13

This'll make a week since Violet left. I hope she's doing okay. Bah, what am I saying? Of course, she is. She's a jerk sometimes, but she knows how to handle herself.' A stiff coldness settled in her rump as she dropped to the ground. Thoughts of Violet had distracted her from taking heed of her surroundings, which is why she'd become acquainted with a nearby wall.

"Really, Ruby?"

"Hush up, Yang, besides, you're acting like you haven't seen worse." Ruby dismissed her sister's prodding as she rose, gently rubbing some warmth into her backside.

"It's true, I've seen worse."

"Jerk!" Yang could no longer contain her amusement, exploding in roaring laughter while her sister pouted. An action most found to be adorable. Her pudgy cheeks caused her to resemble a furry woodland creature.

"It's all love, sis." Yang tussled Ruby's hair, hopping a little ways off as teeth snapped at her hand. "Channeling that inner Beowolf, are we?"

"What if I am?"

"Then, it'd be better if you went full wolf behind closed doors." Yang's posture insinuated many things, hand on her hip, and the other motioning 'come hither' as she winked. "Preferably in some freshly washed sheets. Warm sheets work up more of a sweat, you know?"

"Time and place, Yang! What if someone passed and heard you?!" Ruby hugged her body, suddenly feeling exposed despite being decked out in her uniform.

Again, Yang broke down in tears, dropping her pose to hold her stomach and wipe her eye. "Always a riot, sis!" Laughter dying off, she inhaled deeply, a burning in her lungs, but it was the good kind. Like after an intensive workout.

"Why am I always the butt of your sexual jokes?"

"Because," Yang took two steps towards Ruby, fingers finding purchase on the pliant flesh of her cheeks, "your reactions are the best." Gently, she pinched and squeezed and pulled on Ruby's pudgy cheeks.

"Yang!" Ruby whimpered. "Stop that!"

"Alright, alright, I'm done." Yang relented, but not before softly palming her sister's face. Taking a step back, she calmly inspected her handiwork. Messy hair, red puffy cheeks, and big silver eyes watching her cautiously. 'I'm really beginning to miss our alone time.'

"I swear, when we go home to Patch, I'm telling Dad about all the things you've done to me." Ruby murmured, massaging her stinging cheeks.

"Whatever you say." Yang shrugged, already starting to turn around. "Since I've had my fun, I'll leave you to whatever you were doing." That said, she walked away, stopping shortly after. "Oh, and try not to kiss any more walls, alright?"

"Get out of here!" Ruby sprung at her bothersome sibling, the elder letting out a squeal as she took off down the corridor, giggling like the giant jerk she was. "That Yang, I swear…"

Attention stuck with her sister, another unexpected visitor chose this time to announce her presence.

"Ruby."

If Weiss were here to see her now, she'd be so proud. Ruby's posture was perfect, similar to a veteran soldier as her new guest spoke her name. 'Oh, what could she want now?'

One predator gone, another took her place.

Winter, who always seemed to have a nulling effect on the girl, calmly approached Ruby.

"W-Winter! How a-are you? Did you need something?" Ruby fumbled, righting herself as Winter's cool gaze bore down on her.

"I'm neutral at the moment, thank you for asking, and yes, I do require something." Winter's heels clicked on the tiled floor, each step slow and deliberate as she rounded her sister's partner. "Would you be up for a small chat of my indulgence? If you're free, that is."

"I am… actually."

"Good. There's a topic I'd like your view on."

Did Winter need her input on something? That seemed a bit unlike her.

"Uh, sure." Ruby supplied as Winter guided her to somewhere isolated more than likely. She did love her privacy. 'I just hope she doesn't bring up that subject.'

Neither said a word during the stroll. The uncomfortable, silent stroll.

Soon though, Winter ceased all movement, prompting Ruby too also.

Being engulfed in silence had never been something she was fond of. Ruby found it unnerved her sometimes. Silence usually meant bad things to come. A small tingling at the nape of her neck nagged her; it happened to be one of her nervous ticks. Along with rambling, fidgeting, panicking, over thinking, yeah, you get the picture. Silence no good for Ruby. Silence bad.

"You can relax, Ruby. I'm not here to bring up… that." Winter's tone had been a mild one, a nice change of pace from her naturally stilted demeanour.

"You… aren't?" Ruby thought now would've been the perfect time to grill her for answers, since they were basically on their lonesome.

"No, I'm not. I have just one simple question for you." She put a bit of distance between her and Ruby. "Huntsmen, and huntresses, what are your thoughts on them?"

"My thoughts? You mean like what I think about them?"

"Correct."

