Hey there folks, so yep. Another new one. Well my first pure RWBY story so that's cool. This is clearly Jaune centric and like with most Jaune centric fics he will undergo quite a bit of a character growth/change before coming to Beacon. Also since you probably saw the tags, yes Ruby is getting aged up a bit and her home life is changing slightly though it affects Yang slightly more and later stages of the story quite a lot.
I hope you enjoy!
Chapter One:
The Catalyst
"Hand me the damned cane, Jauney." His father's voice was croaking and hoarse. Jaune had grown used to it by now but still he missed the deep rumbling sound the man once possessed.
"Here you go dad." He replied softly as he handed the smooth wooden can over to the man.
Jaune watched as his father rubbed his hands across the surface that Jaune had carved for him. It was simple mostly, carved into a Grimm Gryphon head with the Arc family symbol protruding from the top right where the man's hand would be as he used the cane.
"Hmm, you've improved quite a bit. It's wonderful, son." The man's rough and pained voice was warm.
"I've been practicing here and there. Mom has dinner ready though so come on."
He reached out and hooked his arms under his father's and helped him to his feet. It was probably unnecessary but a little help was nice since even now his father's old injuries made movement a slow and uncomfortable process.
At the least his old burns no longer pained him as they once had.
"Best not keep her waiting." His father said taking the lead.
Jaune watched his father move ahead of him with a small frown. When he had been small the man had seemed like a giant. An invincible and heroic huntsman. Things changed though. All it had taken was a single day and Gilles Arc was crippled for life. Never to be a huntsman again.
It had been an eye opener for Jaune to see his father so badly hurt in the hospital. One that had affected his dream. It hadn't killed it, instead it had given it a more realistic and darker presence in his mind.
Since then he had actually set to work to train to pursue his dream.
The first years had been hard. Between his father's medical bills and the company he had been contracted with trying to get out of a settlement, the family had a few lean years. Jaune's mother had returned to the workforce and his older sisters had similarly begun careers to support the family at the time.
Where once they had been rather wealthy, the family had been nearly forced to sell off land and other properties that had been owned by Arcs for generations. Thankfully, earlier this year, just after his father's fortieth birthday, the settlement came and things returned almost to what they had been.
Almost. Gilles Arc was still too hurt to work ever again and out in the frontier there was little in the way of support for the infirm from the various governments.
With all of that surrounding him, Jaune had focused his attention on training himself. Both his body and mind. Almost as an escape from the sadness of seeing his father so broken.
Tomorrow was Jaune's fourteenth birthday, and according to the few family friends Gilles had helped tutor Jaune, Jaune was advancing incredibly fast in his studies.
His semblance remained undiscovered but his massive aura was abnormal for someone his age, even among such a longstanding line of huntsmen. The thoughts about his progress filled Jaune with pride and joy but he always felt he was lacking still.
He dwelled on it. Gilles knew that he did. Even if he couldn't see. Like right this moment, Jaune's mind had drifted, not to his upcoming birthday but silent reprimands of his own as he failed to meet deadlines he had set for himself.
After all he had been certain he would have discovered his semblance by now.
"Enough, son. You promised you would take it easy this week. No training, just spending time with all of us. Your mother and I have missed our little Jauney, you know." Gilles said with a rasping voice.
"Sorry dad." Jaune replied, wondering how the man always knew what was passing through his mind.
"Just relax." Gilles repeated as they finally reached the house.
The Arc family home was an incredibly old building. Some portions of the estate dated back before even the construction of Beacon Academy, but the Arcs had built up on it and remodeled it extensively over the years.
Despite its size however it was a rustic and humbly decorated construct.
Inside Jaune and Gilles both grinned at the sight of Jaune's four younger sisters rushing down the stairs toward the dining room.
They shot the pair of males toothy smiles before disappearing around the corner into the dining room.
"The triplets and little Mari are sure excited for something." Jaune commented with a chuckle.
"I'm sure they're just hungry." Gilles replied.
Stepping into the room the two of them briefly took in the sight of the Arc family taking their spots around the large old table.
