Assemble

1st Person PoV

After that, we finally found the auditorium several minutes after Ruby passed out.

Thankfully, she regained her senses as I placed the same healing spell on her. Jaune was shocked to realize that I was the one who helped him earlier I simply gave a good laugh with a speechless Jaune Arc staring at my Mystic Arts.

The auditorium was packed with students, gathering in the middle of it like sardines wriggling and we stopped on the archway to not be gobbled by the crowd.

I squinted my eyes to find Yang amongst them.

"Ruby, do you see Yang?" I uttered, still scanning the crowd. "We could easily see her with long, golden hair. So help me."

Before Ruby could give a reply, Yang's voice echoes from the left side.

"Ruby, Matty!" Yang shouted, waving her hand that grabbed our attention before she pointed to the vacant seats next to her. "I brought you guys some spots!" Yang said with a smile.

We looked at Jaune at the same time, nodding.

"Well, I suppose this conversation of ours will not be the last," I remarked. "See you on the Initiation, Jaune. Good luck."

"Bye Jaune! We-We'll see you after the ceremony!" Ruby waved her hand while she drags me away and towards Yang.

"Wa-Wait!!" Jaune shouted but when he recognized that we were too far away from him, his face sulked. "Aww, man... Now, where am I supposed to find another cool, calm guy and a nice quirky girl to talk to?"

I noticed that a red-haired girl was staring at me from the distance after Jaune moves away. She remains her gaze on me and I simply responded with a small wave of my hand. She smiles and disappears among the crowd of students.

'She's cute.' I stated in my head.

Ruby and I arrived next to Yang and Ruby was next to her.

"So, how was your first day, lil sis?" Yang's eyes landed on me with a mocking grin. "How was she?"

"She gets it off with a bang."

"Or with a Yang! Hahahaha!" Yang corrected me with her boring pun making me facepalm.

"Stop, please..." Ruby groans.

"Like I was saying, Ruby exploded in the courtyard. She blew up."

"Yikes... She had a meltdown?"

"No, it was literally--" I did an explosion gesture for her to understand.

"Did she?"

"I exploded! Like there's fire, and I think some ice and lightning."

"If I had my scroll I would love to take some video of her exploding." I followed her statement with my own.

"I-I tripped over some crabby girl's luggage! And then she yelled at me! And then I sneezed!"

Behind Ruby is a lurking Weiss, so I added some comments that would annoy her.

"And the girl is like a spoiled rich brat that uses certain words any rich people speak of."

I noticed Weiss's eyebrow twitch in anger so I continued to slander her.

"Speaking of rich, did you know that she's the 'heiress' of the SDC? The company who only cares for money?"

A vein popped on her forehead, with gritted teeth so I resume my smearing tactic.

"It's also obvious that she's the one who caused Ruby to sneeze. If she didn't shake that bottle of dust, Crater Face wouldn't happen."

I happily kept annoying the crap out of the Schnee but I noticed that the sisters went quiet, very quiet. And Weiss... Was not there.

"Uhh, Matthew?"

"Yeah?"

Ruby slowly pointed behind me while Yang snorts.

"The girl from earlier-" Ruby started.

"-she's behind you." And Yang finished.

"Oh..."

I slowly turned my head behind me, only to see a furious Weiss Schnee staring at me.

"YOU!" She growled.

"Excuse me, but you've got the wrong guy. My name's not Yu."

This sarcastic comment of mine made both Ruby and Yang snicker.

"NO! YOU!!! HOW DARE YOU SPEAK RUDE THINGS ABOUT ME!" Weiss irately pointed her finger at me, but I simply shrugged it off with my neutral face, annoying her more.

"I told you, Snow White, my name is not Yu," I replied.

"I! Don't! Care! And that girl is lucky that we weren't blown off the side of the cliff!"

"What do you mean by that? You two weren't on the edge of Beacon, you were in the middle of a courtyard! Don't exaggerate your words, Ms. Schnee."

"Wow, so she really exploded..." Yang mumbled.

"It-It was an accident! An accident!" Ruby defended herself and at the same time, Weiss pulls out a pamphlet near Ruby's face. "What's that?"

"The Schnee Dust Company is not responsible for any injury or damages sustained while--"

"Okay, okay. We get it." I cut her off, snatching the pamphlet from her hand.

