A/N: Apologies for deleting the story. There were a few minor changes needed to be done. Just re-uploaded the story. Enjoy and review.
Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.

Ruby Begins

Chapter 1: Revelations

Ruby Rose was walking along the empty corridors of Beacon Academy, alone and despondent. Her eyes were red and puffy. She had been crying until she had no more tears to shed. An hour ago, she had been looking for her teammates. Her older sister, Yang Xiao Long, her partner, heiress of the Schnee Dust Company, Weiss Shnee and her final teammate, former terrorist and White Fang member, Blake Belladonna. Collectively, the four members were known as Team RWBY.

Ruby had been puzzled. For the last few weeks, her own teammates had been ditching her and brushing her off, claiming they had other things to do. All Ruby wanted was for them to spend some time together. Lately, they claimed to be busy or go to some club in Vale and say she couldn't come as she was underage. Ruby often fumed at the excuse. She may only be only 15, two years younger than her teammates who were at 17 each but were still a year below the legal age of drinking and partying at clubs. Sure, they may pass off as 18 year olds but Ruby often wondered why no one would do an age check at these so called clubs.

She was about to knock on the door of Team JNPR just across her team's dorm to ask about her teammates, whereabouts when she heard voices. She knew it was rude to eavesdrop but she could not help but listen.

"Thanks for inviting us!" said a familiar voice. It was Yang. Ruby hid her gasp and leaned in close to Team Juniper's door to listen better.

"It's our pleasure, Yang," said another voice. It belonged to Jaune Arc, leader of Team JNPR. "We would invite Ruby but she's too young for this."

'What?' thought Ruby. 'They're having a gathering and didn't even invite me? Because I'm too young? Too young for what?!' Ruby's eyes had widened when she heard Jaune's statement. Her heart suddenly felt heavy.

"We got some alcohol, movies AND adult-oriented games!" came the voice of Nora Valkyrie.

"It's just some R-Rated movies and poker cards, Nora," said a voice belonging to Lie Ren. "Though how you got the alcohol is a mystery."

"It's a secret!"

"Still, thanks for inviting us!" said Yang. "Honestly it's nice to unwind like this. Dealing with Ruby can be quite exhausting."

'Wait. What?' thought Ruby as her hand flew to her mouth.

"I mean don't get me wrong," continued Yang. "I love her but she can be such a brat."

"Indeed," came the haughty voice of Weiss Schnee. "She keeps wanting us to spend time with her but doesn't realize we need time to ourselves."

"Weiss," whispered Ruby outside the dorm.

"She's such a child," Weiss continued. "Trying to act mature and only making a fool of herself."

"That's not true," whispered Ruby to herself. "I only wanted to prove myself."

"Come now, surely she isn't so bad," said Pyrrha Nikos, the Mistralian Champion. Ruby's heart filled with hope. Pyrrha was defending her.

"I would think so since we're practically glued at the hip! Proclaiming we're BFFs, slacking off at her studies, trying to organize a team day. We see each other every day. I would certainly like some time to myself," replied Weiss.

"It's true," said Blake. "I can't count the numerous times she kept interrupting my reading time by asking questions or trying to get me to spend some time with her."

'Even you, Blake?' thought Ruby sadly as tears formed in her eyes.

"You think that's bad? I live with her my entire life," interjected Yang. "I'll admit I'm happy she's here in Beacon but I would rather she spend two more years at Signal Academy so she could grow up a little."

"Is she really so bad?" asked Pyrrha. She was in disbelief. How could they be talking about their leader like this? "She may have her faults but she is a prodigy after all. Why else would Professor Ozpin choose her as your leader?"

'Pyrrha,' thought Ruby, a small appeared on her face as a single tear rolled down her cheek. 'You're still defending me.'

"Be that as it may, I think Ozpin made a mistake. Don't get me wrong," replied Yang. "I'm proud of her but she's not yet ready for this. She also relies too much on her scythe."

"Take it away and she's useless," interjected Weiss. "She's also too reckless."

"Her hand-to-hand combat is sorely lacking," chimed Blake.

Ruby could not believe her ears. Her own teammates have turned against her. More tears were now slowly trickling down her face.

