Save the world? Fuck that, I want to make money! (RWBY SI) ch 70

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Ruby preened.

Banging red hood, check. Crescent Rose, check. Her daily milk box to ensure maximum bone growth, check. Team-mates?

She glanced back from the mirror. Weiss and Blake were together. Not in as girlfriends, together. But together together. Blake was seated on her chair while Weiss leaned on her desk, looking at something in her scroll. Whatever it was, the two were in deep conversation about it. Nevermind that, Ruby thought. It was time to go and start the day!

"Alright, gang! I'll raise you to our first class!" Ruby proclaimed, ready to get into a head start. Gods, she never felt so alive. Fifteen and already a Team Leader of a bunch of huntresses. Well, huntresses to be! That and Yang had to do what she had to say so suck it Yang!

"Rubes, this isn't a race," Yang snorted as she left the bathroom, clad in the uniform of the school. She and the others wore a red plaid skirt, different length stockings, and a brown jacket with a tan vest and a white shirt with a red ribbon tied at the collar. Yang then blinked, seeing the red hood around Ruby's neck.

"You're gonna wear your hood to classes?" Yang asked, her voice that of an elder sibling curious about their little sister's choice of wear.

"Well, yeah?" Ruby blinked. "W-why? Is it not allowed?"

"It never said anything about modifications being illegal in the school brochure," Weiss added, seeing the interaction. "Don't you read the rules?"

"Do I have to? I'm here to kick ass and chew bubble-gum," Yang proclaimed with a smile, a fist to her chest.

"You are a walking stereotype, Xiao Long," Weiss sniffed, shaking her head. Yang squawked indignantly.

"Hey! What's that supposed to mean?" Yang blinked then narrowed her eyes.

"Okay, enough of that. Time to go," Weiss declared, pushing herself off Blake's desk. Her scroll appeared in her fingers as she turned towards Ruby.

"Ruby, listen. I have compiled our tasks for the day. It is my recommendation that we follow it to ensure maximum team output for today. I-"

"I'lllookatitlatercomeonletsgettoclass!" Ruby declared then vanished like pop gun, a trail of roses left in her wake.

"And there she goes," Yang preened in amusement. Even more so at the look of growing frustration on Weiss's face. She shook her head, walking up and patting Weiss on her back.

"Don't worry. You will get used to it," Yang assured her with a veteran's experience. Weiss turned and looked up at the much taller blonde.

"Xiao Long, reign in your sister, please. We're going to need a leader, not a mascot." Weiss said seriously, Yang however shook her head, laughed, and gave Weiss another pat on the back.

"Girl, you are waaaay to intense. Relax, Ice Queen. Ruby might be overly enthusiastic but she's a good girl, I promise," Yang assured her again. Weiss however remained unconvinced.

"Right," Weiss muttered. Next to her, Blake stood up, faunus ears twitching.

"That energy might be good, I think. She had more of it than me," Blake added.

The girls followed Ruby afterwards, stepping out into the hallway of their dorms. It was relatively early but some of their fellow students were stepping out. A head of green hair walked up, followed by red, black, and orange.

"Good morning, Team...RWBY?" Emerald Wayland greeted them, blinking. Behind her Pyrrha smiled, waving slightly while Ren pulled along a still sleepy and slobbering Nora. Emerald glanced over their shoulders, blinking. "Where's your Team Leader?"

"Went off first," Blake revealed. "She wanted a race. I guess she won."

"Right," Emerald said neutrally. "Wanna go to class together?"

"Why not?" Weiss shrugged her shoulders. The more the merrier. And it presented her a chance to finally talk with properly with the Wayland cousin. And so they went, Blake leading the way quietly as Yang walked up, introducing herself to Pyrrha.

"So, P-Money. I'm Yang. Nice to meet you. Big fan, actually." Yang smirked, ever the social butterfly. Pyrrha put on a practiced smile.

