Star Wars Remnant Wars
Trial of Insight Part 1
Ruby felt her head ache worse than her arms and legs as her newly christened team REWX slowly trodden down the halls of Beacon's dorms. She had her blindfold back on, not needing her force senses to feel the cringe her partner Blake gave off when she did for still unknown reasons. She tapped the charred remains of her Lightsaber in staff form on the floor as she carefully tried not to bump into someone. Weiss and Yang gave off surprised looks, Weiss more baffled as they saw this. They saw she could see just fine during battle, why did she need to wear a scarf if she wasn't blind?
If she weren't so worn out she'd force some energy out to scream with rage right now as she sensed their confusion and curiosity bloom. She knew she'd have to explain to Weiss and Yang now too, but this was exactly what she didn't want to happen.
"What the hell were you thinking Ozpin!? I'm supposed to be blending into plain sight, now you put an icon on me and strut me around this Academy like and idol?" She thought annoyed.
"Hey Ruby-"
Ruby was so cut up in her frustration she failed to hear Blake warning and smacked her forehead into a corner.
"Ouch!" She yelled as she rubbed her now red forehead tenderly. "Gah! Are we at room 216 yet?!"
"Maybe if you took off that blindfold you'd see for yourself." Blake said deadpanned. Weiss and Yang's faces beamed a bit as they heard that, unable to fight their curious thoughts any longer
"Yeah, it seems in poor taste to pretend to be blind Branwen." Weiss chimed in. Ruby gritted her teeth hearing that for a second time tonight.
"Besides, we'd love to keep seeing your pretty moonlight eyes." Yang said as she fluttered her lashes and gave a cocky grin, making all the girls roll their eyes.
"Flattery will get you nowhere Xiao Long." Ruby said deadpanned making Yang give off a playful pout and stick out her tongue. Ruby fought the urge to giggle in amusement as she sensed no bitterness but joy and embarrassment from the shameless flirt. She had to explain herself lest this issue about her eyes be mused much longer. She couldn't give the true reason without exposing her Jedi identity, but if she was to live with these 3 for 4 years she might as well give her reason.
"I told Blake this at the forest but, the reason I wear a blindfold, despite not being blind, is because I was born with extra sensitive senses. I can actually sense Aura." She said, making Weiss and Yang backtrack a bit, their gazes growing more curious.
"It's not something I can turn on and off. And in a kingdom and city filled with Aura users you can tell how overwhelming that is right? " She asked and they nodded.
"I can't always buy painkillers and booze to dull my senses, money and all, so wearing a scarf over my eyes can ease them just a bit, making my nausea a bit easier to handle. As long as people don't flare Aura too much like Yang does, best I get is morning sickness." Ruby explained, Yang giving off a blush as she did so. Weiss's eyes widened as she understood.
"Oh, that makes perfect sense." Weiss said content.
"But then how were you not hurling all over the place when we all fought that Deathstalker? Yang was literally on fire and Weiss had all her Glyphs pushing us around." Blake asked, fighting the urge to hiss Weiss's name instead of Schnee, not entirely convince as she folded her arms in her interrogation.
Ruby sweats a bit as she struggled for a moment to come up with a retort. She had a vague idea about Blake's past from her confession through the force, and was worried if Blake was beginning to get wise to what happened while under. She never tried to Mind Trick ability on a Faunus before, wondering if their biology made them less susceptible like Toydarian's were. She also found aura users on Remnant were even less susceptible due to their aura protecting them.
That's when, glad her scarf covered so Blake couldn't see them, her eyes widened in realization as an excuse came to mind.
"Well….I was hoped up on adrenaline, plus my own aura was low, so perhaps having less of my own dulled my senses?" Ruby theorized.
Blake, to her relief, actually unfolding her arms as she nodded, content with this explanation. "Okay, that makes a lot of sense. Sorry I was so tense about it."
"No worries." Ruby fought the sigh of relief as she said so. "Though, why did you have such an issue with me wearing a scarf on my eyes?"
Blake twinges a bit as she feels the eyes go on her now.
"I-I just thought it was in bad taste like Weiss did. Nothing more. I'm sorry I pried." Blake said, her stutter made Ruby frown, not needing the force to sense a lie, but she decided not to press further, or rather she didn't get the chance to as Yang suddenly threw an arm around her shoulder.
"Well! Now that that's settled, lets get to our rooms and settle in. But don't get too comfortable girls, I said I was treating us to the bar later. Gotta celebrate team REWX's formation after all!" Yang cheered. She was excited beyond belief at the thought of a party tonight despite the tired groans of her new teammates.
"Yes, lead instead by a near blind girl." Weiss whispered.
Blake's bow almost twinges as she heard that with her advanced hearing her hidden ears provided. She gave a side glare to the subtly pouting heiress unimpressed.
She always thought of the Schnee's as tyrants at worst and spoiled brats at least. She wasn't sure if she should feel happy or disappointed her views were proven correct. Weiss was clearly eyeing power, like Ruby's position, but Blake was curious as to why she'd want a huntress job if she were to be the leader of the SDC.
Perhaps she also wanted to be a major ruler in the Huntress field, spreading the bigoted anti-Faunus stigma the Schnee's inducted into Atlas all over Remnant. Nothing made the cat Faunus's blood boil more. She had to fight the urge to draw Gambrol Shroud from her waist to cease her chance for Weiss's, mindful of the eyes around her.
"No, no! Bad kitty. Remember, not like….him." Blake silently admonished herself. She couldn't be petty over a spoiled princess. She was better than that, she fought for peace and justice, not vengeance like the men beside her that betrayed those values. She couldn't let their poison infect her like the Schnee's did to Atlas.
Soon as all of them buried their hidden thoughts and concerns as Yang led them to their dorm room. As they opened the oak-door, Blake actually felt her heart jump as she saw a sight she hadn't seen in 8 years.
A bedroom, filled with the scent of sweet minty air freshener. It was a small room with a soft blue carpeting, a single window with black and red drapes in front of a wooden desk meant to share for homework purposes. Beside it was a wooden bookshelf with 4 rows, meant to share, though Blake was confident most of it would house just her collection. A tint on her cheeks formed when she made a mental note to hide some her "special" works of literature like Ninja's of Love, one that held a picture of an impressive "katana".
But her eyes almost watered as in each corner of the bedroom laid a bed, 4 in total. Blake shuddered as she began to envision the soft fabric rubbing against her skin, her head sinking into a pillow like quicksand rather than laying against a grassy or muddy ground, letting the warmth of sheet encase her body as she sunk into a soft mattress and relax her aching back after years of tents and hard grounds from camping in woods.
She didn't get the chance to strut over the beds and enact her daydream as a yell of joy from Yang snapped her out of it.
"FINALLY! A SHOWER!" she yelled as she rushed into the bathroom, her hair getting slammed into the door in her haste, giving off a pained screech.
"Serve's you right shower hog." Weiss snickered.
Ruby just sighed as she opened the door annoyed and waived off a thumbs up from grateful brawler. "THANK'S PETAL!"
Blake cringed a bit from her sensitive hearing, but soon found herself sighing in relief. A shower, or warm bath, sounded heavenly to her as she was more used to bathing in secret in ice cold rivers. Being in a bathroom, not having to worry about eyes on her behind or rack from leering perverts. Scratch that! She did feel she needed to be on guard changing around her, at least around Yang. She couldn't tell why she was being such a strong flirt with Ruby, even though she herself thought the girl was physically attractive with a cold attitude to match it. Ruby's mysterious aura to her, metaphorically and literally, intrigued Blake as much as it did throw her off.
