AN: I'm happy to say we've hit 70 followers on the story! I'm super stoked about that considering we're just now getting to chapter four. I also just realized that I didn't mention the biggest thing to happen in my absence in the last chapter: the Bleach anime returning! I don't know about y'all but Bleach has never been better than it is now imo. Just a seriously perfect adaptation for the first cour. Now, with the fanboying out of the way, let's get to the reviews.

ArguableReader: Can't say much without spoiling the whole story but what I can say is that Ichigo is not getting a harem nor is he replacing Jaune. I don't blame you for thinking that'd be a possibility though considering this is a fanfiction. Now then, the story is rated T, so 13+, which according to the guidelines, can include minor coarse language. Swearing only makes up like 0.05% percent of the word count for chapters 1-3 which seems like a very minor amount to me. I personally swear like a sailor irl so I might be biased there but even with the bit of swearing present, the language just doesn't seem coarse or "adult" enough to warrant an M rating. That being said, the rating might change from T to M later down the line since I won't really know how brutal some fights I have planned are until I sit down to write them.

Monster King: I appreciate the kind words and I plan on continuing!

Emman214: I'm glad to be back. I thought so too! Honestly, settling on the pairs/teams was probably one of the main reason issues I had when writing that chapter.

Ruby's day was actually going great. With her rough debut at Beacon Academy, exploding, accidentally making a scene in the ballroom and yelping while Ozpin was talking about teams, she thought initiation was going to be a disaster. Orihime was incredibly nice and actually listened when she talked. She asked questions if she didn't understand something in Ruby's jumbled up weaponry speeches instead of just nodding along with a forced smile to be polite. Not to mention she actually knew a good bit about weapons, more so the mechanical aspects of modern ones, but still that surprised her.

"It would be really cool if we could implant Dust into our eyes so we could shoot lightning out of them!" Ruby quickly found out that Orihime had some wild ideas brewing in her head. She was taken off guard at first but honestly it was endearing in an odd way. "I mean Atlas already has prosthetic limbs and body parts that can chamber Dust rounds and cartridges so they just need to do the same thing but with our eyes!"

"Yeah, it would be cool! It probably won't happen for a while though. I think the biggest issue there is not damaging your eyes, or your face, or your brain…ya know?"

"Hmm…You're probably right about that." Despite Ruby's more grounded rebuttal, Orihime remains cheerful, a quality that has been helping the younger girl immensely with speaking her mind freely. "Wait…do you hear that?"

"Hear wha-"

Tearing through multiple trees is a massive boarbatusk rolled tightly into a ball. It effortlessly barrels towards the pair and without giving it more than a sparing glance, Orihime presses her finger to her hairpin before flicking her wrist forward. A familiar wall of glowing amber materializes shaking as the beast smashes into it, throwing it into the air. Within seconds, it lands, forming a crater around its dazed, prone form. Ruby appears above in a burst of red Aura and rose petals. She locks eyes with the beast as it struggles to stand back up before firing a round from Crescent Rose, propelling her downard at frightening speeds. With a spinning strike, she cleaves through the Grimm's belly, firing a round into it to create enough momentum to leap from the crater. The cloaked girl lands, handing a switch on her scythe causing it to swiftly fold itself into a more manageable, compact form.

"That was great!" Orihime clapped as she shouted over to Ruby.

"That was the quickest I've taken down a boarbatusk!" With a wide smile on her face, she turns back to look at the dissolving corpse. "And it was huge! How was that so easy?!"

"I know right?! It fell over and you were like whoosh!" Orihime proceeds to do her best at recreating Crescent Rose being sung with just her empty hands drawing a snicker from Ruby. "Then it fell down and we were done!"

"I don't think I would've been able to line up such a good hit if you didn't use your Semblance when you did! Seriously, your timing was way too good!"

Still standing on the cliffside, Headmaster Ozpin and Professor Goodwitch stared up at the projected video footage from her tablet. Hundreds of small shimmering screens can be seen though only a few are enlarged at a time. She swiped the screen, loading up another round of footage from the expertly hidden cameras in the Emerald Forest. On one of these is Ruby and Orihime talking about their recent kill while Chad and Renji's stoic trek can be seen on another.

