Slowly Weiss opened her eyes and was greeted by a harsh bright light that made her shut them immediately.
"Am I alive?" Was the first thought that greeted her mind.
"Unfortunately, that seems to be the case." Said another voice that also shared her skull. Though 'shared' was a strong word. Moved in without permission was a lot more accurate way of describing it.
"Didn't ask to be here. Plus, the neighbors are annoying." It commented because, of course, it did.
"I'm just happy to add a bit more stability to the chaotic nightmare that is your life."
"I'm pretty sure it became a nightmare the moment you were a part of it." Weiss thought dryly.
"With that winning personality of yours, it would have gone downstream even if I wasn't involved in any way whatsoever."
The Schnee just rolled her eyes. She just didn't have it in herself to continue arguing.
Thankfully her eyes had adjusted to the bright light, and the heiress found herself in a place that by all means and standards looked to be Beacon's medical wing. The young lady herself was laying on a white bed with the same colored blanket on top of her. Weiss sat up thankfully by the time a woman who seemed to be a part of Beacon's medical staff stepped out of a door.
"Good day!" She greeted Weiss with a comforting smile like one of those her mother still had before the alcohol broke her completely.
'….'
"How are you feeling?" The nurse or doctor asked and placed a chair next to the heiress's bed on which she sat.
"A bit drowsy, but not that bad." The young lady answered..
From a closer distance, Weiss could see small wrinkles cover the edges of the woman's eyes and lips. The stranger nodded and placed her palms on Weiss's own. The heiress was shocked by the sudden act of physical contact, but the woman didn't seem to have any bad intentions, so she allowed it to slide.
Suddenly the medical worker's palms were colored in caramel colored aura, and Weiss felt something go through her body.
"Seems that you passed out due to a severe aura depletion as Ozpin suspected. However, it didn't explain the abundance of aura that I detected in your body. How strange." The woman murmured that seemed to creep out the heiress quite a bit.
"Though it seems that you have recovered enough to attend the ceremony." She finally said out loud.
"Oh, thanks, Brothers!" Weiss exclaimed. "Wait, how long was I out?"
The doctor/nurse pulled an orange strand over her ear. "Only over an hour. You still have plenty of time to get all of that forest out of your clothes." She joked with a small giggle.
The heiress checked herself and had to agree. Her clothes were filthy and covered with dirt while it also seemed that some small sticks and branches had taken residence in her hair. If Father would see her now, he'd disown her without a second thought.
Weiss quickly got up. "Then, I thank you, miss…."
"Peach." The woman continued in the same relaxing tone. "And I'm the closest thing this Academy has to a specialist in wilderness survival, well except for Port, but I suspect his methods would be a bit too hard-core for any new student." She joked again.
"P-professor Peach." The heiress corrected not feeling sure if the professor's singsong attitude was calming or somewhat creepy.
"I'd advise against snooping around her storage room." The bull faunus added.
"That would be acceptable." The medical worker said. "But now I think it's time for you to prepare for the ceremony. It wouldn't look good if an heiress to one of the most prestigious companies on Remnant would look less than perfect."
"Of course." Weiss agreed.
The woman just continued to smile and pointed towards one of Weiss's white suitcases that have been brought here. "Glynda arrived with this about twenty minutes ago. All of your stuff has already been moved to your team's room, so she made it perfectly clear that you should prepare yourself here."
"The shower is there." She pointed at one of the doors.
The heiress nodded, grabbed her luggage, and headed towards the showers. Thankfully the headmistress had packed all of the essentials and half an hour later Weiss came out of there looking as good as she did in before the initiation even began.
The professor/medical worker was still there and gave her the same smile.
"You look ready to go." The woman said. "And I advised against any use of aura for today. You are more half empty than half full. Have a good night's rest, and by morning, everything will be as it should."
The heiress bowed. "Thank you again, professor! And I wish you a farewell."
Professor Peach made a small nod. "You're welcome. And goodnight to you too, Miss Schnee!"
With that, Weiss turned around and promptly left the medical bay.
"That wasn't creepy at all," Adam said, somewhat bewildered.
Hey, don't say that about one of Beacon's staff members." She chastised it.
