Chapter 3

After the assistant director made a brief statement, the headmaster stepped up to the microphone and addressed the class, "Good afternoon, students. I'm not exactly one for making big speeches, but a lot of things have happened this past year. As an academy of international importance, Beacon does not exist isolated from events occurring in the outside world. This academy was founded in mankind's continuing efforts to ward off the ever-present threat of the Grimm. Yet, this does not shield us from the political realities that we face. Many of you have trained in these very halls under the wing of our staff. Many of your parents have fought, and died, for the very ground and soil on which you stand. We have lost many good friends over these past few years.

"From what we have witnessed, some of you may be wondering how we can still function without plunging into despair or apathy. I wonder that myself from time to time. But even so, you students need not worry. No matter what troubles we may have faced in the past, Beacon is still strong. We are finest institution in all of Remnant for defending the rights of civilization from whatever evils may try to undermine it. As future hunters and huntresses, you are the protectors of tomorrow. Though we have earned peace for the time being, it will not last indefinitely. You must be prepared to face whatever forces may conspire against the harmony that the five kingdoms have established. Even so, I ask that you stay above the games of politics that kings and councilmen play among themselves. As hunters and huntresses, you must make the safety and security of humanity first, and foremost, among your concerns.

"I see many of you out there, watching with casual indifference or letting yourselves get distracted by whatever catches your eye. Some of you may have come here hoping you can become the heroes of the stories your family told you when you were still a child. I know many of you will soon forget this message as soon as you wander out of these doors and await tomorrow's examination. But no matter what, you must never forget the burden that you must bear as the protectors of civilization. I wish you all good luck. Do not disappoint me." Professor Ozpin stepped away from the mike, and then exited the stage with his arms crossed behind his back. As the assistant director and the rest of the staff watched the headmaster leave, he neither paused nor turned to acknowledge them.

Professor Port slowly stepped up to the mike, tapped it, and then addressed the class. "Well, that was quite a speech, wasn't it? Now, I'm sure many of you are wondering just what sorts of exciting adventures we have planned for you for the rest of this afternoon. Why, even my fingers are itching to drive my ax through some unsuspecting Ursa's head! So…." The assistant director went through a list of activities scheduled for the rest of the day, including a tour starting in half an hour. Everyone was expected to spend the night in the academy ballroom, where sleeping bags would be provided.

Once the speech was over, Julian Mintz turned to Ruby and said, "Say, I was thinking of going to go over to Headmaster Ozpin's office. Would you like to come with?"

Ruby thought for a moment, raising her hand close to her chin. "I was actually thinking of checking out the tour, but you can go on your own if you want."

"You sure? I could go with you if you'd like."

"Don't worry about me! I'm a big girl, remember?" Ruby had both a confidence and innocence that Julian couldn't help but find endearing. The former soldier never had any siblings before, or parents for that matter. Maybe this was what it was like to have a little sister.

This world could use people like her.

"Sure thing. Let's meet in the dining hall around five-thirty." They had gone there only an hour before, just after they had dropped off their luggage. Ruby would probably know where to find it.

Before heading for the door at the end of the auditorium, Julian waved to Ruby, who then returned the gesture.

The doors slid open automatically as Julian stepped into the headmaster's office, with two columns flanking his view. Professor Ozpin sat behind his clockwork desk, fiddling around with a photo frame.

As soon as Ozpin saw the boy enter the room, he planted the frame down and stood to attention. "Julian."

The boy instinctively saluted to the headmaster. "Professor Ozpin."

Ozpin moved away from his custom chair and circled around the desk, currently loaded with piles of documents. "I cannot emphasize enough how grateful I am for what General Yang has done. Without him, Beacon wouldn't be standing here today."

"Yeah. Still, it's a shame that so many lives have been lost." Bucock. Merkatz. Greenhill. Goodwitch. Ironwood. Even Captain Schönkopf. So many people have died in this war.

And yet, that man still lives through it all.

Reinhard von Lohengramm.

Ozpin tilted his head as he came close. "What brings you into my office? You look a little tense."

Julian stood to attention when the headmaster placed his hand on the boy's shoulder. "Oh, right. I just wanted to say that I liked your speech, Professor Ozpin."

"I usually don't make big speeches like that, but with what's been happening, I just feel different, somehow. Anyway, I was actually hoping that you'd stop by. I've got an assignment for you. Consider it extra credit."

An assignment already? Why would he have us do something when we're not even enrolled yet? I guess I should see what he wants me to do first. It shouldn't be too much of an issue.

