Chapter 10: Not Yet

Weiss of team RWBY

The soundless flutter of Weiss' eyelashes were the only motion in their dorm room, the only sound simply the cool gusts from an open window, light streaming through just barely over the horizon, a dim orange in a sea of blues that made up the predawn sky. A number of things struck Weiss as she awoke. First of all that that no one was in her bed, three days she spent sleeping with Ruby now it was back to just her. At first her heart raced, but quickly the creaking of the nightmare bed above her reminded Weiss that her dearest dunce was safely snoring above. She felt a small relief to awake without the crushing claustrophobia striking in the morning light, but still having a cold spot in the bed almost felt lonely.

The second oddity is how she awoke to nothing. Ruby wasn't up, nor Blake or the brute. Instead the deepest sleep Weiss could remember ended in the world of the waking long before anyone else was conscious. Perhaps this was punishment for letting herself fall asleep on the train in a very unbecoming manner, but Weiss didn't dislike the morning silence. With all the tense and grim problems of late a moment of solitude and quiet not caused by dismay was hard to find. Instead this was a slice of time to just be at peace before anyone would even be up to cause her trouble.

Weiss at the start did very little to move from her spot, content for a moment to lay in her bed, blinking at nothing with her strains of silver hair wrapped around her. Still she had a restless nature, one that refused to allow any time spent doing nothing. In a bargain between active and relaxed Weiss pulled herself out of bed, her nightgowns a special thin glow in this twilight time. She tried to be as soundless as possible finding her way into a cool shower. Most preferred them warm, but on occasion Weiss took a turn for the colder, woke her up and made her sharper, both body and mind alert.

It was under this drizzle that Weiss' mind went to her father, the choices he made, the rather rapid flip. Blake knew something, the minx always did, but whatever she did Weiss could only guess it meant well, though she didn't look forward to owning her favors. Still it wasn't enough, looking over herself, nude pale image of a Schnee woven silver and ice, there was no way Blake could afford whatever she had done. There was another angle and she had to find out before it endangered her future here. She would have to confront Blake about it, get her to tell Weiss what happened. For now, she didn't have the energy to fight. This weekend of emotional toil had taken a mental toll, one Weiss needed some time, just a day of normal school and work to refocus. Then she could work on the truth.

"And Ruby," she whispered, an extra addition to remember exactly who this was all for. After all Ruby was what Weiss had begged for, despite remembering it being a rather shameful display on her part. Whatever Weiss did had to keep Ruby out of trouble and danger. After all she had a future here at Beacon and Weiss would never forgive herself if she caused it to turn to dust. The shower water drizzled more on Weiss, the water tracing down her hair onto her body. This cold sensation kept her mind racing, kept it racing till a small near silent knock from outside came.

"Weiss, are you okay?" Ruby cracked the door only a little so she could whisper, Weiss didn't feel worried about being peeked on. For experience and being with Ruby, she seemed way too innocent for that kind of perverted escapade anyways. That and the added benefit of a shower curtain masked Weiss body added to her comfort. She didn't feel too embarrassed that she could see Ruby from over the shower curtain, just peeking her head in a little, the crimson on the girl's cheeks visible. She was certainly the most innocent girl Weiss knew.

"Ruby what do you need? I'm in the shower." Weiss had to shout a little just to overpower the cool drizzle coming from chrome showerhead. The light echo made it a bit louder than she had envisioned causing to Ruby to recoil a bit. "If you need to use the bathroom you better hold it!" Unintended as it might have been, Weiss figured she might as well stay on the rough side if she was already there. After all she was not going to suffer through watching Ruby on the toilet. They were not that close and if Weiss had it her way, never would be that close, with anyone.

"I'm just worried, I heard you wake up," Ruby tried to whisper, a little too well even, barely making herself heard over the water. Weiss clicked her tongue in irritation and rolled her eyes, less at Ruby, but more at herself. She just had a knack for making a jerk out of herself, always assuming the negative position. Ruby had a similar knack of always being at the butt of it, something Weiss had grown more uncomfortable with as time went on.

