"Quite a speech you gave the students." Ozpin joked with Raven as they walked towards his office, "I'm sure quite a few must've been disappointed. They would've expected more words from someone as famed as you."
"I'll save it for the real trainees…" Raven grumbled before rubbing his throat, "Speeches aren't good for my throat…"
"...You know, there are rumours surrounding your condition. Some say you were a former Huntsman mauled to near death by a Grimm. Some say you were born as such. Might I ask what the true story is?" Ozpin asks out of curiosity and Raven shrugs.
"Early augmentations… Before NEST…" Raven admitted, "Before Ayre designed safer ones…"
"I find it hard to believe someone like her would subject you through this," Ozpin said doubtfully.
"Not her…" Raven shakes his head, "Other people… Less caring about stuff like ethics… Don't blame them honestly. Made the choice myself… It was either this or starving."
Back during the Jupiter War, before Rubicon, there had been a huge demand for mercenaries and many corporations began offering large sums of money and promises to those who would sign up for the Fourth Generation augmentation. He wasn't making enough as a repairman, and rations weren't enough, so he had three choices. Die by starvation, by augmentation rejection, or on the frontlines.
Was it worth it? Something he asked himself countless times when stuffed in a bag between deployments.
"And these latest augmentations Ayre promised. They are safe, correct?" Ozpin asked.
"Safe as it can be… Rejection's still a risk but no one's dying…" Raven promised, "You looked over the specs yourself… She does all she can to make it safe and painless…"
"I just have to be sure. These are my students after all." Ozpin said, "What do you think of this year's batch so far? I reckon most of the first years, and some of the second and third may sign up for your course."
"Not all of them will get in…" Raven grumbled, "Enough resources for… Give or take twenty… We'll look through the applications, and check over their Initiation… Pick only the ones with potential…"
"And what characteristics are you specifically looking for in those with potential?" Ozpin asked as Raven remained silent.
"I can't believe you told her about me!" Ruby whispers down her Scroll, "Me! You bragged about me to the CEO of NEST Incorporated!"
"I apologise for any embarrassment you must have experienced, friend Ruby." Penny said, not sounding apologetic at all, "But you stated that you wish to become a Pilot, so I spoke of you towards Miss Ayre when she was discussing her Beacon Piloting course."
"This is insane. I still can't believe you know her! She's one of the most powerful women in the world!" Ruby said excitedly as she leaned against the walls of the girl's corner of the ballroom where everyone was getting set up, "How?!"
"My… My father is a close acquaintance of hers, and they worked on a project together many years ago. " Penny explains after some hesitation.
"Oh, must be top secret then." Ruby notes her hesitation, "It's fine, forget about it. How did your dad react after New Glenn?"
"He was more concerned than angry, he worries about me deeply." Penny sighed, "I wish he would not treat me as if I am fragile."
"Hey, I get that." Ruby nodded, "Overprotective dads. Do you want to know how hard it was to convince him to let me apply to Beacon? I had an easier time trying to shoot an ant's wing off a mile away."
"Oh? I was not aware that your aim is that excellent ."
"It's just an exaggeration." Ruby explained, "You should be back in Atlas now, right? Are you at their Huntsmen Academy? They got the best Piloting Course in Remnant, don't they? State-of-the-art simulations and whatnot. Man, I hope Beacon's is going to be just as good."
"You don't have to worry about that, friend Ruby." Penny assured, "Miss Ayre has informed me that it will be just as good as Atlas. I believe so, after all, you will have the Raven mentoring you."
"Speaking of… What's he like?" Ruby asked nervously, "He's going to be my teacher, what if I screw up and embarrass myself in front of him? What if I ruin my first impressions and he can't think of me anything other than some kid who got here by a fluke?"
"Do not fear that he may not look like it but Mister Raven is surprisingly approachable-" Penny said but was cut off by someone, "Oh, it is almost time for curfew in Atlas Academy. I must be signing off soon. Good luck with your initiations tomorrow, Ruby!"
"Goodnight, Penny," Ruby said as she shut off her Scroll just as Yang took a seat next to her with a towel drying her hair,
"Whew, first day and I already miss home. Having your own bathroom and all that." Yang said, "Who were you talking to?"
