Biolinked in Remnant

by Cristos

During the final battle against Master Albert to end the Game of Destiny, Aile and Grey are transported to the world of Remnant through an overload of energy from Ouroboros. In this strange world, how will this duo deal with their current situation in their attempt to get back home.

6. Chapter 5: Observations

Biolinked in Remnant

Chapter 5 - Observations

Beacon Tower

"No matter how many years I've been headmaster of this Academy, I could never get tired of this view." Ozpin noted while he took a sip of coffee from his mug.

Indeed, the view from Ozpin's office was always a sight to behold. From the nearby river situated across the Emerald Forest to the distant buildings within the city of Vale, one could spend hours examining various details that made up the scenic view atop Beacon Tower.

"It's a nice view Ozpin, but you know I've always preferred a more 'on the ground' approach when it came to exploration. I tend to get tired staring at the same thing over and over again. There's places still left undiscovered that have many stories to tell." Ozpin's guest chimed in.

Said guest was fellow teacher, Doctor Bartholomew Oobleck, the department head for historical studies at Beacon. He walked over to a nearby cabinet to fill up his thermos with Ozpin's special coffee blend. Despite being a doctor at Beacon, his current appearance didn't quite fit well with his job description.

His attire was disheveled, consisting of a popped white collar shirt that was partially tucked into his dark-green pants, a slack yellow tie, along with a pair of mismatched brown and black shoes. Coupled with his unkempt hair, he also had round glasses that appeared to be opaque.

Ozpin let out a soft chuckle as he heard his colleague's input. Oobleck was always an eccentric individual since the day they met. His keen eyes always held a thirst for knowledge, which often made him responsible for leading students through various missions throughout Vale for the sake of research.

"Sounds like you'll get along well with the new transfer students, Bart." he stated.

"Indeed, that E-Crystal that Mister Grey gifted you was most intriguing. It's unlike any Dust Crystal I've ever encountered throughout my tenure! I doubt Atlas has developed anything remotely similar to what is considered commonplace from where they're from. Think of the possibilities we could learn from them and their Biometals! A world without Grimm must have a plethora of knowledge and history to consider!" Doctor Oobleck enthusiastically exclaimed.

"Just try not to go overboard with them. It is their first day after all." Ozpin suggested

"I'll try my best not to wear them down..."

*KNOCK *KNOCK *KNOCK

The two teachers were interrupted by the sound of the knocking from the front door. It appeared that the new additions to Beacon had arrived.

"You can come in now!" Ozpin announced.

*CLICK

As the door to Ozpin's office opened, Aile and Grey stepped inside to hear about their schedules and first shadowing assignments.

"Good morning, Professor Ozpin! Sorry if we're a bit late. Me and Grey had a last minute discussion with the Biometals before heading over." Aile explained.

At the same time, her male companion responded with a silent nod as a small smile graced his face.

"It's not a problem, Miss Aile. Bart and I were just talking for a bit before you two arrived." Ozpin noted before he directed their attention towards said teacher who was drinking from his thermos.

The two Mega Men were very surprised to see one of the teachers they had met over the weekend in Ozpin's office. They figured that most teachers would have been preparing to hold their morning lectures around this time.

"Oh! Doctor Oobleck! Sorry for not addressing you just now. Grey and I thought we would be heading to a classroom after Professor Ozpin's meeting." Aile apologized while giving him a slight bow.

Doctor Oobleck took notice of the two Mega Men and finished his drink before he walked over to greet the newest additions of Beacon.

"Not to worry, Miss Vaillant. I'm happy to hear that you remembered to properly address me as a doctor. I understand that you and Mister Grey probably had a lot of things on your minds since you both arrived a few days ago. Just try to be punctual the next time the two of you are assigned to me." he explained as he offered the two a handshake.

Aile gave an awkward chuckle as she accepted Oobleck's hand. It had been so long since anyone ever greeted her by using her last name. She always preferred being addressed by her first name whenever she introduced herself to people since she wasn't too privy on formalities. Even when she went to turn in her mission reports or attended a formal gathering, she was used to everyone using her first name.

'This might take awhile to get used to.' she thought to herself.

[After your earlier tantrum back in your room, I highly doubt it, tomboy.] Model L snickered. The Biometal's quip elicited a visible twitch from one of Aile's eyebrows.

'Please don't ruin the moment, L.' Aile begged the female Biometal.

While Aile continued to struggle maintaining a calm composure, Grey sensed something was off with his friend. Her current demeanor towards Oobleck felt awfully similar to their first night at Beacon, so the reploid had every right to be concerned. Perhaps when the day was over he could ask Aile what was on her mind.

"It's great to see everyone again, but can we hear what Aile and I are supposed to do today?" Grey bluntly asked.

He didn't mean to sound rude or anything, but Grey was more or less excited to experience some aspect of normal school life after everything he and Aile had been through. The boy had a beaming smile on his face and his feet slightly hopped, antsy to get to the classroom as quickly as possible.

Everyone stared at the reploid for a few seconds before the office filled with hearty laughter. For his part, Grey started to feel a bit self-conscious for his outburst and had the decency to form a light blush on his face.

"Mister Grey is right, Bart. Come on, let me give them a proper welcome and I'll leave them in your hands once I'm done." Ozpin stated.

"Very well, Ozpin. I don't want to keep the second years waiting longer than they have to. Mister Grey's eager attitude to learn has already left a good impression in my book." Doctor Oobleck chuckled. Grey let out a relaxed sigh as he heard the compliment from Oobleck.

As everyone reached Ozpin's desk, Models A, X, and Z phased out of their respective Chosen Ones to join in the conversation.

[Hey, everyone! Nice to see you guys again!] Model A chimed in while Model X and Z just gave a curt nod.

"Pleasure to make your acquaintance again!" Oobleck raised his mug towards the Biometals.

"It's good to see you too, Model A. You appear to be as lively as ever. Model X, I assume that the other Biometals have returned to stable condition over the weekend?" Ozpin asked.

[More or less. They should be done recharging their energy reserves no later than this afternoon.] Model X explained.

"That's good to hear. I was hoping to have a chance to talk with them if you don't mind."

[Perhaps another time, Ozpin. Right now, me and the others are primarily focused on making sure these two get adjusted before anything else.] Model Z interjected.

Ozpin hummed in response towards the red Biometal's reasoning before he took another sip from his mug.

"That's understandable, Model Z. They are your "Chosen Ones" as you three put it." Ozpin noted.

[Thank you for understanding.] Model Z replied.

[Just a heads up, a couple of them might get under your skin if you aren't careful.]Model A warned.

Ozpin couldn't help but raise an eyebrow in slight confusion. His experience conversing with the active three Biometals over the weekend was quite pleasant. The professor assumed that Model A's statement was probably his usual antics of joking around with other people.

Meanwhile, Aile and Grey couldn't help but roll their eyes towards Model A's response. If anything, they should have been the ones to offer that advice since their Biometals nearly mess with them on a daily basis. The memory of what happened earlier in their room was still fresh in their minds.

[Careful there, Bolthead! Don't think I've forgotten what you called me a few nights ago.] Model L telepathically yelled.

Model A tensed up as he heard Model L's icy threat. Not even the frigid cold of the Arctic Ice Floe could compare to the harsh tone she used on him. The Biometal felt like he was trapped inside the containment pod where he first met Grey all over again.

At this moment, Model Z decided to pull the frightened Biometal to the side to offer some advice at dealing with the female Biometal.

[Don't let her get to you, Model A. Lev definitely has a real knack for messing with people. Trust me, I've been there on multiple occasions.]Model Z warned.

Model A knew that the red Biometal had experience dealing with Model L for centuries, but he still couldn't help but stay unconvinced.

[That's easy for you to say, but I've only gotten to her in the span of a few days! How are you able to put up with her, Model Z?!] Model A whispered.

The red Biometal sighed as he recounted his previous clashes with the former Neo Arcadian general. A majority of which dealt with underwater reconnaissance where she held a major advantage against him.

Zero swore he felt a tinge of phantom pain course through his core as he reminisced the times when his Z-saber clashed with her signature Frost Javelin. He also thought about the occasions where he narrowly missed the icy jaws of her summoned ice dragons whenever they locked onto his position.

While Leviathan tended to present herself with a playful attitude, she did have a tenacious side whenever someone made her mad. He had to admit the predatory smile she often gave him worried him at times. The Ice Mega Man had vented her frustrations multiple times to the former sword wielder in their time reconciling back in cyberspace.

From her siblings annoying her to Weil's takeover of Neo Arcadia, the daughter of X laid it all for him to hear. Zero realized in their conversations that Leviathan and her siblings truly wanted what was best for the humans at the time. The heavy burden placed on them was a lot to handle considering X's disappearance was the result of their creation.

