Weisser Ritter - One

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Beta(s) :

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Requested By : Polemoduke

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"Seventeen… Eighteen… Nineteen… Twenty." Weiss counted out, snapping her fingers and checking the timer on her Scroll while Jaune flopped on the ground, gut aching and chest heaving for breath from the round of sit-ups. Standing at his waist, she flicked him a look, smiling ever so slightly, "Your time improved by half a second, too. Impressive enough."

"Whoo." He cheered, raising his hand and making a little circle before it thumped back down. "Half a second. So. Much. Improvement."

"Do you know how long it takes a bullet to cross ten feet, Arc?"

"Uh… No?"

"Less than a second." She answered shortly, kneeling down beside him and flicking a look around the empty training arena to be safe before she added, not even looking at him. "A second, a third of a second, a tenth of a second of speed, of reaction time, can and will save your life, Arc. You'd know that if you'd attended pre-Academy training."

He swallowed the bitter flare that rushed through him at that, reminded himself she was just trying to help, and sighed. "Yeah, I guess you're right…"

"Of course I am. And, ah, do not be concerned. I will see you improve!" He gave her a look and she smiled and gave his shoulder a gentle, if a bit stiff and awkward, pat before standing and smoothing out her combat skirt. Sighing, she muttered, seemingly half talking to him and half making a note to herself, "I believe we should be done with the exercises for the day. You've done well for your first week."

"Thanks?"

"You are welcome." She hesitated a second and then added, quietly, "And yes, that was a compliment, Arc."

"Oh." He blinked, "Awesome."

"Mhm." She sighed and stepped away, taking a seat at one of the benches that ringed the padded sparring hall while Jaune sat up and reached for the water he'd left nearby.

Around him, the sparring hall was more or less empty, and lacking in the way of most equipment - instead, it was lined by squared off areas to either side of a walkway, where the floor was padded for sparring. Seats lined the sides of the walkway, too, so that teams, partners, or whoever else could sit while people worked in the squares. And any kinds of training that didn't need equipment, to make more space in the weight rooms. It was well-lit and had plenty of vents, but even so, the smell of sweat was… Kind of hard to escape anywhere in the room.

Which made him wonder, "Doesn't the smell bother you, Weiss?"

"Hm?" She turned from her work on her Scroll and furrowed her brows in confusion. "The smell…? Ah, the sweat?"

"Yeah?" He shrugged, "I figured life in Atlas had to be pretty, you know…"

"Pampered?"

"I was going to say 'comfortable'…"

"Oh, I'm sure." The sharp words were dulled, at least, by the little smile Weiss paid him. As if to say 'I am only poking fun' without actually having to open up and say it. He stood shakily and she sighed, waving at a spot on the bench beside her, and spoke quietly as he came over, "You all overestimate what it was like, growing up in my house."

"I can guess," He grunted, falling onto the bench with a sigh and adding, "If your dad is willing to do that here I can't imagine what he did there…"

"It was… Less than stellar." She agreed, sighing and shifting uncomfortably. Jaune let the silence hang, an open invitation for her to talk but one he didn't put any weight on, and eventually she leaned forward. Hunched over very wearily, she explained in a quiet, frail voice, "My upbringing was… Plentiful, but I would be more than hard pressed to call it 'comfortable'. You saw my father, and how he is, but…"

"There's more?"

"Much." She sighed, flicking him a look before shaking her head and going on, "Buried family, buried friends, a mother taken far too happily to drinking, a brother taken to mirroring my father, and a sister more focused on the military than anything happening to me. Between the White Fang and politics, what was left of my childhood was… Well, I had to grow up quickly, I suppose."

"And it made you a bit… Rough."

"That is one word for it." She chuckled, flicking him a look and frowning as she straightened. "I… I wouldn't, shouldn't, be bothering you with any of this. But… After what you did, and the danger you're in now, you have a right to know."

"I don't have a right to know anything about you, Weiss." Jaune shrugged, taking a long drink of his water and sighing at the refreshing, cold comfort it offered. Sighing as he screwed the cap back on, he said, "That doesn't mean I don't want to know more about you. I do, of course I do. But you're not obligated to tell me. It's if you want to."

"You're… Something of a romantic, aren't you?"

