Chapter 3.2- Reunion At Beacon, Part II: Vale, Orientaion, & The Fall Of A Snowflake
The docks were thrumming with the high-strung, kinetic energy of young people standing on the precipice of a massive threshold. Everywhere you looked, teenagers were buzzing with excitement, nerves, and the clumsy posturing of those who weren't yet entirely sure who they were supposed to be, loudly performing slightly exaggerated versions of themselves for an invisible audience. The dark elves moved through the teeming crowd with the practiced, careful navigation of people who had spent nine years mastering the art of occupying a physical space without drawing an ounce of unwanted attention.
They were halfway down the main pier when Odyn caught the sound of voices nearby-a pair of speakers locked in an ongoing, animated exchange that clearly wasn't meant for public consumption.
He flicked his gaze to the left.
Two girls stood near the railing.
The shorter one was young-Ruby, as he would later come to know-with short-cropped black hair streaked with vibrant crimson highlights and eyes of a striking silver hue that elven archives referred to as Argent-Born. It was an extraordinarily rare genetic trait, traditionally associated in dark elf lore with specific Semblance affinities that Odyn mentally filed away for future evaluation. She wore a sharply contrasting red-and-black outfit complete with a flowing hooded cape and a recurring rose motif pinned to her collar and belt, possessing the coiled, hyper-alert energy of someone constantly scanning her environment without looking like she was trying.
The taller girl was her sister-Yang, according to the snatches of conversation drifting their way-sporting a cascade of long golden hair and violet-lilac eyes that, in the brief periphery of Odyn's observation, had flashed a startling different color before snapping back the moment he looked her way. Wrapped in an orange scarf and a brown tactical jacket, she moved with the effortless, sprawling confidence of someone who had decided long ago that she deserved to take up space and was completely comfortable doing so.
Odyn started to look away. This wasn't the time or place to insert themselves into a stranger's private family debate.
Unfortunately, Roy was already marching straight toward them.
Odyn let out a slow, silent sigh through his nose.
In all the ways that truly counted, Roy was entirely his father's son-firmly believing that the absolute best way to handle an unfamiliar variable was to walk right up to it with an outstretched hand. It was a bold quality Odyn deeply admired, even if he found it utterly exhausting on a tactical level.
With a muted resignation, Odyn fell into step and followed.
---
The conversation that followed bore that slightly surreal, kinetic energy unique to first encounters happening far too fast to properly manage-names rapidly exchanged, questions tossed back and forth, and the subtle, instinctive negotiations of people quietly testing the waters to see if it was safe to let their guard down.
Ruby Rose introduced herself with the earnest, unshielded directness of someone who hadn't yet learned how to be guarded around strangers, launching into enthusiastic questions with that exact same transparency. Yang introduced herself with considerably more theatrical flair, immediately locking her lilac-toned eyes onto Baron with a playful, predatory intensity that made the fifteen-year-old dark elf instinctively take a half-step backward.
"Especially you, handsome~" Yang purred.
Hailfire pinched the bridge of her nose, closing her eyes for a long, suffering beat. "Yang, please-spare my little brother, will you?"
"Right, right! My bad!" Yang chirped, though she didn't look remotely apologetic.
Baron was currently pulling off a facial expression that hovered somewhere awkwardly between desperately unbothered and utterly baffled. "It's... nice to meet you too?" he squeaked out.
Khanna stood by, watching the entire exchange unfold with the laser-focused interest of a strategist cataloging intelligence for future deployment.
Mercifully, Ruby had pivoted away, bombarding Sarai with rapid-fire questions regarding the intricate clan insignia etched into her breastplate. Sarai answered with the bright, eager enthusiasm she always reserved for topics she was actually permitted to explain in full. Meanwhile, Roy had effortlessly slipped into a comfortable, geeky rapport with Yang, breaking down the complex folding mechanics of his twin blades while she examined them with genuine, tactical curiosity.
Odyn hung back slightly to the side of the bustling circle, remaining silent as he simply observed.
This is what my father meant, he thought, watching the chatter. This is what alliance-building looks like before it even knows what it's supposed to be. Two human girls, completely ignorant of our history, treating us like ordinary people simply because it hasn't once occurred to them to act otherwise.
He didn't quite know what to do with the strange, unmoored feeling blossoming in his chest. He had spent nine full years calibrating his instincts to survive a hostile, suspicious world. Intellectually, he understood that humanity wasn't a monolith. For years, he had exchanged letters with Weiss Schnee-even keeping one tucked faithfully in the outer pocket of his travel pack because moving it somewhere hidden felt like a surrender he wasn't ready to make. She was living proof against the easy comfort of blanket distrust.
Yet, knowing a truth abstractly and actually feeling it in your bones were two entirely different operations, and he was still struggling to bridge that gap.
Then, Ruby Rose's silver eyes shifted and locked onto him.
It wasn't the assessing gaze Yang had thrown at Baron-that was a different beast entirely. It was the clear, guileless look of someone simply meeting the person standing right in front of her, unburdened by prejudice.
"So you're Odyn," she noted. "Just Odyn? No 'lord' titles or anything fancy?"
"Just Odyn," he confirmed quietly.
She nodded once, looking completely satisfied with the answer. "Cool. I'm just Ruby." She paused, her gaze drifting. "Is this your first time in Vale?"
"It is."
"Mine too, sort of. Well-I went to Signal, which is technically in Vale, but Beacon is on a whole different level." She tilted her head back, staring up toward the towering stone cliffs in the distance, where the grand spires of the academy were just beginning to peek above the dense treeline. "It feels huge. Like... like something big is about to start here."
Odyn followed her line of sight up toward the school.
Something big is about to start here.
His mother's solemn words in the torchlit cavern echoed in his mind. The terrifying ancient name Thanatos seemed to hang in the warm coastal air. And deep within his bag, resting against his ribs, he could feel the faint, invisible weight of a letter from a silver-haired princess in Atlas.
"Yes," Odyn murmured, a quiet resolve settling deep into his bones. "I think you're right."
