Well this took a while, but considering how many chapters I've cranked out the past few days, I'm on a roll! The Fuck Train has no brakes! Anyway, here we find our lucky heroes finally at the Exam Site, with perilous adversaries all around, how will they fair?
Chapter 3: The Enemy All Around Us
After clearing the first phase of the preliminary examination, Ruby and her friends faced the trials of the examiner Derek and his mission for them in Forever Fall Forest. Passing with flying colors, Derek now escorts them to Beacon City for their examination, but now they will enter a den of lions; hell-bent to pass the exam…no matter the cost.
Truck was a mild way of describing the vehicle they were in; it was an armored personnel carrier that Derek had converted into a mobile lab for his experiments. Ruby and her friends bounced and bobbed in the back stumbling over each other as the mad scientist took off down the road at lightning speeds, blaring rap music from the driver's compartment. "You guys good back there?" He called.
"I think he gave me motion sickness again." Jaune said as he looked queasy.
"How far away are we?" Blake asked objectively.
"Eh about, maybe two minutes." He said as they all waited until they heard the car stop and Newt was the first to break out of the doors.
"Oh, sweet salvation!" She kissed the ground and laid down face first against the ground as if she was hugging it, "I will never forsake you again sweet dirt; you are the sanity beneath my feet." She looked up as Jaune stumbled out with Pyron, while Ruby and Yang walked out as if nothing had happened. Blake however was petrified in the back of the vehicle like a cat clinging to her mother in fear.
Derek approached them with a curious expression on his face, "Why are you all lying about we have places to be!"
They all exchanged a glance of fear and slowly followed the rap-loving, madman. He lead them through the streets pointing out things to them, "So there's Dust till Dawn, greatest convenience store in Vale, and their slushies are to die for. Oh, and there's Tukson's Book Trade, home to every book under the sun. And if you ever need coffee, Oobleck is the place to go."
"Gesundheit." Ruby replied which got her a look of frustration from Derek.
"Oobleck is a coffee chain started by Pro Hunter Bartholomew Oobleck. It'd be more accurate to say that it was founded by a coffee bean farmer Oobleck saved when he tried to take a coffee tree that'd begun growing in an ancient ruin. That tree started his empire, and Oobleck became his name and image. It's pretty good coffee." He added.
"Oh," Ruby said looking to Yang in confusion, "So where exactly is the exam?"
"We're almost there." He said as they checked in to an airship which ferried them to the top of a cliff where a large building stood out solitarily like a castle. They stepped off and Derek quickly hurried them over to the large auditorium where hundreds of other people were gathered. A young girl about two years older than Yang stood at the door, with bright golden shoulder length hair, teal eyes, and a big blue bow tying her hair back into a ponytail. Her bangs hung over her forehead and she had large pink headphones on. She wore a pink V-neck T-shirt and a blue jean jacket with a set of dark grey track pants with a pink stripe running down the seams, with converse shoes.
"Yo Derek! These more newbies?" She asked with a grin.
"Yeah, they're," He started.
"What!?" She yelled.
"Well they're"
"What!?"
"Amanda! Headphones!" He screeched as she removed them.
"Whoops, yeah what's up?" She asked.
He twitched with anger, "These are the new candidates for the Hunter Exam!" He roared, panting like an enraged beast.
"Jeez, no need to yell." She said with a hurt look in her eyes, "Here are your badges, go inside please, but first pin them to your chest. You must wear these at all times." She said as she handed out the numbers 486, 487, 488, 489, 490, 491.
They went in and Derek tried to follow them, but Amanda put a hand on his chest, "Not you, we're going to have a talk." She said with darkness in her eyes and a stern look on her face. He gulped and as they walked further down the hallway they could hear the yelling until they reached the door. They opened it and looked across a sea of people all packed together varying in size and weaponry, but as soon as they entered a stout man in a grey sweatsuit with a blue sleeveless tunic over it approached them.
"Yo, newbies, I see you've made it to the big leagues. Well let me be the first to welcome you, I'm Tonpa!" He said with a smile on his face.