"Oh, I'm fine. I just woke up," Weiss started trying to mutter an apology that just would not leave her mouth. "Sorry…for shouting. It can be difficult to know how loud I need to be over this shower." In the end it was more of an excuse, though from peeking over the shower curtain Ruby seemed no more appeased, taking small steps in her polka-dot pjs over to the thing screen between them.

"Are you having trouble sleeping? Is something wrong?" Ruby seemed earnestly concerned, something Weiss was never accustomed to. She was generally use to everything coming with a price and all pity coming with an asterisk. Still it was not unpleasant, just strange. "If there something bugging you, I'm not just your girlfriend, I'm your partner and can be an awesome buddy that listens and stuff." The smile on her face, the completely untainted enthusiasm, all things Weiss couldn't understand, didn't know how to deal with, but found appealing in Ruby.

"Like I said, I am in perfect condition; I just woke up…very alert today is all." True enough, when she woke up alone some small part of her forgot this was the dorms and feared Ruby had been dragged from the bed in the middle of the night by some of her father's enforcers. It was impossible; Ruby would never be beaten so quickly and silently, but still it came to mind.

"Was it uhh," Ruby was flustered with her words swaying side to side, a goofy smile painted on her lips. Something was sure making the idiot seem happy. "missing us sleeping together I mean." It most certainly was, but there was no way in hell she was going to admit that.

"Everyone is a little off put when their status quo is altered, don't read into it any more than that, dunce." Weiss felt so embarrassed for being utterly intrinsically transparent. Whatever the denial Ruby certainly did not take Weiss' suggestion of moderation too hard. Instead she stepped even closer, enough that small droplets that bounced off Weiss's shoulders landed on Ruby's. "Ruby! I'm in the shower!" Weiss called out, hoping to stop the crimson girl from straight up tackling Weiss in their dorm shower. Ruby stopped and looked even more red and nervous than before, her eyes looked on the flower.

"Can I...uh c-n I-ss" Her words were so mumbled Weiss had no chance to make them out.

"Speak up I can't hear you dolt." Weiss replied with an added groan, not wanting to play guessing games while she was in the shower.

"Can I kiss you Weiss, please and thank you?!" The redness transferred very neatly from Ruby's cheeks to Weiss's countenance with stunning quickness. There was no talking for a moment and they just looked at each other without meeting eyes. It was moments like this Weiss could hardly believe they had been together for months and still acting like little kids; maybe she too was a little innocent.

"Only once and only if you close your eyes, I am not exactly decent...," Weiss dictated finally ending the silence. Ruby didn't really say anything back, instead she nodded dutifully and closed her eyes. Weiss was already on the tips of her toes looking over the railing, knowing Ruby was roughly the same height out of their boots, at least as far as Weiss would admit, both needed to support themselves by the railing, lifting just a bit to reach over. Ruby closed her eyes, so Weiss needed just a bit more, lifting herself just a little to meet her lips. They did for a second, a soft and fairly chaste kiss, the cold water and sudden air not leaving Weiss completely in the mood for such activities, though Ruby seemed to want more, pushing farther on the railing and into the kiss. That was when a snap was heard.

"Ahhhhhh!" Whose screamed was the loudest, it was impossible to tell, both did with all the air in their lungs. The bar had snapped sending the curtain and them both tumbling to the floor. It didn't really hurt, years of practice made Weiss ready to toss up her aura whenever the moment called for it. The porcelain was a little cracked now though. Shaking her damp hair out the heiress felt the shiver of air on her wet, a hardy reminder of her current state.

The reaction was instant, Weiss pulled over the curtain to conceal her own pale form, but from the way Ruby looked redder than her hair, eyes shut so tight they looked like they would never open again as she stood completely and utterly silent over Weiss told her all she needed to know. Despite the Heiress' efforts Ruby most certainly did see.

"Weiss….I uhh… I'm sorry I didn't… I only saw for like a second I promised I closed my eyes I didn't even see if-" Weiss growled and angry, deep, hateful growl, enough to shut Ruby right up. For all the indignities had Weiss just suffered, now a mess on the bathroom floor, hearing her nude description and exactly how much and what Ruby may or may not have seen was not to be added to that list. Weiss took a deep breath, insuring every part of her was covered up, she calmed down just a little. Ruby would leave, explain to the others who were more than assuredly awake and Weiss would comfortably dry herself and dress for the day.