"Or what?" He asked.
The heiress didn't exactly have an answer to that. She sighed and just hoped that the rest of Beacon's employees won't be as weird.
"Aaaand, you just jinxed yourself." The insufferable specter added.
"I did not!" Weiss fought back.
"Did too! That was totally a jinx."
The young lady just huffed and began to walk towards the hall. She really didn't have any time for this.
A few hallways later, Weiss had (thankfully) found the ballroom. All of the student beddings were cleared, and instead the first years were standing and energetically awaiting the beginning of the ceremony. They did it while talking to each other and exchanging their initiation experience or having a few refreshments from a long table that has been set up during her absence.
She actually saw the ginger-haired girl Nora standing there and by the looks of it trying to see how much bread sticks she could fit in that huge mouth of hers. Her partner Ren was also there holding a paper cup and looking as a parent who had given all hope of ever controlling his child's behavior. Weiss decided to leave those two be and by the strange wave of relief that went over her the faunus didn't object to this decision. It seems that even the prospect of seeing her suffer wasn't worth the torture some situations could bring with them.
The heiress swore to keep it in mind.
"Yo!" Someone said and chopped her shoulder.
Weiss yelped and quickly turned around while trying to pull out Myrtenaster which, of course, wasn't on her. She quickly realized that the assailant was a grinning Yang and scowled.
"How was the beauty sleep princess? Did prince charming arrive?" The blonde asked, sounding a bit too pleased with herself.
"First my name is Weiss. Second there was no prince because she was a woman." The young lady said somewhat cranky.
That however didn't quite get the promised reaction. Yang began to laugh while holding her stomach while Adam had a small amused chuckle.
"I should really start counting the number of lesbian innuendos that come out your mouth Schnee! Gods damn it!" He said and then also began to laugh.
Weiss was confused. "What?"
"So that's how you swing ha Weiss?" Said Yang after most of the laughing ended. "Progressive." She finished with a smirk and patting the heiress on the shoulder.
Her cheeks gained a light pink tone. She finally understood it.
"Not like that!" Weiss said and slapped the larger girl's hand off her shoulder. "She was a medical worker."
"Oh the plot thickens!" The brawler exclaimed before falling in another laughing fit to which Adam, without a doubt, joined.
Meanwhile the pink color on the heiress's face had only intensified. "I have no time for this." She gave up. "Tell me for what reason have you come to disturb me? If you've only arrived for pranks and giggles then I'll ask you to leave. You're being a bother." Weiss said while crossing her arms looking like a person who holds authority. The young lady liked to believe that she pulled it off quite well.
"Or you look like an annoying brat who's trying to seem mature but instead just shows off how much of a child you truly are." It spoke trying to make her feel bad. Something to expect from a degenerate with no redeeming qualities.
"Please don't throw rocks in a glass house Schnee you're just giving me more ammunition to hurl at you later." The terrorist said back with his insufferable smugness.
Yang who on the other hand wasn't a part of their inner bile spitting contest was taken back by her temporary partner's response.
"Okay Weiss jeez fine." She said clearly in a soured mood. "I was just playing around."
"Anyhow, I came here to check on you to see if you're in a good enough state so we can ask Goodwitch to give us different partners." The blond finished and pointed at the headmistress with her thumb who was standing and keeping the students in some relative sense of order.
Weiss's heart sunk. Well those were the terms they agreed on in the forest. But it kind of felt bad to be cast away. Plus in the woods she got to see that below that rough exterior there was actually a genuine good huntress in Yang. Together they could've become quite the pair, but a promise is a promise. And even her father honored those.
"Yes let's." The young lady said while trying to hide how sad this made her feel.
The blond was quietly looking at her for a moment before turning around. "Yeah glad you're onboard."
Both of them walked towards Glynda who seemed somewhat surprised to be approached by the odd pairing.
"How can I help you girls?" The woman asked in her demanding tone.
Yang nudged Weiss since the blond thought she was probably better at handling these types of talks. The heiress gave her an annoyed glare but nevertheless addressed the headmistress.
"Excuse Mam, sorry to bother you before such an important event, but we wished to know if it was possible for me and Yang to cancel our partnership and to get different partners instead."
