AN: Hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving.
Let's jump right into it.
Ruby ducked to avoid a slash from a dagger and threw herself to the side to prevent herself from becoming impaled. She slashed Crescent Rose wildly, forcing her opponent to back off lest she lose a chunk of her aura.
Ruby switched Crescent Rose into its sniper formation and fired a standard bullet at her opponent. The bullet wasn't fired with the intent to hit, but rather to throw her opponent off balance. This proved effective when she dodged the attack and stumbled briefly. Ruby took major advantage of the opening and used her Semblance to dash forward, closing the distance in an instant. She swung Crescent Rose like a baseball bat with a great deal of force into the girl's exposed back.
Ruby heard the girl's aura scream in agony when it desperately flared to life to protect the girl. She would've been torn in half otherwise. Ruby had to take great care to not kill anyone with her super strength, that's why she started to use the blunt end of Crescent Rose a lot more.
The girl skipped down the arena, aura flaring with every impact. She jabbed the tip of her dagger into the arena to slow herself down and just barely managed to stop herself before she flew out of the ring.
To the girl's credit, she tried to push herself up and keep fighting. Ruby dashed toward her with Semblance-enhanced speed and hooked the very sharp blade of Crescent Rose around her throat. She made sure not to pull too hard so the girl could keep her head on but also made sure the blade was digging into her aura.
The girl sighed and dropped her daggers. "I yield," she muttered reluctantly. Ruby released her neck and folded Crescent Rose up onto her back once more. She really needed to practice with the weapon more often. She doesn't use it as often now, what with her Spider-Woman duties and all.
She offered a hand to the girl who graciously accepted it before being pulled to her feet. "Good fight," Ruby said with a smile.
The girl looked upset at her loss but returned the smile. "Good fight."
Ruby had taken a few hits during the small battle but she had taken those on purpose to keep up appearances. She didn't need to be doing quadruple backflips to dodge attacks in school.
"Good fight girls," Taiyang said. "May, I suggest you train more on how to deal with an opponent who's vastly faster than you. You have the advantage in physical strength but that means little when you can't hit your opponent. I would also suggest you add a ranged weapon to your arsenal."
May sheathed her daggers and nodded to the professor. "Yes sir!"
Taiyang turned to Ruby. "Ruby. I'll be honest, I didn't notice any large flaws on your end. The only advice I can give is to improve your defense. It doesn't matter so much because you're so fast but if an attack manages to hit you then it'll do massive damage. Other than that, good job."
Ruby nodded. "Yes Da- p-professor," she corrected hastily. She had to stop making that mistake.
"That's all for today's class," Taiyang addressed the entire room. "There's no homework this weekend but you should use that free time to train. You'll be thankful for that extra hour of training when you are professionals. Have a nice weekend and see you Monday.
Ruby gathered her belongings and made her way to the door. Her Spider-Sense buzzed lightly as she exited and was forced to collide with someone who truly hated her guts.
"Watch it, pipsqueak!" Flash Thompson yelled as he purposely ran into her and tried to knock her to the floor. Ruby held firm and remained standing. She couldn't stick to surfaces with shoes on but she could use her enhanced strength to push back.
"You ran into me you meathead," Ruby spat back. She felt her venom bubble beneath her skin but forced it down. She was prepared to knock his lights out if he tried anything.
Flash quirked an eyebrow toward the tiny girl. She felt his gaze trying to bore a hole into her skull. "You've got quite the mouth on you, shrimp. Shame I'm gonna dislocate your jaw so you can't use it anymore."
Ruby pivoted on her heel and prepared to throw down. "Bring it on, Neanderthal."
She was half a second from bashing his face in before a large hand rested on Flash's shoulder.
"Now now, let's not get the hallway all bloody," Taiyang said with a neutral expression. He didn't immediately rush in to defend his daughter from getting bullied, probably because he knew that Flash would get his chest kicked through his back if he tried to hurt her. "Save it for sanctioned spars in the arena."
"Tch." Flash shoved his hands in his pocket and pushed past her. She made sure to sand firm so he had to walk around her instead of pushing her out of the way. "This isn't over squirt," he said as he rounded the corner, out of sight.
Ruby looked up at her father. "Did you have to butt in? I was about to send him to the infirmary."
"That's exactly why I butted in. Did you think it was to protect you? Ha! I just didn't want you shoving his foot up his own ass." Taiyang laughed. "Seriously, I don't know why he picks on you so much. You can clearly kick his ass."
"I didn't call him meathead for nothing. You'd think he'd learn his lesson by now." Ruby shrugged. "Whatever. It just means I have to hit him harder."
Taiyang shot her a thumbs up. "That's my girl!"
Ruby adjusted Crescent Rose's position on her back before making her way home with her father. She could've used her Semblance to make it there in under a minute but she enjoyed the walk.
"Hey, Dad. I've been thinking…"
"That's dangerous."
Ruby groaned. "You're telling me. Anyway, I...I don't want to rely on Crescent Rose so much anymore. I think it's time I take your advice and start learning to fight with my fists."