"Hello," Pyrrha replied, inwardly worried about what sort of invasive questions the blonde was probably going to ask her. It wouldn't be the first time. She took a moment to think back on another blonde. Jaune. He hadn't made the cut. It was sad to see him go but he had promised to keep in touch with her. She felt a sense of responsibility for him considering she had kept an eye out for him at the examination. She could only wonder where he was at now.

"So...what's your training regimen? I do a whole lot of muscle training. Mostly given to me by my dad but it won't be a bad idea to learn from others in the game as well. Also, can we spar sometime? I'd always thought what it would be like to fight you," Yang began, a popgun of words and sentences. Pyrrha could only smile and nod then blinked.

"You...often think about fighting me?" Pyrrha clarified.

"Oh, no. Not all the time. But sometimes?" Yang blinked, scratching her head.

"Right," Pyrrha blinked. As the two chatted, Weiss quietly observed the two talk. Yang was very much just as energetic as her sister albeit in her own way.

"How's your team going?" Emerald asked, the first to talk after some minute of silence.

"I was doubtful of it at first but I've been convinced to see it through. It would be rather unfair for me to cast judgement on something that hasn't even started yet," Weiss shrugged her shoulders. "How about yours?"

"It's...something," Emerald said, glancing to the back where Ren was now hauling a sleeping Nora on his back. She turned back to Pyrrha who was now animatedly talking about the best way to maximize muscle growth. Something something about proteins or whey.

"The year's just started though so I'm going to have to see for myself," Emerald continued.

"Fair," Weiss agreed, saying nothing more. They walked on in silence. Weiss had a series of topics she wants to breach but it was just so early, she felt. She can read a room and the mood was to finish the first class then eat breakfast. Weiss took a moment to glance back at the others.

"Where's the other one? What was his name? John?" Weiss asked. A sliver of annoyance crept up her spine. The boy was seriously an affront to her senses. Especially the way he called her Snow Angel. It must be her sense of good taste and propriety. No self respecting girl would ever go out with someone like that.

Pyrrha suddenly sneezed mid explanation, to Yang's laughter.

"Jaune," Emerald corrected her. "That, I don't really know. All I know was that he and some other students were called away by the faculty. Wherever he is, I don't really care."

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The entire hall went quiet. Then fury as the Drill Instructor raged.

"WHO SAID THAT? WHO'S THE SLIMY TWINKLE TOED FAUNUS FETISHIST COCK SUCKER THAT JUST SIGNED THEIR OWN DEATH WARRANT?"

Jaune shakily raised his hand.

He quickly regretted it.

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By the time they already arrived, Ruby stood outside the Lecture Hall with her arms crossed, proud and smug as the group made their way to her.

"I am first. Team RWBY got first. We win!" Ruby declared imperiously.

Blake clapped politely. "Good job, Ruby. Good job." She offered diplomatically.

"Yessss!" A long and deep voice proclaimed. The students winced at first then turned to see a portly man standing by the end of the hall way. He wore a finedouble-breasted burgundy suit with gold piping and buttons and cavalry pants and boots. "I am pleased to see that the next generation of warriors are eager to get into the meat of it. Truly, Remnant will see nothing but the best in its next generation of huntsmen and huntresses!"

He walked up, preening, as his hand fell on the door knob. He twisted it open, revealing the inside. "Come, my budding warriors. Come! Let us start your path on the valley of righteousness!"

Yang watched on, grinning. "Woah, he is so intense. I think I'm going to like this class."

"How come you like his intensity but not mine?" Weiss asked, narrowing her eyes at blonde. She shrugged her soulders.

"I don't know, Weiss. Maybe he wears pompous authority way better than you," Yang winked, to Weiss's fury.

"Let it go," Blake advised her with a whisper before she walked in to find her seat.

"I am surprised you even know what pompous even means." Weiss muttered as she walked in. Yang laughed imperiously.

"Girl, believe me. I am full of surprises."

