Hello again! So, this is it, the latest chapter to date. Gonna be honest, probably messed up some character interactions... Shame... Oh well, like I promised, the conclusion towards the aftermath of this little prologue bit along with the transition to the first arc! Did I say that before? Doesn't matter, watch as morals are made, dilemmas are had, and canon being thrown out the window with just words! Hope you enjoy!
Chapter 7: Late Start (RWBY)
Just Before Jaune's Fight…
Her day just wasn't looking to get better, is what Ruby thought after her confusing and a bit saddening conversation with Ste-Xreos. Not only did she have to convince her team so they can take the course and get stronger, but her other friends also got a full day head start. So, in total, Ruby has no idea what to do. In regard to convincing Yang and her friends, she felt that whatever they felt about the violet huntsman, the experience they would gain would be a win-win scenario. Dealing with the bad was what was needed to be a huntress after all.
It's just expressing that point Ruby felt would be the hardest. With how she grew up with her sister, Yang could and would be stubborn when it came to her safety. That fact alone was what made Ruby feel lost. No matter what they might gain taking the course, it wasn't worth fighting her sister over, at least in Ruby's eyes. And who knows… Maybe Jaune could teach me what he learned… Ha, Jaune teaching, that would be a disaster…
Forgetting that train of thought, Ruby found herself back in the courtyard, and deciding that walking around aimlessly won't do anything, sat down to ponder. Just what can I do… I feel like any argument I make is just going to be thrown back due to age or something like that… Urgh, why is being a leader and friend so hard!
"Are you ok? I uh can't help but notice you looking down over here…" A smooth, stern but melodic voice interrupted Ruby's thoughts. Looking back, Ruby would claim she was surprised but held her cool, after all being a huntress meant being prepared for anything to happen anytime. Yup… wasn't scared at all…
"AHH!"
/
/
Yang's day was not looking to get better. A sentiment she could tell her other teammates shared. After their young leader left their shared room held this wave of emptiness. Blake, ever quiet, was now making a point in keeping her silence as she focused on her book seemingly uncaring of the events before. Though if one looked closely, they could see her upper ears twitching along with her hands, as well as the fact she hadn't turned the page in a bit. Weiss' nerves weren't, however, so hidden, as she was openly huffing and fidgeting in her seat as she attempted to do some schoolwork. The fact that she too seemed to be stuck on a page would have anyone who knew her in a dire state.
Yang herself was no better seeing how she kept pacing across the room back and forth. Seeing how no one was going to address the elephant in the room, the blond brawler decided to do it herself.
"This is stupid!" She said while continuing her pace, throwing her arms in the air.
No one responded, still "focused" on their activities. Not one to be deterred, Yang continued, "I mean we're students of beacon! Beacon! Why do we have to care about some small headed jerk's opinion!"
"Because he's a professional?" Blake finally added, putting her book down.
"I highly doubt he's as professional as he says he is with his attitude." Weiss retorted, putting her supplies away in her desk.
"Exactly! That as-jerk is just arrogant and cheap, unlike my uncle!" Yang agreed.
"The same uncle who you say is a drunk?" Blake asked, raising a brow.
"Er- But in the cool way you know?"
"Look," Blake started, getting off the bed to face her teammates so they could pay attention. ""Real" professionals don't act any differently to us. Some party during their off time, others drink, it is only on the job do you truly see why they have earned the right to be called hunters."
"Isn't XEROS a mercenary group?" Weiss asked the Faunus.
"Mercenaries are just hunters who do more freelance work. Both can take shady jobs or more "legit" ones" The cat eared girl explained, while scratching said ears.
"Yeah, well Uncle Qrow doesn't resort to cheap tricks like Xreos does!" Yang swiftly argued.
"He doesn't?"
"Uh…well…ok he does but not to the extent that jerk does!"
"Then he doesn't need to rely on them as much as others."
Noticing the other women in the room giver a look of confusion, Blake sighed before reiterating her point. "It's like I said earlier, a real fight involves "cheap" moves. A real hunter can't just rely on the tools at hand, sometimes they're forced to use the environment. Whether that is making use of trees and caves for shelter or using stones and the dirt as weapons."
