Chapter 2: And So It Begins
So Eris creates rose petals and has silver eyes? How mysterious.
Also, how do you picture Her?
Anyway, enjoy.
Ozpin had made many mistakes in his life, more than any other person. Contrary to what most believed, he was not all-knowing, and he could not see the future. But he has learned much from his experiences.
That's why he works with others, so that the chances of mistakes occurring are drastically reduced. If Qrow thought they could use more help, and even sent someone he believed might save them a lot of trouble, then Ozpin was willing to give them a chance.
But he had another duty to attend too, as he was the headmaster at beacon, and a new year was starting. He had to make sure these kids are ready to handle anything the world might throw at them.
He thought this as he gazed at the new students in front of him, fresh and inexperienced.
"For years you have trained to become warriors," he calmly spoke, "and today, your abilities will be evaluated in the Emerald Forest."
"Now," began the blond woman beside him, "I'm sure many of you have heard rumors about the assignment of teams."
"Well, allow us to put an end to your confusion. Each of you will be given teammates…" she then paused for a moment.
"Today."
The only reaction she got was from a girl in red, known as Ruby, letting out a whine of despair and sadness.
Ozpin again took the initiative, looking at each of them, "So it is in your best interest to be paired with someone with whom you can work well with."
Ruby made the whine again, slightly louder than before.
"That being said," Ozpin casually continued, "the first person you make eye contact with after landing will be your partner for the next 4 years."
The sound of shattered glass could be heard along with another loud whine.
Ozpin ignored this and continued with his directions, easily remembered by this point. "After you've partnered up, make your way to the northern end of the forest. You will meet opposition along the way. Do not hesitate to destroy anything in your path, or you will die." He said without worry.
He knew they would be fine.
He then explained to them there objective; find a partner, go to the temple, retrieve a single relic, and return to the top of the cliff. It was simple.
"Are there any questions" he finally asked
"Um, sir?" a shy voice, belonging to a blond boy, asked.
"Good! Now, take your positions." Ozpin continued, ignoring the boy.
All the student then got into a ready stance. They were prepared to take on this challenge.
"Uh, sir? I've got, um, a question." the blond boy tried again. The first student was launched through the air. "So this 'landing strategy' thing, uh, w-what is it? Are you, like, dropping us off or something?" the boy asked hopefully, his voice filled with anxiety.
Ozpin took a sip from his mug .
"No. You will be falling." he stated flatly. More students were being launched.
The blond boy mildly began to shake, "So, will we be givin parachutes, or something?" he tried again.
Ozpin simply looked at the boy.
"No. You will be using your own strategy." he again stated flatly. The boy slowly nodded his head in understanding, questioning his life choices.
He tried once more, "So, what exactly is a landing strat-" he was abruptly cut off as he was sent flying through the air, ungracefully screaming in fear.
Ozpin took another sip as he watched the children disappear amongst the trees. He waited a few minutes, to ensure all the pairs have been made. He gently smiled. With that out of the way he could attend to something else.
"Glad you could make it." he calmly spoke. The blond woman looked at him in confusion before his shadow caught her eye. It began to become distorted before a figure in a thick black cloak began to rise from it.
She immediately attempted to raise her weapon, but was stopped by a casual look from Ozpin. She watched tensely as the figure fully emerged, seemingly out of Ozpin's shadow. One thing the blond noticed was the height difference between the three of them. This figure was barely up to their chests.
"I know this may not have been the appropriate time, but it seemed to work well with schedule." Ozpin spoke again. "Especially while the children are busy."
Meanwhile
A terribly high pitched shriek, exuding fear and regret, pierced the air, making every student's hair stand on end.
A young blond woman turned to face the direction of the noise.
"Some girls in trouble!" she spoke with worry. "Blake, did you hear that?" she spoke again as she turned to her companion.
The black haired girl, Blake, turned to gaze at the sky, a look of confusion on her face.
There was something red coming directly at them.