The older woman looked somewhat surprised before falling back in her usual state of existence. "And can I know the reason for such a demand?" She asked.
The girls were probably not too happy to think about the reason. Even so, Weiss continued. "We believe that our partnership would only hinder our growth due to certain reasons."
"And what those would be?" Glynda shot back without hesitation.
"We would prefer to keep those private." The heiress told her.
"Well I can't help if you're not ready to go that extra mile back and assist us." The headmistress said in a tone that one could easily confuse as scolding.
Weiss flinched most likely due to her weakness against people with some authority. Yang meanwhile decided to intervene.
"I didn't like how she treated my sister and that's why I doubt that we could work together without pissing each other off. Plus Ruby's afraid of her and no way in hell we would be able to sort that out." She explained.
Goodwitch took a deep breath. "Would that be the main reason?"
Both young huntresses looked at each other before nodding.
"Then I don't see any reason to accept your request." She finished to the stupefied expressions of both huntresses.
"Pfff ha ha ha." Laughed Adam seeing the dumb face Yang made and was pretty sure that his host looked pretty much the same.
First one to recover was the blond. Most likely because she was the one who was more into rebelling and doing things her way than the Schnee who was bred to be an obedient little pawn.
"But we can't work together." Whined the brawler like a child.
"Then I advise figuring it out. I know for example that sitting down and talking about your problems can get you a long way." The other blond human said. Still Adam was perplexed at the amount of blond haired people he got to see while in Beacon.
"I tried." The child continued to complain further. "She doesn't see what she did as anything wrong while I'm hell not going to let it slide."
"Well that doesn't seem to be Beacon's problem." The teacher nonchalantly replied. "But the matter of fact stays the same. We shall not accept a change of partners only except if the other person is going to be expelled or is changing academies. Every other issue before that is addressable and fixable." She explained strictly to which he was impressed.
"And it seems that our time is up." The headmistress said while checking her scroll.
After that she faced the hall. "Everyone can you please join me and head for the initiation ceremony at the main hall." Her voice was strong and firm and heard by all of the student body. Adam had to agree that that was extremely impressive.
"The same goes for you two." The human added before heading out followed, of course, by a crowd of trainees. What a woman!
Tweedledee and tweedle Schnee kept frozen before the blond predictably was the first one to explode.
"Why didn't you help?" She shouted at the Schnee, clearly being unhappy.
It seems that an attack from someone without an important standing did however rejuvenate the poor girl. Not that Adam minded the silence. Her voice could be really irritating when she's mad.
"What!?" The heiress exclaimed, causing much pain for his existence. "I did help you."
"Yeah at the beginning but it took for her only give us some resting bitch face for you to forget how to speak." The blond said as her eyes turned red causing some shivers to go through Adams' soul.
"Well I couldn't just argue with her. She was the headmistress of Beacon." The Schnee replied while trying to defend herself. Poorly mind you.
"But if the other person is younger than you than it's no problem." Yang stated continuing the assault.
Adam was actually getting tired of listening to this garbage. It was like watching two alley cats fighting for a piece of rotten fish.
"Oh do you really want that apology that bad?" Yelled Weiss as Adam tuned her and the rest of the world out.
It was hard to believe that they had improved their relationship so well in the woods. Not that he was surprised, mind you. Extreme situations had a thing of forcing people to open up and be more honest to each other. He'd seen it countless times. Maybe it was a survival mechanism. Who knows? But now back at cozy society all of that shit they didn't need in the Emerald forest came back flooding. Plus they're teenagers. Half of the garbage these people say is just because of raging hormones. If this was a situation between his troops then the ex-major would just ignore it. "If they're reasonable then they'll work it out between each other" he would say and the same worked here. Same shit different packaging.
Suddenly the man felt as the heiresses legs began to move and he came to realize that the Schnee had stormed off followed by the yells of an angry Yang Xiao Long.
"She's unreasonable." Thought the angry heiress.
That's rich coming from a girl who basically threw a temper tantrum and stormed off." He said.
"Let me guess you're on her side?" The girl redirected her anger on him. Bad idea.
