Line Break
Glynda Goodwitch was a hard woman to please. Years of students failing to meet her expectations, grading horribly written essays, and her colleague's eccentric behaviour were all responsible for this. However, despite this, she could say that those that did manage to impress her were the ones she looked out for; those individuals always becoming something greater than she could ever imagine.
The young man in front of her was one of those people, she was sure of it. He was extremely plain looking: plain glasses, unkempt hair, and a hoodie to match his look; she was expecting the teen to be someone who didn't care about anything in general.
That opinion changed immediately after he had spoken to her.
He was well mannered, confident, and knowledgeable. Politely introducing himself, able to hold a conversation with her, and reading those books stacked beside them. Glynda knew he wasn't lying when he said he read them; she was not so easily deceived after all.
Some of the books beside him were university level writings, some not even used in Beacon's curriculum due to the sheer size and intensity of the book, yet the man before her had read them all. Heck, he had been able to give her a theory on different applications of dust that even she had not heard of before.
She was definitely going to apply it as soon as she had some free time.
If she had any free time that is. This batch of first years was a ticking time bomb, to her at least. From scythe wielding 15-year-old, to a civilian forging his way into beacon. Why in hell Ozpin decided that was a good idea was something she would gladly stay away from.
Trying to figure out would only lead to a migraine, which would then be drowned out by some of the stronger drinks she had in her office. She hoped she wouldn't need to use it anytime soon.
If only she knew.
Getting back on topic, the young man before had struck up many topics with her: dust theory and application, the mystery of aura, grimm biology and combat…
And then he spoke of hunters. Their duties, history, and the evolution of the career to where it was today. He seemed genuinely fascinated by them, something that gave her pride, for she was one herself and one of the people to raise such individuals.
Did he want to become a hunter in the future? She would gladly help if it means having a student as well versed as this young man. She was the second in command of Beacon academy, she could easily pull some strings if she wanted to. Of course, he would have to take a few tests. She was not like Ozpin, she would not invite a student without formality; that would be poor judgement on her part if she did.
"Miss Goodwitch is something the matter?" Ren asked, a concern look on his face. The woman just went into a trance of some sort, probably thinking hard about something important. Five minutes of her just staring in space as she muttered about "Admission" and "Stupid Headmasters".
Was the huntress a teacher?
"Apologies. It is nothing to worry about, I assure you." She said. Her long thoughts broken by Ren Amamiya if she remembered correctly. The teenager definitely had a strange name, one which she had never heard before. Probably from Mistral. "Are you interested in becoming a hunter Mister Amamiya?"
Ren seemed to think the question over, as if the idea had never crossed his mind before. He was about to answer, but then a loud crash interrupted him, shaking the building once over before a shriek pierced their ears.
"GRIMM!" they heard, their bodies already heading to the exit of the building, Morgana stealthily following from behind the shadows.
The doors opening by Glynda using her semblance, she looked outside before a building came crashing to the ground at the outskirts of the town. With her destination in mind, she jumped to the nearest building, planning to make her way there as quick as possible, but not before shouting at Ren.
"Head to the airships! It will be safe there!" Hopping to the next building, not even bothering to look at the man she just left behind. She was sure it would be fine after all, he had a good head on his shoulders, no doubt that he would listen to her order.
With a great leap, Glynda rushed to where the building had collapsed, all the while using her scroll to tell all hunters to evacuate the remaining citizens.
If she wasn't too busy, she would have noticed the young man following her. A serious look on his face.
It's show time… again.
Landing in the debris, Glynda searched around for any civilians that were caught in the attack. Luckily, it seemed that no one was harmed, and that they were being evacuated at this very moment.
She could only hope Ren got to the ships safely as well.
Hearing the roars of grimm, Glynda made her way to the noise, running to where the sound came from. Riding crop in her hand, she prepared herself for any grimm that were going to come her way. Gladly would she eradicate those that tried.
But she wasn't prepared for one of her students, Coco Adel, to be underneath debris, her head bleeding, and unconscious. Only her arms and upper body were free, the rest underneath stones and bricks from the surrounding buildings.
However, that was the least of Glynda's concern at the current moment. She could easily remove the debris on her, she could easily fix the buildings around them actually. The only thing stopping her from doing so was the grimm upon Miss Adel.
A death stalker. An old one by the sheer size of it; the size of a house. No doubt the one responsible for the destroyed buildings, probably ran into the structures to surprise any unlikely victims to be.
