Chapter 3

First Beacon

Weiss's high heels clacked against the metal ramp of the airship. They had arrived at their destination, Beacon Academy.

She stood at the bottom of the ramp, not yet on Beacon soil, taking in her first look at the Academy. White arches surrounded the campus of the school. Wide, grey stone paths divided fields of green leading from the center of Beacon to the outer edges like the spokes of a wheel. A stiff breeze whipped up from the cliff, carrying fresh air. The shapes, colors, and sounds assaulting her senses were so foreign to her.

Weiss glanced back at the freighter she'd arrived on. The SDC workers had already gotten to work on unloading Beacon's dust shipment. Klein'd wanted to accompany her to Beacon, but Father had forbidden it.

Weiss was alone now. Again. Somehow it hurt more now. Like someone had bandaged her wounds only so they could tear the bandage and wound open once more.

A harsh sound made her jump forward off of the airship's ramp. She spun around, pinpointing the source of the noise. It was one of the SDC workers. He was carrying one end of a large crate while another worker, a woman, held the other end. It looked like he was... laughing. He was laughing at something his coworker had said.

Weiss strolled quickly forward onto the campus ahead.

It unnerved her that laughter sounded so odd to her ears. It wasn't right for her to hear laughter how that laugher sounded. A sound like a cheese grater on a bell. It was unnatural.

Weiss froze and spun around on the spot. She'd started walking around campus with no destination in mind. She had no idea where she was now. A small derisive chuckle at herself escaped her lips. Weiss had memorized a map of the campus on the long flight over, but thinking back to it now, she couldn't make sense of the information.

Her hand fell to Myrtenaster, checking that it was at its proper place on her hip. She was supposed to meet the deputy headmistress at 8:15. Weiss searched her surroundings for some sign of the time or where she was supposed to go. She wasn't used to keeping track of the time.

Maybe if she just started walking, she'd find her way eventually or remember the map? No, that was a terrible plan. She needed to get to the deputy headmistress's office quickly. She didn't have time to wander around campus aimlessly.

"Weiss!"

Her attention pricked up at the sound of her name.

"Weiss Snjor!" A large, pot-bellied man with greying hair jogged towards her.

When he was just a few meters away from Weiss, he bent double, huffing for breath.

Once he caught his breath, he pulled himself up and addressed Weiss, "You're Weiss Snjor, correct?" The way the man's massive mustache moved when he spoke, it almost seemed as if the man's mustache was a more active participant in his speech than his mouth.

"Uh," Weiss had to stop herself from correcting the man, "Yes, I'm Weiss. Snjor. Weiss Snjor."

He chuckled, and again the sound rang odd in Weiss's ears. "Well, Weiss, you're late for your appointment with Glynda. She's strict about these sorts of things, but I'll put in a word for you. Why, you look as lost as my cousin Rossa in the winter. Come on, follow me, I'll take you to Glynda."

Weiss double-checked her options. Yeah, following the strange man seemed to be her best option. He led her through the sprawling campus of Beacon Academy.

"By the way, Miss Snjor, I'm Professor Port, and I teach Grimm Studies here at Beacon Academy," Port introduced himself, "And I don't mind telling you that no matter how bad your first meeting with Glynda goes, it'll be better than my first run-in with her."

Professor Port let out a hearty chuckle before launching into a long story as he guided Weiss to her destination. As they walked into the quiet lobby of a secluded building, smaller than any of the surrounding towering dormitories and class halls, Port finished his story in a booming voice, "I'm sure I don't need to tell you that never again will I eat with toothpicks. Ah, here we are," Professor Port said, pausing in front of a door emblazoned with Deputy Headmistress Glynda Goodwitch.

"Now, I'll just slip in and put in a good word for you," Port said in a conspiratorial voice greatly contrasted by its booming volume and jovial tone, "Wouldn't want a little freshman like you to get the third degree from Glynda as your first impression of our fine school."

"You don't-" Weiss started to decline his help but cut herself off. She was suddenly very aware of the letter in her bolero pocket with her scroll and wallet. She could feel it suddenly, like when one notices the feeling of their heart beating in their chest after not noticing it for quite some time. Like her heart, Weiss could feel the letter's importance.

"Hmm?" Port raised a bushy eyebrow at her. "What is it?"

