The Beacon Campus Gardens were intended to be a place of comfort and respite for the diverse student body of Beacon Academy. It was a meticulously maintained collection of tasteful floral and landscape arrangements which exuded an air of relaxing calm and ensured that every student had their own personal taste of curated nature. Small gazebos and fountains and benches were scattered across the winding paths, allowing those present to rest, seek shade, and socialize in the idyl.
It was in one such gazebo that Weiss Schnee, heiress to the Schnee Dust Company, and Pyrrha Nikos, the Invincible Girl, sat and entertained one another. The two girls had gotten off to a rocky start early in the year, but despite lingering interpersonal issues they had managed to create something akin to a friendship. Weiss felt she was making great strides in befriending the great Pyrrha Nikos and securing her support, while Pyrrha – though still envious of the attention Weiss received from certain individuals and averse to her treatment of them and herself – could appreciate her dignity, bearing, predictability, and sincerity, such as it was.
The two of them chatted amicably about all the indignities of famous living, from having to entertain unpleasant yet important individuals to warding off the paparazzi. They found common ground in their shared desire to master their chosen arts, their distaste for small vermin and pests, and their frustration with their team leaders – albeit for wildly different reasons. It was a peaceful, calm discussion between two women of inarguably refined, sophisticated mien.
Since the world of Remnant loathes calm, it was only natural that it be interrupted by the source of most of their frustrations: their team leaders.
Ruby and Jaune rounded the corner of the gardens at an almost-hurried pace. Ruby seemed energetic as usual and Jaune seemed to be dragged along. Briefly, Weiss swelled with pride for her team leader, it was good to see Ruby take charge of others outside of her own team – having team JNPR at their beck and call would offer all sorts of advantages! Pyrrha was happy as ever to see Jaune, her eyes dipping reflexively to take in his ever-improving form – he was keeping up well with Ruby, the training to his agility was settling in nicely!
"Hi Pyrrha, hi Weiss!" chimed Ruby as she came within arm's reach of the pair. Ruby's sudden voice seemed to startle Pyrrha, jerking at the unexpected noise as she was brought from her ogling.
"Oh, hello again, Ruby, Jaune!" Pyrrha welcomed the pair, sparing each a fond look. She was always happy to entertain either one of them and never minded their presence. All of Pyrrha's friends were precious to her, and she would spare every effort she could for their sakes.
"What are you two doing here? Did you need something?" Weiss cut in, only slightly incensed that her private meeting with Pyrrha had been interrupted. She knew she couldn't monopolize Pyrrha, but still, she wanted to get back to building the bond with her that would lead to their shared, long-term excellence and perfection. She was, as ever, focused on her ambitions.
"Um, hey guys. Sort of? Ruby and I were just talking and – " began Jaune, rubbing the back of his head as he puzzled through his words, when Ruby cut in.
"We wanted your opinions on things! And maybe some invasive questions!"
"Ruby! I mean, uh, basically, yeah, but you didn't have to say it like that!" Jaune protested, shooting her a sour look.
"Invasive questions? Exactly how invasive are we talking?" demanded Weiss, wanting to know exactly how frustrating an interrogation she was about to experience.
"Uh, maybe just some uh, personal details that might be a bit weird to ask about?" Jaune explained with a nervous grin that served only to make Weiss roll her eyes.
"I am not opposed, Jaune, but may I ask why?" asked Pyrrha with a tilt of her head. Her beatific smile never wavered.
"Ruby has a – "
"I have a theory! I'll tell you about it once we can confirm or deny it!" announced Ruby as she cut in over Jaune, earning another start from Pyrrha with her energy.
"Oh, well, alright," she answered, uncertain.
"Pyrrha!" Ruby began, widening her stance and adopting an assertive pose, "When did you start training?"
"Oh, I can hardly remember a time I wasn't! Probably about 6 years old or so, I think? I didn't receive my first weapon until I was 8, however," Pyrrha replied, happy to share her history with people she called friends.
"Holy cow, Pyr! You were training since you were 6?! That must've been crazy!" gaped Jaune dumbly, and it was enough to make Weiss roll her eyes again.
"Oh, um, was it? I didn't – " Pyrrha fretted, suddenly self-conscious over her answer.
