RWBY belongs to Rooster Teeth
Little Nightmares belongs to Bandai Namco
Chapter 6: A Source of Strength and Pain
Silence. That was her goal. Silence. She couldn't make any noise. Not one sound. Not even so much as a gasp. The stiff wooden chair was uncomfortable, but she dared not shift around. The desk she sat at hurt her arms, but she dared not stretch. The pencil was in her hand, but it barely made any noise as it scratched against the paper.
The classroom was whisper quiet. Thirty others were present. Some were like her. Made of skin. Then there were the others. The rowdy ones, made of porcelain. They were the loudest of everyone and even they dared not speak.
Because the teacher was here. The scary lady who gave them lessons. Lesson on the eyes. The eyes that were always watching.
She did not understand the teacher. The only thing she did understand was that the teacher hates it when you make noise or go somewhere you're not supposed to go. She watched the teacher eat a poor boy for making noise. Swallowed him whole like a half-eaten cookie.
She stiffened slightly as she heard the teacher's heels clicking against the floor behind her. It took every ounce of focus she had to not turn to check if she was being watched. The teacher saw everything in her classroom.
She nearly screamed in fright as the ruler crashed into the desk adjacent to her. Everyone flinched, she knew it.
As the oversized head of the monster that demanded to be called teacher, inspected the table next to hers, the labored breathing of a chubby boy could be heard behind her. She had met him shortly after she arrived here. Not a bad boy by any stretch of the imagination. He was almost timid in how he dealt with those of us who were not made of porcelain.
She had no doubt he hid his giant lollypop behind him so the teacher would not notice. He had to do that often as they were in the hideous creature's presence every day. They had to. It was a constant battle to stay alive here. The porcelain ones were relentless and cruel. The irony was in how to keep them at bay was to be in the presence of an even greater threat.
That was the being that stood beside her now. The other kids had labeled her the teacher. But she knew that was just a name. She did not remember how she knew this, but a teacher was not supposed to be this scary and they were supposed to teach you things. Good things. Not this. Every time she saw the scribbles of those eyes, she felt strange. Like something was calling out to her.
She felt it even now. As she stared at the drawing before her. For a moment she thought she could see those black lines change to the color of pinkish skin.
Silently shaking her head, she flipped the page over and started drawing a new image. Drawing was never something she was talented in. At least she thought she had no talent. Her memories were all a big blur, and it became fuzzier by the day. Still, she poured her focus into the drawing, doing her best to fight back against the influence of the eyes. It proved to be a mistake. So engrossed in her work she was that she failed to notice the raspy breath of the teacher right beside her. Freezing up, she stared at the horrid face of her captor. With lips that were trapped in a permanent smile and eyes that never blinked, the teacher stared her down.
The teacher did not speak, but it was clear that she was slightly on edge from the change in the classroom.
For a moment, she thought this was the end. That the overlord of this place would see her as a rulebreaker and lash out at any second.
But that never happened. The teacher, for whatever reason, turned her attention to the drawing. It was not anything special. Just the image of two people.
In her desperation to escape the influence of the eyes she diverted her focus to a shadowed memory. A voice that she knew but did not recognize.
'When people are sad, they can get angry. People can be very mean when they are angry. Don't be mad back. Give them a reason to smile instead.'
She was focusing on those words she thought about the teacher. She was angry all the time. That means she must be incredibly sad. So, in her blind focus she drew a picture.
It was a messy thing but there was enough detail to make out who she was attempting to illustrate.
Herself and the teacher holding hands. Standing in the classroom together while the teacher pointed her ruler at the chalkboard. She could tell the teacher enjoyed teaching. That appeared to be the only thing keeping her going.
The teacher raised the hand with the ruler and with her free fingers gripped the edge of the paper with an unusual sense of care. With a slightly shaky grip the teacher raised the drawing to her unblinking eyes.
After staring at the drawing, she let out a raspy breath.
The next second she felt the teacher's free hand wrap around her arm and give her a tug. She was being instructed to get off the chair.
Finding resistance futile, she stood up and jumped of the unreasonably sized chair. Its legs were tall enough for her to hide under if she crouched but trying that now would be pointless. Her jailor then took her hand.
The teacher guided her out of the classroom. Picture still in hand. She wondered if the teacher planned to hurt her. That did not sound right. The teacher attacks immediately and does not waste time in dealing with troublemakers.
They were always down the hall. Lockers lined the wall. One was wide open. As she passed by it she saw a picture of a big man on a boat taped inside. She wondered if she could find that boat man somewhere in this messed up city. If she could, then he could help her get back to… whatever she was trying to get back to.
First things first. She would need to get out of this school. This trap. It was a place where you went to suffer. The eyes torment everyone who is not porcelain or changed. The eyes were watching her. They wanted her.
A loud crash brought them out of her musings and brought the teacher to a sudden stop. Both turned to the classroom. The bullies were at it again. Now that the teacher was gone, there was no one to stop them from hurting the children who were not porcelain. It was the irony of this place. Danger was everywhere and the only form of safety was to keep yourself close to the greatest danger in the whole building. Only the teacher can stop the bullies.
Another crash and the sound of something fragile breaking echoed down the hall. The teacher released her and marched back into the classroom.
The chubby boy with the lollipop managed to sneak past the teacher and started running her way. He was speedy on those legs. As the teacher screeched and wailed in the classroom, one of the porcelain children came out running after the boy.
With a quick turn he raised the oversized lollipop and brought it down on the bully's head. The porcelain shattered under the force of the strike. But that proved to be a mistake as the teacher had just finished bringing the classroom to silence.
She hid behind a corner as she watched the boy run into the open locker and shut it. The teacher walked up to and began to twitch. The monster's neck bent and contorted in unnatural angles, stretching out like a snake.
She did not stay to see what would happen. Running through the corridors she managed to avoid the traps laid by the bullies. The roar of the teacher echoed down the halls. Those shoes knocking against the wooden floorboards. This was her chance, and she would take it.
The teacher was looking for her. Whatever the reason she did not care. She had to get back.
There was no way out by ground level and jumping down was out of the question. Luckily for her she overheard the other children talking about an escape plan. They planned to tie their bed sheets together to form a rope and climb out while the teacher and the bullies were distracted.
If she was right, then they would be long gone by now and the rope should still be there. The teacher patrolled the bedrooms often, so the bullies never went there. So long as you kept quiet it was the safest place in the whole school.
She ran past the bedroom filled with bunkbeds stacked upon bunkbeds. The place she had stayed for the last few weeks. Unable to escape. Stepping inside, she felt a chill run up her body. It was cold. Glancing at the floor she noticed a dark jersey. Not really caring who it belonged to, she slipped it overhead and hugged herself in an attempt to build up some body heat before leaving.
Reaching the joining passage again, she spied an open window. As she hoped, the bed sheets were tied to it. Sprinting up to it she climbed up and gripped the sheets.
The descent was steep, and the rain made her grip into her makeshift rope for dear life. As she lowered down to the abandoned playground, she heard the teacher's screams. They sounded different compared to her usual angry screeches. These sounded like wails of despair.
"We never knew why she was so sad."
Ruby opened her eyes wide. Everything was quiet and still, just like in the dream. It unsettled her. For a good long moment, she stared blankly at the ceiling. She remembered where she was now. This was the dorm room she had been assigned after the formation of her new team.
She sat up careful not to cause the bed's wooden frame to creak. Turning to her right she saw her new team. The three other huntresses in training were lined up beside her. The four beds dominating the space of their room. That would need to be addressed if they were going to function efficiently for their time at Beacon. Especially if Weiss was staying here. The girl had brought the most luggage out of the four of them.