Ozpin turned around and retrieved a scroll sitting on the desk right next to his coffee mug. He opened it up, typed in a few things, and then showed it to Julian. It displayed a blond-haired boy with white plate armor strapped onto his chest and shoulders. Julian remembered seeing the boy back on the airship, rushing into the lavatory just after Julian had left it.

"Jaune Arc," Julian read off the device. "Professor Ozpin, why are you showing me this?"

"Jaune is just one of the many fine students among our pool of applicants. He's received a number of outstanding marks, and he has good grades overall. The thing is, his transcripts don't match up with our old state records."

"You brought him here knowing this?"

Ozpin turned to face a large clockwork mechanism embedded into the left side of the room. "We've had to lower our standards for potential applicants. We didn't have enough people to fill the number of spaces we had available. Strange to hear that coming out of my own mouth."

"Not at all, professor. From the looks of things, there just aren't that many people who can apply these days," said Julian. Not to mention, Atlas is a mess, the trade strip is drawing away talent, and Mistral's half the power it used to be. And that's not getting into the situation with Jotunheim and Vacuo. That leaves just us, and we've got problems of our own.

Ozpin walked back over to the table and reached for his mug. The professor then upturned it, seeing that it was empty. "Anyway, I want you to keep an eye on Jaune during the examination. I try to set as high a bar as possible for my students, and you know I don't like to go easy on them. Jaune Arc comes from one of the northern farm regions, one without a major combat school in the area. While he does come from a long line of hunters, that doesn't necessarily mean he's inherited his family's skills. As things stand, I don't think he'll survive the exam. I want you to make sure that he does."

Julian was puzzled. Why would Ozpin go out of his way to protect one potential applicant? Julian wasn't against the idea, but Ozpin usually didn't show this much leniency towards his students.

Instead of mentioning that, Julian tried asking something else, "But, why me? Why not have one of your staff do it instead?"

"Because I know that you'll do it. I can't take the chance that other students would be willing to accept this task or that someone else would help the boy out of compassion. You're used to taking orders, so I know that you'll follow through. Once everyone's sorted into teams, we can get him up to speed. When we turn an untrained country bumpkin into a master hunter, the Defense Minister will have to start showing us some respect."

"Aye, sir," Julian responded.

The Defense Minister didn't really get along with Professor Ozpin, or anyone else for that matter. The man frequently chastised General Yang for his lack of professionalism, along with his laziness overall. Julian had also heard that Oberstein wasn't fond of Ozpin's unorthodox teaching methods either. Although he wasn't the highest ranking official on Vale's ruling council, the man leveraged his position for everything it was worth, and he exerted a great deal of influence on Vale's military. Combined with his cold and callous nature, everyone found the man difficult to work with, Julian included.

"You and Paul Oberstein haven't been getting along well, have you?"

Ozpin sat back in his chair. "The man thinks he can take my job. I've been running this place for years now, before people even had a dusting clue who Oberstein was." The headmaster took a slow breath in, and then hissed out. "It's times like this when I miss Ironwood." He crossed his legs and shifted over to face Julian. "So, why did you decide to apply to Beacon, Julian?"

"Wha-Oh! It's simple, really." Julian reached up to remove his non-existent cap. "I wish to better myself as a soldier."

"Julian, you do realize that this is a school dedicated to training hunters and huntresses. You are already a good soldier, and besides, I don't think Yang Wenli appreciates that you're going against his advice."

"I know that, but still. The war has weakened us as a nation, and though it may not look like it, our adversaries have felt the blow of its impact. While the wrath of Jotunheim may have subsided for now, I fear another enemy may leap forward from the shadows."

"The Grimm."

"Maybe, maybe not. Still, I know I cannot share the same life as a civilian, knowing the potential for danger awaiting us in the future. I know I have trained well under Captain Schönkopf, and General Yang has taught me everything I know about strategy and tactics, but I don't think it'll be enough. I must become the best soldier I can be, for Yang's sake."

"Even though he did not wish for you to follow this path?"

"I know that he might have said otherwise, but this is what is best for me. I might not be qualified to be Yang's successor, nor do I share his great mind, but if I wish to follow in his footsteps, then I feel that this is the path I must take. And besides, I think that if we wish to prevent future conflict, then maybe... maybe we'll find our answers if we look into our past."

For a minute the room was filled with silence as the professor pushed himself up from his seat. "Well," said Ozpin, "that's quite a noble cause, though it isn't the first time I've heard it. Though, it's a bit strange. We don't get many students who wish to peruse our historical archives."

