Archive of Our Own

Weiss Schnee has defeated many foes, her victories shaping who she is today, and her losses teaching her valuable lessons. But no matter what she faced, what cruel grimm or terrible challenge knocked her down, she always got back up, and fought until the bitter end.

The Arma Gigas, the ghastly knight, stood as a mechanized suit of armor possessed by a geist, a challenge even seasoned huntsmen would face with caution, yet it had fallen to her blade. The scar she wears is proof of her own tenacity, and though she hasn’t mastered summoning yet, she knows it has become part of her very soul.

The countless grimm of the Emerald Forest, alongside the Ancient Nevermore that team RWBY brought down before they were even officially a team. They were defeated through something she never thought she’d have: true friends to fight by her side.

Even criminals, like the splinter cell of the White Fang, one she learned from Blake was nothing like the old White Fang, had been bested time and time again by team RWBY.

Right down to an oversized mech, piloted by an ego-maniac. It, like all others, had fallen.

All, until now that is, as Weiss faces a beast unlike any other, and for once she knows that she is beaten. She nearly cries in frustration, for despite everything she has done, for the first time, she feels hopeless.

With a muted thump, her head hits the hard surface beneath her, and a death rattle-like groan might possibly be the last sound she utters. There is nothing more to do.

“You good there, Weiss-cream?” asks the voice of one of her teammates.

Lifting her head from her work table, Weiss faces the source of the sound, conveniently ignoring her Advanced Dust Theory and Application essay, which lays woefully un-written before her, bearing only a threadbare opening paragraph that she has rewritten more times than she can count.

Staring down at her from her top bunk, the golden visage of Yang Xiao Long is the picture of concern, lilac eyes worriedly observing her, taking in every minute detail, trying to figure out how to help her forlorn teammate.

“No Yang, I think I’m dying,” Weiss informs her in complete monotone, “please, bury me facing the petunias, they’re my favorite.”

Yang doesn’t buy it, and of all the surprises she’s endured this one isn’t one.

“Mmmkay, spill Ice Queen, why the doom and gloom? Do I need to get Blake? Because really, this is her vibe you’re stealing. Tell me the truth, please.”

Weiss can’t help but smile softly at the jest, damn Yang not even letting her mope a little before cheering her up.

“You got me. Petunias aren’t actually my favorite, they're in the top fifteen at most.”

“Ice Queen,” Yang warns, “I can and will call Ruby to give you the puppy dog eyes until you tell us, or you can save us both the trouble.”

“Alright, alright,” she raises her hands in mock surrender, “it’s this grimm tainted essay. I just can't find the words, nor what to even write about.”

Yang jumps down from her bunk, dangerously shaking the whole contraption and once again amazing Weiss that it’s even standing, before Yang wanders next to her, looking down at her essay, if it can even be called that.

Though Weiss sometimes complains about her brute of a teammate, she has grown to love the fiery brawler. Just her presence alone is enough to envelop her in a comforting warmth, one that at first had been so alien compared to her life before Beacon.

It had taken months before Weiss got comfortable asking for help, and it had been Blake’s near self-destruction due to her own reluctance that made Weiss reexamine that stance. She had a team, friends, actual family that cared, and she could safely ask for help with no ridicule nor teasing.

“Ice Queen, I’m glad you’ve warmed up to us and all, but uhh, did something melt and slip out? You’re like the queen of Dust?”

With minimal teasing, she mentally rectifies.

“Heiress, actually,” she corrects, which would have been a cute callback, had it not been for the fact that Yang was the only member of team RWBY not present during it. She nevertheless moves on. “And you’d think so! Had it been any other Dust type, this would have been a cinch, but apparently the Brothers made Hardlight Dust specifically to torment me!”

“Since Hardlight is manmade, I doubt the gods have anything to do with it–”

“That’s conjecture!”

“–and in any case,” Yang places a comforting hand on Weiss’ shoulder, “you’re wicked smart. You got Ruby to understand subjects that no teacher at Signal could, you’ve aced almost every test we’ve faced, and you’re Weiss Schnee, You don’t give up, ever. It’s like a fundamental law of the universe.”

Those wonderful lilac eyes, brimming with so much care and understanding, they fill Weiss with hope. And as icy blue finds the eyes of her teammate made of sun, it feels a bit less daunting.

“So c’mon Weissicle, I said spill.” Her tone is soft and inviting, and her smile infectious. “What is it about Hardlight that's got your brain in a twist.”

With one last yearning look at the empty document, hoping she could somehow will a written essay into existence, Weiss pushes away from the table and sits down with Yang on Blake’s bunk.

“It’s just–” she struggles to even know where to start in regards to this nightmare substance, “it’s everything about it!” She throws her hands up in exasperation.

