Chapter 2
After arriving on Remnant, and entering Beacon, Rosa and all the others started preparing for the first test.
Rosa was the last to get off the airship. The sight of Beacon was impressive for everyone else, but she guessed she had gotten used to it. She looked where her master was, his body floating in a Bacta tank. She was going to be a student here for the next four years. Her master would get the best healing he could on this planet. But she still felt guilt covering her. It was shortly after she and her master were picked up when she felt a disturbance in the force. A darkness that rushed over her was so strong that she collapsed. Luckily, she was with Ozpin. She was kept indoors until she explained what happened. They were worried that she was sick.
Rosa looked around, feeling so many emotions here. Some people were hurting, some were sad, some were angry, and some were afraid. So very few were happy. She didn't believe she was one of them, but no one needed to know that. Her special force ability lets her sense the emotions of those around her, and not those at the forefront, those emotions that everyone buries as deep as they can so no one can see. Behind the biggest smile is the saddest face. Behind the ones always joking is a hurt that they can't handle.
Rosa was brought out of her thoughts by the man who puked on the airship. He took out medicine to calm his stomach and he took it. He stood up, looked around, and took it.
"Hey… you with the blond hair," Rosa called out. He turned to her and quickly tossed the empty box away, trying to hide it.
"Are you okay?" Rosa asked.
"Me, oh yeah, definitely okay. Never better." His face turned red, and he ran passed.
"Okay… that's not suspicious at all." Rosa said.
Rosa saw Ruby standing alone, Yang having just left her. That woman in white from the ship was getting another case being brought to her when Ruby slammed into the case. Dust spilled out.
"That's not good." Rosa said. She started going to Ruby's side when she got up.
"What are you doing?!" She asked.
"Um… sorry." Ruby said.
"Sorry?! Do you have any idea of the damage you could have caused?" She said. Rosa could imagine. She had more experience than she most with deadly explosives.
"Give me that!" The woman in white took the dust from Ruby "This is Dust - mined and purified from the Schnee quarry!"
Schnee… Rosa heard that name… but she couldn't exactly remember from where.
"Uh…"
"What are you, brain-dead? Dust! Fire, water, lightning, energy!" Miss Schnee said. Rosa assumed she was a Schnee.
"I… know." Ruby said.
"Are you even listening to me? Is any of this sinking in? What do you have to say for yourself?!" Weiss had accidentally been shaking the dust in Ruby's face, and she sneezed. It was enough to set off the dust. They were both covered in soot. Rosa felt for a moment a depressive fear in the Schnee, then it became rage.
"Unbelievable! This is exactly the kind of thing I was talking about!" Schnee said.
"I'm really, really sorry." Ruby said. She was in over her head. Rosa decided to step in.
"Ruby! Miss Schnee, are you okay?" Both the girls turned to her.
"So, it is true, you're Weiss Schnee, the Schnee Dust Company heiress." The woman in black said. Rosa felt pride and fear rush up in Weiss.
"I see my reputation proceeds me. But you… aren't you a little… young? What are you doing here?" She asked confused.
"I beat someone up who was trying to steal dust, then next thing I know, I'm here with my sister who ran off and…"
"Ruby, Ruby, slow down. Remember to breathe." Rosa said.
"Is this yours?" The woman in black said. Rosa felt the mask that covered her emotions and knew that she'd be a project for someone.
"She knocked it over!" Weiss protested. Rosa looked at the girls and wondered how people could be like this. No wonder why Yoda advised against emotions.
"Did they steal anything from the Schnee Dust Company?" The woman in Blake said.
"I wasn't really looking… It was that dust shop that's open really late, and I was looking at the weapons catalogs and…" Ruby started. She was a nervous wreck; you didn't have to be a Jedi to sense it.
"Ruby… what did I just say?" Rosa said.
"Sorry."
"Did they steal my dust?" Weiss asked angrily. Ruby squeaked out an "I don't know."
"Your dust? I'm pretty sure you're not old enough to own the company." The woman in black said. "And besides, without those workers who work under the terrible conditions that your family is known for this dust wouldn't be here."