Ruby scanned each of their faces. All of them wore peaceful expressions. Especially Weiss, despite her apprehension at Ruby's appointment as leader, the heiress was the most excited out of the lot of them. She hid her excitement well but there were subtle signs that gave her away the night before. If Yang or Blake noticed, they did not indicate that they did. It was interesting to see another person who desired to be free.
Weiss never elaborated on her circumstances with her family, but it was clear that she desperately wanted to get away from them. So much that she put her future on the line for a chance to go to a place that was out of her obscenely wealthy father's reach.
The red reaper thought back to the fading memory of her dream. How she felt trapped and terrified. Why was she having these dreams again? They were never this common before. Now it was night after night.
Ruby furrowed her brow as she recalled her encounter with her doppelganger. These dreams are no coincidence if she is here too. But what had triggered them? Why had her Shadow shown itself now? She clenched her hands into fists. This was frustrating. So many questions but no way to answer them as her Shadow was more interested in poking fun at her. Combining this with the rarity of her appearances, only bothering to make herself known when they were alone and disappearing when another person was nearby made prolonged conversations near impossible.
With a quiet sigh, she turned to her teammates once again. She wanted to evaluate them before the day began. Starting with Weiss, she deduced that the rich girl was very sheltered. Her mannerisms spoke of contact with an extremely specific crowd and inexperience with dealing with others of divergent backgrounds. Despite this, Ruby discovered that she was not a bad person. Her fighting skills were far from subpar despite her obvious flaws in her choice of style. Versatility was only effective if you had the experience to adjust properly to what opponent you faced at the time. The girl did not and had yet to come to grips with that. If that overconfidence could be worn down then they would make an effective team, and if Weiss proved her abilities, then perhaps, they could get Ozpin to reconsider his decision about making Ruby the leader. It would mean less responsibility on the redhead's part.
Ruby glanced at the wall by the door. For a moment, she thought she saw the shadows move. Then she corrected herself. She did see them move. Her Shadow was always with her. Ignoring the antics, she returned to assessing her teammates.
Sleeping by the opposite wall was Blake, by far the most soft-spoken member of their team. She made for enjoyable conversation when the topic was something she showed interest in. Fiction, themes, and hidden messages in the works of the authors. A relevant story always has a hidden lesson to teach its audience, told through the journey and struggles of the characters. Blake enjoyed that, but not much else. When asked anything that would be considered personal, she shuts down. Yang thought it was shyness or embarrassment, but Ruby knew better. The girl was hiding her personal information deliberately, keeping it a secret from the rest of them. For now, Ruby would not pry. It was not important at this early point, but it would become a problem down the line if it were never addressed. Ruby also noticed something odd about the quiet girl. She was wearing her bow while she slept. That was weird and probably uncomfortable.
The last member and the only one she was genuinely glad to have along was of course Yang. Ruby was worried they would not be on the same team, but her elder sister still had ways of surprising her. Both tended to ignore the rules when they got in the way of their goals, but the difference was on how they chose to circumvent their restraints. Ruby chose the more covert methods, while Yang charged headfirst and normally bore the brunt of the consequences of her actions. Both had plans to rise to the top of this school and establish themselves as huntresses. Yang wanted to have a perfect win record, while Ruby wanted a more casual experience. Building her skills on the background where she was undisturbed. Yang wanted attention, like Weiss, but Ruby was content to go about her own business. Still, with the two of them together, they were going to steamroll whatever Beacon threw at them.
Ruby got up from her bed and fished through her luggage. The orange morning light peered through the curtains and gave just enough illumination for her to find her clothes. All neatly folded in her lap, she made her way to the bathroom in the side of their dorm. It was an impressive addition to each dorm. Each had their own bathroom. Beacon did not cut any corners with their budget. In exchange for that, they did not pull their punches for their education. Today was the first day and classes were set to start at nine. That left them three hours to get dressed in their new uniforms, set up their room and get something to eat. Tall order. Luckily, she never liked sleeping in.
Weiss was stirred from her slumber by a hiss of a shower head. Groaning, she lifted her head and took in the sight of the room she had been placed in. Not that big compared to her room back in the Schnee Manor but it would suffice. To the side she saw a small amount of steam escaping the bathroom door. Someone was taking a shower.
Weiss almost felt embarrassed that someone had gotten up before her but forgave herself as she has never had the chance to sleep in before. Everything was always on schedule. Now, she finally had the chance to experience what it was like to have a small amount of leeway. Not too much, but enough to make her appreciate it.
A grunt caught her attention, and she quickly sat up. Over the edge of her bed frame, she saw a yellow shape consistently dropping in and out of view. Weiss nudged herself forward to edge, the sight of Yang doing pushups with one arm surprised her.
The brawler was still in her sleepwear as she continued her exercise. The wooden frame of the bed creaked catching her attention.
"Oh, morning Weiss." Yang greeted giving Weiss a quick glance without stopping her motions.
"Good morning." Weiss greeted, glancing at the empty beds around her. Now she felt embarrassed. She was the last one to get up. "Where are the others?"
"Ruby left to get us some breakfast, and Blake is in the bathroom."
"Oh. Well, it's good to know you all can be punctual when you want to."
"When you deal with my sister, you need to be able to keep up or be left behind." Yang switched arms as she continued. "That's something you'll pick up quickly."
Weiss could not help but scoff. "You'll find I'm more than up to the challenge."
"That's the spirit." Yang laughed as the hissing of the shower stopped.
"What time is it?" Weiss asked as she looked around for a clock. Standing up she walked over to her luggage to look for her scroll.
"8 give or take."
As Weiss reached the luggage, a trio of knocks echoed from the door. Stopping to glance at Yang who had not ceased her routine, Weiss walked to the door and pulled it open. On the other side was her partner Ruby, holding a large tray with four identical meals.
"Morning Weiss." Ruby said with a pleasant smile.
"Good morning, Ruby." Weiss replied stepping aside for her teammate to walk inside.
Weiss noted the meals her partner had brought. Bacon, eggs, toast, orange juice.
"The cooks said that anything more than this would take more time, and I didn't know what you or Blake would have liked." Ruby spoke having read Weiss' mind through her expression. This girl was more perceptive than she first though.
"It's fine." Weiss now directing her attention to the uniform Ruby was wearing. A red plaid skirt, black stockings, a dark brown jacket with a tan vest over a white shirt wit a red ribbon tied at the collar. Ruby did not wear the shoes provided by the school, opting to wear her boots instead. Draped over her back was a that red cape she always had with her. That should not be in regulation but if it was not Weiss would let her partner be reprimanded by the school. It was clear the girl would not listen if told otherwise.
At that moment the bathroom door opened revealing Blake dressed in a similar manner to Ruby, only she lacked the stockings.
"Good morning." Weiss greeted.
Blake looked directly at Weiss, then to turned to Ruby. "Fish would have been healthier."
Weiss bristled at the remark. Rude. Ruby shrugged. "I'll remember that for next time."
Ruby placed the tray on the large desk in the corner of the room, it had been provided for them to use at their discretion. "Yang. Did you want next?"
"Nah. I wanna finish first." The elder sibling said, not looking up from the floor. "Let Weissy go next."
Weiss did not wait for anyone's permission. Digging though her bags she found her uniform and towel and walked into the bathroom without a word.
While she showered, she heard a series of knocks and scrapes. Getting dressed she opted to keep her tiara to hold her ponytail in place and also chose to abandon the stockings. When she stepped out, she bumped the door against something. Peering past it, she saw that the beds had been moved.
"Oh, hey you're done." Yang said as she hefted one bed above the one Blake had spelt in.
"What are you doing?" Weiss asked.
"Setting up bunkbeds." Came Ruby's voice from behind the door.
