He opened his eyes. Startled he snapped his head from left to right, nervous from the memories before sighing and settling back into his seat. The bullhead flew steadily to beacon, an uneventful trip, he turned his head slightly to listen to the announcement. Roman Torchwick it seemed had been busy. He allowed the corners of his mouth to twitch up slightly in amusement, it seemed the vale police were more concerned about this nefarious criminal than the organisation he had been hunting. Good, better to keep the police targeted at this flamboyant amateur than at his targets, the white fang, lest they get in his way. As quickly as his smile began did he mercilessly kill it as another new bulletin took over. News of a Faunus protest turning violent as the white fang got involved. Typical, he sneered to himself. The scum moved in the shadows and hid within the civilian populace, hardly helping their cause for equal rights if they alienate the population and creature further racism. What were they truly after? Was it equality or is it the destruction of the human race? The destruction of the cities?

He shook his head as he tried to focus on his task at hand. Dust robberies by Roman Torchwick and violence by the white fang wasn't new to vale or any kingdom. Roman had become quite infamous as of late, it seems the goons he hires are getting better, that or he has found a new group to work with. The white fang? He shook his head, dispelling the unpleasant thoughts, they would never work with a human and Torchwick is about as racist as you can get, there is no way they could be working together. So why did it feel so wrong with Torchwicks increased activity in vale as well as the numerous white fang raids occurring as of late? For these reasons Jaune enrolled in beacon, he will find out the truth should it even cost him his life, the white fang would pay.

The new bulletin ended as prematurely as it began with the screen being occupied by a mature yet attractive huntress. He smirked admiring the hologram, perhaps this little trip wouldn't be a waste of time after all, least he would get some eye candy. Only paying half attention to her announcement, Jaune scanned his surroundings. Scores of aspiring hunters and huntresses' stood and sat around the bullhead, some talking loudly and others sitting alone and looking more nervous than they had any right too. Its only beacon after all, he smirked to himself at how insane he would seem if he mused that phrase outload. To students like these, beacon was perhaps the biggest test of their lives. To Jaune, it was just another inconvenience he had to go through to track his targets. To his right was the exit, a wide corridor with a massive opening hatch, made of plain metal of a kind he didn't know. Air conditioners in the roof to keep the bullhead cool and velvet seats at the edges of the airship. Opposite him a large screen like window portrayed vale as the bullhead sailed overhead. A beautiful city no doubt, stretching as far as the eye could see, but what corruption lies beneath? Well it couldn't be worse than vacuo.

Noise disrupted his thinking as he turned to see a flash of colours, yellow and red in an embrace. The taller blonde clearly ecstatic about something as the smaller red girl tried and failed to play it off as something normal. His eyes narrowed as he admired the pair, the blonde was tall, smaller than him but still tall for a woman. She projected an air of confidence around her as well as her stunning looks, it seems he wasn't the only man having an eyeful. Of course, the other students reason for looking differed from his. She was a complete contrast to the smaller red character, looking jittery like the wind would blow her over. Nervous his mind helpfully supplied, but there was something about her eyes, he squinted a little to get a better look. With an exasperated sigh he turned back and strolled away. Silver eyes huh? What game are you playing Ozpin?

The doors opened and an eager body of students rushed off onto the sprawling courtyard of beacon academy, some looking nervous, others confident, the rare few looking unaffected. He pondered if they truly were or if it was just an act, perhaps some had seen a life like his, perhaps not. Only time would tell. With a silent sigh he dragged himself to his feet and wondered onto the courtyard as one of the last to leave.

Standing just off from the raised landing platform he categorised his surroundings, a long pathway leading into the large tower like structure that reached the clouds themselves. Scanning his eyes from left to right he noted smaller structures. Probably dorms and classrooms he mused as he took a leisurely stroll down the ramp onto the main path that lead into the building.

He placed his hands into his pockets in an attempt to look as natural as possible, hoping the hoody and jeans would make him seem more like the awkward teenager he once was. He looked up into the blistering sun and groaned, clearly wearing far too much for this type of weather and headed towards the main building hoping to get out of the sweltering heat.

A sudden noise caught his attention and he crouched, hand reaching to Crocea Mors, his trusted weapon over the years. Eyes scanning the area for an attack it took him several minutes to recover and relax. Was that?... an explosion? Attempting to steady his beating heart he headed with purpose towards the perpetrators of the sound, hand grasping at the hilt of his blade almost shaking from the strength of his grip as he entered a clearing.

"Dust" he sneered, how he hated the stuff. You could only be burned or blew up by the accursed stuff before you got sick of the sight of it, the very thought of it made him cringe. His eyes narrowed in on the ones responsible. Red and white, oh little red it seems you are destined to curse my day.

Little red lay on her back after apparently causing the explosion and taking the brunt of it. White stood with a haughty air about her and stormed off with her entourage following. With a low curse to himself he adopted a skip to his step, a goofy smile and walked casually towards the downed figure. Better to make some friends he thought, that way he can blend in more naturally. An acquaintance or a few, that's what he needed, people to let him blend in easily without getting too involved in his affairs.

"welcome to beacon" red said, void of emotion. Well it seemed like someone's day wasn't going well.