"If knowing that stuff is so important then not why have it as an actual class" Yang asked, getting a bit ticked off over Blake's logic.
"It is."
"Huh?" It wasn't just Yang that was surprised, but also Weiss since she didn't see it in the curriculum for their year.
"Yeah, it's called Emergency tactics and Cover. A course for fourth years."
"Well then if it is a course then why not just wait to take it?" Weiss asked the Faunus, still confused.
"Because we can't." Blake's ears twitched, her brows scrunching up.
"Why not?" Yang asked, making Blake bristle at her for forgetting.
"Did you not hear the headmaster!? The situation with the White Fang escalated, why do you think this course is only for first and second years?" She asked rhetorically. Neither Yang or Weiss answered or questioned again, so she continued.
"Something happened after those docks, and I think I know what it is! And if it's what I think it is, then this extra course is to help us get stronger faster so we could handle the threat I caused!"
"Blake it's not your fault-" Weiss started before getting interrupted by the now aggravated Faunus.
"But It is! Because of me, the Fang pushed up its agenda, making it even more of a threat to the point that the Headmaster has to send one of the top hunter squads in the world to investigate." Blake gasped out, before breathing in and out slowly to calm herself, her shaking hands betray her efforts.
"I'm not going to sit and wallow in self-hatred if that's what you're worried about." She started before making her way to the door.
"Where are you going?"
"I'm going to do something about it. If I-We can't take the course due to a split opinion, then I'll just make notes on how they do it so I can replicate their routine."
Just before the black-haired teen exited the dorm, she turned around one last time to say a few words.
"Sometimes we have to deal with the bad to enjoy the good, just ask yourselves this, would you rather deal with a jerk for a teacher, or be behind when the worst happens…"
Leaving behind the remaining members of RWBY to talk among themselves, Blake made her way where XREOS was stationed, missing a blond tail from further down the hall.
/
/
"I'm sorry for scaring you!" The melodic voice said worriedly.
"Scared, wwwhatt? No, psh no! I wasn't scared, you're scared!" Ruby shot back, her heart still pounding in her eardrums. Ahhh! That's dumb! Why did I say that! Stupid, unfocused brain.
"Ah, you're right Hehe!
What? "What?" Ruby repeated dumbfoundedly.
"Yup! I was scared Hehe. Sorry for projecting on you. I know huntresses like yourself are unafraid and strong" The melodic voice said with a sure look.
What is she talking about? Ruby thought before looking straight at the girl next to her. She seemed only a year older than her, but her soft emerald eyes held this wave of maturity in them. She had her hot pink hair in a side ponytail that was moving around in the wind, kind of like a flag or pinwheel, as she continued with looking at the small reaper. Ruby, still confused, wilted under the silence, which seemed to last an eternity in her head, as she noticed the small wink the pinkette gave.
Why would she…Ohhh! Never be said that the redhead couldn't catch social cues as she coughed a bit and spoke.
"Ah...Right! Being an esteemed huntress, I forgive you. Sometimes people get scared so no worries!" Ruby said in a Weiss-like pose.
The pinkette giggled at that, "Of course, thanks for your forgiveness"
"Yup! No problems!"
…
…
This got awkward… The red reaper thought, shuffling in her seat. Lucky for her, her sitting partner must have realized her plight, because she continued speaking.
"So, what seems to have got you down, Miss huntress?" The pinkette asked, bringing out a thermos.
"Uh… just some team stuff, personal stuff you know?" Ruby deflected. Even though this new girl seemed pretty nice, she didn't want to share everything to her, she's not some kid; or Jaune; that talks to strangers because of that.
"Ahh… is this about the new program?" The pinkette asked pouring some nondescript liquid out of the thermos into a pair of cups.
"Erg!?" Ruby choked out. "H-how!?"
"It's kinda a hot topic right now, isn't it?" The pinkette asked with a confused head tilt.
Cute… Ruby thought mindlessly before noticing a cup in front of her. Looking up, she noticed the pinkette give a comforting nod, before accepting the cup. She did wait till the pinkette took a drink first before trying the drink. It turned out to be a pretty tasty tea, surprising for Ruby, since she usually prefers anything but the gross hot leaf water.
