Even if Gales hadn't smelled out the location of all the other students, he could hear them. All he needed to do was follow the noise. That said the amphitheater was packed, filled with aspiring and returning students. 'No sign of Ozpin or Glynda though. But this smell… found Pyrrha.'
"Ruby, over here!" Ruby turned slightly as they saw a blonde waving her over. "I saved you a spot!"
"Hey, I gotta go! I'll see you after the ceremony!" Ruby stated as she started to move, leaving Jaune and gales behind as he tried calling out to her.
"Hey, wait! Great, where am I supposed to find another nice, quirky girl to talk to?" He sighed in defeat before perking up again. "Well, still got you right Gales? Gales?" Jaune looked around only to find Gales wandering off to the side, a hand waving as he called out to someone. "And I'm on my own, oh man…"
"Hey Pyrrha."
"Hello Gales." The redhead returned with a smile. "I didn't see you earlier, I was starting to get a bit worried."
"Yeah sorry about that. I was going for a walk with Jaune and Ruby."
"Are those new friends of yours?"
"Here's hoping." Gales stated as he looked over Pyrrha for a moment and nodded with a whistle. 'Hot damn…' The teen thought. "You look amazing."
Pyrrha wore a brown overbust corset with a vertical strip of lighter brown in the center, an elastic, black, A-line mini skirt and brown opera-length gloves on both arms. A red, ankle-length sash that wrapped around her skirt. There was a small circular bronze plate on her right hip opposite two pouches with both connected to a belt. The plate bore an emblem of a shield and spear. Under her hair, she still wore her brown circlet adorned with a pair of small, green, teardrop-shaped emeralds on thin chains. Also sported a large bronze gorget around her neck and a bronze bracelet on the upper half of her left arm. Elaborate bronze greaves that started below her mid-thigh, continuing downwards into her boots, as well as a pair of cuisses that began mid-thigh and ended slightly above her knees. She also had a bronze bracer sleeve on her left arm. Her high-heeled boots were brown with bronze trim, matching her skirt and sleeves and reaching up to mid-calf. 'Damn… just damn.' Pyrrha looked good. 'Only way she'd look any better would be if she had a Sword and Shield on her… or a Lance… Girls with Lances are hot.'
"Thank you. You look quite handsome yourself." Pyrrha stated as she earned a grin. Gales did a small turn for her as she got a better look at his choice of clothing.
"Thanks. I hit up a Hunter's shop last week and placed an order. Gotta say these clothes feel a lot better than the regular stuff I'd been wearing."
"If I'm right, your previous clothes weren't meant for Huntsmen to wear." Pyrrha stated as Gales made a noise.
"No wonder I didn't like it. Civilian clothes are always so light, barely felt like I was wearing anything." The teen muttered as he shook his head. "Also I got your tool kit still on me." Gales stated as he gestured to his backpack. "You want that back now or after the ceremony?"
"I can wait Gales." Pyrrha stated as she smiled. "So I take it your… Switch-Axe is finished?"
"Sort of." Gales muttered, turning to Pyrrha to show her the mammoth weapon he'd created. "I realized I don't have enough knowledge on how to actually build a switchaxe so I made this instead." Pyrrha made a noise as she stared at the weapon. "Not the prettiest one around, but she'll get the job done. All I need to do is run her through the paces."
"You mean see how well it works in a real battle?" Gales turned as he nodded his head, putting his hands on his hips. "I wish you the best; the first hunt with a weapon is always the most important."
"Same in the Old World." Gales admitted with a light smile. The next second though it slipped as he turned hand instinctively latching onto Altered Song's handle. "What the?"
"Gales? Is something the matter?" Pyrrha asked as Gales continued to look around for a moment before Pyrrha put a hand on his shoulder. "Gales?"
"Huh, oh sorry," Gales slowly released his weapon as he took a slow inhale. "It's just… the hairs on my neck stood up."
"The hairs on your neck stood up?"
