Beacon Cliffs overlooked a vast expanse of green as multiple people milled about standing atop their pedestals as two individuals stood before them most notably the headmaster and his aid right behind him.
Ruby Rose hopped back and forth on her pedestal as she worked energy into her limbs and she glanced over to the people at her side. Next to her was Jaune who gave her a reassuring smile and to the right of her was Yang who gave a nod to her sister before putting on some purple shades.
Ruby looked ahead toward the headmaster, the person who had gotten her into Beacon Academy an entire two years earlier and he finished taking a drink from his mug before opening his mouth to speak.
"For years you all have trained to become warriors, huntsmen and huntresses. Today we shall evaluate your abilities within the Emerald Forest." Ozpin explained and the blonde woman behind him spoke up.
"Now, I'm sure many of you have been hearing rumors about teams, and let me end that confusion for you as you all will be assigned team mates... Today."
Ruby recoiled a bit in shock. "Eh?"
"These teammates will be with you for the rest of your time here at Beacon. So it is in your best interest to pair with someone with whom you can work well. That being said, the irst person you make eye contact with after landing will be your partner for the next four years."
At this information Ruby practically collapsed and in the distance some girl was speaking but Ruby had shut out the world around her.
How could this happen? She needed to socialize? Ruby looked around to find someone, anyone! Anyone that looked if they wouldn't mind a partner who never interacted with them and she saw the girl with the bow. The one who just didn't seem to care.
Ruby decided then and there that she would do everything in her power to get that black-bowed girl to be her teammate.
"After you are partnered up, make your way to the northern end of the forest. You will meeet opposition on the way. Do not hesitate to destroy everything your your path or you will die!" Ozpin announced and Ruby faced forward.
"You will be monitored and graded for the duration of Initiation, but none of our instructors will aid you nor will they intervene. You will find an abandoned temple at the end of the path containing several relics in which you as a pair will choose one to retrieve and bring it back here. With the relic we will regard the item, your standings and grade you appropriately. Any questions?" Ozpin asked taking a sip from his mug.
No one spoke up and he sighed.
"Very well. Now, take your positions."
Everyone took a stance, ready to be thrown into the forest and Ruby gave one last look toward the bow-haired girl before the first indication of initiation began.
It started with the sound of something turning, and the sound of something fired as the first participant was sent flying into the sky.
It wasn't long before she was sent flying. Ruby thought about where the girl was sent to and tried to deploy Crescent Rose to alter her course toward where the girl might have landed.
She had it planned where she would land in the tree and then find the girl quick as possible. She had it planned where she would be able to sneak out at night and the girl would read books without knowing the difference.
She... lost control of the plan as soon as the javelin speared her cloak and she flew into the tree. Ruby struggled to remove the javelin from her cloak but alas her small arms couldn't reach and thus she flailed before giving up.
"Aw come on!" she exclaimed and a voice in the distance called out to answer her, a voice that sound a bit to familiar: "I'm sorry!"
It didn't take long before she found herself face to face with a red-headed girl with emerald eyes, her spartan armor highlighting her body which put Ruby to shame.
"Hello Pyrrha, I guess we're partners?" Ruby asked. "Drats... Pyrhhas a nice girl... she could understand why I don't want to be around and stalk my sister... right?"
Ruby put forth a grin as a relieved smile "It seems like it. Where should we go Partner". the girl emphasized and Ruby shrugged.
"I think north is... that way?" Ruby pointed and the two girls just nodded and head off.
A.7 landed with ease. Training to become a huntsmen taught you where to place your feet when your fighting style revolved around agile strikes to disrupt. Of course ever since this time traveling business reared its ugly head and conscripted him into the fold of things he learned quickly that it was best to look for absolute strikes, ones where it would fall the enemy in one hit since the enemy he'd been facing could spawn thousands of Grimm with a wave of her hand.
A.7 scoffed as he noticed the lack of a certain weapon pinning him to a tree. "Guess this time it really went differently... The only factor he could imagine was someone approaching FA.4 before hand and convincing her that they were a better partner than him.
A.7 started to move toward the landing site of his target, he had to get the information from the group, A.4 had marked where FA.4 would most likely land and A.1 had given him what to expect if she didn't choose him. He could already feel the frown appear on his face. All this work over some dumb girl.
He reached the spot within seconds only to find it empty, a trail leading into the forest which he quickly followed to find his target with a girl much younger than him.
