Welcome back to Bloodbound! I hope you enjoy the chapter!
The locker rooms of Beacon Academy shone in the golden light of early morning and rang with the dismal groans of one Crimson Shard.
"I thought you said something about not being a sleep-deprived zombie." Ruby ached an eyebrow at the near-pathetic figure draped out over the bench. "You're looking very zombie-ish to me."
"That's because he slept on the floor, didn't bathe for what I believe the sole reason of not wanting to redo his hair, and is paler than an Atlasian shut-in." Neo pulled Deadly Elegance out of her locker and spun it her hand, comforted by the familiar weight of it.
"All morning people can shut up!" Crimson sild off the bench and onto the floor, either in a failed attempt to get on his feet or he just lost the will to live. "Everyone else can shut up too. In fact, no one speak to me for at least another hour."
"I'm afraid you only have about twelve minutes to get off the floor and start being social." Skyler swung his watch by its chain over Crimson's face. "Initiation is about to begin."
"Ugh." Crimson sat up, a gloomy look on his face, and watched as Ruby pulled her weapon out of her locker. "Okay, I got to ask, what possessed you to build an HCSS? Those things are dangerous, sure, but they're also big, flashy, and completely useless at close range."
Ruby looked like she had been slapped. "Okay, first, how dare you. Second, how dare you! Crescent Rose is an amazing machine of deadly precision and awesome destruction. Who cares if I take out a few walls when danger gets a little close!" Ruby crossed her arms. "What better-then-thou weapons are you using?"
Crimson just reached behind him, hand gripping one of the steel handles that were hidden by his trench coat and pulled out a long, mirror-like-
"Cleaver? You use cleavers?" Ruby was dumbfounded. "You use an oversized butcher's tool and dare to insult a High-Caliber Sniper-Scythe?!"
"Oversized butcher's tool?!" Crimson leaped to his feet, cleaver still in hand. "Scythes are farming tools; I'll have you know. So, don't be insulting my cleavers, Nergal and Viduus have feelings too!"
"I hate to interrupt this delightful conversation," Skyler rolled his eyes. "But we don't really have time for a weapon measuring contest. Both of your weapons are pretty and equally deadly, move on with your lives."
Ruby placed Crescent Rose in its sling before crossing her arms. "Fine, but this conversation isn't over, got it?"
Crimson sheathed his cleaver next to its twin. "Loud and clear, Red Leader. I'm looking forward to settling the matter soon."
"That's not moving on with your lives," Skyler said hotly. Neo came up and patted him on the shoulder.
"Look on the bright side, Skyler, at least we'll get a good fight out of this!"
"Um…excuse me?"
As one, the four looked over to see a tall, blond huntsman-in-training looking at them in apprehension, his plates of armor reflecting the morning light. He pointed to a locker behind them that stood in the middle of theirs.
"Sorry about interrupting, but I need to get into my locker. It took me a while to find it and I'm not sure how much time I have left until initiation begins." He was shorter then Crimson, but taller than the other three people he was facing. Neo looked like she wanted to grumble disdainfully at that fact.
"Seven minutes," Skyler called, seemingly by instinct, before moving out of the way of the boy's locker. "Sorry about that. My name is Skyler Snow; you are?"
"Jaune Arc, short, sweet, rolls off the tongue, ladies love it." The greeting seemed to be more hopeful, then enthusiastic. Hope that was quickly squashed when Neo broke into a fit of hoarse giggling that spoke of mockery and a very low opinion of the newly introduced Jaune Arc.
Her companions thought that might have been a little harsh. Ruby had already developed a liking to the awkward blond, he was like a dorky puppy.
A dorky puppy with a sword. She observed as Jaune pulled a sword in gleaming tempered steel sheathe out of his locker and strapped it to his hip. His fingers fumbling slightly with the buckles, Ruby frowned.
Is he…not used to his own weapon? Her forehead creased in confusion. Maybe it's nerves, it wouldn't make any sense if he just came gallivanting into Beacon without knowing how to even buckle on his sword!
She hoped, anyway. Ozpin did let her in, despite being fifteen and having not attended any official combat schools prior to being in the wrong place at the wrong time…or right place at the right time depending on how you want to look at it. Ruby couldn't bring herself to decide just yet.
"Is she always like that?"
The sound of Jaune's voice snapped Ruby out of her thoughts and she blinked at the sight of his hand still offered to her even though he was looking at a shrugging Neo.
"She spaces out sometimes, you get used to it." Neo snapped her fingers in front of Ruby's face. "You awake? Come on, we got things to do."
