Hello again! It's been such a long time and I sincerely apologize for the lack of updates. For the past 5 or 6 months, I was hit with a mountain of family/work-related/personal issues that completely robbed me of my desire to write a lot. I always had about 2k words on the back burner for this but I was so busy I didn't really give it the attention it needed. I'm extremely late but I'm here with more content! I'm honestly floored by the support this has amassed and genuinely grateful for all of the feedback/attention. I can't promise I'll be swift further into the future but writing is a passion of mine and ultimately as long as I can give some type of enjoyment for people I'll be happy.

Someone pointed out I'd made an error with Ruby's age when Ozpin asked if she wanted to join Beacon and I've altered it to two years early instead of one, just waiting on the site to update itself. Feel free to leave your thoughts/opinions in the reviews and remember you guys are awesome! Stay safe out there guys 3

Battle. Combat. Devastation. Throughout time man has cultivated themselves amongst these things. Challenged everything they stood for in the fires of brutality and violence. Shaped their destiny into whatever spews forth when the chips are down. When there's only you, and the enemy. A true test of what you prop up when life asks,

'What's your deal, puny human?'

The Ursa was enormous, towering over the villager easily. Raising its claws it roared its fury, preparing to bisect the insect that dared tread upon its hard-fought territory.

From The Great War to The Faunus Rights Revolution, everyone must pick a side. No matter how much you protest and writhe, ideas are powerful. People scoff at the old adage 'The pen is mightier than the sword' but can one really deny it? Politicians have proven largely useless in safeguarding the interests of the people, that's undeniably undeniable. However, there's a reason Atlas formed the most powerful military force known to the Kingdoms. There's a reason Vacuo's spice trade is second to none no matter how hard Vale or Mistral tried.

Without knowledge, there can be no freedom.

Muscles bulging with power, the terrifying beast snarled like a predator ready to feast. Quivering against a tree, the poor soul about to be served his final offering of life amongst the living mumbled prayers and curses. Paralyzed by the horrible sight of a creature hell-bent on devouring him limb from limb.

According to history, we've predominantly said 'No, we do not want to be eaten, thank you.' Our survival instincts overpowering any other thought when we're at our most vulnerable. When death itself awaits mere moments around the corner.

"How could it end like this?!"

Slam!...

The dirt beneath our would-be victim quaked beneath his feet. Birds fleeing their nests as rays of sunlight shone into his eyes. Raising his hand to shield himself, he narrowly peeked through the gaps in between his fingers to assess the damage. Had he been mauled into pain so unimaginable his nerves shutdown? Was the tree still intact? No. Neither of those things was true. Someone stood in front of him. A golden saviour challenging the very course of fate. He could only gasp.

Giving your all to your thoughts turned goals, sacrificing every other part of yourself solely in favour of attaining your desires, surpassing all obstacles in the way of you and elation...it was all anyone should do. It was the very essence of the human experience. What gave life its beauty when elements beyond your control spiraled into desolation. Such a precious notion.

Rearing a fist back, the miraculous warrior drove forth a punch with the monstrosity an Ursa only dreamed of. Its eyes widening in animalistic fear as a force beyond its ability to halt, to stop, mercilessly sped towards it. Flecks of crimson the only evidence such a titan of Grimm had ever walked this Earth.

That was the thing, humans were fantastic at realizing their ambitions, hopes, and dreams. Fulfilling the journey that took such heavy tolls upon every facet of their being. What they weren't good at was the inverse. The crux of many divides within settlements and beyond. The all too common pitfall gripping both young and old.

Coping with the consequences.

Falling to his knees, John wept tears of joy. He had made it! Through blind luck or godly intervention, he had survived the unthinkable. He had to thank this man, no, this hero for blessing him with the gift of a second chance.

"T-Thank you so much! I can't believe I was saved after going through all that. I thought I was a goner!"

Turning to face John, Saitama smirked confidently. His features glowing with the magnificence befitting a huntsman of old. Of true grit and strength.

"You're very welcome, random citizen. Please be more careful in the future, who knows what else is lurking in these woods."

And the day came to a close…

"..."

"What the hell have I done?!"

