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  The heiress to the Schnee Dust Company marched away from the class. She ignored the praise from her teammates, and refused to acknowledge her leader, Ruby Rose. 'Asche' stood alongside Cardin Winchester, spectating Weiss's frustration as they waited to flood into the hallways to their next class.

"Sheesh, what's wrong with her?" JNPR's leader, Jaune Arc said.

His team could only muster a shrug, unsure if they should interfere with the landmine of a situation. Ruby bid her remaining team farewell, quickly chasing after her white haired partner. Cardin meanwhile, prodded his own teammate forward.

"Tch. First day and they're already going at it. I saw the way the Schnee looked at you, might wanna capitalize on that." CEDL's captain said before disappearing into the sea of students.

'Asche' of course, was promptly left alone. The students, as mindless and uncaring as they were in trying to get to their next class, avoided stepping within the champion's vicinity, in the similar manner they had during yesterday's arrangement ceremony. After glancing around the hordes of other students, he caught the sight of a red cape… Ruby's red cape.

He followed Ruby Rose, bewildered at how swift the girl was. Every so often, he caught glimpses of rose petals falling from behind her figure, a sign she was using her semblance.

Ruby, speaking of which, dashed through the hallways, turning and dodging students in an attempt to close the distance between her and the fleeing heiress. Eventually, the crowd would gradually dissipate, allowing the leader of team RWBY to confront Weiss alone in a connecting corridor.

"Weiss!" The red grimm reaper called.

Weiss halted, gritting her teeth and doing all she could to not lose her composure.

"What?" She sternly replied.

"What's wrong with you? Why are you being-?" Ruby started, being cut short by a Weiss who felt her fuse be burnt out.

"What's wrong with me? What's wrong with you?" Weiss retorted, turning around to confront the concerned girl. "You're supposed to be a leader, and all you've been so far is a nuisance!"

"What did I do?!" Ruby defended, still clueless to her teammates harsh attitude.

"That's just it - you've done nothing to earn your position! Back in the forest, you acted like a child, and tried to show off to everyone! And you've only continued to do so!"

"Showing off? I was just trying to help Asche an-"

"And what?! Asche, Yang, and half of JNPR had to distract the Grimm so everyone else could go rescue you! If we weren't there, you probably wouldn't even be here!"

"Weiss, where is this even coming from? What happened to all the talk about 'working together' last night? 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…" The heiress huffed, turning to storm away once again.

Ruby reached a hand out, attempting to grab her partner's hand. Weiss was right, she had been immature. But Ruby was doing her best. It had only been a day, and something so simple had already created tension within the party… 'Asche' meanwhile, heard the entirety of the exchange from behind the corner Ruby previously came from.

"Weiss...I-" She murmured, the Schnee muttering one final remark.

"...Ozpin made a mistake." Had been the last comment Ruby heard from Weiss.

Ruby looked at the carpeted floor. She was young, younger than everyone else in Beacon. She was more a child than most and it was true, maybe Ozpin had made a mistake choosing her. Ruby made her way to a wall, sinking to a seated position with her knees to her chest. As she hugged the aforementioned knees, she felt her eyes begin to water. And then she felt a chilling, burdened air to her right.

After hearing the sliding of cloth, and the sound of weight hitting the soft floor, she looked over to see 'Asche' seated beside her. As always, he remained silent, stoically staring straight ahead. With teary and swollen eyes, she looked up at the slightly taller boy, hoping to hear Weiss had been wrong.

"Asche… Is… Weiss right?" She started, sniffling between each word.

'Asche' glanced at the younger girl, his purple pupils barely slipping past the darkened holes of his silver mask. The girl in front of him now was only a child. Weiss was right, Ruby was not fully matured. Then again, neither was Weiss. In fact, every first year student could be considered a child.

Not every hunter, warrior, guardian, or knight can be skilled. And not every leader can be successful. And not everyone can fall into their desired position. At least...not at first. Which is where he believed the heiress was wrong. It had barely been a day since RWBY, JNPR, and CEDL were formed. As such, it was far too early to tell if a mistake had been made.

"Did...Did Ozpin really make...a mistake?" She said, her mouth wavering into a frown.

Ruby buried her face into the masked boy's arm, letting her tears flow freely. After only a few seconds, the unkindled one could tell she had soaked his uniform sleeve. But...he was not in the place to judge the girl. He had seen worse ways to weep and had used cruder methods to mourn. She, though their time was severely limited, had been one of the closest things he had to a friend for an incredibly long time. In little to no time, her breathing became sporadic, leaving her shoulders to heave in sharp miniscule inhales.

"Do I… really… belong… here?" Her muffled voice pathetically asked, cracking as she did so.

'Asche' rarely had the chance to comfort another person. He, alone, was not fit to deal with a crestfallen student. But a small fragment of his memory surfaced, one so forgetably long ago.

Someone he once held dear, had done this very act whenever he was distraught. It was one of the very few nearly obsolete memories he refused to be left forgotten. Whether it was through the ageless slumber upon his initial failure to link the flame, or throughout his accursed journey in Lothric during the awakening of aash.For as long as he was cursed, he would forever cherish the feeling it once brought prior to his undeath.