"Yeah, it happens whenever my instincts start kicking in, warning me of danger and stuff."
"I see… what is it telling you?" Gales frowned slightly as he looked around again before stopping.
"I… don't know. It's just… reacting to something." He admitted as he crossed his arms. "Not danger or trouble just… reacting." The teen admitted before shaking his head. "I'm probably just getting restless again."
"I see."
"You!" Gales paused for another moment as he looked in a random direction and pouted for a moment.
"Oh God, it's happening again!"
"You're lucky we weren't blown off the side of the cliff!"
"Oh my god, you really exploded."
"It was an Accident! It was an accident!... What's this?"
"The Schnee Dust Company is not responsible for any injuries or damages sustained while operating a Schnee Dust Company Product. Although not mandatory, the Schnee Family highly encourages their customers to read and familiarize themselves with this easy-to-follow guide to Dust application and practice in the field."
"Gales what is it now?" Pyrrha called out as Gales shrugged.
"Oh nothing, just eavesdropping on a conversation." The teen admitted as Pyrrha looked at him.
"You can do that with everyone talking?"
"I learned to filter out ambient noise from my master." Gales admitted as he looked to Pyrrha. "Combined with my enhanced hearing I can hone in on certain conversations easily." Gales tapped his ear for a moment. "Though I gotta say, really loud noises are hard to block out."
"I wasn't aware you could do that."
"You never asked." Gales said with a cheeky grin before turning back to the conversation some feet away from him.
"Look uhh, it sounds like you two got off on the wrong foot. Maybe you two should just start over and try to be friends, ok?"
"Yes, great idea, sis! Ahem, hello Weiss I'm Ruby. you want to hang out?We could go shopping for school supplies."
"Yeah! And we can paint our nails, and try on clothes, and talk about cute boys like tall blonde and scraggly over there!"
"Oh wow really?"
"… No."
"Ahem… I'll keep this brief."
One conversation coming to an end, Gales turned his attention to the stage as he saw a familiar face stepping up to the microphone. Looked like Oz was about to make his opening speech. "I wonder what kind of motivational speech he'll pull off."
"You have traveled here today in search of knowledge. To hone your craft an acquire new skills. And when you are finished, you plan to dedicate your life to the protection of the people. But I look amongst you and all I see is wasted energy in need of purpose, direction."
Gales shot Ozpin a look.
"You assume knowledge will free you of this but your time at this school will prove that knowledge will only carry you so far. It is up to you to take the first step."
'That was… inspirational…' Gales just looked around before his attention turned to Pyrrha who shrugged. "Am I the only one who was expecting something along the lines of Welcome to Beacon, I hope you enjoy your time here?"
"I don't think so."
"You will gather in the Ballroom tonight. Tomorrow your initiation begins. Be ready."
Hours Later
Beacon - Ballroom
"It's like a big slumber party!" Yang cheered as she dropped onto her sleeping bag. Right next to her she found her younger sister just writing away at something.
"I don't think dad would approve of all the boys, though."
"I know I do." Yang winked and purred at a couple of the males across from them. Some were tustling around, others were flexing and then… there was Jaune; in his full pajamas. Yang just made a noise as she looked away, her attention returning to her younger sister. "What's that?"
"A letter to the gang back at Signal."
"I promised to tell them all about Beacon and how things are going."
"Aw~ that so cu~ute!"
"Shut up!" Yang did, though only because her younger sister threw a pillow at her face. "I didn't get to take my friends with me to school. It's weird not knowing anyone here."
"What about Jaune? He's… nice! There ya go! Plus one friend! That's a 100 percent increase!"
"I'm pretty sure Weiss counts as a 'negative friend'. Back to zero." Yang just smiled at her little sister.
"There's no such thing as 'negative friends'! You just made one friend and one enemy!" Another pillow. "Besides didn't I see you and Jaune with another boy earlier?" Yang asked as Ruby seemed to think for a moment "Isn't he one of your friends too? That makes two on your first day."
