Natural and Zorua had been running around the bedroom for several minutes now. They were laughing and smiling as the waved and flapped their arms through the air, and chasing each other as they jumped over chairs and toys. Natural looked back to see his new friend behind him, both sharing the look of pure giddy and joy they held in their eyes. This was the best day ever! Not only did Natural get to meet someone new, but he was able to play with him for as long as he wanted
With his head in the clouds, the birthday boy caught his foot on the train tracks that were scattered throughout the room. He let out a loud yell as he fell onto the wood floor. Too close behind, Zorua crashed right into him, and the two lay sprawled out beside each other. They locked eyes for a moment. Neither one knew exactly how to react. That is, until Zorua's fox ears drooped. Upon seeing this, Natural burst out laughing. For some reason that even he didn't know, he found it hilarious! He was hunching over on his side and holding his gut as he kept laughing.
Out of the pure sight, Zorua began to crack a smile. He sat up, fully enjoying the sight of the boy shaking on the floor in front of him. He covered his mouth, and bursted out into a fit of laughs himself! He fell back to the floor, barely able to breathe in between each monstrous chuckle. The two kept laughing and laughing, almost to the point of tears.
Their laughter filled the whole hallway. Anyone in it at the time would surely be distracted or even annoyed by the constant noise, but the one exception would be the soul person in the hall at that moment. For the cloaked man, the children's enjoyment was music to his ears. He let out a maniacal smirk of his own as he stepped back from the barely opened door. As of right now, everything was going according to plan.
The man closed the door, and turned to face the blonde haired man next to him. He brought one wrinkled hand out from within the cloak, and held it out for the other man to shake. "Everything is working just like you said," he commented with a faint grin.
The other man's expression didn't change. He didn't even raise one hand from his side to shake. "Our agreement holds firm?" he said, imposing himself over the old man.
"Plasma Incorporated will be partnered with the White Fang by the end of the year," the old man said while bringing his hand back. "Our facilities and staff will be at your disposal, and the child is promoted when he becomes of age." He took his cane from within his cloak and slammed its tip hard on the ground. "And I expect you to hold your end of the bargain."
"Very well then." The blonde man turned away, but froze after taking a few steps. He took a deep breath before turning back around. "Thank you Ghetsis. The White fang has been seeing a lack in progress over the last few years." He stopped for a moment, deliberating his words. "...I hope this partnership will be beneficial for both of us," he quickly managed to say before turning back around.
Ghetsis merely smiled at the man's ignorance.
Steven spread his arms and legs out as he soared over the Emerald forest. He wanted to cover as much ground as possible before falling under the tree line. He watched as students all around him dove down into the ground and fantastic displays of energy and bullets, while some others barely made a noise as they slid down a tree with precision.
He felt the wind on his face as he flew, and felt all of his clothes frantically shake. Closing his eyes, he gripped onto the cord from the side of his backpack that was shaking just as much. He took a deep breath. This would be the day where the world finally meets Steven Stone, the huntsmen!
He yanked on the cord as hard as he could, and listened to the many joints and metal gears turning behind him as he started descending. They clanked, rattled, sprang, locked, and finally...absolute quiet. That was his cue.
Steven brought his arms to his chest and held them there before thrusting them back out. When they did, he could hear the cloth of the bag rip and tear as his was ripped apart by every corner and seal. He left it slowly drifting down while four massive mechanical arms extended out from their concealed state. This was his weapon: Metagross. Their metallic blue color shone brightly in the sky, their many ridges and bumps reflecting as much light as possible from the sun above them.
The boy shielded his face, and the robotic ones mimicked his movement. They formed a protective covering as the boy crashed wildly through the trees. Right before he hit the ground, the robotic arms extended out, landing on the ground in the same fashion a spider would. The four steel spiked that protruded off of the bottom of each arm dug into the ground, suspending their wielder above it while he lay face down in the air. The earth shook when they punched the ground, and a small crater formed around the crash site. Any rocks or trees in the immediate area shattered instantly due to the sheer force the impact.
The only problem with such a grand entrance is that it isn't exactly subtle...
Already, a few Grimm were surrounding Steven's position. Glancing around, he counted three beowolves: one in front, two behind. He shouldn't even break a sweat.
The one in front let loose a great roar, and quickly charged forward. Steven did the same, full of confidence. The two kept rushing at each other until they were about to collide. The beowolf reared its claws back into the air, but Steven spun to the right side and sent it flying with a horizontal slam with two of the arms.
