I do not own anyone
RWBY is the property of Rooster Teeth
Little Nightmares is the property of Bandai Namco
Chapter 3: Trails in the Forest
Pain. That was what she was feeling right now. Aching, throbbing pain. In her fingers, in her toes, in her arms and legs. It racked at her, never-ending and only growing worse with each brace of her foot on the rocks. Her hands became stiff with each tightening of her grip. Each movement, every muscle stretch, requires a conscious effort to execute. One-foot moves, then one hand. It repeats again and again, one after the other. She moved, each individually as she climbed down. No matter how painful her movements became, it was better than what would happen if she gave up.
Looking up, she saw the distance she had covered. The cliff face she clung to was steep, pitted with holes and crags for her to latch onto. It did not take her long to reach here when she began climbing down. She had found a path that covered a large portion of the descent. Now she had to climb the rest of the way, which had become a tall order. She had been running and climbing nonstop all day, now her body was wracked with fatigue. However, she pushed on. To surrender here would only grant her a quick end in the waters below.
The fear of such an outcome drove her on, pushing her to continue. She could not stay up there. She had to get off this island. She had to get back. Get back to... something? She could not remember anymore. Ever since she woke up here, everything she could recall felt foggy. It did not matter. She knew what she was trying to get back to was waiting for her.
A loud rage-filled shriek echoed down the cliff. Something was coming. Redoubling her efforts, she descended at a quickened pace. That proved to be a mistake on her part, as her left foot slipped. With the sudden jolt, she lost her grip on the cliff. For a few heart-stopping seconds, she fell, landing on a ledge.
Gritting her teeth, she pushed herself to her feet. The pain was worse, so much worse but she had to press on. Forcing herself to stand, she rounded the cliff face in search of another path down. To her surprise, she found the girl in yellow climbing down the cliff face at a rapid pace. She knew this girl and she felt hot anger rise in her. A desire to attack to knock this traitor right in the face welled inside her. That feeling vanished when the girl's hooded face turned to meet her. There was panic on her face. That was all she could tell from the second of eye contact as the girl had not stopped climbing down.
The reason behind that panic revealed itself in the form of tiny pebbles bouncing off the yellow hood. Looking up, she saw another girl. This one wore a green dress and had white hair tied in a ponytail. The face of this girl was covered in make-up, all applied very poorly, with lips that looked like someone had drawn on them with a crayon. She would have laughed at that if the girl was not crawling down the cliffside like some creepy lizard. The make-up-smeared face contorted in rage.
A sudden shudder forced her to look down. The rock beneath her feet was cracked and loose. In a panic, she tried to run but the second her foot touched the surface, the ledge gave way.
She landed on a large root sticking out of the rocks. Before she could get a firm grip on it, she slid down, reaching the bottom. In desperation, she managed to latch onto the tip of the root, leaving her dangling.
Below her was another ledge, which was covered in spikes. To her left, two very long ledges stretched away from the cliff, like stone balconies. One was above the other and the higher one was closer to her. Yet, it was too far for her to swing over to. She was stuck. Her hands ached as her grip began slipping. Growling in frustration, she tried to dig her fingers into the root, if only to buy her more time. The only chance she had was to try and swing for that ledge. It was better than waiting for her fingers to give out.
KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!
She paused. There was a knocking sound coming from behind her. Twisting her body to face the cliff, her eyes widened in disbelief. The girl in the yellow raincoat was bashing into a dead tree. On the third bash, the tree fell over the edge, lodging itself under her. She did not hesitate to take the opportunity. Releasing the root, she fell and landed firmly on the log. To the side, she saw the girl in yellow continuing her escape. The white-haired one on hot pursuit.
She ran off as well. Off the log and onto the ledge. Running past rocky stalagmites and more dead trees as she pondered the situation for a moment. That girl saved her. She did not understand. The girl had left her for dead not long ago. Left her banging against that door, terrified that the floating man will get her.
'People do bad things when they're scared.'
She could not remember who told her those words, but she remembered them. Then she realized something. If she was scared, then the girl was scared too. Probably still scared now. Was that why she was locked out? Or was it an accident? Perhaps the girl did not mean to abandon her?
Up ahead, she saw a boulder perched on the very edge of the ledge. The girl ran along the platform below her, all the way to a dead end. There was nowhere to go. The angry one was sure to catch her.
She did not want that. This girl saved her, even while in danger. That was brave and cool. She smiled as she ran. It stirred something within her. A familiar feeling. Admiration. The feeling almost reminded her of something. Regardless, she decided to forgive the girl. Better yet she decided to save her.
Before the boulder was a large stick. Picking it up, she wedged it underneath the rock. Leaning over the edge, she watched the others. The girl in yellow was now at the edge, staring back down the path. The white-haired girl was running straight at her, arms outstretched to grab her.
Grabbing the stick, she forced it further under the boulder, shaking the large rock. With an effort that left her muscles screaming for her to stop, she pushed down. A burning pain shot through her limbs, and with a shout, she forced the boulder forward. Without its weight to counterbalance her, she fell forward. A loud crumbling noise reached her ears as she forced herself to continue.
Crawling to the edge she looked down and to her relief the girl was alright. The boulder had landed on top of the angry one and shattered on impact with the stone. Most of the pieces had fallen over the sides. The girl looked up at her. Neither could see the other's faces from the distance, but both showed signs of weariness.
With the adrenaline fading from her system and her muscles still burning from the lactic acid build-up, her whole body suddenly felt a lot heavier, she was barely even keeping herself on her hands and knees. Breathing heavily, she drank in the ocean air, like a desert wanderer who had found an oasis. It was a delight, to finally breathe after it all. Ever since she had woken up in this place, she had not stopped moving. Running, jumping, crawling, climbing. This had gone on for hours but to her, it felt like weeks. Now the danger was over. She had a moment to think.
Glancing down at the spiked rocks below, she spied a large plank of wood. It appeared sturdy enough to support her. Finally, a way off this island, away from these monsters. A way back. Back to what? She could figure that out later, for now, the path was clear. Get to the raft and escape.
The girl watched her from below, and she pondered what to do. She could take this girl with her. The raft could probably support them both. An appealing idea. Despite previous events, their short time together had proven they were an effective team. The proposal sounded better the more she thought about it.
Escaping with her new friend sounded like a great idea.
