Chapter Two

The First Step

When Connor woke up in the morning, he knew he shifted in his sleep due to one main reason... the sleeping bag he was on looked rather small. Yawning, he stretched out his limbs before he got to his feet. Surprisingly he was the first one awake, so no one has seen him change, nor noticed a Cave Lion of all things standing in the middle of the auditorium. "Thank Oum," he muttered as he grabbed the duffel bag with his clothes in it with his jaws and slowly stalked towards the men's room.

A few minutes later, Connor stepped back out, in his human form, and quickly made his way outside. Today was initiation, but he had a few hours to kill... might as well go for a fly.

As he was now in his usual attire, Connor looked around and noticed that everyone else was mainly asleep, which was better for him as he then made his way towards the exit. Jaune would know what he would be up to, so he wasn't worried to much for the blonde.

Stepping outside, the morning breeze met his face and he sighed a content one as he then looked towards Beacon Tower. "Hey, Ghast, what was it you say about always looking from the highest point of the land?"

'It helps you get to know your surroundings, especially with the vision you have,' Ghast pointed out before adding; 'Besides, they always do give quite the views.'

Connor smirked as his eyes changed from human to a more avian look. "Your damn right it does," he told the immortal in his soul as he then began to shift. His arms quickly turned to what was practically a ten foot wingspan, while his height shortened to about three feet in height, though he was now a lot more armed with large talons about three inches in length and a large hooked beak were rather noticeable as well. His coloring was mainly brown on the back and top of the wings with a gray under belly with the outer feathers of the wings being a reddish brown with black at the tips. He also had a short gray and reddish brown tipped crest to complete the look.

He was now a Haast's Eagle, one of the largest eagles to ever live and one of the main flyers Connor chooses for short flights. He had other forms for longer, more effort expanding flights.

Seconds after he transformed he was off in the air, quickly rising above the auditorium as he then made his way towards Beacon Tower. As he increased in height from the ground, he noticed that beyond the cliffs where the air ships dock and saw the large expanse of water that was beyond the school, and on the other side of the large lake, was Vale. Despite having a beak, Connor smiled as he realized that he will be getting use to this view more often than not. Another reason was that he could at least use some of his aquatic forms if given the chance to.

It's been a while since he's used... certain forms after all.

That's for later, right now Connor was simply going to enjoy the view that was before him as he then landed on the rail that surrounded the tower's balcony. The wind blew through his feathers as he looked on from his perch, his eyes looking out for anything out of the blue. As the raptor stared out into the distance, he was unaware of a certain headmaster walking out to enjoy the view himself. The man was pleasantly surprised to see a rather large eagle perched on the rails right outside of his office.

Well... he would have been surprised if he wasn't already aware of who exactly it was. He's had his eye on the kid for a while after all. "It is quite the view isn't it," Ozpin spoke up, which got a side glance from the large bird of prey, who was slightly taken off guard. "I already know it's you Mr. O'Riley, we do have security footage all around the school after all."

After a moment, Connor shifted back into his human side, all the while leaning on the rail, looking out over the view before them; "I wasn't exactly hiding, you know?"

"I'm well aware," Ozpin replied, "From what I've heard from Jonathan Arc, you are... rather open to using your abilities."

Connor shrugged, he wasn't expecting to talk to the Headmaster at all, but he also wasn't expecting Jaune's old man to talk about him. "I don't see why I need to hide them, they're a part of me. If people fear me for it, that's their problem, if they want to try and weaponize me... well I'd say let them try." Ghast had told him about why those who ransacked his original home were searching for, and despite the need for revenge, Connor was willing to wait it out. Even with his power, going after them without knowing what he was up against would be rather suicidal.

"If that is so, then why would you have to forge your transcripts," Ozpin asked, making Connor's eyes widen, "you could have easily passed the course to get in."

The Chimera looked ahead for a moment before sayng; "I'll take the punishment if you keep Jaune in. He's been wanting to do this ever since I've met him, and if you're to throw us out... I think that would crush him."