"Yeah, yeah, stay in the present, I got it." Ruby waved Neo's hand away and looked around at the people gathered around her. Her official-by-some-means-highly-illegal-in-most-others team ready for whatever was about to be thrown at them.
And Jaune…was walking towards to a pair of girls nearby. One of whom whose hair rivaled Crimson's and was nearly as tall as Jaune while the other was a shorter girl dressed in white and with hair the same color as fresh snow.
A Schnee? Ruby's eyes widened in surprise. Never expected to see one of THEM risking their lives at Beacon.
Today was just going to be a day of surprises, wasn't it?
Neo nudged her and gestured to Jaune who leaned in close to the two girls and appeared to be trying flirt with them. 'Trying' being the keyword. Even from where she stood, Ruby could feel the discomfort emitting from the Schnee as she leaned back away from Jaune as he leaned forward, putting his head on par with the girl in white.
"Pyrrha, a little help, please?!"
Thunk.
Sweet Dust, Ginger just speared Jaune! Ruby's shocked thought was cut through by relief when she saw that, no, Jaune was not skewered but merely pinned to the wall by a javelin cutting through the fabric on his shoulder.
"I'm sorry!" The clothing impaler, Pyrrha, called out to her victim. Ruby narrowed her eyes at the javelin. Uh, that looks awfully familiar. Where have I seen it before? Maybe on TV?
Before she could figure it out, however, Goodwitch's voice rang out over Beacon's sound system.
"Would all first-year students please report to Beacon Cliff for initiation. Again, would all first-year students report to Beacon Cliff immediately."
"Well, time to do and die." Ruby began to walk forward, her team standing still for a moment before going after her.
"Um, you mean to do or die, right?" Skyler asked, casting a narrowed look at the hitman who shrugged.
"Sure." Glancing to the side, Ruby held a finger out. "Just a minute, I need to go help flirt-tastic off the floor."
Pyrrha of the javelin throwing had yanked her weapon out of the wall, allowing Jaune slid down to the floor with a dejected expression. Ruby offered him a hand.
"Hi, I'm Ruby Rose, you're Jaune, right?"
"Yeah." He sighed, taking her hand. "That's me." Wincing a bit as he got to his feet, Jaune looked at the four people assembled before him. Two he knew, two were still friends waiting to be met!
Ruby took the liberty of introducing Jaune to them. "The short one is Neo and the tall one -Crimson! Come back here! -is Crimson Shard."
Neo waved while Crimson merely nodded before flashing irate eyes towards Ruby.
"It has come to my attention that initiation is going to be held at the cliffs. I don't know why and I don't know how, but given the fact that it is being held on the edge of a cliff, I want to get there as soon as I can." He glanced at Jaune. "No offense, man."
"Um…none taken?" Jaune wasn't sure why this guy was so excited about a cliff, but then again, who was he to judge? Crimson nodded again in response and looked at Ruby, his foot tapping the floor.
"Edge of a cliff, Red Leader, the edge of a cliff."
"Yes, I got it." Ruby rolled her eyes before gesturing for Crimson to go ahead. She turned to the three people she was left with. "Come on, guys, Jaune. Let's go see what awaits us at the edge of a cliff."
Wow, we are literally on the edge of a cliff."
When Ruby had first heard Goodwitch's announcement, she had thought that they might have been simply near cliffs. Then Crimson came blundering in, saying something about initiation having to do on the cliff's edges and Ruby was half-tempted to simply dismiss his words as something he just came up with.
But nope, he was right. I hope that isn't going to become a regular thing. If a psychopath of all people is constantly proven right, the world will burn and he will be there every moment to enjoy it.
Ruby snapped out of her thoughts when Headmaster Ozpin, who was standing in front of them, Goodwitch by his side and a high abyss at his back, began to speak.
"For years you have trained to be warriors, and today, your abilities will be evaluated in the Emerald Forest."
Almost as if they rehearsed this, Goodwitch stepped forward to address the students as soon as Ozpin stopped talking.
"Now, I'm sure many of you have heard rumors about the assignment of 'teams'." Goodwitch leveled steely eyes at the people that were about to try their best to enter her school. "Well, allow us to put an end to your confusion. Each of you will be given teammates…today."
Ruby blinked before nodding as a plan formed in her head. Okay, chances are me and Neo will be on the same team. Especially if Ozpin sees us fight together, we practically have it down to an art form.
Like a clockwork, as soon as Goodwitch stopped talking, Ozpin took her place.