"Pleased to meet you Tonpa," Ruby said, "I'm Ruby and this is my sister Yang. With us are our friends, Jaune, Blake, Pyron, and Newt. How'd you know we were new?"
"Well coming on this year will be my thirty-seventh attempt, you could say I'm an exam veteran." He said with confidence.
"T-thirty-seven?" Jaune said with shock and unease.
"That's not something someone would normally brag about." Yang said to Blake.
"Yeah."
"If you need any help or have any questions, come to me first okay?" He said with yet another smile.
"Yeah we will." Ruby enthusiastically replied.
"Hey Tonpa, you seem like a smart enough guy to find this place thirty-seven years in a row. Can you tell us about the competition?" Pyron said, his eyes shifting from their usual warm look to something fierce.
"Uh, yeah." Tonpa said uneasily, "Well there's the man here with the most power, Number 102, Todo the wrestler. He took the exam two years ago and is back to try again." He pointed out a rotund man with a ponytail wearing a shirt and sweatpants, who was chowing down on a bento.
"Then you have the three year veteran, Number 10, Caradin Cross, he's about as strong as Todo but is probably lacking the brain power." This time the target was a young man about seventeen with shaggy dirty blonde hair and emerald eyes. He wore a pair of camo cargo pants and a bright tan sleeveless shirt with black army boots and a black beanie with an orange X. He also donned and orange vest and scarf with black fingerless gloves and sunglasses.
"Who next, oh, there's Number 157, Zepile the Auctioneer, he was a rookie last year who was taken out too early so we don't really have an idea on his strengths." He showed them a man in a red suit with slicked back red hair and wild eyebrows.
"There's the veteran from four years ago, Number 44, Taurus, he killed a few people during a phase and was forced to leave, he's back now but who knows what that psycho will do." The man in question wore a large brown cloak with a bull's mascot head over his own head. Beneath he wore a black suit.
"Then there's the most dangerous two out of there, Numbers 117 and 118, Lie Ren and Nora Valkyrie. They hail from Meteor City, a place that on government records doesn't exist. Most assassins and mafia are from there, and it was the birth-place of the Phantom Troupe. They took the exam five years ago at age twelve and almost killed the examiner because he made Nora cry." Tonpa said with a shudder. The boy in girl in question were indeed odd, the girl had bright orange hair and aqua eyes, sporting a pink shirt and a white and black jersey with pink fingerless gloves. She also wore a pink skirt with white knee high boots and a pink cap. The boy however had long black hair tied back in a ponytail with a pink streak in it and pink eyes. He wore a long sleeved white shirt with a green sleeveless robe with golden trim and black and gold arm warmers. He also donned a pink sash around his waist and had a pink lotus embroidered into the back of his robe.
"I see, they will be difficult." Pyron said as he eyed the competition.
"Ah, I know! Here, I brought some juice to share with any new friends I made, drink up!" Tonpa said as he passed around cans of juice.
"Awesome, after that car ride I could use a good beverage!" Jaune cried as they all took the juice.
Yes, drink up. I put a powerful laxative in the juice so that when you drink it you won't be able to pass the exam without diapers. Tonpa thought to himself as they opened the cans and went to drink it.
The minute the juice touched Ruby and Yang's tongues they spat it out, "Uh, Mr. Tonpa, this juice tastes funny." Ruby said as Yang tried to wipe it off her tongue.
"Where'd you get it, a condemned vending machine?" Yang hacked as the others spat the juice out.
"Whew, that was close." Jaune said as he cleaned his mouth on his sleeve.
Again!? How are these kids able to tell what's in the juice? The last time this happened was the 287th Hunter Exam. He thought in a panic, "Ah, my mistake. I guess I should throw all these out and find some better drinks for next year, huh?" He chuckled.
"It'd be a good thought." Pyron added, "By the way, are there any rookies like us?"
