Hikari froze, hearing the comment clearly. She wasn't sure what to do, until Naruto grabbed her arm and started walking away.

"Don't pay them any attention. It's what they want." The fox advised, leading his friend away from the troublemakers.

Weiss wrinkled her nose. "I don't know which is worse- that punk or the Starr family failure he's picking on." She said loudly.

"So says the lonely girl of a floundering company," Amaya responded harshly to Weiss and was starting to get sick of her attitude as she defended her leader and partner. If she didn't stop soon, then the two of them would be getting into a fight, pretty soon actually.

"I think it is," Cardin responded. He was curious as to why the girl hated the fact that she was the daughter of one of, if not THE, greatest teams of all time. If it was him in her shoes, he'd be basking in the spotlight no matter what.

The white haired girl's mouth fell open and she gaped, speechless, at Amaya. "You...you...insolent little witch! At least I have a reason to be here! Unlike your precious leader, I got in by my own merit, and not just because my parents were too embarrassed to keep me around! Honestly, she wasn't even the first choice as a leader! She was a pity choice!"

Naruto tensed at the sound of voices rising behind them, but kept a hold on Hikari's arm. They actually managed to go, get food and return rather quickly- only to find the taunting party still sitting there.

Hikari clutched her tray for dear life, not meeting the gaze of the four males who were currently talking about her. She went to sit back down, doing her best to ignore them.

Hikari looked up in shock. She never expected anyone to stand up for her, let alone get physical about it. Just as Weiss was about to react, she jumped up and glared at the girl. "That is enough. I stated quiet, hoping that it would blow over, but this has gone too far. Weiss Schnee, if you have a problem with me, you can say it to my face. Talking about someone behind their back is the mark of a true coward! You are nothing but a spoiled brat, but if you want to settle this with fighting then I'll meet you outside." She said angrily.

Weiss stared, honestly surprised that the girl had stood up for herself. "Forget it. You're not worth my time. I'd feel bad about beating you into the ground our first day here. You go and get better, then we'll talk." She said snobbishly.

Naruto smirked. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were scared, Schnee. What's wrong, can't face the fact that she might be better than you?" He taunted.

"Weiss, you should accept. You got yourself into this mess, now get out of it. I'm not going to let you make my Imouto look bad as a leader," Yang said, just daring her to disagree with her. She may have been a little tough on her sister, but when the going got tough, she was going to side with Ruby, even if it was within her own team.

"Or you could prove to be the coward that you are Schnee and just walk away like Foxy here thinks you are. Though if you do...I would watch your back," Amaya threatened. She knew it would be sinking to her level, but the threat was necessary...at least in her own mind it was.

Areku heard Amaya's threat and raised an eyebrow, surprised at her behavior. He could understand her defending Hikari and even slapping Weiss, but the threat he thought was a little over the top.

Hikari crossed her arms and waited, wondering what the girl's answer would be.

She was caught. There was no way out of it now. But why should she worry? She was Weiss Schnee, a prodigy, and her opponent was the talentless Starr girl. "Fine, let's go. But you'll only make a bigger fool of yourself."

"Someone thinks highly of herself." Naruto muttered as the two girls headed outside. He stood up to follow. "We should go to, to show support for Hikari." He suggested.

"I like the way you think Naruto," Areku said as he got up from the table, also agreeing with the fox's first comment as well. Even if he hadn't eaten, he knew that Hikari would want her full team there. This would also be a good way to test what she already knew when it came to fighting other humans.

"I don't think she'll be making a big fool out of herself, unlike a certain white-haired bitch..." Amaya replied as she stood up as well, liking what Naruto suggested. As a survivor, she could use this fight to see just what Hikari needed when it came to fighting.

Reaching the courtyard, Weiss turned to face her opponent. She was a bid disconcerted to see that Hikari's team had all come to support her, and so far her own team was missing. Still, she pulled out her weapon and waited.