Friend? The word felt strange to her for some reason. Did she not have friends? She did not remember, and she definitely did not know how to make them. So, did this girl count as a friend? She hoped so. The thought of going out alone sounded daunting.
As the intake of oxygen became more relaxed, she smiled at the girl. It was hard to see, but she was sure she noticed a smile on the girl's face too. Perhaps they were friends after all. Slowly, she raised a tired arm to wave at her new friend.
She froze mid-motion as the remnants of the boulder flew apart. The white-haired girl leapt from them, diving at the girl in yellow. Sending them both over the edge.
On instinct she lurched forward, only to wince in pain as her hand reached out in vain. All she could do was watch in horror as her friend fell down the cliff. Time seemed to slow for a moment. This image freezing itself in place. The girl in yellow, with her beautiful brown braided hair, whipped out as she fell. Hand also outstretched. Believing that the distance between them would somehow close. Such was the terror and desperation on the girl's face. It stayed there for an instant. This moment forever burned in her mind.
Then the world continued, and with a splash that could be heard even from such a height, both girls disappeared beneath the waves.
She stared down at the water, refusing to move any further. Refusing to accept what just happened. It could not be. Her friend could have survived. Her friend was strong and brave. Any second now her friend would resurface, and they would escape together.
A tinge of yellow became visible beneath the water. Her gaze zeroed in on it, refusing to look at anything else. This was it, her friend was alive. The yellow hue became clearer, and she almost cracked another smile. But what emerged from the water made her heart freeze, slowly breaking apart at the sight of the empty yellow raincoat, lifelessly floating out to sea.
"There was nothing we could do."
Morning at Beacon was quiet, at least for Yang. Everyone in the ballroom woke without a fuss. All eager to get started with the day. They were all excited and with good reason. It was Initiation Day. The day they would be tested and placed in their teams. Today will determine who gets paired with whom for the next four years. Already students were forming into packs, all planning ahead. Deciding for themselves who they would like to be paired with. Based on objective skill assessments drawn up from limited information. Or pure familiarity and comradeship.
Yang preferred the latter, working with someone you trust is better than a stranger who is strong. A pity that none of her friends from Signal decided to go down the same career path as her. Most learned how to fight as a precaution rather than a profession. They were all likely job hunting now.
This did not discourage her in the slightest. None of her friends could keep up anyway. By the end of her time at Signal, the only people who put up a decent fight were the instructors and Ruby. How lucky that they were here together.
Striding past the other applicants, she held her usual carefree and confident gate. Eyes were drawn to her as she traversed the cafeteria. The whispers reached her ears within moments.
"Hey. Check her out."
"Oh. Wow."
"Showoff."
"Look at that mane."
"Dude, forget the hair. Look at those..."
"Shut up. Do you want every girl here to hate you?"
"She looks pretty tough."
"Should we ask her to join our team?"
"I refuse to believe that hair is natural."
"I wanna ask her out."
"Don't you dare."
Yang ignored the comments being made about her. It was commonplace for her. She knew how she looked. Why feel embarrassed when you can get reactions out of people? Admiration, envy, animosity, and other more lecherous feelings. She took pride in her body and knew how to flaunt it. That was the fun of it.
The cafeteria at Beacon was just as, if not, bigger than the ballroom. Rows of long rectangular tables everywhere. A fully stocked kitchen with a first come first serve rule. Which was just fine with her. She knows Ruby will take advantage of that.
In her hands was a tray stacked with her chosen breakfast. Bacon, scrambled eggs, toasted white bread with butter, sliced mushrooms, and orange juice. It felt like a bit much. Yang usually starts her days with a good workout before eating. It always stoked her appetite. Without that burning sensation throughout her body, she felt like she was pigging out, even with something so basic.
Claiming an empty she lowered the tray and started eating. The bacon first, and midway through her meal, she stopped to spy around for her sister. What she found was an armored redhead casually walking through the hall, trey in hand. Yang raised an arm to flag her down.
Pyrrha took notice and changed course to Yang's table.
"Morning." Yang greeted.
"Good morning." Pyrrha replied taking the seat across from Yang, who took notice of the trey and saw that it was identical to her own.
"Keeping it simple huh?"
"I find it's the easiest way to start the day. Seems you agree."
"You bet. Breakfast of champions." Laughed Yang, making Pyrrha flinch before chuckling, and digging into her own meal.
Yang half-expected Pyrrha to talk about building a team like everyone else. With Initiation due to begin, it was all anyone could talk about. Everyone was either nervous or excited. Pyrrha did not look bothered. Which was a plus in Yang's opinion. Worrying about events you have no control over drives you nuts. She was happy someone else appreciated those quiet moments. She was always hungry for thrills, but even she gets tired. So, moments like this are always appreciated.
Both girls continued to silently eat their breakfast. The sound of approaching footsteps caught Yang's attention. Once again, she stopped expecting to see her sister. Instead, she saw a white-haired princess round the table to Pyrrha's side.
"It's nice to meet you." Weiss said, taking the spot to Pyrrha's left. "I'm Weiss Schnee."
Yang felt like frowning, this was the girl who put Ruby in harm's way. A part of her wanted to sock this girl right in the eye. The rest thought it would be overkill. Still, it urked Yang to be this close to her. Then there were those all too familiar words the heiress used. Incorrectly at that.
"I know who you are. I listen to your music." Pyrrha replied warmly. "You have a wonderful voice. I'm..."
"Pyrrha Nikos. Right?" Weiss interrupted.
Nearly all the tables surrounding Yang were occupied, and now all of the occupants broke into hushed whispers. All responding to the gladiator's name.
"Did she say, Pyrrha Nikos?"
"Is that her?"
"It is."
"She's here. She's really here."
"We need her on our team."
"Are those girls already on a team with her?"
"Think she'll be interested in me?"
"Not a chance."
"The Invincible Girl is here?"
"I want an autograph."
Again, Yang ignored the whispering, they did not matter. Pyrrha lost her smile, and a neutral expression took its place. Yang lacked her sibling's observational skills, but she knew enough to know that the whispers had upset her friend.
"You okay Pyrrha?" Yang asked.
With a thin smile, Pyrrha answered. "I'm alright."
"Excuse me." Said Weiss, calling for Yang's attention. "Who might you be?"
