As Kiritsugu often said, it wasn't the lack of skills or preparations to cause the death of many Huntsmen and Huntresses during the operations, even the more seasoned ones. According to him, the principal cause was the relaxation: after various successful missions, too many professionals, because of the arrogance and a misplaced belief of being invincible, lost the edge, and consequently made stupid mistakes with the obvious result of their failures and personal ends.
And as many teachings taught to him by his old man, Shirou had seared it into his mind. He wasn't certainly a veteran as his future classmates weren't either, but understandably they didn't know nothing about the imminent initiation, and it was very probable that it could affect their life during the next four years.
So, before the final announcement, while he was in the locker room together with his future classmates, Shirou didn't think it was a loss of time to review everything : counting the arrows in his two quivers, one placed behind his back and the other attached to his waist; verifying if his combat gear( a black sleeveless shirt with a metal plate on his collar, black pants with straps, black metal plated shoes, and a red coat with sleeves and an open skirt) was still flawless; checking if his swords were still sharpened and if their combining-bow mechanism was still perfectly functioning.
They were those things to make difference between life and death, success and failure. And the young Emiya wasn't going to forget that teaching.
But naturally he was more concerned about something else: who would have been his teammates. After all, as Kiritsugu told him years ago and that drunken Qrow Branwen confirmed it, every Huntsman in-training was put in a group of four people and, certainly he wouldn't have been an exception. Once years ago, he asked his father about his exploits with the Team OEEK, but, like many other things about his past, Kiritsugu had talked just a little about it and...very vaguely.
"It wasn't a good team, and i worked better alone...And paradoxically it was a mistake, after all."
Shirou didn't quite understand what Kiritsugu, as many other things about his past. Consequently he couldn't help to fell troubled about the entire matter of his potential team, because it would affect his whole career as Huntsman. So he tried to take a quick look to his peers in order to make an evaluation, but he had got nothing of it naturally: he didn't know nothing about them personally.
"Would all first years students please report to Beacon Cliff for initiation? Again, all first year students report to Beacon Cliff immediately."
The sudden announcement on the speaker interrupted his train of thought, so Shirou decided to listen it and go where it had been just said: the question about the formation of the new time would have waited for an answer, at least for the moment.
The day was clear and the air was pristine: it was the perfect day for a field practice. But the Shirou's worries could just raise when, together with the other students, he arrived to the cliff and he found the professor Ozpin waiting for them, with a mug in his hand: he was again accompanied by the two teachers of the day before. But if yesterday it was just a sensation, now it was a conviction:just for a moment, the brown-haired teacher had watched him and once again a nerve-wrecking grin was painted on his face. Shirou could just wondered why that teacher was so interested to him. But, as many other things, he thought that weirdness would have waited, when he found himself standing on top of launch platforms that formed a long line along the edge of the cliff overlooking the big green expanse named Emerald Forest.
The imminent trial was more important, so he decided to focus himself on the instructions about the trial(in the while, he didn't notice Ruby and Yang greeting him with a wave of hand, and he ignored the scowl on Weiss' face when she saw him).
"For years, you have trained to become warriors. And today, your abilities will be evaluated in the Emerald Forest." Ozpin said with a sulemn voice
Then, it was the turn of the female teacher, with a professional tone( he remembered her name was Glynda Goodwitch)."Now, I'm sure many of you have heard rumors about the assignment of teams. Well, allow us yo put an end to your of you will be given teammates...Today."
"Now, finally we're talking about the important stuff"
The Headmaster took back the word. "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 with whom you can work well."
"I totally agree."
"That being said, the first person you make eye contact with after landing will be your partner for the next 4 years."
Just for a moment, Shirou thought he had heard wrong, but, judging from the reactions of his classmates, it wasn't like that.
"How on Remnant can such way be a good idea?! What kind of sick game is Ozpin playing?"
Apparently unfazed by the confusion behind him, Ozpin continued:"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 everything in your path, or you will die."
"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 choose one, and return to the top of the cliff. We will regard that item, as well as your standing, and grade you appropriately. Are there any question?"
There were too many questions to ask, but Shirou chose wisely to be silent:he knew there wouldn't have been answers. And in fact Ozpin quickly moved on, and told them to take position.
The auburn-haired boy did what it was told to them, but, just before being launched, cynically he couldn't help to think:"How bad can the trial be?"
"We're partners now, wheter you like it or not."
"I totally refuse to be partner with an uncoath, rude and cocky individual like you. If the concept is still unclear to you, get away from me!"
"I took back everything I thought:it doesn't go wrong...It's even worse ...". Shirou thought very bitterly, while he was still wondering how it could been happened.