Facing the white haired girl, Hikari distantly realized that they were two heiress' facing off, and the other girl was probably putting her family pride on the line. Drawing her scissors, she took a stance she remembered from basic training. "Ready when you are, Schnee." She said, her tone easily hiding the nervousness she was feeling.

Weiss smirked arrogantly and ran at Hikari, fully expecting to beat her in one move. "Here I come!" She said. She was greatly surprised when the other girl pulled the scissor blades apart and blocked the blow easily. "What...?"

"Surprised? I made them myself. Now, take this seriously before I humiliate you." Hikari said, pushing the other away and rushing at her. She swung one blade at the girl. Weiss blocked it with her lance, and while she was preoccupied with that, Hikari swung the other blade low, attempting to trip her. Weiss saw it coming at the last second and jumped, sumersaulting backwards to gain some distance. Deciding she needed to kick it up, the Schnee heiress activated the Dust in her weapon, creating an ice beam that shot at her enemy. Hikari saw it coming and brought her blades together, then slid them apart with a sharp sound of metal on metal, causing them to go up in flames- much like a struck match. She easily blocked the ice and brought her blades crashing together, sending a plume of fire at Weiss. In return, Weiss rolled out of the way, enraged to find that her hair was singed, and ran forward again. Hikari mirrored her movements, and the two met in the center of the courtyard with a great clash. Waves of hot and cold air radiated off the two as they crossed blades, blasting the bystanders relentlessly. "Give it up, Schnee. I may be less than stellar, but I can still beat you any day." Hikari growled, her face uncomfortable close to the other girl's. "Forget it! You're nothing compared to me! Worthless!" Weiss hissed in return. "Really? Then why can't you overpower me, princess?"

Standing on the sidelines, Naruto alternately shivered and sweated as the conflicting bursts of air washed over him. "This is getting dangerous fast. Should we interfere, or just let them go at it?" He asked, wondering why no teachers had gotten involved yet.

(No offense, but I believe Weiss's weapon is a rapier, not a lance.)

Areku watched the fight from the sidelines, glad that Hikari was actually holding her own against Weiss. Though he could see a few things that she could improve upon, he wasn't going to say anything now, though just like Naruto, he also wondered why there weren't any teachers coming just yet to break this up.

An elderly man, a professor was coming towards the crowd of students and the fight that was going on. This man was Peter Port, the professor of Grimm Studies 101 and he had heard about a fight that had broken out between two students. Once he was within the area, he brought his BlunderAxe to the ground, creating a small shockwave. "All of you, stop this, this instance!" he shouted. He hated doing this, but as one of the more powerful teachers here, he was the only one that could truly stop fights.

((Oh that's okay. Wolfie honestly had no clue what it was, so she's glad you told her [sweat]))

Hikari jumped back, startled by the shockwave. All at once she remembered where she was and what was going on. She had been so absorbed in the fight that she had failed to notice the crowed that gathered. Looking at the teacher who had stepped in, she bowed her head guiltily, awaiting the reprimanding that was sure to come.

Weiss was rather surprised herself when the fight was interrupted. She almost yelled at the person who dared to get int he way, before she realized that it was a teacher. Gulping back her unspoken words, she glanced over at her opponent to see if she would accuse her of anything. She was surprised to see that Hikari had no intentions of doing so.

(not a problem)

"What's going on here?" the professor shouted once he got to the middle of the "arena" and saw that it was the two heiresses that were going at it. He wanted to hear the story behind all of this before deciding to scold, punish or dole out anything else he figured that was need to be done.

Before either of the girls could speak, Naruto stepped forward. "It was Weiss who started it. She was saying nasty things about Hikari, so they ended up challenging each other. Hikari was only defending herself, dattebayo!" He said in defense of his friend.

Weiss let out an enraged sound. "That's not true! I was just talking to my team and her nasty team mate started on me! She jumped in and challenged me, so I had to defend my honor! It's all her fault!" The white haired heiress yelled indignantly.

Hikari shook her head. "Naruto-kun, it's okay. I have to accept responsibility. I challenged Weiss Schnee to a duel after we exchanged words in the cafeteria. I didn't have to react, but I saw her engaging in a fight with my team mate and I couldn't help myself. I apologize." She said with a bow.