Rosa felt anger that felt personal. But also, a pang of sadness and guilt from the woman in black. She felt guilt and anger from Weiss as well.
"That… You… Argh!" Weiss went to grab her bags, and Rosa felt a wave of sadness wash over her. The woman in black walked away.
"Why are you still here?" Weiss asked Ruby and Rosa. Ruby went on ahead. Rosa went down and grabbed a case and tried to hand it to Weiss. She turned to her, and Rosa could feel darkness come over her.
"I don't need your help." She said. "Just go away." Rosa was about to reach out, but Weiss slapped her hand away. Rosa stepped back and bowed.
"Sorry." She left the young Schnee standing there, trying to not think about the obvious signs of tears starting.
Rosa found Ruby walking with the blond boy.
"Ruby, wait up." Rosa shouted. The blond boy turned around and saw Rosa. She caught up to them.
"Hey, Rosa. Guess that could have gone better." Ruby said, a fake smile hiding her true emotions.
"So whose you're friend?" Jaune asked.
"I'm Rosa Reidan."
"Rosa, you know we were just talking about our weapons, but I still don't know yours." Ruby said.
She rubbed the back of her neck. She took out her lightsaber and showed them.
"Um… how is this a weapon?" Ruby asked. "Does it transform?" She grabbed it and pointed it at her face. She reached for her lightsaber and pointed it away from her eyes.
"Ruby! You almost killed yourself." Rosa said. She calmed herself.
"What?! I'm sorry!" She said
"No, I'm sorry, I need to be more careful with this." She bowed at Ruby.
"You really don't need to bow, or apologize, I was being stupid." Ruby started.
"Please don't call yourself stupid." Rosa said.
"I'm sorry."
"No, I'm…"
"Okay, before you start going around in a circle, both of you are sorry." Jaune said. Ruby and Rosa smiled.
"Thanks. That could have gone on for a while." Rosa said.
"So can you show us what your weapon does?" Ruby said.
"Sure." She held out her lightsaber and the green blade shot out.
"A sword? Can I touch it?" Ruby said.
"No."
"Why?" Ruby asked.
"It'll melt your fingers." Rosa said. Rosa put her lightsaber back.
"It's cool."
"Thank you." Rosa smiled and felt a blush come over. She wasn't used to acquaintances giving her compliments.
"So do either of you know where we need to go?"
"Yeah, I do." Rosa said.
She leads her two new friends to the auditorium where most of the student body had gathered. They were separated and Rosa found herself next to that woman in black.
"Hey!" Rosa said to the person who shoved her. "That wasn't nice." She felt tears fall down her face.
"Are you alright?" She asked.
"Yeah, just… I hurt myself about a month ago and I'm still a little sore." Rosa said.
"Not sore enough to not go stopping a robbery?" She asked.
"Yeah…"
"Blake. Blake Belladonna." Blake said.
"Blake. Sorry about earlier." Rosa said.
"Sorry about what?"
"I just made it more complicated when I was trying to stop it." Rosa said.
"It wasn't your fault. The Heiress was causing problems." She said.
"It takes two to argue. Or in our case, I guess, four." Rosa said.
"Speaking of the Heiress…" Blake pointed to Weiss yelling at Ruby while she was standing next to Yang.
"Should I go over there?" Rosa asked.
"Why would you?" Blake asked.
"I don't like seeing people fighting. Especially two people hurting. Just the Jedi in me I guess." Rosa said.
"Jedi?"
"Yeah, it's my… religion. Though it seems no one even knows about it." Rosa said.
"Is that necklace a part of your religion?" Blake asked about her initiate clan emblem.
"Yeah, you could say it. I was a member for as long as I could remember, and this was my group. Katarn. That's my clan's name." Rosa said.
"Clan, how many of you are there?"
"Here, two that I know of, but if I'm here, maybe there are others here." Rosa said with a smile. She knew it was fake. She tried to not think about the Jedi since the disturbance. It only brought up darkness. She wished her master was here.
"Welcome everyone to Beacon. I'll... keep this brief. You have traveled here today in search of knowledge, to hone your craft and acquire new skills, and when you have finished, you plan to dedicate your life to the protection of the people. But I look amongst you, and all I see is wasted energy, in need of purpose, direction. You assume knowledge will free you of this, but your time at this school will prove that knowledge can only carry you so far. It is up to you to take the first step."