Miss Adel being that very victim.
Raising its stinger, the death stalker brought it down in an instant. Glynda could only raise her riding crop and try to stop the death blow on Coco. She was a second too late it seemed, the stinger already only a meter away from the body, the victim unaware of their apparent deathbed.
'I'm not going to make it!' she screamed in her mind. Was this truly how a student of hers was going to die? Unaware all the while being watched by her own professor?
"NO!" She screamed, losing her composure as she watched the execution in front of her. Her very own student life going to be snuffed in front of her.
She was too late.
But he wasn't.
Faster than the stinger descending on her student, she watched Ren appear from nowhere, before slashing at it with a blade in his hand, deflecting the oncoming stinger.
The death stalker shrieked in pain, its stinger now rendered useless as it laid limp. The beast clawed and pinched at the man now protecting the defenseless girl, its only goal to eliminate the person who had destroyed a vital part of its body.
Glynda watched in awe as he deflected the claws with the knife in his hand, not even budging as he blew the pincers away.
Quickly taking advantage of Ren's sudden appearance, Glynda removed the debris holding Miss Adel down, before running to her and picking her up. The young lady groaned at the sudden movement, something that made Glynda glad. She was still alive, her pained response proving that she was going to be okay in due time.
Jumping away from the conflict, she heard reinforcements coming their way, the sound of hurried footsteps and yells coming from behind them. Before they could arrive however, Ren decided to finish the fight in one go, all by himself.
Deciding that now was as good as a time then never, Ren let the pincer past his defenses, only to dodge it entirely. His body just an inch away from being hit.
Summoning several glass bottles of freeze spray, he threw it at the death stalker. The moment it touched the grimm they exploded. The grimm could only feel the ice form on its body before freezing it entirely, stopping the scorpions rush of attacks.
Luck was truly on his side today.
Quickly summoning his gun, Ren shot at the grimm. A hail of bullets inflicting their mark on the oversized arachnid. Gunfire rang through the air, the frozen body beginning to crack from the barrage. Before it could break free however, Ren jumped in front of its face, his blade in his hand.
At the back of his mind he heard a voice, one that he knew very well.
'Detest the enemy before you! Change that animosity into power... and unleash it!'
"Brave Blade."He the blade onto the frozen enemy, the force behind it shattering the grimm entirely. Chunks of ice fell to the ground, the grimm's body within. Black smoke began to rise, melting the ice, before the smoke stopped.
The grimms death confirmed, he let out a breath of relief. Turning around, Ren realized he had an audience. Huntsman and huntresses all stared at him, jaw wide open, while muttering something about him.
"Who's the kid?"
"Did you see that?"
"He took out a death stalker all by himself…"
One by one, the voices of the hunters became louder, filling the streets with their gossip. Letting out an exasperated sigh, Ren shook his head while his head drooped. He could never escape rumors anymore it seemed.
The sound of heels hit his ears, directing his attention to the woman he was just having a nice conversation with. He could only accept what was going to happen, no doubt that he was going to be questioned, or maybe even arrested again.
So much for no more criminal record.
Glynda now stood in front of him, a sharp look in her eyes. Sizing him up as though he was meat at the market. He was about to break eye contact with her, but before he did she decided to speak.
"Do you want to attend Beacon Academy?" She asked. Her eyes watching him like a hawk. It was like the interrogating room all over again. But this time it was with a person who could probably beat the words out of him if he was not careful.
"Let's make a deal then." She continued, surprising Ren even furthermore. Not expecting the woman to make a deal. She seemed intent on making him attend the school, not even speaking with him in private. The audience that had gathered watched the scene with hungry eyes.
He was the center of attention, something he had learned to avoid. If Morgana saw him like this he would have scolded him.
"We will provide you lodging at your stay in Beacon, and a full scholarship should you choose to enter. We will also give you a monthly stipend should you need the income. I know this is sudden, but an answer now would be gratefully appreciated." She said hungrily. The crowd gaping at what the woman had just offered. Even Ren couldn't hide the surprise on his face, the offer being that good.
Closing his eyes, crossing his arms, and calming himself. Ren thought about the proposal and his current situation.
Here he was in another world with a talking cat, nowhere to go, and no leads on the distortions whatsoever. The offer presented to him solved his housing situation, and also came with a stipend which would be a plus, despite being rich from what he could tell. His time would be split between studying and finding leads, but that could easily be managed; he had done the same just a year ago. Not only that but he got a free pass to a prestigious school, one which he wouldn't need to pay should he do things right.