Marie, Jaune's mother as well as his two eldest sisters Marigold or Big Mari, and Saphron, all set the dishes of food on the table. The third eldest Arc sister, Hilde did her best to wrangle the unruly younger girls and get them situated around the table.
Jaune blinked in surprise at the dishes being put on the table. The family was large enough that meals were typically simple affairs. They usually had sandwiches two nights a week. Simply because it was fast and easy and fed the small horde of children that Gilles and Marie had.
Tonight was different though. Whenever the family was celebrating something they typically had a larger dinner.
"Wait, is this for my birthday?"
"Well we couldn't surprise you if we celebrated it on your actual birthday!" Mariota the youngest cried out happily.
"Of course." He chuckled.
"Let's dig in and then we can talk about gifts, hmm?" Marie said as she swept around the table and kissed both Jaune and Gilles on the cheek.
"Sounds great."
Jaune enjoyed his time with them all. It wasn't until now that he realized just how right his parents were. He poured practically all his time into his training to become a huntsman. Much to his mother's disapproval, honestly but his father always played up the need to keep the family tradition going. The meal was relatively quick and soon the table was cleared off and the girls had set several small boxes across it.
It was the largest birthday spread he'd ever had. He wasn't exactly easy to shop for. He didn't ask for much beyond the necessities and the occasional comics and books. That didn't mean he didn't appreciate the gifts. His older sisters had chipped in together to buy him a complete collection of the X-ray and Vav comic line, all in thick hardback volumes. That edition wasn't cheap.
Similarly the triplets had pooled their money for gifts buying him a set of rugged clothes for training and traveling. It wasn't exactly high end but it was durable and comfortable from what he could tell.
"Do you three know something I don't?" He asked, getting poor attempts at deflection from all three of them as responses.
"What could you possibly mean?" His mother tried to cover, showing just where the girls got their poor deceptive skills.
"Uh huh. Now what is this?" Jaune played up his interest in the final package on the table. It wasn't as well wrapped as the others but it was clearly from his youngest sister. The fact that she had clearly insisted on wrapping his gift herself was heartwarming.
Little Mari grinned at her brother as bright as could be as he tore off the wrapping paper and opened up the little box. Carefully he lifted the item inside out and held it up. Unlike the other gifts that had been purchased, this one had been made by his little sister by hand.
A tiny medallion made of a polished blue stone hung from thin cords. The stone itself had two tiny arcs carved into it to look like the family symbol with the recesses painted by hand in gold.
"Mari, I love it. Thank you." He said as he moved to start putting it around his neck.
"Wait, mom helped me with it, dad too. Put your aura into it."
Jaune hummed in thought as he held the small stone up. Mari hadn't unlocked her aura so it made sense that their parents had to lend a hand. As he channeled a tiny bit of aura into the necklace the arches carved into the stone began to shine with a faint golden hue.
"Mom showed me how to mix the paint with dust. It doesn't do anything but light up, but it's cool right?" The littlest Arc asked a bit shyly.
"It's very cool. A great gift." Jauen said happily as he reached out and gently tousled his sister's hair.
He let the girl help him put the simple necklace on. Then after a couple of pictures they all helped their mother clear the room and his elder sisters all took charge of putting the little ones to bed leaving Jaune with his parents.
Jaune's mother was still fawning over the pictures of Jaune and his sisters while Gilles poured them all a glass of wine. It was a local brand. One of four that dominated Remnant's wine market. Given to the Arc's as courtesy for literal centuries of support for the vineyard's security. Both Gilles and Marie were avid wine tasters and received at least one complimentary bottle from all the local producers with every harvest.
"Marie…if you would." Gilles said as he sat back and waved for Jaune to take his glass.
Like his parents Jaune had developed some taste for wine, though it was mostly because the wineries nearby were the main income for their little community and practically everyone in the area enjoyed regular bottles of local product. He wasn't quite as refined as his mother and father were with their tastes. Still, while he enjoyed the glass his father had poured for him, his mother briefly disappeared into one of the first floor closets before returning with a pair of ruggedized containers on a dolly.
