February 5th, 2015
IMPORTANT NOTICE
As you all might know, the creator of RWBY passed away four days ago. Yes, this is a terrible loss, especially since Monty was in his prime. I don't plan on writing an emotional and heart-breaking confession or something like that. I feel as mournful as the fandom, community, the Rooster Teeth and Monty's family. I know the feeling of loss: over the past few years some of my grandparents died and that was a... frightening experience, especially when my first experience was when I was thirteen. But like many people, I've been there, overcame the loss, and continue to live on. So let's keep Monty in our memories, even after we come in terms with his loss.
Like I said on Tumblr, I don't want to put words into the mouth of a person I barely knew so I'll say this: celebrate Monty's memory in a way one would enjoy it (and even referencing death is not something one would enjoy, mind you).
Farewell, Monty Oum. May your soul know peace.
Chapter 3. The First Step
The morning light was filling the ballroom. Many people were still sleeping, although some started to show untameable energy reserves.
"Wake up, lazy bum!" Nora chirply said to sleeping Ren.
"Shut up or you're won't make it to the initiation in perfect shape!" a blue-haired boy growled in anger, but Nora made light of it.
The two packed their things and went to their bathrooms to change into their regular outfits. Nora was excited about the field exam, while Ren kept a blank face.
Other students started to wake up as well, thanks to the ruckus from few minutes ago. Many started to pack up their things, while others decided to spend some time lying around a bit.
Zelony could tell that Bruin was faring better than the evening before. They where soonly approached by Rouge, Pearl, and Tangerina. Bruin looked up, a small smile appearing on his face.
"G-Good morning."
"You're such a mess," Rouge giggled.
"Are you always so..." Zelony struggled for the right word, but Rouge helped him:
"Spirited?"
"Not exactly the word I was looking for. Besides, I don't there exists a proper word for your kind of behavior."
"Oh, my feelings! I feel hurt!" she exclaimed with fake pain.
"So how's the prince there is doing?" Pearl asked.
"'Prince'? He still looks like a Bunboy to me," Tangerina chipped in.
"Cut it off," Zelony said. "You're acting out of the line."
"Now you're gonna lecture us on the ways of a 'true Hunter', is that it?" the fox Faunus said, hostility in her voice. "Then think again. Come on, Tangerina, we're leaving."
The two then left Bruin, Zelony, and Rouge. The green-haired boy was angry at the two Faunus, but then again human-Faunus relationship were bad to begin with. He was packing his things in fury, while Bruin took quite a lot of time. Rouge looked at the brown-haired boy with amusement.
"You're still here?" Bruin asked her.
"Oh, intimidated, aren't you?" Rouge said with a mysterious smile.
"Give him a break," Zelony requested. "Initiation's today so everyone needs to be in a good form."
"You're such a bore!" the girl exclaimed and left them.
"Are all Huntresses-in-training so weird?" Bruin asked.
"Heck if I know," Zelony shrugged.
"Good answer."
A blue-haired woman appeared, her eyes piercing Zelony. He didn't appear happy about her sudden appearance.
"Nicandra," the green-haired man said with empty voice. "To what we owe appearance to Goodwitch's clone?"
"Excuse me?"
"You're looking kinda like her, although the hair are different. And oh! You don't have nerdy glasses."
Bruin laughed, earning an angry look from Nicandra.
"Not only you're insulting me, but you're also insulting a teacher!" she vented off her anger and left them.
"Come on, let's go," Zelony said. "We need to change and eat something."
"Okay."
Bruin and Zelony were sitting in the cafeteria. Bruin had some toasts and scrambled eggs along with an apple juice. Zelony went with some pancakes and few ham sandwiches, choosing soda for his drink.
"That's not a healthy drink for a breakfast, I think," Bruin commented.
"Do I look sick?" Zelony asked, gesturing to his widely smiling face.
"No," he chuckled.
Then a blond boy with spiky hair appeared. He seemed to be a bit sad.
"Hey, Maize!" Zelony waved his hand calling the blond to him.
"You know him?" Bruin asked.
"We met yesterday in the airship."
"You!?" the blond exclaimed.
"Hey there, Strawhead," he greeted him.
"You think I'll be so forgiving?"
"Has... something happened?" the brown-haired boy asked. There was some strange tension between the two.
"Funny you should ask," Zelony replied with nervous chuckle.
"He made a fun of my name even though I didn't make fun of his," the blonde replied. "You better be apologizing now."
"First Jaune will apologize to me, then I might consider doing the same," the green-haired boy smiled.
"What? I don't follow."
"Long story," Zelony said then turned to Maize, "So you're gonna sit with us or be you're gonna join Jaune there?" He pointed at another blond boy who was sitting at another table.
"Neither," and he went at the opposite direction Zelony was pointing.
"Second day at school and already making 'negative friends'," Bruin commented.
"It's called 'e-ne-my'," he slowly said. "Besides, I already made a 'positive' friend, haven't I?" and he patted the other boy on back.
Bruin wasn't exactly certain if he could be considered a 'positive friend'. The yesterday display didn't give a good impression of him for sure. He decided to not answer.
Meanwhile Nicandra was sitting with Rouge at another table. The blue-haired girl was having cereal, while dark pink-haired one was eating ham sandwhiches. Both went with water to drink.
"What do you think about team assignment?" Rouge asked the other girl. "I heard it'll be part of the initiation."
"As long as I won't end up with this Bruin person on the team I can be with anyone on the team," she replied.
"But he's such an innocent boy!"
Nicandra looked at Rouge suspiciously, but the other girl ignored her look.
"Are you all right?" Nicandra asked after a moment of silence.
