I sighed, sitting next to Nora and Ren. Well not next to. Ren was on Nora's right, I was on her left so I was only really next to Nora.
Really does remind me of Yami and Akari.
"The robbery was led by the nefarious criminal, Roman Torchwick who continues to evade authorities..."
I sighed, the news wasn't exactly good. 4 days, 4 days have passed since the incident, and yet only now are they reporting on it.
"So, this is it, Ren." I heard Nora say beside me.
"Indeed it is, Nora." Ren replied.
"You 2 should kiss already." I said, watching them with the exact level of smugness I knew would annoy them both.
Nora blinked at me, cheeks puffing up in mock outrage while Ren just turned his head slowly, like he was considering the best method to exile me into the nearest Dust quarry.
"Wha—! I mean—we're not—Ren! Tell her!" Nora sputtered, smacking Ren's arm lightly like it was his fault I had a functioning sense of humour.
Ren, calm as always but visibly regretting every life decision that led to this moment, exhaled through his nose. "I do not believe this is the appropriate setting for such a discussion."
"That's not a no," I sing-songed under my breath, teasingly.
Nora pointed an accusatory finger. "You're lucky I like you, space lady."
"Lucky I am, yes," I say, sliding right back into Yoda voice with an absolutely insufferable smirk.
She groaned. "You're gonna keep doing that, aren't you?"
"Until it stops being funny."
"So… never."
"Correct, you are."
Ren rubbed his temples like he could already feel the migraine forming. "Is this what the next four years will be like?"
"Yes," I and Nora said in perfect sync.
He looked between the two of us, then let out the sigh of a man who had just resigned himself to whatever the cosmos was planning next.
I should stop comparing them. But damn it, they're so similar. And I miss Akari and Yami.
"Hello and welcome to Beacon..."
Oh, now it's time for this.
Hmm, I didn't particularly care about this speech. In fact, I cared more for the Faunus bits. The Bullhead we were on was way better than most gave it credit for.
As Glynda's voice droned on, stating how Beacon would be our new home and how the school expected us to uphold the values of truth, honor, discipline, and like three other things I immediately stopped listening to—Nora pressed her forehead against the glass, fogging it up like an overexcited puppy.
"There's gotta be a secret base under the school," she muttered. "Like, a vault full of ancient relics, or forbidden scrolls, or maybe a giant underground mech!"
"Statistically," Ren said calmly, "it's more likely to be a simple foundation and storage rooms."
I raised a brow. "You're not fun at parties, are you?"
Ren gave me a look. "I am practical."
"He says while traveling on a flying ship to a magical school where teenagers fight nightmare monsters," I said, deadpan.
"He has a point," Nora chimed in, still smushing her face against the glass. "Ooh! I think I see the amphitheatre! Or a very large roof. Or a very confused field!"
"I can't tell if you're hyped for school or just permanently vibrating," I muttered.
She turned to me with a completely straight face. "Yes."
I chuckled despite myself.
Ren crossed his arms, glancing toward me with a slight, contemplative squint. "You've been quiet since we boarded."
"Just thinking," I said.
"About?" he asked.
"...How weird it is to be starting over."
Nora looked at me. "You mean 'starting over' as in starting school again, or 'starting over' as in… existential plane-shift, new universe, no known family, and probable identity crisis?"
"Yes," I said again, monotone.
Nora winced. "Oof. Mood."
Ren didn't say anything, but I saw the subtle nod. That little moment of quiet understanding that he gave out like rare collector's coins. Dude had all the emotional range of a stoic monk, but he got things.
Then he added, "You'll do well here. That's obvious."
"Is it?" I asked, surprised.
He shrugged. "You've already shaken the system and scared the teachers. That's half the curriculum."
I grinned. "And the other half?"
"Surviving Nora," he said blandly.
Nora pointed at him like he'd just solved the meaning of life. "He gets it."
The Bullhead began to descend, Beacon coming into full view beneath us. Towers, spires, training fields, and more than enough dramatic architecture to scream 'fantasy academy with a high mortality rate.'
