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Good First Impressions

Yang Xiao-Long was used to getting people's attention. Who could blame her really? She was an attractive young woman with long blonde hair that went past her waist, lilac colored eyes and certain 'other' features that most men, and some women, found hard not to look at. As she looked around the small shuttle heading to Beacon Academy she could see plenty of gazes on her more developed features. Yang just shrugged it off. She could deal with them if need be but it was her first day, she'd behave. For now.

As she continued looking around the shuttle, Yang was surprised to see one guy not looking at her. Not that she was an attention hog. But most guys their age couldn't take their eyes off her. Yang looked him over. He was cute, even handsome. He wore dark blue jeans with black biker boots, a black leather jacket with the front opened slightly revealing a dark red sleeveless hoodie. On the right arm of his jacket there was a bandanna tied around the upper bicep and fingerless gloves with metal plates on the back of the hands.

The strange boy's hair was a light brown and cut in a military style with the sides shaven down with the top trimmed and a pony tail holding the rest. Yang couldn't see his eyes as he was looking in the direction of his left hand. Following his gaze, she was a bit surprised to see him twirling a knife in his hand. It wasn't the blade that surprised her but how fast he was twirling it. The weapon had two handles with a single edge. A butterfly knife she thought remembering her sister saying something about the knife before.

As she looked at the young man twirl the blade, performing tricks that even impressed the blonde, Yang felt like she was being watched. Yang's eyes shifted from the blade back up to the boy's face and was met by a pair of hazel eyes. Her first thought was that she'd been wrong and that he was checking her out, but his eyes didn't look down. Their eyes locked for a few seconds before she looked away, her face slightly flushed in embarrassment.

'Why was I staring?' Yang thought, shaking her head as if in a daze. 'Wait! Why am I embarrassed?! If anything, he be drooling over me like the rest of these idiots!' While Yang let her ego run wild, the young man let out a sigh of relief as the blonde beauty looked away.

"That's my little sunflower. I told you she'd be a knockout." Summer said standing next to the wall beside her partner. "Although I'm surprised at her growth! She must take after Raven more than Tai."

Ryder kept twirling his knife trying not to respond to his ghostly colleague for two reasons: so that no one would think he was crazy for talking to thin air and he had used every ounce of willpower he had not to look at the blonde's chest. Summer glared at him in annoyance. She knew Ryder couldn't respond, but hated being ignored by one of the only people that could see and talk to her. Summer looked towards her daughter and a brilliant idea formed in her mind.

Not paying attention to what Summer was scheming, Ryder thought back to the week before he found himself on the vessel.

One week earlier:

Ryder, having just been released from VPD custody, returned to his makeshift safe house. The place was a condemned apartment complex near the outer area of the city. It wasn't much to look at with its boarded-up windows and cracked brick walls, but Ryder had lived in worse places. The room where he slept was the only one that wasn't a complete mess besides some water stains and a few missing floor boards.

As he got started removing his gear near the couch he'd found in another room that served as his bed, Summer began talking about Beacon and the news she received about her daughters from Ozpin.

"Oh, you're gonna love it Ry! Beacon is the best school for you. And you're going to meet my girls! They have this big cafeteria with all sorts of different types of cookies. Oh, oh and the weapon's shop is so cool! I wonder if Mr. Vinci still teaches, he was always my favorite. Then there's the combat arena, I remember kicking so much butt in there! Did I mention the cookies?"

With Summer's excitement at the thought of seeing her old school, Ryder was having mixed feelings about the whole thing. Sure, he had accepted Ozpin's offer but what did he know about going to school? His parents and sister had home schooled him so his grades wouldn't be a problem, however his social skills were less than normal. Ryder had spent the better part of seven years either training or fighting. He didn't know what to even talk about with people his own age.

After finishing his thoughts and laying his weapons near his sleeping area, Azrael tucked under his pillow in case he needed it, Ryder laid down on the couch staring at the ceiling. Summer was listing off the many different types of cookies and sweets that Beacon's cafeteria had while he drifted off to sleep, thinking about what to expect from the school and its students.

Present:

"OW!" The sudden cry of pain forced Ryder out of his thoughts, his knife held ready to use if needed. He spotted the origin of the sound as she saw the blonde sitting on the ground rubbing her rear. Summer stood next to the prone girl a devious smirk on her face 'what is she doing?' Ryder thought, before Summer motioned her head at the blonde to her partner.