“It’s as if someone took every established rule about how Dust is supposed to work and function, and simply threw it all away! I mean, just the basic structure alone is off. It doesn’t represent any naturally occurring element, not even in the abstract way gravity Dust does, and furthermore it has only three isotopes!” She scoffs in disbelief, and Yang is only still following thanks to growing up with Ruby.

“Can you believe it! Every other Dust type has numerous isotopes and even variances within the crystalline structure, completely altering a Dust crystal’s potential uses, and that’s not even touching on exact value mixing for Dust types made from different base elements!”

Weiss snaps her head towards Yang, her burning blue eyes showing clear her passion, had she not already known just from listening to Weiss rant.

“Do you know what normal and sane Dust type has the least amount of variance? The fewest Isotopes?!”

“Uhh, I–”

“It’s Wind Dust, which has nine. Three times as many as Hardlight, and yet Wind is a complete outlier when compared to others! Fire Dust has an estimated 63 isotopes, whose uses range from simple fuels to heating grids to weapons capable of punching a hole through a leviathan!”

Yang feels slightly proud that she knew that about Fire Dust already. Granted, she knew because Weiss had corrected a teacher, multiple times by the by, regarding the red Dust. But still, she was proud that she had retained it. She realizes that she has zoned out, and focuses back on what Weiss is saying.

“...and of course that’s without even touching on Dust consumption rates. Of all Dust types I’ve used, Hardlight does the least for my semblance, yet burns through the fastest. Frankly I hardly see a need to load Myrtenaster with it anymore, I barely use it.

Despite this, Hardlight is used everywhere! Amity has Hardlight shields, Argus has their Hardlight Barriers. Even Scrolls use a small amount of Hardlight Dust to form the screens! Yet have you ever needed to change a scroll’s Dust supply?” She asks rhetorically, and Yang pauses.

“I mean, I charge it occasionally, but otherwise… no?” She almost said ‘Otherweiss’ and mentally saves the pun for another time, since current Weiss looks like she’s about to get lethal over Dust Science.

“Exactly! Unlike every other conceivable Dust type, which needs to be consistently mined from Clusters whenever they form in order to replenish itself, Hardlight devices can be of monumental scale, yet still function for extended periods. Yet using them in weaponry and semblances, expends the Dust faster than your typical Crystal.”

Weiss almost seems to collapse in on herself, resting her elbows on her knees, she buries her head in her hands.

“They drain faster, yet can somehow be used over and over again. They can form projectiles and barriers, yes, but somehow also complex shapes, curves and bends that shouldn’t be possible, and even detailed models. They don’t grow naturally, yet also don’t collapse in on themselves, calling into question so much of what we thought we knew, and despite their inane complexity and irregularity, there are only three types. Only three isotopes. It just doesn’t make sense.”

Yang looks at her disheartened teammate, and rubs soothing circles on the blanchette’s back. She understood maybe, if she’s being generous, 45% of what Weiss was saying, but this was more for the girl to get it out of her system. Now that she has, Yang can be solution oriented.

“Yeah, I don’t think any of us, or JNPR for that matter, are going to be of much help. ‘Specially since you’re the only one mad enough to want to listen to more of Greene’s lectures.” A weak, yet still fierce, glare is all the response she gets from the Ice Queen.

Yang lifts one hand in surrender, the other still soothing the girl. “Hey don’t give me that, I know the feeling. I’m all alone in mechanics, my own dearest sister, my flesh and blood, abandoning me for more weapons classes, like she needs them.” Yang hears the quiet snort in response to her over dramatics, and considers it a win.

“But seriously, I have a point I want to make. No one in our year is going to be of much help, not the people you share your elective with, let alone any of our friends. So why not ask an upperclassman?”

Weiss straightens up in consideration, before looking at Yang in mild confusion.

“Who would I even ask? The only senior classmates I know are from CFVY, and their styles don’t use Hardlight. Yatsuhashi and Fox both use blades, and Coco only uses typical elemental Dusts for Gianduja, I doubt she’d know much more than me.”

“You’re leaving out a member in your consideration, there.”

“Who, Velvet? The girl fights with martial arts, and granted she’s extremely skilled and very talented at that, but that hardly matters here, does it?”

“Mmhm, you’d think so, but a little birdie accidentally told me–”

“It was Ruby, wasn’t it?”

“Yes it was, now shush, she accidentally told me that Velvet’s weapon, Anesidora, is Hardlight based. It’s the camera she’s always carrying around.”

Weiss' eyes widen a little, before narrowing back at Yang.

“If this is meant to be secret, why would you share it with me? That completely breaks both Ruby’s trust and Velvet’s! I mean, I could spread this even further and–”

“But would you?”

“Wha, no, of course not! I just…” Weiss sighs.

“You’re just worried because of your terrible first impression with Velvet, and you don’t want her to think worse of you?” At Weiss’ slow dejected nod, Yang continues. “Listen Weiss, Velvet is one of the kindest people I’ve ever met. I told you because you were falling apart over an essay that’s only due in… when is it actually due?”