They all sat in their little corners. Weiss let out a sigh and made ready to start her day. Meticulously, she laid out the items she needed for her class. Her notebooks, her pen, her scroll just in case she needed to re-check something, Ruby's face looking up at her and smilin-

"Ruby," Weiss breathed. "What are you doing?"

"You're so organized," Ruby praised, blinking.

"Of course. I am me," Weiss asserted.

Ruby paused, looking at her own table which was bare. She produced her notebook and pen, placing it on the table. "Done," she proclaimed.

"Are you sure that's all you need?" Weiss asked, tilting her head.

"Oh yeah," Ruby asserted, smiling as she tapped her notebook with a single finger. "The rest, I will just memorize."

"I am not letting you see my notes later," Weiss said, crossing her arms. Ruby's expression went dumb-founded then confused.

"But Weiss!" Ruby whined.

"Ruby. Write down your notes. We are here to learn." Weiss sighed. She needed to focus. More students were already entering and Professor Port looked ready to start at any second.

"Fine!" Ruby groaned and grumbled into her notebook. A good thing for Weiss as well as a loud voice dominated the room.

"Monsters!" Port bellowed, full of vigour and life. If his voice could be weaponized, it would have brought them all to their knees. "Demons! Prowlers of the night! The Grimm have many names but as for me?"

He grinned. "I call them, prey."

"You know, I thought this class was going to be boring. But noo, hell no. Professor Port is metal as hell," Yang commented. Weiss ignored her, focusing on the key points the Professor would say and writing it down. She had developed that sort of skill from the countless meetings she attended with her mother. Separating chaff from the actual meat of people's words allowed one a clarity of mind.

"But first...a story."

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Yang blinked. Her eyes twitched, struggling to stay open. It had been a solid thirty minutes since class began and Port was still talking. She knew. She checked. She was lied to. Mislead. Bamboozled. She could not believe that she heaped praises on Port only for the old man to pull one on her and be perhaps the most boring man she had ever met.

Dirty old man with his dirty tricks, misleading her like this.

"And that's when I took my axe, lobbed it up the Grimm's spine, and became the King of all Monsters!" Port finally, finally finished. He preened, smirking and humming to himself as he wrapped up his story. Oh, the glorious olden times.

Yang glanced around. Ruby had already long fallen asleep which was fair. Blake, she was far too diplomatic to fall asleep. No, she was starting to doze off. Weiss, the champ, she was writing stuff down in that little notebook of hers. Weiss stopped, sensing Yang's eyes on her.

"What?" Weiss barked.

"Are you seriously writing it all down? How the hell can you stay awake after all this?" Yang asked.

"Xiao Long, I have been in worse meetings with more duller people talking about even more duller subjects. Professor Port is interesting at least because there's death and bloodshed in his story." Weiss declared as she set her pen aside. "Besides, you never know if you might need information. He could quiz us about this later."

"I hope not. I will fail," Yang said, face-palming. She paused then grinned as she gave herself a pat on the back.

"What...what was that?" Weiss asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Ice Queen, I just got through thirty minutes of listening to that. I earned that pat to the back," Yang grinned. Weiss scoffed then thought about it. Quietly, she gave herself a pat on the back. Yang laughed.

"Oh, I am going to be friends with you," Yang decided.

"Why do you say it so ominously?" Weiss blinked.

"Must be my menace. I know I have it," Yang scoffed.

"Now, with the lessons of the past applied, the lessons for the future must follow!" Port declared. "How many of you have fought Grimm?"

All the class raised their hands. Yang raised her hand. Weiss quietly flicked Ruby's side who quickly woke up, saw what was happening, and raised her hand. Blake followed afterwards.

"Good, you are all experienced! But just because you did so does not mean you immediately are one! There is a difference after all between a cook and a chef!" Port proclaimed as the floor suddenly opened and out came a box. A box that was violently shivering and shaking with noises boxes should not make.

"Who here has the mettle to call themselves a true Huntsman?" Port asked, his bushy moustache quivering in excitement.

