Magi Mari: I understand your plight on harems. If it was any other scenario I would have went with a single pairing, but majority rules! Harems tend to make most characters very OOC in exchange for horny plots or falling for the MC near instantly in most fics. I won't judge, but it's hard to take seriously.
It is funny if it's completely satire and the whole point is to make fun of it. Like in that one fic, Immortal.
I moreso intend for the first good chunk of Unknown Hunter to focus on the friendships of the cast, and build up to romance. I don't wanna rush the process, but I can't make any promises if the romance comes sooner rather than later. I'm gonna do my best not to rush things, though. That's not what I want.
And you're actually the first person to suggest Pyrrha! Which pleasantly surprises me. And I find your thought process intriguing. The reason for Pyrrha crushing on Jaune was rather silly, I think 90% of the fics, including those with OC MCs, are generally Arkos shippers though, like myself, which in turn makes them close Pyrrha off. And then there's like, the 10% that just hate Jaune and want to cuck him and make his life miserable.
...
Anyway! I'm taking your suggestion into consideration. The dynamics that Sirius and Pyrrha can have are interesting--but the majority want Team RWBY as the core love interests... ugh, this is the issue when you restrict yourself. Gotta make decisions. I have all the time in the world, though.
As for Ruby... I respectfully disagree, but I understand your reasoning. The thing is, people tend to make things weird with Ruby as a love interest. And sometimes she loses her charm. Other times? It's pulled off well. Ruby as a character and protagonist isn't immune to romance, and the reasoning for her being childish, while true, isn't much of good one? By that logic, characters like Goku wouldn't be much of a good love interest. But we've seen that he is a good husband who loves his family. Even if his methods are unorthodox. You can't ignore that.
And that's the good thing about writing these stories! These characters you view in certain ways can end up developing in completely different ways! We've seen Ruby mature throughout the series, even if her development was small until, like, Volume 9. But she still managed to progressively mature as a person while still maintaining that childlike charm. And we see that first hand. At least, that's my take and opinion.
Gosh, this went on longer than expected. I get carried away sometimes. Thank you for your votes and opinions, Magi Mari! I hope you stick around to see the rest my story has to offer!
Nehef: Thank you, friend! Quality over quantity, as they say. I hope I can live up to your expectations going forward.
DarkDragon472: Nora is a blast to write. Mostly because of how chaotic she is. She can do the most outlandish thing or say the weirdest stuff and you can just brush it off as 'Nora being Nora', it's awesome!
And yeah, Sirius had the unfortunate luck of running into Cardin. It won't be the first.
SikentXD7: Thanks! I really like this story and I have a lot of ideas that I wanna put into action. But I'm gonna try and level my ambitions. I don't wanna burn myself out, haha.
Chapter 5: Out in the City
Sirius groaned as he laid in his bed, eyes focused on the ceiling above. Even with his accelerated healing, his body still felt sore from yesterday's battle in Combat Class. He could only grimace at the memory, tossing in his bed with a despondent sigh and look of frustration. He wasn't expecting to be chosen to fight on his first day at all, but the selections were randomized. So he couldn't be too mad.
What he could be mad about was how easily he got trounced by Cardin Winchester. It was barely even a fight to begin with. The guy hit like a semi-trunk, and even with his super-strength, the big bastard just tanked his hits and kept swinging with that big freaking mace of his. Sirius wanted to curl up and die after the battle was over. It didn't help the armored mace-wielder had mocked him afterwards. As if to already damage his already battered pride.
What did I expect? To be instantly good at fighting like in all those anime and manga? Sirius snorted derisively, his frown worsening. Yeah, right. I made a complete freaking fool of myself.
Sirius sighed and covered his eyes with gis forearm as the clock ticked by. He glanced at his scroll lazily and grabbed it. It was the weekends, so all students had time off to laze about, do homework, or even go out into the city. Sirius slumped against his bed and frowned a bit.
Then he blinked.
Wait. I've never seen the city! Sirius grinned and sat up. That'll get my mind off things! 'Sides, I should probably get myself more clothes now that I have money. But I don't know my way around.