“The evening of this coming Sunday…” Weiss mumbles, almost ashamed.

“Exactly, only in– wha, wait, huh?” Surprised, Yang double checks the calendar. Sure enough, it’s still Friday. It’s still the afternoon… And Weiss has homework due in a little over 48 hours. Weiss, who famously completes homework weeks in advance, who once happened to see what a coming assignment would be, and completed it before it had even been handed out. That Weiss.

Weiss groans, burying her head further in her hands, “I know, I know. It’s just, everytime I tried, I just got frustrated, and kept delaying it, and now I have no time to actually do it, and ughhh…” her entire posture goes limp and she collapses onto the bed, curling in on herself.

“Hey, hey, we’ve all been there. You wouldn’t believe the amount of times me and Roobes pulled all-nighters back when we were both at Signal.” Coaxing the smaller girl up, Yang gives her a comforting smile, though it nearly falters at the bleary eyed look on Weiss’ face.

With all the anger vented, Weiss looks close to tears and the shame she feels is obvious. Yang couldn’t have helped the sisterly instinct that pulls Weiss into a warm embrace, even if she had tried.

Weiss freezes for a moment, her entire body tensing, before her mind recognizes the physical affection she’s still so unused to, and she completely melts into the hug, burying her face in the crook of Yang’s neck, letting soft curls and warm arms calm her down.

Yang still gets surprised by how affectionate the team’s resident Ice Queen really turned out to be, and how frightfully touch starved the girl was, and still is, with the team (mostly her and Ruby) finding out they needed to be careful with physical affection, lest they overwhelm the poor girl.

“You’re alright, Weiss-cream, you’re alright. You’re allowed to struggle with things. You didn’t know the stuff for the Survival and Wilderness tests, so you asked your team. And now you can ask Velvet and get help here. Asking for help is part of what makes a great Huntress.” Yang smiles down at the girl in her arms, how relaxed she’s gotten, and pats her on the back. “You’re Weiss Schnee, you don’t let anything keep you down, let alone some essay.”

Weiss looks up at Yang, at her best friend, and smiles. A true and bright smile, and the first real light in her otherwise gloom filled day.

“You’re right. I can do this. Thank you Yang I’m…” she has to pause to avoid tears, the hug is making her composure shaky, and though they’d be happy ones, she doesn’t quite want to deal with them right now, “I’m blessed that you decided to be my friend.”

Yang matches her smile with an ear to ear grin.

“Anytime, Ice Queen. Now go do the thing, remember, you got this.”

Weiss nods, semi-reluctantly gets up, sorts her things, and heads out the dorm. With a determined disposition, and a thankful wave to Yang, she heads out. She has got this.

She does not got this, oh Brothers above and below, what was she thinking?

Well, that’s rhetorical, she knows what she’s thinking, but to just waltz up, with information very few should be privy to, demanding her help? Especially after the beliefs she held? She still shudders in shame at the memories, the vitriol she had had.

Blake told her that she knew what it was like, how a part of getting better is regretting and even feeling ashamed of your past self. She factually knows this, but it does little to alter how she feels.

Before Beacon, when Weiss struggled, it was only Winter she felt safe asking for help. Her sister, though she never doubted her love, was a harsh teacher, and a harsher critic. It made her hesitant to ask until she’d exhausted every alternative.

Team RWBY was nothing like that, and the near shock of that revelation was enough to make Weiss feel wary, careful of hidden debts or other machinations. But there were none. Even still, she is their friend, and she helps them the same way they do her.

Wouldn’t it be so disrespectful to demand the same of Velvet?

Except, you wouldn’t be demanding. You’d be asking. Worst that happens is she says no, and that’ll be that.

Weiss sighs, her thoughts are correct, even if they feel like Yang’s voice again. She takes a deep breath, holds it, and releases. Repeating the technique Ruby taught her until she feels calm.

It’s just asking for help, if she’s to be a huntress or a CEO, she’ll have to learn how to do so eventually. She dons her icy mask, the cool composure sliding into place, hiding all her worries beneath a veneer of calm.

And immediately drops it. That persona, that mask, had been life saving back in Atlas, but here she’d learned it just made her unapproachable. Granted, sometimes that was a good thing, but now was not such a time. She collects herself, wearing her authentically anxious expression, and knocks on the door.

The door is (cutely) adorned in multi coloured lettering spelling out CFVY. Surrounding the little nameplate are tiny clip out drawings of coffee beans and small steaming mugs.

Beyond the door she can hear the muffled sound of some energetic tune. She’s not sure what it’s from, her two singular human ears not able to pick up the nuance, though she knows it isn’t Archive Men– She could pick out their entire damn album by heart after spending months living with Yang.

Through the music, she can pick out the mild sounds of someone shuffling around, soon followed by the word “Coming!” in a suave and smooth voice. Were Weiss the kind of woman to gulp nervously, she would have.

