Episode 2: Introductions
Exterior. Sky – Day.
We see an airship break through the clouds, gently ascending through the sky in the morning light.
Int. Airship - Same
Ruby and Yang are pressed against the glass of the observation deck's panoramic windows, gazing out across the sea of clouds before them. Their packed bags lay piled at their feet. Behind them is an idle crowd of people, all roughly within their age range, mulling around in groups, all with luggage nearby.
RUBY
"I've never been up this high before, have you?"
YANG
"Only figuratively. I've never been in an airship before, but it is really cool to see the clouds from the top for once."
Ruby shifts back and forth in place.
RUBY
"I just can't wait to see Beacon in person, I wonder if it's as big as it looks in the pictures."
YANG
"Nothing is ever as big as it looks in the pictures, unfortunately."
We see a pair of students sitting on a bench nearby. The first is JAUNE, 18, a blond lad in casual clothes under a set of modest and ill-fitting armor armor; He is currently doubled over and gagging while being comforted by PYRRAH, 18, a red-headed athletic girl dressed much the same, though her armor is noticeably more well-fitted and higher quality.
PYRRAH
"It's gonna be okay Jaune, the ride is almost over."
JAUNE
"Man was not meant to fly, this machine is a symbol of hubris."
He gags once again. We see Yang turn from the window and walk toward the back of the observation deck.
YANG
"I'm gonna get some snacks, do you want anything, Ruby?"
As Yang moves to pass him by, Jaune loses control, unleashing an especially violent barf directly onto Yang's shoes.
There is a moment of silence as everyone holds their breath in horror.
Yang's eyebrow twitches twice as her face flushes beet red.
PYRRAH
"Oh my goodness, I am so, so sorry! You see, Jaune here is just a little airsick. He's never been on an airship before and…"
Pyrrah is interrupted as Yang throws a right uppercut into Jaune's jaw. Jaune flops limply back into the bench, unconscious.
There is a collective "OHHHHHH" heard around the room as Yang stomps off without a word, ignoring the dozens of students filming her on their scrolls.
Pyrrah fusses over the still-dazed Jaune as he begins to recover from the blow.
Across the observation deck, hidden in the back of the crowd, we see Cinder. She's dressed casually to blend in with the students. She smiles devilishly as she watches Yang stomp off to the lavatory, her scroll recording the whole incident just like the rest.
Ext. Beacon Landing Bay - Later
We see a group of airships land in sequence, their pilots setting them down gently onto the landing pad.
The students begin to file off the ships as the engines spin down. We see Pyrrah half-carrying Jaune, who's still dazed from his earlier encounter with Yang.
Ruby and Yang exit the ship together, the latter studying a pamphlet in one hand while carrying several bags with the other.
YANG
"So it looks like we're supposed to offload our stuff in the gymnasium and then head to the auditorium for orientation."
RUBY
"The gymnasium? Don't we have, like, dorms or something?"
YANG
"We're supposed to, I think."
She turns the pamphlet on it's side, squinting at it.
YANG
"Oh well, I guess they'll tell us more at the assembly."
RUBY
"Oh well? What do you mean oh well? Where are we going to sleep? What if someone touches our stuff when it's lying out in the open? What if-"
Yang crumples the pamphlet in her hand and jams it in Ruby's open mouth. Ruby spits it out, her cheeks flushing red.
RUBY
"I'm just anxious, okay? I've never stayed away from home before."
YANG
"Yeah, I know; But running your mouth about all the things that could go wrong isn't exactly gonna make you feel any better about the situation, is it?"
Ruby raises a finger as if to make a point, but lowers it with a sigh.
RUBY
"No, it's not."
YANG
"Exactly. Now take a breath, chill out, and let's drop our shit off at the gym so we don't run late."
We see the two sisters walk toward the towering structure that is Beacon Academy, bags in hand, ready to start a new adventure.
Int. Safehouse – Day.
