Beacon Auditorium
"Ruby! Ruby's Boyfriend, Kazuki! I Saved you all a Spot!" Yang called out to three, waving at them.
Ruby blushed in embarrassment at her Sister's implications while Naoto had an urge to punch her. Kazuki let out a small chuckle.
"What's so funny?" Naoto asked him, irritated.
"Oh nothing, just glad it's not me who's the target of Yang's teasing" He replied, a cheeky grin on his face.
The three of them got over and immediately Ruby was giving out about Yang.
"I can't believe you abandoned me to be with your friends!" Ruby complained to her sister, crossing her arms and trying to look intimidating.
"Oh come on sis, what's the worst thing that happened, I mean I saw you walking in with Naoto and some blonde kid, it wasn't that bad right?" Yang responded.
"That's besides the point, I Blew Up!" She exclaimed.
"Yikes, meltdown already?" Yang asked, a little concerned.
"No she literally blew up" Naoto added in, "and I got caught in it…"
"Yeah I know, I've been living with her for years, her meltdowns can be pretty bad" Yang said, not knowing - intentionally or not - if Ruby ACTUALLY blew up.
"No Yang! I tripped over some crabby girl's luggage, she got mad, I tried to apologize, she started waving a dust vile in my face, I sneezedandthenIBLEWUP!" Ruby shouted at her sister.
"Yikes"
"Hey, what's with all the shouting?" Makoto asked, walking over to them with Noel.
"Oh yeah, I forgot Kazuki seemed to be a bit of a player, two girls and it's not even officially day one yet!" Yang teased.
Noel and Kazuki became flustered while Makoto started to laugh at her friends - both Noel and her new one's - expense.
"What was that about you not being the target of Yang's teasing?" Naoto decided to get in his own jab at Kazuki while he could before everything started going downhill.
"YOU"! An irritated voice called out, "You're lucky we weren't blown off the side of the cliff!"
"I said it was an accident!" Ruby defended herself from the verbal assault of one Weiss Schnee.
She wears a thigh-length strapless dress with a faint color gradation from white to pale blue at the hem. A small piece of black lace sits in the front of her neckline and the hem of the dress is scalloped and stitched to resemble snowflakes, with layers of white tulle under the skirt. Over this, she wears a bell-sleeved bolero with the same color gradation as her dress from shoulder to wrist, lined in red and with a ruffled collar. On the back of the bolero is the Schnee Crest.
She also wears a small apple pendant on a silver chain and thin, rectangular silver earrings. Her boots are white, wedged heeled, and higher at the back than the front. They have a small silver decoration across the top of the fool and are lined in red. A thin white sash is tied around her waist with a pouch attached to the back.
Ruby was promptly met with a pamphlet to her face that read 'Dust for Dummies… and other inadequate individuals'.
"The Schnee Dust Company is not responsible for any and all damages sustained through Schnee Dust Company products, although it is not mandatory we request that you-HEY!" Weiss is interrupted as Kazuki snatches the pamphlet from her hand and rips it up.
"Shut it, I don't give a damn if you're a Schnee, hell I still wouldn't if you were a direct descendant of the Gods themselves, if you're here at Beacon, titles like a 'noble family' mean nothing. The Grimm don't care, all they see is a human to kill and probably eat, assuming they eat humans and faunas anyway, so don't expect me to treat with any respect if you don't give anyone else any just cause you come from a rich family, I saw what happened, the Dust Vial wasn't secured properly and you waved it around like a fool." He finished
"Wait you SAW that and DIDN'T help me!?" Ruby asked him, shocked.
"Sorry, I was kinda busy scaring off a racist asshole" He turned to Weiss again, "And the only time that 'Schnee Family Name' is gonna mean anything out in the field is if you're up against the White Fang, then it's bad news" He told her as he turned around.
Weiss was FUMING. Not only did he snatch that pamphlet from her hands and tear it up, he practically called her a NOBODY! He insulted her and now had the AUDACITY to her ignore her like she didn't even exist!?
"Sheesh! That was cold!" Yang spoke up.
"She's an Ice Queen, shouldn't really be anything she isn't used to" Naoto chimed in, also throwing an insult at Weiss.
"Why You-!"
"Why you what? Dirty animal? If you want people to treat you differently then I suggest you stop throwing around your family name, it's more associated with the family's current head than the family itself" Kazuki stopped her. "I'll gladly look past that damn name if you prove you're nothing like your father."
She was about to have another outburst but stopped herself. He had a point. Her Father was dragging the Schnee name and Company through the ground. He was the reason that the White Fang even targeted her family and almost killed her. Granted, she'll always have a hard time trusting Faunas since the White Fang tend to wear masks but she's acting just like her father by seeing all Faunas as possible terrorists.
"I… I suppose you have a point…" She conceded.
Ruby and Naoto looked at her in surprise while Makoto and Yang looked at Kazuki who had somehow managed to make her go from bashing anyone who would've looked at her funny to being somewhat considerate.
Before any more conversations could take place, a mic echoed through the auditorium, catching the attention of everyone. They looked up to see Ozpin standing on the stage.