No, she’s just the type to fidget anxiously, wringing her hands whilst she restlessly waits. It would be so much easier to hide all of her emotions behind an icy mask. Not, y’know, healthier, or some such, but definitely easier.

The door opens and reveals the stylish fashionista herself, a woman who wears confidence as easily as she does designer threads. A woman, whose self satisfied smirk, quickly disappears once she sees Weiss.

She can’t really tell what Coco Adel is feeling, because despite her otherwise casual outfit, one well suited to a relaxed friday night in town (whilst still managing to be jaw droppingly stunning), Coco rocks her iconic beret and shades, utterly inappropriate for a semi-cloudy friday afternoon, yet worn so well one would hardly notice.

Not unless, of course, they were trying to gauge her reaction, and all those shades would offer is an anxious reflection of themselves. Though, were she a betting woman, she’d probably guess the immediate neutrality isn’t a good sign.

Coco takes a long appraising look at Weiss, or at least, she assumes that is what’s happening, once again: sunglasses. Either finding what she was looking for, or landing somewhere neutral, Coco addresses her.

“Schnee… What do you want?” Her tone is short, terse, and filled with no small amount of suspicion. None of those are good signs, which on the bright side, at least she recognizes now. Most of the time. Ruby would be proud.

That thought, however, does little to alleviate her current anxiety. Well, okay, it does make her happy, and her team’s unwavering support is invaluable, but while they may be understanding of her struggles, helping her whenever she stumbles, she can hardly expect that of a woman who barely knows her. Or rather, only knows her for the mask she wears. She tries to keep her hands from trembling.

“Ah, Coco. I was wondering if perhaps Velvet was available? I would very much like a word with her.” Ah, well, so much for being her authentic self, but in her anxiety it felt more natural to fall back on polite words and behavior like she had a thousand times before. She can already hear one of the sisters saying something ridiculous about ‘taking a girl out of Atlas.’

Yet the way Coco stiffens ever so slightly, eyes (presumably) narrowing, Weiss can say, with almost complete certainty, that she has said something wrong. Though what exactly eludes her. Again.

“And what ‘perchance’ do you want to talk to her about?” If her tone was short before, it’s practically miniscule now. Crisp and harsh, distrust laced in each and every syllable, and an undercurrent of protectiveness.

She knows her own teammates can be just as protective of her, and she of them, but that does little to soothe the craving to slip into the familiar persona, to speak with a chill that rivals the winters of Solitas. The righteous indignation is right on her tongue, but if she can just explain this logically and calmly, it’ll be fine.

“I assure you, I mean no harm. I simply wished to talk to her regarding Hardlight Dust for an assignme–” she hasn’t even finished her explanation before she is cut off, the interruption distressing her further. This is beginning to feel like a mistake.

“You mind running that by me again, Schnee?” Coco raises an inquisitive eyebrow, “Because for a moment it sounded like you were talking about things you shouldn’t know, so either someone blabbed, or you’ve been sticking your nose where it shouldn’t go.”

Weiss narrows her eyes in turn, “well I’m sure if you let me finish a sentence, I could explai–”

“Yeah, I’m not so sure about that.”

Weiss is going scream, this is officially the last time she listens to Yang.

Despite Weiss' internal anguish, Coco continues. “See, with the Vytal festival around the corner, I can make an educated guess of what you’re trying to do. I know your type, Schnee,” incidentally, cute brunettes with a sunshine attitude, “and given everything associated with you? I’m not so sure I can trust you.”

Weiss wants to be offended, but it isn’t as if she’s unaware of many people’s first impression of her, nor how her Father’s company treats faunus… or her own opinions when she first joined Beacon. But she has improved and if she can just explain that, it’ll be fin–

“Coco!” If there truly is a greater power, it enjoys seeing her suffer. Though her fury is quickly abated when she sees the source of the (warm soft) voice.

Drying her hair, especially the ears which seem to give her trouble, Velvet steps into Weiss’ line of sight. Her hair is wet and still clinging to her skin, and she is adorned in a pair of cute brown slippers and a loosely tied bathrobe. And nothing else.

Sure, she’s decent, and Weiss has spent over half a year in a dorm with three other girls, one of whom is Yang Xiao Long, yet that doesn’t stop the furious blush from spreading up her neck and to the very tips of her ears, shading her in a deeper red than Ruby’s cape.

Despite Weiss’ internal (yet completely different and much more preferable) anguish, Velvet continues. “What have I told you about terrifying the freshmen?” Her question is obviously rhetorical, and her small pout is so effortlessly endearing.

Coco doesn’t answer, not immediately anyway, as her eyes dart between the very flustered state Weiss is in, and back to Velvet. Finding whatever she sees satisfactory, she smirks and lifts her hands in mock surrender, retreating back into their dorm, accompanied by vague shoo’ing motions by Velvet.

“Sorry about that, but now that lil miss suspicious butt isn’t trying to intimidate you–”

“I heard that!”

