Chapter 1: Introductions
Coco's vision cleared and the Emerald Forest came back into view as she burst through a cumulus cloud. A hand on her beret and legs positioned to land stylishly, the young huntsman-in-training smiled with suppressed glee.
The initiation at Beacon Academy, one of only four huntsman-training academies in the world, had finally begun. She had waited so long to be able to test her skills in the real world with real Grimm and not get in trouble for it. The sparring and target practice back in Pharos Combat School just wasn't challenging enough for her anymore, but when she applied to shadow individual professional huntsmen, she was turned away countless times for being too young. Now that she had been accepted into Beacon Academy, famous for sending their students out on all kinds of missions, she was going to grab every opportunity she could. The only thing she wasn't ecstatic about was the buddy system. She did everything she could to come to terms with it, which meant pulling all-nighters researching the profile of potential students, but even that preparation was thwarted by the headmaster's announcement that their partners would essentially be random. Touché. As much as it annoyed Coco, she had to admit that Beacon was living up to its reputation, bringing her a new sense of excitement.
As a clearing came within view, Coco unlatched her handbag Gianduja and seamlessly transformed it into a striking, black and gold gatling gun. She aimed at the ground and let loose a shower of bullets that slowed her descent. Just as smoothly, the gun retracted into its melee form and she used its strap to swing herself down from branch to branch until she landed on a semi-kneel.
Regardless of who she ended up with, Coco was confident she could shift the situation into her favor, because that was exactly what had gotten her this far. She had sworn to herself that day, when that sliver of light shone its way through the cracks and onto the ripped magazine she clutched with her two small hands, that she would not let anything shackle her back down. Coco Adel shaped her own destiny.
She dusted herself off and looked up as the sound of someone flying overhead crackles through the air. A smile made its way to her face. Coco headed in his direction and onto her new stage.
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Reflected in her makeup mirror, Coco looks at her new partner milling about behind her in their new dorm room. It was truly her luck that she ran into Fox Allistair in the forest and even better that they hit it off instantly. He was at the top of her potential partners' list that she had researched and his skillset complimented her's. She wouldn't have to worry about him ruining her top student record. She switches her attention to Yatsuhashi, who walks over to help Fox with his tie. He seems like the quiet but confident type, who prefers action over words. Coco could work with that. Velvet, on the other hand, seems to be on the clumsy side. Just as Coco thought this, the Faunus bumped into the corner of her desk and stifled a yelp. But, she knows that Velvet scored in the top ten at Pharos, so she must be a capable fighter. Her weapon also piqued Coco's interest. All in all, Coco is happy with her team, though being appointed leader of the group is certainly not something she anticipated, or wants. She sighs as she stows away her brushes and pencils, and slips on her shades. She'll have to speak with the headmaster after they've settled in with their introductory classes.
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Fox had thought Beacon's headmaster, Ozpin, was joking when he announced the method of selecting their partners: The first person you lay eyes on. For Fox, that wasn't exactly doable since… Well, he was blind and had been since birth. After all the hardship it took for him to get here, he wanted to be able to choose a strong partner. Someone whose strength could rival the harsh desert storms of his homeland. Fox had lost both his parents and his beloved uncle to the wastelands of Vacuo. To him, the lush Kingdom of Vale and Beacon Academy were like a light of hope. It was a new chance to create a life and be part of a family that stayed alive long enough to act like one. But, he wasn't so naive to think that he could avoid tragedies altogether. Being a huntsman meant he could leave his mark on this world, but it also meant he and his teammates would be constantly in harm's way. He wanted a partner and a team he didn't have to fear losing.
Once he landed, Fox stood still and listened carefully. He sensed a strong Aura presence in the direction where he first heard the destructively loud rumbling of a machine gun. That was a weapon choice he couldn't make sense of, but whoever's choice it was, they were heading steadily towards him. When he first came "face to face" with Coco, he was briefly taken aback by just how brightly she shone. Her Aura was incredibly dense and glowed so strongly that it bounced off of the structures surrounding them, allowing him to make out the faint outlines of trees.
"Do you think this counts?" Fox said, gesturing to his eyes.
"Do you want it to count?"
