Ama and I have walked through the entire night.
And you know, walking through the entire night has been absolutely horrible, but at the very minimum we know we are heading in the right direction because you know, the sun rises in the east and sets in the west. And from Mountain Academy, I know that the forests are in the East of Atlas.
If I need to explain more, you failed primary school.
But at the same time, I won't lie when it starts to feel as if we are going insane.
"Do you know where we are?" I ask, as my feet ache from under me, at least wanting to know that Ama might know where we are.
"Yeah," she says swiveling her head to look at me, "We're right in the middle of buttfuck nowhere."
"I think that much is obvious," I deadpan.
Ama seemed relatively easy to anger. That may just be my opinion stemmed with the fact I don't really hang around with your average teenager, but at the same time, it is something I keep note of anyway. I have enough moody teenagers in my life, me included.
"Yeah, well isn't that dandy," she exasperates, "maybe if we continue we'll end up in buttfuck somewhere."
"That would be a start."
"That would be a start, eh?" she repeats, "well then we'd be at least fucking…" she stumbles over her words for a second, "at least we'd be fucking…" and again, "FUUUUCK"
In a fit of rage, she swings her great axe and sends an entire tree tumbling down, as I raise my hand to cover my face from the splinters.
I stop for a second and look at her, as she gazes back at me with anger on her face, "I think it is time we took a break," I comment.
"No, we should…"
"I think it is time we took a break," I insist.
She shakes her head, "We may be really close to…"
"I think," I repeat stressing the word think, "that we should take a break."
She opens her mouth to say some retort, but nothing comes out as she just slumps down next to a tree, angling her head to look into the sky, as her eyes start closing slightly in exhaustion.
As stated we've walked through the entire night. At first we'd have thought that wherever we were heading would be a lot closer, and that we'd civilization by sunrise, but apparently not. Hell, I half expect us to be walking in circles, that would be an interesting plot device, wouldn't it?
"Do you have anything to eat?" I ask offhandedly.
"I have a gourmet platter full of explosive bullets and regular steel bullets, take your pick," she replies not changing her position.
"I'll take the steel bullet," I sarcastically reply.
"Here," she laughs throwing one of her bullets at me playfully, it bouncing off my face and landing in my lap. Nothing like the taste of a steel bullet in the morning.
And so we rest, me sitting with my back against a large hill, enjoying the feel of the grass on my back, while Ama sits with her back against a tree, her suit of armor most likely protecting her against the hard bark.
Now that I think of it, it must be exhausting carrying around that suit of armor, and large battleaxe all through the night. Not that I'm completely happy with her being annoyed, but I can kind of get where she is coming from.
"Hey," Ama says out of nowhere, partially stunning me, "can you eat raw meat?"
"What do you mean?" I question in return.
"You're a wolf faunus right?" she asks.
I nod in response.
"Does that mean you can eat raw meat and be fine, or do you have to have it cooked like the rest of us," she continues.
I shrug, "I've never tried that before. So I don't know."
"What'dya mean you've never tried it before," she asks cordially.
"Well, how often do you eat raw meat?"
She pauses and tilts her head from side to side, "Point taken. But do you wanna find out now?"
"You have food?" I ask lifting my head to look at her.
"Nah," she replies waving a hand, "but I know how to hunt, and I'd rather get food before you decide that I look like a nice meal, and plus I'm bored."
"I'm willing to help you hunt if you want," I say, "But I'd rather not eat raw meat, even if I will be fine."
"Aww, you're so boring."
"I'm not your guinea pig," I say with pretend annoyance.
"But you are my guinea… wolf?" she says, "Is that a thing?"
"No it's not."
"But it is now!" she says getting up, "Come on, stop being lazy and let's go."
"But you were the one that wanted to rest…"
"Ah ah ah," she says waving a finger, "No excuses, let's go."
I sigh and run a hand through my face and hair trying to rub the sleepiness out, as I run a brief diagnostic check on my gauntlet to make sure that it is still working.
"Come on, you're trailing behind," Ama says from in front of me.
"You haven't even started walking yet," I exasperate.
"What'd I say about excuses!" she asserted, "now let's go."
"Fine, fine, fine, I'm coming."
What is it now? Mid day or something? Well, long story in our hunting trip we didn't find anything.
Ama apparently does know a lot about surviving in the wildlife, so she was able to scrounge up something to eat, and while it does help. In the end I'm still quite hungry. All the training we get, and it doesn't help if luck just isn't with us.