Weiss stepped fully into the dorm and beheld an even stranger sight. Ruby had somehow gotten hold of rope which she now used to pull her bed up like a hoist. Several holes had been knocked in the ceiling, making use of the supports built into the building itself to hold the bed. Less shocking was that Ruby did not appear to be struggling with it. Apparently, Yang was not the only strong one here. It made Weiss think back to their first meeting. If Ruby was this strong, then perhaps she was trying to avoid the dust explosion after all.
Weiss made no comment about the obvious property damage and instead focused on the goal they were trying to accomplish. "Bunkbeds?"
"Yeah." Ruby said with a smile that showed how little strain she was exerting on herself. "It's the best way to conserve space without any of us having to share."
"Well, that makes sense I guess." Weiss stared at the ropes holding the bed up. "Even if yours doesn't look stable."
Ruby blew raspberries in indignation. "Relax. I've done this over a dozen times while camping. This thing won't be falling anytime soon. Could you move that one under here? I need to set it down."
Weiss wanted to argue but felt it to be a futile endeavor. Grabbing the edge of the bed she had slept in, she tugged it over to Ruby and positioned it in the corner of their room. Ruby slowly lowered the bed into the frame of the lower one. Weiss adjusted the position of the bed until the posts were touching. Once they were set, Weiss turned to the desk. Blake was seated there and had just finished her meal.
She gave Weiss a quick glance before standing and gathering up her own luggage to organize at the bed Yang had finished setting up. Weiss took the seat that Blake had left and began to consume the only untouched plate that remained. While Yang sauntered into the bathroom.
Ruby brought out a small toolkit she kept in her bag and took out a drill. Weiss flinched at the sight of the thing. That could not be allowed in here. Weiss stared in shock as Ruby locked all the bedposts together with long screws.
Weiss noticed Ruby looking her way. "If you're worried that we might get in trouble, then you can just blame me."
The heiress just blinked. Not sure if she had heard correctly. Blake stopped browsing her books and also gave their leader a sidelong glance.
"Are you sure."
"Yup. I can manage some detention if it makes our time here easier."
Weiss simply could not understand this girl. "You aren't worried that might reflect badly on you in the future."
Ruby chuckled having found the remark amusing. "I'm training to be a huntress. Not get a desk job. Besides, I got detention all the time back at Signal and look at me. Here at Beacon two years early."
Weiss wanted to press the matter further. She was always under the impression that everything was under scrutiny. Everything. In her conversations back at Atlas, they would always point out the smallest mistakes the others made and use it as a means of ridicule. In contrast Ruby spoke of her many disciplinary hearings as if they were marks of pride. In Atlas such acts would be deemed immature and juvenile.
'But I'm not in Atlas anymore.' She reminded herself. She was in Vale. This place operated on a separate set of rules. Rules her leader knew how to exploit to her advantage it would seem. Weiss was still not comfortable with the idea of getting in trouble with the faculty just because they wanted more space in their dorm room. Weiss began to wonder if Ruby was really a proper fit to be leader. Granted Weiss did not make the best impression the previous day, but she had other skills. She could lead the team if they just gave her the chance.
Opening her scroll to check her schedule and her eyes bulged. The time was 8:45 and their first class was Grimm Studies with Professor Port, and the lecture hall was on the other side of Beacon.
Weiss did not hear Yang step out of the shower as she called out. "We're going to be late!?"
"Monsters! Demons! Prowlers of the night! Yes, the Creatures of Grimm have many names." Said the large mustachioed man Weiss had come to recognize a Professor Port.
Team RWBY had arrived five minutes before the lecture had begun, much to her relief. They took their places on the fourth row of seats. Team JNPR had gone one row down.
Pinned to the wall behind the Professor were six well drawn sketches of Grimm. The first was a portrait of a King Taijitu, the giant two headed serpent Grimm. The second was a dismantled picture of a Deathstalker. Third was a Beowolf. The fourth was a picture of the Grimm known as a Boartusk. The fifth and most memorable in her mind was the ariel and side view of a Nevermore. The final one was an Ursa.
All of these posters had notes on them, and Weiss took out her notebook and prepared to jot down everything she heard.
"But I merely refer to them as prey." The Professor said with a jolly laugh.
Weiss heard Ruby snicker in the seat next to her. For a moment she wondered why her partner thought that was so funny, until she remembered Ruby's little lesson on ambushing the monsters the previous day. The Professor's words echoed Ruby's, but where the girl had feral excitement, the professors had a sense of professional confidence. Professor Port hunted the Grimm for sport, so such an attitude was natural. Where Weiss would have been upset at such disrespect, she instead found herself grinning too. Ruby was indeed a better huntress than Weiss was. Which made it all the more important that the heiress stand out next to her.
The rest of the class did not seem to get the joke and the Professor quickly made a rebound. "And you shall too, upon graduating from this prestigious academy. Now, as I was saying. Vale as well as the other three Kingdoms are safe havens in an otherwise treacherous world. Teeming with creatures that would love nothing more than to tear you to pieces. That's where we come in. Huntsmen! Huntresses! Individuals who have sworn to protect those who cannot protect themselves. From what you ask, from the very world itself. That is what you are training to become and here in Grimm Studies you shall get to know your enemy, for knowing your enemy wins you half the battle."
Weiss nodded, remembering how she had nearly had her head bitten off. Had she known better that would not have happened. She underestimated the most basic of Grimm because she had only trained against Summoned copies that lacked their true capabilities. Weiss paid close attention to the Professor, the sharpened tip of her pencil set on paper, ready to take in his wisdom.
"But first, a story. A tale of a young handsome man. Me."
Weiss raised her eyebrow for a moment but disregarded her confusion and focused on the man's words. This story he told could have some snippet of wisdom. The best way to learn was from experience, an avenue that was closed off to her at the moment, but she would explore every other route until she could.
As she listened to the Professor's story progress, she noticed Yang and Blake lose interest. The blonde looked like she was about to fall asleep. Frowning Weiss thought to admonish them. Granted the story was dragging on a bit but once he got to the part where he encountered the Grimm he skipped no details and Weiss jotted them down eagerly.
Wanting to compare notes, she turned to her leader, only to find that she was completely asleep. Ruby's head rested against the wooden framework of their desk panel. Arms cushioning her skull.
Weiss was stunned, this was blatantly disrespectful, and Ruby was not even trying to hide it. The heiress felt her temperature rise. This was outrageous, she was not even trying to hide it. The leader of their team was actively sleeping through the entire lecture.
When Professor Port strolled by as he described the ferocity of the Alpha he had faced down, Weiss felt her heart quicken, worried that her leader would get in trouble and by default get the entire team in trouble. When he glanced at her, he just carried on, completely ignoring the sleeping teenager.
Weiss was puzzled, did the professor not care if one of the students sleep through his class? No, he would punish them afterward to make it sting more, just like her father did. He would wait until she had finished, then poke holes in her confidence by stating everything she did not know she did wrong. She often wanted to cry and yell every time he did that.
Now, her leader, a person she was considering to be her friend, was putting her in the same spot, because she was bored. Weiss felt a little betrayed but decided to forge ahead. Her plan was unchanged, she had to stand out and put herself above this in the eyes of the staff at Beacon.
This also made Weiss reconsider the reasons why Ruby had been chosen as leader. Did Ozpin know about this beforehand? Probably not. If he did, he would not have picked her.
Unnoticed by all, the shadows at the girls feet shifted. A thought entered her mind. A traitorous thought. If Weiss could prove she was better in other fields, then she could change the Headmaster's mind and pick Weiss over Ruby.
She knew she should not be thinking this way, Ruby had more experience than Weiss and better judgement in an environment where Grimm were active, it only made sense to make her the leader.
'Huntresses don't just fight Grimm.' Came another thought.
