White Sheep

Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Just to let people know, College Fool is taking a bit of a break at the moment and so didn't beta this chapter. The plan was sent, and CF did get a chance to comment on that – but any minor mistakes are mine.

Beta: College Fool

Cover Art: Kegi Springfield

Chapter 20 – Lambent Hopes

Weiss crossed her arms and held her ground, even as Ruby's mouth fell open.

"You can't ground me!" The young girl cried. "You're my team leader, not my Mom or Dad. Why am I even being grounded? This doesn't make sense!"

"Why?" Weiss raised an arch eyebrow and put some extra emphasis on the word. She couldn't believe Ruby was even asking. "Ruby, you and Jaune went out once on your own, and you managed to not only get into a fight with a criminal, but also get taken hostage, nearly molested, not to mention Jaune had a warehouse fall on him!"

Ruby paused, flushed, and then mumbled something under her breath. When she looked back up, it was with defiant eyes. "So...?"

"So, you're grounded. That's my final decision. Neither you nor Jaune are allowed out of Beacon without someone to chaperone you."

"That's not fair!"

"Not fair!? Ruby, you're lucky I'm even considering letting you out at all." Lucky indeed, since her first instinct after hearing the story was to lock the girl in a padded room and throw away the key. How could someone even exist when they were so drawn to trouble? The two of them were hazards. Mostly to themselves! The initial guilt she felt at not being there to help her teammate was nothing compared to the protective streak that reared its head. "And if you're worried about family then don't worry. I already discussed this with your sister. She seemed positively relieved."

"Yang, you traitor!" Ruby howled.

"Sorry~" the blonde's voice came through the wall. Ruby ignored it.

"Weiss, you can't listen to her. Of course she would say that. I had everything under control."

Not from what she'd heard. Weiss tapped one foot on the floor, teeth grinding together as she recalled Ren's detailed account of how Ruby was captured, held, and then nearly abducted before their eyes. After all that, she thought Weiss was going to let her gallivant through Vale on her own again?

Ha! Fat chance!

"If you believe your sister is being unfair, I could ask your father," Weiss suggested, smiling when Ruby froze up. "I'm sure Yang would give me his scroll number."

"N-No. That's fine." Ruby laughed nervously. "I don't think we need to go that far."

"Hm, well. Perhaps you'll accept my completely fair and rational terms, then." Weiss relented with a sigh. "Don't think of it as being grounded. Just think of them as... precautions."

"Weiss... you're grounding me. There isn't any other way to say this."

"It's not so bad, Ruby..." Pyrrha stepped in with a guilty laugh. "I personally think there's nothing wrong with them. They're for your own safety, after all."

"I'm not allowed to leave Beacon without you or Weiss with me. I'm not allowed to go into Vale on my own, or on my own with Jaune unless I have one of you, Yang, or Ren with me." Ruby paused. "Why isn't Nora or Blake on the list?"

Weiss shrugged. "Ren covers for both of them. Frankly, there's no way you would be able to go into Vale with him without Nora tagging along, and no way she'd go without dragging Blake along, no matter how much she protested."