Shaking his head at the woman, Ryder flipped his knife closed, slipping it back into his pocket as he stood up walking over towards the girl. Yang sat wondering how she fell. No one was close enough to knock her down, 'or would dare try' she thought, but could've sworn someone shoved her. 'Whoever did it is so dead.' Yang silently promised before her thoughts were interrupted by someone next to her.

"You alright?" a voice asked her. Yang looked up to see the young man she'd been staring at just minutes ago.

"Huh?" was all the response she gave before Ryder offered a hand to help her up. Yang hesitated at first but took the offered hand rising to her feet with his help.

"Thanks knife boy," she said to him, "guess chivalry isn't dead after all." Eyebrow raised in confusion, Ryder only shrugged before asking if she was injured.

"Oh yeah, I'm fine. Though I think someone rear-ended me. Ehhh?" Yang wagged her eyebrows at her pun, somewhere in the vessel a young red hooded girl twitched as her 'bad pun' senses went off, while Ryder deadpanned at the blonde girl. Yang sighed at the look, why didn't anyone get her puns? "Anyway, thank you." She simply said when he didn't respond.

Summer gave Ryder a look, 'say something' it seemed to say.

"Umm," he started before composing his thoughts, "It's not a problem. Though I gotta say, with the golden hair and lilac eyes I thought you were more of a spring than a fall." Silence. Ryder immediately regretted the words as he saw the look on the girl's face. As his mind scrambled for something to say, he was stopped as she started laughing.

"Hahahaha! Good one and here I thought you were just another pretty face."

Ryder's face went red at the comment,

"Oops," Yang said as she saw his reaction, "did I say that out loud?"

Summer facepalmed at her daughter's lack of tact. As an awkward silence grew between the teenager's, Yang was saved when she spotted a familiar red hood nearby.

"Well gotta go, bye!" The blonde girl sped off before Ryder could form a response.

"Yeah, nice meeting you too." He mumbled to himself.

The shuttle came to a halt, as it docked everyone began to leave. Ryder waited until he was the last one onboard before leaving, pulling his hood up and placing a pair of dark lens sunglasses over his eyes. Having always worn his bandanna as a mask, Ryder felt exposed, having his hood covering most of his face in shadow and the glasses hiding his eyes brought a small measure of comfort to the young man.

A Ryder walked through the transport doors he heard someone losing their lunch, he found the source nearby. A young man had both hands gripped on the side of a trash can with his head hanging over the rim.

"Aww poor guy." Summer chimed in floating over to the guy a look of sympathy on her face. Ryder being the nice guy he was, walked over and lightly patted the sick guy on the back.

"Easy buddy." His voice was comforting as the young man began retching again. "There we go, let it all out big guy." After a few minutes, the young man's vomiting ended and he pulled himself upright, a bit pale in the face but feeling a lot better.

"Thanks." The young man said before taking a few deep breathes, Ryder handed him a half full water bottle he'd bought in town which the young man accepted thankfully.

"Anytime." Ryder responded, studying the young man. He was roughly the same height and build as Ryder, with neck length blonde hair and ocean blue eyes. His attire consisted of a black hoodie with various armor plates on his chest, shoulders and forearms, a pair of torn blue jeans, a pair of sneakers and on his hip was a knight's sword in a white and gold sheathe on a sword belt.

Not wanting to be stuck in another awkward silence with a blonde, Ryder walked off towards the courtyard of the school.

"I hope you feel better." He called back as he passed the young man before he continued towards Beacon. Jaune Arc simply waved in farewell to his hooded rescuer.

"He seems like a nice guy."

Ryder kept a slow pace taking in the scenery as he walked past a few trees. Noticing no one else nearby, Ryder turned to his partner, now floating alongside him.

"So, care to explain that little incident back there, Sum?" Ryder glared at her.

"Oh come on, what's the harm?" Summer smiled innocently, "Yang is a nice girl and you're not exactly a social butterfly. Besides you made her laugh. That's a difficult thing to do." Ryder was getting a migraine.

"Summer, look I get that you're worried. But don't try playing match maker with your daughter. Either of them." Summer turned towards him, arms crossed.