A base of operations, while also allying himself with the side of justice in one fell swoop. This was just too good of an opportunity to pass.
"That offer is quite unfair you know?" Ren sighed, finally opening his eyes to stare at Goodwitch's. "But it's an offer too good to ignore. It's a deal." He finalized, uncrossing his arms, and holding his right hand towards her. Glynda fully understanding the gesture did the same. Shaking each others hands as a way to put the stamp on their agreement.
"Welcome to Beacon Academy, Mr Amamiya." She said, a smile growing on her face.
Ozpin wouldn't mind the sudden applicant she was sure.
After all, he did the same to Miss Rose, right?
This was no different.
So much happened that week. It was just like getting his record, only this time he was getting a scholarship.
Besides the earful from Morgana ranging from "How could you stand out like that!" to "What if we're found out!" everything was peaceful.
The town's civilians were evacuated, and the girl that was injured was sent straight to the hospital in Vale via airship. Meanwhile, he had been on the ship straight to Beacon.
It was… oddly familiar.
Rumors spread like a wildfire when he had entered the ship. People avoided him, as if they would burn from just being in his presence. Some sneered, others awed, the only way Ren could describe it was that it was a mess just waiting to happen.
When they touched down at Beacon, Ms Goodwitch immediately told him to follow her. The two walked in silence, Morgana in his bag, before taking an elevator to the top of the giant tower, the CCT if he remembered correctly.
And then he met Ozpin, headmaster of Beacon.
A background check, a talk about his future, and a few signings regarding his acceptance into Beacon. He was now a huntsman-in-training, planning to start school the upcoming school term.
Ren had lied regarding his background. Having read about the continent of Mistral and its sheer size, Ren decided to base his origins from over there. Telling the two that he was raised by his parents in a village before being abandoned by them, moving to place to place, and eventually finding himself in the town where he had met Glynda. Not wanting to create anymore plot holes, Ren told them it was a touchy subject, and that he was uncomfortable with his past still. The two staff members nodded in understanding before moving on.
Too easy.
With his business done with the head master, he and Glynda exited the room using the elevator, but not before Ren said his thanks to the man, which the man returned with a smile.
Glynda led him to his room. A bed in the corner, a desk beside it, and a shelf for books to use. The room was almost the same size as his attic back at Leblanc, no, it was actually bigger. Making sure it wasn't a mistake, he questioned Glynda, before she smiled at him.
"Ozpin and I felt that you should have it, with your rough past and all. He was also grateful that you had saved Miss Adel's life. Consider this a reward for your deed." She explained to him.
"This is still too much…" Ren countered, even if this was a reward he had already gotten so much from the school already. It felt… wrong, being given all this without having done anything extravagant. Seeing his deeds as something anyone would have done if they could have.
"Do not worry, teams of four are made during the first few days at the school. This place will be shared with your teammates. Enjoy the room by yourself in the meantime, you'll miss it soon enough." Poking fun at the boy and how humble he was. He truly didn't think his actions were all that great. Barely anyone had the ability to repel a death stalker, with a knife no less, but he seemed to downplay his skills greatly.
Handing him his scroll, she told him that it would be his access key to his room, before leaving Ren to get some rest. When she was gone, Morgana leapt out of the bag, glad to be finally free from it. Exhausted from the lack of sleep, the two clocked out, resting themselves for the next day which they had plans for.
They had seven days to get what they needed before the school year started. That wasn't a lot, but it was better than nothing. The two headed out, doing whatever they could to fill out the time.
The first day had them exploring Beacon, quickly learning the ins and outs, and ups and downs. Ren and Morgana grabbing a bite from the dining hall, before making a quick stop to the library to check out some books. They learned the campus layout in 2 hours, before making their way to the docks to head out to the city.
Immediately when they touched down, Morgana and Ren asked for directions to the dust store. When they reached it, they immediately bought unrefined and refined dust for them to experiment with. Morgana seeming all too eager to put something together.
Next was the weapon shop, where Ren had decided to buy a simple knife the same length as Paradise. He would still use Paradise, but when being watched or fighting in groups, he would opt to the new blade. Destruction would remain his gun however, the reason being it increased his power as a whole.
When all was said and done, Morgana and Ren spent their first day shopping; gathering supplies for themselves. It was already dark when they had returned home, but not too late. They got to work, using the desk given to create some more... interesting stuff with the dust they bought.