"This makes things complicated." he scowled as he noticed the words his target was speaking.
"Should we go... Partner." Pyrrha had said and the small girl before her nodded. The two went off and he just sighed.
"Everything just got a lot more complicated.
"Guess your roguish charms didn't woo our fair spartan." a voice mocked him from behind and he growled. A.7 tried to calm himself down. He knew they were trying to get to him. He saw and knew the ruse from a mile away. But the plan failed and he could blame time for all it was worth but he knew that somewhere and somehow it didn't work in his favor this time around.
"Oh yeah laugh it up. I've bed dozens of gals from Beacon in my time." he snarled and the voice laughed harder. He really wanted to punch the new person in the face just to see what they'd do to him and no one would care, it was early enough to say they didn't get along.
"In the span of one night you've bed dozens of gals, were you a flunkee then? Come back to take another shot at Beacon?" the voice mocked and A.7 stayed silent. The new voice picked up on the mood quickly and toned down their laughter until they both stood in silence. It was broken when they spoke again. "So you thinking about if you want to be partners with me or should we look for someone else?"
If anything A.7 wanted to contact the rest of the group to make a new plan but hey, A.1 said to scrap everything and just prevent chaos. Chaos was his middle name and he just had to pick the same piece as FA.4 to watch over her.
"The plan is not lost yet, I can still turn this around and in her face." A.7 thought to himself and he laughed a little. "Come on partner, I got Initiation to pass."
"Partners?" the voice asked and he turned around.
"Whatever!" He scoffed and together they dashed after the two.
Ruby felt that it was an okay day. The sun was shining, the flowers were blooming and birds were singing... Oh! The Grimm were also dissolving around them as Pyrrha took the lead and practically exterminated them all.
"Wow you're good at this!" Ruby exclaimed and she deployed Crescent Rose.
"My turn!" Ruby activated her semblance as Pyrrha took a step back and watched Ruby decimate her surroundings. The Ursa swiped at Ruby but she dashed to the side and a single swipe left the Ursa armless.
A Beowolf tried to jump in but a shot from the sniper rifle propelled Ruby forward and decapitated the Beowolf leaving its smoking remains to flutter in the wind.
Pyrrha watched the fight as she contemplated her thoughts on her new partner. Ruby was okay, she was socially awkward and wanted a friend, she didn't ask because she knew that she was famous... right? These dark thoughts clouded her mind as she thought about what motives Ruby would have for approaching her when she felt someone by her side.
Pyrrha yelped as she thrusted Milo forward and she felt the person fly and hit the tree.
"You just speared my partner... though now that I think about it he does look a lot like the Grimm. Come on start dying already!" a feminine voice called and Pyrrha focused on who was speaking. A tanned-skin girl with her brown hair in a pony-tail with what seemed to be freckles and a plum and navy outfit hollared at a person she knew because he kept on approaching her.
"Hey! I'm a bonafida person you know!" He argued and the pony-tailed girl booed him.
"Russel, and forgive me for not knowing your name... but how did you find us?" Pyrrha asked as Ruby came back from her slaughter of grim.
"We heard fighting so we came to it. Teams are usually with four members so we wanted to find another duo to partner up with. And the name is Illia, Illia Amitola." She explained and she held out a hand.
Russel grumbled something under his breathe and just gave a nod.
Ruby noticed the two and her eyes narrowed. "Yang's friends, what are you doing here?"
"It seems they want to partner up, teams are usually four people it would seem." Pyrrha said and Ruby glared at the two of them. Rustling nearby spoke of something approaching and a mass of blond hair emerged forward. "Ruby!"
"Sis?" Ruby exclaimed as she was tackled and a person in a hoodie and jeans emerged from the treeline. "Jaune?"
"Hey there Crater-Face!" Jaune greeted. He watched as Yang took Ruby into her arms and just started to smolder her with her body. "Your safe! I wouldn't be a big sister if I allowed my little sister to get harmed." Ruby, in a desperate attempt to escape, tried to activate her semblance to dash away but Yang's grip became like a vise and held her in that her chance of escaping she gave a pleading look to the group.
Russel shrugged and stepped away. Illia did the same and kicked Russel for edging away. Jaune was rubbing the back of his head and weighted the risks of interrupting sister time. Thinking about his own seven sisters he wisely stepped away. Pyrrha, having been isolated from the rest of her peers and due to that didn't really understand social cues took a step forward in an attempt to save her partner.
