A/N: Last time, on Dragon Ba-dammit!

I can't think of anything meaningful to put here so here we go.

Chapter 2: Sex, Showers, and Strategy

Raven found her fingers once again unconsciously grazing across the cold steel under her pack. All night it had been a reoccurring tic; whenever someone made too much noise or stood up to take a late-night piss. Qrow could call her paranoid all he wanted, she just didn't feel safe without a knife within reach, hadn't since she was a child.

This time, the reason for her gripping the weapon was a boy and girl not-so-stealthily making their way to the restrooms. Her face twisted with annoyance every time they giggled or whispered to one another. Idiots. Did they not realize that tomorrow was initiation, or could they not see for their innate hormonal impulses? Whatever the case, Raven growled and rolled over, trying and failing to push all thoughts of her childish peers from her head.

Such people were exactly the kind that the headmaster spoke of, the weaklings that wouldn't last the day. If they didn't understand the importance of sleep, if they went off half-cocked into a horde of Grimm, they'd be ripped to shreds in seconds. Such carelessness would have never been tolerated in the Branwen tribe.

Hopefully, there would not be anyone of that sort after initiation. With any luck, the only ones who made the cut would be the true warriors, the ones strong enough to stay alive and intelligent enough to keep their legs together.

Raven's mind then wandered to her twin, who was fast asleep a few feet away. Qrow was definitely skilled; back home, he had been the only person her age to pose a challenge in combat. She didn't need to worry about him getting himself killed because someone outclassed him.

However, Qrow was a teenage boy, with all the hormones and raging sex drive that came with. There had never been too many women their age in the camp, and as far as Raven knew, he'd only ever had one real encounter with any of them. And that had only been a one-night stand. Now, here he was, surrounded by hundreds of new faces, and nearly every one of them dolled up to draw his attention.

Only time would tell if he could keep it in his pants and not get them in trouble.

Raven's thoughts soon drifted away from such matters and. Eventually, she began running through all the various Grimm she had ever encountered, and their weakest points. Some people counted sheep to get to sleep, she thought of the most efficient ways to dispatch monsters. Ursa were most vulnerable at the point where their neck and jaw met, as the flesh was tender and there was no armor plating there. Beowolves' limbs were easily removed with a good swing of her sword. The Taijitu's eyes were the best path to its brain…

"Raven!" She was ripped from her slumber by a hand firmly grasping her arm and another catching her wrist as she thrust her dagger towards her assailant's throat. It took a good three seconds before she was able to remember where she was, why she was there, and who woke her.

It was Qrow, of course, knelt over her with a bored expression on his face. Not exactly the kind of look one would expect from someone with a knifepoint half an inch from his jugular. "Qrow! What the hell are you thinking?"

He shrugged as he let go of her. "You weren't waking up. Knew you'd be all over my ass if I let you sleep in and risk being late; so, I took matters into my own hands."

She scowled. He was right, though. She would have been less than pleased if she had made them late. Amazing, simply amazing, he had a brain between his ears.

She grunted as he pulled her to her feet. The night had not been kind to her back, and the hard floor left her stiff. Nothing that couldn't be walked off, and a damn sight better than some of the places she'd had to sleep in the past. But it was still uncomfortable.

With little more than a muttered command to watch her things, Raven left Qrow to freshen up in the changing rooms. An annoyed sigh escaped her lips as she viewed herself in the mirror. She was the picture of a cold-blooded warrior… not. Her black hair was frizzed all over the place, there were bags hanging beneath her ruby eyes, indicative of her lack of sleep. The only thing she could do to improve her image was splash ice cold water on her face and tie her wild locks back. Not that her appearance really mattered all that much, she still had standards, though. Contrary to what most Mistralians would say, she wasn't a savage.

Much to her chagrin, there was not enough time for a shower. One of the few luxuries she wouldn't have minded if the Branwen tribe adopted, showers. She'd only ever had a few in her life, normally bathing in a stream, river, or another body of water. Although, there was something to be said about having hot and cold water on demand. And the concept of not having to constantly look over her shoulder to make sure no one was watching her; it was enough to sell her on the idea.

Sadly, she would have to wait before experiencing the joys of a shower again. Duty called and initiation wasn't going to complete itself.