"That's me!" Yang called

"I do!" Weiss cried.

The two glanced at each other. Yang grinned. "Looks like I go it first."

Weiss rolled her eyes. "Break a leg, Xiao Long."

"Oh? Then come down here and prove it, Miss Xiao Long!" Port called out. All eyes turned towards her.

"I'll break more than legs, believe me," Yang snorted to Weiss as she stood up from her seat.

"Go get em, Yang! Fight for Team RWBY!" Ruby called out, standing atop her chair and screaming. Yang turned back, winking at her sister before leaping down onto the lower floors.

Port nodded approvingly. "Hidden inside this box is a Grimm we captured. Miss Xiao Long, if you could please demonstrate the best method to dispatch a boarbatusk?"

"You got it, Professor," Yang grinned, twin metal golden gauntlets appearing on her arms. Ember Cilica, her baby gauntlet/shotgun weapon. This was not the first time Yang would be facing off against the enemy. This dance, something she had done time and time again. If anything, she pitied the boarbatusk.

"Ready?" Port asked.

Yang got into a fighting stance, a boxer's stance. She smirked. "Ready," she proclaimed.

It was then Port pushed a button and something plopped out. It was a boarbatusk alright. But instead of roaring, it just rushed out, aiming directly for the huntress in front of it. Yang scoffed, biding her time as the Grimm came at her.

Ember Cilica cycled as fresh fire dust shell as it came closer. The boarbatusk shrieked, its bony snout aimed directly for Yang. Just as it was about to spear her, Yang quickly sidestepped, allowing the false pig to charge then she saw her opening as she roared, thrusting a closed fist directly under the boarbatusk's belly. An explosion echoed in the room as the boarbatusk was sent flying, crashing directly at a far wall, still and unmoving.

Yang didn't even break a sweat.

"YANG! YANG! YANG! YANG!" Ruby cheered.

Yang preened, lifting her hand up in victory!

"YANG! YANG! YAAAANG!" Ruby screamed. Yang blinked. Gods, what got her sister so worked up? It was just one boarbatusk? It wasn't like she offed an entire hoard or something? It was then, she heard Port cry out.

"Miss Xiao Long! Watch out!" Port cried.

Yang felt the air in her lungs leave as a force crushed into her back.

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She sat on her table, glumly and with a frown. Grimm Studies was over. The boarbatusk had survived her blasts and rushed up immediately to the point she missed it. She replied its kindness by crushing its stupid boney skull face. She sniffed, her hand reaching out for the soda on her table and drinking it.

"Soda? For breakfast?" Weiss asked, tiling her head.

"I got a boarbatusk up my ass. Bite me," Yang scoffed.

"Maybe you should try to double-tap next time, make sure its really dead?" Ruby offered, sitting next to her sister. They were all now at Beacon's Mess Hall filling in on their meals. They hadn't eaten after all. Yang turned to spy on their food. Weiss had...to call it breakfast was generous. She had far too many types of bread and cheese and...cold cuts?

"You give me spunk for drinking soda. Why do you have three drinks?" Yang scoffed, tilting her head. Weiss halted, an egg inside a sort of egg cone thing in her hand. She pointed at her drinks. "Hydration, nutrition, digestion," Weiss counted out.

"Right. My body does all that for me anyway," Yang rolled her eyes. Solitans, she scoffed.

"Forgive me if I don't want to subsist on beans, bacon, sausages, and pancakes," Weiss retorted as she bit into her bread.

"Wgsdgsggrg," Ruby said, munching on her meal. Weiss's lips went thin.

"Chew your food, Ruby," she sighed. "And don't talk while your mouth is full," she added.

Ruby swallowed. "Stop treating me like a kid," she grumbled. Then, frowned. "What's wrong with beans, bacon, sausages, and pancakes, huh?"

"So fatty. I can see why Yang is so-"

"So what?" Yang asked, smiling, and her voice a tad dangerous.

