Today was the most important day for the soon to be hunters and huntresses. The initiation was today and everyone was full of energy. Some were nervous, others were full of confidence. With one hour left the teenagers were gearing up for the test of their lives. Friends were discussing how to locate each other while some were forming teams with strangers.
"I know! We will make some sort of signal! Like a distress signal! A secret signal so we can find each other in the forest. Can you imitate a sloth?" The girl that was talking had short orange hair and turquoise eyes. Her clothing was a mix and match of some sort, with different colors and themes. She wore a collared black vest that ends at her waist. Under the vest are two layers of clothing, colored red and light-blue respectively. She also wore a white sleeveless top that forms a tiny heart shape between her cleavage and collarbone, with a white detached sleeve on each arm. She wore matching fingerless gloves on each hand. She sports a pink skirt that starts at the waist and ends mid-thigh. Her shoes are a mix of pink and white with pink laces, displaying her emblem on their soles. She also wore armour that begins in the middle of the shoulder and neck and ends by the waist. The boy she was talking to had long black hair tied into a ponytail that ends midway down his back. There was a magenta streak on the left side of his hair. His eyes match the streak in his hair. He wore a dark green, diagonally-buttoned, long-sleeved tailcoat that is red on the inside, with black and gold trimming and pink cuffs. The trimming goes down the right side of his torso and forms a black collar. He wore a black, long-sleeved shirt beneath the suit, and light-tan pants with black shoes.
"Nora?" the boy said.
"Yes Ren"? The now identified girl replied back.
"I don't think sloths make a lot of noise"
"That's why it's perfect! No one will suspect we're working together"
"Come on Nora, let's go" Ren said clearly amused.
"But not together together" As the two of them walked out.
"I wonder what those two so worked up about" Ruby asked to her sister confused
"Probably about some strategy they came up with. So you seem awfully chipper this morning"
"Yep. No more awkward small talk or getting to know stuff. Today I get to let my sweetheart do the talking" Ruby said while hugging her weapon.
"Well remember Ruby, you're not the only one going though initiation. If you want to grow up, you're going to have to meet new people and learn to work together" Yang said.
"Ugh you sound like dad" Ruby complained. "Okay first of all what does meeting people have to do with fighting? And secondly, I don't need people to help me grow up. I drink milk"
"But what about when we form teams"? Yang asked.
"I don't know , I'll just be on your team or something"
"Maybe you should try being on someone else's team" The blonde teenager said nervously while playing with her hair.
"My dearest sister Yang, are you implying that you do not wish to be on the same team as me" Ruby asked angry.
"What? No! Of course I do. I just thought, I don't know, maybe it would help you break out of your shell" Yang tried to calm her sister down.
"What the, I don't need to break out of my shell, that's absolutely ridiculous"! Ruby shouted. Suddenly a hand landed on Ruby's head. She turned her head to see Jaune in his armour without the helmet.
"Someone is energetic today" Jaune said with a smile. "But I would try to keep it in check if I were you. So what ridiculous"?
"Yang telling me to break out of my shell" Ruby replied annoyed while pushing Jaune's hand of her head.
"I'm just worried about you Ruby" Yang said in a soft tone
"Better get used to it little one" Said Jaune "cause you're going to hear this for the rest of your life"
"What you're an expert in this foxy"? Yang asked while crossing her arms.
"Well I got seven sisters so yeah I got some experience" Ruby's face turned to one of terror. She mumbled seven Yangs like it was a great horror.
"Hey I'm not that bad"Yang's face was clearly one of irritation. Jaune took this as a sign to leave before her attention was aimed at him. That and he still needed the rest of his gear. As he went to his locker he saw that the white haired girl talking to red haired girl. The girl wore her red hair in a waist-length ponytail, curled slightly into a loose ringlet. She wore light-green eyeshadow around the far upper corners of her green eyes. She was tall and quite muscular compared to most of the other girls at Beacon. As a top she wore a brown overbust corset with a vertical strip of lighter brown in the centre. Additionally she wore an elastic, black, A-line miniskirt and brown opera-length gloves on both arms. She wore a red, ankle-length sash that wrapped around her skirt. As for accessories, there was a small circular bronze plate by her right hip opposite two pouches with both connected to a belt. The plate bore a shield and spear emblem. Underneath her hair, she wore a brown circlet adorned with a pair of small, green, teardrop-shaped emeralds on thin chains. She also sported a large bronze gorget around her neck, and a bronze bracelet on the upper half of her left arm. The girl wore armour, with many of the students didn't. She had elaborate bronze greaves that started below her mid-thigh before continuing downwards into her boots, as well as a pair of cuisses that began mid-thigh and ended slightly above her knees. She was also equipped with a bronze bracer. Her high-heeled boots were brown with bronze trim, matching her skirt and sleeves and reaching up to mid-calf. But something didn't quite make sense with the build of here gear. Maybe he would ask her about it as he went towards them.
"So Pyrrha, have you given any thought to whose team you would like to be on? I'm sure everyone must be eager to unite with such strong well known individual, such as yourself" Weiss asked the red haired girl.
"I'm not quite sure. I was planning on letting the chips fall where they may" Pyrrha replied.
"Well I was thinking maybe we could be on a team together"
"Well that sounds grand" The way Pyrrha said it was a little forced but Weiss didn't hear it. With her back turned it looked like some evil plan of hers was coming to fruition.