"Well, I think my thoughts are pretty basic. Huntsmen, and huntresses, they're both great professions." She stroked the nape of her neck. On the spot thinking, another one of her weak points. "Um, I think they're great people in general, since most of their life is spent studying, and training and out in the field as they risk their lives to protect the weak. I guess that would make them selfless too in a way, I mean, they often put their lives in the way of danger so others can have a better tomorrow without asking for much in return."

"You make valid points, but not all is as it appears to be." Winter's face hardened. "Not all hunters are as holy and pure-hearted as you make them out to be. Some are selfish oppressors who've taken up the profession for their own ill gain. What say you to that?"

Ruby sighed. Of course, she knew not every hunter would be so kind, and caring. She agreed with Winter, some only cared about themselves and what personal gain they could acquire along the way. "I know, but… I wasn't much different from that breed of huntsmen back then. You know that, Winter." The slight cracking of knuckles was heard as Ruby balled her hands into fists. "I've changed. I'm not that… person anymore. Maybe, there's hope for them too."

"That's an awful lot of positive thinking you have there. Why stay so positive in a world like Remnant? A world that's plagued with death, disease, Grimm and creature alike. What gives you such a bright outlook on things given your past?" Question after question flowed from her mouth. A river leading towards a waterfall, each inquisition smoothly flowed into the other.

How unlike her, she silently cursed, but that was the effect Ruby had over her.

"I… I don't know…" Ruby granted her hands a reprieve, the reddened appendages limply hanging by her side. "Winter, be honest with me." Strong yet saddened silver faced hard icy blue. "Back then, I was scary, wasn't I."

"Given the brief display I witnessed during our first encounter, yes, you were." Brutally honest, but Ruby had said to be; that didn't lessen the minor sting she felt though.

"And, you only saw a minor part of me. Before, I was seen as a killer, a monster with a thirst for blood. And, the things I did when I got angry." Ruby gazed at her hands, flashes of blood soaking them, dripping through her fingers. She closed her eyes. No, now wasn't the time. "It was terrible, Winter. Looking back, I can't believe the awful acts I committed, all for the sake of revenge."

Originally, Winter had not come here to delve into the topic, nor had she planned to even hint at it, but here they were, uncovering some of Ruby's bleak past.

Rivers of tears would've been the emotion Winter expected as Ruby recounted the heinous acts she performed, but as Ruby set her eyes on her, Winter happened to be pleasantly surprised to see no trace of water. In fact, she was surprised to see no weakness or vulnerability either. Instead, argent eyes thriving with new life, and new hopes blessed her.

"After I woke from that nightmare, I figured no one would accept me, or believe in me again. I'd done so much bad that it outweighed the good I tried to do. I was on the verge of giving up, but if it wasn't… if it wasn't for that person, I might've never gotten back on my feet." Thin rays of sunlight beamed down her. "Someone believed in me, and I made a drastic change because of that. Maybe, all they need is someone to believe in them too, so they can change for the greater good."

'I let my curiosity get the better, and opened up wounds that were better meant closed, I do not regret it though. Ruby Rose, you've shown me that you have a more mature, and calmer side to you. However, you have a naive way of thinking, not to say that's completely terrible.' Winter thought. "You speak of the frightful things you did in the past, but why didn't you showcase that behaviour when we fought? You were in control the whole time until you sustained that injury."

"That… Sometimes… when I suffered grave injuries, my mind would slip, and I would lose all rational thought, becoming consumed by wrath. You were fortunate enough that night to not be the person my eyes were set."

"Even so, you regained your good sense shortly after."

"To be honest, Winter, I don't know why I recovered so quickly either. Usually, I'd go on a rampage until I was satiated with the destruction and withdraw back into myself for an extended period of time." Ruby furrowed her brow. "But as soon as I entered that state, something warm, and soothing pulsed in the back of my mind calming me." 'Mom… was it you…?' "The room would've been a mess had I gotten into the swing of things."

Winter cringed at the thought of blood-soaked robes. Dry cleaning would be a hassle. "Lucky me." She dryly said. "This will be my final question for you. Who?"

"Who?"

"Who was this person that brought about such drastic change in you?"

"No one you know, that's for certain."

"I see…" She hummed. Winter tucked her hands behind, raising her chin slightly. "I offer you my humblest apologies if you found our time spent here to be prying."

"It's no problem, Winter. I think it's good I talk about it sometimes, stops me from feeling so clogged up."

"Of course. I believe this is where we part ways. Until next time, Ruby." Winter subtly bowed her head before making herself scarce.

"Safe travels, Winter!" Ruby waved as the elder girl departed to the airship docks. Not long after Winter took her exit, she heard the voice of her partner.

"Ruby, there you are. What are you doing here?" Weiss queried.

"Just finished talking with Winter."

"Oh?" Weiss' brow touched her hairline. Had Winter been here? And, talking to Ruby alone, no less?

