A/N: Sorry for the long wait. I've been distracted lately a bit but here is the new chapter. I hope you all enjoy it. Longer chapter this time as well
Also warning multiple viewpoints in this chapter.
[...]
Morning had arrived and everyone that had gathered in the ballroom went to eat some breakfast, which shocked Shade and Hunter on the vast amount of food and food choices. Back when they were on earth, food was limited due to the Human-Kaiju war. Even though there was plenty of food provided in the Shatterdomes, the food choices were very limited.
Shade and Hunter grabbed their breakfast and sat down next to an orange haired girl and a dark haired man with a purple streak in his hair.
"So, have any idea what's going to happen during this initiation?" Hunter asked Shade as he began eating a few tater tots. He noticed that the food had none of the grease or oil that he had grown accustomed to when eating that type of food. Instead it had the airyness of a homemade baked potato and the crispness of fried frenchfries.
"Oh wow. The chiefs here are a lot better than back home." Hunter said before taking a bite out of some cinnamon toast.
Shade simply nodded his head in agreement as he bit into a cheese covered bagel with a mini omelet in the center with cream cheese. After he finished chewing his food, Shade turned to Hunter.
"From what Tai has told me, we are going to be fighting some Grimm. But he never explained what else there is cause it he said that it changes from year to year." Shade explained. "Also you just lost your pancakes."
"Wait what?!" Hunter exclaimed as he looked back at his plate and saw that his five pancakes were indeed gone. "What the heck!"
Hunter looked around to see where is pancakes disappeared to and saw the girl next to him literally slurp up Hunter's last pancake in her mouth.
"Nora, what did I tell you about taking other people's food." The man sitting next to the girl said.
"Sorry Ren!" The girl, now known as Nora, said with an apparent bubbly personality.
Hunter just stared at the two with a shocked look on his face and Shade just laughed.
[...]
After breakfast everyone headed to the armory to prepare themselves for their initiation. Ruby and Yang stood in front of their 'Rocket lockers', as what the quartermaster Ash told them. Gathering their weapons from the lockers, they gave them a quick look over to see if there was anything wrong with them.
"So Yang, Do you think we would be partnered together or with one of the guys?" Ruby asked her sister.
"Maybe, but I think you should consider other people as well as being more open to new people and it should help you grow up." Yang said looking at the amount of people in the armory gathering their weapons. She spotted the two pilots quickly cleaning the blades of their weapons and Weiss talking to another girl with long red hair.
"Yang!" Ruby whined then composed herself and continued, "Okay, I will make it clear that one: what does meeting new people have to do with fighting? And two: I drink milk." Ruby finished as she crossed her arms.
Yang just shook her head at her sister's antics. "How about joining someone else's team?" she suggested.
Ruby gave a gasp as she said in a mock hurt voice, "Oh, my dear sister does that mean you don't wish to be on the same team as me?"
Realizing that she may have misunderstood, Yang tried justifying herself. "What? No! Of course I do! I just thought… I don't know, maybe it would help you… break out of your shell!"
"My 'Shell'?" Ruby asked, "That sounds-"
"Ridiculous!" the blonde guy that threw up on the airship the day before said as he walked passed the two sisters. He was looking down at a piece of paper telling him where his weapons were. "There's no way I put my gear in locker 636 yesterday! I would've remembered having to count that high! Why does this have to happen today?" he moaned.
The guy walked passed Weiss and the red haired girl as they continued a conversation.
"So Pyrrha, I was hoping you could team up with me." Weiss said to the red haired girl.
"Actually, I was hoping to see where the chips fall." Pyrrha said. "But your idea sounds grand."
Weiss turned around and started mumbling to herself but no one could hear what she was saying.
"You know what else is great?" the blonde haired guy said as he approached the two women. "Me, Jaune Arc. Nice to meet you two."
"Nice to meet you as well, Jaune!" Pyrrha said.