Turns out she wasn't the only one as Weiss marched up to Ruby, arms folded.
"So." Weiss said sternly in expectation.
"So what?" Ruby asked raising an eyebrow.
"How is it you have 2 semblances?" Weiss asked in demand. Blake actually twinged a bit as she recoiled a bit hearing this, remembering she was curious of that at one point too, before the heat of battle quelled that interest to memory.
As she leaned in to hear the explanation as well, Ruby rubbed the back of her head sheepishly. It was useful excusing the Force as a semblance, but realizing her new actual one gave her away, Ruby felt all the more pressure to come up with a new excuse.
"I….ugh…"
"Ruby, "I…and Ugh" are not answers. If your going to be my… leader," Weiss nearly spat the word in disdain to Blake's annoyance. "Then you shouldn't break my trust by keeping such secrets from me since we'll be fighting together more often." Weiss reasoned.
Ruby frowned, internally acknowledging her point with a silent nod. It was indeed unwise to keep things secret from a team, or your men. Yoda knows how pissed the Clone's in her battalion would be if she withheld critical battle information from them. It could mean the difference between success or breaking down in battle.
Ruby's eyes widened as she remembered Weiss's words, "Break" that was it!
"Breaking down!" Ruby called out.
Weiss and Blake shared a surprise stare at each other.
"Eh…what?" Blake asked confused. Ruby coughed into her hand to excuse herself, blushing a bit as she regained her composure.
"Ehem….what I meant was, that's my semblance, breaking down molecules." Ruby said.
"How does breaking down molecules make me float?" Weiss asked incredulously.
"Well, I can manipulate molecules, like air molecules to levitate others or myself." Ruby explained as she lifted herself up an inch of the ground with the Force before putting herself down for emphasis.
"I guess when I was in the heat of battle my semblance evolved to manipulate even my own molecules and break me down, hence the speed and rose petals. No mass right?" Ruby theorized, in truth just guessing.
"I….I guess that makes sense. Anything else you can-
Blake said somewhat convinced before trying to ask something else.
"Okay, save your questions for when we're in a classroom. I'm wiped and I need to spend what little rest time I get relaxing before party bus Yang crashes back in here and drags me away." Ruby waved them both off before sitting on her bed and meditating.
Blake and Weiss huffed a bit at the girls demeanor, not appreciating being pushed away like that for simple curiosity. As Blake saw Weiss pout, she sighed a bit. She guessed she should just be grateful Ruby was her partner, as bad as she or Yang could be nothing would be as bad as much as the Schnee. She almost gagged at the thought, a Faunus being a partner to a Schnee? People would just see her as a slave, if her bow ever came off. She cringed a bit at the thought. She knew she had to hide, her name and her ears to blend in for her second chance in life. She wanted people to see her as a teenage girl first, not some animal or terrorist. She saw her brethren hurt first hand, some at the SDC too, from such ignorance.
Despite these dark feelings, she found herself a bit surprised, yet relaxed when a few minutes later Yang burst out the bathroom with a sigh of relaxation, her hair puffy and half wet while she had nothing but a white towel wrapped around her waist and barely covering her chest to the other girls trepidation, blushes forming on their faces.
Weiss became a stuttering mess as she squeaked out jabbering of how shameless the Xiao Long was before quickly dashed into the bathroom.
Blake soon sighed annoyed, hating her turn was taken again.
"Well…while snow princess is getting her bath, lets get unpacked then. The faculty said they brought our things to our rooms beforehand." Ruby suggested, believing it wouldn't take herself that long then she could resume her rest while Yang changed.
She went to the closet, surprised as a mountain of suitcases took up the large space. She cringed a bit as phantom pain on her back shot at the realization most of them were Weiss's, remembering how they trampled her by mistake this morning. Yang had and Blake by comparison had single duffle bags filled with clothes, and a box she mentioned from a storage unit she owned that housed a large collection of books she hurriedly snatched away from Ruby to house on the bookshelf. If Ruby wasn't wearing a blindfold, she'd have seen the blush on Blake's face when she hid a particular novel underneath her mattress.
Yang formed a blush on her own face when she finished putting on a yellow and black t-shirt and jeans and hastily grabbed Ruby and Yanked her out the door.
"ALRIGHT! Party time girls!" Yang cheered. She gave a glance to Blake, who was groaning as she sank into her mattress, waiving her off.
"Please go on. I just really need to sleep." Blake implored whining.
"Come on! Let's celebrate our one night of freedom before homework ruins our spare time." Yang implored back.
"I have sensitive hearing Yang. I can't handle clubs. Party twice as hard with Ruby in my place." Blake told her, throwing a small smirk in Ruby's wake.
"Oki Dokie! Ruby, you ready for the time of your life!?" Yang asked her, her tone leaving no room for argument, nor did her arm around Ruby's chest that squeezed tightly, almost sucking the air right out her lungs.
"W-What about Weiss?" Ruby asked half choked.
"Too young for booze. Plus she'd probably whine about the noise too and how immature we are for going wild on a school night."
"That does make you immature Yang." Ruby and Blake fired back. She just gave off a playful snicker.
"YUP! Now come on! You said booze makes you less nauseas? Well my treat!" Yang countered, soon dragging Ruby out the door as the latter gave Blake an imploring whine she couldn't help giggle at a bit.
Meanwhile, as Weiss undid the braid in her ponytail and let her hair flow down unfettered. She soaked gently into the bubble bath she drew, letting her aching muscles her aura couldn't heal relax.
Despite her body relaxing, Weiss couldn't truly fight the unease in her chest as she contemplated today's events.
She had helped caused an explosion in Beacon's courtyard, been nearly devoured by a King Taijitsu, been partnered to a hot-headed flirt who DID get eaten and blew it up to save her, NEEDED to be saved by the same girl she nearly blew up earlier who had a motion sickness disorder, and worse!
"I….I didn't become leader." She let those quite painful words sink in as she did into the bubbles.
She could just imagine the cold glare Father would give her, screaming disappointment. He was the most vocal about the objection to her going to Beacon Academy instead of Atlas.
But Weiss wanted a name for herself, to explore her own possibilities. Being in Atlas Academy was the same as being in its Military as they were conjoined. As posh and structured as she was, even Weiss didn't find any amusement in such a rigid lifestyle as a soldier.
One soldier even came to her mind, one she didn't want to share this news with even more than her father. As their cold glare etched into her mind, her aura shined a bit as her hot water almost cooled completely as icicles fell off her hair.
She shook her head, trying urgently to control herself. Her semblance was based on her control of emotions and thoughts. She couldn't falter, especially not here. She always had eyes on her since childhood, some more sinister than others. But here she would no doubt have those of awe, no! She wanted them to be wowed by her skills and prestige.
"I have to fight this. My Grandfather was a leader, and he gave birth to our family's greatness. I have to uphold it, to show Ozpin he shouldn't let a pretend blind and sickly girl lead us. I'm gonna prove to him and our team why I'm worthy of that job. I'll show Father, I'll show Ozpin, I'll show them all why I'm better than her, better for this job." She vowed to herself.
The next morning…..
At 7 am. Weiss scowled at the clump of bed sheets that stacked over Ruby's bed, barely covering the mostly naked red-head snoring up a storm, her hair a mess as purple bags were under her closed eyes, hinting how long they stayed up.
Keyword, THEY, as Weiss blushed a bit as she saw Yang Xiao Long also underneath the sheets, in fact taking up most of them as she wrapped herself around one arm of Ruby's, her thighs wrapped around her left leg. Weiss could just smell the residue from last night on them, as well as the familiar stench booze.
A sad frown formed on her face for a moment, before she shook it off and formed an angry scowl once more.
