Ruby stared at the ceiling inside the Bullhead, her mind spinning. How did it come to this? she wondered, utterly bewildered by the turn of events. Before she could make sense of it all, Yang wrapped her in a tight hug and spun, practically lifting her off the ground.
"Oh, I can't believe Nana allowed my baby sister to come to Beacon with me! This is the best day ever!" Yang squealed, her excitement bubbling over.
Ruby struggled weakly in her sister's embrace, managing to utter, "Please, stooop."
Yang immediately released her, though her enthusiasm didn't wane. She began pinching Ruby's cheeks. "But I'm so proud of youuuu!"
Ruby swatted her sister's hands away, her cheeks slightly reddening. "Uncle Ulpipi said it was nothing..." she muttered, trying to downplay the situation.
Yang shot her a disbelieving look. "What do you mean? It was incredible! Everyone in Beacon's gonna think you're a total hammerhead!" She grinned broadly, her eyes sparkling with excitement as she threw an arm around Ruby's shoulder, waving her free hand in an imaginative gesture. "Imagine, the very first Ægirian Abyssal Hunter after Mom, in decades, finally stepping foot into Beacon for a second time."
Yang then released her hold on Ruby and placed both hands firmly on her sister's shoulders, locking eyes with her. "You will make Ægir proud, sis!"
Ruby, however, remained unconvinced. With a sigh, she replied in a flat tone, "But I don't want to be a hammerhead or any kind of hammer or... head... I just want to be a normal kind of hammer, normal tool in the shed, and the only not-so-normal thing I want to do is being in the workshop, making weapons."
Yang shot back, "What's with you? Aren't you excited?"
Ruby sighed, trying to find the right words. "Of course I'm excited. I get to see how these Land-walkers' version of Hunters run their own combat schola they claim to be the best in their four kingdoms, I'm curious on how their trainings be, what sorts of weapons they used, and stuff. I just..."
She paused, her voice growing more hesitant. "From what I read about the rules of admission to Beacon... I've broken some of them, you know... I got admitted two years early, remember? I don't want people thinking I got special treatment... or anything. I don't even know anyone here..."
Yang walked over to her side and gently held her sister's arm, smirking as she raised one eyebrow. She gestured toward one of Ruby's pointy ears. "But aren't you special?"
Noticing this, Ruby blushed slightly, her pale hands instinctively moving to cover her ears. She playfully hit her sister's side and pouted. Yang's teasing earned a laugh as she affectionately patted her sister's silver hair through her hood.
Yang then held her sister's hand and began guiding her through the crowd, scanning the area for someone who looked bored and alone. Her gaze settled on a girl sitting by herself on a bench within the landing area, her long black hair cascading down her back. The girl wore a black and white outfit, and a black ribbon was tied around her head. She seemed completely absorbed in the book she was reading, her attention unwavering.
Yang's eyes lit up as she spotted her. "Oh! Over there! Let's go!" she said excitedly, tugging Ruby along by the hand. Ruby whispered in a panic, "W-wait, Yang! Hold on!"
As the two approached the girl, Yang greeted her with a cheerful, "Hey there! Got a minute?"
At first, the girl didn't acknowledge them, either too disinterested in socializing or too engrossed in her novel. But after a moment, she raised her yellow eyes to meet theirs.
Yang continued, introducing herself, "I'm Yang Xiao Long, and this here is my adorable baby sister, Ruby Rose. And... what's your name?"
The girl's gaze quickly returned to the book in her hand, which Yang and Ruby could now see was titled The Man With Two Souls. After a brief pause, she finally responded, "It's Blake."
Yang smiled warmly and said, "It's nice to meet you, Blake. Isn't the weather just lovely today?"
Blake replied with an uninterested tone, "Almost as lovely as this book." But then, with a hint of sarcasm, she added, "That I'll continue to read. As soon as you leave." Both Ruby and Yang deadpanned at the response. Yang put her hand on her hip and retorted, "Kinda rude."