"hey, I'm Jaune" he said offering his hand.

"Ruby" she responds allowing him to help her up. She weighs next to nothing! Jaune thinks as he she jumps away from him and brushes her combat skirt down…

Really? he gives it a deadpan look. How are you supposed to fight in that? Holding back a sigh he gives her a half smile "so… first time being on the end of a dust explosion?" He tries, faking a smile.

Poor red, or was it Ruby? Shuffles a bit on her feet and groans at him "so you saw that then?"

He smirks "most of the student body probably did". Smirking to himself as she buries her head in her hands and says something about normal knees? "do you know where we are supposed to go or?.." Jaune lets the question hang in the air as Ruby looks around nervously. Could be looking for yellow he thinks.

"I don't know… do you think there is a map?" she asks, still looking around.

A small shrug is his answer a he points down the path leading to the spiral tower reaching into the sky. "Most of the others went down there, perhaps we should follow?"

Ruby tilted her head for a minute and regarded him. Shit he thought, too robotic?

Eventually she smiled and nodded "Sure!" she exclaimed as she took the lead, Jaune in tow as they headed towards the tower.

After a few moments of silence Ruby looks at Jaune out of the corner of her eye "soooooooo ive got this thing" deploying her massive reaper looking scythe making Jaune once again grip Crocea Mors but quickly letting go as he remembered this wasn't an attack.

"hmm that's a rather large scythe" he said in a voice void of emotion as he eyed the weapon, the bloody thing was bigger than the girl holding it! Hunter weapons these days were getting weird, thank Oum he stuck to the old classics.

"mmhmm is also a high-powered sniper rifle" she exclaimed clearly ecstatic about showing off her weapon. Jaune doesn't respond for a few seconds. Where have I seen that before?

An image of what looked like a medium black bird came to his mind… a Crow?

Something about that weapon reminded him of an older drunk man he had seen sitting in a few bars around Vacuo, always with a bottle in his hand. Or in his case a hip flask.

While he had never spoke to the man, just being near him made Jaune on his guard, something about him screamed danger or hidden agendas. Jaune didn't like that, he was the one who people couldn't figure out, finding someone who gave the same feeling wasn't a welcome one to him. Its hard enough to trust people when you know their agendas and aims, after all you never know where the next knife in your back will come from. Everyone has a price these days.

The drunk man in black with the massive scythe, always drunk but never harmless, he got the feeling that even half cut the man could wipe the floor with Jaune. On pure skill levels he knew he was years behind, on cunning however he could perhaps find a way out of a confrontation should it ever come. Wait why is he thinking about that now?

A hand waved in front of his face making him blink and jump back a bit with eyes wide.

Ruby simply tilted her head to one side and looked at him "sorry it looked like you were pretty out of it"

He laughed and rubbed the back of his head to emphasize embarrassment though in reality he came across as socially awkward in general. Acting skill 100 he thought grimly, although a little smile tugged at his lips in response to his own stupidity. Wait why is he smiling at her now? By Oum he must look a right state.

"erm sorry about that Ruby, just thought id seen a weapon like that before in Vacuo" he kept inspecting her weapon

She gasped "you are from Vacuo? That's so coooool! What weapons do they have there? Oooh oh do they have a lot of scythes there? Are they also sniper rifles? I bet none are as good as my baby Cresent Rose!"

Jaune raised an eyebrow with an amused look on his face

"A pretty bold statement there Ruby"

From what he had seen of her he expected her to get embarrassed but was surprised by her resolve as she stood her ground

"I'm not saying their weapons aren't good. Just Cresent Rose is my baby, it took a long time and a lot of effort to make a weapon perfect" Jaune raised the eyebrow higher

"I-I'm not saying I'm some weapon savant o-or that I can make things perfect b-but"

Jaune couldn't help it anymore and let out a small chuckle, moving a hand to the top of her head to ruffle her hair

"Cresent Rose is perfect for you, I get it I was just messing with you"

Ruby flushed a little at the contact and Jaune recognised his mistake. Shit she just reminded him so much of his little sister. Guess that information can't hurt he thought as he removed his hand.

"Sorry about that, I have a few little sisters back home it sort of becomes second nature" he says rubbing the back of his head again.

She nods as if understanding and is about to pry more but they reach the doors of the main hall.

It took a few minutes to enter the main hall with the rest of the student body as the entrance had aspiring huntsmen and huntresses crammed together like sardines. Crescent rose he thought, what a stupid name, not like Crocea Mors, now that was the name of a weapon. A true name for a true weapon without all that mecha shift nonsense. A good old classic sword and shield with a collapsible sheath.

Ruby growled something under her breath as they stood in the hall which Jaune didn't catch before he followed her eyes to the yellow woman he saw her with earlier. "isn't that someone you know?" he asked pointing ruby in her direction.

Ruby gasped and practically disappeared in a blast of rose petals "ohmygodthatsmysisterthanksforearliercatchyoulaterbye!"

Jaune blinked stupidly at where she had been stood as he tried to comprehend what she had said… nope didn't get it. With a sigh filled with fresh exhaustion he moved to the back of the pack and leaned against a pillar, waiting for the induction speech to begin.