"It's not just that, Professor Ozpin. This might sound a bit childish, but I've heard theories regarding the origins of human civilization beyond the Northwestern Trade Belt. If…"

"While I admire the courage of your ambitions, you really should set realistic goals for yourself. The land of Styx is a Grimm infested hellhole; even I do not wish to venture there. While we may find answers regarding our adversaries, any expedition will meet with serious casualties if not outright failure. We cannot afford to lose anyone by sending them on meaningless adventures, especially at the state we're in right now." It was a bit disappointing to hear those words, but Julian could understand Ozpin's concerns. It was a dumb idea anyway. "It was good that you stopped by, Julian, but shouldn't you be getting back to the others? Now is a good time to start making some friends."

"Aye, Professor Ozpin. I'll be sure to keep an eye on Jaune. Take care, professor." And with that, Julian gave the headmaster a salute before heading back through the automatic doorway. Ozpin stood where he was, pressing his glasses up at the center.

Julian sidestepped past one of the great stone columns and then seated himself across from Ruby. His tray, big enough to hold three plates and a drink, held a turkey sandwich, cream of tomato soup, and a glass of soda.

Ruby's tray had a pair of teriyaki wings, a slice of lasagna, a slice of watermelon, and a glass of milk. There was also a rather elaborate sundae sitting on the right side of the tray, contained in one of the larger salad bowls the school provided. Four full scoops of vanilla ice cream sat at the bottom of the bowl, glazed on top with whipped cream and strawberry syrup. This in turn was topped with sprinkles, powdered graham cracker, and bits of Oreo cookies. Two halves of a banana had been jammed into the side of the dessert, and four sugar cookies had been planted into the topmost scoop.

Julian had no idea how Ruby could even think about stuffing it all in.

The light of the setting sun penetrated through the tall windows two tables behind Ruby. Many spots where the sun had shined remained vacant.

Just as Ruby was about to take a bite of her chicken, a boy sitting to her right waved to the former soldier. "Sup, Julian."

"Hey," replied Yang's ward. "Anything happen while I was gone?"

"Nah," said Jaune. Ruby had introduced Julian to the boy once they had returned from the tour. He seemed likable enough. The blond-haired boy leaned in close to Julian. "You really think she can eat all that?"

The former Knight of the Rose simply shrugged. He noticed that the boy only had a bowl of salad, a plate of fries, and a glass of water.

While finishing off her main plate, Ruby looked to her two friends and said, "What? I'm a big girl." Some of the teriyaki sauce had gotten onto the sides of her lips. There was no doubt that the chicken probably tasted fantastic, but Julian didn't really want the glaze sticking to his fingers while he ate.

"Excuse me, but do you three mind if I sit next to you?" The voice came from a red-haired girl standing to Julian's left. Her golden armor had been made in the traditional Mistralian style.

Ruby stood up and planted her hands on the table. "Oh my god! You're that girl who was on the Pumpkin Pete's cereal box!"

Jaune spat out his drink. "Holy crap! That was you?"

Someone's going to have to clean up that later. Maybe I should get some napkins.

Pyrrha Nikos let out an awkward laugh, with her eyes shifting around the hall. "Yes, that was me. So… does that mean…"

"I thought they only did that for stars and athletes!" said Jaune.

"Yeah!" joined Ruby. "Wait, what?"

"Well," said Pyrrha, "I did win the Mistral regional tournament four times in a row."

"That's incredible! You must be some sort of big superstar or something!" Shouldn't Ruby have already known this?

Then again, the island of Patch was relatively insulated from the rest of the world, aside from its proximity to Vale. Outside of Signal Academy, there wasn't really much to the place. I guess that's why Yang wanted to retire there.

"I guess you can say that I've had more than my share of fame." Pyrrha placed her tray right next to Julian and then seated herself. It was plain enough that the girl had been a bit hesitant to mention her accomplishments, seeing how often her eyes shifted to the side. People from a number of tables nearby had begun to glance in the group's direction. Julian could hear a few chance whispers among them. "I'm Pyrrha Nikos by the way. Who might you three be?"

Ruby, Jaune, and Julian then took this opportunity to introduce themselves. The warrior's eyes seemed fixated on the Arc lad for some reason.

Out of the corner of his eye, Yang's ward noticed Weiss sitting alone at the far end of the hall, glaring at him with an open scowl on her face.

Julian instinctively turned away, covering part of his eyes to keep the heiress's stare at bay. He didn't actually know if she was still looking at them, but he didn't want to take the chance and find out.

The former soldier turned to face the four-time champion. "So, what's life like in Mistral?"