"I tried to teach her but she just doesn't grasp it, sighed Yang."

Pyrrha frowned. "Come now! Just because she is less skilled in unarmed combat does not mean she won't get better," she argued.

"Hate to burst your bubble, P-Money, but Ruby simply hates unarmed combat."

"Perhaps all she needs is better motivation." The Mistralian Champion was starting to get annoyed with WBY. 'Honestly,' thought Pyrrha. 'Disparaging your own team leader. And one of them is her sister!'

"Hee hee! Jaune may act like a big kid but Ruby can be even worse!" giggled Nora.

Outside the dorm, Ruby's tears were freely flowing. Were the members of Team JNPR turning on her too?

"I gotta say, I'm not exactly the best at fighting and all, but Ruby's attitude can be a bit much," said Jaune with a laugh.

"Jaune! Nora!" exclaimed Pyrrha. "How can you both say that?"

"But it's true," said Nora.

"If you think Ruby is childish, I seem to recall that you were bawling like a baby when one of your pancakes dropped on the floor and we ended up having a funeral for it." Pyrrha had said those words in an even tone. Her emerald green eyes had turned cold. "And you, Jaune! Ruby's attitude is a bit much? You've been flirting with Weiss incessantly since your first day at Beacon to the point of being sad AND annoying. Not to mention your insistence of "handling things" on your own when you were "hanging out" with Cardin!"

Nora looked away in embarrassment while Jaune looked like he had been struck.

"Whoa! Whoa! P-Money! Take it easy!" Yang interjected. "Maybe we're going a bit overboard here but you can't deny it's the truth!"

"Truth or not," replied Pyrrha. "You shouldn't say things about Ruby like that. Why not help her improve?"

"Not that we don't want to help," said Weiss sardonically. "We just want some time away from her. Honestly speaking, she can be so annoying.'

Ruby slowly dropped to her knees outside Team JNPR's dorm. Her own partner was against her. Granted, they started off at the wrong foot in the beginning but things between them have improved. She could not believe the words coming out of the heiress' mouth. Was all the talk of being the best partner ever had been nothing but lies?

Back inside, Pyrrha spied a shadow coming from below Team JNPR's door. Her heart suddenly dropped. 'Someone's at the door,' she thought nervously. 'Could it be?' Pyrrha looked around the room. So far no one noticed. Not even Ren.

"As much as I don't want to admit it," said Ren, who had begun to pass around some bottles of alcohol to Team JNPR and WBY. "Even I must say Ruby's unarmed combat skills are below par and while she is good with Crescent Rose, she is not that proficient and over relies on her weapon."

Pyrrha went wide eyed at Ren's statement. "Be that as it may," replied Pyrrha, her voice turning cold. "She is not as useless as all of you imply. Let's agree to disagree." She abruptly got up from her bed she was sitting on. "I'm going out for air."

Ruby's eyes widened when she heard Pyrrha heading towards the door. Not wanting anyone to see her crying, she used her semblance and sped down the corridor. As Pyrrha opened the door, she found that no one was there. Truth to be told, she used her excuse of getting some air to investigate who was at the door. When she found no one, she stepped out of the dorm and closed the door behind her.

Then she spied something on the floor. Her face went pale. It was a flower petal. Specifically a red rose petal. Her fears were confirmed. Ruby Rose had been at the door and most likely heard the entire conversation. She frowned. Pyrrha was sorely disappointed that her own teammates and WBY had criticized and made hurtful comments about the young team leader.

In truth, she had grown quite fond of Ruby who had been nothing but friendly towards her. Ruby may have not known Pyrrha's reputation and status in the beginning but when she did know, Ruby never stopped treating Pyrrha like a normal person. Something that Pyrrha cherished. She found Ruby's personality and nature a breath of fresh air. She gave Pyrrha her friendship and asked for nothing in return. Pyrrha admired her gung-ho attitude and found that Ruby can be charismatic when the need arose. 'She's a good friend and leader,' thought Pyrrha sadly. 'A crying shame that the others could not see it.' She resolved to track down Ruby who she no doubt thought must be devastated.