"You pour soul, you're no fun too," Rouge saddened a bit.
"Then I am happy about it. This is a combat school, there's no sense in playing game."
"Hello, Nicandra," a boy appeared.
"Good morning, Thistle," the blue-haired girl replied. Rouge burst into laughter.
"Am I missing something?" Thistle asked.
"No, Rouge is simply being herself," Nicandra sighed.
"May I join you? I don't know anyone else here aside of you," the boy asked.
"Yes, besides, your presence will be far more better than her," the blue-haired girl replied.
"Okay," was the boy's only response.
After the breakfast, the first years students went to the locker rooms.
"What's your weapon?" Zelony asked Bruin.
"I have this collapsible staff, it can also turn into a spear and a crossbow," the other boy replied. "What about you?"
"This." Zelony showed Bruin his butterfly-shaped yoyo.
"O-kay," the brown-haired boy replied. "Weird choice for a weapon."
"You got me!" Zelony chuckled. "I can't retaliate that."
"I didn't say anything about 'bad' or 'wrong'," Bruin pouted.
Then a blue-haired boy appeared and passed them. Bruin was so scared when he saw him, he hid himself behind a bit taller Zelony.
"Hey, have you seen locker 201?" Pearl asked a blond boy with spiky hair. The boy immediately dropped his weapon: a deck of cards. "I don't bite," she added after seeing his reaction.
"Th-There," he pointed further down the alley.
"Thanks, Strawhead," she replied and left him.
"Maize, be more confident," Jaune who was next to him advised. "Girls are looking for confident guys. Look how professionals do it." He went for two conversing girls, interrupting their conversation. "You know what else is great? Me. Jaune Arc. Nice to meet you."
"You again!?" Weiss said irritated.
"That's so not gonna work," Maize said to himself in disbelief.
The conversation soon turned into disadvantage for Jaune. He just tried to recruit...
"Hey, isn't that Pyrrha Nikos!?" Bruin exclaimed, his sudden enthusiasm surprising Zelony.
"You know her?" he asked the brown-haired boy.
"Of course! She graduated from Sanctum as a top student! And she won Mistral Region Tournaments four years in a row!"
"This is turning out interesting indeed," Nicandra noted. She appeared out of nowhere, startling the boys.
"Don't scare people like that!" Bruin growled.
"What do you mean by 'interesting'?" Zelony asked.
"Weiss Schnee of Schnee Dust Company is also joining Beacon this year. Actually, Pyrrha and Weiss were talking with each other until that person interrupted them. Does he have no manners?" she shook her head and left the lockers.
"Would all first-year students please report to Beacon Cliff for initiation?" Goodwitch's voice echoed from the speakers. Again, all first-year students report to Beacon Cliff immediately."
Zelony waved beckoning Bruin to catch up with him as he made for the exit. They came upon Jaune who was helplessly lying on the floor.
"Having some trouble there, lady-killer?" Yang asked the boy.
"I don't understand. My dad said all women look for is confidence! Where did I go wrong?"
Ruby and Zelony approached him and gave him a helping hand.
"'Snow Angel' probably wasn't the best start," Yang remarked.
"Girls come in all flavors," Bruin stated, earning a questioning look from the blond boy. "Something I learned back at Haven."
"Come on, Jaune, let's go," Ruby said.
"Onwards!" Zelony cheered.
Bruin and the rest of his party arrived at Beacon Cliff. Of the teachers, only Ozpin and Goodwitch were present. There were silver, square plates with two axes crossed on a circle of laurels. The woman called out half of Hunters- and Huntresses-to-be to and instructed them to take places on the plates.
Ozpin was the first one to speak, "For years, you have trained to become warriors, and today, your abilities will be evaluated in the Emerald Forest."
"Now, I'm sure many of you have heard rumors about the assignment of 'teams'," Godwitch now spoke. "Well, allow us to put an end to your confusion. Each of you will be given teammates" she paused for a moment, "today."
Few students gulped. Bruin and Maize were hoping to not happen upon the blue-haired boy and any kind of girl respectively.
"These teammates will be with you for the rest of your time here at Beacon," Ozpin continued. "So it is in your best interest to be paired with someone with whom you can work well." Ruby groaned in the distance. "That being said, the first person you make eye contact with after landing will be your partner for the next four years."
"See? I told you—!" Nora started to speak with Ren but Ozpin interrupted her.
"After you've partnered up, make your way to the northern end of the forest. You will meet opposition along the way." A crow cawed in the distance. "Do not hesitate to destroy everything in your path, or you will die."
Now Jaune gulped loudly in nervous laughter.
"You will be monitored and graded through the duration of your initiation, but our instructors will not intervene." A bitter thought entered Bruin's mind, That's certainly comforting. "You will find an abandoned temple at the end of the path containing several relics. Each pair must choose one and return to the top of the cliff. You will guard that item, as well as your standing, and grade you appropriately. Are there any questions?"
Jaune raised his hand, "Yeah, um, sir?"
"Good!" Ozpin appeared to ignore Jaune's question. "Now, take your positions."
Students started to assume various poses. It wasn't long before Zelony was the first launched student from his platform. He was shocked a bit, but quickly regained his compose and soared through the sky. Thistle was next and Bruin followed after.
Now, a real test began.
February 5th, 2015
Author's Notes
The Monty Oum note is on the top since I felt it should be there and not at the end of the chapter.
Aside of that, actual fighting is about to happen! BUt first: landing strategies!
And I really don't know how I should partner team BRNZ members. I said Bruin-Zelony and Nicandra-Rouge since the chemistry would be good and all, but I don't know...
