Chapter IV
AN
Hey! So guess who just committed to college? Anyone else who reads this is the same boat I am? Ya know, it would be funny if some of you committed to the same college I did. Anyways I started streaming and making content on youtube, I gotta try to make some living while I can't get a job because of the quarantine! My links are on my profile page, go follow my twitter too! If enough of you watch the streams I guess I can have a writing stream and some drawing streams (gotta get better at art). Anyways, here we are, the next chapter.
. . . .
Everyone began to split off into groups. The people who knew each other from the Junior Academies already met up and began following the herd of students. Some people just joined into groups, trying their best to make new friends already.
As she left the airship doors, Red could already feel the eyes of many of the students, even the ones of the other landing platforms.
News traveled fast between teens, Ruby was pretty sure someone recorded or took a picture of her and sent it around. It looked like any type of first-day secrecy she had gone out the door when she snapped at the Monroe girl.
Just had to open my mouth...stupid mouth
She continued walking, trying her best to not notice the occasional stares as people made conversation, she knew a quick route to Beacon Hall but stood out enough already. She decided to just follow the herd of people who were trying their best to give her a wide berth.
"Hey, is that—"
"Yeah, that's the Rose girl!"
"Did you see what she did to Rosie already? She's scary man!"
Ruby was about to shoot them a death glare when the high pitched voice of Nora shot through.
"Hey, buddy~wanna play a fun game? Its called shutting up."
Nora had stepped quickly up to him, her cute persona contrasting with the amount of killing intent her eyes showed to him. It looked he decided to play her game after all as he and his friend backed up and joined in on giving the group of a wide berth. Ruby smiled, leave it to Nora to do exactly what she was about to do.
"Beacon looks great under the fall sun."
Ruby hated how she could never detect Ren's presence, it made him a deadly sparring partner. It was such a good ability compared to her, he at least knew how to use her semblance and understand it.
Semblance—a manifestation of one's most inner self, which projects as an ability, unique to each person. Most normal people don't know they exist due to semblances needing to be activated.
Its activation is tied directly to Aura. Aura was similar to magic, it acted as a shield with healing properties on the user. As of current times, most Semblance users are members of the Syndicate and range from the low-end families to the high tier ones.
Everyone who goes to an Academy must have a semblance to even make an entrance.
Ruby wished she knew more about hers. The Rose Semblance was always shrouded in mystery, not much was known about its abilities. She'd need to ask mother, and Red need how'd that conversation go already.
"What-da-ya think Ruby~?"
It seemed as if while Ruby was lost in thought Ren and Nora were having a discussion that required her input. Oh, such fun for Ruby, who knows nothing they were talking about.
"Uh, what?"
"Nora and I wanted to know if you wanted to go to the usual spot this weekend?"
She saw Nora jumping for joy as she walked, figuring Ruby would say yes to them all going out to eat.
"Oh sure!... Maybe we can bring some friends along hopefully?"
Nora and Ren nodded, as they continued to chit chat and walk towards the growing Beacon Hall in the distance...
. . . .
Velvet at first tried to keep the Red blur within her vision, the ever large berth around her make it easy enough at first. Yet, soon she got swamped on all sides by the growing crowd of teens all following along towards what was supposed to be Beacon Hall.
The building stood tall, showing its might to the students, who to it looked like minuscule ants. Its marble pillars and steps were made with the finest money could buy. The design handcrafted by architects to be a building that would stand atop the waking world.
It was a legacy.
"Ow! Hey!?"
Velvet seemed to have bumped a bit too hard into somebody as she was pushing through the crowd and heard a thump. She turned around, looking at the boy she made fall.
"Oh! Sorry...um?"
She offered him a hand, which he gladly took. He was a tall fellow, with bright yellow hair, and blue eyes. He didn't look familiar to her, so she guessed he belonged to a lower caste family than hers.
"Oh! I'm Juane, and you are?"
Hmm, funny, thought Velvet, as she muses over how someone, even a lower caste family member didn't know who she was. She left that thought to the wind though. Anybody could be a proper ally.
"I'm Velvet. Guess we're both freshmen then?"