She was tired, as was Blake who was cocooned in her bedsheets, bags under her eyes as well as she and Weiss vividly remembered last night.
Yang had busted through the door at 3 in the morning, she and Ruby red in the face as the latter was held up by one arm by Yang.
It hadn't taken long for the two to start disrobing, Ruby mentioning her head aching and needing a distraction through her slurs. Yang had pressed her lips to the girls as they soon fought for supremacy in their mouths. Weiss had ran into the bedroom, but despite turning on the shower to muffle the sounds, she and Blake had heard quite enough. Skin smacking, Ruby and Yang screaming each other's names, Blake even seeing Yang and Ruby cup each other's breasts, Yang moaning as Ruby had either pinched or sucked them. Their scissor sessions being the last straw before Blake had screamed into her pillow to hide from this lovemaking session.
Weiss was exhausted, and she hated how badly these two's partying and sex fest had impacted her and Blake tonight. They barely slept and were even more stressed during last night's battle. And Ozpin made Ruby their leader?
She took in a deep inhale, slouched down to Ruby's ear, and let out a fierce yell.
"WOULD YOU TWO IDIOTS WAKE UP ALREADY!"
Ruby and Yang shot out of their bed screaming in fright as they heard this. Ruby clenching her throbbing ear as she felt the pain scratching inside her.
"GAH! What the fuck is your problem snow princess. OW!" Yang hollered, instantly regretting it as she clutched her head with her hands, a painful headache radiating.
"I hope you two had fun, because we only got an hour left before classes start, and all teammates have to be present for full credit. I'll be dammed before I let you sleep in after a night humping like dog Faunus and make us late." Weiss said coldly.
Ruby rubbed her ears with a wince, before her eyes narrowed a bit as she soon registered Weiss's words. She caught a faint trace of anger radiating from Blake before it subsided to the fog of the force, but chose not to comment, not wanting to expose the secret Faunus.
Instead, she looked down slowly, internally noting the lack of her scarf, to see herself completely nude, her flower being the only thing covered by the small edge of her bed sheets wrapped around Yang, whom she saw was likewise naked as she covered her breasts with the sheets.
Ruby's face reddened completely as memories of last night rushed back into her head.
"Oh by the force". She thought internally and groaned. She hadn't gotten drunk since she that one time she swiped her masters flask, naively trying booze and making an ass of herself afterword's, crushing all the training droids and being forced to clean the grease out of the star fighter engines for a month as punishment. Now, her embarrassment felt even worse than that punishment. "So…did we?"
"I quote, "Let out some stress."? Yes, at me and Blake's expense last night." Weiss said annoyed, making Yang's eyes widened
"WHOA! Wait a minute! Your saying all 4 of us-"
"NO!" Blake hollered, her own face red completely as well before rubbing her temples and laying down exhausted. "You just kept us up last night. You couldn't have gone to a hotel?" She asked with an irritated tone.
"I ugh….really didn't think clearly last night. Kind off bought the whole bar." Yang sheepishly admitted.
"Couldn't you two just go out to a hotel to rest? Why stay…..did you enjoy the show?" Ruby asked sternly, her brow raised, making both girls blush and shutter.
"N,N,N-NO! Get your head out of the gutter creep!" Weiss shouted.
"Yeah! We…We were just cu-Exhausted! That's it! We couldn't walk being so sore!" Blake excused herself, clicking her teeth at the near slip up, her cheeks flushed bright red.
Yang's herself were flushed, before she rubbed Ruby's back, fixing her an uneasy look as she turned a bit pale in what Ruby sensed was fear.
"So…was I-" She asked with a teasing smirk, but Ruby could sense the sheer anxiety and hope in her.
"You were fine Yang." Ruby's words brought a sigh of relief to the brawler. "Just don't get use to it." Ruby sighed as she got out of bed, grabbing the scarf that fell off in their love session on the floor and wrapping it around her eyes, making Yang deflate in disappointment. "This was a one time thing." She said as she went to the closet and grabbed a fresh pair shirt and panties from her backpack to quell everyone's flustered emotions.
"I….I really didn't mean to take advantage of you Ruby I- Wait? Once only? Come one!" Yang nervously said before whining in disappointment.
"It's nothing against you, though you can be a bit clingy." Ruby shot her down, making her wince. Even Blake and Weiss despite previous annoyance couldn't help but look at Yang sympathetically for that. "I'm just a celibate. I focus my passion into weapons and work, not relationships." She looks at her damaged Lightsaber on the desk. "Weapons I need to start focusing on as soon as possible."
"Last night we couldn't think straight, but no matter how wonderful as a girlfriend or lover you probably could be, I'm just not ready for that sort of thing yet Yang." Ruby explained seriously, her tone yet soft.
Yang's shoulder slouched as she fought tears in her eyes, darting back from purple to red constantly as Ruby sensed the mixed emotions from her, ranging from ANGER, SADNESS, LONLINESS and LONGING, stirring around within like cookie dough being stirred. As much as she internally hated being like this, Ruby's training in Jedi arts and the betrayal she endured made her live by a close doctrine, NEVER get attached to anyone.
It's not that she wasn't allowed to have these feelings, they were natural, but Ruby didn't need constant sex to rise up any unnecessary emotions.
Blake could only scrunch her face in worry, knowing from experience how such rejection whether soft or harsh, or in Ruby's case both, would have lasting emotional damage.
With a heavy sigh, Yang fell back onto the bed and relaxed to Blake's surprise. "K, you were awesome too, but I won't force it again." Yang relented, drawing a sigh of relief from Ruby and silently Blake and Weiss, the later just to avoid having an indecent act like last night again.
"But hear this!" Yang said as she pointed a finger to Ruby, making her start a bit. "Oh jeez." Ruby thought.
"Last night I got a good taste, a REALLY good taste. I ain't gonna stop trying to get you again." Yang vowed. Ruby just snickered at the audacity and ego that was Yang.
"Okay, if you two are done with your lover's quarrel? We got class in less than an hour, you two smell like Booze, go wash up!" Weiss ordered.
"Want to shower together and save time?" Yang proposed, getting a smack on the forehead in return.
"Don't push it." Ruby said deadpanned.
"Killjoy." Yang whined, then darted into the room.
"So, what's our first class snow princess?" She asked Weiss.
"You don't even know our schedule!? And you call yourself our leader!?" Weiss yelled exasperated.
After team REWX showered quickly and frantically changed into their Beacon Uniforms, an assortment of red and brownish-black blazers with yellow linings, colors which suited their brown leggings. Ruby, despite the double layers of clothing, undershirt included, still felt naked without her red Jedi robes and so took some hair pins she'd been saving and clipped her robe to her shoulders, making the robes into a cape to her relief.
The girls then frantically darted toward their first class of the day. They arrived at Doctor Ooblock's history lecture, where he said they had the "honor" of receiving the first detention of the first years for being 5 minutes late. Doctor Ooblock was surely a punctual man, but Weiss never pegged him for a sarcastic and vindictive man.
But what annoyed Weiss more than a blemish on her school record so early in the year was the fact Ruby had been looking on bored out of her mind to Weiss's annoyance. This girl was made leader over her, yet had sloppily inhibited their first day's schedule, and didn't even have the care to listen to a professor of Beacon? Weiss felt the indignity in her grow like a raging fire.
