Hello again my friends. Hope you enjoyed chapter 4. I really enjoyed writing the last chapter because I was able to build the back story a little bit for Ike as well as finally get him to Beacon academy. Anyway, It's time for Chapter 5!
Chapter 5: Initiation part 1
I was the first to wake the next morning. The sun was barely stretching its fingers over the edge of the horizon and everyone was still sleeping soundly. Velvet was to my right and, to my disadvantage, another Faunus was to my left. Time to put my stealth skills to the test, I thought. As quietly as I could I slid out of my sleeping bag and stood, grabbing my bag and heading to the male's Bathroom to shower and take care of the morning necessities.
By the time I got back most of the Faunus and some of the early risers, Velvet included, were packing up their sleeping bags and heading to the bathrooms. I returned to my sleeping bag and packed it up before sitting and waiting for Velvet to return. I used my semblance to look around the room. I eyed weapons in particular. Most didn't bother with using dust because of the amount of concentration it took to manipulate it to ones will. However I spotted the girl from the previous day that had been clad in white. She carried a very slim sword with a revolver chamber filled with all different kinds of dust.
I glanced over the girl in the red hood as I had already seen her Scythe in action. By the time Velvet returned the sun was up and the girl I met by the pier, Nora I think was her name, had woken Ren.
"You ready to eat." Velvets voice brought me back to my own body. Looking up at her I was about to reply when my stomach did it for me. Velvet shook her head and rolled her eyes playfully before helping me to my feet and we both went to the cafeteria to eat.
It was a large white room with a large array of food and raw materials that could be used to make your own if one desired. I grabbed multiple plates and stacked them on my arm like I had seen the waiters do at the restaurant; piling one full of fruit, one full of blueberry and Raisin bagels, and the last with bread and jelly.
Velvet had gone with a single plate of toast and eggs and we sat across from each other in the middle of the room while we ate. We didn't speak at all, choosing instead to listen to the other first years as they talked about a rumor going around about teams. It was interesting to listen to the different theories that people had. Some though it was just a rumor, others wondered how many would be on a team, but most were trying to figure out who they wanted on their team. Nora and Ren finally entered as we were leaving to retrieve our weapons from the lockers, depositing our plates at a window to be cleaned by the staff.
"What do you think about the rumor about teams." I asked Velvet as we went to our locker. We opted to share one as we had so little to put in.
She thought for a moment before answering. "If they are in fact going to put us into teams, I doubt it would be anytime soon. They'll probably do it after initiation." She went quiet as others entered the room and started retrieving their weapons and armor.
We opened our locker and started pulling things out. While I had only put my throwing knives inside the locker, Velvet had also put her armor inside, preferring only to wear it when necessary. As she slid it over her head and retrieved her knives I noticed Ren and Nora walk in and head to their lockers.
While I knew what Nora's weapon looked like I hadn't the faintest idea what Ren used. We closed our locker and walked past them as he pulled his out; two green pistols with large, strong looking knives. In one swift movement he slid them into his sleeves and closed his locker following us out. Once we reached the courtyard, Goodwitch's voice reverberated through the loud speaker.
"Would all first year students please report to Beacon Cliff for initiation."
Within 10 minutes everyone was at the cliff standing on a platform, listening to Ozpin as he explained. I stood beside the girl clad in white on my right with Velvet to my left. We all listened to the headmaster speak.
"For years you have trained to become warriors, and today your abilities will be evaluated in the Emerald Forest." Goodwitch chimed in as he finished.
"Now, I know 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." From further down the line I heard someone let out a small moan, before Ozpin started speaking again.
"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."Another moan from further down the line, I focused my awareness down the line to figure out who it was. "That being said, the first person you make eye contact with after landing will be your partner for the next four years. There was a slight pause before the same person let out I cry of disbelief, the girl in the red hood. I signed and looked at Velvet. She rolled her eyes.
Nearby, Nora turned to Ren, "See I told you." She said right before Ozpin started speaking again.
"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." A nervous laugh came from the end of the line. Jeez what is it with people. Just do what you do and everything will be fine. I thought, rolling my eyes. "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. You will guard that item as well as your standing and grade you appropriately. Are there any question?"
Immediately after he said that the guy at the end of the line raised his hand. "uh, ya. Um Sir-" but Ozpin cut him off.
"Good! Now take your positions." Immediately everyone got ready to be launched from the pad they stood on. Some drew their weapons while some simply stood in a ready position. Immediately people started being launched. But the guy at the end of the line continued to raise his hand.
"Uh, Sir, I've got, um, a question." But I didn't hear the rest as the pad beneath me flung me into the air and I soared out above the forest. I turned back and saw the line of people continue to be launched. Finally I saw the guy at the end get launched and I could see him for the first time clearly. He had blond hair and wore armor over a black hoody with a pair of blue jeans. He wasn't anything special that I could tell. What was his deal back there, surly it was obvious what our mission was. Shrugging I turned back to the forest and began to descend.
The urge to open my wings and fly was almost over powering, but I had no reason to distrust the Headmaster yet. So I kept them closed around my body and forced aura into the armor around my legs. I had tweaked the armor plates last night in a stroke of genius to be able to absorb landings better, in case I was high up and needed to land from a high altitude. Now I fell towards the forest.
Landing near the top part of the trunk of a tree I snapped it with my momentum and rode It through the canopy of leaves. Using it to break branches as I descended before hopping off and hitting the ground, there was a dull sound of metal crunching and a louder snapping sound as I slid, my momentum carried me over the earth. When I finally stopped I knelt as pain shot up my left leg. I definitely did not stick that landing. Looking down at the plating around I leg I noticed that one of the plates had been dented badly and the one beneath it had actually broken away completely. I'll have to get stronger plates and weld them better next time. I thought as I took a knife from its holster and snapped the dented plate off.