"That's crazy to you, Arc?" Weiss cut in with a scoff. "That's only somewhat earlier than when I began my tutoring and education to become the heiress of the SDC. And the only reason it was so late was that I needed to understand how to do basic arithmetic before they could pick up my studies further."
"Sheesh, Weiss, that's crazy, too!" balked Jaune.
"Are we… Are we really that strange?" asked Pyrrha timidly, her eyes wider than usual and her expression withdrawn.
"No, no, no way, Pyr!" Jaune reassured and waved his hands about as if to emphasize his clumsy wording with clumsy behavior. "It's just – you know, when I was that age, I was getting run around by my older sisters a lot and getting into trouble at school."
"Hmph. Lackadaisical and lazy, utterly atrocious," Weiss smoothly scolded a past child.
"Yeah, and that's when Yang and I were running around in the forest all day!" Ruby added helpfully.
"What?! Alone!? How irresponsible!" Weiss cried out in fear for her younger past team leader.
"Yeah! Dad had to work so we were alone all day so Yang and I would just do whatever we wanted sometimes."
"That sounds like it must have been nice, Ruby." Pyrrha added with a fond smile, as if imagining a carefree adventure rather than a romp through incredibly dangerous wilderness.
"Er, well, you know, there was the risk of Grimm every now and again and it always scared the pants off Dad, so it could be stressful too, kind of?"
"Nothing as stressful as training since you were 6 though, I bet," Jaune bet wrongly. "Uh, when did you do your first competition, Pyr?"
"Oh, when I was 7? It was just a junior league competition, though."
"One I'm sure you won, naturally," Weiss added with utter certainty.
"Actually, I lost that competition," laughed Pyrrha with a mirth Weiss never would've expected as her image of the Invincible Champion was shattered. "My Father looked so upset and I was so frustrated with myself that I nearly ignored my schoolwork for the whole year until the next competition to do better! When I won that one, I was so happy, and I received my first gifted weapon shortly after."
"Wow that's a lot of effort! You should be proud! Is that why you keep doing it?" asked Jaune, awed by his partner's work ethic at such a young age.
"Thank you, Jaune," Pyrrha blushed, seeming to preen and drink in the praise, "And somewhat. I do love combat-sports, but over the years I've felt a growing need to put my abilities to good use. I didn't always understand that I had exceptional talent, but once I did, I wanted to make the best of it."
"That's something I can certainly sympathize with, dear Pyrrha," Weiss interjected, keen to add her own thoughts – particularly on something she genuinely shared with Pyrrha. "I've also felt a duty to my heritage as a Schnee, and a need to live up to and exceed those expectations. I've spent years ensuring I had perfect marks through my schoolwork and excelling in every aspect of dust application and theory. And of course, learning the skills to be a huntress."
"So would you two agree that you're both highly motivated by societal expectations that were placed upon you rather than your personal ambitions?" chirped Ruby from the sidelines. It took a moment for her words to register with Pyrrha and Weiss.
"What?" asked Pyrrha.
"What?" echoed Weiss.
"Well, Pyrrha, you want to be a Huntress so you can help people, but is that really what you want to do?" Ruby pressed, emphasizing her words by pushing into Pyrrha's space.
"I – what do you mean, Ruby?" asked Pyrrha as she leaned away.
"I mean if there were no Grimm – or ok, that's too crazy, but maybe if there were only a few Grimm, and you had the choice to just be a tournament fighter, would you do that instead?"
"I… suppose I would? I never really considered that," she answered with a furrowing of her brow. Pyrrha's expression was suddenly tight and contemplative, as Ruby broke away from her and wandered over to Weiss's side.
"And Weiss, if you weren't a Schnee at all, would you continue trying so hard to be a good company woman? You seem to enjoy singing and dust work and being a huntress, but do you care about running a company at all beyond it being expected?"
"Well – of course –" Weiss began, but she stumbled as she tried to think of exactly how to answer. The weight of all her responsibilities and expectations suddenly fell upon her brow, and she answered as honestly as she could, "No, no I don't think I do. I could do without all the meddling executives and banal tasks. I merely want my name to be respected and to fulfill the promises of my forebears."
"See, Jaune? I was right!" crowed Ruby, whirling on her friend.
"Ruby, come on! That's not being right!"
"What are you two talking about?" Pyrrha tried to ask, only to be ignored.
"It is too, Jaune! You can't tell me after an answer like that they're not eerily similar!"