Velvet giggles slightly, the sound harmonic and delightful.

“What was it you wanted to ask me about?” Unlike Coco, there’s not a hint of distrust in that lightly accented voice, and if Velvet is in any way uneasy with Weiss, she doesn’t show it.

It takes her an embarrassing moment to compose herself again, because Velvet is still just in a bathrobe. And yes okay, it’s a very Atlesian reaction of her, she knows that, but still! Yet Weiss is nothing if not good at regaining her composure.

“You have nothing to apologize for, Velvet, I understand. My team can be rather…” memories flash of Blake threatening Jaune after Weiss had seemed genuinely uncomfortable “...protective as well. Coco had every reason to want to… What?” The fond exasperation is clear in Velvet’s eyes.

“Blake told me about the docks incident, about how you’ve grown, and I in turn told Coco. She’s just a protective dork who cares a lot.” Velvet explains, projecting her voice a bit at the end, and judging from the giggle she let out, got a reaction from Coco as well. “So yeah no worries, you can ask whatever.”

“Right, well uh, I was just wondering if you could help me with something regarding Hardlight, I uh–” Right she isn’t meant to know that, but Velvet’s eyes betray no shock, just endless patience for the flustered girl. And even as Weiss stutters a bit, there isn’t even a hint of judgment, or worse, pity. Instead it’s the same kind and warm smile that Ruby has for her. “Ruby kinda told Yang, and she told me, because I’m struggling with an assignment regarding Hardlight Dust.” The last part was barely a whisper, but Velvet nods anyway.

“Sure I’ll help you!” Weiss can’t contain the smile, as it feels like a dreadful burden has been lifted. “But I’ll need something in return.” And it fell back down. Immediately she is reminded of Atlas, how people only ever did things for her if they wanted her fame or money.

“Very well, what do you require?” If her more brusque and business like tone was noticeable, then neither commented.

Instead Velvet flashes her a smile that rivaled the sun itself. “I need some help with the Other Dust types! It’ll be a study date!” If Weiss wasn’t blushing before, with that simple word, she sure is now.

Velvet looks at her expectantly, but patiently, sharing a Look with Coco beyond Weiss’ visual range. “Right, yes, that sounds. Agreeable. Great. Let's do that.”

Velvet claps her hands in excitement, “Great! You find us a table, and I’ll get a bit more prepared,” she says, gesturing to her bathrobe, unintentionally making Weiss blush even more. Probably unintentionally, rather. “Find us a good spot, and I’ll see you then!”

With one last wave, which Weiss just barely scrambles enough brain cells to reciprocate, the door finally closes. And Weiss nearly slides down a wall in relief. She’s only ever stuttered like that around Ruby, and she still hadn’t figured out why. She shakes her head, that’s a mystery for a later time. Her study date said find a good spot, and by the Brothers she’ll do so.

The Beacon Library is almost religious in its devotion to knowledge; the long hall with a tall arched ceiling, bookended by a massive window, invokes images of old cathedrals rather than dusty libraries.

In fairness, considering that Beacon had been a castle before the great war, and had been remodeled and refurbished following the introduction of Hunter Academies, it was distinctly possible that the library had once upon a time served that exact purpose.

But now students bustle to and fro, some in a hurried rush to study for whichever test was upcoming, others doing the same exact thing but in a disinterested and lackadaisical manner, and others yet clearly enjoying the library air as they search for novels to indulge in, with Weiss being reasonably certain she saw Blake doing just that.

Though none would spare a glance to the isolated nook that Weiss had claimed, for none could see it. Situated on the second story, hidden away in a back corner, this small nook had become a favorite spot for both Weiss and Blake, as the two girls had learned when running into each other there. Repeatedly.

For Weiss, it was perfect. The small alcove was practically invisible from all but the most direct angles. It was where she would immerse herself into her studies, without fear of getting interrupted. It wasn’t just a good spot, it was the perfect spot.

Though that being said, she still had to wave to Velvet to get her attention. Practically invisible if you didn’t know where it was meant… well, practically invisible. She’d almost forgotten that in her excitement.

Yet when Velvet arrived, now clad in a casual outfit consisting of black leggings, dark cream shorts, and a brown jacket, she didn’t look upset in the slightest. Instead her eyes almost sparkled as she took in the small alcove.

“A year and a half in this school, and I’m still seeing new things,” she muttered quietly in awe, though still loud enough for Weiss to hear, “how’d you even find this place?”

“Before coming to Beacon, I spent a lot of time just reading by myself. Getting a team has been wonderful, but sometimes…" She trails off, unsure and hesitant.

Without a hint of anything negative, and even with some understanding, Velvet continues for her. “Sometimes it can be overwhelming? I know the feeling.” She wiggles her rabbit ears for emphasis.

“What’s that even like?” Weiss blurts out before her brain catches it, Velvet merely raises an eyebrow, but doesn’t look upset. “It’s just… I find excessive noise distracting at best, and overwhelming at worst.”

