Note: We're back again. We think we're going to stick with these slightly shorter chapters for a while because it lets us update quicker. Anyway, Happy 4th of July to all our fellow Americans, and to everyone else, Happy Wednesday. The first arc of our reinterpretation is almost complete, but before we wrap up, it's time to put together our teams...
Ruby stepped out of the elevator and felt a chill run down her spine. It was hard to fathom from the ground just how high Beacon Tower extended, and during the long ride, she had plenty of time to think about what the final test held for her. She had managed to complete the combat trial in a decent enough time—thank goodness for a speed Semblance—but with the one expected trial out of the way, she was clueless as to what was in store for her. When she entered Ozpin's office, the truth became even less clear. The office was expansive, yet almost empty, save for a single desk far in the back of the room. Behind it, the workings of a clock ticked away tirelessly, and through that, she could see the faint silhouette of a dragon claw resting dangling in the breeze. The Headmaster himself sat behind his desk, sipping a steaming cup of tea, alone in his own little world. Unnoticed, she took a few steps forward, until he finally called out to her, his voice warm and welcoming.
"I'm glad you could make it, Ruby. Please, take a seat."
Ruby paused by the entranceway, knees jittery, until she managed to shake the nerves out of her system and continue forward. Ozpin had found a spare cushioned seat for the occasion, and she lowered herself into it, the body swiveling as she made herself comfortable.
"So… I take it this is part of my final test?" Ruby asked nervously. Ozpin lowered his drink, and clasped his hands together. His desk was cleared of all unnecessary materials.
"Quite astute, Ruby." It was the second time he addressed her by her first name.
"Then, is Professor Goodwitch going to join us?" she asked hopefully.
"Glynda has had enough to stress about over the past few days. Considering that she has to put together the teams by sundown, I thought it would be best to take care of the final test by myself."
"Oh… okay," Ruby muttered, scratching her ear uncomfortably. "So, Professor, what do I have to do? Solve a puzzle? Answer trivia?"
"Nothing that complicated. All you have to do today is answer me honestly and openly."
"You want us to have a conversation?" Ruby asked, suspicious. He shrugged.
"More or less."
"But, why?" she questioned.
"Well, we've already tested your body and your mind. I've seen how you perform in combat, under stress, and against the unknown, and that is all very well and good for figuring out which how teams may operate together in the field. However, it is my general principle that teams work the best when they actually get along well together, so measuring your personality seems like the next logical step. So, will you open yourself up to me?"
"Sure. Whatever you want," Ruby agreed. Beacon always seemed to have new ways of surprising her. Ozpin took another long sip of his tea, and then straightened his posture, looking her dead in the eye.
"Wonderful. First question: How do you like Beacon so far?"
"Huh?"
"I want to know what you think of our Huntsman Academy. What kind of Headmaster would I be if I didn't listen to the concerns of my students?"
"Well," Ruby started, "It's certainly a… big school. It has very pretty architecture."
"Do you like the faculty? Are they taking care of you adequately?"
"Sure. I mean, they're doing their jobs pretty well."
"What about the dragon?"
"Well, of course, I like the dragon. It's a dragon," Ruby stated with a small smile.
"Everybody does. Now, would you care to describe to me your opinions on the tests you've taken over the past week."
"All of them?"
"All of them."
"Do you mean if they were constructed well, or how I performed, or…"
"Anything you like."
"Okay, then," Ruby sighed. "Personally, I think I kind of sucked most of the time. I don't think I was really prepared for any of them. That's not your fault, or anything! And trust me, I'm not trying to make excuses for myself. It's just that… I came in thinking that it was going to be a lot different. I thought I would be training with my peers and building weapons, not fighting Great Wolfs and taking physics tests. The first two exams I got so worked up I couldn't even concentrate, and that pressure test—"
"Ah, yes. Your little incident. It was quite the drama for so early in the school year."
"Uh, yeah…" Ruby said quietly. "That wasn't exactly fun for me."
"I'm sure it wasn't. If you would be so kind, I would like you to discuss the incident from the fifth test in more detail."
Weiss raised an eyebrow. She sat cross-legged on the chair, trying to maintain her composure in such stressful times, but it was like Ozpin was trying to make her relive the most miserable part of the last few days. "What else do you need to know? You already heard my case."
"And quite a vigorous case it was. However, I am a bit curious about one thing, Weiss; something I was unable to ask you about before. When things were getting heated between you and Ruby, did you ever at any point consider striking her instead?"
