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Requested by:
Scrublord Yoda
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In the time they'd been gone on their Initiation, Beacon's air-docks had been transformed so dramatically he almost thought they'd been dropped off somewhere else. Long, curved tents wrapped all around the docks' perimeter, swarmed by robotic assistants, nurses from Vale and even a solid fistful of Beacon students helping out. The students and robots each wore little plates of metal strapped to their arms with the universal-by-treaty red X marking them out as medical workers.
And, limping between the aid workers or helped along into the tents by them, Jaune could see well over a dozen injured Initiates.
Some of the injured Initiates had their arms or legs in casts, or their heads swaddled in thick, tightly tied bandages, and limped off into Beacon with older students leading the way. Others sat on the ground wrapped in emergency bandages that were slowly reddening while they grit their teeth and kept pressure on their injuries. The worst of the lot, though, were the quiet ones being rushed onto Bullheads meant for Vale, sheets covering their torsos that very distinctly didn't have the shape of every arm or leg.
"It's like a war zone…" Mort murmured soberly as they disembarked, a couple of Bullheads lifting off as their own teams of exhausted, limping Initiates helped each other along. He frowned and Mort added, quietly, "I've seen plenty of them, so I recognize them for all the worst reasons."
"How many injured?" A doctor rattled off exhaustedly as he reached their group, a trio of rattling over the paved floor behind him, pushed along by a few Atlesiand droids.
"I hurt my leg on a bad fall, but I can walk on it well enough." He grunted shortly, more than able to push aside his pride for an injury after so long out in the field. "Pyrrha took a heavy hit from a Deathstalker, too-"
"I'm fine." The woman grunted, taking the hand she'd had pressed to her hip away like it had burned her. "I don't need treatment."
"Pyr, you were almost ripped in half by a bus-sized scorpion." He growled, frowning even more deeply when the Mistralian only looked at the ground, avoiding his gaze. Irritated and aching, he warned, "I will hold you down if you don't-"
"Relax, Initiate, I'm used to Mistralians." The doctor sighed wearily, crossing his arms and grunting, "The Headmaster is your superior at Beacon Academy. And he has a standing order that even mild injuries be examined post-mission. So are you going to defy your superior's commands, Nikos?"
"...No." She sighed, "But I will walk, thank you."
"Fine." The doctor grumbled, turning to Jaune while a drone helped him up onto one of the gurneys and off his hurt leg, "Continue."
"Weiss and Ruby got taken out by a Deathstalker, so they're probably in rough shape too." He reported finally, waving a hand at the two smaller women being helped along by their sister and Nora. "And Nora took a pretty good knock, so she could probably do with a once-over."
"That all?"
"Yep."
"Got it." The man sighed, turning to one droid while the others helped Ruby lay down and wrestled with a weakly protesting Schnee that couldn't do much against Nora's strength when she brought it to bare. Quickly and coolly, the doctor rattled off, "Two A class injuries, one B, and two C's. Log and send."
"Roger, Doctor Carp." The machine murmured mechanically, "Beds are being assigned. Details will be sent to your Scroll."
A hand forced him onto the bed and they were rolled off, while the uninjured members of his ragtag band were herded away, back towards Beacon. Presumably, that was to clear space for the next four Bullheads he saw angling to land. And, as he rolled along, he heard more of the little medical beds roll by, swamped by machines and led by more doctors off to process the incoming Initiates.
The tent he was brought to was one for minor injuries, dominated by a long hallway with small rooms made out of dran curtains to either side. The 'rooms' were simple, a cot with barely enough room for a doctor to work in beside it, but he supposed it did the job. And ideally, he was sure they hoped for most of the injured coming in to only need minor treatment, so he was sure the rooms had been designed with space in mind.
"You've suffered a slight impact fracture." A nurse explained an hour later, kneeling and wrapping a bandage tight around his bare leg. Her long, dark grey, reptilian tail flicked agitatedly behind her as she went on, "Your equipment was taken back to your designated locker, and you are not to leave your wheelchair for the day."
