Chapter 6: A Not-So-Difficult Choice

So, as the Bullhead began its landing sequence I continued to think of the next few days. 'What will happen that will screw up everything?' I began questioning, always the optimistic type. However, in the past week alone my luck had taken a turn from bad to absolutely abysmal. 'There's always the chance that something I say will be counterintuitive. Also, this could be a well laid trap to haul my unfortunate hide off to prison. But then again, this is pretty much a clean slate for my life. So, it could go either way.' So, when the Bullhead was finally docked I spent no time in waiting and exited to get my first view of the school. Quite frankly, it was one helluva view.

The school itself had appeared massive on the way towards it, but now, up close, the main building looked magical. Like a page was ripped from a childhood fairytale and was created into a real building. It was similar to that of a small castle, the major dominating colour of the school building being white. It was all a breathtaking scene, but what made it truly magical was when I looked at where I would be heading. Standing in the middle of the main pathway leading to the school stood a familiar huntress in training. "Hello over there!" I yelled over to her as began walking up to her. Once I was face to face with her I started what I thought would be a very long conversation, "I told you I'd make it," I said, beginning to walk beside her towards the main building.

"I'm glad you did," she began, a grin on her face, "You seem like a nice person and I didn't want to just have one conversation with you."

"Huh, well that marker had passed a while ago," I teased.

She looked at puzzled, stopping as she did, "Wait, what do you mean by that?"

"Here, this should context," I said, reaching to my pocket to pull out a neatly folded piece of stationary.

She grabbed the paper, unfolding it as she brought it towards her face for her to read. After roughly a minute of her reading it, her expression changed as she read who the letter's writer was. She looked at me quizzically, asking me, "How in the world did you get this?"

"Because I was one of the few people you had sent that to. After all you were always so kind, I just never told you how much that kindness meant," I told her, recounting in the back of my head how she was always so helpful to me, even though not many others were.

I saw in her eyes the gears turning in her head as she came to the realization, "David! How did I not remember you when we first met?"

"Well, I was the same for a while, but that letter reminded me of you. Besides, it's been a little over a year since we had met each other, so don't be too hard on yourself."

"Wow this is so exciting, having a friend from Signal with me at Beacon. You're the first one after all. But, why didn't we ever see each other before last Friday?" she asked me, causing m to become confused.

"What do you mean by that, I just got here?" I suddenly was in the dark again, not knowing what she meant by her question.

"Well, I believe I should explain some things to you then, David," a voice said from behind me. I turned around to see Professor Ozpin standing behind me, cane in one hand and coffee mug in the other. The entire situation was confusing me greatly, filling my head with even more questions.

"Wait, hang on for five seconds," I began saying, waving my hands in front of me, "What is going on here? Because, to be honest, I have no clue what you two are talking about."

"Well then," Ozpin said, walking towards the main building, "follow me and I'll explain the situation."

'Great,' I told myself, following behind the headmaster, 'whenever someone uses the words situation, it means that there is something wrong, usually something that is extremely wrong.'

As I followed Ozpin I began to really admire the school, not just for its architecture but for the students attending. As I walked past them, I stopped and began watching sparing matches between students. They were all quite skilled, most matches ended because of a minor slip in a defense, 'But that's all it really takes, a small chink in the impenetrable armor and you can win.' But, as I looked around the students there was a student who wasn't doing so hot. He looked tired, his blond hair covering the sweat that dripped from his forehead. He was up against a taller student, slightly taller than me only because of his hair, who had a smirk of confidence across his face. It was clear the blond one was outmatched. That's not to say he wasn't skilled, he did perform some elaborate maneuvers. His opponent was using his greater height and strength to his advantage. Now, if the smaller could use his own strengths to tip his enemies strengths to weaknesses, he would win for sure. "Hey," I called to Ozpin, "give me a second, I want to talk to someone, if that's okay."