Raven gave herself one final glance in the mirror before exiting the changing room. Finding her look not quite what she'd hoped, but adequate, she exited to find Qrow waiting outside. How odd had that appeared to any passersby? A scruffy-looking young man standing at the door to the women's dressing area, occasionally throwing glances in. Well, creepy would be one way of putting it.

"Ready?" he asked upon seeing her.

"As I'll ever be," Raven sighed. "Let's get this over with." She wasn't thrilled with the task ahead, but she understood its merit. It was not only a test to prepare students for the rigors of their attendance at Beacon, but also a means to weed out the weaker applicants. Thrashing the chaff, so to speak.

The Branwens made to follow the crowd of their peers that had begun exiting the building. There were also a few stragglers like themselves who were staying behind the herd, while some were still yet to awake.

Looks as though certain things are already being put to the test. Raven sneered as she stepped over a twisted lump of a sleeping bag. Why put so much effort into gaining admission to one of the most prestigious schools on Remnant, only to waste your chance by oversleeping? Idiots.

Never mind them. She needed to focus.

"You know, I heard some of the others talking," Qrow said. "Apparently, this trial is how they put together the teams. Supposed to be teams of four."

She sighed, missing his point. For such a simple man, he could be so vague sometimes. "And? This matters how?"

"And I feel like this should be addressed. What if we're not put on the same team, what if we are? We need to have a plan."

A plan? For what? Honestly, what was so hard to understand about get accepted into Beacon, learn to fight like huntsmen, get out? He was treating this like some covert military operation like every move had to carefully plotted and discussed.

"What do we do about our teammates?" he went on.

"What about them? They don't have to matter. Unless you were planning on revealing our reason for being here to them."

Qrow held his arms up defensively, shaking his head. "I never said that!"

"Then, what's the point of worrying about them?" Raven said, rolling her eyes.

He let out a long breath, the task that their uncle had given was weighing heavy on him, she could tell. Even when it had been assigned, he looked to be in a complete panic over it. Neither he nor Raven had ever left the tribe's territory for an extended amount of time. Couple that with the all too sudden death of their father, she could understand why he was freaking out slightly.

On top of everything, there was also the ever-present threat of-

"What if somebody asks questions about our name?" he whispered.

Fuck.

Yep. There it was; the thing that even she felt some small worry over. If anyone, worst of all, the headmaster, managed to put two and two together there would be many difficult questions that would need answers. Branwen wasn't a common surname, particularly outside of Mistral. In fact, she didn't think she'd ever even heard of any other Branwens apart from her family.

It was also rather infamous around Anima, usually synonymous with destroyed farmsteads and raided villages. She was honestly surprised they'd been able to secure transport to Vale. Enough money exchanged under the table could really get you whatever you wanted it seemed.

For once, Qrow was right; when - not if, when - Ozpin looked into them, they did need a story to stick to. "If that happens," Raven said uncharacteristically softly. "We'll deal with it. For now, don't concern yourself with it. You'll drive yourself and me insane." It wasn't a matter to be swept under the rug so easily, but he was stressed out. The least she could to help him was to be the supportive big sister. Even if it ever got out, she'd deny it.

"I guess you're right. I'm just being paranoid."

She smiled smugly. "Of course, I'm right. And a little healthy paranoia is good, it keeps you from doing something stupid."

The pair continued on in silence for a good while longer. It seemed her little words of comfort had done their job. Qrow carried himself more confidently and there was a glint of determination behind his eyes. He looked ready to tackle Beacon head-on and kick its ass. It was a good look for him, gave him an air of cockiness that felt justified, given his skillset.

"Still," he said. "I can't help but wonder if we'll be put on a team together."

Hmm, did she let the moment of happy bonding continue, or did she ruin it? Decisions, decisions. After giving it some thought, she took door number two. "Gods, I hope not. I think if I'm stuck sharing a dorm room, study hours, and a bathroom with you for the next four years, I'll kill myself."

He chuckled. "Bitch."

"Asshole."

Even with her rather wide vocabulary, if there was a word to describe Raven's mood while awaiting the headmaster to begin initiation, it eluded her. Tired was not correct for, while she had been kept awake for a good amount of time the previous night, she had gotten enough rest to function. Annoyed was too soft a word; cranky just sounded childish. What fell over her surpassed mere irritation but had yet to sprout into full-blown anger.

