I do not own RWBY! Also, this fanfic is in honor of Monty Oum, since I love Ren and I feel that he doesn't get a lot of screen time.
Chapter 1
"If only you weren't born!"
"I'll definitely protect you."
"Promise?"
"If I ever die, would you...?"
Ren was abruptly awoken as the ship jolted slightly in the air. He had unknowingly fallen asleep in a corner against the wall, waiting for the flying ship to arrive at Beacon Academy, where he would soon be a student. The ship was packed with hundreds of other students that excitedly gathered at the glass windows overlooking the vast city beneath them. The students' excitement had intensified ever since Glynda Goodwitch had given them a speech about Beacon via hologram.
Ren had never been one for crowds. He was uncomfortable around others and preferred quiet, empty places. He was what one would call "socially awkward." Being enrolled into the prestigious Beacon Academy for huntsmen and huntresses two years earlier than normal didn't exactly help him fit in, either.
Which was exactly why he awkwardly hung out in the back of the flying ship. the constant sound of a blonde, motion-sick huntsmen hurling not too far away from Ren kept him awake. He wondered exactly what that guy ate to have barfed up so much.
He eyed the clumps of huntsmen and huntresses excitedly gazing at the vast city below them. Judging by the growing excitement of the students, Ren assumed that they were nearing Beacon Academy.
He let out a long yawn before heaving himself onto his feet as the ship slowly made its way to the ground.
The first one out, unsurprisingly, was vomit boy, who seemed more than relieved to finally be on the ground. He trailed behind the students as they made their way off the ship and began to admire the magnificent building that was to be their new home.
Ren shielded his eyes against the sun as he inclined his head to get a full view of the school.
"So this is where I'll be staying from now on...?"
Making friends aside, he had one goal: to fulfill the promise he made to him.
A bright, warm smile that acted as his primary source of comfort made his way into his mind.
"I'm going to become a great huntsmen here. I'll make you proud, so just watch me, Fe-"
"S-sorry!"
His thoughts were interrupted by a loud crash and a thud. He turned his attention to a heap of black and red in the middle of a bunch of silver cases sprawled across the ground. He soon realized that the heap was a girl wearing a red cloak and a black and red dress. She seemed to have fallen and knocked over the cases. Standing above her was a furious girl with long white hair tied up in a side ponytail and awfully pale skin.
Ren narrowed his magenta eyes as a tingling feeling ran up his spine. He could see two bright auras illuminating from the girls, one light blue and one bright red.
These halos of light were what people called Auras, manifestations of the soul. Unlike others, however, Ren could see and sense these auras a little better. And with this ability, he could tell that the two girls before him were very strong.
"Sorry?!" The girl fumed, placing a hand haughtily on her hip and waving a finger at the fallen girl. "Do you have any idea of the damage you could've caused?!"
"Uhh..." The red-haired girl picked up one of the cases and hastily handed it over to the white-haired girl. "Oh, gimme that!" The girl snatched the case out of the other's hands and opened it. She took out one of its contents, a glass bottle full of red dust, and waved it in the red-head's face.
"This is dust!" The white-haired girl snapped. "Mined and purified from the Schnee quarry."
"Uhhh..."
"Is uh all that girl can say?" Ren wondered as he watched the scene from afar. "Wait, isn't Schnee that really rich company? Then this girl must be..."
"What are you? Brain dead?" The girl, who Ren then recognized as Weiss Schnee, heiress to the Schnee Dust Company, slammed the case shut and waved the bottle in front of her, producing a cloud of red dust around them. "Fire! Water! Lightning! Energy!"
The trail of red dust drifted over to where the red-haired girl was sitting.
"Are you even listening to me?!"
"ACHOO!" The red-haired girl sneezed, causing the dust around the two to explode. Ren shielded his face from the debris of the explosion.
The "Ugh! Now look at what you've done!" Weiss shook off the soot that had settled all over her clothes. The glass bottle, which had been dropped during the mishap, rolled coincidentally towards Ren's feet. Heaving a sigh, he picked the bottle up and headed over to the two girls.
"Agh!" Weiss scowled. "Where's that bottle-?!"
Ren silently held the bottle out towards Weiss, who, along with the red-haired girl, had not noticed approaching them.
Weiss narrowed her eyes and snatched the bottle away from Ren. She stomped off while a few men, supposedly her servants, began to collect the cases of dust.
"Sorry!" The red-haired girl called out. "I'll make it up to you!" But Weiss completely ignored her.
"Way to start my first day." The red-haired girl groaned. She then noticed the outstretched hand in front of her and looked up at the young-looking boy that had randomly showed up out of nowhere.
"Oh, um..." She took his hand, and with surprising ease, the boy lifted her onto her feet.
"Th-thanks..." The girl wiped her clothes off before addressing the boy.
"Um, I'm Ruby." Ruby introduced herself. "Ruby Rose. And you?"
"Lie Ren." The boy said quietly.
"Nice to meet you." Ruby attempted a warm and friendly smile, but she wasn't much of a people-person, so it felt forced.
"You..look really young." Ruby noted. "How old are you?"
Ren paused for a moment before replying. "Fifteen."
"Whoa, really?!" Ruby exclaimed. "That's two years younger than all the other freshmen here! You must be really strong!"
"Um..."
"Anyway, I think we have to go listen to the headmaster give a speech to us newbies." Ruby didn't let him reply. "Wanna go together?"
Truthfully, Ren would have preferred going alone, but he wasn't so rude as to turn down such an innocent-looking girl. He shrugged.
"Sure."
And with that, Ren followed Ruby Rose to Beacon Academy, where he would begin his life as a huntsmen.