"Woah, what the heck is all that?" He asked as he set his drink down.
"Your gift." His father simply said with a soft chuckle.
"I kind of pieced that together, but I mean, what is it."
"The idea with presents is to open them and find out, son." Marie teased.
Jaune rolled his eyes but quickly hefted the first of the two containers up onto the table.
"Glad to see the training is actually taking." His mother commented as he easily handled the bulky and heavy metal crates.
Jaune shot her a brief look but turned his attention back to the second crate rather than say anything. She was against her children becoming hunters, especially her only son, but she had slowly come to the realization that it was practically all Jaune wanted in life. To be a hero. She couldn't stop him so at least she wanted him trained and equipped properly.
Once the two crates were up on the table, Jaune flipped the clasp of the heavier of the two. Inside a full set of huntsman's armor similar to his father's own old set lay in molded foam carrying trays. Unlike the white and gold color of his father's armor, Jaune's was a dull metallic in most places. Cold gray with matching gray fur along the shoulders to act as a sort of decorative mantle.
"This…it's…hold on this ballistic rating…" Jaune stammered as he began reading through the manifest included.
"It will work with your aura and it's more than capable of taking heavy blows from grimm or weapons." Marie said.
"And we made sure they incorporated a simple mechashift design in it. It can alter itself as you grow to fit you for years to come. Unless you get old and fat like me." Gilles chuckled, getting a light swat to the side from his wife for the joke at his own age.
"It's amazing. This had to cost a fortune." Jaune said a bit worriedly. Huntsman weapons were expensive enough but a full suit of armor was even worse. Especially with the materials they had used for this armor.
"Heh, don't sweat it at all. The SDC is finally paying their dues. A huge settlement for all of those that suffered in the attack. We'll keep getting installments till the day I kick the bucket too." Gilles said with a grin.
"It's the least they could do." Jauen bit out.
"Here, open the other one." Marie insisted, pushing them off the topic of the SDC and the incident. Not a favorite topic for any of them.
Jaune did as he was told and flipped open the clasps to the second case. It was longer than the first one by quite a bit but also far lighter. Once he had the lid opened it was obvious why that was. While the first container held a full suit of huntsman's armor, similar in style to the knights of old but modified for the modern needs of a hunter, this container held a huntsman's weapon.
Slowly Jaune slid the blade free of the crate and held it up. Even with his training and the help of aura he could feel the weight of this blade. It was beautiful. He imagined that even when he had finished growing it would reach at least to his shoulders from tip to pommel. What's more, he could easily tell that the blade catcher above the handguard doubled as a mechanism to place dust inside and add a little extra to the already menacing sword.
"You are really going to have to step up your training to wield that right." Gilles said seriously.
"Yeah, I'll get it though. I will." Jaune replied, taking his father's words as a challenge.
"Hmph. I know that, boy. Sadly the folks I have been having tutor you won't cut it anymore. They aren't active and like me they are not going to keep up with you as you grow.
Both Jaune and Marie turned toward him with confused expressions. Gilles was a bit of a prideful man when it came to his ability to fight and since he started training his son, teach. Sadly he was also a practical man who knew his limitations.
"What do you mean Gil?" Marie asked, dreading the likely answer.
"I mean I got in touch with an old acquaintance. Your aunt actually."
"My aunt?" Jaune asked as he watched the color drain from his mother's face.
"Yes. She has some things she is taking care of, but in a couple months she will be coming to visit and picking up training you. You'll be going with her when she leaves too."
"What?" Marie hissed before turning stiffly to Jaune.
"Let me help you pack this up and carry it out to the training room. Your father and I have to discuss some things while you get it all settled in." She was practically hissing out her words between clenched teeth.
Jaune shot a glance toward his father who only nodded at him, clearly telling him to do as he was told. The teen quickly closed the containers back up and set them onto the dolly that his mother had wheeled them in on. He didn't say much as his mother followed him to the door.
"Take your time setting things how you like it. I know we said to take a break this week, but go ahead and try everything on and see how everything works." She said as she set the rugged clothes that his sisters had gotten him.