Combining the dust with their items and bullets, Morgana and Ren had made a plethora of experimental items to use. Both were eager to try them in combat, especially on the grimm. Those bastards deserved to die after everything they've done.
The next day and the day after were experimentation time. Sneaking off to the Emerald Forest, they used their weapons on the environment and the grimm; their item weapons gaining an area of effect when mixed with dust, while the bullets gave them elemental properties. Ren was quite pleased with the results, but he wished that these were available during their time as Phantom Thieves.
By the time they were done, the forested area they were using was a complete wreck. Trees uprooted, frozen, scorched, and somehow upside down. The grimm they found could only hope to die quickly as they were faced with elemental attacks on a whole other level.
Day four and five were investigation days. The two explored the city once more, but more thoroughly. Splitting up while also in their Phantom Thief uniforms. They had expected to find some kind of lead but…
They came up with nothing. Nothing whatsoever.
Having no choice but to retreat for the day, the two trudged their way home, unhappy that they found nothing but shattered hopes.
The last two days were spent doing idle things. Shopping for new clothes, looking at the sights, even buying equipment to make coffee and curry.
It wasn't that the curry and coffee rejuvenated their minds, that was only a plus, the reason he bought the equipment was because of a simple desire; he loved coffee and curry now.
Sojiro would no doubt be proud of the monster he had created.
The day where the new term started began, and Ren decided to take a stroll around the campus, leaving Morgana to do his own thing. He was about to head back to the room, but he ran into a rather dishevelled Miss Goodwitch
"Mr Amamiya, there will be an opening ceremony for all first years in the amphitheatre. Please come to the cliffside tomorrow at 8 am sharp, there will be an initiation held to determine teams, while also testing your mettle. Do not be late." She tiredly told him, her eyes narrowing at him as though trying to get a rise from him, but he knew that it wasn't that. It was a message underneath formality, one that Ren had been able to catch.
Do not disappoint me, or my decision on having you here.
She walked off, no doubt preparing for the work that would follow. Paper work along with planning of classes, Ren knew of the struggles a teacher would have, having helped Sadayo with her own work and having to grade papers every now and then.
Ann would kill him if she figured that out…
Making his way to the amphitheatre, Ren couldn't help but wonder out loud.
"I wonder what kind of people I'll be meeting…"
LINE BREAK
Weiss Schnee was a serious young lady. An individual who strived to be perfect, to be the best hunter around, while also breaking free from her father's clutches.
So when she had exploded due to a sneeze from errant dust, it was suitable to say she was furious. That fury only growing as her family name was slandered, reminding her of why she had come to Beacon in the first place.
With hurried stomps and a vial of the most refined burn dust in her hand, she made her way to the amphitheatre, uncaring for anyone else around her.
Which had caused her to trip on someone's luggage, making her toss the vial into the air. Hitting the ground with a large thud, she stared in abject horror as the vial was thrown out of her hands, it about to crash to the ground beneath. The glass wasn't going to break, but it still didn't mean it was appropriate to have something that valuable crash to the ground.
Before the vial could hit the floor; however, someone had caught it. A young man with unkempt wavy black hair, and glasses. His attire consisting of a black blazer and a white shirt underneath, and a pair of jeans. Weiss could say honestly say that the guy looked rather unremarkable; he looked like an everyday civilian after all.
"Are you okay?" Putting out his free hand to help her, which she took without hesitation. He pulled her up, before handing the vial of dust to her. "This belongs to you right?"
"Thank you. At least someone has some manners…" She said, whispering the last part. The young man before her raised his eyebrow, overhearing the obvious attack on someone the girl met earlier.
"Ren Amamiya. A pleasure." Introducing himself first. Ren raised his hand, expecting the girl to do the same, assuming she was civil enough that is.
"Weiss Schnee. Thank you for earlier." She responded in kind, shaking his hand with hers. Ren's eyes widened a bit, surprised that the heiress of the Schnee Dust Company was attending Beacon. Wouldn't Atlas Academy be a much easier choice?
Nodding at her and ignoring his questions, Ren spoke. "I'm guessing you're a first year like myself. We should head over to the amphitheatre. Don't want to be late and all." He said, a smile on his face before turning and walking to where they were supposed to go. He waved at her, gesturing to follow, which she did.