"Yeah, anyway, what's up?" Ruby supplied, quickly diverting the subject.

"In a week, the next semester will be here, so we thought it'd be nice if everyone could go out on a trip together," Weiss informed her. "We need you back at the dorm to get your suggestion, however."

"What are we waiting for, then?! Let's go, Weiss!" Ruby glued their hands together as she streaked back to the dorm in a red and white blurry mass.

"Slow down, you dolt!" Weiss cried, tears pricking the corners of her eyes as the wind whipped past her.

Thick boot soles thumped on the carpet in bored agitation. While the others brainstormed ideas for their trip before the new semester commenced, Ruby offered little help with her constant leg movement. Restlessness, one more flaw to notch in her bedpost. Activity was needed to keep her focus; sitting down to think over a period of thirty minutes proved a hassle for her as her mind would begin to wander, or she would drift off to sleep.

"Enough of that! It's distracting!" Weiss barked. The thumping died upon command, bringing back quiet to the room. "Right, what we were you saying, Yang?"

"I was just asking what we plan to do before next semester."

"That's the main reason we're here. To hear each other's propositions, and vote on the best choice."

"How does a night out in the town sound?"

"Pretty basic, and boring. We've seen the town countless times already." Blake brushed aside the suggestion.

"My family has a vacation house near the outskirts of Vale. We could go there." This time it was Weiss who tossed her proposal in the idea pool.

"Pass," Blake said as if prepared for the suggestion. She may have sorted out some of her differences with the Schnee heiress, but that didn't mean she wanted to spend her time under their roof.

"What's so bad about my idea?" A minor part of Weiss was a touch insulted at the hasty reply.

"Reasons." She grunted before throwing her idea out on the table. "Why don't we just hang around Beacon?"

"Or… hear me out." Ruby piped up after the others failed to come to any form of agreement. "We can go on a camping trip in the woods. It'll be fun, and a neat way to spend our time together before next semester! Oh! We can bring JNPR as well! It'll be twice the fun then!"

"That doesn't sound too bad at all, sis!" Yang grinned, holding her palm out for a high five which Ruby graciously returned. "Score one for the Rose-Xiao-Long siblings!"

"It does sound… interesting. I'm in." Blake certainly agreed to this suggestion more willingly. Being out in the wild, surrounded by nature and its creatures, offered Blake far more comfort than some cold, empty villa.

"Wait, are you kidding me?" Weiss crinkled her nose. "I offer you the chance to bathe in luxury, and you deny it without a second thought, but you jump at the chance to go someplace full of dirt, insects, and probably disease?"

"Yes," a simple reply.

Weiss was hush for a moment before scoffing and muttering under her breath. "Fine, do as you please…"

Guess that means she agreed since she said nothing more; preferring to sulk in her space with crossed arms, and her attention out through the window.

"Alright then." Ruby clapped her hands, moving on with the program. She'd talk with Weiss later, just to make sure she didn't feel to hurt by Blake's less than positive reaction. "I'll head over to Team JNPR, and see what they say."

She gave a little salute before taking off to find their four counterparts. Lady Luck happened to favour her today it seemed. As soon as she shut the dorm door, she spotted Jaune and Pyrrha conversing at the end of the hallway.

"Jaune!" A girlish scream came in response, though Jaune covered it up swiftly with a cough when he noticed the queer look Pyrrha gave him. Jaune cleared his throat before he turned around to see their cookie loving friend rushing towards him. "Hey, Ruby, something you need?"

"The girls and I were thinking of doing something before next semester, and we came to the conclusion of going on a camping trip. We thought it'd be nice for you to join us."

"That doesn't sound too bad. We were actually looking for an activity of sorts to do before next semester." Jaune said, looking to Pyrrha, now. "What do you think? Should we go?"

"I don't see why not. It should be a most enjoyable experience. I don't think Ren, and Nora will have a problem with it either." Pyrrha voiced. "It would also be a good way for the two teams to bond."

"Guess it's settled then. We'll join you!" Jaune cheered.

"Sweet! I'll tell the others you said yes." Ruby waved her farewell before running back to her room.

The door clicked as Ruby turned the handle, entering the dorm once again. Expectant eyes greeted her as they patiently waited for her to speak.

"Get your things packed, girls! We're going on a joint camping trip!" Ruby rejoiced, striking a rather uncoordinated pose. After the announcement, she was set to leave the dorm once more until her partner spoke.

"Oh, and where are you off to now?" Weiss' lacklustre query showed that she still held some form of disappointment at not being able to vacation at her family's villa.

"I'm gonna head downtown to get a few pieces of extra gear for the trip."

"And, that requires you to wear your mission attire?"