Slumping against his door, Saitama slowly slid down the barrier between him and the rest of the world. The day had been an emotional rollercoaster. One minute he was merrily shopping at the supermarket, the next he was being confronted with a career in education. As much as he was an opportunist at heart, this may have been a bit much. Like he told Ozgrin, his schtick was fighting monsters and maybe getting a little praise on the side. Walks, ramen and video games being among other hobbies of his. He indeed understands the pain of struggle, of adversity, however, more often than not, the circumstances surrounding his encounters had been mostly simple. Listen to his opponent's backstory out of politeness, think over what they're saying, then punch. Plain and easy.

Passing on wisdom to the next generation was an entirely different matter.

As easily as he could defeat any Grimm they put in front of him, what would he have to offer? His philosophy is anything if generic. Gather strength to surpass your enemy, save the day. No ifs or buts about it. Honestly speaking, a lot of the time even he had no idea what the hell he was doing. While obliterating monsters was as easy as pie, you can't punch away apathy. As smoothly as he could slice through a tree, it's next to impossible to forcefully annihilate existential terror.

He would know, he's been through the education system once before, dammit!

'Aaah, it really is a tough situation. Can't exactly back out now if I've already agreed.'

Trudging towards the bathroom, Saitama began taking off his outfit to put in the wash. He wouldn't say he was a terrible person hygiene wise, regularly bathing was only natural when Grimm remains constantly clung to you like a lollipop lost in the carpet. Speaking of which, he now recalled just why the heck he agreed in the first place. The embarrassment of mistaking the well-dressed guy for an eccentric surgeon still throbbing gleefully throughout his soul in earnest.

"I understand your trepidation, Saitama. I even applaud your clear sensibilities regarding your own experience with teaching. However, I must disagree with your analysis. From what I can gather you have an unparalleled ability to cut through any and all pretense of notoriety or status. With as much humility as I can muster, it is obvious Beacon is one of the elite combat schools within the kingdoms. As such, many notable people come and go through its halls. A truly intimidating prospect for any potential staff we wish to hire for our numerous required roles. Having someone like yourself would be a boon to both staff and students, it's easy to forget just how vital nurturing, as well as, growing our students' perspectives and experiences are.

"I refuse."

"You'll have on-campus lodging and a starter salary of six-figures."

"..."

"Where do I sign up?"

To many, his decision would be extremely selfish. If those many were in his apartment right now, he bet they'd be shouting him down to high heaven. If he was being completely forthright about it, those many would be correct. It was selfish. However, those many must realize…

Nope, he really didn't have much of a defense on this one. The masses: one, nobility and altruism: zero.

In saying that, there was another reason - besides the paycheck - that lifted him over the finish line. As much as he felt at ease in his freakishly small apartment reading Deadly Tigers in Space, there was something missing. As fun as it was to walk outside the city walls and find some Grimm to brawl, it just wasn't enough. All of his training, all of his time spent here in District Z, had reached its peak. A plateau that he had rested on for many years now. If he truly wanted to spice things up, if he truly wanted to seek greater challenges and experience new things...he had to jump. To dive into the ocean of possibility and see what weird whales were swimming around in there.

Teaching may just be the fish he'd been looking for.

~ The Next Day ~

"You got in! I can't believe you got in! Oooh, I'm so proud of you~"

Smothering her baby sister with all of the sisterly affection she could possibly muster, one Yang Xiao Long grinned with happiness. To say she'd been ecstatic when she got the big news would be lying. To say she'd been thrilled would be false beyond false. She wasn't any of those things…

She was experiencing a sense of pride not capable of being described with language. She was moved, dammit!

It may sound silly, there's only so much a person can handle. However, she and Ruby were a special case. Growing up had been tough, Summer's unexpected death hitting herself and everyone that knew her hard. Many times she had felt like giving up, like saying 'The hell with it!' and the world for its cruelty. Gods it was tough…

Then came the big picture. The reality check she never saw coming that nearly took another precious person from her life. The foolishness and naivety that could've broken her. If it wasn't for Uncle Qrow setting the little girl she was straight and proper she wouldn't be the person she is today. Dad gets props too, of course. The talking to she'd received when she got home was monstrous to say the least.

And here they are now, entering the same class at the school their parents met each other. Where it all began. It seemed fitting.

