In the cafeteria, Blake, Atalanta, and Kiyohime sit together, and Atalanta enjoys some apple tarts Kiyohime made. Ren is at another table chatting with Robin Hood and Achilles. Blake and Atalanta congratulate Kiyohime for getting together with Ren. Kiyohime smirks and says she heard Blake caught Achilles' eye, annoying her. Kiyohime suggests Blake talk to Atalanta, as they used to date. Slightly embarrassed, Atalanta says she and Achilles only dated for a month, but it messed with their teamwork and Penthesilea harassed her. They decided to be just friends, and when she took a vow of chastity, Penthesilea left her alone. Blake blushes and says she wouldn't be able to maintain a vow a chastity, and they all laugh.
Blake says she's been having a good time because there is no Human-Faunus discrimination here. The other two say they have heard of the Faunus terrorist group called the White Fang. They have not shown up in Apocrypha, but some students eventually leave and join them. Shocked, Blake asks why they would do that, and they say some people want to fight for what they believe in. Atalanta says she would probably join if they fought for children, while Kiyohime says she would probably join if they fought for Human-Faunus marriage. She starts blushing furiously and goes to get water. Blake and Atalanta get into an argument over the fact that Blake tends to run away from her problems, like when she found out the White Fang was corrupt, she ran away instead of trying to reach her former friends. Blake leaves, saying she will go back to their room to study, but Atalanta tells her she should stop blaming herself for her failures and move forward. Kiyohime comes back with the water and Atalanta tells her where Blake went, and she needs to talk to someone in a little bit.
Achilles winces after hearing the story of how Yang broke Astolfo's pelvis. Robin advises Ren to never lie to Kiyohime, because she can do a lot worse. Achilles talks about a time he got drunk and wrecked Kiyohime's room, and lied that a Grimm did it. Atalanta told on him, and Kiyohime almost burned him alive. Robin retorts he'd rather have that than what happened to Astolfo. Achilles says he's curious how strong Yang is after hearing she fought Penthesilea to a draw, and asks Ren if she is seeing anyone. Ren awkwardly points out he was interested in Blake. He explains that although he and Atalanta broke up, he wants a second chance, and his plan is flirt with several girls until she gets so jealous she says she wants him again. If he clicks with one of the other girls, that would be okay, and he would be happy if Atalanta got together with another guy as well. He asks Robin if he is seeing anyone. He says he thinks Emerald is cute, but he'll let her make the first move so it won't be so awkward. Ren points out that is the opposite of the advice he gave him on the ship, and Robin chuckles.
Ruby and Mercury go to the Taiga Dojo. Ruby wears the gym uniform with her cape, but Mercury sticks with his regular outfit, saying he doesn't like to wear shorts because of his artificial legs. Ruby asks him what kind of metal his legs are made of. He tells her to stop talking to him, and he doesn't want to be her friend, but she interprets it as a joke. She asks if she can examine his legs, but he tells her to shut up because he had several bad days. She says her uncle Qrow usually drinks when he has a bad day. That strikes a nerve and he almost loses his temper, but he calms down and confides that his father was an alcoholic and was abusive whenever he was drunk. He also made him drink his brew and it tasted like crap. He never knew his mother; as far as he can remember it was just him and his father in their cabin. He is glad his father is dead, and they are never talking about alcohol again. Ruby apologizes and thanks him for sharing.
Taiga Fujimura walks in and says Astolfo is in the infirmary and Gilgamesh paid the school to be able to skip this class, so the number of students was a bit uneven. So Li Shuwen is teaching some students outside while she will teach the four of them. Ushiwakamaru walks in, but when she sees Mercury, she is shocked and avoids looking at him. Mercury wonders what her deal is. Another girl with a black ponytail, a skintight red and black outfit, a red scarf, and metal over her arms and legs walks in. Taiga says it will be a two on two match: Ruby and Mercury vs Ushiwakamaru and Kato Danzo. Each team is only provided one bamboo sword, and if it breaks, that fighter is disqualified. The match will begin in a few minutes.