That had been an hour ago and Ruby was currently at Beacon's rooftop balcony. Her thoughts were filled with sadness. She felt betrayed by not just her team but by Team JNPR as well minus Pyrrha. They looked down on her due to her age and thought that she doesn't deserve to be at Beacon. They thought her as annoying, a brat and reckless.

She knew she was not really well-liked by other first and second year students all because she was enrolled two years earlier than them. She had heard hurtful comments about her, especially about how Headmaster Ozpin showed favouritism towards her. She wasn't bullied but she didn't have a lot of friends simply because she was shy and awkward. Now? She felt she doesn't have any friends in the first place, save Pyrrha who stood up for her.

Sun Wukong and Neptune only hang out with her when Weiss and Blake were around. Team CVFY were nice to her but were upperclassmen and she doesn't see them a lot. She also hardly ever saw Penny Polendina on her trips to Vale. She also had not realized that Penny is an android of Atlas.

Ruby looked over the balcony. The sight was beautiful. It was already 8pm. As she looked at the sights, she wondered what to do next. Her thoughts turned to anger and sadness. She clenched her fists till her knuckles turned white. She wiped away her remaining tears as her eyes burned with fury and her heart filled with resolve.

"So I don't have any friends, huh?" she muttered to herself, her face shadowed by her bangs. "I'm a brat, huh? Annoying? Reckless? No combat skills?"

She punched a nearby wall as hard as she could. Her right knuckle started to bleed. "Well, SCREW 'EM!" yelled Ruby. "With friends like these, who needs enemies? I'll be the best damn huntress in Beacon! I'll surpass every single one of them! I'll be greater than Weiss, Blake, Yang, Team JNPR, everyone! I'll even surpass Pyrrha!"

"Well spoken, Ruby," said a voice. "Took me a while to find you."

Ruby turned around in shock. Pyrrha Nikos had found her. "W-w-what? Pyrrha?! Y-y-you heard me?" stammered Ruby.

"I did." Pyrrha had a small smile on her face as she walked towards Ruby. Then, her expression turned sad. "For what it's worth, I'm sorry."

"Why are you apologizing?" asked Ruby, fearing the answer.

Pyrrha was now standing in front of Ruby. She suddenly enveloped her in a warm hug. "I know it was you who was at the door."

Ruby's eyes widened in shock but Pyrrha continued. "I know you didn't mean to eavesdrop. I'm sorry my team and your teammates say such horrible things about you."

Ruby did not know what to say and memories of the conversation she heard earlier began flooding back as her eyes filled with tears once more.

"Ruby," said Pyrrha. "I want you to know that I've never once looked down on you. All I see in you is a great potential. Rest assured that you still have a friend in me. After all, you are one of my first friends here and you never treated me like a celebrity. You treated me like a person and I can never thank you enough for that."

Ruby, still in Pyrrha's embrace, returned the hug. "Pyrrha," she sobbed. "Thank you for standing up for me. Thanks for being my friend."

"You are forever welcome, Ruby." Pyrrha released Ruby from her the hug. "And I'm sorry we didn't invite you to hang out with us."

"That's okay," sniffled Ruby. "I know I'm too young for the kind of things you guys were doing." Then she frowned. "This doesn't change the fact that all of you are still seventeen and not at the drinking age either!"

Pyrrha giggled. "Yes. That is true, isn't it?" Her face grew serious. "What are your plans now?"

Ruby looked down as she cradled her now bleeding right knuckle. "I know I said I'll be the best Huntress ever. But I don't know where to start. Then there is the fact that I can't see my so-called friends the same way again. I don't think I can even call them friends anymore."

Pyrrha nodded in understanding. "Well, you already know that you are... less proficient in unarmed combat, why not start there? I'll even help you."

Ruby looked up. Her silver eyes met with emerald green eyes. Ruby's eyes with filled with hope but her heart dare not believe for fearing Pyrrha would cruelly turn on her. "You... will help me?"

"Of course!" Pyrrha nodded vigorously. "We are friends, aren't we? Friends are supposed to help each other." Pyrrha's eyes burned with determination and enthusiasm. "I swear on my honour I will help you achieve your goals." She gently took hold of Ruby's bleeding hand. "I saw you punched the wall. A good hit but you need to work o your follow through and technique."

