Chapter 3: Introductions

Ruby had to refrain from rolling her eyes at the sight of all the seemingly starstruck teenagers' whispers as she passed them by. Nonetheless, she forced herself to smile and found herself waving back at them with a convincing spring in her step. They're easy to impress, she thought idly, scanning the crowd for any would-be reporters. One could never be too careful, after all. Alas, her assessment was cut prematurely as a tuff of brown and black hair filled her vision.

"Sup. The name's Coco Adel, you're Ruby Rose, right?" The newly named Coco asked, offering her a hand in greeting.

Ruby couldn't help but raise a brow at the girl's bluntness, still, she accepted the handshake, taking the time to analyze the girl in front of her. Coco Adel, age 18, heiress to one of the world's foremost clothing companies "Adel Fashion", headquarters are located in Vacuo. Ruby made sure to let out a convincing laugh as she shook her hand with the youthful enthusiasm that fit her chosen persona. "Yup! It's so nice to another heiress!"

As Ruby expected, Coco smirked in satisfaction. "I know, I'm awesome." She briefly winked at Ruby before changing gears. "So, what's a cutie like you doing here? I figured you'd be easy hanging out with your old man." She teased, though she was genuinely curious why she was here, as nothing about this was said in the initial press release.

Ruby made sure to let out another giggle, purposefully ignoring the teasing undertones of her senior. "Why else would I be here? I wanna be a huntress!" She exclaimed, letting out a toothy grin in response.

Coco chuckled at the girl's fervor, "Oh yeah? Why's that?"

Ruby may have been putting on an act, but that didn't mean her sentiment had to be a lie as well. So, in this instance, she chose to tell the truth. "Well, why does anyone want to be a huntress? I wanna help people! Just because I'll be busy taking over my dad's company one day doesn't mean I can't do this as well!"

The older girl couldn't help letting out a snort in amusement, she knew a lot of people were here for the money, but the Wayne heiress had a certain sense of naivety to her that made her seem almost innocent. You don't see many people like that nowadays, and Coco found it was a nice change of pace compared to all the other selfish teenagers around her. However, Coco had a reputation, and she couldn't be caught acting all mushy in public like this, so instead, she went for a much simpler response. "You're something else, Ruby Rose."

Ruby smiled, she originally had doubts when she came up with this sickly sweet persona on the fly, though it already seemed to be doing her wonders in the social department. Ruby may not have much experience in typical everyday conversation, but she knew that people found that sense of naivety she was going for as charming in a way. For the life of her, Ruby couldn't figure out why, as that kind of innocence seemed like it'd be a liability on the battlefield. After all, if you let your guard down for even a fraction of a second, it could easily lead to someone's undoing.

Still, things seemed to be going well, if she kept this up, she shouldn't have too much trouble at all.

Beacon had yet to see its share of wealthy socialites. Shortly after the Wayne airship dropped off its occupant, another branded airship was soon dropping off a passenger of its own. The snowflake was instantly recognizable to all who had ever even thought about fighting the Grimm threat as a huntress. The Schnee Dust Company. The airship in question dropped off this year's third and final heiress, the youngest Schnee child, Weiss.

The Schnee heiress stepped off the vessel with only her rapier at her hip, confident her help would deliver her trolley of cases to her future dorm. In the hopes of easily passing the time, she scanned the faces of the crowd for familiar faces, not very hopeful to find one. To her surprise, she quickly found one, standing next to a less familiar but no less recognizable figure. She confidently strode toward the pair, eager to begin doing what she did best. Be the best.

"Coco!" Weiss called out once she was close. "It's wonderful to see you here! I had nearly forgotten you attended Beacon."

"Hey Weiss," Coco nodded. Ruby quickly noted that the fashionista's smile could only be described as 'courteous'. "What are you doing here? I figured you'd jump to Atlas."

Weiss's flinch was nearly imperceptible."I could study at home," Weiss acknowledged, "but I could use more experience with the greater world."

"And you managed to convince your father to study abroad?" Coco whistled. "For once, I'm actually impressed, Schnee."

Weiss's eye twitched. Another micro-movement most people would miss. Unless they were trained for it, Ruby thought to herself.

Rather than walk down that path with Coco, Weiss turned to Ruby in the hopes of shifting the subject. "And you're Ruby Rose, correct?"

"That's right!" Ruby smiled. "And you are?" Not that Ruby didn't already know, but she figured it would help her persona to appear ignorant.

