Exiting the Beacon Academy airship terminal, there was really only one thing on Weiss's mind; the fact her father had been absolutely right about her taking the public airships.
There were very few things in this world she hated more than when Jacques was right, and sadly this time was no exception. The seats, the people, the very air itself, all of it culminating in a cesspool of discomfort that had Weiss quite thoroughly convinced to never travel coach ever again. Really it was a bloody miracle she could even stand after all that straight back sitting. Her wings had thankfully gone numb after an hour of extra tight binding, which was likely the only reason she hadn't been reduced to a wimping mess during the flight.
Well that and her boredom being curbed with some help from her seat mate, Blake, and a rather interesting novel she had quite literally dropped on her. The Seventh Sword, a tale of a Faunus warrior chosen to be a goddesses champion. It was the first piece of Faunus written literature she had ever consumed, and despite the many technical errors was quite riveting and well written.
Perhaps she could ask Blake for the second book in the series at some point. She hadn't made even a single acquaintance the whole trip otherwise, though even calling her that felt a bit presumptuous given the verbal sparring they had partook in…
But that was all behind her now. She was finally free from the torment, breathing the deliciously fresh air of Vale in somewhat stilted breaths, while gazing up at the gorgeous campus that would be her home away from home for the next four years.
All the pictures in the world didn't do Beacon Academy Justice in her mind. It was simply magical in a way that defied explanation. Every single pane of glass sparkled in the late afternoon sun, visibly impossible stone work clung to almost nothing but air, each and every corner impeccable and clean even by her own standards. It made the Schnee manor look small and dull by comparison.
A small bubble of joy wormed its way into Weiss's mind as she took the first steps towards her future. The other passengers swarming past her in waves while she took her time, stretching her vision even further than normal, examining all the beautiful and sparkling decorations that littered the area. Trying to soak in as much detail as possible, like the carvings in the pointed spires, the clockwork theme that cling to the upper tower, the gleaming well honed edge of a large curved blade headed straight for her head…
"GAH!" Weiss barely ducked beneath the swaying blade, before immediately summoning a gravity glyph, freezing the massive metal implement in place with its owner still attached. It was almost poetic to see the same red haired girl who had embarrassed her on the flight, wide eyed and glancing between a much taller blonde girl and Weiss herself.
"What in Remnant do you think you're doing?!" Weiss all but screamed, carefully placing her cases on the ground as she stalked towards the duo. Her wings burning from the sudden awkward movement, the irritation from the last ten hours of her life primed and ready to be unloaded on the culprit. "Do you have even the slightest idea how dangerous it is to deploy a weapon like that in a crowded area?!"
"I am really really sorry!" The smaller girl panicked, glancing towards her blonde haired friend, who simply crossed her arms and shook her head sadly. "I just got a bit excited seeing the campus, and I was totally not thinking, and now I'm rambli…"
She petered off in the face of Weiss's cold fury.
"Refold it." Weiss motioned towards the offending device. A large red scythe by the looks of it. " Now ."
It took half a second for the girl to convert it to a much more compact form, the blade retracting entirely as Weiss let her glyph fade and the red metal box dropped to the ground with an incredibly loud thump . The young girl immediately darting forwards and picking it up as if it weighed nothing, before storing it behind her rather large red cloak.
"Good, you can follow orders." Weiss turned on her with cold rage in her eyes, "What's your name?"
The smaller girl glanced back at her much taller friend once more before shrugging and answering.
"Uhhh… Ruby?"
Ruby. As in red. Like her cape. And hair. And weapon…
Weiss almost felt her eyes roll at how on the nose her name and color scheme was, right up until she remembered how much white she wore.
"Alright Ruby, let me make myself very clear." Weiss could see the blonde girl eyeing her as she scolded her friend. "Watch where you're swinging that oversized gardening tool next time, or I will reduce it to a puddle of slag!"
"It's not a gardening tool though… it's a scythe!"
This time Weiss did feel her hand connect with her forehead. Maidens help her if the rest of the student body was like this…
"Ohhhh K, bit harsh there white…"
Glancing over at the new voice, Weiss could see the blonde girl stepping forwards, putting her arms up between the two of them as she casually sauntered forwards, a big smile gracing her face the whole time. Yet despite the friendly demeanor, Weiss felt herself take a small step back, putting enough distance between the two of them that she could easily retaliate or run if need be.
"Seems like you two just got off on the wrong foot." Blondie continued, clasping her hands behind her head as she nodded towards Ruby. "Maybe give my baby sis a second chance?"