Heck, even the soft spoken Iris and Ciel had their moments of rage when the right buttons were pushed. If there's one thing that could be said about reserved individuals, they were the ones to be very cautious around when they're pushed over the edge.

Zero thanked Mother Elf that he wasn't on the receiving end of the two's anger most of the time. Ciel and Iris' kind hearts were quite forgiving if an apology was truly genuine. Although, the emotional scars from his climactic battle with Iris still lingered in his mind.

[I just try not push not to her buttons all the time. That's about it.] Model Z plainly spoke.

[I-if you say so...] Model A muttered.

[Excuse me, but you two should head over to the rest of the group. The meeting's about to begin.] Model X chimed in.

The two Biometals gazed towards Ozpin's desk and noticed that everyone was waiting for them to join in. Model Z and A gave a short nod and floated towards their respective Chosen Ones.

[My apologies. Just wanted to give Model A some advice.] Model Z responded.

Model A just gave a silent nod as he noticed Grey and Aile gave him a smug look for being reprimanded. Model X floated towards the dejected Biometal and offered some words of encouragement to help cheer him up.

[I'll talk with Leviathan later so you two can work things out, Model A.]Model X whispered to Model A.

[Thanks Model X. I appreciate it.] Model A sighed in relief.

"Now that everyone is here, I'll try to keep introductions to a minimum so I won't take up too much time." Ozpin stated before he took a seat at his desk.

"I know the past few days must be difficult for the two of you. Adjusting to a world unlike your own is already challenging enough on its own. Concepts such as Semblances, Faunus, and even Dust may take some time to grasp considering your world revolved on technological advancements. However, don't think that you two will have to go it alone on your quest to return home. The staff and I can provide you both with any assistance that may seem fit. Remember, Beacon is a repository of knowledge that will serve as your guide for the duration of your stay on Remnant."

The two Mega Men gave a firm nod towards Ozpin's speech as they took his words into consideration.

It had been a few days since the Ouroboros Incident. While Aile and Grey were able to recuperate from their previous battle, they spent much of their time over the weekend learning as much as they could about the world around them. The plethora of information they had to catch up on was a daunting task even for the Guardian and Hunter.

Luckily, they were able to handle a general understanding about Remnant through the guidance of their partnered Biometals. Both of them were grateful that Ozpin gave them the opportunity to serve as assistants to help them in their research. For now, they were able to come up with a decent alibi if anyone were to ask questions about themselves.

"Thank you, Ozpin. Me and Grey are thankful for the generosity you have provided us." Aile relayed. "Both of us are indebted to you for finding us back in Forever Fall. In all honesty, we would probably still be wandering around that forest if you didn't find us. Both of us will do our best to help you in any way during our stay in Beacon."

"I share the same sentiments with Aile." Grey replied. "You have shown nothing but kindness towards the two of us ever since you and Professor Goodwitch found us. It reminded me a lot of how I met many of my friends back home. I hope that the two of us can eventually return the favor by aiding not only as students but assistants as well."

Ozpin and Oobleck smiled back at Aile and Grey's responses. The two professors had to admit that these two displayed an air of maturity for people around the age of an average first year. The two Mega Men faced great adversity that no teenager should have gone through. Perhaps Aile and Grey could use their experiences to provide some advice on how to handle the Grimm and possibly instill some wisdom towards their fellow students.

"That was a well worded response from the two of you. Without further ado, let me officially welcome you two to Beacon Academy." Ozpin announced.

The headmaster pressed a few buttons on his desk before a digital projection appeared for everyone inside the office to see. On the screen, Aile and Grey's modified data from their respective Licenses appeared alongside an average schedule of a typical Beacon student. Classes looked to be separated into six block periods with time allotted for meals and self-directed sparring. Overall, it appeared that Beacon had a stacked schedule for students to learn an ample amount of material during their tenure.

"Since it will be your first day at Beacon, your schedules will be lighter compared to other students. Thus, I figured the both of you would prefer to get familiar with the school's layout before further expanding your schedules. As you may have also probably guessed, the two of you will shadow Doctor Oobleck's lectures as your first assignment. After that, you will assist Professors Port and Goodwitch after lunch to end your first day." Ozpin explained.

Aile and Grey took a moment to look over the schedule that Ozpin provided them. It seemed much more manageable than most of the explorative missions they were usually assigned. At least the two of them were relegated to the vicinity of Beacon instead of teleporting to various parts of the world. Doctor Oobleck was also a good choice for them since they had a soft spot towards history due to their experiences with the Biometals.

The two Mega Men paused their musings as Ozpin's last sentence caught their attention. If they remembered correctly, Professor Goodwitch focused primarily on combat instruction. Aile and Grey were about to question the Headmaster, but the Biometals beat them to the punch.

[Not to sound rude, but isn't Professor Port the guy that constantly brings up stories about himself?] Model A wearily asked.

"If you word it like that, then you are correct Model A." Ozpin chuckled.

[Oh great…] Model A grimaced.

Model A remembered each of Beacon's professors had their own unique quirks, but Professor Port's rather lengthy explanations did not leave a great first impression on the Biometal.

"Peter can be a bit over the top, but he means well. The man is very perceptive once you get to know him, Model A. His studies on Grimm are next to none." Oobleck chimed in.

[Give him a chance, Model A. He does teach Grimm studies, so it will benefit us in the long run.] Model X stated.

[I'll try, but let's just hope I don't fall asleep in one of his lectures.] Model A grumbled.

[I agree with you, Model A. I don't know how Master X and Zero were able to deal with people like him.] Model F shared the same sentiments.

Model L silently agreed with her brother. She wasn't too prone on people giving long winded stories that went nowhere and preferred a more direct approach for various situations. Even people like Harpuia and Phantom had their limits before their patience waned.

Model X silently mused at his children's antics while Model Z reminisced about a certain old timer that came to mind.

[Well, once you meet someone like Andrew, you learn to get used to it, Fefnir.] Model Z telepathically noted.

[Wasn't he one of your Resistance friends, Zero?] Model H asked.

[Yep, I'm surprised you remembered him after I took you back to the base for repairs.] Model Z replied back.

The Veteran Biometal admitted that the mustached Professor shared some striking similarities with his old timer friend during the days of the Resistance. Their talkative natures made the red Biometal wonder if Professor Port could have been Andrew's human counterpart if the old timer was still functional.

If these two were to meet, who knows how long they would have talked for.

As the commotion between the professors and the Biometals simmered down, Grey decided to voice his and Aile's concerns before they were interrupted.

"Wait, isn't Professor Goodwitch the one who mainly teaches combat instruction?" Grey interjected.

"Grey's right. I remember you said that Beacon was mainly known as a combat school, so I think the both of us are curious as to why we were assigned to help Professor Goodwitch in particular." Aile pondered.

As the two Mega Men stared back at Ozpin, the headmaster retained an unreadable smile that even worried the humanoid and reploid despite battling a plethora of enemies.

"I shouldn't forget how perceptive the two can be considering your ages, Miss Aile and Mister Grey. Allow me to elaborate further." Ozpin stated before he took another sip from his mug.

"Over the weekend, Glynda and I took the opportunity to review the surveillance footage of your first encounter with the Grimm back in Forever Fall. With the information the two of you also provided us, suffice to say your skill sets are on par with some of the top class huntsmen in Remnant. It's hard to believe that the both of you faced a vast array of threats often all on your own. Thus, I would like to offer a proposition for you and the Biometals."

"Proposition?" the two Mega Men questioned.

At the same time, the active and hidden Biometals focused their attention towards Ozpin as they too wanted to hear his proposal for their Chosen Ones.

"Indeed, I understand from your partnered Biometals that the two of you prefer a more hands on approach when it comes to submitting mission reports and the like. I suggest we could try something that could benefit you and the staff at Beacon. The two of you could use the opportunity as assistants to observe the student practical matches Glynda proctors as a way of getting accustomed to how huntsmen and huntresses fight here on Remnant. Your experiences in battle could serve as advice on how certain students could improve their combat prowess. This way, both of you could better explain and explore the abilities you have as Semblances with the student body." Ozpin explained.

"Hm~" both Mega Men hummed in thought as they considered Ozpin's proposition.

Ozpin did bring up a good point. It wasn't a big secret that Aile and Grey weren't all too fond of submitting handwritten reports when they had to. The convenience of delivering their reports through their world's Transervers was a hidden blessing as the duo began to adjust to their current situation. By observing the practical matches, both of them could have a better appreciation towards understanding the world of Remnant similarly to the "hands on approach" they usually had during missions.

The Mega Men stared back at each as they relayed their thoughts through the mental link they shared with the Biometals. Their Biometals joined in their Chosen Ones' conversation as they went back and forth on the pros and cons of Ozpin's offer before ultimately coming to a decision.

After a while, the two gave each other a short nod before they returned their gazes back to Ozpin with a small smile on each of their faces.

"I believe Grey and I are okay with your proposal, Professor Ozpin." Aile confirmed.