"I'll… keep this brief," He started, pushing his glasses up, "You have all traveled here today in search of knowledge, to hone your craft and acquire new skills," Ragna scoffed at that bit, "and when you are finished you intend to dedicate your life to the protection of the people. But I look amongst you all and I see a pool of wasted energy. You assume knowledge will free you of this but your time here at Beacon will prove to you that knowledge without a goal, power or direction will take you nowhere. It is up to you to take the first step." Ozpin finished.
The reaction amongst the crowd was mixed but silent as no one dared to speak up. Some were angry, others had their own morale shattered, others saw this as a challenge - Bang Shishigami being one - and others just didn't care - Jin and Ragna being two.
Now Glynda Goodwitch takes over, "You will all gather in the ballroom tonight, tomorrow your initiation begins so I suggest you all get some rest. That is all, you are dismissed."
"If I had a euro for every time I heard that damn speech from that guy's mouth… I'd have 4 euro… but if I had a euro for every time I heard that speech at all I'd have five…." Kazuki thought to himself as he couldn't exactly say that aloud. He'd probably tell that 'joke' - if you could even call it that - to Naoto during initiation.
...
Beacon Ballroom
Makoto let out a loud yawn as she stretched her arms. "Man I'm tired! I know that we didn't do much today but that speech could drain anyone!"
"Yeah. I'm honestly nervous for tomorrow so I don't think I'll be able to sleep…" Noel said nervously.
"What for?"
"W-What if we end up on different teams?!" Noel explained, getting more nervous at the thought of not being on a team with someone she knows.
"Well let's see, there's Kazuki, he seems nice,'' Makoto pointed out.
"A-and a little scary…" Noel added.
"Okay then, what about that blonde girl and the small red one? They seemed nice, the Blonde one was Yang right? Come one let's go say hi properly this time!" Makoto said as she got up and dragged Noel over to the two sisters.
"Huh? Oh hey there! You're the Squirrel Faunas that Kazuki walked in with right?"
"Yep! Name's Makoto Nanaya! And this here is my friend with severe social anxiety, Noel Vermilion!" Makoto introduced herself and Noel. Noel meekly waved at the two sisters.
"Nice, My Name's Yang Xiao Long and this here is my sister, who's - probably - got just as much social anxiety Ruby Rose!" This time Yang introduced herself and her sister.
"H-Hi…" Ruby greeted meekly.
"Sheesh you two are practically made for eachother" Makoto said, causing Noel to pout in embarrassment.
"Well we'll leave you two at it bye!" Yang said as she - yet again - ditched her sister, only this time she was joined by Makoto.
"Y-YANG!" Ruby called out.
"M-Makoto!" Noel called out meekly, "u-um… hi…"
"Hi…"
The two just stared at each other in an awkward silence for a few seconds until Ruby decided to speak up.
"S-So…. You like weapons?"
"N-not really, though I do have these," Noel answered, pulling Bolverk from their holsters as she had kept them on her, not wanting to end up forgetting them in a locker.
Ruby's eyes immediately started sparkling as she eyed the twin guns, zipping around Noel to see them from every angle.
"So COOL! What can they do? Can they transform? What kind of ammo do they use?!" Ruby began to hound Noel with questions on her weapons while she continuously zipped around.
"W-well, I can combine them and they can transform into any ranged weapon really. From a shotgun to a rocket launcher."
"They can turn into other guns!? THAT'S SO AWESOME!" Ruby squealed in excitement, causing Noel to giggle a little. "What kind of ammo do they use!?"
"Um… I'm not sure actually… they kind of just use my aura…"
"Wait.. then doesn't that mean that you have-!?" Ruby's excitement only started to grow even more as she realized just what Bolverk was.
Bolverk was another one of the 9 known Nox Nyctorus, the Nox Nyctorus weapons also being known as 'Aura weapons' due to them using a person's aura as a form of energy and ammunition.
"Well they seem to be getting along great" Naoto commented from a distance.
"Yep, Ruby sure is a real weapons nut," Kazuki added.
The two had been minding their own business, discussing what to do for initiation. Naoto had asked Kazuki what would happen but Kazuki refused to answer saying "that would spoil the surprise," needless to say Naoto was a little worried. It was then that Makoto and Yang had come up to them to watch Ruby and Noel from a distance.
"Mission 'get the introverts to socialise' is a complete success!" Makoto fist-bumped Yang who seemed equally as pleased.
"I'd say everything's gone well, Ruby made three new friends in the span of a few days" Yang commented.
"And Noel made three in the span of one"
"It's getting late, maybe we should get some rest now" Naoto spoke up, stretching his arms and letting out a yawn.
"Maybe you're right, welp, let's see if we can separate the two so we can sleep" Makoto said walking over to Ruby and Noel.
"See you two tomorrow" Yang said following Makoto, but not before winking at Naoto causing him to get slightly flustered.
"Don't even open your mouth" he turned to Kazuki.
"Didn't even say anything!" He defended himself holding his hand up.