"Hmph. If you are sincere to make things up to me, then read this and don't ever speak to me, again." Weiss declared, glaring at us, especially at me. "And you," Weiss squares up and moves closer to me with a death glare. "I hate you."

"Whatever you say, Snow White."

"Look, uh... It sounds like you guys got off on the wrong foot. Why don't you just start over and try to be friends, okay?"

"Yeah! Great idea, sis!" Ruby agreed eagerly. "Hello, Weiss. I'm Ruby!" Ruby said while she offers her a hand. "Want to hang out? We can go shopping for school supplies."

"What about you Matthew, want to hang out with her?" Yang asks me with a hint of smug on her face. I heard her statement and so as Weiss.

"This dolt/brat?" Both Weiss and I said, pointing to each other. "No way!"

"I would rather paint some nails, try on clothes, and talk about cute boys like tall, blonde, and scraggly over there!" Weiss pointed out Jaune behind her in a sarcastic way.

"Oh, wow! Really?"

"No."

"Psh." Yang snorts as she leans toward me, whispering "I'd bet Weiss is aiming for you."

"That self-proclaimed princess? Hell no, I'd rather bury myself alive than hang out with her."

"Mhmm. We can... 'hang out' y'know~?" Yang whispered in a seductive voice.

"Woman, I'm going to dropkick you, seriously." I turned my head and gave her a deadpan.

"Ooh~ I would like you to do it."

"Scratch that, I'm going to strangle you if you don't shut up," I muttered.

"Choke me? Now that's what I call rough~"

I cringed at her reply, I managed to compose myself but internally I am tempted to teleport her into an endless void for 30 minutes.

'Calm yourself, Matthew... She's bad touch. Bad touch...' I said to myself and exhales.

"Ahem."

The mic echoes as we saw Professor Ozpin speaking at the front podium with Glynda Goodwitch behind him.

"I'll keep this brief." The professor adjusted his glasses while we settled to listen.

"You have all traveled here today, thirsting for knowledge. To hone your craft, and acquire new skills. When you have finished, you plan to dedicate your life to the protection of the people. But when I look amongst you, all I can see is wasted energy, in need of purpose, and direction."

"Makes sense..." I mumbled under my breath.

"It is up to you... to take the first step." Ozpin finished his speech, letting Glynda take the mic.

"You will gather in the ballroom, tonight. And tomorrow, your initiation begins. Be ready. You're dismissed."

•••

3rd Person PoV

×Later that same evening...×

The students gathered in the ballroom with rows and rows of sleeping bags already placed by them. We see Matthew near one of the bags as he leans on the window just next to him. He glanced at the broken moon outside and appreciated the silent view of Beacon Academy. Smiling, he pulls out a photo from his bag that is leaning on the wall and sees three individuals in there.

The photo shows the Kamar Taj in the background and the three sorcerers wearing their blue, red, and grey sorcerer's robes.

The one on the left is his older brother, Stephen Vincent Strange, smiling in the photo, while the second sibling, Donna Elizabeth Strange, hugging both of her brothers with a cheerful look and her distinguishable scarlet eyes. Lastly, Matthew Alexander Strange, holding the camera, selfie-style with a peace gesture.

Matthew shed a little tear as he stares at the photo, caressing it while remembering the time when Donna mysteriously vanished like the wind during the Ohio Incident and Stephen on Titan.

"Matthew?" A young female voice calls her from the back. He quickly wiped his tears and puts the photo back in his bag, pretending that he was still unpacking.

"Yeah, Ruby?"

"Yang has been calling you two times already. She wants to say something important."

"Tell her I'll be there shortly. I'm just going to finish assorting my things for tomorrow morning."

"M-kay. I'll tell her." Ruby left the sorcerer to do his things.

Two minutes had passed and Matthew stood up from sorting his gear. Stretching his back, Matthew turns his head to the right just to see Ruby writing something, and Yang just lazing off next to her.

"Hey, girls." Matthew walks by and Yang lazily waves back, while a busy Ruby Rose continues to write on her paper. "What is she doing?" Matthew asks and Ruby heard him.

"A letter to my friends back on Signal. I promised to tell them all about Beacon." Ruby shortly explains. "Oh, I also wrote a letter to Dad so he would know what's happening here."

"Hm, smart."