"Oh yes, quite a few this year who are prospective. Number 278, Luxus Rayfor von Wurfel, he uses pistols and from what I hear he's quite the ladies man." He pointed out a young man with tan skin and snow white hair with lilac eyes, He wore a blue coat with gold trim and a frilled ascot and frilly cuffs. White gloves and light blue pants with white shoes. He winked at Newt as he passed them by, which caused the girl to blush.
"Renowned fighter from the Heaven's Arena who rose to prominence recently, Number 89, Pyrrha Nikos." She had a brown and gold corset with long brown gloves that reached her biceps. She had a short red skirt with thigh high brown armored boots. On her back was a sword and a shield.
"Then there's Number 203, Carlos Santiago, he's a temple explorer who's a bit off." The boy in question had a blonde Mohawk with sunglasses and piercings on his right ear. He had a scar over the bridge of his nose and a chin goatee with a spiked leather choker with a quartz necklace. He wore a white sleeveless with a yellow and white coat with jeans and converse shoes. On his back was a large axe.
"Right behind him was Number 204, David Frystalik, he's supposed to be a mystic or something." The boy in question wore a black trench-coat with a light blue skull on the back; a T-shirt with a wolf and jeans and sandals. His hair was a black mess and his eyes were crystal blue.
"Then of course there's the Schnee family legacy, Number 165, Weiss Schnee. And of course her butler, Number 166, Deverou Tenebrous." The pair in question was a young girl with white hair tied in a side ponytail and piercing crystal blue eyes. She had a black shirt showing from beneath her large white coat with black buttons and she had thigh height white boots. The boy beside her had raven colored hair and a gentle face, he wore an eye-patch over one eye and the other eye was a chestnut brown. He had a black dress shirt with a white vest and white slacks. His shoes were black with white accents and he had a chain-scythe coiled around his waist.
"Hm, and then there's." He heard screaming from across the way, and saw the man in a brown trench coat with the black button down and grey pants wearing a rabbit mask, "Another psycho, Number 1, White Rabbit. This is his first time here, but he has a reputation as a proficient killer."
"Ah, come on and get up, don't you want your fingers back?" He asked a man who was kneeling holding his hand tightly.
"I just tapped you on the shoulder to ask to group up!" He screamed.
"And why would I team up with a weakling like you?" The rabbit taunted with laughter.
"Ah, yeah, the last person is." Tonpa started as a boy ran up.
"Yo, gramps, can I get some more juice? And if you have any snacks can I please borrow some, I'll pay you back I promise." He said bowing with his hands clasped as if praying.
"Ah, sure, perfect timing actually. Everyone this is number 423, Bloody Knives, why is that your name?" Tonpa asked handing the boy some juice and a bag of chips.
"I dunno, people just gave it to me." The boy in question had unruly jet black hair and piercing red eyes with a red headband. On his left ear were two ring piercings and a cross earring. He bore a red headband and on his head were a set of grey goggles that stood out with his black shirt, red hoodie, and black gloves. Finally he had some ragged jeans and old beat-up converse. "But thanks for the juice old man!"
"No problem, although, these guys tell me it's rotten." Tonpa said with a chuckle.
"Really? Ah well, more for me then." Knives said as he gathered up their juices and walked off with him.
"How can he drink that?" Yang asked in shock.
"Must have a stomach made of titanium." Jaune replied, "So cool."
A bell rang from the far side of the room and they were met with a blonde woman with emerald eyes and glasses. She wore a white shirt and black shirt with leggings and heels, and had a black and purple cape she wore. "Hello there, I am Glynda Goodwitch, your examiner for this first segment of the Hunter Exam, if you will follow me we can begin."
The gang looked to one another in anxiety, the Hunter Exam had begun.
Faced with new foes, and many trials before them, how will Ruby and the gang fair against such overwhelming odds? And just what is this first phase? The starting Number is 500, we'll see how many survive the first phase.
And so they shall embark, to glory! Also a few people slipped in at the last moment, who could they be? Definitely not who you think...I'll say that much...unless you think, well I can't reveal. Until next time!