The airport terminal teemed with passengers going about their business while Ruby waited in her seat, with a clear sky just short of noon highlighting the parked airbuses on the ramp. She got as much sleep as she could in preparation for this day – not as much as she would have wanted, but definitely more than before – and made herself a heavy breakfast earlier using the last of the food left in her fridge. She made sure that everything was in good order before she left. With training and classes to juggle, she wasn't about to return to her condo anytime soon, and she left a lengthy note back for her father just in case he returned. She didn't want him to call her in a panic over her disappearance.

It was then announced that her flight had been cleared for boarding, and there was a sudden hustle and bustle as everyone got up from their seats to gather their belongings. Almost every person around her was around her age; she was sure they were Beacon students just like her, overhearing many of them whisper to each other of what their lives would become upon their arrival, and she could see dustmetal weapons of various designs on people's backs and hips.

This is a new life for you in Beacon, Ruby. There's no turning back.

Ruby was one of the first people to enter the airbus. There was a window right next to her seat, and she took out her red headphones before putting her bags and Crescent Rose at the luggage compartment. She made herself comfortable in her chair as she put on her music. It wouldn't be long before takeoff. Her mind wandered as she gazed out the window. She knew that her life would become vastly different from here on out.

Ruby walked out of their house by the front door, and found a young boy waiting outside, leaning on their wooden gate.

He appeared to be around the same age as she was. He wore blue jeans and a bluish white shirt tucked just enough to reveal his black army belt, along with a wolf's head pendant around his neck. He paired his outfit with midnight blue boots and an unzipped navy blue casual jacket. He was simple in his fashion sense, but so was she, and she liked his style already; moving closer, she found that his copper eyes were made even more striking by his colors.

Ruby gave him a wave and a welcoming smile as she approached. He must be the guest her mother was talking about. "Hi! We've been waiting for you, um...?"

The young boy had an amused expression as he waited for Ruby to finish, while his steel blue hair was slightly ruffled by a sudden spring breeze. "Your mom didn't tell you my name, I take it?"

"Uh…" That caught her by surprise, and Ruby could only smile sheepishly. In her haste to meet him she actually didn't get his name, and while her mother must have forgotten to tell her, she felt she should have asked nonetheless. "...sorry," she said at last. "My name's Ruby Rose. Nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you too, Ruby. My name's Caelus Steel, from Pharos city."

"That's pretty far away from here." Knowing he was from Pharos city was a surprise; in a lot of ways Patch was just about the very opposite of the kingdom's capital. What made Caelus go here, of all places? This was a place where old city folk went to retire, with no tourist sights to speak of. "I guess you're here for some business with the farmers here? Or this is part of some research?"

Caelus chuckled. "I wish! But I'm just by myself, hoping to make this place his new home. Nothing more or less than that." He pointed to the nearest house, newly constructed like her mother said, and only a short walk away from where she lived. "How's life here, by the way? Everything around here seems exactly as I thought it would be. How're you doing here in Patch?"

"I'm doing alright." Ruby went to unlock the gate, and while doing so noticed that Caelus seemed just shy of six feet; around a half foot taller than she was. "I'm not surprised this place lived up to your expectations. Things don't change much around these parts. Lots of peace and quiet just like you said, with great weather and a lot of fresh food, but not a lot of people or events. Or anything else, really."

"You make privacy sound like a bad thing," Caelus said as Ruby opened the gate for him, though he straightened his posture as she did so, and remained where he stood. "I know you find it weird, but I'm at a point in my life where I want to have some peace and quiet. Besides, it's the quality of the people around you that matters, isn't it?"

"You say that now, but as you can see, I'm pretty much the only neighbor you have around here." It was true; their next closest neighbor was basically the grocery store, which was a good distance away, and her friends here at Patch lived even further away than that. "You'll have to travel a bit just to get groceries. You sure you thought this through?"

"You make yourself sound like a bad thing." Caelus laughed at seeing Ruby struggle to come up with a comeback. "You sure you thought that through, Ruby?"

"You know what I mean!" Ruby shot back, though she found herself smiling even at a loss for words.

"Ruby! Have you told him to come in? Tell him we have a lot of food!"

"Yes, Mom! One sec!" Ruby hollered back, and turned to Caelus with an embarrassed look on her face. "Sorry about that. My mom can be… You know."

"Your mom sounds pretty great."

Ruby nodded. "Yeah, you're right. She really is." The pride in her voice was evident as she said that. "Don't get me wrong, it's not like I'm debating you about your life choices. I just thought a city guy like you would want more things to do other than stay at home. You might miss that life someday. Believe me, nothing ever really happens around here."

"I'm fine with that," Caelus replied. "The city's nice and all, but I've already committed to living here, and I'm not one to break my promises. Words have weight, after all." There was something about how he said that last line that made it stick in Ruby's mind, and he definitely noticed. "I guess you could say I'm a traditional type of guy. But what about you, Ruby? You're pretty curious of other people's plans. You mind telling me what's yours?"

"I'm training to become a Hunter at Beacon." Ruby was about to say more, but Caelus had a surprised look on him that instantly made her pout. "Yeah, I know. A girl like me isn't what people would first think of to be slaying Grimm left and right. You're not the only one, ok?"

Caelus shook his head. "That wasn't even what I was thinking of. It's just that I also wanted to be Hunter too at one point, and I even passed the exams at Beacon last year. But I had to turn it down."

"Really? No way!" Ruby didn't expect to hear this from him at all, and it was impossible for her to hide the shock from her voice. She was all ears for an explanation. "But why? You wanted to become a Hunter only to drop out at the last minute? What made you change your mind?"

"A lot of things." Caelus stepped inside their property, walking slowly while observing their lot. He almost looked like he regretted even mentioning it. "You have a lot of space here. Has your family ever thought of raising a farm?"

"It crossed our minds." But Ruby wasn't about to let him change the subject, especially with his admission that he had a Semblance. Already she felt better knowing that there was someone here in Patch she could be friends with that shared her experiences. Maybe he could even teach her a thing or two, if she was lucky. "You didn't answer my question, though. What happened back then?"

"Ruby! What's taking you guys so long? The food's getting cold!"

"We'll be right there, Mom!" Ruby shouted, and turned back to Caelus, with her hands on her waist and her eyes gleaming with interest. "Well? You're the one who brought it up, so are you going to tell me all about it or what?"

"Maybe next time." But as calm as Caelus was, it was clear that he didn't expect Ruby to follow up on it. "I think we should go inside. We wouldn't want your mother's food to go to waste."

"Don't leave people hanging if you don't plan on telling." Ruby crossed her arms with another pout. Keeping secrets was one thing, but being teased about things she was passionate about was a pet peeve of hers, and she quickly thought of a way to get back at him. "Didn't you say that words have weight? Guys don't lead girls on like this, you know."