She'd aced the exams - obvious really - but, not to be outdone, Ruby got invited by the head honcho himself. A feat the socially withdrawn girl really ought to pat herself on the back for, though instead opts to rant and rave about some guy that tagged along. Haitama, was it? No, Paitama! No…

"aitama! You should've seen Saitama!"

That's the one! Third time's a charm.

"He was crazy!"

Finally deigning to set her down, Yang wolfishly smiled at the clear blush settling upon her baby sister's cheeks. She may be fifteen and she may be growing up fast, but she was still her Rubaby, plain and simple.

Frowning in obvious disapproval, Ruby dusted herself off. Checking the airship for anyone staring at the shattered remains of her dignity, she pressed on. A plan of sweet revenge already concocting inside her mind.

"I met him at the comic shop, he was looking for some, well, comics, then out of nowhere, these guys rob the place! I chased after the guy in charge but ended being beaten. Though Saitama met up with him! Boy was it crazy."

Ruby motioned with her hands to further convey the intensity of 'A real huntsman in action', Yang nodding along as the airship transporting the freshman hummed smoothly. This Saitama character sounded wacky, to say the least. While a spunky outfit and immense power is pretty accurate of a description for hunters these days, the story seemed off. She had no doubt a staff member of Beacon would easily beat even a renowned criminal like Torchwick, they possessed a standard far above the cut. But a random dude in a superhero costume? That seemed far fetched. Especially so when he apparently chopped the guy so hard he french kissed the concrete like it was his long lost lover. Her sister could come up with the wildest things.

"And then he-"

"Okay okay Ruby, I get it. The good guy beat the bad guy, everyone was fine." Yang relented, slumping against a window as she nodded for a final time.

"Are you sure?" Ruby huffed. "I'm starting to think you don't believe an eyewitness's side to the story, Yang."

"Eye witness?" Yang questioned, bemused. "I didn't realize we were in a court of law. If anyone's guilty I think it's someone who recklessly got involved in an armed robbery."

"Bwah?" Ruby sputtered, her cheeks becoming a rich cherry red. "Aren't you the one who nearly destroyed a nightclub?"

"Was not!"

"Was too!"

"Was not~"

"Was too!"

"Oh yeah? Well, let's turn to our live studio audience for a second opinion." Yang swiveled on her feet, searching the area for someone. Finding a lone fellow blonde near the back, she zeroed in on her target. An invisible microphone extended in her hand.

"Excuse me, sir, would you agree with 'was not or 'was too'?"

Raising his eyebrows with befuddlement clear on his face, he gave off a pitch-perfect deer in the headlights impression.

"Huh…?"

"See!" Yang exclaimed. "I knew he was on the right side of justice."

"He didn't even agree either way!" Ruby howled.

"Uh uh uh~ Sore losers aren't very liked Ruby."

"Since when is there a live studio audience involved in a court case?!"

Yang blinked. "That's the jury, right?"

Ruby paused. 'Now that I think about it, is it really?'

"Hah! The Xiao Long defense triumphs once again. A sound victory that leaves her rivals right where they belong."

Yang leaned forward. "In the dust...of just…iceee."

"..."

"That wasn't a pun."

"It was kind of a pun!"

Ruby stared flatly, her voice reaching a monotone the likes of which a barbershop band would be jealous of.

"Still no pun. Booooo."

Yang clutched her chest, the piercing comment punching straight through her totally fragile heart.

"And you say you care about your big sis…"

"Guilt-tripping over a crime against humanity is unbecoming of an older sibling, Yang. Maybe you should drink milk instead."

"I will have my revenge!"

The airship continued its merry tune as they ascended towards what would be their new home.

The sky was blue and the beginning of what was to be a new chapter had Weiss if she were to quietly admit behind closed doors, most excited. School always got a rise out of her spirit, the meritocratic nature of it allows her to prove herself regardless of what her last name was or how sternly her father voiced his opinions. Kids either played nicely or raised hell, students either did the set work or lazed about till the end of the business year and hunters either had it or they didn't. No ifs or buts about it. Weiss liked to think she had it, the untold hours of practice and discipline she'd sacrificed to reach the level she was now an undeniable sign of ability. No one but her had even considered the sheer amount of torment and refinement she had undergone. She'd prove herself, she'd show her father and anyone who doubted her just how strong Weiss Schnee really is. Speaking of torment…

"I said I was sorry, okay! It was a complete accident!"

