Remind me, why I should go Dad?
Beacon is a great place for you to continue your training Ravus.
But why can't I wait until I graduate from Signal?
Well, you could, but Ruby's going this year.
That doesn't mean I have too.
No, it doesn't. But it's something I hope you would consider in your decision.
Ravus looked in the mirror as he finished washing his face. He had been tossing and turning all night about his decision this morning.
Most students come here after taking a placement test. He remembered when Yang had come home from completing hers.
What did you do? Was it hard? Did you see the other kinds of weapons people had? Ruby had enthusiastically asked Yang as soon as she stepped through the door.
Nothing too brutal. Yang answered. But I might be sore tomorrow.
He didn't get in with an exam. He just came because Ruby showed that she was talented and determined. Yeah they were twins, but she had worked hard with Uncle Qrow to get here.
Maybe I should just leave now. Ravus thought. Today was the initiation. If you got through today, it was almost second proof that you belonged at Beacon. If he left now, maybe people wouldn't realize that he didn't belong. Ruby can handle it here. Plus she's got Yang. She's always taken care of us.
"Morning little brother." Ravus looked behind him with the mirror to see Yang and Ruby behind him.
"Morning Yang." He replied. As he turned around he looked over at Ruby who had a large grin on her face. "Sleep well?"
"As well as we could." Yang drew out crossing her arms.
"Ran into Miss Dust again last night." Ruby explained. Ravus curled his noise at mentioning her name. "Well, maybe today she'll get lost in the forest and live with little minions that won't bother her." Ravus joked.
As they walked in the weapons room to their lockers they spotted a boy and girl talking. Well, at least the girl was talking. The boy, didn't really seem to be paying attention.
"Wonder what those two are so worked up about?" Ruby wondered aloud as the two walked past.
"Oh, who knows? So, you seem awfully chipper this morning!" Yang commented.
"Yeah. Did I miss the cafeteria serving cookies for breakfast or something?" Ravus joked, taking out Shooting Star from his locker.
"You're jokes do nothing to me this morning Ravus." Ruby confidently said to him. "Today I don't have to worry about awkward small talk or 'getting-to-know-you' stuff. Today, I get to let my sweetheart do the talking." Ruby sighed as she hugged Crescent Rose.
"Well, remember, Ruby, you're not the only one going through initiation. If you wanna grow up, you're gonna have to meet new people and learn to work together." Yang said.
"You sound like Dad!" Ruby sighed in frustration as she shoves her weapon into the locker. "Okay, first of all: What does meeting new people have to do with fighting? And secondly: I don't need people to help me grow up! I drink milk!"
"But what about when we form teams?" Yang asked.
"Um, I don't know, I... I'll just be on your team or maybe Ravus'..." Ravus turned back to look at Ruby, who seemed suddenly nervous. Why is she nervous? She's gonna do great.
"Maybe you should try being on someone else's team?" Yang replied quietly, bringing her hair around her shoulder and stroking it.
"My dear sister Yang, are you implying that you do not wish to be on the same team as me?" Ruby accused Yang.
"What? No! Of course I do! I just thought... I don't know, maybe it would help you... break out of your shell!" Yang replied.
"What the-?! I don't need to 'break out of my shell'! I'll be on Ravus team. Right?" Ruby suddenly turned to Ravus. Ravus looked back over at Ruby. Us on a team together?
"Uh…um." Ravus stammered out, trying to gather his thoughts. But what if I don't go...
"Ravus?" Ruby asked, sounding hurt.
"No, yeah of course we can be on a team together." Ravus finally said. "We just, I don't know, don't know how initiation will go." He finished, trying to cover up his lie.
"Yeah," Ruby began, "but us not being on the same team would be absolutely-"
"Ridiculous!" Jaune finished Ruby's statement. Ravus watched as Jaune walked past the Rose-Xia Long siblings looking lost. Seems to be his specialty. As Ravus' eyes followed the lost knight he spotted Aero.
"Hey Aero. Ready for initiation?" Ravus asked as he walked up to him.
"Almost. Just getting Moonlight polished for prime performance." He responded calmly, holding up his sword. "And you?"
"Oh, ready as ever." Ravus responded with a smile and a confident fist.
"Well, I'm glad you're feeling better from last night." Aero commented, storing his weapon. "Almost thought you might, oh, I don't know, would skip out on initiation." He finished looking over at Ravus.
"W-wh-what?" Ravus sputtered out. "Why would I do that?" Is his semblance mind reading or something? Why does he always know what's going on in my mind?!
"Yeah, I suppose that was ridiculous to think." Aero chuckled. "With Ruby worried about not knowing anyone here and being this far from home…"
"Is Ruby really that worried?" Ravus interrupted Aero abruptly. Aero looked back at Ravus and then behind him. Ravus turned around and say Ruby still talking with Yang. Ruby had her arms crossed in front of her but her eyes were downcast.
"Yeah." Aero finally said as Ravus continued looking on. "Yang told me. All that yelling last night? That was her and Ruby attempting to make friends and running into Ms. Chipper over there." Aero said, gesturing over to Weiss as Ravus turned around. She was talking with a tall, long haired red head, looking confident and ready for anything.
"Yeah, she told me." Ravus said. "I didn't realize it was that bad." Ravus looked back over at Aero. "Hey, can I ask you something?" Aero leaned in, ready to listen.
"How do, how do you know when you're ready for something?" Ravus finally asked.
"Ready how?"
"Like, mentally, physically." Ravus elaborated. "How do you know that you can take on a task that everyone is expecting you to do well on?"
"Well," Aero began, pausing, "sometimes you don't."
"That helps." Ravus scoffed.
"No, but it might ease your mind." Aero admitted. "Sometimes you don't really know you're ready. Sometimes you just have to try it to really see what you're capable of. So a bigger question is if you're ready and want to try."
"How do I know that?"
"Well, I mostly rationalize with myself. Did I prepare for it? Have I taken on similar situations? Then there are some like Yang, who just have a flame in their gut that tells them to do it. That flame can burn for a lot of things, but it just tells them to go for it head on. Others it's more of a cause, something you know that this worth pursuing. Ruby probably felt that way when attacking that baddy at the shop. Stopping him and protecting the shopkeep told her to try. You just need to find your reason." Ravus looked back at Ruby. "Besides, after having come this far…"
"I would never forgive myself if left now." Ravus said.
"What was that Ravus?" Ravus looked back up at Aero, having a very strange smile on his face.
"Oh, I was just saying I would never forgive myself if left out of the fun." Ravus attempted to cover himself. "I mean, like Ruby says, a day killing Grimm with the family is a good one." He finished with a smile, one that he didn't have to try at.
His concentration was shook as he heard a sudden whiz go by his ear. He turned around to see old Jaune pinned to one of the beams.
"I'm sorry." The red head called toward Jaune next to Weiss.
"Would all first-year students please report to Beacon Cliff for initiation? Again, all first-year students report to Beacon Cliff immediately." Glynda's voice came from the intercom.
"I guess that's our cue." Ravus commented as he and Aero got up to join the girls and Jaune.