Ruby inspected her attire. She didn't see anything wrong with it, but maybe Weiss was right. A casual look would more suit a run to the town. Plus, it more than likely would be much cooler. Wearing a corset almost daily wasn't an easy job. "Guess you're right. I'll go change."

"I'll come with you, so let me change, too," Yang said, sliding off her bunk to get another set of clothes.

When done, they were both dressed as simple as one could be. Ruby clothed in a plain white t-shirt, and red jeans her sister bought her, bringing emphasis to her toned legs with its slim fit. In Yang's case, she wore a yellow tank top with a dragon's head in the centre, and a pair of black tattered jeans.

"Dayum, who slay?" Yang said in an outlandish voice, seemingly cutting the air with one hand.

"We slay!" Ruby expectedly answered in a similar tone, double high fiving her sister.

Weiss rubbed her face, not only was she denied the luxury of staying at a very expensive villa, but she was trapped in a team with two childish idiots.

Oh, how strenuous the next few years would be.

"Of all the activities you could have chosen, you chose to go camping in a damp forest inhabited by gross insects and Grimm." Weiss swatted another mosquito that landed on her face, kecking as warm goo coated her fingers. Of course, even the insects would be bigger, and more disgusting.

"Come on, Weiss. Just breath in that fresh forest air." At that moment in her speech, she inhaled, deeply regretting that decision when an offensive scent tickled her nose. "Okay, maybe not so fresh air, but you get what I mean. And, we need to get used to surviving in the wild, obviously."

"Reason being?"

"Who knows what could happen next semester. We could get sent on recon missions that need us to be out in the field for days, weeks even. Doing this exercise now will give us a head start on basic survival tactics while learning how to map out the lay of the land." Ruby explained as she brushed aside some low tree branches, and stepped over a thicket of shrubs.

"That… actually makes quite a lot of sense. Excellent observation, Ruby. You're not as doltish as you look." Weiss teased at the end as she overtook her partner.

"Thanks, Weis-hey!" Ruby gave chase after Weiss who shrieked playfully before running away.

"To think she was so against coming here five minutes ago, now look at her." Yang shook her head light-heartedly as the others chorused in joking agreement with her.

Eventually, they reached a spot that was decent enough to start camp. Enough space in the clearance to hold their tents, a fresh stream nearby, and the trees offered an adequate amount of cover from any avian Grimm that flew by.

An assortment of colours varying from purple to orange and yellow to red-orange splattered across the sky as the sun began to set. Everyone put down their bags and began unpacking. After unpacking, the two teams were each assigned with different jobs. Team JNPR was tasked with finding food, and setting up camp, while Team RWBY was given the job of collecting firewood, and scouting the perimeter.

Pyrrha tagged along with Nora to gather food, leaving Ren and Jaune to set up the tents.

"Hold it." Yang's authoritative timbre made her shifty sibling pause. "Where are you going?"

That was all she wanted to know? Yeesh, Yang, way to make a girl panic. "I'm just gonna get some firewood, Yang, nothing more, nothing less."

"Normally, collecting firewood is an easy job, but knowing you, you'll do something to make it unruly." Wow, Yang was in full big sister mode. How much times had Ruby botched a simple task, Blake and Weiss wondered. "Blake, do you mind going with her? Just to make sure she doesn't go overboard."

Blake dusted her hands, rising from the dusty ground after putting down one last rock where their fire would be. Blake offered a grunt, and nod in reply.

"Ugh, fine, if it'll stop your smothering me." Ruby trekked further through the forest with less zest now as Blake brought up the rear.

Satisfied, Yang went back to work, though the gaze heavy on her back made it uncomfortable.

"I know what you're gonna ask, Weiss," Yang said, deft fingers never giving pause as she set up the netted hammock their father had bought for them to use whenever going on a trip in the woods. "No, I don't think I'm being too overprotective by asking Blake to watch over Ruby while she does a trivial task like collecting firewood." She tied another knot on the sturdy tree branch―she'd already tested its ability to hold her weight―giving a firm tug before shifting to the next knot. "Ruby's an eccentric kid, I know her, and she has the potential to turn any little job into something major. I'm just taking precautions to ensure she doesn't hurt herself like in the past."

So, she was being overprotective, but with good cause, it seemed.

"Truth be told, I was just going to ask where you got that netted hammock from in case I decided to go on an outing again, but thank you for the information." Yang jerked slightly when Weiss passed, and patted her back, informing her she was going to scout the area as the white of her garb disappeared into the thicket.

"Um… what?" Did she just experience a personality shift? Not much thought on the subject was given when a loud 'boom!' sounded in the background. "In through one ear, out through the other..."

