Hi there everyone! Thanks for the reviews, it's seriously weird being praised for something that seems so bad in my eyes! One thing, I forgot to add it credit to Coeur Al'Aran, his Professor Arc story was part of the reason why I made this story, so there's that out of the way.

And, without further Ado...

Chapter 2

"Stupid brat. What's even up with her? Head so far up her ass she might as well be a pretzel!"

Stomping her way through the gardens surrounding Beacon, Ruby barely gives any of the students that are wandering around a second glace before passing them by. A few unlucky ones even get a rare glare for their efforts in trying to talk to her.

Marching onwards towards the tower, Ruby takes a few deep breaths and tries desperately to not immediately launch into another loud tirade about that bitch of a girl she met. Granted, she was a bitch, but it's probably not a good idea to start swearing like a Vacuan sailor on her first official day as a teacher.

After a few moments leaning against a tree, Ruby then notices the legs dangling above her. Glancing upwards, Ruby sees a sight she didn't quite expect.

A black-clad girl with a bow on her head, resembling a pair of adorable cat ears, swinging her legs gently in the breeze, book in one hand, the other gently resting on the branch she finds herself sat on. The most captivating sight though is the girls vibrant amber eyes. Granted, those aren't quite as rare as Ruby's own silver eyes, but it's a pretty rare sight to behold.

"Oh! Hi there! Sorry I didn't exactly notice you above me!"

"Okay?"

Sighing, Ruby walks away from the tree to get a better look at the girl, and in doing so notices her weapon.

'No, bad Ruby. Don't gush over every single weapon you see. Just because it's clearly some super awesome mechashifting weapon does not mean I can just nerd out over it, even if it is JUST THE COOLEST THING EVER!'

Coughing a few times to cover up her staring at the girls weapon, Ruby stares up at the girl, who seems remarkably comfortable to just continue reading and being stared at.

"So, whatcha reading? Anything interesting? Oh OH, is it X-Ray and Vav? I heard they released some comics, is that it?"

"No. It's a book about a Faunus with two souls, vying for control over his body. One half is his normal side, and the other is the animal side. Both want to control the body, but only one can have true control over him."

"Hmm, I haven't heard of that one. Oh well! I'm sure it's awesome!"

"Yes, it is. Which is why I'll continue reading it. Right now."

"Well, don't let me get in the way. Say, can I ask you what your weapon is?" At the glare the girl levels at Ruby, she quickly steps back and waves her hands about. "Don't worry, I'm not here to try and figure out some kind of advantage over you through your weapon, I'm not even here to take the initiation test, I'm actually here to teach."

Glancing up and down the girl stood below her, Blake raises an eyebrow.

"You? You're a teacher here, despite clearly only being a couple years senior to the first year initiates?"

"Yep! Ozpin gave me the spot after I spent a few days talking it over with him. You'd think the man was an ancient or something, the way he just barely budges, even after hours of arguing!"

"Uh huh. Well, look, I really would like to get back to my book now please."

Sheepishly, Ruby digs a shoe into the ground. "Oh yeah, that's fine. I'll see you around I guess then..."

Staring back, Blake simply grunts out a "Blake."

With a wide smile, Ruby glances back up at the girl. "Blake! Well, my names Ruby. I'll see you around the campus."

Just before walking off, Ruby looks back over her shoulder up at the girl with a smirk.

"By the way, has anyone ever told you that you look kinda like a cat with that ribbon?"

Blake can only stare at the girl in disbelief as she wanders off towards the Headmasters tower.

"Yang! Yang, where are you? Come on, it isn't funny any more."

Frantically running around, Russet peers around for any indication of her blonde-maned friend. That same friend who said she'd stay with Russet and help find wherever the students are meant to go. Instead of that though, at the first sign of her other friends from Signal, she vanished like a leaf in the wind, leaving Russet, alone, in the middle of a completely unfamiliar school.

"Uhh, excuse me?"

Spinning around, Russet comes face to face with another student. The student appears to be a little older than everyone else, though not by much. Glancing down at her outfit, the only thing Russet can think is 'Gothic'. A pure black corset with red threads, a red cape held on by cross-shaped pins, a silver rose on her hip and a black combat skirt, all with red linings.

What really catches the eye in the girls face. Two silver orbs gaze back, while the eye is then drawn above them to the red-tipped black hair cascading down her head and past her shoulders.

And in her infinite wisdom, all Russet can think to say is "Pretty."

Immediately Russets face lights up like a christmas light and she looks away muttering "Sorry!" a thousand times over, while the girl simply stares back in amusement and disbelief.

"Pretty? Really? That's the first thing that comes to mind when someone says 'Excuse me'?" Brushing a hand through her hair, the girl then looks around before leaning in, "Though thank you for the compliment."