The smaller redhead blushed. "Sorry. I was just... angry and... frustrated I guess."

The Mistralian Champion shook her head. "Don't apologize. You have every right to be angry and upset. Come now. Let's treat your injury."

Pyrrha spotted a first aid box that was attached to the wall that Ruby punched. She opened the box and took out a gauze roll and pads, a few cotton swabs and antiseptic wipes and began treating Ruby's injured knuckle. The young redhead winced in pain as Pyrrha gently wiped away the blood with the cotton swabs and antiseptic wipes before bandaging her hand. Once she was done, she carefully inspected Ruby's now treated hand.

"There. All done," said Pyrrha happily.

"Thank you," said Ruby quietly.

"You're welcome, Ruby."Suddenly, Pyrrha's scroll went off. She picked it up and looked at her screen. It was a message from Jaune. When she read the message, she frowned. Ruby caught her look. Pyrrha seemed... displeased.

Pyrrha's gaze moved from her scroll to Ruby. Inwardly, she was fighting an internal battle. Should she hide her true thoughts from Ruby and say everything was fine or go with the truth and watch as Ruby could potentially be devastated and crush? After a few moments of silence, Pyrrha decided to go with the truth. She owed Ruby at least that after the young girl's so-called friends basically turned on her. 'Were they merely pretending to be Ruby's friends?' thought Pyrrha. 'Even Yang? Her older sister?' The Mistralian Champion took a deep breath and exhale.

"Ruby," she said in a quiet voice. "You're not going to like this." Pyrrha handed her scroll to Ruby. The young redhead read the message from the scroll with wide eyes.

To: Pyrrha

From: Jaune

Hey Pyrrha, we just got a message from Team CVFY that there's a new club in Vale and tonight's the opening night. Apparently they're letting those 18 and above as the age limit. We can pass ourselves off as 18 since we look the part. Team CVFY invited our Team, Team RWBY and many first, second and third years. We'll meet you at the Bullhead. Don't tell Ruby if you see her. She's too young for this and we don't think she can keep a secret. Team CVFY said the same thing too.

Ruby's eyes glistened with tears. "They...left me behind...again. My own team," sobbed Ruby. "Not only that, Team CVFY didn't even include me?" She slowly sank to her knees. "I... I... I really... don't have friends!"

Pyrrha immediately dropped to her knees and enveloped Ruby in a fierce hug. "Don't say that! Please don't say that!" cried Pyrrha.

"B-but it's true! No one wants me around!" Tears were flowing down Ruby's face once more. "I'm nothing more than a brat to them! Annoying! Reckless! Weapons freak! I have no friends!"

"That's not true! I'm still here! I'm still your friend!" Pyrrha's eyes were now flowing freely with tears. She cupped Ruby's face. "I'll never leave you behind. Not like them. I'll help you, Ruby. This I promise you. I will stay by your side through thick and thin. The good and the bad. The light and the darkness!"

"Pyrrha…" Ruby cried into Pyrrha's shoulder. Pyrrha herself kept hugging the young girl, offering words of comfort.

"I'm so sorry that you had to go through this, Ruby." After what seemed like eternity, they both broke apart from their embrace. Pyrrha gently let her up. "Come on." Pyrrha wiped away the young girl's tears. "Let's go back to our dorms."

"Aren't you going to the new club?" asked Ruby.

"No. A friend needs me." Pyrrha put her arm around Ruby as they walked back to their dorms. "That friend is you."

Ruby blushed. "Pyrrha… thank you."

Pyrrha chuckled. "There is no need for thanks, Ruby. I'm doing what a friend is supposed to be doing. Offering support and be there for a friend."

Ruby smiled and nodded. Her heart was filled with renewed hope and vigour. With Pyrrha's help, she will become the best Huntress Beacon has ever seen.

End of Chapter 1

A/N: Again, apologies for deleting the story. There were a few minor corrections that needed to be made. Please review and leave comments. This is my first story and I accept constructive criticism in order to improve. Till then, this is NeoiluzaF signing off.