"Eerily similar?!" Weiss gawked, taken aback.
"Oh come on, Ruby, they have similar, what, situations?"
"Exactly! Their natures led them to it because they're both naturally responsible and exceptional!"
Weiss and Pyrrha didn't know how to respond to their leaders' bickering, sharing an aggrieved glance with one another as they silently listened. It was rude to be spoken of right in front of you, but the lack of understanding precluded interruption.
"Oh for – fine then, what's the difference in nurture!?"
"Obviously," Ruby began, taking in a deep breath, which was always a bad sign, "the difference is that between the elite sensibilities of the Kingdoms of Atlas and Mistral!" declared Ruby, striking a pose previously only seen within Dr. Oobleck's lectures.
"Huh-buh-wha?" Jaune boggled as Weiss and Pyrrha to his side mutely echoed his disbelief.
"The Kingdom of Atlas is highly stratified, structured around a clear hierarchy that can be most starkly observed in the Atlesian military structure. That hierarchy also exists within the civilian realm, though in such case is ordered by wealth and influence. The Schnee family exists at the apex of this civilian power-structure, notably becoming synonymous to Atlas to the rest of Remnant. Because of that, Weiss is uniquely pressured by not only her heritage but also her community to behave in a fashion which would be considered 'acceptable.' As Atlas is very orderly, then, proper language, proper bearing, and proper manners are of paramount importance…"
As Ruby lectured him, Jaune managed a short existential crisis. Unprepared to have to take notes during a friendly discussion, his eyes glazed over as he attempted (and failed) to intake the information and theory Ruby was throwing his way. Beside him, Pyrrha and Weiss too were silent, the former's head tilting to mirror Jaune's while the latter was oddly proud.
"…Additionally, to climb the social ladder is a zero-sum game, competing with your peers who may try the same, and it is therefore necessary to put down those beneath you on a regular basis in order to retard their progress! Furthermore, since Weiss is in the unenviable position of heiress, she is under particularly intense pressure to present the image of a perfect Atlesian Elite, lest she engender challenge by – if not her own family – her social near-peers who naturally covet the SDC's wealth and influence. Combine all these pressures and compound them with Weiss's natural instinct to please others and her natural need for affirmation and validation, and you get a snooty, dumb, smarty pants workaholic!"
Aaaaand Weiss's pride was gone. She began to fluster and puff up, prepared to deliver a verbal reaming, but before she could, Jaune snatched away her opportunity by opening his big, dumb mouth. She could only seethe silently, as propriety demanded.
"Uhhhhh, okay, well, uh, that's… Interesting. But if Weiss is – and I'm quoting you here – a 'snooty, dumb, smarty pants workaholic,' because of her nurture and nature, then what's Pyrrha's nurture and what's that make her?"
"Oh, gods, you're awful," groaned Ruby, aggrieved, "That last sentence was the only thing you got, wasn't it? I worked for days on this; you know how hard this is for me! Do I need to dumb my thesis down to baby talk for you?"
"Yeah, yeah, go ahead," said Jaune with no hint of shame. Ruby hesitated for only a moment before launching into her explanation anew.
"Okay, so Pyrrha's like super good at hitting things, right? And basically, being a Huntress is like the most important job on Remnant because if there weren't any, we would all die and stuff. And since Pyrrha is the best at hitting things and is gonna be a huntress, that would mean she's the best huntress if she can beat all the other huntresses!" Ruby spoke in sequence. Jaune nodded after every question, the simple baby words helping him keep up with her pace. Weiss's anger fled in place of further confusion, and Pyrrha paled in mortification as Ruby talked about her so directly.
"Well, if she's gonna be the best huntress that means she's gonna be super important and popular and that she represents alllll huntresses, forever and ever! So that means she has to set a good example for the next huntresses, too! And since she's from Mistral that means she represents basically the whole Kingdom too, or at least the best that they can produce. And since she's a role model - or whatever - that means she's gotta be the best and always do the right thing but most importantly never do the wrong thing."
"So, you wrap all that up in a little ball and smack Pyrrha in the face with it and she says 'I'm sorry,' picks up the ball of societal expectations, and tries to stuff herself into whatever spot it'd take to make the whole thing work, because everybody would be super sad if, like, the super bestest huntress ever had a bad hair day or something. And to make it worse, if everyone was super extra sad that's actually a legitimate concern because the Grimm would be attracted to all that! Pyrrha making people sad could actually kill people!"