Nora gasped. "Oh my gosh, it's even prettier than the posters!"
I leaned in, peering out the window as the wind buffeted the glass. "Let's hope it stays that way when the plot kicks in."
Ren blinked. "What?"
"Nothing," I said, grinning.
I stretched slightly, mentally calling up my Status.
[Name: Kaelith]
[Age: 16]
[Race: Saiyan]
[LVL: 84]
[EXP: 2000/357400]
[HP: 38000]
[MP: 270000]
[Faith Energy: 850]
[Strength: 260]
[Agility: 300]
[Vigor: 190]
[Intelligence: 2700]
[Wisdom: 1800]
[Luck: 95]
[Faith: 85]
[Stat Points: 840]
[Affiliations: None]
[Occupations: None]
[Drawbacks: If your tail is cut off, you lose half of your stats and ? becomes extremely strenuous to use.]
Then I mentally brought up my Skills screen.
[Item Skills:]
[Musical Mastery (C):
You are a master in all forms of musical instruments. Using this ability, they gain immediate understanding and mastery at using any instrument and all forms of music. You can replicate any song heard or described and have both perfect pitch and the ability to produce any note/tone with any instrument or your own voice.]
[Passive Skills:]
[Gamers Affinity (EX):
Chakra, Qi, Ki, Mana, Cursed Energy, Magicules, Aura, all of them possess unique characteristics however they all embody the same concept of Energy. This skill is granted to the Gamer to have all of these Energies be represented in a singular stat, MP. This means you, the Gamer, can proficiently harness and manipulate any form of Energy. It's noted that the user is granted mastery over these Energies. So long as you have the Skill for these, you can use them.]
[Gamers Mind (EX):
A powerful mental fortification that grants you an unshakable, calculating mindset, immune to emotional instability and mental interference. This skill provides total resistance to fear, stress, mind control, illusions, and all forms of psychological and emotional manipulation. Even supernatural attempts to invade, alter, or influence your thoughts are outright nullified.]
[Axiom Memory (EX):
Axiom Memory is a rare and terrifyingly advanced cognitive ability that grants the user a flawless, structured memory system, functioning as an optimized archive of absolute recall. Unlike conventional memory, which is fragmented, fallible, and prone to decay, this ability ensures perfect encoding and instant retrieval of all sensory input, knowledge, and learned information. Where most humans inefficiently store memories, filtering and distorting details over time, the user of Axiom Memory retains everything with precision, allowing for flawless learning, rapid adaptation, and superhuman analytical capacity—elevating them into an intellectual entity beyond ordinary comprehension.]
[Limit Breaker (EX):
This ability removes the natural limitations placed on the user, allowing for unrestricted growth and evolution. The user is no longer bound by conventional constraints, allowing for unrestrained growth of stats and skills. Meaning that you can level your skills up very quickly.]
[Omnilingualism (A-):
You can learn to understand and speak any language mere seconds after learning it, including ancient, lost, alien, even divine dialects.]
[Natural Regeneration (A):
Your body heals from injuries at an astonishing rate, even during combat. Wounds that would take days or weeks to recover from for a normal person are repaired within minutes or seconds.]
[Mana Absorption (A+):
You constantly absorb mana from your surroundings, passively refueling you. Allowing you to regenerate your energy rapidly, making it almost impossible for you to tire in battle or intense situations.]
[Efficient Execution (C):
You conserve stamina and energy more effectively while fighting, reducing the cost of techniques and increasing reaction speed in prolonged engagements.]
[Sixth Sense (C):
A heightened, supernatural awareness that allows the user to perceive hidden threats, unseen entities, and impending danger without relying on conventional senses. This ability grants an instinctual understanding of one's surroundings, enabling the user to detect hostile intent, traps, ambushes, and even distortions in reality.]
[Active Skills:]
[Ki Manipulation (A+) LVL 4/5:
An active skill that allows you to create, shape, and manipulate Ki—the vital life-force energy that exists within all living beings. Ki Users manipulate their Life Energy to fly, shoot Ki Blasts, sense living creatures and enhance their physical attributes far beyond normal limits. They can even hide their full power by suppressing their energy. The higher the level, the easier it is to use.]