He raised his arm, letting Ruby's head fall into the side of his ribs, unbothered by the soft thud it caused. And with the limb now free, he took his glove off, using his other hand to pull the fabric away. And afterwards, he placed the exposed hand on her head, stroking her hair as gently as he could.

Ruby's sobbing slowed almost immediately out of confusion and 'Asche' took this as a sign of her being unwelcoming to the act. But as the unkindled ash raised the hand to stop, the girl used her hand to return his own to the top of her head. After he resumed the caressing, Ruby wrapped her arms around the boy.

Eventually, the leader would cease her crying, 'Asche' remaining unsure of when she wanted him to stop. Each time he tried to, Ruby would only return his hand to the top of her black hair...

"You know...Yang used to do this for me when we were kids." She quietly said, using a sleeve to wipe away whatever tears remained.

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"When I fell and scraped my knee. When I was bullied by other kids at school. When I ran out of cookies because I ate them all in my sleep." She continued, smiling when saying the final part.

"She's somehow always there for me. I know she'll always try her best, and I know she'll want me to do the same for others too..."

Ruby pulled away, moving the Unkindled One's hand away. Her eyes were still puffy and tinted with pink, yet she refused to let it bother her. With a signature cheeky smile and her cheery voice back, she felt her prior sadness slip away as if it had never existed.

"...So, if you ever need a shoulder to cry on, you can count on Ruby Rose!" She exclaimed, poking the boy's mask with her index finger.

The champion of ash stared back at the girl. True, her face was still damp, her silver eyes still bloated, but her smile… it was warming. She wouldn't let her fight with Weiss deter her, even if the cruel exchange tore at her heart and tested her determination. Come the pouring rain, come a swelling storm, a flower as gallant as a rose will always bloom.

Beneath his mask, 'Asche' felt his lips pull upwards against their will, nodding his head only once. Ruby giggled, quickly standing to her feet and holding a hand out for 'Asche'. And after the two returned to their feet, the chime of a bell was heard. The second buzz signaling the conclusion of the free period and the start of lunch. The red reaper was ecstatic, hopping in place as if she were riding a pogo stick.

"Asche,It'slunchtime!Let'sgolet'sgolet'sgo!Ahhh,Ican'twaitanymore,I'llsaveyouaspot!"

And before the champion of ash could comprehend her flooding of words, she dashed away, leaving the masked knight alone. After an awkward moment to survey his surroundings, he shook his head in defeat.

He was lost...again.

Like before, he wasted no time in only losing himself further. Corner upon corner… corridor after corridor… It mattered little. He, like before, was lost as per usual. And just when he almost gave in to collapsing in hopelessness, he came upon a familiar figure...one he hadn't expected to see so soon.

Weiss Schnee. The girl responsible for Ruby Rose's distraught episode. Like the red reaper however, this white fencer was riddled with doubt and apparent regret.

The heiress paid no heed to the surrounding area as she walked. It was as if she had been lost deep within reflection, or had given her mind up to aimless wander. So much so that she couldn't even bring herself to notice the wall she would momentarily walk face first into. At the last possible second though, she snapped herself out of the trance, closing her eyes when relaxing; she was too late to avoid hitting her head.

But she paused. Weiss felt no solid wall collide with her near flawless face. Instead...she felt a soft, warm, but comforting surface. The heiress opened her eyes slowly, not being sure of what to expect.

Like the day and merely hours before, she ran into him again…

It was Asche Embers. The crescent moon paladin of Beacon Academy.

His arm was held in place between the aforementioned wall and her head, with Weiss quickly stepping backwards. Her face was burnt and flustered with being caught in such a careless manner, even more so when realizing just who exactly witnessed her behavior.

"I- Uh- Asche...I didn't expect you here!" She stammered, turning her head with a hand near her eyes.

She steeled herself, taking a breath as her composure hastily returned. She was a Schnee, though she was far from proud of it, she had an image of perfection to uphold.

"Ahem. Hello. I… apologize if I caused you any inconvenience." She stiffly announced.

The unkindled one, like always, remained silent. He brought a still risen hand to his side, taking notice of her earlier demeanor. From the fraction he witnessed prior, she was clearly distraught and deep in contemplation. She reeked of hesitation and forced professionalism.

The champion tilted his head, motioning a gloved hand to the wall the girl nearly ran into only seconds ago. Thankfully, Weiss was able to discern just enough to lead into a conversation...a heavily taxed and restricted exchange, but a course of dialogue nonetheless.

"The wall?" She asked, earning a nod. "Oh I was… distracted. That's all."

Awkward and filled with uncertainty. That is how the heiress best described the atmosphere. Her sight returned to the floor, aimlessly fumbling with her pale fingers. The boy's refusal of speech made the feeling no easier and soon she would need to be the one to lead the lukewarm conversation.

