Author's Note: So I went ahead and tagged this with an M rating as there will be themes of drugs and violence later on in the story. This first chapter is pretty friendly to all ages, but it won't stay that way forever. I'm very open to comments and criticisms. Hope you enjoy!
Chapter 1: Would You Like to Come to My School?
Ruby Rose walked into the two-hundred or so seated lecture hall at Beacon University that had been set-up for the introduction of the Fifth Annual Historical Weapons of the Hunt Appreciation Convention. She had been setting up her booth in her assigned area all morning and she was exhausted already. About twenty different weapons boxed up and haphazardly shoved into her dad's SUV wasn't exactly easy for one sixteen year old girl to carry all by herself.
With a relieved sigh that she was all set up and campus security was watching her booth (after some seriously well done pouting and puppy dog eyes) Ruby settled into her seat in the lecture hall, eager for the beginning of the convention to begin.
Ruby had been on the ball this morning and was in the lecture hall about thirty minutes before she needed to be. She wanted a seat at the front.
People began to trickle in and talk to each other excitedly about the weekend's activities at the convention, but Ruby just sat in her seat looking around at everyone. She was a very outgoing person, but the morning's set up had truly and thoroughly worn her out.
Sitting in her seat and waiting for the event to kick off, Ruby started to doze off a little bit. Her eyes closed and beginning to drift, she noticed almost subconsciously that all the talking in the room had ceased at once. This sudden silence acted upon her like a stimulant and she shot up, giddy with excitement. The dean of Beacon University, Dr. Ozpin, had entered the room.
Ruby let out an excited little squeak which caused Dr. Ozpin, who had just walked behind the podium at the front, to stare out at her for a few moments. Blushing slightly at the unintentional attention she had drawn from one of her heroes, Ruby quickly broke eye contact with the man.
Dr. Ozpin, dressed in a black suit with a shiny emerald tie and sipping coffee from a travel mug, cleared his throat and prepared to speak. There was no microphone in front of him, as the crowd was a small enough one that everyone should be able to hear him.
"Fellow scholars and enthusiasts, thank you for joining me for my yearly Historical Weapons of the Hunt Appreciation Convention. For most of my life, I have held a great interest in the weapons of old used to combat those legendary foes of humanity, the Grimm. Though the Grimm were all but wiped out three-hundred years ago and the need to train hunters and huntresses to combat them is all but a memory, I've always found it to be a shame that the marvelous tools they crafted to combat these foes have also faded into little more than memory."
Dr. Ozpin stepped out from behind his podium and started pacing back and forth in front of it before continuing, "It is for this reason that, when I became Dean of Beacon eight years ago, I began to construct majors in the history and engineering of these weapons. While an encounter with Grimm is all but unheard of these days, I still believe it is important to remember what our ancestors had to go through, and how they went through it.
"Eight years ago the programs of study I had started to develop were implemented and five years ago I created this convention for people who wished to learn more about the subject and meet with like-minded peers. So, here we are. All gathered to fuel the same passion.
"You should have all received schedules of the days various event and presentations as well as a list of the booths that will be available for you to visit, should you wish to. Every year I make an effort to visit every booth personally. As this event continues to grow and expand that becomes increasingly difficult alongside my prior obligations. If you are a booth operator and I do not manage to get around to you, I apologize. I hope you all have as much fun as I do this weekend."
With his introductory speech finished, Ozpin walked out of the side door and towards another classroom where he was scheduled to give a presentation on the old tactics hunters and huntresses would use when infiltrating a cave full of hibernating Ursai.
Ruby watched him go, saddened a little by the fact that she would not be able to attend Dr. Ozpin's lecture. She loved hearing his lectures. He was extremely knowledgeable and easily approachable. Of course, she had never actually spoken to the man. Before this year she had only ever gone to this convention as an attendee. This was the first time that she would actually be presenting any-.
Ruby jumped up with her second squeak of the day and realized that she was now alone in the room, having been lost in her own thoughts for at least five minutes. She had to get back to her booth!
Sprinting, she made way towards the booth that she had set up earlier so she could beat the crowds to it. It was certainly going to be a long weekend.
About three hours later, Ruby stood behind her booth clad in her thin red hoodie and black poufy skirt with an enormous dorky grin on her face, all thoughts of tiredness gone. Twenty-seven people had already stopped by her booth and checked out her's and her club members' various projects that she had set up on display. Despite only being a sophomore at Signal High, she had been chosen to represent her school at this convention. With her enthusiasm for the subject, Ruby had almost single-handedly grown the Signal Historical Weapons of the Hunt Appreciation Club from three members to thirty. Well, her enthusiasm and the fact that she was eager and willing to show everyone who joined the basics of actually crafting the dual weapons of old. That had helped at least a little.