That gave him pause. He sat there in silence, mulling the thoughts over. And then he ultimately grinned as an idea came to mind.
I got it!
[HUNTER]
Weiss Schnee... was terribly bored.
Shocking, wasn't it? It was the truth, however. With it being the weekends, and not being swamped with work and deadlines, the student body finally had the opportunity to unwind, relax, and enjoy themselves. Blake had taken it upon herself to recluse herself into the library. Something Weiss could respect. Yang went off to one of the training facilities to train. After her little bout with Pyrrha, the blonde was 'fired up' as she put it, to get stronger and beat the famed champion. And Ruby...
She had wondered off to the workshop to do maintenance on Crescent Rose, and the rest of her team's weapon while she was at it. Weiss was hesitant on handing Mystrenaster off to the girl. But she was an weapons expert and, admittedly, an astounding mechanic.
Unfortunately that meant she'd be holed up in that workshop for most of the day.
She'd thought finishing her homework would leave her occupied for the day. But she didn't expect she'd finish it so fast. This left her with nothing to occupy her time. She debated training with Yang, but without Mystrenaster, that left her with only her Semblance as her way of fighting. And she was pained to admit it but she was not that proficient in hand-to-hand. It simply wasn't apart of her Core Style.
She was a Catalyst Type. Not a Brawler Type.
I'd take Arc's mindless pestering at this point. Weiss groused with a huff, but perked up at the rapid knocking on the door. She rolled her eyes. Speak of the devil.
Pushing herself up, she walked away from her desk and made her way to the door, opening it roughly. "Listen, Arc. For the last time. I'm not going to--" She blinked and trailed off when she realized that Jaune was not standing in the doorway at an attempt to court her, but Sirius instead.
"... Uh." Sirius awkwardly mumbled and waved sheepishly. "Hi. Bad time?"
Weiss' expression became neutral, as she peered up at the white haired boy. He was a lot taller up close... or was she just short. "Caelan. Did you need something."
Sirius peered over Weiss' shoulder. He took on a look of confusion. "Where are the others?"
"Busy doing meandering, as one would do on a weekend." Weiss folded her arms and tilted her chin up with a frown. "What do you want, Caelan?"
"Ah--" Disappointment had flashed in his eyes for a moment. It made Weiss' brows furrow and her lips tug down harder. But his expression quickly brightened. "Oh! Wait, this is still good! I was wondering if you'd like to go out to the city with me?"
Weiss blinked, caught off guard by his question. She was quick to interpret it as some way of asking her on a date. It made her lips peel back in distaste, and Sirius was quick to remedy his words, breaking out into a stammering, flustered and frightened mess.
"N-NOT LIKE THAT! I mean, like... well, since Nora gave me that money from the bets the other day, I was thinking of using it to get clothes and supplies, y'know?" Sirius sheepishly laughed. "Thing is, I'm still new to being on a different planet and stuff. I'm kinda scared of getting... lost..."
"S-So, I was gonna ask maybe Ruby or Yang if they could go out there with me! But since they aren't here, and neither is Blake, can you?"
Weiss squinted, trying to find any ulterior motive in his gaze. All she found was sincerity, and anxiousness from how hard she was staring at him. Eventually, Weiss sighed and rubbed at her temples.
At the very least, this will remedy my boredom. Weiss thought dryly and shook her head, glancing back up at Sirius. "5 minutes."
"Oh! Oka-" The door was slammed shut in his face. Sirius blinked and couple of times and sweat-dropped. "... Okay, then."
5 minutes later...
Sirius was mindlessly flicking through his scroll when he perked up at the sound of the door opening. He blinked in surprise when Weiss stepped out and shut the door behind her.
Out of the Beacon uniform, Sirius had expected her to wear the outfit she wore in initiation. Instead she wore a short-sleeved white jacket over a white sundress with black floral patterns that reached down just below her hips, and black boots with silver laces and white accents.
Weiss placed a hand on her hip and raised a lazy brow. "Well. Are we going?"
