Ruby and Jaune do need to learn how to manage their teams. And connect with other team leaders. So there's a class for that... And a lot of fun to be had.
And paperwork. Lots and lots of paperwork.
- - -
Ruby was practically bouncing off the walls with joy as she walked down the hallway, her enthusiasm a stark contrast to Jaune, who trudged along beside her.
"Come on Jaune! Isn't this exciting?! Our first leadership class!" Ruby exclaimed, her voice brimming with excitement.
Jaune sighed.
"I know... Sorry Ruby, but given how hard everything else is? I'm not feeling the enthusiasm."
Ruby tilted her head, undeterred. "Aw, come on Jaune! This is awesome! We're our team leaders! And yeah, you kind of suck at, well, a lot of stuff-"
"Thanks," Jaune deadpanned. Ruby winced and then continued.
"-But you're good at leadership! Come on! Be happy! For me?" She let loose her puppy dog eyes.
Jaune let out another sigh and then shrugged.
"I'll try."
"YAY!" Ruby beamed, and Jaune couldn't help a little smile at that.
They reached the classroom where Professor Ozpin awaited them. Cardin, already inside, winced upon seeing Jaune, who scowled back. With a sigh, Cardin gestured to two seats beside him. Ruby blinked.
"Eh? Hey, what's your deal?"
"I'm trying to be nice, pipsqueak. You got a problem with that?" Cardin replied gruffly.
Ruby shook her head and shrugged.
"No! I guess? And I'm not a pipsqueak! I'm drinking my milk!"
"Thanks Cardin," Jaune offered quietly, as they took their seats.
Ozpin looked around gravely before he addressed the room.
"Good of you all to join us. Simin Magister, as the leader of team SLVR and one of our senior teacher's assistants, I leave the rest to you. I have other matters to attend to."
Why'd he botherr to come if that's all he was going to say? Almost everyone thought.
With that, he exited, and a handsome young man with dark red hair, tanned skin, and a long gray jacket stepped forward, smiling warmly.
"It's great to see so many new faces," Simin began. "Now, leadership of a team is more than just keeping it together in the field and fighting. There's a lot of hard work off the field too."
Ruby perked up immediately.
"Ooh! Ooh! Like training?"
Simin nodded.
"That is also important... But more important? Is paperwork."
Ruby's jaw dropped.
"Paperwork?!" She gasped.
Simin smiled in nostalgia.
"Yep! As team leaders you must account for your team's stores of supplies, types of supplies, finances, training room time, medical condition, and many other things! You must also demonstrate your ability to write mission reports and convey information properly that other Huntsmen, the police, the military and other organizations use when it comes to Grimm, the ground of your missions, and damages you cause or others inflict."
Ruby faltered, but quickly rallied with a smile.
"Well... Um... I-I'm sure it can't be that bad to start, right?"
Simin beamed, his teeth shining like knives.
"That's the spirit!"
Moments later, Simin dumped several large stacks of paperwork onto the leaders' desks. Ruby gaped.
"Wait, actual paperwork?!" She cried.
Simin grinned.
"It's so you can get used to the digital stuff later. Trust me, it will be a breeze after this!"
Ruby slumped, her face slamming into the stack with a moan. Jaune chuckled and patted her on the shoulder.
"Living the dream, huh?" Jaune asked.
Ruby moaned louder.
Hours passed, and Cardin grumbled as he filled out another sheet.
"Geez... I thought helping dad with his campaign finances was bad..." Next to him, Ruby, her eyes spinning, cried out in despair.
"Wha... What's an index?! WHAT'S A LEDGER?! WHAT IS ALL THIS?!" She slammed her face into the stack again and moaned, then glanced to her right at Jaune.
"Jaune? You okay there budd-?"
To her shock, Jaune was already up, handing his completed paperwork to Simin.
"Wha-He's already done?!" Ruby stammered. Cardin's jaw dropped.
"No way... It can't all be done properly-!"
Simin flipped through the stack before nodding in approval.
"Very good, Mister Arc! Everything checks out! You can relax until everyone else is done."
Jaune smiled, "Thanks, Mister Magister!" and returned to sit beside Ruby. He then looked over at her and Cardin, who both stared at him in utter disbelief.
"What?" Jaune asked innocently.
"Wha-How did you get all that done so fast and correctly?!" Ruby demanded.
Jaune shrugged, looking a bit proud.
"Well, I had to help my mom with paperwork at the hospital, help my dad with paperwork at the militia, help my sisters with paperwork for various reasons, did some accounting for my great-grandpa's restaurant..." He shrugged, "In comparison, this isn't too hard! Plus, Nora has to ask me for more money for Dust and she has to get the proportions just right, so she's pretty good at keeping track of things. Pyrrha buys most of her own stuff but she still reports it to me, and Ren is very good at math too. So, we're pretty set."
Ruby's soul seemed to droop and drag her down with it at every word.
"Oh… Oh…"
Jaune smiled and patted her shoulder encouragingly.
"I'm sure you can get it too, Ruby! I mean, Weiss is rich: She must know something about business? And Yang was like your mom so she has to know finances? And Blake... Um..."
Ruby nodded weakly, "Y-Yeah... I'm sure they'll be fine... Totally fine...!"
Cardin spoke up at last, his face very serious.
"Jauney-boy? I take back every bad thing I ever said about you. Mind helping me out? My team will train with yours... I'll carry your books? Set you up with my hot sister?!"
Coco Adel leaned over from the desk behind them, adjusting her glasses with an eager grin.
"Like hell he will! Arc, you help me out and I'll let you take Bun-Bun on a date! And I'll make sure she's extra sexy for you!" Jaune laughed a bit nervously and held his hands up.
"It's just paperwork, guys. Don't be so melodramatic. But! I will help you all out... If!"
"I get Weiss to go out with you?!" Ruby guessed eagerly.
Jaune flustered.
"What?! No! I want to do that myself! I know I'm wearing her down!"
"Ummm," Ruby coughed, "Er, well…"
"Should have offered her your sister, she's much hotter," Coco suggested.
"Look," Jaune interrupted, "I'll just ask that we all be friends. And I get some help with the stuff I'm not good at when it comes to Hunting."
Coco smirked.
"So... Everything then?"
Jaune winced, and slowly nodded. There was a hint of pride in his eyes though.
"... Yeah... Except for this."
Coco hummed and then nodded.
"Sounds fair."
"Seriously, offering him your teammate?" Cardin muttered.
"What? She's got a thing for big, dumb galoots!" Coco countered, lowering her shades at Cardin, "Maybe if you weren't a racist on top of that, I'd have set you two up!"
Cardin blushed.
"I-I would never be interested in her! N-Never! I don't think she has pretty eyes either!"
Much staring. Cardin scowled.
"I didn't say that!"
Ruby hummed.
"Well... I guess it's nice to have more friends who are as awkward as us."
"I am not awkward," Cardin grumbled. Jaune chuckled.
"Yeah, see? We're socializing more already!"
Ruby beamed at her best friend.
"Yeah! I... I think this is gonna turn out just fine!"
And then the fight with the White Fang at the Wharves happened, but that's another story.
