Chapter 3

To say Theodore was amazed with the how big the hall was would be an understatement. He was downright impressed with how well it was designed. The windows, columns, paint color, size of the room, everything took his breath away.

This room is bigger than the entrance to the Hall of Justice. He thought to himself.

"Ruby! Over here!" a voice shouted that caught the attention of the three newcomers. Turning Theodore saw it was the same girl Ruby was talking to earlier before he met her. "I saved you a spot!"

"Oh. Hey, I got to go." Ruby said to the boys while running off "I'll see you after the ceremony."

"OK. See you later." Theodore replied then looked at Jaune "Looks like it's just you and me now."

"Yeah, looks that way." Jaune replied.

"Come on. Let's go find a spot to hear the announcements." With that said the two boys walked away from the entrance closer to the stage. Unknown to them a girl was watching both leave, specifically Jaune. Once they found a spot a conversation started.

"Hey, Theodore," Jaune said "can I ask you something?"

"Sure." Theodore replied.

"What's your family like? I mean do you have any siblings?"

"No, I don't have any siblings sadly. I'm an only child."

"Wow. You must get pretty lonely sometimes."

"Yeah, sometimes. What about you? Do you have any siblings?" That question must have caught Jaune off guard because there was a surprised look on his face.

"I'm sorry." Theodore answered "I didn't mean to offend- "

"No, it's OK." Jaune replied "You just took me by surprise. The answer is yes, I do have siblings. All of them being girls."

"Sisters, that's nice. How many? Two? Three?"

"Uh…seven actually." Jaune hesitantly replied.

"Woah!" Theodore said with a surprised look in his face "Playtime must have been a nightmare for you."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Didn't they put make up on you or something?"

"No, they mostly just braided my hair and play dolls with them."

"At least they didn't make you wear powder or lipstick."

"Yeah, thank goodness to that." This caused both boys to laugh at the statement. Just as they had finished laughing Professor Ozpin had walked onto the stage and began to speak into the microphone.

"I'll keep this brief." He started while adjusting his glasses "You have travelled here today in search of knowledge, to hone your craft and acquire new skills, and when you finish you plan to dedicate your life your life to the protection of the people. But I look amongst you and all I see is wasted energy in need of purpose, direction. You assume knowledge will free you of this, but your time at this school will prove that knowledge can only carry you so far. It is up to you to take the first step."

Finished speaking he walked away from the microphone and off the stage. Glynda Goodwitch took the spot shortly after.

"You will gather in the ballroom tonight." She said "Tomorrow your initiation begins. Be ready. You're dismissed."

Theodore felt that Ozpin was looking at him the whole time during the speech. It felt very disturbing to him. The thought left him however when he saw Jaune looking at something. Following his gaze, he saw it was one girl he was hoping never to cross paths with again, Weiss Schnee. He knew all too well what that look was in Jaune's eyes.

Oh, great. He thought I should probably keep him from embarrassing himself.

Jaune started to walk over to her, but was stopped by a hand on his shoulder. He turned to look at Theodore shaking his head as if telling him not to.

"Don't." Theodore said "I've met her, and she is not one who is up for conversation."

"That bad, huh?" Jaune replied.

"Yeah."

Nighttime came slowly for Theodore, though he didn't mind it. It gave him time to set up his sleeping quarters in the ballroom. He had set up a black tent that could fit at least two people. When night had fallen, he had changed into his sleeping wear, which was composed of dark blue sleeping trousers and a water blue t-shirt. Preparing to go to sleep, something caught his eye. It was Ruby, lying down on a sleeping bag, dressed in her sleep wear, writing something. Her sleep clothing composed of a mask with grim eyes, a black sleeveless shirt with a heart shaped grim on it, and white pants covered with roses.

"It's like a big slumber party." A girl shouted while propping down next to Ruby. Theodore saw it was the same girl from both at the courtyard and the hall. She was in her sleep wear as well. It was almost the same as Ruby's, but slightly different. She wore the same sleeveless shirt except it was orange with a fiery heart on it, showing some of her midriff sadly, and black sleep shorts.

"I don't think dad would approve of all the boys though." Ruby replied.