"Right, just mom try to take it easy on him. I really do need the training. If this is the best way…"
"Go try out your equipment, Jaune." She said simply before closing the door as she turned back toward the dining room where Jaune imagined his father had refilled his glass with wine by now.
The teen sighed but did as his mother said. He was a bit excited to give it all a try after all.
Ruby Rose groaned as she rolled across the grassy field. She was really beginning to become familiar with the ground in this forest clearing. At least she wasn't the only one. The grunt of pain and thump of a body landing beside her told her as much.
"You need to do better, girls. I know that you can too." The woman who stood over them muttered as she adjusted her gloves.
"Psychopath…" Yang choked out along with a mix of spit and dirt as a reply.
"Never officially diagnosed." Her mother replied with a shrug.
"Aunt Raven, maybe a break would be nice?" Ruby asked weakly.
The red eyes that were staring down at the blonde turned toward Ruby now and seemed to soften just a moment before hardening again. That was that then. No breaks. She expected that really and yet she was still disappointed.
"If one of you can finally land a hit then you can both get a break." Raven said before swinging her foot back and planting a harsh kick to Yang's stomach that flipped her over onto her back. Not quite enough to break her aura but it was definitely hard enough to be felt.
"Just say no…" The blonde whimpered.
"No breaks." Raven said with a smirk as her foot swung out for Ruby this time.
The smallest of the three females rolled away just in time and managed to struggle back to her feet. Yang slowly joined her as Raven let both of them fall back into a basic stance for self defense. Ruby really felt it was a bit unfair that they were running hand to hand again, since it was definitely Yang's thing and not her's but Raven had been all too happy to rip the scythe from her hands and let her know that the fight was only just getting started.
Evidently she needed to work on her skills without her main weapon. So knife drills and fisticuffs had been all she had done most of this week.
"I really hate this." She managed to breathe out as Raven began encroaching on her and Yang once again.
"Perhaps, but you'll thank me if you ever get Crescent Rose pulled out of your hands in the middle of a fight." Raven replied.
"So curse you for giving us bruises now and thank you for us giving others bruises later?" Yang asked as she spit a bit more dirt out of her mouth. Perhaps a little blood too. Raven had clocked her with a hell of a right hook earlier while she was distracted.
"Curse me then too, just don't end up dead." Raven replied as she suddenly lunged forward and the fight picked back up where it had left off.
Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, it didn't continue on long after that. Both sisters were quite tired and their auras had already been low. Even though she had clearly been going a bit easier on Ruby than Yang, Raven managed to crack through Ruby's aura and had to call it there.
"You're getting better." Raven simply said as she collected their gear and swung a sword in the air beside them.
"Whoo." Yang replied with absolutely zero actual cheer.
Raven looked to be enjoying the little pop she gave her daughter on the back of the head.
"Ruby, you'll probably never be bigger or stronger than your opponent, unlike the golden tank here," Raven began playfully and easily, batting away the swings of Yang's hands as she tried to slap her back.
"That being said, you need to work on finding ways to escape and disengage. Qrow can help you there better than I can."
Ruby was about to reply before they all stepped through the portal she had made into the front yard of the Xiao-Long household.
"Holy sh-Raven what did we talk about!" Taiyang's voice barked as he hopped out of the old rocking chair on the front porch.
"You'll have to remind me. Was that the conversation before or after I let you climb on top of me-" Raven began with her usual vulgar method of riling people up.
"Not in front of the girls!" He yelped.
"Ugh, we're fifteen, dad. Not five. Besides it's not like we can't tell what's going on when you practically skip around and sing the next day." Yang interjected.
"Yeah. I still don't want to hear about it though." Ruby commented as she stepped past her father and headed for the house. She needed a hot shower to ease her battered form. It would take a while for her aura to replenish and start healing her.
"Ruby, next time we'll be working on some knife work again. Maybe with semblance use too." Raven called out.
"I thought so. See you in a week, Aunt Raven." Ruby called out.
"Tai, work on Yang's tendency to charge in head first before I get the girls next." Raven said as she simply moved on from Ruby's goodbye.
