Lurmina was walking through the Emerald forest. The moon was giving enough light for her to navigate in the dark. The walk was uneventful, a Beowolf here an Ursa there but no site of the creature she was looking for.
'Another failed night' the brown haired fox thought. She was looking for the abyssal spectre. Sadly tracking a ghost was hard on its own. Even if this kind reeks like a dumpsite. That and it made itself harder to find by eating Grimm and those don't leave clues behind. Still she needed to find the spectre before one the students ran into it. They had no chance against an abyssal spectre. Plus if it started to devour humans it would create massive amounts of panic.
'Looks like this is going to be a week of sleepless nights' Lurmina thought as she pinched the bridge of her nose. She turned on her heel and went back to Beacon.
She still needed to prepare her lessons.
"It's morning it's morning" Nora sang. Jaune put his pillow over his head it was too early for this. Ren manage to get up but that was lethargic. The champion just groaned and rolled away from the sound. While Pyrrha also got up, Jaune stubbornly refused to get out of bed. He even rolled up in his blanket when Nora tried to remove them.
"Ok Jauney you asked for it" Nora said. She then proceeded to throw his bed on its side. Jaune groaned as he felt face first on the floor. He grumbled about no respect as he went to the bathroom. When he came out his tail was one fuzzy mess which caused Nora to laugh. Pyrrha and Ren were highly amused. It just looked ridiculous.
"So Ren" Jaune began while brushing his tail "What are first thing on our schedule"?
"Grimm study with professor Port" Came the reply.
"At least it's a good starting lesson".
"You need to hurry up Jaune" Pyrrha said "It starts in fifteen minutes".
"Don't worry I will be done five" The fox said back. It wouldn't do to be late on the first day.
"Monsters, demons, prowlers of the night" Peter Port began. The professor was a man in early old age. He wore a double-breasted burgundy suit with gold piping and buttons. His pants he wore tucked into olive boots, similar in appearance to cavalry boots. He has grey hair and a grey moustache and was slightly overweight. "Yes, the creatures of Grimm have many names. But I merely refer to them as prey". The professor let out a laugh. When he realised that no one would join him, he quickly continued. "And so will you, upon graduating from this prestigious academy. Now as I was saying, Vale, as well as the other four kingdoms are safe havens in an otherwise treacherous world. Our world is absolutely teeming with creatures that would love nothing more than to tear you to pieces".
'Oh he has no idea' Lurmina thought. She was standing in the back of the room. Her fellow teacher had told the class that she would join for the first lesson from each teacher. She wouldn't take part of any lesson. She was just here to observe.
"And that's where we come in" Port continued. "Huntsman, Huntresses" Port gave a wink at Yang. She didn't appreciate that. "Individuals who have sworn to protect those who cannot protect themselves. From what you ask? Why the very world". One student cheered but went silent when nobody else joined him.
"That is what you are training to become" The professor started to talk again. "But first a story. A tale of a young handsome man. Me. When I was a boy" The concertation of the students diminished rapidly. Team JNPR had problems following. Nora had fallen asleep while Ren was barely holding on. Pyrrha tried to follow the story but she just couldn't concentrate. Jaune was doing slightly better but was on the verge of giving up. Some of the students had given up completely and stared doodling. Ruby was one of them. It was getting on Weiss her nerves. Her anger got worse when Ruby show what she had drawn. She even made a fart sound which caused herself and Yang to snicker. That stopped when Port cleared his throat.
"In the end the Beowolf was no match for my sheer tenacity and I returned to the village with the beast in captivity and my head held high. Celebrated as a hero". The professor took a bow. "The moral of this story? A true huntsman must be honourable. A true huntsman must be dependable. A true huntsman must be strategic, well-educated and wise". Weiss's anger started to boil over when Ruby displayed the opposite. She was the leader but she was acting like a little kid.
"So who among you believes themselves to be the embodiment of these traits"? When professor Port asked this, Weiss's hand flew up. "I do sir".
"Well then let's find out" Peter said. "Step forward and face your opponent". Port pointed at a cage that was rattling.
"Wait there was a Grimm there"? Nora asked while Weiss went to get her equipment. "Aw I wanted to fight".
"Just wait till tomorrow" Jaune said. "We got Combat class then".
"I want to break some legs now" Nora wined. Pyrrha and Jaune faces were black as they looked at Nora. Jaune then looked at Ren. "She is joking, right"? Ren just signed. The fox let his head fall on the desk.