Weiss didn't appear happy at the idea of going unrecognized. "You'd think someone entering the world of high society would bother doing their research."

"Don't be a bitch, Weiss," Coco cut in. She had been to enough social functions with the Schnee's to no longer be afraid of their wrath.

With a huff, Weiss recomposed herself before addressing Ruby again. "Weiss Schnee, heiress to the Schnee Dust Company. If you ever need a guide in the wealthy world, I'd be happy to oblige."

Ruby weighed her response quickly, but carefully. Her true, critical self could quickly tell what kind of person Weiss was. An arrogant, entitled brat with an abundance of money and a lack of compassion. From a professional standpoint, she wasn't sure she wanted to associate with her. But how to make her cheery persona turn her down?

"Thanks for the offer," Ruby responded, "but I'd rather figure it out on my own."

Weiss smirked. "Perhaps this could be your first lesson. Someone like you should avoid turning down offers from someone like me."

"Oh, Brothers, Schnee…" Coco groaned, unable to look Weiss in the eye after that comment.

Ruby, too, saw right through the comment. Clearly, Weiss thought there was something about herself that put her above Ruby. This was starting to get tricky. Ruby didn't want to make enemies, but suddenly breaking her persona would earn more questions than results. What to do?

She seems to respect Coco? I just need to stand my ground, push back a little. Ruby placed a confused frown on her face. "Someone like me? Aren't we both heiresses? What can you do that I can't?"

Coco had to slap her hand over her mouth to stifle a laugh while Weiss's nostrils flared. Ruby groaned internally. Apparently, that was the wrong call. Guess I still have some things to learn about flash deductions.

The Schnee heiress scowled. "If you can't see the difference between us, I can't help you after all."

"Oh, come on, Weiss," Coco barely managed to intervene. "She has a point!"

"A point!?" Weiss shouted. "She's a neophyte! And a child at that!" She turned back to Ruby, "how did you get in here, anyway? Did Wayne buy your way in?"

The comment made Coco drop all touches of humor. "Oh, that's rich coming from you!"

"What does that mean!?" Weiss continued. "Why are you on her side!?"

"The only sides here are 'rational'," Coco pointed to herself and Ruby, "and bitch," she finished by pointing to Weiss.

Ruby realized this was getting out of hand. Maybe she could intervene? "Hey, Coco, that's-"

"I don't need help from you!" Weiss suddenly cut her off. "I should have known that some new money child would be nothing but a disrespectful-"

Weiss herself was interrupted by a newcomer yanking her by the shoulder and shouting in a voice Ruby recognized and mentally kicked herself for not anticipating.

"LAY OFF HER!"

The trio of heiresses all turned to face the newcomer, a student with long blonde hair and lilac eyes that were currently tinted red. Weiss was close to shifting aggression to the newcomer after she had been unceremoniously yanked about, but a quick look around had her biting her tongue. The blonde wasn't the only stranger currently watching the events unfold, and a shouting match in the Beacon courtyard was a terrible first impression. Even if I am in the right.

Weiss left with a huff, prompting a sigh of relief from Coco. She turned to offer thanks to the stranger, but her words failed when she noticed the stare the blonde shared with Ruby. "I'm… guessing you two know each other?"

Neither one responded. The stranger simply took a few steps forward and drew Ruby into a sudden embrace. "I missed you so much…"

Ruby was genuinely unsure how to handle the situation presented to her. At a loss of options, she slowly returned the gesture. "I missed you, too, Yang," she assured, although she wasn't sure how honest that statement was.

After getting the TL; DR from Yang, Coco left the two to reconnect. The sisters caught up as best they could by asking vague questions and providing veiled answers. Ruby knew she couldn't tell Yang the truth of her training and kept to her story of an advanced therapy clinic, while Yang was too afraid of pushing Ruby away to tell the full truth about how their father and uncle felt. Slowly the awkward air between them lessened, although neither could say it ever vanished completely.

As the students all turned in for the night in the Event Hall, Ruby couldn't help but wonder how this new development would interfere with her mission. She truly still cared for her sister, after all, and didn't want to hurt her. But if Yang ever realized that Ruby was lying, that the sisters couldn't be what they used to be…

Ruby was going to have to be very careful around her in the time to come.

