Yo everyone, This chapter is done by my friend Bugdevil on Mangafox, I have to say that he is a better writer than me, but that doesn't mean I;m going to give up! I'll write a better chapter as well!
For the guest that wanted a OcxCanon paring...sorry...maybe later!
Arc 1: The shining Beacon. Chapter 2: Initiation
Beacon Academy - Main Hall, January 26th, AW 675
After their great (in a different sense of the word) entrance, Juge and Akashi were escorted to the medical wing. A few of the more curious students followed them a bit and tried to ask questions. The academy's staff shooed them away fast.
"Did they fight themselves through the forest?"
"One of them was bleeding!"
"What a weird outfit..."
Riza started to get annoyed by the murmuring and straightened her back. "Let's go Lucy." She turned around to walk away from the crowd, but stopped when she noticed the red-head hadn't followed her. "What...?" And then she noticed the head-phones.
"Hmmhmmmh~" Lucy was humming happily.
"I can't believe this! You listened to music the whole time? Don't you care about the headmaster's words?" Riza glared at her and pulled the head-phones off.
"Is it lunch time already~?"
"Is food all you care about?" She groaned in a annoyed tone "Besides...lunch time is already over." she rubbed her temples and then grabbed the relaxed Lucy at her black sweater. "I guess we will get something at the cafeteria if we ask nicely."
"Yaaay ~ Riza you are the best ~" her words were kind of sluggish as she raised her arms in victory.
"Why don't I believe those words one bit... ah!" While pulling Lucy along Riza accidentally bumped into a young man. "I am sorry, it was an accident!" in a flash she was already bowing down to apologize.
"Ah, no. It was entirely my fault." The guy responded with perfect mannerisms. His hands made a apologetic gesture.
Now Riza took a closer look at him. Certainly he wasn't too bad looking. A young brown-haired man with an olive-green shirt and a small, black, sleeveless opened vest above it. He was wearing a small pendant as well as a perfect smile. Eyes as blue as the crystal sea were watching her with guilt.
Lucy ignored this exchange and wondered why the pull had stopped.
"Aren't we going to the cafeteria?"
"Are you perhaps hungry? There was no food on the air-ship after all." he laughed gently and bowed in a elegant way. "My name is Antonio Chessa. It would be my pleasure to escort you two to the cafeteria."
"N-no need, really! We are fully able to find it by ourselves..." waving her arms in front of her to deny his offer, Riza wanted to deny him instantly, but he pressed on.
"Please look at it as my personal apology for bumping into you so rudely. As a matter of fact I was getting slightly hungry too." again that perfect smile. Maybe it wouldn't hurt to accompany him.
"I am all out of pockys... oh hi there ~" Lucy had just noticed the boy.
"Please come along then. I must have missed your name...?"
"Riza. This here is Lucy Stripes. She is... a little off sometimes." Riza decided to keep her last name hidden for now. People like Jaune recognized her way too fast. She didn't want more questions.
"You are mean Riza... but you are buying lunch." Riza sighed and nodded. As they walked with the new student she realized something.
"Antonio was it? How do you know the way so well? Are you a 2nd year perhaps?"
"Haha no way. I am just a freshmen like you two. I visited the academy before and got a tour around the campus. A few friends of mine are enrolled here as well." he explained to them. It made sense to Riza, though she found the regulations to be a little lax, if anyone could just visit the academy.
"Do you know people here too?" he asked politely.
"Uhm..." Riza didn't have any friends from Signal or home that joined Beacon. She was a little embarrassed to admit it though.
"No sis! Don't leave me!" Suddenly a girl yelled in their general direction. She sounded a little desperate. A golden shape passed them at high speed. It was a girl with a leather jacket and sports bloomers.
"When a woman has to go, she has to go!" she exclaimed this with a lot of energy while holding her stomach. Her words spoke for themselves.
"But, but I think those are the staff bathrooms...!" The second girl was a smaller figure with a black skirt and a red cape. Ruby Rose. She gasped for air and stopped in her tracks.
"..." she stared at the three who in turn were staring back at her.
"It's you two! Riza and Lucy. That girl might have been my sister ehehe... she is really fast too." she smiled awkwardly.
"A friend of yours?" Antonio asked raising a brow. Riza looked away sweating.
"N-not really. Just someone we met on the way. People really shouldn't run in the hallways anyway!" the last words were in a more scolding tone again.
"That's cold. I really feel it." Ruby made a downcast expression, but then she realized her target was getting away fast. "I have to go." she said with a hint of disappointment.
As she also disappeared in the next hallway the trio couldn't help but stare at her back.
"I like Ruby. She is cute ~" Lucy got to the point in an instant as always.
"She has a certain charm, similar to a small animal perhaps?" Antonio chuckled softly.
"Ruby should be a puppy. I would adopt her ~" Riza couldn't help but laugh at those words.
Soon after they reached another great hall. It was filled with tables, benches and chairs, all wooden and simplistic looking. On the other end of it was a big counter with food, silverware and plates. Surprisingly enough the canisters and boxes were already filled with steaming food and desserts of all kinds. A few kitchen ladies were preparing another stash of ingredients. Aside from the three of them there were a few others too. There were senior students and a few freshmen. They could easily be distinguished by the uniforms or the lack thereof.
The two girls watched the scene before them with slight amazement.
"So they already prepared for the newcomers." Riza wondered why she hadn't expected it.
"It looks really tasty ~" Lucy was already advancing towards the food with an unusual focus in her foggy blue eyes.
"They have at least 3 different dishes per meal, or that's what my friends told me. They didn't lie it seems." As he wanted to add something a loud voice cut him off.
"There you are Anto!" Riza could barely recognize the movement before it happened. A fist covered with a gauntlet hit the young man into the stomach at full force.
"Urgh... good to see you... Jasna..." Antonio was bending over holding his hurting stomach.
"'Good to see you' my ass! You just left me alone with all those two-legged pigs and what do I see here? Hangin' out with some cute girl?!" With a furious glare the girl called Jasna was towering above the cringing Antonio. To his defense and Riza's secret admiration, he somehow managed to smile with his pressed lips. She tried not to think about the random compliment.
"Two-legged pigs?" She spoke her thoughts aloud.
"Yes, yes! You know they are, like, everywhere." Jasna turned towards her and her whole demeanor changed instantly. From angered face to energetic smile in under 1 second. "I hope this useless guy didn't touch you or anything." Her eyes were giving off actual worry.
"Uh no..." She tilted her head and her fox ears were twitching a little.
"Cute ears by the way!" She quickly said. "Will you stand up already womanizer?" Jasna grabbed Antonio's sleeve and pulled him up. She was switching gears faster than any other person Riza met before.
"Ouch... you are tainting my reputation here, dear Jasna. That hurts more than your fists. But those hurt too. A lot." He put more emphasis on it than necessary. Or was it?
"Hahaha are you worried that she may not date you now? All men are the same. Well you are a little better than those other monkeys." Her words were aimed at some other boys watching the spectacle. Riza got the impression that Jasna didn't try to be diplomatic. Ever.
"I should feel honored then, I guess?" the brown haired teen had recovered already.
'He is tougher than he looks.' Riza thought to herself.
