Chapter 3.3- Reunion At Beacon, Part III: Orientation, Conversations, & New Beginnings
Small timeskip: Inside of Beacon...
Inside Beacon's sprawling walls, the environment opened up into breathtaking courtyards filled with towering, ancient trees, grand arching stone architecture, and a crystal-clear winding river. Walking casually alongside the water's edge were Ruby, Jaune, Hailfire, Baron, Roy, Sarai, Khanna, and Odyn, chatting easily as they took in the sights.
"Look... All I'm saying is that motion sickness is a legitimately common medical issue, okay? It happens to plenty of perfectly normal people!" Jaune insisted, throwing his hands up in mild self-defense.
Ruby burst out laughing, shaking her head. "No, no, I totally believe you, Jaune. Honestly, 'Vomit Boy' was just literally the very first thing that popped into my head."
"Oh yeah? Well, what if I started calling you 'Crater Face' then?" Jaune shot back playfully.
"H-Hey! That accidental explosion was totally out of my control!" Ruby protested defensively, puffing out her cheeks.
"Told you it was rude," Roy muttered with a smug grin.
Ruby immediately shot him a comically exaggerated pouty face.
"Well, for the record, the name's Jaune Arc!" the blonde introduced himself, striking a slightly dramatic, self-assured pose. "Short, sweet, rolls right off the tongue-the ladies love it."
Ruby stared at him sideways, her eyes narrowing in utter skepticism. "Do they, though?"
"They will! Well... I-I hope they will, anyway. My mom always says that if you-you know what, never mind," Jaune stammered, his confident facade instantly crumbling as he sighed heavily.
Ruby's expression softened, and her gaze drifted over to Odyn, who had fallen quiet and appeared deeply lost in thought.
"Hey, Odyn..." she started, catching his attention. "I've been wondering about something."
"Sure, what's up?" he replied, looking over.
"You... well, uh, it really seemed like you had history with Weiss back there. What's the actual story?" Ruby asked curiously.
Jaune immediately perked up, leaning in closer to listen.
"Ah, I figured you'd pick up on that," Odyn said with a light chuckle. "To answer your question, Ruby: yeah, I've known Weiss for a very long time. Believe it or not, we go all the way back to when we were kids."
"You've... known each other that long?" Ruby blinked in surprise.
Odyn nodded. "Yep. Childhood friends."
"Wait, wait, wait... you're childhood friends with the Weiss Schnee?" Ruby echoed, dumbfounded.
Khanna offered a sly, knowing smirk. "Oh, my cousin was a lot more than just a casual childhood friend to that little heiress. They were exceptionally close back in the day."
Ruby seemed entirely satisfied with the answer and wisely decided not to pry any further into Odyn's past with the Schnee family. It wasn't really her place, after all.
"So... uh, check this out, I got this thing!" Ruby chirped brightly, smoothly unlatching her customized weapon and driving the heavy pole into the stone path as it snapped out into its full, towering scythe configuration.
Jaune's jaw dropped. "Whoa! Is-is that a giant scythe?!"
Ruby beamed with immense pride. "Sure is! And it's also a high-impact, customizable sniper rifle!"
The blonde blinked blankly, tilting his head. "A wha...?"
"It's a gun, Jaune. A really, really big gun," Khanna clarified smoothly as Ruby casually cocked the weapon with a satisfying metallic shing.
"Oh. Well... that's definitely cool!" Jaune admitted. "So, what kind of weapon do you use?"
Jaune proudly unclipped a polished, traditional blade from his hip. "Check it out! I, uh... I've got this sword!"
"Ooohhh!" Ruby marveled genuinely.
"Yeah, and check this out-I've got a matching shield, too!" he boasted, tapping the scabbard on his belt as complex mechanical gears clicked and the metal rapidly expanded into a sturdy defensive barrier.
Fascinated, Ruby reached out and gave the edge of the shield a tiny, curious poke. The sudden contact startled Jaune, causing him to fumble clumsily as the shield unpredictably retracted off his arm, ballooned outward, collapsed down again, and finally shrank back into its compact scabbard form with a disgruntled clatter.
"So... what special trick does it do?" Ruby asked, blinking innocently.
Jaune rubbed the back of his neck, looking deeply embarrassed. "Well... the shield shrinks and changes sizes. So... when my arms get tired, I can just... put it away."
Ruby tilted her head, pondering the mechanics for a second before voicing her honest critique. "Wait... wouldn't it still weigh the exact same amount?"
Jaune slumped his shoulders dejectedly. "Yeah... yeah, it totally does..."
Seeing his disappointment, Ruby giggled softly and waved a hand dismissively. "Well, I'm kind of a total dork when it comes to engineering weapons, sooo... I guess I might have gone a little overboard when I designed mine."
Jaune's eyes widened in sheer disbelief. "Wait. You made that yourself?!"
"Of course! Every single student at Signal Academy has to forge their own weapon from scratch," Ruby responded as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "Didn't you make yours?"
Jaune slowly shook his head. "Nah. It's a hand-me-down. My great-great-grandfather used this exact set to fight in the Great War."
Ruby's expression softened into one of genuine respect. "Sounds a lot more like a cherished family heirloom to me! Well, honestly, I like it. Not nearly enough people have a real appreciation for the classics these days."