Weiss shook her head. "Absolutely not, sir."
"Now, Weiss, you said you would be honest with me."
She averted her gaze. "Well… maybe I thought about slapping her… just for a moment."
"Was this before or after she hit you?"
"A few seconds before, while she was insulting my family," Weiss explained. "I'm sure you know, Professor, but in Atlas, we take our family pride very seriously. You don't go around accusing people of murder and treason, especially not your blood. It's one of the most disgusting things I can think of. So, when she going off on me, I did briefly consider hitting her. If she was actually in Atlas, that's likely how she would have been punished."
"And yet, despite your claims about family, it didn't stop you from saying some rather unkind things about her mother."
"No offense, Professor, but her mother was actually guilty," Weiss said sternly. "Respectable people have a right to their legacy. When you ruin the lives of millions, you lose that right."
"I see. That being said, I've heard of a few other incidents in which you've said some unflattering things to other students. It seems like you can be a bit harsh."
"Too bad," Weiss said defensively. "If people say and do stupid things and get in my way, I'm going to call them out on it. I don't care about protecting their feelings. The real world is going to protect them from getting their feelings hurt every time someone looks at them the wrong way, so I won't either. This is a Huntsmen Academy, not daycare. If they disagree, that's their problem, not mine."
"I… take it you don't have many friends here, do you?"
Blake rolled her eyes. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"It's an observation. You tend to stay around in the corners of the room, always reading and watching and listening, but never getting involved. Usually, students take their newly found freedom from their parents, and spread their wings. You've wrapped yourself up in a cocoon."
"I don't get along with people. What I can say?" Blake asked dryly.
"And why do you think that is?"
"I guess the world is simply too bright for the darkness of my cold, empty Soul," she shrugged.
"Your sarcasm truly knows no bounds."
"Thank you," said Blake, stretching back further in her seat and kicking her feet up on Ozpin's desk. If he minded, he certainly wasn't saying anything about it, and his face didn't show it.
"The reason I ask, Blake, is because now is usually the part of the conversation where I ask the students if there is any one classmate in particular that they would like to partner with. It's not a guarantee that you'll end up on the same team, naturally, but it usually gives us a good idea about who you might get along with over your tenure here. Every student is usually capable of giving me at least one student they would like to see on their team, but I believe I truly don't know if you are close enough with anyone here to answer."
"If you want a name, I'll give you a name," Blake suggested.
"Let me guess: Pyrrha Nikos?"
"Wow. How'd you know?" Blake moaned.
"Because you're the twenty-fourth of twenty-four students to tell me that you want to be paired with Pyrrha Nikos."
"Can you blame me? The chick got the highest score on every test. I didn't even know it was possible to be that big of a kiss-ass."
"Very funny, Blake."
"I try," she rolled her eyes. "Look, I really don't care whose team you put me on. Chances are, you've already decided, and this whole thing is just a front to make me feel like my opinion matters. As long as my teammates don't start annoying me to death, you won't be hearing any complaints from me."
"I see. So, aside from Pyrrha Nikos, are you sure there is no one else specific you would like to be paired with?"
Yang thought about it hard. She sighed, leaning forward in her chair, dejected. "Well, actually, there is someone else I have in mind."
"I thought so. And who would that be?"
Yang felt the guilt drip off her tongue as the words came out. "Blake Belladonna."
Ozpin raised an eyebrow. "Really? Her, of all people?"
"I don't know why," Yang admitted. "We haven't even spoken all that much, but I just feel like we'd go well on a team together. Something just clicks with her, you know?"
"I see. I'm simply a bit surprised that you did not pick Ruby as your second choice."
"Yeah, about that…" Yang said slowly. "Look, Ruby and I have done everything together pretty much our whole lives. And, don't get me wrong, I love Ruby to death. I really do. It's just that when I came to Beacon, I wasn't expecting to have to look after my little sister the whole time."
"You want the independence you were promised."
"It's not like that. Not exactly, anyway," Yang said, trying to justify it to herself. "Ruby has been dealing with a lot of stress lately, and it's eventually going to get to a point where she won't be able to rely on me for support anymore. I figure, maybe if Ruby and I are on different teams, she'll be forced to reach out more to the other students. She'll make new friends. She'll calm down. It's not like I'm abandoning her or anything. I mean, I'll still spend plenty of time with her and be in her classes and everything. But maybe if we're apart for a bit, she'll learn to stop being my little sister and start becoming more of her own person. This is for her sake just as much as it is for mine."
