Chapter Text
There was no timer after, the screen immediately rolling into the next episode:
On-screen, we see the descent of several ships carrying students docking at the entrance of Beacon. As soon as one lands, Jaune Arc rushes out, holding his hand over his mouth. The screen switches back to the sisters, and in the background, we see and hear Jaune losing his lunch in a nearby trashcan. Amber sees this and looks away in disgust. The disgust is quickly displaced by amazement as she sets her eyes on Beacon.
The blonde boy in question sunk down in his seat to the point that he was more under the table than seated at it. It wasn’t his fault he got airsick, he’d never been in an aircraft after all! As Jaune had his meltdown, many of the older students reminisced on the first time they themselves had seen Beacon. It had always been a magnificent sight, but to see it for the first time as a student, there was nothing better.
“Woah, the view from Vale’s got nothing on this.” Yang thought aloud, she was brought out of her wonder by Ruby bouncing around. “Oh my gosh! Amber, that kid’s got a collapsible staff! And she’s got a fire sword!” Ruby moves to go ask the girl questions about the sword, but Yang pulls her back by the hood. “OW!” Ruby whines, rubbing at her neck when Yang released her.
“Easy there, little sister. They’re just weapons.” Yang’s face showed that she’d messed up before Ruby had said anything. “Just weapons! They’re extensions of ourselves, they’re a part of us! Oh, they’re so cool!” Ruby fawned over the weapons people carried as they passed. Neither sister noticing as Amber walked off.
Yang shook her head at her sister’s antics. She always walked off like that, it was a wonder why dad hadn’t bought her a leash. Yang had quietly thought that she needed one.
“Well, why can’t you swoon over your own weapon? Aren’t you happy with it?” Yang asked in an attempt to calm the redhead. It worked as she transformed her weapon into scythe form. “Of course, I’m happy with Crescent Rose! I just really like seeing new ones. It’s like meeting new people, but better…” Ruby trailed off, nervousness finally setting in.
“Ruby, come on why don’t you and Amber go try and make friends of your own?” Yang moved to place her arm around both twins, but when her arm doesn’t wrap around Amber she groans. “Or, how about you find Amber? I’m sure that’ll occupy you.” Yang complained fondly.
“Wait, Yang, why would I need friends if I have you.” Ruby finished her sentence just in time to watch a crowd of Yang’s friends snatches her up. She was left standing alone in the emptying courtyard.
“Yang! Wait, hold on! Are we supposed to go to our dorms? Where are our dorms? Do we have dorms?” Her shouted questions were left unanswered by the blonde, who was already long gone. “I don’t know what I’m doing.” Ruby sighed, before getting tripped up by a luggage cart. Her fall sent a mountain of suitcases flying.
“Damn Ruby, you have terrible luck.” Amber snickered. “Yeah, Rubes. I’m pretty sure that’s the Schnee logo, your about to be in for it.” Yang snickered loudly, ignoring the fact that two Schnees were seated within earshot. Neither reacted much beyond an irritated scowl.
“What are you doing!” Weiss shouts at the redhead as she places her hand on her head, rubbing away the pain. She sat up slowly when she heard the angry voice, apologizing as she did so. She picked up a case that had landed in her lap in an attempt to hand it over.
“Sorry! Do you have an idea of the damage you could’ve caused?” Weiss was furious now, she snatched the case away from Ruby. “Give me that! This is dust, mined and purified from the Schnee quarry!” Weiss grouched, holding the case open. Ruby, whose eyes were unfocused, could only see vague, blurry outlines. She mumbled quietly to herself, wanting to reorientate.
“What are you brain-dead?” She held out a vial of red fire dust before shutting the case, “Dust! Fire, water, lightning, energy!” She shook the vial to accent each word, not seeing the dust escaping as she did so.
“I, I know.” Ruby tries to speak, but ends up coughing from all the dust in her face.
“Are you even listening to me? Is any of this sinking is? What do you have to say for yourself.” Weiss finished, folding her arms over her chest. She watched Ruby for any sign of repentance, but Ruby had only sneezed. This sneeze triggered an explosion of flames, ice, and electricity straight into Weiss. The vial of fire dust she was holding rolling to the feet of Blake Belladonna and Amber, who had been walking with her.
Blake picks up the vial, both of them seeing the Schnee dust company logo on the side. Amber shakes her head in agitation, beginning the long walk to where Weiss and Ruby were standing, Blake following behind. Weiss who had been covered in soot, began to swat it away. She looked at Ruby in fury..
“This is exactly the kind of thing I was talking about!” Weiss sneered, Ruby embarrassed tried to apologize once again. “Ugh, you complete dolt! What are you even doing here? Aren’t you a little young to be attending Beacon?” Weiss interrogated, then cut Ruby off before she could explain.