"Thanks… uh yeah. Just a disagreement since I was sho-er showcased during the assembly." Ruby said with a small tone.
"Ah… Right, you were the one that got shot at…" A shiver from the red head gave the pinkette all the answers she needed. "I'm sorry for that, it came as a surprise to us too, I'm sure the boss had a good reason for aiming at you."
"Boss?" Shaking off her sadness, Ruby gave the pinkette a once over, before realizing where she saw her from.
"YOU'RE A PART OF XREOS!" The red head shouted, not that the pinkette seemed to mind.
"Yup! Oh my god I forgot to introduce myself… My name is Lucindia, Lucindia Serenity!"
"Ah, Ruby, Ruby Rose" said Ruby Rose unsurely.
"EH! You're a flower too!?"
"Too?"
"Yup, Serenity is a flower plus boss is a flower, flower power!" Lucindia said as if it was something normal to say.
"Uh…I've never heard of a serenity flower…" Ruby said in the same Ren-like tone she and the others have when dealing with Nora on hot chocolate.
"Boss said it existed once, so since he said it that must be true!" The pinkette stated as if it was a matter of fact.
And people say I'm childish and naive… Ruby thought with a bit of sweat falling from her brow.
"S-so what's this good reason that ste-Xreos said was?" Ruby asked, trying to get back on track.
"Ah, that's easy. I don't know!"
…
…
…
"Eh!?" Ruby shouted, and if she wasn't already sitting, she would have fallen to the floor already.
"Yup! I don't know, I said it was a surprise to us too, but the boss is a good guy, so he must have a good reason."
Is this what they heard when I defended Ste-Xreos… ahhh, maybe I was miss something in him that they saw…
"Faith"
"What?"
Ruby looked back up from her grounded thoughts to see an admittedly weird serious expression on the pinkette's face.
"I'm sorry, what was that?"
"Faith." Lucindia repeated with a soft smile. "I believe that the man who's saved countless lives had understandable reasons for his actions back in the assembly, I believe that despite how he puts himself out now, he hates hurting others maliciously. I have faith that everything will turn out right in the end, even if we can't see it yet." As if on cue, petals and tufts of grass are swept up in a passing breeze, as Lucindia gets up, brushing off her skirt.
"Even if it isn't something we agree with at the time, or at all, having faith that our path and actions aren't wrong helps any conflicting emotions we may have. If you believe that the man who you've met now is still the man who helped you earlier on, then why not have faith that it will go right? There is a storm coming Miss Rose and are you sure you have faith in the abilities you've learned across your brief stay here? Or do you need new tactics, new strengths and moves to brave this storm safely?"
Ruby could only stare at the different pinkette standing before her compared to the one she just drank tea with. Despite the mood shift, Ruby could only ask herself that question, can she believe in the man who'd help save her when she fell to teach her what she needs to combat her foes, or can she trust her team and self that when the time comes, they wouldn't fall short, even if it takes a difficult amount of effort to make that leap. After a moment, Ruby gave a nod and rushed past the pinkette.
Sighing to herself, Lucindia sat back down, before taking another sip of her now cold tea.
"Hah… Really boss, I'd be surprised if you don't get a single member participating with that attitude you have…"
/
/
Blake didn't know where she was going, though to be honest, that seemed to summarize her stay at Beacon Academy. The ex-terrorist's plan was to find where the lessons were held but she had no luck. It was getting after normal school hours, so she assumed they had ended earlier though now she had no plan to follow. She could have returned back to her room but seeing how she left, the disguised Faunus didn't really want to go back to a room full of awkwardness so wandering around the large school seemed like a good idea. After walking for thirty minutes now passing by students and faculty alike, that idea seemed less good.
"Hah, perhaps I should go back…"
"And here I thought you were doing that tour you promised." A cherry voice rang out.
Blake did not hiss, she never hisses, and if anyone says otherwise, they will find a very angry girl.
"Dammit What the hell Sun! How long have you been following me!" The very angry Faunus practically roared out, hands grasping for a weapon she desperately wishes was there.
