I'm back!

Note: I've thought long and hard about how I should be capitalizing Aura. I've decided when referring to the nature of Aura or Aura as a force I wil captialize it, but when referring to a person's aura ("their aura") I will not.

Chapter 4: The Emerald Forest

The Emerald Forest to the west of Beacon was dark and foreboding. Ancient, old-growth trees held dominion over the smaller vines and bushes. They were packed together in a dense sea of leaves and branches, fighting over the light from the midmorning sun. But today there was another source of light.

Yang Xiao Long burned. Literally speaking. As she streaked through the air, she likened herself to a low-flying comet. She soared over a rocky chasm covered with mysterious stone bridges. For a moment she wondered if they had something to do with the temple.

There's no way it's that close, she thought, firing her gauntlets once again. A trail of fire followed in her wake.

Blake didn't think she would be the one to screw up. Her plan was to locate a tree—that couldn't be too difficult—, lash off of a branch, and swing down. A simple plan, sure, but complicated by the speed of her fall. The branches were moving too quickly for her to focus on any single one.

In desperation, she threw out her ribbon. It trailed from her arm, catching onto a sturdy-looking branch. Blake began to swing, but as soon as it took her weight the branch snapped off. Her body fell to the ground like a stone.

So much for landing on my feet, she thought, picking herself up. Blake looked up at the trees; they seemed so much taller now. Her eyes involuntarily flicked upward as a blurry shape zoomed above. Definitely not a bird.

A path would be helpful, even a game trail, but all she found were the tracks of some Grimm. Had Blake attended a Grimm studies class, she could have easily identified it by its pawprints. That was the downside of skipping out on a prep school, although it wasn't like she'd had a choice.

But common sense told her that it was probably running. Why else would feet so small be placed so far apart? And if it was running, that meant other students were nearby, and it was headed towards them. Grimm had no other reason to run.

I guess I'm following it then. How bad could it be?

The path continued for almost half a mile, surprising in the dense forest. The beast's tracks moved closer together as they passed through a rocky field, then spread back out as it left - more evidence that it was running. She had spotted a few paths, but after following the Grimm for so long it felt wrong to give up.

Why was she following, then? She had been so sure earlier that the creature was heading toward the other students, but it could just as easily be meeting up with its pack. Wouldn't that be a nice surprise.

Blake's worries were stifled as the tracks abruptly stopped at a large, isolated bush. She could hear grunting and rustling inside. She sniffed the air: there was a bit of smoke in it. Crouching behind a tree, she peered back at the Grimm's hideout.

The Ursa—a Beowulf didn't grunt like that—didn't seem be moving. All that was left was to sit and wait for it to head out again. Surely, the other students would be acting with similar subtlety.

"Helllooo! Yang yelled. "This is getting kinda boring!"

The forest seemed to agree, echoing her voice back. She kicked a tree in frustration.

This is bullshit, she thought. Ozpin wouldn't shut up about the dangerous crap in the forest, and there's nothing here. That's it. I'm not leaving this forest until I've fought some kind of Grimm.

Yang's bored vengeful eyes spotted a rustling bush. Reflexively, she targeted it. Ember Celica's twin muzzles flashed, incinerating the innocent plant.

That better not have been a student...

Blake leapt backward as an explosion drove the Ursa from its hiding place. It bellowed, shaking burning leaves from its body. The beast's confusion was replaced by anger as it reared onto its hind legs, ready to strike. Blake began to creep toward it, looking for the source of the explosion.

The singed fur of the Ursa stood out as it crashed down at Yang, who dove out of the way. Then the beast withdrew, preparing for another attack. It still hadn't noticed the figure sneaking up behind it.

Something curled around the Grimm's neck, yanking it off balance. A razor-sharp blade slipped under its chin. The shadowy monster stiffened and its growling ceased. Then its body completely faded away, as though it were only a bad dream. The dust cleared, and the two girls were left staring at each other.

Yang took a deep breath. The red faded from her eyes. "I had that," she said, not bothering to hide her annoyance.

Blake didn't answer.

Well isn't this great, Yang thought. It's Blake, the bookworm. Hardly the social item that she had wanted, but surely there was more to Blake than books. It was unfair to judge her off so little.