"Accident?! You mean you accidentally sneezed into highly valuable and highly flammable dust like a skip and a jump down the river? Preposterous!"

"You were the one that shook it right in front of me, you should've handled your 'highly' valuable and flammable dust better!"

Weiss sputtered.

"Why you-"

The redhead poked her tongue out.

"Mehhhhh"

"Don't you 'mehhhhh' me! What are you, a child?"

Ruby sputtered mid 'meh'.

"Why you-"

A shadow loomed over the heated duo, steps echoing across the concrete with succinct taps.

"Ladies ladies, please quiet down. It's much too early for such a racket to sound out. What's the matter?"

Both red and white whirled towards the voice in sync, fear creeping upon their expressions at the masculine voice. Could it be a teacher? The groundskeeper? The Headmaster himself?

The sun briefly blinded them, both freshmen bringing up their hands to shield themselves from the glare.

It was…

'One of father's bodyguards?'

'SAITAMA!'

'Nevermind, their attire wouldn't be nearly so haphazard. A homeless man?'

'HE'S HERE TO RESCUE ME!'

The clouds had never looked so carefree until right about now.

The scene was almost cliche to a fault as far as school centric scuffles were concerned. Sporting frowns only teenagers were capable of, Ruby and Weiss seemingly attempted to glare holes into each other's foreheads. The air thick with tension as Saitama, the older and presumably wiser authority figure was forced to defuse the conflict. Since it was his first day and his mother had always told him first impressions were important, he opted to wear his old business suit. A little ruffled and worse for wear since he all but forgot about it during his years as a freelance Huntsman. You don't exactly need to look pristine when you're liable to be mauled by an Ursa or dove by a vicious nevermore. They always like to pick and tear at what they could get their claws on. Saitama began surveying the situation.

'Let's see, two girls probably arguing about something. Luggage everywhere and an area of a pathway almost burnt to a crisp. Something tells me this may be more typical than I think.'

He'd experienced and witnessed his fair share of debates, dust sometimes getting thrown into the mix by troublemakers wanting to cause some chaos. Well, he at least assumed so. He hadn't gone to any formal combat schools or anything but with how easy it was to acquire dust he figured it happened at least a few times here and there. It had to, right? Now that he thought about it he'd lived alone for so long he's likely forgotten just what it was like to actually passionately disagree with anyone, really. And he doesn't exactly utilize a lot of dust-related techniques in his fighting style.

'The more I think about it the more unqualified I feel about approaching the situation, is it too late to bail now? It's only the first day, I could probably just say I came down with something and never come back. It's not like they'd be patient enough to force me back if I really put my foot down. I could even finish off Deadly Tigers in Space without having to do grade stuff or anything.'

It was very tempting, the act of shedding his troubles like an unemployed cobra teasing him with its majesty. But if he abandoned the place now, what would he miss out on?

The money, dumbass. His mind seemed to scream. And the food, you do remember there's a cafeteria here right?

Right, he forgot about the perks the headmaster had outlined during their impromptu meeting. He'd be a fool to at least not enjoy those for a little bit before riding into the sunset. Yes, this was the correct course of action.

'They don't seem like bad kids, either. I was a bit of a hothead growing up and got into dumb arguments all the time. Maybe I can sort things out.'

Sighing internally but soldiering on nonetheless, Saitama straightened his tie. Attempting to assume an air of authority to hopefully smoothe over any silly resistance.

"I'm going to ask each of you to tell me just what's got you guys ready to jump each other in the parking lot and I want you to leave any insults out of it. I want to hear what happened, not what you personally think of each other."

Hitting the ground running was a strategy he was familiar with during his office days. He'd given it his all in an effort to understand his parents, to understand what they saw in what they'd dedicated their lives to. Thus, coupling this with their teachings and inside knowledge, he'd quickly risen through the ranks. Eventually being in charge of a moderate-sized team which came with its own dysfunctionality. And the first thing you need to do as a leader is to establish a professional standard to operate by.