It was apparently clear he was trying to flirt with the two. After a while, Weiss was getting annoyed with Jaune's flirting and rudely interrupted him when his attention was focused on Pyrrha.
"Jaune, Do you have any idea who you are talking to?" Weiss asked.
Pyrrha's mood dropped slightly as she thought her celebrity status was why Jaune was flirting with her.
"Not in the slightest, snow angel." Jaune said still flirting with Weiss.
Pyrrha's eyes widened when Jaune said that. He didn't know who she was and that brought high hopes Pyrrha had for the guy.
"This is Pyrrha Nikos" Wiess said introducing Pyrrha.
"Hello again!" Pyrrha said as she gave a small wave.
"Pyrrha here graduated top of her class at Sanctum." Weiss explained.
"Never heard of it." Jaune simply said.
"She's won the Mistral Regional Tournament four years in a row. A new record." Weiss said with a disappointed glare at Jaune.
"The what?" Jaune asked.
He's definitely someone I want to be partnered with. Pyrrha thought as the conversation continued.
"She's on the front of every Pumpkin Pete's Marshmallow Flakes box!" Weiss exclaimed while waving her arms around in clear frustration.
"That's you?" Jaune asked Pyrrha. "They only do that for star athletes and cartoon characters!"
"Yeah, it was pretty cool." Pyrrha said. "Sadly, the cereal isn't very good for you."
"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 still giving Jaune a very disapproving glare.
"Truthfully, I don't care. As long as they are nice people, I'm willing to ask." Jaune said boldly.
He's the one! Pyrrha practically screamed in her mind. "Well Jaune, I think you'd make a great team leader."
"Really?" Jaune asked.
"Seriously, please stop it." Weiss told the two. "This kind of behavior should not be encouraged!"
"Sounds like Pyrrha's on board for team Jaune. Spots are filling up quick." Jaune teased as he got a bit too close to Weiss.
"Alright, that's a bit too close! Pyrrha, a little help please!?" Weiss asked.
Jaune turned to Pyrrha only for her to throw her spear at him. Jaune let out a yelp as the weapon stuck his hoodie and dragged him a few feet, pinning him to a wall.
"I'm Sorry!" Pyrrha called out.
"Would all First year students please report to Beacon Cliff for initiation." Professor Goodwitch announced over the school's speakers.
"It was nice meeting you Jaune." Pyrrha said as she retrieved her weapon from Jaune.
"Likewise." Jaune sighed.
Yang, Shade, Ruby and Hunter walked over to Jaune to help the poor guy up.
"Havin' some trouble there, ladykiller?" Yang asked teasing Jaune a bit.
"I don't understand… My dad said all women look for is confidence. Where did I go wrong?" Jaune asked as he moped.
"'Snow Angel' probably wasn't the best start." Yang said.
"You did manage to impress Pyrrha though." Hunter Told Jaune. "Though, I would stay away from Ice Queen."
Everyone let out a small giggle at Weiss's new nickname.
"Come on, Jaune. Let's go." Ruby said as she carried Jaune out of the armory.
[...]
Everyone gathered at the cliff where the initiation would begin. Shade and Hunter were both wearing their new combat outfits.
Shade wore a black vest over a blue T-shirt, black fingerless gloves, blue jeans and tennis shoes. The vest Shade was wearing carried the dust crystals he needed for Brasa Azul as well as a few extra clips for his gun.
Hunter wore a green camouflage jacket over a black T-shirt, army green pants and black combat boots. Hunter had a military combat knife hidden in his right boot due to stories his grandfather told him about Vietnam. He also carried extra shotgun shells on a hidden carry belt around his sides and above his weapon's holsters.
Easy, take it easy, just have to end up on the same team as Hunter, Ruby or Yang and I'm good Shade thought.
Ozpin, Glynda and Teresa began to give them a rehearsed speech that was given every initiation. Both Ozpin and Glynda helped Teresa learn her part of the speech before breakfast.
