RWBY: LUCID

Jaune settled into the plush seat of the bullet train with a quiet sigh of contentment. Sunlight filtered through the curved windows, painting a golden glow across the carriage. It was still early. Jaune usually took a later train to the academy but today, he had woken up a lot earlier than before. The lingering exhaustion of yesterday's dream was a lot more distant now, replaced by a percolating anticipation, instead.

He tapped open his phone to message their group chat. Ren and Nora weren't on this early train—they always took the later one together. Which meant that Jaune wouldn't be seeing them until later.

Jaune: Took an earlier train, just so u knoe

Nora: 😒. Why Jauney! Why have u betrayed us!?

Ruby: 👍 Lol, Meet u at entrance!

Jaune smirked. Ruby's thumbs-up was her way of saying "I got it," no fuss. He slipped the phone away as the train hummed along past the city-scape.

Seven stops later, he pulled into the Beacon Academy's treeline, where the vertiginous academy loomed ahead. Jaune took a moment, inhaling the charged morning air of the new day. He hopped off, weaving through the platform as students drifted aboard behind him. He noticed a figure at the gate—Ruby.

She leaned against the archway with her phone in hand, and favorite red cloak slung worn around her shoulders. Her silver eyes were focused intently on her screen. Even as others passed by her, she didn't acknowledge them.

A grin curved across Jaune's features.

'She's totally zoned out. Perfect time for a prank.'

He crept up silently, tapping her on the shoulder with deliberate stealth.

"Boo!" he whispered theatrically.

"Ahhh—!" She screamed out loud and jerked upright. Ruby's response was instant—and more intense than Jaune was expecting.

Her fist looked like it teleported directly in-front of his face but before it could land, it stopped just a centimeter away from his nose. The whoosh of displaced air ruffled his hair and clothes back.

He stumbled backwards and stared at Ruby in shocked silence. He hadn't even see her throw the punch! It seemed like there was more to Ruby Rose than met the eye. She was... incredibly fast. Faster than he had given her credit for.

A drop of nervous sweat pooled down his neck. Was he imagining it? How'd she even move so fast? Perhaps Jaune was more out of it than he expected.

Ruby's eyes were wide, not simply startled, but alarmed, probably from how close she was to punching his lights lout.

"Jaune Arc!" she snapped, one palm poised defensively. "Don't you ever do that again."

He popped upright with a shaky laugh. "Yikes, Rubes! That was a crazy shot! That would have hit harder than Ren on a bad day!"

Her anger melted into confusion. "What—Ren hit you once?"

"Figuratively speaking," he murmured, rolling his neck. "But seriously—Nice swing. Almost took my head off."

Ruby turned slightly pink—if she could blush intensely, she did. "I—It's called reflex training."

"Yeah, reflexes," he said softly, stepping close enough to lower his voice. "Not a cannonball attack."

Ruby nearly tripped over her own foot. Shoving his shoulder playfully, she muttered, "You're an idiot."

He grinned and spread his arms. "Acceptance is step one."

Her scowl softened into a lopsided smile. She shoved him again, harder. "Goofball."

They walked through the gates side by side. Students filled the courtyard, chattering in groups, catching up after the weekend. Jaune said nothing more as they passed through the marble archway.

"Where's Yang?" Jaune asked. Usually the bombastic blonde bombshell would be with her sister waiting at the gate. She wasn't here today.

"Oh! She's just talking to one of the professors about some extracurricular activities that she might be interested in doing. A few of her friends might be joining too."

Inside the atrium, they walked toward the cafeteria. Rifted light from the tall windows showed dust motes drifting across the shelves lined with books and trophies.

Ruby nudged him. "How was your weekend? You went back to Ansel right?"

He shuffled his feet uncomfortably, remembering the unfortunate things that had happened. "Yeah, it was fine. We picked up my sister, Jade, so she could get settled into the university dorms today ."

She seemed curious about his odd, tone but didn't mention it. "Ooh. What's she studying?"

"Psychology or something. No clue"

She poked him in the ribs. "You didn't ask, goofball?"

"Hey! She... uh probably explained it once or twice... or ten times. I just forget..."

"Right..."

They arrived in the cafeteria's warm glow. Ruby led him to the food counter, where stacks of cookies shimmered under heat lamps and straps of whipped cream topped bright milkshakes in every flavor imaginable.