Qrow would have simply called her bitchy. He always was simple like that, never delving any further into a matter than was absolutely necessary. Putting the minimal amount of effort into everything. That wasn't to say he was lazy. He just had yet to find anything to truly strive for, to dedicate his life to honing a craft. Hell, he hadn't even managed to find a girlfriend.

For Raven, she strove to become stronger - no, the strongest. To fight and bleed for the right to call herself the best. Combat was the surest way to achieve such a goal. That moment when her opponent lay beaten and battered at her feet. When they admitted defeat, she swore that the feeling that washed over her was almost... orgasmic.

For a while, it had appeared that her brother shared in her ambition - even if it was only directed at her. When they would spar, he would strike with the same ferocity as she. Every once and a while, he would even match her, dragging them to a stalemate. The look that he would give her at those times, he was positively elated. And the comments he made in private...

Well, needless to say, she was very glad such times were few and far between.

Raven felt none of that drive at the moment, however. Professor Ozpin had relayed the rules of the trial, simple as they were. Enter the forest, find a relic in a temple, get out. Had it not been for the promise of many Grimm along the way, she might've yawned at the dullness of the test. She and Qrow could have pulled something like this off in their sleep.

Then he sprang the criteria for finding their partners. Eye contact? Fucking eye contact?! Never mind how stupid of a determiner that was, they were also going to be launched into the woods at random. Meaning she and her twin could quite possibly land miles apart and not know it.

Qrow might have suggested she use her semblance, but then the old man said they would be monitored. That shut the idea down really quick. If she did open up a portal and find him that way, it would no doubt cause a stir and draw attention to them. That was something they did not need. Eyes on the Branwen twins would lead to questions, which in turn would result in their family name being brought up. Raven very much doubted they would simply be able to explain that away as an unfortunate familial relation without a predetermined story. A story that would require time to flesh out.

Stood on a steel platform on the edge of a sheer cliff, she was treated to a beautiful view of the Emerald Forest. Deciduous trees with infinite shades of green stretched on for miles as far as the eye could see. Below, the creatures of Grimm wandered, hunting for anything with a pulse to rip apart. It was the perfect blend of peace and chaos. Beauty and hideous deformity.

It could all burn down, for all she cared.

"Are there any questions?" Ozpin's voice brought her back into the real world. He waited for a few seconds, and when no one spoke up, nodded. "Very well. I wish you all the best of luck then. Try not to die."

Starting from Raven's far right, initiates began launching into the sky. One after the other, each launch pad propelled its occupant up with startling speed. Before she could utter a single syllable of her 'good luck' wish to Qrow, he was gone. And even sooner still, she was also airborne.

The wind bit at her cheeks and eyes like shards of cold glass slashing over her. If only she'd thought to bring some goggles or at the very least, glasses. Seriously, Beacon could have warned them a bit better. How was she supposed to survive a fall at this speed, hold her arms out and flap?

It was beautiful though, the trees beneath, raced by like an emerald river, with the occasional rock poking through the canopy. A flock of birds fluttered around her as she shot past, one of them narrowly missing her face. As brief as it was, her trip into the skies was pleasant. Raven enjoyed the relaxing sensation of the wind carrying her, of being truly free from the bonds of the ground.

The altitude granted her an adequate view of her destination as well. The forest temple was just where he'd said it would be; the northern end of the forest in a large clearing. That was where she would need to head… eventually. First, she needed to land without shattering every bone in her body.

But how to go about it? Opening up a portal was out since Qrow likely couldn't give her any aid in this situation. Simply grabbing onto a tree branch was an option. Well, that was if she wanted to rip her arms out their sockets. Her weapon didn't really serve any purpose either. It didn't have any attachments that produced enough force to slow her descent.

Much to her own surprise, she found herself coveting Qrow's weapon. Its dual shotguns were perfect for just such an occasion, on account of how they somehow defied the laws of physics and grav-

Wait… Gravity! That was it!

As her descent began, Raven quickly ripped Ravager from its mechanized sheath. Truly a marvel of engineering, especially by bandit standards, the long katana's blade was interchangeable, allowing for blades forged from dust to be attached. On the day she and Qrow had arrived in Vale, she had used a rather large portion of the lien Rook had given them to purchase rarer dust variants. The most valuable of them all, being gravity manipulating dust. The second the sword was free; she could feel the difference in weight. Where her typical steel blade was still rather light for its size, the glowing purple one felt like little more than air in her hand.

