Chapter 2-4 will be copies of the same writing from "A Torched Rose" due it already being written out. Starting from CH.5 there will be different content.

BLWU
CH.4 New Beginnings

{-Nora!-}

At Beacon, a fair-skinned woman with short ginger hair and a shocking turquoise blue set of eyes. Sitting upright immediately, Nora was wide awake. "Rennie! Were at beacon! Aren't you excited!?" Suddenly standing above her friend, Nora looked down in adoration. ... Daww~ he's still sleeping. So handsome. She looked over her friend's sleeping form in adoration. Boop

Slowly, her childhood friend, possible crush, definite crush, opened his lotus pink eyes slothfully to see her just inches from his face. "Wake up lazy bud flower!" She shouted heartfully. Ren sighed and stared off into the distance blankly as the energy bounced around him. "It's morning, it's mourning, it's mornning, it's mooorning!" She beamed. "I ca-"

NORA~!

-"n't believe we've been at beacon for a full 24 hours!" Nora continued barraging Ren with her limitless energy supply, tailing him even into the men's bathroom as he brushed. The jade Mistralian continued expressionlessly. "Not that I thought we'd get kicked out or anything, I mean you're the perfect student and I'm well, I'm me! But it's just crazy ya know?" Nora chirped noisily.

NORA~!

The colorful duo were now packing up their sleeping bags, Ren simply biding his time, and the valkyrie was brushing her hair impatiently- " We've been friends for sooo~~ long and what are the odds that we'd still be together" wait-what!? "Well wait not what!? Together-together. Of course, we are! Not that I'm not saying you're not- no stop! Handsome- ME! STOP!, you are handsome, You're digging yourself- but that'd a deep just watery grave! be weird… Right Ren?nie." Nothing-

NORA~!

Now wolfing down a stack of fluffy, delicious, warm, buttered, syrupy, pancakes without a fork or knife, Nora rambled on endlessly with her mouth stuffed by fluffy, cakey goodness. "Wright, wwhat waah I thinking?" What were you thinking!? She gave a muffled chortle, "Bah shill, oh nevermind Ai hoe Rennie doesn't mind because we en uh on da he's the bestest ever! same heam hogether."

Idea! Slurping the pancake whole like a vacuum she shattered a lightbulb from her energy, "Oooh~! We should come up with some sort of plan!" She exclaimed enthusiastically pointing skyward… before bear-hugging her friend beside her harder! and squeezed harder. "To make sure we end up on the same team together" Fantastic idea me - thank you, She conversed internally. "Let's bribe the no! Headmaster. He has the school! No, that won't work, phew he has the school." Nore looked down thoughtfully as if but you said? criticizing herself. She lit up with lights in her eyes-

NORA~!

-"I know! You do?" Like a bull in a china shop, yup. she had followed the man into the locker rooms, showering him with her limitless positivity. "We'll have some sort of signal!" like the academy? Yes. Whizzing to Ren's side, Nora pumped the air, "Like a distress signal!" Be discreet, it's cheating. She gasped to herself, "A secret signal so we can find that sounds each other like it would in the forest!" … wait forest? How do you, I- were you sleuthing around in the headmaster's office last night?

"Can you imitate a sloth?" I said sleuth... Nora asked not sloth... curiously?

"Nora..." Red stopped her, ?

The bubbly teen peered, "Yes Ren?nie pooh?" she asked with shocking patience. Of course she could be normal.

"I don't think sloths make a lot of noise." All the The jade ninja more reason. pointed out flatly. As Stormflower minimized into his sleeves.

Nora's eyes darted left, danced right, shot up, as if thinking before her face lit up like a disco, "That's- why it's PERFECT!" Go Nora-me! She countered bombastically. "No one will suspect anything? that we're working together or that." She stood off to the side waiting with a goofy smile.

"Come on Nora" Rennie walked off with her Nora! Following close behind giggling to herself.

{-Yang-}

Yang glanced at the two students wistfully. Those two seem lively… almost like… family. Yang punched her locker with Ember Celica, grating against its metallic surface. Dammit, Yang! Focus! Get your head in the game. Inhale... Exhale... she looked to her gauntlets and smil-

"Wow… you look terrible." Goddammit…

Yang's blood boiled reactively "Right back at you Faere" She spun violently towards the pixie, circles visible under his eyes and hair messier than yesterday. "Why did they have to put your locker across from mine!?" Leaning against the lockerroom wall frustrated, she began oiling Ember Celica to avoid further eye contact.

