Ch.3) Initiation
Ospin and Goodwitch at that moment were talking at that moment when Serene and Ceril had been talking. The two of them were talking about something that they thought would either blow up in their faces or save them from what they thought was coming.
"So, do you really think he is ready?" asked Ospin.
"Yes I do, he has already proven to me he can handle himself," Goodwitch replied.
"Oh and what did he do to do that?"
"We spared and he pushed me to fight at my limit and he still won," Goodwitch said as she turned to the window next to her so Ospin couldn't see the smile she had thinking about what had happened that day.
'Knock, knock'
"Who could that be at this time?" Ospin asked.
"I can only think of one person that would know we would be here at this time."
"Oh, and who is that?"
"Ceril"
'Knock, knock, knock'
"Come in," Ospin said.
Ceril came into the office and stood in front of the headmasters desk. The two headmasters could tell immediately that something was wrong. The look on Ceril's face confirmed that even more. The normally smiling and confident boy, now had a troubled look on his face.
"What's wrong, Ceril?" asked a concerned Goodwitch.
"Someone, who says they are from my past, just confronted me and said that I have been missing for six years and now she hates me. Which means that I just appeared at Beacon after been missing for three years where no one knew where I was. I came to ask if you could background check this person?" Ceril explained.
"Well, I guess, but what are you going to do with this info?" asked Ospin.
"I just want to figure out what happened six years ago. Like what was going at that time? And also how I am connected to this girl?"
"Alright I will, but I have a request for you."
"I mean I guess. You scratch my back, I scratch yours. It only seems fair."
"Okay. I would like to train you as a solo hunter. The relic there for will be one of a kind and you have to search for it. Tomorrow the students will be looking for the ruins as you may well know. You must travel into and underneath the ruins you can ask if another team would like to join but you are the only one that has to go down there. Understand so far?"
"Yeah I get it. What kind of entrance am I looking for?"
"There will be a doorway off to the side obscured by vines. So look for the thickest area of vines and it should be there."
"Alright cool and thank you. I should be heading back Yang and Ruby will be wondering where I went."
"Is this Ruby's last name Rose perhaps?" Goodwitch asked.
"I'm not sure, I never asked, why?"
"Because I suggested you get to know her as you may need her help later on."
"Oh that's what you were telling me as I left, I didn't quite here you then. Alright I'll find out, if she is then I'll do as you say, even though I would've anyways, she is the only other person that is as young as I am as far as I know."
And with that Ceril left them to their own devices and headed back to the main hall. On his way there he could feel those eye of the cat that had confronted him earlier and then he stopped, realization on his face. He had had the same feeling on the airship and in the tree just before orientation, not just in the mess hall. He then turn to the spot where he felt the eyes and summoned a ball of water to one of his hands and threw it there.
When the ball came in contact with the wall it shrieked. 'As I expected that's her semblance.' Ceril thought as Serene fell off the wall soaked. "What the hell, that was cold!!" Serene yelled at him.
"Well guess that'll teach you to not watch me like some creep for almost half the day," he shot back calmly.
"Wait! How did you know I was watching you earlier?!" asked Serene, clearly shocked.
"Well I wasn't to sure myself but thanks for confirming it for me," Ceril said as he walked away. "Oh and here's my t-shirt so you can wear something dry" he called as he tossed her his tee.
"What about you?"
"Don't worry I will be fine, see you around."
"That's what you said last time and then you up and vanished on me," she whispered, a tear going down her face.
As he walked away Serene looked at Ceril in his undershirt and saw what looked to be a large scar on his back at least the top of one. That also happened to be the only scar that he couldn't explain. The one that, when ever he had 'that' nightmare, burned intensely.Ceril arrived back in the mess hall and was immediately attacked by Yang.
"What the hell Yang, what I do?"
"You made me embarrassed that's what and there's only one way to make it up to me." Yang said as she finally backed off.
"Please don't say a date" he whispered to himself.
"And it's take me on a date in vale." She said with a smug smile on her face.
"Alright fine but it's gonna have to be next Saturday cause I'm gonna be making a final adjustment to my weapon and this Saturday is the only day I can do it."
"Fine." She said with a hint of disappointment.
"I'm beginning to think that what Ruby said is correct." Ceril said.
"What she say?"
"Not gonna tell I think it would put her at risk."
"What would put me at risk Ceril?" Ruby asked, suddenly next to him.
"Holy shit you scared me Ruby. Um, how long have you been there?"
"Long enough. So what were you 'not' gonna tell Yang?"
"That you thought she liked me."
Both girls immediately turned bright red at what he said. And at that moment a third pair eyes made themselves known.
Ceril felt a tap on his shoulder followed with what he thought was a beautiful voice. "Um, yeah, hi could you guys stop being so loud? I was trying to read."
