Weiss stood in the doorway of the study, the late afternoon sun casting long shadows across the polished floor. Her hands were clenched tightly at her sides, knuckles white beneath the soft fabric of her sleeves. Across the room, her sister sat at the desk, methodically packing supplies into a sturdy leather satchel, preparing for the journey to Atlas.

"I want to come with you," Weiss said quietly, the words almost catching in her throat.

Her sister didn't look up. "Weiss, this isn't a social visit. It's a duty. You're not going."

Weiss stepped fully into the room, refusing to let the dismissal slide so easily. "Why not? I've worked for this. I've trained harder than anyone else in our class. I've memorized every tactical manual, pushed myself through every late night studying combat strategy, dusted off my glyphs until they glowed. I'm ready."

Her sister's hands paused, but she still didn't meet Weiss's eyes. "It's not about your training. You're not old enough"

---

Weiss awoke, her features were more tired, than proper. She looked around the room, everyone had still yet to wake up.

Weiss pushed herself out of bed, yawning as she did so.

Weiss slipped from beneath the neatly folded covers, her feet touching down on the cold floor with a muted tap. She suppressed a shiver, tugging her robe around her shoulders as though it could ward off the lingering memory of yesterday. Ruby. Ruby as team leader.

Her hands moved automatically, years of drilled etiquette turning her morning into a quiet performance. She crossed to the small vanity set against the dorm wall, brushing a few loose strands of white hair back before drawing out the comb. Each stroke was careful, deliberate, as if taming her hair could somehow tame the churning in her chest.

It should have been me... she pressed her lips into a thin line, catching her own eyes in the mirror. The reflection did not flinch, though it looked as weary as she felt.

She washed her face with cool water from the basin, dabbing at her cheeks, refreshing herself with precision. The towel folded into the exact thirds before being placed back down. Even her breaths had fallen into an ordered rhythm.

Weiss reached for her uniform, pulling each layer on with practiced ease. Stockings straight, blouse crisp. She fixed her tiara in the mirror, forcing the trembling in her fingers to still.

Behind her, Ruby snored softly in the top bunk, oblivious, childlike. The sound pulled Weiss's mouth into the faintest frown.

Weiss pressed her palms flat against the vanity, exhaling through her nose. "Unbelievable," she muttered under her breath.

Her rapier case gleamed from the corner, resting against her trunk. She lingered on it a moment before strapping it at her side. The weight grounded her, familiar and comforting.

Finally, she turned toward the dorm door, hand hovering over the handle. She wanted air. She wanted to practice. She wanted... Something

And yet, before she left, her eyes drifted once more to Ruby, sleeping much like a child, like the child she very clearly was.

---

The gym was silent save for the faint hum of overhead lights. Weiss stood alone at its center, heels clicking lightly against the polished floor as she shifted her weight.

Myrtenaster gleamed in her hand, silver steel catching the light as though it too demanded recognition. She adjusted her posture, shoulders squared, chin lifted, every movement sharp, deliberate.

Again.

Her blade thrust forward in perfect form, sweeping into a precise arc. Another thrust, a spin, a flurry of rapid strikes that carried her across the mat. The rhythm of combat steadied her, though the simmering frustration beneath each motion threatened to spill.

She pivoted sharply into a finishing flourish when a sound broke her focus.

Clapping.

Slow, casual clapping echoing from the darkened bleachers.

Weiss's eyes darted toward the noise, irritation flashing as her form collapsed. A voice followed, light and amused:

"Wow, you're really good with that thing!"

From the shadows, a figure leaned lazily on the bleacher railing. She couldn't make out his face clearly, only the outline, and a faint green glow on his wrist.

Weiss narrowed her eyes. "That thing happens to be a family heirloom. And I'm not just good with it. I am excellent."

The boy chuckled, clearly entertained. "Well, excuse me for being impressed by your excellent skills with your family heirloom."

Weiss huffed, lowering her weapon but not relaxing her posture. "Hmph. At least someone around here appreciates hard work." She hesitated, then added, "Who are you, anyway?"

"Oh, y'know. Just a guy with a watch," he said with a lopsided grin she could almost hear in his voice.

"That answered nothing," Weiss shot back flatly.

"Yeah, and weren't you training just a second ago? Maybe stick to that. You looked way more focused before I showed up."

Her jaw tightened. "You-! Hmph." She turned sharply, muttering under her breath, and resumed her drills.

Ben stayed lounging in the shadows, watching her movements with a half-smirk, half-genuine interest. Her precision was nothing like the wild brawls he was used to. Every thrust, every spin looked like it belonged in a choreographed duel.