Without losing momentum, he turned and slid across the open dirt. He skidded to a halt, sending a cloud of dust and dirt from behind him. He took a deep step forward, and bashed Metagross's arms on the ground launch himself high into the air. Diving towards the second Grimm, he pulled his right fist back for a punch. When he landed, the monster was reduced to a flattened pile of black fur underneath 137.5 pounds of steel.
He immediately jumped from that position, and sent himself flying. He flew right beside the Grimm, and kicked it before landing firmly on the ground. Using an arm for support, he spun around and delivered a flurry of punches from all four arms. Each punch hit with deadly power, relentlessly attacking the beast from all angles. Uppercuts, jabs, hooks, any kind of punch was being flung at by for massive arms with lightning speed. With a cocky smirk, Steven finished the Grimm off with a devastating uppercut from the two right arms. Planting the left ones on the ground, jumped off of the ground and sent the final beowulf skyward with a powerful strike.
He smiled as he watched it soar over the tree line and off into the distance. Content with his work, he turned around, dusted himself off and then-sighed in defeat. Of all of the people to be the first one to see...
Far away, that flying beowolf served as quite the surprise of another student. She was jumping rapidly from rock to rock, atop a small mountain that pierced through the top of the forest. Her grey, tattered cape was fluttering in the wind as she jumped, traveling at inhuman speeds.
She was leaping and jumping when she started to hear a feint sound in the back of her mind. She slowed down at the next rock, and jumped on to the ground just above a cliff on the mountainside. Curious, she peered out over the horizon, eyes peeled and looking for any sight of abnormal movement. With her hand shading the sun away from her eyes, she finally saw it. It was the scream of a beowolf as it was being hurled right towards her!
Her eyes widened with surprise. Stepping back, she quickly grabbed the handle from underneath her cape. When she pulled, it unveiled a coiled mess of red metal and machinery with the small handle sticking out from the side. Holding it, the girl made a flicking motion, and the clunky circle rolled out into a very long, curved sword made of dozens of connected pieces. Its length was well over the girls small stature, and its width was so large, most strikes would do little more than smack an opponent out of the way.
However, the girl did just that. She spun, slamming the broad blade into the black ball of claws and fur. Of course she deflected it, and it landed in a contorted heap beside her.
The girl contracted her blade, and placed underneath her cape once again. She checked around her, making sure that no other Grimm were around. She did spot a few small nevermores in the distance, but they probably wouldn't be much of a problem. Taking off at a jog, she rounded a corner of the mountain. When she turned, she was faced with another surprise.
She stood face to face with a red haired boy. Stunned, the two simply stared at each other for a few seconds. The girl turned her head away from the boy in front of her. When she turned back, she had a smile across her face a shine to her eye. She shot him a grin. "Well, I guess we're partners," she said with an animated enthusiasm.
The boy adjusted the glasses on his face. "It appears that is so." His face remained neutral, pretty much devoid of any emotion.
Her smile faltered upon seeing his reaction. "Well, um...My name's Zinnia," she forced out while doing the same for a very awkward smile. "What's yours?"
"...Maxie," he replied, bringing the two back to a state of silence.
Zinnia racked her brain, desperately trying to find some way to break the ice. When she was fantasizing about what her partner for the next four years would be, she was picturing someone as adventurous and upbeat as herself, someone who she could be on the same wavelength with. Not...a walking statue...
"Well...ah...I think I saw the ruins over there." Zinnia pointed over the cliff, where she could see tall stone pillars and buildings. "If we start making our way over, we should make it over there in a few a half hour. Right?"
"...Yes quite. We shall start moving in that direction now." Without even looking in her direction, Maxie placed his hands behind his back and started walking past her. He slid down the side of the cliff, leaving the poor girl to catch up.
This was probably the worst case scenario for her. She was partnered up with some stuck up, antisocial prick who wouldn't even give her the time of day if she asked for it. She looked over the edge of the cliff, and saw that Maxie was already walking away from its base. He was already a few meters away, and didn't even look back. Zinnia, heaved out a depressed sigh before jumping down the cliff herself.
Right after N landed within the forest he heard quite the massive brawl going on. He began to run through the Emerald Forest, dodging tree after tree, when suddenly a beowolf flew right past him. He took cover behind a tree, and watched as the back beast collided with a large stone slab. It bounced off the rock and landed on the ground. It cried out in pain, and started prowling around when it got up. Its ears perked up, and the white head of the creature snapped in N's direction.
