Chapter 2: Welcome to Beacon

Ruby Rose

"Hey, hey, get up Ruby! We got to go!"

Ruby didn't respond at first, though it was her sister's voice shouting at her. The sweet dreams of forests in perpetual autumn, of snowy valleys where nothing melts, and fantastic dreams of contrasting colors and strange things in the dark were much nicer than waking. Somewhere in a flash of white and red in a blizzard of snow, so close she could almost see it, was the next big idea.

"Stop being a butt. Get up!"

The dreams fractured into a million colored pieces and with a flicker of the eyelashes Ruby was back in real world, embraced by red velvet covers in a hanging mattress. White light from outside danced along the floor of the basement. It was bright out for being so early, though Ruby preferred that. A few warm rays from the sun breathed all the life Ruby needed into her for the day. Wide-eyed, fresh, and ready to go, Ruby kicked herself up, nearly throwing herself and the bed to the floor. The rope supports were not the sturdiest things, Ruby noticed.

"I'm up. Ready, let's go!" Ruby announced to Yang, whom apparently thought it was funny and started giggling. It took a moment to realize why. Yang was all dressed in black shorts, and a nice, brown leather jacket open at the front, showing off her yellow tank top. 'Pretty showy for a cooler autumn day,' Ruby thought, but maybe that was why she had a sweater tied around her waist, making a nice little almost cape. 'Good look.' Ruby, on the other hand, was in messy, pink polka dot PJ pants and a loose black tank top, both wrinkled and a mess. "Okay, never mind. Shower first!"

The shower in mention was a small addition to the downstairs basement, not really separated from the other room by anything more imposing than a curtain. It was plenty though. Ruby hadn't even expected her own room, so having a private bath was awesome. She turned it to a nice cool, enough to make her shudder and fully awaken for the day. This was just the orientation, but the same fears and discomfort Ruby remembered from a thousand first days at school were rumbling in her chest. This was her time to make new friends, branch out with other students like her, but that was absolutely the last thing she wanted to worry about now. After eighteen years, why hadn't people gotten less scary?

Up and out of the shower, the next choice was haunting Ruby. The choice of what clothes. It was silly high school bull, but what someone wore was a good half of the first impression. It was less of a question of altering her style, Ruby didn't want to give off an impression other than herself, but she wanted to show it without seeming too strong. Not to mention Yang's mom would probably freak if Ruby just went all out with it. Instead, she settled on a combination. Give it a day or so before she broke out the black leggings and skirts. She started with ripped at the knees jeans, sort of common, but they were comfy, and had the same red and black design as always. For a shirt she settled on a similar dark black tank top emblazoned with a red rose design, one Ruby loved to get on anything she could. Over that she had the same hoodie, a comfortable red, simple and not too flashy.

"Ruby, come on! You take forever!" Yang shouted from upstairs, a bit of an annoyed groan towards her. Ruby didn't worry about it. Gathering her now useless phone, keys to a home she no longer lived in, and wallet with a loan Portland City bus ID pass, it was clear everything she kept on her was worthless now. Everything but a red leather bound notebook and a pen. All she had to bring of her own was a writing utensil. Hopefully she could actually make something if meeting people ended up a bust. 'Don't think that way, this is the start.'

"Alright, Yang. Let's go!"

"And so things here are pretty lax! You'll love Professor Goodwitch, big reader like you!" Yang shouted over the roar of Bumblebee, the name of her motorcycle of which was always to be treated with utmost affection. Ruby had gathered that it was her prize possession. Flying down the mountain road into the coastal city of Vale, Ruby completely understood why. The ride was beautiful and more than a little exciting. It was slightly frightening on the more bumpy cobbled roads, but driving in like this, the wind and the glimmer of the sea just a few miles out, was easily a good enough reason. Ruby didn't think she would get herself one, but drives like this out to school could easily grow to be a welcome thing. Hell of a way to wake up too.

"Goodwitch?!" Ruby asked interested, trying as well to be louder than Bumblebee. She had never heard of anyone named Goodwitch, much less a Spanish woman. Then again, not many people in Spain probably had the name Long. Heck, even in America the name Rose earned Ruby a few looks of confusion and some small bouts of name calling.