---
The sudden, sharp screech of the boarding announcement cut cleanly across the bustling pier-that familiar, mechanical interruption that stops a conversation dead in its tracks and renders any further discussion purely academic. All around them, the sea of arriving students shifted into motion, surging toward the waiting transport ramp with the organized, forward momentum of a herd that had collectively agreed on a destination.
"We can keep talking on board," Roy suggested brightly, already pivoting toward the ramp.
The group melted together-the six dark elves and the two Xiao Long sisters-falling into the easy, unforced companionship of people who had clicked so quickly it felt as though they had known each other far longer than a few minutes. Odyn walked right alongside them, his travel pack slung securely over one shoulder and Cinderveil resting comfortably at his back.
He raised his eyes toward the horizon. The massive engines of the transport were roaring to life, whining against the coastal wind. High above the rolling green treeline, the formidable stone cliffs of Beacon Academy towered against the Vale sky. The school's sprawling architecture possessed that distinct, timeless authority carried only by ancient institutions-lacking the sterile, hyper-modern sheen of Atlas Academy, trading it instead for something weathered, deeply grounded, and entirely secure in its own legacy.
A profound, quiet thought echoed in his mind: Somewhere inside those stone halls, or walking those courtyards, or perhaps already sitting at a desk-there is a girl with silver hair, piercing blue eyes, and a locked box filled with nine years of my letters. She has no idea I'm here.
Then, a second thought followed, sharp and undeniable: And that is about to change very soon.
He kept the thoughts entirely to himself. Some realizations were far too monumental to voice on a crowded dock amidst the chaos of boarding time-and besides, there was a Bullhead to catch.
He stepped onto the metal ramp.
The hydraulic lift groaned as it raised them into the air. The roaring engines surged to a deafening crescendo. Through the reinforced glass, the great cliff of Beacon grew closer and closer by the second.
---
Insert: Kneel before the Crown (Audiomachine) ost*
This will be the theme for the King and Queen in this story
Sybyrh dropped gracefully to one knee before the twin thrones, the rest of the group mirroring the gesture in unison. The natural stone floor of the cavern had been meticulously smoothed and paved with fitted cobblestones, while the open archway at the rear framed a brilliant cascade of midday sunlight that pooled across the chamber. Berethon rose to his full height, his expression carrying the weathered gravity of a ruler forged in exile.
"You may rise," Berethon commanded.
The teenagers straightened, lifting their gazes toward their sovereigns. Neither Berethon nor Hyatan had fundamentally changed in appearance over the years, yet time had etched a profound, rugged sharpness into their features-an undeniable toll extracted by decades of human prejudice, betrayal, and the crushing weight of leadership in exile.
"As you can see, I have brought them before you, my lieges," Sybyrh reported smoothly.
Hyatan stepped forward, her voice carrying a quiet, resonant authority.
"As all of you are well aware, life has grown increasingly difficult for our people since the passing of Nicholas. We have not summoned you here today simply to reminisce about bygone eras. Our enemy has begun to move."
Lylah stepped out from beside the Queen, her arms crossed defensively over her chest.
"Others may remain blind to the true scale of it, but we know the underlying catalyst behind humanity's dark behavior toward our kind. They have made their ultimate ambitions painfully clear..."
Khanna raised a hand respectfully before speaking, mindful that the woman standing before her was the supreme commander of the elven armies. "General... surely you don't mean-"
Lylah offered a slow, grim nod. She let out a heavy, world-weary sigh before answering.
"Unfortunately, yes. It's them. The devils... they have finally begun to march," Lylah replied, her voice dropping an octave. "And we have Thanatos and human greed to thank for it."
Hyatan stepped in, adding her own perspective to the grim reality.
"Which is precisely why decisive action must be taken. However, we lack clear intelligence regarding what the devils' next strategic phase will entail."
"What do you suggest we do, Your Grace?" Sybyrh asked, her eyes narrowing slightly in analytical thought.
Hyatan drifted into a contemplative posture, pressing a slender hand gently against her chin. After a quiet beat of deliberation, an idea took root. She couldn't guarantee how smoothly it would unfold, but in the face of impending catastrophe, it was a necessary gamble.
"There is... one place we might look," Hyatan said softly.
"And that would be?" Lylah pressed.
"Beacon Academy, located in the Kingdom of Vale," she answered.
A ripple of distinct surprise passed through the group of young warriors.
"Your Grace, are you entirely certain?" Lylah asked, her skepticism flaring instantly.
Hyatan nodded reassuringly.
"I understand your concerns, Lylah. But trust me on this. The headmaster currently running that academy is an old, trusted friend of ours-one of the vanishingly few humans whose word we can accept without hesitation."
Berethon stepped forward, nodding in firm agreement.
"It would grant us a tactical advantage to place our young lords there. They can study foreign combat styles, broaden their perspectives, and keep a watchful eye on any movements made by the devils."
Lylah let out a long, frustrated breath. She knew the logic was sound, yet every protective instinct in her soul rebelled against the thought of thrusting elven youths-crucial to the future survival of their culture-back into the treacherous political theater of human society. At the same time, she recognized the grim necessity of gathering intelligence before the storm broke.
Hyatan's gaze drifted downward, her severe queenly exterior melting instantly into maternal tenderness as she looked toward the left side of her son's face. The skin around his left eye still bore the subtle, tight scars of a brutal attack orchestrated by human radicals nearly a decade ago.
As if intuitively picking up on the heavy current of his mother's thoughts, Odyn stepped forward.
"Your Grace, you needn't worry about my eye," he said steadily, meeting her gaze without a trace of resentment. "It was my own foolishness for ignoring the council's warnings at the time, and I paid the price. That was never your fault, nor my father's. The blame rests entirely on my own stubbornness and naivety back then."
Hyatan offered a sad, fragile smile, deeply relieved that her son harbored no lingering bitterness toward her or her husband. Yet, the eternal anxiety of a mother watching her child step into danger remained untouched.