Ruby, ever the polite one, bowed slightly and asked, "Uh, hey, what book is that?"
Blake glanced at her before answering, "It's an old book about a man who has two souls, each fighting for control over his body."
Yang commented, "Huh, that's kinda weird."
Ruby, her interest piqued, said, "Hey, I like reading books too-stories of myths, heroes, hunters, and monsters like Grimm or the Seabornes. They're the reason I want to be a better Hunter."
Blake's eyes narrowed slightly, her curiosity piqued. Hunter? Not Huntress? Also, Seabornes?
She dismissed it for the moment, deciding to probe further. "Because they have a happy ending? The real world isn't the same as a fairy tale. Also, what do you mean by being a better Hunter?"
Ruby stuttered, feeling a bit caught off guard. "W-well, I was, uh... already trained to be a Hunter by my family, and I already did our Initiations, and I'm a fully fledged Hunter to my people's standard."
Blake's curiosity deepened. Trained already? Where is she from? What standard did her people(?) make?
She asked, "Where are you from?"
Ruby proudly replied, "Well, I was born in Vale, lived in Patch, but throughout my childhood, I was raised in Ægir!"
Ægir? Blake thought, her confusion growing. Never heard of it. "Ægir? Where's that?" she asked.
Ruby hesitated for a moment, then explained, "Well, it's, uh... just away from the coast of Patch."
Blake raised an eyebrow, suspicious but intrigued. "I... see..." As she studied Ruby more closely, something seemed off. She doesn't smell like a human... but she doesn't smell like a Faunus either. If anything, she smelt a lot of salt and... blood? Her eyes... they're so bright, ruby red. And that silver hair... but her skin, it's so pale, like she's never seen the sun. And are her ears... elongated?
Blake couldn't shake the feeling that Ruby was different. How did she even become a Huntress? Or, by her words, a Hunter? She looked very young. Wait, why is she going to Beacon?
But before she could delve deeper into her thoughts, Ruby continued.
"Well, while I know it might look like I'm cheating since I already have experience as an Abyssal Hunter..."
Blake's eyes widened slightly in surprise. Abyssal what now?! She quickly masked her reaction, but her curiosity was now fully engaged.
Ruby continued, "I still have much to learn you know, and I think Beacon Academy might provide me with that-and broaden my views and thoughts on the world. That's why I became a Hunter, and why we all want to be one, right? To help make things better."
Blake studied Ruby for a moment longer, her previous reservations slowly being replaced by intrigue. Abyssal Hunter? What kind of training did she go through? she doesn't seem like she was lying...
Blake's thoughts swirled with questions, but she found herself slightly drawn to Ruby's earnest desire to make a difference, even if her origins and experiences were still a mystery.
Yang then hugged her sister from the side, pulling her close and squealing, "Aww, well said, Ruby! I'm so proud of you!"
Ruby groaned in response, trying to squirm out of Yang's affectionate grasp. "Cut it out, Yang! Ugh... come on, you always do this."
Her cheeks flushed in embarrassment as Yang squeezed her tighter, completely unbothered by Ruby's protests. The interaction made Blake raise an eyebrow, a small, almost imperceptible smile forming on her lips at the sight of the sisterly bond between the two.
Suddenly, the loud noise of a news broadcast blared from a massive holographic screen nearby, drawing the attention of everyone in the area. Ruby, Yang, and Blake turned to look as a mugshot appeared on the screen, showing an orange-haired man. The image displayed him from the belly up, holding a criminal record board, his smug expression captured from both the front and side.
The news reporter's voice cut through the air, "The robbery was led by the nefarious criminal, Roman Torchwick, who continues to evade the authorities. Witnesses reported a strong lingering scent of blood in the area, but police were unable to find any traces of one. If you have any information regarding his whereabouts, please contact the Vale Police Department."