"Oh, that was Penny. She's a friend I made when I was visiting New Glenn." Ruby explained as she put down her Scroll, "She's awesome! She's got a bunch of floating swords she controls with wires that shoot freaking laser beams!"
"Nice to hear you're making friends that aren't weapons." Yang teases, "Anyways, did you hand in your form yet?"
"Yep! Just in the nick of time, with three hours to go." Ruby sighed in relief, "I can't wait for classes to start! I can't wait to get my own mech! Flying around, with only the sky's the limit! …And the fuel, but you get my point?"
"Flying around with nothing but the altitude and fuel holding you back?" Yang muses, "Sounds pretty awesome actually. I kinda get the same feel with Bumblebee."
"Do you want to sign up?" Ruby asked, "There's still time if you wanna. Come on, it'll be awesome! The two of us together, maybe we'll be partners together!"
"Er…I'm not sure if that's the best idea." Yang said hesitantly, remembering what she learnt. How was she going to act around the man who killed her birth mother? As estranged as she was, and as much as a terrible person, how was she supposed to feel regarding that?
"Yang, are you saying you don't want to be on the same team as me?" Ruby pouts, putting their hands to her sides, getting the wrong idea.
"No, it's not that." Yang insists, "It's just… Eh, it sounds like a lot of work."
"Yeah, I heard being a Pilot is one of the hardest professions." Ruby nodded, "But it'll be worth it! The freedom, the experience, the money, there's literally no downside of being a Pilot!"
"You mean, except dying in a flaming wreck?" Yang points out.
"Er, well isn't death something we also face as a Huntsman?" Ruby looked sheepish at having that pointed out, "But we'll be even safer in an AC! Surrounded by metal plating, using weapons that can level city blocks and more than twice as fast as a Bullhead!"
"Well as enticing as all that firepower sounds, I got all the guns I need right here." Yang smirked as she slid up her sleeves and flexed a muscle, "Nothing beats good old fashioned Aura and mankind's oldest weapon, the fist."
"Except a bus-sized heavy hand cannon that shreds any armour a Grimm has." Ruby whispers under her breath, "...I wonder if I'm going to meet Weiss there."
"The Schnee girl?" Yang asked, "Jeez, having to be in the same class as her sounds rough. What's up with those freaky eyes of hers anyways?"
"Those are Sentinel augmentations." Ruby explained as she pointed her eyes, "They have corneal implants that are hooked up to a miniature relay device in their brains that can hook up with the AEGIS network."
"Some kind of AI, right?" Yang asks, having heard of that before online.
"Yeah, the Adaptive Electronic Guardian Interface System. AEGIS." Ruby nodded, "They say it collects the data of all SDC Sentinel Pilots and tells them all the best strategies to use in battle. It also lets others with the same system link up and coordinate together with just your thoughts!"
"That's crazy, don't think I'd ever want to have someone poking around my head. Let alone some robot." Yang shuddered a bit at the thought, "And honestly, being fed strategies by some machine just feels like cheating."
"Yeah, but have you seen the videos of Sentinel airshows?" Ruby squealed, "They're all so perfectly coordinated, not a single mech out of movement even with all those aerial manoeuvres!"
"Still sounds like cheating though." Yang insists and they hear a familiar voice scoff, "Something you wanna say, princess?"
They turn to look at Weiss who has set up a cot next to them, "Nothing. It is simply that your opinion on AEGIS reminds me of my tutor. This so-called 'cheating' has improved the fighting skills of every AEGIS-enhanced Sentinel by 20% given the latest records, resulting in casualty counts being halved since its implementation."
"Well, I'm not saying that's a bad thing. It's just some of us work hard to get our skills, but now you put a computer in your head and suddenly you're just as good? It feels… frustrating I guess." Yang shrugged as Weiss rolled her eyes.
"Spoken like a true brute." she sighed, "Are you telling me you would rather die than receive aid to improve your chances of survival in combat?"
"...Jeez, talk about a mood killer, huh?" Yang elbows Ruby who was instead focused on Weiss.
"Erm, can I ask you something?" Ruby asked nervously and Weiss contemplated her for a second,
"...You may." she allowed.
"I just want to ask, what was the augmentation surgery like?" Ruby asked, "I mean, I'm going to be a Pilot, and all Pilots need augmentations to use an AC. I just wonder how painful it is."
