Chapter 9: In Bloom

"For years you have trained to become warriors. Today your abilities will be evaluated in the Emerald Forest." Professor Ozpin began his speech of the morning as the new students filed out in a row. The cliff appeared daunting but heights didn't phase Rouge one bit. Ozpin continued on about the abilities and how the students are still just initiates. He then went on to address the issues of partners and teammates. "These teammates will be with you for the rest of your time here at Beacon. It's in your best interest to be paired with someone whom you can work well. With that said, the first person you make eye contact with after landing will be your partner for the next four years."

'The next four years huh, that's a long while. I hope that I have a good partner, wouldn't want anything to impair our teamwork. Maybe that Nero guy… Well, he is a little too spacey for me at times.' Rouge thought as she listened to Professor Ozpin's speech of the morning. Get to the northern part of the forest, Find the temple, get the relic, and not die. Plain and simple.

"Now take your positions." As soon as he finished, Rouge can feel the adrenaline begin to pump through her veins.

She began preparing her launch stance. For once she won't be shooting out of a cannon or anything! Rouge felt how imminent this was going to be, she shook off her nerves, but this was exciting! 'This is it!' she thought. She took out her pair of goggles to help keep the force of the wind out of her eyes. "This is gonna be a blast!" She shouted as she was launched off the cliff. 'Oh, that would've been funnier if I was being shot out of a cannon...'

She tumbled through the air and as soon as she figured out when to land she started to manipulating the wind to help her decelerate. She landed on a long thick branch in the middle of a tall tree. She smiled and went into her habit of bowing. She then blushed, remembering she's not here to put on a show. She fixed herself to be ready to jump down onto the ground when suddenly she heard something.

She turned around and all of a sudden it felt like it got darker, 'Wait, this isn't right.' Rouge looked up and to her amazement it was actually one of her classmates! "It's a faunus! Oh great! I know I saw a couple but it's reassuring to see a fellow faunus!" She watched as the big guy started crashing into the trees. She winced a little and giggled that his massive exterior lead him to have a clumsy landing. She took in a deep breath. With a smile on her face and all her possessions on her, she turned and said, "Well, if I want to partner up I better get a move on!"

Rouge climbed down to one of the lower branches. She then jumped off into a tumble, and began to sprint in the direction of the Big Faunus' crash site.

Rouge made sure to keep striding on, not to make a single noise. Her light foot work made her move like a ghost. There was no need to attract any of the grimm that roamed here. She knew where she was going, and after that. Well… She will soon find out, hopefully. After a few feet or so, she'll begin to climb to gauge a distance and view her surroundings.

'This reminds me, of a memory from what feels like so very long ago…'

She sighed as she sat atop of a tree and scouted the area. 'Has it truly been that long? Granted the situation is very different… The view of a full forest though.' She shook her head a little. 'It's still a bit better than sitting atop the crow's nest, or even atop the stage for the high wire act.' She shook her head again, 'Now's not the time to be lost in thought. We have work to do.' Rouge peered over, "Oh that's a big one…" Soon enough she got a feel for a route towards where she saw her classmate "land". She finally got her bearings and began heading straight towards the crash site.

Rouge kept on her stride until suddenly hitting a thick brush. 'Oh come on now…' She made quick work of the brush with the help of Scarlet Queen. As she crossed the new path she made, she gasped at what awaited her. "That's a really big one." She whispered in a panic.

What greeted her at the end of her path was a humongous, no no, GINORMOUS Taijitu, maybe even a King! Rouge was stopped in her tried catching her breath. She slowly maneuvered around the grimm, 'Phew, it's asleep.' She let out a small, itty bitty, sigh of relief and quietly moved away from the sleeping Taijitu.

The King Taijitu, although asleep right now, would shock anyone with it's impressive size. Rouge did not ever want to be fed to a snake like a common rodent so she quickly, albeit quietly tried to reach a safe distance away from the beast. She remembers that grimm feed on negative energy, as long as she doesn't begin panicking too much she figures the grimm would stay asleep too. She also knows that once this is all over she will learn all she can about the grimm that roam around world.

Rouge took some refuge a good mile or so away, up atop of a tree. "Great, now where is that site…" Rouge had to look around for a few seconds but she recognized her, hopefully future partner's crash site. She ate a small snack from a pocket of her utility belt and began jumping from tree top to tree top. Making the journey feel like a quick one.

Which it did. She finally reached the site of the fallen and splintered redwood trees.

'There you are Mister Meteor.'