Disclaimer, I do not own RWBY
AN/ I'm back, and with an extra hour and a half to write today, might even work on Street Gem today if I can finish this chapter in a timely manner. Who's ready for some interaction? Cause I am. Also, I want to address a review, namely Kharaki Takan. Cinder doesn't appear different, at least compared to how Ruby would see anyone else, but it will play in later. Anyways, onwards to the chapter!
"So, Reese, what's Haven like?" Ruby asked as she followed the transfer student.
"Humid year-round, a lot of old traditions that don't make sense anymore and teachers that try too hard to make learning fun. What's Beacon like?" Reese asked in response.
"It's, interesting. You have professor Oobleck who seems to be one cup away from a coffee overdose at all times, professor Port who barely talks about a lesson, professor Peach is ok, very to the point about lectures, and professor Goodwitch, let's just say she'll throw you into a wall if she feels you deserve it." Ruby explained.
"Yikes. What'd she do after your little food fight?" Reese asked.
"Professor Ozpin actually stopped her from doing anything, weird I know." Ruby said with a laugh. Reese suddenly stopped before sitting down, patting the spot beside her. Following her lead, Ruby sat beside her.
"So, not that I'm doubting your skills our abilities, but how did you get here?" Reese asked, curious.
"If by getting into an academy, then you can thank Atlas. Otherwise I stopped Roman Torchwick during a robbery." Ruby said, waiting for Reese to clarify.
"But how do you fight without being able to see?" Reese asked, confused.
"My eyes don't work, but to say I can't see is untrue. I see in a different way, through aura. Using my aura, I can see any other aura within a certain distance, same with grimm and dust." Ruby explained, noticing Reese was about to start climbing over her for more information.
"So, wait, you can see me and all the other students around here?" Reese asked.
"Yep, but not the bench we're on, or your clothes." Ruby added as a joke. Watching as Reese looked down and then covered her chest, Ruby laughed.
"You perv." Reese grumbled as Ruby continued to laugh.
"Oh please, it's hardly exciting. The only time I can notice another girl chest is through side boob, don't even get me started on seeing guys." Ruby said with a shudder, certain repressed memories threatening to resurface.
"Well, seems like your life was R rated most of the time. Any gossip you could toss my way? Seeing as how you have a free pass and bullshit detector built right in." Reese asked.
"I try to avoid even thinking about that Reese, not my thing. And you call me a perv." Ruby admitted before shooing the girl away. Noticing a now familiar yellow aura walking behind her, Ruby smiled.
"Reese, stop being a perv. Sorry to keep you waiting Ruby." Arslan apologized.
"Come on, why can't you let me have fun for once?" Reese whined.
"Last time you had fun our dorm was almost set on fire." Nadir deadpanned.
"I got those old lectures for you Arslan, if you want, I can hang around for a while and explain some things if I need to." Ruby offered as she stood up to face Arslan.
"I would enjoy that actually. You three are welcome to stay and listen if you want, I won't make you listen if you don't want to." Arslan said, dismissing her team.
"I want to go explore Vale a bit more, I'll be back before it gets too late." Reese dismissed herself before walking away.
"We were going to go spar, you two have fun." Bolin said as he and Nadir walked away as well.
"And then there were two. Come on, I know a quiet place that won't get us yelled at." Ruby said, pulling out her cane.
"Should I be worried that I'm being led by a blind girl?" Arslan asked.
"As long as you're not a lemming you'll be fine, now come on." Ruby said, pulling the other leader along.
"So, I'm sure Reese already grilled you about how you fight, but do you mind explaining it to me?" Arslan asked as she was led away from the small courtyard.
"Well, my eyes don't work, but I can still see with my aura. It allows me to see other aura, grimm and dust." Ruby explained as she ran her cane across the stone path.
"So, if the only things you can see are things with dust, or things that will try to attack you, how the hell do you use a sniper rifle?" Arslan asked, worried about the answer.
"You mean how do I hit anything? Pull up the news article that has my picture, the one about me getting accepted into Beacon." Ruby instructed.
"Alright, the one with your weapon, right?" Arslan asked as she pulled up the news article, thankful she had saved it.