Weiss pretended to ignore him, but the weight of his gaze pressed at the edges of her concentration. Her blade flashed again and again, each strike sharp as her pride.

Finally, she spoke without turning. "If you insist on watching, at least do it quietly."

From the bleachers, Ben chuckled, resting his chin on his palm. "Can't make promises I don't intend to keep."

Weiss's grip tightened. Unbelievable.

---

"Monsters! Deeeemons... Prowlers of the night! Yes, the creatures of Grimm have many names, but I merely refer to them as prey! Ha-ha!" boomed Professor Peter Port, striking a heroic pose with his chest puffed out and mustache twitching in pride.

Team RWBY sat in the front row, the unfortunate recipients of his enthusiasm. Blake had her pen poised above her notebook, though that was mainly to simulate paying attention Yang leaned on her fist, grinning at Port's dramatics like it was stand-up comedy. Not good comedy, but it was always nice to watch a comedian try a and fail. Meanwhile Weiss scribbled furiously, notes neat and concise as if she might hand them in for grading.

Ruby, however, had a thick, glossy book propped open in her lap.

Weiss noticed and tilted her head, curiosity sharpening her tone. "I hadn't taken you as the type to enjoy reading."

Ruby blinked up, flustered. "Wh-What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing against you," Weiss said smoothly, "I'm just surprised. You hardly seem the academic type."

Ruby frowned, hugging her book tighter. "It's not really a textbook." She turned it for Weiss to see.

Weiss squinted at the cover. Her brows shot up. "A... fanbook? Seriously?"

Yang perked up, leaning closer. "Wait, is that the Tennyson compendium?"

Ruby beamed, proud. "Yup! First edition!"

"I know, you made me buy it" yang gave her sister a look.

The younger of the sisters shrinked in guilt.

Blake's bow twitched; she was listening in on the conversation.

Weiss, however, let out a sharp scoff. "I never understood why all of you people seem to worship Tennyson."

The words fell like shards of ice. Yang stopped grinning. Blake's pen froze mid-note. Ruby slowly lowered the book, eyes wide.

"All of you people?" Ruby asked quietly, silver eyes narrowing.

Weiss crossed her arms, voice crisp and dismissive. "Yes. You Tennyson fans. Obsessing over a man who is reckless, immature, and completely lacking in formal training."

Ruby looked like Weiss had just insulted Crescent Rose itself. "He's a superhero," she whispered. "He saves lives. How can you not think that's cool? He's-he's awesome."

Weiss waved a hand dismissively. "Of course you'd say that. You're still so childish. Honestly, I fail to understand why Professor Ozpin chose you as leader."

The sting hit Ruby like a blade to the chest. Her lips parted, but no words came. Her eyes glimmered, wounded.

Yang straightened, voice low with warning. "Careful, Weiss."

Before the argument could ignite further, Professor Port's voice boomed across the hall.

"Ahhh, Miss Schnee! Miss Rose! It seems the two of you have something to share with the class?"

Ruby jolted, panic flashing across her face. "N-No, sir!" She snapped her book shut, fumbling to hide it behind her back.

Port twirled his mustache, eyes gleaming theatrically. "Then surely you embody the very traits I have described-bravery, leadership, initiative!"

Weiss's frown deepened. "Well actually, Professor-"

"Oh-ho!" Port interrupted with a sweeping gesture toward the floor. "Then by all means! Show us what you're made of!"

The class murmured with interest, heads turning toward the two. Weiss shot Ruby a glare sharp enough to cut steel. This is your fault.

Ruby shrank under it but forced herself to stand, small fists clenched, head tilted high even as her shoulders trembled.

Weiss rose more gracefully, smoothing her skirt and stepping forward with cold poise, heels clicking against the tile.

The whispers grew louder as the pair reached the center.

"Marvelous!" Port declared. "Now, let us observe how two promising young Huntresses handle a simulated Grimm scenario!"

From the back, Jaune leaned toward Pyrrha, whispering. "Is this... about Tennyson again?"

Pyrrha sighed faintly, lips curving in amusement. "It always is these days."

-a couple minutes later-

The two girls walked to the front of the class after going off to collect their weapons, now back in their regular attire.

Standing in front of them were two boarbatusks their bodies like plated boulders, bristling with jagged white bone and quivering muscle. The Boarbatusks roared, stamping their clawed feet against the training floor of the simulation chamber.

