This one was a bit longer than the others. Whoopsie doodle. Ah well. As always, review, PM me and all that jazz.
If you've already read the previous chapter(s), I strongly advise, if not blatantly ask you reread the ones you've already read as things have changed. Some has been added, taken away, or changed. Seriously, have a look just in case. - Left Hand Suzuki Method - 5/7/15
Multiple voices filled the air..
"..ake up!"
"Wake up god damn it!"
"Come on!" Eric bolted into an upright position, hit something with his head. He raised his hand to his nose, feeling a small amount of blood pool in it.
"Good, you're awake." Eric looked to his left to see Jaune sat next to him, still in that damned awful onesie. He looked to his right to see Ruby sat on her knees, with Yang bending over her to see him. Eric acknowledged them with a grumble, before wiping sweat off his forehead.
"What happened?" He paused for a second, wiping the bridge of his nose. "Wait, where's my coat?!" He quickly pulled the sleeping bag around him, attempting to cover his body.
"I didn't know you had tattoos." Jaune observed. "Where'd you get 'em?" He questioned. Eric let the bag slump around his lap, not trying to cover himself.
"I, erm, Weiss did them for me." Everyone looked inquisitively at the unconscious heiress at the foot of the sleeping bag. "She asleep?" Jaune slowly pointed towards her as she grumbled, lifting herself of the floor. She sat there and rubbed her head for a few minutes, everyone waiting for here to start shouting at him. After a few minutes everyone silently came to the conclusion that she had no idea she'd been knocked out, and opted to not tell her.
"Did you say Weiss did those for you?" Yang pointed towards the tattoos on his arms. "Do yous two know each other?" her fingers slowly pointing between the two.
"I have no idea who this dolt is, and don't particularly need to find out." She crossed her arms, pointing her nose towards the ceiling.
"Shit! Fucking fuck fuck!" Eric whispered, hiding his head in his hands. He let out a deep sigh, then looked back up at the confused students save Weiss, who was still staring at the ceiling. Clearing his throat to get her attention, he said "Do you guys wanna hear something strange, which you are most likely not to believe, but should anyways, because fuck it?"
"Eh fuck it, why not." Yang sat down in between Weiss and Ruby, looking like a child about to be told a bedtime story. Eric proceeded to tell them about the future he plans to stop.
"Wow." Jaune muttered. Everyone nodded in agreement, looking to the ground, slightly crestfallen. Yang was the first to look up.
"Different subject! I don't see Weiss ever tattooing someone." She pointed out, saying what everyone was thinking.
"You'd be surprised. Anyways, she only did part of it. Ruby gave me the idea after seeing Cinder's tattoos, Yang actually did the tattoos. and Weiss imbued them with dust, cos, ya know, she knows shit about dust."
"Sweet!" Yang shouted. "I do tattos!"
"Shut up!" someone shouted at her, below a pillow was launched across the room. Everyone laughed as it hit her in the face.
Eric remembered his missing clothing.
"Hey, where is my coat?" Eric asked again, looking around. Ruby pulled the trench coat out from behind her and stared at the purple swirls on the side.
"It's so cool." She muttered, holding it closely to her chest. Putting on her best puppy dog eyes, she looked at Eric. "Can I keep it?"
"Ruby!" Weiss reprimanded her. "You barely even know the boy!"
"It's fine Weiss." Eric waved her off with a hand. "I would say yes, but I don't have a spare shirt to cover….this" He pointed towards the blood stains on his shirt. Something soft, light and red flew into the side of his face. Holding it up, he unraveled the cloth to see that it was one of Ruby's pyjama shirts. "Heh. Ruby, however adorable this shirt is, I don't think it'd fit me." She looked crestfallen, instantly making him regret saying that. Jaune appeared next to him, holding a yellow shirt. He shrugged his shoulders and said
"You'd need a change of shirt anyways." Staring at the shirt for a few minutes, he took it from Jaune and started to undo his shirt, before looking up. Weiss turned a light shade of red, Yang bit her lip and Ruby looked amazed as more tattoos stared to reveal themselves.
"Ohmygodyouhavemore!" Ruby squealed, going to touch one on his chest.
"Hands off Ruby." Yang pulled her hand away.
"Oh please!" Weiss butted in, trying not to stare too much. "You're not one to talk, given the way you're looking at him."
"Says you!" She shouted, using the back of her hand to wipe drool off her mouth. Eric just put the shirt on and him and Jaune just watched the argument, before Jaune just shrugged and trudged back to his sleeping bag. After a few minutes, the girls finished their argument, and everyone went back to sleep, Ruby cuddling the new clothing she had obtained.
