Nadia sat alone at a table off in the corner of the dining hall, occasionally picking the sardines off of her salad. It was a strange feeling, really. There she was, surrounded more or less at all times by students aspiring to be Hunters and Huntresses, yet she wasn't one of them. She lived at Beacon now. Headmaster Ozpin had even set her up in a previously vacant room in one of the dormitories and given her freedom of the halls and facilities, provided of course that she kept away from the armory and any live-fire zones. She lived there, but she wasn't part of it. That was how she felt about it anyway, though apparently she didn't exactly stick out in her present setting, because almost nobody noticed her, but then what was one more face among hundreds?

The only people who had attempted to engage with her at all, outside the doctor or headmaster's offices, were that lanky blonde guy with his lousy pick-up line and some spastic red-head whom Nadia could have sworn was actually some kind of toddler in a teenager's body – and all she wanted to talk about were sloths and pancakes… All that was fine though; Nadia was used to being ignored by people in general and, given her circumstances, it beat getting ordered around or having her hair ripped out.

She supposed that she should be grateful that she was being allowed to stay here at all, but nonetheless she found herself becoming bored rather quickly. After she'd settled in, she'd explored the campus a bit while all the students were in class over the first few days that she was free to move about, but huge as the place was, there was only so much of Beacon to see.

The library had crossed her mind once or twice as a decent place to kill time, and once or twice she had tried, but Nadia ruled it out straight away the first time she'd seen Belladonna curled up with a book. She'd been facing away, and apparently too engrossed in a rather weighty volume to notice, so Nadia was able to turn right around and leave without attracting the cat Faunus's attention, fortunately. She'd meant what she'd said outside their dorm room door, but she wasn't ready to face any of them yet.

The gym was definitely out too – one of the scant few other things that the bubbly red-head had mentioned was that after her lunch she was going to hit the gym with Mina and 'Yang.' Nadia wasn't sure which of the other two members of Mina's team 'Yang' was, but she guessed it was probably the big blondie that Nadia had really managed to piss off in a big way. Apparently they were in there 'LIKE ALL THE TIME!' which meant that Nadia was not going to spend much time there at all.

All that pretty much left was people-watching, hence Nadia's choice to sit in on all of the lunch rotations except the first, the one Team RWBY attended, and just sink into the scenery as the actual students went about their business and idly chatted. Most of them by far wore the typical Beacon uniform, but occasionally Nadia noticed a few odd groups wearing uniforms from other schools – transfers that had opted to stick around via some kind of exchange program after the last Vytal festival, probably. But regardless of how many buttons there were on the jackets or what flavor of plaid the skirts were, the hot topic that Nadia kept hearing, or overhearing, about was the next one. It had been almost a year since the last Vytal Festival now; Nadia remembered the ruckus and fanfare quite well. More importantly, it wasn't so long after that that Mina had left the White Fang to be with Belladonna and…

Nadia took a deep breath, and then let it out, And I let myself go off the deep end…

It seemed like more than a handful of the Atlas folks had never gotten the memo that the festival had ended though, because the word was that the Atlesian Air Cruisers and military personnel had never left. Rumor had it that the Vale council had reached out to Atlas in light of the increased White Fang activity that had been going on, but whatever the case was, Nadia had lost track of just how many Atlesian soldiers she'd seen on and around the campus, given that they were based there. They weren't particularly obtrusive, after a while Nadia even stopped noticing them unless she thought to look, but the last couple of days had seen a couple more cruisers show up over Beacon in preparation for the next festival. Because nothing says 'festival' like a legion of androids…

Nadia rolled her eyes.