A wicked smile cracked within Fox's heart. This person, his new partner, seemed exactly like the kind of person that would stick around.
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Fox sighs frustratingly. He's more irritated than usual, a mark of how spent he feels. It's been a while since he talked so much verbally and he still has to adjust to school life. Earlier, he accidentally shocked Velvet when he started undressing in the middle of the room, and now he's having trouble with his tie, which he couldn't see the necessity of. The concept of wearing such stiff uniforms in general seems meaningless, especially in an academy that trains huntsmen.
"Let me help." Yatsuhashi Daichi comes to his rescue. Fox stood still and let his new teammate configure it for him. He felt a pat on his shoulder.
Thanks, Fox sends telepathically.
"No-" Yatsuhashi started and stopped. No problem, he sends back. Fox laughed-the way his voice gave away his confusion was golden. He recalls the astonished voices of his new teammates when he finally used his semblance, Mind-Speak, on them at the welcoming ceremony, and of their prompt interrogation of him afterwards. It was a bit of a headache at first since Fox wasn't used to having group chats under MindSpeak, but it was pretty hilarious. So far, Yatsuhashi seems like the straight-laced type of guy, which means more fun times ahead for Fox. He returns a pat on Yatsuhashi's back.
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For Yatsuhashi, the problem began the moment initiation did. He had been fine with being hurled through the air, it was what he learned just before that that worried him. All the trouble he went through profiling his peers had completely gone down the drain. Though the random assignment itself sounded absurd, the worst part was the last minute announcement of the rules. His grandfather had studied and graduated at Haven Academy, and from what Yatsuhashi heard, it was much more systematic than this. He hated being thrown into anything blind, but he supposed it was a fair trade-off. He came out here for a reason. Mistral wasn't kind to anyone who stuck out like a sore thumb. After the bullying he experienced in combat school for his large build and "freakish" strength, he knew that the posh city life in Mistral just wasn't for him. So, he chose Vale, where inclusivity was encouraged. At least, that was what he heard. He didn't want to get his hopes up though. So, he figured that if he partnered with someone whose strength matched his own, he wouldn't have to worry about them fearing him.
Then, he met someone whose unique weapon and semblance quite literally allowed her to stand on equal footing as him, a meeting that almost became a disaster. Apparently, because he came from Mistral, Velvet thought that he would be discriminatory. He had to rush to his own defense-which oddly didn't bother him-and she heard him out. It must have been because of her frankness about her own experiences as a Faunus that encouraged him. She didn't seem like the others who would make up rumors behind his back, fabricating myths about how he would transform on a full moon and go on a rampage. It probably also helped that she had an innocent-looking face. And that she was cute.
Yatsuhashi grabbed the nearest skull-mask with his bare hand and smashed it into the tree beside him. He lifted Fulcrum, his hooked longsword, overhead and decapitated the bear-like Grimm. Its wisps of black dispersed from his hand.
"This is neverending," Velvet called out as her hard-light copy of Fulcrum faded. "We're at a disadvantage here, don't you think?"
He nodded. "Let's find a clearing where we can take care of them all at once."
They had been stuck in the same spot for a while now. With all the trees in the way, he couldn't attack effectively without waiting for the Grimm to get close one by one. He didn't like bringing undue harm to nature, but right now their lives depended on it. He would apologize later. After finishing off another Grimm, he grabbed the hilt of his sword with both hands, gathered all his strength from his legs and hip, and swung powerfully, felling two trees from their trunks and successfully blocking the path of several oncoming Boarbatusks.
"Let's go!"
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Yatsuhashi helps fix Fox's tie and buttons him up. Satisfied, he gives Fox a brush on his shoulders and a thumbs up.
Thanks.