"Weiss...why are you lying to a teacher? Everyone in the cafeteria saw you badmouthing Hikari-chan," he said softly, yet you could hear the anger held within that tone. He believed that Hikari shouldn't have to be punished for defending her honor, especially against someone like Weiss who was continuously putting them down, especially Hikari.

"Be that as it may, Mr. Tengun, but I have to punish both parties in this farce. We cannot have Ms. Starr here," he said as he saw Hikari glare at him, but he ignored it as he continued speaking. "get into fights just because people badmouth her. Yes, it's wrong to badmouth a person when you don't understand the full situation," he said as he glanced over to the white-haired princess, "but both of you are in the wrong. And as I believe an old saying goes...'Two wrongs do not make a right'."

(I apologize for taking Hikari for a bit there)

((No problem.))

"But that's not fair!" Naruto burst out, but subsided at the glance Hikari shot him.

Hikari bowed again. "I understand, and I am ready to accept my punishment." She said. If there was one difference between her and Weiss, it was that she wasn't spoiled. Hikari had been raised to take responsibility for her actions and learn from her mistakes.

Weiss gritted her teeth and nodded tersely. "Yes, sir." She said, furious that she was being punished. She was even more enraged when she heard the whispers starting, how Hikari had held her own against Weiss, how she was acting so much more mature. That the Starr girl perhaps wasn't that bad after all. Have they all lost their minds?! She's worthless! She's even friends with a Faunice!

(Question: Will we redeem Weiss eventually or is she going to become a female Draco, more or less?)

Professor Port nodded lightly before he thought of what he could have them do before an idea hit him. "For the next week, after classes are over, you will be on cleaning duty. This included washing floors, scrubbing toilets, and cleaning up after everyone else. During this time, your weapons will be confiscated and any use of Dust or Aura is forbidden. Do I make myself clear; Hikari Starr, Weiss Schnee?" he asked, awaiting an answer from both girls.

((She'll get better, eventually.))

Hikari nodded. "Yes. Understood, sir." She said, accepting of her punishment. It wasn't like she had never done those things before.

Weiss opened her mouth to protest, but closed it when she saw how easily Hikari accepted. "I understand, too." She said instead. There was no way she would let the other girl make her look bad.

(sorry for not responding last night. Wasn't feeling well and still don't. Took the day off from work)

Amaya looked down at all of this, knowing that it was because of her that Hikari was getting into trouble. If she had just ignored Weiss, then nothing would have happened and their leader, Hikari, wouldn't be on cleaning duty for the next week.

Ruby couldn't understand what was wrong with Weiss. Sure they got off on the wrong foot when she bumped into her collection of Dust, but that was an accident. And here she thought that when they were working together in the Emerald Forest she was turning over a new leaf, but she guessed that was only temporary. Sighing lightly, she rubbed her forehead lightly. Who knew that leading a team would be so much work?

((Ah, that's okay. Wolfie's been feeling like crap lately, too.))

After being told to eat breakfast, and that their punishment would start the next day, Hikari went back to her team, looking ashamed. "I'm sorry. One day and I've already failed as a leader. Now I won't be around at all..." She said.

Naruto placed a hand on Amaya's shoulder, and the other hand on Hikari's. "Quit that, both of you. You can't go blaming yourselves for everything. Maya, you were only trying to help. And Kari, you didn't fail at all. You defended your team, and stood up for yourself. You both did what you thought was right, and it shows that we're already united as a team."

Naruto blushed brightly. "W-what? Of course not! I barely know her, dattebayo!! I d-don't know what you're talking about!" The blonde faunice exclaimed.

Hikari chuckled. "I think someone is protesting too much. Naruto-kun likes Blake-chan~" She chanted in a singsong voice.

"Oh yeah? You're one to talk! I see the way you look at Ark, both of you! You've both got a crush on him!" Naruto accused.

This time, Hikari blushed. "That's a lie! Take it back right now!"