Pyrrha steeled herself for a moment before knocking on the door. This wasn't gonna be easy. After hearing Weiss answer, the redhead opened the door and entered the room Weiss had secluded herself into, apparently studying some class material.
"Hello Weiss. If you have some time, could we maybe talk a little?
Weiss only looked up for but a moment, but it was enough to tell Pyrrha her assessment had been right. The girl was clearly annoyed by the interruption.
"I can see where this is going and I'm not in the mood to talk about Izuku, Pyrrha. He shouldn't have sent you, as there really isn't anything to talk about in the first place. We fought and I lost and that is all that happened."
Pyrrha smiled a saccharine smile. One of those her manager would have been rather proud of. She couldn't help be glad about the fact Weiss just handed her the momentum of the conversation. While Pyrrha felt conflicted about it, she also felt she had something to say that Weiss needed to hear.
Pyrrha Nikos treasured her new friends and she wouldn't stand idly aside if something was so obviously amiss between them. Even if it meant she had to resort to doing something she disliked in order to say what was necessary. Time for the opening shots.
"Well... I assure you, Weiss, I'm very much my own person and no-one asked me to come here. If there is nothing to talk about, would you be willing to just listen to me for a moment? It shouldn't take long."
Weiss Schnee chided herself for blurting out a suspicion like that without clear evidence. Even if she was right, and given Pyrrha's caring nature Weiss wasn't entirely sure about that, it would have been a mistake to put it that way regardless. She had been taught better. Weiss Schnee had much experience in the art of talking politely regardless of any actual feelings, like her current state of irritation. It wasn't as if she had any problem with Pyrrha in the first place and she didn't want to come off as rude to a teammate without any real reason. Especially not one that she respected a good deal.
She still planned to get this talk over with soon though. Weiss Schnee prepared all her social expertise to cut the talk as short as possible, but without making herself look like some uncultured buffoon, obviously.
"I apologize. I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions. I'll gladly listen to you, Pyrrha. Why, won't you take a seat while we talk?"
Pyrrha sat down, collecting her thoughts for a moment. While she had gone through what she wanted to say, it wasn't easy for her opening up like that.
"During my time as a tournament fighter... there was a point people took notice of me winning again and again. I went from an underrated fighter to a mid-level card, making my way through the ranks. In time they started calling me "The Invincible girl"." Pyrrha's lips sank slightly at mentioning that moniker.
Weiss took note of the Mistrali girl's distaste at something that should have filled her with pride. She filed that fact away for later analysis, but kept listening as she didn't quite get yet what Pyrrha's argumentation was aiming towards.
"I don't know if you realize it, but I'm rather good at listening, listening to the whispers of people surrounding me. I take it you are as well, considering your upbringing and circle of society you belong to. Where every move you make and any word you and other people say is viewed in the light of politics."
Weiss nodded. Of course that was second nature to her, as much as she currently wished to be able to stop listening in automatically to all the students ridiculing and badmouthing her in the wake of that indignant spar defeat. Considering the Mistrali way of life, it came as no surprise Pyrrha would have some experience with that as well, as a prized combatant would be allowed to enter the highest Mistrali social circles as an exciting and entertaining oddity to observe.
"For me, it came as part of the territory as the "Invincible Girl", standing at the top, aloof of the meager competition below her. It added to my legend. It wasn't how I felt or what I wanted, but it was an essential part of how my moniker worked, to instill doubt into my enemies before a bout even started. I had to stay distanced from people and appear unapproachable. In time I was essentially forced to become a good listener to what people said around me, as it slowly became my only source of information."
Weiss took note of that information as well. She had expected some of it, given the distaste for that Pyrrha had shown at times and her hesitance to talk much about it. If anything, only the extent of the girl's feelings surprised Weiss a little.
"But before I got famous, I actually had a rough start. There was a brief time people actually stopped talking about my abilities and instead talked about my opponents and how they should have beaten me. That they messed up in some way, so I could snatch a win. The whispers changed their tone quickly enough, but it still bothered me until they did."
Weiss added the unsaid part in her mind. Pyrrha Nikos hadn't gone into extensive detail about her Semblance, but Weiss knew enough about it as part of Izuku's strategy meetings to know the girl tended to keep its use rather subtle. It didn't require much imagination to see how her early victories through subtly manipulating her opponent's moves and movements may have looked like her opponents messing up and handing her an easy win. Only the fact Pyrrha Nikos, the "Invincible Girl" was able to repeat such a performance again and again had let people gain the impression the girl was just that skilled to force people into mistakes instead.