"It seems like each applicant has paired up now. They all seem to be getting along well enough…" Her eyes linger for a moment at the bickering forms of Ichigo and Weiss as they march ahead. "For the most part at least. So far, it seems like the majority of the students have encountered a handful of Grimm."

"And in your opinion, how has everyone been performing Professor Goodwitch?"

"Individually, most seem to be in line with my expectations. There are a few that stand out though. The applicants from Karakura have been surprising me. Despite their lack of background, each of them are performing quite well though with the exception of Mr. Ishida and Ms. Arisawa, their technique needs work. That being said, Mr. Kurosaki is proving to be a fearsome combatant from what I can see. I dare say he's performing similarly to Ms. Nikos from the few encounters she and her partner have had."

"Ah yes, Pyrrha Nikos…She ended up partnering with Mr. Arc did she not?"

"That is correct, Headmaster. Speaking of whom, it doesn't seem he's fought a moving target before. Judging by his current performance and Ms. Nikos is constantly coming to his aid, I strongly doubt he'll pass."

"That's rather harsh, Glynda. Surely he has some good points by now?"

"Well…" She pauses for a moment to think. "I suppose that his ability to cooperate with his partner is commendable and he seems to be working with her rather than against despite his own ineptitude. Though if we are to commending teamwork I'd first bring up Miss Rose and Miss Inoue. Their synergy is almost frightening. On the other hand, Mr. Kurosaki and Ms. Schnee leave much to be desired with their teamwork though at least they aren't attacking one another."

"We've had far worse from past initiations that's for sure. That being said, it seems this batch of First Years will be small once again. From my estimates, only a quarter of them still have a chance at passing." Ozpin narrows his eyes as he focuses on the currently enlarged screens. He takes a from his mug, savoring the flavor of the coco for a moment. 'The ones that still have a chance however…they're quite promising.'

The sun hung high in the sky, beating down on the forest below. Hours have gone by since the students were first launched into the Emerald Forest. It was now midday and given that the test hadn't been called just yet, there were still relics to be claimed. Tatsuki and Yang burst out from the forest, skidding to a halt as they entered into a clearing overlooking a section of flat woodlands. Yang leans forward, placing her hand over her eyes to block the sun and squinting.

"Think this is it?"

Tatsuki follows suit, stepping a bit past Yang in order to get a better view. From what the two could make out, planted firmly within the center of this area was a weathered, circular stone structure. Piles of rubble surround, sections of the roof missing in addition to the absence of a door on either side despite the archway indicating otherwise. Despite the decrepit building laying in shambles there appeared to be platforms inside. On top of each of them were small black and gold objects. Neither could make out what they were exactly but they didn't seem to be falling apart like everything else was.

"I guess so, though not sure if I'd call that a temple at this point."

"What are we waiting for then?" Yang smirked before rushing ahead. "Gotta grab one before everyone else starts showing up!"

"Right!"

Tatsuki quickly followed behind her partner. The pair move towards the hill, sliding down in an effort to clear the distance faster. Yang leapt forward, landing at the bottom of the hill shortly after Tatsuki slid past her. With little caution, they saunter towards the debilitated temple and step inside. Up close, it was easy to see that the interior was just as bad as the exterior. Additionally, the platforms holding rather familiar looking objects looked to be in better condition than they had initially thought. Their targets on the other hand were pristine, likely being brand new before being used today. Though the actual shape was not expected by either of them.

"Chess pieces?" Tatsuki looks closely at a King piece for a few moments, looking a bit confused. "Not exactly what popped in my head when I heard 'relics."

"Yeah, you ain't kiddin'. Kind of a let down but hey, at least this means we pass…I think."

"So…" Tatsuki wanders around for a few moments before glancing over to Yang. "I guess we're supposed to pick one then we're all done?"

"That's what it sounded like. Now, let's see..."

Yang moves towards a row of platforms and stands there. She hums to herself before reaching out and grabbing something though with her back turned to Tatsuki, the shorter girl couldn't see what it was. She quickly turns a perfect 180 degrees to face Tatsuki with a wide grin. In her hands is a shimmer golden Knight piece. Yang puts her arms forward, presenting it like some sort of prize.

