Chatting with Jaune is nice, if a bit disorienting. Ruby had forgotten how innocent they all were at the start of this. If Yang had seemed years younger without the trauma she'd endured, Jaune seems like an entirely different person. And sure, there are a few red flags that stand out in hindsight (like how unfamiliar Jaune seems with how his weapons work. A student who was ready to attend Beacon wouldn't be surprised that his shield doesn't get any lighter when it's in a compact form, at least not without some creative dust application), but Ruby isn't too worried. Jaune figured things out last time, and now he's one of the best leaders and strategists she's ever met.
And this time, he won't have to suffer so much loss in order to get there. Not if Ruby can help it.
They part ways when they arrive at the hall where everyone else is gathered. Jaune immediately lights up upon spotting Weiss, and Ruby has to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing at how that's going to inevitably play out. Especially once she spots Pyrrha nearby watching him curiously. It's like seeing the setup for one of those soap operas her dad likes to watch when he thinks no one else is awake
Just like last time, Weiss brushes him off coolly and immediately turns her attention to Ruby. What she says this time around is a bit surprising, though. "Look, uh, Ruby, was it? I, uh, I'm sorry that I yelled at you earlier. I should have been paying more attention to where I was going."
Did Weiss seriously just apologize? Ruby gapes at the Schnee heiress for a long moment, completely taken by surprise. "Um, thanks, Weiss," she manages to stammer out eventually. "It's not all your fault, though. I should have been looking where I was going. And, yeah, my name is Ruby. Ruby Rose. It's nice to meet you."
It'd be nice to leave a better first impression this time around. Weiss takes the hand that Ruby offers after a few seconds and shakes it firmly. "Weiss Schnee. It's nice to meet you, Ruby Rose."
Well, that was totally unexpected. Weiss apologizing? What was that about? Plus, Ruby can count on one hand the number of times she's ever heard Weiss stutter. Her partner is almost always cool, composed, and collected; Ruby has always admired her confidence and way with words.
And then she spots the satisfied smirk on her sister's face, and the pieces suddenly all fit together. Apparently Yang had had a little talk with Weiss while Ruby had been walking over with Jaune. In the past, she would have resented her sister's interference and overprotectiveness. Now, she just feels warm inside. Yang loves the same way she fights: fiercely and protectively.
"Make any new friends?" Yang asks when Ruby joins her. She's clearly referring to Weiss' apology, but Ruby pretends not to notice that.
"Yeah, I think so!" she tells her sister brightly. "Jaune seems really nice. And I bet Weiss is a bit of a softy, once you get to know her. I don't buy the whole 'Ice Queen' thing."
"Jaune?" her sister asks, frowning slightly. Apparently she was paying more attention to having Weiss make amends than to what Ruby was up to.
"Yeah, Jaune Arc, the guy I was walking with earlier," Ruby explains.
"Did I just hear you actually remember someone's name instead of just the weapon they use?" Yang places her hand over her heart in feigned shock. "Who are you and what have you done with my little sister?"
"What can I say?" Ruby shrugs. "Today is full of surprises."
Her sister eyes her for a long moment before sighing and pulling Ruby in for a quick hug. "Yeah, no kidding. Try not to wander off again, okay? Let's try to stick together. This place is huge and I don't want you getting lost."
But Ruby does have a limit to how much mother henning she's willing to put up with. "I wouldn't dream of it. Someone's gotta tell you when you've got a leaf stuck in your hair."
Predictably, Yang's hands fly up to frantically check her hair. Finding nothing, she scowls at Ruby as her little sister cackles. "That is so not funny."
Ruby can't remember the last time she laughed this hard.
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