Meanwhile, Grey gave a short nod for his reply towards Ozpin.

The offer was too tempting to decline for the reploid. Given his previous encounter with Ruby earlier in the day, this served as a good chance for him and Model A to study the capabilities of Semblances and the possible drawbacks of using them. Perhaps he could get lucky and have the opportunity to meet up with her again if their schedules lined up together.

Satisfied with their response, Ozpin gave the two Mega Men a knowing smile as he began to get up from his chair.

"That's good to hear. I'll inform Glynda of your arrival later so she can adjust today's lesson." Ozpin stated. "I think I've kept the two of you here long enough. It's about time I let Bart take responsibility and lead you two to your first shadow assignment."

"You're right, Ozpin. Come along Mister Grey and Miss Vaillant. I have a class to teach and the two of you have a few lectures to shadow.." Oobleck asserted as he began to walk towards the front door.

"Thank you again for your assistance." Aile and Grey stated as both of them went to shake Ozpin's hands before leaving.

The three active Biometals acknowledged the grey haired headmaster with a nod as they flashed back inside of their respective Chosen Ones.

"Hope you two enjoy your first day at Beacon!" Ozpin announced.

"See ya later!" Aile gave a short salute.

"Likewise." Grey bowed before rushing through the front door.

Ozpin waved at the trio heading inside the elevator before slowly closing the door to his office.

*CLICK

As soon as the trio left his office, Ozpin's facial expression quickly shifted from an inviting headmaster to a hardened strategist.

The arrival of Aile and Grey over the past weekend was certainly concerning. While Ozpin was lucky to have found the two Mega Men within close proximity of Beacon, the man was worried for a number of reasons.

Outside forces have entered the eternal game that Ozpin and her have played for millennia. The hardened gazes he previously saw from Aile and Grey told the tale of a duo who sought to protect those from a wave of fear and destruction that threatened their world.

Model W

An entity capable of corrupting and assimilating with other beings was a nightmare scenario to consider. From the stories that he heard from the two and their Biometals, Ozpin had every right to be concerned.

If Aile and Grey were able to travel to Remnant, who's to say that other factors from their world didn't travel here as well?

Ozpin didn't want to imagine the destructive capabilities that would occur if she were to obtain that power. The Grimm and her allies already were a hard enough task to deal with on their own.

For now, Ozpin had to assume that he had a slight advantage on his side. With the two Mega Men assisting him at Beacon, he needed as much leverage as possible so he could prepare for a potential storm.

Ozpin reached for his Scroll and typed a cryptic message for those he could trust with a certain hidden knowledge of the world.

'Wildcards have entered the fray. Report anything that appears out of the ordinary.'

---

The walk over to Doctor Oobleck's lecture hall was surprisingly pleasant for Aile and Grey. The duo struck up a friendly conversation with the doctor that covered a wide array of topics.

From general information about themselves to specifics about Vale and the other continents, both parties could say that they were adequately satisfied with each others' responses.

"Despite the given circumstances, I must say that the two of you are quite inquisitive for people your age." Oobleck mused.

The two Mega Men couldn't help but chuckle at Oobleck's observation.

"Well, when your partners are literal living relics, one can't help but be a bit curious Doc." Aile joked around.

"That's understandable. I bet your Biometals served as great guides towards your growth as an individual." Oobleck guessed.

"What about you Mister Grey? What drives your passion to learn like Miss Vaillant here?"

Grey took a moment to process Oobleck's question as he wanted to take his time in order to give the doctor a proper response. After thinking it over, he decided it would be best to allow his emotions to help guide his answer for this particular question.

"For me, I've always been a curious person. Even when I became a Mega Man, I still had a lot of questions about who I was and how I could affect the world around me." Grey elaborated.

"However, I've come to realize I don't have a definite answer just yet. Traveling around our world allowed me the opportunity to figure out what I want to do with my life. I met a lot of people who told me that I am the master of my destiny based on the decisions that I made in the present. I still hold those words in high regards to this day. I guess learning acted as a gateway for me to just guide me on what I do in life."

Aile felt a smile across her face as she listened intently to Grey's reasoning. She was glad that the advice she gave him during their first encounter was leaving a great impact on his life. She could have sworn that her heart heated up for a bit but didn't delve too much into it.

Meanwhile, Aile's Biometals eyed their Chosen One as they noticed a familiar feeling again as the humanoid thought about her friend again. If they were to go by their earlier conversation in the dorm, something was definitely brewing inside Aile's mind. They silently agreed they would talk about this moment at a later date to better understand what was going on.

As the group turned another corner in the hallway, Grey decided to ask Oobleck a question that had been on his mind since they first met over the weekend.

"Say, why did you decide to focus on teaching history at Beacon, Doctor Oobleck?" Grey curiously asked.

Oobleck paused his step before he turned around to face the duo with a calculative gaze. Aile and Grey gave the doctor their full attention as they noticed the mood shift towards a more serious tone.

"Tell me, how much do you two know about 'Faunus?'" Oobleck asked.

"You're referring to people that have animal traits right?" Grey questioned.

"Indeed, I'm pretty sure you two have a basic understanding of the hardships they've faced, so I'll try to keep this short." Oobleck stated. He took a deep breath to gather his thoughts before he further elaborated.

"I have a strong disdain for discrimination. Remnant's historical texts can only go so far until you see it with your own eyes. I'm not going to lie, there are certain individuals that Beacon who have those preconceived notions when they first arrive here." Oobleck grimaced.

"I saw history as an answer to prevent the repetition of past mistakes. We're under the constant threat of Grimm who are known to be attracted to negative emotions. This continuous cycle of hatred breeds an ever endless horde of Grimm that the world constantly faces. If people just learned to coexist, maybe there could be a future where no one would deal with what we have right now. The advancement of knowledge is worthy of being referred to as fighting in my books, for it will better prepare Humanity's future in the fight for survival against the Grimm."

Aile and Grey listened intently throughout Doctor Oobleck's speech and couldn't agree more with his intentions. The two had faced similar demons throughout their journey as Mega Men in the past.

For Aile, she sought guidance from her Biometals who dealt with similar threats to reploids and humans in the past: the Jakob Incident, the Neo Arcadian Purge, the ill fated Operation Righteous Strike, and Weil's Incident.

She remembered the influx of Maverick activity under Serpent's watch created a void of trust in regular civilians during her early missions as a Mega Man. While it took some time for people to recognize her deeds, there were still moments of apprehension whenever she went on missions with the Guardians. Her goal of protecting others was built on forging a path for a bright future where these past events could never be repeated.

Though the world may have moved on from that era of history, the scars from the past had already left their mark.

Grey, in particular, got the rough end of the stick. From the moment he awoke, he faced the ire of those who labeled him as "Defective." Even when he came upon the truth of who he really was, the reploid knew that he wouldn't be accepted by him once his plans were finalized.

After all, he and Model A were created as nothing more than a "spare body" in Albert's eyes.

The boy was glad to have met people like Aile and the Hunters who were able to show him the positives of what their world had to offer.

"Judging the looks on your faces, the two of you have probably faced similar circumstances back in your world?" Oobleck observed.

"You have no idea." the duo simultaneously stated as memories of their previous conversation back in the Quarry replayed vividly in Aile and Grey's minds.

While the two Mega Men were in heavy thought, Oobleck let out an audible sigh that garnered their attention.

"I know you two have been through a lot, but don't forget what Ozpin said back in his office. If you two ever need assistance, the staff and I would be glad to help. You're still technically students, so we'll make sure that your experience would be treated fairly just like everyone else." Oobleck observed.

The doctor's words of encouragement appeared to have a great effect on the duo's mood. Aile and Grey couldn't help but nod back at the doctor with a smile on their faces. The two Mega Men were happy to know that the backing of Beacon's staff if they ever wanted to talk with them.

"Thanks Doctor Oobleck. Both of us really appreciate it." Aile stated.

"Not to worry, Miss Vaillant. It's the job of a teacher to help their students when they need it the most. Now then, let's head on over to your first lecture at Beacon." Oobleck said before the group continued their walk to the lecture hall.

After that pep talk, Aile and Grey couldn't be more motivated to give school life a try for the time being.

Once the group reached their destination, Aile and Grey were told to wait outside so Oobleck could address his class about their arrival. Once Oobleck had called on the duo to come inside, the two Mega Men faced the students and gave a proper greeting.

"Nice to meet you. My name's Aile Vaillant but please call me Aile." Aile announced with a smile on her face.

"My name's Grey. I hope we can all get along nicely." Grey curtly followed up.

As the two finished their greeting, they were directed to a pair of open seats near the front of the class before Oobleck began his lecture. While Aile and Grey had a relaxed expression on their faces, many of the students had questions directed on the Beacon's newest assistants.