Blake returned a charcoal mess, blots of soot staining her usually blemish free skin and her white shorts. Disgruntlement was the farthest thing she was experiencing at the moment. Alright, maybe, she was, but that wasn't the main issue. It was the fact that she saw it coming, yet she remained in the vicinity while the incident occurred at the hands of one person who thought using Dust would be a good way to get wood quicker.

The guilty culprit of the heinous act meekly trailed after Blake. She, too, was covered in soot. Being covered in soot wasn't bad enough, no, no, it was only fair that her teeth had to be collateral damage as well. Normally, white teeth were stained black; a little reminder of her screaming as everything around them went kaboom.

"What the hell happened?!"

"Your sister." Blake didn't waste any time forming conversation, she needed to get this stuff washed off as quickly as possible. Soot had a repugnant scent which did a number on her senses. She made haste to a nearby stream to clean up, leaving Ruby alone to face her sister.

"Spill."

"Alright, alright, so I guess I did go overboard, but it was all an accident. I mean using Dust to gather wood, what the heck was I thinking, right? But I wasn't thinking you see. I was just so annoyed that you thought I needed supervision that when I took out the Dust vial I hadn't realized it was the fire one and when I did realize it was too late and it was already in the air and then everything went kablooey!"

Yang's expression resembled a dead fish, her silence causing maddening worry for Ruby. "I can't even be mad at you when your teeth look like that." She sighed, smiling. "Go clean up, and change. Pyrrha and the others should be back soon with the food."

"I can do that!" She ran away in a haste to freshen up.

Weiss later returned, announcing she'd did a full sweep of the area, and that it was clear of any kind of trouble. "What's that smell?" She asked, sniffing the air. A mixture of hair and cloth, and was that fur?

"Believe me, don't ask."

Everyone sat in a circle around the campfire. Soot free, Blake's senses felt at ease, and light. Soot carried such a strong odour that it confused her sinuses as well. She sat beside Ruby in a purple shirt and black tights. Regarding Ruby, the girl had also cleaned herself of any of the black powder. This time around, forgoing her usual nightwear, she chose a loose, long-sleeved grey shirt made of a light material and red shorts that reached mid-thigh.

Now, as fresh as a rose in Spring, she told a 'horrific' campfire tale. "He put a red rose between her teeth, gently pushing her in the still water after. Slowly, she sank into the dark depths of the water. Her body had never been found as the years passed, her real name forgotten among those who knew her, and so, they dubbed her 'The Wild Rose'; her unpredictable nature was the sole thing they remembered during her life. It is said that her spirit is sometimes seen roaming along the bank of the lake where she was put to rest, crimson roses grow, wild and are guarded by blackthorns grow near the shore. Those who see her never return to tell the tale, for once you've been caught in her sights, she drags you down to the bottom of the lake, and strangles you. All that is remembered, is her bloodied face as the life leaves your body…" She ended off with a whisper, doing 'spooky' hand motions.

Most of the teens were unfazed by the tale, rather entertained if anything. The same couldn't be said for Jaune as clung to Pyrrha, using her long hair as a curtain to cover his eyes.

"Oh, bother…" Weiss scoffed, rolling her eyes before checking her scroll. "Interesting story, Ruby, try for a little less spooky theatrics next time. It's midnight, it'd be best if we go to bed. Who's taking the first shift?"

"I'll do it." Pyrrha offered.

"Wonderful, we'll interchange every two and a half hours." They all nodded, separating to their respective tents. Nora shared with Ren―obviously―Yang slept with Blake, and Jaune would be sharing with Pyrrha once her shift was over.

Weiss doused the fire when a hand touched her. "How are you holding up?"

"I'll survive." She told Ruby, the pitch in her voice would always make her easy to identify.

"I know your heart was all set on staying at your family's villa. It's probably a lot nicer than some old icky forest, eh?" Ruby joked.

"Much, much nicer," Weiss responded a nice lilt to her tone.

"I could imagine, but the forest's not all that bad. If you look closely, you'll see there's beauty beneath the grime and ick." As she said so, a little firefly came to perch on her index finger.

"You'd have me believe that?"

"Nothing beats a try. Come on, give it a chance."

Begrudgingly, Weiss considered Ruby's suggestion. Sapphires rose to the sky, stars aligned in their marvellous constellations shimmering down on the earth below, then she gazed at the other side of the forest, where fireflies like the one on Ruby's finger dance and flittered about with their attractive green, red and sometimes purple lights. Finally, her eyes landed on the slow flowing river, its waters sparkling as a result of the moonlight. If one didn't know any better, they would think the river held captive to riches such as diamonds and jewels alike in its depths. "Perhaps… you're right."

"See? Nature isn't always yucky and gross, sometimes it's beautiful and calming." Just then, the firefly flew from its temporary stoop, joining its brethren as they danced their colourful jig. "Mmm, I'm off to bed then, see you in the morning." She said, walking in the opposite direction of the tent she was supposed to be sharing with Weiss.

