Jaune stood in formation with the rest of his peers.

They were all assembled underneath the academy's elder plum tree. A massive thing that stretched high into the skies. Regardless of the season, its branches were heavy with orange blossoms. 

It was one of the original 11 sacred plum trees planted by the family founders. Each tree preserved the clan's karmic luck, and ensured prosperity despite adversity.

This one was near what was once a stone quarry until it was exhausted. Which evolved into the school grounds as the focused on the future. 

That school, proving its worth, became the academy. The clan's pillar to ensure the children became strong and educated.

The tree towered into the sky, and its vast canopy of leaves embraced the sun. This granted cool shade to the group underneath it.

126 students were present and they all stared at the man before them. The principle of Heavenly Plum Academy.

Some kids stared in awe. Some in fear. All with respect.

A man that no single family dare cross. He had the power to create a new influential power, or to strip away a family's hope.

Principle Reno stood straight and proud. He was already old, with long hair and beard that had gone white with time. His presence was a regal one and he had an aura that demanded respect. 

His long and loose clothing were of fine quality and imparted a sense of grandness.

"Welcome! Today you are students of the Heavenly Plum Academy! Regardless of your roots from our Heavenly Plum Family, in here you are all equal! Work hard, and you will earn the favor of the heavens themselves! The path of the Heavenly Dao knows no limits, and neither should you!" Principle Reno proclaimed to the assembled students.

"For the next five years, you will be under the guidance of these ttwo head teachers," Principle Reno said. He gestured to the two adults standing off to the side.

"I am Mister Pico!" a large man stood up. His deep amber pupils and large muscles were what caught one’s eyes. 

The round ears on his head and lack of regular human ears revealed his Faunus heritage. "I will instruct you in the forms of boxing and fencing. These will be critical regardless of what path you will embark on!"

"I am Miss Luna," a gentle, and calm woman introduced herself with a curtsy. She wore the simple clothes that the common folk wore, but the material was of finer quality. 

Her slim figure beside Mister Pico's gave her a deep sense of elegance. "I will be guiding you through lectures to ensure that you will have a firm foundation of knowledge. Even the mightiest of aura cultivators are only fools if they ignore the basics."

"These two will be your primary instructors. They will be helped by various apprentices," Principle Reno explained.

Jaune stared at the three adults. His parent's warnings echoed in his mind as he tried to remain as still as possible.

His parents had often told him to respect his new teachers. They also took extra care to remind him to never anger the principle. Expulsion from the school would doom the student to a hard life of endless labor and poor returns.

Which would reflect how his family stood with the 11th branch of the clan.

"Please remember that we are all from the same roots! The Heavenly Plum Family has ruled over this region for over three thousand years! Work hard and forge your destiny with pride and respect!" Principle Reno finished and stared at the assembled children.

"What is your reply!?" Mister Pico yelled out.

"Yes sir!" the voice of 126 kids replied. It was a messy, if loud reply.

Principle Reno nodded to himself. His eye glittered with mirth as he nodded to himself and left with a laugh.

"Please follow us dear children," Miss Luna said as she began to walk away. 

She seemed to glide out from underneath the sacred plum tree. Each step seemed small, yet the children had to almost jog to keep up. They made their way towards the largest collection of buildings in the academy.

"From today onward you will be staying on campus dorms. You will live together. Eat together. Rest under the same roof," Mister Pico said as he took up the rear. 

His booming voice needed little help to reach all ears as the students moved as a malformed clump.

"You will be allowed to visit your family on the weekends. Please understand that this will not be possible during the weekdays," Miss Luna said. 

Her voice was soft, and she did not raise her voice, yet it also reached the ears of everyone present. It was very impressive considering she was still at the head of the group and did not turn around to talk.

"You will begin each day with a meal. Then exercise and cultivation with us. Then lunch. Lectures with Miss Luna. Then either boxing or fencing with me. finally, there will be dinner!" Mister Pico exclaimed as made their on the simple stone path. 

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The children were lead to a set of small, and round concrete buildings. Each of them was identical and there was ten of them in total.

The buildings were like mirrors as they lined the road. Five on the left, and five on the right. Each dorm had a letter. Beginning with A and ending with E.

"Your dorm will be dorm A. This will be your home for the next five years. As such you will be assigned chores and tasks. This is to help maintain and prepare for your day to day lifestyle," Miss Luna said as she stopped. 

She lifted an arm to show off the red 'A' painted onto the side of the building. The opposite building also had an 'A'.

Each building was not very large. Even if it was built into the earth, many students were guessing that they would be packed in like sardines.

Though there was a curious amount of room btween the round buildings.

"Boys gather on the right!" Mister Pico exclaimed as he pointed to himself.

"Ladies, please come to the left," Miss Luna asked as she gestured to the side.

The children divided and were then escorted into the building.

It was mysterious as they made their way in. The floor was almost bare except for set of baskets full of cloth bundles.

"Pick up a bundle! They are all the same, aside from color, so don't worry about being choosy. If there are issues, we can sort it all out later!" Mister Pico said as he pointed to a huge pile of various colors. 