Back to Ozpin
He turned to face the figure, noticing again how the cloak seemed to cover their entire frame, hiding their features. He also noticed the blond woman's tense stance.
"I believe it's time for formal introductions," he spoke with enthusiasm, "I am professor Ozpin, headmaster of Beacon Academy." He gestured to himself. He then turned to the blond woman.
"-and this is my fellow colleague, miss Glynda Goodwitch" Ozpin gestured to the blond woman. Glynda lost some of her rigidness and replied, "Pleasure to meet you" she spoke formally, with a hint of curiosity. Or was it caution?
The figure nodded towards them, before saying its name, "Eris" it spoke with a soft voice. Ozpin raised an eyebrow. The voice sounded small and young.
Just what kind of person did Qrow send?
He drank from his mug. "Nice to meet you, Eris." he then took out his personal scroll, bringing of a video of the students. "If you would like to watch, feel free. The job you have come here for entirely depends on the outcome of this test." Ozpin said in a encouraging voice.
He moved over to allow Eris a view, noting again her…(his?) size difference. He had a suspicion of the figures gender, but didn't want to come off rude by asking the figure right now. That could wait until later.
Turning to his scroll, Ozpin gained a surprised expression on his face, which turned into one of amusement. He did not expect the students to be near the cliff already, but he now understood why. A group of 8 students were currently battling 2 grimm in the ruins beside the cliff. One was a large deathstalker, and the other was a giant nevermore.
Currently, the nevermore was charging at a group of 4 girls, tanking all the bullets and projectiles as it sped towards them. It sliced through the building they were on, but they used the falling debris as platforms to find another vantage point.
On the opposite side of the area, a deathstalker was getting pushed back by the combined efforts of 2 boys and 2 girls. The deathstalkers eye was then punctured by the spear of young woman in armor, and its stinger was taking significant damage from a boy black hair (and some pink) latched to its tail.
The deathstalker, having enough of it, violently shook the boy clinging to it off its tail, and into a stone wall. However, the damage was done, and its stinger was hanging on by a thread. A perfect weakness to exploit.
The blond boy present quickly looked at the armored woman, pointing at the stinger. The woman nodded in understanding, and hurled her shield toward the stinger like a projectile. Her aim was true as it decapitated the stinger from the deathstalker body, causing it to fall.
It pierced the deathstalkers armor like it was paper, lodging itself in its former master. The deathstalker roared in pain.
Using this opportunity, another girl, with a large hammer, was boosted into the air by the armored woman, gaining altitude. When she reached her peak, she activated her hammer's ranged attack, using its recoil to gain momentum, while also spinning in a circular motion, gaining even more power and speed behind it.
She crashed her hammer down on the stinger, burying it further within its old master, and severely damaging the bridge they were currently on. Her teammates ran past her as she used her weapon again to propel herself further, and to give the bridge the last push it needed.
The deathstalker was then lost to the chasms below.
The nevermore, meanwhile, was currently getting served dinner in the form of shotguns shells down its throat. After the tasteful snack, it slammed into the side of a cliff, disoriented from the strong flavor, and fell to the ground.
It recovered quickly, however, and squawked, sending out a challenge to those who oppose it, and it attempted to regain air superiority.
Before it could a girl in white quickly dashed forward and froze its tail, forcing it to remain grounded. The other girls were setting up an crudely made slingshot, with the red girl taking her position in the middle of the sling. As the sling rocked back, it was caught in a glyph made by the one in white.
"Of course YOU would come up with this idea." she stated in irritation. The red girl, Ruby, looked forward.
"Think you can make the shot?" she asked with a small grin.
"Hmph, can I?" mused the white one in a arrogant manner, as if that wasn't even a question.
There was a moment of silence
Ruby looked at her with concern, "Can-" "Of course I can!" rebuked the white one before Ruby even had a chance to finish her question. Ruby was then launched towards the nevermore, catching its neck with her scythe and landing on a glyph plastered against the cliffside.