"Got it."
"I'm not dealing with any arg-" She blinked, flicking a surprised look to him, "Wait, you got it?"
"Yeah." He shrugged, trying to fend off how naked he felt in the Beacon Academy uniform he'd been loaned while his leg got dealt with. "You're the doctor, after all. I'm not dumb enough to act proud when it comes to my health."
"Well that's… A refreshing behavior." The woman said as she finished the bandage off and stood, paying him a goodbye nod as she stepped through the door. "Have a good one, then. And stay off the leg!"
He didn't bother answering and, a couple minutes later, a droid showed up to help him into his chair. And then to roll him out of the tent, after which he was left alone with the simple direction to head back to the auditorium. At least the wheelchair was mechanical, so he didn't have to push the wheels himself. Instead, he just used a little joystick to steer it.
"So…" Mort murmured as they buzzed along, the electric engine of the cheap wheelchair buzzing quietly. "We killed two of the big bastards. You think that means we passed?"
"Probably." He murmured, tugging his Scroll out and setting it on his lap, a finger pressing an ear bud in. That way anyone that looked would just assume he was on a Scroll-call with someone. "Killing them was the job. That and not dying while we did it, at least."
"Yeah, we didn't do that." His friend said, sighing eerily once more, "Not for lack of trying, though… You've never fought anything like what they put out there for us, Jaune. And I don't remember ever doing so, either."
"Right." Jaune nodded, "And?"
"Why would they use that sort of test on Initiates?" They asked, "I don't get it. This kind of attrition rate can't be good."
"Or normal, yeah. It's strange..." For all the grandstanding earlier, he knew that most of the Initiates that didn't get into Beacon were rejected, rather than killed or maimed. An online search while he rolled along had confirmed as much, too. "Maybe something's going on that we don't know about?"
"Maybe that's what's going on, yeah." Mort agreed flatly, an odd curiosity laced under his proverbial breath, "But what could be going on that would push them like this? I certainly don't know about anything."
"Nothing online, either…"
"Whatever weird nonsense is going on, it isn't our business right now, Jaune." Mort said after a long, silent minute spent rolling up the wide walkway into Beacon. "We've got our own goals on our plate, after all. We should keep our eyes on the ball."
"Yeah…"
"Oh!" Mort suddenly gasped, "That rhymed!"
Jaune could only sigh at his insufferable partner's typical complete inability to stay serious for more than ten minutes. But then again, Mort had never been even remotely capable of that in all the time Jaune had known them. And, Jaune hated to admit it, it had rhymed pretty well all things considered.
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He was met by a young woman waiting at the door to the Auditorium when he got to it, who checked him off the list and took his Scroll. After a couple of moments working on it, the blonde handed it back and smiled, "Until tomorrow morning, when Initiation officially ends, the teams formed in the test itself are being boarded in the first year dormitories. Anyone injured can order food delivered, and you're hurt enough to, so feel free. A staff member or a droid will deliver it promptly."
"Got it." He grunted, flicking open his Scroll and finding the map already open on it, a little dot marking out his room for the night with a line running from the hAuditorium - where he was - to it. Smiling, he paid her a nod and turned to leave, adding, "Thanks, Miss."
He was on his way to the dorm when he heard a familiar voice call, "Fearless Leader!"
"Yes!" Mort crowed eagerly as he turned, watching Nora bound towards him with a smile. "Aww, she got new clothes… But hey, the uniform looks good!"
He ignored the spirit and smiled, waving as the ginger berserker reached him and came to a stop and knelt to give him a hug that was much more gentle than he'd expected from her. She let him go after a moment and stood, smiling and planting a fist on her hips, "How you doin', Jauney?"