Weiss and Ruby stood at the ready in the center of the room, side by side yet worlds apart in posture. Ruby crouched low with Crescent Rose extended, her stance flexible and alert. Weiss, by contrast, held Myrtenaster high in a fencing guard, her back straight, her poise perfect.

The Boarbatusks charged.

They didn't roar again. The thundering of their legs, the tearing of the wind, and the sheer force of their armored bodies was enough to drown out the rest of the room. The first Grimm barreled toward Ruby. The second turned its focus on Weiss.

Ruby dashed left, Crescent Rose spinning into her hands, and blasted herself into the air with a single Dust-powered shot. She somersaulted high above the Boarbatusk and landed in a slide, eyes wide as she skidded across the dirt with a burst of rose petals.

Weiss didn't move. She narrowed her eyes and waited-blade gleaming with Dust glyphs. She spun Myrtenaster and summoned a pale blue glyph beneath her feet, dashing backwards with grace as the Grimm's tusks carved into the ground where she'd stood, sending it skidding forward through the concrete as it touched the glyph.

The second Boarbatusk, the one that had targeted Ruby, turned around quickly-far too quickly for something its size. It curled its body in on itself, armor snapping into a tight, spiked sphere, and began to spin.

Ruby's eyes widened.

"Weiss! Wait! Their armor's too tough! You have to wait until-"

Too late.

Weiss lunged forward, a shimmering glyph appearing mid-air beneath her feet. She jumped off it, descending toward the spinning Grimm with pinpoint precision, her rapier pointed like a spear toward its side.

CLANG.

The blade deflected uselessly off the Boarbatusk's shell, throwing Weiss off balance. The Grimm's momentum didn't stop-it uncurled mid-spin and flung its tusks upward.

Weiss gasped-barely able to twist her body aside before the blow struck her midsection. She landed awkwardly, tumbling across the ground and scuffing her uniform. Her hair fluttered around her face as she stood up, seething.

Ruby gritted her teeth. She spun Crescent Rose and rushed to draw the Grimm's attention.

The first Boarbatusk-still unscathed-came roaring toward her. This time, Ruby didn't dodge. She gripped her weapon and anchored her feet.

BOOM.

Crescent Rose fired, sending her skimming sideways across the dirt in a blur of red. She maneuvered behind the Grimm and slashed at its legs. The impact sent sparks flying, but it wasn't deep enough.

Another clang. Another charge.

Weiss created a flurry of glyphs, using them to boost her movement. She dashed in bursts of white-ice blue platforms blinking into existence beneath her feet as she spiraled around the spinning Grimm. But each strike she attempted deflected off the creature's shell. She was fast, graceful, relentless-

-but not effective.

Ruby watched, jaw clenched, as Weiss danced around the Boarbatusk like a ballerina with a blade, refusing to adapt.

Why isn't she listening?!

The second Boarbatusk spun again, aiming to crush Weiss mid-attack. She leapt back, but her timing was off. The Grimm clipped her side, sending her tumbling again with a sharp cry of pain. Her aura shimmered from the blow.

Ruby didn't hesitate.

She fired a shot into the ground, launching herself high into the air. Time seemed to slow. Wind whipped through her cloak. Her eyes narrowed.

The Grimm below uncurling... There.

Ruby dove like a missile. As the Boarbatusk rolled upright, vulnerable for a split second, she swung Crescent Rose in a tight arc and slammed the blade down onto its exposed belly.

KRACK.

The Grimm screamed.

It reared up in pain, body twisting, black ichor spraying from the open wound as Ruby kicked off its hide and flipped backwards, landing near Weiss.

Weiss stood slowly, clearly winded. Dirt clung to her uniform, and her glyphs flickered as her aura struggled to maintain focus. Her expression tightened as she watched Ruby land cleanly from her strike.

Still, she said nothing.

The second Boarbatusk-the one Ruby had just wounded-was still alive, but barely. It staggered toward them, legs quaking.

Ruby gritted her teeth. "Weiss, we have to work together."

Weiss didn't respond. She raised Myrtenaster and summoned an ice glyph under her feet, propelling herself forward like a spear. Ruby followed, moving alongside her in a burst of rose petals.

The Grimm charged.

Both girls split apart-Ruby moving left, Weiss right.

Ruby used Crescent Rose to launch herself up once more, arcing overhead. As she passed above the creature, she yelled, "Now!" and dropped a shot from Crescent Rose directly into the Grimm's head.

The force stunned it.