"You didn't see anything," Weiss declared, her voice tensed up. Ruby nodded yes still beat red. "Get out now!" Ruby had enough sense to listen and bolted from the room. From there Weiss took ample time to get ready, dress in her finely ironed uniform and dawned her usual hair style, she was in no rush, the others would die before fighting her for bathroom right after this nightmare. Instead she got a moment to brush out her silver pony tail and lazily apply her thin layer of make-up. After all that repairing the damaged bathroom to the nearest dorm authority was left to Ruby, whatever damages fiscally Weiss could cover for Ruby so long as she kept the details of what she saw firmly out of the hands of the public. Though who else would want it, but Ruby and Weiss doubted she wanted anyone else knowing anyways.

The rest of the day went on with little incident and not a word out of Ruby or the Bumblebee duo. That was a pleasant change for once, though Weiss could swear she heard Yang giggle about it in Port's class, a glare took care of that. One by one classes went as expected. The bathroom was set to be the most exciting part of the day for sure, that was before Dueling class. They had only been late a minute, something that was definitely Ruby's fault whom thought it appropriate to snatch an early lunch, yet already the class was active. When they walked into the dueling room, a fine grey addition to the school, the sounds of a fight could be heard as usual. Not as usual however it wasn't a one on one match, wasn't even four on four, all of CRDL was matched up against one.

The one was tall, taller by a foot to Cardin easy. Team CRDL's armored opponent stood with a beast like manner, it's stance close to the ground. It was in full plate, though it seemed burnt black with few patches of a blue shade that looked to once dominate the grey metal. It was clearly old, even rust at parts. The most damaged was the helm, battered out of shape. Carved into the armor was appeared to be that of a wolf or maybe a dog, though it was so warped that Weiss could not tell. His, or at least presumably his from the height, weapon of choice was a large two handed great sword, some sort of long claymore with a deep blue glow down the center, clearly part of some sort of alternative mode weapon, much newer than the rest of the gear. To accompany it in the left hand was a strange circular shield covered in dust powered glyphs, which was something Weiss could understand well. The compact design made the shield seem small, but the force glyphs would easily spread to form a tower shield in a moment's notice under the slightest pressure.

Sky however was less studied in the magic's and dust. Taking it as a weakness the idiot charged in full force with his halberd, hoping to down slash with the axe head in the ample space between the shield and the iron wolf his team faced. Not backing away or dodging, the brute pushed its shield into the halberd full force, a light show of holographic symbols met the axe head instead of it the metal of it, but that invisible layer of force was enough to send the blade flying and close all the space between them. Sky was out, maybe he didn't know it, but the audience did as the rest of team CRDL from whom all snapped into action, running into the fray. Still he was done; a balled fist wrapped around the impossibly large blade stuck the kid in the stomach, an uppercut with enough force to knock him out of the arena and in turn out of the sparring match.

Surrounded the iron wolf took a knee, letting it's shield take a blow full force from Cardin's mace, not something to mock for sure. Dove and Russell moved in from behind, surrounding their opponent. Knowing they were moving in, the cornered goliath lifted the blade onto its shoulder, letting the dull part rest there while its absurd length shielded the defender form Russell and Dove's swords. It was in that moment, struck at all sides did Weiss see how that warrior used such a ridiculously oversized weapon, it took a knee to brace for the strike, then stood, using the force from its legs to swing the blade and send the team members into a scattered back hop into separate corners.

Whoever it was pressed the advantage, using the floor and its entire body to swing the blade around towards Dove, one of the slower members, who could not help getting bashed by the end of the blade. It was stopped by aura of course; not cutting much into the armor, but the force was enough to knock him out right next to Sky Lark.

