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"Cardin Winchester, Russel Thrush, Dove Bronzewing, and Sky Lark. You collected the black bishop pieces. From now on you will be known as team CRDL, led by… Cardin Winchester." Ozpin announced another new team. As the older students and faculty applauded the creation of the new team, Natsu took the time to study the four boys who made it up.
Sky was a boy of average height and build with shoulder length greasy grey hair and blue eyes. Dove was also average in height but with slightly broader shoulders, he had combed brown hair, eyes squinted to the point they looked closed, and a rounded face. Russel was on the shorter side, had slightly scrawny arms, a slim face, blue eyes, and black hair with a bleached mohawk on top.
It was Cardin however that drew Natsu's attention the most. He was taller than the average person, with orange brown hair, blue eyes- what is with this team and blue eyes?- and a muscular build covered in armor. The thing that made Natsu notice him, his whole team in fact, was how he felt his hate flare up every time he saw a Faunus, and how his lust spiked whenever he saw a girl. And when he saw a female Faunus, the feelings Natsu got off him all but proved to him that Cardin Winchester was a racist and quite possibly a sexist as well.
If that bastard tries anything with Yang or Ruby he's so dead.
While Natsu was contemplating the different ways he could get away with killing Cardin should the boy step out of line, another team stepped forward to be named. "Juane Arc, Nora Valkyrie, Pyrrha Nikos, and Lie Ren. You collected the white rook pieces, from now on you will work together as team JNPR, led by… Jaune Arc." As applause once more filled the hall, Jaune looked stunned pointing at himself as if asking 'who, me?' Said expression was wiped off his face when he was knocked off his feet by Pyrrha's celebratory shoulder punch. He needs to work on his footing.
Next up was his sisters' team, "Ruby Rose, Weiss Schnee, Blake Belladonna, and Yang Xiao Long, you retrieved the white knight pieces. You will hence forth be known as team RWBY, led by… Ruby Rose." Ruby herself wore an expression similar to the one Jaune just had, while Yang gave her sister a hug in celebration, Blake simply smiled a little, and Weiss… looked like someone just slapped her in the face with a raw fish. Jeez, she must have really wanted to be a leader. This is going to cause SO many problems I just know it.
"And finally, Natsu Xiao Long. You collected the white king piece and returned to the cliff with no partner due to the uneven amount of students. Normally this would have you put on a reserve roster and unable to complete any missions until a spot opened up on one of the existing teams. However due to the extraordinary feats you accomplished during initiation," Here the screen used to show the faces of the previous teams changed to show recordings of his 'fights' with the Deathstalker and Giant Nevermore. "It has been decided to instead place you as a one man team, capable of taking low level missions solo and joining other teams as support on higher ranked assignments. If you would now come to my office, we will discuss everything you will need to know concerning your new position." Ozpin announced, stunning not only Natsu himself but everyone in the auditorium. One man teams were not unheard of, but they were always made of full-fledged huntsmen and huntresses. For a first year to be made into one was nothing short of incredible.
Following the headmaster, Natsu entered an elevator separate from the ones the students used to move about the school. With him were Professors Ozpin and Goodwitch, it seemed both wanted to talk to him and if he was reading the air correctly it was about more than just his placement as a solo fighter.
Ozpin's office was at the top of the tallest tower of Beacon and looked to be the inside of a giant clock with all its giant gears constantly ticking away and reinforced by the see through clock that acted as the main window behind the headmasters desk. Sitting in his chair with second in command by his side, Ozpin looked at the red eyed fire user with a serious expression, not saying a word for several long seconds before getting straight to the chase, "I will be blunt mister Xiao Long and simply ask what I want to know. How were you able to do what you did in the forest?"
While the bluntness was a surprise to the dragon prince, the question was not, "I set off a dust crystal point blank in the Deathstalker's face along with my Semblance powered by a good bit of my Aura. As for the Nevermore, I took some fire Dust into my lungs before pumping as much of my remaining reserves as I could in with it before sending it all out in one shot. To be honest I didn't expect it to be that strong, I guess having fire as my Semblance gave it a bit of a boost." Natsu told the white haired man calmly, not letting anything that might give away his lying show on his face.
Ozpin stared at him quietly for several more seconds before giving his rely, "Did you know that every step taken when in the Emerald Forest is closely monitored by both myself and Professor Goodwitch during initiation every year?" He asked the boy sitting in front of him with the same measure of calmness that he had displayed just moments before. "We also keep a close eye on the Aura levels of all the students engaged in combat. We took special interest in the confrontations you and teams RWBY and JNPR took part in. Now knowing this I ask you again, how were you able to do what you did?" Ozpin asked Natsu, his voice becoming more forceful and stern at the end.
Although he appeared to remain calm Natsu was panicking inwardly, he should have known there would be cameras in the forest, how else would they know who was partnered with who? There was only two outcomes he could think of for this. One he reveals that he has sealed his powers and is hunting down a god level mass murderer, or two he calls the headmaster out on his claims of knowing that Natsu was hiding something. Needless to say he went with the second option.
"I already told you headmaster. I used Dust aligned with my Semblance to preform feats I am otherwise incapable of doing."
"I do not appreciate being lied to Mr. Xiao Long, you did not have anything in your hands when fighting the Deathstalker, yet your Aura rose to almost ten times the amount you are registered to have, and it stayed that level for the remainder of your time in the forest before somehow dropping back to the levels you have been known to have. I want to know how." Well that didn't work.
"May I ask why you want to know? And why should I tell you if I could do what you claim?" Natsu asked. Politics, not a fun thing by any means, but necessary.
"I want to know because if you have found a way to so dramatically increase the power of ones Aura, it should be taught to all potential huntsmen to give them a better chance of survival. Is that a good enough answer for you?"