To Blake's annoyance, beyond Weiss's obvious spoiled jealousy, Ruby had also been brushing off playful pats from Yang who sit next to her, giving small sighs or just chewing her pencil in contemplation. She saw the way Yang was crushing on Ruby hard, it was more than the lust that ran rampant last night like in one of her trashy romance novels, it was a genuine attraction filled with curiosity, the drunk one night stand and Ruby's affirmation her….*performance, no doubt sparked a greater romantic interest in the boisterous girl, making her outward appearance seem confident and flirty, yet with slight twinges Blake could see should hesitancy born of contemplation for good impression. Yet Ruby wouldn't even show any interest back, nor a firm denial of the brawler's feelings. This would only lead to tension within the team, tension combined with a hothead like Yang which could prove explosive. She was definitely going to have talk to her partner about her lax approach later to avoid such a major blowup.
But for now, as Ooblock drowned on about the Great War between human kingdoms and Faunus kind, something she knew every fact about already, Blake decided to content herself with her latest novel, hidden with her textbook.
She thought she'd get her chance at lunch, but the Cafeteria, or Ballroom as Blake would put it considering the stone statues and high-class Atlesian décor within, was too distracting even for her. A large array of items at the buffets prepared made her drool. Tuna salad, Fish n Chips, Yellow tail Sushi….okay so she kind of focused on the seafood section the most.
Yang's plate was stuffed with Burgers and fries, carbs and beef Blake knew went more towards her rack than her brain, not that she'd dare quip that.
Weiss, to her surprise, did not pick elegant or refined foods like Sushi or the Escargot that was offered, but chose a few messy foods like Boneless hot Chicken wings and fries with a side of Jello and Caesar Salad. Yang made a jab about Weiss not liking to be boned from boneless wings, though this started a funny debate between the heiress and her partner.
"It's a nugget, not a wing. Without Bones chicken wings are not wings Yang!" Weiss argued.
"Eh same meat different shape." Yang shrugged.
"That's like saying an Ice dust crystal and ice cubes are both dust because their cold you ignoramus." Weiss snided.
"Then why are both called wings? It's just chicken prissy pants, get over it!" Yang yelled annoyed.
While the two both continued their petty argument, Blake noticed Ruby had long seated herself, only a cup of water on her plate with a protein bar in her hand.
"Not hungry?" She asked her curiously. Ruby silently hummed, her eyes under her cloth actually closed as she barely reacted to Blake's presence. Little did Blake know, Ruby was feeding more on the force itself to keep herself energized, another perk of being a Jedi. The bar and water were little more than for comfort and deception.
Any attempt to meditate in peace was violently disrupted by a painful squeal nearby. All of team REWX turned attention to the sight of a tall Rabbit Faunus girl with long blond hair and rabbit ears, and brown eyes tearing up as a muscular boy with reddish brown hair, his nametag saying Cardin Winchester, began to tug those ears with a sadistic smile on his face.
"Hey! Let me go that hurts!" A girl cried out, her tone hopeful someone would react.
But as she lurched forward from the boys tugs, her water-soaked vision could still make out eyes on her suddenly began to drift away awkwardly or with cold dismissal.
Only team REWX was left staring at the assault this girl, her nametag saying Velvet, was going through. Blake saw the girl's plight. A furry rising within her began begging her to rush up there and slash Cardin's hand off and free that poor Faunus girl, her brethren.
But Blake felt her legs frozen to her seat as time pressed on. Her skin was riddled with goose bumps as she saw no one from other tables having their eyes on Velvet. They didn't care.
Yet, Blake cared, so why was she not moving?
It took a moment for her to realize something, her ears weren't moving.
It wasn't the bow on her head pressing them down that kept them in place, it was her fear confounding her. A fear of exposure. She knew a "human" showing self-righteous behavior for a Faunus would be a lure for attention, and mixed reactions from the student body. Some would applaud her, others would show her disdain. But all in all….she'd be the center of attention. People, teachers especially, would question her decision, and the more they pried, the closer they could uncover her identity as a Faunus, or worse, a former White Fang.
Blake didn't want that exposure, she wanted to remain in plain sight. Yet, she wanted to help Velvet, but her fear was keeping her legs at bay to her disgust.
A slight hope remained within her, maybe her teammates….aside from a Schnee for obvious reasons, would assist her.
"Faunus sure have it rough huh?" Yang said nervously, a pained tone of sympathy soon replaced by a defeated sigh as she then looked down solemnly at her food, resuming her meal.
Blake's eyes widened in horror and surprise at this dismissal from Yang. She saw the brute wasn't one to shy away from a fight. Why didn't she want to go smash that boy to a pulp?
"You…don't want to help her?" Blake asked nervously.
"I mean, yah. But if she can't fight for herself against a snob, how's she gonna handle a Grimm? She's got to fight her own battles to toughen up." Yang reasoned sadly.
Blake winced as she heard this. Yang's tone showed she hated feeling that way, but as cruel yet practical her reasons were, Blake couldn't find it in her to rebuff that notion. She lived in the wilds for years since joining the White Fang. She saw many of her allies fall to Grimm from a lack of skill and adaptability. If you couldn't fight, you couldn't survive. Velvet may have needed to do that for herself…..Blake just felt like hurling as she kept letting that cruel way of thinking keep coming back. It was almost like "his" thinking, or a Schnee, lord knows how cutthroat they were.
Which is why is shook her to the core seeing Weiss glare at the boy so disgusted. "Yang, we are here to become Huntresses, how can we call ourselves such if we abandoned someone in their hour of need? It's callousness like that that gives the bullied low self-esteem. They need a support system to help them get that strength, not to be abandoned." Weiss scolded her partner whose face scrunched at her glare, filled with guilt.
"Thought you didn't like Faunus? Considering your companies policies on "helping" its Faunus employees in Dust Mines." Ruby asked deadpanned, chiming into the conversation as she nibbled on her granola bar.
"I don't trust them, for obvious reasons, but Faunus do have legal rights. I don't abandoned them to cruelty for personal comfort, it's my duty as a Schnee Huntress to uphold those rights and fight such tyranny and you should too." Weiss countered.
Blake couldn't believe what she was hearing from Weiss, a Schnee. She was actually standing up for a Faunus. A slight smile crept onto her face as she began to think she might have misjudged the girl.
Ruby, however just sighed disappointed.
"Was that really how I was at 5?" Ruby thought as she heard the Naivety ooze from this girl. She remembered uttering similar words, how Jedi shouldn't abandoned the needy. She felt her heart tremble when eyeing the slums of Coruscant, the malnourished and grime covered civilians of the streets forced to eat garbage to survive.
"Master Branwen, we gotta get these people some food." She had said.
"Kid, we got bigger things to worry about, like finding a lead on Cade Bane. He blew up the senate building and killed guards and Senator Neero."
"But their dead, these people need our help now, can't a bounty hunter hunt come later?"
Master Branwen gave her a cold stare as he sighed reluctantly, as if subtly bracing her to lose her innocence.
"And do you propose we give handouts to EVERY person on the street?"
"Yes! If their hungry can't we help-"
"Then what about jobs?" He asked, making her recoil a bit at his cold tone.
"W-What?"
"Jobs, homes, where do you suppose each of these people get those from us? Because if we do that like you said every single one of them will want more."
"Kid, a planet only has so many resources. We can't exceed the demand with our supplies and even if we could, giving handouts to those we see will only make them lose their drive to work hard to survive, find jobs, EARN the money themselves."
"But…I just wanted to-"
"Help, I know kiddo." He said as he ruffles her hair sadly. "But we can't help every cause we see if we don't have the means. We have a war and criminals from it we need to focus on. Right now what's more important is finding a dangerous criminal amongst these streets to lower the risk for many here and in the high-class from being in danger."