"Chill Chill! Sorry for sneaking up on you Blake, thought as a ninja you'd notice me pretty easily." The blond monkey Faunus, Sun Wukong, stated, hands raised in a surrender pose.
"W-what? I'm not a ninja."
"Eh weren't you in" He paused looking around the empty hallway to make sure no one could hear before whispering the rest. "You know what?"
"Being a part of that does not make me a ninja" Blake said with a blank look.
"It doesn't! Then there goes my registration forms!" Sun said with an exaggerated pose.
"What do you want, Sun…" Blake said, fighting the urge to slap her face hard, or the Blond's, over his antics.
"Well other than successfully changing your mind of my immediate murder, I wanted to see what was eating you up!" The blond Faunus added quickly when the girl in front gave a steeled look.
"It's nothing that involves you, just forget it." Blake said after internally debating whether that murder was still on the table.
"Doesn't involve me, we're friends, aren't we? Course if a close friend of mine is in trouble I'd be involved!" Sun said with a smile.
Friends… Blake gave a sigh, before telling him a basic summary of what went down earlier that day, minus the more, personal details.
"Hmm, Hmm, it seems to me you are an idiot," Sun said bluntly.
"W-what?" Blake asked, stumbled from the way he said it. "What part of that makes me an idiot!?"
"You're forgetting your team again Blake." Sun said with a low browed look.
"Ah."
"You got caught up in the Fang again that you forgot how we got out last time. You can't do this alone you know"
"I'm not trying to do this alone! I can't even take the class without my team" Blake defended, a little upset over the blond's claims.
"Sure… You totally weren't trying to spy on the class to take notes and practice it by yourself." Sun said with a blank look.
"Ergh. What are you, stalking me?" Blake asked with a crossed look.
"I prefer following at a reasonable distance" Sun said with a cheeky grin.
The Faunus girl huffed at that. Chuckling, Sun continued with his explanation.
"Just think about it Blake. What sounds like it will do the job better, spending countless nights again preparing to fight a terrorist organization alone, or having your team and friends by your side where they can watch your back and make sure you see the morning sun. Er, the actual sun not me, unless I'm a part of that dream, in which case maybe the afternoon sun, cause I don't fancy waking up at the crack of dawn even for you" Sun finished, a happy smile plastered on the whole time.
Blake gave a soft laugh at his antics this time, causing a bigger grin to appear on the blond's face, and spoke a bit happily, "Your right Sun. Guess you do have more to you then just your abs"
"Naw! I'm mostly just abs" Abs Wukong stated.
With another laugh, Blake bid the blond goodbye and made way back towards her friends, her team.
/
/
Yang looked at the door for the thousandth time, despite knowing that no red or black heads would appear for at least a while.
"You know they won't just magically appear even if you keep glancing at the door like that." Weiss stated as such.
"Yeah…Just am I in the wrong here?" Yang asked, facing the only other woman in the room.
"How so?"
"It's just, I know why I hate the guy, he shot at my sister for Pete's sake, but am I missing something that both my sister and partner are willing to look pass so they could take this dumb course?" The brawler asked, resting her chin on her hand.
"Probably." Weiss said nonchalantly.
"Wow… who'd've thought… You know you're really bad at this helping thing Weissy" Yang said with a look.
"Well, what do you want to hear? Of course, they could've seen something you didn't see, just like how anyone in an outside perspective could see something none of us could! The point is that sitting here freaking out about it anymore than we have too won't lead to anything." Weiss explained, moving closer to the blond.
"I think Ruby is right, in regard to the fact that we will need this training." The platinum blond girl said after a bit of hesitation. "Whatever the Fang are up too could be devastating for Vale"
"Wwwhaattt?" Yang drew out, focusing on the first portion of that sentence.
"Oh, shut it! I can admit when I'm wrong you know" Weiss huffed, exasperated at the blond's reaction.
"I'm kidding, Weiss-cream. I knew you had a heart under all that Weissness.
"Weissness…"
"And you know what, I agree! Blake said it herself; we could look past that jerk and get some training done so those Fang bastards won't know what hit them!"
"Just let's go find them so we can talk this out without any more puns or Yang-like names…."
