A/N: Okay guys sorry for the delay but here is chapter two! Thanks to those of you who are patient enough with me to follow me and stuff! Yay! And without further ado lets get started!

Chapter Two: Ones and Zeros

Beacon Academy.

The prestigious academy of Vale that every aspiring Huntsman and Huntress dreamed to attend. For the unfortunate many, they couldn't do much besides dream. Luckily for Ella Blaze, her dream had come true. She had always trained her hardest. The young brunette was top of her class at Haven with her prodigal talent with Dust and her many applications for it, specializing in fire based dust. Her youthful crimson/hazel eyes gleamed with happiness as the airship landed near the front gates. The ecstatic young woman had donned a deep burgundy dress that went down to her knees with matching heels and scarf. As the students filed off the ship, she followed close behind, taking in the sights of her new home. Suddenly an automated message played over the loudspeakers.

"All first year students please make your way to the main meeting hall for an announcement from your headmaster", the voice said robotically.

With that information, the first year students broke off from the rest of the pack, fitting into the meeting hall. As the room finally was filled to the brim with first year students, the headmaster appeared on the stage. He was a tall, refined looking man. His chocolate brown eyes scanned over the students. As he began to speak, a slight sign of a smile appeared on his face.

"Welcome to you all. I am Professor Ozpin, headmaster of Beacon. Today not only marks your first day on your path to becoming Huntsmen and Huntresses, but also this is where you begin your journey to find out exactly why you wish to do so. Being a Huntsman or a Huntress isn't just about fighting. It's about keeping our world safe and secure from any dark force threatening such safety. To all of you I wish the best of luck. I now turn the mic to Professor Glynda Goodwitch", the professor finished his speech and stepped away from the mic without another word as applause reverberated throughout the room.

Ella stood in the middle of the crowd of beginner students. As happy as she was to be here, she was also impatient. She just wanted to get on with classes and training to get stronger. Unfortunately for her, there was more to be said. Professor Goodwitch took the mic from the headmaster and cleared her throat. She seemed like a strict woman, one who did not hesitate to discipline those who deserved it. Behind her sharp glasses, her ever sharper eyes scanned the crowd.

"Okay ladies and gentlemen. This year things will be done a little differently. This year, you will get to choose your teams. Since it is already late, all students are to report to the cafeteria for dinner when your teams are formed. Simply register at the kiosks at the front of the stage. Remember to choose wisely. For the people you choose, you choose for the next four years", the Huntress ended ominously, stepping away from the mic.

Ella was appalled. She was being forced to join a team? As relatively spritely as she was, she didn't work well with others. She didn't know many people and she definitely didn't make any friends at Signal. Ella was too busy studying Dust and how to use it to make herself stronger. With her experience of excelling as a loner, she knew that she wouldn't be able to work well in a team. They would just slow her down. With an angered sigh, she just sat up against a wall, watching the horde of students clamoring to find their desired team mates. Being in a comfortable position, the young Huntress-in-training dozed off to sleep. As the world of dreams took her, she began to wonder if her time here would even be worth it to her.

"What did you say to me?", a snide voice sounded off.

The echo of the snappy remark was enough to wake Ella from her peaceful slumber. Wiping the rest from her eyes she looked towards the source of the disturbance. In the far corner of the room there was a tough looking teen towering over another one. The aggressor had long earthen hair down to his shoulders. He wore a tanned leather jacket with a peculiar design on the back and a pair of sleek gray jeans with black combat boots to top him off. The peculiar design was a circle cut down the middle vertically with the left half in the shape of a golden crescent moon and the other in the shape of a black sun. The bully's belt was adorned with two katana blades on each side, one had a deep violet sheath and the other had a bright orange one. His victim was a bulky male sitting below him, looking down at the floor with empty saddened eyes, holding what looked like a lion tail close to him like a lifeline. He could easily stand up for himself, but clearly wanted to be alone with his thoughts. He meekly opened his mouth to speak.

"L-Listen man I just want to be left alone okay? I'm not interested in this school. I'm not here because I want to...", he muttered, keeping his head down.

"Oh yeah? This is a prestigious combat school pal. So obviously you either are exceptionally skilled or some close connections got you in. So here you have a choice freak. You can either join my team or I can make your life here at Beacon a living hell! You think you're too good for humans? You filthy Faunus! I'm giving you an out here to be saved a lifetime of hurt, but obviously you're too stupid to comprehend that just like the rest of your kind!", the bully barked cruelly.

Ella was appalled that somebody could be so cruel to another being whether or not they were a Faunus. She scanned the room for any faculty members that might intervene, but there were none. The other students who hadn't formed teams were just wandering the assembly hall aimlessly, trying to ignore the brutal scene. The teenage girl rose to her feet to protest, but stopped herself when she saw something in the corner of her eye.

A boy, clad in black topped with short but spiky/messy pitch black hair and equally dark sunglasses approached the scene. He seemed to be about the same height as the bully and equally as tough. His coat seemed made of fleece with his right sleeve rolled up to his elbow and his left kept down with a black glove covering his hand. On his knees were two combat knee guards. The last thing Ella noticed was a small revolver sized holster on the left side of his hip with speed loaders attached around the belt and a "T" shaped object on his right side. The dark figure just walked up to the verbal assailant.

"Leave him alone", he spat coldly, directly behind the tormentor.

He turns to face the black-clad student,"Excuse me? Did you say something?"

"Are you deaf as much as you are brain dead? I said to leave him alone"

"And who are you to tell me how to talk to filth?"

