Here we are at Chapter 3. I'll basically be splitting episode 3 of the anime into separate chapters/parts for the different stories. There will be a filler chapter of two along the way as well. Anyway, I do not own RWBY Ice Queendom. They belong to their respective owners. I only own my OCs. Here's chapter 3. Enjoy.

Chapter 3: Leadership

It's early in the morning, the sun just beginning to peak through the window into a dorm room. In the room, the members of Team KEPL sleep peacefully, if Lloyd's snoring can be called peaceful. The rest have gotten used to it by this point though. Khazhak is the first to awaken, sitting up in his bed. He's wearing dark blue pajama pants and no shirt, revealing his toned body and all the scars littered across it from past battles. Around his neck rests a silver necklace with a dragon holding a blue gemstone in its claws at the center. Khazhak glances over at his slumbering teammates before getting out of bed. The time has come for their first official day at Beacon academy. He walks into the bathroom with a school uniform that was provided for them. A few minutes of dressing up and he looks himself over in the mirror.

"Yeah... this really doesn't suit me," Khazhak groans.

He walks out to find Porphyrius and Reaper already up and getting ready for the day, but Lloyd is still fast asleep. He glances at Porphyrius who merely shrugs his shoulders. Khazhak sighs before walking over to Lloyd's bed... and then kicking him off said bed. Lloyd hits the floor with a 'thunk' and finally wakes up.

Lloyd's head bolts up, "Huh? What? Where's the chicken? Where-?" his head swivels around as he wakes up.

"I don't even want to know..." Edom shakes his head as he uses a shawl and wraps it around his head for his mask as a makeshift hood.

"Wake up, Lloyd. We have class to get to. Come on," Khazhak says as he walks by.

…

A little while later, Team KEPL are in their first class: Grimm studies with Professor Port. They find all of Team RWBY with them as well, sitting a few rows down from them.

"Grimm are well known as beasts of destruction and chaos. Over the years, we have learned several things about them, though we still do not know everything about them. We know that their bodies dissolve upon death, leaving no corpses to study. They seem to come from darkness and only seem to have one purpose: humanity's destruction. Though, for some reason, they don't seem to attack wild animals in the wilderness, which remains a mystery as to why to this day. Most of all, they do not possess souls and new species of grimm are being discovered every day. Although, only at a cost," Professor Port explains in his lecture.

Team KEPL take notes, some more than others (Porphyrius glances at Lloyd) but Edom notices something going on with Team RWB. While Yang and Blake pay attention to the lecture and Weiss is jotting down as many notes as possible, Ruby looks like she's about to fall asleep, something which annoys the heiress if her slightly shaking shoulders are any indication.

Edom leans close to Khazhak, "There appears to be something amiss within Team RWBY,"

Khazhak glances at them "Yep. Looks like the Ice Queen is about to blow it due to Ruby's current conduct. It's not our concern," he mutters back.

Porphyrius overhears them and sends a subtle glare down at the heiress' back before going back to his notes.

Port walks over and grabs a rope, "It is the huntsmen's duty to wield this knowledge and execute it in battle," he pulls on the rope and a pair of curtains pull back, showing a pair of cages with a pair of Boarbatusks within; the beasts trying to break free. "Now, which one of you would like to test your skills?"

"Must've been difficult to cage those. Lloyd," Khazhak crosses his arms.

Lloyd raises a hand, "I get first dibs!" he volunteers, making Weiss growl since he beat her to the punch.

"Very well. Please, retrieve your gear," Port says.

Lloyd walks down to the front of the classroom, "Nah, I'm good. Let it go," he chooses to remain in uniform.

Port cocks an eyebrow, "Are you sure that's wise. Overconfidence has led to the downfall of many huntsmen over the years,"

"It's good. Just release it," Lloyd remains steadfast.

Port shrugs his shoulders, "Very well," he swings his axe down on the lock, freeing the grimm.

The Boarbatusk charges at Lloyd, but the boy merely raises his left leg, encasing it in steel from his semblance. When the grimm gets close, he slams his steel foot down on its head, stopping its advance cold. The grimm tries to get free, but Lloyd reaches over and grabs its long tusks. With a small grunt, he breaks the tusks off, spins them around, and then stabs them into two of the grimm's eyes, deep into its skull. The Boarbatusk squirms a bit before dying, its body dissolving into nothingness.

Port claps his hands, "Bravo. An excellent display of strength and tenacity. I'll be expecting great things from you, Mr. Jyousai, and the rest of your team. Now then, we still have one grimm left. Who would like to go next?"

Weiss immediately shoots her hand up, "I will go!" her words wake Ruby up from her nap.

A few minutes later, Weiss stands at the front of the class in her combat skirt and her rapier at the ready. Khazhak narrows his eyes as he critiques her performance.

"Go get 'em, Weiss! Show them what Team RWBY is all about!" Ruby cheers, while Yang waves and Blake holds up a 'Team RWBY' flag in her hand.

"Be quiet, will you!" Weiss gets annoyed, which Team KEPL notice.

"And... begin!" Port frees the second Boarbatusk.