Ruby began to tear up as she couldn't find a rebuttal to his words. It was true the Senate, even the Jedi Council, with the war going on didn't have the resources to spare on every person in poverty, and Qrow's wisdom about the dangers of the complacency of being given handouts without earning your keep was no doubt truthful.
His final words that lesson in the left Ruby's mouth as she fixed Weiss a cold stare.
"Your just setting yourself up for disappointment brat."
Weiss recoiled a bit before glaring at Ruby for that cold comment.
Yang and Blake also gave surprised looks at their Leader, no doubt shocked by her tone.
"And what's that suppose to mean? We can't allow that bigot to keep-" Weiss began to fume before she grew stiff as Ruby held out her hand to her, forcing her to sit before being released.
"And how do you propose you stop Discrimination?" Ruby asked.
This time Blake spoke up as she fought her shaking legs and slowly stood.
"Obviously, we go and smack that boy and help a Faunus in need." She said sternly, her gaze imploring.
"And the same with the one after him?" Ruby asked in rebuttal.
"What other one?" Yang asked curiously.
"Blakey here thought Weiss was a bigot too, so what? We go and beat up Weiss for a presumption of her views, or just beat up whoever and make a grand spectacle of beating up anyone whose got a bigoted view? Is that really going to change minds or just keep up the discord?" Ruby asked seriously.
Here team's eyes widened in shock hearing this, unable to refute. Ruby knew how they felt, but needed to press on as she closed her eyes and gave an annoyed sigh. With a small wave of her hand to her waist, Cardin suddenly felt his hand's grip loosen and his fingers go flat open, releasing Velvet and making her stumble back onto another table before running off as quickly as she could, dropping her tray of food and tearfully whimpering as she rubbed her pulled ear.
"Even when given the chance for that kind of violence, that independence like you claimed she should have girls, that kid didn't have the spirit to claim it. Just as others around her didn't have the spirit to aid her or comfort her in her hour of need. As long as differences exist, in people and class systems, disparity will exist. You can't save everyone, and you certainly can't make them save themselves unless they have the desire too."
Ruby said as she stood up, folding her arms in disproval as she gazed down coldly at her team.
"The key to change like that, is to accept you can't force it. Don't hurt your ego's by pretending otherwise." She said before leaving the group, walking out the doors and leaving them stewing over her words.
Weiss's face reddened as she heard this, slamming her fist to the table.
"C-Can you believe that cur!? How can she talk about good change if she isn't even willing to believe it can happen!? That's a paradox of paradoxes!" Weiss hollered.
Yang and Blake were likewise a bit bitter, whether they agreed with Weiss or Ruby or not, it left them feeling sick to their stomachs. They did nothing, just like earlier with Velvet,
Goodwitch's sparing class came, to Yang's funny quip, to wake people up with exercise following a snooze fest from Ooblock and food comas. Ruby excused herself on the basis her weapon was still being repaired, not that anyone blamed her when seeing the clutter of bolts and wires.
Blake was randomly chosen to face Cardin Winchester to her secretive delight though, glad to get a chance at revenge for his treatment of Velvet earlier. It was also a good time to vent her frustrations with Ruby's lesson.
Despite his flame dust mace sporting impressive power, Blake was far more nimble and able to effortlessly dodge all his seismic and flame strikes, wrapping her wire's around his waist and throwing him out the ring for a ring out.
Yang's cheers and Weiss's applause were not met with Ruby's merely giving her partner a small waive of congratulations as she began tweaking with her blade to her team's annoyance.
Then came Dust studies with professor Peach, a tanned skin woman with pink hair and a prosthetic hand, did have some excitement. She was pleasantly surprised Yang had expert knowledge in fire and lightning dust, having used them as batteries for a makeshift lightbulb, earning them an easy A in activities.
Even Weiss was happy to see such hard work from her partner, the brawlers skills in battle having some competent knowledge to match making her feel she was a worthy partner.
Despite herself, she did give Ruby a free pass on her lax in focus in class as well, because she was spending it, with permission from the professor no less, rebuilding her weapon. Weiss threw curious glances at the dust sword Ruby had been tweaking with.
Professor Peach too was curious, never seeing such a contraption herself. A mechashift weapon capable of transitioning from a scythe to a twin-bladed plasma sword, which Ruby explained the wiring let her fire dust contain itself for long periods that could spin like a cartwheel, was almost revolutionary. Most dust for home appliances dissolved after a few hours, or in weapons case, after a single use.
Ruby felt the eyes on her as she took tweezers and pliers and began taking out the charred metal and wires within her saber. With a heavy sigh, she stood up and bowed to her teacher.
"Professor, may I please go into the hall to finish my adjustments? The dust crystal needs to be removed delicately or else it will shatter, I need some space in case wires start sparking too, don't want anyone here exploding." She asked politely.
Peach gave off a sweat smile, though as she opened her mouth to agree, she stole a glance at Ruby's saber, her eyes widening. Weiss's did as well, seeing Ruby's Khyber Crystal. Unlike the prism-like dust crystals, this one was more quartz-like, which they guessed was how it was so durable to withstand a fiery explosion. But what really caught their attention was its color, it wasn't a bright red like most flame crystals, it was dark-red as if bleeded.
"Ugh Miss Branwen?" Peach asked inquisitively, making Ruby shudder, realizing where she was looking at.
"Yes?" She asked wearily.
"Is this a flame dust crystal? I have never seen such a crystal of this color and shape. Where did you find such a thing" Peach asked, her tone a mix of impressed and interrogative, drawing more gazes to her.
Ruby narrowed her gaze on her teacher. She knew she couldn't drag this on longer. Khyber crystals didn't have the variety of powers dust did, but they were stronger and more durable. She couldn't let it be confiscated for study, especially since it was certainly the only one on the planet.
"With respect Miss Peach, where I am from a weapon is an extension of one's self." She said cautiously as she grabbed her crystal and tools. "I would ask you kindly to let me finish rebuilding it. It wouldn't be proper to have it be examined without being in top condition. That's like looking at a half-naked girl." Ruby faked a chuckle, dropping Weiss's jaw as she saw Peach's cheeks tint.
"Y-Yes indeed. My apologies Miss Branwen, your excused for the day." Peach embarrassingly said as she turned around and returned to her desk.
The other classmates chuckled as they saw this display and resumed their classwork content, especially Yang and Blake, the former giving the girl a pat on the back in amusement.
Weiss, on the other hand, grabbed her by her cloak and forced her to ear point to whisper.
"Y-You can't just talk back to a teacher like that! And a crude way at that!" Weiss whispered angrily, her cheeks flushed. For her, she was raised day in and day out to maintain proper courtesy to her tutors and guests. Ruby's behavior was appaling.
Ruby just shrugged her shoulders, releasing Weiss's grip with a light pat before taking her items and departing uncaring.
"Why that little….." Weiss grumbled. "Not only does not pay attention, she back talks our teachers. She better show me something worthwhile in Port's class next or I'm going straight to Ozpin. Now way someone so crude and disgraceful lead me." She thought.
Even outside the classroom, Ruby could feel the Jealousy reek from Weiss's soul. Yet, she merely smiled as she grew all the more satisfied. Ruby wasn't a jokester or sadist like her master was, she wasn't riling up Weiss for personal amusement alone, she had a plan. She knew Weiss eyed her position, for reasons still unknown to her. Making herself ill fit to lead in the heiress, and her team, viewpoints would work in her appeal to Ozpin later. She didn't want to be leader, what she wanted right now was to focus on her weapon. She was grateful for one thing Ozpin's school had given her that wasn't a headache, good materials for repair.