"Yeah, she and Professor Ozpin, they're from Oxford. Restarted the university here! I mean, it wasn't always called Beacon! She's a language professor, head of your program! Had her for English, loved her even if she's a bit of a hard-ass!" So this Professor Goodwitch was the boss. At least that promised the program head could at least understand Ruby. That was one major concern out the window.

'Okay, Ruby, keep your head cool. You got this,' she kept telling herself the same thing all morning.

The mountain view melted after a while, reforming into streets of tan buildings with red roofs and streets made of proper pavement that were populated by tons of different people, the amount walking outnumbering the vehicles on the road tenfold. This lead to Yang making more erratic, and probably totally illegal, turns. Still Ruby didn't think it was smart to start asking her to cool it while they were still zooming through town square. It wasn't long after that just above the city streets the sun bleached walls of the local castle came to view, the tallest an empty keep with no one in it besides maybe whoever hung the Spanish flag at the top. Before the end of the next four years here Ruby was getting in there and see what was inside.

Riding closer and closer to the castle, one of the lesser keeps came into view, this one freshly painted a dark grey, the top of it a point into the sky, housing what looked like a lighthouse. It was Beacon, the University retrofitted from what had to be an expansive mansion and keep. From that main tower more buildings shot out with ornate grey roofing like the walls of a Castle, but instead of stone it was more buildings lined with windows. Perhaps dorms or classrooms. Each jutting out extension ended in a much smaller thick towers full of even more room and if that wasn't luxurious enough flying buttresses connected many of these massive halls. One of the towers was fast approaching and Ruby could only guess this was their stop.

Yang drove them right through the entrance turning onto red plaza blocks which Ruby wasn't totally convinced she was allowed to do, but no one stopped them. Eventually this plaza ended in a tiny garden parking lot with a small fountain, a bench and a rather pretty woman in a black sleeveless vest over a nice crisp button down shirt. Despite the colder weather she wore white shorts, but long black thick stockings with cute white emblems to compensate. Other than that, a black scarf around her neck and long fingerless, but pretty stylish, gloves she didn't seem all that concerned with the cold. There alone she read a book with an Italian title Ruby couldn't quite make out. The noise of Bumblebee's engine didn't seem to rattle her, but once it stopped her sharp amber eyes looked up to them.

"You're going to get in trouble parking in the teachers lot again," She said calmly putting closing her book and silently standing. Ruby was struck by how graceful she was in her motions, kind of like a cat. She was definitely a little seductive and Ruby most certainly pegged her for Yang's aforementioned "Italian friend" and her type.

"Glynda would never, she loves me," Yang replied pulling off her helmet, it was a little surprising to see how quick Yang responded to her call, she wasn't the type to flip out over pretty much anyone, yet kicking herself off the bike Yang seemed absolutely giddy. "Oh! Blake, Blake this is my sister Ruby! Ruby this is Blake Belladonna." Yang pulled Ruby out in front of her like she was some sort of presented gift for Blake. Those amber eyes looked Ruby for a moment, the young crimson haired girl feeling that familiar "You are being judged" feel.

"Nice to meet you," She barely managed, Ruby's silver eyes darting around but never quite matching Blake's. Ruby swallowed her own discomfort, heart pounding she pulled up to Blake, hand reached out, maybe a bit more robotically than Ruby hoped but ready to shake her hand. "My name is Ruby Rose."

"Likewise. I'm Blake. Let's go you don't want to be late." Blake shook her hand a little uncomfortably. Ruby already pegged Blake not quite the touchy feely social type. "I've heard a lot about you Ruby. Sorry for your loss, but I think you'll like Beacon," she started, turning right around quickly as she headed into one of the wooden doors to this particular tower of Beacon.

"It's okay, I'm just nervous. I uhh, I'm not so good with people." Ruby figured the key to making friends was being herself and being honest. As cliché as it sounded there was truth to it. Made only logical sense that anyone you actually wanted to spend time with should be the kind of people that actually liked you, not the paranoid social mess of trying hard to fit in. One of those things Ruby started really getting as she got older. Blake seemed to respond well to this, nodding though not saying much. Yang however could be heard running up to them, nearly ramming right into both of them.