Weiss took the opportunity. She leapt high-eyes sharp, blade glowing with blue Dust-and landed on one of her glyphs midair. She dove downward, driving Myrtenaster into the Boarbatusk's neck.

This time, the blade sank deep.

The Grimm gave one last screech before collapsing in a heap of black mist.

Silence returned to the arena.

Ruby landed nearby, Crescent Rose slung over her shoulder. Her chest rose and fell with each breath, but her expression was calm.

Weiss stepped back, retrieving her blade, and looked at the dissolving remains of the Grimm. She said nothing. Her pride was still intact, but her silence was heavy.

Port's voice echoed through the chamber. "Marvelous! A bit disjointed, but effective in the end!"

Ruby glanced sideways at Weiss. "Why didn't you listen to me from the start?"

Weiss glanced back, walking out of the room as the bell rang.

walking hurriedly to the exit past her other teammates.

Jaune watched her walk away "Sheesh, what's with her?"

The remaining members of Team RWBY look at each other with the same question.

Weiss is still storming off, but Ruby turns a corner and manages to catch up with her.

"Weiss!"

Weiss turned around "What?"

"What's wrong with you? Why are you being-?"

"What's wrong with me? What's wrong with you? You're supposed to be a leader, and all you've been so far is a nuisance!"

Ruby scoffed "What did I do?"

"That's just it - you've done nothing to earn your position! You're a child, you're irresponsible, you're immature and you don't deserve your position"

"Weiss, where is this coming from? What happened to all the talk about 'working together'? I thought you believed in acting as a team."

"Not a team led by you. I've studied and trained. And quite frankly, I deserve better." Weiss turned her back to Ruby, who was trying to reach out but dropped her hand with the following words "Ozpin made a mistake." Weiss walked away as Ruby looked dejected

Ruby stared down the empty corridor where Weiss had just stormed off, the echo of her heels fading into silence. The words still burned in her ears, heavier than any Grimm's claws could have managed. She sagged against the wall, her shoulders drooping beneath the invisible weight of failure, doubt, and disappointment. For a moment, she simply breathed in, trying to force herself to collect what was left of her composure.

Then, she realized with a jolt: her scroll was gone.

"Seriously?" Ruby muttered under her breath, patting herself down. Cloak pockets, belt clips, even the sheath on her boot-nothing. Her eyes darted around the corridor frantically.

"Oh, come on! Not now!" she groaned, spinning on her heel. Maybe she had dropped it during the fight? Maybe it slid from her hand when Weiss had stormed off? Her thoughts were a whirlwind as she began jogging back toward the classroom, her red cape trailing behind her like a banner of embarrassment. With every hurried step, petals seemed to stir and dance lightly across the floor, a subtle reminder of her unique semblance that only heightened her flustered state.

The classroom doors were slightly ajar. Ruby crept inside, scanning the expansive room in the early morning light that filtered through high windows. Most of the other students had left, the echo of Port's booming lecture fading like a distant storm. Cracks from the Boarbatusk skirmish littered the tiles, evidence of her own earlier clumsiness.

"C'mon, scroll... I just need one thing to go right today," Ruby muttered, voice small and desperate. She crouched, carefully peering under desks and overturned chairs, heart hammering in frustration.

"Looking for this?"

The voice made her jump several feet into the air, her hand flying to her chest. She spun around, wide-eyed. There, standing just a few feet behind her, was a boy in a white hoodie holding a small rectangular device. Her scroll.

Ruby blinked at him, trying to process the situation. "Uh... y-yeah. That's mine," she stammered.

He handed it over, casual, unbothered.

Ruby's fingers closed around the device, relief washing over her like cool water. "Thanks! Where'd you find it?"

"You dropped it on your way to class," the boy replied simply, shrugging. His tone was calm, as if returning lost items was just a normal part of his day.

Ruby's face flushed, heat rushing to her ears. "Oh... I didn't even notice. Thank you so much!"

"No problem," he said, stepping back slightly, his hood slipping from his head to reveal his face.

Ruby froze. Her mind short-circuited. She blinked, unsure she had actually registered what she was seeing.

"Y-y-you're... Ben... Ben Tennyson," she stammered. Her voice cracked on the final syllable.

Ben blinked, scratching the back of his neck sheepishly. "Uh... yeah? That's me," he said, glancing down at her and smiling faintly.

Ruby didn't move. She didn't breathe. She was entirely consumed, as if the entire world had shrunk down to the boy standing before her. Stars seemed to dance behind her silver eyes, and the weight of awe pressed down on her chest so hard she thought she might collapse right there.