Jaune sheathed his sword, a proud, genuine smile returning to his face. "Yeah... the classics."
Turning her attention back to the dark elves, Ruby's eyes sparkled with renewed curiosity. "What about you guys? What kind of weapons do you carry?"
Khanna stepped forward eagerly. "Well... I use a heavy war hammer that doubles as an integrated laser rifle. Here, let me show you!"
With a fluid motion, Khanna unclipped her weapon and twisted the reinforced handle slightly. The massive hammerhead split open with a sharp mechanical hiss, reconfiguring neatly into a heavy-caliber energy barrel.
"Oh, wow..." Ruby gasped, staring at the sleek engineering.
Khanna twisted the grip back, snapping the weapon effortlessly into its original hammer form.
"Does it have a proper name?" Ruby asked.
Khanna raised an elegant eyebrow. "A name, huh? If I had to translate the old elven title... I suppose I call it Cathraylboldr."
Ruby blinked rapidly, completely blanking. "I have... absolutely no clue what any of that means, but it sounds unique. I like it! What about the rest of you?"
One by one, the remaining dark elves stepped up to demonstrate their gear. Ruby stood completely transfixed, her eyes turning back into literal stars as she admired the diverse arsenal: Baron showcased a pair of sleek twin blades that rapidly transformed into compact, rapid-fire machine pistols; Hailfire brandished a brutal spiked mace and heavy shield that reconfigured into a deadly morning star loaded with explosive shotgun rounds; Roy flashed crackling, lightning-infused dual swords; and Sarai displayed a pair of elegant blades specifically engineered to channel raw Aura through their edges.
Finally, all eyes turned to Odyn. Ruby practically vibrated with excitement.
"What about your weapon, Odyn? What does it do?" she asked eagerly.
Odyn chuckled warmly, unsheathing a magnificent, intricately crafted blade. "This is ArdynFangh. Believe it or not, it actually possesses three distinct combat abilities."
"Three whole abilities?" Ruby squeaked.
He nodded. "That's right. It can channel both Fire and Ice Dust through the core. But the third ability... well, that's a heavily guarded secret. Not something I like to broadcast to just anyone willy-nilly."
Ruby looked momentarily disappointed that she wouldn't get to see the mystery trick right away, but she quickly nodded in understanding.
"So... in other words," Ruby began.
"It's your ultimate trump card?" Jaune finished her thought.
Odyn raised an eyebrow, genuinely impressed. "Uhh... yeah, exactly that."
"Not gonna lie... that's pretty legendary," Jaune remarked, whistling softly.
"Yeah, I kinda deeply wish my weapon had some kind of secret superpower like that..." Ruby pouted playfully.
Brushing it off, Ruby looked back up at the surrounding architecture. "By the way... does anyone actually know where we're supposed to be going right now?"
"Oh! Well, I don't have a clue-I was literally just following you guys!" Jaune admitted, panicking slightly. "Y-You think there's a campus directory somewhere? Maybe a food court? Some kind of recognizable landmark? Is... is that a 'no' I see on your face?"
Ruby burst out laughing, shaking her head vigorously. "Yeah, Jaune, that's definitely a hard 'no'."
Khanna cut through their chatter, pointing ahead. "Relax, you two. That's where we come in. Besides... isn't that building right over there where everyone is heading?"
Following her outstretched hand, the group spotted a massive, imposing assembly hall where a steady stream of prospective students was currently pouring through the grand double doors.
"I'd say... yeah, definitely," Ruby agreed, grinning.
Together, the expanded group joined the flow of students, marching steadily toward the hall to begin the next chapter of their journey.
Small time skip: Auditorium...
The expanded group of teenagers pushed through the grand, heavy doors and stepped into Beacon's massive assembly hall. The vast auditorium was already packed to the absolute brim with hundreds of students milling about, creating a low, buzzing roar of conversation.
Scanning the crowded room, Ruby's eyes suddenly lit up as she spotted a familiar flash of golden hair. Yang was waving frantically from a cluster of reserved seats, making it clear she had thoughtfully saved space for her sister and her new companions.
"Ruby! Over here! I saved spots for you guys!" Yang called out, waving her arm high in the air.
Ruby turned to Jaune, giving him a quick, apologetic smile. "Hey, Jaune, I-I gotta go! Catch you after the opening ceremony!"
Without missing a beat, she darted off toward her sister, with the dark elves waving polite farewells as they trailed after her.
"(Laughs) We'll see you around after the ceremony, Jaune!" Khanna called out warmly.
"We'll catch you later! It was really nice meeting you, Jaune!" Sarai added with a friendly wave.
Jaune stood frozen for a second, slowly reaching his hand out as they left him behind in the crowd. "Bye... wait, hey! Aw man..." He sighed deeply, slumping his shoulders in defeat. "Now where on Remnant am I supposed to find a nice, quirky girl to talk to?"
He turned and shuffled away, completely unaware as the camera panned slightly to reveal Pyrrha Nikos standing just behind him, hands planted firmly on her hips as she watched him walk off.
Back in the rows of seats, Yang crossed her arms, wearing a sly, amused smirk as Ruby finally slid into place beside her.
"So, little sis, how's your very first day going so far?" Yang teased.