I mean, at this point we're both tired, and hungry. Ama is irritated although she is trying her best to stay calm, while I'm just about to break out into hysterical laughter.
"What do you keep in that bag?" I ask Ama, as she peers into it again.
She glances up at me, and casually says, "Just some trinkets and stuff."
"Like what?" I continue curiously.
"A gift from my mother and father, and just little things from my past," she says quieter.
"Uh huh," I reply, "You do realize you could've left it back at Atlas, right?"
"Yeah, but I mean they dropped us off in the middle of nowhere, with no one to watch our stuff, I don't exactly trust them," she replies shrugging indifferently.
"I mean you're in an Atlas government building, it's probably one of the safest places in the world," I say, as Ama opens her mouth to say something, but I continue, "But I won't argue with you. You do you."
Ama nods content with what I said, and we continue on our way, as I listen with my wolf ears trying to make out any stray sound that may be an enemy, and Ama twisting around as she walks, bumping into things with her overly large great axe.
That is until Ama spots 2 beowolves off into the distance, prowling about, their black skin making them easily spotted in the bright daylight and slightly snowed over parts of an Atlas forest.
"You know the drill?" Ama asks as we ready our weapons, us deciding it would be easier just to get them out of the way now.
"I think so," I reply not paying much attention to what she is saying.
"Let's hit em' with the one-two," Ama says jokingly.
I shrug and say, "You mean the one-three."
"Ah shut up."
(LB)
"You have any Queens?" I ask Ama who eyes me warily.
She eyes me for a good moment, seeming to stare me up, challenging me to make some sort of move, before responding with a quiet, "Go fish."
And the game continues.
At this point, it's approaching our second night out here in the forest.
Half way through the day we eventually realized we weren't making too much progress, and there wasn't any location in sight, so while we did continue, we went at a slower pace, deciding to enjoy the scenery a lot more.
Now that I think of it, if I light the flare, will they even come? I mean, we've walked for almost an entire day now, and it doesn't seem if we got anywhere. If we're no more closer to any Atlesian location, how will they even know where we are? At this point I'm half-tempted to light the flare they gave me just to see if they even come.
But I don't.
And at this point, we've been awake for practically an entire day, we're both tired, so we unanimously agreed that we're going to take a break to sleep now, not wanting to continue walking only to realize we could've slept hours ago.
We both went through the cycle of insisting that we should take first watch, even though it probably isn't necessary to keep watch in the first place, although I did win in the end, meaning that I would be first watch.
Something I'm starting to regret, because while they did teach you a lot in Mountain Academy, the one thing they never taught us to deal with is boredom.
I'm half tempted to go for a jog or to do something else, but then that would kinda defeat the purpose of staying on watch, and if I'm going to ignore it, then I'm just going to go to sleep, as the only thing I have to focus on at the moment is how hungry I am.
As I doze off I check my scroll which is starting to run dangerously low on battery.
It's 11:25 P.M.
A little over an hour and a half before my shift changes.
I put my scroll away and hug myself trying to keep the Atlas winter from giving me frostbite, as I start to doze off a bit, letting my eyelids shut slightly.
That is until I hear something off in the distance.
I can't exactly tell what it is, but it instantly puts me on edge, waking me up, and causing the cold weather to bite as hard as ever.
If I were to describe it, it almost sounds like a drumming sound, repeating constantly off into the distance.
I don't exactly want to wake Ama up, in case it is nothing, but at the same time, I'm prepared to wake her up at the moment's notice, as if I'm going to die, I'm sure as hell going to bring her with me.
Even with my faunus enhanced eyesight, I can't make anything off in the distance, especially through the thick treeline.
Nonetheless, I put my right hand on my sword hilt, and walk over to Ama, in case anything does happen.
And yet nothing does, as the sound gets louder, and louder, and louder.
Until I can make it out in the distance, a large black mass flying its way over here… a large black mass that's definitely not human, and definitely very evil.
"Uh Ama," I say shaking her awake violently, "we have a small problem, and by small I mean really large, and deadly, and black."
Ama just stumbles herself awake mumbling, "That's racist."
"Not the time, "I counter, "I'm lighting the flare."
That got Ama awake as she springs up right before I light the flare, "You're doing what now?"
"I'm lighting the flare," I repeat, twisting off the cap of the flare as preparing to light the thing.
She scrambles over and rips the thing out of the hand, "What do you think you are doing?"
I look at her in the eyes and exasperate, "Do I need to repeat myself?"
"Okay, fine, fine you're lighting the flare," she says waving her hands, "But why."