"So...let's get to know each other!" she said, clapping her hands. "I'm Yang, you're Blake, and—"

"–I like books."

"..."

Yang wasn't giving in that easy. Sure, they had four years, but she sure as hell wasn't spending the rest of the day in silence. "Can't we just walk and talk?" she countered, mostly kidding.

Blake didn't answer.

Jaune had no idea where he was going, but he trusted his partner's judgment. Pyrrha moved through the forest with such casual grace that it felt foolish to argue or question.

His own movement, however, left much to be desired. Despite his efforts to follow her cautious tread, his feet kept snagging on thorns or tangling in branches. He was barely keeping up and he knew it. One thing he didn't understand was why Weiss was so in awe of her. He had asked her earlier, but Pyrrha just mumbled something about how everyone acted that way.

O.K., her face is on a cereal box. Can't believe I forgot that one. She was also a bit better than him—fine, a lot better than him—and everyone else too. Maybe that was his problem. He had to earn respect, instead of just pretending he deserved it. That was something he could change, right? Beacon could. That's why he had come there. To become worth of—

"Oww!" he cried, rubbing his face where the branch had scraped it.

"Jaune!" Pyrrha said, turning and running over. "Are you okay?"

The legitimate concern on her face surprised him. "Yeah, I'm fine. It was just a scratch."

That didn't placate her. "But it's bleeding!"

Now he was confused. "Isn't that normal?"

"Well," she considered, "Yes. Technically. But that branch wasn't very strong, and we haven't even done any fighting yet. Why didn't your aura protect you?"

Alarm bells were ringing in Jaune's head. He thought back to the research he had done when he first devised his plan to sneak into Beacon Academy. There had definitely been something about Aura. It was...a shield? One that he definitely didn't have. As usual, his preparation was falling short.

"Oh yeah," he bluffed, straightening up. "The thing is, I never got an aura. Highly unusual, I know. I figured I could get one after initiation."

Pyrrha laughed. "Good one, Jaune." Then she saw his expression. "You mean...you really don't know?"

"Know what?" he said.

"I'll show you. Follow me."

Outside of the bushes was a small clearing. The trees' shade sheltered the last flowers of summer, and colorful autumn leaves danced in the breeze. At the edge of the field, two squirrels chased each other around a tree stump, squealing as they bumped into each other. It was a celebration of life in all its forms.

Pyrrha laughed again, and the sound carried over the the chatter of songbirds. The sunlight illuminated her red hair, and her armor seemed to glow with radiance. Jaune, for the first time, was aware of how beautiful she looked.

"Don't you see it now?" she said. Her smile was infectious.

"No," he admitted, his face going very red, but not quite as red as Pyrrha's hair. "This is really pretty, but what does it have to do with Aura?"

"Jaune, I just wanted you to realize that Aura isn't something you get. It's inside of us. Around us. Every living thing has aura. Every tree, bird, and insect. It's part of their soul."

"Even the Grimm?"

She frowned. "No. Grimm have no soul, and no aura. They are...something else. That's what separates us. We are the light, and they are the darkness that exists to extinguish it."

"That's why we fight them."

The red-haired girl shrugged. "I think of that as oversimplifying. Humans have plenty of darkness in them as well." A frown crossed her face. "We don't need a reminder of that. Luckily, the light is stronger in most people. It's more than just a physical force. It affects our minds too, and helps us understand the balance of the world."

Jaune's shoulders slumped. "So is my aura just really crap?" he said. It wouldn't have surprised him.

Pyrrha closed her eyes but continued to look right at him, as though she could still see him. The effect was unnerving.

He took two steps back."Wait, wait wait," he said. "You can see Aura?"

"Not with my eyes," she answered, looking down. "But I can feel it. It's hard to explain. I just know you have a lot of it."

"Mine just doesn't shield me, then? Faulty aura, just my luck."

Pyrrha suppressed another laugh, reminding herself of Jaune's inexperience. "It doesn't shield most people, Jaune. They aren't strong enough. Some people can do other things with it too, by channeling it into their weapons and attacks. Or it can manifest as a semblance. But none of that is possible unless you activate it. You become aware. It's usually done with the guidance of someone else."