The Mistrali girl folded her hands, dodging Weiss' gaze. Now came the hard part.
"When Izuku lost his first fight, in a single hit even, people regarded him as weak. When he won against his next opponent, most just called it a fluke. When he fought against Bakugo and went far and beyond in that fight... there was a good amount of people who still considered it "just luck" - as if there were any battles that were free of coincidences and as if it weren't a vital part of combat to recognize and make the most of such short-timed opportunities."
"Pyrrha, I really don't see where this is going. I never denied Izuku having improved by leap and bounds. Also I..."
"Weiss, I'm sorry, but I wasn't quite finished. Please bear with me for just a moment longer.", Pyrrha disrupted her, wearing a slight scowl at being interrupted. A scowl Weiss suspected was all too calculated. She really ran into this one.
Weiss indignantly crinkled her nose, but silently nodded. The Mistrali was a little better at the game than she expected. Weiss would stay silent for now, underestimating someone was beneath her and a dangerous habit to get into, regardless of what kind of combat she faced.
"I trust you're aware there were a good number of people who didn't look at Izuku's capabilities at all, but at Bakugo's instead. Who came to the conclusion that Katsuki Bakugo must be weak if he lost to someone like Izuku. Which is pretty much the same situation you're in right now."
Weiss didn't move an inch, but her gaze got a little harder. Most would have overlooked it, but Pyrrha wasn't just anyone. She'd always been a keen observer and her subtle use of her Semblance all but required an attention to detail and thus had only honed that ability. She hurried to strike the iron while it was hot and malleable, before that cold gaze would cool it into a hardened shape that wouldn't bend to anyone or anything. She expected Weiss to politely disrupt her any time now and the same trick wouldn't work twice, so she had to quickly speak the rest of her piece.
"Weiss, I realize you must be angry, it surely would annoy anyone to hear people whispering or cracking jokes about oneself. While maybe the first time this has happened to you, Izuku spent most of his life that way. And now, when he has finally found some strength..."
"It is not him that people are acknowledging, no, now people, instead of calling him weak, have started to call his opponents the very same."
Pyrrha looked into Weiss eyes.
"Weiss, you know that Izuku usually apologizes profusely for even the most meager things or any imagined slights. Isn't the fact he didn't apologize to you for your spar telling? He must consider himself to be in the right by having taken you serious enough. And resort to abusing any weakness he saw to stand a chance at beating someone as powerful as you, no matter how it may look like to anyone else. And I think each insult against you he hears must also feel like an insult to him, both due to disrespecting his important teammate as well as selling both of your efforts short. It surely feels that way to me as well."
Pyrrha's hands shook slightly, but she pressed through her inhibitions. Surely it was much more difficult for Weiss to hear than for her to say it, so it was the least of effort she could give to help her precious team!
"Think of all the times Izuku provided a strategy for us, carefully taking all our strengths, talents and weaknesses into account. Considering how often we all trained together or talked strategy, can you truly tell me that you ever felt like Izuku was looking down on you or any of us`, except to some degree on himself? Do you think that I, your team mate, your partner Nora or anyone of our friends would ever think like that?"
While Weiss really just wanted to tell Pyrrha what Izuku felt like wasn't exactly concerning her in the least right now, something held her back. Something in Pyrrha's words had struck a chord within her.
"A good result."
"Well, the girl is a member of the esteemed Schnee family, it's only to be expected. Anything else wouldn't have sufficed."
"Considering her background, it's honestly no wonder she did well. A powerful inheritable Semblance handed to her on a silver platter as well as the girl probably being trained by the best teachers money can buy to boot. It would have been a surprise and an embarrassment if she didn't do at least this well."
"Look Father, I placed first again. This time it was actually a little exciting, there was actually a boy who did give me some competition, so I had to take some calculated risk and it paid off handsomely! I..."
"Not now Weiss. Winter, we talked about this. Even Weiss is doing her duty at least, why can't you just do what's expected of you as well?"
Weiss almost sighed, before calling herself to order. Not having your effort be acknowledged, it just being taken for granted or explained away on the grounds of being a Schnee or in some other way was actually something Weiss could relate to all too well, not that Pyrrha would know about that. It was a little surprising Pyrrha had that experience as well. And she admittedly hadn't thought about it like that at all so far.
But she still couldn't help feeling a bit betrayed by Izuku. She didn't care if it was petty! After that impressive fight with Yang, the lengths Izuku had went to in order to answer and live up to the blonde brawler's expectations of him...
Just why didn't he want to have a proper fight with her, his own teammate!, when he happily gave one to just about everyone else? He had even challenged her himself, so was it really that hard for the thick headed idiot to realize that Weiss might have looked a little forward to their spar?