"True, very true!" The girl with a long red scarf nodded her head seriously. She was wearing an orange and white outfit. Additionally to wide shoulder pads she was wearing black and white gloves with weird round metal enhancements that had slits all around it. They looked really heavy. Other than that she was wearing white stockings and had a small opening around her top's chest area. Her short brown hair was hanging down wildly and gave her an even more energetic look. Something that stood out instantly were her violet-gray eyes.
Now she proceeded to slap Antonio's back repeatedly. The gesture was friendly, but the effect devastating. "I am Jasna Zora. It's easy to remember, because it rhymes." For some reason that fact seemed to make her proud.
"I am Riza. It's uh... nice to meet you Jasna. Are those your weapons?" she couldn't help but stare at the gauntlets. One reason being their repeated, but causal misuse on Antonio.
"Sure are! I sometimes call 'em my 'Slasher fists'." she smiled, but didn't elaborate. The faunice girl didn't feel like questioning her any further.
"Jasna is quite skilled as a huntress already. She is very efficient with her weapons."
"Yeah maybe. But you handle that boring umbrella quite well too." she had blushed for a second, or maybe Riza imagined it. But her eyes were better than most normal humans'...
"Now that we have gathered here, why don't we all eat together?" Antonio proposed this gentlemanly.
"Good thinking! I was already starving anyway. Riza you will sit next to me, okay?" It was a question, but at the same time there was no doubt in her voice. Riza had no choice in the matter.
"It would be my pleasure." she said a little helplessly. Weird people confused her more than normal people, which already didn't make much sense to her.
Beacon Academy - Main Hall, January 26th, AW 675
In the slowly emptying hall was another girl all by herself watching the crowd. She had been quiet the whole time and made no effort to communicate with anyone. With a strong hand she combed through her long, black hair.
'Beacon is a lively place. Not at all like home. Ozpin is different from what father described.' the girl was lost in her thoughts.
Students took occasional looks at her, but the air around her made them keep their distance. This young woman was called Alexandra Wilhelmine. A real tongue-twister. Her red eyes focused on the two wounded fools which were being carried out of the hall.
"Casually walking through the Emerald Forest..." Honestly she was impressed, but on the other hand she doubted those boy's intelligence. They were lucky to escape with only a few scratches. Of course she had seen that guy head-butt the air-ship too. At that moment she had been staring at the beautiful lush forest, when suddenly everybody gawked at some kind of spectacle. He hit the window magnificently and then fell to his untimely death... or so she thought.
'I'll become a huntress that is just as strong, but with a lot more brains.' with tender hands she rubbed her weapon. It was a pair black desert eagles. A girl caressing a gun would have made most people suspicious. But there was one person who didn't care about that it seemed. Alexandra hadn't noticed him until now, because he was in the shadows and for some reason he had no presence at all. Only the blinking of his camera revealed his position. Camera?
"What are you doing?!" she kicked after the boy who barely dodged her kick. He was holding a small camera and his position on the ground made it clear that he wasn't taking pictures of her face. But instead of being shushed away the boy used the chance to take even more photos. Because of her kick.
Her short black skirt was going up.
"Nice..." he said with an almost inaudible voice. His face was hidden behind the camera and all that was visible was his spiky turquoise hair.
"Youuuuu...!" A vein popped on her head. "Insufferable pervert!" with anger filled fists she punched at him repeatedly. He dodged most of them with ninja like reflexes, but one grazed his cheek. That apparently made him rethink his current situation and he went for retreat.
"Not so fast." a cold voice appeared behind the boy. A girl in a white dress with a scar over her left eye had already blocked his escape route. "How dare you take such indecent pictures!" from some kind of hammer-space she drew her rapier like weapon. Both girls were extremely pissed and extremely dangerous.
"...retreat." the boy pulled out some kind of round object and threw it to the floor. With a cracking sound the ball exploded into smoke and the two girls lost sight of him. When the smoke cleared they were the only ones left.
"Ts. Next time I see that dirty..." Alexandra sighed.
"Some people are just unbelievable." The girl with the ponytail agreed. Wilhelmine just noticed the crest and the obvious signs.
"Aren't you... Weiss Schnee? Heiress of the Schnee dust company?"
"Yes indeed! At least someone with a little common sense enrolled in this academy... do I know you?" she squinted her eyes.
"I don't think so... I mean I would never meet such important people." Alexandra answered nervously.
"Hm. If you say so." there was still doubt in her voice. "What's your name anyway?"
"Alexandra Wilfred." for safety purposes she went by that last name.
"Nice to meet you. It seems that you are a reasonable person. Just tell me if that lecher appears again and we will deal with him together, okay?" with those words she turned on her heels and left the main hall as well.
Alexandra slightly shook her head. That girl was quite arrogant, but as far as she remembered the Schnee company was a very strict place. That girl had more burdens on her shoulders than she let on. Alexandra ran away from that, but she didn't feel much remorse.
She adjusted her red, sleeveless top and looked outside. The weather was great in these parts of Vale. A rumbling from below made her jolt. It was her stomach...
A blushing black-haired girl left the main hall.
Beacon Academy - Cafeteria
"This is sooo good!" Jasna and Lucy were in some kind of perfect synchronization. Riza and Antonio watched them stuff their faces with wry smiles on their faces.
'Lucy can be quite energetic at times...'
"Do you think they will give me more meat if I ask nicely?" Jasna wondered while talking with a full mouth.
"Do you really need any more meat? You already got a 3:1 ratio between meat and side dishes." Antonio pointed it out, but it didn't really seem to bother him.
"If I can get away with this much, why not aim higher?" she said while pointing above her.
"That's true hahaha."
"Riza ~ You have to try this choco pudding ~" she was holding a spoonful towards Riza. "Say aah ~" Riza's tail twitched at the gesture, but she couldn't resist and took the spoon out of Lucy's hands.
"I can eat by myself." she said with mixed feelings and put the pudding into her mouth. An explosion of tastes hit her taste-buds and she almost cried out. It's been eternity since she ate something this delicious. When she was little they had a cook, but after the accident...
The sweet taste turned bitter at the unpleasant memories and she just nodded and said "Not bad." To put her mind off of the thoughts she changed the topic. "Antonio and Jasna are friends then?"
Antonio who had been putting a perfectly measured piece of meat in his mouth turned towards her. After gulping it down he answered. "We were... acquainted since long ago. She always was a troublemaker as far as I remember." he said jokingly.
"Yho whrnt bhetter tho!" Jasna added with a full mouth.
"Please watch your table manners, dear Jasna." he said with incredible patience. He must have dealt with her for a long time now. Jasna only nodded while stuffing her face even more. "Now allow me to ask you something in return. You visited Signal academy, correct?"
"Yes. How did you...?"
"It's quite easy. Most of Beacon's students come from Signal or a similar school. Also your weapon seems to be self-made." He was of course right. "I think it is pretty impressive."
"I don't know. It's just a retractable spear. What about your weapon?" she tried to hide her embarrassment by switching the focus back to him.
"Oh my weapon was created by a craftsman. I don't have the necessary skill to build something great like that. It's this umbrella." Antonio showed her a small retractable umbrella he had hidden in his vest. It looked quite normal, but her staff didn't look like a deathly weapon either. "It has a few different 'modes', but nothing too fancy. Your friend there has something far more interesting."