While doing a safe landing had been effortless(thanks to Kiritsugu's training, he had dealt with even worse) , the first challenge for the aspiring Huntsman was finding immediately a partner. While he was still uncertain about Ozpin's methods, Shirou understood the trial would have been too complicated if he had been still alone anyway: the area was too wide, the grove of trees was too thick and the number of Grimm was potentially too high, not to mention the possible variances of the species. In truth, while Shirou admitted his future partner could be probably good( in order to be admitted in Beacon and the other twin schools, it was needed a certain experience in combat), he didn't like to deal with unexpected things , considering he didn't know nothing about their character. But during such situation, it wouldn't have been useful complaining, so Shirou would have accepted everybody.
But when after some minutes of exploration, his golden eyes met ice-blue ones, Shirou Emiya couldn't help to feel very unlucky. When Weiss Schnee saw him, she showed him a scowl and, without say anything else, she tried to went away in a different direction. The auburn-haired boy tried to stop her, but it was useless, because she reacted refusing and denigrating him in an arrogant way.
Shirou could just sighed behind what is truth of matter: he and Weiss Schnee were partners now, and they couldn't do anything about it. It wasn't the ideal situation for Shirou too, but he would have tried to do his best anyway.
But in order to doing it, he needed the cooperation of that snow-haired girl, and because of that, he had to convince her.
"Where are you going to go? It's suicidal at best going alone in such environment, even for the best ones."
Naturally Weiss wasn't so compliant. "I can always find someone else : everybody is more preferable than you as partner. And if i can find Pyrrha Nykos, then it's even better."
Shirou didn't know who was Pyrrha Nykos and in that moment he couldn't care less about it: she had to accept the reality behind her and changing it was useless. But the aspiring Huntsman understood that Weiss would have not convinced by pleas or bribes, but only by cold logic, so he had to act accordingly."Be my guest, but you don't know how much time until you will find another one. Besides all of us are an even number:you could find nobody else and then you would have wasted precious time to complete the trial for a fruitless errand. Besides, you're neglecting something else...even more important"
Despite the scorn on her face, incredibly Weiss was standing here to listen him.
"The Headmaster said the teachers won't intervene during the trial, but what does it make you think we're not monitored, anyway? According to me, it's just logical they're doing it: how could we be graded, otherwise? So, they already know about our eye contact, and consequently, even if you find someone else as partner, you would have been graded very lowly because of your refusal to adhere the rules. Or even worse, you could be expelled. So in light of all of this, would it be worth?"
The anger was barely contained, judging by the closed fists and the expression on the face of Weiss Schnee, but she didn't say anything: it was like she was struggling to find some holes in Shirou's statement, but she couldn't find them and consequetnly her frustration was rising up.
In the end, after some moments, she took a deep breath and she said to him with iced voice:"We're not friends, do you understand? Between us there is just a relationship of mutual cooperation, nothing more, nothing less. Do i make myself clear?"
Shirou was quick to answer her, "Crystal". After all, he didn't want more and anything else would have been too much.
"A small victory...I hope it's enough"
Sadly, while she could accept their partnership, Weiss was someone who played to her own pace: she demanded other people followed her lead, and she didn't want conform to their ways.
"Slow down, Weiss." Shirou said to her, because she was walking at a too fast pace, risking to let him behind her.
"It's 'miss Schnee', for you, and...What's your name, anyway?"
"It's Shirou. Shirou Emiya. But you can call me Shirou." Shirou tried to be kind to her, ignoring her bossy way.
"Well, Emiya, if you we have to be partner, you're welcome , but I will not let my mission be delayed because you're too slow. I swear, if i get a bad grade because of your behavior, you will repay me dearly. Do you understand? So, let me do in my way and don't interrupt me."
Another one would have been angry, but Shirou had learned to be patient during the training's years, so he tried to reason with Weiss once again while he was following her:"While we could know approximately where we had to go, on the contrary we don't anything about the environment and the Grimm around us: just one misstep, and it is over for us. In these cases, the caution and proceeding with a slow pace are the best way."
But Weiss didn't seem wanting to listen him: instead she continued to walk forward, while Shirou chased her and he tried to convince her.
And at a certain point, the auburn-haired boy was forced to use the hard way, blocking her strongly with a hand on her shoulder.
Naturally Weiss was outraged, "How dare you...", but she couldn't finish what she tried to say, because Shirou put his arm around her neck and his hand on her mouth.
The heiress couldn't believe it. She was going to try to free herself, when Shirou whispered into her ear:" Listen to me very well. Don't make any sudden moves or noise of every kind. We are surrounded by Grimm. Just one wrong action and they will attack us, do you understand?"
In a istant, Weiss was vigilant. She analyzed the environment around her, and she found her partner was right, after all: there was an unnatural silence in the forest, but broken by weird rustles.