"Sure thing, Snow Angel…" Yang said with a grin.
"I will hit you Xao-long…"
All four members found themselves at the entrance of the dorms, shuffling a bit awkwardly seeing how they left last things last time. About to take control once more as the more outspoken person, Yang was pleasantly surprised to find Ruby herself going first.
"Uh, Look I want to say I'm sorry!"
All three girls gave a confused look before Yang figured what the Reaper was apologizing for.
"Look Rubes it's not your-"
"Nope!" Ruby said, turning towards the blond.
"Really? This? You can't just nope me like that" Yang said with a frown.
"Nope!" Ruby repeated, a grin making home on her face.
"Seriously Rub-"
"Nope! I'm apologizing and that's final! I was a bad friend, and more importantly a bad leader. I should have listened to your complaints and rested the matter instead of focusing only on what I saw. This is meant to be taken as a team not individually… So, I'm sorry." Ruby finished, holding her hands to her sides as she stood, a bit anxious over her team's reactions.
"Ruby…" Yang started, moving closer to embrace her sister.
"Then I apologize too…" Blake's voice rang out, interrupting the blond from getting closer, and having the others face her.
"You don't have to apologize too Blake" Ruby started.
"Nope"
"Hey that's my thing!"
Shaking her head with a hidden smile, Blake continued. "I know how much this meant, I too have questions that I want to know if they're either right or wrong," She rubbed her arms a bit before moving a strand of stray hair, "But I didn't help out hard enough convincing the others…"
"We're right here ya know"
"So, I am sorry, and to you as well, Yang, Weiss, for forgetting that we are a team again. So, who cares about a stupid class anyways, I'm certain our leader could think of a training regimen that's better." Blake ended with a twinkle in her amber eyes.
"Aww Blake!" Ruby yelled, glomping the ninja like teen.
"Then… I will apologize as well…" The heiress started, seeing how her friends were done.
"EH!? Weiss apologizing!? What happened while I was gone!?" Ruby shouted exaggeratedly.
"Oh shut it dolt, I can apologize when I'm wrong too you know" Weiss huffed out.
"Just… I'm sorry for not listening to your arguments fully, and assuming the worst from this extra program… I should have listened to your-admittedly truthful arguments." The snow haired girl shuffled a bit, hand on a lock of her hair.
"Geez, I still felt a chill from that, though eight out of ten, Weissy, for that apology." Yang commented.
"Why must you interrupt me, you listen to the others' apology! Whatever…The point is I am sorry, and I hope this doesn't ruin any future endeavors.
"W-what?" Ruby asked, confused by that last bit.
"I-I meant that I hope this doesn't hurt our friendship…" Weiss stuttered, red face for slipping back into her "normal" apologetic tone.
"Well other than Ice queen's-" "We talked about this Xao-Long" "attempt at being sorry, guess it's my turn." Yang started, rubbing a hand through her mane.
"Yeah, I'm sorry. Should have focused on the now instead of before. While I'm still pissed at the dou-jerk, we do need this training for those guys" Yang said that last part with a whisper, still conscious about their location.
"So, sorry. But I reserve the right to beat him in submission when I get the chance." Yang finished with a scratch to her cheek.
"Then as leader I order team RWBY to forgive each other so we can be friends again!" Ruby said with an amused look as did the others.
"Ok, ok. So about that training" Yang asked the small reaper.
"Well, we don't need to take the course. I had a talk with this nice girl, er I mean that I realize it doesn't matter, we can just do something together! Like a movie montage or a training course" Ruby said back.
"Then we can take the professional training class as a team then. I certainly don't trust what you have in that brain of yours" Weiss stated bluntly.
"Pssh I have amazing training brans. Plans. I meant plans." Ruby corrected.
"Right…"
"Then are we in agreement then? For the course I mean" Blake said, interrupting whatever was starting in front of her.
"Eh? Wait, you're serious!?" Ruby yelled, immediately turning towards her partner.
"Of course! Unless you have a plan for stopping…criminals…then why not take the professional course that could help us prepare."