Any form of friendliness in Weiss was lost the moment she looked at Yang. In response, Yang put on a friendly face and acted calm and cool as always.
"Names Yang. Nice ta meet ya." She said.
"Charmed. Now if you don't mind, I was talking with Pyrrha." Her tone and stare basically said, 'go away.' It was icy, but Yang knew worse, so this did nothing.
"About what?" Yang asked.
"Nothing you need to be concerned about." Weiss tried to deflect.
"A huh." Was Yang's reply.
"Yang. Could you spare a salt packet? I forgot to get my own." Asked Pyrrha, who had decided to continue eating. Obliging, Yang tosses the small packet over, which Pyrrha caught without looking.
Weiss glanced between the two of them. "Are you two friends?"
The question was directed at the gladiator, but the brawler answered instead.
"That's right."
Weiss' icy stare morphed into a more formal state. not friendly like she was with Pyrrha, but non-hostile.
"Then pardon me. I'm Weiss Schnee. Heiress to the Schnee Dust Company." She said politely.
Yang kept her smile, despite feeling annoyed. Was stating her title necessary? She did not greet Pyrrha that way. Was announcing her status supposed to be an attempt to impress or intimidate?
"And an Atlas idol on top of that." Yang said. Unintentionally pleasing the princess.
"I see my family's name still gets some recognition, even this far from Atlas."
In truth it really did. While yang did not know the face, she knew the name. In front of her was a very famous singer, whose songs were exceptionally good at reaching people on an emotional level. Yang's personal favorite was the song 'I Burn'.
Again, came the sound of someone approaching, Yang turned and at last, was greeted by the sight of her cherished sibling. Ruby walked up to them and took a seat to Yang's right coincidentally also across from Weiss. She looked upset, her head was held low as she stared at her trey.
Weiss fixed the girl with her icy glare, which Ruby did not register. Out of three treys on the table, Ruby's had the biggest serving. Two big waffles covered her plate topped with steaming mince. To the side were a tall glass of milk and a smaller plate of cookies.
Pyrrha's warm demeanor returned, while Weiss continued with her glare. Yang wanted to question her sister's poor mood, but Weiss spoke first.
"What are you doing here?" Her tone was formal, with an edge of hostility to it.
Ruby looked up and straight at the ice princess. The dullness in her eyes faded, sparking to life with annoyance. "I'm having breakfast.'
'Well, go have it somewhere else." Weiss ordered. "No one invited you here."
Yang felt a vein throb on her skull. The Schnee was being a hypocrite. As she herself sat at this less than two minutes ago without asking.
"Oh, really?" Ruby asked. "I'm not invited." She glanced at Pyrrha and then at Yang. An innocent smile formed on her face to hide the mischief that Yang knew was underneath.
"Yes. Now if you would kindly 'leave'." Weiss put extra emphasis on the last word.
Ruby in response tilted her head to her left and looked at her sister. "Yang, may I sit at this table?"
Yang felt her worry vanish. Whatever was bothering her sister was now forgotten, at least for the moment. It would be addressed later.
"Of course, you can." Yang answered putting extra cheer in her voice. "My little sister is always welcome to sit with us. Right Pyrrha?"
"Oh yes." Pyrrha replied, emulating Yang's chipper manner. "We wouldn't want her to feel left out now, would we?"
Both blonde and redhead chuckled while the heiress watched, looking surprised.
"There, problem solved." Ruby said to Weiss still wearing that innocent smile.
Ruby then proceeded to dig into her meal. Her knife began cutting the waffles apart. Weiss said nothing and returned to glaring. Yang knew why. It was something her Uncle Qrow, or Druncle Qrow as she had named him, told her after a trip he took to Atlas when she was small. The bigwigs in Atlas are not nice people and will only pretend to be nice when they can't afford not to be. Right now, that was the situation Weiss was in. She did not want to be near Ruby, but she was obviously here to get on Pyrrha's good side. If she let her true colors show now, she would lose all favor with the gladiator.
So instead of focusing on Ruby, Weiss turned to Pyrrha.
"So Pyrrha, have you decided who you'd like to team up with during Initiation?"
"Not really. I'm planning on letting the chips fall where they may." Pyrrha answered, focusing on her meal.
"Would you like to team up with me?" Weiss asked, almost sounding excited. "The two of us would be unstoppable together. Not only would we get top grades, but we'd also be set for the future."
Yang rolled her eyes at those claims. The princess only came here to get the best fighters on her team. Someone who only cared about the grades as if they were a tally that measured your fate. Yang and Ruby had plenty of experience with those kinds of people back at Signal. Driving themselves and their teammates up the wall in order to get the best grades possible. The kind of person Yang did not want on her team.
"That's quite the offer. I will consider it." Pyrrha answered with a smile. Yang had enough experience with people to know that Pyrrha had actually just said no. When people casually tell you maybe, most of the time they mean no. Pyrrha just didn't want to flat-out refuse and be rude to Weiss. Who seemed to take it as a yes and carried on.
"I'm sure we'll both be at the top of our class."
"Morning Ruby." Came a male voice, cutting the heiress off.
Behind Pyrrha stood a boy, one Yang had seen the night before. Back then he wore a onesie. Yang cringed at the memory. Now he wore something more appropriate. Classic armor plates on his upper body. This shows he understands that being a huntsman is not a joke. In his hands was a tray with a bowl of potato salad.
Ruby stared at him with her fork still in her mouth. With her free hand, she waved at him while swallowing.
"Morning Jaune." Ruby said once her mouth was clear.
"Can I sit with you girls? If it's not too much trouble? All the other tables are kinda full."
Yang glanced around and found that he was correct, any occupied table was almost full. Guess he wants to avoid looking awkward sitting alone or squeezing in with strangers.
"Sure." Ruby said, motioning to the open space next to Pyrrha.
'Thanks." He sighed, taking his spot next to the gladiator.
"Jaune. Meet my sister Yang." Ruby gestured to her sibling.
"Hey." Yang greeted, making him nervous, as he tried to divert his eyes. When he managed to meet her gaze, she gave him a wink. causing him to flinch. The shy ones were always fun to mess with.
"And this is Pyrrha."
"Hello." Pyrrha greeted in a manner similar to how she acted on the airship the previous day.
His reaction was similar to how he reacted to Yang, except he managed to reply this time. "Hi."