Ruby's words struck at something deep in Pyrrha's core. She'd never heard the pressures placed on her announced so openly. It was as if someone turned on a light in a dark room – everything that stressed her in her life was thrown into stark relief. Instead of being relieving, it was utterly horrifying. If someone could tell that was what she was being put under, then they must agree with it! She would be trapped, forever, getting hit in the face with the ball of societal expectations and having to pick it up, and no one would ever help her. A tight, existential dread gripped her chest and Pyrrha had never felt more afraid.
"Whoa!" exclaimed Jaune at Ruby's final point, his eyes widening as he finally comprehended the immense pressure his partner must be under, "Holy cow, that's insane – nobody'd be able to handle that! That's not fair!"
The dread fled Pyrrha's chest in an instant, replaced immediately with an overwhelming affection for both Ruby and Jaune – the former for being able to identify it, and the latter for his immediate compassion. Truly, she was so lucky and grateful to have two such wonderful people in her life.
"Nope! And that's why if we didn't help Pyrrha escape it she'd probably snap and do drugs and maybe kill someone or something before becoming a failed celebrity like all the other teenage stars!" concluded Ruby, falling into a relaxed stance and placing her hands on her hips.
Pyrrha was slightly less grateful after hearing that but could not argue the assertion.
"Okay, wow," Jaune breathed, trailing off as his vision un-focused, "That's… A lot to take in. Gods, they're both under so much pressure. Can we help them more? We've gotta be able to do something!" startled Jaune, panicked that his partner and unwilling-object-of-his-attentions could be in such dire straits.
Pyrrha and Weiss slowly drew out of their mortification and indignation respectively as the talk finally trailed off. Weiss was about to snatch the opportunity to finally respond, when once again she was beaten to the punch.
"Um, Ruby, if I may?"
"Hang on, Pyrrha, leader-talk!" Rebuffed Ruby, continuing her argument with Jaune as if she had said nothing at all, "We already are helping them, Jaune, just by making them our friends! Anyway, I was totally right, and all the differences are just differences in nurture!"
"Ruby, what on Remnant are you going on about?" Weiss finally said.
"Uh, sorry Weiss, hang on a sec?" Jaune had the decency to apologize, but he too failed to answer Weiss's question, and was far more engaged with his argument. "Ruby! They're still different people – they're their own people in fact! Beyond not being, uh, accurate, we shouldn't be treating them any differently than anyone else anyway! Everyone has a right to be whoever they are, and we should try and see them for that, instead of some, uh, set of coincidences or uh, you know, circumstances."
"Ugh, I'm not treating them any differently, I'm just telling you that I was right and they're incredibly similar! The only reason Weiss hates you and Pyrrha has a crush on you –" Weiss heard a sharp intake of breath from beside her, glancing over to see Pyrrha red as her hair and sitting shock still. "– Is because of the different needs that were ignored when they were growing up in favor of putting others before themselves! Pyrrha's been denied what you offer best, and Weiss probably doesn't even care about it!"
"What exactly are you implying Jaune offers?" Weiss cut in, not at all liking where this conversation was going. Once again she was entirely ignored by the pair of leaders.
"Ugh, this is hopeless! Fine, Ruby, believe what you want! I get that I won't convince you with these two, but let's go talk to Nora and Yang – I'm positive we'll find more differences with them! Then you can drop this whole thing," Jaune turned on his heel and Ruby followed. Weiss could only blink to herself as she watched them retreat.
"Why won't you just admit that I'm right?"
"Because I'm right and you're wrong!"
"This is why RWBY beats JNPR, Jaune! You need to step up you game!"
"And this is why JNPR works better together than RWBY, you need to care more about your teammates!"
"Why you little-!"
Weiss was silent as she considered what she just witnessed. She had been having such a nice day, and such a nice time with Pyrrha, and then their leaders decided to bust into their conversation to do what? Harass them with questions they refused to explain? For a moment, Weiss had appreciated the third-party observation of her troubles, but then once Ruby and Jaune got whatever they wanted, they just walked right off as if Weiss didn't even exist. There was only one way she could think about what just happened.
"…What an absolutely ridiculous waste of our time," groused Weiss.
