I'm surprised to find some people actually enjoying this story! That's a good sign, so here's chapter 2!

Chapter Two: The Shining Beacon

'Whoa…' Jack wasn't the only one who was in awe at the landscape in front of them. The structure, Beacon Academy's main building, was easily at least five stories tall. Water flowed in from the tops of the mountains, ending in a peaceful lake that shifted into a beautiful cascading waterfall.

Most of the teenagers hurriedly rushed right after Stoick the Vast and Toothiana, straight into the Academy's main building. Jack found himself being bumped and pushed around, confused among the sound of rumbling footsteps. His duffel nearly fell out of his hand, and all the people rushing by threatened his balance. Jack reached out and grabbed the arm closest to him.

'What?' It was a girl with messy bright orange hair that curled down to her hips. She donned a dark green dress, and had a bow looped in her upper right shoulder wither a quiver over her back.

'Uh, hi,' Jack said nervously. 'Where are we supposed to go?'

'I'm just following the others,' the girl replied. 'Now if you'll excuse me, I don't want to be left behind.' She had already started walking off before even finishing her sentence.

'Wait!' Jack called, 'what's your name?'

'Merida.' And just like that, Merida disappeared into the crowd of Beacon Academy freshmen.

Jack whipped his head left and right. There was only one other boy who was still making his way up the wooden planks onto the campus. He dragged a bag almost half his size along the floor, and a satchel hug from his forearm. He also had a scabbard of a sword strapped onto his belt that the boy adjusted as he came to a stop, dropping his luggage. Panting heavily, he failed to notice Jack walking up to him.

'Hey.'

The boy yelped in surprise.

'Sorry,' Jack apologized. 'You need some help?'

'Nah, that's okay,' the boy replied. 'I can do it myself.' He took a heave at his luggage and hauled the strap over his shoulder. Jack winced as the boy nearly fell. He carefully regained his balance.

Jack held out his hand. 'Jack Frost.'

'Hunter Cal Poly,' the boy answered, shaking Jack's hand. 'Everyone else calls me "Hiccup".'

'Hiccup? That's an interesting nickname.'

Hiccup laughed dryly. 'My full name is actually much longer than that. But hey, some parents believe a hideous name would frighten off gnomes and trolls.'

'Does it?'

'Well it doesn't keep the Creatures of Grimm away,' Hiccup grumbled. Jack chuckled slightly. He turned his head down towards the direction of the pier. 'Is there anyone else still down there?'

Hiccup thought for a moment. 'I think there's one more. The girl with the unusually long hair.'

Just as Hiccup finished talking, the said person appeared right behind him. She wore a purple silk dress, and her braided golden blonde hair swayed along with her movements. She carried a simple bag and quickly ran up to two boys.

'Hi,' the girl chimed. 'I'm Rapunzel. Did everyone else already head on inside?'

'Yeah,' said Jack. 'By the way, I'm Jack and this is Hiccup.' Jack gestured to his new friend before pointing towards the Academy. 'All the others went in already. I'm just out here offering my help to Hiccup with that bag of his.'

'I can do it myself,' Hiccup grumbled.

'Well he seems cheerful,' Rapunzel commented. 'I got a little sidetracked with the view. I haven't really left the palace, so all of this new scenery is amazing.'

'Palace?' Jack repeated. He suddenly stepped back. 'You're a Princess?'

'I guess you can say that,' said Rapunzel, her large green eyes looking up at the sky. 'My parents are a little overprotective.'

'They have a reason to be,' Hiccup added.

Rapunzel giggled as she brushed a few strands of hair behind her ear. 'Come on, maybe the Headmaster is going to make an important announcement.' She started walking towards the building. 'We probably shouldn't miss it.'

'Wouldn't dream of it,' Hiccup muttered as he and Jack followed Rapunzel.

The entrance hall was decorated with fancy torches that clung onto the walls. A luxurious chandelier hung from the ceiling. A red carpet led directly into a pair of large doors at the end of the hall. The doors were open.

Once Jack stepped inside, he saw rows and rows of seats organized in the middle of the room, all facing a stage and podium. Jack's eyes spied a couple of empty seats in the middle rows. He tugged Rapunzel and Hiccup. 'Over there.'

'Be right there,' Hiccup whispered in reply. He slipped through the crowds of chattering students with the oversized bag banging against his back. Jack and Rapunzel watched as Hiccup walked up to another boy who was just a little taller than him, but with a viking helmet and black hair.

Hiccup took the bag off him and dumped it onto the ground. 'Here, Snotlout,' Hiccup wheezed. 'I brought your luggage.'

'What took you so long, Fish-bone?' Snotlout jeered. He easily lifted the bag with a single hand. 'It's not that heavy you know.' With a meaty hand, Snotlout shoved Hiccup's chest backwards before walking off with a boisterous laugh. Dropping his shoulders, Hiccup trotted back to Jack and Rapunzel.

'That wasn't your bag?' said Jack as soon as Hiccup was in earshot.

'I wouldn't carry anything near that heavy,' Hiccup replied, annoyance and sarcasm evident in his voice.

'Who was that anyway?' Rapunzel asked.

'Snotlout Jorgensen,' said Hiccup in an almost disgusting tone. 'Reigning Thawfest Champion on the Isle of Berk for the past five years, who also just happens to be my incredibly arrogant cousin.'

Jack patted Hiccup on the shoulder. 'I feel sad for you.'

'Come on,' said Rapunzel. 'Let's get to our seats.'

The three teenagers wriggled through the other students, and managed to get to their seats before anyone else took them. Jack noticed the red-headed girl sitting a couple of rows in front of them.