Shirou continued to whisper her," They're a pack... about a dozen or so, judging from the traces and the noises. They're even large. We have two choices: run or win, but I don't think the former is available. And if we want win against them, we have to be cautious and play smart, don't you agree?"
Considering her covered mouth, Weiss could make just a soft gasp, but Shirou understood it as an affirmation, and so he continued,"Good, now i release you. After that, put yourself behind me and take out your weapon. In this way, we can cover the area 360 grades and then we can defend each other from attacks we can't see. I know we don't know nothing about our respective combat-style, but now it isn't the right moment to discuss about them. We have to trust each other: i will try to do it. Can you do the same, as well?"
Once again Weiss made a grumble as approval, and then Shirou released her, as he just told her. The heiress did what the auburn-haired boy told her to do, and then they found themselves with their unsheathed weapons(a rapier for Weiss, as Shirou can notice it), back against back, while they were waiting for the move of their enemies.
" Don't be alarmed and don't say anything, but...just an advice: don't configure Myrtenaster for fire or lightning Dust attacks-based. We're totally surrounded by trees:if you miss the target, you will cause a big fire and this would be a great hindrance for us. Ice is the better choice about this situation."
The shock on Weiss' face was clear: he couldn't know nothing about her sword. The heiress wanted to ask him how he could possibly know about it, but she understood it wasn't the right moment, so she focused again on her surroundings in waiting.
Then they came out. They were Ursai. Shirou and Weiss could count seven of them around them. The Huntsman-in training was lightly relieved:he had already fought with Grimm of that kind in the past , during his training. He knew that while they could be stronger and more resilient than the Beowolf, they were slower than them too, considering their size. Besides they were of the normal variance, so they weren't even a special type. If they played the right card, we didn't even need to use their Aura or Semblance.
But they were still dangerous, and so the cautious Shirou( in the while, he had configured his twin swords in modality-bow and prepared an arrow) and Weiss were waiting for the first move of the enemies.
After some moments, one of them broke the stale and it tried to attack Weiss with its big front paws, but the heiress was prepared: she created big ice crystals, and she killed it with them, shooting in its belly. At that point, the fight really started. On the Weiss' side, there were still two of them and they emulated their died companion, but the heiress had focused her training about speed and accuracy. So without any particular effort, she dodged the paw of one and she quickly pierced it four times in succession, killing it. It wasn't a different fate for the other one: it tried to bite her, but Weiss managed to pierce it through the open mouth.
On the Shirou's side, the auburn-haired boy was attacked by all four of them, but for him it wasn't a big business: he managed to strike one of them on the right eye with an arrow, exploding in a controlled way and killing it. The second one was equally unlucky: a second arrow managed to pierce right trough it in a vital point, and so it shared the fate of the first one. About the last two, they were more closer to him, so Shirou was forced to switch to melee combat with the twin swords-mode, but his proficiency wasn't lessened at all. He quickly dodged an attack and immediately he cut its arm , then, using the moment when the creature cried because its pain, he decapited with a clean slash. But Shirou wasn't still over: using the body still unvaporized of the dead Grimm as trampoline, he managed to take himself behind the last one, an so he stroke it with a lunge to the neck , whom he knew was a vital point, as Kiritsugu taught him years ago.
At that point, the fight was over, and the two reluctant partners were the winners, as they could see the result of each other.
In particular, Shirou was pleased: while it could be difficult getting along with Weiss, at least she was someone who could be trusted during a fight, considering what he was seeing," Well, what I can say...I'm impressed." He was true.
"Just 'impressed'? Didn't you notice my self-control and my skill? And are you just' impressed'?" Weiss replied to him with prideful voice and smile.
" How did Yang call her, yesterday? Ice Queen? Fitting, considering she can't accept a simple praise from someone who she don't like...", Shirou thought, but he didn't say it: he had just learnt he had to be aware about what he said when he was talking with Weiss Schnee. Instead he told her with a conciliating tone," All right, all right. I admit you were perfect."
But weirdly, the snow-haired girl wasn't pleased when she spoke. Instead she seemed...embarassed,"I wasn't perfect...I'm still not..."
Shirou didn't understand why Weiss had spoken in that way, but he didn't ask her about it: it wasn't his business. But he told her anyway:"The perfection doesn't exist, but it's something everything should aspire to. And i can say you were close enough before."
The heiress tried to be aloof, because she crossed her arms and looked away, but what she said him showed her true feelings:"...Thanks...And i must say: even you were...all right."
"I didn't think she could commend someone who wasn't herself...", Shirou was rightly amazed by Weiss' praise, but it wasn't important. The actual situation was even more pressing,"Listen, as you have seen, the trial is dangerous for someone alone: I'm the first to admit I can't do it. In order to pass...no, to survive it, we need each other. I want to trust you, but...are you willing to do the same thing, despite what we said each other until now and what you think about me?"