The charred metal of her Lightsaber was easy enough to replace, what wasn't was the wiring. Normally she'd meditate and allow her senses to naturally rebuild it, as if she dreamed of the perfect weapon. But here at Beacon she couldn't risk that for obvious reasons. What was inconspicuous about a girl assuming an Asana pose and levitating metal and parts into a laser sword? Blake certainly wouldn't, having felt the curious stare's she'd been given by the Catgirl since she unlocked her semblance, having previously seen her force abilities as well, as if not buying molecule manipulation on herself and the air could be a reason.
Ruby's eyes darted around the hallway, making sure no one could see her scroll as she pulled it out at the thought. Ever since Blake snapped out of her trance pre-maturely, Ruby had been ever curious as to what else Blake was hiding, especially about her last name. Her last name was Belladonna not Eve. Why change it?
She typed on the Scroll research website Scrollpedia the name.
To her utter shock, she saw within the search bar a symbol of the White Fang!
The article showed a large build of a man, Ghira Belladonna, the founder of the White Fang back when is started out as a peaceful organization….before he stepped down and allowed Sienna Khan take over.
Ruby scowled as she saw it before. Salem, a senator from Naboo, giving off promises of pride in a nation, promises of peace and prosperity for all….promises that were just lies and delusions to get what she wanted, the extinction of the Jedi, just as the White Fang under Sienna's rule now sought the enslavement or extinction of Humanity.
She now knew Blake had reason to lie for her last name, no one would think twice to peg her for White Fang affiliation not just for Faunus nature, but because it was no doubt the truth. Was she here as a spy? Was she setting this school up to fall like the Jedi Order did?
As the dark thought crept ever more into her, Ruby began to shudder. As much as Ruby hated corporations, she hated politicians and spies more. She was an asshole like her master, but Ruby was always honest about it unlike them, and unlike Blake. Now she knew she'd have to watch her back around her at all times for that Katana. Ruby would never let her guard down again after the fall. She needed to get a change in leadership soon so that she could watch her team from behind and not be exposed, their feelings be damned.
Yang's especially. Ruby was a Jedi, trained not to form such attachments. It's not that she wasn't allowed to have the same romantic feelings or interests. It was natural. But she wouldn't let them control her like they did to Yang. As…."comfortable" the brawler made her last night down there, Ruby didn't want a relationship or bonds.
As she stewed over this resolve, she heard a familiar whimper down the hall. She glanced over to see Velvet laying her back against a wall as she entered the hallway, rubbing her ear painfully.
As much as Ruby wanted to ignore her and resume constructing her saber, the whimpering and Velvets slow walk kept gnawing at her.
"I'm going to regret this. But I need her to shut up." She thought, just imagining the snicker her master would give her for going back on her word and opening up. After all, this technique would require her to let her guard down to the force to work.
"Hey!" She called out, making the rabbit girl wince. Ruby grew nervous with that, reminding herself this girl had sensitive hearing with 4 ears and all.
"Y-Yes." Velvet whispered, warily.
"Sorry." Ruby said as she held up her hands in apology. "Didn't mean to hurt you. In fact, come closer kid."
Velvet was wary, after being accosted and her ears being tugged like that, she wasn't keen on a human being near her right now. She ran down the halls lately trying to avoid people since lunch.
Sensing the fear and caution from Velvet, Ruby's eyes widened as she saw her chance for a safe approach to this.
She held out her hand; "You will come close to me and close your eyes."
Velvet shuddered a bit, her vision growing hazy as she heard this demand, feeling her head go fuzzy and warm as she soon saw nothing more than a black haze and soon lost consciousness, unaware she was still standing and repeating Ruby's words.
"I will close my eyes and come closer." She then walked over to Ruby in compliance.
Ruby smiled as she looked around, making sure no one saw her touch Velvets bruised ear. She sent out a bit of force energy, the red bruise from the torn muscles beginning the fade.
After her force healing was finished, Ruby back away from the Faunus and gave another command as she held out her hand. "You will go to your team now….with a smile and ask for training to defend yourself more."
Velvet opened her eyes smiling as she nodded, her eyes dilated as she remained entranced. "I will smile and go train with my team for defending myself more."
With that, Velvet left in a hurry as Ruby slouched against the wall, the unease of her action being from a mix of pride and disgust. She just told off her team for being nosy and unrealistic with helpful ideals, yet pried into this girl's personal life to urge her to change herself for the better. Not that she'd give them any satisfaction, or anything but her support once the leadership changed.
As the chaos of her controversial behavior settled, Ruby sighed exhausted with today's events and her new barriers she felt she needed to set. She only hoped by the end of the day at Port's class she could get these Monkey Lizards off her back.
Failed Test
Port's class, the last one, came all too soon, sooner than Ruby and even Weiss would care to admit. The fat, jolly old man with a mustache so bloated like his ego even her father's looked like morning shadow by comparison. She herself had to struggle to stay awake while most others around her, even her teammates, were snoring up a storm and almost drowned out his long-winded tales of his exploits as a huntsmen. She did find a few neat facts hidden amongst them, such as how a Spider Grimm is strangely weak to caffeine like Coffee, which he found out from dropping Ooblock's flask on it by accident once, becoming drunk.
Weiss hurried to take down notes despite her exhaustion. A nearby snore being almost infectious, especially as it came from Ruby. Weiss's eyes focused more though on what laid on her belt. Ruby's dust blade, or rather half of it. While she had done an impressive job of replacing the burnt steel and covering the wires, it wasn't finished.
The main blade hilt was curved, attached to the scabbard that still bore an opening that was suppose to allow the rotation function. But the wheel that either did this or unfolded to create instead a plasma scythe was incomplete, doing nothing more than seal the dust crystal within the compartment to Weiss's disappointment. She really wanted to examine a crystal even her teacher, an expert in dust no less, never saw.
The Schnee's thrived on Dust, it was like their blood, ingrained in their lifestyle and work. Weiss beckoned at the chance to learn all she could about it if she should hope to run a company based off it.
Her disappointment grew larger when Port suddenly began walking closer to their desks.
She quickly elbowed Ruby.
"EH! Lightspeed! Ugh….oh man." Ruby startled, shaking her arms wildly a bit. Before groaning as she rubbed her aching head. It was rare she got hangovers, and rarer that she slept peacefully. Before she could glare at her "attacker" she noticed Port rubbing his mustache as he approached her.
"Glad to see you've awoken Miss Branwen. Now that your nap is finished, perhaps you'd love to give us a demonstration?" He asked her with a faux cheerful tone she didn't need the force to sense belayed an annoyed anger.
"With what exactly?" She asked as she slouched in her seat uncaring to Weiss's exasperation.
"If you paid attention, you'd know it was to fight a Grimm for our studies class." He responded.
Ruby really groaned annoyed this time as she took out her unfinished saber from her belt buckle and waived it at him. "I'd LOVE to do it sir, but as you can see my baby ain't exactly "fully grown" for the job."
"Hmmm…indeed. It would be reckless to fight a full-grown Grimm without all your resources for a class assignment…..perhaps someone else on your team could demonstrate? I was thoroughly impressed with your skills last night." He asked, his tone filled with honest eagerness and pride.
Weiss didn't hesitate to seize the chance, the chance to prove Ozpin, and Ruby, wrong and make her strides.
"I'd be honored to volunteer Professor." Weiss said enthusiastically as she rose from her seat and bowed.
"Excellent Miss Schnee, I do enjoy the youthful passion for battle. Please come on down!" Professor port called out to Weiss cheerfully. His declaration all Ruby needed to give a thumbs up and return to her slumber as he turned around.
Weiss shot a bitter glare, along with a triumphant smirk at her leader, who was a little startled half-awake after sensing the SPITE aimed at her from the heiress before the latter strut down the stairs to the main center along with the teacher, silently groaning before resuming her nap.