Both Ruby and Yang winced slightly, their nerves evident. Yang leaned in closer to Ruby, whispering, "Well... let's keep the details about your Semblance doing that thing a secret between us for now, Rubes."
Ruby meekly nodded, whispering back, "Y-yeah..."
Secret? Blake thought, her ribbon twitches slightly. As her keen ears listened to the siblings whispering to each other, Is her Semblance related to the scent on the report? Well... that might explain her scent.
Blake then saw on the news the result of the damages caused in the robbery, and it seemed a fight had happened that night. And it means that she's the one who caused those damages,
But still, Blake cringed to herself, That is one morbid Semblance...
The news reporter concluded, "Back to you, Lisa," as the screen transitioned to a woman seated behind a sleek news desk. The woman had lavender hair styled in a neat bob and wore a professional, tailored outfit. A small rectangle in the background displayed an image of a Faunus protest, with several signs held high. "Thank you, Cyril," she began, her tone serious. "For our next story, this Saturday's Faunus Civil Rights protest took a dark turn when members of the White Fang disrupted the ceremony."
The image behind her shifted to a symbol resembling a wolf's head with a long downward slash and angular lines, giving it a menacing appearance.
Blake silently gasped, her expression instantly shifting to one of sadness, forlorn and ashamed as she saw the photo and video footage of White Fang members being arrested, along with many other Faunus wrongfully detained. The sight seemed to weigh heavily on her, and her once-neutral demeanor visibly darkened.
Lisa Lavender then continued her report to the viewers at home, "Suspecting the White Fang's involvement in a series of Dust robberies, the Schnee Dust Company, the industry leader in Dust trade-"
Ruby cuts in with a comment, "Schnee Dust Company? I heard from Nana and Dad that they're quite notorious, is that true?"
Yang couldn't resist adding a pun, "Well, since you've been living under the rock, or should I say, under the sea~"
Ruby rolled her eyes in annoyance at the pun, but Blake's eyes widened in surprise, jolting to look at Ruby in shock. Under the sea?! What?! she thought, her mind racing. But before she could process it further, Yang continued explaining to her sister.
"The Schnee Dust Company is everywhere, sis," Yang said with a knowing tone as she showed Ruby a picture of the S.D.C along with their logo and products on her scroll.
Ruby scoffed, "Not in Ægir, they're not."
Blake stammered internally, Her sister's right, those parasites indeed have their hands everywhere in the four kingdoms, but what does she mean they're not in Ægir?! Is it because they're under the sea??? Like what she said?! What?!
Yang continued, "Uh hum, no they're not. There's a lot of shady rumors about them. I heard they treat their workers like slaves."
Swallowing the informations from Yang, Ruby's thoughts drifted as she recalled what her Nana and other family members had said about the land-walkers, their petty arrogance, greed, and blindness to the consequences of their actions.
She could almost hear her Nana's icy
voice warning her about the land-walkers' tendency to destroy what they did not understand and to exploit what they did. Hence why we, Ægir, never bothered to make contact with them in the first place, let them anhillate each others for all we care. But your grandmother... was an exemption.
How you might ask? simply put, nepotism. Who's gonna tell her no, considering Ruby's great-grandmother is perhaps the most powerfull entity in the world, and her own grandmother had a portion of her power that both Ruby and her mother also inherits, albeit more diluted as the generations passed.
Suddenly, from behind Yang and Ruby, a sharp and authoritative voice cut through the conversation. "Excuse me, what did you just say?" The voice was clear and commanding, carrying an air of entitlement and expectation. Ruby and Yang immediately turned around to face the speaker, while Blake, still seated, gave her a sidelong glance.
Standing before the trio was a girl with a pristine, almost icy appearance. She had long white hair pulled into a side ponytail, a small tiara resting on her head, and wore a white, military-style dress with a pale blue gradient at the hem. Her pale complexion and sharp blue eyes exuded an air of nobility, and she carried herself with the confidence and poise of someone who was used to getting what she wanted. This was Weiss Schnee, and she looked every bit the aristocrat.