Here the students picked up a rolled-up bundle. Afterwords, they were directed into the building itself.

Jaune had taken a soft orange bundle and stood huddled with various other boys. He was nervous, but also excited.

The round building was only an entrance! Where where they going to be staying at?

"Good. Everyone has one?" Mister Pico asked as he eyed the boys before him. No one said anything yet. 

Mister Pico nodded to himself and then kept walking into the building. There were racks here. Rows and rows of racks that were currently empty.

The group of boys made their way to the end of the hall and it dipped down with a flight of stairs.

Mister Pico walked down and Jaune knew that they were now heading underground. The stairs led to a set of heavy doors that were open. 

Beyond those doors was another wide hallway.

There were lights installed to show the way, but it was smooth and bare.

When they reached the end, the boys all stopped and gaped. They stood at a junction where the corridors opened up to a new area. 

They now stood in an open cavern. Three meters below them was a giant box, that had rows and rows of what looked like either bunk beds, or a bed with a canopy. 

The corridor turned into a pathway. It stretched across the side of the room, leading to the lower section of the dormitory.

There was two hundred and fifty beds in ten rows. Jaune counted twice to make sure he was right.

Since class sizes could fluctuate, the builders had done some deep planning. They took time and great care to ensure that they could house all the students.

There were also three major barricades to lock the dorms. In case grimm overran the first two outer defenses. They would then have to spend a great deal of time breaking open the dorms.

In which case the defenders could rally and come to their rescue.

It wasn’t perfect, but it was at least something.

"Alright boys, my room is over here!" Mister Pico instructed and then made his way over to the only actual closed off room in the dorm. "Knock if you need anything, but if its a prank I will make sure you remember it."

Jaune nodded along with the class. The man was at a much higher cultivation level then he was. Mister Pico could snap him in half with one hand.

Mister Pico's room was built into the wall where the corridor became the dorm's pathway. As this class's main instructor, he also oversaw them at night to ensure stability. 

Children were troublesome at the best of times, so a adult presence was always needed.

"Pick a bed and it will be yours for five years. It will also be your responsibility to take care of it! Just place your bundle on the bed you have selected and come back," Mister Pico said as he stood with his arms crossed. 

Mister Pico leaned against his home. Unlike the children, he actually lived in the dorms. The principle had given him a special invitation to come to the academy as a special instructor. 

Which meant that all his belongings were this room. Which included special security to ensure his privacy. something that a very special brat would test sooner rather then later.

He watched as the students to rush out and choose their new little home. He gave out a smile at their innocent joy. They would lose it quick enough.

There was also a trunk on either side of the bed. Each bed was sort of like a bunk bed. They opened up away from the main entrance and had boards on the other three sides. 

This gave each bunk bed stability and privacy. A bed on top, and a cushion and desk on the bottom.

Jaune wandered until he left the pack, and chose a bunk bed at random. All the beds were weird as there was no mattresses or pillows.

It looked hardcore, but also very uncomfortable.

A built-in ledge on the side of the bed allowed one to keep stuff close. Stuff like family photos, knickknacks, water bottles, and or glasses. So long as it fit, there was no issues.

Within fifteen minutes, the children had done as instructed. The first kids loitered at the front, chatting with known friends or relatives.

Their talk stopped as the last kid rejoined, and Mister Pico flexed his muscles. Despite not changing his posture, they could all hear it tighten in their ears.

"There is also a large set of washrooms over here! Please feel free to use them before we head out again," Mister Pico said and pointed to the junction. 

There was a large opening in the wall and the students could enter a huge washroom. A third of it was a set of sinks, and the other third was toilets. The final third was showers.

When the students assembled again, Mister Pico lead them out. The kids chatted as they came back up to the world. There, they saw the girls also coming up.

Jaune wondered if they were using supersonic speech, or aura messaging to time it right.

The reformed group was lead deeper on the pathway. They walked beyond the dorms and towards another set of buildings. 

the most prominent one would become their favorite building. It was an open-air building that had more shutters then walls. 

The scent of food had the children drooling.

"This is it for your first day. Eat. Play. Then settle in and enjoy the rest of the day. Curfew is 30 minutes after dark. I will see you all tomorrow!" Mister Pico said as he watched them all swarm the cafeteria.

With a shared chuckle, the two adults also went to get food. Afterwards they would go back to his room and rest.

The various guards on the school ground would ensure order. The children would all stream back to the dorms. Those that disobeyed would be in for a rough morning.

Mister Pico smiled as he watched them all laugh as they moved towards the rows and rows of tables. At the end was the kitchen itself where they staff would help the children get food.

Looking back, Mister Pico saw the staff moving the rest of the dorm's things. Things like mattresses, pillows, and towels. 

Taken from storage, they were cleaned and fluffed. These would now serve as one of the few pure comforts a student would enjoy in their time here.

The lectures were long, and the martial path ruthless.

The children would learn this lesson all too soon.

— — — —

Chapter 01: First day of school