Her mouth opened once. Closed. Opened again.

Then-

"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEKKKKKKKKKKKKKK!!!"

The shriek was loud, piercing, entirely inappropriate for a Huntress-in-training. Ben instinctively jumped, one hand moving toward the Omnitrix as if he were about to defend himself from some monster.

Ruby bounced in place, scroll clutched tightly to her chest as if it were the only thing keeping her anchored to reality. Her cape fluttered and whipped behind her with every tiny hop, creating an unintentionally dramatic spectacle. "Y-you're Ben Tennyson!! You're awesome! I'm your biggest fan!!" she squealed, her voice high-pitched and utterly unrestrained.

"Yeah... I've heard that a lot," Ben said, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. There was amusement in his eyes, tempered with a touch of incredulity. He stepped forward cautiously, hands raised slightly in a calming gesture. "And you're... Ruby, right? I saw you in the fight earlier. You were pretty good."

Ruby froze mid-bounce, one foot hovering inches above the ground. Her mind struggled to process the words. He saw me? He... knows my name? Her mouth hung open like a broken vending machine, useless and trembling.

"You... you watched that? YOU KNOW MY NAME!?!"

Ben raised an eyebrow, not sure whether to laugh or reassure her. "Uh... yeah?"

Ruby squealed again, high and piercing, the sound echoing off the classroom walls. She flailed her arms dramatically, spinning in place, scroll clutched like a sacred relic. The motion sent her cape twirling wildly, petals scattering across the tiles in a miniature whirlwind.

Ben tried to keep his composure, hands on his hips, a grin slowly spreading. "Well, that's... quite a reaction."

Ruby, however, was past reactions. She shrieked another squeal, this one even louder, and then-literally-collapsed backward like a plank, arms and legs flopping dramatically as she hit the floor.

THUD.

--- meanwhile---

The halls of Beacon Academy were quiet now.

Evening light bled in through the tall windows, painting the stone walls in warm hues of amber and gold. The once bustling corridors had grown still, the echoes of combat training and classroom chatter replaced by the low hum of a breeze whispering through cracked-open panes. Weiss Schnee walked with purpose, her polished heels tapping rhythmically across the polished floors. But despite her practiced posture and cold grace, something in her steps betrayed tension-a subtle stiffness, like a string drawn too tight.

She wasn't entirely sure where her legs were taking her until she reached the archway that led to the eastern balcony.

There, standing alone at the edge, was Headmaster Ozpin, his long coat rippling slightly in the wind as he gazed out over the rooftops of Beacon. The sun hovered just above the horizon, casting long shadows over the campus. The spires of the Academy rose proudly into the orange-streaked sky, proud and silent sentinels of a kingdom always on edge.

Weiss hesitated.

She didn't often seek out others for conversation-especially not those in power. She'd grown up around figures of authority and influence, but they always carried with them expectations, obligations, and the ever-present pressure to impress. Still... the question had been gnawing at her all day, festering beneath the surface since the moment Ruby had been named team leader.

And if anyone had the answer, it was the man standing before her.

"Uh... Headmaster Ozpin, sir," she said, voice firm but polite.

Ozpin didn't turn, but acknowledged her presence with a faint nod. "Ah. Miss Schnee. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

Weiss stepped forward, standing beside him but just slightly behind-never quite equal, not in her own eyes. "I'd like to ask you a question, sir. If it's not too much trouble."

"Go ahead," he said softly. "I'm listening."

She hesitated, searching for the right words. Not too blunt. Not too emotional. Clear. Professional. Detached.

"...Why did you appoint Ruby as our team leader?" she finally asked. "What did you see in her that you didn't see in m- in the rest of us?"

Ozpin didn't answer immediately. His eyes remained fixed on the horizon, on the slowly descending sun that painted the mountains in gold and fire.

"...Jealousy is a fickle thing, Miss Schnee," he said at last. "It can lead one to very, very dark places."

Weiss stiffened. "I'm not jealous."

A pause.

Ozpin turned his head slightly, just enough for Weiss to glimpse the soft gleam of his glasses and the unreadable calm in his expression.

He said nothing.

Weiss opened her mouth again, then closed it. Her fingers curled around her skirt. She turned to face the horizon, as if by mimicking his stance she might also understand his thoughts.

Ozpin exhaled a slow breath through his nose. He reached into his coat, pulled out his thermos, and took a sip before finally responding.

"Miss Rose has many flaws," he admitted. "But so does every student here. Yourself included."