Blake's eyes narrowed on the heiress, almost smelling the hostility beneath the haughtiness. Leaning into Yang's ear to whisper. "You think this is about-"
"One-upping your partner? Hell yeah. Who should we root for?" Yang asked deadpanned, making Blake sigh.
For both girls that was a million lien question. While they each wanted to root for their partners, both girls internally didn't like either viewpoint.
Yang, for her part, as much as she felt regretful for agreeing, did agree with Ruby's viewpoint at lunch and secretly was hoping to stay on her good side. She couldn't pass up the chance to have her in her life peacefully, even if it meant siding against her partner Weiss just once.
Blake, however, did respect Weiss's viewpoint mostly despite the heiress still vocal distrust of her kind to her annoyance. But it was more out of a small wish to deny the truth of Ruby's words she herself experienced beforehand many times in the wilds and in towns.
No faunus allowed signs, racist drinks assaulting them in bars….Faunus hunts-
Blake cringed at the rare but brutal reminder; still feeling the heat of torches aimed at her. She wanted to forget it, so she just silently hoped Weiss's way would work out, it was pure if naive, but also something she herself had strove for during her peaceful protest days
"Now class." Port called out to them, ignoring how most just kept their gaze on Weiss. "I have given you all a thorough lecture about the biology of Bourbolusks, from their curved tusks to their armored hides, but I very much live by the notion that you must practice what you preach. Soooooo." He sang as he pressed a button on a remote controller.
Ruby felt a waive of sickness gargle her stomach and awoke as she felt the cold return, or rather a raging blizzard that thrashed around in a cage that emerged from the trapdoor that emerged in the center of the room. Inside was a Bourbalisk, a razer-hide pig Grimm the size of a juvenile Rancor from Dathomir. Ruby was certain though this thing had the temper of one as well as it squealed and snarled with each thrash in the steel cage.
Weiss gripped Myretenaster firmly, assuming her stance as she tenderly grazed the flat end of the thin blade. Ruby's gaze focused on her as she did this.
"Geez, she battle Black Helmet Guy or Master and she'd be dead from a single force push." Ruby thought unimpressed. Who puts a blade right in their own face like that? She never got why her masters (save Qrow) and peers did that pose before sparing, it was downright dangerous.
"Now Miss Schnee, what were the weak spots of a Bourbolusk?" Port asked as he waived his remote at the ready.
"Sir! The underbelly!" Weiss said at attention as she drew her right knee back, moving her blade to assume a pose Ruby smiled a bit seeing. She hadn't seen form 3 in a while.
"A bit sloppy, but Master Kenobi would love to fix that himself. Now, lets see what you can do rich girl." Ruby thought amused.
"Good, now lets see what you can do with that Miss Schnee." Port said as he pressed the button. A hardlight shield soon formed around the ring, making sure no one could get in or out.
Then, in the flash of a mere second, the restraints on the steel door unlatched, allowing the Boar Grimm to blast threw and charge at high speeds towards the Heiress.
"GO WEISS! MAKE IT A PORK CHOP!" Yang cheered her partner on.
This proved to be a mistake as the sudden shout startled the 15-year old, slightly off balancing her to Blake and Ruby's displeasure, knowing how costly that could be. Yang face-palmed, blushing from the realization.
Fortunately, Weiss's blade was near the ground, allowing her a brief smirk to flex her index finger, a white glyph forming on it as a result, allowing her to propel herself over the Boar before it could crush her and smashed its head into the force field.
Weiss made a mental note to herself. Smack Yang upside the head later.
As if smelling her negativity, the Bourbolusk reared its head around, snarling at her and charging again.
This time, Weiss was prepared. She loaded an Lightning Dust Crsytal into the dust slot. Her blade glowed yellow, much like a Lightsaber to Ruby's amusement. Then she stabbed it into the ground, generating a small stream of lightning that stabbed into the feet of the Boar, making it screech as it tapped around to fight the numbing.
Weiss quickly formed another Glyph, this time propelling her straight at the Boar, using the velocity to increase her kicks power and stagger it at she stabbed her heel into its eye. She aimed to stab its stomach as it staggered, but this caused her shoe to get caught and thrown off as the Pig jerked its head, throwing her to the ground.
She tried to get up quick, but found without a heel, her other one off-balanced her.
"Why the hell does she fight in those things? Combat boots would be more even for footing." Ruby mentally groaned at the sight.
The Boar Grimm growled as it shook out the high-heel from its crushed eye, its sole one narrowing on the wobbly heiress as it charged, lowering its head to aim its razor tusks to aim for her heart.
Ruby sighed as she noticed this, knowing she wouldn't be able to get out unscathed or at least without her aura smashing.
She waved her hand.
Weiss felt her body tense again, in a very familiar and uneasy way. She clicked her teeth as she felt her body jerk to the right, without her permission.
"How dare you!? I can fight my own battles!" Weiss viciously thought as she recognized the cause of this. But she couldn't waste time on Ruby, she needed to finish this now. She needed to show her worth, and smirked as she knew the best way possible. As the Boar Grimm once more crashed after missing. Weiss felt herself regain control of her body and readied herself.
"Thanks for the tips Winter." She thought to herself.
She clenched her fists, forcing all her aura outward as one giant glyph appeared underneath the Pig. Soon a large knight hand erupted, a small sword in it that pierced the underbelly of Boar.
With one last squeal, the pig vanished to ash and Weiss collapsed on her knees, her aura flickering off her like dust as she breathed heavily.
A chorus of claps erupted from the classroom, Yang whistling to her partner, even Ruby and Blake gave slow but amused claps.
"Well done Miss Schnee, exemplary work!" Port praised cheerfully, making the Heiress sigh in relief as she slowly put back on her lost heel.
"That said, you might want to switch to easier combat gear. Heels are great for graceful movements like your fighting style demands on smooth terrain, but constant movement in dangerous terrain out in the wilds is something you must prepare for. Had you not dodged last minute you'd take a major blow and be unable to summons that impressive hand." Port then added.
Weiss nodded, soon averting her gaze so he couldn't see the faint tears in the corner of her eyes. She felt humiliated. If only she could have fought the way she'd want before "she" interfered.
Ruby saw the deep scowl plastered on Weiss's face towards her, sensing her indignity, frustration, and embarrassment.
As the bell rang, signifying the end of the day for classes, all but Team REWX's Leader and Weiss departed the classroom. Yang took notice in the hallway the lack of them and grabbed Blake's hand, urging her to return to the room for their team members.
What they soon came back to was an air around the room suffocating them. Weiss and Ruby tensed upright, glaring down each other. Blake and Yang felt their voices catch their throats, unable to speak a word to break this coldly silence.
Blake could sense it well enough, the familiar scent of rage oozing off Weiss. She'd seen that look before, the hatred and self-righteous rage. While she had a good guess what it was about, Ruby knew fully what her problem was.
""So, no "thank you" rich girl?" Ruby teased. The Heiress's cheeks tinted as she puffed them in furry.
"Thank you? For getting in my way?!" Weiss hollered.
"In her way?" Yang whispered confused, not sure what Weiss meant.
Blake's bow twitched a bit as she was startled, instantly remembering the conversation this morning. "Her semblance. Wasn't it weird how Weiss moved in that last dodge?" Blake asked out loud.
"W-Wait? Your saying Ruby-" Yang was cut off from her question by Weiss's shout.
"Got in my way and robbed me of my right to win on my own!" Weiss hollered.
Yang and Blake gave shocked looks at Ruby, who had her arms folded and bore a deadpanned expression basically confessing it all.