"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 then felt his lips lift in the tiniest hint of a smirk before he smothered it down. "That being said, the first person you make eye contact with after landing will be your partner for the next four years."
Ruby cocked her head to the side. I may need you to repeat that because WHAT?! What'd mean the first person you make eye contact with, that's stupid!
Distantly, she heard Crimson sniggering. It seems that her suspicions about him just wanting to watch the whole world burn were correct. Only a madman could have laughed at the Headmaster's rule.
"After you've partnered up, make your way to the northern end of the forest." Ozpin continued, either oblivious or indifferent to the student's plight. "You will meet opposition along the way. Do not hesitate to destroy everything in your path... or you will die."
Ruby couldn't help the groan that slipped past her lips and she cast a beseeching look at Neo who stood farther up the line. The colorful girl just shrugged helplessly in response, it wasn't like she could just kill the man who was currently making their lives harder. The nervous laugh that Jaune whimpered out made it clear to Ruby that she was not the only one was dreading initiation more with every second as the professors before they spoke.
"You will be monitored and graded through the duration of your initiation, but our instructors will not intervene." Ozpin's voice was like the chime of doom in Ruby's ears. "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?"
Jaune raised his hand, the nervousness that he felt clear on his face. "Yeah, um, sir?"
"Good!" Ozpin, who Ruby now swore was enjoying this, gestured to the assembled hunters-in-training. "Now, take your positions."
There was shifting in their rank as people took out weapons, lowered themselves into crouches, and readied their bodies for what was coming. Ruby wished she paid more attention to all the Beacon files Roman stole, she had no idea what might happen next. If Jaune's still raised hand was anything to go be, neither did he.
"Uh, sir? I've got, um... a question." The sounds of whirring gears accompanied his voice as Weiss Schnee was launched towards the green expanse of the forest below by the metal platform-slash-catapult she was standing on. Ruby lifted her eyebrows. Oh, so that's what we're doing…great.
Jaune, however, cared more about his question being answered than the fact that his fellow aspirees were getting propelled through the air. "So, this landing... strategy thing... Uh, wha-what is it? You're, like, dropping us off or something?"
Ozpin smothered another smirk. "No. You will be falling."
The catapults continued to launch (Crimson flying off into the distance in a sprawl of limbs and leather.) and Jaune swallowed as it got closer and closer to his turn.
"Oh, uh, I see..." Jaune rubbed the back of his head as he saw Skyler place a firm hand on his hat before joining the others in falling through the sky. "So, like, did you hand out parachutes for us?"
"No. You will be using your own landing strategy." Ozpin moved his eyes away from Jaune and gazed at the remaining students. Neo becoming a blur of color as she was catapulted away, Ruby watched her as she fell before shaking her head and falling back into her stance. Neo was tough, she would be fine.
The next two hunters-in-training to go was Nora and a boy with long black hair that Ruby could only assume to be Nora's 'best friend Ren' whom she talked about, in length, in the showers the other night. Nora waved at Ruby as she was hurtled over the cliff side and Ruby waved back, a small smile on her face. Maybe meeting new people isn't so bad after all.
Somewhere below Beacon Cliff…
Neo had no name for the strange feeling that washed over her, but she had a sudden desire to find the nearest stack of pancakes and viciously stab it to death.
Back on Beacon Cliff…
Jaune fidgeted as he thought about the Headmaster's words of 'landing strategy'. "Uh-huh...yeah…"
Only four students remained on the cliff above the Emerald Forest, and Ruby looked over to see the two people Crimson, Neo, and Skyler had sworn off interacting with ever again after their slightly horrific first encounter. Yang Xiao Long and Ebon Winters. Ruby watched them from the corner of her eye as Xiao Long let out a whoop as she used her gauntlets -Duel-Ranged Shot Gauntlets, Ruby realized- to blast herself into the air as her platform sprung upwards. Winters unsheathed her nodachi and, with a quick push of some hidden button, mecha-shifted it into its longbow form as she followed the lead of her friend and was catapulted into the forest below.
There were only two students left on the cliff edge and if the low sounds of mechanisms below her feet were anything to go by, Ruby was about to be ejected into orbit.
Here we go, into the great, potentially deadly, abyss.
As she was launched into the sky, she heard Jaune still trying to get Ozpin to answer his question.
"So, what exactly is a landing strategYYYY-YYYY-YYY!"
And if his surprised shriek was anything to go by, he never did get one.
Neo didn't understand why the universe hated her. She really didn't.