"Oh, you mean right after you completely ditched me and I accidentally caused a localized terrorist incident?!" Ruby shot back, crossing her arms defensively.
"Yikes, total meltdown already, Rubes?" Yang chuckled.
You have no idea... the six dark elves collectively thought in unison, exchanging knowing, exhausted glances.
"No, I'm serious! I literally blew a massive crater right in front of the school entrance! And there was fire, and... I think some ice got mixed in there too?" Ruby babbled, trying frantically to piece the chaos back together in her head.
"Are you being sarcastic right now?" Yang asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Oh, you wish she was," Khanna laughed softly, shaking her head.
The rest of the elves quietly filed in and took their seats next to the sisters. Ruby let out an exasperated sigh-right before the camera panned over to reveal the pristine, unmistakable white hair of Weiss Schnee sitting directly in the very next seat.
"I wish I were!" Ruby groaned loudly, completely oblivious to her neighbor. "I tripped over some crabby girl's ridiculous luggage, and then she yelled at me, and then I sneezed, and then I exploded, and then she yelled at me again, and I felt super, super bad, and I just wanted her to stop screaming at me!"
Odyn shifted in his seat, leaning forward to offer a quiet, urgent warning. "Careful what words you choose, Ruby. That 'crabby girl' you're complaining about is actually a very dear friend of mine. And... uh... she's sitting right next to you."
Unfortunately for Ruby, the warning came a split second too late.
"You!" Weiss hissed, her voice dripping with pure fury.
Ruby shrieked in absolute terror, leaping completely out of her seat and diving directly into Yang's arms for protection. "Oh Oum, it's happening all over again!"
"You are extraordinarily lucky we weren't blown entirely off the side of a cliff!" Weiss snapped, glaring daggers at the cowering reaper. "If your dark-haired friend hadn't stepped in to shield us, who knows what kind of catastrophe could have happened?!"
Yang stared blankly down at her sister, her brain short-circuiting for a moment before she delivered a completely deadpan verdict. "Oh my Oum... you actually exploded."
Weiss would have happily continued tearing into Ruby right then and there, but her words died in her throat the instant her brilliant blue eyes locked directly with Odyn's amber gaze. She felt a sudden, sharp catch in her chest as old, buried emotions surged forward, threatening to bring tears to her eyes. It had been nine agonizing years since she last saw him.
"O-Odyn...?" Weiss breathed, her voice trembling slightly.
"Hey there, princess," he murmured softly.
Yang blinked, rapidly shifting her gaze back and forth between the two in utter confusion.
Before anyone else could speak, Odyn pushed himself up from his seat and gently caught Weiss by the wrist.
"Could you guys... excuse us for just a few moments? I really need to talk to Weiss real quick," Odyn requested, his tone firm yet gentle.
"Uh... sure, I guess?" Yang replied, thoroughly bewildered.
"Great, thanks! Come on, princess," Odyn said, offering a reassuring tug.
"Odyn, wait, I-wahh! l" Weiss yelped in sheer surprise as she was smoothly pulled out of her seat and dragged away into the bustling aisle by the dark elf.
The sisters stared after them as the pair disappeared into the crowd, leaving Yang to finally break the stunned silence.
"Okay, someone seriously needs to explain what the heck just happened," Yang demanded, turning to the remaining elves.
Khanna smiled knowingly and leaned forward. "Sure thing, Yang. You see, it all started like this..."
With Odyn and Weiss...
Stepping away from the dense, noisy clusters of students filling the auditorium, Odyn led Weiss into a quieter alcove near the edge of the hall, safely out of earshot.
"Odyn, what on earth was that for?!" Weiss demanded, crossing her arms as she turned to face him, a flicker of indignation in her eyes. "I was right in the middle of giving that absolute menace a proper lecture!"
Odyn let out a quiet, grounding sigh. "That's just the thing, Weiss... she genuinely didn't mean to cause a scene. And besides, you didn't used to be this harsh. What happened to you?"
Weiss flinched, her defensive posture instantly crumbling. Anyone else on Remnant would have received a sharp, biting earful for talking to her that way, but this was Odyn-her oldest childhood friend, the boy she had shared her youth with, and her betrothed. She simply didn't have it in her to stay angry at him. Letting out a shaky breath, the tension drained from her shoulders, and she answered honestly.
"A lot happened, Odyn... and almost none of it was good," Weiss confessed, her voice dropping to a vulnerable whisper. "Ever since Grandfather passed away... everything went completely south for our family."
Odyn stepped closer, gently lifting her chin with two fingers so that her brilliant blue eyes were forced to lock with his warm, steady gaze.
"Let me guess: your father is entirely responsible for this rigid, cold shell you've built around yourself, isn't he?" he asked softly.
Weiss nodded, a fresh wave of glittering tears finally spilling over her lashes. "It... it was absolute hell, Odyn! He... he even demanded that I completely cut ties and forget all about our friendship! But... I couldn't do it. I just couldn't bring myself to let go!" She gripped the fabric of his tunic, her voice trembling with rising passion. "That man didn't build this family, and I refuse to let him be the one who destroys the end of it, either!"
She sniffled hard, trying to regain her composure. Without a word of hesitation, Odyn stepped forward and wrapped his arms securely around her, pulling her into a warm, deeply comforting embrace. He rested his chin against her silver hair, letting out a soft sigh.