"You already know Ice Queen here."
"What did you just call me?" Weiss asked only to be ignored.
"I remember. Sorry about yesterday. I should have done something. Maybe you'd still have all your dust."
Weiss did not respond in kind. All he got was a stare that conveyed a lack of concern. Poor guy, he was just being nice.
"Don't worry about it Jaune." Ruby said, after swallowing another mouthful. "I was going to get rid of that stuff anyway."
"And you ended up taking the other nineteen cases with it." Weiss said with a hint of bitterness.
"That wouldn't have happened if you didn't jump the gun and started calling me a thief." Retorted Ruby, before stuffing her mouth with more mince.
"What was I supposed to think with you grabbing dust vials like your life depended on it?"
"Umm. I feel like I'm missing something here." Pyrrha interrupted, voicing her confusion.
"Remember that explosion we heard yesterday?" Yang asked.
"The one in the gardens?" Pyrrha inquired.
"Yeah, that one's on us." Jaune admitted scratching the back of his head.
"And what is your part in this?" Pyrrha asked him.
"I didn't step in when I had the chance." He admitted, turning to Ruby. "Weiss does have a point. Why were you in such a rush?"
Ruby, who was about to bite down on a waffle piece, frowned as she set it down. "I told you already. It was dust powder. Do you know how dangerous that stuff is?"
"Not really." Jaune admitted.
"Do you live under a rock?" Weiss accused. "How can you be enrolled at Beacon and not know the basic states of dust?"
"I live on a farm actually. We do most things by hand, and I was never allowed near what dust we had."
Weiss sighed putting her hands on her forehead. "Dust powder is one of the most common forms of dust utilized by both military and militia throughout Remnant. Mostly for the manufacture of ammunition, as regular dust crystals would cripple most forms of small arms weapons, they are utilized for. All forms of dust are explosive and therefore dangerous. What sets dust powder apart is how easily it can be mishandled. It tends to go off with far less effort than a regular dust crystal. It gets worse if spilled and forms dust clouds."
"That's why I was in such a rush." Ruby cut in. "I didn't want to risk any of the powder getting out. If any of us had breathed in any of it, our lungs would have literally caught fire."
"Oh." Jaune said, now understanding Ruby's actions.
"Still, like Professor Ozpin said. You should have told me." Weiss admonished.
Ruby just shrugged. "You didn't give me the chance to." She retorted, no longer paying attention to the angry girl across from her instead focusing on her food.
While Weiss tried to argue back Yang turned her attention to Vomit boy.
"Hey, Jaune." Yang called, extending her right hand out. "Thanks for being nice to my sister."
"No problem." He replied, taking the hand offered without a second thought. They shook hands, but when Jaune tried to pull back he found he could not. Yang had a tight grip and it only tightened as the seconds passed. It got to the point where Jaune felt his hand was being crushed.
"Ow, ow, ow, ow, OW!" He whined as he felt his knuckles pressing together.
Yang just smiled as she released the boy. Content with her little act of revenge.
"That was for getting vomit on my shoe yesterday." She explained, with no malice in her voice.
"Sorry." He said clutching his sore hand.
"No worries. Now we're even." Yang gave Jaune a friendly smile, one he was not convinced by.
"That's one heck of a grip you have. Almost cracked by bones."
"What can I say? I prefer to be the power member of my team." Which was true. Yang preferred action over planning.
"Speaking of teams." Jaune said, turning to Pyrrha, who had just finished her breakfast. "What do you say to join my team if you don't have one? You're always welcome." He said with a new level of confidence, pointing at himself with his thumb.
Yang thought she heard Ruby snicker before shoving a cookie into her mouth. Weiss stared at him flatly. Pyrrha just looked uncertain, while Yang smiled and said.
"You have a team?"
"Yes, and if you want, I can pull some strings and find a spot for you."
Ruby had told Yang about his attempt at being a lady's man. Mostly that she found it funny, which Yang had to admit was silly. Pyrrha and Weiss did not seem to get the joke. The gladiator was confused, while the heiress had a withering stare fixed on him.
"Excuse me." Weiss said. "Do you know who this is?"
"Umm..." Was all Jaune managed to say before Weiss went on.
"This is Pyrrha Nikos. She graduated top of her class at Sanctum.
"Never heard of it." Jaune admitted flatly to Weiss' frustration.
"She's won the Mistral Regional Tournament four times in a row. A new record as well as being the youngest contestant to ever win in fact."
Jeune blinked in surprise, while Pyrrha looked slightly sheepish.
"Really? So, you hold a world record or something?" Jaune asked.
Pyrrha's shy manner morphed into slight surprise. "You could say that."
Jaune smiled and to everyone's shock, even some of the observers who had been watching their table. He wrapped his arm around Pyrrha's shoulders. 'Welcome to the club. I'm a bit of a record holder myself."
Pyrrha looked stunned, while Weiss' jaw fell open. "You are?" Asked the champion.
"Yup." He replied backing away from Pyrrha. "Finished four times my quota in the last harvest. Personal best in my family."
"You aren't seriously comparing winning the biggest tournament in Mistral to... farming!" Weiss said, nearly yelling.
"You never said you were a four-time champ." Yang said. "Now I really want that spar."
"Wait, so you didn't know who she was either?" Weiss asked to which yang just shrugged.
"Pretty much. Does it really matter?" The question what rhetorical, but Weiss answered anyway.
"Yes. This is Pyrrha Nikos. The Invincible Girl." Weiss put extra emphasis on the title. "How have you not heard of her?"
"We don't really what a lot of TV back home." Yang said. It was the truth, she had more important things to do than sports channels. Besides, movie nights ceased to exist after what happened to her sister.
"Same here." Jaune added. "Little sisters practically own the TV and I had a lot of housework to do. They probably know who you are."
Jaune paused, then smiling he said. "Hey if you are a celebrity. Maybe if we get on the same team, I could take you to visit them. The looks on their faces would be priceless."
Pyrrha smiled, but Weiss carried on. "You can't seriously have not seen her endorsements, even if you don't watch her fights."
Pulling out an expensive-looking scroll, she presented it to Jaune. "See. She's on the cover of Pumpkin Pete's Marshmallow Flakes cereal box." She said, showing Yang an image of Pyrrha on an orange box with a bowl of cereal in front of her. Yang saw Ruby flinch when the scroll reached her.