Sure, she was a merciless enforcer for a criminal organization, Sure, she's killed, stolen, and broken more kneecaps than she cared to keep track of. But since when did the universe care? It never had before!
So why, oh why, that after crashing through the forest canopy with her parasol acting like a colorful shield, the first person she made eye contact with was not Ruby Rose?
In fact, universe, here's a better question. Why is my partner Crimson friggin' Shard!
The universe, because it hated her, offered up no sort of answer. If the universe had kneecaps, Neo would break them.
As it was, she glared at the assassin with all the displeasure she felt bubbling up inside her, the assassin who had the gall to just grin back and offer a small wave of all things.
"Wassup, partner?" He clasped his hands behind him and strode forward so that he was standing beside her, the grin still in place as Neo continued to glare at him. "What? Hoping to see another beautiful face?"
"Shut up, Shard, just because we're stuck together like this doesn't make us friends or people who remotely like each other." Neo turned away from him and started off northwards, her body a flash of color among the green-dappled light. Crimson just rolled his eyes and followed.
"You know, the first step to winning Ruby's heart is to stop acting like every person who comes in contact with her is a romantic rival in need of being destroyed. You're crushing on her, not stalking the poor girl."
"I don't remember coming to you for romantic advice, Shard." Neo marched on, despairing the fact that she decided to wear heels into an untamed forest. The decaying vegetation under her feet wreaking havoc upon her once pristine boots. Crimson shrugged at her words, walking through the tangled roots like he was strolling through the park.
"Fine, suit yourself. I'll just be quiet, enjoy the nature, and wonder who the poor idiot it is that's now partners with our glorious Red Leader."
Neo stopped dead in her tracks.
"Your watch is made out of a tungsten-steel alloy?" Ruby's forehead creased in mild confusion. "But why does it look all fancy and golden than?"
"Never underestimate the power of a good coating, even if it's just for show and not actually useful." Skyler looked over at his new partner as they walked through a clearing of saying ferns, the sounds of birdsong above them and the talk of weapons flowing between them.
"I thought about making my baby out of tungsten, but the weight would have made her too unwieldy to be much good in a fight, so I went with the lighter alloys. Of course, with you using such a small weapon, I guess the weight isn't much of a problem." Ruby mused as her partner realized that if you ever wanted to have a long conversation with Ruby Rose, get her on the topic of weapons.
And then stand back, because sooner or later, her scythe will come out.
And in a whirl of mecha-shifting, the red reaper's tool of death was unfolded in her hand. Ruby then started pointing out the parts which gave her trouble, she as especially proud of, or otherwise wanted to know Skyler's thoughts on.
"I'm afraid Dust mechanics are something I'm not very knowledgeable on. Timelash here," He pointed to the watch strung across his vest. "Is simply made of Mistralian clockwork technology and razor chain. I don't have any mecha-shift capabilities, so what you see is what you get. A glorified monkey fist…just with, you know, hundreds of tiny blades and steel instead of knots."
"Ah," They walked in silence for a moment before Ruby turned back to Skyler, a small frown on her face. "Okay, wait a minute, razor chain? Isn't that the stuff you have to basically bathe in aura to use so that it doesn't slice off your hands or anything else it happens to touch? That drains your aura to a point where you're practically naked in battle!"
Skyler held up his arms in a shrug. "In my defense, I made it with the intention of only killing the odd security guard or rival criminal, not creating mountains of corpses. I'm a thief, not a Crimson Shard, I like getting in and out of places with as little trouble as possible."
Ruby snorted at Skyler's words. "I think even Crimson used stealth every once and while."
They both about that for a minute before shaking their heads. "Nah."
"I don't even think Zombie Boy is physically capable of being stealthy, not with his hair, and giant cleaves, and…odd personality." Skyler shook his head. "But he's survived this long, so who am I to judge how he manages it."
"That's true," Ruby agreed, Crescent Rose now resting on her shoulder, too occupied by the conversation to put the weapon away. "Whatever he does, it seems to work just fine. I wonder where he is right now?"
"I don't know; I haven't heard any horrified screaming since I got here." Skyler cocked his head to the side as if listening for the sounds of a bloodbath. "I do, however, hear something large and probably very Grimmy coming for us in a hurry from the east. Should we fight or make a hasty exit?"
Ruby shrugged "I have Crescent Rose out; I might as well put her to good use. Ready your watch, my battle buddy, let's see who can kill our hungry friend first."