"He's a downer." Rosa heard someone say.
"Is he trying to depress us?" Another voice called out.
Glynda went to the pulpit next.
"You will gather in the ballroom tonight; tomorrow, your initiation begins. Be ready. You are dismissed."
"Did he seem off to you?" Blake asked.
"No. That's him. He can be tough to read. I can't even read him." Rosa said.
"What do you mean?" Blake asked.
"Call it my semblance. I'm able to read people's emotions well. Like Jaune there, the blond boy who puked is feeling bad about himself there." Rosa said.
"He did just get rejected hard." Blake said.
"Okay, not the best example." Rosa looked at a tall man in armor. Her face changed like had drank spoiled milk.
"He's an arrogant prick. A racist, and someone who feels… a pain?" Rosa wondered if she felt that right.
"Pain?"
"I don't know what causes the pain, but I can tell when people are in pain." Rosa said.
"Do you do anything about it?" Blake asked.
"I am a fiend for relationships. Didn't get too many real ones. It's kind of sad that I leech onto others, right?" Rosa said.
"They might as well be characters in a book to you right?" Blake asked.
"No, they all have their own lives, just I only get a glimpse of what they are underneath." Rosa said defensively. "But maybe… I should become an author. I got so much material here."
"Maybe." Blake took out a piece of paper and wrote her number on it.
"Let's keep in touch," Blake said with a smile. Rosa was about to cry when Blake handed it to her. She grew concerned about it.
"Um… I didn't mean to… um."
"Thank you. I got another friend!" Rosa hugged Blake.
"Woah, um, can you let me go?" Blake said. Rosa did so with a bow.
"Sorry."
"It's okay." Blake's face was red.
Rosa got to the auditorium wearing her regular clothes. She felt out of place with everyone in pajamas. She was just wearing a baggy shirt and sweats.
"Maybe I should have helped you pick out PJs." Yang said behind Rosa.
"Yang!" She spun around with a smile on her face.
"Thanks for watching out for my sister. I heard you tried defusing a situation with that Schnee and my sister." Yang smiled.
"I think I only made things worse," Rosa said.
"Maybe… but between you and me, you're the first friend my sister's made at this place. Then there's Mr. Onesie over there. She's having a really hard time with all this getting to know people stuff. Nervousness and all." Yang said with a smile.
"I think I can understand that. I don't have that many friends here either." Rosa said.
"Hey, maybe I can get my sister to make friends with someone else. See you later." Yang said, grabbing her sister by the arm.
Rosa decided to step away since she saw Weiss was going over to them, and she didn't want to make her feel uncomfortable. Then the shouting happened. Rosa wondered if she made the right decision, but turned, right before running into another woman. She recognized her immediately as Pyrrha Nikos.
"Oh, I'm so sorry." She thought for a moment that Pyrrha would start yelling at her, but then she felt her emotions. She felt… out of place and nervous. She also felt startled.
"It's okay, nothing happened." Pyrrha said.
"It's my fault. I wasn't looking where I was going." Rosa bowed. "But I doubt I would have crashed into you. You probably would have grabbed me before that happened. Or let me fall." Rosa said.
"I guess you know who I am? Even in my pajamas…" Pyrrha let out a nervous laugh.
"I'm sorry. It's not that I'm trying to make you feel uncomfortable… it's just that hair is noticeable. It's nice hair, and really beautiful on you, I'm sorry I don't mean to sound so weird." Rosa said, speeding up and fidgeting. This was a comfortable mask she wore.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you sound like a stalker. You already know my name so… can you tell me yours?"
"I'm Rosa Reidan. I'm kinda new here. Just got about… four people our age I know." Rosa said.
"That's… more than me." Pyrrha said with a smile.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to brag." Rosa bowed again.
"It's alright. You're actually the first person to come up to me not asking for an alliance or an autograph. So, it's kind of nice to just talk to you." Pyrrha said.
"Not you again!" Rosa heard Weiss and Yang shout.
"It's starting again." Rosa said.