"For years, you have trained to become warriors, and today, your abilities will be evaluated in the Emerald Forest."
'A little assuring' Teresa said to herself, remembering her own initiation back when she was still a 'loyal' warrior and receiving her emblem that marked her as an official Claymore. However, she was still a bit troubled by her dream, or she would say nightmare last night. Clare… a Claymore? No, not possible, but the facts say they are real, those eyes shone silver with the same light as the little girl she traveled with, even considering that her death must have impacted Clare to the very core. Teresa stopped her musings and turned her attention back to the speech even though her heart ached.
"Now, I'm sure many of you have heard rumors about the assignment of 'Teams.' Well, allow us to put an end to you confusion. Each of you will be given teammates… Today." Professor Goddwitch said as part of her speech.
"What!" Ruby cried out, Teresa smiled at her antics. At least they will be fighting Grimm and not each other and a Yoma. Teresa thought to herself. She stepped forward to give her part of the speech.
"These partners will be with you for the rest of your time here at Beacon and with that said the first person you make eye contact will be your partner." Teresa finished, as she looked at a flabbergasted Ruby whose mouth hung open in horror. Teresa waved and smiled to reassure the girl everything would be fine, which also affected most of the students as well, calming their nervousness.
"And finally, after partnering up. You will make your way north and find a temple and retrieve the relics found there." Ozpin finished. He then turned his attention to Yang.
"Miss Xiao Long, Professor Silver here has informed us that you have learned how to capture live Grimm. We ask you that you demonstrate these skills and do not worry about carrying around the Grimm our staff will insure that it will be secured for future lessons. Also, doing so will give you some extra credit for one of your classes."
"I will do my best!" Yang said as she slammed her fists together.
Hunter and Shade gave Yang a quick thumbs up before turning their attention to each other.
"Now any questions? No? Good, now take positions." Ozpin announced as many students posed themselves. "Good luck students!"
With that the first person was launched.
"Five lien says we wind each other and make eye contact," Shade told his partner.
"You?! Making a bet?! I am so in! Ten says we find others." Hunter replied.
"Cheater." Shade deadpanned.
All Hunter had to do was look at the first person he saw in the eye and he won the bet.
Another person was launched.
Shade heard one of the other students trying to ask a question, but he was distracted as Hunter was launched into the air.
He prepared for the launch, but that and try to land safely was all he could do. At that moment Shade was launched into the air.
Yang quickly placed some aviator glasses on then she was launched.
I would say seven out of ten, if my guess is right she's trying to break Qrow's record. Ozpin thought. A few moments later Ruby was launched.
Jaune was launched next while screaming in surprise and horror.
Ozpin Smiled as Glynda frowned at the headmaster's antics. Things will be interesting this year.
[...]
"So Teresa, what do you think of this?" Ozpin asked.
"I would say this may be tame for what I went through." Teresa stated as she watched Ruby accidentally hit a baby Nevermore mid flight. The three of them swore on their souls that they heard someone yell out 'Birdy No!'
"Oh? You have the same initiation like this?" Ozpin questioned Teresa further.
"No. Quite different really, we are separated into two groups and we must hunt each other down, but there is a catch."
"A catch? And why separate you into two groups?" Goodwitch intoned.
"The catch is that an ancient Yoma or worse a voracious eater is placed in the testing grounds. As to why we are separated into two groups is to judge our power and ranked them but only ten are eligible to pass in each generation and there is a total of 47 of us at a time."
Why would they do such a thing?!" Goodwitch asked.
Another story for another time perhaps." Teresa responded.
"Very well, I believe we should enjoy the initiation." Ozpin said simply.
"Indeed we should."
[...]
Shade was soaring through the air, he'd never felt something quite like this.
The forest below him flew by at an immense rate, he looked around and saw that many of the students were already making their way down into the forest.
Before he got below the tree line, he drew Brasa Azul and got into a drop position.