Her father's eyes widened. "Hm? Where's this coming from? Whenever I tell you to practice without Crescent Rose you always say something like, "When will I ever be separated from my sweetheart?" Or something like that." Taiyang raised his voice annoyingly high to mimic her own.
I do NOT sound like that!
She couldn't tell him the real reason for the sudden change of heart. The real reason was because she couldn't fight with Crescent Rose as Spider-Woman and the only thing keeping her alive right now was her Spider-Sense. She would've died multiple times over if she didn't have her incredible early warning system.
"Because I've realized that you're right. If I'm ever separated from my weapon then I need a way to defend myself. If I can't get my weapon or run away then I need to fight back. So...I've decided to give it my all and learn to fight with my fists!"
Taiyang stared at her for a few seconds before grinning from ear to ear. "HA!" He slapped her back with enough force to push her forward. "Glad to see my little girl is ready to get bloody knuckles! Very well then. I've been waiting for this moment for years! Let's practice tomorrow!"
Ruby raised her hand to stop him. "Tomorrow is the dance, I don't want to be exhausted all night so we can do it Sunday."
Taiyang's happy expression warped to one of anguish. "..oh...I forgot. You have….have a…d-d-d-d...d-date." He clenched his fists incredibly tightly. She briefly saw his aura spark.
"D-Dad! We talked about this. You can't kill him."
"Grrr… Just a little?"
"No."
"Why?"
"Because he's really nice to me and I don't need you leaving a permanent engravement of your backhand on his forehead," Ruby deadpanned.
Her father looked like he wanted to argue the topic further, but he knew that Ruby was way too stubborn to let him get his way. He ran his fingers through his hair and let out a loud sigh. "Fine. Just… promise me you'll be careful. You never know how cruel some guys can be."
Ruby snorted. "Ptfff… Careful? Dad, Jaune would never hurt me. He's way too timid. Besides, we've sparred many times before, he's a lot weaker than me."
He raised an eyebrow. "So… his name is Jaune?"
"Ack!" Ruby didn't even notice her slip-up. She looked to the sky, hoping that a convenient distraction would collide with her face. No such luck. "Y-Yes…" She admitted, wishing she was anywhere else at the moment.
"Hmm…" He hummed under his breath. "Good to know."
"Dad… I will put purple hair dye in your shampoo if you hurt him," she said flatly. She couldn't tell if he was being overprotective or just worrying too much. Those two things weren't mutually exclusive so it could be both.
Taiyang didn't respond to that particular threat. Either he didn't take it seriously or he just didn't hear her due to him thinking about all the ways he was going to hurt Jaune. Ruby couldn't be bothered to figure out which it was.
They spent the rest of the walk home in silence. The absence of noise was filled when she opened the front door and Zwei rushed up to her, wagging his stubby tail happily.
"Zwei!" Ruby cheered, squishing the corgi's face in her hands. "Who's a good boy?!"
"Arf!" Zwei barked happily.
My schedule is basically clean for the rest of the day. I should really get some more practice in before the dance though. Yeah, that sounds like a good idea. I'll do that.
Ruby tapped her feet in rhythm with the music playing from her scroll. She swung her arms animatedly while spinning in place, trying to navigate her floor with her motions. She occasionally stepped on her own toes but quickly got back into proper formation.
The music served as a patient instructor, guiding her through the basic movements. It was clumsy, awkward, and stiff, but she was trying her hardest, and there was a certain level of charm to that.
Learning to dance had eaten away at all her free time but it would all be worth it soon. Thankfully, the tutorials online were easy to follow and her enhanced reflexes and flexibility had made it a lot easier than it otherwise would've been.
The song slowly faded out and Ruby stopped her movements.
Was that good? I don't know! I didn't step on my feet once this time so I know I'm getting better.
Ruby massaged her temples and sat on the end of her bed. The dance was tomorrow night and she wanted to be as prepared as possible. Dancing was much harder than it looked even with superpowers. Or maybe she was just that shit of a dancer. She wasn't sure.
She had been agonizing over the dance all week. It had gotten to a point where even her classmates noticed her agitation. She reassured them that everything was fine but that was mostly to get them to leave her alone.
The echo of her Scroll chime echoed through the room. She ejected a web at the scroll and pulled it toward herself. There was a new text from Yang.
Yang: Dress will be ready late tonight. Come over tomorrow to try it on. I bet it'll make Jaune's heart stop! :P
Ruby flushed and ignored Yang's message, not bothering to respond to Yang's teasing. It would only enable her.
Why is teasing me so addicting to her!? Does she get high off making me blush or something? Ugh...whatever.
Come to think of it, I haven't checked the news in a while, maybe me putting an end to that kidnapping operation made it.
Ruby simply typed a few keywords into her search engine and lo and behold, the very first search that popped up was called, 'Child Trafficking Ring Exposed by Spider-Woman!'
The article was a few days old by this point. She should've probably checked the news the day after the incident but she was too excited thinking about the dance with Jaune that she totally forgot!
In any case, she tapped on the video associated with the article and began to watch with enthusiasm.
"As many are already aware, there have been a string of kidnappings in the Northwest residential district of Vale in the last month. The kidnapping victims consisted entirely of children under the age of ten, with some of them being as young as six"
"Despite repeated efforts of Vale's law enforcement, the authorities were unable to locate and apprehend the criminals behind the kidnappings."