Skyler smiled as he pulled Timelash into his hand. Popping the watch open, he pressed down on the pin that held the hands in place and felt the whir of gears turning underneath the porcelains face, the sudden slack in the chain as the majority of it was released.
And heard the crackling of aura as the hundreds of tiny blades tried to slice through his gloves and remove the flesh from his bones. Sparing a quick glance beside him, he saw Ruby rolled her shoulders as she held Crescent Rose in her hands.
When the sounds of crushing footfalls and panting growls seemed to be like thunder and the stench of Grimm soiled the air, the two just waited with the instruments of killers in their hands and calm expressions on their faces.
"Ten!"
"Thirteen!"
"Hey, that was my kill!"
"Oh, less whining and more Grimm killing."
The sounds of metal tearing through flesh rang through the trees as the battle below littered the ground with the dissolving corpses of Beowolves. The flash of sharp blades gleaming out from the forest gloom.
I gotta hand it to the Grimm, monstrous as they may be, they are GREAT for bonding time! Crimson leaned back from the claws of a Beowolf and responded with a swing from his cleaver, taking off the offending limb. The fierce growls that turned into wet gurgles painting a vivid image of what Neo was doing to her own bestial opponents.
It took a while for Crimson to convince Neo to abandon the path of tracking down Ruby's partner and breaking something they love (Like their spine), but he finally managed to do it with minimal physically restraining and the reminding of the fact that killing a person would blow their cover as killers and spies. The only question left afterward was what to do with the still murderous Neopolitan, even he couldn't figure what to do short of challenging her to a fight.
Luckily for them, Neo was practically a spewing volcano of negative energy and the rampaging Grimm that showed up proved to be just what she needed to blow off some steam. Lots of steam. Neo was a sauna trapped in the body of a petite seventeen-year-old by that point.
"Come on, admit it!" Crimson laughed as he planted a cleaver deep into a Beowolf's skull. "This is fun!"
"I never said it wasn't!" Neo stabbed a Grimm through its glowing eye socket and fall back in a cloud of stinking ash and a lingering howl. "I just said I rather find Ruby and Skyler before we start massacring the local Grimm."
"Meh." Crimson waved a dismissive hand as he sliced through the mouth of a leaping monster. "The Grimm wait for no one, much less the people out to kill them."
As the last of the pack was stabbed into ash, Neo began making out the sounds of echoing shots and the faint ka-chunk of someone chambering a bullet into place. She grinned.
Well, there's Ruby. Sounds like she is having fun too!
Crimson sheathed his cleavers, Neo vaguely recalling their names to be Nergal and Viduus, and pointed in Ruby's direction with a small grin. "Given the vague sounds of death in that direction, I vote we head over and be reunited with our Red Leader."
Neo snorted and snapped her parasol blade back into Deadly Elegance. "I thought Ruby told you never you call her that again."
"She did indeed." He nodded as the two set off towards the sounds of gunfire. "But giving the fact that I don't actually listen to people when they tell me what to do, I chose to ignore that order."
Neo sighed and shook her head. Oh, isn't he going to be a FUN teammate.
The Ursa let out a very un-monster-like sound as Ruby drove her scythe in-between the Grimm's shoulder blades, deep into the beast's spine. Skyler having already severed its hind legs with the chain of his weaponized pocket watch.
"That's the last of them!" Ruby hopped down from the dissolving corpse and joined Skyler as he peered into the forest. "What? What is it?"
"I'm not sure." He narrowed his eyes, hands still dripping with razor chain. "But I feel like something dangerous is coming, something feral, something-"
"Incredibly handsome, charming, and fun? Oh, Snowball, I knew we had a connection!"
"Aaaand there goes my peace of mind." Skyler sighed as he and Ruby turned to see Crimson Shard smiling broadly at them. "Hello, Zombie Boy."
"Look at you two!" The tallest member of the team of infiltrators came up and slung his arm around the two partner's shoulders. "All partnered up and killing Grimm. Keep this up and you'll be braiding each other's hair within the month!"
Before Skyler or Ruby could punch him off, Crimson suddenly let go of their shoulders and whirled around to, his aura flickering across his back. Ruby leaned to the side to see Neo standing there, the blade of her parasol free from its fancy sheath and looking deadpan up at an affronted Crimson.
"Did you just stab me in the back?!" He crossed his arms and huffed, a sight strange to see in the eccentric assassin. "We're supposed to be partners! Comrades-in-arms! And then you just threw it all away by-OW!"
Neo had stabbed him again, in his gut this time. Her partner -Ruby was surprised that Neo hadn't just left him to come to find her- responded in kind and drew one of his cleavers from its sheath.