Murmurs and curious glances towards the duo filled the lecture hall before the doctor garnered everyone's attention so he could begin today's lesson.

The lecture continued on as normal as Aile and Grey pulled out a couple of notebooks from their bags to take down notes of Oobleck's lecture. Their Biometals also kept track of any significant information that could apply to their current predicament for further research down the road.

Meanwhile, a familiar face, near the back of the class, lowered her sunglasses to get a better look at the mysterious duo that she had first caught a glimpse of over the weekend.

The person was immediately reminded of her previous conversation with Ozpin and continued to dwell on the warning that he gave her.

'Transfers? Doc just said those two were assistants.' Coco pondered.

Before long, an enigmatic smile crossed her face as she considered this new development.

"Maybe I should follow through with Oz's advice. Velvet might have a field day with this."

---

Mess Hall - Lunch Break

Lunch was always a busy time at Beacon. From early combat instruction to long winded lectures, food was the one comfort that made everyone relax during a busy weekday. While the meals weren't considered "high class," they got the job done in providing sustenance for any sort of craving one might have.

Aside from the rare food fight, the lunch break was a moment where many could relax and enjoy a meal before heading off for another round of classes.

As the break period continued, the mess hall echoed with chatter as multiple groups conversed with one another on a variety of topics.

At a nearby table, a familiar group of students were discussing the antics of one of their friends who just barely made it to class on time. Meanwhile, said friend was currently munching away at a stack of cookies without a care in the world.

"Zans mor za ookeys, Man!" Ruby muffled.

"No worries, just looking out for my baby sis as always." Yang replied with hearty laughter.

"Ruby, stop talking with your mouth full. We can't understand what you're saying." Weiss chastised her partner. It still surprised the heiress the amount of cookies this girl could consume on a daily basis even after getting to know her for the past semester.

Realizing her mistake, the cookie glutton reached for a glass of milk to help wash out the sweet delicacy inside her mouth. Ruby wiped off the crumbs on her face and offered a sheepish smile towards her team.

"Gulp, my bad. Guess I was hungrier than I thought." Ruby giggled.

Weiss rolled her eyes at her friend's antics before letting out a sigh.

"Why do I even bother?" she grumbled.

"Give her some slack, Weiss. At least Ruby's improving for the most part. Remember when she got that string of tardies from Oobleck a while back?" Blake mentioned before she had a bite of the grilled fish in front of her.

"BWHAHAHA! Oh yeah, that was hilarious! Seriously sis, did you really think that disguise and accent would fool someone like Doc?! That man has been visiting Dad for as long as I could remember!" Yang cackled as tears began to form in the blonde's eyes.

Ruby pouted as she was reminded of her previous attempts to not get detention which backfired spectacularly. She should have known that her plan wouldn't have worked since much of Beacon's staff would recognize her voice from the occasional visits to their dad's house back at Patch.

After that string of bad luck, Ruby told herself that she would try her best to never be late again. She couldn't imagine swearing again from another possible Saturday Detention attendance of all things.

Before the group could tease their team leader any further, the sound of a person clearing their throat brought them out of their musings.

"Sorry for the delay. Nora went to grab an extra stack of pancakes without telling us." an exasperated male voice announced.

Team RWBY geared their attention to the direction of the voice and found that Team JNPR had finally joined their table. Jaune Arc had plopped his head onto the table while his partner, Pyrrha Nikos, patted a hand on his back in an attempt to comfort him. On the other hand, Nora Valkyrie was already chowing down on the five stacks of pancakes on her tray while Lie Ren tried his best to maintain a calm composure. Business as usual it seemed.

"Hey guys! Wow, you look awful, Jaune. What happened?" Ruby worriedly asked.

Jaune turned his head and gave his fellow leader a strained smile.

"Jeez, thanks Crater Face." Jaune tried to joke. "I would've said the same thing if you were here during breakfast."

"Bleh!"

Ruby playfully stuck her tongue out before chowing down at another batch of cookies.

"Is Vomit Boy still exhausted over our extended punishment this weekend?" Yang asked.

"Mostly, Jaune still insisted that we continue our usual practice spars despite everything that happened. I tried to tell him we just rest for the weekend, but he wouldn't budge." Pyrrha explained.

"Don't worry. I think I should be fine by the time we get to combat instruction later today. For now, I'll try take it easy until then." Jaune explained as he took a bite of his meal.

"Wow. For once, I'm impressed with your dedication, Arc. Glad to see you're improving your combat ethics." Weiss noted.

"Thanks Snow Angel. I'm just trying my best." Jaune stated brimming with confidence.

"I told you to stop calling me that! Nevermind, forget I said anything." Weiss scowled at him when he called her that stupid nickname.

The two groups chuckled from the duo's usual banter while Jaune rubbed the back of his head from being rejected once again.

"Don't worry, Vomit Boy. I'm sure you'll melt the Ice Queen's cold heart one day~." Yang teased.

"Arg, don't even think about it Xiao Long." Weiss warned.

"What? He's got guts for still going after you despite being rejected since the start of the school year." Yang chuckled.

"That's the problem." Weiss grumbled.

'How do I get through his thick skull that I'm not interested in the slightest?!' she mentally screamed.

"Well that's our Fearless Leader. He doesn't know when to quit!" Nora laughed while slapping Jaune on the back. Seems the sugar rush from the pancakes kicked in.

"Nora, slow down. You're hurting Jaune and shaking the table." Ren explained while cleaning the spilled tea on his tray.

"Whoops! Sorry about that." Nora apologized with a cheeky smile.

Pyrrha and Ruby gave Jaune a concerned look while the rest of the group looked on in amusement.

"T-thanks for the save, Ren." Jaune sighed.

"Don't mention it." Ren replied back.

As the banter between the groups settled down, Pyrrha asked Team RWBY what they missed out on while they were waiting in line for food.

"So, what were you all talking about before we arrived?" Pyrrha questioned while tilting her head.

"We were about to find out why our team leader was almost late to class this morning." Weiss stated.

Ruby's body flinched for a second as everyone's attention returned back to her.

"That's right. You told us that Ruby wanted to get some extra sleep earlier in the day." Pyrrha remembered.

"My bad, I wasn't in the mood to get out of bed just yet. I planned on setting an alarm after you guys left our room, but I kinda forgot to set it on my Scroll." Ruby awkwardly explained.

"I knew something like this was going to happen. This is why I tell you to double check everything you do, Ruby." Weiss huffed in disapproval.

"Isn't your Semblance speed based though? We all know you could've made it to class with extra time to spare, so what was the hold up?" Nora eyed her suspiciously.

"There's actually a funny story behind that…" Ruby stated while scratching one of her cheeks with a finger.

"W-would you believe I crashed into someone in the middle of my panic to get to class?"

The whole table had an incredulous look on before Jaune broke the silence with a stifled laughter.

"Hehehe, somehow I'm not surprised." Jaune chuckled.

The table gave the leader of Team JNPR a confused look until he further elaborated on his musings.

"Come on, isn't it funny how Ruby basically met most of us from her "crashing" into someone?"

The two teams thought back to their first interactions with the scythe-wielder and realized that Jaune had a point. From their arrival at Beacon to their Initiation, the girl had a knack for meeting people through rather impromptu means.

In response, Ruby formed a light blush on her face as she attempted to look away from the bemused expressions directed her way. Yang scooted over to Ruby's side and gently patted her back in an attempt to cheer her up.

"If it means anything, you know how to make a good first impression, sis."

Ruby sighed in defeat as she realized that Yang's terrible pun made sense in this instance.

"Seems like y'all are as lively as ever." a cocky voice observed.

The two groups switched their attention towards the direction of the voice and found Coco Adel and Velvet Scarlatina of Team CFVY walking over to them.

The two second years were friends with Team RWBY and JNPR, although Coco was much closer to Yang, since they shared an interest in fashion and gossip.

"S'up Coco! How's it going?" Yang asked while offering a handshake.

The fashionista accepted the blonde's hand with a firm grip as begun to answer the question.

"Nothing much. Stopped by the Mess Hall to grab a quick bite while Fox and Yatsu are back at the dorms going over our last mission report." Coco casually explained. "I figured that most of y'all would still be exhausted over that stunt you pulled over the weekend. Guess I was wrong."

"Doesn't compare to the food fight we had a while back." Yang smirked back. "Filling a giant crater was nothing~."

"Says the girl who threw a hissy fit once the automatic sprinklers kicked in." Blake quipped.

"Yeah, your tirade made the clean up last longer than it had too. We're lucky none of the professors gave us a major assignment to complete over the weekend." Weiss followed up.

"You two know how much I care for my hair!" Yang yelled while shooting an indignant look at Weiss and Blake.

"Duly noted." Blake rolled her eyes sarcastically.

"Hi there, Velvet!" Jaune waved while the rabbit girl waved back with a smile.