"Huh? O-Oh! Yeah." Sirius nodded and laughed nervously. "Can you lead the way?"
Weiss rolled her eyes but didn't refute, walking off, with Sirius following close behind. He had one lingering thought as they made their way out of Beacon and to the landing deck, though.
... How much did that outfit cost?
[HUNTER]
The ride to Vale was relatively uneventful. Sirius was busy marveling out how advanced the technology of Remnant was compared to Earth's it. It was almost childlike with how he looked at everything. Weiss found it mildly amusing. It was no wonder he and Ruby got along so quickly, they were one in the same, in a way. As the bullhead reached the port to Vale, students and civilians alike pooled out.
"Let's go, I know a good place to shop for clothes." Weiss hummed out, looking around as she stepped off the ramp.
Sirius stared at the road to the Vale with wide, gaping eyes and a dropped jaw.
"Let's go, Caelan!"
"O-Oh, sorry!"
Sirius quickly dashed up to Weiss' side, flustered. The white-haired boy stuffed his hands into his pockets. He glanced at Weiss, who's gaze was dead set focused on the road ahead. He averted his own gaze, and instead let it wander to the city around him. It was a technological marvel, holograms as far as the eye could see, floating cars, neon lights, it was like something straight out of a cyberpunk fantasy show.
The people that filled with the streets were diverse as well. Of many shapes, sizes, skin tones, and colors. There were even people with animal ears and tails. That still boggled Sirius' mind to no end. Yet, as his attention drifted away from them, he focused on Weiss again.
"So, uh..." As her gaze fixed itself on him, he grew awkward as he tried to find a conversation starter. "This is all amazing, r-right? It's awesome to look at..."
"... I suppose." Weiss responded offhandedly, shrugging her shoulders. "Far different from Atlas, at the very least."
"Atlas?" Sirius tilted his head, blinking. His brows furrows and his eyes widened in recognition. "Oh! That's one of the four primary kingdoms, right?"
"Correct." Weiss nodded, shutting her eyes briefly. "I was born and raised there. Atlas is by the far the most technologically advanced of the four kingdoms, home to the Atlas Military and the finest Dust quarries on Remnant."
"Woah..." Sirius mumbled in awe. He stuttered as a thought came to mind. "O-Oh! On the topic of Dust, can you tell me about the uh... Schnee Dust Company?"
Weiss raised a brow at him. Sirius stammered. "I-I'm just interested, s' all. It's a family company, right? You share the same name..."
"... Yes." Weiss peered off with a start, expression blank as she struggled to find the words. "The SDC is the main distributor of Dust, founded by my grandfather, Nicholas Schnee. My father is the current head and CEO of the company, in charge or local distribution to Dust in all the other kingdoms. Our company is also one of the main backers for the Atlas Military."
Sirius felt a smile spread across his face. "That's... that's awesome! Your family must be deeply connected to Dust and it's origins, then, right?'
Weiss blinked at his enthusiasm, mildly caught off guard. But she felt pride swell within her the more she talked about it. "Of course! There are no better experts on the subject of Dust than me and my family. in fact... I'm next in line to take the helm after my father steps down."
Sirius nodded in understanding. "I see... oh--well if you're the heiress, why did you want to become a huntress?"
Weiss paused, her eyes narrowing for a fraction of a second, before she replied with: "I have my reasons.'"
The way Weiss said that gave Sirius pause, causing his eyes to furrow in confusion. But before he could linger on her words and question her more, she spoke up again.
"We're here."
Sirius stopped at Weiss' side and looked up, eyeing the sign of the store in front of them. Carousel Boutique, was the name. It was a large, fancy shop painted white, purple. and gold with elegant white drapes hanging overhead. Overall, it seemed like something right up Weiss' alley, Sirius thought amusedly as they stepped inside, Sirius took a gander around. There was the soothing smell of lavender, and there was a large expanse of people wandering throughout the store, ranging from civilians, Beacon students, and even the occasional huntsman and huntress, if the weapons he spotted on their person was anything to go by.