Lucy didn't react to the words. Dessert seemed to be more important. "Her swords?"
"Yes, they are fine weapons." he said this with a perfect smile, but didn't explain any further. Riza took a sip from her cup of clear water.
"Hey fox-girl! Since when do they let animals eat at the table?" from behind her appeared two delinquent looking 3rd years. One had a shaved head and the other dreadlocks.
"I think I lost my appetite now." they laughed disgustingly. Riza stayed calm. She had encountered many people like that before. If they said any more she would probably shut them up in a more physical way...
"I bet she gnaws on the food like a wolf with her sharp canine teeth."
"What a beast!" Riza could feel their stares of contempt from behind. She tightened the grip around her staff and her whole body was stiffening up. She was almost at her limit.
Suddenly loud sounds could be heard from Jasna. She was ripping her steak apart with her teeth in a very crude and animistic way. Two big gulps and it was down.
"..." everyone stared at her. She slapped the table and stood up.
"So you two monkeys think you are so much better? Want me to show you a real beast?!" her gauntlets were forming fists and she glared at them. Her mouth revealed her own canine teeth under a scary smile. The bullies gulped.
"Even her friends are animals..." one of them tried to continue, but he didn't sound as confident anymore. Jasna continued to grin.
"What's bad about that? Humans are just the smartest animals around. Though I can't say the same about men." she crushed the fork in her hand and approached the two guys. They took a few steps backwards.
Before the situation could escalate even more Antonio stepped in. "Now, now everyone. There is no need for this confrontation. Humans are indeed thesmartestanimals. And I think it would be smart for you two... gentlemen to leave now." his smile didn't waver and he didn't emit any kind of negative emotion, but the two bullies ran away immediately.
"We will remember this!" Those words were all the resistance they could muster. Jasna spat after them.
"Come back when you grew some ba-mmmph!" Antonio held her mouth shut with his hands.
"Please don't dirty your mouth like that, dear Jasna. Violence isn't the solution to everything." he scolded her with the most relaxed voice Riza had ever heard in such a context. Was he even trying?
The brown-haired girl freed herself of his hands and went back to her seat. "Guys like that just piss me off, is all..."
"Thank you... for stepping in." Riza said with a low voice.
"Pfff. Ahahahahaha!" her sudden burst of laughter startled Riza.
"H-huh?"
"I didn't step in to help you. I just saved those lowly rodents from getting their ass kicked by a proud fox." she winked. Lucy started chuckling too. Riza smiled a little bashful.
Beacon Academy - Ball room, January 27th, AW 675
That evening everybody gathered inside the ball room and prepared their 'sleeping gear' as Akashi would have put it. Everyone was talking about the initiation that awaited them tomorrow.
"You think it's some kind of written test?"
"Please let it be multiple choice..."
"We totally have to fight Professor Goodwitch in a one-on-one!"
"No way! She will kill you just with her glare."
"My brother told me they throw you into the Emerald Forest and let you fight Grimm..."
"Hahaha your brother was just making fun of you."
That and many more topics were flowing through the groups of friends, but eventually the room quieted down a bit. Lucy was lying on the floor in her pajamas (made of black wool and with a strawberry motif), listening to music. She was a paragon of easiness. If she even thought about the next day at all she didn't show it.
"I envy your attitude sometimes..." Riza mumbled while combing her long hair. It was her way of coping with anxiousness. She was wearing a tight, black pajama, opposite to her usual white and wide clothes.
"It'll be fine ~~" apparently Lucy had heard her. Her warm voice was relaxing. From somewhere Jasna came running.
"We are going to stay up aaaaaall night I telly ya!" she was shaking so rapidly as if she wanted to take off and fly to the stars like a rocket.
"But then we wont be fit for the initiation ceremony tomorrow." Riza tried to be diplomatic.
"Nonsense! We have to party all night to celebrate our... arrival... in Beac-*yawn*" But an instant later she fell face first to the floor and started snoring.
"Wha-?"
Antonio appeared and made an apologetic gesture. "Jasna is just like this. She is very true to her instincts. Let her sleep." He gently pulled Jasna towards her futon and put a blanket over her. After that he sat down leaning at the wall and opened a book. Without much ado he started reading and sank into his own world.
'Am I the only one who is anxious about what's to come?'
The main door slammed open and two familiar faces entered, sucking all the attention in the room towards them. It was the two young men who came late to the introduction today. Instantly a few students crowded around them, but for some reason dissipated immediately. The man in his blue vest with leather boots and leather gloves as well as a short white scarf came her way for some reason.
'He is not going to...'
But he was. Without a care he threw his bag to the ground and lied down leaning his head on it. He was only a few feet away. As if just noticing her he opened one eye and said "You don't mind me sleeping next to you?"
"Uhm... I... no?" she was confused by the way he put it.
"Good. Good night." And with that he started breathing low and regularly, dozing off into dreamland. The other boy was also coming this way. Nobody knew what he had to do with the blue guy, but he seemed to be bathing in confidence.
"Hey there ~" he greeted them with a wave of his hand.
"Hello..."
"Hi ~" Lucy was apparently still awake enough to notice the scene next to her.
"That Juge seems to be nothing but half-conscious, huh?" His remark didn't make much sense to Riza, but she nodded anyway. "Wanna draw on his face?"
"What? No! You can't do something like that to him." Riza got angry again. But the boy only laughed.
"Why not? This guy could need a new look. Have you seen his grumpy face? That's just depressing ~" he pulled out a black marker.
Riza's head started hurting again. "You just can't. Help me over here Lucy- huh?" Lucy was already next to the boy and also holding a marker.
"You think he would look good with a mustache~?"
"Nah. I was thinking along the lines of horns. He head-butted an air-ship like a bull after all." the both of them snickered.
"I can't believe you! He fell dozens of meters to the ground and was just released from the medical wing..."
"I know, I know. I was there too." the boy shrugged. "The name's Akashi Mayhiro. Nice to meet you fluffy." His words were far from serious.
"Don't call me that... what happened to you two anyway?" she started to focus on facts and try to blend out anything annoying.
"To be honest I don't know. He told me that he fought some Nevermore. After that he was hit by an air-ship and landed on me while I was fighting a Deathstalker. We managed to get through the forest without much of a problem after that." he was talking about it as if it was not worth mentioning.
"A Deathstalker?" Riza looked at him with a baffled face.
"It's all because he missed the air-ship. I live close to Beacon, so I thought walking here would be okay."
"J-just who are you guys?"
"Like I said, my name is Akashi Mayhiro. And I am going to be the top freshman student at Beacon!" he said it full of confidence. In that moment the man named Juge rose from his sleep barely avoiding Lucy's marker.
"I don't think so. I'll be the number one." Was he even sleeping? But he didn't react before...
"Well you better prepare to give up on that then, because I'll get that title soon."
"I can't stand below anyone." Juge and Akashi stared each other down. It almost seemed like sparks were flying between them.
"Why don't the both of you become the best students at Beacon ~" Lucy threw this in for peace(?) purposes. She threw her arms around both of them from behind and pulled them together. They didn't seem very fazed.