"You couldn't even speak to most if you wanted to Rubes." Yang laughed as she said it, her voice reverberating Ruby's embarrassment down the grey columned halls of Beacon. The inside was bigger than it looked like it should be, a white and grey color palette having clearly won the day during the design. It looked really Hellenistic, something Ruby thought was cool, matched how unworldly old this place had to be.

"While people are a bit overrated, don't worry about Spanish. I still struggle with it, always preferred English and I do fine," Blake replied with a tired wry smile, something Ruby appreciated. Blake was strangely antisocial, yet really comfortable to be around, really easy for Ruby to understand why Yang and her hit it off.

"Don't really get why, Italian is like the same thing," Yang cut in with a whistling tone to her voice. She threw her arms around both of them, a ball of blonde hair and wide smiles between Ruby and Blake now.

"Depends on where you're from, Venetian is similar, but Roman is totally different," Blake answered gracefully ducking under Yang's arm and up the, had to be fake, marble staircase. Both Blake and Yang smiled at this, the familiar competitive look in Yang's eye ablaze. For whatever reason, Blake dodge under Yang was considered this a perfect invitation to a challenge of some sort. Ruby mused at asking if there was a bit of a romantic air between them.

"And you're Venetian, still don't get it." Yang said running up to Blake on the stairs, but right before she reached the quick Blake ducked out into the hall and right in front of the lone door in the alcove.

"And here we are," Blake decreed, kicking open the entrance with her heels. "Welcome to Beacon." The bang earned the eyes of everyone inside, highlighting Ruby in a bed of embarrassed read. Inside there were several tables and couches of different color sets facing the many whiteboards and TVs that lined the halls. It looked like a modernist living room fused with a classroom. There was a complete kitchen in right corner along the wall opposite the main TV. Doors on either side of the main room likely the foreign students dorm and the left was a cordoned off office marked Professora Goodwitch in one corner and a white board with the phrase '¡Bienvenido!' written in black. Near this board was a woman with platinum blonde hair and the greenest eyes Ruby had ever seen. Dressed in business attire fitting of a professor this was almost absolutely Professor Glynda Goodwitch. She looked stern at all of them, not impressed by Blake's showy entrance.

"Sorry Glynda. I was just showing Ruby Rose around." Blake seemed earnestly apologetic, giving a slight bow to her professor. Goodwitch didn't seem pleased at all though and gave Blake a questioning look behind the rim of her glasses.

"Miss Belladonna, sit down and don't think you can call me Glynda just because you're the most veteran here in the program." Blake took a deep breath, but nodded at this taking a seat on one of the many multi colored couches. "Ruby Rose? My name is Glynda Goodwitch, we were about to choose the primary language for the program this year. Seat wherever you like." That froze Ruby solid for a moment, she never liked being last to enter a classroom and take on the new responsibility of choosing who to sit by. She could pick the safe option, choosing to cut between Yang and Blake whom claimed a couch of their own. There was a group of two boys whom seemed nice enough, though that seemed a bit weird. Closer to the front alone at separate tables were two girls. One a pretty red head with a red bow in her hair with a green and tan dressed that matched her emerald eyes. The other girl was a strange sight if ever ruby saw one. Dressed in a blue bolero over a white dress was a girl with real life silver hair. Ruby had heard about that sort of stuff happening, people who had grey hair way sooner than when hair began to grow old and unhealthy, but she had never seen young woman with rich silver for hair. Sadly the silver girl was not warm when she caught Ruby's glace only registering her for a moment before turning away. The redhead was different though; she smiled and nodded Ruby over. Looked like Ruby's choice was made for her.

"Hi I'm Penny, let's be friends!" The ginger girl spoke with a fairly heavy accent that sounded of a weird Scottish English hybrid, though Ruby was in no way an expert on British accents. She seemed nice though and had a really sweet smile. They were both at least partial redheads, though Ruby was a darker breed, still a bit of fate that they would be buddies.