"Tell me, Odyn... how old are you now, my son?" Hyatan asked softly.
Odyn blinked, momentarily caught off guard by the personal question from his sovereign, but answered without hesitation.
"I recently turned seventeen, Your Grace."
Hyatan shifted her attention to the rest of the assembled dark elf youth.
"And you, Roy?"
"I am sixteen now, Your Majesty," Roy replied promptly.
"I see... and what about the rest of you? Khanna? Baron? Sarai? And you as well, Hailfire?"
Khanna dropped slightly lower in a respectful bow, maintaining absolute decorum despite the familial tie. Hyatan might have been her aunt, but she was first and foremost the Queen of the Elven people.
"I am the eldest of this group, having turned eighteen, Your Grace," Khanna replied.
"And I am the youngest," Baron added quickly, "having only recently celebrated my fifteenth year."
"I am turning sixteen very soon, Your Grace," Sarai chimed in.
"And I am sixteen as well, Your Majesty," Hailfire confirmed.
"Very well then," Berethon declared, stepping back into his role as chieftain. "Your King and Queen have a critical mission for all of you. As you already know, you are remarkably strong and fully capable for your respective ages. But you are... inexperienced in the wider world."
"You would all be best served by gaining real-world tactical experience outside our borders," Hyatan continued. "Which is why the six of you will be formally enrolling at Beacon Academy in the Kingdom of Vale. Exposing yourselves to foreign martial styles will sharpen you. Furthermore, make friends while you are there-true strength is often found in forging profound bonds with others. Even if those bonds are built with humans, whom we still struggle to trust."
"This ultimately serves our people's long-term vision: peaceful coexistence between Humans and Faunus. The darkness gathering on the horizon poses an existential threat to every living soul on Remnant," Berethon added solemnly.
The dark elf teens nodded in silent acknowledgment. Hyatan then turned her sharp gaze toward the vice-commander.
"Sybyrh."
"Yes, Your Grace?" Sybyrh knelt back down.
Hyatan flicked her eyes toward her sister.
"You and my sister here, General Lylah, are tasked with watching over them. Sybyrh, you will infiltrate the Academy under the guise of a new faculty member taking on combat instruction duties. Meanwhile, my sister will officially assume the role of head of security for the campus, serving as your direct backup whenever necessary."
Lylah's mouth dropped open, a swift objection rising to her lips, but Hyatan cut her off with a gentle, silencing gesture.
"You needn't worry about our defenses here, Lylah. Raptaryn, Valvahdern, and Caliburn are fully equipped to manage military operations in your absence. And if a genuine crisis erupts, you are free to resume command. But let me ask you... when was the last time you spent uninterrupted quality time with your own daughter?"
Lylah swallowed hard, every argument evaporating from her mind. She folded her hands and bowed her head.
"If that is your explicit wish... I accept, Your Grace," Lylah answered quietly.
"Splendid. Now, go and prepare yourselves. We will contact our old friend at the Academy directly to arrange the details," Berethon instructed.
The group bowed once more before turning and filing out of the cavernous hall to gather their gear. Once the heavy footfalls faded and the chamber was quiet, Berethon turned his gaze toward his queen, who offered a subtle, knowing nod.
"Valvahdern," Berethon called out, addressing the tall elven warrior standing guard in striking red armor.
"Yes, my liege?" Valvahdern stepped forward.
"Open a secure communication channel directly to the Headmaster of Beacon Academy. We have... rather delicate business to discuss with our old friend," Berethon ordered.
Valvahdern bowed, planted the pommel of his blade into the cobblestone floor, and channeled a sharp burst of magic through the metal. A translucent, flickering projection materialized in the air before the thrones. Berethon cleared his throat, squared his shoulders, and stepped forward as the transmission connected.
With Odyn and the other Elves....
Meanwhile, inside the quiet confines of his quarters, Odyn was carefully packing his belongings, preparing every piece of gear for the arduous journey ahead. As he slid his provisions into place, his hand brushed against a familiar, folded piece of parchment tucked neatly within the side seam-the final letter sent to him by his childhood best friend across the sea.
Odyn, thank you for your words of consolation. It means the world to me, and I desperately hope we can see each other again soon. I know it has only been a few weeks, but it feels like an eternity since we last spoke. I truly hope you are wrong about my father as well. I want to see you so badly, but I am painfully aware that we both carry the heavy burdens of leading our respective families one day.
Perhaps, when we finally steal a quiet moment free from our duties, we can sit and talk just like we did when we made that promise. I hope you are doing well, and please take care of yourself for my sake, my prince. I look forward to our next meeting face-to-face.
Your Fiancée,
Weiss Schnee
A soft, genuine smile touched Odyn's lips as his eyes scanned the familiar ink. Carefully refolding the parchment, he slipped it back into his bag and stood up straight, his jaw set with quiet determination.
Wait for me, Princess, Odyn thought to himself. I am certain we will meet again very soon.
The midnight-haired dark elf stepped out of his quarters to join the rest of the vanguard. As the group gathered, General Lylah stepped forward to survey the team.
"Is everyone accounted for?" she asked sharply.
Sybyrh stepped up to run through the official roll call, ensuring every member of the strike team was present and accounted for.
"Baron Caldern," Sybyrh called out.
The young auburn-haired dark elf raised a hand. "Here, Vice-Commander!"
"Hailfire Caldern."
"Present and ready, Commander!" she answered firmly.
Sybyrh nodded, continuing down the line. "Lady Khanna Branwen."
"Yo!" Khanna grinned brightly, offering a casual two-fingered salute.
"Lord Roy."
"Present and accounted for, Vice-Commander," the cerulean-and-crimson-haired elf replied crisply.
"Lady Sarai."
"Present and prepared," she responded.
"And lastly... Lord Odyn."
"Right here and ready," he answered smoothly.
Lylah looked around the circle with a sharp eye. "It appears everyone is present, Sybyrh. Shall we get moving?"