"There can't be two 'the best' students." They both agreed on this.
"You have a tough competition this year." a girl's voice came from behind them. It was the black-haired girl that already appeared in the main hall. She was leaning on a wall still in her normal clothes.
"And who are you?"
"You can call me Alexandra."
"It doesn't matter, I have to achieve this either way." Juge said it almost sad.
"I don't care why you have to prove yourself, but you should consider your rivals first. That over there for example is Weiss Schnee." she pointed at a girl in a dark blue night gown. "She is the heiress of the Schnee dust company and obviously very skilled." Riza nodded. Even she had heard of her.
"Then we have that famous Phyrra Nikos too. She was one of the top graduates from Sanctum." not far away sat a red-head girl with a calm expression. Alexandra scanned the room and looked at another pair.
"And that over there is Ruby Rose."
"Ruby?" Riza tilted her head. "What about her?"
"Didn't you read the news? She was involved with the capture of a bunch of criminals. They were working for that Norman Torchwick." That name rang a bell. He was known to be a nefarious villain who robbed dust shops and had connections to all kinds of people in the underground. "She also skipped two years in Signal and joined Beacon immediately. Don't you find that suspicious?"
"I think it's amazing ~" They watched Ruby talking to the blond girl again. She was her sister or something. They didn't look much alike.
"Competition keeps the world moving is what my father always says." Akashi didn't seem to be very impressed by all those names.
"It's good to have so many talented hunters at one place. We can learn a lot from each other." Juge was smiling as well.
'I am surrounded by maniacs.' Riza realized this inside her head. But if it meant that these people were strong enough to kill many Grimm... she wouldn't complain.
"Sure. I wouldn't expect any less from the heir of the Velmón family though." Alexandra shrugged and walked off.
"Velmón?" Lucy's blue eyes went foggy. The boy in the blue vest lied back down.
"Names don't mean much at a place like this." he went back to sleep, or whatever this state could be called. Akashi opened his marker with a 'plop' sound. His mischievous grin was somewhat contagious. Lucy had lost interest in the prank already and was listening to music again.
Not far away Riza noticed Ruby and her sister talking to a familiar girl. It was the black-haired girl who called herself 'Belladonna'. Riza felt a small bond towards her that was stronger than with most other people. She wouldn't reveal her secret though. It was understandable why she hid it.
"Oh I am so proud of my baby sister!" suddenly the blond girl started hugging Ruby to death.
"Cut it out!" They were engaging in a really loud cat fight.
"Ruby, Yang it's a pleasure to-" Belladonna tried to say something, but was interrupted by another yell.
"What in the world is going on over here?! Don't you realize some of us are trying to sleep?" it was Weiss Schnee. "Oh not you again!"
They were yelling at each other quite loudly.
"She is a hazard to my health!" Weiss said and easily woke up everyone in a radius of 20 meters.
"You are the loudest of them all!" said Mayhiro with a taunting smile.
"What- how dare you?" she turned towards him.
"He is kinda right. Can we please quiet down." Ruby seemed to be close to tears.
Blake had blown out her candles and was intend on ignoring them now. That made Antonio look up.
"Excuse me madame, but I still need that light, if you don't mind of course." his smile was hidden in the dark.
"Ah sure." she was surprised for a second, but reignited the candles. The scene had changed to Weiss and Akashi fighting verbally, while Ruby tried to calm them down. Yang was throwing in even more taunts. "What are you reading?" she asked to distract from the noise.
"It's a story about a man who is in search for his soul." Antonio was reading intently while replying.
"That sounds interesting." she put the candlestick next to him and turned to the other side to sleep. The two of them had that special kind of atmosphere that could only exist between quiet people who respect each others hobby.
"But they started it!"
"I can't hear you over your yelling, sorry!" Mayhiro was definitely enjoying this a little too much.
"Show her!" Yang put fuel into the fire.
"You are not helping sis!"
Jasna was suddenly rising, half-asleep and not really conscious. "An attack? Come get me... Grimm..." she started attacking the first person around her... Antonio. He magnificently dodged all her blows while reading his book.
"Ah now you've awoken the lion." he said. Riza put a cushion over her face to blend everything out. If she had intervened it would have gotten a lot louder. Lucy had the advantage of her loud music.
"Are you saying that's my fault too?"
"A few octaves higher and the windows will break."
"Hehehe." Yang snickered.
"This is bad, this is bad, this is bad..." Ruby's eyes were spinning.
When the noise hit its peak a sudden gust went past the faces of all people involved. The noise died down immediately. Those were... daggers. They were now stabbed into the walls.
"If you could all be so kind as to shut up. Some people had a concussion today." Juge had risen once again only to say this. Then he went back to sleep.
"The nerve-" but Ruby and Yang held her mouth closed with their hands. Ruby was as pale as a ghost and her eyes were white. Yang was sweating.
"Let's just go to sleep."
"I-I-I still have to finish my letter for my friends at Signal!"
"That guy..." Mayhiro smiled.
Finally everyone was ready to sleep. Riza's ears twitched one last time and then the lights went out.
Beacon Academy - locker rooms, January 27th, AW 675
Juge and Akashi had been competing at everything since they woke up and finding their lockers first was also part of that.
"107... 108..." Akashi looked through all the numbers while running.
"...I don't think I actually got a locker yet..." Juge just realized this.
On the other side of the room Riza and Lucy entered with well rested expressions.
"Your tail was so fluffy~~ Better than my cushion ~"
"Wait... did you sleep on my-?" Riza wanted to scold her, but in that moment Weiss and Phyrra were passing them.
The white haired girl nodded at them and said "Try to avoid that way. Or you might get into contact with something nasty." They both tilted their heads while Phyrra smiled wryly.
After reaching the lockers they both took out their gear and readied themselves.
"They said we have to get into teams. We are going to be together right ~?" Lucy asked with a relaxed expression.
"I-if you want." Riza agreed.
In that moment Ruby and Jaune came their way.
"Come on Jaune. Let's go." Ruby was supporting him with her shoulder.
"Is it that what the princess was talking about?" Riza looked at the depressed Jaune.
"Morning ~~" Lucy greeted them. She had somehow obtained a new pack of pockys. She held it out towards them. Ruby took one while Jaune declined.
"Hello you two. Princess?" Ruby had a questioning look on her face.
"I meant Weiss Schnee. She warned us about something nasty..." Jaune sighed at these words.
"Where did I go wrong?"
"I think your choice of person was the greatest mistake." Riza said while shaking her head. They all walked to the cliff together while talking.
"Do I have to be more aggressive?" Jaune was still wondering.
"Only if you want to make her snap again."
"Well she just missed out then. Don't you lovely ladies want to be on the Jaune team? There are still two seats with your names on them." he straightened up and let go of Ruby's support.
"..." Lucy patted his shoulder.
"I see why you had no luck." Riza added.
"Why don't you two make a team?" Lucy asked Ruby and Jaune.
"Uh... that would be really... interesting, but I already promised my sis that... yeah." Ruby flailed around wildly. "W-why doesn't one of you try it?"
"Riza is with me ~" Lucy said more possessively than expected.