"Hi, I'm Ruby Rose..uhh… sure sounds great." Ruby felt her voice nearly crack, why did people seem to frighten her? Ruby wished she would just get better at this eventually. Though everyone seemed fairly hushed Goodwitch said nothing, instead began writing on the biggest whiteboard some sort of language table. Somewhere through the halls a pounding sound could be heard, the sound of rushing footsteps and dragged goods. Shockingly enough Ruby might not have been the last one to actually make it. This pounding grew louder, into a running rush, enough to stop Goodwitch in her writing and turn every head to the door. All that pounding came to a booming climax when a woman with the force of a battering ram smashed through the front door.

"Is Lie Ren here?!" The girl seemed out of breath, small beads of sweat from the edges of her short cut fire red hair. She was dressed in a mix white and black vest ending in a pink skirt. She had aura of power to her, or maybe that was just being scared witless by her sudden and rather loud arrival. On her were several suitcases, probably one of the students though she seemed more interested in whoever Ren was than the foreign program. Goodwitch looked furious, but lacked the words to reply, actually everyone one seemed to, except of one of the two boys in the back whom seemed completely unphased by any of it.

"Nora?" he asked, this boy with black hair and violet eyes, he seemed rather plan, if attractivel dressed in a green long sleeve shirt and fairly average white pants. The only thing that seemed super striking on him was the single streak of violet dye in his hair to match his eyes. Ruby had to assume he was Lie Ren and the other girl was Nora, for the moment he said her name she lit up a flame of excitement.

"Ren, oh my god!" Nora ignored whatever indigent stares she got from Goodwitch and half the class, the only thing that seemed to exist to her was this Ren kid. It was like watching a weird romance movie with absolutely no context, which served to only make it more ridiculous when Nora drop all her goods to go for a full force tackle into Ren whose kind of scrawny form was truly ill prepared for this. Crashing into him caused even more noise Goodwitch seemed fit to pop a fuse. "Ren I didn't think you'd be so cute! Oh my god I can't believe I finally get to meet you!"

"You must be Nora," Goodwitch started fairly politely, though her rage was really evident. "Now please sit down and behave yourself, your supposed to be an adult!"

"Undskyld, I'm sorry Professor! I just haven't had a chance to see him ever before. We we've been sending each other emails since we were like eight!" Nora bowed repeatedly, a panicked apologetic mess, she seemed a bit more aware of herself now and Ruby decided she liked her. Anyone that weird was pretty earnest and it was kind of cute to watch.

"Enough. Sit down and act your age." Goodwitch ended it there. After taking a moment she backed away from the whiteboard revealing a table of sorts. It listed the names of a bunch of languages and a spot for totals. First was Spanish. "Bienvenidos. ¿Quién de ustedes habla Español?" Ruby didn't even know what that meant, but hands all around her were raised. One of the girls in the back Ruby had not recognized with Brown hair did so, Blake and Yang did, next to Ruby Penny just shrugged, the silver girl up front raised her hand as well.

"Français?" she asked next writing four down next to Spanish on the board. Ruby realized what it was then, a counter for who spoke the language. This was going to be a long embarrassing ride for Ruby she realized being incredibly language deficient. This was at least less popular, only the blonde boy next to Ren raised his arm, Blake and the silver girl.

"Deutsch?" She asked writing a measly three down by French. This was an even more restricted category, the only ones who raised their hands were Nora and the silver woman again. Ruby felt a little smart actually knowing that meant German not Dutch, though again she had to keep her hand down. Knowing what it was and speaking it was a totally different thing.

"Italiano?" This was just Blake, which was just impressive to see how many Blake knew, she was a smart girl. Though to top her the silver haired girl raised her thin pale arms again after a moment. 'holy cow, how many languages do you know?' It was just one of those things that made Ruby want to rethink her life choices. Perhaps she could have been as smart as this girl coming in.

"Professor can we just skip to the part where English ends up winning?" Yang asked though it made both Blake and Goodwitch groan in frustration. Ruby got the idea that this was a common problem. After a sigh Goodwitch went to the very bottom where English sat alone.

"English?" Everyone raised their hand, not mostly everyone, everyone. All ten students and of course silver girl whom was the first to raise her hand. A silver haired odd beauty and a language savant. Some people just got blessed twice Ruby figured. It was really these moments where Ruby felt a little guilt that the entire world seemed to teach English as the second language and she couldn't even bother to pay attention to the two years of Spanish she had in high school.

