Weiss Worries
The morning sun shone over Beacon Academy, its golden rays glinting off the steel and silver of carefully sharpened weapons. The courtyard buzzed with activity as huntsmen-in-training running last-minute checks, adjusting armor, fine-tuning their mechashift weapons, and, in some cases, ensuring they had at least packed enough supplies not to die within the first twenty-four hours.
Weiss Schnee stood in the center of this madness, arms crossed, face set in the most unimpressed expression known to mankind.
Weiss turned to their dear leader first.
Ruby stood at attention like a soldier, Crescent Rose folded neatly across her back, smiling expectantly.
That immediately made Weiss suspicious.
She narrowed her eyes. “Alright, Ruby, let’s see if you’ve actually prepared for once.”
Ruby beamed. “Crescent Rose is perfect! Sharpened the blade last night, made sure the dust chambers were clear, and the transforming mechanism is running super smooth! Wanna see?”
Before Weiss could respond, Ruby whipped out Crescent Rose, spun it dramatically, and transformed it with a deafening ‘KA-CHUNK.’
Weiss stared.
Ruby grinned.
“…Very good,” Weiss admitted, begrudgingly. “But what about the rest of your supplies?”
Ruby blinked.
“…Rest?”
Weiss pinched the bridge of her nose.
“Yes, Ruby. Your supplies. You do realize that Grimm Hunts last longer than ten minutes, don’t you?”
Ruby nodded enthusiastically. “Yup!”
“…And you do realize that means bringing essentials like food, water, medical supplies—”
Ruby held up a finger. “Oh! I brought extra bullets!”
Weiss slowly inhaled.
Then exhaled through gritted teeth.
“Ruby,” she said, as patiently as she could manage, “do you or do you not have anything in that backpack besides bullets?”
Ruby paused.
Then, with great reluctance, she unzipped her bag and turned it upside down.
A flood of neatly packed dust bullets spilled out onto the floor.
Weiss stared.
Ruby laughed nervously.
“…It’s kind of like bringing food?” Ruby offered weakly. “Y’know, for Crescent Rose.”
Weiss’s eye twitched.
“You absolute buffoon,” she muttered, already reaching into her own bag to pull out emergency rations.
She thrust them at Ruby.
Ruby took them sheepishly.
“Eat actual food when we stop,” Weiss ordered. “And for the love of all that is sane, stop treating Crescent Rose like it’s your child.”
Ruby looked offended. “That’s ridiculous! Crescent Rose isn’t my child!”
Weiss raised an eyebrow.
Ruby hugged Crescent Rose protectively.
“…She’s my baby.”
Weiss groaned.
Next, Weiss turned to Yang.
The blonde stood there, smug as ever, Ember Celica gleaming in the sunlight.
Weiss folded her arms. “Well?”
Yang grinned, flexing her arms. “Locked, loaded, and ready to rock!”
She punctuated this statement by firing off her gauntlets once, sending herself skidding back a foot.
Weiss didn’t even flinch.
“…Right,” she said dryly. “And how much ammunition did you bring?”
Yang waved her off. “Pfft, enough.”
Weiss stared at her.
Yang stared back, still grinning.
“…Yang,” Weiss said, voice dangerously level. “Define ‘enough.’”
Yang hummed thoughtfully.
Then, with zero hesitation—
“Ten shots.”
Silence.
Weiss slowly processed this.
Then repeated, just to make sure she had heard correctly:
“Ten. Shots.”
Yang nodded proudly. “Yup!”
Weiss took a deep, calming breath.
Then promptly snapped.
“OH, WELL THAT’S JUST WONDERFUL, YANG! TRULY, A MASTERCLASS IN SURVIVAL STRATEGY! YES, LET’S GO INTO A GRIMM-INFESTED HELLHOLE WITH A SINGLE MAGAZINE’S WORTH OF AMMO AND JUST HOPE YOU CAN PUNCH YOUR WAY THROUGH IT!”