Weiss didn't say anything for some moments, then she broke the silence:"Well, I suppose...I can make an exception, just for now. But as I said before, we're not friends or something. I don't forget what you said to me and our relationship is purely professional. Can you accept it?"
"Better than i could hope, just for once...", Shirou thought," It's ll right for me...Miss Schnee."
Shirou tried to indulge her, but weirdly Weiss was embarrassed:" Eeehm...I think you can call me just Weiss, Emiya. I can recognize the etiquette is detrimental during such situation. But, as i already said...
"We're not friends",Shirou understood it, "So, shall we?"
"Lets'go." Weiss said to him, the she moved forward(with a slow pace, this time), but weirdly Shirou was standing in the same place. Weiss came back and she made an irritated look to him. Shirou could just answer to her unsaid question in this way with a deadpan voice:" Do you know you're going to the wrong direction, aren't you?"
The anger and the indignation were barely contained, judging from her look.
"Small steps, Emiya...Small steps..."
"Well, i must admit it: it was almost you had already been here. Otherwise, I don't know how you can move and know where to go with such confidence." Weiss said Shirou, when they finally arrived to the abandoned temple, where Ozpin said they would have found the relic.
After the first mistake, Weiss didn't want to admit she was wrong about where to go at first, but Shirou managed to convince her about leave the navigation to him, when he said it wasn't the first time for him about situations like this one. So, the heiress(although, with an aloof way) accepted the auburn-haired boy's guidance, and she was pleased when, after some hours, their destination was visible to them.
"It wasn't so hard: I saw the the forest from above, then I had a vague idea about its topography. Besides, after some times, a Huntsman manage to learn about reading traces and signs of a certain place. It becomes almost...instinctive, if i can put it in this way." Shirou lessened his abilities.
"Maybe you're right. Anyway, are you Mistralian, judging from your name, am I right? Which combat school from there did you attend, in order to learn a skill like this one? I didn't think there were similar courses in their curricula..."
Shirou was slightly embarassed. "Mmm, I didn't learn it at a combat school. It was my father who taught me about it. Sometimes, when I was a kid, he left me alone in the woods around my town, and I had to return to home just with my only skills."
Weiss was horrified. " But that's terrible. How could he do something like that to a child?"
The Huntsman in-training felt the need to defend his father."He said to me that the best theory was the practice on the field and sadly he didn't know any other way to teach me, and I know he always watched me during such exercises. Besides it was my choice: he gave me always chances to forfeit it, if i thought it was too much for me. I didn't do it, and so I can do everything he taught me today."
The snow-haired girl almost whispered:"So... it was a good father, after all..."
Shirou didn't understand her, "What?", but Weiss, almost as if she had received a jolt, said:"Nevermind... so, shall we?"
The aubur-haired boy didn't object it, so they went to the temple. The place had quite a number of pedestals, on which there were chess pieces, as they noticed with amazement. But they had to be the relics of which Ozpin had spoken about, besides some pedestals were empty, and so it meant Shirou and Weiss weren't the first ones. So Weiss didn't lose time and, without any particular principle, she took the white knight.
"What can I say? So It's over, after all." The heiress said, almost as if she was disappointed.
"But it had been not easy. And we're not done yet,anyway We have to still return to cliff: until then, we can't..." Shirou was saying, he was interrupted when from over they heard what seemed a cry of a girl.
"A girl is in danger, Weiss! I think we should help..." But his partner wasn't listening him: she was distracted, while she was looking up. Then Shirou did the same thing, and he thought he was having some kind of hallucinations, because he was watching two familiar girls falling from the sky.
"Heads uuuuuuup!" It wasn't a hallucination: two girls, more specifically Ruby Rose and her sister Yang Xiao Long, were really falling from the sky.
Without even thinking about what was the best thing to do, Shirou tried put himself in a place where he could try to catch both of the sisters(and without considering he could make it), but Ruby was hit by a yellow and black object in mid-air, so the auburn-haired boy was able to take only Yang in his arms at least.
On her part, Yang wasn't startled by this experience: on the contrary, when she noticed her actual situation, her usual signature smile was painted on her face and so she put her arms around Shirou's neck, while she was saying him with a flirtatious voice:" Before you save my sister, Handsome, and now do you save me? Oh, my hero!"
Shirou was starting to sweat: his actual...physical proxmity with a beautiful and...well-equipped girl like Yang was a new and nerve-wrecking experience for him. "Yang...please...You're too close..."
But Yang was merciless. "But when the hero saves the princess in danger, isn't his duty checking if the sweet maiden is all right? Maybe...with something...only two people bonded by a strong connection like us...can do with each other..."
Her face was dangerously close to his one, and Shirou was even more flustered. "Don't you...think we must check...if Ruby is all right?", he managed to say her.