[Mana Burst (A+):
A powerful technique that converts mana into pure force, momentarily amplifying the user's physical capabilities beyond natural limits. By expending Mana (MP), you gain an immense boost to strength, agility, and durability. The magnitude and duration of the enhancement depend on the amount of mana consumed. When it is activated an Aura bursts outwards from your body.]
[Hybrid Skills:]
[Master of Martial Arts (A):
This skill represents a martial artist who has transcended the limits of conventional human combat but has not yet reached the divine level. The user has attained profound expertise in multiple martial arts beyond black belt level, integrating them seamlessly into their combat style.]
[RWBY Aura (D) LVL 2/3:
Aura is the manifestation of the soul, a powerful force that all those with a soul can harness.
At LVL 1 you have the Basic Aura abilities: You can summon a protective aura around yourself, providing a defensive shield that absorbs damage. While the Aura protects you from physical harm, you still feel the sensation of pain, heat, or pressure. When hit, with your Aura active, your MP is lost, rather than your HP.
At LVL 2 your Semblance has been unlocked: Crescent Slash. You swing your hand and unleash a powerful slash of Aura, in that direction cutting things down, can be used in any way through the hand. It can also be used through a Sword which empowers the technique.]
[Racial Skills:]
[Saiyan Power (B):
Often called Zenkai Boosts, Saiyan Power is the power that allows a Saiyan to recover from harm in relatively short periods of time. During which, the Saiyan will imprint on the injuries and/or experiences and instantly learn from it. As it does, their minds and body adapt to the said struggles, allowing their instinctual methods and natural resistance to noticeably improve, which also increases their physical might and general efficiency as they recover, thereby lessening the chances of the problem happening again.
When recovering from battle, you can gain a boost to your stats, either percentage wise or multiplied though the latter only happens with luck.]
[Oozaru (C+) LVL 3/3:
The Oozaru is a Saiyan exclusive transformation similar to Werewolves where in order for the transformation to take place, the Saiyan needs to have a tail, as the biochemical glands responsible for initiating the transformation are located exclusively there. The Saiyan also needs to absorb at least 17 million zeno units of Blutz Waves through the retina of the eyes to initiate the transformation. Blutz Waves are found only in sunlight reflected by a moon. If there is no moon, a planetary body will reflect the same number of rays and initiate the transformation.
An Oozaru's power is equal to the Saiyan's power level prior to the transformation multiplied by ten.
The colour for the Great Ape's fur is brown and their eyes are red as well. A Saiyan loses the ability to reason in this form, and will typically display berserk and destructive characteristics. Despite the lack of self-awareness, as Saiyans mature, they can potentially be taught how to rein in their instincts and retain normal cognitive functions as an Oozaru.
Wisdom, Strength and Agility all increase by 10X in Oozaru and you are now able to control the form.]
Everything was fine in my book.
I had everything sorted out already.
As the ship touched down, I, and my 2 friends stepped off.
Smiling a bit, I looked at the building I once saw on a screen, sandwiched between Akari's hyper activeness and Yami's quiet friendliness. Back when it was just a fantasy. Before death. Before reincarnation. Back when I was still an emotionally stunted teenage girl, who hadn't met...
"Ren, Nora," I say, looking at them. "It's time."
Ren raised a brow. "Time for what?"
"Time to survive orientation without getting arrested, exploded, or emotionally scarred," I said, walking ahead with a grin. "Y'know. The usual academic goals."
Nora perked up. "Ooooh, do you think they'll have obstacle courses?! Or traps? Or maybe like… an evil test robot?!"
"You want there to be danger?" Ren asked, sounding like he already regretted asking.
"I mean, if I'm gonna be dramatically flung across a battlefield, I want there to be flair involved," Nora said proudly.
"Gods help this school," I muttered with a smirk.