Being a Faunus, Velvet experienced her fair share of discrimination, especially from a certain Cardin Winchester. She and Jaune were the focus of his bullying during the first half of the school year. Their shared company allowed them to become friends due to them both being picked on.

"So what's this I hear about Ruby colliding with another person earlier in the day?" Coco questioned.

"W-well, I crashed into another student back in the dorms while I tried to head to Professor Port's class in the morning." Ruby attempted to explain.

"Interesting. Do you remember anything specific about this student?" Coco asked.

"His name was Grey. He told me that he and his friend just transferred to Beacon today." Ruby answered. "He seemed like a nice guy and didn't seem upset that I crashed into him! In fact, he wanted to see if I was okay before we split off."

"Hm, did he happen to have metal coverings around his ears with an inverted red triangle on his forehead?" Coco pressed further in order to confirm her suspicions.

"Yeah! How did you know?!" Ruby asked, surprised.

"Turns out he and his friend shared the same class as me during my first class period." Coco explained. "I also caught a glimpse of them back in Oz's office over the weekend when I went to give him my latest mission report."

"M-metal coverings?" Pyrrha worriedly asked.

"Yeah, it surprised me too. Grey actually didn't seem too bothered by it. I remember he said that he's had them for awhile." Ruby clarified.

"Wait a second, something doesn't add up here." Weiss exclaimed.

"Huh? What do you mean, Weiss?" Ruby asked.

"Think about it, Ruby. Isn't it strange that we are only getting two transfers during the middle of the school year? Wouldn't they be at severe disadvantage since teams are usually made up of groups of four?" Weiss questioned.

"Well, if you put it that way…"

"Weiss is right. Even if those two were added to a team, the whole group dynamic would be in disarray. A team of six would be overkill. There has to be more going on that we don't know about." Blake examined. "Coco, did Ozpin happen to say anything about the new transfers while you talked with him?"

"Not much, but he did give me a peculiar warning to not miss out on Goodwitch's upcoming Combat Instruction Class. Apparently, he and his companion will be in the same class period as all of you." Coco informed them. "That's why I asked Velvet to come along with me later once Oz told me the news."

Everyone at the table took a moment to take in Coco's warning. Why would Ozpin specifically mention to look out for Combat Instruction of all things?

"Jaune is right, Ruby. You do meet a lot of interesting people through your crashes." Yang joked as she lightly punched her sister's shoulder.

"Too bad I wasn't able to get his contact info before leaving him back in the dorms." Ruby sighed dejectedly.

"Look on the bright side. At least we'll see "Grey" and his companion later today, so you could introduce them to us then." Pyrrha encouraged.

"Oh yeah, that's true! Thanks Pyrrha! I hope he's doing okay on his first day." Ruby wondered.

"I think you might get that opportunity a lot sooner than you think." Coco stated. "Take a look at who just walked into the Mess Hall."

Everyone looked towards the front doors of the Mess Hall and saw a boy that matched Ruby and Coco's description of Grey alongside a girl with similar metal coverings and a brown ponytail who was roughly half a head taller than him. Both of them appeared to have a somewhat strained look on their faces as everyone realized that they were in the middle of conversing with Professor Port.

"Guys, it's Grey!" Ruby beamed.

"Whoa, you weren't kidding about the metal coverings. They do stand out on them." Yang thought aloud.

"Stand out?! They look awesome! Ren, can I-"

"No, Nora. I don't think that would be a good idea." Ren interrupted.

"Ren might have a point. You guys see the scar on Grey's face? I'd imagine both of them experienced something unpleasant." Jaune guessed. As someone who recently unlocked their Aura, Jaune winced at the thought of something similar happening to him.

Meanwhile, Pyrrha placed a hand on his shoulder in an attempt to calm his nerves.

"Do you guys think they're from Atlas?" Blake asked.

"Maybe. It might explain the coverings, but I doubt they're from Atlas Academy given its strict nature with students." Weiss voiced her concerns.

The Kingdom of Atlas was well renowned in Remnant for its specialty in developing technological advancements. It would be no surprise is the mysterious transfer students originated from Atlas.

However, the heiress knew Atlas faced criticism for the imposition of a military lifestyle on its students. Her older sister was a product of those concerns. Graduates and trainees were pressured to enlist in the Atlesian military's Special Operations unit, a practice that ran contrary to the academy founders' initial intentions for Huntsmen to be free from allegiance to a specific kingdom.

"You guys are overthinking things." Ruby waved off their concerns. "I'm going to ask if they want to eat lunch with us. I'll be right back."

Ruby got up from her seat and began to run towards her latest friend at Beacon.

"I think me and Velvet have to head out from here. I'll catch y'all later." Coco announced.

The two second years gave their goodbyes before they left the Mess Hall with food in tow.

"That was a nice break wouldn't you say, Velvet?"

"Yeah, it was good catching up with them again after our last mission. Say, why did you leave out the part where those two were also working as assistants?" Velvet curiously asked.

The team leader let out a playful chuckle which made the rabbit faunus raise an eyebrow.

"I kinda wanted to mess with them to be honest. It's fun playing around with our juniors every now and again." Coco smirked.

"I shouldn't be surprised you would say something like that." Velvet sighed.

"Come on, Velvet! I know you're interested in their battle styles as much as I am." Coco playfully nudged.

"Y-you aren't wrong. I definitely want to see why Professor Ozpin wanted them to work at Beacon while wearing a school uniform." Velvet noted.

"Yeah, guess we'll find out what the big deal is later today."

---

"...so the King Tatijitu's fangs narrowly missed my mustache! I actually was contemplating shaving it back in the day, but a former colleague suggested…"

[UGH! Can you please tell Port to stop talking, Grey?! I don't know how much more I can take of this!] Model A begged his partner.

Grey held a somewhat strained smile on his face as he considered his options on the best way to split off with Professor Port. Unfortunately, nothing good came to the reploid's mind.

'Sorry, Model A. I don't even know if I can get a word in myself.' Grey relayed.

[Gah! I knew this was gonna happen when we got assigned to him!] Model A whined.

'What about you, Aile? Do you have any ideas on how to deal with this?' Grey mentally asked.

Next to him, his senior appeared to be in a similar situation with some of her Biometals as well. A quick glance at her eyes told the tale of someone who wanted to take a breather once this was over.

'Your guess is as good as mine, Grey.' Aile mentally sighed. 'I really wanna eat right now.'

[Maybe you two could pack a couple of oranges before you leave the room next time.] Model X suggested.

While the two Mega Men continued to figure out a way to politely split off with Professor Port, Grey noticed a familiar black girl with a red hooded cape approach them.

"Ruby?!"

"Hi, Grey! It's good to see you again." the girl smiled.

Aile was surprised at the arrival of this mysterious girl that knew Grey until Professor Port interrupted her thoughts.

"Good afternoon, Miss Rose! I take it that you're acquainted with Mister Grey and Miss Vaillant?" Port asked.

"W-well, I actually met Grey earlier in the day on the way to your class. T-that's kinda the reason why I was almost late." Ruby explained. "I wanted to ask if both of them were interested in eating lunch with me and my friends."

"Oh goodness, sorry if my ramblings went on longer than expected. Both of you must be quite famished right now. Why don't the two of you grab lunch with Miss Rose and her friends?" Port suggested.

The two Mega Men nodded back at Professor Port before waving him goodbye. Grey turned to Ruby and offered her a small smile.

"Thank you, Ruby! You're really a life-saver." Grey sighed in relief.

"I-it's no big deal. I know Professor Port can be quite a handful whenever he talks about another one of his stories. How's your first day been so far?" Ruby giggled while rubbing the back of her head.

"It's been okay. There's a lot to take in, but I think I can handle it. Glad to hear that you made it to class on time." he smiled.

"Yep, my Semblance is speed based so I made it with a minute to spare. Luckily I also knew of a couple short cuts across campus which helped me a lot when I'm running late."

"That's good to hear. I was worried you wouldn't make it."

As Ruby and Grey began to catch up with one another, Aile felt happy that Grey had started to make friends in school. She knew first hand how cautious Grey could be whenever he came across someone he didn't trust. However, she couldn't help but feel a bit cautious around the girl. Perhaps it had something to do with how close she was around Grey.

'I'm probably just overthinking things.' she thought to herself.

For now, she thought it would be best to introduce herself to Grey's new friend.

"Hey Grey! Care to introduce me to your new friend over here?" Aile cheekily asked.

Ruby and Grey paused their conversation as they realized they left the girl out of the look. A light blush formed on their faces as Grey attempted to apologize to his senior.

"Sorry about that Aile. I didn't mean to sideline you. This is Ruby. I met her earlier in the dorms today while you were getting ready in our room. She's a really nice girl and wanted to be friends with me." Grey explained.

The humanoid replied with an understanding nod before she turned her attention towards the red caped girl.