It was right. Fighting the Grimm was the primary focus of the Huntsmen, but not the sole focus. They were used for law enforcement, bodyguard detail, recruitment into any homestead's defense force, and political matters. A huntress was more than a killer of Grimm. That meant taking your studies seriously. It only annoyed Weiss when she remembered that Ruby had skipped ahead by two full years. It felt like she was wasting this opportunity. Weiss would have to put a stop to that, but she was in no position to do that. She could do it, she just needed to be noticed first. The first set of tests were weeks away though. That was too long to show off her academic ability. She would need to get the attention of some of the professors before then.
"The moral of the story. A true huntsman must be honorable. A true huntsman must be dependable. A true huntsmen must be strategic, well educated and wise. These are all necessary, because any shortage in any regard can lead to tragedy for you or your teammates." The Professor surveyed the class, again ignoring Ruby.
"Who among you believes yourselves to be huntsmen?"
Weiss raised her hand, as did a number of the other students, which included Pyrrha. Port enjoyed the response. "That's what I like to see. Enthusiasm! I can't help but notice some of you don't believe the same."
Weiss was surprised to see that the majority of both her team and Pyrrha's had not raised their hands. Why? Did they think they weren't good enough? Yang was relaxed so that was a no. Blake just looked disinterested. Nora clung to Ren who was paying attention but still did not raise his hand. The farm boy… No, Jaune was fidgeting nervously. Ruby was still sleeping.
"I watched the Initiation, so I know it is not for lack of confidence. You!" He pointed a large finger at Ren who did not flinch, while Jaune did. "Why do you not raise your hand?"
"I have seen fully trained huntsmen in action during my travels, sir." Ren answered in a clear monotonous voice. "I know for a fact that I have much to learn before I can claim to be on their level."
Port stared at him for a moment, weighing his words, then gave a jovial smile. "Ah. So, you've seen the results of those who have traveled through the gauntlet that is Beacon. That is good, you have a clear image in your mind of how high you must climb."
With a loud step he turned his attention to the entire class. "I understand how you all feel. I was in those seats, in days gone by. My associates too believed as you do. Some believed they were ready, others knew they were not. Believe me when I say that all of you have the potential to become great huntsmen. But as young Ren said, you still have much to learn."
He casually stepped to the side of his desk. "Luckily for all of you. I am here to help forge you into Grimm slaying warriors!"
His hand slipped under the desk and with a loud creak the floor in front of him parted. From it rose a platform with three large metal boxes. All three shook every few seconds and gave off an odd whine sound she had never heard before.
"Within these specially built cages are Creatures of Grimm that I have expertly captured using my skills of deception!"
He tapped the closest cage causing it to shake violently. "As this is the first lesson, I shall not be grading you. Instead, I shall give you all the pleasure of watching your fellow students in action. As for those of you whom I select, you shall get the honor of slaying the greatest foes the people of Remnant have to contend with. Now, raise your hand if you wish to participate."
Weiss raised her hand high. This was her chance.
Port selected three people. One for each cage. Pyrrha was first. Next was a large guy with a good number of muscles. Last was Weiss.
"Go collect your gear students. Then come and face your opponents."
Weiss returned to the classroom first, Myrtenaster at her side. She wanted to create a good impression. Being first helped.
As she approached the stage Professor Port set up, she projected an air of confidence, letting everyone know that she had no doubts that she would dominate her opponent. You must not show weakness, only confidence.
Standing at the Professor's side, Weiss faced the class. Ruby was awake now, but she looked groggy. Must have been stirred up before she got inside.
The doors to the classroom opened and the muscular guy marched inside with an arrogant stride. He was clad in armor and held a mace over his shoulder. The smug grin on his face as he drew closer, made the heiress frown. That face reminded her of her father whenever he got his way.
Following someway behind him was Pyrrha, garbed in her armor. Shield and javelin strapped to her back.
Once all three were on stage, Port moves the cages in a startling display of strength. Dragging each one to the side, forming a miniature arena of sorts.
"Alright students. Who would like to go first?"
"I do, sir!" The words were out of her mouth before she knew she was talking. For a moment, she thought she heard laughter. It was faint and distorted. She shrugged it off as her imagination.
"Very well. Prepare…" Port turned to the class and furrowed his bushy eyebrows and ruffled his mustache. "Is something bothering you up their Miss Xiao-Long?"
Weiss turned to look at her team. Yang was leaning over to her sister. Drawing back quickly, Yang gave a quick response. "No, professor. Just asking my team leader what Grimm you got stashed in those boxes."
"Oh." Port said, his interest being peaked. "And what was your answer, Miss Rose?"
Ruby stood up from her seat, her eyes constantly darting to the cages. "Boartusks."
The professor hummed in curiosity. "And how did you reach that conclusion? These beauties are completely sealed. Is your semblance is seeing through metal?"
"A few things tipped me off. First of which was the size of the cages. They're too small to contain anything larger than the average Beowolf. If you did have Beowolves in there, then they would be too restricted to shake the cages so violently."
One of the cages shifted slightly, followed by a pain filled squeal. Port stroked his mustache as he listened.
"The second thing was the timing between each rattle. Boartusks are known for their powerful charge. If you let them build up momentum, they can break through solid concrete, thanks to their thick hides. But their weakness, aside from their soft underbellies, is that they need time before they start as well as open space. If you had Creeps in there, the knocking would not stop as they will just chew or knock against the metal."
Weiss blinked in surprise. Was Ruby truly this well versed with the Creatures of Grimm? She firmed her grip on Myrtenaster's hilt. This only meant she needed to try harder.
"Lastly, the noise they are making. Everyone knows most Grimm have the shapes of animals. They also mimic the noises those animals make. I went to a zoo and remembered hearing a bunch of wild boars fighting. They made the same sounds as the Grimm in your cages. It was the most obvious giveaway."
Ruby sat down and there was silence for a moment. The Port broke it with a laugh.
"Bravo! Bravo!" He yelled with the clapping of his hands for the accuracy of Ruby's deduction.
"You are correct, Miss Rose. Those are indeed the monsters I have stashed away."
"I would like to know how you managed to capture three, sir." Ruby added. "Grimm are known for being notoriously hard to catch."
Weiss had to agree, Winter had often grumbled about missions where they had to capture an especially rare breed for study. She always made it sound like the worst kind of chore. Just killing such thigs could be hard, capturing them was a nightmare.
"All in good time. Before you graduate, I will share my secrets with all of you." He bellowed to the class. "Take notes everyone. This is what it takes to be a true huntress. You must be able to identify your enemy before you even lay eyes on them. This is the purpose of my class, to teach you how they think. How they act. How to identify and exploit their weaknesses as well as undermine their strengths, like Miss Rose just did a moment ago."
Weiss frowned; Ruby was already standing out without even intending to.
"Now that you have gotten to know you enemy, it is time to face them on the field of battle! Miss Schnee, take your position."
Weiss nodded and stood opposite the trio of cages. Drawing Myrtenaster, she held it up and took her ready position. Port walked up to the cage and took hold of the thick bar holding the metal door in place.
"Woo! Go Weiss!" Yang yelled out.
Glancing to the side, she saw her team watching her. Blake had a flag in her hand with the initials of their team on it. How did she get that? Ruby had her eyes focused on the cage. Not even glancing Weiss' way.
'Too busy to give me any notice.' The thought came without warning, and it made Weiss angry. Just like her father. Too busy to notice, unless Weiss does something wrong.
"Ready?" Port asked, with his hand on the bar.
"Yes, sir."
With a quick heft, he pulled the bar off and jumped back as the door slammed open. From the shadows, on cloven hooves, came a large black porcine creature. Its back was covered in boney plates. Two massive tusks protruded from its gums and bent upward almost forming a circle.