Once he reached the trees, he stabbed one of the trees with his sword stopping him instantaneously and jerking his body violently. Normally, the sudden stop would have dislocated his arm had it not been for his aura.
He slid down the tree picking a direction where he guessed was the center of the forest, hoping he could find someone he knew to be his teammate.
[...]
Hunter was ecstatic, being launched through the air felt very different from being dropped into position in a Jaeger.
He noticed Yang to his side and she started firing Ember Celica to launch herself deeper into the forest. Following Yang's example, Hunter fired Twin Leaves using the gravity dust ammunition they he had in his weapons. Yang noticed this and they both had an improvised race over the tree line. After all of the shells in Hunter's weapons were spent, he entered the tree line. Transforming his weapons into their scythe mode, he caught the trunk of a tree with the blades and began spiraling down said tree.
"Nice!" He congratulated himself as he got to the ground, "Now, where do I go now?"
[...]
Yang had continued further into the forest before she attempted to land. When she got to the tree line she jumped from tree trunk to tree trunk until the neared the ground. Once she reached the ground she did a quick roll to lose momentum.
"Nailed it! She called out to no one once she got up and continued running without missing a beat.
[...]
Ruby landed on the forest floor safely, now she was running with a single thing on her mind.
Gotta find Yang, Gotta find Yang. "Yaaaang!" she called out as she sped through the forest.
C'mon Ruby, you made some friends, who else besides Yang? Ruby thought to herself as a few images appeared in her head. Well there's Jaune, but he doesn't scream fighter. An imaginary Jaune appeared in her head surrounded by cartoonish Grimm. There's Pyrrha, she's nice and all but she's better off with Jaune. Pyrrha replaced Jaune as she fought off the Grimm. Shade? Hunter? They're better paired up with each other. Shade and Hunter replaced Pyrrha, Quickly high fiving each other and then fought the cartoonish Grimm. Who else!? Jaune, Pyrrha, Shade, Hunter and… then Ruby ran into a clearing and met someone with blue eyes and white hair. "Weiss!"
"Ruby!" Weiss exclaimed, "Don't do that!"
"Guess we're partners then," Ruby said happily.
Weiss quickly looked around to see if there was anyone else around and sighed in defeat. "Looks like it. We should head towards our next objective." Weiss said pointing to a path that headed in the wrong direction.
"Umm. I'm not not sure that's the right way. I think we should go that way." Ruby said pointing towards the center of the forest.
Just before they walked off in any direction, they heard a voice calling out for help with a few grunts here and there.
"C'mon I think someone needs some help!"
"Ugh, fine. The more the merrier, I guess." Weiss said as she followed Ruby towards the voice.
"C'mon, you stupid thing!" the voice, clearly male, said very aggravated.
"Why does that voice sound familiar?" Weiss asked.
Both girls looked up into a tree and saw Jaune hanging from a tree with a very familiar spear pinning his hoodie to the tree.
"Jaune!?" Ruby yelled up in surprise.
"Uhh… hey guys… how's it 'hanging'?" he joked, clearly embarrassed, which the two girls laughed at, causing a certain long blonde haired girl to sneeze.
"Jaune?" another voice called out as the person approached. "You all right?"
"Pyrrha!" Jaune exclaimed. "Thanks by the way,"
She simply smiled at the guy. "So how's the view from up there?" She asked teasingly.
"HaHa, very funny." Jaune said crossing his arms, but he did give Pyrrha a warm smile. "Seriously though, can you get me down from here?"
"Sure." she said as she climbed up to the tree branch that was right next to Jaune. She pulled her weapon out, causing him to fall.
"Jaune! I'm sorry!" she cried.
"It's fine. Oww, just got a small cut, that's all." Jaune said wincing at the cut on his face.
All three girls noticed that the small cut wasn't healing. "Jaune? Why isn't your Aura healing you?" Pyrrha asked a bit concerned.