Sybyrh nodded once in confirmation. The eight dark elves moved into a tight, synchronized circle on the stone floor. Closing their eyes, they began to chant in the rhythmic, ancient cadence of the First Tongue. Brilliant white-gold runic light flared up around their boots, weaving intricate geometric patterns through the air.
With a sudden surge of ancient energy, the group of eight levitated off the ground, rocketing skyward in a brilliant flash of light toward the distant continent of Sanus. Under normal circumstances, a journey across the ocean and landmass to Vale would require six brutal months of travel on foot; however, propelled by advanced elven flight-magic, they would slash that immense travel time down to a mere few weeks.
Traveling by sky was infinitely faster-especially when powered by the forgotten arts of elven magic.
Time skip: a few weeks later...
The elite vanguard of dark elves finally crossed the invisible threshold into the airspace of Vale. Spotting the sprawling coastline below, the group brought their flight-magic down in a secluded zone deliberately distanced from the crowded harbor. Maintaining a low profile was paramount; drawing unwarranted attention was a risk they simply could not afford.
"Remember, my lords-no independent flying toward Beacon once we touch down," Sybyrh warned, her tone leaving no room for argument.
Baron furrowed his brow, tilting his head in confusion. "Wait... why can't we fly there? It would be so much faster."
"As Sybyrh was about to explain," Khanna intervened smoothly, "it would draw far too much unwanted scrutiny. We already carry enough heavy political baggage as it is. Even though we've remained completely hidden from human eyes for the past nine years, flashing elven flight-magic over a human city wouldn't end well."
"Khanna is entirely correct, young Baron," Lylah added, her arms folded. "That would be less than ideal. We must operate with tactical discretion."
Baron offered a slow nod of understanding. As the briefing concluded, Sybyrh and Lylah prepared to break away toward the academy grounds. Before departing, Lylah pulled Khanna into a warm, lingering embrace-shedding the stoic veneer of a military commander to simply be a mother saying goodbye.
"Take care, Mom," Khanna whispered softly against her shoulder.
Lylah smiled, holding her daughter close for a long moment. She gently ran a hand through Khanna's purple-black hair. "I will. You stay safe, my little firecracker," she replied affectionately before finally pulling back.
With a final nod, Lylah turned and joined Sybyrh, marching purposefully toward Beacon Academy.
Meanwhile, the remaining six dark elves navigated their way toward the center of the bustling docks, where a sea of eager applicants buzzed with nervous energy. Minding their own business, they soon drifted within earshot of an animated conversation nearby. Turning their gaze to the left, they spotted two contrasting figures.
The first was a petite girl with short, spiky black hair streaked with striking crimson highlights and piercing silver eyes. Dressed sharply in a red-and-black color scheme-complete with a hooded cape, dark stockings, and matching boots-her entire outfit was accented by a tiny, distinct pin shaped like a silver rose attached to her hood and belt.
This, of course, was Ruby Rose.
Standing right beside her was a taller, golden-haired young woman with vibrant lilac eyes. She wore a bright orange scarf looped around her neck, a brown tactical jacket over a yellow undershirt bearing a personal emblem, a brown utility belt, dark shorts, and an orange stocking on her right leg secured with a lilac bandana. Brown boots and fingerless gloves with yellow circular wristlets completed her striking ensemble. This was Yang Xiao Long, Ruby's older half-sister.
"Ooh, I'm just so thrilled my baby sister gets to come to Beacon with me!" Yang squealed, throwing her arms around Ruby in an exuberant, bone-crushing hug. "You're going to be the talk of the entire school! You'll be the bee's knees!"
"Yang, cut it out!" Ruby protested, squirming and pouting slightly. "I don't want to be any kind of knees! I just want to be a normal girl with normal knees!"
Yang blinked down at her sister inquisitively before finally releasing her.
Ruby let out an exasperated sigh. "Look, Yang, I'm genuinely happy that you're excited. But... I don't want anyone treating me like I'm special just because I was skipped ahead two whole years to attend Beacon."
"You are special, Rubes. Is it really a crime to acknowledge that once in a while?" Yang teased gently.
"I suppose not. But I don't want special treatment. I just want to earn my place and prove I belong here. Is that really too much to ask?" Ruby retorted.
"No, it isn't, Ruby. I'm just bursting with pride seeing my baby sister take this step," Yang said warmly.
As the sisters wrapped up their exchange, Roy stepped forward, leading the rest of the dark elf group into their view. The elves who normally wore full plate armor had opted for lighter, civilian-style traveling tunics that still subtly matched their individual color palettes.
Yang turned her attention to the approaching group, studying them with quiet curiosity while Ruby initiated contact.
"You guys don't look like you're from around here. Are you taking the entrance exams for Beacon too?" Ruby asked brightly.
"As a matter of fact, we are," Khanna answered smoothly.
The response caught both sisters' attention. For reasons Ruby couldn't quite put her finger on, Khanna reminded her slightly of Yang-though the obvious differences in attire were stark. While Khanna was undeniably striking, perhaps even more so than Yang, she dressed with a traditional modesty that left little skin exposed.
"You could say we're new faces in these parts," Sarai added with a polite smile.
Yang's gaze shifted to the speaker. Instantly, she pegged Sarai and Khanna as related, noting their shared facial structure and identical hair coloration.
"I take it the two of you are applying to Beacon as well?" Baron inquired politely.
"Uh-huh, we are! Um..." Ruby trailed off awkwardly, suddenly realizing she had forgotten basic introductions.
"Something the matter?" Hailfire asked, tilting her head.
Ruby shook her head vigorously. "No, no! I just... well, I was wondering what your names were?"
Khanna let out a light, musical laugh. "Oh, is that all? My name is Khanna. It's wonderful to meet you both."
Yang raised an immaculate eyebrow. "No last name?"
"Oh, I have one," Khanna replied smoothly. "Odyn and I share it, actually. But broadcasting it here in public tends to stir up unnecessary misunderstandings, so I prefer keeping it under wraps for now."
Roy stepped up, extending a hand toward Ruby with a steady, confident gaze. "Don't mind my cousin. She has her reasons for playing her cards close to the chest. My name is Roy Albanar. I hope we can all get along."