Sisters? They certainly didn't look it. Up close blondie was a lot bigger than her sister. Easily a full head taller and built like a brick wall, though what really hit Weiss was how she carried herself. Not an ounce of insecurity, walking so easily into the situation with a level of assurance that she had only seen in her own sister and other seasoned veterans display.
It made sense why she had moved away now. She failed to pick up on it initially, but those intrusive instincts inside her recognized a momma bear when it saw one.
"No Yang, she's right. I shouldn't have been so reckless." Ruby quickly grabbed her sister's arm, pulling her back. "There are civilians and campus staff around. People with no aura. It was pretty dumb of me not to think of them…"
"Precisely" Weiss quickly nodded, crossing her arms. "And it's Weiss. Not White."
Yang to her credit didn't even look phased by the tables being turned so quickly, glancing down at her sister before shrugging and holding out a hand for Weiss to shake.
"Yang. And this is my sister Ruby." She stated, locking Weiss's hand in with a crushing grip, all but drilling her lavender eyes into Weiss for a solid second more than was needed.
"Hello!…. Again…" Ruby quickly waved from beside her sister. Swaying back and forth on her heels at the slightly awkward silence the three of them had found themselves in.
"Would all first year prospects please make their way to the main atrium for briefing. I repeat. Would all first year prospects please make their way to the main atrium for briefing"
The announcement, while expected, seemed to kick almost everyone around her into high gear, prompting Weiss to stop reconsidering her transfer, and instead quickly walking back and retrieving her two dropped cases, leaving the two sisters behind as they called out their goodbyes.
Weiss could only hope that would be the last time they ever interacted as she followed behind a smallish group of prospects, breathing a bit hard as they hurried towards what she could only assume was the main atrium. Quietly chastising herself the entire time for giving into her instincts once more. Really the incident with Ruby was partially her own fault for letting the animal inside her run rampant like that. Getting excited by shiny sights was for children and animals. Neither of which she was.
I don't want you to be influenced by your teammates. By those beneath you.
This was the third time in one day she had lost control… Maybe there was something to her father's worry after all…
Thirty three. That was the number of potential first year students Weiss was currently surrounded by. All crammed into a large atrium that Glynda Goodwitch, one of the many first years instructors, had referred to as The Barn .
Charming. Really.
Of course Weiss had packed accordingly. Bed roll and everything needed for an extended stay out in the wilderness. The bathrooms provided more than enough privacy to change so her wings wouldn't necessarily be a problem, the harness went smoothly under her sleep wear, but all the same, it was thirty three more people than she was ever used to being around when trying to sleep.
Thirty one humans, and two Faunus to be exact. Though both of the Faunus seemed to be less open about their heritage than when they arrived. Currently hiding their traits with relative success as they got ready for bed. A smart move in Weiss's opinion, given the large buffoon who she had seen yanking one of their tails during the opening ceremony.
It wouldn't be good for either of them to be singled out this early. Or to be found out when they didn't want to be. To be ridiculed and shunned. Ostracized by the entire student body. By their families. They might even be forced to leave if things got too bad. Their entire lives ruined by a single person finding out their secret…
Pressing her face into her pillow, Weiss willed her breathing to slow as her thoughts began to speed up. Now was not the time for her to worry about what if's. She had taken every precaution she could, and after the abysmal trip over, she really had to get some rest. Tomorrow was the initiation and she needed to make a good first impr…
"I love books."
The familiar voice nearby caught her attention, her head instinctively turning so she could narrow in on the sound.
There. About ten feet away. Right near the wall, the red haired girl who had nearly decapitated her earlier that evening. Ruby? Wasn't it? And her blonde friend. Both were standing by, and seemed to be trying to talk with a very familiar bow wearing figure.
Blake, no last name. Thankfully not reading from the same questionable book she had on the flight. Though much like all her possessions, it had definitely seen some quite heavy use.
"Yang used to read to me every night before bed." Ruby continued, sounding ever so earnest. "Stories of heroes and monsters. They're one of the reasons I want to be a huntress."
Weiss made sure to filed that information under Pointless, listening closely when she heard Blake give a soft chuckle, marking the book's page with a familiar motion. "Oh really? Hoping you will live happily ever after?"
Ruby to her credit, didn't appear even fazed by the very obvious sarcasm in Blake's voice. Shrugging as she smiled. "I'm hoping we all will. I always wanted to be like one of the heroes in those books. Someone who fought for what is right, and protected people who couldn't protect themselves."
"That's very ambitious for someone so young." Blake nodded, though Weiss could see the sad strain that flashed across her face. "Unfortunately the real word is not like fairy tales. The monsters are not always the evil ones, and the heroes don't always win."