Blake Belladonna was one of the many onlookers of what the other students were calling the 'Schnee Debacle'. She'd be lying to herself if she didn't admit to finding some pleasure in seeing the Schnee heiress getting embarrassed in the public eye. If it weren't for the other girl, Blake would have stepped in herself to help the Wayne Ind. heiress. She reminisced about the time when her father led the White Fang. While the fang of old constantly found itself fighting against the corrupt SDC, she found that Wayne Ind. was one of the few companies who was truly on their side.

The company was known for treating the faunas the same they would any human, pay and all. Due to this, Blake felt that if the young heiress ever found herself in trouble with the Schnee again, that she'd try to help bail her out. Blake had seen the press conference, who didn't? Though what truly mattered to her was that the girl's words seemed sincere. If this girl would continue to lead Wayne Ind. in the right direction, then who is she to object?

These were the thoughts that were swirling in her mind as the remaining students went to bed on the floor of Beacon's mess hall. Unfortunately, while she was happy about Wayne Ind. continuing on the moral path, that didn't dissolve the other thoughts in her mind, mainly what she was going to do about the fang and Adam. These thoughts kept her awake, which is how Blake noticed when Vale's newest celebrity got out of their sleeping bag. The faunus slyly watched Ruby look to see if anyone else was awake before heading in the opposite direction of the bathroom.

Blake's eyes narrowed at the sight, her curiosity getting the better of her as soon began to silently follow the girl, grateful that stealth skills she learned in the fang would not be put to waste.

She made sure to keep a keen eye as she left the sanctioned mess hall, taking a left at the nearby corner that led to the outside area of the campus. Why is she leaving the building? Did she lose something? Nonetheless, she quickly but stealthily turned the same corner the younger girl was at only moments ago, only to come up empty. Blake's right eyebrow furrowed in confusion, where did she go? She was just here! Had she already gone outside? No, she would have heard that in that case. If she never left the building, then where could she-

"Hi!"

Blake did not yelp when she heard the voice from behind, turning her heels in the direction of the voice, only to be perplexed at the sight of Ruby Rose before her. She blinked in surprise; how did she know I was here? Blake was well versed in stealth, and she was absolutely positive that she made zero noise as she followed the girl. Maybe she saw me? No, Blake would have known if the teen noticed her, not to mention the accompanying body language that would be associated with that. Regrettably, she didn't have more time to think as she spotted the questioning stare the heiress was giving her.

"Uhhh, you okay there?" Ruby asked, feigning confusion, though, in reality, it was much more than that. Who was this girl, and why did she follow Ruby? A fangirl? No, her demeanor doesn't reflect that of a fan. Curiosity, perhaps? Perhaps I can act friendly, make it seem like I'm brushing it off. Maybe I can get a name…

At that moment, it seemed that Blake finally got ahold of herself, answering the girl who by all rights, was allowed to be confused at what seemed to be stalking. "Sorry, I saw you going in the opposite direction of the bathroom, I figured you were lost?" It certainly wasn't Blake's best work, but that's all she had time to come up with considering the circumstances.

Ruby tilted her head, though mentally she had already picked apart the abhorrent lie, still, this was a chance to gather information, she wasn't gonna let an opportunity like this be left to squalor. "Oh! I'm sorry, I didn't realize I was going the wrong way. It's just so dark y'know?" Though what she was speaking was the truth, she found it convenient how the other girl was able to find her so easily, not to mention the movement of what should have been a static bow. This led her to believe that the girl in front of her was perhaps a faunus in disguise. She had no prejudice against them, as she could be hiding her true nature for a number of reasons. However, with the White Fang still roaming around, one could never be too careful.

The faunus in disguise nodded, though it was clear to Ruby that she didn't believe her. "Right, sorry if it seemed I was stalking you, I was only curious."

Ruby almost snorted at that, she was clearly curious, though the more important thing was why. "It's no problem! In fact, I appreciate it!" Now to reel her in. "I'm Ruby Rose, and you are?"

Ruby was able to notice the almost imperceptible flinch at her question, only making her suspicions rise. "I'm…. Blake Belladonna, I can lead you to the bathroom if you want!"

Belladonna, that name sounded familiar, though she couldn't quite place it..." Thank you! I'm not very good with directions…"

After being led to the bathroom, Blake soon departed back to her designated sleeping spot, leaving more questions than answers.

While Blake was busy wondering about the mystery of Ruby Rose, Ruby herself took a much more...pragmatic approach. Without even a second thought, she took out her scroll, scrolling through her various contacts until she found one simply titled 'Dad'. "Hey Dad, does the name 'Belladonna' mean anything to you?"