"Kaelith," Ren said, falling into step beside me, "how are you actually feeling?"
I blinked, surprised at the seriousness in his tone. "We just did the whole 'introspective space-lady monologue' back on the Bullhead. I figured I'd earned a few sarcastic buffer hours."
Ren gave me that unreadable look again. "Humour's a shield. I just want to make sure it's not the only thing you're using."
"…Ren," I said flatly, "you cannot drop emotionally mature observations at me like that with zero warning. It's illegal."
"She's right!" Nora said, popping up between us. "No deep talks until we've at least claimed a bunk bed."
I chuckled and bumped my shoulder into Nora's. "Fine. Feelings postponed. For now."
As we approached the plaza, I saw a scene I hoped to have avoided.
"This is dust, mind and purified from the Schnee quarry!"
Right in the middle of the argument.
"Let's not get involved." I told my 2 friends.
"What are you, brain-dead?" The white haired girl angrily stated holding out a vial of Fire Dust, whilst shutting a case of the stuff," Dust! Fire, water, lightning, energy!"
She punctuated each word by slamming a new vial into the case, the poor thing barely holding together under her righteous fury. A small puff of what looked like wind Dust blew out with the final slam, catching a bit of her hair and sending it dramatically fluttering, like her own sass summoned an anime breeze.
I internally debated whether now was the time to develop a popcorn conjuring skill. Because this was prime entertainment.
"She's definitely a Schnee," I muttered to Ren and Nora, stepping behind a decorative pillar just enough to not be in splash damage range.
"How can you tell?" Nora whispered, way too loud for someone claiming to be sneaky.
"Because she says Dust like it personally owes her money," I replied.
"Fair."
Across from the Schnee-in-question stood a girl in red with a big scythe and even bigger puppy eyes—currently wide with alarm as she backpedalled, hands raised in surrender.
"I... I know..." Little Red Riding Hood said, almost about to sneeze.
"Are you even listening to me? Is any of this sinking in? What do you have to say for yourself?!"
Ruby sneezed and of course the reaction was immediate as the dust erupts in a miniature fire explosion, the bottle flying to our resident Belladonna, the Faunus in hiding.
The Karen, now covered in soot, went off on the girl, "Unbelievable! This is exactly the kind of thing I was talking about!"
"I'm really, really sorry!"
My fists clenched at my sides. This was getting annoying.
I might actually step in at this point.
"Ugh, you complete dolt! What are you even doing here? Aren't you a little young to be attending Beacon?"
"Well, I-I..."
I couldn't handle it.
Between the Karen that was Weiss in the show, and the constant apologies of Ruby, I wanted to punch one in the face, and I knew it'll be the Schnee as she really is just a bitch.
Ren looked at me, noticing my emotional state with ease. "Still staying out of it?"
"This isn't your ordinary combat school. It's not just sparring and practice, you–"
BAMF!
I had moved so fast, that I left an afterimage mere moments after I increased to 5% of my full power, and then my fist connected with her face. Instantaneously. Sending her sprawling back in surprise.
A flicker of satisfaction at having shut her the fuck up spread through my veins instantly. But that feeling would be even more prominent soon.
"Shut the hell up! I don't want to hear any more of your spoiled brat talk, Princess. You are in Beacon now, so nobody here will give a singular fuck about your status or whatever it is you got going on."
Weiss hit the ground like a dropped credit card—loud, dramatic, and probably expecting someone else to pick her up.
There was a moment of absolute silence. You could've heard a pin drop. Or in this case, a vial of Dust gently clinking against her shattered pride from my words and the fact that she had literally fallen down.
Oh, right.
The whole "I'm not supposed to alter canon too much" thing.
Welp.
Guess I just speedran the "Weiss is a bitch" subplot that wasn't even there to begin with. Especially because it was solved in like what, 2 episodes.
Not exactly good now is it?
Besides that shit was flushed down the metaphorical toilet when I helped Ruby Rose. Maybe even when I told Qrow of my origins.
I did realise that meant Ozpin would know, but I used it to know about 'Magic' in this world. It was a clever ploy to exercise knowledge.