"I'm not on anyone's side. For your knowledge teenagers have a pretty high spot in the list of things I hate. For example Yang just used you as an outlet for her anger. Which is something a stupid half child does. You on the other hand just left someone who's officially your partner and will be forced to spend a lot of time together hanging. You know like a retarded half child. So in my book you're both dumb as bricks."
That just left the Schnee passively annoyed which was no major surprise to him. She was like that every other minute of her miserable life.
Sigh "Do you think I should go back and apologize?" Asked the Schnee.
That honestly left him surprised. "Why are you asking me?"
That left her quit for a few seconds before she answered. "Because you are the only one I can ask."
That made him feel weird. "Back in the woods you didn't want to trust me. Why now?"
The girl's answer however surprised the deceased faunus. "Because now I know that you are more complex of a person than in the woods."
By memory he knew that they were nearing the other hall. They didn't have a lot of time. Even so Adam wanted to know. "Explain!" He demanded.
"I don't think that you are just plain evil anymore. Yeah I know that you are far from a good person. In the end you are capable of murder." The heiress half joked. "But I'd be completely ignorant to not see how well you are experienced in matters I'm not. I don't like you, but I can respect you enough to ask for advice."
That made Adam feel like he was at a loss. The faunus promised to make the life of Weiss Schnee as unbearable as it was physically possible. And jet he couldn't just push away someone who'd shown such levels of growth in only a few days. "I'm above the beast that craves only blood," that was the oath he swore to himself once. And a warrior knows better than to break his own oaths.
"I think you should wait a day before apologizing. Yang most likely is confused and angry, and the apology may just seem disingenuous and aggravate her even further."
He felt the girl being relieved. A job foul done. Adam decided to keep quiet since his mood was already ruined.
"Thank you Adam!" Were the three words she said.
It was honestly the first time the Schnee called him by name or addressed as a person instead of some being.
"Don't. This is the only olive leaf you'll receive from me." He automatically shot back. Force of habit he guessed. Even so it didn't stop him from feeling weird or remembering a time when he received a similar 'thank you' from a girl he had beaten to a pulp during training.
The duo thankfully arrived at the main hall that was already full of the young Beacon students who were energetically waiting for it all to begin.
"I can't believe her!" Shouted an angry Yang while her sister and said sister's partner were keeping a safe distance from the furiously stomping blond.
"At one moment she's ready to go head to head with a freaking nevermore, but then all it takes for her is to have to disagree with a teacher for her to forget how to freaking speak. And yet she has the balls to call you a child despite the fact that her attitude is hot freaking garbage." The brawler ranted and gained quite an amount of attention from those around.
"You shouldn't have raised your voice." Said Ren who was also together with the three girls with his partner who looked ready to puke from overeating as well Pyrrha and Jaune who also looked ready to throw up. Though in the blond's case it was because of nerves.
"Oh, so it's my fault?" Asked Yang with flashing red eyes.
Ruby already prepared to intervene, knowing that the red eye color was her sister's last warning before attacking. Which meant that Blake also felt a need to get involved only because the small girl was her partner. While Nora suddenly had forgotten about any possible gastric issues she might have had and was now suddenly holding Magnhild even though no one before had seen the weapon on her.
"Yes." Said the green ninja without even batting an eye in the face of the aggressor.
That got, despite the expected, Yang to calm down somewhat, but only because Ren wasn't showing wavering in his expression which the brawler could respect if not find somewhat hot.
With a click Nora's hammer became a grenade launcher and Yang was suddenly given a front row chance to see the inside of one of it's barrels.
"Alright!" Said Yang with raised hands. "I won't hurt your boyfriend, just lay off the weapon."
The orange haired girl did just that, only she felt surprised about the strong urge to kill that without any warning had taken over her and forced to almost blow the brawlers face off.
Still she had some things to correct.
"Oh, we and Reny aren't an item." Explained Nora while awkwardly scratching the back of her head.
Yang meanwhile was perplexedly looking at the ginger who had gone from almost giving her a dirt cheap plastic surgery with a weapon that was meant to clear out small hoards and kill large grimm to acting like she was really embarrassed. Yeah, something was missing in that head.
"Anyway can you please explain how it's my fault?" Asked Yang who wanted everything to turn back to state where at least something made sense.