Ruby felt in her element here, surrounded by people who actually, truly, really, honestly listened when she talked about the intricacies of her favorite possession and pet project, Crescent Rose. She did her best to try and reign herself in and discuss her other classmates' projects as well, but both she and they knew that none of them were nearly as impressive, functional, or aesthetically pleasing as her beloved Sniper-Scythe. It was, of course, fully functional as well, but she would never use or openly carry a Class 3 restricted weapon in public without proper authorization. She would also never have at least fifty rounds of ammunition in her purse at all times. That would be illegal.
Once again lost in her thoughts, Ruby was jerked back to reality in the form of Dr. Ozpin standing in front of her booth, sipping his coffee and patiently waiting for her to notice his presence. She was so stunned to see the man she idolized in front of her that she seemed to temporarily lose the ability to speak properly.
"I, um, uh, I, hello, uh, sir, I."
Ruby took a deep breath and composed herself. She was not this blubbering girl most of the time. She needed to start acting like herself.
"My name is Ruby! I'm here representing Signal Academy's Historical Weapons of the Hunt club! Would you like an explanation of any of these weapons and their unique functionalities?"
With a considerable amount of effort, Ruby resisted the gnawing urge to glance pointedly at Crescent Rose.
Taking another sip of his coffee, Ozpin walked directly over to the little stand at Ruby's booth and inspected Crescent Rose, entirely without her prompting him to do so.
"I'm interested particularly in this project. Do you know much about it?"
Don't start gushing, don't start gushing, don't…start….
"Her name is Crescent Rose and she is a High-Caliber-Sniper-Scythe. She has three modes: one that is solely for transport and, incidentally, is fairly easy to conceal in a backpack of a… somewhat large size, the second is her rifle mode that makes her easier to wield as a gun and cuts down on her usual recoil a fair amount, and the third is her full Scythe mode, unlocking her full beautiful potential."
Ruby turned almost the color of her namesake. She had spilled all this information out without taking a breath and had not done a good job of holding back her enthusiasm. She had worked on this, people usually ran away from her when she started talking about Crescent Rose with this much gusto.
"It is truly an exquisitely built piece of machinery, Miss Rose. May I see it unfolded?"
Ruby's blush deepened. She hadn't realized that Dr. Ozpin knew her name. Surely he would realize that Crescent Rose had her last name in it and draw the connection.
"Um, are you sure sir?" Ruby asked, voice a tad higher than it had been a moment ago. The convention rules stated that weapons being displayed should not be fully deployed if there were any sharp edges involved.
Dr. Ozpin chuckled and replied, "This is my school, Miss Rose. I think it will be okay if bend my own rules slightly, if only this once."
Ruby grinned up at him and gleefully unfurled her treasure, metallic shifting noises accompanying the transformation.
"Truly remarkable work, Miss Rose. Qrow told me of your exceptional engineering skill, but I am awed to see it in person."
This easily threw Ruby back into full on fluster mode.
"I, what? You know Uncle Qrow? Uncle Qrow did what? Just… what?"
Dr. Ozpin chuckled and replied, "Your uncle Qrow has told me much about you, young Miss Rose. He is extremely impressed with you and, quite frankly, so am I. There is a very specific reason that I asked him to send you to me this weekend, Miss Rose. I wanted to speak to you in person."
Ruby just gawked at him, open-mouthed. He had requested for her specifically?
Ignoring Ruby's amazement, Dr. Ozpin continued, "Your work and your understanding of the intricacies and engineering of these weapons is clearly exceptional, Miss Rose. Qrow contacted me as soon as he noticed your interest level and proficiency in this field. Two more years at Signal High is not going to cause you to improve anywhere past what you have already accomplished."
Ruby continued to gawk at him and when she realized he had taken a pause and seemed to expect some kind of response from her, she closed her gaping mouth and swallowed a bit.
"I don't understand exactly what it is you're getting at sir."
This was a lie, but she did not dare hope that he meant what she hoped he meant without specifically hearing him say it.
"What I am suggesting, Miss Rose, as odd as it feels for me to say as an educator, is that you drop out of high school and obtain your G.E.D. Once you have done this say in the, oh, next few months before next year's start of term, you have my word that your application to Beacon University's Historical Weapon's Engineering program will be accepted by me personally.
Ruby didn't squeak this time. She just lightly gasped inward and looked at Dr Ozpin delightedly, not daring to believe her ears.
"Are… are you sure, Dr. Ozpin? This isn't Yang's promised elaborate revenge plan for the time that I accidentally burned off a chunk of her hair when we were cooking, is it?"
Dr. Ozpin chuckled softly and replied, "No, Miss Rose, I assure that this is no joke. I look forward to seeing you in class next fall. Now, if you'll excuse me, I made a promise to try and see everyone's booths this year. I wouldn't want to break my perfect streak."
With that, Dr. Ozpin walked away towards another booth, leaving Ruby dumbfounded and literally shaking with excitement. She was going to the school of her dreams. She was actually, truly, really, honestly going to Beacon University.