"Alright English it is. My name is Doctor Glynda Goodwitch. My doctorates are in language studies and origin. I speak the native language of every student on the program roaster so if you have any problems here go ahead and see me, we'll work it out. You are all, barring two, new students to Beacon and part of fresh effort to expand our student body to foreign students in and out of the E.U. Here in this program you will all share a private Spanish class with me at eight every morning and your programs will be catered to give you the most foreign friendly classes as well as setting your classes with other foreign language students. If you have any questions see me after, but now that everyone has arrived I feel it's time to introduce yourselves. I know most of you have already gotten to know your dorm mates, but to those not in our dorms or just arriving today let's start." Glynda pushed her glasses up as she finished her speech. Ruby decided she liked her too, seemed nice if a little scary.

"Anyone want to go first?" Glynda offered when no one took up the role immediately. Out in the back as soon as the invitation was given Nora in the back jumped up waving her hand up excitedly. Goodwitch took a deep breath clearly not the biggest fan of bubbly people.

"I'll go Professor!" she offered again hopping up and down excitedly when Goodwitch said nothing. She nodded yes and Nora beamed, jumping over one of the couches running up to the front of the class. She turned around with a twirl her skirt doing a nice spin with it. "I'm Nora Valkyrie and I'm from Copenhagen Denmark!. I'm a first year but I haven't picked a program yet. Look forward to hanging out with everyone." She had a big smile on her face and spoke faster than pretty much anyone Ruby knew, and that was coming from a girl who when she was comfortable spoke at a bullets pace. Ruby doubled her faith that she would get along with Nora.

"I'm going to give it a go, wish me luck matie," Penny whispered softly over to Ruby who nodded with a smile. Penny was a little weird, but Ruby liked how jolly she was. Standing to take Nora's place Penny got a random hug from Nora who said something about team ginger but Ruby couldn't quite make it out, was cute though. Goodwitch cleared her throat behind them making Penny jump and rush back to center stage. "Howdy friends, I'm Penny! I'm in the Mechanical Engineering program, a first year. I was raised in a small town near Leeds, England, but wanted to go on an adventure instead of a university so I came here for both."

"Leeds? Have you ever been to York?" the Blonde guy asked in the back a little meekly, he looked a little embarrassed realizing he had interrupted Penny, though she just smiled and nodded yes. Goodwitch though looked back with a raised eye at him with just a bit of a wry smile.

"I believe you have just nominated yourself," Goodwitch declared. The boy stood up taking his place at the front, he seemed nervous, which Ruby totally got. He was dressed pretty simply, a nice button down white shirt and blue jeans and just a pair of sneakers. He didn't seem to find his words at first, instead her just shifted feet and scratched his mess of blonde hair. "Uhh I'm Jaune Arc, from Orleans France. I'm in the History Program and a second year. I like old stuff, that's about it for me," he gave a shrug and a smile as he finished. Ruby thought she'd get along well with Jaune too.

When Penny sat down by Ruby and Jaune started going away Ruby felt a need to be brave. This was the opportunity to really show herself and reach out into the group. Heart pounding, almost quaking as she sat Ruby took a moment to collect herself before standing. This moment just happened to take long enough for the other red head to pass her completely and start.

"Hello, my name is Pyrrha Nikos, I'm from a small village in Laconia, Greece." She was a really pretty girl and easily taller than everyone in the room, very muscular too. She had lovely dark auburn hair, about Ruby's natural color when she didn't dye it bit blacker, but tied back it looked a little cool, enough so for Ruby to consider maybe getting a pony tail if she ever grew it out. Pyrrha wore a sleeveless light brown top and red miniskirt that perfectly matched her hair. She had this pleasant soothing smile to her and spoke very mild mannered. "I took a year in England at our sister University Sanctum, but for my second I decided to transfer here. I'm a Physical Fitness major and hope to involved in our female kick boxing club." At that Yang nearly exploded in her seat raising her hand and giving a big whistle. She was the president of the female kickboxing club

"Yang, you're an aid, but I'm sure you should introduce yourself. More properly." Goodwitch started, but with all of Ruby's idiot courage she built up, she was not going to be passed by so quickly. Well at least not again.