"Yup! What Weiss said Ruby, we already know where going to get caught up thanks to somebody's curiosity" Yang gestured towards their resident terrorist hunter, who just nodded, not denying her plans. "*cough* Right… Just, while I might dislike the guy, He at least has the skills to back up his claims. So, I'm down learning from the jerk if that means we could kick Butt together."
Ruby looked back and forth between each of her friends, seeing their resolute faces, the small reaper couldn't help but squeal at their agreement.
"AHH! You girls!" She shouted, using her semblance to speedily squish everyone together in a botched group hug.
"H-hey! You're squishing too hard you dolt!" Weiss sputtered under Yang's back.
"I think this is good enough" Blake muttered from Yang's side, struggling to escape the friendly death trap..
"I mean, it's not that bad, a bit snugged, but nothing to Yang over." The punster said from the middle of the lodged bodies.
"Yaang!"
"Bad…"
"I thought it was Yang-tatistic ha-ha OUCH! Damit Weiss, I thought you were kidding!"
"I always make do on my promises'' The heiress stated rubbing her hand as hitting Yang was equivalent to hitting a wall.
Seeing the mood Ruined via Yang's comedy, Ruby ended her hug of death brushing off some lint and dust made from the weapons creation.
"Then what are we waiting for! Ste-Xreos could be still awake! Quick Weiss, where do faculty sleep again?"
"That won't be necessary Rose" A voice rang out behind the four.
"Eep!" Turning around, they noticed it was Xreos, albeit, wearing gym clothes. It was a standard beacon affair but the fact that he was wearing it made some of the members realize what he was doing.
Others, not so much… "Hey what's the big idea! Eavesdropping on us now!?" Yang shouted, arms raised a bit, not so much as to fight the violet eyed man, but more to show she was willing too.
For his part, Xreos just sighed and waved an arm dismissably, "I was doing my routine and was finishing my run. No, I didn't hear anything you four said, and frankly I don't care." Whipping some sweat, he added "Not my problem, so what do you need me for Rose"
"You could stand to be nicer" Yang muttered beneath her breath, before looking at her sister. Ruby only gulped, before standing in front of the similar sized huntsman.
"We, team RWBY would like to take your course Xreos" She said, trying to hide any sort of nervousness she had.
Xreos looked at each member in front of him, before resting his eyes back on Ruby. "So, you all agree to this?"
No words were stated, only nods from the others as Xreos continued looking at Ruby. For her part she didn't look away, despite getting a bit weirded out. After what seemed like an eternity, Xreos sighed as he turned away.
"Alright then, you best get some sleep."
"Eh?" RWBY looked at each other confused a bit at his sentence, something Xreos noticed before sighing again.
"We train after your class day ends, this is an extra class of course, although replacing combat class you still have your other subjects to look forward too, you'll need all the energy you can get."
Ruby's eyes grew wide, as she shook from hidden excitement. "D-does that mean?"
"It's up to you if I'll be seeing you four tomorrow" He finished, leaving the four behind as he continued his run.
Yang looked before her sister, wondering if she was going to blow up now or bring them into another group hug. So colour her surprise when instead, she turned towards with a smile and spoke. "You heard him girls! Off to bed so we can be all ready for tomorrow!"
"Hmph, I expected you to be more joyful or obnoxious. What's up?" Weiss asked,
"I've seen a bit of what Jaune and the others went through, let's just say we will need every bit of energy we can get" Ruby said, shuddering a bit at the hell that awaits them.
Still confused at the red head's warning, they chalked it up to Ruby being Ruby, as they went back inside. The sounds of a midnight haired man destroying the forest beneath them, hidden away at the dead of night.
So like I said, that's that. I'm currently writing chapter eight, but I have written another piece involving Orion, er this world peace. I will state that it is in the past and in first person. So instead of little red, perhaps a bigger one? Maybe a ginger or even a bird or two. The main focus however is actually someone else and is definitely more convoluted than the first act of Sunfire violet. Let me know if ya'll want to see it. Only has a couple chapters currently but I think it's cool. Either way, thats it for now! What happened at the docks, what's going to happen at the next trainging session? Why is Xreos fighting trees? And will I actually upload the next chapter!? Find out next time on Cross Fates! Also forgive me bad jokes... I'm worse than Yang in that regard.