'You know her?' Hiccup asked.

'Not really,' said Jack. 'Just her name: Merida. I met her when we first stepped into the school.'

Rapunzel looked at Jack curiously. 'In the ten minutes we've been here, how many friends have you made?'

'Three and one enemy,' Jack answered.

Hiccup raised an eyebrow. 'Enemy?'

'Snotface Snotlout,' Jack said in a very matter of fact tone. Hiccup couldn't help but laugh. 'Trust me, I've wanted to call him that too.'

The chattering soon died down as Stoick the Vast stepped onto the stage. The auditorium fell silent.

'Students! Teachers! Staff!' he declared, loud and proud. 'I am your headmaster, Stoick the Vast, and I welcome you to another year at Beacon Academy.'

A roar of applause erupted from the audience. Jack couldn't help but clap along with everyone else.

'As you know, you are part of the privileged few who have been selected by our faculty to attend this Academy. You are at the top caliber of Hunters and Huntresses in training. Our world is experiencing an incredible era of peace. Now that you have dedicated your lives to fighting the Darkness, it is your duty to uphold this era of tranquility. We must protect our own!

'Returning students, you may return to your dorms. New students, please gather in the ballroom where you shall spend the night. Your initiation will begin tomorrow morning. I wish you all the best of luck.'

The conversations immediately started up again as all the students stood up from their seats. Everyone turned towards the direction of the door. Jack still sat there with Hiccup and Rapunzel at his sides.

'That's it?'

'Looks like it,' said Rapunzel.

'So,' Hiccup began, 'anyone know how to get to the ballroom?'

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'It's like a giant sleepover!'

Jack excitedly threw himself onto sleeping mat sitting on the ground, beside Hiccup. The two boys were merely a small part of the group of newcomers to Beacon Academy. All first years were gathered in the ballroom, each being given sleeping bags in which they would spend the night in. The room had been divided in two to separate boys and girls.

Jack had his mat a few meters from Hiccup, who had himself propped onto his shoulders with a pencil in hand. The young boy looked up from his notebook and gave Jack a confused look. 'A sleepover?' Hiccup repeated.

'Yeah. You know, when you have friends come over and sleep at your house. Even my little sister has one from time to time.'

Hiccup murmured in understanding before turning back to his journal and resuming his writing. 'I've never really had any friends.'

Jack's excited expression softened. 'Oh,' he murmured. Jack's eyes were focused on Hiccup's hands as it moved across the page, scribbling down words. 'What are you doing?'

'Keeping track of my life here at Beacon,' Hiccup replied.

'So it's a diary,' Jack smirked.

'Memoir,' Hiccup quickly interjected.

'If you say so,' Jack answered, a teasing tone in his voice. 'Hey, how do you think Rapunzel's doing?'

Hiccup closed his book. 'She should be fine, Jack. It's a good chance for her to become friends with the other girls, too.'

'What's wrong with being friends with us?'

For a moment, Hiccup's face had a sad smile. 'Nothing,' he finally said. Hiccup tucked the notebook into his satchel before pulling the sheets over himself.

In the corner of his eye, Jack noticed Snotlout looking right back at them. 'Aw, little Hiccup going to bed already.' The boy gave a loud rambunctious laugh while turning his back and walking off to his own part of the room.

Jack gritted his teeth as he reached for his staff in his duffel. 'I am going to freeze that tongue of his.'

'Ignore him,' a muffled Hiccup spoke from inside the sleeping bag. 'He's always like that. I'm used to it anyway.'

Reluctantly, Jack allowed himself to put his staff away. As he laid there, Jack rested his head on his forearms. He turned his head slightly. His eyes stared out the window, and up at the large moon. The celestial body seemed to return his gaze. It was a warm and welcoming feeling.

Rapunzel watched the boys from the other end of the ballroom. She had placed her sleeping bag right in a corner. There weren't as many girls as there were boys, and Rapunzel found it unsurprising. Most parents expect their daughters to be working at home and being perfect wives. But Rapunzel had enough of being sheltered. She applied to Beacon for the same reason as everyone else: to fight monsters.

In the middle of the room was the red haired girl. She had her arrows spread out in front of her, as if checking her ammunition.

Rapunzel stood up and walked over to her. 'Hi,' she said. 'You're Merida?'

'Yes,' Merida answered, a scottish accent in her voice. 'And you are?'

'Rapunzel. I hear you ran into Jack Frost in front of the school. I was thinking maybe we could be friends.'

'You mean the white haired dude?' Merida bundled up her arrows and slid them into her quiver. 'You friends with him?'

'You can say that. Do you have any friends here at Beacon?'

'Astrid,' said Merida. 'She's the girl with the axe. We met on the ship, and seem to have a common dislike for guys attempting to make moves on us.'

'Well that's a rather strange mutual interest.' Rapunzel cleared her throat. 'So, you think it's okay if we be friends?'

A smile made it's way to Merida's face. 'Why not.' With that, she started climbing into her sleeping bag. 'I'll see you tomorrow at initiation, Rapunzel. Good luck.'

'Thanks.'

With that, Rapunzel went back to her own section of the ballroom. As she shut her eyes, Rapunzel was grateful to know that it seems that her mother had been wrong about the world.

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The full names of the main characters had to be tweaked to fit the Rwby motif, but I'm sure everyone can recognize them. Oh, and as you may have noticed, Hiccup still has his foot and Rapunzel her hair. So I'm planning to retell a story based on the original films as well as a part of this while waiting for new Rwby content to show up. :)