"Because we have a fully grown Nevermore off in that direction," I say pointing south, "and I don't want to die."
"Oh shit," she says looking off into the distance I pointed, squinting her eyes trying to make out the dark creature of Grimm in the night sky.
"I don't see anything," she says after several seconds of looking.
I step next to her and squinting my eyes I can barely make out the creature, "That's because you're not a faunus," I say plainly.
"Should I be insulted?" she jokes looking at me.
I groan and half-shout, "Can you listen to me for a moment? I can see a Nevermore off in that direction, and as I said, I don't want to die, so can I please just light the flare."
"Well lets just wait and maybe it won't even see us and, if it doesn't, then I'm going back to sleep," she replies looking me straight in the eye.
"And if it does?" I interrogate.
"Then we light the flare."
Begrudgingly I accept her point and we pack up our little belongings and start to hide among the trees, hoping that the Nevermore will just ignore us.
I guess we weren't hiding our emotions enough, because as it nears us, it releases a horde of feathers which come bearing down at us.
"Won't notice us, eh?" I question Ama, who glares at me in response.
"Oh fuck you," she groans as she pulls her great axe from behind her back.
While I crouch behind a tree holding my sword out in front of me, Ama steps out into the open, as the barrage of feathers are being hurled towards us.
With not enough time to tell her to get back, I only watch in moderate surprise as she swings her overly large great axe, cleaving one of the feathers in two, while it was mid air.
"Can you light the flare now?" I ask, walking over to her as the Nevermore circles around for another attacking run.
She fumbles with it for a couple seconds, as I watch her getting increasingly paranoid by the second, "what's taking you so long," I groan.
"I never learned to use one," she grits shoving the thing in my chest, "here you light it."
I grab the cap from my pocket and use it to light the flare, the damn thing almost blinding me in contrast to the night.
"Congrats," Ama says sarcastically, "You just attracted every Grimm in a 2 mile radius."
"Well you would've done the same, except I can actually light a flare," I counter.
"Well I'm sorry I never attended Mountain Academy," she grits through her teeth, "I'm sorry I never had as much as you."
I'm about to counter with my secret weapon of being an orphan, but on seeing the Nevermore approach from the distance, I just say, "Let's survive now, so we can argue later."
"We can at least agree on that," I hear Ama whisper from under her breath.
We slowly take steps back, increasing the distance marginally as I ask, "Do you have any plan?"
"Survive."
I'm about to spit back a sarcastic counter but instead bite my lip instead, realizing that it doesn't help us in the situation.
The Nevermore this time comes down low to the ground, cleaving through the treeline, cutting a large gash in the earth, the large beast looking larger than ever.
Ama and I split up as I dive to the right while she runs off to the left.
I walk over to Ama, while she looks calculatingly off into the distance, "I have a plan," she mutters as I walk up to her.
"What now?" I ask in reply.
"Get it to do the same thing," she says simply.
"And how exactly am I supposed to do that?"
"I don't know," she orders, "annoy it, make yourself a large target, invite it to a poker night. Just get it done."
Before I can even reply she runs off into the distance, leaving me standing here in the large gash the Nevermore had just created.
I glance in the direction Ama left, before returning my eyes to the Nevermore, which was just starting its return.
Switching my gauntlet to the armor piercing bolts I launch it into the air, less of an offensive move, but more as a distraction, as the things were set to go off after several seconds without making contact.
And sure enough they explode into the night sky, creating firework-esque explosions that I would have admired if it weren't the situation.
Grabbing the flare on the ground I hold it above my head and start jumping around like a headless chicken hoping the Nevermore will decide to attack me again.
Not knowing if what I have done is enough I start shouting, "Come at me you piece of shit!"
Grabbing a stray piece of wood next to me I throw it at the Nevermore continually screaming, "Eat oak bitch!"
I have no idea what I'm doing.
Whatever I was doing somehow convinced the Nevermore to do the same thing, as it lowers down into the same gash that it had just created opening its mouth and letting out a ear piercing screech.
Waiting till the last second I can briefly see Ama explode off into the sky, using the recoil of anti-material rifle as a boost as well as the explosion from the explosive rounds.
Just as the Nevermore is getting to the point that I can't dodge the attack, I roll off into the side breaking into a sprint as I watch Ama from below.
In the sky I can see Ama lineup a shot, firing her anti-material rifle into the air, using the recoil to send her flying down straight into the path of the Nevermore.
Transforming her weapon mid-fall she holds it above her head, as her path starts intersecting with the approaching Nevermore's.
