Chapter 9: End of Vacation, Start of Beacon

(An: Another chapter! I said I would do three, so I did three!)

Previously:

Kirito: All that aside, we have quite a bit to do. We only have eight months until Beacon starts, so let's train hard!

...

Ruby?: Hey Yang! Let's go to [From Dust till Dawn]! I want to get a new weapon magazine!

...

Kirito: Ruby, I think we are in trouble.

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(3rd Person POV:)

Ruby's amazed face turns to one of shame as Glynda, with a tablet computer, paces around the table the two are seated at, right underneath a bright light in the otherwise dark room.

Glynda: I hope that you realize that your actions tonight will not be taken lightly, young man and lady. You put yourselves and others in great danger.

Ruby: They started it!

Kirito: So we finished it!

Glynda: If it were up to me, you'd be sent home... With a pat on the back... (she notices Ruby's smile) ...And a slap on the wrist.

Ruby lets out an Eek as she hugs Kirito, who is now turning red. Glynda notices this, before continuing.

Glynda: But... there is someone here who would like to meet you.

She moves out of the way so a surprised Ruby and a red-faced Kirito can see a man in green come through the doorway, holding a mug and a plate of cookies.

Ozpin: Ruby Rose... (leans in to look at her face) You... have silver eyes.

Ruby: Uh, um...

Kirito: (thinking) Time to mess with him.

Kirito: (fake growling) Step away from the little girl pedophile!

The room grows silent as Glynda looks in shock, Ozpin in... bewilderment? Ruby on the other hand is quiet, with her eyes covered in darkness.

Kirito: First we are taken into a dark room without our consent, an old man walks in and looks at a little girl's eyes, and makes a comment on it? That's stranger danger if I've ever seen one!

Glynda looks away as she is silently giggling to herself. Ozpin looks at Kirito with a grin on her face, while the dark aura around Ruby grows, but Kirito doesn't notice this.

Ozpin: ...Interesting.

Ruby: Oi, Kirito...

Kirito started sweating, much to the confusion of Ozpin and Glynda, as he mechanically turns to his right.

Ruby: You called me a little girl, huh? Even though you know I have problems growing taller...

Kirito, who was now pale, used quick thinking and suddenly patted Ruby's head.

Kirito: Sorry, it was in the heat of the moment. I won't do it again.

As Ruby feels Kirito's warmth on her head, her mood takes a 180 as she looks at Kirito with a smile.

Ruby: Okay!

Kirito continues to pet Ruby's hair as the atmosphere suddenly grows happy. Ozpin and Glynda watched in amusement between the two's interaction.

Ozpin: (fake coughing) So! Where did you learn to do this? (gesturing with his head at the tablet showing Ruby's fighting)

Ruby: S-Signal Academy.

Ozpin: They taught you to use one of the most dangerous weapons ever designed?

Ruby: Well, one teacher in particular.

Ozpin: I see...

He puts the cookies on the table in front of Ruby. She tentatively picks one up, eats it in a single bite, and then, not seeing any rebuttal, attempts to shovel the rest into her mouth. Kirito however manages to take the most and eat it before Ruby can.

Ruby: (mumbles with a full mouth) Hey!

Ozpin: It's just that I've only seen one other scythe-wielder of that skill before. A dusty, old crow...

Ruby: (mumbles through her full mouth) Oh! That's my uncle! (she then swallows and wipes her mouth, embarrassed) Sorry. That's my Uncle Qrow! He's a teacher at Signal. I was complete garbage before he took me under his wing. And now, I'm all like— Hooowaaah! Witchaaaa! (proceeds to make some karate-style poses and noises)

Kirito covers his face with embarrassment as Glynda looks at him with a "Is she really doing this?" look on her face.

Ozpin: So I've noticed. (placing his cup on the table as he leans in, then sits down opposite Ruby) And what is an adorable girl such as yourself doing at a school designed to train warriors?

Ruby: Well... I want to be a Huntress.

Ozpin: You want to slay monsters?

Ruby: Yeah! I only have two more years of training left at Signal! And then I'm going to apply to Beacon! (talking faster and faster with her enthusiasm growing) You see, my sister, Kirito, and Alice are starting there this year, and they are trying to become a Huntress and Huntsman, and I'm trying to become a Huntress 'cause I wanna help people. My parents always taught us to help others, so I thought, Hey, I might as well make a career out of it! (giggles) I mean the police are alright, but Huntsmen and Huntresses are just so much more romantic and exciting and cool and really, gosh, you know! (flips out at the last part, staring at the two with a wide, crazy smile)

Glynda and Ozpin study her.