"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 announced. Everyone prepared themselves for the launch. Ruby pulled on the jacket Eric had let her keep the previous night, and Jaune just babbled on, completely underprepared for the launch. Eric was the first to launch into the air, reaching ridiculous speed and height. Scanning the area where he presumed he'd land, he came to the decision that the easiest way to land would be for him to curl up and try not to hit as many trees as possible. Nearing the trees, he retained his speed, but instead decided to ignore his previous plan and stuck his feet out, sliding through miles of dirt. Raising his arms across his face, he crashed through several trees, his aura protecting from the shrapnel. He looked up to hear Jaune scream through the air, indicating everyone else had already launched. Making his way to the north of the forest, he made sure to avoid as many people as he could, so that everyone would partner up as they were meant to.
He got near the temple when he heard some voices and trees braking. He climbed up the nearest tree he could find and scanned the area, finding Yang surrounded by several Ursai, with a major in front of her. Turning to leave, he stopped when he heard a sharp yelp and several trees brake. Looking behind him, he saw that Yang and been hit and contemplated whether to help her or not. Deciding he should, he pulled a bit of slightly transparent, yellow ribbon out from a pouch attached to his battle skirt and wrapped it around his eyes, pulling it tight enough so that he could just barely see through it before jumping down, throwing himself into the fray. The two boxers instantly synced up, standing back-to-back. They both charged towards the surrounding Ursai, quickly cleaning up.
"What's with the ribbon?" She enquired, dusting off her hands.
"Trying not to make eye contact. I got the ribbon for this exact moment. It's so that I don't pair up with you."
"What's wrong with me?" She joked.
"Nothing." He replied. "I just feel that we wouldn't make good partners." He paused for a second before looking around, quickly finding what he was looking for. "I know! Quick, hide!" He pushed Yang into a nearby bush before whistling, shouting "Blake!", then darting in after her.
"What are you doing?!" Yang whispered angrily.
"Watch!" The sound of footsteps approached them, and when they got close enough, Eric pushed Yang back out the bush. He waited a minute as Yang shouted at him, then listen as they greeted each other. Certain that they had made eye contact, he slowly crawled away, then sprinted towards the temple when he was certain he was out of earshot.
Quickly nearing the temple, he stopped a few feet from it and inspected the surrounding area for anyone, in case there was someone without a partner. Glad that he was the one of the first to arrive, he walked towards the chess pieces. He looked at all the different ones before finding one that stood out. This piece stood out because it was by itself. It was just the base of a chest piece in white, with a shield stood up, covered in black. Picking the piece up, he looked around for the other piece before coming to the conclusion that there really was no second piece like it, just the normal chess pieces. Putting the piece in the pouch where the ribbon used to live, he made his way towards a nearby tree and perched himself on a high branch, keeping a look out for everyone else.
10 minutes passed before Blake and Yang appeared from the nearby tree, Eric stared closely at the pair, being remembered vividly of their future selves, and several alcohol related incidences the three had shared. The chatted for a bit, before picking up their pieces. Moving to a crouch, Eric went to great them, when a loud scream echoed across the forest. The three of them turned towards the general direction, and all thought it was a girl who screamed, Yang audibly showing this. No more than a minute later, a scream came from the sky. Looking up, he noticed that it was Ruby, arms open in an attempt to get Yang to catch her. Suddenly, she shot sideways as something heavy collide with her. Eric's eyes widened as he managed to dive out of the tree just in time to miss the flying failure of a duo. He pulled the ribbon off his head, wrapping it around his upper arm. He walked quickly towards the broken temple, greeting Yang and Blake.
"You!" Yang shouted, pointing towards Eric. "I have a bone to pick with you!"
"One sec." Eric calmly replied, stepping backwards a bit, holding his hands out.
"What are you-" She was cut off as Weiss landed in his hands with a thump. Quickly placing her on the floor, he stepped back towards Yang.
"I have a bone to-" She was cut off again as Pyrrha sprinted out from the trees, a Deathstalker hot on her heels.
"Did she just run all the way here with a Deathstalker on her tail?" Blake asked sarcastically, seeing full well she had.
"Yep." Eric replied nonchalantly.
"I got this!" Ruby shouted, sprinting towards the deathstalker.
"Ruby wait! Yang shouted. A faint 'ting' could be heard as Crescent Rose barely bounced off of the shell of the Deathstalker. "Still got this." She lied, firing a shot off before running back towards the group. The Deathstalker gave chase, and above it, a loud squawk could be heard as a Nethermore pelted the ground around her with feathers. Yang sprinted towards her, Eric in tow, before being stopped dead in her tracks by a feather, not wanting to get impaled by it. Eric carried on sprinting, one feather getting stuck in his left shoulder. Wincing at the pain, he quickly pulled it out before stopping in front of the trapped Ruby, and shouted
"STOP"