Yang gave her one look and Pyrrha wisely stepped back.
"Help! Get off of me Sis!" Ruby cried.
"Lets go grab the relics." Russel said and the rest of the group nodded, they left the two sisters to "bond"
The group traveled through the forest and they found the ruins with ease. It wasn't like anyone knew where it was located or anything.
Ruby glanced at each of the pieces with care. "Pyrrha what do you think we should grab?" Ruby asked and Pyrrha looked up from her own pieces.
"I think we can grab the the knight piece." Pyrrha asked and Ruby grabbed the white one since the black knight was already missing.
"Looks like we're done here Ruby." Pyrrha smiled and Ruby couldn't help but beam back at her. "Yang what about you?" Ruby asked and she saw her sister holding up a black bishop.
"Quite saint-like if you ask me." Yang grinned and Jaune rolled his eyes.
The four looked toward the two partners Russel and Illia who were arguing with each other.
"Lay off, I say we take the knight piece, screw your tower. If you want to be locked up then I'll be happy to oblige." Russel threaten and Illia flashed red. Literally, her skin became a bright red to showcase her anger.
"We take the tower, or do you want me to take this whip and show you how I use it."
"Kinky, will I take the lead or you?" Russel sneered
"Keep your dirty fantasies out of this partnership." Illia growled
The two of them bickered between the themselves as Russel grabbed the knight and started to leave with it in hand. Illia took a final glance at the relics before following her partner.
"We all got our relics, we head back." Ruby exclaimed as she struck a pose and Pyrrha giggled at her partner's antics.
"Do you hear that?" Illia asked and everyone paused.
From the forest came an Ursa. Everyone prepared their weapons to fight it when it suddenly collapsed and on its back was a red-haired girl in pink. "Aw I think its broken." the girl sighed and not to far behind was a person in brown armor and panting. "Nora please... don't ride the Grimm." the boy begged and the girl giggled.
"Nonsense Dove, we were just being friendly."
Everyone eyed the dissolving Grimm but they collectively decided to not acknowledge the girl. "Do you hear that?" Illia asked again and everyone looked around.
There was a crash as a person fell from the sky and people ran forward to check on the unfortunate soul who crashed into the ground to reveal a man in armor. Not to far from him someone landed on their feet and looked at the dismal man sprawled on the ground.
Ruby saw the girl and she frowned. The girl was average at best, she had a black and white attire and sat atop her head was a black bow that fluttered with the wind. It was the person who she wanted to partner with.
"Blake?" Illia asked and the she ran forward.
"Illia." Blake looked away from her partner to her friend.
"CAW" a Giant Nevermore screeched letting them all know its presence
"You rode in on a Nevermore? How did you even manage that and where can I get tickets?" Nora exclaimed
From the forest a tree flew into the clearing. Two people ran out, one with a giant halberd and the other in an exotic martial uniform.
"Ren!" Nora cried and the boy slide to a stop, his partner collapsing beside him.
"Nora? the exotic boy questioned
"Dove!" Nora motioned toward her partner who took a step back.
"What?" He exclaimed.
"GRAHH" The Deathstalker screeched as it barreled into the clearing.
"Can this get any worst?" The halberd man on the ground cried and a King Taijitu exploded from the treeline.
"Scatter!" Someone exclaimed.
Ruby and Pyrrha moved as the King Taijitu crashed into the ground its head shaking as it removed dust and debris from its head, the other one already charging forward to meet them.
It hissed and opened its mouth to swallow them whole when a whip wrapped around it and redirected the strike.
"I got it." Illia announced and she activated the dust within her weapon sending volts of electricity down the whip and into the Taijitu's bright white head.
The other head moved to attack and Pyrrha lept forward with Akouo and blocked the strike.
The two pushed away and landed by their partners.
"We need a plan." Russel growled and Illia nodded her agreement.
Ruby glanced around, anything to help them fight the King Taijitu when she noticed the bridge. It was narrow and only one head to attack... but then it could coil itself around the bridge. They could collapse it but then how would they cross over?
Observing everyone's weapons Pyrrha was the only one who could actually hold her ground due to her sword and shield. Illia was more for control with her weapon while Russel would be hit and run.
"We retreat into the forest. I can snipe at it with my sniper rifle while Russel can go for hit and runs. Illia and Pyrrha can keep it busy." Ruby announced.
Pyrrha looked at her partner and gave a nod of understanding. Russel and Illia were already moving toward the forest.