"I don't plan to do such a thing," Ozpin said before grinning, "if I was, I wouldn't have even accepted your transcripts to begin with. No, what I want to know is why someone like you would even forge his own transcript. I have known that Mister Arc wasn't exactly in a combat school, but you? You've been seen hunting large Grimm around Vale for the past two years, along with multiple White Fang encampments destroyed by what reports say, a beast from hell."

Connor was silent at that. He did wonder why he himself forged his own transcripts instead of taking the exam? As he seemed to be in an inner turmoil, Ozpin spoke up; "You'll have plenty of time to figure that out, but for now, I suggest you prepare. The Initiation will be in a few hours, and I know for a fact it will shape up to be a rather... interesting year."

Before the Headmaster made his way inside, Connor asked one question; "Why do you want me here anyway?" When Ozpin looked over his shoulder, the teen continued; "I know there's a reason for you wanting me here other than see the 'vast potential' I more than likely have, so what's the reason you want me here?"

"Isn't it obvious," Ozpin responded cryptically before he entered his office, leaving Connor to try and understand what he meant by that. Though, Ghast had other ideas. 'It's best we heed his advice and get ready for today,' the immortal told his vessel, 'we do find out who we get stuck with after all.'

That got a nod from the young man before he leaped over the rail and shifted back into the Haast's Eagle before flying down towards the auditorium, hoping Jaune was awake, but if not... he would get some breakfast without him.

"This is ridiculous!" Jaune said as him and Connor were walking through the halls, just passing Ruby and Yang, with the former actually saying ridiculous at the same time as Jaune. After he and Connor met back up, they had breakfast, where all the other students witnessed the metabolism that his best friend possessed. His plate was rather massive, and well... it was rather a sight to behold. Right now though, he was looking for his locker, while the Chimera was simply making sure he had everything. "There's no way I put my gear in locker 636 yesterday!? I would've remembered having to count that high!"

"You didn't," Connor said as they walked past another pair of girls, heading to where their lockers were, "I did, and we're almost there so don't worry."

Just like Connor had said, they were on Jaune's locker in a matter of seconds, with the Chimera actually noticing something. "Jaune? If you said you put your gear in here than how come you have your sword already on you?"

His answer came when Jaune turned around and that's when Connor noticed exactly who they passed mere moments ago... the dreaded Ice Queen. He then looked to Jaune as he saw the look on his face; "I wouldn't if I was you," he told the blonde, but he seemed to have been heard by deaf ears as Jaune kept looking over towards Weiss. Connor sighed as he then turned around and opened his own locker before pulling out one of the few things he kept in there... a pack of bubblegum. He quickly tossed a piece in his mouth before speaking; "Besides, if you ask me... I think you'd have a better chance with the redhead she's-"

Connor stopped talking when he turned again and noticed Jaune was no longer beside him. 'How is it that I have enhanced senses and I can't even notice when he walks off?' he questioned himself as he looked towards where Jaune went and he just got to where Weiss and the redheaded girl and that's when he slid in between them, facing Weiss before he said; "You know what else is great? Me, Jaune Arc. Nice to meet you."

'Well... at the least it's better than his original line,' Connor thought as he decided just to sit back and watch, all the while chewing his bubble gum in relative peace.

"You again?" Weiss said coldly as she crossed her arms.

The redhead then walked up beside the snow haired Ice Queen and waved politely; "Nice to meet you, Jaune!"

'At least she's nice,' Connor brought up before Jaune, quite rudely in the brown haired teens opinion, moved her out of the way so he could speak to Weiss; "Yeah, yeah. So, Weiss! Couldn't help but overhear your fondness of me the other day."

"Oh dear Oum," Connor said as he remembered that the sarcasm in her voice when she said that was quite there. Also, he was sure she was more attracted to him than his blonde haired friend. Still... he wasn't gonna wreck his style, not yet anyway... though he was sure Jaune should just try his luck with the redhead. She at the least seemed interested.