Yang, completely unfazed, just shrugged. “That is the plan, yeah.”
Weiss buried her face in her hands.
“You’re all going to be the death of me,” she muttered. “Or did we have a bag of holding somewhere full of infinite ammo?”
“Nah,” Yang said cheerfully. “Besides, Grimm will getcha first.”
Weiss glared.
Yang winked.
Weiss decided she would find a way to strangle her later.
For now—
She threw a pouch of spare ammo at Yang’s head.
Yang caught it effortlessly.
“Aww! You do care,” Yang teased.
Weiss turned away before she actually committed a crime.
Finally, she turned to Blake.
Surely—surely—Blake would be the one person with some semblance of responsibility.
…Surely she wouldn’t be as idiotic as the rest.
Weiss looked at her expectantly.
Blake nodded back, calm as ever.
“My weapon is sharp, my supplies are packed, and I have enough dust for multiple encounters.”
Weiss blinked.
“…Wait, really?”
Blake tilted her head. “Yes? Why do you sound surprised?”
Weiss scoffed. “Because currently I have exactly zero faith in this team’s ability to function.”
Blake chuckled. “Fair.”
Weiss sighed in relief. Finally, at least one of them was—
…Then she noticed something.
Blake’s bag.
It bulged suspiciously.
Far too much.
Weiss narrowed her eyes. “What… exactly did you pack?”
Blake paused.
Then—far, far too calmly—
“Nothing important.”
Weiss did not like that answer.
“…Blake.”
Blake took a step back.
Weiss took a step forward.
“Open the bag.”
Blake clutched it protectively. “No.”
Yang, intrigued, leaned in. “Ooooh, what’s she hiding?”
Ruby gasped. “Is it contraband?”
Weiss, laser-focused, did not let up.
“Blake,” she said again, dead serious. “Open. The. Bag.”
Blake sighed.
“…Fine.”
And with great reluctance—she unzipped it.
The contents spilled out.
Weiss froze.
Ruby gasped dramatically.
Yang burst out laughing.
Because inside the bag—stacked neatly, one after another—
Were at least a dozen romance novels.
Blake coughed. “For… research purposes.”
Weiss stared at her, utterly unimpressed.
“Oh, yes, of course,” Weiss drawled. “Because when I think of a dangerous mission that could end in our untimely deaths, my first thought is always, ‘Ah yes! I must bring my trashy romance collection!’”
Blake scoffed. “They are not trashy.”
Weiss picked up the nearest one and read aloud.
“‘The Pirate Queen’s Forbidden Desire: A Tale of Love and Revenge.’”
Blake snatched it back instantly.
Yang was wheezing.
Ruby looked impressed.
“Ooooh, Blake, that sounds scandalous.”
Weiss rubbed her temples.
Weiss took a long, slow breath.
Then, clapping her hands together, she addressed them all.
“So. Let’s summarize.”
She pointed to Ruby.
“Bullet Goblin over here forgot every essential supply except ammunition and treats her weapon like it’s a living, breathing child.”
Ruby nodded proudly. “That’s me!”
She pointed to Yang.
“Blonde Brute here is under the impression that ten shots is sufficient for an entire hunt.”
Yang gave a thumbs-up.
Then she pointed to Blake.
“And Miss Mysterious Over There has somehow managed to prepare perfectly well—except that half her pack is filled with pirate smut.”
Blake sniffed. “It’s called literature.”
Weiss exhaled sharply.
“…I am surrounded by children.”
“You love,” Yang nudged her.
The others grinned.
Weiss groaned.
She hates how she can’t refute that.
After the utter disaster that was Team RWBY’s preparation, or rather, the complete lack thereof—Weiss needed something to restore her faith in humanity.
She turned away from her own walking liabilities and strode toward Team JNPR, where Jaune, Pyrrha, Nora, and Ren stood neatly in formation.