Yeah, I bet some of the police were being bribed to keep their mouths shut about the whole thing. I have no way of proving who was bribed and who wasn't unless I feel like spying on every single officer in the area and waiting for them to slip up. It's just not worth it.
"I have great news for all the citizens in Vale. As of last night, the child trafficking ring has been exposed and completely shut down!"
Hooray! I wonder who could've done such a thing. Whoever they are, they would have to be heroic, adorable, beautiful, and charming. Alas, there were no people like that in the world.
"That's not all folks. The child trafficking ring was put to an end once and for all by our very own friendly neighborhood Spider-Woman!"
Gasp! That's me! Ruby chuckled to herself.
"At least 15 kidnappers were arrested last night and at least 30 more have been arrested following testimonies from the captured criminals today."
That's more than I expected. It seemed like a smaller ring based on what I saw. I wonder who was behind the whole thing.
"All the details have yet to be confirmed but we are glad to announce that all the children who were kidnapped have been returned to their families. There were minor injuries among the children and signs of malnutrition but all of them are expected to make full recoveries."
"It would be remiss to not thank the hero who put her life on the line to save our children. The friendly neighborhood Spider-Woman is the one who located the kidnappers, dealt with them, and rescued the children."
The camera switched positions to a police officer who was on the scene at the time.
"We got a call about gunshots in the area. Once we got there, there was this maniac with some weird tech that allowed him to weaponize vibrations who was fighting Spider-Woman. He damn near took down the building by himself. Knocked a few of our guys around too. The spider really took a beating from him but managed to prevail with a little help."
The camera switched back to the reporter. "Herman Schultz, aka the Shocker, is the identity of the man who caused so much destruction. If it weren't for the combined efforts of Spider-Woman and our own law enforcement then there would still be a very dangerous criminal walking the streets."
Where did he get that tech anyway? I guess it's not so crazy to say he made it himself.
"It goes without saying that we owe the lives of our children to Spider-Woman. This event has sparked a debate over the role of vigilantism in Valean crime fighting. Many citizens and authorities alike have expressed their support for the young hero, with many of the authorities claiming Spider-Woman has handled threats that they could not handle themselves. While many citizens have claimed Spider-Woman saved their lives."
"Of course, the other side says that Spider-Woman should go home and let the police do their jobs. She is a vigilante first and foremost. It is not within her rights to take the law into her own hands simply because she is strong. We have many capable Huntsmen in Vale that can do what she does, and they have the authority to do so."
Common, gimme a break already. Haven't I earned my place by this point? Even if I am breaking the law, it makes everybody safer and makes the Police and Huntsmen's jobs easier. I'm not costing the taxpayers any money either. If anything, my being around just makes everything better.
The display shifted to a photograph of all the children who she saved crowded around her and hugging her. She remembered that moment fondly. It was little moments like that that made her job worth it in her eyes.
"Thank you Spider-Woman. You've saved us once again."
Her scroll flickered black as the video ended.
Pride swelled in her chest at the knowledge of what her actions have accomplished. Being Spider-Woman was tough sometimes, and impossible other times. Still, with great power, there must also come great responsibility.
Her thoughts fluttered back to the dance tomorrow.
She was really curious about what dress had been chosen for her. She gave Weiss a basic idea of the color and design but nothing in the way of style.
Ruby let out an over exaggeratedly loud sigh and stood up from her bed. She already patrolled enough for today and she really needed to get some more practice in before tomorrow.
She looked down at her scroll, prepared to start some music for more practice. She noticed a new headline at the top of the front page before she could.
The headline flushed all color from the spider's face.
"General James Ironwood arrives in Vale!"
"Oh shit."
Headmaster Ozpin sipped his coffee quietly while Deputy Headmistress Glynda Goodwitch sipped her herbal tea from beside him. Ozpin had no idea how she could stomach something so vile but he wasn't one to complain or ask questions. More coffee for him.
"He's late," Glynda said between sips. "He was supposed to be here days ago."
True, he was supposed to be here before the whole Atlas Paladin incident. Ozpin wasn't sure what was keeping the man but as long as he had more time to prepare then he was happy. Still, he received word that he would be arriving today. That's why they were currently awaiting his arrival by the Beacon bullhead docks.
Ozpin hummed in agreement. "Yes, I imagine he wanted to take extra time and precautions when coming here in order to deal with Spider-Woman, despite him telling me he wouldn't get involved." The wizard sighed. "I imagine declaring war against her on national television was meant to scare her into quitting. Though it obviously didn't work."
Glynda tapped on her tablet for a few seconds. "I'm just hoping he doesn't bring a small Atlas fleet to try to intimidate her."
Her hopes were dashed and buried in an instant when a large gust of wind buffeted the two humans. They both looked up to see multiple airships piercing through the clouds and flying in perfect formation.
To make the situation even worse, the general's very own state-of-the-art airship —armed to the teeth with the strongest weapons in the world— was not far behind them.
Ozpin's eyes moved to Glynda, though he didn't move his head. Glynda wisely kept her eyes forward, refusing to look at the man. She hid her wince behind her mug.