"I'm looking out for you Ry. Plus I don't think you're Ruby's type. Although my little petal would be a good match as well. How are you at baking?" Ryder groaned, 'What the actual hell?' he thought.

"Look just give me a heads up next time you knock someone over. Okay?" Ryder pleaded. Summer gave him a 'no promises' look before doing cartwheels in the air. Ryder continued walking, hoping that anything would happen before Summer started trying to hook him up someone else. The sound of multiple containers crashing from up ahead and people falling over.

"Watch where you're going you dolt!"

"I'm sorry!"

'Oum does have a sense of humor.' Ryder thought.

As he came upon the 'crime scene' Ryder spotted three girls and what looked like an attendant. A girl in a white combat skirt with a rapier-like dust weapon on her hip, snow white hair and a scar on her left eye. She was yelling at a younger girl in a similar combat skirt in black with red trimming and a red hood. The last of the group was sitting on a nearby bench with a book pretending she wasn't watching. She wore a mixture of black and white clothing with a black bow on her head a sword slung across her back.

"Aww! There's my baby! My little rose!" Summer went full mom mode at the sight of her youngest daughter. "Look how big she got Ryder! Oh, Ruby you remind me so much of me and your dad!" Ryder, ignoring Summer's parental gawking, noticed the attendant picking up various suitcases and dust containers full of shards and powder. He walked over to try and help. The attendant nodded a thanks to the young man as the girl's argument heated up.

"Who does she think she is?! Yelling at my little petal." Summer grumbled from the side.

Ryder sighed in response, 'one minute she's all milk and cookies the next she goes full on momma Ursa.' Picking up the last suitcase and placing on the cart Ryder nearly dropped a vial of explosive fire dust when the white-haired girl spotted him.

"And just what do you think you're doing?!" she all but screamed at him.

Ryder didn't respond as he looked at the angry girl in front of him. He Received a look of sympathy from the red hooded girl Ruby who moments ago was on the receiving end of said girl's anger.

"Unhand my property this instant you thief or I'll take it by force!"

"Uh oh…" Summer squeaked.

Now Ryder was generally level headed and a nice guy outside of combat but one thing that sparked his anger was being called anything associated with a criminal.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Ryder shot back sarcastically, "and here I thought I was helping your attendant pick up your things while you were screeching like a raging Beringal at the poor girl behind you. Who, as I heard, already apologized for running into you."

The white-haired girl stepped back as if slapped.

"I didn't…I wasn't…you can't…" She tried to form a comeback but was too flustered to think.

"Yeah," Ryder stated matter-of-factly, "That's what I thought." Ryder walked over to stand in front of the girl and held the vial out to her.

"Um…Thank you?" she said as she took the offered vial, still a bit confused. Ryder rolled his eyes behind his shades.

"You're welcome. But let me give you some advice."

The girl raised an eyebrow at him. Not waiting for her response, he continued.

"Maybe next time, 'princess', try not to accuse the people taking the time to help you of stealing. Who knows it might help you make some friends. Oum knows you need it with that attitude."

As he finished Ryder walked around the now stunned girl towards Ruby.

"You okay little red?" his voice was calm and comforting like Ryder assumed a big brother would be. The hooded girl nodded quickly, her silver eyes held appreciation for him diffusing the situation and diverting the yelling girl's attention. The attendant bowed politely to the young man, as he walked off he noticed the bow girl giving him an impressed look at his words.

'Seems like Ruby is off to a rough start,' Summer thought as she looked at her youngest daughter, 'but I know she'll be fine.' She floated back towards her departing partner giggling to herself at the thought of seeing both her kids attend the same school as their mothers and fathers.

While the pair walked off, the white-haired girl snapped out of her momentary shock

"What the hell just happened?"

Later That Night

"Ugh! Why do old people give such boring speeches?" Summer groaned as she sat next to her partner, her head in her hands, "He used to love going out on exciting missions and adventures with the teams. Now Ozzy is just a boring old man." Ryder chuckled at her misery.

"Says the old lady." This comment earned him a slap to the back of the head from the huntress, glaring at him with a pouting face.

"I was still young when I died little boy. Show some respect for your elders."