"You're Pumpkin Pete? My sisters definitely know who you are then. But to be honest I never liked that cereal."
"Me neither. Blegh." Ruby scoffed. Yang chuckled at that. Ruby wasn't a picky eater, so if she said something was genuinely bad Yang took her at her word.
"I don't really like it as well. It is not healthy." Pyrrha said.
"No kidding huh? It's because of the sugar, right?" Jaune asked.
"All sugar and no substance." Ruby said, angrily biting her last cookie.
Weiss shook her head. "You're all missing the point here. Pyrrha did not compete in the junior's league of the tournament. She won the whole thing. Fighting and beating adults who are qualified huntsmen." She turned to Jaune. "Knowing this, do you really think you're good enough to be on the same team as her?"
"I..." Jaune said, now seeming to lose the confidence he'd built up in this discussion. "I guess not."
The deflated look Jaune now sported, combined with the satisfied smile Weiss had upset Yang. Stepping on the guy's hopes like that, even if he was just trying to act cool, was uncalled for.
"It doesn't really matter Jaune, so you don't have to worry." Yang said.
"Erm. Why not? Isn't having people for your team important?" Jaune inquired.
"It is." Answered Ruby, having just finished her milk. "But looking for teammates now is pointless because we might not have a say in who they'll be."
"What do you mean?" Asked Pyrrha.
"How would you know this?" Weiss added.
"Our whole family went here." Ruby stated. "We asked our dad how things work here."
"That's right." Yang said. "We got inside information."
"If that's the case your information could be outdated." Weiss said.
"Nope." Ruby said with a shake of her head.
"Our dad and uncle are friends with a lot of the professors. So, the info we have still applies. Also, the headmaster is a bit of a traditionalist. Not much has changed from their days here." Yang explained.
"Then how come you don't know how teams are selected?" Weiss argued.
"Because he thought it would be funny not to tell us how team selection works." Ruby grumbled.
"He did tell us, Rubes." Yang corrected. "He was just a bit cryptic about it."
"What did he say?" Asked Pyrrha.
"They always put the ones that match together." Yang quoted.
"I see what you mean. The wording implies that teams are selected for us." Pyrrha speculated.
"Are we really basing our assumptions on some nonsensical words from a former student?" Weiss asked.
"Like Ruby said, he probably did it for a laugh." Yang said.
A loud buzz filled the cafeteria. Speakers built into the walls came to life and out came the voice of Glynda Goodwitch.
"Attention students. Initiation begins in one hour. Report to the locker rooms and prepare yourselves before then. You will be called out in groups of twenty. When your name is called report to Beacon Cliff immediately. Be ready. Those who fail to arrive before Initiation begins will be expelled."
Blake never believed herself lucky, nor had she believed herself to be jinxed in any manner. In fact, she did not believe in the notion of luck at all. It was all just one big set of circumstances clashing with each other. No cosmic karma to set everything right by casting misfortune upon the unjust and cruel. If that were even remotely true, her life would have been very different. It is merely a concept to comfort those who dislike the foul acts and injustices in the world. They believe it acts as a natural deterrent against the harshness of reality. In the end, it's just a made-up concept to satisfy those who dislike the injustice but are too afraid to do anything about it.
That was what she believed. So, why does she feel like the unluckiest faunas on Remnant right now? That feeling can be traced to one person in her line of sight. A short, pale girl, dressed in white, bearing that damned emblem on her back. The logo for the SDC.
Weiss Schnee was here at Beacon. The day before, when Blake arrived, she spotted the heiress and hid in the garden foliage. Slipping between bushes and trees. At first, she was surprised, and then she was angry. Out of all people, why did a Schnee come here?
Blake remembers baring her teeth whilst recalling reports on what the girl's elder sister had done to the cell in Mantle. All those faunas cut down. It almost made her blood boil when she first read it. She stalked the Schnee for a bit until, due to a blunder from one of the butlers and the Schnee's lack of patience, a fountain exploded.
To say Blake was surprised when the girl the Schnee was berating did not so much as flinch would be accurate. The girl in the red cloak, whom she later learned was named Ruby, did not apologize or ask for forgiveness as most did when accused by a member of Atlas' elite.
When Blake introduced herself, later on, she learned that Ruby was not even aware of the Schnee. Nor did she seem to care when it was revealed to her. Blake was not sure what to make of her after that. At least she had found someone else who had an interest in books. No one back at the camp ever held a conversation with her on that topic. Viewing it as a waste of time.
That was a silver lining in all this, but a small one. In the past half-hour, the first lot of students had been called for Initiation. Her name was among them. As was the Schnee's. This meant that there was a chance they would be placed on the same team. Blake would avoid that outcome with everything she had.
All the students who were called walked towards the grassy cliff face. At the edge stood the headmaster Ozpin and the vice-headmistress Goodwitch. If they were judging us it might be harsh.
Blake noticed two familiar faces as she walked among the crowd. Ruby strode further ahead of her. Along with her sister Yang if Blake remembered correctly. The Schnee stood at the front of the pack, deliberately walking faster to stay ahead. To what end, Blake had no idea. Instead of pondering the reasons behind a pointless waste of energy, Blake decided to eavesdrop on the sisters. It was strange and uncomfortable with her ears wrapped up. Also, the fake human ears she had on were irritating. However, this did not hinder her hearing.
"Some crazy ginger pillaged the kitchen and stole all the pancakes." Ruby huffed. "I wanted to wrap mince in them and stack a pyramid."
"Ruby, I know you're lying." Yang said.
"No, I'm not. Just ask the kitchen staff. Some crazy girl in a pink skirt tore the place up before they opened."
"I believe you. But you're dodging the question. When someone messes with your food you get angry, not depressed. What's wrong?"
Ruby stayed silent.
"Come on Ruby, talk to me."
There was a quiet sigh that Blake could barely hear.
"Have you ever woken up feeling completely powerless?"
Blake's ear twitched. For a moment she wanted to answer in Yang's place. Yes, she had. More days than she could remember, she had opened her eyes feeling a sense of hopelessness. That nothing she did made any true difference. Her last days at the camp were exactly that. Blake refocused her hearing, having lost track of the conversation.
"Did you have another nightmare?" Yang asked.
"I think so." Answered Ruby, sounding unsure of herself.