"Yeah I guess. I don't know where he ran off to though."
"Look, it's only been one day. Trust me, you've got friends all around you. You just haven't met the yet." Ruby just stayed silent as she sat up she looked around for a moment befoe her eyes locked onto someone.
"That girl."
"You know her?"
"Not really. She saw what happened this morning, but left before I could say anything."
"Well, now's your chance."
Thanks again for letting me borrow your kit Pyrrha." Gales said as he watched the redhead set the box in a locker.
"It was my pleasure Gales, I'm just happy to help." The white haired teen just nodded his head as he and his friend made their way back into the ballroom. Pyrrha had dressed herself in a tank-top and some sweats for the night. As for Gales, he just stuck with his pelt and pants like a number of other boys - and unfortunately for a certain redhead… 'He has a really nice body.…' She thought before snapping her eyes up to see Gales wasn't paying attention. 'Stop staring at his chest, stop staring at his chest, stop staring at his chest-'
"Wow it's really packed in here."
"It appears so." Pyrrha pried her eyes away from her companion as she took a much needed breathe. "It looks like we'll have to grab separate spots for the night." Thank Oum, this rate she'd probably be doing more than just looking at the boy's muscles.
"Bo~o." Gales whined but shrugged in the end. Tossing his sleeping bag over his shoulder the teen yawned slightly before nudging Pyrrha. "Well, see you in the morning?"
"I'll see you in the morning." Walking over to what seemed to mainly be the boy's side the teen pouted for a moment when most of the talking suddenly died down.
"Holy crap."
"What school is he from?
"Forget the school, look at his body."
"He's got more muscles than my dad."
"Muscles, check out all his scars."
"What's with the pelt?"
"I don't know but it makes him look like some kind of barbarian."
"I haven't been called a barbarian since the Grand Hunt." Gales noted as he just found himself a place and dropped down for a moment.
"What in the world is going on over here!?" He perked up a moment later at the sound of the voice. "Don't you realize some of us are trying to sleep?"
"Huh, It's Ruby, her sis and White again… no not white Weiss was it?" Gales asked no one as he watched the three start up again.
"Oh, not you again!"
"Shh! Guys she's right! People are trying to sleep!"
"Oh now you're on my side."
"I was always on your side!
"Yeah, what's your problem with my sister!? She's only trying to be nice!"
"She's a hazard to my health!"
"Excuse me."
"Oh what is it now?... wow."
"Wo~ow."
"Oh wow you could grind meat on those abs." Yang muttered as the trio of girls looked to males body before their eyes trailed upward. Gales just kept his trademark smile as he looked down at the shorter women.
"Sup, is there a problem over here?"
"Um… uh… well…" Weiss wasn't sure where to look. His face or his chest. Yang wasn't even trying to hide where her eyes were going. Ruby just flourished as she looked down slightly, and the last girl - one about to blow out a candle just stared in in open disbelief at the boy's body. She wasn't the only one either. "Uhm…"
"Hey as much as I'd enjoy to hear you girls go at it again, I think it would be best to take a breath and calm down for a moment alright." The teen grinned a moment later. "You can fight tomorrow during the initiation."
"Well yes, but… ok." Weiss said weakly before coughing into her palm. 'Get it together Weiss, your normally more composed than this.' She reminded herself as she looked up at Ruby and Yang. "I apologize for yelling at you."
"Sure you are." Yang muttered as she looked over to Gales. "So handsome, what's your name?
"Hey Gales." The girls whipped over to Ruby as they looked at her.
"Ruby, you know this guy?"
"Uh yeah, Yang this is the other boy I was with this morning, Gales this is my sister Yang, Weiss and Blake."
"Hot damn Ruby." Yang leaned over to her sister for a moment and raised her hand to whisper. "This is the other boy you were with this morning, good job."
"Good job with what?"