"Vigorous," Weiss settled. Yang hummed then accepted Weiss's word, whatever that meant.

"The food here isn't so bad. Not as good as my mom's but good enough," Blake spoke up. Her choice of food was some ricebowl with breaded chicken.

"You're like a Princess, right? I thought you would have a staff or something," Yang asked, curious. Blake nodded slightly.

"We do have a staff, yes. But my mom personally cooks for the family. It's alright though. Her cooking is the best," Blake asserted.

"Aww, a mama's girl?" Yang teased. "That's so cute!"

"Yeah, and what's wrong with that, huh?" Blake narrowed her eyes, setting her chopsticks aside.

"Woah woah woah, chill, kitty cat. I don't mean anything by it. It's just cute, is all. At this age, you rarely see anyone trying their best to stay close with their parents," Yang explained. "Usually, it's the parents trying to get close to us."

"Oh gods, don't talk about dad," Ruby cringed.

"I...I see," Blake blinked. She sighed, relaxing. "My family and I...we all nearly got into something bad. When that happens, you just end up going closer to your family, you know?""

Yang blinked. Then, her expression turned sympathetic. "Shoot, I didn't know. Do you mind telling us? I-It's fine if you won't."

"No no, it's fine," Blake sighed. She tapped the side of her face. "You see this?"

The other girls blinked as they looked closer. Then, they saw it. Scars.

"How did you hide that so well?" Yang said in awe.

"Make-up," Blake admitted as she pulled back her hand. "That and my injuries are somewhere else so it isn't too obvious."

"What happened?" Yang asked, breathless.

"Something for another time. I don't want to ruin the mood," Blake smiled softly. Yang inwardly frowned. Great. Of all the topics she could choose for the group to chat about, it had to be that. Great going, Xiao Long.

"Um...Oh look, it's team ENRP! Guys, sit with us!" Ruby called out, distracting the group. Emerald glanced towards Pyrrha who nodded. She sat first, next to Weiss. Pyrrha followed behind her with Nora and Ren occupying the seats across them. Weiss looked in awe at the stack of pancakes Nora was nursing. A stack that she was happily draining. 

"Woah," Yang said in awe. 

"You should see what she's like in a curry house," Ren said, munching on steaming white bun. 

"ENRP," Weiss mouthed to Emerald. The Wayland cousin shrugged her shoulders.

"Energy," Emerald identified. She glanced towards Nora sighing happily, rubbing her stomach contentedly. "It's accurate...though it might apply to only one of our team." 

"I can see that," Weiss admitted. "In our team, Ruby supplies that in spades. I am still in awe where she gets it from." 

"What's with you two talking like a bunch of old ladies?" Yang butted in, wagging her eyebrows. 

"Excuse you, we aren't old ladies. Just incredibly mature!" Weiss rebuffed, a palm on her chest and a proud smile on her face. 

"I'm mature too!" Ruby joined in, cookie crumbs and milk remains around her lips. 

As Team RWBY bickered, Pyrrha smiled. She hadn't been joining in the conversation but she was still happy to be included with her group. The others certainly didn't care she was a Tournament Champion and just treated her like a normal girl. It felt nice, she had to admit, to not be treated like some fountain of widom. 

"Someone's smiling," Ren spoke up. Pyrrha laughed. 

"It feels nice, this. I could get used to it," she explained, palms spread. 

"Me too!" Nora agreed, patting her stomach. "Finally, free food no matter when we want it? Beacon is heaven!" 

"Nora, we paid for these with our tuition," Ren deadpanned. 

​The groups then winced, Blake covering her own ears as a microphone suddenly cracked to life and a imperious voice spoke out. "Valeans! Listen! We are under siege!" 

The table stopped eating, confused, as banners of green were raised, and four students stood proud and strong. At their head, a tall orange-haired student with a look of utter surety and arrogance. He continued. "An attack at the very heart of our city! Art from a sister-kingdom stolen by gangs of traitors and animals! Can you believe such injustice at the heart of our very own home?" 