Occasionally General Ironwood himself would grace the dining hall with his presence, now and then stopping to converse amicably with some of the students who weren't terrified of his aide-de-camp, who accompanied him on his rounds. She almost looked like the man's consort at a glance, but one look at her face dispelled any potential for rumors to that effect. She was pretty enough, granted, but her expression seemed fixed on stern as her gaze tracked wordlessly over the various groups of students as though assessing the possibility that any or every one of them might pull a knife and try to have a go at Ironwood. She's almost like that Professor Goodwitch chick if you just replace the little bit of cheer the prof has with a slab of granite…

Nadia was abruptly jolted from her reveries and contemplative staring after the senior Atlesian officers as they made their rounds by the sudden sound of a tray being set down across from her at the little corner table that she'd chosen specifically to avoid other people. When she looked to see who it was, she was surprised and more than a bit panicked to see that very specific shade of white. "S-Schnee? What are you doing here?"

"Eating lunch, obviously," the Heiress responded dismissively as she sat. "You simply look like you could use some company,"

"But you're supposed to be-,"

"In the first lunch period, yes I know," Schnee nodded, but it so happens that I pulled several all-nighters to catch up on some work – I even did one better and got ahead of the curriculum… which is why I also got a doctor's note mandating that I not attend classes today…"

Nadia blinked, her retort somewhat weakened by perplexity. "Then shouldn't you be… I don't know, napping?"

"I did." The Heiress rolled her eyes. "For six hours – why do you think I'm eating lunch now?"

"Okay…" Nadia subconsciously leaned back against her chair, feeling uncomfortable. "So… why did you want to sit… here…?" Nadia was notably disconcerted that she wasn't so beneath notice now that the Schnee Heiress was sitting with her.

"I heard that the Headmaster decided to let you go freely about the campus," Schnee answered nonchalantly.

"So you came to tell me off again…" Nadia assumed resentfully. "Well don't bother – I'll behave-,"

"No, no, I didn't come for that." Weiss waved a hand before picking up her fork and knife. "But I did think that maybe the two of us should talk…"

Nadia froze. "About what…?"

"About what you plan on doing now that you're free again."

Nadia was quiet for a moment, thinking carefully before she answered. What does she want me to say? Not like it matters – although… Might be time to actually get started on those in-person apologies… "Look… I said I'd behave, but since you sat down I-." She blinked, watching the Heiress start on her 'meal,' "Um… who eats apples with a fork and knife?"

The Heiress just stared. "I beg your pardon?"

"I… doesn't it just make more sense to just eat the thing with your hand…?"

Weiss huffed. "Preposterous! An apple may not be fine dining, but that is no excuse for a lapse of table manners!"

"Table manners?" Nadia gaped, dumbfounded. "Seriously?"

"Of course!" The Heiress objected insistently. "But enough about me, you should really see to that salad of yours – the lettuce looks like it's starting to wilt…"

Nadia glanced down at her own plate. If the lettuce was wilting, she couldn't tell. She looked back at the Heiress. "You're insane,"

Weiss Schnee sighed, shaking her head distastefully. "Oh never mind… Anyway, we were talking…"

"Right…"

There was a strained silence between them as the conversation – banter really – died. Nadia swallowed, and averted her gaze, yet the Schnee girl continued to stare straight on. Weiss Schnee had proven herself unnervingly sharp about calling the Faunus out on the personal shortcomings that she had preferred not to see in herself. What was almost more disconcerting, though, was the forced smile that the Schnee Heiress was putting on for her benefit. In a way, it was almost a relief when she finally let it lapse, showing a tired expression as she set her silverware down.

"Okay look…" Weiss sighed, seeming somewhat drained. "I'm not very good at this whole 'friendly' thing, so I'll just get straight to the point." She rubbed her temples. "I wanted to talk to you because… as massively as you've screwed up, fundamentally…" She almost cringed as she said it, though the grimace conveyed worry rather than distaste, "I… don't think you're a bad person…"

Wait, what?

"You… you don't?" Nadia gaped incredulously. "But I… I tried to kill her! I tried to kill you! Twice-!"

"It took the better part of a week for me to recover from that building you tried to drop on us, yes…" Weiss nodded, cutting her off with perhaps just the slightest note of passing bitterness, but she dismissed it with another heavy sigh. "But admitting when you're wrong is hard – trust me, I know – and…" Weiss trailed off, considering her next words, "…I think we've got more in common than either of us might've thought…"

Nadia just stared back, confused. "How do you figure that?"