Of course, Chaos Theory can still come up and kick me up the ass but at this point.
The only ones who can be capable of beating me, would be other Reincarnators from other worlds.
Did I just jinx myself? Nah, I doubt anyone with a half decent brain will invade this universe.
The silence that followed was glorious.
Weiss Schnee lay on the stone path of Beacon's plaza like someone had just unplugged her from reality and forgot to reboot. Her white hair was a bit tousled, her immaculate outfit was scuffed, and her expression? That perfect mix of shock, indignation, and the dawning realization that no one here was going to kiss her diamond-encrusted ass.
Oh, how the mighty heiress had fallen.
Literally.
I didn't even need to smirk. My whole existence was smug enough to radiate it passively. The students around us were staring—some slack-jawed, some stunned, and a few clearly struggling not to burst into applause.
Ruby looked like she'd just witnessed a war crime and was half a second away from apologizing to the air itself.
I looked down at the heiress still blinking up at me like I'd just deleted her bank account with a punch.
Gods, if only.
My tail twitched slightly behind me—not enough to be obvious, just enough to flick my irritation away.
Internally though?
Oh, I was ripping her to shreds.
Weiss Schnee. The silver spoon with a superiority complex so dense it formed its own gravitational field. Honestly, watching her run her mouth off about Dust and how Ruby was somehow unworthy to be here made my hands itch.
I knew who she was in my old life.
She was a spoiled brat who inherited her family's semblance, and thought she was entitled to everything because she had money.
Yes, I knew what her 'arc' was supposed to be.
Just because she improved later through a terrible character arc doesn't mean she wasn't a raging white-blooded nightmare first. She acted so entitled constantly. Nah. Not in my world, Schnee. You wanna act like the world revolves around you? Great. Get punched in the face.
Ren sighed beside me, long-suffering and not even bothering to pretend this surprised him. Nora clapped once. The kind of clap that said "Yeah, she earned that."
I crouched slightly, looking down at the heiress as she scrambled to sit up, glaring at me like she just realized her designer boots weren't going to save her from social gravity.
"Next time you wanna bully someone, maybe don't do it while standing next to a trained martial artist with a severe intolerance to entitled bullshit," Voice low and calm, I let my tail flicker behind me, before wrapping itself around my waist.
I didn't give her a chance to respond.
"You're lucky I didn't aim for your pride. But I think I got it anyway."
I turned away, heading toward the amphitheatre with Nora and Ren flanking me like a pair of gremlin cheerleaders in a murder parade. Ruby hesitated, caught between following us or trying to help Weiss up. I looked over my shoulder and gave her the barest nod.
"Come on, Red. Don't let the walking lawsuit hold you back."
She blinked, then scurried after us like a duckling trying to keep pace.
"That was…" Ruby started, cheeks pink, eyes wide. "…really fast."
"Yup," I replied.
"Like, teleportation fast."
"Yup."
"Are you—"
"Nope."
Ruby's brow crinkled. "But—"
"Look, I'm already letting you walk with the cool crowd. Don't push it. Besides, it's nice to see you doing so well."
She made a little squeak of indignation, but I saw the smile behind it. She was resilient, this one. Sweet, a little naïve, but she'd get there.
Hopefully without any more verbal whiplash from the Schnee bitch.
"Wasn't that a bit much?" Ren asked, glancing at me sideways.
"I held back," I said, flatly.
"You shattered her ego," he pointed out.
"Yeah," I grinned. "See? Held back."
Now, onto Blake, who we did not meet, thank god.
Starting from the White Fang.
They weren't freedom fighters. Not anymore. Not to the world. They were extremists with a PR problem and a martyr complex. A once-noble movement twisted by blood and fire into a weaponized excuse for violence. I didn't need to be told. I saw it in the news footage. The dead civilians. The bombings. That wasn't justice.
That was terrorism.
With a capital T. There was no other way to say it.
Blake? Yeah, she made the right choice leaving. But she was wrong.