It charges at Weiss, who meets its tusks with her sword. Though she slides back on her feet, she manages to push the grimm back.

"Weiss, go for its belly! It doesn't have armor there!" Ruby yells.

"Don't tell me what to do," Weiss retorts.

The Boarbatusk rolls along the ground as it spins towards Weiss. Weiss conjures a glyph to block its strike and knock it onto its back. She then jumps while creating a second glyph and pushes off of it. Flying towards the downed grimm, she impales her rapier through its stomach, ending the fight as it dissipates. Weiss waits a moment on the ground, trying to catch her breath.

"Yeah, nice job Weiss!" Ruby cheers.

However, Weiss groans and glares at her, making Ruby lose her cheery mood.

"Oh no," Edom mutters with concern.

Weiss practically storms out of the room as the class ends, walking through the school away from her team. She ends up in one small courtyard, looking at something in the shadows.

"Weiss, hey!" she looks back at Ruby and the others on a walkway above her, with Team KEPL staying a little further back. "Weiss?"

"Do you have any idea how aggravating you are?! You're so happy about being team leader, and yet you've done nothing to earn your position," Weiss berates her.

"Weiss, please, let's just try to figure this out together as a team-," Ruby pleads.

"Not a team led by you," and Weiss shoots her down before walking away.

"Weiss, wait!" Ruby goes after her.

"Well, that could've gone better," Lloyd notes.

Yang is about to go after her sister, but Blake holds her back, "Wait. Let Ruby handle this herself for now. If she can't fix this on her own, then the problem won't be solved," Blake says, making her partner pout.

Khazhak glances back at his teammates, "Lloyd, Porphyrius, head back to our dorm. Edom and I will return later,"

"Don't tell me you're actually going to help that Schnee brat?" Porphyrius shows his disdain.

"I'm not trying to help Weiss, Porphyrius. I'm trying to help Ruby. Now go," Khazhak leaves no room for argument before walking off with Edom.

Ruby looks all over, but she can't find her partner. As her search continues to go empty, her dismay grows as well.

"Weiss, please come back. Please," Ruby gets sad and falls onto her knees. "I'm not sure I should be the leader either. At this rate, they'll tell me I don't deserve to be here at Beacon," she nearly cries.

"I wouldn't be too sure about that," she hears and turns to find Khazhak behind her.

Meanwhile, Edom finds Weiss sitting on a bench behind a balcony overlooking more of the school.

"I studied and trained so hard, and yet someone like her was chosen as team leader. This is all wrong. I deserve better," he hears Weiss complain.

"I wouldn't be too sure about that," Weiss turns to see Reaper walking up to her. "It seems you still have much to learn, Weiss,"

…

"Do you really think I deserve to be team leader? Weiss doesn't seem to think so," Ruby says.

"Ruby, as leaders, our teammates our places their trust, their LIVES, in our hands. Leadership is more than a title; it's a burden. One that cannot be so easily lifted. However, I don't think you being chosen as leader to be a mistake. No one is born a great leader. No one. It takes time, patience and training, and learning. It was the same for me and my team," Khazhak explains.

"But, you seem to know what you're doing," Ruby notes.

"That's because I'm basically cheating. My teammates and I have been fighting side by side for years, long before we came here to Beacon. Any newly formed team is going to have friction, especially with personalities as different as yours. You barely know each other, aside from you and your sister's relationship. When we first began working together, it was rough at first as well. We all had our own issues to sort out, and still do, to a degree. But, we learned, we grew, and we learned to trust each other. Reaper, Porphyrius, and Lloyd learned to trust me. Right now, Weiss most likely believes herself to be a better leader because she trained for Beacon. But, she's wrong," Khazhak explains.

…

"Tell me, Weiss, did you receive any formal training in leadership? Or just in combat training?" Edom and Weiss stand by the railing.

"Well, I was trained to be a huntress. I studied for years," Weiss retorts.

"So, that's a no. Weiss, you may be skilled, but your attitude towards others is, for lack of a better term, crap at best," Edom says.

Weiss scoffs, "How dare you!"

"My point exactly. Do you know what I see when I look at you? I see a girl who has spent her entire life getting exactly what she wanted. Looking down on everyone she believes to be beneath her, which in her eyes, is practically everyone," Edom says.

"That's not... that's not true at all," Weiss argues, but her argument is weak.

"Tell me, do you really think acting as you are now will convince Professor Ozpin to change his decision?" Edom asks, but she doesn't answer. "Then let me ask this: why do you think Ozpin chose Ruby to be team leader? Have you never stopped to wonder about that?"

"I... Well, I just-," Weiss begins.

"You just automatically thought she was undeserving, simply because it wasn't you. I bet that, had Ozpin chosen Blake or Yang, you would still have the same reaction. This is one of the reasons why he didn't choose you. Now, for once, ask yourself: why did Ozpin choose Ruby?"

Edom's words hang in the air as Weiss takes serious consideration to them. Why had he chosen someone two years younger than her? Why even move her up two years when she doesn't seem to be acting like a proper leader or student of Beacon academy? Why? The problem is... Weiss doesn't have an answer.