"Gladly." Answered Ren without even a muscle shifting in his expression.
"You yelled at and even pushed another person, just to get out your anger," the blond scowled after hearing that, "while most likely ignoring the fact that this person could very well still be suffering a trauma from being attacked by one of the most dangerous people on Remnant." He finished.
"But she beat him!" Yang exclaimed. "I would've bragged my ass off if I was her."
The Mistralian wasn't without an answer. "Correction, she killed him. Have you ever killed anyone Yang?"
That left the brawler speechless. "Well I….." She tried to come up with something confident only to be brought down by the quiet boy's look. "...no." The brawler answered. That left a somewhat of a heavy atmosphere in the air until a voice from one everyone expected the least to speak up, continued the conversation.
"It didn't seem to me that she had any problems when she attacked Ruby."
Everyone's attention went towards Ruby's partner Blake who had previously been completely silent. The black haired girl flinched from all of the sudden attention, but nevertheless spoke her mind.
"I mean if she feels so bad, why in the grimm did that Schnee decide to suddenly chew on someone unrelated."
"We have different coping mechanisms." Said Ren.
"Oh so if I feel bad that it means that I'm allowed to be an asshole to people. Is that what you're trying to say mister Lie?" Asked Blake while raising one eyebrow.
The group was conflicted after hearing that. Most of them now felt conflicted except for Ren and Jaune who were on Weiss's side against Blake and surprisingly Pyrrha whose face completely mirrored the one of the black haired girl.
"What are you trying to get across with this?" Asked Ren.
Blake took a deep breath with closed eyes before reopening them. "That some people don't deserve our forgiveness or sympathy." She said causing everyone to go boggle eyed.
The statement left everyone speechless.
"Oh boy," thought Ruby. "smart people are scary."
With those magical words the young huntsmen and huntresses finally reached the main hall. The conversation had ended at that point since the ceremony was about to begin, but it didn't mean that those words didn't lay heavily on all of their minds for the entire night.
Finally it was time for the team announcements. The main hall was full of students, first years that were eager to meet the people with whom they'll be assigned together as well some of the older years from the sidelines that were watching what transpired with relative enjoyment.
Professor Ozpin walked next to the microphone seemingly embodying the festive atmosphere that had taken hold of Beacon's main hall and without wasting anyone's time, even more, he began to speak.
"My dear students," the man said as the entire stadium grew quiet, "I'm happy to see you all here and in relatively one piece." The professor chuckled after that despite being the only one to do so.
"I'm also happy to say to all of those in front of me that you are different than yesterday. But you might ask "How are we different Professor, since nothing has changed that much and since we haven't achieved that much?"
My answer is that yesterday you all were student hopefuls. I didn't know how many of you would pass. Maybe all. Maybe none. It was a total mystery. But today all of the people that I see have passed the initiation, some with flying colors, some not far from it, but nevertheless you all have made that first large step. And to that I say: congratulations my students!"
The headmaster began to clap which was soon joined by the entire student body as well as Beacon's staff. Once the clapping ceased however he continued the speech.
"This is your first large step towards becoming full fledged huntsmen and huntresses of Remnant. And though to a young mind four years feels like an eternity and the road along that eternity may seem treacherous, I wish you, hope, strength, happiness and curiosity. Because where are those four things there the soul shines bright and the creatures of grimm are powerless in front of our combined might."
Again it was followed by applause this time from everyone except Professor Ozpin. Some of the students even began to whistle until an angry look from Glynda made them cease it. Once everyone became quiet again, Beacon's headmaster resumed to speak though in a more casual tone.
"But since I'm pretty sure everyone is quite tired, how about we wrap this up and I'll give my good college Professor Glynda Goodwitch the microphone."
The arrival of the headmistress was followed by a much deeper silence then before which couldn't be blamed entirely on the students feeling nervous because of the new team announcements. Miss Goodwitch had already become someone the first years were extremely afraid of.
She took the microphone out of her colleagues hand before giving her entire attention towards her students.
"Thank you headmaster!" The headmistress said as sternly as ever.
"Before we start though, some words of warning first." The entire audience gulped.
