Chapter 3

Shirou found that touring the Academy with others was much more enjoyable than wandering alone. Ruby was quite chatty when it came to weapons and engineering, and it was clear that her passion was backed by a wellspring of knowledge as she almost casually identified every weapon they passed as well as its function. If he didn't know better, Shirou would have put money that she was using structural analysis in the same way he did.

Yang, Shirou found, was very much the opposite of shy. She happily chatted about anything and everything, joking and smiling as she confidently strode about. Yang was quite happy to physically push or pull Shirou about to suit her needs, and once they had found the training facilities, she had nearly dragged Shirou to an arena to spare before Ruby intervened.

"Yang, you don't want to tire yourself out before initiation!" Ruby scolded, enough exasperation in her tone that Shirou suspected it wasn't the first time she had stopped her sister from fighting.

"Fine, fine," Yang groaned before turning her attention back to Shirou. "You gotta pass, for now, Shirou, but I'm not letting you fail until I see exactly what that semblance of yours can do."

Shirou laughed awkwardly. "Do either of you know what initiation actually is?"

"Nope," Yang said.

"Our Dad's a teacher at Signal Academy, and he told us Beacon's initiation changes every year, so not even past graduates could tell us." Ruby chimed in, looking vaguely concerned. "I'm pretty nervous about it."

"You'll be fine," Yang drawled. "I'll bet you a week's allowance that it's to do with fighting and the only person you couldn't beat at Signal was me."

Ruby squinted at Yang. "The only reason you won our last fight was because the sun got in my eyes."

"Keep telling yourself that, Sis."

The small group continued their tour until they ended up at the cafeteria just in time for dinner, set up buffet style. Navigating the influx of other initiates, Yang, Shirou, and Ruby filled their plates and sat at one of the long tables that filled the hall.

"I'm really not sure that counts as dinner, Ruby," Shirou commented with a frown, looking at Ruby's plate and seeing nothing but desserts.

Ruby's response was indecipherable, having already taken a large bite out of a fudge brownie.

Before Shirou could pursue the subject of good nutrition with Ruby, someone sat down beside him.

"Hi, I'm Jaune. Can I join you guys?" Jaune asked with a slight stutter and an awkward wave.

Shirou saw the sword on Jaune's hip, and the history of its use became known to him. Crocea Mors was more than a hundred years old and had been used to kill all manner of Grimm, and more than a few people, by two members of the Arc family.

"You sure you should be topping off the tank again there, Jaune?"

Jaune fidgeted, cheeks turning pink under Yang's gaze, a bead of sweat trickling down his cheek.

"I...That is… I'm not sure what you mean?"

Ruby visibly swallowed her mouthful of food.

"Aren't you the guy who threw up on the ship?"

Jaune's face turned bright red as Yang snorted violently and began to guffaw, drawing the attention of half the cafeteria.

"It was just motion sickness, nothing serious," Jaune whispered. "It's much more common than people think."

"Sure thing Vomit Boy." Yang chortled, wiping a tear from her eye as she did so.

Shirou took pity on Jaune and reached over to clap him on the shoulder.

"My name's Shirou Emiya. That's Yang Xiao Long and her younger sister Ruby Rose. It's nice to meet you."

Jaune latched onto Shirou's lifeline like a drowning man.

"It's nice to meet you too! My name's Jaune Arc, short, sweet, rolls off the tongue, and ladies love it."

Yang giggled. "Really?"

"They will! Or at least that's what my mom…" Jaune's voice got weaker as he spoke, trailing off as he stared at the chicken on his plate.

Shirou coughed and again tried to steer the conversion to a safer topic.

"Your sword is well made. I'm a fan of the classics myself."

Jaune reached down and touched Crocea Mors's hilt, looking vaguely embarrassed.

"Thanks, it's been in my family for a long time, so I guess you could say it was recently handed down to me."

Shirou nodded. It made sense from what he had gleaned from the blade's history.

Ruby leaned forward, trying to look at Jaune's sword.

"Another sword." She looked at Jaune hopefully. "Can you show me, please?"

"Hey now," Yang interjected, pulling Rudy back into her seat. "No weapons at the table. You remember what happened last time."

Ruby gasped.

"You promised to never bring that up again!"

"And I won't as long as you follow the rules," Yang smiled evilly. "After all, you wouldn't want Shirou to know—"

"Ok, ok! No weapons at the table." Ruby squeaked, drawing smiles from both Shirou and Jaune.

"You two remind me of my older sisters." Jaune said as he took a bite of his food. "They're always messing with each other and me."

"It's a big sister's duty," Yang said proudly, ruffling Ruby's hair.