"I... I don't know," Weiss confesses, hanging her head.

…

"What do you mean?" Ruby asks.

"It's only been one day Ruby. You're not going to have all the answers so soon. I certainly didn't. However, the fact remains that you are the leader now. Their lives will be in your hands. You need to ask yourself what you're going to do to prove that you're worthy of that trust. To be the best leader you can possibly be It won't be easy, but it's worth it," Khazhak says.

Ruby rubs her thumbs together, thinking about his words, "Do you think... I really belong here?"

"That's not for me to decide. Only you can make that choice. But, I wouldn't be so quick to give up if I were you," Khazhak replies.

"What about you? Do you think... I could be a leader like you?" She looks up into his eyes.

He freezes for a moment before growing somber.

…

"Then perhaps that should be your next task," Edom suggests.

Weiss raises her head, "Huh?"

"You don't know, so find out. Get to know Ruby, REALLY know her. Find out what convinced Ozpin to choose her as leader. You can't be the leader, and as you are now, you'll never be anywhere near the best possible leader at Beacon. So, instead of being the best leader, be the best teammate; the best person you can be. If you think she's lacking, then help her fix that. A team can only function as one when everyone works together. And maybe while you're at it, figure out what makes her so special. Maybe if you can help her reach her full potential as a leader, then you can also reach your own full potential as a teammate and as a huntress as well. Think about it," Reaper says and goes to leave.

"Reaper," Weiss stops him. "If I may ask, do you trust Khazhak, despite his brutish nature?"

"I trust him with my life. He gave me purpose when I had nothing. Despite what you may assume about him, Weiss, Khazhak seeks one thing. To protect the innocent. As any true huntsmen. Like him, I have seen many things. Been all around the world. Witnessed many... atrocities. At the hands of grimm, Faunus, and human alike. You have spent your entire life in Atlas, and only Atlas. The world is larger than one kingdom, Weiss, and it is filled with so many different people. Even though I wear a mask, my eyes have seen many things, good and ill, Weiss," Reaper says, a hand subconsciously reaching up to his mask.

Weiss appears hesitant, "And... if I may... why do you wear that mask?" Reaper turns away from her question. "I'm sorry, if it's too personal, I won't-,"

"It's fine. It's... very personal, so I can't tell you everything," Reaper turns back to her. "So let me just say that it is because of a... painful memory... and a promise. Take care, Weiss Schnee. I hope you will think more on my words," and finally, he takes his leave.

Weiss watches him leave, with much upon her mind.

…

Khazhak glances away from Ruby, "You shouldn't aspire to be like me, little rose. I remember what you once said, after our teams were first formed. How you wanted to be like the heroes in the stories your mother read to me. I am not like those heroes. I am no hero. I'm more like custodian. I clean up the mess that no one else has the balls to clean up. I have killed people, Ruby. Many people. They harmed and killed the weak and the innocent... and I made sure did so again. I fight in the darkness so the weak and the innocent may live in the light without fear. But, that doesn't mean my actions are right. My victims may deserve the judgment I pass on then, but it's still killing. Does that frighten you?"

"I... I don't know. I know that killing is wrong, but... you don't strike me as a bad person, Khazhak. You feel like... like you've been through much. What happened to you?" Ruby asks.

Khazhak sighs as he looks up into the skies, "Not every story is a happy one, Ruby. Especially mine. Even with all my strength, I... I couldn't..." he stops and turns back to Ruby. "Don't become like me, little rose. Be better. Become the kind of person I could not," he pats her head. "I believe you can," his words and actions result in small blush on Ruby's cheeks.

Khazhak leaves after that, giving Ruby time to think. From the shadows, Professor Ozpin watches them, smiling at their conversation.

…

Later that evening, Team KEPL are back in their dorm room, with Lloyd polishing his claws, Reaper studying his notes, Porphyrius reading a book, and Khazhak staring out the window with his arms crossed.

"Do you think Ruby will grow from your advice?" Reaper

"Only time will tell," Khazhak replies without looking back. "What about Weiss Schnee?"

Reaper hums, "Hmm, there is much conflict within her. Living in Atlas can provide stifling view of the world, more so when living with a group like the Schnee family. She has much to learn, but I am willing to take a chance that she may grow to become something more. I need only patience to see,"

"I don't think you should bother with her, Reaper. She's no better than her father. The Schnee family only care about their own, and they'll kill anyone that gets in her way," Porphyrius notes with a hint of anger.

"For her father, that may be true. But her grandfather, Nicholas Schnee, was never like that. By all accounts, he was an honorable man. I am willing to bet that deep down, Weiss wants to be the same. It is simply that living under her father's rule has made that rather difficult for her," Reaper replies, to which Porphyrius merely grunts in distaste, the marks on the back of his neck spreading a little further.

Khazhak glances at them before returning to staring out the window. Only time will tell what becomes of Team RWBY.

And that's the chapter. Khazhak and Reaper help Ruby and Weiss figure out their issues and wait to see how this partnership will blossom. Team KEPL continue their journey at Beacon, but what other challenges await them? Until then, please Read and review.