"Wait, our tent's that way, where are you going?"

"I'm gonna sleep in the hammock tonight."

"Why?"

"We're gonna be out here for two nights, so I wanna take in that night air on our first day here. Helps me sleep better." Ruby explained, bidding Weiss goodnight.

"Is everyone on this team uncultured to luxury…" Weiss muttered on her way to the tent.

Underneath the netted canopy of the hammock, Ruby laid; eyes to the sky as she listened to the sound of the night critters singing, she thought of her new life thus far. She made new friends, people she genuinely cared to be around, which was a surprise for her. She also made new enemies, that wasn't too surprising. If there was one social thing Ruby was good at, it was making enemies. Her constantly jovial attitude in some confrontations served to annoy her foes. 'Heh, that's their fault.'

From combat, her thoughts moved on to her latest relationship. She was now in a seemingly healthy relationship with her teammate, Blake. Who would've thought, the emotional introvert and the socially inept, together as a couple. An odd combination to those who weren't aware, but Blake could be such a darling behind closed doors. Sometimes, she'd fuss over the slightest of mishaps in the bedroom. Pause, everything was vanilla still, they saw no need to rush to the lemon stage. But, yes, Blake proved to be rather giving person. Always putting Ruby's needs as a top priority, though she didn't have many.

"The only problem is when we'll tell the others…" Ruby said to the night sky. She swallowed, throat a bit parched. "Thirsty, need water." She unclipped the buttons along the hammock's bed, stepped out on the cold dirt, and plodded to the river.

She cupped her hands in the cool water, bringing up a handful to drink. The cold feel of the liquid sliding down her throat was splendid as she drank. Sufficiently satisfied, she rose from the river bank, her next stop being her hammock for a night's rest until she noticed their champion leaning against a tree, head to the sky.

Approaching Pyrrha, she realized the girl was deep in contemplation. "Everything good out here, Pyrrha?"

She received no response from the older girl. She tried her hand at a physical reaction, poking Pyrrha in her side. No luck. Her next attempt would be snapping her fingers in Pyrrha's face, which did the trick in bringing her back to the present.

"Oh, Ruby, hello. Why are you still up?" Pyrrha brought her gaze from the sky to fix Ruby with a level stare.

"Got thirsty," Ruby said, quickly moving onto her next question. "Everything good? You looked lost earlier."

"What makes you say that?"

"You had this really pentive, wait, that's not what Weiss called it. You had this really… really… pensive! You had this pensive look on your face."

"Oh, it's… nothing." Pyrrha let out a small sigh.

"It doesn't look like 'nothing' to me." Ruby hopped on a rock that'd been sticking out of the dirt, now eye level to Pyrrha. "As your friend, I'd like to think you can talk to me if you're bothered by something."

Pyrrha sighed again. She was right. If they were friends, then there shouldn't be any secrets amongst them.

"I'm the champion of Mistral, though you already know that." Pyrrha positioned herself on the ground, back settled against the tree trunk. She motioned for Ruby to sit with her, instead of standing while she spoke.

"Yeah, a title you deserve. Is that the issue? You don't think yourself deserving of it?"

"No, heavens no! I'm honoured to hold such a title, even more so that the people of Mistral deemed me worthy of bearing it, but that's not the issue." Pyrrha bent one leg and stretched an arm out across it. "Ever since I became the champion, people have placed me on this pedestal, praising me whenever face to face with me in public, asking for things like autographs. To be honest, when I first started out, I liked the attention that was given to me, but after a while, I grew weary of it. I felt… lonely. I never had anyone to call a friend, a real friend."

"What do you mean?"

"I mistook their admiration for friendship. It never had anything to do with being a friend to me. I was more of a figurehead to them, some prize they could show off or boast about. I guess most of Mistral sees me as that now, a mere token of pride to rub in the faces of neighbouring nations."

"So, you've never experienced true friendship? Like at all? Because they only see you as a fancy trophy?" Ruby softly uttered.

"Yes, I'm afraid so."

Ruby mulled over Pyrrha's words before speaking. "Wanna know what I think?"

"What?"

"Forget them," Ruby said simply.

"You make it sound like something easy."

"I know it probably isn't, but think about it. Why care about them when you have people who actually love you surrounding you daily. You have Jaune, Ren, and Nora, and me. And I'm sure Yang, Blake and Weiss feel the same. Though Weiss' love might still be mixed with celebrity infatuation, I'm sure she'll get over it. Point is, we all love you to a great extent."

"If that be the case, then why does Jaune act so formal around me? He practically worships the ground I trod on, and while I'm sure most people would like that, I don't. Humility is a trait I value dearly, you know this." Pyrrha firmly planted her hands on the dirt, invading Ruby's personal space. "Might I also tie in the fact that Jaune always seems intimidated by me whenever we spar."