"That's it!" He whirled the cleaver through the air like a theater star. "En garde, heathen!"
The others just stared at him till he lowered the weapon and arched an eyebrow. "What? Too cheesy?"
"Let's just…walk to the temple." Skyler ran a hand down his face. Ruby nodded as she folded down Crescent Rose and sild her into her sling.
"I second that motion, and also, let's keep the challenging of duels to a bare minimum until we get out of the forest."
"You people are no fun at all." Crimson put away the cleaver and pointed northwards. "Shall we hike then? I'll lead the way!"
"HA! No." Skyler pushed past him and started off into the trees, Crimson following behind him with a squawk of protest. Ruby just shook her head with a smile as Neo rolled her eyes. They started off after the two, the sounds of their quibbling making it easy.
"So," Ruby said after a moment, turning a sly eye towards the girl beside her. "Crimson's your partner, uh?"
Neo visibly deflated. "I'm still hoping it won't be as bad as my every instinct is screaming it will be."
"That's the spirit!"
"That's an amphitheater, not a temple, and I refuse to believe otherwise." Skyler's arms were crossed as he glared at the mossy structure before them. Ruby just snorted.
"That's your excuse for passing it by three times?"
Skyler devolved off into loathful mutterings, Ruby was beginning to think he did that a lot. The four had stumbled upon the huge clearing where the ancient ruins stood, even from her spot on the hill, Ruby could see the dull glimmering of Ozpin's relics the sight of figures moving inside. She clapped her hands together, drawing her team's attention.
"Alright, people, the end of the first phase of the plan is in sight. That means no one do anything to compromise it, like failing initiation and getting kicked out of Beacon, okay?"
"You got it."
"Couldn't fail even if I tried."
"Still not a temple."
"Glad to see everyone understands!" Ruby began marching down the hill. "Now let's go grab a relic!"
As the four of them walked into the temple, they were created to the sight of large chess pieces set up on pedestals and four boys, three armored and one with a mohawk, trying to decide which piece to get.
"Dude, no, we have to get one of the kings." The one with the mohawk was trying to convince the tallest guy in armor. "And I don't know about you, but I'm looking at that black piece."
The big guy snorted. "Yes to the first, no to the second. I'm not going to be labeled as the team who thought they were being edgy when they picked the black king. Gold will have to do for you, now c'mon. Sky, Dove, we're leaving! Someone grab the gold king!"
Golden chess piece in hand, the boys turned around to see the newcomers in the entrance. The eight initiates stared at each other for a long moment before the big guy's eyes landed on Ruby and narrowed into silts.
"Beacon is letting kids in?" He stepped forward, his armor creaking with his movement. "Man, first Faunus freaks and now little girls, how the mighty have fallen."
Ruby looked at the boy for a long moment, a moment which was filled with the sounds of Skyler sighing deeply, Crimson chuckling darkly, and Neo's furious growl, before giving her order.
"Guys, try not to kill them."
Neo was a blur of color as she launched herself at the big guy and clambered up his armor like an enraged viper, the boy already shouting in pain as she delivered a storm of bone-crushing blows upon his exposed head and neck with her parasol. Crimson went after the guy with the mohawk, grin and cleavers blazing in the sunlight as he proceeded to hack the boy's aura into nonexistence in a flurry of flashing blades. Skyler, a near-bored expression on his face, let Timelash fly from his hand and slam into the shortest boy's forehead before he nearly disappeared in a blur of motion and slamming the watch across his opponent's face too fast for the naked eyes to follow.
Ruby was left with the guy with the long hair as he charged at her with a polearm aimed at her chest. She pulled out Crescent Rose and unfolded it.
Ah, beating rude idiots is so satisfying.
Just as the long-haired boy was about to slash down, Ruby delivered an upwards swung with her blade that sent him and his polearm flying back in two separate directions. Spinning the scythe in her arms, Ruby took aim as he hit the ground and fired off a shot that struck directly in his chest, shattering a rib as his aura flared wildly across his torso.
Wisely, the would-be attacker decided to just stay down.
"Well, that was fun. A little quick, but want can you expect with chumps like these." Crimson stretched, weapons already back in their sheaths, guy with the green mohawk lying face down on the ground and making a noise halfway between a groan and a whimper. Skyler nodded agreeingly as he bruised specks of dirt of his suit, his own opponent lying flat on his back and looking dazed.