But Caelus appeared stunned, surprisingly enough. It wasn't a reaction Ruby expected. He pondered on what to say next. "...I suppose you're right," he finally said, with an embarrassed smile on his face. "Sorry, I didn't mean to tease. It's a long story though. Maybe we can talk about it after dinner, if you want. I don't have anything to do later anyways. What do you say?"

"Thanks. I appreciate it." For him to pass Beacon's test as if it was nothing, only to throw the opportunity away… None of it made sense to Ruby, and she had to know more. "Don't forget to tell me before you go home, ok Caelus?"

"Just call me Cale." He had a genuine smile this time. "And I promise I'll tell you later tonight. But first we need to go inside. We don't want to keep your mom waiting, or she might blow her lid off."

Ruby chuckled as she escorted Cale to her house. She then realized something. They just met each other, but he was kind enough to humor her curiosity nonetheless, and not dismiss her outright. He could have easily done the latter in retrospect. A thought came to mind; it stood out among the many questions she had for him later, and she wanted to tell him now about it before they ate.

Ruby made eye contact with Cale as they reached the front door, her silver eyes meeting his copper ones. "Sorry if I'm coming across as prying. I'm trying my best to make sure I get into Beacon, and I couldn't help but wonder about what you said earlier." She smiled softly. "I know you have your reasons. I guess I'm just happy that I have someone else to talk to about this. Becoming a Hunter means a lot to me."

Cale smiled in return; a warm, reassuring one. "It's alright, Ruby. I–

"Wake up! Hey, wake up!"

Ruby was startled awake by a blonde girl seated next to her. She had the fullest wavy yellow hair Ruby had ever seen, with a beautiful face to accompany it, and vibrant lilac eyes… The type of girl that guys were sure to be smitten with. But she seemed to be concerned about something, so Ruby removed her headphones; what was this about?

"You ok there? I don't mean to disturb your sleep, but your drool's flowing really bad."

It took only a moment for Ruby to realize what was going on. "I'm so sorry!" she cried out in embarrassment, and hurriedly turned off her music and wiped her lips with her handkerchief. Already she could feel her cheeks turning red. With the airbus still on the terminal, how long had she slept? Twenty minutes, maybe? Did that even matter now? This gaffe of hers wasn't a good start at making first impressions, and she dreaded that other people in her batch were bound to know if this blonde was even halfway inclined to spread gossip.

"You slept like a log, by the way." Even while seated, Ruby could tell that the girl was taller than her by a few inches. She also had a nice figure that went along well her pretty looks; no doubt she caught every boy's attention and was fully aware of it, even with the bandages wrapped around her right arm, right down to her fingers. "Something big happened to you recently?" she asked Ruby.

"Just tired… A lot of things happened back home." Ruby then gave her seatmate a pleading look. "…would it be too much to ask that we keep this to ourselves?"

"It's ok, I'm not telling," the blonde said. "I know a lot of sleepyheads back home, so I'm not one to judge. I was just concerned about the drool." She winced and gestured with her hands to emphasize her point. "No one wants to see that."

Ruby nodded, and it was then that she noticed the blonde's clothing. She wore an orange scarf and a brown jacket with short sleeves that bared her midriff, under which she had a yellow crop top, cut low, that confidently revealed the cleavage of her full breasts. Black mini shorts generously revealed her thighs and was complemented by a brown mini half skirt. Her left orange sock went over her knee, with a gray bandana tied right below it, while her right one was worn way down to her brown boots. Her style was certainly something; did she really have to show so much skin? As beautiful as this girl was, Ruby found her outfit… Just a bit too much.

Two boys happened to pass by, and one look at the blonde's chest caught them so off guard that they almost stumbled straight to the floor. Ruby saw her seatmate give them a wink and a wide smile, perhaps as consolation. The boys could only chuckle awkwardly as they walked away, whispering to themselves. "Don't worry, I'm not what you think I am," the blonde said with a chuckle. "It's fine, I don't mind a little attention if it means I get to dress how I want. Besides, those guys looked weak as hell and those aren't my type."

Ruby did her best to feign agreement. She didn't think she was a prude, even though people used to call her out on her modest fashion sense, but this was just something else. She still made efforts to hide her uneasiness at seeing the girl's cleavage though; Ruby knew better than to let her sensibilities get the best of her. This girl saved her from a humiliating situation after all, so it wasn't right to harbor any ill will and alienate herself from a potential new friend. At the end of the day, was it really worth making a fuss out of some revealing clothing? She would just have to be the one to adjust. Maybe she might even get used to it.

"I'm Ruby Rose, from the countryside down south. Thanks again for the save."

"No problem, Ruby. I'm Yang Xiao Long, from Mistral."

"From Mistral, I see." Her name sounded just about right for someone living there. "How was your student visa application?"

"It was alright, give or take a few hiccups. The tests Beacon had for admission weren't that hard though. I aced every physical exam they gave me. I think getting my visa was harder." Yang smiled upon saying that. "Which is weird since people often say that Beacon has the hardest tests out of all the academies. What about you? Did you find the exams easy?"

Ruby shrugged. "It was hard on some aspects, but it was alright overall." That was a lie, but a believable one; she felt too ashamed to admit the truth to a person she just met. "Being a Hunter is all about protecting everyone from the Grimm, so I guess that got me through in the end. I mean, that's what really matters, right? We're blessed with our powers for a reason, and it's our duty to fulfill it, one way or another." That last sentence she said was real though, straight from her heart.

"So you think there's more to being a Hunter than just being mercenaries? Not really something people stop to think about, given how the Grimm are mostly kept in check at this point. This job's all about earning big money nowadays." Yang suddenly had a different look to her. But it was only for an instant, and she was back to a smile. "Sorry, I didn't mean to sound like a glory seeker or anything like that. You're right, Ruby. Your heart's in the right place… You'd be a great teammate, actually. I'd like that. The chances are slim, but hey, you never know." Having said that, Yang reclined her seat. "Just don't go drooling on me, alright?"

"No drooling, I promise." There was indeed a small chance that they could be in a team of four depending on the upcoming Hunter trials due after one month. It was a student's final test, and the last hurdle to overcome before one could graduate and finally take on missions. The thought of it made Ruby feel uneasy about her chances, and she had to calm herself; she would cross that bridge once she got there. And if she did pass… As unlikely as it was, having Yang as one of her teammates wasn't bad at all. The blonde meant well, even with her outfit, and that was all that mattered.

