New Teammates, New Headaches, New Adventures
'All students, please report to the auditorium.' Glynda Goodwitch, the headmistress of Beacon Academy, announced over the intercom.
"Well, guys. It's time." Jaune Arc, leader of Team Jnpr, sighed as he picked up his two bags.
"I can't believe the headmasters are making us do this." Lie Ren said, annoyed as he grabbed his things.
"I usually like to believe that Ozpin knows what he is doing and that it is for us to grow better as future huntsmen. But this is something else. I honestly think this is only for his own amusement and the amusement of the other headmasters." Pyrrha Nikos, famous huntress-in-training/celebrity and second in command of Team Jnpr, said as she moved to stand next to Jaune. A little too close, some might say, but Jaune didn't mind as he thought she was only being friendly. However, Ren and the other member knew the actual reason behind it as they knew of Pyrrha's crush on Jaune.
"I know. Splitting us up before the semester is over. But we are still a team and friends, right?" The hyper-active person known as Nora Valkyrie asked, worried.
"Of course, Nora. We might no longer be official, but we are still a team. But more importantly, we are still friends, and that will never change." Jaune assured with a smile.
"YAY!" Nora cheered before pulling everyone into a bone-crushing hug.
"Nora. The others need air." Ren said, smiling as he was used to Nora's hugs but knew the others weren't.
"Right. Sorry." Nora said, letting everyone go.
"It's fine. Anyway, let's get going before Glynda gets furious for us being late." Jaune said after catching his breath.
Nodding, the four exited the dorm, locked it, and headed to the auditorium. Along the way, they met up with their now former sister team, Team Rwby. They discussed what their plans for the weekend were and if they would still meet up during lunch if they were still lucky. But it was all an attempt to mask their anxiety and ease their nerves, as they might not see each other again after today. After about ten minutes of tense talking, they reached the auditorium and took their seats.
"The headmaster better keep us together." Team Rwby and Team Jnpr heard someone say nearby. They looked to their right and saw Team Cfvy taking their seats. However, their leader, Coco Adel, was fuming mad.
"As much as I don't want it to happen, it's going to happen, Coco. We all know how Ozpin is and how crazy he can sometimes be. It's one of the reasons Glynda is always stressed." Yatsuhashi reminded.
"But what about the other headmasters? Perhaps we can get lucky?" Velvet asked.
"I'm sorry, Velvet. Fox and I don't know too much about the other headmasters. But from what we heard from the other students, they are one hundred percent on board with scrambling everyone and creating new teams. We can only hope your new teammates are friendly or that Coco is on your new team as well."
"Jaune?" Ruby Rose, leader of Team Rwby, asked her fellow leader and friend.
"Yeah?"
"Do you think we'll be staying here at Beacon or moving to another Academy?"
"I have no idea, Rubes. But let's hope for the best and prepare for the worst."
"Anybody you're hoping to be paired with, Jaune?" Yang asked.
"Not really. As long as it's not anybody from Team Crdl or Team Ndgo."
"That's true, considering what they had done in the past." Blake agreed.
"What about you, Yang?" Jaune asked.
"Hopefully, I'd get put on a team with people who know how to party. And hopefully, my sis is there with me." She answered before wrapping an arm around Ruby.
"I just hope the headmasters put me on a team with students that know what discipline is." Weiss huffed.
"Or ones that know how to be quiet." Blake added.
"What about the rest of you?" Ruby asked, finally escaping Yang's hug.
"I hope they put Nora and me on the same team. Otherwise, it's going to be challenging going forward." Ren answered.
"And I don't want to be separated from my Renny." Nora added.
"What about you, Cereal Girl?" Yang asked.
"Hopefully, I'd get put on whatever team the headmasters place Jaune on." Pyrrha answered.
"Don't want to lose your-" Yang began but went silent when they heard the sounds of someone tapping the mic. They turned to the stage and saw Glynda Goodwitch tapping the mic, with the other headmasters walking on stage.
"Good afternoon, everyone. I hope you all are having a good day. Now, I'm sure you are all aware of what's happening. But to give a quick reminder, the headmasters of each academy recently had a meeting to discuss how to move forward with teaching future huntsmen-in-training. After much discussion, they decided to scramble the current teams at each academy. Now, the headmasters will explain it in more detail. After they finish, you all will receive a message on your scrolls detailing who your new teammates are." Glynda announced before allowing the headmasters to walk up to the mic.
