Author's Note: This is my first attempt at a fanfiction (and releasing my writing to the public), so please comment and give feedback. Criticism is welcomed, insults will be ignored. Also, I do not own RWBY and if you think I do, you're wrong.

Chapter 1: Hidden in Plain Sight

I couldn't believe I managed to get aboard the ship to Beacon Academy! Judging by all the other students talking, I could tell this was a big crowd. All of a sudden, I hear a girl say that she jumped ahead two years and that she's nervous about what's going to happen. I really wanted to be a good guy and talk to her, but all I could gather about her location was that she's somewhere behind me. By the time I got a better idea as to where she was, the ship came to a stop and some student ran be me like something was on fire, followed by a crowd of people herding me out the doors. After I managed to get away from the mob, I heard a girl screaming at the top of her lungs, followed by an explosion! A bottle knocked into the back of my foot and once I picked it up, I knew what it was, Dust. I, then, felt a hand poke my left shoulder and the same girl shouted that the bottle belonged to her. I kindly obliged her demand and handed it over and asked her where the person she yelled at was, and she replied that the "helpless dolt" was right behind me. I didn't dignify her with a farewell, but I turned around and took a few steps until I bumped into the victim. I offered if he/she needed help getting, but she declined and immediately said, "Hello, my name is Ruby Rose!"

I could tell she was very nervous and, apparently, extended her hand during the introduction, but I didn't notice until she quipped, "This is the part where you shake my hand."

I chuckled nervously and offered my left hand and told her my name is Max. I guess I chose the wrong hand since it took her a few moments to complete the handshake.

"That's a cool name! Where's you weapon?" she replied rather quickly.

I tapped the right side of my head and said that I had no real, physical weapon, only my mind.

"What school did you go to where they didn't force you to have a backup weapon?" she questioned.

"One, I was home-schooled. Two, I don't need a weapon to slow me down." I replied arrogantly.

"Careful there! I'd hate to burst your bubble!" she retorted as I heard her weapon transform.

I simply nodded my head and complimented her on whatever she had.

"So, how do you use your 'mind' to fight the creatures of Grimm?" she asked dramatically.

I snapped my fingers a few times while pretending to think, demonstrating my ability to make fire. She gasped in surprise before recovering with, "Okay. So you can make a little flame. But that's not gonna cut it when a pack of Beowolves or Ursas are surrounding you."

A laughed a little before saying, "Well then… I guess you'll find out. Won't ya?"

I turned and starting walking, hopefully, towards the main building when I heard Ruby running to catch up and screamed, "Hey, wait! What do ya mean 'you'll find out'?!"

I couldn't help but smile. She was very innocent. How could someone be mad at her for long? Oh, yeah…. That reminds me.

"What was that explosion about?" I asked.

"Oh…. I was really nervous, bumped into some crazy lady's luggage, she sprinkled Dust in my face, then I sneezed, and then the explosion happened!" she rambled so quickly that I almost didn't catch it.

"You have an interesting way of meeting new people." I said sarcastically, hoping to lift her spirits a little since she seemed really embarrassed about the situation.

Apparently it didn't work because she was silent for, what seemed like, eternity.

"Why don't you have shoes on?" she finally asked.

"It's to better my chances of surviving in a fight. I can sense movement by feeling the vibrations in the ground." I answered.

"Aren't you afraid that someone's gonna step on your toes?"

"Not really. I don't get insulted very easily." I joked.

That managed to get a small amount of laughter from her, so I felt like I did my job as human being for the day! Just then, I heard a small amount of noise and I looked around anticipating someone, or something, would attack us, but then it stopped.

"You okay?" Ruby asked, genuinely concerned.

"I don't…. Did you not hear that?"

"You mean the bells?" she suggested.

I simply nodded and continued walking. After all, school had technically just begun. Maybe it was the bells? I just wrote it off as me being crazy and focused on what was ahead.