On the contrary,even considering she was her sister, the blond girl was amused by that:" oh, don't worry about it. My little sis is fallen on the soft... in more ways than one."
Shirou didn't undertstand her, so he turned to see behind him, and he thought the situation could be read in many ways, depending to the opinions. Luckily, Ruby, when her trajectory was changed by what he could see it was a short blond haired-male with an armor, managed to land on something that had softened the fall, and both of them seemed all right, although confused. Unlucky, that something was an almost knocked out Weiss Schnee.
"Well, what can I say? Considering who is your partner and and over who Ruby and Vomit Boy were landed, I say all of you had chosen very...weissly."
Shirou could just cringe, when he heard the bad pun of Yang("I should have expected: she's Qrow's niece..." He thought), but at least it had served to shake him, so unceremoniously he dropped Yang to the ground("By what I saw...and I heard, she's more than fine.), he ignored her complaints, and he went to Ruby and the boy, still above his unlucky partner, in order to help all of them to get up.
"Ruby, are you all right?" He asked her, while he was giving her and the blond male his hands, and the two people were taking them.
"I'm fine, thanks...Just a little confused." The short reaper answered him.
Then Shirou turned on the blond male( He chose to not make any questions and comments about "Vomit Boy", considering what kind of person was Yang). "And you...I'm sorry, but I don't know your name."
The blond smiled to him. "I'm Jaune. Jaune Arc. And I'm fine, man. Thanks. In fact, even more than, considering Snow Angel saved me..."
"Snow Angel?!", a horrified Shirou thought, understanding who he was referring about. " This Jaune has a strong death's wish..."
"If you say so, but I don't think..." He said him with uncertainty in his voice, but he was interrupted by an outraged female voice.
"Why in all Remnant, do everything happen to me, and why am i considered less important than that child and that imbecile by who was supposed to be my partner?"
It was a Weiss still on the ground, clearly recovered up and not at all pleased about what happened to her.
"Weiss, i help everybody, regardless their position and the situation we could be.", Shirou tried to explain her, while he was giving a hand to her too, but the heiress was furious. She accepted his hand, and she stood up, but what happened had to be too much for her:" First an ignorant boor without a shred of tact as partner, and now that senseless kid and that blonde moron...I can't take it anymore! This trial is really a great hassle! Let's hurry up and get it over with! I swear, if it happen something else..."
"Regardless your insult, I understand you're angry, but did you have to necessarily say about the last part? With my luck, it would be a miracle if..."
And sadly, as Shirou was thinking bitterly, his luck wasn't good because, from that moment on, there was an escalation of uncontrollable and absurd events.
For the first thing, a too excited girl ,wearing a sleeless vest and with short and orange hair, exited from the grove of trees while she was riding an Ursa and she was accompanied by an exhausted long black-haired boy wearing an eastern green tailcoat. The general amazement could just rise in front of that apparent madness, when the girl(her name was Nora, according to the boy called Ren by the same one) went to the temple, took one of the pieces(a white rook), and she started to sing with a small dance:"🎵I'm Queen of the castle🎵I'm Queen of the castle🎵",before to be interrupted by his partner.
But it wasn't still over, because once again another girl, with long red hair ponytail-styled and wearing a brown corse, came out from the forest too, and in a great hurry because, with great horror of everyone, she was chased...by a vicious and tenacious giant scorpion-like creature: a Deathstalker.
Shirou Emiya wasn't so vocal, but in that moment he couldn't help to be it because of his frustration. "Great! What else? A pack of Beowolves? Some Boarbatusks? Or...what I know...perhaps a Nevermore?"
He didn't quite understand why the sisters looked at him very weirdly, until, some moments later, Yang took the word:" Ehm, Handsome...We're just arrived here thanks to one of them."
The auburn-haired boy didn't have the time to elaborate what the blonde girl just said, because he and everyone else heard a big cawfrom the sky, and so everyone watched up a black, large and ferocious avian lifeform...just what he had just told about.
"But why am I not silent, when is there need? Why?"
"By the way, I hate you so much in this moment" Weiss said to her horrified partner with a deadpan voice.
"Wow, for the first time Weiss Schnee and I can agree about something!" Shirou thought with sarcasm, even if it was out of the place in that moment: after all, it was critical.