Sadly, though, there was not enough time to admire it, as within moments, Ravager was reduced to naught but a hilt in her palm, the blade having exploded. The radiating particles formed a cloud around her, sticking to her skin and clothing, but more importantly, slowing her fall. Such a small amount was not enough to halt her completely, however, it did the job she'd hoped it would and Raven found herself gliding easily down onto an exposed branch.

How's that for a 'landing strategy, old man? she smirked, turning to peer back at the cliff from whence she came. Not the most orthodox method, certainly not the cheapest, either. But damn, had it been satisfying. Honestly, she was surprised at herself. Surprised and more than a little amazed. She'd always been good, but again, damn.

With a smug grin still smeared across her lips, Raven scanned the horizon, attempting to get the lay of the land. True to its name, the Emerald forest was nothing but lush green trees and hills as far as she could see. The temple was once more hidden from view, though she already had an idea of its direction. Well then, the first order of business was to start heading that way.

Beneath her, several bold critters had gathered around to see what had invaded their domain. Most scattered when she landed at the trunk with a muffled thud, though some still remained curious enough to risk sticking around. However, squirrels' courage only went so far, it seemed, for when Raven drew Ravager, they too scrambled from the shrieking metal.

With careful precision, her eyes slowly traced around the forest. Her vision was obscured by vegetation for the most part, though what little she could make out appeared calm. Good, there were no Grimm in the immediate area, but that could change soon. It was best for her to get a move on. Turning northward, she began the long sprint into the woods.

She made good time, covering a great distance in just a few minutes, only stopping when she heard Grimm or sounds of combat. Still no sign of Qrow, but that didn't bother her. The forest was a big place, chances were, he was miles away. Then again, they were heading for the same spot, so they could run into one another.

But did she want that? Raven pondered while she ran. Sure, having Qrow as a partner would be convenient, but it would also be tedious. The two of them would be around each other nonstop for the next four years. Something she wasn't entirely opposed to, it would help with training, but familiarity bred contempt. If they weren't partners or, even better, not even on the same team, she wouldn't tire of his presence so quickly. It would also reduce the chances of their relation to the tribe being brought up if they spent very little time together and stayed under the radar.

Dammit, she scolded herself. I told Qrow not to worry about this, yet here I am, thinking about it again. To be fair, though, she had been worried about it as well. Albeit a bit more low-key than her brother. It wouldn't do for both of the Branwens to be constantly twitching and looking over their shoulders. Neither would it for them to be approached by concerned teachers for exhibiting such behavior.

"Enough," Raven hissed to herself. "I'll cross that bridge when I reach it." For now, she just had to focus on finding a suitable partner. And she berated Qrow for lacking in concentration…

Thank the gods he couldn't hear her thoughts now.

After another few minutes of sprinting, the only sounds she heard being the beating of her feet on the forest floor and her remarkably steady breathing, She once more sensed battle nearby. The distinctive scent of Grimm blood and gunpowder wafted through the air. Explosions, punctuated by howls of rage, became audible the closer she came. Eventually Raven came to a halt at the edge of a small clearing, the ferocious combat in the center of which too tempting to ignore.

The foray consisted of three massive Ursa surrounding one blond man. Judging from the wild smile that was plastered across his face, it was unlikely that the beasts had ambushed him, rather, he must have engaged them of his own volition. A fact which spoke of bravery, stupidity, or confidence in his own physical prowess. Probably a combination of all three, to be honest.

The fight looked to be an even one, with the Grimm swiping and lunging for the young man and receiving shockingly powerful punches to the face as a reward. He didn't appear to be all that fast, instead relying on his resilience and sheer might to outfight the monsters; Raven couldn't decide if that was good or bad. Huntsmen were required to be agile and fast to avoid the quicker Grimm, he looked to be neither. Though, there was something to be said about having an absolute tank in your corner.

The man punctuated her thought by landing a solid blow on one of the Ursai's snout. The punch was powerful, and probably hurt like a bitch; though not as much, she suspected, as the brutal detonation of dust that sent it flying back. Apparently, this man's knuckle dusters had some sort of explosive dust discharge in them. Okay, this guy was definitely intriguing, at least.

