*Volume Intro*
Weiss readies Myrtenaster, preparing to face her opponent. The screen changes to show the creature inside the cage growling, before going to show her teammates rooting for her. "Go Weiss!" Yang was first to yell. "Fight well!" Then Blake, as she waved around a small red hand flag that said 'RWBY'. Ending with Ruby, "Yeah, represent Team RWBY!"
"Ruby! I'm trying to focus!" Weiss exclaims, directly targeting Ruby. You can see Yang and Blake's expression faltering.
"The heck? All three of them were yelling and you specifically singled out Ruby!" Nora exclaims at the absurdity of her friend's frustration.
Weiss, not making a retort back, knew Nora was right. She shouldn't have singled Ruby out just because of her earlier actions.
Ruby simply looks down deflated, "Oh, sorry."
"Alright, let the match begin!" Port pulls out a battle ax, effectively cutting off the lock and letting the grimm free.
"Well, that's an effective way to pick a lock," Yang says with a shrug.
"It's not much of picking as it is breaking it off," Blake counters with a smirk.
The first thing the grimm does is charge at Weiss headfirst. She lands a hit on its ribs, but other than that it doesn't do anything. "Haha, wasn't expecting that were you?"
"Hang in there Weiss." Even after being scolded, she continues to cheer on her partner. Weiss is now the one to make the move as she speeds toward the beast, but upon making contact with her Myrtenaster gets stuck in the animal's horns. "Come on Weiss, show it's who's boss!"
Hearing her voice, Weiss faces her direction. But because of the distraction she loses her weapon as the grimm flings it across the classroom.
"Little hint, try to focus more on the battle than your own teammate!" Nora cries out.
Weiss looked down at her hands. Nora right–that felt a tad bit strange to say– she gets so distracted by Ruby, it takes her focus away from what's right in front of her. Why does Ruby get her so off track?
The finds its opening and sends Weiss back. "Hoho, now what will you do without your weapon?"
The grimm comes charging. Weiss looks up in panic and quickly gets out of the way. The grimm slams into a wall, causing it to fall onto its back. Weiss takes her chance and runs over to retrieve her weapon on the other side of the room. "Weiss! Go for its belly, there's no armor underne-"
In annoyance Weiss yells back, "Stop telling me what to do!"
"It's not telling you what to do, it's called advice, helping!" Yang shouts, Weiss' old arrogance getting on her nerves.
Ruby looks down in sadness after effectively being told to shut up. The grimm uses Spin Dash and makes its way across the room to Weiss. Stopping it in its tracks with a simple glyph, the creature falls on its back, leaving their belly wide open and exposed.
Making another glyph for herself, she uses it as leverage to lauch herself as the beast and finish it off. The grimm gives its final squeal before finally going still. Weiss lays on her knees, panting in exhaustion. "Bravo! Bravo, it appears we are indeed in the presence of a true huntress in-training. I'm afraid that's all the time we have for today."
"I looked like a kicked puppy," Ruby says, observing herself.
Weiss couldn't help but feel a slight pang in her chest at the sight. She didn't know what it was, so she decided to ignore it. Probably wasn't anything important in the first place.
"Ruby, I'm-" Weiss was cut off by the girl by a hug. "Weiss, I already forgave you a long time ago, and that won't change." Weiss really didn't think she deserved Ruby.
"Be sure to cover the assigned readings and stay vigilant! Class dismissed." Weiss held a frown and stormed out of the classroom.
"Sheesh, what's with her?" Jaune says, the camera turning to him before going back to her teammates looking at each other.
"That is a good question," Weiss says, responding to on screen Jaune's question.
"Weiss!" Ruby ran after Weiss seeing as she exited the room in a huff. "What?" Weiss really has the gall to ask. "What's wrong with you? Why are you being-" Weiss cut the girl off with her own question. "What's wrong with me? What's wrong with you? You're supposed to be a leader and all you've been so far is a nuisance."
"All heroes are different. They're not going to all act the same. Each one is unique and has their own style." Raider speaks again, her words wise.
Ruby just scoffs at Weiss's accusations, "What did I do?"
"That's just it, you've done nothing to earn your position! Back in the forest you acted like a child, and you've only continued to do so!" Ruby responds, but her voice is little and meek. "Weiss, where is this coming from? What happened to all the talk about working together, I thought you believed in acting as a team."
"Not a team led by you. I've studied and trained and quite frankly, I deserve better." Ruby reached her hand out to the girl who had her back turned. A deflated expression on her face. "Ozpin made a mistake."
Weiss wouldn't be able to fathom how much that must have hurt Ruby. Her expression may be sad, but she's feeling on the inside must be so much worse.
As Weiss walks off Ozpin appears behind Ruby. "Hmm, now that didn't seem to go very well." Doubting herself, Ruby looks up towards her headmaster, "Is she right? Did you make a mistake?"
"That remains to be seen." Is what Ruby got as her answer, but it didn't reassure her in the slightest.
Weiss is walking down a hall, and it seems she found who she was looking for as she makes her way over to Professor Port. "Professor Port!"
"Ah, Ms. Sch-Nee and to what do I owe this fine pleasure?" Weiss started awkwardly, "I enjoyed your lecture."
"Is that really how he said my last name?" Weiss ponders, feeling a tad insulted.
"Of course you did child, you have the blood of a true huntress in you!" Weiss looks up at the man with hope, "You really think so?" "Surely!" Though, Weiss faltered and Port took notice of this. "Hm, something's troubling you."