Taking notice of the student, it lowered its head and gave a low growl. N stepped back, and assumed a fighting stance. He rose the weapon in his right hand, the flaming white one, and slashed downward right in front of him. The strike sent a wave of flame at the beowolf, stunning it in place. Using his new opportunity, N dashed towards it with blue sparks flying from the curved blade in his left hand.
He slashed the black blade as he emerged from the grey smoke that filled the area, cutting a large gash across the beast's chest. N grunted as he thrust the sword into the beowolf's chest. "Take this!" he yelled as lightning danced across the creature's body, shocking and electrifying it. N pulled out his sword, panting slightly after the brief fight. "Well, that was a good warm up." He ran a hand through his green hair as both swords retracted back into their dagger forms. After sheathing them, made his way over to his original destination.
N forced his way through a set of bushes when he ran into a familiar face. "Ah Steven!" Boy was N happy to see Steven. Not only would his partner be someone decent, but it would be someone he already knew. Things were shaping up to be pretty good! "So, I guess we're partners then."
Steven was quick to respond. "Yes! Your my partner! So let's go! Now!" By the time N had any time to react to Steven's barrage of commands, he was already being pushed back to where he came by the boy.
N was so dazzled by the strange scene that it was only when the unknown voice called out to him that he snapped back to reality. "Hey! Wait! The Stone guy's my partner!" The voice was rough, powerful, and right now, full of anger. N felt the force of Steven pushing be removed from his back. He turned around, and was met with the sight of the boy being pulled back by a big, golden anchor. And the wielder of that anchor was...him of all people.
"Hey, you're that barbarian that was shoving his way through the crowd when we arrived!" N yelled out to the boy in blue that was now grabbing Steven by the back of his shirt.
"Yes I am. Name's Archie. What's it to you ya little shrimp?" The pirate of a man pointed his finger as if accusing someone. "Stone here is my partner! So get lost!" This pirate of a man pulled on his jacket, exposing more of his chest. He slung that big anchor he held over his shoulder.
While he was distracted, Steven took an opportunity to slide out from behind. He managed to get next to N, leaving Archie looking around like a numbskull. "Wah! Hey!"
Steven then put on a smirk, relaxed his shoulders, and wrapped on arm around his partner in a blue bandana. "Look, Archie. Let's not mince words." Even though he seemed collected, anyone could see the sweat beading on his forehead. N might've helped him, but this looked like it might be fun to watch. A little comic relief could make his day better.
"So, there are many other possibilities for partner options." With his arm around Archie's shoulder, Steven's other was busy making exaggerated hand motions. "Now, you could choose me, a particularly boring son of a business man." He took great care to emphasize the word 'boring'. "Or...we could forget you ever laid eyes on me. We walk our separate ways. You find another partner, and I go get the relic with my 'other partner'." He gestured towards N, who was now sitting on a rock with his legs crossed, casually sharpening his daggers.
He looked up from the rock with blatant content plastered upon his face. "I wouldn't exactly be opposed to the idea..."
"So Archie, what do you say hmm?"
The two started at each other until Archie finally broke the silence. "I say your little buddy over there can go suck a-"
"K, great!" Steven quickly interjected with very forced amiability. "Boy am I glad we made that deal buddy. So me and N over here are gonna go over here, and you can go...do...whatever." He flashed a quick thumbs up before dashing over to his friend on the rock. He clutched on to N's wrist and promptly started running away with him.
The two barely made it two the next tree before they were stopped dead in their tracks. Steven was just about to look back towards the pirate when he heard a loud thump in his path. He jumped at the noise and skidded to a halt while both his arms flailed wildly through the air.
N was just recoiling from getting hit in the face by his friend when he saw the boy in front of him. He was low to the ground with one hand out, almost as if he dropped from the sky. As he stood up slowly, both of the boys stared at him in amazement. Their mouths were held open. Once he was up straight, his glasses shone luminously in the light of the forest.
"Hey you two simps! Get back...here..." He rose his hand questioningly before motioning towards their sleek now arrival. "Whose the nerd?" He was still hunching over, catching his breath.
The strange boy locked his unwavering gaze on N and Steven. "You two may think that the instructions of the headmaster are things to be trifled with." His eyebrows furrowed in anger, his eyes were covered by the shine of his glasses. "I believe his word's were 'the first person you make eye-contact with'. You imbeciles may think that these rules were made to be broken, that they are merely authority exercising its power. However!" his voice rose to a yell. He was now shouting at the boys.
"I DISAGREE!"
"My name is Chrome, Colress Chrome. You..." the boy shoved a finger in N's direction. "...are my partner for the next four years."
N ran a hand through his hair and cocked his head into a quizzical gaze. "I beg your pardon?"