The Boartusk stepped out of the cage and gave a loud snort as it stared directly at Weiss. With a loud squeal, it charged straight at her. Instinctually, she prepared a repulsion glyph to toss her to the side. The Boartusk hopped into the air and curled its body into the shape of a wheel.
The sudden change caught Weiss by surprise and broke her concentration. Realizing this a second too soon, she dived to the side.
"Evasion is a necessity when fighting the Creatures of Grimm. Quick reflexes offer more protection than the strongest of armor." Port commented.
When the Grimm past her, she rolled to her feet. This thing was fast. Her dust chamber spinned, loading her fire dust but then she stopped. realizing where she was. She couldn't use her fire dust in the classroom. Many of her channeled abilities were very destructive. She just did it on instinct as they were the most effective against Winter's summons.
Spinning the chamber again, she loaded her ice dust, but before she could come up with an attack plan, the Boartusk was already charging at her again.
She put up a barrier to block it, but the beast truck it with enough force to shatter it. Knocking the heiress to the side as to brushed against her aura.
It was not the first time this has happened, larger Grimm were strong enough to destroy her shield glyphs, but this thing was shorter than her. Ruby said it was strong enough to break concrete. An accurate assessment of the monster's capabilities.
Getting to her feet again, she charged the monster first. Planning to spear it from the side. At the point of contact, her blade bounced off the bone plates of armor, disrupting her balance.
The Boartusk took a bite at her. Catching the thin blade of Myrtenaster in its teeth. Digging her heel into the floor Weiss pressed her other foot against the monster and pulled.
When she managed to get Myrtenaster free, it left her hand and slid across the floor.
"Oh ho! Lost your weapon!" Port chuckled. "What will you do now?"
Weiss made a mad dash for her precious rapier. She could hear the Grimm following behind her. As it made to bash her, she slid underneath it and took hold of her weapon.
As she took her stance again, she chided herself for making such a stupid mistake. She has to end this fight before she makes another. Her aura cannot handle another strike. Weiss needed to think, what were this thing's drawbacks again. She was too frazzled to remember.
'Soft underbellies.' Echoed the voice of her partner in her mind.
Taking a quick breath, she took her ready stance on last time. She had to use this things method of attack against it.
With a squeal, it ran at her. With an elegant twirl, she stabbed the ground in front of her. It froze, creating a ramp that extended upward. The Boartusk was already in another roll and failed to correct its course before it reached the ice.
The Boartusk's momentum carried it into the air. When it unrolled itself, Weiss used a glyph to launch herself above it. Suspending herself with another glyph, she aimed the tip of her sword at the beast.
Once its stomach was exposed, she dived towards it. Ramming Myrtenaster through its gut and crashing to the floor.
She was breathing hard as she felt the monster begin to dissolve into nothing.
She hoped for silence, what she got was clapping. "Bravo! Bravo!"
Standing she saw the class clapping for her. Why? She nearly failed. Why are they clapping?
"It would appear that we have more than one true huntress among us." Port said. "You may take your seat, Miss Schnee. Don't worry about your gear, there's more than enough time between classes to change."
Weiss did a short courtesy and walked up to her team and took her seat beside her partner. Ruby had not said a word since the fight started. But she did give the heiress a smile and a thumbs up.
"Your turn Mr. Winchester. Step up." Port gestured for the arrogant boy to take the stage.
Weiss heard both her leader and blonde teammate grumble. "Great. Now we have to watch Cardin show off."
"You know him?" Asked Blake.
"Yeah. He's one of the few people who came here from Signal that I personally know. Total ass."
Weiss almost flinched at such curt language, but the message was delivered.
"I hope the Boartusk runs him over." Ruby muttered with a threatening undertone.
"Relax Rubes. He learned his lesson at Signal. If he's smart, he'll stay far away from us."
"That's the problem Yang. He's not smart, just likes to pretend he is." Ruby rested her head on her folded arms.
Yang held up her hands in defeat. "You're right. He's got more muscle than brains."
Cardin stood in the same spot Weiss did, mace still over his shoulder. Port unlatched the next cage. The Boartusk that emerged from this one wasted no time in going on the attack.
Cardin let out a cry of his own as he made a counter charge. Catching the rolling Grimm with his bare hands. While the feat was impressive, it was clear he was struggling to hold the monster in place.
"Facing a Boartusk head on? Ha! I remember when I tried that. Still, not the worst strategy if you can stand the shock to your body." Port laughed.
Cardin threw the Boartusk to the side and raised his mace high. Closing the gap, he brought it down on the armored back of the Grimm. With the rage of a berserker, he battered the monster like a drum. It took half a minute before it began to dissolve, signifying his victory.
There was clapping, but not as much as what Weiss had received. It was not hard to guess why. Such a brutal form of fighting made many people uncomfortable.
"Mmm. A little crude for my taste but it got the job done. Good work, Mr. Winchester."
Cardin gave everyone a cocky smile as he walked back to his own team.
Ruby shook her head in disapproval. "He hasn't changed at all."
"Still up to his same set of tricks from Signal." Yang did not sound as bothered, but there was still a hint of anger in her voice.
"What do you mean? He still won. That's all that matters." Weiss asked, wanting Yang to clarify.
"Not when it comes to him. That wasn't about winning the fight. He did that on purpose." Yang said with a frown. "He's not smart, but he knows how to get what he wants from people who don't know him."
"And what does he want?" Asked Blake.
"To be seen as the alpha. He wants to look down on people."
"That doesn't explain his combat tactics." Weis countered.
"It does." Ruby shot back, not lifting her head. "He wouldn't fight like that in a field while surrounded by Grimm. He knows that he would have been wide open while he attacked the Boartusk. It's a quick way to get yourself killed."
"Then why do it here?" Weiss asked.
"Intimidation." Yang answered. "He wants to present himself as dangerous to make everyone afraid of him."
Weiss thought on it for a moment. It did add up. If your first impression of a person, is their level of brutality then you'll be hesitant to offend them or speak your mind. Like a physical version the tactics her father used during board meetings. Threatening his business rivals with the lengths hell go to bring them down.
"He's a bully." Ruby said watching him take his seat.
"How do you know him then?"
"He tried to flirt with Yang, but when she didn't respond he thought I was to blame. Dunce thought being bigger meant I wouldn't bring him down to my level. Got in big trouble for that." Ruby smiled as she finished recalling the memory.
"When I found out." Yang paused. "Well, let's just say he had a lot of catchup work to do afterwards. He's kept his distance since then."
"Ms. Nikos. It is your turn." Port said as he rested his hand on the final cage.
Pyrrha took her place and pulled out her gear. Her shield was held in front of her with the javelin raised behind.
"Woo! Go Pyrrha!" Nora yelled out.
The gladiator flashed a smile in their direction, before turning to the professor.
As before, Port unlocked the cage and released the Grimm. Pyrrha acted quickly. Throwing her shield towards the posters of Grimm types. It ricocheted and slammed into the side of the Boartusk, knocking it over.
Pyrrha sprinted to its side and unloaded six shots into is stomach. The beast squealed and fell limp.
Weiss stared in a stunned silence. Such a quick victory. Pyrrha certainly lived up to her reputation.
The class started clapping for the champion as she retrieved her shield. Weiss noticed it was not as active as the applause she received.
"Well done, Miss Nikos. No doubt you observed their behaviors from your previous classmates and planned accordingly?"
"I did, sir."
"Splendid!" Port bellowed. "Well done!"
Port turned to the class and raised both hands in a grandiose manner. "Remember this, students. You must understand the Creatures of Grimm in order to battle them." He lowered his arms and took a respectful stance. His tone of voice changed to one that was completely serious. "Please, understand that this is for your benefit. The Grimm are many in both number and shape. While I do not doubt any of your combat skills and potential, it is important not to take them for granted. None of us are invincible, not even a huntsman as bombastic as myself is arrogant enough to view it this way."