"Never mind, Professor," Weiss answered, looking away from the man.

For a moment, Port lingered, seeming as if he'd inquire further, but he slipped into the deputy headmistress's office without another word.

Weiss idly looked around the room while she waited. An unoccupied reception desk cut halfway through the small lobby. On one side of the desk sat a sterile and dull waiting area with only four chairs. On the side of the lobby Weiss was in, there was a set of five office doors and a hallway that ran to the side with a staircase at the end. Potted plants dotted the lobby with verdant color.

In front of the leftmost door, a plant and its pot lay overturned with soil spilling out onto the carpet. A sticky note was stickied to the plant's pot. Weiss crept closer to the mess to read the note.

"I'll fix later. In a hurry. -O"

"Dear girl," Port's booming voice came from behind Weiss, startling her, "What did you go knocking the plant over for?"

Weiss stuttered, trying to find a response. She couldn't believe he was blaming her for this mess. Fury rose in her at the idea of being blamed for something she'd obviously not done. The pot had already been spilled when they'd entered the lobby.

"I'm just pulling your leg there, Weiss," Port said with a hearty chuckle, "Loosen up a bit. Now get in there. Don't keep Glynda waiting any longer."

Weiss took Port's advice and hurried into the office of the deputy headmistress.

The deputy headmistress stood behind her desk with her back turned to the door. When Weiss entered her office, the woman turned to face her. The deputy headmistress was a middle-aged woman with delicate blond hair pulled back into a bun. Her expressionless features held a precise beauty to them. The gaze the deputy headmistress held Weiss's with was shrewd and stern. Her green eyes were sharp and focused. When Weiss looked into the woman's eyes, they seemed very old. Older than the middle-aged woman standing in front of her. Although Deputy Headmistress Goodwitch's eyes carried an unusual age in them, the woman didn't wear glasses.

The one detail of Goodwitch's outfit that caught Weiss's eye was a black cape with a purple interior. Weiss wasn't sure about current fashion, but it seemed unusual, even for a hunter or huntress, to wear a cape.

"Weiss Snjor," the deputy headmistress said, her tone strict and professional, "You are here for a late registration appointment specially made for you." With a flick of her wrist, she snapped a riding crop against the top of her desk. Weiss could have sworn Goodwitch hadn't been holding the implement a moment ago. "And you, Weiss Snjor, are late. Late to your late, late registration appointment."

The professor stared at Weiss with chilling green eyes, waiting. Was she waiting for Weiss to speak? What was she supposed to say? Yes, she was late, but the ship she'd arrived on had run late? Argue, agree, submit, tell an excuse, run, hide?

Weiss was about to open her mouth to answer the deputy headmistress when Professor Goodwitch spoke, "Snjor, do you realize just how profoundly late you are?"

"Yes, deputy headmistress," Weiss answered quickly.

Professor Goodwitch looked at her expectantly, as if Weiss's answer was incomplete.

"Uh," Weiss continued, "Extremely late, deputy headmistress?"

The professor gave a slight nod, and, for the first time since Weiss walked into the room, she let her gaze fall from Weiss's to the papers on her desk.

"You can drop the 'Deputy Headmistress,'" Glynda said as she thumbed through a small folder, "'Professor' or 'Professor Goodwitch' is fine."

Weiss let herself relax a little. "Okay, professor."

Professor Goodwitch pointed to a chair with her riding crop. Weiss took a seat.

Goodwitch continued to look through some papers for a minute, before she let out a sigh and addressed Weiss, "So it appears you will be able to get into the academy." Goodwitch's eyes flicked up to Weiss. There was a dangerous light in them. "That is if you get past initiation," Goodwitch set the papers down and leaned towards Weiss before continuing, "To be frank, Snjor, I don't trust your records. I don't know who in Atlas pulled strings for you to get this appointment, but I think you'll find that friends in high places won't graduate you here. If you don't put in the work, you'll not be staying here, Miss Snjor."

Glynda Goodwitch sat down behind her desk, straightened some papers, and looked up at Weiss expectantly. When Weiss didn't answer Goodwitch spoke, "Well, Miss Snjor, do you understand?"