'Ruby gets nightmares?' Blake noted. The two stopped talking when the group reached the top of the hill.
Just off the cliff's edge was a row of twenty metal plates on the ground. To the far right of the row stood the professors. The students gathered around them, with the Schnee up front. Prof Goodwitch stepped forward. Two large scrolls in hand.
"Students before we begin, each of you take a position on one of the metal platforms along the cliff." She said directing them to the metal plates.
Everyone obeyed, all rushing towards the platforms. Blake took her spot close to the end. To her right was Yang, followed by Ruby and a blonde boy who was there at the fountain explosion. To her left was a boy wearing a green jacket. He had short black hair with one pink highlight. After that, she spied a girl with red hair in red and bronze armor. On her back were a shield and a sword. Beyond that was the Schnee, and on her right hip was a rapier. The sight made Blake tap her back. The cold steel scabbard of her Gambol Shroud met her fingers.
"For years you have trained to be warriors. Today your abilities will be evaluated in the Emerald Forest." Ozpin began walking down the row of students, stopping when he was at the center point of the lane. The lush green landscape behind him. He stood unbothered by the drop only two steps behind him.
Prof Goodwitch spoke next. "I'm sure you've all heard rumors about the assignment of teams. Well, allow us to put an end to your confusion. Each of you will be given teammates. Today."
"These teammates will be with you for the rest of your time here at Beacon." The headmaster continued. "So, it is in your best interest to be paired with someone with whom you can work well. that being said the first person you make eye contact with will be your partner for the next four years."
Blake paused at that. What an absurd way to select a partner. Judging by the abrupt murmuring around her, apparently everyone else agrees. The headmaster simply took a sip from his coffee mug.
"Quiet down students." Prof Goodwitch ordered.
"After you've partnered up, make your way to the northern end of the forest. Be warned. the forest is infested with the creatures of Grimm. Do not hesitate to destroy everything in your path or you will die." Ozpin said in a serious manner.
"You will be monitored and rated for the duration of your Initiation. Our instructors will not intervene. You will find an abandoned temple at the end of the path containing several relics Each pair must choose one and return to the top of the cliff. You will guard that item as well as your standing and grade you appropriately. Are there any questions?"
"Yeah, umm sir?" Said the blonde boy.
"Good." Ozpin said completely ignoring the boy. "Now, take your positions."
With those words, Blake lowered to a crouch, in preparation to jump. She knew what the purpose of the plates was. They were launch pads, to send them off the cliff, into the forest below. To her left, she heard them going off. Within moments she saw the Schnee soar off into the distance. Next was the girl in armor who was angled in a different direction. The boy next to her went and Blake braced herself.
Ruby stood ready as the others launched off the cliffside. She stood with her left shoulder forward and right am pulled back in order to quickly deploy Crescent Rose Yang had put on a pair of sunglasses right before she flew off cheering as she went. Jaune was about to panic, so Ruby gave him a confident smile.
She felt the platform shift, and she bent her legs. When it pushed, she pushed back, adding her own power to the launch. The next thing she knew she was soaring. The wind rushing through her hair and cloak. The trees below pass by like a river stream. She closed her eyes and basked in the feeling. It felt like she was free, for a moment she wondered if this is what it felt like to be a bird.
Then the descent came. Pulling her legs under her, she readjusted her position to as close to upright as she could manage. Grabbing Crescent Rose in rifle mode, she fired directly ahead of her. the opposing force slowing her fall. Once she passed the tree line, she quickly activated her weapon's scythe form and hooked a large branch with the blade. With a quick swing, she unhooked from the branch and landed on the grassy earth.
Storing away her weapon Ruby took stock of her environment. The quiet and still forest landscape. The only noises reaching her ears were the gentle rustling of leaves and distant weapons discharging. Other students had already encountered Grimm. That meant it would only be a matter of time before she did as well. if she was careful and calm she could probably sneak passed most of them to conserve her ammunition. Ruby decided to do an ammo count before setting out.
Unhooking the satchel at her belt, she took out her two spare magazines. One was filled with energy rounds and the other had ice rounds. The magazine she currently had loaded was filled with air rounds as those provided the most proposition when fired. Each holding twelve shots. That made thirty-three bullets after deducting the three she spent on her landing. Plus, the eight extra air rounds on her belt brought it up to forty-one. Should be enough to get her through this. From what her dad told her, this forest should be filled with lower-tier Grimm. Creeps, beowolves, and ursai at best. Nothing that would require an oer expenditure of ammunition. Still, she could not afford to get sloppy.
There was one thing she needed to confirm. Ozpin said that he would be monitoring them. Which would mean that the forest was wired to the bone with a high-grade surveillance system. How else would he keep track of twenty teenagers in a forest this big? The question was where were they? They would have to be concealed yet placed in an ideal spot to observe large open spaces, without their vision being obscured. It was the only effective strategy to cover this much ground. But where was that?
Looking around she spotted a glare at the trunk of a tree. Approaching it she saw a fist-sized lense in the bark. Said bark looked broken and swollen around it. The actual camera must be embedded deeper in the tree. There could be dozens or even hundreds of these eyes scattered around the forest.
Putting on her best smile, she waved to the camera before walking out of its line of sight. it was a pointless act; the eyes were everywhere. But she found it funny to figure out what the adults had in store and try to one-up them. That made her time at Signal so much more enjoyable.
"Now to get serious." Ruby said to herself. Every hunt must be taken seriously. The creatures of Grimm never pull their punches and all of them were dangerous no matter the type. Your life was always on the line against them. taking a deep breath, she went through her list of objectives. Find a partner, preferably Yang, locate the temple to the north, reach the temple, retrieve a relic and return to the headmaster with it.
Slowly, she grabbed the hood of her cloak and draped it over her head. The shade covered her face, almost quelling any unnecessary thoughts in her mind. now was the time for focus.
taking a runner's stance, she bolted off into the trees to find her sister.
"Impressive." Ozpin complimented, as he stared at the scroll Glynda had given him. On it was the image of Ruby, smiling and waving at them. Glynda pinched her nose at the sight.
"That girl." Glynda sighed.
"Not even five minutes in and she already found the cameras. Most students never bother."
"The profile we received stated that she dislikes being under surveillance," Glynda said looking down at her own scroll, flipping between camera feeds. "Scopophobia, by the sound of it."