"What if we take a cute little pony?" The remark draws a snicker from Tatsuki. "Something funny?"

"No, no, just reminded me of something." Truth be told, the statement reminded her of Orihime a bit. With a smile, she shrugs. "We could definitely do worse."

Okay maybe it was a bit too soon for Ruby to say that her day was "great." During their little forest walk, her and Orihime came into a clearing with very little cover which is when a massive Nevermore decided to swoop down for an attack. The two managed to dodge with ease…or at least they thought. Unfortunately, the avian Grimm had managed to grab the edge of Ruby's cloak and drag her into the air. Orihime tried to attack it, missing, but managing to get a hold of its tail feathers. While it was busy trying to shake off the older girl, Ruby was able to draw Crescent Rose in the rifle variant, albeit still a bit folded. With shaky aim, she fired and only managed to graze the side of its head, causing it to let out a pained squawk. In this brief instance, the young girl is able to activate her Semblance, escaping from the clutches of its beak in a clumsy burst of red energy and rose petals. As the wind attempts to take Ruby, Orihime grasps onto her cloak and throws her onto the back of the Nevermore.

"Okay this is bad!" Ruby practically squeaks as the situation fully finishes processing in her head.

"Don't worry, we'll be fine! Just take a deep breath!"

With a shaky nod, Ruby starts breathing in and out. At first, ragged but slowly calmed herself after a few moments. This was a…weird situation to be in. She doesn't remember ever hearing anyone riding a Nevermore, at least doing so and living to tell the tale. Not to mention how high up they are currently. Even with their Aura active, she doubts that it would let them survive a fall like this if they were just to jump off the Grimm. The beast also didn't seem to be getting any closer to the ground which only leaves one option.

"Orihime!"

"Yeah?!"

"We're gonna have to steer the Nevermore!"

Orihime blankly stares back at her partner. Beads of sweat rolled down Ruby's face, she knew that her previous statement was utterly insane. She's not really sure how to even explain why the thought even crossed her mind. How could she even justify this plan? Her silver eyes shake as she stares back at the older girl, dreading her incoming response.

"Okay!"

"I know it's cra-wait what?"

"I said okay, it's not like we can just jump right? I don't have enough Aura for my Semblance to get us down from this high up…At least I don't think I do."

"R-right…"

"So what's the plan?"

"I'm going to try and stab it with Crescent Rose and hopefully force it lower to the ground. I doubt it's going to do much damage, this thing's skin is probably like steel, but I'm hoping that it'll hurt enough to make it move."

Orihime nodded, observing Ruby as she began to move. With Crescent Rose already held in her left hand, she was able to engage its battle mode. However, things became tricky once the combat scythe reached its full size. The weapon wasn't entirely designed to be swung one handed and Ruby was, admittedly, far from the strongest person she knew. Not to mention, the winds would make standing up on the creature's back all the more difficult. With nothing but adrenaline and pure determination, Ruby shakily leaves her weapon above her head, before allowing her body to lurch forward as she swung down.

An almost metallic scraping can faintly be heard under the howling winds only to be drowned out by a deafening screech as the blade punctures its skin. The Nevermore began to sway side to side, attempting to shake off the pair. The two manage to hold strong, Orihime clinging to its feathers while Ruby practically wraps her entire body around her weapon. The cloaked girl awkwardly leans on the weapon, applying more pressure and pushing the blade just a touch deeper. The avian Grimm lurched forward, its body dipping a few feet before reorienting itself.

'Okay, that worked…kinda.' A slightly panicked expression manages to creep its way back onto Ruby's face. 'Okay Ruby deep breaths…calm down. You're not going to be able to force the stupid, huge bird thing down, we can see that. So it's time for plan B…I don't have a plan B!'

Feeling the anxiety setting back in, Ruby's eyes quickly began to dart around. She was desperate to find something that they could use to get back to the ground. Of course there was nothing on the giant bird itself but the surroundings below them didn't seem to offer much either. It was nothing but forest for miles with the occasional clearing…then something clicked. Her eyes widen as a thought comes to her. If they were to jump, the trees could break their fall. Sure, it would hurt…a lot but crashing through leaves and branches was the better option compared to slamming into the ground after falling a few miles. Either way the next few minutes weren't going to be pleasant.