"I'm not a child! I know that!" Ruby snapped. A flash of anger crossing her face before Yang placed a hand on her shoulder. The motion so familiar, the scene so similar to Weiss and Winter it left zero doubt in Weiss's mind that the two were family.
The familiar feeling of loneliness pressing into her chest as she watched a silent conversation happen in a single glance between them. Yang's hand tightening slightly, probably in support as Ruby took a deep breath, and allowed a small sad smile to replace the anger.
"We know that the heroes don't always make it back home." Ruby almost whispered. "But that's why we are all here isn't it? Despite the risk, we all want to try and make the world a better place."
It felt like Ruby had just punched her in the gut. Flipping away from the three girls, poignant ignoring the rest of the conversation as she fruitlessly tried to calm her racing heart. Her eyes finally closed for real once the remaining lights were extinguished a few minutes later.
Weiss couldn't help the smile that crept across her face as the platform beneath her activated, flinging her off the cliff side, and high up into the sky above the Emerald forest with incredible speed and force.
Her wings felt like they were practically trying to tear themselves off her back, the wind battered her eyes with enough force to make them water, as she instinctively shifted her body to control her flight path. It was barbaric, animalistic even, and yet, it felt so SO right to cut through the air like this.
Reaching the apex of her arc and beginning her descent towards the trees, she let herself fall with all the cares of . Speed only increasing as she dove head first towards the forest below.
A golden blur blasting overhead with a joyous whoop as Weiss flipped around, Myrtenaster drawn and ready as her feet struck a small glyph right below her. A series of glyphs springing into existence as Weiss expertly deflected her downward momentum glyph by glyph until with a small hop her boots touched the soft ground of the forest floor.
Taking a brief moment to allow the Adrenalin to settle, and her mind to reel back in the more unsavoury parts of herself, Weiss took out her scroll. Opened one of the many navigation apps, and her examined her utterly unremarkable surroundings. Of course she knew instinctively which direction to head in, but in all likelihood she was being watched. Had to put on a performance for the professors.
It also helped to get her twitching wings back under control. The rush of her launch was still fresh in her mind, marking this as the third time in two days she had let her control slip. If her father had seen how badly she was handling things so fa…
The sounds of heavy boots rushing through undergrowth immediately pulling her from the spiral of thoughts, as she put her scroll away, and turned towards the source of the noise, weapon at the ready.
A flash of red was the only warning she got before she was staring fully into the silver eyes of a certain red haired disaster waiting to happen.
The first person you make eye contact with after landing will be your partner for the next four years.
Thirty three people in this forest, and somehow she had been found by the single biggest hazard to her health since arriving at Beacon. Even her sister would have probably been a better choice, but no instead she had to get stuck with small, awkward, and…
We know that the heroes don't always make it back home. But that's why we are all here isn't it? Despite the risk, we all want to try and make the world a better place.
Genuine .
A deep sigh emanated from her as Ruby quickly perked up. An extremely hopeful smile on her face.
"Alright Ruby." Weiss couldn't help from rolling her eyes at the utter happiness that Ruby displayed. "Tell me you can do more than almost kill me with that oversized garden tool of yours…"
"She. Is. A. Scythe!"
It was an insane plan. Absolutely, certifiably insane, and yet even as Weiss launched herself past Yang, ice dust trailing from her rapier, wings screamed in their bindings, she found herself smiling.
Why was she smiling?
The day had been an utter mess. A total failure by her fathers standards. Her aura was barely above yellow, Ruby had spent most of the day trying to show off and almost getting killed for it, treading a line between genius and childish that Weiss had not thought possible. Her sister Yang just moments ago leaped into the Nevermores maw to deliver several shotgun blasts of fire directly to its throat. Even Blake, who Weiss had thought was likely the most level headed of the trio, was currently buying completely into the madness that Ruby had concocted…
So why was she smiling?
Sprinting into position between two pillars, Blake threw her weapon and ribbon across the opening to Yang, pulling it taunt just in time for Ruby to launch herself up a second later, landing perfectly on the ribbon, scythe at the ready.
Weiss seeing her que, generating a gravity glyph and pulling her back on what was now the world's largest slingshot.
"Of course you would come up with this plan…" Weiss muttered, fine tuning her aim as the red tipped girl settled into position.
"Think you can make the shot?"
"Hmp" Weiss felt herself smirk at the question, her eyes narrowing as she put all of her excellent eyesight to full use. "Can I…"
A heart beat of silence passing before Ruby's very concerned eyes were on her again. "Can yo…"
"Of course I can!"