Cardin tried to charge in, but it was too late. Russell was the quickest fighter in CRDL, but locked into a corner with two twin swords far too short to match the great sword all he could do is try and block when the walking azure suit of armor pulled the blade up and let gravity send it crashing into Russell Thrush's defense. Russell though smashed was fine, if pinned by the blade, now jammed into the floor. No time to pull it out, Cardin in full swing behind him, the seeming victor used it's shield instead, bracing it with both arms bashing into the strike. With simply more mass the one who came on top was team CRDL's single opposition. Cardin himself fell to the floor, the beast above him ready to use its shield to smash the boy into the ground. Weiss sort of wished it would. Cardin was strong, but long time bullies to Velvet and her team. Velvet was a fellow student of magic, dust and now a friend of Ruby's. Despite the faunus' heritage she was affable and Weiss recognized her as a sort of ally, though friend was cutting it close. Certainly more so than Cardin ever was.

"Enough Professor Thrym. Team CRDL I believe you have embarrassed yourself enough. Sit down please," Professor Goodwitch announced giving a name to the victor, though Thrym was not a teacher of theirs that Weiss knew, or a name used by the second and third years. Nor had Weiss ever seen a teacher fight in the dueling floor with other students. This was all very heterodox, something she never cared for in life. The new professor pulled Cardin to his feet, the boy taking his defeat well it seemed.

"When Goodwitch said we would have a new assistant dueling instructor, I didn't think he would be so tough. I can appreciate a big guy like you, I like how you wield that sword." Cardin was the type to try and appease any man bigger than him. Boss the small ones around, but appease and join with the biggest. The professor seemed to heed this little mind, helping Russell up and unlodging the blade from the stone flooring, an expensive fix if it was real marble. The crumbling sound it made coming out of the flooring made Goodwitch flinch, confirming Weiss' suspicious that it was in fact real.

"I thought they'd be better Glynda." The voice was feminine in its own way, belonged to a woman, something that put a lovely bit of egg on Cardin's face. Again with the strength not of her arms, but shoulders and legs professor Thrym lifted her great sword up onto her shoulder, walking right past Cardin.

"They are still learning. We were the same when we were first years. Cardin please sit down with the rest of class," Goodwitch ordered a small air of tension showing. Professor Thrym poured a mountain of salt into Cardin's wound when she sat down before the class and took off her helm. She was clearly old, ten years on Glynda easy. Her hair was withered into a pepper of long grey and black, front bangs hid more of her face than most would find professional, but Weiss could see what looked like scars from an ursa or Beowulf and understood well. Just looking at it made Weiss' eye sting, a sensation she had almost forgot as the winter died down and the cold eased. The biggest insult to Cardin though was the perky black and grey furred wolf ears on the top of her head. She was a faunus, a professor and a faunus.

"Maybe you were, but not me, Qrow, or Ozpin and I remember little Glynda could have taken this lot. Oh I've only spoiled with time. I'm old and nearly out of breath from just that." She was, Weiss could see her breathing heavy after that, the way she slumped her shoulder once the fighting was done. "You sweetheart with the ears and the water bottle. Do an old girl a favor and give me a drink?" The girl in mention was Velvet whom jumped at the mention, shy by nature. Professor Thrym nodded and waved her over, still mostly collapsed on the floor. Velvet quickly stood and walked the bottle over to her, one she took quickly, drinking most of it down in just a few seconds. Velvet's ears dropped a little seeing her bottle drained in a moment.

"I'll pay for it after class is you come see me, don't worry. I needed a drink. Now sit sweetheart." Mildly defeated Velvet left to mourn her drink in silence. The professor seemed pleased though, a smile from behind her bangs visible. She had a remarkably unprofessional air to her, despite how clearly experienced she was. Weiss had already decided she didn't like her.

"Let me introduce you to Professor Azura Thrym. She has worked in hunting for most of her life and was a fellow classmate of mine during my time as a student here at Beacon. She will be assisting me in Dueling and physical training here until a new role can be found for someone with as much experience as her." So she was a charity case Weiss noted. Some of the class clapped, many didn't. Weiss looked around to find most of the usual openly bigoted did not, along with a few that surprised her. Weiss did hesitate to clap, but watching Blake and Ruby do so openly, she had no choice to do so before breaking team solidarity.