Port turned his attention to team RWBY and Weiss wondered why he was looking in their direction, or more importantly at their leader. "Class dismissed students. Those of you who fought may go change. Don't take too long, I can only pardon you for a few minutes." He chuckled.
Ruby stepped out of the lecture hall and noticed something was off about her partner. Her posture was slightly drooped.
In the hallway she grabbed her partners shoulder and spoke her mind. "Weiss, is something bothering you?"
Weiss did not turn around, but she did answer. "I'm fine."
Ruby wanted to ask for more, but just released her partner. Causing a scene would invite trouble. If there was a problem, they would need to discuss it back at the dorm.
As the heiress walked away, Ruby heard a familiar laugh and frowned.
"Rubes?"
Turning Ruby met with Yang and Blake. Both looking expectantly at her. "You coming?"
Ruby glanced at the shadowed corners of the hall. Expecting to see that hooded shape watching her. Hopefully Yang was to preoccupied with prying Blake's secrets out of her to notice.
"I'll catch up."
"Ate too much?"
Ruby pouted and Yang grinned in understanding. "Don't be late. It be bad to waste your fresh start." With that, the two of them walked off. Her sister knew a lot of her tricks, but not all of them.
Ruby turned her own way to find somewhere isolated, so she could have a chat with her double, only to stop in her tracks as Headmaster Ozpin stood in her way.
"Headmaster!" Ruby almost yelled in shock. It was rare for people to sneak up on her.
"Miss Rose." He greeted her politely before sipping from his steaming coffee mug. He must have just gotten that.
"Am I interrupting something?" He asked as he watched her with a quizzical eye.
"No. I was just going to the bathroom."
"I see." He said as he continued to watch her. It was unsettling. She hated it when people watched her like that.
"Is there something I can help you with, sir?" She asked with a level of uncertainty.
"No, but perhaps I can help you. I saw what happened with Miss Schnee."
"Oh that. She's just in a bad mood." Ruby tried to brush it off, but Ozpin saw through it.
"If that were the case, I doubt you would be following her."
Ruby almost blinked. He thought she was following Weiss. Role with it. "Yeah, well I'm the leader. Taking care of the team is my job."
"Indeed. It is quite the responsibility." He said with a confident expression that annoyed Ruby for some reason. But then Ruby realized something, she was the leader and now that she was in front of the headmaster, she could try to change that.
"Is it alright if I ask you something sir?"
"I am a teacher. Answering questions from students is natural."
"Are you sure I was the right choice. For the position of leader, I mean."
Ozpin narrowed his eyes slightly. "What brought this about?"
Ruby wanted to sigh. The smart ones were always the most annoying to deal with. She needed to be careful with her answers. "I feel like me being chosen over Weiss might have damaged her confidence."
Half-truths worked best against the intelligent. So long as you balance the line between truth and deception. "You think so?"
"Yes. She's far too quiet compared to before. I'm worried she'll fall behind."
"And you believe the solution is to make her leader?" His tone was even, he was listening intently.
"I know it's what she wanted."
"Well, Miss Rose, you have just answered your own question."
Ruby tilted her head, processing what she just said. "I don't understand."
"You are concerned for your teammate, to the extent that you would sacrifice your position to solve her problems. With that in mind I believe I made the right choice." He said with a kind smile.
"How does me caring for her make me a better choice?" Ruby knew the answer to an extent but could disagree with his assessment.
"A leader must look beyond themselves and see the bigger picture. Miss Schnee, for all her talents and achievements is highly self-centered. Even when she means well. A byproduct of her upbringing. Her focus is on success and little else. That means she will prioritize winning above the state of her team. That is not a trait I can see in a successful leader."
Ruby saw the logic in that, only now realizing the Headmaster had no intention of giving Weiss a chance without proving herself first. That would take time, meaning that Ruby would need to give her partner some help.
"I understand, sir."
"Good. Having compassion for others can be a glue that binds people together."
"Emotion must be tempered with reason and good judgement, for even an act of kindness can cause one harm if done carelessly and no amount of goodwill can justify that." Ruby countered, reciting a quote from one of her many books.
Now she got the pleasure of pulling one over on Ozpin. Watching him blinks in surprise was a treat given how calm and confident he looked all the time.
"I was not aware you studied philosophy."
"My therapist recommended it. I enjoy reading so it came easy to me. Not being able to watch television has its advantages." Ruby said with a smile of her own.
Ozpin seemed to accept that, judging by the bemused smile on his face. "I believe you have class to attend."
He stepped past her but stopped to deliver one final message. "One more thing. Don't underestimate the power of compassion. It might just save your life one day."
Ruby waited for him to be out of her line of sight before she made her way to a nearby janitors closet. After checking that the hallway was clear, she slipped inside.
Closing the door behind her, she let out a ragged breath as she thought of that horrid stare Ozpin had her fixed with. She hated it. How he tried to see through her and pick her apart. What an idiot, yet he thought he was the smartest one here.
{Hypnosis-Tobias Lilja-Little Nightmares}
"I don't trust him."
Ruby didn't bother to look at first, it hardly mattered if she saw her double. She just needed to know she was being heard.
"You think I do?"
In truth, Ruby knew something was off about the Headmaster. The way he watched her made his intentions obvious. He wanted something.
"No, but I thought you'd like to know my opinion."
Ruby could see the bottom of her black cloak touching the floor. The black mist rolled off her form. Reminding Ruby that her Shadow was not physical, but something ethereal. She disliked this situation. Her Shadow was the one being she had no chance of tricking or intimidating. That meant she was the one on the back foot when they interacted with each other.
"Whatever he wants from me, he won't get it." She said with a hint of defiance.
"I know."
"What did you do?" Ruby could feel her other smile. She had no idea how, but she simply felt it.
"What do you mean?"
"Weiss. I know you did something to her. I don't how, but I know you did."
Her Shadow giggled in a childish manner. "That's funny. All I did was whisper a word or two."
"How?" Ruby demanded. Knowing that if her Shadow had spoken to Weiss, she would have heard it too.
"You know."
Ruby was about to answer, but frozen as the image of a blank white mask entered her mind. She clutched her skull in pain. The image expanded to that of a tall woman in a kimono with long dark hair. Then it shifted to a tall tower amongst a sea of bent buildings with a bright light shining at its peak.
"You know what we can do. You just chose to forget"
"I'd rather it stays that way." Ruby grunted as the image faded.
"Why? Why reject what makes you strong?"
"What happened back then only brought me pain."
"That was part of the process. Pain is required for one to be strong. That is why we survived. Hidden motives aside, Ozpin recognized that."
"Is that why you tricked Weiss?"
Her Shadow let out a quiet sigh. "I was helping her to get what you wanted. It's not my fault that she's weak."
"You goaded her to take on a Grimm she had no idea how to fight and you call that helping her?"
Her Shadow scoffed. "I gave her the answer at the end. As for walking down there, she would have done it without my help. Her need for validation and attention would have done that for me."
"Then you should have stopped her. I want her to look good, so I don't have to take on this role. Now, she's upset because she thinks the class pities her."
"That's not my fault. That's her poor mindset. Always needing to prove herself. It's pathetic really. She needed a lesson in humility."
Ruby did not retort. It was true. Weiss' need for validation was her biggest detriment. If she kept pushing herself to stand out, sooner or later she'd make a mistake she couldn't take back.
"That's why she can't be leader."
Ruby blinked. "Did you just read my thoughts?"
She felt her Shadow grin. "Did you forget what I am?"
Ruby stared into the darkness of her double's hood. A misty hand emerged from the cloak and poked Ruby's forehead. "I know everything that goes on in that brain of yours. No secrets between us."