"Aww, that's so cute!" Yang cooed, only to be hit by a pillow thrown by Ruby.

"I didn't get to take my friends with me to school. It's weird not knowing anyone here." Ruby said with an annoyed look.

"Err-- okay? That hurts..." Matthew acted like he was struck by an arrow.

"Ahh!! N-No! It-It wasn't like that, I-I mean you're my friend, and I know you! So y-you're counted as one of m-my friends!" Ruby panicked when she blurted something wrong again, with her hands around erratically while Matthew let out a laugh.

This confuses Ruby and Matthew reassures her.

"Hahahaha! Don't worry! I was just messing with you." Matthew said while he sat next to Yang and Ruby silently pouts.

"Hey, what about that Jaune? If we estimate Matthew's points then he's automatically on 100! Adding Jaune would be 200 points, and there we go!"

"Pretty sure Weiss counts as a negative friend, back to zero." Ruby negatively commented, changing her position while she stares at the ceiling.

"At least the points remain on 100."

"Yeah, and there's no such thing as a 'negative friend'. You just made two friends and one enemy!"

Ruby did not answer, and this made both Yang and Matthew look at each other with worried faces, so Matthew gestures for her to 'go' to cheer her sister.

"Listen, it's only been one day. Trust me, you've got friends around you."

"She's right. Maybe one day Weiss could be your friend or the other people you've seen back on the ship. One day isn't over, Ruby."

Ruby contemplates for a second with her eyes closed and smiles. During their conversation, the group notices a candle being lit nearby, and Matthew saw the same black-haired girl from earlier's squabble. She is leaning against the wall while she reads her book which has no cover on its front.

"That girl..."

"You know her, Matty?"

Ruby glances at Matthew and so did he.

"Not really. She saw what happened this morning, but she left before Matthew and I could say anything."

"Well, now's your chance!"

Before Yang could pull Matthew up with Ruby, he quickly refuses while shaking his head.

"I think I'll pass, you girls can go ahead and talk to her. I'm going to wander around the ballroom.

Yang simply shrugs as she pulls Ruby toward the black-haired girl. Meanwhile, Matthew decides to wall around the place until he reached the balcony. As he approaches the double doors, he recognizes the red-haired girl standing alone, gazing upon the moon above and enjoying the silence of the night sky.

She wears an orange set of pajamas, her long red hair is fixed in a ponytail and she has earrings that match the color of her PJs.

Matthew silently glances at her while she is busy looking at the moon. He tries to go back inside when he bumped into someone.

"Owie! That hurts!" The energetic female voice exclaimed. "Oh, Ren! I think I broke my arm! Help me!"

Matthew was about to apologize when the guy next to her didn't say anything and just sighs.

"Nora, you're overreacting again..." He said in a tired tone. "It was clear that you don't have any injury, so please don't be dramatic."

"Aww, but Ren..." Nora, the ginger girl pouted while Ren lazily scolds her.

"I apologize for bumping into you, err-- Nora, was it? My name's Matthew by the way."

"Wait--!" Nora's eyes widen while she points her finger at him. "You're that weird shaman guy!"

"Shaman guy?" Matthew repeats her statement while his eyebrows wrinkled in confusion.

"She meant your clothes. Nora sees it like you are a shaman or a priest with your clothes earlier because not everyone wears your outfit." Ren interpreted.

"Uhh, okay?" 'Should I be offended by her nickname to me or not?' Matthew wondered.

"You had like that mysterious feeling when you're in that robes!" Nora awed. "So cool..." She softly spoke with stars in her eyes.

The two boys shook their heads and ignores the energetic Nora. Matthew turns to face Ren for a handshake.

"I think we didn't met yet, Ren-- was it?" Ren nods in affirmation.

"Lie Ren. Just call me Ren."

"We're sorry for bumping to you, especially Nora. For now, we need to rest for tomorrow's initiation."

"I guess I can see you two tomorrow morning?"

"If Nora did something stupid again." Ren replied.

"Is she?"

"Hey! I am not stupid!" Nora shouted and that made the two chuckle a bit.

Matthew and Ren shook hands while Ren drags Nora away from Matthew and outside the hallway. Matthew simply waved them goodbye as he could hear Nora protesting faintly in the background.

As the silence of the night fills the hallway, Matthew sighs in relief followed up with a yawn.