Ruby smiled, accepting the handshake. "Nice to meet you, Roy."
"And I am Sarai Albanar," Sarai introduced herself gracefully.
"Baron. Baron Caldern," the youngest of the group added.
"Name's Hailfire Caldern, but all my friends call me Hail for short. Feel free to use that," Hailfire chimed in.
Finally, Odyn stepped forward, his fiery orange eyes meeting Ruby's. "And I'm Odyn Albanar. But just Odyn will do."
Ruby beamed, looking across the assembled group. "Khanna, Roy, Sarai, Hailfire, Baron, and Odyn... it's truly lovely to meet you all. I'm Ruby Rose, though just Ruby is fine. And this is my sister, Yang."
Yang flashed a charismatic grin. "Like my little sis said, I'm Yang. Great to meet you guys-" Her lilac eyes suddenly drifted over to Baron, a playful smirk spreading across her face. "-especially you, handsome~"
Baron practically choked on air, his face turning bright red as he stumbled backward, completely unprepared for the sudden flirtation. "Uh... n-nice to meet you too?!" he stammered, entirely caught off guard.
Hailfire pinched the bridge of her nose, letting out a long, long-suffering sigh. "Yang, please... spare my little brother, will you?"
Yang threw her hands up defensively, laughing nervously. "Right, right! My bad, my bad!"
Before any further teasing could take place, a deafening mechanical roar echoed across the tarmac as the incoming Bullhead transport descended toward the platform, instantly drowning out all other sound.
"We can continue this conversation on the way to Beacon," Roy shouted over the engine noise.
The rest of the teens nodded in agreement, turning as one to file up the boarding ramp alongside the surging crowd of prospective huntsmen and huntresses.
Time skip: a little while later aboard the Bullhead....
Inside the soaring Bullhead, Ruby pressed her face eagerly against the reinforced glass window, a radiant, starstruck smile lighting up her features. She vibrantly bounced on the balls of her feet.
"Look, Yang! I can practically see our house from up here!" she exclaimed.
The dark elf teens couldn't help exchanging amused, fond smiles at the sight of her boundless enthusiasm. She was human, yes, but there was an infectious, open-hearted warmth to her that made it impossible to stay guarded. Yang glanced sideways at the group, deciding to voice a question that had been scratching at the back of her mind ever since they first crossed paths on the docks.
"I hope you guys don't mind me asking, but... where are you actually from?" Yang queried, leaning against the seat rail. "I know me and Rubes haven't exactly traveled far outside of Patch, but we've literally never laid eyes on anyone who looks quite like you."
Sarai glanced silently toward both Khanna and Odyn, seeking unspoken permission. Both of them offered a subtle, affirmative nod. They figured sharing this much wasn't a tactical risk, especially since the two sisters had proven remarkably harmless and open so far.
"Well... try not to fall over when I answer," Sarai warned with a wry half-smile.
"Why would we fall over?" Ruby asked, tilting her head with a visible expression of utter bafflement.
"Believe it or not, we came all the way from Solitas," Sarai stated smoothly.
That revelation hit the sisters like a physical blow. Yang blinked rapidly, needing a few seconds to recover her equilibrium before she found her voice. "Solitas? But isn't that... you know... practically the frozen end of the world?"
"Far northeast of here? Yeah, exactly that," Sarai confirmed casually.
"Then why on Remnant would you come all the way down to Beacon?" Ruby pressed, her curiosity overriding her surprise. "Wouldn't it have made way more sense to go to Atlas Academy instead?"
The instant Atlas was spoken aloud, a heavy, bitter scowl darkened the faces of the dark elves. Catching the sudden shift in atmosphere, Yang quickly reached out and slapped a hand over her younger sister's mouth to cut off any further questions.
"That's... a chapter of our history we'd rather keep closed," Odyn said quietly, his orange eyes cooling into a guarded stillness.
"Ah, jeez, I'm so sorry, he didn't mean-she was just running her mouth out of curiosity..." Yang stammered, frantically trying to backtrack.
"No, no, it's fine. You two had no way of knowing," Khanna intervened, her tone softening as she smoothed down her tunic. "Let's just say... we don't exactly keep fond memories locked away from our time in Atlas. Beacon was pretty much our only viable option."
"Oh... I'm so sorry if I just dragged up a bunch of awful memories for you guys," Ruby mumbled remorsefully, her shoulders slumping as she hung her head.
Roy reached out gently, resting his hand atop Ruby's dark spiky hair and giving it a reassuring pat. A warm, easy grin spread across his face.
"Like my cousin said, Ruby, you couldn't possibly have known. So stop beating yourself up over it," Roy encouraged gently.
Ruby looked up, offering a small, shy smile in return to the cerulean-and-crimson-haired elf. "Thank you, Roy..." she whispered softly.
Roy just flashed her a bright grin. "Anytime, Ruby."
Realizing the mood had successfully shifted back to neutral, Ruby pivoted to another question that had been bugging her. She turned her attention back to Khanna. "Um... if you don't mind me asking, who was that stunning lady you were hugging back at the docks?"
"Lady?" Khanna echoed, an eyebrow arching.
Ruby nodded vigorously. "Yeah! The really gorgeous one you were hugging goodbye!"
"Oh... her. That was... my mother," Khanna admitted with a faint hint of amusement.
"Your mom?" Yang echoed, her jaw dropping slightly.
Khanna nodded. "Mhm. Turns out she managed to secure a security assignment nearby. Since I'll be stuck inside Beacon as a student, she wanted to remain stationed close by just in case any trouble boiled over."
"Yeah, having Aunt Lylah operating in the area is going to be a massive safety net for us," Sarai added casually.
That specific detail instantly snagged the sisters' attention.
Aunt? both of them thought in unison.
"Wait, weren't you paying attention to our introductions earlier? Odyn, Roy, and Sarai are all my first cousins," Khanna explained, gesturing casually to the others.