"Aura?"
"You don't know what an Aura is?!" Weiss exclaimed.
"What?! Yeah of course I know what an Aura is." Jaune said though it was clear he had no clue.
"Which means you don't." Weiss deadpanned causing a snicker out of Ruby.
"Oh, who am I kidding?" Jaune said dejectedly, "I don't know what an Aura is. Heck, I haven't even unlocked it!"
"Don't be like that, Jaune. I mean look at Teresa. When me and my sister first met her, she had no Aura and she taught Yang how to capture Grimm alive. She even demonstrated with an Ursa." Ruby exclaimed.
"What? Really?"
"Yea she's awesome. Also you have Pyrrha to help you so it's a win-win. Right?"
Pyrrha smiled at Ruby's enthusiasm. "I would like to help you, that's what partners are for." She said walking over to Jaune. "Also I think I can help you with something right now."
"Oh?"
She stopped right in front of Jaune. "Now, I want you to close your eyes and concentrate." Pyrrha told him as she put her left hand on the side of his head and her right hand on his chest.
Jaune nodded and then closed his eyes. Pyrrha closed her eyes as well and suddenly opened then again wide as her Aura flared then her eyes closed again.
"For it is in passing that we achieve immortality. Through this we become a paragon of virtue and glory to rise above all. Infinite in distance and unbound by death, I release your soul, and by my shoulder protect thee." Pyrrha recited as she unlocked Jaune's Aura. His new white Aura flared around his body as she stepped back for a moment. Pyrrha felt exhausted for a moment before recovering.
"Pyrrha?" Jaune asked a tiny bit worried about his partner.
"It's alright, I used some of my aura to unlock yours, but the energy that protects you now is your own." She said as she watched the cut on Jaune's face heal instantly. "You have a lot of it."
He gave Pyrrha a quick hug, which she gladly returned.
"Thank you." he whispered into her ear. Then they both separated and turned to both Ruby and Weiss.
"So, where do we go now?" Jaune asked looking around.
"I think the temple is that way." Ruby suggested as she pointed in a certain direction. Weiss just sighed in defeat.
"Umm sure." Pyrrha said also unsure of the direction.
Ruby began to lead the small group through the forest and after a while they stumbled across a clearing with a cave in the side of a cliff.
"Hey guys? Do you think the relic's in that cave?" Jaune asked pointing towards the cave.
"Uhh, I don't think we should go in there." Ruby said as her new sixth sense detected something extremely dangerous. Everyone stared at her looking for some answers. "I mean it can't be in a cave, right? Also there's something extremely dangerous inside that cave. Something dark."
"Something dark? Like Grimm?" Pyrrha asked.
"Yeah, something like that but different, I can tell it may even be more dangerous than Grimm. Teresa taught me for three months before the school year started how to sense stuff around myself like how she does. But I'm still getting the hang of it anyway." Ruby said staring at the cave.
"She taught you how to detect Grimm?" Weiss asked.
"Yeah, like how their own version of Aura can be felt." Ruby explained.
"I see." Weiss said not sounding convinced.
"But Grimm with Aura? T-that's impossible!" Pyrrha exclaimed.
"No not that Aura," Ruby said. "It's more like stinky smell but instead of smelling it you can sense it and it doesn't come from the outside of a Grimm but more like from inside it and as energy. Also that energy is just feels unnatural."
"Look out below!" A voice called out from above them.
The small group looked up and saw two people falling down the cliff followed by three Beowolves.
[...]
A few minutes ago.
Shade wondered around the forest for a little while, until he ran into a pack of Beowolves.
There were six regular ones and an alpha. He had studied the Grimm in his spare time after his and Hunter's training session with Teresa knowing that there was an extreme chance that he would have to fight many different kinds of Grimm while staying on Remnant.
"Well this should be fun," he muttered.
"I know right?!" a voice said behind him.
Not thinking Shade turned around to see Petra staring at him.