"I-I'm a what?" He gasped, turning, wide eyed, and rambled out, "I-I'm not trying to, y-you know, do anything! I-I-I mean, you're- I'm not-"

"I mean it classically, Jaune, not the more modern way. Apologies." Weiss giggled - actually giggled - at his immediate, probably very apparent, panic. "As in you're… Rather idealistic. Aren't you?"

"I guess?" He shrugged, glad that she didn't think he was trying anything on her. She was pretty, of course, and damn smart, too. But he was more focused on being a Huntsman right now - and Weiss deserved to be more than a side-project. "I mean… You mean like the old stories, right? Heroditus, Pyrrhus, them?"

"I'm surprised you know their names."

"Where did you think I got the motivation to be a hero from?" Aside from his grandfather, of course. Weiss raised a brow and he shrugged, "I'm not just into comics, Weiss. Out in Ansel, the signal wasn't… Great, for T.V. So lots of days, I just read whatever my dad kept in his study while the girls did whatever they wanted to."

"Just… Whatever he had around?"

"Mhm." Jaune nodded, "Whole stacks of 'em. 'Your brain is the most important muscle you have', my dad always said. So… I exercised it."

"It sounds nice."

"After my mom caught me on the wrong shelf and dad learned to put some stuff away?" He chuckled, watching Weiss' cheeks redden at the implication - and finding it way too funny to correct. "Yeah. It was nice."

"I-I'm glad you had that." Weiss sighed, "I only had whatever Klein could bring me."

"Klein?"

"Butler." She answered, "You met him in the cafeteria."

"Ah…" He nodded, not really remembering but taking her at her word for it anyways. "Got it. Sorry, forgot, with everything going on."

"Mhm." A moment passed and Weiss asked, "So… What was your favorite story?"

"Fishing for one you can tell me all about?"

"Trying to be polite, you dolt."

"Ah, well…" He thought for a moment, then blinked and said, "Wait. Pyrrha's name sounds like Pyrrhus. You think they're related?"

"You…" He turned and watched Weiss scoff, roll her eyes and throw a hand up into the air as if she was surrendering, before she finally sighed and nodded. "They are both Mistrali, yes. And Mistral loves to name children after the old heroes from the legends. It's… A hereditary quirk of their societal make-up."

"Ahhhh…"

"You have no idea what I just said, do you?"

"I don't have to answer that."

"Oh, you absolute-"

"Guuuys!" Ruby chirped as she pushed through the door, turning and smiling at them as she came in, carrying a tray in front of her. "Hey! How's it going? I brought snacks!"

"Cookies?"

"Noooo." Ruby smiled, leaning forward and sticking her tongue out as she came over, lifting up the little lidded tray and smiling as she nearly jogged over, watching the tray carefully for balance. "I brought cheese, crackers, sliced ham, chips-"

"And cookies." Weiss said as Ruby reached them and she picked up the lid, smiling at the little snack tray and the circle of cookies and strawberries in the middle. Chuckling, she added, "Oh, but hey, fruit, too. Good job."

"I happen to like strawberries more than cookies, thank you berry much." Ruby smirked, plopping onto the floor in front of Jaune while Weiss groaned and sat down, smoothing her skirt out under her and sitting primly while Ruby crossed her legs. Jaune couldn't help but snort at the sight, and Ruby looked up, brows raised, and asked, "What's so funny?"

"You look like you're sitting with your teacher."

"My teacher…?" Ruby and Weiss traded looks, and while the latter scowled a bit, Ruby snorted a laugh and nodded. "Faaaaair!"

"It is not fair!" Weiss chided, "Why am I a teacher all of the sudden?"

"You were literally training me for the past two hours…"

"That's different!" Weiss scoffed, reaching for a strawberry and finishing, "You need it, Arc. Short of hiring tutors, which you lack the Lien for and my father will never tolerate me drawing out credit for, and would expose you, I'm all you have."

"He has us, too…?"

"You are going to tutor him on Grimm morphology and in depth history?"

"Morphius?" Ruby cocked her head, "Isn't that a Vacuoan god?"

"Morpheus," Weiss enunciated carefully, "and they're a Mistrali one. Also, I said 'morph-olo-gy'. As in, their shape, types and behaviors."