"See what looks like a scope? That actually has a dust crystal in it. Two, to be exact. I just line them up over a target and there you go." Ruby explained, proud of her solution.
"That's amazing, Ruby. Perhaps we can spar some time? I'd like to see you in action." Arslan admitted.
"Maybe. Who knows, maybe we'll fight in the tournament." Ruby suggested happily.
"That is a possibility. So, I heard your teammates were planning the dance, how did that happen?" Arslan asked.
"My partner offered to after the original planners went on their mission. And, we should be there now!" Ruby announced as she felt for a brick wall.
"I didn't know Beacon had this much space. What is this a part of?" Arslan asked.
"Technically it's part of the gardens, but it's separate from the rest of the gardens. I like to come here if I need to be alone or do my exercises. None of my team knows about it." Ruby admitted.
"It's pretty." Arslan admitted as she looked around the small clearing, noticing varying flowers all around, with a small gazebo in the center.
"While I can't see the flowers, I know they're there. The scent calms me." Ruby added as she sat down on the grass.
"So which classes did you bring for me?" Arslan asked as she sat down across from the hooded girl.
"Grimm studies and history, arguably the two most difficult professor here." Ruby replied.
"Yeah, I kinda wish I had a warning about Port. Oh well, you said you explain what you needed to, right?" Arslan asked.
"Of course! I wouldn't be very welcoming if I didn't, now would I?" Ruby asked with a smile. Something about her smile sparked something within the blonde, the sincerity of what she said compounding the feeling.
*Hours Later*
"How does anyone understand what professor Port is trying to say?" Arslan asked as she followed the red themed girl out of the garden.
"You get used to it, trust me. I enjoyed today, we should try to hang out more." Ruby suggested as she walked.
"I have to agree Ruby, today was fun. Thank you again for lending me your recordings, at the very least I have a new perspective of Beacon." Arslan admitted.
"Not a problem, now if you'll excuse me, I have some exercises I've been putting off for the last week. See you later Arslan!" Ruby called out as she walked away from the Haven leader.
"Enjoy the rest of your night Ruby!" Arslan called back. Ruby smiled the entire way back to her dorm. Walking up the stairs, she could feel the stares of the few students she passed, yet she ignored them, nothing could ruin the good mood she found herself in. As she approached her door, she noticed Weiss and Blake were in the room, but Yang was absent. Opening the door, watched as their attention was turned to her.
"Where's Yang? I figured she would be with at least one of you." Ruby asked.
"She went out to get us some ice cream, her treat she said." Blake explained, noticing how cheery Ruby seemed. Ruby never noticed Weiss give Blake a look, a silent order not to say anything about it.
"So where have you been all day?" Weiss asked.
"I met up with some friends from Atlas, then I spent the day with team ABRN." Ruby explained, her smile only growing wider at the mention of the other team.
"Right, well, tomorrow, Yang and Blake are taking the day to themselves, should we do anything tomorrow Ruby?" Weiss asked.
"I can hang out tomorrow, but don't you two have to plan the dance?" Ruby asked.
"Yang is already taking tomorrow off, and I finished most of what we had to start with on my own today. Coco was surprisingly simple in her planning." Weiss explained.
"I'm assuming Yang already talked to you Blake?" Ruby asked.
"Yeah, she did. Like Weiss said, we're taking tomorrow off, spa day, if I remember right." Blake explained.
"Gotta get you looking good for Sun, now don't we?" Ruby asked teasingly. Ruby didn't need working eyes to know that Blake was blushing.
"I don't see why you're so embarrassed by it, we can all tell you're interested in him." Weiss pointed out.
"Besides, you struck gold, he's hung." Ruby added before disappearing into the bathroom laughing.
"RUBY!" Weiss shrieked.
"I don't even want to know how she knows that." Blake muttered as she hid her face in her arms.
"Ruby being nasty?" Yang asked as the door opened again.
"Yes, very much so. How does she?" Weiss asked.
"How does she see everything? We don't look like mannequins to her Weiss. The same way she could tell Blake was a faunus works with other bits of anatomy. Trust me, she hasn't ever been pure minded." Yang grimaced.