Luckily for her, Pyrrha (that's what Jaune called her earlier: these two were partner, as they could understand)managed to reach them in the temple, but now all eight students were surrounded by a Deathstalker on the ground and a Nevermore on the sky. A deadly situation, as Yang sarcastically and perfectly summarized:" Great, the gang's all here. Now we could die together"
"Not if i can help it." Ruby declared confidently, so against her better judgment, she ran to the Deathstalker in order to attack it with her Crescent Rose. But the monster was clearly out of her league, because it blocked easily the mown of her scythe and it repelled her, with terror of her elder sister. The short reaper clearly understood it was too much for her currently, so she shooted some Dust-bullets against the monster. Its exoskeleton was too hard, but the bullets had the effect to change its course heading toward Ruby anyway. The silver-eyed girl decided to run and maybe she could have managed to do it, but sadly for her, the Nevermore emphasised once again its presence, attacking her with large black feathers. And one of them stroke her cape, sticking it on the ground and blocking the girl.
When she had seen her little sister in trouble, Yang couldn't help but go toward Ruby in order to help her, but she was soon outrun by Shirou, who had had the same instinct and, thanks to his speed and his reflexes, managed to dodge other feathers launched by the giant crow-like Grimm and reach the poor Ruby. Because he was physically stronger than her, the swordsman was able to free the girl, but it was too late, because the Grimm was about to hit them with the stinger on its tail. Without thinking, without time to defend himself or try to run away, Shirou pushed away the girl away saving her, but leaving only him at the mercy of the monster.
Instictively knowing there wasn't nothing to do anymore, Shirou closed eyes and, while he waiting for the fatal blow, he could just think :"I'm sorry, dad. In the end I didn't do any difference..."
But the waited pain never came, instead...
"ARE YOU AN IDIOT?" A female familiar voice cried out to him.
Shirou opened his eyes: as he could see, the stinger of the Deathstalker was blocked by a big ice bulk and the Grimm was trying to get free to not avail. His savior was his partner, who was watching him with crossed arms and anger on her face. But the swordsman was interested by something else, and he could just smile when he saw a relieved Yang who was hugging her little sister, safe and sound.
"Ruby is all right. I'm glad..."
"How can you worry about someone else, when you were almost dead, in her place?!" Weiss was shocked.
"Well, when someone is in danger and someone have the power to help them, then it's simply wrong to not help other people, even when the situation seems hopeless."
Maybe it was because his tone, or perhaps she thought his vision was so simplistic, but Weiss took a deep breath and said to him with an almost apologetic voice " Look, I admit I can be a bit...difficult. But we're supposed to be partner and if we're going to do this, we're going to have to do this together. So, if you're stopping to be so...suicidal, I'll be...nicer."
It was more than he could hope, when he locked eyes with her for the first time, and she was right, after all. So Shirou smiled to her and told her:" Well, while I cannot stop myself from helping other people, I promise I can try to be more wise for the next time. Is all right for you?"
The heiress nodded, then she said to him something else with arrogant voice, while she was returning to the temple:"One more thing, I think and repeat you're a big idiot...but an altruistic idiot...and I can respect this."
Because he had heard it from someone like Weiss, Shirou was truly moved. "Weiss...thanks for helping me."
Her voice was almost a whisper. "...You're welcome..."
"Handsome, Ice Queen, i'm really sorry to interrupt your declaration of eternal love, but we're still in hot water, so what do you think about postpone your honeymoon until we're out of this?"
Yang had used her usual amused tone, and naturally Shirou and Weiss were flustered by what she had just said, but despite what or the way, she was right: the Death Stalker was trapped, but not still dead, and the Nevermore was still around, above their heads. So they regrouped with the others in the temple, in order to decide what to do.
Then Weiss and Ruby said to the others, their real aim was get the relics and come back to the cliff and there wasn't any value fighting against those Grimm. Even Shirou thought it was a good idea: Kiritsugu taught him that sometimes the best thing to during a fight was run away in order to save the forces, especially if winning against an enemy wasn't the real objective. The rest of them accepted their point, so Ruby and Jaune got the relics( a white knight for her and a white rook for him) and, once done it, everybody started to run toward the metaphorical finish line of their trial, just in time because the giant scorpion-like Grimm was starting to get out of its ice shackle.
They arrived near to an another set of ruins, in the middle of a canyon, where a bridge connected the cliff to a tower that rose up from a chasm. Sadly, they couldn't proceed beyond, because the Nevermore had followed them and then it outran them, forcing the group to hide; after that it landed on the tower ahead them and it remained there in waiting, almost if it was daring them to challenge it with a caw.
Their frustration could just rise, when the free Deathstalker exited from the grove with rage and headed to the students with a death's promise.
At that point, the choice was clear for everyone: they had to risk everything, trying to charge forward to the ruins where the giant crow-like Grimm was waiting for them.
But Shirou shouted it to his classmates, while they were running "It's useless going all together! It's best to split us! Four of us against the Deathstalker and the rest against the Nevermore!"
Luckily they listened him, so Jaune, Pyrrha, Ren and Nora stopped themselves on the place to block the giant scorpion-like Grimm , while Shirou, Weiss, Ruby and Yang crossed to bridge toward the big soulless avian creature whom was flying over their head, ready to attack them. And the big bird showed to be smart, when he destroyed a part of the bridge, effectively separating them from the others.