Walking out from the temple ruins, "relic" in hand, Tatsuki and Yang were treated to a rather bizarre sight. After a thunderous crash rang through the surrounding area, the two peeked out from inside of the crumbling building to find the source. Laying on the ground, dissolving quickly, was the corpse of a massive Ursa. Even stranger was the pale girl with vibrant orange hair wearing a sleeveless black vest and white shirt with a blindingly pink skirt, sitting on top of it. She rears her head back with slumped shoulders before screaming "It's broken!" to the high heavens. Moments later, another figure emerges from the forest behind her.

Standing there, panting, is a very small, fair skinned young woman with shoulder length black hair dressed in a "vintage" set of robes. She goes to approach her partner only for the orange haired girl to stand up and dart towards the ancient structure. Zooming by both Tatsuki and Yang, she stands before the rows of the platforms holding the "relics." Without missing a beat, she swipes a golden Rook piece and breaks out into a strange song and dance, parading it around. Tatsuki and Yang look at one another for a moment before looking back at the still singing girl.

"Did she…"

"Ride in on an Ursa? Yeah, yeah, I think she did." Frankly neither of them knew whether they were horrified or impressed.

"Nora!" The petite girl calls out as she comes hobbling towards the temple. "Can you please just slow down for a minute?!"

"You're no fun Rukia!" Nora pouts, turning her head to the side while holding the Rook close to her chest. "This is why I wanted to make sure I paired up with Ren but no, you had to be the one to answer my sloth call."

"For the last time…sloths do not sound like that." The tone of Rukia's voice sounded as exhausted as the poor girl looked.

"Maybe we should just get going before we get roped up in this…"

"You kiddin'? This looks hilarious." Yang whispers back with a smug grin. "Plus I kinda wanna know how she managed to ride an Ursa."

"Seriously? That Nora chick seems like a little…too much."

"Pfft, nah. She looks like she knows how to have a good time if you ask me."

Ichigo hops over a protruding root with Weiss following behind, very cautiously stepping over the same obstacle. Extraordinarily, they've had very few Grimm encounters following their disastrous showing in the clearing hours earlier. Frankly, it was a miracle considering the constant mutual annoyance that had sprung up between the two. Despite that, the pair managed to stop bickering long enough to realize that they needed to orientate themselves. Considering, they weren't given a map of the forest, and very, very lacking directions, there was only one step they could take. Make sure they were heading north and walk until they hit the temple or the test was over.

"Yo, up ahead, I think I see something." Ichigo stops, drawing Zangetsu from his back and using it to push some low hanging branches to the side. "I think that gray thing's the temple we're supposed to be looking for."

"Let me see," pushing past Ichigo, Weiss observes the area below them. "It is! Wait a moment…"

Leaning forward a bit from the top of the hill, she is able to vaguely make out a group of figures. After carefully watching, she's sure that they aren't Grimm but rather people, likely other students. Disappointed, Weiss huffs, she was supposed to have been the first one to finish. Sending a side eyed glare towards her "partner," she grits her teeth slightly. With a sigh, she turns her attention back to the hill.

"Unfortunately, our peers seem to have better navigators than us." Weiss once glares at Ichigo for a brief moment.

"What the hell is tha-Y'know what? Let's just get down there before all the Relics get snagged."

"How do you suppose we do that exactly?"

"Easy, jump or slide down."

"What?" As if she was struck by lightning, Weiss freezes up, looking between the clearing below and the steep hill. "You're joking?"

"Nope, let's get going"

"Hey wait a minute!"

Ignoring Weiss's protest, Ichigo grabs her by the arm before leaping from the top of the hill. He slams into the ground with Weiss behind him, digging his boots into the soil as he gradually picks up momentum. Moments later, he reaches the bottom in a burst of dirt and grass and releases his partner's arm. He takes a few seconds to dust himself off before turning his head to face his partner, once again glaring at him.

"You good?"