"Again?" Pyrrha asked.
"Those girls over there met earlier today with a dust incident. Well except for Yang. Yang's the blond one. It seems they didn't exactly get off on the right foot." Rosa said. Pyrrha giggled.
"No, it doesn't. Well, good night, Rosa. It was a pleasure speaking to you." Pyrrha said.
"The pleasure is all mine." Rosa said with another bow.
Rosa went to sleep shortly after Blake blew out the candle, and the lights were dimmed.
"Commander! We've been found out!" Jackal said. The clone was shot through the chest after saying that.
"Jackal!" Rosa said. The operation was a bust, and they had to pull out immediately. But before they could, the room was filled with the gangster's goons. Wequey and Gamorreans rushed in holding pikes, clubs, axes, and blasters.
A Twi'lek man walked in, looking at the clones with disgust, then he looked at Rosa. He licked his lips. She felt the vilest emotions coming from him. She had a glimpse of what he wanted to do to her, and it made her shake in disgust.
"A young one. They make the finest… slaves. Right men." He said. All the goons started laughing. "Kill the clones, I want the girl in my chambers."
He left the room when the fight began. The clones fired, but they were only a dozen strong to the nearly one hundred. They shot the Gamorreans while Rosa defended against the Wequey, but it was a losing battle. She could only block so many shots.
The clones were taking down the goons, but their numbers were slowly coming down. Two, one…
Rosa cut a Wequey down and sent out a force blast. She raised her hand to the ceiling of the building and brought it down. The rocks fell on those below, crushing them. Rosa saw the blood start flowing down towards where they were. She breathed a sigh of relief until a hand went across her mouth, and two more grabbed her arms.
"We got her boys. The boss will be nice an' happy now. But what about we have a little fun before she goes to him?" One of the Wequey said, putting his hand on her stomach, moving it upwards. She felt terror, and her eyes opened wide. One of the clones fired two shots, taking out the Wequey trying to molest her. It was enough of a distraction to let her get her lightsaber. She spun it around and turned it on, killing the Wequey holding that arm, then she spun around, slashing into the Wequey's chest.
She looked at the clone, who dropped dead. She looked around her and saw all the carnage. She saw the blood that covered her hands. She brought her hand up to her mouth and felt a tear fall down her face. Her master rushed into the safehouse and saw Rosa crying with everyone else dead.
"Rosa?" He asked.
"Master… I… they…" She tried.
"Rosa, we're not safe here anymore. We have to go back to Coruscant. The mission was a failure." Maku said.
When they were on their ship, Maku turned to her.
"I felt your terror. What happened?"
Rosa just looked at her hands and brought her knees up to her chest. She buried her head in her knees. She just wanted to cry. The adrenaline had completely worn off. Everything she saw was crashing down on top of her now.
"It's okay… It wasn't your fault." Maku said.
"They wanted to… make me his slave. That Twi'lek. They almost got me too." Rosa said, looking at her hands. "I crushed so many of them under the safe house. It was all I could think to do. All that blood…" Rosa started to cry again. "Then they grabbed me. They wanted to do horrible things to me. I was… just so afraid. They started touching me."
Rosa cried into her knees. Maku closed his eyes.
"Gangsters are vile. Evil. They need to be stopped no matter what. That's our mission… but perhaps I forgot the difficulties of being a woman in this galaxy. Gangsters prey on those weaker than them. They let out every lecherous desire. Those gangsters were slavers. It wasn't in the report. It seems they just started selling. They… sell sex slaves. Women and children. Rape is a real everyday occurrence there. I'm sorry. I should never have brought you there." Maku said.
Rosa's head shot up, then a wave of guilt overcame her.
"I'm sorry master. I'm too weak to protect myself." Rosa said, not being able to look at her master.
"It's not your fault Rosa. You were ambushed and you did everything you could. The blame lies with me. I swear to you, I will never let something like that happen again." Maku said.
"All that blood…" Rosa said.
Maku took a deep breath.
"Rosa… I think we're going to need to spend time at the temple. I have something I need to teach you if we're going to ever go back out to the field." Maku said. Rosa didn't say anything.