"That supspecies of overgrown turkey is really pissing me off! It's almost like it's making fun of us!" Yang commented with anger.
"It doesn't matter! Our objective is getting rid of it, anyway!" Shirou shouted: after all, separating from the others had been his suggestion.
"And how are we suppose to do it? I don't think that thing is willing to leave us to do it!" Weiss was clearly and rightly concerned.
"I've got an idea!" Ruby shouted, turning the attention of everyone on her.
The short reaper continued:"Yang! Shirou! Reach the upper ground and hit it with everything you got! Try to make it plummet!" The blonde girl smiled to her younger sister, and then, without making any question, followed her lead. Shirou wanted make some question, but considering there wasn't time and Yang trusted Ruby , did the same thing.
"And I?" Instead Weiss had some reservation, and it didn't help she didn't know nothing about the entire plan, but, because the other two were completely on board, she was willing to play her part, at least.
"Wait! Then i will give you a signal!" Ruby said to her without any explanation, but Weiss chose to be patient.
In the meantime, Shirou and Yang had reached some high pillar, then they started to hit the Nevermore whom was flying to their same altitude. Shirou used his bow with his Dust-modified arrow, while Yang switched his bracelets to gauntlets in order to shoot bullets. It didn't matter to the blond girl which body parts of that monster she was hitting, as long as she could hit it. Instead Shirou was more methodical, and he was trying to hit its weak points, but it was too resistant and his arrows weren't strong enough to pierce it. But at some point, Yang, even if she wasn't able to injure it , managed to anger it anyway: so, during its try to attack her directly, the Nevermore was dangerously open. For Shirou, it was easy enough in that moment piercing its right eye with an Energy-Dust arrow.
The monster cawed strongly and, because he was too confused due to pain, it could just bump into a rock wall of the canyon over the bridge.
"Weiss! Now! Ice It" Ruby shouted to the heiress.
Weiss was ready to the signal: with a wave of her hand, she created a line of strange symbols toward the Nevermore and she was able to reach the Grimm sliding on the bridge with very high speed thanks to that. And once reached the crow-like monster, like she did with Deathstalker before, she encapsulated the tip of its tail, leaving it stuck on the place.
Shirou was charmed, while he was watching her. "It must be her Semblance...It was probably because of that she managed to save me before...elegant and functional...in the same time..."
"Yang! Weiss! Come back where I am!"
But his train of thought was interrupted when Ruby called the other girls, while she was going toward Weiss in the same time. So Yang climbed down the pillar, while the snow-haired girl reached Ruby in the same way of before, and, once there, she prepared a new shorter line of symbols in the mid-air connecting to the Grimm, and the little reaper, with her ready-to-use Crescent Rose, jumped on big one in front of Yang, in position to strike with a fist.
Shirou was caught by a revelation. "Now i'm starting to get it...That was her plan...Ingenious...But only theoretically: she's not strong enough to make a clean hit or pin it on the wall, and without the proper propulsion...It could..."
The Huntsman in-training had no other choice: he had to use his own Semblance.
So, without any caution, he jumped from the pillar and, thanks to the reinforcement of his Aura, he managed to land on the symbol with Ruby, just a moment before Yang stroke it. The girls were clearly amazed, but they couldn't help to feel in that way, because Shirou was wielding in his own hand what seemed...a perfect copy of Crescent Rose. But nevertheless Yang stroke the symbol with a powered fist.
It was just as he had thought: the strength of Yang's fist, with the sliding surface created by Weiss, fired both of them like a bullet against the Nevermore, without any chance to dodge and defend itself. So with both their scythes, they managed to strike the neck of the avian Grimm in the same time and, thanks to their cumulative power, Shirou Emiya and Ruby Rose managed to behead it with one single hit.
The fight was finally over, and the four students were clearly the winners. Even Jaune and the others had managed to win against the Deathstalker in the meanwhile, as they could see.
While they were sitting, clearly exhausted because of the fight, Shirou smiled on Ruby and he said to her:" Your plan was brilliant, believe me, but remember you have not much power, so the next time it's better a joint hit..."
Ruby was watching him with wonder in her silver eyes, and the auburn-haired boy didn't quite understand why. "What is' it?"
But she wasn't alone. When they reached them, Weiss was watching his partner with open mouth. While Yang... "Wow, Handsome, I didn't know you was hiding such blade i. your pants..."
Everyone could just sigh hearing that from Yang, even if it was typical for someone like her.
Weiss took back the word. "Crassness aside, I think I speak for everyone: how can you have the same type of scythe of this kid? I believe we deserve an explanation."