"I see~. Hi, Ruby! My name's Aile Vaillant, but people usually just call me Aile. It's nice to know that Grey's already been making friends on our first at Beacon." Aile greeted.

Ruby couldn't help but feel small under the calculative gaze Aile gave her. It was if the pony tailed girl was studying every part of her body. She attempted to maintain her previous calm composure but stumbled back into a meek mindset.

"H-hi there. M-my name's Ruby Rose, a first year huntress in training. It's nice to meet you too." Ruby stuttered.

Aile and Grey couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at Ruby's stammered greeting. She seemed a bit stunned on how to talk with the older Mega Man.

"Come on, there's no need to be so stiff. If Grey sees you as a friend, then you're okay in my book." Aile reassured.

"Yeah, Aile's a great friend once you get to know her. She prefers being casual whenever she meets new people." Grey further elaborated.

"Y-you sure?" Ruby asked.

Aile and Grey nodded back to ease the girl's worries.

Relieved, Ruby took a deep breath to calm her nerves before a smile returned on her face.

"Thanks guys. I really needed that. I'm kinda awkward towards talking with new people." Ruby stated. "Say... uhm, do you two want to eat lunch with me and my friends? I kinda told them about Grey and they seem interested in talking with you guys."

"Sure! That sounds like fun. Do we have enough time to hang out for a bit, Aile?" Grey asked.

Aile reached for her Scroll in her bag to check the time. It appeared that they still had about half an hour left before lunch ended. Luckily, the line to grab food looked pretty short, so they could probably spare some time to talk with Ruby and her friends. She returned the Scroll back into her bag and then gave the two a cheeky smile.

"Yeah, that works with us. Let's grab some food first before we head over though." Aile suggested.

"Awesome! Let's not waste time, so you two can meet with my friends." Ruby smiled before scooping Aile and Grey by their hands.

The trio took a couple minutes to reach the front of the line and got a manageable portion of food. While Ruby went in for another batch of cookies, Aile and Grey settled with a couple of sandwiches and oranges for their meals. They thought about getting another cup of coffee but went with a bottle of water instead. They didn't want to worry about a potential crash that could happen later in the day, especially with Combat Instruction on the horizon.

The two had a habit of choosing light meals whenever they were out and about on missions for the sake of convenience. Grey took a moment to ask Ruby to try out one of her cookies which she was glad to oblige. The reploid felt embarrassed to admit that he never had a cookie before since the Camp usually only had cake whenever he came back to rest.

As they finished grabbing their food, Ruby guided the duo towards the table where her friends were waiting for them. Aile and Grey noticed that most of the group held a curious glance towards them but sensed nothing notable to be concerned about.

'Hm~, haven't we seen these people before? Ruby's friends look awfully familiar.' Grey wondered.

'Now that you mention it, I think you're right, Grey.' Aile echoed.

[Wait a sec, aren't these the same guys who made that giant crater over the weekend?!]Model A realized.

[I believe so. I should've known Ruby sounded familiar when she came up to you two.] Model X noted.

[Might not be best not to bring that up right now if you two want to leave a good first impression.] Model Z advised.

Aile and Grey mentally nodded towards Model Z's suggestion as their attention shifted back to the group in front of them.

"I'm back and brought company with me!" Ruby exclaimed.

"Welcome back, sis! Care to introduce us to your new friends over there?" a female blonde with wild hair inquired.

"Sure, this Grey and Aile! Grey's the one who I accidentally bumped into earlier in the dorms today. Aile's actually Grey's friend, so I don't know much about her." Ruby elaborated.

Yang eyed the two Mega Men for a bit before her face shifted into a smirk.

"S'up! The name's Yang Xiao Long. I'm Ruby's half-sister. Hope she hasn't given you two any trouble." Yang introduced herself.

"Yang~, stop embarrassing me!" Ruby chastised.

"Don't worry, Ruby seems like a nice girl." Aile chimed in. "My name's Aile Vaillant, but everyone just calls me Aile. It's nice to meet more of Ruby's friends."

Grey followed up his senior with a curt nod.

"Name's Grey. Do you mind if we sit with you guys for lunch?" Grey asked.

"Isn't that why Ruby brought you two here in the first place? Come on and yang out with us!" Yang insisted.

The two Mega Men heard a few people let out a groan after Yang's wordplay. Model A was right to assume that Ruby and her friends were an interesting group at first glance.

As the mood died down, Aile and Grey nodded back as everyone made space for the two Mega Men to join their table. The duo sat side by side while Ruby sat close to Grey to give him some company. Ruby and her friends all thought they should give Aile and Grey some time to eat a bit of their food before they would strike up a conversation.

While Grey was happy to have something in his stomach, Aile had a longing look on her face after she took a couple bites of her sandwich.

'Just as I thought, it's not as good as Lucia's.' she thought to herself.

"What's the matter, Aile?" Ruby asked.

Grey also paused eating his meal to check up on his senior's mood.

"Huh? O-oh, it's nothing. I just kinda miss the fresh bread one of my friends makes back home. She always made sure to give me a batch whenever I visited her." Aile explained. "Me and Grey live pretty far from Beacon, so I doubt it would still be good if she could even mail it here."

"If it's about food, then you definitely have to talk to Ren! He's the best cook I know, and he could probably make something close to the taste you're after!" an orange haired girl beamed.

The two looked to the girl's side and noticed a black haired boy give a mild shrug. Seemed like "Ren" might be okay with the idea.

After a few more minutes, Aile and Grey finished their meals and were ready for Ruby to introduce them to her friends. She stood from her seat and circled around the table to hug a black haired girl with a bow and a white haired girl with a side ponytail.

"In front of you are the rest of my teammates, Blake and Weiss! Together with me and Yang, we form Team RWBY!" Ruby gleefully announced.

Weiss struggled to get out of her leader's sudden hug while Blake jokingly rolled her eyes at the action.

"Wait, your team is named after you?" Grey curiously asked.

"Yep!" Ruby replied with a loud pop on the "p."

Weiss appeared to have finally gotten out of her leader's hold and let out an audible sigh.

She seemed to mutter something to Ruby about giving proper introductions before she turned her attention to Aile and Grey.

"Yeah, it honestly surprised a lot of us during Initiation. You can blame Professor Ozpin for the whole naming scheme if you're really curious." she explained.

"Yeah, Professor Goodwitch did tell us that he could be quite a handful." Aile mused. "What about the rest of you guys. Don't tell me your team was named after your team leader too?"

"Bwhahaha, that'd be pretty funny. Actually, we're Team JNPR!" The orange haired girl from earlier jumped in. "I'm Nora! Do you like pancakes?! Where are you guys from?! What's with the metal ears? It's not often we get transfers this late into the semester!"

The two Mega Men had to lean back a bit as Nora got closer and closer to them with each of her questions. Eventually, "Ren" attempted to pull her back into her seat as he sent an apologetic look to Aile and Grey.

"Nora, you're asking too many questions at once. Let them breathe." Ren tried to placate her friend. "I'm Ren. Sorry about that, Nora's basically a giant ball of energy if I don't keep her in check."

"Guilty as charged." Nora cheekily smiled.

The remaining two members of Team JNPR awkwardly gave a meek smile before the blonde male spoke up first.

"G-guess I'll go up then. The name's Jaune Arc. Short, sweet, rolls off the tongue, ladies love it." Jaune smiled.

"Jeez, did you really introduce yourself using the same pick up line, Arc?!" Weiss groaned.

"What? It gets people talking doesn't it?" Jaune questioned

"Yeah, it makes them think that you seem like a massive flirt! This is why people don't take you seriously!" Weiss countered.

Grey noticed that most of the girls, sans Nora, responded to Jaune's introduction with an awkward chuckle. Were they also on the other end of Jaune's greeting before?

For some reason, Grey couldn't help but feel worried that Aile would be affected by Jaune's greeting. The reploid shifted towards his senior and happened to notice she was trying to hold back a stifled laughter.

"Is that any way to talk to a girl you just met?" Aile cheekily asked.

Jaune formed a light blush on his face from Aile's response before she continued on.

"Don't worry, I know you weren't trying to hit on me." Aile elaborated. "I have a friend who does the same thing back home. Let's just say that type of word play wears off quickly after hearing it for nearly four years."

The table shared a laugh before the final member of the group would introduce herself to Aile and Grey. The girl had a weary look on her face that made the two Mega Men wonder what was on her mind. After a deep breath, the red haired girl appeared to ready herself for whatever came next.

"Pleasure to meet you, I'm Pyrrha Nikos." she politely greeted them.

"Nice to meet you, Pyrrha. Hope we can get along great." Aile smiled.

"Same here. Thanks for the warm welcome." Grey joined in as well.

"Huh?"

Pyrrha wasn't the only one confused. The whole table was initially worried how Aile and Grey would react to the reveal, but the duo appeared surprisingly calm about the whole situation.