"Think of it like… a mirror," Weiss offered at length. "Some of the details are reversed, but really…" She paused. "I was born rich, you were poor, I'm a human, you're a Faunus. But unless I'm very much mistaken… we've both been very lonely most of our lives… and we both had to overcome ignorance and prejudices to get where we find ourselves now, and I… I feel like I should help you."

"I don't see what you could help me with," Nadia replied after some hesitation, not meeting the Heiress's eyes, not so much resentful as dejected. "I can't have Mina. All that's really left is to move on with… with whatever I've got that passes for a life…"

Weiss was quiet for a long moment after that. Nadia could tell that she hadn't had a canned answer to that one, but something about her eyes said that the Heiress was in the process of thinking of something when the stalled conversation was interrupted.

"Good afternoon girls, I trust everything is well?"

Startled, Nadia looked over to see Ironwood and his aide-de-camp. Apparently they had finished with the rest of the dining hall and were making their way to another part of the school.

Why'd they have to come over here? Ironwood was… polite enough, but the woman's stoic expression did nothing to conceal the fact that her face seemed to scowl by default, and her gaze seemed to impart a physical weight.

It was Weiss who recovered her powers of speech first though, seemingly not at all bothered by their presence. "Ah, hello General, Colonel." She nodded to them in turn. "Everything is quite alright, thank you,"

Ironwood's more amiable gaze shifted Nadia's way now. "And what about you, Miss Undine? How has it been adjusting to Beacon life? I see you've made acquaintance with Miss Schnee…"

Maybe it was just her own anxiety, but Nadia couldn't help thinking that that last part was some kind of warning, PR smile be damned, and so she hesitantly replied, looking down so as not to meet his, or the woman's gaze, "I… I wouldn't go that far…"

"Actually General…" Weiss spoke up now, turning politely to face the two officers. "Nadia and I were just talking about her expressing interest in becoming a Huntress herself, as a way to move on with her life of course – to do something positive-,"

"Wait, we what?"

But Weiss continued right over Nadia's surprised objection. "Unfortunately, while she has a Semblance to work with and some rudimentary knowledge of Dust-based explosives, she hasn't much in the way of proper combat training, so I was wondering… Would it be at all possible for Colonel Stahlkreuz to perhaps help her with some basic so that she could qualify to apply to Beacon as a student, rather than a refugee?"

Ironwood raised an eyebrow, but the apparent sincerity of the Schnee Heiress's request seemed to disarm him somewhat, and he cast a look to his aide. "Irena?"

The newly identified Colonel Stahlkreuz returned the look, although her dispassionate scowl did not falter. "Given her record sir, it would seem inadvisable,"

Nadia let herself slump in her chair a bit, though in the thick of things, she couldn't quite sort out if it was relief or disappointment that caused her to slacken. "I under-,"

"Maybe…" Ironwood conceded, interrupting Nadia. "But Oz trusts her enough to move about the campus." He gestured to Weiss. "And Miss Schnee of all people is asking on her behalf…" He seemed to consider his own words briefly, before looking to Nadia again as though sizing her up. "I imagine that living in a school for young Huntsman and Huntresses must get a bit dull, not being one yourself?"

"Um…" Nadia's heart was in her throat, and her eyes were wide, "…I guess?"

Ironwood looked to his aide again, and it was with just the slightest visible displeasure that she nodded. "Very well sir." And then to Nadia she continued. "I expect you present at Gymnasium C at precisely 0-Nine hundred tomorrow morning; do I make myself clear?"

"What?"

"I do not recall stuttering, Cadet Undine,"

"But-" Unfortunately, Stahlkreuz had moved off with Ironwood by the time Nadia could muster her words again, so instead she cast Schnee a horrified glare. "What have you done?"

"What? Colonel Stahlkreuz is an excellent combat instructor – she stood in for my trainer a few times while she was the Atlesian Military liaison with the SDC." Weiss shrugged, deftly avoiding the actual question. "Though I admit she can be a bit... brusque… Oh, and you should definitely show up at eight fifty-five just to be safe – she's quite picky about punctuality, from what I hear…"

"I can't fight a full-fledged Huntress! Are you insane!"