"Professor GoodWitch may I please go next!" Ruby could feel herself sweating as she said it. That was not good, who sweated forever just announcing yourself to a dorm room. Well maybe what was freaking her out was interrupting Goodwitch, a really dumb idea on her part. The professor looked a little mad, but nodded letting her go first. Ruby a mess of shot nerves and piles of other locked away messed up emotion stood in front of their dorm group a measly ten people.

"Um, my name is Ruby Rose. I'm really happy to meet you guys. I'm from Portland Oregon, which is a place in America. So my mom passed away recently so I moved in with my dad to go hear." Realizing perhaps popping the dead mom thing this early might have been a bit uncalled for Ruby put on her best smile and tried again. "But I'm excited to start here. I'm a first year so I haven't decided a major, err I mean a program. I'm thinking of doing creative writing, but I'm not sure. Most of us are looking for a bit of an adventure so let's have it together!" Penny smiled at Ruby from the back, but in front the silver girl rolled her eyes as soon as Ruby admitted her undecided status.

"Well Miss Schnee, I see we have another volunteer." Apparently Goodwitch had caught that roll of the eyes and didn't approve. Silver hair nodded politely standing and taking Ruby's place. She had this centered perfect stance, back straight and chin up, kind of made Ruby look like a bit of a slouch, but Ruby found it impressive. Walking up was the first time Ruby had a good look at her face, noticed how pale it was and more oddly how a thin jagged pink scar cut down her eye. Ruby couldn't lie and say she really didn't want to hear the story of how exactly that little line got on her face. It wasn't repulsive; in fact it was a little...right. She wore it with grace Ruby supposed. Her mom had a few things like that, she used to say scars look cool on people only when you stop hiding it or being tawdry about it and to her credit she was neither.

"My name is Weiss Schnee, I was raised in a private manor in west Germany near Cologne. I was in another university in austria for a different program until recently. Due to conflicts I'll be returning to a first year here in the business administration program. I'm sure you are all the best at what you and I look forward to working with you." Ruby really didn't know a lot of people with that much pure confidence her age. Some like Penny oozed comfort and ease, but confidence and authority not so much. It was something that felt almost a little intimidating along with appealing about this young woman in her bolero and heeled boots with a sideways ponytail hung up by a red ribbon to just pouring out authority.

The rest of the class came up one at a time after that. Ren ended up in the medical program and reinforced that he did in fact know Nora though it was the first time they had actually met for real. Was kind of a cute thing. Another girl came up dressed in a cute brown sweater that matched her long brown hair and a just adorable red plaid skirt. Her name was Velvet Scarlatina, an astrophysics major from Canberra, which as it turns out is the actual capital of Australia. Blake and Yang both went up, though Ruby already knew they were third years and that Yang was in culinary arts. It was good news to hear Blake was in literature studies so Ruby and her could share classes in the future. Assuming she did finally declared her major or program or whatever they called it here.

Once the announcements stopped, Goodwitch started taking each student back in the office teaching them how to register for courses. Waiting Ruby sat for a bit with Penny, discovering their mutual affections for old fairy tales and fairly large collection of Legos when they were little. Eventually though Penny was pulled away from the group. Alone Ruby stirred. She thought about talking to Blake, but she was busy conversing with Velvet whom was apparently a friend of hers. Yang was off talking Pyrrha up about the kickboxing club something Ruby was less inclined to be a part of. Nora, Ren and Jaune all laughed in a corner leaving only Weiss, sitting at a table working out of what looked like a math book. 'Studying? Classes haven't even started?'

"Hi, I'm Ruby nice to meet you Weiss." Ruby had to take a moment to approaching the silver haired German girl. She was a little intimidating, but Ruby believed that if she did so carefully she could recycle whatever had messed up the start of this. Weiss halted her pen, taking just second before turning to look at Ruby. She scanned Ruby quick and the feeling of being judged was present just as before.

"You're the girl whose mother died," Weiss replied her expression formal and rough for such a pale girl. Ruby must have frowned at that, well she had to, because Weiss' manner softened if just a little. "For what it's worth I am sorry for your loss." She seemed sincere if disinterested. Ruby didn't feel exactly better, but she did feel a little more hopeful.