"Yes sir."
"Dear girl, confess to me your strife."
"Well… I think I should have been the leader of Team RWBY."
"WHAT!?" Blake winced and recoiled at the volume her partner used. "You're telling me that you went and asked if you could become the leader? It has only been a day at that point, you barely had given Ruby a chance." It was obvious Yang's eyes were their scarlet color.
"You really didn't like me that much?" Sure, Ruby had been supportive and encouraging to Weiss, telling her she forgave her. But that didn't mean the things she said and did didn't hurt.
"We know you didn't like Ruby at first but to go as far as trying to demote her?" Blake accuses, her eyes formed into a glare. At this point, Ruby looked like she was about to burst into a stream of silent tears.
"Should I give you guys a break real quick? I didn't think this would happen, I just thought a little sadness, but I guess there's this too."
"Also, Yang!" The blonde girl in question stopped mid shout looking at the dragon faunus. "Stop shouting, we have people with sensitive ears in here, and one of those people happens to sit next to you."
Upon realizing this, Yang gave a quiet curse under her breath and turned to apologize to Blake.
Port stood silent before giving his thoughts. "That's preposterous." The camera changes back to Ruby, showing good timing when she asks her question. "What do you mean?" "I mean, it's only been one day. Ruby, I've made more mistakes than any man, woman and child on this planet."
"How is that possible? Having more mistakes than anyone on this planet?" Pyrrha asks, amazed and confused.
"But, at this moment, I would not consider your appointment as leader to be one of them. Do you?" He says, leaning closer toward the girl's face
"Excuse me?" Returning back to Weiss, seeing what she thought about what Port just said. "I believed in Ozpin for many years, and the man has never once led me astray."
"So you would just blindly accept his decision even after seeing how exceptional I am?"
"With all due respect, your exceptional skill on the battlefield is matched only by your poor attitude."
"How dare you!"
"My point exactly."
"Can't deny that…" Weiss says with an exaggerated sigh.
"I see a girl before me who has spent her entire life getting exactly what she wanted." Weiss's frown slightly fell, but she didn't completely let down her defenses. "That's not even remotely true."
She didn't get the one thing she always dreamed of until she came to Beacon; Freedom.
Port raised his eyebrow, not believing her for a second. "Well, not entirely true."
The screen changes to show both Ruby and Ozpin again. "Being a team leader isn't just a title you carry into battle, but a badge you wear constantly. If you are not always performing at your absolute best, then what reason do you give others to follow you."
"So the outcome did not fall in your favor, do you really believe that acting in such a manner would cause those in power to reconsider their decision? So, instead of fretting about what you don't have, savor what you do."
"I'm going to use pets and food as an example," Raider states.
"What does that have to do with this?" Jaune asked with confusion.
"Let me finish. Our pets always get the same thing everyday, a constant meal while we all get something different. Humans have different tastes and when we have something we don't like, we wouldn't want it. But, our pets, they savor and always eat their meal like it's a gourmet dish. They appreciate the food they have cause they know it will be the only thing they have. While humans and others on the other hand eat three or more times a day."
"That was a clever, but also very weird analogy," Blake says with her eyes slightly widened.
"Hone your skills, perfect every technique and be not the best leader, but the best person you can be." A tiny smile made its way to Weiss's face.
"You've been burdened with a daunting responsibility Ruby, I advise you take some time to think about how you will uphold it."
With both students, the adult walks away. Ruby looks down in thought before her gaze is directed to Weiss outside. Ruby smiles as the screen fades to show nighttime and the broken moon above the campus.
Weiss walks back into their dorm room, all her teammates are asleep. Blake sleeps peacefully, while Yang snores.
Yang felt a little embarrassed at hearing herself snore, but if anyone was to say anything she would just ignore them.
Weiss removes the bed covers to show Ruby asleep, and on her bed are a plethora of books and a pencil in hand. Weiss clears her throat and gently taps Ruby's arm. Ruby snorts with a start and finds herself awake. "Weiss! I was studying and then I fell asleep, I'm sorry." Weiss places a hand over Ruby's mouth and gestures to her to be quiet. She looks over at the coffee mug, "How do you take your coffee?"
"I-I don't-" "Answer the question!" Weiss yells in a low whisper. "Uh, cream and five sugars!" She answers in a voice a little louder than necessary. "Don't move," Weiss hops off her bunk before later appearing with a full coffee mug. "Here."
"Um, thanks Weiss", Ruby didn't know how to react to this but she took the mug from her hand. "Ruby, I think you have what it takes to be a good leader," Ruby smiles sweetly at the girl as she speaks. "Just know that I am going to be the best teammate you will ever have."
"This is the start of a beautiful friendship," Ruby begins with a look in her eyes.
Ruby gave Weiss a hopeful look, to which she got an eye roll and a scoff. But, behind that was a small smile.
"Good luck studying," Weiss hops down but jumps back up, pointing to a specific problem. "That's wrong by the way." Before jumping right back down. "Hey Ruby?"
"Uh-hu?"
"I always wanted bunk beds as a kid." Weiss makes herself scarce and closes the door. On her bed, Ruby happily smiles to herself.
The screen goes back to showing the outside of the school, the moon and stars shining brightly before fading into showing the end credits, marking the end of the episode.
"So, what'd you think?"
"I think the episode was a good turnpoint into Weiss and Ruby becoming friends."
"Best friends!"
"Let's not get ahead of ourselves."
Though that's what Weiss said, Ruby quietly whispered to herself. "BFFs."