"Better after that hug!" Mort cheered, "I bet you liked it too, Arc~"
"I'm fine." He smiled, waving a hand at his bandaged leg, the uniform pants rolled up neatly from where the nurse had worked on it. "Just a bit of a fracture. With Aura helping out, I'll be fine by the morning."
"That's good to hear then." Ren said quietly as he joined them, laying a hand on the small of the Valkyrie's back familiarly. Smiling warmly, she leaned back into the touch while he went on, "Nora and I were worried about you after they rushed you off like that. I figured they were just being fast, but Nora…"
"Hey, I like who I like. Can't help it, won't be ashamed of it." She beamed, shrugging and throwing an arm around Ren, tugging him in against her broad shoulder. "And I worry 'bout who I worry 'bout, too. Right now, s'you and Renny, here."
"Well, I appreciate it." Jaune smiled, "Really, I do."
"Good, good… Now, just pull her into your- Ow!" Mort whined as his finger clicked off the tip of his gem again. Growling, the sword spirit whined jokingly, "What?! She's perfect, Arc! Broad shoulders, short hair, and she could kick your ass literally across the school grounds!"
"Well, I dunno about you guys, but I'm starving to death over here." He chuckled, smiling as he turned and buzzed along down the hallway, "Anyone up for some pizza? We made a good showing of ourselves out there, so I think we've earned a good night."
"Whoo!" Nora cheered, bouncing along to walk in front of him and smiling excitedly, "I love pizza!"
"Who doesn't?" He laughed.
"Renny doesn't." She said quickly, turning to smile at him, "Don't worry, Renny. I'm sure they have great salad here."
"I'm sure they do, Nora." The man chuckled, shaking his head and explaining, presumably for Jaune's benefit, "I'm a vegetarian, when it's not a matter of life or death. I don't mind cooking meat for anyone else, I won't force my beliefs onto others like that, but I won't partake myself."
"Huh." He hadn't seen that coming… "But not when things are rough? Like, out in the wilds?"
"I've a moral compunction against theft, too, but I would steal bread to eat." He explained simply, shrugging as they reached the door and Nora bounced over to the reader to slide her Scroll over it and unlock the door, "It's a moral decision, a moral belief, but I'm not an idiot. If I have to steal, or kill, to survive or to keep Nora alive then I will. I won't like it, obviously, but I know where I stand."
And the way he said that echoed personal experience on that front, too. Enough that Jaune didn't press the issue, even for curiosity's sake.
Instead, he just shrugged and said, "Hey, I've had a few mean salads in my days. Some of the villages I passed through were all agriculture, so the local dishes only really had veggies. And maybe some fish, if I was lucky."
Inside, the dorm was a simple affair. Four simple twin beds lined two of the walls, with small nightstands set in between them. A very large dresser sat next to the door, with space enough for all of their uniforms and then some. Surprisingly enough, the dorm even came with its own bathroom, which took up most of the right side. A couple simple desks were set against the rest of the wall on the bathroom side, and nice paintings had been hung all along the walls.
"Place is pretty sweet!" Nora cheered, leaping onto the bed closest to the door and bouncing high while Jaune coughed and rolled by. She sighed as the bed rocked and settled down, hands behind her head. "Awww, so much nicer than a sleeping bag."
"You can say that again." Jaune chuckled, standing long enough to unbuckle Mort Noire and lean it against the head of the bed he was claiming, across the room from Nora. Then he took a seat himself and sighed, flicking open his Scroll, "Place your orders, friends o' mine. I'm hurt enough to get delivery."
"Oh, delivery is even better!" Nora cheered, sitting up and smiling brightly.
Almost on cue, the door beeped open and Pyrrha stepped through sheepishly. Her hair tie was gone, now, letting her long hair spill down her back, only held out of her face by her bronzed circlet. Her armor was gone, too, replaced by the same uniform they all wore. Rubbing her arm anxiously and string at the floor, she shuffled across the dorm room and took a seat on the only empty bed left, leg bouncing nervously.