The sisters rapidly bounced their gazes back and forth between Sarai and Khanna, suddenly realizing the familial resemblance was blindingly obvious now that they looked for it.
"Whoa... so that's Beacon," Ruby gasped, her face snapping back toward the window as a colossal structure broke through the cloud cover.
The rest of the group naturally followed her line of sight.
"I guess home really isn't all that far from Beacon after all, huh?" Ruby murmured, taking in the breathtaking architecture.
"Well, Rubes, whether it's far or not, Beacon is going to be our home for the next four years," Yang reminded her with a proud sisterly smirk.
A sudden, pathetic gagging sound from the rear of the passenger cabin drew Baron's attention. He craned his neck, spotting a pale, green-complexioned blonde boy desperately hunched over a small waste receptacle, looking moments away from catastrophic internal failure.
"Guess the flight physics aren't for everybody," Baron dryly remarked, a corner of his mouth twitching upward.
"That reminds me, I've been wondering something else," Odyn interjected, drawing the sisters' focus back to the core group. "How are the two of you actually sisters if your surnames are completely different?"
"Oh, that's simple! We share the exact same dad-" Yang started brightly, before Ruby smoothly chimed in to finish the thought.
"-but our mothers were two entirely different women. So we're technically half-sisters," Ruby completed, beaming proudly at the synchronized explanation.
Yang crossed her arms, raising an eyebrow at the dark elves. "Don't tell me you guys aren't even familiar with that kind of family dynamic? Doesn't stuff like that ever happen where you're from?"
The group of dark elves exchanged blank, bewildered glances before Roy finally spoke up for them.
"Actually... no. Nothing like that has ever occurred in our society. So this is genuinely our very first time hearing of such a concept," Roy answered honestly.
The sisters simply blinked, caught halfway between sheer amusement and profound confusion. To put it mildly, these kids were intensely sheltered.
Before anyone could unpack that cultural gap further, the cabin's primary intercom crackled to life. A glowing, sharp-featured holographic projection of Glynda Goodwitch flickered into existence at the front of the aisle, immediately demanding their attention.
"You are among a privileged few who have received the absolute honor of being selected to attend this prestigious academy!" Glynda's stern, professional hologram announced, echoing clearly across the cabin. "Our world is currently experiencing an incredible era of relative peace, and as future Huntsmen and Huntresses, it is your sacred duty to uphold it. You have already demonstrated the raw courage required for such a monumental task, and now it is our turn to provide you with the elite knowledge and rigorous training necessary to protect our world."
With a brief flicker, the hologram dissolved into thin air.
As the cabin settled, Hailfire's sharp eyes drifted downward, locking onto a peculiar, distinctly wet smear clinging to the side of Yang's right boot. It looked remarkably, horrifically like... expelled stomach contents.
"Um... Yang, was it?" Hailfire asked, her voice dropping into a tone of cautious dread.
Yang turned her head, blinking down at the auburn-haired dark elf. "Yeah, what's up, Hail?"
"I really, really hope I'm wrong about this," Hailfire began, looking almost physically ill herself as she pointed down. "But... is that what I think it is on your shoe?"
Outside the reinforced windows, the Bullhead banked sharply as it began its final, sweeping descent toward a massive, sparkling body of water surrounding the academy grounds.
"Well... it was a fantastic view while it lasted," Ruby sighed dramatically, before her eyes drifted backward and landed right on the unfortunate blonde boy still violently clinging to his trash can.
"I genuinely wonder who else we're going to meet up there," Ruby mused aloud, scrunching up her nose. "I just sincerely hope they're a lot more put together than Vomit Boy over there."
Roy turned his head, fixing her with a flat, completely deadpan stare. 😑
"Really? 'Vomit Boy'? You honestly couldn't come up with a slightly more creative nickname, Ruby? Also, that's kind of brutally rude, you know..." Roy pointed out with a mild sigh.
Ruby instantly flushed crimson, laughing nervously as she frantically rubbed the back of her head. 😅
"Heh heh heh... sorry, sorry, that was literally the very first thing that popped into my head. And... yeah, I guess you're totally right, Roy," she mumbled, breaking out into a heavy sweatdrop.
Down below, Yang finally looked down at her own footwear, tracing her gaze straight to the unfortunate mess coating her boot.
"Wahh!! Gross, gross, gross, gross, gross, gross, gross, gross!" Yang shrieked in absolute, unadulterated horror.
Panicking, she leaped backward, accidentally cornering Ruby-who instantly held her hands up, shouting that she wanted absolutely nothing to do with the rogue puke on her sister's shoe. In a split second, the two sisters devolved into a chaotic, high-speed chase, hilariously zooming back and forth down the narrow aisles of the seating rows while dodging terrified applicants.
The entire group of dark elves watched the spectacle unfold, throwing their heads back and bursting into genuine, echoing laughter at the utterly ridiculous display.
The heavy transport ships drifted down, one by one, docking neatly against the grand stone entrance of the academy. The moment the ramp of the first craft hit the tarmac, the unfortunate blonde boy from the flight shot out like a launched arrow, violently throwing himself over a nearby trash can to surrender the contents of his stomach.
Moments later, Ruby, Yang, Odyn, Roy, Sarai, Khanna, Baron, and Hailfire stepped off the transport. They joined the surging river of prospective students streaming along the wide, paved path leading toward the academy's massive front gates.
"Wow..." Ruby and Yang breathed in unison, their eyes widening at the sheer majesty of Beacon.
"The view back on Patch has got nothing on this!" Yang grinned, hands resting on her hips.
"I'll admit, it's quite impressive," Hailfire remarked, looking around at the soaring architecture.
"Indeed. Truly a remarkable sight," Khanna agreed.
Overcome with sudden, boundless excitement, Ruby's eyes transformed into literal stars as she momentarily bounced into a floating, animated chibi version of herself.
"Oh my gosh! That kid's got a collapsible staff! And... ooh! Look at her, she's got a freaking fire sword!" Ruby squealed, lunging forward to get a closer look.