The three of them looked behind Ceril to find a girl in mostly black, a bow in her hair, and a book in hand. She looked slightly annoyed that she had to stop reading to talk to them, but the look of annoyance faded off her face as she looked at Ceril while also gaining a slight blush.
"Um weren't you the girl on the airship thats face was pretty much buried in that book?" Ceril asked recognizing her.
"Um, yeah I was why?" she asked.
"First your name then I'll tell you why."
Ruby, Yang, and the girl shared a glance, then Yang shrugged as if she was just as curious why he was doing this.
"Alright my name is Blake Belladonna. And you?" Blake said.
"I'm Ceril, this is Yang. . ." He paused so she could fill in the info. "Xiao Long" Yang said. "And Ruby. . ." He made another pause. "Rose."
"And the reason I ask why is cause in doing what I just did, I'm getting you to be social instead of antisocial."
"Really, that's why?" Blake asked irritated.
"Yes, though you may be irritated that I did that, it worked and you now know us three a little better." Ceril said, smiling mischievously.
"If your confused now, just know he did the same thing to me earlier." Yang stated.
Blake glared at him while blushing. "Just be glad that you're cute."
"Alright, I think that's enough excitement for one night. Time for bed." He said as he blew out the last remaining light source, a candle that had been placed in the middle of the room.
(Time skip)
The next morning Ceril woke up to the feeling of someone laying on top of him. When he opened his eyes all he saw was yellow. "Um, Ruby some help, I think Yang is on me." Ceril called as he struggled to get free.
Ruby at that time was just getting up as well when she heard Ceril call for her. When she looked over at him, she burst out laughing at what she saw what his predicament was. What she saw was Yang snoring, sound asleep, on top of Ceril, his face covered by her hair much less. That in itself would not be good.
"Alright I'll get her off, Ceril. Yang someone is trying to mess with your hair!" Ruby yelled in Yang's ear.
Yangs reaction to this was priceless. She sprang up, wild eyed, looking around to only see Ceril close by. She then preceded to try and beat the crap out of him.
"Yang he wasn't doing anything to your hair. I said that to wake you up." Ruby said.
Yang stopped wailing on Ceril and looked at Ruby then down at Ceril. "Whoops, sorry Ceril." She said as she got up off him.
"Well now I regret asking Ruby for help getting you off me." Ceril said.
"What do you mean?"
"When I woke up all I saw was your hair spread across my face and you had apparently decided to sleep on me while you were asleep."
"Um well, about that . . . ." She started as a blush started to form.
"Don't tell me you did that consciously!"
"I didn't lay on top of you originally." She said almost whispering her face at this point almost as red as Ruby's cloak. "I had originally just laid next to you."
At this point Ceril started to blush at her actions and in realization as he saw that she really did like him. And this in itself wonder what he had done to do that to her. "Oh" was all he could come up with now as his head tried and failed to see why she would like him.
They both stood there in an awkward silence that, if you tried to, could probably be cut. The silence was only broken when Ruby spoke up.
"Um, hey guys, if we don't go soon we'll miss breakfast." She said.
"What, why didn't you say anything before let's go!" The both yelled and took off out the door.
"Wait they didn't pick their stuff up." She said then turned to see that somehow both of their sleeping gear was gone already. "When did they get their stuff cleaned up?"
Two hours later, the new students at Beacon where lined up on the edge of a cliff overlooking Emerald Forest. The headmaster had told them that the first person they made eye contact with would be there partner for the rest of their time at Beacon. While Ospin had been explaining this Ceril had been observing the rest of the students. Other than Ruby, Yang, Blake, and Jaune, there weren't many people that stood out to him. Of those that did there was an uppity girl in all white that used a rapier, a girl with red hair that looked like a spartan with a spear and shield, a guy in green that looked bored as can be, a girl with a massive hammer. A guy in black and red had gauntlets that looked like dragon claws with an emerald gems on the top of them. He then noticed Serene at the other end of the cliff. That girl raised so many questions in him.
"Alright any questions?" Ospin asked. Jaune's hand shot up. "Alright good so your goal is to reach the temple within the forest and retrieve an artifact and then to come back here to the tops of the cliffs. While in the forest you are to slay all Grimm that get in your way. You will receive no help from us, you must show that you can handle yourselves." As Ospin said this Ceril formed his katana and checked the pistol he had brought with him, making sure it had all the water dust/armor piercing rounds he needed. His pistol, named Crashing Wave, was a deep sapphire blue with his symbol on the side, a cresting wave, in silver. He also checked his pockets to make sure he had all the ammo clips he needed.
"You will now be launched into the forest. You need to come up with your own landing strategy though. Good luck." And with that the students started getting launched into the forest. When it came to be his turn, as he took off he turned around and yelled, "Time to have some fun. Yahoooooooo."