At first glance, everything seemed… orderly.
Weapons were secured. Backpacks looked appropriately packed. Nobody was giggling guiltily while clutching a novel about scandalous pirate romance.
Weiss frowned.
Something was wrong.
“Alright,” she said cautiously, arms crossed. “Let’s see how you disasters have prepared.”
Jaune, standing front and center, gave her a friendly smile. “Oh, we’re all set darlin! I mean Weiss!”
Weiss narrowed her eyes. “...Are you sure?”
Jaune nodded.
Ren and Pyrrha nodded.
Nora grinned and gave a thumbs-up.
Weiss squinted suspiciously.
Then, reluctantly, she began the check.
Weiss stepped up to Jaune first.
Surely he had forgotten something.
“Alright, let’s see it,” Weiss said, crossing her arms. “What did you bring?”
Jaune wordlessly opened his pack.
Weiss peeked inside.
…Then blinked.
Neatly packed rows of rations, water, spare clothing, medical supplies, maintenance kits for his sword and shield, a backup map, a dust-infused emergency flare, and even Grimm anti-venom.
Weiss stared, then nodded. She would have smacked Jaune if he was being an idiot when it comes to Grimm.
She then moved to Pyrrha.
There wasn’t much to check.
Pyrrha Nikos was the golden standard of a responsible huntsman-in-training.
Her shield was polished, her sword was sharpened, and she carried exactly the right amount of supplies—nothing excessive, nothing missing.
“Let me guess,” Weiss said dryly. “You packed everything correctly.”
Pyrrha nodded politely. “Of course.”
Weiss sighed. “Of course you did.”
Pyrrha tilted her head. “Did… you expect me not to?”
Weiss waved a hand. “No, no, I expected you to be perfect. It’s just frustrating that you’re actually doing it while my team is over there preparing for war by bringing romance novels and extra bullets instead of food.”
Pyrrha glanced at Team RWBY.
Ruby was still happily reorganizing her bullets.
Blake was secretly trying to shove a book back into her pack.
Yang was balancing an apple on her fist like she was about to punch it across the courtyard.
“…I see your point,” Pyrrha admitted.
Weiss pinched the bridge of her nose.
“…Next.”
This one was dangerous.
Nora was an agent of pure, unchecked chaos. A girl who would try to bring an entire carton of syrup on a stealth mission.
Weiss braced herself.
Then turned to face Nora, who stood grinning widely like a child hiding a secret.
“…Nora,” Weiss began cautiously. “Do you have everything you need?”
Nora nodded enthusiastically. “Yup!”
Weiss squinted. “Are you sure?”
Nora beamed. “Super sure!”
Weiss hesitated.
Then, warily, she peeked inside Nora’s pack.
To her genuine surprise—everything looked… correct.
Spare clothes. Medical supplies. Food. Water. An extra pair of socks.
Weiss blinked.
“…Wait,” she said suspiciously. “Did you actually—”
Then she noticed something at the bottom of the bag.
Weiss froze.
Slowly—very slowly—she reached inside and pulled out a grenade.
She stared.
Then turned back to Nora.
“…Why,” Weiss asked, very calmly, “is there a grenade in your pack?”
Nora shrugged. “Just in case.”
Weiss stared at her.
Then at the grenade.
Then back at her.
“…Of what?”
Nora grinned. “Of everything!”
Weiss rubbed her temples.
“...Just—don’t blow us all up, Miss Valkyrie.”
Nora saluted. “No promises!”
Weiss groaned.
Last but not least, Weiss turned to Ren.
Surely—surely—he had done things properly.
“…Ren?” Weiss asked, exhausted. “Are you at least fully prepared?”
Ren nodded. “Yes.”
Weiss hesitated. “No secret surprises?”
Ren blinked. “Why would I have any?”
Weiss exhaled in relief. “Finally. Someone normal.”
Then she gave him one last suspicious glance.