She only made it two steps before Yang casually reached out, snagging her by the hood and yanking her backward.
"Ow! Owww, hey!" Ruby sputtered, choking slightly as the fabric tightened around her throat before Yang mercifully released her grip.
"Easy there, little sis. They're just weapons," Yang smirked.
"'Just weapons'?" Ruby echoed, crossing her arms in mock offense. "They're an extension of ourselves! They're a part of who we are, only way cooler!"
The dark elves exchanged a series of raised eyebrows, utterly bewildered by her intense fervor. They had seen plenty of warriors take pride in their gear, but this level of sheer adoration was entirely foreign.
"You can swoon over your own weapon all you want, can't you?" Yang challenged good-naturedly. "Why don't you just do that instead? Aren't you happy with it?"
To prove her point, Ruby whipped out Crescent Rose, sliding the massive scythe into its full, lethal configuration with a sharp clack. She immediately began stroking the polished metal as if it were a beloved pet, leaving the dark elf teens looking even more perplexed.
"Of course I'm happy with Crescent Rose!" Ruby protested defensively. "I just really love seeing brand-new weapons. It's like meeting new people... except better."
Chuckling, Yang reached over and playfully pulled Ruby's red hood right down over her face. "Rubes, why don't you go try making some actual friends on your own for once? Like these guys, for instance."
Yang jerked her thumb toward the group of dark elves standing right behind them. Ruby shoved her hood back up, blinking in confusion.
"But why would I need to do that when I already have you guys?" she asked innocently.
Leaning in close, Ruby dropped her voice into a frantic whisper, directing her question at the elves. "Say... would you guys mind keeping an eye on my big sis for a little while?"
Khanna offered a reassuring nod. "No problem at all. She seems delightful; we'll stick by her."
"Awesome, thanks a million, I totally owe you-" Ruby started, before being cut off.
"(Suddenly, a boisterous cluster of passing students surged past Yang, laughing and practically sweeping her along the pathway.) Actually, my friends are already heading out, so I've gotta go catch up! Okay, see ya, bye!" Yang blurted out, breaking into a jog. She threw a wink over her shoulder. "See ya later, handsome~!"
Left entirely spinning and dizzy from her sister's abrupt, high-speed departure, Ruby staggered forward blindly without looking where she was going.
"Wait, where are you going?! Are we supposed to find our dorms now? Do we even have dorms?!" Ruby babbled, spinning in a circle before stopping dead, clutching her head. "I honestly have no idea what I'm doing!"
Right behind her sat a towering, precarious stack of heavy luggage belonging to a fellow student. Odyn and Roy spotted the impending disaster instantly.
"Look out! Someone grab her!" Odyn shouted.
They lunged forward to intercept, but it was already too late. Ruby careened directly into the luggage cart, sending polished suitcases, hat boxes, and glass containers flying in every direction. Ruby tumbled hard to the pavement, groaning as she pushed herself up on her hands. Standing right over her was a haughty, exceptionally unamused young woman with pristine white hair.
Odyn froze dead in his tracks. His breath caught in his throat, and his eyes widened into twin saucers as he stared down at the silver-haired girl.
It... it was her. His childhood best friend was standing right in front of him.
It's... her... the thought echoed silently through his mind.
Roy caught the sudden, rigid posture of his brother and instantly pieced it together. He glanced sideways, speaking in a low, careful whisper.
"That's her, isn't it? Your childhood friend... your fiancée?"
Odyn gave a slow, rigid nod, unable to tear his gaze away.
The rest of the dark elves immediately caught on, silently signaling to one another that they needed to tread extremely carefully. After all, the two hadn't laid eyes on each other since they were children in Atlas.
"What on earth are you doing?!" Weiss snapped, glaring down at the intruder.
Ruby scrambled onto her hands and knees, frantically waving her hands. "Ah, I'm so sorry! I really didn't mean to knock your stuff all over, honest!"
"Sorry?! Do you have any remote idea of the sheer property damage you could have caused?" Weiss demanded, her voice dripping with indignation.
Ruby nervously clutched a stray, heavy container she had scooped up off the ground. "Uhh..."
Before she could finish, Weiss aggressively snatched the case right out of her hands. "Give me that!"
Weiss popped the latches open, revealing the twinkling, violently sparkling contents inside.
"What are you-brain-dead?! Dust! Fire, Water, Lightning, Pure Energy! This is refined Dust, mined and manufactured straight from the Schnee Quarries!" Weiss lectured, her tone razor-sharp.
"Uuuhhh..." Ruby whimpered, entirely out of her depth.
"Are you even listening to me? Is any of this actually sinking into that thick skull of yours?" Weiss pressed.
"I... I... I know!" Ruby choked out, suddenly sniffing and coughing violently as microscopic particles of stray Dust drifted directly into her face.
Odyn snapped violently out of his trance. Recognizing the volatile nature of loose Dust particles, he knew a catastrophic sneeze was incoming.
"Hold on-everyone get down, fast!" Odyn warned sharply.
Weiss blinked in confusion, but instinctively obeyed.
"Ah... Ah... AH-CHOO!!"
The sneeze triggered an immediate, chaotic chain reaction. The agitated Dust particles erupted into a dazzling, explosive display of roaring flames, swirling snowflakes, and crackling electrical arcs right over Odyn, who had thrown himself forward to physically shield Weiss from the blast. The heavy glass vial Weiss had been holding was blasted out of her grip, tumbling through the air before clattering neatly to a halt right at the boots of a quiet, dark-haired girl in a black bow who was standing nearby reading a book.
Blake picked up the bottle, noting the familiar Schnee Dust Company logo stamped on the glass, before calmly raising her amber eyes to observe the smoking aftermath.
As the smoke slowly cleared, Weiss blinked her eyes open, her expression morphing from rage to sheer, unadulterated shock.
"Oh my Oum... are you completely alright?!" Weiss blurted out, genuine panic coloring her tone.
Odyn coughed away a wisp of grey smoke, offering her a crooked, familiar grin. "Yeah... I'm fine. Nothing I can't handle. More importantly... are you hurt?"