We see a messy warehouse studio apartment. The living area consists of an old couch, a leftovers-covered coffee table on a worn rug, and a TV currently displaying a soccer game. Sitting on a cushion in front of the TV is MERCURY, 20, a silver haired lad with an athletic build, dressed in sports shorts and a jersey.
He watches the game with deep focus, his eyes tracking the ball perfectly as it's launched across the field.
Across the room we see NEOPOLITAN, 20, a notably short girl with brown and pink hair, dressed in a white and pink victorian style suit, minus the hat. She sits at an old computer desk, working away as Mercury continues to watch his game.
A goal is scored, and Mercury whoops it up, punching his fist in the air.
Neo grits her teeth, but keeps working despite the noise.
A goal is scored on the opposite side, Mercury boos loudly.
Neo grimaces, and looks to the rafters near the ceiling. She squints, a spark of energy in her eyes.
We see a gathering of energy on a focused spot of the dusty rafters above the apartment. The energy forms into a large spider.
Neo grins.
The spider begins lowering itself on a thread toward the apartment floor, aiming itself in-between Mercury and the TV.
Mercury goes to cheer again before noticing the bulbous arachnid in front of his face.
His cheer turns to a girlish scream off screen as we see Neo sipping on a cup of tea, watching the chaos that we only hear.
Mercury stomps on the spider repeatedly, screeching with each impact.
As he lets his foot off of the crushed arachnid for the final time, we see it shatter like glass, the shards dissipating in an imaginary wind.
MERCURY
"Neo! How many times have I told you to knock it off with the illusions!?"
Neo continues sipping her tea, waving a little flag with a spider motif in her free hand.
Mercury growls, but before he can speak the door behind him swings open. Enter EMERALD, 20, a tan girl with bright green hair, dressed in jeans and a tank-top; She's carrying a slew of grocery bags in her hands. She scans the room with her eyes, an amused smirk on her lips.
EMERALD
"We fighting again?"
She sets the groceries down on the kitchen table. Mercury sighs.
MERCURY
"Please tell me we've heard from Cinder; All this waiting around cooped up in the apartment is driving us stir-crazy."
EMERALD
"Cool your jets, Merc. She's been gone for like, a day."
Emerald pulls out her scroll and turns the screen to the others.
EMERALD
"Besides, I think she'll be hard to spot with drama like this going on."
Mercury and Neo observe as the video of Yang's tantrum plays out on the screen.
Mercury whistles as he watches the scene play out.
MERCURY
"I guess I worried for nothing."
EMERALD
"Correct; So, now that you've quit your bitching could you help me unload these?"
She points to the large collection of groceries on the table. Mercury groans off screen.
Int. Ozpin's Office - Day
We see the well-kept minimalist interior of Ozpin's office, with the inner workings of the school's clock-tower forming the centerpiece of the spacious room. Ozpin himself stands at the panoramic window facing the school's courtyard.
The lines in Ozpin's brow are prominent as he stares out at the approaching crowd of students on the campus below. His expression is judging, but detached, as if he is watching the events unfold on a television screen rather than before his own eyes.
Glynda sits in a far corner of the room, reading over paperwork and sipping a steaming cup of tea.
GLYNDA
"We seem to be brooding harder than usual. Any particular reason?"
OZPIN
"Something's off; Something in the air."
Ozpin's eyes scan the crowd of fresh faces that begin to pour into the gymnasium.
Glynda side eyes Ozpin over her teacup.
GLYNDA
"Qrow isn't even in the room yet, and already you're getting worked up over bad feelings."
She takes another sip.
OZPIN
"I suppose it's just nerves."
Ozpin turns back to face Glynda, patting his pockets.
OZPIN
"You haven't seen where I set my speech notes, have you?"
GLYNDA
"Is that what you're so worked up about? Honestly Oz, you'd think after being headmaster for all these years that you would be able to give an orientation speech from the heart by now."
Glynda produces a folded piece of paper from her bra and holds it out for Ozpin to take.