Continuing the literal contemptuous face-off, Ruby and Weiss somewhat relented. Preparing themselves to explain just how wrong the other was.

Perfectly willing to lead the charge, Weiss began outlying the horrendous nature of Ruby's awareness. "After vacating the bullhead we arrived on I began making my way to the academy when she suddenly bumped into me! Naturally, I was startled and sought to confront her about it, informing her that I'm carrying highly dangerous luggage and she needs to be more careful. Then I get a tirade of abuse for no good reason! It's absurd, sir."

Practically embodying the concept of self-satisfied, Weiss folded her arms in contentment. Nodding in Ruby's direction as if deigning to allow Ruby to defend herself against such overwhelming evidence.

Saitama remained silent.

Nearly as red as her namesake, Ruby almost growled at Weiss in defiance of her explanation. A near combat-ready posture taking form as she gave her side of the story.

"What the-?, I think you'll find that, while I did bump into her, I apologized straight away! Then she had the gall to lecture me like I was the dumbest person in Vale! Oh, and wave around dust in my face like a glowstick. She's the reason I even exploded in the first place, sir." Ruby mocked, causing Weiss to slightly gasp in surprise and grit her teeth in anger.

"How dare you! I did not make such assertions, I simply-"

"Mehhhh" Ruby once more replied, shaking her head and wagging her tongue like a truly mature huntress in training.

"Are you seriously doing that again?! You say I'm wrongfully assuming your immaturity and then-"

"Can't hear youuuuu" Ruby informed, one eye closed as she waved her hands like a banshee.

"If you knew just who you were talking to I don't think you'd-"

"I don't know who I'm talking to, I've never met you in my entire life!"

Weiss fumed, practically at her limit as she considered the legality of using Myrtenaster instead of her words to teach this girl a lesson.

"That's the point, you buffoon! If you'd actually listen for once you'd realize just how far gone your actions ar-"

"Alright alright, I think that's enough."

Both parties remembered there was a third person they were supposed to be talking to.

'Jeez, I knew it was a little tense but I haven't seen such animosity since my dad visited the hospital for his half-year check-up. What to do…'

Clearly there was a disconnect between the both of them, that was pretty obvious. Usually, both people were right in some ways and wrong in others, but it's hard to get anyone to admit so when pride comes into play, as it tends to do with young ones. While he had attempted to placate their desire to pick each other apart, it was probably naive of him to think it'd be even remotely effective given his new status as a teacher. Not many school kids were immediately inclined to respect the new authority figure, much less a known one.

Now that they'd finally noticed he was still there, they seemed a little bashful. Ruby's cheeks blossoming with mortification as Weiss coughed awkwardly to the side. That was the thing about losing yourself in an argument, nearly everything around you became mute in the face of proving just how misrepresented you really were. He became tired just thinking about the potential fallout.

Deciding to opt for the path of maximized ease, he cut to the chase. Casting his gaze over them in an effort to really skewer them in their embarrassment. He turned to Weiss first.

"So, you took out the sensitive energy stuff from its safe little home to show her the...error of her ways?"

"Well, yes. I'm hardly a novice when it comes to handling dust so I figured-"

"Wouldn't exposing it at all in front of anyone increase the risk of harm tenfold in the first place?"

"Well, I-"

"What would you have done if you had damaged school property and potentially seriously injured a fellow student, all for the sake of a...lecture?"

"What?! I would never-"

"The jigs up snow girl. Please pack your belongings and continue to the main hall."

Weiss bristled, steam practically gushing out of her ears as she looked between Ruby and the bald guy she initially thought might be one of her servants father enlisted to help aid her transition to Beacon. How wrong she was.

"For the sake of my sanity, I'm going to vacate myself from the situation. Be thankful I'm not taking this any further."

The man blinked, all but accepting her proposal and expressing a look of 'I knew you were going to do that anyway, hurry it up'. She harrumphed and bristled as she stormed off.

"Finally, brats really can be difficult to handle sometimes." Saitama sighed.

"But you have me!" Ruby all but squealed. Jumping up and down with a look that screamed praise me.

Saitama's expression once again screamed indifference. An eyebrow raised as he folded his arms.