Using the the glyphs and the recoil on her weapon, she quickly gained speed and dragged the nevermore up the cliffside, and, in an amazing display of power, decapitated the creature before landing in a victorious pose.
Ruby then turned back towards her teammates, her cloak flapping in the wind, red rose petals fluttering in the wind behind it.
That is what interested Eris. The red rose petals.
As far as she knew, only she produced rose petals with her semblance. This, along with the fact that ruby had silver eyes, her last name (Rose), and an appearance similar to her own, confirmed what she had been thinking about the past few days.'
Ruby was somehow related to her.
What the connection was, or how they were related was unknown, but maybe should could find out in the future, if Ozpin is serious about working with her.
Speaking of Ozpin.
He turned off the scroll and motioned for Eris and Glynda to follow him. "Come on, we don't want to keep the students waiting." he cheerfully spoke. Glynda followed, briefly slowing when she passed Eris, but otherwise kept a composed appearance.
After some hesitation, Eris chose to follow on foot, rather than as a shadow.
Later that day
"Russel Thrush. Cardin Winchester. Dove Bronzewing. Sky Lark. The four of you retrieved the black Bishop pieces." announced Ozpin, in his usual calm voice. "From this day forward, you will work together as…" Ozpin paused for a split second, letting suspense fill the air briefly. "Team CRDL (Cardinal), lead by Cardin winchester."
Applause filled the air as team CRDL left the stage. The next team moved up.
"Jaune Arc. Lie Ren. Pyrrha Nikos. Nora Valkyrie." announced Ozpin in the same voice. "The four of you retrieved the white rook pieces. From this day forward, you will work together as…" Ozpin paused again. "Team JNPR (Juniper)" Applause filled the air again as Nora gave Ren a death-hug.
"Lead by…" Ozpin Continued. "Jaune Arc"
"Huh? L-Lead by?" replied the newly appointed leader in bewilderment.
Ozpin nodded, "Congratulations young man."
Jaune had a lost look on his face, before be knocked over by Pyrrha, trying to give him a friendly shoulder punch.
"And finally…" Ozpin continued in his speaking voice, as JNPR left the stage. "Blake Belladonna. Ruby Rose." His shadow twitched briefly. "Weiss Schnee. And Yang Xiao Long." Ozpin finished. "The four of you retrieved the white knight pieces. From this day forward, you will work together as…" He paused once more.
"Team RWBY. (Ruby)" Ozpin stated. "Lead by…"
"Ruby Rose"
His shadow subtly flickered again.
Clapping erupted from the crowd, as Weiss just stared at Ruby in abject shock.
"I'm so PROUD of you!" yelled Yang as she embraced Ruby in a sisterly hug, the happiness clear on her face.
Ozpin silently nodded in approval, before speaking again.
"Looks like things are shaping up to be an…" He quickly glnced at his shadow, which flickered in response, before returning his gaze to RWBY.
"Interesting year" Ozpin concluded
Later
"You know, you are welcome here, there's no need to stay completely hidden." Ozpin calmy encouraged. Eris, not dropping any speed, crept out of Ozpin's shadow.
Glynda, who was walking besides him, slightly shuddered. It was startling to see someone rise from the ground like that.
Eris merely hummed in acknowledgment.
They continued forwards until they reached an elevator. It opened and the three occupants stepped inside, heading for the headmasters office.
"Now, about that job I have for you... " Ozpin began.
Eris hummed in curiosity.
'What kind of job could Ozpin have that depended on the teams?' She wondered, as her silver eyes gazed at him, unseen in the shadows of her hood.
So, what do think the job will be? Take a guess.
Eris does not need to use other's shadows, but becoming a shadow herself and merging with someone else's is like the difference between walking, and riding a wagon being pulled by someone else.
It's just a lazier way to travel.
The flickering is very faint, but Ozpin is very perceptive, which is how he noticed the last flicker. Had he been looking, he might have seen the other two.
Also, Eris's cloak is actually very smooth and pristine. It's just thick, giving off the appearance of being large.