With an arrogant tone, she placed both hands on her hips and said, "You two don't even know what you're talking about."
Yang raised an eyebrow and asked, "Who are you supposed to be?"
The girl straightened her posture, placing a hand on her chest as she introduced herself. "Who am I?! I'm Weiss Schnee, Heiress of the Schnee Dust Company."
Yang responded with a simple, unimpressed, "Seriously?"
But Ruby, having been raised under the strict guidance of her Nana, knew the importance of etiquette, especially when addressing someone of noble status, even if that person was considered beneath her by her people's standards. Ruby quickly adjusted her posture, stepping forward and executing a flawless curtsey, lowering her head slightly in a gesture of humility and respect.
"Uhm, Miss Weiss of House Schnee," Ruby began, her voice soft yet clear, "I beg your pardon for any offense caused by our words, spoken without the full understanding of the matter at hand. I-it was not our intent to speak ill of your esteemed family's name or the venerable Schnee Dust Company. We humbly ask for your gracious forgiveness, and I hope that we may amend any misunderstandings between us. Please, allow us the opportunity to make things right."
Ruby's apology was steeped in the manners of a bygone era that was drilled into her under her Nana's lessons, her words was chosen swiftly and carefully to convey both respect and sincerity. She maintained eye contact with Weiss, her expression one of genuine regret for any offense she may have caused.
Both Weiss and Blake were suddenly taken aback by Ruby's elegant and formal apology. Weiss' eyes widened, and she stuttered slightly, "V-very well..."
For them both, it was clear that she hadn't expected such a refined response, especially from someone Weiss presumed was just another commoner. She shook her head slightly, trying to compose herself, before her gaze returned to Ruby.
As Weiss looked more closely at Ruby, she couldn't help but be surprised. The girl's unnaturally pale skin that's paler than hers, silver hair, and strikingly red eyes stood out sharply in the crowd, which made her looked freaky in her eyes.
But what intrigued Weiss the most was the knowledge and use of elite etiquette-something typically reserved for royalty or those closely associated with them. This wasn't just any commoner.
Weiss then walked closer, her expression returning to one of authority as she addressed Ruby and Yang. "Anyways, rumors? So you believe every single lie the anti-human Faunus and that radical group of terrorists, the White Fang, are feeding you?" Her tone was sharp, filled with disdain.
Yang quickly waved her hands, trying to diffuse the tension. "Come on now, take it easy," she urged.
But before Weiss could respond, Blake interjected, her voice calm but firm. "You're wrong about them. The White Fang used to be pacifists, at least until your company started exploiting the powerless."
Weiss turned her icy blue gaze toward Blake, and it was as if imaginary sparks of white and black flew between them. "Oh, I see," Weiss said coldly, "you're on the Faunus side?"
Blake met Weiss's stare without flinching. "Oh come on, you must be really ignorant if you think every Faunus is evil." She then glanced back at her book, dismissing Weiss as she finished with, "That isn't how the world works, Princess."
Weiss's jaw clenched slightly at the word "Princess," but she said nothing, her eyes narrowing as she stared down Blake, who had already returned her attention to her book. The tension between them was palpable, and for a moment, the atmosphere in the Bullhead was charged with a silent confrontation between two opposing worlds.
Weiss's eyes flared with anger as she raised her voice, "Oh, how dare you!" She stomped towards Blake, but before she could get any closer, Yang stepped in, blocking her path.
"Alright, hold on," Yang said, her voice calm but firm. "Maybe we just got started off on the wrong foot. How about we start over? Since we're all Beacon students, shouldn't we at least try to get along?"