"I'm going to teach you emotional masking." Maku said.
"What's that?" Rosa asked.
"Something like this may traumatize you. In the field, we can't afford to let our emotions, no matter how natural, affect our work. We Jedi lead a hard life, but none more so than we. We see the darkest humanity has to offer, so it becomes necessary for us to disconnect ourselves if we're to live. We see things like this all the time. But if you master being able to detach yourself from your emotions, you can see the very worst of this hellish life and still be able to live with yourself." Maku said.
Maku and Rosa gave the report. Rosa hadn't learned how to mask her emotions when she gave it and was visibly shaken up giving the report. Master Shak Ti took her aside and gave her council. She learned from her master how to create those emotional masks, and she went back out to the field. The war wouldn't stop for her.
Rosa woke up, trying to forget the unpleasant memory of her first mission in the war. She was the first one up, so she decided to do her regular morning exercises. In the end, she started a run, and Pyrrha joined up next to her.
"Hello again." Pyrrha said, dressed in exercise clothes. Rosa smiled.
"Hello, did you sleep well?" Rosa asked, showing no signs of exhaustion.
"Yes, and you?" Pyrrha asked.
"Not really. I dreamed about some… unpleasant memories." Rosa said. Pyrrha looked saddened.
"Sorry for reminding you."
"It's okay." Rosa said with a smile on her face. "I'm sure that today will be remembered as a good memory."
Pyrrha smiled.
"Looks like we're the only ones coming to exercise today." Rosa said after another lap. She had barely broken a sweat. Phyrra wiped away the sweat forming.
"How aren't you sweating?" Pyrrha asked, wiping her face with a towel.
"This is barely a warmup, but I got to conserve my energy for later today during the test." Rosa said.
"What?" Pyrrha asked confused. "I thought my workouts were tough." She mumbled.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to brag. My master does these things so much better than I can and for longer. I wish you could meet him." Rosa said blushing.
"Master?"
"Yeah, I'm the apprentice, and he's the master. He's teaching me everything he knows." Rosa said beaming.
"Oh, like a dojo sensei." Pyrrha said.
"Yep."
After they finished their morning routine, they went back to the locker room.
"Still the first ones up?" Rosa asked.
"Looks like it." Pyrrha said. They got changed and ready, and finally people started to show up… for breakfast. Rosa sighed as she got her food.
"So do you think we're going to be on the same team?" Rosa asked
"Who knows? But in case we aren't, here's my number." Pyrrha handed Rosa her number, and Rosa fought against the urge to throw herself on Phyrra like she did Blake.
"Thank you." She said sweetly. Weiss started sneaking her way to Phyrra. Rosa felt jealousy radiating off her. She took a deep breath in and introduced herself to Phyrra. Then she got down to the point.
"So, Pyrrha, have you given any thought to whose team you'd like to be on? I'm sure everyone must be eager to unite with such a strong, well-known individual such as yourself!" Weiss said. Rosa stepped back, feeling a sudden urge to not be where she was, but she backed into Jaune.
"Oh, sorry Jaune." Rosa said.
"It's alright." He smiled and looked at Phyrra and Weiss. Rosa felt Jaune's attraction to the women.
"Jaune… what are you about to do?" Jaune waved his hand.
"Nothing, don't worry." He interrupted the conversation.
"You know what else is great? Me. Jaune Arc. Nice to meet you." Rosa put her hand up to her mouth.
"Oh, no. He's a dumbass." She said, sorrow filling her voice.
"You again?" Weiss said with disgust. Jaune didn't hear it.
"Nice to meet you, Jaune!" Phyrra said. Rosa just wanted to stop Pyrrha. Jaune has no game. Then he ignored Pyrrha. She looked a mix of concerned and confused.
"So, Weiss, couldn't help but overhear your fondness of me the other day." Jaune said. Weiss rolled her eyes and glared.
"Oh, you've got to be kidding me!" Weiss said.
"Don't worry! No need to be embarrassed! So, been hearing rumors about teams! I was thinking you and me would make a good one! What do you say?" Rosa dropped her head. He was hopeless.
"Actually, I think the teams are comprised of four students each, so…" Pyrrha started.