And then he just... had disappointed her expectations.
Brutally.
Even if it was a valid tactic and she had been just as eager to win as he had been, even when she shouldn't have had any silly expectations to begin with!
The way he behaved so chivalrous at times, how he had been scared about inadvertently touching her inappropriately during all their dance lessons...
Just how the hell had Weiss been supposed to expect him to change into a brute octopus of all things, latching onto her like that out of the blue, with seemingly more limbs than he had any right to have! In front of everyone, for crying out loud? What kind of bi-polar attitude was that anyways, it had been entirely out of character for Izuku compared to his usual behavior!
Weiss breathed in to find her focus again.
Admittedly Izuku's demeanor had changed during combat before, so maybe she should have been forewarned. But still!
Some of her feelings must have shown on her face. Or maybe Pyrrha was even better at reading people than Weiss had given the girl credit for so far. She did have previous experience, just like herself. Something to keep in mind for future interactions. Weiss was painfully aware right now she might have just lost another kind of spar.
The Mistrali girl stood up.
"I suppose I shouldn't disturb your studies any longer, Weiss. I'm sorry, I didn't want to bother you, after all."
"Sure you did. You wanted to say your piece to not let me stew on all this by myself.", the young Schnee thought.
Weiss looked at the tall girl, undecided what to answer to her. Not that she could stay silent, the girl's self-accusation stood in the room and the ball was in Weiss field due to that. It was only proper manners to deny Pyrrha taking blame on herself. She'd have to put up a brave front regardless of how she actually felt about the girl's meddling.
The redhead turned towards the door and was about to leave, when she heard Weiss call after her.
"It wasn't a bother, actually. I value your adv... opinion. Thank you Pyrrha."
Pyrrha gave her teammate a look... and smiled.
Weiss couldn't help but notice the difference between this smile and the first smile Pyrrha had worn today when initially catching Weiss on the wrong foot.
"You're welcome", Pyrrha Nikos said as she left the room, leaving Weiss alone with her thoughts again.
The Schnee heiress was slightly surprised by herself. While she knew she was a good actress, that last sentence had come out so genuine not because it was intended to, but because Weiss... actually felt that way. While it had been something of a spar of its own, on the verbal battlefield intimately known to someone of her class, a spar that she essentially lost as well...
Weiss simply couldn't deny she actually believed Pyrrha genuinely tried to help her. That she actually cared. Somehow that made all the difference to Weiss, taking the sting of the loss right now away to some degree. Or maybe it was just that this bout between team mates had been in private, unlike that travesty with Izuku.
Weiss reprimanded herself in short order for getting so sentimental. As much as having good team mates... friends... mattered, her main goal was to grow stronger. Weiss Schnee wouldn't let this current setback slow her down.
It wasn't the time for idleness, if anything these current events had shown she might be a little too set in her ways and needed to evolve, not just her fighting style, but also as a person of her own.
Then again, hadn't that been the initial reason Weiss Schnee had wanted to attend Beacon in the first place, despite all the obstacles put in her way to force her into Atlas Academy?
Weiss Schnee concentrated on her studies again with renewed vigor.
"Huh? You want to know what Weiss is like?"
"Yeah that's pretty much what I just said Izuku, ribbit ribbit."
Izuku and Tsuyu had actually taken another opportunity to hang out; after so long of just not speaking to her or not hanging out with one of the few people he hadn't directly met on Initiation Day, the two had once again arranged for a bit of time to hang out; a quick walk around the school's grounds. It had been an activity that he'd actually learned to enjoy quite a bit both thanks to the natural beauty and the sense of fresh air and light exercise he got. Izuku really had to hand it to Toshinori, it was a really neat way of just clearing his head or, even, giving himself something to do while he talked to one of his friends. There had been some light conversation between them as they discussed this or that but, a ways into the conversation, Tsuyu just seemed to blurt out, seemingly out of the blue, that she wondered what Weiss Schnee was actually like. It had surprised Izuku, though not because Tsuyu asked the question in the first place; Tsuyu was incredibly blunt, and he knew for a fact that if the frog Faunus was actually curious about this, she wouldn't hesitate to ask.
What did surprise Izuku was that she was curious in the first place.
"Why do you ask: I know you and Weiss have hung out a bit, and we all pretty much mix up as we eat together. I figured you two would've talked by now." Tsuyu nodded as she brought one of her long fingers up to just underneath her lips, the motion and pose he'd come to associate with Tsuyu taking a moment to think something over.