Ruby heard the preflight announcement; it wouldn't be long before the airbus prepared for takeoff. Her thoughts then went back to the dream she just had. She couldn't remember much of it anymore, but she recalled enough, and she slowly felt a familiar pang in her heart.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

A beautiful young girl idly observed the familiar forest scenery outside the car she rode in, and her mind recalled the recent events in her life as she passed through the woodland road.

She had her long white hair tied in a high ponytail, and wore a white thigh length strapless dress, with a snow crystal hem design, along with black lace sitting in the front of her neckline. Over this, she wore a bell sleeved bolero, lined in red and with a ruffled collar, and topped with silver earrings and a silver chain pendant around her neck. White flats for shoes and a thin white sash tied around her waist gave her a wintry look, graceful and poised. A maiden born from the snow itself, with pale blue eyes.

As was to be expected from an heiress of the wealthiest Dust mining company in all the kingdoms. A wealthy bachelorette with more suitors than she could count, fawning over her beauty despite the fine vertical scar over her left eye, she would have been quite the prize for any man. But she never found any that she liked, and she doubted any more would go for her hand, now that she had discarded her claim to the company a month ago. Not that getting a suitor was one of her problems right now. She was actually in a quest to create a new life for herself. Her previous experiences should give her an edge here in Vale, and her own personal savings taken care of she had no financial problems.

Beside her was her weapon, a rapier tucked inside its scabbard. There was no missing the aurastone that lined its pommel and grip, and the garnets placed within its guard was a unique detail that most likely had a lot to do with how the weapon survive the forging process, made by its creator from centuries past. An elegant weapon with a bite, Myrtenaster was a family heirloom passed through the generations, though the only reason why Weiss had it was because her older sister Winter didn't have the ability to effectively wield an aurastone weapon, which was pretty much applicable to almost every Hunter in the world. But that didn't make Winter any less of a fighter, of course. An esteemed graduate of Laran Academy and an officer in the Atlas military, they shared the same ice Semblance, and Winter also had the sword skills, intellect, and ambition to go along with it.

But for all of Winter's skills and accolades, they didn't matter in the end, as awful memories sprang to Weiss's mind.

"None of it was your fault, Ms. Schnee."

The sound of her butler Klein Sieben snapped her out of her thoughts. "You don't have to address me so formally anymore, Mr. Sieben. I already told you–" She then caught herself addressing him in the usual way, so she cleared her throat, and set Myrtenaster aside. "I mean it, Klein. From now on, just Weiss will do."

"It had never been your fault," he replied. "It was an accident, and no one is to blame. If anything, you're the reason why your sister is still alive."

"Are you sure about that?" It was a coincidence that Klein was currently staying in Vale for his yearly leave, so once he heard that she was leaving Atlas for good, he insisted that she meet up with him, just so that he could drive for her one last time. It was a simple enough request; while it would have been simpler to take a direct airbus flight to Beacon instead, Weiss granted his wish nonetheless. "What makes you even believe that?"

"I'll always believe in the bond you and Winter had, Ms. Schnee."

"I already told you that you don't have to refer to me like that…" Weiss's words trailed off; it was a trivial thing at the end of the day, so why bother arguing about it? She dropped the issue altogether. "Never mind. Did you tell Ozpin that I'm arriving?"

"Yes, Ms. Schnee. I told him you were on your way by car from the airport. He then said to meet up with him as soon as possible."

"Alright. We're almost at Beacon anyways."

"Indeed." Klein soon made a left turn out of the woodland road, and Weiss was treated to a wonderous sight. Even with her previous visits, none of that dulled the beauty of the place, not even one bit.

Beacon Academy was a magnificent castle in all senses of the word, situated just before the cliff's edge that overlooked the residential districts across Bluewater Sound, with its numerous large spires breaking the otherwise flat skyline of its surrounding open fields. Unique to Beacon's architecture was its largest tower, which was actually an old lighthouse built many years ago. While its green light was off now due to the sun, it was quite something else to see it blazing brightly in the night, and it was only fitting for the school to be named after it.

As Klein drove closer, Weiss could see the docking bay the school had for airships, and she knew that there was also a port at the base of the cliffs for watercraft, complete with a carved path leading all the way to the top. Even from afar she could see people gathering at the plaza in front of Beacon's main entrance. No doubt they were this year's students, and she briefly wondered about the fighting prowess of her potential teammates.

Weiss's phone rang, and she promptly declined the call upon seeing who it was.

"That was your mother, wasn't it?"

"Yes, it was Willow." Weiss had a different ringtone for each of her family members, so it wasn't a surprise that Klein was familiar with the sounds as well. "But I've said my piece to her. I have nothing left to say."

"You can't blame her for trying to reach you, though. When you called me earlier to tell me you've left the mansion, you mentioned that you left without saying a word to anyone, so perhaps Willow was calling to say goodbye."

Weiss remembered her last conversation with her family a few nights ago, after her sister finally got home after a month's absence. She announced to them that she wished to exile herself and become a citizen of another kingdom – basically discarding her heiress title, reenrolling in a different Hunter academy, and starting a new life of her own – and that had been a difficult conversation with her family to say the least. Calling every academy that wasn't in Atlas, but not really expecting help this late in enrollment season, Weiss ended the night thinking that it would take her at least a year to get her plan in motion. But to her surprise she managed to get assistance from Beacon Headmaster Ozpin, and it was all she needed; having already told her family prior that she would leave the moment she was able to, Weiss departed the Schnee mansion without looking back once.

"I doubt that, Klein." Ozpin was all too willing to help her once she told him about her circumstances, which included the truth of what happened last month, which he swore to keep to himself. Now all Weiss needed to do at this point was submit to him her paperwork for changing citizenship, and that would be the end of it. "I don't want to call her back just for her to demand I return home. Leaving like this is for the best."

"Then why haven't you dropped your phone yet, Ms. Schnee?"

Looking at Klein's eyes through the rearview mirror of the car, Weiss realized that she still held her phone in her hand – her mother's number a button away from being called, and her thumb hovering just above it – when normally she would have just put it back in her pouch. "I was…"

"Your mother cares for you, more than you realize. And while it might have been difficult for her to see your point of view, I heard from the servants that she never spoke ill of you, despite how things went during that night at the mansion. She's still your mother at the end of the day, Ms. Schnee…"

Weiss understood, so much so that she did her best not to think about it; leaving Atlas was painful in its own way too. But would it really make a difference if she called back, even though she wasn't changing her mind?

"So why not listen to her feelings, one last time?"

Weiss looked at her phone, which she still hadn't put down. Already she could feel sharp emotions swirl in her heart. If she was going to call Willow, then she needed to do it now, before it became too difficult… She made her decision. "Alright, I'll do it. Go find the parking area… Ozpin can wait."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Hey, wake up sleepyhead. We're here."

Ruby slowly opened her eyes from her short nap – no dreams this time – and one look out her window made her eyes widen in surprise.

