En Garde! A RWBY White Rose Fanfiction

Chapter 15: Reformed Resolve

~Weiss~

"How did we even get here?!"

"Shh, it's starting!"

Somehow, Yang had convinced her new friend to eat lunch with them and see the new Laser Team movie. And naturally, Ice Queen and Little Red tagged along.

"But they were arguing over the best-tasting fish fifteen minutes ago!" Weiss hissed to Ruby.

The brunette shrugged in response. "Yang has a strange way of making friends."

"I'll say." The heiress sat back in her seat and grumbled to herself. She didn't even know what Laser Team was about, except maybe lasers.

•••

Fifteen minutes into the movie, Weiss grew restless. She could be doing so many other important things right now, such as doing homework or studying or planning her dress for homecoming. Yes. She'd pick the perfect gown to render Neptune sp-

"Hahahahaha! Weiss, did you see that?!" Ruby yelled in excitement.

"I'm right here! No need to yell! And weren't you just telling me to be quiet?!" Weiss snapped.

Ruby replied by mimicking her in a high-pitched voice and went back to watching the movie, chuckling.

"That. Is. It! I'm leaving," Weiss told her cousin and promptly shot out of her seat. Blake paid no attention to the heiress storming by her, as she was too busy fighting with Yang over the popcorn bowl.

Ruby, however, got up after her. "Weiss, wait! Where are you going?"

The heiress wheeled around to face the girl in red. "Somewhere far away from you."

"I didn't..."

Weiss stomped out without another word.

"Oh, no you don't," Ruby muttered angrily and followed.

"Weiss, I thought we were finally starting to get along!" Ruby exclaimed once they were outside the theater.

The heiress signed audibly and turned back to face her. "Just because you forced your way into my life like this doesn't mean I'm gonna let you control it!"

"Forced?" Ruby looked confused, then shocked. "I'm not trying to force anything. This is what people do when they try to make friends, Weiss. They introduce themselves, get along with your other friends, ask you to hang out!"

"I know what making friends is!" Weiss retorted. "I'm not an idiot!"

"...Do you?"

"I..."

Did she? Weiss could count her friends on her fingers, to say the least. Blake. Did Blake count?

"Of course I do!"

Weiss had only let her expression fluctuate between rage and doubt for just a second, but it was long enough for Ruby to understand. 

"I get it," the little brunette mumbled and sulked back into the theater.

Weiss didn't follow.

•••

"Where's Ruby today?" Jaune asked during lunch the following Monday. "I thought I saw her during history. She hasn't skipped a single day hanging out with us for the past few months, so I'm kinda worried." He looked at Weiss.

"How would I know?" the heiress shrugged. "I could care less."

Everyone at the table frowned. "...What?" Weiss snapped.

"I think I might know where to find her," Pyrrha suggested as she stood up. "I'll go look." She left without another word.

"Pyrrha is so considerate," Jaune mumbled dreamily. Weiss dramatically rolled her eyes and went back to reading her calculus textbook.

~Ruby~

"I don't recall you ever joining me in robotics club," Penny mused as the little brunette slumped into the seat next to her best friend.

"I just thought it'd be good to spend some time together," Ruby half-lied. "Plus, robot stuff seems fun. Do I get to make a weapon?" Her eyes lit up.

Penny laughed at her predictable friend. "It depends," she responded.

"That's...not a 'no'," Ruby grinned and began grabbing random robot parts that looked cool. Penny sat back and watched her struggle. The face Ruby made while concentrating was amusing.

After a moment of quiet chatter, the echo of footsteps resonated from the hallway. Ruby turned towards the door out of habit and hope to find that the girl she'd been daydreaming of seeing was replaced with another familiar face.

Pyrrha scanned the room until her calculating green eyes fell upon Ruby. The brunette shrank back in her chair. I've been caught.

The redhead walked up to them and smiled. "Can I have Ruby for a moment?"

Penny looked confused. "Sure..."

Ruby turned and gave her friend an apologetic look before following Pyrrha just outside of the classroom.

"You're here because of Weiss, aren't you?" Pyrrha asked.

"No beating around the bush, then," Ruby chuckled. "Yeah, you guys didn't do anything wrong. Promise. My sister and I happened to run into Weiss and her...cousin...on Friday, and we ended up going to a movie because my sister apparently has a thing for the cousin, and..."

Pyrrha had started laughing. "What?" the brunette asked.

"I didn't expect a detailed explanation here," the green-eyed girl responded. "But I think I understand the issue. Weiss isn't exactly a...people-person, you know. She had an even more snobbish personality when she was little, and the effects have carried into the present. She doesn't believe that anyone is actually interested in being friends with her. To Weiss, it's all about money and power. Who wouldn't want to be friends with the rich girl?"

"I never thought about it like that," Ruby muttered and stared at her feet. "But she said she doesn't like me, anyways. I figured it'd just be better if I left her alone."

"That's not true, especially with Weiss," Pyrrha disagreed. "If that's what she thinks of you, then you have to keep working as hard as you can to prove her wrong."

Silver and green met in a moment of empathy.

Ruby grinned. "Then I'll just have to do that!" She looked back to the classroom. "But what about Penny...?"

"She understands that there are other people besides her that you talk to. But you should stay with Penny for today."

"Man, Pyrrha," Ruby chuckled. "When did you get so good at this whole understanding people thing? I have a lot to learn."

The redhead smiled. "Watch and listen. You'd be surprised by how much you can pick up from a simple conversation."

AN: thanks for reading! Things are taking an interesting turn now that Ruby finally realizes what Weiss must be thinking of her. However, there's still a big secret the heiress is keeping. Will she learn to trust in the girl working so hard to win her affections?