Weiss froze. She couldn't quite explain it, but those burning orange eyes... they felt inexplicably, hauntingly familiar. And why in the world was her heart suddenly hammering wildly against her ribs?
"Ugh, you absolute dolt!" Weiss quickly recovered, reverting back to her defensive, haughty posture as she pointed a finger at Ruby. "You are exceptionally lucky this handsome young man protected us both! This carelessness was precisely what I was warning you about!"
"I'm really, really, really sorry!" Ruby squeaked, cowering slightly.
"What were you even thinking coming here? Aren't you a bit young to be enrolled at Beacon Academy?" Weiss berated, crossing her arms.
"Well, I-I uh-" Ruby stammered.
"This isn't some ordinary primary combat school! It's not just harmless sparring and practice drills, you know! We are training here to hunt and kill monsters, so for Oum's sake, watch where you're going!" Weiss barked.
"Geez, I already said I was sorry, princess!" Ruby snapped back defensively.
That single word hit Weiss like an electric shock.
"You... you do not have the right to call me that! There is only one person on this entire planet I will ever allow to use that name!" Weiss fired back, her face flushing crimson.
Roy stepped up, his jaw tightening. "Hey, listen here, lady! The girl apologized, so why don't you just-"
"Roy, stop. Enough," Odyn interrupted smoothly, stepping around his cousin. He fixed his gaze on the white-haired heiress. "And you too, princess. I don't recall you ever being this terribly stuck-up back then. What on earth happened to you?"
Weiss's breath hitched. Her eyes widened into enormous circles as the full weight of his words washed over her. She recognized that voice. She recognized that exact nickname.
"Princess...?" she breathed, her voice suddenly trembling. She slowly raised her gaze, locking eyes with the dark elf boy standing before her. "The... the only person who ever called me that..."
Slowly, unshed tears welled up in the corners of her brilliant blue eyes. Ruby stared back and forth between the two of them in utter bewilderment.
"Is it... is it really you...? Odyn?" she whispered, her hands flying to her mouth.
Odyn's tough exterior melted completely, replaced by a soft, tender smile.
"Hey there, Weiss. It's been a long time, hasn't it?"
"It's only been 9 years, jerk..."
A third voice then piped in, interrupting the charged moment between the two.
"It's heiress, actually," a calm, deadpan voice interjected. Blake Belladonna stepped into the circle, holding up the glass dust vial she had caught earlier. "Weiss Schnee-heiress to the Schnee Dust Company, one of the largest and most controversial energy-propellant producers in the world."
Weiss spun around, her face instantly lighting up with vindication. "Finally! Some proper recognition!"
"Also infamous for its heavily protested labor practices and deeply questionable business partners," Blake added smoothly, not missing a beat.
"What-How dare you-The absolute nerve of-Ugh!" Weiss huffed, turning a furious shade of crimson.
Ruby let out a quiet snort of amusement, while Weiss snatched the dust bottle right out of Blake's hand and stormed off in a huff, her hired hands scrambling to scoop up the scattered luggage and trail closely behind her.
Odyn let out a long, weary sigh, rubbing the bridge of his nose. Reconnecting with his childhood friend was certainly turning out to be far more complicated than he had anticipated; he knew he was going to have to pull her aside later to smooth things over.
"I promise I'll make this up to you somehow!" Ruby called out apologetically after the retreating heiress, before slumping her shoulders in defeat. "I guess I'm not the only one having a catastrophic first day... So, what's-"
Ruby whipped around, only to realize that Blake had already vanished completely into the crowd without a trace. Letting out one final, melodramatic groan, she flopped backward onto the stone paving, staring blankly up at the sky.
"Welcome to Beacon..." Ruby sighed, utterly dejected.
A dark shadow suddenly loomed over her. Odyn offered her a reassuring smile, before casually lowering himself to the ground and lying flat on his back right next to her. One by one, the rest of the dark elves followed his lead, dropping down to sprawl comfortably on the stone beside her.
"Don't feel too bad about it, Ruby. I... promise I'll have a talk with Weiss later and clear the air," Odyn said calmly, resting his hands behind his head. "So, this is the view from the ground... actually kind of nice."
"I have to agree," Roy added, turning his head sideways.
"Same here. It has a certain rustic charm to it," Hailfire murmured.
"I could definitely get used to this," Sarai said, gazing up at the floating academy spires.
"Right? It's surprisingly comfy down here once you stop worrying about looking dignified," Khanna chimed in.
"I know, right? And humans always say it's impossible to relax on hard stone-total lie," Baron agreed, crossing his arms behind his head.
Ruby blinked, staring sideways at the line of dark elves casually lounging on the ground beside her. The absurdity of it broke right through her gloomy mood, and she let out a loud, involuntary snort.
"You guys really didn't have to... snort... You guys are so weird, ha ha ha!" Ruby giggled, a bright smile returning to her face.
Roy offered her a warm, encouraging grin, extending a hand. "Want some help getting back up, Ruby?"
"Yeah, let's," Ruby replied, taking his hand and pulling herself up to her feet.
Before anyone could dust themselves off, a lanky, familiar blonde boy shuffled over toward them, looking a bit sheepish.
"Uh... hi. I'm Jaune," the boy introduced himself awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck.
Ruby stared at him for a second before recognition hit. "Wait a sec... aren't you... the guy who violently barfed all over the ship?"
Jaune let out a nervous, high-pitched laugh, his face turning bright red. "Y-Yeah... yeah, that's me."
Khanna brushed a speck of dust off her tunic and looked toward the grand assembly hall doors. "We should probably get moving. Odyn, I trust you'll handle smoothing things over with Weiss later?"
Odyn nodded grimly, watching the distant glint of white hair disappear into the crowd.
"Yeah... though looking at how that just went, I can already tell that's... not going to be easy," he sighed.
To be continued in Chapter 3.3- Reunion At Beacon, Part III: Orientaion, Conversations, & New Beginnings