"I know I do." Said the blonde while purring in the process. Her gazing was ruined, however, when Jaune walked by in night wear that almost made Theodore laugh. He was wearing a full light blue body suit with a bunny on it, complete with bunny slippers.

Are you kidding Jaune? Theodore thought while trying to contain his laughter That's something a five-year-old would wear.

"Oh, hey Theodore." Said Jaune while waving. Theodore gladly waved back while smiling, still trying to contain his laughter. Jaune than continued walking to his sleeping bag.

"Theodore?" asked a voice. Turning he saw it was Ruby looking at him with a surprised look.

"Hey, Ruby." Theodore replied "I was hoping to find you. Been wanting to talk to you since the ceremony ended. Sadly, some preparations needed to be done before chatting with friends."

"Oh, sorry for not coming to find you afterwards either." Ruby said "Had to get ready for tomorrow."

"Ruby, who's your friend?" asked the blonde.

"Oh, sorry Yang. Theodore meet my big sister Yang. Yang meet Theodore."

"Pleasure to meet you." Said Theodore while holding out his hand.

"Pleasure's all mine." Yang replied while taking his hand and shaking it. "So, you're the knight in shining armor who helped my little sis back in the courtyard."

"Yeah, I'm that person." Theodore said while blushing. "Forgive me, but did Ruby just call you her big sister?"

"Yep. Yang Xiao Long, huntress in training and big sister to Ruby." She stated while pointing to herself.

"I'm sorry to ask, but how are you related? Did you have different parents or was Ruby adopted? You both have different last names. To be honest I don't see much of a family resemblance."

"Oh yeah, Ruby and I have the same dad but different mothers." Yang replied with a sad tone. Theodore felt like he had crossed a personal line and didn't like it.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to open old wounds." He apologized.

"No, it's okay." Yang replied smiling "What about you? What are your parents like?"

"My mom was a great magician while my father…he is sort of on the odd side."

"Your mom…was a magician?"

"She passed away a year ago."

"I'm sorry. Looks I'm the one opening old wounds."

"It's okay. You didn't know." Theodore then looked past Yang to Ruby "What are you doing Ruby?"

"Writing a letter to the gang back at Signal." She replied looking up at Theodore "I promised to tell them all about Beacon and how things are going."

"Awwww, that's so cute!" Yang replied in a semi-high pitched voice which earned her a pillow in the face, courtesy of Ruby.

"Shut up! I didn't get to take my friends with me to school. It's weird not knowing anyone here."

I know how that feels. Theodore thought.

"What about Jaune?" Yang asked "He's…nice. You also have Theodore. There you go! Plus, two friends. That's a hundred percent increase."

"I'm pretty sure Weiss counts as a negative friend." Ruby replied while turning to lay on her back with her hands behind her head.

"I think rival or enemy is the proper term." Theodore suggested, which also earned him a pillow, shaped like a cat, in the face.

"Look, it's only been one day." Yang said "Trust me. You've got friends all around you. You just haven't met them yet."

Theodore was thinking of adding something to Yang's advice when he heard a match being struck. Turning to the direction of the sound, he saw the same girl from when he and Ruby first ran into Weiss. She was sitting on the floor reading a book. Her source of light was a 3-way candle stick which is why he heard a match being struck. She was dressed in what looked like a Japanese kimono, except instead of it being covered in designs it was all black.

"That girl." Ruby said.

"You know her?" Yang asked.

"Not really. She saw what happened this morning but left before Theodore or I could say anything."

"Well, now's your chance." Yang replied while getting up, grabbing Ruby's arm in the process. She started dragging her over to the girl's spot with a lot of protest from her younger sister. Theodore was following closely behind with an amused look on his face.

I wonder if these troubles would be upon me if I had an older brother or sister. He thought to himself.

"Hellooooo!" Yang shouted to the girl in a singing voice. "I believe you two know may each other."

"Aren't you that girl that exploded?" she asked Ruby with a neutral look.

"Um…yeah." Ruby replied while holding out her hand "My name's Ruby, but you can just call me Crater…. actually, you can just call me Ruby."

"Okay." The girl replied while not looking away from the book she was reading.