The White Fang was not misguided. Not deeply misguided.
They killed innocent Humans after all.
And her own crimes? Her crimes didn't just vanish because she put on a ribbon and entered Beacon. She was not innocent of their crimes.
Even other Faunus don't support the White Fang anymore—not the ones with a modicum of sense.
Because they stopped fighting for the cause of peace between Faunus and Humans. And Equality borne of fear is not equality. They became monsters wearing the skin of one.
And thus, it makes things worse for the Faunus.
Because fear breeds suffering, suffering leads to anger, and anger… well you can see where I am going with this?
It's a cycle of hatred that can't be curbed.
I exhaled slowly.
"She deserved that," I murmured, almost to myself.
Nora bumped my arm. "Y'know, I've seen some epic punches, but that? That was like… art. Beautiful. A symphony of justice."
"Don't encourage her," Ren muttered, but even he looked the tiniest bit proud.
"Let's get this orientation over with before Schnee tries to sue gravity for emotional damages."
Nora chuckled.
Meanwhile, I mentally celebrated the small victory of never meeting Jaune Arc. The character in this show that makes the least amount of sense, both in the Fixing RWBY series and in actual RWBY.
Seriously. The guy's family is practically overflowing with Huntsmen and Huntresses. It's like being raised in a house full of chefs and somehow not knowing how to boil water. Everyone and their dog in this world knows about Aura! And he wants to be a hero because of his family history, but skipped all the lessons? That's like saying, "My family builds cars, so I'm gonna race one even though I've never touched a steering wheel!" It's bonkers!
If his family is that into being protectors, wouldn't they have, you know, protected their own son by at least unlocking his Aura? It's not exactly rocket science, Ruby had hers unlocked, Yang did too, and basically everyone before going to Beacon had them unlocked.
And Semblances? Those usually pop up when you're going through some intense stuff. Living in a family of heroes probably has its stressful moments! He should have tripped over his Semblance years ago. And if not, unlocked it through training.
And fighting? Come on! Even if he wasn't formally trained, you'd think he'd have picked up a thing or two just by watching his family do it, or seeing it himself! It's like living next to a gym and somehow not knowing what a dumbbell is!
The whole Jaune Arc situation was less of a character arc and more of a plot-shaped hole that the writers just sort of... left there and hoped no one would poke too hard. It was a walking, talking "suspension of disbelief" sign with floppy blonde hair.
And he gets the attention of Pyrrha Nikos, who is some random badass 17 year old girl, winning multiple tournaments, happens to be incredibly beautiful and somehow that girl falls for Jaune Arc?
Sorry, but you'd have better luck convincing me that all Harem Protagonists deserved their Harems.
The Auditorium was large, and very bland, reminding me of the whiteness of the White Room with how bland it was, but it was grey.
Anyways, the entire situation was definitely not because one of the lead writers decided to self-insert themselves into the world, in a character they themselves were voicing. No, it can't be because of that, right, right?
It is totally because of that by the way.
Ugh, anyways, Nora, Ren, and I stood near each other, Ruby had gone off to be with her sister Yang.
I didn't really care since Mrs Mommy Issues wasn't a problem. What was a problem was the fact that she touched a guy's balls in her trailer, without consent. What was that again? Oh right, it's SA.
I'm too tired to discuss this shite, right now. And that's because I don't care about this world in general. RWBY was just bad.
Just, thank fuck the Fixing RWBY took this out. Which makes it better in my opinion. Even if they have screw ups, they fix a lot of what was wrong with RWBY.
In the Auditorium, a figure could be seen, walking up to the small microphone, his glasses making it clear who he is.
"I'll keep this brief..."
I toned out the speech as I observed around me.
Hmm, Weiss seems to be avoiding me. Blake seems to just be reading a book. And Yang and Ruby are just close together.
Ah, there's the one that people seem to be avoiding. Pyrrha Nikos.
I honestly did not care. She might have been beautiful, but the red head did not hold a candle to Mei.
"...to hone your craft—"
Might as well actually listen to the speech actually.