When Weiss returned she took her battle position. Lurmina immediate saw a flaw in her stands but kept her mouth shut. It would do no good to distract her. Her team thought otherwise.
"Go Weiss"
"Fight well"
"Yeah represent team RWBY"
"Ruby I'm trying to focus" Weiss said.
'Hmm it looks like her anger has faded quite a bit since she left' Lurmina thought while scratching her chin. 'Let's see how good she is'.
"Alright let the match begin" Port said. He then destroyed the lock and the Grimm stormed out. It was a Boarbatusk. Weiss twirled to the side and delivered a slash but it did nothing against its tusks. The Grimm came to a stop and turn to face Weiss again.
"Wasn't expecting that were you"? Port asked. Weiss did a straight charge at the Grimm as it did the same. The heiress dodged at the last second and stabbed the Boarbatusk in the left eye. The half blind Grimm roared in pain.
"Yeah nice one Weiss" Ruby cheered. The fighters charged ones again. Weiss was trying to do the same as before but now on the right side. However her anger was rising again and clouded her vision. She hit the Grimm head on. With the charges meeting head on one had to break. Weiss being the lighter of the two was launched into the air. Myrtenaster got stuck between its tusks and was thrown aside.
"Now what will you do without your weapon"? The professor asked.
"Come on Weiss show it who's boss" Ruby cheered again. It was at this moment that Weiss did her biggest mistake.
She took her eyes of her opponent.
The Grimm charged at her again and slammed into the heiress. Weiss's back hit the first row desks hard. Stunned she almost got slammed again by the pig. She ran at her weapon, grabbed it and faced her opponent.
"Weiss go for its belly. There is no armour underneath" Ruby was interrupted by Weiss
"Ruby, be quiet" Weiss almost yell. Her emotions were far from being tranquil. Ruby looks quite upset. The Boarbatusk made itself known by rolling up in a ball and going for the white haired girl again now twice as fast. Weiss summoned a glyph which knocked back the Grimm. She quickly followed by sending ice shard at the Grimm puckering its throat. The boar stopped moving after that.
"Well done" Professor Port said. "It appears we are indeed in the presence of a true Huntress in training". Weiss was panting slightly as Port continued. "I'm afraid that's all the time we have for today. Be sure to cover the assigned readings and stay vigilant. Class dismissed". Weiss left the room fast with Ruby hot on her heels.
"That was awesome. She skewered that piggy" Nora said exited.
"Weiss sure is skilled" Pyrrha said.
'She would have done better if she wasn't so angry' Jaune thought.
Weiss was walking around aimless. It was still a half an hour till History with professor Oobleck. She had a pretty heated argument with Ruby. Add the talk she had with professor Port and she had a lot to think about. She had said a lot of things to Ruby that were not entirely true. She knew that the girl had leader qualities. She also didn't feel good now that her head was clear. She let her frustration get the better of her. As she reached one of the balconies she leaned against the railing. 'Looks like I'm a lot more like father then I thought' Weiss thought. 'How am I going to fix this'? She let out a sigh.
"That was quite the sigh, everything ok"? Weiss heard someone say. She twirled around to see Lurmina sitting on a bench.
"When did you get here" Weiss demanded.
"Rude" Lurmina replied "And I was here before you arrived. You just didn't notice me".
Weiss blushed a bit. "Sorry professor Arc".
"None of that" The brown fox said while waving her hand "Call me by my name or Mrs Lurmina". She then patted next to her. "Come take a seat". Weiss sat next to her. The silence between them was relaxing.
"Mrs Lurmina could I ask you a question"?
"Sure what is it"?
"Do you think I should be the leader of team RWBY"? Weiss asked.
"Why do you ask that"? Weiss proceeded to tell what had happened between Ruby and her, her talk with professor Port and his point of view. Lurmina crossed her arms and thought a bit.
"I would say fifty-fifty" Lurmina said finally. That threw the heiress for a loop. She expected her to agree with professor Port.
"What I mean by that is you're the heiress of a big company" Lurmina continued "So I'm sure that you know how to lead a group of people. That being said leading a group of employers is quite different than a group of Hunters". Lurmina turned to look at Weiss. "If you treat Hunters as employers I'm sure it won't end well. On the other side someone with no experience leading, can end quite bad as well. What I think is that Ozpin made Ruby the leader is because she has no experience but her teammate has. You can help Ruby while you learn how it is to be to follow for a change. You have leadership skills but not the right ones. By helping you partner you two will learn much more than if it was reversed". Weiss was stunned. Was that the reason that she wasn't the leader? The more she thought about the sense it made. It also embarrassed her cause if the roles were reversed she would probably wouldn't listen to Ruby.