The teen grumbled pensively, "Well I've got a decent hypothesis, but I'm not overly enthusiastic as to what it implies." With that, Umber violently swung his locker door open and withdrew a miniature, thick, bronze disc. Snapping to his arm, the disc screeched and expanded into a large corroded buckler, sharpened and chipped along the edges. At its center a dark gray spherical shaped dust emit shadowed light. "So, out of curiosity. Who's team do you think you'll fall into?" Not yours I hope.

Sigh "Sorry… not really though. The only thing I want out of this is not you. If you were looking to group with me, too bad. I kinda hate you." Yang deadpanned, trying not to over lube her guns. "Maybe you should try someone else's team."

"That's… not exactly an answer firecracker." He sighed wearily settling on a nearby bench. Reaching up he pulled hard on his shield, winding his buckler like a gear. I'll show you a firecracker Yang huffed, "But I feel you'll be sorely disappointed."

She looked up from her gauntlet maintenance to him warily, "Meaning?"

"After what happened yesterday, I'd bet money on you, me, and Ice Queen over there being forced to make up by teaming" He pointed off in another direction towards Weiss and her conversation partner.

An idea popped into her head, hate or not it was free money. "Oh yeah", how much you planning on losing?" The golden girl grew cocky at his challenge and dragged infernal red shotgun shells from her locker. The odds were stacked in her favor. She began practicing her punches in the air.

He paused and looked up to her stupidly, "I mean… I wasn't serious. But hey if you feel like burning some lien feel free, bet £35,000 tops. Take it or leave it." Her fist stopped dead in surprise.

{-Umber-}

He watched her eyes bulge "Thirty… 35,000!? That's… that's…!" The burning teen choked on her own words, much to his amusement. "Do you have a gambling problem?"

Umber pushed her further, "Oh, don't worry, It's just my life savings is all." Reaching into his jacket, Faere fanned a dozen multicolored £cards. Snapping them away from the brawler and back to his pocket, the shielder laughed darkly and grinned wickedly, "Don't tell me you're scared sunshine."

"Of course not!" She snapped loudly earning a murderous fusion colored glare. She rolled her eyes and shrugged. Rolling her eyes she shrugged, "You're on, but don't come crying to me when you lose."

"Keep rolling your eyes, maybe you'll find the answer." Umber's mocking words burnt her lilacs. Looking to his shield, he pondered for a moment. "I've got it. Well how about we make sure neither of us back out of this deal."

Yang's sight cycled again in annoyance, "How would we do that, ring in a teacher? Gambling isn't allowed in school."

"Keep rolling your eyes, maybe you'll find something" The sable haired student could almost hear Yang pop a blood vessel. He knocked on his shield, specifically on the gravity dust."How about we get a third party involved, one that hates both of us." His gaze settled on the heiress like a hunter. "I doubt a Millionaire would let anyone slip out of a deal. She is part of the bet anyway, so why not let her in? I'm sure she's dying to get me back after yesterday."

"Yeah right! I'm not paying two people 35,000. My family would be broke." He stopped her midway waving off her concern.

"Oh no, don't worry you won't be paying her anything. I'll be paying both of you if I lose out. In other words there's no added risk…"

Yang's lilacs narrowed suspiciously. "You're going to rig this somehow aren't you…"

"Please, if there's one thing you should get by now, it's that I'm fucking honest. I keep my word. Something I learned a long time ago was that going back on it only makes problems."

The brawler looked him over, "You're so sure of yourself, aren't you afraid to lose? You're about to fall into debt."

"Only if I lose…" He shrugged, "But that'd be-"

{-Yang-}

"-ridiculous!" Jaune shouted to himself, cutting in between the two both literally and figuratively. He glanced down looked fearfully at the map grasped tightly in his hands, seemingly lost. "There's no way I put my gear in locker 636 yesterday! I would've remembered having to count that high."

Yang reached out and tapped his shoulder, accidentally pushing on a pressure point. "Augh!" Jaune collapsed to the floor and noticed her towering above him.

"Yo, Vomit Boy." Yang offered her assistance, but he didn't move "You... wanna get up?"

"I can't feel my everything" He groaned as he numbly struggled to his feet.