GLYNDA
"But I suppose this is why we have copy machines."
Int. Gymnasium – Day.
We see a classic school gym lined with tight rows of bunk beds. The students of beacon bustle about, staking claims to beds by throwing their luggage on top. Ruby and Yang are no exception, as they sit on a set of bunks with their luggage piled around watching the flow of foot traffic around them.
YANG
"Well I guess this answers the question of where we're sleeping tonight."
Ruby is flush red, looking about nervously.
RUBY
"I really don't like this, having to share a room with so many strangers."
YANG
"It's fine, it's just until we get dormitories settled."
RUBY
(whispering)
"Yeah but, like, where do we change?"
YANG
"Just do it next to your bed."
RUBY
"What!? But people will see."
YANG
"And? You can see them change too, it's not like anyone has any room to judge."
RUBY
"But they will! I had to change in the bathrooms at signal whenever we did phys-ed."
YANG
"Just punch them."
Ruby makes an incoherent incredulous babble in response.
YANG
"What?"
RUBY
"You can't just punch people!"
YANG
"You totally can, I did just today."
RUBY
"And you shouldn't have!"
Their argument is interrupted by a loud crash off-screen.
Enter WEISS, 18, a white haired, blue eyed girl dressed in an outfit the probably cost more than her first semester tuition. Weiss' baggage cart has tipped over into Ruby and Yang's aisle, with her bags having scattered across the floor.
There's a purse, a simple black affair, trapped in the wheel of the cart, dangling precariously from it's strap like a stranded mountaineer. Weiss snatches the bag from its place with a huff.
WEISS
"Who is responsible for this!? I demand an answer!"
A hand reaches in from off-screen and plucks the bag out of Weiss' grip.
Enter BLAKE, 18, a female faunus with black cat ears sticking up from a mane of wavy black hair; She's dressed in casual goth attire.
BLAKE
"That would be mine, thank you."
Blake hops up onto the top of a nearby bunk and picks up a book that she had left lying open to continue reading.
Weiss looks at her, cheeks flushed pink.
WEISS
"What kind of person just leaves their bags lying in the middle of the aisle? Did you grow up in a-"
Blake shoots a death stare at Weiss, one of her ears twitching.
Weiss' complexion pales beyond it's normal alabaster tone.
WEISS
"In a...caring and lovely home?"
BLAKE
"Nice save, Schnee."
WEISS
"How do you know my name?"
BLAKE
"You aren't exactly incognito. Your face is on display twenty-four-seven."
RUBY (O.S)
"Hey, Excuse me. You need help picking all this up?"
We see Ruby has approached Weiss' fallen cart.
Weiss puts a hand up to Blake and turns to face Ruby.
WEISS
"Don't be ridiculous, I'll have the servants do it."
Weiss snaps her fingers dramatically over her head.
Obviously, nothing happens.
Ruby, Yang, and Blake look at each other in confusion during the awkward silence that follows. Weiss remains standing in her spot, her face slowly flushing red as no-one answers her call.
YANG
"So...you want our help our not?"
Weiss bows her head in embarrassment.
WEISS
"Yes please."
Ruby, Weiss, and Yang set about placing all of the scattered bags onto the only available bed in the aisle, which happens to be directly under Blake's perch, and just across from where Ruby and Yang have set up.
RUBY
"So, Weiss Schnee right? It's cool to meet you in person."
Weiss sighs.
WEISS
"Yes yes, I'm the girl from the TV, and the radio, and those stupid banner ads on every website."
RUBY
"You've gotten bigger."
There's a tense half-second of silence before Weiss whips her head around to face Ruby once more.
WEISS
"I beg your pardon?"
Yang drops a bag and bursts into laughter as Ruby's face turns bright pink.
RUBY
"No! Wait! I didn't mean it like that!"
WEISS
"Are you implying that I'm big?"
RUBY
"No! No not at all! It's just that you're so young in the ads!"