"Haha... haah. How unlucky for all of you..." Jaune seemed close to another breakdown.
"Cheer up. Who knows if we are even allowed to choose." those words from Riza seemed to light up Jaune's mood a lot. They reached the cliff.
Back in the locker room Akashi had found his locker. "Hah! I told you I'd be first." he turned around to Juge who... had already forcefully opened a locker by breaking its handle and put his stuff in there just to pull it out dramatically.
"Sorry, but I was faster."
"You totally broke into that locker."
"What are you saying...?"
"I can see the broken handle in your hand..."
Juge put it away immediately. "Fine. I didn't have a locker yet. I had no time to get one yesterday."
"Honesty always pays off." Akashi laughed and got his hammer from the locker. "Wanna race to the cliff?" The question was meaningless, because Juge had already started to run. For a different reason though.
"That's an early start!"
"That's not it. Didn't you notice? We are late. Again!"
Mayhiro gulped and increased his speed. Just in that moment a brown-haired girl with a long red scarf was coming from the side. She noticed him too late and they crashed into each other. Juge disappeared towards the horizon.
"Damn it... this is not good." Akashi rubbed his hurting head when he noticed the girl's expression. She was extremely angry.
"You. Dirty. Pig!" She metaphorically and literally exploded.
A few seconds later Antonio appeared only to find Jasna punching a boy with her right fist while holding him with her left hand.
"I said- OUMPH... I'm sorry- ARGH." The short-haired guy was trying his best to apologize, but to no avail.
"Dear Jasna, please let him go. He already apologized..." he made a peaceful gesture.
"Never ever! That pig touched me!" her eyes were burning flames.
"Maybe. But we are late. Do you want me to leave you behind?" he tried to go at it from a different angle. Jasna flinched and turned around.
"You wouldn't do that right?!"
"O-of course not. That's why I am saying we should go for the cliff now."
Jasna thought about it for a second and then nodded. "Okay." she didn't let go of the young man and started running towards the cliff, while dragging him behind.
"Oh." Antonio tilted his head. That didn't quite go as planned.
Beacon Cliff - Launch pad, January 27th, AW 675
"For years you have trained to become warriors. And today your abilities will be evaluated in the Emerald Forest." Ozpin said.
'They are actually going to throw us in there?!'
Glynda continued the introduction.
"Now, I am 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."
Many people gasped or looked surprised. Riza nodded almost indiscernible.
"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 elaborated.
Lucy gave Riza a thumbs up.
"That being said... the first person you make eye-contact with after landing will be your partner for the next four years."
'What kind of rule is that?' Riza face palmed.
Not far away Alexandra bit her lower lip. Many others showed disbelief as well.
"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's words made people gulp. "You will be monitored and graded for the duration of your initiation, but our instructors will not intervene."
After looking at his future students he continued.
"You will find an abandoned temple and the end of the path, containing several relics. Each pair must choose one and return to the top of the cliff. We'll guard that item as well as your standing and grade you appropriately. Are there any questions?"
Jaune instantly held his hand up and asked Ozpin something. he ignored him and asked them to get into position.
"I can't believe they are actually throwing us in there..." Riza sighed and got into her stance.
One after another the platforms below the students shot them towards the green forest.
"See you sooooooon ~~" Lucy was catapulted away. Riza felt excitement and adrenaline building up inside of her and she could hear the mechanism under her plate clicking. With a creaking sound it went forward and shot her towards the sky.
More people followed and eventually even Jaune was catapulted away.
Ozpin took a sip before noticing 4 dots closing in. "Hm?"
Juge was the first to reach the cliff and he was catapulted away while only stepping on the platform with on foot. It looked like he was a ballerina in mid-jump. Right behind him appeared a rather relaxed Antonio. He gracefully stepped on his place and was shot in an upwards position.
"Waaaaaaaiiiit!" Jasna jumped on the last platform while still holding Akashi.
"Please let go..." but they also joined the sky and fell towards the forest.
Ozpin took another sip from his cup while watching all of them fly away. Glynda sighed.
Emerald Forest - Above the trees, January 27th, AW 675
Most students handled the first task with ease. That task being the landing. People like Ruby and Weiss used their weapons to their advantage. Others like Yang managed to jump off the trees. Jaune was saved by Phyrra's spear.
Lucy pulled out her yin and yang swords and stabbed them into the first tree branch she encountered. With a full spin she reduced her speed and landed on her feet on the grass below.
"Phew ~~" she released her breath and stretched a little.
Not very far away Riza threw her extended spear into another tree and jumped onto it. Using the bounce to pull it out and jump even further she landed on a huge rock.
"I made it."
Antonio used his open umbrella to glide to the ground in a photogenic fashion.
Way further ahead Jasna pushed Akashi down.
"H-hey let go of me now."
"Shut up. You want to make it up to me? Be my landing cushion!"
"That's not related at-" but before he could finish his complaint they already crashed into the ground. Akashi's body slid through the mud and grass for about 20 meters and then stopped.
"We are even." Jasna said without taking another look at the demolished Akashi. His soul was leaving his mouth. "Anto?" she yelled while running deeper into the forest.
At another place Juge was about to land. He extended his whip and wrapped it around a tree branch. The boost made him fly to the next tree. This one was different. Black and of a special texture...
"Black... feathers..." Juge realised what was going on, but it was too late. The Nevermore cried out and opened it's giant beak. 'Come on! I only eliminated 4 of your brothers...' With great agility he kicked himself off the giant bird's head and got behind it. With a swing of his whip he got a hold of the Nevermore's wing. Then he noticed something weird. The Nevermore had a burnt circle around its neck.
"You..." the bird flapped one wing and pulled Juge around picking at him with full force. "Ts. You waited here all this time for revenge?" he pulled out his dagger and rammed it into the beast's shoulder muscle using the motion to get on its back. "It wont be any different from last time!"
But the Grimm had learned its lesson. With a suicidal turn it crashed back first into the next giant tree. Juge barely got away by kicking off the Grimm's neck. He slapped the whip at the bird's eye and wounded it. The painful gawk reverberated inside the forest. But a cornered beast could become quite dangerous. Its razor sharp claws were already closing in on the pesky blue human.
"You never learn... today I don't need your travel services!" his whip went into ice mode, but just when he was going to freeze the monster's legs his vision became blurry and a pain hit his head. 'Damn... it...' The aftereffects of his fall yesterday hadn't worn off yet. With a snapping noise the claws closed around him and the Grimm screeched triumphantly. Juge regained his senses and used one of his daggers to cut his arm out of the smallest claw. Another move and his right arm was free. The whip stretched out around the leg in an unnatural movement and he pulled himself up.
While the young man tried to escape the bird started to tire out. The wound in its shoulder and wing made it hard to fly. With two more flaps it went upwards - and then fell down fast.
"Come on!" Juge had almost pulled himself out of his claw prison, but it was too late, the bird already broke through the branches.
Emerald Forest, January 27th, AW 675
Riza used her ears to listen to everything around her. The fox ears were capable of hearing that exceeded any normal humans'. Normally they would be dulled so as to not hurt from the loud sounds, but right now she was trying to estimate her location and that of other hunters.