Ruby quickly nodded in agreement, her ruby-red eyes brightening. "Yeah! You're totally right, sis!" She turned to both Weiss and Blake with a hopeful smile and introduced herself with the grace and charm she had been taught. "Miss Blake, Miss Weiss, allow me to introduce myself properly. I am Ruby Rose. Might I suggest we partake in a delightful tea? Or perhaps we could go shopping for school supplies? It would be a lovely way to get to know one another."
Weiss folded her arms, a sarcastic smirk playing on her lips as she replied, "Oh sure, we could doll our hair, get dressed up, go shopping, and talk about all the cute boys we can hang out with when we have tea in the afternoon, like that one over there." She pointed to a blonde boy standing behind her, who... looked somewhat unwell.
Ruby's face lit up with excitement. "You mean it?!"
But Weiss quickly crushed her hopes, "You've got to be kidding me!" She turned away from the group, her tone dripping with arrogance as she added, "Please don't ever speak to me again."
As Weiss walked off, Blake also stood up and began to leave. Ruby instinctively reached out, hoping to connect with her, but stopped in disappointment as Blake walked away without a word.
Ruby's shoulders slumped as she groaned, "Yang, am I ever going to have a chance to make a new friend amongst these Land-walkers?"
Yang gently patted her sister's shoulder, trying to comfort her. "Aww, it's not that bad, Ruby. You'll see-things will get better. You just have to give it some time."
In the background, the screen reporting the news abruptly cut off, shutting down mid-sentence. In its place appeared a hologram of a woman standing tall and composed. She had long, blonde hair tied in a bun, and wore a dark purple cape over a fitted outfit. Ruby immediately recognized her from that night-the stern figure of Professor Glynda Goodwitch.
Her sharp, piercing gaze made Ruby feel a bit uneasy as she addressed the crowd, "Hello and welcome to Beacon."
Yang, sensing Ruby's discomfort, put her arm around her sister's shoulder and leaned in to ask, "Who's that?"
As if responding to Yang's question, Glynda stated, "My name is Glynda Goodwitch," to which Yang immediately replied with a quick, "Oh."
Glynda continued, her tone authoritative and calm, "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."
The hologram of Glynda Goodwitch then vanished, leaving both Ruby and Yang to gasp in awe. Ruby, her eyes wide with excitement, murmured, "Wow," as she walked toward the window of the bullhead. She placed both her hands on the glass, her face lighting up with joy. "Look, you can see Patch from up here!" she exclaimed, pointing down below.
Yang, equally caught up in the excitement, added, "What about Ægir?!"
Ruby rolled her eyes playfully and giggled. "Yang, you dum-dum, Ægir's under the tides."
Yang chuckled, unable to resist making a pun. "Well, I guess you could say, 'Where the tides roll, so does home. And home is under the tides~.'"
Ruby groaned at the bad pun, rolling her eyes in mock displeasure. "Ugh..."
Yang laughed again, placing a comforting hand on Ruby's shoulder. "But still, I guess home isn't too far after all!" she said softly, a touch of sentiment in her voice. "Beacon's our home now."
Amidst the murmur of the crowd, Ruby and Yang noticed the boy from where Weiss points out, the one with messy yellow-blonde hair, similar in color to Yang's. He let out a pained groan, "Ugh... ugh..." His face turned a sickly shade as he clamped a hand over his mouth, making a more urgent noise, "UuURP, UkHG!"
With panic in his eyes, he bolted past them, one hand covering his mouth while the other flailed around, trying to keep people out of his way. If anyone looked closely, they might notice that some bits of puke had escaped through his fingers, landing unnoticed on Yang's shoe.
Yang glanced at the retreating figure and remarked with a smirk, "Well, I guess the view isn't for everyone..."
Ruby watched the boy dash off, then added, "Well, it was while it lasted."
Yang chuckled, "I wonder who we're gonna meet!"
Ruby, wrinkling her nose, replied, "Well, I hope they're better than 'Vomit Boy'."