Swinging at the last moment, the slams right into the neck of the Nevermore, and as if she was a living missile, the largest explosion I had ever seen resounds out of the neck of the nevermore, sending a shockwave flying out in all directions, the entire forest seeming to quiet down for a second.
As if it was a marionette with its strings cut, the nevermore is sent tumbling into the ground, going head over heels, Ama flying off of it as it does so, landing close to me.
Ama tumbles onto the ground groaning in the process while I approach her, but as I approach she locks eyes with me and glances over to the downed Nevermore giving me an invisible command.
Nodding to show her I understand, I run over to the still tumbling Nevermore, charging up a bolt of electricity in my hand, all while I run over there.
The Nevermore some how seeing my approach sends feathers flying at me with one of its broken wings, as I reactively slide on the ground, holding out my sword in case any of them hit me.
Luckily they don't.
The Nevermore still having a single trick up its sleeve, then lunges at me with its mouth, with the intent to bite me in half.
Partially expecting that I jump over it, releasing all the built up energy in my hand below me, more energy than I can remember building up in recent years, imagining the bolt of lightning striking down the Nevermore.
And as if some god saw my image, an enormous bolt of lightning strikes down from the sky exactly where I was aiming, sending a resounding shockwave echoing off into the distance, nearly knocking me off my feet, and creating a ringing sound in my ears.
I blink a couple of times, not expecting that to have happened, and surprised at my ability to even have done so.
Not quite believing what had just happened, I cautiously climb on top of the Nevermore and to the spot where the lightning struck, only to see a large crater on its flesh, with red embers along the edges, and black cauterized flesh on the inside, the Nevermore starting to fade away moments later.
As I jump off I can see Ama walk up to me from the gash, with a large smile on her face, "Did you know you could even do that?"
"I… I guess," I reply unconvincingly, "I didn't know if I could do it, although I did think it was possible to do."
And it's at that moment do I realize how exhausted I actually am, as I sit down along the bank of the large valley that was created, letting my head rest against the dirt as Ama comes and sits next to me.
We remain silent as we go over what just happened, until I hear Ama start laughing like a madman from beside me, "We just defeated a FUCKING NEVERMORE!"
She jumps up and pumps her fist into the air enthusiastically.
I let out a bark of laughter enjoying her happiness, "We did indeed."
She's about to say something else, when we both hear the sound of bullhead approaching from off in the distance, hopefully having seen our flare.
"About time," I mutter from under my breath.
"We have one hell of a story to tell," Ama says looking at me with a large grin.
That bullhead was there to take us back luckily enough.
They didn't really say much on the way back, not that I really wanted to talk much. I was hungry, thirsty, tired, and exhausted. At that point all I wanted to do was just go to a bed and forget what happened.
They did at least provide saltine crackers and water, and while it wasn't the most comfortable thing, I was able to get a small nap in the seat.
Still, once I arrive back I am told to head to one of the offices on the second floor.
Did I forget to tell you that this is still in the middle of the night?
Because it is, and did I tell you how tired I am?
Because I am.
Nonetheless I squeak open the door and peek in, to see a woman sitting at a desk, looking at me expectantly with a smile on her face.
"Ah, Caerus Ferrum, please come in," she says standing up and gesturing to a chair in front of her desk.
I cautiously walk in, shutting the door silently behind me, as I look at her face.
Overall she seems very friendly and young, probably only in her late 20's, with brunette hair that is made into a tight bun, and green eyes.
Despite it being in the middle of the night, she seems completely awake and unaware of the time it is.
God damn vampires.
"I would like to commemorate you on defeating a Nevermore, especially as a freshman," she says motioning to the chair for me to sit down.
"Wait," I say pausing for a second, "You knew about that?"
She nods, "of course I did. You weren't ever actually in danger there."
I finally sit down and ask curiously, "What do you mean?"
"Let me first introduce myself, my name is Alane Roux, assistant head of Information in the Atlesian military divison, and head of student management in Atlas Academy," she says friendly.
"Okay…" I say, "But why am I here?"
"Let me ask you a question," she says smiling, "I'm guessing whenever you think of Atlas Academy, you think of battle hardened soldiers with no emotions, and lives that are worth less than the clock on your wall."
I reluctantly nod.
"Well," she says continuing, "While that does help diplomatically, slightly. That is not an idea we like to keep going. We do value the lives of our students, and we are aware that you have lives to live, outside of being a huntsmen."
She stands up and looks outside a window into some courtyard, "the one thing we are taught before becoming a teacher in Atlas, is that, we should under no circumstances risk the life of a student."
