The moment the airship touched down on Beacon's landing pad, students from all corners of Vale and beyond began filing out onto the ramp, chattering with excitement, nervousness, and wide-eyed awe. Ruby and Yang stepped out, bags slung over their shoulders, taking their first real steps onto Beacon Academy grounds.
From the ground level, Beacon was even more impressive. Massive marble towers stretched toward the sky, etched with golden details and glass windows that shimmered in the sunlight. Lush green courtyards unfurled in every direction, and at the heart of it all stood a majestic statue: a Huntsman and a Huntress standing back-to-back, weapons drawn, poised against an unseen enemy. A gleaming plaque at the base read:
"To those who fight for humanity."
Yang's eyes sparkled. "Wow... it's even cooler up close!"
Before Ruby could respond, Yang spun toward her, practically bouncing with energy. "I'm gonna go check out the campus! Bet there's a food court or something!"
"Wait—Yang! We don't even know where we're supposed to go yet!"
But Yang was already off, weaving through the crowd and disappearing behind a group of senior students. Ruby let out a sigh, adjusting her backpack as she stood alone in the crowd.
"Okay... no big deal. I'll just figure this out. Like Master taught me. Think, observe, adapt... and try not to look lost."
Ruby took a few steps forward into the throng of students when—WHAM! She bumped into someone sharply and tumbled backward onto the stone walkway.
"Ow!" she winced, looking up at a girl in immaculate white, her silver hair tied neatly to one side and a suitcase at her feet.
"Oh, seriously?" the girl muttered, brushing her skirt clean with visible irritation.
"Sorry! Here, let me help you—"
"I don't need your help," the girl snapped, standing on her own and giving Ruby a once-over. "What are you even doing just standing there?"
"I was just trying to figure out where to go. You kind of ran into me, y'know."
The girl narrowed her eyes. "Aren't you a little young to be attending Beacon?"
Ruby's eyes flared. "Aren't you a little rude?"
The tension between them cracked like a whip, the air around them charged as if their very auras were clashing. They stared at each other for a long moment.
"Tch." The white-haired girl huffed, grabbing her suitcase and walking off without another word.
Ruby muttered under her breath, "Couldn't even introduce yourself. How rude."
"You okay?" a voice asked from nearby.
Ruby turned to see a tall, blonde boy approaching, swaying slightly with every step. He looked pale, with a small smile on his face despite a sheen of sweat on his forehead.
"Yeah, just had a rough first impression," Ruby replied.
He chuckled. "I wouldn't worry about it. It's the first day—she's probably just nervous. Didn't seem like she meant to pick a fight."
"Thanks," Ruby said, smiling. "I'm Ruby, by the way."
"Jaune. Jaune Arc," he said, holding out his hand. "Short, sweet, rolls off the tongue, ladies love it."
Ruby shook his hand with a laugh. "Well, nice to meet you, Jaune."
As the two walked off toward the orientation hall, a silent figure watched them from the shadow of a nearby tree. A girl with a black bow atop her head, her amber eyes following Ruby and Jaune as they moved on.
Blake Belladonna said nothing.
She simply turned and slipped away.
_________________________________________________________________
As they strolled across the beautifully manicured courtyard, Jaune glanced sideways at Ruby and did a double take at the massive, folded weapon slung across her back.
"Whoa," he said, slowing to a stop. "Is that your weapon?"
Ruby perked up instantly. "Oh—yeah! This is Crescent Rose! It's a high-caliber sniper-scythe!" she said, pulling it off her back and extending it in one smooth motion with a loud shhhhk-clang! The sleek, deadly scythe unfolded like a mechanical bloom, glinting in the sunlight.
Jaune blinked. "That… is the coolest thing I've ever seen."
Ruby beamed. "Thanks! I built her myself."
"You built that?!"
She nodded, holding the weapon like it was a treasured companion. "Mmhmm. I've always been really into weapon design. Crescent Rose is a bit tricky to handle, but she's worth it."
Jaune rubbed the back of his neck. "Man… I feel kind of lame now."
He unsheathed his own weapon—a simple sword and shield. "This is Crocea Mors. It was passed down through my family. The sword turns into the sheath for the shield, but that's about it."
Ruby crouched slightly to get a better look, her eyes sparkling with interest. "That's not lame at all! I love swords. They're classic. My dad uses one too—he's an amazing Huntsman."
Jaune looked up. "Really? Your dad's a Huntsman?"
Ruby nodded proudly. "Yep. He taught me a lot."
Jaune's eyes lit up with awe. "That's so cool... You know, I always wanted to be a Huntsman. A real one. Someone who could stand up for people. Like…"
He hesitated, almost embarrassed. "Like Arthur Pendragon."
Ruby's eyebrows lifted a little.
Jaune continued, a bit more animated now. "You've heard of him, right? The Knight of the North? He's one of the greatest Huntsmen ever! He was everything I ever wanted to be growing up—strong, brave, noble. He fought dragons, saved whole towns. That guy's a legend."
Ruby smiled quietly, her expression unreadable for a moment. "Yeah… he really is."
Jaune grinned. "I came to Beacon hoping I could be even a little bit like him one day."
Ruby looked at him with newfound respect. "That's a good reason."
Then she blinked and looked around. "Wait… do you know where we're supposed to be going?"
"I was following you!"
Ruby groaned. "Ugh…"
They both turned in circles for a moment until Ruby spotted a group of students heading down a wide walkway.
"There! That's probably the right way. Let's just follow the group."
Jaune gave a relieved sigh. "You're the boss."
They hurried after the crowd and soon arrived at a massive building with high arched doors—Beacon's main auditorium. Inside, the towering windows painted the room in soft colors, and the air buzzed with excitement and nerves.