Weiss turned to him sharply, eyes narrowing just slightly. "Excuse me?"

Ozpin didn't look at her. "Tell me, Miss Schnee-do you believe leadership is something that can be earned through a resume?"

Weiss frowned. "Well I mean... B-but qualifications matter, don't they?"

"Indeed they do," Ozpin said. "But so does instinct. So does heart."

Another pause.

He finally turned fully to her, his gaze gentle but sharp-like the eye of a storm behind glass.

"Expectation," he said quietly, "is the killer of potential."

Weiss blinked.

"It's only been one day," he continued. "Give her time to grow into the role. And you will understand."

Weiss didn't respond. She looked away, eyes following a small group of sparrows fluttering across the sky. Her hands were folded neatly in front of her, her posture perfect, but her mind was far less composed. The word echoed in her head: expectation.

Ozpins mind seemed to be thinking of someone else when his voice softened.

" no one can be perfect, Miss Schnee. No matter how much you may try to be. It would be wise to remember that."

Weiss's throat felt tight. She straightened her back, tilting her chin upward in practiced poise.

"Yes, sir."

Ozpin gave her a brief nod, then returned his gaze to the sun as it dipped behind the mountains, casting long shadows across the grounds.

Weiss lingered for a moment longer.

She wasn't angry, not exactly. And she certainly wasn't jealous-at least not in the way others might assume. It wasn't that she hated Ruby. It wasn't even that she thought the younger girl incapable. Not entirely.

It was something else.

A quiet, bitter twist in her stomach.

---later---

Ruby blinked her eyes open, noticing that she was laying on something soft, she assumed it was her bed.

"Oh, man, that was the weirdest dream." She said as she sat up, only to see that the walls were different from her room. She then realized that she wasn't in her dorm as she looked around the room.

"Hey, you're finally awake." Said the voice of one Benjamin Tennyson, sitting on the chair next to the bed as he put her scroll down.

"Oh, Oh my god I wasn't dreaming you're actuallyhereyouactuallyknowmyname, eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeek"

Ruby then let off a high pitched squeal that would've ruptured bens eardrums had he not already had experience with situations like these.

"BenI'myournumberonefanwaitialreadysaidthatdidnti?I'veseenallyourfightsiknowallyouraliens,IMADEYOURFANCLUB"

"Woah okay slow down, I can only be impressed by one of those things at a time"

"... sorry I just, have I mentioned that I'm your biggest fan"

"Probably"

Ruby then remembered "umm, where am I?" The girl asked.

"Oh, well after you passed out I didn't know where you dorm room was to take you there so you're in mine"

....

...

..

.

"Oh no" Ben covered his ears immediately, protecting himself from a truly impressive ear piercing shriek. "Oh my oum the lungs on this girl"

-many minutes later-

Ruby had finally seemed to calm down... Not from her manic fan frenzy, no she just stopped screaming.

"So I'm, sir Mr Tennyson, is it okay if I call you Mr Tennyson?"

"You can just call me Ben"

"Okay so, uh, Ben. You've been through a lot, so I'd imagine you've had experience being a team leader, right?"

"Well I mean that really depends on your definition of leader but yeah Id say I'm pretty experienced with working with someone else, why do you ask?"

"I'm, the leader of my team, team RWBY, and I just wanted to ask... Do you think ozpin chose wrong?"

"... I've got, more than a few problems with ozpin, and I dare say he's made some... pretty big mistakes during his life time.. but I've never known him to be a bad judge of character. If he says you're leader material, you're leader material." Ben said

"But.. I'm the youngest person here, I'm too young to be here, and I'm immature compared to everyone else,"

"So? Why does that matter? I started outpacing adults back when I was 10, would you say I'm too immature to keep doing what I'm doing?"

"What No I'd never say anything... Like.. That."

"Exactly, it's only been a day, and from what I've seen, you're already a better leader than alot of people I know, you've got potential."

"Really?"

"Yeah, really"

Ruby blushed heavily at the praise from her idol "thank you"

"You know, you should probably get back to your team, they're probably worried sick about you" Ben said causing rwby to then check the time on her scroll.

It was 8 pm.

"Oh yeah, I guess you're right." Rwby said as she got off his bed and rushed through the door in a blizzard of rose petals.

Rwby then stopped in the middle of the hall, realizing, and being kinda bummed out by the fact that she didn't think to ask for his number, she doubts he would've given it to her anyway.

Ben was a busy guy and she was just a random girl he met once, she doubted he'd ever really be interested in her like that.

But hey, maybe one day.