"—and acquire new skills, and when you have finished, you plan to dedicate your life to the protection of the people. But I look amongst you, and all I see is wasted energy, in need of purpose, direction." His tone wasn't stern, nor was it commending, but rather it was one that spoke of wisdom. Professor Ozpins speech continued, "You assume knowledge will free you of this, but your time at this school will prove that knowledge can only carry you so far. It is up to you to take the first step."
Ozpin left the stage. I smiled a bit knowing that he was right. Knowledge is worthless unless it is used.
Knowledge fades without the strength to act.
As Ozpin left, Goodwitch took the stage. "You will gather in the ballroom tonight; tomorrow, your initiation begins. Be ready. You are dismissed."
"Well that was... interesting." I muttered to my 2 friends.
Ren nodded his head. "Indeed, it was unique. Most Schools would explain all their rules. Although, I wonder how you feel."
I never really got the chance to experience an opening ceremony. That was true for Kaelith and Sumire.
Thus, I answered, "I don't know, Saiyan's didn't have a School." I said, keeping my tone low as we stepped out of the main hall, letting the crowd shuffle ahead.
Ren raised a brow but didn't press. Smart man. He knew when to give me space, even if curiosity itched behind that calm exterior. Nora, on the other hand, leaned in like I'd just whispered I knew where the snacks were hidden.
"No school? Like… ever? So what, Saiyans just punch knowledge into each other's skulls?"
I gave her a sideways glance. "Basically. Trial by survival. If you lived long enough, congrats—you passed."
Nora tilted her head, eyes sparkling with a disturbing mix of curiosity and admiration. "So like, you either became a genius or a corpse. That's... kinda metal."
"It's not 'kinda' anything," I muttered, brushing past a group of students who hadn't realized standing in doorways was a terrible life decision. "It's how we were built."
Ren followed behind silently, not asking further, not pushing for more. Smart. That's why I liked him—he didn't treat mystery like an open invitation. Unlike Nora, who had about the same subtlety as a sledgehammer dipped in glitter.
Nora let out a low whistle. "Dang. I knew you were tough, but 'trial by survival' tough? That's like… boot camp without boots. Or camps."
I snorted. "It was more of a 'figure it out or die' type of education system. Not much room for spelling bees when you're dodging death beams."
"Sounds… lonely." Ren's voice was quiet, thoughtful. He didn't press, but his gaze lingered. Observant bastard.
I didn't answer. Not directly. Just gave him a little half-smile that didn't quite reach my eyes and said, "Better than dying stupid."
He nodded slowly. Didn't say anything more, which I appreciated. There were few people I trusted to know when to shut up, and Ren was on the VIP list.
We made our way through the halls toward the ballroom, the crowd parting like the seas before the sassiest Moses in space boots. People were still glancing my way—some in awe, others in fear, a few in admiration. A rare few looked at me like I was a walking hazard sign in a leather jacket.
They weren't wrong.
Ruby had scampered off with Yang—probably getting a sisterly earful about standing too close to the human rocket launcher that was me.
Good.
Ruby didn't need to be in this. Not yet. She had potential, sure. But I wasn't gonna drag her into my chaos just because I felt protective.
We stepped into the ballroom—blank, dull, with all the atmosphere of a dentist's waiting room and none of the Novocain.
Nora plopped onto the floor immediately like it owed her rent. "So, where do we sleep? Is this, like, a grab-a-corner-and-hope-for-the-best kind of deal?"
Ren glanced around. "Seems like it. I don't see any assigned spots. No beds either."
I tossed my bag next to theirs and folded my arms. "Guess Beacon believes in survival bonding. Nothing says 'teamwork' like passive-aggressive blanket stealing."
"Or someone snoring like a Deathstalker in heat," Nora added.
I paused. "...that better not be you."
"No promises."
Ren had the grace to give a tiny sigh of eternal suffering as Nora made herself at home on the cold ballroom floor like a squirrel nesting in chaos.