Ozpin: Do you know who I am?

Ruby: You're Professor Ozpin. You're the headmaster at Beacon.

Ozpin: (smiling) Hello.

Ruby: Nice to meet you.

Ozpin: You want to come to my school?

Ruby: More than anything.

Ozpin: (exchanging glances with Glynda, who shows her disapproval with a "Hmmph" before he turns back to Ruby) Well, okay.

Ruby smiles, wide-eyed and open-mouthed.

Ozpin: But before that...

Ozpin then turns toward Kirito.

Ozpin: Who are you?

Kirito: Name's Kazuto Kirigaya, but you can call me Kirito!

Ozpin: I see... Now my question is...

Kirito: Why I'm not on any records on [Remnant]?

Ozpin nods his head.

Kirito: Well my sister and I come from [Aincrad].

Glynda: (looking through her tablet) [Aincrad]? I can't find it anywhere.

Kirito: It's cause we come from somewhere else. I don't exactly know where, but all I know is that in [Aincrad], there were 100 floors.

Ozpin: 100? So in a tower?

Kirito: Who knows? I do know is that if you can manage to beat all 100 floors, you can have 1 wish. Any wish. No matter what it is.

Ozpin now has a shine in his eyes.

Ozpin: Any wish?

Kirito: (thinking) Well no, I'm just making things up for a backstory, but I guess this will do.

Kirito: Yeah, but it's hard. The highest we have ever gone is [Floor 75]. We went with a bunch of people, and barely anyone survived.

Ozpin: What was on the floor that killed you all?

Kirito: Each floor has a different kind of monster, but each one has something called a [Floor Boss] [Floor 75]'s boss was called [The Skull Reaper].

Ozpin: A new type of [Grimm]?

Kirito: (shaking head) No, there are no such things as [Grimm]. They were called [Mobs].

Ozpin: No [Grimm]? Interesting...

Kirito: I don't recommend you try to look for it though since, for all we know, it could be something that's not even on [Remnant].

Ozpin: I will keep that in mind.

Kirito: (standing up) Well, Ruby and I need to head back, so see you at [Beacon] Ozpin and Glyndy!

Glynda: Glyndy?

Kirito: Yeah, like a nickname!

Glynda: And why a nickname?

Kirito: (smiling) You kind of feel similar to my mom!

And with that, Kirito and Ruby left. While Kirito was smiling, Ruby looked worried, and Glynda looked at him with pity in her eyes.

Glynda: (thinking) I see, he was basically separated from everyone he knows besides his sister.

Ozpin looked at both Glynda, then Kirito before sighing.

Ozpin: This year will be interesting.

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Ruby: Why didn't you ever tell me your story?

Kirito: You never asked.

Ruby: (sad) I-I'm sorry you had to-

Kirito: Remember my old family? It's fine, do you know why?

Ruby: (confused) Why?

Kirito stopped walking before turning around and putting his forehead on hers.

Ruby: (embarrassed) K-Kirito? What are you..?

Kirito: (smiling) You guys are my family now.

Ruby froze, before looking at him and smiling. Then, she kissed his cheek before walking forward. Kirito, who was thinking of cheering her up, ended up freezing as well.

Ruby: (smiling) You're right, we are family, so let's go home now, big br~oth~er~!

Then Ruby started to continue walking, humming a tune to herself.

Kirito: Ah w-what? Kiss? Huh?

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Yang: Oh, I can't believe my baby sister is going to Beacon with me! This is the best day ever!

Ruby: (gasping) Please stop.

Yang: (releasing her sister) But I'm so proud of you!

Ruby: Really Sis, it was nothing.

Yang: What do you mean? It was incredible! Everyone at Beacon is going to think you're the bee's knees.

Ruby: I don't want to be the "bee's knees", okay? I don't want to be any kind of knees! I just want to be a normal girl with normal knees.

Yang: What's with you? Aren't you excited?

Ruby: Of course I'm excited... I just... (sighing) "I got moved ahead two years. I don't want people to think I'm special or anything.

Alice: Don't worry, no one is going to do that.

Kirito: Uh Alice? Can you get off? You're kinda heav-

Alice: Finish that sentence. I dare you.

Yang: (going over and giving her sister a one-armed hug) But you are special.

The girls' attention is then drawn to the 2-D animated newscast on [Vale News Network] playing nearby, talking about the robbery, and showing Roman's mug shot.