"Ice cream!" Ruby shouted as she left the bathroom, having changed into her pajamas.
"Nope, not until you apologize to Weiss and Blake." Yang threatened, holding a cup of cookies and cream hostage.
"I'm sorry." Ruby apologized.
"Just don't ever do it again, understood?" Weiss demanded.
"Fine, you're all boring." Ruby complained, snatching the bowl out of Yang's hands.
"Coconut for Weiss, and neapolitan for Blake." Yang announced, holding the bowls to their respective targets.
"Thanks Yang, you didn't have to." Blake said as she began to eat the cold treat.
"No, but I wanted to. So Ruby, where'd you go for the day?" Yang asked as she ate her own rocky road.
"I saw Flynt and Neon again today!" Ruby replied excitedly before shoveling more ice cream into her mouth.
"I haven't seen them in forever, it's been what, three years since I last saw them?" Yang asked.
"Something like that, now stop talking to me, I have ice cream!" Ruby ordered as she began to shovel more ice cream into her mouth. Weiss had barely started by the time Ruby managed to finish hers. Staring at her leader, Weiss was dumbfounded as Ruby all but avoided brain freeze.
"You are not normal." Was all Weiss said.
"Nah, it just means she doesn't have a brain to freeze." Yang joked.
"Oh ha, ha Yang, I think it's time to advance your material past third grade." Ruby shot back.
"Says the girl who has been avoiding her exercises." Yang said, effectively ending Ruby's response.
"Cheap shot Yang, cheap shot." Ruby grumbled as she sat on the floor.
"You two haven't been around when she's done her exercises, have you?" Yang asked.
"I can't say that I have." Weiss admitted.
"No, she usually runs off to wherever." Blake added.
"Right, hold on to your seats then." Yang warned. Ruby began to focus her aura, before letting it spill out, pushing out as far as she could. Yang motioned to her teammates to keep quiet as Ruby pulled her aura back in, refocusing it. Repeating the process once more, Ruby's face contorted into a frown as she pushed her aura out again. Pulling her aura in one last time, Ruby focused hard. Suddenly her aura exploded outward.
"What was that?" Weiss asked as Ruby relaxed her shoulders.
"That was her aura. It's always a trip the first time you experience that." Yang explained
"Yang, come here please." Ruby asked. Standing up and walking over to Ruby, Yang leaned down. Suddenly, Ruby's hand was over her face. "I know what it is now."
"And you had to put your hand over my face to figure it out?" Yang asked, amusement in her voice.
"Yang, I can make out facial features. I saw your mouth moving." Ruby said.
"Oh, well shit, they'll want to know that right away." Yang responded, shocked.
"Mind filling us in?" Weiss asked.
"What does Ruby mean?" Blake asked as well.
"What I see is a silhouette, no definition, just shape and a color. This, this has never happened, ever." Ruby explained.
"If I didn't have plans already, I would help you tomorrow with your report." Yang apologized.
"I can handle it, you two need to take your day to relax anyways." Weiss offered.
"Thanks Weiss, but are you sure you want to? It's kinda boring." Ruby warned.
"Nonsense, you think schoolwork is boring, it can't be that bad." Weiss waved off the concern.
"Whatever you say Weiss, now if you'll excuse me, it's late, and I'm tired." Ruby excused herself as she climbed into her bed.
"Yeah, it is kinda late. Night everyone." Yang said as she just flopped into her bed. Blake and Weiss prepared themselves for bed before slipping in themselves. Ruby however was still wide awake. Something was nagging at her. The Haven leader Cinder. Something about her felt wrong. It felt like she was in two places at once, but she wasn't. There was something under the school that appeared like her, but it wasn't her. Resolving to speak to Ozpin about the matter tomorrow, Ruby drifted off to sleep as Arslan crossed her mind.
AN/ And that's done! Ruby is starting to suspect something is wrong, Arslan is starting to feel something, and Ruby is progressing with her abilities. I can't wait for mountain Glenn, I have a whole plan for that, one that I hope you will all enjoy. Also, I'm going to start going into more detail about the Third Eye Program and its uses, I swear the more I try to explain, the more I'm left with to explain. Anyways, until next time, have a great day!