AN: Hey guys! So this is actually a rewrite of this chapter. I felt that the original first chapter of this fanfic was quite sub-par, so I wrote this, which I feel is better than the original.
For those who are reading this fanfic for the first time, I hope you enjoy. Oh, and words in italics are the thoughts of the person who the perspective was last on. Okay, three, two, one, let's jam!
"Okay, Ozpin, what did you call me here for?" asked a hooded figure as he entered the Beacon principal's office. The man was just a couple of inches shorter than Ozpin. He had Caucasian skin, but that was covered up almost completely by the jet-black kevlar and also black, skintight fabric that made up his body armour. His hood, which he was currently wearing for theatrics, was loose-fitting and obscured his eyes and nose with shadows, allowing just his mouth to be visible.
His gaze swept from left to right across the room. Seriously, could he at least turn on some lights? The moon isn't that bright tonight.
The hooded man didn't voice his complaint, however. As an alumni of Beacon, he knew Ozpin well enough to know not to question his eccentricities.
"It's good to see you too, Jaeger," the principal nonchalantly greeted his former student. "I am grateful that you took time off the investigation to see me."
"Yeah, well, I was getting tired of swooping from shadow to shadow anyway. So, why'd you need to see me on such short notice?" the man called Jaeger replied. Ozpin motioned for Jaeger to take a seat across from himself at his desk.
"Pyrrha Nikos is in on our operations, is she not?" Ozpin asked. He received a simple nod in response. "Well, as you know, she is to be one of the new students this year, and I know that you want to reconnect with your generation. So why don't we kill two birds with one stone?"
"I would like to invite you to join the faculty staff here. Miss Nikos could prove valuable in the investigation into the Organization, so it would be good for a trained huntsman who already knows her," Ozpin stared straight at Jaeger when he said this, "to be part of her circle at Beacon. You can help her as she helps you."
Jaeger stared back at Ozpin, not sure that there was much logic in Ozpin's first reason for Jaeger to join as a teacher.
"As for reconnecting with your own generation as well as society, your age is optimal for you to form friendships with the students. The fact that you graduated from here only a few years ago should make them more open to you than the rest of the teachers. As an alumni, you could also help pupils with certain predicaments that they may face.
"Other than those two, I have one more reason, or rather, a request. I would like you to help out the other teachers, at first. After you gain a bit of experience, there is something else I want you to take up, but we'll get there when we get there."
Jaeger raised an eyebrow as he pondered the very unexpected proposal. It would give me a chance to help Pyr and the other students out. Makes sense that he would want me to help guide students. First years, at least.
"I don't know. This could cut into investigation time," he said, considering all aspects of this 'job offer' and what its effects would be.
"Jaeger, you've been investigating almost non-stop for the past month. This request itself is a request from our superiors in Atlas. They think that you need to do something other than hunt down the Organization. You need to live a normal life."
A lull settled in the conversation as Ozpin waited for Jaeger's decision. The younger huntsman threw the idea around in his mind.
On one hand, he could rebuild his relationship with Pyrrha. He could make new friends, and help make those friends better hunters and people.
But to do that, he would have to sacrifice time that could be used to find other members of the Organization like Roman Torchwick.
His mind waged battle within itself for five minutes, calculating his choice and considering all points before he came to a decision.
"I wish that you would've brought this to me a few days ago, but I think it is both logical and best for me that I accept. I'll try it out for a bit and see how it goes."
Ozpin responded with a curt nod. "Good. I'll have a pack of further instructions sent to your home."
"Okay, but I have a request myself. I don't want the students to know my real age."
The headmaster raised an eyebrow at this. "And why is that?"
"Well, I'm only 20 years old. The normal starting age is 17. I just want to set a gap between us because I don't want to get showered in adoration just because my team advanced through Beacon in three years. If I'm say... 22, then I'll have graduated at 21. If I feel the need to tell someone my real age, then I will. But otherwise, let's keep it under wraps."
Ozpin took another sip of the seemingly bottomless mug of coffee. "I will grant your request. As of tomorrow, those who don't know you will know you as a 22-year-old Jaeger Banzai.
Jaeger nodded and got up to leave; his mind still trying to get around the bizarre offer that he had just accepted.
"And I expect that you still remember the workings of the first day," Ozpin stated, getting another nod of confirmation for an answer.
Jaeger was about to deliver his farewell and depart when he glanced out at the city through Ozpin's large office windows. The splendour of Vale at night wasn't what caught his eye, however.
"Um... Oz..." he trailed off as he repeatedly point out the windows. Ozpin whirled around in his chair to see a bullhead hovering beside the roof of a building. He saw a faint explosion caused by an all too familiar glyph.
"It looks like Glynda's enjoying her night on the town," Ozpin commented with a knowing grin, of course followed up by a sip of the special teacher's coffee. "Now, I just remembered, you can't leave yet. We still have the findings of your other occupation to discuss..."
The following day...
The sun shone brightly as Beacon's newest teacher departed from the airship that had brought him to his new workplace and residence. His short, spiked, jet-black hair and piercing green eyes glistened in the sunlight as he made his way down the path to Beacon.
Jaeger smiled at nothing in particular as he strolled down the Avenue of Beacon Academy. He had sent his baggages ahead of himself, and was now on his way to see his new residence.