WEISS
"So you're saying I look old!?"
Ruby's face turns even further red and tears well up in her eyes as she begins babbling incoherently. Yang can hardly catch her breath from laughing.
Ruby collapses to her knees, still trying to defend herself in incomprehensible gibberish while bawling uncontrollably.
Weiss looks down at her with a sneer of disgust, but there is pity in her eyes.
WEISS
"Okay, you can stop now."
Ruby does not stop, the babbling only intensifies.
Regret is painted on Weiss' face.
WEISS
"Seriously, I was just fucking with you. This isn't fun anymore. Please stop crying!"
Ruby's meltdown continues.
Weiss sighs and turns to Yang, who's still incapacitated on the ground.
WEISS
"Are you going to help me fix this crying child or what!?"
BLAKE
"I've got it."
WEISS
"Oh sure, like you're going to be able to do anything!"
Blake hops down from her bunk, kneels next to the still-crying Ruby, and wraps her into a hug.
BLAKE
"It's okay little one, I've got you. No-one's upset with you."
Blake continues on like this for a moment, rocking back and forth with Ruby and hushing her cries.
Yang's laughter stops, she and Weiss stare on in amazement as Blake brings Ruby from a complete crying mess to an occasional sob.
YANG
"That was…impressive."
WEISS
"Where did you learn to do that?"
Blake tenses up slightly at the question, and looks around the room. She relaxes before replying.
BLAKE
"Long story, if I told you now we'd be late for orientation."
Yang and Weiss look around the room.
Almost everyone had already filtered out of the gymnasium at this point.
WEISS and YANG
(in unison)
"Crap!"
Int. Auditorium Stage – Moments Later
We see Ozpin standing on a dark and curtained stage. He's holding the sheet of speech notes close to his face, scanning it over and over as the sounds of the gathering students grow louder on the other side of the curtain.
A hand grasps his wrist, and he flinches.
GLYNDA (O.S)
"It's just a speech, Oz."
Glynda smiles at Ozpin, who sighs and tucks the notes away.
We see Glynda motion to an off-screen stage-hand to raise the curtain.
We see the crowd of students that has gathered in the auditorium seats, including the familiar faces of Ruby, Yang, Blake, Weiss, Jaune, and Pyrrah. The lights over the seats dim.
We see a drop of sweat form on Ozpin's brow as he steps forward to the microphone.
OZPIN
"I'll...keep this brief. I am Professor Ozpin, headmaster of this institution. Beside me is headmistress Glynda Goodwitch. You, who are gathered here before me today, are the small percentage of applicants to Beacon Academy that have passed the entrance exam, cleared our personal inspections, and have made it onto campus against the odds. For that, I must congratulate you all, not many can boast that they have gained admittance into these hallowed halls."
A small round of applause and cheers break out among the students.
Ozpin raises a hand to silence them.
OZPIN
"But make no mistake, though this is an accomplishment to be proud of, you mustn't rest on your laurels; The trials you face at this academy will determine who among you shall be shaped from raw clay into fine sculptures, and who among you shall lie flaccid upon the potter's wheel. Further still, you mustn't let the knowledge and training you acquire at this academy to inflate your ego. You will walk out of those doors four years from now, unbaked; And even a work of the finest craftsmanship may yet shatter in the heat of the kiln."
There is an uncomfortable murmur among the students as they take in what's been said.
OZPIN
"We will reconvene tomorrow morning in the courtyard, until then you have full access to the cafeteria and your bunks. Sleep and eat well, students, it would be unfortunate if you met tomorrow's initiation under-fed and poorly rested."
Ozpin stamps his cane loudly against the stage floor.
Int. Cafeteria – Night.
We see an immaculately clean and organized cafeteria, filled with an uncertain and quiet crowd of students.
Ruby and Yang sit opposite each other at an empty table, barely touched meals in front of them, sharing in the tense quite of their peers.
RUBY
"So...that was...a warm welcome."