Glynda chose to ignore that. "I will now announce the teams you will all be in, for all your time in Beacon. And let me make myself clear. A team is your family, your strongest weapon, sturdiest shield as well as an extension of yourself." She allowed those words to sink in before continuing.
"It means when I grade someone, I grade the team. When I punish someone, I punish the team," the headmistress allowed the suspense to dwell a bit before saying," and if I expel someone I expel the team."
At this point the solemn air around the hall became a different type of solemn that only someone who is pretty close with the dictionary could identify.
"I will now proceed to call out the teams." Glynda continued.
"Please step forward and come up to the stage once I've called your name. After that you and your team go towards the left side of the main hall." Without further ado, the headmistress began to do exactly as she said.
"Wait, you are going to end with that!" The new student body collectively thought the same thing while everyone else who was already accustomed with Beacon's headmistress could only shake their heads.
And she did. The teams were announced. Alphabetically apparently by using the first letter in each team so it was a matter of time until…
"Cardin Winchester, Russel Thrush, Dove Bronzewing and Sky Lark step forward." Glynda Goodwitch commanded.
What advanced could only be described as your typical dude-bro squad. Cardin's partner Russel was a lean teen in a dark green sleeveless vest, black pants, white shoes and two gray armbands. Together with the almost shaved head with the mint green mohawk and the single spiked shoulder guard, this guy looked like a stereotypical bandit from Vacuo.
The other two guys - Dove and Sky seemed to have the exact same clothing design as if they both were sporting the exact same armor, that covered everything except their upper hands, thighs and palms. The only difference between them were the color schemes since Dove's armor had a dark bronze color while Sky's was more dark silver.
Look vise they weren't anything that eye catching. Sky apparently tried to look like the pretty boy with his combed back metallic hair that went past his neck, but instead the guy just looked like an asshole.
While Dove had a straw colored bowl cut and a pair of closed eyes.
Anyhow none of these guys beat the main attraction to everyone's eyes that was Cardin Winchester. He was covered from head to toe in bandages so much that you could see only his right eye. No one knew what happened to him but it didn't stop the giggles which the huge ginger received from his peers. And by the increasing red color that took over his only visible part of skin he wasn't a fan of this type of attention.
The four stood where they were ordered behind Goodwitch which immediately killed the laughter since no one had the balls to even smirk in Glynda's general direction.
"These four brought back the black bishop pieces so from now one you are a team. I henceforth declare you all team CRDL (Cardinal), led by Cardin Winchester. I wish you the best of luck boys and to be more careful of your surroundings!" A look was given to Cardin who nodded feeling embarrassed.
After that the four went to their supposed side.
Unfortunately there weren't any more noteworthy occurrences after team CRDL so everyone else were just terrifyingly waiting to be called out. Then again after what seemed like forever…
"Jaune Arc, Pyrrha Nicos, Nora Valkyrie and Lie Ren step, forward."
The four did as told. Lead by an excited looking Nora who couldn't be quelled despite how many angry glares she got from Goodwitch and ended with a smiling Pyrrha who made sure that her greenish partner Jaune didn't throw up or run away. Just like CRDL and all of the other teams before they stepped behind the headmistress with Nora doing something as unimaginable as humming.
This group got more attention than the last one, though this time it was more positively oriented. There was no surprise since the third time champion of the Mystral Colosseum was standing there. There was no doubt in everyone's minds that Pyrrha will become the leader of this team and despite the disappointing quality of her teammates, especially her partner it will most likely be remembered in Beacon's history as one of the greats.
So imagine the surprise when Glynda announced the team's name and leader.
"These four brought back the white rook pieces, so from now on you are a team. I henceforth declare you all team JNPR (Juniper) led by Jaune Arc."
At this moment the previous silence was changed with something deeper. Everyone just stood there unable or precisely unwilling to understand what just happened. Pyrrha Nicos, a well known and beloved celebrity was just made an underling to some shabby looking blond nobody.
"Congratulations team leader!" Suddenly shouted Nora breaking the spell and forcing everyone to accept the previous statement as a part of their new reality.
"Miss Valkyrie, you may congratulate your new leader, after the ceremony." Said Glynda while giving the ginger haired girl a look that could kill. The young huntress got the memo and became silent.