"... This is... fancy." Sirius muttered bemusedly, raising a brow.
"It's one of the best clothing stores in Vale's shopping district, from what I've heard." Weiss hummed, looking around. There was a notable smile on her face, and a curious twinkle in her eye. "The owner of the store, Lydia Von Claire, is said to be a famous fashion designer. She started her business at the young age of 17, and has been making waves ever since. She's gotten so popular that she's been personally commissioned by pro-hunters and big name celebrities!"
"Woah," Sirius whistled softly, taking a glance at Weiss. The heiress looked to be like a little girl in a school's playground. He smiled. "You're pretty passionate about this stuff, huh?"
Weiss jumped slightly with a start, coughing into her fist and returning to her usual indifferent, and cold demeanor. "I've... followed her work for years. My huntress outfit was commissioned by her, in fact."
"It's always nice to meet a fan~"
Weiss let out a startled gasp, and let out another as she locked eyes with the woman before them. Sirius wore a confused expression, blinking in confusion. In front of them was a young woman that could only be described as the definition of beauty. A curvaceous figure and rather large bust, pale, smooth and unblemished skin with bright sapphire eyes that glittered like diamonds, and curly purple hair, held together by a diamond clipping. She wore a white corset shirt made of the finest silk, with a purple bow tied around her waist, and a matching colored pencil skirt with a bright blue diamond insignia etched onto the fabric, and dark smokey purple leather boots to complete the look.
"Y-Y-You're..." Weiss stammered, pointing a shaky finger at the woman. "L-Lydia Von Claire!"
"In the flesh." Lydia winked with a pleasant smile, letting out a gentle chuckle. "A pleasure to meet you two."
Weiss was in front of Lydia in seconds, causing the woman to step back slightly in surprise. The girl's eyes sparkled with uncontrollable glee and admiration as she clasped her hands together. "Lydia, I am a HUGE fan of your work! I've been shopping from your brand since I was a little girl-!"
Sirius tugged Weiss back gently, giving Lydia a sheepish look. Weiss squawked lightly, and he could have sworn he almost heard her whimper like a puppy as she was pulled away from Lydia's vicinity. "Ahaaah... sorry about that. She's enthusiastic about you."
Lydia let out a soft laugh, shaking her head. "It's no problem, darling! You'd be surprised how much I'm used to it~" She grinned and cupped her chin, raising a brow. "Now, how may I help you two today?"
"I'm actually in need of some outfits. This is the only one I got." Sirius sheepishly grinned, tugging at his hoodie.
"Oh, I see..." Lydia's eyes sparkled as she eyed Sirius up and down. Her brows furrowed. "Forgive me for my words, darling, but your state of dress has... much to be desired."
"His fashion sense his abysmal, admittedly." Weiss drawled, sending Sirius a dry look. "He could use some help. He has no huntsman outfit, either."
"Ah! You're students from Beacon. That makes sense." Lydia clapped her hands together with an elegant smile, chuckling. "Well then, that makes this all the better! Come along, let's see what we can do about your... state of dress."
"What's wrong with how I look now?" Sirius asked in confusion. As the two women refused to elaborate and walked deeper into the store, Sirius was left to grasp at straws as he hurried after them. "What's wrong with how I look?!"
Lydia shifted through various racks of clothing, letting out an inquisitive hum as she glanced at Sirius from the corner of her eye. She smirked softly and abruptly shoved a large stack of clothes into his arms. The boy yelped and stumbled as he was hurriedly pushed towards the nearest changing booth. "Try these on!"
"W-What? Hold on-!"
"Off you go~!" Lydia said in a sing-song tone, grinning from ear to ear.
Sirius sighed softly and looked down at the clothes in his head. He shook his head and began to change. Weiss and Lydia waited patiently for him to finish. Their brows rose when the curtain swung open and he stepped out.
The first outfit he had tried on consisted of a white button up t-shirt with a flared collar and a black, sleeveless cardigan with gold button and accents thrown on top. A black belt with a gold buckle was fastened around his waist, coupled with a bright red sash with yellow flame patterns, dark smokey purple shorts with white lining, black sandal-boots, and white fingerless gloves brought the entire ensemble together.
