
"Cardin, if you don't stop being so opaque, I swear I'll-"
"WEISS!"
Just as soon as it had appeared, Weiss' anger swiftly evaporated, swept away by one of Ruby's famous tackle-hugs. Soon enough, Blake and Yang followed, watching amusedly as Ruby dodged around her sour teammate.
"What are you doing?"
"Checking if you're alright, duh! Did you really think I wasn't going to worry about you when some assassin's guild tried to kill you?"
"Well, I...no, I suppose not." Weiss admitted, grinning despite herself, "Still, what are you all doing here? Did classes end early for the day?"
"Ha, that's one way of putting it!" Yang responded enthusiastically, punching her fists together, "Me and Pyrrha were called for a practical demonstration in one of the classrooms, y'know. After half of the walls had holes in them, Glynda decided that it might be best for us to, uh...what'd she say, Blake?"
"'Not cause the school's maintenance bill to skyrocket'?"
"Yeah, that was it! Anyways, that's why we all got released, and as soon as we were, Ruby was off like a little rocket. You could have taken my bike, you know?"
"I needed to get here fast, and Bumblebee's too slow!" Ruby whined, pouting.
"Sure, Rubes, you keep telling yourself that. Hey...something wrong, Blake?"
Previously she had simply been taking a look around the room, but all of a sudden, Blake's face had twisted into a snarl. Following her gaze, Weiss soon figured out why.
"What's he doing here?" Blake spat, her bow pushing forward threateningly.
Cardin remained silent, simply giving Weiss a look as if to say "I told you so".
"Uh, well…" she began, wringing her hands nervously, "I hired Cardin as my bodyguard for when I'm here at Aurora."
"But why him?" Blake demanded, pointing an accusatory finger at Cardin, "He's done nothing but torment Jaune and repeatedly discriminate against the faunus! Why would you want someone like him watching your back?"
"Hey now, Blake, let's be reasonable here!" Yang cut in, putting out an arm to hold her friend back, "It's been a while since the troubles with Jaune, and I doubt Weiss would hire someone like Cardin unless he's changed. Right, Weiss?" she asked, putting a slight edge in her tone.
The only one who seemed fine with the development was Ruby, who was currently giving Cardin's weapon a rather intense look-over.
"That's a dust mace, isn't it?" she asked finally, her eyes bright, "Aren't those kinda rare? I've only really seen them in weapons magazines."
Cardin raised a curious eyebrow.
"You're not going to question me like everyone else?"
"I'm not?" Ruby said, confused, "Didn't I already ask two questions?"
"...yes, it's a dust mace, and yes, they're rare. It's a family heirloom I inherited from my mother's side."
"Ruby!" Blake called out.
Ruby turned sharply, giving her teammate a disappointed look.
"Blake, do you trust Weiss?"
"Of course, but-"
"But what? If Weiss thinks Cardin's okay enough to be her bodyguard, he's okay enough for me. If you really trust her, don't you think you should feel the same?"
"Besides." Weiss cut in, resting a hand on her desk, "Everyone deserves a second chance, don't you think? After all, a certain friend of mine taught me not to judge someone based on what they've done in the past, didn't they?"
For a time, Blake remained silent, simply staring at the floor. Soon enough, however, she found herself walking up to Cardin, giving his towering form a skeptical look.
"You've changed, have you?"
Cardin grimaced, bringing his weapon down to rest.
"Less than you'd like, I'll bet."
"And your opinions on the faunus?"
Cardin shook his head.
"...I despise the weak. All those who are given a bad lot, those who are put upon by the strong and do little to stop it...that sort deserves every ounce of disdain they get. Should the faunus rise up and fight for their equality in more than some token terrorist movement, I'll consider them as equal as any human...but that day hasn't come yet, has it?"
The tension was thick enough to cut with a knife as Blake put a hand to her weapon, her expression menacing.
"Blake…" Yang called worriedly, beginning to inch forward, "Now really isn't the time-"
"No matter how you're trying to excuse it, you're still the same bully you've always been." Blake accused, crossing her arms, "But then...maybe Ruby's right. If Weiss decided to make you her bodyguard, there must be something good in that thick skull of yours."
"Whatever helps you sleep at night." Cardin retorted, turning away, "With or without your approval, I'm Weiss' bodyguard, and no amount of your petty words will make that any less true. Long as you keep that in mind, we're golden."
"Fine. Now if you don't mind-"
"He's WHAT?!" Weiss exclaimed, her expression set somewhere between confusion and disbelief as everyone looked to see what the fuss was about...save for Yang, of course, who was now wearing a rather mischievous expression as she stood by Weiss' side.
"I swear, it's true! My informant was a first-hand witness, even!"
"Huh? What's going on?"
"Oh, nothin', Rubes. Weiss is just having a little trouble getting to grips with some juicy new gossip."
"What, you mean the Jaune and Pyrrha thing?"
"I can't believe it!" Weiss shouted, rubbing her temples, "Someone like Pyrrha going off with that...that dunderhead? And furthermore...gah! Was this what you were going to tell me, Cardin?"
"...I was hoping Jaune himself would be the one to let you know, else I would have cut to the chase sooner."
Unfortunately, before Weiss could fully get to grips with the situation, there came a rather insistent knocking from the doorway.
"Someone actually knocked? Well, that certainly makes for a change of pace...come in!"
As soon as Weiss gave the word, the bulky door nearly got knocked off of its hinges as Pyrrha tumbled through, panting heavily.
"Weiss! Jaune...guild...assassins!" she spurted out, and as Weiss was about to ask her to calm down, Pyrrha thrust a sheet of crumpled yellow parchment into her hands.
"Read it...please…"
The handwriting was unfamiliar, if meticulously neat, and though the message was smudged in places, it didn't take long for Weiss' keen eyes to decode it.
Dear Weiss Schnee,
It was an excessively foolish move to send a spy into my organisation so soon after your assassination attempt failed. If you want this 'Jaune' back alive, you will come to the Red Hunters' guild hall at 9 pm...alone. Rest assured, if I see even the slightest hint of anyone else with you, the boy's life is forfeit.
Signed,
Igneus Stormcrow.
Silence fell on the group as she read the message aloud.
"It's got to be a trap." Blake commented, wriggling her bow, "One that I think you're walking into anyway."
Glancing between Pyrrha's pained expression and Blake's skeptical one, Weiss could only sigh, slumping her shoulders.
"Of course it's a trap, even an idiot could see that! But then…"
"What other choice do I have?"
Hiya, Soulwithlife here once again, wishing you all a Happy New Year! Apologies for this update's lateness, but as I stated in the previous author commentary, there was a bit of a surprise on New Year's Day that kept me a little preoccupied. Nevertheless, I hope you enjoy this update, and if you did (or did not, as the case may be), I'd appreciate it if you left a little something in the reviews section.
'Till next time, folks! Toodles!