"Ugh, he just had to do that." Glynda said to herself
Ceril turned around as he flew off then realized the ground was racing toward him. Summoning as much water as he could into his hands and shot it into the ground, creating a landing area for himself. As he landed he rolled and drew his sword, looking around making sure that the area was clear he got his answer almost immediately. Hearing a growl come from his left and right Ceril got out Crashing Wave as two Alfa Beowolves came out of the brush and started to circle him. 'Crap this isn't good. If I go for one of them the other one will attack me, and I'm betting there are more watching.' He thought.
"Alright who wants to fight me first, you guys or your pack buddies in hiding?" Ceril asked the beowolves. He then taps his scroll and music starts to play.
(This Will Be The Day by Jeff Williams)
They stop and looked at him and then lung. He dodged the first one, slashing its back, making a shallow cut. The second Alfa slashed at Ceril with its claws, Ceril blocking them with his sword and shooting the Grimm in the chest with his gun with four well placed bullets. The Alfa collapsed dead and Ceril focuses on the other Alfa. He charged it shooting its kneecap, making it fall to the ground with a grunt, then jumps up and, using his sword, decapitated the Grimm. He then looks around to see the rest of the pack coming out to attack.
"Really, now you guys want to fight?" Ceril said to himself.
(End music)
(Later else where in Emerald Forest)
"I told you to stay out of my way! I almost lit the entire forest on fire." A girl in all white yells at Ruby.
"Well I'm sorry that you can't seem to work well with anyone as a team!" Ruby retorted.
"I'm the heiress Weiss Schnee and I shouldn't have to be with someone like you who is as childish as a four year old." Weiss yelled back.
(Ceril shuddered suddenly. 'Oh crap, I think someone just insulted Ruby. Oum have mercy on them.')
"Then have fun fending for yourself." Ruby said suddenly calm. She then disappears in a flurry of petals.
Weiss looks around and sudden regrets what she said because she has no idea where she needed to go. Ding. She looks at her scrole to see a message was sent to her with a route to a temple, starting at her location, she notices.
"Hope you learn to be a bit nicer to your partner." Ceril says above her in a tree.
"Huh, how long have you been there? And who are you?" Weiss asks him.
"Doesn't matter right now, I gave you your route to the temple with the least amount of Grimm activity. Now when you get to the temple apologize to Ruby. Her sister is not nearly as kind as me or Ruby." Ceril says as he takes off through the tree branches and disappears from Weiss's sight.
'Who was that and how does he already know where the temple is?' Weiss thought as she followed the route on the map.
(On Beacon Cliff)
"So everyone has been paired other than Ceril, but the Ruby girl and are Schnee heiress have already had a falling out." Goodwitch mentioned to Ospin.
"Which was to be expected as they are almost complete opposites." He said
"Then the next pair Jaune Arc and Pyrrha Nicos. That girl is an absolute genius compared to him, why she chose him is beyond me." She criticized.
"You know what they say opposites attract." Ospin responded.
"Something that seems to be all to true this year. Next pair Lie Ren and Nora Valkyrie, those two couldn't possibly work well together. Oh well and then there's Yang Xiao Long and Blake Belladonna, Serene Blood and Deric Draco, and finally Edward Elric and Xenovia Aura." She said then looked over at Ospin. "So have you started the background check on Serene as requested by Ceril?"
"Yes I have nothing yet. And by the way where did the music come from when Ceril started fighting those beowolves?" Ospin asked Goodwitch.
"He has a small but extremely powerful sound system he made into his belt." Glynda explained.
"Oh"
(Back in Emerald Forest)
Yang and Blake walked out of the forest, looking at up at the temple ruins. "Well looks like we're here." Yang said as they entered the ruins.
"What took you guys so long?" They heard a voice ask from above.
They looked up to see Ceril resting on a crumbling wall. The fact he had gotten there well before them even though he was launched last astounded them.
"How the hell did you get here before us we even had a head start on you." Yang asked.
"Well if ya use the brain I know you have you should remember what I told you last night." Ceril responded.
"Oh right I forgot." Yang blushed.
"By the way Ruby and her new partner got in an argument and said something's they shouldn't have. I've talked to her partner already so if Ruby says anything try not to freak out on her." Ceril told her checking his gun. "Alright wanna help me get the relic that I'm supposed to get?" He asked.
"Uh. . . ." Both Yang and Blake said.
"Come on. I know where we need to go so grab a white knight piece. I already told Ruby to grab the white knight as well, so come on." Ceril said as he hopped down and walked up to some thick vines and slashed them down, revealing a door. "Who's ready for an adventure?" Ceril said smiling.
Hey it's Grimmmlord, this chapter was fun to write. And I read the reviews, I will be going over Ceril's back story but not for a few chapters. Alright till the next chapter and like and follow the story. Peace Out.