"Well then it's probably a good thing that she's a soldier then." Weiss cleared her throat, as though it were actually a substantial distinction. "And in any event, that's why she'd be training you-,"

"You're trying to kill me." Nadia wasn't sure if she should laugh or be terrified. "This is revenge for the building thing isn't-,"

"Look." Weiss was serious again. "If you really want to move on with your life, you'll never get a better chance than this one; think of it as a new purpose – something else to latch onto if you really need it to keep going…" She let out a deep breath. "Just give it a shot, alright?"

Nadia blinked, taken aback. She'd been avoiding the question, but there it was – in not so many words: what exactly do I live for now? Nadia's indignation deflated then and there. "Alright, fine… but will you just answer one thing for me?"

"Alright then…"

"Why are you being so nice to me? And don't give me any of that 'we're the same' crap. Maybe we've got some stuff in common, but not much of it was good…"

Weiss placed a hand flat on the table. "Alright, you've caught me," she admitted, in a voice that was less friendly but more honest. "Our little session with Dr. Edrych-Gwydr got me thinking about some things that I probably should have confronted head-on a lot sooner than I did, and you were right: I do love Mina and I want what's best for her. As long as you are going to be here then that also means what's best for you, because I shudder to think what else you might get up to if you spend too long brooding in your own self-pity." She leaned back in her seat now. "This then, is what I can offer you; all the actual professors and staff will be far too busy with arrangements for the festival coming up, but as you may have noticed, my last name is worth some pull – especially in Atlas – so this is your chance. Do you want to do something with your life? Because after all you've done, this is probably the only option that you are ever going to have. I'm not trying to be callous here, but most people aren't as forgiving as Ozpin. And if you don't want my charity, than think of it as me paying you back for helping me realize some things about myself."

Slowly, Nadia nodded. "Alright… I…" She took a deep breath. "Thanks…"

Few words passed between them after that and, after a while, Undine had excused herself from the table, taking her leave having finished her meal, and left Weiss alone with her apple. She didn't long stay that way though, as Weiss's contemplation was cut short by steady footsteps and the tapping of a cane.

"Enjoying your day off, Miss Schnee?"

Weiss glanced up, somehow not at all surprised as Ozpin took the seat opposite her. "I like to think I've been making good use of it."

The old man smiled. "So I've noticed,"

"Of course you have…" Weiss muttered dryly. "Does nothing get past you, Sir?"

"Nothing that I know of," he replied with a smirk. "But I find it of particular interest when a student of mine comes to share a certain hobby of mine."

"Oh?"

"To give a wayward soul a second chance, Miss Schnee. I think you'll find that there is an art to it. Every soul is different yet, by the same token, we all have much in common. You and I, for example. It has been some time since I have been as young as you, yet we both seem to have taken an interest in the life and welfare of one Miss Nadia Undine."

"I don't know what you're talking about sir."

"Come now Miss Schnee. I am quite aware – even had James not informed me moments ago that his first officer would be taking a most uncharacteristic few hours of personal time each morning…" He tapped his scroll before taking a sip of his coffee.

"I merely figured that if Undine keeps herself busy then she won't be as much of a problem for Mina," Weiss responded nonchalantly.

"That's part of it, I'm sure," Ozpin allowed with a nod. "But nonetheless, Miss Schnee, you've come a long way." He took another sip of his coffee, before rising from the seat and gathering his cane. "And I thought that I would say 'well done.' I'm proud of you."

Author's Note: Hello all, time for a new, slightly less angsty arc! I do hope you enjoy it, as things are starting to look up for Nadia, and things are gearing up for another Vytal festival! Wow it's been a while… At any rate, I do hope that you enjoyed Weiss trying to be nice and Nadia getting another shot. And, as always, feedback is appreciated.

Also, last but not least, I would like to give a shout out to KillamriX88 for helping me with proofreading and edits on this chapter! Many thanks.