"Mm," Pyrrha replied. She was as still as she was moments ago when Ruby casually slandered her by implying – wait, no, explicitly stating – that she had feelings for her team leader, and her hum was strained.
"I mean really, I thought they had something important to discuss."
"Hm?"
"And all that nonsense about us being similar – well, I mean, I suppose there is some merit to that idea, we are both high class ladies, after all," Weiss was beginning to grow concerned. Pyrrha had completely clammed up!
"Mmhmm," agreed Pyrrha, seemingly at least still aware of what Weiss was saying.
"But that nonsense about you liking Arc was absolutely over the line. Don't worry, Pyrrha, I'll have a talk with her about spreading rumors and – "
"But I do like Jaune!" Pyrrha confessed, her words a rush she had no control over. She clasped her hands over her mouth as if she could take them back, but it was far too late for that.
"…You do?" questioned Weiss skeptically, leaning away and arching a brow as she examined Pyrrha in a new light.
"Y-yes," Pyrrha replied, avoiding Weiss's gaze.
"Why haven't you ever said anything?" Weiss would never have guessed that Pyrrha cared for him! Truly, Pyrrha had an ironclad control of her emotions and expressions. She had no idea how Ruby managed to learn of her affection, Pyrrha was far too disciplined to ever give away something like that.
"Well – I just – he likes you, and I didn't want to get in your way!" Pyrrha stumbled through her explanation. Weiss had never seen her so off-balance!
"Pyrrha, you know I don't care for him even the slightest bit, don't you?"
"Well, I – yes, but if he ever did convince you to give him a chance, I know he'd make you very happy," Pyrrha claimed sadly, as if the very thought made her feel conflicted.
"Oh, please, you can't be serious."
"Do not just dismiss him like that! I know you two have had a… rough start, but he really is a wonderful man, and he has so much potential he's actively working towards!"
"He could have the potential to be the next King of Vale, and I still wouldn't care to date him! Even if he were to wake up tomorrow, potential fully realized and greater than you, Pyrrha, I wouldn't want to! It's just like what they were saying! I'm finally doing what I want instead of doing what's expected of me, and I don't want Arc!"
"And that's – that's why it's so awful! I'm not doing what I want!" Pyrrha broke down, nearly beginning to bawl, "All my life, I've never gotten to do what I want – just for myself, I mean. I love to fight, I loved learning to use weapons, but it was never just for the sake of it. I had to go to competitions, I had to beat others into the dirt, I had to be the best, and not once could I ever sit with my opponents and talk about how beautiful their Vacuan Parry-Riposte flow was, nor how much I admired their understanding of Atlesian Fencing Guards! My passion was turned into an obligation and now I'll never escape them! Not for my pleasure, not for my health, and certainly not for something as petty as a crush! I don't even know how to, anymore!"
Pyrrha's pain, her struggle, moved Weiss deeply. The despondence, the fear, the resignation, the duty, it all resonated within her as she reflected on Pyrrha's words. It lit a fire in her core, a righteous fury that would not go unheard, as she looked at Pyrrha and saw a mirror of herself, before she had truly defied her Father and forced (totally forced!) him to allow her to attend Beacon.
"What nonsense! A crush, petty?!" cried Weiss in indignation as she stood from her chair, quieting Pyrrha as the taller woman looked up to the shorter. "If it's something you want, then it's not petty! Your needs are important! You are important! And not just to yourself, but to all of us, too, including that buffoon you call your Team Leader! And if you want that dolt, then you will get him! You deserve what you want! And I will help you get it!"
"W-weiss? What are you talking about?" asked Pyrrha, suddenly afraid and concerned as she watched Weiss work herself into a frenzy. She could see the cogs turning in Weiss's mind a mile a minute as she schemed, and Pyrrha knew the instant Weiss had decided upon something when her vision sharpened to a point.
"Come now, Pyrrha, I have a plan! We're going to get you your Jaune and let you take control of your life – oh, and get Arc off my back, too, come to think of it! Win-win! This will be the best trade deal in the history of trade deals, maybe ever!" Weiss was growing progressively more excited with each passing moment, and she boldly reached out to take Pyrrha by her vambrace, pulling her to her feet to chase after their leaders.
"If – if you say so, Weiss," Pyrrha replied weakly as she was dragged off. The sinking feeling in her gut left her dreading what would happen when they tracked their team leaders down.