"Perhaps, but for now we should focus on what she does when she finds a partner." Ozpin's screen rapidly changed between camera feeds in order to keep up with the red-cloaked girl's remarkable pace.
"What sort of person do you think would be ideal for her?" Ozpin asked.
"Given her rebellious and self-reliant attitude, I believe someone supportive would be the best choice to be her partner." Glynda answered, changing her feed to show Pyrrha walking through the woods.
"A supportive partner for a rebel. How did you come to that conclusion? Would not a stricter individual be better suited to keep her in line?"
"If she was younger, yes, but I'm afraid that she has become too independent for that to be effective. It would only exacerbate the problem. The harder you try to push down someone like her, the harder they push back. Someone who shows her support and trust will receive a better response and given enough time perhaps even spark change. The task of enforcing rules should be left to people who have actual authority over her. Besides..." Glynda swiped her screen, to an image of Blake hopping from branch to branch. "I doubt anyone in the student roster can actually keep her in line."
"What about her sister?"
"As of right now she is the best chance we have at avoiding any incidents. The reason Signal could not manage this was that the girls were separated by two grades. Leaving Ruby alone to do as she pleases. She'll listen to us, but the second we turn our backs she'll be gone. Ms. Xaio-Long is the best-case scenario here."
"I do believe you're right." Ozpin said taking another sip from his mug.
"Then why are you leaving it up to blind chance? You said that her development was paramount. Especially after what happened to Amber."
"For one simple reason Glynda. They're teenagers. They're stubborn, emotional, and irrational. Often self-centered, believing that the way they see the world is the correct viewpoint. Every one of them out there is acting out of self-interest, even when their goals are altruistic. As such, they can get riled up very easily when seeing one student being favored above the rest. We already have by putting the two sisters in the same testing group. If it became known that we are actively helping Miss Rose, the other students would shun her. You should know this better than the rest of us."
Glynda remained silent. He was right. They would view Ruby as a teacher's pet and that would make everything concerning the girl much harder than it should be.
"If that were to happen, any action we take would damage our standing with her. The second she graduates she'll be lost to the winds. That is why we need to do as little as possible for her. Let fate decide, like everyone else."
Taking yet another sip he spoke with a slight smile. "Besides I'm not one to bend the rules for students, just because they show promise."
Glynda did not say a word instead just fixed him with a half-lidded stare.
Weiss' descent was as graceful as a swan glide. her form was precise as were her movements. Even as the wind sent her ponytail whipping and thrashing behind her. Her posture and expression displayed only someone who was calm and in control.
With a wave of her hand, a black snowflake glyph appeared in front of her. it broke apart as she passed through it. Made through the channeling of gravity dust loaded into her Myrtenaster, the glyph slowed her fall. Summoning more glyphs, these ones being blue and parallel to the ground, she used them to hop down, using them as platforms.
She did not waste any time when landing. the moment her heeled boots touched the grass she broke into a sprint.
This was it. The beginning of her climb to the top. the crucial first step on her journey to becoming a huntress. To redeem her family name. To prove herself as the heiress of her grandfather's legacy.
The first step was to find Pyrrha. Weiss could not believe her luck. The Invincible Girl herself came to Beacon in the same year as her. There was really no other choice for her partner. Famous, intelligent, wealthy, and skilled. There was no doubt that the two of them would fit together perfectly. A pair made to dominate the school. By graduation, all of Vale would know their names if they didn't already.
The only hitch was the possibility of Pyrrha being found before Weiss could get to her. What an annoying system. It practically renders everyone's planning almost useless. Almost. Weiss was smart enough to take up a spot next to Pyrrha on the launch pads. They should land in the same general area, meaning Pyrrha would be close by. If she could not find her chosen partner in time, then she would need to ensure that they were on the same team. If only she knew how.
Weiss' thoughts drifted to the conversation she had less than two hours ago. Namely, the two girls who claimed to be sisters. As much as she loathed to admit it to herself. They were correct. The students had almost no agency in the process of picking their teammates.
Again, she thought back to the sisters. The one who claimed to be the elder, Yang. She looked like a decent choice if Weiss failed to get Pyrrha. Though her manners were subpar, and her clothing was a bit vulgar. From what little Weiss saw of Yang's physique and the fact that Pyrrha chose to sit with her must mean Yang was a skilled combatant. Why else would Pyrrha bother sitting with her if she didn't want Yang on her team? Weiss understood that. What she didn't understand was why Pyrrha was being so nice to the two idiots who came after. Okay Ruby she could understand. If she really was Yang's sister, which Weiss still seriously doubted, then upsetting her would offend Yang. Weiss knew she put herself on the backfoot with that one, but she felt confident she could convince Yang to follow her.
The boy on the other hand completely baffled her. Why would Pyrrha bother with someone who offered her nothing? None of them knew who she was. Why would she choose to converse with them so happily? Why not talk to someone who acknowledged and recognized her accomplishments? Someone who was her equal. Did she find some enjoyment in being anonymous? In some of those dull parties she was forced to attend, she remembered overhearing some quests telling stories of how they would dress up in drab clothing and sneak down to Mantle. They found it amusing how they could walk around unnoticed by the lower classes. Pyrrha must enjoy doing something similar. That was probably it. She was just humoring him for her own amusement. There was no way she was taking that farm boy seriously.
Weiss was shaken from her thoughts as something red shot past her from her front. Almost making her stumble. Turning about, she spied a hint of red among the trees, growing more distant by the moment. She knit her brow in frustration.
Before Weiss could express her displeasure, a low growl echoed around her. With a gasp, she quickly drew Myertenaster and scanned her surroundings in a readied stance. Right now, she stood in a small clearing, with the trees around her spaced well enough apart. The foliage was thinker here compared to where she landed. Plenty of places for Grimm to hide.
Weiss slowly did a full three-hundred-and-sixty-degree rotation, not relaxing her stance for a moment. Another growl came. Low and feral. Then they came. Prowling out of the bushes was five black-furred, two-legged wold-like creatures. With large, clawed forearms and white bone masks. Beowolves.
"Remember your training Weiss." She said to herself as she prepared to strike.
The five beowolves spread out. staying out of what was believed to be her attack range. Lining her rapier up she chose the beowolf in the center as her first target. She had already planned out her angle of attack ask they tried to surround her. Each strike would be delivered with pinpoint precision. No different from her mock battles against Winter's summons.