"You don't say?" He turned to Pyrrha. "Well, hot stuff, play your cards right and maybe you could join up with the winning team."
"How… how could someone like him get into Beacon?" Rosa asked herself. Weiss separated Jaune from Pyrrha.
"Jaune, is it? Do you have any idea who you're talking to?" Weiss asked, wondering if he was as oblivious as he seemed.
"Not in the slightest, snow angel." Rosa stepped forward and placed a hand on Jaune's shoulder.
"Please Jaune… Stop talking. You're only making it worse." Rosa said.
"What are you talking about? This is my chance to get a girlfriend." Jaune turned around, wrapping his arm around the back of Rosa's neck and ducking.
"Jaune, you're just embarrassing yourself." Rosa said.
"No idea what you're talking about." Jaune said.
"I can tell."
"Rosa? Is everything okay?" Pyrrha asked.
"Why bother?" Weiss asked. "It's not like he's going to be on your team." Weiss said.
Rosa felt Jaune's pain from that comment. He hid it well.
"Um…" Phyrra was about to start.
"You're the star of sanctum, champion of the Mistral region tournament four years in a row, and you have brain cells," Weiss said.
"She's on Pumpkin Pete's Marshmallow Flakes." Rosa said, hoping both that it would and wouldn't work. Jaune's eyes shot open.
"That's you?! But they only do that for star athletes and cartoon characters!" Jaune said. Rosa was both relieved and disappointed.
"Yeah, it was pretty cool. Sadly, the cereal isn't very good for you." Pyrrha said, smiling and rubbing the back of her neck.
"So, after hearing all of this, do you really think you're in a position to ask her to be on your team?" Weiss asked.
"No… I guess not, sorry." Jaune said dejectedly.
"Actually, Jaune, I think you'd make a great leader!" Pyrrha said.
"Really? Stop it." Jaune said. All his self-doubt disappeared.
"Please, stop it. You're giving him delusions of grandeur." Weiss said.
"Would all first-year students please report to Beacon Cliff for initiation? Again, all first-year students report to Beacon Cliff immediately." Glynda said over the intercom. Weiss left first, then Pyrrha stopped at Jaune.
"It was nice meeting you." Rosa followed Pyrrha, not saying anything.
"Likewise." He sighed. "I don't understand. My dad said all women look for is confidence! Where did I go wrong?"
"Snow Angel probably wasn't the best start lady killer." Yang said. Jaune started, but he slipped. Ruby helped him up.
"Come on, Jaune, let's go."
The first years were standing at the edge of a cliff. Ozpin and Glynda stood there. Ozpin smiled at the newcomers.
"For years, you have trained to become warriors, and today, your abilities will be evaluated in the Emerald Forest." The headmaster said.
"Now, I'm sure many of you have 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." Rosa felt the discomfort from everyone.
"These teammates will be with you for the rest of your time here at Beacon. 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 after landing will be your partner for the next four years."
"What?" Everyone asked.
"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 through 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 questions?" Ozpin asked. Jaune raised his hand.
"Good, then let's begin."
"Uh, sir? I've got, um... a question. So, this landing... strategy thing... Uh, wha-what is it? You're, like, dropping us off or something?" Jaune asked. Rosa saw the devilish smirk creep on Ozpin's face.
"No. You will be falling." Ozpin answered.
"Oh, uh, I see... So, like, did you hand out parachutes for us?" Rosa was tossed after that. She let out a gasp, then she put on her mission mask. The life left her eyes, and the only thing that remained was the mission. She was going to finish it. No matter what.
After the last of the students were launched, including Jaune, who screamed the whole way, a man in a robe stepped off the aircraft that brought everyone to their destination.
"Professor Ozpin, I hope you don't mind that I want to watch my Padawan here." Maku said.
"Of course not. And you should learn about your other students while you're at it." Ozpin said, handing him a tablet. Maku watched with interest watching his newest group of students.
Author's Notes: See what did I tell you? This story will get dark. I think I may have to change it to M.
Maku's out of the Bacta tank! And Rosa's made some friends.
Next chapter, the teams form.
May the Force be With You
-DragonZlayerX12