"Like my old friend said, I'm Azura Thrym. I've been a soldier, a bodyguard, and most importantly a Huntress all my life." Azura pulled herself up by the blade, her knights armor dented and shining with her experience showing in full force. Weiss might not have liked her, but she had no doubt that this woman was telling the truth. "I was born near Fort Castle, but I've done most of my work along the borders, in grimm territory. Needless to say I might be too old to do much good now, but I know what I'm talking about." She shifted her weight onto the blade, now pressed on the ground, along the center was written something in runes, though Weiss was unable to make it out.

"I know some of you are not thrilled about having a faunus teacher. Some of you may even think me sub-human. Honestly I don't care. If you think I'm some wild dog, you'll be happy to have me growling in the dark when the grimm come. As long as you say 'yes ma'am' after it I don't care what you call me." Some didn't seem to know how to take that. Velvet looked to her team confused and Blake seemed irritated at that last bit of the speech, crossing her arms in discomfort. Weiss didn't mind it much, she had no intention on calling Azura sub-human, but it was nice to see someone care about the results more than titles.

"The grimm are our true enemy, our antithesis. We all watched it unfold last year. I don't need to remind you what a real threat Cinder Falls made herself out to be, or tell you how much more active they have been. We are the flame to the dark, the beacon to Vale; we turn the predators to prey. Any warm body willing to fight against them is my ally; anyone seeking to destroy us is my enemy. Politics, racial or otherwise, can wait at the door." Weiss was reminded of her father in that moment, he use to talk about the Schnee Dynasty as the flame in the dark just the same way. Still Weiss had seen it first had, had fought it first hand with her team. The dark was real, that was something she agreed on.

"I will be speaking to each team individually, other than that Glynda has been so gracious as to give the rest of the time off. I'll start with the CRDL boys, we have a lot to talk about eh boys?" The teams from every corner pulled together and soon the class erupted into noise and discharges of baseless speculation. Wasn't long till Ruby found her way to Weiss, the red ball of excitement practically bouncing as she skidded along in her brown uniform.

"Weiss what do you think about the new teacher? She seems kind of cool, I like the glowing sword and shield. Do you think she will like us?" When Ruby got like this Weiss had learned to just let her talk herself out and give a hard disapproving look. Soon she would calm down all by herself. Just as Weiss predicted Ruby did cool to a normal human level of excitement.

"She should, we are the number one team for our year on the Dueling chart," Weiss replied with confidence and an upturned chin. Since the last match was a RWBY victory over JNPR, the long stalemate ended in RWBY's favor for most of the break and new season. Ruby seemed to enjoy the confidence, smiling back with some of her own pride.

"I forgot we were top, all thanks to you if I remember." Ruby swung her arm around Weiss', interlocking them together. At first Weiss cringe with mild discomfort at the sudden touch, then again knowing it was public, but she didn't knock the arm away. They were out after all. Nothing had really changed, nothing was said, but Ruby had no intention of hiding it, she had made that clear the night before. It was just normal school couple's stuff, something Weiss thought was never going to be a part of her life.

"You are so clingy," Weiss mumbled back just loud enough for Ruby to hear. She shrugged it off with a smile and Weiss regretted how 'accustomed' to those comments the dunce had got. Made them nearly completely ineffective.

"So Blake says new teach is a hero!" It was Yang walking over and putting her chin right on top of her sister's head for amusement, resting all her weight on the poor girl.

"A local hero from around where I was born. My mom talked about her a lot when I was little. She was apparently a kind of knight in the Faunus War and champion one year in the Vytal tournament. Not exactly what I imagined, but she seemed alright," Blake clarified, her voice was steady and monotone, though she seemed genuinely excited. As much as Blake ever was to be fair.

"Doesn't seem like the type. Very unprofessional," Weiss argued earning a groan from Yang and a sour glare from Bale.

"Don't like her?" Ruby asked her silver sweet eyes looking confused up at Weiss with the added help of her heeled shoes. It made Weiss grimace when she looked at her like that, irritable to feel like she let her down somehow.