"Pretty nice, isn't it? Yang said. "This view is a pretty common postcard."

To call this nice was an understatement. Even though this wasn't her first time seeing it, Beacon Academy truly was a sight to behold, in a way that postcards could never really replicate, and many people often wondered how Beacon got to build themselves an entire castle out of nowhere. But it was only par for the course, given their success; established during the early years of the Dust Revolution, Beacon proved instrumental in Vale's advance against the Grimm, and the fame and fortune they accumulated allowed them to create their headquarters at a beautiful cliffside location near Bluewater Sound. Beacon wasn't the first private military company, but they were the first to pioneer the boarding school system for their recruits, and that was eventually made the standard for every academy throughout the world.

Their airbus landed soon after their overhead view of the academy, and everyone lined up with their bags and weapons to disembark once the door was opened. Eventually Ruby and Yang got off and headed towards the main entrance along with the others, but the blonde stopped walking about halfway through.

"Are you waiting for something?" Ruby asked. "...wait a minute. Your weapon. Did you leave it behind?" Out of all the things Yang carried, her weapon was nowhere to be found.

Yang shook her head. "Nah, I just opted to leave it at the cargo bay for me to pick up later. But you can go ahead. I need to make a call now." There was a sudden blank expression in the blonde's face, but she quickly flashed a smile; this was the second time that Yang did that. "No need to wait for me. I'll be seeing you around. I have a feeling we'll meet again sooner or later."

Ruby smiled at that, not really believing they would meet so soon, but it was a nice thought anyways. "I'll be going on ahead then. It's been nice meeting you, Yang."

They went their separate ways. Ruby could have insisted to wait for her, waiting somewhere else while Yang made her call, but the blonde didn't look like she was ok with the idea, so she didn't push it. But it really would be nice if they could see each other again. Yang had quite the character, and with such an outrageous attire, Ruby was sure she could pick her out from a crowd.

Ruby followed the rest of the students out of the docking bay, going through the school's main avenue towards the plaza. There each student registered for attendance, and they were all given the school map along with the keys and details about their rooms. Ruby observed the school interior as she walked; she already visited Beacon to take the Hunter tests four months ago, but it felt like this was her first time here nonetheless. Surrounded by colonnades and a garden of red trees, the plaza was still an impressive sight.

There was a structure at the plaza's center, a large fountain with statues of two Hunters, a man and a woman standing triumphant atop a rock, under which was a cowering beowolf. It would have been nice to take a picture here together as graduates, you know? But I'm here now… I kept my promise.

The crowd she was in slowly dispersed as they made their way to their own destinations, leaving her and a few others loitering around the plaza. Ruby had been thinking of fully exploring Beacon, and she knew where to go next based off her map, but a cool breeze and the bright sun made the plaza a bit too good to leave behind, enticing her to sit down and reminisce… She decided to do just that. She could always explore Beacon later in the day, and she was in no hurry to get to her dorm room anyways.

Ruby soon found a small bench for two, with only one person sitting on it. Moving closer Ruby noticed that it was a faunus girl, with long black hair and a pretty face, engrossed with reading her book.

"Is this seat taken?"

Still reading her book – titled The Romance of the Assassins – the girl didn't even spare Ruby a glance. "Go ahead."

Ruby sat beside the girl and put down her bags. This was the first time she actually talked to a faunus outside Patch, though it wasn't as if they were rare or anything like that. Faunus people were found all over the kingdoms, though the vast majority were found in the kingdom of Menagerie, at the southeast part of the world. They were the same as regular humans, with the exception of animal traits that manifested in their bodies. For this girl, she had a pair of black cat ears on top of her head, and cattish amber eyes.

She wore a black vest with coattails and a silver button on the front, with a white, sleeveless crop top undershirt underneath paired with white shorts. She had black boots and black stockings, with black ribbons wrapped around her arms, but only her left one had this black detached sleeve with a silver cuff around it – what was up with people and their asymmetrical fashions – while a black scarf was wrapped around her neck. She had her dustmetal weapon tucked behind her waist, but she didn't have any bags with her, meaning she must have arrived and unpacked hours before Ruby did.

"Thanks." Ruby looked at the faunus and showed a small smile, but the latter kept silent, without so much as a nod or sound. "I guess you're not in the mood…" Ruby whispered to herself.

"Do you need help?"

"No, it's nothing…" Ruby stammered. She was sure she whispered, but the faunus girl heard her nonetheless, and with her book down and her cat eyes set on her, Ruby scrambled to think of an excuse. "Sorry, I didn't mean to get your attention."

"It's my cat ears," the girl said, and moved them accordingly. "I can hear whispers better than normal people, so you can imagine the things I hear on every public commute."

"I see." It was rare, but there were a certain number of faunus that inherited more than just superficial animal traits – having both the strengths of humans and beasts, the best of both worlds, so to speak – and Ruby supposed that it was only to be expected that a faunus Hunter like her would have such abilities. It then dawned on her that this girl's cat eyes would have a big advantage in the night too, and so she took a mental note of it. "I didn't know you could do that. Sorry if I disturbed you. I'm Ruby Rose, by the way. From the southern countryside."

"The name's… Blake. Blake Belladonna, from Menagerie."

From Menagerie, as expected. "Nice to meet you, Blake."

Blake just nodded back, then went back to reading her book. Not cold, but this girl was definitely a quiet one, seemingly with no interest in small talk. Nothing wrong with that, of course. Considering that Ruby had just met Yang, meeting someone like Blake was a nice change of pace.

Letting the faunus enjoy her book in peace, Ruby relaxed as she set aside her bags, leaving Crescent Rose on her lap as she gazed at the fountain. The ambiance of the place was a comfort, setting a mood that she hadn't felt in a while, and she realized that it wouldn't be a bad idea at all to stay here a while longer. Besides, with studies and training starting as quickly as tomorrow, she wanted to enjoy as much of this as she could.

I'll be with you as a Hunter in Beacon next year, I promise.

I know you'll make it, Ruby. I believe in you.

Ruby sighed, remembering her conversation with Cale all too well, and a familiar ache made itself known in her heart. And I'm here now. I kept my promise. "I'm finally here…"

"Yes, you are." Blake said.

Somehow Ruby had completely forgotten that Blake could hear whispers, despite being told this just a few moments ago, and that shook her out of her thoughts. "Sorry… I'm just missing home a lot."

"That much, huh?"

"Yeah…"

Blake put down her book again. "Would you happen to be from Patch?"

"I…" Ruby was unable to hide her shock. "…how did you know?"

"I considered the possibility when you said that you were from the south, and when I saw you with a sad look on your face, daydreaming and being homesick, I just put two and two together. It was a reasonable guess to make… I'm sorry about what happened."