"I'm totally not that bad."
"She's worse and she is going to eventually run into something that can knock her on her ass when she does it." Raven said with a sharp look toward Yang.
"Whatever. Aren't you late for Raven's Rehab Rally?" Yang asked as she turned to catch up with Ruby.
By that point Ruby had put enough distance between them that she didn't catch Raven's reaction. Probably a simple roll of the eyes. Either way, a moment of muted talks between Taiyang and Raven and the portal closed again.
No real goodbyes from the woman. That was the usual end of their weekends together. Raven showed up Friday night, took them to some campsite using her portals, and then proceeded to beat the tar out of them for as many of the next forty-eight hours that she could. Ruby really wanted to complain about it sometimes but she couldn't argue with the results. After all, she and Yang were first years at Signal this year and had steamrolled literally every other student there.
Of course Raven wasn't the only one teaching them. All three of their parental figures had a part in it. Raven was just a bit more harsh than the two men were. She had her reasons. Ruby hoped that they were more than just enjoying punching on the two girls she had helped to raise.
"Ruby, I'll let you fiddle with Ember Celica if you let me have the shower first." Yang said as they made their way upstairs.
That was incredibly tempting. On further consideration however she was pretty sure her ribs were the color of grape juice right about now.
"Nope."
"Damn, whatever. Just don't use all the hot water."
The smoke irritated his throat but he could only try to push the discomfort out of his mind. He had much larger issues right now than a sore throat.
Sliding his left foot back smoothly as he pivoted backwards, he brought his sword around in a sweeping motion that easily parted the pair of beowolves leaping toward his back. Carrying the motion through, he stepped around the third that had charged at him as well and twisted his greatsword up into the air before rapidly bringing it down straight through the mask of the monster beside him.
He'd been at this for a couple hours now. The tiny hamlet of Dewspring was on the verge of being overrun by a sizable pack of grimm before he had arrived. Their small flimsy walls had been breached and it was only a matter of time before the monsters had breached the small post office at the center of town where the people had chosen to make their last stand.
By now the townsfolk had reclaimed the area within their walls thanks to Jaune's help. They had even helped him by picking off the weaker grimm prowling around the edges of the pack whenever they got a clear shot. Thankfully they hadn't attempted to put themselves between himself and the bulk of the pack.
"Anyone seen an Alpha?" He asked loudly.
"You talking about that big sonuvabitch that killed the Aryl family?" One of the villagers asked.
"Probably." Jaune said simply as he kept scanning the smoldering village for sight of more grimm.
"Try down by the river, some folks ran off to try and use the little fishing boats to get away. From the sound of the screaming, I don't think they made it all that far though." One of the others piped up.
"Then I'm headed that way, stay close together with one another, there could still be some more nearby." Jaune said as he moved through the wrecked town toward the river.
Over his time criss crossing the frontiers of Sanus, Jaune had begun to get a bit desensitized to attacks like this. Sometimes wondering why people kept returning to rebuild even after a community had been completely desolated.
As numb to the brutal loss of life and destruction as he had become, Jaune had become quite knowledgeable about them as well. That helped in moments like this one.
The teen nimbly avoided the pouncing attack from the alpha beowolf as it attempted to ambush him. Some grimm were far more clever than the people generally gave them credit for.
"You jumped the gun, huh." Jaune mocked as he and the beast circled one another.
He kept his sword in motion as he changed the angles of their fight with every step. Both waited for a possible opening to end the fight as quickly as possible. Another lesson the last couple of years had taught Jaune. No room for flash and finesse. End the fight and end if fast. It was best for you and anyone you were trying to help that way.
Grimm, especially beowolves weren't known for their patience. This alpha proved that it was no exception to that pattern as it hurled itself at the knight standing before it. In doing so it opened up itself for a hard swing from Jaune that planted right between the overgrown plates of white bone that covered it's head and shoulders.
One strike.
That was all that he needed to kill an Alpha Beowolf nowadays. It was nice to recall how far he had come over the recent years. This beast and it's pack wouldn't be endangering the village or anyone else anymore.