Standing I focused my aura into my left leg to support it as I walked forward and began my search. I heard a load exploding noise before I had gone five feet and looked up, catching a glimpse of yellow and a girls voice as she soared overhead and continued to propel herself with her weapon, whatever it was.
After I walked for a while I got used to the pain in my leg and started running. I could feel the pain like hammer hitting my leg with each step, but it wasn't bad enough that I was going to let it delay me. I cast my senses out to the maximum distance around me and searched for anything and anyone. No doubt it was only a matter of time before pairs started forming and if I was lucky I would be able to find Velvet before someone else found her.
It was then that I saw one of the other first years on the edge of my awareness. I stopped running and crept forward wandering what he was doing. as I got closer I could clearly see him pushing and pulling on something but I couldn't tell what. That's when I heard her voice.
"What are you doing I'm on your side." Velvet.
I ran forward and jumped through bushes, appeared out of the trees to see the larger boy push Velvet to the ground. "No you're an animal that should learn to listen to its master." He said grabbing one of her ears.
"Ow," was all she said before I leapt into action, my rage spiked at his action and his remarks.
"Hey!" I said drawing his attention. He immediately let go and looked in my direction. I was on him before he could process who I was. I pushed him backwards into a tree and took his place, helping velvet to her feet, before turning back to the boy.
He had recovered and was now holding a giant mace. "What, you got a problem?" he said as he stepped towards me menacingly. I was taller by an inch but he was far more physically muscular. "Whats the matter cat got your tongue?" he said before he reached me.
I glared at him through narrowed eyes, barely able to hold my rage in check. "Don't EVER, touch her again," I said before taking Velvets hand in mine gently and leading her around him.
He laughed and pulled her back towards him, yanking her grasp from mine. "Didn't you hear Ozpin. 'The first person you make eye contact with will be your partner for the next four years.' That means-" I cut him of shoving him backwards again. He let go of Velvet as he tried to defend himself, but this time I held him against the tree, knife in hand. He held still, mace in hand, waiting for my attention to be drawn away for a moment.
"I don't give a damn what he said. Find someone how won't care that you push them around. But you will not hurt my friend." He could feel the cold steel against his skin as I pressed my knife lightly against his neck, daring him to so much as twitch. The defiance in his eyes mixed with fear for a moment before I went back to Velvet and led her into the forest, not looking back. I knew that wasn't enough to stop him in the future but it was enough to solidify the fact that he couldn't push me around like he could others.
I kept my awareness focused on him till we got far enough away before letting out a deep sigh in an attempt to relinquish my anger. Turning to Velvet I looked her up and down. "Are you ok?"
She looked away briefly and nodded, dropping her hand from her head. "Yes, I'll be fine." I locked my eyes on hers and could tell that physically she was fine, he hadn't hurt her. But that guy had definitely hurt her pride in the minutes that he had had to attack her. Let her get it straight in her head, she knows you're here if she needs someone to talk to. I nodded, both to her and to myself.
"Well if you need me I'm here. Common, let's find those Relics and be done with this test." I led the way forward and she followed. Casting my awareness around us again we travelled for nearly an hour, hearing others engage in combat in the distance. At one point we even saw a column of smoke from behind us; a little while after I picked up on a large group of beowolves running this way. They descended on us fast and almost passed us right up, likely running from the fire.
I warned Velvet, but she had already picked up their scent on the wind and drew her fans, we stood back to back as they surrounded us. I drew my other two knives and held them in my right hand ready to thow them. I kept one in my left for defense.
It was just like back in Forever Fall. Except these beowolves were younger and stayed in the forest. One charged for me and I ran forward to meet it, ducking under its claws and dragging my knife in my left hand down its belly as it leapt. Two more charged me on either side.
Behind me I could hear velvet throwing and catching her fans as she lay waste to the beowolves that attacked her. Likely letting out whatever emotions she was harboring from the being bullying her. Taking aim I threw one of my knives at the beowolf to my left, it dropped dead as my knife speared it in the head.
Spinning to meet the other I went on the defensive as it swung its claws at me, putting all its weight behind the attack. I blocked its attack and held it up as it leaned into me. It reached down with its teeth and tried to bite me. In that moment I heard one of the fans cutting through the air towards me. Rolling my head to the side as far as I could without letting go of the beowolf, it zipped in and decapitated the beast. I let it drop to the ground and spun to see Velvet catch the fan and holster it.
But before she could take her hand from her weapon a beowolf that she thought had been killed reeled up behind her. She turned her head and brought her arms up to defend herself. I took aim and with all the force I could muster flung the second of my knives at it. There was a momentary pause where the beowolf descended on her. But it was cut short as my knife hit it in its chest and forced it backwards onto its back. Velvet stayed braced for a moment before looking at what had happened.
I turned to retrieve the knife from the beowolf that had attacked me before quickly moving passed Velvet to the now dead beowolf, retrieving my knife and cleaning it. I looked back at Velvet and was about to ask if she was hurt, but was cut short by a very sudden, very load shout of terror.
Well that was not as easy to write as I thought it was going to be, which is a good thing because i was able to think a little more about what I wanted from the initiation. As always leave a review so I know what you liked or disliked and any concerns or phobias you had. Also I am open to ideas so if anyone has something they would like to see happen let me know and I'll see if I can make it work. Eternal out.