"…thank you."

"I've seen things in Menagerie too while growing up. You'd be surprised to know what an abandoned outpost can let in, and just how terrible some people can underestimate the Grimm nowadays."

"…I'm sorry to hear that." What happened at Patch was an invasion not seen in more than a century, but confrontations with Grimm on a smaller scale happened periodically at the border walls too, which made Hunter work both dangerous and necessary to maintain the peace. But repeated successes in these battles had the unwanted effect of slowly making the citizens complacent over the years, as if they were forgetting a time when traveling alone was unheard of and the sky was filled with flying terrors. And it wasn't just limited to citizens; Ruby herself was guilty of it. As much as she wanted to become a Hunter, she had also miscalculated the Grimm in her own foolish way, and Blake's last few words hit Ruby particularly hard. "…people try their best, but sometimes they just don't know any better."

"There are also so many of them that I'm better off by myself," Blake said bluntly. "Trust is like butterfly wings. Mishandle it once, it never gets off the ground."

"Maybe." Blake's pessimism was thick and palpable, which meant that it didn't feel right at all for Ruby to end their conversation like this. It wasn't as if Ruby didn't get her point, not at all, but the way Blake said her piece… It was at this point when Ruby recalled a story her mother once told her a long time ago. It didn't apply to her, but maybe it would for Blake, and that chance was worth taking. "But it makes one wonder how the story of those guys at the fountain even happened."

"What do you mean?"

Ruby pointed at the fount with the two Hunter statues in the middle of the plaza. "It was during Beacon's first year as an academy. Those two Hunters were Beacon graduates that actually abandoned their mission… But in the end, they repented, they were forgiven, and after being given a chance to redeem themselves… Here they are, immortalized in stone."

"Wait, those two deserted their mission?" Blake's eyes widened. "I would have executed them on the spot. How could Beacon even forgive those people?"

"As long as it's not too late, there's always a chance to make things right again, and get it off the ground." Ruby smiled softly; Blake's quick reaction told her she cared, and that was good enough. "My mom told me all about it. I know it's hard to believe, but there's even a quote on the fountain about those two, though a passerby wouldn't actually see it unless they knew where to look, with the way it was engraved. But I've seen it already during my first stay here, and I can show you where it is if you want, and tell you the whole story."

Blake hesitated for a moment, and her eyes narrowed as if deep in thought. But it was clear that she was the type to be intrigued by a good story – the mere thought of forgiving deserters caught her attention already – and her answer came soon enough. "Alright. Lead me there, and tell me everything."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"How was it, Ms. Schnee?"

Weiss crossed her arms. "It went better than I thought…" With Klein having parked their car at the academy's parking area for some time now, Weiss had expected Willow to sob the whole call, and demand that she come back home – that would have been easier to deal with had her mother done that – but at no point could Weiss have expected her mother to say something completely different instead. "…I didn't even think she would listen."

"Sometimes it's not what you say, but how and when you say it, that matters." Klein then turned to her. "I talked to your mother after you left the mansion, but before we met. She wanted to talk to you more, even if it was for one last time, and she hoped that I could somehow convince you to call her back. So thank you for doing this for her, Ms. Schnee. I'm glad that she was able to give you her blessings."

Weiss couldn't hide her surprise, realizing that her mother calling her right upon reaching Beacon was no coincidence. "…you planned all this?" Remembering what her mother just told her, she found her voice wavering and weak. Then something else threatened to come out… Weiss gritted her teeth.

"Do you need a moment alone?"

Weiss took deep breaths to gather her composure, grabbing hold of Myrtenaster as she did. The feeling of her Semblance just a hair's length away from being embraced was a comfort. "I'm fine, just give me a second."

There was a long pause.

"I suppose I should get things ready," Klein said, breaking the silence, and pressed a button to open the car's trunk. He went out to retrieve Weiss's luggage, but he stopped himself in his tracks. "Or perhaps not. I suppose you won't let me carry your bags this time, Ms. Schnee?"

Weiss shook her head, feeling calmer now. "You don't have to bother. I'll do it myself."

She then got out to get her luggage. She needed to do things on her own now, and more importantly she didn't want Ozpin to see her with hired help, acting as if nothing had changed in her life. Weiss owed the man a lot for processing her student visa so close to the deadline, so a good first impression was the least she could do.

Soon enough she had her sword on her hip and her bags on each hand. Weiss made one last look at her former butler. "This is where we say goodbye, Klein. It's been good."

Klein made a deep bow. "Goodbye, Ms. Schnee. For all those long years serving your family, it's been a pleasure to have known you. Take care always."

"You too, Klein. Thank you for your help."

Weiss watched Klein drive off, with Beacon's main gate just a short walk away from where they parked.

I'm sorry about what I said before, Weiss. Take as much time as your heart needs. My door will always be open for you, no matter what.

Her mother's words hung heavy in her mind. Not wanting to waste any more time, Weiss went towards her next objective.

I can never come back at the mansion anymore. Winter's home now, and it's just too much for me to bear, seeing her every day. That's why I left in the first place. This is the only way I can make amends, and move on with my life. So why don't you understand?

From the main gate Weiss went towards Beacon's main avenue, and followed an influx of students that came from the airbus docking bay to register at the plaza. The people themselves were a blur to her, and so was the noise; her mind was preoccupied with what she and her mother had just talked about.

I do understand.

So why…

I'm sure you'll be a great Hunter there in Vale, Weiss. Just remember to call every now and then, ok? Your life is your own, but I want to be part of it sometimes, at the very least. I know I haven't been the best mother out there, but can you afford me this little bit of selfishness, my dear Weiss?

Weiss winced. The stress was taking its toll on her mentally, and she needed to find a way to clear her mind once she met with Ozpin. His office should be at the old lighthouse at the center of the school, and that wasn't too far off from where she was.

Suddenly Weiss felt something hit her luggage, and the force was enough for her hand to drop one of them to the pavement. She heard a surprised sound. Immediately she turned to find the culprit, and shot the girl an icy glare. "Hey! Where were you looking at? Watch where you're going!"

It was some country girl around her height, with black hair that had red highlights, and her silver eyes widened. She put down her own bags upon realizing what she had done. "I'm sorry… I was lost in thought… I wasn't looking where I was going…"

The excuse – if it could even be called one – was so weakly said, and all it did was enrage Weiss so much that she threw her remaining luggage to the ground. "You're lost in thought? Seriously? What the hell is wrong with your head, you stupid girl?! Get lost!" Not realizing how loud she was, Weiss furiously shooed off the clumsy girl, but the latter remained where she stood, too shaken to move.

"Have you always been this insufferable, Weiss Schnee?"

