A girl with golden-tan skin and long black hair woke up in the ballroom. The sun was beginning to rise outside, and its rays shone on the slumbering new arrivals. The girl turned to her companions, a boy with short brown hair, and a girl with long, dark brown hair who slept beside her in their sleeping bags.

"Hey. Kitara. Akira. Its time to start the day," she murmured while being careful not to awaken anyone else.

The boy yawned, and the girl stirred in her sleep, then opened her eyes. The three of them slowly rose, bundled up their sleeping bags neatly in silence, and then the tan girl addressed them.

"Kitara and I will go clean ourselves and change in the girls' bathroom. We will then have breakfast before going to the locker room so we can prepare for our initiation."

"Understood, Jade," Kitara and Akira answered in unison.

Akira departed for the boy's bathroom while Jade and Kitara went to the girls' bathroom.

After a quick shower, Jade changed into a dark green silk tunic. Next, she put on a pair of dark green shorts, black stockings, and thigh-high black boots with green trim and an intricate gold pattern spiraling across them. Lastly, she brushed her hair back and tied it into a tight bun.

Kitara donned a blouse dyed a royal blue color. She then put on a matching combat skirt over black shorts. Finally, she put on a royal blue thigh-high heeled boots before arranging her hair into an elegant braid.

After the girls had changed, they had breakfast with Akira before heading to the locker room. Jade opened her weapon's locker, revealing a set of clawed golden gauntlets. She took them out and attached them to her arms. With a series of click-clacking noises, the gauntlets locked themselves around her arms. Jade bared her hands, and the tips of the clawed gauntlets extended into seven inch-long blades with a "shing" sound. Jade relaxed her grip, and her gauntlets' blades turned back into short claws.

Jade looked over to Kitara, who had taken out her weapon: an enormous shuriken which she slung over her shoulders where it locked into place with a series of clicking noises. She then took out a belt covered in pouches, which she fastened around her slender waist.

"Kitara," Jade spoke up, "Did you see Pyrrha Nikos yesterday during Ozpin's speech?"

"Yes, I did," Kitara said casually. "I thought she would have preferred to remain in Mistral to study. Why is someone as famous as her coming here, to Beacon Academy in the Kingdom of Vale?"

Jade shrugged and watched as Akira attached two sais to his belt. He had previously put a black jacket over a white t-shirt, dark blue jeans, and black laceless shoes. Once he finished, he looked over at the girls.

"Ready." He said.

Jade and her group left the locker room just as other people started to enter it.

Kayden walked down the hallway towards the locker room. Behind him, Ragnar followed. Ragnar's stomach was growling so loud that Kayden could hear it as they walked to their destination.

"Ragnar wants more bacon!" Ragnar declared hungrily.

"Dude, you ate a Goliath's weight in bacon." Kayden said irritably, "How are you still hungry?"

"The Great Ragnar Ironside is always hungry for bacon!"

Kayden stopped in his tracks and turned around before replying to Ragnar.

"If you seriously want bacon that badly, then go back to the cafeteria!" Kayden was getting overly annoyed with Ragnar's persistence.

Ragnar stopped walking, looked at Kayden, and then back in the direction from which they came, while Kayden resumed walking towards the locker rooms.

Kayden looked back over his shoulder then did a double-take as he realized that Ragnar was heading back to the cafeteria.

"DUDE!" Kayden yelled in frustration.

"What?" Ragnar asked casually.

"What are you doing?"

"Going to cafeteria."

"Why?"

"' Cuz you said Ragnar could."

"Dude, I'm being sarcastic."

"What is 'sarcastic'?"

Kayden opened his mouth as if to say something, but closed his mouth and continued walking while shaking his head slightly. He raised his hand, gesturing Ragnar to follow him. Ragnar, with a shrug of his overly muscular shoulders, came thundering after Kayden with his enormous feet like a massive dog following its minute master.

As the pair were going to the locker room, both Ragnar and Kayden spotted Yang around the corner, her back to them. Kayden walked up to her while Ragnar hung back. Kayden tapped Yang on the shoulder to get her attention. She turned around to face him.

"I'm sorry about last night," Kayden said with the expression of a sad puppy.

"I'll forgive you," Yang said. She paused for a few seconds before continuing. "If you do a favor."

"Sure. What kind of favor?"

"I'll tell you later," Yang said with a smirk.

"Great..." Kayden muttered sarcastically under his breath, before walking back to Ragnar, who had been staring at Yang icily the whole time.

Alexander and Erick walked to the locker room to gather their equipment. Both had already changed into their combat outfits with Alexander wearing his black trench-cloak and dark goggles. Erick, on the other hand, wore his desert-colored poncho complete with his scarf.

Once in the locker room, both headed to their respective lockers, opened them, and took out their contents.

Alexander grabbed two black-colored cylinders about a foot-long each from his locker and attached them to his belt. Next, he took out two sets of kunai daggers in holsters, which he strapped to his thighs. Erick had removed his backpack from his locker and watched as Alexander stowed some kunai daggers into the inner folds of his cloak before he turned to face Erick.

"Ready?" Alex asked.

Erick nodded silently, his face expressionless.

Alexander and Erick walked past a boy with medium length dirty blonde hair who was shouldering a large quiver and staff across his back. As the pair walked past, Alexander stopped but a moment in his strides as if he recognized the person. But with a little jerk of the head, Alexander resumed his departure from the locker room with Erick.

Half an hour later, Alexander, Erick, and a gathering of other students had assembled on large silver tiles on a cliff overlooking the Emerald Forest. Professor Ozpin and Glynda Goodwitch stood in front of them, Ozpin holding a mug and cane, and Glynda holding a tablet.

"For years, you have trained to become warriors," He said, "and today, your abilities will be evaluated in the Emerald Forest."

Glynda spoke next, "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."

"What? Ohhh..." A girl with short black hair and red highlights said, sounding disappointed. Alexander ignored her.

"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 said.

The girl groaned audibly, but Ozpin continued as though he had not been interrupted.

"That being said, the first person you make eye contact with after landing will be your partner for the next four years."

"Whaaaat?!" The girl shouted out in dismay.

Ozpin continued, "After you've partnered up, make your way to the northern end of the forest. You will meet opposition along the way. Do not hesitate to destroy everything in your path... or you will die.

A guy with short, scraggly blonde hair laughed nervously before gulping.

"You will be monitored and graded through the duration of your initiation, but our instructors will not intervene," Ozpin said calmy. "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. We will regard that item, as well as your standing, and grade you appropriately. Are there any questions?"

The scraggly blonde boy raised a hand.

"Yeah, um, sir?"

"Good!" Ozpin said, ignoring the raised hand. "Now, take your positions."

Alexander squatted on his tile in preparation for a jump. No sooner had he positioned himself, the tile launched him upwards and into the air.