Unfortunately that meant little for the dozen or so corpses that were spread between the river and the smoking village.
Taking stock of the sight that the alpha had left in it's wake, Jaune was almost thankful he had seen other scenes before. Just so he didn't feel quite so queasy. A family of five or six really had tried to make it to the small fishing rafts tied to the rickety dock nearby. Not one had made it though. The Alpha had ambushed them just like it had attempted to do to Jaune.
Shaking his head at the senseless death, he turned back toward the village proper and stopped to check in with the man who seemed to be acting as a sort of leader. He was nothing more than an old farmer, but a couple of scars told Jaune that he had tussled with Grimm incursions on his village in the past and clearly came out on top.
"Alpha's dead." Jaune said simply as he stopped beside the man delegating tasks to the survivors.
"Ah, well thanks for that. 'Fraid we ain't got much for pay except maybe some food and a bed." The man replied as he sadly scanned his weary eyes over the village.
"I don't need any pay and I won't be staying the night. I'll take a bit of food for the road though. If you're sure you can spare it." Jaune replied.
"For you, definitely." The man said as he turned toward a small cart with food brought out for the other survivors. He collected some, a little less than he truly wanted, and soon set out again.
Much like with several other small towns and villages and the homesteads he had happened onto in need of help, Jaune didn't introduce himself and didn't seek out his name being lauded like some saint.
That was something his aunt would do. They didn't have the same reasons for being hunters though and his reason had no need to be called a hero. The act of performing as a hero was what he wanted.
At least until he had completed schooling at a finishing academy.
That was why he was headed on the long road home. It was time he got a real education for becoming a huntsman and his father's recommendation would mean a lot. He was a Beacon graduate after all.
He wasn't far from home either. A day at most unless he was waylaid again due to Grimm or bandits.
The road wound it's way through the countryside and over time some of the familiar landscape began to fall into place. Once a full fledged kingdom, the area had for many generations been a sizable barony under the crown of Vale. Following the great war and reformation of Vale's leadership into the council, the Barony of Benlac was also reorganized. The nobles gradually ceded their lands and became simply wealthy landlords or in his family's case Huntsmen.
Markers for that history covered the region. Ancient castles, eternal vineyards that produced even today, herds of cattle and horses carefully maintained and protected from both predators and Grimm. Jaune would always love the vibrant green landscape of his home. As inspiring as the old ruins of castles could be to push him to follow in his ancestors footsteps, it wasn't an area that really ever experienced much trouble.
Essentially he wasn't really needed. That was the main reason he hadn't been back in so long. Occasional brief visits when he was traveling with Astrea, but afterward his stops back home had come by less and less.
His mother and sisters were unhappy with that, though his father had understood at least. Jaune had a calling as a huntsman, and while he had no formal education in the field, he was already doing quite a lot to prove he had what it took.
He just needed a license now, and even though the short visit home would lead to both his mother and sisters complaining that he didn't visit enough, it was time Jaune got his father's official backing to enter one of the Hunter finishing academies.
More specifically Beacon.
Stepping up the path leading from the road to the old Arc estate, any hope for surprising his family at the door was thwarted when Marigold spotted him. She was a bit dirty and had been working fixing the tractor parked beside the long driveway up to the Arc household. The moment she saw him in his armor though she had dropped all her tools and made a beeline straight for him.
"You are in so much trouble with mom." She said before lashing out to wrap him into a warm hug. Well, he imagined it was warm. The armor kind of prevented him from feeling it beyond the weight of another person upon him.
"It's good to see you too Mari." He laughed.
"Come on, little Mari has been whining about you possibly missing her birthday…again."
Jaune flinched at that. He especially felt bad since he had forgotten entirely about the event. He didn't have a gift.
"She will just be happy you are here, Jaune." Marigold said with a knowing look.
The boy cleared his throat. All his life big Mari had been able to read him like a book. Even behind his helmet visor she could still catch on to his thoughts evidently.
"Cause I'm the big sister. It's my superpower." She grinned at him as she spoke.