"Are you trying to convince me with that argument, or yourself?"
"Honestly? Both," she said with a nervous laugh. "Really, I'm more worried about what my dad would think of me saying this stuff."
"Parents can be quite fickle, can't they?"
"Yeah, I suppose so," Yang said with a nod.
"So, then, here's my last question: What do you want to do?"
Pyrrha sat up in her seat. "Excuse me?"
"I'm asking you what you want to do?"
"About what?" Pyrrha asked, confused.
"About your future here. Did you know, Pyrrha, that I have called every new student up to this room, and every single one of them stated that you were the person they wanted to be on a team with. Every single one of them said you were one of the best they had ever seen. Even our staff won't sop raving about the fact that you are the first person in Beacon history to get the highest score on every test. But all that tells me is what they think. I want to know what you think."
"Well," Pyrrha stated, "I think that I want to be the best Huntress that I can be."
"That's a bit of a vague answer, don't you think?"
"Is it? I'm sorry, but maybe I'm still misunderstanding the question. If everyone else thinks so highly of me, that's very nice of them. However, I still believe that I have a lot more work to do before I get close to reaching that level."
"You're selling yourself short."
"Again, thank you, but I don't feel that way," Pyrrha answered truthfully. "I know I did all right on the tests, but I made plenty of mistakes that I shouldn't have. For example, I missed an early opportunity to move around the Great Wolf during the third test, and if that had been a real fight—"
"You would have triumphed."
"I would have fallen short," Pyrrha insisted. "But, that is why you put us on teams, I suppose, so that they are able to compensate for our shortcomings. Everyone here has been so nice to me, especially considering that I'm from a different Kingdom, and I don't want to try to play favorites by picking one person over another. I'm sure that whoever you choose to be on my team, we'll be able to work together wonderfully, Professor Ozpin."
"Hmm. You are wise beyond your years your years, Pyrrha."
"Thank you very much, Professor," she smiled softly. "Is there anything else you would like to ask me?"
"Honestly, I think this conversation has been more than productive. The test is adjourned. I will see you tonight during the Team Selection Ceremony."
"I will see you then, Professor," Pyrrha said gladly, rising from her seat. She exited with the same confidant stride she entered with, and then suddenly Ozpin was alone with the sound of a ticking clock. He gently sipped his tea. Forty students had come and gone, and it was almost sundown. Team Day was upon them, and it was almost time for him to make his choices. Fortunately, his mind was already made up. Ten perfectly balanced, expertly composited teams were fresh in his mind. It was time to unite them.
For the first time since inauguration, Ruby felt the auditorium buzz. It helped that for the first time all year, it was filled to capacity, as every student in the Academy packed into the room to watch the most exciting part of the new year. Their nervous and eager chatter permeated the space around her, until her mind was packed with nothing but stories about success and failures on each test, guesses about the structure of the team, and seductive gossip about their peers. Even the other professors had lined the stage, faces she had never seen before, and even they were openly discussing the possibilities of a new year. It was an experience she would likely never forget, and she and Yang happened to be sitting right in the middle of it.
"I can't believe we made it. Right, Ruby?" Yang asked breathlessly. "I mean, this is it. Our entire lives start tomorrow."
"Please stop saying things like that," Ruby pleaded.
"Oh, come on. You'll be fine," Yang insisted, but Ruby twiddled her thumbs and let her mind wander.
"What if we get put on a bad team? What if we get put on Team Ten? It's not like I did well on most of the tests other than strength, plus they're still mad at me for attacking Weiss."
"If they put us on Team Ten, then we'll just fight our way back up to Team One," Yang said encouragingly. "It won't be the end of the world."
"But what if they put us on separate teams?"
"Ruby—"
"I'm serious. I don't know who else I can talk to in this school if something goes wrong."
"Seriously, Ruby—"
"What if I trip on the stage?" Ruby screamed suddenly.
"What?"
"When they call me up to the stage, I'm going to trip on my cape, and then everyone is going to laugh at me, and—"
"Ruby, everything is going to be okay," Yang said forcefully, grabbing her sister by the shoulder. "Calm down. It's almost over."
Before Ruby could have another panicked thought, there was a loud clang, and the room suddenly went silent. All eyes turned towards the entrance, and they saw Ozpin slowly take center stage, making sure to appreciate every step, to draw out each moment until he finally came to a rest behind the microphone. Once he took the stage, the lights dim, and the empty wall in the back suddenly came to life, displaying a simple, vertical list from one to ten. Ozpin cleared his throat, and balanced himself gently on his cane.