"It seems... I wasn't the only one who went through hell these last nine years," Odyn murmured against her hair. "It's alright, princess. I'm right here, and I'm not going anywhere. I know the kind, fiery girl you truly are is still hidden inside there somewhere. Just... talk to me whenever you feel overwhelmed, okay?"
Gently, he stroked the soft strands of her hair until her ragged breathing slowed. Weiss slowly pulled back from the hug, sniffling softly as Odyn reached up with his thumb to gently wipe away the remaining tears clinging to her cheeks.
"T-Thank you for that, Odyn," she whispered, a watery, genuine smile finally breaking through her guarded expression.
He flashed her a reassuring grin. "You're very welcome, princess."
"I'll... I'll try to be nicer to your fiery little friend over there," Weiss conceded, looking away with a faint blush. "Just... for your sake."
"Atta girl," Odyn chuckled softly. "Come on, let's head back to the others. Though I honestly hope Khanna hasn't spent the last five minutes over-explaining our entire family history to Yang and Ruby."
Weiss's eyes widened in genuine surprise. "Wait... Khanna is here too?"
Odyn nodded, offering his arm to her. "Yeah, she came along with us. But don't worry, you'll have plenty of time to catch up with her and the rest of the crew later. Come on."
With a lighter step than she had felt in years, Weiss linked her arm through his, and the two walked side-by-side back toward the bustling auditorium.
Time skip: Back with the others a few minutes later....
Odyn and Weiss quietly slipped back into their rows, sliding smoothly into their seats beside the rest of the group.
Yang glanced over at the silver-haired heiress, offering an easy, diplomatic smile. "You're Weiss, right?"
Weiss blinked, her posture stiffening slightly before she caught herself. "Yes? That's correct."
"Look... it seems like you and Rubes just got off on the completely wrong foot," Yang said smoothly, gesturing between the two. "Why don't you hit the reset button, start over, and try being friends?"
Weiss let out a quiet internal sigh. She could still hear Odyn's gentle voice echoing in her mind, reminding her to give the reaper a chance. She decided she could at least make the effort.
"Very well then," Weiss conceded, offering a cautious nod.
Ruby's face lit up instantly. She eagerly extended a hand across the aisle. "Great idea, sis!" She cleared her throat, slipping into a hyper-enthusiastic tone. "Hello there, Weiss! I'm Ruby! Wanna hang out? Maybe we could go shopping together for school supplies?"
Weiss blinked, momentarily overwhelmed by Ruby's vibrant energy, and decided to lean into the joke with a deadpan, sarcastic delivery. "Yeah! And while we're at it, we can paint our nails and gossip about cute boys! Like that tall, blonde, and utterly scraggly one over there!"
Odyn instantly slapped his palm flat against his forehead, letting out a heavy groan. This is going to be a lot harder than I thought, he realized.
Ruby, completely missing the heavy sarcasm, gasped. "Wow, really?!"
"No," Weiss deadpanned, glaring right back at her.
Inwardly, Weiss was aggressively facepalming. I literally just did the exact opposite of what I promised Odyn I would do! And right after our heart-to-heart, too! She winced internally, realizing that reforming her social habits was going to require a lot more work than anticipated.
Before the awkward tension could build any further, the low murmurs of the auditorium suddenly died down. The collective attention of the entire student body snapped toward the front stage, where Headmaster Ozpin stood tall, flanked by Professor Goodwitch and two unfamiliar instructors.
"I'll... keep this brief," Ozpin began, his calm, authoritative voice carrying effortlessly across the massive hall. "You have traveled here today in search of knowledge, to hone your craft and acquire new skills. And when you have finished, you plan to dedicate your life to the protection of the people. But as I look amongst you, all I see is wasted energy, in need of purpose, and in desperate need of direction."
A wave of restless murmurs and shifting whispers rippled through the rows of students before Ozpin continued, his gaze sweeping slowly over the crowd.
"You assume knowledge will free you of this burden, but your time at this school will prove that knowledge can only carry you so far. It is entirely up to you to take the first step."
With those final, echoing words, Ozpin turned away from the podium. Professor Goodwitch immediately stepped up to the microphone as the headmaster exited the stage.
"You will gather in the grand ballroom tonight. Tomorrow morning, your formal initiation begins. Be prepared. You are dismissed."
As the auditorium erupted into the chaotic shuffle of hundreds of students standing up all at once, the camera cut back to the group of teenagers.
Yang shook her head, watching Ozpin's retreating figure. "Well... that guy definitely seemed a little... 'off'."
Before anyone could reply, Jaune sidled up smoothly beside Weiss, leaning in close with a lopsided, overly confident grin in a desperate bid to impress her.
"Hey there. I'm a natural blonde, you know," Jaune purred, trying to play it cool.
Odyn instantly reached out, firmly grabbing Jaune by the shoulder and dragging him back a step. "Whoa there, hold your horses, Jaune. I... really don't think Weiss is in the mood to chat right now."
Jaune blinked, utterly bewildered by the sudden intervention, while Weiss pressed a hand hard against her face in sheer, unadulterated exasperation.
"Just... trust me on this one, Jaune," Odyn advised gently.