"It doesn't matter who I am. Faunus or not, that poor kid is a person. And nobody deserves to be treated like that"

"Okay pal. Make me. Because the minute you hit me, you're gonna be out of here faster than you can say 'oops'"

Ella couldn't believe her eyes and ears. Would they fight? She gasped as some of what appeared to be the bully's lackeys and they seemed quite tough. Time seemed to slow down for her as the ringleader raised his tightened fist for the first strike.

Tick.

Tock.

Tick.

Tock.

In a steady rhythm the many gears and clocks in Professor Ozpin's office sang the sounds of painfully passing time. Ella, the boy in black, the ringleader of the bullies and the poor victimized Faunus found themselves with the headmaster after the petty squabble that caused much more destruction to the ballroom/assembly hall then was intended. The headmaster was looking out towards the last lights of the setting sun from his window before sighing and sitting down at his desk to face his young troublemakers. The boy in black had barely any problems, only suffering from a bruise on his cheek and a slight scrape on his chin whereas the sword-faring teen had a black eye and a bloody nose. Ella had suffered minor singe marks on her outfit and her arms lightly coated with ashes. The cowardly lion-like Faunus sustained no injuries just minor trauma from being bullied it seemed. Professor Goodwitch came from the other end of the room tapping her finger on her crossed arm impatiently as she handed the enigmatic administrator the students personnel files.

"So then", the headmaster began, looking over the files on the students that Professor Goodwitch handed him,"What do we have here Glynda?"

She sighed and looked them over, starting from the bully,"First here we have Zane Noctis. Son of the late Aaron Noctis of the Noctis Weapons Manufacturing Company. Next we have Miss Cinderella 'Ella' Blaze from Haven with no family to speak of sir. Mr. Silent Shades here is Rizu Fall from Atlas. We have almost nothing here on him. Last but certainly not least we have Mr. Orion Maxima, the son of Scorpio and Artemis Maxima. He is from Mistral as well as Miss Blaze", she finished.

Her words were followed by an uncomfortable silence. Ella just looked around at her fellow students wondering what would happen. Orion had his head down, Rizu was still wearing his dark shades with his arms crossed and Zane just kept wiping his bleeding nostrils with a tissue. Ozpin sought the need to end the dreadful silence.

"So then. You all get accepted my prestigious school and your first order of business is to burn it to the ground? Anyone care to explain what happened here?", he asked calmly.

Zane spoke up,"I-I was just trying to get Orion here on my team so that I could-"

"We have evidence from other students that what you were doing, Mr. Noctis, was nothing short of threatening Mr. Maxima. Bullying is not tolerated in my school", said the headmaster sharply, to which Rizu just snickered cynically,"Something amusing about this situation Mr. Fall?"

Rizu's brow furrowed with disgust,"Well actually yes sir. There is. You sit there and say that bullying and discrimination are not tolerated. Yet why was it that I had to step in and stop him? Why weren't YOUR staff standing by? You honestly thought that people here wouldn't be prejudiced or mean? Especially to a Faunus? You disappoint me, Headmaster"

The end of his reply was sharp and emphasized, yet every word was true. Neither Ozpin or his faculty were around to take control of the situation. Ozpin just lowered his gaze slightly and sighed.

"It is true. We as a faculty-...no. I should have taken care of this matter personally. But that does not excuse the fighting or the excess amounts of fire in the assembly hall", he continued.

"I-I'm sorry sir. Rizu was outnumbered by Zane's friends and I tried to help but my flames got out of my control. They normally don't do that I can usually control them so well! I just didn't know what to do because I didn't know anybody and I don't have any friends or experience helping people and-", Ella was tripping over herself trying to explain.

"Calm yourself Miss Blaze. Now for Mr. Orion. Are you okay young man?"

The timid student looked up, his lion ears showing through his chocolate hair. His skin was perfectly tanned and his body was buff and masculine. If it wasn't for his normally timid nature he could have probably squashed Zane himself. He was wearing what looked like light-gray ancient centurion armor set with a short white cloak on his back that was held together by a gold medallion on the front with a large star print on it. After a few moments his finally spoke up.

"Y-Yes sir...I'm okay. I didn't want to start any trouble sir, honestly I didn't. I was just trying to mind my own business and see if there were any other Faunus I could team up with...you know how Faunus are discriminated against...", he muttered timidly.

Ozpin nodded once again and looked over the group and smirked a little,"You know, with all the damage and the fighting and all...normally I would have already sent you all home. Orion you would have been sent home just for your own safety. However I see in you something that is special. Something that can become the makings of a great team."

"And what exactly is that?", Rizu said coldly, a very subtle yet audible venom laced in his tone.

"In the four of you I see pride, loneliness, hatred and fear. These traits will stop you from from ever becoming a true huntsman or huntress. Nobody can conquer these emotions alone. But together I believe you could be the stuff of legend. So I will give you all a choice", he continued,"You could either leave this school forever with an expulsion, or you could take the initiation tomorrow with the rest of your classmates as a team. Make your choice"

The four teens looked at each other with the exception of Rizu. He just stared towards Ozpin. What other choice did they have? Even Orion didn't want to leave, as cowardly as he was. Without a word to each other the students simply nodded to Ozpin, who smiled at their choice. He stood up and tapped a few keys on his scroll.

"Then on behalf of myself and the faculty I welcome you. Welcome to Beacon...Team ZERO"

A/N: Alright there we go! Thanks again for waiting for so long and expect more chapters I will work faster I promise! I am also taking OC requests so please send them to me and get the word out! See you all next time!