Colress strode forward. "You. My partner. Four years." He flung his towards his head. "Ring any bells?" he interrogated arrogantly. N responded with an empty gaze "N, I believe it was," he rattled of while pacing back and forth. "You are the first one I have made eye-contact with today and per the rules of this initiation that makes you my partner for the four years if my life that I am to be present at this academy, so!" He stopped suddenly and turned towards the three others, making them all flinch. "I believe you should come with me, N."
"Ah, well," N glanced over to Steven with some slight disappointment in his eyes. "Steven, I'll see you around." He shook the boys hand, but Steven still had an anxious expression on his face.
"Wait wait wait! N, you can't just leave me with him!" He threw his hands towards Archie.
"Hey! I'm right here ya scamp!"
Steven waved his hand flippantly. "Yeah yeah sharkboy. Anyway, come on N please! Please!" His dramatic change in demeanor shocked the group.
Colress turned his head towards the sky, almost as if he was thinking of something. Placing a content smile over his face he clapped his hands. "Well Mr. Stone, I have a temporary solution to this problem." He folded his hands behind his back. "Why don't we all venture together. If we all collect the correct relics, we shall end up on the same team, yes? So all we have to do is go together and earn spots on the same team."
His rapid talks stunned the whole group. Steven himself just started twiddling his thumbs, and clicked his metal rings together. "Well, at least I won't be the only one that has to deal with this barbarian."
Despite Archie's brief protests, Colress clapped his hands together. He quickly shut the pirate up before he would become a nuisance. "Ah, brilliant! I suggest we be off then!" With that, he trotted off through the forest, leaving the other three behind. It wasn't until the eccentric boy heard silence instead of footsteps that he turned around. He turned on his heels in an exaggerated spinning motion, his shaking his equally eccentric blue hair spiral in the motion. "Well, I hope you three will be joining me soon!"
"And that's the final team formed," Professor Glynda Goodwitch proclaimed as she looked up from her scroll. The tablet showed the image of Colress talking with N, along with some basic diagnostics off to the side. "And it seems like they've formed some kind of alliance with Archie Aquas and Steven Stone. I wonder of that will hold firm." She and Ozpin were now sitting in the headmaster's office, spectating the affairs of . Just making sure none hit seriously injured, checking the area for any Grimm overpopulation, things like that.
"Well, the student teams are always interesting," Ozpin commented after placing his mug down on his glass desk. He took a seat, placing his scroll on the desk so its information would be displayed on the computer. As it flashed across the holographic screen, he folded his arms and let out an angered sigh. 'Colress Chrome' it read. Colress Chrome...
He stared at the screen, his aged gaze shooting daggers at the boy's profile. Such an inconspicuous thing to be concerned about. It seemed like just another student attending his academy, one would presume there would be nothing out of the ordinary. In fact, Ozpin himself was still hesitant to press on the situation. There was just something...off about this boy. He stared at it, and shifted his hands. "Colress Chrome," he muttered to himself under his breath.
"Is something wrong sir?" Ozpin flinched as he was snapped back into reality.
"Yes, of course Glynda. I was merely thinking about the teams thus far...I'm fine" The man grabbed his cane as he pushed himself out of the chair. He pushed himself away from the desk, sliding his scroll into his pocket with the other hand. Glynda watched in dismay as the headmaster walked pass her.
"Sir?"
"I'm going to observe from the cliff. Alert me if anything goes amiss," he instructed as he activated the button on the elevator. He stepped in as it opened and turned around. He stared at Glynda as he rested his hand on the cane. "And Glynda..." He pushed his wire glasses closer to his eyes. "...Please be wary of the team that just formed." His voice, full of dread, ordered as the two doors slid in front of him, shutting him off from the outside world.
Hey everyone! First off, I'm really sorry I missed the date I set for myself. I wasn't able to get to my computer for a while, so I couldn't really upload my story. Again, sorry! Secondly, I'll be uploading one more chapter before I transition into monthly uploads. For this story, I'll upload at the beginning of the month. This just doesn't feel fair to end it on a cliffhanger like this! Finally, I feel like I didn't really hit the standards I set for myself when I wrote the last chapter. I've just been swamped with tons of work before school starts, so I haven't had a lot of time to write.
Anyway, a review and criticism would be highly appreciated, that was my first fight scene after all. I'd really like some help with that specifically. Was it too rushed, was there not enough detail, was there too much detail, just things like that. I can't really become a better writer if I don't know what I'm doing wrong, right? Have a great day!