Cyril: The robbery was led by nefarious criminal Roman Torchwick, who continues to evade authorities. If you have any information on his whereabouts, please contact the Vale Police Department. Back to you, Lisa.

The mugshot changes to Lisa Lavender, with a photo of animal-eared demonstrators holding signs saying "WE ARE NOT ANIMALS!" followed by an image of the logo of a growling red wolf's head with three scratch marks.

Lisa: Thank you, Cyril. In other news, this Saturday's Faunus Civil Rights protest turned dark when members of the White Fang disrupted the ceremony. The once peaceful organization has now disrupted...

The news feed is cut off as a hologram of Glynda replaces it.

Glynda: Hello, and welcome to Beacon!

Yang: Who's that?

Kirito: Glyndy- Glynda.

Glynda: My name is Glynda Goodwitch.

Yang: Oh.

Glynda: You are among a privileged few who have received the honor of being selected to attend this prestigious academy! Our world is experiencing an incredible time of peace, and as future Huntsmen and Huntresses, it is your duty to uphold it. You have demonstrated the courage needed for such a task, and now it is our turn to provide you with the knowledge and the training to protect our world." (disappears)

Ruby: (among several other cries of surprise) Oh, wow! Look, you can see Signal from up here! (Ruby and other students look through the glass walls at the town below) I guess home isn't too far after all!

Yang: Beacon's home, now.

Kirito: I guess you can say that.

The four hear a passenger groaning and hunched over nearby, running to the back of the ship.

Yang: Well... I guess the view isn't for everyone. (rolls her eyes)

Ruby: It was a nice moment while it lasted.

The ship is seen approaching Beacon across a large body of water.

Ruby: (voice-over) I wonder who we're gonna meet! I just hope they're better than Vomit Boy. Oh, Yang, gross! You have puke on your shoe!

Yang: (voice-over) Gross, gross, gross, gross, gross, gross, gross, gross!

Ruby: (voice-over) G-get away! Get away from me! Get away from me! Get away from me! Get away from me!

Kirito: (voice-over) Don't come over here!

Alice: (voice-over) We should have ridden the dragons!

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As soon as the [Bullhead] lands, Vomit Boy emerges and goes over to the nearest trash can, hunching over it as he loses his lunch.

Ruby, Yang, Kirito, and Alice alongside several other students, walk out of the ship and head down the paved path to the front of the school.

Ruby, Kirito, and Alice: (as they take in the entirety of Beacon Academy) Wow...

Yang: The view from Vale's got nothing on this!

Ruby: (getting so excited she becomes a 2-D, starry-eyed, floating chibi) "Ohmygosh, sis! That kid's got a collapsible staff! And she's got a fire sword!" (she tries getting closer, but Yang pulls her sister by the hood back into realistic proportions) Ow! Oww!

Yang: Easy there, little sister. They're just weapons!

Ruby: Just weapons? They're an extension of ourselves! They're a part of us! Oh, they're so cool!

Yang: Well, why can't you swoon over your own weapon? Aren't you happy with it?

Ruby: (transforming her weapon into its scythe form) Of course I'm happy with [Crescent Rose]! I just really like seeing new ones. It's like meeting new people, but better...

Kirito: (patting Ruby's head) Calm down, or I wont let you sleep near me anymore.

Ruby immediately stood up straight.

Ruby: Sorry!

Yang: (playfully pushing her sister's hood down over her face) Ruby, come on, why don't you go try and make some friends of your own?

Ruby: (taking off her hood) But... why would I need friends if I have you guys?

Yang: Well... (in a flash, a group of other students surrounds Yang and they all dash down the road) Actually, my friends are here. Gotta go catch up. 'Kay, see ya, bye!

Ruby: (spinning and dizzy-eyed from Yang's sudden leaving) Wait, where are you going?! Are we supposed to go to our dorms? Where are our dorms? Do we have dorms? (stopping for a moment, still reeling) I don't know what I'm doing...

Kirito: (hugs Ruby) It's okay, we will help you out.

Ruby: Mhmm

As Alice stares at their interaction, she can't help but think to herself.

Alice: (thinking) They got closer? Did she confess yesterday? No, that can't be it...

Alice: Hah!

Kirito: Wah!

Alice, who was pouting, jumped onto Kirito's back, making him stumble backwards into a luggage cart, sending cases flying. Someone is standing over them as they are laying on the ground, dizzy.

???: What are you doing!.. Kirito?

Kirito, who was dizzy, slowly got up and looked up, only to see...

Kirito: Huh? Weiss?