“This isn’t your ordinary combat school! It’s not just sparring and practice, you know! We’re here to fight monsters, so…watch where you’re going.” Weiss shouts again, and we see Ruby starting to get fed up.
Amber sighed, “Ruby, you really have to learn to be more assertive. She was being a bitch, should’ve just walked away, or cursed her out. Whichever works.” Amber shrugged not really caring that said bitch was right there.
“Excuse me, but I’m quite sick of you three speaking about me as if I am not here!” Weiss complained but was ignored easily by the three sisters. Which if anything served to agitate the Schnee heiress more.
“Hey! I said I was sorry, princess!” Ruby grumbled sarcastically as Blake and Amber finally approached,
“Heiress, actually Ruby. That’s Weiss Schnee, heiress to the Schnee Dust Company.” Amber scowled, not that Weiss noticed as she looked quite prideful at being recognized. That was before she continued,
“Remember the company that caused the big nevermore attack back home, the one that destroyed our house last year.” Weiss’ face soured considerably before Blake dealt the finishing blow.
“And the same company infamous for its controversial labor forces and questionable business partners.” Weiss flounders as Ruby chuckles quietly. She huffs, and her servants hastily gathered her luggage and rushed after the pissed-off heiress. Ruby turned around to speak to Amber and Blake after attempting to apologize once again, only to find them gone. A blinking outline of where they had been standing was all that was left. She slumped until the blonde boy from earlier walked over. He held out his hand, “Hey, I’m Jaune.” He introduced. Ruby took his hand immediately.
“Ruby. Aren’t you the guy that threw up on the ship?”
Laughter filled the hall, and Jaune slipped completely under the table in shame. He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up to see a redhead trying to give him a comforting smile. He sent her an awkward, but grateful smile back.
The scene continued on to show Ruby and Jaune wandering around a path near the Beacon courtyard, while Jaune waved his arms around manically.
“All I’m saying is that air and motion sickness are much more common than people think!” He tried to defend himself as Ruby chuckled at his distress.
“Yeah, yeah. I’m sorry , Vomit Boy was just the first thing that came to mind.” She explained, still giggling into her hand. Jaune huffed,
“Yeah well, what if I called you Crater Face!” Ruby pouted slightly.
“Hey that explosion was an accident!” It was Jaune’s turn to laugh now.
“Anyways, I’m Jaune Arc. Short, sweet, rolls off the tongue – Ladies love it!” Ruby raised an eyebrow at the false confidence.
“Do they?”
“I don’t know, hopefully? It’s what Mom always says. Never mind.” The two continued their walk in awkward silence until Ruby noticed the sword on Jaune’s hip.
“Oh cool! What’s your weapon, I’ve got this!” She unfurls Cresent Rose as Jaune leaps backwards in shock.
Yang groans as she watches her sister. “Oh, come on Rubes, you were doing so well!” She complained. Ruby pouted but didn’t say anything.
“Is that a scythe?” Jaune asked in amazement. Ruby smiled proudly,
“It’s also a customizable, high-impact sniper rifle!” Jaune only stared at her in confusion. Ruby presses on the trigger firing it into the air, narrowly avoiding hitting a bird. “It’s also a gun.” Her smile widened as Jaune nodded in amazement.
“So, what does your sword do?” she asked, and Jaune’s face fell in embarrassment. He unsheathed the sword and unfurled his shield.
“They don’t really do… anything? The shield folds when I’m sick of carrying it, that’s about it.” He mumbled, folding the shield back.
“Wouldn’t it weigh the same?” Ruby asked, and Jaune’s head fell. “Yeah it does.” Ruby chuckled a bit.
“Yeah, I guess I did go a bit overboard designing it.” She said, folding Cresent Rose into its carrying form.
“You made that!”
“Yeah, everyone makes their own weapon at Signal. Didn’t you make yours?”
“Nah, it’s more of a hand me down, my great-grandfather used it in the war.” Jaune explained, sheathing the sword.
“Cool! Sounds like a family heirloom to me., most people don’t appreciate the classics these days.”
“Yeah, classics.” Jaune trailed off.
“Anyway, why’d you help me out back in the courtyard?” Jaune looked confused,
“Why wouldn’t I, my mom always says that strangers are just friends you haven’t met yet!” Ruby hummed in thought before stopping.
“Hey, where are we going?”
“I don’t know, I was following you. Do you think there’s a directory, or a food court somewhere around here? Is that a no?”
“That’s a no.” Ruby said, and they both turned to ne another and burst into laughter. The screen faded out to five-minute timer.
“Only you Ruby, only you.” Amber chuckled at her sister’s misfortune.