"Were the childish noises necessary in explaining your side of the story?"

Ruby faltered. "No…"

"You did not help matters by antagonizing her further, you're all aiming to be hunters and huntresses, yes?"

"Yes..." Ruby admitted.

"Then act like it, we can't have you tearing each other's throats before school has even started."

"I know…" Ruby conceded.

"Come on, let's get to where we're supposed to be. No use being late on account of bickering."

"Yes, Saitama sir…"

Contrary to what many assume given his absolutely mediocre appearance, Saitama was, in fact, capable of maturity. Sure, he enjoyed indulging in many things people would deem immature but he wasn't raised by a bunch of chimps. His parents had been as by the book as you could get away with in almost any situation. Often explaining the virtues of cooperation, teamwork, and self-discipline in nearly every instance he got into a scuffle or got caught slacking off. When he was younger he was annoyed by it and to this day he does find responsibility tiring to some extent. Scratch that, a pretty significant extent, but he can see the value in it. Without responsibility, the world would shift into chaos faster than you can take advantage of a supermarket bananza. Without people taking care of things, themselves and others, there would not be the cohesive societies that exist today. Well, cohesive as human beings can muster. There were still many areas they could definitely work on.

Seeing the chipper girl deflate hadn't given him any pleasure or enjoyment, he found bubbly people to be a marvel that he admired given his unique condition, so to speak. He just knew that even if he was tempted to half-ass his newfound gig, he'd not forgive himself if he intentionally sabotaged someone's personal development for the sake of preserving his laziness or their feelings. Sure he practically quarter or one-eighth assed stuff he hadn't agreed to, but whether he liked it or not he had agreed this time. Damn hipsters and their silver tongues...

The duo walked along the marble paths of Beacon, the sophistication of the area making Saitama feel more out of place than he would like to admit. Ruby, of course, paid no heed to this fact. Recovering surprisingly quickly from the prior squabble as she marveled and wondered at their new home to her heart's content. In a way that made the upcoming forecast for his new 'job' - he still shudders thinking about being legally employed - a little more tolerable. His youth had also been full of vigour and wonder, exploring concepts and places he'd never seen with the determination and admiration of an adventurer. Seeing it so clearly on the expressions of others brought him a sense of peace. A sense of satisfaction that what he'd had the privilege of experiencing wasn't lost to his time. Hell, he still got a kick out of seeing downtown Vale every once in a while, and he definitely was impressed by what his new place of employment had to offer. He simply had other things on his mind, the overwhelming sense of anxiety he experienced earlier returning full force. Tearing through him as the prospect of actually being in charge of children in some capacity finally weighed onto him. He'd never done that before, dammit!

'Welp, it's not as if I won't be totally helpless in my tenure here. Ozgrin did say he and all the staff there would offer any support they could during his transition. Also, I need to stop talking about myself as if I really am an old man past his prime. You're only twenty-five, Saitama!'

Being bald and reminiscing about anything seemed to ingrain an elderly aura about him no matter how hard he tried. Gods it was so unfair…

"-nd then my sister said 'Well let's turn to our live studio audience for a second opinion' who even does that?!"

He realized that once again, someone had been talking to him but he hadn't been paying attention. For the sake of appearances, he spoke as confidently as he could.

"I have no idea, seems pretty weird to me."

"Exactly!" Ruby agreed. "Yang can be so irritating sometimes."

I know exactly who Yang is.

"If you ever see her, make sure to say hi. I'm pretty sure she doesn't even believe me about the whole Roman Torchwick incident." Ruby requested.

I have no idea who Yang is.

"You can count on it, Ruby."

The headmaster's speech could not have come sooner.

After farewelling Saitama and listening to the Headmaster's slightly weird speech, Ruby and Yang began getting set up for the sleep in? Sleepover? Camping trip? Whatever it was called when everyone slept on the floor in a giant room. So far things had not been off the best of starts but hey, beggars couldn't be choosers. Making it in at all at her age was a miracle in of itself and something she'd always be thankful for. As much as it pained her to leave her friends behind, she knew this opportunity would only accelerate her ability to save and protect people. She'd probably give up cookies forever if she could even have the chance to save one person in the face of the dastardly Grimm!