Jaune stared at him for a second, then shrugged good-naturedly. "Well... okay, if you say so, Odyn." With a wave, he turned and wandered off into the crowd.
Weiss lowered her hand, looking over at Odyn with a soft, deeply relieved smile.
Odyn caught her expression and returned the warmth, offering a gentle nudge. "Wanna talk, princess?"
A genuine, peaceful smile broke across her face. It had been nearly a decade since they last had the simple luxury of a real conversation. She nodded eagerly.
"Yeah... I suppose it couldn't hurt. We certainly have quite a bit of lost time to catch up on, don't we?" Weiss answered softly.
Odyn offered her a reassuring grin as the scene slowly faded, transitioning away from the noisy hall and into the quiet, glowing expanse of the ballroom.
Time skip: evening...
The grand ballroom of Beacon Academy hummed with the quiet, restless energy of hundreds of students settling in for their very first night away from home. The cavernous marble floor was completely covered in a sprawling sea of sleeping bags, blankets, and makeshift beds.
Not far from where the sisters had set up, the dark elf teenagers were getting settled for the night. Roy had changed into a simple blue tank top, matching blue pajama pants, and a pair of comfortable gray socks, his dark elf ears twitching slightly at the ambient noise of the hall. Across the aisle, Ruby sat cross-legged in her comfortable red pajamas with a sleep mask pushed up over her forehead, furiously scribbling in a leather-bound journal. Every few moments, her eyes drifted curiously over toward Roy and the sleek weapon resting beside his sleeping mat. Whenever Roy glanced back and caught her staring, Ruby would instantly snap her head down, desperately pretending to be intensely focused on her writing. Roy, for his part, wasn't bothered in the least; he simply figured the young reaper was naturally fascinated by unfamiliar elven craftsmanship.
"It's like one giant, school-wide slumber party!" Yang announced brightly, crashing down unceremoniously onto the sleeping bag right next to her sister.
Ruby paused her pen, looking around the massive room. "Yeah... though I seriously doubt Dad would approve of all the teenage boys wandering around in pajama pants."
"Well, I sure aren't complaining!" Yang purred playfully, leaning back on her elbows with a devious grin as she watched several shirtless teenage boys walk past their spot.
Right on cue, Jaune shambled past wearing bright, oversized cartoon-print footie pajamas, giving them an awkward, sheepish wave. Yang let out an immediate, loud groan of utter disgust, quickly turning her head away.
Shaking her head, Yang turned her attention back to her younger sister. "So, what's that you're working on?"
"Oh, this? Just writing a quick letter back to everyone at Signal Academy," Ruby answered, tapping her pen against the paper. "I promised I'd keep them updated on how Beacon is turning out, after all."
"Aw, that is so cuuuute!" Yang cooed, pinching Ruby's cheek before she was suddenly knocked backward by a pillow launched straight into her face.
"Shut up! I didn't get to bring any of my actual friends with me to this crazy school! It's super weird not knowing a single soul here!" Ruby hissed, her face burning with embarrassment.
Yang rubbed her nose, looking over at her sister with a thoroughly deadpan expression. "What about... Jaune? He seems nice... and funny! And what about those other kids you met today? Khanna, Sarai, Baron, Hailfire, Odyn, and Roy? They all seemed genuinely nice and pretty cool, too."
"I suppose... they are pretty cool. E-especially Roy..." Ruby muttered, her voice trailing off as her cheeks flushed a bright, unmistakable shade of crimson.
Yang's eyes lit up, a wide, sly smirk spreading across her face. "Oh? Got a little thing for Roy there, Rubes~?"
Ruby instantly slapped both hands over her mouth in sheer panic. "Y-Yang! Keep your voice down, or he'll hear you!"
"Alright, alright, Rubes, relax! I'll leave you and your boyfriend alone," Yang teased, dropping her voice into a exaggerated stage whisper.
Ruby's face turned the color of a ripe tomato. "Y-Yang! I told you, it is not like that between us!"
Truthfully, Ruby was just deeply grateful to Roy for stepping in and helping her survive her chaotic first day. Just because the dark elf had been kind, reliable, and entirely pleasant to talk to didn't automatically mean he was her boyfriend! Sometimes, Yang's relentless internal matchmaker persona was just entirely too much to handle. At least, that was the fierce, defensive opinion running through Ruby's head.
Looking back down at her journal with a dramatic sigh, Ruby slumped. "Besides, I'm pretty sure Weiss counts as a negative friend. Which means I'm somehow back to square one..."
"Rubes, there's no such thing as a 'negative friend'," Yang scoffed, gently nudging her sister's shoulder. "You just made a few great friends and one grumpy enemy!"
Before Yang could finish her thought, a stray pillow shaped like a stuffed dog came flying out of nowhere, squarely hitting her in the back of the head.
Unfazed, Yang picked it up and tossed it back, continuing her thought. "Look, it's only been one single day. Trust me: you've got amazing friends all around you... you just haven't met most of them yet."
Meanwhile with Odyn and Weiss...
While the rest of the ballroom buzzed with the chatter of settling students, Odyn and Weiss sat quietly a short distance away from the dark elf group, wrapped in their own secluded bubble of conversation. Weiss had just finished recounting the agonizing details of the last nine years-the crushing pressure, the isolation, and the suffocating control her father exerted over her life ever since Odyn's family was forced to leave Atlas.