"Let's just get some sleep already…"
"Yeah, yeah, I know."
...
Beacon Locker Room
Ragna had a relatively easy time sleeping. Jin didn't try to attack him in his sleep, he wasn't near any of the loud sleepers, and he got to witness a certain blonde make a new friend. He'd never admit it but he felt slightly over-protective of Noel. He has no idea why other than that he just does.
Grabbing his sword and red jacket from his locker he made his way to the locker room door, just to pass by the faunas that had stopped him and Jin from fighting. Now he wasn't gonna go and fight him for stopping him. If anything the faunas did him a favor. What caught Ragna's attention was the scar around his neck. It looked like it had been there for quite some time and like it was given through some sort of electric collar. Actually considering that he was a Wolf Faunas and what some people in the world are like, he wouldn't be surprised. Didn't mean that the sight didn't piss him off as now he wanted to find whoever was putting collars on Faunas and shocking them so he could kick their asses.
He continued on his way and decided he'd ask him about it another time as the early morning probably wasn't the best time to bring up someone's traumatic past.
Kazuki looked behind him to make sure no one was there, he had just missed Ragna as now there was no one there. Not thinking about the possibility that he was seen, he simply puts his blue scarf back on around his neck and makes his way to the cliffs. Upon looking down at his arm however, he quickly runs back to his locker, covering it, getting a few stares from passerby's.
...
Beacon Cliffs
"For many years you have all trained to become warriors," Ozpin started, facing all of the Beacon Entrants that would be getting evaluated.
"You have no idea, Oz." Kazuki thought to himself.
"Today, your abilities will be evaluated in the Emerald Forest." Ozpin told all of the students.
"Now I'm sure many of you have heard rumors about the assignments of teams. So allow me to put those rumors to rest. Each of you will be given a teammate…. Today" Professor Goodwitch announced, shocking all of the students, except for Kazuki of course, though he feigned surprise.
"Well come on then, tell us our teammates!" Naoto thought, getting a bit impatient.
"These teammates will be with you for the rest of your time at Beacon, so it is in your best interest to be paired with someone whom you can work well with." Ozpin explained further.
"Please don't let me be paired with Jin.." Ragna thought, hoping to himself.
"Please let me be paired with someone I know!" Noel thought to herself, getting extremely nervous.
"That being said, the first person you make eye contact with after landing will your partner for the next four years," Ozpin, said with a calm smile, dropping that massive bombshell on everyone there.
"WHAT!?"
"NOO!"
"THAT JUST SEEMS RECKLESS!"
Ragna, Noel and Naoto all thought.
"After you've partnered up, make your way to the Northern End of the forest. You will meet opposition along the way, do not hesitate to destroy anything in your path, or you will die." Ozpin told the students.
"You hear that Jin? Don't fucking try anything unless you want me to send you into the ground." Ragna thought with a smirk adorning his face.
"Preferably Grimm or other oppositions and not your fellow students." Ozpin said, glancing at both Ragna and Jin, having seen what would have been a massive fight had they not been interrupted.
"Damnit." Was the thought that went through the mind of Jin and one Nora Valkyrie, though both for very different reasons.
"You will be monitored and graded for the duration of your initiation but our instructors will not intervene. You will find an abandoned temple at the end of the path containing several relics. Each pair must retrieve one relic and return to the top of the cliff. We will regard that item, as well as your standing and grade you appropriately." Ozpin finished, explaining everyone's tasks. "Are there any questions?"
"U-Um, yes sir, just one" A blonde boy with blue eyes white knight-styled chest armor and blue jeans tried to ask.
"Good, now take your positions." Ozpin said, completely ignoring the question of a nervous looking Jaune Arc.
"So we're being launched into the forest? Seems a tad bit extreme." Thought Bang as he readied himself.
One by one Students were launched. When Yang was launched she had adorned a pair of aviator sunglasses. Jaune was flailing his arms and legs and all that were left were Naoto, Ruby and Kazuki.
"Naoto," Kazuki looked over to Naoto who nodded, having been told exactly WHAT Kazuki could make, he knew what plan the hybrid faunas had in mind.
Ruby was launched.
"Ready?" Naoto had asked him.
"Hell yeah," was Kazuki's reply as he was launched into the air.
Naoto was also soon launched after him. As he was falling, blue motes of light began to take the form of wings on Kazuki's back, when they had condensed there were Black and Red mechanical wings with a Booster in between them. Just as Naoto was about to pass him, Kazuki held out his hand for Naoto to grab onto and caught him. The two then made a soft landing, looking at each other once to confirm their new partnership before running off into the forest.
Ozpin and Glynda stared at what had just happened. And he must admit, even Ozpin himself was impressed.
"I thought Mr. Kazuki's semblance was to create weapons, how did he pull that off?" Glynda had asked the Headmaster, surprised at what had just happened.
"Perhaps it is because those wings are a part of a suit of armor and therefore count as a 'weapon'? That or the wings themselves are the weapons." Ozpin guessed, taking a sip from his cup of coffee. "This is going to be one interesting year."