"I don't suppose that's something you can help with?" Jaune said, wistful. If Pyrrha could help him, it would save him a great deal of embarrassment. He doubted the other students would react so kindly to someone lacking such a basic skill. "I mean, is it quick?"

"It should be," she said. "But I've only done this a few times before. Close your eyes."

"What?"

"Just close them."

Jaune complied, shutting them tightly. He breathed deeply in, then out. One of Pyrrha's hands touched the side of his head, and another his chest. She seemed to be...humming. Ordinarily, it would have felt awkward, but her hands felt so insignificant that he barely noticed it.

"Now," she said. "Just wait."

With bated breath, he stood completely still. Once he began to relax, Pyrrha's words began to become coherent.

"For it is in passing that we achieve immortality," she whispered. "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."

A light began to shine between them. Its brilliance hurt his eyes, even though they were closed. His eyes unwillingly opened. To his surprise, the light wasn't shining from anything he could see. It was just there, passing through himself and his partner as if they were no longer solid.

Finally, the light faded, and Pyrrha slumped over, finished.

"Pyrrha! Are you alright?" He was half-scared he had hurt her, even though he had no idea what was going on.

She stood back up but was still breathing hard. "I'm fine," she assured him, smiling. "I had to use some of my aura to unlock yours. It'll recover quickly enough."

He felt awful. It wasn't fair to Pyrrha that she was weaker than normal because he hadn't gotten his aura sorted out. "You're really fine?" Jaune asked, wringing his hands.

"I'm really fine."

"Are you ready to go then?" he said. His newfound powers might just be enough that he could defend himself. Right now he was barely more than a monster punching bag.

"There's one more thing, Jaune." Pyrrha shuffled her feet. "You might sometimes feel...different."

"What? How?" he said, anxious. It sounded like some kind of Aura puberty, which he was definitely not prepared for, or some convenient technicality, like frying his brain when he used it wrong.

"It's a good thing, in most cases. Aura isn't just a physical shield. It heightens your perception." She paused. "No, that's a bad explanation. It has nothing to do with your actual perception. It's just...sometimes you get this feeling of imminent danger, and you don't know why. But you should trust it."

Lie Ren didn't consider himself to be a suspicious person. Careful, methodical, maybe, but not suspicious. Yet he couldn't shake the feeling he was being watched.

More than just watched. Followed. He could just make out the sound of something sneaking through the bushes behind him. When he stopped, so did it.

Or she, he thought. For all I know, this is some elaborate prank of Nora's.

He had just accepted that explanation when a sharp tingling ran down his spine. That meant only one thing. Danger. Imminent danger.

Then a pair of fangs cut downward at him. Rather than dodge, Ren held firm. He grabbed the knife-like teeth and clung to them like a matador. A wave of fatigue swept over him as his aura flickered into effect, protecting him from the sharp edges. Still holding on, his feet scrabbled against its neck but failed to find traction on the black, slippery scales.

The enormous, diamond-headed snake shook its head wildly, dislodging the boy clinging fiercely to its head. Its body continued to slither out of the trees, its tail not yet visible. Ren dropped to the ground and looked up at the beast. Its red eyes were fixed in a paralyzing glare.

Ren drew his twin pistols. He took a cautious step backward and launched a stream of bullets at the snake, to no effect. Calmly, he circled away from the Grimm, heading toward the clear forest behind him. The agitated creature merely stared.

Then a second snake emerged from the trees, shattering branches and bark as it slithered towards him. It looked almost identical to the first, save for its white scales and dark streaks.

Only it wasn't a second snake. It was the tail of the first one, finally making its appearance. Of course. The mythical King Taijitu was a rare sight in most of Remnant, but one that Ren was very familiar with.

Around Kuroyuri, where he was from, the beasts were living legends. Their two heads, one white and one black, were thought to be symbolic. They represented the balance of day and night, good and evil, and fittingly, life and death.

