The REDS of war

Volume One Chapter One

"Well she should watch where she's going."

"I said I was sorry, Princess."

Blake, having caught up with Erin speaks not looking up from her book. "Heiress, actually. Weiss Schnee, heiress to the Schnee Dust Company. One of the largest producers of energy propellant in the world."

"Finally, some recognition." Weiss smiles pridefully.

"It's also infamous for its controversial labor forces, regulations, and... questionable business partners and practices."

"Wha- How dare... The nerve of..." She grabs the vial from Erin's hand and storms away from the pair. Erin smirks seeing the heiress stomp away. He shrugs walking away from the black & red girl, Blake following him soon after. The pair not interested in dealing that much with a stingy heiress. Inside the main auditorium a young boy stands to the side he glances around to some of the recognizable figures inside, he checks his scroll going through a few files and sees images of a few of the students. The person doing this then comes across his file.

Daniel Keith, age 18, weapon unknown, semblance; Smoke, background Unknown... He closes his eyes with a small grin. He opens his eyes to find himself inside a very wealthy manor two small kids running around the area the first a young boy with Grey hair and dark grey eyes, next with him chasing him with a foam sword is a young girl with white hair and blue eyes. He blinks again finding himself back at the auditorium. He looks up seeing a man approach the stage before them. He puts his Scroll in his pocket and removes an headphone his attention set squarely on the man. Everyone's attention falls to the man on stage. Erin & Blake in the back of the crowd, a group of three girls near the front (Weiss, and co) even Rei & Sky Who are as far away from the crowd as they can get. All of them focus as the Headmaster of Beacon Academy speaks.

"I'll... keep this brief. You have traveled here today in search of knowledge. To hone your craft and acquire new skills. And when you're finished, you plan 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. 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, it is your choice to take the first step."

He steps away from the microphone sparing a glance towards Rei then the other side of the auditorium at Dusk. Stepping up to the microphone his assistant, a teacher at the academy Glynda Goodwitch.

"You will gather at the ballroom tonight. Tomorrow, your initiation begins. Be ready. You are dismissed."

"Sky glances to Rei and then to the ground. "Um... is it just me or did he..."

"Look our way." Rei speaks quietly watching the main stage.

"No, I was gonna ask if he seemed creepy."

"Creepy doesn't begin to describe the feeling I'm getting. Hearing him speak puts me on edge."

Everyone slowly through the day makes their way to the ballroom different groups having already formed amongst some of the students. Rei and Sky sit near each other, but far enough away the they're not considered together by their future classmates. Dusk meanwhile took a window seat, himself seated on the ledge of the window as he continues to look through profiles of his future classmates. Erin however is seated directly next to Blake. He glances at her book and nods in approval.

"What?" She questions.

"It's a good read, I finished that one last week. How far in are ya?"

"Chapter 9."

"Ah, you're only halfway through the story. I'll stay silent for now, tell me when ya finish though." Erin sits silently, and grabs a few papers from a bag, he starts writing on them but, before long someone approaches.

"Hello~! I believe you all may know each other?" Erin glances up, the girl from earlier approaches being dragged forward by a blonde girl calling out to them.

"Aren't you... that girl that exploded?" Blake asked to the young girl.

"Uh, yeah... my name's Ruby, but you can just call me crater... ah... actually you can just call me Ruby."

Erin lifts his head trying not to laugh. "Okay...?"

"So! What's your names?" The blonde haired girl speaks loudly despite how late it is.

Blake rolls her eyes and replies curtly. "Blake."

Erin, grins enjoying the moment. "I'm Erin. Erin Eclipse."

"Well, I'm Yang! Ruby's older sister. I like your bow, oh and your hair."

"Thank you, they take a lot to maintain. You'll have to forgive Blake here, she's a bit socially inept."

"What? No I'm not."

"Sure... Anyways, what brings you two to this neck of the woods?"

"Oh, well I think Rubes here wanted to thank you for earlier."

"Ah, it was nothing. She was reading her book, if I hadn't done anything she probably wouldn't of."

"Whats your book about?" Ruby asks Blake, Erin shrugs grabbing a journal and a pen.

"Huh?" Blake questions back.

Erin leans in and super slowly speaks to Blake. "She asked what your book is about."

"Can it, Eclipse."

"No, I don't think I will."

"Well, it's about a man with two souls. Each fighting for control over his body."

"Oh yeah, that's real lovely." Yang rolls her eyes, clearly she's not a reader.

"Hey, don't knock it till you try it, lilac."

"Lilac?"

"I like to give nicknames based off characteristics. I was gonna call your sister silver, but her names Ruby, and the nickname Rubes just works. Besides, I like the color lilac. And your eyes shine brightly, lilac."

Yang who's also listening to the conversation between Ruby and Blake hugs her before the pair start to scuffle, Erin laughs at the scene before him, when a few individuals come closer.

"What in the world is going on over here." Weiss, along with Rei both approach from opposite ends of the room.

"I agree with the annoying heiress over there, why are you being so loud?"

Weiss & Yang immediately begin to shout to each other. "Oh, not you again!"

"Ahem... people are trying to sleep." Rei gets in between the girls.

"Oh, now people are on my side." Weiss cries out.

"I was always on your side!"

"Maybe we should just blow out the candle... actually, can't you-" Erin leans over to Blake.

"Say another word and you'll also need an eyepatch." Blake glares at Erin.

Okay, rude." Rei comments.

"Yeah, that's totally rude."

Blake rolls her eye and blows out the candle. The other girls stop their argument and quietly return to the beds. Rei rolls his eyes lifting an eyepatch over his left eye and makes his way back to his bed. Blake & Erin both watching him get a good look at the underneath of his eyepatch. A robotic eye. Black all around with a red ring in the middle occasionally with flashes of green. With that all of the students head to sleep.

Chapter End.