Ruby introduces herself to the other team. Since she has trouble saying their names, she is allowed to call them Ushi and Danzo. She asks Ushi if she knows Mercury, but she backs away and claims she doesn't. Ruby tells Mercury this, and he confirms they just met this morning and he doesn't know why she is acting this way. He says he prefers hand to hand combat, so she can use the bamboo sword. Ruby complains the weapon is boring, but sees Taiga getting angry and backpedals. Since she has no experience in wielding one, she holds it awkwardly. Mercury says she'll fight the one with the other bamboo sword while he fights the other.
Taiga tells them the fight will be last one standing and tells them to begin. Ruby faces Ushi. Ruby shows off her incredible speed, but Ushi shocks her by revealing her speed is comparable and hits her in the gut. Ruby clutches her stomach and redoubles her efforts. Danzo confuses Mercury by talking like a robot. Suddenly, she launches rocket propelled fists at him, with cables connecting them to her arms. He ducks and they break holes in the wall (angering Taiga) before returning to her body. He fires wind from his boots and launches himself at her, but she does something similar and evades him. Blades extend from her forearms and she slashes at him. He dodges and complains to Taiga that she said no weapons except her bamboo ones were allowed. Taiga says Danzo's weapons are part of her body, so they are allowed, just like she is allowing him to use his prosthetic legs and boots. Danzo launches her fists again, but Mercury catches them and swings her by the cables into the wall. She recovers and slashes his leg, ripping his pants.
Ruby and Ushi continue clashing. Eventually, Ruby attacks Ushi's sword with all of her might. Ruby's sword cracks, but Ushi's breaks in half. Ushi concedes and congratulates her on her gamble. Ruby attempts to assist Mercury, but he says he has this. Danzo sees Mercury's artificial legs because of his ripped pants and starts blushing, confusing him. She says he has artificial limbs, just like her, and starts asking him several questions about their construction. Ruby comments to Ushi that now she knows what it looks like whenever she is fascinated by a weapon. Mercury gets freaked out and asks her to stop talking about his legs. She says fine, she will just use their battle to answer her question. She gathers air into a ball in her hands. Mercury starts getting pulled toward her and he screams in pain as his eardrums rupture and he starts choking. Taiga tells her if she uses her Noble Phantasm, she is disqualified, but the wind is so loud Danzo can't hear her, then Taiga starts getting pulled in as well. Ruby and Ushi struggle against the wind, then Ushi screams, "Brother, get out of the way!", shocking Ruby. Danzo screams, "Evil Wind Death Storm!" and fires the ball of wind. It knocks Mercury and Taiga through several walls. Mercury finds his legs broke off again and complains before passing out.
Mercury wakes up to find he's still in the dojo, but Archer is standing next to him. He explains he was walking by when he heard the walls come crashing down. He already repaired his legs and his scroll. Danzo is hiding behind a wall and staring at Mercury while blushing, and Ruby is talking with Ushi. Archer says Mercury was only unconscious for ten minutes, but Taiga is still out. He says Mercury and Ruby should go to their next class, and he will explain to Taiga what happened when she wakes up. Mercury walks up to Ruby and Ushi and asks what they were talking about, but they say it is nothing.
A few minutes ago, Ruby asks Ushi how Mercury can be her brother. She says when their parents divorced, she lived with their mother and he lived with their father. She reckons he was too young to remember. She asks Ruby what happened to his legs, but she doesn't know. Anyway, her mother eventually died of an illness and she was raised by the school. She tried to look up her father and brother, but only learned her father was dead. She never imagined she would run into him, but she recognized him as soon as she saw him. Ruby asks why she is avoiding him, and she says this isn't easy. She's sure he didn't hear her because of the wind. She asks Ruby not to tell him, and she will tell him when he is ready.
When Mercury walks up to them, Ushi quickly excuses herself and leaves. Annoyed, he asks Ruby if she figured out why she keeps avoiding him, but she lies and says they were just talking about clothes. Incredulous, he asks how she could talk about clothes with someone who wears such a revealing outfit like that. He then grins and says at least Ushi is hot. Ruby struggles not to barf and says they should quickly go to their next class, confusing him.