Enjoying his company, the two made small talk. Weiss talked about dust, while Ren listened and added his own piece every now and then. The heiress was pleased to know that he could hold the subject without dropping it a second later.
When they reached the amphitheatre, Weiss had to leave to find where her personnel left her luggage. "It was nice talking with you. Perhaps we could study together once in a while." She said, showing him a sly smile, all the while walking away.
With renewed vigor, Weiss forgot entirely of the morning that had happened. Her conversation with Ren being enlightening, while also giving her an idea.
If the rumors about having teams were true, then she needed Ren on her team. The guy showed promise and seemed like an outstanding individual. She didn't know of how well he did in combat but she was sure the guy could handle his own. Him being accepted into Beacon should mean he had some combat experience.
Her team would be a perfect place for him, with her as the leader of course.
Glancing around, Weiss needed another individual that caught her eye. A champion on both the battlefield and looks.
Where could you have gone, Pyrrha Nikos?
Ren hadn't bothered with listening to the speech Ozpin gave. The moment "wasted energy" came out of the headmaster's mouth he knew what would follow.
You're all still children, but you'll soon be able warriors should you take the first step.
Ren walked away shortly after, not even bothering to look at the commotion happening inside. No doubt it was Weiss scolding some girl. He had just spoken with her, so her voice was still fresh in his ears.
Heading to where his room was, Ren walked along silently, while also looking at his scroll.
Roman Torchwick had robbed a dust store just about a week ago. The man stealing a rather large amount of dust in the process, but a majority of it had been reclaimed thanks to the police and hunters working together.
Disgusted with the crime, Ren sneered. If he was still a Phantom Thief he would jumped into the metaverse and stole Roman's treasure from underneath his nose.
But he can't.
But if he was going to 'become' a hunter, maybe he would be able to meet the man. Possibly apprehend him should the opportunity be given. It would be a little nice to take down those with corrupted views once more, just in a more legal non-vigilante kind of way.
Just a little.
Turning a corner that led to his room, Ren saw a girl in Beacon's uniform in front of his door, tapping her foot rather quickly, as it left an indent on the ground. She had sunglasses on her face along with wearing a beret on her head.
She turned her head left and right, looking for someone. That 'someone' was him apparently, for the moment she locked eyes on his form she waved at him, beckoning him to come over to her.
Not wanting to keep the lady waiting, Ren walked to her. She was confident, the way she held herself was a dead give away. Other than that, though, Ren wondered why she wanted to meet him, especially since he was sure they had never met before.
"Hey~. You sure know how to keep a lady waiting don't ya?" She good naturedly flirted. Lowering her glasses, she sized him up, inspecting him and his clothes like they were meat at a market. She seemed to approve of his attire though, nodding at him while pushing her sunglasses back up.
"Coco Adel, leader of team CFVY. You probably don't remember but you saved my ass back at that town. Death stalker fiasco and all."
"Ren Amamiya. And I do remember you, just not with the sunglasses and beret. Is there something you need?" Ren said quickly. As much as he wanted to talk with the girl, he really needed to get ready for initiation. Introducing himself and getting straight to the point, Ren stared at the girl expecting and answer.
"Nothing really. Just wanted to say thanks for saving my ass. That death stalker came out of nowhere, crashing into the building and burying me in it. I would have been dead if it weren't for you apparently though, so thanks for that." She said. "If you need a hand or anything let Team CFVY know. It's the least I could do."
Nodding at her offer, Ren gave her a soft smile. "You're welcome. I don't mean to be rude and all but I have initiation tomorrow so…" Gesturing to the entrance to the room, Ren waited for Coco to respond or move, either one would be good.
"Ah sorry. You probably want to get a good night's rest then. Alright, it was nice meeting you. Good luck with your initiation then." Turning around and giving a thumbs up, Coco began to walk away, before stopping and reminding him once more. "Offer still stands~." She said, turning her head around and giving him a wink, just barely visible by the tilt of her glasses.
Sighing, Ren entered his room to the sight of a transformed Morgana working on some infiltration tools, replenishing the supply they had used during their experimentation days.
"That girl was waiting forever… What took you so long?" Morgana said, not even regarding the guy who just entered the room. Too consumed with his work to even look at his leader.
"How long was she waiting for?"
"About an hour… I would've jumped out the window, but I wasn't sure when you'd get back." Morgana told him. Stuck inside the room, while the girl tapped her foot the whole time. 'She was awfully verbal.' Morgana thought, trying to forget the swears and curses that girl said while waiting.