At this, Russets blush returns with a vengeance, causing the girl to burst out laughing, patting her on the shoulder.

"Aww, c'mon, don't be like that. Now then, what did I hear about Yang?"

"O-Oh, uh, Yang's a friend of mine from Signal. She was MEANT to stay with me so we could find wherever new students are meant to go, but instead she left me here, alone!"

Stifling another laugh, the girl rubs Russets shoulder, eliciting yet another, albeit weaker, blush from Russet. "Aww, well lucky you, you've come to the right person! I happen to know my way around this place like the back of my hand! I mean, I don't actually know the back of my hand very well, but it's the saying that counts, right?"

Rubbing her head, Russet can only try and hold off from staring at the girl in front of her, before sighing. "Well, do you know where the new students are meant to go? The maps they handed out are useless!"

"Oh, that's the point!" Russet can't help but stare at this point.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, the maps are meant to be useless. Something about how 'A true hunter must be able to persevere with inferior equipment and use any and all advantages to succeed.' Or something like that."

Pinching her nose and clenching her eyes tight, Russet simply says "That's so stupid."

"Well, is it?"

Glaring back at the girl, Russet looks at her in disbelief. "Seriously? How is that not stupid? We were given maps, told they were maps to Beacon, yet they just lead us around like headless chickens!"

"That's the whole point. Think about it. It both trains you to not simply trust everything you're given when out in outlier towns, and at the same time tests all applicants in their ingenuity. If you can't even find the auditorium on campus, how can you be expected to find your way through a Grimm-infested and uncharted part of the wilderness?"

"Huh. Now that I think about it, while I still hate it, it kind of makes sense. In a roundabout way that is."

"Well, since Ozpin never expressly stated that I can't help, I'm going to make this my second random act of kindness on campus! Here, give me your map." Handing over the now useless map, the red girl takes a pen out of somewhere and starts writing and drawing all over the map "See, all they've done is move around the buildings. All the paths are still the same. So, if you follow this path, you'll find your way to the auditorium in no time!"

"Well, thanks." Sticking a hand out to the girl, Russet takes a deep breath. "I'm Russet. I'm, obviously, a new applicant to Beacon! Pleased to meetcha!"

Taking the hand, the girl gives it a good shake. "Hi Russet! I'm Ruby. I'm actually going to be teaching here, today is really only my first day."

At this point, Russet realizes that more than half of this conversation has had her staring at Ruby for various reasons, but that doesn't stop her from staring with her jaw open.

"W-Wait, WHAT?"

Wincing at the sudden jump in volume, Ruby can only look back at Russet, a small frown on her face as she takes her hand back. "What? I'm going to be teaching here this year."

"B-but you're only like...a couple years older than us. Why would you be teaching here? I mean, don't get me wrong, teachers here are pretty awesome, but you don't look like you should have even graduated yet!"

Pressing her fingers together, Ruby glances around before leaning in towards Russet, causing another blush at the closeness.

"Don't tell anybody, but I was let into Beacon 2 years early, so while I'm actually younger than some of the 4th year students, I've been graduated for a full year."

"Okay, but that doesn't explain why a huntress with only a years experience outside of school is now teaching in said school."

"I'd...really rather not get into that. Sorry." Glancing down, Ruby almost leaps out of her shoes at the sight. "Oh crap, you need to get a shift on, otherwise you won't reach the auditorium in time. Get, go on, shift it! I'll see you around school Russet!"

Being pushed by the girl, Russet takes one last look behind her at the redhead, only to see a mini tornado of rose petals gust off in a random direction.

"See you around then, Ruby..."

"ARGH! I can't take it any more! Oz, please, let me do it my way, pleeeease!"

Taking a sip from his mug, Ozpin simply glances back at the young woman ahead of him with a raised eyebrow.

"Miss Rose, I believe I've already told you that, while I appreciate that you wish to endear yourself to the students, doing so in such a manner is hardly befitting of the station to which you now find yourself in. Tell me, what do you think would be the students reactions if you were to go ahead with this plan?"

Stubbing her toe against the ground, Ruby simply stares back at Ozpin, gears turning in her head to find the downside of her, frankly genius, plan. "They'd love it. Well, all but a few of them would love it. A few would probably not enjoy it quite as much, but, come on Oz, you have to admit it'd be a damned good way to introduce me to the new student body. Anyway, I need to prove that I'm a teacher, not a student, especially after what that stupid Snow White stuck-up brat said."

Taking another sip, and leaning back with a sigh, Ozpin closes his eyes and simply sits still for a moment, before re-opening them and meeting the gaze of his newest teacher head-on.

"Well, since you clearly would just do this without my consent if I don't give it," Ruby looks a bit sheepish at this, a wry smile appearing on her face,"I shall allow it, on two conditions."

"Ok, what are your conditions for it then Oz?"