Weiss seemed to have a similar mindset when it came to what she said yesterday as she held a hand up against her forehead and looked down; "Oh, you've got to be kidding me."

Yet, Jaune seemed oblivious to this though as he continued on. "Don't worry, no need to be embarrassed! So, been hearin' rumors about team! I was thinking you and me would make a good one. What do you say?"

"Actually, I think the teams are compromised of four students each," the redhead spoke up, "So-"

"You don't say," Jaune said before he actually looked to Pyrrha for the first time and hopped over to her a second later; "Well, hot-stuff, play your cards right and maybe you could join up on the winning team."

He gestured over to the Chimera, who just waved at Weiss and Pyrrha, all the while just waiting for this to backfire on the blonde.

A chuckle escape Connor at that as he was witnessing his friend trying to hook two attractive young women onto his 'dream team', and at this time Ruby and yang walked up to him and saw what was going on. "How's he going," Yang asked, but has yet to actually look at Connor's face close up.

The Chimera shrugged; "I'd say this is one of his better attempts," he admitted. "nothing compared to his attempts when we go to the arcade, now those were terrible," he said to them in amusement.

"What did he do," Ruby asked in curiosity.

Connor glanced at them and that's when he said with a smirk, "He was pretty much saying the same pick-up line the very first time he attempted it with multiple women, and I had to put on 'the look' to save him from being ripped a part by a bunch of pissed off girls."

"The look," Yang asked intrigued

"Yeah, the trail-blazing, eyebrow raising look, complete with a fanged smirk," Connor said with a slight smirk on his face, "I don't know why, but it gets them every time." He then opened another piece of gum before placing it in his mouth, before offering a piece to the sisters.

Meanwhile, Weiss got between Jaune and the redhead before glancing up at the blonde boy; "Jaune, is it? Do you have any idea who you are talking to?"

"Not in the slightest, Snow Angel," Jaune replied, with Connor making a rather audible smack with a facepalm.

Weiss then gestured to the redhead behind her as she now faced Jaune; "This is Pyrrha."

"Hello again!"

"Pyrrha graduated top of her class at Sanctum," Weiss added, with both Jaune giving her a confused look and Connor raising his eyebrows.

Jaune gave a blank stare and stated; "Never heard of it."

That only made the dreaded Ice Queen scoff; "Ah! She's won the Mistral Regional Tournament four years in a row... a new record!"

"The what?"

That seemed to push Weiss to the breaking point as she waved her arms wildly while adding; "She's on the front of every Pumpkin Pete's Marshmallow Flakes box!"

Jaune gasped in shock and surprise before looking to Pyrrha; "That's you? They only do that for star athletes and cartoon characters!"

Pyrrha smiled at Jaune. "Yeah, it was pretty cool. Sadly, the cereal isn't very good for you."

It was then when it clicked to Connor as well; "Damn... I eat like three boxes of that stuff for breakfast every morning."

"Doesn't surprise me seeing how much you ate this morning," Yang said with a grin, and that was when Connor actually looked over at her for the first time, and she seemed to have froze under his gaze as if under some kind of spell.

He then told her simply; "Well excuse me for not having a normal metabolism," he shot back with a little bit of sarcasm. He then noticed that she was staring as if not sure on what to say while also slowly starting to blush a bit. Connor then leaned and whispered to Ruby, "Is she always like this?"

Ruby, who seemed surprised, shook her head. "No... she usually likes to flirt, but this... this is new, and a bit concerning."

"Did I break her?" The silver-eyed girl shrugged as she was uncertain herself, so the two simply turned back to the conversation in front of them.

After explaining Pyrrha's accomplishments, Weiss then asked Jaune; "So, after hearing all of this, do you really think you're in a position to ask her to be on your team?"

Jaune then hanged his head before replying; "I guess not... Sorry..."