It was like Ryuji, but so much scarier.
Women were terrifying.
Chuckling at Morgana, Ren sat on his bed, searching for any news on his scroll regarding anything suspicious. He was about to stop but he saw a video clip, which brought back certain memories.
"This is me at the town…" Ren began. Clicking on the video to zoom it in, he saw himself taking down the grimm, removing masks and decapitating the enemies.
"What?!" Morgana shouted, immediately turning his body to face him. Not believing that Ren had been recorded, Morgana jumped out of the chair and landed beside him, making a plop sound as he landed.
"Masked hero saves civilians lives." Reading the headline out loud, Ren continued through the article, unbelieving what he was reading. "A masked man appeared at the town of Peace, saving the lives of the citizens, while also healing their wounds. Eye witnesses reported that he healed the injured with the help of a cat, and some kind of 'goddess'. There are also reports regarding of a 'little girl' and 'snowman' but…"
Both of them read on, videos of interviews and articles regarding him all over the website. While it was nothing negative about them, it still gave the two a headache. Not because of anything bad, but because they had been recorded.
They were masters of stealth, yet they were caught by a simple camera.
How could they call themselves Phantom Thieves now…
"Let's go to bed. You must be tired." Morgana grumbled, suddenly feeling exhausted himself.
With hearts filled with shame, Ren and Morgana slept. Not knowing what was in store for him, Ren knew only one thing for sure.
He was going to give them a show they've never seen before.
Morning came, and Ren received a reminder to meet at the Cliffside by Glynda. Cleaning himself up, and preparing himself with what was to come, Ren walked to the locker room. Morgana said he would wait for his return, and would observe on the sidelines. How he would do that was unknown, but knowing the cat he would find a way.
Grabbing the simple knife he had bought, he gave it a few twirls in his hand, getting adjusted to the weight and feel of the weapon. Satisfied, he hid it under his sleeve, a trick he had learned as he practiced with the many blades he had found on his journey.
He was wearing his winter clothes. The black blazer with the black-trimmed cream sweater underneath it, blue jeans and brown shoes as well. It was comfortable and easy to move in, so he thought it was perfect.
He looked absolutely like a civilian.
It was perfect.
Walking toward the exit, he noticed Weiss chatting with a girl. A Spartan if he could compare her to anything. She looked uncomfortable, the way Weiss was pushing the conversation obviously the reason why. Being the angelic being he was, he decided to intervene, walking towards the two to subtly stop where the conversation was leading to.
Until a bumbling blond came in and did it for him.
Stopping in his tracks, he watched the guy flirt with Weiss, failing miserably if the heiress's face was anything to go by. He also seemed to pick up the interest of the Spartan, her eyes lighting up as she spoke with him. Smiling at him while he flirted.
Blond had game… somehow…
Deciding now was better than any time, Ren walked to the group. It was better for him to introduce himself now, than at battle. First impressions are important after all.
"It's been a while Weiss, how are you?" He asked politely. Weiss immediately brightened, not having to listen to the blond, while also being able to talk to a person of interest.
"I am well. Ren, you don't happen to need any teammates do you?" She asked, batting her eyelashes at him. Her oh too sweet smile was the complete opposite of what he was feeling right now. The girl was scheming, and he now knew why the Spartan hadn't been too happy with conversing with the Schnee.
She was recruiting. Aiming for people she thought were worth the time of day.
The stare she was giving him was giving him chills.
He needed to change the subject.
Politely smiling at her, Ren gave her the best answer he could give, while subtly changing the subject. "We'll have to see where the chips fall, I doubt the professors would give us free reign to choose... I'm sorry I've never seen you two before. Ren Amamiya, I hope we get along." Redirecting the question to an introduction, Ren cringed as he heard Jaune speak. The guy was absolutely embarrassing himself; it reminded him of Mishima.
Except Mishima knew when to give up.
"Hello! I'm Pyrrha Nikos. I hope we do." She said. Elated that Ren had no idea who she was either.
"Jaune Arc. Short, sweet, rolls of the tongue, ladies love it." Jaune said. Smiling at him, before flirting back at Pyrrha, who seemed to love…it…?
Blond definitely had game. Who would've thought?