"Drat." he deadpanned.
Hunter, he could deal with. Ruby or Yang were preferable options for teammates, but he hardly knew Petra at all.
"Well I guess we're teammates then!" Petra said cheerfully.
The alpha suddenly roared at them and three of the Beowolves charged them.
Reacting fast Shade pulled out his pistol and shot at one of the Beowolves. One of the bullets managed to pierce the faceplate, killing the Grimm and causing it to slump to the ground.
The second closed in on Shade has he drew Brasa Azul and drove the point into the Grimm's skull, killing it.
The third Beowolf was shot by something. Shade turned to look at Petra to see that the metal on the glove she was wearing had shifted revealing a gun barrel on her forearm.
"Your welcome," she said with a smirk.
The remaining Beowolves charged, the three smaller ones went after Petra while the alpha charged at Shade.
He quickly dodged the alpha before turning around and swinging his sword at its leg. The sword only bounced off with a 'clang' as the metal alloy collided with bone armor.
Petra was having an easier time as the Grimm she was fighting only had masks.
The first fell to her arm-gun, the second managed to dodge the bullet and swing a claw at her. She was not amused.
The third pounced at her but she quickly leapt backwards to avoid it.
Petra pressed a few buttons on her gauntlet before the Beowolf that swiped at her jumped at her. But before it landed, her arm-gun transformed into an arm-sword. She reached out and skewered the Beowolf right through the back of its mouth.
Shade however was not so lucky, the alpha had managed to get several hits onto him before he managed to get underneath it and stab Brasa Azul where its heart would be, if these things had hearts that is.
The Beowolf roared in pain before grabbing Shade out from underneath itself and throwing him at the last Beowolf that was about to attack Petra.
"That looked like it hurt" Petra said sarcastically while pushing the evaporating corpse of a Beowolf off herself.
Shade got up off the dazed Beowolf and quickly shot it in the head multiple times with his pistol. To vent his frustration more than anything else.
"We still have the big guy over there," Petra announced sticking a thumb at the growling alpha.
The Beowolf lifted its head to howl for reinforcements but never got the chance as Shade started shooting at its exposed neck before charging at the Grimm. He swung Brasa Azul at its neck and decapitated the alpha.
The Grimm fell dead at their feet.
"Calmed down?" Petra asked.
"For now." Shade answered.
[...]
Hunter had been wandering for the past few minutes, not seeing anything remotely resembling human or animal. Or Grimm for that matter.
He was thankful for that lesson Teresa had given him and Shade. That and the two weeks he had training with his weapons, he knew he could handle an average Beowolf in a fight. But he had no clue how well he would do against the many other Grimm types out there.
Using Twin Leaves was actually a simple concept for him. In their gun form they were mostly just gigantic oversized pistols that shot shotgun shells. Since Hunter had grown up around guns he was no stranger to a big kick in a small package.
There was also the fact that his weapons could transform into swords. Thanks to the Jaeger program training, he also knew how to handle a sword as well. All due to Shade's aunt insisting that all pilots learn how to use a sword. That training helped save some pilots lives and made for some quicker Kaiju kills after blades were added to Jaegers.
The tricky part was when they were in their scythe form. He had trained with batons during the Jaeger program, the scythe's were almost identical. The only difference was that they had a sharp curved blade at the end. The part that was tricky for Hunter was the fact that he had to hook them onto whatever he was fighting, meaning he'd have very little space to escape if his attack failed. Although, he was thankful for Ruby teaching him a trick that could help, that he managed to use on one of the Beowolves he fought in Teresa's lesson.
All in all, he was confident enough in his abilities to not slip up.
Hunter had heard gunshots all over the forest however, so he knew many students were not far away.
As he approached a clearing, he saw someone fighting what looked to be an Ursa, a large bear-like Grimm found pretty much everywhere.
The person had their back turned and was about to throw something at the Ursa before Hunter shot it causing the Grimm to back off. The person turned around revealing to be Rona from the night before.