"That's true, and it has been pretty enlightening." Tsuyu gave Izuku that ever present, even expression of hers as she continued. "I'm sure you can imagine that even Faunus who aren't part of the White Fang have certain... conceptions about the Schnee Family and the SDC, right?" Izuku nodded; considering how 'big' the Schnees were when it came to the topic of Faunus rights and the treatment of them by businesses, it was absolutely no surprise to him that the Faunus community at large would have an opinion about them. Heck, it was like most humans, even those who hadn't even encountered a member of the group before, having an opinion about The White Fang; it was kind of natural, all things considered. "Well, my family really was no different. Even if we weren't big into the whole White Fang thing after Ghira abandoned everything to Sienna Khan, that didn't necessarily mean we still didn't hear stuff about the Schnees or hear rumors about the kind of stuff they did or what they were like."
"Yeah, I can imagine. Jacques Schnee doesn't exactly leave a good impression with people." Indeed, from what baseline rumors he'd heard, Jacques Schnee didn't seem like... well, much of a 'great' person, to put it kindly. Tsuyu nodded as she looked out across the campus.
"Yeah; don't get me wrong, the stuff about the Schnee Dust Company treating Faunus workers... 'okay' is true enough, I guess, but only if you put that into the context of how we used to be treated and how some places in Vacuo still treat us. It still isn't great, not by a long shot, ribbit ribbit." Tsuyu shrugged at that. "So it was pretty natural to hear about the bad stuff the guy did with his company... and the kind of jerk he seemed like in general. You really didn't hear much about the rest of his family in specific; nah, that was usually left up to that vague title of 'The Schnee Family' when discussing people beyond just Jacques. So... well, you can probably imagine that it's really easy to just have stereotypes about the entire family being rotten to the core, right?"
"Yeah, I can Tsu." Izuku placed his hands into his pockets as he spoke; after all, there were more than a few stereotypes about the Faunus all being terrorists thanks to the White Fang.
"Right. Personally, I wasn't sure what to believe; I try to always do my best to read a situation based on what I personally know, and I thought I was never going to meet Weiss Schnee or the rest of her family in person. Yeah, I'd never meet Jacques Schnee in person either, but his reputation has preceded him so greatly that I figure I know enough. With someone like Weiss or anyone else in her family, I just don't know much beyond the fact that they're related to Jacques Schnee... which seems like an unfair benchmark to judge someone by. But I figured it wouldn't matter; Weiss Schnee was set to inherit the SDC and she lived in Atlas while I lived in Vale. I figured I'd never actually get the chance to sate my curiosity. Then, what do you know, Weiss Schnee not only comes to Vale, but she comes to Vale in 'my' class of Hunters. What are the odds, right? Ribbit ribbit."
"Yeah, what are the odds?" Izuku idly wondered that; all things considered, his class did seem... weirdly exceptional, especially among his group of friends. Tenya Iida, member of the Iida Family of Hunter Engineers, Shoto Todoroki, son of the Number 2 Huntsman, Weiss Schnee, next in line to inherit the SDC, Pyrrha Nikos, some kind of famous Mistrali Tournament Fighter, Ruby Rose and Yang Xiao Long, children of the well known Team STRQ... and Izuku himself, the young man who was going to inherit One For All and succeed Toshinori Yagi as The Symbol of Peace.
It really was a stacked group of friends he'd ended up in, not even mentioning how exceptional everyone else was.
"Anyway, so why are you asking me about Weiss rather than asking Weiss yourself? Or talking to her more?" Tsuyu just gave one of those 'well duh' smiles that she tended to give whenever she was bluntly making a point.
"Well obviously because if she's actually terrible then she'll just put up a front." Izuku resisted the urge to slap his forehead slightly. Leave it to Tsuyu to just say something like that so bluntly and so plainly. It really was just like it. "More seriously, she does seem like a nice person and I do sympathize with her having been a target of The White Fang despite having nothing to do with the SDC except being born from some jerk. Still... fact remains that she was brought up in high society, and those people tend to be able to act really well around each other. Could be that her pleasant demeanor is just a shell and that she's actually a bit more of a jerk. Her lashing out from time to time might suggest that too, unless that's just her actually acting her age, which would be funny, ribbit ribbit." He nodded in understanding.
"So I figured if anyone would know, it'd be you; after all, she's your teammate." Izuku nodded again, but...
"Then why not ask Nora? She's her partner." Tsuyu blinked.
"You think that after hearing her tell all those tall tales about so much stuff, even stuff we were there for, and her weird relation with Ren that I'd trust her description of Weiss?"