Finally, after a long, confused moment, she offered, "I'm sorry, I, um, normally… I don't like not wearing my armor. Not in small rooms like this, at least. So, um, I'm sorry. Just ignore me, I'll adjust."
"Are you sure?" Jaune asked her, smiling when emerald eyes turned to him. "We can step out to let you get used to the space if you need."
"Y-You'd…" She blinked, "Do that?"
"Sure." he shrugged, "Why not? You're our friend. Nora, Ren, you agree right?"
"Of course I do!" Nora beamed widely, holding up a finger nad bouncing it up and down as she enunciated, "Any problem of a friend of mine is a problem of mine, too! I don't mind helpin' out no matter how I do it."
"I might have to go check the library of one of the four most prestigious academies on Remnant out." Ren remarked dryly, smirking, "Woe is me, woe is me. How ever will I survive such a tribulation?"
"You're so kind, though you only met me last night…" Pyrrha sounded shocked and wary, but he saw the little smile that played across her lips. After a long moment, she relaxed, straightening and uncurling. And then, she sighed, "I would not put you out for mere comfort, my friends. I believe I overheard talk of food? I could stand to eat, after the day I have had."
"Same here, Pyr. So is pizza and salad good for everyone?" Jaune asked after a moment, earning curt nods from them all. Flicking open his Scroll to set his order, he got to work while Ren and Nora moved the nightstand from between their bed and pushed the twin together.
"It's nothin' naughty!" Nora said when Pyrrha asked about it, looking… More sheepish than Nora normally did. In fairness, he'd known her less than forty eight hours at this point, but he felt he had a good grip on her character. "We just… Out there, we sleep together. S'a comfort thing, that's all."
"Doesn't bother me." He shrugged, "Pyr?"
"I lived in the Arena's barracks for quite a time." The woman laughed, a light, airy sound that seemed almost out of place from the muscled, scarred young woman. "You could have told me you did intend to, shall we say, test the supports and I would have simply asked for fair warning."
"Oh my god!" Nora smiled, "Lewd!"
They shared a laugh at that while Jaune finished his order. Then he relaxed on his bed and closed his eyes, savoring the smell of clean cotton. In a week or two he was sure that he'd miss the smell of the forest. But right then and there, he couldn't have been happier not to be out in the sticks.
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"And, as our most decorated of the new year for killing two of the high class Grimm left out in the field, we have team Juniper." Ozpin said, gesturing to the four of them standing at the front of the ten teams of first years that had been allowed through. RWBY was at their side, Ruby's arm in a cast while Weiss sat in a wheelchair. Still, they'd passed and seemed proud of it while Ozpin went on, "Their fight against the Armored Kong and then the Deathstalker stands as a testament to Beacon's philosophy of Hunter combat. Teamwork, in all things, only makes a fight easier."
"And, as the young man who came up with the plans to deal with the enemies to hand, Jaune of House Arc shall lead them." Ozpin smiled, turning and offering a hand to him. Jaune took it, shaking it firmly, and Ozpin said, "Good luck, young man. You're going to need it, soon enough."
"That's not foreboding at all…" Mort murmured, "The hell does that mean?"
Jaune couldn't be sure, really. All he knew was that the first big step on the road he'd chosen such a long time ago had come, and he'd made it.
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Mog the Gnome :
Glad you like it!
Arche Aryan :
*sips tea quietly and suspiciously*
Brick Laying Psycho :
That fight was supposed to be from Jaune's perspective, lol. In hindsight, I actually think jumping away from him would have been the better idea.
Smokey Panda :
As stated, the Deathstalker is an ambush predator. And it's one smart enough not to kill Ruby or Weiss, but rather to incapacitate them and lay another, separate ambush. This is all meant to show that the Deathstalker is smart. And if I were it, I would pick off the actual Hunter early. Which ought to be obvious by their apparent ages.