Which is what fighting one is, he thought, weaving between the snapping heads. Stormflower was nothing but an irritation to a Grimm this size. Ren let them drop to the ground, then planted his feet and focused as the snake prepared for another pass. His timing had to be precise. When the lead head was only a few feet away, he thrust outward with both palms, then reinforced the blow with his Aura.

The Taijitu's snout flattened as Ren's hands slammed into it. A shockwave reverberated down its body, and the stunned head flopped drunkenly to the ground.

Unfortunately, the other head was still functional, if a bit shook up. It would be after him in just moments. Wasting no time, Ren unceremoniously yanked out the incapacitated head's fangs. They dripped with a yellow venom and from their roots seeped gray smoke instead of blood.

The defanged head gave out a hiss of anguish and flailed about wildly in an effort to crush its attacker. He ignored the convulsing head, his eyes focused on the other half of the snake.

Grimm weren't supposed to show emotions, but the pain and anger on the remaining head's face were impossible to miss. Ren regarded the wounded beast with contempt. In a final, desperate effort, it whipped downward, but Ren just stepped aside. The Taijitu slammed into the earth.

The snake's recovery was halted by the impact of a heavy spike. Its own tooth. Then its body dissolved into smoke.

Waving away the deceased Grimm's essence, Ren retrieved his guns from the ground. So much for him needing a melee weapon. Nora, of course, wouldn't that he had gone without one.

A shame she wasn't here. Nora always loved a good fight. Where was she? Hadn't she said something about—

"Brrrrrrrah! Brrrrrrrah!"

"Hello Nora," he said, unsurprised.

There was a cracking of branches as the energetic ginger-haired girl jumped from the tree.

"Boop!" she said gleefully, poking her new partner in the nose. "Found you."

It had never been in doubt. Ren dusted himself off. "Let's go, Nora," he said. "I think we're close." Truthfully, he had no idea, but Nora was a notorious time waster.

"Do you think we'll find an Ursa?" she whispered, giggling. "I've always wanted a pet Ursa!" As usual, it was impossible to tell if she was kidding.

He frowned, then sniffed the air. "Now that you mention it…"

High upon the cliffs back at Beacon, Glynda was holding an oversized scroll. She swiped between multiple cameras, watching pairs of students navigate the forest.

"The last pair has been formed, Professor," she said. He didn't answer.

She clicked off the tablet. The headmaster stood at the edge of the cliff, staring down into the forest.

"Professor," she repeated, clicking her fingers.

"Yes, Glynda?" Ozpin answered, his trance broken. He straightened his glasses on the bridge of his nose and turned to face her.

She bit her lip. "I was just telling you, Professor," she said curtly, "that the last pair of students. Has been formed."

The graying man raised an eyebrow. "Good," he said. "Unless something...concerns you about the pair?"

"Well," she said, clicking the scroll back on, "It's Nora Valkyrie and Lie Ren. I just get the feeling she would be better paired with someone more free spirited."

"You know we don't influence the pairings, Glynda. Only if there was severe bad blood between two of them."

"Speaking of bad blood," she said, "I'm equally concerned about Miss Rose. She and Miss Schnee have gotten off to a bad start."

"Conflict resolution," the gray-haired professor stated with a smile.

"What?"

"It's an important skill for a prospective huntsman or huntress," he clarified. "You of all people know that. Strength in combat will only take you so far. This is the students' first test of it."

Glynda nodded. "Very well. I'm sure young Miss Rose and her partner will get along in no time."

"You're a stupid jerk and I hate you!" Ruby snapped, flopping down on a log.

"I'm not waiting for you," Weiss said coldly. "Stop being an irresponsible brat and hurry up. Or just stay here. I couldn't care less."

"Why are we hurrying anyway?" Ruby said, regaining her feet. "So you can be done with me sooner? They even said it's not a race."

"It may not be, but I have no intention of being out here all day."

"Can't we just settle this?" asked Ruby. Her eyes were pleading. "I don't want you as my enemy. I don't want any enemies!"

Weiss's face was expressionless. "You're not my enemy, Ruby, and for the time being, you're my partner. But I will not be changing my behavior, and I will only spend as much time with you as is required."