"It's okay, I was wondering if we could be friends?" Ruby asked feeling more and more like a little kid. She had to be more direct and sound a bit more adult. "I mean I saw you roll your eyes at me, so I'm sorry for whatever I guess I did." Ruby had meant to try and sound assertive, but it came off unnaturally and devolved to a meek apology.

"Why are you undecided if you want to be in creative writing? Do you dislike actually writing?" It was a really potent question, one Weiss asked with the most brutally direct method possible. Ruby tried her best not to be discouraged, but this girl seemed a far bit more difficult than Ruby anticipated.

"I just. Once I make that choice, I'm like stuck with it. I want to; I just don't know if I can?" Ruby tried to answer honestly. A lot of things held her back on this. Fear of failure was a big one, fear that she might get there and burn herself out without anything to fall back on was another. She was use to making such small unimportant decisions, one her mom could pull her out of at any moment. Now that support both literally and figuratively was gone. Still that answer wasn't suffice enough to Weiss, and in a lot of ways not to Ruby either.

"That's either lazy or childish. If you're afraid you'll fail get over it and work harder. Work hard enough and you'll succeed. Waiting is just stupid," Weiss was jarring or more her words were. It felt painful and brought a frown to Ruby's face. Worst was it didn't make Ruby feel like Weiss was picking on her, it felt like she was a little right. Not completely and not enough to be mean, but just a little for the sting to stick. Weiss noticed this and again seemed to again grow a little soft. Maybe she was about to rephrase it and say something nicer, but the silver haired girl never got a chance.

"Weiss Schnee, I knew when you moved in I recognized you. You're Heiress to Schnee Oil and Schnee Financing aren't you?" It was Blake walking over with Velvet. She had the usual blank look on her face. Ruby had no idea what her intention, but Blake cut in front of Ruby and whatever she said made Weiss smile.

"Yes I am. I'm surprised you know that. I'm use to fairly well known in German, but here few have heard of me." Weiss spoke with a little pride holding up her chin and raising her hand to Blake. She didn't take it.

"Don't listen to her Ruby. She's was born rich off the stolen resources from developing nations. She's never had to worry about her future," Blake's turn clenched Weiss right up, her expression heated in anger though her skin kept a frosty pale. Ruby appreciated what Blake was trying to do, but that definitely turned today into exactly what she didn't want. Despite all her optimism, this was definitely something that needed fixing another day.

"Did you just? I have never!" Weiss started, but Ruby never heard her finish. Duel gingers pulled her away; Penny's plot to team up with Nora a complete success.

"One rescue free of charge," Nora laughed as she said it, the scene of Blake and Weiss arguing in the back the whole thing a bright noisy end to Orientation. "Nice to meet you Ruby, if we can get Pyrrha us redheads will rule the Dorm!" Nora pumped her fist in celebration. Ruby did giggle at that, Nora was definitely a charmer. Penny mouthed sorry to Ruby, clearly this was not the first time this sort of thing had happened with Weiss. After all they had been in the dorms before maybe someone else had tried.

"What's with Weiss? Did I do something wrong?" Ruby asked. It was one of the only failures. She had made three new friends, would make more, but there was a mistake to. One, not quite enemy but definitely not thrilled with her, classmate. Still there was tomorrow and the day after, things could be fixed. For now Ruby couldn't help but feel alright with this, standing together with gingers from across the world. Even as Ruby worried about Weiss, she smiled content.

"Don't worry about her Friend, welcome to Beacon."

*** New Choice is finally out :D So excited to start working on this project! Definitely one of the freshest things I'm doing, especially with how super serious MV and AV have gotten and to use more characters like Penny and Nora. So much so I'm considering cheating and working on chapter 3 of choice before finishing the next chapters of AV and MV, just so we start getting into the meat and potatoes of this! :D Thanks so much for the big early support everyone I hope Iiked this chapter. Also thanks for all the reviews, each helps so much and I hope you all continue to do so! :D

Sorry for the problematic grammar and stuff, my beta was indisposed due to a bunch of real life stuff so I had to do this blind. If you notice any mistakes please PM them. (Leaving them in the reviews is rather embarrassing) and I hope to be better in the future. Also everyone wish Lazykatze good luck on her research paper.