...
"Fair point."
"Ribbit ribbit."
"Weiss is... well, I can't say she's everything I expected her to be, since I didn't even recognize her when we first met. I think that surprised her enough to catch her off guard a bit, in all honesty." Izuku remarked as he scratched at his chin.
"Really? You didn't recognize Weiss Schnee of all people?" Tsuyu touched her hand to her chin as she looked up at the sky. "Distinctive white hair, blue eyes, obviously upper class... it would've been hard for most people to miss." Izuku chuckled, a small blush heating up his cheeks.
"Would you believe that I still didn't know she was the Heiress to the SDC when she told me her name?" Tsuyu actually blinked at that, her expression giving its best 'shocked' that he thought she could managed.
"Man Izuku, for as smart as you are, you can be pretty thick sometimes, ribbit ribbit." Izuku nodded; there was no fighting that, after all. She was 100% right by his reckoning.
"Yeah, I know. Anyway, I don't think you're too off the mark with the high society thing there, though. Her attitude and mannerisms all scream of a privileged lifestyle... and all the trappings that come with it." He crossed his arms as he tilted his head to the side. "Weiss has taught me a bit about to handle myself in her social circles, figured I'd need to know if I was going to be like Toshinori, so I actually got some insight to it... it sounds pretty tough, actually. The really rigorous demands placed on her by her family and the need to put on a good face every time she ventured out in public or doubtlessly had to attend some kind of formal event. It might sound fun from the outside but... well, it sounds like you're also constantly putting on a face and never being allowed to slip it off, unless you want to do damage to your name and to your family's name."
"I've heard Atlesian High Society in particular is pretty cutthroat, what with so many of them being business people, ribbit ribbit." Tsuyu scratches her head a bit. "I can't entirely say that I'm wholly sympathetic, she's still rich, but I can understand that being at least annoying." Izuku nodded in agreement as he raised a finger.
"Plus you have to consider all the stress of having a target on her back just by being affiliated with the SDC, let alone being the Heiress. Like you yourself said... she faces a lot of prejudice just from her name in Faunus circles, and much more negatively with The White Fang." Tsuyu had nothing to add to that, just a nod of agreement coming from the frog Faunus. "I think a lot of her outbursts could easily be credited to Beacon finally being the chance she needed to let off some pent-up steam and act more like herself, so I don't think that's entirely on her."
"All well and good, Izuku, but I was also wondering what you thought of her as a person, not just as the person she puts herself up as being." Izuku scratched at his cheek, the blush from earlier returning
"Yeah, you're right Tsu. Anyway... to answer your question, to me, she's a lot more than just the Schnee Heiress. A fellow Hunter-in-training, a teammate, a dancing instructor-yeah, she's giving me lessons-a sparring partner, but most of all? She's a friend. I could go on and on about her virtues all day, how incredibly driven and focused she is to follow her dream of being a Huntress here at Beacon, how genuinely helpful she is when we're struggling with one of Oobleck's assignments at ten in the evening, how patient she is when I accidentally step on her foot when she's teaching me how to waltz again... Anyone who'd call her an Ice Queen would be dead wrong. She's little bit cold at first, sure, but she thaws as soon as you get to know her better."
Tsuyu nodded along with that, her tongue sticking out momentarily as her thoughts ran through. "That all sounds well and good. It sounds a lot like Tenya; yeah, some major differences, but for someone who grew up in Atlas' high society, he's a pretty personable person too." Izuku nodded, having gotten that impress quite well at that point. "I got the same impression from talking with Weiss... but it was just that, an impression. I know Tenya's the way he is because he's our leader and we spend a lot of time with him. It's easy to see what he's actually like because he's like it pretty much all the time; guy wears his heart on his sleeve." Tsuyu tilted her head. "I suppose with Weiss... she does a better job of 'acting' differently than Tenya, I guess is how I'd put it. She does have those two aspects of her, one the more high society girl and the other the more outspoken person."
"I guess I just find it weird is all." Izuku looked down at Tsuyu as the frog girl looked up at him. "I mean, with Tenya I could understand becoming a Hunter and coming to Beacon; its tradition for his family and Beacon is the best of the best. With Weiss... I dunno, I guess I wonder if I lived like she did if I'd honestly want to leave that world to be a Hunter. As tough as it might be... you gotta imagine it'd be pretty cozy. Certainly would be a more comfortable life for my folks when raising my siblings and I." Tsuyu said with a bit of a cheeky grin. "What about you Izuku? We grew up in pretty similar circumstances; life of the rich and fancy has to sound 'a little' appealing, right, ribbit ribbit?"