"You good?" She asked in mild concern, suppressing a laugh.

"Yep! Good as ever" He grinned with goofed confidence. "So… hey yang, what's up?" The swordsman quizzically responded attempting to wave, failing miserably without any feeling in his arm.

"Why are you using an actual map? Where's your scroll?" Umber questioned his bizarre actions.

The knight stepped back uneasily, "I… um…" his face cycled through a typhoon of different emotions, before settling on a mix between his goofy grin and a depressed frown. "It's dead..." He admitted with an elongated sigh.

Yang snickered, then broke into laughter. "You forgot to charge it? Hahaha, alright, here." She volunteered her own scroll showing him the locker map, marking his locker with a red dot. "But why are you looking for your locker? You look like you've already got everything on you, right?" Her lilac eyes guided his own to his sheathed relic.

Looking over himself, the knight facepalmed "Oh god!" Umber snickered in the background. Yang smiled mirthfully. "I'm such an idiot…" The other blonde drooped shamefully.

"Well, I'm glad you got that sworded out." Jaune's head lifted, grinning slightly. Does he… like puns? A Vomit Boy of great culture. She beamed back at him- Bang! Turning to the sound, the dragon saw a delightful display of hate. Pixie was slamming his head into his locker… "What, suddenly not having as much pun?" Bang! Bang!

Umber growled ferally "Shut up… just shut up!" Turning, as the locker room flickered and ran ice cold. Jaune's looked up, enlivened yet terrified of the dark teen.

"Alright, well imma just head Bang! Out. It's Faerely late so- Bang! Have fun Yanging your head." Bang!

"Fuck it! You can talk to the bitch on your own!" Umber smashed his locker shut, denting it, and quickly strode out of the lockers. Yang smirked and savored her victory,

"Don't forget about that deal! Xiao Long and farewell!" She hollered with a polite wave dripping with sarcasm. Screw you too. Only an ear wrenching scream returned.

"Did you… really need to make him so angry?" Jaune asked cautiously.

"Yangry" She corrected, getting a light laugh from her knightly friend. "He deserves it, don't worry about it. He's an ass, but an ass that can restrain himself. He fights with words, and I just found his weakness." She ruffled his hair joyously, but he was looking elsewhere. Xiao Long's eyes followed his eyes to Weiss Schnee and the crimson-haired champ, both staring at the blondes cautiously. The red one smiled sweetly and waved. Just one problem after another… maybe I should've kept Pixie around. "Well… I can't say I agree with your choice in women." Jaune waved back looking down miserably.

"Haww~... I was going to ask the white one if she wanted to team up." He groaned miserably as she patted his back comfortingly.

"If you still wanna talk to her, I'm about to head over. Coming?" She extended her offer, hopeful she wouldn't be forced to talk with the ice queen alone.

"Heh… Thanks Yang." His confidence was on the rise again. "I... I think I can feel my legs."

The fiery brawler felt a little lighter at the knight's response. "Not sure you should be thanking me. I'm the one walking on thin ice here." Yang was in a strangely good mood.

Walking over, Weiss spoke to her first. "What the hell was that!? Do you and that degenerate cause problems wherever you go?"

"Not really, it kinda just happened. Besides, admit it. That was fun to watch." The brawler laughed appreciatively.

{-Weiss-}

"... maybe a bit" Weiss looked beside herself concealing her overwhelming satisfaction. He deserves far worse for his words, but I'll settle. A faint arc formed on her face when remembering how the barbaric teen left. "Did you need something? Because if you did-"

Yang cut her off with yet another surprise, "Actually I was wondering if you wanted to get him back for yesterday." With a raised eyebrow, Weiss turned to the blonde. "We've got a bet going, he thinks the three of us will be placed on a team."

"That's stupid, there's no way force on Remnant-"

Yang stopped her, "Exactly. He's putting 35 grand on the line. For each of us. If we lose, we pay him. What'da think... Ice Queen?" She daunted... it pulled on her Schnee Pride to run from such a low-risk bet.

"... I think this is stupid" The heiress crossed her arms grimly… "I'm in." she replied with an icy smile.

"Great" Yang smile was suddenly cut off by a tall, scraggly blonde knight's attempt at being suave.

Slipping between the two, he put his hands together, with a grin. "You know what else is great? Me" He placed a gloved hand over his chest. "Jaune Arc. Nice to meetchu.

