Chapter 3. Morning After Sickness.
Morning had come pretty swiftly and Ashton found his way to the cafeteria. The room was crowded, students were practically shoulder to shoulder. Rumors were abuzz of teams, that students will be put in groups of four for the remainder of their time in Beacon. On top of that there was the upcoming test, none of the older students were offering to give any clues as to what that could be.
"So what do you think the test will be?" Billy asked, his overalls were stained with maple syrup and he was desperately trying to clean it with napkins. "I'm not very good at history or math."
"It's obviously going to be a combat test, probably have to fight each other or something." Ashton replied with a bored half shrug. He admitted the food was better than Bastion provided but for some reason he just didn't feel like eating. There was a tiny squeak behind him.
"Combat test?" Lyra asked. The look of terror on her face told him everything he already figured. She didn't know a thing about fighting. "Like, against people?"
"No against grimm." Ashton replied with a roll of his eyes, he noticed how wide her eyes were. "Of course with people!"
"I don't like hurting people." Billy said lowering his head. "I swore I wouldn't ever do it again."
"You guys will be fine I'm sure, it's obviously not going to be to the death." Ashton said twirling his pancakes around. "What kind of academy would let it's students die after all, especially a prestigious academy like this one."
"Oh no." Lyra winced. "Cardin is coming."
Sure enough, Cardin and his gang were heading straight towards them. Judging from the looks on their faces, Ashton could figure they were coming to throw some competitive tough talk to try to intimidate him. After the standoff the day before it would make sense that Cardin would feel he needed to reassert his imagined sense of superiority and power over the other students.
"You, Gray!" Cardin shouted. Ashton spun himself around on his chair. Cardin was right behind him.
"You and your friends better hope we don't find them during the test today." Cardin said with a smug grin, his lackeys gave their classic guffaws. "Wouldn't want any of you getting hurt."
"Honestly I couldn't care about them." Ashton shrugged, Lyra shook her head disgusted, Billy kept nodding happily. "I only stopped you the other day because you seemed like a bit of a prick."
"You will eat your words." Cardin said with a dramatic thrust of his finger. He moved it across his throat.
"Looking forward to it." Ashton said with a lazy smile, he spun himself back towards his pancakes. Cardin put his hand on Lyra's head causing her to squeak, he brushed Ashton's hair as he passed by. What a prick, Ashton thought as he continued twirling his pancakes.
"You really don't care about anything?" Lyra asked.
"That's not true, I care about myself." Ashton replied with a sly grin. She frowned and stood up. She looked like she was going to reply but she simply shook her head and stomped off.
"It's these little talks we have that I treasure." Ashton said with a roll of his eyes. Across from him Billy was still nodding with his big happy grin.
"I like our talks too." Billy said with a big toothy grin.
"You going to eat that?" The girl beside him asked, hungrily staring at his pancakes.
"Nora!" Her friend shouted from across the room, she let out a long dramatic sigh.
"Right! As I was saying..." She said skipping off into the crowd. Ashton shrugged.
The change room was packed with students, bickering about their various plans for dealing with the mystery test and who's going to be on who's team. Students had all changed into their combat attire, if you can call the impractical things the students are wearing combat attire. Then again, Ashton looked like he was dressed for corporate meeting, which seemed a little too formal for such an occasion. A girl bumped into him as he was looking through his locker.
"Watch where you're going!" The girl shouted.
"Going? I was standing here, you walked into me!" Ashton shouted back. The girl was in all white, even her hair. She had a thin scar across her left eye. She had an air of sophistication and gave him the vibe she was going to be an uptight and obnoxious strain on his patience.
"Oh so now it's my fault?" She asked. Ashton took a moment to think about how stupid that question was.
"Yes!" Ashton replied, she looked as if he accused her of war crimes.
"How dare you!" She shouted. "I was walking and you bumped into me, if you weren't such a dolt you'd apologize right this second."
"That depends, are you planning on shutting the hell up anytime soon?" Ashton asked, she thrust a finger in his face, second time in a day, he was beginning to think he just had that affect on people.
"How dare you talk to me that way!" She screamed. She stamped her feet and locked her arms tight together.
"Fine, for the sake of my sanity I'll do it." Ashton exclaimed. He let out an exasperated sigh. He held out his hand. "I apologize for telling you to shut up and for being in your way, your highness."
"Much better." She said shaking his hand firmly. "At least someone has a sense of civility, even if only so much."
"Charmed." Ashton half groaned. "Allow me to introduce myself, I'm Ashton, Ashton Gray."
"Weiss Schnee." She replied with a slight curtsy. Ashton's blood ran cold. Weiss Schnee, the heiress to the dust company that ruined his family name, destroyed the Gray Dust Company and left them destitute and in debt to degenerates and terrorists. He couldn't even name what he was feeling, it wasn't quite anger or rage, it was more malice and contempt. "I'd say it's a pleasure but I don't particularly like you."
"Pleasure is all mine." Ashton muttered. His heart was pounding and he could feel his grip tightening, she seemed to notice and pulled away quickly.
"Now if you will excuse me, I have important things to do." She stormed off. She walked as if she owned every tile she stepped on. He punched his locker in frustration.
"What a nag." The voice was familiar, he turned back around to see his dark haired mystery girl. "You don't have a thing for that harpy do you?"