Izuku tapped his finger to his chin as he considered it. He thought about all the things Weiss could afford; the fancy food she brought in whenever Nora begged her to go out and bring something back to the dorm for them all to eat, her fine clothes, Myrtenaster which itself had to cost a fortune, all that jewelry that even Pyrrha seemed to look at with some envy from time to time, 'cake' servants. No, not just servants, but a set of servants specifically designated to 'bake cakes', on top of all the other kinds of servants. A big house with all the things he and his could ever want in it and all the modern comforts of life, all without his mother or dad having to work themselves to the bone to maintain it... he, Izuku Midoriya, may have been a pretty earnest and humble kid, but even he couldn't lie-
"That all does sound 'pretty swanky'." Tsuyu nodded in agreement as she placed a finger to her chin, Izuku scratching at his own in thought as they both consider the possibilities. "My mom and dad wouldn't have to work hard and could actually spend more time with each other, and with me. That'd be pretty nice."
"My little siblings could have babysitters so I wouldn't have to be the go-to choice for having to take care of them way back when, ribbit ribbit." Tsuyu looked over at Izuku. "Don't get me wrong, I love the little tadpoles, but it got a little exhausting from time to time." He couldn't 'exactly' understand it thanks to having been an only child, but he supposed he could imagine it. He also wondered if it was slightly racist to refer to her siblings as 'tadpoles', but given that she was a Frog Faunus, maybe it was okay for her?
"I wouldn't have had to worry about my training at all... heck, I could've afforded the best gear and Dust money could have bought."
"Oh yeah, it would've made setting up for coming to Beacon a breeze." Tsuyu nodded in agreement as they both considered all the possibilities. The life and styling of the rich and famous were certainly appealing in their own way, there was no denying that. However...
"But it seems it has a lot of responsibilities and problems to deal with. I don't know exactly how much is true, but Weiss feels she has a lot to live up to for her name. Like you said, it seems like she has to act with a certain level of decorum even with her friends. When I think about it, I can't even imagine how it'd be in high society, with all the little bits of etiquette and rules you have to live around without a chance to relax and just be yourself, as if being your own person was a bad thing." Tsuyu stuck out her tongue for a moment as she took that all in, the Frog Faunus tapping her chin again as she nodded.
"Yeah, that's pretty well baked in at this point though, ribbit ribbit." Izuku raised his hand in consideration.
"And when you're rich like that, you have to wonder how many people are your friends because they care, and not just because of your money? I mean, heck, when I first approached Weiss she thought I was only approaching her because she was the Schnee Company Heiress, and it was a 'surprise' when I didn't know who she was. That kind of living or thinking can't really be fun, and I much prefer having friends that like me even when they know I'm broke." Tsuyu scratched her cheek... but this time she does fully concede.
"That does sound pretty lonely, ribbit ribbit. I know I definitely prefer how my own team's been working out without any of us really being... well no, I guess Tenya's pretty rich, but he doesn't act like it." Tsuyu tilted her head to the side as she frowned. "I wonder why he seems to outside of what seems normal for Atlesian socialites." Izuku also shrugged.
"Maybe that's something to ask him another time, Tsu?" Tsuyu nodded in agreement before he stared on ahead. "Still, I know that even if I was rich like her, I'd still be a Hunter. It's my dream, and I wouldn't give up that, or all the great friends I'm making, for all the lien in the world." The Frog Faunus gave one of those rare grins again as she just lowered her hands to her side.
"That's pretty sappy there Izuku, ribbit ribbit." Izuku couldn't help but blush at that, but Tsuyu seemed well meaning. "I guess I can't disagree either. Not rich as my family is, I've definitely enjoyed life so far... and my time here at Beacon's been pretty great." Tsuyu looked back over to him, her neutral expression returned to her face. "Just kind of fun to imagine 'what could be' you know? Nice to just let your mind wander from time to time." Izuku nodded in agreement as the two of them walked along, devolving into light conversation as time passed. Izuku really couldn't disagree with Tsuyu's assertion; it was nice to just let his mind wander with what could've been. After all, that's a lot of what he did before Toshinori actually gave him a hope of 'actually' being a Hunter... imagining that he could be.
It was good to dream... but it was even better when dreams came true.
'Who knew, maybe me and Tsuyu will be rich someday off of being famous Hunters?'
...
'Well this isn't awkward at all, is it?'