"Being a human rag doll isn't pleasant..." Ruby mumbled, fumbling to save face when Pyrrha wilted at her words. "B-But, that's just Jaune! You know his confidence in his skill is an all-time low! I'm sure things will be smoother with some more sessions."

Pyrrha answered with a despondent grunt, not entirely convinced.

"Putting aside the Jaune dilemma; Ren and Nora, how do they treat you?"

Pyrrha slouched further into the tree trunk, looking rather 'normal'─if that were the right term─since their meeting. Posture always perfect, Pyrrha held a regal atmosphere to her. Right now, she just resembled a normal teenager, going through a tired phase in their life. "Nora's just Nora. She doesn't treat me like I'm a deity who demands respect. She treats me like an actual person, someone who she can talk to, and make jokes with, and I'm grateful. She probably doesn't know it, though." Pyrrha let a soft smile quirk her lips as she talked about her hyperactive friend. "Ren… he's not much different than Nora. Respectful most of the time, but he'll say something funny once or twice."

"What about me?"

"You?"

"Do I treat you any different to the others?"

Pyrrha's head dipped, focus on her lap. "You… You're different from the rest. Considerably so. You treat me like I'm someone you've known your whole life like we're best friends. You don't treat me like some idol who has to be respected, you're kind of like Nora in that way, but still… you." Pyrrha cast her gaze out onto the crystal river, the shifting waters taking her back to when the two first met, and their first hug. It'd felt… nice. "You're not intimidated by me like most are, and you're not afraid to speak your mind." She smiled at the teen. "You're literally the first person to ever hug me without it feeling stiff, or forced."

"Whaaaat? No way." Ruby gasped in disbelief.

"Yes, way." Pyrrha chuckled as she copied Ruby's jargon.

"How is that even possible? Everyone should be able to experience the joy of receiving hugs!"

"As I've said before, a lot of people are intimidated by me."

"Bah! A bunch of idiots!"

Pyrrha's genial laugh echoed in the still night like a melody. "You know, I admire you, Ruby."

"You do? Why?"

"You're not afraid to speak up about your feelings. What you view as right from wrong." Pyrrha brought her gaze up to stare straight at her friend/crush's face. "It might be safe to say, that's why I find myself liking you."

"You… l-like me?" The confession came like a rude awakening in the morning. Suddenly, Ruby felt faint as her heart pulsed twice as fast, her stomach tying itself in knots. Pyrrha liked… her? But, what about Jaune?

"I do," Pyrrha said confidently, refusing to show fear or apprehension. If she was going through with this, she was going all in.

"Jaune!" She blurted out, slapping her hands over mouth. She couldn't let her surprise get the best of her, lest she'd be waking the others no doubt.

"Yes, what about him?" Pyrrha didn't understand what role her blonde partner played in this conversation.

"I thought you two would've been a couple or something! You're together most of the time I see you, and you worry a lot about him!"

A dry groan rumbled in Pyrrha's throat as she splayed her fingers across her face. "Not you too."

"I don't get it."

"Jaune and I are only friends. We're not in some intimate relationship." Why did it seem problematic for a boy and a girl to be just friends without there being some lovey-dovey connection involved.

"Wow, guess Weiss and Blake were right… and they won the bet… dang." Ruby grumbled, snapping her fingers.

"Bet?" An arched brow. "What bet?"

"Me and the girls made a bet. Yang thinks you and Jaune are dating, and so did I, but Blake and Weiss said that's unlikely. Weiss was harsher in her wording though."

"How harsh?"

"She said Jaune's too much of a coward to ask you out."

"That's really cold." Pyrrha grimaced.

"Yeah, good ol' Weiss. So, we made a bet, and whoever won gets one hundred lien from the loser." Ruby let her head droop. "I'm about to be one hundred lien shorter."

"Wait, so you were of the opinion Jaune and I were dating?"

"Yeah, like I said, you two spend almost every waking hour together. Doesn't leave one much to think, ya know?"

"I can't believe it," Pyrrha exhaled, this topic made her more worn out the longer it drew on.

"Me neither. I'm about to a hundred lien poorer!" Ruby bit her lip, head to the side as she cried comically.

'Not exactly the problem here, Ruby…'

The preposterous topic served as fuel for their conversation until Pyrrha made an off-hand about 'Ursa Major' shining brightly tonight, which opened the floor for a new subject because Ruby didn't know one squat about constellations.

Many would find the questions asked to be irritating after some time, but Pyrrha casually explained what each visible constellation represented. Ruby, for her part, listened enraptured as Pyrrha taught her. In this lighting, Pyrrha seemingly appeared wiser beyond her years.