Pyrrha though, then walked up to him and placed her hand on his shoulder before telling him; "Actually, Jaune, I think you'd make a great leader!"

"D'oh, stop it!" Jaune said, immediately brightening back up from the compliment, all the while Connor could help but grin from the two's interaction... and then Weiss spoke back up.

"Seriously, please stop it.," she told the redheaded champion; "This kind of behavior should not be encouraged!"

'She seems to have a proverbial stick up her ass,' Ghast told Connor, which made an amused grin appear on the Chimera's face.

Jaune then slid beside Weiss before saying in a confident manner; "Sounds like Pyrrha's on board for Team Jaune. Only have one spot left! Now, I'm not supposed to do this, but maybe I could pull some strings, find a place for you. What do you say?"

At first, Weiss wanted to question who that third person that Jaune was talking about until she remembered the other guy who was hanging out with him last night, the one who was currently standing beside those two annoying girls from yesterday, watching what was going on before them... in amusement. Despite how attractive the brown-haired man was, she had priorities to get the best team possible, and this blonde dolt was not one of them. "All right, that's a bit too close! Pyrrha, a little help, please?!"

Jaune turned just to see Pyrrha ready to throw her spear towards him, but before she could a large hand caught her wrist. "You know, I would take personal offense to you aiming that at my friend, but I already know you were doing it because of Snowflake," said the voice of Connor, who started over to them the moment he saw Pyrrha grab her weapon.

"I'm sorry!" Pyrrha said quickly as Connor released her wrist, allowing her to put her weapon away.

Nodding to her in acknowledgement, Connor turned to Weiss, forming a claw from a species known as Baryonx on his pointer finger in the process and walked up and around her, like a predator circling his prey. For once, Weiss didn't have anything to say as his gaze was of one of silent judgement, that plus she just witnessed him form a large sickle-shaped claw from where his hand was. "Next time you have someone send their weapon flying at my friend, you'll be saying goodbye to the hair you have on that ponytail, got it?"

The snow-haired heiress glared at him. She did not ask Pyrrha to throw her weapon at Jaune, not that she was against it, but she didn't ask her too! Yet this this numbskull was threatening her about it? She was about to give this brute a piece of her mind due to such a threat, but that was when Professor Goodwitch's voice was heard over the intercom. 'Would all first-year students please report to Beacon Cliff for initiation? Again, all first-year students report to Beacon Cliff immediately.'

Weiss then gave Connor one more glare before she walked past him and Jaune, Pyrrha also walking past Connor carefully before stopping by Jaune and saying; "It was nice meeting you!"

"Likewise..." Jaune said and after she left, he slumped up against the wall.

Connor turned the claw back to his finger before he then turned to his friend with a raised eyebrow look, just as Ruby and Yang, who had recovered from her little moment, walked up to them both; "You know, Jaune, I feel like you should've learned something from that, not exactly sure what though..."

"Having some trouble there, lady-killer?" Yang asked Jaune as they made it to them, using the nickname in a joking manner.

Jaune sighed; "I don't understand. My dad said all women look for is confidence! Where did I go wrong?" He then accepted the hands from Connor and Ruby as the two pulled him up to his feet.

"'Snow Angel' probably wasn't the best start," Yang told him as she then made her way towards the exit, heading for the cliff side.

Connor nodded in agreement. "She's not wrong, but I'll admit... you did way better than you have been." He then made his way towards the exit, all the while Ruby was helping Jaune and his shattered self-esteem. Sure, Connor would have helped him too, but Jaune always bounced back quickly, so he was used to this.

Connor was rolling his shoulders in anticipation, they were now lined up side-by-side, facing the cliffside with Professor Ozpin and Professor Goodwitch standing before them, with Ozpin telling them what's about to go down. "For years, you have trained to become warriors, and today, your abilities will be evaluated in the Emerald Forest."

The Chimera focused on the forest in front of him, he's been doing stuff similar to this for the past ten years, when he was just trying to master his forms, and with Ghast's vast knowledge... he was already quite the warrior. Doesn't mean he's unbeatable, but he'd make a worthy opponent for the more skilled opponents if he did say so himself.