"Wait, aren't you two surprised with who you're talking too?" Weiss first spoke.

Aile and Grey both gave a confused look towards Weiss since they were out of the loop with whatever the white haired girl was referring to.

"Pyrrha's the top student of the first year class and also a four time Mistral regional champion." Weiss further elaborated.

"Don't forget the mascot of Pumpkin Pete's Marshmallow Flakes!" Jaune added.

"Y-yeah, it was pretty cool…" Pyrrha mumbled while having a distant look on her face.

The two Mega Men shared a knowing look at the shift in Pyrrha's mood as they attempted to offer an explanation for their confusion.

"To be honest, me and Aile don't really care about titles that much." Grey spoke first.

"Really?!" Pyrrha asked, surprised.

"Yeah, I feel like if you want to make a good first impression one has to focus on what happens in the present and not the past. That's the kinda mindset Aile showed me when we became friends a while back."

The whole table smiled back at Grey's statement. It was nice to know that the duo in front of them didn't have any ill will or high expectations from them.

"Nicely worded response, Grey!" Aile sounded impressed. "That's a pretty mature thing to say. Glad to see my advice has been helping you a lot."

"Well, I am an impressionable fourteen year old, Aile. Remember?" Grey bluntly stated.

"Yep, an impressionable kid if I might add." Aile teased.

"I told you to stop calling me that!" Grey groaned.

"What are you talking about? I'm your senior, so I have every right to mess with you." Aile continued.

.

.

.

"WHAT?!"

Aile and Grey's banter was cut short as the duo saw various degrees of disbelief on everyone's faces. Even the quiet Blake and Ren displayed a shocked expression while staring at Aile and Grey.

"What's the matter? Was it something we said?" Aile asked.

"You can't be serious?! D-did Grey just say that he was fourteen?" Weiss questioned.

"Yeah?" Grey cautiously confirmed.

"No way?! The scar on your face made us think-?!" Jaune quickly covered his mouth as he realized he almost stepped on a touchy subject.

"W-what Jaune meant is that most of us didn't consider you younger because of the scar on your face." Pyrrha tried to clarify. "We didn't think much of it, but we also happened to notice you were the same height as Ruby."

"Wait! Does that mean-" Nora attempted to interject, but Aile already knew what was going to be asked.

"No, I'm actually eighteen." she answered before reaching for some water.

Aile may have looked calm on the outside, but mentally she started to feel a bit worried for Grey. The girl had every right to be considering the current situation.

She realized the mood was becoming quite hectic with the reveal of Grey's apparent age. Thank goodness she developed a sense of professionalism while working with the Guardians, otherwise she would have been in panic as well like her younger years.

Meanwhile, Grey felt somewhat conflicted. While he was glad for once that some people consider him older because of his appearance, he was getting annoyed with how his age was putting a target on his back.

"Why are you guys making such a big deal about my age?" Grey looked unamused. "Aren't we all around the same age here?"

"Grey, usually students are around seventeen when they enter Beacon." Blake answered. "The only other exception is if they entered under special circumstances, like Ruby."

"Wait, what do you-"

Grey was about to ask Blake why Ruby was a special case until a familiar red blur grabbed his hands from across the table.

"I'm not the youngest anymore?!" Ruby squealed in delight. Her silver eyes shined brightly like a child begging their parents for a brand new toy. "Finally, I can relate to someone who's going through the same thing I am!"

The two Mega men looked towards the group for answers till Yang decided to speak up.

"Ruby's fifteen and would have been the youngest in our class. However, it looks like things have changed." Yang mused.

Aile and Grey stared back at Ruby whose smile beamed in pure happiness. The two Mega Men were a bit stunned before they were hit with a barrage of questions from the mini reaper.

"This is awesome! Did you guys stop a group of bad guys in front of Ozpin too? What's your Semblances? I bet that's why Ozpin said to look out for Combat-! Wait a second, that's right! What kind of weapons do you two fight with?! I bet it's something super cool! I NEED TO KNOW!"

'Well, she ain't wrong about stopping a bunch of bad guys.' the two Mega Men thought to themselves.

The eccentric girl left little room for Aile and Grey to breath. Why did she specifically ask about their weapons? They would have gladly answered most of her questions till a voice caught everyone's attention.

"I should have known you two would have come across these students on your first day." A female voice announced.

Everyone turned their heads and saw Professor Goodwitch pinching her brow behind Aile and Grey.

"P-professor Goodwitch, i-it's so good to see you. H-how have you been?" Ruby stuttered.

"I'm doing quite well, Miss Rose. I see Miss Aile and Mister Grey have gotten acquainted with you and your friends." Goodwitch noted.

Once Ruby realized she still held onto Grey's hands, she quickly let go of them as a heavy blushed formed on her face from embarrassment. The duo let out a soft chuckle before Glynda caught their attention.

"Do you mind if I speak with our new transfers for a moment? It's in regards to their scheduled class with me later today." Goodwitch replied.

The two Mega Men nodded back to Glynda's inquiry before a small smile formed on the professor's face.

"That's good to hear. I'll be waiting near the front doors when the both of you are ready. We'll head to my office to talk more in private" Goodwitch stated.

The professor began walking towards the front door before she turned around to face the group again. Her eyes glared specially towards Ruby and her friends which made even Aile and Grey visibly flinch.

"By the way, I hope Team RWBY and Team JNPR remember that they are still serving my remedial lesson after school for that little stunt they pulled over the weekend." She reminded everyone.

Aile and Grey noticed that everyone visibly flinched at Glynda's statement before she began to walk towards the front door.

As the air of tension dissipated with Professor Goodwitch's leave, everyone collapsed on the table with a heavy sigh.

"Sorry you guys were caught in the crossfire just now." Ruby apologized.

"No need to worry, Ruby. It doesn't bother us in the slightest." Aile replied.

"Same, you guys are definitely a lively bunch." Grey followed up with a chuckle.

"Well, Goodwitch has always been a stickler since the beginning of the semester, so I'm not surprised she's kept an eye on us." Yang explained while stretching her arms.

"Jeez, I wonder why? Perhaps it has something to do with how we always cause a mess whenever she is around?" Weiss sarcastically quipped.

"Hey, at least it makes things less boring with constant lectures everyday." Nora smiled.

"Nora, that's not the right thing to say right now." Ren sighed.

"Hey, Ruby. Why were you asking about both of our weapons earlier?" Grey asked.

Ruby looked away from the duo as she began twiddling her thumbs. Grey, in particular, noticed that her cheeks were dusted pink in what he assumed was embarrassment.

"W-well, you see-" Ruby stuttered before Blake interjected.

"She's a dork when it comes to weapons."

"Blake!?" Ruby yelled.

"We all know how much of a weapon fanatic you are, Ruby." Blake pointed out.

"Yeah, last week she kept bugging me if I wanted to upgrade my sword and shield even though I politely declined." Jaune teased.

"That's Ruby for ya. She's always tinkering for improvements wherever she sees fit." Yang joined in.

"It's because you can learn a lot about a person from the kind of weapon they use! Besides, they don't tease me like you guys are." Ruby pouted.

"Maybe Grey and I can let you play around with our weapons after Combat Instruction with Professor Goodwitch?" Aile suggested.

The two Mega Men saw Ruby's mood do a complete one eighty as her eyes began to sparkle with some drool slowing coming out of her mouth.

"Really?!" Ruby gleefully asked.

"Yeah, I'm okay with that. Maybe you can show me your weapon too?" Grey answered.

"It's a deal!" Ruby accepted.

"Looks like Ruby is gonna show off to her new friends." Pyrrha whispered.

"Let's hope she doesn't go overboard. Even as her partner, I don't like being on the other end of Crescent Rose." Weiss cautioned.

"Well, I guess it's time we head on over to Professor Goodwitch. Let's go Grey!" Aile announced. The two Mega Men got up from their seats and waved goodbye to the group.

"All right, it's been nice talking with you guys. We'll see you around later." Grey stated.

Ruby and her friends said their farewells as everyone got ready to head to their next set of classes. It was unfortunate that they had to cut their conversation with Aile and Grey short, but they were okay with meeting up with them again later in the day. However, Ruby remembered something important and dashed off from her group before it was too late.

Aile and Grey were halfway to the front door until they heard Ruby's voice catch their attention.

"Hey, Wait a sec!"

"What's up, Ruby?" Grey asked.

"Do you guys mind if we exchange contact info on our Scrolls? Since you're new here, I was hoping we could hang out later this week?" Ruby suggested.

"Sure, let's do it!" Grey smiled.

Aile followed up with a nod as the trio quickly exchanged contact info before Professor Goodwitch could get restless. Once they were finished, the trio went their separate ways as Ruby waved goodbye at Aile and Grey before they left the Mess Hall.

While not as intense as the food fight from awhile ago, this lunch period was pretty eventful for everyone involved.