She glowered with folded arms and slit eyes. Nearly responding, her teeth grit as she was once again blocked from the conversation. This time by her crimson-haired would-be partner. Gritting her teeth she waited.

"Nice to meetchu Jaune!" Phyrra greeted him a little too eagerly. Weiss watched on in disbelief as the dorky swordsman pushed the champion away. She felt a cavalcade of conflicting emotions bomb her repeatedly… Irritation, confusion, boredom, and pride at being focused on the champion, but all were kept in check by an unimpressed front.

"You seem to get along with Yang pretty well. You got a fondness for blondes?" A small part of her soul shivered in disgust. His fellow blonde strangled a snorted chuckle and held her sides. I'm surrounded by idiots!

"You… have got to be kidding me" She huffed coldly.

"Soo~ been hearing rumors about teams." He grinned and failed miserably at copying the dualist's cross-armed, pose. "I was thinking you and me would make a good one- whaddya say?" He looked to her for an answer.

She shut her eyes briefly, just wait for it "Actually," Phjyrra reintroduced herself to their conversation. There it is. Weiss directed her focus to the spartan. "I think the teams are comprised of 4 students each, so-" Zip In an instant he stood inches from her partner.

"You don't say" Double idiot. "Well hot stuff, play your cards rig-" Wha-! Ho… hot stuff!? That's the champion you dunce! Her brain shut down from the sheer ignorance exuding from the man in front of her.

Zooming between the two, she pushed the two apart. "Jaune… is it? Do you have any idea who you're talking to?" She motioned to her partner.

Leaning in, he blinked awkwardly, "Not in the slightest Snow Angel" Breath… just…

"This is Pyrrha." (Hello again!) Pyrrha graduated top of her class at Sanctum she stated aloud, proud of her partner.

"Never heard of it" He replied dumbly. I don't believe it!

"Ah! She's won the Mistral Regional Tournament 4 years in a row! A new record!"

"The what?" … !

"She's on the front of every Pumpkin Pete's Marshmellow Flakes Box!" Weiss blurted out with crossed arms. … Nooooooo! Why would I say that!? She died on the inside, calmly observing everyone in the vicinity. The golden brawler was now clamoring silently for air and hiding behind a locker. Looking to Phyrra imagined her favorite cereal box behind her

Jaune gasped in realization "That's you!?" Internally, the heiress facepalmed. "They only do that for star athletes and cartoon characters! Let it go.

"Yeah~" The the tall crimson looked down shyly, "it was pretty cool. Sadly, the cereal isn't very good for you." wait… what? But Klien always said it would give me energy! Her grandiose cardboard illusion fell away, Pumpkin Pete's falling off to the side with a shattering crash. Recovering, mask still hopefully unbroken, Weiss turned to the knight professionally.

"So, after hearing this, do you really think you're in a position to ask her to be on your team?" The heiress protected her partner.

Jaune, for the third time today, moped in a depressed manner. "I… I guess not… sorry." He responded remorsefully. Good, now we can get this show… wait? Phyrra?

Her Mistralian ally betrayed her, "Actually Jaune, I think you'd make a great leader." She held his shoulder assuringly. He looked up to her with puppy eyes.

He looked up with hopeful puppy eyes, bathing in the praise. "Doww~ stop it!" Weiss saw her naive emerald-eyed champion give a tender smile

"Seriously, please stop it." Weiss cut into their moment. "This kind of behavior should not be encouraged." Her warning seemed to spark something in both the other girl's.

Yang stepped in, "I disagree, Jaune would make a fantastic leader. No matter how down he gets he's so eager to get back up. He's also more polite than dark and moody back there." She flicked her finger towards the dents in her enemies locker. "Besides... you haven't even given Jaune a chance, nobody knows what anyone can do... No offense Phyrra."

"None taken." She looked down glumly.

"Sounds like Phyrra and Yang are on board for team Jaune." Yang's face was plastered with merriment. "Spots are filling up quick… Now I'm not supposed to do this, but, maybe I could pull a few strings. Find a place for you." Jaune inched closer, too close. and closer. "What do you say Snow Angel?" too close! Weiss looked around in a panic.

"A-Alright-" Jaune's face lit up "that's a bit too close! Phyrra! A little help please?" She hissed pleadingly. Jaune's 'hope' was dashed as he found himself abruptly pinned to a wall by the champion's blood-red spear. Phew.