Frowning, Weiss turned to the direction of that voice – there was a bitter, mocking tone to it – and found herself glaring at a faunus girl with long black hair and holding a book. "And who're you?"

"Just some nobody," the girl said coolly, with an equally cool gaze on those amber eyes of hers, before going to her companion. "Are you alright, Ruby?"

"I'm ok…" The girl named Ruby nodded slowly; she was visibly shaken even as she tried to hide it. "I'm really sorry for bumping into you like that. Your name's Weiss, right? It was my fault, I apologize. Please don't get mad, I don't want any trouble here."

Weiss sighed, rubbing her temples with her hand, trying her best to calm herself down. What a mess this was. "Watch where you're going next time, alright?" she said to Ruby, in a softer tone this time, regretting she had just caused a scene. "You could have broken someone's fragile valuables."

"Next time, shout when something actually breaks. Don't act as if the people here are beneath you, Weiss." The faunus girl had her arms crossed and wasn't letting the issue go. "What, no apology at all? You think an heiress like you is too good to do that?"

Weiss barely held back; her patience was at the tipping point. Already students began circling them, interested in the commotion.

"What's going on here?"

Weiss turned; it was a blonde girl that approached them. Carrying a large black case that stood out among her luggage, she had the fullest length of hair Weiss had seen out of anyone, though a sullen expression and a bandaged right arm ruined her otherwise impressive looks.

"Yang, you're back," Ruby said. "I didn't think you'd–"

"Weiss Schnee's having a hissy fit." The faunus girl sighed as she said that. "You'd think a rich girl like her would have some good breeding. But all this happened because Ruby hit her bags by accident."

"You were the one shouting earlier?" Yang's eyes narrowed. "What are you even doing here? Isn't someone like you supposed to be handling your company or something?"

"Get out of my sight," Weiss snapped. "This doesn't concern you. Go bother someone else."

"Excuse me?"

"Calm down, Yang. It's alright." Ruby said, then turned to the faunus girl, shaking her head. "Please don't aggravate anymore, Blake. Don't make things worse."

"But she shouted and bullied you for nothing," Blake replied. "Are you going to just take that from her?"

"Me, bully her?" Weiss took offense to that, and a scowl formed on her face. "Don't make me look like I'm the bad one here. Are you really telling me your friend here is so weak that she can't handle a few words? All I'm saying is that Ruby here should be more careful, that's it! Can you all just get off my case here?" She then pointed fingers at both these girls named Blake and Yang, her pale blue eyes piercing. "You guys have no idea what you're even talking about. Just go away already! Mind your own damned business!"

Weiss could no longer restrain her anger. But while Blake simply glared, Yang scoffed and was visibly angered herself. "Your day got ruined? Join the club, my day got ruined, too." Weiss saw Ruby at the corner of her eye react to that, but Yang didn't seem to notice. "You want me to go away? Then why don't we do each other a favor and blow off some steam, right here, right now?"

Yang dropped her bags, and opened her case. One swift motion was all it took to reveal what was inside it, and what the girl held was an incredible sight that had the crowd in an uproar.

Even Weiss had to take a second look, and as she did, she noticed Ruby's eyes widen and Blake raise an eyebrow. But there was no mistaking that weapon Yang held, with its golden cruciform hilt and long blade lined with so much aurastone…

"Embercleave?" Weiss knew that weapon from the books at the Schnee library. Two handed aurastone weapons were very rare indeed – said to be the hardest kind of aurastone to make, it was believed that every surviving greatsword in the world had been documented, with their current owners known – and Embercleave itself was known for the great amounts of aurastone it had. She then realized something else. "You're a Xiao Long?"

"So what if I am?" Yang flourished her weapon with a few spins before laying it on her shoulder. "As for me, I don't care what your toothpick is called. If you're really that mad, then why don't you take it out on someone more on your level? C'mon, show me what you got! I'll be more than happy to play along!"

More students arrived and encircled them, and the crowed was now chanting for a fight. Weiss spared a glance at Ruby and Blake. No longer whining for them to stop, Ruby still had a worried look on her face, concerned with what was about to happen, while Blake simply observed.

Weiss's hand went to her rapier, ready to draw at a moment's notice. Already she could tell that Yang would be a handful to take on in a fight. Then again, she was itching to train with her sword earlier to relieve her stress… Why not give this girl what she was looking for? Weiss smirked. "Don't get cocky. You think you can take me on just because you have an oversized hairstick?"

Yang's face darkened. Then came a flash of flame as she went into guard position. Her lilac eyes became red, her hair blazed with fire, and Embercleave flared up into a flaming greatsword. Yang had activated her Semblance, and it was a spectacular display of power by all accounts; the crowd was roaring in delight.

But Weiss was unfazed, and countered by embracing her own Semblance. A wintry aura enveloped her, along with a few snow crystals slowly swirling around, and a quick draw of Myrtenaster revealed a weapon seemingly made of pure ice, glistening sharply in the sun. The crowd roared again, very much excited to witness what would come next.

Ice versus fire – a classic matchup. But as impressive as Yang's Embercleave was, there was more to fighting than just weapons, and Weiss intended to settle this duel of theirs skillfully, without making too much of a collateral mess. Weiss inched closer.

"Alright, break it up!"

A spear came crashing right between them, and infused the ground with energy that took everyone by surprise. Another roar came from the crowd as a figure landed near the weapon. It was a girl as tall as Yang, with long red hair tied in a ponytail and the beauty to match it, enveloped in a bronze aura.

She wore a brown overbust corset, with a black mini skirt, long brown gloves, brown boots, and a red sash that wrapped around her skirt and reached to her ankles. There was a small circular bronze plate on her right hip connected to her belt, and underneath her hair was a brown circlet adorned with a pair of small emeralds. With a bronze gorget around her neck and bronze armor on her limbs, she had the look of the fabled warriors of Atlas, back in the old days of the world.

"Break it up, you two. That's enough, no more fighting. Or else." It was a stern, motherly voice, and the ground rumbled in tandem to enforce her words, ready to unleash itself at even the slightest provocation. Her threat was no bluff, that much was sure…

Wait a minute. This attack looked very familiar. Weiss then realized she had seen this Semblance before; everything clicked in her mind. Weiss knew exactly who this redhead girl was – the supposed pride and champion of Soteria Academy.

"What are you doing here, Pyrrha Nikos?" Ignoring the chants of the crowd, Weiss was well aware that Pyrrha had caught them with a simple surprise attack, and so she released her Semblance. Yang wisely followed suit. It seemed that the blonde wasn't just some meathead after all. For all her power, even someone like her would have to know when she was beat.