The King Taijitu flew forward in an attempt to catch them but the group split into their partnerships
Ruby fired a shot from Crescent Rose and the Taijitu roared and lunged toward her. Thankfully Pyrrha blocked the strike and she could see Russel running alongside it as he carved away with twin daggers.
The other head attempted to attack him but a whip came out of nowhere and latched onto it, quickly diverting the attack into a tree.
The group repeated these actions until the Taijitu gave a final cry before collapsing.
The four exhausted teens panted as they observed the dissolving body, and without spending energy on talking they decided to trek on.
"For obtaining the Black Bishop piece, Jaune Arc, Yang Xiao-Long, Dove Bronzewing, Nora Valkyrie. You are henceforth named Team ABYN pronounced Auburn and led by Jaune Arc."
Applause erupted in the auditorium though they were the standard congratulations applaud that people would give when expected of them. The real applauds came from Ruby herself as she clapped for her sister and her friend. To the side of her a certain exotic boy named Ren also clapped for his friend Nora. On the stage Yang punched Jaune in the arm while Nora jumped onto the two of them. Dove stood politely to the side before he was suddenly dragged into the group and into the giant hug the girls were giving.
The headmaster coughed and the group proceeded off-stage. The screen flashed a chess piece overtook it and four portraits came forward alongside a letter. The Headmaster started to introduce them to the crowd.
"For obtaining the White Rook piece; Cardin Winchester, Blake Belladonna, Lie Ren, and Sky Lark. You are henceforth named Team CBLL pronounced Cobble and led by Cardin Winchester."
The same happened as before and beside her Illia clapped madly for Blake. Ruby felt as if she missed an opportunity to get someone stealthy to join her in her investigations but taking a look at Russel she felt some reassurance. Russel was crass, and he tend to make people angry, namely Illia, but she was sure that he'd make a great spy.
Ruby thought about how she could fix Russel's behavior and what he would exactly do for her when it comes to actual information when she felt a nudge. The distracted girl looked up to see her partner, red hair and emerald eyes that looked down at her with a slight smile. "Its our turn next, are you ready for this?" She asked politely and Ruby nodded. "I'm super nervous, all these people just to see us." Ruby hopped just to keep the energy from overtaking her and Pyrrha failed to hold back a laugh.
"Believe me when I say I'm nervous about this as well, I just want to be seen as a normal girl."
"But aren't you normal? You got into Beacon at 17... if anything they'd probably look at me and label me some sort of prodigy for getting in two years early." Ruby slumped in defeat. Pyrrha just smiled and rubbed Ruby's back. "I highly doubt that Ruby, but we shall see."
"For obtaining the White Knight piece; Ruby Rose, Illia Amitola, Russel Thrush, and Pyrrha Nikos." the name sent waves of whispering across the auditorium as the headmaster continued on talking. "You are henceforth known as Team Rain, led by Ruby Rose."
Ozpin turned around to address the team, Ruby met his eyes and he smiled at her. A simple smile it was and Ruby smiled back and waved. She was made leader... she was the leader of her team? If people doubted her skills before-hand then what about now?
Ruby turned to look at the others on her team. Pyrrha was smiling and waving though her smile seemed a bit... plastic?
Russel had taken the liberty to just shrug and keep his hands in his pockets while Illia waved toward Blake who had simply given her a nod.
"Woo, thats my sis!" Yang cheered as she waved both arms and Jaune gave a polite small one to her as well.
Ruby kept on waving, she waved and waved. Oblivious to the eyes on her... watching.
So this chapter is late. I normally have a set schedule for when I write but with school ending it had been thrown out of wack. Likewise I had to schedule a bunch of health appointments and they all happen to coincide today. Another big reason as to why this is late is because I didn't exactly want to cut this off into two chapters when it really should only be one. Of course that meant I had to sacrifice a bit of detail which I'll surely come back to when I'm not swamped with work and safety.
So Ruby has her teams and I spent a ton of time trying to put them together. I thought long and hard on who would be whose partner and what team they should be on. Also Illia is a thing... yeah. Oh how the time tables have turned.
Honestly I'm not that good at this end of the fic talk so I'll leave it at that.
Leave a comment if you'd like. Its like fuel for me to continue writing as feedback is the very essence that drives us forward. I should honestly use that to make me a better writer but meh, I get by.
See yall next Tuseday, if nothing happens on that day anyway. Falcon soaring away!