"Am I 'good'?" Venom drips from her words as she quickly glances down at the numerous dirt and grass stains on her previous immaculate clothing. "I was just pulled down a gargantuan hill and am covered in grime. I'm fantastic."

"Cool, let's keep moving" Without another glance, he saunters towards the temple.

"That was sarcasm." Her words are devoid of any emotion as she follows.

"Really now?" He retorts in an almost mocking tone. "Wouldn't have guessed. Let's just grab the Relic already so we can get the hell out of here."

"That's the smartest thing you've said since I've, unfortunately, met you."

He keeps his mouth shut this time, opting to just ignore the snark. With the pair quickly marching forward, it doesn't take long for the two to recognize a few of the students present. Ichigo's brows raise up for a moment, his signature scowl vanishing as he spots Tatsuki. Meanwhile, Weiss's expression continues to sour as she sees Yang, recalling her involvement in the ballroom squabble from last night. Ichigo gives a quick wave, Weiss doing her best to remain calm and polite.

"Yo!"

"About time you got here!" Tatsuki crossed her arms, a small smirk finding its way on her face.

"Oh hey there Carrot Top!"

"Oh ha ha, very fun-" He stops for a moment, eyes narrowing as he looks towards Yang. "Hey wait a minute! You're that damn pervert from last night!"

"I mean can you blame me?" She quickly eyes Ichigo up and down for a second, moving a bit closer to him. "Digging the whole road warrior getup."

Ichigo's face immediately turns red as he takes a step back. Weiss raises a brow, both confused at her partner's behavior and disgusted at Yang's "crude" comment. Yang immediately bursts into laughter seeing his reaction, nearly falling on the ground in the process. Tatsuki couldn't believe what was going on. She cups her face, letting out a deep sigh as her partner struggles to maintain her balance.

"Oh gods, you're adorable!"

"You shut the hell up!"

Ichigo pushes past her and Tatsuki as Yang's laughing fit subsides. She slowly stands up, wiping a few tears from her eyes. As she does, she notices Weiss following Ichigo. Her expression remains mostly cheerful, though her broad smile shrinks to a smirk. The blonde quickly offers a polite wave to her.

"Hey there Ice Queen."

Weiss's face scrunches up though she doesn't dignify the remark with a response. Neither of them acknowledge the still bickering pair inside of the ruins apart from glancing over at that. Though, the black haired young woman seems oddly familiar to him. Not wanting to stare, he just chalks it up to seeing her on his way to Beacon or on the cliffside. Ichigo glances over the platforms holding the "Relics." Without much thought he grabs one and looks it over. A very well crafted and unblemished Onyx King piece…Not exactly what he was expecting. He turns towards Weiss and holds it up. She also seems equally confused by the use of chess pieces.

"You care which one we take?"

"No."

"Perfect, let's get outta here."

The pair quickly exits the ancient structure, the two girls inside doing the same after a few moments. A sound rings throughout the area, an extraordinarily high pitch scream, grabbing everyone's attention. Ichigo quickly picks up the pace, sprinting out into the clearing, Weiss moving more cautiously behind him.

"Tatsuki! There's a girl in trouble!" Yang points towards the forest. "What should we do?"

Tatsuki taps Yang on the shoulder then points to the sky, "Uh, isn't that yo-"

"Heads up!"

A shiver ran up Yang's spine for a moment as she heard her sister's shaky voice. All eyes went skyward, honing in on Ruby and Orihime. They were hurtling towards the ground at frightening speeds with a large mass of black feathers circling overhead. Yang and Tatsuki quickly moved forward however neither were quick enough. Ichigo's stare of utter disbelief quickly turned to abject horror as he realized that the two girls were on a path of destruction leading right to him. He flinched back as the three let out deafening screams.

"Did you hear that scream?" Chad comes to an abrupt stop as he glances around the forest.

"Yeah, it was loud. Probably near us then." Renji quickly draws his sword, firmly grasping it with both hands. "We should be careful."