"I guess we're pretty well off. Is there something in particular that you're asking?"

Julian wasn't quite sure how to phrase his question. Pyrrha probably took for granted many things that people such as Jaune or Ruby would find unusual, given her Eastern upbringing. He had seen this even when he had traveled to the Midwestern regions of Vytal. The people there placed a great deal of emphasis on ancestry and made wide use of the area's prolific bamboo shoots. Even the girl's manner of speaking seemed divorced from the laconic Julian was used to hearing.

More importantly, the boy was interested in knowing how the secession of Jotunheim had affected the people of Mistral, and how they fared under High Lord Reuenthal's rule. Despite the enmity between the two kingdoms, they still maintained ties with each other. Jotunheim's continued participation in the Mistral Regional Tournament was just one aspect of this.

Julian's companion, however, was quicker in forging the right question. "So, just what was last semester's tournament like? I mean, I know they're our enemies and all, but how good are Jotunheim's hunters anyway?"

"They're… surprisingly good actually," said the champion of Mistral. "Even I had a bit of trouble in the last tournament. One of them even had a semblance that was capable of slowing down time, if only for a few seconds. I still beat him in the end."

"That sounds amazing!" said Ruby.

Jaune looked up from eating his salad. "Aren't they all supposed to be Faunus folk or something?"

"Sort of," Julian commented.

"Not all of them," said Pyrrha, "but almost all of those who participated in the tournament were Faunus. That boy I mentioned earlier was part hedgehog."

"Well," said Ruby, "I've always wanted to see a Faunus up close. They've got these really fluffy cat-ears and they look really cute and I've always wanted to pet one."

"Whoa, slow down there, Ruby," said Jaune.

"Sorry!"

After Pyrrha had finished chewing on a burger, she pointed her finger toward the rest of the group. "This might be a strange thing to ask, but did any of you train in here before?"

"No," said Ruby, "why… oh wait, never mind."

"Were you going to say something?"

"I was just wondering why you thought any of us would have been here before, but then I remembered that Yang told me that…"

"Wait," said Jaune, "you know General Yang Wenli? The General Yang Wenli?"

"Well, yeah, he's my cousin."

For twenty seconds, Jaune sat where he was with his jaw hanging low. After that pause, the boy stood up and shot both his hands into the air. "Holy cow, that's incredible! Just, wow! First, the girl on the cereal box comes and sits with me and now I find out that the girl I'm sitting next to is related to the Hero of Vale! Just, good lord! This must be my lucky day!" Jaune would probably have a heart attack if Julian said anything. More people were starting to look in the group's direction.

Pyrrha seemed to notice this as well. "Maybe we should finish this conversation after we're done eating."

"Good idea," remarked Julian as he began working on the rest of his tray. Ruby and Pyrrha took this as a signal to finish off their plates, though Ruby started to slow down once she reached her massive dessert plate. Yang's ward still had no idea how the girl was able to stuff it all down.

"How did it get so quiet all of a sudden?" Jaune remarked. Only now did the blond continue with his meal, seeing that the previous conversation seemed to vanish out of thin air.

Julian and Pyrrha had finished their plates almost simultaneously, but Ruby was still working on her sundae. A few of the other groups looked like they had moved to sit closer to them.

The champion of Mistral turned to face the boy across from her. "So, Jaune, where are you from?"

"Huh?" he responded. "Oh, I'm from the countryside."

"Where's that?"

"Northeast of here. My parents are part of the Farmer's Association, so we've got a few acres for growing corn. We come from a long line of hunters and huntresses, mostly because of how often the Grimm keep showing up. The military never seemed bother us though, even when the war was going on."

By this time, Ruby had finished with her dessert, and was now struggling to lick the ice cream and syrup off her lips.

"Ready?" said Pyrrha.

Jaune raised his eyebrow a bit, seeing as he didn't quite understand why the girl was in such a hurry. Ruby nodded as well. Everyone started rising up from their current locations. Ruby, Jaune, and Pyrrha then lifted their trays up and made their way to the nearest exit.

Pyrrha turned to face Julian, "Aren't you coming with?"

"You three go on ahead, I've got a few things to take care of." Julian raised his hand as if to salute, but then caught himself. His three new friends turned back around and continued on their path.

Julian stepped over to a nearby napkin dispenser and started working on cleaning up the mess Ruby and Jaune had made. A few crumbs had wandered onto the floor, so he made sure to take care of those as well. Out of the corner of his eye, Julian saw Weiss rise up from her seat and march towards the exit.

This doesn't look like it's going to end well, is it.