"Ahem," Continued the interrupted headmistress. "I wish you all a chance to grow and show your potential," it was meant for the blue faced blond with the frozen expression," as well to always have good manners," that was addressed to Nora.
"And not to let your fame cloud your judgment." Pyrrha only smiled at that.
The new team left though their petrified leader was pushed off the stage by his red haired partner like a piece of heavy furniture.
Well after what could only be known as a sign of the end times the ceremony continued, though it seemed that professor Goodwitch was the only one who was really "in it" anymore. A few forgettable faces later the last noteworthy team was named.
"Weiss Schnee, Yang Xiao Long, Blake Belladonna and Ruby Rose, step forward."
All heads turned towards what seemed like the death row inmate parade one the last day before execution.
Weiss Schnee seemed perfectly calm though only two people knew that it couldn't actually be further from it.
Yang Xiao Long had something that tried to imitate a smile, but more looked like the equivalent a parent made when they needed to explain to their youngest child where grandma went.
Blake Belladonna's face was calm and serene as a volcano that was about to explode.
And Ruby Rose was in something her sister had dubbed 'full hood' mode when it covered her eyes while internally thinking that taking Professor's Ozpin's offer of going to Beacon two years early might have been the worst mistake in the fifteenth year old reaper's entire life thus far.
The girls stepped on the stadium like a person who knows that they will not escape the inevitable but will do their damn hardest to at least be as slow as possible to prolong it as much as it was physically possible. When they turned around the new team was met with sympathetic faces of everyone that saw or had heard about what transpired the other day. Even Goodwitch's glare of obedience couldn't do anything to this wave of sincerity.
Still it was time to know who will be leading what most of the first year populace could only consider the best excuse of 'Why I quit Beacon."
"These four brought back the white knight pieces, so from now on you are a team." Ruby sniffed.
"I henceforth declare you all team SBYR (Songbird), led by Weiss Schnee." The headmistress said far and wide.
In a second the atmosphere in the main hall became mournful. Some of the female students actually started to tear up once they realized that this poor small girl will be in the same team as that scary Atlesian dictator that apparently singlehandedly strangled fifty White Fang members on her way to Vale. While every guy had a pained look with some clenching their fists while others couldn't even look back at the stage. From this moment on Ruby Rose became a symbol of martyrdom in Beacon Academy.
"Okay Schnee who did you bribe?" Asked Adam in disbelief.
"What!?" Shouted Weiss in her head. "Oh let me guess, you think that I paid my way to become a team leader didn't you?"
"Listen I would think that it wasn't your doing only if you became a team leader." He said.
The heiress felt that she'll hate this. "And why is that?" The young lady asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Well natural catastrophes are inevitable." The deceased faunus calmly responded while feeling the rising anger in the Schnee and quite enjoying it.
"But there was no way on Remnant that you and Arc could become team leaders at the same time, despite the fact that both of your teams obviously house more competent members for the job. So come on Schnee, how much did you pay to later cash in when you'll get frisky together with farmboy atop of a compost pile?"
Weiss felt her cheeks redden so she did the natural thing to get out these frustrations.
"Disgusting, perverted, immoral piece of grimm matter!" She internally yelled at the faunus who had already started his usual routine of cackling like a monkey.
"Hey Schnee that's racist." The man said between laughs.
To ignore him the heiress looked sideways towards her team only to immediately regret doing so. All of her teammates were looking at her with an identical neutral expression like a bunch of mad people.
"Hey Schnee, I might advise you to sleep with one eye open tonight as well as the rest of your nights. And it wouldn't hurt to carry around your own food and water incase of poisoning attempts." Adam instructed with a tint of fear in his voice.
Meanwhile the world unaware of this team's plight carried on.
"I wish you to work well as a team and to be able to overcome any differences that you might have." Said Glynda.
Yeah nobody missed what she implied with that.
Team SBYR walked towards the end of the stadium and as they did it Weiss couldn't only think of all the bad things in her life that led the heiress to this very moment. Especially one singelural bad thing who was the sole author of her misery.
"Adam." She thought, gaining the beast's attention.