"Yeah that's actually kind of creepy and I regularly face Grimm." Jaune shot back.
"What is it that dad always says to get under mom's skin? Like 'I could fight a pack of a hundred grimm, but the moment one of you girls or your mother open your mouths I'm defeated.'"
"Well that's mostly because you girls can't take no for an answer. You're really pushy."
"The first thing you are going to say to me after so long is that I'm pushy? Who taught you manners?"
Jaune snorted at that before plucking his helmet off of his head and leaning forward to kiss his big sister, now smaller than him, on the forehead.
"Pretty sure I said it's good to see you first, sister."
"Hmm, well-" She began before a shout interrupted them.
"Jaune!" A little voice cried before the form of his youngest sister slammed into him with a hug.
"Little Mari! Not so little anymore!" He laughed as he swung her up into his arms. The girl only barely came up to his chest and was light as a feather for him.
"You came in time for my birthday. Mom made my favorite so you can sit by me when we eat. Come on!" The little girl rapidly said before taking hold of her brother's hand and dragging him toward the house at a much faster pace, right past the giggling triplets who were coming up from the barn, likely having been doing chores.
As they stepped into the house, Jaune smiled at the rest of his family gathered there, especially his father who seemed to perk up at the sight of his only son. Not that he had looked depressed but the man was typically surrounded by the girls twenty-four seven and having his boy back home was always a nice change.
Jaune's mother also perked up until a dark look appeared in her eyes and she began rapidly approaching him while drying her hands with a small towel.
"How nice of you to visit after so long without so much as even a call, my sweet son." Marie Arc said as she stalked toward him.
How she could make a term such as 'sweet son' sound like it was the name of some hated criminal he would never know. However he knew the dressing down the matriarch of the family was going to give him was not about to be a fun experience.
Ruby couldn't help but feel a nervousness building in her core at the prospect of going to Beacon. She tried to remind herself she was ready. In fact her seventeenth birthday had just passed not long ago and her Aunt Raven, Uncle Qrow, and even her father all begrudgingly admitted both she and Yang were ready for this next step.
Still the nerves were making her a bit jittery. Yang clearly noticed if the amused glances and gentle pats she was laying on her shoulder were any indication.
"Relax, would you? This is what we've been working on for years. We're here. Well almost." Yang tried to encourage her before glancing out the window at the vast campus of Beacon academy they were approaching.
"I'm trying. It's just, this is kind of a big step. They only accepted ten people from our graduating class to even take the initiation. Everyone else had to apply to the minor schools."
"Hey, they are all huntsman academies. No big deal." Yang tried again.
"You don't even believe that." Ruby replied flatly.
"Well, duh. I get that this is Beacon, Rubes. Really I do. Best of the best and all that stuff. Thing is we are the best of the best. Top of Signal four years in a row. Not just for our class but in the school, all four years. We belong here and we'll pass the initiation with no problem. I promise."
Ruby took a breath as Yang shot her a bright grin. Her sister really knew how to work her emotions. Her skin wasn't crawling and she didn't feel sick to her stomach anymore at least. That wasn't to say she was comfortable. Even as they began to disembark from the airship onto the Beacon docks, Ruby couldn't shake the feeling of awe and trepidation swirling inside herself.
"They only took ten people from Signal…why are there so many initiates?" She asked Yang.
"There's lots of feeder schools for Beacon, plus Mom and Uncle Qrow never went to an academy before Beacon. There are plenty of people here with…alternative experience." Yang said before pausing as a tall boy in full armor strode past carrying a broadsword and a travel pack.
"Some people like that pretending to be legends too. That guy copied the look of the Nameless Knight down to the tee. Talk about hero worship." Yang snorted.
"It could just be a coincidence you know." Ruby defended the stranger weakly.
"Yeah sure. Anyway, I have to hit the ladies room and see if I can catch up with any of our classmates that made it in. You gunna be alright if I go?"
"I'm not a kid, Yang." Ruby said stiffly.