Internally, a cold, searing fury burned through Odyn. The thought of anyone-let alone her own flesh and blood-treating Weiss with such cruelty made his blood boil.
Without a word of warning, Odyn reached out and pulled her into a tight, protective embrace. Weiss gasped softly in surprise, her breath catching in her throat.
"What he did to you... it isn't right. Not by any standard," Odyn whispered firmly, resting his chin near her hair. "I promise you, princess, neither my people nor I will ever treat you with such coldness or disrespect. Even if the entire world turns against you, I will still be right here standing by your side. You can always count on that."
Weiss felt a heavy blush sweep across her cheeks, a warm, fluttering sensation blooming in her chest. She offered him a small, deeply appreciative smile.
"T-Thank you, Odyn... I honestly don't know what I would have done without you," she admitted softly, her voice trembling slightly. "The letters you managed to send me... they were the only thing that kept me sane all these years."
Odyn offered a gentle, reassuring smile, pulling back just enough to slip two fingers under her chin, lifting her face so their eyes met.
"Of course," he murmured softly. "What kind of fiancé would I be if I wasn't there for you when you needed me the most?"
Weiss fidgeted nervously with the hem of her sleeve, looking away with a flustered huff, though a rosy pink flush stained her cheeks. "There you go using that title again... But... as long as you're the only one allowed to call me that, I suppose I can tolerate it."
Shifting her gaze past his shoulder, Weiss looked over toward the cluster of dark elves resting nearby, her eyes lingering briefly on Ruby before sliding over to focus on a particular blue-haired boy.
"So... that one's Roy, your brother, right?" she asked curiously.
"Yeah. The mix of blue and red in our hair runs on our father's side of the family," Odyn answered quietly.
Weiss nodded, processing the information. "So then... who are the rest of them, aside from Khanna and your sister?"
Odyn followed her gaze, pointing out the figures in the dim light. "Well, those two over there are Hailfire and her younger brother, Baron-old family friends. And as I mentioned, that's my younger brother, Roy. He and Sarai have been the closest ones to me, especially after... after the rest of my family passed away."
Weiss blinked, her expression shifting to one of sudden shock. "Wait... you had other siblings and cousins?"
Odyn's expression darkened, turning somberly heavy. "Yeah."
"What... what happened to them?" Weiss asked, a knot forming in her stomach.
"They were all killed. Murdered in cold blood by Atlas military officials... likely elite nobles who viewed our bloodline as a threat and a scourge upon their society," Odyn replied, his voice dangerously low.
"What... w-why would they do something so horrible?" Weiss asked, horror and concern bleeding into her tone.
Odyn let out a slow, ragged sigh, lifting his gaze to meet hers. "When people harbor nothing but hatred and prejudice in their hearts for anyone different... you'd be genuinely surprised at what they're capable of, princess. Those monsters even had the sickening audacity to parade my family's corpses through the streets like hunting trophies, as if they had won some grand victory. All the while... the elven blood they spilled was crying out for justice."
As Odyn spoke, his hands clenched tightly into trembling fists. Without hesitation, Weiss reached out, gently cupping his face with both hands and forcing him to look directly into her eyes.
"Not all humans are like that, Odyn. Please... do you look at me and think I'm capable of that kind of cruelty?" she asked earnestly, her blue eyes shining with quiet desperation.
"No. Of course I don't. You're my friend... my family," he answered softly.
A tender smile touched Weiss's lips, and she gently leaned her forehead forward to rest against his.
"Then please... at least give humanity a second chance. Give me a chance to help make things right," Weiss pleaded gently. "The way people in my homeland treated your family... it was monstrous. I know I might not be able to instantly wash away all the pain and anger you hold toward humans, but... at least let me try."
Her gaze dropped momentarily toward the faint, jagged scars visible along the edges of his collar and arms-scars from a past she wished she could erase.
"Let me have the chance... to help heal those wounds."
Odyn stared at her for a long, silent moment, the hard tension slowly draining from his shoulders. A soft, weary smile finally touched his lips.
"Whatever you say, princess..." he whispered quietly.
Back with the Rose/ Xiao Long sisters...
Nearby in the dim light of the grand ballroom, a small candle flickered to life. Blake Belladonna sat cross-legged against a towering stone pillar, completely engrossed in a thick, leather-bound book.
Ruby's eyes landed on her silhouette. "That girl..." she murmured in thought.
"You know her, Rubes?" Yang asked, leaning over.
"Not really. She saw what happened this morning with Weiss, but she slipped away before I could say anything."
Yang grinned. "Well, there's no time like the present!" Without waiting for a response, she reached out, grabbed Ruby by the wrist, and dragged her across the marble floor straight toward Blake's spot.
"Wait, Yang! What are you even doing?!" Ruby hissed in a panic.
Blake looked up from her book, blinking as Ruby stumbled to a halt, looking thoroughly embarrassed as Yang released her arm.
"Hel-looooo!" Yang sang out brightly. "I believe you two might already know each other?"
Blake raised a skeptical eyebrow, clearly unimpressed by the ambush. "Aren't you... that girl who blew up the courtyard?"