"Really Weiss?" Blake asked with a raised brow and an even more unpleasant grimace.

"What?" Weiss asked knowing exactly what Blake was trying to insinuate. How quickly she took a high horse drove Weiss insane. Despite how close they had gotten, how much like friends they were, still she could be irritating.

"You're better than that Weiss." Blake left it at that, turning to talk to Yang. That made Weiss furious, blood boiling with rage. What was worse than having her ethics questioned was being completely blown off. So what if she didn't like the faunus professor and her lax attitude? What right did Blake have to assume it was racial? While Weiss would admit it made her more suspicious of her, in the end it was Azura Thrym that informed Weiss' opinion of Azura Thrym.

"It'll be okay, please don't fight." Ruby whispered her head hung low and eyes peeking safely behind her bangs. That just completely made it worse, triple that when Weiss' felt another hand slip into hers. Though she gave an irritated groan, Weiss let the anger go and dropped the matter for now. Soon enough she would start giving sad puppy dog looks to Weiss to get what she wanted. Someday Weiss would really have to put a foot down. Pyrrha walked closer, Jaune and the rest of the team following, but stopped suddenly, eyes wide as she processed something. Weiss could see her eyes lock onto the pairs intertwined hands. Weiss' first reaction was to let go, but she knew Ruby would likely never forgive her. Instead she kept it there and tried to fight the rash of red on her cheeks.

"Oh I'm sorry, am I interrupting a private conversation?" she asked in a very formal way. Pyrrha was not the perfect communicator, but she was always perfectly behaved, something Weiss was thankful for.

"No, uhh what's up Pyrrha?" Weiss noticed in the hitch in Ruby's voice that she found it a little hard to be so open to the class. Suit her right for being so insistent. It was just now that Weiss became aware that around them all the class Weiss had been so worried about was gone. Only JNPR and RWBY left.

"JNPR, step up!" Professor Thrym was right behind them snapping the only remaining teams right into position, each of them ready for whatever report she had to give. "Your leader is Jaune Arc right? Worst combat history in one on one duels I've ever seen, yet you're the number two team. Good teammates, but lately you have improved, jumped from obvious drop out to Signal Academy level in only a few months. Mind explaining that?" Azura glared at him between looking at scroll in front of her and the two at the ready teams. Jaune mumbled something in response, too jumbled to make out, but Pyrrha was the one who stood up before both of them taking the lead.

"I've been training him ma'am. After hours he's getting better every day." It showed, even Weiss had noticed Jaune's massive improvement. He was still a bumbling liability on the field and a complete idiot in real life, but the team found him a good leader and he was growing. Still a waste of Pyrrha's exceptional talent, and Weiss was not the only one to think so.

"He's gotten better and you've stayed the same." Professor Thrym gave them a deep look for a moment, pointing at one than the other with a raised eye, noticing something it took a lot of time for most to catch on. "You two are a thing eh? Cute, but I'm ending it. You're no longer training your boyfriend." Both of them looked at each other for a quick moment. In it that moment Weiss had never seen a more upset Pyrrha.

"Instead you'll be training against me, together. The two of you will fight like equals, or I'll break you trying. You can't be a liability Jaune, you have to lead as an equal, not a handicap. Dismissed." JNPR rushed out as quickly as a nonchalant walking pace could manage. It made Azura laugh a little seeing them leave a panicked, if happy, mess. Professor Goodwitch, always the JNPR critic seemed not amused in the slightest.

"Your wasting your time on him, Jaune Arc should never have made it into this Academy. It was a mistake letting him lead." Professor Azura clicked her tongue in reply, making her response noted.

"Ozpin doesn't make mistakes, the boy needs work, I'll work him." The bigger woman turned to Team RWBY giving each one a look, her expression harshening on Weiss, but weakening on Ruby, just for a moment. "If they are led by an idiot, what does that make Team RWBY, the ones who can barely defeat the mighty idiot." Weiss didn't much care for where this was going and watching Azura take steps closer to the team with a critical eye, Weiss doubled the feeling. "Each one of you is good at one thing, and pretty much nothing else. You lack any versatility. Your leader can barely pay attention to herself in battle. Instead of sniping, with you know, your sniper rifle, records show you charge more often than not. Why?"