Ruby lashed out. "Well, you're just being petty. You only care about yourself and you are definitely, definitely not perfect."

"I'm not perfect," she retorted. "I'm just better than you. And really, that's all that matters, isn't it?" She stalked away.

"Weiss!" Ruby sobbed. She was on the verge of tears.

She turned. Ruby's lip quivered, and Weiss's face softened the smallest amount. "Perhaps that was a bit too harsh," the girl admitted. "We're not friends, but I really can't leave you behind."

The older girl walked back over and extended her hand. A gesture of peace. Ruby took it gratefully.

"Now let's find those relics!"

"D'ya think we're there yet?" the girl asked.

"No," her partner responded.

"How about now?" she repeated, concealing a snicker.

Blake's lips pursed. "No Yang, you've asked me that thirty times and this time is no different. I'm beginning to think that—" She blinked. "Oh."

Down the hill, scarcely fifty yards away, was a mysterious stone courtyard. It appeared to be ancient yet well-maintained, the cracked stone free of intruding branches and moss.

Yang laughed. Toying with her uptight partner was so much fun.

The courtyard was partially encircled by a wall at shoulder height but calling it a building would be a stretch. The only thing that stood out in what they presumed to be the temple was an array of stone pillars. Blake walked up to one and froze.

"What are these?" she said. "On top of the pillars."

Yang frowned, leaning in close to one. "I don't know really," she replied. "Looks like…chess pieces? Maybe they're the artifacts. Pick one up."

Blake obliged, plucking a bishop from its place, only to drop it hurriedly. Her bow twitched.

Yang snorted. "What, did it bite you?"

Blake's face was red. "No, it just felt...warm."

"That's because it was out in the sun. Or they did something to it because it's one of the artifacts, Blake. We're supposed to take one."

"Which one should we take? It's one for the both of us if I remember correctly."

Yang shrugged. "I've never really played chess, but how about this horsie?" She grinned, holding the intricate piece aloft.

Her partner resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "It's called a knight, Yang."

She wasn't being stopped that easily. "What knight?" Yang argued. "I don't see any shining armor. Just a cute little horse."

Finally, a ghost of a smile appeared on Blake's face. "Whatever you say. Take the piece and let's go."

Jaune placed one foot in front of the other, trying to keep his footing on the slimy rocks. Around him, the air grew colder and damper. By the faint light of his torch, the end of the cave was still nowhere in sight.

Suddenly his foot snagged on something. The cave went black.

"Jaune!" Pyrrha called out from behind him. "The torch went out."

"I can tell," he responded sarcastically. "Man, we are screwed."

"Should we turn back then?" He felt Pyrrha's hand clasp his.

"No," he said, brushing her hand away. "The relics are here. They have to be!" His eyes scrabbled over the walls.

"Jaune," Pyrrha said apologetically, "Couldn't this cave be...just a cave?"

He kept walking, passing a rough corner and feeling a rush of air against his face. A tinge of yellow light stained the air.

"It's the relics!" he shouted, scurrying forward.

Pyrrha's spine was tingling. "Stop!" she cried out. "Do you, feel that?"

"What?"

"That feeling. The one I was telling you about earlier."

"I don't feel anything. Anything unusual, that is."

"Let's go," she said, tugging on his hand. "It's not here. Please Jaune, can't you—"

"Pyrrha," he said. "Either that light is the relics, or it's another way out of the cave. Whatever it is, it's better than backtracking."

"If you say so, Jaune," she said slowly. Her feet uneasily followed him.

The cave widened and the source of the light was soon apparent: a tapered yellow object floating high above their heads.

"There it is!" he said, pacing underneath it. "It's bigger than I thought it would be. Alright then, I'm jumping for it."

Jaune leaped. His hands caught the luminous teardrop shaped object. It began to swing wildly. "It's squishy!" he called down.

But Pyrrha wasn't listening. She was staring at the ten red eyes that had suddenly appeared in the darkness.

"Ja-Jaune," she said shakily, edging backward. "I'm sorry to tell you this, but that is not the relic."

I'm sorry this chapter took longer than expected. There's also too many narrative jumps and too much internal dialogue. Someday I'll go back and fix it up.