Team JSON

Chapter 4

The First Step

A boy opens his eyes to see an energetic, orange hair girl.

"Wake up sleepy butt!" the girl yelled at the boy. The boy sits up with a weary *sigh*. The girl jumps around saying in a sing-song voice,

"It's morning, it's morning, it's morning, it's mooooring!"

The boy sighs again.

They are now in a bathroom with the boy brushing his teeth and the girl still talking,

"I can't believe we have been at Beacon for a full twenty four hours!. Not that I thought we'd get kicked out or anything I mean you the perfect student and I'm well I'm me! But it's crazy ya'know?"

Then they are in the ballroom with the boy tightening the stings on his sleeping bag while the girl continued to talk,

"We've been friends for sooo long. What are the odds that we'd still be together? Well, not 'together' together. Not that I'm not saying you're not handsome! You are handsome but that's just weird… right?

Now they are in the cafeteria with the boy cutting his pancake while the girl still talking, now with a pancake hanging out of her mouth,

"Right. What was I thinking? But still, I hope we end up on the same team together." the girl said. She then slurps up the pancake that was hanging out of her mouth, she then continues to talk,

"Ooh! We should come up with some sort of plan! To make sure we end up on the same team together! What if we bribe the headmaster? No that won't work he has the school.

The scene changes yet again with the boy opening his weapons locker and readying his weapons while his friend still talked,

"I know! We'll have some sort of signal! Like a distress signal!" she gasps as she comes up with an idea, "A secret signal so we can find each other in the forest! Can you imitate a sloth!"

"Nora…" the boy says finally speaking.

"Yes Ren?" asked Nora, "I don't think sloths make a lot of noise." Ren says as he sheaths his weapons, which were automatic pistols with a blade facing downward at the front, into his sleeves.

"That's why it's perfect! No one will suspect we're together!" Nora says with excitement.

"Come on Nora let's go." Ren says as they leave for the initiation.

As they walk past Jason and Niko who are also getting their weapons ready Niko comments,

"What do you think they're so worked up about?"

Jason looks up from cleaning his weapon for a moment and just shrugs then goes back to cleaning it.

He then placed it on the magnetic clamp on his back and said,

"Not sure, come on lets go check on the other two." Jason said as he clamped his shield on his back, too.

They go meet up with Yang and Ruby. They see Ruby being oddly cheerful this morning.

"Sup Rubes, you seem awfully cheer this morning." Niko commented

"Yep, no more awkward small talk or 'getting to know you' stuff. Today I let my sweetheart do the talking." She says as she hugs her scythe, Crescent Rose, in its sheathed form.

"Well remember Ruby you not the only one who's going through initiation." Yang said.

"Yeah, if you want to grow up you have to get to know new people and learn to work together." Jason said agreeing with Yang.

"Ugh, you sound like my dad." Ruby groaned, "Okay first of all what does meeting new people have to do with fighting? And secondly, I don't need people to tell me to grow up. I drink milk!" she said.

"Uh I don't think that's how it works kid." Niko said, "But what about when we form teams?" Yang asked.

"Uh, I don't know I'll just be on one of you guys' teams or something." Ruby said in an unsure voice. The three looked at each other. Then Jason nervously said,

"Maybe you should be on someone else's team instead."

"My dear friends, are you guys implying that you all do not wish to be on the same team as me?" Ruby said angrily as she pointed a finger at each of them.

"No kid of course not!" Niko says waving his arms in front of him in denial.

"We just thought it would help you break out of your shell!" Yang said.

"What the!? I don't need to break out of my shell!" Ruby yells angrily.

"I think we should leave." Jason whispered to Niko, "Yeah, good idea." Niko answered back.

As they left they saw Weiss talking to Pyrrha.

"Hey it's that girl." Jason says recognizing her.

"Who is she?" Niko asked. "Remember the girl I beat in the tournament in Mistral?" Jason asked

"Wait that's her?" Niko said surprised, "Yeah she graduated top of her class at Sanctum and won the tournament four years in a row until she battled me in the final round, hardest fight of my life I almost lost."

"Dang she sounds tough." Niko said as they walked towards Beacon Cliff where the initiation is supposed to begin.

"Yeah she put up a great fight, lasted around an hour, got me down to half aura." Jason said, "Damn I would like to fight her one day." Niko said with a smile.

"You'd probably lose." Jason teased with a laugh.

"Shut up." Niko said as he playfully punched Jason on the shoulder as they continued to walk towards Beacon Cliff.

When they arrived they saw some students were already there standing on launch pads. They chose the two at the end, they went to their spots and waited for the rest of the students.

Not long after Yang, Ruby, and Jaune came out and stood next to them, Jason going first, then Niko, then Yang, then Ruby, and finally Jaune.

"For years you have trained to become warriors." Ozpin said gaining everyone's attention, "And today your abilities will be evaluated in the Emerald Forest."

"Now I'm sure many of you have heard rumors about the assignment of teams." Glynda said, "Well allow us to put an end to your confusion. Each of you will be given teammates… today."

"What?" Ruby said making scared noises afterward.

"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 whom you can work well." Ozpin said.

Ruby made another scared groan.

"That being said, the first person you make eye contact with after landing will be your partner for the next four years." Ozpin added.

Jason looks over at Ruby her world shatters around her, "What?!" Ruby yelled in a panic.

"See, I told you!" Nora said to Ren. "After you've partnered up make you way to the northern of the forest. You will meet opposition along the way. Do not hesitate to destroy everything in your path or you will die." Ozpin said grimly.

To this Jaune lets out a nervous chuckle while Jason and Niko shares a wide grin.

"You will be monitored and graded for the duration of you initiation." Ozpin continued, "But our instructors will not intervene. You will find and 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. Are there any questions?"

"Yeah.. um… sir?" Jaune said raising his hand.

"Good, now take your positions!" Ozpin called out completely ignoring Jaune. Everyone took a stance. Jason crouched low and equipped his sword and shield with Niko doing the same, readying his dust gloves.

'Uh, sir I've got a, um, a question." Jaune said nervously he said not seeing everyone get ready for launch.

Weiss's launchpad counter ticked to zero and then she was launched into the air.

Jaune, oblivious to this, asked his question, "So this landing strategy thing, uh, w-what was it?"

As he says this more students are launched into the air.

Jason looks over at Jaune and shakes his head, 'He's not going to make it is he?' Jason thought as he was launched into the followed shortly by Niko who let out a woop of joy.

He then hears Jaune's terrified scream as he is launched into the air as well and smiles.