Fate's Wild Card Ch.15 (Early access)

Pryce stands next to Pyrrha with his arms crossed, both positioned in the center of the auditorium, watching with a bored expression as Ozpin announces candidate names and forms teams in what's supposed to be some kind of ceremonial presentation. The scattered applause from the assembled students feels a little off; more like forced politeness since the ones seated are those who didn't pass the initiation, while he and the rest standing in the center are the successful candidates.

The whole thing feels rushed and poorly organized. They didn't even get a chance to change clothes or clean up properly after their expedition. Some of the other candidates around them still have leaves stuck in their hair, torn clothing, and other signs of fresh battle. One guy near the front is covered in dirt and soot, and a girl near the back is still picking twigs out of her long ponytail, grumbling very strong words.

He and Pyrrha, in comparison, are remarkably clean despite his landing being far from perfect. That just makes it another confirmation that he'd made the right choice in partners—and gotten damn lucky to end up with someone as competent as Pyrrha. He's definitely buying Neo plenty of ice cream as a thank-you for her life-saving advice.

However, rather than continue announcing teams Ozpin drones on about teamwork and the bonds forged in adversity, which makes Pryce to roll his eyes and they land on his partner. Pyrrha suddenly turns her head to look at him with an innocent smile, tilting her head slightly.

"Oh, do you need something?" she asks quietly.

And he looked like he was staring, damn. "You've got a little..." he says, pointing to her cheek and tapping his own in the same spot.

Pyrrha quickly rubs her finger across the area, looking slightly embarrassed. "Did I get it?"

"Yep, just some dirt," he says with a casual shrug, though there hadn't been anything there in the first place but it was a good save.

He looks back toward the stage just as another team finishes their moment and leaves, all looking happy and excited about their newly formed team.

That's when the old man's eyes suddenly find him in the crowd. That gets his full attention but doesn’t avert his gaze, maybe it’s just coincidence. "Pryce Locke and Pyrrha Nikos…."

No, definitely intentional.

But that's still their cue. They step forward onto the small stage area, climbing the short stairs, and Pryce can feel dozens of eyes on them. He keeps his expression carefully neutral—this whole public ceremony thing definitely isn't his comfort zone. Too much attention on him, the spotlight.

"Ruby Rose and Weiss Schnee," Ozpin continues without missing a beat.

‘Wait, what?’

Ruby practically bounces up the steps with barely contained excitement, her red cloak flowing dramatically as she joins them on stage. Weiss follows with considerably less enthusiasm, and he can tell she is in disbelief as she shares a look with him.

Pryce shares that disbelief. He seriously hadn't expected to encounter the Atlesian girl again so soon, much less be stuck with her for the next four years. He doesn’t want to deal with her nagging and bitching after all, although… he did like her reactions.

Ozpin pauses dramatically, holding up their retrieved chess pieces for the audience to see. "These four retrieved the white pawn and white knight pieces." And then he examines the pieces. "The pawn and knight—two pieces that, while vastly different in power and movement, must work in perfect harmony to achieve victory on the board. Each compensates for the other's limitations. Much like the bonds you will forge as a team over the next four years of training."

Several candidates in the audience share confused looks and scratch their heads. Pryce personally resists the urge to do the same because Ozpin definitely didn't give that chess metaphor speech to any of the other teams and the other teams had the same pieces. His ears even catch one guy muttering "what the hell was that about?" to his partner.

"From this day forward," Ozpin declares with a serious tone. "you will work together as Team RWPN—Raven—led by... Ruby Rose."

Pryce raises his brow since it is a weird name for the name, like it is reaching a little too much.

But he doesn’t get much time to think about that strange naming as everyone applauds with the same intensity as the others. All except for one person that stands out too much and Pryce didn’t need his long ears to know that it belongs to Yang from somewhere in the back.

"YES! THAT'S MY LITTLE SISTER! WOOOO! GO RUBY! SHOW 'EM HOW IT'S DONE!"

But that is when he realizes that Ruby is their team leader and it genuinely surprises him. Ruby's just a kid, although her combat skills in the forest were undeniably impressive. He'd been fully expecting Pyrrha to become team leader, given her obvious experience in battle.

Pyrrha opens her mouth, probably to offer congratulations to their new leader, but she's immediately cut off by Weiss's voice cracking through the air like a whip.

"WHAT?!"

The single word echoes through the entire auditorium, causing instant, complete silence. Every conversation stops mid-sentence, every whisper dies instantly, and all eyes focus directly on Weiss like spotlights. Her face transitions from shock to beet red as she realizes she's just shouted her thoughts.

Pryce almost feels pity for her. Almost. But mostly he's trying not to laugh.

The silence stretches uncomfortably as Weiss looks around at all the staring faces, her mortification growing exponentially by the second. She stares down at her feet, her shoulders hunching slightly, and lets out a low, "Sorry."

Ozpin clears his throat diplomatically and gives them a firm nod. "Congratulations to Team RWPN. May your partnership prove as enduring as it is... educational."