The Ursa roared as it rolled over, attempting to hoist its massive frame off the ground. Unfortunately noticing her as it did so, Raven felt the earth beneath her feet shake and hot breath waft over her face, even from several meters away. The beast stood up menacingly on its hind legs, letting loose another howl. She responded with a rather unimpressed sigh. Great, now she was going to have to get involved in this battle and likely wind up partnering with her blonde acquaintance in the process.

She held her ground as it lumbered toward her; Ursai were a lot slower than most other Grimm on account of their size, so she had a good three or four seconds to ready herself. Ravager tore through its tough hide like butter as she gracefully sidestepped. It was a poor excuse for a strike, more to aggravate her foe than do any real damage. As such, the Ursa hardly even acknowledged it as it stormed by her; instead, getting even more pissed at her. Clumps of grass and dirt flew as a gigantic paw slammed down at her, yet again, catching nothing.

Once, twice, three times more, the Ursa tried and failed to grab Raven. And with each unsuccessful attack, it grew more and more enraged, to the point of tearing down a tree she moved around. Through it all, she remained calm, deftly avoiding each blow and leading the creature along. As she ducked another oncoming swipe, she thrust her blade toward the exposed flesh of an armpit, slicing the sensitive skin wide open and prompting a wail of anger and pain. However, she did not let up, as the sword cleared the wound she swung down and around the back of the Ursa's leg. The knee folded like a book as blade bit into flesh, dark blood spraying from the opening. The mighty crash that the beast made upon falling sent great shockwaves through the earth. Trees rattled and shook at the small-scale earthquake.

Deprived of two of its limbs, the Ursa howled with malice and reached for Raven in vain as she slowly walked around to its face. It bit and snapped at her, anything it could do to end her existence. She wasn't intimidated. How could she be cowed by a monster that couldn't even stand on its own, let alone defeat her? Blood dripped from Ravager's long blade; proof that she was the superior killer. It shouldn't have been so satisfying to have bested such a common Grimm, but she could not help it. There was just something thrilling and pleasing about emerging victorious from a fight, no matter how short or small.

And victorious she had been.

The Ursa fell limp and its wild thrashing finally ceased once she plunged the katana into its eye socket, killing it instantly. Black ooze bubbled out from the hole as she slid the weapon free, flinging the life-giving liquid off with a sharp flick.

"Well, thanks for the assist," a voice called from behind her. "Honestly, though, I could've ended it anytime. Was just having a little fun."

Raven spared her new partner a glance as she sheathed her sword. Tall, tan, muscular, a pair of big blue eyes, all in all, not hideous to look at. That would make him at least tolerable to a degree. He could obviously fight, given that he had already dispatched the other two Ursa that had previously been attacking him. It would remain to be seen if he had a personality she could bear. Only time would tell.

Raven smirked. "Playing with your food?"

"More like finding a couple new punching bags."

There was a brief silence as she turned to face him. He looked to her weapon first, likely getting a sense of what kind of fighter she was. Next, he very quickly examined her outfit and figure, she didn't miss how his eyes locked onto the rather generous amount of cleavage she was showing. Once a man, always a man.

The slightest bit of pink tinted his cheeks when she cleared her throat, signifying that he'd been caught. "Uh… I'm Tai," he blurted, sticking a hand out suddenly. "Nice to meet you, um…?"

She chuckled, shifting away. "Raven."

"Raven, huh? What're the odds?" He muttered to himself, apparently unfazed by her blatant disregard for his handshake.

Without another word, she resumed her route to the forest temple, albeit at a slower pace. She had to factor in her new, probably slower companion. An inconvenience? Possibly, but he could handle himself in combat. In which case, she could forgive a minor handicap when it came to agility. Only if he turned out to be dead weight, would she begin to question his value. For now, though, Tai would be satisfactory. Not perfect, but she could work with him.

It remained to be seen if Qrow would be so lucky with his new partner.

A/N: Sigh.

And so, the dreaded "Initiation Arc" continues.

Sorry about the wait for this story. Life is hectic right now. My father is having some medical issues and I've been working around my parents' house for the past few weeks, on top of my other responsibilities.