"Firstly Miss Rose, you'll be held responsible should anything happen during this little stunt."

"Well obviously."

"And you shall refrain from any, ANY, physical contact during your event."

"Oh, that's fine. I mean, the original plan didn't involve physical contact anyway so that's cool and with Crescent Rose being how she is now it's not like I don't have really good control over her so there's no risk as we-"

"Miss Rose."

Ruby stops herself and looks back at the headmaster embarrassed. "Sorry Oz, you know how I get with stuff like this. It's just- It's going to be a great way for the students to really relate with me, you know. I mean, Glynda is nice when you actually know her, but 99% of the students see her as some kind of indomitable stone wall of sternness, meaning they don't willingly go to her if they need help, she scares them too much."

"While I don't appreciate the sentiment Miss Rose," Glynda Goodwitch says from behind Ruby, causing her to jump, "I can see why you think so strongly about this."

"Oh, sorry Miss Goodw-Glynda. I don't think I'm ever going to manage to call you Glynda on the first try, especially after 4 years of 'Miss Goodwitch.'"

With a rare smile, Glynda turns towards Ruby. "That's fine. Even Qrow has a hard time not calling me Goodwitch. Or, when he's drunk, Goodbitch."

At this, both women share a good laugh, while Ozpin simply smiles into his mug, before glancing towards a clock.

"Well, considering the time, we should be making our way to the auditorium. Miss Rose, while I still don't think this is a good way to introduce somebody of your caliber and station to the students, I know that you truly want to do this, so I shan't force your hand. Just, be careful. While our students aren't fragile by any means, we still don't want to have to file any incident reports, now do we?"

Sighing, Ruby turns to Oz, muttering a quick "Never again.", before blitzing off towards the auditorium to prepare ahead of the two teachers.

"Ozpin. While I trust your judgement, I still don't think it was a smart idea to bring her into the fold so early. I mean, for god sake, some of the 3rd year students are slightly older than her. And certainly, since she'll only be teaching first year students it will make it easier on her, they'll still have a hard time taking her seriously with the meagre age difference."

Taking a final sip from his mug, Ozpin simply gazes out onto his campus, eyes tracking a red blur zipping across the campus. "This isn't simply my wish though, it's hers. She wants this just as much as I do, if not more so. It would be cruel of me to deny her this, especially after what the Red Fang did to her team. And in any case, who am I to turn away talented teachers?"

"I just hope you're right about this Oz."

"Hey Russet! Over here!"

"Oh, hey Yang."

Glancing around the room, Russet can only make out a few familiar faces, aside from Yang, the majority being students from different combat schools, or simply students Russet hasn't seen in Signal before.

"Wow, talk about a downer. What happened, you fall into a fountain or something?"

Sighing, Russet turns back to her friend with a grimace.

"Wait, you didn't actually fall into a fountain did you?" Patting her arms, Yang double checks, then sighs when her hands come back dry. "Well, what happened that's so bad you go from being normal you, to being this weird, mopey version of Russet? Don't tell me you aren't Russet!" Yang exclaims, an accusatory finger outstretched, though the giant grin on her face dispels any threat the action may generate.

Swatting her finger away, Russet sighs again. "No Yang, I'm fine, just ran into someone, and both embarrassed myself a ton and possibly annoyed them to the point of hating me."

"Wow, that's actually kinda rough there buddy." Yang reaches over and slings her arm across her friends shoulders, bringing her into an awkward side-hug. "So, what happened?"

"Argh, that's just it! I was doing kind of alright, despite being more lost than I've ever been before, no thanks to you, then this cute girl comes along and is all like 'Excuse me?' and she's like really cute so I call her pretty and then get embarrassed and then we start talking and she helps me out with my map, then tells me she's actually a teacher, then I asked her about why she's a teacher since she's like a few years older than us and-"

"Okay, easy there tiger, slow down." Yang pats her friends back, before taking a deep breath. "Just slow down a little, even I can't keep up with you when you talk that fast."

"Sorry Yang. I just asked her why she was a teacher since she's only been out of school for a year and she got this look on her face and made some excuse and ran off. I just wanna tell her I'm sorry about it."

"Aww, don't worry Rus, I'm sure she's not that mad. I mean, I know like, two people who'd get actually mad and for good reason, and only one of them would ever come close to Beacon! Granted, the other is already a teacher, and is usually drunk enough to scare a Vacuan freebooter, but you get the point."

"Well, thanks Yang, I still want to-Huh?" Before Russet could continue, a balled up piece of paper bounces off her head and lands in her hands. After glancing around and seeing nobody obvious who threw it, she shrugs and unwraps the paper, and begins reading.

'Hey Russet. Two things. First, sorry I ran off. And second, don't fret so much, you didn't know that I'm touchy about my past. From Ruby.'