She could hear Lucy not far away. A little ahead was some kind of rumbling. Maybe an impact of some kind? And then an incredibly loud beast's scream reverberated through he forest. Riza held her hurting ears. "Ouch!" Confused for a few seconds she had to close her eyes. When she opened them there was someone standing on the grass. "Lucy?"
"Rizaaaa ~~?" It was indeed Lucy. Riza waved to make herself noticeable, but just when Lucy turned around a giant bird... a Nevermore burst through the branches!
"Wooooaaaah!" The boy in the blue vest... Juge Velmón was riding on it. He looked directly into Riza's surprised eyes. It was only one second, but he was her first eye contact. When the second passed the bird was already crashing into the ground and sliding into the deep grass. Juge managed to flip of its back and landed on unsteady legs. Before the beast could recover he already swung the whip in circles above his head.
"Dust change: Ice!" The whip started glowing white and blue. "Frozen lance!" he hit the ground and a giant pillar of ice broke through the Nevermore's ribs. With one last pitiful scream it exploded into ice-crystals and disappeared. Juge sank to his knees breathing hard. "What a surprise..."
"I am the surprised one!" Riza yelled at him from behind.
"Hm?" He stood up immediately and stared at her with his blue, focused eyes. "Oh it's you renard."
"What did you call me?" she looked confused.
"I'm sorry. It was my clan's ancient language. It means 'fox'." A rather crude choice. But Juge wasn't known to be a poet.
Riza looked at him to discern if he was saying it in a derogatory way. But Juge's expression just told her that he was indifferent. Lucy appeared from behind them.
"Rizaaaa ~~ Let's go find the relic." she didn't seem worried about Juge or the fact that a monster bird had barely missed her.
"Uh Lucy it looks like I am already this guy's... partner." she sighed.
"You are... what?" Now Juge was the one looking confused.
"Didn't you hear the rules? We have to partner up with the first person we make eye-contact with. They are watching us right now." Juge crossed his arms.
"I see. Then we will have to hurry. I am sure Akashi is already on his way to the relic." he turned around and walked ahead.
"You... don't even care?" she was a little disappointed. The boy turned around and smiled.
"You are the best partner I could wish for." Her eyes opened wide. "At least in a radius of a 100 meters. Let's go." And her face went dark.
"Aw... can't we create a team of three?" Lucy was nibbling on a pocky while looking dejected. Riza shook her head.
"We can't."
"Let her come along." Juge was already several meters ahead.
"But-"
"We can still lend her to any other classmate we meet."
"Is Lucy some kind of arts arts-and-crafts tool to you?!"
"Open page 65 for a instruction on how to make pockys with me ~"
"You are playing along?" Riza sighed and suddenly lost her strength. "Fine. We have to get those relics. I don't want a bad grade either." So the trio advanced into the deep green.
Emerald Forest - Near Jaune's landing spot, January 27th, AW 675
At a different place Alexandra went past a few bushes and looked up. There was a boy hanging at a tree. he was pinned up with a spear.
"Hello there. Great weather isn't it?" Jaune laughed awkwardly.
"..." Alexandra turned around and walked into a different direction.
"Hey please don't leave me!" Shortly after Weiss appeared. Jaune only waved to her... and she turned back to Ruby. "Aaw..."
While walking through the leafs of some small trees Alexandra accessed the situation. Apparently this forest was full of Grimm. She had known that before, but now it seemed odd how concentrated they were. Her books told people that Grimm appeared in groups and always wandered. At least most species. And now she was surrounded by them. Stopping her steps would have been the sign for the beasts to attack. So she calmly advanced while loading her desert eagles. They had .50 ammunition with a 7 bullet magazine. Considering the amount of enemies that wouldn't be nearly enough.
Suddenly a jolt went through the shadows and one enemy bigger than the rest appeared. It was an Ursa!
"Too slow." she had already aimed at the beast's head and shot two dust infused bullets at it. The creature was smart enough to hold a paw in front of its face. The paw exploded and was flailing away from the impact. The second bullet grazed the Ursa's white mask The explosion started behind it. "Lucky bastard..." she kicked off the ground and dodged the Ursa's attack, albeit barely. She didn't notice the Beowolf behind her. The lucky one was actually her as the Beowolf's attack was accompanied by it's roar.
Alexandra manged to block its sharp claws with her second desert eagle. The metal was strong and wouldn't even get a scratch. She turned and grabbed the creature's head. With a impressive somersault she went over it and hid behind the black frame. The Ursa was already attacking again and hit the defenseless wolf creature. Its yowling made the others in the shadow back away.
The Ursa roared and flung the dissipating corpse aside. With a jump it tried to squash Alexandra. She rolled to the side and shot two rounds at the vulnerable stomach. This time the dust bullets were infused with zero-g effects. The huge creature was floating helplessly. Alexandra climbed up the tree next to her and jumped on the Grimm's back. Aiming both of her guns at the armored head she clicked her tongue. "The bigger they are..." she pulled the triggers. With a loud sound the Ursa fell to the ground. It's head had two giant holes. "...the easier I can hit them."
She jumped off the disappearing monster and rubbed her hurting neck. Rolling around and flipping over enemies was tiresome. There were still more Beowolf around.
The first two were hit before even leaving the bushes. One more was hit by the explosion from another bullet. The last three jumped at her all at once. With an arc she blocked the first beast's claws and kicked the second one into the stomach. Right after she dealt the finishing blow with her gun. The third grazed her back and slightly ripped her red clothes. She could feel a cold and hot pain. The block was weakening for a moment and the first Beowolf broke through. Alexandra barely dodged and rolled through the creatures legs. Holding the right gun at it's back she released another shot. It went right through the first assailant and hit the second one behind it.
The creatures dissolved into dust and left her breathing heavily. She swiped away her sweat and rubbed her burning back. The wound was shallow. 'Two bullets in the left eagle and one in the right.' Without much ado she reloaded and holstered her weapons.
"You can come out now." she said with a harsh voice. And indeed a shadow came out of the bushes. It was a young man with an umbrella. He was holding a limp Beowolf and let it fall towards the ground.
"You noticed me?" his smile was vague.
"Minutes ago. Why are you following me?"
"To be honest I wanted to partner up with you, but was too scared to say anything." he shrugged helplessly.
"Is that also why you hid when I was in danger?"
"Of course not. I fought those creatures too. But it looks like you didn't need my help at all." he laughed sympathetically.
"Humph. I don't like you." She said it with determination.
"That hurts. It really does! But it looks like we are partners now anyway."
"Yes." she looked at the dense forest. "Did you find the relics?"
"Why would I have found them? Like I said I was just following yo-"
"Cut the nonsense. I know that you already found them. You wouldn't be coming from the north to search for a partner otherwise." The man stared at her for a few seconds. Then he let out a long, defeated sigh.
"You are very sharp. Yes, I have found the relics. But they serve no use for me alone. Do you want me to lead you there miss...?"
"Alexandra Wilfred."
"Nice to meet you. My name is Antonio Chessa. At your service." he bowed slightly. She looked down on him.
"Just walk ahead. I don't care why you were looking around watching others fight, but I guess you were just searching for a good partner. Very cunning to wait until I have proven myself." the word 'cunning' sounded like 'disgusting' out of her mouth.