"..." Weiss remains silent. Inside her mind the flicker of memories seeped through AEGIS' filters as she remembered the hiss of surgical lasers cutting into her flesh, the buzz of whirring blades and drills as they pressed against her skull.
AEGIS detects a spike of fear in her heart, but as usual, keeps her brain in a calm and collected state through simulation of the appropriate chemical glands. At the same time, an answer was calculated and given,
"The surgical procedures are different from that provided by NEST Incorporated. I have no personal knowledge except for second-hand accounts of NEST affiliated Pilots." Weiss answered, "But I would assume that painkillers will be administered."
"Well, that's a relief." Ruby sighed and chuckled, "So you're signing up for the Pilot Course as well? I mean, of course, you are, you got Sentinel augments. Are you excited to be taught by the Raven?"
Internally Weiss was contemplating ceasing the unproductive conversation but etiquette protocols insist out of politeness.
"I am only 'excited' to learn skills taught by the greatest Pilot in the world." Weiss insisted, "Although part of me is curious about his true skill level. Very little footage of his sorties exists, with the most prominent being the Reclamation of Mountain Glenn."
"The one where he fought the Ancient Wyvern, right?" Yang joined in, "Yeah I was watching it live with Ruby and Dad that night. It was insane, all that red lightning shooting around! Ruby couldn't sit still the whole time. I think she has a poster of that mech with the sword cutting the Wyvern's throat. She cried and begged our dad to buy it the moment she saw it in a shop."
"It's an awesome poster!" Ruby blushed in embarrassment, "You thought so too! And it was inspiring!"
"Inspiring?" Weiss asked, her interest somewhat piquing, "How so?"
"That was one of the biggest Grimms ever recorded. The stuff you hear in the Great War that needed entire armies to beat. And just four people fought it to a standstill, with one of them almost cutting its head off!" Ruby gushed as she pumped her fist, "That's the power of the human spirit, it shows that no matter how big and scary they are we'll find a way to stand up to the monsters."
"...Spoken like a child," Weiss muttered with a shake of her head. What had she been expecting from a young girl like her? But then again, so deep down that even she didn't realise at first, there was part of her that thought her naivety was somewhat endearing.
"So, I've been looking for you since you barged out on us." Adam said as he approached Winter who was sitting at the edge of the roof of Beacon Academy, overlooking the campus with the main city visible in the distance, "Nice view isn't it?"
"It is…" Winter agreed almost absentmindedly, "Adam… If I say that tomorrow I'm going to grab FROSTBITE, fly to Atlas and kill my father. What would you do?"
"I'd ask if you want your wingman backing you up." Adam answered without hesitation before speaking loudly as if they were being overheard, "But for legal reasons, I have to say this is a completely hypothetical scenario."
Winter can't help but smile a bit at his antics as he sat down next to her.
"I'm not going to… But I've never felt so tempted in my entire life." Winter's hands grabbing the edge of the roof tightened and crushed a bit off it thanks to her Aura, "That bastard… He's turned my little sister into a drone! She has that damn AI running through her head every second of the day."
"...One of those, huh?" Adam muttered, knowing that more than a few Sentinel Pilots have become addicted to the use of AEGIS.
Usually, it led to mental instability and breakdowns, but the SDC kept insisting those were caused by previously unknown mental health issues that they couldn't detect in the screening process.
And now Winter's sister is going through the same thing? The distraught on her face and bloodlust towards Jacques was all the more reasonable.
"When I left, she told me what she was going to do. Join the Sentinels, redeem our family name, despite the impossibility of all it." Winter whispered, "If I had known she would turn out like this, I'd have tried harder… I should have tried harder. I should have insisted harder, reasoned better, or even forced my father to not allow it… But I just ran away."
"...If she's as stubborn as a certain Vanguard Captain, I'd doubt she'd have changed her mind." Adam said, putting a hand on her shoulder, "Can't say I know what you're going through. Lord knows I don't have any siblings… But I think the best thing you can do for her now is just keep a close eye and make sure she doesn't do anything stupid."
"...Is that the best I can do?" Winter muttered, "Just sit and wait to see if she needs me?"
Adma shrugged, "You can't exactly get her to remove all the augments, Sentinel stuff is just like that. She's made her choice, bad as it is, but when she falls at least there'll be someone there for her. I think that's enough."