"I know. Catch you later, sis." The blonde said before running off after her other friends. Unlike her Ruby had never been exactly good with making lots of friends. She had a couple like everyone else, but most of her friends weren't even training to be hunters. They were all back on patch pursuing normal, safe careers.
"You weren't actually supposed to leave, Yang." Ruby moaned quietly to herself as she saw the last trace of blonde hair disappear around a distant corner.
"Excuse me." A snotty voice pulled her back into the present and caused her to spin in place. Standing before her was a petite white haired girl with a small scar running across one of her eyes. Truth be told the icey look on her face brought her whole style together.
"Yeah?"
"You're blocking a landing platform. My landing platform." The girl said before jabbing a finger up toward a hovering aircraft. It was much smaller but more expensive looking than the crafts that brought the majority of students.
"Wait, your landing platform?" Ruby asked.
The girl rolled her eyes. "I might not own the platform but its the one where my private airship is supposed to unload my luggage. The fact I was able to hop from it's loading ramp and land behind you without you noticing makes me think you are at the wrong school."
"I earned my place here the same as you, princess." Ruby replied, not missing the insult in the rich girl's words.
"Great, then move already." She replied with little change in expression at all.
Ruby wasn't exactly a confrontational person and, well she really was sort of blocking a landing pad. Without another word she stepped away and the other girl did as well. As the ship landed, several servants began unloading a surprising number of cases and bags, evidently all belonging to the girl beside her.
"Is that all dust?" Ruby asked.
"Of course it is. You really shouldn't be here if you're this simple. I'm Weiss Schnee-" She began her introduction in the haughtiest tone Ruby had ever heard someone use.
"Heiress to the Schnee Dust Company." Another girl interrupted causing them both to look over at a dark haired girl with a large bow on her head.
"It seems fitting that the heiress has the same manners as the current head of the company." She continued.
The now named Weiss glared at the stranger before scoffing and turning away to follow the trail of her luggage being carted toward the school. Before Ruby could say anything to her, the other girl also decided to leave, with only Ruby remaining in the landing area as the last of the students disembarked.
"Off to a great start." Ruby moaned with a sigh.
"Well it could have been worse. Like if everyone thought you were impersonating some Huntsman legend on the frontier." A male voice said from beside her, causing her to tense up for a moment. As mean as she was, the Schnee girl was right, Ruby was not being very perceptive at the moment.
Turning to face the newest person to be near her she noticed the boy that her sister had mocked slightly earlier. Clearly he had heard that.
"Uh, so you heard that earlier then?" She hoped it was a coincidence he had said what he did.
Coincidences weren't a real thing though. Her Aunt always preached that little proverb whenever the subject came up.
"Yeah, definitely heard that." He replied.
"Well, uh that was my sister Yang and she was just joking, you know?" Ruby chuckled awkwardly.
"She isn't the first one to think I was impersonating that guy. It's no big deal really. I do have a name though. Jaune Arc." The boy said simply extending a hand toward her to shake.
It was a bit weird for her. Their size difference, despite both likely being seventeen, was massive. After all she barely topped out as his shoulder. He was also clad entirely in a suit of armor while she wore a battle skirt and top. Not really much in the way of armor.
"Ruby Rose."
"Nice to meet you. Want some company on the way to the auditorium?" He asked.
Ruby didn't have to think about it long. She really didn't want to be walking alone.
"I definitely would. I mean I do want some company…just lead the way, Jaune." She mumbled after stumbling over her grammar.
She couldn't see his face behind the helmet, but the way his shoulders shook, she was pretty sure he was chuckling. That only made the mild blush on her cheeks burn a little hotter. Fighting she could do, but clearly carrying on a conversation with strangers was beyond her abilities.
It was going to be a tough four years for her in that regard she supposed.
That is that, I hope you guys enjoyed. More to come obviously. This is almost more of a prologue really, so next chapter is the classic initiation and start of school chapter. Teams will be a bit different. I will already tell you now. We will get more on that next time. Also we will definitely learn about Jaune's mysterious aunt in later chapters she will play a pretty big role.
Big Thanks to Fredward for betaing this
Till Next Time.