"What is it Schnee?" It asked in genuine surprise.
"I really hate you."
Both of them knew that it came from the heart.
The beast woke up, engulfed by the night. It's body was hurt and covered in pain from when one of the smaller hated beings had attacked it with pain. It had also lost it's twin. Something that happened because of a hated yellow being.
It slowly got up and gazed at the shining pieces that were in the blackness above. Somehow it felt different. Like it could think much clearer than before. It also understood what to do to make the pain go away. It had to hide in one of the holes where no one would trouble it.
But first.
The creature turned around and gazed at the remains of it's twin. They used to do everything together and without it the creature felt something strange. Suddenly the images of the hated beings that were responsible for it's pain came back.
With a hiss the creature opened its mouth and began to devour the dead twin piece by piece. It felt pain because of course it did. Both it and it's twin shared what they felt and even if the twin was gone it could still feel it's pain. But despite that it kept eating and eating until the only thing left was itself.
Now truly alone the creature turned towards safety and slithered away. It had changed. And because of it the creature swore to kill the two beings responsible. Not because they were hated, but because of love.
Omake: Choosing names.
With a sigh Ozpin walked towards the staff's lounge. His footsteps were heavier than necessary plus he was leaning on that cane of his a bit more out of dramatic effect caused by the man's internal suffering.
The initiation had just ended and despite one of the student's almost being kidnapped by a nevermore it wasn't the worst that has happened in the long history of initiation ceremonies since Glynda didn't jell at him too much this time.
She was obviously angry at him for messing with the launchpads but that literally was one of the least harmful things Ozpin has ever done. The woman should be happy that at least nothing went as much South as it did last year. Who could have imagined that one of those Symbiote grimms would spawn and combine most of the creatures of grimm in the forest into a giant entity of destruction.
It was one of risks of owning a personal habitat for grimm he guessed. The man only wished that his deputy could understand it as well. Ozpin shuddered remembering the bashing he got from the woman after that little accident.
But still it was time to stop thinking about the unpleasantries of the past and focus on those of the future. He looked at the cool paper bag that was in his other hand. The headmaster of Beacon would actually appreciate the creature of grimm from last year that Port had named Titan instead of what awaited him on the other side of the lounge's door to which he had arrived.
With a heavy heart the man opened the entrance to the underworld and was met by the equally unhappy faces of his colleagues: Bart and Port. Besides them, there was no one else in the room. Celestia wasn't in here because of the important reason of taking care of the two passed out students. While Glynda couldn't attend for the not so important reason of bringing the passed out Miss Schnee's belongings and then Brothers knew what else. And she had the gall of accusing him of dodging responsibilities!
Anyway done with that little break down Ozpin opened the paper bag and pulled out a cold bottle of whiskey which he placed next to three small shot glasses.
"Gentlemen," he said to his brothers in arms," I now commence the yearly tradition of coming up with those awful team names. My Brothers have mercy!"
Both professors visibly deflated while Port even went so far as jumping on his feet and yelling. "Damn you king Oswald, last ruler of Vale. Damn you for starting this torturous tradition. May your soul never find peace!"
"Calm down Port! Insulting the dead won't help with this." Said Ozpin.
Internally though he wanted his colleague to know that back then everyone had a much simpler name. So they chained better.
Like seriously the only reason that he could come up with someone naming their son 'Crow' with a 'Q' was to piss him off!
"Can we just abandon it and choose something else?" Asked Bartholomew.
Ozpin could only shake his head. "It's a beloved tradition by the students Bart and one we unfortunately can't replace."
Because Brothers knows he tried. Like seriously if all the huntsmen of Remnant would unite against the grimm as they did when it came to sending Ozpin death threat's and burning down his car then Salem would've been beaten a long time ago.
Nevertheless with great power came coming up with shitty team names. The all powerful mage poured for him and for his mates and began this unholy work.
So yeah…...I had a hiatus.
Kind of wasn't intended, but here I'm back to torture you with my 'engrish' and to hopefully tell you a half decent story.
Firstly I want to thank the few randoes that faved, followed and commented on this thing a few months after the last update.
It was really heartwarming.
Anyway write your comments and enjoy.
Soul OutXD