Multiple students in the courtyard stared in awe at the massive airship currently docking to land. Taking up the entire dock in the process. The smaller airships parked wherever there was free space. Much to Ozpin's dismay. They were a bit of an eyesore.
Ozpin felt a mounting headache grow at the general's obvious display of power. This was sure to cause a commotion among the student body. At least the students and civilians were sure to be well protected at the festival.
The flagship landed with surprising gentleness, most likely due to copious amounts of gravity dust. The boarding ramp slid out and touched the ground right before the doors to the flagship opened.
As expected, General James Ironwood stood tall and proud with specialist Winter Schnee by his side. Both their hands clasped behind their backs. The part that was unexpected was the entire Atlas Ace Operatives Unit standing right behind them.
Ozpin felt his headache grow stronger.
James descended the ramp, waving to students who were staring while pretending he didn't notice Ozpin standing right in front of him. The bastard.
The general's eyes widened in faux surprise when he pretended to just notice Ozpin standing at the bottom of the ramp. "Ozpin," The general smiled. He spread his arms as he approached the wizard. "It's been too long old friend."
"James. It's good to see you again," Ozpin smiled. "Welcome to Beacon. Please forgive me, but I did not predict that you would bring a small fleet with hundreds of soldiers. I regret to inform you that I am ill-prepared to house such numbers at this time. Especially with all the new transfer students."
James waved his hand. "It's no trouble at all. My soldiers shall sleep in the barracks. I'm sure you will be able to house me and my specialists though." James gestured to Winter and the Ace Ops behind him.
"But of course. Lodging for you and Winter has already been prepared. Forgive me, but I was not expecting the entire Ace Ops to be joining you. Spare rooms shall be prepared for them immediately." He sent a nod toward Glynda. She understood and started tapping on her tablet, informing the staff to prepare some extra rooms.
Thankfully Qrow wasn't here. He would surely be voicing what Ozpin was thinking right now. That man had no filter.
The general bonked his head comically. "My apologies. I completely forgot to introduce the Atlas Ace Operatives. Soldiers! Step forth!"
The five Huntsmen approached while Winter stepped to the side to give them room. "From right to left, we have Marrow Amin, Elm Ederne, Clover Ebi, Vine Zeki, and Harriet Bree. You already know Winter Schnee."
Ozpin bowed slightly. "Pleasure to make your acquaintance." He turned to the general. "Shall we head to my office for a chat? Glynda, will you be so kind as to show our guests to the cafeteria? I imagine Atlas rations are lacking in the flavor department."
Glynda nodded and motioned for the Ace Ops to follow. They stood firm and sent a questioning look to the general. "Go ahead soldiers, I shall alert you if you are needed. You too Winter, don't think I can't see you fidgeting, I know you are eager to visit your sister and I am not so cruel as to deny that of you."
Winter flushed while the Ace Ops snickered. Their faces immediately turned stoic the instant Winter spun to glare at them. Winter and the Ace Ops followed Glynda while James and Ozpin moved to Ozpin's office.
The elevator ride was short but the elevator music made it feel like an eternity.
"Now that we are alone," Ozpin began as the elevator doors shut behind them. "Would you care to explain why the Atlas Ace Operatives have deemed it necessary to accompany you?"
The good general looked genuinely confused. "Why? Because the Vytal Festival is right around the corner. I will not cut any corners when it comes to the safety of the citizens. Also, Marrow has never been to the Vytal Festival before and he really wanted to go." James scratched his cheek.
"Hmm? And the small fleet outside my window? Forgive me if this sounds arrogant, but we have some of the greatest Huntsmen in the world in Vale. I find it hard to believe that you would need this many soldiers as well as a small air fleet to defend the citizens."
Ozpin poured them each a mug of steaming hot coffee. James took his gratefully before reaching into his uniform and pulling out a flask. He dumped a good portion of the contents into the coffee.
James decided to stop playing games. "Ozpin, you and I both know why I brought all those men." James sipped his spiked coffee. "With Amber in the state she's in, it's only a matter of time before Salem moves her pawns. We need to be prepared."
Ozpin sat his mug down gently. "I agree completely. I just can't help but think your timing could use a little work old friend. This is the Vytal Festival. This is a time to celebrate peace between kingdoms and races."
"Which is exactly why we need to be on our guard. The Vytal Festival has to go perfectly. I will not allow for any mishaps."
Ozpin could appreciate that on some level. The only problem was the fact that transporting hundreds of soldiers between kingdoms during a celebration of peace could worry some civilians. He bet the news outlets were already reporting it.
"But enough about that," James said. "Tell me, why did you allow Spider-Woman to escape when you had her in custody?"
Ozpin hid his grin behind the steam from his coffee. "Oh? Whatever do you mean old friend? Obviously she was much stronger than I was expecting and she was able to break through the handcuffs she was restrained in. I thought you would've known that much at least."
The general slammed his iron fist on the desk. "Don't play games with me Oz! Wasn't it you who just told me that Vale had some of the best Huntsmen in the world? You couldn't find one or two to keep watch over her for one night? She's just one little girl!"