When Izuku'd thought up the list of people he'd considered to try and bring in to taste test his most recent attempt at baking, his mind had run through the possibilities. For one reason or another his mind kept wandering on back to Weiss... and he couldn't lie to himself, it made him nervous. He understood 'why' his mind kept bringing up Weiss as the person he should try to have taste test his cooking. The weekend had been a little awkward as Weiss, while she hadn't been out and out hostile to him, was clearly still miffed about the result of their fight. Whipping up something nice and then maybe trying to talk to her sounded like a surefire way of breaking the ice so that he could try to see if the two could work past this bit of embarrassment on both of their parts.
So, steeling himself, he'd sent a message out to Weiss asking if she'd like to hang out for a bit. There was a slight pause in the reply before Weiss answered back, saying that she... wasn't sure. She had a few things to do after all. Not taking that as an out and out no, he had pressed forward, saying that he was going to try to practice his baking for future potential parties, seeing as how everyone liked his cake so much.
...
Less than a minute later, Weiss replied saying she'd come to taste test his cooking.
It wasn't a particularly proud or, very much, happy Weiss Schnee that sat staring a hole into the back of his head while he baked some new cake recipe, but hey, at least Weiss was there... however hesitantly.
That hesitance seemed to be making itself known through the fact that, right now, he and Weiss hadn't exactly talked to each other since she had arrived. It had been dead silent in the kitchen save for his cooking instruments clacking together every now and then.
...
'Okay, this is getting us nowhere.'
"Weiss..." The Schnee Company Heiress turned to face Izuku as he spoke up. "As much as this is going to anger you, I don't regret for using the strategy I did when I fought you last week. I didn't think clearly on how anyone would react to my strategy and I am really sorry for that, but I don't regret choosing what I thought was the best course of action to win." There was a distinctive dip in Weiss' lips as he spoke, her eyebrow arching at his start. Izuku coughed into his fist lightly, but he tried to throttle through. "Despite what everyone else might think, I don't try to have flashy battles, I just try to win using what I thought was the best way to fight my opponent. My first two combat class spars weren't really great just standard fights between two decent huntsman in training. Against Kacchan, while it was mainly due to luck, honestly my main goal was to disable him by throwing him around as much as possible and take advantage of when he was disoriented to chip down his aura. Against Yang, I was just trying to copy Owari's strategy by staying far away from Yang and taking pot shots at her using Glenn Smash, and if I needed to use Judo to throw her away from me as far as possible, because in a straight fight because-"
"Oh Gods, Izuku, 'shut up'." Izuku flinched back a bit at the clearly annoyed tone pervading Weiss' voice as she rubbed at her temples, the young woman's light blue eyes looking at him. "You really don't understand why I was upset at all, do you? You start off saying you don't regret your strategy, something I can understand, and then you immediately try to... what, numb my embarrassment over the strategy you picked by going into every 'minute' detail over every other fight? Izuku, 'I was there for them', I got that picture."
"Weiss, I'm just trying to explain that when I get into a flashy spar, it's just the-"
"Izuku..." Weiss sounds exasperated as she stands up, the Heiress got up onto her feet and rubbed her temples. "Do you think I care why the other fights turned out the way they did? Yes, of course I was upset that 'I thought' that our fight was going to be an actual fight like the others! Yeah, I was even excited for it and it stung that it didn't turn out like that... 'especially' when it ended up the way it did. But you know what Izuku? I can understand why you chose the strategy you did! I was upset and embarrassed but after thinking it out and having a chat with Pyrrha, I could at least understand that much. I didn't need it explained to me 'again'." Weiss placed her hands on her hips. "You want to know what I 'don't' understand though, Izuku Midoriya? What I 'actually' care about in all of this? Why, if that was your big plan, you bothered with the fight in the first place then?"
"Huh?"
"If this was going to be your strategy for beating me, pinning me down and just punching me in the face while I can't do anything, why bother singling me out? If the fight was going to be that unimpressive, that little of a challenge for you, why did you decide to 'pick me' for the fight. Izuku we've sparred together! YOU KNEW I COULDN'T HANDLE YOU IN CLOSE COMBAT 'AT ALL'! That was priced in to everything you had to be thinking of before the fight!" Weiss prodded him in the forehead a couple times as she drilled the point in. "I can understand Owari and Mitsu: they were Huntsmen you thought you could stand a chance against in a fight despite their skills, and Katsuki and Yang 'picked you' so of course you just did whatever you could to survive. Yang picked you for a good fight and, as insane as Katsuki's reasons are for picking you, at least I can 'understand' them. What I still can't understand is if you were going to treat a fight with me like that from the beginning, knowing that you weren't going to give me any kind of straight fight, why you bothered in the first place. I 'honestly' still can't fathom what you were going to get out of a fight where you just pinned me to the ground and didn't let me fight back at all."