She wore a sleeveless, black, open coat with long tails at the back, a grey shirt, black pants and sneakers. She was also holding what looked like a set of dust coated shurikens.
"Thanks," Rona stated in a flat tone.
"Your welcome, now let's kill this thing!" Hunter said enthusiastically.
He quickly aimed Twin leaves at the Ursa and fired. The Fire Dust slugs sank into their target, but didn't kill it.
"Seriously?! It survived THAT?!" Hunter exclaimed.
Rona used the distraction Hunter provided to get behind the Ursa and jump on its back.
Hunter continued to fire upon the Ursa, not killing it but still doing damage.
Rona pulled out one of her shurikens and tried to stab the Ursa in the eye with said weapon. She was successful in driving the sharp end into its eye before getting thrown off by the beast. Rona slammed against a tree, draining most of her Aura.
The Ursa was stunned, but it wasn't dead yet.
An idea popped into Hunter's head. Hunter quickly reloaded Twin leaves with Gravity Dust rounds and transformed his weapons into their scythe form. He then charged the Ursa and caught the blades on the left side of its neck. Hunter then pulled the triggers using the kick from the Gravity Dust rounds to decapitate the Ursa.
"Well," Hunter said as he walked over to Rona and helped her up. "That was fun"
"Yeah… fun…" Rona replied between breaths.
Hunter transformed Twin Leaves back into their shotgun form and put them back into their holsters at his sides.
"We should get going," Rona said "No telling what kind of attention that drew."
"You're probably right," Hunter replied "let's get out of here."
After a few minutes of walking Hunter and Rona stumbled across a massive pack of Beowolves.
"RUUUUUUN!" Hunter yelled as he fired into the pack that began chasing them.
"I AM RUNNING!" Rona shouted back. She noticed the trees began to thin out ahead. "There's a clearing up ahead! Maybe we can get them off our tails"
But once they reached the clearing.
"Are you kidding me?! This isn't a clearing! It's a cliff!" Hunter exclaimed before several Beowolves charged out of the tree line.
"JUMP!" Rona yelled before doing so herself.
Hunter quickly followed suit and shouted "Look out below!" as he and Rona fell down the cliff.
The Beowolf pack chased them till the edge of the cliff only to bump three of Beowolves in the pack off the cliff.
When they landed they saw Ruby, Weiss, Jaune and Pyrrha looking at them.
"Hey guys!" Hunter greeted the group as he and Rona got up.
The three Beowolves that got knocked off the cliff crash landed behind them, a bit stunned if nothing else.
Hunter and Rona regrouped with the others. "Hey Ruby, do you think you can take care of these guys?" Hunter asked pointing his thumb over at the Grimm behind him.
"Sure thing!" Ruby responded. Instead of reaching for Crescent Rose, she reached into her pocket and pulled out a red ribbon and a set of ear plugs.
"What are you doing!" Weiss yelled in concern. "Are you trying to get yourself killed?"
"Hey Ice Queen, be quiet and watch. She's much stronger when she does this." Hunter told Weiss.
"Hey!"
Ruby put the earplugs in and cover her eyes with the ribbon. Her entire world went dark and silent. But her new sixth sense increased tenfold. The three Beowolves finally got up and stared down at what looked like a completely defenceless girl standing in front of them. Ruby reached for Crescent Rose and extended it into its full scythe form.
The Beowolves charged at her with full murderess intent. When the first one reached Ruby only for her to use her semblance to get behind it. She hooked Crescent Rose over its right shoulder and sliced through its torso.
The second Beowolf tried to attack her from the side. Ruby already noticed that and continued the swing into the skull of the Grimm. The blade pierced the skull of the Grimm and continued through until its head was bisected.
The last Grimm tried to attack her from behind, but Ruby used her weapon to spin herself around to kick it in the face. The Beowolf was stunned for a moment as she used her chance to use the full momentum to slice off the Grimm's arm torso and head all in a matter of two seconds.