"I assure you I did nothing of the sorts. If the great Jasna had been close by I would have teamed up with her immediately. But she is nowhere to be found." his face looked a little distant.
"Well we will definitely meet her at the temple." Alexandra said while tapping her foot.
"True enough." Antonio started walking towards the way he came. She followed right behind.
Emerald Forest – Cliffs, January 27th, AW 675
Dozens of meters away Jasna had to sneeze. She inhaled strongly and then shook her head. "Someone was talking about me! I hope it was a cute girl ~" she made a smug face and continued to walk down the cliff-side she had reached. There was nobody to be seen. It was frustrating how she had to walk around all by herself, but she didn't encounter any Grimm either. Sometimes she heard a scream, but when she turned around there was nothing but dust in the air. "Hop!" she jumped to the next lower rock. That's when she noticed...
"Who are you?!" there was a boy lying int he shadows. The only thing betraying his position was the blinking of his camera.
"...located." he retreated instantly, but Jasna was fast too. With a perfect dive-kick she hit the guy in the back. He crashed into a wall with his turquoise hair first. "...severe damage..."
"I am gonna damage you even more if you don't give me that camera, now!" she was cracking her knuckles with a angry smile. One of her eyes twitched. The position... that guy had taken those kinds of pictures.
"...sacrifice." he mumbled and threw his camera into the air. Jasna followed its movement with her eyes and in that moment the boy stood up and threw a object into the air.
"What?" the camera was hit and flew far away. One could see a parachute opening far away. "You... saved the camera instead of yourself?" she was more confused than angry for the moment.
"...art." he said with low voice. His eyes were surprisingly beautiful. It was even more unexpected as they were always hidden behind the camera objective.
"Well maybe you should ask your models for their consent next time!" she wasn't going to let him get away with this much. The small boy made a obeying pose and held out his wrists.
"...captured."
"I'm not from the police moron!" she slapped his wrists. He didn't even jerk. "Is this what you wanted? Think that's enough punishment? Are you a grade-schooler?"
The boy tilted his head and then turned around bowing down to hold up his behind.
"I don't want to slap your a-" this yell was interrupted by the hands of a Grimm that was running out of the forest towards them. Jasna couldn't make out its shape.
Almost instantly the boy got into position and pulled out two parts of a gun-like object. He connected them and it turned into a sniper-rifle. The shape of his enemy was very fast, but his aim was calm. Without wavering he shot the fast moving object and hit it dead-center. The beast dissolved without even being able to scream.
"Impressive." the word slipped Jasna's lips. The way the Grimm dissolved... and hadn't she seen this scene before. "Did you... keep them away from me?"
"...for art." he nodded.
"Thanks I guess." her face smoothened a little. "But" and her glare returned "that's no excuse!"
Soon after the small screams of a pervert echoed through the forest.
Emerald Forest -Grand hill, January 27th, AW 675
Not that far away...
"Did you hear that? That wasn't a Grimm!" Riza's good ears warned her.
"I didn't hear anything. It must be these cute things ~" she started rubbing Riza's ears from behind.
"Kyaa!" to her embarrassment Riza yelped. "D-don't touch them! It tickles." she pushed Lucy away.
"There is a cave ahead. Maybe you heard it from in there?" Juge was scanning the environment. Riza concentrated again. But there was nothing.
"Whatever it was... it is silent now." There was worry in her voice.
"We are searching for the relic, but we can't exactly ignore people in trouble. I'll leave the decision to you."
"Why?"
"Because you heard them. How sure are you?" Juge stared at her questioningly.
"...let's take a look." she made a decisive expression. Juge sighed and shrugged.
"Right after you renard."
"Stop calling me that. I have a name!"
"Riza Inari was it? Do you really want me to call you by that name?"
"How did you-"
"I am a Velmón."
His words were not making the situation any clearer to her, but they didn't have time to waste. So she went ahead towards the cavern. It was located right under a big hill with a huge rock on it. She entered it carefully. It was really pitch black in there.
"Looks scary ~" Lucy said jokingly. Riza ignored her and headed inside. Suddenly all of them could hear yells from the other side.
"That's not a relic Phyrra!" Riza would recognize this voice anywhere. it was Jaune, slightly more hysterical than usual. Screams followed and the loud sound of footsteps. Huge footsteps. But they were getting quieter!
"There is a second exit." Juge deducted.
"I'm going around the hill. That will be faster ~" even though her voice was still aloof, her eyes showed a sudden focus. With fast steps and jumps she advanced over the hill.
"In that case I will go inside!" Riza readied her lance and started running. Juge was cupping his chin with his hand. Another scream could be heard.
"Whatever you do Jaune, don't let go!" and then a small yell of something disappearing rapidly.
Riza was already deep inside the darkness. The young man made no attempts to follow her. If Lucy didn't reach them then Riza wouldn't make it either. But something was weird about this situation. He climbed up the hill towards the rock and scratched some of the dirt off with his dagger.
"!" Juge's eyes widened. "Riza! Get out of there immediately!" his words echoed inside the cave.
"What are you saying? I am almost at the exit-" but a sudden rumble made her loose balance. The floor had moved like after an earthquake.
"This is bad..." Juge jumped down towards the entrance. The earth started moving around the hill and trees, rooted there for hundreds of years, fell over. He looked at the darkness inside, but no sign of Riza. "Run!" he yelled.
Meanwhile Riza couldn't see her own hands inside the dark cave. She knew that she was close to the second entrance that Jaune and Phyrra used to escape. After being shaken around for a bit she managed to get steady again and ran ahead. There it was! A small light. 'The exit!' But for some reason it was shrinking. She stopped through the wet puddles below her and reached the 'exit'. It had already shrank to the size of her hand.
"Why...?" Juge's yell made her snap out of it. She ran in the opposite direction to get back to the entrance.
On the outside Juge had already placed a few thick tree branches to hold the entrance open. It was clothing and the 'rocks' were breaking oft heir dirt shell, revealing blinding white. "Faster!" He kept yelling commands into the 'cave'. But Riza was too slow. The branches started to crack. And the hill was already several meters above it's original height.
At the other end of the hill Lucy was watching the spectacle. "Ooh. It was a man-eating hill?" She didn't know what to do.
Riza had finally reached the entrance. But it was closing already. The logs and branches were too weak for the giant jaw. "What is this thing?"
"It's a Grimm." Juge answered while trying to break the giant teeth with his dagger. No use. The metal screeched without any effect.
"This whole hill?!"
"It's called Kurma and it never moves in centuries. It slowly devours creatures that end up inside it..." Juge stopped himself. This was no time for a lecture. "Stay at the 'entrance', I'll see what I can do!" he jumped up on the giant turtle's back again.
Riza gulped and readied her spear. She let it switch into trident mode. Now the tips were highly explosive on impact. But if she was right the teeth were way too hard to be broken.
Lucy meanwhile had made her way back up the hill. She saw Juge running up towards her.
"Help me please!"
"Okay ~ But how?" her good eyes analyzed every single detail of her surroundings with precision.