"How do I fix this"Weiss said, holding her head in her hands.
"Simple, just tell her your concerns" Came the reply "Plus Ruby has been moved forward by two years so she needs to work extra hard to stay at Beacon".
"You really think she would listen and do something about it"?
"Perhaps so Perhaps not" Lurmina said with a shrug of her shoulders. "But her sister will definitely take your side if she knows that her little sister could get kicked out". Weiss sat there in silence again. Now that it was laid out it was easy to see. All she just had to do was talk.
"That being said just because you angry you shouldn't let that effect your fighting".
"What"! Weiss shouted "How dare you! I will have you know that I had the best of instructors. My stand is perfect".
"If you call that perfect then you're blinder than a mole" Came the casual reply back. Weiss was glaring at Lurmina. "Stand up and show me your starting stands". Weiss got up and took the same stand she did with the Boarbutusk. Lurmina circled around the heiress. "Either your tutors sucked at their job and you got scammed or they sabotaged you training". Lurmina then proceeded to correct her stand. She moved the white haired girl's legs so that her left foot forward. Her legs set apart by fifty centimetres. Her left hand, which was holding Myrtenaster was set in front of her but removed for her chest by thirty centimetres. Her other hand had her index and middle finger on Myrtenaster chamber. The brown haired fox stood in front of her and nodded.
"This could be your starting stand" Weiss looked confused.
"What's wrong with the one I have"?
"Your legs where to close to each other which makes you easier to knock down. It also doesn't bring your weapon's attributes out. If your hand is behind you, you can't change what Dust you want to use at a moments notice. And worse of all your wrist was in the broken wrist position". Weiss looked confused.
"Broken wrist position"?
"It is when you bend your wrist to stab someone" Lurmina explained "If you stab like that it puts a lot of pressure on your wrist which can ruin your wrist in the long term. With aura it is negligible but you will loss a little bit of aura. Short term that fine but long term that can little bit could mean the difference between life or death".
"This stands feels weird" Weiss said.
"True but it is better. After a bit of practice you wouldn't notice it anymore". Weiss looked at the Faunus. She got a lot more out of this conversation than she would ever have thought.
"Thank you Mrs Lurmina, you have been a great help" Lurmina just waved her of.
"Just doing my job little one" Was the reply. "Now of you go. You still need to change back into your uniform for Doctor Oobleck's class". Weiss left for her next class.
Her concerns were gone.
Ruby was nervous. When Weiss arrived at History she had told her they needed to talk. The rest of the lesson was a whirlwind. Both figuratively and literally. Professor Oobleck was a fast man. They went through like four chapters in a short amount of time. She didn't think she remembered any of it. Not that it mattered now. She sitting on Blake's bed with her sister, Weiss sat opposed to them. Blake was in one of the chairs reading a book. Somehow ignoring the tension in the room.
"Ruby" Weiss began "I think that you're not up to the task of being the leader".
"Where did that came from"? Yang asked, slightly defensive.
"Yeah you're right" Ruby sighed. That caused the rest of her team to look at her. Ruby continued on. "I haven't been the leader since we came back from the Emerald forest. But I promise you that it will change". Ruby had an air of maturity around her.
"Ooh I'm so proud of you Rubaby" Yang cheered as she proceeded to hug her sister.
"Yaaang cut it out". And it was gone. Weiss was thrown for a loop. She didn't expect Ruby owning up to what she did. Or didn't in this case.
"Uhm yeah that's good" Weiss said "But just changing isn't going to be sufficient. You were moved two years ahead and because of that lacking information that Beacon will be testing you on". Ruby sad look could be a weapon on its own. She shook her head and got a determent look on her face.
"Doesn't matter. I will be the best leader for this team".
"If you want I could help you with studying" Weiss offered.
"You will? Thank you Weiss! You really aren't a meany after all" The reaper cheered as she hugged the heiress.
"What's that supposed to mean"? Weiss said "And let go of me"! They may have had a rough start but that was behind them now.
Team RWBY had a bright future ahead.
I really don't like how I ended this chapter. It feels wrong. Sadly I just couldn't find a way to make it better