"Not bad..." Weiss muttered, raising a brow.
"But not great either. It doesn't suit you." Lydia said, not as an opinion, but as if it were fact. She smiled and waved Sirius off. "Come, now! Try the next one!"
Sirius huffed softly and went back inside to change. While he got into the next outfit, Lydia glanced at Weiss with a cheshire grin. She leaned over and whispered:
"So~ are you two... an item?"
"What?" Weiss seemed caught off guard by Lydia's question. Her face scrunched up into a discontent grimace and she rolled her eyes. "Ugh, no. I'd hardly call us friends; much less a couple."
"Ouch... quite the harsh take." Lydia's smile didn't disappear. There was a knowing glint in her eye as she chuckled. "Why do you say such a thing, darling..?"
"I've only known him for a few days. He isn't exactly prince charming," Weiss drawled, crossing her arms with a huff. "From what I gleamed, he's... idealistic, but has a sharp mind. He's kind, I suppose. But we're acquaintances at best."
"Would you say you would like, to know him more?" Lydia hummed, crossing her arms under her bust and raising a brow.
Weiss' brows furrowed, she sent Lydia a questioning look and only got a playful smile in response. She scoffed lightly and shook her head. "...I... suppose. But, I'm not looking for a relationship. It's hardly my top priority... and even if I was, he isn't what I'm looking for in a man."
"And what are you looking for, if you don't mind me asking?"
Weiss paused, blinking for a moment as she processed Lydia's question before responding. "... Someone who is smart, and resourceful. Someone with a strong will and moral standing. Who is patient, and caring... and that will see me for myself." Weiss stopped for a moment, her brows creasing tightly as she peered off to the side. "Who won't just see me for my family name. For my riches or status. But... for Weiss."
"I see..." Lydia hummed softly in thought, empathy and genuine sadness for the girl before her flashing in her eyes.
"How's this?"
They perked up as Sirius stepped out again. This time, he wore a black and orange combat hoodie, with Vale's symbol emblazoned on the side of the hood. Black fingerless gloves and dark grey cargo pants, followed by steel-toed black boots with orange accents finished the look. It was simple, but it held it's own charm. Lydia let out a pleasant hum, grinning.
"Not bad, not bad~ we'll save that for later. Why don't you try on another?"
Sirius blinked and nodded swiftly with a soft grin, heading back into the changing booth. Lydia chuckled softly, sending Weiss an amused glance.
"Well, you're still young and have a big life ahead of you. You'll find someone who you'll love in due to time." Lydia smiled softly, glancing back at the booth. "But, it wouldn't hurt to make friends. After all... friendship is just as important as any relationship. Especially in the life of a huntress. And I believe he would gladly be your friend if you gave him a chance."
Weiss stared at Lydia in mild surprise, but didn't give a verbal response, turning her gaze back to the booth. Lydia's smile grew a fraction, and she snapped to attention when Sirius stepped out in yet another outfit.
Several outfits later...
Sirius was thoroughly exhausted. Ironic, considering he'd only been trying on different sets of clothes. But considering who he was exactly dealing with, he wasn't exactly surprised at his current state. He let out a withering sigh and pushed the curtains open, expression exasperated.
"How's this?"
He wore a white dress shirt under a black leather jacket with a hood, with lighter greys and whites accenting the jacket, and light blue lines resembling circuits running down the sides. The sleeves were purposefully rolled up to show off padded fingerless gloves, the pads in question being colored a deep ocean blue. Below that, were dark grey pants with two chains dangling off the sides and white lines running down the side of the legs, and dark blue boots with black soles and white laces. The look was finished off with a pair of black goggles fastened onto his head.
Lydia grinned, clapping. "I think we got a winner!"
Weiss nodded her head slowly. ".. You look... nice."
Sirius let out a sigh of relief, running a hand down his face. "Thank God. I'm gonna be honest, the thought of bolting out the store has crossed my mind..."