The ensuing silence is short lived, only lasting a few moments. Another, slightly more masculine, scream can be heard, much closer this time. The pair tense, immediately adapting their respective stances, readying themselves for a fight. A blond young man comes crashing through the leaves, slamming into Renji. Chad is taken aback for a moment as he watches them skid over ten feet back before slamming into a tree trunk. Renji lays there for a moment, processing what just happened as Jaune groans, sprawled out over top of him.

"Get the hell off me!" With seemingly little effort, Renji grabs Jaune's hood before tossing him to the side and rising to his feet. "Seriously…we were worried for nothing."

The forest around them shakes violently as a series of thuds can be heard, rapidly inching closer towards them. In a burst of leaves and splinters, a gargantuan scorpion like Grimm, covered in bone like segments of armor, emerges. In front of the Death Stalker is Pyrrha, her shield rising up to intercept a strike from the beast's glowing stinger. The force of the blow nearly topples her but she manages to hold strong. With great finesse, she pushes back and distances herself from the Grimm before glancing over her shoulder.

"Jaune! Are you okay?!"

"Yeah…yeah, just a little…dizzy?" Jaune struggles to his feet, stumbling as he does. "Did we lose that thing…"

All color had drained from his face in an instant. As his eyes settle on the massive monstrosity, a yelp escapes from him as he quickly crawls backwards. In his panicked state, he is barely able to draw his sword and deploy his white and gold heater shield as he tries to hide behind it. With immense effort, he manages to raise to his feet, taking a shaky step forward. Despite attempts to mask it, Jaune was obviously terrified. His eyes remained wide, his knees buckled and quaked violently with each step he took, and his breathing remained loud and ragged.

Pyrrha's eyes remained focused on the foe before her but her thoughts lingered on her partner's wellbeing. She parried another hefty blow, wincing as the force reverberated through her arm and shoulder. The Death Stalker was large, slow, and much clumsier than her when forced into a space like the difference seemed negligible. Its superior reach allowed it to keep constant pressure on her, barely giving her time to retaliate against it. Each time it slammed into her shield, she was pushed back. When she was able to dodge, the environment around her was reshaped as the Grimm's claws crushed trees with ease and its stinger created massive trenches when it collided with the soil. Slowly but surely, she was losing ground.

The Death Stalker's jaws chittered as it suddenly lunged at Pyrrha as she attempted to distance herself once again. Before it could strike her or her shield, it was halted as a looming shadow engulfed a mountainous figure standing before her. Chad gritted his teeth as his armored hands grasped the gleaming end of the beast's tail. His body was slowly outlined in a vibrant magenta glow that grew in intensity before erupting into a flame of Aura. He bent forward, forcing the Grimm to the ground before adjusting his grip around its stinger. With a guttural roar, he managed to heave the massive creature above his head before turning on his heel, using the momentum to toss it.

The Death Stalker slammed into a cluster of large trees, uprooting them and causing them to shatter upon impact. As it collided with the ground, it created a massive ditch around the newly made clearing, laying there motionless. Taking a moment to regain his breath, Chad glanced over to the still, mildly dumbfounded Pyrrha.

"Are you hurt?"

"No…" she blinked a few times, still processing the sight of a Death Stalker being thrown. "Um, thank you for the assistance!"

"Pyrrha!" Jaune came sprinting over towards the two, panting lightly as he came to a halt. "You're okay! Thank the gods…"

"I am! I am a little winded from the fight but I'm otherwise completely fine." She smiles at the roughed up blond. "I'm just glad that you didn't get seriously injured."

Jaune, appearing a bit dejected, put on a forced smile and let out an awkward chuckle. He turned his attention over towards Chad. "Uh…hey,um, thanks for helping us with that thing."

"No problem."

"So…h-how'd you manage to pick that thing up like that?" His voice quivered a little, finding the man bordering on seven feet tall to be intimidating…just a little bit. "Technique? Uh, something to do with your diet?"

"I'd say it's mostly my Semblance…but I guess that could be part of it."

"Right, Semblance! That makes sense, I totally know what you're talking about…" Given the odd look the giant was giving him, Jaune suspected his bluff wasn't all that believable.

"Yasutora!" Renji dashed towards his partner. "Hate to break up your little pow-wow but that thing's still kicking."

"I figured as much."