"Uh, yeah! My name's Ruby! But you can just call me Crater-" Ruby winced, a bright blush spreading across her cheeks. "Actually, you know what? Just call me Ruby."
Blake calmly lowered her gaze back to her open page. "Okay." And with that, she resumed reading.
Yang leaned down, whispering harshly out of the corner of her mouth. "What are you even doing?"
"I don't know, help me out here!" Ruby whispered back frantically.
Panicking, Yang blurted out the first thing that came to mind. "So... uh... what's your name?"
Blake sighed softly, looking up from her book for a second time. "Blake."
"Well, Blake... I'm Yang, Ruby's older sister! I really like your bow!" Yang offered enthusiastically.
"Thanks," Blake replied, flashing a tight, thoroughly unconvincing smile.
"It um... it goes super great with your... pajamas!" Yang pressed on.
"Right..." Blake muttered, her irritation growing visibly.
Ruby stood nearby, offering an extremely uncomfortable, nervous laugh while Yang dug her own grave.
"Lovely night for a giant slumber party, don't you think?" Yang tried again.
"Yes... it's lovely. Almost as lovely as this book," Blake said, her voice dripping with sarcasm as she tapped the cover, "which I will gladly go back to reading the absolute second the two of you walk away."
Yang turned to Ruby with a deadpan shrug. "Yeah... I'm calling it, this girl's a total lost cause."
"Wait, what's it about?" Ruby asked, ignoring her sister.
Blake paused, genuinely surprised that the younger girl was showing actual interest in her reading material. "Huh?"
"Your book, what's it about?" Ruby repeated, her eyes shining with curiosity. "Does it have a title?"
"Oh. I-It's about a man with two separate souls, each constantly fighting for control over his body," Blake answered softly.
"Oh yeah, that's just riveting! Real original stuff right there..." Yang deadpanned sarcanstically.
"I love books," Ruby continued, smiling fondly. "Yang used to read to me every single night before bed. Stories of legendary heroes and monstrous villains... Honestly, they're a huge part of the reason I want to be a Huntress!"
Blake raised an eyebrow, a flicker of cynicism crossing her features. "And why is that? Hoping you'll live happily ever after?"
Yang shot her sister a wicked, knowing smirk. "Oh, she's definitely hoping for a fairy tale ending... particularly when it comes to a certain dark elf guy she's had her eye on~"
Ruby's face turned scarlet. "Y-Yang! I keep telling you, it is not like that between us!"
Blake watched the exchange, her expression unreadable.
"A-Anyways! I'm hoping we can make the world better," Ruby stammered, frantically trying to pivot away from Yang's teasing. "Ever since I was a little kid, I wanted to be just like those heroes in the stories... someone who fought for what was right, and protected the people who couldn't protect themselves!"
Blake's smile faded into a melancholy frown. "That's... pretty idealistic and ambitious for a child. Unfortunately, the real world doesn't operate like a fairy tale."
"Well, exactly! That's why we're all here at Beacon! To actually make it better," Ruby answered with unwavering confidence.
Yang beamed with sudden sisterly pride, scooping Ruby up into a massive bear hug. "I am so exceptionally proud of my baby sister!"
"Yang, please put me down! Cut it out!" Ruby squeaked, kicking her legs in sheer embarrassment.
Their playful wrestling quickly devolved into a classic, chaotic ball of flying limbs and exaggerated cartoon dust clouds.
Blake watched them with a faint, amused smile, opening her mouth to speak. "Well, Ruby, Yang, it's certainly a pleasure to ha-"
Her words were cut short.
A sharp, furious voice echoed across the stone floor. "What in the absolute world is going on over here?! Don't you uncultured ruffians realize some of us are actually trying to sleep?!"
Weiss Schnee stormed up to their little circle, hands planted firmly on her hips, radiating pure annoyance.
Odyn jogged up right behind her, looking deeply stressed as he tried to intervene. "Um... Weiss, please, just calm down for a second."
"No, I will not calm down! These... these absolute peasants are disturbing the peace!" Weiss snapped.
"I'm fully aware it's loud, Weiss, but... you do realize Khanna is resting literally right over there, right?" Odyn pleaded, gesturing nervously toward the dark elf camp.
Weiss froze for a fraction of a second-just as Yang broke free from her tangle with Ruby and spun around. Both girls locked eyes with one another, instantly recognizing their old sparring partner from earlier.
"Oh, unbelievable, not you again!" Weiss and Yang barked in unison.
Odyn slammed his palm against his face, rubbing his temples in utter despair. I literally tried to warn her... he thought, groaning inwardly.
"Shh! Guys, keep it down! She's right!" Ruby hissed, pointing frantically. "People are actually trying to sleep!"
Weiss whipped her head around to glare at the reaper. "Oh, so now you decide to take my side?!"
"What are you talking about? I was always on your side!" Ruby protested.
"Yeah, what is your actual problem with my sister?!" Yang snapped, stepping up to defend Ruby. "She was just trying to be nice!"
"She is a walking biological and structural hazard to my health!" Weiss yelled back.
Sitting a few feet away, Blake rolled her eyes and reached out to blow out her reading candle, deciding she wanted no part in the impending disaster. But before her breath could leave her lips, she froze.
Someone had just stood up from the dark elf sleeping mats. It was Khanna. And judging by the rigid posture, she was not happy.