This guy really doesn't pull any punches does he? "I'm sorry headmaster, but I don't know any way to increase someone's Aura reserves the way you're thinking. As far as I know the only way to increase them is to train." Natsu told the now scowling man. Not even really a lie, that really is the only way I know to increase someone's power. Well that and doing some admittingly stupid things. Natsu thought thinking about his fight with Jellal on top of the Tower of Heaven where he ate the power of the Eatherion.
Ozpin did not look happy, "I see. Then how do you explain your sudden increase and later decrease of your own power?"
"Like I said, I used Dust that was the same element as my Semblance. I guess the reaction it caused gave the illusion that my Aura increased for a time when it was really just the power the Dust itself gave off." Natsu tried to convince Ozpin, knowing at this point it was a useless gesture. "Is there anything else Professor?"
With one last look, Ozpin waved toward the door, "No Mr. Xiao Long that is all. I suggest you get moving and find your dorm, it's almost curfew."
As Natsu left the office, Glinda Goodwitch spoke up for the first time sense entering the room, "What do you make of him Ozpin?" She asked her boss and friend.
"He is hiding something. Even if the Dust he supposedly used fooled our equipment and gave us improper readings, they wouldn't have come back as high as they did. Not only that but the boy's attacks… they didn't give off the same feeling as what someone's Semblance normally does." Ozpin told the blond woman.
"What do you mean?"
"Those attacks felt like the power of the Maidens, like magic." This understandably shocked the woman, after all in the history of Remnant the only ones to ever have the power of magic were the Maidens which Natsu couldn't be due to him being male.
"How is that even possible?"
"I can think of only two ways. He is either working with the ones who tried to steal Amber's powers or got what they were able to harvest before Qrow's interference." Here Glinda looked and felt appalled, a Maiden's power was linked to their soul after all, and the thought of someone stealing a soul for power was sickening. "Or he is working with one of the undetermined Maidens and she gave him a piece of power in exchange for a service of some kind." This was a less likely possibility, as it was unknown even after all the years of studying the power of the Maidens if they were capable of giving their power to another willingly and without dying.
"I'll keep an eye on him." Glinda stated with the conviction of a solider going to war.
Ozpin only nodded solemnly.
Running down the deserted hallways, Natsu was able to catch up to his friend and sisters' teams just before they entered their own rooms, his own being just down the hall.
"Hey guys!" he waved to them causing them all to stop before entering their dorms.
"Hey there mister one man team, how was your talk with Professor Ozpin?" Yang teased her little brother.
"Boring, he basically just told me the same thing from the assembly. That and I get my own room, which is awesome." He told her, sneaking a glance at Pyrrha as he said the last bit. The girl in question noticed and lightly blushed at what she thought he was offering. If she knew that she was right about what she was thinking, her blush would have been far worse.
"Lucky you. Anyway, I don't know about you but I'm exhausted." Yang waved to them absentmindingly as she walked into team RWBY's dorm, ready for a nice long sleep after their adventures in the Emerald Forest. A thought that seemed to be shared by the others as well as they all bid their goodbyes and drifted into their respective dorms. As luck would have it, Pyrrha was the last one in the hall with him, and Natsu grabbed her arm lightly before she could follow her team. When Ren looked back at her with a raised eyebrow, she waved him off causing him to shrug and close the door.
As soon as they were alone, Natsu pulled the red haired girl close to him and whispered in her ear, "You know this is our first real night as Beacon students, how about we go celebrate?" He finished by blowing a small about of fire on her ear, not enough to burn but enough to give off a pleasant heat.
Pyrrha shuddered slightly at the feeling before rapping her arms around Natsu's neck and leaned back to look him in the eyes, "Oh? What did you have in mind?" she asked teasingly.
"How about we break in my new room, the beds must be in some dire need of… fluffing, after not being used all summer." Natsu told her with a smirk, to which she responded with a soft hum.
"I guess I could help you with that… What was the score when we left off?"
"Forty seven to thirty one in my favor."
This time it was Pyrrha's turn to smirk, "Well as the Goddess of Victory I can't just take a lose lying down now can I?" After spending some time as Natsu's friend Pyrrha's old insecurities had started to lessen, what with him not putting her on a pedestal and treating her as a normal woman instead of a perfect image that had to be maintained or an unreachable being.
"No, I guess you can't, but don't think I'll just let you win either." Natsu told her drawing her into a brief but deep kiss.
Once more pulling back, Pyrrha couldn't help but give a cocky little smile, "I wouldn't have it any other way."
As the two quickly darted off down the hall to the boy's privet dorm, neither noticed the golden catlike eye that was peering out of team RWBY's own room. I need to set up some cameras in there… Blake thought with a burning blush.
"Hey blake what are you doing?" Yang called out to her partner.
"Nothing!"
OK the winner for what to do about lemons was to up the rating and put them in. Unfortunately I just found out my little brother is following this fic, he knows who he is, and quite frankly I don't want to have to listen to him about my writing them so for the time being there will be no lemons, maybe later I'll go with the second most voted for option (which lost by a good bit) and fill in the lemony bits in a different story. But I will say this, if that time comes I will only put the scenes that got skipped in to the new story, lemon scenes that come out after that point will go into the main story, that being this one.
Any way, yeah Ozpin is on to Natsu but is thinking only within the bounds of his own knowledge and does not seem to think there might be a different variable, but remember this is the guy who is basically the authority on the deepest secrets of Remnant, he has a right to think he knows all the pieces in play (see what I did there?)
Also Blake is onto Natsu and Pyrrha who themselves are going to have some privet fun time... lucky bastard. What? I'm not the only one thinking it.
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Wingd Knight out