But how could she? 'Asche' spoke next to, if not, nothing. He had yet to add anything substantial to any conversation as far as she was concerned. She could ask about the mask...which he also seemed to never shed. Or perhaps…

The heiress halted in her meek demeanor. After squinting her eyes to look closer at the unfocused champion, an idea came to fruition.

"You're...lost again, aren't you?" Weiss cautiously wondered aloud, crossing her arms.

It had been the masked boy's turn to lower his head in shame, scratching the naoe of his neck as he did. The school's layout was gargantuan. The hallways were the cruelest of mazes and he himself...couldn't even begin to recall just what route he took when following Ruby earlier. That was not even mentioning the winding path he blindly took before saving Weiss from bruising her forehead. He shrugged innocently, confirming he was at his wit's end yet again.

Weiss shook her head as she smiled, a smile that soon became a gentle and genuine laugh. After the feeling of amusement wore off, she unfurled her slender arms. Her hand was propped against her waist, still shaking her head.

"Just what on Remnant am I going to do with you?" She softly asked.

Weiss now stood beside the boy, holding her arm outwards for his taking.

"Come on you dunce, I'll give you a right and proper tour. You better pay attention, because I don't like repeating myself." She proudly spoke.

This was it… this was the manner she, Weiss Schnee, was known for. Her fumbling was held at bay for the time being. Right now, all she felt was the famed pride and elegant prestige that was befitting of nobility.

'Asche' meanwhile, took solace in entwining his arm around her own. It of course, only added kindling to her newly blazed flame.

Weiss felt her facade falter for just the briefest of moments. This… was reminiscent of the feeling from yesterday. A knight and a princess. That was how she pictured it. The next in line to the world's most prominent dust company here, together with an apparent sentinel of the night.

And though 'Asche' was void of the associated shining armor, his silver mask portrayed him as a knight of the moon itself, shattered the astral body may be. And she, of course, was the heiress to a cold kingdom. It was pure coincidence they had met. Maybe even just sheer dumb luck...but she was thankful nonetheless.

As they began to walk together...she felt a strange warmth from the boy. One she had noticed earlier. He felt...almost scorching, as if he were running a dangerously high fever or if he had just been placed inside a furnace of sorts. But...that would be absurd. He was wearing a school issued uniform...

"Asche, are you okay? You're really ho-" She said before failing to catch herself.

"I-I mean… you feel really warm, is all! Like you just took your clothes out of the dryer, don't you dare take that as a compliment!" She frantically corrected herself.

'Asche' paid her consistent fumbling no mind. She was only a young noble, a few missteps in mannerism were expected and should promptly be overlooked. As the two wandered the hallways, Weiss would dissolve into forming a routine. The duo, actually just Weiss, would talk about the general vicinity and the importance it held. Basic directions were then exchanged. Following this, Weiss would do her best to make small talk in-between 'sites'.

"...And this hallway acts as the connecting bridge between the student dormitories and recreational facilities. If you want to return to the corridor leading to your classes, remember to follow along the east pathway, a good rule of thumb is that 'east' is closer to the center of the school from the dorms." She concluded.

"And if you ever find yourself falling behind or struggling in class...my dorm is just down the hall. You'd better not let that offer go to waste, I don't just do this for anyone, you know." Weiss arrogantly flaunted.

"Oh, and you better not even think about having a repeat of this morning either! I'm not going to bail you out every single time."

The two separated, unlocking their arms; much to the disappointment of a particular white haired girl. But of course, Weiss still had a reputation to uphold. More so, her own pride wouldn't allow her to let praise toward herself be left unspoken.

"Well? The tour is over now. Don't you think a 'You're such a life saver Weiss, Thank you!' Is in order?" The heiress pouted, tapping her foot impatiently.

The champion deadpanned…and after giving himself a mental facepalm, he offered the girl the best 'Thanks' he could.

'Asche' tucked an arm to his chest, letting the other poise itself just ever so slightly behind his back. To conclude his display of thanks, he brought a single foot backwards, leaning into a small yet thankful bow. It was the "dignified bkw", Yuria of Londor's own gesture of gratitude. One she had spent an incredible amount of time teaching to the champion.

Weiss put a hand to her chest as she took her own step backwards. This humble act of 'Asche's' had caught her completely off guard. His form was impeccable and if he had been dressed in more appropriate fashion...he could have easily passed as one of nobility.

"I know what I said… but… but you really don't need to be such a try-hard…" The heiress murmured, her voice rich with embarrassment.

Dammit… why can't you just say 'thanks'?!

"Just...Just stop! This is embarrassing!" Weiss abruptly commanded, causing 'Asche' to do just that, leaving him confused.

You're so stubborn. You haven't said a word since you got here. Ugh...and to think, It might be charming if I just knew what was on your mind.

"Come on, Let's just… go to lunch, It's the cafeteria I showed you earlier." Weiss huffed, prodding 'Asche' to lead the way.

But it's like Professor Port said earlier… It's only been a day. We have four whole years together now. For better or for worse, we're both stuck in Beacon now. And one day, 'Asche', just one day…

I'll get you to say 'Thank you'...

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BONFIRE: LIT

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||| "Don't You Dare Go Hollow..." |||