Just then, Ruby's sharp ears picked up the faint sound of something squishy being stepped on nearby. Glancing down, she noticed a small trail of puke leading back to her sister. Her eyes widened in disgust as she followed the trail and yelled, "Ew, Yang, gross! You got puke on your shoes!"
Yang quickly looked down at her shoes, realizing the mess. "Gross, gross, gross!" she exclaimed, trying to scrape the vomit off by rubbing her shoe against the floor. The motion made her stumble forward, nearly colliding with Ruby.
Ruby, horrified, dodged her sister's movements, shouting, "Get away from me! Get away, get away!" as she frantically ran away, trying to put as much distance as possible between herself and her contaminated shoe.
++++++++
The Bullhead landed smoothly on the designated landing area, and the door slid open to reveal one of the occupants-a blonde-haired boy. He stumbled out, clutching his stomach and groaning, "Whoa... emmm... urrgh... ukkkh... bleeegh ugghh bleehh bleeeh." He hurried to a nearby trashcan, where he emptied the contents of his stomach with a series of pained whimpers, finally finding some relief.
Ruby and Yang exited the Bullhead and stepped onto the grounds of Beacon Academy. As they came to a halt, they were greeted by the majestic view of the academy.
Beacon Academy stood tall and impressive with its towering spires and grand architecture. The campus was sprawling, with elegant stone structures and lush greenery interspersed between the buildings.
The vast grounds were filled with vibrant flowers and well-maintained lawns, creating a picturesque and inviting atmosphere. The academy itself appeared to be a blend of classical and futuristic design, with ornate details contrasting with sleek, modern elements.
Yang, taking in the view, exclaimed, "The view from Vale got nothing on this!"
Ruby nodded in agreement but added, "It's cool, but not as cool as my old Schola..."
Curious, Yang asked, "Oh! I never asked about that before, what did it look like?"
Ruby replied, "Well, a lot bigger than this, but we could swim around the area Since it's in the middle of the sea floor, the interior's dry before you ask. We used to challenge each other to see who was the fastest swimmer. But one day, when we were late, we got caught by Nana, and she punished us all."
Yang's eyes widened. "What did she do?"
Ruby sheepishly recalled, " Well..."
Her Nana stood beside a long row of mops lined up along the wall of the Schola's dry interior.
She said cooly, "I want all of you to use these mops and clean the entire exterior of the campus until it is dry.'
A young Ruby protested, 'What?! But the exterior walls will always be wet! We're basically surrounded by water!"
Her Nana replied coldly, her crimson eyes glinting with cold fury, "So?"
Ruby and her friends groaned and began their futile task, mopping the already, forever wet walls of the Schola's exterior.
Upon hearing this, Yang burst into laughter, rolling to the ground. Some onlookers turned to see what was happening. Yang laughed, "HAHAHAHA, M-MOPPING A-" She wheezed, "IT'S LIKE MOPPING A FLOOR TO DRY WHEN IT RAINS! BAHAHAHAHA!"
Ruby begged her sister, "YANG, STOP THAT, PEOPLE ARE LOOKING AT US!" Yang's laughter gradually subsided into a post-wheeze, "Sorry, sorry, hahaha." She started to stand up, still clutching her sides.
Ruby grumbled, then glanced around and glared at the onlookers with her red eyes. The crowd dispersed uneasily, unnerved by her gaze and unnaturally pale skin under her hood.
As Ruby continued observing, she noticed some students carrying transforming weapons. Her inner weapons enthusiast lit up, and she squealed, "YANG, LOOK!"
Yang turned to see what Ruby was pointing at and her expression went flat, accustomed to her little sister's obsession with weapons-a trait inherited from her great-grandmother.
Ruby continued excitedly, "That kid's got a collapsible staff!" She pointed to another student and added, "And she's got a fire sword!"