Lydia let out an amused giggle, and gave Sirius a sheepish grin when the boy slumped over and groaned. "Sorry, sorry! We may have gotten carried away. Now! Pick the outfits you liked out and we can make your purchase!"
As Lydia walked off towards the counter. Weiss was soon to follow as Sirius gathered his clothes and walked behind the heiress. Then he paused, and his eyes widening in horror.
"Oh, nooooooo..."
Weiss paused in her steps and gave Sirius a confused squint. "What?"
"... I don't know how Remnant's currency works."
Weiss sighed harshly and palmed her face.
[HUNTER]
It all ended with Weiss showing how the lien system operated. Sirius felt flustered for forgetting such a crucial detail. At the very least, Lydia was generous enough to offer them a discount. She was nice for doing that. Sirius let out an internal sigh of relief, as it allowed him to better budget his money. He didn't know when he'd be getting anymore, and he didn't want to splurge it all. After buying his clothes, the pair had finally decided it was about time to make it back to Beacon. As they sat in the bullhead, Sirius peered out the window and eyed the setting sun, humming.
"I didn't think we were out so late..."
"Time flies when you're having fun, as they say." Weiss quipped, smirking to herself softly.
"Did you just make a joke?" Sirius blinked in surprise, gasping. "I didn't think it were possible!"
"I--you!" Weiss stammered, flushing lightly and shooting Sirius a small glare. "I'll have you know, I-!"
"I'm just joking!" Sirius laughed softly, raising his hands up in surrender to placate the girl. "It's nice, actually."
"Hmph." Weiss huffed and crossed her off, peering off to the side. Though, after a moment of silence, her lips tugged upwards.
The two sat in silence for the rest of the ride. It had only been about ten minutes before they reached the landing dock. The walk back to the dorm was quiet and peaceful. Neither didn't know how to spark up another conversation, but it wasn't awkward. Both were content with just walking back together. There was something tranquil about it, combined with the orange sky from the setting sun and cool evening breeze... it set up a calming atmosphere that they could both appreciate.
As they closed in on the dorm, Weiss paused at her team's door, fishing for her scroll. She stood there in silence, and Lydia's words flashed in her head. She bit the inside of her cheek slightly and turned towards Sirius. "I... enjoyed our day out. As minimal the activities were."
Sirius blinked in surprise, and she continued. ".. so, if you wish to... hang out, more, then all you have to do is call."
Sirius felt a smile tug at his lips, and he chuckled. "Sure! That sounds fun."
Weiss nodded slowly, and gave him a small smile in turn before unlocking her door and stepping inside. She was instantly assaulted by a frantic Ruby Rose.
"WEISS! WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?!"
"G-GET OFF ME, YOU DOL-!"
The door was slammed shut and Sirius could only hear the muffled escalating commotion that went on within the room. He sweat-dropped with an exasperated grin and huffed softly, moving to his room and unlocking the door. As he closed the door behind him, Sirius tossed his bag filled with clothes off to the side and collapsed onto his bed with a grunt.
Talk about an exhausting day... Sirius let out a tired sigh, feeling his eyes droop as a newfound wave of exhaustion washed over him. ... It was nice, though.
As his eyes slowly closed and he drifted off to the realm of sleep, Sirius couldn't stop a lingering though from sprouting up in his mind.
I wonder what'll happen tomorrow...
And cut! Procrastination sucks ass. For a slice of life heavy chapter, this should not have taken as long as it did.
This time, we get interactions between Sirius and Weiss! Nothing too major or heavy. Admittedly I had debated having a White Fang chase scene but ended up scrapping it. Don't worry though! I plan on using that for some other time~
Sorry for taking so long. Hope you enjoyed some fluff. There's gonna be a good chunk of those... I'll try n' spice things up just so things don't get stale
Also! Whoever caught the reference with a certain character in this chapter, congrats! You get a cookie! If not? I...
... I dunno. I feel like it was pretty obvious.
See you next time!
God, I hope I don't get hit with a demotivation spike agai-