"You already noticed that this thing is a giant Grimm, correct? Find it's weak point in the back. There should be one small gap between some of the bone plates! Stab it, slash it, whatever, just make it scream in pain." Lucy nodded and walked up to the top of the hill. Her eyes scanned the grass and earth on top of the shell. After keeping her eyes open without blinking for a few minutes she found her goal.
"I got it!" she said and ran towards a small 'molehill'. Air had been released from there for decades, forming a natural hole. She kicked the earth and slashed the hole open deeper and deeper. Ignoring the earth and dirt covering her arms and swords eh reached a point where white shell was blocking the way. There was a very fine rift between the two shell segments. It was barely visible for the eye. Lucy inhaled deeply and then stabbed into the small space. The sword sank in like the shell was butter.
"Haaaaah!" with a crunching sound she ripped at the insides and created cracks in the plate. She pulled out her yin sword and got into a stance. "Double... hurricane!" she jumped and performed a spin slash on the cracked shell. With a pressure explosion the shell broke even more and revealed flesh under two meters of protective shell. "Scream for me." she whispered and stabbed both of her katana deeply into the creatures flesh.
GROOOOOOOWWWWL! The Grimm's painful roar was so loud it broke the dirt shell from the actual bone plates at several place. Revealed was a giant white protective shell with only on hole in it. The giant rock was actually a giant horn.
The jaw opened a bit, but still not enough for Riza to escape. Now it was Juge's turn. He wrapped Morte Consumptis around the giant horn and pulled with all his might. The creatures head barely budged. "Guuuh..." Juge's veins started appearing and his whole body stiffened up. With insane strength he pulled even harder and the monster's jaw opened another 10 centimeters! Lucy jumped towards him and started pulling too. Another ten centimeters!
Riza inside the jaw looked at the small opening that had appeared. She readied her spear.
"Open wiiiiiide!" she yelled and hit the teeth with her spear. It exploded at the tips and the small opening widened even more. With a suicidal jump she slipped through the small opening, barely big enough for her.
Atop the beast Juge and Lucy couldn't hold out anymore and let go. The horn flew forward and the jaws closed. Without resting for a second Juge jumped down the behemoth like turtle and caught Riza in her fall. Lucy was right behind them.
"Let's get out of here!" He said while looking ahead. When they reached the ground he let go of her and they ran towards the trees. The Kurma was huge and terrifying, but actually really slow. They were already out of its reach. After a few more seconds they allowed themselves to take a breath.
Juge sank down a tree and rubbed his hurting arms. Lucy put a whole pack of pockys into her mouth at once. Only Riza was standing there with a guilty expression.
"I'm so so-"
"I'm sorry!" Juge was faster than her.
"W-what?"
"I should have realized it sooner. What good does all the training and teaching if I can't even recognize a Kurma immediately... I should have warned you." he made a downcast expression.
Riza shook her head. "No it was my fault for running in there. I should have known Jaune and Phyrra can protect themselves." she bowed down to apologize. The atmosphere was awkward.
"Now I crave some turtle-soup." Lucy's comment was so out of place that... it made the other two laugh. They laughed all of the tension away until they were out of breath again.
"Haaa... haaa... we actually managed something great. They say 'Once you are inside a Kurma's jaw you may never return'." Juge held his head.
"Why did it suddenly move anyway?" Riza asked.
"There could be many reasons. Maybe Jaune and Phyrra did something inside there that hurt the Kurma. Or its prey was escaping and it wanted to close up. A Kurma eats by luring prey into the 'cave' and then closing the entrances and exits. Inside there should have been a liquid. Those are actually stomach acids. They are very weak though." Riza nodded. She had stepped into some puddles inside the beast.
"Such a giant Grimm exists." it was an... interesting experience. She didn't want to relive it though.
They all nodded. And then a shadow appeared in the bushes next to Juge.
Beacon Cliffs, January 27th, AW 675
Far away atop a cliff Ozpin and Glynda were watching the recordings from the forest.
"A Kurma?" she looked at Ozpin.
"A coincidence."
"We can't let such a thing roam around the relics."
"It will settle down." he wasn't showing much interest in the matter, but on his screen he watched the first pair reaching the relics.
Emerald Forest - Old Temple, January 27th, AW 675
"Chess pieces?" Alexandra raised a brow.
"It has a certain sublimity to it." Antonio shrugged softly.
"I think it's a metaphor for us being exchangeable pieces in a greater game."
"Such a pessimistic outlook on the world." he smirked.
Alexandra glared at him and went ahead to take one of the black pieces.
"The Queen? Now if I were a pessimistic person with a negative outlook on the world I would take it as a metaphor for..." but he stopped there before he loaded even more animosity on himself.
"Let's go back to the cliffs." she said coldly and walked away from the temple ruins onto the platform next to it.
"Don't you want to wait for the others? I would like to wait for Jasna and her partner." Alexandra stared at him.
"To finish our assignment we need to return to the cliffs. The other teams will make it here soon enough. Have some faith in your girlfriend." Those words made Antonio chuckle for some reason.
"Ahahaha... girlfriend? Faith?" his fingers went through his combed hair. "Far from it. But maybe you are right. She will have to develop new ties. I can't always look out for her." his expression turned melancholic for the first time. Alexandra felt troubled at that change of mood.
"..." she closed her eyes and crossed her arms. "Whatever. Then let's wait here for a bit." She sat down on the next best flat stone and crossed her legs.
"You are actually quite the good person, you know?" Antonio had returned to his perfect smile.
"Shut up and sit down." He followed her instructions without resistance and sat down on a tree stump.
From there they had a good look on the ruins. And shortly after many other teams appeared. They kept watching them from a distance.
Emerald Forest - Close to Grand Hill, January 27th, AW 675
"Behind you!" Riza exclaimed. Juge barely turned around to see his adversary. He slapped his whip against the shadow... which blocked it with a huge hammer.
"Huh?" Juge recovered his weapon and looked closer. "Akashi." he nodded towards the silhouette.
Akashi was leaving the bushes and smiled.
"Scared of me?" his face was covered in blood and his clothes full of dirt.
"Not me. Riza is a little jumpy right now."
"Hey!" she punched Juge's arm.
"Looks like you get along. So you three have been having fun while I ran around all by myself."
"Jealous?"
"Nah. I got to beat up a lot of Grimm. Works wonders for relieving stress."
"Hii ~" Lucy waved to the newcomer.
"Yo. Now you wish we had drawn on his face right?"
"Mustache ~"
"What?" Juge looked back and forth between the two. They ignored him and Lucy handed Akashi a pocky.
"At least you have a partner now." Riza smiled at Lucy. She nodded. But there was no real reaction... "Are you listening to music again?!" she grabbed Lucy's headphones.
"Hahaha." Akashi laughed and swiped some blood from his face with a handkerchief.
"Well let's not stand around. We still need those relics." Juge dusted off his pants and stretched his limbs. He then grabbed Riza's hand and started running.
"Wai-wha-why?" she was severely confused.
"We have to get there before those two!" he said with a confident smile.
"That's an early start, again!" Akashi yelled at him while trying to catch up. Lucy was also following at her own pace.
And thus the race for the relics continued.
So how did you like my friends work?
Johno 343 and Bugdevil: see you next week!