Author's note: *Sigh* I'm just never satisfied with my own work... I don't know how many times I rewrote this chapter, I lost count after 5. Anyways, this is the one that I felt that didn't suck as much as the others. I hope you guys enjoy.
Edit: If you're having a hard time imagining the new armor look up XChess88 on deviantart, the armor concept is amazing.
Ruby and Jaune had set to work on the designs of his new armor. Every angle, every line, and every sketch were so precisely drawn. It had to be perfect… Oh who are we kidding, they were bickering over whose drawing looked better. "I'm telling you, Jaune, the spikes would look awesomer," Ruby argued.
"No, Ruby, I wouldn't be able to make those if I tried," Jaune countered, "besides, I don't think I would be able to move much with spikes that huge."
"Well, it's not like yours is any better," Ruby crossed her arms in defiance.
"Mine is simple, a better breastplate, and some leg protection," Jaune held up his drawing, "and it's got an armored cloak thing, it looks super badass."
"That looks more like a skirt," she refuted.
"No it doesn't, the statue in front of Beacon has something like this!"
"That's a girl."
"And a guy!"
"Can you two please keep it down?" Weiss interrupted, "I can hear your bickering all the way from the school library. You two sound like children."
"Then settle something for us, beautiful," Jaune approached the girl in white as suavely as he could, "which of these two designs would make better armor for yours truly?"
The white haired girl snatched the drawings from Jaune's hands, visibly creeped out by his approach. She closely examined both, weighing protection and functionality in both designs. Holding up Ruby's drawing, "This one looks like it was drawn by a ten-year old," she started, "seriously, it's too bulky and the spike prevent the wearer from even taking a step. And I don't think anyone could see through that helmet, it has no eyeholes."
"This design, however, is much more simple and functional," she continued her review, "The minimalist design, covering the essentials like torso, arms, fingers and legs was a great call. The way it's designed, it would make it easy to even do gymnastics in. I'd imagine, combined with aura or a defensive semblance, it could make you unstoppable and immovable. But it's not like you'd be able to figure out how to use either any time soon. I guess that it'll be enough to save your family jewels from being cut off on the battlefield."
"Thanks, Weiss, and I thought you could get through complimenting my handiwork without insulting me for once," Jaune complained as he retrieved the designs, "I told you so, Ruby."
"Whatever, my design would have still been better," she pouted.
"Now that that's settled, will you two please shut up so I can get some studying done?!" the young heiress arrogantly turned and started towards the library.
"So, what do we do now?" Jaune looked around, puzzled to what the first step is.
"First we have to choose the materials, do you want it strong or light?" Ruby said, raising her index finger.
"Can't it be both, I do like being able to move normally," Jaune sheepishly asked, "I don't mean to be picky, but-,"
"Actually, Jaune, that's fine," Ruby corrected, "be as picky as you need to be, this is an armor we're making to your exact likings, so it has to fit your needs."
"Thanks Ruby," Jaune grinned.
"Something light but sturdy enough to take multiple hits from, let's say a nevermore," Ruby thought to herself as she examined the materials available. Her eyes lit up as she came across a dull purple-blue colored bar of metal, struggling to pick up a bar, she exclaimed, "This is perfect! It's super dense, and strong."
"Um, I thought we were going for light too," Jaune scratched the back of his head in confusion.
"We will," she said, placing the bar in his hands, "we just have to melt it with a bunch of other stuff to make it lighter."
Jaune dropped all the gathered materials into the crucible and lit the fire, regulating the flow of gas into the furnace. "So how long is this going to take?"
"About a few hours, maybe more," Ruby really didn't know, "we'll just wait until it gets all liquidy and stuff."
"Well, I brought some playing cards to pass the time," he produced a deck of playing cards from his pocket, "any games that you know?"
It didn't take long before the metal was ready to be poured into the casts to be turned into sheets of metal. After passing the time by exhausting every card game and trick either could come up with, it didn't take long before they both got incredibly bored. "Why do you like Weiss?" Ruby decided to ask after watching Jaune put away the deck of cards.
"Why do you ask?" Jaune shot back, curious of the intent of the question.
"Just asking, you've already been rejected several times," Ruby answered with a concerned look on her face, "she's insulted you, laughed at your pain, and yet you still like her. Why? Just because she's a Schnee?"
"Because I can tell she's much more than just her family's name. She's incredible, she's smart, graceful, and talented; I mean her singing is just nothing less than amazing," Jaune began to describe all the things Ruby seemed to miss about the one she'd come to know as the Ice Queen. "Watching her spar in class is like watching a performance every time, all her passion and emotions are perfectly expressed in a deadly ballet."
Ruby's heart sunk with each description, each expression of his feelings seemed to feel like an arrow hitting the organ at the center of her chest. She still listened, trying to hide her pain. "She doesn't feel the same way about you," she said in attempt to get the pain to stop, "why do you still try?"
"It's impossible to choose who you fall for, Ruby," Jaune smiled through his pain. "I'll go check if the metal sheets are ready," Jaune found that the sheets were no longer glowing red. Upon further inspection, the constitution of the metal allowed it to be picked up with a clamp and he went right to work on shaping it.
Every strike was accurate and precise, not wanting to weaken the metal, but still wanting to shape each piece the way he wanted. Ruby watched in amazement as each piece of metal was slowly shaped into a piece of armor. After all the smaller pieces have been shaped to his liking, he began dexterously crafting his armor together. He carefully welded together several pieces, bound Ursa hide leather straps, and pieced it all together with artisan-like abilities. When he was finished, he placed it all on a mannequin to admire his work before wearing it.
"What do you think?" he asked, lifting his arms up and turning around for her.
"I think it would have looked better with the spikes," Ruby bantered, sticking her tongue out.