"Ah…" Ruby pouted a bit, but quickly warmed up when Weiss offered her a couple of strawberries. Shrugging, she said, "That's fair, I guess. Right, Jaune?"

"Mhm." He grumbled, shoving aside the sour taste the way Weiss was talking put in his throat. He was weak, a fake, after all. Why should he argue with the woman helping him get better? Ignoring it, he changed the subject, "Hey, where's Pyrrha, anyways?"

"That is a question." Weiss hummed, "Ruby?"

"Yeah, what's up?" She looked up from the little cracker sandwich she was building with some of the ham and cheese. Then she blinked, like she was processing the conversation, and said, "Oh! Pyrrha! Uh, she had to head to the docks and receive some, uh, stuff."

"Stuff…?"

"Clothes and food." Ruby shrugged, "From her endorsements."

"Clothes and food?" Jaune repeated, turning to Weiss, who he expected would know more, and asking, "Why clothes and food?"

"Depending on the deal…" Weiss frowned, pursing her lips, "She probably has to wear specific clothing in specific settings. And may have constraints on what she's allowed to drink, per contract. At least in public."

"Seriously?" He scoffed, "They can do that?"

"It's a contract, Arc." Weiss chuckled, almost like she was amused by his question. "Short of 'walk around in the nude' or 'you will sell me your kidneys' you can pretty much put anything in a contract. And, if they sign, they consent to it and are bound by it. It's why I always avoided those sorts of endorsements. One good thing about being heiress of the SDC, I suppose…"

"By the Grimm…" That was ridiculous. And she'd done that, at least in part, for him?

Now he felt even more guilty…

The door opened before he could say anything and, dressed in an all black, fitted tracksuit with 'People like Grapes' up each leg, Pyrrha came in and turned, waving and calling over, "Hello! Did you save me some strawberries, Ruby?"

"O-Of course!" Ruby stammered, holding up a handful of them as Pyrrha came over and eased down on her other side, plucking them from the smaller girl's hand while she stammered, "Your track suit, uh… Looks good!"

"I suppose." She sighed, holding up a sleeved arm and frowning at the purple stripes, "Going to be hot when we train outdoors, though…"

"I'm just…" Ruby shrugged, "How did they even get that done fast enough?"

"I sent my measurements, and they called their manufacturer." Pyrrha chuckled, chewing on a berry and sighing as she leaned back, resting on a hand and stretching a leg out comfortably. "Loathe as I am to say it… I am Pyrrha Nikos. They would have sent their tailors through Grimm to get into the factory to get me in this once I'd agreed."

"I mean at least it doesn't look awful." Jaune chuckled, grimacing as an image popped into his brain. "I love the cereal, but… Pumpkin Pete's would have looked awful."

"Oh, I've seen their sample." Pyrrha snorted, shaking her head, "Bright red and covered in speckles, to go along with their marshmallows. The pink blended awfully, and Gods, the blue! It clashed so hard with the red."

"Gods, I think they offered me that, too!" Weiss scoffed, shaking her head, "Such a garish, hideous thing… This is why I didn't tolerate clothing deals, Arc."

"Yeah, I bet…" He snorted, "How'd you get funds, then?"

"The SDC sponsored me." She shrugged, "Far easier to work with, since they wouldn't dare upset me. And far harder to turn down, because… Well."

"Your father." Jaune nodded understandingly, shaking his head as the mood suddenly turned. Flicking the Schnee a look, watching her frown and purse her lips uncomfortably, he grimaced and opted to change the subject again. "Hey, Pyr, did mission assignments come through?"

"Oh, yes." Pyrrha nodded, fishing out her Scroll and flicking it out to read off of the brief she'd no doubt been sent. "We're to embark on a week-long patrol on the outer edges of the Valean range, in the foothills. Grimm presence is only moderate, and a teacher will be in the region with a third year team, overseeing our patrol and two others nearby in case of emergencies. We head to sites A through E and evac from E which… Is probably on purpose."

"E for evacuate." Ruby snickered, "The Headmaster has a sense of humor, I guess."

"It certainly seems as such." Pyrrha chuckled, closing her Scroll and reaching for some of the cheese. "Altogether, though, it shouldn't be overtly difficult. There's a warning to be wary of aerial Grimm as we transit over the mountains, but that's all there is of any real concern."