"Wow…" Jaune murmured. "This place is huge."
Before Ruby could reply, a familiar voice called out from across the room.
"Ruby!"
Yang stood waving, already surrounded by a few students.
"I'll catch you later!" Ruby said, jogging toward her friend.
Jaune watched her go, rubbing his arm and giving a small, lopsided smile.
"…Yeah. Later."
As Ruby reached Yang through the crowded auditorium, her blonde-haired friend gave her a big grin and wiggled her eyebrows mischievously.
"Well, well, well," Yang teased. "I leave you alone for five minutes and you've already found yourself a boyfriend?"
Ruby's face went crimson. "W-What?! No! He's just a guy—I mean a student—I mean—ugh, Yang!"
Yang snickered. "Relax, I'm just messing with you, Rubes."
Ruby puffed her cheeks out, trying to stay mad, but Yang's grin was contagious. Still, she didn't let her off the hook.
"And you ran off without me!" she snapped. "We didn't even know where we were supposed to go yet!"
Yang winced. "Okay, fair point. My bad. I just got really excited, y'know? Beacon is huge!"
Ruby crossed her arms, scowling—but only for a second.
Yang changed the subject quickly, sensing Ruby was about to start ranting. "So, what else did I miss while I was off adventuring?"
Ruby sighed and relented, uncrossing her arms. "Well… I got into an argument with this white-haired girl. She bumped into me, got all snobby about it, and basically said I looked too young to be here."
Yang raised a brow. "Seriously? That's rich coming from someone who can't even watch where she's walking."
"I know, right?" Ruby frowned. "She didn't even tell me her name. Just glared at me like I'd committed a crime."
Before Yang could respond, the lights overhead dimmed slightly and the room quieted. A soft hum filled the space, and then, like a shadow emerging from the light, Professor Ozpin stepped onto the stage.
He stood with a calm air, hands behind his back, his green eyes scanning the gathered students like someone reading a long-forgotten book.
"Welcome," Ozpin said, his voice gentle yet commanding. "To Beacon Academy."
The crowd fell silent.
"You have taken your first step into a larger world. A world filled with danger… with darkness… but also, with potential. Here, you will train to be Huntsmen and Huntresses—not just warriors, but protectors. Symbols of hope in a world that often forgets what hope looks like."
He paused.
Most students watched him in awe, soaking up the moment. But a few—very few—might have noticed the distant look behind Ozpin's otherwise steady eyes. A faint weight in his voice. Like a man who'd read too many endings before the first chapter even began.
"Remember this day," he said quietly. "The day you chose to stand against the storm."
And with that, Ozpin gave a small nod and stepped back, vanishing from the stage as quickly as he'd appeared.
There was a moment of silence before Glynda Goodwitch took the stage with sharp, practiced poise.
"First years, your dorms have been arranged for the night in the east wing of the academy. Please follow the signs accordingly. Tomorrow morning, you will gather in the Beacon cliffs for your initiation. More details will be given then. That is all for now—dismissed."
As the lights brightened and the murmurs returned, Yang leaned in and whispered to Ruby, "Is it just me, or did he seem… off?"
Ruby frowned faintly. "Yeah. Just for a second…"
__________________________________________________________________________
High above the illuminated spires of Beacon Academy, Ozpin stood alone at the window of his tower, gazing out into the horizon. The night was peaceful, but the unease in his chest was unmistakable.
His scroll glowed softly in his hand, casting pale light on his face. A woman's voice came through the speaker—measured and deliberate, though underscored by tension.
"The underworld of Vale is shifting more aggressively than we've seen in years. The Salvanni Family, Lady Shia's network, Vex Stahl's mercenary ring—they've all aligned with Torchwick. And it's no coincidence. They were brought together."
Ozpin's brow furrowed slightly, his silence more telling than words.
"We've confirmed it," the voice continued. "They were summoned by someone working for Salem. We're still trying to identify the agent… but this kind of coordination doesn't happen without purpose."
Ozpin closed his eyes briefly. The answer was what he feared, but not unexpected.
"So… she moves again," he said quietly. "I was hoping we had more time."
There was a pause on the line.
"We'll continue observing. I'll keep you updated if anything changes."
"Thank you," Ozpin said, voice low. "Be careful."
The scroll's light faded as the call ended, and the quiet returned to the room.
A soft chime sounded behind him as the elevator opened, and Glynda Goodwitch stepped into the chamber. Her heels clicked lightly against the floor until she stopped a few paces behind him, immediately noting his expression.
"Did something happen?" she asked.
Ozpin didn't respond at first, his eyes still fixed on the horizon, far beyond the walls of Beacon.
Finally, he answered, "The pieces are moving, Glynda. Vale's criminal elite are no longer acting alone. And worse… it seems an agent of Salem has begun weaving them into something far more dangerous."
Glynda stiffened slightly, her expression growing grim.
"We must remain vigilant," Ozpin continued. "Her return may come sooner than we had hoped."
Outside, the wind blew softly against the tower, carrying with it a sense of gathering stormclouds—unseen by those below.
A/N: Hello readers, I hope you've enjoyed the last 4 chapters. Before moving forward, for all my OG RWBY lovers, this series is meant to be different from Cannon. That means some OG characters personality might be a little diffrent from what you're use to, but trust me there are reasons for this and you'll find out as you read. This is going to be an AU. Think of Marvel comics with all their timelines. In this one, things are going to be moving in another direction in the hopes of creating a fun and engaging story that you all can enjoy. If you feel like leaving feedback, I always welcome it. With that, look forward as we enter academy days. Friendships are going to be made, people's feelings are going to be hurt, and characters will develop. Thank you for picking up RWBY A Dragon's Heart.