Ozpin simply gestured his hand at the two I had been watching, as if he knew what I would be doing. 'Well, he probably knew who was a likely candidate.' So I walked up to the duel and watched the blond one get shoved by his opponent. He proceeded to land at the tips of my boots. "Having a bit of trouble?" I asked in a non-'I-think-you-have-no-idea-what-you're-up-against-way' but it was a little difficult.

"Tell me about it, I just can't get a hit on Cardin," he told me.

'So, his name's Cardin, I'll take note of that,' I thought to myself, quickly turning to Cardin's human punching bag, "So, umm…"

"Jaune," he answered my unasked question.

"So, Jaune, it's clear to me that he has the advantage in size and strength," upon hearing this Jaune sighed loudly, "but, his weapon is much more cumbersome than your sword. So there's one advantage. Also, you have you're shield, giving extra defence, so if you use both of those to your advantage, you should be able to take even the odds. Always look for an enemy's disadvantages so you can turn them into a strength for you. Watch," I ended and walked to where Jaune had been, "Hey, Cardin!" He turned to face me, "How 'bout you and me duel."

"Are you sure you want to stand in for Jauney boy over there?"

"Absolutely, in fact, I'll give you first strike," I told him, having a hint of mockery in my voice.

Upon hearing this, he readied his weapon and I pulled out Rock, leaving Sling in its holster, changing it to melee form. So, he charged at me, winding up for an overhead strike. I deftly avoiding the attack, I swung at the back of his knee, causing him to kneel, allowing for a whack across the face. He staggered up and back from the attack, giving me a chance to slip behind him. Cardin shook of the shock from the attack and looked for me in front of him. 'To him I've disappeared, perfect.' So, with the element of stealth, I kicked out his legs and grabbed him by the throat in a choke-hold, using Rock as a holding device. "So, do you give up?" I asked him as he struggled, using all his strength to escape. But, it wasn't enough and as his body began to grow weak from fatigue I released him and walked back to Ozpin. But, as I walked back, I noticed every student was tracking me. Since I was stood beside Jaune I leaned over and whispered, "Why is everyone giving me strange looks?"

"Because Cardin is one of the strongest students here and you took him down without taking a single hint."

I simply shrugged saying, "Well, like I said, use his own advantages against him. Also, if he's the strongest, he was overconfident since we had never fought before. Besides, it could have been a lot worse for him."

As I walked back to Ozpin, he began congratulating me, "Well, that was quite a spectacle if I may say. Mr. Winchester is a most skilled combatant. Yet, you took him down without a single wound to you."

I shrugged, "Well, I guess I could be a very lucky man."

"I'd hardly say that," he said with a small laugh, "Now, if you would continue following." So, I complied and began following him nice more. Now that I had an actual fight here, with the apparently mighty Cardin Winchester, I had a reputation here; it being a good thing or not is yet to be seen.

So, after a few, uneventful minutes of walking, Ozpin stopped at the end of a hall. He opened the door in front of him and stepped out of the way, allowing me to enter in front of him. The office was simple enough, a box shape with a window that overlooked the main courtyard directly across from the door. A wooden desk was positioned in front of the window with the basics on it; pens and pencils, scattering of papers, a monitor to observe reports and other assorted trinkets. There was a large bookcase that contained numerous relics across its shelves. All in all, it was a pretty standard office, especially for a headmaster. Ozpin walked into the room and proceeded to sit at his desk. He gestured at a chair in front of his desk; I complied and sat in the chair. And so the conversation began.

"So, David Smith, that name certainly stirs memories."

"None of which I would enjoy remembering, if that's okay with you. I just want to know what you were talking about back at the landing area."

"Of course, what would you like to know?"

"I would like to know what Ruby was talking about. Why I hadn't seen her before Friday to be more specific," I said, impatient about not being in the know.

"Well, that I can explain. She was confused about that because the second year of her training started a few weeks ago, which means that your second year would have been going for the same time as you should have arrived at the same time as her. That is why she was confused, because to her, you had been here for the same amount of time as she has without ever introducing yourself."