Ryder didn't mind Ozpin's speech. Short, sweet, to the point with a bit of mystique. The guy could write a mystery novel if he wanted, he'd make a killing. Ryder surveyed the hall that served as temporary sleeping area for the initiates. All around him young men and women set up their sleeping bags or sat around doing various activities. Ryder had entered the hall and found a spot near the back wall away from the other students.

He wasn't being antisocial, as Summer kept hinting at, he was observing his surroundings. One skill he was most proud of was his observation abilities. Everywhere his eyes shifted his brain recorded every detail he could: build, features, what books they were reading, how they arranged their gear for tomorrow's initiation. To most it was useless info but to Ryder it was like having a vault of gold in his head.

While the others went about their business, Ryder leaned back against the wall where he sat. Ozpin had collected all the young man's belongings a few days ago, keeping only a black duffle bag with the essentials: his weapons, a cleaning kit, spare clothes and the secret book that no one was to find out about. Trying to relax Ryder took his jacket off, exposing the two tattoos one of a Grimm dragon wrapped around his right forearm and a skull with a Raven atop it with a rose in its mouth.

Both had significant meaning to him but that was another story. Ryder kept his hood up and his shades on. Even with the dark lenses and the low light in the hall, Ryder could see clear as day. Taking out the cleaning kit and his guns, Ryder took apart Azrael and Hades and cleaned them. His hands moved smoothly, the process both automatic yet therapeutic. With his mind so focused on his task Ryder didn't notice the weird looks others were giving him, or the one a certain red hooded girl was giving his weapons.

Ryder was almost finished with reassembling his weapons when a shadow fell over him. Ryder looked up to see four guys looking at him.

"Look at this loser all by himself." The big one in the middle, the ringleader he assumed, mocked as the other three laughed. Ryder had seen their type before, bullies who were looking for their next victim. Too bad they chose wrong this time.

"What's wrong? You so afraid you can't speak or are you just deaf?" Ryder just stared at the four not blinking behind his shades. This seemed to piss off the big guy.

"Hey, I'm talking to you punk?!" He yelled, his voice drawing the attentions of everyone in the hall. Ryder sighed before taking his eyes off the group and going back to reassembling his guns.

"Go away." Ryder simply stated as he got back to work. He sensed the threat coming towards him but didn't bother dodging as a hand grabbed the front of his hoodie, lifting him to his feet.

"What was that?!" the big guy yelled, his face inches from Ryders. 'Okay time to end this.' Ryder thought. His left hand shot out like a snake taking hold of the big bullies' throat. A shocked look came over the other three as their defacto leader tried to pry Ryder's hand away from his throat. But his grip was like a vice. The bully felt his feet leave the ground as Ryder held him aloft.

Noticing the others trying to formulate a plan of attack Ryder brought his right arm out to the side and activated his semblance. Without warning Ryder's right hand was engulfed in flames, illuminating the area around slightly and cause the other three to back off. He could hear a few gasps from around the room but his gaze was locked on his captive fear covering his face.

"Since you didn't hear me earlier." Ryder spoke, his voice cold as ice, "Let me say it in a way your small mind will understand. Fuck off cockroach!" Ryder tossed the big guy back where he landed on his backside. The other three rushed towards the big guy picking up before moving to the other side of the hall.

"This isn't over!" Ryder heard one of them say as they departed.

"Bunch-a Neanderthals." Ryder mumbled to himself. Dismissing the flames Ryder looked around at the scared and worried glances he was getting from the others. Not wanting to explain himself or anyone to ask questions Ryder returned to working on his guns. As he finished reassembling Azrael and Hades, Ryder noticed a familiar blonde walking his way with a smaller girl and a white-haired girl being dragged behind her by the wrists.

"Helloooo!" she greeted, releasing her prisoners when they stopped in front of him. Upon closer inspection, he recognized the two other girls from the luggage incident.

"So, my little sis told me you helped her out today with miss whiney over hear." Yang jerked her thumb at the white-haired girl.

"Hey!" The accused yelled, but the blonde ignored her.

"Anyway, since you helped me and my sis we wanted to thank you. Oh, and she," the blonde grabbed the white-haired girl's arm, "wanted to apologize for being a brat."

"Ryder just shrugged, "No need to thank me or apologize. Just do me a favor princess?" he asked the white-haired girl, who blushed slightly at the comment.

"W-what?" she stammered.

"Try to be nicer. Accidents happen." She nodded her head in response. The blonde smiled.