"What about Arc?" Weiss asked, flicking him a look and grimacing as she turned to the others, "He's not ready for this."

"I'll be fine, Weiss." He laughed, trying to wave off the sour taste again and focusing on another drink of water. Gesturing at Ruby and Pyrrha, he said, "I have the great and powerful Pyrrha Nikos on one side, and the prodigy moved up a couple years on the other. Short of a dragon, I'll be fine."

"But you-"

"Weiss." He cut her off, sharper than he intended. Ignoring it, he reached for a cookie and said, "I'll be just fine. You have to trust me."

"I just…" She sighed, shaking her head, and turned to Pyrrha and Ruby with a thin smile. "As long as you both agree with him, I… Suppose I am quite out-voted."

"This isn't a democracy, sad to say, Weiss." Pyrrha chuckled, holding up her Scroll and waving it in the vague direction of Beacon Tower, and the Headmaster himself, to make the point. "But… I certainly vote that way, yes."

"Samesies, besties." Ruby chirped, plucking another strawberry from the tray and smiling. "Honestly? Can't wait. Dad used to take Yang and me-"

"Yang and I."

"-out on Hunting trips back on Patch." Ruby finished, sticking her tongue out at her partner who only scoffed in response, shaking her head while Ruby went on. "It was fun! Camping, smores, and we got to kill big monsters, too!"

"And how old were you…?"

"Ten or so." She shrugged, "Why?"

"That's a bit young, isn't it?"

"No younger than when I started the arena circuits, Weiss." Pyrrha offered with a shrug, "I haven't actually done a trip like this before, but… Well, smores do sound fun. And since my contracts have exceptions for missions, I don't actually have to start on the soda they sent."

"Soda?" Jaune flicked the grapes on her chest a look and nodded, "Ah, the Grape soda. Hey, I can help work through that, you know?"

"Yeah?"

"I love People like Grapes." He laughed, "So sure, why not? Won't get you in trouble, will it?"

"I could check the contract, but, well…" Pyrrha laughed brightly, shaking her head, "I doubt they'll so much as look at a breach of contract after finally getting me to sign onto the bloody thing. So sure, go for it, partner. All the Grape soda you could ever hate."

"You mean love…?"

"Drink it more or less without exception for a month," Pyrrha smiled, "and ask me that again."

"Ah." Jaune blinked, imagining it, and then nodded, "Yeah I, uh, probably won't drink that much. Is that all you're allowed?"

"That and water." She laughed, "Oh, and juice. As long as it's not in a branded container."

"I… Hate all of that." Jaune said, "Like, all of it. What the hell?"

"Welcome to capitalism." Pyrrha laughed, standing and sighing as she turned to leave. "I am going to head out, now. I need to arrange our rations and kits for the trip. See you all later, at the dorms."

"You betcha." Jaune nodded, calling after her, "You don't want company?"

"No, it's all dull, but just paperwork." She called, sliding through the door with a wave.

"Well." Weiss sighed, leaning back and turning to Jaune, "I suppose we can work on your field geography for a bit, then."

"Ah." Jaune nodded, deflating a bit but resigned to it - he needed the help. "Yeah, sure. Sounds… Fun."

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Dino Guy :

SEMI positive, at least, lol. Weiss still has a way to go. XD

Good Idea Guy (Guest) :

That's… Actually an intriguing idea…

Mengsk :

V9 is so far away from filler I actually snorted because I thought you were joking. How on Remnant - or off it - is ALL THE STUFF that happened in the Ever After 'filler'? If THAT is filler then ninety five percent of every story I have ever written is filler lmao.

Jacques *does not care*. He's richer than god. Even in the real world, rich fuckos do crazy shit, even abusive shit, because they believe - often rightfully - that their wealth exempts them from the rules. Even IN THIS STORY, his wealth exempted him. He assaulted Weiss, and Jaune assaulted him. At worst, normal people would both end up in court. Instead, Jacques gets off with nothing but 'No, we will not bend over backwards for you'.

Yes, I did hint at how I envision Jacques - in and out of this story - lol.

And yeah, that would have been Jacques' line of thinking if he'd gone public.

Geralt Rex :

All of this is correct, lol. Some of it in… Different ways, lol. I'm sure you can pick out which.