Juane nodded, "My gramps used to always talk about how much he loved this school!"
Velvet chuckled, if his grandfather went to Beacon, he must've been an accomplished member of the Syndicate. She'd need to look into this sometime later.
They chatted amicably as they and the rest of the crowd began to approach the doors to Beacon Hall.
"So you have 9 sisters?", Velvet jokingly asked, baffled by the thought of even have one or two.
"Yeah, it was pretty tough getting your hair and makeup done constantly...oh look, we're here!"
The white alabaster color of the pillars shined against the fall light. Velvet started to look into the distance towards the doors and saw that a certain red blur had just gone in.
She smiled to herself.
. . . .
The insides of Beacon Hall were ever more amazing. A center lobby with beautiful dark wood floors and accents and a rich green for its walls. Both hallways on opposite sides each leading to stairs connecting to the top seats of the Hall. The left hallway also leading to a large seating and dining room.
The center opened up to the grand auditorium. The stage was set and lit. It was beautiful.
Red's head was ablaze with hall the majestic aura of the place. The best money can buy was right, and Red was stepping in it.
"Please, be seated Freshman Class of Beacon."
The order came from in front of them. Glynda Goodwitch stood looking down upon them from the center stage. Her blonde hair tucked back into a bun at the back, with her front bangs curled on her left side.
She stood in a curve-hugging pencil skirt and a lowcut dress shirt that had sleeves that puffed up near the ends. Everyone followed orders and sat down, awaiting what was next.
Glynda looked down at Red and her friends and gave her a slight wink. Ruby smiled back, before looking at Nora jumping in her seat. That girl could never sit still.
"Thank you for being seated."
With one sentence, he silenced the entire room, gaining undivided attention. Nora sat still.
Ozpin walked down the center stage, his grey hair a mess upon his head. He wore a dark green suit, with a darker olive green inner shirt. He had a green scarf with a spiked cross in the center—a calling card of the high table syndicate members.
"I'll...keep this brief. You have all traveled here in search of knowledge, to hone your craft and acquire new skills, and you plan to use that knowledge you gain at this school to further yourselves in the syndicate, to better your lives and those around you."
"But...all I see is wasted potential."
"Knowledge does not come easy. As with anything, it takes time and dedication. You expect such knowledge to fall into your laps, to be bestowed upon you."
"You have to earn it, and once again."
"Welcome to Beacon..."
He then walked off, leaving the class stunned, nobody daring to move a muscle.
Ruby felt awed and powerless at the same time. In such a quick way, he left them powerless, unable to do anything but listen as he called them wasted potential.
It was no wonder why her mother feared Ozpin.
"All students are to report to the main hall. As rooming is still undecided, you shall all spend a collective night sleeping in the main hall tonight."
"You are free for the next two hours to explore the school before mandatory curfew is called."
Beacon Hall cleared out slowly, many students letting out sighs as they left, finally breaking free of the hold Ozpin's words had on them.
"Wanna go and explore!?"
Ruby looked at Nora, who gave her a cheesy grin and Ren, who gave a stoic smile. She smiled back and nodded as they cleared out of the Hall.
. . . .
"So um, who are you looking for?"
Juane was staring oddly at Velvet as she waited by one of the doors of the hall to the auditorium scanning every person who walked by.
She gave a flustered cough and dusted her pants of nonexistent dust before speaking.
"I-I'm simply trying to find somebody, someone I knew a long time ago. Sorry."
Jaune waved away her apology as they walked away, with Velvet still looking for the red blur. They continued walking out of the Hall when a separate hit of red grazed her vision.
"So do you wanna..."
As Jaune turned around Velvet was no longer anywhere to be found. He scratched his head before walking away, towards the main hall. Might as well find a good sleeping spot, he thought to himself.
. . . .
AN
Took me a month to finish this damn. I wanted to add another 500 words or so but I think I'll save that for the next chapter. I'm gonna start picking up the pace, not of the chapter amount but of the story. I'm a big fan of having no plot holes but I tend to over-explain and its kinda slow. So after their first day is done the pace is gonna pick up. Have fun