YANG
"The man certainly has a tone he wants to set."
Yang stabs her fork into a piece of meat and twirls it in circles with her finger, eyeing the various unsure students that pass her by.
YANG
"Doesn't exactly know how to make people feel at home though."
RUBY
"He really doesn't seem like the same person. He feels...off somehow."
BLAKE (O.S)
"Maybe he's having a bad day."
Ruby and Yang are both startled by Blake, who seems to have appeared out of nowhere.
YANG
"Where did you come from!?"
Blake cocks an eyebrow.
BLAKE
"Same place as you?"
She looks to Ruby.
BLAKE
"May I sit here? Every other table is full."
We see Weiss approach the table in a huff and slam her tray onto the tabletop, sitting with a pout.
Ruby and Yang both look to her with surprise.
WEISS
"Who does Professor Ozpin think he is!? 'Flaccid on the potter's wheel' my boot!"
She angrily chomps down a spoonful of mashed potatoes.
BLAKE
"I guess I'll take that as a yes."
She sits across from Weiss.
YANG
"Taking that speech kinda personally, huh?"
WEISS
"To think that he finds that to be an acceptable way to greet the freshman, absurd!"
Weiss continues to rant off-screen as Ruby leans over to Blake.
RUBY
"So, I didn't catch your name before."
Blake looks at Ruby through the corner of her feline eyes, picking up a piece of chicken with chopsticks.
BLAKE
"Blake Belladonna."
RUBY
"Ruby Rose."
BLAKE
"Nice to meet you, Ruby."
A genuine smile crosses Blake's lips.
WEISS
"And the entrance exam wasn't even that hard! An idiot could pass them!"
JAUNE (O.S)
"Are these seats taken?"
The quartet of seated girls all turn to see Jaune and Pyrrah standing behind Weiss.
YANG
"They're open; But just so you know, the trash cans are by the exit, not on my feet."
Jaune flushes red as the two of them sit down.
JAUNE
"I'm really sorry about that."
YANG
"It's fine, we're even now anyway."
PYRRAH
"I'd call that brash display of yours on the airship a touch more than getting even."
A tense silence hangs in the air as Yang and Pyrrah lock eyes from opposite corners of the table.
After a moment, Yang relents.
YANG
"Fine, I'm sorry I punched your little boyfriend in the mouth. But he had it coming."
JAUNE
"We're actually not…"
Pyrrah slaps a hand over Jaune's mouth.
PYRRAH
"Behavior like that may be acceptable where you're from, but I hope you know that such action isn't going to get you far in Beacon."
The two girls lock eyes intensely, ignoring the unbearable silence that hangs over their peers on all sides.
RUBY
(with a full mouth)
"Man this food is delicious."
BLAKE
"It is quite good."
WEISS
"Yes, I'm sure the staff worked very hard on it."
The three girls laugh nervously, doing their best to break the tension. Yang smirks a bit, then decides to join in fully. The tension relaxes slightly, as the group of teens slip into casual conversation.
As the rest of the group has their idle chatter, Yang and Pyrrah silently lock eyes across the table. A spark passing between their gazes.
Int. Ozpin's Office – Night
We see Ozpin sitting at his desk, sipping on his tea and flipping through the pages of a light novel. The school's clock ticking the time away in the background.
The doors open, and Qrow enters, a slight swagger in his step.
Ozpin looks over the top of his glasses and smiles.
OZPIN
"Ah, Qrow, it's good to see that you've made it, and on time no less. Can I get a three for three and hear that you're sober?"
Qrow grins.
QROW
"Nope."
Ozpin deflates slightly.
OZPIN
"Well at least you're here. And we should be expecting the others right about…"
The doors open again. Enter WINTER, 25, a tall elegant woman with white hair, dressed in formal military attire. Her heeled boots clacking against the floor as she enters. She and Qrow meet eyes, and both flush red before pointing to each other.
QROW and WINTER
(in the unison)
"Why are you here?"
End of Episode 2