"Good afternoon, everyone. Now to elaborate on what Glynda said." Ozpin said, grabbing the mic. "While the other headmasters and I were discussing various things, the topic of how we train our students came up. While we all have different methods of training future huntsmen, we agreed not much needed changing outside of a few tweaks to specific lessons. However, we then realized there was a crucial area every huntsman-in-training should learn at any academy. And that was teamwork."
"And before anyone complains, I'll explain." Ironwood said after Ozpin handed him the mic. "When we say teamwork, we weren't talking about your teams. No. What we mean is something else. There will undoubtedly be times in each and everyone one of your futures where you will need to work with someone. And it could be someone you know or don't know. It could even be with your loved one or someone you hate. But one thing is sure: you must work with them to get out of whatever situation you both find yourselves in alive."
"Some might say that is unlikely to happen or that you don't need anyone else as your skills are unmatched. But I'd say differently. Even the best huntsmen needed help at some point. And this will happen a lot if you go to places like Vacou or any crime-ridden town or location infested with Grimm." Theodore, the Headmaster of Shade Academy, continued after taking the mic from Ironwood. "However, it won't matter who you team up with or how skilled you are if none of you know how to work with anyone you meet. And while there is technically a lesson about working with anyone you meet at each academy, they are lackluster at best. Realizing this, we decided to implement a new way of teaching this crucial skill and lesson to future huntsmen."
"And as you all already know, it is to create new teams. But that is only part of our plan." Leonardo Lionheart added after taking the mic. "Starting Monday, you will all have a daily and weekly project relating to teamwork. The daily project will simply be working with a member of your team on a homework assignment. The weekly project will have you and another student outside of your team working on something together. However, because we have yet to figure out what the weekly project will be, we will not give out any until next month."
"But before we end this meeting, let me assure everyone here that this new plan is only experimental and will only last until the current semester. Afterward, we will review everyone's progress to determine if it is a success or not. And if not, each team member can return to their old team or choose to remain with their new group." Ozpin said, taking the mic from Lionheart. "Now. You will all momentarily receive a message on your scroll that will tell you who your new teammates are, where your new dorm is, and if you will stay at Beacon Academy or move to another academy."
*Ding*
"Okay. Now that you all have the message, everyone is dismissed. But before you all go, a few things first. First, if you see that you are now at a new academy, report to the bullheads in two hours. Second, the students from other academies that now study here will arrive momentarily. So if you see that you are still here, go to your new dorms and prepare for your new teammates' arrival. That is all." Glynda finished before leaving, with Ironwood, Ozpin, Lionheart, and Theodore following right after.
"So, what now?" Pyrrha asked as she and the others stood up and got their things.
"How about we head to the cafeteria? Let's see who our new teammates are and if we are staying at Beacon. It can be the final thing we do together if we find out we're no longer staying at Beacon." Jaune suggested.
"Smart thinking, Vomit Boy." Yang teased.
"Will you ever stop calling me that?"
"Nope. And if this is my last day here, I need to get the most out of it, as who knows when I'll be able to do it again."
Everyone chuckled at this as they knew very well that Yang would make good on her promise. Yet, even Jaune smiled as he knew he would miss Yang's daily teasing if she left Beacon. They then made their way to Beacon's cafeteria. But instead of the usual route they typically take, they went the long route to enjoy some of the remaining time they had.
"Alright. Who wants to go first?" Blake asked as they arrived at the cafeteria.
"I'll go." Yang answered before taking out her scroll. Everyone waited with bated breaths, but it changed to surprise when Yang smiled and raised her fist in the air. "YES!"
"What did you get, Yang?" Ruby asked, curious.
"You're on my team, sis. Not only that, but we are staying at Beacon." Yang answered before wrapping an arm around Ruby.
"And who are the others joining your team?" Weiss asked.
"The first is Flynt Coal. I heard he's a fun guy to be around and knows how to play the trumpet. And the last member is Sun."
"Sun. You mean the guy who is the leader of Team SSSN?" Blake asked.
"Yup. It looks like your crush is on my team, Blakey." Yang teased, causing Blake to roll her eyes.
"He's not my type, Yang." Blake said.