The conversation continued to flow while they ate their fill and beyond, with Jaune happily regaining them with stories of his family until an announcement came over the loudspeakers requesting all first-year students make their way to the auditorium to prepare for lights out.

"Well, looks like this is where we part ways," Yang said as they walked to the locker rooms. "If we don't see you again tonight, we'll catch you in the morning. But, remember Shirou, I'm still expecting that spar!"

"Bye, Shirou. Bye Jaune," Ruby waved as she followed after Yang.

Now that night had fallen, Shirou could feel his exhaustion catching up to him, and once he lay down on one of the many cots set up for all the income first years, it was all he could do to keep his eyes open.

He was tired enough that he didn't even question that Jaune was wearing a blue bunny onesie.

"Crap!" Jaune groaned as he tried to turn his scroll on and found the screen remaining stubbornly blank.

"I totally forgot to charge my scroll last night. Hey Shirou, could I ask you a favor?"

"Need someone to wake you up tomorrow?" Shirou asked sleepily from where he lay.

"Please."

"Sure, it's no big deal."

"Thanks, man," Jaune exhaled, rubbing his eyes.

"I don't think I've ever gone to bed this nervous before, you know?"

Shirou didn't respond. Looking over, Jaune saw that Shirou's eyes were closed and his breathing rhythmic.

"Guess not."

Waking up early was an ingrained habit in Shirou, so he was neither surprised nor irritated to wake up just as the light began to creep through the auditorium's high windows.

Getting up quietly and stretching, Shirou decided to clean up before waking Jaune, who was sprawled out on his cot, arms and legs hanging off every side as he snored softly. Going about his morning ablutions quickly, Shirou dressed in the same shirt and jeans he had been wearing for the last three days, grimacing slightly as he smelled the garment.

Making his way back into the auditorium, Shirou found that a few people had begun to stir.

"Hey Jaune, it's morning." Shirou shook Jaune's shoulder until he began to stir and opened his eyes briefly.

"I'm up. What time is it."

"About 7:30."

"So early." Jaune moaned and slumped back down like his strings had been cut.

"No, it's not. You still need to get ready, eat breakfast and loosen up before the examination. Ruby and Yang were pretty sure fighting would be part of it."

Jaune woke up quickly, eyes going wide and face pale, as he tried to untangled himself from his blanket and fell out of his cot. Jaune looked up at Shirou.

"You don't think there will be fighting, do you?"

Shirou shrugged.

"It makes sense. Ruby and I were invited here because Ozpin decided we're good fighters."

"Right, yeah, that makes total sense. Anyways I should get ready," Jaune pushed himself up. "Meet you for breakfast?"

"Sure."

Jaune was quiet at breakfast, barely glancing up as Yang and Ruby sat down.

"Feeling a bit nervous there, Vomit Boy?" Yang asked, nudging him with her shoulder.

"I mean, yeah, I guess." Jaune rubbed the back of his neck, eyes downcast.

"Well, loosen up. You just need to have confidence."

Yang's pep talk didn't do much to cheer Jaune up, and he was still distracted until the announcement came for everyone to make their way to the eastern cliffs.

Approaching the cliffs, Shirou looked out at a sprawling woodland. The trees were a dense and brilliant green. If he hadn't read about them two nights ago, Shirou would have thought them a great place to explore. The Emerald Forest was beautiful, but it was also teaming with all manner of Grimm and considered a class two site, requiring at least one licensed Hunter to accompany every convey that traveled through its depths.

Goodwitch and Ozpin were already at the cliff's edge waiting when Shirou, Yang, Ruby, and Jaune arrived.

"Please find an empty platform to stand on." Goodwitch directed them to square steel tiles lining the cliff's edge.

Shirou stepped onto a tile and traded glances with Yang beside him before shrugging. Yang returned the gesture, and they stood, waiting for the rest of the students to arrive before Ozpin stepped forward and spoke.

"For years, you have trained to become warriors, and today your abilities will be evaluated in the Emerald Forest." He gestured out towards the edge of the cliff. "I'm sure many of you have heard the rumors about the assignment of teams. Allow me to end your confusion. Each of you will be given teammates today."

Ruby whimpered quietly, and Yang glanced at her in concern.

"Your teammates decided today will be with you for the rest of your time at Beacon. So it is best to be paired with someone with whom you can work well." He paused to sip at the contents of his coffee mug. "That said, the first person you make eye contact with after landing will be your partner for the next four years."

"What?!" Ruby shouted and began to fret in place, looking like her trust in the world was crumbling down around her.

Ozpin ignored her entirely and continued with his instructions.

"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."