Velvet looks contemplative for a moment, before she flashes a cheeky smirk, “well it’s not as if I have anything else to compare it to.” At Weiss’ mortified expression, she giggles, “relax Weiss, it’s not bad that you asked. I suppose everything is rather loud? I hear most things going on around me. Sometimes that’s useful, other times it feels like I’m listening in. I’m used to it though.” She says, waving off Weiss’ concern.

She must have heard her entire conversation with Coco then, right down to the shifts in tone. Is that why she’s only been interjecting when Weiss is clearly done speaking? Could she tell it was distressing her? Minutely she shakes her head, chastising herself because right now isn’t the time.

“That sounds… like it’d be a lot. I’m guessing earplugs don’t work?” Velvet just shakes her head, responding that ones made for human ears and are uncomfortable for ears that are from traits, “well you’re welcome to use this space. I find noise doesn’t reach here as easily and both me and Blake come here when we need the silence.”

She doesn’t quite know why she’s offering, it’s one of the few spaces she feels she can calm down when everything gets too much, but it feels right to extend it to Velvet.

The rabbit faunus seems to understand the gravity of the offer, some measure of what this means to the heiress, as a small blush flickers across her cheeks, and wait what does That mean? Is the offer embarrassing? Did she overextend? Has she made Velvet uncomfortable?

“That’s very sweet, thank you Weiss,” Velvet’s voice is quiet, shy, and yet it loudly hushes the ice queen’s spiral. “Now, your assignment. What are you struggling with?”

So caught up in the joy that is Velvet, she had completely forgotten the arcane horror which haunted her. Her posture slackening a bit, she bit back a groan, as her frustrations with the uncanny Dust reared its head.

“I simply just…” Words once again fail her, but she feels encouraged by Velvet. “I disagree with it.”

That makes Velvet snort, an adorable sound that Weiss decides she must hear again, “you disagree with it?” Her tone is incredulous but incredibly amused.

“Yes! It seems keen on breaking every established rule which Dust sets out and also–” her rant carries on for a little bit, before she can feel herself becoming self conscious. Yet Velvet doesn’t seem to mind in the slightest, and neither did her eyes become unfocused and glassy after a while, like the rest of team RWBY tended to do when Weiss got into one of her (many) Dust rants.

“I think you’ve inadvertently answered a few of my own questions. But for one of yours, you’re viewing Hardlight in the wrong way. On a fundamental level, its crystal lattice is composed of less dense connections, causing fewer isotopic variances as there are very few ways the structure can form, without causing it to collapse, or for the base Dust types to merge into alternative Dust fusions.” She gives a wide excited smile to Weiss, “although I have a feeling you weren’t finished?”

Weiss can’t help the ear-to-ear grin that forms. Genuine elation so easily read, and it nearly rivals Ruby in a weapon shop. She launches into her speech, ranting about Hardlight, raving about other Dust forms. Unlike with Yang, who she knew she lost at multiple points, she doesn’t hold any details back with Velvet.

At a few points she pauses to ensure that Velvet hasn’t gone glassy eyed or that she looks disinterested, but she never does, instead always looking attentive and thoughtful, before answering back with equally detailed explanations, making Weiss’ heart beat with excitement.

They go back and forth like that, and when the natural lighting falters enough that Weiss needs to turn on a lamp, or the ambient sound has lowered enough, neither seems inclined to comment on it.

And Weiss is laughing. Not the polite giggles, or the occasional snort, full blown, cheek straining, laughter that only her teammates had been able to coax out of her. But it comes so easily with Velvet.

“No, no absolutely not, I refuse to believe that.” She manages to say, her breathing labored by her laughter.

“I’m serious!” Velvet insists, her own laughter and wide smile the most delightful thing in this library. “You should know, Ice Dust can create all sorts of shapes!”

“Not that complex! The level of control needed, and I understand the weapons, those are essentially following schematics. But a person? Why would he want that?” She asks incredulously.

“Not even the grimm could say. He seemed to think having them be easily portable to spread everywhere would be good ‘for morale’” She exclaims, with a silly mocking impersonation.

“I can’t imagine a translucent statue of General Ironwood appearing randomly would be good for anything other than a heart attack!” She protests.

“Oh it was so much worse,” Velvet says, struggling to take a deep breath, “his goal was for it to move. Whilst the plinth played inspirational quotes.”

“No way.”

“Yes way! I told him the amount of Hardlight needed just wasn’t feasible, and that he’d need a library for each pose.” She wipes a tear from her eye, “Anesidora can only do as much as she can, due to copying the internal mechanisms, and that still burns through the schematic.” She sighs deeply.

This left Weiss thoughtful, however. “If your weapon copies the mechanisms, can you use other Dust types if you summon, say, Myrtenaster?”