"What's that Rus?" Yang peers over her shoulder, reading the note before snorting. "Wow girl, you work fast, you're already getting secret notes passed to you, and we haven't even started school yet!"

"Oh knock it off Yang. Anyway, it's not like it's a love letter. Oh hey, it's the Headmaster."

Standing up on the stage of Headmaster Ozpin.

"I'll...keep this brief. You have traveled here today in search of knowledge. To hone your craft and acquire new skills. And when you've finished, you plan to dedicate your life to the protection of the people. But I look amongst you, and all I see...is wasted energy. In need of purpose, direction. You assume knowledge will free you of this, but your time at this school will prove that knowledge can only carry you so far. It is up to you...to take the first step."

"Now. Some of you may have run into a red-clothed young woman during your pre-initiation test. This woman is not, in fact, a student at this school, as she has told me a few of you have believed. She is in fact, despite her relative age, a teacher at this academy, starting this year. She will be taking over the first year combat class, and she will also be re-opening the dust studies class, also for first year students."

"A few of you may have doubts as to her combat prowess, but I can assure you that she is just as capable as any other hunter, despite her relative age."

"Pwwsh, if she's so strong, why isn't she up there with you? Sounds like she's scared of us!" A brute of a man with a mop of messy orange hair and a large crested chestpiece abruptly yells.

But, before he can get any more boasting, a whistling sound tears through the air, and with a loud crunch, a large, blood-red scythe embeds itself between the offending students legs, causing said student to let out a rather undignified and very effeminate scream and leap backwards, falling onto his rear, eyes wide as he tries to find his attacker.

"Because, Mr Winchester, she deemed it necessary to have a rather...unique entrance. Now, if I could direct your attention upwards..."

As the students eyes raise up to the ceiling, they notice that, amongst the rafters, a red cape gently flutters, before a figure drops down, directly onto her scythe, yet without making the scythe even slightly shift, with poise and elegance as she then stands and casually walks along the shaft of her weapon, like a tight-rope walker, then flipping, and smoothly transitioning to the ground, grasping the scythe then swirling it behind her, collapsing down and onto her back, concealing the weapon beneath her cape.

With nary a glance at the now thoroughly terrified student, or the stifled laughter of the other students, the newcomer makes an exaggerated bow before walking onto the stage, nodding to Ozpin and stepping out in front of the microphone.

"Well, with my little stunt out of the way, hello everyone!"

Glancing over the room, Ruby can see an uncountable number of expressions. From amusement, to fear, to pure bewilderment, and the best ones, pure awe at the skill demonstrated in front of them. However, the one she is looking for, is the firmly stuck expression of pure shock currently resting on the face of one Snow White wannabe. With a quick smile, she then redirects her attention the group as a whole, leaving the white-clad girl with her mouth gaping at the girl like a fish.

"So, introductions. I've already met a few of you, but just to get it out of the way, let's just do it now. My name is Ruby Rose, former leader of team Rover, Scythe Wielder, all round badass, slayer of monsters and baker of cookies! Now, as Ozpin explained, I'm actually only 20." As the hall erupts into murmured conversation, Ruby briefly glances around again, noting that the white-clad girl is now staring at her shoes, almost as if they were made of diamonds, and pointedly making no attempts to look anywhere near Ruby.

"Alright, that's enough now. Yes, I am the same age as some of your upperclassmen, and yes I did graduate just like everyone else, I wasn't let go early. Some of you may already know this, but I was entered into Beacon 2 years early at the behest of one Headmaster Ozpin, and as such was two years younger than everyone else in my year, which was rather awkward. But, with my awesome scythe skills, it wasn't long until they all decided I was worth keeping around. I mean, look at Mr Winchester if you need a second opinion."

Drawing the entire rooms attention to the poor boy, many try and fail to hold in laughter at the boy, who is now staring at the girl open-mouthed, as though she just told everybody his most embarrassing secret.

"Now, with that out of the way, and thanks to Ozpin" leveling a glare over at the headmaster, who simply hides his smile behind his mug, "already explaining what I'm here to do, I'll simply say this. I know it's a bit awkward going to teachers who are by far your elders for advice, so if you have any problems, please, come and have a chat. Don't forget, I'm only a couple years older than even the youngest of you, so I'd hope that you think me a bit more relatable than Miss 'Stonewall' Goodwitch."

Ignoring the frosty glare the aforementioned teacher is giving her, Ruby then bows, and walks off stage, to the sound of sudden discussion. A few words stand out, though she tries her best to ignore them.

"-bloody rose comes from?"

"-can't be very good-"

"-could take her down easily if-"

With a rather forced smile, Ruby then leaves the building, pondering just how the students will take her arrival.

And, with luck, she'll be able to save a few from suffering her own pain.