"I'm fast I guess." Ruby didn't have much to say, only looked down in a bit of shame. Any joy Weiss could have found in saying I told you so was stolen from her when seeing how disappointed Ruby seemed.

"I know your fast Ruby, Roses are always fast, but you need to rely on more than speed and a weapon. You're better than this." Something in that made Weiss feel her rage snap. No one stepped on Weiss' pride, and Ruby was now a surprisingly large bit of that pride.

"Excuse me Professor, but we are the ones who slew a Nevermore on initiation day, we beat Torchwick, you can't just treat us like a bunch of idiots with no track record! We've blow away every one of our class records!" Weiss shouted uncontained earning an angry glare from Glynda, but an amused one from Azura.

"A nevermore and Roman? Let me ask you, what was the harder fight: The oversized chicken or the man child who needs a walking stick?" Weiss felt like she was going to lose it sitting there being insulted by this unprofessional old faunus hag, just smiling at them while she did it. Right when she thought she would just go off, Weiss felt that hand again and a small voice whisper 'no fighting'.

"From here on out, your training will be done in the woods and against each other. Yang will fight Weiss, Yang's weapons are short and shorter ranged, ill suited against a long ranged opponent, she'll have to learn stealth and Weiss you'll have to learn to be more subtle. Blake will fight Ruby. The cat is too use to fighting people slower than her, do some good sparring against someone that can out run her, but Ruby will have to learn how to fight things that hide in the shadows. More alert on the field, not just the bumbling little girl I remember your mother showing off." Weiss almost vocalized her inner confusion in a substantial 'What?' Ruby seemed confused at first, though this just made Azura smile behind her long grey and black bangs. "I know I haven't visited since the funeral, but could you really forget this pathetic old face?" Ruby's eyes widened, the silver dishes coming to a realization, one Weiss wasn't thrilled to hear.

"Aunty!" Ruby dashed in a burst of petals smashing right into professor Azura armor in a clap that made everyone cringe just a little. If it hurt, Ruby didn't say, but instead she just hugged the big metal woman. "It's been like eight years, I'm sorry."

"It's alright, still stands, your team needs to be better, I plan on whipping you up into shape, make your mother proud."

Weiss most certainly did not like like it.

'Step forward, stab, back raise parry and riposte.'

Weiss completed the motions again and again, she practiced, the dirt of her favorite park staining her boots. It was the right sort of ground for practice, uneven like anywhere she was liable to find grimm. Her mental opponent wasn't an ursa or beowulf this time. Instead the phantom she dueled was the old woman from before, a ghost made of watching a short fight. A form almost perfect and protected by an unclear shield, even if just in her head Weiss had a hard time managing, large imaginary blade hard to dodge, the shield leaving no bane to abuse. Weiss might try her dust, use force to speed past her defense, same technique she used to defeat the Castle Knight from before. Still it wasn't fast enough, and as much as she hated it, it wasn't versatile. Weiss relied on glyphs too much, useless without dust to amplify them, not natural state semblance like Ruby's or Yang. She wanted to win with her blade, but that required speed, and skills she didn't have yet. Standing her stabbing at an invisible fade for an opponent, she consistently lost without dust.

Between the daylight and the leaves of the parks many trees, Weiss found her target, a little imaginary chink at the back left of her opponent, truly just a petal in the wind from one of the many spring blossoms. With speed and perfect precision she thrusted the perfect blade of hers into the target. Trained with just enough force, just enough of an angle, it pierced the heart of the petal, leaving the rest intact on the blade. So focused, so honed in on the petal Weiss was, she hardly noticed the footsteps crushing the blossoms behind her. Only one person would bother to look for her here, in the park covered in red trees.

"Weiss you didn't stay for lunch." Ruby hopped her way through the petal piles, a little cheery after all the events of the day. Weiss was inexplicably upset and happy how it turned out. Ruby was feeling better, but still Weiss didn't like the teacher, she was rude and undisciplined and a lot of other things. The most annoying was she was Ruby's 'Aunty' which annoyed her for some reason.