The whole speech left me with more questions than answers. The main one that gnawed at my brain was what I would do now. I had spent so much time trying to start over with a new life. Now, as if on cue, life threw me a grenade with the pin pulled out, allowing me to watch my plans detonate in my face. 'So, my narrow-mindedness in my past is now coming to bite me now. Well, I should expect no less from my luck and karma,' I thought to myself, being thoroughly annoyed with the explanation.

However, Ozpin wasn't finished, "Looking back in my records it seems as if a David Smith had been scheduled to be on the flight to Beacon for initiates last year. But he was unable to make the flight due to 'unforeseen circumstances -"

'Unforeseen isn't quite accurate, but it works.'

"- and it seems as if you are that David Smith. Now I have a proposition for you, if you would like to listen."

"Okay, I'm all ears, because any alternative is more preferable to me right now."

"Well then, I'm giving you two options. First, you can stay at Beacon, train like any other student and be considered in your second year. Because looking at past educational records, you already know a majority of the first year material. The second option is that you can walk down to the Bullhead and return to Vale. But, that would mean going back to your past pursuits which would mean going back to your past situations and like you said, any alternative is more preferable."

"You're a real silver-tongued devil, but I am no liar when I say that any alternative is better so I accept your offer."

"Good, now tomorrow you will be going through the initiation process like all other students must, but I will spare you the details till tomorrow. However, you will not have your own partner through the initiation, nor will you be assigned a team afterwards."

So, as we walked to the door to exit his office I began to hear scuttling on the other side of it. Instinctively, I pushed ahead of Ozpin, readied my handguns and breached through the doorway nearly knocking it off its hinges. I began pointing guns at people until I started recognizing the faces of the noisemakers.

Ruby, Yang and Weiss were all stood in the middle of the hall, a few feet from the door, but only centimeters from my weapons' barrels. They all had an expression of pure shock and terror on their faces; I couldn't blame them, as I knew how terrifying it was having a weapon's muzzle pressed against my head. I quickly holstered my weapons and began apologizing profusely to the three teammates, "I am so sorry. I didn't know it was you and my instincts sort of kicked in and I just -"

"Well might I ask you why your first instincts are to point your weapons at the nearest person?" Weiss spat back, obviously agitated at the commotion.

"Well then may I ask why the three of you are spying on my conversation? I'm really confused at why my appearance is so important to you?"

"Well," Yang began, "Ruby was curious about what you two were talking about and then I saw you fight Cardin and when we told Weiss and Blake about it and we wanted to know what you two were talking about. Besides it was Weiss' idea."

"No it wasn't," Weiss began arguing with her teammate.

'Good grief, is this what's going to be my future. Well, it'll be interesting,' I thought, shaking my head and snickering to myself as the argument unfolded in front of me. All that I saw was a pseudo sibling rivalry unfolding in front of me. They were all made for each other. But I wouldn't have those same experiences as I wouldn't have a team of my own. But, I had a new life and I finally had people I could trust. Ruby, Yang, Weiss and Blake, all were good people and would be good friends, I knew it.

But, during their argument, Ozpin interjected, saying, "Now, when the three of you are done, could you take Mr. Smith to his dorm. It will be the empty dorm beside yours."

"Okay, Ozpin we'll get right on that," Ruby assured him, then turning to her still arguing teammates, told them, "Alright you two, you can keep arguing later."

'Well, I'm just happy to be here. I could sit on the courtyard's concrete and still be able to sleep better than I've ever been able to do. But Ozpin, he knows more than he cares to tell. He must have a plan for me and that worries me. Because the last person who had a plan for me now wants to see a knife jutting out of my neck,' the gruesome thought flashed through my head, 'Well then, if that is going to happen, he'll need to spend a lot more money for a killer.'

After we got to the building that held my room we had been walking up the staircase when Yang asked, "So what did you mean by any alternative is preferable?"

The question made me stop dead in my tracks. Which meant that, since I was in front, everyone else had to stop right behind me. Facing forward up the stairs, I answered, "It means that any situation is better than my last one."

Yang persisted, "So what was your last 'situation' as you call it?"