Understand? What? That she'd have to work hard, hard enough to claw her way tooth and nail to the top, to the top of a vicious mountain of hunters and huntresses raging with ambition? Work hard? The notion she'd have to work hard was absurd to her. She wanted to laugh. Of course, she'd have to work hard. She'd worked tirelessly for respect, for recognition, for accolades, even for attention, and to prove her family name all her life. Weiss wouldn't stop working hard now, just when she was on the brink of all she wished for. No, she'd work until-

Proving her family name? It felt like the question echoed, bouncing around in her head. Her family name? Schnee. Snjor.

She brushed the internal conflict aside. Weiss understood hard work. She understood it well. But there was one thing the professor said which confused Weiss. What was that about her records?

"Yes, professor," Weiss answered, "I understand."

"Good," Professor Goodwitch said, handing Weiss several forms and pamphlets with a wry smile, "Now onto the bulk of registration."

It took nearly two hours for Weiss and Glynda to finish Weiss's registration for Beacon. There were several extra forms that had to be filled out due to the lateness of the occasion, but they eventually completed the task.

"Snjor," Goodwitch addressed Weiss dryly as she shuffled the completed forms around into their correct order, "You're done registering and have been accepted to Beacon Academy, but unlike the students who registered on time, you missed orientation, so I suggest you take the time before the rest of the students arrive to familiarize yourself with the campus. I," Glynda paused, checked the time, and straightened Weiss's registration papers before continuing, "would help you, but I have to take these across campus, then attend to my other duties as deputy headmistress before the rest of the student body arrives in less than an hour."

Professor Goodwitch led Weiss out of the building, before leaving Weiss behind as she cut through campus.

Weiss stared after the professor, unsure of what to do or where to go. The events of the day so far had left her unusually overwhelmed. She felt an edge of exhaustion cutting into her thoughts. All of this before noon. She pushed herself forward, ignoring her weariness.

Weiss did her best to recall details of the campus map she'd memorized. Eventually, she had a vague idea of where she was. Weiss looked around the campus, slowly making her way back to where the SDC airship had dropped her off earlier. When she made it there, she'd be more confident of where she was.

Weiss made sure to take note of where several essential buildings were. The freshman dorms, the class halls her classes were in, and the cafeteria.

It only struck Weiss once she'd peeked into the cafeteria that the campus was quite deserted without students. It felt eerie, almost ominous to walk around such a large place with buildings and infrastructure well maintained, yet barely anyone to see in any of it. Weiss took a deep breath. It may not stay this way, but despite the odd feeling it gave her, it felt right to her.

Weiss looked around, checking for people. At the moment, she could almost sing without being heard. Or scream.

Weiss picked up her pace to get back to the SDC freighter.

Students gradually popped up around her, populating the campus with life as Weiss neared her destination. Ships from Vale must've already started arriving. Weiss rounded a corner and realized her unrealized fear. The landing area she'd arrived at had three Vale transports docked at it. It looked like their passengers had mostly been unloaded, but a few students still milled around the landing area. The terrible thing was that the ship she'd arrived on was already gone. The familiar ripped away from her.

Weiss stumbled towards the Vale transports in a daze. Seeing the SDC ship gone brought Weiss to the crashing realization that there was nothing familiar for miles, no, for hundreds of miles around her. After so long with the familiar day in and day out, for her one connection to the familiar to leave her so suddenly, to leave her with only the alien around her... She'd had one thing to hold on to, and now it was gone, leaving her to fall. To fall into Beacon Academy, and Weiss wasn't sure how she'd land. If she'd survive the fall.

She froze in place, not taking another step. She finally latched onto something, the letter. Its hope and promise were just what she needed to stop her fall. Weiss brought her hand up to her Bolero pocket to feel the comfort the letter's form provided. A void. The letter was gone.

Weiss spun around, searching. Had she dropped it?

There. A black-haired girl less than thirty meters away was holding the letter. The girl wore black and red with a red cloak. A cloak! That wasn't much better than a cape. Had the girl pickpocketed Weiss? It made more sense than the letter falling out of her pocket on its own.

Weiss ran towards the girl, using glyphs to help her close the gap.

"You!" Weiss yelled, snatching the letter from the girl's hands, "You little red thief! What are you doing? You think you can just steal people's stuff and get away with it right in front of them?"