"...That simple, huh?" Winter asked, "But I understand. I can't change the past, but I can at least be there for her while I'm here."
"Sometimes, you don't need to complicate things." Adam said as he leaned back, looking at the view of Beacon and Vale in the distance, "Sometimes it's just that simple."
Blake Belladonna wakes up at the crack of dawn, mostly thanks to a very loud Mistralian with ginger hair singing about how it was morning at the top of her lungs. She immediately pities the boy she was singing to, who wore a similarly exhausted expression on his face.
Nevertheless, she gets up and heads to the washroom with the other girls as they wash up and brush their teeth. It felt odd to do this in a place that wasn't a White Fang bunker or safehouse. The sheer number of humans made her feel uneasy, as she was not used to being so close to this many in a non-combat scenario.
This only served to remind her that she was officially a runaway from the White Fang. A traitor. The thought of it wretched her guts, but she reminded me it was all for the cause. This was one of the most important missions in her entire life, maybe in the entire White Fang. She can't afford to fail.
Her eyes drifted towards her quarry, Weiss Schnee. The rumours had been true, she had undergone surgery for the Sentinel augmentations, as indicated by her blue eyes. Part of her wanted to reach for Gambol Shroud at the first sight of them, before reminding herself of the mission.
From what interaction she saw with those two girls she was talking to, Weiss Schnee did not look like she was seeking friends for the sake of social connections. If not then she can't simply approach out of the blue.
But then in the locker rooms, she spots Weiss Schnee actually approaching another person to initiate a conversation with another girl who had long red hair in a ponytail. Vaguely she recognises her as Pyrrha Nikos, a famous arena fighter in Mistral. As she observes, a plan starts to form in her mind.
Perhaps she could forge a connection by proving her skills, or if the Gods would have it, being on the same team. That seemed like the best course of action to get acquainted with her. For now, though, she will keep a distant eye on her target…
"You know what else is great?" A blonde-haired boy in white armour approaches Weiss and Pyrrha with what appears to be his best attempt at a suave smile and tone, "Me. Jaune Arc. Nice to meet you."
While she wasn't even in the conversation, Blake cringed at the sight. But this could be a blessing in disguise, judging from Weiss Schnee's subtle shift in facial expression. Before she can shoo him off, and earn her way into Weiss Schnee's good side, she does it herself.
"Pardon me, but I do not recall either of us inviting you to participate in this private conversation," Weiss asks with a tone so cold it almost made her shiver, and even this Jaune boy looked taken aback and slightly scared before clearing his throat and going for another attempt.
"W-well, I've just been hearing rumours about teams!" Jaune quickly said as Weiss' blue eyes stared a hole into his head, "I was thinking you and me would make a good one! What do you say?"
"...Is this some poor attempt at humour?" Weiss genuinely asked, "I have studied under several world-renowned combat instructors, participated in hundreds of simulated combat scenarios, and partook in training exercises performed by the SDC Sentinel Security Corps. That is Pyrrha Nikos, a renowned combat arena fighter of unparalleled skills with three years of flawless victories. Your build appears to be subpar compared with average male Combat Academy graduates, your armour appears a size too big and is slipping as is your sheath, and you appear more concerned with what I will generously assume to be an attempt at flirting than preparing for your initiations. In short, no, we would not make a 'good' team. I prefer my teammates to have a bare minimum competence."
"That seems a bit harsh." Pyrhha admits before trying to cheer up the blonde, "I… I think you would make a good team member."
"I… I think I should just go." Jaune said quietly and dejectedly before turning to quickly leave, mumbling under his breath as he adjusted the straps of his armour, "Dang it, I thought I fixed that."
…Well there went her window of opportunity. It was a bit of a pitiful sight really. But she assured herself she would have plenty of opportunities in future. As long as she isn't discovered, it is clear that no one suspects her to be a White Fang agent as of yet. Now she just needs to keep it that way.
"She's White Fang." Adam declared as they watched the holographic screens that displayed the Emerald Forest from various angles and focused on Blake Belladonna as she fought Grimm with some blonde girl with shotgun-gauntlets.