Ozpin adjusted his glasses. "That little girl you are referring to is strong enough to catch a bus with her bare hands. She can fight 20 armed men and win without breaking a sweat. She literally briefly pulled a bridge together. She can dodge rapid gunfire and take down Huntsmen with 30 years of experience."
Ozpin rubbed his nose. "Yeah, I let her go, you're right," he admitted. "But do you honestly think I would've been able to keep her here if I wanted to?"
Ironwood gritted his teeth and let his eyes fall to his drink. Ripples spread through the alcoholic coffee when he slammed his fist on the desk. The rippling coffee slowly became still as Ironwood peered into the murky pool of nothingness.
Ozpin purposely neglected to mention how badly Spider-Woman was injured that night. He might've been able to keep her prisoner with all her broken bones and burns but James didn't need to know that.
"It's not all bad James, Spider-Woman is doing a lot of good for this kingdom. The people love her and the press praise her at every turn. She's saved a lot of lives and never let an innocent get hurt. Why do you feel like it's your duty to get rid of her?"
"Because it is my duty to get rid of her!" James grunted. "I was placed in charge of security for the Vytal Festival and I take my job very seriously. Like it or not, Spider-Woman is a wanted criminal and I am an officer of the law."
Ironwood stood and turned his back to Ozpin. "I kind of lied. The soldiers are here for security for the Vytal Festival but the Ace Ops are here to deal with Spider-Woman should they run into her."
Ozpin already figured that part out. "I'm aware, James. You announcing to the entire kingdom that you plan to take down Spider-Woman isn't a subtle plan."
"I intended for that message to dissuade her from continuing her life of crime Oz. She cannot stand up to the Atlas Military. Not by herself."
"I'm aware of that as well James. I am also aware that that plan did not work. Spider-Woman is still swinging through the city. I hope you are not so foolish as to chase someone like that through Vale with six highly trained Huntsmen and a small Atlas air fleet. Imagine all the rumors that'll spread."
"If all it takes is a kingdom full of rumors to get rid of that menace then that's a small price to pay," Ironwood stated firmly. The look in his eyes was eerily similar to when he was using his Semblance. Those orbs looked...cold.
"With that being said," Ironwood continued. "How are preparations for the Vytal Festival progressing?"
Ozpin noticed the obvious attempt to change the topic and gladly capitalized on it. "Preparations are nearly complete. The only thing we're waiting on is a few final dust shipments. All the vendors have reserved their spaces, the tournament arena is complete, and all the smaller details have been dealt with."
Ironwood smiled and nodded. "Glad to hear it Oz." He brought his mug to his lips before his eyes widened. "Oh yeah," he looked like he had just remembered something. "Before I forget, how is Penny acclimating to her new environment? Pietro misses his daughter dearly."
Ozpin wiggled his mouse to wake up his computer before tapping a few keys and spinning the monitor to face the general. James took a seat and leaned forward to get a better look at the screen. Displayed on the monitor were various photographs of Penny and her team enjoying their time at Beacon. A few of them included Penny in spars or just relaxing with her team. The photos were obviously taken from security camera footage, it would've been a little creepy if someone had actually followed her around and taken all these pictures.
"Things were a little rocky at first. Mostly due to some interpersonal issues within the team due to my choice to make Ms. Polendina the leader. But those issues were resolved rather quickly and she now has the respect of her entire team," Ozpin said while scrolling through photos.
"Glad to hear it," Ironwood smiled. His eyes narrowed when he took a closer look at the photos. "Is that Weiss Schnee? She's on her team?"
Ozpin nodded. "Indeed."
"I bet she was the one who had issues with making Penny the leader."
Ozpin neither confirmed nor denied that. Not like he needed to anyway. It was obvious considering that Winter and Weiss had very similar personalities. Must be a Schnee thing he didn't understand.
"Speaking of which, is Penny living up to the role of leader? Forgive me, but it seems strange that you would choose someone who is barely two years old over far more experienced students."
Ozpin chuckled. "Not untrue old friend. Truthfully, Part of it was because I was extremely curious as to how she would act when given the role of leader." Ozpin traced his finger along the rim of his mug. "How fast could she learn? How effective could she be? How strong would their teamwork be? Will her lack of humanity inhibit her growth? All questions I was seeking an answer to."
Ironwood nodded. "I see, and the other part?"
"The other reason was because she was honestly the best choice. To be frank, her teammates would have struggled with the position of leader. Ms. Schnee is much too prideful and spoiled. She had everything handed to her and feels like she deserves everything simply because of her family name. Though she has grown out of that mindset considerably thanks to her friends."
"Ms. Xiao-Long is hot-headed and reckless. She rarely goes into battle with any form of strategy and always hits first and asks questions later. She's very talented and powerful but that will only get her so far. She's not as confident as she makes herself out to be, she would crumple under the pressure."
"Ms. Belladonna is an interesting case. I won't get into detail because her past is not my story to tell but to put it simply, I felt it would be unwise to burden her with the role of leader after everything she already went through."
Ozpin finished the last of his coffee and let out a steamy breath. He quickly poured himself another piping hot mug. "To put it simply, she's doing a fantastic job and I look forward to seeing what she can do in the Vytal Festival."