---

Faculty Offices

The walk to the faculty offices wasn't too far from the Mess Hall. More or less, it took roughly ten minutes to get there. There weren't many students around this time, so it was a perfect opportunity for Glynda to have a private conversation between Aile and Grey. Her upcoming class was going to be eventful for a variety of reasons.

*CLICK

Once Glynda had opened the door to her office, she guided Aile and Grey to sit at a pair of seats near her desk so they could start their conversation.

"How's your first day been so far? Seems like you two have been adjusting fairly well." she asked.

"We've been all right, Professor. Classes have been pretty informative, so there's a lot to take to take in." Aile explained.

"Yeah, we're just lucky to have the Biometals to help us out whenever we forget something." Grey added.

"That's good to hear. From the looks of things, you also made friends with Miss Rose and her friends." Glynda noted.

"Yeah, they seem like nice people. They remind me a lot of my friends back at Hunter's Camp." Grey smiled.

"They can definitely be a rowdy bunch. Team RWBY and JNPR have definitely had their fair share of challenges over the past semester. I just wished they would have learned some self control by now. It felt like I had to reprimand them every month for something either one of them caused." Glynda sighed.

"I wouldn't blame them. They still have time to enjoy themselves before becoming full fledged Huntsmen and Huntresses. Me and Grey had to grow up real fast to get to where we are now." Aile solemnly reminisced.

Glynda remembered that the duo in front of her weren't just a pair of average students. They were individuals who faced hardship on a daily basis and had just finished a mission that prevented the destruction of their world. It was hard to imagine Aile and Grey had accomplished so much despite being much younger than her.

"So, what did you want to talk to us about regarding your upcoming class, Professor?" Aile asked.

"My apologies, let's keep this short, so I don't take too much of your time." Glynda stated. She laid out her Scroll on the desk which projected a digital screen for two Mega Men to see various information.

"While the two of you are working as assistants at Beacon, both of you are technically still regarded as students. I won't give you very many special privileges when the two of you are with me, but I feel included to give you this warning." she relayed.

Aile and Grey's mood shifted quickly. Both of them saw a portion of the information they transferred over from their Licenses onto the forged transcripts Ozpin and Glynda made to better blend in with the students. However, their special skill sets and mission logs were nothing to scoff at. Ozpin insisted that Aile and Grey be labeled "Provisional Hunters" which would give them better access to information most students would dream of earning. They listened intently for what seemed like viable information that would affect their stay at Beacon.

"Ozpin didn't just put you with me just on a whim. Both of us have seen your prowess back in Forever Fall and through conversations with your partnered Biometals. He hopes that your skills could serve as an inspiration for many students to look towards whenever they need guidance." Glynda relayed. "In other words, he and I want a better perspective on the abilities you two possess."

"Wait, so he wants us to fight the students in your upcoming class?" Grey questioned. "Doesn't that seem like overkill?"

"Yes, I brought up those concerns with Ozpin while the two of you were with Bart earlier in the day. Both of us went back and forth on what would be the most tactful way to assess your abilities. Thus, we ask if both of you would be interested in participating in an exhibition match against one another during my class." Glynda clarified.

"Exhibition match?" the two Mega Men questioned.

Glynda nodded and further elaborated on what will happen during her class.

"Indeed, we want both of you to demonstrate your skills in a practical battle against one another. Some of the first years haven't taken these spars too seriously than they should. We hope that your display in fighting could possibly show them the disparity between a well trained "Hunter" their age versus their current skill level."

"This is a lot to consider since we only had the weekend to regain our strength." Grey bluntly voiced his concerns.

"I know. This is why I want you two to think over this offer carefully. Once you set foot into my class, you'll be treated just like one of my students." Glynda warned.

Aile and Grey nodded back as they began to open a mental link between them and the Biometals in order to figure out their next course of action.

'What do you think Aile? What should we do?' Grey worriedly asked.

'I'm kinda on the fence with this deal if I'm being honest. I get Ozpin's intentions, but we're already the focus on a lot of people's attention. Like you said, we've only had a few days for us to regain our strength.' Aile answered.

[Oi! Come on, pipsqueak! Don't throw away this opportunity. I've been itching for some action again! All of us are well rested and ready to go!] Model F gleefully voiced.

[I really shouldn't be surprised by your honest response, Fefnir. Tomboy, remember this is a combat school, so everyone's expecting the two of you to step up to the plate. Besides, wouldn't it be fun to show off every now and again?] Model L chimed in.

[Feels more like you want revenge for what happened over the weekend.] Model A spoke of his concerns.

[I don't know what you're talking about, Bolthead~] Model L playfully feigned her ignorance.

Model A shivered inside his Chosen One before his attention quickly shifted back to Grey.

[Be right back! Gonna talk with Grey for a second!] Model A spoke.

The copy Biometal blocked their current link with the others in order to have a one on one conversation.

[Grey, don't be afraid to use A-trans against Model L! We're definitely gonna need it if we're going up against her and the others.] Model A sternly told his partner.

'So you're okay with the plan, Model A?' Grey questioned.

[Absolutely, we've beaten them once, so we can definitely do it again!] Model A fired up.

'Well, I do need a bit more practice with some of the forms we got since we last fought against Aile...' Grey considered.

The element of surprise was definitely the reploid's trump card if they were going to fight later today. Since he'll be seeing Ruby again, Model A could use the opportunity to gather more data on their newest acquisition.

As the two agreed to their plan, they reconnected their mental link to see what the others were thinking.

[...It might be for the best, Aile. It's been two years since you last used most of us, so some practice with Grey's other forms would be a good start to getting used to us again.] Model H suggested.

[I concur. Best to practice now instead of being accidentally discovered in the future. We can likely pass off both of your abilities as this world's Semblances if we have to, Miss Aile.] Model P answered.

'X? Z? You guys have the final votes in this whole debacle. What are your takes on this situation?' Aile asked her veteran Biometals.

The red and blue Biometals took a moment to gather their thoughts before they finally voiced their opinions to their Chosen One.

[You already know we support whatever decision you go with, Aile.] Model X offered.

[Yeah, remember what Girou said? It's your choices in life that creates your own destiny.] said Model Z.

The Biometals broke off their mental link with Chosen Ones which left Aile and Grey thinking amongst themselves.

'Guess this means we're gonna have a friendly spar doesn't it Grey?' Aile chuckled.

'Yeah, I'm still nervous about going through with it.' Grey answered truthfully.

Aile noticed the worried tone laced in Grey's voice and decided it would be best to cheer him up.

'I know you've been fighting all your life, but you don't need to worry. It'll be just a friendly spar between me and you. If anything happens, I'll have your back.' Aile offered.

'You sure?'

'When have I ever let you down? I've always been there for you since the day we met.' Aile reaffirmed.

A warm feeling washed over Grey as he gave his senior a firm nod.

With everything set, the two Mega Men returned their gazes to Glynda with a new found conviction.

"I take it that everyone has come to a decision?" Glynda asked.

"Yeah, we'll take up that offer for the exhibition match later today." Aile confirmed while Grey just gave a quick nod.

"Very well, I'll let Ozpin know of your decision. You two are free to go and get changed out of your school uniforms." Glynda stated. "I plan to present you two as my assistants today, so I want the both of you to be presentable."

The duo gave the Professor a brief bow before they rushed out of the office and towards their room in order to get ready.

"At least both of us get to fight in something more comfortable." Aile mused.

"You're right. It'd be funny transforming while wearing a skirt and tie don't you think?" Grey joked.

The two's laughter echoed throughout the hallway as Grey and Aile were set on having their own little Game of Destiny but on their own terms.

---

Author's Notes

I honestly wasn't expecting this chapter to be so long. [Guess this is my little gift to you before we delve deep into some action finally.] Gotta give thanks to my GF for proofreading this to make sure everything flowed okay.

Dr. Noob, your wish has been granted for the next chapter lol.

I'm gonna create a poll for fun on my profile just to see who you guys think will win this friendly spar. Aile's four year experience with the Biometals or Grey's surprise thinking with A-trans.

I kinda feel like mixing some of Ashe's abilities with Grey's to simulate growth in developing Grey's skill in honing A-trans. [What do you think?]

There's a lot of similar characters in RWBY that share aspects with those in Mega Man lore. Port and Andrew are just one example I pointed out. Roll Caskett got released in DiVE and I can't help but imagine her and Ruby going crazy over weapon crafting. Think of the madness those dorks could create.

Also, I'm really tempted to use those Power Armor designs just announced for the new Grimm Eclipse port on the Switch. Those skins are too tempting not to be used if you haven't already taken a look.

That's all I have for now! See y'all next time when everyone will see the might of two Chosen Ones going all out. I'm probs gonna take some time writing this and looking at references like "ZX Termination" and "Return to Zero" for inspiration.

see y'all in the next chapter!

~Cristos

Next time: M.E.G.A. System Online