They were right after all, so Shirou decided to explain to them. "It's my Semblance: Bladeworks. Using my Aura, I can identify and replicate every kind bladed weapons, together with the combat style of the original owner"
The amazement was skyrocketing for the three girls, judging from their looks.
"Now I understand how you could know the specifics of Crescent Rose beforehand, yesterday!" It was Ruby.
"That's why you knew the name of Myrtenaster and how to use it against that pack of Ursa before!" It was the turn of Weiss.
"That's awesome. You can create every weapon! It's a supercool Semblance!" Yang summarized the thought of everyone.
On his part, Shirou did a nervous chuckle. "I don't think so. I use much Aura when I create a copy, besides it isn't perfect and disappears after some time. And it have many limits: I can memorize until a certain number of projects; after that, I must see again a specific weapon again that i already created. Besides I can use it only with blades, so my Semblance is useless with weapons like yours bracelet, Yang."
The blonde girl was disappointed, but she expressed with a suggestive voice "Ahh, shame...I would have loved to see what you could do with these... babies"
Maybe because he was too tired, or because he knew now what kid of person was Yang, but Shirou chose to not indulge her, So instead, he said to all them:"Shouldn't we come back? The trial isn't still over, and we can't stand here forever..."
Ruby and Yang realized he was right, so the two sisters went toward the cliff. On the contrary, Weiss remained there and she was staring at Shirou in a very weird way: the Huntsman in-training was starting to feel uneasy.
Then she spoke. "Those two can even admire you, because what you did or you can do, but I...Did you have to do that stunt necessarily?"
It wasn't hard for Shirou understanding what Weiss was talking about. "Ruby's plan was good just only on the paper: I thought it couldn't have even worked. So, yes. It was necessary.
"I know, and in fact I'm not complaining about the result: after all, it was more than good. But my point stand still: you did a reckless action without thinking yourself."
"It was win or die in that moment. And it held true for all of us"
"But only today, you did it two times: before against the Deathstalker, then just now. And I'm pretty sure you are going to do it for the third time. Then there will be a fourth one, a fifth one ,a sixth one...until you will die. I said before you're an idiot...well, I was wrong: you're a mad idiot."
At that point, Shirou sighed. "Sorry to be a terrible partner."
"And the worst thing... I can't hate you."
"Huh?!"
"I don't take back everything that i said before, because it's the truth. But I can recognize something else about you: you're a good fighter, smart and you have a good tactical mind too. These are qualities owned by the person I admire most in all Remnant."
"We would be partners for the next four years. Are you sorry about being a terrible one, as you said before? Then consider me!I won't ask you again to promise to not do something like that before: i know it would be useless now. But we need each other and you're not making me any favor. Before to try something dangerous like that, try to not be a suicidal hero and think to speak to the others about it, above all me who would be your partner. I want to try to trust you, but are you willing to do the same thing?"
Shirou was flabbergasted: Weiss Schnee managed to turn his own words against him. Just because of that and her true request, the huntsman in-training could just say to her: "If you put it in this way, then I will try"
Then Weiss smiled to him:" It's good enough for me. So shall we? I think the others are getting tired to wait for us."
Shirou didn't answer her quickly, because for a moment her smile stopped his heart, but then he recovered himself." Ye...Yeah, lead the way."
But before Weiss said something else. "Ah, I almost forgot this. Before, against the Ursa...Thanks to saving me... Shirou."
Maybe it was because the frost(totally metaphoric.) between them was almost melted, or maybe because Weiss had just used his name for the first time, but Shirou couldn't help to say. "It was nothing...Ice Queen."
"HHEEYYY!"
"Jaune Arc. Lie Ren. Pyrrha Nykos. Nora Valkyrie. The four of you retrieved the white rook pieces. From this day forward, you will work together as Team JNPR" The four students students stood on the stage as the professor Ozpin announced their teams.
Then the Headmaster continued. "Led by...Jaune Arc!
The blonde boy was really amazed: clearly he didn't think about himself as leader. But as Ozpin congratulated him about his appointment, there wasn't any doubts. So it was the moment for other students, when the team JNPR left the stage and they stepped up, when their names and their faces appeared on the scree.
"And finally Shirou Emiya, Ruby Rose, Weiss Schnee and Yang Xiao Long. The four of you retrieved the white knight pieces. From this day forward, you will work together as Team RWSY("Rosie"). Led by...Ruby Rose!
Ruby didn't have the time to adjust herself about what she had just heard, when Yang took her between her arms for a bear hug. "I'm so proud of you!"
"Congratulations, Ruby" Shirou was glad too.
Then Ozpin said to everyone: "Looks like things are shaping up to be an interesting year."
It was true. After everything happened today, Shirou Emiya could think just a thing.
"What is waiting for me and my new team in my new home?"
Only the time would have give him the answer.