Ironwood hummed into his mug. "Good. I'm glad Pietro allowed her to study here. This will do her much good."
"It already has, James. But enough about that. Shall I show you to your room?"
"Lead the way," Ironwood smiled warmly.
Yang's thumbs bounced around her controller in a frenzy. Her practiced movements were like second nature to a seasoned gamer like herself. Her character bounced around the arena throwing attacks with perfect accuracy.
Weiss gritted her teeth as her much less experienced thumbs tried in vain to move as quickly as her opponents. Her character's attacks – while powerful – were clumsy and inaccurate. She received more and more damage with each passing second. She was much better than Yang was expecting though.
Blake was even worse. She actually took three-second breaks in between attacks to examine her controller to find the correct button. The other players simply ignored her so she could navigate the controller properly. Funnily enough, she looked like she was having the time of her life. Or maybe she just enjoyed watching Weiss get her ass kicked.
Penny on the other hand was an absolute monster in the virtual arena. It was like she knew the exact moment to strike and when to perform a counter-attack. She didn't even look like she was trying. Her fingers blurred across the controller. The crazy part was that her fingers always landed perfectly centered on her button of choice. It was like she was programmed for this kind of thing.
Yang and Weiss put up one hell of a fight but they were no match for Penny's unparalleled skill with a controller. Ironically, Blake was the last one eliminated, mostly due to her being ignored for the majority of the match. Penny simply put her out of her misery at the very end.
Yang slumped in her beanbag chair and let her controller fall into her lap. She flexed her aching fingers and cracked her knuckles to loosen them up. Her head slumped to the side to see her team. Weiss looked like she was about to freeze Penny from the inside out. Penny seemed ignorant to the lethal aura from right next to her. Blake looked like she was ready for another round.
Thankfully, Penny's life was spared when someone knocked on the door. Yang was all too eager to grasp the distraction. She shot up from her beanbag chair and trotted to the door. She almost tripped on one of Blake's smut books and damn near launched it at Blake's head in frustration.
"Hello there!" Yang pulled the door open. What she saw was...not what she was expecting.
Standing in front of her was a woman only slightly taller than her. She had a stoic intimidating face with eyes of frozen sapphire that held a glacial intensity. Yang could feel her body temperature drop just by looking at her. Her hair was a stark white like freshly fallen snow and neatly pulled back in a severe bun that looked way too tight. Lastly, she wore a pristine military uniform with a large saber strapped to her hip.
Basically, she looked like an older Weiss. As if one Weiss wasn't bad enough.
Yang stared at the woman for a good fifteen seconds, neither of them said a word to each other. It was like they were each silently daring each other to make the first move. Yang couldn't be bothered to play that stupid game though. Yang leaned back to peer behind the door to her team. The ice bitch had already stolen her beanbag chair but she would let it go this time.
"Hey Weiss?" Yang called.
"Yeah?"
Yang turned to the intimidating woman. "You said you had a sister right?"
Weiss nodded, stretching on her stolen chair "Yeah, in Atlas. She's in the military."
This woman definitely fits the description of Atlas Military Huntress. She looked ten times as uptight as Weiss. "Does she look a lot like you?"
Weiss paused from popping bits of chocolate in her mouth. "I guess… I mean… all Schnee look pretty similar. White hair, pale skin, and light blue eyes I mean."
Yang's eyes roamed the woman standing in front of her. "Yeah but like… is she ten times hotter than you?" The woman raised an eyebrow. "Also ten times as uptight?" That same eyebrow furrowed along with the other one.
Weiss looked angry. "W-What's that supposed to mean? I'm not uptight! Also, why do you think my sister's hotter than me?!" Weiss' eyes widened. "I-Is she here?!"
Yang looked to Weiss, then the woman, then Weiss, then the woman again.
"Nope." Yang began to shut the door.
A sharp heel slammed into the floor to prevent the door from closing while the woman pushed to open it. Yang had to push against the door to keep it stationary.
"Let me in."
"No."
"Why not?"
"Weiss says she hates you."
"I'll break the door down."
"No, you won't."
"You want to test that?"
"No."
"Then open the door."
Yang just knew that she would get blamed if this woman actually did bust the door down. She didn't need another punishment on top of her mountain of detentions. Reluctantly, she relieved pressure on the door and allowed the annoying woman to enter.
"She look anything like that?" Yang asked, pointing her thumb at the intruder.
Weiss' eyes widened. "W-Winter!" The heiress stood up from the beanbag chair and bolted toward her sister. Her lack of attention caused her foot to catch the beanbag chair and send her to the ground in a magnificent faceplant. Yang slapped her palm over her mouth to muffle her laughter It didn't work in the slightest.
Weiss stood up, red-faced and embarrassed. She kicked the beanbag chair to the side and approached her sister. "W-Winter! F-Forgive me! I didn't realize you were coming...I would've made myself more presentable."
Winter quirked an eyebrow at her younger sister. Her hair was a mess and she was still in her pajamas. Not to mention the small bit of chocolate on the corner of her mouth. She looked like someone who planned on being lazy the rest of the day.