Before Weiss and Yang could hurl another insult, they both abruptly froze. A suffocating, terrifyingly menacing aura settled heavily over them from behind, followed by two firm, heavy hands landing squarely on their shoulders.
"Ladies..." Khanna's voice cut through the air like a razor blade. She wore a perfectly polite smile, though her eyes were completely hidden beneath a dark, ominous shadow. "...Mind telling me why you're causing such a loud racket at this hour?"
Weiss broke out into an immediate, cold sweat. She knew all too well the terrifying temper Khanna kept locked beneath her calm exterior. Yang, having only met her that day, had no earthly idea the sheer level of danger she was in.
"K-Khanna! I-I can totally explain!" Weiss stammered, her voice pitching up an octave.
"Oh, I'm sure you can explain, Weiss," Khanna smiled sweetly, her grip tightening painfully. "Here's a wonderful idea: why don't the three of us take a little stroll, have a nice chat, and get straight to the bottom of why you two love shouting so much, hmm?"
Odyn winced, squeezing his eyes shut. "Oh boy... 😅 S-Sorry about that, Weiss..." he muttered under his breath.
"Yeah, we can-why don't you just let-" Yang started, puffing out her chest, only to be instantly cut off.
"I never actually said you had permission to speak yet, Yang," Khanna interrupted, her smile never faltering. "Come along now, the two of you. Let's go for a little walk, yeah?"
With terrifying, effortless strength, Khanna grabbed both girls by the ear and began forcibly dragging them away into the shadows.
"😅 Are... are they going to be okay?" Ruby asked, nervously sweatdropping as she watched her sister get dragged off.
Roy adjusted his pillow, chuckling with nervous laughter. "😅 Um... honestly? Who knows. It's Khanna. I wouldn't hold my breath on them getting off lightly."
Sarai cringed, crossing her arms. "😅 Hopefully she isn't too rough on them..."
"I... wouldn't count on it, Sarai," Baron muttered.
Hailfire joined in with a nervous chuckle. "Yeah... you know how thoroughly irritated Khanna gets when her beauty sleep is interrupted... ha ha."
Blake watched the comical, terrifying spectacle unfold, feeling a tiny twinge of sympathy for the two bickering girls. But as she watched them vanish into the darkness-both Yang and Weiss wearing faces of sheer, unadulterated terror while being dragged along by a smiling dark elf-she couldn't help but think they had brought it entirely upon themselves.
The camera lingered for a brief moment on their panicked expressions before the scene slowly faded to black.
To be continued...
Ending theme:

The grand ballroom faded away, replaced by the soft, sweeping strains of an emotional melody reminiscent of Reincarnated as a Sword's first ending theme.
The visuals transitioned to a quiet, sunlit room in Atlas-the Schnee manor. Young Weiss stood by a tall window, gazing up at the vast, open sky with a quiet, lingering loneliness before turning and bolting out the doors. The scene shifted, showing a young Weiss running breathlessly across a sun-drenched field of wildflowers, her white dress fluttering in the wind. She skidded to a halt, her breath catching as she looked up. Standing just a few feet away was a young Odyn, watching her with a gentle, familiar expression.
The children stared at one another for a beat before the screen blurred, seamlessly transitioning them into their older teenage selves. From alternating perspectives, the two sprinted across the open expanse toward each other, the distance closing with every heartbeat.
As the final, sweeping notes of the song swelled, the adult Weiss and Odyn were seen walking side-by-side. Odyn smiled warmly, extending his hand outward toward her. Weiss instinctively turned her head away, her cheeks burning a bright, embarrassed pink for a fleeting second before she turned back and slipped her hand securely into his. Fingers intertwining, the two walked off together into the distance as the scene locked into a warm, glowing freeze frame.
Author's Note:
Hey guys, I hope you enjoyed the chapter! As you can probably tell, I decided to give Weiss's personality a bit of a twist. She still has that familiar pride and sharp edge from Volume 1 of the original canon, but she's noticeably softer and more grounded here. That's entirely due to Odyn's influence on her when they were kids. He left a profound impact on her life, and since they're childhood betrothed in this story, it only makes sense that her outlook would be a little different.
I also wanted to give a proper backstory and explanation for why Odyn and Khanna don't have more surviving family members, filling in a gap from my previous writing.
As for pairings, a few readers suggested that Ruby falling in love with Roy would be a fun, refreshing dynamic, so I'm definitely sticking with that! I'll be developing the Roy x Ruby dynamic naturally as the story progresses. But that leaves Yang's romantic future wide open.
Who do you guys think Yang should fall in love with?
Baron
Giblet
Shallot
Beat
Daikon
Valvahdern
Zero
Cardin
Yatsuhashi
Other (feel free to write in a male character suggestion!)
Feel free to drop a comment with your thoughts on who Yang should pair up with in this story.
This chapter was mainly focused on re-establishing the deep, complicated bond between Odyn and Weiss. They aren't officially jumping into a full romantic couple right away-it's still a bit too early in the narrative for that, and they have plenty of healing and catching up to do first.
Anyways, that's all for now! Thank you so much for reading, and I'll see you guys in the next update!
Next time: Chapter 4: Initiation; The First Step (Part 1)