Her Shadow laughed as she vanished. Leaving Ruby alone in the janitors closet.
Weiss stood over the balcony, staring out at the garden. Wondering why things had turned out the way they did? Why were they clapping when she was struggling? Wouldn't they want a clean victory like Pyrrha?
Winter never clapped for her when she made mistakes. Her father used them to tear her down. The best performance was one that was executed perfectly. Not a single foot out of place. So, why?
Moreover, none of the class clapped for Ruby when she made that detailed account of the Grimm. Only the professor. Why? She was correct. She had done it perfectly.
Nothing seemed to make sense anymore. How was she supposed to prove herself when the entire system appeared so contradictory?
"Miss Schnee."
Weiss turned and saw Professor Port standing there with his arms crossed behind his back.
"Professor." Weiss stood stall and kept her tone polite.
"Why are you here and not in class? You haven't even changed back into your uniform."
Weiss stiffened. Another mistake. "I… I'm just confused."
"Mmm. I see. Speak you mind then. I'm here to listen."
Weiss blinked, again caught by surprise. She wasn't used to such openness from people. Taking a breath, she let her thoughts run free. "I just feel like I've been misled."
"How so?"
"All my life I've been told that the path to success was excellence. Excellence in all things. That mistakes are something to be frowned upon. Yet, I was praised for mine when I fought the Grimm."
"As you should be. It was an admirable performance." Port said with absolute confidence.
"How? I lost my weapon. I failed to bring a decisive victory. Like Pyrrha did, but less people clapped for her."
"That is a simple thing. Spectacle. Your duel with the beast was not only the most entertaining, but also the most educational."
Weiss held her tongue and waited for him to continue.
"In your match, you demonstrated everything Miss Rose had stated. The toughness of the fiends armor. The power of its speed if left unchecked. The natural ferocity that all Grimm possess. And most importantly, the critical weakness of both the monster's body and mentality. Remember, Miss Nikos got her victory from watching your battle. Not to mention your match displayed a sense of struggle, something everyone in the classroom understood. People like seeing an underdog win. Even with the reputation of your family putting you in an unfavorite light, I believe you presented yourself well."
Weiss mulled on his words. The realization setting in. A reputation outside that of her family. Her own legacy.
"Thank you, sir."
"But that's not all that's troubling you, I take it?" Like that he hit the nail on the head.
"Right, sir."
"Well, if you wish to speak further, I'll excuse you for being late to your next class."
Weiss smiled at the man's generosity. It reminded her of her grandfather.
"It's Ruby. I can't understand her."
Port stroked his mustache. "How come? What is it about her that confuses you?"
"Honestly. Almost everything. She's somehow both brilliant and childish at the same time. One moment she acts like a carefree little girl, the next she has the glare of a serial killer."
Port laughed. "A serial killer? Surely, it's not that bad?"
"I honestly don't know how she managed to get into Beacon while acting like this. And two years before anyone in her age bracket. Yet she sleeps in class, ignores authority and has some kind of spilt personality. I just don't understand how she was placed above the rest of us, when you add all that up to her being the youngest member as well."
Weiss waited for Port to respond, when he held his silence, she bit her tongue. Had she gone too far?
"Mmm. I can see where you are coming from, and this will likely never be resolved without some form of answer. Come with me. I have something that you might want to see."
Weiss followed Port back to his lecture hall. He brought her over to his desk and opened a drawer on its side. From within he pulled out a file. "I'm not supposed to show this to students. But given that you are her partner and consequently forced to interact with her daily. I feel it's best if you are aware of the details behind Miss Rose's academic history."
He handed the file to Weiss. Opening it, she began to browse. What she saw made her clutch the paper tightly. Ruby's scores were all in the upper eighties. While Weiss usually got close to perfect scores, the fact that a girl two years her junior could consistently hold this average was impressive.
It only became more impressive as she began reading the contrasting disciplinary records. Since the age of ten, she had a history of arguing with teachers, sneaking slash breaking out of the classroom during class, ditching school, getting into fights, all of which resulted in multiple suspensions and threatened expulsion. As she grew less extreme as she aged but incidents still occurred, with many believing that the therapy was not very effective.
It even came with a record of her exam history from Signal. How she would sleep in class constantly, giving the teachers the impression that she would fail, only to continue her streak of outstanding grades. There were reports from teachers who were under the impression that she was cheating. How they would consistently convince the combat school to prove it by setting up a private exam just for her. The subject was the same, but the questions were all rewritten and rearranged so that she would not be able to answer them if she did not know the content of the subject. Despite this tactic being tried multiple times and without any form of warning on the school's part, Ruby continued to pass with flying colors.
Weiss was in shock, this was above and beyond what she was expecting. How could someone so defiant of the system come to master it so well?
"I see you are starting to realize why Miss Rose was accepted early." Port said.
"Is she some kind of prodigy?" Weiss asked, not sure what to believe anymore.
"I do not believe she is. From what I've heard from her uncle, she prefers to study on her own time and finds the classroom highly uncomfortable. That is why I ignored her and why every professor at Beacon will too."
"I… this is crazy. She's crazy."
"I know she's different. But you'll find that most huntsmen a do not qualify as 'normal.'" He finished with air quotes the he laughed. "It was quite the show when we spoke to the Headmaster of Signal. He didn't want to let Miss Rose go. He wanted to be the one to correct her behaviors, but Ozpin made it abundantly clear that there was nothing he could do. Miss Rose had outmaneuvered him and his staff at every turn."
He took a breath and calmed down. "You see. Ozpin has plenty of reasons for what he has done. Like you, she is a once in a generation talent. Unlike you, she needs alterative methods in order to bring out her true potential as a huntress."
"So, you're just indulging her bad behaviors?"
"Trauma is a difficult thing to fix, Miss Schnee."
Weiss stared at the professor for a moment. "She's traumatized?"
"From what I know, yes. From what, I cannot say."
The bell rang out across the academy. "Well, it would seem that we're stretching the limit of the pass I can give you. Keep the file, I already know it thanks to my highly developed brain."
"Thank you, sir." Weiss gave a short bow before they walked out together.
Yang slouched on her new bed. Her first day at Beacon was less exciting that she had hoped. Other than the obstacle course Miss Goodwitch had them run and the explosion during the demonstration during Dust Refinement. Jaune knows next to nothing about dust, put Ruby in a good mood though. She enjoyed watching him screw up, the little sadist.
Blake was still being standoffish, but she was cooperating with the team. Weiss was unusually quiet after she came in late for Dust Refinement.
Yang frowned for a moment as she remembered the white haired girl. This one was not a good partner for Ruby, at least as of right now.
Yang sat up as she heard the door open to the white pop star herself.
"Yang." Weiss said as she walked up to the brawlers bed.
"Sup."
"I… have some questions." She stated, clutching a file in her hands. "About Ruby."
Yang's eyes narrowed but remained calm. "What do you want to know, Princess?"
She expected Weiss to get huffy at that nickname, but the heiress kept her cool as well.
"I… umm." She stammered for a moment. This was odd, Yang had never seen her look so uncertain before. Even if Yang had only known her for a day, she could tell Weiss was shaken by something.
"I just wanted to know if Ruby went through some… hardships when she was young."
Yang rolled her eyes. Was Weiss trying to psychoanalyze Ruby to gain the upper hand? Make her look bad by leaking information that they were trying to keep hidden? Not on big sister's watch. This was Ruby's chance to enjoy her time with people. A clean slate. No way she was going to let some jealous princess ruin that.
"We both went through tough times when we were kids. What about it?" Yang did her best not to sound rude, but her tone still conveyed that she did not approve of this subject.
"Well, I was trying to understand Ruby's… eccentric behaviors and I…" Weiss paused.