"Oh you've gotta be kidding me…"

Sure enough, as Jaune looked towards the massive crater, he could feel the ground rumble. The Death Stalker had begun to dig itself out of the hole, surfacing with an ear grating screech. Rows of orange eyes glared at the four, radiating an intense flame like glow. Without warning, it darts towards them, raising its tail, poised to strike the first person it could reach. With shaky arms, Jaune raises his sword and attempts to hide behind his shield. In the blink of an eye, Pyrrha had positioned herself in front of him.

"Jaune, stay close to me." Her tone was low as she brandished her weapons.

Hesitantly, he nodded, swallowing harshly as he attempted to. Chad stepped towards the front of the group, raising his fists in front of him as he prepared to intercept the monstrous arachnid. Renji stood to his left, having firmly planted his feet with his sword lifted above his shoulder as a small smirk crept onto his face. Similarly to Chad, Pyrrha's face remained stoic, watching their foe advance as she readied her bronze shield. Then in mere moments, it was in front of them.

Various sounds reverberate through the forest. Trees falling, metal scraping, gun shots, and inhuman roars all filled Momo's ears. Her eyes constantly darted around, worried of Grimm springing onto them at a moment's notice. Everything seemed distant but that was all her mind could focus on outside of the constant walking. After all, it's not like she could entertain herself with conversation. Following their initial greetings, her partner had barely said a word to her.

Most people considered her friendly and she certainly made an effort to be amicable to others. As such, she had been worried that she had somehow offended him. A phrase, maybe a word she had used, hadn't been appropriate but nothing came to mind. Out of all the dialects she had looked into during her journey to Beacon, nothing she could recall seemed to match up. Uryu just seemed completely disinterested in anything she had to say. Comments on his attire, the weather, the forest, the Grimm, or even Beacon Academy were either ignored entirely or waved off with a few words…Perhaps it was just a cultural difference then?

She was quickly stirred from her thoughts after nearing ramming into Uryu. The taller young man had come to a complete stop and seemed to have his head on a constant swivel. A bit confused, Momo turned her attention towards the forest around them. There was a rustling, barely audible to either. With great caution, she lowered herself, wrapping her fingers around the hilt of her weapon. With a sigh, Uryu nocks a steel arrow.

"I know you're there, why don't you just come on out already?"

There's a moment of silence before a soft thud is heard. Standing in front of Uryu was a pale young woman with flowing, wavy black hair and piercing amber eyes. She stood roughly five and half feet and wore a black vest with a sleeveless white, cropped undershirt and matching shorts. Aside from the black short sword she held, his attention was mostly held by a large bow on the top of her head. It seemed weirdly stiff…but he quickly made eye contact with her, not wanting to be rude.

Near Momo, a light skinned male emerges from a dense group of foliage. He appeared to be of a more average size, being substantially larger than herself but a bit smaller than Uryu. His clothing was clearly Mistralian, a long, collared dark green tailcoat with black and gold trimming accompanied by more plain white pants and black shoes. His hair was dark and fairly long with a vibrant streak of magenta on the left side. Wordlessly, he offers a quick wave to which she responds in kind, albeit with a touch more enthusiasm.

"Hi there! I'm Momo."

"Nice to meet you," his expression was deadpan and his voice flat. "I'm Lie Ren."

"Guess it wasn't Grimm," the young woman sheathed her weapon, prompting Uryu to lower his bow. She looks towards him, "Your eyes must be sharper than they look."

He opened his mouth for a response, only to shut it a second later. Her rather flat, dry tone tricked him for a moment but after taking a little time to process the comment, he was certain. The comment was a jab at his glasses. Uryu went to speak once again but found himself unable to find words, stumbling slightly. "I…you…I suppose so."

Despite efforts to maintain a "cool" image, he was left feeling a touch embarrassed that the joke nearly flew over his head. It didn't help that the girl in front of him just stared back with a blank expression. He turns his head, clearing his throat, taking a moment to compose himself. Uryu turns towards her once more, making eye contact with a straight face as he adjusts his glasses. "Well, I think that introductions are in order. I'm Uryu Ishida. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

"Blake Belladona…" Her expression shifts to one of faint confusion. "Likewise…"

"You mentioned something about Grimm a few moments ago. What was that about?"