She looks at me, "We do not risk the lives of our students, and we won't, for as long as we can."
"So…"I say asking, "what was that test about then?"
"It was to put you outside your comfort zone," Alane says turning back to me, "we want to see what our students are like when they don't have much to work with. We want to see how you react to dangerous or unnerving circumstances. Nice job finding out about the fake corpse by the way."
"What about the Grimm and the Nevermore then?"
"Any Grimm you fought was allowed to reach you, the first 7 was just to test you. The next 2 was to see how you would react when hungry and tired. And then the Nevermore was more of circumstances, and we just wanted to see how you would react that."
"So, you just assumed that we would win?"
"No offence, but of course not. We had mobile artillery trained at it from half a mile away, and three fully armed Bullheads if needed. If we thought you were actually in danger, then the Nevermore would actually be dead."
"Okay…" I say thinking about what she just said, "So, is every first year student out there, or are you doing them in pairs?"
She looks out the window again then says, "We send two pairs out at a time, for two days each. That is, if they aren't in any serious danger."
"So I was one of the first pairs?" I then ask, a little bit of excitement building up at that prospect.
"Yes you were," she replies smiling in return, "remember 11 years ago, right after you had been attacked in those same woods?"
"Yeah," I reply meekly.
"And remember how General Ironwood came to visit you that next day?"
"Yeah," I say slightly surprised at the fact she knew that
"Well we never forgot about you, we've been keeping tabs on you this entire time, checking how you are doing in school, and providing extra resources in order to help you, and because of that we knew you enough to trust that you would survive when we sent you in first," she informs amicably.
She looks at me expectantly expecting another question while I squirm a bit at the thought of my next words, "So…" I stammer slightly, "did I make it?"
She lets outs a short laugh at that, "You made it when we sent you the letter saying you got in. This is not a test to see if we want you or not, this is a test to see what strengths and weaknesses you have. You don't need to worry."
"So, what's next then?" I ask.
"You'll be free to do whatever you want, provided that you don't tell anyone who has not done the test what it is," she tells me, "that is of course until everyone finishes their test, then we'll put you into teams, and then you'll actually start your lessons."
"Do you have anymore questions," she asks friendly.
"I don't think so," I reply racking my mind for any potential questions.
"Well then you're free to go," Alane says, "your quarters are on the third floor in room 34, your scroll is already keyed to the lock. Hope you don't mind sharing a room with Amaranth."
"I don't," I reply simply.
"Good. For food, cafeteria is on the first floor, check your map on your scroll if you can't find it. Serving times are again sent to your scroll, and food will be free while you are here. If you are still hungry beyond serving times, you are welcome to head out for food, which you will have to pay with your own money, or you can eat some prepackaged food we keep in storage."
She pauses for a second, to which I nod her to continue a second later, "If you have any questions, feel free to ask."
"Thank you, I say," as I walk out the door, and into the dimly-lit hallways.
"And Caerus," Alane says, as I turn to face her, "Welcome to Atlas Academy."
This chapter kinda happened.
Again, this is very storybook-esque, and kinda follows the first initiation in RWBY. Which I also rewatched for this, and I forgot how fun it was to watch RWBY. Anyways, yes it is similar, and you could even accuse of it being a copy, yet I tried adding some Atlesian spice to it in a way, so I hope you like it.
After the teams get sorted together, I'm probably going to speed through the first couple years in Atlas, just getting some plot points I want, aside, and hopefully move to the points of the original plot of RWBY, soon enough.
Also, I have a small question for you guys. TheMysteriousOtaku said how Caerus could put a grappling hook on his gauntlet, and use, for well, grappling. That is an idea I've had for a while, although it would seem to be copying the weapon of another SI-OC, named "RWBY Reckoning" which is a good story I definitely recommend you read.
Do you think that is copying it too much? Or are you guys up for that?
Furthermore, bwburke94 put out an interesting theory for my story, I'm unsure if I want to respond to it, out of fear of giving anything away. So as a future reference, if you have any theories that you want to be answered in any way, PM me asking.
Anyways, I think that is all I have for this AN. Thanks again for reading this story, and I'll see you guys next chapter.
Till next time.
P.S. Part of the reason why this chapter took so long as I went through the entire story and re-did some of the previous chapters and updated the chapter names and the description of the story. I did not change any important information in the story, and if you are returning to the story I don't advise that you should go back and re-read the story again, as there is nothing groundbreakingly new, but I thought this is some information y'all deserve to know.