"How about you, Weiss?" Ruby asked.
"It looks like I'll be staying here at Beacon as well. And my teammates are Nolan Porfirio, Arslan Altan, and Blake." She answered, surprising Blake.
"I wasn't expecting that." Blake said.
"What about you guys?" Jaune asked his teammates.
"YAY! RENNY AND I ARE ON THE SAME TEAM, AND WE ARE STAYING HERE!" Nora shouted.
"And our new teammates are Fox and Neptune. Not the worst, but at least they are nice, and we somewhat know them." Ren added.
"How about you, Pyrrha?" Jaune asked.
"Wow. It looks like I'm staying at Beacon as well. My teammates are Yatsuashi, Velvet, and an Atlas student named Ivori." She answered.
"Do you know who that is, Weiss?" Ruby asked.
"Ivori. Yes, I know him. He's a friendly guy but keeps to himself mostly, similar to Ren." Weiss answered.
"What about you, Jauney? Who are your new teammates, and are you staying here?" Nora asked.
"Nice. It looks like we are all staying here at Beacon. And my teammates are May Zedong, Reese Chloris, and Neon Katy." Jaune answered, happy that he and his friends would stay at Beacon.
"Neon?" Weiss asked, sounding surprised.
"You know her, Weiss?" Ren asked.
"Not personally. All I know about Neon is that she is Flynt Coal's partner and has a reputation around Atlas for having an extraordinarily bubbly and hyperactive personality. Basically, think Yang but with not-so-bad puns that only come out during fights." Weiss answered
"Hey! I'll have you know my puns are top tier." Yang argued before pulling Ruby in close. "Right, sis? My puns are the best."
"Uh-" Ruby stuttered, not knowing what to say.
"Right?" Yang asked, narrowing her eyes.
"Um. How about we all head to our news dorms? Ms. Goodwitch did say the students from other academies were about to arrive." Jaune said, helping Ruby break free from Yang's grip.
"Should we still meet later to discuss our new teams and teammates and see how it's going?" Pyrrha asked.
"As much as I want to say yes, I think it would be best if we spend the rest of the day with our new teams to get to know them better." Weiss answered.
"But since tomorrow is the weekend, we can spend some time together then." Ren added, with everyone nodding.
"Well. Until then, see you guys. And good luck." Jaune said, smiling.
Everyone smiled before grabbing their bags and heading toward their new dorms. Unfortunately, none of their new dorms were near each other. This made Jaune feel a sense of anxiety and dread wash over him. While Jaune had no problems meeting new people, he was unsure if he could befriend them. He always had trouble making new friends and was thankful Ozpin placed him on Team Jnpr.
'Relax, Jaune. You're not abandoning your friends. You're even hanging out with them tomorrow. All that is happening is that Ozpin and the other headmasters placed you on a new team with people you have never met. And you'll befriend them in no time. After all, mom did say that strangers are only friends you haven't met yet.' Jaune mentally thought as he reached his new dorm. But he became surprised when he realized it used to be Team Cfvy's old dorm.
Taking out his scroll, Jaune unlocked the door before entering the dorm. He then placed his bags next to one of the beds before looking through the closets. Jaune did not want to risk accidentally damaging one of Coco's outfits as he knew doing so would unleash hell. Once he was sure the room was empty, Jaune grabbed his bags and placed them next to one of the dressers. He wanted to wait until his new teammates arrived and let them pick their beds before claiming his own. Luckily, Jaune did not have to wait long, as only after ten minutes he heard someone knocking. Walking toward the door, he opened it and was surprised to see a girl with light tan skin, dusky rose hair, and gray-blue eyes standing awkwardly. She was wearing a red and white hoodie with blue tracksuit pants and a distinctive black beanie that covered her left eye. However, what caught Jaune's attention was how nervous the girl appeared.
'She reminds me of my sister, Azure. I should probably call them and tell them what happened today.' Jaune thought. "Hello."
"Hi. Are you..." The girl began before looking at her scroll. "Jaune Arc?"
"Yes, that's me. And you are?"
"I'm May Zedong. I'm your new team member and partner."
"Oh. Nice to meet you. Come in." Jaune said before moving to the side to allow her in.
"Thanks. Sorry I had to pull you from whatever you were doing. My scroll wouldn't unlock the door." May explained while Jaune closed the door.