"Ren and I have been hearing some noise coming from deeper in the forest for awhile now. We figured it was likely an Ursa or Beowolf. Seems like it was just you two we were hearing though."

"That makes sense. Have you encountered many Grimm?"

"Not really. There were a few after initiation started and a handful after I ran into my partner but we've barely seen any since."

'If only I was that lucky.' He grimaced for a moment, thinking of his constant confrontations hours earlier.

"Everyone be quiet for a second."

Momo's voice caught their attention immediately, her tone being incredibly stern, a stark contrast to her initially easy-going demeanor. Without question, they heeded her command, none of them even attempting to speak further. There was a sound, something pushing through the grass and foliage followed by an earth shattering thump. The sequence of noise continued, gradually becoming louder with each repetition. Although the noise seemed to split apart as it started to become deafening, seemingly originating from multiple areas surrounding the group.

Without warning, a large figure sprung forward, causing each of them to jump back as it came crashing down between them. The creature had pure black fur and eyes of fire, clearly being a creature of Grimm, though it was different from the ones that had seen thus far. Its overall shape was nearly identical to a rabbit though its size was closer to that of a bear. A pair of massive, branch-like antlers adorned in crimson markings jutted from its head. A Jackalope, uncommon in comparison to Ursai and Beowolves but often present in wooded areas.

It moved, creating a thunderous wave of force as its powerful hind legs sent it barreling towards Blake. She managed to brandish her weapon in the singular second it took to close the distance between them. Its foot rocketed towards her head instead making contact with her blade, sending a metallic ping through the area. Blake was sent harshly tumbling backwards but quickly stabilized herself by slamming her heeled boots into the dirt. Before she was able to stop fully, it was upon her again, rearing up to deliver a kick to her torso.

An arrow suddenly pierces its foot, eliciting an ear grating wail from the creature. Before Uryu was able to follow up with a kill shot, it leapt high into the air and quickly slammed down in front of him, the sheer force throwing him to the ground. The Jackalope crouched, preparing to lunge at the prone archer only to be stopped in its tracks by a storm of verdant bullets. In that moment, Uryu disappears, skidding to a halt as he reemerges in a faint burst of Aura by Ren, now armed with a pair of bladed, green automatic pistols.

"Are you hurt?"

Uryu quickly shakes his head, "The shockwave put a dent in my Aura." He quickly nocks multiple arrows, unleashing a broad volley to drive the beast back. "Be careful…it's much faster than it looks."

"Noted."

The volley managed to graze the Jackalope's body as it leapt backwards. Taking the opportunity to distance herself, Blake quickly moves Uryu and Ren with Momo joining shortly after. The Grimm flares its nostrils but remains still for a moment. The four poised themselves to launch an assault but stop in their tracks. The familiar sound of rhythmic, earth shattering thumping rings through the forest once more. On the opposite side of them, an inky black figure emerged. With a burning hate filled glare, a second Jackalope prepares to leap.

AN: I was being a little optimistic and was hoping to get this chapter out to y'all within a week but that didn't go as planned. I had originally planned to just finish up the Emerald Forest segment here but the brain said no. I've found that when I'm working on this, when I start hitting "blocks" while writing, I get less motivated the longer I take writing the chapter. So to avoid another unannounced hiatus, I'm just going to split the chapter again.

The main hold up was easily figuring out my wording in a few spots. Part of that was character descriptions especially. I'm trying to avoid over describing characters since we all know what they look like. At the same time though, I don't want that to be a crutch or an excuse for lackluster descriptions either. Finding a half decent balance is a bit rough for me, especially with how the outfits and weapons in RWBY are.

Another thing, there are quite a few Grimm from the RWBY books that don't have much info on them, like the Jackalope that I used here. Expect to see more of those throughout the story. I also 100% plan on trying my hands at making some Grimm of my own since I'm a horror fiend and love creature design so look forward to that. Once again, thank you for all the support and I seriously appreciate the reviews. Next time the conclusion to the Emerald Forest…for real this time, hopefully.