Jaune rubbed the back of his neck.
"Vomit Boy?" he repeated, a wry grin on his face. "Is that really going to stick?"
Yang merely shrugged as she still held a grudge even though Arthur had prevented the canon event.
"Only if you keep living up to it, Jaune-y boy."
Ruby, meanwhile, was already tugging on Arthur's sleeve, oblivious to the subtle undercurrents between Weiss and the others.
"Come on, Arthur! We have to find the auditorium! I heard Head Master Ozpin is going to give a speech!"
Arthur, with Weiss still trailing surprisingly close by, allowed Ruby to lead the way.
He glanced at the still-flustered heiress.
"Are you certain you wish for me to carry this, Miss Schnee? I assure you, it is no trouble, but we are almost at the entrance."
Weiss scoffed, though the faint blush hadn't quite left her cheeks.
"Hmph. It's perfectly fine. It's… convenient."
She kept her gaze fixed straight ahead, but her grip on her side of the suitcase handle was notably lighter than it had been moments before.
The unusual situation of someone else—especially a male(Not a buttler)—carrying her luggage was entirely new, and frankly, a little unnerving.
Yet, a part of her found the gesture unexpectedly… pleasant.
They navigated the bustling corridors of Beacon, a vibrant tapestry of students from all walks of life.
Ruby bounced along, pointing out every detail with boundless enthusiasm, while Jaune gawked openly, occasionally stumbling over his own feet.
Yang kept a watchful eye on them all, a faint smile playing on her lips.
As they reached the grand auditorium, the sheer scale of the building took Ruby's breath away.
"Whoa..." she whispered, her silver eyes wide. "It's huge!"
Hundreds of students milled about, their chatter filling the cavernous space.
Ozpin, Beacon's headmaster, stood on a raised platform at the front, his gaze sweeping over the eager faces.
Ruby, still mesmerized by the sheer number of new faces and the imposing architecture, suddenly felt a familiar sense of anxiety creep in.
She was here, at Beacon, her dream came true.
But now, surrounded by so many older, more experienced students, she felt a pang of nervousness.
She instinctively reached for Yang's hand.
Arthur, sensing her slight shift in demeanor.
"A new beginning, Ruby," he said, his voice calm. "And a chance to forge your path."
Weiss, who had been uncharacteristically quiet, cleared her throat.
"Indeed. Though some of us are clearly more prepared for such a journey than others."
She cast a pointed, though not entirely unkind, look at Ruby, then her gaze flickered back to Arthur, a silent question in her blue eyes.
The implicit challenge to prove himself, to show more of his "abilities," hung in the air between them.
The chatter in the auditorium slowly died down as Ozpin, a man whose presence commanded respect without uttering a single sharp word, stepped forward onto the dais.
He surveyed the sea of eager, nervous, and occasionally bewildered faces with a knowing glint in his eyes.
"Welcome, new students,"
Ozpin's voice resonated through the vast space, calm and measured, yet carrying an undeniable authority.
"Welcome to Beacon Academy."
A ripple of excitement went through the crowd.
Ruby practically vibrated with anticipation, squeezing Yang's hand.
Jaune, still looking a little pale but much more composed, swallowed hard, his eyes wide.
"For years, Beacon has been a bastion of learning and training, a place where young men and women hone their skills to become the Huntsmen and Huntresses who protect the world of Remnant,"
Ozpin continued, his gaze sweeping across the multitude.
"You have all demonstrated potential, and it is that potential we aim to cultivate and refine."
He paused, taking a sip from his ever-present mug.
"However," he added, a subtle shift in his tone that immediately captured everyone's full attention.
"This year, we have an addition to our esteemed faculty, a new perspective, and indeed, a new approach to some of the challenges you will face."
Ozpin turned, his gaze falling directly upon Arthur, who stood calmly beside Ruby, Yang, Jaune, and Weiss. Arthur met Ozpin's gaze with a polite, almost imperceptible nod.
"I am pleased to introduce Professor Arthur Leywin Stark,"
Ozpin announced, extending a hand in Arthur's direction.
"Professor Stark will be joining us as a specialized instructor, focusing on the more… unique and nuanced aspects of combating the forces of darkness."
A collective murmur rippled through the auditorium.
"Professor?"
"Who's that guy?"
"Leywin Stark? Never heard of that name."
Ruby's eyes widened, a look of pure delight on her face.
"Professor Arthur! That's so cool!" she whispered loudly to Yang, who chuckled.
Jaune just blinked, still trying to process the revelation.
But it was Weiss who reacted most dramatically.
Her jaw dropped, her piercing blue eyes widening to an almost comical degree.
The elegant composure she usually maintained shattered completely.
"Professor?!" she gasped, her voice a sharp, incredulous whisper that carried even in the murmuring hall.
She stared at Arthur, then back at Ozpin, then back at Arthur again, as if trying to reconcile the calm, unassuming individual who had just saved her dust from exploding with the esteemed title of 'Professor.'
Her mind raced. This… this is the man who just casually prevented my Dust from detonating?
Who spoke of 'minor neutralization' as if it were a mundane task? And now he's a Professor?
What kind of 'specialized instruction' could he possibly offer? What is he teaching?
Does he even have a combat skirt?
Arthur, sensing Weiss's shock, smiled that did nothing to alleviate her fluster.
He gave a slight, almost imperceptible bow of his head to the assembled students.
Ozpin, seemingly enjoying the various reactions, continued,
"Professor Leywin Stark brings with him a wealth of knowledge and experience that extends beyond the traditional understanding of aura and Dust. He will be guiding you through… a deeper understanding of the world, and indeed, of yourselves."
He paused, allowing the information to sink in.
"I trust you all will extend to him the same respect and cooperation you would any member of the Beacon faculty."
Weiss, still frozen in her state of disbelief, found her gaze locked on Arthur.
The earlier curiosity she'd felt, the slight fluster from his gentle touch, had now morphed into a profound sense of bewilderment. He was a professor.
And she, Weiss Schnee, heiress to the Schnee Dust Company, had just been… rescued… by her new professor.
The thought was both mortifying and, she begrudgingly admitted, strangely intriguing.
She felt a hot flush creep up her neck. This was going to be an interesting year.
...
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