'Okay, maybe not forever. Maybe like a few weeks or a full term? Sorry innocent people, er, person!'

Then again, there were a lot of options and possible combinations of food at school cafeterias. A fussy eater like her was intimately familiar with mixing and matching. Much to Yang's ire.

'Oh god I'm horrible for even choosing food over a person, what would Dad say if he heard me?'

"He'd say not to worry about it so much and keep your chin up. It's only your first day after all."

"What about the children?!"

Yang blinked. "What?..."

"Oh uh, what about the next generation of students once we leave?" Ruby half-heartedly replied.

"What are you talking about, Rubes? What does the next generation have to do with Saitama telling you off?" Yang questioned.

"Oh right! Saitama! We were talking about him. Yeah. Ha ha."

'That was close!'

"You're a weirdo sometimes, you know that Rubes?" Yang laughed.

"Hey! I'm related to you. If anything you're probably as weird as me." Ruby pouted.

"At least I didn't explode on my first day at Beacon." Yang grinned.

"Bwuh, I didn't explode! I kinda just, sneezed really passionately. Yeah, that's what it was."

"Passion's one word for it, I'll give you that."

A pillow bounced off Yang's face.

"Meanie."

Yang continued to grin like no tomorrow.

Ruby knew her sister was teasing, she always teased and teased. What irked her about it was how easily flustered she became. It seemed like no matter what she did Yang knew what buttons to push to make her see red. At least Yang couldn't deny Saitama even existed, she'd already lost her mind trying to convince her of his awesomeness. When she thought about it, she'd bet Saitama wouldn't even bat an eye at the verbal jabs. She'd bet he'd mercilessly defeat them like they were real jabs being sent his way. He was so cool like that.

"The jigs up snow girl. Please pack your belongings and continue to the main hall."

She giggled as she remembered how he told off that bratty girl. Ruby knew she wasn't completely innocent of egging people on from time to time but jeez! That girl was so haughty. She had never met anyone more arrogant in her entire life, and she knew Qrow for Pete's sake!

"Then act like it, we can't have you tearing each other's throats before school has even started."

However, she also knew he had a point. As much as she may get frustrated at being put on the spot in the worst kind of way when dealing with her, that girl may very well end up saving a lot of people upon graduation. She may even become one of her 'friends' as Yang often speaks of. It was just so hard, sometimes you really wanted to take the easy way and show them the sharper end of Crescent Rose. Scratch that, all the time. But at the end of the day, she can't claim to be a force for good if she was just chopping everyone's head off who disagreed with her in some way. There was room for diversity of opinions, even if they were very much wrong on some things. No weapon could upstage her baby, after all.

'Why am I even worrying about her? I've got an entire initiation to pass tomorrow! I'm not even sure if I'll stay here permanently. Can't be getting distracted, Ruby!'

It was all a lot take in. The sights, the possibilities, the idea of having to make friends - she still shudders just thinking about it - but at the end of the day, it wasn't so bad. Her sister was here and she was at an honest to goodness combat academy - Signal was awesome but come on, Beacon is at another level! - Plus, she'd met a lot of the staff already! She had a foot in the door not many others could boast of. She really couldn't complain without being a little bratty herself. She totally wasn't complaining at all. Nope.

What would that 'haughty princess' have to say about your totally not complaints? A treacherous voice inside her whispered. The irrational thought that she may be able to read her mind causing her to furtively glance around the room. No, this wasn't like Uncle Qrow somehow reading her mind in those fighting games they played together. He was cheating and she knew it!

Sighing in relief when she confirmed the former wasn't the case, Ruby settled down. Bidding her sister goodnight as she buried herself in her sleeping bag. While mind-reading probably wasn't as literally possible as one may think, she knew she had to get her head in the game. Tomorrow could bring anything to the fold and if she wanted to secure her place as a badass huntress, she had to actually pass the dang test. She had to make everyone who believed in her proud.

A new morning means a new day and a new day means...work. That's what it meant for Saitama and the staff of Beacon at least. That's what it would mean for the foreseeable/possibly endless future. Yay…?

