"Welcome to Beacon, Professor."
"Thank you, Headmaster Ozpin."
"Please, no need for the formality. I find it a better working environment if we are on a first-name basis between staff."
A light chuckle. "Very well, Ozpin. It's an honor and a privilege to teach here."
A low hum. "With your particular set of skills and your rather unique Semblance, I'd be honored to have you on my staff."
The two men laughed.
"When can I begin?"
"Next week. When the students will be returning form their break. I'm confident that is enough time to prepare?"
"More than enough time."
"If there is anything that you need, don't hesitate to ask."
A small smile. "Thank you for the offer but I believe I can find what I need without putting a strain on your resources."
An amused smirk. "Of course."
The Branwen twins snorted at the new curriculum that had opened up for the first semester of their sophomore year at Beacon Academy. While Taiyang and Summer—and pretty much every other student here with enough brain cells to act on initiative and common sense—would jump at these courses, Raven and Qrow had grown up basically with the same stuff that constituted the subject matter of these classes.
"Whoa, I think I'm signing up for this one," Tai immediately swooned.
Summer nodded agreement. "Makes sense since we'll be doing missions in a variety of environments for extended periods of time."
The twins yawned.
"Big deal," Qrow grunted. "Have fun eating bugs for breakfast."
"Probably wouldn't stomach them," Raven chided.
"Come on, guys," prodded the enigmatic leader of team STRQ. "This isn't that bad. Sure, I know you two have been through some rough patches growing up but maybe this'll give you some new ideas?"
Qrow raised a brow. "Rough patches is mildly putting it."
"I decline," Raven retorted. She turned on her heel back towards their dorm room. "Have fun learning the basics of the outdoors."
"Not so fast!"
Taiyang laughed as Summer dragged both Branwens back to their team bubble. Qrow had been too hungover to resist while Raven, despite her distaste, relented if only to see where this was going. Team STRQ assembled before the holographic message boards where the course curriculum had been outlined for all to see.
'Survival 101 – Basic' and 'Survival 102 – Advanced' were both highlighted in yellow-bordered boxes. The numbers next to them were dropping. Only a few slots left.
Raven quickly noticed the oddity here. The school had just opened two subjects steeped in a subject matter that she saw as the most vital thing to anyone living out in the wilds. Both were taught by the same instructor. A certain 'Professor U.'
For a moment, she considered the possibility that another member of their Tribe, probably a senior veteran, had infiltrated the Academy to assist them. Then again, given how much it cost to get them both here to begin with, she doubted any resources or effort could have been devoted to bring another one in let alone if there were any resources left to spare given the recent tides in Mistral.
She glanced across her shoulder to see Qrow sporting the same scrutiny on his lazy face. By then, Summer had already gone through her lecture about team unity and cohesion and the like. They tuned her out until they heard a few beeps and a ding. The twins looked up at the boards to see team STRQ was now registered under Professor U's class.
"You think we'll be eating bugs and drinking our own piss?" Taiyang snickered.
"Mine tastes like sour lemon if you want some," Qrow bantered.
"Ew!" Summer recoiled. "How do you even know that?"
Raven sighed into her palm. "Don't ask."
The two boys burst into laughter before continuing to exchange more sickening jokes, much to the chagrin of the two girls. Raven shook her head and allowed Summer to tug her away. When they were far enough away to never hear any more disgusting boy talk, the former noticed the latter smiling up at her with that ridiculous optimism that made her sick to her stomach.
"Hey, I know this might feel a bit redundant but at least give this one a chance," Summer prodded. "Who knows? Maybe you'll be better at what you're already good at?"
Raven wanted to express her disdain but instead found herself agreeing. Her team leader did have a point. And because she was being nice, which was almost always, she decided to follow along. Besides, she was curious herself.
What could this Professor U teach them about survival? Only one way to find out.
Their first class was outdoors. Unsurprising given their subject matter. No syllabi or anything to the hint at what they were getting into. Not even a single word from the staff, even Ozpin himself.
The only biggest thing of intrigue was their instructor. An imposing man with dark skin and piercing brown eyes, ebony hair twisted into braids, bulging muscles that bore more scars than can be counted. He radiated authority and experience as his duster ruffled in the breeze on the edges of one of Beacon's furthermost undeveloped cliffs.
Most of the class, all sophomores, were either eager to get started or apprehensive at what was about to happen. Among them, there was Glynda Goodwitch, chin up and radiating her condescending air of confidence, perhaps expecting something that would either impress her or disappoint her. Over in the corner stood Bartholomew Oobleck, clutching his coffee thermos and without a doubt thinking of a hundred excuses to take it with him. Behind him, Gretchen Rainart checked her polished nails which could actually blind someone with how shiny she painted them. Even that annoying faunus activist Sienna Khan had signed up and was casually leaning against a tree chewing bubble gum.
Team STRQ was the last to show up, making it in time for the brief orientation. Already, Summer was agape with wonder. Taiyang imitated their instructor's posture, folding his arms to show that he too could puff up his biceps and show off the same tattoos that everyone in school had already seen. Qrow tilted his head with that analytical arrogance. And Raven simply observed, curious and intrigued.
"Welcome to Basic Survival," greeted the professor in loud baritone. "My name is Ulysses and I will be your teacher."
ORIGINALLY DRAFTED: October 22, 2019
LAST EDITED: October 22, 2019
INITIALLY UPLOADED: October 22, 2019
NOTE: Hello again. It's been awhile. Some of you may remember me, some of you may not know my older RWBY-Fallout crossover that I had running for a while. Well, my muses ran amok and I let them run amok. Pathetic excuse but an excuse nonetheless.
Around early 2018, I published a crossover called Pit Stop. I ran with it for six months then jumped into the main fandom and starting writing there. Then last December, I started playing Fallout: New Vegas for the first time since 2013 and I feel refreshed and reinvigorated.
Yes, I'm getting back to Pit Stop. No, this is an entirely different story to Pit Stop but it draws from the same universe. Yes, I'm aware that the trope I used here has been done before. No, I have not read any of the other RWBY-Fallout crossover stories so any resemblances are purely coincidental.
Anyway, hope you enjoy this one-shot that I've got boiling in my head for months.