"My apologies for dropping by unannounced," Winter said, straight-faced. "We just landed twenty minutes ago and I thought it best to come see how you're doing in Beacon."
Weiss opened her mouth to respond before an orange-haired missile rocketed past her causing her to spin like a dreidel.
"Salutations Ms. Schnee!" Penny waved animatedly despite being less than three feet away. "I am glad to see you are well!"
Winter smiled and waved back. "Good afternoon Penny. I hope you are enjoying Beacon. General Ironwood will be stopping by to check on you later."
Penny's eyes seemed to glow. "I am sensational! I am very thankful that my father allowed me to study here. I've made lots of friends and memories that I shall save to my SSD forever."
It was a testament to how used to Penny's nonsense the whole team was getting that no one batted an eye at her choice of language. "In any case," Winter turned to her sister who was recovering from dizziness. "How are you enjoying Beacon so far, Weiss?"
Weiss wiped the chocolate from her lips, face red. "B-Beacon is treating me just fine. There were issues at first but those were entirely my fault. I'm very happy here."
Winter smiled lovingly at her sister. "Glad to hear it. I'm sorry to say that I'm here strictly on business so I'm afraid we don't have the time to catch up."
"Oh…" Weiss deflated. "What business?"
"Classified."
"W-Well, how long are you staying?"
"Also classified."
Is this really how Schnees communicate with each other? It's like watching a tennis match. Just constant back and forth with no substance to the conversation. Yang thought to herself.
Winter's eyes roamed around the room and her eyebrow quirked upward once she located their beds. Yang didn't blame her, the bunk beds were suspended by rope and Blake's smut books.
"I...have to say, Weiss. I expected more out of you when it came to your living quarters. Those beds don't look up to code."
"W-Well, they only look unstable. They haven't fallen down yet."
"Yet?"
"A-Anyway, the beds are perfectly safe, I assure you."
Winter resumed looking around the room. Maybe it would've benefited them to clean up a little more often. Yang didn't see the point in making her bed when she planned on sleeping in it that very night though.
Winter looked suspicious once she saw Blake's bow resting on her head, covering her feline ears. Ruby made a fair point of it being a bad disguise, Yang had no idea how she didn't realize it sooner. She liked to think that it was because she only saw Blake as Blake. She didn't care about her race.
"You are aware that your teammate is—?"
"Yes, Winter. I am perfectly aware. I have no qualms with her race. I would hope that you would be fine with it as well. Am I wrong?"
Winter's eyes widened slightly at Weiss' tone. She regained her composure quickly though. "Not at all. I simply wanted there to be no secrets between someone who's supposed to fight with you for the next four years."
Blake's eyes narrowed at the Specialist.
"Blake is an excellent Huntress, teammate, and an even better friend," Weiss rushed to defend Blake. "She is someone who I would willingly trust with my life. I am happy to call her my friend."
Thankfully, Winter let it go. Unfortunately for Yang, Winter turned to her with her eyes sharp and narrowed. "And who is this little girl who tried to shut the door in my face?"
L-Little girl?!
"This is Yang Xiao-Long. She's Blake's partner and the muscle in our team. She's a nutcase but she means well," Weiss snickered.
"Nutcase?! What do you mean?! I'm totally chill!" Yang argued.
"Food fight," was Weiss' reply.
Yang opened her mouth to argue but was forced to concede defeat. She hated it when Weiss was right. That food fight wasn't her most thought-out idea. She had fun at least. Ruby was lucky, she didn't get punished considering she's not enrolled at Beacon.
Weiss smiled victoriously. "As I said, she's a nutcase. But she's a good friend. It seems you already know Penny. Can I ask how?"
"Classified," Winter and Penny said at the same time.
This shit again?
"Anyway," Winter continued. "There is one more thing I wish to ask you about." Winter locked eyes with Weiss. "I am led to believe that you had multiple encounters with Spider-Woman. I would like you to tell me all you can about her."
Yang tensed up and clenched her fists. There was no doubt in any of them why Winter wanted to know about Spider-Woman. General Ironwood had threatened her on national television after all and Winter was quite close with Ironwood.
Weiss immediately picked up on the reason and responded accordingly. "I'm assuming that you want information on her abilities. I'm afraid that I don't know any more than you, Winter. She has incredible strength, speed, agility, durability, can stick to walls, and produce webs from her wrists."
"Multiple reports from captured criminals as well as local law enforcement have confirmed that she possesses an ability that allows her to manipulate electricity. Know anything about that?"
Weiss opened her mouth to reply but Penny beat her to it. "Correct! She can freely control her body's natural bio-electricity. It sounds like it would be quite useful in dealing with aura wielders."
Winter pushed past Weiss and approached Penny. "How strong is she? Does her physical strength surpass that of a professional Huntsman?"
Penny saluted the specialist. "Without a doubt! She is easily the strongest person I have ever seen. With nothing but raw power, she was able to briefly hold two sections of a bridge together. She can catch a bus with her bare hands and shatter concrete with terrifying ease."
Winter scowled. "I...see. That is...concerning. To think that such power would be in the hands of a criminal."
Blake stood to her feet. Anybody else wouldn't have been able to tell but Blake was her partner. Yang could see how angry she was.