Neo's opponent, on the other hand, was very unconscious with Neo looking down at his fallen form with contempt. For a moment, Ruby thought she might spit, but the shorter girl just turned away and gave Rub a thumbs up.
"No one dead on my end."
Ruby smiled and put away Crescent Rose. "Excellent, now let's get a chess piece and get out of this idiot-infested forest."
"Sounds good!" Crimson gestured to Skyler. "Snowball, fetch us a piece!"
Skyler responded by throwing a black pawn at his head.
"I thought the black pawn was rather appropriate given our current circumstances." Skyler walked over the short guy's prone body, ignoring the grunt of pain that accompanied it. "Even if it is a depressing concept to think about."
All of us pawns to a homicidal psychopath. Ruby eyed the chess piece in her partner's hand. Yep, that's depressing alright.
Shaking her head, Ruby gestured to the distant cliffs that rose above the forest. "Well, let's get going before these guys get up and we have to beat them into submission again."
The four set off towards the cliffs, Crimson rubbing the sore spot on his head as Neo sniggered, they're pawn clutched in her hands. Skyler seemed to be relaxed as if the sudden fight did him some good, Ruby could relate. She felt alive and fresh, ready to take on anything that comes her way!
Ruby was not ready to climb up the cliff, but with no other option in sight and the desire to leave the vast forest growing by the second, there was just no other choice. And when they climbed halfway up and Ruby realized how high they were, going back was quickly crossed off the list. At least the conversation proved to be interesting.
"Whoa, fellow bad guys, check out the view!" Crimson gazed across the vast expanse of green that stretched to the distant horizon, a look of wonder in his eyes. "I think I can see the ocean from here! Wait, or is that more trees?"
"Can we please hurry up and get this over with?" Skyler was about as excited as Ruby about what they were doing. "I have rocks in my everywhere!"
"Yeah, yeah." Crimson rolled his eyes before they widened to the size of saucers. "Giant Nevermore passing by! Quick, someone take a picture!"
"Hands are busy making sure I don't fall and die, sorry." Neo turned her head to watch the avian Grimm go by, thankfully not noticing the small specks of color on the cliff. She, however, did notice the small specks of color on its back. "Uh, guys, the death pigeon has riders!"
As one, Ruby and Skyler turned from their arduous task and stared at the Nevermore with shock, there was no mistaking it, the Grimm had two riders holding tight to its broad and reeking back. Ruby could just make out who they were.
"It's the Schnee and Winters!"
"Is it now?" Crimson would have rubbed his chin thoughtful if doing wouldn't have resulted in him splattering stories below. Maybe I WAS a bit too hasty in swearing off interaction with her, anyone who rides a Grimm into battle HAS to be fun.
The thought of traversing on a huge monster caused a wistful feeling to bloom in his chest. "Guys, I want to ride a Nevermore."
There was a bit of silence for a moment before Neo's 'voice' drifted up from below.
"Crimson Shard, that's disgusting."
"Not as disgusting as your mind, apparently, if that was the first thing you thought about!" He shot back defiantly.
"Obviously, both of your minds are disgusting if you consider that meaning at all!" Skyler raised his voice. "And now my mind's disgusting too! Thank you for putting images into my head, you filthy-minded barbarians!"
"Okay, consider me sheltered, but what meaning?" Ruby looked around to see Skyler looking at her blankly. After a moment, he shook his head.
"Of course Mr. Torchwick would try and keep those sorts of things away from at least one of his children and of course it happens to be the hitman." He looked seriously at Ruby. "My dear partner, I pray you never find out. Please, don't go looking."
And on they climbed, with Neo and Crimson traded words and insults that Ruby knew were probably innuendos of some very dirty degree and Skyler's face twisting into an ever-increasingly disgusted expression. Ruby sighed.
I sure hope Cinder never decided to visit us, I don't think any of us would survive the encounter after she sees that THIS is her backup."
xXx
Twenty minutes and a couple hundred lewd mental images for Skyler later, they reach the top of the cliff and pulled themselves up into the soft grass, the sounds of explosions and gunfire coming from the forest below.
"My brain says go joined in the fight." Crimson rolled his shoulders and winced. "But my arms threaten to fall off if I do."
"Then perhaps you should not have beaten misters Winchester, Bronzewing, Lark, and Thrush within an inch of their lives." The cool voice caused the four to whirl around, almost falling back over the edge of the cliff in doing so, to see the intimidating figure of Glynda Goodwitch leveling a hard gaze at them, eyes gimlet with disapproval.
