Specialist Rose

24) Welcome!

The door hissed open agonizingly slowly and once it was open it was showtime. I walked out first with my friends flanking me following out 2 steps behind. The camera crew were already rolling and a pre game reporter was updating his audience on the new batch of competitors, namely us. People were already whispering about us and most looked excited. My breath caught when I saw Weiss and Blake with a dishevelled Yang hiding behind them. Though I pretended not to notice their presence it did a number on my heart strings. Yang looked as though she hadn't been eating or sleeping right for a while. Not that I would have anything to feel guilty about. I was really glad she couldn't see my face because of my helmet.

 But before I could dwell too much I was attacked by a Nora hug. All I saw was a great big mass of bright orange hair as a person koala attached herself to me. The human crowbar Ren pried the giggling ball of electrical energy off of me to give me a more relaxed side hug. Jaune was hurrying to keep up with Pyrrha who gave me a quick hug before grabbing my hand and gushing over the ring and by extension my engagement. Jaune hugged me quickly before not too subtlety side-stepping to keep Yang from staring at me. He's a good friend like that. Everyone got reacquainted. Though Neon and Nora were already trying to kill Ren with a rollerblading piggyback. We waited for a couple of minutes for Winter to join us. She did in fact join us only 30 seconds later tailed by her sister who was obsessing in regal speak. Winter did a fantastic job ignoring her until she clearly pitied her enough to agree to go to tea with her.
"Winter that is wonderful! We can go to only the very best tea room in Vale, say Tuesday afternoon?"
"No that will not do. That would intrude on Tuesday tea with my sister."
"But, I'm your sister."
"As is Ruby, and we have tea together Tuesday afternoon."
"If she must, she might be able to join us?" Winter sighed, turned to me and asked,
"Ruby is it alright if Weiss were to join us?"
"Absolutely, she is perfectly welcome."
Weiss had an annoyed look on her face at my presence there and Yang just looked constipated. I can't do anything about Yang but I could try to cheer up Weiss.
"Weiss, you seem to hold yourself in a high stature. Do you feel ready and look forward to the competition?" as much as I didn't like I I knew I had to speak posh to the princess lest she hate me even more.
"Of course! Is that even a question? I'm in the top rankings of my classes and I look forward to proving it in the competition!"
"Well then I look forward to meeting on the battlefield with a worthy opponent, unlike others." I said pointedly obviously looking at Yang for the first time since we landed. Weiss seemed satisfied with this,
"Likewise Rose, I hope you prove to be someone worth my time. I am happy to have the honour to welcome you and your friends to this fine kingdom. If you will follow me I can direct you to where exchange students are supposed to go. A valet will collect your things and you will find them in your rooms later. To those transporting vehicles they will be parked in Beacon's garages and you will receive the key with your room card later. Come along."
Winter leaned down and whispered,
"Nice save."
I thought I would be more scared about being within the same 20 feet as Yang. but seeing her stick close to Weiss as she led the group looking nervous and worse for wear I wondered why I was ever afraid of her. For the first time seeing her in 2 and a half hears she didn't look all that. I'm a soldier, a specialist, a genius mechanic, huntress-in-training and one of the top students that Atlas can offer why did I ever cower to Yang? I felt confident and strolled across Beacon courtyard like I owned it. But as in all things something has to go wrong. 

Winter's robot guards halted and aimed at someone. I spun around and gasped. Uncle Qrow stood about 10 yards behind us. He had a broken atlasien knight in his hand and clearly didn't recognize me. Truth be told I just barely recognized him. I could smell the alcohol from here and he looked worse than Yang. I wasn't quite sure how he was still standing but his precious hair was a mess, he had uneven stubble and his clothes were screwed up completly. Winter took my silence as a signal for her to deal with it,
"Halt!"
"You. Saw that gaudy ship of yours in town, guess you decided to show your face around here."
"I am standing right before you."
"Well so it would seem ice queen." At this point I had pulled myself together and stepped forward standing next to Winter.
"You are aware you just destroyed Atlas military property."
"Oh my deepest apologies shortie. You see I mistook this junk for some sort of... sentient garbage."
"Excuse you I designed that so called garbage."
Before Qrow could answer back Winter took over seeing as I was going to get wound up.
"We do not have the time for your immature games Qrow. Weiss it is time for you to go."
"Yea listen to big sister little Schnee. She's gon protect you just like Atlas is gonna protect us all!"
"I'm not sure what you think you are implying but I have heard enough."
"Oh I heard too. I heard Jimmy finally turned his back on Oz."
"If you shan't hold your tongue, than I will gladly do it for you!"
"Alright then sweetheart, come and take it!"
The fight was certainly a spectical. The courtyard ended up being collateral damage but the students were to entertained by the brawl to care or pay any mind to it. Just as Winter got her blade just close enough to his throat-
"SCHNEE!"
"General Ironwood sir! It was him, he started the altercation sir!"
"Untrue! Princess perfect here attacked first!" The general sighed and mumbles something about dealing with children before he turned to me to get the straight version of events.
"Specialist Rose?"
Qrow's eyes went wide as he heard the name Rose and I found myself removing my helmet to allow him to see my face. He stumbled a bit and I swore I saw tears in his eyes when he heard my voice.
"Whilst Winter did attack first I can't say it wasn't unprovoked or undeserved."
I accidentally looked into Branwens eyes and I couldn't look away. I faintly heard the General call me and Ozpin who had apparently arrived calling Qrow. But the world seemed non-existent.
I don't even recall why me and Qrow started fighting. I know that he stopped trusting me and stopped talking to me and never defended me from Yang. But that's nowhere near the degree of fighting that me and Yang had going on. I know we aren't actually related but he used to treat me like family and even taught me how to fight. He was basically another parent to me. Or at least used to be.

Ironwood called again and I knew better than to keep the General waiting. I took a last sad glance at Qrow and put my helmet back on. Turned to my friends,
"I'll catch up with you guys later ok?"
"See you in a bit Rubes."
With that I flanked the left side of the General whilst Winter took the right flank and we walked into the building. But Ozpin had Qrow follow him as well so here we were stuffed into one elevator together.

Sorry the chapter took so long. I can write a chapter in 2 days but somehow not finish a book report in 2 weeks.
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See you later, love Lizzi