"Look," I said turning around, the anger seeping through my voice, "if I don't come to you to talk about my past, then don't bother asking. I'm not asking what you've done before, so I expect the same courtesy." 'Okay, calm down, she's just curious, but dammit, there's some rocks that are meant to stay unturned.'

"Sorry, I was just wondering. It just was so mysterious the way you said it," she began apologizing.

"Huh, I know, it's just, I'm not proud of what I did. It was just; why does this need to be so complicated?" I lost my thoughts, trying desperately to regain them.

Ruby put her hand on my shoulder, "Don't worry, when you're comfortable you can tell us, right?" She was really good at comforting people.

I looked into her silver eyes, "Okay, that sounds good. But, it'll be awhile, I can tell you that." So, after that we continued to walk onward towards my dorm.

Once we go to my dorm room we parted ways and walked into the door to the left of mine. 'So that's their dorm. Well, keep your friends close, but usually it's your enemies who are the closest to you.' I walked into the dorm, taking in the surroundings. There was a single bed tucked under a window across from the door. The window gave a breathtaking view of the sun setting over the horizon. Everything else was pretty standard, dresser drawer right of the bed, personal bathroom and other such dormitory necessities. I gently placed my luggage onto the ground, as I had been carrying the dead weights in my hands the entire day. I began checking the contents, making sure everything was here with me, when I heard murmurs coming from the wall to the left side of the room. That was the wall between my room and team RWBY's room. 'Well then, if they can listen to my conversations, so can I,' I told myself, focusing intensely on the voices from the other room. Then, I began to hear their voices.

"- shouldn't have eavesdropped on his meeting with Ozpin," Blake's voice came through, most likely scolding her teammates.

"Well I hadn't seen him for a year and I wanted to catch up on what we'd missed," Ruby replied.

"Well, I don't think he'll ever tell us. He was very cryptic about your questions," Weiss replied, most likely right in her statement.

"Well, Blake told us about her past and who she truly is so he might do the same," Yang replied.

'So, they're trying to dissect me like an insect larvae; well isn't that just great, one more obstacle to add into the mix,' I thought to myself as there was a pause in the conversation, 'Also, Blake had a secret she didn't want to share either. Well, that doesn't really concern me but could be an interesting side project to figure out while here. But, I shouldn't pry, just take careful surveillance.' Then the conversation continued.

"Do you think we should go over there and talk to him about it?" Yang inquired her teammates.

"Well, like David said, you shouldn't pry. Because if you do he won't trust you making him less inclined to tell you," Blake responded. She could rad me like a book, and I only said one word to her when we met.

"Yeah I guess we should wait till tomorrow to ask him," Ruby said mildly disappointed.

"Humph, if he makes it past tomorrow," Weiss retorted.

Then ensued mindless bickering of why Weiss was always so bitter towards me. I couldn't pay attention to the conversation no matter how hard I concentrated. I nearly blacked out by concentrating so hard. 'Okay that's enough, I need to sleep. Tomorrow's a big day for me. A real landmark in my life to be proud of, for once. So, I unpacked my luggage and put everything away where I saw it would go. Then, after changing into a white t-shirt and white trousers, I crawled into the bed and promptly fell to sleep.

A/N.

So, the first chapter of David at Beacon and I made it an extra long 3.4 thousand words. So there you go. Also, I've figured out his semblance which works perfectly with his character and back-story. Now, I apologize for the long break, I have had a nasty cough over the past few days, but it's fine now. Also, last week if classes for me and a lot of graduations for many others so good luck to all those dealing with classes and school, my sympathies. But, I will keep working on this but I would have really enjoyed having David in RWBY. Now if only I had five-thousand dollars and three other friends who would want to do it with me. For those who don't know, Rooster Teeth is making a movie and have an Indiegogo fundraiser up and running and one support pack was having a character, OC or character with your personality, in the show and making an appearance. So, until next time, I bid you all faarewell.

-TheInnerPeace signing off. (I am slightly miffed that David isn't in the show. He would go perfect with established canon. In my opinion.)