As Ruby tried to walk toward the other students to get a closer look at their weapons, Yang quickly reached out, pinching and pulling on her sister's hood. This action inadvertently pulled down Ruby's dark red hood, revealing her ethereal silver hair, her pale skin that seemed untouched by the sun, and her striking ruby-red eyes. Most notably, her long pointy ears were exposed.
As Yang tugged Ruby back to her side, Ruby winced, saying, "Ow ow ow." Yang, with a playful tone, responded, "Easy there, little sister, they're just weapons."
Ruby immediately retorted, "Just weapons?! Yang, remember what our uncles and dad said! Weapons are extensions of ourselves! They're a part of us." Her eyes sparkled as she looked around at the other students' weapons, and she couldn't help but squeal, "They're so cool!"
Yang shook her head with a smile and teased, "Well, why can't you swoon over your own weapon? Aren't you happy with it?"
Ruby's expression brightened as she quickly pulled out her weapon from her lower back and unfurled it into its full scythe form. The blade glinted under the sun, showcasing its intricate design of blue, black, red, and steel. With pride, she declared, "Of course I'm happy with my Crescent Rose!" She paused, then added with a hint of melancholy, "I just really like seeing new weapons."
Her tone softened as she explained, "I've seen many used by fellow Abyssal Hunters, but mostly they're non-mechanical weapons, not like the ones used by me, Aunt Laurentina, or the ones made by great-grandma Anne, for example. Seeing all these mechanical transforming weapons around me feels like... I'm meeting more people. But each more unique."
Unnoticed by the two, the crowd around them began to murmur and comment amongst themselves. Some voices commented on her appearance, saying things like, "She's so cute!" and "Wow, look at those long ears-are they like elf ears or something? Are her ears real?"
"Why are her ears so long?"
A few murmured, puzzled, "Why is her skin so pale? Is she ill?" and "I've never seen someone with ears like that before."
Soon, the earlier comments about Ruby's appearance were replaced by more focused questions about her nature, with people wondering, "Is she a Faunus or a human?" and "If she is a Faunus, what kind of Faunus is she?"
The crowd's curiosity grew, with their whispers reflecting their fascination with the silver haired girl's unique features.
Yang noticed that her pull caused Ruby's hood to slip back, revealing her distinctive features to the growing number of onlookers.
Without hesitation, she yanked the hood back over Ruby's head, pulling her sister closer. "Ruby, come on," Yang urged. "Why don't you go and try to make some new friends of your own? Forget what happened in the Bullhead, and start over again. You already had some when you were in Ægir. Why not have some more among the Land-dwellers?"
Ruby frowned, her tone almost defensive as she replied, "But why would I need more friends if I have you? And besides, why would I need any Land-walkers as friends? I've failed already."
Yang felt a pang of sadness at her sister's words. Despite Ruby's appearance, Yang knew she wasn't entirely human; she was an Ægirian like her aunts, uncle, her great-grandmother, and their Nana.
Yang understood how proud and, at times, deeply prejudiced the Ægirians could be toward Land-dwellers like herself, a sentiment that often crossed the line into outright racism or even beyond it.
It was a prejudice so severe that it made the bigotry of people like Jacques Schnee, Weiss' father–whom Yang had read and heard about both in the news and from Blake's mouth earlier, being suspected of enslaving Faunus in his dust mines-seem like a childish tantrums in a sandpit in comparison to your average Ægirian.
In Ægirian society, it didn't matter if you were Human or Faunus; as long as you're not Ægirian and are born on the surface hence the moniker of Land-walkers/dwellers, you were seen as outright primitive and unworthy of their attention or even a sliver of respect, regardless of how advanced your civilization are, even her uncle, Ulpianus said that Ægirian viewed kingdom like Atlas and its advancements in technology as backwards and primitive by their own standard.
The Ægirians' isolationist policies were so strict, and they would kill anyone who tried to enter their territory or make contact.