"It's fine. That happens a lot here."
"So, uh. Did you pick out a bed yet?" May nervously asked while looking around. "Or do you have something else planned, like drawing straws or something?"
"I didn't pick a bed yet. I figured we all pick one when everyone is here; that way, there is no chance of fighting."
"Oh, that's nice. But that reminds me. Do you know who is the leader of the team yet?"
"Nope. All the messages the headmasters sent us included our new teammates and new dorms."
"Figures." May muttered, sitting on the bed across from Jaune. "Anyway. Have you met our new teammates before?"
"No. I haven't met or heard of them before. But my friend Weiss told me Neon, a student from Atlas, has a reputation for having an extraordinarily bubbly and hyperactive personality. But aside from that, I know nothing about her or Reese."
"Already, I can tell she would be better than my old teammates." May huffed.
"Honestly, this Neon reminds me of my friend on my old team." Jaune said, smiling.
"How so?"
"Her name is Nora, and she is happiness and energy incarnate. Give a drink with some sugar in it, and she will have a sugar rush that will lead to Vale in ruins."
"Wow."
"Yeah."
"Sounds like you had some fun times with your old team. Were you the leader?"
"It was fun. And yeah, I was my old team's leader. How about you?"
"I didn't really have any fun times with my old team. They constantly abandoned or forgot about me because I was their sniper. And I doubt it would change if I were their leader."
"Sorry to hear that. Hopefully, that won't be the case with this new team."
"I hope so." May agreed before muttering something Jaune couldn't hear. She then cleared her throat. "Anyway. Do you know when the others will arrive?"
"Ms. Goodwitch said any student from another academy should be here soon. So maybe another half hour before they arrive."
"What should we do in the meantime?"
"You could take a nap since you might be tired from the long trip. Or I could show you around if you want." Jaune suggested.
"I don't feel like a nap, and maybe when everyone is here, you could show us around."
"Okay. So, what do you feel like doing?"
"How about we talk? I think we should get to know each other if we're on the same team and partners."
"Alright. What do you want to know?"
"Well, for starters, what-" May began but stopped when a loud noise outside the dorm caught their attention.
*BANG*
"What was that?" May asked, worried.
"If this were my old team, I would have said, my friends. But they are on the other side of the school." Jaune said as he and May got up and went to the door. They opened the door, and to their surprise, they saw two other students on the floor. But what quickly caught their attention were the skateboard and roller skates they had.
"Um. Are you two alright?" May asked as she and Jaune helped them up.
"We're fine." The girl with light green hair and teal eyes answered.
"Yeah. Crashing into something is pretty standard for us skaters." The faunus girl with sea green eyes and red-orange hair said.
"Anyway. Thanks for the help."
"No problem." Jaune said, unsure of what to say.
"But can you two help us with something?" The faunus girl said.
"Sure." May answered.
"We're looking for our new team members, Jaune Arc and May Zedong. Do you know where they are or what dorm they have? The message our headmasters sent us didn't include that."
"Uh, I'm Jaune Arc."
"And I'm May Zedong."
"Nice." The girl with light green hair said.
"We crashed into each other right in front of our teammates and new dorm." The Faunus added.
"What are your names?" May asked, wanting to know who they were.
"I'm Neon Katt." The Faunus answered.
"And I'm Reese Chloris." The other girl added.
"Sorry to keep you two waiting. Our flights got delayed, and we got lost looking for the dorm." Neon said.
"It's alright. I got here only a few minutes ago." May said.
"And I got here a few minutes before May." Jaune added.
"That's a relief." Reese said. "Anyway. Can we come in?"
"Yeah. Uh, sorry." Jaune said as he and May moved out of the way.
"Thanks." Neon said as she and Reese entered the dorm and put their stuff next to May and Jaune's bags.
"I honestly wasn't expecting that." May said as Jaune closed the door.
"Me neither." Jaune said. But as Jaune and May watched Reese and Neon remove their skates, they knew it would only get crazier from here on out. Yet, for some reason, they weren't put off by that and looked forward to it. Although Jaune did wonder how his former teammates and friends were doing with their new teammates.
Note:
An idea that came to my mind after finding a post on reddit about Team JNRZ (Jaune, Neon, Reese, and May.)