After the Grimm fell, Ruby turned her head and noticed the energy being released by the creature in the cave was a lot stronger than before and it was starting to stir.
She folded Crescent Rose into its carry form and put it back into its holster on her lower back. Ruby removed the ribbon and ear plugs and noticed the shocked look on everyone's face except Hunter's.
"What?" Ruby asked.
"How the heck did you manage to do that!" Weiss asked still shocked at what Ruby had done.
"Has she told you that she can sense Grimm yet?" Hunter asked the group. Pyrrha, Jaune and Weiss nodded as they watched Ruby back away from the cave.
"Wait she can sense Grimm?" Rona asked.
"I'll explain in detail but we have to leave." Ruby told the group. "We have a relic to find and we also need to get away from that cave. Whatever is in there, it noticed the fight and is beginning to stir."
"No need to tell me twice." Hunter replied and began to follow Ruby through the forest. The rest of the group followed after the two asking a series of questions that the young red reaper tried her best to answer.
[...]
Back on the cliff, the three professors looked on as the initiation progressed.
"Ozpin, the last partners have been made, Lie Ren and Nora Valkyrie, honestly I feel sorry for the boy." Glynda said.
Ozpin said nothing as he continued on watching a certain group heading towards the temple. How odd that miss Rose was able to detect such things… indeed this year will be interesting. He mused then he turned his attention to the third spectator of the initiation.
"Teresa, how did you teach miss Rose to detect Grimm, since Grimm do not have souls therefore they do not posses Aura." Ozpin asked.
Teresa remained watching the forest as she spoke "Indeed these creatures do not have souls, but they still exhaust an energy from their bodies at all times. Me and a few others have learned how to read that energy and dodge attacks before they even happen. Though, miss Rose only recently began learning how detect Grimm and has yet to master that trick. I doubt she will be able to learn it cause she is more of a speedster type from what her semblance has shown me." She began to focus her sixth sense towards the cave that Ruby and her group had found, wondering why she wanted to get away from the cave. "As for how I taught her how to detect Grimm, I just followed the instructions that Emilia Rose told me to follow that she used to teach Ruby's mother." Teresa's eyes snapped to attention as her sixth sense detected something that should have not been there and was as serious threat.
Ozpin and Glynda's eyes widened a bit at the information and then widened some more as Teresa unsheathed her claymore and prepared to jump into the forest.
"Teresa, what are you doing?" Ozpin asked.
"You know we can't intervene in this initiation, correct?" Professor Goodwitch added.
"I know, but sadly this initiation will be a bloodbath if I can't get rid of this problem soon. How it managed to hide its presence from me is commendable but not good enough, it could have used the Grimm as cover." Teresa responded.
"Excuse me but 'It'?" Glynda questioned.
"A monster in the form of a human, an Awakened, and I know who…" Teresa replied and then leaped off the cliff to hunt down the threat, leaving the two professors in shock.
[...]
Back in the cave after the six huntsmen and huntresses in training left, the creature inside it as stirring, something monstrous, and it was hungry…
"I ssssmell fresssh Gutsss." the thing hissed as is moved out of the cave and began to track the group. It had fed on those black creatures, but they never satisfied its hunger, it wanted more. The creature wanted the sweet guts of those younglings if its hearing heard right. But now it is time to feast and those black creatures will not stop it.
Not only that, it wanted that scent among the group that smelled like her…
[...]
A/N: hope you enjoyed the chapter and the little cliffhanger.
Side note chapter 9 will be slightly delayed because next week I will be in the mountains for vacation and when I get back, my family will be visiting from out of state until the end of next month. But once that is over expect chapter 9 to be out around then.
Also a hint to who the Awakened that both Ruby and Teresa detected. Her name is a spice or leaf you use while cooking chicken with.
See you all next chapter.
