Chapter One:

I couldn't believe I was finally going to be at Beacon Academy. I had worked so hard these last four and a half years, and now it was finally going to pay off. I was eager to touch my feet on the near–white stone that led up to the front doors of the Academy. When the airship did finally touch down, I couldn't wait to get inside; however, I was also nervous since I was starting later than most people did, as I was 19 already. I knew with Riley by my side though, things would turn out all right.

Getting out of the airship I couldn't help but be awed by the sight in front of me; the vast courtyards, the elaborate arches and gates, even the Academy itself. I had read about it when I had been studying to attend, but the descriptions and the reality were two totally different things. I could barely keep my mouth shut at the sight.

"Wo–ow." I uttered, then, embarrassed, quickly clamped a hand over my mouth.

Hopefully nobody had heard me.

I wasn't that lucky though. Another girl, with dark hair and a cloak, probably only two or three years older than me appeared next to me.

"It's beautiful isn't it?" She chirped in my ear.

"Uh, yeah. It's amazing."

I really just wanted to leave right then, but then I caught her eyes, and looked at her cloak again. Red. This was–

"I'm Ruby. Ruby Rose. Leader of Team RWBY. Pleasure to meet you."

Yes, Ruby Rose. As in, Ruby Rose the wielder of Crescent Rose.

"Hi!" I practically yelled in her face. "I'm, uh… My name's Alynna. Alynna Blythe. You're… Well, you're kind of my idol."

She gave me a puzzled stare.

"See?" I unclipped Riley from her holster on my back and spun her out. "I'm a scythe wielder too. This is Reaper's Light, or 'Riley'."

"Dual-scythe. Nice." Ruby complimented. "If you know me then you surely know Crescent Rose."

With that, the gun on her back extended into the equivalent of Riley in scythe form, only without the second blade.

"Ruby!" A whiny-sounding voice called out from somewhere several yards away from where we were standing.

"Just a minute, Weiss!" Ruby called back. "Sorry, duty calls. See you in the ring!"

I watched my idol run off to meet her team. The one who had called her was the wielder of a Dust Rapier, which for anyone else would be expensive, but since her family owned Dust mines, she could get away with it. The blonde who was waiting by Weiss' side was Ruby's sister, Yang Xiao Long. Her weapon was a pair of gun gauntlets. Easy to equip and keep close, but can attack from a distance, perfect for her. Then, of course, there was Blake. She was a Faunus, but a skilled fighter if I ever saw one. I watched the group walk toward the school together, amazed I had already met my idol, and seen her team, before even setting foot in the academy itself.

This was going to be a great year regardless of the team I got.

Inside, I couldn't help but be amazed at how many students there were here. I had always thought Beacon was a lot more prestigious, and it was, I was sure. I guess a lot of people were coming back too, maybe that was it. Maybe I'd find out a little more once I got my team.

I stood by the doorway of the large gathering hall, waiting with Riley on my back for the big welcome announcement to happen. I watched some of the other students, and stared at their weapons, trying to see what I could find out about them from them. I had always been told the partner someone chose to fight with could tell you more about him or her than the person could. This, oddly enough, was how I chose a lot of my friends in training school.

I was engrossed in one particular weapon, one that didn't really look like anything more than a relatively cool pair of gloves, when I started to trip down the steps.

"Hey!" I shouted at the person who had pushed me. I was pretty sure it had been unintentional, but still rude.

Luckily another student, a girl with long silver–white hair, caught me before I face planted on the tile.

"I'm so sorry! I was… pushed, I think." I said sheepishly.

"No worries." The silver–haired girl said kindly. "I'm Nina. I'm a freshman here. Who are you?"

"It's Alynna. Alynna Blythe." I smiled. "I'm a freshman here too. Though, sort of a late one at that… I'm nineteen."

"Oh, well, if you're at Beacon you must be able to fight."

"Yeah, well, I mean, I think I'm pretty good." I half mumbled, half whispered.

"You're gonna have to be more confident in yourself than that if you want to compete here."

"Right, thanks for the advice."

With that, she turned around and left, barely giving me a second glance as she merged with the rest of the crowd.

I leaned against the wall where Nina had caught me after I had been pushed off the steps, silently questioning why I had come here. The teammates I would have would most likely all be younger than me, but I couldn't change the fact that I couldn't get in the year before. As hard as I had tried. I started to feel tears well up in my eyes, but then I was quickly pulled up from my place on the floor by a strong hand.

"You're stronger than this." A boy's voice said.

I didn't want to look up in case I lost control of the emotion I felt rising.

"But what if I'm not?" I mumbled.

"Suck it up." The voice was farther away now. Blending in with numerous other voices I didn't know.

"You don't–" When I looked up I was alone. "Know anything about me."

First my encounter with Nina, then a random guy voice.

"An interesting start." I thought. "Hopefully the rest of the year will be better than this."