Episode 1: Leaving Home

Ruby Rose cracked open her silver eyes, still bleary with sleep. Her alarm was going off, and it was blasting music from her favorite rock station. Darn thing, I must have set the time wrong. I'm so tired, I should have a few hours of sleep left, thought Ruby groggily. She looked at the clock. It read 8:30. When was the initiation again? Whatever, I'm up now, Ruby thought, as she slowly rolled herself out of bed, taking her rose-pattern blanket into the bathroom, disrobed, and entered the shower. As she let the hot water run over her back and through her red-tinged hair, the same anxious thoughts entered her mind for what seemed like the hundredth time. What if Yang and I grow apart? What if I can't make any friends? What if I'm treated different because I'm younger. What if people think I'm Professor Ozpin's favorite just because he knows Uncle Qrow? These thoughts could have tumbled around Ruby's head endlessly, were it not for her sister Yang. "Rubes, I'm up!" accompanied with a knock on the door let Ruby know her half-sister needed to get into the bathroom.

"Be out in a minute!" called Ruby softly.

Sufficiently woken up and feeling refreshed, Ruby headed downstairs to the kitchen, where Yang's mother, and her (sorta) stepmother was doing something with dishes at the stove.

"Is there anything cooking?" asked Ruby. "Bacon and eggs could help my nerves a lot right now," she added sheepishly. Her relationship with Yang's mom was...complicated, to put it lightly.

"Sorry sweetie, Yang woke up before you, and I only made enough for her father and her to eat before Taiyang rushed out the door." Raven said. This is what it was like all the time: 'Oh sorry Ruby, we thought you wouldn't be hungry!' or, 'Sorry, there really isn't enough room.' Ruby could hardly blame her, but she thought since today was a big day things would be different. Ruby went over to the pantry and sifted through the various brands of cereals, finally deciding on Pumpkin Pete's Marshmallow Flakes. Aw yeah, comforting, sugary, Pumpkin Pete's. Perfect. As she poured herself a bowl of cereal, she spotted Yang coming down the stairs.

"Hey little sis, you excited?" asked Yang.

"Try um, maybe a little queasy?" ventured Ruby.

"Oh Rubes, chill out, it'll be fine! College is great! And, of course, you're getting a full ride AND you're here two years ahead of the kids your age! I'm soooo proud of you!" said Yang

"Shut up!" said Ruby, "You sound like Dad, plus, that's not really what matters. What if I'm treated different because I'm younger, or if I can't make any friends? I didn't get to take my friends with me to Beacon." ended Ruby, looking crestfallen.

"Cheer up, sis, look on the bright side! At least nobody knows about that time you exploded in chemistry."

"Hey! That wasn't my fault, we aren't supposed to talk about that," said Ruby, as Yang dodged various objects being thrown at her by her sister.

"Ok, ok, I'll drop it, let's get on the bus and go! Oh man, I can hardly wait!" exclaimed Yang as she dragged a much-less-enthusiastic Ruby behind her. The two emerged from their home into the bustling streets of Vale. If you didn't know they were sisters, you would never be able to tell. Ruby had short-cropped black hair with tinges of red at the ends, wearing black pants and a military-looking jacket with the name Rose printed on it. She also had rose headphones around her neck, connected to something in her backpack. Yang, on the other hand, wore jean shorts with a plain white tee, the image of relaxed and ready. Yang's violet eyes scanned the street and found what she was looking for.

"Rubes, look, it's the university bus!" she pointed out the bus to Ruby, whose face turned even paler at the thought of leaving home. As they entered the bus, Ruby put her headphones, her vision growing slightly glassy as she lost herself in the music. Unfortunately for her, this lapse of attention caused her to trip on the steps of the bus, but she was caught by a blonde guy who had the look of someone who rarely left home.

"Woah, woah, watch it there, wouldn't want you to start college like that, tripping on some steps. Jaune Arc. Pleased to meet you."

"Ruby Rose. So you go to Beacon too?" asked Ruby.

"Yeah well, starting today, that is. I'm excited, but I'm also nervous." remarked Jaune. "Come sit down, we can talk while we drive there." Ruby, slightly apprehensive, but taken aback by his friendly yet somewhat forward introduction, sat down, but managed to shoot a glare at Yang while Yang gave her a wink and a smile.