With a glyph forming at her feet, Weiss launched forward like a spear. Reaching the Grimm within a second. The blade pierced the Grimm's throat. Immediately she withdrew her weapon as a beowolf lunged at her from the right. Jumping away from the dissolving Grimm, the chamber in Myrtenaster spun. Loading up ice dust, Weiss channeled her aura through her weapon. A circle of glyphs appeared around her and from them, spikes of ice emerged. Like a shotgun, the glyph launched the spikes outward. Nailing two of the Grimm. One in the shoulder and the other in the stomach. The former pawed and grasped at the ice embedded in its shoulder while the latter doubled over and dissolved.
The remaining two charged at Weiss. Throwing their caution to the wind. They came at her with a series of feral swipes with their claws. Weiss backed up, avoiding the claws one only a few inches. She jumped away only for the other to close the distance and continue the assault. Weiss kept on retreating, too focused on avoiding those swipes. Knowing full well her aura would not hold up for very long under their force.
That was why she discarded the concept of endurance. Instead, favoring agility, speed, and stamina. Evasion, precision, and speed were the core aspects of her fighting style. Carefully whittling down tough enemies while avoiding reprisal. This was paramount due to her lackluster durability. Taking almost any hits would result in defeat, and defeat meant failure. Failure was unacceptable.
When she combined this fluid and elegant blade work with her semblance it becomes something else entirely. Utilizing her glyphs in combination with the dust she has stored in Myrtenaster, results in a greatly varied set of abilities that can be shaped to suit any encounter. Essentially this meant that Weiss has developed a highly versatile fighting style. In her mind having a form of fighting for any situation was perfect. That was why she would not lose to a mob of bottom-rung Grimm when she knows she can take on bigger opponents.
Weiss jumped back from another swipe, deliberately landing on one knee. Plunging her rapier into the soil, a glyph appeared in front of her. As the next beowolf lept at her, a pillar of ice erupted forward from the ground. It impaled the Grimm, suspending it mid-leap.
Seizing the opportunity, Weiss ran up the ice pillar and propelled herself down onto the uninjured beowolf. Myrtenaster rammed straight through its skull plate, shattering it and killing the Grimm.
Turning her attention to the last Grimm, she saw it had managed to dislodge the ice shard from its shoulder. Myrtenaster's chamber rotated again, loading her fire dust. With her right hand outstretched she drew Myrtenaster back. Along the blade, carefully engraved runes lit up a bright orange. With a thrust, a flaming spear launched from the sword tip and set the Grimm alight.
It thrashed in wild desperation to extinguish the flames. Loud pain-filled howls echoed from the Grimm in its final moments as it turned to dissolve ashe.
Satisfied with her victory, Weiss allowed herself a smile. She'd be doing that a lot more often now that she was finally free from her father's leash.
Stowing Myrtenaster on her belt, she made it to the edge of the clearing, walking past the scorch mark left by the burning Grimm.
Then another beowolf burst out of the bushes in front of her. In her panic, she barely had enough time to draw her rapier as the beast's claws came down on her. The resulting impact forced her down on her back.
The beowolf pressed on, pinning Weiss to the grass with one of its forearms. The heiress only just barely blocked with her rapier. She tried to channel her aura to ignite the blade, but her concentration was broken by the strain of holding back the Grimm.
It lowered its head to her face and sniffed as if it could smell her fear. Snarling it opened its jaw and prepared to bite down on her face. This made Weiss try harder to push the monster off, but it was useless, the mut was too heavy for her.
A single gunshot rang out, followed by the beowolf being knocked to the side, clean off of Weiss. Glancing at the beast, she saw it clutching its torso. It had been shot.
A mass of red emerged from the trees at a dizzying speed, homing in on the beowolf, the mass circled around the beast and coalesced into a familiar shape. A shape Weiss had hoped not to see. Ruby Rose stood behind the beast holding a ridiculously oversized scythe. With one swing, she split the Grimm in half.
Weiss stared at the girl for a moment. The large and apparently mechanical scythe began to fold in on itself settling into a boxy frame that the girl stored inside her cloak.
Then Ruby turned her gaze to Weiss. Even with the red hood shadowing her face Weiss could see her eyes. The icy blue of Weiss met Ruby's cold silver.
"I Guess we're partners then." Ruby said in a tepid manner.
Walking up to the downed Weiss, Ruby offered her hand. Weiss continued to stare. Her partner? This girl was her partner? This annoying, careless, disrespectful child was her partner for the next four years? Weiss had only one answer to that.
"No."
"Hmm. A close call." Ozpin said as he observed the interaction between Ruby and Weiss.
"The first years always let their guard down when they believe the battle to be over." Glynda commented sternly while also being relieved that one of the students had not met an unfortunate end.
"Speaking from experience?" Ozpin asked, recalling the time he watched the Initiation of the now vice-headmistress.
"Yes, yes. I made that mistake as well." Glynda drawled, not willing to relive some of her less proud moments.
"Still, this is an interesting development. Ruby Rose and Weiss Schnee. How would you see this playing out?" He asked then sipped his mug again.
"From what I've seen of Miss Schnee, she has the bearing of a person who has something to prove. While her scores on our entrance exam were outstanding, I would not peg her as an ideal partner for Ruby. Her profile shows that she has carried high expectations her whole life as a member of the Schnees family. Even during childhood. Most likely due to her father."
Glynda suppressed a sad sigh. When she learned about it she felt sorry for the poor girl. No child should be forced into such a role.
"Yes. I remember what Jacque is like." Ozpin said nothing more, and Glynda understood. None of them had a fond opinion of the man since the last time he visited Beacon to get them to endorse his company.
"She may try to enforce those expectations onto Ruby, which I can only believe will end poorly. Not to mention their encounter yesterday will have soured their opinions of each other."
"Come now, Glynda. Perhaps you give Miss Schnee too little credit After all Ruby just saved her life. Surely they can look past their previous disagreement to accomplish a common goal."
He watched the screen, showing Ruby offering a hand to Weiss, who just sat up.
"See. Ruby is already taking the first step. I'm sure Miss Schnee is sensible enough to do the same."
His hopes were dashed as he watched Weiss smack away the hand Ruby offered.
"Or perhaps not."