Pyrrha went closer to her. Her bronze aura dissipated upon releasing her own Semblance, and she sheathed her dustmetal rifle spear with a distinct elegance. Her weapon's name was Kyrie Eleison, if Weiss recalled correctly. "I could say the same thing to you, by the way. Aren't you supposed to be in Laran Academy? Or at least be at your mansion, managing the family business?"

"There's been a shakeup at the company, so I'll be staying here in the meantime." While what Weiss said was technically true, she had no compulsion to provide more details to someone like Pyrrha. They had met once before in joint combat training during their time in Atlas; the girl was competent in combat and had a powerful Semblance, but Weiss never put any stock to all those titles and awards she received. "Why are you here?" she asked again.

"Ozpin had a feeling you'd get into trouble somehow, so here I am. Though to be honest, I'm not really that surprised to see you getting into fights like this. Remember that one time on the second night of combat training–"

"Ozpin sent you here just to fetch me?"

"Not exactly." Pyrrha then focused her attention to the crowd. Disappointed groans soon followed as she dispersed them, claiming that Ozpin sent her and he didn't want any troublemakers. It seemed she was sent here to clean up as well, just in case their duel went overboard. Not that it would have, but it would be like Pyrrha to make sure nonetheless.

"So why are you staying here at Beacon, then?" Weiss asked once more, but Pyrrha didn't answer until almost everyone had left.

"I owe him something, so me being here in Beacon is my way of paying him back." She said it in an offhand manner; Pyrrha's vivid green eyes gave nothing away. "You can always have your duel with the blonde here some other time. It's not right to keep anyone waiting for more than they should."

Weiss frowned at that.

"Hardheaded as always, aren't we Weiss? It wouldn't hurt to be more friendly with the people here, and change your old habits from Laran." Having said that, Pyrrha made a passing wave at the other three girls. Blake had a blank expression, but Yang looked unsure, while Ruby had a thoughtful look. "Well, you have your life, and I have mine. We make our own choices. I'll see you later."

Weiss watched impassively as Pyrrha left. It wasn't like she had said anything profound. But she indeed had her own life, with her own choices and mistakes.

It's ok, Weiss. I understand. We make our own choices…

Weiss recalled the last time she met Winter, when she had to confront her for what she was being accused of, and it let loose a torrent of unwanted memories. Not something she wanted to dwell on in public right now. Weiss did her best to repress them, but a few were bound to slip through, and a wave of disgust soon filled her to the bone.

I know you'll do great there in Vale, Weiss. Just know that I'll be here whenever you need me. Regardless of what happened, you will always be my daughter, and my love for you will never change.

Her mother's words resounded in her mind, and it was all Weiss could take. Finding herself suddenly rooted to the ground, she put Myrtenaster back in its scabbard, and turned to avoid any glances from Yang, or from anyone else. Fighting was just about the last thing on her mind.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The first step is always the hardest for everyone, so never be cynical to those who strive to better themselves for others. Even against great hardship, their passion is no less vast than the infinite stars.

Ruby recalled the engraved quote she showed Blake. It was near the bottom of the fountain, and she told Blake the story behind it while they were there. It wasn't common knowledge to foreigners or even to Vale citizens, but the statues were modeled after deserters who had a change of heart, and their path to redemption proved instrumental in one of Beacon's greatest successes. The quote was hidden from normal view on purpose; perhaps the engraver thought of it as a reward for those who desired to look further into something, and Ruby understood the reasoning behind it. As for Blake, it looked like she understood as well, and the story seemed to give her a lot of food for thought.

But along the way memories of Ruby's past came up – her own path to redemption never existed – and it was enough for her to space out and bump into Weiss. And while it was unfortunate that Weiss was just as cold as her image suggested, it wasn't as if Ruby could bring herself to call her out on that. Everything that happened here was her own fault anyways, and she felt obligated to fix it.

And so here she was, failing to stop a fight between Weiss and Yang from happening, but luckily a girl called Pyrrha managed to bring things to a halt before any damage was done. But even so, Ruby wasn't satisfied at all; with the two still bearing grudges against one other, what was stopping them from fighting again in the future? Either one of the two was bound to get hurt eventually if she didn't do anything. Unable to just walk away from all this, Ruby knew there was still had something she needed to do.

She went closer to Yang. The girl still gripped her weapon tight, but was visibly hesitant of what to do next, now that Pyrrha had left. "Are you ok? You're a lot angrier since we last met. Did something happen?"

"…"

Ruby shook her head. "Please don't. Whatever it is you're feeling, it's not worth it."

Yang tensed under her touch, and so Ruby made sure she didn't break eye contact. It took a few moments, but eventually the blonde began to relax. "…sorry about that." Taking a deep breath to calm herself, she sounded more resigned than anything else. "Just got carried away there for a second."

"It's ok, Yang." Being carried away was one way to put it. She knew there had to be more to it, but Yang looked the type to keep things to herself, so Ruby left it at that. "Just give me a second here, I'll be right back."

Ruby then approached Weiss; the latter had her arms crossed and was silent, not moving at all from where she stood. "You ok there, Weiss? I–"

"What do you want?"

Ruby bowed slightly, though Weiss didn't even spare her a look. "I'm so sorry for causing all of this."

"You already told me that."

Ruby deepened her bow, despite Weiss not looking. It was hard to ignore the gnawing doubt in her heart, and to just give up on all this. But she had never been a person that held grudges, and more importantly, she just couldn't bear the guilt of not doing anything about the mess she made.

"You really should watch where you're going."

"I know, and I'm really sorry." Ruby then stood straight, intent to look directly at Weiss the moment she turned around. "Please forgive me."

Weiss said nothing. Time seemed to slow, without anyone saying a word, while a soft wind blew past.

"...Weiss?"

No response, and Ruby felt her heart sink.

Then Weiss turned to Ruby, looking at her with a warm expression on her face. "…I'm sorry too. I'm sorry for calling you stupid, for shouting at you, and for humiliating you. I should have known better. I apologize."

"It's ok, Weiss." Ruby felt her heart lighten right at that moment, and so she breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you so much. We're good, don't worry."

Ruby then went to Blake, who hadn't budged or said a word since implying she was being a doormat. She never thought of herself like that, even knowing her weaknesses, but she took no offense to it. Blake was in a pensive mood, and her cat ears twitched. "What? What is it?"

"I appreciate you having my back earlier, but did you really have to say those words to Weiss?"

"Why not?" Blake then gave Weiss a cold stare, amber eyes meeting pale blue ones. "You went out of line to yell at Ruby like that, so I just returned the favor to get even. Got a problem with it? A bully like you should be able to take it as well as they can dish it out."

"…you're right, I deserved that. But don't call me a bully, because a bully is nothing more than a coward that steps on the weak. I wouldn't be apologizing here if I actually was one." Weiss then paused, as if recalling a memory. "…I just don't want you to misunderstand me. But yes, I should've controlled myself better, and I'm sorry."