Pryce doesn't fail to notice that Ozpin's knowing eyes linger on him during the brief speech, though the headmaster's gaze occasionally shifts to Ruby. he cannot help but wonder why he is interested in his new team leader.

Before anyone can add to the mounting awkwardness, Ruby suddenly explodes into motion with that same infectious enthusiasm she showed back in the forest.

"OH MY GOSH, WE'RE A TEAM!" she shouts, throwing her arms around both him and Pyrrha and pulling them into an enthusiastic group hug that nearly knocks them off balance. "This is so awesome! We're gonna be the best team ever! We'll fight Grimm together and go on amazing missions and save people and protect the innocent and learn so many cool new moves and—"

She suddenly releases them and spins toward Weiss with starry eyes, who's still standing frozen in embarrassment.

"Weiss! Come on, don't miss out on our first team moment! Join the group hug! This is like, the first official group hug of Team RWPN!" Ruby gestures wildly. "It's totally a tradition now! Team bonding! Come on, it'll be amazing! We're partners now… well, teammates and teammates support each other and—"

Weiss looks at Ruby's outstretched arms. "I... that's not... they are staring."

"Please?" Ruby says with those silver eyes, trying to give a puppy stare. "Just this once? For team unity? I promise I don't bite! Well, unless you're a cookie, but you're definitely not a cookie, so you're totally safe!"

Pryce is just stunned at that sudden leap of logic.

Weiss's eye twitches. "That's... not how this works.”

Well, he is stuck with Weiss so he knows what to do.

"Aw, come on," Pryce interjects with a smirk, unable to resist. "Afraid a little hug might melt that frozen heart?"

Weiss whirls on him with renewed fury, pointing at him. "Don't you dare—"

"Pryce," Pyrrha says gently but firmly, shooting him a warning look. "Perhaps we should leave the stage first."

“Oh! Come on then!” Ruby quickly moves behind them and start pushing them all, getting everyone to laugh.

However, that doesn’t affect their young team leader. "See? This is gonna work out perfectly!"

Pryce exchanges a glance with Pyrrha, who just smiles and then another with Weiss who looks away, clearly taking offense.

Probably the next longest four years of his life.

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-Weiss Schnee-

Weiss sat at the table somewhere outside the academy yards, but not that far from the cafeteria, her fork hovering over the slice of chocolate cake before her. She had barely touched it; just a few absentminded bites while her thoughts churned. The cake had been meant as a small celebration while they waited for their team dormitory assignments, but celebration felt impossible right now.

"Weiss, you're gonna let that go to waste?" Ruby's voice broke through her brooding, muffled slightly by the generous bite she'd just taken. "I mean, I could totally finish it for you if you don't want it! This chocolate is like... like... really, really good! Not as good as cookies tho!"

Weiss glanced up to find Ruby eyeing her untouched dessert with obvious longing, crumbs dotting her lips as she hummed contentedly. She had finished her slice faster than she should have.

"I'm perfectly capable of finishing this, thank you." Weiss replied coolly, though she made no move to actually eat any more of it.

She should have been happy. Satisfied. Proud, even. She had finally given her father the proverbial finger and left Atlas to pursue what she wanted, finally taking control of her own life. She had planned every detail meticulously; the necessary steps, the budget, the proper preparations in every aspect of her escape from his suffocating control and had started building something for herself.

More importantly, she should have been elated that she had been placed on a team with the famous Pyrrha Nikos, four-time consecutive champion of Mistral. Probably the best Huntress-in-training in the entirety of Remnant.

"You know," Pyrrha said gently from across the table. "I was also surprised by this placement but the headmaster must have seen something we didn’t."

Of course, Weiss would have preferred to be Pyrrha's partner directly, but being on the same team still meant she could learn from her, hone her skills and much more.

"I suppose,," Weiss replied stiffly, finally taking another bite and savoring the sweet taste.

Weiss still couldn't fathom why the respected Headmaster of Beacon would appoint Ruby as team leader instead of her or Pyrrha, of course Weis wouldn’t dare to diminish her partner's combat ability but she was too immature . She would have gladly accepted Pyrrha in the role; the champion had proven herself time and again in actual combat tournaments; it would have been the natural choice.

"Hey, I’m also surprised that I was team leader!" Ruby said suddenly, her voice losing some of its usual cheer as she seemed to pick up on the tension. "But I really want to do right by you guys. We're a team now, and that means we look out for each other, right?"

The earnestness in Ruby's silver eyes made something twist uncomfortably in Weiss's chest. The girl was trying, at least. Only if she didn’t sound like it was a game to her.

"Leadership requires more than good intentions," Weiss said, though her tone was marginally less sharp than before.

She was going to raise her concerns with the Headmaster the next day and hopefully convince him to reconsider his decision. Maybe he had done it out of kind consideration for Ruby's age and inexperience.

But if there was one thing he absolutely had to reconsider, it was the fourth member of their team. 

The ruffian. The brute. The fiend.

Pryce Locke.

That cursed rabbit Faunus had excused himself moments ago to grab another slice of cake. Weiss suspected it was more likely an excuse to scout the area or do more questionable acts.