"Good afternoon, students. First things first, I would like to welcome all of our upperclassmen and faculty back to Beacon Academy for the official start of the new semester. It is always a joy to see such happy faces and bright futures. Second, I would like us all to take a minute and congratulate our forty new Huntsmen and Huntresses for completing their team exams. They have worked tirelessly over the past week, and they deserve our utmost admiration and respect. Please, give them a hand."
The audience burst into applause, and Yang joined in, hooting and hollering in pure joy. Ruby clapped mostly to herself, trying to shelter herself from the noise. Eventually, Ozpin raised his hand, and the crowd fell silent.
"Teams. Since the formation of this Academy, we have trained the Huntsmen and Huntresses of the future in teams, to strengthen their abilities, to teach them how to cooperate with others in the field, to make them into the finest warriors they can be. A team is not just a combat unit, or a study group, but a family. You will eat with your teammates, sleep with your teammates, train with your teammates, and dedicate your time at this Academy to making your team smarter, faster, and better each and every day. As you know, we do not pass people based on their independent skill. Every individual's work, your tests, and your grades will contribute to your team, and it is as a team that you will either graduate and become Huntsmen and Huntresses, or you will fail. Once you have your team, there are no replacements. There are no do-overs. There is no going back. It is for that reason that we have thoroughly tested you, we have studied your skills, your knowledge, your personalities, everything we could to ensure that you will be placed on the team that best suits you. We have judged. We have deliberated. And we are pleased to inform you that we have our ten teams for the new you." He paused for a moment, and then grinned devilishly. "Would you like to find out who's on them?"
The crowd practically exploded, until Ozpin managed to quiet them once again. "I guess that settles it. So, let's commence with the Team Selection Ceremony, starting at the top of the class with Team One. The four members making up this team are…"
Ruby took a deep breath. It was finally time. She couldn't put it off any longer, and her anxieties were killing her. She was always used to being at the top of her class, but this was a completely different story. With her old school, she knew what to expect. Now, she had no idea what her ranking would be, or what strangers she would be forced up, or how hard she would need to fight to make it to the top once more. Worse, even if she put in as much work as she could, she had no idea how dependable her partners would be. Would they drag her down to the bottom, forcing her to be expelled without doing anything wrong? It was like peering into a crystal ball, and the only person who held the answers was the strange old man taking center stage, reading out names.
"Pyrrha Nikos."
The perfect child rose out of her seat to thunderous applause. Ruby watched her carefully make her way to the stage, taking her place in the spotlight next to Ozpin, and she felt some of the weight leave her chest. That choice was obvious. Too obvious. Yet, being obvious meant it was rational. There was at least some proper logic behind their selection process, and even that trivial understanding served wonders to calm Ruby's nerves.
"Nora Valkyrie."
The lightning girl burst from her seat with a victorious scream. She hopped up and down in place, yet did not advance towards the stage until the next name was called.
"Lie Ren."
Before the shy boy could stand, Nora yanked him into her arms for a massive hug, and carried him through the bleachers and up the stairs onto the stage. Once again, a logical decision. Keeping the pair who worked so well together throughout the week. Together with Pyrrha, it was already becoming clear why they were chosen as the best. It just came down to the last member.
And, for some reason, Ruby felt a glimmer of hope that it might have been her. She didn't know why, but as Ozpin opened his mouth to say the final name, she felt the universe speak to her. Rationally speaking, she didn't belong; she had failed so many tests that the idea of her being in the best group was certainly impossible. Or was it? The tests were designed to play off expectations. Perhaps, she reasoned in the back of her mind, she was missing a crucial element. A special trait within her she may have overlooked. She was, after all, the youngest student in Beacon's history. She almost defeated Pyrrha in a game of wits. Could it be possible? Probable, likely not, but it had to be possible at the very least. Was her mind simply playing tricks on her, trying to numb her to the cruel reality of her failures, or was she seeing more clearly than ever before? She found herself withdrawing her breath, and her stomach turned over, and when Ozpin finally spoke the last name, she received her answer.
"Weiss Schnee."
With two simple syllables, Ruby's heart shattered.