Yang remembered the chilling words down her spine when their Nana once shared with them on how Ægirian politics goes: "We shall be the ones who talk to you, not the other way around. And you shall listen, like an obedient child to its elders, and obey with no questions asked."
Fortunately, their Nana never applied such harsh rules to Yang, her father, or her uncle. They were bound by family, and Ægirian society placed immense value on familial bonds, even if you are half related to the Ægirian branch, like Yang.
Ægirians would fight with unyielding ferocity to protect one of their own, whether by blood, like Ruby, or by honorary ties, like Yang and her uncle. The idea that any harm could come to their family from the Land-dwellers was unthinkable, and Yang knew that if it ever did, the response would be devastating, as what once happened to the missing twenty naval fleets along with five of the flagships of the former Kingdom of Mantle during the Great War from the history books she read.
Yang sighed and shook her head as her lilac eyes landed on some of her friends from her previous combat academy. Seizing the opportunity to help Ruby try to make new friends again, and perhaps find a romantic interest or even follow a path similar to their Nana's, Yang decided it was time for some separation. She knew that anyone who denied her cute little sister must be blind.
With a determined smile, she noticed that some of her friends from Signal was also in Beacon, so she decided to make it a reason to go as she pointed towards her friends and said quickly, "Well, actually my friends are over there. Gotta go catch up! 'Kay, see ya bye!"
Before Ruby could protest, Yang and her friends rushed off, blending seamlessly into the crowd of students. Ruby was left alone, spinning in her place from the momentum of the sudden departure of her sister and her friends.
As she spun, Ruby called out, "Wait! Where are you going?! Aren't we supposed to find our dorms?! ... Do we have dorms?!"
But Yang was already lost in the throng, leaving Ruby to realize that she was now on her own at Beacon Academy.
As Ruby continued to spin dizzily, the sensation reminded her of her Nana's Arts—a powerful technique that could create whirlpools both underwater and on dry ground.
She recalled all too well the many times she had been the unfortunate victim of this art, the swirling vortex knocking her off balance time and time again. Her mind drifted back to those moments, and the dizziness grew worse, causing her to stumble.
In her disoriented state, Ruby knocked into a nearby luggage trolley, sending several pristine white suitcases tumbling to the ground. Her spinning head caught a glimpse of the symbols on the suitcases—each emblazoned with a sharp, stylized snowflake and an acronym of S.D.C written underneath.
She had seen that logo before, but where–
Oh no...
Before she could fully regain her senses, a familiar, icy voice rang out, cutting through the fog of dizziness. "What are you doing?!" The tone was unmistakable—it was the Heiress, Weiss Schnee.
A/N:
For those confused about Ruby's Family tree, here's how it roughly went:

Shocking, I know. I blame my obsessions with House of the Dragons when it releases, and before anyone going mad about it let me spoil some of my rough plannings. Also, that family tree is still unfinished for now.
In the main story of my Arknights x Bloodborne one, in the future chapters I'll elaborate on how the hell did Gladiia marries her aunt (I'll make so she either lied about her identity, coerced her, make it into fluff, angst, etc.
Or she didn't tell her anything about her identity before taking her to Ægir to get "permission" from her mother, (she did it to spite her)).
And how both her own mother and aunt herself disapproves of it (Since it reminds them of how wrong it was, as well as the debauchery the Cainhurst nobles did.) and it damages their relationships, until eventually her aunt very reluctantly agreed, and they slowly reconciled.
And it caused a certain, Leviathan to get jealous.
For those wondering who Anita's father is, you can read my Wattpad's Arknights x Bloodborne story somewhere in the middle of Act 02: Under Tides, you guys can make some... connections in it.
Also, I randomly make an OC on who Anita's Remnant husband is as Edmund Wilver. I used a random name generator and the name Wilver caught my eye since I plan it to have a canon lore connections on the SIlver-eyed warriors.
So I made Anita's husband a descendant of them to make some connections to the canon RWBY story.