“Hmm, sort of? I need the actual dust, but I did experiment with implementing other dust types, but it’d take a lot to get results, and I’m already relying on the General for providing me with Hardlight Dust.” Resting her elbows on the table, and her head in her hands, Velvet tilts her head in thought. “Maybe once I become a huntress I’ll have enough lien to experiment, but y’know.” She shrugs.

That didn’t ease Weiss’ thoughtful frown, if anything it deepened it. “Why would you need to rely on the General?”

“Hmm? Well we went over this, the isotope used in major shields and scrolls is the rarest kind, and it’d still be a slow process to relight the crystals without a major power supply or by limiting Anesidora’s size.”

“Nono, that isn’t what I meant.” At Velvet’s curious, yet confused, head tilt, Weiss continues. “Why do you have to rely on the General for other Dust types for the experiment.”

Velvet seemingly wasn’t getting what Weiss was saying, so steeling herself, the heiress makes eye contact.

“I consider you a friend, Velvet, so I want you to rely on me as well.”

A small blush blooms on Velvet’s face, “That’s really sweet Weiss, but I wouldn’t want to take advantage of our friendship.” Her eyes dart down to the table between them, where a veritable sea of notebooks and dense textbooks have amassed, as well as a small pile of trash from snacks and the paper that had housed the sandwiches Weiss had quickly gotten earlier.

Reaching out to lay her hand on Velvet’s, Weiss makes eye contact and gives a comforting smile. “And I say it’s no trouble. I can’t do much to change the SDC before I inherit, but I can make sure it gets used for something good.” Weiss' thumb brushes over Velvet’s hand. “You’re innovating on what Hardlight was believed to do, think of what else you could do.”

When Velvet didn’t respond for a few moments, Weiss followed her gaze to where their hands were linked, quickly retracting her own hand, blushing profusely all the while.

But as Velvet gently held her hand to her chest, she chanced a look over at Weiss. “You’re not so bad yourself.”

“What? Huh?” Weiss looked up at her bewildered.

“You’re passionate, more passionate than anyone I’ve met, and you hardly glanced at the textbooks to remember so many details,” Velvet made eye contact, her eyes sparkling, “Weiss, you’re amazing!”

Their eyes remained locked for a moment, before they broke the trance simultaneously, both of them blushing profusely. There was a slight buzzing feeling, but Weiss ignored it.

“How did you get interested in all of this?” Weiss asked, her voice so soft, yet easily heard by Velvet. The rabbit faunus, still blushing, looked uncertain. “I mean, how did you gain this interest in Hardlight?”

At that, Velvet smiled, as a mostly fond memory found the forefront of her mind, “it was when I was still so very young. My parents didn’t quite agree on a lot of things, and my mom couldn’t take Atlas anymore. Even Mantle had, and still has, issues with faunus.” Her smile turns a touch sad. “I didn’t see her a lot for a while, my school was in Mantle, so I could only see her during vacations.

We couldn’t do video calls, since she lived in an area with poor CCT coverage, and I remember feeling sad and missing her, when my dad noticed and brought me to his office. He is a scientist for Ironwood, and one the forefront of Hardlight experimentation, and he showed me this little prototype.”

Weiss listens with rapt attention, ignoring that increasing feeling of buzzing, as Velvet smiles fondly, her eyes unfocused as she walks down the memory.

“It was this tiny thing, their first attempt at making a complicated model. The smallest ballerina made of blue light, gossamer thin and so so fragile, but gently spinning. She looked on the verge of breaking under her own weight, but she didn’t. It was like magic.” She shakes her head minutely. “He handed it to me, and told me to be very careful with it. So whenever I missed my mom, I’d activate it and watch it light up my room and spin so gently.”

Eyes refocusing at Weiss, she smiles wide and bright, and reaches down next to her bag, and pulls out Anesidora, before fiddling a bit with it. Placing it on the table, Weiss watches a small 3-inch tall ballerina, sturdy and solid, spin slowly out of the lens of the camera.

“I’d eventually use it, this little abandoned prototype, to create Anesidora, and I just kept working off of the base, improving and adjusting.” Her smile at the little ballerina is full of pride and memories. “Before I knew it, it was my favorite substance in the world. How about yourself?”

Tearing her eyes away from the small projection, all the implications and hard work that must have gone into it, Weiss can only respond in the most elegant and dignified way. “Huh?”

Velvet merely smiles, as she packs up Anesidora once more, “Dust. I figured you’d have to know some as the heiress, but this amount? And do you have a favorite type as well?” Her eyes brighten, “wait, don’t tell me, is it ice Dust?”

She knows Velvet’s joking, but it still calls on a bittersweet feeling, an almost melancholy. Velvet must have seen this because her face takes on an apologetic quality, and that won’t do.