"You were talking to your 'Aunty' figured you'd want to be alone." She couldn't explain why it upset her, why Weiss felt so bothered by it. Now of all times she focused on this new phantom opponent, slashing lighting in the air, little quick jabs and cuts. Mabye picking apart the beast would be the way, chipping away at it.

"She's not really my aunt, she was just my Uncle's partner in Beacon. We use to play when I was a really little girl. Why do you hate her?" Ruby asked taking another step. Weiss refused to pay her any more mind, she wanted to focus. Wanted to win.

"I don't hate her." She just didn't trust, like, or want to be around her. Not exactly the same thing. Didn't always mean it would stay that way. Ruby fell in the same category when they first met, Blake stayed there long after they met, and Yang. Sometimes Yang was still there...well maybe just felt that way in the bad moments. They were a family after all.

"Is it 'cause she's a faunus?" Now Ruby was saying it. Weiss wanted to turn around deny it and tell her to stop listening to Blake. Something stopped her though, stopped her from moving or arguing. Instead she soundless stood in the ready position, letting nothing be said, but the wind. Weiss tired that night on the docks to let it all go. It was different now than before, she tried to change with Blake, but still sometimes it lingered, her old mind set. One night didn't make seventeen years of fear and bitterness go away, didn't give her back aunts, uncles and cousins that had been robbed from her before she was even born. "They're just like us."

"I know," and she did know it. Most of the time without a bit of question, but there were times when the white masked faunus in the stories father told her came to life. Made her just uncomfortable enough. Still she knew. Faunus were people like Blake and Velvet too. "Blake...she is like a really annoying sister to me. I just...they're not all Blake and Velvet." Weiss stood blade ready, unmoving, no knowing how mad Ruby would be. She didn't want to turn to see. Small arms answered her any ways, thin things wrapping around Weiss' body.

"You're a good person Weiss. I know you are. You'll get over it, I just know." She was also a Schnee, bad blood between her and faunus kind. One day some of them, a small group of them, would try to hurt Weiss, now maybe even try to hurt Ruby. She would kill them all if they tried, but they weren't here right now. Only faunus here were hunters and huntress, friends and her new family. Weiss needed to repeat that to herself.

"I'm not perfect," Weiss admitted. A bitter enough truth she swallowed every day. No matter how hard she tried. Why couldn't she be perfect?

"Not yet, but your amazing." Ruby pushed her face into the back of Weiss' uniform. It was comforting feeling. It was nice to be here again. Their special place. This was all residual high emotion from the last weekend, Weiss tried to believe. She would let go of it with some time. "And Weiss." Ruby didn't say anything out loud, though Weiss could feel her whispering the phrase the heiress hated hearing so prematurely be mumble into her back. She was hating it less and less lately. Soon maybe, but not yet. Those worlds were a promise. One only to be said if she could keep it for sure.

****And here begins the newest Arc of Melting Vale, I'm thinking of calling the last one the Castle of White and Black arc and the new one the Wolves Old and New arc. One I make not hidden whatsoever that it has to do with the White Fang. :P

But things will calm down for at least a chapter or two, want to add a bit more sweetness to remind us all why fighting for White Rose is the noble fight! :D I'm sorry if this is coming out a few days off of the intended schedule, but I'm trying for weekend releases; give everyone more time to read.

Other than that I had fun with this one, and AV fans I'm sure are happy to see Azura here as well, though her role here will be fairly unrelated to her younger self's adventures in AV. Again you don't need to read them, they are stand alone, but as TCR keeps yelling at me to say, they are a bit more meaningful when read together, if only to learn a bit more about side characters. Now TCR you can stop yelling at me about it!

Also I'm just hedging my bets on thinking Ozpin Qrow and Glynda went to school as a team, and just tossed in Azura for good measure. Don't know what that team name would be though.

Thank you A-rav for the edits and see you all later! Leave a review follow or favorite to let me know how you feel about it :D Buh-Bye!