But first, he had to wade through the flocks of new students that were flowing out of airships at the landing pads. He passed a white-haired girl, who was also decked out in white clothes, shouting at a girl with a red cape and hood—who looked too young to attend Beacon—that was trying unsuccessfully to apologize from something.Interesting. Ozpin's enrolled another too-young-to-attend student. Wait... is the all-white girl standing in a crater?! You know what, I'll just ignore it. I don't even want to get caught up in whatever's going on.
He averted his gaze from the bizarre scene in front of him and continued down the Avenue. Passing a group of laughing students who were in a ring around a very attractive blonde, he made his way to the path that led to the teachers' rooms.
After an uneventful visit to his new residence—exactly the same as the student teams' rooms but furnished with a queen-sized bed instead of four single beds—Jaeger sauntered out into the sunlight again to go to the amphitheatre. Glynda had asked that all teachers—save for Professors Oobleck and Peach, who were at a convention—be there for Ozpin's year-opening address to the freshmen.
He reminisced fondly of his first day as he entered the auditorium and climbed the stairs to the first floor. After taking a seat at the front row of the middle seating area, he watched the students swarming below as he waited for Beacon's headteacher to begin.
His eyes fluttered around the room, searching for his old friend, Pyrrha Nikos. Before he could spot her fiery red hair, however, another girl caught his eye. The same one who was in the crater earlier. Once again she was arguing with the caped girl.
Jaeger rolled his eyes, mentally noting that he should talk to the two at some point and settle whatever was going on.
The sound of microphone feedback and Ozpin clearing his throat brought the bustling crowd to silence. Jaeger eyed his new boss with a knowing frown, seeing that something was clearly off about him. He's still thinking about that possible bombing that I told him about yesterday...
Jaeger himself fell into deep thought about that subject. A few days before, he had found plans to blow up something with dust. From the details of the plans, there would be enough dust to blow up all of Beacon Academy...
Ozpin finished his concise speech and immediately made his exit; his mind trying to piece together security measures in case of a terrorist attack on his academy.
Later that night...
Jaeger groaned as he thought about the upcoming night of nothing. I can't believe Glynda put me in charge of watching the new students tonight. Is this some kinda initiation ritual for new teachers?! Seriously, I technically haven't even started here yet!
He had been there for only thirty minutes, and had boredly watched as students flocked in and laid out their sleeping bags. The girls and most of the boys had gone to the ACTUAL changing rooms to change, but a few males stayed behind and got changed right in front of everyone, including a miserable Jaeger.
He had narrowly missed Pyrrha, who was now in the changing rooms, and was the only person he knew. So he decided to look for the girls that he promised himself he would deal with. And sure enough, he found them, as well as the buxom blonde from earlier, arguing to one side of the room.
Jaeger sighed before getting up and walking over to them. He made sure that his posture was perfect and that he was giving off an air of authority and confidence. Make a good first impression, Jaeg. Don't want to ruin the relationships with students before the year even starts.
He took a deep breath before clearing his throat. "Excuse me, ladies, but what is going on here. This is the third time I've seen you guys," he said while gesturing to white-haired girl and formerly-caped girl, "arguing today."
Weiss placed a hand on her hip and shot an accusatory finger at Jaeger. "And who do you think you are?"
"His name is Jaeger Banzai, a member of one of the greatest teams to ever graduate from Beacon," piped a young girl. She was sitting down with a trio-candle holder in her hand—for some reason. She wore a black yukata and a bow on her head.
The other three girls gasped as they realized who the man standing in front of them was. They had only heard the stories of Jaeger Banzai, who had won at the Vytal Festival three times with two different teams.
"Oh, I'm so sorry, sir. I thought you were a student," apologized an embarrassed Weiss.
Jaeger chuckled in return. "Don't worry about it. I'm only 22, so its logical that you would think that I'm also a student just by looking at me. I'm here actually as a new teacher. Now, would somebody care to tell me why all-white and hood and cape keep bickering?"
Ruby's arm shot up before retracting it slowly when she remembered that they weren't in class. "I'm Ruby, by the way. Well anyway... the first time was because Weiss," she said while gesturing to the white-haired girl, "made me sneeze dust and blow up."
Jaeger nodded, content enough with the explanation for the crater.
"Second time, I was trying to make amends and be her friend, but she just started spouting disclaimer mumbo jumbo," Ruby explained. "Then, just now, she was fighting about how I'm a hazard to her health."
"I don't like how you antagonized me in all your explanations," said an annoyed Weiss.
Jaeger sighed again. "Look, Weiss, Ruby, blondie..."
"Yang."
"Right. Yang. I don't want you guys fighting before initiation has even happened. You guys clearly just got off on the wrong foot. So, Ruby, apologize for the explosion."
Ruby did as asked and shyly said sorry to Weiss.
"Now, Weiss, apologize for putting Ruby down and shouting at her. I'm sure she's a nice person. Also, you guys will HAVE TO put everything aside if you become partners tomorrow."
Weiss shuddered at the thought before reluctantly apologizing as well.
"Good, now, you," he said as he pointed to Blake, "I don't know why you have that candle holder in your hand, but I want you to put out the light once these three girls are in their sleeping bags and I'm back at my chair."
Blake nodded in response and Jaeger whirled around, walking over to his chair as he prepared for an excruciating eight hours of boredom and nothingness.
AN: You may have noticed some changes to the canon, such as the fact that the avenue is swarming with students instead of almost deserted in the anime when Weiss is shouting at Ruby.
So, what did you think? Share your thoughts in a PM or review.
I hope you continue to enjoy this fanfic.
So long... partner.