"Weiss, I... no, wait a second..." As he thought about Weiss' point, he came to a bit of a realization; Weiss had a point. He hadn't really thought about how she might feel about him having gone after her for the fight; that really hadn't factored in at all. He'd completely ignored that avenue and... well, now that he had, he kind of felt like blockhead. "Now that you've spelled it out for me... I understand why you're mad at me. I didn't look at it like that at all." Weiss rolled her eyes in response.
"Clearly." However, Izuku did watch as Weiss backed off just a smidgen, crossing her arms over her chest as she looked up at him... while simultaneously still feeling like she's 'way' taller than he was and, in fact, looking down at him. How Weiss managed to pull off that trick was still a mystery to him, but regardless, she had backed off the pressure a bit, seeming like she was waiting to hear an answer.
"When I decided to challenge you... I was thinking about our promise from the beginning of the semester. That I was going to show I was worthy of leading the this team. It was a spur of the moment thing and... to be honest, my plan was kind of thought up on the spot." Weiss looked slightly incredulous at that.
"So what, beating me... no." Weiss sighed as she shook her head. "Showing you were stronger now was supposed to win me over... I guess given the precedent that Bakugo set up, that's reasonable." Weiss frowned though as she looked up at him critically. "I have a hard time believing the plan was thought up on the spot, though, especially coming from you." He raised his hands.
"It's the truth! I really wasn't prepared to fight you, or any of our teammates, this early. Honestly, I'd only done rudimentary analysis of you all, like I do with everyone... Kacchan was someone that I've known forever and I'd been sparring with Yang for a while by then. I had 'a lot' of time to think about what I'd need to do or what I could take advantage with them, but... well, when your name was called up I just kind of just raised my hand by reflex."
"Well we saw how that turned out." Weiss said dryly as she looked off to the side, a frustrated bit of embarrassment etching itself onto her face.
"Weiss, I swear I didn't pick you because I thought the fight would turn out that easily or that I thought you'd be an easy opponent. I did it because you're always helping me in teaching and stuff and... well, I thought this was sometime I could turn around and help keep up our promise. But because this entire thing was such a spur-of-the-moment kind of ordeal... I was thinking of my plan on 'how' to fight you literally up to the second before Glynda called for the fight to start. So... I panicked and just did the first thing that came to mind, forgetting about 'why' I'd volunteered for this fight in the first place." Izuku frowned as he crossed his arms, looking off to the side. "I was so focused on how I can keep up, I didn't really consider how it looked or how you felt until we were... you know." Weiss nodded again as she coughed into her fist.
"Well, I'm glad that it became so obvious in hindsight..." Weiss still sounded bothered, but it was clear that her anger was diminishing. With that, Izuku actually went ahead and gave a quick nod as he looked Weiss in the eyes.
"Weiss, I'm sorry for how inconsiderately I acted. I promise I will do my best not to let that happen again in the future, and I hope to earn your forgiveness and help us all improve like I said I would. Though, to be on the safe side, I'd like your help in making sure I don't act like a blockhead again." Weiss watched him for a moment, biting the corner of her lip in some thought. Though that seemed like more of a ploy as, soon enough, Weiss just sighed as she shook her head.
"... I guess I did say I'd do my best to be a good teammate and make sure you didn't screw up. Guess I just didn't see... this situation coming." Weiss looked up at you as she huffed a bit. "I guess it'd behoove me to give you another chance after all the good you've done. No point burning bridges over a mistake like this..." One could tell that Weiss was putting on airs, trying to sound a little more in control than she actually was... but there's a good humor underlying her words that make the actual meaning clear; 'I accept your apology, can we please move on from this mess'.
Izuku gave a sigh of relief as he bowed his head slightly, a dramatic gesture that earned an eye roll from Weiss. "Thanks Weiss, appreciated. Now... how about I cook us up something to kind of seal the deal? Just..." He picked up a nearby cookbook as he gave Weiss a slightly pleading look. "Nothing 'too' crazy, okay?" The Schnee Heiress just nodded as she placed a finger to her lips in thought before making her choice.
It was a bit tough, and she seemed to take enjoyed quite a bit of amusement at his fumbling with the ingredients, but, on some level, the genuine smile that had developed on her face by the end of the experience made the whole thing worth it.
E/N: Starting us off we have "A Different Battleground" by Vandalgyon.
-Shovern
A/N: Same as usual when I accidentally miss a day, I'll stick with the same update Schedule. Update will still come out on the 8th.
-gorilla_fingers