"Oh, we forgot to introduce ourselves. I'm Yang Xiao-Long." The blonde said.

"I'm her sister Ruby Rose. Nice to meet you again."

"Weiss Schnee. Heiress to the Schnee Dust Company. Pleasure to make your acquaintance."

"Nice to meet you all…is what I'd like to say but not everyone has been introduced. You going to keep hiding back there?"

Ryder waved behind the girls who all turned around to see the girl with the bow from earlier.

"When did she get here?" Weiss asked the other two. Ruby and Yang just shrugged in confusion.

"Blake," the new arrival spoke up, "My name is Blake Belladonna."

"A pleasure." Ryder replied with a smile to the girl's. The other's waited for him to offer his name, and not receiving it, an awkward silence hung in the air. Ruby broke the silence as her eyes locked onto the now reassembled weapons.

"Wow," she said, "those are really cool! Do you use a Vulcan trigger for quick shots?"

Ryder chuckled to himself, "Yeah, though I modified it myself. The pull is smoother now." Ryder twirled Azrael cocking the hammer and pulling the trigger to emphasize it, he had made sure to take the rounds out first though. Ruby's eyes sparkled as she admired the gun.

"Here," Ryder flipped the gun around, offering the handle to Ruby, "have a look."

Ruby reached for it but stopped, glancing at her sister who nodded her approval. The younger girl took hold of the weapon and began her examination.

"Vulcan trigger, heat treated frame and barrel, modified cylinder for ten rounds and white mother of pearl grips." Ruby spoke fast, the others couldn't follow her words.

Ryder could however and was impressed at her observation without taking it apart. He picked up Hades and tossed it to her, which the young girl quickly began to geek out at the designs of the triple-barreled sawed-off shotgun.

"Sorry about that," Yang spoke up, scratching her face with a finger, "Ruby is a weapons fanatic. She loves any-and-all weapons to the point of obsession."

Ryder just smiled, "It's no problem. So, you two are sister's but you don't look all that much alike."

Yang crossed her arms under her chest, which Ryder totally hadn't looked at.

"Yeah, we're half-sisters, but she's still my baby sister aren't you Rubes?" The blonde wrapped her arm around the unsuspecting girl's shoulders grinding her knuckle into the poor girl's head.

"Y-Yang! Stop it!" Ruby protested.

"Oh, would the two of you knock it off. Honestly, bunch of dolts." Weiss interjected.

Blake stood there not joining in the conversation. Ryder noticed the book in her hands and the familiar title.

"The story of the man with two souls? Interesting choice." His words directed at the silent girl. Realizing that she was being spoken to, Blake cleared her throat before responding.

"Yes, it's an interesting read. Though I wonder what a person with two souls would be like."

"I was more interested on the man's thoughts of what would it be like to not have a soul at all. 'Though I have two parts to me that make up my being. What, I wonder would my life be like without them.'"

Blake smiled at the quote, "Chapter 12: A soul at conflict. You stated it word for word."

Ryder scratched the back of his head, "I have a good memory."

He looked at the clock on the wall, it was almost eleven at night and they had to be up at six for breakfast.

"I don't mean to be rude ladies but I need to get some sleep." Yang released Ruby and the younger girl handed back his weapons. "Goodnight ladies." Ryder said in farewell as he sat back down against the wall pulling his hood low over his face. The girl's left him alone, chatting as they walked back to their sleeping areas.

"He seems nice. Plus, his weapons are so cool!" Ruby bounced excitedly at the thought of disassembling them.

"Yes, he was quite polite. Even after my behavior earlier, he didn't treat me any different." Weiss chipped in.

"He seemed knowledgeable about literature as well. Maybe he's a budding scholar." Blake added.

"He seems like a good guy. Though I gotta say," Yang had a grin on her face, Ruby's bad pun senses were on high alert, "sfter seeing him deal with those guys I'd say he's pretty hot!"

The three girls groaned at the blonde's pun. Before they separated a thought came to their minds.

"Hey, did he ever tell us his name?" Ruby asked the other's. The other three shook their heads before all of them looked back to where Ryder was sleeping. They decided to worry about it later. If they could see it, they'd noticed a certain spirit with a large grin on her face as she floated above the girl's listening in on their conversation about Ryder.