"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." Goodwitch told them all, with Connor hearing someone whining in despair, which he wasn't sure as to who though.

"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. That being said, the first person you make eye contact with after landing will be your partner for the next four years." It was then when the young man could have sworn he heard glass shattering.

"What!?"

Yep, that was definitely Ruby.

"After you've partnered up," Ozpin continued; "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."

It was then when Connor heard Jaune laugh nervously, with the Chimera glancing over at him before saying; "You'll be fine, Jaune."

"You will be monitored and graded through the duration of your initiation, but our instructors will not intervene. 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?" Ozpin asked after finishing.

Jaune was the only one who raised his hand; "Yeah, um, sir?"

"Good!" Ozpin said, ignoring Jaune. "Now, take your positions."

Connor looked down the row and noticed everyone was striking some sort of pose, all except him and Jaune, who continued raising his hand

"Uh, sir? I've got, um... a question." As Jaune asked this, Connor's eyes widened as he then noticed that Weiss was launched, and the launches were going down the row, and yet Jaune has not noticed this. "So, this landing... strategy thing... Uh, wha-what is it? You're, like, dropping us off or something?"

"No." Ozpin said simply. "You will be falling."

'How is he not noticing this!?' both Connor and Ghast thought as he witnessed more students getting launched into the sky, it was then when he himself started to prepare for the launch; 'Griffin or Eagle?' he asked Ghast as he cracked his neck.

"Oh, uh, I see... So, like, did you hand out parachutes for us?" Jaune asked, still oblivious to the other students being launched.

Izpin only gave Jaune a similar reply; "No. You will be using your own 'landing strategy.'"

"Uh-huh... Yeah."

Connor turned again and saw that it was Yang's turn to be launched as she put on a pair of aviators after winking at her sister. Connor couldn't help but grin at that as she was then launched with a 'Woo-hooooooo!' being heard as she was launched. Ruby then turned and smirked at him and Jaune, which he returned and nodded as she too was launched.

"So, what exactly is a landing strategYYY!..." Jaune started to ask as he was then unceremoniously launched from where he was standing and into the cloud of students ahead. Connor only smirked as he then decided to form a pair of wings... Griffin wings to be exact, which surprised Goodwitch and intrigued Ozpin. Then he was off, tucking in his wings so they wouldn't slow him down before he began to shift again.

Only this time, he wasn't an eagle... he was a beast about larger than a bear, but looked to be a cross of a lion and an eagle. Brown fur covered a lion like body including a tail that ended with a darker brown tuft of fur. It's back legs were of those of a big cat's but it's forelegs were golden and easily those of an eagle with a massive set of talons easily three times the length of the Haast's Eagle's were. His wingspan was now huge with a mix of gold and reddish brown feathers mixed in, and last was a blackish gold main of feathers that starts from the back of the head and ends where the wings sprout out, and goes down low enough to where the golden skin of the forelegs were shown. The head itself was easily eagle, with the blackish gold feathers on it for insulation, but he did have a pair of ears that were actually more related to a wolf's than a lion's, but not by much.

Connor had turned into a Griffin, and with an eagle like shriek, the entire valley before him knew he was present as he then proceeded to climb in altitude, hoping he can get a glimpse of the ruins they were having to find before he went to pick up Jaune. Though, as he was flying up, he heard loud, explosive noises down below as he looked down and could see a trail of blond firing what he could guess was fire rounds over the trees before it disappeared into the underbrush.

'She's nuts,' Connor thought with amusement before Ghast spoke up; 'Then you two will get along rather nicely.'

Connor only rolled his eyes in amusement of Ghast's comment before he continued to rise up, and when he finally reached the height he wanted, he looked down and saw the ruins that he believed is what they were looking for... not exactly hard to find, but it was easier for his type of vision. Now, he just had to find Jaune, which was easier said than done. He did see where he landed though, so it shouldn't be that difficult to find.