“…You’re not hiding any explosives, are you?”
Ren shook his head.
“Contraband?”
He shook his head again.
“…Any questionable reading material?”
He sighed. “Weiss, no.”
Weiss nodded approvingly. “Alright, good. You are now one my favorite person here.”
Yang gasped dramatically from the side. “Traitor!”
Weiss ignored her.
With a final sigh, Weiss stepped back.
Then she clapped her hands together.
“Alright,” she declared. “Final evaluation—Team JNPR is somehow vastly more prepared than Team RWBY.”
Jaune pumped his fist. “Yes! Score one for us!”
Weiss ignored him.
Weiss stood with her hands on her hips, surveying the two teams.
One was mostly prepared.
The other—her team—was a walking disaster waiting to happen.
And that wasn’t funny. Not anymore. Not on what she had seen.
She exhaled, pushing down her frustration. It wasn’t just exasperation. It was worry.
They, all of them, were about to go out into the wild. Where Grimm wouldn’t care how clever or strong, they thought they were.
Where a mistake could mean one of them doesn’t come back.
Weiss took a slow breath.
Then, clapping her hands together sharply, she got their attention.
“All right,” she said, her voice even. “Enough nonsense. Now we do this properly.”
There was a brief pause.
Ruby stopped playing with Crescent Rose.
Yang set down her apple.
Blake lowered her book.
Even Jaune and the rest of JNPR straightened, sensing the shift in her tone.
“Listen to me.” Weiss crossed her arms. “I know we’re strong. I know we’ve been through a lot. But if there’s one thing I won’t allow, it’s stupidity getting someone hurt—or worse.”
She looked directly at Ruby first. Utterly serious. Expression showing and demanding no other word.
“Ruby, your Crescent Rose is always in top shape. That’s good. But you’re carrying nowhere near enough rations. You’re fast, but you can’t outrun exhaustion. You need supplies, and you need to actually eat.”
Ruby swallowed. Then nodded. “Right.”
Weiss turned to Yang next.
“Yang.” Her voice was firm but not unkind. “You need more ammo. Your gauntlets are your lifeline. They’re how you fight, how you stay alive. If you run out in the field, you’re not just in danger—we are. You can’t punch a Beowolf into submission if it’s ten feet tall and your fists are empty.”
Yang exhaled, rubbing the back of her head. “...Yeah. You’re right.”
Then Weiss turned to Blake.
“Blake.” Her voice softened slightly. “I get it. I do. But we’re going out there to fight—not to read. Your head has to be in this all the way. And you need to carry more than just the bare minimum. If a fight goes on longer than expected, you can’t afford to run out of resources.”
Blake hesitated. Then, after a beat, she nodded. “I understand.”
Then Weiss turned back to the group as a whole.
“This isn’t a joke,” she said quietly. “We’re not playing around when it comes to Grimm. We are huntsmen. And that means taking this seriously.”
She looked over at Jaune and his team.
“I hate admitting this,” she said with a wry twist of her lips, “but Team JNPR is actually prepared.”
Jaune puffed up proudly.
Weiss shot him a glare. “Do not let this get to your head.”
Jaune deflated slightly. “Right. Got it.”
Weiss turned back to her own team, taking a slow breath.
“We fix this,” she said. “We take ten minutes, go back to the dorms, and actually bring what we need. We check our gear. We check our supplies. And when we leave on this mission, we leave prepared.”
She met each of their gazes.
Then, softly, she added, “Because I am not losing any of you out there. Aga—”
Again.
A pause.
Then, slowly, Ruby smiled.
“You really care, huh?” she said.
Weiss huffed. “Of course I care.”
Yang grinned, throwing an arm around her. “Aw, Weiss, that’s so sweet.”
Weiss shoved her off. “Get off me and go get your ammo.”
Yang laughed.
Then, all together, Team RWBY turned and headed back to prepare properly.
Weiss stared at them, half-fond and still worried