Saitama yawned, a feline-like stretch encompassing him as he slowly sat up and rubbed his eyes. His alarm clock said it was 5:00 am, the innocuous object dutifully reminding him that it was, indeed, functional and glad to be there. Turning it off after a few more seconds of relaxation, he got up. His feet touching the fancy carpet that engulfed his new quarters at his new workplace. Spacious, minimalistic yet with a touch of flair, what could only be described as an office and a bedroom rolled into one sprung into view once more. He'd honestly been gobsmacked when he was first shown the place, he knew the architecture was nice on the outside and expected the interior to be similar but geez; this place was nice. Kitted out with a large mahogany desk, kitchenette, bathroom, queen-sized bed, and a plump looking leather couch, he wasn't sure whether he'd died and gone to heaven or simply broken his way into someone else's place. Compared to his apartment back in District Z it was a mansion, though to be fair nearly anything was a luxury compared to that dinky old building. Making his way to the bathroom, he began his daily routine. Still in awe of just how luxurious his new home really was.

Splash, rinse, wash, tap. Splash, rinse, wash, tap. Rinse, shave, gurgle. It all blended together well, like going out for a drink with an old friend or watching a movie with popcorn. He tried to stick to his routine as much as possible, the consequences of aimlessly wandering in his mind alone were enough to drive him mad, he didn't need it seeping into his day-to-day. Drying himself off, he took a look at himself in the mirror. His blank features staring back at him just as he expected.

'For a long time now I've reached my ultimate goal of becoming strong. I've achieved what many others dream of, what the kids here probably dream of. And yet, it feels hollow. Empty. Like I'm not me anymore.'

When he first began to blow holes into monsters with the ease of a few good punches, he was ecstatic. He had pushed himself to the brink of destruction, day by day torturing himself for even a small glimpse at realizing what he dreamt of. What he had always dreamt of. For a short while, it filled him with an indescribable joy that was so overwhelming it was unreal. Like a level of luck unprecedented by anyone in their entire lives. It was...yeah. It just was.

Like any high it eventually traveled downwards, his new reality becoming increasingly normal as the months ticked by. He still fought Grimm and tried to save as many people as he could, now more than ever since he'd grown so much in power. Drifting in and out of obscurity while he continued his meager lifestyle in his tiny apartment. His travels had sculpted him into a weary soul. An experienced man that had seen and done many things life had to offer. It all eventually settled down.

``I've come here to see if there's anything out there, anything that excites a part of me that hasn't felt the fires of determination for a long time. I shouldn't be so pessimistic about the future, the future can still hold new things. It's just...what if I never feel the same way I felt back then?'

It was a scary thought and a thought he'd had in the back of his mind for some time now. A small part of him suspected he may never feel such strong emotions ever again. That by becoming so strong and removing any doubt or fear of victory, he'd detached himself from a core part of being human. Of being truly free to take advantage of life's wonders. What thrill is there to be felt if the outcome is so certain? If the idea of risk is all but eliminated? What's even the point of living? Are you living if that's the case? Or are you simply...dying. A slow and numbing death that reveals the inner workings of what going so far in one direction means? He wasn't sure.

Cooking himself a light breakfast of eggs and some bacon curtsey of his newly supplied fridge, he watched the sunrise. A window conveniently placed facing the east of Vale. As always, it glowed with brilliance. An unending force of literal enlightenment cascading across Remnant. He'd often wondered about the sun's place in the world. Many legends surrounded it of course, much like the shattered moon that hung in the sky come night time. But did it hold a unique quality to it that we couldn't see? Was it really a god somehow deciding we were worthy of its attention? Were there mysteries we may never unravel about its relationship with not just us, but anything? He didn't know. All he knew was that it just kept going. A constant among many that defined people's lives day in and day out.

'You're a mysterious big fella aren't you, Sun-san. I bet you're probably laughing at just how puny our plights are. I know I would if I were you.'

Sensing a slight burning smell wafting through the room, Saitama looked down and jumped in shock. In the ignorance of his contemplation he'd not only all but fried eggs and bacon to a tad bit of a crisp, he'd ironically channeled his inner sun shaman and caused a small fire to boot. It had to be fate somehow.

"..."

"DAMN YOU SUN-SAN, DAMN YOU!"