"I should go back to bed now, I'm sure that Yang and Ruby are already sleepi- OW!"

And as he turns around to go back, he bumped again into someone.

"Ahh! Why do I happen to crash into someone this days?!" Matthew grunted, holding the bridge of his nose and he looked to whoever was in front of him. "I swear if those two are--Oh..."

He gulps in realization, slowly lifts his head to see the same red-haired girl staring at him, too. The calm and silent wind of the night snaps them both together to apologize.

"Sorry!" Both of them exclaimed, shocked to notice that they said their words in unison. Matthew awkwardly gets up from the ground while the red-hair sheepishly rubs her nape, not even looking at him.

"I'm sorry, but I didn't see you while I was walking. It was my fault at all." said Matthew.

"It's okay, it was mine either. You fell down in which I should've gave you some space to walk. Matthew, right?"

With a slight surprise, Matthew asks "How do you know my name?" In which the girl simply replies "I accidentally overheard your conversation with those two earlier." She pointed at Ren and Nora talking to each other in the left wing of the ballroom. "She also called you a shaman which is kind of funny to me."

Matthew chuckles, remembering the new nickname that Nora had been given to him. "I guess that's better than Ruby's nickname, calling me a "Stickman" like I'm too scraggly and malnourished."

The red-haired puts her hand near her mouth and giggles.

"Do you know me?" She asks Matthew. The sorcerer simply tilts his head in question, genuinely not knowing who is in front of him.

"Uhh-- I don't... know?" Matthew replies with unsureness which makes the red-haired had a look of surprise before it switches into a calm face, smiling at him.

"Pyrrha Nikos. Nice to meet you, Matthew."

"Likewise, Pyrrha. I'll be looking forward to meet you at the initiation."

The two smiled before they were interrupted by some people inside the ballroom.

"What in the world is going on in here?!" The female voice shouted, only to be hushed by someone. Matthew, just outside of the ballroom looks at Pyrrha awkwardly because he can guess the owner of the voice inside.

"Well, Pyrrha. I think I should go. A certain Snow White is causing some attraction inside and I need to go back and get some rest."

"Okay. Bye, Matthew. I'll see you tomorrow!"

Matthew slightly raises his hand in response as he enters the ballroom, the chaos inside went into a pause as Weiss, Ruby and Yang glanced at him with also the black-haired girl sitting on the right looks at him.

It seems that the sisters are playfully fighting each other and Weiss is next to them with an annoyed look.

"Oh hey, Matthew!" Ruby greets him with an ecstatic smile.

"What's going on? Did you do something again, Ruby?" Matthew confronted the younger Rose with his arms crossed.

"Me?! No!" Ruby shouted and is hushed down by both Yang and Weiss. "Oh, sorry!" Ruby's voice switches into a quiet one while she retreated next to Yang.

"Don't you two realized that some of us are trying to sleep?!" Weiss explains with still an annoyed expression and glares at Ruby.

"She's right! People are trying to sleep!" Ruby said in a quiet tone.

"Oh, now you're on my side?"

"What do you mean by that?! I was always on your side!"

"Yeah! What's your problem with my sister? She's only trying to be nice!"

The trio continued their bickering while in the midst of it, Matthew slips at their back to thank the black-haired girl from earlier.

"Hey, I forgot to thank you from the incident earlier on the courtyard. I assume you've talked to Ruby and Yang?"

"Mhm." The girl responds in a quick way that catches Matthew off-guard.

'Okay... How to talk to her in a not-so awkward way...' He thought, before his eyes landed on what she's reading. 'A Man with Two Souls?'

"Is that "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" book?"

"A Dr- What?"

Matthew blinked, knowing that he accidentally blurted out an information to her. So the gears in his head moved quickly to think for an excuse.

"Uhm--nothing. It's just... I've saw the name of the book you are reading, and my head immediately notices the genre of the book that I have read before. I love those kind of genres."

The girl smiles in response and says her name. "I'm Blake."

"Matthew." He replied. "Sorry, but I think those three are getting worse and worse each minute, so... will you put out the light?"

The black-haired girl on the side quietly nods and closes her book. Matthew on the other hand, tiredly went to his sleeping bag and drifts off to sleep at the same time when Blake blows the candle off.

"Hey, who put out the lights?!"