For their first constellation, the elder teen touched the subject of Ursa Major. A name which meant 'the greater she-bear', in a dead language, and that if they connected the stars, they could visualize the great mammal. Trying her best, Ruby sought to connect the stars, encountering great difficulty in doing so since she held little to no knowledge on the incandescent bodies of light.

Noting her friend's struggle, Pyrrha heaved Ruby into her lap, causing the girl to yelp. As the taller of the two, Pyrrha rested her chin on the top of Ruby's head, gently taking one of her hand's in her own, and extending her index finger. She guided Ruby's hand as she joined the dots together, aiding her with her trouble.

"Pretty." Ruby breathed, amazed by the small dots that created the giant bear.

"Isn't it?" Subconsciously, Pyrrha drew her arms tighter around Ruby. She fit snuggly against Pyrrha's form, much like a soft teddy bear. "And, within Ursa Major is an asterism known as the 'Big Dipper' which is composed of the seven brightest stars."

"Asterism?"

"It's just a fancy name for a pattern or group of stars."

"It's pretty cool you know so much about constellations, Pyrrha." Ruby shifted her posture so she could look up at her friend, eyes full of new wonder.

"Yes, well, when the pressure mounted to the point where I couldn't deal with it, I would sneak out to the roof of my house at night and gaze at the stars." Pyrrha broke eye contact, stare fixed on the glowing dots above. "I realized it was soothing and helped me relax, cleared my mind from the hectic thoughts."

"Do you think you could teach me?"

Pyrrha brought her gaze back down, meeting inquisitive eyes. "I'd be delighted." She smiled.

Time passed by as teacher and pupil made mental records of the constellation visible tonight. Through some trial and error, Ruby had been able to connect a few stars on her own, forming some other star patterns.

"You never gave me your answer."

Ruby, who at the time was trying her hand at another constellation, lost focus when her friend spoke. "My answer?"

"I told you that I like you, but you never told me if you liked me back."

"O-Oh…" Pyrrha's expression was as normal as could be, though slightly tired, having been on watch for a good hour and a half now. Emerald eyes stared at her with muted curiosity. Ruby realized that she'd been quiet for a while now, and probably should give her answer soon before her silence gave the wrong impression. "I don't not like you if that means anything. I do like being around you, and sometimes I get super happy when I see you and get to spend time with you. And, I'm always eager to see you duelling, and sometimes, you'd ask me if I wanted to spar and I'd say yes, even though you usually beat me in the span of twenty minutes, but that doesn't take away the fun from it-"

"Ruby, breathe."

Squeaky rambling halted as Pyrrha's interruption served her as a reminder of the importance of breathing. She inhaled once, twice, three times before she understood how long she was going without pause.

"Thanks."

"Not a problem." Pyrrha hummed. "Would you like to try again? A shorter version this time?"

Ruby mhm'd, letting her cheek rest on a sturdy bicep, sakura pink coating her nose bridge as she swallowed. "I like you too, Pyrrha, but I also like Blake, and we're together." She shifted, hiding her face. "And, I feel really bad for it. Liking two people at once? Is that even right? Is that even fair to Blake? I don't know… I feel… icky because of it."

"You feel as though you're betraying Blake's emotions for you." Pyrrha easily summed up. "Humans usually try to be monogamous creatures, though, in some instances, we find ourselves wanting more. That's where polygamy comes in."

"Polygamy?"

"Yes, it means having more than one marriage partner, or sex wise." She clarified.

"Is polygamy right?"

"Hmm, it all boils down to opinion. Some see it as a disgusting, and greedy way of life, while others have no problem with it at all." Pyrrha jostled her arm a touch, gaining Ruby's attention. "I didn't tell you I like you to have you start questioning yourself, that wasn't my intention, and I'm sorry if it made you uncomfortable. I just wanted to get it off my chest instead of letting it suffocate me."

"Well… what do I do now?"

"Explain, please?"

"You like me, and I like you a bit too, but I like Blake a lot, does that mean I have to start dating you too?" Ruby could be so innocent.

"No, no!" Pyrrha denied vehemently. "Ruby, you're not entitled to doing anything like that. I'm not interested in driving a wedge between you and Blake, Oum knows it'd ride my conscience until the day I die. I can see how happy you two are together, Blake especially."

"Yeah," thoughts of Blake revealing who she really was that day in the park drifted to mind. She'd been so happy to see her friend again. A heavy, guilty weight being lifted from her shoulders. Since then, the two had grown closer, and we're almost inseparable at times, "we are."

"I hope your happiness lasts you both for a lifetime." 'But should something happen−heavens forbid−I vow to be the one to pick up the pieces.'

"Thank you, Pyrrha."