Jaune, not seeming to take a hint, leaned towards Weiss. "Sounds like Pyrrha is aboard Team Jaune. Spots are filling up quick, now-"
"Jaune, that's enough. You're making Weiss uncomfortable." Ren interjected, using the voice he would use to issue commands. As much as he enjoyed the comedy unfolding, Weiss' personal space came first, and this guy was pushing his buttons as well.
He liked the guy, but there was a time and place for everything. This wasn't either of those.
"Ah…I-uh well…" Jaune stammered, a look of uncertainty on his face. Ren looked like a normal guy, but he definitely didn't give off that kind of presence. The look he gave him was like a parent reprimanding a child.
He didn't like that look. Not at all.
"I'm sorry, but we should head to the Cliffside. We don't want to be late, now would we?" Ren said, the tone of his voice leaving no room for arguments. The others nodded dumbly at him, clearly surprised by the way he suddenly held himself. It was like a whole new person just appeared.
One by one they walked towards the exit. Weiss going first, Ren following her, and Pyrrha and Jaune side by side. The knight still flirted with the spartan, while she took it all with a smile, a glint in her eyes as she listened to him.
She had found her own teammate it seemed.
Exiting the building, everyone followed the path that led them to the cliff. There awaiting them was Ozpin and Glynda. Ordering everyone to stand on a panel, the hunters-in-training did as they were told, weapons now on hand, ready to fight.
Ren, on the other hand, had his hands in his pockets, waiting for the task to be given them.
'He looks like a civilian...' everyone at the cliff thought. Some of the classmates even giggled, underestimating what he had to offer.
Ren smirked, his plan falling into place.
It was absolutely perfect.
"For years you have trained to become warriors, and today your abilities will be evaluated in the Emerald Forest." Ozpin began.
Interjecting, Glynda spoke in Ozpin's behalf. "Now, 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... today." Finishing her sentence with emphases, the meaning universally understood.
There is no room for argument.
Ren swore he heard the personification of little red riding hood whimper.
"These teammates will be with you for the rest of your time here at Beacon. So it is in your best interest to be paired with someone with whom you can work well." Ozpin continued, knowingly causing a certain scythe-wielding girl suffering. "That being said, the first person you make eye contact with after landing will be your partner for the next four years." Ozpin finished. His words cutting through everyone in the area. Mercilessly killing anyone's dreams of planned partners.
Ren could hear glass shattering. It was if someone's world had shattered…
"WHAAAAAAT?!"
Oh, it was little red's world. The girl's face looking absolutely devastated, her hopes crushed like a bug.
He felt kind of bad for her, but he was sure she would pull through.
"After you've partnered-"Ozpin spoke once more, only for Ren to zone him out. The explanations was getting really long, and as much as he wanted to pay attention he knew that most the words coming out of the professors mouth was dramatized hot air.
"Make your way to the northern end of the forest", "Destroy anything in your path", "Relics", "Choose and return to the top of the cliff", and "grade you appropriately" were the key words. Ren's ability to listen for important parts made things much easier.
It was like the words were highlighted or something. How odd.
Ren closed his eyes, summarizing the information given to a simple and easy sentence that Ryuji would understand.
Retrieval and return mission. It made Ren laugh on the inside.
It's the same as getting the treasure.
Ozpin, finished with his explanation, nodded. "Good. Now, take your positions."
Everyone prepared themselves, weapons on hand, bracing themselves for what was to happen. Ren, however, just had his hands in his pockets still.
They were going to be launched, into a monster filled forest, without parachutes.
It made Ren smile.
This was going to be fun.
He heard Jaune ask some questions, not preparing himself for what was to come. One by one, students were launched, until it finally reached the bumbling blond.
The scream Jaune made was something he would always remember. It was just that good.
He really needed to help that guy when he had the chance.
Prepping himself for the launch, Ren widened his stance, looking as though he was inside a palace. He glanced to Glynda, who mouthed him 'good luck', while Ozpin gave him a nod, sipping the mug in his hands all the while.
Ren gave them his signature smile, momentarily surprising them as they had never seen the teen look so cocky. Without missing a beat, Ren shouted his infamous word's to them, his body for the action that was to come.
"It's Showtime!"
And then he was launched into the forest ahead of him, following after his future classmates. He flew through the air like a bullet, enjoying the wind push past him, and the excited pulsing of his heart. Adrenaline flowed through his body, encouraging him to give it his all.
Ozpin did say to "Destroy anything in your path", didn't he?
Ren would gladly oblige to that. After all…
It was his time to give them a show.
One they would never forget.