{-Yang-}

"I'm sorry!" Phyrra called out as the paladin gurgled from unexpected motion sickness.

Above them, Glynda's voice crept through the school's speakers, alerting everyone. "Would all first-year students please report to the Cliff for Initiation. Again, all-first year students report to Beacon Cliff immediately." The speaker ended with a light crackle.

The elegant spartan pulled Miló from the wall, allowing the knight to fall to the tiled floor. "It was nice meeting you" The crimson champion smiled tenderly as she ambled her way out of the locker room heading to her destination. The Schnee followed soon after.

Sigh "Likewise… blugh" He simply sat there groaning. Egh, better now throw up on my shoes again.

"Having some trouble there, lady killer?" Yang stood beside the fallen swordsman with a knowing grin.

Jaune looked up dismayed, "I don't understand… My dad said all women look for is confidence. Even you said that… ugh, where did I go wrong?"

"Snow angel probably wasn't the best start." She stood there briefly and sighed lightly. Offering her hand to the other blonde, Yang assisted the knight back on his feet. "As much as I'd love to carry you to the cliffs, I like to keep my shoes clean. Cya there Jaune." She pat his back and walked off, absorbed in her own thoughts. Free money, pissed off the little pixie, mended relations with the ice queen, got the meet a superstar, Jaune likes puns… this day just keeps getting better and better.

{-Yang-}

At the cliffs, Yang found herself standing adjacent to Umber… Not a great start… Ozpin's voice regrounded her in reality. "For years you have tried to become warriors. And today your abilities will be evaluated in the Emerald Forest."

Glynda held a black scroll and took lead of the conversation. "Now I'm sure you have heard rumors about the assignment of teams. Well, allow us to put an end to your confusion." This is it. All or nothing. "Each of you will be given teammates today." Both Yang and Weiss glared off to the shielded teen at the end. Weiss, an evil grin, and Yang, slightly nervous.

Ozpin continued expressionlessly "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…" Ozpin spared a quick glance towards the blonde smiling. "That being said-" Oh no… "The first person you make eye contact with after landing will be your partner for the next 4 years."

Crack… Yang's world shattered to pieces as she realized the gravity of his statement. "What!?" Turning, Pixie groaned and shot her a tired look screaming a 'why does it have to be you…' look. Jaune waved from behind him, nervously.

{-Weiss-}

Shatter Did something just break? Weiss looked around. "What!? Her partner in justice shouted frightfully. Why is she so worried, even if one of us pairs with him, we'd still have to be put together. The chances of that happening are almost nonexistent. With a roll of her eyes she refocused on Gen- Headmaster Ozpin's debriefing.

"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." The headmaster warned his troops.

Amongst the students at the first launch a nervous laugh could be heard. I wonder who that could be, Weiss thought sarcastically. "You will be monitored and graded for the duration of your initiation." Pausing for a sip of coffee, he continued. "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?"

Interesting… so this trial is a race… The groups to arrive first will claim the most valuable relic they can for the best grade possible. Or maybe that's just something he's saying to push us? Either way, we'll have to be fast or I'll… no, I won't disappoint her again.

{-Ozpin-}

"Are there any questions?" He asked observing the future huntsmen and huntress.

Jaune Arc raised his hand nervously, "Yeah um, sir?"

"Good! Now take your positions." Within mere moments his students postures had shifted to more appropriate launching form... all for one.

"Um… Sir?" The Arc heir repeated, raising his hand. "I've got, um, a question." Fwip!

"So this-" Fwip! "landing strategy thing,-" Fwip! "uh, w-what is it?" Fwip! His knight asked nervously. "You're, like, dropping us off or something?" Fwip!

"No" The headmaster informed him vacant of care, "You will be falling." Fwip!

Jaune scratched his gold hair tentatively, "Oh, I see…" Fwip! "So, like, did you hand out-" Fwip! "parachutes for us?"

Fwip! "WOOEW!" Nora. Ms. Xiao Long sighed and donned sunglasses.

"No." Fwip! "You will be using your own" Fwip! Mr Lark "landing strategy." Ozpin stoically stared at his ill-prepared student.

Tai's daughter gave a long sighed, Fwip! Long Fwip!

"So, what exactly is a landing strate-GYYYYY!" Turning, Ozpin sipped his coffee contently. Mr. Arc.