"Who're they?" Nora blinked. 

"They're unpleasant," Ren clicked his tongue. 

"They're noisy," Ruby whined, covering her ears. As chorus of agreement was shared, Weiss turned an eye on Blake and for the first time felt unease. For in Blake's eyes, there was nothing more to it but total and utter hatred. 

"Blake?" Yang spoke up, blinking and worried for her partner. Weiss was not the only one to notice. In the background, the speaker continued to yell and rave. 

"Fleur-de-Lys," Blake growled, her nails digging into the table. Anymore pouring of her strength and she could crush it. 

​Pyrrha glanced away to the bowl of soup on her table. She glanced up again, feeling someone's eyes on her. 

"You okay too?" Emerald asked softly. Pyrrha smiled painfully. 

"The Fleur haven't just been after the faunus. They've been going after the Mistrali community here too. They accuse us of being spies and collaborators," Pyrrha revealed. It had been unpleasant to read some disparaging comments towards her in the scrollnet. 

"It's just a bunch of cranks and crazies," Yang dismissed. "Those guys, they're preaching to the wrong crowd here." 

"That would be if you don't know who that is, Xiao Long," Weiss sighed, shaking her head. She cast one open eye at the orange-haired demagogue. "That is Cardin Winchester. Prince Presumptive to the Fleur." 

"So his daddy's the king?" Yang blinked. 

"Not yet but they want him to be. Gods only know why they've not crowned Francis Winchester yet," Weiss shrugged her shoulders. Weiss had met Francis Winchester, once. She had joined her mother in a talk regarding dust mining rights in Vale. Francis Winchester had deigned it upon himself to join. If there was anyone that could remind Weiss of her father, it was him. Remembering something, she narrowed her eyebrows at Yang. 

"Yang, you are Valean. How do you not know about this?" Weiss questioned. 

"I dunno, Weiss. I don't care for politics. And dude, I just study here. I'm from Patch," Yang shrugged her shoulders. 

"And look at who we have here! An animal out of its cage!" Cardin Winchester suddenly added, grinning, as a faunus student tried to walk past them with her head held down. 

"I-I don't want any trouble!" the rabbit faunus, clear as day from the ears on her head, exclaimed. 

"Oh yeah? Why'd you walk past us, huh? You got something to hide, bunny?" Cardin sneered. He motioned to one of his floozies who nodded. With a wicked grin, he made his way for the rabbit. 

"I am killing him. I am going to kill him," Blake seethed as she tried to stand up.

"Yang, hold her down!" Weiss suddenly cried out. Confused, Yang nodded and grabbed Blake by the sleeve before she could leave their table. 

"Let me go, Yang!" Blake hissed. 

"You're the daughter of the Chieftain of Menagerie! Do you want to start a diplomatic incident?" Weiss hissed back. 

"I don't care! That's one of my people we are talking about!" Blake hollered. 

"Emerald, we have to do something," Pyrrha whispered. 

"Let's break his legs!" Nora whispered fervently. 

"Nora, we're from Mistral. That's going to start even something more," Ren reminded her. 

Emerald clicked her tongue. She turned away from her team and glanced towards the raving Fleur. But before she could focus on her semblance, Cardin suddenly cried out in pain. 

The table watched in awe as he was pushed around as a storm of roses flew past him, striking him. Then, as if carried by the wind, the banners they held was stolen away by the storm. "The banner!" Cardin cried out. "After it!" 

And so, the fleur students ran out, hollering as they chased after their floating flag amidst a sea of rose petals. Not a second later, Ruby returned to their table, breathing hard, as she found her seat again. 

"There..." she hiccupped. "Bully gone." 

​She took a breath then turned to Blake. "Are you okay, Blake?" 

"Ruby..." Blake whispered breathlessly. 

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A/N: I was going to keep this 1k words but it just flowed freely and it didn't feel right to cut it in half. Hope yall enjoy.