She acts like she doesn't care. Theodore thought to himself Reminds me of one Damion Wayne.

"What are you doing?" Yang whispered to Ruby.

"I don't know." Ruby whispered back "Help me."

"So, what's your name?" Yang asked the girl.

She gave an annoyed sigh before replying. "Blake."

"Well Blake, I'm Yang. Ruby's older sister. I like your bow."

"Thanks."

"It goes great with your…pajamas." Theodore face palmed himself from hearing that comment.

Really Yang? Really?

"Right."

I better do something before they embarrass themselves further. "Sorry, I didn't introduce myself. I'm Theodore Constantine."

Blake looked up at Theodore with a surprised face.

"Theodore Constantine?" she asked, "As in the Criminal Chaser Theodore Constantine?"

"You heard about me?"

"What did she just call you?" Yang asked.

"You haven't heard about him?" Blake asked Yang and Ruby. Both shook their heads. "He's the reason crime went down so fast in Vale. Even the police know about him."

"Woah!" exclaimed Ruby having stars in her eyes. "That's so awesome!"

"Uhhhh…yeah. Thanks." Theodore replied while blushing.

"You don't like the attention?" Blake asked.

"I don't like the idea of becoming a celebrity." He answered. "By the way, what are you reading?"

"Oh…well…it's about a man with two souls. Each fight for control over his body."

Sounds like someone else I knew. Theodore thought.

"Oh yeah, that's…real lovely." Yang said.

"Be nice." Theodore said to her.

"I love books." Rudy said to Blake "Yang used to read to me every night before bed. Stories of heroes and monsters. They're one of the reasons I want to be a huntress."

"Why is that?" Blake asked, "Hoping you'll live happily ever after?"

"I'm hoping we all will. As a girl, I wanted to be just like those heroes in the books. Someone who fought for what was right and who protected people who couldn't protect themselves."

"That's very ambitious for a child, unfortunately the real world isn't the same as a fairytale."

"Well, that's why we're here. To make it better."

"Ohhh, I'm so proud of my baby sister!" Yang exclaimed while grabbing Ruby in a bear hug and lifting her in the air while baby talking.

"Cut it out!" Ruby said while trying to pry Yang off her. Theodore was trying not to laugh at the cat fight he was watching.

"Well Ruby, Yang, Theodore," Blake said "it's been a pleasure to- "

"What in the world is going on over here?!" someone said. Theodore turned around to see, to his annoyance, none other than Weiss Schnee. She wore a sleeping dress that stopped halfway past her thighs and her hair was not in a bun which reached past her back. She had an irritated look on her face showing she was not happy.

"Don't you know that some of us are trying to sleep?!" she continued with the same scowl on her face, but it quickly turned to surprise when she saw who it was. Even Yang stopped teasing Ruby and had an angry look at Weiss which Theodore could not understand.

"OH, NOT YOU AGAIN!" they both shouted.

"Shh! Guys, she's right. People are trying to sleep." Ruby said to calm them down.

"Oh, now you're on my side." Weiss exclaimed.

"I was always on your side!"

"Yeah! What's your problem with my sister?" Yang asked, "She's only trying to be nice."

"She's a hazard to my health!" Weiss replied.

"The only hazard to your health, ice princess, is your attitude." Theodore cut in "You need to smile more."

"Excuse me?!" the heiress replied.

"Well, it's been lovely chatting with you girls," Theodore said while letting out a yawn "but I'm going to hit the sack. Good night."

"Good night, Theodore." Ruby replied.

"Good night, Theo." Yang said with a smile which turned into a frown when Theodore looked back at her. He had an angry look on his face.

"Please," he said "don't…call me that." Unzipping his tent, he started to get inside.

"No! We are not finished Canristine!" Weiss exclaimed while marching after him.

"It's Constantine!" Theodore replied "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to bed."

"I said, we are not done!"

"Try to come into this tent. I dare you!" the last part had a growl of anger to it that made Weiss back off. Seeing that she wasn't pestering him anymore, he zipped up the tent and went to sleep.

"Well, that was interesting." Blake said to herself. She put her book away, and blew out the candle to go to bed.