Weiss Schnee had sat in the front corner of the room, and when her name was called, and the applause rang out for her, it was clear to all that she was not expecting it. Her hands instantly clasped over her mouth and nose, and she spun around in a daze, absorbing the moment with large, innocent eyes. She moved carefully, dreamlike, to the stage, her legs barely able to hold up her wobbling frame. It was only when she was in the spotlight, standing next to Nora, Ren, and Pyrrha, the three best and brightest in her class, did the truth finally seem to register, and she dropped her hands from her face. She had removed the rectangular bandage, allowing the full room to see her clearly as she was: with a large, open smile spread across her cheeks, not devious, or wicked, or vengeful, but pure and full of wonder and embarrassment. She was well and truly happy, maybe happier than she had ever been in her entire life, and Ruby felt sick.
In time, the applause died down, and Team One was directed off the stage towards specially assigned seats on the floor, where they would undoubtedly talk excitedly amongst themselves, get to know each other better, and openly discuss their bright future together. Together, their names and faces appeared upon the screen next to their number, a permanent declaration of their superiority. Ozpin wasted little time continuing to the next team, but it was hard for Ruby's attention to leave the Atlasian at the front of the room. When Ozpin announced the next team—a masculine alliance among Russell Thrush, Sky Lark, Cardin Winchester and Dove Bronzewing—she hardly noticed, and when they took their place on the stage, all she could think about was that single, striking blow back in the darkness of the classroom, and how much sympathy it must have garnered from the other teachers. Her restraint in fighting back proved that she was worthy to stand with the best, and Ruby could only imagine what would have happened if she hadn't let her own emotions get the best of her.
She did not have too long to wonder, however, as once the boys left the stage and Ozpin called announced the members of Team Three, she was forced back to reality. "Yang Xiao Long."
Ruby heard an excited gasp next to her, and looked over just in time to see Yang jump out of her seat, pumping her fist in the air. "Hell, yeah!" The crowd response was huge, more so than Ruby expected, and Yan couldn't help but get swept up in the moment, waving to her fans like she was royalty. Without so much as a goodbye, she jogged to the stage and practically leaped into the spotlight. Ruby was proud—Team Three was quite an accomplishment—but her stress only doubled. The time had finally arrived to see if her luck would hold out. She had told Ozpin directly that she wanted to be on her sister's team. She had done everything she could to make sure they stuck together. She had no idea if she was good enough to be on such a strong team with her performances, but she had to hope. It was all she had.
"Aqua Lilliota."
Ruby's heart beat faster in her chest. No worries. Two more names to go. They would call her next. They wouldn't separate family, no matter what. They wouldn't be that cruel. Would they?
"Tia Arancia."
It was time. It had to be time. Ozpin was going to pull through for her in the end. When she came to Beacon, Yang said she would look after her. They were in it together till the end. That was the promise they made each other. What would happen if they were split apart? Yang could move on without her. She could make friends. She could support herself, as she had been doing for years. Ruby couldn't manage that. She couldn't break out on her own. She needed help, and that help had to come from her sister, which was why they needed to be on the same team. They needed to. Please, they needed to be together.
"Blake Belladonna."
The raven-haired girl stood up, emotionless, and calmly walked to the stage to the sound of excited applause. Yang watched her gleefully, and when the girl finally took her place in the nearby spotlight, Yang leaned over and muttered something to her, drowned out by the thunderous noise of the auditorium. Their faces and names appeared on the screen next to each, inseparable for the next four years. She seemed pleased with the option, and as she stood there, she scanned the crowd as they rained down praise, until she came across the one girl in red staring at her with dead, silver eyes. And in that moment, Yang mouthed something true through her smile, a smile riddled with guilt and pain, but a smile nonetheless: I'm sorry.
They left the stage like the others, and Ozpin announced Team Four. Ruby was not named.
Ozpin announced Team Five. Ruby was not named.
Ozpin announced Team Six. Ruby was not named.
Ozpin announced Team Seven. Ruby was not named.
Ozpin announced Team Eight. He spoke the first two names, and then paused. "Ruby Rose."
A smattering of applause. The heat of everyone's eyes locked onto her. Ruby pulled up her hood, and walked to the stage, each of her footsteps echoing like shotgun blasts. She entered the spotlight and forced a smile. The emptiness was plastered to her face for all to see. Ozpin never even bothered to look at her, not willing to grace her with his attention, as he called the last name. "Jaune Arc."
Ruby didn't even care anymore. She had wasted all of her tears earlier in the week, and she could spare none for her sister watching from the crowd, trying t muster up whatever sympathy she could, and none for Weiss, who snickered to herself, her vendetta complete. Her face appeared on the screen behind her, and she was too ashamed to look at it surrounded by those she barely knew and did not want to know.
She was finally on a team, and she was alone.