"Well it's nice to meet all of you." Gales stated as he put his hands on his hips. Blake just nodded her head as Gales looked at the book next to her. "Hey is that The Man with Two Souls?" Blake paused as she looked at her book and picked it up for a moment.
"Yes, you've heard of it?"
"I've read it a few times, not a bad story." Gales admitted as he crouched down to see the book better. "Hey, are you almost done with it?"
"Not yet, I still have a way to go before I'm finished."
"Well when you're done come talk to me, my boss owns a bookstore that has the sequel."
"You work at a bookstore?" Blake's ears perked up as Gales nodded.
"It's a parttime but yeah I work at Tukson's Bookstore, it looks small but it has every book under the sun." Gales stated as he looked elsewhere as he stood once more. "So who's ready for tomorrow anyway?"
"I know I am." Yang admitted as she punched her fist with a grin. "I can't wait for initiation to begin. Finally get to show my stuff."
"Really?" Gales held out a fist. "Then I can't wait to see what you got."
"Same here." Yang bumped fists with the teen as her eyes darted south again. When Ruby took notice she lightly swatted her in the back of her head as Gales chuckled slightly.
"Then I look forward to seeing what yo all got, till then." Gales just raised a finger to his lips as he passed a message. "Let's keep it down a bit for everyone else eh."
Morning
Felt like forever till morning came. Mainly because Gales just wanted breakfast. There was also his desire to get this over with and start hunting but right now his main worry was food. Never was a good idea to hunt on an empty stomach. And when that was taken care of all the would be students escorted to the falls where they were they would be given another speech by their headmaster and his right hand.
'For some reason I don't like that look on Oz's face.' Gales noted as he turned his attention to the headmaster and watched a sliver of a smile cross the mans face. Man wasn't looking at him at him, but he felt the guy's eyes somehow focusing on his person. "What are you planning Oz?"
"For years, you have been trained to become warriors. And today your abilities will be evaluated in the Emerald Forest."
"Now, I'm sure many of you have been hearing the assignment of teams. Well, let's put an end to your confusion. You'll be given teammates… today."
"What?!" Gales just peaked further up the line as he heard Ruby's voice.
"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 up with someone you could work well with. That being said, the first person you make eye contact with when you land will be your partner for the next four years."
"WHAT?!"
"Really?" Gales muttered as he crossed his arms. "Well that's new, usually I just ask if people wanna party up with me and just rotate with other people."
"See, I told you." Someone further up the line stated as Gales turned his head to try finding where it was coming from.
"After you've partnered up, make your way to the northern end of the forest. You wil meet opposition along the way. Do not hesitate to destroy everything in your path, or you will die." Jaune released a nervous laugh as he gulped.
"You will be monitored and graded for the duration of your initiation, but our instructors will not intervene. You will find an abandoned temple at the end of the path containing several relics. Each pair must choose one and return to the top of the cliff. You will guard that item as well as your standing and grade you appropriately. Are there any questions."
"Yeah, um, sir?"
"Good. Now take your positions."
"Uh, sir? I've got, um a question." Gales watched as Weiss disappeared into the sky.
"You're catapulting us?" Gales squeeked with excitement as someone else disappeared into the sky. "Oh yeah~."
"So, this landing strategy thing, uh, w-what is it? You're like dropping us off or something?"
"No. You will be falling." Ozpin said simply.
"Oh, I see. So, like did you hand out parachutes for us?"
Someone else was launched. "Woohoo!"
"You will be using your own landing strategy."
"YES!" Gales jumped and cheered as he heard the words. 'Oh this is hands down the best school initiation I've ever been to! Granted it's only the second school initiation I've been to but that's beside the point!'
"Uhhuh… yeah." Yang was next, and Ruby was right after her. "So, um, what exactly is a landing strateg-" Mid word Jaune was launched into the air as Gales was left snickering slightly. He just looked at the platform before smiling.
"I'm going to enjoy this."