That made Blake pause as well. It was clear she didn't expect this kind of answer from Weiss, and any hint of a rebuttal from her seemed to vanish. Looking at Ruby for a bit, she then turned back to Weiss, and her amber eyes softened. "…fair enough. I take it all back. I'm sorry too."

Blake's sudden apology was a surprise. Ruby had expected that Blake would drag this issue longer just to make a point, and so she gave the faunus a nod of approval for that. Now there was one more…

"I'm sorry too Weiss, for picking a fight with you like that." Yang had a guilty look on her face. It seemed she didn't like having to say those words, but knew she had to nonetheless, now that Weiss took the initiative to apologize first. "…I was angry, and I was just looking for an excuse to vent my frustrations… I wasn't thinking straight."

"We both weren't," Weiss said. "Sorry for riling you up too. I wasn't in control of myself either."

"It's alright. We can duel the proper way the next time we meet, if you're still interested. Just name the time and place, and I'll be there." Realizing the irony of her statement, Yang chuckled softly. "Not that I wouldn't beat you, just saying."

"Really? I can wake you up from that dream of yours if you're interested. Just saying." Weiss's faint smile grew upon saying that, and Yang could only roll her eyes, with a knowing look of her own. Even Blake couldn't resist.

"Glad we got everything straightened out," Ruby said. She was happy to see the girls in good terms after what happened, so much so that it didn't matter to her that these girls were strangers that she might never see again; seeing their smiles were well worth her efforts.

"I guess so," Weiss replied, then she made a small bow. "You'll have to excuse me, as I have to go meet Ozpin now, as you might have heard earlier from Pyrrha… But before I go, I want to say thank you for reconciling us, Ruby. Even when it's not easy at all… The way we met could have been better, but it's nice to have met you three, so take care of yourselves, alright?"

Weiss's pale blue eyes were glistening, and so Ruby gave a warm smile in return. "Take care of yourself too, Weiss."

Weiss picked up her luggage, then gave a small nod before walking away. Recalling her own meeting with Ozpin, Ruby couldn't help but wonder what Weiss's reasons were for meeting with the man. But whatever it was, Ruby sincerely hoped it was for the best.

"She's right," Yang said once Weiss was out of earshot, and began picking up her items, putting Embercleave back into its black case. "You really had to go out of your way like that, didn't you Ruby?"

"It was the right thing to do."

"Yeah, I know. Thank you. It's not something people can just–" Yang was cut off by a sudden beep. For a moment her face grimaced upon looking at her phone, but she showed a smile afterwards. "Sorry about that. It was nice to see you again… I would have wanted to stay a while and chat, but I have a few things I need to take care of right now. Are you going to be ok here?"

"I'll be fine. You don't have to worry about me." Yang was already hiding enough stress; no reason to add more. Ruby turned to Blake. "I would have wanted to introduce you guys to each other though, since we're already here."

"Maybe some other time," Blake said. "I also need to make a phone call anyways."

Yang nodded. "Alright then… I need to go now, but with the way we met, I don't think this'll be the last time we see each other. Ruby and I just met again, after all. The opening ceremony is tomorrow, and since everyone will be required to be there… Who knows, we might just bump into each other on the day itself."

"If and when the time comes, hopefully it doesn't have any fighting." Ruby smiled. "Nice to meet you guys. I'll see you when I see you."

Yang was the first to leave, waving goodbye as she did so. Blake was about to leave too, but not without turning to Ruby first. "You're something else, you know that? First you tell a story to a complete stranger like me, then you go out of your way to do this…"

"But it was a good story, wasn't it?"

"…it was."

"Was I wrong to reconcile you guys?"

"No… You did the right thing. Just not something you see every day, that's all. Anyways, thanks for the story, and for doing what I can't." Blake smiled faintly. "I'll be going now."

"I'll see you around, Blake."

"Just like what Yang said, huh? We'll see about that." With a slight bow, Blake then made her exit.

Now alone, Ruby picked up her belongings and went back to sit on the same bench where she met Blake. She still wasn't in a rush to head to her dorm just yet – not when she just went through that difficult situation – not to mention that she hadn't even started exploring Beacon. But walking around the academy could wait a while. For now, all Ruby wanted was to sit and enjoy the outside, think more on how she handled things earlier, and reminisce.

I didn't do too bad there, right?

A gentle breeze passed by, and Ruby smiled wistfully at its touch.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Still no word from Leon?"

"He'll finish his mission when the time is right. He's patient, and he knows what he's doing. He'll pull through soon enough."

"What about her, though?" There was a tone of disbelief in Glynda's voice, as if wondering why she was putting up with any of this. "Weiss looked just about to freeze the whole place if Pyrrha hadn't arrived."

Ozpin tapped his foot as he observed the girls sort it out from Beacon's tallest tower, the old lighthouse. Located just a few floors below the lighthouse lamp that gave the school its name, his office had a great view of the school's plaza, and the fact that no Semblances were fully unleashed meant that Pyrrha made it in time. Not that he doubted that she would; the girl had a powerful Semblance, and was diligent, charismatic, and quick on her feet. The awards she earned in Soteria really did have merit, though he knew Pyrrha could care less about any of them. There was a good reason why Pyrrha took up his offer to transfer to Beacon in the first place.

"I wouldn't be too sure about that," Ozpin said. "We both know how Semblance fights work, Glynda. Perhaps the plaza would have been scorched instead. Or maybe they would have knocked each other out in a draw."

Glynda's green eyes narrowed. "You know that's not what I meant."

"Don't worry about it. No one was hurt, and this isn't the first time a fight happened on our grounds. And it seems that Ruby's the one who reached out in the end to fix things. If anything, you should be proud of her, not fearing for her life. She's never been safer here than anywhere else."

"All I want is a normal life for her." It was a terse enough answer, and one that Ozpin quite understood. No longer showing interest in what happened at the plaza, Glynda sat in one of the chairs at the front of his desk, slowly tapping her fingers on the chair's armrest. "Would Ruby being here really force Qrow's hand?" she asked, changing the subject.

"I know you have your doubts, and the plan's not exactly foolproof. But it's still worth a shot… It's a better idea than to constantly look for a man that can fly like the wind." With the issue at the plaza resolving itself, Ozpin went back to his desk to tidy up. "In any case, we'll know soon enough."

"You've been wrong before, Ozpin." There was no malice in Glynda's voice; just a statement about past incidents. Ozpin simply let it slide as always. "But I'll trust your judgment here. We'll see what happens. I only want one thing from all this… No more Summers."

"I promise," Ozpin said, and relaxed in his seat. "No more Summers."