Before she can even utter a syllable, Weiss explains. “Ice Dust is Winter’s favorite, she’s my sister,” an unnecessary addition, since Velvet’s from Mantle, “back before she joined the military, she was the person who taught me how to use Dust, all the ways it was so much more than just a valuable resource. And though she never said it outright, she always seemed so excited when we talked about Ice Dust. It’s versatile, it can do almost as much as Hardlight, both offensive and defensive, and it has this elegant quality. I can easily see why it’s her favorite.”

“But it’s not yours?” Velvet ventures, her ears standing alert in interest rather than curled in shame. Weiss smiles, as the buzzing feeling grows more incessant.

Weiss shakes her head fondly, this is almost reminding her of when Ruby asked for her favorite color. Coincidentally, the answer is the same, “It’s red. Red Dust, or fire Dust rather. I’ve always found it fascinating, it has the second most isotopes, but more uses than any other Dust type, with each variance being so unique, it is beyond compare.” She can tell there is an almost reverent note to her voice, “Winter left the mansion when I was still so young, but every time she’d visit, I’d have learned something else, and more often than not, it was Fire Dust.”

Velvet hums, a soft smile that Weiss can’t quite read. “I can see that. It makes sense. You’re passionate, exciting, and you have something of a temper,”

“Hey!”

“And most of all, underneath that mask, you’re a very warm person.” She finishes, that same soft smile piercing Weiss’ heart. She feels the buzzing even more strongly now.

“You should probably pick that up.” Velvet suggests, pointing at the scroll in her pocket that’s been trying to get her attention.

Weiss jolts in surprise, before fishing out her scroll, the source of the buzz. Opening it, she sees there are– how are there 37 missed calls.

The scroll begins buzzing again, and Weiss motions to Velvet that she’ll be right back, before accepting the call.

“Hello–”

“WEISSSSSS WHERE ARE YOU?!” The loud shouting makes her cringe a little, and even from a distance, it seems Velvet does as well.

“Ruby? What’s the matter? I’ve been studying with Velvet, like I said I would.”

“That was hours ago, Weiss, curfew is in fifteen minutes!”

Weiss' eyes widen in shock, sure enough the library is completely deserted, and Velvet looks just as surprised. But why would no one come let them know?

The nook. No one even knew they were there.

“We were getting worried something had happened!” Ruby continues, “You don’t usually ignore your scroll like that!”

Checking the time, Weiss realizes they’d been talking about Dust for almost five hours. “I’ll tell you when I get back, I really need to go!”

“Weiss wait–” she hangs up.

Velvet, the absolute saint, is already packing both their bags.

“Leave the library books, we’ll put them back in the morning!” Velvet instructs, and Weiss nods, helping put everything else back, and leaving the veritable fortress of Dust-y tomes (damn you, Yang) behind.

With everything gathered, the two huntresses in training rush out the library, startling the poor librarian who seemed to be half asleep, and rushing to the dorms. Before they split, Weiss feels a hand grab her wrist.

“Wait, hold out your scroll for me, please.” Weiss tilts her head, but does so, and Velvet touches her own scroll to Weiss’. “There! I really enjoyed our talk, and now we can continue later.” Weiss stares down at her scroll, the new contact information added, and smiles as her cheeks turn a light pink.

“Okay now shoo! You don’t want to be caught by Goodwitch, trust me!” Velvet says, as she turns and rushes towards her own dorm, waving back behind her. “Thank you for our talk, Weiss, I had a really good time.”

And before she can respond, Velvet turns a corner. Shaking herself out of her stun, and realizing she’s already past curfew, Weiss uses glyphs to speed to her dorm, sliding in through the door and into safety.

Or as safe as anything can be with team RWBY, as a cannonball of a dolt launches herself at Weiss, ensnaring her in a tight hug, muttering a thousand words a minute, something about how worried she was.

Blake seems unbothered, though her ears betray that she was also worried and there is some palpable relief. Worst of all, however, is Yang. Who inexplicably is sitting in a chair directly in front of her, fake mustache on her face, and a shit eating grin on her lips.

“Young lady, do you have the slightest idea what time it is?” She asks in a crotchety voice, and Weiss can’t help but roll her eyes fondly.

Patting Ruby’s arm so that she releases her enough to let Weiss draw breath, she smiles down at her dolt of a teammate. "Har Har, Yang. And yes, I’m okay. Just sort of… lost track of time.” Which she never has before, “At least I finished… my… essay” a large yawn forces its way out of her, since when was she so tired?!

Ruby takes a long appraising look at her, is that just a theme with team leaders, and smiles at her. “You can tell us all about it tomorrow. Right now, you need some sleep.”

Not in the mood to argue with her team leader, Weiss nods in assent, and barely manages to go through her evening routine. With the adrenaline wearing off, she can feel she is exhausted, but she hadn’t even felt tired just half an hour ago. She only just manages to pull out her scroll before her exhaustion claims her.

Weisscream
I had a really great time as well💙

Sleep has never felt more wonderful, and she drifts off with one last thought. Yang was absolutely right.