He made a show of plopping a milkshake and pair of cookies onto a tray. "Double chocolate?"

Ruby shot him an incredulous look. "You know that's my favorite."

He shrugged. "Lucky for me."

She rolled her eyes again but didn't object. They took a spot by the window overlooking Beacon's courtyard. Between bites of cookies, they chatted.

"So," she said, wiping a crumb from her lip, "What else did you do? You texted about the sword arts club. You got a sword at home to practice with?"

"Yep. A long time ago, my dad was into blacksmithing. He made a couple of cool things, including this steel sword. He called it Crocea Mors. Supposedly it's Latin for Yellow Death. Nothing about the weapon is yellow, though."

She took a slow sip of her shake. "Yellow Death? Ooh that's pretty cool. Is it a long-sword, greatsword, bastard sword, katana, tanto or some other eastern variant like a zhan-ma-dao or a Jian?"

Jaune stared at her for a moment. She blushed at his look then hurriedly explain.

"I—uh—I'm kind of a weapon's nerd. All types of weapons really. Not just the cold ones."

"That's… kinda cute." Jaune was learning more about this little red-riding hood every day.

Ruby still looked a little flustered but she took the compliment in kind. "It's not cute. It's perfectly normal! So, what type of sword is it?"

Jaune smiled and gestured the size of the weapon with his hands. "Long-sword."

"Hmm!" Ruby nodded eagerly, pulling at her scarf. "Very cool, send me a picture later. I'm more of a scythe user my— er... I mean, if I were to use a weapon— which I don't... I'd use a scythe."

Jaune looked at her weirdly. She was a scythe user? "You use scythes? Like a video game protagonist scythe or farming implement scythe?"

Oddly enough, Ruby looked a little panicked, but she brushed off the question will all the grace of a paraplegic doing ballet.

"Pshh— no!? I just like em' is all! Imagine being able to swing around a big scythe, cutting through you enemies!"

She gestured with her hand several cutting motions that Jaune presumed was scythe combat. Jaune was quite amused at her antics. He really did feel like there was more to this cute, petite girl than met the eye.

He grinned at her explanation. "Right..."

At that moment, a group of students streamed past—two of them bumping arms and laughing. Probably a couple. Ruby watched them go with something like wistfulness in her expression.

'Maybe she's into romance nowadays...'

He didn't tease her about her reaction but he did study her for just a moment longer. The intensity that he had been feeling all weekend was gone now—replaced by an unfocused brightness, a relief. Who knew socializing cured negative emotions?

Jaune didn't. He had little in terms of friends outside of classmate acquaintances in his previous school in Ansel.

Putting that out of mind, he dropped his voice. "So how was your weekend?"

Her mouth twitched. "A bit boring. Yang and I were... doing a club assignment. Annoying dream psychology stuff for beacon."

He linked his arms over his tray. "Oh? Can't tell me about it? Still more secret stuff?"

She met his gaze and her eyes glinted. "We were interviewing someone. It dragged on forever, that's really all I can say." Ruby explained with a shrug that felt a bit too casual but that was always her response when her club activities were brought up. Jaune knew by now, not to press more than was necessary.

He hummed, understanding where she was going. In any case, her club did seem quite boring, but the fact that her sister Yang, and both Nora as well as Ren were a part of it, made him want to join in on all the fun. It was too bad that there were stringent requirements of the headmaster personally recruiting students.

But it was fine. The sword arts club was more practical to him anyway. In fact, not only was it practical but it was more than likely going to save his life. Especially if he came across another strong dream creature like that bear-thing. Ursa, if he remembered correctly.

"Sounds like a pain." Jaune responded to her.

"Eh, gets fun sometimes but the weekend was just boring is all."

They let the quiet settle in for a moment, sipping and munching. A few staff walked past, calling out greetings. Ruby noticed them and waved back; Jaune followed.

Cookies disappeared quickly, shakes lingered until the last sip.

Finally, Ruby tossed her napkin away. "Okay, prankster, let's go see if Nora and Ren are here, then, lets hit first class."

Jaune popped up. "Lead the way."

They left the cafeteria with the morning light bright at the windows. Jaune shouldered his backpack and followed Ruby through the archways toward their destination.

He glanced at her—a familiar brightness in her smile.