Ruby, however, crossed her arms. "They said some very unkind things about me and a large majority of the students here at Beacon, so me and my friends showed them the error of their ways. They're still alive, aren't they?"
"Yes." The professor said in a clipped tone, implying that was not the point. "But-"
"Okay, listen," Crimson stepped forward despite Skyler and Neo's various noises of objection. "We didn't like them, and if you know them, you wouldn't be a fan either. So, let's say that the misters whatever slipped on a bar of forest soap and call it a day. Eh, what do you say?"
It was a new experience for the four hardened criminals to see someone snarl with their eyes alone.
"Ruby Rose." Ozpin locked gazes with her.
I can't believe we all got dentation for the next month. We aren't even technically students yet! Ruby resisted the urge to pinch the bridge of her nose. First thing I'm going to do when this forming of teams thing is over is glue Crimson's mouth shut.
"Neopolitan Sorbet." Heterochromatic eyes met stern brown and Neo pushed down a snort.
I really don't use that fake last name enough. The world needs more frozen treat-related things. Shame I'm going to be scrubbing down restrooms for the next month! It really is remarkable I'm so calm for feeling such a BURNING RAGE TOWARDS THAT LOUDMOUTHED IDIOT!
"Skyler Snow." Ozpin paused for a moment at the sight of the well-dressed teen's glazed eyes.
Damn the nitwits we beat up. Damn this school. Damn that moron Shard. And damn the rock that is still in my shoe!
"Crimson Shard." He smiled at the Headmaster. His thoughts far away.
Let's see, if Winters is the leader of Team EWBY –lots of big names in that team, well, two at least- and Nora is in Team JNPR –Nikos was a surprise to see here- that means I have to befriend at least eight people to see where the Grimm rider and pancake girl-wait, Ozpin looks like he's saying something important.
"You four received the black pawn pieces. From this day forward, you will work together as Team RSNC lead by…Ruby Rose."
Neo snapped her head to the shocked Ruby while Crimson pumped his fists into the air, even Skyler snapped out of his anger-induced funk and nodded approvingly at his new leader.
"I'm…the leader?" Ruby couldn't quite believe it, but Neo's warm hand on her shoulder calmed her racing heart. She looked down to see her friend smiling happily up at her.
"I couldn't wish for better one." Neo's smile widened. "Now, let's go throw Crimson out a window."
Ozpin simply looked at the four students, thinking back on the piece they picked and what happened while they were in the forest. Finally, he uttered a single sentence.
"It looks like things are shaping up to be a …interesting year."
A very interesting year, indeed.
Ruby collapsed in her new bed in her dorm room. Team RSNC's dorm room. Her team's dorm room.
Sweet Dust, I'm in charge of three other people. I don't know whether to be thrilled or terrified!
"I think the first thing we need to do tomorrow is decorating." Crimson mused as he looked around the room. "It's a bit boring in here."
"You don't get to make decisions!" Skyler poked his head of the bathroom, his arm wildly waving a toothbrush as he spoke. "We're all cleaning school restrooms because of you!"
"Yeah, and your initial is last in the team acronym, that means you're at the bottom of the totem pole!" Neo crossed her arms. "Now, go take a shower, you smell like woods and unwashed boy."
"Joke's on you! I am an unwashed boy who was in the woods all day." Crimson pointed a finger at Neo. "And you're only one above me on the team name, by your logic that means Snowball should be able to give you orders!"
"Do not bring me into this!"
"You're the one you started this argument, stupid!"
Ruby tuned out her team's squabbling and checked her Scroll as it dinged with a new message. Pulling it out of her pocket, she flicked upon the messages tab and saw that the message had come from an unknown number. She took a deep breath.
It's either Roman on a secure Scroll or…other people. With a little trepidation, she tapped the message…and gulped. It's from other people, lovely.
Reading through the message, Ruby found that she had to take yet another deep breath. One initiation down, one more to go.
Turning back to her team, Ruby clapped her hand, silencing their argument. One look at her face and they knew that the roles of students were to be dropped and their real jobs picked up again.
"Rubies, what is it?" Neo took a step forward, her eyes worried.
"Good question." Ruby grimaced as she held up her Scroll. "I hope you three are ready for some crime because we just got our first assignment from Cinder Fall."
And I hope you people are ready for less than legal activities too! But, unfortunately, you're going to have to wait until next week to see what said activates are. Be warned, things are really going to pick up from here, this is the last chapter that might be considered slow. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed it regardless and I'll see you in the next chapter!
Next update: 1/25/2019