Just thinking about him made her face twist into a scowl, especially considering what he had done, how shamelessly he had acted. The memory of his lips against hers, the way he'd caged her against that wall, the smug satisfaction in his voice when he'd called her 'princess', it all made her blood boil.

"Weiss?" Pyrrha's concerned voice cut through her dark thoughts. "Are you alright? You look... troubled."

"I'm fine," Weiss snapped, then immediately felt guilty for her harsh tone when Pyrrha was only being polite. "I'm just... processing today's events."

Ruby perked up hopefully. "Oh! Are you thinking about how awesome we were during initiation? Because that King Taijitu didn't stand a chance against us! Your semblance was so cool, and the way we coordinated that attack—"

"Yes, well…" Weiss interrupted, not wanting to dwell on the moment when she'd actually felt... competent. Valued. Part of something. "Of course, it is only expected from me."

She was dead set on never forgiving that man, and on teaching him a lesson for taking advantage of her... her moment of vulnerability. 

Did he even comprehend what he had done and the consequences?

She could still fix it, everything could still be fixed.

Of course she could report his inappropriate behavior to the administration, but that would mean admitting they had... kissed. Gossip traveled fast, and it would damage her reputation not only at Beacon but inevitably reach Atlas as well. Her father would hear of it, and she could already imagine his reaction and the ways he would use it against her to drag her back.

"You know," Pyrrha said carefully, "if there's anything troubling you, perhaps we could discuss it? I've found that open communication tends to resolve most conflicts before they become... eh… problematic."

Weiss's fork clinked against her plate as she set it down more forcefully than necessary. "I appreciate it, but I can assure you I will take care of it myself."

Yes, she couldn't stumble.

No. She needed to steel herself and not be caught off-guard again before confronting that brute directly and now she had gained that confidence.

She was Weiss Schnee, future heiress of the SDC—the most important company in the entirety of Remnant. A single Faunus criminal was not going to become an obstacle to her goals and dreams.

She wouldn't allow it.

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-Pryce Locke-

Pryce is walking back to the table where his team is sitting, carrying a plate with fresh slices of cake while already working on a third piece that's half-eaten. He genuinely hadn't expected the chocolate cake to taste this good; rich, sweet, and moist, nothing like the stale, dusty garbage some bakeries in Vale's lower districts tried to pass off as dessert. So naturally, he'd gone back for seconds. And thirds. When food this good is free, you don't waste the opportunity.

However, his ears suddenly twitch and perk up when he catches the distinctive click of heels approaching from behind. He turns around, quickly swallowing and licking his lips clean of any leftovers.

It's Weiss, and she looks more serious than he's ever seen her. Even more intense than yesterday when she was acting like a total bitch. Her expression is practically oozing determination and resolve, like she's ready for something important. That focused look in her eyes tells him that unlike their previous encounters, he probably won't be able to catch her off guard.

He raises an eyebrow, genuinely curious about this development. "You want me to grab you a slice? The cake's actually pretty decent, and there's no line right now."

Weiss's frown deepens as she checks their surroundings, almost like he does. Future students are scattered throughout the large room, most focused on their own conversations and meals. Then she steps closer and firmly grabs his wrist.

"We need to talk," she says curtly. "Privately. Now."

Pryce could easily yank his arm free; her grip is strong for someone her size, but he's dealt with much more aggressive attempts to manhandle him during his time on the streets. Instead, he decides to play along, partly because she isn't actively trying to insult or antagonize him like their first encounter, and mostly because he's genuinely curious about what the Atlesian girl could possibly want.

"Alright, lead the way," he says with casual compliance, taking another bite of cake as she guides him through the maze of tables and chattering future classmates.

She leads him outside to a secluded area behind the cafeteria building, away from the main foot traffic and prying eyes. Weiss positions herself directly in front of him, crossing her arms tightly across her chest and taking several deep, measured breaths.

"Okay..." Pryce says, setting his plate down on a nearby windowsill and giving her his full attention. His ears twitch slightly, automatically trying to hear anything out of place as well as hear her. "What's this about? Because if this is about team assignments…"

"This isn't about teams," Weiss interrupts sharply. "This... this is about what happened y-yesterday."

"Ah." Pryce leans back against the wall, a knowing smirk playing at his lips as the memory surfaces. "Right. The kiss. I'm not apologizing for that."

Weiss's face flushes red, but her voice rises with frustration rather than embarrassment. "Do you even understand what you've done? Do you have any idea of the consequences of your... your indecency?!"

He raises an eyebrow, his smirk fading into confusion. "Yeah? I kissed you to shut you up because you were being obnoxious. Pretty straightforward."

"No, you don't!" Weiss explodes, her careful composure cracking. "You have absolutely no understanding of what you've set in motion!"

That wording catches his attention. She wouldn't be this worked up over simple embarrassment or wounded pride of an entitled rich girl. There's something else going on here, something that has her genuinely rattled rather than just angry.

"Okay, clearly I'm missing something." Pryce says, crossing his arms and studying her face. "And you obviously want to tell me, so hit me with it. What exactly did I do besides bruise your ego?"