"That criminal saved us multiple times. She also intervened and saved all of us from getting expelled. As far as I'm concerned, she's a damn hero."
Yang decided not to mention that she wasn't in danger of getting expelled.
Winter's eyes narrowed at the feline faunus. Yang could immediately tell that a lecture was about to go down and she had the instinctive urge to jump out the window. She resisted the temptation so she could defend her partner.
"So it's okay to break the law as long as everything ends up fine? Is it okay for someone to murder a serial killer?" Winter spat. "Is it okay to take the law into your own hands because you think you can do a better job than the professionals?"
Yang immediately rushed in to defend Blake. "If not for Spider-Woman, hundreds of innocent people would be dead, we would be expelled from Beacon, and lots of criminals would still be roaming the street."
"Also," Weiss stepped in. "Let's not forget that Spider-Woman saved about 20 children from kidnappers who intended to sell them off a few days ago. One of those kids is the little sister of a student at this academy. Are you saying she should've minded her own business and let those kids suffer because of General Ironwood's agenda?"
Winter's eyes drooped to the floor as she exhaled loudly. "What she should've done was inform the proper authorities of the location of the missing children and let them do their jobs. There are plenty of capable Huntsmen in Vale as well as law enforcement." Winter's sharp icy-blue eyes pierced her sister's retinas. "Honestly, Weiss, I thought better of you. Seems my faith was misplaced."
Weiss' expression was visibly saddened by her sister's words. Winter continued. "Imagine if word were to get out that a member of the Schnee family supported a vigilante."
It didn't come across as a threat, more like Winter was trying to warn her sister to not say she supported Spider-Woman in front of the wrong people. Given that Weiss was the heiress to the Schnee Dust Company, it was only natural that the media would hang onto every single word.
Winter reached into her pocket and pulled out her buzzing scroll. "My apologies, I must be off. It was a long flight and I'd like to be well-rested for tomorrow. Good day Weiss. Please look more presentable next time I come to visit." Winter made to leave. "Oh, one more small thing. The Beacon dance is tomorrow as I'm sure you're aware, but I will be acting as security for the event. Just thought I'd let you know. Good day."
Winter softly shut the door without another word.
An awkward silence filled the room. Yang refused to let it linger for even a second longer.
"Your sister is...she's… How do I say this?" Yang tapped her chin. "She's a-"
"A colossal bitch." Blake finished for her. Yang punched her in the arm hard enough to spark her aura. "Ow! Damn!"
"Not what I was going to say."
"We were all thinking it. OW!" Yang punched her again.
Weiss rubbed her eyes. "It's okay. I'm used to it by now. She's been like this my whole life." Weiss flopped back onto the beanbag chair. "She's right though. Spider-Woman is a criminal despite all the good she's done. Hell, my opinion of her hasn't changed from the start. She's a vigilante who uses her abilities to take the law into her own hands. That's just a simple fact."
True, even though Yang hated to admit it. Spider-Woman was a vigilante first and a hero second. There was a good reason why there were special laws put in place for Huntsmen. Their strength could easily kill someone on accident. That's why they went to combat schools. It was so they could learn how to control their aura and their strength. Unlocking a Semblance was on another level of crazy. Yang nearly had a panic attack when she unlocked hers. Suddenly having your entire head engulfed in flames will do that to a young girl.
Yang had no idea if Spider-Woman actually had the correct training required to become a licensed Huntress. Her unbelievable skill in battle and rescue made it hard to believe that she didn't. But then again, she's always behind that mask so there's no way to confirm.
Huntsmen don't want to capture Spider-Woman because they hate her or because they hate that she's taking the glory away from them. They try to capture her because they want to keep Vale safe. They are good men and women who are trying to make a living by doing their jobs. She was sure it was nothing personal. General Ironwood and Winter were much the same.
The thought scared her a little bit. Assuming that Spider-Woman was still around when she graduated then she would be expected to apprehend her. It would literally be her job.
"I guess you're right," Blake said. "But just because she's a criminal doesn't mean I have to hate her. She's saved so many people and our enrollment at Beacon. How could I dislike her after everything she's done?"
Penny nodded. "My father always taught me that a true hero isn't measured by the size of their muscles, but by the size of their heart."
Yang slung her arm around her leader. "You're father sounds like a wise man. I wish I could meet him."
"Father Pietro is currently in Atlas working on a few very important projects. I've told him all about you in my messages and he's very eager to meet you all. It's unfortunate that he's always so occupied with other things."
Such is life. Gotta pay the rent somehow.
Yang grabbed the bottom of her beanbag chair and flipped it around. Weiss was sent spinning in the air before making a wonderful landing on her face with a pained groan. Yang smiled and took her rightful spot on her squishy chair before grabbing her controller.
"Who's up for another round?"
Everyone grabbed their controllers.
AN: This chapter was originally longer but I was running out of time when writing it so I cut it shorter and pasted the last part into the next chapter. Don't hate me!
Things are looking dicey for our friendly neighborhood Spider-Woman with General Ironwood arriving in Vale. Who knows what will happen?
But she has a date for the dance! Things are looking up.
Review if you want.
Or don't.
I don't really care.