"Most likely White Fang." Winter nodded in agreement. The way this girl fights and moves reminds her of an experienced infiltrator and guerilla fighter. There was just too much practice behind her movements to excuse it as just being a normal Combat School graduate. There was also the fact she was evidently keeping her Faunus heritage a secret.
"Definitely White Fang." Ayre agreed, knowing that Ghira had privately confided in her during their lunch meetings years ago that his only daughter ran away to join the White Fang which he was expelled from.
"Truly? I must not have noticed." Ozpin said with some sarcasm in his tone as he sipped from his mug.
"White Fang undercover agent… Same school as SDC heiress… Not a good combination…" Raven notes as he glances at Ozpin, "What's your game, Ozpin? …If you knew, why not go to the cops…?"
"There are many reasons for that, Raven." Ozpin says, "For one, perhaps she has seen the error of her ways."
"I literally met her less than a month ago." Adam points out, "She was part of the White Fang then. Some Talon Pilot with the call-sign Shadowcat."
"We have found many attacks on the SDC supply line from a Pilot with that call-sign as well as a wingman with the call-sign Mirage." Ayre joins in, "While bloodshed is commonly avoided, her hands are not clean."
"Are any of our hands truly clean?" Ozpin asked, "I have ears in a lot of places, Miss Ayre. And recently I heard that there was a runaway from the White Fang, one of their Talons. And now one shows up at our doorsteps with forged transcripts and some attempt at hiding her heritage…"
"...And why did you let her into your school?" Adam asks, still confused, "Am I missing something here? Because that seems like a terrible idea."
"This could be some kind of trick." Winter pointed out with concern, "The White Fang have a strong hatred against the Schnee Family, I would know from personal experience. If she's in the same school as my sister, then she is in danger!"
"Rest assured, the safety of my students is my utmost priority." Ozpin assured, "I ask that you leave the details of Miss Belladonna to me, and I will leave the details of your investigation to you. If she harbours hostile intent… You know the saying, keep your friends close and enemies closer."
Ayre and Raven looked at each other before the latter shrugged, "Your school… your business…"
"They're letting anyone into Beacon these days, huh? Even probably former terrorists/undercover spies." Adam muttered as he focused on the screens, "Next you'll tell me you don't even need official transcripts to apply anymore."
Ozpin doesn't respond to that, occupying himself by studying his almost empty mug.
"If my sister gets hurt…" Winter glared at Ozpin threateningly.
"And I promise you, she won't." Ozpin assured once more, "I ask that you trust in me, as General Ironwood does."
"..." Winter grits her teeth but nods, glancing worriedly at the screen displaying Weiss fighting alongside some girl in black-red clothes wielding a giant scythe.
"Although I may disagree, I trust someone like you would know what they are doing, Professor Ozpin." Ayre said putting an end to that conversation before turning to Raven, "Now, what do you think of this batch of students, Raven? Many of the first years have applied to our course. Spotted any promising trainees?"
"Hmm…" Raven hummed to himself, "First Atlas batch was better… Not as many as I'd thought…"
"Well, I know one who may have promise." Ayre said as she pointed at the screen where Weiss was fighting with her partner, "I'm sure she's familiar."
"Her?" Raven scoffed as he remembered her from New Glenn as well as her application. Nothing that impressed him more than other applicants, "Why…?"
"When was the last time you've met a Pilot that claims to do what they do simply because of their desire to save lives?" Ayre asks rhetorically, "It's such a beautifully simple reason, is it not?"
"You mean naive…?" Raven asked as Ayre nudged him with her shoulder.
"Come now, wasn't I like that long ago?" she teases, "I recall you found it charming?"
Raven muttered under his breath something about her reading his mind, a slight tint of red appearing under the thick bandages that no one could tell except for Ayre.
"It is a rather unique reason." Ozpin threw his two cents in, "Even amongst Huntsmen, such idealistic reasoning is rare. Many choose the profession for personal reasons or for gain. It can be baffling at times, but sometimes victories are won by those with simpler, more honest souls."
"...You always had luck when meeting good Pilots," Raven muttered to Ayre who smiled proudly.
"Of course. I met you after all." she said, sliding in her arm to hold his, "Give her a chance, I think you'll see what I saw."
"...Fine." Raven concedes, looking at the silver-eyed girl with the oversized scythe cutting a path through Beowolves, "We'll see how far she flies…"