Why? Why on Remnant, was she smiling?
The sound of a bolt racking was the only indicator Weiss needed to know that Ruby was ready. Trusting her fully despite only knowing the Heiress for a day.
The glyph slowly turning red, before with a perfect sweep of her rapier, Weiss infused the last of her fire dust into the glyph, and sent her teammate rocketing towards the Grimm.
Several dust rounds impacted the ground behind Weiss as Ruby accelerated herself even more. Rose petals scattered behind her as she activated her semblance, becoming nothing but a red streak that slammed into the Nevermore's neck with enough force to pin the enormous creature to the cliff face.
A line of glyphs appearing under Ruby's feet the instant she impacted, Weiss easily redirected the red reaper's momentum upwards, allowing her to pull the creature by its neck up towards the apex of the cliff.
It was almost beautiful in its absolute insanity. Ruby's own weapon firing like mad as she dragged the Grimm upwards. Even from this distance Weiss could see she was in pain, could practically hear her feral scream as she pushed herself past any and all limits. Until finally at the apex of the cliff, with a sickening loud crunch, the Nevermores wings caught the rocky edge, finally allowing Ruby to put her built momentum to full use, ripping the scythe through its neck and dragging the head clean off. The poor girl landing with more than enough force to break her aura at the cliff top.
The ruins were almost too quiet without the screeching of Deathstalkers, and sounds of combat. Just open air, and footfalls of the rest of her team gathering beside her, watching as the enormous body of the Nevermore fell back from the cliff, slowly dissolving into black smoke that mingled with the flurry of petals left in Rubys wake. The wind and air currents around the ruins slowly floating it all away into the evening sky.
It was easily one of the most beautiful things Weiss had ever seen.
"So…" Yang slowly walking up with Blake in tow. "That was a thing."
Despite the nagging feeling in the back of her mind that something was wrong, and the burning pain of her strapped down wings, Weiss couldn't find it in herself to even try and correct the horrendous understatement. It seemed far too petty for such a pretty moment.
So instead she did something she rarely did, and simply remained silent. Only nodding her agreement as a strange warm feeling filled her chest watching the smoke and petals slowly floated away into the sky.
"and finally, Weiss Schnee. Yang Xiao Long, Blake Belladonna, and Ruby Rose."
The applause was thunderous as Headmaster Ozpin gestured towards where Weiss and her team stood on the auditorium's stage along with the rest of the other twelve passing initiates. Stage lighting quickly flicking over each one of them, as on the large screen a reply of their ridiculous Nevermore kill was played. Maybe she should send it to her father, though now that she thought about it, he would probably scold her for not getting the killing blow.
No matter though, the fact she had passed initiation was more than enough to keep him satisfied for now. It was after all an accomplishment in itself, as with her team included, the total number of students that had passed the initiation was only sixteen. Only forty eight percent of the initial prospects, with the rest being sent home after the ceremony.
By comparison, Atlas had an initiation pass rate of about ninety percent from what Winter had told her. The school focused much more on quantity, than individual quality, which made sense given the military and academy were intertwined.
The flip side of this though, was each one of the passing students here at Beacon was undoubtedly skilled, and capable of being a top tier huntsman or huntress. Case and point, team JNPR, who they had fought along side before being separated during their Nevermore fight. She didn't know much about most of them, but with someone like Pyrrha Nikos on their team, and the fact they had taken down an Ancient Deathstalker with relative ease, in her mind they were easily on par with her own team.
Really each and every team was likely capable of becoming a powerhouse if they put in the effort and training needed to reach that level. It was hardly going to be a cake walk to maintain top three standing as her father had required of her.
"The four of you recovered the white knight pieces." Ozpin continued. His monotone voice managing to make the announcement sound almost mundane, despite the cheering from the rest of the student body. "And from this day forward will work together as team RWBY. Lead by, Ruby Rose."
Oh.
Weiss felt herself go pale as the realization hit. The worry from earlier coming back in full force as the reality of the situation fully hit her. Barely registering Yang as she rushed past her to hug her sister.
Of course she hadn't been selected as leader. Ruby had made all the plans. Ruby had all the ideas. And despite her age, and childish antics, had been a voice of reason when the chips were down. She showcased during initiation quite thoroughly why she deserved to be leader.
Weiss had not. She had followed Ruby's plans and suggestions perfectly. Even backing her up both vocally and in the execution of said plans. She had showcased herself to be an excellent teammate. Not a leader.
Which meant she had failed to uphold her end of her agreement with her father.
And she would be headed back home the moment he found out.