I followed suit, sitting cross-legged, arms resting on my knees, my tail casually unfurling before lazily curling around my waist again. The faint hum of voices filled the air as other students trickled in, laying out sleeping bags, staking claims to territory like a bunch of hormonal teenagers preparing for war disguised as a slumber party.
"This is so lame," Nora muttered, already sprawled out like a starfish. "We fight Grimm and train with deadly weapons, but can't afford cots? What kind of budget is this?"
"Probably spent it all on the giant-ass statues and Ozpin's coffee addiction," I replied, cracking my neck. "Priorities."
Ren knelt near his own bag with his usual calm, setting things down with careful precision. "It's temporary. Just for the night."
"Sure," Nora said, eyes narrowing at a group hogging a far corner like it was made of gold. "But if someone steals my blanket, there will be consequences."
"You are the consequence," I muttered.
She grinned. "Aw, you do know me."
I didn't respond. Instead, my eyes flicked across the room, scanning faces. Most people avoided looking in our direction for longer than a second or two, like staring too long might trigger another Weiss-level incident. The Schnee herself had strategically placed herself as far away from me as possible, posture stiff, a book open in front of her she clearly wasn't reading.
Good.
Let her stew in her own entitlement marinade.
I leaned back slightly, resting on my palms. The ceiling was too high, the lighting too bright. Beacon's aesthetic was a mix of hospital and museum—sterile, polished, and screaming, We tried but didn't have taste.
It was fine.
I didn't come here for the ambience.
"Hey," Nora piped up, rolling onto her side to look at me with her usual lack of filter. "So when we do the whole initiation thing tomorrow… are you gonna, like… hold back? Or go full Saiyan nuke mode?"
Ren's eyebrows twitched, but he kept quiet, eyes flicking between us. Waiting.
I stared at her for a beat. "Why would I tell you that?"
Nora gasped dramatically. "Is it a surprise?!"
"It's classified," I said flatly.
"Which means it's gonna be awesome," she declared, punching the air before thudding back down onto the floor. "I love surprises!"
Ren gave me a sidelong glance, quiet as always, but I saw the question there. How much are you planning to show?
My look told him the truth. As much as required.
After all, I wanted to enjoy my fights.
Hours passed. Students eventually settled into uneasy sleep, the room dimming into something almost resembling calm. I stayed awake for longer than I should have, old habits and older instincts keeping me alert. My senses were always a little sharper at night—the air cooler, quieter, easier to breathe.
I was drifting to sleep but then... of course something happened, a memory that was perfectly recalled.
"Sumire, come on. We have a show to put on."
That day, was the first time I performed with Mei in front of people. It was the first time I had performed in front of people in general.
And yet, I wasn't scared. Or afraid.
Why would I be?
I had the skills of the White Room training behind me, and the brilliance of the girl beside me to bring the emotions out.
I had no fear, I was just... wondering what this feeling was when I saw Akari and Yami in the crowd.
I woke up, my eyes opening the memory cut short as I sat up, slow, careful not to wake the others. Nora was a snoring whirlwind wrapped in her blanket like a feral burrito. Ren lay perfectly still, probably meditating even in sleep.
Why now? Why would I be affected of this now?
Axiom's memory's main weakness. Was this. I would have full, unrestricted access to my past memories.
I had calmed down quickly. Really all that happened was the emotional part of this. The feelings brought about by that, never truly left, and Axiom Memory had immortalised it.
After a bit, I went back to sleep.
Morning came like a slap to the face—bright lights, loud voices, and the undeniable smell of someone who brought tuna for breakfast. (They would pay.)
"Rise and shine!" came Glynda's voice like a death sentence in heels.
I stood, joints cracking, stretching out my back with a satisfying pop that made at least three students wince in sympathy.
"You'll be leaving shortly for initiation," she continued. "Be dressed, armed, and ready."
Nora practically leapt to her feet, grinning like this was Christmas. Ren moved more smoothly, always composed.
Me?
I cracked my knuckles and smiled faintly.
Let's see who I get paired with.
Next time on The Interdimensional Saiyan.