Shirou felt his heart begin to Gallup, and he took deep breaths through his nose, trying to focus on Ozpin's instructions.

"You will be monitored and graded for the duration of your initiation, but our instructors will not intervene. Your mission is to find the abandoned temple five miles from here, containing several relics. Each pair of students must retrieve one and return here to the top of the cliff. You will be graded appropriately if you return successfully based on your performance. Do you have any questions?"

Jaune raised his hand, but Ozpin seemed to ignore the action and instead turned to nod at Goodwitch, who pressed a button on her scroll.

The loud clunk of machinery rang out, and a student was sent flying off the cliff towards the Emerald Forest.

Shirou looked at Ozpin like he was insane.

'Maybe I should have stayed on the streets until Rin found me.'

Giving his whole body a shake, Shirou watched Yang put on a pair of sunglasses and smile cockily before she was launched into the air, whooping as she flew.

Shirou gave Ruby a look.

"Your sister's a little crazy, isn't she?"

Ruby just giggled as she pulled out Crescent Rose.

"She's a bit of an adrenaline junkie."

'That tracks.'

Shirou could feel the pad he was standing on beginning to tighten, and he bent his knees in response.

"Ruby, I'll see you later. Be careful down there."

Shirou barely got the words out before he was sent rocketing in the air.

Flying unaided was a new experience for Shirou, and as the air whipped against his face and tears formed in his eyes, he decided that it wasn't an experience he was eager to repeat.

Bringing his arms to his sides to streamline his form, Shirou closed his eyes to block out the wind and called on his prana.

"Trace on."

Using far more care than he usually would, Shirou filled the gaps in his tissues and bones with prana, making his muscles denser than iron and his bones harder than steel. Once more, Shirou opened his eyes, and the wind was no longer a factor. His eyes enhanced beyond what was humanly possible, so he could count the leaves on a tree a mile away.

At the apex of his flight, Shirou could make out Yang descending into the trees well in the distance. Picking his landing spot, Shirou angled his body and went into free fall. Hitting the tops of the tree branches tore at Shirou, but his reinforcement was potent enough that nothing broke his skin, leaving only a stinging sensation as he broke through and slammed into the ground, cratering it as he did.

Ignoring the discomfort of his landing, Shirou looked about himself with a critical eye, arms held loosely at his sides.

Seeing nothing, Shirou relaxed slightly before breaking into a reinforced sprint, moving so quickly that he became nothing but a blur as he moved northward. Shirou didn't have to maintain his pace for long. Hearing the sounds of another initiate, Shirou changed course slightly and burst into a clearing. Skidding to a stop, Shirou met Yang's wide eyes as he did so.

Yang blinked before a smile bloomed on her face.

"Bout time you caught up to me, Shirou. I was starting to get bored."

Shirou gave a weak smile in return, but before he could respond, a loud roar erupted from behind Yang, and two large Grimm came hurtling at the pair.

"Trace on!"

Shirou reacted quickly, and half a dozen swords appeared in the air and zipped towards the Grimm, skewering them up to the hilt. However, getting stabbed only slowed the Grimm's charge, giving Yang and Shirou time to throw themselves to the side.

Yang whistled as she stood up and activated Ember Celica.

"Those are some big Ursa."

Ursa. Shirou read about them but seeing them in person was something else. Each bear-like monster stood at least six feet tall at the shoulders, and boney spikes jutted from their shoulders like knives. But it was the bone masks that covered their heads that worried Shirou. From what he understood, the older the Grimm, the more developed the mask. The two specimens Shirou and Yang stood before had fully developed masks, and blood-red eyes glared at them with hate that no normal animal could possibly feel.

While Shirou was trying to assess how to best engage, Yang, charged forward with a loud battle cry, slamming into the Ursa on the right like a yellow comet.

Shirou looked on in shock as Yang delivered punishing blow after blow before finishing the fight with a massive shotgun-powered uppercut under the ursa's chin, blowing its head off in a burst of black smoke.

Yang leaped into a back handspring, avoiding the second Ursa swipe, and she continued to backpedal until she was standing beside Shirou.

Yang slapped Shirou on the back with a grin.

"Well, Hawkeye, I got mine. Why don't you show me what you got." She said before pushing him forward slightly. "A bit of advice, with Grimm this size, it's better to go after the head or spine."

Shirou frowned at Yang's casualness. Everything he had read highlighted how dangerous the creatures of Grimm were, but Yang treated the entire fight like a game.

Clearing his mind of those intrusive thoughts, Shirou traced Kanshou and Bakuya, the black and white blades fitting comfortably in his hands.

The remaining Ursa stood on its hind legs and bellowed a challenge at Shirou's approach.