"No-" …No problem, Yatsuhashi replies awkwardly. It was so jarring hearing the difference in Fox's telepathic voice and his own voice spoken aloud. His eyes wander over to Velvet Scarlatina, who is stifling a laugh with a short-haired brush in her hand. He smiles sheepishly and rubs the back of his head, embarassed. This new form of communication will definitely take some getting used to. He shifted his focus to Coco, their new leader. He wasn't surprised when Ozpin called her name at the welcoming ceremony-after all, she was the one who came up with the plan that brought them all back safely. Normally, he wouldn't have agreed to such a reckless plan, but something about her confidence inspired him. After a good night's sleep, he can probably list all the things that could've gone wrong, but he put it out of his mind. He's in Beacon now and it's a good chance for a reset. All he knows right now is that she's strong, and she clearly has no qualms being around him, Fox or Velvet. Maybe what he heard about Vale is true.
"I'm going to head down before the cafeteria fills up," Coco says almost dismissively as she opens the door. She didn't invite them nor did she imply they should go together, but the three of them follow after her. He takes up the rear as he usually does in groups and locks up the dorm room with his Scroll.
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The only reason Velvet chose Beacon Academy was because she didn't think she could survive four years at any other academy. Haven Academy is in Mistral, where Faunus are heavily discriminated against-all of her bullies were always transfer students from Mistral. Atlas Academy, the northernmost kingdom of the same name, is where her father works, but the rumors that graduate students are forced to apply for the military there repelled her. She also figured that the rumors were true, because that was what happened to her father. His job as a scientist in Atlas tore their family apart. Then, there was Shade Academy, which is in Vacuo, a literal desert. There really wasn't much of a choice.
Just like how she didn't really have a choice when she got stuck in the middle of a retreating triangle formation tactic, shouting herself hoarse. The plan was ridiculous. It was Coco's plan, and from what little Velvet knew about her, unsurprising. Yet, it was working. Velvet was making use of her sharper-than-average senses, something that most Faunus had, to keep them on the right track back to Beacon Cliff while evading dense Grimm populations in the forest. But, with all the noise they were making, they seemed to be attracting more Grimm. By the time they reached the foot of the cliff, a wall of Grimm had spread out in a semi-circle before them.
"Now, we just need to get to the top of the cliff," Yatsuhashi said.
"How steep is it?" Fox asked.
"About 80 degrees at the bottom half. The top half just goes straight up," Velvet replied. What Coco said next caught her by surprise.
"But you can make it up to the top no problem, right?" Coco said. Velvet nodded. "We'll buy a bit more time. Velvet gets up there, I'll clear the area with the last of my ammunition and she can pull us up the last half."
"Sounds good. Velvet, I'll give you a lift." Yatsuhashi positioned his blade at her feet and Velvet took the hint. She placed a foot on the dull edge and tested her footing before she gave him a nod. After three counts, she was up in the air and a copy of a long rope-like whip allowed her to quickly reach the top. Velvet was so surprised to see Headmaster Ozpin and Professor Goodwitch standing a few meters away that she froze like a deer in headlights for a half second. Ozpin had an amused look on his face whereas Goodwitch looked sternly at her. A loud rumbling caught Velvet off guard and she almost lost her footing. That must have been Coco. Embarrassed that she was caught distracted by the academy's top two, she made quick work of helping the other three up.
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Velvet was reliving the embarrassment when she felt a sharp pain in her hip. She bites her lip and curses the stupid desk corner. After giving the sore spot a few rubs, she grabs her brush and starts carefully combing her rabbit ears. She watches Coco curiously from the corner of her eye. Their newly appointed leader was fully dressed by the time Velvet woke up and even now, she seems to be fixing up her makeup rather than applying it for the first time. Velvet couldn't imagine doing that everyday.
Coco Adel was famous in Pharos for breaking academic records, always ranking first in every year since she transferred in and looking good doing it. Even Velvet, someone who actively avoided the gossip and drama, couldn't help but take notice, or stay updated. They never shared the same class, but Velvet heard all kinds of things from her classmates-a detriment of her sharp hearing. Never would she have expected them to be on the same team much less to be led by her. Coco's style and attitude is everything that Velvet isn't. Already, she has a terrible premonition of what the next four years will look like.
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A/N: I tried to cover the events of the initiation without repeating too much of what the books had already covered (and not boring you to death because I'm sure initiation has been covered countless times). I hope it wasn't too confusing (and don't worry, I won't be writing in this style for the whole book).
The next chapter will have a new, original action scene.
Next chapter: Is That a Challenge?