Yang heard Blake shuffle in the bed above. The ninja was listening to the conversation.
Weiss presented the file to Yang who took it with a weary hand. Once she saw the documents inside, she felt her anger rise. Her hair lit up and her eyes turned crimson. Fixing Weiss with a death stare, she slowed articulated her query. "How did you get this?"
"Professor Port gave it to me." Weiss answered, somehow regaining her confidence, perhaps in response to Yang's anger. "He thought it would help me understand why she's so hard to read."
"And?" Yang was not satisfied, if that was it, then Weiss would have kept it to herself.
"He told me she was traumatized."
Yang felt her anger fade. Her semblance receded and she placed the documents on the bed. With a sigh she plopped back onto the bed. "Great, my little sis just can't catch a break."
"So, it is true then?"
Yang let out anther sigh before sitting back up. "Pretty much. Now that you know, what do you plan to do about it? You gonna use it as leverage or something?"
"I would never!" Now it was Weiss' turn to get angry. "That kind of trick is something my father would do, and I am not…"
Weiss stopped speaking when she realized what she was saying. Yang grinned. "Heh, looks like we all got family issues here."
Yang heard Blake shuffle about again. Peaking her head over the side now. Weiss, having regained her composure, spoke again. "I just wanted to understand the person I have to follow and watch out for as a partner. If this is a touchy topic, then I understand if you don't want to discuss it."
"Nah." Yang answered. "Cat's out of the bag now. So, best to let you both in on the secret."
"You don't mind telling me of an event that traumatized your little sister?"
"So long as this discussion stays between the three of us." Yang said in a stern tone. "My sister worked hard to get through Signal despite her handicaps, and she deserves a chance to have a fresh start. If you ruin that, I'll ruin you."
"I understand." Weiss said, while Blake stretched an arm down to give a thumbs up.
Yang took a deep breath. "Okay, here we go. So, as you know my sis is a little quirky."
She leaned forward and looked at the floor, dredging up old memories. "She wasn't always this way. She was a different person back then. Kind, sweet, and always willing to help others. But one day, all of that changed."
She shut her eyes and remembered the living room from back then. The three of them huddled together on the coach watching a funny movie. "Ruby had just turned nine. One night, we all got together for a fun evening of movies and snacks. Once those ran out, we went to the kitchen to get more, leaving Ruby in living room."
Yang closed her eyes as she remembered the flash that nearly blinded her and the cry that would haunt her dreams for months afterwards. "We don't know what happened when we left, but Ruby called us back. It all happened so fast. The police thought it was a flashbang, from what we described. She let out a scream, and the entire living room was turned upside down. The windows and TV screen were broken."
"Screen? Did you own one of the old box models?" Weiss asked. Remembering the mass transition from television to holographic projections.
"Yeah. It was a hand-me-down from our mom." Yang said with a sigh. "When we checked the living room. It was completely wrecked, and Ruby was gone."
"Kidnapped?" Blake asked, now looking invested in the story.
"That's what we all think." Yang replied. "What happened afterwards was rough. Dad fell into depression again, and I almost died searching the forests for her. If it weren't for my uncle pulling us together, I'm sure that be the end of the story. I barely got any sleep, for months I wondered what happened. Blaming myself for not staying with her."
The memory of the empty room she inhabited for months surfaced. The perpetually tidy bed always in her vision. Kept ready for the day her sibling might return home. "Then one day, ten months down the line, we got a call from the police station. They found her. We were about to explode with how hyped we were. Even in the middle of the night, we refused to wait for a second. We got there as quickly as possible. Happy to finally know Ruby was alright."
Yang held her silence for a moment. "But that all changed when we got there."
She remembered the cell that they kept her sister in. How the sweet girl she knew, hid like a frightened mouse and lashed out with the ferocity of a Beowolf. But worst of all were her eyes, once full of life, were rendered cold and empty. "She was not the same girl we knew. It was far worse back then compared to now. She was reserved, quiet, and hostile, even towards me and dad. She never spoke, and the police said they had a lot of trouble just catching her."
"Catch her? As in she ran from the authorities?" Weiss asked.
"That's what we were told. All we knew for sure, was that the Ruby we wanted to see was gone. All that was left was a scared, angry girl in a yellow raincoat."
"What happened to her?"
"We have no idea. Ruby refused to speak for months after we brought her home." Yang gave a tired sigh. "Man, that was rough. I still remember how hard it was just to get her to cooperate. It was a mission to get her to go along with even the smallest things. But we did learn a few things. For one, she's terrified of TVs."
"Excuse me?" Weiss inquired. "You can't be serious?"
"Completely serious." Yang shot back. "One night, we wanted to watch a movie together to try and bond again, but the moment the hologram projection started up, she bolted out of there faster than a baby Nevermore. She can't stand it."
"That explains why you had no idea who Pyrrha was, even though you're the type who'd enjoy gladiatorial sports." Yang nodded, confirming Weiss' theory. "Are any other strange conditions we should be aware of?" Weiss asked.
"A few things. Using scrolls gives her headaches for one. She hates cameras. You already know that she'll do anything to avoid the classroom if she isn't left alone. She's a bit of a loner, but I'm trying to fix that. Hence why I don't want you ruining her reputation in a crowd that doesn't know her." Yang emphasized with narrowed eyes. "She is also extremely aggressive if you manage to piss her off. Like me but she doesn't stop at beating you up. Before she went back to school, she nearly bit off our dad's thumb."
Both Weiss and Blake stared at her in shock.
"That's right. You heard me." Yang held up her right hand and clenched her teeth around the base of her thumb to demonstrate. "She managed to bite through his aura and almost tore it off. She's gotten better over the years, but it still happens from time to time."
"I'm starting to feel lucky that I managed to stop arguing with her." Weiss commented, not noticing Blakes slight grin.
Yang blew some raspberries. "Please, you weren't getting her mad. If anything, she found you mildly annoying."
Weiss blinked, like she'd just been slapped. "You mean all the emotional outbursts were tricks?"
"Some of them, but good luck telling them apart from the real ones. You should be glad though. It was a result of months' worth of therapy. They taught her how to interact with people again. Granted, she is a bit of a trickster now, but it's still better than what she was before that. If she hadn't gone, you'd see an ugly side of her only Cardin has had the pleasure of knowing."
"Do you have any idea what happened to her?"
"Not a clue. She refused to talk about it and her therapists say she's repressing the memories. So, she can't really remember." Yang answered
"And the kidnappers?" Blake chimed in. "Were they ever caught?"
"No." Yan replied darkly her semblance flaring for a moment. "And lucky them, because if I ever find the bastards who did that to my sister. I'll rip off their jaws and shove them down their throats."
Weiss and Blake glanced at one another, knowing full well that this was a serious matter. The heiress sat beside Yang and took one of her hands. "Thank you for telling me this. I promise I won't share this with anyone."
"Same here." Blake concurred.
"Thanks guys." Yang said with a smile. "It'd be a huge relief to know she has someone other than me to watch her back."
"We're a team now." Weiss declared confidently. "We look out for each other. When we reach the top, we'll do it together."
"That's what I like to hear." Yang laughed. "We'll crush all these noobs in the sparing ring and the classroom."
"Don't forget the practical missions we'll have to complete." Blake added.
"Hell, yeah and with Ruby as leader, we'll be unstoppable."
"You really have a lot of confidence in her." Weiss said with a smile, to which Yang responded with one of her own.
"Just you wait Weiss, you'll see what she's capable of." Yang laughed.
The three girls chattered on, not noticing that they were being watched by a dark, misty shape in the corner of the room. The shape pondered on their words before disappearing in a swirl of black mist.
Hello everyone. Sorry this one took me so long. I told you it would be a long time, but I thought it would be quicker than this. I hope you all enjoy my work.