Before he could dive down though... he did noticed a decent size Nevermore flying about a hundred feat below him. Which caused the Griffin to smirk before he proceeded to dive down towards the large Grimm, who hasn't even noticed his silent stalker until it was to late. Before the Nevermore could turn around and defend itself, Connor slammed into it, the force of the blow causing the Grimm's ribs to implode within itself before the Griffin that attacked it went for the head where it proceeded to try and claw out the large bird Grimms eyes out.

The Nevermore, though, tried to to shake the smaller opponent off of it by diving towards the forest. Connor though, decided it was better to just help it on it's way down as he then shifted into a beast that easily weighed the Grimm down. The beast he had become now was easily the size of a rhinoceros, but was covered in long, woolly, brown fur with a large, forward facing front horn that was almost five foot in length with the back horn being closer to around two and a half feet. It was quite the sight, seeing a Woolly Rhino on top of a Nevermore as it plummeted towards the ground.

Didn't help that the struggling Grimm was then quickly silenced by a massive horn going through the eyes on both sides of the head, just as when the two large beasts crashed through the tree tops and plummeted to the ground. Luckily for Connor, he landed on the Nevermore, which then turned to ash after a few seconds f landing, leaving a rhino laying on his side before slowly getting up.

As the rhino got to his feet, it quickly shifted back into Connor, who immediately held his ribs. "Ow!" he groaned in pain as he felt them, along with one of his wrists, start to heal up. "Should've turned my aura on."

'Connor, we've discussed this, just because you can heal doesn't make you invincible... you can still die you know,' Ghast said with a hint of concern.

Connor nodded as his wrist went back into place; "Yeah... yeah you're right, I guess I got caught up in the moment." He groaned as his ribs were getting put back together. He leaned back against a tree while he recovered and sighed. He needed to let it heal otherwise it would probably get worse. He had natural healing that would fix him in about thirty minutes, but when he enhances it with his aura... should take him roughly five minutes.

After about five minutes, he felt his ribs and sighed in relief when they were as good as new. He then proceeded to stand up and look around while he muttered to himself; "Note to self, never try to anchor a Nevermore down with a three ton Woolly Rhino ever again."

He was then about to head out when he heard a roar coming from the other way, and Connor knew exactly what it was and grinned. "Beowulf pack," he muttered as he then turned back into the Woolly Rhino and began trotting that direction rather quickly, he knew if their was a pack that their were probably other students fighting them... and they were going to be in for one hell of a surprise.

AN: Before I say anything else, the polls so far are as followed, got it?

Ruby and Weiss (as in a three-way pairing) is leading with two votes

Then just Ruby has a vote.

Just Weiss has a vote.

Just Yang has a vote.

And finally Team RWBY as a whole has a vote.

I'm giving it until next time I post a chapter to see where this goes because I have some plans drawn up depending on the results so it really depends on you (So if you haven't voted on the poll, I suggest you do so). Though I will say this, Romance comes THIRD to the story. First is the story itself and building the world around Connor and the Teams RWBY and JNPR, and second is what I plan to bridge from canon, and I have a few ideas in mind.

Yet that can be discussed at a later date.

Look, I know last chapter, I promised doing the entire initiation, but then I realized that I should do this by steps, and that if I did I's be working on five full episodes of Volume 1... that would honestly make this longer than need be and would take time to upload so here I am with just episodes four and five instead.

I'll mix in the rest of the Initiation next chapter, and that's when I introduce one of Connor's real Heavy Hitters... and I bet you can guess what that will be. Already got a specific type of Grimm he's gonna fight as well so this should be good. Also, no, the Nevermore he killed was not the giant one Team RWBY kills in the next chapter... it was a not by much smaller one.

Anyway, I hope you liked the chapter, and I'll have the next one finished by next week so don't forget to review and to vote on the poll if you have not already done so... peace out.