"No, her and her father nearly destroyed my entire family. She's got her head so far up her..." Ashton smacked his locker. He was still fuming.
"She didn't even recognize you?" She asked with a tilt of her head. "That's got to hurt."
"You have no idea, everything I am and everything I've had to do was because of her family. She's none the wiser." Ashton took a deep breath he released his fists and leaned against his locker.
"Well, those that cause harm to others rarely remember it. Those who were harmed will never forget it." She said with shrug. She swung a locker near him open and grabbed a knife. It had a long wooden handle, intricately carved with a few crystals running along it. The blade was a deep black, the wood was almost as dark. She twirled it around and sheathed it, in her sleeve of all places.
"That your weapon?" Ashton asked, she stowed it quickly in a pocket. There was something to that reaction, he wasn't entirely sure how much he cared.
"Sure, what's it to you?" She asked. He gave a shrug.
"Looks pretty close range, you know how to use it?" Ashton asked, she gave him a stern look.
"Of course I know how to use it, do you know how to use yours?" She asked. He wasn't entire sure why she was so angry.
"Of course." He said with a smile. She rolled her eyes. "So why would it have mattered if I had a thing for Weiss?"
"What?" She asked, she was a little flustered.
"It was like the first thing you asked me, you asked if I had a thing for that harpy. Why does it matter?" He couldn't help but grin.
"You're eyes were lingering on her, I figured you had a thing for her and you struck out badly." She answered. He didn't think her answer added up. "To answer your question it really doesn't matter."
"Yet you seemed worried, you got flustered when I asked and now you are very defensive." A smug smile grew across his face. There was a deafening smack and he found his head crashing into his locker. She full on backhanded him.
"I don't like your implications." She said storming off. He rolled over on the ground.
"Implications?" He muttered. He stared up at the ceiling light for a moment, his vision was getting sort of blurry. Then it was wet, very very wet. He started coughing up water, he rolled over and coughed hoarsely. His vision was coming back and he was completely soaked. He looked up and saw a pair of boots in front of his face.
"Well look who we have here." Cardin said leaning down. "The tough guy isn't looking too good now is he? Not so tough now."
"Well let's be honest at least." Ashton groaned. "From down here you still look like a prick."
There was a swift kick to the side of his head and he found his vision blurring off, his head screaming and suddenly numbness. The locker room felt like a millennium ago. The frigid cold felt like icicles gnawing on his exposed skin. There were shadows lingering over him and he could faintly hear the cries of battle. There was something nostalgic about it, in an unsettling sort of way. He felt a smack to his face and was pulled back to reality.
"You okay?" Billy asked looking down at him sheepishly.
"Yeah Billy, just contemplating the best way to skin Cardin. I'm think he should be alive for the show." Ashton said with a loud groan. His head was still pounding. Billy grabbed his shoulders and lifted him effortlessly to his feet, Ashton staggered backwards into his locker and shook his head violently.
"Better?" Billy asked. He actually looked worried.
"Yeah Billy, better." Ashton said rubbing his head. "You didn't have to help me there."
"But you're my friend, friends help each other." Billy said with a wide toothy smile. Ashton didn't entirely know how to respond to that. They only just met yesterday. He didn't know how many friends Billy had though, judging by how he said it.
"I don't think you want me as your friend Billy." Ashton replied, pulling himself from his locker and grabbing his things.
"Why not?" Billy asked, he really was looking like a lost puppy.
"Because, you're a far better person than me." Ashton said. He started walking and Billy started following.
"You seem like a good enough person to me!" Billy said enthusiastically. Ashton really didn't know how to respond to that, he decided not to.
They were lead to a cliff overlooking the Emerald Forest. It wasn't too far from the school but was definitely far beyond the city limits. They were all standing on intricately carved stone platforms, in a row before the edge. Glynda gave him a good scowl as she passed him, inspecting each student one by one. Ozpin finally showed up with, big surprise, a cup of coffee. He gazed at each of them from beyond his his glasses. He didn't even glance his way, instead focusing entirely on the other end of the formation.
"For years you have trained to become warriors, and today your abilities will be evaluated in the emerald forest." Ozpin stated. Lyra squeaked.
"Now, I'm sure many of you have heard rumors about the assignment of teams. Well, allow us to put an end to your confusion. Each of you will be given teammates. Today." said Glynda. Several students gave each other some hurried glances.
"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 continued. "That being said. The first person you make eye contact with after landing will be your partner for the next four years."
The students started shifting around. Ashton was starting to wonder what kind of test this is. What did Ozpin mean by landing. Ashton's head was still throbbing and this wasn't exactly helping.
"After you've partnered up, make your way to the northern end of the forest. You will meet opposition along the way. Do not hesitate to destroy everything in your path, or you will die." Ozpin continued. "You will be monitored and graded for the duration of your initiation, but our instructors will not intervene."
What kind of school is this? Ashton found himself nervous for the first time since that warehouse in the harbor. Plenty of opposition, no intervention. That forest could be full of grimm and he's sending uninitiated students alone?
"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." He finished. The students continued to give nervous glances back and forth. "Are there any questions?"
"Yeah um sir." A student said from the far end of the line.
"Good!" Ozpin replied. "Now, take your positions."
"Uh sir." The student continued. Ashton couldn't hear him continue to sputter questions as the platform he was standing on suddenly catapulted him into the air. After landing, of course. Now it made sense. This school sucks.