"I uh-"

"Are you a student here?" Weiss interrogated the thief.

"Uh, yes, but-"

"I'll report you," Weiss informed the delinquent, furious, "They'll have you thrown right out of here. I'm sure this academy has to have higher standards than you."

"Hey, look here, princess," the student said, regaining her words, "I didn't steal your precious letter!"

"What?" Weiss said with disbelief written all over her face. She couldn't believe this girl. She still had the nerve to keep up such a pretense after Weiss had caught her red-handed.

"I just picked it up when you dropped it," the girl answered Weiss, "I was about to return it to you. I didn't even read the thing."

Weiss scoffed, "You seriously expect me to believe that?"

"Yes," came a soft voice from behind Weiss.

Weiss spun around, almost falling over in surprise. Weiss sputtered out, "Huh? You? Who are you? Do you know this thief?"

A young woman with inquisitive amber eyes, long black hair adorned with a distinctive black bow, and a book in hand stood in front of Weiss. She opened her mouth to speak but froze, silent. The color drained from her features.

"Stop calling me that!" the thief cut in, "I am not a thief!"

"Well, I'm sorry, but if you steal, you're a thief," Weiss retorted venomously, "Your actions determine who you are. If you want to become a doctor, you study and earn it. If you steal, you're a thief."

"Seriously, stop calling her a thief," the bow-wearing student spoke, "She didn't steal from you. I saw what happened. It's exactly like she says. You dropped it. She picked it up and was trying to catch up with you to give it back to you."

"You- the le- wha-" Weiss sputtered, furious at being ganged up on two versus one, especially when she was in the right, and they were in the wrong. Furious that they might actually be right and she could be wrong.

The witness added, "You're just too prissy and paranoid to admit it."

"What? Me?" Weiss said, trembling with outrage, fists balled, "I-"

Weiss closed her eyes and sucked in a couple of breaths, trying to calm herself. When she opened her eyes, she glared at the two students. Could this get any more terrible? Of course, it could. Things could always get worse.

Weiss turned on her heel and stalked away from her fellow students. What did they know anyway? What did she know? Weiss needed space. She needed to breathe. There were people everywhere in this academy. Adversaries, pretenders, and competitors. Weiss could and would break her way through all of them for her victory. Since that first day with Klein, Weiss had felt a constant, bitter loneliness at her side. She'd despised it and worked against the hollow feeling. She'd thought Beacon might help. She'd been wrong. This was a path Weiss would walk on her own.

To think she'd thought the campus abandoned enough that she could sing out if she'd so wanted to earlier. No, Weiss saw now that this place, this battleground of learning, might never be any sort of sanctuary for her.

Weiss gripped the letter in her hands. She held it close. She wouldn't delude herself again. She didn't have the strength to see her ideals crushed once more.

Autor's Notes: Sooooo... yeah. Sorry I kinda failed on this one. It shouldn't take over a year for a single chapter. Things just kinda happened and it ended up being over a year between chapters.

It would be more acceptable for this to have taken a year if I had worked on it for a year, but I didn't. This took three days (three days out of NaNoWriMo I might add). Three days. So why did it take 511ish days for me to get it done? I could have had this whole story done in that time and should have. What's even more outrageous is that during most of that time I had free time through the roof, but in the three days that I typed this chapter up, I was busier in each of those days than I was in some of the previous whole weeks.

I'll take a breath now. What I'm getting at is the artistic or creative spirit, muse, if you will, is a fickle thing, but I'll try to do better.

Just two more points in my little author's rant. One, originally I had Klein in this chapter and the chapter was rather different because of that. I'd say it was maybe even a little heartwarming. But there was a major problem: I couldn't write/was unhappy with my writing of Klein. I did weeks of research into Dissociative Identity Disorder and still wasn't happy with my Klein, so I have decided to delay his appearance in the main story for a while.

And now for my last point. One thing that delayed this chapter a lot is that I kept being unsure of previous chapters. Of course problem is that if I edit and rewrite between posting every chapter it wouldn't be fair to people who already read the chapters plus it would make this story take forever. To remedy this and a couple of other things, the chapters I post will be posted a little rough (no rougher than what I've posted so far if that), but after I finish the whole story I may or may not go back and do some rewriting, revising, and editing but not until then.