Before the Ursa could settle back on all fours, Shirou exploded forward and leaped up, scissoring Kanshou and Bakuya through its neck as he ascended.

Shirou landed lightly and skipped out of the way as the ursa's body collapsed, its severed head rolling a few times before turning to smoke. |

Shirou glanced at his swords in surprise. Even with Kanshou and Bakuya's unique properties, he hadn't expected he would be able to cut through the beast's neck so effortlessly.

"Well, that was boring," Yang groaned, crossing her arms in disapproval. "You didn't even give it a chance, Shirou."

"I was honestly expecting it to be a lot tougher." Shirou didn't know precisely why he was embarrassed to admit that, but he could help the feeling that bloomed under Yang's teasing gaze

"Yeah, an Ursa isn't that big a deal as long as you're quick. Getting hit by one is a bitch, though."

"I can imagine." Shirou let his swords vanish in a flurry of blue light and started walking north.

"So, I guess we're partners now."

Yang fell into step beside Shirou.

"Yep. you've been given a great honor. I hope you appreciate it for what it is." Yang used an arm to fling her hair back pompously before fidgeting with a strand.

"'You didn't happen to see where Ruby ended up, did you?"

Shirou shook his head.

"Sorry, I was launched before her."

Yang rubbed at her arm, and for the first time since he had met her, Shirou saw a more serious side of Yang.

Shirou gave her a pat on the shoulder.

"I've seen her fight. I don't think you have anything to worry about. I'm sure she'll finish initiation with her semblance before we get to the temple."

Yang flashed Shirou a grateful smile.

"Well, we better speed up so we don't keep her waiting!" Yang took off, moving faster than Shirou would have thought her capable. Shirou ran after her, determined to make it to the temple as soon as possible.

Ruby watched as Shirou flew through the air in a graceful arc as she eagerly waited for her platform to shoot her forward. Unfortunately, Jaune didn't seem to share in her enthusiasm.

"Sir, what is a landing strategy exactly?"

"Something of your own design to ensure you land safely in the forest," Ozpin answered, taking a sip from his coffee mug.

"Right. You didn't happen to hand out para—" Jaune didn't get to finish his sentence as he was launched, shrieking all the while.

Before long, Ruby was the last person, besides Ozpin and Goodwitch, standing on the cliff's edge.

"Are you ready for what lies before you, Ms. Rose?" Ozpin asked, looking at Ruby over his spectacles.

Ruby's mouth went dry at the Headmaster's question, but she nodded.

"Then good luck."

Ruby felt her platform tense under her boots, and then she was off.

Flying through the air, Ruby unfurled Crescent Rose into its scythe configuration and waited until she began her descent. Then she fired round after round into the trees, using the kickback to slow her fall. Finally, reaching the treeline, Ruby angled herself to catch a branch using the crook of Crescent Rose and spun around, bleeding off the last of her momentum before dropping to the ground and landing in a low crouch.

A large smile graced Ruby's face.

'I bet I look so cool right now!'

"A very impressive landing," A voice said from above Ruby, surprising her so severely that she let out a girlish shriek and leaped a foot in the air.

Looking upward frantically, Ruby spotted who had spoken just as the person hopped off the tree branch they had been standing on. She was almost as tall as Shirou, wearing a leathered, armored bodice and skirt with bronze vambraces and grieves on her forearms and shins.

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to scare you like that."

"No, it's totally fine. I wasn't expecting to find anyone so quickly, is all."

Ruby mustered up her courage and tried to be confident as she stuck her hand out to the girl.

"My name's Ruby Rose."

The girl gave Ruby a kind smile and shook her hand.

"I'm nice to meet you, Ruby. I guess we're partners now."

"I…Yeah, I guess so."

Ruby looked at the girl expectantly and fidgeted slightly, waiting.

"Can you…" Ruby trailed off uncomfortably. "That is, you don't have to, but can you tell me your name?" Ruby spoke in a rush, glancing back and forth from the ground to the girl.

The girl's eyes widened, and a look of pure embarrassment appeared as she processed Ruby's question.

"I'm so sorry. Forgive my rudeness. My name is Pyrrha Nikos."

Quick shout out to everybody who's reviewed this story. I appreciate your taking the time to do so. It's beneficial to me. A few people have expressed concern over my lack of planning, which is fair, and that's good feedback. But for this story, I'm actually trying the "seat of your pants" style of writing described by Stephen King. Mind you, King is one of the best authors around, so there will be some hiccups, but it's been fun not knowing exactly what will happen next.

Anyway, I've closed the poll so you can see who's won (Or lost, depending on how you look at it) the vote.