"You really did that to her?" Yang asked, a bit of anger in her tone.
Ruby just shrugged her shoulders uncaring. "If I didn't she'd get crushed.
"I didn't ask for your help or want it." Weiss grumbled annoyed.
"But you needed it or you'd be…what did Yang describe it? A "Pork chop's" pork chop." Ruby refuted.
Yang and Blake received mixed feelings from this revelation that Ruby sensed, smirking as her plan began to unfold. She knew as pragmatic it was, it was indeed a bit unfair to Weiss's pride to deprive her of a one on one fight for her prestige. She just had to stoke this a bit more.
"You didn't ask for it, or want it, but you needed it Schnee." Ruby waived her off nonchalant. Weiss grinded her teeth, her blue eyes almost reddening with rage at this behavior.
"What happened to that, "leave them to fight for themselves" attitude you preached against me earlier when you ditched that rabbit!?" Weiss yelled.
Blake fought back an ignored groan at the slur, focusing more on Ruby's response intrigued by the controversy.
"Unlike her, your not a coward rich brat. You fought back, you just did it pathetically, especially in those heels like Mustache Fat-Ass said. Take the win with help or cry
"Oh you….you insufferable cur! I….WE deserve better than someone who can't take this job or my skills seriously!" Weiss howled.
"Believe me Snow Bitch, if I could simply give this job to you and sleep soundly at night, I'd do it in a Nevermore's heartbeat" Ruby thought. "If you are really so deserving, why don't you go cry to Ozpin or daddy to bribe him like rich girls always do to get what they want?" Ruby scoffed before asking mockingly with a smirk.
Ruby slowly then gripped her arms tightly as she saw Weiss recoil, as if slapped, before soon feeling a cold, rueful anger rise within the heiress as she sensed the Anger, Jealousy, and the feeling that sickened her the most….Anxiety?
Weiss didn't care for Ruby's sudden lack of scowl and laxness in posture, barely registering her confusion at the strange emotion as Weiss clicked her tongue and turned around. At her absolute angriest, Ruby felt a chill to her spine as Weiss's thoughts and desires had no filter any longer, the sheer sadness from self-loathing mixed with her rage and indignity from failing…herself.
"At least I take things seriously. Your...your just a joke! You don't have a clue what we all worked hard to strive for being huntresses. The hurdles I had to overcome to earn my place here." Weiss growled as she began to walk away. "This just some game to you, but this is my life's work. This is-"
"What you need to do for your family" Ruby whispered, her scarf almost falling off as her face scrunched from shock when she realized she said it out loud Weiss's thought.
Weiss froze in her retreat as her eyes widened, feeling a bit moist as Ruby felt the hurt and anxiety in the heiress rise at reading her thoughts vividly.
For a few minutes, Weiss was shuddering as she struggled to surmise how Ruby could understand her thoughts.
"W-Wha….what are you?" Weiss stuttered…before she grinded her teeth and her eyes grew a bit tearful as ANGER rose dangerously with Malice from Weiss towards her.
Ruby's first instinct was to reach for her saber (if it was fixed that is) or develop a fighting stance, yet could not bring herself to move an inch as she gave off a frightened glance as a white Glyph soon formed behind the heiress.
In a flash of white light, Weiss darted past her, her body a glow, leaving only behind the startled teens a small trail of wet spots on the floor they knew were tears.
Ruby sighed as she unclenched her arms, sagging them as a wave of remorse went over her. As much as she wanted this, she knew her desires still had consequences, now feeling the apprehension arise within Blake vaguely.
Yang, however, despite wanting to run after her partner and comfort her, saw Ruby's regret and slowly approached her, choosing to focus on what was in front of her right now and Weiss soon after.
"Ruby? Are you okay?" She asked wearily, her hand reached out slowly to try and grasp her shoulder.
Ruby narrowed her gaze at her. Remembering her mission in an instant. She shrugged Yang off.
"I'm fine. Shouldn't you be hugging the rich kid throwing a tantrum mama?" Ruby asked sarcastically, making Yang double back a bit.
"Hey!" Blake yelled. "In case you haven't noticed, it's not just Weiss, we don't exactly feel like taking orders from you right now."
"Pff! Fine partner, no one's making you stick around." Ruby scoffed as she pointed to the door.
"Ruby, we're just trying to help you and Weiss. We know you were looking out for her but, you didn't have to hurt her feelings." Yang said wearily.
"Oh, what? I just let her die? Leader or not that ain't me." Ruby scowled.
Yang huffed, getting a bit annoyed.
"And it's not in me to ignore when your being a bitch and hurting our team, or yourself doing it that way. I need to look out for you when your like this." Yang retorted.
Ruby narrowed her gaze, a small part of herself embarrassed and reluctant say this, but she knew to end this burden on her she had to follow through.
"You aren't my girlfriend Yang. I don't care about you or any of you either." Ruby said coldly.
Blake and Yang's eyes widened at those damning words.
"What? Ruby how could you say that? I know you do we-" Yang stammered, trying to clarify the horrible thing she just heard. They fought side by side, risked life and limb...joined limbs and connected. How could she even think that?
Ruby clenched her teeth as she felt the pain and shock within Yang, hating to do this but resolved herself.
"Oh, you thought I loved you? That we were some happy couple or friends because you got me drunk and fucked with me once? Grow up already! I don't need you or this job in my life." Ruby howled.
Yang paled, her eyes flickering between their natural color and red for a while, before the fire was replaced by watery tears that swelled her vision. Rubbing her face and choking on sobbing gasps, Yang bolted out of the room, Blake unsure if she would go after Weiss or not.
Ruby stepped back a bit as Blake scowled at her menacingly. Her fists were clenched as if daring to try and strike her partner.
Blake just took a deep nasal inhale, willing herself to calm down.
"You know what? Maybe Weiss was right." Blake said as she turned around and slowly made for the door." Maybe we do deserve someone other than you."
As she was soon left alone in the classroom, Ruby stood silent. Her scowl remained, but little did Blake know, Ruby was fighting back tears despite her goal being met.
Her team would replace her as leader, or even appeal to transfer her to a new team all together just as she planned. She should be smiling, she wouldn't have this burden anymore…..
So why was she so sad right now for getting what she wanted?
Ruby just couldn't understand these feelings right now.
Author Notes
Merry Late Christmas and Happy New Year! Sorry this took longer than thought. Was gonna release on Christmas Day, but thought an Enabler moment here wouldn't be fitting for a holy day to some. Some slice of life mixed with action and drama. Ruby as a Jedi may sense the emotions, but I feel empathy and understanding of those emotions as shown in Clone Wars at times was another thing. Ruby knows what she is doing is selfish and wrong, but even if she can sense how it hurts them, and hurting her team is like betraying herself, she can't understand the true consequences. She is denying herself closure from Order 66, from the fear of loss of life of those around her again like in the Clone wars. She has failed the trial of insight for now, but will a conversation with Ozpin helped her pass the retake in Part 2? Probably not. Also, Weiss being made younger and more idealistic like ruby was was a tool i wanted since since seeing Blake in canon gently argue with Ruby about reality. Both sides have a point, huntresses like soldiers should uphold a moral code of ettiquite and protect. Ruby is right in that one can't let self-rightousness blind them and let others get the strength to help themselves, choose your battles wisely. I feel the velvet bullying Ruby let happen in canon was Out of character from writers flaw. Here, Blake is because of fear of exposure as is Ruby, as well as war wounds that make her want to renounce parts of her training. Ruby being war veteran view vs Weiss naive but noble views born out of hatred of Abuse she suffered as child will be shown more soon.