"That quite the evil look you got there" a voice spoke next to Weiss startling her. She turned to see that it was the faunus from last night. She quickly regained her posture even if it was a bit more defensive.
"You again"?
"Sorry about last night. I was kind of grumpy about being woken up" Jaune said while giving a small bow. Weiss blinked. She hadn't expected that. She was more prepared for being insulted which would lead to putting the animal in his place.
"Oh uhm, sure it was no issue" Her posture didn't relax though. The last time that a Schnee relax next to a faunus he got himself killed.
That person was her uncle.
"Thanks but could you move please? The rest of my gear is still there" Jaune said while pointing behind Weiss.
"Sure. Go ahead"
As Jaune went to grab his gear Weiss noticed that he completely ignored Pyrrha. Pyrrha, the four year reigning champion of the Mistral Regional Tournament. That would not do.
"You know, it's rude to ignore someone right next to you"
"Hmm" Jaune looked at Weiss who pointed at Pyrrha. "Oh sorry Miss, that was rude of me. Let me introduce myself. The name is Jaune Arc. Short, sweat and the ladies love it" Weiss looked shocked at how he introduces himself while Pyrrha giggled a bit.
"Nice to meet you Jaune"
"Nice to meet you too Pyrrha" It was like he doesn't recognize who is talking to, Weiss thought with disbelief.
"Jaune is it" Weiss said while coming in between the two "Do you have any idea who you are talking to"?
"Nope, not a clue" Jaune's face was blank.
"This is Pyrrha" Weiss said as she pointed in at the red haired girl.
"Hello again" Pyrrha said with a wave, one that Jaune returned with one of his one and a smile.
"Pyrrha graduated top of her class at Sanctum" Jaune eyes widened considerably. Looks like he was just a little slow on the up take.
"Wait, you're a shrine maiden"?
"No it a combat school for future huntsmen" or he was just an idiot. Pyrrha on the other hand was trying to hold back her laughter.
"Oh" Jaune face fell back into a deadpan. Weiss was getting a little annoyed by this.
"She's won the Mistral Regional Tournament four years in a row. A new record" Jaune just tilted his head to the side.
"The what"?
Weiss exploded.
"She's on the front of every Pumpkin Pete's Marshmallow flakes box"! Weiss said with a restrained anger while flailing her arms around.
"Still don't know who she is" Weiss just froze. Pyrrha started laughing. The way Jaune answered and his facial expressions were just too funny. Jaune just look confused. Was it something he said?
"How do you not know who she is?! Did you live under a rock or something"?
"Well I did live the past five years in the wilds so knowing who is famous is useless information" The fox faunus said while putting his helmet on. It suddenly made sense to Weiss.
"So you now understand why don't know her" Jaune said bending his back a little so he had his face in front of Weiss.
"Woah, that to close. Pyrrha a little help please?" Weiss backed a little of. Pyrrha grabbed her javelin to throw it at Jaune's cape to pin him against the wall. What happened shocked both Weiss and Pyrrha. As the javelin closed in Jaune's tail suddenly lashed out and knocked it straight into one of the pillars in the room, burying it halve way through. Pyrrha looked shocked at what just happened and Weiss was shell shocked. Jaune just turned his head to what he had just done. He went to the weapon and pulled it with one hand out.
"Sorry about that" The young huntsmen said while handing the weapon back to Pyrrha, who absentminded to it back.
"Well good luck at the initiation" Jaune said as he grabbed Grave Officium and Crocea Mors and walked out of the room. Pyrrha just stared at his back. That display sparked something with she hadn't felt in a long time.
Yeah she found her partner.
"For years you have trained to become warriors and today, your abilities will be evaluated in the Emerald forest" The headmaster said.
"Now I'm sure many of you have heard rumours about the assignment of teams. Well allow us to put an end to your confusion. Each of you will be given teammates, today" Glynda followed up.
"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 with. Now that being said, the first person you make eye contact with after landing will be your partner for the next four years" Ozpin said.
"What"!? Ruby shouted. It sounded like her world came crumbling down.
"After you've partnered up" Ozpin continued as if nothing happened "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. You will be monitored and graded for the duration of your initiation but our instructors will not intervene. You will find an abandoned temple at the end of the path containing several relics. Each pair must choose one and return to the top of the cliff. We will regard that item, as well as your standing, and grade you appropriately. Are there any questions"? Ozpin finished.
"Yes sir, I have one" a female voice spoke.
"And what will that be Ms Schnee"? The headmaster asked.
"When we exited the locker room we were given this torch thing. What's its purpose"? Weiss asked.
"Ah, that would be a distress beacon. You see this initiation will have a little extra part then the previous ones". Ozpin clarified. The students looked up. Something new?
"You see this part is not mandatory but if you do, it will get you extra credits. This part is quite simple. Spend the night in the forest. The beacon is for when you are attacked during the night and think you're not able to handle it. Simply press the button and the signal will be sent to all of Beacon's staff. There is no shame in using it. The points you will receive will stop the moment the signal goes off. Now any more questions"? The students remained silent.
"Good. Now take your positions" The students took their positions and one by one were launched into the air.
The initiation had begun.
Hello everyone. I hope that you had a fantastic holiday and happy New Year. I was planning to do the initiation in this chapter as well but it been a busy month. I will try to get the next chapter out faster but I can't make any promises about that. Anyway see you in the next chapter.